THW Daily - Predators Must Stop Operating Like a Playoff Team & Blue Jackets' Kent Johnson Deserves Top-6 Role
Also, rumored talks between the Oilers and Flyers & more
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In today’s edition, we have why the Predators should stop operating like a playoff team, the Blue Jackets need to give Kent Johnson a top-six role, and much more.
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Check Out Some THW Premium Substack Content:
Edmonton Oilers: Oilers Overtime: Winning or Buying... You Can't Have Both by Jim Parsons
Boston Bruins: 4 Keys to the Rest of the Bruins' Season by Scott Roche
Colorado Avalanche: Avalanche Prospect Update: Calum Ritchie, Jeremy Hanzel & More by Stefano Rubino
New Jersey Devils: Devils' Prospect Update: Gritsyuk Shining in KHL by JP Gambatese
Nashville Predators: Grading the Nashville Predators After the All-Star Break by Emma Lingan
Vancouver Canucks: Canucks Prospects Report: Bains All-Star MVP, Lekkerimaki, Sasson, Mynio & More by Matthew Zator
Chicago Blackhawks: Brooke's Blackhawks Blurbs: Return to the Rink, Injury Updates & Winter Classics by Brooke LoFurno
Check Out THW’s Professional Women’s Hockey League Coverage
Yesterday’s Scores…
Oilers and Flyers in Rumored Blockbuster Trade Deadline Talks
February 8, 2024 by Jim Parsons
The past 48 hours have been an interesting period for fans of the Edmonton Oilers. As the NHL Trade Deadline creeps closer, the Oilers are being linked to multiple names and players who have just sort of come out of nowhere. These are names that have been in the rumor mill, but for the most part, Edmonton wasn’t a frontrunner. Now, the Oilers are said to be kicking tires, with a major deal potentially brewing.
Specifically, there’s been chatter about the Oilers and conversations with the Philadelphia Flyers. The Flyers are likely selling and considering the returns teams like Calgary and Montreal are getting on their respective deals, it’s no surprise. Oilers’ GM Ken Holland might have keyed in on some useful assets out of Philly and speculation is that the two sides are seeing if there’s a fit.
Predators Need to Stop Operating Like a Playoff Team
February 8, 2024 by Emma Lingan
The Nashville Predators limped into the All-Star break having lost five of their last six games and being outscored 26-15 in their last eight. They have a 26-23-2 record – good for fifth place in the Central Division – and they are currently five points out of a playoff spot.
It’s time for a reality check. The Predators are what they are: a .500 hockey team in the early stages of a rebuild. Their goal in the final 31 games this season should not be to make the playoffs. Rather, it should be what this season was supposed to be about all along: to set the franchise up for long-term success by determining which players are critical to the team’s future – and which ones are not.
3 Trade Deadline Targets for the Red Wings
February 8, 2024 by Evan Sabourin
With the March 8, 2024 NHL trade deadline looming, Detroit Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman will have some interesting decisions to make for an organization that is looking to return to the playoffs for the first time since the 2015-16 season. The team is currently sitting in the second wild card spot in the Eastern Conference – with 58 points – after an up-and-down season of inconsistency.
After a disastrous December that saw the club tumble down the standings, Detroit rebounded with its best January since the 2011-12 campaign, taking a possible 20 of 26 points from a murderer’s row of competition that included Toronto, Florida, Tampa Bay, and the defending Cup champs, Vegas. February has now become a very pivotal month for Detroit, and their general manager (GM) knows it. But how, or better yet, will he respond?
Rangers Can’t Wait Until Deadline Day to Upgrade the Roster
February 8, 2024 by Tom Castro
The New York Rangers have won their last three games, giving them hope that they’re starting to rediscover the form that allowed them to leap out to an 18-4-1 start to 2023-24 before going 11-12-2 over their next 25 contests, a stretch that raised plenty of questions about the viability of their Stanley Cup hopes.
Even if the club looks prepared to put that mediocre run of results behind it, general manager Chris Drury and the front office should have little doubt about something they already knew: The Rangers need reinforcements, and perhaps well before the trade deadline.
These Blueshirts are a good team, featuring top-end offensive talent, an elite defenseman and strength and depth in goal. Yet their shortcomings are significant.
3 Reasons Why Kent Johnson Should Be in the Blue Jackets’ Top-6
February 8, 2024 by Mark Scheig
The 2023-24 season for Kent Johnson hasn’t gone the way that he thought it would to this point. As the Blue Jackets prepare to start play post bye week, he is one of many players who have had a subpar season.
With just 32 games left to play this season, the Blue Jackets have no shot of the playoffs. However, the games do carry meaning for other reasons. Welcome to Part 1 of our post All-Star Game mini series. In this set of articles, we’re going to highlight things that need to happen for the Blue Jackets down the stretch of the season to try to carry some momentum into an offseason that could be full of massive change.
Maple Leafs’ Prospect Report: Riding Cowan & the AHL All-Stars
February 8, 2024 by Andrew Forbes
Over the past couple of seasons, the Toronto Maple Leafs’ prospect pool has thinned out when it comes to options. We’ve seen promotions for guys like Alex Steeves, Bobby McMann and Pontus Holmberg at times during that span, but the ceiling for their prospects isn’t as high as teams around the league.
Still, with the NHL trade deadline just around the corner, there’s no better time than now to check in with the team and what they’ve got in the pipeline as potential trade options. With that, let’s agree now that the Maple Leafs surely aren’t moving Easton Cowan and Matthew Knies anytime soon.
With that, here’s a look at three of the team’s prospects on their road to the NHL.
More stuff from THW and around the NHL:
Calgary Flames - Extended Winning Streaks Elusive for Calgary Flames
Boston Bruins - Bruins’ Poitras’ Rookie Season Ends Abruptly
Arizona Coyotes - Coyotes Prospect Report: Räty, Lipkin & Kipkie
NHL News & Rumors - Oilers, Wild, Canucks, Flyers, Capitals
From TSN - Guerin named Team USA GM for Olympics
From Sportsnet - NHL Playoff Push: Buyers, sellers and teams in between heading to trade deadline
From ESPN - Lightning's Mikhail Sergachev has surgery for broken leg
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