The Hockey Writers Daily - August 12, 2023
A daily Substack newsletter with all the best content from The Hockey Writers
Welcome to The Hockey Writers Daily
In today’s edition, we have a possible free-agent target for Calgary, bold predictions for the Blackhawks, a young stud in New Jersey with room to grow, player milestones in Seattle, and much more.
It would be great if you’d share the THW Daily with your friends and family so that they can subscribe and enjoy every day.
Here’s the good stuff:.
Flames Have Inexpensive Scoring Winger Available In Tomas Tatar
August 11, 2023 by Rupert McDonald
Barring a sudden change of heart, it appears that Calgary Flames general manager Craig Conroy is set to begin the 2023-24 season with his roster the way it is. Despite numerous reports that several players entering the final year of their respective contracts are strongly considering heading elsewhere, Conroy doesn’t seem to be willing to move them, at least not yet.
Based on what has transpired, it seems that Conroy is hoping to change the minds of some of these pending unrestricted free agents (UFAs) as the year goes on. It may not be the worst idea ever given the fact that on paper, this team is loaded with talent. With a new voice behind the bench in Ryan Huska, perhaps the Flames can get back to their winning ways of two seasons ago and have players realize what a fun market it can be to play in.
3 Reasons Maple Leafs’ Marner Will Have a Breakout Season
August 11, 2023 by The Old Prof
Since his rookie season in 2016-17, Toronto Maple Leaf Mitch Marner has been on an upward trajectory in offensive production. Each full NHL season has seen him steadily increase his point totals, starting with a 61-point rookie campaign to a career-high 99 points in 2022-23. During any regular season that wasn’t shortened by the pandemic, Marner has put up better numbers.
It shouldn’t be a surprise. Marner has a high hockey IQ and has been dedicated to improving his skills to make a more significant impact.
5 Bold Blackhawks Predictions for 2023-24
August 11, 2023 by Connor Smith
As the Chicago Blackhawks get closer to opening night, now’s the perfect time to begin making some predictions for the upcoming season. While a small acquisition or two can’t be ruled out, general manager Kyle Davidson appears to have most of his offseason work done, meaning we have a clear picture of what this season’s team will look like.
It could be another tough season for the Blackhawks, but there will undoubtedly be some surprises. Who would’ve predicted Taylor Raddysh and Andreas Athanasiou would lead last year’s team in goals (20 apiece) or the overwhelmingly positive impact Alex Stalock had both on and off the ice? That unpredictability is what can make any given season so intriguing. In that vein, here are five bold predictions for the Blackhawks entering the 2023-24 season.
Avalanche’s 3 Worst Contracts for 2023-24 Season
August 11, 2023 by Marko Zlomislic
I recently highlighted three of the best contracts that the Colorado Avalanche have on the books for the 2023-24 season, meaning it’s time to turn our gaze toward the worst contracts on the organization’s payroll. It’s a testament to the work done by the front office headed by Joe Sakic (president of hockey operations) and Chris MacFarland (general manager) that this list does not include many – if any – truly unsavoury contracts.
Each of the three players are effective and serviceable NHL players in their own right, but are paid slightly more than what they provide in on-ice value. Carrying such contracts is not a death knell for the organization, but it could hamper their ability to surround their superstar core with a strong supporting cast in the future. It’s also important to note that “worst” is a subjective term and that these pacts aren’t necessarily terrible – just underwhelming.
With that, let’s dive into the Avalanche’s three worst contracts heading into the 2023-24 season, and project how these deals might age through this season and beyond.
Devils’ Mercer Still Has Room to Improve
August 11, 2023 by Alex Chauvancy
Dawson Mercer burst onto the scene as a rookie in 2021-22, playing in all 82 games and totaling 17 goals and 42 points. The 18th overall pick in the 2020 draft showed his potential, raising expectations for his sophomore season in the NHL.
Mercer didn’t disappoint in 2022-23, finishing with 27 goals and 56 points in 82 games. After a slow start, he picked it up during the second half of the season and consistently found himself in the top-six alongside either Jack Hughes or Nico Hischier. Now getting ready to enter his third year in the NHL, the soon-to-be 22-year-old still has room to grow as a top-nine forward.
3 Potential Trade Destinations for Canadiens’ Casey DeSmith
August 11, 2023 by Rob Couch
The new trend for organizations is to have a solid third-string goalie with NHL experience. Goaltending is a huge part of a team’s success and could greatly alter the direction of a season. The Montreal Canadiens now have more than enough depth that it begs the question of who goes. Sam Montembeault is safe this season with a $1 million average annual value (AAV) contract and Cayden Primeau is seen as the immediate future who could take a spot from one of the veterans in training camp. If he doesn’t, he has to pass through waivers.
More stuff from THW and around the NHL:
Seattle Kraken - Player Milestones for the 2023-24 Season
Anaheim Ducks - Pat Verbeek’s Plan to Turn the Anaheim Ducks Into a Contender
NHL News & Rumors - Hurricanes, Bruins, Rangers, Penguins
From TSN - Canucks sign F Suter to two-year, $3.2M deal
From Sportsnet - 4 storylines to watch in final weeks of NHL off-season
From the NHL - Top 23-and-under wings in NHL in 3 seasons ranked
We hope you enjoyed today’s THW Daily, and we hope to expand our daily offerings as we develop and experiment with this new platform. Cheers!