Minnesota Wild Franchise (NHL 22 PS4)

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The 2022 NHL Draft was one finally filled with normality. After the COVID safe draft of last year that took place digitally, the 2022 version was held at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec. Thirty-two picks were made during Friday's first round. Here we will offer a short scouting report of every player selected in the first round, as well as a grade for each selection, with live updates happening as each pick is announced. Enjoy the show and get excited about your favorite team's future.

1. Philadelphia Flyers: Shane Wright,
Center

Grade - A+

Didn't Overthink it and took the best player in the Draft. Wright will immediately slot into the Flyers lineup as either a 2nd or 3rd line center

2. Ottawa Senators: Dwayne Kerslake,
Center

Grade - A+

With likely the best system of prospects in the entire NHL, the Ottawa Senators add another young Center to the likes of Josh Norris and Shane Pinto. Kerslake easily has the highest potential out of the three

3. St. Louis Blues: Matthew Savoie,
Center

Grade - A-

I expected the Slovak Slafkovsky to be selected by the Blues as he is exactly the type of player the Blues like, big, fast and skilled. Instead they go with the undersized but fast and dangerous Matthew Savoie. He'll make a great 1-2 punch down the middle with Robert Thomas once he develops

4. Buffalo Sabres: Brad Lambert,
Center

Grade - C

The Buffalo Sabres reach and take the Fin Brad Lambert. The potential is there for this kid but he just need's to put it all together. He's a "all the tools, no toolbox" type of player right now. The Sabres already have a lot of depth at center with Cozens, Thompson and Mittelstadt so unless Lambert can adapt to the wing position, this pick was a questionable one

5. Nashville Predators: Juraf Slavkovsky,
Left Wing

Grade - A+

Slafkovsky falls to the 5th pick where the Nashville Predators are more then happy to select the big winger. Nashville has to decide on a direction to take this team this offseason but regardless, selecting Slafkovsky adds a top-end prospect to their system

6. Los Angeles Kings: Simon Nemec,
Right Defense

Grade - B+

If there was a team that could afford to pass on some of the upper end forwards that populate this draft, it was the LA Kings. They take arguably the best defenseman in the draft in Simon Nemec. With Brandt Clarke, Brock Faber and Helge Grans already in the system, the Kings are looking set for the future on the backend

7. Columbus Blue Jackets: Logan Cooley,
Center

Grade - B-

Swedish forward Liam Samuelsson continues to fall as Logan Cooley goes to the Jackets. Cooley will join Sillinger and Johnson as the future of this team and that's an exceptional three players to build around up front. Cooley could potentially join Columbus as soon as next season.

8. Seattle Kraken: Joakim Kemell,
Right Wing

Grade - C-

The Seattle Kraken make arguably the biggest mistake of the draft so far by passing up on Samuelsson and taking Finnish winger Joakim Kemell. The Kraken could have selected a potential star but instead went for the safer pick in Kemell. Who will finally capitalize on the value and select the Swede?

9. New Jersey Devils: Liam Samuelsson,
Left Wing

Grade - A+

With the steal of the draft thus far, GM Tom Fitgerald selects Liam Samuelsson from Timra IK. The Devils add an NHL ready left winger who can become a 1st line player to compliment guys like Hughes, Hischier or Holtz. They acquired Tarasenko at the deadline last season so he'll have someone to mentor him in New Jersey.

10. Detroit Red Wings: Frank Nazar,
Right Wing

Grade - B+

You know the Red Wings were praying the Swedish left winger would fall to them at 10th spot but it was not to be. Instead they take the American Frank Nazar. He's a dynamic offensive winger with two-way ability. He immediately becomes the best forward prospect the Wings have

11. San Jose Sharks: Danila Yurov,
Right Wing

Grade - A+

One of the riskier picks in this draft, Yurov is a young guy who got little to no playing time in the KHL for Magnitogorsk. Where he stood out was in the international tournaments for Russia. Yurov is a big boom or bust pick here by San Jose

12. Montreal Canadiens: Gleb Trikozov,
Center / Right Wing

Grade - D

Another high risk pick and another Russian, Gleb Trikozov goes to the Canadiens at 12th. Trikozov dominated in the MHL which is a very weak league. He has potential but needs to take a lot of steps to get there. He has a very low-floor which makes him a bad pick considering who else was on the board.

13. Arizona Coyotes: David Jiricek,
Right Defense

Grade - A

What is the plan in Arizona? They spent last offseason in fire sale mode, selling off Dvorak, Garland, and OEL for draft picks. Then at the Trade Deadline last season they acquired Patrick freaking Kane from the Blackhawks. They add likely the most NHL ready prospect left in the draft in defenseman Jiricek but it's unlikely he makes the team this season

14. Columbus Blue Jackets: Seamus Casey,
Right Defense

Grade - C-

He was ranked all over the place in pre-draft mocks but the Blue Jackets take him at the 14th spot. He's a right-handed defenseman which is the same as the Jackets 25th pick last year Corson Ceulemans. It's a confusing selection considering Boqvist is also a right handed shot, leaving little room on the blueline for Casey

15. Nashville Predators: Connor Geekie,
Center

Grade - A

What a Draft by the Nashville Predators as they are able to select Geekie and Slafkovsky, two big players that have high-end potential. Geekie played with the Winnipeg Ice alongside 3rd Overall Pick Savoie. While some say Connor is the by-product of Savoie, Geekie more then held his own with 71 Points in 66 games.

