X75 Productions

Category: NHL

  • 2018-19 Ottawa Senators Preview

    OTT

     

    Last Season: 28-43-11 67 pts (7th in Atlantic Division; Did Not Make Playoffs)
    Key Additions: D Dylan DeMelo, F Paul Carey, F Mikkel Boedker, and F Chris Tierney


    Key Departures: D Fredrik Claesson, D Erik Karlsson, F Mike Hoffman, and F Alexandre Burrows

     

    Top Questions Facing the Senators:

    1. Where do the Ottawa Senators go now?

    With all of the distractions going on in Ottawa right now which resulted in both Mike Hoffman (off ice issues with his girlfriend harassing Erik Karlsson’s wife) and Karlsson (in the last year of his contract with no signs of resigning) to be traded, and Craig Anderson requesting to be traded, this franchise is in disarray. How this teams band together will be the key to how the build towards the future.

     

    2. Will Brady Tkachuk crack the lineup?

    Tkachuk, 4th overall pick in the 2018 NHL Draft, is determined to make the Senators 2018-19 roster, and has left Boston University to chase his goal. However, being with all of the drama going on in Ottawa, maybe Tkachuk and his youthful enthusiasm is something this team needs right now.

  • 2018-19 New York Rangers Preview

    NYR

     

    Last Season: 34-39-9 77 pts (8th in Metropolitan Division; Did Not Make Playoffs)

     

    Key Additions: D Fredrik Claesson, G Dustin Tokarski, and Coach David Quinn

     

    Key Departures: F Paul Carey, F David Desharnais, Coah Alain Vigneault

     

    Top Questions Facing the New York Rangers:

     

    1. How will rookies impact the lineup?

    The Rangers go into the 2018-19 season in full rebuild mode. Rookies will be given prime opportunities to win jobs in camp and the team will be younger, faster but a lot more in experienced than in years past. Their two first rounders from 2017, Lias Andersson and Filip Chytil are most likely going to be slotted into the 2nd and 3rd line center spots so a lot of this season is riding on how those two acclimate to full time NHL minutes.

     

    Free-agent rookie wingers Ville Meskanen and Michael Lindqvist, both signed from Sweden’s SHL, will look to crack the opening night roster as well and they very well could as both have shown in their time in the SHL that they have a nose for the net. Both scored at least 20 goals last season in the SHL. If Brett Howden, obtained from the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Ryan McDonagh trade, surprises coach David Quinn, he could find himself on the opening night roster as well. That makes five possible offensive rookies on opening night.

     

    Finally, we shift to the defense where as many as two spots could be taken by rookies as well. Look for Libor Hajek, also acquired in the Ryan McDonagh trade, to make a case that he belongs on the opening night roster and maybe the Rangers like what they see in Ryan Lindgren… it’s going to be a very interesting training camp in New York with battles happening for positions on every line. Veterans cannot rest east this year as the youngsters are coming for their jobs. It’s time for the Rangers to begin the process of seeing who deserves to be apart of a future Stanley Cup contending core.

     

    2) Is this the beginning of the end for Henrik Lundqvist?

    The King is coming to the end of his reign. Lundqvist, the heart and soul of the New York Rangers since 2005, is in his late thirties and soon the time will come for one of the best goaltenders in NHL history to hang his skates up and take that last lap around the ice at Madison Square Garden. But man… he isn’t going down without a fight. Lundqvist will fight tooth and nail to give his Rangers one last shot at glory before he retires and it may not be this season or the next but soon the Rangers will have capable team to give the King one last shot. One last shot to give the city of New York a championship over 20 years in the making. He isn’t washed up by any means but he isn’t the Lundqvist of old. Igor Shestyorkin will be the Rangers goaltender of the future but Lundqvist is going to do all he can to stay as long as it can and get that elusive title.

     

    3) How will David Quinn adjust to being a full time NHL head coach?

    David Quinn will begin his first season as an NHL head coach at the start of training camp and all eyes will be on the former Boston University Head Coach. He’s a young guy and a guy that has some brilliant ideas for how to run a hockey club. The guy preaches puck possession and will give the Rangers a much more structured system that Alain Vigneault did.

