NHL Pacific Division Brock Boeser Connor McDavid Anze Kopitar

Anaheim Ducks

Ducks’ 2024-25 Bounce Back Candidates: Trevor Zegras
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Trevor Zegras is one of the more polarizing players in the NHL. The 22-year-old Anaheim Ducks center has built quite a reputation since entering the league in 2021. His flashy style of play has led to a long highlight reel of incredible goals, deft puck movement, and jaw-dropping passes in just over 200 NHL games. When the league tries to sell itself to television audiences, Zegras is front and center. However, the NHL 23 co-cover athlete doesn’t have the body of work of the league’s superstars, thus a lot of the attention on him has turned negative. A recent anonymous…

Red Wings Should Still Pursue John Gibson Trade
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Yes, the Detroit Red Wings have plenty of goaltending depth. That said, they should still pursue a trade to acquire John Gibson from the Anaheim Ducks.  Gibson is still a highly talented goalie, and would be Detroit’s clear-cut No. 1 if acquired. It’s a rare circumstance where the future value of a veteran player will likely exceed his present value. The Red Wings need to jump on this opportunity before another team does. Here’s why. Gibson Would Provide Red Wings With Stability in Net First and foremost, Gibson is signed through 2027. The Red Wings haven’t had a goalie play…

Anaheim Ducks Logo History
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Despite that they’ve only been around for 30 years, the Anaheim Ducks sure do like taking a walk down memory lane. After he spent parts of six seasons with the team, the then-Mighty Ducks brought back Teemu Selanne for the 2005-06 season (and the eight that followed), four years after shipping him to the San Jose Sharks at the 2001 trade deadline. Former Ducks head coach Randy Carlyle, too, is a retread. He first coached the club for seven seasons after the 2004-05 lockout (a tenure that included winning the 2007 Stanley Cup). He was rehired for 2016-17, guiding the…

Calgary Flames

Flames & Maple Leafs Trade History Revisited
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The Calgary Flames joined the NHL as the Atlanta Flames in 1972 before moving to Alberta for the start of the 1980 season, becoming the seventh team located north of the border. Over in Ontario, the Toronto Maple Leafs were the only team in the province. They had a built-in rivalry with the Montreal Canadiens from Quebec since both franchises were part of the Original Six era and professional hockey never expanded to the west until the 1960s. Related: Flames & Canadiens Trade History Revisited Calgary and Toronto have never faced each other in the playoffs or had memorable regular-season…

Today in Hockey History: July 22
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This date in National Hockey League history has not been the most eventful by any means, but it has still provided some interesting tidbits. One veteran player got traded twice on the same day, Matthew Tkachuk got dealt to the Florida Panthers, and the birth of a Hall of Fame defenseman are three of the biggest July 22 memories. Sillinger’s Busy Day July 22, 2003, is a day that Mike Sillinger will never forget as he was a member of three different teams within a span of a couple of hours. The veteran started the day on the Columbus Blue…

Calgary Flames’ 2024-25 Bounce Back Candidates
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We are smack dab in the middle of the NHL’s offseason, and thus not much is happening in the world of hockey. The free agency frenzy of early July is over and focus is shifting towards the upcoming 2024-25 season. The Calgary Flames finished last season outside of the playoff picture with a record of 38-39-5, the first under new general manager Craig Conroy as well as new head coach Ryan Huska. The team is in full rebuild mode, having made a litany of trades during the past season in an effort to get younger and build through the draft….

Edmonton Oilers

Oilers’ Skinner in Line for Vezina Trophy Winning Season
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The 2023-24 season was a big one for Edmonton Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner. It marked his first year at the NHL level where, at the very least, everyone knew he would receive roughly half the starts. That was a big change from a year prior, where, despite winding up being the number-one option, he began as a backup to Jack Campbell. Related: Edmonton Oilers’ Point Projections for 2024-25 Any thoughts of Skinner being a part of a 50/50 tandem quickly evaporated when Campbell was sent to the American Hockey League in early November. Skinner wound up playing a career-high 59…

Oilers: 8 GMs Who Would’ve Been Better Hires Than Stan Bowman
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The Edmonton Oilers made the controversial decision to hire Stan Bowman as their new general manager (GM) and executive vice president of hockey operations on Wednesday, July 24, and fan response has not been positive at all. After the shocking move, Oilers fans all over social media began pushing back, citing both Bowman’s past moves as a GM being questionable, on top of how he mishandled a serious situation with the Chicago Blackhawks over a decade ago. While Jeff Jackson spoke to the media and was adamant that he believed Bowman has become a better person and assured fans that…