16. Anaheim Ducks: Denton Mateychuk,
Left Defense

Grade - B+

After trading Hampus Lindholm to the Boston Bruins, it left a hole on the back-end. The Ducks are hoping offensive defenseman Mateychuk will be able to replace him in the coming years. He had a great year in Moose Jaw and would be a great addition to the other high flying guys they have in Anaheim (Zegras, Drysdale, Terry)

17. New York Rangers: Filip Mesar,
Center / Right Wing

Grade - B

A team on the come up in the New York Rangers select the second Slovakian to go in this draft, Filip Mesar. The elite level skater projects to be a versatile player that can be used anywhere in the lineup.

18. Edmonton Oilers: Nicklas Prestberg,
Right Wing

Grade - D

Most lists had him projected as a mid-to-late 2nd round pick and yet the Oilers take him at 18th overall in the 1st. He's a raw prospect that will take patience and time to grow. Obviously the Oilers see something they like in this kid but it's still a major reach when a guy like Miroshnichenko is on the board

19. Boston Bruins: Wayne Conroy,
Right Wing

Grade - D

Conroy is an almost identical player to Prestberg in that he's a smaller guy (5'11, 176lbs) who wasn't projected to be taken until the 2nd round. He's got good playmaking skills but everything else is a work in progress. Bad pick by Boston

20. Calgary Flames: Ty Nelson,
Right Defense

Grade - B

The Flames select Ty Nelson out of North Bay in the OHL, a very raw prospect that has a lot of work to do before becoming a NHL Player. However the potential is very high for the offensive defenseman. A long term replacement for Mark Giordano is what Calgary is hoping for

21. Toronto Maple Leafs: Noah Ostlund,
Center

Grade - C+

The 1st of the trio of players projected to be selected from Djurgardens in Sweden, Ostlund heads to the Toronto Maple Leafs. He's a speedy, playmaking wizard who can rack up the assists. Sounds like the perfect linemate for a certain goal-scorer...

22. New York Islanders: Ivan Miroshnichenko,
Left Wing

Grade - A

Projected as a guaranteed Top 10 Pick, Miroshnichenko falls into the laps of the defense heavy New York Islanders. It's not the greatest fit for the Russian who's not known for his defensive play. Let's hope they'll let Barzal and Miroshnichenko run wild on their own line. Who wouldn't want too see that?

23. Dallas Stars: Calle Odelius,
Left Defense

Grade - A-

The 2nd player picked from Djurgardens, this time it's the defenseman Calle Odelius. The left hander is a two-way puck moving defenseman who should be a perfect fit on the Dallas blueline. It was definitely a position of need as well with just Thomas Harley being the only other notable defensive prospect

24. Washington Capitals: Jonathan Lekkerimaki,
Center

Grade - A-

The final pick of the trio from the same team, Jonathan Lekkerimaki will join Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals. Those two have something in common. They love scoring goals. He does need to work on his physical and defensive game however.

25. Winnipeg Jets: Isaac Howard,
Left Wing

Grade - A-

The Winnipeg Jets draft themselves an offensive weapon in American Isaac Howard. A scoring machine but also someone who can set up his teammates Howard just needs to work on his defensive game before becoming a Top 6 Forward

26. San Jose Sharks: Marco Kasper,
Center

Grade - A

A typical San Jose player, Austrian Marco Kasper will be a future 2nd or 3rd line center for a team in need of a full on rebuild. The team has a plethora of European players on the roster for the young 18 year old to learn from which will only help his development.

27. Tampa Bay Lightning: Elias Salomonsson,
Right Defense

Grade - C+

They failed to make it a Three-peat but the Lightning will still be in Cup contention for the foreseeable future. With their 1st round pick they get Salomonsson who has the potential to be a true top-four, puck-moving defenseman. His defensive issues are worrying

28. Chicago Blackhawks: Jiri Kulich,
Left Wing

Grade - B

By trading franchise cornerstone Patrick Kane, the Blackhawks have gone into rebuild mode. They don't have a lot of good prospects in the system but Kulich helps. He's a potential 2nd line center that will give you a little bit of everything

29. Vegas Golden Knights: Cutter Gauthier,
Left Wing

Grade - A+

Absolute steal by the Vegas Golden Knights selecting Cutter Gauthier at 29th Overall. A projected Lottery pick, Gauthier is a player in the mold of a power forward. He's 6'3 and has a high floor with good potential. Great pick here by GM Kelly McCrimmon

