The Hockey Writers Daily - August 30, 2023
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In today’s edition, we have Bruins under the microscope for this season, the failures with the Senators’ 2021 draft class, how Lou Lamoriello handled the Islanders’ offseason, and much more.
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Here’s the good stuff…
Oilers: What Happened To Former 1st Overall Pick Nail Yakupov?
August 29, 2023 by Jesse Courville-Lynch
Leading into the 2012 NHL Entry Draft, all eyes were on potential generational talent, Russian forward Nail Yakupov. Yakupov played the 2010-11 and 2011-12 seasons with the Sarnia Sting of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) and earned himself a reputation as a lethal offensive forward who was expected to produce an insane amount of points with whichever team earned the opportunity to select him 1st overall. Unfortunately, the NHL was headed for a lockout during the 2012-13 year, so he wouldn’t be able to showcase his skills in his first season.
As expected, the NHL went into a lockout at the start of the 2012-13 season. Luckily, it only lasted half a season, and the league got a 48-game season. During the lockout, Yakupov played with Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) in Russia, where he scored nine goals and added nine assists for 18 points through 22 games, which had fans excited considering he was an 18-year-old producing well in a professional league.
3 Bruins Under the Microscope in 2023-24
August 29, 2023 by Scott Roche
When the Boston Bruins begin training camp in September at Warrior Ice Arena, there are going to be several storylines to keep an eye on. Gone are franchise foundation pieces Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci, which leaves a huge hole up the middle at center.
There are some players who have been a key piece of the organization for several years returning, while some young players are returning after putting together a career season in 2022-23. Without those contributions, it may not have been as successful of a regular season as it was for the Black and Gold.
Senators’ 2021 Draft Class Could Be the Worst in Franchise History
August 29, 2023 by Dayton Reimer
It’s no secret that the Ottawa Senators had a rough draft in 2021. Analysts panned the team’s six selections, giving them the lowest grade among all teams that had a first-round pick. However, most of the criticism was directed at the selection of Tyler Boucher at 10th overall, who was regarded as a late-first-round pick.
Although the critics have grown quieter, two suspension-filled seasons in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) didn’t do much to change opinions. Boucher is now set to turn pro this season, and while fans are hoping the top pick will turn things around, it doesn’t seem realistic anymore. Two years may be a short time to hand out a “franchise-worst” tag, but compared to the organization’s other bad draft years, it isn’t unreasonable.
Islanders 2023 Offseason Retrospective: What Lou Got Right & Wrong
August 29, 2023 by Mike Fink
The offseason has all but passed as the calendar flips from August to September. NHL training camps are about to get underway and in a few weeks, the 2023-24 NHL season will begin.
The New York Islanders had an uneventful offseason largely because of general manager (GM) Lou Lamoriello’s work. He kept the roster intact from last season and didn’t make any big moves one way or another. Overall, his offseason had some highs and lows that will shape what type of season the Islanders will have. While many will be quick to criticize the quiet summer, he did provide some highlights.
Ranking the 2023-24 Devils’ Top 4 Defensemen
August 29, 2023 by Neil Villapiano
Despite losing Damon Severson and Ryan Graves to free agency, the New Jersey Devils still possess a strong defensive core. The back end is something that general manager Tom Fitzgerald has taken great pride in rebuilding to this point. Each player provides a different type of game that comes together well for the betterment of the team. There are a lot of ways you can rank these defensemen, but today, we’ll rank the top four based solely on their defensive capabilities.
Maple Leafs’ Defence Could Be the Team’s Achilles’ Heel
August 29, 2023 by Spencer Lazary
When the Toronto Maple Leafs announced that they had signed Auston Matthews to a four-year extension, it seemed like the dog days of summer in the NHL ended. It drew a buzz that got all of Leafs Nation excited and gave other fan bases hockey-related news to talk about.
However, there is still one area that needs to be addressed, and that is the defence core. It definitely didn’t see much improvement; in fact, it could be considered worse. The team saw Luke Schenn, who had a great playoff, leave and sign with the Nashville Predators, as well as Erik Gustafsson, who was a steady depth piece, sign with the New York Rangers. The Maple Leafs were, however, able to add John Klingberg as well as Simon Benoit, but they still lack a true top-pair defenceman to play alongside Morgan Rielly.
More stuff from THW and around the NHL:
New York Rangers - Rangers Training Camp & Preseason Items to Watch For
St. Louis Blues - Blues’ Bolduc & Dean Named to Upper Deck Rookie Showcase
NHL News & Rumors - Capitals, Kings, Stars, Senators
From TSN - Bedard gains knowledge, motivation from McDavid
From Sportsnet - A way-too-early examination of Mitch Marner's next contract in Toronto
From the NHL - Professional Women's Hockey League to launch with 6 teams in January 2024
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