NHL Rumors: Oilers, Maple Leafs, Capitals, Kuznetsov News
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The Edmonton Oilers have hired a new general manager and despite the inevitable PR issues that will come with the hire, Stan Bowman is now calling the shots. Meanwhile, Cliff Fletcher has renewed his contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Finally, Evgeny Kuznetsov is rumored to be headed to the KHL, but his agent has said the forward is waiting to see if any NHL teams make him an offer worth sticking around for. And, what will the Washington Capitals do with the money that was freed up by his contract termination? Oilers to Introduce Stan Bowman a GM The…

Los Angeles Kings

Today in Hockey History: July 24
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On this date, the Los Angeles Kings brought back one of the great players in their franchise’s history for the third time. Also, a dramatic coaching move was finally made official. Plus, some talented Stanley Cup winners are celebrating birthdays today. Let’s begin our daily trip back in time to relive all the best memories July 24 has given us. Robitaille Returns to Hollywood…Again The Kings signed free-agent forward Luc Robitaille on July 24, 2003. This marked the third time Robitaille wore a Kings sweater. He was originally one of the best draft picks in franchise history when he was…

9 NHL Teams That Missed in Free Agency
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Last week, we looked at which teams fared best in free agency. Today, we’ll look at some teams who took the wrong approach or maybe didn’t improve their rosters as much as it may seem. Of note, this article only includes UFA signings, so if your favorite team made some trades, those transactions will not be discussed in great detail. Boston Bruins Notable UFA Signings The Boston Bruins made a few depth additions, but their most notable acquisitions were signing Elias Lindholm and Nikita Zadorov to some pretty pricey contracts. Center depth was a problem for the Bruins this past…

NHL Rumors: Maple Leafs, Panthers, Bruins, Kings
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In today’s NHL rumors rundown, two Toronto Maple Leafs make the top of one columnist’s list for available UFAs in 2025, suggesting that it’s unlikely either signs with the team this season. Meanwhile, why did Oliver Ekman-Larsson choose the Toronto Maple Leafs over the Stanley Cup Champion Florida Panthers? The Boston Bruins have been trying to sign Jeremy Swayman since March and will the Los Angeles Kings tear their roster down if they take a turn in the wrong direction this season? Marner and Tavares Top 2025 UFA List Ryan Dixon of Sportsnet took a look at the most intriguing…

San Jose Sharks

Today in Hockey History: July 24
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On this date, the Los Angeles Kings brought back one of the great players in their franchise’s history for the third time. Also, a dramatic coaching move was finally made official. Plus, some talented Stanley Cup winners are celebrating birthdays today. Let’s begin our daily trip back in time to relive all the best memories July 24 has given us. Robitaille Returns to Hollywood…Again The Kings signed free-agent forward Luc Robitaille on July 24, 2003. This marked the third time Robitaille wore a Kings sweater. He was originally one of the best draft picks in franchise history when he was…

Sharks’ Thomas Bordeleau Could Be on Outside Looking In
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As the San Jose Sharks continue their preparations for the 2024-25 NHL season, one task they must accomplish is determining who will make their opening night roster. This decision is months away, but when it happens, it will have an impact on every player regardless of whether or not they earn a spot on the team. But perhaps no one will be more greatly affected than forward Thomas Bordeleau. San Jose’s 2020 second-round pick is entering his age-23 season, and the Sharks’ increasingly strong prospect pool has pushed him down the depth chart. His future with the team is at…

NHL Rumors: Canadiens, Oilers, Sharks
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In today’s NHL rumors rundown, the Montreal Canadiens might be working to get Ivan Demidov out of the KHL. Meanwhile, is Brian Lawton a dark horse candidate to be the next general manager of the Edmonton Oilers? Finally, the San Jose Sharks are looking to add depth to their blue line. Who might they be looking at? Canadiens Negotiating Transfer Fee for Demidov? It’s not clear if SKA out of the KHL is going to hold onto Ivan Demidov and if he’s not going to make their team. Should he not, speculation is that the Montreal Canadiens are closely monitoring…

Seattle Kraken

9 NHL Teams That Missed in Free Agency
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Last week, we looked at which teams fared best in free agency. Today, we’ll look at some teams who took the wrong approach or maybe didn’t improve their rosters as much as it may seem. Of note, this article only includes UFA signings, so if your favorite team made some trades, those transactions will not be discussed in great detail. Boston Bruins Notable UFA Signings The Boston Bruins made a few depth additions, but their most notable acquisitions were signing Elias Lindholm and Nikita Zadorov to some pretty pricey contracts. Center depth was a problem for the Bruins this past…