30. Pittsburgh Penguins: Jack Hughes,
Left Wing

Grade - B-

The only player in the first round to be drafted out of the NCAA, Jack Hughes spent this season playing for the Northeastern Huskies. He had very respectable numbers for a freshman with 16 points in 39 games. Crosby and Malkin aren't going to be around forever so the Penguins are looking for replacements, as impossible as that it

31. Minnesota Wild: Stewart Peterson,
Right Wing

Grade - B+

His skating and shot are off the charts but there are some major areas of "Stu" Peterson's game that are lacking. He's going to need to make major strides in his defensive game and will need to become more engaged in the physical side of the game. They talent is there but the Wild will need to help this kid grow into an NHL Player

32. Buffalo Sabres: Pavel Mintyukov,
Left Defense

Grade - C+

A Russian offensive defenseman who had a good season in the OHL, Buffalo takes him with the last pick in the 1st round. He needs work on his defensive game but could be a middle of the lineup guy for the Sabres

Notable Draft Day Trades

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2022 Free Agency Signings
Day 1

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Free Agency Signings
Day 2

Day 3

Day 4

Day 6

Day 7

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2022-23 NHL Preview: Team Rankings
With the season start a week away, we rank every NHL team from the Contenders to the Basement Dwellers

Jeremy Evans - OCTOBER 9, 2022
With Free Agency long gone and Pre-Season wrapping up, the NHL season is just a week away. With new faces in new places and fans hoping their team can finish on top, we're going to begin our annual Rankings for every team in the NHL. To separate the teams in a better way then 1-32, we have six different tiers teams can be grouped into:

Tier 1: Title Contenders - Teams that are Title or Bust this season
Tier 2: Fringe Title Contenders - Teams that aren't quite Title Contenders but are just a player breaking out or some luck away from a Stanley Cup
Tier 3: Outside the Cup Bubble - Teams that are good enough to make the playoffs but aren't expected to win the Cup
Tier 4: Playoff Bound - Teams expected to be in the playoffs but are likely to be knocked out early on
Tier 5: Fringe Playoff Teams - Teams that will be battling for the last playoff spots at the end of the season but will probably be on the outside looking in
Tier 6: Lottery Teams - Teams that are rebuilding that are unlikely to be in the playoff hunt
Tier 7: Basement Dwellers - The worst teams in the league that will be competing for a Top 5 Pick in the upcoming Draft

Now with that out of the way, let's get into the rankings.

Tier 1 - Title Contenders

Florida Panthers

Additions - N/A
Subtractions - Alexander Edler (ANA), Mason Marchment (BOS), Joe Thornton (RETIRED)

The reigning Stanley Cup Champions lost a couple pieces in Marchment (BOS) and Edler (ANA) but still have the most lethal group of Top 9 Forwards in the entire League. The defenseman depth on this team is the only concern for them

Tampa Bay Lightning

Additions - Nino Niederreiter (CAR),
Subtractions - Ondrej Palat (NSH),

Winning Back-To-Back Championships is draining considering your playing an extra 40 games compared to the majority of the league. They took the Stanley Cup Champions to 7 games in the Battle of Florida and were a bounce away from advancing past their rivals. They lost Palat in Free Agency but were able to soften the blow with the signing of Niederreiter. They're primed for another Cup run

Colorado Avalanche

Additions - Curtis Lazar (BOS), Kale Clague (LA), Joonas Korpisalo (CBJ)
Subtractions - Darcy Kuemper (DET), Josh Manson (COL)

2019 Tampa Bay Lightning vibes anyone? After a regular season that saw the Avalanche win 63 games, an NHL record, attain 129 points, Tied for 3rd in NHL History, and have Cale Makar score 103 points, they were beaten in 6 games by the Oilers in round numero uno. What happened the following year when the Bolts had 62 wins and were eliminated in a round one sweep by Columbus? They won the Stanley Cup.

Tier 2 - Fringe Title Contenders

Minnesota Wild

Additions - Daniil Tarasov (CBJ)
Subtractions - Cam Talbot (TRADE), Nick Bjugstad (CHI), Anton Stralman (CHI), Jordie Benn (FA)

The Minnesota Wild were a game away from winning the Stanley Cup. I doubt anyone would have predicted that at the beginning of last season. After having the best season record in Franchise History the Wild caught fire in the playoffs and were legit Title Contenders. However they decided to trade their starter during the regular season, Cam Talbot. While Fleury was their starter in Playoffs he struggled during the season. Will the 37 year old still be able to handle the rigors of a full NHL season?

