THW’s Best of the Week: Kuznetsov Returns to D.C., Saad Scores Big Overtime Winner for St. Louis & More
A Sunday Edition of The Hockey Writers Substack
Welcome to The Hockey Writers Sunday Edition…
Our in-season Sunday Edition features the BEST OF THE WEEK throughout the NHL.
In today’s edition, we have a look at Evgeny Kuznetsov’s return to Washington after the trade to Carolina, a big overtime winner scored by Blues’ Brandon Saad, and much more.
Let’s dive into the Best of the Week…
The Latest from The Hockey Writers…
Connor McDavid Making Strong Case to Win 4th Hart Trophy by Dale Bochon
Vince Dunn’s Value to Kraken Evident During Injury Absence by Edgar Chaput
Canadiens Justifiably Give Harvey-Pinard Another Top-Six Shot by Ryan Szporer
Maple Leafs Losing One of Domi or Bertuzzi Next Season [Report] by Jim Parsons
From NHL.com
Kuznetsov enjoys ‘special’ return to face Capitals with Hurricanes
Evgeny Kuznetsov didn’t want to look. He could hear, though. While the video tribute welcoming Kuznetsov back to Capital One Arena, where he played 11 seasons and helped the Washington Capitals win the Stanley Cup in 2018, played on the center-ice video scoreboard during the first period Friday, he stared down at the ice from his spot in front of the Carolina Hurricanes.
GMs vote for coach's challenge to include delay of game, high-sticking calls
NHL general managers voted on Tuesday to propose that penalties subject to coach's challenges include delay of game penalties for pucks shot over the glass and certain high-sticking minors.
From ESPN.com
Flyers' Sean Couturier returns vs. Bruins after 2-game absence
Philadelphia Flyers captain Sean Couturier returned to the ice for Saturday afternoon's home game against the Boston Bruins after serving as a healthy scratch for the previous two contests.
Couturier sat out Philadelphia's 4-3 win over the visiting Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday and a 3-2 overtime loss on the road against the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday.
How Kyle Okposo is approaching his new role with the Panthers
Kyle Okposo knew it all in Buffalo. Through nearly eight seasons, Okposo set a tone for the Sabres. He was a guy with the answers. Then Okposo was traded to Florida -- for defenseman Calle Sjalin and a conditional 2024 seventh-round pick -- on March 8.
Check Out Some THW Premium Substack Content:
New York Rangers: Rangers Prospect Spotlight: Dylan Roobroeck by Jesse Courville-Lynch
Boston Bruins: 5 Thoughts: DeBrusk, Beecher, Ullmark & Sweeney by Scott Roche
Ottawa Senators: Should the Senators Trade for Penguins Defenseman Erik Karlsson? by Jacob Billington & Jordan Orth
Edmonton Oilers: Oilers Holding Roster Auditions Rest of the Regular Season by Jim Parsons
NHL News & Rumours: Expect a Summer Full of Sidney Crosby Speculation by Jim Parsons
Prospects & Draft: The Great WHL Adventure: Starting Out in Saskatoon by Dayton Reimer
From TSN.ca
Saad's overtime goal sends Blues past Wild
A banged-up Jordan Kyrou scored a hat trick and Brandon Saad tallied 2:05 into overtime to give the St. Louis Blues a 5-4 victory over the Minnesota Wild on Saturday. Jake Neighbours also scored for the Blues, who are 6-1 in their last seven games. Pavel Buchnevich had three assists and Jordan Binnington made 30 saves.
Agent: Marchessault, VGK talking extension but no decision imminent
Jonathan Marchessault picked an especially good time to put together the best season of his 11-year career. He is in the final season of a six-year, $30 million contract in Vegas, giving the Golden Knights a major decision to make after the season. Marchessault has scored a career-high 38 goals, just five off the Knights' single-season record.
From Sportsnet.ca
As Buffalo Sabres’ long rebuild drags on, young players trying to trust the process
On a hockey landscape where tracking and analytics grow more influential and all-encompassing with each passing season, the common rebuild remains the National Hockey League’s great, unquantifiable mystery.
When do they start? When do they end? How many re-sets in between?
Where’s the quarter pole? The halfway mark? The finish line?
Flames Notebook: How will Calgary manage goaltending tandem?
Now that their goaltending tandem is set for the rest of the season, the next question for many is obvious: how will the Flames split starts between Jacob Markstrom and Dustin Wolf down the stretch?
We hope you enjoyed today’s THW Substack, and we hope you enjoy our “Best of the Week” Sunday Edition. Stay tuned for THW Daily as it continues tomorrow and beyond. Cheers!