THW Daily - Sizing Up The Huberdeau Contract With League's Worst & Top 2020 Draft Picks Finally Breaking Through
Also, Blues relieve Craig Berube of his duties, Avalanche's need for a top-six center & more
Welcome to The Hockey Writers Daily
In today’s edition, we have thoughts on the Jonathan Huberdeau contract with the Flames against the league’s worst, top 2020 draft picks finally breaking through, a head coaching change in St. Louis, and much more.
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Now, here’s the good stuff…
Yesterday’s NHL Scores…
Blues Relieve Berube, Appoint Bannister Interim Coach
December 13, 2023 by Stephen Ground
Late on Tuesday night, following a 6-4 loss to the Detroit Red Wings on home ice that saw them surrender three different leads, the St. Louis Blues decided to relieve head coach Craig Berube of his duties, appointing Drew Bannister as interim head coach.
Flames: Ranking Huberdeau’s Contract Among the League’s Worst
December 13, 2023 by Rupert McDonald
Things are not going well for Jonathan Huberdeau. The 30-year-old’s production has fallen off of a cliff since he joined the Calgary Flames, which is troublesome for many reasons. One is the fact that he was supposed to be the big get in a trade that saw Matthew Tkachuk head to the Florida Panthers. Another, and the most serious of all, is the fact that these struggles began before his eight-year, $84 million contract kicked in.
With his $10.5 million cap hit, there is no question that Huberdeau’s contract is a flat-out disaster at this point. Here’s a look at his deal compared to some of the worst contracts across the NHL.
Maple Leafs Could Up Offer For Chris Tanev To Beat Trade Mob
December 13, 2023 by Jim Parsons
If the Toronto Maple Leafs are going to acquire Chris Tanev from the Calgary Flames, they’ll need to do two things. First, convince the Flames to move the defenseman are forego the patient approach. Second, do so by upping their offer.
The Flames dodged a bullet when it was learned that Tanev’s recent injury scare was only going to be short term. While they’ve told teams they are in no hurry to make a move, they might be in the headspace where a little nudge might shift the narrative in Calgary. The Flames are waiting for the market to improve on the defenseman, but Toronto could get ahead of the curve, and there are benefits to doing so.
Dear Santa: Chicago Blackhawks’ 2023-24 Wish List
December 13, 2023 by Jim Bay
Account of a Visit from St. Nicholas, as it was first called, was originally published anonymously in New York State’s Troy Sentinel newspaper on Dec. 23, 1823, and has been widely credited with permanently connecting St. Nicholas to Christmas and led to our idea of Santa Claus. With a few tweaks to his description over the years, Santa Claus is now firmly planted in our traditions of Santa of a jolly man in a red suit bringing joy with his reindeer-led sleigh of presents to everyone on his “nice” list.
The popular notion of writing letters to Santa has been credited to illustrator Thomas Nast, who created an iconic image in 1879 depicting Santa Claus at his desk piled high with letters from the parents of naughty and nice children and then also drew an illustration of a child posting a letter to Santa. The Nast cartoons fueled the nation’s imagination, and the Postal Service soon became the vehicle for children’s most fervent Christmas wishes.
Top 2020 NHL Draft Prospects Finally Breaking Through
December 13, 2023 by Stefano Rubino
The 2020 NHL Entry Level Draft was like no other. The arena, filled with media, organizations, and fans, stood empty. Instead of a stage, players found out they were selected via Zoom call. Three years later, many teams are seeing their selections develop, for better or worse, but for few, it’s all starting to come together.
Some players, such as Tim Stutzle, Lucas Raymond, and Dawson Mercer, burst onto the scene in their rookie NHL season, maintaining their momentum and displaying their potential. Others are finally capitalizing on their talent, making plays, and using their abilities to finally show the world what all the hype was about.
Johansen’s Struggles Highlight Avalanche Need for Top-Six Center
December 13, 2023 by Marko Zlomislic
When the Colorado Avalanche acquired veteran center Ryan Johansen in a trade with the Nashville Predators this past offseason, the organization hoped that the hole at second-line center had finally been filled for the first time since Nazem Kadri left as a free agent during the 2022 offseason.
Instead, Johansen’s gradual drop in production and similarly declining usage after a hot start to his NHL tenure has caused questions about the roster to resurface, particularly as it pertains to adding another top-six center. Let’s dive into how the 31-year-old has seen his role with the team diminish only two months into the season, and how his stagnating offensive production could force general manager Chris MacFarland to make a move sooner rather than later.
More stuff from THW and around the NHL:
Philadelphia Flyers - 4 Items on the Flyers’ 2023 Christmas Wishlist
Anaheim Ducks - Ducks News & Rumors: Zegras, Gibson, Lyubushkin Trade Rumors
Chicago Blackhawks - Blackhawks Emulating Recent Cup Champs with Defense Changes
NHL News & Rumors - Blues, Flames, Maple Leafs, Penguins
From TSN - Blues F Vrana clears, Bruins' Zboril on waivers
From Sportsnet - The NHL is caught between two generations of physicality
From ESPN - Connor Ingram's path to becoming the Coyotes' No. 1 goalie
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