The Hockey Writers Daily - August 17, 2023
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In today’s edition, we have a look back at the Canadiens’ 2023 offseason, NHL rebuild rankings, the Senators’ battle for a 2024 playoff spot, an emerging blueliner in New Jersey, and much more.
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Here’s the good stuff:.
A Look Back at the Canadiens 4-Point Plan for the 2023 Offseason
August 16, 2023 by Blain Potvin
It’s time for an updated look at the Montreal Canadiens’ four-point offseason plan. With the summer coming to a close, it is worth reviewing general manager (GM) Kent Hughes’ offseason plan. Here’s a look at the four main points he absolutely needed to achieve before training camp begins in September 2023.
NHL Rebuild Rankings: Which Teams Are Closest to Contending?
August 16, 2023 by Mike Fink
The Erik Karlsson trade put an exclamation point on the offseason and shaped how the upcoming season will look. The Pittsburgh Penguins acquired the reigning Norris Trophy winner in a blockbuster trade that set them up for contention next year. Similarly, the trade further advanced the San Jose Sharks’ long and difficult rebuild which has been in the works for multiple years. The Sharks, like a handful of teams, are in the rebuilding phases of their team building and the trade helped them out but where do they stand in comparison to the rest of the league?
Senators Face Tough Battle for 2024 Playoff Spot
August 16, 2023 by Paul Quinney
Ottawa Senators fans are giddy this summer, certain that their squad will be battling for Lord Stanley’s silverware next spring. Don’t bet the farm on that Bytown hockey fans! Locking up one of the top three spots in the Atlantic Division to punch a ticket to the playoffs will be tough. I predict the Senators will be going to the postseason, but via a wild card spot.
I recognize that’s not a prediction many Ottawa fans will agree with. According to a poll done by The Athletic this spring, 93 percent of Sens fans believe their team will be a playoff contender in the Eastern Conference this season (from Ian Mendes, “Senators fan survey results, Part 1: NHL playoff expectations for Ottawa”, The Athletic, 8/5/23). As for making an extended Stanley Cup run, I haven’t heard that fantasy from very many Sens fans. So belief in castles in the sky does have its limits – even in this town.
Still, everybody in Ottawa knows that nothing short of a playoff appearance is acceptable next spring. If that doesn’t happen, there’ll be a lineup of limousines outside Canadian Tire Centre taking unemployed management and coaching staff to the airport to catch their all-expense paid one-way trips out of town.So let’s take a look at the challenges the Senators will face in making the playoffs this season.
Devils’ Luke Hughes Key to Replacing Severson’s Offense
August 16, 2023 by Alex Chauvancy
The New Jersey Devils had one of the most potent offenses in the NHL in 2022-23, and that’s unlikely to change this coming season. They have a Core 4 with Jack Hughes, Jesper Bratt, Nico Hischier and Timo Meier and have complementary pieces like Tyler Toffoli and Dawson Mercer to support them.
Dougie Hamilton should provide plenty of offense from the back end, even if he doesn’t hit 22 goals and 74 points again. But the Devils did lose one of their key puck-moving blueliners this offseason, that being Damon Severson, who signed an eight-year deal worth $6.25 million in a sign-and-trade with the Columbus Blue Jackets. While Severson had always been an effective puck-moving defenseman with the Devils, he isn’t irreplaceable. And the Devils may have the perfect solution to replace Severson in Luke Hughes. Let’s look at how he could play the Severson role in 2023-24.
Cap-Strapped Rangers Ready to Depend Heavily on Spare Parts
August 16, 2023 by Tom Castro
More than ever, success in the NHL these days is a question of depth. In a salary-capped league in which every dollar counts – especially with that cap barely rising for several seasons due to the COVID-19 pandemic – teams need to find undervalued, cost-efficient players to fill out their roster if they want to compete for the Stanley Cup.
It’s why the New York Rangers’ offseason free-agent signings, ones done fast and on the cheap, might prove to be the biggest variable in their 2023-24 fate – while doubling as their greatest roster mystery. With training camp not that far off, the club should soon start to get at least some idea of what they have on their hands.
Golden Knights’ Early 2024 Free Agency Preview
August 16, 2023 by Ben Fisher
Can we bask in the glow of the Vegas Golden Knights’ Stanley Cup victory a little longer?
Apparently, the answer is no. Training camp is still about a month from opening and reports are already casting doubt on pending free agent Jonathan Marchessault’s future with the club. With Reilly Smith traded away this summer, now talk of Marchessault’s pending departure has offered a clear signal that the championship honeymoon period is over.
Here’s a look at the Golden Knights’ collection of 2024 unrestricted free agents and what may lie ahead for them. While this summer saw relatively little turnover with so many players still under contract, the summer of 2024 could be a very different story.
More stuff from THW and around the NHL:
Vancouver Canucks - 4 Canucks Breakout Candidates for the 2023-24 Season
Toronto Maple Leafs - 3 Maple Leafs’ Forwards With The Most To Prove This Season
NHL News & Rumors - Canadiens, Sabres, Red Wings, Wild
From TSN - Bruins sign ex-Coyotes prospect Farinacci to ELC
From Sportsnet - One change that could alter each NHL division's balance of power in 2023-24
From the NHL - NHL 24 'everything I love about hockey', Makar says
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