THW Daily - Red Wings' Roster Construction & Western Conference Contenders
Also, why the Blue Jackets matter, the latest news & rumors from two major markets & more
Welcome to The Hockey Writers Daily
In today’s edition, we have the latest news & rumors from Edmonton and Toronto, the roster construction of the 2023-24 Red Wings, why the Blue Jackets matter, and much more.
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Here’s the good stuff…
Yesterday’s NHL Scores…
Oilers News & Rumors: Holloway, Ekholm, McDavid, Campbell
October 12, 2023 by Jim Parsons
In an Edmonton Oilers news and rumors update, the team got good news when it comes to Dylan Holloway. Meanwhile, it was clear by the loss on Wednesday night that the roster misses Mattias Ekholm. Can they figure it out without him? Connor McDavid had some interesting thoughts about the game, specifically the third period. Finally, is it already time to panic about the goaltending?
Blue Jackets Matter Despite Lack of National Attention
October 12, 2023 by Mark Scheig
Let’s start this new season with a question. What immediately comes to mind when you think of the Columbus Blue Jackets these days? The answer of course depends on who you talk to. Blue Jackets’ fans are of course excited. Thursday is opening day of the 2023-24 season for their team. The traditional “Walking the Blue Carpet” and Plaza Party are on the agenda outside of Nationwide Arena to signify the start of the new season.
But then there’s everyone else. By everyone else, we mean fans of other teams as well as members of the media at large outside of Columbus. To them, the Blue Jackets either don’t matter to them or they don’t expect the team to do much this season. Need proof of their indifference? Look at what’s trending.
Maple Leafs News & Rumors: Matthews, Gregor, Klingberg & Woll
October 12, 2023 by The Old Prof
In Wednesday night’s season opener, the Toronto Maple Leafs defeated the Montreal Canadiens 6-5 in a shootout. Auston Matthews scored a hat trick, including his 300th, 301st, and 302nd career goals. Mitch Marner scored the winning shootout goal for the victory. Give the Maple Leafs credit for their resilience. They came from behind twice, overcoming 2-0 and 5-3 deficits. Also, give credit to the coaching staff for walking the finest of lines at the end of regulation. They made an aggressive decision to pull goalie Ilya Samsonov with just under five minutes left, and it worked.
All in all, it made for a nail-biting opener that was filled with action from both sides. It wasn’t the best game the Maple Leafs will play this season by a long shot, but it was a win.
How the 2023-24 Red Wings Roster Was Built
October 12, 2023 by Jordan Orth
After an offseason full of excitement and acquisitions, the 2023-24 season is finally here for the Detroit Red Wings. With the opening night roster set, let’s take a look at how it was built.
3 Western Conference Stanley Cup Contenders for 2023-24
October 12, 2023 by Alex Chauvancy
The 2023-24 NHL regular season is underway, and it sure figures to be exciting, with playoff races that could come down to the final week. Of course, some teams will be safer than others, some of whom will be legit Stanley Cup contenders.
In a two-part miniseries, let’s look at three teams from each conference, with a fourth as an honorable mention, that are legitimate Stanley Cup hopefuls heading into the new season. Let’s start with the Western Conference.
Canucks Revamped Bottom-Six Already Paying Dividends
October 12, 2023 by Scott Clarke
The Vancouver Canucks went “scorched-earth” on the Edmonton Oilers on Wednesday night, Oct. 11, winning their season opener 8-1. There are a multitude of storylines to pull from this contest, including Brock Boeser’s four-goal night, J.T. Miller and Elias Pettersson doing J.T. Miller and Elias Pettersson things and even Thatcher Demko vomiting in his helmet…? However, what hasn’t been talked about enough is the revamped bottom-six and how potent they were against the Oilers.
Canucks general manager (GM) Patrik Allvin and president of hockey operations Jim Rutherford addressed the forward depth this summer, bringing in Pius Suter and Teddy Blueger via free agency while trading for Sam Lafferty right before the season began. Anthony Beauvillier, Dakota Joshua and Nils Hoglander also spent parts of last season in Vancouver, providing solid minutes in third and fourth-line roles. For the first time in a while, Vancouver seems to have solid depth, and that showed on Wednesday night.
More stuff from THW and around the NHL:
Minnesota Wild - Wild’s Faber Needs Realistic Expectations in Rookie Season
St. Louis Blues - Blues Challenging Scott Perunovich to Earn Nightly Lineup Spot
NHL News & Rumors - Sabres, Flames, Blackhawks, Avalanche
From TSN - Insider Trading: Temperature rising as Sens struggle to create cap space
From Sportsnet - NHL Power Rankings: Finding one reason for hope for each team
From ESPN - Kings F Viktor Arvidsson lands on long-term injured reserve
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!