THW Daily - Expectations for Interim Bannister in St. Louis & What Senators Need More of From Tkachuk as Captain
Also, the two best Maple Leafs signings from the offseason, a critical choice looming in Montreal & more
Welcome to The Hockey Writers Daily
In today’s edition, we have the expectations set for Blues interim head coach Drew Bannister, why the Senators need more from Tkachuk as captain, the two best off-season signings for the Maple Leafs, and much more.
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Now, here’s the good stuff…
Yesterday’s NHL Scores…
Maple Leafs’ 2 Best Offseason Signings Will Surprise You
December 14, 2023 by Peter Baracchini
Needless to say, the Toronto Maple Leafs’ major offseason signings have been a mixed bag of results three months into the 2023-24 season. Ryan Reaves hasn’t been as consistent with the physical play as many had hoped. Tyler Bertuzzi has looked great doing the little things up front, though the production hasn’t been where it should be for a top-six forward.
Max Domi is starting a resurgence with the newly dominant third line. John Klingberg? Well, many have stated their take on him with his poor defensive play, but he’s now shut down for the season requiring hip surgery. While the big-name additions continue to improve and find their footing, the Maple Leafs are already getting great value from two depth signings.
Expectations for Drew Bannister After Blues Fire Berube
December 14, 2023 by Mike Meyer
The St. Louis Blues have officially hit the end of the Craig Berube era. After the club’s 6-4 loss to the Detroit Red Wings, the team announced they were parting ways with the only coach to bring a Stanley Cup championship season to the city of St. Louis.
While this should not have been the reason to keep Berube with the Blues, it is certainly among the reasons why he is and will remain one of the most beloved coaches in franchise history – with the announcement and parting of Berube, the front office also announced that Springfield Thunderbirds head coach, Drew Bannister, would be promoted to the NHL to take over Berube’s position. With the surprising removal of Berube, what are the expectations for Bannister and the Blues moving forward?
3 Oilers Who Have Elevated Their Play Since Coaching Change
December 14, 2023 by Brian Swane
The Edmonton Oilers have now played 26 games this season: the first 13 under former head coach Jay Woodcroft, the last 13 with new bench boss Kris Knoblauch at the helm. Edmonton was just 3-9-1 before changing coaches (assistant coach Dave Manson was also relieved and replaced with Paul Coffey, who is running the Oilers’ defence) on Nov. 12, but has gone 10-3-0 since and is currently on an eight-game win streak.
The team has completely turned things around in nearly every facet of its game, offensively (from 2.69 to 4.31 goals for per game, an increase of 1.62), defensively (from 3.92 to 2.62 goals against per game, a decrease of 1.30), and special teams (from 23.9% to 32.6% on the power-play and 70.0% to 91.5% on the penalty kill). Edmonton’s transformation has resonated throughout the roster. Here’s a look at three Oilers that have significantly elevated their play since Knoblauch took over.
Flames Should Be Very Thankful Lindholm Turned Down Extension
December 14, 2023 by Rupert McDonald
After the 2022-23 season had wrapped up, Elias Lindholm expressed hesitancy when he was asked about the potential of signing an extension with the Calgary Flames. At the time, he had just one season remaining on his contract, which meant that he was able to sign an extension at any point if he felt like doing so.
Despite how hesitant he sounded at the time, there were reports heading into training camp that he had a change of heart and may have been willing to re-up with the Flames. The Flames themselves were interested, and are believed to have offered Lindholm a maximum eight-year deal with a cap hit of roughly $9 million. Despite what seemed to be a very generous offer, however, Lindholm turned it down, something the Flames should be feeling very grateful for.
Brady Tkachuk Needs More Maturity to Captain Senators
December 14, 2023 by Paul Quinney
Brady Tkachuk called into question his suitability to captain the Ottawa Senators with his third-period antics in his team’s appalling loss to the Carolina Hurricanes on Dec. 12. His behaviour, particularly after the opportunity he blew to score on a penalty shot against Carolina Hurricanes goalie Pyotr Kochetkov laid bare a degree of selfishness and immaturity that defies every expectation Ottawa fans have for the captain of their team.
It is time for Tkachuk to grow up and demonstrate that he possesses the character and qualities that befit anyone bearing the letter C on their sweater. This cannot come too soon, given the dire straits in which his teammates find themselves.
Canadiens Face Critical Choice Between Dvorak & Evans at Center
December 14, 2023 by Ryan Szporer
It’s a good bet that, if your second-line center is Christian Dvorak, you’re not going to be winning Stanley Cups anytime soon. If only someone had told ex-general manager Marc Bergevin that a few years ago, eh?
All due respect to both Dvorak and Jake Evans, but, if you’re moving the latter up the lineup at the former’s expense, you’re even less likely to gain traction in the standings. And that’s what’s been happening, with Evans getting more ice time than Dvorak in five of the last seven games. That’s nothing against Evans. He’s just not someone you generally associate or should with top-six offensive production. This is something the Canadiens have experimented with in the past, with relatively underwhelming results.
More stuff from THW and around the NHL:
Toronto Maple Leafs - Maple Leafs’ Minten & Cowan to Be Keys for Canada at WJC
Columbus Blue Jackets - Prospect Dmitri Voronkov Becoming a Beast for the Blue Jackets
New Jersey Devils - Devils Prospect Watch: December 2023
NHL News & Rumors - Oilers, Maple Leafs, Flames, Bruins, Canucks
From TSN - Vilardi: No words traded with Lizzotte in first meeting since injury
From Sportsnet - NHL Power Rankings: A look at how the 2023 rookie class is faring
From ESPN - Jets put leading scorer Kyle Connor (knee) on injured reserve
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