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Team	Title	Created By	Created On	Hits	Intro Text
Philadelphia Flyers	2022-23 Power Rankings recap/standings/more	Flyers-Jamie	2023-10-01 13:06:50	20	You can go to my team page if wish to read any of these team reports. Complete rankings: Rank TEAM 1 - Canucks 2 - Blackhawks 3 - Wild 4 - Coyotes 5 - Penguins 6 - Hurricanes 7 - Capitals 8 - Sabres 9 - Avalanche 10 - Flames 11 - Stars 12 - Panthers 13 - Kings 14 - Flyers 15 - Lightning 16 - Leafs 17 - Devils 18 - Jets 19 - Knights 20 - Sharks 21 - Wings 22 - Ducks 23 - Oilers 24 - Canadiens 25 - BlueJackets 26 - Predators 27 - Senators 28 - Bruins 29 - Rangers 30 - Islanders 31 - Kraken 32 - Blues Playoff standing based on rankings: WEST CanucksBlackhawksWildCoyotesAvalancheFlamesStarsKings---------------------JetsKnightsSharksDucksOilersPredatorsKrakenBlues EAST PenguinsHurricanesCapitalsSabresPanthersFlyersLightningLeafs -------------------------------- DevilsWingsCanadiensBlueJacketsSenatorsBruinsRangersIslanders Complete rankings based on just Hoover ranking: Rank TEAM 1 - Blackhawks 2 - Canucks 3 - Wild 4 - Penguins 5 - Flames 6 - Hurricanes 7 - Coyotes 8 - Capitals 9 - Stars 10 - Sabres 11 - Avalanche 12 - Kings 13 - Leafs 14 - Panthers 15 - Lightning 16 - Flyers 17 - Jets 18 - Knights 19 - Devils 20 - Sharks 21 - Ducks 22 - Wings 23 - Oilers 24 - Canadiens 25 - Predators 26 - BlueJackets 27 - Senators 28 - Bruins 29 - Rangers 30 - Kraken 31 - Islanders 32 - Blues Most offensive teams: Rank TEAM 1 - Panthers 2 - Blackhawks 3 - Flames 4 - Canucks 5 - Devils 6 - Sabres 7 - Penguins 8 - Avalanche 9 - Coyotes 10 - Stars 11 - Wings 12 - Wild 13 - Capitals 14 - Lightning 15 - Kings 16 - Hurricanes 17 - Jets 18 - Ducks 19 - Bruins 20 - Sharks 21 - Leafs 22 - Flyers 23 - Canadiens 24 - Knights 25 - Oilers 26 - BlueJackets 27 - Islanders 28 - Senators 29 - Rangers 30 - Predators 31 - Blues 32 - Kraken Most defensive teams: Rank TEAM 1 - Flyers 2 - Kings 3 - Hurricanes 4 - Jets 5 - Wild 6 - BlueJackets 7 - Canucks 8 - Coyotes 9 - Avalanche 10 - Oilers 11 - Canadiens 12 - Leafs 13 - Wings 14 - Capitals 15 - Ducks 16 - Sharks 17 - Devils 18 - Rangers 19 - Senators 20 - Stars 21 - Lightning 22 - Knights 23 - Blackhawks 24 - Predators 25 - Penguins 26 - Islanders 27 - Sabres 28 - Flames 29 - Panthers 30 - Blues 31 - Kraken 32 - Bruins Best goaltending: 1 - Hurricanes 2 - Capitals 3 - Leafs 4 - Canucks 5 - Sharks 6 - Blackhawks 7 - Knights 8 - Lightning 9 - Sabres 10 - Penguins 11 - Wild 12 - Predators 13 - Flyers 14 - Avalanche 15 - Oilers 16 - Coyotes 17 - Stars 18 - Senators 19 - Jets 20 - Kraken 21 - Ducks 22 - Kings 23 - Devils 24 - Flames 25 - Blues 26 - Canadiens 27 - Panthers 28 - Wings 29 - BlueJackets 30 - Bruins 31 - Rangers 32 - Islanders Best stars (Key rating): Rank TEAM 1 - Panthers 2 - Coyotes 3 - Sabres 4 - Canucks 5 - Stars 6 - Avalanche 7 - Flames 8 - Penguins 9 - Wild 10 - Kings 11 - Knights 12 - Capitals 13 - Ducks 14 - Blackhawks 15 - Flyers 16 - Hurricanes 17 - Lightning 18 - Wings 19 - Devils 20 - Jets 21 - Bruins 22 - BlueJackets 23 - Canadiens 24 - Sharks 25 - Oilers 26 - Leafs 27 - Islanders 28 - Senators 29 - Rangers 30 - Predators 31 - Blues 32 - Kraken
Buffalo Sabres	Robertsons Decade to Contend	Sabres-Kevin	2023-09-30 18:26:54	13	The Sabres as an emerging force in the East is going to be hard to ignore soon…. With controller-able pro talent, a slew of developing prospects and picks in the future… we should be able to maintain one of the very best rosters in the East. I think our pro scouts are some of the best in the league and I can see the effort they have put in throughout my organization Top 20 Prospects 1. Julian Lutz 2. Lukas Rousek 3. Angus Crookshank 4. Jakub Malek 5. Sammy Walker 6. Luke Toporowski 7. Matej Blumel 8. Magnus Chrona 9. Filip Cederqvist 10. Santtu Kinnunen 11. Adam Ingram 12. Matt Kiersted 13. Ben Oliver Groulx 14. Arnaud Durandeau 15. Jake Christensen 16. Aleksi Heponiemi 17. Tim Berni 18. Theodor Niederbach 19. Isak Walther 20. Sam Colangelo Bolded are players that can give at least three years of control 24 Robertson - 26 Eriksson EK - 26 Greenway 28 Burakovsky - 27 Bennett - 24 Cotter 30 Gaudreau - 38 Malkin - 28 Duclair 25 Howden - 23 Kotikanemi - 24 Bemstrom 33 Josi - 25 Hague 27 Forsling - 26 Bear 25 Kiersted - 27 Sanheim 32 Markstrom 27 Ned If Markstrom rebounds in the NHL I’d loyalty him in 2025 instead of Duclair… meaning Malkin and Duclair for picks next summer Kotikanemi moves up the depth chart and Malkins money goes to Robertson… easy Malkin and Duclair for picks next summer along with picks in house from 24. 25, 26, 27 Etc UFA signings like Anthony Richard and Luke Toporowski… it’s adds to the stable of assets The way I see it we have created three years at least of stability, to stockpile assets, to develop assets and to create a really sensational next wave of young talent as guys like Bennett, EK, Greenway, etc sign new deals into their 30s as the veteran core A club that can sustainably win hockey games and make the playoffs.... Jason Robertson could have himself a career at 24 years old ... 4th in Hart Voting off a 109 point season ... it's set up that he can have a run at the cup every year of his career moving forward I don't see any weaknesses in the roster in the short or long term... if the clubs hot at the right time we can win..
Philadelphia Flyers	The best - #2 & #1	Flyers-Jamie	2023-09-30 14:18:16	23	Preamble: https://nefhl.com/index.php?view=article&id=4529 I'm going to add, prior to these last two team profiles, that these two teams separated themselves a fair bit from the rest of the league. These two teams are top notch franchises and hats off to both GMs. I'm not sure I want to see the West win the cup, but both you would be well deserving of it! #2 - Blackhawks Key - B, Core - A-, Depth - A+, Offense - A+, Defense - C, Intangibles - C-, Goaltending - A-, Cap - C+, Assets - A+, Hoover - A+, Not only do the Hawks have a deadly roster, they have 4 1st round picks and 3 2nd rounders in 2024. What a serious flex! They have a young team and are in great shape short and long term. Newly signed 4th liner Ryan Reaves is their only physical presence, which might be a bigger issue come the playoffs. Thanks to their abundance of assets, they will be able to add players as the season progresses. They've left themselves in a great cap situation. I'm giving the Hawks my top grade given the assets and cap space nods. The Hawks are already a top team - a little patience and then an add or two at the deadline and this team is a force for the playoffs. A Marcus Foligno type would be a good pickup. #1 - Canucks Key - A, Core - A, Depth - A+, Offense - A, Defense - A-, Intangibles - B+, Goaltending - A, Cap - C-, Assets - A-, Hoover - A+, Canucks have franchise forwards in Matthew Tkachuk and Barkov, to go with one of the best NEFHL goalies going in Helleybuck. Toews and Heiskanen are an excellent top pair, but depth of their blueline, particularly offensive options, would be their biggest downfall. Backup goalie and some intangibles, like intensity, are there other two holes, but with top notch stars and depth throughout, they are the top team at this point. The Canucks follow up as the top ranked team again this season and obviously, falling short of the cup last season, will look to improve on that specific factor. They are known to be active with trades to get things going and have the assets, even if they don't have a lot of cap space. Cup or bust in Vancouver.
Philadelphia Flyers	Contenders - #4 & #3	Flyers-Jamie	2023-09-29 13:30:53	38	Preamble: https://nefhl.com/index.php?view=article&id=4529 #4 - Coyotes Key - A+, Core - A+, Depth - C+, Offense - B+, Defense - A-, Intangibles - B, Goaltending - B-, Cap - C-, Assets - F, Hoover - A-, Coyotes are loaded with top end talent, having 6 all star calibre players. Karlsson on defense and Meier, Kane, Tarasenko, Nichuskin and Reinhart up front, this team will produce goals without question. As Mark cleverly does, he's filled the bottom half with cheap guys that have high defense to be good role players. The depth is not there though, an injury or two and they are playing complete plugs. The assets to move out are limited, and they are already tight to the cap. Some of their stars have low DU, so they'll be praying to the injury gods to smack em down with an LTIR or two so they can keep the gang together and even add if there are enough LTIR games happening. This gang is a serious cup contender. #3 - Wild Key - B+, Core - B+, Depth - B+, Offense - B, Defense - A, Intangibles - B, Goaltending - B+, Cap - D, Assets - C+, Hoover - A, The Wild are young and talented, with good opportunity to see rating improvements through the season. Brady Tkachuk, Roope Hintz, and Elias Pettersson have the potential to be the best line, and truly dominant, if played together. Tkachuk gives this team an edge and they have lots of shutdown players. They could add a top pairing defenseman to round things out and really complete this roster, and keep Kale Clague out of the lineup as the weak link. They are in tight with the cap already so not sure how easy adding will be, but they do have some assets (and a young lineup) so there are options to be had. The team, as it stands, is a major contender for the cup, and as mentioned, it is likely dynamic ratings will be favourable to this young core.
Philadelphia Flyers	Beasts of the East - #6 & #5	Flyers-Jamie	2023-09-28 18:32:35	29	Preamble: https://nefhl.com/index.php?view=article&id=4529 #6 - Hurricanes Key - B-, Core - B-, Depth - B, Offense - B-, Defense - A, Intangibles - A+, Goaltending - A+, Cap - C, Assets - C-, Hoover - A-, Nabbing Shesterkin in the offseason was a big change for the Canes, showing they are truly ready to compete for a cup. It would be a great story with 1st overall picks Tavares and Stamkos still leading this team, years later. Trouba gives them a high end shut down #1 pairing dman to take on their opponents best. Between top notch goaltending and team defense, the Canes are likely to be one of the least scored on teams this season. Carolina is not rich in either cap space or assets, so upgrading might not be easy, but if they were to add, a top pairing dman that could lead their PP would be a big add. Although this ranks them as the 6th best in the league, they are the 2nd top ranked team in the East. #5 - Penguins Key - A-, Core - B, Depth - B+, Offense - A-, Defense - C-, Intangibles - C+, Goaltending - B+, Cap - B-, Assets - C-, Hoover - A, Ovechkin is still hunting for his first cup and Brent would love nothing more than to help fix that one issue with his NEFHL resume. Crosby is seeking his 2nd as the 2 future hall of famers have high expectations this season. Pittsburgh has done a good job of leaving some cap space to add through the season as needed. Although the defense lacks a star player, they have players for every role. The overall team shutdown game isn't top notch, but there are key role players. Their bottom six is lacking - adding a 2nd line RW and bumping Lucas Raymond out of the top six would make this a more complete lineup. That cap space while being the top ranked team in the East is huge. Crosby and Ovechkin is a duo worth cheering for. The Easts best bet to bring the cup back where it belongs, just narrowly topping Carolina.
Philadelphia Flyers	Good, but not the best - #8 & #7	Flyers-Jamie	2023-09-28 14:17:29	37	Preamble: https://nefhl.com/index.php?view=article&id=4529 #8 - Sabres Key - A, Core - A-, Depth - A-, Offense - A-, Defense - D, Intangibles - C, Goaltending - B+, Cap - D, Assets - D, Hoover - B+, Buffalo is going very offensive this season in what might be the best team the Sabres have ever put together. Kev's patience is paying off and Buffalo has a chance to contend in the East. Josi and Robertson are their two stars, but are well supported with Malkin, Bennett, and ErikssonEk down the middle. Markstrom is a big question mark if he can keep his ratings up. On the blueline, there is a big drop off in talent after Josi. They've put themselves tight against the cap so few week long injuries and they might get forced into selling. They don't have many assets that they can move for an upgrade and cut salary. It will be a challenge for the Sabres to remain a top team if they're not lucky or find some ways to shed salary. #7 - Capitals Key - B, Core - B, Depth - B+, Offense - B, Defense - B, Intangibles - A, Goaltending - A+, Cap - D, Assets - D, Hoover - A-, Auston Matthews will lead the Caps again this year and should be a standout star. In net, Vasilevskiy, backed by Logan Thompson is a top end duo. Adding veteran shutdown center Jordan Staal looks to be a smart move for the Caps to round out the lineup. They have a great chance to take the East this year. What they lack is a star defenseman or two and depth overall on the blueline. The Caps are also up against the cap and having been a perennial contender for several seasons now so their asset bank is wearing thin. They've proven they can make a big deal happen when needed and I would expect some cap management will need to happen.
Philadelphia Flyers	Top 10! - #10 & #9	Flyers-Jamie	2023-09-27 22:29:38	35	#10 - Flames Key - A-, Core - A, Depth - A, Offense - A, Defense - D, Intangibles - C-, Goaltending - C-, Cap - B, Assets - B-, Hoover - A, The defending champs, the Calgary Flames, are always a threat to go far. When the roster has flaws early in the season, they add later in the season, like last year. They have cap space and assets to make that happen. Rantanen leads a talented group up front, and Werenski, Pietrangelo, and Rasmus Andersson give them a formidable defensive core. Their goaltending is ho hum, and they're likely to get worked over by tougher/more aggressive teams. Two or three trades and the Flames can easily see themselves shoot up the ratings. Flames at #10 are in the contender conversation and will be upgrading before the trade deadline is up I'm sure. #9 - Avalanche Key - A-, Core - A-, Depth - A-, Offense - A-, Defense - B+, Intangibles - B-, Goaltending - B, Cap - F, Assets - C, Hoover - B+, Nate Mack is ready for beast mode and has some stars (Nylander, Ekblad, and Sorokin) to help support him in their quest for a cup. Their biggest issue is currently their cap situation, where they appear to be failing. A shutdown center and an upgrade to defense would help put this roster over the top, but they'll need to be creative to get something done with their cap situation. Colorado is looking to make some noise and become relevent again. They have the stars to make it happen, but will need to trim up now and look to bulk up later in the season if they wish to stay in the contender chat in the very difficult West.
Philadelphia Flyers	More than just playoffs? - #12 & #11	Flyers-Jamie	2023-09-27 18:41:43	29	#12 - Panthers Key - A+, Core - A+, Depth - A, Offense - A+, Defense - D, Intangibles - C-, Goaltending - D, Cap - F, Assets - C+, Hoover - B, Panthers are not a well rounded team. They have some high end offensive stars with Pastrnak, Kaprizov and Larkin leading the forwards and newly acquired NEFHL great Brent Burns on defense. They also have poor defensive play and bad goaltending. They will hope to outscore opponents, but if they hope to be a contender, they'll need to upgrade both their goaltending and defensive play. They are in a bad cap situation, so they do have some work to do if they want to remain competitive while also cutting salary. It can be tough finding offensive stars and easier to find shutdown players so the opportunity is there for Florida. The tough part is no goalie and being over the cap. If they wait too long to fix their cap situation, their options will become even more limited. #11 - Stars Key - A, Core - A, Depth - B-, Offense - B+, Defense - C+, Intangibles - A, Goaltending - B-, Cap - C+, Assets - C, Hoover - B+, Stars galore in Dallas! Draisaitl, Marner, DeBrincat and Panarin up front, plus Letang, Nurse and McAvoy on the blueline - the Stars are stacked! On the flip side, Conor Timmins and Libor Hajek will be regulars on the blueline. Husso is okay rated now, but could easily slide as the season progresses. They have some cap space and assets to try and fill holes, but even if they don't, their stars are sure to keep them in the running. The West is the tougher conference this season, so if the Stars wish to be more than just a playoff team, they will need to fix their subpar blueline.
Philadelphia Flyers	Playoffs in grasp - #14 & #13	Flyers-Jamie	2023-09-27 18:30:09	32	#14 - Flyers Key - B-, Core - B-, Depth - B-, Offense - C, Defense - A+, Intangibles - A+, Goaltending - B, Cap - B-, Assets - B-, Hoover - B-, This offseason saw the Flyers re-tool, selling off some stars like Shesterkin and Brent Burns, including others, but they've managed to accumulate a lot of defensive depth. Lead by the leagues best defensive player, Patrice Bergeron will hope to keep Flyers relevant for one more season before he officially retires. Horvat and Jenner join Bergeron at Center for good depth in that position. They signed Anders Lee to give them a top line winger which will help, but more offense from the wings and defense will be needed for the Flyers to contend. Adam Fox can't run a PP by himself and is currently being asked to. Philly is the top shutdown team, but without much offense to support them. The Flyers have a small amount of cap space, and have build some assets up, primarily this offseason from selling, but this is a significantly downgraded roster than the Flyers have shown the last few seasons and it might be time to lean into the selling a bit more and forget about this season. #13 - Kings Key - B+, Core - B, Depth - B, Offense - B-, Defense - A+, Intangibles - A, Goaltending - C, Cap - C-, Assets - C+, Hoover - B, McDavid and Zibanajed were a dominant force last year, and there is no reason to think they won't be this season as well. Their 2nd line more resembles a 3rd line, their 3rd a 4th, and their 4th being pretty solid for the AHL. They have two okay goalies, but no star in net. They do have some grit and ability to play shutdown hockey. When you consider the McDavid factor, he can probably help them just win on his own many games. LA will be in tough in the West and when you have someone like McDavid, you need to try to find the pieces to make it work. Tight on the cap as it is, the Kings might need to get creative to ensure they are a contender and not getting left out of the conversation.
St-Louis Blues	Blues - Media Round up	Blues-Graham	2023-09-27 09:35:45	14	As training camp begins, the Blues have quite a few camp hopefuls trying to make thier name and secure a spot in the NHL for the upcoming season. I've been documenting some of the more prominient ones such as Dorofeyev, Evangelista, Wright etc as the pre-season goes on. Here is a media round up on Matthew Maggio, Luke Evangelista, Tyson Jost and Filip Zadina. More to come on others as it comes in. Matthew Maggio:Maggio showing really well in his first camp. May or may not make the team but he has a legit shot. In his first preseason game - "Matt Maggio took the knee-on-knee and broke his nose tonight." He also got an assist and drew a penalty. Great game. https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-islanders/features/matthew-maggio-new-york-islanders-preseason-rangers-lambert-injury-johnston Lavoie also looking great: https://x.com/SportsnetSpec/status/1706507386788425976?s=20 Luke Evangelista:https://www.tennessean.com/story/sports/nhl/predators/2023/09/26/nashville-predators-luke-evangelista-brendan-shanahan-linda-evangelista-nhl-luke-schenn/70924957007/ The guy is Shanny's 2nd cousin and his other 2nd cousin is a supermodel. He's destined for stardom! Great flow as well. "His hat routine is one of them. He has to have his hat on for a certain amount of time after he steps out of the shower. He's a different guy like that. It's a little too pretty. Maybe he'll get a hair deal in the future." Tyson Jost:https://theathletic.com/4896293/2023/09/24/sabres-capitals-preseason/6. Tyson Jost making his claimTyson Jost is going to have to compete for a consistent role this season given how many centers the Sabres have. He played on a line with Greenway and Victor Olofsson during the scrimmage and then got to center Benson and Greenway on Sunday. That was Buffalo’s best line against Washington, and Jost was one of the best players on the ice. He led the Sabres with seven shot attempts, five scoring chances and two high-danger chances. He also won four of his seven faceoffs. This game didn’t feature full NHL lineups, so a player like Jost should stand out, and he did. Filip Zadina: https://sanjosehockeynow.com/san-jose-sharks-bordeleau-zadina-preseason-preview-lines/ Playing on a line with Hoffman and Hertal so far in training camp. The guy needs to make it work. There’s been a buzz around Zadina so far in camp. His camp linemate Mike Hoffman, he of 214 career NHL goals, raved, “He’s really impressed me. When he’s got the puck on his stick, he’s one of the craftiest and best skaters with the puck, that I think I’ve ever seen. He’s very shifty and quick and he’s got a good shot and can make stuff happen.”
Calgary Flames	Lane Hutston Ranked #1 Calgary Flames Prospect	Flames-JD	2023-09-26 03:25:28	25	Lane Hutson has quickly jumped 10 spots to the top of the Calgary Flames prospect rankings. He finds himself in this position despite his diminutive size, on the heels of a record setting NCAA season. Scouts believe the sky is the limit for the young offensive minded defenseman who has already beat numbers of young all-star defensemen who also played in the NCAA like Quinn Hughes and Cale Makar. The following 4 are no slouches and all have shown great offensive potential. Logan Stankoven who's been dynamite in the WHL the past few years is #2, followed by Tyson Foerster who managed 3 goals and 7 points in 8 NHL games last year and poised for a full time role this year. Matias Maccelli who edged the NHL calder winner Matty Beniers in points per game as a rookie is fourth, while Juuso Parssinen who played games with scored 25 points in 45 games for Nashville last season is 5th. Fraser Minten, acquired in the Huberdeau trade is the highest newcomer on the list at #6. Charlie Stramel at #7 is the highest draft pick from the June draft on the list. Alex Turcotte is another notable name, having been a top 5 pick in the past but plagued by injuries and a lack of success in the AHL results in his entry on the list at 13. Yegor Chinakhov drops from 3rd on the list to 10 after missing a large chunk of the season due to injury and being limited to 13 points in 30 games. He spent games in the AHL after returning from injury and no longer looks like the top line sniper the Flames once hoped they had. Below is the rest of the top 20. Rankings for the 49 NHL drafted/signed prospects can be found here: https://nefhl.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=403694#p403694 (#) indicates last year's ranking. NR = Not Ranked. 1. Lane Hutson (11)2. Logan Stankoven (4)3. Tyson Foerster (5)4. Matias Maccelli (6)5. Juuso Parssinen (27)6. Fraser Minten (NR)7. Charlie Stramel (NR)8. Nick Blankenburg (9)9. Eetu Luostarinen (12)10. Yegor Chinakhov (3)11. Mason Lohrei (13)12. Alex Laferriere (24)13. Alex Turcotte (NR)14. Lukas Dragicevic (NR)15. Jordan Gustafson (14)16. Joshua Roy (10)17. Arshdeep Bains (18)18. Colton Dach (20)19. Valtteri Puustinen (17) 20. Corson Ceulemans (9)
Edmonton Oilers	Who Is That Masked Man?	Oilers-Jason	2023-09-25 19:50:02	47	When the NEFHL Hall of Fame Committee initially drafted its proposal for its induction process, it was widely speculated that it could be some time before the league inducted its first goalie. And so it is, with the sixth Hall of Fame class, the Committee is pleased to announce that Roberto Luongo becomes the first goalie to have his mask enshrined in the Hall. Luongo received twenty-one votes on twenty-nine cast ballots, placing him at seventy-two percent, just above the seventy percent required for enshrinement. Luongo was selected third overall in the dispersal draft by the Ottawa Senators, but barely had time to unpack his bags before he was headed to Florida, along with Karel Rachunek, in exchange for Andrew Raycroft, Eric Desjardins, Kyle Wellwood, Tuomo Ruutu, and a first and second round draft pick. This was arguably a trade that would change the face of the Panthers for years, as the star tender led the team to the playoffs in six out of seven seasons, and secured the Cats their only Stanley Cup in 2008. Following his time with Florida, Luongo would drift around the league, finding homes with the Jets, Coyotes, Wings, and Stars, before returning to where it all began, retiring as a Panther. In addition to his Stanley Cup, Luongo was also a two time Jennings Trophy winner. Surprisingly, he only managed to secure one All-Star selection over the course of his career. Among all goalies, Luongo ranks fourth overall in games played and wins. He also ranks first in playoff games played, first in playoff wins, and first in playoff shutouts among all goalies. His playoff performance metrics rank him just outside the top-twenty goalies with ten playoff games or more played for goals against average and save percentage. Of the 2023 nominees, Marian Gaborik was the only other eligible player to receive double digit votes, amassing eleven votes, just over half of the necessary vote total. Twenty-one total players would collect enough votes to remain on the ballot another year. Of those players, Rick Nash was the most popular, collecting eighteen votes, just three votes shy of induction in the Hall. Nash was the only player to see a notable increase in his support from previous years, gaining three votes. Daniel Sedin’s support cratered from last season, as he lost six votes, leaving him even further away from joining his twin brother in the Hall. All goalies held over from previous ballots lost at least two votes of support, perhaps due to a truly Hall-worthy goalie finally arriving on the scene. Jaromir Jagr, Kimmo Timonen, Paul Martin, Shane Doan, Kari Lehtonen, and Nikolai Khabibulin would fail to secure enough votes to remain on the ballot another year, after having previously cleared that threshold. Dan Boyle? Yes! In the Builder category, Drew Phillips picked up an additional vote over last year, increasing his vote total to four, but still down precipitously from a high of twelve votes in 2019. Next year represents the last opportunity for Mr. Phillips to be enshrined. Will next year be the Year of the Blue Line? The Hall of Fame Committee would like to once again thank all voters, even those who were a bit late. Ballots were received from all but three teams.
Philadelphia Flyers	Playoffs likely - #16 & #15	Flyers-Jamie	2023-09-25 18:21:05	49	Preamble: https://nefhl.com/index.php?view=article&id=4529 #16 - Leafs Key - C-, Core - C, Depth - C+, Offense - C, Defense - B, Intangibles - B-, Goaltending - A, Cap - B+, Assets - B, Hoover - B, The Leafs have set themselves up well for whichever direction they wish to take. They have lots of cap space, and also a good supply of assets that they can move to upgrade, if needed. Hedman is a beast on the blueline and Kopitar is a top notch shutdown center. Kuemper is one of the best goalies and the Leafs have solid depth. They can shut you down. They don't have the top ended offensive stars and will need to rely on scoring by committee. They are likely in a situation where they'll be buying later in the season, or selling as soon as they have a 3 game losing streak. With cap space, assets, and a legit chance at being a contender, I imagine the Leafs will be looking at upgrade options, unless they do have said 3 game losing streak and they become the biggest group of losers the league has ever seen with trash goaltending! #15 - Lightning Key - B-, Core - B+, Depth - B-, Offense - B, Defense - C, Intangibles - B, Goaltending - A-, Cap - B, Assets - F, Hoover - B-, The Lightning have some cap space to move up from a middling team, but have moved most of their assets and might have a tough time upgrading. In free agency they were able to nab both Doughty and Orlov to give them a top pairing on defense. Up front Forsberg, Duchene, RNH and Keller will lead the offense, while defensive vets Danault and Okposo will help shutdown their opposition. Their bottom line lacks anything of substance, but they do have a few players to plug and fill from the farm. Although I have them slotted as the 8th in the East, there are some good things going in Tampa and with a bold move, they could go from borderline to contender in a hurry.
Minnesota Wild	Wild sign UFA prospect	Wild-Peter	2023-09-25 14:56:03	16	The Wild have not dipped into the free agent pool much this offseason. The only signing was backup goalie Semyon Varlamov. A failed RFA signing took place but was quickly matched. Now the Wild have signed UFA prospect Djibril Toure. Admittedly, the Minnesota Wild scouting staff does not have much information on this player as he is not a guy the lead scout for the team has ever watched. Not much is known about this player but what we do know is the following: - Right shot defenseman - He is a giant at 6'7". Weighs 205lbs - Still raw at 20 years old. - Was draft eligible in 2021. Went undrafted in the NHL entry draft. Had a largely unnoticeable year in the CCHL that season. - Late development beginning this past season with Sudbury Wolves in OHL. - Very mobile skater for his size. Usually a weakness for tall players who are often compared to giraffes or newborn giraffes. - Decent baseline for defensive awareness and play given his size and age. - Plays with a mean streak. He very much "rack disciprine" due to PIMs - Still a project player who may never turn out to be anything. The GM had this to say, "It's nice to grab a free wallet. Especially one with such size and mix of skating and defending. In my opinion a guy like Toure is no different than any 4-7 round prospect that is available in the draft. Usually those guys have one standout quality that is good, but not NHL calibre, with multiple areas to improve on in their overall game. I don't want to get too excited and hype him as a franchise player but if somewhere down the line we are able to put him on a bottom pairing for under a million and get something like 80+ IT, 77+ SK/SP and 75+ DF we would be laughing at the fact we got him for free. Can Toure be the next Ryan Graves for us? We signed Graves as a UFA prospect in 2014 and he started breaking out in 2019-2020. We hope with patience and further development Toure can carve a similar path as Graves did with us." A few news clippings about Toure: "Even though his stats were underwhelming, Toure’s defensive play caught the attention of Hawks’ coach and general manager Rick Dorval. So, when Dorval moved to the Ontario Hockey League’s (OHL) Sudbury Wolves as an assistant coach, he invited the defender to try out for the team. Instantly, he was the talk of training camp, most notably for his 6-foot-7 frame. However, he also stood out for his impressive skating for such a big player and brought a healthy dose of physicality and aggression, and the Wolves had no choice but to give him a chance. It turned out to be a fantastic choice. As a 20-year-old rookie, the big blue steadily moved up the lineup, ending the season as one of the Wolves’ best defenders and finishing with five goals and 11 assists in 57 games and led the team with 91 penalty minutes. Toure’s presence allowed Sudbury to trade their captain for picks without fearing a drop in the standings" (Source: https://thehockeywriters.com/meet-the-new-senators-djibril-toure/) "Six-foot-seven players don’t move like Touré. A deep stance enables powerful strides and crossovers, sharp turns and cutbacks, and speed to burn. He flies past forecheckers then joins the rush. If he can’t outrace pressure, he twists and turns away from it before finding an open teammate. He attacks the inside, using give-and-gos and weaving rushes to beat opponents." (Source: https://www.eliteprospects.com/player/507219/djibril-toure) ___________________________ Elmer Ferguson Dynasty Year I Article 12/5 "Future buyout fund" bonus - $1,750,000 / $10,000,000
Chicago Blackhawks	UFA Pavel Francouz Signs with Chicago	Hawks-Anthony	2023-09-25 14:27:07	16	[Chicago, Illinois] Signing alert in Chi-town. Veteran goalie Pavel Francouz has agreed to a long term deal that will pay him $970,000 annually for the next four (4) years. With Saros firmly at the helm, Francouz will provide Chicago with a reliable back-up option. The backup position concern from late last season and going into the 2023-24 season were very much real. Management commented early this offseason that it was not a priority and getting under the cap was. What changed? Chicago GM had this to say: “Dylan Ferguson was thrusted into a backup role that maybe he wasn’t necessarily ready for. His salary gave us the flexibility we needed late last season since we made moves to improve our forwards going into trade deadline. Offseason, our priorities were to get under the cap. It was challenging and there wasn’t a feasible plan to sign or trade for a backup until that was fixed. We have the cap flexibility now and we’ve been using it. Adding Hunt last week gives us a good number seven option on defense and now signing Francouz adds a legit backup. Our team feels more complete and hopefully we can give Saros a bit more relief.” Asset preservation seems to be the focus for management as they focus on accumulating cap space. Chicago GM continued: “We’re only two games through pre-season however we are projecting to be around the 43.85million mark, while carrying seven defenseman. The fact that we didn’t have to move prospects or picks to add depth is a nice achievement and allows us some flexibility during the season to accumulate cap space.”
Philadelphia Flyers	Playoff worthy... - #18 & #17	Flyers-Jamie	2023-09-25 13:40:04	36	Preamble: https://nefhl.com/index.php?view=article&id=4529 #18 - Jets Key - C+, Core - C+, Depth - B, Offense - B-, Defense - A, Intangibles - A-, Goaltending - C+, Cap - B-, Assets - C, Hoover - B-, I like a lot of what's happening in Winnipeg. They have their pure offensive star in Kucherov, supported by two way star center Elias Lindholm. The blueline has mix of shutdown specialists and Rielly leads offensively, and they are all big and tough to play against. There is no week link in their top 6 on defense. The 4th line is pretty sus, but just about the easiest thing to fix. Reimer is a solid starter that they were able to sign pretty cheap, but the future starter is likely lying in Gustavsson who was top notch last year in Minny. They can upgrade and have some assets to do so - I think they're in a good scenario that if they do well, buy, if not, sell. It doesn't need to be their season, but with some luck or intent, it could be. I have them as 9th in the West, so certainly in striking distance. #17 - Devils Key - C+, Core - B+, Depth - A, Offense - A, Defense - B-, Intangibles - B-, Goaltending - C, Cap - F, Assets - F, Hoover - C+, Signing Frederik Andersen was a needed add for the Devils, but it did cause them to move franchise player Patrick Kane. They still can boast an excellent top line of Kyle Connor, Alex Tuch and Pierre-Luc Dubois. They have pretty solid depth, up front and on defense. What they could use rigth now is another offensive force like Patrick Kane. They don't have a lot of trade assets, or cap space, so it might be a challenge to improve their status in the East, but they have some things going for them. Another thing of concern is Andersen's 62 durability and their backup having a 60OV rating. A long term injury there and this team is likely out of the playoff race. Judging by their moves they'll do their best to try and squeak into the playoffs. They have the skill to do so, but with a lack of assets and not being a contender, it might be reason to consider a retool or rebuild in NJ. A poor start to the season and they might be forced into that scenario. I have them just missing the playoffs in these rankings.
Philadelphia Flyers	Western playoff hopefuls - #19 & #20	Flyers-Jamie	2023-09-24 18:05:51	42	Preamble - https://nefhl.com/index.php?view=article&id=4529 #20 - Sharks Key - C-, Core - C, Depth - C+, Offense - C+, Defense - B-, Intangibles - C+, Goaltending - A, Cap - B+, Assets - D, Hoover - C+, SJ is not setup as the team that is going to run up the scoreboard, but they will be tough score against. Especially when they have Oettinger in net to back em up. They have solid depth, but lack the star power to be a contender in the competitive West. There is good talent with Hertl, McCann, Perron, and Johansen up front and Theodore a great #1 dman. Adding the right player, star forward or dman, could easily jump the Sharks into playoff contention, and they are in a great cap situation which helps a lot. Their asset bank has been shrinking, but still some options to cash in if they did want to upgrade the roster. #19 - Knights Key - B+, Core - C+, Depth - C-, Offense - C-, Defense - C, Intangibles - B+, Goaltending - A-, Cap - B, Assets - C-, Hoover - C+, Adding Cale Makar this offseason was a huge move, as was signing Linus Ullmark to be their starter moving forward. Binnington was also signed to give them an excellent goaltending duo. Youngsters Jack Hughes, Stutzle and Kuzmenko will be relied on for lots of offense as their isn't too much scoring depth. The defense group is solid. They have some cap space available - they'll need to add 2 to 3 top 6 forwards if they want to chase a cup this season; otherwise, they've set themselves up well to be an up and coming team with the high end young talent on the roster.
Philadelphia Flyers	Playoff hopeful? - #22 & #21	Flyers-Jamie	2023-09-24 14:35:54	41	Preamble - https://nefhl.com/index.php?view=article&id=4529 #22 - Ducks Key - B, Core - C+, Depth - C, Offense - C+, Defense - B-, Intangibles - C, Goaltending - C, Cap - C, Assets - A-, Hoover - C, Star player Chris Kreider has been actively shopped, but with the big contract, pending UFA, and declining stats, he's remaining a Duck for now. The Ducks big boast is their star young centers in Thompson and Norris, with Quinn Hughes being a setup machine from the blueline. Signing Talbot gives them some reliable net-minding, on a pretty good deal for the year. This is a team that is setting themselves up nicely for next season. Their depth, particularly on the backend, is their biggest downfall at this time, if they're looking to push themselves up the standings. They have top notch youth, and a couple 1sts in the upcoming draft - the West is very tough, they're likely better to bow out and be a force in the near future. #21 - Wings Key - C+, Core - B-, Depth - A-, Offense - B+, Defense - B, Intangibles - C, Goaltending - D, Cap - C, Assets - B, Hoover - C, Their star player is playing on one leg as Landeskog hopes to be able to continue his career. Skinner, Huberdeau, and Kyrou give nice complimentary scoring on the wings. Right now the Wings are mostly stockpiling assets, not moving them to upgrade, so I can't see this group making the playoffs. If they do look to upgrade, a top pairing on defense and a starting goalie would be the targets. Think the Wings will look to make some shrewd moves to secure the future. This ranks the Wings as 10th in the East, so in striking distance. If they get hot, and can avoid injuries, there's no reason to say they can't be in the playoffs. Given potential injuries and team motives, I think it's more likely they drop down the standings than jump up though.
Philadelphia Flyers	Playoffs unlikely - #24 & #23	Flyers-Jamie	2023-09-24 14:11:04	41	Preamble - https://nefhl.com/index.php?view=article&id=4529 #24 - Canadiens Key - C, Core - C, Depth - C-, Offense - C, Defense - B+, Intangibles - C+, Goaltending - C-, Cap - A-, Assets - B-, Hoover - C-, Canadiens added some grit and veteran leadership through free agency, bringing in Wheeler and Clutterbuck. JT Miller is their standout player. Verhaeghe provides them some scoring ability. There isn't a lot of offense after that. Skinner and Blackwood are rated as #2 guys now, but Skinner is a guy likely on the upswing. Dobson and DeAngelo provide some offense from the blueline, but they don't have a big minute guy to gobble up minutes and shut down top lines. They are a good defensive squad, and should grind out some wins, but lack of goals and a thin blueline is likely to keep them out of the playoffs. An upgraded #2 center and bringing in a top pairing on defense could elevate this team quickly though if Skinner does progress nicely. They have assets and cap space, but they are likely better off holding those off for another season, unless they happen to get hot early and add. #23 - Oilers Key - C-, Core - C-, Depth - C, Offense - C-, Defense - B+, Intangibles - A-, Goaltending - B-, Cap - A-, Assets - B, Hoover - C, UFA signing Jonathan Marchessault joins Kempe and Laine up front to give some offensive pop. Laine's 46DU will likely come into play as well. Hanifin is a pretty solid two-way dman for them, but from there we have some serious question marks on the blueline. The Oilers have tons of cap room and decent assets to move if they wish to be serious, but with a lack of star power, particularly on the blueline, they're probably not in playoff contention at this time. Bobrovsky will do his best, but he's not the elite goalie he once was either. They are a mix of young and old - I wouldn't be shocked if some of the older players get moved as the season progresses and the Oilers fall further from the playoff picture.
Philadelphia Flyers	No playoffs yet - #26 & #25	Flyers-Jamie	2023-09-24 13:26:28	38	Preamble - https://nefhl.com/index.php?view=article&id=4529 #26 - Predators Key - F, Core - F, Depth - F, Offense - F, Defense - C-, Intangibles - D, Goaltending - B, Cap - A, Assets - A+, Hoover - C-, I had no idea Nashville had accumulated so many assets before looking through the franchise. Nashville is going to be able to turn a corner in a mighty hurry once they are ready. For now, they are clearly going the tank route. Their big free agency add was Parayko with a big $5million deal for 1 year, to help meet the floor and give a solid loyalty for next season. In fact, there top 5 players are all now defensemen. There is a serious lack of anything offensive in Nashville. For a bottom team, they do have pretty solid goaltending. The Preds are building an impressive accumulation of futures and along with a bonus 1st and 2nd in the draft, they'll try to maximize the value of their own 1st. #25 - BlueJackets Key - C, Core - C-, Depth - C, Offense - C-, Defense - A-, Intangibles - A-, Goaltending - D, Cap - A, Assets - B+, Hoover - C-, The BlueJackets have been doing a great job of selling and building up the asset chest. Dougie Hamilton, Jack Eichel, and Patrick Kane (for while he's there) highlight the offense and will be leaned on heavily. Jack's 37DU could cause some issues with winning games. They are going to be in the tank conversation and are expected to continue to shed for future assets. They do have a pretty solid defensive group with intangibles, so they'll do their best to grind out some wins. When it comes down to it though, there's not enough to make the playoffs anymore, especially since they will continue to move players that can help now for futures. They are up to 3 1st rounders in the next draft.
Philadelphia Flyers	The very bad - #28 & #27	Flyers-Jamie	2023-09-23 13:30:17	47	Preamble - https://nefhl.com/index.php?view=article&id=4529 #28 - Bruins Key - C, Core - C-, Depth - C-, Offense - C+, Defense - F, Intangibles - D, Goaltending - F, Cap - C+, Assets - B+, Hoover - D, The Bruins have publicly stated they are attempting tank, which is why they signed 25DU star forward Max Pacioretty for a 1 year $8 million deal. He joins Nelson and Scheifele up front to give these Bruins some legit pop. From there things go downhill, particularly when in net you see 73 and 68 OV goalies. There are some players that will be quite bad for them. Bringing in some cheap defensive vets to round out the roster would help them, which probably isn't what they want. Their #1 dman is Ryan Suter. As good as the big 3 forwards are, there are too many holes to keep these Bruins from tanking! Chris is trying to build these Bruins up and I imagine it's only a matter of time before their players of value start getting shipped off for the future, but likely, the not too distant future. #27 - Senators Key - D, Core - D, Depth - D, Offense - D, Defense - C, Intangibles - D, Goaltending - C+, Cap - B+, Assets - A-, Hoover - D, The Sens signed MAF to a reasonable deal to give them a starting goalie. Rakell and Killorn were signed, to slightly overpaid $3.85 million deals, to help round out their top 6 forwards. Taylor Hall is their big star player and brings strong two-way play. Mikael Backlund was brought in through trade to give them a strong shutdown top line center that will have the opportunity for a career year in Ottawa. Team defense and goaltending are strengths. They're an improving team, and if they were able to somehow add a star defenseman, they could see themselves jump up these rankings. A 1st line center, bumping Backlund down to the 2 spot, would really start to set them up. They have cap space - it is something that could happen. More likely they are going to be battling for a top pick, to add to their already deep prospect list.
Philadelphia Flyers	New York sucks! - #30 & #29	Flyers-Jamie	2023-09-22 22:45:03	51	Preamble - https://nefhl.com/index.php?view=article&id=4529 #30 - Islanders Key - D, Core - D, Depth - D, Offense - D, Defense - C-, Intangibles - F, Goaltending - F, Cap - A-, Assets - A, Hoover - F, Bedard is the future and glory of this Isles franchise. They've stockpiled a lot of great prospects and will be a contender again soon. For now, they signed talented dman John Carlson to a big one year deal, who will help make them somewhat respectable. Along with Seth Jones, the Islanders have a nice top pairing on defense. Tyler Toffoli will be leaned on up front for his offense. Alex Lyon (66OV) and Michael Hutchinson (60OV) is an absolute atrocious pairing in net. The worst. There are some good youngsters in the lineup, but even if they progress, this isn't a playoff team yet. Add a whole new 1st line and starting goalie, and maybe we're there. #29 - Rangers Key - D, Core - D, Depth - D, Offense - D, Defense - C+, Intangibles - B+, Goaltending - F, Cap - A, Assets - B+, Hoover - D, Rangers have been selling and will continue to sell as long as they stay above the salary floor. Adam Larsson is a big tough dman that could be moved later in the season. Feel bad for the big guy. Maybe Jaden Schwartz or Eberle could be traded as well. Not a lot to offer contenders and as bad of a goalie duo as one can use with 69 and 67 OVs. Ryan O'Reilly was given a big money deal to be top line center, top PP, and top PK for the Rangers. With his trading penalty and the overpaid contract, he's likely stuck in New York for the year, perhaps longer. Maybe they'll reward him with a letter. They do have a couple 1sts and couple 2nds in the next draft. They're rebuilding the franchise, which might take some time.
Philadelphia Flyers	The Worst! - #32 & #31	Flyers-Jamie	2023-09-22 13:31:42	58	Preamble: https://nefhl.com/index.php?view=article&id=4529 #32 - Blues Key - F, Core - F, Depth - F, Offense - F, Defense - F, Intangibles - F, Goaltending - C-, Cap - A+, Assets - A, Hoover - F, The Blues have assembled one of the worst teams this league has seen. They've put together a collection of overpaid vets and junky fillers. Jonathan Toews is their standout player. Jack Campbell their top goalie and the top player this team has to offer. Most will get worse as the season progresses. They are very likely to finish last. Hopefully they don't get any LTIR as it would require them to add someone to make them less terrible. They do have a huge prospect list, and bonus picks in the next two drafts. It will be a few years before we see St. Louis in the playoffs, but they are doing a great job building up the assets and preparing for success. #31 - Kraken Key - F, Core - F, Depth - F, Offense - F, Defense - F, Intangibles - F, Goaltending - C+, Cap - A+, Assets - A, Hoover - F, Kraken keeps themselves out of the bottom spot thanks to their goaltending. Georgiev is a solid starter and Stalock/Greiss will be backing him up. From there, Jamie Benn was signed to help meet the cap floor and give a veteran leader and top offensive threat. There's not much else positive going on in Seattle in terms of their current roster. This is a clear tank job. What they are doing well is building up the up the asset bank. It's where their focus should be, and it clearly is, but it will be some time before the Kraken come calling for the playoffs I imagine.
Philadelphia Flyers	2023 Power Rankings Preamble	Flyers-Jamie	2023-09-22 13:10:01	60	Power Rankings It’s time for the 2023 edition of the Hoover Power Rankings! I’m going to start with the preamble, identifying how the rankings have come together. I’ve come up with formulas for a players offensive rating, defensive rating, intangibles and a JHAOV rating from those categories. The JHAOV is close to the league’s AOV in many instances but has its own variances. I believe more accurate to a player’s usefulness. Players are sorted by that rating. 3 minor changes from last year: For goaltending, it is now 'starter OV4 + backup OV + 3rd string 0.1'. Last year was starter OV3, so more worth to each team's starter. In the final rankings calculation, I have increased the value of both 'Offense' and 'Goal', by doubling their worth. You can see the calculation below. I didn't get into what needs work for each team last year and received feedback from a few GMs that they appreciate that part, so tried to put that into every teams report - I'll say don't take anything personal, but that never happens :D This year I did 'Assets' by doing my own review. This was a very quick and dirty review of each teams farm, prospect list, and available draft picks. This is more about quantity than comparing the values of the prospects within each teams system. I didn't spend much time doing this review, but enough to give rough idea to which teams can easily move a few assets to upgrade without much concern. Don't get too hung up on your grade here and comparing as I didn't put much effort into it so don't expect an exact science. It's also worth only half a category anyhow. See the final ranking calculations to see how this fits in. There are a total of 10 different categories that go into the final rankings: Key – the combined JHAOV of the team’s top 5 rated skaters. Core – the combined JHAOV of the team’s top 10 rated skaters. Depth – the combined JHAOV of the team’s top 20 rated skaters. Offense – the combined offense rating of the team’s top 15 rated skaters. SC5+PA4+PC4+SP+ST+SK. Defense – the combined defense rating of the team’s top 15 rated skaters. DF5+IT+SP+ST+PC. Intangibles – the combined intangibles rating of the team’s top 15 skaters. IT+EN+DU+DI+PC+LD. Goaltending – starters OV4 + backup OV + 3rd string0.1. Cap – Salary of top 20 skaters plus top 2 goalies. Assets – a team's liquid assets to acquire upgrades. Hoover – I'm looking for a well balanced roster. Having a star in each position does you well. I reviewed where your at with your cap and assets and made up a point total for each team. I may add or remove points for anything. Kev lost 50 for over inflated ego will pop his bubble. Each category has each team ranked 1-32. The following calculation, off of said individual rankings, determined the final rankings: (Key2) + Core + Depth + (Offense2) + Defense + (Intangibles/2) + (Goaltending2) + (Cap/2) + (Assets/2) + (Hoover*3) = Final score. The grades are on a bell curve. For every category there is 2 'A+' and 3 of every other grade - including 3 'F' grades. Someone is going to get them for every category. I'll start with the worst team, and work my way to the #1 ranked team. None of this is perfect, and it slightly evolves each season, so please give feedback, positive or negative, and will try to take constructively to improve future editions. I also take questions. Thank you all and hope you enjoy.
Minnesota Wild	Ranking Team Durability	Wild-Peter	2023-09-20 15:37:38	61	After only two pre-season games, the Wild aready have four players that didn't finish games. In both games, the players were out before 50% of the game was played. Minnesota lost both games (0-1-1). The players out were primarily important players the team will depend on like Hintz, Pettersson, Hronek. It's still pre-season but I'm not liking what I'm seeing so far. It got me thinking about durability and so here's a quick look at each team's AVERAGE durability. - Goalies are left out of this list. - Number looks at 19 skaters on each team. (13F+6D or 12F+7D depending on the team). - Teams with 20-22 players on the pro roster will have cuts to get it to 19. I filtered out the lowest AOV until I got 13F+6D or 12F+7D. It's not a perfect system but it will still yield more accurate results. EX: St.Louis has 6 centers on the pro roster right now. I filtered out Krebs and McMichael as they have the lowest AOVs and are waiver exempt on a rebuilding team. - Number does not take into account injury callups . EX: Toronto has Oshie (40DU) day-to-day and Felix Robert (99DU) called up. Oshie is in the rating since he is expected to be a full time roster player, while Robert is not included in the rating. Chart from highest DU average to lowest. Dallas 88.0555555555556 Nashville 87.6666666666667 LA 87.3684210526316 Pittsburgh 87 Vancouver 87 Winnipeg 86.1578947368421 Florida 86.0555555555556 Seattle 85.7368421052632 Buffalo 85.2222222222222 Carolina 85.2105263157895 NYR 85.1578947368421 Edmonton 84.8421052631579 Vegas 84.7777777777778 Philadelphia 84.0555555555556 Ottawa 83.4736842105263 New Jersey 83.2777777777778 Colorado 83.2631578947368 Columbus 82.8636363636364 San Jose 82.8333333333333 Washington 81.7222222222222 NYI 81.3888888888889 Calgary 80.7222222222222 Chicago 80.55 Tampa 80.2631578947368 St.Louis 80.1578947368421 Montreal 80 Toronto 79.7222222222222 Minnesota 78.2631578947368 Boston 77.1111111111111 Arizona 75.6666666666667 Anaheim 75.0555555555556 Detroit 71.9 The bottom 10 teams (CHI, TB, STL, MTL, TOR, MIN, BOS, ARI, ANA, DET) currently have 10 injured skaters combined so far (+1 goalie for ARI) while MTL and DET have yet to play any pre-season games. I didn't look through each box score to see if a player was removed from the game with injury but eligible to play the next game. In contrast, the top 10 teams (DAL, NSH, LA, PIT, VAN, WPG, FLA, SEA, BUF, CAR) currently have 5 skaters injured combined so far and each of those teams has played minimum 1 preseason game. Based on these very early pre-season results, it does look as if the overall team DU rating impacts the game. ___________________________ Elmer Ferguson Dynasty Year I Article 11/5 "Future buyout fund" bonus - $1,500,000 / $10,000,000
Toronto Maple Leafs	Leafs top 5 prospects to watch this year	Leafs-Shane	2023-09-19 17:46:49	32	The leafs have an abundance of prospect worth noting but let's look at the top 5 to monitor this upcoming season 1. Matthew Knies - He broke into the scene last year after a dominating season in the NCAA with Minnesota then joining the Leafs for a playoff run. Knies was very impressive during his short stint and should get a top 6 look with the big club this season. 2. Marco Kaspar - A Wing prospect who played a full season in the SHL and showed he can play with men. Does he make the Wings this year? Possibly but either way he will be a fun kid to track this season. 3.Akito Hirose - Another player from a MInnesota program. He actually played NHL games last year with Vancouver and looked extremely good. He's an intelligent puck mover and something that is highly sought after in the NHL 4. Jake Livingstone - Oh look another Minnesota product and yet again another Dman who played NHL games last season, this time in Nashville. Livingstone is a monster who can skate and contribute offensively putting up almost a PPG over the past 2 NCAA seasons. 5. Simon Edvidsson - Another Detroit prospect but this guys plays Defense. Edvidsson could break the scene and play in Detroit this year but if he doesn't he will be watched with a close eye playing in the AHL. honourable mentions - Topi Niemela (Toronto), Josh Doan (Arizona), Shakir Mukhamadullin (New Jersey, Metvey Petrov (Edmonton) and Nikita Grebyonkin (Toronto) Lesfs will be reporting lots on these guys over the course of the season.
Chicago Blackhawks	Blackhawks Preseason	Hawks-Anthony	2023-09-19 16:55:06	29	[Chicago, Illinois] The first of seven pre-season games didn’t go as planned. The Blackhawks couldn’t maintain any momentum against a deep and offensive team like the Calgary Flames. Mid-way through the second period, the game shifted and the Blackhawks couldn't keep up. However, new offseason addition, Zach Hyman, scored a beauty assisted by Buchnevich and Boeser but the other additions were close to invisible. Rasmus Dahlin has immense pressure on his shoulders as he takes over as the number one defenseman on a very different defensive core. Dahlin was shaky and ended the night minus-2 but played almost half of the game. His new defensive partner Bowen Byram was active and is trying to make a positive impression. Since being traded in a deal that sent the beloved Cale Makar, he came out flying and accounted for three (3) of the nineteen (19) shot attempts as he played 23 minutes, second in ice time, behind Dahlin. GM Anthony commented after the game: “We played well for the first period and a half but we lost steam as the game went on. We need a more consistent effort but it’s pre-season and for many, it’s their first in a Blackhawks jersey. Was impressed with the top line. Aho and Fiala are dynamite together. We’ve seen them on and off to spread the offense but I think they’ll be a force this season. Zach (Hyman) had that nice give and go with Boeser and Buch and we are going to need to see more of that if we want to remain a serious contender.” He went on to mention the new faces: “Four newcomers in Hyman, Byram, Reaves and Hutton. Moreover, it looks like Blueger, Compher, Seider and Walman will be full timers so having eight players come in and learn the system is a lot of change for the coaching staff. It’ll take some time but we have a great core that’s dedicated to winning and being competitive. We’ll see how preseason goes and evaluate from there.” On signing Brad Hunt: “It’s always great to add experience and depth and that’s what Brad brings. We are fortunate enough that we have the cap space to sign someone early instead of trading near deadline. Brad’s looking for a final chance to possibly go far and win a cup and he felt good with us. He knows he won’t be a regular however injuries will put him in a position where I believe we’ll see him for at least 30% of the year.”
Boston Bruins	Bruins Commit to Rebuild? Part 2 of 2	Bruins-Chris	2023-09-19 13:35:39	36	Last time we chatted I was on a rant about parity. I made it clear I am not a fan of the anti-tanking rules this league has. Enough said, my own crusade and so be it. Now we finish up looking at the new prospects the Bruins added to the fold. Pick 79 was Boston College defensman Aram Minnetian, a player who caught my eye due to his skating, offensive awareness and the fact he might have been overlooked due to being on a stacked team. "Minnetian is a boom-or-bust type. His offensive potential and transitional abilities are exceptional and growing in importance. Getting a chance to play NCAA hockey with Boston College next season will allow him to focus on his defensive game and bulking up. That might be the best thing for him and his game." Pick 80 was our first goalie, selecting tender Cameron Korpi. His size (6-4) and prospect status (NCAA) made him an ideal project to risk pick 80 on. Scouts describe him as "the type of goaltender that prioritizes getting on angle first, then worries about depth. When the scoring threat receives a pass and looks up, Korpi is usually already on angle and taking up most of the space in the net". -EliteProspects 2023 NHL Draft Guide. While he went undrafted in 2023, I am hopefully a strong season puts him onto NHL teams radars. Pick 86 was defenseman Arvid Bergstrom, another modest sized D who did go undrafted but has enough upside to gamble on. Scouts take: "Bergstrom’s game is built upon his skating, he's really fluid, moving comfortably in each direction. At his best, he takes advantage of the system he plays in, joins rushes, plays give-and gos in transition, getting the puck back in the middle for a possible scoring chance". -EliteProspects 2023 NHL Draft Guide. At pick 94 we think we grabbed a gem in Matthew Mania. A 5th round pick in the NHL by the LA Kings, Mania caught the attention of scouts due to "so much creativity to Mania’s game. He activates into the rush with give-and-gos after pulling the puck off the boards, beats opponents with backhand drags, slices through forecheckers with long-range passes, weaves through the opponents with shocking ease, and breaks down opponents at the point before setting up teammates across the slot". -EliteProspects 2023 NHL Draft Guide Rounding out the Bruins 2023 draft is pick 112 Tanner Ludtke. Ludtke is a "proactive, consistent off-puck player, always supporting plays, dispossessing opponents, and sneaking off into space around the slot to use his potent wrister. He uses every limb to win body positioning on opponents, keeping his stick free for deflections and rebounds. Ludtke brings some down-low playmaking complemented by those physical skills, as well as a play-building style in transition". -EliteProspects 2023 NHL Draft Guide All in all some solid adds for the future Bruins who will look ahead to better days.
Vancouver Canucks	NEFHL Player Tier Rankings By Team (#1-10)	Canucks-Kyle	2023-09-18 16:37:01	63	From the Athletic “NHL Player Tiers for 2023-24”, we have taken those rankings and applied it to the NEFHL Rosters. Note: Goalies were not ranked. The tiers are as follows: MVP = trophy consideration year in and year out, top players, build a franchise around.(1A, 1B and 1C) Franchise = a top 32 skater, elite top line forward or number one defenseman (2A, 2B and 2C) All Star = a top 60 skater, a good top line forward or average number one defenseman (3A, 3B and 3C) Top Line = a top 125 skater, below average top line forward or average top pair defenseman (4A, 4B, 4C and 4D) Point system is as follows: 1A = 13 points, 1B = 12 points, 1C = 11 points, 2A = 10 points, 2B = 9 points, 2C = 8 points, 3A = 7 points, 3B = 6 points, 3C = 5 points, 4A = 4 points, 4B = 3 points, 4C = 2 points and 4D = 1 point 1) Florida Panthers (7) – Total Score = 50 David Pastrnak (MVP, 1C), Kirill Kaprizov (Franchise, 2A), Brayden Point (Franchise, 2B), Mark Stone (All Star, 3A), Dylan Larkin (All Star, 3C), Jesper Bratt (Top Line, 4A), Brent Burns (Top Line, 4A) 2) Vancouver Canucks (7) = Total Score = 50 Matthew Tkachuk (MVP, 1C), Aleksander Barkov (Franchise, 2B), Miro Heiskanen (Franchise, 2B), Devon Toews (All Star, 3A), Andrei Svechnikov (All Star, 3B), Joe Pavelski (All Star, 3C), Robert Thomas (Top Line, 4B) 3) Dallas Stars (7) – Total Score = 49 Leon Draisaitl (MVP 1B), Mitch Marner (Franchise, 2A), Charlie McAvoy (Franchise, 2A), Artermi Panarin (All Star, 3A), Alex Debrincat (Top Line, 3B), Kris Letang (Top Line, 4B), Darnell Nurse (Top Line, 4D) 4) Chicago Blackhawks (7) = Total Score = 40 Sebastian Aho (Franchise, 2B), Rasmus Dahlin (Franchise, 2C), Hampus Lindholm (All Star, 2A), Pavel Buchnevich (All Star, 3C), Moritz Seider (All Star, 3C), Kevin Fiala (Top Line, 4A), Zach Hyman (Top Line, 4C) 5) Calgary Flames (8) – Total Score = 40 Mikko Rantanen (Franchise, 2A), Brad Marchand (Franchise, 2C), Johnny Gaudreau (All Star, 3A), Alex Pietroangelo (All Star, 3B), Zach Werenski (Top Line, 4A), Martin Necas (Top Line, 4C), Rasmus Andersson (Top Line, 4C), Nick Schmaltz (Top Line, 4D) 6) Pittsburgh Penguins (9) – Total Score = 35 Sidney Crosby (Franchise, 2A), Matthias Ekholm (All Star, 3C), Mikhail Sergachev (All Star, 3C), Matty Beniers (Top Line, 4A), Alexander Ovechkin (Top Line, 4B), Evan Bouchard (Top Line, 4B), Brandon Montour (Top Line, 4B), Troy Terry (Top Line, 4D), John Marino (Top Line, 4D) 7) Los Angeles Kings (4) – Total Score = 32 Connor McDavid (MVP, 1A), Nico Hischier (Franchise, 2C), Mika Zibanejad (All Star, 3B), Jared Spurgeon (All Star, 3C) 8) Washington Capitals (5) – Total Score = 31 Auston Matthews (MVP, 1B), Jake Guentzel (All Star, 3B), Matthew Barzal (All Star, 3C), Nikolaj Ehlers (Top Line, 4A), Vince Dunn (Top Line, 4A) 9) Vegas Golden Knights (3) – Total Score =30 Cale Makar (MVP, 1B), Jack Hughes (MVP, 1C), Tim Stutzle (All Star, 3A) 10) Minnesota Wild (4) – Total Score = 27 Elias Pettersson (Franchise, 2B), Roope Hintz (Franchise, 2C), Brady Tkachuk (All Star, 3B), Josh Morrissey (Top Line, 4A) Article #6
Vancouver Canucks	NEFHL Player Tier Rankings By Team (#11 - 32)	Canucks-Kyle	2023-09-18 15:53:45	63	From the Athletic “NHL Player Tiers for 2023-24”, we have taken those rankings and applied it to the NEFHL Rosters. Note: Goalies were not ranked. The tiers are as follows: MVP = trophy consideration year in and year out, top players, build a franchise around.(1A, 1B and 1C) Franchise = a top 32 skater, elite top line forward or number one defenseman (2A, 2B and 2C) All Star = a top 60 skater, a good top line forward or average number one defenseman (3A, 3B and 3C) Top Line = a top 125 skater, below average top line forward or average top pair defenseman (4A, 4B, 4C and 4D) Point system is as follows: 1A = 13 points, 1B = 12 points, 1C = 11 points, 2A = 10 points, 2B = 9 points, 2C = 8 points, 3A = 7 points, 3B = 6 points, 3C = 5 points, 4A = 4 points, 4B = 3 points, 4C = 2 points and 4D = 1 point 11) Buffalo Sabres (4) – Total Score = 25 Jason Robertson (Franchise, 2A), Roman Josi (Franchise, 2B), Joel Eriksson Ek (Top Line, 4B), Evgeni Malkin (Top Line, 4B) 12) Colorado Avalanche (5) – Total Score = 22 Nathan MacKinnon (MVP, 1B), William Nylander (All Star, 3A), Cole Caufield (Top Line, 4D), Nick Suzuki (Top Line, 4D), Aaron Ekblad (Top Line, 4D) 13) Toronto Maple Leafs (5) – Total Score = 21 Victor Hedman (Franchise, 2C), Mackenzie Weegar (All Star, 3C), Anze Kopitar (Top Line, 4A), Travis Konecny (Top Line, 4C), Owen Power (Top Line, 4C) 14) Tampa Bay Lighining (6) – Total Score = 20 Clayton Keller (All Star, 3C), Drew Doughty (All Star, 3C), Filip Forsberg (Top Line, 4A), Philip Danault (Top Line, 4C), Ryan Nugent Hopkins (Top Line, 4C), Dmitri Orlov (Top Line, 4C) 15) Arizona Coyotes (4) – Total Score = 20 Erik Karlsson (Franchise, 2C), Timo Meier (All Star, 3B), Valeri Nichuskhin (Top Line, 4B), Sam Reinhart (Top Line, 4B) 16) Carolina Hurricanes (4) – Total Score = 19 Jaccob Slavin (All Star, 3A), Steven Stamkos (All Star, 3C), John Tavares (Top Line, 4A), Adam Pelech (Top Line, 4B) 17) Anaheim Mighty Ducks (4) – Total Score = 17 Tage Thompson (All Star, 3A), Quinn Hughes (All Star, 3B), Chris Krieder (Top Line, 4C), Jonas Brodin (Top Line, 4C) 18) Winnipeg Jets (4) – Total Score = 16 Nikita Kucherov (Franchise, 2A), Morgan Rielly (Top Line, 4A), Elias Lindholm (Top Line, 4D), Dylan Cozens (Top Line, 4D) 19) Columbus Blue Jackets (2) – Total Score = 15 Jack Eichel (Franchise, 2B), Dougie Hamilton (All Star, 3B) 20) New Jersey Devils (5) – Total Score = 15 Kyle Connor (Top Line, 4A), Pierre Luc Dubois (Top Line, 4A), Alex Tuch (Top Line, 4B), Tomas Chabot (Top Line, 4B), Jakob Chychryn (Top Line, 4D) 21) Philadelphia Flyers (2) – Total Score = 13 Adam Fox (MVP, 1C), Bo Horvat (Top Line, 4C) 22) San Jose Sharks (4) – Total Score = 11 Shea Theodore (All Star, 3B), Tomas Hertl (Top Line, 4C), Jared McCann (Top Line, 4C), Brett Pesce (Top Line, 4D) 23) New York Islanders (3) – Total Score = 10 Connor Bedard (All Star, 3C), John Carlson (Top Line, 4B), Seth Jones (Top Line, 4C) 24) Detroit Red Wings (4) – Total Score = 8 Matt Boldy (Top Line, 4A), Jonathon Huberdeau (Top Line, 4C), Jordan Kyrou (Top Line, 4D), Jeff Skinner (Top Line, 4D) 25) Edmonton Oilers (4) – Total Score = 7 Jonathon Marchessault (Top Line, 4B), Patrik Laine (Top Line, 4C), Adrian Kempe (Top Line, 4D), Noah Hanifin (Top Line, 4D) 26) Montreal Canadiens (2) – Total Score = 6 Carter Verhaeghe (All Star, 3C), J.T Miller (Top Line, 4D) 27) Boston Bruins (2) – Total Score = 3 Brock Nelson (Top Line, 4C), Mark Scheifele (Top Line, 4D) 28) Nashville Predators (0) – Total Score = 0 NONE 29) New York Rangers (0) – Total Score = 0 NONE 30) Ottawa Senators (0) – Total Score = 0 NONE 31) Seattle Kraken (0) – Total Score = 0 NONE 32) St. Louis Blues (0) – Total Score = 0 NONE Article #5
Columbus Blue Jackets	Eichel - Hamilton Reignite Chemistry	Jackets-Blake	2023-09-18 14:32:35	24	Sure it is only a preseason game, it doesn't mean much. It will be a rough year for Blue Jackets fans no matter what. They now don't have any of the depth that they had last year that made them such a successful team. But it is nice to see Eichel and Hamitlon still have the chemistry they had late last season when they were both healthy. The Jackets missed it big time as they only played together in 1 game in the playoffs. If Eichel had been healthy it could've been the Jackets playing against the Flames in the finals. But that was not the case, and the Jackets will be looking to get to that stage again. Only not as an underdog, but as a contender. The Eichel - Hamilton connection will be key to that. Hamilton had 2 goals versus the Penguins, the team the beat in the 2nd round these past playoffs. Hamilton was a steadying presence for the Jackets in that series, but he couldn't get his offensive dominance that he showcased in the regular season to show up in the playoffs. This time however, he had Eichel helping him out. Eichel had primary assists on both of Hamiltons goals, with future Hall of Famer Patrick Kane getting a secondary assist on one of the goals. Despite this effort, they still lost 5-4 in a shootout, but it was still promising to see that the 2 pillars that the Jackets will continue to lean on for a long time still play exceptionally well together. Will they carry the Jackets to the playoffs? Likely not, Quick's best days are behind him and the Jackets don't expect a Vezina/Hart level performance of him. But what will excite the Jackets faithful is the youth that managment hopes to surrond these 2 with in the next few seasons, and hopefully they get another shot at getting another banner added to their barns rafters.
Columbus Blue Jackets	Eichel - Hamilton Reignite Chemistry	Jackets-Blake	2023-09-18 14:32:34	21	Sure it is only a preseason game, it doesn't mean much. It will be a rough year for Blue Jackets fans no matter what. They now don't have any of the depth that they had last year that made them such a successful team. But it is nice to see Eichel and Hamitlon still have the chemistry they had late last season when they were both healthy. The Jackets missed it big time as they only played together in 1 game in the playoffs. If Eichel had been healthy it could've been the Jackets playing against the Flames in the finals. But that was not the case, and the Jackets will be looking to get to that stage again. Only not as an underdog, but as a contender. The Eichel - Hamilton connection will be key to that. Hamilton had 2 goals versus the Penguins, the team the beat in the 2nd round these past playoffs. Hamilton was a steadying presence for the Jackets in that series, but he couldn't get his offensive dominance that he showcased in the regular season to show up in the playoffs. This time however, he had Eichel helping him out. Eichel had primary assists on both of Hamiltons goals, with future Hall of Famer Patrick Kane getting a secondary assist on one of the goals. Despite this effort, they still lost 5-4 in a shootout, but it was still promising to see that the 2 pillars that the Jackets will continue to lean on for a long time still play exceptionally well together. Will they carry the Jackets to the playoffs? Likely not, Quick's best days are behind him and the Jackets don't expect a Vezina/Hart level performance of him. But what will excite the Jackets faithful is the youth that managment hopes to surrond these 2 with in the next few seasons, and hopefully they get another shot at getting another banner added to their barns rafters.
Philadelphia Flyers	Top 10 Offensive Weapons	Flyers-Jamie	2023-09-17 13:48:06	75	For the Power Rankings I use a variety of rating groupings and rank them. One of them is a players ability to produce offense. Since I had these setup anyway, I was curious to see who the top in each category was. Here are the top 10 offensive threats in the NEFHL: #1 Connor McDavid - Kings - He has the offensive flash, including maxing out both scoring and passing, but is also the fastest player in the league. He's not #1 in puck control with how the ratings work, but he does also have top end DF at 80 so will be hard for anyone to catch him. He also has 93EN and 99DU so not going down easily. The easy leading candidate for Art Ross trophy. #2 Nathan MacKinnon - Avalanche - Nate's not far behind in passing or scoring, and does max out at 99 puck control. He's only 1 off McDavid in speed and is the stronger player. #3 Auston Matthews - Capitals - Auston tops out in both scoring and puck control, while also being fast and 76 strength. Will be in the running for the Richard. #4 Roman Josi - Sabres - Roman will be leading the Sabres charge and is a good bet on Norris if he can produce the way he can. 93 scoring and 96 passing will be tough for opposition to handle, particularly on a power play where he shines. #5 David Pastrnak - Panthers - The first of two Panther snipers in the top 10. He has maxed out puck control and scoring and a major threat for the Richard too. #6 Alex Ovechkin - Penguins - Not only does Ovi have perfect scoring rating and 97 puck control, he's also the toughest (99ST) and most intense (70IT) player of anyone in the top 20. He's my top bet to win the Richard, particularly if paired with Crosby for an elite offensive duo of all time. #7 Leon Draisaitl - Stars - Leon is maxed out with 99 scoring, but is high for both passing (87) and puck control (84) as well. He's one of the top defensive centers with the 80DF as well. #8 Cale Makar - Golden Knights - the 2nd dman to make the list and is a super sniper from the blueline, with maxed out scoring to go with 84PA and 85PC. The 82SP will help him make up for his defensive lapses to try for more offense. Also the youngest in the top 10. #9 Kirill Kaprizov - Panthers - The Panthers 2nd sniper in the leagues top 10 helps give the Panthers flexibility to find the lines that work best to maximize both their production. He has 97 scoring to go with 94 puck control. #10 Mikko Rantanen - Flames - A big power forward with 95 scoring and 88 puck control is sure to put up some goals. Mikko will be leaned on a lot in Calgary for offense and he's a guy that can take it on with 92 endurance and durability to help ensure he stays in the Art Ross race. HM: Jack Hughes, Matthew Tkachuk, Jason Robertson, Nikita Kucherov, Timo Meier, Erik Karlsson, Tage Thompson, Alesander Barkov, Max Pacioretty, Kyle Connor
Minnesota Wild	Teams ranked by DF	Wild-Peter	2023-09-16 20:03:56	65	The DF (Defense) rating is desrcibed in the CBA as "Player's ability to back check and play defense". This article will look at each team's top DF players. Before we begin with that, let's look at the top 10 forwards and defensemen: Top 10 defensive forwards according to 2023-2024 DF ratings Bergeron - 84 - Flyers Gallagher - 83 - Avalanche Okposo - 83 - Lightning Zibanejad - 83 - Kings O'Rielly - 83 - Rangers Copp - 82 - Coyotes Wheeler - 82 - Canadiens Brown - 82 - Canadiens M. Foligno - 82 - UFA Mark Stone - 82 - Panthers (Nic Dowd at 11th completes the 82 DF) Top 10 defensive defensemen according to 2023-2024 DF ratings Giordano - 86 - UFA Tanev - 83 - Oilers DeHaan - 82 - Predators Weegar - 82 - Maple Leafs Ekholm - 82 - Penguins Brodie - 82 - Sharks Larsson - 81 - Rangers Pelech - 81 Hurricans Edler - 81 - Predators Chiarot - 81 - Kings (Lindholm, Provorov, Petry, Mayfield, Poolman, Werenski complete the list of 81 DF) Using the definition above, I took a look at each team's roster as of September 16 and tallied up the highest DF players to see which teams on paper have the best team defense overall. 80 DF is the minimum for this ranking. UFA Marcus Foligno - 82 Mark Giordano - 86 Notes: Giordano's 86 is the best for all defensemen. The rating is hard to understand. Foligno is a top 10 rated defensive forward. Anaheim - 5 total Chris Kreider - 81 Tucker Poolman - 81 Tyler Myers - 80 Jonas Brodin - 80 Austin Czarnik - 80 10 between 75-79 DF, including 4 at 78+ Notes: Most of their 'core' players are some of their lowest rated DF guys but still have a ton of DF in the lineup. Arizona - 4 total Andrew Copp - 82 Lukas Sedlak - 81 Sam Reinhart - 80 Justin Braun - 80 14 more between 75-79 DF, including 9 at 78+ Notes: Everybody except Tarasenko is 75+. Elite defensive team inlcluding 1 top 10 rated forward. Boston - 2 total Cam Atkinson - 80 Mark Sheifele - 80 15 more between 75-79 DF, including 5 at 78+ Notes: 15 between 75-79. Will this impact their goal of losing games? Buffalo - 2 total Joel Eriksson Ek - 81 Ethan Bear - 80 12 more between 75-79DF, including 5 at 78+ Calgary - 2 total Zach Werenski - 81 Brad Marchand - 80 10 more between 75-79 DF, including 4 at 78+ Carolina - 4 total Nic Dowd - 82 Adam Pelech - 81 Radek Faksa- 81 Jacob Trouba - 80 13 more between 75-79, including 4 at 78+ Notes: Top 11 rated forward Dowd highlights this solid defensive team in the east. Chicago - 4 total Hampus Lindholm- 81 Teuvo Teravainen -81 Sebastian Aho - 80 Teddy Blueger - 80 12 more between 75-79, including 6 at 78+ Colorado - 2 total Brendan Gallagher - 83 Ivan Provorov - 81 15 between 75-79, including 6 at 78+ Notes: Gallagher's 83 DF has him top 5 for forwards. We all know that is complete bullshit. Columbus - 2 total Luke Glendening - 80 Garnet Hathaway - 80 14 more between 75-79, including 4 at 78+ Notes: With recent moves focusing on acquiring youth, can Columbus retool and make the playoffs? Dallas - 4 total Mitch Marner - 81 Leon Draisaitl - 80 Charlie McAvoy - 80 Darnell Nurse - 80 9 more between 75-79, including 3 at 78+ Detroit - 2 total Scott Mayfield - 81 Alexandre Carrier - 80 9 more between 75-79, including 4 at 78+ Edmonton - 2 total Chris Tanev - 83 Derek Ryan - 80 15 more between 75-79, including 6 at 78+ Notes: Edmonton seems to always find a way to make the playoffs and their roster is better on paper now over last year. Tanev is the 2nd best DF defenseman and leads this solid defensive team. Florida - 1 total Mark Stone - 82 14 more between 75-79, including 2 at 78+ Notes: Mark Stone is a top 10 DF forward. Will shoulder the load in Florida this year. Los Angeles - 7 total Mika Zibanejad - 83 Jeff Petry - 81 Nico Hischier - 81 Ben Chiarot - 81 Connor Murphy - 80 Connor McDavid - 80 Brandon Tanev - 80 10 more between 75-79, including 4 at 78+ Notes: Elite defensive team led by a top 5 defensive forward in Zibanejad and top 10 DF defenseman in Chiarot. Petry is in the top 15 DF Dmen list as well. Minnesota - 7 total JG Pageau - 81 Travis Dermott - 80 Jake Evans - 80 Roope Hintz - 80 Elias Pettersson - 80 Josh Morrissey - 80 Josh Archibald - 80 12 more between 75-79, including 5 at 78+ Notes: Elite defensive team. Nothing in the top 10 like LA, however DF spread throughout the lineup. Montreal - 5 total Blake Wheeler - 82 Connor Brown - 82 Artturi Lehkonen - 80 JT Miller - 80 Cal Clutterbuck - 80 10 more between 75-79, including 2 at 78+ Notes: Sneaky good DF group in the east. Brown and Wheeler's rating are top 10 for forwards even though Brown's 82 is nonsense. Nashville - 6 total Calvin DeHaan - 81 Alex Edler - 81 Anthony Cirelli - 81 Adam Lowry - 81 Vladislav Namesnikov - 81 Damon Severson - 80 8 more between 75-79, including 3 at 78+ Notes: Hard to say which direction Nashville is going for. They want to rebuild but the team is pretty good defensively on paper. New Jersey - 1 total Nicolas Aube- Kubel - 81 15 more between 75-79, including 10 at 78+ New York Islanders - 2 total Nick Backstrom - 80 Tyler Toffoli - 80 7 more between 75-79, including 3 at 78+ New York Rangers - 4 total Ryan O'Rielly - 83 Adam Larsson - 81 Jesper Fast - 81 Zemgus Girgensons - 81 10 more between 75-79, including 6 at 78+ Notes: 2 top 10 DF in each category, O'Rielly (F) and Larsson (D). Similar to Boston, will this impact their goal of losing games? Ottawa - 2 total Mikael Backlund - 80 William Karlsson - 80 11 more between 75-79, including 7 at 78+ Notes: Major additions this offseason. Will NEFHL Ottawa climb out of the basement faster than NHL Ottawa? Philadelphia - 5 total Patrice Bergeron - 84 Adam Fox - 80 Bo Horvat - 80 Tyler Pitlick - 80 Travis Hamonic - 80 13 more between 75-79, including 5 at 78+ Notes: Bergeron is the league's top defensive forward at 84. Elite defensive team. Pittsburgh - 2 total Mattias Ekolm - 82 Noel Acciari - 80 12 more between 75-79, including 7 at 78+ Notes: Ekholm is rated top 5 for D. San Jose - 2 total TJ Brodie - 82 Jujhar Khaira- 80 15 more between 75-79, including 8 at 78+ Notes: Brodie is rated just outside the top 5 for D. Seattle - 3 total Jake McCabe - 80 Jordan Martinook - 80 Anthony Mantha - 80 6 more between 75-79, including 2 at 78+ St. Louis - 3 total Jonathan Toews - 80 Tyson Jost - 80 Tanner Pearson - 80 10 more between 75-79, including 4 at 78+ Tampa Bay - 3 total Kyle Okposo - 83 Drew Doughty - 80 Philip Danault - 80 15 more between 75-79, including 7 at 78+ Notes: Led by top 5 defensive forward Okposo, Tampa Bay is a very solid defensive team on paper. Toronto - 3 total Mackenzie Weegar - 82 Anze Kopitar - 81 Josh Leivo - 80 8 more between 75-79, including 4 at 78+ Vancouver - 3 total Aleksander Barkov - 80 Eric Robinson - 80 Matthew Tkachuk - 80 15 more between 75-79, including 10 at 78+ Notes: Like Minnesota, nothing in the top 10 but good DF sprinkled throughout the lineup evenly. Vegas - 0 total 13 between 75-79 DF, including 5 at 78+ Notes: Only team without any 80+ DF. Washington - 4 total Jordan Staal - 81 Derek Stepan - 80 Auston Matthews - 80 Josh Manson - 80 10 more between 75-79, including 6 at 78+ Winnipeg - 3 total Nick Paul - 81 Elias Lindholm - 81 Radko Gudas - 80 12 more between 75-79, including 6 at 78+ So there you have it. In terms of which teams have the most, the top 5 (+1) are: Los Angeles + Minnesota = 7 each Nashville = 6 Anaheim + Philadelphia + Montreal = 5 each ___________________________ Elmer Ferguson Dynasty Year I Article 10/5 "Future buyout fund" bonus - $1,250,000 / $10,000,000
Vancouver Canucks	State of the Canucks Heading into Preseason	Canucks-Kyle	2023-09-15 15:38:39	35	With preseason about to begin, the Vancouver Canucks still aren’t satisfied with their roster after a busy, busy summer. The Canucks have traded a 3rd and 4th round pick, Niklas Jensen and Luke Glendening to the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for Jonas Siegenthaler. “We paid a price but we were able to use picks we have collected over time and really we like what Siegenthaler brings with his ratings and of course the contract helps for the next 4 years. He is a high end shutdown defenseman which we expect to increase further next year. We also believe there will be some further growth in his game offensively (Top line in NJ with Hamilton, plus Severson and Graves weren’t resigned)” said GM Allen. From a trade perspective, here is what the Canucks did over the summer: In: Devon Toews, Mats Zuccarello, Jonas Siegenthaler, Seamus Casey, SJ 1 (24), VAN 2 (24), DET 2 (24), ANA 4 (25) Out: Roman Josi, Gabriel Landeskog, Jared McCann, Morgan Reilly, Radko Gudas, Robin Lehner, Kyle Okposo, Niklas Jensen, Luke Glendening, VAN 3 (24), WPG 3 (24) (from Gudas deal), COL 4 (24) (Campbell deal), VAN 4 (24). The Canucks also signed the following players: Stefan Noesen (LW/RW), Sean Kuraly (C), Sam Ganger (LW/RW), Joel Armia (LW/RW), Tomas Nosek (C), Ian Cole (D), Nick Holden (D), Matt Murray (G), Eric Pohlkamp (D), Sam Malinksi (D), Pierreck Dube (RW), Vadim Moroz (RW), The forward lines heading into training camp and preseason are: Tkachuk, Barkov, Zucarrello Svechnikov, Thomas, Pavelski, Robinson, Kuraly, Noesen Gagner, Sharangovich, Armia Yegor Sharangovich will be on the 4th line and can play all forward positions so there are 2 spots available. Those vying for jobs on the 4th line include: Tomas Nosek, Joel Armia, Sam Gagner and even Wyatt Johntson will get a look. The defensive lines look like: Heiskanen, Siegenthaler Toews, Lindgren Cole, Holden The top 5 is solidified after the deal with Siegenthaler. However, Nick Holden, Jalen Chatfield and Nikko Mikkola are battling for the 6th spot. Mikkola and Chatfield are currently waiver exempt. The goalies seem set with Hellebuyck and Ingram. However, it wouldn’t be a surprise if the Canucks looked to add depth or temporary back up to give Ingram extra time in the AHL. “We will continue to monitor the waiver wire, those still out there on the free agent list, teams placing players up for trade. We don’t stop looking to improve our team. This year is a step back compared to last years roster but we feel we are still competitive with some high end prospects on the cusp to bolster us moving forward” said GM Allen. Article #4
Minnesota Wild	What was the point?	Wild-Peter	2023-09-15 14:58:12	39	A few days ago the Minnesota Wild attempted to poach young defenseman Jake Christiansen from the Buffalo Sabres. Originally signed by the Wild in 2020 as a prospect free agent, Christiansen was shipped to Buffalo last season in the Vincent Trochek trade. Buffalo unsurprisingly matched. Why even bother with the offersheet then? In NHL Columbus last season, Christiansen was used for 24 games as injuries ravaged the team. He put up minimal points, but he did have quite a decent season in the AHL with 34 points in 50 games. At 24 years old, he's still tracking towards being a full time bottom pairing D in the NHL. Not a flashy player by any stretch, nor a household name, but a guy you can comfortably place on a lower D-pairing and maybe some 2nd unit special teams down the line. The Wild GM spoke about the situation: "Just because Christiansen isn't a 1st round pick that is making an impact by 21 it doesn't mean he's completely worthless. A lot of people think that apparently. We approached it differently. He's not waiver eligible so he's a guy that can come in and play a few games at a time and be sent down. Save some cap. At the same time, maybe he develops a bit more as he's still under 25 and getting NHL games. That was the reason I sent the offersheet. I didn't expect to get him but you never know. His contract demands were clearly quite low but he was still unsigned so maybe there was a chance Buffalo wasn't interested with some of the additions on D they made." ___________________________ Elmer Ferguson Dynasty Year I Article 9/5 "Future buyout fund" bonus - $1,000,000 / $10,000,000
Ottawa Senators	Ottawa adds depth down the middle ahead of preseason	Sens-Mike	2023-09-15 14:39:48	36	OTTAWA -- Training camp opens this week for the Ottawa Senators and the team has acquired two centers via trade that should immediately find time on the pro roster. Earlier this month, the Senators traded Elmer Soderblom, Adam Engstrom and OTT 2025 Rnd 3 to the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for Mikael Backlund, a perrenial Selke candidate who can also distribute the puck from the middle of the rink. Then on Friday, the Senators traded recently-drafted defenseman Maxim Strbak and a fifth-round pick to the Florida Panthers in exchange for William Karlsson, another center who has similar traits as Backlund. Backlund, 34, has two years left on his deal which pays him $2.25 million per season. In 73 games for Columbus last season he had 53 points (19 goals, 34 assists). In 17 playoff appearances he scored at a point-per-game pace, with four goals and 13 assists. "We needed to find depth down the middle," said GM Mike McMahon. "That said, there aren't a lot of No. 1 centers on the market, either via trade or in free agency. Mikael is one of the best defensive centers in the game, he's very good at distributing the puck and making players around him better, and we think his veteran leadership is going to add a lot to our team." Karlsson, 30, has three years left on his contract, which pays him $2.1 million per season. In 65 games for the Boston Bruins last season he had 42 points (17 goals, 25 assists). The Panthers acquired Karlsson earlier this summer in exchange for a second-round pick. "William is similar to Mikael in a lot of ways," McMahon said. "With the addition of these two players, it allows the rest of our roster to fall into place a little better." At least to start the season, McMahon said he expects Backlund to play with Taylor Hall and the newly-signed Rickard Rakell. Karlsson, he said, would likely start the year with countryman Gustav Nyquist and Alex Killorn. The move allows Anton Lundell to move down to Ottawa's third line where he'll likely center James van Riemsdyk and Rem Pitlick. Parker Kelly will start the year between Max Jones and Brendan Lemieux on the fourth line. "We'll see how it goes," McMahon said. "Part of me also likes the idea of putting a chunk of our Swedes together. I think at some point this year you will likely see Nyquist play with Backlund and Rakell, and then maybe Hall with Karlsson and Killorn. We have some options and flexibility. Even JVR and Lundell can move up if we get caught with injuries or just if the chemistry isn't working." Ottawa opens the preseason on Sunday. It's not known if Karlsson will be in uniform. The league office still needs to approve the trade. --- Bonus: $250,000
Seattle Kraken	Seeking improvement	Kraken-Scott	2023-09-15 12:56:53	41	GM Scott Davies and head coach Rich Tocchet are expecting some improvement in the Kraken's second season. The Kraken's inaugural season provided the fans with some entertaining hockey, but not a lot of wins. While the Kraken are definitely not expected to compete for a playoff spot this year, improved performance from key players is the expectation. "We're looking for some our veteran players to demonstrate more leadership this coming season, and deliver on the ice. We added Jamie Benn to help us down the middle and score some goals. Veterans like Tomas Tatar, Anthony Mantha, Nate Schmidt and Jake McCabe can do more and perform at a higher level. These veterans are great pros and demonstrate great work ethic to our young players." GM Davies said. The Kraken are pleased with their depth in goal. Number one goalie Alexandar Georgiev played very well last season, and is expected to play at a higher level in 2023-24. "Georgiev can be a top 5 goalie in the NEFHL" Tocchet said. "As a young, growing team, Alex will be busy, but we expect him to be the team's top player." Additional depth between the pipes will be brought by Dan Vladar, Magnus Hellberg, Thomas Greiss & Alex Stalock. The Kraken organization remain focused on developing their young prospects and players. Top prospects Matvei Michkov and Cutter Gauthier will continue to develop in the minors, as will Reid Schaefer, Ethan Gauthier, David Edstrom and Tom Willander. Cody Glass will likely take the 2nd line centre job this season with the big club. The Kraken are hoping that some other prospects take a real step up this season and surprise management. Will it be Jaret Anderson-Dolan? Aidan McDonough? Matt Kessel? Only time will tell, but the team is hoping to take some positive steps this coming season.
