THW Daily - Revisiting Devon Toews Trade & Week 3 Power Rankings
Also, Monday notes from around the NHL, Maple Leafs' potential lineup changes & more
Welcome to The Hockey Writers Daily
In today’s edition, we have a look back at the Devon Toews trade, Week 3 Power Rankings, Monday notes from around the NHL, and much more.
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Yesterday’s NHL Scores…
Maple Leafs’ Lineup Changes That Could Improve Team Chemistry
October 23, 2023 by Spencer Lazary
The Toronto Maple Leafs are now five games into the season, and it seems that the team is out of sync. Head coach Sheldon Keefe has had the lines in the blender every game, and still, nothing has truly worked. There have been moments in games where we see players work well together, but then the next line mashup shows otherwise.
With the Maple Leafs needing to collect points early in the season and their team seeming to be struggling to find chemistry, I figured it would be fun to look at a few line combinations that could bring the Maple Leafs success throughout the season. With that, let’s look at a few lineup changes that could potentially improve the team’s chemistry.
Revisiting the Islanders & Avalanche Devon Toews Trade
October 23, 2023 by Mike Fink
The New York Islanders face the Colorado Avalanche on Tuesday, Oct. 24, as part of the full slate of NHL games called the “Frozen Frenzy” with multiple staggered start times. These two teams rarely face each other, with only two meetings per season, but when they do, one player comes to mind, defenseman Devon Toews, as he was part of a trade that shaped both rosters for years to come.
The Islanders traded Toews in the 2020 offseason to the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for second-round draft selections in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft and the 2022 Draft. At the time, the deal didn’t look like a bad one for the Islanders and it looked like it would leave them better off in the long run (there’s an article on this site about the trade, which has since aged poorly). Three years later, the trade looks like one of general manager (GM) Lou Lamoriello’s most regrettable decisions.
Canadiens 3 Up and 3 Down: Youth Step Up & Injury Bug Bites
October 23, 2023 by Blain Potvin
The Montreal Canadiens’ 2023-24 season has started with several ups and downs. The good news is that the lineup is one of the youngest in the NHL and is expected to be better than last season’s roster. The bad news? There are several issues that have carried over from the 2022-23 season.
General manager (GM) Kent Hughes’ rebuild plan is no different than most GMs implementing a full rebuild, draft and develop, and relying on your youth to produce exciting matchups. The season has only just begun and there are some good signs for the future. With that, here’s a look at the latest 3 Up, 3 Down.
Flames’ Kadri Looks Disinterested Through 6 Games
October 23, 2023 by Rupert McDonald
Aside from Jonathan Huberdeau, there was arguably no skater on the Calgary Flames who needed a bigger bounce-back season than Nazem Kadri. The 33-year-old was expected to be a big part of why the Flames were a contender in 2022-23, as fans expected big things from him after he was signed to a seven-year, $49 million deal.
Instead, Kadri, like many on the Flames roster last season, struggled to put up points. The first half of the year was actually a personal success, as he was selected to play in the All-Star Game. Afterward, however, his production took a nose dive, and many fans began to question his effort level near the end of the year. While he sounded more than excited to return to Calgary for year two, his body language on the ice is continuing to raise concerns.
Monday NHL Notes on Matthews, Bedard, Nylander & More
October 23, 2023 by Mike Cranwell
While my beat is the Pittsburgh Penguins, I am first and foremost a fan and keep an eye on a number of teams, players, and as much of the goings on around hockey as possible. With that in mind and as an ode to the greats like Peter Gammons, Nick Cafardo, and Eric Duhatschek, here are some early season thoughts on several key Toronto Maple Leafs, Penguins, Connor Bedard, and the early season scoring race, among others.
NHL 2023-24 Power Rankings: Week 3
October 23, 2023 by Eugene Helfrick
By week 3 of the NHL season, I was expecting to have some clarity for these Power Rankings, even if just a little bit. Yes, it is still very early, but you can usually start seeing trends as the good teams separate themselves from the rest of the pack while the bad teams flounder against stronger opponents.
However, that really hasn’t happened yet. Every time I think that a team is great, they go on a losing streak, or when I think a team is going to be in the running for the first-overall pick at the 2024 NHL Entry Draft, they put together an impressive win that makes me think they have greater aspirations than a tank.
More stuff from THW and around the NHL:
Chicago Blackhawks - 7 Early Thoughts on the Blackhawks Not Named Bedard
Pittsburgh Penguins - Penguins’ Lack of Depth Scoring Still Costing the Team Games
Edmonton Oilers - Oilers News & Rumors: McDavid, Kane, Gagner, Trade Talk
NHL News & Rumors - Oilers, Flames, Rangers, Kraken
From TSN - Hanifin, Flames making progress on contract extension
From Sportsnet - 'Reminds me of Carey Price': Why Joseph Woll feels ready for the Maple Leafs' net
From ESPN - Winnipeg Jets coach Rick Bowness on leave after wife's seizure
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