Vegas Golden Knights

Additions - Tyler Benson (EDM), Urho Vaakanainen (BOS)
Subtractions - Jack Dugan (CAR), Nicolas Roy (VEG)

The Golden Knights were the quickest team to advance to the Conference Finals and made it in just 9 games. However they were also the first to be eliminated out of the final four after a sweep at the hands of the Wild. With how easy they dismantled the Flames and Stars, I think they headed into the Wild series unprepared. We still see them as a team that could make a run

Tier 3 - Outside the Cup Bubble

Pittsburgh Penguins

Additions - Dustin Brown (LA), Paul Stastny (WPG), Mikko Koskinen (EDM)
Subtractions - Kris Letang (LA), Rickard Rakell (ARI), Evan Rodrigues (NSH), Casey DeSmith (PHI), Alexander Nylander (TOR)

For the first time in 16 seasons, the Pittsburgh Penguins will play a season without star defenseman Kris Letang. It's a devastating loss losing someone that's been so important to this franchise for so long. Letang believed GM Hextall was lowballing him so he jumped ship to the new-looking LA Kings. They didn't bring in any replacement on defense but bolstered their offensive core with savvy veterans Dustin Brown and Paul Stastny. It may be bold having the Pens this high after losing a Top 5 defenseman but we think they'll still be a top team in the league

Winnipeg Jets

Additions - Antoine Roussel (ARI), Pierre Engval (TOR), Victor Rask (SEA), Marco Scandella (STL)
Subtractions - Paul Stastny (PIT)

Taking the Minnesota Wild to six games in round 1, the Jets looked they easily could have taken that series. A lot of that was due to Connor Hellebucyk who was amazing in net. The Jets have one of the best lines in the NHL with Connor-Scheifele-Ehlers along with an elite #2 Center in Dubois. If the secondary scoring can be helpful and the defense remains solid, the Jets will be a tough matchup come playoff time.

Washington Capitals

Additions - Phil Kessel (ARI), Braden Holtby (DAL),Zdeno Chara (NYI), Dennis Cholowski (SEA), Brendan Lemieux (LA)
Subtractions - N/A

Losing in Game 7 to Pittsburgh in the playoffs was heartbreaking and something Washington fan's have gotten used to. Besides 2018, the Penguins have dominated them come playoff time. The Caps window is closing and they're going to have to go all in with however many years they have left with Ovechkin. They had an underrated free agency haul with Phil Kessel adding some depth scoring to the team. They brought back Zdeno Chara and Braden Holtby which will add even more Stanley Cup experience. Lastly they brought in agitator Brendan Lemieux who could create the most hated duo in the NHL with Tom Wilson

Los Angeles Kings

Additions - Kris Letang (PIT), Evander Kane (EDM), Alexander Radulov (DAL),
Subtractions - Dustin Brown (PIT), Kale Clague (COL), Brendan Lemieux (WSH), Andreas Athanasiou (PHI), Olli Maatta (OTT)

Adding Kris Letang came straight out of left field but with the improvement of the young guys and the veteran additions they made in Free Agency, this team has a really good shot come playoff time. Losing former captain Dustin Brown was tough to swallow but with guys like Byfield, Turcotte, Kaliyev and Kupari ready to get a shot in the NHL, it was an acceptable guy to lose. They have a really good mix of veterans and young guys that we think will bode well for them this season

Tier 4 - Playoff Bound

Toronto Maple Leafs

Additions - Mario Ferraro (SJ), Alexander Nylander (PIT)
Subtractions - Jack Campbell (TOR), Mark Giordano (STL), T.J. Brodie (NYR), Jason Spezza (NYR), Ilya Mikheyev (SJ), Pierre Engval (WPG), Ilya Lyubushkin (TOR)

It was a rough offseason for the Maple Leafs after losing once again in the 1st round to the eventual Cup Winning Panthers. They lost starting goalie Jack Campbell along with veteran defenseman T.J. Brodie and Mark Giordano. They were able to sign underrated D-man Mario Ferraro to a 4 year deal but struck out on Husso in free agency. They're going to run with Petr Mrazek as the starter to start the season which is scary and the reason their not in Tier 2. They have cap space so if Mrazek falters expect a trade for a starting netminder to happen quickly.

Detroit Red Wings

Additions - Darcy Kuemper (COL), John Klingberg (DAL), Michael Raffl (DAL), Frank Vatrano (NYR), Calvin de Haan (CHI), Ilya Lyubushkin (TOR)
Subtractions - Sam Gagner (NYR)

Steve Yzerman made the biggest splashes in Free Agency with John Klingberg and Darcy Kuemper in a move that signifies the state this team is moving too. Was it too early though? They were the 23rd best team in the league last season and weren't close to a playoff spot. They don't have great forward depth outside the 1st line and Lucas Raymond. They're gonna lean heavily on Darcy Kuemper and their improved defense core to carry this team to the Playoffs.

Edmonton Oilers

Additions - Justin Braun (NYR), Niko Mikkola (STL)
Subtractions - Evander Kane (LA), Tyler Benson (VEG), Mikko Koskinen (PIT), Brett Kulak (SEA)

Things are looking rough in Edmonton. They didn't make any improvements to the lack of forward depth in free agency which was very disappointing. And the scarier problem is they will have 40 year old Mike Smith as their number one goalie this season. McDavid and Draisaitl will have to really put the team on their backs this season just to make the Playoffs.