Anaheim Ducks	Ducks Loan Ivan Morozov to Spartak of the KEFHL	Ducks-Ryan	2023-09-13 23:08:40	45
Columbus Blue Jackets	Kane Settles In Columbus	Jackets-Blake	2023-09-13 11:32:34	41	The Blue Jackets are rebuilding, but that isn't stopping them from making deals that improve their team this season. This was seen in their deal with the Devils where they traded Palat for Patrick Kane. Getting a player that was seen as a franchise player like Kane was for the Devils is a rare occurence as it's not too often teams are willing to part ways with them. Over the course of his fourteen year career he played in 1182 career regular season games and put up 1178 points, while also playing in 90 playoff games getting 69(nice) points. While he never won a Stanley Cup with the Devils, he won other major individual accolades. 2022-23 Lady Byng Trophy (Most Sportsmanlike) 2022-23 Played in NEFHL All-Star 2021-22 Lady Byng Trophy (Most Sportsmanlike) 2020-21 Played in NEFHL All-Star 2019-20 Maurice "Rocket" Richard (Goals Leader) 2019-20 Played in NEFHL All-Star 2016-17 Maurice "Rocket" Richard (Goals Leader) 2016-17 NEFHL - All-Star Game MVP 2016-17 Played in NEFHL All-Star 2013-14 Played in NEFHL All-Star 2012-13 Played in NEFHL All-Star 2011-12 Played in NEFHL All-Star 2010-11 Played in NEFHL All-Star 2008-09 Played in NEFHL All-Star Kane will make a dynamic duo on the top line along with other American talent Jack Eichel. Kane will be a great mentor to Eichel as he can teahc him what it means to be a franchise player. Funny enough Kane is probably the best linemate that Eichel has had in terms of pure talent in his time with the Jackets, but they are rebuilding so likely they won't see what they can do together in the playoffs. It is also very likely that Kane doesn't last the season with the Jackets. As of right now there is reportedly 5 teams that are interested in getting Kane once they have more cap space. It will be interesting to see how the Kane situation plays out in Columbus. At least for a little bit though the Jackets faithful will see some high end talent playing together on the ice. The powerplay should be high end with Eichel, Kane and Hamilton.
Minnesota Wild	Minnesota trades 2023 team MVP for $1	Wild-Peter	2023-09-12 16:26:23	75	Dmitriy Kulikov is no longer a member of the Minnesota Wild. The 33 year old Russian veteran defenseman is moving to the Mile High City in return for $1. In addition to Kulikov, middling goaltending prospect Jared Moe is also headed to Denver. Kulikov was signed during pre-season of the 22/23 season to a 2 year $3.6m deal ($1.8m AAV) to shake up a poor defensive start. Upon his first glides on the ice he provided immediate impact. Kulikov was instrumental in keeping the Wild a top 5 defensive team all season, and provided some timely offense on the 2nd PP unit. He outplayed his ratings in a major way. His 15 goals put him 6th for all D in goal scoring last season. However, with the summer addition of Travis Dermott who has a lower salary, higher DF, and is RFA, it was becoming clearer and clearer that Kulikov was on the outside looking in. It is no secret that Kulikov was available. About a third of the league's GMs received a PM. The ask was a late round pick for a 1 year rental. Unfortunately nothing came to fruition, neither as a useable player or as a cap dump to a team looking to reach the cap floor. "We probably don't make the playoffs without Kuli last year. We want to wish him well and thank him again for a tremendous season with us." The question now is if Kulikov can repeat his performance and propel the Avalanche to a similar situation for 23/24. The other player in the deal is Jared Moe. Moe was seen as a decent goalie prospect a while ago but had a bad performance in 22-23 for University of Wisconsin in the NCAA. At 24 year old and with younger guys like Dustin Wolf, Daniil Tarasov, Sebastian Cossa signed to ELCs, Moe is too deep in the depth chart to keep a roster spot for. His fate was sealed with the positive development of more goalie prospects like Leevi Merilainen (2 NHL games experience) and the extremely under the radar despite being a 6'8" giant Hugo Ollas who has put consecutive strong seasons in the NCAA for Merrimack. Both have yet to be signed to their NEFHL entry level deals. ___________________________ Elmer Ferguson Dynasty Year I Article 8/5 "Future buyout fund" bonus - $750,000 / $10,000,000
Edmonton Oilers	Hall of Fame 2023	Oilers-Jason	2023-09-12 04:51:41	101	In the history of the NEFHL Hall of Fame, no goalie or blueliner has managed to garner enough votes for enshrinement. This year's class offers some of the best opportunities since nominations began, with Roberto Luongo, Dustin Byfuglien, Niklas Kronwall, and Dion Phaneuf on the ballot for the first time. Luongo is the first goalie nominated to top 900 games played, a two-time Jennings award winner, and hoisted the Stanley Cup with Florida in 2008. This season's forward class lacks the luster of some of the recent classes, with standouts including Martin Gaborik, Thomas Vanek, Alexander Steen, and Chris Kunitz. While Kunitz put up exactly 800 points in nearly 1,100 games, his 2,417 shots paired with 2,431 hits is perhaps the most impressive metric among this year's forward class. Other candidates returning from last year’s ballot include Rick Nash (15 votes), Brad Richards (13), Daniel Sedin (13), Chris Pronger (13), Martin Brodeur (13), and Marian Hossa (12). Fifteen additional nominees garnered enough votes to stick around another year, including fan favorite Dan Boyle. Drew Philips, former general manager of the Kings, will return as the sole Builder on the ballot. This will be the sixth round of voting for the two-time Stanley Cup winning manager. Phillips received 11 votes in 2018, 12 votes in 2019, but his vote total plummeted to 6 in 2020 and 2021, and 3 in 2022. Will he time out after his seventh try next season, or will this be his last time on the ballot? General managers may vote for as many selections as they choose, but are requested to submit a blank ballot to the Committee to demonstrate their opinion that none of the nominees are deserving of election to the Hall of Fame. All ballots must be submitted to the Hall of Fame Committee Office, in the form of a PM addressed to Oilers-Jason, no later than 11:59PM ET on Sunday, September 17, 2023. The full ballot can be found by following this link. The Hall of Fame induction ceremony is currently scheduled to take place prior to the opening of the regular season. Eligible players are those who retired following the 2019-2020 season, with a minimum of 600 games required for skaters, and a minimum of 500 games required for goalies, as well as those players who received two or more votes on last year’s ballot. Players or Builders who receive 70% of votes from voting general managers will be inducted into the NEFHL Hall of Fame. Players or builders receiving two or more votes during any selection period will remain on the ballot for the following selection period, for up to seven seasons. All are invited to visit the NEFHL Hall of Fame here.
Buffalo Sabres	The Emerging Force of Sam Bennett	Sabres-Kevin	2023-09-06 20:47:40	77	We feel Sam Bennett is going to be an absolute force … just look at what the professionals are saying https://www.nhl.com/flames/news/sam-bennett-what-scouts-say/c-724235 INTERNATIONAL SCOUTING SERVICE Possesses explosive speed with the puck and loves to attack the net. Very shifty & elusive skating ability that allows him to transition in no-time and get to open ice. RED LINE REPORT An effortless skater with exceptional quickness and speed. Skilled centreman has an absolutely relentless, and unmatched compete level. Strong on the puck. Plays on the edge with grit. Very elusive - in open ice he’s untouchable. Style compares to: A better skating Doug Gilmour https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/florida-panthers/.amp/latest-news/since-injury-to-sam-bennett-panthers-season-has-nosedived In the case of the Florida Panthers and their recent transition from a season-best seven-game points streak to a season-worst four-game losing streak, there is one clear difference. Sam Bennett “Sam Bennett is a player that we rely on now, and it's not an all-offensive game,” Maurice said Friday, the day between the Maple Leafs and Rangers games. “He's become a smart defensive player, and that's really helped Matthew (Tkachuk) in his game.” Maurice expanded on this thought a couple days later in Ottawa. “Bennett does some unusual things,” he said. “He drives that line. He adds speed to Verhaeghe, which Tkachuk needs, and he’s got the grit and bite in the game, which Verhaeghe needs.” Bennett’s improvements in his all-around play have allowed a couple of offensive-minded guys in Tkachuk and Verhaeghe more freedom to operate offensively and a heavier game to limit opportunities for the opposition. https://floridahockeynow.com/sam-bennett-the-swiss-army-knife-of-the-florida-panthers/ “Just playing bigger minutes against other teams’ top lines has just made me more aware of how defensively responsible you have to be and I think the coaching staff has done a good job of helping me transition into more of a defensive role.” “There’s the perfect hybrid because he is very fast and he grinds. You don’t see that a lot,” Maurice said. ”Usually, the speed guys are a little more slight — they’re jet fighters — and they are real good one way, not so good coming back the other way. ”It is unusual to see a man that fast who doesn’t slow down to get into a heavy area. He has kind of been that one consistent player that played his ass off right from the first shifts because that is who he is” “He is a complete player. He has a lot of elements to his game so if he wants to play a certain way, he can do it and he can adjust to different players, so it says a lot about him,” Verhaeghe said. Bennett has shouldered the brunt of the defensive responsibilities on that line for some time while Tkachuk and Verhaeghe soared to torrid offensive paces. _____ Sam Bennett with game breaking skating and the defense that can anchor a top line is an absolute force… 83PC 67SC … Josi 96PC is just going to be springing him on countless SH breakaways I waited till Bennett contract expired and I got him a new one before challenging him… A reason we traded for him was how criminally underrated his skating in the NEFHL was… those quotes on him becoming a defensive beast is just the cherry on top he’s arguably going to become the best player on my team in a couple days
Carolina Hurricanes	Canes Acquire $1!	Canes-Jeff	2023-09-06 06:03:10	60	A blockbuster trade sent ripples through the entire NEFHL on Tuesday morning. The front office announced that the team had acquired $1 from the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for veteran center Paul Stastny. Brought in at the trade deadline in the Alex Killorn deal last season, Stastny used his ratings and leadership to compile 1 goal and 1 assist in 21 regular season games and followed that up with an even less impressive 0 goals and 0 assists in their 6 game 1st round series loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins. What this all means is that the team paid the equivalent of $614634 to Stastny in exchange for 2 points and a first round exit..... $307317 per point. While this type of production will be difficult to replace going into the coming season, the team felt safe clearing up $2.4 million in cap space knowing that literally anyone can fill his skates. Columbus obviously is hoping for at least an 8 point season should he last the year in 2023/24. At the very least, he will help them get to the salary floor I guess. The Canes franchise wishes Paul well, or doesn't, I'm not really sure. It really seems like they don't care at all and are happy to not have to pay Stastny an NEFHL salary anymore. Good luck Paul, find your own way to the airport. GM Jeff McRae was later seen at a vending machine at the rink attempting to buy a can of coke for ironically $1. "Great value!" McRae was quoted as he walked away while taking a large gulp.
New York Islanders	Islanders Submit 2nd Appeal	Isles-Steve	2023-09-05 19:45:12	59	With the Appeal Clock ticking, the Islanders front office sent a long winded appeal that Jason Demers’ DF rating is too high at 79. With an OV of only 56, Demers is ineligible to play on the Pro roster unless the farm is depleted of 60+ OV blueliners. Frankly, there is simply no excuse for a player to have a 79 DF rating when his OV requires a systematic reduction due to a lack of NHL playing time. The Islanders are firm in their belief that Demers should have had a lower DF rating to reflect his total uselessness. To add to the misery, Demers did a double dip last week, signing a broadcast contract with the NHL Network. In the words of one young Islander fan, “Only a fool would sign this player who cannot play unless the D cupboard is completely out of 60+ OV defensemen.” In any case, the appeal will be heard. The NEFHL rating authority lowered Demers’ ratings (IT from 50 to 35, ST from 66 to 35, EN from 74 to 35, PA from 54 to 35, PC from 50 to 35, SC from 40 to 35, SO from 50 to 35, and both EX LD from 60 to 25. How is it fair that his DF remains at 79? Demers was a well-travelled player, having played for 14 different teams in his 12 year NEFHL career. Beginning in 2010 with the Oilers, he was traded to the Stars in 2011, then the Panthers and Red Wings in 2012 and, in a career highlight, played a full season with the Buffalo Sabres in 2013. From 2014 to 2017 Demers was a Jet all the way. Then, in a classic NEFHL sequence, Demers was traded 3 times in 2 weeks. Beginning with a trade from Winnipeg to Florida on February 3, 2018, he was quickly dealt from Florida to Buffalo on the 18th of February. After playing one game for the Sabres, he ended up in Nashville two days later on February 20th. The Demers journey didn’t stop in Nashville. He then played for the Jets again, Nashville again, followed by the Bruins, Canucks and Flyers. Interestingly, the undrafted Demers was originally signed by Buffalo in 2009.
New York Islanders	Islanders Submit Rating Appeal	Isles-Steve	2023-09-04 21:37:43	73	In an unusual turn of events, a rumor is circulating that the New York Islanders have sent in several appeals for player rating reductions that potentially could affect the results of the 2023-24 season. The annual uprate exercise seemed inappropriate for a team filled with also-rans, has-beens and never-wuzes. The first and most obvious is reportedly for Alex Galchenyuk, who was recently arrested during a traffic stop in Scottsdale Arizona. The former early first round pick is said to have threatened to kill officers and their families while screaming racial slurs. Does he really have Russian mob ties? Jenna Ortiz of the Arizona Republic provided more details from the report: "He allegedly showed signs of impairment and had a heavily slurred speech. When he was in the patrol car, he threatened to 'chop' the officers and reached under his seat before being handcuffed. He also made threats to call his connections in Moscow and have the officer's wife and daughter's kidneys cut out. Two hours after he made the threats, Galchenyuk told the officer he was making the call and then laughed and said he was 'joking.'" Now you may think this behavior calls for an uprate in DF or IT, but the Islanders front office, while publicly known for excessive inebriation, historically frowns on criminal activity, whether in Moscow or Arizona (especially Arizona). Galchenyuk’s current DF is 68 and his DI is 75. Clearly, after this activity, Galchenyuk’s DI is much higher than is actually justified. The Islanders have reportedly submitted a request for the maximum DI reduction. Stay tuned for additional Islander appeal information.
Buffalo Sabres	Sabres Add Franchise Defenseman	Sabres-Kevin	2023-09-03 15:08:05	62	Gustav Forsling is about to emerge as one of the very best two-way Defensemen in the league and he will blossom under the leadership of Roman Josi Forsling already has a proven track record logging top four minutes (26th in ice time in the nhl last season) while providing elite defense and I think he is developing an elite point shot to go along with his phenomenal two-way game. You look at the club I’m building… our centers should be able to dominate in the slot, our wingers are built to crash and bang… we have speed and pizzazz … now you begin adding elite point shots … our forwards should thrive in the chaos The clubs ready to rock n roll We have a deep farm and the pro is looking absolutely dominant… clock in 1.0 under the cap ___ THN YearBook also has a feature story on Jacob Markstrom becoming a dad and having a rebound season… he went 8-6-0 after his sons birth highlighted by a 40 save shutout March 7th… article had me optimistic he about to rebound.. currently 82… should be 82-84 by seasons end ___ Robertson PP1+PK2 - Malkin PP1 - Greenway PK1 Cotter PP2 - Eriksson EK PP2 + PK2 - Duclair PP2 Gaudreau - Bennett PK1 - Burakovsky PP1 Howden - Kotkaniemi - Eyssimont Josi PP1 + PK1 - Sanheim PP2 + PK2 Hague PP2 - Forsling PP1 + PK1 Bear PK2 - Berni Josi - Forsling Markstrom Ned Projecting a 28% Power Play Per 82 (24) Robertson: 55G 110Pt (38) Malkin: 30G 95Pts (26) Eriksson EK: 35G 70Pts (150Hits) (28) Duclair: 30G 70Pts (28) Burakovsky: 30G 70Pts (27) Bennett: 25G 45Pts (150Hits) (26) Greenway: 15G 40Pts (300Hits) (24) Cotter: 15G 40Pts (300Hits) (23) Kotkaniemi: 15G 35Pts (30) Gaudreau: 15G 35Pts (25) Howden: 10G 20Pts (27) Eyssimont: 10G 20Pts (33) Josi: 30G 90Pts (27) Forsling: 20G 60Pts (27) Sanheim: 15G 45Pts (25) Hague: 10G 35Pts (26) Bear: 5G 25Pts (23) Berni: 1G 20Pts Josi 79SP 82SK 84PA 96PC 93SC Forsling 78SP 76SK 60PA 73PC 64SC (Trends towards 80PC/SC by seasons end) Kotkaniemi is an emerging 2C in real life off a 43 point season (36 in his last 44) 4C on the Sabres Crazy Depth
Columbus Blue Jackets	Jackets Rebuild Begins	Jackets-Blake	2023-09-01 20:05:31	52	It's been over 2 years since the Blue Jackets traded franchise winger Nikita Kucherov and star center Elias Lindholm for a new franchise piece in Jack Eichel. Eichel was several years younger than both players and while coming off some major injuries, the Jackets figured he would bounce back to superstar form. These past few seasons have shown that he has rebounded both in the NHL and NEFHL. That trade was supposed to kick off a rebuild for the Jackets, but these past 2 seasons the Jackets continued to defy expectations and kept winning. Coming within 2 games of their first conference championship with Eichel out for all but the last game of their run. Ths upcoming season however it truly appears that the Jackets will be planning to rebuild their team around Eichel for the next few seasons. The trades that have been done in the last few 9 days have given the Jackets a real boost in the futures department. These trades have been.... Winnipeg Jets trade Devon Levi, Ondrej Palat and Tom Wilson to Columbus Blue Jackets for Nicholas Paul and Ryan Hartman - taking on some cap but a potential franchise tendy in Devon Levi, goalies are voo-doo but Levi has that high potential to lead a future Jackets team to glory Columbus Blue Jackets trade Mackenzie Weegar to Toronto Maple Leafs for Ilya Lyubushkin and Ross Colton - Trading a pending ufa d-man for another one and potential boom canididate in Ross Colton. Signed for next 2 seasons and still an rfa, has some risk as well but Colton is still a solid forward if he doesn't have an uptick in production Columbus Blue Jackets trade Tom Wilson to Toronto Maple Leafs for Andreas Athanasiou and CBJ 2024 Rnd 2 - getting their 2nd back along with another potential boom player in Athanasiou. A solid potential ufa loyalty resign. Has speed and can play any position so a very useful player for the pending ufa Tom Wilson. Columbus Blue Jackets trade Dylan Strome to Dallas Stars for DAL 2024 Rnd 1, DAL 2024 Rnd 3 and DAL 2024 Rnd 4 - Strome was greta for the Jackets, but a 1st with 2 other draft selections was hard to pass up for him. An rfa at years end, the Jackets took advantage of his useful low cap for other teams. Columbus Blue Jackets trade Gustav Forsling and DAL 2024 Rnd 3 to Buffalo Sabres for Cam Fowler and BUF 2024 Rnd 1 - Forsling was great for the Jackets as well and led their blueline when Hamilton was injured, but getting a 1st and a better rated d-man was hard to pass up. Had to give a 3rd up but that is a small price to pay. Columbus Blue Jackets trade Mikael Backlund to Ottawa Senators for Elmer Soderblom, Adam Engstrom and OTT 2025 Rnd 3 - This trade could blow up, but Soderblom's size and skill is an interesting player to get. Engstrom had a great D+1 year in the SHL, showing off his speed and hockey IQ(future Forsling replacement?) and getting 16 points in 43 games. Was used in all situations. One of the high risers from the 2022 draft. While the Jackets still have work to do, getting a few extra 1sts, potential #1 goalie, and some interesting younger players is a good way to start the rebuild. The Jackets believe they got a good couple fo stars to build around in Eichel and Hamilton, with other pieces such as Samuelsson, Schneider and Valimaki being good young players as well. The Jackets hope this approach will lead to more consistent success rather than being constant underdogs.
Ottawa Senators	Ottawa acquires James van Riemsdyk	Sens-Mike	2023-09-01 12:38:34	38	The Ottawa Senators have acquired winger James van Riemsdyk in exchange for a fourth-round pick, GM Mike McMahon announced earlier this week. Van Riemsdyk, 34, is set to make $3.03 million this upcoming season and he will be a free agent next summer. Last season van Riemsdyk appeared in 73 games for the San Jose Sharks and Washington Capitals and he totaled 44 points (19 goals, 25 assists). "We wanted to add veteran forwards to our group and James fits what we were looking for in that regard," McMahon said. "He can provide us with some scoring and he can also be a leader for us. Defensively his game is good. We don't have a lot of size and strength up front and James gives us some of that to our game. "Off the top, I think you'll see him play alongside Anton Lundell and Alex Killorn, which gives Anton a pair of veteran forwards to learn from as he develops his game." If van Riemsdyk continues to provide offense, he could be a potential loyalty candidate for the Senators next season. Right now, the Sens have van Riemsdyk, Killorn, Austin Watson, Erik Gudbranson, and Marc-Andre Fleury as pending unrestricted free agents. "We'll figure that out next summer," McMahon said. "But to answer the question, yes, there is the potential for that to happen. There's also potential for that to happen with Alex, Marc-Andre, or Erik. We'll have to see how this season goes." The Senators have revamped their forward group this summer, adding van Riemsdyk, Killorn, and Rickard Rakell.
Minnesota Wild	Minnesota dips its toes into Free Agency	Wild-Peter	2023-08-29 15:26:31	52	The team has landed veteran goaltender Semyon Varlamov in free agency. The 35 year old will earn $1,850,101 for up to 4 seasons with the Wild. While it is not expected for Varlamov to complete the entirety of the contract with the Wild, the buyout cost would be very manageable in a couple years or so. Perhaps a rebuilding team down the line takes his contract for the cap hit. Coming in at a respectable 73 ov for a backup, he will sit back for the first time in his career as Carter Hart takes a majority of the starts. During his lengthy career as a starter, Varlamov has won the William M. Jennings Trophy (Lowest goals-against) in 2015-2016 while also being an all-star that season. A few years earlier in 2012-2013, he won the top prize for a goalie earning the Vezina Trophy (Goaltender of the Year) and earning his first all-star game spot. He also participated in the young-stars game in 2011-2012. Father time seems to have caught up. For the first time in 10 seasons, Varlamov will not be averaging 60 NEFHL starts. The leadership that Varlamov (85 EX/LD) will provide will be two-fold. He will support Hart as backup but will also be a mentor for third string goalie Daniil Tarasov (66 ov). Up until yesterday, Tarasov was slated to be the rookie backup to Hart. The GM had this to say about the signing: "We were comfortable with using Tarasov as the backup and just waiting for the backup market to play out during the year. There's always a couple good backups that end up on waivers every year. We decided to put in a low end bid for Varlamov, and surprisingly he accepted. I did not expect to get him under 2mil based on his contract history however we are pleasantly surprised and obviously quite happy with this signing. Varlamov is the perfect backup for us right now. He has 705 games of regular season experience and another 73 in the playoffs." The Wild were recently connected to another veteran backup in Craig Anderson (73 ov). No surprise the rebuilding Bruins were interested in letting Anderson go and giving him a final crack at it on a better team before his retirement. The Wild prepared a couple of offers, with sources speculating one included a couple of b-level prospects with cash and another included a couple of depth pro roster players. An agreement couldn't be reached. The Bruins are fresh from making a splash in free agency by signing Max Pacioretty (81 ov) to an $8 million one year deal. The addition of Varlamov to the roster means some players are about to get cut to slim the roster and payroll. The team currently has 14 F and 8 D on the pro roster. After doing a round of calls, GM Peter has an idea of what is going to happen with those players but of course nothing is set in stone yet. "It's pretty open. Have a couple of 'wait and see' deals in place but nothing until a few more names drop from free agency." ___________________________ Elmer Ferguson Dynasty Year I Article 7/5 "Future buyout fund" bonus - $500,000 / $10,000,000
Boston Bruins	Parity Eh	Bruins-Chris	2023-08-29 02:54:19	72	You know who loves parity? Gary Bettman and JD. That's really not a good thing. So here we go, the Bruins inked MaxPac to a 1 yr $8m dollar contract. Why? Bettmans protege wants parity. You know what parity means? It means the Bruins rebuild will last 5 years instead of 2.5. So realistically not picking in the top 10 every year just drags the rebuild out instead of winning meaningful games. Cant trade any ufas i sign either cause I have to pay their salary the entire season if i do. Great. So just basically need to sign a shit contract to meet the cap floor and ride another season out finishing just outside the playoffs. Never seen a league so hell bent on making rebuilding teams wither away in limbo. But hey parity. Its a damn shame that the best rated ufas will spend the season on shit teams while competing teams have no chance to sign em. Systems broken imo. Rebuilding teams should be able to use ufa to accelerate the rebuild instead of wasting cap space all for the sake of parity. Being as bad as you can possibly be helps teams like the Bruins get better faster and that's competitive. The sooner i can turn this turd pile around and make the Slugs my bitch again, the better. Who doesn't miss those epic teabag sessions with kevin. Suprise motherfucker. Remember that?? RoR signs in ragtown to drink bears and chase puss instead of going to Washington to win a cup. Who wins?
Ottawa Senators	Senators sign Marc-Andre Fleury	Sens-Mike	2023-08-28 16:09:44	56	The Ottawa Senators announced today that the club has agreed to terms with veteran goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury. The Senators and Fleury have agreed on a 1-year contract that will pay the future Hall of Famer $4.5 million. Fleury is coming off a two-year deal with Tampa. Last season he appeared in 63 games and posted a 2.62 GAA and .898 save percentage. Overall, Fleury has appeared in 1,074 NEFHL games since 2005 and has a career 2.86 GAA and .896 save percentage. Fleury also has 84 playoff games with a 2.73 GAA and .906 save percentage. He was name an NEFHL All-Star last season. Fleury's NEFHL career began in the dispersal draft when he was selected by the New York Islanders in the second round. "Marc-Andre adds a lot to our team," said Ottawa GM Mike McMahon. "Obviously we needed a goaltender to and this solidifies that part of our roster. Marc-Andre and Eric Comrie are a solid No. 1 and No. 2 and we have good depth with Collin Delia in the mix there as well. "Moreover, Marc-Andre is one of the most experienced goaltenders in our league. He has tremendous leadership skills and that will be important for a group that is still very young. We have a lot of younger players on our roster now, and the potential for more to come up during the season, so having someone like Marc-Andre on the roster will be a positive thing for us." Fleury is from Sorel, Que., and this will be the closest he has played to his homedown in his career. Fleury previously played for Toronto, Pittsburgh, Vancouver, St. Louis, and Tampa.
Carolina Hurricanes	Canes Draft History	Canes-Jeff	2023-08-27 15:19:32	73	The Carolina Hurricanes have compiled a list of every draft pick in their team history and totaled their Canes production as well as their total NEFHL production: Skaters: Year Round Pick Player Canes GP G A P NEFHL GP G A P 2006 1 19 Ivan Vishnevskiy 4 0 0 0 2006 5 139 Jesse Dudas 2006 6 169 TJ Miller 8 0 0 0 10 0 0 0 2006 7 199 Stefan Chaput 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 2006 8 229 Chris Frank 2007 1 7 Sam Gagner 59 12 23 35 899 171 284 455 2007 2 54 Yannick Weber 126 5 15 20 283 17 35 52 2007 2 57 Spencer Machacek 13 1 2 3 13 1 2 3 2007 3 62 Radim Ostrcil 2007 3 72 Justin McCrae 2007 3 89 Mitch Fadden 2007 5 150 Cody Almond 7 0 0 0 2007 6 162 Brett Sonne 2007 7 209 Scott Brannon 2007 8 212 Corey Cowick 2007 8 220 Michael Ward 2008 1 1 Steven Stamkos 982 491 473 964 982 491 473 964 2008 2 32 Colton Teubert 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 2008 2 44 Mitch Wahl 2008 2 48 Justin Schultz 164 15 58 73 642 59 208 267 2008 2 55 Geordie Wudrick 2008 3 62 Daultan Leveille 2008 3 78 James Livingston 2008 4 92 Ilmari Pitkanen 2008 5 122 Teemu Hartikainen 19 1 1 2 19 1 1 2 2008 7 182 Toni Ritter 2008 7 198 Jack Connolly 2009 1 1 John Tavares 944 373 557 930 944 373 557 930 2009 2 31 Toni Rajala 2009 2 53 Cody Eakin 481 70 79 149 736 96 101 197 2009 3 61 Ryan Howse 2009 3 71 Jerry D'Amigo 12 1 1 2 2009 4 91 Mattias Lindstrom 2009 5 121 Dan DeLisle 2009 5 130 David Savard 666 62 238 300 666 62 238 300 2009 6 151 Philip Varone 263 18 33 51 2009 7 194 Nico Manelius 2010 1 27 Tyler Pitlick 330 40 62 102 430 51 72 123 2010 2 57 Victor Ohman 2010 4 117 Kendall Mcfaull 2010 6 177 Michael Parks 2010 7 209 Sergei Barbashev 2010 8 237 Grayson Downing 2011 1 29 Victor Rask 335 32 61 93 496 49 87 136 2011 2 52 Adam Clendening 25 0 7 7 25 0 7 7 2011 2 59 Xavier Ouellet 22 0 6 6 64 1 12 13 2011 4 115 Patrick Koudys 2011 4 116 Zachary Yuen 2011 5 149 David Broll 2011 6 179 Patrick Noren 2011 7 200 Tom Nilsson 2011 7 201 Harrsion Ruopp 2011 7 209 Heikki Liedes 2011 8 239 Jonatan Nielsen 2012 1 13 Jacob Trouba 676 71 259 330 676 71 259 330 2012 2 43 Martin Frk 34 4 4 8 2012 5 133 Brandon Magee 2012 6 153 Niklas Tikkinen 2012 6 163 Matthew Lane 2012 6 170 Marcus Mcivor 2012 7 193 Cain Franson 2012 8 223 Lukas Balmelli 2012 8 239 Connor Honey 2014 1 26 Jakub Vrana 297 90 130 220 297 90 130 220 2014 2 60 Dylan Sadowy 2014 4 120 Michael Amadio 53 4 5 9 123 8 15 23 2014 5 141 Arron Irving 2014 5 150 Dmitri Sergeyev 2014 6 166 Miska Siikonen 2014 8 225 Josh Thrower 2014 8 240 Dylan Malmquist 2015 1 10 Lawson Crouse 319 95 104 199 319 95 104 199 2015 3 70 Jordan Greenway 240 34 61 95 2015 5 130 Vili Saarijarvi 1 0 0 0 2015 5 132 Nicholas Boka 2015 6 155 Sami Niku 25 1 6 7 25 1 6 7 2015 6 161 Jonne Tammela 2016 1 22 Dante Fabbro 20 5 7 12 20 5 7 12 2016 3 77 Ty Ronning 13 0 1 1 2016 6 151 Garrett Pilon 2016 6 162 Adam Smith 2016 6 169 Josh Anderson 2016 6 176 Jeffrey De Wit 2017 1 27 Kole Lind 19 1 3 4 19 1 3 4 2017 2 47 Morgan Geekie 19 0 1 1 19 0 1 1 2017 2 60 Jake Leschyshyn 20 0 3 3 20 0 3 3 2017 4 100 Luke Martin 2017 5 137 Patrick Khodorenko 2017 5 139 Michael Karow 2017 5 149 Sebastian Walfridsson 2017 6 154 Scott Walford 2017 6 164 Brady Lyle 2017 6 167 Matthew Kellenberger 2017 6 178 Andrei Grishakov 2017 6 179 Jakub Sirota 2018 1 21 Rasmus Kupari 19 1 2 3 19 1 2 3 2018 2 42 Jonny Tychonick 2018 2 57 Jacob Bernard-Docker 20 0 3 3 20 0 3 3 2018 6 161 Lenni Killinen 2018 6 178 Mathias Pettersen 2018 6 181 Simon Johansson 2019 1 27 Ville Heinola 2019 2 51 Nolan Foote 7 1 0 1 15 1 0 1 2019 5 129 Trevor Janicke 2019 6 166 Luke Toporowski 2019 6 171 Massimo Rizzo 2019 6 181 Roman Bychkov 2020 1 17 Connor Zary 2020 1 24 Brendan Brisson 2020 2 51 Jeremie Poirier 2020 5 145 Alexander Nikishin 2020 5 147 Joonas Oden 2020 6 169 Christoffer Sedoff 2020 6 178 Viktor Persson 2021 1 21 Isak Rosen 2021 2 55 Evan Nause 2021 3 86 Kirill Kirsanov 2021 4 122 Manix Landry 2021 5 153 Daniil Lazutin 2021 6 157 Eetu Liukas 2021 6 168 Ilya Safonov 2021 6 184 Verner Miettinen 2021 7 196 Viljami Marjala 2022 1 13 Conor Geekie 2022 3 71 Mats Lindgren 2022 3 87 Alexander Suzdalev 2022 4 109 Brandon Lisowsky 2022 5 141 George Fegaras 2023 5 152 Mazden Leslie Skaters Totals: Canes GP G A P GP G A P Totals 5670 1371 2105 3476 8357 1702 2710 4412 129 Total Picks 17 1st Round 4000 1211 1681 2892 5105 1398 1978 3376 20 2nd Round 898 92 174 266 1872 179 376 555 12 3rd Round 0 0 0 0 265 35 63 98 9 4th Round 53 4 5 9 123 8 15 23 20 5th Round 685 63 239 302 693 63 239 302 31 6th Round 33 1 6 7 298 19 39 58 11 7th Round 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 9 8th Round 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Goalies: Year Round Pick Player Canes GP W Min GAA GA SA Save% NEFHL GP W Min GAA GA SA Save% 2007 6 173 Josh Unice 2008 2 36 Thomas McCollum 2 0 17 0 0 2 1.000 2008 3 61 Dustin Tokarski 23 6 984 2.93 48 420 0.886 105 27 4338 3.55 257 1990 0.871 2011 3 89 Michael Morrison 3 1 80 3.00 4 30 0.867 2011 4 119 Matt Mahalak 2012 5 125 Chris Driedger 127 53 6340 3.26 344 2996 0.885 2014 6 180 Thomas Perry 2014 8 220 Vitek Vanecek 125 53 6773 2.76 312 3008 0.896 125 53 6773 2.76 312 3008 0.896 2015 4 100 Adin Hill 33 15 1404 2.18 51 594 0.914 33 15 1404 2.18 51 594 0.914 2015 6 160 Adam Huska 2 0 53 4.53 4 31 0.871 2 0 53 4.53 4 31 0.871 2018 6 186 Ivan Prosvetov 2019 5 132 Ilya Konovalov 2019 7 200 David Tendeck 2020 5 138 Calle Clang 2021 6 164 Thomas Milic 2022 7 205 Mason Beaupit Goalie Totals: Canes GP W Min GAA GA SA Save% NEFHL GP W Min GAA GA SA Save% Totals 183 74 9214 2.70 415 4053 0.898 397 149 19005 3.07 972 8651 0.888 16 Total Picks 0 1st Round 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 2nd Round 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 17 0.00 0 2 1.000 2 3rd Round 23 6 984 2.93 48 420 0.886 108 28 4418 261 2020 0.871 2 4th Round 33 15 1404 2.18 51 594 0.914 33 15 1404 51 594 0.914 3 5th Round 127 53 6340 344 2996 0.885 5 6th Round 2 0 53 4.53 4 31 0.871 2 0 53 4 31 0.871 2 7th Round 1 8th Round 125 53 6773 2.76 312 3008 0.896 125 53 6773 312 3008 0.896
Philadelphia Flyers	Week 2 UFA Results	Flyers-Jamie	2023-08-23 13:24:13	166	For this article, I've copied and pasted my 'Week 1 Results' with fresh writeup below that for every team's 'Week 2 results'. TEAM PRO $$$ UFA WRITEUP Ottawa 25.2 With nearly $20 million to spend, Ottawa will certainly be looking at some of the better UFAs. Ullmark at 30 is a good guess for a big 1 year deal. Week 1 Results: Nothing signed. Will need to up their offers in week 2 if hope to use that cap space effectively. Week 2 results: Sens were able to bring in both Killorn and Rakell - two of the better forwards in free agency. They overpaid on both, making Killorn 1 year and potential loyalty and Rakell, 30, for 4 years, hoping for his ratings to increase over the contract and be a trade chip later. Vegas 26.8 Pretty good team with lots of cap space. If they can land one of the big 3 goalie UFAs and a few forwards they'll be looking pretty competitive in the West. (and now just added Makar!) Adding someone like MaxPac might be a huge move. Week 1 Results: Went for the lesser option in Binnington, but only costs $3.1 million for next two years. Not bad! Still lots of space to keep on adding with the safe goalie add. Week 2 results: Vegas wins out on Ullmark, and didn't even have to go too crazy high. Under $7 million for 2 years isn't bad for the star of free agency. He certainly sets them up in net and they had cap room. Great add. Nashville 30.3 Preds have good goaltending, decent defense, and good depth forwards. If they could land a few top six forwards for under $10 million they've set themselves up quite well. Week 1 Results: Signed Lowry at $2.4 million for next 4 seasons. Not a great deal for shutdown center, but they have space and he's not a scrub. Week 2 results: Steady for week 2 - not sure if Preds are eying a playoff spot or a tank pick at this time. NYR 30.3 Rangers need everything and aren't near being in the playoffs, so will likely focus on adding a couple potential long term stars. John Carlson might be a good fit here. Week 1 Results: 4 signings including 4 year deals to Jaden Schwartz and Joel Edmundson which should help set them up well long term. Week 1 winners! Week 2 results: Added Brossoit and Brendan Smith - not the most exciting adds, but building up their roster. St. Louis 30.7 Another team likely looking at longer term assets. Might be in on Ullmark. A dman like Parayko could be of interest. Certainly in position to add someone with value. Week 1 Results: Shutout of week 1. Has to be disappointing. Week 2 results: Nothing again. May as well grab an asset or two for free in their situation... NYI 31.4 NYI is future focused and are to be led by Bedard. They are likely to overpay on someone to meet the floor and ensure they are still a bottom feeder. 1 year $9 million on Ullmark isn't a bad move for a rebuilder. Week 1 Results: Shutout in week 1 - will look to make an add or two in week 2. Week 2 results: The Islanders go for the talented dman, John Carlson, and bring him in for just over $7 million per season. He'll help them meet the floor this season and make an excellent loyalty next off-season. Seattle 31.5 Building on up, Kraken will be looking to the future. Younger players to longer term potential discounts or overpay 1 year and then loyalty for long term. Options a plenty. Week 1 Results: Benn was brought in as new star center. He's overpaid, but that doesn't matter right now. They added couple other depth players too. Week 2 results: Added a couple depth guys. Nothing too exciting here. Boston 32.6 Bruins have a solid forward group, led by Scheifele and Nelson. Add someone like MAF, a top 4 dman or 2, and this is likely a playoff team. Week 1 Results: Nothing week 1. Going to need to put little more money down if want to bring in someone of use in week 2. Week 2 results: Shutout again. I feel like the Bruins should have made some adds already. Edmonton 33.5 Oilers are a well rounded team, but could really use a top line center to center the lineup… Ryan O'Reilly would be a great pickup. Week 1 Results: Oilers add Marchessault for 4 years at $4million per which improves their offense this season in a big way. He'll play an important role for the team and is reasonably priced, at least for now. They also added defensive dman Tanev to help round out the dman on a pretty reasonable term. Week 2 results: Nothing in round 2 after their nice offensive star in round 1. Montreal 33.6 Canadiens have quite a few bright spots in their lineup and don't need a homerun in UFA, but with $10 million to spend if they need, they could round out the roster nicely and be a playoff team. Week 1 Results: Nothing in week 1 - we'll see if can do any adding week 2. Likely to stick close to their initial bids. Week 2 results: Nothing in week 2. Sometimes you gotta spend! Columbus 34 Blue Jackets have stated retool season, but looking at the roster, adding one of the top 3 goalies and these BJs are a contender again this season. Week 1 Results: Nothing in week 1. Andersen and MAF both up for grabs still. Week 2 results: Bogosian was brought in for under a million per year - nice depth add. Anaheim 35.3 Ducks are loaded with talent up front. If they can nab a starting goalie plus a few dmen they are looking pretty solid for the coming season. Week 1 Results: Landed a #1 goalie in Talbot for a cheap $3.2 and depth dman Jan Rutta for $755k, so wins all around for the Ducks. Week 2 results: No signings, but did add Reilly Smith for a 2nd and 3rd through trade. Tampa 35.3 The blueline is weak, but the rest of the lineup is solid. I could see Doughty being a main target for the Lightning. Week 1 Results: Brought back Nick Leddy on a pretty reasonable deal. Not a homerun, but a good contract. Week 2 results: Brought in depth player Matthew Highmore for cheap. Cheap deals are always good. LA 36.1 Good team, lots of cap space. 100% need a goalie. Andersen or MAF are good LA bets. Week 1 Results: Signed Spurgeon for 3 years at $2.85 which ain't bad. Without a goalie, they won't be a contender this season though. Week 2 results: Added a backup goalie in Grubauer, then also added Connor Murphy for the blueline, and Blake Coleman. Coleman was a good price and will be a good fit. I do feel like they targetted the wrong goalie here though. Philly 36.2 Even after selling some stars this off-season, the Flyers are still setup with good depth. They could really use a top six winger or two. Anders Lee perhaps? Bring back former Flyers Foligno, Wheeler, or Marchessault? Week 1 Results: Anders Lee joins the Flyers with a 3 year, $4.5 million deal. Lee will be a good fit to the Flyers wings, even if the deal is likely 1 year too long, given his age. Week 2 results: Grabbed depth forward Patrick Brown for $550k - nothing to make an article about. Winnipeg 36.3 Jets have a good group of forwards. They need a starting goalie and a couple decent dmen and they could be a playoff team. Andersen could be a good bet. Maybe Doughty or Orlov? Week 1 Results: Nabbing Reimer for 1 season at $2.7 is one of the better signings of the round. Good fit and good price. Week 2 results: Dillon at $2million for 4 years is a pretty good add. He wasn't going to go cheaper than that - smart signings so far from the Jets. Calgary 39.8 The defending champs have a few million to play with and I'm going to guess will just try to fill in the roster to support the existing core. Allen isn't a top goalie, but I don't think I see the Flames being able to reel in one of the top 3 goalies given their cap situation. Week 1 Results: Not a shocker that did not make a week 1 signing. Week 2 results: Flames be flaming. Toronto 41.5 Set to be a contender in the East this season. They could use a little more firepower on the wings, but with the limited budget, they might roll with what they have and see what they can pickup later in the season with some cap saved. Week 1 Results: No signings is not a bad thing in Toronto. Week 2 results: Leafs laugh at all the putrid signings! Pittsburgh 41.6 Pens will likely look to nab a middle six forward to round out the roster. They don't need a big name. Week 1 Results: Still shopping I'm sure. Week 2 results: Nothing yet. Minny 41.6 A well balanced team that won't be looking for much in UFA. A backup to Hart on the cheap would be my guess. Week 1 Results: Will they find a cheap backup or just roll with as is? Nice to get the Tkachuk signing done though! Week 2 results: It ain't easy being a good team in UFA! SJ 41.7 Sharks are looking well rounded this season. They don't have a lot of cap space, but getting a middle 6 RW on the cheap is probably the goal. Week 1 Results: They added dman Demelo for under $1million which is one of the better deals from week 1, so good job here. Week 2 results: Already ready? NJ 42 A talented team missing a starting goalie. I'm sure Andersen and MAF are being eyed up, but might need to cut elsewhere to make the room. Week 1 Results: Curious to see what the Devils get up to in week 2! Week 2 results: I'd like to see the Devils nab someone! Arizona 42.1 A contending team again this season - they'll likely eye up some depth vets on the cheap end. Week 1 Results: Signed Sedlak, with 81DF, for $785k for 2 seasons - mission accomplished for Yotes! Week 2 results: Added a couple young guys for cheap. They have some roster space, may as well give it a go and see what happens. Washington 42.2 Need to grab a depth winger or two, but won't be big shoppers. Week 1 Results: Added a couple vets for under a million each. Not bad signings. Week 2 results: Adding Jordan Staal for $2.5 million give some grit and leadership down the middle. A smart pickup for the Caps. Detroit 42.2 Nab a top six center and they'd be looking pretty good. Pretty tight to the cap though so might be best to sit and wait. Week 1 Results: Not a lot of cap space so sitting still is better than overpaying. Week 2 results: Surprised we haven't seen some odd $$$ amount signing from the Wings. Dallas 42.5 Dallas could use bit of depth, but won't be big name hunting. Week 1 Results: Stayed steady in week 1. Week 2 results: Leon don't need help! Buffalo 42.9 Could see the Sabres add some big guy for cheap, claim for 6 months they are a superstar, than waive them. Week 1 Results: They signed 2 fast guys, not big guys. SMASH era officially over and SPLAT era initiated. We'll see the names of these 2 players 100+ times over the next 6 months and Kev telling us how genius is for signing them. Likely to be traded with some draft picks for some other scrubs next offseason. Week 2 results: Signed Gaudreau for $1.65 and Topochenko from unsigned. Both decent signings. With Gaudreau, the Sabres might have a chance of making the playoffs and losing first round this year, versus their usual 9-12 final standing. That chance will likely be squandered by poor line management though. They are also likely to end in the negative for money and finally force the league to get some competent management in Buffalo for next season. The fans are desparate for something. Chicago 43.5 Making some cap space by moving Makar, but likely saving that space for mid season adds. Week 1 Results: Sitting happy. Week 2 results: A couple adds this week, adding a depth dman and fighter Ryan Reaves for $780k which is a pretty good price to help goon it up. Carolina 44.6 Blown their cap load. Week 1 Results: Added Sissons to a 4 year deal for under a million to add to their depth. Nice signing. Week 2 results: Added Lucchini - never heard of him myself. Colorado 45 Doing their best to be compliant. Week 1 Results: Did their best to not sign anyone. Week 2 results: Whistling away. Vancouver 45.4 Some trimming has happened. More needed? Week 1 Results: Not expecting much UFA action here. Week 2 results: Added Ian Cole, Sean Kuraly and Joel Armia, all for great deals. Canucks really crushed this round of UFA and didn't really expect them to be playing. I'm assuming a few lowball offers hoping would nab someone and got 3 good ones! Florida 46.2 Bratt jamming that cap! Who's out? Week 1 Results: Florida, as usual, is not in the best cap situation. Week 2 results: Panthers need to shed, not add right now. Week 2 winners: 1) Vancouver 2) Vegas 3) NYI HM: Kings, Sabres Will be interesting to see how week 3 goes. From my recollection, week 3 is where the 'too much demand' ramps up and overpays begin. I don't think we'll see too many adds in the next round, and overpays for those that do sign, but only time will tell!
Buffalo Sabres	Crushed Free Agency	Sabres-Kevin	2023-08-23 11:45:52	77	Going into free agency I wanted a little more pizzazz on the wings… I think we have done just that by adding Andre Burakovsky for Washington 1st and Fredrick Gaudreau UFA to the Pro Roster The Sabres have also added multiple prospects to the fold over the last few weeks Last season in the AHL Richard: 60-30-37-67 Durandeau: 68-24-31-55 Murray: 71-23-26-49 Heponiemi 61-12-31-43 Topchenko 47-15-14-29 And Topchenko stats and play look right along with 2019 late first round picks (Mcmichal, Suzuki, Tracy, Beecher) while the other four look to have NHL upside as late bloomers and all have nhl games on the resume The Sabres have one of the most dangerous clubs in the league Robertson PP1 + PK2 - Malkin PP1 - Greenway PK1 Cotter PP2 - Eriksson EK PP2 + PK2 - Duclair PP2 Gaudreau - Bennett PK1 - Burakovsky PP1 Howden - Kotkaniemi - Eyessimont Josi PP1 + PK1 - Sanheim PP2 - PK2 Hague PP2 - Fowler PP1 + PK1 Bear PK2 - Berni Josi - Fowler Markstrom Ned Three 80+ PC centers… 13 other clubs have one Jason Robertson is off a 50G 109Pts 313sog NHL season… He’s about to become the best player in the East Greenway and Cotter combine for 40G and 600Hits in my top six as they have talent to prop them up Josi is an absolute hockey GOD … every time he touches the ice he will have weapons everywhere Markstrom 82ovr from the beginning of the season An absolute booming system of callup options. Our three rerate challenge targets Bennett: SP + DF NHL Cup Winning Hague: SP+SK+DF Gaudreau: DF I think those challenges if successful will really solidify the roster… like Nic Hague with some improvement becomes part of phenomenal shutdown pair with Fowler… Bennett with some game breaking speed gives that third line another dimension Kotkaniemi last 40 was pretty awesome… if he does that over the entire season now… a pretty sweet two-way force will emerge from the 4th line by seasons end … Howden played with Stephenson and Stone on the cup winning Knights, over the entire season we could see another player emerge with Kotkaniemi… and Eyessimont found a home in Tampa Bay signing an extension with them… with Josi-Fowler as the pair… this line could be dominant as the season progresses. Strength without Finesse is mere Mass
Ottawa Senators	Senators sign two free-agent forwards	Sens-Mike	2023-08-22 20:23:10	62	The Ottawa Senators announced today that the club has agreed to terms with forwards Alex Killorn and Rickard Rakell. Rakell, a 30-year-old forward, signed a four-year deal worth $3.85 million per season. Killorn, 34, signed for the same amount on a one-year deal. "We had several holes in our top-six forward rotation and these moves help plug two of them," said GM Mike McMahon. "We felt last year was a breakout year for Rakell so we're happy to have him under contract for a significant term moving forward. "With Alex, he's an older player but we have some flexibility there." McMahon was alluding to the possibility of using Killorn as a loyalty tag next season if he continues to perform even in his advanced age. Including Killorn, the Senators only have three pending unrestricted free agents for next season (Killorn, Austin Watson, and Erik Gudbranson). Ottawa is said to still be in talks with several other free agents. Ottawa was in the mix for goaltender Linus Ullmark but lost out in the bidding to the Vegas Golden Knights. "We had producted talks with Linus and wish him well," McMahon said. "We are in the market for a No. 1 goalie, everyone is aware of that, but we still need to make deals that make sense for our franchise now and moving forward. There's an eventual line in the sand that we can't cross with every player. That's the reality in a hard-capped league." McMahon said the Senators are still in the market for a goaltender and at least two more forwards. Those needs could be addressed with free agents or in the trade market. "We're open to anything," he said.
St-Louis Blues	Blues Draft History - 2023	Blues-Graham	2023-08-22 14:02:39	61	This is the final article of the Blues Draft history series. I have one more rebuilding season left and will likely garner another top 10 pick but to date, Fantilli is looking to be the center piece of this rebuild and our franchise player for years to come. Him and last years first pick Shane Wright should give us that 1-2 combo down the middle that top teams need to compete. Brandt Clarke and Sean Durzi should give us that 1-2 offensive punch from the back with players such as Mailoux and Morrow coming in a year or 2 later. I think Evangelista, Dorofeyev, Krebs, McMichael and maybe Lysell and Hoglander should give us that cheap depth and trade capital. Our biggest hole so far is goaltending but those can be signed or traded for. We’ll see how the 2024 draft shapes up. Maybe we’ll grab a goaltending piece there. 2023 Draft 2. Blues (from Kraken), Adam Fantilli - Prospect 33. Blues, Koehn Ziemmer - Prospect 43. Blues (from Predators), Oscar FiskerMolgaard - Prospect 48. Blues (from Sabres), Anton Wahlberg- Prospect 89. Blues (from Lightning), Jayson Shaugabay - Prospect 90. Blues (from Kings), Martin Misiak – Prospect 97. Blues, Arttu Karki - Prospect 110. Blues (from Ducks), Carsen Musser - Prospect 129. Blues, Daniil Karpovich – Prospect 134. Blues (from Bruins), Beckett Hendrickson – Prospect 144. Blues (from Sabres), Griffin Erdman – Prospect Interim Verdict: Still very very early to make a call on this one. I think I did very well with my 2nd , 3rd and 4th round picks. Generally speaking Wahlberg, Misiak and Karki are all quite well regarded. By all accounts Fantilli is a gem. Slightly concerning that the Ducks passed on him but time will tell who was right. Most public data had Fantilli ranked ahead of him. But..they said the same about Puljujarvi when Dubois was taken at 3 instead of him...
St-Louis Blues	Blues Draft History - 2021-2022	Blues-Graham	2023-08-22 10:42:36	63	Alright folks. The last of the retread material from the forums. Only 2023 left to do. 2021 Draft 10. Blues (from RedWings), Brandt Clarke -9GP, 2Pts - Signed. 13. Blues (from Lightning), Fabian Lysell - 0 GP - Prospect 37. Blues (from Ducks), Daniil Chayka 0 GP - Prospect 41. Blues (from RedWings), Scott Morrow 0 GP - Prospect 53. Blues (from Rangers), Logan Mailloux 0 GP - Signed. 59. Blackhawks, Danila Klimovich 0 GP - Prospect Added as he was drafted at our request. 69. Blues, Cole Huckins(21) 0GP - not signed / Released Interim Verdict:This looks like one banger of a draft. 2 first round picks always help. It's quite plausible I end up with x3 top 4 D from this draft alone. Chayka is no slouch either and should see some NHL time. It will be interesting to revisit this draft for the next few years. We also didn't officially draft Danila Klimovich but Chicago did draft him for us. 2022 Draft: 1. Blues, Shane Wright - 8GP 2Pts 26. Blues (from Canucks), Filip Mesar - Prospect 33. Blues, Adam Sykora - Prospect 48. Blues (from Penguins), Seamus Casey 2022-12-11 St-Louis Blues trade Seamus Casey to Winnipeg Jets for Luke Evangelista 73. Blues (from Islanders), Tyler Brennan - Prospect 88. Blues (from Rangers), Vladimir Grudinin - Prospect 97. Blues, Ludwig Persson - Prospect 104. Blues (from Sabres), Hugo Havelid - Prospect 107. Blues (from Senators), Artyom Duda - Prospect 133. Blues (from Wild), Zam Plante - Prospect 138. Blues (from MapleLeafs), Ilya Kvochko - Prospect 140. Blues (from Jets), Ivan Zhigalov - Prospect 156. Blues (from Predators), Owen VanSteensel - Prospect 161. Blues, Jack Sparkes - Prospect Interim Review:So far I'd call this a good draft not a great draft. A lot can change between now and 4 more years though. Those expected to make the NHL at this point in time: Wright, Mesar, Sykora, Grudinin and Duda. We have hope for the others but thier future is a little less certain. How about that Casey trade? I'm still quite high on Casey but Evangelista excites me.
Nashville Predators	A look at the Predators prospect pipeline	Preds-Sylvain	2023-08-22 03:30:51	59	In 2023, the Predators finished the year one game under .500 and missed the playoffs. With several young players pushing their way into the lineup but not yet ready to make a full impact, Nashville had to make a choice: make some room to allow the younger players to play on the pro team or trade some of these players to bolster their roster this year. The Predators went with the first option, trading talented players that were getting closer to free agency for picks and prospects. This choice will likely mean that the team may struggle to improve in the standings next season. However, in the long run, Nashville hopes that this will help them to go back to the playoffs and to contend for the Cup. In Nashville, the sheer number of prospects that could eventually make their way to the pros is high: the team detains the rights of over 70 prospects aged 23 and under with about no pro experience. With those criteria, a couple of good candidates for this year’s roster were excluded: Jeremy Swayman, Ty Dellandrea, Ronnie Attard and Philipp Kurashev. Such a high count of prospects is hard to rank but an effort was made to discuss the higher profile prospects with the Predators’ GM, Sylvain Tremblay. In the top group, Jake Sanderson stands out. At 21, he plays a relatively good pro game: “We think he’s close to winning a spot in the lineup. We probably don’t have a spot for him this year, but if he works on his DF rating of 69 and gets it up a bit, he’ll probably become a staple on the blueline as soon as next year. Another high-profile prospect, Kaapo Kakko, is taking a bit more time than anticipated: “We thought he’d be able to play maybe at 20 for us. It’s been a longer route for him so far, but he has improved every year and we can’t wait to see him turn the corner and play in our top 6. We think he could increase to that level as soon as next season.” J. J. Peterka, drafted in the same year as Sanderson, has shown a quick progression: “We thought it would be longer for Peterka to get to the pros, but he might be there, next season, and compete with Kakko. He plays a well-rounded game and has shown developing offensive skills. The next one is mostly known as a sniper but has been improving his playmaking ability. Alexander Holtz, another 2020 drafted player like Sanderson and Peterka, has been working hard to get his game to translate in a faster game environment: “He needs to play faster to translate his game to the pros and have the same impact he’s had at lower levels. He has a great shot which combined with his improving passing skills should make him an offensive threat.” The Predators first round pick this year, David Reinbacher, should certainly also be there in discussions about the top group. The team will need to overview his development: “He already plays a mature game. He’s extremely reliable in 5-on-5 situations and is great at transitioning the puck in a men’s league. His offensive instincts could be seen improving through 2023. In our opinion, he still needs a bit of seasoning to bulk up and keep improving his puck skills. If he can do that, we think he’ll be on our top pairing soon.” That top group probably constitutes the one that is closest to contributing to the pro team. The second group is comprised of great talent that may take a bit more time to graduate. After a year in the Swiss League and two more years in the OHL, Brennan Othmann might be ready to move up a level in play: “He could go back to the OHL as an overager but we think it’s probably best if he was to play in the AHL next year. Depending on how he does, we may identify additional development time there, or we might put him on the fast line as one of our next replacements on the pro team.” A similar story applies to Mackie Samoskevitch. Picked up in the same draft as Othmann, he should play in the AHL all year long. He is an offensive player that’s creative in the opponent’s zone: “He reads plays well, he’s dynamic and he creates opportunities offensively. The step is high, though, between college and AHL play, so he might need a bit of time.” Back on defense, Denton Mateychuk turned just 19 this summer. He’s a very active defenseman everywhere on the ice: “We like his skating and the fact that he likes to either skate the puck up the ice or be around the puck in the offensive zone. At 5’11, he’s not small but at the same time not huge either. We believe another year in the WHL could be beneficial for him. The next player skates hard, hits and scores… who wouldn’t like that? Ivan Miroshnichenko does all that but was slowed down for a while after being diagnosed with cancer. “It’s been a hard road for him. This year, he’s coming to play in the NHL and we hope he can play up to his talent there. We don’t really know what to expect this year, but it will show us assuredly what he needs to improve to succeed at the pro level. Closing this second group is Aatu Raty, who has done well in the AHL last season trying to adapt his game to the smaller ice in North America. “We expect him to keep developing there maybe another year and a half, and then he could start seeing time at the pro level. We like his overall skillset, but he must be quicker if he wants a chance at the pro level.” The third group is also a strong one. It starts with Bobby Brink, who was injured last year missing development time. He also still must overcome his size stigma: “We really like his skill level and how he attacks the net despite his size. He’s an average skater with great lateral mobility, but he could use more speed at his size. He may be ready to get games next year, but we are expecting to slot him in the lineup in two years.” Following him is another forward that could benefit from improving his skating: William Dufour. “He has the size, the shot, and the ability to be a special player for his team. We would like to see him play with more pace. We also think he can play well in a less offensive role, although he must learn to read the play better in the NHL, where players are more sophisticated. He could step in next year but we think is impact will be mostly felt the year after.” There are a few players from the last draft that fall within this group. Easton Cowan is a true competitor who has improved his offensive skills throughout his draft year: “We feel he’s a bit underrated offensively. He is a slick playmaker. We really like his work rate and how he pressures the other team’s defense to create scoring chances. He still looks like he’s 15 though, so we don’t expect him this year or next. Juraj Pekarcik is a huge forward with great offensive instincts: “While most eyes were focused on Dvorksky, he was the other player on the Slovakia team that was creating on offense. He was virtually unknown before last season and then popped up in international play. He needs to work on the details, but once he improves there, we believe he has top line potential. It might take some time though.” Andrew Gibson is a towering defender that has shown great transition game abilities: “If you want a towering defenseman that can play a physical game and move the puck efficiently, he’s your guy. We even think he can improve his offensive game further than he did last year. He is a couple of years away, though.” Luca Cagnoni is the opposite of Gibson, in that he is a small defenseman with bursting offensive skills: “We consider that other than his size, he has a great skill set. He reads the plays exceptionally well, he is great at quarterbacking the offense, he puts the puck on the net when he shoots, and he competes hard. Still, overcoming the size issue is a tough thing to do at the pro level because all the players are so strong and It’s just harder for the smaller guys to defend efficiently.” Alongside these newcomers stands another player who has battled injuries in the past in Jan Jenik: “He hasn’t had it easy in the past few years. The talent and energy-level are still there, but the injuries have slowed him down. He’s coming in healthy this year, so we expect that he’ll take a step up and maybe fill in as soon as next year.” Other than all these prospects, the Predators still carry many interesting names. In a quote format, starting with the forwards to the defenders and to the goalies, here are the other outstanding prospects whose rights belong to Nashville: Samu Tuomaala: “He has the skills to make a difference in this league: he’s speedy and has a great shot. However, his game was a bit too scripted, and he needs to improve his reads and adapt his game as he moves up. He had a great year in Mestis last year, we’re hoping it’s a steppingstone for him”. Zach Nehring: “He checks out on size, physicality, and effort. He makes good reads and does all the little things coaches like. He did score at a high pace last year, but he’ll need to show it at higher levels before he’s really considered a potential offensive threat at the pro level.” Paul Ludwinski: “He skates well, and you must appreciate his work-rate. He had a tough year on a rebuilding Frontenacs team and didn’t show the improvements we believe he can make offensively. We hope it was a slump due to his injury and we’ll see him bounce back this year.” Brett Harrison: “A big, physical player that wins his battle. He has a pro caliber shot that can beat goalies. We would like to see him become a more dynamic player in the next few years.” Arseni Gritsyuk: “He’s already successful playing in the KHL in a top-6 role. He has a knack for the net and can be a bit of a pest. With the situation in Russia, it’s hard to predict when he will come over.” Cameron Lund: “He’s a big center with a great shot. However, he tends to pass instead of shooting, which we’d like to see him do more often. He had a good rookie season in the NCAA and we expect him to take another step this year.” Jacob Melanson: “He is a real competitor, he plays the game hard, which brought him a lot of success in the QMJHL, with a 50 goals season. We think he’ll settle in more of a depth role at the pro level but he’s a fun guy to root for. He could surprise and become a success story like Zach Hyman.” Jackson Blake: “He moved seamlessly from the USHL to the NCAA, where he recorded over a point per game. He’s got great hands and offensive instincts, plays hard and always gives a good effort. If he was skating like his dad, he’d be way ahead on our depth chart.” Alexis Gendron: “He’s a goal scoring machine… In his draft year, he would show that skill in burst, but last year he just turned it on all year long. He’s on the smaller side and is just an average skater, otherwise he would be a blue-chip prospect.” Jakub Brabenec: “One of our most improved prospects. He reads the plays extremely well and this helps him create scoring opportunities. He’s good in all zones, so he can be depended on by the coach.” Sean Behrens: “A very intelligent player, always well-positioned. He makes good passes and can spot opportunities when they arise. He’s small for a defenseman but he competes extremely hard against bigger players.” Kirill Kudryavtsev: “He embraced his role as a leader on a poor team last year in the OHL. While his scoring totals have improved, he made even bigger strides defensively. We see him with the big team in about two years.” Jacob Truscott: “He had a great season in the NCAA last year, using his skating and passing to generate offense on a stacked team. Defensively, he’s steady.” Yan Kuznetsov: “He has the size that you’re ideally looking for on defense. He has been improving his puck skills.” Leo Loof: “He’s a tough defender with good puck skills. He has improved every year. We hope this trend continues and he can start helping the team after more seasoning in the AHL.” Rodwin Dionicio: “He kicked it up a notch last year when he joined the Windsor Spitfires, putting up 43 points in 33 games. He has great offensive skills, generating offense for his team. However, he still needs to improve his defensive play as he can be somewhat of an adventure in his zone at times.” Domenic DiVincentiis: “He played a key role for the Battalion last year which earned him OHL goalie of the year award. He covers the net well. His agility and athleticism stand out.” Sergei Murashov: “He was a rock for his team in the MHL last season. His positioning is outstanding and he couples that with great pushes across the crease.”
St-Louis Blues	Blues Draft History - 2020	Blues-Graham	2023-08-18 10:24:37	66	150 Words without a pre-amble! No issues coming up with another 100 - I hope. One thing I remember clearly from this draft was struggling to make meaningful picks after the 5th round. Amirov I assumed was an absolute steal. The big story here is about my 2nd round pick. Next on my list was Zion Nybeck. A little guy who tore it up scoring 27 goals in 42 games in the Swedish Jr league. The numbers were good but his size concerned me. After him was Helga Grans, a D who many had as a potential 1st round. Knowing the NEFHL values offence over D Nybeck should have been my pick. I just couldn't get over his size and decided that Grans was a steal. In the end I took the better prospect for sure. Will Grans end up being an NHLer? Hard to say. He's been stuck way down the depth chart in LA. A change of scenary in this case a trade to Philly has me very hopeful. 2020 Draft:20. Blues (from Rangers), Rodion Amirov - RIP.39. Blues (from Jets), Helge Grans - 0GP - Prospect71. Blues (from Coyotes), Jaromir Pytlik - 0GP 2022-12-17 Boston Bruins trade Raphael Lavoie to St-Louis Blues for Jaromir Pytlik 80. Blues (from RedWings), Jan Bednar - 0 GP - Prospect98. Blues (from Sabres), Donovan Sebrango -0 GP - Signed125. Blues (from Knights), Ethan Cardwell - 0GP - Signed.127. Blues (from Ducks), Dmitri Rashevsky - 0GP - Prospect150. Blues (from Islanders), Nick Malik - 0 GP - Prospect175. Blues (from Rangers), Ilya Usov - 0 GP - Prospect176. Blues, Kirill Steklov - 0 GP - Prospect.189. Blues (from Ducks), Mitchell Smith - 0GP - Unsigned/Released197. Blues (from Bruins), Brock Gould - 0 GP Unsigned/Released.Interim Verdict:Unlucky with Amirov obviously and grans is yet to be determined. A bit of a weird draft - 4 of my guys went undrafted only to get drafted in later years (Cardwell, Rashevsky, Usov, Malik). Not a great draft and definitly didn't hit any home runs but I'll hopefully get a few NHLer's out of this one. Next up Year 2021!
St-Louis Blues	Blues Draft History - 2018-19	Blues-Graham	2023-08-18 10:12:06	66	Lots of words here. Almost 400. You can see the difference between 2018 and 19. Even in 2018 I had started to read more about prospects but I still wasn't using a guide. In 2018 I was quite high on Kody Clark but injuries slowed him down. I also thought Ragnersson was a steal since I got him in the 7th and the Rangers took him in the 3rd. 2019 on the other hand I used a guide for the first time. No home runs but some solid defenders and some hopeful goalies. 2018 Draft: 73. Blues (from Blackhawks), Kody Clark - > 0GP - Not resigned. 110. Blues (from Coyotes), Marcus Westfalt - 0GP - not resigned. 111. Blues (from Sabres), Brendan Budy - 0GP - not resigned. 128. Blues (from Canucks), Michal Kvasnica 0GP - not resigned. - 157. Blues (from Predators), Filip Kral -> 2GP, 0Pts Vancouver Canucks trade Jack Campbell to St-Louis Blues for Filip Kral 169. Blues (from Bruins), Dennis Busby - 0GP - not resigned. 197. Blues (from Blackhawks), David Levin - 0GP - not resigned. 215. Blues (from Rangers), Jacob Ragnarsson - 0GP - not resigned. Final Verdict: My lord. Another stinker. Clearly drafting wasn't my strong suit during my early days as GM. Mind you I didn't have a pick before the 3rd round but to have only 2GP is pretty bad. Still wasn't using draft guides at this point and you can tell. 2019 Draft: 25. Blues (from Senators), Nils Hoglander -> - 141GP, 54 PTS - Back with us. 2019-07-11 Calgary Flames trade Anders Lee, Blake Speers, Nolan Patrick, Ryan Dzingel and Eemeli Rasanen to St-Louis Blues for Mark Scheifele and Nils Hoglander 2023-06-14 New York Islanders trade Nils Hoglander to St-Louis Blues for OTT 2023 Rnd 2 and TOR 2023 Rnd 5 45. Blues (from Penguins), Alex Vlasic - 21GP 3Pts 2019-06-24 St-Louis Blues trade Conor Sheary, Alex Vlasic, STL 2020 Rnd 2 and CAR 2020 Rnd 3 to Ottawa Senators for Frank Vatrano, Maxime Lajoie and OTT 2020 Rnd 5 80. Blues (from Coyotes), Henry Rybinski - 0Pts, 0 GP - Not Signed. 83. Blues (from BlueJacket), Drew Helleson -> 3GP, 1PT - Still with us. 98. Blues (from Jets), Layton Ahac(19) - 0Pts, 0 GP - Not Signed. 116. Blues (from Blackhawks), Isaiah Saville -> 0 GP - Re-Signed and still with us. 144. Blues (from Rangers), Erik Portillo - 0 GP - Re-Signed and still with us. 157. Blues (from Bruins), Nikola Pasic - 0 GP -Not Signed. 192. Blues (from Predators), Lukas Parik - 0 GP - Not Signed. Interim Verdict: I'll update this thread again next year. We'll deliver our final verdict 5 years out. So far this is a decent draft. It's the first year I took the draft seriously and started using draft guides. You can tell. I took Hoglander a little high, but he was noted as having the best hands in the draft. So I figured having the best of something gave him a chance. His career to date has been a bit dicey but he was a late first rounder. 3 players with NHL games so far and 2 promising goalies.
St-Louis Blues	Blues Draft History - 2016-17	Blues-Graham	2023-08-18 10:05:35	56	As per the advice given to me by my esteemed colleagues through out the league I’ve decided to post my draft history threads as articles so I can get paid. When I mentioned this to JD, his response was “are they even 250 words” ? My response to that is.. no. But with this little pre-amble they sure are. Thanks for reading boys. 2 very disappointing drafts. What a joke and a waste of assets. No wonder I traded all my draft picks in 2017. Draft 2016: 30. Blues,Tyler Benson -> 38GP, 3 points. 2023-08-14 Tampa Bay Lightning trade Tanner Pearson to St-Louis Blues for Tyler Benson 57. Blues,Dmitry Sokolov -> 0GP, o points. 2021-10-13 Contract bought out by the St-Louis Blues 69. Blues,Evan Fitzpatrick -> 0 GP 2018-07-09 Winnipeg Jets trade Marc-Edouard Vlasic to St-Louis Blues for Drake Caggiula, Evan Fitzpatrick and STL 2020 Rnd 3 72. Blues, Anatoli Golyshev -> 0 GP -> Retired 76. Blues,Sean Day - > 2 GP, 0pts Toronto Maple Leafs trade Philipp Grubauer to St-Louis Blues for Sean Day, STL 2017 Rnd 1 and BUF 2017 Rnd 3 89. Blues,Vladimir Kuznetsov -> 0 gp, 0pts -> not signed/released. 167. Blues,Stepan Falkovsky -> 0GP, 0pts -> not signed/released. 184. Blues,Wouter Peeters 0 GP- > not signed/released. 197. Blues,Adam Brizgala 0 GP-> not signed/released. 213. Blues,Sergei Bolshakov 0GP -> not signed/released. Final Verdict: What an horid draft. To be fair this was my first draft and I did it without the aid of any sort of draft guide (I didn't know they existed). A total of 10 players drafted and 40GP... ouch. Draft 2017: 28. Blues (from Panthers), Urho Vaakanainen -> 68GP 10 pts - Still with us. Final Verdict: Boring draft - only one late round pick. Vaakanainen has not panned out as we had hoped. Likely a 5-6 dman if he can stay healthy. Stay tuned for years 2018-2020! Show me the money JD!
Minnesota Wild	Wild hire Sabres GM as offseason trainer	Wild-Peter	2023-08-17 13:13:51	79	"He can't spell intense" - Brian Burke That quote above is something the Minnesota Wild do not have to worry about in 2023-2024. The team has announced a short term partnership with the Buffalo Sabres GM Kevin. The partnership, which will end before the start of the pre-season, will help some of the Wild players prepare for classic Sabres Smash(TM) hockey. Led by young captain Brady Tkachuk at an impressive 94 IT, the team around him also boasts an impressive collection of high IT players. Jeremy Lauzon and Josh Archibald both have the highest IT available at 99. Luke Kunin rounds out the list of 90s IT with 93 himself. A little lower down there are guys like Jean Gabriel Pageau at 84 IT and Vincent Trochek at 78 IT. Between Trochek and Debrusk (49 IT) there are an additional 7 roster players with 50+ IT. "We will have high intensity players on the ice for the entire game every game who are proficient in at least one more skill set. They aren't goons. Some are speedsters, some are penalty killers, some with a bit more finesse. They are players." It is safe to say the Wild are built to cause a bit of pain. Arguably one of the top 3 teams in this department along with Colorado, Columbus, Philadelphia, and San Jose to round out the top 5 IT heavy teams. Ottawa also has a collection of high IT players but will look to goon it up more than put the puck in the net unlike the other teams mentioned. To separate themselves a bit from the pack, the Wild GM rushed to get Kevin in the fold. "We heard whispers of Kevin's weaving in and out on the heavy bag and his timed combos. That was it for us. We had to get him before somebody else would." grinned the GM, proud of his latest offseason accomplishment, coming off the heels of the commissioner's approval for arena expansion. Josh Archibald who had a successful first campaign with the Wild last season added this comment about the training. "Like he has a devastating lead left hook that sets up so much. Once I learn that, my ST will increase too." Luke Kunin, who is still finding where he belongs on the roster, expanded on Archibald's comments. "And his legs are pure muscle… he's just generating so much power on his punches." None of this is new to Vincent Trochek, former Buffalo Sabre acquired at the trade deadline last season. "I got used to Kevin flexing and taking selfies in the gym. I'm just happy he had clothes on this time." Terms of the short term partnership were not made public. However speculation is that the Wild have agreed to pay for all Keurig, Nespresso pods in Kevin's office for the entire season. Other rumors suggest milk-on-tap but no sources have corroborated this info. ___________________________ Elmer Ferguson Dynasty Year I Article 6/5 "Future buyout fund" bonus - $250,000 / $10,000,000
Philadelphia Flyers	Week 1 UFA Results	Flyers-Jamie	2023-08-16 19:52:01	100	For this article, I've copied and pasted my UFA preview, then added 'Week 1 Results' with fresh writeup below that for every team. The part before 'Week 1 Results' has not changed from my last article. TEAM PRO $$$ UFA WRITEUP Ottawa 25.2 With nearly $20 million to spend, Ottawa will certainly be looking at some of the better UFAs. Ullmark at 30 is a good guess for a big 1 year deal. Week 1 Results: Nothing signed. Will need to up their offers in week 2 if hope to use that cap space effectively. Vegas 26.8 Pretty good team with lots of cap space. If they can land one of the big 3 goalie UFAs and a few forwards they'll be looking pretty competitive in the West. (and now just added Makar!) Adding someone like MaxPac might be a huge move. Week 1 Results: Went for the lesser option in Binnington, but only costs $3.1 million for next two years. Not bad! Still lots of space to keep on adding with the safe goalie add. Nashville 30.3 Preds have good goaltending, decent defense, and good depth forwards. If they could land a few top six forwards for under $10 million they've set themselves up quite well. Week 1 Results: Signed Lowry at $2.4 million for next 4 seasons. Not a great deal for shutdown center, but they have space and he's not a scrub. NYR 30.3 Rangers need everything and aren't near being in the playoffs, so will likely focus on adding a couple potential long term stars. John Carlson might be a good fit here. Week 1 Results: 4 signings including 4 year deals to Jaden Schwartz and Joel Edmundson which should help set them up well long term. Week 1 winners! St. Louis 30.7 Another team likely looking at longer term assets. Might be in on Ullmark. A dman like Parayko could be of interest. Certainly in position to add someone with value. Week 1 Results: Shutout of week 1. Has to be disappointing. NYI 31.4 NYI is future focused and are to be led by Bedard. They are likely to overpay on someone to meet the floor and ensure they are still a bottom feeder. 1 year $9 million on Ullmark isn't a bad move for a rebuilder. Week 1 Results: Shutout in week 1 - will look to make an add or two in week 2. Seattle 31.5 Building on up, Kraken will be looking to the future. Younger players to longer term potential discounts or overpay 1 year and then loyalty for long term. Options a plenty. Week 1 Results: Benn was brought in as new star center. He's overpaid, but that doesn't matter right now. They added couple other depth players too. Boston 32.6 Bruins have a solid forward group, led by Scheifele and Nelson. Add someone like MAF, a top 4 dman or 2, and this is likely a playoff team. Week 1 Results: Nothing week 1. Going to need to put little more money down if want to bring in someone of use in week 2. Edmonton 33.5 Oilers are a well rounded team, but could really use a top line center to center the lineup… Ryan O'Reilly would be a great pickup. Week 1 Results: Oilers add Marchessault for 4 years at $4million per which improves their offense this season in a big way. He'll play an important role for the team and is reasonably priced, at least for now. They also added defensive dman Tanev to help round out the dman on a pretty reasonable term. Montreal 33.6 Canadiens have quite a few bright spots in their lineup and don't need a homerun in UFA, but with $10 million to spend if they need, they could round out the roster nicely and be a playoff team. Week 1 Results: Nothing in week 1 - we'll see if can do any adding week 2. Likely to stick close to their initial bids. Columbus 34 Blue Jackets have stated retool season, but looking at the roster, adding one of the top 3 goalies and these BJs are a contender again this season. Week 1 Results: Nothing in week 1. Andersen and MAF both up for grabs still. Anaheim 35.3 Ducks are loaded with talent up front. If they can nab a starting goalie plus a few dmen they are looking pretty solid for the coming season. Week 1 Results: Landed a #1 goalie in Talbot for a cheap $3.2 and depth dman Jan Rutta for $755k, so wins all around for the Ducks. Tampa 35.3 The blueline is weak, but the rest of the lineup is solid. I could see Doughty being a main target for the Lightning. Week 1 Results: Brought back Nick Leddy on a pretty reasonable deal. Not a homerun, but a good contract. LA 36.1 Good team, lots of cap space. 100% need a goalie. Andersen or MAF are good LA bets. Week 1 Results: Signed Spurgeon for 3 years at $2.85 which ain't bad. Without a goalie, they won't be a contender this season though. Philly 36.2 Even after selling some stars this off-season, the Flyers are still setup with good depth. They could really use a top six winger or two. Anders Lee perhaps? Bring back former Flyers Foligno, Wheeler, or Marchessault? Week 1 Results: Anders Lee joins the Flyers with a 3 year, $4.5 million deal. Lee will be a good fit to the Flyers wings, even if the deal is likely 1 year too long, given his age. Winnipeg 36.3 Jets have a good group of forwards. They need a starting goalie and a couple decent dmen and they could be a playoff team. Andersen could be a good bet. Maybe Doughty or Orlov? Week 1 Results: Nabbing Reimer for 1 season at $2.7 is one of the better signings of the round. Good fit and good price. Calgary 39.8 The defending champs have a few million to play with and I'm going to guess will just try to fill in the roster to support the existing core. Allen isn't a top goalie, but I don't think I see the Flames being able to reel in one of the top 3 goalies given their cap situation. Week 1 Results: Not a shocker that did not make a week 1 signing. Toronto 41.5 Set to be a contender in the East this season. They could use a little more firepower on the wings, but with the limited budget, they might roll with what they have and see what they can pickup later in the season with some cap saved. Week 1 Results: No signings is not a bad thing in Toronto. Pittsburgh 41.6 Pens will likely look to nab a middle six forward to round out the roster. They don't need a big name. Week 1 Results: Still shopping I'm sure. Minny 41.6 A well balanced team that won't be looking for much in UFA. A backup to Hart on the cheap would be my guess. Week 1 Results: Will they find a cheap backup or just roll with as is? Nice to get the Tkachuk signing done though! SJ 41.7 Sharks are looking well rounded this season. They don't have a lot of cap space, but getting a middle 6 RW on the cheap is probably the goal. Week 1 Results: They added dman Demelo for under $1million which is one of the better deals from week 1, so good job here. NJ 42 A talented team missing a starting goalie. I'm sure Andersen and MAF are being eyed up, but might need to cut elsewhere to make the room. Week 1 Results: Curious to see what the Devils get up to in week 2! Arizona 42.1 A contending team again this season - they'll likely eye up some depth vets on the cheap end. Week 1 Results: Signed Sedlak, with 81DF, for $785k for 2 seasons - mission accomplished for Yotes! Washington 42.2 Need to grab a depth winger or two, but won't be big shoppers. Week 1 Results: Added a couple vets for under a million each. Not bad signings. Detroit 42.2 Nab a top six center and they'd be looking pretty good. Pretty tight to the cap though so might be best to sit and wait. Week 1 Results: Not a lot of cap space so sitting still is better than overpaying. Dallas 42.5 Dallas could use bit of depth, but won't be big name hunting. Week 1 Results: Stayed steady in week 1. Buffalo 42.9 Could see the Sabres add some big guy for cheap, claim for 6 months they are a superstar, than waive them. Week 1 Results: They signed 2 fast guys, not big guys. SMASH era officially over and SPLAT era initiated. We'll see the names of these 2 players 100+ times over the next 6 months and Kev telling us how genius is for signing them. Likely to be traded with some draft picks for some other scrubs next offseason. Chicago 43.5 Making some cap space by moving Makar, but likely saving that space for mid season adds. Week 1 Results: Sitting happy. Carolina 44.6 Blown their cap load. Week 1 Results: Added Sissons to a 4 year deal for under a million to add to their depth. Nice signing. Colorado 45 Doing their best to be compliant. Week 1 Results: Did their best to not sign anyone. Vancouver 45.4 Some trimming has happened. More needed? Week 1 Results: Not expecting much UFA action here. Florida 46.2 Bratt jamming that cap! Who's out? Week 1 Results: Florida, as usual, is not in the best cap situation.
