X75 Productions

Category: NHL

  • 2018-19 Los Angeles Kings Preview

    LA

     

    Last Season: 45-29-8 98 pts (4th in Pacific Division; Lost in Western Conference 1st Round)

    Key Additions: F Ilya Kovalchuk and G Perter Budaj

     

    Key Departures: D Christian Folin, F Tobias Rieder, and G Scott Wedgewood

     

    Top Questions facing the Kings:

    1. How will the Kings continue to improve this season?

    Last season under John Stevens the Los Angeles Kings saw a resurgence from two key leaders in Anze Kopitar (35g, 57a for a career high 92p) and Dustin Brown (28g, 33a for 61p), and the midseason addition of Dion Phaneuf added more experience and grit to their defensive corps, however, when it came to the playoffs they only scored 3 goals in a 4 game sweep by Vegas. Only key addition was Ilya Kovalchuk who is returning to the NHL after a 5 year absence. Kovalchuk will  add some scoring punch, but it still doesn’t solve their speed issue.

     

    2. Will Jonathan Quick be a difference maker again for the Kings?

    Quick only played in 17 games in 2016-17 due to injury, but when he returned in 2017-18 he was a force to be reckoned with. In 64 games played Quick ranked ninth in save percentage (.921) and eighth in goals against average (2.40) while posting 33 wins and winning the Jennings Trophy. Plus a key thing for Quick was that he kept the Kings in their first round series against Vegas. For the Kings to be successful, Quick will need to repeat his 2017-18 success this season if the Kings hope to make it back into the playoffs again this season.

  • 2018-19 Edmonton Oilers Preview

    EDM

     

    Last Season: 36-40-6 72 pts (6th in Pacific Division; Did Not Make Playoffs)

     

    Key Additions: D Jakub Jerabek, F Tobias Rieder, F Kyle Brodziak, and G Mikko Koskinen

     

    Key Departures: D Eric Gryba and F Michael Cammalleri

     

    Top Questions Facing the Oilers:

    1. Can the Edmonton Oilers return to their 2016-17 form?

    After making an impressive run to the playoffs in the 2016-17 season, last season the Oilers laid an egg. They went from 103 points in 2016-17 to 78 points in 2017-18. Also key players like Milan Lucic and Cam Talbot did not play to their full potential, and need to have huge turnarounds this season. Also Jesse Puljujarvi needs to step up his game as well. Being the 4th overall pick in the 2016 Draft, Puljujarvi has a lot of expectations put upon him, and with the Oilers tight against the Salary Cap, his and other young forwards like Kailer Yamamoto and Ty Rattie are going to need to step up to help the Oilers become a force again.

     

    2. Can Connor McDavid will a return to the playoffs?

    McDavid is going to be looking for his third straight Art Ross, but he is going to want more. Entering the first year of an 8 year $100 million contract, McDavid is going to want to prove he is worth the long term investment, and leading the Oilers back to the playoffs would be a huge bonus for both McDavid and the Oilers. Also with McDavid’s recent comments about how he needs to improve both in the defensive zone and in the faceoff circle, and how much he hates losing especially after a winning season that took them to the playoffs, it is without a doubt that McDavid is commited to becoming a better player, and leading the Oilers back to the playoffs.

  • Max Pacioretty Signs Extention with Vegas Golden Knights

    The Vegas Golden Knights have signed Max Pacioretty to a four-year extension worth $28 million dollars with an AAV of $7 million per year. This deal kicks in during the 2019-20 season and carries him through the 2022-23 season. His deal also has a no-trade clause to ten teams it’s expected that the Canadiens are one of those teams.

    Pacioretty was traded to the Golden Knights earlier this morning in exchange for Nick Suzuki, Tomas Tatar and a conditional second-round pick in the 2019 NHL Draft. Pacioretty will look to make an impact on a Golden Knights team that had a remarkable playoff run last year but lost in the Stanley Cup Finals to the Washington Capitals.

    What Does Pacioretty Bring to the Golden Knights

    Max Pacioretty brings a lot to a young Golden Knights team. Pacioretty adds another scorer for the Knights and has playoff experience which the Knights didn’t have much of going into their first Stanley Cup Playoff appearance. He also won’t be pressured to be the guy the Knights rely on like he was in Montreal. Vegas has scorers like William Karlsson and Eric Haula. Expect to see Pacioretty on the top line with Reily Smith and William Karlsson which will make for a dangerous top line.

  • 2018-19 Dallas Stars Preview

    DAL

     

    Last Season: 42-35-8 92 pts (6th in Central Division; Did Not Make Playoffs)

    Key Additions: D Roman Polak, F Erik Condra, F Blake Comeau, and G Anton Khudobin

     

    Key Departures: D Dan Hamhuis, D Greg Pateryn, F Antoine Russel, and G Kari Lehtonen

     

    Top Questions Facing the Stars:

    1. How will the Stars develop under new coach Jim Montgomery?

    Dallas hired Jim Montgomery from the University of Denver to help with the development of their young talent, but how will Montgomery do with the veteran guys on this team? How Montgomery is received can dictate how successful the Stars will be this season, and being how top players like John Klingberg are singing his praises already, this could be a good turn around season for the Stars.

