THW Daily - Sabres Must Look Ahead at Trade Deadline & the Future for Cam Atkinson in Philadelphia
Also, trade bait prospects for the Red Wings at the trade deadline & more
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In today’s edition, we have why the Sabres must look ahead at the trade deadline, the future of Cam Atkinson in Philadelphia, and much more.
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Now, here’s the good stuff…
Yesterday’s Scores…
Reflecting on Maple Leafs’ Missed UFA Opportunities
February 29, 2024 by JP Gambatese
Last offseason, the Toronto Maple Leafs signed unrestricted free agents (UFAs) Tyler Bertuzzi, Max Domi, Ryan Reaves, John Klingberg, Simone Benoit, Noah Gregor, and a couple of other minor pieces. Domi and Benoit have been solid additions by all accounts, as they have strong underlying statistics and have produced well in their roles. The others have been a bit disappointing, to say the least. Bertuzzi, though he’s come on as of late, had struggled to produce in a top-six capacity for the bulk of the season. Reaves and Gregor have been quasi-useless this season, with extremely weak metrics and point totals on the season, and Klingberg is out for the remainder of the season but was a defensive liability and offensive disappointment when in the lineup.
Sabres Need to Look to Next Season During Trade Deadline
February 29, 2024 by Jacob D. Strozyk
It is no secret the Buffalo Sabres have been on the outside looking in when it comes to the playoffs for the past number of seasons, and it appears this season will end up with a similar result. After a stellar 2022-23 campaign, the 2023-24 team has failed to live up to expectations and has drawn some ire from their fans as a result. With another season without playoffs likely (barring some miracle-level winning streak), general manager Kevyn Adams should be looking to improve his team on the more immediate front so the team can compete for the playoffs next season.
Red Wings: 5 Trade Bait Prospects at 2024 Trade Deadline
February 29, 2024 by Devin Little
For the first time in Steve Yzerman’s tenure as general manager (GM) of the Detroit Red Wings, he is positioned to add at the NHL Trade Deadline rather than subtract. The Red Wings hold the first wild card position in the Eastern Conference and have a three point cushion on the second wild card spot. They are fourth in the Atlantic Division and just two points back of third place.
Check Out Some THW Premium Substack Content:
New Jersey Devils: Devils' Prospect Update: Prospects Reeling As Much as Devils' Playoff Hopes by JP Gambatese
Detroit Red Wings: Red Wings Weekly Recap: Comeback Kids at It Again & Bottom Six Comes Up Big by Jordan Orth
Ottawa Senators: Full Breakdown of Senators' Deadline Assets by Jacob Billington
Columbus Blue Jackets: 5 Prospects & Depth Players Who Deserve NHL Opportunities by William Espy
Winnipeg Jets: Full Breakdown of Jets' Deadline Assets by Jacob Billington
Edmonton Oilers: Some Clarification Behind the Evander Kane "Rift" Rumors With Oilers by Jim Parsons
Oilers Should Have Outbid Stars for Chris Tanev
February 29, 2024 by Jesse Courville-Lynch
The Calgary Flames and Dallas Stars made headlines on Wednesday night by making a massive trade which ended up sending Chris Tanev to the Stars in a three-team trade with the New Jersey Devils. The full trade was the Stars acquiring Tanev and prospect Cole Brady, the Flames acquiring Artem Grushnikov, a 2024 second-round pick, and a conditional 2026 third-round pick, and the Devils acquiring the Stars’ 2026 fourth-round pick. In the deal, the Flames retained 50% of Tanev’s salary while the Devils retained 25%, meaning the Stars are only paying 25% for the remainder of his contract, which comes out to a $1.125 million cap hit.
How Should Flyers Handle Cam Atkinson’s Future?
February 29, 2024 by Andrew McGuinness
Being optimistic about the Philadelphia Flyers entering the 2023-24 season was hard. But if one tried their hardest to see the glass half full long before John Tortorella’s group started making their surprising playoff push, it was the return of a few key veterans: Sean Couturier and Cam Atkinson. The 2019-20 Selke Trophy winner and seven-time 20-goal scorer, respectively, missed all of 2022-23 with separate injuries. Though both were in their 30s entering the season, there was still a chance they could return and be key contributors.
Avalanche’s MacKinnon Keeps Chasing History
February 29, 2024 by Kerry Collins
Remember when Colorado Avalanche superstar Nathan MacKinnon was lamenting his lack of success after his first nine NHL seasons? It might seem like a million years ago, but it was only three. Since then, MacKinnon has won a Stanley Cup, posted his first 100-point NHL campaign, and is on pace this season to obliterate pretty much everything he’s done before.
More stuff from THW and around the NHL:
Chicago Blackhawks - Possible Trade Packages for Blackhawks’ Colin Blackwell
St. Louis Blues - St. Louis Blues’ Trade Deadline Untouchables
Calgary Flames - Flames Are Starting to Look Much Better in 2024
NHL News & Rumors - Oilers, Capitals, Canucks, Senators
From TSN - Keefe, Granato fined $25K each for 'unprofessional conduct'
From Sportsnet - Canucks, Pettersson resume negotiations after trade talks with Hurricanes
From ESPN - Senators lose Josh Norris for 'extended period' due to injury
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