Minnesota Wild	Minnesota Press Conference	Wild-Peter	2023-08-16 14:47:21	212	Only hours after the latest press release from the Minnesota Wild, the team was back at it with more announcements. GM Peter steps up to the microphone to speak and take a few questions from reporters. "Thank you for coming on short notice. Yesterday I announced the team, and myself really, are back from a short break. Since then it has been work work work. First off, I would like to make an arena announcement. Last offseason there was some friction between the fans and myself. I think we all remember the riots outside the arena. Not going to talk a whole lot about that right now, but this summer we are very proud to announce the addition of more seats at Excel Energy Center. Construction will start immediately after final approval from the commissioner and the additional seats will be completed before the drop of the puck in pre-season. This commitment from the organization to the city of Saint Paul, and to a larger extent, the entire state of Hockey comes from two major factors: The first is the love we have felt from the fans during our bounceback season last year. When the team took a surprising and unexpected step back a couple seasons ago the attendance dropped quite a bit. Last year with the team resurgence to relevance and making the playoffs, attendance was 90% or more leading down the stretch. Our commitment to the city of Saint Paul extends to more than just adding seats. For the 2023-2024 season, ticket prices will not increase for our fans. The entirety of the contruction will be funded by additional revenue streams the team has created in 2022-2023. The second factor is the demand. As stated above, the fans want more Minnesota Hockey. There is genuine excitement in the air. The young core of Brady Tkachuk, Elias Pettersson, Roope Hintz, Carter Hart, Trevor Zegras, Josh Morrissey is one of the elite groups to come out of any rebuild recently and we are committed to keeping this group intact as much as possible. We want the fans to experience the growth of this core as much as possible. Beyond the names mentioned, there are tons of prospects coming up and there are too many to name. It truly is an exciting time to be a Minnesota Wild fan. There will be a lot of homegrown talent coming up, just as you would expect from us. We are hoping the ticket demand keeps growing. If it does during the season, I am giving you my word today that we will expand on the arena construction next offseason as well. To add to this arena deal, I have heard the fans loud and clear screaming 'Sign Brady Tkachuk'. This is why I am proud to announce the signing of our captain to a 1 year deal at $6.1million AAV. To be clear, I would have liked to get Brady for 4 years but in discussions it seemed clear Brady was headstrong on this kind of deal to bet on himself. If there is another level to his game, it will propel the Wild to new heights which is exciting to us all. I will take questions now." Q: Can you make a commitment to the playoffs this season? "I am 100% committed to making the playoffs. Anybody working for a hockey organization that isn't in the tear down/rebuild cycle that cannot commit to the playoffs should be shot out of a cannon into the sun. Only a brain dead loser would make moves and not commit to making the playoffs. What's the point then?" Q: Are you worried about the cap situation going forward? "The cap situation affects everybody. This is something every GM needs to keep an eye on. We are not concerned. Things fluctuate during the year and there are always opportunities down the line. We are committed to doing the right moves to stay competitive. Can we say what happened with Chicago won't happen to us? No. But they are right back at it and we expect the same here when that time comes. We are no different than any other organization with the cap" Q. Yesterday you mentioned being more interested in the trade market than UFA market. Can you expand? "With Brady officially signed, we have 14 F on the pro roster with another one or two as farm call ups. We have 8 D on the pro roster. We don't have an established backup yet but are comfortable with Tarasov if needed to start the season in that role. Our roster is beyond complete. We are basically at the cap limit but with four spare bodies getting full pay. Something will get done on that side out of necessity. There are nice names on the open market but where would I fit them? I've already reached out to a handful of GMs last night. Had some exploratory talks. Some teams keep their info tighter to the chest. Truth be told a lot of teams are waiting out the free agency market before making trades. I understand that. Having said that, I'm always open to talk trade so another reminder to GMs out there to reach out to me if they see a potential fit somewhere." Q: How do you feel about the Western Conference this year? "I expect it to be even tougher than last year. And last year was tough. Of course you will have the elite teams like Chicago, Vancouver and Arizona is always up there in the mix. But you have teams like Oilers who improved on paper and Vegas is pushing. The Ducks not too far behind on the rise. Lots of good teams around the league...some even in the east for once!" Q: Will the NEFHL universe expect to see more Minnesota content available publically this year? "Our media deal allows us the privilege of expanding the arena at no cost to the tax-payers. We will continue to provide content all year long. Some of it will be archival/record keeping purposes, some of it will be for entertainment. We are committed and very serious when we say we will make a dynasty out of the Elmer Ferguson Trophy." _____________________________________ Elmer Ferguson Dynasty Year I Article 5/5
Chicago Blackhawks	Chicago Trades heading into Free Agency	Hawks-Anthony	2023-08-16 01:42:22	70	[Chicago, Illinois] It has been a whirlwind of a summer for Blackhawks management as they negotiate with players and GMs to remain within the salary cap. It became clear that last season was going to be their best chance to win before critical players contracts were due but that did not happen. This offseason was a challenge and a first for management as they needed to sign nine (9) players, all looking to make more money than their last contract. “Makar, Aho, Dahlin, Buchnevich, TT, Boeser, Bura, Compher and Jarnkrok needed to be signed. They all asked for raises and I’m not going to say they don’t deserve it but if we want to remain competitive and fight for the league top spot then something has got to give. The numbers don’t work and we knew it.” Chabot was first to go for futures. “At the time, we didn’t think any other defenseman would be moved so we were still thrilled with Makar, Dahlin, Seider, Lindholm as the top4. It wasn’t an easy move to make. We drafted him and he’s been a true beast for us these last 4 seasons.” Kuznetsov for Hyman. “Drafted Kuz, played 9 seasons for us. This came out of nowhere but we liked Hyman’s ratings and what he can bring this season but it came at an extra 1.1million in cap. Kuznetsov has been seeing a lot of time on the 3rd line and it would have been no different this season. Hyman gives us a better shot at being more competitive now and some cap flexibility in 2024-25.” Bura for a 1st 2024. “Had lots of interest in Bura. Another home-grown talent and always signed affordable contracts while providing solid ratings. Tough to let these guys go. Our scouts should be proud but they’ll be working overtime this season to find the next ones to fill the lineup.” Makar for Bowen Byram and futures. “We made the previous moves thinking we would be able to keep Makar. He’s 25, we drafted him 8th overall in 2017 and is one of the best players in the league. He just won the Norris and is going to dominate again this season. Bowen will be a very serviceable top 4/1st PP player and the futures don’t hurt. We made this one for one reason and it was to stabilize our future finances. Signing him would have put us in a similar situation next season and the year after. Byram will command less money on his next deal which will allow us to keep the core for longer. It was a numbers decision, not one from the heart and we are sad to see him go but know that Vegas is a perfect spot for him.” Still plenty of offseason left but insiders are predicting a quiet free agency in Chi-town after GM Anthony practically dismantled the 2022-23 team that was so successful last year.
Minnesota Wild	Summer News and Notes	Wild-Peter	2023-08-15 20:27:31	82	A brief update on the organization after a short break. Free agency It is unlikely the Wild will be active on the free agent market. The team is basically assembled for 2023-2024 with spare players signed, all except for Tkachuk and a backup. We feel pretty comfortable using Tarasov (66ov) as a backup to start the year as Hart will shoulder the load for the most part. Of course we will always keep an eye open to the ufa, waiver and trade market for a backup as things ramp up for the start of the season. The Wild are more interested in the trade market to package or shed a few bodies. The Tkachuk situation He will be signed soon. My biggest issue is the term he wants. I know where he's at with money. It's not a cap situation as some may think. I'm still hoping there can be a compromise on years but prepared even if not. Trades The Wild are ready to talk trade again. It's been a while and the itch to make a move is coming back. The GM will be taking a look around the league again to see if there are any opportunities. Right now the team is looking to cut on D with 8 on the pro roster and shakeup the bottom six if possible. The GM had this to say, "Most GMs are more interested in free agents right now so we might have to wait a bit. I'm not really sure who's out there. If there's something you see, hit me up. I think I have some interesting players that can go so let's talk." _____________________________________ Elmer Ferguson Dynasty Year I Articles 4/5
St-Louis Blues	RIP - Rodion Amirov	Blues-Graham	2023-08-15 07:38:35	92	It's with great sadness we acknowledge the passing of Blues 2020 first round draft pick Rodion Amirov. At the 2020 draft the Blues owned the 20th pick. "By our estimates we expected Amirov to go somewhere around 15. In no scenario did we expect him to be available when our 20th pick came around. But, boom, there he was at 20. We couldn’t believe he fell, so there was no hesitation. We grabbed him. Then when we found out the Leafs picked with their 15th pick in the NHL draft we were over the moon. I mean does it get any better than that? We had managed to grab a couple leaf picks in the past but never anyone so highly touted as Amirov." Come February 2022 that joy and optimism turn to sadness when we found out that Amirov had been diagnosed with a brain tumor. “Even at this point, there was no indication that the tumor was terminal. We assumed this would be a small bump in the long road of a promising career”. Unfortunately, as time went on, it was clear this was more than just a bump. There were even rumors as recently as the last couple months that Amirov would return to play again later this year. Obviously ill founded. After speaking with Commissioner Barry, the Blues will sign Amirov to a 1 day contract so he'll retire a Blue and always have a profile on the site. A solid and noble gesture by the Commissioner. The Blues will also create a yearly award in his honor. The award will be called the “Rodion Amirov Award” and will be awarded in May (before the draft) to the Blues #1 ranked prospect. The award will be tracked in the Blues Team Activities thread. Rip Rodion AmirovOctober 2001 – August 2023
Seattle Kraken	Jamie Benn to Seattle	Kraken-Scott	2023-08-14 15:19:23	72	Seattle Kraken management planned to be busy in free agency, and on Sunday night word leaked through insiders that Jamie Benn would be signing in the northwest. Armed with about $11M in cap space, the Kraken hoped to add a top six forward in free agency (preferably at centre), and it appears that wish has come to fruition. Benn joins the Kraken with tons of experience and hopefully with some more gas in the tank. "Jamie was near the top of our offseason wishlist" GM Davies said to the Seattle media Monday morning. "While we may have overpaid in the eyes of some, we are glad to add a proven veteran to our top six who can score some goals and play with some jam. Coach Tocchet is very happy with the signing, and adding Jamie balances out our projected lines quite a bit for the upcoming season. It will take pressure off of young Cody Glass to not need to be the team's top centreman this season. " The Kraken also added veterans Nick Cousins & Alex Stalock for depth during the first week of free agency. Cousins returns to Seattle after being shipped out of town last year. Looking ahead to training camp, here's what the Kraken's projected roster could look something like: Forwards: Mantha-Benn-Tatar Sheary-Glass-Martinook Sanford-McLeod-Bastian Chiasson-Cousins-MacEwen Danforth Defence: McCabe-Schmidt Merrill-Whitecloud Stillman-Schultz Bryson Goalies: Georgiev Vladar Stalock As planned, the Kraken will be icing a more veteran-laden squad in year two. It's important that Kraken fans know that the team will continue to build while it waits patiently for top prospects like Michkov, Cutter Gauthier & Willander to continue in their development. The team will also have some good, young players starting this season on the farm, including Jaret Anderson-Dolan and Mark Kastelic. The Kraken remain armed with more than $5 million in salary cap space, so more moves appear likely.
Nashville Predators	Predators 2023 draft review	Preds-Sylvain	2023-08-13 05:14:38	80	The annual draft review is finally here. Once again, the Predators drafted a ton of players, with 21 selections in 2023. Only two of those selections were within the top 60, with most of the selections being mid-round picks. The first Nashville selection came at 11. The Predators thought they would be able to draft a forward at that spot: “We had a couple of forwards on our list, and we really thought one of them would be available there.” With the forwards at the top of their list gone, Nashville decided to draft the top defenseman: “Even though we were looking for a forward, with our top targets gone, we had to select our top defenseman, who stood at 7 on our list”. The selection ended up being David Reinbacher, a smooth skating defenseman that played in the Swiss National League, a men’s league, where he played a key role on their top 4. His development really took off during the year where he gradually added additional dimensions as the season progressed. While Reinbacher plays a pro game already, extra development time will help him get ready to succeed as a top-pairing defenseman. In the second round, the Predators were making their pick at 54: “At this point, we still had one guy on our board rated as a 1st rounder. We knew he had been a bit under-scouted and was rated lower on most lists, since he wasn’t on the radar at the start of the year and he had limited minutes most games in the top Slovak men’s league. We didn’t want to take the chance he would be gone”. Nashville ended up selecting Juraj Pekarcik with their pick. Pekarcik is a winger with size that plays a high-pace offensive game. His game still needs a few adjustments before he becomes ready for the pros but the Predators have time for him, especially considering he was one of the youngest players in the draft. The story of the next pick is one about a prospect falling straight on your lap: “We felt strongly about one prospect that we thought would be gone on day one of the draft. We had the 6th pick of the round, but we were convinced that he’d be gone by the time we got to make our selection. To our surprise, he was still there at 70 for our selection”. With that, the Predators were quick to announce that they had selected Easton Cowan. In what was pretty much his rookie year in the OHL, Cowan improved steadily from the start of the season to become a force during the playoffs. He plays with a lot of energy and showed impressive IQ with the puck on the ice. The Predators grabbed two more defensemen in the third round at 75 and 82: “We felt it was our lucky day since we were able to add two more defensemen that we had highly rated. Both were part of our top 10 for defensemen.” The first one was Luca Cagnoni, a small defenseman with tremendous skill: “We feel that if he had been 3 inches taller, he would have been selected in the first round.” Cagnoni is an offensively gifted defenseman that plays a physical game despite his size. The other selection was Andrew Gibson, a tall and study defenseman that showed progression offensively throughout the year. With their other two selections in the third round, Nashville went with two big forwards: “At that point in the draft, we were at spots where we would shoot for value, whether it was in the potential upside or the projectability of players.” At 87, the Predators went with upside, selecting a big talented but inconsistent winger in Yegor Rimashevsky: “When he plays at his best, he looked as good as any other draft eligible player in the MHL.” In contrast, at 93, a player who is a coach’s favorite and packs a lot of size was picked up in Zach Nehring: “We probably are in the camp that feel Nehring has more offense than what the scouting community attributes him, but otherwise, if you look at him, he has size, compete, plays a physical game, has a developed defensive game. We think he’s going to play pro at some point.” With their first selection in the fourth round, Nashville decided to take the plunge and pick a goalie: “Drafting goalies is a tough and perilous exercise. Typically, we don’t draft many goalies and we usually only select them in the mid rounds. The last time we selected goalies was back in 2019, so we felt it was the right time.” At 107, the Predators picked up Domenic DiVincentiis, who was named goalie of the year in 2023 in the OHL and who will contend for the starter spot for the U20 WJC for Canada. The Predators picked three other prospects in the fourth round, two forwards and a defenseman. The selections were Cam Squires at 108, Tommaso De Luca at 111 and Larry Keenan at 127: “For our other picks in the 4th, we went with players that we feel have upside but may have a long development time. Squires played for a weak Cape Breton team but still doubled his offensive output from the previous year. De Luca played for a terrible Spokane team and had to adapt to coming from Europe, yet he was usually one of the few bright spots on his team. Keenan played at the High School level, and didn’t get a lot of exposure, plus he skates well and has good size”. In the fifth round, the Predators chose four players all from Europe: “There was a time when we wouldn’t select many Europeans, but we got better scouts now for those leagues and we feel some talent slip through the cracks there”. Two players playing in Sweden were selected, a Czech in Jakub Stancl at 138 and a Swede at 153 in Melvin Wersall. Stancl is a big winger with a heavy shot. Wersall is a skilled winger who had a cold spell at the end of the year. The two other selections come from Russia. Sergei Murashov, the second goalie selected by Nashville in the draft at 143, played in the MHL where he really stood out. At 143, Stanislav Yarovoy, a 2nd year eligible forward prospect who played well at the KHL level, was picked. Selections from Russia dominated the selections in the last two rounds, with defensemen Nikita Ishimnikov plus forwards Stepan Zvyagin and Nikita Nedopyokin counting for half of the players picked at these respective ranks: 176, 185, and 203. The Predators also went with slightly older players with Isac Born and Kai Uchacz being second- and third-year eligible players, selected at 171 and 178. Lastly, with one of the very late picks in the draft, at 222, Nashville went with a player they felt was special in Cooper Foster: “Foster is a player that looks better than his stats. It’s tricky picking those guys because they usually don’t turn out at the pro level. Still, he was playing on a deep team and we feel he’s got another step that he can take next year”. The Predators already have 15 picks for next year’s draft, so it should be another busy year in 2024.
Philadelphia Flyers	Who is buying what? (#2 will shock you)	Flyers-Jamie	2023-08-11 22:34:41	140	Quick little look at each team's potential goals heading into free agency, with how much they are able to spend. The Pro $$$ is quick and dirty calculation taking the salary of your top 12 forwards, top 6 dmen, and top 2 goalies. I didn't do any salary estimations or anything like that. TEAM PRO $$$ UFA WRITEUP Ottawa 25.2 With nearly $20 million to spend, Ottawa will certainly be looking at some of the better UFAs. Ullmark at 30 is a good guess for a big 1 year deal. Vegas 26.8 Pretty good team with lots of cap space. If they can land one of the big 3 goalie UFAs and a few forwards they'll be looking pretty competitive in the West. (and now just added Makar!) Adding someone like MaxPac might be a huge move. Nashville 30.3 Preds have good goaltending, decent defense, and good depth forwards. If they could land a few top six forwards for ~ $10 million they've set themselves up quite well. NYR 30.3 Rangers need everything and aren't near being in the playoffs, so they will likely focus on adding a couple potential long term stars. John Carlson on a 3 year deal might be a good fit here. St. Louis 30.7 Another team likely looking at longer term assets. Could see them in on Ullmark too. A dman like Parayko could be of interest. Certainly in position to add someone with value. NYI 31.4 NYI is future focused and are to be led by Bedard. They are likely to overpay on someone to meet the floor and ensure they are still a bottom feeder. 1 year $9 million on Ullmark isn't a bad move or bet for this rebuilder. Seattle 31.5 Building on up, Kraken will be looking to the future. Younger players to longer term potential discounts or overpay 1 year and then loyalty for long term. Options a plenty. Boston 32.6 Bruins have a solid forward group, led by Scheifele and Nelson. Add someone like MAF, a top 4 dman or 2, and this is likely a playoff team. Edmonton 33.5 Oilers are a well rounded team, but could really use a top line center to center the lineup… Ryan O'Reilly would be a great pickup. Montreal 33.6 Canadiens have quite a few bright spots in their lineup and don't need a homerun in UFA, but with $10 million to spend if they need, they could round out the roster nicely and be a playoff team. Columbus 34 Blue Jackets have stated retool season, but looking at the roster, adding one of the top 3 goalies and these BJs are a contender again this season. Anaheim 35.3 Ducks are loaded with talent up front. If they can nab a starting goalie plus a few dmen they are looking pretty solid for the coming season. Tampa 35.3 The blueline is weak, but the rest of the lineup is solid. I could see Doughty being a main target for the Lightning. LA 36.1 Good team, lots of cap space. 100% need a goalie. Andersen or MAF are good LA bets. Philly 36.2 Even after selling some stars this off-season, the Flyers are still setup with good depth. They could really use a top six winger or two. Anders Lee perhaps? Bring back former Flyers Foligno, Wheeler, or Marchessault? Winnipeg 36.3 Jets have a good group of forwards. They need a starting goalie and a couple decent dmen and they could be a playoff team. Andersen could be a good bet. Maybe Doughty or Orlov? Calgary 39.8 The defending champs have a few million to play with and I'm going to guess will just try to fill in the roster to support the existing core. Allen isn't a top goalie, but I don't think I see the Flames being able to reel in one of the top 3 goalies given their cap situation. Toronto 41.5 Set to be a contender in the East this season. They could use a little more firepower on the wings, but with the limited budget, they might roll with what they have and see what they can pickup later in the season with some cap saved. Pittsburgh 41.6 Pens will likely look to nab a middle six forward to round out the roster. They don't need a big name. Minny 41.6 A well balanced team that won't be looking for much in UFA. A backup to Hart on the cheap would be my guess. SJ 41.7 Sharks are looking well rounded this season. They don't have a lot of cap space, but getting a middle 6 RW on the cheap is probably the goal. NJ 42 A talented team missing a starting goalie. I'm sure Andersen and MAF are being eyed up, but might need to cut elsewhere to make the room. Arizona 42.1 A contending team again this season - they'll likely eye up some depth vets on the cheap end. Washington 42.2 Need to grab a depth winger or two, but won't be big shoppers. Detroit 42.2 Nab a top six center and they'd be looking pretty good. Pretty tight to the cap though so might be best to sit and wait. Dallas 42.5 Dallas could use bit of depth, but won't be big name hunting. Buffalo 42.9 Could see the Sabres add some big guy for cheap, claim for 6 months they are a superstar, than waive them. Chicago 43.5 Making some cap space by moving Makar, but likely saving that space for mid season adds. Carolina 44.6 Blown their cap load. Colorado 45 Doing their best to be compliant. Vancouver 45.4 Some trimming has happened. More needed? Florida 46.2 Bratt jamming that cap! Who's out?
St-Louis Blues	Blues Summer Update	Blues-Graham	2023-08-11 11:01:33	85	You know what sucks? When you had a full article written but didn't save and then your computer rebooted. Yes, Yes, but what about autosave. No no, I write my articles in notepad and it doesn't autosave so I don't want to listen to your preach! The Blues have been busy this summer working the phones and adding vetrans to the line up. The first pick up of the summer was ex-scoring winger Phil "hotdog" Kessel along with a 6th round pick for waiver trash Dylan Gambrell. Kessell is on a 2 year contract that pays him 2.5 million. Expect him and his bloated contract to play on the 4th line. Not yet done, the Blues added vetran 2 way forward Jonathan Towes from Buffalo in exchange for bust Olli Juolevi. Toews has a 3 year 2.5 million dollar contact but will be retired after this year. With his pedigree and 80DF rating expect him to slot somewhere in the top 6. With more space to hit the cap floor the Blues made 2 recent deals, picking up goaltender Jack Campbell out of Vancouver. Rumors have it the Blues nearly grabbed him out of Anahaiem for a couple 4ths but a jammed fax machine allowed the Canucks to swoop in and claim the picks. The Blues then had to settle for the potential bounce back canidate and his 4.6 million dollar contact in exchange for Filip Kral - an ex NHL leaf prospect who recently signed in the Liiga. As it stand now, it's expected the Blues will keep Campbell around after next year either as a backup or as a starter. He will slot in as the Blues starter this year. The latest add for the Blues is washed up winger Tanner Pearson. He's on a 1 year 2.5 million dollar contact. With his sub 60 offensive ratings and an 80DF rating, he should slot in some where on the 3rd or 4th line as well as the PK. At one point the Blues planned to be heavly involved in the current UFA market. However due to the rather weak talent level and lack of roster spots, the Blues might sit this one out. As things stand now this is the Blues lineup going into the start of the season: Zadina - Toews - HoglanderMaroon - Jost - BlaisLindbolm - Steel - EvangelistaPearson - Krebs - KesselSpares: McMichael, Dorofeyev, Jonsson Fjallby Liljegren - Alexeyev Zaitsev - Durzi Zboril - Vaakanainen Spares: Wolanin, Clarke Campbell Murray Spare: Mrazek Next up: We'll focus on the prospects and who may and may not see some serious NHL icetime this year.
Philadelphia Flyers	Top 10 UFAs Available (#3 will shock you!)	Flyers-Jamie	2023-08-08 16:53:07	152	Here is our take on the top 10 free agents heading into the 2023 NEFHL UFA period! #1 - John Carlson - The Coyotes chose not to loyalty #1 dman John Carlson for cost reasons and let the star veteran dman go to free agency. He is a star dman that can do it all, including score goals. He's more than offense though, being quick, tough, and strong defensively as well. One of the best dmen in the league will be finding a new home. He could make any pretender jump to contender status. It wouldn't be shocking if he goes for north of $7 million. #2 - Linus Ullmark - Thanks to Kevin repeatedly saying goalies are the most important position, they've become a hotter item than ever in the NEFHL and Ullmark is a 30 y/o top end goalie that is just hitting his stride. He has long-term appeal while providing top end goaltending this season. We have confirmation there will be some hefty offers, and depending if it's a rebuilding team or contending team, the length and the amounts could vary, but I can't imagine any bargain hunters will be bringing this prize goalie in. Under $6 million would be a surprise. #3 - Max Pacioretty - Max is coming off a season of injury and is high risk, but no other player in free agency can bring the offense like he does. He's a true top line scorer, and even if he misses half the season he can still put up 30+ goals, and give some cap relief while on the IR. He's a good candidate to have a fantastic rebound NHL season, or maybe he'll get hurt again and he's done. He'll be worth the risk to at least a few teams though! #4 - Frederik Anderson - The 2nd of the 3 80+ goalies available in free agency. Andersen will remain starter for a strong Canes team and is likely to keep his ratings up for at least a couple more seasons. At 33 he might not be as strong of a long term option as Ullmark, but he can keep a team going for the next 2 or 3 seasons as their starter. #5 - MAF - The veteran goalie has remained as one of the league's top goalies for several years and is still and 80OV star player. He is a difference maker to any team needing a top goalie. He doesn't have too many seasons left in him, but is a great option for the current season to a contender needing a goalie that might want to avoid the bidding war on Ullmark. I can't imagine him signing for under $5 million, but is likely to get less than both Ullmark and Anderson given his age and future potential. #6 - Drew Doughty - the veteran dman is well accomplished and brings strong two way play with lots of speed and strength to be top pairing ES, PP, and PK. He's still putting up top end stats and bounced back after an injury riddled season, so his DU will be improving, assuming he can stay healthy again. He's a difference maker that can round out any defense group. #7 - Anders Lee - Lee is a good option on the wing for a team looking for a big guy that has some goal scoring ability. At 33 his production might be on the decline, but he won't be losing any strength. He'll be hoping to see a slight raise from his expiring $3.9 million deal. Teams needing a top six winger will be checking him out for sure. #8 - Blake Wheeler - the veteran winger still has 80+ ratings for speed, strength, and defense, along with 67 puck control which will all stay stagnate through the next season. He's the perfect complimentary winger that can fit anywhere within a contenders top six. He probably doesn't have much appeal to rebuilding teams with his age, but he does have a good opportunity with the Rangers in NHL to improve on his production. #9 - Jonathan Marchessault - The 2nd best offensive forward available in free agency and coming off a huge playoffs leading the Leafs offense. A top six forward with at least another good season or two in him. He's well rounded, with the exception of intensity, but is not a liability. His 77AOV will likely see him getting a raise in free agency and would expect he will get north of $4 million. #10 - Marcus Foligno - A rare top six winger that brings 90+IT and ST, 82DF and mid fifties for the offensive ratings. He's one of the best PK players in the league with these ratings and makes a great complimentary player with two more offensive type players. There are always some bargains and some overpays. Aways an exciting time in the NEFHL!
Carolina Hurricanes	Canes 2023 NEFHL Draft Review	Canes-Jeff	2023-08-07 10:11:26	79	One of the most exciting parts of every Canes offseason is always the NEFHL Draft. This franchise has made a habit of drafting very well and keeping the cupboards stocked for the future. The current pro roster is filled with Canes draftees, from Stamkos, Tavares, Trouba, Vrana, Crouse all the way down to players like Adin Hill and Dante Fabbro. Drafting is the key to long term success and the Canes have proven to be very good at it. Lets look at what the team did this year... With their first round pick, the Canes selected... wait, they didn't have a first? It was dealt back in February to Chicago for Tyler Bertuzzi... well that's ok, he's a good hockey player that will help the team for the coming years. Lets move on to their second round pick, they went ahead and decided to.... trade it as well back in February in a deal that brought back Jaccob Slavin and Radek Faksa... this also seems like a good move that will help the team this season. No prospects yet but probably worth the risk. On to round 3 where they for sure were going to make a selection. Nope, this pick was dealt to Seattle back in the 2022 Kraken expansion draft in exchange for the Kraken taking Nick Holden and protecting the rest of their roster... there was probably a good chance they were going to lose Adin Hill and he is at least a solid backup with a good shot at pushing for a starting gig... yeah, that works too. But still no young prospect to mold into NHLers. Round 4 is a good spot to take flyers on skilled kids, so taking one in this round would have made perfect sense.... if they had a pick. It was dealt in a package with a 2024 3rd back in September which saw the Canes pick up winger Marcus Johansson. A really good 3rd line winger, fine this is also ok. Heading on to round 5, with the 152nd overall pick, the Canes selected.... holy shit they took a player. From the Vancouver Giants of the WHL, defenceman Mazden Leslie, a speedy offensive Dman who put up 64 points in 66 games. While he didn't get picked on the NHL side, there is a very realistic chance of him getting taken next year should he continue to rack up points in the Western league Round 6 has always been the Canes favourite round, so it makes total sense that they.... traded back to the 7th round while grabbing a 2024 pick as well.... sigh, this is gonna be a thin prospect group With their final pick of the draft, 199th overall, the team took world junior champion goaltender Thomas Milic form the Seattle Thunderbirds.... wait we already had his rights from 2021. What? We lost them after 2 years and had to use another pick on him? I guess a 7th is worth it with his track record. So in review, the team took a defenceman who went undrafted and a goalie they already had... exciting! At least Bertuzzi, Slavin, Faksa, Hill and Johansson should all be very important pieces for them this year. I guess there are other ways to build a team, but it really sucks to basically be out of the draft.
Carolina Hurricanes	Canes Upgrade Goaltending In a Big Way!	Canes-Jeff	2023-08-06 06:31:32	79	After having posted no articles since April 16th after a crushing playoff defeat at the hands of the Pittsburgh Penguins in the first round of the NEFHL playoffs, the Canes press figures it may be time to get rolling again. The offseason is rolling along and unrestricted free agency is about to kick off now. The Canes have made some lineup changes this off season with none bigger that the trade with the Philadelphia Flyers back in June that brought in All Star goaltender Igor Shesterkin. The Canes sent their own starting goalie of the past 2 seasons Vitek Vanecek, who has been with the team since being drafted in the 8th round back in 2014 along with former first round pick Conor Geekie and former second round pick Jeremie Poirier. The Canes also included their 2024 1st round draft pick in the package with saw Shesterkin and checking forward Nic Dowd head back to Raleigh. Shesterkin is coming off a season that saw him pick up 34 wins and finish 2nd in Vezina Trophy voting in Philly and he immediately upgrades what was seen as the main reason the Canes were bounced in round 1 as both Vanecek and backup Adin Hill were ventilated on a nightly basis. With the Canes overall core getting older, this move feels like an all in push to give this group one more chance to go get a cup. Adding a true #1 goalie should push a 98 point team into the upper portion of the Eastern Conference with a very realistic chance at making a deep run into June. Stay tuned for more articles as we look at more summer Canes happenings out of Raleigh!
Nashville Predators	Predators sign 5 more players before the start of UFA period	Preds-Sylvain	2023-07-31 04:25:52	96	The Nashville Predators announced that they have signed contracts with five other players. This comes after they initially signed four early in the summer. While the first round of signatures was dominated by defensemen, this time they signed four forwards and a goalie. Kyle Palmieri decided to sign back with Nashville and will not test free agency. He signed a three-year contract worth 2.75 million each year. The veteran forward is expected to provide leadership for the younger group while playing a key role in the team’s top-6. The Predators were also able to put Barrett Hayton under contract. Hayton signed a 4 year deal worth 1.1 million each year. Nashville is hoping that Hayton continues to improve his game and establishes himself as a key player in their top-6. The team also signed Morgan Barron for 4 years. The 6’4 forward will be earning 1 million per year. He is set to provide depth to the roster along with a physical presence, while filling up on the top lines on occasion. The last forward that was signed is Trey Fix-Wolansky. Since the pint-sized winger is still trying to get a shot at a pro roster spot, a 2 years deal at 640k per year felt right for both parties. The Predators think Fix-Wolansky will probably play another year on the farm before he is ready for prime time. The last deal that was signed was an agreement with Jeremy Swayman to sign a 4-year deal. The promising goalie was signed at 2.3 million per year. He will be making his debut as the regular backup this year, but the Predators think he might eventually be able to replace John Gibson as the starter.
Pittsburgh Penguins	A Smorgasbord of D-Spects - Pens Unsigned Prospect Blowout Pt. 2	Pens-Brent	2023-07-30 13:49:58	96	Here's a look at the defenders added to the stable. Admittedly, we signed a couple too many. Hopefully one or two of these guys pan out! New Hampshire native Michael Kesselring stepped his game up enough this past year to garner attention from the Pittsburgh Penguins. The 23-year-old, right handed defender buried 15 goals in 59 AHL games and picked up three helpers in nine NHL games with Arizona. “Michael had a nice cup of coffee on the biggest stage last season. He could prove to be a good depth guy down the line,” stated the Pens GM. Cole McWard is a staunch defender, especially in the middle of the ice. The 22-year-old possesses good poise and vision for his age, willingly absorbing contact to make the right play. “Cole’s got great footwork defending the rush. We really like his size and skating combo. He also has a little razzle dazzle to his game,” added the GM. Hardy Häman Aktell could be the most polished of the defenders added to the Penguins group. The 6'3", 220-pound, 24-year old defenseman led Växjö in plus/minus (+23), ranked second on the team in assists and points and tied for third among all SHL defenders in points. “Häman Aktell has a strong first pass and owns a cannon of a shot. We like that he doesn't shy away from joining the rush,” the Pens GM replied. Valterri Pulli is a 6’6”, 210-pound, left handed defender from Turku, Finland. “He's a solid defenseman with size. He played important minutes for good programs in TPS and the Finnish National Team camps. We like the potential given his frame and skill package,” shared the GM. Nikita Novikov plays the game similar to Mattias Samuelsson, defense first. The 6’3”, 200-pound defender is only 20-years of age and is still very raw and early in his development. He possesses tremendous bite to his game and has played in 94 KHL games for Dynamo Moscow. “Nikita brings a different element to his game than the other players we’ve discussed. He’s that high intensity defender that the opposition hates playing against,” the GM concluded. Up Next... Hold my Beer Pt. 2 ___________________________________ Obligatory Articles: 5/5
Pittsburgh Penguins	Pens Unsigned Prospect Blowout Pt. 1	Pens-Brent	2023-07-28 14:36:00	113	The Pittsburgh Penguins were incredibly active, and perhaps a tad overzealous, during the first round of UFA prospect signings. The Pens spent roughly $15,000,000 on 8 prospects. Here’s a look at the forwards they added. 21-year-old left-winger, Alexandre Doucet, tallied 58 goals in a QMJHL season where he spent time playing for both the Val d’Or Foreurs and Halifax Mooseheads. He also netted an additional 14 goals and tallied 31 points in only 21 playoff games for the Halifax. “I think I’m a smart player, I’m good in front of the net,” Doucet said. “I work hard to win puck battles, I’m good on both sides of the ice.” Jiri Smejkal spent the 2022-23 season with Oskarshamn IK of the Swedish Hockey League and finished 3rd in club scoring with 23 goals and 43 points in 49 games. Smejkal is 6-foot-3 and tips the scales at 222 pounds. The 26-year-old is an experienced player who should hopefully make a quick transition to the North American ice surface. "He's a big body, like the Czech version of the Hulk," the Pens head scout said. "He is incredibly fit and is very strong on the puck. He can keep up with highly skilled players and has a direct impact in the offensive end. Jiri has the ability to create plays on his own with his brute force, net presence and fearlessness in the corners and around the boards." Ryan Hofer plays a rough and tumble, throwback style of puck. He refers to his game as having “a little bit of meat and potatoes,” which perfectly describes Hofer’s work ethic. At 6-foot-3 and nearly 200 pounds, he is a hard body to move off the puck, using his strength to drive to the net, raising hell for the opposition. Hofer split time this year between the Everett Silvertips and Kamloops Blazers. In 66 regular season games, the forward amassed 68 points, 40 of them goals. He also chipped in with 15 points (8 goals and 7 assists) in 14 playoff games. Up next — A Smorgasbord of D-Spects ___________________________________ Obligatory Articles: 4/5
Minnesota Wild	RFA 2023	Wild-Peter	2023-07-27 18:55:17	114	The first five rounds of RFA have come and gone. Qualified but unsigned players are exposed to offer sheets. Let's review the 2023 RFA season thus far. The organization let go of the following players, opting not to qualify them: - Frederik Karlstrom: ahl/depth tweener. Got too many of those guys. Kinda hoping I didn't let him go a year or two too early like Bunting. We shall see. - Jackson Cates: Spare forward with no offensive upside. Literally dozens of available free agents like him. Not worth a roster spot. - Evan Barratt: Once a promising prospect on the cusp of making the NHL, he's been forgotten and surpassed on the depth chart of one of the worst organizations recently (NHL Chicago). From point per game NCAA player to fizzling in the minors, being sent down to ECHL and recently confirming he's going to play in Europe. - Corey Andonovski: Signed as a NCAA free agent prospect, Andonosvki has proven himself to be a bottom 6 player in the AHL with little defense or discipline to make up for his lack of offense. Not worth a roster spot. - Marcus Nurmi: Big body forward I watched quite a bit when I was scouting Slafkosvky playing in TPS for the 2022 draft. Nurmi left me impressed a hell of a lot more than Slavkovsky in those viewings. While Slafkovsky couldn't score on that team, Nurmi led the team in scoring, doubling up on Slafkovsky's total points just in assists alone. Nurmi signed an NHL contract with Nashville and I signed him. He is returning to TPS for the next season after not getting called up from the AHL. - Josh Brook: Once a good offensive D prospect, he has been completely derailed by injuries. Shame. The organization has decided to qualify the following players: - Brady Tkachuk: As much as I love Brady, it's hard for me to justify the money he wants right now when he doesn't even produce at a PPG clip. Waiting it out at the moment. - Roope Hintz: He wanted to be UFA and refused a stupid amount of money to remain RFA. Bit surprised he signed for 4.85 x 4 but I'll take it. I caved on years, he caved on salary. Decent compromise. Hopefully Sim Roope talks to Sim Brady. - Kevin Labanc: Re-signed for the same money he was making on the last contract. 4x950k. Labanc isn't a sexy player but he's really versatile and can play on any line as a defensive forward or complimentary scoring winger. Good soldier to have for any team. - Carter Hart: Bit of uncertainty with the whole WJC 2018 thing so I went 2 years. I figured if he doesn't play he will retain his current ratings for at least the next couple years like Mike Smith did. I would have liked 4 years at this money. 2x4.25 - Daniil Tarasov: Good technical skills and potential to be a 1G. Still needs time to marinate and get his OV up. Worst case scenario he becomes a backup in the low-low/mid 70s. 2x725k - Lauri Pajuniemi:I was hoping to qualify him but not actually sign him. Looks like he'll get retired soon but has some decent scoring upside. I just wanted to retain his rights since he's going to Europe again. 1x610k - Marcus Bjork: Bit of a surprise free agent signing last summer. He played a lot with NHL Columbus and re-signed there. He currently is qualified but not signed as he's insisting on 4 years taking him to UFA. No urgency here. - Nathan Smith: Has played in the NHL in parts of the last 2 seasons. Played at the last Olympics. Under 25. Worth a roster spot. 3x675k _____________________________________ Mandatory articles 3/5
Toronto Maple Leafs	Leafs Sign 4	Leafs-Shane	2023-07-25 21:14:27	75	The Leafs were busy not only with their own RFA'S but with some college kids elgible for NHL contracts The leafs list was 5 players deep. They landed 4. Call it a sucess. Who did they sign you ask? Well lets take a closer look: 1. Yaniv Perets - Goalie: Perets is an aggressive goaltender who never gives up on a play. He has the ability to take on heavy workloads while staying consistent. Posted some insane stast while playing at Quinnipac. Posting a 34-4 record and a save % of .931 was good enough for the best in country. Was it a fluke? nope. He went 22-5 with a .939 save% last season. Sky is the limit here. 2. Ryan Mcallister - Forward: An undrafted late-bloomer with dynamic offensive instincts. He has scored buckets of points at every level so far. He destroyed NCAA hockey in his first season postin 49 Points in 39 games at Western Michigan. Then 5 more Points im 4 games in the AHL. 3. Jake Livingstone - Defense: A monster. Size. Skill. Skating. The 23-year-old is viewed as one of the best free agents on the market, someone with good two-way hockey sense and a solid 6-foot-3 frame. Hes put up large point totals with Minnesota and looks to win an NHL roster spot this season. 4. Akito Hirose - Defense: An undersized defenseman who showcases strong puck-moving abilities, and disruptive defensive skills. Projects as a promising NHL option. Another Minnesota product who produced huge points and did as well with Vancouver putting up 3 points in 7 NHL games. The one the Leafs missed out on was Sam Malinski.
Pittsburgh Penguins	Full Send	Pens-Brent	2023-07-18 14:07:55	99	Youngsters Isac Lundestrom and Liam Foudy have gone all in with the Penguins after agreeing to four year deals yesterday afternoon. The Pens brass was brimming when asked about the two agreements. Both sides made it clear that they are committed for the long haul. "I love playing here and learning from some of the best to ever lace them up. I know the coaching staff and team management believes in me. I am really looking forward to what is to come," replied the Swedish centremen when asked about the new deal. "I am really excited for training camp. I am hopeful that I can earn my way into the lineup. I feel like I made some gains toward the end of last year and I am hoping to build on that momentum," added Foudy. Both players accepted contracts that will pay them $825,000 per season. It is clear that Penguins management is hopeful that both Lundestrom and Foudy will evolve into consistent two-way, middle six players. "We are confident that these guys can fulfil a bottom six, defensive-minded role immediately. They are both solid skaters with good defensive acumen. Hopefully they can continue to develop more confidence in the offensive end. Our club, just like every other team, could use more secondary scoring," stated coach Berube. Lundestrom and Foudy joined winger Troy Terry and defender Evan Bouchard as four future pieces that the Penguins management are going all in on. "I think it is clear that we want to win now, but we want a smooth transition for our next generation of players. With the young talent we currently have, there is no reason to believe that will require a full rebuild in the future. We have locked up players who we project as being key fixtures of this team down the line," stated the Penguins GM. In other news, the flightless birds lit up the unsigned prospect scene after signed 8 promising youngsters to NEFHL contracts. Our next batch of articles will spotlight the team's recent pickups and the roster and financial implications they could have on the club. ___________________________________ Obligatory Articles: 3/5
Pittsburgh Penguins	Overjoyed over Ovechkin	Pens-Brent	2023-07-17 23:56:18	85	The Pittsburgh Penguins faithful can breathe easy for now knowing that their franchise winger is locked up for at least two more seasons. Alexander Ovechkin accepted a two year contract worth an average of $7,600,000 a season on Monday afternoon. The future Hall of Famer is coming off of a monster post season leading all players in points (28) and goals (19) despite playing only 13 games. "Locking up Alex was our primary goal off-season. I think keeping him and Sid together shows our commitment to our on-ice product. We want to win and have made it clear to our fans that we will do what it takes to see the Cup come back to Pittsburgh," said Penguins GM. After news broke over the new contract, Pens analyst John Mikeston alluded to struggles between the AO camp and team management over the term of the deal. Something that the Penguins brass ultimately caved on if true. "You've got Montour and Ekholm with two years left on their deals. Now you add an aging Ovechkin to the mix. Something is not adding up," he shared One has to wonder if this could be Ovechkin's second and final kick at the can with Pittsburgh before they decide to ship him off elsewhere while he is still senile and sentient. In other news, the Penguins agreed to terms with Brett Kulak. While many spectulated that they were close to agreeing to a long term deal, both sides ultimately agreed to salary arbitration. A one year contract worth $1,150,000 was the outcome. This ultimately means that Kulak becomes a loyalty signing option for next off-season. With Sidney Crosby's name also on this list, Brett should start looking into destinations other than Pittsburgh in the near future. "If they were smart they'd move the old man and keep me," the defender laughed. More news to come this week... 1) RFA signing Update 2) Penguins UFA Prospect Creampie ___________________________________ Obligatory Articles: 2/5
Columbus Blue Jackets	Hamilton Re-signs	Jackets-Blake	2023-07-17 16:04:30	94	The Jackets have a couple of big names to resign, but last week they were able to re-sign the ufa player that could've walked away, Over the course of the later part of the season and the playoffs, Dougie Hamilton showed how much of an impact player he was and how he brought something from the backend that none of the other Blue Jackets d-men don't have, just that ability to be able to single handidly win a game every now and then. Hamilton's high offensive style of play that comes with being a responsible d-man was truly the type of player the Jackets needed. With a good supporting d-cast of Weegar, Forsling, and Samuelsson, the Jackets do have an impressive core that may sneakily be one of the better cores in the league. The Jackets still have a long way to go this offseason, with several key rfa's still unsigned and the departures of several key contributors to the suprise playoff run to ufa, the most prominent ones being their starting goalie Freddie Andersen and top line wing Anders Lee, they are not contenders as of yet. Jackets GM MacPherson is considering all the options that are before him, and it will be interesting to see if the Jackets want to try to make another run. They do have good center depth and d-depth. It's just the wingers and lack of starting goaltender that are the issues right now. Time will tell if the Jackets are able to catch lightning in a bottle again and try to go on another run.
Seattle Kraken	Georgiev re-signs with Seattle	Kraken-Scott	2023-07-17 15:51:55	95	Success in the NEFHL starts between the pipes. As still a relatively new GM in this league, it's my understanding that success is guaranteed with a goalie who has an OV rating of more than 80. The Kraken hope to continue building into a successful franchise in the next few years, and getting number one goaltender Alexandar Georgiev under contract was the team's top priority. On Monday, word leaked through NEFHL insiders that Georgiev had re-signed with the Seattle Kraken for 2 year at a $4 million AAV. Kraken management had hoped for a longer deal, but the two sides came to an agreement that will see Georgiev remain a restricted free agent after this new contract expires. Georgiev isn't quite at the 80 OV rating required yet, but he should reach that level in no time. GM Scott had the following to say: "We feel that Alex is a top 10 goalie in the NEFHL - perhaps even top five - so we're thrilled we were able to reach terms with his agent earlier today. We hope that Alex remains a Kraken for many, many years as the team builds into a playoff contender." The Kraken have re-signed the majority of their remaining RFA's, as follows: - Defenseman Riley Stillman (2 * $850,000) - Minor league winger John Leonard (2 * $650,000) - Prospect defenseman Matthew Kessel (3 * $550,000) - Fringe prospect d-man Jack St. Ivany (3 * $550,000) Two RFA's remained unsigned for Seattle. Veteran winger Zach Sanford and marginal minor-league center Samuel Asselin are asking for too much money and may not be re-signed. The Kraken now have thirty-one players under contract for the 2023-24 season, and with almost $12 million in cap space, the franchise figures to be busy during the unrestricted free agency period. The team would likely seek to add more scoring punch up front. GM Scott has been known to weaponize cap space, and would likely accept deals to take on unwanted contracts if accompanied by draft picks.
Pittsburgh Penguins	Committed to the Cause	Pens-Brent	2023-07-15 13:32:35	166	Get your pocket books out. It's the summer and arguably the most important time of the year for NEFHL general managers. With two rounds of offers in the books, the Pittsburgh Penguins have managed to cross some important names off of their RFA list. Recently acquired scoring winger Troy Terry wasted no time signing a long term deal with the Pens. The 26 year old agreed to a four year pact worth $2,250,000 per season. With Terry coming into his prime years, team management believes that this deal could be a steal towards the end of it. "Troy is an exceptional player. We felt that we needed an additonal scoring threat on the wing that is responsible in his own end. Troy fits the bill. We are happy to have him for the long haul," said the Pens GM. When asked about his handshake "Food Plan" deal with Ovechkin and Crosby, as mentioned by the NEFHL Insider, Evan Bouchard confirmed the rumours to be true. "Sid and Ovy said that they'd flip for food on the road and I couldn't say no. These guys always want to hit up fancy steakhouses on rest days. Have you seen the costs lately?" the defender stated. He signed a four year agreement worth $1,325,000 per season. Speaking of Ovechkin, it sounds as though his contract negotiations are close. While it sounds like the dollar value is there, the years not so much. "While Ovy continues to age, his camp feels that his best days have yet to come. Team Ovechkin wants less years as they feel that his AOV will rise like global temperatures around the world," tweeted Penguins insider John Mikeston. Youngsters Isac Lunderstrom and Liam Foudy are two noteable names to follow. Those close to the organization believe that the pair should sign early next week. ________________________ Obligatory Articles: 1/5
Chicago Blackhawks	Chicago 2023 Draft Review	Hawks-Anthony	2023-07-13 16:10:04	88	[Chicago, Illinois] General Manager and the Chicago Blackhawks scouting team were active on day one of the draft, holding three (3) first-round picks. Anthony had this to say about this years scouting: “We did things differently this year. There were more ‘no drafts’ than previous years. We wanted ‘our’ guys more than ever. We’ve built this winning and fun culture internally and we recognize it starts with the draft. Some teams rather not draft and move the picks for more established players which is completely understandable. However, here in Chicago, we pride ourselves with developing young talent to one day crack the roster.” The first pick was sixteenth (16th) overall and Russian 6’5 winger Daniil But was selected. “He’s huge, competes hard, great shot and has easy top 6 potential. Our scouts strongly feel he’s a much better skater than what the scouting community says but he does have to work on his toughness on-ice. He’s got all the tools necessary to be a really great player. We had fourteen (14) players targeted with this selection and glad to get one that we ranked top 10.” The second pick, twenty-first (21st) overall was Canadian Bradly Nadeau. “One of our favorites this year. A couple of weeks before the draft, he was out target at 28. On draft night, our scouts didn’t want to take a chance and wait. He’s a true dual-threat and can score with the best of them. He played BCHL but absolutely dominated, winning scoring titles and playoff MVP. He’s a gamer, competes hard and knows where to be on the ice to make a difference.” The last pick of the first (1st) round was twenty-eight (28th) overall. Gavin Brindley. “What a spitfire. Yes, he’s small but he works tirelessly and the coaching staff at Michigan raved about him. Hell, our scouts loved him. He’s skilled, skates amazingly and is so smart. We had him going early 2nd round but at 28, we rather go with the player we like and want to succeed than anyone else.” Other selections were 96 overall (last pick in the 3rd round) : Rasmus Kumpulainen which St. Louis Blues selected 53 overall in the 2nd round. He’s a smart player with great size (6’2). Can pass really well and a great puck mover but needs to work on his skating at the next level. The two late picks of the 4th round were : Dans Locmelis & Andrei Loshko. Locemelis is a bit undersized but super skilled and has already impressed at the Bruins development camp. Should be a big year for him. Loshko has good size, a center, skates well and is detail oriented. No real weaknesses from a skillset standpoint but is inconsistent and needs to produce 5on5 to be successful at the next level. Final pick was Barrett Hall, a previous 6th round pick for Seattle. Has some promise but a long shot. Should be an interesting year with St. Cloud to see if he can take the next step.
St-Louis Blues	Blues Prospect Update	Blues-Graham	2023-07-12 20:03:06	102	The draft is over. The Blues added some great talent to an already packed prospect cupboard. For the 2nd year in a row our top pick was picked later in the NHL draft. Of course i'm talking about #2 overall in the NEFHL Adam Fantilli, who dropped to #3 in the NHL. That's ok, I still think he will be a better player than #2 pick Leo Carlson. For the record I still thing Shane Wright will be better than Slafkovsky. But those are debates for another day. For this prospect update i'm not going to post my full chart like I usually do. I'll instead just post my top 40 (of 61). I will also just post thier current ranks rather than their ranks over the last year. I feel our top 14-15 prospects all have top 6 upside up front or top 4 upside on the back end. Looking at our top 10, you could argue we have many NHL teams top prospects - Fantilli, Wright, Clark, Lysell, McMichael and Morrow all fit the bill. Players on this list who should or at least have a very good change to play in the NHL this year include Fantilli, Wright, Clark, Evangelista, Dorofeyev, Krebs, McMichael, Lavoie and Alexeyev. This is great news for a team like the Blues who are trying to transition from a rebuilding team to a playoff team (24-25?). I'll make another update in September or October. The list: 1 Adam Fantalli 2 Shane Wright 3 Brandt Clark 4 Luke Evangelista 5 Fabian Lysell 6 Jordan Dumais 7 Pavel Dorofeyev 8 Peyton Krebs 9 Connor McMichael 10 Scott Morrow 11 Marat Khusnutdinov 12 Logan Mailloux 13 Matthew Maggio 14 Filip Mesar 15 Danilia Klimovich 16 Raphael Lavoie 17 Helge Grans 18 Fedor Svechkov 19 Erik Portillo 20 Anton Wahlberg 21 Koehn Ziemmer 22 Vadim Zherenko 23 Gleb Trikozov 24 Adam Sykora 25 Oscar Fisker Molgaard 26 Tristen Robins 27 Dmitri Rashevsky 28 Artyom Duda 29 Ethan Cardwell 30 Anttoni Honka 31 Roni Hirvonen 32 Martin Misak 33 Isaiah Saville 34 Vladimir Grudinin 35 Alexander Alexeyev 36 Drew Helleson 37 Filip Johansson 38 Arttu Karki 39 Jayson Shaugabay 40 Daniil Chayka
Nashville Predators	Predators sign 4 players right at the start of the off-season	Preds-Sylvain	2023-07-12 04:34:39	96	The off-season started quickly for the Nashville Predators with the signature of four players on the first day. Up front, the Predators were able to come to terms with young forward Ty Dellandrea, signing him to a 4 years contract worth 850k each year. Dellandrea, 23, split his year between the SICHL and the farm last year. Nashville expects him to play a key role in the future on their third line due to his versatility, and occasionally fill in the top 6 when injuries hit. He is one of the key parts of the retooling being done in Music City. Nashville also came to terms with three defensemen: Will Borgen, Ben Harpur, and Reilly Walsh. The Predators signed Will Borgen to a 4 years contract worth 1.2 million each year. The contract extends Borgen up until he will be 31, buying his first year of free agency. The late-blooming defenseman has improved steadily to the point where he should hold a regular spot on the roster this year. Standing at 6'3", Borgen will provide a physical edge for the team on the backend. In the spirit of providing an edge on the backend, Nashville also extended Ben Harpur for 2 years at 750k per year. Harpur played well in 2022-23 for the Predators, appearing in 81 games, and could have a similar year in 2023-24, although there is stiff competition on defense. The last player that was signed is Reilly Walsh to a 4 years deal worth 650k each year. At 24, Walsh is still developing on the farm but is expected to make his debut in the SICHL in 2024-25. In contrast to the other two signatures made on the backend, Walsh is expected to bring offense on the Predators' blue line. Nashville is also working hard on signing five other players. Rumors are that the team is close to making deals with Kyle Palmieri and Trey Fix-Wolansky. The Predators are also trying to ink Barrett Hayton and Morgan Barron to long-term deals but the word is they are looking for shorter deals. The other player that received an offer, Jeremy Swayman, was apparently not impressed and voiced to the press that he "wants much more". Lastly, it seems that Andre Lee and Zack Hayes will not be receiving qualifying offers and should become UFAs this summer.
Dallas Stars	Charlie	Stars-Sly	2023-07-11 23:01:57	85	The Dallas Stars are super excited to welcome a new face in Charlie McAvoy to the organization. The Dallas Stars pulled some majic on the draft floor and acquired McAvoy for Neal Pionk and a 2023 2nd rounder. The second rounder that the Stars traded to the New Jersey Devils ended up being Oliver Bonk who ended up going 22nd overall to the Philadelphia Flyers in the NHL. Even though Neal Pionk had more goals then McAvoy last year in the NHL the Stars got the better roster player in return. Charlie played 67 games for the Bruins in the NHL last season and was able to put up 7 goals and 45 apples for 54 Pts. Charlie is an excellent skater, with good speed and acceleration which will be a welcome addition to the Stars line up. Dallas is most likely gonna have Charlie paired up with Darnell Nurse on the first line to start the season followed by vetran Kris Letang and Olli Maatta on the second pairing. This move will help with some offense from the back end but also brings another 80DF rated d-man to go along with Nurse. The Stars are confident with the Top 3 defenseman but might look to acquire some depth down to road to help the four, five and six spots on D. After two brutal consecutive NEFHL seasons, The Dallas Stars feel like this move might put the Stars back in the playoff picture. It also helps that Dallas will finally have a 80ov rated goaltender in Ville Husso to start the season. " BIG D" is probably a second line center away from being a legit threat to the league. GO STARS GO !!!!!!!
Dallas Stars	Day 1 of signings	Stars-Sly	2023-07-11 22:26:09	87	The Dallas Stars are happy with how the first day of signings went..... Dallas was able to lock up d-man Carter Berger to a reasonable deal. Carter is a former 4th round pick in the NHL that has shown some promise. Berger was able to put up 23 pts in 33 games for Western Michigan University in 2022-2023. The Stars felt like he was worthy of a 3 year deal at 385000$ a season. Carter might be a long shot to make the NHL but only time will tell if this deal will be a good fit for Dallas. The bigger news on day one for the Dallas Stars is that they signed loyalty, Artemi Panarin to a 3 year deal worth 4 000 500$ a season. The Stars felt like 3 years was the right choice for the 31 soon to be 32 year old Left winger. Artemi was able to play all 82 games for the New York Rangers this past season in the NHL and put up solid numbers once again. The Russian from Korkino was able to light the lamp 29 times to go along with 63 helpers for a total of 92 pts. Panarin is a threat to score everytime he is on the ice, he can dangle with the best of them, has great vision, has a terriffic shot and can do so many things with the puck that not many other players can do. Now that Artemi is signed the Dallas Stars are confident that Panarin Draisaitl and Marner are gonna be one of the best first lines in the 2023-2024 NEFHL season. The Stars will be looking to sign Brett Leason, Jakub Dobes and Jeffrey Viel in the next coming days. GO Stars GO!!!!!!!
Minnesota Wild	Money Talks	Wild-Peter	2023-07-07 14:56:13	138	Endorsements money was handed out. Article money was handed out. Calendar wise, we already started the 2023-2024 season. RFA is around the corner. UFA not too far away. But for now, who are the haves and the have nots? Who is the 1%? Who is looking in the sofa cushions for some change? Let's take a look at each franchise's updated funds, In order from highest to lowest: Florida $123,171,942.00 Calgary $107,350,863.00 Los Angeles $74,472,116.00 Washington $70,999,569.00 Colorado $61,767,871.00 Carolina $59,758,782.00 Chicago $58,147,505.00 Toronto $49,907,426.00 Vancouver $46,497,076.00 Arizona $45,298,633.00 Dallas $43,264,245.00 Minnesota $41,400,765.00 Nashville $40,292,817.00 Tampa Bay $39,623,064.00 NY Islanders $36,083,315.00 Pittsburgh $34,115,350.00 Anaheim $32,710,020.00 Philadelphia $30,685,327.00 New Jersey $30,541,221.00 Edmonton $29,823,159.00 Montreal $28,903,884.00 St. Louis $26,644,357.00 Columbus $23,863,115.00 NY Rangers $22,894,825.00 Ottawa $15,004,292.00 Vegas $13,432,737.00 Seattle $13,298,687.00 Winnipeg $10,254,913.00 San Jose $4,882,072.00 Boston $3,670,017.00 Detroit -$2,111,833.00 Buffalo -$8,645,171.00 Florida and Calgary are in a league of their own. Rumors are swirling there will be a cage match between the two richest GMs slated for the All-Star game. The expected slogan for the event will be "there can be only one.. hundred millionaire" On the opposite side, Buffalo and Detroit are the only two teams in the red. I remember there were more teams in years past so it seems like teams are finding ways to add to their funds more effectively. Not surprising, teams currently rebuilding and the expansion teams are near the bottom of the league. I don't think this surprises anybody. I can't wait to see what no-name, boom/bust prospect barely worth a late round pick will get millions of dollars in bonus money to sign. It's become a yearly tradition in this league. That's all for now folks. Thanks for reading. Or not. I don't care. _____________________________________ "Show me the money" fund of 2022-2023 is now the "Future buyout fund" for 2023-2024 Mandatory articles 2/5
Minnesota Wild	Goalie Homework	Wild-Peter	2023-07-04 17:48:18	168	A quick look at how the 'most important position in hockey' is shaping up around the league for the 2023-2024 NEFHL season prior to free agency. For a majority of teams, this will only look at the organization's top 3 netminders (if that organization has 3 playable goalies). Some goalies marked as UFA will be loyalties for their team. I didn't want to assume (except for one), so I left it as UFA. In all, there are 18 goalies starting the season with minimum 80ov: 10 in the West. 7 in the East. 1 80+ goalie will hit free agency - MA Fleury, as Tampa acquired Lehner and likely chooses Phil Danault for loyalty. 13 teams out of 32 total have a 81+ Starting goalie. Cup champion Flames do not have 80+ and will likely have interest in Fleury. There will be a lot of 1a/1b tandems for 2023-2024. Which means the high end backup crop of goalies is very limited as most will be in 1a/1b tandems. Minimum rating 60ov Anaheim Jack Campbell - 75ov - 4.65m x 1 Antti Raanta - 72ov - 985k x 1 Mads Sogaard - 62ov - 850k x 2 Arizona Tristan Jarry - 83ov - 4.68m x 3 Jonas Johansson - 60ov - 575k x 1 No third goalie Boston Craig Anderson - 73ov - 1.5m x 2 Ukko Pekka Luukkonen - 68ov - RFA Spencer Marin - 65ov - 750k x 2 Buffalo Jacob Markstrom - 82ov - UFA Alex Nedeljkovic - 72ov - RFA Cal Petersen - 67ov - RFA Calgary Jake Allen - 77ov - 700k x 1 Kaapo Kahkonen - 71ov - 1.5m x 2 No third goalie Carolina Igor Shesterkin - 84ov - 2.3m x 1 Adin Hill - 74ov - 2m x 2 Ivan Prosvetov - 61ov - 600k x 1 Chicago Juuse Saros - 86ov - 3.87m x 2 Dylan Ferguson - 60ov - 500k x 1 No third goalie Colorado Ilya Sorokin - 84ov - RFA James Reimer - UFA Erik Kallgren - 63ov - RFA Columbus Frederik Andersen - 80ov - UFA No backup No third goalie Dallas Ville Husso - 80ov - 750k x 2 Sam Montembeault - 71ov - 785k x 3 No third goalie Detroit Ilya Samsonov - 76ov - 3m x 2 Nico Daws - 64ov - 700k x 1 Hugo Alnefelt - 60ov - 750k x 2 Edmonton Sergei Bobrovsky - 80ov - UFA Scott Wedgewood - 72ov - 1.8m x 2 Akira Schmid - 65ov - 500k x 1 Florida Elvis Merzlikins - 77ov - 3.6m x 1 Laurent Broissoit - 69ov - UFA Pyotr Kochetkov - 67ov - 850k x 1 Los Angeles Linus Ullmark - 81ov - UFA Karel Vejmelka - 77ov - 850k x 1 Cayden Primeau - 60ov - RFA Joey Daccord - 60ov - 650k x 3 Minnesota Carter Hart - 81ov - RFA Cam Talbot - 78ov - UFA Daniil Tarasov - 66ov - RFA Dustin Wolf - 60ov - 300k x 1 Montreal Stuart Skinner - 75ov - 900k x 1 Mackenzie Blackwood - 74ov - 3.5m x 3 Lukas Dostal - 65ov - 700k x 1 Nashville John Gibson - 80ov - 5.25m x 1 Jeremy Swayman - 76ov - RFA Samuel Ersson - 63ov - 500k x 1 New Jersey Jonathan Quick - 73ov - 3m x 2 Brian Elliott - 68ov - UFA Eetu Makiniemi - 60ov - 625k x 2 Arturs Silovs - 60ov - 550k x 2 NY Islanders Josef Korenar - 60ov - 950k x 1 No backup No third goalie NY Rangers Semyon Varlamov - 73ov - UFA Kevin Lankinen - 70ov - 1.2m x 2 Thomas Greiss - 67ov - 1.44m x 1 Ottawa Eric Comrie - 68ov - 975k x 2 Collin Delia - 63ov - 945k x 1 No third goalie Philadelphia Vitek Vanacek - 79ov - RFA Anton Forsberg - 77ov - 999k x 1 Pheonix Copley - 67ov - 700k x 3 Pittsburgh Thatcher Demko - 82ov - 4.75m x 1 Jordan Binnington - 76ov - UFA Anthony Stolarz - 71ov - 1.325m x 1 San Jose Jake Oettinger - 83ov - 2m x 2 Joonas Korpisalo - 74ov- 1.5m x 1 Jaroslav Halak - 68ov - UFA Seattle Alexandar Georgiev - 79ov - RFA Dan Vladar - 69ov - 725k x 1 No third goalie St. Louis Matt Murray - 74ov - 2.85 x 1 Petr Mrazek - 71ov - 2.25m x 1 Felix Sandstrom - 63ov - 950k x 3 Tampa Bay Robin Lehner - 82ov - 1.855m x 3 Marc Andre Fleury - 80ov - UFA Casey DeSmith - 72ov - 1.275m x 1 Dustin Tokarski - 66ov - UFA David Rittich - 66ov - 925k x 3 Toronto Darcy Kuemper - 84ov - UFA Martin Jones - 72ov - 1.333m x 1 Joseph Woll - 68ov - 627k x 2 Vancouver Connor Hellebuyck - 85ov - UFA Charlie Lindgren - 67ov - UFA Connor Ingram - 67ov - 600k x 1 Joel Hofer - 63ov - 600k x 1 Las Vegas Spencer Knight - 72ov - 950k x 2 Pavel Francouz - 71ov - UFA Garret Sparks - 60ov - 600k x 1 Justus Annunen - 60ov - 750k x 1 Washington Andrei Vasilevkiy - 84ov - 5.2m x 1 Logan Thompson - 74ov - 1.15m x 3 No third goalie Winnipeg Philipp Grubauer - 75ov - UFA Filip Gustavsson - 74ov - 844k x 1 Devon Levi - 64ov - 300k x 2 ____________________________ Article: 37/5 'Show me the money' bonus: $8,000,000 / $10,000,000
Buffalo Sabres	Sabres Vision Has Arrived	Sabres-Kevin	2023-07-03 15:01:59	125	I’m looking at the roster and I’m having a real hard time finding anything to hate. With Markstrom in net and if he can remain 80+ (82ovr currently) it’s nothing but easy money. Maybe we need a little more offensive flair but last season Cotter: 52GP 10G 27Pts 77sog 195Hits Greenway: 19GP 2G 9Pts 28sog 48Hits (playing with Benn on the third line) Both players could be around 45Pts and 250Hits in top six roles… they both provide size, speed and intensity with Greenway also being outstanding defensively Duclair in the NHL is going to get all the opportunities to get the Sharks a decent trade deadline return… if he’s healthy he can score 30G with 60-70 points with all the PP opportunities he’s going to get. Robertson was 4th in Hart Voting and has ratings that are trending to become the LW version of Austin Matthews Malkin-Eriksson EK-Bennett-Kotkaniemi is literally fire down the gut. So much depth with 18 forwards having a shot at nhl roles this season Josi is the highest rated defenseman in the league at 86ovr and will be on the ice as much as possible leading the charge … and it’s not like he won’t have help… Fowler, Sanheim, Hague, Bear and Berni are pretty good defensemen themselves for the roles they will play. Depth Chart (24) Robertson - (37) Malkin - (26) Greenway (24) Cotter - (26) Eriksson EK - (28) Duclair (25) Howden - (27) Bennett - (33) Silfverberg (24) Bemstrom - (23) Kotkaniemi - (31) Namestnikov (27) Eyssimont- (23) Groulx - (24) Rousek (23) Blumel - (24) Walker - (24) Crookshank (33) Josi - (27) Sanheim (25) Hague - (32) Fowler (23) Berni - (26) Bear (25) Kiersted - (24) Christensen (24) Kinnunen (33) Markstrom (27) Ned Say every other player busts on the farm and ages out through contracts expiring Futures 2024 WSH 1, BUF 1, BUF 4 2025 BUF 1, BUF 5, BUF 6 2026 BUF 1, BUF 2, BUF 3, BUF 4, BUF 5, BUF 6, BUF 7 2027 BUF 1, BUF 2, BUF 3, BUF 4, BUF 5, BUF 6, BUF Lutz, Ingram, Colangelo, Niederbach, Zlodeyev, Costmar I think I’ve built a 100 point hockey club but if it’s not hitting this expectations… the trade deadline would feature Malkin, Josi, Duclair and Fowler… those four players could potentially bolster the future resources quite significantly I like winning hockey games I want to win hockey games I think Jason Robertson gives me a shot for the next decade… I’ll give him the pieces every year and the years it’s not looking good the deadline we sell to begin a new load up. I’ve read the scouting reports on the players of the depth chart… I look at the numbers they just put up, that’s just an outstanding collection of talent … all 18 forwards could be playing in the nhl at the same time this season Literally built a wicked young club... I only wish we would have had more success along the road to get to this aesthetic look.
Seattle Kraken	Seattle Kraken Top 20 Prospects	Kraken-Scott	2023-07-02 17:31:57	112	Seattle Kraken management recently completed its second ever NEFHL entry draft, adding 17 prospects through the process. The Kraken's organzational philosophy has been to build slowly primarily through the entry draft and trades for younger players. It finally appears that the scouting staff's hard work is paying off, as the Kraken's top prospect list looks a lot better than it did one year ago. Here is a quick look at Seattle's top twenty prospects: 1. Matvei Michkov - seriously skillful RW playing for Sochi (KHL) 2. Cutter Gauthier - big and skilled C/LW entering his sophomore season at Boston College (NCAA) 3. Tom Willander - D committed to Boston University for 2023-24 4. Reid Schaefer - power LW who plays for Seattle (WHL) 5. David Edstrom - big C affiliated with Frolunda of the SHL 6. Ethan Gauthier - smart and skilled RW playing for Drummondville of the QMJHL 7. Nico Myatovic - 30 goal scorer for Seattle (WHL) at right wing 8. Aidan McDonough - LW who made his NHL debut at the end of 2022-23 9. Ryan Chesley - developing D at the University of Minnesota (NCAA) 10. Dylan James - a LW playing at the University of North Dakota (NCAA) 11. Hunter Brzustewicz - strong puck moving D from Kitchener (OHL) 12. Felix Unger Sorum - a young and small playmaking forward from Leksands (SHL) 13. Gavin McCarthy - physical D-man going to Boston University (NCAA) 14. Coulson Pitre - point per game centreman for Flint (OHL) 15. Filip Nordberg - big imposing defenseman from Vaxjo (SHL) 16. Matthew Kessel - solid defenseman who made his NHL debut in 2022-23 17. Otto Salin - heady D-man playing for HIFK in Finland 18. Emmett Croteau - big goaltender heading to Clarkson (NCAA) 19. Drew Fortescue - stay-at-home defenseman playing at Boston College (NCAA) 20. Aiden Fink - diminutive but skilled scorer heading to Penn State University (NCAA) With Michkov & Gauthier leading the way, the Kraken could be building something special for the future. Here's hoping a few of the prospects listed above can develop into solid professional players.
Vancouver Canucks	Canucks Top Prospects Heading into 2023/2024	Canucks-Kyle	2023-07-01 14:21:59	106	Another draft has come and gone and the Canucks have a much deeper pool after the past two years with draft picks and signings be key in the turnaround. “We feel we have 15 to 20 prospects who are NEFHL talent for sure. 6 to 8 we, feel have star talent. Will that happen, who knows but we will work to develop that. We feel Johnson and Johnston are pillars of the future and those behind them will be key either on our team or as assets” said GM Allen. 1) Kent Johnson – C – Columbus Blue Jackets 2) Wyatt Johnston – C – Dallas Stars 3) Zach Bolduc – C – Springfeild Thunderbirds/St. Louis Blues 4) Frank Nazar III - C - University of Michigan/Chicago Blackhawks 5) Eduard Sale - C - Brno Kometa HC/Seattle Kraken 6) Otto Stenberg - C - Frolunda/St. Louis Blues 7) Mikhail Gulyayev - D - Omsk/Colorado Avalanche 8) William Cuylle – F – New York Rangers 9) Joel Hofer – G – Springfield Thunderbirds/St. Louis Blues 10) Ty Nelson - D - North Bay Battalion/Seattle Kraken 11) Amadeus Lombardi - F - Flint Firebirds/Detroit Red Wings 12) Wyatt Kaiser – D – Rockford IceHogs/Chicago Blackhawks 13) Aidan Thompson - F - Denver Pioneers/Chicago Blackhawks 14) Kenny Connors - F - Umass/Los Angeles Kings 15) Mack Guzda - G - Charlotte Checkers/Florida Panthers 16) Arsenii Sergeev – G - UCONN/Calgary Flames 17) Noel Nordh - F - Brynas/Arizona Coyotes 18) Kirill Gerasimyuk – G – SKA/Florida Panthers 19) Ethan Edwards – D – University of Michigan/New Jersey Devils 20) Jonathan Castagna - F - Brown/Arizona Coyotes 21) Juha Jatkola - G - KalPa/Nashville Predators 22) Cameron Whitehead - G - Northeastern/Vegas Golden Knights 23) Marek Alscher - D - Portland Winterhawks/Florida Panthers 24) Joey Willis - F - Saginaw Spirit/Nashville Predators 25) Paul Fischer - D - Notre Dame Fighting Irish/St. Louis Blues 26) Marc McLaughlin - F - Providence Bruins/Boston Bruins 27) Ben Meyers - F - Colorado Avalanche 28) Arseni Koromyslov - D - SKA St. Petersburg/St. Louis Blues 29) Pavol Regenda - F - San Diego Gulls/Anaheim Ducks 30) Sergei Ivanov - G - SKA St. Petersburg/Columbus Blue Jackets 31) Jakub Vondras - G - HC Pizen/Carolina Hurricanes 32) Ty Gallagher – D – Boston University/Boston Bruins 33) Brandon Scanlin - D - Hartford Wolfpack/New York Rangers 34) Connor Kurth - Univeristy of Minnesota/Tampa Bay Lightining 35) Andrei Buyaslsky – F - Vermont/Colorado Avalanche 36) Michael Emerson - F - North Dakota/Carolina Hurricanes 37) Reid Dyck - G - Swift Current Broncos/Boston Bruins 38) James Fisher - F - Northeastern/Columbus Blue Jackets 39) Jack Harvey - F - Boston University/Tampa Bay Lightining Unsigned/Undrafted Prospects: Ryan Francis (F), Jan Sprynar (F), Artemi Pleshkov (G), Brayden Schuurman (F), Tyler Duke (D), David Morevac (D), Dominik Rymon (F), Nikita Buruyanov (F)
Vancouver Canucks	Canucks 2023 Entry Draft Selections	Canucks-Kyle	2023-07-01 14:18:37	81	One of the Canucks favourite times of the year is the NEFHL Entry Draft. The Canucks are usually a team with a high number of picks and have utilized this area to build their team and for trades by using the prospect pool. This year the Canucks had 11 draft picks and selected 2 goalies, 2 defensemen and 7 forwards. “Overall, we are really happy with our draft though we lament some missed opportunities throughout. However, we feel we picked up potential stars in the first round with our three picks. 1st Round selections were: 23rd - NHL: 20th (+3) - F - Eduard Sale “Undeniable skill with some fixable warts, offensive stud and a guy we’ve wanted since last year. Top line potential.” 26th - NHL: 25th (+1) - F - Otto Stenberg “Future top 6 winger who can play special teams. Strong-skating who attacks the scoring area. Has an excellent release and shot.” 30th - NHL: 31 (-1) - D - Mikhail Gulyaev “Skilled, confident defender but hell of an offensive player as well. Top 2 potential” The Canucks didn’t have any picks in the 2nd or 3rd round this year but luckily were able to add the equivalent of 2 3rd rounders in Nordh and Castagna in later rounds. 4th Round100th - NHL: 72 - (+28) - Noel Nordh “Strong along the boards, good skill and sense. Skating improvement required” 5th Round142nd - NHL: 121 (+21) - G - Juha Jatkola “overage prospect but one who is starting in the SHL already. Has NHL potential” 150th - NHL: 70 (+80) - F - Jonathan Castagna “Skilled, can skate and finishes his checks. Needs time and to play against tougher competition” 6th Round169th - NHL: 111 (+58) - F - Joey Willis “first CHL prospect. Interested to see where his develop goes but could be a high end bottom 6 type forward.” 170th - NHL: 138 (+32) - D - Paul Fischer “Two way, takes care of his own end. Headed to Notre Dame” 187th - NHL: ND - F - Jan Sprynar “Had bigger hype coming into this year but had a tough year. Has all the tools but needs to put together.” 189th - NHL: 190 (-1) - F - Michael Emerson “One of the better players on a strong Chicago Steel team. Going to North Dakota next year.” 7th Round207th - NHL: ND - G - Artemi Pleshkov “fantastic numbers over the last couple of years, should be a KHL starter shortly. Downside is that he sub 6'.”
Vancouver Canucks	Canucks Head Into the Offseason	Canucks-Kyle	2023-07-01 14:10:53	95	It was a disappointing end to the season when the Vancouver Canucks lost in the Western Conference Finals to the eventual Stanley Cup Champions, the Calgary Flames. Many felt this was one the best rosters the Canucks had put together and was a year to really make a statement. “It’s always disappointing when you lose in the playoffs but hurts more when you’re so close. Not to mention our former top prospect and a player we love in Marty Necas, is the one who ends your season. We took some time, stepped back and now are prepping for next year and beyond” said GM Allen. Prep work has already started as the Canucks have made some significant moves in order to clear some cap space and push for another big playoff run. Some big names were moved out but overall, the Canucks were able to add replacements at a cheaper cost. The trades were: Canucks trade Roman Josi to the Sabres for Devon Toews Canucks trade Robin Lehner, Kyle Okposo, VAN 3 (24) to the Lighining for Mats Zuccarello. Canucks trade Gabriel Landeskog to the Red Wings for VAN 2 (24) “Yeah, we had to make some moves given we were quite a bit over cap. We aren’t done yet either as we may look to cut more cap but it is dependent on what kind of deals we can get signed with Tkachuk, Miro and Svechnikov. Hellebuyck is a core player we need to sign as well. Those guys are our core players who are pillars of the team with Barkov” said GM Allen. Currently the 2023/2024 roster has some holes to fill as the Canucks head into free agency. It looks like: Tkachuk, Barkov, Zuccarello Svechnikov, Thomas, Pavelski Sharangovich, ? , ? Robinson, Glendening, ? Toews, Reilly Heiskanen, Gudas Jensen, Lindgren Hellebuyck Ingram You may have noticed that Jared McCann wasn’t listed in the forward group and that is because he has asked for a trade. “Yeah, Jared has requested a trade. He is looking for a contract we can’t provide and so we have looking to facilitate that move. However, we will not give him away” said GM Allen. Further, there are rumours that Gerard Gallant is on his way out the door and that Mike Babcock may be replacing him. “We have talked to Gerard that we will not be renewing his contract for the upcoming season and wish him all the best moving forward. We are in talks with other coaches, one of which is that POS Mike Babcock. He’s an asshole but brings a bunch of experience. We will see who it is” said GM Allen.
