The Hockey Writers Daily - July 24, 2023
A daily Substack newsletter with all the best content from The Hockey Writers
Welcome to The Hockey Writers Daily
In today’s edition we have the Habs still being haunted by Bergevin, the Devils’ ideal line combos for next season, the Rangers’ risky move with Quick, Armstrong’s biggest moves in Arizona, and much more.
It would be great if you’d share the THW Daily with your friends and family so that they can subscribe and enjoy everyday.
Here’s the good stuff:.
Canadiens Still Hampered By Bergevin’s Contracts
Montreal Canadiens general manager (GM) Kent Hughes is entering his second full season at the team’s helm. He took over the job halfway through the 2021-22 season, replacing former GM Marc Bergevin. Bergevin was in the last year of his contract, and the Canadiens had just gone to the Stanley Cup Final, losing to the Tampa Bay Lightning in five games, but then the 2021-22 season started terribly for Montreal. Shea Weber and Carey Price were injured and likely not returning, and the rest of the team was hurt and tired from a long playoff run.
Bergevin might have been fired, but his fingerprints are still all over this team today. Hughes is still stuck with some large and long contracts handed to him by the previous management that will hamper him for some time to come.
Maple Leafs Roster Could Look Completely Different in 2 Seasons
While we await the decision on Ilya Samsonov’s arbitration, which is supposed to happen on Sunday, we can’t help but notice that the Toronto Maple Leafs are not committing much beyond the 2023-24 season. Of the four unrestricted free agents (UFAs) they have signed, only one is for over a year.
That signee is enforcer Ryan Reaves, whose contract is for three years at $1.35 million per season. Tyler Bertuzzi ($5.5 million), John Klingberg ($4.15 million), and Max Domi ($3 million) have all signed for just one season.
Devils’ Ideal Line Combinations for 2023-24
With the recent addition of Tomas Nosek, the New Jersey Devils’ forward group seems to be complete. The team returns 10 of the 12 forwards that closed out the season in Carolina. A trade for Tyler Toffoli and the signing of Nosek brought the group back up to 12, with a few prospects fighting to make the lineup as well. There is no reason to believe that Lindy Ruff will abandon his penchant for line mixing this season, but with the calendar firmly entrenched in the offseason, it is a great time to speculate on what combinations will pour out of his blender once the season begins.
Rangers Take Risk by Signing Jonathan Quick
The New York Rangers are very fortunate to have Igor Shesterkin as their starting goalie as the 2021-22 Vezina Trophy winner is one of the team’s most reliable players. However, they opted not to re-sign Jaroslav Halak, who played fairly well as their backup goalie last season. Instead, Chris Drury, the Rangers’ general manager and president, signed Jonathan Quick to a one-year, $825,000 contract. Though the contract is not an expensive one, the team is taking a big risk in trusting the veteran to back up Shesterkin.
Bill Armstrong’s 4 Biggest Decisions as Coyotes’ GM
Throughout the years, the Arizona Coyotes have had some pretty rough times, and that’s ultimately due to poor decisions by the general manager (GM). Whether it’s trading pieces that shouldn’t be moved or making mediocre draft selections, current GM Bill Armstrong has a chance to change that. Since being hired in 2020, he has made plenty of impactful decisions that look to bring a bright future to the desert. With that being said, here are Armstrong’s four biggest decisions as Coyotes GM.
Vancouver Canucks’ Best Trades with Vegas Golden Knights
Welcome to the Vancouver Canucks best trades series. In this series, we at The Hockey Writers look back at the Canucks’ trading history with every NHL team and pick what we believe to be the best transaction between them and the other 31 organizations. This article focuses on their trade history with the Vegas Golden Knights.
The Canucks and Golden Knights don’t have a long list of trades entwined with hockey lore NHL fans reminisce about. Instead, they have two that are relatively unremarkable – one in 2018 and the other in 2020. It’s safe to say neither of them is a blockbuster fans would get excited about, but in hindsight, only one is likely made again.
More stuff from THW and around the NHL:
Pittsburgh Penguins - Best Goaltending Option Was Always Tristan Jarry
NHL News & Rumors - NHL Rumors: Oilers, Devils, Bruins, Panthers
Minnesota Wild - Negotiations with Gustavsson Improved by Samsonov Deal
From TSN - Keefe 'excited' about additions made this off-season
From Sportsnet - Former Flames associate coach Kirk Muller joins Capitals coaching staff
From the NHL - Senators counting on Korpisalo to stabilize goalie
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!