Nashville Predators

Additions - Ondrej Palat (TB), Vincent Trocheck (CAR), Nikita Zadorov (CGY), Mark Pysyk (BOS), Evan Rodrigues (PIT)
Subtractions - Nick Cousins (VAN)

The Predators splashed out in free agency, upgrading at almost every position. Up front they added underrated Lightning winger Ondrej Palat, Carolina's Vincent Trocheck and PIT's Evan Rodrigues. They bolstered the back end with Zadorov and Pysyk. Will all those signings be enough to make them a playoff team? We think so and the Predators sure as hell better hope so

New York Islanders

Additions - Patrice Bergeron (BOS)
Subtractions - Zdeno Chara (WSH)

How Lou Lamoriello was able to lure Bergeron to Long Island is a mystery but it gives the Islanders the deepest center depth in the NHL with Barzal, Bergeron and Danault. They traded Varlamov last season to give the reins to Sorokin but it resulted in a first round exit via the Washington Capitals. With Bergeron now at the helm it's hard to see them not making it past at least round one.

Calgary Flames

Additions - N/A
Subtractions - Nikita Zadorov (NSH), Calle Jarnkrok (PHI), Ryan Carpenter (SEA)

After a 42 win season the Flames were swiftly eliminated in 5 games by the Vegas Golden Knights. It was a tough matchup to get in round one and if they had gotten someone like Dallas or Vancouver it would have been a different story. This team has the pieces to make a run in playoffs but they just have to put it all together. Andrew Mangiapane entering the season as an RFA is also a problem as he was one of their top forwards last year.

Carolina Hurricanes

Additions - Jack Dugan (VEG), Kevin Rooney (NYR)
Subtractions - Nino Niederreiter (TB), Vincent Trocheck (NSH)

For a team with as much talent as Carolina has, last year was an embarrassment. Plain and simple, this team has to be a playoff team next season or big changes will be coming for the Hurricanes.

Tier 5 - Fringe Playoff Teams

Boston Bruins

Additions - Mason Marchment (FLA), Blake Comeau (DAL),
Subtractions - Patrice Bergeron (NYI), Mark Pysyk (NSH), Curtis Lazar (COL), Urho Vaakanainen (VEG)

The biggest shock of free agency was seeing the captain of the of the Bruins leave after 18 seasons in Boston. It's a massive blow to their roster and leaves them without a 1st line center. They were knocked out in round one last season, although not easily, and they definitely got worse this offseason. Playoffs will be the hope for the Bruins but is it attainable?

Anaheim Ducks

Additions - Alex Edler (FLA), P.K. Subban (NJ)
Subtractions - Ryan Getzlaf (RETIRED), Brendan Guhle (STL)

They were the best team to not make the playoffs last season and with the continued improvement of the young stars this offseason the Ducks will be battling for a Playoff Spot. They added two defenseman with experience in Subban and Edler (Both on overpaid contracts) that will help them get back to the playoffs. We have high hopes for the Ducks this season.

Columbus Blue Jackets

Additions - Andrew Copp (NYR), Jaroslav Halak (VAN)
Subtractions - Daniil Tarasov (MIN), Joonas Korpisalo (COL), Sean Kuraly (STL)

The Andrew Copp signing was a underrated move this offseason and it gives the Jackets a great forward core this season. The defense are looking solid as well with no additions but the improvement of guys like Boqvist and Bean. The biggest question mark is in net. Merzlikins was the starter last season and had a measly .902 SV% in 68 Games. Korpisalo was not re-signed and instead Columbus brought in 37 year old netminder Jaroslav Halak from Vancouver. If the new tandem can give the Blue Jackets decent enough goaltending, the Jackets will make the playoffs

New Jersey Devils

Additions - Josh Manson (COL)
Subtractions - P.K. Subban (ANA), Pavel Zacha (ARI), James Neal (NJ)

While they didn't do much this offseason, the Devils should be competing for a playoff spot this season when looking at their team on paper. While doing that does not always prove to be true, this team has the forwards, defense and goaltending of a playoff team. They will have a full year of Tarasenko and Saad after acquiring them last Trade Deadline. A dark horse team this season

Arizona Coyotes

Additions - Colton Parayko (STL), Ryan Strome (NYR), Rickard Rakell (PIT), Cam Talbot (TRADE), Pavel Zacha (NJ), Tyler Motte (NYR), Mathieu Perreault (MTL)
Subtractions - Phil Kessel (ARI), Antoine Roussel (WPG), Lawson Crouse (SJ)

Holy identity crisis Batman! The Arizona Coyotes look like their trying for the playoffs already not even a year after going full fire sale mode last season. They signed Parayko to eight years, Strome to five and traded for 35 year old goalie Cam Talbot. They could have enough skill for a playoff spot but I doubt they make it past round number one

New York Rangers

Additions - T.J. Brodie (TOR), Nicolas Roy (VEG), Jason Spezza (TOR), Sam Gagner (DET)
Subtractions - Andrew Copp (CBJ), Ryan Strome (ARI), Tyler Motte (ARI), Frank Vatrano (DET), Justin Braun (EDM), Kevin Rooney (NYR), Ryan Reaves (RETIRED)