St-Louis Blues	Blues Draft Notes and Picks	Blues-Graham	2023-06-30 10:39:17	101	Another year and another draft. One of the funnest days of the year for me - minus the getting up at 2am of course. Even still, a good cup of coffee, a few logs on the fire to take off the chill and the Blues are open for business. Once again we limited our picks to the top 5 rounds due to the logistics of staying up for 24 hours straight. That said, we still managed to make 11 picks including 6 in the top 90. This year with the exception of our first 2nd round pick I tried to avoid chasing players I liked and deferred to my trusted sources. Of course, we adjusted for positioning (forwards over defence) as well as offense over defence. Both being more important in the NEFHL than in our sister league the NHL. Some notes of interest. We were mildly surprised Fantalli dropped to number 3 although there was some chatter this might happened. Not much different than what happened from last year with Shane Wright. The Blues did try and move up and grab a 2nd pick in the top 5. Rumors say they wanted Michkov. Nothing materialized. Ziemmer was a guy we liked and targeted from the start. A high end scorer who we thought would drop due to his skating. I was hesitant to take him with our first pick in the 2nd round but thought he might be gone by 43. So we made the pick anyway. I considered grabbing one of the higher ranked D in the 2nd round, but decided to stick to our strategy and keep to the forwards. Especially considering this was a forward heavy draft. Easton Cowan was to be our 2nd pick of the 3rd round. I liked the fact that he was a London Knight. The problem (which I didn't even realise until the start of the 3rd round), was that we didn't own our first round pick. We had 3 picks in the round but the first wasn't until #89. 1st on our list was Jakub Dvorak. He was that close to being a Blue. Clearly missed out on him as well. My son was dead against drafting Shaugabay. Didn't like him one bit. Pointed to his production in HS vs the USHL. Also said he was too small. I used my GM veto and selected him anyway. It helped the other players he wanted to select were gone. My son quit after the 1st pick in the 4th round. Said he was tired. Pussy. We also missed out on Timur Mukhanov. We were planning to grab him in the 4th round. I was sure he would go later than he did - in fact we couldn't have even snagged him with our 3rd round picks - he went at 78th to the Bruins. The goalies we were considering also went sooner than we anticipated. We settled for Carsen Musser at the end of the 4th round. A long term project to be sure. With purpose, we focused more heavily on forwards in this year's draft. Other than Dvorak (who I considered trading up for), I can't say there were any that even got away. We hesitated to grab Martin Misiak at 90 despite him being ranked higher by many of the scouts (72 for MacKenzie, 62 by Doober). His regular season production in the USHL wasn't great, but his playoffs were ok. He was also new to the league. He ended up being our best pick if you compare the NHL to the NEFHL. All our picks per round are below. <NEFHL pick #>/ <NHL pick #>. <Player> 1st Round 2 / 3 Fantilli F2nd Round 33 / 78 - Koehn Ziemmer F 43 /52 Oscar Fisker Molgaard F 48 / 39 Anton wahlberg F 3rd Round 89/115 Jayson Shaugabay F90/55 Martin Misiak F 4th Round 97/96 Arttu Karki D 110/166 Carsen Musser G 5th Round 129/186 Daniil Karpovich D 134/124 Beckett Hendrickson F 144/NA Griffin Erdman F
Nashville Predators	NEFHL vs NHL draft	Preds-Sylvain	2023-06-30 04:18:23	120	With NEFHL and NHL entry drafts over, it's always fun to compare the results of both drafts together. That said, even though it's a fun exercise, there is no data that supports that one draft is necessarily better than the other. For example, in 2022, the NHL selected 52 players that weren't selected in the NEFHL. This year, the NEFHL only drafted 10 of those players in 2023, leaving a majority of them undrafted. Likewise, the NHL selected 5 players that were previously drafted in the NEFHL. While not equal, this doesn't show a vast superiority of drafting skills from either league over the other. This year, the number of players that were selected by the NHL and weren't in the NEFHL increased to 63, from 52. The highest NEFHL undrafted player was selected in the NHL at the end of round 3, an overager playing in the MHL/KHL, Vadim Moroz. Two other players that went unselected in the NEFHL also went in the 3rd round in the NHL: Chris Pelosi and Jiri Felcman. After that, the repartition of players drafted in the NHL but ignored in the NEFHL was as follows: 7 players in the 4th round, 15 players in the 5th round, and 38 players in the 6th/7th rounds. In comparison, in 2022, the spread of those players was 1 in the 2nd round, 6 in the 4th round, 11 in the 5th round, and 34 in the 6th/7th rounds. The NEFHL teams that had the highest number of NHL drafted players were: Predators with 17, Kraken with 16, Flyers with 15, Senators with 11, and the Blues with 10. Other teams that got over 5 players drafted in the NHL were: Islanders (9), Bruins (9), Canucks (9), Rangers (9), Canadiens (8), Wild (8), Blackhawks (7), Flames (7), and Panthers (6). Teams that had a high matching rate with the NHL and many picks were the Kraken (16/17), the Blues (10/11), and the Rangers (9/9). The full results and comparison of both drafts can be found in this spreadsheet: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1NceBtisUAtql_5XCl7aNRX40VPOmtbT4hzM4QQjjQuE/edit?usp=sharing
Seattle Kraken	Reviewing the Kraken 2023 Draft	Kraken-Scott	2023-06-29 21:46:48	90	As discussed in the article, the Seattle Kraken made a whopping 17 picks in the 2023 NEFHL draft. How did the Kraken ultimately do? It will take years to figure out the answer to that question, but the recently completed 2023 NHL Draft may give some insight here: Kraken selections: 5th overall F Matvei Michkov --> drafted 7th overall by the Flyers 25th overall F Ethan Gauthier --> drafted 37th overall by the Lightning 29th overall D Tom Willander --> drafted 11th overall by the Canucks 34th overall F David Edstrom --> drafted 32nd overall by the Golden Knights 59th overall F Coulson Pitre --> drafted 65th overall by the Ducks 64th overall D Hunter Brzustewicz --> drafted 75th overall by the Canucks 66th overall F Nico Myatovic --> drafted 33rd overall by the Ducks 74th overall F Felix Unger Sorum --> drafted 62nd overall by the Hurricanes 88th overall D Gavin McCarthy --> drafted 86th overall by the Sabres 95h overall F Aiden Fink --> drafted 218th overall by the Predators 98th overall F Jesse Nurmi --> drafted 113th overall by the Islanders 123rd overall F Tyler Peddle --> drafted 224th overall (aka Mr. Irrelevant) by the Blue Jackets 130th overall D Drew Fortescue --> drafted 90th overall by the Rangers 162nd overall F Anthony Romani --> not drafted 163rd overall G Emmett Croteau --> had been drafted by the Canadiens in the 6th round in the 2022 NHL draft 192nd overall G Kevin Reidler --> had been drafted by the Senators in the 5th round in the 2022 NHL draft 202nd overall D Rasmus Larsson --> drafted 152nd overall by the Rangers Overall - the Kraken management team is pleased that 16/17 of its 2023 NEFHL draft picks are affiliated with NHL franchises. It was surprising to see both Aiden Fink and Tyler Peddle drop to the end of the 7th round, but otherwise most of the Kraken's picks were on par with the NHL draft.
Minnesota Wild	2023 Draft review	Wild-Peter	2023-06-29 18:51:26	124	Another draft has come and gone. To some, this is the best time of the year. To others, it's not even a thought. Here's a quick review of the Minnesota picks and where they went in the NHL draft. This year was very different for me. I did not attend the draft for the first time (not including covid year). I was also working on day 2 so it was a bit of a struggle crossing names off my list and keeping up with the overall pace of things and balancing work stuff at the same time. 20. Wild, Samuel Honzek = NHL Calgary 16th overall I like his combination of size and skill. 6'4 offensive winger. He was injured but was tracking to be a top10 pick if he wasn't. Some teams had him in their top10 according to Bob Mckenzie. I'll have 4 years to sign him, and if all goes well he will have pro-roster ready ratings by then and will slot into my lineup right away. 47. Wild (from Avalanche), Carson Rehkopf = NHL Seattle 50th overall Wasn't my first choice but Molendyk and Molgard both went just a few picks before this. Another big body winger who plays with some bite. I was originally looking at him more for my second pick in the late 2nd. Funny story, Blues had the pick after me and I was debating between Rehkopf and Walhberg for this pick. Turns out both me and Graham were looking at the same two players. 55. Wild, Mathieu Cataford = NHL Vegas 77th overall I reached on this pick knowing he wouldn't be drafted in round 2 in the NHL and probably closer to mid round 3. I was right. I didn't have a 3rd round pick and knew he wouldn't be around for either of my 4th rounders. I took the guy I liked. He's strong, he has skill, he's feisty but he plays in a weak league I usually avoid in the earlier rounds. I decided to take a risk. He plays much bigger than his size (5'11). Coaches love him. Plays all situations. Some question if he has upside for the top6. I drafted him thinking he's a 3rd line pest in the future. This kid is ripped and says if he doesn't make the NHL he wants to be a professtional trainer or open his own gym. 116. Wild (from MapleLeafs), Carter Sotheran = NHL Philadelphia 135th overall Big bodied defenseman at 6'3" who moves the puck very well up the ice. Very much a modern day defenseman who uses his stick to defend. He is strong at angling players into corners. He has a lot of smarts and some believe untapped offense. He needs to work on his first steps to create separation speed at the next level. Multiple draft resources had him going somewhere in the late 2nd to early 4th. 119. Wild, Hoyt Stanley = NHL Ottawa 108th overall Stanley is a big body defenseman (6'3") who made great improvements in his game throughout the season. He's a transition defenseman making good decisions getting the puck out of his zone and a good first pass. He's not overly physical to be a pure shutdown guy. He doesn't have the offense to be an offensive guy. I have some concerns with this pick since NHL Sens have had a pretty poor draft record outside of the first round in the last couple years. 151. Wild, Marc-Andre Gaudet = 2022 NHL St.Louis 151st overall Drafted in 2022, Audet has good size for a defenseman at 6'3". He is known for jumping into the rush and having a very good shot. He was very close to being point per game in the QMJHL, is already signed to his entry level contract, and will be playing in the AHL for 2023-2024. I think he brings better value than most of the players available at this point. 172. Wild (from Knights), Kalle Carlsson = undrafted Once upon a time in a galaxy far far away he was seen as a higher end prospect for this draft. And then his stock crashed and burned hard. This late in the draft I was swinging for a homer. Instead I got struck out. 215. Wild, Michael DeAngelo = undrafted Another guy I know nothing about, other than he was ranked in the early 100s in a couple draft resources. 219. Wild (from Penguins), Hampton Slukynsky = NHL Los Angeles 118th overall I always draft a goalie and tend to draft them earlier than expected. This year my goalie list was really small. I liked Fowler, Clara, Kokko the most hoping to land one of them with my 4th rounder. I missed on all of them. Might be shocking to some I didn't mention Augustine, Hrabel, Bjarnasson. Slukynsky is a guy that wasn't really on my radar but with a really late pick in the draft I wanted to go with a goalie since I was picking blindly after #151. Slukynsky is a guy that some list as the biggest goalie sleeper in this draft. For a 219th pick, why not? ____________________________ Article: 36/5 'Show me the money' bonus: $7,750,000 / $10,000,000
San Jose Sharks	Sharks officially place 2024 1st on the block	Sharks-Curtis	2023-06-28 04:08:26	82	The San Jose Sharks are shopping and not of the window variety. The club have announced that they are looking to trade their 2024 first round pick for the best player they can get. The team is hoping to land a top 6 forward under the age or 28 but it is believed they would also make the move for a defenseman as well if the right player comes along in a deal. The club has held preliminary talks with 3 teams and have a firm offer on the table from one of them. Nothing quite has made sense yet for them to pull the trigger on a deal. Being so close to free agency the Sharks believe a deal will come within the next week but if it doesn't then one likely won't happen until after free agency and closer to the beginning of the season. The Sharks finally made the playoffs last season and aren't just happy with that result. They not only want to make them again next season and make a run to get back to the finals. They feel like the have the goaltending in place and a good defence, they just want to continue to find more goals and another scoring threat or two before the start of the season. The Sharks are comfortable trading their 2024 1st round pick because over the last two drafts they have banked 5 NHL first round draft picks and can get away with trading their next one. More to come with news on their loyalty signing and a potential buyout. For the San Jose Tribune, I am Ken McBobzie
Minnesota Wild	5 years out: 2018 draft	Wild-Peter	2023-06-28 02:30:02	99	A continuation of the series since I began as GM in this league. You can find the 2014 and 2015 edition, 2016 edition, 2017 edition by clicking on the links. The point of these articles is to look back at the draft 5 years ago to see what impact those prospects have had on the current depth chart of the team. For a little bit of context, the 2018 NEFHL entry draft was the third year of the rebuild. I had been focusing on drafting forwards in previous years since defensemen never get full value here in NEFHL. 5 years have passed since 2018 and I'm still focusing on forwards in the draft. Some habits die hard. At the end of the 2018 season I had been dropped a spot thanks to the lottery system. My efforts in getting into the top 5 as a tanking team have failed yet again. "How am I expected to successfully rebuild if I never get a top 3 pick?" is something that I thought a lot about around that time. I think I've managed to do ok but you're not going to get a McDavid kind of player this way. So who did I get? 1-6. Wild, Brady Tkachuk 2-36. Wild, Ivan Morozov 4-96. Wild, Chase Wouters 4-98. Wild, Jared Moe 5-127. Wild, Nathan Smith 5-129. Wild, Jack Gorniak 5-146. Wild, Demetrios Koumontzis 6-158. Wild, Michael Callahan 6-160. Wild, David Lilja 7-204. Wild, Santeri Salmela In that draft year I really liked Oliver Wahlstrom and I felt I had a decent chance at getting him. But he went 3rd overall. I remember there was a top tier of players that year and I was at the end of that tier. So no matter what I was going to get one of those players I just had no say in which one unless somebody before me went off the board. I knew I didn't want Kotkaniemi though. Luckily for me he went to Vegas the pick before mine. At 6 I picked up Brady Tkachuk. People were questioning if he had any offense and if he was just a 3rd line grinder. 5 years out...I may have gotten the best player in that entire lot. I ended up trading Morozov in 2020 to Anaheim, along with a 2nd rounder (that I got back in the John Carlson trade to LA) for JG Pageau. Pageau had been declining a bit but found his offensive game again and was expecting a nice offensive rerate the following season (back in the days before dynamic ratings). I knew he wouldn't last at that rerate and would settle in as a 3rd liner but he would have been a 2nd line center for a year which was something I needed. 3 years later and he is still on my roster. He is still on my 3rd line. And he is arguably one of the best rated 3rd line Center in NEFHL. Morozov was showing potential and developing well. Unfortunately for NEFHL Anaheim, Morozov started to fizzle out as a prospect in the AHL around 2022 and rumors suggest he is leaving the AHL for Russia for the 23-24 season. Chase Wouters and Jared Moe. I was literally throwing up in the second stall at Broadways from being hungover the night before. I did not remember who I wanted at the time and it definitely wasn't Moe or Wouters but those were the only names I could remember and made the selections from my phone. Clearly there is a lesson to be learned here. Nathan Smith played for the US olympic team and then for NHL Arizona in 21-22. He also played 4 NHL games last season. He is a depth callup guy based on his ratings and the hope is he can stick to the NHL. I don't need him right now, I don't expect him to be a major contributor to me in 23-24, but he's good depth to have and may have a Michael Bunting emergence out of nowhere (another guy I drafted and let go of a year or two before emerging). No complaints on that pick in the 5th round. Michael Callahan still has some potential to be a depth defenseman. Currently playing with Providence in the AHL. Was the captain of his Providence NCAA team. If he can be a decently rated DF depth guy I would be really happy. Overall in this draft I was able to get a core organiational piece in Brady Tkachuk. I was able to bolster my roster with the Pageau trade thanks to Morozov, and may have two more depth pieces in Smith and Callahan. It's not a perfect draft, but five years out the 2018 draft provided some quality building blocks for the Minnesota Wild today. ____________________________ Article: 35/5 'Show me the money' bonus: $7,500,000 / $10,000,000
Seattle Kraken	2023 NEFHL Draft	Kraken-Scott	2023-06-24 15:37:56	105	The Seattle Kraken added a whopping seventeen (!) prospects at the 2023 NEFHL entry draft this past week. A once shallow Kraken prospect list is looking much more complete. Eleven of those seventeen prospects were selected in the top 100. Here's a quick look at the Kraken's recent choices: Forwards - Matvei Michkov (5th overall), Ethan Gauthier (25th overall), David Edstrom, Coulson Pitre, Nico Myatovic, Felix Unger Sorum, Aiden Fink, Jesse Nurmi, Tyler Peddle, Anthony Romani. Lots of skill in this group, led of course by Michkov. Michkov has all-world talent, but has an issue with his KHL contract which is why he was still available at five. Luckily, the Kraken can be patient and wait given its competitive cycle is still a few years away. Edstrom adds some size down the middle for the Kraken. Gauthier is an all-around solid player who popped 30 goals in the QMJHL last year and viewed as a safe choice. As for the others - time will tell, but management is pleased with the depth and skill added here. Defence - Tom Willander (29th overall), Hunter Brzustewicz, Gavin McCarthy, Drew Fortescue and Rasmus Larsson. The Kraken were suprised that Willander was still on the board at pick #29 as he's a potential top 15 pick in next week's NHL draft. Brzustewicz is a small but very skilled defenceman with great vision. McCarthy, Fortescue and Larsson will need years of development before its known if they have pro potential. Goalies - Emmett Croteau & Kevin Reidler (both went undrafted in the 2022 NEFHL entry draft). The Kraken will have four years to make decisions on each player. Suddenly, led by studs Michkov and last year's first selection Cutter Gauthier, the Kraken's prospect depth chart is looking quite strong. It will be exciting to track the new Kraken prospects to see how they develop moving forward. A top 20 Kraken prospect list will be published soon!
Nashville Predators	Best of the rest	Preds-Sylvain	2023-06-24 04:53:13	147	As another draft concludes, GMs will be hanging on to see where the players they drafted land in that other league. In the meantime, by looking at who got drafted by NEFHL teams and comparing it to a set of different lists (like scouting guides or major publications), we can find the best of the undrafted players. The compiled rankings of merged lists are available, along with stats for around 600 prospects, here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1mr2FjdZG05O5j70OTh0N-5GwPgiEM5hHCobPnptqfcc/edit?usp=sharing Looking at that list, the top undrafted player would be Angus MacDonell at 155, a center. MacDonell is a prospect that improved and showed more as the year progressed. It culminated, for him, in a spot at the U18 WJC where he put up 5 points in 7 games. Standing out from scouting reports: " MacDonell’s got that dog in him. He never quits on a play, throws himself into opponents, and backs down from no one. That mentality shines brightest on the forecheck, where he wins pucks then instantly attacks the middle. If he can’t get to the net himself, he passes off, then battles around the net for positioning. There, he grabs rebounds and deflections, even while falling. " Following up is Kalem Parker, a defenseman from the Victoria Royals, one of the worst teams in the WHL last year. He was one of the bright spots on the team, playing a lot of difficult minutes. His 38 points put him third in scoring on his team. Looking at his scouting report: " He closes space early when he has support, forcing dump-ins and keeping attackers locked on the outside. Mirroring footwork and flashes of a punishing physical game reveal his potential as an NHL-calibre play-killer, too. " The third player on the list, Eric Pohlkamp, at 160, is in his DY+1 and playing defense. In the regular season, in the USHL, he got almost a point per game, with 51 points in 59 games. He was the top-producing defenseman in that league. While he's not the most steady in his zone, he's a right-hand shooter with good offensive skills. From his scouting report: " Pohlkamp’s value comes in two forms: High-impact shots and even higher-impact hits. His power beats goaltenders across the net, even from the point. On the power play, he builds play before unwinding, drawing pressure towards himself, passing, then relocating for the one-timer. " Another defenseman comes at fourth, Luke Coughlin. Missing the first half of the season, his game mostly picked up towards the end of the year, where he did shine in the playoffs with 7 points in 9 games. Despite being on the smaller side and prone to giveaways, his excellent mobility still makes him appealing. His scouting report shows he also has other skills in high demand: " He can fake forecheckers when retrieving pucks on the defensive zone back wall, elude defenders at the offensive blue line and create passing plays, and close out on opponents fast in between blue lines. " Yet another defenseman closes out the top five. Towering defenseman Konnor Smith stands over his opponents at 6'6 and played a key role with the Peterborough Petes on their way to the Memorial Cup tournament. The appeal for Smith is all about his truculence and his ability to defend, despite limited puck-handling skills: " He can fake forecheckers when retrieving pucks on the defensive zone back wall, elude defenders at the offensive blue line and create passing plays, and close out on opponents fast in between blue lines. " Looking at the top 15, three other defensemen make up the best of the rest: Chase Cheslock, Grayden Siepmann, and Ben Robertson. Cheslock is another big defenseman that played mostly at the high school level: " Always gapped and proactively able to swing across to pressure rush-pattern changes, Cheslock is one of the finer transitional defenders across the lower-leverage leagues. " Siepmann is in his second year of eligibility, but has built on what made him a potential late pick last year: " Never flashy, but plays a steady, mistake-free, defense-first game and takes care of his own end." Robertson is a smaller but high-scoring defenseman from the USHL, putting up 45 points in 61 games: " A patient, shifty playmaker, Robertson uses heel-to-heel skating, hesitation moves, and deception to create. He slows down, draws pressure, then passes throughout or dekes around it. " Six other forwards than MacDonell also compose the top 15 of the best of the rest: Ty Henricks, Vadim Moroz, Gavin Thoreson, Ivan Anoshko, Owen Beckner, and Ben Poitras. Henricks is a huge winger that wasn't getting much ice time at the start of the season but showed better performances with improved ice-time when he was traded late in the year: " Off the rush, he reads gaps. He cuts back as defenders close in before passing to the trailer. If opponents back off, he cuts inside before firing or awaiting support. " Moroz is another large winger who's a DY+1, but posted strong numbers for his age in the KHL with 14 points in 49 games: " With his 6-foot-2 frame, he can seal the puck from opponents on the walls, protect it, and extend his team’s offensive zone presence. And he did show passing skills in transition. He spotted teammates quickly and moved the puck to them before the defense could collapse on him. " Thoreson is a tiny winger that only played half the year in the USHL (with the other half playing high school), but still posted a point per game during his stint: " A brilliant off-puck activator, the Andover-born forward supports the pass like no other at the high school level, popping into soft-ice and open seams consistently. Give-and-go attacks are a constant across his minutes, filing to the inside, slipping pucks back to teammates, or creating off of pass-of-pad chances " Anoshko is a center playing in the MHL that scored at a PPG pace, ending up 2nd in scoring on his team. Anoshko is " a gifted distributor who knows how to connect with teammates both off the rush and in the offensive zone. He spots teammates running behind the back of defenders and hits them with precise passes just as they get open. " Beckner is a big center that can skate and make plays. He played in the BCHL, where he scored at a PPG pace, leading his team in scoring: " Large-ice manoeuvrability on the rush, triangle-based handles, delay elements, weight shifts, and even protection elements into power moves utilizing his frame – he looked dynamic on the rush. " Finally, Poitras is a high-energy player that plays with a spark and has shown evolving offensive skills: " He zips around the ice, charging at opponents to force turnovers and engaging in every puck battle around. Once the puck arrives on his stick, he’s a shooter. He loads up over his outside leg, pulling the puck in towards his feet, launching the puck towards the net and around defenders. "
Boston Bruins	Bruins Commit to Rebuild Part 1 of 2	Bruins-Chris	2023-06-23 17:57:09	94	Almost a calendar year into my return to Beantown one thing has become apparent. A rebuild needs to happen. Even though the Bruins have essentially been rebuilding since I left in 2015, the efforts of previous general managers have been a massive failure. Nevertheless, the rebuild begins in earnest this year. The Bruins started the new era by adding 11 prospects to the pool including blue chipper Zach Benson. Benson projects to be a top 10 pick in NHL and the Bruins would love to see him join the NHL Canucks. In round 2, the Bruins took a reach adding a couple little offensive skilled players in Roman Kantserov and Denver Barkey. "When he has the puck, Kantserov understands how to utilize any space given to him by the opponent to drive the play. He may not have the best shot in the draft, but he has top-end hockey IQ, which allows him to make the right play often enough that he can drive scoring chances by himself." “Barkey reminds me a bit of Mats Zuccarello. He has the ability to navigate around pressure in every zone and can identify tight passing lanes to utilize on the fly. Barkey has a playbook full of tactics to get out of pressure and doesn’t hesitate. He executes.” – Josh Tessler, Smaht Scouting. Round 3 seen the Bruins pick 7 times, moving back to a more standard draft strategy they added 3 F, 3 D and a G. Up front the Bruins are pretty excited about Felix “Nilsson is a center that contributes at both ends of the ice. He often makes the right decision with his high hockey IQ, and is rather fast from thought to action when he has his hands on the puck. He comes down deep in his own end, making him playable and transports the puck safely into the offensive zone.” – Fedeik Hakk, FC Hockey. Rounding out the forwards, Timur Mukhanov and Connor Levis are two players the Bruins were really happy to grab in round 3. Mukhanov is known for his great off-puck offensive instinct, excellent playmaking, smooth and skilled skating and being calm under pressure. Levis a good-sized winger with strong puck skills and vision "Inside the offensive zone and on the power play he’s able to create for himself and his teammates because of his strong hands and vision. He has a decent shot but is more of a pass-first type of wing.” – Corey Pronman, The Athletic Stay tuned for part 2 of the Bruins rebuild announcement.
San Jose Sharks	Sharks keep first, trade for Bjorkstrand	Sharks-Curtis	2023-06-23 04:30:11	84	After lots of discussion surrounding the San Jose Sharks 18th overall pick the club tonight decided it was in their best interests to keep the pick and make their first round draft selection. I can confirm that it was close to being moved to a Western Conference team on multiple occassions this week for a high scoring forward but the deal just never was able to cross the finish line. When push came to shove the Sharks didn't want to go through tonights first two rounds of the draft without making a selection. So they kept the pick and selected 6'2 right shot center Calum Ritchie from the Oshawa Generals of the Ontario Hockey League. With that selection in the books and still looking for a scoring forward the Sharks then acquired Oliver Bjorkstrand from the Nashville Predators in exchange for a 3rd, 4th and 6th round selection in tomorrow's day two of the draft. Bjorkstrand brings much needed offensize flair to the Sharks RW position and will be expected to score 20+ goals and 50+ points this season. Calum Ritchie was hampered by a shoulder injury this season that has forced him to get it surgically repaired after the OHL playoffs and that is why the Sharks believe he was still available to them 18th overall. If not for the injury hampering his game they believe he could have easily been a top 10 pick in the draft. They feel very fortunate to have drafted him and look forward to seeing him get healthy and back to 100% and dominating the OHL next season. The Sharks are holding their pro meetings once the draft is over. I believe they are still discussing what they plan on doing with their loyalty signing. They are still discussing if they plan on using it on David Perron or letting him walk or using it on him and seeing if a deal makes sense and if not letting him walk after the negotiation period expires. I can also confirm that the organization is discussing trading next years first round draft pick for a top 6 forward to help the offence even more. More to come For the San Jose Tribune I am Ken McBobzie
Pittsburgh Penguins	Vying for a Spot	Pens-Brent	2023-06-21 12:55:55	115	After a flurry of trades, the Pittsburgh Penguins are looking much stronger heading into the 2023/24 season. On the outside looking in are a handful of promising youngsters who are hoping to make this summer count as they prep for training camp. "I think I made some good gains last year. I am doing what I can to bulk up and add strength without compromising my speed. I hope to turn some heads when training camp rolls around," added centremen Ridly Greig. Ridly Greig is described as the ideal teammate who does just a bit of everything. If there's an offensive chance, Ridly is typically in on it. If there is a scrum after the whistle, Greig is usually in the middle. The Penguins expect the Lethbridge native to slot in as a future middle six, utility pivot who is capable of moving up and down the lineup. In 20 NHL games, he notched 2 goals and 7 dimes last season. He posted 29 points (15 goals) in 39 AHL games. Jake Neighbours is the next highly touted prospect on the list. Jake plays a powerforward game with skill. He played half a season in the NHL with the Blues, playing in a limited role. The winger managed to tally 10 points, 6 of them goals. "Just looking at the makeup of the team, I feel like I could be a good fit on a line with other skilled forwards. I think my size and grit could be a bit asset next year. A good compliment to our skilled guys," said Neighbours. Liam Foudy turned the corner towards the end of the season last year, finding an offensive game that some believed he had lost. "It's a big jump when you step up to the pro level. I felt my confidence growing towards the end of the season. It was nice to pot a few and contribute offensively," added Foudy. The 23 year old, Toronto native possesses blazing speed and a good two-way game. If Liam continues to find offensive success, he could be a good versatile player for the Penguins down the road. With no picks in the NEFHL entry draft, the Penguins will look to free agency as a means to bolster their prospect stable. Expect them to take a long look at some older, more seasoned prospects. ________________________ Obligatory Articles: 5/5 Bonus Articles: 24/40 = $6,000,000 / $10,000,000
Seattle Kraken	2023 NEFHL Draft and the busy Kraken	Kraken-Scott	2023-06-18 13:49:27	127	This week could go down as the most important week in Seattle Kraken history. No joke. While disappointed that his Kraken lost the draft lottery and likely a shot at drafting either Connor Bedard or Adam Fantilli, Seattle management have turned the page and are excited for this week's entry draft. Armed with 17 picks - including three 1st rounders, three 2nd rounders and four 3rd rounders, this draft is pivotal for the future success of the franchise. Here are the Kraken's picks heading into the draft this week: 1st rounders: 3rd overall, 25th, 29th 2nd rounders: 34th overall, 59th, 64th 3rd rounders: 66th overall, 74th, 88th, 95th 4th rounders: 98th overall, 123rd 5th rounder: 130th overall 6th rounders: 162nd overall, 163rd, 192nd 7th rounder: 202nd overall The Kraken scouting staff completed its preparation this past weekend, and finalized its list of 194 players it may choose. This is the week when the scouts earn their keep. It's an exciting time for the franchise to be adding prospects to last year's draft haul which included Cutter Gauthier, Reid Schaefer, Ryan Chesley & Dylan James. Rumours around Seattle are that several teams have inquired about trading up to get the 3rd selection. There are a lot of attractive options at pick 3 this year, including Leo Carlsson, Matvei Michkov and Will Smith. The Kraken are listening to offers for the 3rd pick, but reports indicate that the Kraken are not willing to trade down very far in this first round, as selecting one of the aforementioned players could set up the franchise for years to come. Never say never, though. With eleven picks in the top 100 of what some experts say is a very deep draft, the future of the Kraken may be very bright...assuming the Kraken scouts make the right calls at the draft table this coming Thursday and Friday.
Pittsburgh Penguins	Penguins Load Up	Pens-Brent	2023-06-15 13:35:30	122	On top of the previously reported Malkin for Ekholm swap, the Penguins complete two additional transactions late Wednedsay afternoon. A minor deal with Minnesota sent defender Travis Dermott to the Wild in exchange for a 5th round draft choice in 2024. This move was strictly a financial one, freeing up room for a much bigger deal. "Travis is a great player who played his heart out for us this past season. Unfortunately, we couldn't keep him given other moves we had in play. He should get the time that he deserves in Minnesota. Hopefully Trav can stay healthy and prove his worth," stated the Penguins GM. The NEFHL news of the day came following a blockbuster with the Nashville Predators. The Pens added Troy Terry and Brandon Montour in exchange for bluechip prospect Alex Holtz, vet defender Calvin Dehaan, emerging prospect Tristan Broz, a 1st in 2024 and two 4th round picks. "The price tag certainly wasn't cheap, but we feel it was worth it. With Terry we are bringing in a highly skilled winger who can play at both ends of the rink. He should help to take some of the offensive load off the big boys. Montour is a workhorse who is capable of playing in every situation. He will drastically improve our breakouts and transition game with his remarkable skating ability. Both Montour and Ekholm should make our blueline much more difficult to play against," added the GM. The biggest loss at this point is the removal of Holtz from the Penguin's prospect stable. "Alex is an outstanding talent with a shot that rivals that of Ovy. We wish nothing but the best for him and are sad to see him go. Sometimes you have to be willing to give in order to get. Our goal is to win and the deals we made today bring us a few steps closer towards our ultimate goal," The Penguins are in the market for a backup goaltender. Look for them to actively pursue one in Free Agency. ________________________ Obligatory Articles: 5/5 Bonus Articles: 23/40 = $5,750,000 / $10,000,000
Pittsburgh Penguins	Parting ways with Eugene	Pens-Brent	2023-06-14 15:08:05	116	It was fun while it lasted. The Pittsburgh Penguins and future Hall of Fame pivot, Evgeni Malkin, have called it quits. The injury hampered forward was moved back to the Buffalo Sabres in exchange for the two-way, minute munching defender, Mattias Ekholm. In a season and a half with the Penguins, Malkin played in only 60 regular season games. During this time, the Russian centermen registered a measily 33 points. In the post-season, Geno was electric, playing alongside fellow countrymen, Alex Ovechkin. Those who watched the Penguins series versus the Hurricanes and Blue Jackets could attest that the lion's share of Malkin's 19 points in 13 games were a result of his friend's performance. "When he is going, Malkin is an amazing player. When he is not motivated, he has the opposite effect on the team. We wish him the best in Buffalo," added the Penguins GM. With Mattias Ekholm, the Penguins receive a defender who is capable of playing in every situation, an upgrade that the team desparately needs. The Pens were drastically outshot in their series loss to the Blue Jackets. An unfortunately injury to Mikhail Sergachev left the flightless birds flapping their wings, generating next to no lift. The addition of the Swedish defender should drastically improve the Penguin's d-core. "Mattias is an outstanding player who should really make a difference for us next year. We are hopeful that his experience can rub off on some of our younger defenders," added the GM. It sounds as though the Penguins may not be done. Rumour has it that the Penguins are closing in on a bigger deal that could really bolster their lineup. The Penguins GM was rather tight lipped, but some suggest that the pending trade is with a Western franchise. More to come... ________________________ Obligatory Articles: 5/5 Bonus Articles: 22/40 = $5,500,000 / $10,000,000
Calgary Flames	Calgary Flames - Champions Again!	Flames-JD	2023-06-05 13:03:22	99	Never give up! This sentiment was echo'd throughout the Flames roster on Sunday June 4th, 2023 as the Flames lay claim to lord Stanley's Cup for the second in its 18 year history. Following a 2011 Cup win and 3 Cup final losses, the Flames broke through to return the Cup to the Western Conference and assert themselves as a dominant force in the NEFHL. On November 29, 2022, with 21 games into the season, much of the same team was sitting 9th in the West with an 11-10-1 record. See: https://nefhl.com/index.php?view=article&id=4250 Some big moves at the deadline got this team looking from just making the playoffs to winning the Stanley Cup. And the same can be said of their Eastern Conference rivals, Toronto Maple Leafs, who at one point, were about to throw in the towel and sell everything. But a few moves by GM Shane turned things around and just like they did in 2019, the Leafs made their way from one of the lowest seeds in the East to the Cup finals. Again they would face the Flames, lead the series 3-2 and lose game 6. But unlike 2019, the Flames would this time prevail. The Flames showing their depth throughout these playoffs did so again in game this final series and especially in game 7. Jake Allen posted his 4th win of the series in Mike Smith's absence while the third line comprised of Nick Schmaltz, Martin Necas and Josh Leivo got things going with the first two Flames goals. Schmaltz would add a third to complete the hat trick. Until that point, the team's scoring had been limited to lines 1 and 2 which had all but 1 goal in the series. The third line was key as it played minutes against the Leafs top line for most of the game. The deadline acquisitions of Brad Marchand and Jared Spurgeon were instrumental in the win. Marchand the likely now 2-time playoff MVP and Spurgeon the best Flames defensemen despite fighting two injuries and returning from a 3 game injury scored the Flames 3rd goal to put them up 3-1. Jordan Staal playing a huge two-way role finished second in the playoffs in hits gave the team some depth, size, intensity, experience, leadership and defensive accumen to the Flames lineup. Both Marchand and Staal were members of the 2020 Panthers Cup winning team. Claude Giroux last won the Cup in 2018 with the Penguins being their MVP only scored 6 goals in the series but 4 of them ended up being game winners proving once again how much of a playoffs warrior he is. In addition, Giroux surpassed Brad Richards for the all-time lead in playoff points with 148. After producing only 10 points in the 16 games leading to the finals, Claude would score 2 goals and 5 assists with a +/- rating of +6 in the finals. And just like that, 3 finals losses were easily forgotten. The sting was gone. The Flames are Champions again! WOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
Detroit Red Wings	a season to forget	Wings-Jean	2023-05-29 00:07:36	107	-Detroit,Michigan This season has been quiet the disapointement for the Wings organisation..We wanted to tank hard to have a chance at the prodigy Bedard but we weren't bad enough...We will pick 9th overall in this ucoming draft..We have 3 players that we are targetting in that spot so let's see if we can get lucky and land one of them..Hopefully next season we can make a push for a playoff spot because tanking and losing isn't as fun then competing..Last years draft we had so many picks and landed some really good prospects but this year we don't own a lot of picks so we better make them count..We would like to wish the Leafs and Flames good luck for that cup also...If we want to have a chance at a playoff spot we would need to find a number 1 goaltender since i doubt Samsonov can carry us to promise land...We will also need a number 1 and number 2 centermens as we are pretty much set on the wings and defence is a work in progress also...Expect us to be very busy in the off-season to try and make the Wings a competive team in the eastern conference..we are sick and tired of losing..Going into next season that's what our lineup would look like: Landeskog-Dach-Kyrou Huberdeau-Monahan-Skinner Boldy-Eller-Zucker Grundstrom-Grant- Silverfberg Krug-Mayfield Muzzin-JJ Carrier-Xhekaj harley-Perbix Samsonov Daws if we can find two centermens..Work on that defense and maybe find a starting goaltender we could have a chance to make the playoffs or et least push for a spot..Plus we have a lot of assets waiting to join the club in the upcomming seasons
New York Islanders	The Future on Long Island	Isles-Steve	2023-05-26 18:23:28	150	Without taking away any accolades from the Cup finalists, the New York Islanders front office has been deeply involved in planning the future of the franchise. Missing pieces for the upcoming season include goaltending and several position players (a solid, productive winger would be a great addition). The management is under no illusions for the upcoming season but the fact of the matter is that a rebuild of this magnitude does not happen overnight. There are, of course, players who have either retired or will be leaving and also players who will be retained. Seth Jones will be re-signed (current salary $4.2M). Ian Cole will remain on Long Island (current salary $1.25M). Other blueliners are Mahura, Juulsen, Megna, Stone and Aho, all of whom are under contract. Highly touted (#6 overall NHL pick) David Jiricek is also in the pipeline as well as Joni Jurmo, William Wallinder and depth defenseman Spencer Stastney. Needless to say, Tyler Toffoli will be leaving along with his hefty $7.5M price tag. There are also a few forward prospects in the system, like Thomas Bordeleau and eventually a precocious youngster named Connor Bedard. C = Backstrom, Villardi, Trenin and Koivula LW = Byfield, Berggren, Katchouk and Gregor RW = Wahlstrom, Hoglander, Fasching and Galchenyuk Consider this: The 2023-24 salary commitment at this moment is a paltry $16,838,500. The Islanders will be extremely competitive when the Free Agency window opens especially with the glaring empty net. Will this team become competitive? How long might it take? Will GM Steve stop drinking? These are all unanswered questions as the league pushes on past the post-season. The Leafs and Flames are about to fight it out and one of them will recapture the Stanley Cup. The Islanders front office will drink to that! The Isles management will be massively enjoying the Leafs' GM proclamations and the Flames GM apologies over the next week or so. Good luck gentlemen!
Winnipeg Jets	Jets - Goals at the draft	Jets-Steve	2023-05-25 00:49:54	128	After the draft lottery a couple of weeks ago, where nothing happened for the Jets, the team still own the 10th overall pick. A very good pick! The consensus now is that this year draft is loaded with top quality forwards but surprisingly no goalie could be selected at all in the first round. The first defensemen chosen should be Austrian Reinbacher followed closely by the smooth skating Swedish Sandin Pellikka. Should the Jets GM be tempted to take one of these 2 defensemen? Where some scouts even ranked them out of the top 15, even top 20! Maybe ! Maybe not! If you have read the other article that was just posted about the 2022-23 Jets trades history, GM Lemyre has already traded a quality forward Evangelista for smooth skating defenseman Seamus Casey. Not comparing the American with the other two 2023 draft eligibles but it would only make sense here to select a forward. If Dvorsky happens to slip (doubtful) to number 10, he should be the obvious choice. Otherwise, the team might be tempted to trade down and go with either Leonard, Moore, Wood or even Sale. In a sim hockey league parallel universe, the Jets owner had once the 1st overall and traded it away for an immediate help (Thomas Chabot). Will they be tempted to do the same, again? Why not ! They have a strong top 6 in front but need a quality top 4 dman. If the price is right, they would do it. Otherwise, free agency will have to be the way, for this year at least.
Winnipeg Jets	Winnipeg Jets trades history	Jets-Steve	2023-05-25 00:44:59	112	Last December, out in desperation, the league needed a new pilot for the Jets in Winnipeg. They decided to close their eyes, pinched their nose and then, they chose GM Lemyre. Coming with the new regime, a new way to construct the team is to be foreseen. It’s just normal that the new boss wanted to have it his way! If the team wins, he is the good guy. If they lose, they will find somebody else to run the show! The following is a list of players/assets who came in out of the organization since the arrival of GM Lemyre: In : Bryan Rust, Vladislav Gavrikov, Jordan Harris, Brandon Duhaime, Connor Bunnaman, Tye Kartye, Tyler Wall, Seamus Casey, WPG 2023 Rnd 1, DET 2024 Rnd 2, NYR 2023 Rnd 3 and $500,000 Out : Bo Horvat, Erik Johnson, Blake Coleman, Lukas Cormier, Luke Evangelista, WPG 2023 Rnd 2, NYR 2023 Rnd 3 Upon his arrival, the team quickly found success and were playoffs bound for awhile but after a couple of key injuries and losing Kucherov for almost a month forced the GM to look at getting back this years first rounder and hope for the best for next season. Trading Coleman was probably the toughest, he is a sim beast but the team had too many free agents and needed to cut salaries. Duhaime is already a fan favorite because of his intensity and the 2nd rounder next year should be good. Some were surprised about the Evangelista trade but seeing his ratings right now, he would not have been helpful next year anyway and the development team seems very happy with Casey's progression. So areKartye and Harris. Right now, Kucherov is on the block but no one has reached the Jets organization yet! It’s weird because he has such a great ratings set. The 5 millions dollars tag shouldn't be a problem plus, he is only 29 years old. The Jets are always open for business and they want to let the league know. Take care everyone!
Toronto Maple Leafs	Looking for cup #2	Leafs-Shane	2023-05-24 12:41:35	110	The Leafs are now cemented in an all Canadian cup final against the Calgary Flames. Does that sound familiar? Rewind back to 2019. It was a Toronto Calgary cup final where the Leafs got their first cup in NEFHL history beating the Flames in 7 games. What's even more eerie is that both Toronto and Calgary took very similar paths to the finals as we are seeing this year. The Leafs beat out the Sens, Caps and Jackets in 2019 and again this season but switch Sens for Lightning. Meanwhile the Flames beat out the Coyotes, Blackhawks and Canucks in 2019 and again this season. The Leafs were an 8th seed in 2019 and a 7th seed this year. Goaltending. On paper advantage Leafs. However Mike Smith is playing out his mind. advantage - Leafs Defense - Leafs have the best player in Hedman in the series but the Flames have more depth and higher quality. Advantage- Flames Offense - Flames have the better high end guys with Rantanen and Marchand leading the way but the Leafs have tons of depth and part of the reason they are here. Leafs have 12 players in double digit points while the Flames 6. Advantage - None maybe slight lean Calgary Now everyone if you want to know who will win the 2023 NEFHL Stanley cup. Go and grab any coin. Flip it up in the air. Catch the coin. Turn it over. If it's heads the Leafs will win. If it's tails the Flames will win. I just flipped my loonie and got....... Heads. Let's go Leafs
Calgary Flames	Clutch Flames Defy Odds - Headed to Cup Finals	Flames-JD	2023-05-23 03:46:17	112	The expectations weren't the same as they were in the past few years, yet, the Flames are headed back to the Stanley Cup finals following back to back OT wins to close out the series against the Vancouver Canucks in 5 games. It was another convincing victory for the 6th seed in the Eastern conference who have now eliminated 3 of the top 4 teams in the regular season standings, losing only 4 games in the process. "It's been wild! I wasn't sure we'd even get past the first round. Especially after we let 11 goals in on game 4 against the Coyotes and the series was tied. " said GM Barry at the post game conference. Indeed it has. Since that loss the team has lost 2 games. That evening against the Coyotes, in that 11-4 loss, Martin Necas received a 5-minute major and was ejected for a spear that injured Coyotes' forward Ilya Mikheyev. He was handed a 5 game suspension the next day. His loss in the top 6 would however not be felt. Trevor Moore jumping in his spot alongside Jordan Staal and Brad Marchand. "They've been our best line, hands down. That's coaching at its finest." added Barry. The chemistry was instantaneous with Moore getting 4 points in a 5-3 win the next game. Since the line change, he has 16 points in 12 games and has become the Flames unsung hero. This is especially impressive when you realize Moore sees no powerplay time. With Necas set to return after his suspension, the coaching staff couldn't upset the lines. Necas settled in on the third line his spot on the power play managing to maintain his point per game production he had before his suspension. "Everything is clicking perfectly. This has never happened in our playoff history. We've had many division winning teams that did not perform this way when it mattered most." said defensemen Tyson Barrie who's now played 114 playoff games in 8 postseasons. "I hope this is the year!" The aforementioned Martin Necas, who the Flames received in exchange for star goaltender Connor Hellebuyck, was the one who sent the Flames back to the Finals in a game 5 overtime, scoring his third of the postseason off a perfect saucer pass from his centerman Nick Schmaltz. "We've been lucky, but we've been good as well" Necas said. "It takes both to get to this point and we'll need to do it 4 more times." The Flames have returned to the Cup finals 3 times since their 2011 Cup win, being defeated in all 3 attempts. They will now join the Kings as the only team to have fought for the prestigious trophy 5 times and will attempt to match them with a second Cup. "Winning these last four games is the toughest and the greatest feeling. Losing them is the absolute worst. We've felt that. I hope the guys in the locker room that have been through it will use that experience to get us there" concluded Barry.
New York Rangers	NY Rangers organization (finally) makes waves	Rangers-Alex	2023-05-15 00:43:11	147	The NY Rangers organization in november announced the hiring of Alex Nellis as the new GM of the hitorical organization. Needless to say Nellis had his work cutout for him with a depleted roster, deptch chart , prospect list etc etc etc. Well a week ago - the Rangers organization finally had a little good luck. With the 3rd best odds of having the 1st overall pick, the management team had prepared to select 3rd or 4th , but the NEFHL announced Monday night that the Rangers had won the lottery and with that, assured themselves of selecting elite talent Connor Bedard. But... That was just the start of a crazy week in the big apple. The second NYR had been given the 1st overall pick - GM Nellis' comments from December resurfaced that his 1st round pick of 2023 was available , and when he was interviewed following the announcement Monday he repeated it "As I said in December, we are not in position to NOT consider offers, Connor Bedard is an elite talent, but this organization is in dire need of depth - we have NONE at ANY position... so if an offer comes, I would move the 1st overall pick" And that is when the rumours started swirling, GM Nellis was receiving massive offers from many teams and that he was looking to add to his multiple 1st and 2nd round picks which was (at the time) 1st overall and35th, 42nd, 46th, 52nd and 58th overall in the 2nd round. On Friday, only 4 days after being announced as the lottery winner, GM Nellis moved the 1st overall selection to cross town rivals NY islanders for : 4 x 1st round picks, 1 x 2nd round pick and Anthony Beauvillier. Now with the Rangers owning in the 2023 draft 1st round7th overall13th overall15th overall22nd overall 2nd round35th overall39th overall42nd overall46th overall52nd overall58th overallGM Nellis agreed to take a few questions from the reporters following the announcement of the trade: Reporter "Can you explain to us the draft idea of having more picks vs wanting the best pick" Nellis "I think every team has a different reality, if our organization was healthier in assets, the pick would of never been available, but before putting a player like Connor Bedard here... we need to build a deep team , and we have nothing - having 3 picks in the top 15 and 8 picks in the top 50 vs having 1st overall was more what we wanted - also - don't forget , we were suppose to pick 3rd overall, this was found money and we decided to gamble with it" Reporter "Rumours are you were offered numerous well established players, why go with picks instead"Nellis "It's kind of the same answer as Bedard, I can confirm were offered FANTASTIC young players for the pick, but if we acquire them...who are they gonna play with? how will they develop on a roster with so many holes in it... Free Agency will be key this summer, but we cannot expect for us to compete in 2024 and 2025, so I rather have a solid prospect pool and in the next 2-3 years they develop together, and we already own 2 x 1st round picks in 2024 , so this also confirmed why we wanted go through the draft route" Reporter "Why was this not done more towards the draft , why was this done so quuickly"Nellis "That's a great question and the answer is simple - I told every GM that made offers, I did not want to go down the "bidding war" rabit hole - I am still new and budding wars usually lead to burning bridges - we were honest with all the main GMs that made offers, some were willing to always offer more but we stuck to the offers made to us, when we asked the Islanders to make a small adjustement to their original offer which they agreed to - it was hard for us to look back" So looks like the Rangers are ready for June 22nd when they will make a total of 10 selections. When Nellis was asked if he plans on moving any of the picks, he ended the question period with this"It's a deep draft, we are making these 10 picks and the 2023 draft will be known as the turning point for our organization and making this team mine" For the NY PostMark Bryan
Minnesota Wild	Wild eliminated in round 1. Look toward the draft	Wild-Peter	2023-05-12 14:11:48	134	The good lads of Los Angeles were just too good. Well actually, it was McDavid and Zibanejad that beat us. In the last article, those two were identified as the players to stop. The team could not get it done. The first four games of the series each game was decided by a single goal. It was a very tight series until then. Could have gone either way. But then game 5 happened and the dam broke. The Wild received a major spanking. "Series was over at that point" said an anonymous player. "Nobody wants to admit it, but the guys in the room knew it. Coaches knew it. Pretty sure the GM knew it too." Game 6 obviously didn't go too well and the Wild were eliminated. "There's obviously some luck involved. Look at game 1. We lost 6 players in that game. Morrissey was out for the series as well. 7 total regulars. Take a look a few games after, Morrissey magically is able to play with a heroic recovery and Pettersson goes down for months. I don't want to blame injuries. Every team has injuries. We literally got 0 minutes with a full lineup these playoffs. Sometimes it happens this way. I'd still prefer this over what happened in 21-22." The Kings have since been eliminated by the Canucks. A heavy favourite all season to win it all. The Wild are going to take some time off before starting to do research for the draft. The team has their 1st although it will be a later one. They also have their 2nd as well as Colorado's 2nd. The team will also look to shake things up with the roster. "I wouldn't expect everybody under contract for next year to still be here by the time the season starts. Maybe the draft is a good time to shake things up a bit. We'll see" ____________________________ Article: 34/5 'Show me the money' bonus: $7,250,000 / $10,000,000
St-Louis Blues	Blues Fall One Spot - Will Pick 2nd in the 2023 Draft	Blues-Graham	2023-05-10 06:49:08	145	It's official, the Blues will pick 2nd overall in the up and coming 2023 draft. Although slightly disappointed to miss out on Conner Bedard, the Blues are more then excited to pick up Adam Fantilli. When reached for comment Blues GM Thompson had the following to say "Adam is the kind of corner stone player you build a franchise around. This guy would be picked first in almost any of the drafts of the last 10 years with very few, if any exceptions. Would we have loved to get Conner Bedard? Of course. That said, in the end, we're not sure who's going to have the better career when it's all said and done. Very few people have accomplished what Adam has accomplished this year in the NCAA - I mean he's set scoring records and won the Hobey Baker award. This guy's star burns bright and this franchise will be lucky to have him". Fantilli along with young prospect Shane Wright drafted first overall last year should give the Blues a solid 1-2 punch down the middle for years to come. Throw in stud defenceman Brandt Clarke and the foundation for success has been laid. Even with the talented young trio and complimentary upcoming pieces such as Luke Evangelista, Connor McMichael, Peyton Krebs and Fabian Lysell, the Blues stll have a long climb out of the basement. In other news, big decisions loom on which prospects the Blues will sign from the 2021 and 2019 Drafts. With 14 prospects due to be signed and only around 10 roster spots, not everyone will be signed. Players who've already played in the NHL such as Helleson, Dorofeyev and Clarke are shoe ins. Promising youngsters such as Lavoie, Mailoux, Portillo and Saville are probably ok as well. The others? Time will tell. Anttoni Honka 2019 Drew Helleson 2019 Erik Portillo 2019 Isaiah Saville 2019 Pavel Dorofeyev 2019 Raphael Lavoie 2019 Brandt Clarke 2021 Cole Huckins 2021 Logan Mailloux 2021 Robert Mastrosimone 2019 Daniil Chayka 2021 Layton Ahac 2019 Lukas Parik 2019 Nikola Pasic 2019 Stay strong Blues fans. The destruction has come to an end and the rebuild has begun.
Ottawa Senators	Senators stand at No. 4 after lottery	Sens-Mike	2023-05-09 17:35:39	141	The Ottawa Senators will select No. 4 in the upcoming NEFHL Entry Draft. The draft order was determined after the lottery on Monday night. Ottawa entered the lottery with the most-likely odds of landing the No. 4 pick. "Not unexpected, but with the lottery you never know what might happen," said GM Mike McMahon. "We had some hope, but we expected to remain 3-5 and that's where we ended up, so it's no big surprise." The Senators will likely have a big decision to make at No. 4. Connor Bedard is expected to go No. 1 and Adam Fantilli will likely go No. 2 in the draft. Ottawa will likely be choosing between NTDP center Will Smith, Orebro forward Leo Carlson, or Russian forward Matvei Michkov. "Anyone we get at No. 4 is going to be an exceptional talent," McMahon said. "I genuinely believe that all five players who should go in the top-5 are foundational pillars for an organization. They're all someone you can build you franchise around. They all have vary skill sets and they all play a bit differently in terms of style, but all five of those players are foundational pieces for a contending team in the future, there's no doubt." Michkov is the wild card. He's under KHL contract through 2026. Plus, there are passport issues and an ongoing Russian war in Ukraine. McMahon was asked on Monday night if he was afraid of drafting Michkov. "He's in a unique situation," he said. "We'll see what happens at No. 3. We think we know what will happen with No. 1 and No. 2, but a lot can happen. Personally, I don't like the idea of drafting for need. Players are a ways away from playing big minutes in our league when they're drafted at 18 years old. At least, most players are a ways away. We'll have our draft board and we'll stick to that board. I don't believe in drafting for need or anything other than just taking the best player available at the time you pick. Michkov has some other circumstances we need to pay attention to, but the same could be said for other players as well. Whoever drafts Smith isn't going to get him next season either, because he's going to Boston College."
Seattle Kraken	Unlucky in the lottery again...	Kraken-Scott	2023-05-09 13:06:49	144	The Seattle Kraken went into last night's NHL draft lottery with the second best odds to land generational talent Connor Bedard, but for a second year in a row, the Kraken came up unlucky and dropped down the order. The New York Rangers came away the big winners last night, winning the lottery and getting first crack at picking a future superstar in the upcoming 2023 NEFHL entry draft. Like last year, the Kraken dropped one spot and will pick 3rd. With Bedard and Adam Fantilli appearing to be locks in the first and second spots, who will the Kraken target at number three? Here are a few options for the Kraken to pair with last year's top pick, C/W Cutter Gauthier (chosen 4th overall): C - Leo Carlsson (SHL) At 6'3" and close to 200 pounds, Carlsson appears to be a prototypical, NEFHL #1 centremen. Scouts rave about his playmaking abilities and his poise with the puck. He looks like a surefire NHLer at just eighteen years of age. Carlsson is slated to play for Orebro in the SHL next season. W - Matvei Michkov (KHL) Michkov unquestionably has world-class skill level - some feel that his offensive abilities are close to Bedard's. While lacking a bit of size, his hockey IQ is off the charts and figures to be a top line scoring winger at the NEFHL level. Michkov is signed to play for St. Petersburg of the KHL next season. C - Will Smith (NTDP) Smith has been rising up draft boards quickly in recent months. Some scouts now have him as the #3 ranked player in the 2023 draft. Smith is lauded for his agility and creativity at the offensive end of the ice. He will play at Boston College next season. It seems likely that the Kraken will select one of the three aforementioned players in the upcoming draft. While the management team and head coach Rick Tocchet were admittedly disappointed in missing out on both Bedard and Fantilli, the future is still very bright in Seattle.
Seattle Kraken	Potential Kraken Surprises	Kraken-Scott	2023-05-07 17:35:31	157	As soon as the Kraken's first season in the NEFHL wrapped up, the Seattle management team planned for the future. The team has accumulated a plethora of draft picks (including 3 first rounders in 2023) and hopefully had a successful 2022 NEFHL entry draft with high picks like Cutter Gauthier, Ryan Chesley and Reid Schaefer. It appears that the team is set up for potential long-term success. That being said, successful sports franchises always need a bit of luck on their side. To that end, the Kraken could use some luck in the upcoming draft lottery. But even as importantly, the Kraken have to hope that a lower-end prospect or two develop better than originally expected and contribute to the franchise's success down the road. Do the Kraken have such a prospect (or two)? Hard to say at this point in time, but here are a few candidates who could potentially be professional Seattle players down the road: Winger - Aidan McDonough McDonough had a very successful career at the NCAA level at Northeastern University. Over his four seasons, McDonough put up 66 goals and 124 points in 124 games. Following his senior season, McDonough signed his entry-level contract with the Vancouver Canucks and even got into six NHL games (and scoring his first NHL goal). At 6'2" and 200 pounds, McDonough unquestionably has the size required to excel at the pro level. Can he put it all together? McDonough figures to play at the AHL level next season, but seems like a decent long-term bet to have a strong professional career. Defence - Matthew Kessel Kessel was acquired by Seattle in a pre-expansion draft trade with the Calgary Flames last summer. Kessel, only 22 years old, played his first season at the professional level in 2022-23, putting up an impressive 33 points in 71 games at the AHL level. Kessel also made his NHL debut for the St. Louis Blues, playing two games. Overall, Kessel's ability to move the puck gives him a chance to become an NEFHL regular in the future. Could either of these Kraken prospects develop into NEFHL regulars? Only time will tell, but Kraken management thinks they both have a chance...
Pittsburgh Penguins	Live by the Sword, Die by the Sword	Pens-Brent	2023-05-03 15:25:35	152	Coach Craig Berube was a red as a tomato during the clubs press conference following a 3-1 loss in game two. Down 2-0 in the series, the Penguins find themselves in a hole that feels nothing short of insurmountable at this point. The Blue Jackets have been lights out this offseason, having knocked off the Philadelphia Flyers in a timely fashion, a team that is two years removed from winning it all. Columbus picked up where they left off from round one, and have held the Penguins to just two goals so far this series. "We aren't executing. It's as simple as that. We are generating low quality chances. There seems to be no urgency at this point," said the coach. The Penguins scored 35 times in the first round, averaging 5 goals per game. The snake bitten club is optimistic that things will change on the road. "It's not as though we lack fire power. The guys in this room are capable of producing. We have three of the best players to lace up the skates. We have some young guys and vets that can put the puck in the net. If we continue to play the game the right way, the goals should come," added veteran Calvin DeHaan. Only one powerplay unit practiced during the Penguins morning skate, hinting that the team plans to lean on the players they value the most. Evgeni Malkin played the right side, a position that he is not accustomed to playing. "It is adjustment sure. But I be ready. We win game three for sure," Geno added in his thick Russian accent. Alexander Ovechkin skated on two lines during teams workout flow. Evgeni Malkin and Lucas Raymond, as well as Andrew Cogliano and Noel Acciari. It is clear that the Great 8 will see a lion's share of the ice on Thursday night. Jusso Riikola skated with John Marino. All signs suggest that he will be the team's seventh defender. It is safe to say that Game 3 is a must win for the Penguins. More to come. ________________________ Obligatory Articles: 5/5 Bonus Articles: 21/40 = $5,250,000 / $10,000,000
Los Angeles Kings	Kings Dominate Brittle Wild	Kings-Carter	2023-04-26 16:35:32	150	The Los Angeles Kings seized control of their opening round series against the Minnesota Wild with a resounding 6-0 victory in Game 5, taking a 3-2 lead in the best-of-7 contest. Connor McDavid dazzled the crowd with two goals and an assist, while Linus Ullmark's steadfast goaltending delivered a 21-save shutout. In the first period, Adam Lowry broke the ice for the Kings, pouncing on a clever pass from Jesse Puljujarvi at 3:14. Lowry unleashed a blistering one-timer that left the Wild's netminder Carter Hart with no chance. McDavid showcased his speed and skill during a shorthanded situation, dashing past defenders and connecting with Mika Zibanejad's pinpoint pass before coolly slipping the puck past Hart at 14:30, doubling the Kings' lead to 2-0. The second period saw McDavid strike again, orchestrating a masterful play at 4:13. He skillfully combined with Zibanejad and Ryan Lomberg to deceive the Wild's defense, leaving Hart helplessly watching the puck sail into the net. Drew Doughty then hammered the nail deeper into Minnesota's coffin, receiving a tape-to-tape pass from McDavid and launching a rocket from the blue line that zipped past Hart at 7:10, extending the Kings' lead to a commanding 4-0. In the third period, Zibanejad got on the scoresheet himself, expertly redirecting a crisp Ben Chiarot pass from the point, while Lomberg picked up his second assist of the night. The puck eluded the Minnesota goaltender at 7:23, making it a 5-0 game. Finally, Jamie Oleksiak put the icing on the cake with a powerful slapshot from the top of the circle, assisted by Alexander Barabanov and Nico Hischier, further demoralizing the Wild at 16:56 with a 6-0 final score. The Kings' victory was punctuated by a disciplined and aggressive performance, with Minnesota unable to convert on any of their three power play opportunities. Meanwhile, the Kings struggled on the power play as well, going 0 for 6, but their even-strength and shorthanded prowess was enough to secure the win. The three stars of the game were Connor McDavid, Mika Zibanejad, and Linus Ullmark, all of whom played crucial roles in the Kings' victory. With the series now favoring Los Angeles, the Wild will look to regroup and bounce back in Game 6, as they attempt to stave off elimination and force a decisive Game 7.
Los Angeles Kings	McDavid's Hat Trick Powers Kings Past Wild in Action-Packed Showdown	Kings-Carter	2023-04-18 01:50:54	175	In an action-packed game full of highlight-reel plays, the Los Angeles Kings emerged victorious over the Minnesota Wild with a 3-2 win, largely due to a dazzling hat trick from star player Connor McDavid. Mika Zibanejad and Drew Doughty played crucial roles in the Kings' win, earning the second and third stars of the game, respectively. Period 1: McDavid Sets the Pace The first period opened with both teams displaying a relentless pursuit of the puck. After a series of back-and-forth plays, McDavid found the back of the net at 13:44, with a crisp pass from Zibanejad and a perfect setup from Doughty. The period saw several penalties, including a high-sticking minor against Chiarot and roughing minors against Tkachuk and Schwartz. As the period closed, the Kings held a 1-0 lead. Period 2: Wild Strikes Back The second period began with the Wild maintaining pressure on the Kings' defense. At 15:06, Lauzon broke through with a quick wrist shot that beat Ullmark, thanks to Zegras' pinpoint pass. The period was marked by a boarding penalty and game misconduct against the Wild's Hronek, which was served by Elias Pettersson. The Wild's aggressive forechecking helped keep the Kings at bay, ending the second period with a 1-1 tie. Period 3: McDavid Clinches the Win The third period saw the Kings regain momentum, with McDavid scoring his second goal at 05:43 after a beautiful tic-tac-toe play with Doughty and Zibanejad. The Wild answered back at 11:36, as Pageau capitalized on a Kings turnover and fired an unassisted goal past Ullmark. McDavid would not be denied, though. At 18:13, with the Kings on a power play, Barabanov and Petry set up McDavid for a one-timer, allowing him to complete his hat trick and seal the victory for the Kings. Goaltenders Carter Hart and Linus Ullmark put on impressive performances, with Hart making 33 saves out of 36 shots for the Wild and Ullmark stopping 17 of 19 shots for the Kings.
Edmonton Oilers	Edmonton (8) Heads to Chicago (1) in First Round Action	Oilers-Jason	2023-04-17 22:04:46	164	In first round action in the Western Conference, the Chicago Blackhawks (57-25-0) will match-up against the Edmonton Oilers (41-34-7). While the Blackhawks were using their final games to secure the Presidents’ Trophy, the Oilers were using theirs to secure the final playoff spot. With that in mind, few fans polled would expect the Oilers to present much of a challenge to the statistically stronger Hawks. Both teams will be relying on a young core of forwards to get the job done on a nightly basis during the playoffs, with the Blackhawks squad of forwards average 27.6 years of age and the Oilers averaging 28.5 years of age. As a squad, the Hawks forwards bring more recent playoff experience, and will lean on the offensive prowess of Sebastian Aho, Pavel Buchnevich, and Kevin Fiala. Despite the experienced youth of the Hawks, the only forward from either team to be among the top twenty active league playoff leaders in any offensive category is Max Pacioretty. Pacioretty, who missed 60 complete games and checked out of numerous other games for the Oilers, has appeared in 96 playoff games, accumulating 41 goals and 39 assists. The team believes his veteran presence in the locker room will be vital for getting Adrian Kempe and Patrik Laine going early in the series. On the defensive end of the ice, the Oilers will be backstopped by a veteran core of defenders averaging 31.8 years of age. This group boasts some of the best two-way defensemen in the game, including Mark Giordano, Noah Hanifin, and Oliver Ekman-Larsson. Travis Hamonic and Andy Greene are expected to play a vital shutdown role, while Adam Boqvist will see extended time on the power play. For the Hawks, with an average age of 26.1, the pressure will largely fall on Cale Makar and Rasmus Dahlin, who were among the league’s top ten goal scorers at the position, and Thomas Chabat, who was second on the team in total points among defensemen. Between the pipes, veteran Russian net minder Sergei Bobrovsky will face off against his young Finnish counterpart Jusse Saros. Bobrovsky (75 games) and Saros (70 games) finished one and two in total league appearances this season. Saros finished first among regular starters with a 0.912 save percentage. For his part, Bobrovsky is among the league’s top active playoff goalies (10 or more appearances) in all categories, including 46 appearances (9th), 19 wins (9th), 0.914 save percentage (5th), and 2.48 GAA (6th). If either starter finds himself unable to take the ice, the Oilers will turn to veteran backup Scott Wedgewood, while the Blackhawks would be forced to rely on little-known Dylan Ferguson. Over the previous four seasons, the Blackhawks have made four playoff appearances, exiting in the first round in 2021 and 2020, while advancing to the conference finals in 2022 and 2019. Over the same span, the Oilers have made two playoff appearances, exiting in the first round in 2019 and 2022. In 2022, the Oilers took the Kings, winners of that season’s Presidents’ Trophy, to game seven, defying all expectations. While the Hawks appear to be a much stronger team than the Oilers on paper, the Oilers managed to grind their way into the playoffs relying on a mix of leadership and experience, despite the absence of Pacioretty. With Pacioretty back in frame, it could be a highly competitive series... but we wouldn’t place money on it.
Los Angeles Kings	Los Angeles Kings Begin Playoff Battle against Minnesota Wild	Kings-Carter	2023-04-17 17:00:20	167	Tonight, the Los Angeles Kings will take on the Minnesota Wild in the first round of the playoffs, as the Kings look to secure their place in history with a deep playoff run. The puck drops at 7:00 PM PT at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, where the fans are eager to see their team make a strong start in the postseason. Season Recap: The Road to the Playoffs The Kings have had a remarkable season, finishing second in the Pacific Division with a record of 45-27-10, securing home-ice advantage for this first-round matchup. The team's resilience and commitment to their game plan have been key factors in their successful campaign, with standout performances from their top players propelling them to this point. The Minnesota Wild, on the other hand, finished third in the Central Division with a 45-30-7 record. They have proven to be a formidable opponent throughout the season and have every intention of giving the Kings a tough fight in the playoffs. Key Players to Watch For the Los Angeles Kings, keep an eye on their captain and top scorer, Connor McDavid, who has been instrumental in their success this season. With his strong offensive instincts and ability to create scoring opportunities, he will be a major threat to the Wild's defense. On the Minnesota Wild's side, their starting goaltender has been a brick wall between the pipes, making crucial saves in high-pressure situations. The Wild will be relying on his performance to stifle the Kings' potent offense and give them a chance to steal a win on the road. Keys to Victory The Kings will need to capitalize on their home-ice advantage and establish a strong, physical presence early in the series. Dominating the neutral zone and maintaining puck possession will be critical to their success. Additionally, the Kings' power play unit, which has been efficient throughout the season, will need to continue their effectiveness against the Wild's strong penalty kill. The Wild will look to exploit any defensive lapses by the Kings and establish their own offensive rhythm. A strong forechecking game will be essential in creating turnovers and generating scoring chances. The Wild's defensive depth will also be a crucial factor in containing the Kings' offensive firepower. The Stage is Set With both teams hungry for a deep playoff run, the stage is set for an intense and thrilling first-round series. As the city of Los Angeles buzzes with excitement, the Kings and their fans prepare for a battle that could define their season. Will the Kings continue their winning ways, or will the Wild cause an upset on the road? The answers to these questions will begin to unfold tonight at the Crypto.com Arena.
Philadelphia Flyers	2023 NEFHL Playoff Power Rankings with grades	Flyers-Jamie	2023-04-17 13:06:36	201	Rankings based on healthy rosters, injuries not taken into consideration. No personal ranking by me on this one. What the values determined ('team grade'), plus including teams regular season points, which caused minimal movement, is what determined 'Rank, includes regular season points'. The formulas for the values might be questionable, but they are what they are and even across teams. You'll notice in the 'Rank' column, the grading scale used there is used for all grades, meaning only the top team in each category received A+, only 2nd best A, and 3rd best A-. Team Key grade core grade depth grade off grade def grade int grade goal grade team grade tote+points Rank, includes regular season points 1 . Canucks A+ A+ A+ A+ A B+ A+ A+ 9,699.93 A+ 2 . Blackhawks C- A A A A+ D B A 9,558.67 A 3 . Flyers A- B+ B+ B B+ A+ A A- 9,450.23 A- 4 . Coyotes B- A- B C+ A- B- C B 9,393.47 B+ 5 . Capitals B+ C+ D C- D C A- B 9,353.30 B+ 6 . Flames B- B+ A- A- B+ A- B B+ 9,307.27 B 7 . Penguins A B- B- F C- A B+ B+ 9,305.43 B 8 . Lightning B B B+ B+ C+ B+ C B- 9,225.13 B- 9 . Kings B+ B- C- B+ C- B C+ B- 9,221.87 B- 10 . Wild D C B- B- C C- B- C+ 9,191.70 C+ 11 . Blue Jackets C C- B B- B C+ C- C 9,130.43 C 12 . Hurricanes C- C C C- B B- D C- 9,126.10 C 13 . Maple Leafs C+ D F D B- F B+ C- 9,120.43 C- 14 . Sharks F F C- C F B B- C 9,076.80 C- 15 . Oilers C C- C C C C- C- D 9,025.20 D 16 . Devils B B C+ B B- C F F 8,980.23 F 1 . Canucks - top goaltending, top stars, top everything. Was my bet going into the regular season and still is going into the playoffs. 2 . Blackhawks - best defense going, going to be tough to knock out. 3 . Flyers - the toughest and grittiest team going into the playoffs will hope to grind their way into the finals. 4 . Coyotes - well rounded team that saw some regular season success will be a force to reckon with. 5 . Capitals - the defending champ is still letting his stars carry for another hopeful run. 6 . Flames - Flames are always a threat, by design, and are again this year. 7 . Penguins - loading up with vets and a top goalie, Pittsburgh has set themselves to have Ovi and Crosby win together. 8 . Lightning - a well rounded team that knows how to get some goals scored. 9 . Kings - McDavid and Zibanajed are a deadly duo hoping to take their team deep. 10 . Wild - good 1/2 in net and led by Brady Tkachuk, Minny is looking to see what they are made of.11 . Blue Jackets - Eichel and Hamilton will be missing the beginning of the playoffs, by Dougie is back soon and could have serious impact12 . Hurricanes - Tavares/Stamkos...13 . Maple Leafs - sneak in, low goal differential in regular season, hope to ride winning ways14 . Sharks - stoked to be in the playoffs after being a seller!15 . Oilers - is a team with potential upset upside, but probably not. 16 . Devils - happy to make it with first year GM duo!
Carolina Hurricanes	(4) Penguins vs (5) Hurricanes - First Round Preview	Canes-Jeff	2023-04-16 06:05:44	154	It's that time of year again in the NEFHL. The 82 game regular season is complete and 16 of the 32 teams have been sent off to spend the next 4 months golfing. Round 1 of the NEFHL Playoffs kicks off on Sunday and today we will look at the 4/5 matchup in the Eastern conference which features the 4th seeded Pittsburgh Penguins vs the 5th seeded Carolina Hurricanes. 4. Pittsburgh Penguins - 49-27-6 (104 points) vs 5. Carolina Hurricanes - 45-29-8 (98 points) Season series - Pittsburgh 4-0/Carolina 0-2-2 Hurricanes 0 at Penguins 2Penguins 4 at Hurricanes 1 Hurricanes 1 at Penguins 2 (OT)Penguins 3 at Hurricanes 2 (SO) Total Goals - Penguins 10 Hurricanes 4 Scoring Leaders Head to Head: Hurricanes: Jacob Trouba - 4GP - 0G 2A - 2 Points Devin Shore - 1G 0A - 1 Point Marco Scandella - 4GP - 1G 0A - 1 Point Penguins: Brett Kulak - 4GP - 0G 3A - 3 Points John Marino - 4GP - 1G 2A - 3 Points Lucas Raymond - 4GP - 2G 1A - 3 Points Matchup: Goaltenders: Hurricanes: Vitek Vanecek - 30-22-7 2.69GAA .901 Save% Penguins: Thatcher Demko - 32-21-8 2.63GAA .903 Save% In a battle of playoff rookies, the Penguins carry an edge in goaltending due to having a higher rated #1. Demko was a massive midseason addition and has been great since arriving in Pittsburgh. Vanecek set a career high with 30 wins and a .901 save% this season and paired with Adin Hill provided extremely solid goaltending for a Canes team that only ranked 21st in league scoring. This battle may be close but the edge goes to Pittsburgh. Forwards: Hurricanes: Steven Stamkos (76GP 31-37-68) Logan Couture (73GP 17-46-63) Lawson Crouse (76GP 35-23-58) John Tavares(80GP 26-30-56) Alex Killorn (81GP 23-33-56) Tyler Bertuzzi (75GP 18-33-51) *Jakub Vrana (49GP 14-15-29) Pittsburgh: Sidney Crosby (73GP 31-50-81) Alex Ovechkin (75GP 51-28-79) Lucas Raymond (82GP 29-38-67) Brandon Hagel (75GP 29-24-53) Alex Newhook (72GP 16-36-52) Jeff Carter (80GP 21-27-48) *Evgeni Malkin (19GP 6-12-18) Any team that's headlined by Crosby and Ovechkin has a clear advantage in any series. Carolina may have more overall top 6 talent, but Pittsburgh has the best 2 players in the series. 2 players who are returning from injury riddled seasons who could have a major impact are Evgeni Malkin for the Pens and Jakub Vrana from the Canes. Both should make an impact before all is said and done. This category is also a slight edge to the Penguins, but it's very close Defence: Hurricanes: Jacob Trouba (77GP 5-37-42) Jaccob Slavin (72GP 7-32-39) Matt Roy (76GP 6-26-32) Adam Pelech (57GP 3-22-25) Pittsburgh: Evan Bouchard (82GP 10-40-50) Mikhail Sergachev (73GP 8-33-41) Brett Kulak (81GP 4-27-31) John Marino (77GP 11-13-24) The Penguins hold a clear advantage offensively on the backend with Bouchard and Sergachev, however the Canes offer an extremely solid unit defensively that can proven they can contribute offensively as well. This category probably leans to the Canes overall in a close matchup This should be a long series unless Demko gets hot and the Canes offense disappears. The return of Vrana should help boost the Canes scoring and give them a chance while the Pens top end trio of Crosby/Ovechkin/Malkin will allow them to outscore any defensive lapses.
Seattle Kraken	The End of the Road for the Kraken	Kraken-Scott	2023-04-14 13:09:52	175	The Seattle Kraken's inaugural season has mercifully come to an end. The Kraken ended the season with a 28-45-9 record (65 points), which in some ways actually exceeded expectations. Finishing 31st in the league means the Kraken will have the second best lottery odds for the upcoming 2023 Entry Draft. The 2023 draft is considered to be very strong - especially in the top 10 - so the Kraken look to add a high-end talent near the top of the draft to go along with last year's top selection in power-forward Cutter Gauthier. While highlights this season were at times few and far between, here are some notes to end the season: - Free agent signee Conor Sheary led the team with 20 goals and 45 total points. - Top goaltender Alexandar Georgiev led the squad with 19 wins and showed signs that he may be ready to be a top-tier goalie in the NEFHL. - Nate Schmidt led the defence with 29 points. He will be back next season to lead the defence with Jake McCabe, Justin Schultz and Zach Whitecloud. - Youngster Cody Glass made his pro debut and put up 7 points in just 9 games. He has an inside track on a top 3 centre role with the Kraken next season. - Waiver pickups Jordan Martinook and Justin Schultz were effective with the Kraken and figure to play a growing role moving forward for this young franchise. The Kraken management team and head coach Rick Tocchet now look forward to the draft lottery and the 2023 NEFHL entry draft, where the team currently holds three 1st round picks, three 2nd round picks and four 3rd rounders. With prospects already in the fold like Cutter Gauthier, Ryan Chesley & Reid Schaefer, the future definitely looks very bright in Seattle.
Calgary Flames	Flames Survive Yet Another Slow Start. Headed To Playoffs	Flames-JD	2023-04-12 20:28:18	140	The Flames are headed to the postseason for the 6th consecutive year and 14th time in the past 16 seasons. This is one playoff appearance shy of their 2008-2014 streak of 7. Calgary has also never finished lower than 9th since the inaugural NEFHL season. "All credit goes to our scouting team who has continuously found talent at the draft or at any level to make sure we could ice a competitive squad every season" affirmed GM Barry following their playoff clinching victory against the Canucks on April 4th. It was again not a smooth road for the resilient Flames. After yet another slow start which had the team sporting a salty record of 16 wins and 19 losses at Xmas, something had to change. But this time, the Flames didn't add anything. Instead, they subtracted Dominik Kubalik. A simple change to the third line was enough to send a message to the team that this type of performance wouldn't be tolerated. "We started training camp firmly believing we had a shot at the division We quickly found ourselves at the bottom of it. We're hoping the team rounds out as we'll be on the other side of the 2 vs 7 seed who took us out last year." said coach Bowness. Yes, after one of their best seasons in 2021-22, the Flames fell in 5 games to the Arizona Coyotes, scoring only 4 goals in the final 3 games. "We definitely remember last year. They caught us by surprise and their goalie played great. Sometimes it's all it takes in a 7 game series. We believe in this team and we hope to turn this around and feed Arizona or Chicago that first round upset." responded Captain Claude Giroux, the former Cup champ and playoff MVP as he looks to climb from the #2 spot to #1 in all-time playoff scoring.
Minnesota Wild	Wild make playoffs	Wild-Peter	2023-04-04 17:09:04	203	The Wild will be one of sixteen teams competing for the big prize after clinching their spot thanks to a win over the Pittsburgh Penguins. This is a successful reversal of the complete abomination that was the 2021-2022 season. The team is hoping to close out the remaining regular season schedule on a high note despite losing their best rated defenseman Josh Morrissey just a few days prior. He will be out for a month. Morrissey looks like he won't be back in time for the entire first round of the playoffs either. This injury brings Duncan Keith back into the fold on a full time basis who should still be able to contribute on special teams as PP2 and maybe even PK2. Team MVP for the season, Dmitry Kulikov, will be leaned on more during this time. He has been a standout on the team from the moment he was signed in the middle of pre-season. He ranks top 6 in NEFHL goals from defenseman despite having a 52 SC rating. While it is not finalized yet, it has looked for weeks now that Carter's good lads, Los Angeles Kings, will be the round one opponent. Currently the two teams are jockeying for home ice as the 4th seed in the West. As of the time of this article being posted, the Kings are ahead by two points but the Wild have a game in hand. In three contests so far this season, the Wild are 3-0 against the Kings. The GM of the Wild is not taking the potential round one opponent lightly. "Regular season doesn't mean anything. They have McDavid. They have Zibanejad who is arguably the best defensive forward in NEFHL right now. They're not an easy opponent if we face them." ____________________________ Article: 33/5 'Show me the money' bonus: $7,000,000 / $10,000,000
Arizona Coyotes	Coyotes Reach 50 Wins for 1st Time	Coyotes-Mark	2023-03-30 15:14:27	165	For the first time in team history, the Coyotes have reached the 50 wins mark. They did so in their 78th game of the year against the Seattle Kraken, finishing out the game with a 3-1 score. Earlier in the season the Yotes broke the 100 point mark, something they had done just a couple of times before. The closest the club ever came to reaching the 50 win mark was just two years ago in 2021 when the club ended the season with 49 wins. While winning 50 games is something to be celebrated, it doesn't mean much for this team this year. "We want it all this year. It feels like we exercized some demons last year and now we're ready to take the next step. Ive been in AZ for my entire career, and if I'm going to win a cup, I'd like it to be here". - Tarasenko The Yotes are in a tight 3 way race for the top spot in the Western conference. Up until last night they lost 4 straight for their worst mini slump of the entire season. One could consider the season a success considering all of the injuries they sustained and how the team battled all year long. Even winning the Presidents Trophy for the first time wouldn't be enough for this group. "The vets on this club know what we're playing for right now. Some of the younger guys might not fully understand it yet, but when you hit a certain poijt in your career, you cant help but think about it during this time of the season. There's nothing I want more than to see our boys success" - Mark Zab
Pittsburgh Penguins	Pens hit 100 points, Clinch a Playoff Birth	Pens-Brent	2023-03-29 15:04:06	179	It's been a few years since the Penguins faithful has had anything to cheer about. After a couple of grueling years jockeying for position in the NEFHL's basement, the Pittsburgh Penguins see themselves towards the top of the standings, battling it out with the league's powerhouse clubs. "It's nice to be back in the playoff picture. We are amped to have a chance to battle for the most coveted prize in the game," stated forward Brandon Hagel following the team's morning skate. A 4-0 win against the Bruins this past Monday cemented the Pens spot in the post-season, seeing them hit the 100 point mark for the first time since the 2016/17 campaign. There has been plenty of turnover since the Penguins won the Stanley Cup in 2018, with captain Sidney Crosby being the only current Penguin who was part of that winning team. Sid's experience is certainly invaluable, as he looks to help lead his team to another Cup ring. "How quickly you forget how special that moment really was. With everything that has gone on here in Pittsburgh with our retool, I was beginning to think that I might not get another crack at it," said Crosby. The Pens brass has made it no secret that they have one goal this year, and that is to win at all costs. Since the trade deadline last year, the Penguins have significantly improved their roster adding impact players like Alex Ovechkin, Evgeni Malkin, Thatcher Demko and Mikhail Sergachev. Furthermore, the club has acquired role players, picking up guys like Miles Wood, Jordan Binnington, Jeff Carter and Blake Coleman. "This is probably the best group I have ever been apart of. I think we can do great things this year," Miles Wood mentioned. The Pens square off against their State rivals the Philadelphia Flyers. Expect no brotherly love tonight. ________________________ Obligatory Articles: 5/5 Bonus Articles: 20/40 = $5,000,000 / $10,000,000
St-Louis Blues	Blues Prospect Rankings - March 2023 (Q4)	Blues-Graham	2023-03-27 11:33:54	208	Time for my quarterly Prospect Rankings. I feel this is our strongest prospect list ever. Unfortunately for players such as Zadina, Liljegren and Vaakanainen it will be their last showing. However their absence will be more than offset by the addition of all the new players over the last few months such as Luke Evangelista, Matthew Maggio, Jordan Dumais, Fedor Svechkov, Gleb Trikozov and Raphael Lavoie. I'll start the rankings by listing a few players who have surpassed expectations: Luke Evangelista & Pavel Dorofeyev Both players have made impressive NHL debuts. Evangelista started the year off strong in the AHL and once called up has 9 points through his first 13gp. He's playing top 6 minutes and getting PP time. A year older, Dorofeyev is in a very similar situation. He led the Silver Knights in scoring last year (although he wasn't tearing it up this year) and since being called up has been a fixture in the Knights top 6. He currently has 7 points in his first 10GP (5 of them goals). If both players can maintain their top 6 minutes and power play time, they should feature in the Blues top 6 next year. Peyton Krebs & Connor McMichaelThe amazing debut's of Evangelista and Dorofeyev coupled with the standout season of Q standout Jordan Dumais, as well as rather unimpressive seasons has pushed both of Krebs and McMichael out of our top 5 prospects for the first time ever. McMichael inparticular hasn't looked that great in the AHL with only 34 points in 48gp. Krebs is doing ok with 23 points in 64GP in a 3rd line role in Buffalo and still shows top 6 upside. Krebs should likely pencil in as our 3rd line C next year.Vadim ZherenkoAnother big riser is 22 year old Vadim Zherenko. He currently sits in 4th place (2nd amongst U23) in the entire AHL in SV%. He's only played 23 games but that's a large enough sample that I'm willing to move him up our board. He's also put up some pretty good numbers in the VHL/MHL 2 years ago and the Liiga last year. He's big and athletic but can struggle with consistency and rebound control. Goalies bloom late but at worst he's starting to look like an NHL backup.Raphael LavoieThe mid-season surge by Raphael Lavoie can't be ignored. In his first 13gp he had 3 points. Since then he's scored at almost a point per game pace with 37 points in 38GP including 20 goals. By all reports he's playing a great 2 way game and assuming he continues his great play, should make the oilers out of training camp.Jordan Dumais, Brandt Clarke & Matthew MaggioWhy am I putting these two together? All 3 have done exceedly well in their respective Jr clubs this year. Let's start with Dumais. With the exception of generational talent Conrad Bedard, not a single player in the CHL has scored like Dumais. He will finish as the scoring leader in the Q as he currently sits with 140 points in 64GP and is scoring at over 2 ppg. He's looking like a steal! Matthew Maggio, acquired in a trade for Viktor Arvidsson is another standout and will finish as the points leader in the OHL. He currently has 111 points in 66gp. Finally but not least of all is Brandt Clarke. After getting 9 games with the LA Kings out of training camp, winning a gold at the world Jrs he has come back to his JR teams and absolutely obliterated the competition. With only 31gp he currently has 61pts and sits 5th in OHL scoring by a dman (3rd in goals). Will he make the Kings out of training camp next year? The only reason he might not be is because of the log jam on the Kings blueline. He should be a fixture on the Blues blueline for the next 10-15 years. *** Not ranked as I forgot about him is 23 year old FA signing Nikolai Kovalenko. He would probably slide in around 22 in our rankings. He's had a great season in the KHL with 54 points in 56 games (tied for 10th overall) . It's looking like he will eventually make his way over to the NHL (Avalanche) but not for another year after this.
