The Hockey Writers Daily - August 7, 2023
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In today’s edition, we have grades for the Erik Karlsson trade, Oilers hot takes for 2023-24, keys to success in Montreal, Kraken prospects on the rise, and much more.
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Here’s the good stuff:.
Grading Penguins’ Blockbuster Trade for Erik Karlsson
The NHL offseason had been in a lull since free agency died down in early July. But the drought of big moves broke today after the Pittsburgh Penguins acquired Erik Karlsson from the San Jose Sharks in a blockbuster three-team deal that included the Montreal Canadiens. There are plenty of moving parts in this transaction, so let’s break it down and grade each side, starting with the Penguins finally getting Karlsson after a weeks-long pursuit of him this offseason.
Maple Leafs Can Expect a Breakout From Bertuzzi This Season
It’s difficult to say what the Toronto Maple Leafs got when they signed Tyler Bertuzzi to a one-year $5.5 million contract on the second day of free agency this summer. The last three seasons have been a complete rollercoaster ride for the 28-year-old nephew of former NHLer Todd Bertuzzi.
3 Oilers Hot Takes for the 2023-24 Season
The Edmonton Oilers are expected to be a very good team once again and improve upon the success they had in 2022-23. As with every team, there are going to be surprises and disappointments. Here, we are going to look at the positive side of things and discuss three hot takes for the Oilers this season with Jack Campbell‘s bounce-back, Evan Bouchard’s potential on the power play, and the third line.
3 Kraken Prospects Who Could Play in the NHL in 2023-24
With the NHL Draft and free agency in the rearview mirror, it is time to look ahead to the start of the 2023-24 season. For the Seattle Kraken, expectations will be high after a 2022-23 campaign that saw them not only qualify for the playoffs but beat the defending Stanley Cup Champions in the first round. It was also a big season for their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate as the Coachella Valley Firebirds made it all the way to the Calder Cup Final, losing in overtime of Game 7. The question now is, what will this organization do as an encore in Year 3?
One of the storylines to watch during training camp and the preseason will be which rookies step up and make the team. Despite the Kraken losing Carson Soucy and Morgan Geekie, Seattle filled those roles with experienced players making it difficult for some of the younger players to earn spots on the 2023-24 team. With that in mind, here are three prospects that could see NHL time this coming season.
Canadiens in Enviable Territory as Far as 2023-24 Keys to Success Go
A single season makes a huge difference in a given team’s outlook. Take the Montreal Canadiens for example. Back before the start of 2022-23, Habs like at-the-time, newly named alternate captain Joel Edmundson (who’s since departed), were trying to act convincing, suggesting the rebuild was already over.
In retrospect (or even in real time) no one should have been surprised the Canadiens finished where they did. The bottom-five finish they “suffered” for lack of a better term was in many ways expected, especially after they finished in last place the previous season. However, there were admittedly extenuating circumstances, most notably a second-straight season of horrid luck on the injury front, as the Habs led the league in man-games lost again.
Bruins’ 2023-24 Player Projections: Charlie McAvoy
With a couple of months to go until the Boston Bruins open the 2023-24 season, their roster is taking shape after undergoing many changes over the summer. As part of looking ahead to the coming NHL season, we’ll look at the Bruins’ roster and see what we can expect from them during the upcoming campaign.
Today, we look at Charlie McAvoy’s development since breaking into the NHL and what type of performance we should expect from him as the Bruins’ number-one defenseman.
More stuff from THW and around the NHL:
New Jersey Devils - Devils Will Face Unfamiliar Pressure in 2023-24 Season
Ottawa Senators - Senators Have Few Options with Pinto’s Contract
NHL News & Rumors - Canadiens, Coyotes, Sharks, Oilers
From TSN - Report: Coyotes sign D Dumba to one-year, $3.9M deal
From Sportsnet - Philadelphia Flyers sign goalie Samuel Ersson to two-year extension
From the NHL - Byfield ready to have healthy start with Kings
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