Losing both Copp and Strome is rough for a team that was already not a playoff team. They attempted to recoup with Roy and Spezza but that's a big drop off from what they had. The Rags have a killer top 6 and a solid defense core but really need Shesterkin to play to the ability they know he can after a rough season last year

Tier 6 - Lottery Teams

San Jose Sharks

Additions - Ilya Mikheyev (TOR), Victor Olofsson (BUF), Lawson Crouse (ARI), Jonah Gadjovich (VAN), Andrej Sekera (DAL)
Subtractions - Mario Ferraro (SJ)

Trading Brent Burns to Vancouver last season was the moving of the guard in San Jose as they start to realize they are a long way from that 2016 team that made it to the Stanley Cup Finals. The Burns Karlsson experiment didn't work and it's resulted in the Sharks with a lack of prospects and a team not good enough to make the playoffs. It will be interesting to see if they move any more of their veterans this season.

Dallas Stars

Additions - N/A
Subtractions - John Klingberg (DET), Alexander Radulov (LA), Braden Holtby (WSH), Michael Raffl (DET), Blake Comeau (BOS), Andrej Sekera (SJ)

Tyler Seguin and Jamie Benn are not the players they once were and despite making it to the 2nd round last season, they were no match for the Golden Knights. They lost huge pieces in free agency with Klingberg and Radulov both jumping ship. Jake Oettinger was a big reason they made the playoffs last season and he'll have to be even better if they want to make it this year

Vancouver Canucks

Additions - Nick Cousins (NSH)
Subtractions - Jaroslav Halak (CBJ), Jonah Gadjovich (SJ)

After a round one exit to a weak Dallas Stars team, the Vancouver Canucks are in a tough spot. As the team looks now, they don't look like a threat in playoffs and could very easily miss them entirely. This team relies heavily on Thatcher Demko to make up for the mistakes the weak defensive core commits. Their top two D-Men in Hughes and Burns are offensive and known to cheat to create offense. We think they'll miss the playoffs this season but we hope they prove us wrong

Chicago Blackhawks

Additions - Jack Campbell (TOR), Nick Bjugstad (MIN), Anton Stralman (MIN),
Subtractions - Calvin de Haan (DET)

They traded Patrick Kane last season and the Blackhawks look like they're heading to a rebuild. They signed Maple Leafs starter Jack Campbell to a long term deal and have entered into a youth movement with the likes of Dach, Katchouk, Etwistle and Jenik expected to play important minutes up front. After the Kane trade, Jonathan Toews became the only player left from their Stanley Cup team in 2015

Montreal Canadiens

Additions - James Neal (NJ),
Subtractions - Mathieu Perreault (ARI)

From Stanley Cups Finals to missing the playoffs, the Montreal Canadiens basically proved that their run to the Finals was a fluke. This team is not a playoff team. They have Carey Price back after he missed last season and he is their only hope for a return to the playoffs.

Philadelphia Flyers

Additions - Shane Wright (DRAFT), Casey DeSmith (PIT), Andreas Athanasiou (LA), Calle Jarnkrok (CGY)
Subtractions - N/A

The Flyers were able to win the Draft Lottery and select future star Shane Wright with the 1st pick. Of course Wright made the roster out of camp and will be a spectacle to watch for Flyers fans this season. That will be the only thing they'll want to be watching however because this Flyers team is looking rough. The forward group is young and inexperienced outside Couturier, Van Riemsdyk, Atkinson and a couple others. The defense is decent in the Top 4 but drops off heavy with the bottom pairing. They'll need Carter Hart to improve his .905 SV% from last season if they don't want to have empty seats this season

St. Louis Blues

Additions - Matthew Savoie (DRAFT), Brendan Guhle (ANA), Sean Kuraly (CBJ)
Subtractions - Colton Parayko (ARI), Ville Husso (BUF), Marco Scandella (WPG), Niko Mikkola (EDM)

Last season was a complete meltdown for the St. Louis Blues. You would not have been able to tell that they were Stanley Cup Champions just 3 seasons prior. They did lose Parayko and Husso but we still think the Blues will bounce back into at least a competitive team. And by competitive we don't exactly mean a playoff team, just that they won't be nearly as bad as last season. Their 3rd overall pick Matthew Savoie did make the team out of Training Camp so he'll give the Blues fans something to be excited about

Tier 7 - Basement Dwellers

Buffalo Sabres

Additions - Ville Husso (STL), Brad Lambert (DRAFT)
Subtractions - Victor Olofsson (SJ)

They signed Ville Husso to be their starting goalie but this team is still lacking in almost every area. The only way they are competitive is if Husso goes nuclear. It will be a development year for the young guys and going for another Top 5 Pick. Brad Lambert making the team is a positive

Ottawa Senators

Additions - Dwayne Kerslake (DRAFT), Olli Maatta (LA)
Subtractions - N/A

The forwards on this team are actually pretty impressive. The rest of the team however? Very very weak. The goaltending tandem of Anton Forsberg and Filip Gustavsson is probably the worst in the league. The defense has Chabot and then... Artem Zub? Despite the weakness at everywhere except forwards, I could still see this team being decently competitive this season if the offense really carries hard. The odds of that happening? Very low