NEFHL	A West Side Story	Avs-Mat	2023-03-20 16:02:35	225	It's no surprise, the battle for a playoff spot in the west is real and has been going on for months it seems. With the final 10-12 games to close off the season, we are mainly down to a 4-6 team battle. The bottom 4 teams: All 4 teams are currently in a 1-2 game losing streak, all dropping in the power rankings, their scheduled games are mostly against rivals in this list. Needless to say that each loss could set teams back as it would allow the gap in the race to get bigger. So who wants it more? Oilers (GP 72 PTS 77 L10 5-4-0-1) The Oilers are scheduled to play Kings x2, Ducks x1, Sharks x3, Avs x1 and Yotes x1 in the final stretch. With only 2 other games against non-contending teams, the Oilers can’t afford to lose if they want to stay in this race. No major injuries, they should be able to give it an honest best effort. Avalanche (GP 71 PTS 77 L10 7-3-0-0) The Avs are scheduled to play LA x1, Ducks x2, Sharks x2, Oilers x1, Preds x1 and Yotes x2, in the final stretch. With only 2 other games against non-contending teams, they need to show that they are capable of winning against the top teams. Still rattled with injuries, they look forward to having Goal Caufield back in the lineup soon to help them make a solid push. Ducks (GP 72 PTS 78 L10 6-3-0-1) The Ducks are scheduled to play LA x1, Avs x2, Flames x1, Oilers x2, Canucks x1 and Yotes x1, in the final stretch. With only 2 other games against non-contending teams, they are in the same situation as the Oilers, they can’t afford to lose the rival games. Injuries seem to be coming to an end and the squad is ready for the battle. Sharks (GP 72 PTS 78 L10 5-5-0-0) The Sharks are scheduled to play Avs x2, Flames x2, Oilers x2 and Yotes x1, in the final stretch. With 3 other games against non-contending teams. They will have a direct impact on their fate as they play 4 games against the two teams chasing them in the standing. With JVR coming back any day now, they seem ready for the challenge ahead. The other 2 teams in reach: These two teams are potentially at risk depending on their play for the final games. They need to stay in the W column and try to clinch and avoid getting leap frogged by the bottom 4 teams. Flames (GP 73 PTS 83 L10 6-4-0-0) The Flames are scheduled to play Sharks x2, Kings x1, Canucks x2, Ducks x1 and Hawks x1, in the final stretch. With 2 other games against non-contending teams, they will need to watch the race but likely won’t have to panic. Their squad is mostly healthy with 4 injured players that should be back within 1-2 weeks. Kings (GP 71 PTS 84 L10 7-3-0-0) The Kings are scheduled to play Avs x1, Flames x1, Oilers x2, Canucks x2 and Ducks x1, in the final stretch. With 4 other games against non-contending teams, they have the most favorable schedule of the 6 teams. With only one major injury to Jeff Petry, the squad is healthy and looking to pick up momentum to make a positive playoffs run. What are your thoughts? Who will be the teams to not make the playoffs in the west?
Boston Bruins	Dynamic Ratings can SUCK MY BALLS	Bruins-Chris	2023-03-16 12:52:37	282	This year hasn't been my favorite. And it's not just cause I'm not winning. It's because I have serious doubts I can build a cup winning roster with the current dynamic ratings. I've been in sim leagues for most of my adult life, FHL sim specifically and have won a lot of championships. I'll tell you it takes some planning to win it all, rebuilders go for it too soon, disaster, rebuilders wait to long to compete, disaster but one thing I consider the most important in any league I am in is understanding of how the ratings work in the sim. I used to have that here, but honestly have no idea what players are going to be rated from year to year. When dynamic ratings were first proposed, it sounded like an instant update of players ratings which sounded really cool. But what we currently have is a delayed, hard to understand bunch of numbers that go up 1 one day then down 1 the next. In the past I would be able to plan a season ahead by looking at current season NHL stats. For teams looking to come out of the dark it was a great way to make moves that prepared you for the next season. Likewise you could also tell if your team was gonna be shit and allowed you to plan accordinly. Don't even get me started on contracts which are tied to OV which now fluctuates from some magic AI only JD and perhaps Jason understand. I don't think I am alone in this feeling and while the original proposal from JD sounded cool, I have serious buyers remorse. I think the league should have a vote on keeping dynamic ratings or returning to the old way. It's not a matter of work imo since the ratings get updated from a script so instead of doing that daily it's done at the end of the season. I think we have had enough of a sample size to love it or leave it. Do you guys really love dynamic ratings? Am i just an old fossile on this topic?
Colorado Avalanche	Are the AVS Winners or Losers at Deadline?	Avs-Mat	2023-03-14 04:28:58	162	A very active 2023 trade deadline has come and gone and one could say that the Colorado Avalanche were buyers on a budget. With little to no draft picks and a limited pool of prospects, GM Avs-Mat did what he could to make his club more competitive for the last stretch of the season by trading pending UFA Jordan Staal. “Gronk has been a force for us this season with 30 points in 54 games but where his presence was felt was in the 135 hits he delivered.” said GM Avs-Mat “We put feelers out and got lots of bites. At one point we were working a 5 way deal that was close to closing but fell through at the last hour. We wanted to make sure we could improve our club and if we could get two players to come help us push to the playoffs then it made sense.” In the end, the Avs GM settled for defenseman Chris Tanev and prospect Ryan Tverberg from Calgary. Tanev, being a 6ft2 right shot, will complement nicely on the second pairing defense as a shutdown defenseman. But the condition to this deal was that the Avs could land a scoring winger. And this is where picking up pending UFA Viktor Arvidsson from the St. Louis Blues GM Graham became an important factor for the deal to close. Prior to the deadline, Avs-GM Mat also brought in James Reimer from the Montreal Canadiens to play the legitimate backup to Ilya Sorokin. A lot of talks and opinions around the league when it comes to affecting the team chemistry at the deadline. It’s obvious these additions don't make the Colorado Avalanche a cup contender. But does it give them a fighting chance to make the playoffs? You be the judge, with a 5W-1L record and doubling their power play percentage from league worst 10.1% to 20% while still battling injuries (like everyone else). It may still be too soon to tell, but its looking like a possible WIN.
Vancouver Canucks	The NEFHL's Top 100 Prospects	Canucks-Kyle	2023-03-08 19:15:08	179	The annual NEFHL prospect rankings based off The Hockey News Future Watch. This year’s winner is the St. Louis Blues with a total of 9 prospects followed closely by the Carolina Hurricanes which kind of surprised me even though Jeff drafts well, it’s not usually in the top 10s so he’s been able to grab some quality talent with later picks. The top 10 is pretty even with 6 from the West and 4 from the East. The top 10 also owns 59 of the top 100 prospects. Reminder: the lower the score, the better St. Louis – 9 prospects for a total of 424 points Shane Wright (4). Brandt Clakrke (9), Fabian Lysel (21), Scott Morrow (48), Connor McMichael (49), Filip Mesar (54), Luke Evangalista (61), Fedor Svechkov (85), Artem Duda (93) Carolina – 8 prospects for a total of 518 points Alexander Nikishin (30), Connor Geekie (46), Connor Zary (60), Brendan Brisson (68), Ville Heinola (71) Isak Rosen (73), Jacob Bernard-Docker (81), Jeremie Poirer (89) Nashville – 6 prospects for a total of 300 points Denton Mateychuk (29), Brennan Othmann (31), Mackie Samoskevich (39), Bobby Brink (51), Ivan Miroschnichenko (56), William Dufour (94) Florida – 6 prospects for a total of 431 points Pyotr Kochetkov (52). Rutger McGroarty (57), Scott Perunovich (77), Stanislav Svozil (79), Issac Howard (80), Mavric Lamoureux (86) Toronto – 5 prospects for a total of 181 points Simon Edvinsson (2), Matthew Knies (18), Marco Kasper (19), Shakir Mukhamadullin (42), Topi Niemela (100) Detroit – 5 prospects for a total of 190 points Kevin Korchinski (14), Thomas Harley (26), Owen Pickering (40), Lian Bichsel (44), Nathan Gaucher (66) San Jose – 5 prospects for a total of 217 points Simon Nemec (6), Joakim Kemell (24), Filip Bystedt (27), Brad Lambert (62), Zach L’Heureux (98) Anaheim – 5 prospects for a total of 250 points Luke Hughes (3), Mavrik Bourque (38), Xavier Bourgault (45), Carter Mazur (69), Jean Luc Foudy (95) Calgary – 5 prospects for a total of 275 points Logan Stankoven (13), Alex Turcotte (58), Tyson Foerster (63), Lane Hutson (65), Corson Cuelemans (76) Chicago – 5 prospects for a total of 305 points Matthew Coronato (23), Jonathan Lekkermaki (47), Oskar Olausson (67), Jackson Lacombe (78), Jagger Firkus (90) Boston – 5 prospects for a total of 369 points Jakob Pelletier (43). Hendrix Lapierre (64), Lukas Cormier (83), Victor Soderstrom (88), Zach Dean (91) Minnesota - 4 prospects for a total of 82 points Logan Cooley (1), Lukas Reichel (16), Sebastien Cossa (32), Dustin Wolf (33) Washington – 4 prospects for a total of 154 points William Eklund (12). Marco Rossi (20), Aatu Raty (35), Nick Robertson (87) Las Vegas – 4 prospects for a total of 167 points Yaroslav Askarov (7), Jesper Wallstedt (8), Zac Jones (70), Nikita Chibrikov (82) Montreal – 3 prospects for a total of 123 points Jiri Kulich (15), Philip Tomasino (34), Lukas Dostal (74) New York Islanders – 3 prospects for a total of 161 points David Jiricek (5). Thomas Bordeleau (59), Jani Nyman (97) Pittsburgh – 2 prospects for a total of 58 points Ridly Greig (22), Olen Zellweger (36) Dallas – 2 prospects for a total of 65 points Matthew Savoie (28), Chaz Lucius (37) Ottawa – 2 prospects for a total of 66 points Brock Faber (25), Danila Yurov (41) Seattle – 2 prospects for a total of 82 points Cutter Gauthier (10), Reid Schafer (72) New Jersey – 2 prospects for a total of 86 points Pavel Mintyukov (11), Tobias Brjornfot (75) Vancouver – 2 prospects for a total of 144 points Zachary Bolduc (50), Frank Nazar (96) Edmonton – 2 prospects for a total of 152 points Liam Ohgren (53), Akira Schmid (99) Colorado – 2 prospects for a total of 176 points Owen Beck (84), Justin Baron (92) Arizona – 1 prospect for a total of 17 points Jimmy Snuggerud (17) New York Rangers – 1 prospect for a total of 55 points Noah Ostlund (55) Teams without a top 100 prosect: Buffalo, Columbus, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Tampa Bay, Winnipeg
Carolina Hurricanes	Eastern Conference Deadline Loadup	Canes-Jeff	2023-03-04 09:53:15	334	The Eastern Conference standings have been extremely tight all season long when it comes to the playoff race. Even with some recent streaks spreading out the conference, there are still only 7 points separating seeds 1 through 7 as of today. The recent stretch saw many teams in the race add to their rosters, lets look below at what each playoff contender did: 1. Pittsburgh (80 points through 63 games)Added:G - Thatcher DemkoC - Jeff CarterLW - Blake ColemanD - Dylan Demelo The Pens took care of one their bigger holes in adding 81OV goaltender Thatcher Demko in a deal with Ottawa. He will be a massive upgrade over Jordan Binnington and gives the Pens a true #1 between the pipes. The Pens also made shrewd moves in adding top 6 winger Blake Coleman, veteran C Jeff Carter who comes with loads of playoff experience and Demelo on the back end. This roster is loaded and looks ready for a deep run. 2. Tampa Bay (73 points through 64 games - second seed as division leader)Added:C - Philip DanaultD - Cody CeciD - Jake BeanRW - Nick BjugstadLW - Tanner Pearson The Lightning have been struggling of late and decided to add some serious depth at the deadline. They acquired an entire new 3rd line in Danault, Bjugstad and Pearson which should be able to prevent some goals while also being able to chip in offensively. On the back end, they added 2nd pair Dman Ceci and some depth in Bean. The Atlantic division has been a mess this season and the Lightning currently hold a 5 point lead over the Leafs and 6 over Buffalo. These moves will hopefully help them hold on to the #2 seed. 3. Columbus (80 points through 65 games)Added:D - Dougie HamiltonRW - Richard RakellD - Brendan DillonRW - Garnet Hathaway The hottest team in the league can attribute most of their success to the acquisition of Hamilton. The team has been on absolute fire since his addition. Rakell is currently playing on the top line and has also been the perfect fit on this squad. The Jackets also added some nice depth players in Dillon and Hathaway who should fit in great for a playoff run. This team could shortly be leading the conference and are looking great. 4. Washington (79 points through 65 games)Added:D - Vince Dunn The defending champs only made 1 move this year, but it should be an impact one as they dealt their 1st rounder for offensive Dman Vince Dunn. He seems like he should be a solid fit as the Caps go for a title defence in the coming months 5. Philadelphia (77 points through 64 games)Added:G - Anton ForsbergLW - Brayden SchennRW - Balke Wheeler Never a team to sit back, the Flyers didn't disappoint once again this deadline as they added a couple of impact top 6 wingers in Schenn and Wheeler. Suddenly this squad looks significantly more dangerous offensively and are going to give some teams fits in the playoffs trying to contain them. Not to overlooked though, they were also able to bring in a very solid backup in Forsberg to give Igor Shesterkin a breather now and then. Very nice moves from an already solid team. 6. New Jersey (74 points through 63 games)Added:Nothing The Devils have been very up and down the last month but decided to stand pat with their roster in the hopes they can get hot again at the right time. 7. Hurricanes (73 points through 62 games)Added:RW - Tyler BertuzziD - Jacob SlavinC - Radek FaksaRW - Alex KillornC - Paul Stastny One of the stingiest traders in the league pushed a lot of chips in the pot this year and added a couple top 6 wingers, a couple bottom 6 C's and a top pair D. I will let you guys be the judge of the Canes moves as obviously I have pretty obvious thoughts about them already It's going to be a heck of a race down the stretch and into the playoffs in the East but it was awesome seeing all these teams load up at the deadline.
Vancouver Canucks	Canucks Roster Heading into Playoffs & 2023/2024	Canucks-Kyle	2023-03-03 16:44:29	241	The Canucks have turned the page and the focus is on the rest of the year and heading into the playoffs. The Canucks have 19 games left and are currently tied for 3rd overall in the league and sitting 2nd in the Western Conference as the current leader of the Pacific Division with 80 points just ahead of the Kings and Flames respectively. The Western Conference leader has been the Arizona Coyotes with the 91 points (also leading the league) and the Blackhawks in 3rd with 86 points. “It’s going to be tough to catch to Arizona but we are shooting for the President’s Trophy and Pacific Division title. Obviously the higher you are, the better your home ice advantage is throughout the playoffs. But, we still need to win because we are only 11 points up on the number nine team with a lot of hockey left” said General Manager Allen. Going into the playoffs the Canucks roster is looking like: Andrei Svechnikov, Aleksander Barkov, Matthew Tkachuk Gabriel Landeskog, Jared McCann, Joe Pavelski Eric Robinson, Robert Thomas, Kyle Okposo Yegor Sharangovich, Sean Kuraly, Luke Glendening Zac Dalpe Roman Josi, Radko Gudas Morgan Reilly, Niklas Jensen Miro Heiskanen, Ryan Lindgren Niko Mikkola Connor Hellebuyck Robin Lehner Charlie Lindgren When asked, General Manager Kyle Allen didn’t want to comment on the 2023/2024 Vancouver Canucks roster. “We want to focus on this year and try to win a Stanley Cup”. However, we are going to project the next years roster knowing full well that the cap will be hitting the Canucks hard with Tkachuk, Svechnikov, Heiskanen, Hellebuyck, McCann all needing new contracts. Andrei Svechnikov, Aleksander Barkov, Matthew Tkachuk Jared McCann, Robert Thomas, Joe Pavelski Yegor Sharangovich, ?, Kyle Okposo Eric Robinson, Luke Glendening, ? UFA: Kuraly, Dalpe. Expected to be moved: Landeskog Roman Josi/Morgran Reilly, Miro Heiskanen Ryan Lindgren, Niklas Jensen ? , Niko Mikkola Jalen Chatfield UFA: None. Expected to be moved: One of Reilly or Josi Connor Hellebuyck ? Connor Ingram UFA: Charlie Lindgren Expected to be moved: Robin Lehner 11/5 = $1,500,000 - Need to recoup money for my fines and reckless spending.
Nashville Predators	Playoff hopes are waning in Nashville	Preds-Sylvain	2023-03-03 16:20:28	185	After a promising start to the year, the Nashville Predators were hit with injuries to their key players and started moving steadily down the standings. Due to that fall, the management proceeded to trade some of its injured key parts as they became healthy. Key figures departing from Nashville were Blake Wheeler, Darcy Kuemper, Anthony Mantha, Milan Lucic, Carson Soucy, Luke Schenn, and Brian Dumoulin. In return, the Predators received a mix of roster players and futures: Derrick Brassard, Kyle Palmieri, Justin Holl, John Gibson, Trey Fix-Wolansky, Benoit-Olivier Groulx, and a couple of picks in the 4th and 5th rounds. With the deadline past, the Predators are looking at the playoffs from an outside perspective, being 9 points behind the last playoff spot in the Western Conference. However, the Predators have three games in hand, so there's some catching up that could happen. The roster remains depleted with three players that would usually slot in the top 6 currently injured in Mikael Granlund, Kyle Palmieri, and Troy Terry. So far this season, the best players on the team have performed well when healthy. Granlund and Ehlers are both scoring close to a point per game. Bjorkstrand and Terry have also provided decent scoring around .75 PPG. To complete the top 6, Cirelli and Palmieri have provided secondary scoring at close to .60 PPG. On defense, Montour has been really good with 39 points in 57 games. Between the pipes, Gibson has been solid but has missed many games due to not being 100% healthy. On the other hand, considering the games lost to injuries, the depth scoring has been lacking, providing around .25 PPG only. The young guns like Hayton and Dellandrea have just not been able to make their marks.
Vancouver Canucks	Canucks Top Prospects After the Deadline	Canucks-Kyle	2023-03-03 15:40:52	189	With the trade deadline completed, the prospect list is set until the offseason. The Canucks have trades some prospects which wasn’t a surprise given the number of prospects that were in the system. However, they were able to hold on to their top 10 prospects with only Nico Daws being moved. This offseason, the Canucks currently have 3 first round picks so the prospect list should be bolstered with high end talent. Currently, the Canucks list 33 prospects on their roster. Two prospects have been notified they will not be signed and there are others drafted by the Canucks who do not have NHL ownership. 1) Kent Johnson – C – Columbus Blue Jackets 2) Wyatt Johnston – C – Dallas Stars 3) Zach Bolduc – C – Quebec Remparts/St. Louis Blues 4) Frank Nazar III - C - University of Michigan/Chicago Blackhawks 5) William Cuylle – F – New York Rangers 6) Joel Hofer – G – Springfield Thunderbirds/St. Louis Blues 7) Ty Nelson - D - North Bay Battalion/Seattle Kraken 8) Amadeus Lombardi - F - Flint Firebirds/Detroit Red Wings 9) Wyatt Kaiser – D – Minnesota-Duluth/Chicago Blackhawks 10) Aidan Thompson - F - Denver Pioneers/Chicago Blackhawks 11) Kenny Connors - F - Umass/Los Angeles Kings 12) Mack Guzda - G - Charlotte Checkers/Florida Panthers 13) Arsenii Sergeev – G – Shreveport/Calgary Flames 14) Brandon Scanlin - D - Hartford Wolfpack/New York Rangers 15) Marc McLaughlin - F - Providence Bruins/Boston Bruins 16) Ben Meyers - F - Colorado Avalanche 18) Kirill Gerasimyuk – G – SKA/Florida Panthers 19) Ethan Edwards – D – University of Michigan/New Jersey Devils 20) Marek Alscher - D - Portland Winterhawks/Florida Panthers 21) Cameron Whitehead - G - Northeastern/Vegas Golden Knights 22) Santeri Hatakka – D – San Jose Barracuda/San Jose Sharks 23) Oliver Johansson - F - Timra/Ottawa Senators 24) Pavol Regenda - F - San Diego Gulls/Anaheim Ducks 25) Sergei Ivanov - G - SKA St. Petersburg/Columbus Blue Jackets 26) Arseni Koromyslov - D - SKA St. Petersburg/St. Louis Blues 27) Ty Gallagher – D – Boston University/Boston Bruins 28) Connor Kurth - Univeristy of Minnesota/Tampa Bay Lightining 29) Andrei Buyaslsky – F - Vermont/Colorado Avalanche 30) Jakub Vondras - G - HC Pizen/Carolina Hurricanes 32) Reid Dyck - G - Swift Current Broncos/Boston Bruins 33) James Fisher - F - Northeastern/Columbus Blue Jackets Those unlikely to be signed: Max McCue – C – London Knights/San Jose Sharks Braden Doyle – D – Boston University/Los Angeles Kings Unsigned/Undrafted Prospects: Ryan Francis (F), Jack Harvey (F), Pavel Cajan (G), Brayden Schuurman (F), Tyler Duke (D), David Morevac (D), Dominik Rymon (F), Nikita Buruyanov (F) 10/5 - 1,250,000
Vancouver Canucks	Canucks at the Deadline	Canucks-Kyle	2023-03-03 15:26:07	179	The 2023 NEFHL trade deadline came and went and as expected, the Canucks were busy but it wasn’t on deadline day. The Canucks made a total of 6 trades in the days leading up to the deadline. “We wanted to get our work done early so we can start the process of gelling the guys together. However, we are really happy with our deadline and feel we improved an already strong team” said General Manager Allen. Improved they did. The Canucks added one of the top ranked defensemen in the league by picking up Roman Josi from Detroit. General Manager Allen said “We had Roman on our radar but it was hard to fit with his cap. However, Landy went down and we had our LTIR for him increasing while he was out and we didn’t add at the time, weathered the storm so we had some room to add him.” The Canucks seemed to be finished at that point and were satisfied with the roster though they did want to upgrade some depth on the wings. Luckily, Sabres General Manager Fuhr decided he was going to move some pieces and immediately the Canucks swooped in looking at some names before settling on wanting to pick up veteran Kyle Okposo. “We wanted Okposo to upgrade over Fast and as we looked, we noticed Gudas may be available as well. We wanted to add some more grit to the back end and we moved some pieces to grab both guys who we feel will be huge adds to our team” said GM Allen. Finally, the Canucks were approached by the Golden Knights about interest in a couple of their players. With the cap getting close, the Canucks shaved off a couple hundred thousand while improving on the player by adding UFA to be Kuraly for Fischer and a prospect. “We felt highly on Fischer but adding Kuraly, even though he is a UFA, is a big add to the bottom 6. Having a great year, cheaper contract and more physical and defensively aware. Big for our PK” said GM Allen. The Canucks were able to add key players without touching their first round picks or top prospects and the players they moved out, they received picks in return. The cupboards are still well stocked. The full details of the trades are below: Vancouver Canucks trade Christian Fischer and Aleksi Malinen to Vegas Golden Knights for Sean Kuraly Vancouver Canucks trade Vladislav Gavrikov to Winnipeg Jets for NYR 2023 Rnd 3 Vancouver Canucks trade Case McCarthy to Ottawa Senators for $1 Vancouver Canucks trade Jesper Fast to New York Rangers for WPG 2023 Rnd 4 Vancouver Canucks trade Bobby Trivigno, Jakub Malek, Travis Sanheim, Adam Ingram and $500,000 to Buffalo Sabres for Kyle Okposo and Radko Gudas Fine applied for trading the following players: Bobby Trivigno Jakub Malek Vancouver Canucks trade Joe Miller, Nico Daws, Noah Laba, VAN 2024 Rnd 2 and $500,000 to Detroit Red Wings for Roman Josi Fine applied for trading the following players: Joe Miller Noah Laba 9/5 = $1,000,000
St-Louis Blues	Evangelista Makes NHL Debut - Other Blues News	Blues-Graham	2023-03-03 06:52:02	167	Hello Blues Fans, Just a few little updates to tide you over: 1. Luke Evangelista made his NHL debut with the Preds last night. Got a primary assist on the powerplay. Nice little tap tap with Duchene. THe Preds had him playing the bumper which is apparently where he played on the Admirals PP. Played just under 13 minutes overall and was even on the night win a 2-1 preds win! 2. Another bit of a weird stat - Gambrell who had all of 1 point in his first 34 games now has 4 points in his last 6 and 3 in his last 3. He seems to have a bump in icetime as well. I don't follow the Sens close enough but looks like he may have been moved up to the 3rd line. I doubt he'll ever be more than a 4th liner but I'll take it. 3. The Blues wern't big players at the deadline but did move top point getter Viktor Arvidsson in a 3 team deal involving the Avalance and Flames. In return for the soon to be UFA the Blues got leading OHL point getter Matthew Maggio and 2024 LOS 3rd rounder. He was orignally a 5th rounder in the 2022 NHL draft and leads the OHL in scoring. 4. The Blues own the top 3 PPG producers in the OHL: # PLAYER TEAM GP G A TP PPG PIM +/- 1. Shane Wright (C)Seattle Kraken Windsor Spitfires 10 8 11 19 1.90 2 2 2. Brandt Clarke (D)Los Angeles Kings Barrie Colts 23 15 27 42 1.83 22 25 3. Matthew Maggio (RW)New York Islanders Windsor Spitfires 56 46 49 95 1.70 26 4 6. Brandt Clarke now sits 14th in OHL scoring by Dmen. In only 23 GP. He got a hat trick last night. 7. Talking about points per game. The Blues also own the rights to the top QMJHL point getter as well in Jordan Dumais. # PLAYER TEAM GP G A TP PPG PIM +/- Jordan Dumais (RW)Columbus Blue Jackets Halifax Mooseheads 53 44 68 112 2.11 6 47
Minnesota Wild	Wild Deadline trades	Wild-Peter	2023-03-02 21:58:54	181	The Minnesota Wild made some deadline trades to improve their odds at winning it all this spring. In the process, the Wild retained their top draft picks and top prospects. "I'm very happy about that. I was willing to use my 2nds and if guys like Reichel or Holloway needed to be added I would have done that for the right fit. My first rounder would have been hard to let go as I've never really traded one for upgrades in my entire time as GM of the Wild but I would have definitely considered it for the right player. It didn't come to that and I still added pieces that will help for sure. I'm done hoarding picks and prospects. It's time to try and win. It sucks giving up on the potential of some young guys I like and want to see make it, but I want to win now too." The trade deadline for Minnesota started a month ago with the acquisition of Nico Sturm for undrafted prospect Cole Knuble. Sturm's blend of mid 60s IT, high 70s DF, and high 50s low 60s PA/PC/SC is great for the bottom 6 and he can play multiple positions. Over the last few days the Wild were busy working the phones. Speedster winger Emil Bemstrom, inexperienced young NHL pro defenseman Jake Christiansen, and two top6 forward prospects drafted in the 2nd round Theodor Niederbach (2020) and Julian Lutz (2022) were sent to the Buffalo Sabres in return for pending UFA Vincent Trocheck. There was some criticism of the deal from outsiders looking in, but both GM of the Wild and Sabres felt this offer benefitted both teams. "I was looking for a winger but the guy I targetted from an Eastern team was not moving. I pushed for that RFA aged winger. My offer was refused. I came back with a better package. Still got refused. I was going to make a final attempt but then Trocheck became available and I shifted gears. I got a player with better offensive skills. Trochek is not RFA aged but he'll likely become my loyalty. In the end I added some more beef to the lineup with Trochek and his offensive ratings. It's a big upgrade from rookie Trevor Zegras who is now on the left wing. We didn't want to be pushed around on the second line with Bailey and Zegras there. We added size and defense down the middle." Continuing that trend of size and defense down the middle, the Wild popped their 'conditional pick' cherry by moving a 2023 6th rounder that becomes a 2023 5th rounder with an appearance in the 2nd round of the playoffs this season in a deal with the New York Islanders for soon to be retired forward Johan Larsson. Larsson is an upgrade on youngish forward Jake Evans on the 4th line. Larsson brings a bit more jam, a bit more defense and more offense. 3 of 4 Centres have 80 or more DF and all 4 centres have minimum 60 PA. The trade for Larsson was a luxury addition and left the Wild with way too many bottom 6 forwards. "We had a 5th line of Bailey, Evans, Archibald on the pro roster. None of them would go through waivers. We can see a couple bodies going down to injury but 3 or more? I have farm guys I can use as well in Nathan Smith and Drake Caggiula. Somebody had to go. The one making the most money was the one. " The Wild completed their final deadline trade by moving Josh Bailey to the Vegas Golden Knights in return for a 6th rounder 2023. "Bailey brings a ton of veteran experience and leadership. On top of that he's an excellent PK option. His passing is still high level but unfortunately for him there just wasn't room in the bottom 6 for him. He does not have the physicality we want and we decided to give him a better opportunity elsewhere. He still has pro roster value." Interested in Bailey was seen by four teams around the league and all offered up a 6th rounder. Attempts to squeeze a 5th were quickly shut down. Value was set by the market on this one even though the feeling by the Minnesota GM was he worth a bit more. IN: Vincent Trocheck, Johan Larsson, Nico Sturm, 6th round 2023 OUT: Emil Bemstrom, Jake Christiansen, Theodor Niederbach, Julian Lutz, Josh Bailey, Cole Knuble, Conditional 6th round 2023 There were some deals that never materialized however. Cam Talbot did not move at the deadline and will remain with the team until the end of the season. At this point it is unlikely he will return to Minnesota for 2023-2024. But he remains a highly rated 1B/backup which will be useful for the stretch run and playoffs. The GM is still thinking about giving up Mads Sogaard in the deal that got Talbot this past summer, but is left reassured by the great development of the best goalie prospect in the world Dustin Wolf, and the newfound opportunity of Daniil Tarasov thanks to NHL Columbus moving Korpisalo and Quick. A late push for Kale Clague with a decent, but not sexy offer was made from a Western team, however, due to the year in which the pick was offered, The Wild opted to retain the young defender and pay him as an 8th Dman and re-evaluate his place in the lineup during the summer. Final remarks from the GM: "I have the best team I've ever assembled in this league right now. I hope we can do some serious damage and not waste the opportunity. I hope we have some luck on our side too. There are a lot of tough teams to beat in the west though." "I've spent many seasons rebuilding this team. I passed many trade deadlines where I was shipping players out for picks and prospects. I had a lot of fun doing that. It takes time for these guys to develop. But to be the guy buying players and trying to compete and maximizing cap space to make win-now moves and improve the club...that's just so much more challenging and fun." ____________________________ Article: 32/5 'Show me the money' bonus: $6,750,000 / $10,000,000
Pittsburgh Penguins	Penguins add Depth and Leadership at the Deadline	Pens-Brent	2023-03-02 17:01:29	167	Despite a landslide win against the surging Blue Jackets last evening, the Penguins brass made a series of moves to help bolster their lineup. Traditionally, the Penguins have shied away from making deals near the trade deadline for fear of disrupting team chemistry. This year the club decided to change the radio station. "When we won in 2018, we kept our group together for the entire year. This time around we felt as though their was room to grow and improve. We are happy with the adjustments that we made and feel as those the players that we acquired will help improve the quality of our group," stated the Penguins GM. After a couple years of retooling, the Penguins appear ready for a playoff birth. 19 games are left to be played and the flightless birds still have work to do in order to secure a spot in the post season. Trade #1 -> New York Rangers trade Blake Coleman, COL 2023 Rnd 4 and NYR 2023 Rnd 5 to Pittsburgh Penguins for PIT 2024 Rnd 2 "Blake is a jack of all trades type who plays the game the right way. He can move up and down the lineup and can play both sides. He has some sandpaper to his game, which is an area that we really wanted to address," said coach Craig Berube about the addition. Trade #2 -> Pittsburgh Penguins trade Brett Howden, NYR 2023 Rnd 5 and BUF 2024 Rnd 4 to Buffalo Sabres for Jeff Carter "Jeff is a proven player with a history here in Pittsburgh. Like Blake, Carter can do it all. He brings tremendous speed and two-way ability to the table. He is the perfect 3rd line centermen for us. We should be pretty deep down the middle once Geno returns. Jeff is our insurance policy," added Berube. Trade #3 -> San Jose Sharks trade Dylan Demelo to Pittsburgh Penguins for PIT 2023 Rnd 6 "Dylan provides some depth for us on the blueline. He's a little more physical than most of the guys on our team. He is durable and capable of logging big minutes. Double D is a great fit for the 3rd pair and PK," mentioned the coach. The Penguins new additions arrived this morning for the practice. Here's a look at the upgraded lineup. Coleman - Crosby - Raymond Ovechkin - Newhook - Wood Hagel - Carter - Jarvis Cogliano - Accari - Deslauriers/Heinen Injured - Malkin (3W) DeHaan - Sergachev Kulak - Marino Demelo - Bouchard Dermott - Lindstrom Demko - Binnington ________________________ Obligatory Articles: 5/5 Bonus Articles: 19/40 = $4,750,000 / $10,000,000
Philadelphia Flyers	2022-23 Western Mid-Season: Working? Is Not?	Flyers-Jamie	2023-02-27 13:49:10	183	Team GP W L OT PTS WORKING IS NOT Coyotes 61 41 16 4 86 The Yotes have tons of goal scoring in their top 6 and Chara is being the dominating physical presence they needed. They are the league's top scoring team right now. Jarry has also been excellent. Tough to nitpick the top team, but Both their PP and PK are out of the league's top 10. Their roster fillers really aren't more than filler, and give their lineup a weakness. Canucks 60 34 20 6 74 Currently #2 in GA/G; high DF top to bottom with the best goalie duo going. All their top players are playing great and they just added Josi to the team. Were my pre-season rankings #1 team. Again, tough to find any faults for a well built team, that is succeeding, and has improved the roster throughout the season, but to try one they are only $1 million from their cap limit (which they did a good job of raising to over $50million currently), which means if they were to hit a run of injuries they might have to make a cut or two to be compliant. Needs bad luck for that to happen though. Pretty limited injuries so far. Blackhawks 60 40 20 0 80 In large thanks to a Vezina leading performance so far from Saros, but also great team defense, the Hawks have the 2nd best record in the league. They are getting production from everywhere in the lineup thanks to good depth. Biggest issue for the Hawks, #2 in the league, but 3rd in West, is they are in same division as the Coyotes. They are getting scoring from all over, but their star forward Aho has struggled to get any momentum this season. Their SF/SA is also pretty low with a 0.3 advantage. Wild 61 35 23 3 73 The number one defensive team in the league. Playing great shutdown hockey and their top line of Btkachuk, Hintz, and Pettersson up front with Hronek and Kulikov backing them up has been one of the best in league. The Wild drop outside the top 10 in the GF, PP, and SF categories. The scoring depth is week and the Wild's biggest opportunity to improve their cup hopes. Kings 62 33 23 6 72 McDavid is clearly the best player in the league and dominating. Zibanajad continues to click well with them for the best offensive duo in the league. Picking up Doughty and Ullmark was a huge move to improve the Kings chances. The Kings are not much more than a one line team. The depth is terrible and their roster fillers are getting exposed regularly. Over half the roster are terrible minus players for them. Flames 61 31 23 7 69 Currently 7th overall in GA/G. Mikko Rantanen is 3rd in the league for goals. Jake Allen has been an excellent backup option for them. Outside GA, Flames aren't a top 10 team in any category. Mike Smith has been pretty mediocore. There is very little IT in the Flames lineup and I'm assuming they're getting outworked every game, because they have some excellent goal scorers. Sharks 61 30 25 6 66 SJ has been managing to get goals by committee so far this season with 9 different 10+ goal scorers, including Hertl, and his 32. His 61 points have been a huge part of their success. Oettinger has been utter shitpile of fuckballs so far this season. He needs to play better if they hope to be more than a quick sweep to one of the West's elite, if they can hold onto their playoff spot. Oilers 62 31 27 4 66 They are finding ways to win games... They are low in most team stats. A -9 goal differential, but still 4 games above .500. They also have millions and millions of cap room, in large part because of MaxPacs super expected and serious injury, so if they want to buy... So much space! As far as team stats go, they are low in most of them, getting significantly outshot for their averages. Most players are negative +/-. By all means the Stars have been playing the better roster for this final playoff spot. OUT OF PLAYOFFS Stars 61 32 28 1 65 2nd highest scoring team in the West, but 2nd last to only last place Kraken for GA. Leon has been a beast as expected and their top 6 is giving them pretty good results. On a 7 game losing streak and giving up their playoff spot. Pairing their low PK% with the most PIM/G might not be a good combo. Dead last in SF/G and bottom 10 for SA/G. Husso deserves to be banned from playing hockey and never let his face be seen again when discussing NEFHL goalies. The worst and a total joke that he still gets starts. Ducks 62 30 27 5 65 While making a move towards restocking assets, moving Doughty and Ullmark for some good futures, they claimed Jack Campbell from waivers and added Price for a 4th. Although trading Ullmark was a surprise to some, the moves make sense to help their future while not getting much worse for the now, especially if they use some of their cap space to add some useful but overpaid vet. They have 4 players -10 or worse, including Brodin and his -20. Bench him! Garbage. Their stars could be playing better - Doughty leaving makes a major hole on an already light defense. Avalanche 60 30 27 3 63 Suzuki feeding Anderson, with Ekblad and Provorov doing an exceptional job as the top pairing, has been a major strength for the Avs. Colorado is a top 10 team for both SF and SA, with a positive 1.9 differential. Nate Mack is 4th on the team in points and his 19 goals is below what expectations for him are. Likely part of the reason they have the league's worst PP. He needs to be better if they hope to sneak their way into the playoffs. Predators 60 28 27 5 61 Both Granlund and Ehlers are producing at ~PPG playing together. Bjorkstrand is having a solid season for him too. They have their own 1st rounder. Preds don't have a lot of offensive options and it's shown, being one of the least offensive teams this season. Not their season and they've gone into sell mode, so will likely fall rather than rise in the standings. Golden Knights 61 27 30 4 58 Knights have a positive 0.7 SF/SA ratio. Marchand is scoring at over a PPG and if moved, will help their longer term rebuild. Most importantly at this stage though, they have their 1st rounder. No regular on this team has a positive +/-. Hughes and Stutzle are disappointed the team isn't better. Jets 61 25 32 4 54 Kadri has been a great two-way force for them. They were able to re-acquire their own 1st. The team is getting beat pretty easily. Blues 60 24 32 4 52 St. Louis is the 2nd least penalized team in the league. Excitement for draft day. The team is pretty bad. Kraken 61 21 33 7 49 They are currently the worst! They are currently the worst!
New York Islanders	Warren Zevon Finally Nominated for the Rock & Roll HOF!!	Isles-Steve	2023-02-25 15:29:36	181	Despite their best efforts, the New York Islanders continue to win games. Incredibly, after gutting the team to acquire 5 1st round picks in the 2023 draft class, the Islanders continue to find ways to win games. Currently, they are sporting a 4 game winning streak which has taken them above the .500 mark in regulation. 29-28 isn’t exactly playoff material but it is certainly a curiosity when they win with a goalie rated 71 OV and a 61 OV backup. Although the overpaid Tyler Toffoli leads the team with 26 goals and 43 points, Anthony Beauvillier has just one fewer goal and 3 fewer assists. The nearly $6 million dollar salary difference reflects the poor wisdom of jamming a contract to make the salary cap floor. Beauvillier’s -18 is only exceeded by 80 DF defensive specialist Dominik Simon’s -27. Sadly, the Islanders have played more games than any other team in the league. 64 games is 5 more than the Carolina Hurricanes and at least 3 more than 23 other teams to this point of the season. Despite the winning record, only a handful of players have positive +- ratings. Michael Stone is a plus 5 while Seth Jones is a plus 3. Galchenyuk and Wahlstrom are the only other positives. And now, for the couple of games, the Islanders will ice a team that is netminded by 61 OV goaltender Josef Korenar starting and with Michael McNiven (60 OV) backing up. Can the next two games (Detroit and then Buffalo) actually lead to more wins? In unrelated news, Warren Zevon is finally getting recognition in the voting for this year’s Rock Hall of Fame voting. He currently sits 3rd behind Cyndi Lauper and George Michael. Zevon’s consideration is long overdue after 25 years of eligibility. https://youtu.be/eUb0C0iI_GE https://youtu.be/M4ef7oqiuYU Happy Springtime Folks! It’s 4:20 all the time!
Pittsburgh Penguins	Healthy Competition	Pens-Brent	2023-02-24 13:55:56	183	Despite starting only one of the Penguins last six games, goaltender Jordan Binnington remains adament that he is "the guy". A couple weeks back, the Penguins moved back up Eric Comrie, young two-way defender Brock Faber, and Pittsburgh's first round pick in the 2023 draft (lottery protected) in exchanged for goalie Thatcher Demko. With the exception of Wednesday vs. the Predators, Demko has been outstanding, standing on his head, leading the Penguins to four victories in five starts. Known for his outspoken ways, Binnington is steadfast in his perspective regarding his position with the team. When asked about his lack of starts as of late, Binnington showcased his overwhelming confidence. "I mean, whatever. I know that I am the starter. I am the guy who has helped to get this team to where we are today. Everyone here in Pittsburgh knows that I am capable of getting the job done. I am ready for when coach calls on me next," said the Richmond Hill native. When asked about his contract, Binnington deflected the question. "I am just focused on winning right now," Binnington stated. Those closest to the Penguins brass suggest that Binnington is in fact the odd man out. His off ice antics and outspoken ways have not resonated with his teammates. Rumours have swirled that the Pens veteran group have not been impressed with Binnington's fiery ways. Coach Berube remained Switzerland when asked about the goaltending situation. "We are very fortunate to have two capable guys that can lead us in net. We are confident that both players can get the job done if called on," Berube said with confidence. Rumour has it the Pens may not be done on the trade front. The Penguins first next year could be had. Some suggest that bluechipper Alexander Holtz could be dangled if the return is right. More to come! ________________________ Obligatory Articles: 5/5 Bonus Articles: 18/40 = $4,500,000 / $10,000,000
Vegas Golden Knights	Marchand on the Move?	Knights-Derek	2023-02-23 15:46:07	164	On January 15th, things looked great. The Golden Knights had just won 10 - 2 over the visiting Dallas Stars, and were in the midst of a five-game winning streak to begin 2023, where they scored 30 goals over that span. They were third in their division, and poised to build on last year’s success, where they narrowly missed the playoffs. Since then, they’ve had just two regulation wins in fifteen games, and have been outscored by two or more goals in ten of those games. Although he’s the top contender for the Calder Trophy, much of the blame seems to be attributable to the lack of development of top goalie prospect Spencer Knight. His 21 wins are impressive, more than Connor Hellebuyck, Ilya Sorokin, Jacob Markstrom, Carter Hart, and John Gibson, he’s still not stealing enough games for the Golden Knights when they need it the most. Vegas Management is pondering what to do next. On the one hand, given the incredible steps taken by Jack Hughes and Tim Stutzle this year, along with the impressive performances of free-agent Andrei Kuzmenko, they know they have a strong core to build around, and will for years to come. On the other hand, perhaps this isn’t the right mixture of players, and the team needs a bit of a shakeup. Only two players in the league have 78+ speed, 75+ skating, 82+ passing, 80+ puck control, 80+ defense, and 80+ scoring. One of those players is Connor McDavid. The other? That’s Vegas Golden Knights Hart-snubbed, soon-to-be-loyalty, Brad Marchand. But could he be on the move? The Golden Knights’ management could be persuaded to make such a trade, if the right offer presented itself. Such a proposal would need to include a top-defenseman prospect, or a first round pick with a blue-chip forward prospect. There’s also a possibility that they’d accept a player already in the league, however it would need to be for a guy who can score on the wing on the top two lines, and kill penalties. Three teams have already inquired about acquiring Marchand’s services. Are there any others looking to go all-in, and put their team over the top, or will the Knights buy Marchand’s loyalty and use him to fuel their juggernaut next season? Time will tell….
Columbus Blue Jackets	Brilliance of Dougie	Jackets-Blake	2023-02-21 14:56:17	158	When the Jackets brough Dougie Hamilton on their squad, the GM didn't think he'd be a god like Vince Dunn on the Sabres. He thought he would bring a positive impact, but he wasn't too sure how positive it would be. The impact of Dougie Hamilton cannot be understated as he has been magnificent. In the 4 games that Dougie has played, the Jackets have gone 4-0 and have outscored their opponents (all playoff teams in the west) 17-5. Now Dougie hasn't made every goal happen, but he has put up 1 goal and 5 assist in 4 games with a +4, 9 shots and 5 hits. He has been a force on the ice and has been arguably the best player on the team. He has been averaging about 22 minutes a night, and has made every second count. Hamilton's blend of size, speed, and skill has really meshed well with the Jackets. Hamilton has formed a great top pairin with Gustav Forsling, and has made the powerplay a lot scarier. Eichel has also found some good chemistry with Hamilton, with Eichel having 4 goals and 1 assist since Hamilton has joined the squad. The Jackets have enough cap space for 1 more add, and it will be interesting to see if they add someone else if they can go on a deep run. One thing is for certain though, Hamilton has found his stride in Columbus, and has made them into a team that you can't underestimate.
Philadelphia Flyers	Eastern Conference Standings: Working? Is Not?	Flyers-Jamie	2023-02-19 23:06:49	255	RANK TEAM POINTS WORKING? IS NOT? 1 Penguins - 72 - WORKING? Penguins have been hot and added a #1 goalie while still having cap space to spend. Most importantly, both Ovi and Crosby are kicking as much ass as expected. IS NOT? Their shot differential is pretty minimal for a top ranked team, only taking 0.3 more shots for than against per game. Their snipers are sniping, but they might need some more depth to beat a top goalie in the playoffs. 2 Lightning - 69 - WORKING? Lighting have had tons of depth scoring, having 10 players with at least 10 goals. They are near the top of each team category. IS NOT? MAF is already only an 80OV and his .901 save% is nowhere near it's .928 from two years ago so that is likely to drop a point or two before the playoffs. They don't have a good backup to go to if he falters either. 3 Capitals - 72 - WORKING? Capitals have three lines working well and Barzal is dishing them out with regularity. IS NOT? They have some plugs on the 4th line and it shows in the stat lines. They are all good enough to be a contenders injury reserve players, but shouldn't be the regulars. 4 Blue Jackets - 70 - WORKING? Columbus isn't a leader in any team stat, and have the lowest goal differential of the Eastern playoff teams, but they are digging in, despite injuries, to win games. Good cap usage has allowed them to add a franchise dman in Dougie Hamilton. IS NOT? Their PK has suffered and some of their top players have been bleeding goals against. Dougie will help, but team defense will need to improve to go deep into the playoffs. 5 Hurricanes - 69 - WORKING? Canes have been one of the top defensive teams in the league this season and are getting contributions throughout the lineup. IS NOT? They are getting very little offense from their defensive unit. There is little flair from the backend. They have a #2 shutdown guy, then like 4 solid 4/5 guys, but no #1. 6 Flyers - 68 - WORKING? The Bergeron line has been going strong all season. Adding Horvat to give the team two top centers has really balanced the top six and provides two strong two-way lines. The two have helped make the Flyers one of the top shutdown teams in the league. IS NOT? Scoring depth. Only 5 players have 10 or more goals. Adding some improved scoring to the wings would go a long way in the Flyers playoff hopes. 7 Devils - 66 - WORKING? Goal scoring! Connor is up to 31 and 75 points. There are 3 other 20+ goal scorers, and an additional 4 with at least 10. IS NOT? Their goaltending is sub-par and so is the team defense. They are getting scored on a lot, but have relied on outscoring. Both DF rating and goalies are low end for playoff teams. 8 Sabres - 65 - WORKING? Top 5 PP right now and 8th in goals for per game, the Sabres are getting on the scoreboard. IS NOT? They are a soft and poor defensive team, that has resulted in them having a negative SF/SA average. CURRENTLY OUT OF PLAYOFFS: 9 Maple Leafs - 63 - WORKING? Kuemper is showing to be one of the league's top goalies this season and is giving the Leafs opportunities to win some games. They also have one of (maybe the best) shot differentials with a 3.5 positive average. IS NOT? Backup Martin Jones has been utter trash pos garbage pile. And that's being generous. Some of their depth players are really hurting their chances too. 10 Islanders - 59 - WORKING? The Islanders are one of the worst in goal differential and should be much lower in the standings, but much to management's chagrin, they are finding ways to win games! Great coaching perhaps. IS NOT? They don't want to be winning games, so that's kind of the bad thing here. 11 Bruins - 58 - WORKING? Their top vets are playing strong two way hockey while they've working on retooling the franchise. IS NOT? There isn't much depth, the goaltending is poor, and they have the league's worst specialty teams. 12 Canadiens - 57 - WORKING? JT Miller is carrying his line along and huge part of the team not being the bottom of the league. They also have some depth scoring, with an additional 7 players with over 10 goals. IS NOT? Defensive depth and goaltending have been two major issues for Montreal and goaltending has gotten worse, so will expect Montreal to drop further. They'll have some competition in that though. 13 Red Wings - 56 - WORKING? Well, they're aiming to be near the bottom of the standings, and that's where they are, so mission accomplished. IS NOT? Panthers are unexpectedly even worse than the Wings. 14 Panthers - 54 - WORKING? Not much, man. Things have gone sour. This should be a playoff team that the FHL is giving a good flibbing. Hopefully they get some better luck next season... IS NOT? They don't even have their 1st rounder. It would be very difficult for them to get back into playoff contention at this time. 15 Rangers - 52 - WORKING? Low in standings; have been adding draft picks (have their own 1st!). IS NOT? They don't have many more assets to trade that will be of interest to contenders. 16 Senators - 51 - WORKING? Maximizing that 1st round pick right now. Also have additional 1st and other bonus picks. IS NOT? They were hoping to be further along in their rebuild.
Minnesota Wild	Minnesota GM looking out for upgrades	Wild-Peter	2023-02-18 19:13:03	201	One month ago, the visibly frustrated GM of the Wild challenged his team stating "the solution is in the dressing room." Looking at the standings then, the Wild were clinging onto a lower playoff spot in the west with a few teams on their tail. Since then the team has been on a bit of a roll. Today, the team is in a better spot sitting 7 points up on 8th place with a game in hand. In the overall league rankings, the Wild are a top 5 team in the league today. Things can change quickly in the NEFHL and a few losses in a row can do some serious damage in the rankings. In order to prevent that from happening as much as possible, the GM is stepping up to the plate. With the recent positive vibes around the team, the GM has been working the phones looking for any potential upgrades on the roster. Unlike in previous years where the Wild had almost unlimited cap space, this year the cap situation is tighter and any money coming in would need to be partial offset with money going out. Keeping true to his word from a month ago in which the GM stated "show me you care and I'll show you some love. Show me you don't care, and why should I give up more futures for another lost season?", the Wild GM has been having some exploratory talks with a few teams. Recently, a trade was made as well. "We brought in Sturm for unsigned prospect Knuble. I like Knuble. I draft a lot of bloodline players. But Sturm is immediate help and Knuble is years away if anything. Kunin went on LTIR and Sturm stepped in right away and has a decent blend of physicality and defense. For a bottom 6 role his offense is sufficient. He can fill in the top 6 if needed for injuries but it's not ideal for him or for us long term." The GM added, "I guess if all things go well, we'd be targetting a top6 winger. We like our bottom 6's mix of defense and intensity. We have farm callups for each forward position that are waiver ineligible so that's a huge plus. We like our defense as a 6 man unit. We have veteran Keith sitting out as a 7th Dman and young Clague as an 8th Dman. Both of those spare players could be everyday defensemen on a lot of other teams. Hart has really stepped up recently and goalies that are undoubtably legit starters are really limited around the league. Would a different goalie give us better than Hart's 17-7 record and .914 sv% and 2.06 GAA? Probably not considering the cost to get one of them. We will ride with Hart until he sharts the bed." ____________________________ Article: 31/5 'Show me the money' bonus: $6,500,000 / $10,000,000
Seattle Kraken	First shutout in Seattle history!	Kraken-Scott	2023-02-17 14:22:03	189	February 16, 2023 will go down in Kraken history. On Thursday night, in front of the home fans, the Kraken defeated the Boston Bruins 2-0 due in large part to a 29 shot, shutout performance by starting goaltender Alexandar Georgiev. Georgiev outdueled veteran netminder Craig Anderson to record the first shoutout in the Kraken's short history! Georgiev was absolutely stellar between the pipes on the night, keeping the Bruins off the scoresheet with some incredible acrobatics. Georgiev took over the number one goaltending role from veteran Braden Holbty about twenty games into the season, and it doesn't look like he has any intention of giving up that role any time soon. Georgiev has rather pedestrian stats on the season - an 11-20-6 record with a 3.61 GAA and 0.881 save percentage - but he has gotten stronger as the season has gone on. The 26 year-old is now on a three game winning streak. He figures to be the #1 goalie in Seattle for years to come. A pending restricted free agent in the offseason, he figures to sign a big contract to stay in Seattle for the foreseeable future. The Kraken's powerplay also had a strong night Thursday versus the Bruins, going 2 for 5 with goals scored by Michael McLeod (6th goal of the season) and team scoring leader Conor Sheary (17th). Assists were tallied by veteran Jake Voracek, rookie Cody Glass & recent waiver pickup Jordan Martinook. Martinook is slowly starting to get more comfortable with his new team and linemates. He has only scored 1 goal in 12 games since being claimed from Arizona, but he figures to contribute more offensively given he's playing second line minutes in Seattle. Cody Glass was sent back to the minors for further seasoning after the game on Thursday despite putting up 4 points in 6 games with the big club. Glass has impressed the coaching staff and should be back in the lineup soon.
Seattle Kraken	Last call for Jason Spezza	Kraken-Scott	2023-02-15 19:16:17	192	After more than 1,300 NEFHL professional games - and an additional 138 NEFHL playoff games (including a Stanley Cup ring with Calgary in the 2010-11 season), talented offensive centreman Jason Spezza has decided that the 2022-23 NEFHL season with the Kraken will be his last. "I'm grateful to Seattle management to have allowed me to play a mentoring role with its young players this season" Spezza said, "but I've decided I will hang up the skates after this season. Father Time remains undefeated". Spezza has had an absolutely brilliant professional career. He has scored 399 goals (and counting) and over 1,000 points over his eighteen year career. He spent the first ten years of his career in Calgary, where he was a dominant number one centre where he put up some gaudy numbers, including a career-high 42 goals in 2008-09 and also a career-high 89 points in 2013-14. Spezza's ability to see the ice and distribute the puck to his wingers was simply uncanny. He also had a sneaky good shot, especially from the half wall on the powerplay. At times during his career, his propensity to make high-risk drop passes drove fans a bit crazy, but over time he became a more responsible two-way player and ending up having a marvelous career. Spezza deserves serious consideration for the NEFHL Hall of Fame when the time comes. Currently with the Kraken, Spezza has put up 9 goals and 31 points playing largely a second line role for an offensively challenged expansion team. Despite being 39 years old, he's still playing more than 18 minutes a night. His leadership has been an invaluable asset to the young players around him in Seattle this season. The Kraken fans have seen glimpses of his old wizardry at times, worth the price of admission to a game. Jason Spezza will be missed in the hockey world, and Seattle managment wishes him health and happiness in retirement.
St-Louis Blues	Jumbo Joe - To Retire a Blue	Blues-Graham	2023-02-14 13:40:02	199	Joe Thornton is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who had a career spanning over two decades in the National Hockey League (NHL). Born on July 2, 1979, in London, Ontario, Canada, Thornton was one of the most dominant centers in the league during his prime. Thornton played for the Boston Bruins and the San Jose Sharks for over two decades, leading both teams to multiple playoff appearances and setting numerous records. He is considered one of the greatest players to never win a Stanley Cup, a fact that has earned him a great deal of respect from fans and peers alike. In February 2022, Thornton signed with the St. Louis Blues in the New Era Fantasy Hockey League (NEFHL), where he intends to finish his playing career. Although he's not the same player he once was, his veteran presence, leadership, and experience are valuable assets to the team. Thornton is grateful to the Blues' General Manager, Thompson, for giving him the opportunity to play out his final days in the sport he loves. Off the ice, Thornton is known for his affable personality and his love of the game. He has a reputation as a great teammate and a natural leader, and is respected by players, coaches, and fans across the league. He's also known for his iconic beard, which has become a signature part of his look. In conclusion, Joe Thornton's impressive career, leadership, and personality have made him one of the most beloved players in the hockey community. His contributions to the sport will be remembered for generations to come, and his legacy as a player and a leader will endure long after he retires. Written by ChatgptPrompts provided by GM Thompson
Colorado Avalanche	Wanted for the Murder of Joel Edmundson	Avs-Mat	2023-02-13 14:53:25	202	At 17:31 of the 1st Period inside the Enterprise Center in St. Louis, Missouri where the Blues were hosting the Colorado Avalanche. Investigators were called to recover the body of Colorado player Joel Edmundson. With 17094 people in attendance, still no witnesses have come forward. Some are calling it a real life murder mystery. "Joel will be missed, he was well loved in the locker room." said Colorado coach Bruce Cassidy. "He had so much love for the game, it's such an unfortunate event" teammate Brendan Gallagher. "I'm really going to miss his K-Pop playlist in the dressing room" linemate Aaron Ekblad. The coroner's office reported that Joel suffered a spleen rupture which lead to an acute blood loss causing immediate death. Its also been reported that this is not the first occurrence in the NEFHL this season. Other players had been losing their life on the ice and no one seems to be held responsible. The NEFHL PA would like to see more done to protect its players as with the risk of death on the rise, so is the insurance premiums. We can expect his number to be present on the team jerseys for the remainder of the season. At the age of 29, Joel is survived by his parents Bob and Lois, and his brother Jesse Edmundson. A celebration of life is scheduled for Joel on Sunday night between 20:00-23:00 at PT's Centerfold Gentlemen's Club, in Denver Colorado. If you have any information that could lead to an arrest, the Colorado Avalanche players and ownership team has set a reward of $100,000.
Columbus Blue Jackets	Teach Me How To Dougie	Jackets-Blake	2023-02-13 01:42:25	168	The Jackets, even with all their adds needed a bit more of a spark to their lineup. Their GM was sitting there pondering the mysteries when it hit him. They needed a player they could make an easy pun after. Then another realization hit him. An old song from 2010 started playing in his head. "Teach me how to Dougie". Well that would be a catchy phrase to put a players name in. The fans woudl love to yell "Teach me how to Dougie" when a player named Dougie hits the ice. Then the player they needed became clear... Dougie Hamilton will bring a true star #1 blueliner to the squad. They needed to shed the salary of Ryn Pulock in the process, but they got a couple picks for him so it was worth it. Losing 2 solid specs in Svechkov and Trikozov sucked too. But along with a star blueliner they added a couple draft picks to soften the blow. Hamilton will hopefully help the meh powerplay and ailing pk unit. Dougie Hamilton with Jack Eichel, Anders Lee, Victor Olofsson, Ryan Hartman, and so on will make a deadly offence and powerplay. Hamilton projects to play with Forsling, and take some of the weight off his shoulders in terms of carrying the offensive load on the backend. Article 7/5
St-Louis Blues	So Long Dougie!	Blues-Graham	2023-02-12 17:55:09	181	He was always meant to be a rental but that doesn't make the departure of Hamilton any less difficult. Picked up off the auction block for a measly 2023 3rd round pick, Hamilton had a major renaissance with the Blues. He started the season at 70PA and 72SC. In just over half a season he's leaving at 82 SC and 73PA for a gain of 10SC and 3PA. That's an epic gain for a player who was already considered quite good, if not some what overpaid. It was that renaissance that probably expediated his exit from the club. He became too valuable and even with a salary of over 6 million pending UFA status, the Blues were able to flip him and 3rd for 2 highly prized draft picks - 2021 19th overall pick Fyodor Svechkov and 2022 enigma and 60th overall pick, Gleb Trikozov. In Svechkov the Blues get a 19 year old who's playing regular minutes in the worlds 2nd best league as a 19 year old. Is he setting it on fire? No, but he's playing a solid 12-14 minutes per game (since moving to his new team) and has put up 2 goals in his last 4 games. This isn't a league that gives out ice time in the name of development. So the fact he's getting that kind of ice time speaks to his level as a player. His scouting report notes a solid all 200ft player with exceptional hockey hockey sense. He'll debut as the Blues 15th ranked prospect. His contract expires at the end of this year and we may even see him make his AHL debut at the end of this year. Gleb Trikozov is an interesting case. He's a player GM Thompson rated very high going into the 2022 entry draft. It's rumored he may have taken him over Filip Mesar with the 26th overall pick. He certainly would have taken him at number 33 had he still been around. Ultimately he was drafted 19th overall by the Blue jackets. The fact he was gone at 33 is what lead GM Thompson to reach for Adam Sykora (another still 18 year old) with that 33rd overall pick. All is well that ends well and GM Thompson finally got his man. In Trikozov the Blues get a highly talented although flawed defensively forward. He's a total boom bust kind of player. Still at only 18 years old - he missed being a 2023 draft by only 1 month, he's split his time between the MHL and VHL. He'll debut as the Blues 16th ranked prospect. He's currently under contract with this KHL team until 23/24. As great as Hamilton has been this year, these 2 B level prospects was a great return and will probably help the club way more than Hamilton could have the rest of this season and the next couple after that. Good luck Dougie, the Blues wish you and the Bluejackets all the best in this years playoff run. Who knows, if you're a UFA this summer, we may even see you back in the Blue and Gold next season. To fill the hole left on D and to make sure they hit the cap floor, it's rumored the Blues will sign a free agent defenceman to finish out the year.
Seattle Kraken	Seattle defense Krack-ing	Kraken-Scott	2023-02-10 16:09:03	219	Once thought to be a potential strength of the expansion Seattle Kraken, it appears that was a serious miscalculation by management. Oh, and injuries suck too. Over it's last five games (all regulation losses), the Kraken have given up a whopping 27 goals (5.4 per game) while also only registering five goals for. Nightmarish results by any standard, even for an expansion squad. On paper, the Kraken defence corps doesn't look all that bad, with a lot of veteran presence: Nick Holden (pictured) - a steady veteran with a 73 OV, Holden figured to be a stabilizing force on the back-end. He is a -17 through 50 games averaging 22.5 minutes per game. Ouch. Jake McCabe - another solid veteran, McCabe has put up a respectable 15 points through 49 games, but is a -21 on the season. Minuses are contagious througout the lineup. Nate Schmidt - Schmidt has shown some offensive flare this season with 20 points through 55 games, but he is a Masters contender with a -31 rating over that span. Brutal. Zach Whitecloud - Like Schmidt, Whitecloud has shown some promise offensively with seven goals and 17 assists on the season, but a -24 rating raises questions about his efficacy in his own end. Riley Stillman - Still a young player, Stillman has a relatively good plus/minus rating at -4 on the season, and has contributed 11 points to date. Justin Schultz & Jon Merrill - both vets were picked up waivers during the season, so it's tough to judge how they've performed in Kraken uniforms to date. Both will be back in the fold for 2023-24 when the team hopefully gets better. Jacob Bryson - Another young D, the smallish Bryson has played mostly sheltered minutes for the Kraken this season, putting up 8 points and having a rating of -8. To make matters worse, three veteran Kraken d-men (Schultz, McCabe & Whitecloud) are out of the lineup with injuries (McCabe out long-term). Unfortunately, it appears that stability on the back-end is another task for the GM to find for Seattle in upcoming seasons.
San Jose Sharks	Sharks stay hot after Perron trade	Sharks-Curtis	2023-02-10 16:05:04	600	The day after trading for David Perron the Sharks stayed on their hot streak by defeating the Vegas Golden Knights 7-2. The Sharks finally broke through against the Knights after dropping their two previous outings to them earlier this season. The team was carried by the top line of Sam Gagner, Tomas Hertl and Dominik Kubalik as well as the top pairing of Brett Pesce and Shea Theodore. The 5 man unit were a combined +22 and combined for 5 goals and 12 points. The newest addition Perron, was placed on the 2nd line to start his Sharks career and did not find the scoresheet. He was placed on the 2nd line to not disrupt the first lines chemistry. I think that worked! Perron will be a huge addition to the LW on this team and will hopefully spark the teams PP which has struggled all season long. San Jose is 7-2-1 in their last 10 games and sit 9th in the Western Conference, tied in points with the Flames who sit 8th and 1 point back of the OIlers who sit 7th. The team has exceeded all expecations and find themselves in the playoff race for the first time in a long time. The team is still in multiple trade talks in search of upgrading the team to continue to make a strong push to get back into the playoffs. Up next for the Sharks is a date with the Buffalo Sabres on home ice Sunday night. "We are a point from 7th place in the West with 26 games to play, we are playing our best hockey of the season and our GM continues to reward us with help in areas we need it. We like our chances to get in the playoffs and scare some teams" said Sharks coach DJ Smith this morning in text message exchange with me. More to come as the trade specualation continues. For the San Jose Tribune I am Ken McBobzie.
Ottawa Senators	Ottawa pulls the trigger on Demko trade	Sens-Mike	2023-02-10 15:01:12	177	The Ottawa Senators traded goaltender Thatcher Demko to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday in exchange for prospect Brock Faber, a 2023 first-round pick, and goaltender Eric Comrie. The trade comes after a month of negotiations between Ottawa GM Mike McMahon and other clubs interested in the 27-year-old goaltender. "This was a difficult decision," McMahon said. "Thatcher has been with our organization since we drafted him nine years ago. He has developed in our system and after a gap year took over for Henrik Lundqvist between the pipes. We just felt it was in the best interest of the franchise to move on. It's also in Thatcher's best interest. He can spend the prime of his career contending for a cup. We wish him, and the Penguins, the best." In Faber, the Senators have acquired another high-end prospect for the back end. He joins a list that already includes players on the NEFHL roster, such as K'Andre Miller, Nils Lundkvist, and Cam York. "Brock is an exceptional player and already plays a pro-style game," McMahon said. "His offensive numbers have slipped a bit, I think even he would admit that, but it's not because he has struggled. He's playing in every situation at the University of Minnesota, he is their top defenseman, and he was a critical component to the team that went to the Frozen Four last year. Ben Meyers and Matthew Knies were pulling headlines, but many scouts thought Faber was Minnesota's best player. He just goes about his business quietly. "If you were to re-draft the 2020 draft, Faber is a first-round pick." The Senators also acquired Pittsburgh's first-round selection. This will be the first time that the Senators have had multiple first-round picks since 2013. In that draft, the Senators took Elias Lindholm, Anthony Mantha, and Zach Fucale in the first round. The first-round pick is lottery protected. "I don't see that coming into play to be honest," McMahon said. "Pittsburgh already has a good club and adding Thatcher to the mix puts them over the top, in my mind." In corresponding moves, in order to reach the league's cap floor, the Senators called up James Neal from the AHL and also called up Casey Fitzgerald and Scott Reedy. The Senators are projected to enter the offseason with almost $20 million in cap space ($19.63 million). Pending restricted free agents are all current AHL players and they include Reedy, Max Gildon, Brett Seney, and Brady Lyle.
Minnesota Wild	Minnesota excluded in NEFHL All-Star Game	Wild-Peter	2023-02-04 18:25:36	234	Not one player from the Minnesota Wild will take part in the activities for this season's All-Star weekend. Not in the young-stars game nor the all-star game. The team has elected to spend the All-star break in Belize instead, together with their families. Paid for by the GM. The event was labelled "You best belize this is the real all-star weekend" to invited guests. "Who cares about the all-star game anyway unless it's in Florida or something." Responded one of the players on the Wild anonymously, "We spend most of the year in cold ass Minnesota, the last thing we want to do is spend a weekend in Toronto in the dead of winter. Especially this weekend with this treacherously cold temperature going on. Only thing worse would be Winnipeg. There's a reason why they are called the Jets. Everybody wants to fly the hell out of there. Minnesota is basically south winnipeg in terms of weather. Hold on, you're not attaching my name to this are you? I don't want to be cancelled." Another anonymous player said, "Thanks to my boy Kulikov, I converted to Russian Orthodox so I can boycott shit like the all-star game in the name of religion. I mean it's not like I need religion to boycott stuff, but it's a pretty good cover. If only we still had Kadri on the team. Then I'd be fully protected converting to islam and nobody can criticize me for using religion as a cover. Wait, you're not putting my name to this are you?" One player, Cam Talbot, was not shy of being on record. "I love our GM. He's a great guy. Sure he sucks at trades but he's on the better end with drafting so I think that works in his favour. He got some shit thrown at him this past offseason with the netflix stuff and the inclusivity stuff, but he sticks to his guns and doesn't care what people who have zero impact on his day-to-day life think of him. It's refreshing to see to be quite honest. Anyway, when I was announced as the West Starter in week one of eligibility, he contacted the league to have me removed. I helped out by shitting the bed on the ice and losing my starting position not only for the All-Star game but for the Wild, but the GM had my back regardless. Now he's paying for me and my family to vacation in Belize with everybody else. The weather is nice, the resort is beautiful, we're all having a great time." Some people are questioning the injury of Trevor Zegras. He is the face of the NEFHL 23 video game. He was the trigger for all of the backlash in the summer. He coincidentally got injured just before the all-star weekend with a pulled hamstring and is listed as day-to-day. As one of the elite puck handlers and stick skills in the league he would have been a focus in the skills competitions. However his injury removed him from the Young Stars game altogether. He had this to say, "Yeaaaaaa brooo it sucks you know. Really wanted to showcase my mad stick skills. Instead I'm in belize showcasing those skills to some local women bro. Love our GM even though I wanted to be traded for not signing me. Four lokooooo baby. Wooooo!" Somewhere in the world, 2019 NEFHL Hall of Fame inductee Dany Heatley is muttering to himself "I'm a fucking all-star." ____________________________ Article: 30/5 'Show me the money' bonus: $6,250,000 / $10,000,000
Seattle Kraken	Seattle 2023 Mock Draft	Kraken-Scott	2023-02-04 16:35:48	230	The Seattle Kraken management team has prioritized accumulating picks for the 2023 draft. Draft 'experts' say that the first two rounds of the 2023 Entry Draft figure to be both deep and strong. The Kraken currently have six picks in the first two rounds: 1st round - SEA, CBJ, ARI 2nd round - SEA, PIT, CHI Based on the NEFHL standings today, those picks translate to the approximate picks of 1 (fingers crossed), 1, 21, 32, 33, 61 and 63. Here's a potential Seattle mock draft for those picks based loosely on Bob McKenzie's recent top prospects show on TSN: 1 - Connor Bedard - what else can be said about Bedard? He's the most exciting offensive prospect to come along since Conor McDavid. The release on shit snapshot is second to none. Bedard is on track for superstardom. 21 - Charlie Stramel - a massive 18 year-old freshman at the University of Wisconsin, Stramel competed for the US at the recent world junior championships. He likely projects as a second line player at the top level who plays a gritty style of game. 32 - Oliver Bonk - son of Sens great Radek, Bonk came out of nowhere this season and had a strong start for the London Knights in the OHL. Bonk has a frame which should enable him to get stronger and continue to develop as a potential 3/4 defenceman at the NHL level one day. 33 - Gavin Brindley - like Stramel, he won a bronze medal for the USA at the recent world juniors. A small (5'8") and skilled forward, Brindley has impressively put up 21 points in 27 games as a true freshman at the University of Michigan. A future 2nd line centre? 61 - Tanner Molendyk - a smaller (5'11", 183 lbs) defenceman, Moldendyk is skilled and has had a strong season for Saskatoon in the WHL. He would likely need to put on weight to compete at the next level, but the tools are there. 63 - Luca Pinelli - another small but skilled forward, Pinelli (brother of Francesco) has put up more than a point per game with the powerhouse Ottawa 67's so far this season. Could he be a late 2nd round steal? On top of these picks, Seattle also has four 3rd round picks and seven picks in round 4 and beyond. As far as the Kraken are concerned, the 2023 entry draft can't come soon enough.
Pittsburgh Penguins	Penguins Pound the Ducks for 30th W	Pens-Brent	2023-02-03 18:27:53	195	Last night's contest between the Penguins and Ducks was pretty much over before it even started. There was a sense of nervousness in the air as the flightless birds took the ice. Whimpering quacks could he heard at the other end of the ice. "How can we compete with guys like Ovy and Sid?" asked a misty eyed Chris Kreider. "They're just so god-like," the winger added. After 20 minutes of play, the Pens were up 2-0 after goals from the Russian bear Alex Ovechkin and the Swedish phenom Lucas Raymond. Despite having one of the best goalies in the league in Linus Ullmark, the goals kept coming in the second following snipes from wingers Brandon Hagel and Andrew Cogliano. The lone bright spot for the Ducks was winning the 3rd period 2-1. With five minutes left in regulation, you could see a bevy of Ducks fans making their way towards the exits, knowing full well that the match was long over. What could have caused such a poor performance? "I accredit the Ducks poor play to their overall softness from the top down. That includes management," stated hockey pundit John Mikeston. The Penguins head into the Allstar break with the best winning percentage in the Eastern Conference. Coach Craig Berube will be joining several Penguins players this weekend for the Allstar festivities. He will be coaching the Eastern Conference stars. "It's always an honour to participate in an event like the Allstar game. Hockey is such a fearless and competitive sport. It will be nice to take it easy this weekend and have some fun," said the head coach. The Penguins are still rumoured to be talking to other clubs about upgrading their squad. Many spectulate that the club is looking to beef up the wings and improve the nets. The team's first round pick is likely in play. Some suggest that blue chipper Alexander Holtz and promising two-way defender Brock Faber are being dangled as potential assets on the move. ________________________ Obligatory Articles: 5/5 Bonus Articles: 17/40 = $4,250,000 / $10,000,000
Toronto Maple Leafs	Implosion Pending?	Leafs-Shane	2023-02-02 19:52:26	152	Another year, another disaster. Its become a season routine now. One month after the season starts, look at the standing. The Leafs will sit a top the standings. Fast forward 3 months and that same team will be at the bottom. Rinse and repeat year after year. Thats said management is currently giving this team another small window frame to figure it out. If management is not satisfied after that window is over, you will 100% see some monster trades. Thats a guarantee. There are several teams inquiring about several of the Leaf players. Rumour has it that Konecny was close to being dealt out west but management is still in the window and will allow the team that opportunity to snap out of this mess. The Leafs aquired top golaie Darcy Kuemper form the Preds and came in hot. He was lights out for 5 games, Since then, the team has been a pile of dog shit. The addition of Kuemper gave the team a legit backbone and shgould be enough to get this team into a playoff spot. That has yet to happen. Time is ticking on that window. After the likes of Kumper and Konecny, Tanev, Marchessault, Zadorov, Jones, and Kopitar have all been mentiuoned and bantied about. The leafs will most certainly not ben in any sort of contension next season so lkets say this year could be its final hopes of a playoff spot for the forseeable future. Until next tine.... Lets see some Leafs wins or that will be all for this current roster.
Colorado Avalanche	Avs grapple with injuries: ‘We’re almost getting used to it’	Avs-Mat	2023-02-02 14:55:44	224	It’s been a tough month of January for the Colorado Avalanche. It started with a surprising run of 7-2 to then finish off the month with 4 straight losses putting them back outside the playoffs looking in. The injuries kept piling up and GM Avs-Mat kept getting reminded that you cannot call up a player rated lower than 58OV if you have a player equal to or greater than 58OV available on the farm. “Unfortunately, our depth is getting exposed and anyone we call up will need to clear waivers once the guys get back from injuries” says GM Avs-Mat. “We want to protect some of our late bloomers in the minors. Our defense, especially”. Colorado needs to be careful as their future has holes from only selecting two players in 2020 and having only three late picks for 2023. Being at the top of the cap also doesn’t leave them much play in terms of overpayment of UFA’s. “With Nate being day-to-day, and Aaron and Ivan back in the line-up, we're looking for a good push in February to solidify our spot in the playoffs.” says GM Avs-Mat No mention of Brendan Gallagher, who is in a three way tie for first in injuries this season with a total of 8. Brendan came back from his last injury and was part of the last four losses. Then injured early in the game versus Tampa Bay where his team was able to muster itself back in the W column. Word is the GM would like to see more durability from his loyalty player, but “getting used to it” sounds more likely...
Minnesota Wild	Make it or Break it	Wild-Peter	2023-01-29 16:19:36	223	Two weeks ago the GM said this about the Minnesota season falling apart at the seams, "The solution is in the dressing room." Since then the team has played six games and has a record of 4-1-1. It looks as if the team responded positively to the GM's challenge. The biggest difference in these games came from the work of 'backup' goalie Carter Hart. With his 'backup' rating of 78 now matching the 'starter' rating of Cam "I was in the conversation to start the all-star game in week one of eligibility' Talbot, Hart is now looking like the main guy between the pipes for Minnesota. But the west is extremely competitive. Even with that 4-1-1 record in the last six games, Minnesota is in an uncomfortable position. 6th in the West with 57 points, 2 points ahead of the Ducks, Flames, Knights at 55 points each battling it out for the 7th and 8th playoff spot. While Minnesota has 2 games in hand over the Ducks and Flames, and 3 over Vegas, those games in hand can be lost quickly this week. "The playoff positioning got messier after our little streak. That's how close this is. Every game matters now. A two game losing streak will feel much worse than it actually is. We have the games in hand advantage, let's not lose it, you know?" - GM Peter when asked about the standings. It's only going to get tougher from here. The next five games are games the Wild have to pick up points in if they want to continue their playoffs hopes. Monday: Arizona is the best team in the league right now. Measuring stick kind of game. Gotta pickup at least 1 point. Tuesday: Stars are 4 points ahead but they played 3 extra games. Have to close that gap with a win. Wednesday: Knights are fighting for a playoff spot just like Minnesota. Gotta win this game too. Sunday: Devils are surging in the east and are not an easy opponent. Monday: Panthers are having a disappointing season but Minnesota cannot afford to take them lightly either. On the trade front Sources say that despite the GM publically stating the "solution is in the dressing room", privately the GM has been in talks with an Eastern team. While those talks have not led to anything imminent, sources are indicating there is an open line of communication with a 'wait and see' approach. Perhaps the next five games will be an indicator of whether or not this rumor has some legs to it. ____________________________ Article: 29/5 'Show me the money' bonus: $6,000,000 / $10,000,000
Seattle Kraken	Waiver Claims	Kraken-Scott	2023-01-26 14:53:12	224	What's going on with Seattle and all these waiver claims? Is there a strategy behind it, or has the general manager lost his mind? Probably a bit of both, actually. Here is a summary of Kraken waiver claims season-to-date and what management might have been thinking: D - Justin Schultz: Having a bit of an NHL bounce-back season with 24 points through 42 games, Schultz is signed beyond this season and could be a key cog in the Kraken powerplay in 2023-24. W - Jordan Martinook: Martinook is a solid 3rd line NHL player and has tallied ten goals and 23 points through 47 games for the Hurricanes so far. He figures to play a key role as a middle-line winger for the Kraken over the next four seasons. D - Jon Merrill: Merrill brings some size to the Kraken defence for this season and next, and has put up 10 games in the NHL for the Wild this season. He will bring stability to the young Kraken's bottom pair defence next year. W - Zack MacEwen: A gritty winger and fierce forechecker, MacEwen has put up 9 points in 45 games for the Flyers this season. MacEwen will bring some jam to the Kraken's bottom six forwards beyond this season. W - Alex Nylander: A complete shot in the dark given Nylander's draft pedigree, he continues to play in the AHL putting up about 0.9 points per game. There's likely not hope for Nylander, but time will tell. W - Zach Sanford: Meh The Kraken have traded a number of players they selected in the expansion draft (including Reilly Smith, Victor Olofsson and Miles Wood) and need to ensure they adhere to all league salary cap regulations, hence part of the reason they've made so many waiver claims. In addition - the Kraken also need to fill out its roster for the 2023-24 NEFHL season, and with only one prospect (Ryan Mast) having to be signed next offseason, the team will not be adding much depth to its roster as a result. Plus, those players claimed on waivers are sadly better than the rest of the Kraken players, so perhaps these waiver claims actually make some sense? Hard to say.
Seattle Kraken	Is there still hope for Cody Glass?	Kraken-Scott	2023-01-24 20:05:30	233	Cody Glass was selected by the Seattle Kraken in the 2022 NEFHL Expansion Draft. It is clear that Glass has not had the career that anyone expected since being drafted 5th overall in the NEFHL back in 2017. A centreman with great size (6'3", 206 pounds) and skill, Glass has left all hockey experts perplexed with his lack of development at the professional level. Glass was so highly thought of that Vegas famously refused to include him in a trade with the Ottawa Senators for superstar defenseman Erik Karlsson. Despite his pedigree and draft position, before the 2022-23 NHL season, Glass had only contributed 23 points through his first 74 NHL games. These statistics are hardly the marking of a potential top six forward at the NHL level. The Golden Knights eventually gave up on Glass and in 2021 they traded him to Nashville for oft-injured (and fellow former high draft pick) Nolan Patrick. Glass's first season in the Predators organization was mostly spent at the AHL level. Glass did however put up an impressive 62 points in 66 AHL games in 2021-22. Given his pedigree and AHL production, the Kraken decided to take a chance on Glass in the expansion draft, hoping that his once hyped potential could be realized. Glass made the Predators out of training camp in 2022-23, starting the season on the club's fourth line. You have to give Glass credit - he's kept grinding and he has recently seized an opportunity to play on the team's top line with star wingers such as Filip Forsberg and Matt Duchene. Through 36 NHL games in 2022-23, Glass has put up a respectable 16 points (including 5 goals on 55 shots) while averaging just under thirteen minutes per game. Are we seeing Cody Glass finally establish himself as an NHL regular? Can he be counted on to contribute as a top three line centre at the top level in hockey? It seems as though Glass has made some progress in his NHL career, but it remains unclear whether he can continue the momentum he's garnered season-to-date.