     

    But remember… it takes awhile for a team to adjust to a new system, a new coach and a regime change. The Rangers were already not going to be good this season but having a new coach makes this whole thing a little bit tougher. Will Quinn sink or swim? Will he have the attention of his veterans and rookies alike? Will he make the smart decisions? If his attitude and pedigree are any indication, look for David Quinn to begin making his mark early and look for him to begin succeeding at the NHL level. The Rangers couldn’t have made a better choice to guide this team through the rebuilding process.

  • 2018-19 New York Islanders Preview

    NYI

     

    Last Season: 35-37-10 80 pts (7th in Metropolitan Division; Did Not Make Playoffs)

     

    Key Additions: F Matt Martin, F Tom Kuhnhackl, F Leo Komarov, F Valtteri Filppula, G Robin Lehner, Coach Barry Trotz, and GM Lou Lamoriello

     

    Key Departures: D Calvin de Haan, D Dennis Seidenberg, F John Tavares, F Alan Quine, G Jaroslav Halak, and GM Garth Snow

     

    Top Questions Facing the Islanders:

    1. How will the New York Islanders fare without John Tavares?

    With Tavares leaving money on the table to play for his hometown Toronto Maple Leafs, the Islanders are now without the face of their franchise for the first time since drafting him, and the ramifications are going to be felt for a while. With Lou Lamoriello at the helm and Barry Trotz now behind the bench, they will be tasked with creating a new future for the Islanders.

     

    2. How much lower will the Islanders sink before they can rise again?

    Despite the great office pick ups, in terms of players there wasn’t a big upgrade anywhere. Plus most pickups were mostly depth players. The pick up of goalie Robin Lehner will be good, but the Islanders are going to be near the bottom for a while despite being competitive.

  • 2018-19 New Jersey Devils Preview

    NJ

     

    Last Season: 44-29-9 97 pts (5th in Metropolitan Division; Lost in Eastern Conference 1st Round)

     

    Key Additions: D Eric Gryba, and F Eric Tangradi

     

    Key Departures: D John Moore, F Jimmy Hayes, F Patrick Maroon, F Michael Grabner, and F Brian Gibbons

     

    Top Questions Facing the Devils:

    1. Can the New Jersey Devils get more offense?

    Last season Taylor Hall registered 93 points, but the next closest person to him was rookie Nico Hischier with 52 points. The Devils are going to need more contributions offensively from others if they hope to continue to prove. Marcus Johansson and Kyle Palmieri will both need to have strong years, and most importantly both need to stay healthy.

     

    2. How will the young talent continue to develop?

    With General Manager Ray Shero letting veterans John Moore, Michael Grabner, and a couple others go, he made his intentions clear that he is letting the younger guys get more opportunities to grow. Guys like Pavel Zacha, Miles Wood, Jesper Bratt, Will Butcher, and others need to step up and help round out this team, but at the same time they could need more time. This will be a deciding factor for the Devils to make the playoffs again.

  • 2018-19 Montreal Canadiens Preview

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    Last Season: 29-40-13 71 pts (6th in Atlantic Division; Did Not Make Playoffs)

     

    Key Additions: D Xavier Oullet, F Max Domi, F Tomas Tatar, F Tomas Plekanec, F Joel Armia, and F Matthew Peca

     

    Key Departures: F Alex Galchenyuk, F Max Pacioretty, F Ales Hemsky, and F Daniel Carr

     

    The Habs biggest move they made this off-season is trading Max Pacioretty to the Vegas Golden Knights in exchange for Nick Suzuki, Tomas Tatar, and a conditional second rounder in the 2019 NHL Draft. Habs fans shouldn’t be complaining about the return in this deal. Suzuki is a 19 year old center that has proved he can score in the OHL but hasn’t gotten any NHL or OHL experience until his belt.