     

    2. Does Tyler Seguin remain a Dallas Star?

    Seguin is in the last year of his contract and depending on how this season goes he may choose to not remain with the team either via trade or free agency. With Seguin’s comments recently stating he is disappointed that a new deal isn’t place for him yet one has to wonder if this will be a distraction like how it was for the New York Islanders with John Tavares, and currently with the Ottawa Senators and Erik Karlsson. Seguin fits in well with the Stars and is complimented greatly by playing with Jamie Benn. For both him and the Stars, one hopes that this does not become a distraction.

  • 2018-19 Colorado Avalanche Preview

    COL

     

    Last Season: 43-30-9 95 pts (4th in Central Division; Lost in Western Conference First Round)

    Key Additions: D Ian Cole, F Matt Calvert, and G Philipp Grubauer

     

    Key Departures: F Blake Comeau, F Nail Yakupov, G Andrew Hammond, and G Jonathan Bernier

     

    Top Questions Facing the Avalanche:

    1. Who will be the #1 goalie for the Avalanche?

    With Semyon Varlamov in the last year of his contract, and a history of injuries, General Manager Joe Sakic picked up Philipp Grubauer, from the Washington Capitals, who is primed to be a number one goalie in the NHL. With Gubauer chomping at the bit to be the man, Varlamov will need to remain healthy and bring his A game to remain the top guy in goal and earn his next contract.

     

    2. Can the Avalanche make the playoffs again?

    Last season the Avalanche made one of the best turn arounds (48 points in 2016-17 to 95 points last season), and with a new goalie in tow as well as some offensive and defensive additions, the Avalanche can really build on what they accomplished last season. Plus it is very evident that after the trade that sent Matt Duchene to Ottawa, that the rest of team got focused on the game and not the dram that Duchene brought to the locker room and that paid great dividends for the Avalanche. It also helps that the Avalanche has a defense that is very deep and talented, something they haven’t been able to tout in almost a decade.

  • Montreal Canadiens Trade Max Pacioretty to Vegas Golden Knights


    Habs fans can finally relax as the Max Pacioretty saga came to an end at around 1am Eastern on Monday Morning as Max Pacioretty was traded.

    The Montreal Canadiens have Traded forward Max Pacioretty to the Vegas Golden Knights in exchange for winger Tomas Tatar, center Nick Suzuki and a Conditional second round pick in the 2019 NHL Draft.

    Pacioretty has spend his entire 10-year career with the Montreal Canadiens. He has scored 226 goals along with 222 assists for 448 career points in 626 career games. He also has 10 goals and nine assists for 19 points in 38 career playoff games. Pacioretty won the Masterson Trophy in 2012. He was originally drafted 22nd overall by the Habs in the 2007 NHL Draft.

    Last season he scored 17 goals and 20 assists for 37 points in 64 career games. Pacioretty has a year left on his current contract and his set to become a free agent at the end of this season. It would be a shock if Vegas doesn’t offer a contract extension to Pacioretty, which could possibly happen before the season starts.

    What This Means for the Future

    The Habs acquire a young 19 year old center in this trade in Nick Suzuki along with a scoring winger in Tomas Tatar. Tatar has scored at least 20 goals in the past four season including scoring a career high 29 goals in the 2014-15 season. Tatar should expect to fit in the the Habs top six for this season.

    Suzuki was the first ever draft pick by the Vegas Golden Knights as he was drafted 13th overall in the 2017 NHL Draft. He has scored at least 40 goals in the past two season in the OHL for the Owen Sound Attack but has yet to see time at the NHL or AHL level. Suzuki is exactly what the Habs have been searching for, a young center you can score and put up points. With the Habs current situation don’t be shocked if Suzuki finds his way into the Canadiens line-up once the regular season begins.

  • 2018-19 Chicago Blackhawks Preview

    CHI

     

    Last Season: 33-39-10 76 pts (7th in Central Division; Did Not Make Playoffs)

     

    Key Additions: D Brandon Manning, F Chris Kunitz, F Marcus Kruger, and G Cam Ward

     

    Key Departures: D Adam Clendening, D Cody Franson, F Marian Hossa, F Patrick Sharp, and F Vinnie Hinostroza

     

    Top Questions Facing the Blackhawks:

    1. How is Corey Crawford’s health going to be going into this season?

    Crawford missed the second half of last season due to concussion issues, and questions are still in the air, some saying that these concussion issues are career threatening, in regards to his health going into this season. The Blackhawks did sign Cam Ward as a back up plan just in case, but at the same time Ward is near the tail end of his career. Crawford is a difference maker when healthy, and Chicago could be in major touble if he isn’t.