Pittsburgh Penguins	Calling for Backup	Pens-Brent	2023-01-19 18:45:58	251	With Evgeni Malkin down and out for the forseeable future, the Penguins depth at centre appears to be rather lacking. The Russian middle man was brought in last year for his versatile play and strong leadership qualities. After breaking his arm earlier this week, there's a chance that Geno's next NEFHL game won't be until next season. "We have a hole to fill for sure. Aside from intensity, Malkin literally brings everything you would want in a centremen to the table. We are scratching our heads at this point as to how to fill that gap in our lineup," said coach Berube. The Penguins possess a bevy of quality young players in the system, most of which are in the team's plan for the long term future. Since acquiring the Russian trio of Alex Ovechkin, Mikhail Sergachev and the aforemention Malkin, The Penguins brass has been hesitant to pull the trigger with the fear of jeapordizing their future. "Our core players are definitely on their way towards the clubhouse in terms of time left in the league. We'd like to see them win one before they decide to hang them up. That said, we have to be smart as to the pieces we move when bolstering our roster. Nobody wants to trade away the next break out player," stated the Penguins GM. This suggests that the team will be looking at the bargain bin for cheap improvements to their roster. However, there is another option that the Penguins could pursue. Matty Fuckin' Beniers. "We have been keeping close tabs on Matty. He's clearly ready and wants to play. We believe that he could have an immediate impact on our club. At this point in time, we plan on being patient, but it could happen." After signing Lucas Raymond, Seth Jarvis and Alex Newhook to ELC's in the offseason, the decision to wait until next year makes the most sense from a financial perspective. But for a team that is looking to win, signing Beniers now could be a no brainer. ________________________ Obligatory Articles: 5/5 Bonus Articles: 16/40 = $4,000,000 / $10,000,000
Seattle Kraken	Cutter Gauthier profile	Kraken-Scott	2023-01-19 16:27:05	232	As previously noted, the Kraken are planning to build its team slowly and primarily through the draft. The first ever player chosen by the Kraken was an american power forward named Cutter Gauthier. Gauthier is obviously an important piece for the Kraken franchise, but what can Seattle fans expect from their first ever selection? Gauthier is currently a freshman playing the NCAA at Boston College. He was actually born in Sweden but recently starred for the United States world junior team, putting up four goals and ten points in just seven games. He is 6'2" and 193 pounds, and he uses his solid size and frame to his advantage as he plays a prototypical power forward game. Through his first fifteen games of his college career, Gauthier has tallied an impressive eleven goals and nineteen points. That is terrific production for a first year NCAA player who is turning 19 on the day this article is to be published. Gauthier has primarily played wing in his young career, but he has also played some centre. His versatility and size were certainly attractive to Kraken management. Cutter also skates quite well for a big man and is completely unafraid to take the puck hard to the net and score goals in the dirty areas on the ice. The young player has also been lauded for his outstanding work along the boards. All scouting reports indicate that Gauthier is a shoot-first type of player, and his stats at Boston College back that assertion up. It seems likely that Gauthier will only play one season at Boston College and make his professional debut at some point next season. Gauthier does however have some part of the game to continue working on while at BC, including his play in the defensive zone (typical for a young player) and his vision. Kraken management are certainly excited to have Cutter in the fold. The future is bright in Seattle!
Pittsburgh Penguins	Hold my Beer	Pens-Brent	2023-01-18 18:19:47	254	For the majority of the 2022/2023 NEFHL season, German winger Tim Stutzle has sat atop of the NEFHL's rookie scoring race. Many before the start of the season suggested that he was a shoe in for Calder Trophy. A trophy that is awarded to the league's top rookie performer. "I don't think anyone is going to be able to touch Stu. His blend of skill and lightning speed will be too much to contain. The Knights management plan to thrust him into a prominent role. He's a no brainer pick," suggested hockey analyst John Mikeston back in September. Not so fast. Enter 5'11, 182 lb, Gothenburg, Sweden native Lucas Raymond into the fold. The slippery right winger has been one of the most impactful Penguin's this season, netting 19 goals and 39 points in 45 games played. "He really is a dynamic player. It's been fun watching him develop this season. He's good at both ends of the ice. His vision is unbelievable. It's nice to play with a player of his ability every night," praised captain Sidney Crosby. While he is typically a reserved guy, Lucas was rather vocal when asked about his play at the midway point of the season. "Honestly, I could care less about the Calder. My focus is on our team and making the playoffs. This franchise has been through many ups and downs over the past five years. The fans have been through a lot, so I want to make sure that [losing] wasn't all for not," stated the 20 year old. There are many games left to be played this season so one shouldn't get ahead of themself. The rookie scoring lead and a playoff spot for the Penguins is still very much in the air. If the Pens hope to remain ahead of the pack in the Eastern standings, Raymond is going to have to continue to clip at his current pace. ________________________ Obligatory Articles: 5/5 Bonus Articles: 15/40 = $3,750,000 / $10,000,000
Los Angeles Kings	How a Plant-Based Diet has Helped Jack Campbell Re-Find his Game	Kings-Carter	2023-01-16 19:02:35	212	Los Angeles Kings' netminder Jack Campbell has been on a roll lately, and he attributes his success to his new plant-based diet. After struggling with injuries and inconsistent play for several months, Campbell decided to make a change in his eating habits. He had heard about the benefits of a plant-based diet for athletes, and decided to give it a try. The results have been astounding. Campbell says that he feels stronger and more energized than ever before. He also believes that the diet has helped to reduce inflammation in his body, which has allowed him to recover more quickly from injuries. "I feel like a new man out there on the ice," Campbell said. "I'm playing with more confidence and making more big saves. I feel like I'm in the best shape of my career." Campbell's teammates have noticed the change as well. They say that he seems more focused and agile in the crease, and that he is making some incredible saves. "Jack's been on fire lately," said one teammate. "He's always been a great goalie, but he's taken it to another level since he switched to a plant-based diet." Campbell's coaches have also been impressed with his performance. They say that they have seen a noticeable improvement in his stamina and quickness, and that he seems to be recovering more quickly from injuries. "Jack has always been a hard worker, but this new diet has really helped him to take his game to the next level," said one coach. "We're seeing a lot more big saves and a lot less goals against." Campbell's success on a plant-based diet is just another example of how this lifestyle change can help athletes to perform at their best. And with the way he's been playing lately, it's clear that Jack Campbell is one of the best in the game.
Minnesota Wild	"The solution is in the dressing room" - GM to players	Wild-Peter	2023-01-14 19:49:03	283	How does a team go 14-2-0 to start the year to the current record of 23-17-2 with the same roster in less than half a season? If you have the answer let me know because I sure as hell don't. Is it because Cam "All star" Talbot was a bad trade? Looking more and more like it. Dude dropped from 81 to 79 and occassionally goes back to 80. He's good for an easy 3 goals against on any given night or as Shane would say "trash". Is it because Kevin's theory on starting goalies is correct? Perhaps. It will be interesting to observe that at the end of the year to see if there is truth to it. How somebody like Mike Smith still has 82ov is eye opening for sure. At least Cam Talbot is still getting NHL starts... What does the GM have to say? "In the offseason we needed a goalie, I went out and got one. We needed defensemen, I went out and got a couple veteran ones before the season started. One is playing lights out for us (Kulikov) and the other is in and out of the lineup despite all their veteran presence, speed, and defensive accumen (Keith). The solution comes from within. One way or the other it will resolve itself. You don't expect to win 14 out of 16 the entire season. And you don't expect to be under .500 either. This team has to figure it out. They are good enough on paper and they've shown they can win games. Right now consistency is destroying our playoff hopes." "Let me make this clear. I am not adding anything to this group right now. Either they show up and win some games and I add at the deadline. Or they flop and I sell some pieces. Show me you care and I'll show you some love. Show me you don't care, and why should I give up more futures for another lost season? The solution is in the room." If the team continues to collapse, it is rumored that some names you might be surprised to see hit the block start becoming available. "What's the point of keeping these good ratings and paying for these ratings, if they don't play up to them? I can find them a home elsewhere. They're not winning me games anyway and something needs to change." ____________________________ Article: 28/5 'Show me the money' bonus: $5,750,000 / $10,000,000
Pittsburgh Penguins	Mr. Glass	Pens-Brent	2023-01-13 17:07:46	256	After being on the shelf for months with a ruptured spleen, it took Evgeni Malkin only 8 games to find himself back on the long-term injured reserved list. In what looked like a harmless play, the Russian pivot fell awkwardly into the boards while on the forecheck, breaking his arm. Penguins fans took to twitter shortly after the incident, voicing their absolute dismay over Malkin's inability to stay healthy. "What a waste of cap space" - said PENZ4EVA "Geno a.k.a. Mr. Glass" - added PengWinsFan87 Since aquiring Malkin prior to last years trade deadline, the forward has been injured a staggering four times, two of them long term. "It's really unfortunate to see Geno go down with another devastating injury. He has been playing his best hockey for use over this last little stretch. To see him back on the shelf is tough. He's devastated," stated head coach Berube. Malkin was supposed to be the Penguins 2nd line centre this year, adding a much need boost to the offense, taking the load of Sidney Crosby. In his absence, youngster Alex Newhook has flourished. The Newfoundland native ranks fourth in rookie scoring with 30 points in 40 games played this year. "I've always been leaned on every step of my hockey journey. I embrace the challenge of playing big minutes. Playing alongside a guy like Ovechkin definitely makes it much easier for me. I try to use my speed to create separation, opening up space for AO to do his thing. I am going to continue to push myself. I have big shoes to fill and I am going to give it my all," stated the 21 year old. With the cap relief, the Penguins should have plenty of space to utilize closer to the trade deadline. "We are focusing on winning with the group that we have right now, but if the right players come available, we could be looking to add," stated the Penguins GM. At a quick glace, the Penguins could use another scoring threat, improve their netminding, and bring in a stay-at-home defender with intensity. ________________________ Obligatory Articles: 5/5 Bonus Articles: 14/40 = $3,500,000 / $10,000,000
Seattle Kraken	Reilly Smith moved out of Seattle	Kraken-Scott	2023-01-13 15:05:20	283	Seattle Kraken general manager made what was perhaps his toughest trade to date, sending scoring forward Reilly Smith to Arizona in exchange for a 2023 first round draft pick. The Kraken have now acquired two additional 1st round picks in a deep 2023 entry draft - the other was acquired from Columbus in the Victor Olofsson trade. The Kraken management team has always focused on maximizing its future assets through the team's inaugural season. That being said - trading scoring forwards with term like Victor Olofsson and Reilly Smith was difficult, as those types of players don't grow on trees and will need to be replaced in the coming seasons. Both players were effective leaders for this young team. The Kraken franchise is now loaded with a plethora of draft picks in 2023, as follows: 1st round - SEA, CBJ, ARI 2nd round - SEA, CHI, PIT 3rd round - SEA, ARI, CAR, WPG 4th round - SEA, PIT 5th round - SEA 6th round - SEA, NYR, CHI 7th round - WPG Rumours out of Seattle indicate that the team is likely done moving out veteran players for the 2022-23 season. That being said, quick calculations show that the Kraken will likely enter the offseason with approximately $23 million in salary cap space, and the team figures to be aggressive in the free agency market. The Kraken can also make deals whereby they take on salary from other teams in future seasons. The Kraken need to add top 6 forwards and top 4 defencemen moving forward - clearly. The Kraken management team is excited to have a blank slate moving forward. They have the salary cap flexibility to make interesting moves. They have draft picks to make big trades. It should be an interesting few years in Seattle as the management team looks to make the team a true contender over the next few seasons.
Seattle Kraken	Seattle's Farm Team	Kraken-Scott	2023-01-12 16:06:33	269	As a new franchise in the NEFHL, the Seattle Kraken don't have the depth in prospects that many other teams do. The Kraken's top prospects are likely those that the Kraken drafted in the 2022 entry draft - like 4th overall selection Cutter Gauthier and second rounders Reid Schaefer & Ryan Chesley. That being said, there are some prospects currently playing for the Kraken's farm team that have a shot at becoming full-time NEFHL players in the coming seasons: C - Cody Glass: Glass was a 5th overall pick in the NEFHL and to date has not lived up to expectations. The Kraken selected Glass in the NEFHL expansion draft, and that pick might pay dividends down the road for Seattle. It's looking likely that Glass will be one of the Kraken's top four centres for the 2023-24 season, as he seems to have carved himself out a role in the NHL with the Predators. Through 30 NHL games, Glass has contributed 4 goals and 11 points while getting second unit powerplay duty. Still only 23, Glass might have a solid NHL future ahead of him. LW - Jaret Anderson-Dolan: Anderson-Dolan was also selected by the Kraken in the expansion draft. At 23 years old like (Glass), Anderson-Dolan is becoming an NHL regular this season. In 30 games, he has tallied 3 goals and 6 points with the Kings while playing 10:05 per night. It feels as though he has a good chance to gain a bottom six left wing spot with the Kraken in 2023-24. C - Mark Kastelic: A gritty centreman who is strong on faceoffs, Kastlelic has scored 3 goals in 37 games with the Sens so far this season. With good size and the ability to kill penalties, Kastelic figures to be the Kraken's fourth line centreman as soon as next season. G - Dan Vladar: Vladar has played quite well for the Flames this season as the team's backup goalie - a role he will certainly play for the Kraken in 2023-24 along with projected starter Alexandar Georgiev. Vladar has a 2.76 GAA and 0.906 SV% with Flames through 14 games. While prospects like Cutter Gauthier & Reid Schaefer have perhaps the most long-term value of the Kraken's prospects, it's important to remember that those prospects griding it out on the farm also will become NEFHL contributors in the near future.
San Jose Sharks	Sharks drop 12 on Oilers	Sharks-Curtis	2023-01-12 06:14:31	180	This headline reads correct. Wednesday night at home against the Oilers the San Jose Sharks scored 12 goals on way to a 12-3 win. That's a lot of goals, eh? 7 goals in first period, 3 in the second period and 2 in the third period. 12 goals. Twelve. 1-2. Ten plus 2. One less than 13. With just one coming on the power play and only one power play for the team all night. 9 different goal scorers, four players were +4 and five players were +5. Tomas Hertl lead the way with 5 points and Dominik Kubalik led the way with 6 shots on goal and continued his hot-streak since being acquired scoring 2 goals and adding 2 assists. Kubalik has 10 points in 9 games with the Sharks and has helped spark the Sharks get hot and is a big part of why they are 7-2-1 in their last 10 games and find themsevles just 3 points out of a playoff spot in the Western Conference somehow. This hot streak and 12 goal game has Sharks' fans and the management of the Sharks really thinking about what if? What if they keep winning? What if they look to add? Is this team for real or is the sim playing a nasty trick on the Sharks giving them some false hope? What if? That question will get answered sooner rather than later. It's up to the Sharks to decide which direction they choose to go or if they just let things play out. For the San Jose Tribune I am Ken McBobzie (As this article gets written a substantial trade offer has been sent out)
Pittsburgh Penguins	3 Headed Monster or 3 Stooges?	Pens-Brent	2023-01-11 18:44:09	806	Since the return of Evgeni Malkin, the Pittsburgh Penguins have played abysmal hockey. Geno has been surrounded by controversy over the years, between the injuries and rumours spectulating around his cancerous attitude. Sabres GM Kevin Fuhr accredited his clubs horrendous performance last year as a result of Malkin's subpar play. However, the Penguins coaching staff and players feel otherwise. "Last I checked Geno was clipping over a point per game and has been a plus player for us. I don't understand the unnecessary outrage and blame being cast his way," said winger Brandon Hagel. In fact, all of the big guns seemed to be picking up points over the Pens tough four game stretch. The issue seems to be in their own end. "We have made some pretty poor plays as of late at the wrong times. Some dumb, avoidable penalties being taken too. As we demonstrated during our winning streak prior to the last four [games], we are capable of being one of the best teams in the league," said coach Berube. Perhaps it's too many cooks in the kitchen? The Penguins had a mandatory skate this morning ahead of their showdown with the Jets this evening. The team workout flow looked a little different than usual with each of the three stars featured on different units. Sidney Crosby worked alongside youngster Lucas Raymond and tough guy Nicolas Deslauriers. Alex Ovechkin was reunited with center Alex Newhook. Seth Jarvis joined the pair. Finally, Evgeni Malkin took reps with Brandon Hagel and Miles Wood. The Penguins hope to steer the ship back in the right direction against a club that is doing their best to lose games. ________________________ Obligatory Articles: 5/5 Bonus Articles: 13/40 = $3,250,000 / $10,000,000
St-Louis Blues	The Blues add Murray	Blues-Graham	2023-01-11 09:13:03	242	In a bit of a bizarre move the Blues traded Craig Anderson a 3rd and 4th round selection in the 2023 draft for NHL Maple Leaf goalie Matt Murray. This likely comes down to Blues GM Thompson being a big Leafs fan. On the plus side, Murray is only 28 vs 40 for Anderson. He also plays for the leafs and is under contract with them for this year and next (the same as his NEFHL contract) so he's likely to put up some good numbers during this period. The big astrix at this point is Murray's health. This is reflected in his 34 DU rating. With that kind of DU rating, chances are he'll get hurt this season and is unlikely to play many games for the NEFHL Blues. However until that time, he will be the undisputed #1. The good news is that both his OV and DU should improve in time for next season where Blues aim to be competitive. In other Blues news, the list of Blues forward prospects having breakout or excellent seasons in the minors is growing. The likes of Klimovich, Lysell and Evangelista in the AHL, Khnusnutdinov in the KHL and finally Dumais, Mesar, Wright in the CHL is a fearsome list. They are all 1-3 years from competing in the NHL but when they do, the blues will be a force to be reconed with. The Blues Defensive core is already good, with youngsters, Liljigren and Durzi leading the way and Brandt Clarke lurking in the shadows. The Blues biggest hole as usual is in nets. Despite drafting a high volume of goaltenders over the last few years, none are particularly strong. The best of the list being Erik Portillo who plays for the University of Michigan. Although he's currently property of the Buffalo Sabre's it's likely he'll be heading to free agency and will likely be the number 1 NCAA target this coming off season.
Colorado Avalanche	Avalanche 7-2 Under New Management	Avs-Mat	2023-01-10 16:53:15	190	On December 20, 2022, the Colorado Avalanche (Avs) named Mat as their new General manager (GM). Mat has been involved in the league for a long time and was once GM of the Detroit Red Wings back in 2007-2008 and 2008-2009. "This has been in the works for a couple of years, Mat and I have been talking about when we thought of the opportunity to be a General Manager again. We felt that this was the right time.” Commissioner JD said about the change. It’s clear that the GM will not be getting a free ride with the Avs. Throughout the years, the Avs were able to keep the team pretty competitive, but as it stands this season, the western divisions are all really competitive and the Avs are on the outside trying to fight for a spot in the playoffs. Stepping in the role mid season also means a lot of issues won’t be addressed until the next offseason. With high ticket prices, their average attendance has dropped below 16,000 of the 19,000 seat arena. And no team endorsements this season means low motivation to succeed. Furthermore, the Avs depth chart and futures are at risk. With the many injuries already this season and being so close to the salary cap, a lot of players that would normally not make the cut for the NHL are getting called up. To top that, the Avs only hold 4 picks for the 2023 draft (PHI 3, LOS 3, FLA 4, EDM 7) making any trades to stay competitive practically impossible. “I’m happy to be back in charge, I will work with the assets that we have and try to be creative to remain competitive this season. We don’t have much cap space to do anything flashy but would love to add more young talent if we can.” said Avs-GM Mat
Seattle Kraken	Kraken at the WJC	Kraken-Scott	2023-01-06 17:18:26	242	The Seattle Kraken sent five of its prospects to the recently completed 2023 World Junior Championships. Please see below a summary of their performance at the WJC: F - Reid Schaefer, Canada (GOLD) - Schaefer spent the tournament playing on Canada's gritty fourth line, and was the 13th forward at times. Schaefer posted 1 assist in 7 games. He has really good size, but desperately needs to work on his foot speed to become an NHL player. F - Cutter Gauthier, USA (BRONZE) - Gauthier played on the USA's top scoring line and put up 4 goals and 6 assists (10 points) over 7 games. Gauthier's combination of size and speed really stood out through the tournament. His play at the WJC bodes well for this future and he will likely be an NHL player in the next two years. Gauthier is eligible to return to the WJC next year for the Americans. D - Ryan Chesley, USA (BRONZE) - Chesley's play at the world juniors was disappointing. He started the tournament in what appeared to be a top 4 defence role, but as the tournment went on, his ice time was reduced pretty significantly. Chesley is eligible to return to the WJC next season. F - Redmond Savage, USA (BRONZE) - Savage was a returnee to the USA roster and he played his 3rd line checking role to near perfection. An alternate captain for the USA, Savage managed to tally three goals and six points over 7 games. Savage projects to play a bottom six, defensive role at the next level. D - Otto Salin, Finland - Salin was rock solid and steady on the Finnish blueline and put up 3 assists in his five games. Salin is eligible to play in next year's world junior championships. Kraken management is pleased overall with the progress of these young prospects. Gauthier, Savage & Salin impressed through the tournament.
Minnesota Wild	Wild send three to WJC. One returns with a medal	Wild-Peter	2023-01-06 16:38:59	232	Every year the Wild are sending less and less to the WJC. The peak was in 2017 when 13 players went to play for the national junior team. It makes sense since that was when I was full on deep into a rebuild and prospects mattered more than winning or having good pro roster players. Previous articles year by year in reverse chronological order: http://nefhl.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=4099 http://nefhl.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3701 http://nefhl.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3476 http://nefhl.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3291 http://nefhl.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3044 This tournament the Wild sent the following players: Oskar Pettersson - Sweden - Winger The large swedish winger put up 2 goals and 4 points in 7 games this tournament. Decent performance stat-wise. Julian Lutz - Germany - Winger The equally large german winger put up no goals and 2 assists in 5 games. Germany wasn't expected to do much of anything in this tournament. Just being on the team and contributing some points is nice. Logan Cooley - USA - Center The smaller center had an impressive tournament on the stat sheet with 7 goals and 14 points in 7 games. Cooley returns to the University of Minnesota with a bronze medal. This year I really didn't get a chance to watch this tournament. I saw a bit here and a bit there but never actually watched a full game. I did see a bit of Cooley where it is very evident he has vision and talent. I believe his game will translate to the NHL. I don't believe it will be next year however. He needs to make some adjustments. There are rumors he's looking to leave the University of Minnesota to start his NHL career after this season. I hope he stays in college and takes a couple more years to develop physically. Add some strength to his game that he will definitely need to be a play driver in the NHL and not just a passenger on a line surviving to keep up like we see with Shane Wright and Juraj Slavkovsky right now. Those two guys, even with their size, are struggling at the NHL level but I would argue in terms of offensive ability Cooley is the best of those three. ____________________________ Article: 27/5 'Show me the money' bonus: $5,500,000 / $10,000,000
Los Angeles Kings	Kings End 2022 in Style	Kings-Carter	2023-01-02 04:37:48	161	The New Year's Eve party for the Los Angeles Kings hockey team was a smashing success. The players and coaches gathered at the team's practice facility to ring in the new year with food, drinks, and lots of laughter. The party started off with a potluck dinner, where everyone brought their favorite dish to share. There were so many delicious options to choose from, including grilled chicken wings, homemade pizzas, and a variety of dips and appetizers. After dinner, the team gathered in the main rink for a game of shinny. It was a fun and competitive game, with everyone trying their best to score goals and show off their skills. As the night wore on, the team moved to the lounge area for some more relaxed activities. There was a karaoke machine set up, and many of the players took turns belting out their favorite tunes. There was also a photo booth, where everyone could snap pictures with friends and teammates to remember the night by. As midnight approached, the team gathered around the large screen TV to watch the ball drop in Times Square. When the countdown reached zero, everyone cheered and hugged each other, excited for the new year and all the possibilities it held. After the ball drop, the team continued to party into the early hours of the morning. It was a fantastic way to end the year and start the new one, and everyone left feeling happy and grateful to be a part of such a great team.
Winnipeg Jets	The Jets are in better CAVU	Jets-Steve	2022-12-31 19:59:56	159	It has been almost a month since GM Lemyre has taken control of the team now. The CAVU (Ceiling and Visibility Unlimited), which indicates the ideal flying conditions, with a visibility of at least 10 miles and a ceiling of at least 10,000 feet has improved a lot for the Jets in Winnipeg. The city weather is still very cold but the overall fans appreciation has gone up a lot. The new team in place needed to do a complete assessment of the management integrity and found out a lot of discrepancies going from a lack of draft picks to bad lines combinations. Only after a couple of tweaks, the Jets were back in business being unbeaten in regulation in its first 5 games under GM Lemyre guidance and finishing the month of December with 7 wins in 12 games (0.583). Will that be enough to make the playoffs? There still a lot of ground to cover! After all the warm welcoming from the NEFHL GM, here some accomplishments: Trades 1 - Winnipeg Jets trade Luke Evangelista to St-Louis Blues for Seamus Casey 2 - Winnipeg Jets trade Bo Horvat to Philadelphia Flyers for Bryan Rust and WPG 2023 Rnd 1 3 - New York Rangers trade Brandon Duhaime, Tyler Wall and DET 2024 Rnd 2 to Winnipeg Jets for Blake Coleman and WPG 2023 Rnd 2 Some key players coming back from injuries and the release of Andrew Hammond (cutting salary) help improve the overall health of the team. On paper, the team has some strong pieces starting upfront with Kucherov, Lindholm, Kadri , Rust, Wilson. On D with Johnson and Cernak and in goal with with Grubauer. The future is bright also with Cozens, Jeannot, Duhaime, Gustafsson, Cernak, all 25 and younger. Finally, the deal bringing back this year first rounder might become valuable coming up to the trade deadline later on this spring. It could go both ways depending on the situation then! But for now, the Jets organization would l8ke to wish success and happiness to all its fellow GMs and family for the 2023.
Carolina Hurricanes	Just Posting this so I don't get Fined!	Canes-Jeff	2022-12-31 18:44:33	176	So Ends another spin around the sun. 2022 has come and gone and we will now enter 2023. Another year has passed, this being the 15th I've been in the NEFHL and I look back at all the things that have happened over the year. The Carolina Hurricanes have been a decent but not great franchise... made a cup final, lost in the conference championships, won a Presidents Trophy and a couple division titles. Overall, a pretty mediocre resume which is highlighted more so by the ability to maximize tanking in the form of back to back 1st overall picks to draft Steven Stamkos and John Tavares who are still with the team. Are the Canes terrible at trading homegrown players to improve the team? Of course.... Do the Canes overvalue their own players making trading extremely difficult? Obviously... Do the Canes invest too much time in the draft researching 5th and 6th round picks with the hope that some of them pan out? Probably.... All in all though, I love being in this league and have a blast running the Carolina franchise. The gola of making the playoffs has happened more often than not and it keeps the league fun. Writing articles for the most part is horrible as I'm not the best writer, but I value the $1 million dollars in fake money that can be blown on a longshot overage college player more than the 10 minutes it actually takes to bang out 250 words.... This has to be getting close to 250 overall, I hope you enjoyed reading even with the overall lack of content in this article. Happy New Year to All! Thanks for being in my lives for the last 15 years, heres to a whole bunch more. Awesome job JD with all you do to make this league amazing.
Calgary Flames	Kubalik's Stint In Calgary Ends	Flames-JD	2022-12-31 18:05:56	156	Dominik Kubalik came to the Flames in a deadline deal a few seasons ago with lots of anticipation. Posting over a point a game by teaming up with Claude Giroux and Mikko Rantanen to end the season helped turned the Flames from a team fighting for a postseason berth to a Stanley Cup finalist. Kubalik was a massive part of that playoff run, tallying 11 goals. His 28 goals and 71 points last season we're also massive in the Flames league leading win total. This season, however, has been a completely different story. The relentless success the Flames had ended in round 1 of the playoffs last season. Their misfortunes have continued and the Kubalik days are now over. Kubalik had been relegated to the third line for most of the year. On more than one occasion he was put back in the top 6 but without success. 11 points in 35 games along with team struggles and Brock McGinn's emergence on the third line while filling in for an injury meant it was time to move on. Sources say half a dozen teams expressed interest in the speedy winger. In the end the Flames opted for a former top draft pick who's struggled in his first few pro seasons. Alex Turcotte comes in as a project but with high potential if he comes close to reaching his ceiling. A gamble the Flames could afford to take with tons of middle six talent. Following the trade, the Flames have started to surge up the standings as well, despite some injuries. Currently sitting 12th overall and with 4 of the next 5 games against teams outside the playoffs the coaches hope they can get inside the top 10 and back competing for the division title to start 2023.
St-Louis Blues	2023 Blues Prospect Rankings	Blues-Graham	2022-12-31 16:39:24	230	When your teams sucks and you're nearing the end of a rebuild, there isn't much to do other than follow your prospects. I keep a running spread sheet of my rankings. I haven't figured out how to include up to date stats quite yet, but eventually I'd like to. This quarter's addition includes 55 prospects. To be included they must be in thier D+5 year (2017) or younger. Subtractions include Seamus Casey and Jaromir Pytlick (trades). Key additions include Jordain Dumais (6), Luke Evangelista (12) and Raphel Lavoie (27) all via trades. The top 5 has remained in tack but the order has changed slightly with Lysell edging out Connor McMichael for 4th place. Wright still maintains 1st place followed by Brandt Clarke and Peyton Krebs. If Lysell continues on his current trajectory I can see him taking over 3rd place by year end. Both Mesar (7) and Dumais(6) are having great seasons and are pushing for top 5 spots themselves. My 2 biggest risers are Ethan Cardwell who's having a stand out year as an overager in the OHL (and recently drafted by the sharks) and Nicola Pasic who's tearing up the Allesvenkan (Swedens 2nd tier league). Both have risen 15 spots from thier previous rankings. The biggest faller is Adam Sykora. Funny enough I still think highly of him, he's only 18 and playing professional hockey in Slovakia's top league (9 points in 20 GP). I probably just had him ranked a little high last round.
New Jersey Devils	NEW JERSEY DEVILS – SHANE PINTO	Devils-Phil	2022-12-31 15:42:21	186	NEW JERSEY DEVILS – SHANE PINTO (Article by General Manager Nathan Landriault) The New Jersey Devils brought Shane Pinto to training camp this season with high expectations of Shane making the jump to top six in their line up. After a few social outings General Manager, Nathan Landriault had concerns regarding Shane’s surgically repaired shoulder. An initial meeting was convened between GM Nathan Landriault, the Owner Philip Landriault and the New Jersey Devils medical staff and determined that his shoulder would need additional rehabilitation before joining NEFHL. A subsequent meeting took place between the player’s agent and team management where it was decided that Pinto would return to the minor leagues with the Ottawa Senators to further his development in hope that he be rehabilitated in time for the 2023-24 season. In the minor leagues this season American born Shane Pinto has accumulated ten goals and seven assists for a total of 17 points in 35 games. Pinto started out like a house on fire winning player of the month for October, starting out on a point a game at pace with the Senators. He has slowed down considerably in the past few months due to shoulder fatigue which had been identified by the New Jersey Devils medical staff. The New Jersey Devils new ownership is still very high on Shane Pinto for the 2023-2024 season and even debated whether they should sign him this year. Management believes that Shane Pinto will have a bright future in the NEFHL in the future with the New Jersey Devils.
New Jersey Devils	NEW JERSEY DEVILS UPDATE ON FIRST ROUND PICK PAVEL MINTYUKOV	Devils-Phil	2022-12-31 15:39:54	172	NEW JERSEY DEVILS UPDATE ON FIRST ROUND PICK PAVEL MINTYUKOV (Article by GM Nathan Landriault) After a quick appearance at the New Jersey Devils 2022 Training Camp, it was decided by GM Nathan Landriault and team owner Phil Landriault, that Mintyukov would be sent back to his OHL team the Saginaw Spirit for more seasoning to allow him to work on his defensive game this year. The decision seems to have been a good one so far for the Moskva Russia native as he is 5th in the OHL scoring, with 13 goals and 26 assists for 39 points. This has him leading the OHL in defenseman scoring by 20 points. Mintyokov has been named OHL defenseman of the month twice already this season. The Anaheim Ducks NHL draft pick 10th overall in 2022 seems poised to make the jump to the NHL next season should he continue to improve his overall game. Hopefully joining fellow first round picks Mason McTavish and Nathan Gaucher in the Ducks lineup for the 2023-24 season. Mintyokov born in 2003 is a six foot two inches left shot defenseman. Pavel has a great shot from the point making him a force to reckon with on every shift. Currently he controls the power play for the Saginaw Spirit and should be able to this for the New Jersey Devils in the future. The New Jersey Devils project that Mintyukov with become their number one defenseman in the coming years should he continue progressing along his development path. New Jersey Devils Head Scout Paul Jennings seems to have done his job identifying this offensively gifted defenceman in the 2022 draft.
New Jersey Devils	NEW JERSEY DEVILS UPDATE	Devils-Phil	2022-12-31 15:36:55	169	NEW JERSEY DEVILS UPDATE (Article by General Manager Nathan Landriault) The New Jersey Devils began the 2022-23 season under new management of General Manager Nathan Landriault and Owner Philip Landriault and they dove in head first to restore the New Jersey Devils to the top of the NEFHL. Even reaching out and bringing franchise legend Martin Brodeur as a consultant to Owner Philip Landriault. Martin returns after a stint in the Saint Louis Blues organization after a rift with previous management of the New Jersey Devils. Brodeur was the franchise goaltender for the Devils last time the team was very successful. This season the Devils even with all these efforts are in 24th place in the NEFHL. The New Jersey Devils are second in the league in goals for but second to last in goals against. To mention some of our standouts, Kyle Connor the 26-year-old American born left winger leading the entire NEFHL in scoring with 52 points, veteran American born right winger Patrick Kane sits in fourth place in the league scoring race with 45 points, as well as, American born Charlie McAvoy leads all defencemen in scoring with 34 points to date. The Devils issue seems to be prevention as Jonathan Quick and Jonathan Bernier have been unable to prevent the other teams from scoring against the Devils on a nightly basis. As the league heads toward the trade deadline, the Devils must look to secure better goaltending for the 2023-24 season as well as looking to join the sweepstakes for top draft pick Connor Bedard in the 2023 draft.
Vegas Golden Knights	Marchand, The Knight With A Six-Point Night	Knights-Derek	2022-12-31 02:20:57	149	Against the Buffalo Sabres on Monday, December 19th, the Vegas Golden Knights were in the visiting dressing room, unhappy with their play of late. Brad Marchand, feeling snubbed at last year’s award ceremony after his Hart and Selke worthy season, knew what had to be done. Because the league follows the Sabres with extreme intensity, Marchand knew all eyes would be on his game that night. So he decided to turn it up a notch. With a primary assist on the game’s opening goal, he knew he was off to a good start. But back in the dressing room, tied after the first period, he knew he’d have to be even better. So he did what had to be done. He set up the go ahead goal, then the Sabres knotted it at two. So he set up the next goal, and the Sabres answered again. So he set up the go ahead goal. And the next one. And then scored one of his own; for the first time in his career, Brad Marchand had five points in the second period, one on each of the Golden Knights’ goals, and six points on the night. That’s got to be among the greatest performances ever, right? When adversity rears its head, Marchand strikes, time and time again. With THREE left-wingers knocked out of that contest against the Sabres, Marchand also played a career-high 33 minutes in a regular-season non-overtime game. Too bad it’s still not enough to get slumping Jack Hughes back on track, who is in the midst of a sophomore slump. Hughes’ shooting percentage was 300% higher last year than it is right now, and is on pace to finish sixth on the Knights in points, after leading the team last year. Perhaps it’s because of the Commissioner’s lack of meddling in the Golden Knights’ affairs that poor Jack has felt himself unmotivated to play this season. For now, the rookie most poised to claim the Calder Trophy is Jack Hughes’ teammate G Spencer Knight, who currently ranks fifth in the league in save-percentage, and is fifth in wins.
Carolina Hurricanes	Canes Unlikely Scoring Leaders	Canes-Jeff	2022-12-31 01:02:04	191	Since 2015/16, some combo of Steven Stamkos, John Tavares or NEFHL Hall of Famer Henrik Sedin has led the Canes in scoring. With the exception of Nick Foligno in 2017/18, Steven Stamkos or John Tavares has led the team in goals every year since 2011/12. John Tavares & Steven Stamkos are still on the Canes roster this season... yet neither of them lead in either category though 37 games. While Logan Couture has been with the team since 2007 and made his NEFHL debut in 2009, he hasn't been the top point getter in Raleigh since 2014/15, yet there his is sitting with 32 points in 37 games. That puts him 5 points ahead of John... Steven... LAWSON CROUSE?!?!?! With 27 points on the season, unhearalded Lawson Crouse finds himself in 2nd spot as he and Couture have been leading the way on the Canes 2nd line all season long. Even more shocking though is the fact that Crouse leads the team with 17 goals. With a career high of 27 goals set back in 2020/21, Crouse looks likely to smash that total as he is on pace for 37 this year. The much ridiculed pick who was taken just ahead of the likes of Timo Meier & Kyle Conner in the 2015 1st round has found his way and is providing key offense at key times for the Canes. While no GM in their right mind would take Crouse over Conner or Meier, it has been nice that the laughter has died down and Crouse is a competent NEFHLer. Whether or not he keeps is up is still to be determined but if the Canaes top guns can get back on track, there may be hope for consistent offense the rest of the way for the Canes.
San Jose Sharks	Kubalik providing scoring touch for Sharks	Sharks-Curtis	2022-12-30 21:25:37	182	Dominik Kubalik was brought in by the Sharks to provide offence and through 3 games with the team he is doing exactly that. A few weeks ago Alex Turcotte was placed on the block to try to upgrade the teams forward group for this season and the future. A deal was made with the Flames sending Turcotte and draft picks for Dominik Kubalik. Kubalik is 27 and is signed for 2 years after this season so it was a no brainer to bring in a forward with his skill on a team friendly contract and under contract for 2 more seasons. Kubalik has played 3 games and has 3 goals and 2 assists and is a +4. Instant success and instant rewards for a team in desparate need for wingers and scoring forwards. It doesnt end with Kubalik, the next 10+ months the Sharks will continue to look to upgrade depth at all postions, but mostly looking to continue to upgrade on the wing with high skill and scoring abilities. The Sharks won't be trading their draft picks for this draft but they aren't openly tanking. They will be on the lookout for players that can help now and in the future even though they know they will not be making the playoffs. The tear down is over and the slow build is in progress. The building blocks are getting into place slowly but surely on D, in G, up front and in the prospect department. No trade trade talks are currently on going but we can likely expect a few deals to be made before this seasons trade deadline. For the San Jose Tribune, I am Ken McBobzie.
Los Angeles Kings	Man Goes On Article Writing Spree After Lobbying For Article Strike Abolishment	Kings-Carter	2022-12-30 20:12:46	206	Carter had always been a passionate hockey fan, and when he joined a fantasy simulation hockey league with a group of friends, he was excited to compete and see who could build the best team. However, as he got more involved in the league, he began to notice something that frustrated him: there was a rule that required each team owner to write five articles about their team every year. At first, Carter tried to brush off this requirement as just another part of the game, but as the years went on, he found himself struggling to come up with new and interesting things to say about his team. He began to resent the article rule, feeling like it was a burden that took away from his enjoyment of the league. Determined to make a change, Carter set out to advocate for the abolition of the article rule. He argued that it was an unnecessary burden on team owners and that it was taking away from the actual gameplay of the league. He worked tirelessly to gather support for his cause, reaching out to other team owners and presenting his case to the league commissioner. After weeks of campaigning, Carter finally succeeded in his mission. The article rule was abolished, and team owners were no longer required to write articles about their teams. Carter was thrilled by this victory and couldn't wait to fully focus on building and managing his team without the added pressure of having to write articles. However, as it turned out, Carter couldn't shake his love for writing about simulation hockey. Despite no longer being required to do so, he found himself wanting to share his thoughts and insights with the rest of the league. So, he began writing articles on his own accord, sharing his analysis of various teams and players. In the end, Carter's efforts to have the article rule abolished ended up leading to even more writing about hockey. But this time, he was doing it because he wanted to, not because he had to. And that made all the difference.
Columbus Blue Jackets	Olofsson Trade Paying Off	Jackets-Blake	2022-12-30 16:21:38	157	When the Jackets traded away their 1st round pick for Olofsson, fans of the team were sorta on edge. With it being such a deep draft and the East being a battle ground, would Olofsson be worth it? He certainley is talented, but could the Jackets have got a better player? Someone more well rounded? All these questions lingered for a few hours after the trade. But, 6 games in and it looks like the Jackets have made yet another good trade for their playoff hopes. Olofsson has put up 4 goals and 2 assists since being brought onto the squad, and the team has never looked better with 3-0 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks. That 3-0 victory came with the Jackets missing their 2nd best player in Anders Lee, who plays in all situations, and Kase who has been a dynamo for the bottom 6 and the 2nd powerplay unit. In fact the Jackets new top line looked like the best line the team has thrown together all season. Olofsson - Eichel - Hartman had some great chemistry and were dominant whenever they got on the ice. The mix of speed and skill made for a top line that looked like a true top line. Nick Ritchie's role has diminished a bit and it may truly be for the best for the Jackets. Now the question is can they keep it up? Only time will tell, but early on it looks like the Jackets have made another good trade to help them pursue not only a playoff spot, but potentially add another division title banner if they can keep up with the Pens and Caps.
Seattle Kraken	Looking to 2023-24	Kraken-Scott	2022-12-30 15:19:20	225	Everyone expected the expansion Seattle Kraken team to struggle througout its inaugural season. Everyone was right with their expectations. Through its first 34 games, the Kraken have a 10-20-4 record - a total of 24 points and a points percentage of 0.353. The Kraken rank 31st in the NEFHL in goals scored per game (2.4), and 32nd in goals against per game (3.6). That combination is a clear recipe for disaster. That being said, the Kraken management team have a long view for this franchise. Many younger players were chosen via the expansion draft. The team has accumulated a plethora of draft picks to stock their cupboards. There should be fewer people that are sleepless in Seattle in upcoming seasons. With that in mind, how might the Kraken look in 2023-24? Here's a look at how the Kraken lineup next season: Centres - Top two centres Jason Spezza & Brian Boyle are old and pending unrestricted free agents. It's highly unlikely either will be back. Young centres Mike McLeod, Cody Glass and Mark Kastelic will likely be full-time NEFHL centres next year. How will the Kraken fill those top two centre spots? Trade? Free agency? Wingers - Reilly Smith, Connor Sheary, Tomas Tatar, Nathan Bastian would certainly look to have spots locked up for next season, with Jaret Anderson-Dolan knocking at the door. Can Alex Nylander take a step forward? What happens with Jake Voracek (pending UFA)? Lots of questions need answers. Rumours persist out of Seattle that Reilly Smith can be had for a late 2023 1st round draft pick... Defence - The defence seems pretty set for 2023-24 with Justin Schultz, Jake McCabe, Jacob Bryson, Zach Whitecloud & Nate Schmidt being locks to return. Riley Stillman is a restricted free agent and it seems likely he'll be re-signed. The Kraken could really use a proven top 4 d-man moving forward to bolster this group. Goalies - It appears the Kraken should be solid in net in 2023-24 with the combination of Alexandar Georgiev and Dan Vladar. Rumours out of Seattle suggest neither goalie is available on the trade market as the GM is prioritizing stability in nets going forward. No other prospects appear that they'll be NEFHL ready for 2023-24 at this point. Top power forward prospect Cutter Gauthier is likely two to three years away from contributing at the professional level. The Kraken will have upwards of $18 million in cap space to acquire talent this upcoming offseason.
Los Angeles Kings	Los Angeles GM Takes in Wednesday Evening Screening of Avatar 2	Kings-Carter	2022-12-29 20:03:03	7644	Shortly after leaving a Wednesday evening screening of James Cameron's epic new film, GM Toni had this to say: "As a fantasy hockey general manager, I'm used to living in a world of statistics and analysis. But when it comes to Avatar: The Way of Water, I have to set all of that aside and simply bask in the awe-inspiring spectacle that this film delivers. From the breathtaking visuals to the emotionally resonant story, Avatar 2 is a triumph on every level. The world-building in this film is second to none, with the lush and vibrant Pandora being brought to life in a way that feels fully realized and believable. The various creatures and landscapes are all rendered with stunning detail and believability, making for a truly immersive experience. But it's not just the visuals that make Avatar: The Way of Water stand out. The characters, both human and alien, are fully fleshed out and incredibly likable. The acting is top-notch, with every member of the cast delivering strong performances. The story, too, is poignant and thought-provoking, tackling themes of environmentalism and cultural understanding in a way that is both subtle and powerful. Overall, Avatar 2 is a must-see film for anyone who loves science fiction, action, or just breathtaking cinema. It's a true masterpiece that will leave you feeling uplifted and inspired. As a fantasy hockey general manager, I don't often get the chance to gush about a movie, but Avatar 2 deserves all the praise it can get. Simply put, it's a game-changer."
Carolina Hurricanes	Where Do We Go From Here?	Canes-Jeff	2022-12-28 18:35:43	170	They started the year 6-0-1 and everything looked amazing. Everything was clicking and they were riding high at the top of the league. Since that start though, the Carolina Hurricanes are just 11-15-2 and have dropped down to 8th in the Eastern Conference and just clinging to a playoff spot. With goaltending performances ranging somewhere between mediocre and horrible from starter Vitek Vanecek and inconsistent offense including career worst starts from Steven Stamkos and John Tavares, the Canes are nothing more than a middle of the pack squad. That's the bad news.... the good news is that the team has stayed afloat through a mess of injuries and is still right in the hunt for the playoffs. The team has also been running well under the $45 million salary cap and has room to add over $5 million in salary to fortify the team. At this point, it's pretty clear the team needs to add help on the wings and also could use another top 4 defenseman. Any sort of consistency scoring wise and defensively could give this team a real shot in the arm and allow the team to go on a run and solidify their position. With most of their picks and a stable of solid prospcts, the team has the ability to make moves to improve (or just do nothing and stand pat asxthh this regime has become known for). With 47 games left in the regular season, there is still lots of time for the team to go either way. The Eastern Conference appears to be wide open and 15 of the 16 teams look to still be in the race for the top 8.
Pittsburgh Penguins	Pens Brass Blames Anti-gun Movement for Injury Woes	Pens-Brent	2022-12-28 13:26:37	251	The increased desire to ban hunting and assault style weapons has been deemed the cause for the Penguin's injury troubles this season. Only five times have the Penguins biggest guns been in the lineup at the same time this year. The desire to stimy ones weapon arsenal most certainly is the cause for this. "There has been some external pressures from both governments. The Biden, and even Trudeau, regimes are afraid of the weaponry we have at our disposal," said the Penguins GM. FBI and CIA squads have been posted up out front of Penguins games lately, especially as rumours swirled around Malkin's return to the lineup. Fears of increased hostility and social unrest justifying the need for "increased security". In their first game back together, Sidney Crosby went down with a mysterious injury that have people shaking their heads. "Silfverberg went after Sid like we have never seen a player do so before. Unprovoked. No call or disciplinary action pending," said the Penguins head coach. The Swedish winger and referees Wes McCauley and Mike Leggo were seen in the parking lot of PPG Arena surrounded by a couple of suits donning WEF pins on their lapels. In the Gavle native's hand was a bag full of what one could assume was money. Only part of the label on the bag could be identified and read, "Money for Zel..." The Penguins admin are conducting an investigation into the matter. "They are doing everything in their power to thwart and stagnate our objective as a team. They are clearly threatened by our power," replied the GM. CNN, WaPO and NYT have all labelled this story as "disinformation". With Crosby on the shelf for a few games, expect young Alex Newhook to move back into the top six despite having no business being there. The Pens brass are thankful that Crosby's injury is only a minor one, with him likely returning in a couple games. ________________________ Obligatory Articles: 5/5 Bonus Articles: 12/40 = $3,000,000 / $10,000,000
Tampa Bay Lightning	A look at a competitor	Lightning-Paul	2022-12-27 20:02:37	170	I'm pretty happy with the play of the lightning so far. Seems like the caps are in for another great season so decided to check out their roster. I love the centre group. Matthews O’reilly and Barzal is nasty and a recipe for playoff success. I've always thought that having 3 good centres was a must for going deep in the playoffs. Barzal has the ratings to be a top 6 on most teams and having him to dominate the 3rd line and wreak havoc freshly on the PP and PK is a huge asset! Not to mention if there is an injury to one of the top 2 he's a great replacement in the top 6! They got great complimentary wingers to support their star centres. I'm not really sure how Guentzle doesn't have a "star" OV rating but he's a star offensive player! Hyman is a great complimentary piece as well with his great two way game. Throw in JVR and some nice role players, they are deep on the wing with options to move up and down the lineup! Vasilevski is obviously a stud! And then I saw a flaw, a big one at that. (Thank god!) That D is one of the worst I’ve ever seen. I know everyone here has different views on how important a defence is but I think this could hurt come playoff time. Zero D have EN over 80 which essentially mean none are top 4 in NHL. 1 has 60+ PA and 1 has 50+SC. There are a couple with over 75 DF (which is hard not to do). It’s an interesting strategy, can an awesome 2 way forward group and top 3 goalie mask a god awful defence? So far it looks like it can, in the regular season anyway!
Chicago Blackhawks	Hawks send three to WJHC	Hawks-Anthony	2022-12-27 19:21:20	150	Chicago Blackhawks will be sending three players to represent their respective nations at this years WJHC in Halifax, Nova Scotia and Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada. Here is a review of who we will be seeing. Jonathan Lekkerimaki, the most recent first rounder in the 2022 NEFHL will be playing for Team Sweden in their bottom six. Lekkerimaki boasts a deadly wrister and is an offensive force, despite being on the small and weaker side. We aren’t expecting him to have a big tournament but it would be nice to see him capitalize on the few shifts he gets. He want to see him strong on his skates and battling hard. We are hoping that a medal can give this young man some confidence when he returns to Sweden. Aleksanteri Kaskimaki will be on the Finland roster. Drafted in the 3rd round of the NEFHL, expectation are that of a speedster 3rd liner. Just like in Liiga, he won’t be getting many minutes on this Finland team. Let’s hope his speed and play generates some buzz and maybe builds his confidence for when he’s back in Finland. Veit Oswald is definitely an unknown prospect. He went undrafted in the NHL last season despite leading the DNL U20 league in points as one of the younger players. Went on to play in the DEL this season but has been unsuccessful so now is on loan to SC Riessersee in the Germany3 league. Veit will be playing on the 4th line but one great play can change that.
Pittsburgh Penguins	Ol-en at the WJC	Pens-Brent	2022-12-23 13:29:43	240	Standing 5'10 at a slender 182 lbs, Olen Zellweger has battled critics and naysayers his entire life and has proven them wrong time and time again. His small stature held him back from being an first round draft selection in his draft year. But that did not stop Zellweger from putting up the kind of numbers that have left those that passed on him scratching their heads. In the 78 games WHL games he has played since going 34th overall in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft, the Calgary, Alberta product has amassed 106 points (24+82). "I'd like to think that I am capable of quarterbacking a powerplay. I like to do what I can to make others around me better. I like having the puck on my stick, I make a good first pass, I am not afraid to shoot. I love being involved in the action," siad the young defender. Zellweger hopes to help lead Team Canada's powerplay at the World Juniors tis year, an opportunity he will most certainly relish. "I am pretty pumped about the chance. With guys like Connor [Bedard] and Shane [Wright] on the top unit, what's there not to be excited about?" added Zellweger As a returning player, Olen should expect increased responsibility. This could be a chance to show the team that drafted him what they could be in for soon. "He just oozes talent. He is a hard working kid. He knows his strengths and areas of need and works hard to improve in all areas. He plays a bigger game than his size. He plays a smart, responsible game and knows how to use his positioning and quickness to his advantage. There's a lot to like about his game," stated the Penguins GM. Pittsburgh also has Kalle Vaisanen to cheer on at this years tourney. He will return to represent the Finnish squad this year. ________________________ Obligatory Articles: 5/5 Bonus Articles: 11/40 = $2,750,000 / $10,000,000
Los Angeles Kings	Kings Issue Statement On Abolishing Article Strikes Rule	Kings-Carter	2022-12-22 23:31:18	218	In a fantasy hockey league, it is not uncommon for participants to be required to write articles about their team as a way to stay engaged with the league and to provide updates on their team's performance. However, some participants may not have the time or the desire to write these articles, and requiring them to do so may be unfair and burdensome. Therefore, it may be beneficial to consider abolishing the rule that issues warnings to participants who do not write articles about their team. One argument in favor of abolishing this rule is that it may not serve any useful purpose. While writing articles can be a fun and engaging way to participate in the league, it is not necessarily a requirement for being a successful team owner. Some participants may have different ways of staying engaged with the league and may not need to write articles to do so. By forcing all participants to write articles, the league may be imposing an unnecessary burden on those who do not wish to do so. Another argument in favor of abolishing this rule is that it may be counterproductive. If participants are being issued warnings for not writing articles, they may feel discouraged or frustrated and may be less likely to participate in the league. This could lead to a decline in participation and a decline in the overall enjoyment of the league. There may also be alternative ways to encourage participation and engagement in the league that do not involve writing articles. For example, the league could encourage participants to engage with each other through other means, such as social media or forums, or could offer incentives for participation in other ways, such as through contests or prizes. Ultimately, the decision to abolish the rule requiring participants to write articles about their team will depend on the specific needs and goals of the league. However, it is worth considering whether this rule is necessary or whether there may be more effective ways to encourage participation and engagement in the league.
New York Islanders	Your Islanders GM in 1966	Isles-Steve	2022-12-22 22:24:12	164	Politically Incorrect? No story... Just this! Merry Christmas everybody!!!
Pittsburgh Penguins	Almost Ready	Pens-Brent	2022-12-22 17:55:46	229	Despite going down with what looked like a season ending injury, centremen Evgeni Malkin took to the ice with his comrades for the first time in months, well ahead of schedule. Geno skated between fellow Ruskie Alexander Ovechkin and youngster Seth Jarvis. The Magnitogorsk native even took part in the team's full scrimmage, ending practice with a some shootout fun. "It nice be out there with guys. Been long time. Feel good. Almost ready to play. I am score," said the franchise pivot. His pending return will force coach Craig Berube to juggle his lines, hopefully without compromising his team's chemistry. "When a guy of Geno's stature comes back into the fold, it's typically a good thing. We have been playing well as of late, so we don't want to shuffle the deck too much. Newy has done a great job in Malkin's absence and he clearly deserves to play. So we might look to slide him onto the third line. Jarvis possesses a ton of talent and we are hopeful that he meshes well with Ovy and Geno," stated Berube. Jarvis had the privilege of playing with the dynamic Russian pair in preseason where the line had instant offensive success. "It's been a few months, so hopefully we can rekindle what we had. For a young guy like me, it is a ton of fun coming to work. Every day is a new learning experience. Am opportunity to learn from some of the best ever," said the young Canadian winger. Brandon Hagel also skated for the first time since having his bell rung two games ago. Like Malkin, he is likely to play following the Christmas Break. Penguins captain Sidney Crosby will be a game time decison versus the New Islanders tomorrow evening. While he looked good to go in practice, Crosby is still feeling a little tender. "I'd say that I am close to 100%, but not quite there yet. At this point, it is a coaching decision. I'll be ready if coach gives me the nod," replied the Crosby. ________________________ Obligatory Articles: 5/5 Bonus Articles: 10/40 = $2,500,000 / $10,000,000
Ottawa Senators	Will the Senators trade Thatcher Demko?	Sens-Mike	2022-12-22 17:03:20	170	OTTAWA — Brock Nelson and Ryan Hartman are gone. Now, as the Senators seem destined to circle the drain for the rest of the season, the question has become whether or not the team will trade 27-year-old goaltender Thatcher Demko, fresh off a new contract extension in the summer, or if they'll keep the netminder they drafted back in 2014. "We're open to anything and we've communicated that with Thatcher and his representatives," said Ottawa GM Mike McMahon. "Thatcher wants to be on a competitive team with the chance to win a championship. We're not there yet. I have faith that we'll be there down the road but we need to determine if Thatcher is willing to wait for that process to play itself out or if he wants to move to a more competitive organization now. I'm willing to let him play a role in his future because we do think he'll still be a top-tier goalie once we are ready to compete." The Senators have multiple young players in the pipeline who were drafted in the first two rounds, including Dylan Guenther, Anton Lundell, K'Andre Miller, Cam York, Danila Yurov, Alex Vlasic, John Beecher, and Jan Mysak. Plus, the organization seems poised for another top pick in 2023. But how did the organization get here? Back in the summer, McMahon said he thought the organization was ready to compete for a playoff spot after going on a run at the end of last season. "Injuries," he said. "It's been the same story for a lot of teams, but it's been injuries. We have had several key guys out for long stretches. At one point in October, our fourth-line center was centering our top line and top power-play unit. Even right now, Tomas Nosek is centering our top unit tonight because (Colin) White and Lundell are both out of the lineup. We have four guys out tonight. "No excuses. It is what it is. That happened to us and it put us in such a big hole, we had to take a step back and determine what the next best step was for our franchise. If we got some guys back healthy, maybe we make a run. But we determined the whole was too big and I think the worst place you can be as an organization is those first few teams out of the playoffs. You're not bad enough to get a good pick, and you're not good enough to make the playoffs. You're in no-man's land, and teams get stuck there for a long time."
Pittsburgh Penguins	Pens Embarrass the Canes	Pens-Brent	2022-12-22 15:37:51	249	Normally, a 2-1 win in shootout would not be deemed an embarrassing defeat. I mean, it could be worse, one point is better than none, right? But when the team you lose to is without three of their top four forwards, you have to look at it as an opportunity lost. "We deserved to lose that one. We got outplayed by Noel Acciari and Kyle Turris for crying out loud," stated Canes captain John Tavares. Evgeni Malkin (spleen), Sidney Crosby (ribs), and Brandon Hagel (concussion) watched the game from the press box, cheering on the boys every step of the way. "The fellas really dug deep tonight. Happy to see them steal two points," Crosby smiled. Goaltender Jordan Binnington was absolutely lights out, stopping 27 of the 28 shots that he faced. The 29 year old netminder is on a hot streak as of late, playing his best hockey of the season. Over the last five games, Binnington has only surrendered an impressive 6 goals during that time. "I think I am starting to get into a bit of groove. The boys are playing well in front for me. They are keeping them [the opposition] to the outside. If I can see it, I can save it," said the Richmond Hill native. The Hurricanes held onto the lead for the first 30 minutes of the of the game before Acciari tickled the twine at the halfway point. Shortly following the unassisted game tying goal, Noel sustained a groin injury and is being further evaluated by team staff. "He's a little banged up and could be questionable for Friday. We will see what the docs say and go from there," added coach Berube. The Penguins have a date with the Islanders on the 23rd. New York should not be taken lightly despite their depleted, youthful line up. The Islanders have proved once again this season that they suck at both winning and losing. ________________________ Obligatory Articles: 5/5 Bonus Articles: 9/40 = $2,250,000 / $10,000,000
Tampa Bay Lightning	Strikes for lack of articles??	Lightning-Paul	2022-12-22 04:19:01	162	Today I got a message from Carter guiding me to the suggestions post regarding a vote for eliminating strikes for lack of articles. I have been fired before because of strikes received due to a lack of articles so I was obviously in favour of what Carter was suggesting. I am however a bit surprised about how many people want to keep the rule in place. Arguments such as "it's super easy to write a 250 word article 5 times in a while season" "for all the work JD does for this league we owe it to him to write these articles" "whatever Eric wrote, I didn't care enough to read something so long". I'll just say this, it is not hard to write a 250 word article but I'd rather write 25 ten word posts that people will read and comment rather than a 250 word article that maybe some will read but no one will comment on. Secondly, JD does do a lot of work and I'm the first to appreciate it all the time, heck I came up with the idea to join together and buy him a bottle of scotch so you can't say that just because I don't want to write articles that I don't appreciate the work JD does. I also show appreciation by doing my lines all the time, participating in all trade talks, showing up to the draft and just being an every day participant in this league. lastly, me not reading whatever Eric wrote is exactly why articles are so out of date. Things are constantly on the go and most people live a life that have lots of distractions. I'm literally writing this in the bar at milestones waiting for my girlfriend to finish work being anti social. I love this league and will continue to try and maintain my spot in it, just wish this wasn't a part of it.
Los Angeles Kings	Los Angeles Kings Education Outreach Program - Day 3	Kings-Carter	2022-12-21 20:01:12	258	The Los Angeles Kings are reaching out to the community in an attempt to grow the sport and their fanbase. Today's topic centers around: "What makes a good hockey player?" Ice hockey is a physically demanding and fast-paced team sport that requires a wide range of skills and abilities to be successful. To be a good hockey player, it's important to have strong skating abilities, including speed, agility, and balance. These skills allow players to move quickly and efficiently around the ice, making it easier to get to the puck and outmaneuver opponents. Good stickhandling skills are also essential for all players. The ability to control and move the puck with the stick is crucial for making plays and setting up scoring opportunities. Players need to be able to handle the puck with precision and finesse, whether it's passing to a teammate, carrying the puck into the offensive zone, or taking a shot on goal. Shooting ability is another important quality for hockey players. Players need to be able to shoot accurately and with power to score goals and beat the goaltender. This requires proper technique, including a quick release, proper grip on the stick, and proper weight transfer. In addition to individual skills, good hockey players also need to have strong passing abilities. The ability to pass the puck accurately and effectively is important for setting up scoring opportunities and moving the puck up the ice. Players need to be able to read the play and anticipate where their teammates will be so they can deliver the puck to them in a position to make a play. Hockey sense is another important quality for good players. This refers to a strong understanding of the game and the ability to anticipate what teammates and opponents will do. Players with good hockey sense are able to make smart decisions on the ice and anticipate where the puck is likely to go next. Physical fitness is also crucial for hockey players. The sport is physically demanding, and players need to be in good shape to compete at a high level. This includes having good endurance, strength, and power. Mental toughness is also important for hockey players. The sport can be mentally challenging, and players need to be able to handle the physical and mental demands of the game, including adversity and pressure. Finally, good hockey players are able to work effectively with their teammates and contribute to the team's success. This includes being a good team player, communicating effectively with teammates, and being willing to make sacrifices for the good of the team. Overall, a good hockey player combines strong individual skills with a strong understanding of the game and the ability to work well with their teammates.
Los Angeles Kings	Los Angeles Kings Education Outreach Program - Day 2	Kings-Carter	2022-12-21 19:57:17	267	The Los Angeles Kings are reaching out to the community in an attempt to grow the sport and their fanbase. Today's topic centers around: "What are the rules of hockey?" There are several rules in ice hockey that govern play and ensure the safety of the players. Some of the main rules of the game include: Offside: A player is offside if they cross the blue line into the offensive zone before the puck. This results in a face-off outside of the offending team's zone. Icing: Icing is when a player shoots the puck from their own half of the rink to the other team's goal line without it being touched. This results in a face-off in the offending team's zone. Penalties: Players can be penalized for various infractions, such as tripping, elbowing, cross-checking, and interference. Penalties result in the offending player being sent to the penalty box for a certain number of minutes, depending on the severity of the infraction. During this time, the team must play shorthanded, with one fewer player on the ice. Checking: Players are allowed to hit opponents to try to take the puck away from them, but they are not allowed to use their sticks or any other body part to hit or push opponents in a dangerous or aggressive manner. Fighting: Fighting is not allowed in ice hockey and can result in penalties and ejections. High-sticking: Players are not allowed to raise their sticks above their shoulders when trying to play the puck. Goalie interference: Players are not allowed to interfere with the goaltender in any way, including by blocking their view or preventing them from making a save. Face-offs: Face-offs are used to start play and to restart play after a goal or a stoppage. The puck is placed in the center of the rink, and the players from each team line up facing each other. The official drops the puck, and the players try to win control of it by stickhandling or swatting it with their sticks.
Los Angeles Kings	Los Angeles Kings Education Outreach Program - Day 1	Kings-Carter	2022-12-21 19:54:11	260	The Los Angeles Kings are reaching out to the community in an attempt to grow the sport and their fanbase. Today's topic centers around: "What is hockey?" Ice hockey is a fast-paced team sport played on ice. The game is played by two teams of six players each, including a goaltender. The object of the game is to score more goals than the opposing team by shooting a hard rubber puck into the opponent's net using a stick. The rink is divided into three zones: the defensive zone, the neutral zone, and the offensive zone. Players can only handle the puck with their sticks and are not allowed to use their hands or other body parts to control it. They are also not allowed to trip, push, or hit opponents with their sticks or any other body part. Each team has four lines of forwards and three pairs of defensemen. The forwards are responsible for scoring goals and the defensemen are responsible for preventing the opposing team from scoring. The goaltender is the last line of defense and is responsible for protecting the net. The game is divided into three periods, each lasting 20 minutes. If the game is tied at the end of regulation time, it goes into overtime, which is a sudden-death period where the first team to score wins. If no team scores during overtime, the game goes to a shootout, where each team gets a chance to score on a penalty shot. Ice hockey is a physically demanding sport that requires a high level of skill, endurance, and teamwork. It is a popular sport in countries with cold climates, particularly in Canada and the United States, but is also played in many other countries around the world.
Florida Panthers	Shit's Fucked	Panthers-Eric	2022-12-21 14:45:36	179	The Florida Panthers are in the midst of a 3-game losing streak and have proven more or less incapable of scoring goals. For a team that came into the season looking like an Eastern Conference offensive powerhouse, they have been a massive disappointment thus far. But that could change, as star forward David Pastrnak has just been taken off the LTIR and will resume practicing with the team today. Pastrnak's first game back is still likely a few days away, however, given that his condition is down at 96. The question now becomes: how does GM-Eric manage his roster cap with Pastrnak's $6,000,000 being re-added to the mix? "To be honest, I thought David's broken neck injury would keep him out of the lineup until closer to trade deadline. In fact, the team doctors had given him a 0 percent chance of returning by Christmas... so obviously they don't know what the hell they are talking about. I'm not sure exactly how I will be able to keep everyone. To say shit's fucked is a bit of an understatement", said Eric. Elementary-level math suggests that the Panthers roster will exceed $50 million as soon as starting goalie Jacob Markstrom returns from his own long-term injury in approximately 1W from now. And while the team's barrage of injuries has created some extra cap space for the rest of the season, it does not appear to be anywhere near enough to retain all key players. Savvy NEFHL GMs are already sniffing out the problems in Florida.
Chicago Blackhawks	Blackhawks 2022 Prospect Review	Hawks-Anthony	2022-12-19 21:37:39	187	In December of every year, we review our top prospects. And, like always, we will be reviewing only the top 5 prospects on our NEFHL Prospects List. We do not look at farm players. This years list is very different as prospects Moritz Seider (1), Jack Quinn (2) and Rory Kerins (5) have graduated. Matt Coronato – With Seider and Quinn graduating, the Bisson takes over as the Chicago Blackhawks top prospect. Despite USA not getting a medal, Coronato was one of the better American players scoring four (4) goals and adding three (3) helpers in 5 games. He finished the season strong at just over a PPG for Harvard and has continued his production this season. In only eleven (11) games, he’s second in team points with fifteen (15). His work ethic, pace and goal scoring ability are all intriguing and projectable. Jackson LaCombe – Was on the HM list last year. Finished the year strong and has continued that this season with twenty (20) points in twenty (20) games for the 21 year old defenseman. He’s big, skates really well, can handle the puck and is showing true top 4 NHL/PP potential. Francesco Pinelli – Penelli’s D+1 season was underwhelming but the Kitchener Rangers Captain has come to play this season. In twenty-four (24) games, he has amassed twenty (20) goals and thirty-nine (39) points. Pinelli is using his size, hockey IQ and shot to get himself and his team on the scoresheet. We like his game and see it translating to the NHL. David Goyette – Skilled, slick and goal scoring. We liked him at last years draft and he’s showing us why he deserved it. Currently 8th in OHL points and 6th in goals, he’s an offensive force. The only issue is that he was drafted as a center but we see his game translating more on the wing. Oskar Olausson – Dropped down one spot on our rankings but the 20 year old Swede has been playing against men in the AHL this season. Totaling six (6) goals and six (6) assists for twelve (12) points in twenty-three (23) games. We like his combination of skills, size and shot. Honorable mention goes to Jonathan Lekkerimaki. Drafted 8th overall in the 2022 NEFHL draft. He was one of the youngest players in the draft and even though his play as been sub-par, we see big potential. His skills are high end and his shot is already NHL quality. He was plagued with mono at the last WJHC but we will be keeping a close eye on him this tournament. He has lots of growing to do and needs to get stronger.
Columbus Blue Jackets	Speed	Jackets-Blake	2022-12-19 18:23:53	184	The Jackets made a big move trading away their 1st round pick in this upcoming draft. With it being such a deep draft the Jackets seemed to be intent on keeping it. However, there was a certain player who brought some interesting tools to the table that the Jackets simply could not refuse. With their offence being still just alrgith, but their powerplay still being awful, Victor Olofsson was brought in. The young man was recently signed to a cheap 4 year contract, and is back to the place where his career began in Columbus. Olofsson is mostly regarded for his goal scoring prowess. However, he brings some good playmaking skill as well. He's also not too bad defensivley. There is on aspect of his game however we want to look at, as it might lead to an interesting 1st line. With Eichel still not be 100% after his injury, he's currently suiting up on the 3rd line with Paul and Olofsson. All players have 80+ speed and are good offensive player, with Paul even being one hell of a penalty killer. With all that speed on one line with all that skill, not to mention that Eichel and Paul are fairly large players with their ST, it could lead to an interesting situation where the line gets more minutes and is the teams top line. With this newfound offensive weapon, the Jackets hope to cure their powerplay woes and make headway in the race for the tip of the east. Olofsson will make his Jackets return tonight.
Buffalo Sabres	Building Organizational Depth	Sabres-Kevin	2022-12-17 18:26:39	185	I don’t think the Sabres will be active on the trade front after assessing the roster. Benn and Carter are UFAs to be and we ride them out to the season and open the cap space. We have a collection of young talent beginning to emerge that can eat some ice time… just letting the roster naturally evolve is the smart play The following farn players have seen NHL action (22) Jesperi Kotkaniemi (23) Paul Cotter (26) Michael Eyssimont (25) Jansen Harkins (25) Tanner Laczynski (23) Samuel Walker (22) Matej Blumel (24) Matt Kiersted (22) Tim Berni And I think we will see (23) Lukas Rousek and (23) Angus Crookshank make debuts later this season in the NHL. These players will provide a cheap, effective bottom of the lineup and callups… this will allow us to spend more money at the top of line up moving forward June 2023 Robertson (24) - Eriksson EK (26) - Schenn (32) Cotter (24) - Bennett (27) - Duclair (28) Milano (27) - Trocheck (30) - Okposo (35) Namestnikov (31) - Toews (35) - Eyssimont(27) Projected Call up Options Currently: (23) Kotkaniemi, (26) Harkins, (26) Laczynski, (24) Walker, (23) Blumel Toews (29) - Gudas (32) Fowler (32) - Ekholm (33) Dunn (27) - Bear (26) Kiersted (25) - Berni (23) Forsberg (30) Ned (27) Obviously the goaltending is lacezidasical but I’m of the opinion a quality hockey club does not need the goaltending to make the playoffs… you need one to win a cup … but a team can carry the goalie and I think the club here is good enough We’ve developed enough talent from within to withstand the lack of picks as we’ve acquired talent… and I think we can continue down that path of adding prospects when we move into picks again. Tim Berni is 22 years old and looks outstanding defensively with high end speed…averaging over 18 minutes a night Samuel Walker has godly speed and was used in every situation in the AHL and had 22Pts in 21GP as a AHL rookie before getting called up Paul Cotter is basically a young Cal Clutterbuck Etc Like my system is going to develop some very nice players that could fill roles for my club and not be overmatched in the league. I don’t see any urgency with the way the young players are setting into a foundation After the 2023 draft we aging begin moving into high end draft picks and I think with the way the system is developing we might begin to play the draft game Like from where I’m sitting I have an outstanding young hockey core and that’s me not taking the draft seriously at all
Seattle Kraken	Seattle and the WJC	Kraken-Scott	2022-12-16 14:06:36	249	The Seattle Kraken management team is very pleased with the progress of their young prospects early this season. Despite being a first year franchise in the NEFHL, it appears very likely that the Kraken will be very well represented at the upcoming 2023 World Junior Championships. Here is a sneak peek at the Kraken prospects who are most likely to represent their countries at the upcoming championships: Locks: C/LW - Cutter Gauthier (USA) LW - Reid Schaefer (CAN) Gauthier is unquestionably a lock to play for his home country in the upcoming World Juniors. The eighteen year-old, 6'2" 190 pound power forward is off to a terrific start in his freshman season at Boston College, with 10 goals and 16 points in thirteeen games. Gauthier expects to play on the first or second line and contribute offensively to a strong USA team. Schaefer has already been named to the Canadian team, although it's unclear what his role will be. Like Gauthier, the 19 year old left winger is off to an impressive start this season playing close by in Seattle (WHL) with 15 goals and 27 points in his first 22 games. With Schaefer's size and ginger tenacity, he could play a checking role on the 3rd/4th line for the gold medal favourites. Strong Possibility: C - Redmond Savage (USA) Savage is known as a strong-checking centreman who played on the USA U20 team the prior year - so it's a strong possibility he lines up as the USA's 3rd or 4th line centre at the upcoming WJC. Savage is currently playing in his sophomore season at Miami (Ohio), putting up 10 points in 16 games. Decent Possibilities: D - Ryan Chesley (USA) D - Otto Salin (FIN) G - Tyler Muszelik (USA) Chesley plays a bottom pairing role on a strong Minnesota-Duluth team in the NCAA. His strong experience with the USNDP helps his case to make the US WJC team. Salin is a finalist to play a role on the blue line for the Finnish team. He is playing for HIFK in the Finnish elite league this season, tallying 6 points through 23 games. Muszelik is the most experienced goaltender in the US world junior camp, giving him a good chance of being the American starter between the pipes. Muszelik is a freshman at the University of New Hampshire. Despite only having one draft under their belt, Seattle has already put together a strong stable of future prospects. We hope to see this group shine in Halifax and Moncton.
Columbus Blue Jackets	Importance of Depth	Jackets-Blake	2022-12-14 16:54:27	183	The Jackets have made a lot of big moves over the last couple of weeks in order to keep up with the top teams in the East and make sure they have the best shot possible of making the playoffs. Players like Andersen, Weegar, and Hartman have been covered in depth with their contributions. However, there is one player that was not covered in nearly as much depth and could even be argued as the reason the Jackets have been able to keep their offence rolling even with players such as Eichel, Backlund, and Paul out all at the same time. Ondrej Kase was more so a depth add originally in the minds of the Jackets. A fragile player who had decent offensive skill that could help out the powerplay. A point here and there would've been great, his 5v5 minutes weren't planned out to be, and haven't been, mind blowingly high at all. However, Kase has put up 2 goals and 6 assists in 8 games in very limited ice time with the Blue Jackets. A 4th line of Pitlick/Bellows - Girgensons - Kase has been effective in all aspects. With the kind of bottom 6 production they are getting from Kase, the 5th and 500k that they paid for Kase has been a bargain. The thing though is will Kase stay healthy enough to keep up his production/two-way play? If he does the Jackets will be a dangerous team, more so when they are healthy. When healthy, the line-up is going to look something like this likely... Ritchie - Eichel - Hartman Lee - Backlund - Erne Paul - Strome - McCarron Bellows - Girgensons - Kase Forsling - Pulock Weegar - Samuelsson Siegenthaler - Walker Andersen Koskinen The key is when healhty, the Jackets are 2nd in man games lost currently with 82. With the Jackets being so good with injuries, it will be interesting to see what they can do when healthy.
Florida Panthers	The Season Thus Far	Panthers-Eric	2022-12-13 15:12:50	176	It's been a real injury shitshow down in Florida, and yet the Panthers are still comfortably in the upper echelon of the Eastern Conference through 30 games. The problems all started in Game 4 when star winger David Pastrnak somehow broke his neck and had to be placed on LTIR. He's got a solid 3W left until he can resume practicing with the team. To fill the gap at the #1 RW position, Panthers GM-Eric overpaid hard to bring in David Perron... who promptly got injured as well and is just now returning. As if those top-line injury woes weren't enough, Florida has been without its starting goalie, Jacob Markstrom, for the past 10 games and don't expect him to return until the New Year. Backup Cal Petersen has done a good job in nets thus far, and will have to continue to carry the load considering that 3rd string goalie Charlie Lindgren isn't up to NEFHL standards. Other notable injuries through 30 games include #1 D Colton Parayko (missed 8 games), #1 C Brayden Point (missed 4 games), and top 4 D Marc-Edouard Vlasic (missed 5 games). Despite all that, Florida boasts a respectable 15-11-4 record albeit with a -11 goal differential. Their PDO is also especially weak: a good sign of things to come. With a full squad expected by mid-January, the Panthers could make a significant impact in the league and should comfortably sail into the playoffs. The lone question mark remains: how will GM-Eric manage his salary cap once everyone is healthy? The addition of Perron ($5.5M) was more of a knee-jerk reaction than a sensible one. But if all the main pieces are indeed retained, the squad will be a lot stronger than it was on opening night.
San Jose Sharks	Sharks place Alex Turcotte on the trade block	Sharks-Curtis	2022-12-11 19:50:42	210	The San Jose Sharks have let teams know around the NEFHL that Alex Turcotte is available. The Sharks are looking to trade Alex Turcotte for the best forward possible. They are willing to trade him straight up or are also willing to add Pierre Engvall, Klim Kostin or draft pick with Turcotte to find the right deal. San Jose is trying their best to upgrade their forward ranks and will try to do so at C, LW or RW in this trade. Position does not matter. A forward is a forward to them. They are looking for someone under 32. They have the cap space to add any salary to their books but will not be interested in someone who has an over inflated salary cap hit unless its a great deal. The Sharks believe there is a deal available for them somewhere out there and believe a trade will be completed before Christmas. It always only takes one PM to happen and their history suggests teams should likely move fast if interested because once the wheels get set in motion things happen fast with the Sharks. Officially on the block: Alex Turcotte, SAN 2 2023, SAN 3 2023, COL 3 2023, All later picks, Pierre Engvall and Klim Kostin. The Sharks feel that any of these options are enough to land and upgrade up front to teams that are rebuilding or looking to add depth or cut from their salary cap. All requests made to the Sharks should be made via the leagues forum private messaging system. More to come soon. For the San Jose Tribune I am Ken McBobzie.
Buffalo Sabres	Sabres begin to show Life	Sabres-Kevin	2022-12-11 11:16:38	170	I think the clubs beginning to come together and you can see it in the stats as the sample size grows. The clubs clearly dominating at even strength play as evidence by the strong pluses throughout the stats Ned is fucking killing us on the PK… I think that’s a fundamental problem right now… like the clubs killing it at ES… Forsberg 6-4-1 .903sv% … Ned 7-8-2 .879sv% Ultimately if Ned was playing as good as Forsberg we would have 2-5 more Ws and I’d have a vastly different perspective at how the team is preforming this season So where do we go from here? See us lean on Forsberg a little more and hope he can maintain his play… then maybe Ned begins to wake up along the way and this club can have a 20 game stretch of outstanding hockey J Toews went down to LTIR and is helping us Bank significant cap space… we should have an opportunity along the way to make a play for a goalie. We are the best managed cap team in the league ___ Sabres take on the Kings tomorrow which is a good test… things have begun to come together the last few weeks but the club as a whole has really struggled against top clubs going 1-5 (Two Canucks losses and a Hawks loss off hand in that) Projected Lines Robertson - Eriksson EK - Carter Cotter - Trocheck - Schenn Neal - Bennett - Okposo Kotkaniemi - Namestnikov - Milano Toews - Gudas Ekholm - Fowler Beat - Dunn Forsberg Ned Duclair injured 3 weeks Toews LTIR ____ 39.4 cap (46.68 max per game and growing) Paul Cotter has 17Hits +2 1A in 3GP … he’s become Cal Clutterbuck and is my favourite player on the roster ... like my defense can cover for him and he can just be a kamikaze fucking up life
Montreal Canadiens	Canadiens Continue to Struggle	Canadiens-Mike	2022-12-10 21:59:04	151	After a strong start to the season, the Montreal Canadiens went into a tailspin and are having one of the worst seasons in the history. It's hard to pinpoint one thing as the reason as all phases of the team are having a bad season. In goal, Mackenzie Blackwood and James Reimer are having an off year. The combo is giving up 3.3 goals a game which is good for 24th in the league. Neither one has performed as well as past years even though they are rated similarly to last season. One positive though is Stuart Skinner as he continues to look like the #1 goalie in Edmonton and should start seeing his OV make a climb to the high 70's before the end of the season. On defense, the club is allowing the 24th most shots again in the league. John Klingberg and Noah Dobson pace the backend on offense, but the rest of the backend is struggling. Brendan Dillon was just shipped out for Travis Hamonic so the Canadiens will have 3 righties on defense and hopefully stabilize the pairs. One positive on defense is the play of Noah Dobson in the NHL. He continues to improve and looks like he will be a bonafide #1 for years to come. On offense, the club is 22nd in goals for and 19th in shots for. Goals have been a problem in Montreal for years, and outside of the play of JT Miller and Connor Brown, it continues this year. Carter Verhaeghe and Alex Killorn who are 2 and 3 on the team in SC, have combined for 11 goals. That needs to get better if a turnaround is going to happen. One positive note is Artturi Lehkonen who is getting top 6 minutes in Colorado and playing in all situations. He should slot in the top line next year in Montreal. Montreal leadership has started working the phones to trade away some of the veteran UFA's to be. The club should look different in a few weeks and will show the fans of the club what they should look like next year.
Boston Bruins	Bruins Hire Gru of Minions Fame to Coach	Bruins-Chris	2022-12-09 16:06:41	169	What better a person to run the Bruins than a reformed super-villian named Gru. On Tuesday the team announced they had come to terms with Gru on a new 3 year deal. Gru joins the Bruins after fostering the Minions for the past several years. Its a role that was instrumental in preparing him for coaching the Bruins. "These little minions, are yellow so that's all i really cared about". Gru takes over a team ranked 2nd in the East in points percentage. How have the Bruins turned things around this year? It seems the team was just waiting for its former daddy to rejoin the team. The return of GM Ransom to the Bruins franchise had the fans breathing a collective sigh. Will it continue? "Why not, we have the midas touch with this team, banners galore, a cup ring and now that the clamidia is under control, we're unstoppable". The Bruins were using a tough November schedule as a gage on how real this roster was...the results were good: 1 Boston 4 at Pittsburgh 5 (OT) 2 Boston 3 at NY Rangers 1 WIN 6 Boston 6 at Toronto 2 WIN 7 St-Louis 6 at Boston 2 9 Calgary 4 at Boston 1 10 Boston 3 at Buffalo 2 WIN 13 Vancouver 5 at Boston 1 15 Philadelphia 0 at Boston 2 WIN 16 Chicago 1 at Boston 2 WIN 20 Boston 4 at Tampa Bay 3 (SO) WIN 21 Boston 5 at Florida 2 WIN 22 Carolina 1 at Boston 7 WIN 28 Tampa Bay 2 at Boston 1 With that the Bruins continue to add talent where they can, recently adding forwards Radek Faksa and Brock Nelson along with defensemen Brenden Dillon and Justin Holl. Its defeinitly generated some excitement in a fanbase that has been teabagged repeatedly the last several years. The Bruins lines current look like this: Mark Scheifele Kyle Palmieri Jordan Eberle Brenden Dillon Brandon Carlo Brock Nelson William Karlsson Mike Hoffman Haydn Fleury Justin Holl Radek Faksa Erik Haula Kasperi Kapanen Jake Bean Henri Jokiharju Nolan Patrick Zach Aston-Reese Chris Wagner Jake Bean Henri Jokiharju
Columbus Blue Jackets	Hartman Embracing Top Line Role	Jackets-Blake	2022-12-09 15:11:45	225	Hartman has only been a member of the Columbus Blue Jackets for the past four games. But over those four games he is showcasing how much of an impact player he looks like he could be for the Blue Jackets. In 4 games with the Blue Jackets, Hartman has put up 2 goals and 3 assists along with a +3 stat, 11 shots on goal, and 3 hits. He has been an impact player in every facet. It was an interesting decision to put Strome down to the 3C and having Hartman as the new 1st line right wing with Ritchie on the left side and Eichel down the middle, but the line has shown great chemistry so far. He also has found himself on the top powerplay unit with Eichel, Lee, Forsling, and fellow tade aquistion this season Weegar. The powerply has looked better and performed a bit better since Hartman has come to Columbus. The Jackets have also had a 3-1-0 record since Freddie Andersen and Hartman being brought into the lineup. It will be interesting to see how the Jackets do since they are a team that does like to overperform year in and year out it seems. If Hartman can keep up his level of play and keep building up the chemistry with Columbus's other top players, the Blue Jackets will be a pretty good team.
