The Hockey Writers Daily - September 30, 2023
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Welcome to The Hockey Writers Daily
In today’s edition, we have a ranking for the NHL’s 32 starting goaltenders, early injuries for the Jets, why the Flames should consider adding Ty Smith off of waivers, and much more.
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Here’s the good stuff…
Ranking the NHL’s 32 Starting Goalies – 2023-24 Preseason
September 29, 2023 by Stephen Ground
There’s no argument: we’re in a golden age of goaltending in the National Hockey League right now. But it’s a world of haves and have-nots. The gap between the greats in the game and everybody else feels bigger than it ever has before, and teams that don’t have one of the reliable studs are often scrounging for help (or suffering under an unwise contract handed out too soon).
But it’s also a world where the hot hand dominates. Look no further than last season’s Stanley Cup Final. Neither starting goalie in the Final entered the season — or even the postseason for that matter — as their team’s clear number one. The apparent randomness of this position makes the workhorses that much more valuable. But that randomness is also why it is vital to evaluate goaltenders frequently. Goalies change teams and lose their jobs more frequently than many others. Because of changes like that, we regrade goalies regularly. With that in mind, let’s take a look at the methodology for our evaluation.
Jets: Ehlers’ and Perfetti’s Early Injuries Lead to Deja-Vu Feelings
September 29, 2023 by Declan Schroeder
It’s like deja-vu all over again, to borrow a famous phrase from legendary baseball catcher Yogi Berra. This quote can also apply to hockey, and more specifically, to the situation surrounding early injuries to Nikolaj Ehlers and Cole Perfetti.
Romance of Stamkos Joining Maple Leafs Meets Harsh Reality
September 29, 2023 by Jim Parsons
The whispers and theories of Steven Stamkos possibly donning the blue and white of the Toronto Maple Leafs are rippling through Leafs Nation, reigniting the longstanding debate of hometown heroes returning to play for Toronto.
There’s no official link between Stamkos and the Maple Leafs other than a few simple words the forward uttered during a media scrum where he said he was disappointed in the lack of contract talks between himself and the Lightning, but that hasn’t stopped some Toronto fans from running wild with trade and UFA signing theories.
Rangers’ Laviolette May Have Found His Fourth Line
September 29, 2023 by Tom Castro
On a night that will be remembered in part for one of the New York Rangers’ big free-agent signings authoring his first moment in front of the Madison Square Garden crowd, it was the performance two of the lesser-profile pickups that might prove just as important in the long run.
Because while Blake Wheeler delivered his first goal in a Blueshirt during the Rangers’ 4-2 victory over the New York Islanders in the archrivals’ preseason opener Tuesday, new coach Peter Laviolette saw signs that his team might have the makings of a long-sought versatile fourth line that can contribute.
Top 4 Non-Playoff Teams That Can Win the Cup This Season
September 29, 2023 by Mike Fink
With the 2023-24 season only a few days away, it’s that time of year to make predictions for what will happen in the NHL in the coming months. The Hockey Writers (THW) published their season predictions a few weeks ago which featured some surprises but nothing extraordinary. The Carolina Hurricanes and Colorado Avalanche are expected to repeat as division champions while the Final prediction featured two teams that are odds-on favorites to win the Cup.
There are a handful of teams that look poised to leap into the contending conversation. The New Jersey Devils were last season’s team to jump to the top of the Eastern Conference and a lot of young, talented teams that are in the tail ends of their rebuilds look to do the same. Likewise, a few teams are built to win the Cup and can view last season as a bump in the road, starting with the fourth team on this list.
Flames Need to Consider Claiming Penguins’ Ty Smith Off Waivers
September 29, 2023 by Rupert McDonald
The Calgary Flames don’t need any defencemen at this time. Even with the uncertainty regarding Oliver Kylington, they have six capable NHLers on the back end in MacKenzie Weegar, Noah Hanifin, Rasmus Andersson, Chris Tanev, Nikita Zadorov, and Jordan Oesterle. Dennis Gilbert also remains under contract but will likely only be called upon in the case of injury.
With that said, that gives the Flames six reliable NHL defencemen on the books, though Oesterle is not much more than a six or seventh on many teams. The point is, while this team doesn’t technically need any additional blueliners, adding another wouldn’t hurt. It is easier said than done, given their tight cap situation, but as luck would have it, a young, promising, and inexpensive blueliner was made available earlier today.
More stuff from THW and around the NHL:
Buffalo Sabres - 3 Under-the-Radar Sabres to Watch in 2023-24
Tampa Bay Lightning - Lightning’s Goaltending Options With Vasilevskiy Out
NHL News & Rumors - Lightning, Canadiens, Bruins, Canucks, Oilers
From TSN - Wild sign Foligno to four-year, $16M contract extension
From Sportsnet - How will Erik Karlsson fit with Kris Letang and the Penguins?
From the NHL - Bedard’s 2 assists help Blackhawks defeat Blues in OT in preseason debut
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!