Seattle Kraken

Additions - Brett Kulak (EDM), Ryan Carpenter (CGY),
Subtractions - Dennis Cholowski (WSH), Victor Rask (WPG)

It was said at the time and it's even clearer now, the Kraken botched the Expansion Draft. They made some head scratching selections and didn't make any trades for picks or prospects like Vegas did just 4 years prior. The Grubauer signing has looked rough as he finished with a sub .900 Save Percentage last season. It's looking more and more like the Kraken will follow the CBJ and MIN expansion path rather then the Knights

[JurassicPuck]

November 1st, 2022

Arizona - In Cam Talbot's first game against his former team he secures the win for the Arizona Coyotes, 3-2 in Overtime. He turned away 31 of the 33 shots he faced and was awarded the 1st Star of the game. Not capitalizing on the four opportunities they got on the Powerplay was the dagger for the Wild and cost them the game. Ryan Strome buried a cross crease pass to seal the game in OT with Tarasov just a second too slow to get over.

The Wild continue their road trip as they head to Edmonton to face McDavid and the Oilers on the 3rd

Game Template borrowed from here with edits made. Check him out he posts about the Cubs with great looking graphics:

https://forums.operationsports.com/f...franchise.html

[JurassicPuck]

November 15th, 2022
MINNESOTA - The Wild failed to get revenge against the Stanley Cup Champion Florida Panthers as they lost 6-5 in Overtime. It was throwback night in Minnesota and the two teams put on a show with eleven goals scored in this exciting matchup. It was a stressful one if you are a Wild fan but has been one of the best games to watch so far this season.

They were able to complete the 4-2 comeback just over a minute into the 3rd period on a point shot by Jonis Brodin that caught Spencer Knight sleeping. With the game all tied up it was back and forth action with the Wild looking like the better team. However the tide changed when Jordan Greenway was thrown out of the game and handed a Checking from Behind penalty and a Game Misconduct.

With a five minute man advantage for Florida, they were able to capitalize. Carter Verhaeghe scored low blocker in the slot after a breakdown by the Wild penalty killers. Now with less then half a period left the Wild were down by a goal. However they couldn't buy a goal. They hockey gods even blessed them with a 5 on 3 Power-Play after back to back penalties from Verhaeghe and Duclair. They got plenty of good opportunities but couldn't put any of them past Spencer Knight.

As the clock ticked down the Wild couldn't get control of the puck in the Panthers zone. Finally with 50 seconds remaining Marco Rossi evaded a hit attempt from Max Gildon and entered the zone. Fluery headed to the bench for the extra attacker, Joel Eriksson Ek. With about 20 seconds left, Eriksson Ek skated behind the net and tried to stuff it on Knight. This led to 6 straight shot attempts by the 3 Wild forwards in front, all of them getting blocked by the Florida defenseman. Finally the puck found its way to the corner were Gildon and Fiala battled for it. Gildon won it and started to try and find an open pass before he was immediately poke checked by Eriksson Ek. It bounced to Fiala who attempted to handle it before Gildon whacked at his stick. Magically it bounced right onto the tape of #14 Eriksson Ek who was alone in the slot. With 6 seconds remaining he cocked it back and rifled it past Knight just over the right pad. Xcel Energy Center went ballistic!

This game was headed to Overtime. The Wild started with Eriksson Ek, Kaprizov and Dumba while the Panthers went with Reinhart, Huberdeau and Ekblad. An insane amount of skill on the ice for the 3 on 3. Minnesota won the opening faceoff and were able to get a good chance of the jump from Kaprizov but couldn't score. It went back and forth before a massive hit on Kaprizov by Ekblad left the puck in the neutral zone. Huberdeau scooped it up before making a slick pass to Reinhart to give him a semi breakaway against Matt Dumba. With a trailing Ekblad, Reinhart threw him a pass but it was just out of his reach. The Wild lost a battle in the corner and Huberdeau was able to move it to Reinhart who was being played softly by Dumba, allowing him to bury one past Fleury to win the game.

Although it was an exciting game of hockey but it wasn't the outcome the Wild wanted against the team that stopped them from lifting the Stanley Cup. Another thing to take note of is that it's already the 4th time this season the team has lost in Overtime. That's already half of what they had all last season. We'll have to see if that trend continues. They will face the Predators in Nashville in 2 days before a 3 game home stretch against the Jets, Golden Knights and Stars.

[JurassicPuck]

Tyson Jost moved to the Red Wings for prospect defenseman William Wallinder

"The Great Wall of Sweden" is the newest addition to the Wild's prospect pool

By Howard Hull | @Howard_Hull09 | Dec 1, 2022 | 7 Comments

24-year-old centerman Tyson Jost has been moved to the Detroit Red Wings in exchange for Swedish prospect William Wallinder. Also heading to Detroit will be 2023 3rd and 4th round picks.