Dallas Stars	Prospect Update #3 : Tomas Hamara	Stars-Sly	2022-12-07 23:21:33	199	Time for a little update on the stars 3rd pick in last years draft... Tomas Hamara Being that I am a Ottawa Senetors fan I was really happy to see Tomas Hamara get drafted in the third rd 87th overall by the Sens. The Ottawa Senators D prospect pool is pretty deep with the likes of Jacob Bernard-Docker, Lassi thompson, Filip Nordberg and others so it will probably be a few years before we get to see Hamara in a Ottawa uniform. Tomas is a 6 foot defenseman that comes in at 192lbs that plays for the kitchener Rangers in the OHL. He currently has 22gp with 2 goals and 8 assists for 10pts. Tomas Hamara has already impressed scouts on the big stage in the IIHF under 18 world Championships where he led the tournament in assists by a defenseman, picking up 8 assists in 6 games played. Tomas is a great skater that posseses a good two-way game. Hamara is known to walk the line with ease in the offensive zone which opens up passing and shooting lanes. His pivots are known to be crisp and has strong lateral movement. He is also known to be creative in the neutral zone by using his dangles to enter the zone. Hamara is a great passer who can help facilitate easy breakouts as well. Hamara will most likely be a long term project as he will need to work on his consistency as a defender but his tools and transition game are things that made him great value in the 3rd round for the NEFHL Stars. I look forward to watching him grow as a player and hope to see him in a Sens Jersey in the future. Go Stars Go
Dallas Stars	Prospect update #2 : Tristan Luneau	Stars-Sly	2022-12-07 22:46:03	181	Time for a little update on the stars second pick in last years draft..... Tristan Luneau Tristan Luneau has always had lots of promise ever since he was drafted 1st overall in the 2020 QMJHL entry draft and has not disappointed scouts since. Luneau went in the second round ( 53rd overall) to the Anaheim Ducks in 2022 NHL draft. He had the second most points in the QMJHL as a Defenseman for a draft eligible player last season just 4 pts behind the leader ( Jeremy Langlois ). Luneau has a solid 6"2 frame that can probably use abit more muscle,but he hasnt let that hinder his physical play. His hockey IQ is what seperates him from the rest in regards to his defensive game. He's got great gap control and can take away passing lanes. Tristan is off to a great start this season recording 10 goals and 17 assists for 27 pts in 27 games played. His 27 pts rank him 3rd on his team in scoring, 3rd in defenseman league scoring and he is currently sitting in 37th spot in league scoring. Most Scouts see Luneau ending up as a dependable second-pairing defenseman at the NHL level. He can potentially quarterback a power play with his great vision and excellent foot work. His offensive tools are well rounded and posseses a heavy shot. His skating is outstanding which helps him in both ends. It might take a few more years to see Tristan in the NHL but I look forward to watching his progress. Overall, The NEFHL Stars are pleased to have drafed him in the second round and consider him a highly attractive prospect that will definitely without a doubt develop into a NHL regular. Go Stars Go
Dallas Stars	Prospect update #1 : Matthew Savoie	Stars-Sly	2022-12-07 22:06:38	211	Time for a little update on the Stars first pick in last years draft.... Matthew Savoie. So far, throught 23 games for the Winnipeg Ice in the WHL, Savoie has a bit of underwhelming stats. He has put up 12 goals and 17 assists for 29 points , which ranks him 31st in league scoring ( 35pts behind Connor Bedard). I think most people were expecting better numbers after putting up 90 pts in 65 games last year as a 17 year old. Maybe his slower start to the season is the reason he wasnt even invited to hockey Canadas selection camp for the world juniors. I feel like for Savoie to not even be invited is a slap in face.With a player of his skill I am pretty sure he should of at least been invited to prove he can earn a spot on this years world junior team. Matthew is still undersized but he shows tremendous offensive ability despite beiing small. I would say he is probably one of fastest players in the WHL. His edgework and speed helps him burn guys wide entering the zone which helps him to create offensive chances. For a small guy Savoie is able to generate a pretty powerfull shot that is extremly accurate. Once Savoie is able to put on some size I can see him going to the front of the net more often agaist bigger guys to create different ways to score. Despite not being invite to Canadas world junior selection camp I am not one bit worried about the promise of Matthew Savoie. This Snub will probably light a fire under his ass so look for him to hit the scoresheet often for the rest of the WHL season. Go Stars Go!!!!
Columbus Blue Jackets	Jackets Bolster Core	Jackets-Blake	2022-12-03 12:59:02	266	The Jackets came into this season with the understanding that this would be a retool year for them. With a core that didn't look like they could compete along with a deep draft, the Jackets were expected to sink to the bottom. However, the Jackets have once again played to their strength and have been playing as one cohesive unit. Everyone contributes and has responsibilites at both ends of the ice. They are currently only 2 points behind their dvision leader and hold 3 games in hand on them, and 2 points behind 2nd place in the divisionwith 2 games in hand on them. With that in mind the Jackets made the decision to add a couple of upgrades to their core. Upgrade 1 Mackenzie Weegar was brought in by trading Connor Murphy, a 2nd, a 4th and 500k. The Jackets also got Tyler Pitlick in this deal. Weegar is an excellent two-way d-man who already has a pivotal role on the top powerplay and penalty killing units. He has helped take some of the pressure off of Forsling and Pulock and will look to continue to do so. Upgrade 2 Varlamov's ratings were getting lower and lower as the season progressed, and it was hard to imagine he'd keep up the pace in the sim, so the Jacketstraded him, a 3rd and Talyn Boyko for Freddie Andersen. He has elite core ratings and is a definitive upgrade. His DU is cause for concern so his starts will be regulated, but he should be a strong backbone for the Jackets. Upgrade 3 The Jackets offence and powerplay were starting to sputter, so by trading Max Jones, a 4th and 6th and Reese Johnson the Jackets brought in Ryan Hartman. He will be playing top 5v5 minutes and onthe top powerplay as the Jackets look to spark their offence. He shoudl fit nicely on a line with Jack Eichel. All of these trades have 1 thing in common, no big time assets now or in the future were given up. Some solid pieces fo sure, but the Jackets feel that none of them were critical pieces for the club. The best part of all this? Even with all the upgrades the Jackets still have 3 million dollars in cap space that will only continue to grow as the season progresses, so we may see further upgrades to the Blue Jackets core.
Ottawa Senators	Ottawa makes two trades	Sens-Mike	2022-11-30 23:29:40	195	The Ottawa Senators made a pair of moves on Tuesday. Brock Nelson and Justin Holl were sent to the Boston Bruins. In a separate deal, the Senators sent Ryan Hartman to the Columbus Blue Jackets. In total, the deals look like this: Going out:Brock NelsonRyan HartmanJustin Holl Coming in:Max JonesReese JohnsonTyler MyersCole Guttman (AHL)Ruslan Iskhakov (AHL)VAN 2023 Rnd 2VGK 2023 Rnd 3CBJ 2023 Rnd 4CBJ 2023 Rnd 6 Said Ottawa GM Mike McMahon: "These were difficult decisions, but when you take a step back and look at the lay of the land, we simply aren't in a position to contend for a playoff spot this season. The hole we've dug has been too deep. I think we can get good read on the season at the quarter pole, which is about where we are at now. There's no real need to wait for the trade deadline. If we can make a move that we believe will help us in the future, it made sense to explore those opportunities and make those deals." Jones, Johnson, and Myers will immediately report to the main roster. "We like Max Jones a lot. He's still young and has battled some injuries, which has hindered his development a bit, but we do believe he can be a very good top-9 player. He's a little behind the curve because of his injuries but if he can stay healthy we like the track that he's on. "Myers was included for salary purposes. Johnson brings a lot of energy and pace to his game. We believe he'll be a great fit for our room. "The picks are the picks. we'll see what we can do with those in the summer. Cole Guttman had a great year at Denver last year and he's played well to start the year in the AHL. I thought Guttman was the most important piece of that Denver roster last season. "Iskhakov will need AHL seasoning but you can't deny his skill. He's small, so he'll have challenges to overcome there, but if he were 3-4 inches taller he's a first-round level talent."
Seattle Kraken	Kraken making moves	Kraken-Scott	2022-11-30 20:56:20	266	Seattle Kraken general manager Scott Davies isn't messing around. The team's poor performance to start the inaugural season has led to many conversations with his fellow NEFHL general managers in recent days. After making two waiver claims in veteran offensive defenceman Justin Schultz and bottom-six winger Zach Sanford, Davies pulled a trigger today following discussions with GM Alex (Rangers). Davies shipped out two veteran players in forward Nick Cousins and defenceman Nicolas Meloche in exchange for three late round draft picks, including a sixth rounder in 2023. "We felt that we had to change the mix in our locker room a bit and focus on improving in the longer term. We thank both Nick and Nic for their contributions, but change is of the essence here." The Kraken now possess thirteen draft picks in the upcoming deep 2023 NEFHL entry draft, including multiple picks in rounds two, three, four and six. "Our scouts will be busy scouring to find talent to help push the Kraken forward in the future" Davies said. Rumours out of Seattle persist that forwards Victor Olofsson and Ilya Mikheyev are garnering lots of interest around the league. Both players are skilled and on affordable contracts. A new name has popped up in the rumour mill of late in goal scoring winger Reilly Smith. Davies wouldn't comment on those players specifically, instead saying simply that he is "open for business". It's no secret that Davies is hoping to add another 1st round pick in the 2023 draft, but it's unknown at this point whether he will be able to make that happen. The Kraken appear to be in a good position to again pick in the top five of the 2023 draft as things stand presently. It is known that the Kraken do want to ice a better team for 2023-24, so it's unlikely more than one of the aformentioned forwards will be moved out this season. The Kraken do not want to perpetuate a losing culture.
Calgary Flames	Flames Fans Getting Used To Slow Starts	Flames-JD	2022-11-29 12:08:09	234	The Calgary Flames have now played 22 games and sport a 11-10-1 record, good enough for 9th in the West. That includes a stretch where the team had a 9-1 record which was sandwiched by two slumps where the team sported a record of 2-9-1. In previous years, this might've raised a level of panic among Flames fans, asking for the coach to go, a trade to be made. But over the years, the leash has gotten longer. The reason for this, the Flames have developed some consistency in their poor starts. The hockey played after the trade deadline is usually amongst the best in the league as this team has had continuous playoff berths and many trips to the later rounds of the playoffs. Let's take a look back at the first 22 games of previous years. Last year, the team managed a 14-8-0 start to the season. With a final standings record of 55-24-3, that in the final 58 games the team had a record of 41-16-3. That's good for a .733 winning percentage. If you go back to game 17, their record was only 9-8. On game 18 the Flames took off and were the best team in the league for the remainder of the season. In 2020-21, the Flames just squeaked into the playoffs by 2 points. They however made a push to the Stanley Cup finals with momentum that had been building since January. The first 22 games that year were worse than they have been this season with a record of 9-10-3. It took the team 10 games that year to get their 2nd win with a 2-6-2 start to the season. With 42-33-7 record, the final 58 games were much better than the first 22 with the Flames producing a 33-23-4 record and .603 win percentage. In 2019-20, the Flames won their division putting up a 49-30-1-2 record. They'd lose to the 7th seeded Canucks in round 1 with Grubauer turning in a stellar series after a terrible game 1 start. That year the team performed well in comparison with a 14-8 record after 22 games. They did start the season with a 5-6 record but turned it around much quick and followed it up with a 9-2 record in their next 11 game. Their final 58 games saw them go 35-22-1-2 for a .629 win %. In 2018-19, the Flames again finished 2nd overall in the league, behind the Canucks who took the President's trophy and the division title. 49-23-8-2 was the team's final record. They'd go on to the finals that year and lose in game 7 to the 8th seeded Maple Leafs. It took until game 8 that year to get going. After an 0-4-2-1 start to the season, the Flames went 13-6-2-1 in their first 22 games. We have to go back to 2017-18 to find a season where the Flames started with a winning record. That year the team finished with a respectable 99 points 4th seed in the West but were eliminated by the Kings in round 1. Is this just another one of those years? How many games will it take for the wins to start coming with consistency? Can the Flames endure another slump? The GM, the players and the fans are betting that it is.
Minnesota Wild	Under the Radar #3 – Josh Filmon – W	Wild-Peter	2022-11-22 19:14:24	316	NHL Draft: 2022 – round 6, 166 overall – New Jersey Devils NEFHL Draft: 2022 – round 3, 81 overall It seems like Josh Filmon has gone through all the emotions in recent months. He was projected to be a 3rd rounder in the 2022 NHL draft but as names came off the board, his was still there. Round three went by, then round four, then round five, but finally, in round six his name was called. What did Josh and his father have to say about that? "(As it turned out) I was just really happy to go where I ended up," said Filmon, adding that he's felt increasingly more comfortable having now participated in the Devils rookie camp immediately after the draft and then the prospect tournament last month in Buffalo. His father had some advice to give to his son. "It really doesn't matter where you're picked," said Gregg Filmon, after acknowledging his son was disappointed, annoyed even, to slip to the sixth round. Source: https://www.nhl.com/devils/news/josh-filmon-coming-into-his-own--prospect-watch/c-336539464 So why did Josh Filmon fall in the draft? For the same reason as so many others. Size. Filmon is a twig. Draft guides had him at 6’1” and 155lbs. Fast forward just a few months later he’s playing at 6’3” and 165lbs for WHL’s Swift Current Broncos. Still not at the level he needs to be for the NHL. The family says they are all late bloomers physically with some of the men in his family at 6’6”. The height is less of an issue than the weight and strength. But Peter, what makes him under the radar? Short answer: Speed and skill. Despite playing for one of the worst teams last year he still led the team in goals and scored at a higher clip than others drafted well ahead of him. He has speed to burn and can play a decent 2-way game for his age. So much so that the New Jersey Devils invited him to training camp and he impressed. Look at the New Jersey Devils today and the season they are having. Lots of skill, high tempo pace and strong forechecking. Teams that turn the puck over often find themselves down a goal. Filmon was part of that group for a bulk of training camp. A 6th rounder being one of the final cuts just a few months after being drafted on a team surprising many in the hockey world this year is extremely positive. But don’t take it from me. Here’s what people following the team have to say: “Josh Filmon Was an Unexpected Standout” Source: https://thehockeywriters.com/devils-takeaways-2022-buffalo-prospects-challenge/ “Filmon Looking Like A Late-Round Steal” Source: https://thehockeywriters.com/devils-prospect-report-casey-moynihan-nemec/ So far this season in the WHL, Filmon is on pace to destroy his stats from last year and is on pace for 40+ goals playing all situations as a go-to guy. The Broncos are a middling team so they aren’t padding their stats nightly against inferior opponents. https://twitter.com/TheWHL/status/1589076912059478016?s=20&t=zlPdBxUiYNaPcIfqoAajqA He already has some NHL ready skills and the speed required so if he can bulk up between now and training camp 2023-2024, he might get 9 games in the NHL to start off. He wasn’t that far off already this year. The obvious lack of strength is what set him back. Usually a 6th rounder, IF they even get there, takes a few years of development before making the show. This guy had the talent but not the strength to stick with the Devils. If he can bulk up there could be a lot of teams regretting not drafting him earlier than the 6th round. ____________________________ Article: 26/5 'Show me the money' bonus: $5,250,000 / $10,000,000
Seattle Kraken	Kraken prospect update	Kraken-Scott	2022-11-22 17:14:32	289	The Seattle Kraken made it well-known as it joined the NEFHL that they would build its team slowly and surely. Kraken management has to date held true to that modus operandi, accumulating future assets through both the expansion draft and the NHL entry draft. The 2023 NEFHL entry draft will prove to be vital to the future success of the franchise. Currently, the Kraken hold twelve picks in the next entry draft, including three 2nd rounders and three 3rd rounders. As the trade deadline approaches, it's likely that the number of 2023 Kraken picks will increase. Below is a quick update on the Kraken's unsigned prospects: F Cutter Gauthier - 6 goals and 9 points in his first eight NCAA games as a freshman. This power forward appears to be on track. F Reid Schaefer - a gritty goal scorer with 14 goals in his first 16 games with Seattle of the WHL. Schaefer should be on the radar for Canada's world junior team. F Redmond Savage - 4 goals and 8 points in his sophomore season at Miami (Ohio). Savage is more known for his defensive prowess. F Dylan James - has accumulated 7 points in his first 11 games of NCAA play. F Cole Spicer - off to a slow start on an experience Minnesota-Duluth squad with 2 goals and 3 points in 11 games as a freshman. F Brady Stonehouse - on the red hot Ottawa 67's, has scored 11 goals in the first 20 games of his OHL season. F Brennan Ali - 9 points in his first 10 games in the USHL. D Ryan Chesley - off to a slow start offensively at the University of Minnesota, with 2 assists in 14 games. D Otto Salin - a right-shot defenceman with 6 points in 20 games in the finnish elite league. D Filip Nordberg - a defensive d-man with 1 assist in 14 games in the swedish hockey league (SHL). D Ryan Mast - 9 assists in 17 games in his final OHL season for Sarnia. G Tyler Muszelik - Has a 1-3-1 record and 0.860 GAA in his first 5 NCAA games as a freshman at New Hampshire. Gauthier and Schaefer (the Kraken's two top prospects) are off to solid starts and management is excited to see them play against their top peers at the upcoming world junior championships. The future is bright in Seattle.
Minnesota Wild	Under the Radar #2 – Marcus Bjork - D	Wild-Peter	2022-11-21 19:15:43	326	Undrafted in NHL (Signed by Columbus Blue Jackets to a 1 year deal) Undrafted in NEFHL (Signed by Minnesota Wild to a 1 year deal) Marcus who? If you’re asking yourself who this is, you are not alone. Did I know who he was before signing him? Nope. I didn’t even know he was called up until I saw he scored a goal. Which actually was in his debut. The first Blue Jackets defenseman to do that and only 7th player in team history overall to score in their first game. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8PNEsxprFS4 Judging by that shot, he’ll get some games even after players come back from injury in Columbus. He’s also described as a smooth skating and hitting D. He has size at 6’4” 205 lb. So who is this guy? He’s older at 24 (soon to be 25) years and has played a few seasons in Sweden’s SHL. He found a bit of a groove with Brynas at age 23-24 but the fame and riches of the NHL made him cross the pond. Below are his stats from his draft year up until today. What does Bjork have to say? “I want to earn a spot with the NHL team,” Bjork said. “I’m not going to come here and just look around and be happy. I’m here to compete. It’s going to be hard. It’s good players here, but I’m going to put in a lot of hard work and be ready. ” Source: https://www.dispatch.com/story/sports/nhl/columbus-blue-jackets/2022/11/19/marcus-bjork-thrilled-to-be-columbus-blue-jackets-rookie-defenseman/69663144007/ He’s making earning a spot look easy so far. In 5 NHL games he has 1G 2A +1 rating and 7 hits and 8 blocked shots. He keeps that up and he’s a full timer. Injuries or not, 5 NHL career games and already averaging ~19min on the blue line playing all situations while holding up nicely is a surprise nobody expected. On game day lines he's listed as a top pairing D. When players come back from injury it looks like he will settle into a #4/5 role. His play would have to really stagnate or drop off to be sent down. But don’t take it from me. Here’s what the people following the team have to say: “Who can say what the future holds for Bjork. But as we detailed last week, the mounting injuries on the blue line should give players like Bjork ample opportunity to showcase themselves. In what is almost certainly a lost season, that really is a silver lining. Through two games, Bjork has played a simple, solid game. He's been able to shine a spotlight on his offensive traits, and it's hard to argue with a 6'4" right-handed defenseman who can skate.” Source: https://www.1stohiobattery.com/columbus-blue-jackets-analysis/2022/11/7379/defenseman-marcus-bjork-is-making-a-name-for-himself-for-the-columbus-blue-jackets After his 3rd career NHL game he had this to say in a post-game interview. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kECF-gTyaS0 "We're battling hard. We got pucks deep and we started to play a simple game." He already sounds like a veteran NHL player with such a cliche, generic answer. It looks like he’s already earning himself a contract for next year. Both for the black-and-blue jackets and for the Wild. ____________________________ Article: 25/5 'Show me the money' bonus: $5,000,000 / $10,000,000
Minnesota Wild	Under the Radar #1 : Hugo Ollas – G	Wild-Peter	2022-11-19 21:42:34	358	More Minnesota articles. Just what you all wanted, right? In this brief five part series I will roll out over the next days I will take a look at five players in my organization that don’t get any of the hype that an early round drafted player would get, but have developed as well as or even better than some of those guys have. Does it guarantee NHL success? Nope. I’m not psychic. Does it make some of you want to do your own ‘under the radar’ articles? That would be sweet if it does. Does it mean they have any value? Doubtful. Most people wouldn’t know who they are and would refuse any offer with them included because they’re not a recent 1st or 2nd rounder. The players are in no particular order. Just doing the five that I believe have played beyond their draft position or free agent prospect expectation. Under the Radar #1 : Hugo Ollas – G NEFHL: 2021 draft round 7 – 202 overall NHL: 2020 draft round 7 – 197 overall New York Rangers Listed as 6’8” and 238 lb, this 20 year old goaltender is a giant. Beyond the obvious physical traits that make him ideal for the position, Ollas has time and time again proven over the years he is hard to beat. It is very rare for him to have above 2.5 GAA. 2017-2018 for U16 SM is one example. Taking the full year into account and it’s below 2.5. GAA. 1 game with Sweden u20 last year and it was a blowout. While I'd like for his save percentage to be a bit higher, it's hard to argue he's not helping his team win games. Since 2020 he has played in SHL and NCAA. If he was having an under the radar year last year with 18 games played and 2.24GAA and .920 sv% he’s having a breakout year this year so far with 8 games played and 1.64gaa and .930 sv% What do the people covering Ollas have to say? Let’s see what our NEFHL Ottawa Senators two-time stanley cup champion and sports journalist wrote less than 24h ago “Goaltender Hugo Ollas (21 saves) recorded his second straight shutout after he blanked Maine last Friday. The New York Rangers draft pick now has a 1.64 goals-against average and .930 save percentage on the season. Ollas ranks in the top 10 nationally in both categories.” But hey, he’s not the only one. Let’s see what somebody who played in the NHL has to say. Gordon (Gordie) Clark, former Boston Bruins player, and now former Director of Player Personnel for the New York Rangers, got to see Hugo play firsthand before he was drafted. Ollas ended up at Merrimack College after being scouted. Since then, he has been on the fast track to climbing the ranks of the Division 1 college hockey world. “My son was my New England scout and got his name out to college coaches,” said Clark, “he took over the # 1 spot last year.” Source: https://merrimacknewspaper.com/the-merrimack-ranger/ Ollas is a nice piece to let develop for as long as it takes. He is showing real potential. One of the reasons I was able to move another giant in Mads Sogaard for a temporary solution in net like Cam Talbot. There is no rush. Carter Hart is rebounding. Dustin Wolf and Daniil Tarasov are both ahead on the depth chart as well. Sebastian Cossa is years away just like Ollas. ____________________________ Article: 24/5 'Show me the money' bonus: $4,750,000 / $10,000,000
New York Islanders	Islanders GM Manages 1395th Game	Isles-Steve	2022-11-19 19:38:23	208	In somewhat of a departure from a new and oddly repetitive sequence, the New York Islanders will honor their one and only long-time General Manager Steve on Sunday, prior to the nightly simulated matchup against the radicalized Toronto Maple Leafs. Unlike numerous honorariums to imaginary players who do nothing but appear as competitive avatars created by a few highly controversial lines of well-constructed computer code, the Islanders will honor a real actual human being. Beginning in 2005, GM Steve has never missed a SIM and his cumulative strikes can be counted on the fingers of a single hand. Over the course of these long, frustrating 18 years of imaginary hockey, Steve has managed to compete with the best faux general managers that NEFHL has had to offer. Many have come and gone. Many teams are on their 5th and 6th replacements. From Vanny to Kristen, the roadkill just accumulates. It takes a special mentality to endure the constant punishment associated with running a franchise in the New Era Fantasy Hockey League. So with this in mind, when the games kick off on Sunday night, take a moment to pay tribute as Steve sends out his 1395th regular season lineup. In addition, Steve managed to set lines for 13 post season games, albeit has still never drank imaginary champagne from the imaginary Stanley Cup. All these articles honoring players who do absolutely nothing except interact in a computer simulation are clearly intended to elevate the bankrolls of the authors. In reality, Steve has not only managed the Islanders for the entire life of the league, but somewhere in the real world are 1395 empty vodka bottles that have been drained with great thirst and high regard. Good luck this season guys!!
St-Louis Blues	A Return From the Basement - Blues Roster Projection 2023-24 and Beyond - The D	Blues-Graham	2022-11-18 10:38:21	287	As promised here is the 2nd piece of a 3 -4 piece series on the Blues 2023-24 Roster. The only part of the team ready to compete next year will be the Blues Defense. The only reason they aren't ready to compete this year is due to dynamic ratings, which I'm just fine with. This is a defensive core that any NHL team would love to have. Let's start by looking at the anchor. Dougie Hamilton:NHL Norris trophy contender Dougie Hamilton. After a bit of a down year last year with only 30 points in 62 GP, Hamilton is now having a career year with 14points in 16GP. He’s avgering over 20 minutes per game in New Jersey and plays in all situations. He will be a UFA and will likely be the Blues loyalty this off season. Yes, he’ll be expensive, but the Blues will be able to afford him. Next up and Hamilton’s potential defensive partner is: Marcus Pettersson: Like Hamilton, Pettersson is on pace to have a career year at the NHL level. Recently described by Mike Sullivan (Penguins head coach) as the Pens most reliable defensemen, he’s averaging about 21 minutes per game playing on Pittsburgh’s top pairing and has 7 assists through 16GP. He’ll be on the last year of his contract next year paying him 850k per year. Such value! First up on the 2nd paring: Sean Durzi: Like Petterson he is playing over 20 minutes per night and getting all kinds of power play time in LA. Building upon a successful rookie season where he scored 27 points in 64 GP, Durzi already has 9 points in 18gp this year and will be locked up for 3 more years after this one at only 1.15 million. He should reach his peak value starting next year. Just in time for the Blues to start competing again. Slightly behind him on the development curve is Maple Leaf top 4 defenceman: Timothy Liljegren: Like Durzi, Lijegren had his first full NHL season last year scoring 23 points in 61 GP. He started off the season injured but has recently returned and already has 2 goals in 6 GP. With only a 68DF rating this year, Liljgren isn’t quite ready for top 4 minutes, however, assuming he gets close to a full season under his belt this year, that DF rating should at least be respectful. It’s rumored that if the Blues were ready to compete this year, Blues GM Thompson would have challenged that DF rating. The others: As it stands now, the Blues bottom pairing will be made up of Nikita Zaitsev and Jakub Zboril. At the NHL level, Zaitsev has currently been put on waivers and given permission to contact other teams to work out a trade. Unfortuntley with that contract he’s not likely to find many dance partners. In the NEFHL he still has decent ratings and will likely continue to have decent ratings next year as well, if not a little expensive for what he offiers. If the Blues run into cap trouble he’ll be one of the first to go. Zboril on the other hand, is 25 year old former first round pick of the Bruins who hasn’t quite panned out but still seems to be a solid NHL’er. He occasionally seems top 4 minutes but should fit in nicely as a bottom pairing guy. Considering he will be on the final year making only 750k, he should slot in nicely on that last pairing. The Farm:Looking down on the farm Vaakanainen, Alexyev and Juolevi should should provide decent depth /call up options if required. Within the next couple years Kral maybe an option. He got his first 2 NHL games in this year as a 21 year old but it’s clear he wasn’t ready. The Unsigned Prospects:Looking at the unsigned prospects is enough to bring a tear to any GM’s eye. The list is deep and highly promising. Toping the list is current NHLer Brandt Clarke. Only 19, he has #1 D potential at worst top pairing 1st PP. Other potential top pairing guys include Mailoux, Morrow and Casey. They are all 2-3 years away at best. Most likely 3-4. Guys like Drew Helleson currently with the Ducks (but yet to play a game) and Helge Grans are NHL ready and could make their debut anytime. Putting them a little closer to contributing sooner rather than later. Honka is another interesting character that should probably make his NHL Debut next year. Ahac, Duda, Grudinin, and Chayka are all guys who should be NHLers but are not likely to contribute in the NEFHL for 3-4 years at the earliest. As you can see, the D is strong and will be even stronger next year. The pipeline of talent will be there for years to come. Next up will be the Blues goaltending situation.
New York Rangers	"We need guys that wanna be here" - GM Nellis	Rangers-Alex	2022-11-18 01:43:47	225	It has been 2 weeks GM Nellis has been introduced to the NEFHL and after 10 trades, a few waiver pick ups and some buyouts, the Rangers depth chart has already taken on a whole new life. But no moves were more controversial than the 2 trades today , Nellis moved out disgruntled Russians Alexander Barabanov and unsigned RFA Dman Nikolai Knyzhov. "Look, I am not gonna sugar coat this - We don't need guys like that here - I made 2 offers to Knyzhov and both came back with a very negative attitude, the first offer was not enough money, the 2nd offer was too long... So they wanted alot of money for a short amount of time. Does he wanna play hockey or not?... " Nellis continued ... "The negocations were difficult enough, but then the agent (who also just so happens to represent Barabanov) said that he winger did not like playing in New York if his buddy Nikolai didn't.... well ya know what... See ya later" said an obviously annoyed Nellis. Barabanov was sent to LA for a 4th round draft pick in 2024 and Knyzhov was sent to Edmonton for cash considrations. That being said - seems like Nellis has brought in some great role players.Charlie Coyle , Brandon Duhaime and Wade Allison have all been great additions. Nellis continues to collect draft picks and is now with 12 picks in this summers 2023 draft - including 5 in the first 2 rounds.The Rangers are moving fast and should make for an entertaining lead up to the trade deadline. For the New York PostMark Bryan
St-Louis Blues	A Return From the Basement - Blues Roster Projection 2023-24 and Beyond - The Forwards	Blues-Graham	2022-11-17 07:12:58	325	It's been awhile since I've posted any Blues news. Most of my time has been spent doing the U23 articles (still one more left for the Knights). However I think it's time to provide a bit of an update. It's pretty clear the tank is on albliet not very successfully. According to the plan, this is the last year and the hope is to get a top 4 pick and start to compete for the playoffs again next year. I've been analysing my roster and as currently constructed a jump to the playoffs maybe a stretch. With the exception of my defence (more on them in my next article), most of my prospects seem to be a few years from contributing. Lets start with a look at the forwards. There are probably 2-4 potential top 6 talents in that group. McMichael and Krebs and maybe Zadina. Arvidsson is a top 6 talent but considering he's a UFA, there is a good chance he won't be around next year. Both Krebs and McMichael look to need another year or 2 (maybe 3) before becoming top 6 ready. Zadina may never actually get there. Steel, Jost, Balcers, Blais, Lindblom and Jonsson-Fjalby are all NHLers and should provide decent enough bottom 6 support. Lets have a look at the rest of the forwards in the system: At the AHL level, only Tristen Robins (off to a great start by the way) projects as a top 6 talent and Ethan Cardwell is probably more of a 3rd liner if he makes it at all. At best Robins will be an NEFHL contributer in 2 years, if not 3. The rest of thoes guys won't likely contribute or progress beyond fringe NHL'ers. The prospect group looks much more promising - don't they always? The best of the bunch is probably Lysell who will likley make his NHL debut this year. Shane Wright of course is getting a few games in this year but won't have decent ratings for at least 2 years. Others who could contribute to top 6 minutes in the next 2-3 years are Mesar and maybe Rashevsky and Dorofeyev. I'm still wondering about Dorofeyev. He had a great year last year but has been noticeably absent this year. There is some other top 6 talent there such as Khusnutdinov and Klimovich but they are probably 3-4 years off. As you can see, the Blues will be void of any real top 6 talent next year. The only hope is a trade or a top end Free Agent signing. As it stands now, a FA signing is the most likley as the Blues intend to stick to the path of developing thier own talent from within. There will be lots of cap space and a top 6 forward will be number 2 on the FA signing priority list. Stay tuned for the next installment - The defence.
Pittsburgh Penguins	The Kid's Aight	Pens-Brent	2022-11-16 18:19:03	264	A bold statement was made earlier this afternoon when the Buffalo Sabres GM claimed that Jason Robertson was the best young player in the league. Alex Newhook, the pride of Newfoundland, couldn't help but feel otherwise. "Has Fuhr even seen my stats? I am a FHL hero right now," said the young centremen. If it weren't for the play of Newy, the Penguins would certainly be in the basement of the NEFHL. "I'm not very good at math, but after punching it into my phone, I am pretty sure I have close to three times the amount of points that JR has," added the youngster. Newhook's 15 points through the first 17 games has him tied with Vegas Knights stud, Tim Stutzle. Close behind those two is fellow Penguin, Lucas Raymond, who has amassed 14 points in as many games as Newhook. "Our young guys have been instrumental for us this season, especially while dealing with some tough injuries. It is nice to know that we have young talent that can help carry the load now and hopefully in the future. We are hopeful that this trend continues," stated head coach Craig Berube. The Penguins currently have four players on the shelf. Evgeni Malkin is still a long ways away from return after a successful surgery to repair his ruptured spleen. The biggest issue is the hole on the right side of the ice. Miles Wood and Seth Jarvis will be watching from the press box for at least another couple of weeks, with recent call up Kasper Bjorkvist out day-to-day. Goaltender Eric Comrie will be starting his third game in a row tonight. Starter Jordan Binnington is still recovering from fatigue after dropping to 96 two games ago. Hurry the fuck up already. ________________________ Obligatory Articles: 5/5 Bonus Articles: 8/40 = $2,000,000 / $10,000,000
Buffalo Sabres	Sabres to Fire GM?	Sabres-Kevin	2022-11-16 15:19:39	220	Reports out of Buffalo indicate the Sabres GN will be fired by Christmas if the club is currently below .500 The clubs moves have not paid over over the last two years and the club is amongs the worst defensive teams the NEFHL has ever seen… not just that but they can’t even score goals 23rd goals for 27th goals allowed 31st PK The biggest gripe from ownership is Robertson lack of production after GM Fuhr dubbed Robertson the best young player in hockey Jason Robertson 13-5-1-6 (NEFHL) 16-11-14-25 (NHL) (I don't even think Jason Robertson will have 25 points at the half way mark in the NEFHL/.. by then it will be something slike 55 points in real life vs 15 here) The GMs in ability to get anything out of Robertson, certainly points to GM Fuhr being out of touch with todays game GM Kevin Fuhr had these comments “It’s true we’ve had discussions with ownership, they want results.. all this talent was hand picked by me. Science does not care about feelings and if the club is not above .500 by Christmas, it’s best the organization goes in another direction. A lack of success means I don’t know what I’m doing and a new GM should be in place before the deadline, to begin to shift the team in a new image.” The club will begin its fight towards respectability tonight vs the Toronto Maple Leafs who are absolutely crushing the NEFHL... so expectations are not to high things will turn around tonight... it is what it is... Fuhrs days are numbered
Seattle Kraken	Kraken roster and 2023-24 re-rates	Kraken-Scott	2022-11-12 15:27:18	299	Seattle Kraken general manager Scott Davies is having a hard time finding bright spots with how the team's inaugural season is going. It's undoubtedly been a rough introduction to the NEFHL. Through it's first 15 games in franchise history, here are some key numbers which indicate how rough a start it's been for the Seattle franchise: - Record of 4-11-0, or a 0.267 points percentage, worst in the league. - 28 goals for (1.9 per game) and 53 goals against (3.5 per game). - A league-worst -25 goal differential. - An abhorent 1-7-0 record at Climate Pledge Arena. There are certainly no bright spots in any of the data listed above. At some point this season, the Kraken will start having to look more towards the future to give its fanbase hope. The general manager is pleased with the development of some of the team's prospects (more on that next article), but there are a few current Kraken roster players who figure to take a big step in the NEFHL next season: 1. Victor Olofsson - through 14 NHL games, Olofsson has already tallied 9 goals. A resurgent Sabres team should only help his production this season. 2. Alexandar Georgiev - through his first 9 NHL games in an Avalanche uniform, he is 7-1-1 with a 0.924 save percentage. Georgiev figures to take over the #1 goaltending job in Seattle for the foreseeable future. 3. Reilly Smith - if Smith can stay healthy, he may accumulate the most points he's had in an NHL season since 2019-20. Through 15 games, he has 7 goals and 5 assists. 4. Ilya Mikheyev - has 8 points through 11 games with his new squad. 5. Jacob Bryson - Bryson is playing top 4 NHL minutes on the backend, and has already put up 6 points in 14 games. A young defenseman with a bright future. While this season may prove to add many grey hairs to the teams' management, the future does look bright. The next article will focus on how the Kraken's prospects are doing season-to-date.
Minnesota Wild	Näkemiin Donskoi	Wild-Peter	2022-11-11 21:39:44	288	Sooner or later we will all have this happen. Except maybe Kyle and Anthony who seemingly win every trade. But for us normies, sometimes you make moves to push your team despite your better judgment. Sometimes it works out and you look like a genius. Other times you should have listened to your instinct and feel stupid after. This is one of those times. 2021-03-04 Los Angeles Kings trade Joonas Donskoi to Minnesota Wild for NYI 2021 Rnd 2 and LOS 2022 Rnd 3 At the time of the trade Minnesota was in the playoff hunt. Donskoi was scoring in the NHL at a pace he never had before. He had 63 PA, 60 PC, 78 DF, 64 SC. Ratings that would have given a nice punch to my team's 2nd or 3rd line gearing up for the playoffs. Going against the rule of buying high, I took the chance on Donskoi. Even though the leader of the good lads in Los Angeles made it seem like interest was high on Donkoi and wanted to wait before pulling the trigger, I knew nobody would offer a 2+3 and felt confident I'd get him. After some time passed, we finalized the deal. I paid a high price for an average player playing at his peak but I needed the offensive boost. In 24 games playing for Minny that season, Donskoi scored 6 goals and 10 points with an unsustainable 22% shooting percentage. As the team began to crumble down the stretch and limp to the playoffs, Donskoi contributed a whopping 0 points in 6 playoffs games. Having RFA rights, he was re-signed to a 2 year deal at 1.6 million AAV. The 21-22 season was a write-off with Minnesota terrible from beginning to end. He did contribute 19 goals and 42 points in a full 82 game season getting spoonfed lots of minutes as other players were traded away. As his offensive ratings continued to drop below 60, matching his NHL slide in offense, his value dissipated faster than a silent fart in a big room. But the smell lingered. He was demoted to a 4th line role to start the 22-23 season but as the Wild revamped their bottom 6 to include more physical players by signing Archibald and putting a claim on Caggiula, Donskoi didn't belong there either. And at 1.6 million the writing was on the wall. He went through waivers the first time around. But with recent management changes in the big apple, Donskoi had been claimed by the new guy. End result: Donskoi as a member of the Wild had been a failure and the GM learned to trust his instinct just a tad bit more. The two picks traded for Donskoi ended up being: NYI 2021 Rnd 2 = Josh Doan LOS 2022 Rnd 3 was eventually moved again to Florida = Michael Fisher The inspiration for this article came from a recent trade discussion where the asking price on a bottom 6 player gave me similar vibes to the Donskoi trade. You know who you are! ____________________________ Article: 23/5 'Show me the money' bonus: $4,500,000 / $10,000,000
St-Louis Blues	NEFHL U23 Team Rankings - #1 - The Winner	Blues-Graham	2022-11-08 11:34:14	289	Alright folks. This is long over due and not in as much detail as I’d like but we need to end this party at some point.. Otherwise you end up hungover, stoned and incoherent for about 3 days afterwards. Usually with the shits and a headache on top of it. No one wants that.. To call this a close race would be an understatement. I actually went back and forth numerous times and if I wrote this tomorrow or even next week I just may pick the other team. It’s that close. It really just came down to me liking the top two prospects of one team just a touch more than the top two prospects of the other team. In fact, to boil it down even further, it probably comes down to one teams number 2 prospect who’d I’d probably rate as my top prospect in the two prospect pools combined. Enough on that.. The winner of the best prospect pool in the NEFHL is……………….. Drum roll………………….. The Minnesota Wild. Trevor Zegras (who I can’t stand and who I hope gets absolutely pounded by someone), Brady Tkachuk, Logan Cooley (off to a slow start) and Lukas Reichel are a top for to make any team jealous. On top of that and another reason in favor of them over the Knights, they are all forwards. The hardest commodity to come by in the NEFHL. On top of those 4 the next guy up is 21 year old NHL’er Dylan Holloway. He’s not exactly tearing it up for the Oil (he’s being spoon fed 4th line minutes), but he’s playing NHL games and projects as a top 6 forward. No one is as deep in nets as the Knights in net but the Wild with Wolf and Cossa are about as close as it gets. Wolf is slightly undersized at 6’ but has tore up every level he’s every played at including last year at the AHL level where he won goaltender of the year. Cossa is highly regarded even if he’s been regulated to the ECHL to get some consistent playing time. He was selected 15th overall last year in the NHL, was a WHL first team allstar and won a gold medal with the Canadian World Jr team. Also worth keeping your eye on are defencemen Ryan Johnson (162 on Pronmans list) and 2020 draft pick Theodor Niederbach. Rank- PLAYER-POS 3-Trevor Zegras-C 5-Brady Tkachuk-LW 17-Logan Cooley-C 28-Lukas Reichel-LW 88-Dylan Holloway-C 101-Dustin Wolf-G 162-Ryan Johnson-D 165-Sebastian Cossa-G
New York Rangers	NY Rangers Introduce new GM - Changes coming to Broadway	Rangers-Alex	2022-11-06 17:03:01	221	The first change of many has finally been announced by the New York Rangers organization.Long time General Manager Alex Nellis was introduced and he was excited to say the least. "To be offered an original 6 team in this league is something I do not take lightly" GM Nellis said during his presser. He continued..."It is no surprise - changes are needed here - many changes, but I am looking forward to the challenge" "I have already met the players - they are aware that I will be changing the roster and moving from NYC will be a reality for most". Nellis is known for making numerous moves which is a welcomed change to the club.The past leadership group went somewhat quiet lately and this had an impact on the on ice performance with a 5-7 start to the season. The Rangers are against the cap and seem to be missing top tier talent. Nellis has numerous draft picks to work with but rumours are , Nellis is out to get as many 2023 and 2024 draft picks as possible. When asked what is the most exciting thing about moving to NYC , Nellis smiled "Being a huge 90's music fan. I get to be in the hometown of bands who still put out great records to this day such as the Spin Doctors and Blues Traveler. Can't wait to go see some shows in the clubs". Hopefully Nellis has a pocket full of kryptonite - he will need it. For the New York PostChris Barron
Minnesota Wild	History lesson: Each team's 2nd round picks 2010-2021	Wild-Peter	2022-11-05 17:36:44	324	Took me a while to get this done, but still got it done faster than Graham and his #1 prospect pool article! I wouldn't expect an article for 3rd rounders for a while if I even get to that at all... I started with 2010 in this one because 12-13 seasons to make a name for yourself is more than enough time for these players drafted. Also it was very time consuming to check up a majority of these names one by one to see if they are still signed to an NHL/AHL deal and minimum NHL games played. The Green background means they have played minimum required NHL games divided into the following categories. 2010-2014 : 1 complete season 82 games Chart shows 2011-2014 in error 2015-2017: 40+ NHL games played 2018-2019: 10+ NHL games played 2020-2021: Minimum 1 NHL game played The Strikethrough means they are not under NHL/AHL contract for 2022-2023. They are either retired, in Europe, or unrestricted free agents. 2018 onward there is no more strikethrough as the rights belong to the NHL organizations and the player may be in College/Europe Atlanta Thrashers draft picks are listed as Winnipeg Jets. We apologize once more for the lack of Vegas Golden Knights and Seattle Kraken. We take full responsibility for the hurt caused by the lack of inclusion. Nobody should have to suffer like this. Kuznetzov was easily the best pick for 2nd round in 2010 Kucherov was the best pick in the 2nd round 2011. LA Kings had a great 2nd round (Danault + Pageau) Stephenson is likely the most valuable player today to come out of the 2nd round 2012. 2013 2nd round had a few quality NHLers! Point looks like the best pick from 2014 2nd round Kaprizov and Hintz are miles ahead of the pack from 2015 2nd round. A few are still establishing themselves from the 2016 2nd round. Fox is likely the most valuable. 2017 onward is getting harder to judge. Texier could have been the best today had he not gone back to Europe. 2018 - 2021 is still kinda early to tell. ____________________________ Article: 22/5 'Show me the money' bonus: $4,250,000 / $10,000,000
Columbus Blue Jackets	Eichel Leading the Way	Jackets-Blake	2022-11-04 16:44:22	292	The Blue Jackets looked like a squad that would be taking a huge step back this year. Trading away a key defenceman like Edmundson early on is never a promising sign for a teams win column. However, the Blue Jackets are doing fairly alright early on with a 6-5-0 record and have a positive goals differential. A big reason for this is likely Jack Eichel's contributions early on as he showcases why the Jackets traded for him last offseason and showing that he can be the franchise centrepiece that they need. Eichel currently has 5 goals and 6 assists in 11 games for a ppg statline. With his recent linemates primarily being Adam Erne and Nick Ritchie, this is quite impressive. His +/- stat isn't great, but +/- is a very meh stat and the Jackets aren't too concerned with that. He is showcasing that he can be that long term, elite 1C that every team always craves to have, but struggle to find sometimes. With Eichels skill, speed, and size, he has the perfect combination of attributes to be a force in the offensive zone. Despite Eichel's contributions, it is highly unlikely the Jackets make the playoffs this season with rumors circulating around players such as Anders Lee being potentially moved. However, this doesn't mean the Jackets don't have good pieces for the future on their roster. Eichel of course highlights the roster, but Dylan Strome looks like he is a good top 6 contributor who can bounce between the 1st and 2nd lines. Nick Ritchie is finding that juicy powerforward goal scoring touch. Gustav Forsling is getting top end minutes and performing well. Samuelsson looks like a great shutdown d-man. The Jackets will be looking to add to their prospect pool in the upcoming 2023 draft, which is super deep, and hopefully they can find another great piece to add to their roster.
Boston Bruins	Bruins Winning but its Early	Bruins-Chris	2022-11-03 14:46:54	217	Reclaiming the Bruins I looked deep into the roster and knew they were not going to compete for a high lottery pick. But I didn't think they would be able compete consistently. It is early still but with a nearly 600 winning percentage, the Bruins are definitly overplaying their roster. Part of that might be the fact the Bruins have been slow to deal talent. It's not from a lack of trying. I've had some decent talent available but teams are still trying to sort out where they sit this season and cap space as always is at a premium. Once teams start banking some cap and the contender and pretenders get sorted out, the trades will start rolling in. But where will the Bruins be by then? Can the Bruins keep winning games and end up chasing a playoff spot? Why not, we have seen underdog teams make runs and will potential cap space, there is definitly the chance the Bruins could add some talent as the season winds on. But that will depend on how the team plays from now until Christmas break. Other muisings as I look around the NEFHL, the Rangers are now GMless. Kris disapeared like a silent fart and the Rangers await a new GM. The Wild keep winning with a ton of injuries which speaks to their depth, well done. Preds and Leafs winning are not a big suprise but how well they are doing is definitly a big story so far. Caps and Kings look to be competative again while the Nucks, Hawks and Bolts suprise no one being at the top of standings. Disappointing starts from Flyers, Flames, Stars and Oilers have to be concerning to the respective GMs but its still early so too soon to pull the chute. The rest of the Bruins schedule this month will definitly determine whether we are buyers or sellers: 6 Boston at Toronto -- 7 St-Louis at Boston -- 9 Calgary at Boston -- 10 Boston at Buffalo -- 13 Vancouver at Boston -- 15 Philadelphia at Boston -- 16 Chicago at Boston -- 20 Boston at Tampa Bay -- 21 Boston at Florida -- 22 Carolina at Boston -- 28 Tampa Bay at Boston --
Ottawa Senators	Ottawa dealing with run of early injuries	Sens-Mike	2022-11-02 17:37:44	217	OTTAWA — "I've never experienced anything like this." That's how Ottawa GM Mike McMahon has summed up the Senators first three weeks of the season, as the injuries have piled up on the Sens early. The Senators are currently down four players, and that's with Gustav Nyquist returning to the lineup tonight after missing time with an injury of his own. Ottawa's No. 1 center, Brock Nelson, is out for at least three weeks. With Nelson out, Anton Lundell moved up to the first line and Colin White moved up to the second. In White's first game with his new unit, he went down with an injury. In addition, top winger Taylor Hall? Yeah, he's hurt too. So is Austin Watson, who doesn't have a big scoring punch but packs a lot of defense and intensity and had been playing well for Ottawa to start the year. "It's really hard when you lose your top two forwards for long stretches," McMahon. "But, we've also had a tough schedule. Seven of our nine games have come against teams who are ranked 1-16 currently. So we're playing top teams, and we're playing them shorthanded. Right now it's about survival. We're just trying to survive out there and piece together a lineup day to day. Scott Reedy and Tyler Madden are both up from the AHL playing center along with Oskar Steen. James Neal is up from the AHL to play on the wing. "We have three centers in our lineup tonight who started the year in the AHL," McMahon said. "That's crazy, but it's our situation. "Scott Reedy was playing in the AHL three days ago, and he's going to center our second line tonight and play on the power play."
Seattle Kraken	Kraken sinking fast	Kraken-Scott	2022-11-02 13:11:40	268	The expansion franchise Seattle Kraken started the season with a very respectable 3-3-0 record through its first six games in franchise history. Unfortunately, respectable is not a word to use with respect to the team's play over its last five games. With a 6-2 loss to the Calgary Flames on Tuesday night, the team has now lost five games in a row and now sits at a paltry 3-8-0. Head Coach Rick Tocchet is not pleased, to say the least: "Our last win came on October 20th vs Colorado in which we played a spirited game. Since then, we've lost to Chicago, Buffalo, Vancouver, Pittsburgh and now Calgary. Our effort and determination has been lacking these past few games. I don't know if these guys are just getting too comfortable being at the professional level, but the lack of effort is unacceptable. We're going to have to make some changes and take away playing time from certain guys to hopefully get them going. We're not good enough or talented enough to not outwork the other team." Some horrifying stats season to date: - #1 veteran centre Brian Boyle is a putrid -10 through his first 11 games. - Similarily, top wingers Connor Sheary and Victor Olofsson are -8 and -7 respectively on the year. - Veteran defencemen Nate Schmidt and Jake McCabe are also on the Masters Leaderboard at -9 and -8. - The squad has only scored 21 goals through 11 games (fewer than 2.0 goals per game). - Seattle has a league-worst negative 17 goal differential through eleven games. - Starting netminder Braden Holtby has seen his save percentage dip to an awful 0.883. Next up for the Kraken are the Minnesota Wild on Wednesday night. The coach and GM are expecting a better effort from the team. If results don't start to change, it may be time for the GM to start shipping out a player or two to shake things up. Sources say that interest remains high in two Kraken forwards - Victor Olofsson and Ilya Mikheyev.
New York Islanders	The State of the Islanders Rebuild	Isles-Steve	2022-11-01 16:30:46	263	Today is formally designated as a New York Islander post-Halloween treat day. Not only will the league endure a game day review when the Islanders face off against the league-leading Chicago Blackhawks but today is the day we report on the status of the New York Islanders 2022 rebuild. A handful of trades have changed the franchise from a middling path to an organization 1000% focused on the future chemistry and inevitable glory. To date, the Isles have made six (6) trades that have remade the roster with youth, talent, futures, financial freedom and giving the fans an opportunity to appreciate the growth of young professionals. Beginning February 7, Jonathan Huberdeau was sent west to Calgary for the return of Mark Scheifele, Nils Hoglander, William Wallinder and Danila Zhuravlyov. Most readers will know about 22 year old winger Hoglander (2019 1st round Blues pick) and 20 year old elite defensive prospect Wallinder (2020 1st round Flames pick). 5th round pick defenseman Zhuravlyov finally made it across from Russia to show his potential at the NHL Avalanche training camp this summer. Just 14 days later, Mark Scheifele packed his bags again and was sent off to the city of brotherly love for a jumbo package in return. The deal brought in 6 new faces. Brandon Saad, David Perron, Gabriel Vilardi (4th overall pick in 2017 by the Flyers), Martin Chromiak (2nd Rounder Flyers pick in 2020), Noel Gunler (Jets 1st round pick in 2020) and Yegor Afanasyev (Flames 1st round pick in 2019). Saad was an Islander for exactly 24 hours before being shipped off to the Maple Leafs for Josef Korenar and Olivier Nadeau (Leafs 3rd round pick in 2021). Perron lasted slightly longer than Saad. Korenar was a late round Leaf goalie pick in 2016 who saw some NHL action last season. On March 13, the front office sent both David Perron and Alex Pietrangelo to Chicago for Jaden Schwartz, Cross Hanas (Chicago 3rd round pick in 2020) and two draft picks that became winger Viktor Neuchev and undrafted 6’4” Russian defenseman Daniil Ivanov. Ivanov was ranked highly in the pre-draft projections but was still on the floor when the draft concluded. A few months went by but as the summer ended, the team decided, with great sorrow, to move Ilya Sorokin in a deal that was impossible to ignore. The Islanders shipped Sorokin, Jaden Schwartz and two former 2nd round kids (Mitch VandeSompel and Ryan MacInnis) to Colorado in exchange for Dylan Garand, Linus Ullmark, Jonatan Bergren (Caps 1st round pick in 2018) and two first round picks in the upcoming 2023 draft. Garand led Team Canada to a gold medal and an undefeated record at the 2022 WJC with a 1.98 GAA. He followed that up by being named Canadian Hockey League (CHL) Goaltender of the Year while playing for the Kamloops Blazers of the Western Hockey League (WHL). Ullmark has been lights out in the NHL this season for the Bruins. NHL hockey sources in Detroit say Berggren will be among the first call-ups this season. Finally, after resigning David Perron, the team decided to pay the fine and traded him a second time, this time garnering Florida’s 2023 1st round pick in the upcoming rich draft. So… after all was said and done, here’s the Full Monty in a nutshell: The team sent out Jonathan Huberdeau Alex Pietrangelo Ilya Sorokin The return was, in no particular order Nils Hoglander (1st) William Wallinder (1st) Danila Zhuravlyov (5th Round) Gabriel Vilardi (4th Overall) Martin Chromiak (2nd) Noel Gunler (1st) Yegor Afanasyev (1st) Josef Korenar (8th Round Goalie) Olivier Nadeau (3rd) Cross Hanas (3rd) Viktor Neuchev (2nd) Daniil Ivanov (Undrafted) Dylan Garand (4th) Jonatan Berggren (1st) Linus Ullmark COL 1st (2023) CHI 1st (2023) FLA 1st (2023) All in all, management is extremely pleased as the project progresses. Ullmark is reportedly available for those in need of a high-performing #1 goalie.
New York Islanders	Isles Broken Toes Fall to Canes	Isles-Steve	2022-10-28 13:54:44	288	Michael Stone's New York Islander heroics were not enough to achieve victory in Thursday evening's contest between the undefeated, league leading Carolina Hurricanes and the struggling Islanders who fell to a 3-3-2 record. Adding injury to insult were 3 broken toes in this one game. After falling behind 2-1 in the first period, Stone beat Vanecek twice. The first goal was an unusual game-tying shorthanded goal by a defenseman while Josh Mahura was serving an elbowing minor. Stone beat Vitek Vanecek to the short side when the netminder slid out of position. He was gifted the opportunity when Nicklas Backstrom corralled the puck during a poor line change by the Hurricanes' top power play unit. Backstrom led Beauvillier who found Stone all alone at center ice. After the Hurricanes regained the lead on a Vrana tally, Stone scored his second goal of the game at the 7 minute mark of the third period when he blasted a puck over the shoulder of a crouched Vanecek. The game remained tied through overtime but the Islanders fell in the ensuing shootout when Backstrom, Galchenyuk and Bozak were all stopped while Logan Couture beat Linus Ullmark with the game winning shootout goal. Also in the results were the 3 Islander injuries. Brett Connolly, Ian Cole and Janne Kuokkanen were all hurt in the game. Oddly, all three sustained similar injuries with broken toes. Kuokkanen and Connolly are slated as day to day while Cole is expected to miss at least a full week and possibly two. Next up for the Islanders will be Sunday night when they host the are the Colorado Avalanche. The Avs are formidable afdter destroying the 4-3 New Jersey Devils on Thursday.
Minnesota Wild	Minnesota mild becomes WILD	Wild-Peter	2022-10-27 16:48:22	339	The GM was not kidding around when he said he wouldn't tolerate another terrible start to the season after a dismal pre-season. Defense was modified and Lauzon and Kulikov were brought in before the start of the regular season. Players took notice of that. The team is currently having their best start in years and sit at the top of the league with a 6-1-0 record in 7 games. There is no expectation to remain at the top of the league but the playoffs are definately the target. Recent addition Kulikov is averaging 21 minutes a night and has 2G 5P in 7 games and is a +5. He is the team's MVP so far. Rumor is he hasn't said a word in the locker room yet trying not to step on anybody's toes. Lauzon has been a physical presence and defensive contributor with a +2 rating in the few games he has played. He is an offensive black hole but scoring is not his job. His 14 hits in 4 games makes him dangerous when other teams enter the zone. Coghlan was claimed but wasn't able to stay with the team as he was claimed by San Jose shortly after. Colin Miller, a respectable 2nd pair Dman or 3rd pair on a stronger team, has been sitting out as the 7th D. The team is looking to trade him for a simple pick. Unfortunately there are a lot of sleeping GMs at the moment. Earlier today the team announced they are placing Joonas Donskoi on waivers. His salary being the biggest reason why. He will be replaced by Drake Caggiula. Caggiula doesn't bring anywhere close to the shootout ability Donskoi is recognized for but the combination of IT, SP, DF at half the salary of Donskoi makes him a great 4th line option and adds more physicality to the bottom 6. There are a lot of positives this early into the season. Hopefully the team isn't peaking early. Hopefully no crash is ahead. But for now, sponsors are heading back to the team. The team is no longer on FOX Sports and will be part of Comcast Sportsnet. Reebok is back in the fold. Busch beer remains with the team but hopefully the drinking will not be to drown away the sorrows this year. There are rumors that Gatorade is in talks for the season. Nothing official yet but word should come out in a few days. ____________________________ Article: 21/5 'Show me the money' bonus: $4,000,000 / $10,000,000
Pittsburgh Penguins	Penguins Fans in Dismay after Horrid Start	Pens-Brent	2022-10-27 13:02:00	294	The Pittsburgh Penguins faithful have begun to turn against their team after what has been an horrendous start to the season. The Pens are 2-5-0 to start a season that was intended to be their turn around year. With the additions of Alexander Ovechkin and Jordan Binnington this past off season, hockey pundits anticipated Pittsburgh's assention towards the top of the league standings. Here we are, almost 10% of the way through the 2022/23 season, and the flightless birds find themselves grounded and in the basement of the NEFHL. "It's safe to say that we are frusterated with our performance so far. We believe in this group and know that they are capable of playing better hockey than we have seen so far," said head coach Craig Berube. The Penguins took a massive blow to their player personel when assistant captain, Evgeni Malkin, fell ackwardly into the boards causing a ruptured spleen. "There's nothing new to report on Geno. He is going to be out for an extended period of time and could be back towards the end of the season," added the coach. Things have gotten so bad in Pittsburgh that many of the team's corporate sponsers have begun to renag on their endorsement of the team. Those close to the team have suggested that NBCSN, Reebok, Busch, Geico, Enterprise, Ticket Master, Coca-Cola, and Toyota are looking towards pulling the plug. "We are not looking to push the panic button yet as there is lots of hockey left to be played, but this trend is definitely concerning," Berube stated. The Penguins have steep hill to climb if they hope to make it to the post-season this year. They better act quickly, as that hill could possibly turn into a mountain very soon. ________________________ Obligatory Articles: 5/5 Bonus Articles: 7/40 = $1,750,000 / $10,000,000
New York Islanders	Isles Squeak Past Rangers at UBS	Isles-Steve	2022-10-27 03:14:10	284	In an unexpected turn of events, the depleted New York Islanders lineup executed a surprising late game victory over their crosstown rival New York Rangers despite being outshot 29-23. The first tally was a slick backhand from Anthony Beauvillier off a Frederick Andersen rebound after an attempted stuff shot by Janne Kuokkanen. The primary assist was credited to 35 year old veteran Nicklas Backstrom who fed Kuokkanen in the slot. This was Beauvillier's fourth goal of the young season. Exactly one minute later, Alex Galchenyuk banged in a rebound after a hard slapshot by Oliver Wahlstrom. Underappreciated Nils Hoglander led the forwards into the offensive zone with a pass to himself that came off the boards and conveniently found his stick. His cross ice pass to Wahlstrom left the Rangers shaking their heads after former first rounder Galchenyuk lifted the puck over Andersen's left shoulder. After potting the two goals in the first four minutes, the Isles played keep-away defense for the remainder of the game. The Rangers made things interesting with a 2nd period tally by Alex Biega. Biega's slapshot from the point eluded Linus Ullmark in the 5th minute of the second period. This was followed with 7 minutes remaining when right wing Cam Atkinson bounced a puck past Ullmark on a power play with Seth Jones serving a cross-checking minor. Then, just 2 minutes later, young defenseman Josh Mahura broke the tie with less than 5 minutes to go on the clock when Johan Larsson back-passed to the blueline. The 3-2 final score was a welcome ending for jubilant Islander fans at UBS Arena in Elmont.
Seattle Kraken	Kraken Update	Kraken-Scott	2022-10-26 12:44:26	273	The Seattle Kraken are quickly realizing that they are an expansion team. The Kraken have lost their last two games, and were humiliated on Tuesday in a 7-1 loss versus the Buffalo Sabres. The squad now sits at 3-5-0 in their inaugural NEFHL season. Head coach Rick Tocchet is not disappointed with the team's start, however. "The effort has been there most nights. We're a relatively young team who will go through some ups and downs through the season. We will have to rely on our veteran leadership group (Voracek, Smith, McCabe) to get us through some of the tough nights. At the end of the day, as long as the effort is there, we'll be fine." There have been a few bright spots for the Kraken so far this season: - Diminutive free agent signing Conor Sheary leads the team with 4 goals (and 5 points) through the first 8 games of the season; - Young defenceman Zach Whitecloud leads the backend in both ice time per game (24.2) and points (3). Whitecloud has an even +/- rating on the season. - Backup goalie Alexandar Georgiev to date has a 0.911 save percentage in his three appearances. The most glaring negative statistic for the team is its -10 goal differential through eight games. Coach Tocchet and his staff are certainly looking at ways to reduce goals against. Some positive news from the prospect front...Kraken 2nd round pick forward Reid Schaefer is off to a tremendous start in his WHL season, scoring 10 goals (and 12 points) in his first 7 games. There is hope that Schaefer can crack the mighty Canada WJC squad over the next few months. Top Kraken centre prospect Cutter Gauthier made his long-awaited season debut with Boston College in the NCAA. Through two games, freshman Gauthier has potted two goals and added an assist for the Golden Eagles.
New York Islanders	The Value of Endorsements	Isles-Steve	2022-10-25 20:57:40	342	Good day gentlemen! This whole finances thing has gotten a bit strange lately. Consider that quite a few of the endorsements are no longer tied to attendance numbers but are instead tied to financial results. This change seems to have occurred in the NEFHL shadows (at least from my perspective) and the resulting value of endorsements has been significantly diminished. With the New York Islanders in flat out rebuild mode, the starting roster has been accordingly gutted, and it seemed only fair to lower ticket prices proportionately for our loyal fans. Unfortunately, this has turned out to be not such a good idea since there are no longer any endorsement benefits to management when the arena is filled at a fair price. In fact, since articles are materially compensated, one could make an argument that the financial balance for league activity has been compromised. Why should anyone care about the endorsements when they can pick up millions for publishing a few words each game day? Is it worth struggling with attendance and finances when a few articles will earn much more than filling the arena seats? Consequently, you can all look forward to a flood of published articles by this former Elmer Ferguson Award winner. As each day goes by, this GM will not be worried about endorsements tied to financial performance since the article route is both more lucrative and, frankly, more fun (for me at least). And these are the twelve words that will fatten the Isles bankroll.
Toronto Maple Leafs	Leafs Win Home Opener	Leafs-Shane	2022-10-14 17:13:35	204	In what was a true team effort, the Buds get their first win of the season in the home opener. The best part is, the win comes against the defending cup champs in Washington. The scoring started early and went all game long in a 6-3 drubbing. Jonathan Marchesault opened the scoring early int he first period and Olivier Kylington finished the scoring in the thitd period while also added an assist on his big game. Victor Hedman had a monster game with a goal and an assist combined with a plus 2 rating. Tj Oshie has one of the most influencial games. He notched his first goal as a Leafs after signing a 3 year deal with the Leafs in the summer. Not only did he score, he had 12 penalty minutes, 6 shots of net and 2 hits. This all in seventeen minutes of ice time. Goalie John Gibson got his first win of the year and first as a Leaf stopping 31 of 34 shots. Newly aquired Anze Kopitar also pitched in with an assist and 3 shots on goal. Another newcomber Robby Fabbri had an assist to go with 4 shots on net and 2 hits with a plus 1 rating. Next up for the Leafs in the battle of Ontario sunday night in Ottawa. Expect goalie Martin Jones to get his first taste of action with the club. It is widely expected that theor will be no lineup changes over the course of the season immediatley following a win. Look forward to reporting throughout the season after each game with game notes.
Seattle Kraken	KRAKEN WIN!!!	Kraken-Scott	2022-10-14 13:25:28	322	The Kraken didn't have to wait too long for its first victory in franchise history. In its second ever game, the Kraken defeated the Los Angeles Kings 4-3 in a shootout on Thursday night. The GM, coach and all the players were absolutely elated in the dressing room after the game. Much of the victory goes to starting netminder Braden Holtby, who stopped 29/32 shots during the game and all three Kings shootout attempts (including from stars McDavid and Zibanejad). "Holtby has been really good to start the season, and I'm glad we could get him a win" head coach Tocchet said after the game. "From day one, he came into training camp with a great attitude and wanted to be a leader on this young team. He's worked his ass off and we're glad that the boys were able to put a strong effort in front of him tonight." Reilly Smith scored the only goal of the shootout for the Kraken. Nick Cousins, Jake Voracek and Zach Whitecloud all scored their first goals of the season in regulation time. The Kraken played a very disciplined game as well, only taking two minor penalties during the game. Due to injuries sustained in the season opener, both John Leonard and Jacob Bryson made their Kraken regular season debuts last night and both were even players on the night. In addition to scoring a goal, Zach Whitecloud led the team with five shots on goal and was named the game's 2nd star. He's a key piece to the Kraken's future moving forward. The Kraken now return to Seattle for their home opener next week versus the Vegas Golden Knights. Should be a blast!
Vegas Golden Knights	Dominance Continues	Knights-Derek	2022-10-14 01:52:26	219	The Las Vegas Golden Knights’ dominance of the pathetic Los Angeles Kings continues. After repeatedly destroying them last season, owning the season series after a dramatic finale, Vegas continued to expose the Kings’ true colours. As everyone who has been paying attention can attest, it was widely demonstrated that the Kings do not belong among the best in the league, and there are no trophies awarded for not winning the Stanley Cup. Vegas outshot the Kings 28 - 25, and scored on 40% of their powerplay chances. The woeful Kings? They went scoreless on their seven chances, further justifying their label of overachieving failures. The Golden Knights fought back from three one-goal deficits to force overtime, where they claimed victory against the (former) Kings. Jack Hughes tied the scoring in the shootout, and Rocco Grimaldi scored the nail in the seventh round. Spencer Knight made his rookie debut (in relief), after Pavel Francouz went down with a foot injury in the second. Spencer stopped 14 of 15 shots, and six of seven in the shootout, earning his first (of many) career victories. Not to be outshone in his debut, another Golden Knights rookie, third-overall pick Tim Stutzle scored a primary assist on the game’s fourth goal, a powerplay snipe to knot the game up at two at the end of the second period. The only concern for the Knights was that their top (forward) line was a combined -5, as was their top defense pairing of Rasmus Ristolainen and Justin Faulk. It’s definitely something their management will be keeping an eye on. ________________________________________________________________________________________ Imagine spending every minute of the NEFHL entry draft writing articles non-stop, from beginning to end. Is 7 hours a reasonable amount of time? 8 hours? Seems like the last draft started at 9 pm, ended at 11, then continued the next day at 10 am and ended around 4 pm. Eight hours. Doubling the amount of time, that’s 16 hours, which is about 960 minutes. Divide that amount of time over 82 games, and you get approximately 12 minutes. 12 minutes per article, multiplied by 82 articles, is almost 1,000 minutes, which is more time than all teams spend drafting. That’s the limit I’ll spend for every article I write this year.
Minnesota Wild	Minnesota Ready for Another Season	Wild-Peter	2022-10-13 14:51:03	338	In the past week Minnesota added Jeremy Lauzon via trade with the Islanders. Then the team acquired Dmitry Kulikov on a 2 year deal via free agency. More recently, Dylan Coghlan was claimed from waivers and waived again to see if he makes it to the farm team. The plan is to bury him there the entire season and see if he develops into a useable depth player for next year. But the additions to the blue line make it a little bit crowded. According to some sources, GM Peter might be making a move to address this sooner rather than later. Josh Morrissey - Filip Hronek Ryan Graves - Dmitry Kulikov Duncan Keith - Jeremy Lauzon Colin Miller - Kale Clague On the farm there is Kevin Connaughton and Jake Christiansen who can both fill in for injuries but won't be wowing you. The GM was seen heading to the rink, still under repair from the summer riots peaceful protests, and had this to say. "We bolstered our blueline rapidly after the disaster of preseason. We do not want to be out of the mix before Christmas like last year. We don't want to miss the playoffs again. I feel our roster is a playoff team and I'm excited to see the season started" The Wild/mild/whatever who cares open the season against the New York Rangers. Will they be the second team to lose to a new GM in the big apple? Will the team bounce back from an awful preseason which was a continuation of an awful 2021-2022 season which was a continuation of an awful late season collapse in 2020-2021? Will the coach get fired if they don't bounce back? The GM? Trevor Zegras gets his first nefhl season game 3rd line will be a traditional checking line to start the season. Archibald, Kulikov, Lauzon, Talbot all get their first games with Minnesota. Projected Lineup for the opener Tkachuk - Hintz - Pettersson Bailey - Zegras - DeBrusk Kunin - Pageau - Archibald Donskoi - Evans - Labanc Josh Morrissey - Filip Hronek Ryan Graves - Dmitry Kulikov Duncan Keith - Jeremy Lauzon Talbot ____________________________ Article: 20/5 'Show me the money' bonus: $3,750,000 / $10,000,000
Seattle Kraken	Kraken fight hard but lose 1st game	Kraken-Scott	2022-10-13 14:14:40	309	History was made on Wednesday night, with the Kraken playing their first game in franchise history versus the Ducks. Unfortunately, the result wasn't what the Kraken faithful were hoping for, as the squad fell to the Ducks 3-2 in regulation time. Head Coach Rick Tocchet was generally pleased with the team's opening effort of the season. "We're pleased with the boys effort tonight for sure" Tocchet said. "Overall, I think both teams played hard and the game was relatively even, with shots on goal being 34 each. We're just not a team at the moment that has a lot of natural goal scoring ability. Our goals will be created by hard work and by crashing the net...and I thought for the most part we did a good job at that tonight." Centreman Brian Boyle will be an answer to a trivia question for years to come, as he scored the first (and second) goal in Kraken history. His first goal was on the powerplay, assisted by veterans Jake Voracek and Jake McCabe. The Kraken led the game at both 1-0 and 2-1 but couldn't sustain either lead. Starting goaltender Braden Holtby made 31/34 saves between the pipes and was strong througout the game. A couple of other quick game notes from the Kraken side: - Nathan Bastian was injured 1:33 into the game after a dirty hit from Quinn Hughes (who was ejected from the game for the hit). - Defenseman Nick Holden was also injured in the first period after an even dirtier play from Alexander Romanov (who was suspended 3 games for the altercation) - Jake McCabe had 2 assists in his Kraken debut. - Nicolas Meloche's undisciplined play from the preseason carried over into his first Kraken outing. Looking forward to the first Kraken win in franchise history!
St-Louis Blues	NEFHL U23 Team Rankings - #3	Blues-Graham	2022-10-12 07:34:44	318	These last 3 prospect pools are stacked and definitely in a league of their own when it comes to both quality and depth. Lets get it going with the next team in line. #3 - The Pittsburgh Penguins Wow what a prospect pool. I love the forward depth. It's also worth noting, Pittsburgh had the most players of any other team on Pronmans list with 11. Looking at Pittsburg they have a least 4 if not 5 tier one prospects. Prospects that either are or have the potential to be perennial all-stars. Lets start with Lucas Raymond. The 4th pick in the 2020 NHL draft had an amazing rookie campaign poting 23 goals and 57 points in his first 82 game season. You name it, he has it. Speed, hockey IQ, shot, play making ability and an amazing motor. I don't expect anything less then 30-35 goals and around 65 points per year for the next 8-10 years. The 9th overall ranked prospect is followed up by the 12th ranked overall prospect - Seth Jarvis another tier 1 forward with a great first year under his belt. In only 68GP Jarvis potted 17 goals and 40 points. Similar to Raymond, this guy has it all. He's quick and is both a gifted passer and shooter. 30 goals and 60 points per year should be expected. The Pens also have the 14th overall ranked prospect in Matthew Beniers. Unlike the 2 prospects above him, Beniers doesn't have any NHL experience just yet but by most accounts he is favored to win the Calder this year. He's more of a 2 way player the guys above him but that's not code for no offence. Think Patrice Bergeron or Sean Couturier. To have 3 forwards like this at the top of your prospect list is pretty amazing. Rounding out the forward group of prospects are Alexander Holtz and Alex Newhook. Particularly Holtz has the makings of another top line forward. With 4 amazing high end forwards Pittsburgh's future is bright. On the backend Even Bouchard leads the pack of promising young defencemen. Bouchard managed 43 points in 81GP in his first full NHL season. He owns legit size standing 6'3 and has great all around skating. Zellweger is next on the list - he's a little undersized for a defencemen at least to my liking but there is no denying his offensive talent. In the most recent WJC he finished 2nd in team Canada scoring with 11 points in 7 games played. He's scored at every level he's ever played at and I don't expect the NHL to be any different. Time will tell how he will be able to defend against the bigger NHL players. Rounding out Pittsburgh prospect list is plenty of middle 6 and top 4 talent. Greif, Neighbours and Faber are just a few players to continue keeping an eye on. Rank-Player-Position 9-Lucas Raymond-RW 12-Seth Jarvis-RW 14-Matthew Beniers-C 19-Evan Bouchard-D 51-Olen Zellweger-D 56-Alexander Holtz-RW 57-Alex Newhook-C 74-Brock Faber-D 121-Isac Lundeström-C 127-Ridly Greig -C 163-Jake Neighbours-LW That's all for this one guys. Breaking a bit from tradition, I'll be doing the 1st place team next. Who will it be? Only Minnesota and Vegas remain.
St-Louis Blues	NEFHL U23 Team Rankings - #7, #6, #5 and #4	Blues-Graham	2022-10-11 12:38:49	337	Hello fellow NEFHL GMs. This is your next installment of the U23 prospect rankings. I won't lie, this has been a massive undertaking and I’m happy to be closing in on the final few teams. # 7 - The Ottawa Senators As I said in the previous article, there wasn't allot of difference between teams 10-8. If I had actually ranked the teams by Tiers the 2nd tier from the top would have had teams 10-4. Is there a big difference between the Senators and the Blues? I don't think so. However, I do appreciate prospects who've already played in the NHL such as Anton Lundell which is what probably pushed the Sens ahead. Lundell is a top tier prospect who put up 44 points in 65 GP last year for the panthers. He's a C and he's got good size and an extremely high hockey IQ. Topping the list is last years 9th overall NHL pick Dylan Guenther. Guenther seems to have made the Coyote's opening night roster. Is he ready for primetime already? Hard to say, but he's another top tier prospect who eventually shouldn't look out of place on any teams top line. Some more highlights on this list? I love Yurov. Great pick up in this years draft. Elmer Solderblom also made the wings out of training camp this year as well. He's a mammoth of a man and looks to be a solid middle 6 option going forward. On the down side, 21 year old Cam York got cut from a very weak Flyers team this year. The 14th pick in the 2019 draft got 30 games in for the Flyers last year and should have given him the inside track on a position this year. It clearly didn't work out. That said, it should be only a minor setback from the young D man. Rank/TIER PLAYER-POS 25/4 Dylan Guenther-RW 29/4 Anton Lundell-C 43/5 K'Andre Miller-D 71/5 Danila Yurov-RW 78/6 Cam York-D 91/6 Nils Lundkvist-D 96/6 Elmer Söderblom-LW 144/6 Mattias Havelid-D 148/6 Brandon Coe-RW #6 - The Chicago Blackhawks One of, if not the best team in the NEFHL also has one of the top U23 prospect pipelines as well. They are defintly jacked to the nuts. The only thing holding the hawks back from a higher ranking is that both of their top prospects are D albiet elite. They start with the #2 ranked prospect in all of hockey is Moritz Seider followed closly by Rasmus Dahlin the #7 ranked prospect. Truth be told, I personally see Dahlin with more offensive updside than Seider, even if Seider projects as the more valuable D man overall. However this is the NEFHL and offense rules the day. Both players project as #1 all-star level defensemen. The top forward on the team is Jack Quinn who at the team seemed to be a bit of a stretch pick by the Sabre's but probably not so much now. Quinn followed up his amazing Junior career with a red hot season in the AHL scoring 26G in 45 GP. Not too shabby. He's also made the Sabre's opening night roster. There is a slight fall off in talent from there but I'm also very keen on Lekkerimaki and Jagger Firkus. Lekkerimaki can shoot the puck and Firkus has arguably the best hands in this years draft. Rank/TIER PLAYER-POS 2/1 Moritz Seider-D 7/2 Rasmus Dahlin-D 39/4 Jack Quinn-RW 107/6 Matthew Coronato-RW 109/6 Jonathan Lekkerimaki-RW 159/6 Jagger Firkus-RW 168/6 Oskar Olausson-LW #5 - The Detroit Red Wings I'll be honest, if this was my list the Wings maybe a couple positions lower. Lets start with Slafkovsky, it's no secret I'm not a big fan. Everyone says the Habs picked the player with the highest ceiling, lets see if that's the case. I'm not convinced - obviously, otherwise I would have picked him myself. Another one on this list I'm not convinced of is Kirby Dach. At the time, I thought Dach was a great pick and I loved how he played. However he hasn't developed the way I thought he would and his recent trade from the Hawks makes me wonder if there is more under the surface that we're not aware of. That said, the tools are there. Other than Boldy the majority of this prospect list are defensemen which in my books makes them less valuable. Also although I do see some solid D prospects here, I don't see any allstar types on the list. Maybe I'm wrong. Harley is close and has some NHL experience but was just cut from the stars opening night roster. He did have an ok camp. I'm a little higher on Philip Broberg. He has made the Oilers roster and he was someone I was hoping would fall (to me) in the 2019 draft but didn't. Enough of the negative lets have a look at the positive. Matthew Boldy! An absolute gem. He's highly skilled, can shoot the puck and make a great pass. His skating has always been the down side to his game but it's adequate. He's a top 6 talent on any team if not a top 3. He's still only 21. Aside from Boldy, I do like Kornski as well but it's way too early to pass judgement. It's also widely accepted that the Wings had a banger of a 2022 draft. So they may rise up this list yet. Rank/TIER PLAYER-POS 15/3 Juraj Slafkovsky-LW 21/4 Matthew Boldy-RW 41/4 Kirby Dach-C 55/5 Thomas Harley-D 76/6 Philip Broberg-D 82/6 Nathan Gaucher-C 125/6 Lian Bichsel-D 128/6 Kevin Kornski-D 145/6 Owen Pickering-D # 4 - The Anaheim Mighty ducks The Ducks have a pretty good prospect list here. At least one that I quite like. It might even be on a tier of it's own between the top 3 teams and the next 5. Yes, the Hughes brothers are both D but like the Hawks, they are elite and project as high offense type players. So that somewhat makes up for the position they play. The #2 player on the list and #10 overall is Lafreniere. He had a slow start but he is a player that I do believe in. I do think he's a top line talent. He just turned 21 and is starting his 3rd NHL season. With 19 goals under his belt from last year, I expect you'll see the first of many 25-30 goal seasons from him. I'm not quite as high on Farabee as Pronman but I do see him as a middle 6 option at some point. I love Perfetti who by all accounts has had a great camp and will start on the Jets opening night roster. I'm also a fan of Podkolzin but do think he has a bit of a lowish offensive ceiling - more of a middle 6 or top 6 energy player. But a solid exciting player just the same. Bourque also projects as a potential middle 6 guy as well. Rank/TIER PLAYER-POS 4/1 Quinn Hughes-D 10/2 Alexis Lafrenière-RW 11/2 Luke Hughes-D 37/4 Joel Farabee-LW 38/4 Cole Perfetti-LW 53/5 Vasily Podkolzin-LW 73/5 Mavrik Bourque-C 106/6 Alexander Romanov-D 115/6 Ivan Morozov-C There you have it. Next up we break into the top 3 teams.
Nashville Predators	The challenges of drafting in the NEFHL	Preds-Sylvain	2022-10-10 15:05:09	259	The annual draft: some GMs totally love it while others would rather trade all their picks for assets that matter right now. Both types have thrived in the past, so there’s not only one way of approaching the draft. The approach to the draft can also be very hands-on or hands-off. It’s entirely possible to have a successful draft while just relying on the lists and draft guides out there. In that case, a minimum of effort and research can still yield very good results. For the more hardcore drafters, you can watch videos of prospects or even go full-blown scout by checking out a ton of junior hockey games. Regardless of your approach, there are several challenges that NEFHL GMs will face. The first challenge is the timing of the draft. Being ahead of the NHL draft, there is no strong list to fall back on, especially for the back half of the draft. The time to prepare is also sometimes short as draft guides and lists tend to be published early to mid-June. So, depending on when the NEFHL draft occurs and depending on your approach, there might be a lot of work to do right before it happens. The second challenge is about producing your own list of prospects. In the more hands-off approach, you can skip this challenge by just sticking with lists produced by one or the other draft publications. However, if you build your own list, using publications and your own scouting, then it’s a hard exercise. Sorting out players that play in different leagues and have different skill sets and positions is not an easy feat. It’s easier to rank them by tier, but then when your turn comes, who do you take in the tier? Choosing one or the other in the same tier could result in having a great player or a bust. Plus, later in the draft, tiers get so large that just picking a guy in the tier might be more of a crap shoot than anything else. Hence, later in the draft, you will have to decide if you prefer going with the prospect that has a higher number of likable attributes or with the one having one elite skill but more deficiencies. The third challenge is linked to the second one, but still of a different nature. Even if you have your list sorted, there are multiple reasons that could explain why you would want to stray from that list. The main reasons would be to either diversify your prospect list or to try and optimize your overall draft. In the case of diversification, it’s simply that you may want prospect depth at each different position or that you want a balanced approach in terms of well-rounded to high-skill/high-bust prospects. In terms of optimizing your draft, you may have a player ranked top 15 that hits most lists only in the third round, so you might want to draft your 20th-ranked prospect ahead of him, hoping you’ll get both in the end. In all cases, it’s always a very difficult case, since you could end up not picking up a guy that ends up as a star, even though you had him in high regard. The last challenge is about weighting quality versus quantity. Are you in a better position if you draft at higher ranks or do you have more chances of drafting a quality player by drafting a higher number of prospects? Considering all the other challenges, this makes it even harder to make such a choice. Are you better off with the 4th pick than with the 12th and the 28th? What about the 35th for the 45th and 71st? In the worst cases, the prospect you would have drafted turns out to be a very good player and the other picks bust. In the best cases, it’s the exact opposite, and the traded draft pick busts while you get a player from one or more of the acquired picks. Considering all those challenges and the fact that the top 100 list is pretty much set, even prior to the draft, most of the extra time spent on the draft mostly matters in the later rounds. Yet, gems are few in those rounds. On top of it, prospects that tend to stand out, even outside most top 100, usually make one of the lists amongst the various draft guides and are unavailable late in the draft. In that challenging environment, the reward of extensive scouting for the draft is more into knowing the different prospects and keeping up with them as they develop. It always gives you a leg up in trades that involve prospects and in signing prospects during the free agency period.
