The Hockey Writers Daily - September 29, 2023
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In today’s edition, we have a look at projected lines for the Canadiens, five storylines for the Blackhawks entering the 2023-24 season, Oilers players with big expectations, and much more.
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Here’s the good stuff…
Canadiens’ 2023-24 Lines: Critiquing Eric Engels’ Projections
September 28, 2023 by Rob Couch
Diving into lineup projections is always entertaining. It allows us to envision certain players playing with others that we might not have seen yet. It comes at a time when the regular season has yet to begin, and anticipation is high. For the Montreal Canadiens, there are more combinations than most teams have because of the talent at each position and the ability of many players to play multiple positions.
With the Canadiens this season, barring any injuries, there are some players pretty much locked into certain spots in the lineup. With so many injuries last season, we got many different looks at potential combinations of players to see what worked and what didn’t. Martin St. Louis and company also have to think about seeing some players play certain roles they will be expected to fill in the future.
5 Blackhawks Storylines Entering 2023-24 Preseason
September 28, 2023 by Connor Smith
After a week of training camp, the vibe around this season’s group is much better compared to last, with Connor Bedard at the forefront. Though training camp has offered perhaps a sneak peek into what the opening-night roster might look like, these next six games will be important for many players. Here are five storylines to follow as the team begins preseason action.
5 Oilers With Big Expectations Heading Into 2023-24
September 28, 2023 by Rob Couch
As a team, the Edmonton Oilers have big expectations this season. They’re going in with players like Mattias Ekholm and Connor Brown, have some of the best players in the world, and their young players are stepping up and expected to do more.
The Oilers led the league in goals and had the top power play last season. Lots more goals are expected of this offensive powerhouse, but better defense and goaltending is also expected of them. There are five players on the Oilers that stand out this season with some big expectations.
Who Will Fill the Roles of the Departed Devils?
September 28, 2023 by Daniel Amoia
With the NHL preseason underway, most teams have at least a couple of games under their belt and have made their first cuts, as ideas swirl about who will make the opening-night rosters. The New Jersey Devils lost six key players from last season – either via trade or free agency. While most of the core remains the same, the Devils will have to bank on their acquisitions and younger players to fill those voids.
Flames Smart to Extend & Name Backlund Captain
September 28, 2023 by Derek Olsen
That’s right Calgary Flames fans, rejoice. Mikael Backlund isn’t going anywhere, and he’s officially the team’s leader. It was announced on Wednesday that Backlund has re-signed with the club for two years and was concurrently named the 21st captain in franchise history.
As a pending unrestricted free agent (UFA) and aging veteran player, it worried many fans and local media that he may elect to pursue better opportunities to win with another team. This was made especially prominent after the Flames’ disappointing 2022-23 season, in which they missed the playoffs one year after finishing first in the Pacific Division.
Bruins’ Prospects Impressing in Early 2023-24 Preseason Games
September 28, 2023 by Hannah Garfield
The Boston Bruins’ 2023-24 season now has a week of training camp and two preseason games under its belt. The team won their first preseason game against the New York Rangers 3 – 0. They then lost the following preseason game against the Buffalo Sabres 4 – 1.
It is of course preseason, and the two games featured different rosters, giving a variety of guys a chance to make an impression. It’s still early, and many of the veterans have yet to take the ice in the two preseason games that have taken place. But one thing has been consistent in the two games and training camp so far, the Bruins prospects have come to play.
More stuff from THW and around the NHL:
Carolina Hurricanes - Hurricanes Seeing Immediate Impact of Bunting Addition
San Jose Sharks - Sharks’ Rookies Steal the Show in First Week of Preseason
NHL News & Rumors - Devils, Blues, Sharks, Canucks
From TSN - Flames salute Snow’s lasting impact on franchise
From Sportsnet - NHL Power Rankings: Who's rising and falling heading into 2023-24
From the NHL - Vasilevskiy out 10 weeks for Lightning after back surgery
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!