THW Daily - Canadiens’ Approach as Sellers & Trade Destinations for Flyers’ Sean Walker
Also, Oilers' interest in Blue Jackets players, why Rangers should trade for Patrik Laine & more
Welcome to The Hockey Writers Daily
In today’s edition, we have the approach from the Canadiens as sellers, trade destinations for Flyers defenseman Sean Walker, which Blue Jackets players that could head to the Oilers, and much more.
Also, don’t forget to check out all of our FREE team Substacks, and sign up for your favorite…or all of them if you want.
Here’s the good stuff…
Yesterday’s NHL Scores…
Hockey Insider Confirms Oilers’ Interest in Blue Jackets Players
December 3, 2023 by Jesse Courville-Lynch
The Edmonton Oilers have been looking for ways to improve since the start of their 2023-24 campaign wasn’t great, and they continue to try and find a way to get back to their winning ways. With the firing of Jay Woodcroft and the team choosing to assign Jack Campbell to the American Hockey League (AHL) to find his confidence with the Bakersfield Condors, the team has made it known they’re willing to make changes, and that seems to continue to be the case based on recent comments from a trusted NHL insider.
With the Blue Jackets in a full-blown rebuild, they may not only be willing to part with their goaltenders. While they have some untouchable players, as every team does, it would be no surprise if they were fielding trade calls on just about everybody on their roster. With that being said, here’s a quick breakdown of the potential trade pieces the Oilers could have some interest in.
Canadiens Patiently Waiting to Sell Top Trade Assets
December 2, 2023 by Blain Potvin
The Montreal Canadiens 2023-24 season has had its share of ups and downs. While some fans want them to make moves to help get them into a playoff position, team management is asking for them to remain patient during the rebuild.
As the rebuild continues, there are still significant needs to be met in the Canadiens system. Montreal has several players who are drawing interest from other teams. Some could net general manager (GM) Kent Hughes a significant return, while others would open up cap space and roster positions.
Rangers Could Benefit From Patrik Laine Addition
December 3, 2023 by Jesse Courville-Lynch
There is no denying that the New York Rangers are the best team in the NHL this season. Their play out of the gate to start the 2023-24 campaign has been close to perfect, and they show no signs of slowing down. They have little to no holes in their game. Even after having to deal with injuries to a couple of their stars when Igor Shesterkin and Adam Fox went down at the same time, they remained atop the NHL standings. They will be going all-in come the trade deadline, and one name could help push them over the edge into a Stanley Cup favorite.
The Rangers have little to no cap space to work with, so bringing in Laine would be a tough ask. However, if there is a world where Laine is interested in joining the Rangers to help the team succeed and boost their offensive numbers, there’s no reason they shouldn’t try to make something work. With that being said, here is a brief look at Laine and his potential impact on the Rangers.
John Tavares’ Unseen Influence on Marner & Nylander
December 2, 2023 by The Old Prof
On Thursday night, Mitch Marner scored a hat trick to help lead his Toronto Maple Leafs to a 4-3 overtime shootout win against the Seattle Kraken. It was a spectacular performance by Marner in the game. With the goals, he emphatically broke out of a multi-game scoring drought.
So, no goals for eight games and then three in one night. What gives? The answer is John Tavares. According to Mike Kelly, who is an expert in analytics, Tavares is a key reason that Marner had his goal-scoring breakout.
Flyers Have Options if They Want to Move Sean Walker
December 3, 2023 by Justin Giampietro
The Philadelphia Flyers have found an anomaly in defenseman Sean Walker, but he has a contract that expires in the offseason. Even though he has had a tremendous season to this point, there is a good chance that he will be dealt before the trade deadline.
If he is, he could have several suitors who could be willing to give up a decent package for him. What might those teams be, and what could they be offering?
Hurricanes Need to Keep Orlov & Chatfield Together
December 3, 2023 by Tommy Bennett
The Carolina Hurricanes have a system in place that works. Every player buys into the defensive structure that’s in place and goal scoring comes from everyone. There is not just one player that is relied on for goals, as all four lines have key contributors. However, one area that the team relies on more is the back end.
When it comes to the offensive side of things, the Hurricanes’ defense are not afraid to jump into the play. Furthermore, the blue line has eclipsed 65 points combined this season and is a key part of the success. For the most part, the back end is solidified with its pairs but there is one glaring pair that needs to be solidified.
More stuff from THW and around the NHL:
Edmonton Oilers - Oilers’ 4 Unsung Heroes From 4-Game Winning Streak
Arizona Coyotes - Grading the Coyotes’ 2023 Offseason Acquisitions
Calgary Flames & Toronto Maple Leafs - Flames Likely to “Tax” Treliving, Maple Leafs In Any Tanev Trade
NHL News & Rumors - Canucks, Oilers, Flames, Maple Leafs
From TSN - Habs' Newhook out 10-12 weeks with high ankle sprain
From Sportsnet - 20 Fantasy Thoughts: Crosby delivering arguably his most impressive season yet
From ESPN - Injured Cale Makar to miss road game for Colorado Avalanche
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!