The Hockey Writers Daily - July 12, 2023
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In today’s edition we have Maple Leafs goalie prospects, an evaluation of the Canucks free agent moves so far, what DeBrincat brings to the Wings, Flames prospects ready for the NHL, the latest Bruins news & rumors, and much more.
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Here’s the good stuff:.
Maple Leafs Have Hope in Goalie Prospects Akhtyamov & Peksa
It’s been a conversation piece for some time, at least in some circles when it comes to the Toronto Maple Leafs — their lack of development at the goaltending position within the organization.
Sure, the conversation consists of guys like James Reimer and now Joseph Woll, and with no disrespect to either of those players they either weren’t legitimate starters or haven’t projected to be one at this point in their careers.
What the Maple Leafs have done is survived off other team’s draft picks and used fill-ins for the position for a number of years — a position that has plagued the organization when it came to consistency on a year-to-year basis.
That said, with word out of the team’s development camp that two of their goaltending prospects are looking good, the team could be looking at potential fits for their net in the years to come.
NHL News & Rumors: Maple Leafs, Sharks, Senators, Hurricanes
In today’s NHL news and rumors rundown, what is the latest on the Toronto Maple Leafs and their negotiations with Auston Matthews and William Nylander? Meanwhile, are the San Jose Sharks waiting out the Pittsburgh Penguins and Carolina Hurricanes? Speaking of the Hurricanes, they are set to sign Brendan Lemieux and are in on Vladimir Tarasenko, who may elect to sign a one-year deal.
Canucks GM Making All the Right Free Agent Moves for Franchise
In recent memory, the Vancouver Canucks have become the staple franchise of what not to do in free agency. Bloated contracts to middle-of-the-lineup players with excessive term has hamstrung the Canucks salary cap. The contracts which gave them their unfavourable reputation come from former general manager (GM) Jim Benning. The names Loui Eriksson, Jay Beagle, Antoine Roussel, and Tyler Myers are hard to hear for fans. They are still dealing with the Ramifications of the Myers deal, allegedly trying to trade him this offseason.
Fortunately for fans, Patrick Allvin, the Canucks current GMcurrent GM, had not repeated the sins Benning regularly made. During two free agent periods, 2022 and 2023, he has brought a cautious approach to signing players. He has targeted cheap veterans, and the contract is reasonable when Allvin targets a bigger name. He has done a lot to maneuver around the cap constraints the Canucks face, but his performance so far has been a breath of fresh air for the organization.
Bruins News & Rumors: Mitchell, Clifton, Arbitration Dates & More
In this latest edition of Boston Bruins News & Rumors, the Bruins have officially come to terms on a contract with recent addition Ian Mitchell. Meanwhile, recent subtraction Connor Clifton received a plethora of interest on the free-agent market before deciding to join the Buffalo Sabres. In other news, the arbitration hearing dates for Jeremy Swayman and Trent Frederic have been set. Let’s discuss that and more in this latest Bruins News & Rumors column.
5 Flames’ Prospects Ready to Make the Jump to the NHL
After Craig Conroy‘s first press conference as the new general manager (GM) of the Calgary Flames, prospects were left frothing at the bit and couldn’t wait to get back on the ice. Conroy had all but promised that the new-look Flames would include new and younger skaters who could bring youthful exuberance and speed to an aging roster. Never mind that they could easily fit into the Flames’ tight salary cap structure.
The narrative from the Flames’ front office remains that they are going ahead with their established core but that complementary pieces will come from their stable of young prospects. The Flames’ future is now for these youngsters, and they will get long looks at training camp and every opportunity to make the big club. This article will examine five players who are on the cusp of making the big jump to the show.
Red Wings Add Much More than Goals with DeBrincat Trade
When he was growing up, Alex DeBrincat dreamed of being a Detroit Red Wing. Growing up in Farmington Hills, about a half hour drive from Detroit, he remembers that championship 2001-02 Red Wings team filled with Hall of Famers. But the peak of his fandom came six years later when a new wave of Red Wings secured the organization’s 11th Stanley Cup.
“[The Red Wings] winning in ’08 was probably the one I remember the most. ’02 I remember a little bit, but ’08 I was really invested,” DeBrincat said. “They were just so successful through my whole childhood, it was so fun to watch and that’s a big reason why I play the game.”
On July 9, DeBrincat received the call every young hockey player in the state of Michigan hopes to receive one day: he was officially a Red Wing. Shortly after, he signed a four-year deal that carries a cap hit of $7.875 million.
More stuff from THW and around the NHL:
New York Islanders - Islanders Miss Out on DeBrincat: Now What?
Winnipeg Jets - Jets and Gabe Vilardi Must Agree to a Deal Quick
Edmonton Oilers - Oilers’ Top 3 Players Who Returned For Second Stint in Edmonton
From TSN - New Hab Newhook excited to explore his creativity under St. Louis
From Sportsnet - Rounding up the biggest stories from NHL development camps across the league
From the NHL - Fantilli embracing 'warm welcome' by Blue Jackets, Columbus
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!
willy styles should sign for a 1 year at 8+ like the others he may find there will be alot surrounding him for assistance and have fun at it ..if he leaves for greed $$$ he will surely missout on the opportunity of a lifetime ,