Daily Links

NYHN Daily: Evaluating Expectations Around the NHL & More

Published

3 years ago

August 25, 2021

Since Jimmy Hayes has passed away, there have been many tributes to his life. Boston Hockey Now releases there’s as it is a beautiful tribute with memories from his time wearing the Boston Bruin uniform. Owen Powers, the 2022 first overall pick’s decision to return back to Michigan for this season was a decision that has been known since the pre-draft interviews. These NHL stories and more in today’s daily links!

There have been a lot of beautiful tributes written about Dorchester/Boston College/Boston Bruins forward Jimmy Hayes over the last sad, tragic and somber 24 hours, and there will be even more in the coming days ahead. But there can never be enough said about a good-hearted, happy-go-lucky hockey player unthinkably lost at the age of 31 years old, who leaves behind a loving wife along with a toddler and an infant that will never know their dad aside from pictures, videos and others’ stories. (Boston Hockey Now)

It’s later August, the temperatures for most of our readers will be in the 90s (that’s about 33 degrees Celcius for our Canadian and Swedish friends who flock to Pittsburgh Hockey Now), while the NHL trade market has gone cold and the Pittsburgh Penguins issues are simmering on the back burner with training camp just a few weeks away. Call me impatient, but the lack of movement on issues and the NHL trade market surprises me. The slowdown has been league-wide. It’s also why, even now, former Penguins GM Jim Rutherford doesn’t receive wholesale criticism. (Pittsburgh Hockey Now)

Joining the Washington Capitals as part of a stunning blockbuster with the Detroit Red Wings at the trade deadline, expectations were high for Anthony Mantha. Mantha was replacing fan favorite and Jakub Vrana, a breakout player just hitting his stride but also experiencing inconsistency and possibly frustration with his game, according to general manager Brian MacLellan. Given the circumstances, what can we expect from the 26-year-old next season? First, let’s break down his time so far in D.C. (Washington Hockey Now)

The buzz surrounding defenseman Moritz Seider’s upcoming first season with the Red Wings may be the greatest fan response to a drafted defenseman the team has ever known. The Red Wings haven’t truly had a top prospect defenseman since social media raised the ante on hype. Fans were not as excited, and definitely not as knowledgeable, about Nicklas Lidstrom when he showed up in Detroit as a rookie in 1991-92. Niklas Kronwall’s fan response came after fans saw him play some games. As a basis for comparison, here is a look at the rookie output for some of Detroit’s top defenseman. (Detroit Hockey Now)

It’s been an eventful offseason for the Colorado Avalanche—for better and for worse. The moves—or lack thereof—have been polarizing for much of the Avs fanbase, with many playing armchair GM and airing their grievances across social media. So I took to Avs Twitter to get a general pulse on things, posing the question: How confident are you in this season’s Avalanche, based on off-season moves? (Colorado Hockey Now)

The San Jose Barracuda opened the doors to their new arena this morning. Well, not quite. Construction is ongoing and isn’t expected to be completed until August 2022, in time for the 2022-23 AHL season. But they gave the media a tour, and there’s plenty for San Jose Sharks and Barracuda fans to be excited about! Here are some of the highlights: (San Jose Hockey Now)

Yes, we’re talking contracts, but “talking contracts” and “contract talks” are two very different things. Don’t expect anything to happen this week as Vancouver Canucks GM Jim Benning is taking a little summer break, plus we haven’t reached what player agent Pat Brisson refers to as a “pressure point”. These points are all about timing and none are really expected until after Labour Day. That’s when the pressure will start to build to get deals done for both defenceman Quinn Hughes and centre Elias Pettersson. The relationship is good; the team and the agent are in touch on a regular basis. (Vancouver Hockey Now)

Legendary hockey reporter Stan Fischler writes a weekly scrapbook for NHL.com. Fischler, known as “The Hockey Maven,” shares his humor and insight with readers each Wednesday. This week Fischler shares some of his favorite hockey quotes by and about Hall of Fame players. He gathered these over a half-century of covering the NHL. (NHL)

Do you play fantasy hockey? Who should you be looking to snag in the opening round of your fantasy draft? Who can you wait for? Who are the best sleepers available? NHL.com has you covered to get prepared for this upcoming season. (NHL)

Adin Hill is going on a deep-sea adventure, courtesy of his new goalie mask. The 25-year-old agreed to a two-year contract with the San Jose Sharks on Aug. 4 to avoid an arbitration hearing. He was acquired in a trade with the Arizona Coyotes on July 17 along with a seventh-round pick in the 2022 NHL Draft for goalie Josef Korenar and a second-round pick in the 2022 draft. So, naturally, a new helmet was in order. (NHL)

While first-overall pick Owen Power made his decision to return to Michigan official last week, he informed the Buffalo Sabres of his plans back in July. A preview clip released Tuesday for “Buffalo Sabres: Embedded” shows Power informing members of the Sabres brass over Zoom in a pre-draft interview he wanted to compete for a NCAA championship with the Wolverines. “Going back another year, I can get a lot of development, being able to dominate games at the college level,” Power said. “And then how good the team’s going to be next year, we’re going to have a really good chance at winning a national title.” (TSN)