The Hockey Writers Daily - August 31, 2023
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In today’s edition, we have the top prospects with a chance to reach the NHL for the LA Kings, hot-seat players in Edmonton, Penguins’ expectations in 2023-24, possible in-season changes for the Leafs, and much more.
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Here’s the good stuff…
5 LA Kings Prospects That Could Make NHL Roster in 2023-24
August 30, 2023 by Devin Little
At the beginning of this decade, the Los Angeles Kings’ prospect pool was routinely celebrated as one of the best groups across the NHL. While there isn’t the same level of quality available because a good portion of that talent has either graduated or moved on in some form, their prospect pool still contains plenty of players that could – and should – develop into useful NHL players some day.
For some of their prospects, that day is coming this season. The Kings have the aspirations of a Stanley Cup contender, dealing away future assets to augment their current roster in recent seasons. But if they are going to rise up the Pacific Division hierarchy, they need some of their young players and prospects to make meaningful progress towards becoming everyday contributors in the NHL. These are the players most likely to find their way onto the NHL roster some time this season.
Philadelphia Flyers’ All-Time Lineup
August 30, 2023 by Justin Giampietro
The Philadelphia Flyers have had some wildly talented players in their history. Including a player from each decade of the team’s history, what would an all-time lineup of the Flyers look like if they were all at their peak?
Oilers: 3 Players in the Hot Seat Entering 2023-24 Season
August 30, 2023 by Jesse Courville-Lynch
The Edmonton Oilers are, without a doubt, going to make a push for the Stanley Cup in the 2023-24 season. With that being said, this means they will run a tight ship and do whatever it takes to go all the way and win their first championship since 1990. That could mean short leashes with some players who didn’t meet expectations last season. While a second-round exit isn’t the worst finish and isn’t the end of the world, the team will be going all-in and may have to make some tough decisions around the trade deadline. Here are three Oilers who are in the “hot seat” entering the 2023-24 season and need to perform, or else they risk losing their spot with the team.
Pittsburgh Penguins Will Exceed Expectations in 2023-24
August 30, 2023 by Reece Comfort
There’s no hockey being played at the moment, but that doesn’t necessarily mean there’s less to cover and talk about in the middle of the offseason. We’re still weeks away from training camp and the preseason, but the hype is very real surrounding the Pittsburgh Penguins.
New general manager Kyle Dubas will bring a fresh approach to roster construction, one many fans are excited about. Previous management under Ron Hextall and Brian Burke, given their tenured history around the league, did not live up to expectations and were eventually fired earlier this April. Instead, Dubas should find every opportunity to bolster the roster while the core four’s (Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Erik Karlsson, and Kris Letang) Stanley Cup window is still open, and while building for the future.
Blues’ 2023-24 Stats Predictions: Forwards
August 30, 2023 by Ethan Carter
The 2023-24 season isn’t far away, so it’s a good time to get into stats predictions for some of the St. Louis Blues‘ best players. For this edition, I will be predicting the 2023-24 stats for the Blues forward group. I have selected 11 forwards who could be mainstays in the lineup for the Blues all season.
I expect several players within the Blues forward group to bounce back from a tough 2022-23 season that most of them had. Without further ado, let’s get into some stats predictions for the 2023-24 Blues forward group.
Insider Says Huge In-Season Changes for Maple Leafs Possible
August 30, 2023 by Jim Parsons
Elliotte Friedman was a guest on SN590 Wednesday and talked about the changes that have already taken place in Toronto under new general manager Brad Treliving. Noting that he’s maintaining the status quo on some things — signing Auston Matthews to a new deal and extending head coach Sheldon Keefe for two years — he’s also made some significant changes to the roster. Friedman, a trusted source, suggests there’s potential for a whole lot more.
After one of the hosts suggested it’s the modus operandi of Trelving to get a lay of the land before making sweeping changes with any team he’s in charge of, Friedman noted, “I don’t think Treliving is afraid of shaking too much up.” He added, “I don’t think that that’s the issue.”
More stuff from THW and around the NHL:
Winnipeg Jets - Winnipeg Jets’ Fan Commonly Held Beliefs – Fact or Fiction
Florida Panthers - Panthers & Montour Need to Get an Extension Done
NHL News & Rumors - Canadiens, Bruins, Golden Knights, Maple Leafs
From TSN - Maple Leafs sign Keefe to multi-year contract extension
From Sportsnet - Projecting Team Canada’s roster for expected 2025 World Cup of Hockey
From the NHL - Hagelin retires from NHL after 11 seasons
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