Walman Traded & Norwegian Prospect Makes History
The Red Wings trade Jake Walman to the San Jose Sharks to free up cap space for the upcoming free agency period, and they selected the first Norwegian player to get draft that high in any NHL Draft.
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Red Wings’ Jake Walman Trade Could Point to Potential Steven Stamkos Signing
June 27, 2024 by Jesse Courville-Lynch
The Detroit Red Wings made headlines recently when they decided to trade Jake Walman and a second-round draft pick to the San Jose Sharks in exchange for future considerations. It was shocking, to say the least, as Walman is a solid defender who I believed was on a good contract. Having to pay a high price of a second-round pick in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft to move someone like him seems a little mind-boggling, but it could mean several different things for both teams. The Sharks are trying to fill out their roster to surround first-overall pick Macklin Celebrini with players who could help him excel at the NHL level, while the Red Wings are trying to free up cap space in hopes of improving their roster and making it back to the postseason. They were close this season, but they weren’t able to sneak their way in. With a move like this, it’s clear they’re committed to change.
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Detroit Red Wings Draft Michael Brandsegg-NygÃ¥rd 15th OverallÂ
June 28, 2024 by Eugene Helfrick
Michael Brandsegg-NygÃ¥rd is a Norwegian winger who was excellent in the top Swedish junior league last year, scoring 38 points in 35 games and earning a try-out in the second-tier Swedish pro league HockeyAllsvenskan. He isn’t going to produce a ton of highlight reel plays with his skill, but he’s got enough skill with the puck to compete in the NHL, and he works hard all over the ice.Â
Brandsegg-Nygård’s best attribute is his shot, which is quite heavy. He’s scored eight goals and 18 points this year as a first time pro and should score quite a few more if he stays in Sweden next year, especially if he earns some time on the power play where he excels from the bumper spot as a one-timer option. He has spent a small part of the season in Sweden’s J20 league where he has been clearly ahead of his peers.
Non-Canadian-Born Captains to Win the Stanley Cup
June 26, 2024 by Ryan Gagne
On Monday, June 24, 2024, the Florida Panthers captured their first Stanley Cup title in a thrilling Game 7 victory over the Edmonton Oilers. When NHL commissioner Gary Bettman came out to hand over hockey’s Holy Grail, he called captain Aleksander Barkov to the podium and handed off the 132-year-old trophy.
When the Tampere, Finland native hoisted the Cup, he became the 10th skater in league history to be captain of a championship team born outside of Canada. For almost 60 years, from 1939 to 1998, only captains born in Canada led their teams to a title win. In the past 25 years, the number has dipped a little, with eight non-Canadian captains winning, including three of the past seven.