The Hockey Writers Daily - July 5, 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 latest on the Maple Leafs Nylander saga, some Canucks news & rumours, meet the newest Bruins’ roster addition, the Islanders & DeBrincat, 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:.
New Ask by Nylander Well Outside Maple Leafs’ Comfort Zone
Contract talks between the Toronto Maple Leafs and William Nylander have hit a snag, leading to concerns about the star player’s future with the team. According to NHL insider Chris Johnston, negotiations are not progressing as expected, with both sides having significant differences in their contract demands. Nylander has taken the step of submitting his 10-team no-trade list, and some are wondering if general manager Brad Treliving may have to start checking in with teams that aren’t on it.
NHL Rumors: Senators, Red Wings, Islanders, Ducks, Hurricanes
In today’s NHL rumors rundown, there is a lot of talk, and perhaps some misinformation floating out there in regards to Alex DeBrincat and where the Ottawa Senators are at in terms of a trade. What has he demanded, where are things at, and who is interested? Meanwhile, Vladimir Tarasenko appears close to making a decision in free agency and it’s down to two teams. Finally, what is the status of John Gibson and what did the goaltender say about playing for the Ducks?
Canucks News & Rumors: Soucy, Blueger, Myers & More
In this edition of the Vancouver Canucks’ News & Rumors, the 2023 NHL Draft passed, and the Canucks opened up free agency by addressing their main needs. Addtionally, an update on rumors of a potential trade with the San Jose Sharks for Tyler Myers.
Meet the New Bruins: Ian Mitchell
With the completion of the NHL Entry Level Draft and the beginning of free agency, there are a number of new (and familiar) faces on the Boston Bruins roster. With several long months of offseason ahead of us, it’s a good time to start getting some familiarity with these new faces.
One of the first new additions to the Bruins came prior to the draft in a trade with the Chicago Blackhawks; Taylor Hall and the rights to unrestricted free agent (UFA) Nick Foligno were sent to Chicago in exchange for Ian Mitchell and Alec Regula. Out of the two, Mitchell has seen more NHL experience so far in his career and should be pushing for a roster spot come October. Bringing them both on board helps with the front office’s mission to start getting younger, but Regula will most likely begin his tenure with the team in the American Hockey League (AHL) with the Providence Bruins.
Islanders Have the Pieces to Trade for Alex DeBrincat
The player that Lamoriello has been rumored to be targeting is Alex DeBrincat of the Ottawa Senators. DeBrincat scored 27 goals and 39 assists last year and has 187 goals and 186 assists in his career, proving that he is one of the best forwards in the game. With the Senators struggling to sign him to a long-term deal, a trade looks inevitable this summer.
The Islanders would have to put together a strong enough offer to acquire DeBrincat. The Senators will have a high asking price, so it will be interesting to see the players and draft selections that Lamoriello will have to move to acquire the star.
Oilers Will Get a Steal on Ryan McLeod’s Next Contract
The Edmonton Oilers have two key restricted free agents (RFA) that they still need to sign, Evan Bouchard, and the focus here today, Ryan McLeod. With nearly $6.5 million to re-up the two and one more unrestricted free agent (UFA), it’s looking very clear it’ll have to be short-term deals for everyone. This isn’t ideal since the cap will go up next year, which will allow these players to ask for more on their next contracts.
McLeod isn’t going to get as much per season as Bouchard, likely half the amount on a short-term deal or even less. He still has to prove he’s worth the investment. All signs point towards a pending breakout campaign, but there isn’t much room for him to be promoted above the third line. The Oilers need depth anyway, so if he can somehow put it all together this season, the team might have a young player with 2C potential as their third-line centre (from “Rising young pivot represents another tricky negotiation for Edmonton Oilers,” Edmonton Journal, June 1, 2023).
Jets Made a Mistake Not Trading for Sanheim
The 2023-24 Winnipeg Jets currently have improved every major position except for the defensive core. One solution to this would be trading for Travis Sanheim or moving out one of Neal Pionk or Nate Schmidt. Unfortunately, the NHL Draft and the beginning of free agency have come and gone with no major moves on defense. Sanheim would’ve been an amazing option to move out an inferior player on the Jets and also improve their depth on defense. This move could have been made while also shipping out a bloated contract in the process.
More stuff from THW and around the NHL:
Toronto Maple Leafs - Leafs Should Target These 3 Cheap Free Agents
New Jersey Devils - Remaining Options for Adding a Winger
Montreal Canadiens - Canadiens Take New Approach to Second Chances
From TSN - What has each Canadian team done to help themselves so far during the off-season?
From Sportsnet - NHL off-season early winners and losers: Hurricanes load up, Bruins lose big pieces
From ESPN - Overheard at the NHL draft: Bedard predictions, Cup picks
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!
This is terrific! Love the information and accuracy. Keep it coming! Thx!