THW's Sunday Substack - Best of the Week in the NHL
A Sunday Edition of The Hockey Writers Substack
Welcome to The Hockey Writers Sunday Edition
Our in-season Sunday Edition will feature the BEST OF THE WEEK throughout the NHL.
In today’s edition, we have a look at a quick start for Connor Bedard, a few defensemen getting paid, a brilliant effort from Brock Boeser in the Canucks season opener, and much more.
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Let’s dive into the Best of the Week…
Blackhawks’ Connor Bedard Scores His First NHL Goal
In his second career game, 2023 first overall pick Connor Bedard scored his first NHL goal. He circled the net and wrapped the puck around into the net past Boston Bruins goaltender and 2022-23 Vezina Trophy winner Linus Ullmark. Bedard has been as impressive as advertised. He looks like the most NHL-ready first-overall pick since Toronto Maple Leafs superstar Auston Matthews scored 40 goals in his rookie season (2016-17).
Source: Chicago Blackhawks | TNT
Wild Goaltender Filip Gustavsson Steals Win Over Panthers
What an effort to open the season for Minnesota Wild goaltender Filip Gustavsson, who saved 41 of 41 shots to shut down a potent Florida Panthers attack. Gustavsson seems to have picked up where he left off last season after a brilliant 22-9-7 record and .931 save percentage (SV%). If he plays like this all season, the Wild will be right in the mix at the top of the Central Division and Western Conference. However, Gustavsson struggled in following up his shutout by allowing seven goals to the Toronto Maple Leafs.
A Few Defensemen Get Paid Big Bucks
The Buffalo Sabres locked up their two young stud defensemen, Rasmus Dahlin and Owen Power. Following that, the Colorado Avalanche locked up Devon Toews for the next seven seasons.
Dahlin - (8 years, $88 million) ($11 million AAV) (2nd AAV amongst defensemen)
Power - (7 years, $58.4 million) ($8.350 million AAV) (15th)
Toews - (7 years, $50.7 million) ($7.250 million AAV) (29th)
The Power contract for the Sabres is certainly a risk, especially with it happening before the Avalanche locked Toews in with a much better deal. Power was the first overall pick in the 2021 NHL Draft and hasn’t fully put it together yet, but the potential is there. The Dahlin deal could look really good in a few years and the Toews deal looks really good right now.
Auston Matthews Lights It Up for the Maple Leafs
Could Auston Matthews score 70 goals this season? The Maple Leafs star has six goals in two games, also known as two hat tricks in two games. Surprisingly, Matthews has only reached over 50 goals in one of his seven seasons (60 in 2021-22). Unless he gets injured, I’m certain he’ll reach 50 goals this season. He has 147 goals in his last 201 games over the past four seasons.
Source: Toronto Maple Leafs | Sportsnet
Brock Boeser Racks Up FOUR Goals in Canucks Opener
After another summer of trade rumors for Vancouver Canucks winger Brock Boeser, he has remained with the Canucks. He’s off to a fantastic start in their opening beatdown of the Edmonton Oilers. Boeser scored four of the Canucks’ eight goals, doing so on eight shots.
He has four goal 20-goal seasons in his career, but only had 18 last season. He’s certainly likely to rack up 20-plus goals again this season and the opener was a great indicator of what’s to come. Boeser’s impact in the Canucks’ top six with J.T. Miller or Elias Pettersson as his center could determine their fate in the Pacific Division.
Jack Hughes’ Hart Trophy Campaign off to Electric Start
The New Jersey Devils have an absolute superstar in Jack Hughes. In their first two games, the team struggled a bit, but that can’t be said for Hughes. He has two goals and three assists in over 21 minutes of average time-on-ice (ATOI). He has led the Devils power play, which is clicking at just under 30 percent, with three power-play points. Look no further than this filthy goal scored by Hughes on Thursday night in the Devils’ win over the Detroit Red Wings.
Source: New Jersey Devils | ESPN
We hope you enjoyed today’s THW Substack, and we hope you enjoy our “Best of the Week” Sunday Edition. Stay tuned for THW Daily as it continues tomorrow and beyond. Cheers!