The Hockey Writers Daily - September 1, 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 five new team Substacks, potential future decisions for the Canadiens, the pressures facing Jack Campbell in Edmonton, Canucks blue line thoughts, five questions facing the Devils, the Sidney Crosby contract is a bargain, and potential milestones for some Red Wings.
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Here’s the good stuff…
THW Toronto Maple Leafs Substack
The latest Maple Leafs coverage from our great team of writers covering everything Toronto.
THW Edmonton Oilers Substack
The latest Oilers coverage from our great team of writers covering everything Edmonton.
THW Philadelphia Flyers Substack
The latest Flyers coverage from our great team of writers covering everything Philadelphia.
THW New Jersey Devils Substack
The latest Devils coverage from our great team of writers covering everything New Jersey.
THW Arizona Coyotes Substack
The latest Coyotes coverage from our great team of writers covering everything Arizona.
Canadiens’ Decisions to Make if in Contention at Trade Deadline
August 31, 2023 by Rob Couch
What if the Montreal Canadiens are in playoff contention at the 2023-24 trade deadline? While it’s a bit early for the young team to make a late-season push for the playoffs, they have a very bright future ahead, and anything can happen in the NHL. We’ve seen crazier things – like their magical run to the 2021 Stanley Cup Final after finishing with the 18th most points in the regular season.
While the team is likely preparing to watch their young players develop and show improvements, we will look at what could happen if the Canadiens over-achieve come the trade deadline. Will they look to add anything significant? What would this mean for the team’s future? If the Canadiens become buyers, what assets or what players might be on the move?
Jack Campbell Faces a Different Pressure with Oilers This Season
August 31, 2023 by Jim Parsons
The Edmonton Oilers’ goaltending situation takes center stage in 2023-24 as Jack Campbell faces a crucial season in Edmonton. Allan Mitchell from The Athletic suggests that if Campbell falters again — as he did at important times this past season –, the Oilers might seek a more consistent option. A team in total win-now mode, the leash will be shorter for Campbell, as a motivated roster and a management team in its final season (rumored) are not willing to ride out the ups and downs knowing that every game and every performance counts.
While some fans may assume the starting job is Stuart Skinner’s to lose, both Campbell and Skinner have the early part of this season to prove themselves for the starting role, with the NHL Trade deadline potentially acting as a turning point in this position’s dynamics. It’s a totally different kind of pressure that Campbell faces this season and it will be critical he manages that pressure and performs. If not, he could find himself on a different team before the season is over.
Canucks’ Blue Line Will Make or Break 2023-24 Season
August 31, 2023 by Sartaaj Bhullar
Since taking over, general manager Patrick Allvin has attempted to rebuild the Vancouver Canucks’ blue line. The club had one of the league’s best d-cores over 10 years ago, led by Kevin Bieksa, Alex Edler, Dan Hamhuis and Christian Ehrhoff. Over the past few seasons, the blue line has become the organization’s weakness.
The poor defence became evident in the 2019-20 season. The club made the playoffs and found success in the postseason by winning in the play-in round over the Minnesota Wild in four games and picking up a first-round win over the St. Louis Blues in six games before losing to the Vegas Golden Knights in seven games. However, due to their d-core, the team relied heavily on goaltenders Jacob Markstrom and Thatcher Demko throughout the regular season and 2020 Playoffs.
5 Questions Facing the New Jersey Devils for 2023-24
August 31, 2023 by Josh Reinitz
The New Jersey Devils are still riding high after completing a historic turnaround last season, setting a franchise record for wins and points and then defeating the arch-rival New York Rangers in the first round of the playoffs. Optimism abounds both inside and outside the Prudential Center as the team and the fanbase each have lofty expectations for the season. With that optimism in mind, below are five questions the Devils must address to dive headlong into the opening of their championship window.
Crosby’s Big Contract Is a Real Bargain Now
August 31, 2023 by Ben Wagner
After months of uncertainty, the Toronto Maple Leafs locked down their superstar Auston Matthews to a four-year, $53 million contract. As a result, he is now the highest-paid player in the NHL, overtaking Colorado Avalanche forward Nathan McKinnon and Edmonton Oilers’ captain Connor McDavid. Having put pen to paper, the rumors of Matthews electing to move elsewhere during free agency have been dispelled. His new deal has caused some to reflect on the nature of big-money contracts and how they’ve changed in recent years.
Back in 2012 for example, Pittsburgh Penguins’ captain Sidney Crosby signed a 12-year, $104.4 million deal with an appropriate $8.7 million average annual value (AAV). Given what his contract has resulted in, his current deal, thought at the time to be excessive, is one of the biggest bargains in recent NHL history. Crosby put together one of his best seasons in 2022-23, which only adds to the value of his contract.
6 Red Wings Players Approaching Milestones in 2023-24 Season
August 31, 2023 by Logan Horn
The NHL offseason always feels especially long when you follow a team that didn’t even make the playoffs. Sure the playoffs are still enjoyable, but it pales in comparison to watching your favorite team battle it out with some of the best teams in the league. It has already been 141 days since the Red Wings played their final game of the 2022-23 season, meaning we are significantly closer to next season than last with Detroit’s 2023-24 regular season opener taking place on October 12, 2023 against the New Jersey Devils. The offseason is finally coming to a close!
One of those storylines will be the milestones reached by Red Wings players next year, with a handful of guys approaching some meaningful career landmarks that I’d love to take a moment to highlight.
More stuff from THW and around the NHL:
New York Rangers - 3 Rangers Storylines to Follow This Season
Boston Bruins - Revisiting 2023 Bruins Offseason Wishes
NHL News & Rumors - Penguins, Blues, Maple Leafs
From TSN - Kane feeling himself again three months since hip surgery
From Sportsnet - In Peters' hiring, hockey once again puts potential wins above potential harm
From the NHL - U.S. national TV broadcast schedule released for 2023-24 NHL season
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!