Today in Hockey History: July 21
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July 21 saw the greatest player in National Hockey League history sign on to play for one of its most historic teams. Plus, a franchise-altering player signed his first-ever professional contract, new head coaches were hired and the Seattle Kraken got its inaugural roster via the expansion draft. So, let’s begin our daily trip through the decades to relive all the great memories from this date. The Great One Opens on Broadway Wayne Gretzky signed with the New York Rangers on July 21, 1996. This was the fourth and final team of his legendary NHL career. He is reunited with…

Seattle Kraken Contract News: Beniers Remains Unsigned & ELCs
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It’s the middle of the summer and the only ice most people are probably interested in are the cubes floating in their libation of choice. There is some hockey-related activity during these days of sunshine and pool parties, even though it doesn’t directly involve puck battles and goals. Things have been a bit quiet in the Pacific Northwest since the first days of free agency a couple of weeks ago, but a few developments have come to the surface. There is another bit of news people who follow the team are waiting for with bated breath. Let’s discuss. Matty Beniers…

Vancouver Canucks

Canucks Draft Misses Since 2015
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The Vancouver Canucks have struggled to draft and develop players for a large part of the past nine years. Yes, they have found some key players like Thatcher Demko and Nils Höglander in the second round or later, but that is pretty much it. While there have been misses in the first round, such as Olli Juolevi and Jake Virtanen, a lot of Vancouver’s current problems can be attributed to their drafting beyond their first-rounders. Meanwhile, teams around them have consistently found talent beyond the first round, which have become important parts of their organizations. Whether it is trading away…

Canucks’ Top 15 Prospects for 2024-25 Season
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The Vancouver Canucks still don’t have the strongest prospect pool overall, but they do have some blue-chippers dotting the landscape, namely Jonathan Lekkerimaki and Tom Willander – their two most recent first-round picks. They will be part of this list for a while unless Lekkerimaki surprises and plays more than 25 games this season, which is unlikely. With that said, let’s take a look at the current top-15, shall we? 15. Vilmer Alriksson, Left Wing/Centre – 2023, 107th Overall One of the more intriguing stories in Canucks prospect news last season was the progression of 2023 fourth-round pick Vilmer Alriksson….

Daniel Sprong: What to Expect From Canucks’ Newest Signing
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The Vancouver Canucks have had a great offseason. They lost both Elias Lindholm and Nikita Zadorov to the Boston Bruins but responded by locking up Jake DeBrusk to a long-term contract, bringing in Vincent Desharnais, and signing several depth players to fill out what they lost. They have easily improved from last season and their fans should be excited for what’s to come in the 2024-25 campaign. With most teams settling down from the free agent market and trading or focusing on the upcoming season with what they have, the Canucks went out and made another depth signing that may…

Vegas Golden Knights

9 NHL Teams That Missed in Free Agency
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Last week, we looked at which teams fared best in free agency. Today, we’ll look at some teams who took the wrong approach or maybe didn’t improve their rosters as much as it may seem. Of note, this article only includes UFA signings, so if your favorite team made some trades, those transactions will not be discussed in great detail. Boston Bruins Notable UFA Signings The Boston Bruins made a few depth additions, but their most notable acquisitions were signing Elias Lindholm and Nikita Zadorov to some pretty pricey contracts. Center depth was a problem for the Bruins this past…

Golden Knights Will Miss Jonathan Marchessault
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Winning has been a big part of the Vegas Golden Knights’ culture since day one, but so have cap management headaches. It seems like every offseason, the club’s tight cap situation forces the exodus of one or more key players, so much so that fans have become somewhat numb to it. In recent years, losing the likes of Max Pacioretty and Reilly Smith has mostly been shrugged off by a fan base that has grown accustomed to Vegas’ cold, business-like approach to asset management. The loss of Golden Knights original and fan favorite Jonathan Marchessault might prove to be different….

Islanders’ Lamoriello Needs to Follow Golden Knights’ Ruthless Trade Model
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When Lou Lamoriello took over as the New York Islanders general manager (GM) following captain John Tavares’ departure, he created an identity on Long Island. This identity became a well-structured, tight-knit team rooted in defense, responsibility, and most importantly, loyalty. He achieved this loyalty through long-term contracts with no-trade clauses and in return, he received two deep playoff runs. While Lamoriello has made two significant betrayals, such as moving on from Barry Trotz as head coach and not protecting Jordan Eberle and Josh Bailey at the Seattle Kraken’s Expansion Draft, he has been excruciatingly loyal, arguably to the Islanders’ demise….