     

    2. Could major change be coming to Chicago?

    Last season the Blackhawks missed the playoffs for the first time since 2007-08, and are now in the need of doing a rebuild before they can make the playoffs again. Players like Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, and Brandon Saad all need to have bounce back seasons this year to help the Blackhawks turn around what was an abysmal season that saw them go from 109 points in 2016-17 to 76 points last season. However, what happens if they start poorly? With the massive contracts that Toews, Kane, Duncan Keith, and Brent Seabrook have, moving them would be very difficult. So would you fire Joel Quenneville? How about Stan Bowman? Or what about both? One way or the other, it will be interesting to see how the Blackhawks do this season.

  • 2018-19 Calgary Flames Preview

    CAL

    Last Season: 37-35-10 84 pts (5th in Central Division; Did Not Make Playoffs)

    Key Additions: D Noah Hanafin, F James Neal, F Alan Quine, F Elias Lindholm, and Head Coach Bill Peters

    Key Departures: D Dougie Hamilton, F Troy Brouwer, D Mark Bartkowski, and F Michael Ferland

    Top Questions Facing the Flames:

    1. How will Bill Peters reshape the Flames?

    Peters left the Carolina Hurricanes to replace Glen Gulutzan as the head coach where he will have to turn the Flames around after missing the playoffs. It will take some time for the Flames to adjust, but Peters is a proven coach that will help this team return to the playoffs. Plus the additions of Elias Lindholm and Noah Hanafin from Carolina will help with some of the transition the team will need to do as both are familiar with Peters’ system.

    2. Where will James Neal play in the lineup?

    Possibly the biggest signing for the Flames was the James Neal signing. Neal, who’s played in the past two Stanley Cup Finals with Nashville and Vegas, is a huge pickup for the Flames, but who will Bill Peters put him with? Do you put him on the first line with Sean Monahan and Johnny Gaudreau, or do you put him on the second line to spread out the scoring? It will be interesting to see how Neal will be utilized in the Calgary lineup.

  • 2018-19 Arizona Coyotes Preview

    ARI

     

    Last Season: 29-41-12 70 pts (8th in Pacific Division: Did Not Make Playoffs)

     

    Key Additions: C Vinnie Hinostroza, C Alex Galchenyuk, and F Michael Grabner


    Key Departures: D Luke Schenn, LW Max Domi, and F Jordan Martinook

     

    Top Questions Facing the Coyotes:

    1. Can the Coyotes build on their strong 2017-18 finish?

    Arizona ended last season with a 17-9-3 run, but that was after having their playoff hopes dashed. Now with a new season upon us and the pressure to make the playoffs back on them, it will be interesting to see how they respond to start the season. One would think that with the additions of Alex Galchenyuk and Michael Grabner, that it will add to the offense which is something that they desperately need.

     

    2. How will Alex Galchenyuk fit in Arizona?

    After being traded for Max Domi during the offseason, Galchenyuk will get a fresh opportunity with the Coyotes. Now with this new opportunity will head coach Rick Tocchet give Galchenyuk a defined role as either a center or a winger unlike in Montreal where he was constantly bounced around. If Tocchet and his staff can give Galchenyuk that defined role, his time in Arizona could be a successful one.

  • 2018-19 Anaheim Ducks Preview

    ANA

    Last Season: 44-25-13 101 pts (2nd in Pacific division; lost in Western Conference First Round)

    Key Additions: D Luke Schenn, D Andrej Suster, F Carter Rowney, F Brian Gibbons, and G Jared Coreau

    Key Departures: RW Jared Boll, F J.T. Brown, D Francois Beauchemin, D Kevin Bieska

    Top Questions Facing the Ducks:

    1. How will Anaheim’s offense fare this season?

    While youngsters Rickard Rakell and Ondrej Kase are now showing their potential, on e has to wonder about the veterans on the team. Corey Perry is not producing like he used to, and there is a strong chance that Ryan Kesler may not play at all this season due to his chronic hip issues. For Perry, his goals per season has been declining since he had 34 in 2015-16. If the Ducks are to be successful this season they will need Perry to regain his scoring touch. One must also wonder how Ryan Getzlaf will perform this season. Getzlaf only played 56 games this past season due to a broken orbital bone, but he ended the season strong and if fully healthy could have a good campaign again this season.

    2. How will John Gibson improve this season?

    For the Ducks, they have the goalie of the future in net with John Gibson, but can he stay healthy in which he had issues with last season despite putting up career highs in games played (60) and wins (31). If Gibson can stay healthy, he can build upon those numbers and prove that the Ducks were justified to put their faith in him being the future. Also Ryan Miller is now 38 years old, and is coming off of offseason wrist surgery, which shouldn’t affect him going into this season. Miller is a solid goaltender is well suited if the Ducks need to go to him in a pinch.