     

    The Habs were expected to be players this offseason but ended up not doing much to improve the team during free agency. The biggest loss for us may have been Alex Galchenyuk who we traded to the Coyotes for the Maxi Domi. This is a deal as a Habs fan you should like. Galchenyuk never became the true center we needed thus the reason for his departure. Daniel Carr was a player I think the Habs will regret not re-signing. Carr was a streaky scorer and was a guy who could be a solid third or fourth liner without a doubt. He never really got a chance in Montreal which was is unfortunate, Carr will be a 15-20 scorer next year with Vegas.

     

    Top Questions Facing The Team

     

    The Defence

    The Canadiens defence without Shea Weber last year was pitiful and when he did play he had no support. The Habs do have some young defencemen who should help fill that hole. Victor Mete and Xavier Ouellet will be key pieces on the blue-line this year.  Mete is expected to play on the first line with Petry to start the year, Petry by far was the Habs best defenseman throughout the year. Once Weber returns expect to see a nice combo of Petry-Weber and Mete-Juulsen which should make a solid top four. The Habs should also look to give guys like Cale Fleury and Josh Brook a shot as the Habs are obviously in a rebuilding mode and should take this time to asses their assets and up and coming assets.

     

    Scoring

    With the loss of Max Pacioretty, Montreal doesn’t have that big 30 goal scorer but they have a ton of guys who can put up 20 goals a year without an issue. I also wouldn’t be surprised to see Jonathan Drouin look to score more with the amount of set-up guys the Habs have. Some of the names that you look to have a decent season with montreal are: Paul Byron, Tomas Tatar, Brendan Gallagher.

     

    The Empty Vacancy At Captain

    With Pacioretty gone that leaves a vacancy at the captain position. The Guy who deserves to wear the C is Brendan Gallagher. The guy is a gritty player, always looking to protect his teammates and is a fan favorite in Montreal. There has been a debate about giving it to Weber but why give it to a guy who is going to be out till at least the all-star break and is old. Gally is young, his is going to be part of the Canadiens future for a long-time and is an essential part of the Habs current rebuild.

  • 2018-19 Florida Panthers Preview

    FLA

     

    Last Season: 44-30-8 92 pts (4th in Atlantic Division; Did Not Make Playoffs)

     

    Key Additions: F Troy Brouwer, F Mike Hoffman, and G Michael Hutchinson

     

    Key Departures: F Radim Vrbata

     

    Top Questions Facing the Panthers:

    1. Can the Panthers continue where they left off?

    Once the Panthers cleaned house in their front office, they were able to get back on track. They alsonwere one point away from making the playoffs last season. With a couple of added pieces like Troy Brouwer and Mike Hoffman on offense, the Panthers are working their way in the right direction.

     

    2. What impact will Roberto Luongo have?

    While still playing at an elite level, one has to consider the health of Luongo and if he can stay healthy and be a major contributer to the success of the Florida Panthers. At 39 years old, Luongo is still the number one goalie, but he played fewer games than James Riemer did last season due to injuries.

  • 2018-19 Detroit Red Wings Preview

    DET

    Last Season: 30-39-13 73 pts (5th in Atlantic Division; Did Not Make Playoffs)

    Key Additions: F Thomas Vanek and G Jonathan Bernier

    Key Departures: D Xavier Ouellet, F Eric Tangradi, and G Jared Coreau

    Top Questions Facing the Red Wings:

    1. Will Henrik Zetterberg play this season?

    Detroit could be without their captain as reports are suggesting that Zetterberg could miss the entire season due to his back. With him turning 38 at the start of the season, one has to wonder if Zetterberg will see the ice at all this season, especially since Zetterberg himself has said thatnhe has not been able to train this offseason.

    *Update* Effectively today it was announced by the Red Wings that Henrik Zetterberg is not medically cleared to play hockey anymore. As a result Zetterberg announced his retirement. More on this soon.

    2. Can the Red Wings have a good season?

    Despite being a “bottom dweller” that is rebuilding, of sorts, the Red Wings have the highest Salary Cap number in the League. The amount of veterans, and number of young kids that are developing nicely, Detroit could in theory surprise a lot of people even if they don’t make the playoffs.