Jost, a former 10th overall pick, was acquired by the Wild in a trade with the Avalanche last season. Jost has had an underwhelming career so far, considering his draft position. He got into just 15 games this season, with the vast majority of those because of the injury to Derek Ryan. He had 31 points last season but just 3 so far though 15 contests this year.

William Wallinder was the Red Wings 2nd round selection in 2020 with the 1st pick of the 2nd round. Drafted out of MODO in the Allsvenskan, Wallinder is playing in the American League this season after spending last year in Sweden. The left-handed two-way defenceman rivals Carson Lambos as the team's best D-Man prospect.

So after just 78 games over two seasons in a Minnesota Wild uniform, Tyson Jost is moved out of town. They got back a great prospect, but also had to give up two picks to get it done. Was moving Jost really a better option than a guy like Derek Ryan? Yes, he had an amazing playoffs for the Wild, but has been lacking offensively in the games he has gotten into after recovering from his injury. A guy like Jost seems like the better option to keep in this scenario.

Regardless, the Wild get a top defenceman prospect to add to the pipeline and will try and stay atop the Central Division when they face the Chicago Blackhawks at home on the 5th.

[JurassicPuck]

Patrice Bergeron and The New "Look" Islanders
The signing of Patrice Bergeron shocked the hockey world, we get his story on how it all went down

Jeremy Evans - December 26th, 2022

The biggest signing of free agency this summer was the heart and soul of the Boston Bruins for the last 18 seasons. The 2002-03 season was the last time the Boston Bruins iced a team without the pride of Ancienne-Lorette, Quebec. It's what made the news so incredibly shocking when the hockey world learned that Patrice Bergeron was heading to the New York Islanders on a one-year contract worth just shy of $7 Million. He was leaving the place where he was drafted. He was leaving the place where he won the one Stanley Cup to his resume. He was leaving the place where he wore the "C" on the front of his number 37 uniform. That's a lot to leave behind for a team that you have little-to-no connection too. And how did this even come to fruition? How could the Bruins not re-sign their 36 soon to be 37 year old Captain that had been in Boston his whole career?

"I made it clear at Training Camp that I wanted to focus on hockey throughout the season and talk contract details afterwards." said Bergeron, "But when it came to actually figuring out the deal in the offseason, our sides were very far apart."

With the two sides obviously apart in talks and not a lot of days left before Bergeron became a free agent, Patrice began to think about the possibilities that came with that.

The Rangers and the Islanders were the only teams Bergeron would go to besides the Bruins

"I immediately thought of Montreal. My hometown is two hours out from the Bell Centre and to wear that jersey I grew up idolizing... it would have been special but when I considered the state of the team and where they are right now it just didn't quite make sense."

So with the Canadiens crossed off the list, what other teams would the four-time Selke Trophy winner have entertained offers too?

"The first team was obviously Boston because I really was set on re-signing with them. After that was the two New York teams. Those were the only two other teams I considered and it worked out with the Islanders" Bergeron would end up signing with Long Island after what he described as a "very enticing plan" by GM Lou Lamoriello and Head Coach Barry Trotz.

"In my presentation with them they laid out how I would fit in with the team and how my style of play would fit exactly with how they run their systems. Talking to two guys with such experience in this game in Lou (Lamoriello) and Barry (Trotz) was one of the big shifting points for me"

Bergeron credits GM Lou Lamoriello and Head Coach Barry Trotz with being the deciding factor to come to Long Island

With the Bruins fading out of the picture and the Rangers losing big pieces in free agency, the New York Islanders were the leading landing spot for Bergy. While Bruins fans were shocked and saddened by the news, Islanders fans and players alike were ecstatic, as fellow Quebec native Anthony Beauvillier voiced at Training Camp

"When you get a guy with that much experience in winning, whether it be Stanley Cups, Gold Medals or Selke Trophies, it gives a whole boost to the team knowing we have someone who's basically done it all."

The effects of Bergeron were seen immediately with the team results this season. The Islanders currently sit as the second best team in the Metro division with 42 points and a 20-10-2 record. The reason for the early season success? The Bergeron led Special Teams. The Islanders have been shorthanded 105 times this season, tied for 3rd most in the NHL. Despite that, the Penalty Kill ranks as the 2nd best in the entire league behind only the Maple Leafs who have been shorthanded 14 less times (91). When we look at the Power Play we also see the effect Bergy has had there. At 27.7% the Isle's are second to only the Oilers ridiculous 31.5% PP%.

With the Powerplay clicking at such a rate, Bergeron already has over half the amount of PP points he had last season. He's been buzzing on the New York 1st line alongside previously mentioned Anthony Beauvillier, the two finding instant chemistry. Completing the Quebecois trio that is carrying this squad is former LA King Philip Danault. With the 1-2 punch down the middle in Patrice and Philip, the Islanders have the luxury of having two potential Selke Trophy candidates. If they both were to be announced as finalists, it would be the first time two Selke finalists have been on the same team since 2008 when Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk were two-way stars en route to a Stanley Cup Win. Could the Islanders be in for such a result? Only time will tell

Could Bergeron and Danault replicate what Datsyuk and Zetterberg did in 2008?