  • Montreal Canadiens Sign Joel Ward to a PTO Contract

    Joel Wards Signs PTO Contract With Habs

    The Montreal Canadiens have Signed free agent winger Joel Ward to a PTO Contract. Ward will look to earn himself a contract with the Habs out of training camp.

    Over the course of Ward’s 11-year career, he has played for the Minnesota Wild, Nashville Predators, Washington Capitals, and San Jose Sharks. He has scored 133 goals and 171 assists for 304 points in 726 games. Ward also has 22 goals and 30 assists for 52 points in 83 career Stanley Cup Playoff Games.

    Last season he scored five goals and seven assists for 12 points in 52 games with the Sharks. He also added 20 minutes in penalties. Ward is coming off a three-year, $9.825 million dollar deal that he signed with the Sharks in July 2015.

    What Ward Can Bring To Montreal

    The Habs are loaded on the left side but don’t have many right-wingers. Ward will look to be a filler for the Habs on the right side if he is able to earn himself a contract. At 37 years old don’t expect Ward to get anything more than a one year deal. Montreal is currently in the process of a rebuild. Ward who has had two 20+ goal seasons would be a perfect fourth-line winger for the Habs for the first part of the season. The Habs are already without Andrew Shaw who will miss the beginning of the season with a knee injury.

  • 2018-19 Columbus Blue Jackets Preview

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    Last Season: 45-30-7 97 pts (4th in Metropolitan Division; Lost in Eastern Conference 1st Round)

    Key Additions: D Adam Clendening, F Anthony Duclair, and F Riley Nash

     

    Key Departures: D Ian Cole, D Jack Johnson, F Thomas Vanek, and F Matt Calvert

     

    Top Questions Facing the Blue Jackets:

    1. Will Artemi Panarin be in Columbus come the Trade Deadline?

    With Artemi Panarin in the last year of his contract, and his unwillingness to negotiate on an extension leads one to ask if Columbus will try to trade Panarin before the Trade Deadline. Alsonone has to wonder how much of a distraction this can be for the team especially since goalie Sergei Bobrovsky is also in the last year of his contract as well.

     

    2. What do they have to do to advance in the playoffs?

    For the third time in franchise history the Blue Jackets made the playoffs,nbut once again they couldn’t get out of the first round. They held a series lead for the first time in franchise history, but would thwn lose four straight to the Washington Capitals once they did have the 2-0 series lead. Columbus is a team that has a great compete level, but they need to figure out how to get leads and finish off their opponents in the playoffs.

  • News and Notes from around the NHL and NWHL

    Thursday September 13th, 2018 was an exciting day in the world of hockey. Here’s the biggest news that took place and some notes about them:

    Carolina Hurricanes announced Justin Williams as their new captain. Justin Faulk and Jordan Staal will be Williams’ alternate captains.

     

     

    Also the Hurricanes announced that Victor Rask will be out indefinitely due to a hand injury he suffered in his kitchen.

    Tyler Seguin resigns with the Dallas Stars for 8 years with a $9.85 million AAV. Also the Dallas Stars announced in the coolest way possible as seen below:

     

    Elliotte Freidman of “Hockey Night in Canada” breaks down the new Seguin contract which kicks in July 1st, 2019 below:

    Arthur Staple of “The Athletic” put out an amazing article today on New York Islanders goalie Robin Lehner as he opens up about his battles with addiction and bipolar diagnosis.

     

    In NWHL news, it was announced that four more players signed with teams today. Two players signed with the Minnesota Whitecaps, and one each with the Metropolitan Riveters and Connecticut Whale.

    And speaking of the Whitecaps, it was announced today that TRIA will be the official healthcare provider for the team and will feature an all female medical staff.

     

    Erik Karlsson traded to the San Jose Sharks by the Ottawa Senators in a massive trade.

    Here are the full trade details courtesy of TSN:

     

    And lastly here are the two conditions in regards to the Conditional Draft Picks potentially going to Ottawa:

    Lastly, after the Karlsson trade, the Senators announced that Jean-Gabriel Pagaeu is out potentially for 4 to 6 months due to surgery to repair his Achilles’tendon, per reported by Renaud Lavoie.

     

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