Seattle Kraken	Kraken ready to go	Kraken-Scott	2022-10-07 14:31:51	312	The games start for real now. The Seattle Kraken will play their first regular season game in NEFHL history on October 12th in California versus the Anaheim Ducks. Head coach Rick Tocchet and the Kraken players are very excited for the puck to drop that first night. The Kraken recently finalized their 22 man roster to start their inaugural season. GM Scott Davies sat down with Tocchet and the coaching staff to make the final cuts. The 22 player roster consists of: Forwards (13): Jake Voracek, Victor Olofsson, Reilly Smith, Brian Boyle, Jason Spezza, Conor Sheary, Michael McLeod, Ilya Mikheyev, Nathan Bastian, Tomas Tatar, Nick Cousins, Justin Danforth & Brandon Sutter. Defence (7): Jake McCabe, Nick Holden, Zach Whitecloud, Jacob Bryson, Nate Schmidt, Riley Stillman & Nicolas Meloche. Goaltenders (2): Braden Holtby & Alexandar Georgiev Among the final cuts at Kraken training camp, forwards Fredrik Gauthier & Matthew Peca were placed on waivers and will be sent to the minors once they clear. Here were the most recent practice lines for the Kraken, which should be a pretty indicator of their opening night lineup: Olofsson-Boyle-Smith Voracek-McLeod-Sheary Mikheyev-Spezza-Bastian Tatar-Cousins-Danforth (Sutter extra forward) Schmidt-McCabe Holden-Whitecloud Meloche-Stillman (Bryson extra defenceman) Holtby Georgiev The Kraken do expect their lineup to remain fluid over the season, as coach Tocchet will mix and match combinations to see which lines/pairings can find some chemistry. We know that the coach liked what he saw during the preseason from the Olofsson-Boyle-Smith combination, so they figure to stay together for some time. The Kraken are cap compliant with payroll exceeding just over $39 million. Word around the Kraken is that the general manager is willing to add another piece or two to the team over the season if it benefits the team moving forward beyond its first season.
Minnesota Wild	Minnesota Acquires Help on Defense.	Wild-Peter	2022-10-06 18:43:52	368	Jeremy Lauzon is now a member of the Minnesota Wild/mild/whatever who cares. He will hopefully make us a bit tougher on the back end while improving our defensive play. Pre-season is over and the team had a craptacular 1-4-1 record. The two highest rated D in Josh Morrissey and Ryan Graves have been brutal on the defensive side of things at -7 and -5 respectively. We touched a bit more on that in the last article. By adding Lauzon, GM Peter picked up another high DF player with 80. He has excellent IT at 88. He has decent wheels and skating at 75 and 77. Opponents will hopefully think twice before getting too close to him. What Lauzon doesn't have is much offense. That is to be expected being part of NHL Predators organization. It would be a pleasant surprise if his offense trends upwards. He comes in at a price tag of $1.75m for the next 4 seasons and will remain RFA at the end of his current deal. Minnesota gave up Alex Formenton and Noah Gregor in this deal. Just months ago Formenton was penciled in to be a top9 player. He has the offensive ratings now and he certainly has the speed. However with no NHL contract and probably not for the next while, he might not find a spot down the line for Minnesota. Gregor looks to be penciled in as a top9 player for the NHL Sharks. He's a good bottom 6 option right now in the NEFHL and offense ratings should be trending slightly upwards. "We felt with Holloway dominating training camp and other guys like Reichel, Heineman, Bemstrom, Karlstrom, N. Smith all knocking on the door and ready for primetime in various roles we could have made this kind of move to shore up a desperate need on defense. We definitely ackowledge this trade can look real bad for us in the future but we want to compete now. We may not be done with moves. We have a couple other things cooking around the league so we'll see." - GM Peter ____________________________ Article: 19/5 'Show me the money' bonus: $3,500,000 / $10,000,000
Boston Bruins	S1E2: Between 2 Buffalo - BRUINS PULL TRIGGER ON TWO DEALS	Bruins-Chris	2022-10-04 18:48:34	266	The Boston Bruins and new/old GM Chris pulled off a couple of trades Tuesday afternoon saying good bye to Yanni Gourde and Tyson Jost. In the first deal, the Bruins sent Yanni Gourde to the Chicago Blackhawks for Jordan Eberle, BUF 2023 Rnd 3 and $500,000. GM Chris summarized the deal saying "we (da bruins) were without any 3rd round picks in the upcoming draft so adding a pick, one with potential to be early in the 3rd round, really appealed to us. Yanni also isn't a great locker room name so it was a win/win". The second consecutive deal involved another Western conference team with the Bruins sending Tyson Jost to the St-Louis Blues for Clark Bishop, VGK 2023 Rnd 3 and $500,000. Jost has been sulking since his NHL team traded him months before winning a cup. The fantasy Bruins didn't want any of that bad ju-ju hanging around so as GM Chris put it "better to have a hen in the chicken coup than a cock yodeling at 6am everyday". With those two deal the Bruins have shuffled their 'best rated lines' to now look like this: Kyle Palmieri (4.2m) - Mark Scheifele (4.7m) - Jordan Eberle (1.9m)Erik Haula (2m) - William Karlsson (2.1m) - Kasperi Kapanen (1m)Zach Aston-Reese (1.3m) - Nolan Patrick (0.8m) - Ryan Dzingel (1.1m)Ryan McLeod (0.9m) - Clark Bishop (0.7m) - Rasmus Asplund (0.8m)$21.5m Brandon Carlo (1.7m) - Tyler Myers (4.6m)Haydn Fleury (0.9m) - Travis Hamonic (2m)Henri Jokiharju (0.9m) - Jake Bean (1m)$11.1m Elvis Merzlikins (3.6m)Matt Murray (2.9m)$6.5m Total Cap: $39.1 + $1.7 farm = $40.8 million Trade Rumors: The Bruins are said to be close on a deal for 2nd line center William 'Wild Bill' Karlsson. Stay tuned for the next instalment of between two buffalo.
Minnesota Wild	Extra! Extra! Read all about it	Wild-Peter	2022-10-04 15:35:08	375	The Minnesota Wild/mild/whatever who cares still suck. Here's the proof. 1-4-1 pre season record. Getting an 80+ goalie in the offseason didn't help so far. He got injured. Still missing a piece on D but UFAs are out there and I'm confident I'll get one. If not there D are available by trade and some teams have been contacted already. Colorado 4 at Minnesota 2 - Outshot opponent 25-20 - 0/2 PP for and 1/3 PP against Minnesota 7 at Colorado 1 - Outshot opponent 33-19 - 1/5 PP for and 0/3 PP against - Talbot injured Minnesota 3 at Dallas 4 (SO) - Outshot opponent 36-30 - 1/6 PP for and 0/1 PP against Minnesota 3 at Chicago 5 - Outshot opponent 30-28 - 0/3 PP for and 1/2 PP against Chicago 5 at Minnesota 3 - Outshot by opponent first time 30-27 - 0/3 PP for and 0/3 PP against Dallas 3 at Minnesota 1 - Outshot opponent 36 - 27 - 1/5 PP for and 0/4 PP against - Talbot returns Overall: - Outshot opponents in 5/6 games. But we only scored 17 goals in 6 games and 7 of them came in one game. This is freakishly similar to last year and I don't like it. - Filip Hronek leads the team with 7 points in 6 games (1g 6a) - Josh Archibald leads forwards with 5 points in 6 games (2g 3a). He has been overall the best forward in preseason (WARNING WARNING). His 99 IT crushed Chicago especially. They got the last laugh by beating us both games convincingly.. - Defense is struggling mightily with Josh Morrissey (81 df) and Ryan Graves (80DF) at -7 and -5 respectively. - Tkachuk leads the team with 19 hits in 5 games. As much as the team sucks, it is Kevin Connauton who sucks even more because he somehow has 37 games played despite only dressing for 1 game in the 6 game preseason and has 4 points and a -17 +/-rating. Clearly an error but it might as well be true. With the way things are looking it will be true. I won't have much patience with this crap for long in the regular season. I knew last year things were going wrong by how preseason looked. It was a continuation of the late season collapse the year before. Here we are again. Sadly. ____________________________ Article: 18/5 'Show me the money' bonus: $3,250,000 / $10,000,000
Vancouver Canucks	Preseason Finally Ends for the Canucks	Canucks-Kyle	2022-10-03 13:12:03	239	The Vancouver Canucks preseason came to an end last night and I think every is happy that it is done. The Canucks had one win in six games with two overtime losses and three outright losses. The bigger concern is the 21 goals allowed in 6 games (3.50 per game) and only 14 goals for (2.33 per game). “Yeah, we aren’t happy about our play this preseason and that falls on me” said Coach Gerard Gallant. There are some rumours within the organization that Gallant could be on the hotseat if the Canucks continue the presason play into the regular season. Not to mention, the playoff disappointments. “Gerard is our coach, and we expect that he will right the ship. But it’s just the preseason, we were experimenting, giving guys some chances, they may not have. We brought in a lot of new players, so it takes time” said General Manager Allen. The team as a whole, seems to be settled but there have been some preseason additions and subtractions and it can’t be ruled out that more additions/subtractions occur. Goalie Robin Lehner was signed to a four-year contract to back up Connor Hellebuyck and late last night, it was announced that Dustin Brown will be signing a 4-year contract at 1.725 million per year. Though it is expected Brown will retire at years end. “Adding two experienced guys like Lehner and Brown show our seriousness in wanting to win the Stanley Cup. We’ve undergone a massive change this summer bringing in Barkov, Pavelski, Brown, Kase, DeAngelo, Hellebuyck and Lehner. We feel like we a very strong team, physical, with one of the best defensive acumens in the league. Offensively, we have the fire power. That said, there will be more changes as the season goes along which is natural and everyone knows I don’t like to stand pat but moves should be minimal” said General Manager Allen. After the signing of Dustin Brown, it sounds as if Robert Thomas will be loaned to the minors to start the season as he continues to improve on his skills. It is expected he will be called up mid to late season. The opening night roster will be: Landeskog, Barkov, TkachukSvechnikov, McCann, PavelskiKase, Fischer, BrownHelm, Glendening, Fast Reilly, DeAngeloHeiskanen, LindgrenSanheim, Pysyk HellebuyckLehner
St-Louis Blues	NEFHL U23 Team Rankings - #10, #9 and #8	Blues-Graham	2022-10-02 13:00:31	354	There is a reason I'm doing these 3 teams together. That's because I've went back and forth a few times between the rankings of all 3. Honestly, I don't think there is alot seperating any of these teams. Coming in at number 10 on this list are the defending stanley cup champions - the Washington Capitals. That's pretty amazing when you're not only the defending champs but top 10 in prospects as well. I really like alot of the players the Caps have managed to accumulate. Yes Drydale is tops on the list at 34 and he will be a solid top 4 D if not a top pairing guy. Sandin is looking to be a top 4 guy with PP1 potential as well although I question (as a leaf fan) how well he actually plays defence. What I really envy is the group of forwards the caps have managed to get - Eklund, Rossi, Foote, Raty and Robertson. Will any of these guys be superstars? I think in the truest sense, probably only Eklund and Rossi have that potential. Guys like Raty and Robertson project to be more complementary players in the 25 goal , 50 point range. Time will tell. Probably due to being the reigning champs in all, there isn't really anyone on the Caps team who's not on this list worth mentioning. Rank/TIER PLAYER-POS 34/4 Jamie Drysdale-D 50/5 William Eklund-LW 70/5 Rasmus Sandin-D 72/5 Marco Rossi-C 83/6 Nolan Foote-LW 126/6 Aatu Räty-C 134/6 Nicholas Robertson-LW At 9th on the list are the Nashville Predators. Year in and year out the preds draft, draft and draft some more. Some of my best prospects have come via the Preds.. lol Who watches more video then Sylvain? probably no one in the NEFHL. First on the Preds list is Jake Sanderson. Yes he's a D, but he's an awfully good one. He's projecting as a true #1 D - not in the Cale Makar sense but still a true #1. He plays a quiet game but he can skate, check and make a first play like it's nobodies business. Lets start with the others that I really like on Sylvain's list. Hayton who got in 60gp with the Yotes last year should be poised to have a big year. Is he a true superstar? No I dont' think so but he could be a solid first liner. Next is Kakko. Admittedly I'm really high on Kakko. I saw him live at the worlds in Slovakia a few years ago and man could he play. He was one of the best players at that tournament. I'm not sure what's happened to him since then but the tools are there. I hope he breaks out this year. Lets not forget, he's still only 21. He's got it all and in my opinion probably the only player on this list that still has super start potential, although I'm thinking he probably doesn't reach that level. Solid 1st liner isn't out of the question though. Next is JJ Peterka. My buddy's son played with him in Germany growing up. Yes, Peterka is good - really good but has an attitude to go with it. I haven't heard much about this attitude from NHL clubs but it's an interesting side note just the same. By the way, he had nothing but good to say about Tim Stutzle. The Preds have alot of depth here - I really like that Ivan Miroshnichenko pickup. The guy was a projected top 5 pick in this years draft but fell due to health concerns(Cancer). Willaim Dafour absolutely demolished the Q last year scoring at nearly 2 PPG. He's got great size and a shot that scores. He'll start out in the A this year. Lets see how he does. Others to keep an eye on? Obviously the others on this list like Othmann, Mateychuk, Kurashev and Jenik. But there are others buried in the 3km long prospect list such as Yan Kuznetsov, Sam Colangelo, Ronnie Attard, Bobby Brink, and Adam Raska. The Preds are loaded. Rank/TIER PLAYER-POS 27/4 Jake Sanderson-D 44/5 Barrett Hayton-C 48/5 Kaapo Kakko-RW 68/5 John-Jason Peterka-LW 77/6 William Dufour-RW 86/6 Ivan Miroshnichenko-LW 95/6 Denton Mateychuk-D 98/6 Brennan Othmann-LW 135/6 Philipp Kurashev-LW 141/6 Jan Jeník-C At number 8 is none other then myself! Yeah! What makes me better than the two in front of me? Mainly that my top prospect is a forward and ranked higher than either of their top prospects. My top 3 prospects are also forwards. What's interesting (for me anyway) is to look at Pronmans list vs my own. Lets start with the Blues top rated prospect on Pronmans list, as well as my own, Shane Wright. There is no way he should have went 4th overall in the NHL but he went 1st overall in the NEFHL and that's what matters. Either way, if I'm honest, it's almost as if it was a gift. Nothing is going to motivate someone like Wright more than being passed over. He's going to be a top line player in the NHL. Not right away, few are. Give him 2-3 years and he should be scoring 30G and 60 points on a regular basis. Next on the list is Peyton Krebs. Krebs who came to me via the Preds FYI, should be an elite 2C. He's got great playmaking abilities and at 21 has a year of NHL experience under his belt. He scored at close to .5 PPG over 48GP last year. This was mainly on the 3rd line and he saw very little PP time. This will change. His points will go up. He should also settle in around the 60 point mark but will be lucky to score 20 goals. Next on Pronmans list is Zadina (14th on mine). He has yet to live up to his draft position (6th overall) but his metrics have always been great. He's shown some real promise in this years training camp as well. I hope this is the year he breaks out. Althought it seems like he's been in this league forever, he's still only 21. 4th on Pronmans list (2nd on mine)is Brandt Clarke. Despite not making Team Canada, this guy has some of the highest offensive upside on this list. He's tearing up LA's training camp and even has an outside shot at making the opening night roster. His skating is atrocious but his hockey IQ is off the charts. Others on this list - Connor McMichael who like Krebs played mostly 3rd line minutes last year. He is auditioning for 2C duty in Washington this year but it's looking like another year at the 3C position. The Blues have some promising prospects on this list such as Helleson and Morrw on D. I find it interesting that Pronman thinks so highly of Helleson. He's a solid prospect but he's 23rd on my list. Mesar is having a hell of a training camp, by most eyes outperforming the 1st overall pick in this years draft. Other prospects not on this list worth noting - Pavel Dorofeyev, a 21 year old who lead the Silver Knights in scoring last year. Rodion Amirov, the leafs first rounder who has been off with brain cancer. He's about to resume playing once again. I also like Klimovich, Robins, Chayka, Portillo, Hirovonen and Mailoux. For those who care, I'll probably update my own prospect list soon. Helleson may move up from his 23rd spot ranking. Rank/TIER PLAYER-POS 16/3 Shane Wright-C 42/4 Peyton Krebs-LW 80/6 Filip Zadina-RW 87/6 Brandt Clark-D 99/6 Connor McMichael-C 102/6 Drew Helleson-D 153/6 Scott Morrow-D 164/6 Filip Mesar-RW 169/6 Marat Khusnutdinov-C 170/6 Fabian Lysell-RW
Boston Bruins	S1E1: BACK IN BEANTOWN	Bruins-Chris	2022-10-01 15:06:19	281	You never forget your first (team). While the Jets were an opportunity to return to the NEFHL, the Bruins were the team I cut my teeth with. When a chance to return to the Bruins came up I jumped on it, forgoing the opportunity to see through the rebuilt Jets, a team ranked in the top 7 of the Hoover rankings. While I think the Jets are gonna improve this season, I do enjoy building rosters so taking on the Bruins in their current state is a challenge I enjoy. So let's chat about those Bruins. I'll avoid diving into the previous administration and focus on the current state and plans moving forward. First the positives, the Bruins have some strength in goal. Elvis has top 12 goalie ratings and a very reasonable cap hit at $3.6m for 2 years (lowest next to Shesterkin). His NHL status as number one in Columbus only strenghthens his value as the season winds on. Matt Murray is another intriguing asset. His $2.9m cap hit for the next two seasons are very reasonable and we'll be watching him in the NHL with the Leafs to see if he can rebound and stay healthy as the Leafs number one. Depending on demand, the Bruins might be interested in moving both before the NEFHL deadline. The backend of the Bruins is in decent shape as well. Void of high end talent but a handful of decent value dmen on good contracts should be of interest to some contenders. Pending UFA Tyler Myers has decent second/third dman ratings but his cap hit reduces his value until the trade deadline. Brandon Carlo, Haydn Fleury, and Travis Hamonic provide nice second pair ratings at reasonable cap hits. These guys will probably be moved over the course of the season. Up front Mark Scheifele leads the way. Hes a top line center who is a pending UFA and will most likely be our loyalty. The next tier of forwards and all well priced, Erik Haula, William Karlsson, Yanni Gourde, Kasperi Kapanen and Tyson Jost all provide value with reasonable cap hits. Good chance many of those names get moved to contenders for futures. So while they is a chance this team could exceed expectations, especially with low goalie ratings league wide, the most likely scenario is trading assets for next year as my quest to return the Bruins to glory begins now.
Minnesota Wild	To be or not to be? Every team's 1st round picks 2018-2022	Wild-Peter	2022-09-30 15:15:37	388	I skipped on it yesterday but here we are today. Every team's 1st rounders from 2018-2022. As the title suggests there are still question marks on a lot of these prospects as it is still way too early to judge what they will become. Looking at this chart will be easier on the eyes than going through the archives. It did take me a lot less time than yesterday which I am happy about. Before we look at the chart, we want to give a quick shout out to the Vegas Golden Knights. We here at the minnesota mild try to promote inclusion, diversity, equity in everything we do. We have failed you all. I would like to acknowledge the violence caused by leaving out the organization that did not exist prior to 2018 in the article titled "History lesson: Each team's 1st round picks 2008-2017". By not including the team that didn't exist in the article focused for teams that did exist, we created trauma. This trauma will have ripple effects that will pass on to future generations. To say 'sorry' is not enough. We will actively engage with the best government resources to re-educate ourselves to be the best we can be. Seattle Kraken, there's not much for you in this article again. I apologize for the pain caused by such dangerous exclusionary acts of violence. The green background means the player has played MINIMUM 10 NHL regular season games. Previous article was 20 nhl games played. There is no strikethrough this time as an overwhelming majority are still signed to NHL/AHL deals. Dominik Bokk is an example of a player who has returned to Europe. There are a number of players that are at the 9 game mark. Examples of this include Holtz, McTavish, Eklund, and more. The players in bold means they were top10 nefhl draft picks. I should have done this with yesterday's article too. Some observations: - Obviously the 2022 picks have not played any games. - Very few 2021 have played in the NHL. Sillinger (12th ov nefhl) probably should have gone earlier. Oilers got fantastic value there so far. - Buffalo, NY Rangers continue to ignore the draft. - Tampa Bay has no picks here but they won a cup. Similar pattern with Philadelphia who also won the cup in recent years. - Capitals picking Caufield has turned out to be a better top10 (3rd ov nefhl) pick than some others drafted ahead of him in the real NHL draft. Was traded to win a cup. - Flames have had no drafted 1st rounder since 2018 play more than 10 NHL games. - Turcotte (San Jose 4th ov nefhl) is becoming worrisome. 8 nhl games played, 0 points. Still young, but probably doesn't go top5 in a redraft. ____________________________ Article: 17/5 'Show me the money' bonus: $3,000,000 / $10,000,000
Minnesota Wild	History lesson: Each team's 1st round picks 2008-2017	Wild-Peter	2022-09-29 20:51:11	433	Had some time to kill at work and decided to make this article. I was curious to see what the former 1st round picks looked liked over the years and if they are still in the league. Excuse my shitty editing as always. If you are the General Manager of the Las Vegas Golden Knights or Seattle Kraken you might want to click 'back'. This thread is not for you! I started looking from 2008 for no reason other than it was the year I would have been drafted in the NHL. I wanted to see who was still in the league since then. I did not look at 2018 to present day because it would be too early to tell on some of the recently drafted players. Let's be honest here, if they didn't crack the NHL roster after 5 years of development then the odds are not in their favour.. The Green background means they have played MINIMUM 20 NHL regular season games. Red means they have not. The Strikethrough means they are not under NHL/AHL contract for 2022-2023. They are either retired, in Europe, or unrestricted free agents. Atlanta Thrashers draft picks are listed as Winnipeg Jets. If I had a better way of knowing which GMs made which picks I would include that. I started on this but gave up because it was taking too much time. Especially the years before I was even part of the league (before 2012). Some of my observations will be below the chart: Correction: JT Miller incorrectly marked as Canucks. Should be Montreal Canadiens. - Arizona doesn't draft a lot, but they got impact players and are still a strong team today. Same with Philly. - Buffalo doesn't care about the draft clearly. They probably would have been better off trading their 1sts those years since they busted anyway. Their team is strong for 2022-2023 without 1sts. - Carolina changed their entire organization with the 2008/2009 draft. They tend to hit on their 1sts and keep those players. - Chicago has a ton of firsts, and usually hit on them. Pittsburgh as well. Same with Vancouver. Not surprised at all. These three teams always draft well. - minnesota (2009-2015) , Arizona (2008-2013) and St. Louis (2008 - 2013) have the biggest gaps between 1st round picks. Both were strong teams during that time. Blues were the best organization in the NEFHL. - Nashville was surprising to see. They got NHL games from players but nothing high end and aren't with the organization today. - NJ Devils in 2016 got incredible value with their picks. - We can kind of see the approach of the previous GM of the NY Rangers with his 1st round record. ____________________________ Article: 16/5 'Show me the money' bonus: $2,750,000 / $10,000,000
Pittsburgh Penguins	Pens C+ Core is too Hot to Handle	Pens-Brent	2022-09-29 17:54:07	326	The Hoover rankings are out and the Pittsburgh Penguins have been recognized 12th best team in the NEFHL. According to "Jamie the Great", the Penguins boast one of the most impressive youth groups in the league, having earned a solid A. Unfortunately for the flightless birds, that appears to be about it. Despite having three of the greatest players to ever lace up a skate boot, the Penguins received an abysmal C+ Core score. "Hoover realizes that Ovy is the most successful player in NEFHL history... right?" said two-way forward Brandon Hagel. "I don't know what that lefty is smoking, but I am betting it is some good stuff," added the outspoken sparkplug, Ryan "The Lomberghini" Lomberg. Despite the embarrassing core ranking, the Penguins appear to be too hot to handle in preseason. With wins against the almighty Buffalo Sabres and the juggernaut Vancouver Canucks, hockey critics are beginning to question why the Pens are ranked so much lower than both squads? "We sure showed them. I think it is clear that we are a darkhorse team this year. We are totally okay with that. We have had some tough seasons lately, but we came on strong towards the end of last season. Safe to say if we had Alex last year we would have made the playoffs," stated defender Evan Bouchard. Pittsburgh has a second date with the Buffalo Sabres this evening in what should be an exciting matchup. Ovy and Geno lit the Sabres up last time around and look to continue that trend. The Russian duo skated this morning alongside youngster Seth Jarvis during the preskate flow. Meanwhile, Sidney Crosby worked with youngsters Lucas Raymond and Brandon Hagel. ________________________ Obligatory Articles: 5/5 Bonus Articles: 6/40 = $1,500,000 / $10,000,000
Philadelphia Flyers	Power Rankings - full list + standings + other rankings	Flyers-Jamie	2022-09-26 13:15:25	379	PREAMBLE POWER RANKINGS 1: Vancouver 2: Chicago 3: Philadelphia 4: Calgary 5: Arizona 6: Buffalo 7: Winnipeg 8: Los Angeles 9: Minnesota 10: Dallas 11: Washington 12: Colorado 13: Nashville 14: New Jersey 15: Pittsburgh 16: Florida 17: Toronto 18: Tampa Bay 19: Anaheim 20: Edmonton 21: Carolina 22: Montreal 23: Columbus 24: Vegas 25: Detroit 26: Ottawa 27: Boston 28: San Jose 29: NY Islanders 30: NY Rangers 31: Seattle 32: St. Louis STANDINGS BASED ON POWER RANKINGS: WESTERN CanucksHawksFlamesCoyotesJetsKingsWildStars-----AvalanchePredatorsDucksOilersKnightsSharksKrakenBlues EASTERN FlyersSabresCapitalsDevilsPenguinsPanthersLeafsLightning--------HurricanesCanadiensBlue JacketsRed WingsSenatorsBruinsIslandersRangers HOOVER RANKINGS 1: Vancouver 2: Chicago 3: Buffalo 4: Philadelphia 5: Calgary 6: Minnesota 7: Washington 8: Nashville 9: Winnipeg 10: Arizona 11: Los Angeles 12: Pittsburgh 13: Dallas 14: New Jersey 15: Tampa Bay 16: Colorado 17: Toronto 18: Edmonton 19: Anaheim 20: Florida 21: Montreal 22: Carolina 23: Columbus 24: Vegas 25: Detroit 26: Ottawa 27: Boston 28: San Jose 29: NY Islanders 30: NY Rangers 31: Seattle 32: St. Louis STANDINGS BASED ON HOOVER RANKINGS: WESTERN CanucksHawksFlamesWildPredatorsJetsCoyotesKings----------StarsAvalancheOilersDucksKnightsRed WingsSharksKrakenBlues EASTERN SabresFlyersCapitalsPenguinsDevilsLightningLeafsPanthers----------CanadiensHurricanesBlue JacketsSenatorsBruinsIslandersRangers TEAMS RANKED BY KEY RATING: 1 : Dallas 2 : Vancouver 3 : Arizona 4 : Calgary 5 : Colorado 6 : Chicago 7 : Los Angeles 8 : Florida 9 : Pittsburgh 10 : Washington 11 : New Jersey 12 : Winnipeg 13 : Anaheim 14 : Philadelphia 15 : Toronto 16 : Edmonton 17 : Carolina 18 : Tampa Bay 19 : Minnesota 20 : Buffalo 21 : Nashville 22 : Vegas 23 : Columbus 24 : Detroit 25 : Montreal 26 : San Jose 27 : NY Rangers 28 : Ottawa 29 : NY Islanders 30 : Boston 31 : St. Louis 32 : Seattle TEAMS RANKED BY GOALTENDING: 1 : Chicago 2 : Florida 3 : Vancouver 4 : Nashville 5 : Philadelphia 6 : Washington 7 : Arizona 8 : Minnesota 9 : NY Islanders 10 : Los Angeles 11 : Toronto 12 : Ottawa 13 : Boston 14 : Carolina 15 : Tampa Bay 16 : Montreal 17 : Calgary 18 : Edmonton 19 : Columbus 20 : Detroit 21 : Buffalo 22 : Colorado 23 : Winnipeg 24 : Pittsburgh 25 : New Jersey 26 : San Jose 27 : NY Rangers 28 : Anaheim 29 : Dallas 30 : Seattle 31 : Vegas 32 : St. Louis
Philadelphia Flyers	Power Rankings - #1-2	Flyers-Jamie	2022-09-26 12:51:58	331	POWER RANKINGS 2022 Now for your top two teams, Vancouver and Chicago. These two seem to be miles ahead of the competition. Anyway I sliced it, these two teams are your two best teams heading into this NEFHL season. 1: Vancouver Key: A+, Core: A+, Depth: A, Offense: A+, Defense: A-, Intangibles: B+, Goal: A, Cap: C, Prospects: B+, Hoover: A+. For a second straight season Vancouver leads the power rankings. Landeskog, Barkov, and Tkachuk is likely the best top line out there, if they're playing together. Canucks don't have the depth that the Hawks do, but their depth players do bring specific PK skills to the table. Not a lot of change from where they finished last season. Last year they couldn't seem to get the chemistry going, with or without trades, so looks like they're committing to their guys to get it done and build some chemistry. 2: Chicago Key: A-, Core: A+, Depth: A+, Offense: A+, Defense: C+, Intangibles: C+, Goal: A+, Cap: C+, Prospects: A-, Hoover: A+. I have a few calculations I use to guide some thoughts, and one I have called 'team points', Chicago finishes first, which doesn't include cap or prospects where they are in very comfortable positions for both. They have tons of depth, easily rolling four lines and don't have a liability on defense. They also have the best goaltending in the league. Hawks are primed to do some damage and a good bet to take the Central division again. They have no holes with cap space and assets to improve as they see fit. Canucks beat them out in the final rankings with their 3 star players compared to Chicago having just Makar, who is sure to take a run for the Norris, but these Hawks are right on their heals. The top two teams do have a decent gap on next highest.
St-Louis Blues	NEFHL U23 Team Rankings - #12 - #11	Blues-Graham	2022-09-26 12:20:44	380	The last 2 teams outside the top 10 #12 - Boston Bruins A Perfect example of what happens to a team that has a plan but doesn't stick to it. Ex-GM Bruins Jason was supposed to be in rebuild mode but instead of sticking to the plan decided to trade his first round picks. 2022-07-06 Vancouver Canucks trade Egor Sokolov, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and VAN 2023 Rnd 2 to Boston Bruins for Stefan Noesen and COL 2022 Rnd 1 2022-06-23 Washington Capitals trade Tyson Jost to Boston Bruins for BOS 2022 Rnd 3 2022-06-20 Philadelphia Flyers trade Mark Scheifele and NYR 2022 Rnd 7 to Boston Bruins for Jay Beagle, WSH 2023 Rnd 2 and BOS 2023 Rnd 2 2021-09-12 St-Louis Blues trade Kris Russell to Boston Bruins for BUF 2023 Rnd 4 2021-08-24 Boston Bruins trade COL 2022 Rnd 2 to New York Rangers for Alexandar Georgiev 2019-09-08 Boston Bruins trade Mathieu Perreault, Michael Raffl, Bode Wilde, BOS 2021 Rnd 1 and BOS 2022 Rnd 1 to Vancouver Canucks for Matt Duchene and Cole Guttman Despite all these nonsense trades, the B's have managed to accumlate some decent talent. Top of the list is Dawson Mercer. He's looking like the real deal. 42 points, 17 of them goals. I'm not sure where he fits into the Devils line up with Hughes and Hischier down the middle already. My guess is he will slide to the wing rather than play 3C. But time will tell. Next up is Jakob Pelletier. The undersized winger had a year for Calgary's AHL team scoring at nearly a point per game and 27 goals. He was named to the AHL's all rookie team and should push for a roster spot in Calgary this year. I find the B's list drops off after that. Not to say the rest of the guys on the list aren't solid NHL's but I think that's it for firsts line talent. Players like McLeod, Veleno and Sokolov should provide decent middle 6 options eventually. I'm a big fan of Lapierre as well. His playmaking skills are superb. Barron and Soderstrom both offer some home on the blue line. Both should challenge for a roster spot this season with right hander Barron my favorite to be the more succesful player of the 2. other prospects on the B's worth watching are 2022 late 1st rounder Sam Rinzel and Iolers 2nd round from 2019 Raphel Lavoie. Rank/Tier PLAYER TEAM-POS 46/5 Dawson Mercer-RW 81/6 Jakob Pelletier-LW 116/6 Ryan McLeod-C 122/6 Joseph Veleno-C 130/6 Egor Sokolov-RW 131/6 Justin Barron-D 136/6 Victor Söderström-D 142/6 Hendrix Lapierre-C 156/6 Zach Dean-C Coming in at 11 is the Canucks. The most shallow prospect pool in the top half of this league but man is it lethel. If you want know how they manage to have such a great team and a great prospect pool, have a look at those trades the Bruins made above. This is in addition to Kyle's amazing drafting ability as well. Tops on this list is Andrei Svechnikov, despite being KO'd by Ovi he's a top line player on any team in the NHL. I suspect his 30 goal season from last year is the first of 5 or 6 more to come. Next on the list is Kent Johnson. This kid has played alot of hockey over the last year - 5 different teams in total, representing Canada 3 times. He's as skilled as they come. I do think it will be at least 2 years before he is successful in the NHL though. He's still a bit too slight for the NHL game. He needs to put a bit more weight on. Once he does, I'm sure he'll be a star. 3rd on the list is Wyatt Johnston. He only scored 124 points in 68 GP in the O as an 18 year old. He's looked good in teh stars camp being involved in many skilled plays. Probably a couple years from making his NHL debut. Bolduc is another potential 1st line talent or at least a top 6 option. He was actually drafted ahead of Johnston in the NHL but probably belongs just below him on this list. Rounding out the list is Frank Nazar. The undersized forward is commited to the University of Michigan this coming year. I expect him to do well but lets wait and see. #11 - Vancouver Canucks Rank/Tier PLAYER TEAM-POS 6/2 Andrei Svechnikov-LW 35/4 Kent Johnson-LW 62/5 Wyatt Johnston-C 90/6 Zachary Bolduc-LW 94/6 Frank Nazar-C Up next the top 10! Some amazing prospect pools coming up.
Philadelphia Flyers	Power Rankings - #3-4	Flyers-Jamie	2022-09-26 03:44:44	365	3: Philadelphia Key: B-, Core: B+, Depth: A-, Offense: B+, Defense: A+, Intangibles: A+, Goal: A, Cap: B+, Prospects: F, Hoover: A. In hopes of winning back to back cups Philly sold many prospects to up their chances. This off-season saw them with many players set to be UFA after this season. Throw in some serious cap restraints and the looming expansion draft the Flyers sold many of their stars, all UFA next season, for draft picks. A couple picks were then moved for cheaper forwards. Patrice Bergeron was signed to upgrade on previously departed Scheifele. On defense Hamilton and Gudbranson have been replaced with Ruhwedel and Tinordi. The blueline isn't as good as the last couple seasons, but with Shesterkin still 2 more years at $2.3 million, you've got to take some swings at it. What they do have in their pocket is some cap space to add to said blueline at some point. Their forward depth is top notch and allow them some different line combos over the course of the season. 4: Calgary Key: A, Core: A-, Depth: A, Offense: A, Defense: C-, Intangibles: A-, Goal: B-, Cap: B, Prospects: C, Hoover: A. Flames consistently put out a major contender, year after year. Adding Pietrangelo through free agency was a major add and gives a good top pairing with Werenski. Rantanen and Huberdeau, who they added last February, up front, will give opposing bluelines a lot of problems. Financial management is important to Calgary and they have nearly $90 million in the bank and close to $3 million in cap space, which they will do their best to work to their advantage. Signing the cursed Getzlaf might have been a dangerous move though.
Philadelphia Flyers	Power Rankings - #5-6	Flyers-Jamie	2022-09-26 03:38:43	391	5: Arizona Key: A, Core: A, Depth: B+, Offense: B+, Defense: B+, Intangibles: A, Goal: A-, Cap: F, Prospects: F, Hoover: B+. 3 super high end wingers with good strength and one of the best top six up front in the league: E Kane, Meier, Tarasenko, Reinhart, Nichuskin, and Copp. Carlson/Karlsson give two potent options from defense too. There is a lot to like in Arizona and look like a legit contender this season. One thing of concern is their cap situation while also having a few lower durability players. They're not loaded in prospects to make upgrades so mostly what you see is what you get from Arizona, which is pretty good! 6: Buffalo Key: C, Core: B, Depth: A+, Offense: A-, Defense: A-, Intangibles: A, Goal: C, Cap: C+, Prospects: D, Hoover: A. Every season Kev tells us how great his team is, and how they'll win the Division, etc., etc., and then looking at rankings, I say 'no, Sabres suck' and then ends up I'm right. This year, The Sabres actually look super good, and they've been able to accomplish that by showing something the franchise has never had before: Patience. They've targeted key players that they saw promise in, bought them up, and have hung onto them, only to see their scouting work pay off with many players ratings working their way up. Goaltending is pretty average, but at around ~$1.7 for both of them, it gives a lot of space to work with for rest of roster. Both have a good chance to see their ratings work up through the season too, so I don't even really see it as a negative. Their forward depth is a major strength and makes it easier to avoid cold stretches. Sabres are a team on the upswing and look like a true contender. My best bet to take the East, but I certainly hope the Flyers do beat them out there.
Philadelphia Flyers	Power Rankings - #7-8	Flyers-Jamie	2022-09-25 16:57:40	418	7: Winnipeg Key: B, Core: A-, Depth: A-, Offense: B, Defense: A+, Intangibles: A-, Goal: C, Cap: C, Prospects: C+, Hoover: B+. Winnipeg has done a major revamp to get serious about contending and they are looking strong! The best defensive squad in the league; however, they do have average goaltending, which is their biggest question mark at this time. Grubauer is coming off a career worst season so would expect him better in NHL this season, but will still be stuck with last years stats in NEFHL. Kucherov and Horvat return as their deadly duo, but top 9 forwards are all great: Lindholm, Wilson, Kadri, Jeannot, Coleman, Palat and Goodrow. Defense group, bit more shaky, but still solid, led by some big shutdown types in Erik Jonson and Erik Cernak. 8: Los Angeles Key: A-, Core: B+, Depth: B, Offense: C, Defense: A, Intangibles: A+, Goal: B+, Cap: F, Prospects: B-, Hoover: B+. Toffoli out and Oleksiak is in, otherwise mostly the same roster as last season's president winner. They are tight to the cap, although have some prospect flexibility. Their strength this season appears to be their shutdown ability, having many players with 80+DF ratings, as well as some intensity, speed, and strength mixed in. Kings will hope to have their new top line gel like they did last year and run away with the West, but will be in tough to do so. They were not the top rated team in the West last season either and managed to shoot their way up the standings.
St-Louis Blues	NEFHL U23 Team Rankings - #15 - #13	Blues-Graham	2022-09-25 14:49:59	403	Alright boys, time to knock off 3 more teams. #15 - The Flordia PanthersComing in the top 15 are the perenial contenders the Flordia panthers. Topping the list is Arthur Kaliyev. During his draft year he was one of the guys who anaylsts said wouldn't produce at the professional level. Well, here we are 3 years after being drafted and he already has a 14G season under his belt. The man can rip it and should pot 20G this season. 30G isnt out of the question for this guy. I'll be honest the next couple guys on the list aren't that familar to me but Pronman likes them. Merkley is an untra talented D man who can handle the puck like it's no one's business. He got nearly 40GP in the show last year and should be on the bottom pairing for the sharks. Lets hope he gets some time on the PP where he belongs. Lambos is more of the same. He's projecting as a top 4 guy for Minisota. Isaac Howard is an ultra talented buzz saw. I really liked him, he was on my draft list. Not on the list but worth mentioning is 21 year old C Ryan Suzuki. Rank/Tier PLAYER TEAM-POS33/4 Arthur Kaliyev-RW58/5 Kirill Marchenko-RW110/6 Dmitri Voronkov-LW117/6 Ryan Merkley-D132/6 Rutger McGroarty-LW138/6 Carson Lambos-D158/6 Isaac Howard-LW #14 - The Carolina Hurricanes. Now we're getting into the teams with fully stocked prospect cupboards. First on that list, mostly because 2 of thier 3 top players are D are the Carolina Hurricanes. The top player on this list is a 6'4 20 year old D man with 8 points in 10 GP for SKA St.Petersburg. Those are some serious point totals for the youngster in a serious league. I do believe this is the last year of his contract so we may see him in the NHL as early as next year. Next is snipper Connor Zary. He'll play again for the Flames AHL affiliate and is projecting as a middle 6 C with PP potential. Heinola made his NHL debut with the Jets last year and is looking to be a good player. In my opinion the guy with the most upside on this list is probably winger Brendan Brisson. He flat out scores. He's not super fast but owns a onetimer to make anyone jealous. He probably won't make the Knights this year but might get a cup of coffee. I fully expect this guy to be a 25-30 goal scorer year in and year out at the NHL level. Kupari honestly doesn't improess me much but C Conor Geekie is turning heads at the Sharks prospect camp. He's still a couple years away but the boy will play in the NHL. They got Clang in nets and Kirsanov on D as well. Not on the list but Foote is another prospect that's showing well in training camp. The Canes compete every year and they manage to do that year in and year out by drafting well. Rank/Tier PLAYER TEAM-POS75/5 Alexander Nikishin D93/6 Connor Zary C104/6 Ville Heinola D112/6 Brendan Brisson LW123/6 Rasmus Kupari C124/6 Conor Geekie C166/6 Calle Clang G167/6 Kirill Kirsanov D #13 - The New York Islanders The Isles are going in the right direction. They just pulled off a ripper of a trade with Colorado that included 2 (seriously) 2023 1st round picks as well as goalie prospect Dylan Garand. Not good enough to make this list but a solid tier 2 prospect. To the list - on top is slower to develop than expected, Quinton Byfield. He maybe developing slower than expected but he's still projecting as a number 1C. The Kings are doing right by him and not rushing him along too quickly. He got 40 games in last year and should make the team out of training camp this year. Look for him to improve on his modest 5G tally from last year. He's big and he can skate. He will be very good. Next is Jiricek. He's a legit top 4 guy going forward. More interesting is Leaf forward prospect Matthew Knies. A 2nd round steal. He won't be in the NHL this year but should make his debut in 2 years time. A power forward with some great speed and puck possesion skills. Next on the list are a couple middle 6 wingers in Wahlstrom. I don't feel either of these players will ever be top line talent but should fit in any great teams middle 6. Hoglander especially is a great 2 way winger who's got a high end motor and great hands. The final player on this list is Thomas Bordeleau. He's a bit undersized and likley ends up on the wing at the NHL but he's got wheels and should be another middle 6 options for the Isles in a year or 2's time. The depth doesn't stop there for the Islanders. They got uber talented (under performing) Noel Gunler who I would have drafted if I got the chance as well as fell 6'4 swede William Wallinder. Keep your eyes on Shai Buium and Martin Chromiak as well. Rank/Tier PLAYER TEAM-POS15/2 Quinton Byfield C 23/4 David Jiricek D65/5 Matthew Knies LW85/6 Oliver Wahlstrom RW92/6 Nils Höglander RW111/6 Thomas Bordeleau C
Philadelphia Flyers	Power Rankings - #9-10	Flyers-Jamie	2022-09-25 13:33:17	456	Into the top 10! 9: Minnesota Key: C+, Core: C+, Depth: B+, Offense: C+, Defense: B-, Intangibles: B, Goal: A-, Cap: B-, Prospects: A+, Hoover: A-. A+ in prospects and B- in cap show that Minny is a team that could shoot up the rankings if they make that the focus. Regardless, they will be a competitive team in the West, looking to make their mark after a rough season. There has been some controversy with the Wild, some feeling the team name and logo are far too aggressive and have considered using the new team name, 'Mild'. It seems it's unofficial at this time. Hopefully it doesn't become an on ice distraction. Brady Tkachuk and Hintz are the stars to this squad with nice complimentary players like Pettersson stepping into their own stardom. One of the biggest upward movers with the Hoover ranking. I did try and incorporate the mild idea into the image. 10: Dallas Key: A+, Core: A, Depth: C, Offense: B, Defense: C+, Intangibles: B-, Goal: D, Cap: A, Prospects: C-, Hoover: B. The cost of the Stars top 6 players hits around $30 million. This will obviously leave some challenges for the rest of the lineup, but it also means they have the top core in the league. Draisaitl, Marner, DeBrincat and Panarin up front, with Nurse and Letang leading the way on defense. Goaltending is currently their biggest failure, but both guys are cheap (to make up for their big 6), while Husso has an excellent opportunity to see his ratings improve over the course of the season. By the playoffs he is likely to be a worthy starter for a contender. Some of their low rating depth players do at least bring specific qualities, like high IT. I'd imagine they'll ride their stars for the first half of the season and might have opportunity to upgrade bottom six later in the season, banking some of their cap space.
Philadelphia Flyers	Power Rankings - #11-12	Flyers-Jamie	2022-09-25 13:01:49	435	11: Washington Key: B+, Core: C+, Depth: C, Offense: C+, Defense: C, Intangibles: C, Goal: A-, Cap: B-, Prospects: B+, Hoover: A-. Last season they were able to upgrade, but this off-season they've had to do some work to make the cap work; never an easy repeat in NEFHL. They still have star Matthews who will have a major impact and Vas is still a top notch goalie. Wheeler did his job and has moved along. They have some room to add and have a good system built, so are easily a team that could make a run up the standings. As the defending champ they are still the team to beat and are in a good position to take another run. They are not currently a favourite like they were heading into last season though. 12: Colorado Key: A-, Core: A-, Depth: B-, Offense: A-, Defense: B+, Intangibles: C, Goal: C, Cap: C-, Prospects: C-, Hoover: B-. MacKinnon and Ekblad are still the core of this franchise. Suzuki and Caufield are two important building blocks and with their further emergence could help make Colorado a contender again. Ullmark continues to improve each year in NHL. On the flipside, their prospect rank is low and they are tight with the salary cap. For this season they'll need to see how they do and if they want to make a push, but right now they look to be well geared for next season if things continue to go well for their players in NHL. After writing this article the Avs have made a move to upgrade their goalie, to Sorokin, and cut salary cap. They paid a hefty price in terms of assets, but the deal should help them even further this season. It will create new cap issues next off-season, but at least they'll still have their goalie in place.
Philadelphia Flyers	Power Rankings #13-14	Flyers-Jamie	2022-09-24 13:49:33	447	13: Nashville Key: A, Core: C, Depth: C+, Offense: C+, Defense: B-, Intangibles: B+, Goal: A, Cap: B-, Prospects: B+, Hoover: A-. Preds are a very practically ran team, focused on discount signings and adding players that fit well in their cap structure. They've drafted lots and are good at it, making them a top tier team in terms of prospects. They are a team to likely wait for the right opportunity and pickup a big addition or two mid-season. What they lack is top tier talent. They did add Wheeler for the low cost of a 4th, who they could afford due to good cap management. Ehlers will be expected to do a lot of scoring as the team sniper. Their defense is particularly deep. Adding a top tier center or two would move the Preds up the rankings in a hurry. 14: New Jersey Key: B, Core: B+, Depth: A-, Offense: A, Defense: C-, Intangibles: B, Goal: C-, Cap: C, Prospects: C-, Hoover: B. New GM duo has come in quietly and tightened up the Devils into a more lien and talented club. One of the best teams through this years free agency adding Quick, Perry and Henrique. Kyle Connor has emerged as one of the top snipers in the NEFHL. Two time Rocket winner, Lady Byng winner and 8 time all star Patrick Kane remains a top talent, although is unlikely to compete for the Rocket this season. In 1105 career games, all with the Devils, Kane has 1103 career points. The new GMs haven't been around too long to change the makeup of the Devils but they've made some good signings to keep them being competitive and build around the established core.
Philadelphia Flyers	Power Rankings - #15-16	Flyers-Jamie	2022-09-24 13:32:24	449	15: Pittsburgh Key: B+, Core: C+, Depth: B-, Offense: B-, Defense: C, Intangibles: A, Goal: C-, Cap: C+, Prospects: A, Hoover: B. Adding Ovi is the biggest move of the offseason and absolutely epic for their franchise. Along with Crosby puts the two best generational talents onto the same team. Malkin can quietly do his thing behind those two hockey greats. The defense group is young and talented, but guys like Bouchard and Sergachev aren't exactly the best shutdown options yet. Free agent signing Deslaurier gives some needed grit and defensive depth. They also upgraded Murray to Binnington in net, even if not the shiniest of options, will help give solid goaltending. There is a lack of depth both up front and on defense, but Pittsburgh is in good cap situation and one of the better prospect groups in the league if they choose they want to give the Sid/Ovi combo a legit chance at the cup. 16: Florida Key: B+, Core: B, Depth: C+, Offense: A-, Defense: F, Intangibles: F, Goal: A+, Cap: D, Prospects: B-, Hoover: C+. Panthers have battled the cap for years and this year seems to be no different. They were able to find some cheap UFA signings, but not much else happened in Florida this offseason. They have the option to boast one of the top lines in the league with Kaprizov-Larkin-Pastrnak. Add to that one of the top goaltending duos in Markstrom and Cal Petersen. They have some plugs in the lineup, which makes it tough for a roster to stay consistent. A key injury or two and they don't have the depth to support the loss. They have assets to work with, so it may take a bit of work, but they do have a foundation there if they choose to make some moves.
Philadelphia Flyers	Power Rankings - #17-18	Flyers-Jamie	2022-09-24 03:18:34	429	17: Toronto Key: B-, Core: B-, Depth: B+, Offense: B+, Defense: C-, Intangibles: B-, Goal: B+, Cap: D, Prospects: B-, Hoover: B-. Toronto has done an effective job of starting a rebuild, while maintaining a competitive roster. They also added some useful vets through trade this offseason with Kopitar, Rakell, Marchessault, Fabbri, Tanev up front and Zadorov on the blueline. Hedman remains the core of the roster and will try and lead them back into the playoffs. Leafs have a reputation for making extreme corrections if things don't go well, so depending on the first month of the season, Toronto could either be major sellers or buyers, and that might change again later in the season too. No one will ever give enough for Hedman though and he will continue to try and keep them going. They also signed Oshie as another useful vet to help their forwards, particularly with his defensive play, which is something the team is lacking at the moment. 18: Tampa Bay Key: C+, Core: B-, Depth: B, Offense: B-, Defense: C+, Intangibles: B, Goal: B-, Cap: C-, Prospects: D, Hoover: B-. Filip Forsberg was drafted 3rd overall by the Lightning and has spent his entire career in Tampa Bay. His first season, 2015-16, he won the cup, along with Calder and Lady Byng and no hardware since. He's continued to grow and is now one of the top forwards in the league. The Lightning went deep last season and have shown an ability to make a timely trade to get the team going. Last seasons UFA scoop MAF remains a top goalie and will hope to replicate the success they saw last season. This offseason, mostly quite, adding Orlov for a pair of picks being their biggest move. Not a ton of prospects at the moment and are tight on the cap, so they might need to be creative to move into the contender category, but I could see that as a possibility.
Seattle Kraken	Krakalacken!	Kraken-Scott	2022-09-23 13:07:31	296	The first victory in Kraken franchise history finally came on Thursday night in a 4-2 preseason victory over the mighty Vancouver Canucks. Head coach Rick Tocchet was thrilled with the team getting a win under its belt, as it figures to be a long season. "Firstly, Daniel Vladar deserves much of the credit for our first victory tonight" Tocchet said to the Seattle media. "He stopped 30/32 shots on the night and was simply fantastic. Dan played great between the pipes. Secondly - I talked the other night about playing with more discipline. Tonight, we had 7 powerplays to Vancouver's zero. The guys played with tenacity but with smarts. I'm very pleased with the group." Vladar was certainly the star of the night for the Kraken. Chosen from St. Louis in the expansion draft, Vladar is slated to start the year in the minors as the third goalie, but he figures to play a key role with the organization moving forward in a tandem with fellow young goalie Alexandar Georgiev. Nathan Bastian continued his hot preseason by scoring his 3rd goal - and his goal was the game winner. Young Kraken defenceman Jacob Bryson also contributed two assists. The Kraken fourth line played in a key role in the victory as well, with veteran Tomas Tatar scoring the first goal of the game. The Kraken plan to roll out their projected starting lineup to finish off its preseason schedule as coach Tocchet would like some lines and pairings to form chemistry before the regular season commences. Trade rumours continue to swirl around the Kraken, especially valuble wingers Victor Olofsson and Ilya Mikhayev who are on very team-friendly contracts. GM Scott Davies offered a "no comment" to Seattle media after Thursday nights' game regarding trade rumours, but stay tuned.
Philadelphia Flyers	Power Rankings - #19-20	Flyers-Jamie	2022-09-23 12:52:24	440	19: Anaheim Key: B, Core: B, Depth: B, Offense: B, Defense: A, Intangibles: C+, Goal: D, Cap: B, Prospects: A, Hoover: C+. Kreider is a deadly power forward and will be leading the offense, but young stars like Thompson, Norris, and Hughes, are very nicely complimenting the vets, like Doughty and Seguin. There's a nice mix and lots more youth making their way up through their lineup. Ducks have set themselves up well, but are in a very tough Conference to make some noise. Their goaltending is below average and a major hole currently. That said, there duo are on discount deals and both, Mrazek and Raanta, have a legitimate shot at seeing their ratings improve over the course of the season. I think Anaheim, if they choose, is a team that can climb over the season and then have a ton of cap space and assets to do some adding if they choose. They'll probably take it slow and look to do more damage next year, but with a good start to the season we could see some direction change. Looking good for the quacks as a franchise. 20: Edmonton Key: C+, Core: B-, Depth: B-, Offense: B-, Defense: B, Intangibles: B-, Goal: C+, Cap: C-, Prospects: C, Hoover: C+. Oilers made four pretty significant signings to put them in a position to fight for a playoff spot. MaxPac, the biggest pickup, one of the best offensive weapons in the league, will hope to remain mostly healthy over the course of the season to best help Edmonton. Gritty vet, Nick Foligno, helps give them some edge in the lineup. Wedgwood gives a good backup to Bob with some chance of improvement. Meanwhile Bob will be dropping an off year for him and if he plays as well as last season, his rating will improve. Laine is still a good goal scorer and Giordano is elite rated NEFHL shutdown defenseman. They're going to be a tough team, game in and game out, and if Max stays healthy I think they can claw themselves into a playoff spot, and perhaps even be dangerous.
Philadelphia Flyers	Power Rankings - #21-22	Flyers-Jamie	2022-09-23 03:16:10	441	21: Carolina Key: B-, Core: A, Depth: C-, Offense: C, Defense: B, Intangibles: C, Goal: B, Cap: B, Prospects: B, Hoover: C. It's pretty much the same writeup as it has been for Carolina the last several years. Little trades or signings and still relying on their 1st overall buddies, Stamkos and Tavares. It is fun to see those two go through all on the same team for their careers together. It's particularly cool that the majority of the Canes roster are players they've drafted and developed. Looking down through their best players it's not until I reach Marchment that wasn't home grown, who they added for $50k last Summer. A unique franchise in that regard. They are good in a lot of ways, but have holes. They have assets and cap space to fill those holes, but I don't see the Canes being a team making too many, or any, trades this season. 22: Montreal Key: C-, Core: C, Depth: C+, Offense: A, Defense: A-, Intangibles: A-, Goal: B-, Cap: C, Prospects: C+, Hoover: C. JT Miller will lead the offense in Montreal, but it's their shutdown game and strong goaltending that will make the biggest impact. They are 9 deep of useful dmen. There is grit, toughness, and lots of shutdown ability through the lineup. Blackwood and Reimer being 78OV each make it easy to rotate and ride the hot goalie. The team's GA should be low. They have some prospects and some cap room, but do need to deal with their Radulov issue. I'm surprised he hasn't found himself over to one of the true tankers. 4th liner at $6 million is tanker gold! Canadiens made a few big trades in Summer of 2020 and has rode the same roster since. The cap grade of C for Montreal was a guess, as calculations don't account for players like Radulov. That C is probably closer to a B-, but for now they have Radulov needing 20 games either Montreal or elsewhere, or pay $6 million. (I wrote these all for the most part when started posting, just been making an edit or two as I go along, so obviously Montreal addressed this - good move by both franchises)
Philadelphia Flyers	Power Rankings - #23 - 24	Flyers-Jamie	2022-09-22 16:29:58	444	23: Columbus Key: C, Core: C-, Depth: A, Offense: C-, Defense: A, Intangibles: D, Goal: C+, Cap: A-, Prospects: D, Hoover: C. Eichel is the team's star that they've invested in, but at this time, his 25DU and lack of complimentary forwards will probably not be enough to find the playoffs. Anders Lee is the team's other big scorer. They do have good defensive players and Varlamov is an 80OV goalie so their shutdown game should be solid. Their depth is solid and they have cap room, so there are options for Columbus with which direction they'd like to go. I imagine there might be some focus on rebuilding, but it might also depend how the first couple months of the season go for them. 24: Vegas Key: C, Core: C, Depth: C, Offense: C-, Defense: B+, Intangibles: B+, Goal: F, Cap: B+, Prospects: A+, Hoover: C-. Hughes is developing nicely. Hakanpaa and Subban were solid signings to round out their defense nicely with Ristolainen and Faulk as their big two. Marchand, who they added last season, is the one big star in the lineup at the moment. There is some very talented youth coming up through the system and Vegas has some good things going for them. Their current goaltending duo of Francouz and Knight isn't the most inspiring, but they have lots of cap room and goalies are sometimes disposable if old and overpaid. Vegas is a team with a good move or two could see themselves fighting for a playoff spot.
Pittsburgh Penguins	A Kid in a Candy Store	Pens-Brent	2022-09-22 16:29:14	293	Never in his wildest dreams did Seth Jarvis envision that he would be playing alongside two of the greatest hockey players in NEFHL history. An opportunity any young hockey player would relish, yet ultimately be intimidate by. However, that did not seem to be the case on Tuesday night. "I don't think I slept Monday night. I tried not to think about who I was playing with, but you obviously can't help it. Those are two guys I looked up to as a youngster. To be honest, I don't think I know who I like more as a player. I am happy that we had some instant chemistry and hope that continues next game," said the young winger. In an impressive 4-3 win against the Vancouver Canucks, the trio of Alexander Ovechkin, Sidney Crosby and the aforementioned Jarvis combined for three of the four goals. While nothing is set in stone, it appears as though this unit could be the Penguins first line to start the year. "We've liked what we have seen so far from that trio. The plan is to play around with lines and see what happens in preseason. It's nice to have a few more weapons this year. Variety is definitely the spice of life!" said head coach Craig Berube. The Penguins square off against the Slugs on Sunday in what should be a barn burner of a match up. Both Crosby and Evgeni Malkin left Tuesday's game early due to injury. While the latter appears good to go, the former is considered day to day. "It's nothing serious. More precautionary than anything," said the tight lipped coach. Winger Miles Wood will be on the shelf for the remainder of the preseason. It is expected that he will be good to go for the first game of the regular season. ________________________ Obligatory Articles: 5/5 Bonus Articles: 5/40 = $1,250,000 / $10,000,000
Anaheim Ducks	Barry Afraid Of Ducks Issues Strike	Ducks-Ryan	2022-09-22 15:56:42	254	Breaking news out of Anaheim this morning, GM Ryan Clarey was given a strike over incomplete lines moments after boasting about "screwing with his lines". Anaheim would go on to win the game 4-0 against the Yotes and have not given up a goal in the last 7 and a half periods. "I'm not sure what exactly Jd's problem is with me at the moment, maybe its because I have Josh Norris, maybe its because I'm more attractive then Handsome Kevin, or even perhaps its the fact Quinn Hughes learned what the defensive zone is. I really have no idea but to give me a strike over something like this is absurd, especially when I said Raanta was starting. I declared it, that counts ask Michael Scott", said a red hot Clarey.Anaheim's lawyers reached out to Calgary to find out exactly what had happened but they were met with JD hitting the ignore button. "Look, I am 35 I eat dinner at 4pm I go to bed at 7pm, ask Steve he gets it. JD can't seriously expect a man at my age to stay up like I used to anymore and monitor every minute detail. I would love to be able to go all night like I used to, probably why I am single but that's another story. I guess I'll have to be careful about my lines going forward", said Clarey. When asked about the strike young defenseman Alex Romanov said the following. "Jd hate russian machine. I block shot, but my defense low? I be top D on Flame. Why no like the Russian?" said Romanov who talks like a 6 year old. So far Anaheim is 3-0 this pre season giving zab a parting gift as he leaves for a new division. Next up for Anaheim on Sunday will be the San Jose Sharks and then will close out their pre season with a home and home vs LA. Vasily Podkolzin has stood head and shoulders above everyone and may make the team out of pre-season as he has 4 points in 3 games. Cole Perfetti has not played up to his standard is a very much looking like an AEFHL this season. *Editors note: This story is entirely Satire, except the Kevin part.
Philadelphia Flyers	Power Rankings - #25-26	Flyers-Jamie	2022-09-22 11:12:03	422	Preamble: http://nefhl.com/index.php?view=article&id=4150 25: Detroit Key: C-, Core: C-, Depth: C-, Offense: C, Defense: D, Intangibles: C+, Goal: C+, Cap: B+, Prospects: A, Hoover: C-. Wings are in rebuild mode and have done an excellent job of building their prospect bank while still trying to find some vets with re-sale value. One such deal was adding Josi, one of the leagues top defenders, while also adding a 1st. Josi will be on the market all season, but with nearly a $6 million cap hit, there won't be many buyers. Wings will hope that there may be a few options to up his return come the trade deadline. In free agency they added a couple good vets with Krug and Silfverberg that are good bets to have some resell value next offseason. Veteran Carey Price, making $5.8, pairs with Samsonov to make a decent goaltending duo. 26: Ottawa Key: D, Core: C, Depth: C, Offense: C-, Defense: B-, Intangibles: F, Goal: B, Cap: F, Prospects: A-, Hoover: C-. After a couple cups the Sens went into full rebuild mode. They are now trying to pull out of rebuilding and back to making some playoff noise. Last year they signed free agent Brock Nelson to a big 4 year deal and he remains their key forward. On defense, Gudbranson was added to provide them a pretty solid defense group, led by the fragile Ryan Ellis. Demko is the big deal in Ottawa. One of the league’s top goalies. His salary jumped from $975k last year to $4.75 until he's 29 and another tough negotiation is to take place. He's Sen drafted talent, which they have a lot more to move if they wish, but chances are this isn't the year we see the Sens moving top prospects for short-term upgrades.
Philadelphia Flyers	Power Rankings - #27-28	Flyers-Jamie	2022-09-21 18:53:19	427	Preamble: https://nefhl.com/index.php?view=article&id=4150 27: Boston Key: F, Core: D, Depth: C-, Offense: C, Defense: C, Intangibles: C-, Goal: B, Cap: A-, Prospects: B, Hoover: D. The new Bruins GM has gone out and added some talent, like Scheifele up front and Myers on defense. Both are UFA to be, but one could make an excellent loyalty signing to use as longer term piece. The other will be moved at the deadline for the best deal that comes their way. Both have hefty salaries to meet the cap floor. They also added Palmeiri who will make over $4 million this season. This is a tank season for Boston, a franchise in need of a fresh start. They do have this coming 1st round pick fortunately, so great opportunity to start building upwards. There is a ton of work to do in Boston to bring them back to legitimacy. 28: San Jose Key: C-, Core: C-, Depth: D, Offense: D, Defense: B, Intangibles: C-, Goal: C-, Cap: A-, Prospects: C+, Hoover: D. Sharks dealt both Ovi and Barkov to spark their rebuild, adding two 2022 1sts, along with other assets, in the process. I'm assuming the assets they added in those deals, who are their new best players with Hartl and Benn coming in up front and Theodore on defense, will all be moved during the season as teams find cap space to be able to offer an interesting enough return for San Jose to consider. Oettinger is one of the best young goalies and Sharks will look to surround him with some young talent to build themselves back into a contender position. It might not take too long with how they've setup the franchise.
Philadelphia Flyers	Power Rankings - #29-30	Flyers-Jamie	2022-09-21 12:31:38	425	Preamble: https://nefhl.com/index.php?view=article&id=4150 29: NY Islanders Key: D, Core: F, Depth: D, Offense: D, Defense: C, Intangibles: D, Goal: B+, Cap: A, Prospects: B, Hoover: D. Islanders, now enjoying their new carefree rebuilding phase, make sure they are icing a non-competitive roster. They did a great job turning over their useful vets before values depreciated and have brought in a ton of youth. Perron was offered big money on a one year deal to lead their offense through this lean year for the Isles. He helps them meet the salary floor, but he's also someone they can consider as a loyalty for next season. Seth Jones is a roster standout on defense and at over $4 mill for this season is likely to stay on the Island. Sorokin at 81OV for a million bucks is something many contenders will be interested in, especially if he starts the NHL season well. In the meantime, paired with Driedger, Isles have pretty decent goaltending. 30: NY Rangers Key: C, Core: D, Depth: F, Offense: F, Defense: D, Intangibles: C-, Goal: D, Cap: A+, Prospects: F, Hoover: F. For numerous seasons that looked like they should, the Rangers refused to rebuild, clinging onto their vets and trading away all futures, to try and get that 8th spot and lose in the 1st or 2nd round of the playoffs. The new GM looks determined to change their ways, trading several vets for futures to kick off the Summer. Currently they're scrambling to put together a valid roster. They weren't able to move Weegar during the offseason and will remain their top player for now, but I do imagine it's only a matter of time before a team builds some cap and makes a move for him. Bryan Rust returns to be their top forward, and another potential trade chip. Cam Atkinson was signed to a 3 year deal to provide secondary scoring, a potential future asset, and helps them meet the floor. His signing is in line with his ratings so does make good longer term bet.
Philadelphia Flyers	2022 Power Rankings - #31	Flyers-Jamie	2022-09-20 18:14:15	493	Preamble: http://nefhl.com/index.php?view=article&id=4150 31: Seattle Key: F, Core: F, Depth: F, Offense: F, Defense: F, Intangibles: C, Goal: F, Cap: A, Prospects: C, Hoover: F. The expansion Kraken took a wise approach to drafting their lineup, focusing on future assets. They've signed a couple vets to overpayments to help reach the league floor. They will take a few seasons to be ready to turn the corner, but it appears they are taking the appropriate patient approach to team building. Some top picks will need to be part of how they build a winner. In the meantime, they have zero stars, with their top players being Voracek, Reilly Smith, Olofsson and Mikheyev, but they do have a lot more depth than the Blues and have pro rated players throughout the lineup. Holtby is the starter for now but Georgiev is a guy that be taking that role over before end of season. Sheary was a good offseason add and should be a valuable long term asset. Jason Spezza also helps to make them meet the cap floor. What the Kraken have been doing is adding picks. They have a couple extra 2nds and 3rds next draft, plus bonus 4th to boot. It's going to take a lot of work and good management to build up the expansion franchise, but the GM is showing to make some wise moves so far and setting them up for long term success. How many years of losing can they handle until demand for a more competitive roster happens?
Philadelphia Flyers	2022 Power Rankings - #32	Flyers-Jamie	2022-09-20 13:21:09	444	Preamble: http://nefhl.com/index.php?view=article&id=4150 32: St. Louis Key: F, Core: F, Depth: F, Offense: F, Defense: F, Intangibles: F, Goal: F, Cap: A+, Prospects: A-, Hoover: F. Just like Graham started his articles with the Flyers at last overall, I'll return the favour and start with the Blues as last overall. Although in this case, it's probably something to be proud of. The Blues have put together one of the worst lineups we've seen in the NEFHL, showing they've really mastered the tank game. Dougie Hamilton is their big star player, but up front their 1st line could be some teams 4th lines, where the rest of them are barely worthy of a pro opportunity. They are not going to score many goals, nor stop many. Craig Anderson and Carter Hutton is a garbage tandem. Blues have done an exceptional job of putting together such a bad roster. Right now doing their best to secure a top pick, perhaps even the coveted 1st overall. To be the worst is a competitive battle in the NEFHL. It takes skill to lose games while still appeasing JD and his attempt to make every team fight for a playoff spot. Graham, no matter what, make sure you keep saying you are trying to be competitive and it's just not working well. ;) Although the Blues have the best shot at being last place, there is still the draft lotto, and luck that will be involved with standings. Lots at play, but doing their best to fail forward. The next article will tackle a few of their competitors for last place.
Philadelphia Flyers	2022 Power Ranking Preamble	Flyers-Jamie	2022-09-20 13:13:57	562	Power Rankings It’s time for the 2022 edition of the Hoover Power Rankings! I’m going to start here with the preamble, how the rankings are assembled, and then taking inspiration from Graham, I’m going to break the rankings up into smaller groups with slightly longer write-ups than in past years. And speaking of Graham, I’d like to give a big thank you for sharing his prospect rankings with me before having finished putting them all up. His prospect rankings are the ones used for the purpose of these power rankings. I made no adjustments or put further consideration into a team’s prospects. Thank you, Graham! The ratings are set as of September 20, 2022. Trades/signings after that date will not impact the rankings, but likely will mention within the writeup. Each category has each team ranked 1-32. The following calculation determined the final rankings: (Key2) + Core + Depth + Offense + Defense + (Intangibles/2) + Goal + (Cap/2) + (Prospects/2) + (Hoover3) = Final score I’ve come up with formulas for a players offensive rating, defensive rating, intangibles and a JHAOV rating from those categories. The JHAOV is close to the league’s AOV in many instances but has its own variances. I believe more accurate to a player’s usefulness. Players are sorted by that rating. Here is how each category is calculated: Key – the combined JHAOV of the team’s top 5 rated skaters. Core – the combined JHAOV of the team’s top 10 rated skaters. Depth – the combined JHAOV of the team’s top 20 rated skaters. Offense – the combined offense rating of the team’s top 15 rated skaters. SC5+PA4+PC4+SP+ST+SK. Defense – the combined defense rating of the team’s top 15 rated skaters. DF5+IT+SP+ST+PC. Intangibles – the combined intangibles rating of the team’s top 15 skaters. IT+EN+DU+DI+PC+LD. Goal – (starter rating3) + backup rating + 3rd string0.1 Cap – Salary of top 20 skaters plus top 2 goalies Prospects – Graham’s prospect rankings Hoover – I ranked the teams based on the ratings, then reviewed and made some adjustments to who I thought should get bumped up/down. Despite the *3, my opinion had little impact on the rankings as I did start with the stat based rankings as my base. This is entirely subjective, giving favour to things such as good balance between forward/defense/goal, players I think might see rating improvements over the year, or being in a good position to add players as needed. The grades are on a bell curve. For every category there is 2 A+ and 3 of every other grade. None of this is perfect, and it slightly evolves each season, so please give feedback, positive or negative, and will try to take constructively to improve future editions. I also take questions. Thank you all and hope you enjoy 😊
Seattle Kraken	First ever Kraken game...ends with a loss	Kraken-Scott	2022-09-20 13:01:51	263	The Seattle Kraken hit the NEFHL ice as a team for the first time on Monday. The squad put forth a strong effort, but fell 4-2 to the Edmonton Oilers. Head coach Rick Tocchet was pleased with the team's effort in its inaugural preseason game. "I thought the team busted their tails out there tonight" Tocchet said to the media post-game. "That's all I can ask as the team's coach this season. We realize that there are going to be many nights that we struggle to score with our lack of true top-six centremen. I thought the guys worked well together and showed commitment to our system." The Oilers outshot the Kraken 29-27 on the night - so a pretty even game overall (especially at even-strength). The Oilers scored its fourth goal in the last minute to ice the game. Kraken forwards Connor Sheary and Reilly Smith scored the Kraken's two goals, with defenceman Zach Whitecloud contributing two assists. Goaltender Braden Holtby had a decent outing in stopping 25/29 Oiler shots. The Kraken were rather undisciplined during the game, however, with the Oilers having 5 powerplays to the Kraken's one. If the Kraken hope to be competitive this season, they'll have to stay out of the penalty box. Reilly Smith figures to be one of the Kraken's best players this season. The experienced winger was the team's best player on Monday, scoring a goal and recording seven shots on goal. The Kraken's General Manager continues to scour the free agency market to see if there's a player that could add some experience to the team's inaugural roster. No changes are imminent, but time will tell if a player or two is added.
St-Louis Blues	NEFHL U23 Team Rankings - #17 - #16	Blues-Graham	2022-09-16 15:50:24	366	2 more down and half way there. Here we go, #17 and #16. #17 - The Toronto Maple Leafs Very few teams, well only 1 really can give the leafs a run for thier money in the defence department. Lets start with last years 1st overall NHL pick Owen Power. A do it all defenceman. He's the 7th best D on this list and projects as an allstar, #1D. Him and Dalhen are going to terrorize teams for years to come in the NHL. I think the Sabre's did the smart thing (take note Montreal) in allowing him to go back to the NCAA for an extra year. No need to rush it. Coming in 2nd on the leafs list is a bit of a surprise in Simon Edvinsson. In his draft year he was touted as a D first defencemen who didn't have much of an offensive game. With 19 points in 44gp last year in the defensive minded SHL, he kind of put that to rest. Marco Kasper is next and the leafs only forward on the list. He was a big riser in this years draft. Personally from what I read, I'm not a huge fan (for the NEFHL). He has a great motor but I'm not sure the point totals are going to be there to make him valuable in this league. Next is Mukhamadullin. He was a divisive pick in his draft year - with alot of scouts saying he just didn't have the hockey sense to do well in the NHL. We'll see. No matter how you cut it, he's a beautiful skater and a very big dude. That will never change. Will he have the hockey IQ to excel in the NHL? The Devils hope so. If this was my list both Guhle and Niemela would be above Mukhamadullin however it's not so... Guhle is another point producing D man that can skate. Finally my favorite prospect on the list Topi Niemela. A 2nd round steal by the leafs. Niemela is the #1 Dman in finland for his age. He quarterbacks their powerplay and plays in all situations. He's a bit undersized but his offensive output makes up for it. Look for a NHL Debut in about 2 years from now. The leafs have a few other players on thier roster worth watching like power forward Zack Ostapchuk and Akil Thomas - Thomas didn't have great numbers in the AHL but he's still only 22. Finally too old for this list but 23 year olds like Abruzzese (who may make the leafs out of training camp this year) and Tippet should provide the leafs some cheap and playable youth. Anyway you look at it, the Leafs have an amazing defence corps. However with nothing more than middle 6 talent up front, the leafs should try and move some of that talent for a top end forward. Player Rank/Tier PLAYER-POS20/3 Owen Power D 32/4 Simon Edvinsson D67/5 Marco Kasper C105/6 Shakir Mukhamadullin D119/6 Kaiden Guhle D140/6 Topi Niemelä D #16 - The Los Angeles Kings Tanking teams, take note! This is how you go from build a competitor. The last 2 years before this, the kings barely qualified for the stanely cup playoffs. This year they were in the cup final. Despite being in the Stanley cup final, the kings still have a decent group of prospects. This list is lead by non other than Mason McTavish. The leader of the most recent Team Canada World Jr Team. He's a stud and at worst projects as a 2C and most likley ends up 1C. I love his game. Next on the list is Xavier Bourgault. He can flat out score. I'd like to see how he plays against stronger peers at a high end tournament before I pass judgment. He'll be playing for the AHL Condors (Edmontons farm team). This should give us a better baseline. At 22 years old, Kaut has 4 years of AHL experience playing against grown men. He's had a cup of coffee in the NHL but hasn't done much so far. This is his year. Moser has some NHL experience and should be a top 4 D in this league. Then finally there is JOrdan Spence. The good news is that Spence is a LA Kings prospect which seems to pump out quality top 4 defence like no other team in the NHL. He's a bit undersized but after scoring at nearly a point per game in the AHL last year and getting 24 games in at the NHL level, Spence should challenge for full time duty with the kings. The only problem is the Kings have too many NHL defencemen. Being wavier exempt Spence may find himself back in the AHL. If he does it won't be because of his ability. The kings are in this position mainly because of Mason McTavish. They do have a nice mix of talent at all positions but outside of this list, the cupboard are pretty bare. That's ok, they're a win now team and have the best player in hockey - Connor McDavid. They should have some help coming shortly with Mason McTavish. Player Rank/Tier PLAYER-POS 24/4 Mason McTavish LOS C 120/6 Xavier Bourgault LOS RW 129/6 Martin Kaut LOS RW 133/6 Janis Moser LOS D 160/6 Jordan Spence LOS D
St-Louis Blues	NEFHL U23 Team Rankings - #19 - #18	Blues-Graham	2022-09-15 16:48:39	394	Today we’ll look at teams 19 and 18. Lets get to it. #19 – The Jose Sharks Player Rank/Tier PLAYER-POS 26/4 Simon Nemec-D 61/5 Joakim Kemell-RW 108/6 Alex Turcotte-C 114/6 Grigori Denisenko-RW 161/6 Brad Lambert-RW Interesting pair sitting atop of Jose’s list. Two of the drafts biggest surprises. The first one is Nemec going 2nd overall. He’s going to be a top 4 D man in the NHL no doubt about it. But if any team other than NJ was drafting 2nd he would have probably went 4 where he belonged. I’m not going to go deep into his game. It’s been dissected by numerous scouts 100 ways to Sunday. I have nothing to add other than this is the NEFHL and D aren’t nearly as valuable as forwards in this league. Would I have burned a #5 pick on him? Not at all. Not with the likes of Lekkerimaki, Kemell and Savoie still on the board. But I’ve been proven wrong before. Next on the list is none other then the aforementioned Kemell. He was another big surprise in the NHL draft, dropping all the way to #17. I like the kid and honestly would have taken him between 5-7 if I had those picks in the NEFHL (The sharks did grab him at 7). Listen, I don’t want to throw rocks, these are both very solid prospects and the Sharks did well in my opinion. If anything I probably would have reversed the picks. But who cares right? Next on the list is Alex Turcotte. Remember him? The shine has come off that turd ever so slightly but we’re still dealing with a very solid prospect. Just not one that would be drafted 5th overall in the NHL Draft if there was a redo. In my opinion he still projects as a 2 or 3 C. For the record the sharks grabbed him at #4 in the NEFHL draft. At the time it was a good pick! I don’t know a lot about Denisenko other than he was drafted 15th overall by the sharks (NHL) a few years ago now. His numbers don’t look promising (roughly .5ppg) in the AHL. Pronman still seems to be a big fan though. Finally, Brad Lambert. He was my value pick and I would have picked him if I could but he was well gone before my 25th pick. The sharks have some other really intriguing pieces such as Bystedt and L’Heureux. Both project as middle 6’ers. Bystedt more of a 3C but L’Heureux (touted as the next Marchand) could play top 6. Lassi Thomson is another stud on the blueline that may see NHL action this year. If I was rating the prospect pools from top to bottom the Sharks probably deserve to be a few spots higher. I also like players such as Graham Clarke and Alexander Campbell. Campbell probably has no future but Clarke might. The future is pretty bright in shark land. #18 – The Winnipeg Jets PlayerRank/Tier PLAYER-POS 13/3 Dylan Cozens-C 69/5 Lukas Cormier-D 113/6 Devon Levi-G 139/6 Samuel Fagemo-RW The Jets are probably here based on Cozens. That’s not to say the Jets don’t have a decent prospect pool but Cozens is a somewhat proven entity even if he’s taken a bit longer to develop than expected. He’s better at this point then anyone in Jose’s prospect pool and he still has 1C potential. Cormier was the 2nd PP quarterback for team Canada. He has some serious potential but he’s a little undersized for the NHL. He’ll have to maximize all of his offensive potential to be effective at the NHL level. Pronmans list not mine. I like Levi. He has legit starter potential. Goalies are a whacky bunch so who knows – for a goalie he’s also undersized but Shestorkin is breaking the mold and giving guys like Levi a 2nd life. Last on the list is Sameul Fagemo. 5’11, 200 pounds, he has the size to compete at the NHL level. Good hands, shot, and speed. He put up 27 goals in the AHL last year in only 60 some games. He should make the Kings out of camp. Lets see what he’s got. That’s not all the Jets got – I really like Roby Jarventie. The guy has wheels. I tried to draft him in 2020 but missed out. Simontaival is also a pretty decent prospect in the NHL Kings system. Interesting story – well to me. The Jets also have Zion Nybeck on their roster. Back in 2020, I had the 39th pick overall. I had been looking at Grans as a potential first rounder but he had fallen – as defensemen often do in the NEFHL. The other guy I was close to picking was Zion Nybeck. He was just coming off an impressive 27 goals in 42 GP in the J20 (Swe Jr League). I even contemplated trying to trade for him immediately after picking Grans. I’m glad I didn’t. His size scared me away, also the fact that he wasn’t a great skater according to scouting reports. Grans has continued to develop and should be a top 4 D at some point in his career. We’ll see. Rounding out the Jets prospects are Evangelista (big year) and Zayne Wisdom (another guy I was close to drafting) who could end up being a middle 6 power forward. As you see, Even at positions 18 and 19, the quality of the prospect pools has went up expontentially. I really like what both the Sharks and Jets are doing. That's it for today. My computer at my hotel room is dead and I didn't get an adapter for my plug so that's life. I'll try and pump out 2-3 more rankings again tomrorow before I fly out tomorrow night.
Edmonton Oilers	Hall of Twins	Oilers-Jason	2022-09-14 20:57:30	238	It was a crisp, gray autumn in 1980 when two boys were born in Sweden. The younger of the two boys would show an almost immediate aptitude for hockey, while the older boy, Henrik, would take a bit longer to develop. The two spent their early years together tearing up the Swedish leagues, so it was no surprise when both were drafted early in the 2005 NEFHL Dispersal Draft. From that day onward, the two would play as twins. The two boys would amass matching Hall of Fame-worthy stats over the course of their careers, collecting exactly 1,000 points each in just over 1,100 games. They would both deal out more than 700 hits, resulting in more than 700 penalty minutes. They would even shoot their way to matching 13% shooting percentages. They would rank first and third in assists among inactive players, with the older boy barely besting the younger. Though slower to develop, the younger boy would find more success in the playoffs, finishing his career ranked third among inactive players in playoff goals and assists, second in playoff shots and points, and fourth in playoff game winning goals. While the two boys did not amass much hardware, they would combine for fourteen All Star appearances, including three opportunities to share the same ice. When it was finally time to hang up the skates, they had each spent time with six different franchises, though they never laced them up for the same team. Unfortunately for the older boy's twin brother, Daniel, the other thing Henrik shared with his Hall of Fame classmate born that fateful Fall in 1980 was a first name. It is with great pleasure that the NEFHL Hall of Fame Committee welcomes Henriks Sedin and Zetterberg into hockey Valhalla. Twenty-one additional players would collect enough votes to remain on the ballot another year. Of those players, Rick Nash, from this year's nominees, was the most popular. Marian Hossa, Cam Ward, Jarmoir Jagr, and Paul Martin were among other 2019 nominees to remain on the ballot, though with less support than Nash. Brad Richards, Chris Pronger, and Martin Brodeur would see their support remain steady in their representation of the cream of the league's early years, but none have been able to find the upward movement necessary to secure induction. Among forwards from previous ballots, Daniel Alfredsson, Vincent Lecavalier, and Shane Doan all saw their support fall by more than half. Similarly, among defensemen, Nicklas Lidstrom, Scott Niedermayer, and Andrei Markov did not fare well in this round of voting. Unlike previous years, no player from a previous ballot saw a notable increase in support. This is likely the result of the size and quality of this year's class of nominees. Fan favorite, Dan Boyle, saw his support increase from two votes to three. In the Builder category, Drew Phillips barely missed being removed from the ballot, securing the support of just three general managers from across the entire league. Could 2023 be the year that Dan Boyle's support eclipses Drew's? The Hall of Fame Committee would like to once again thank all voters, even those who were a bit late. There was almost total engagement, with one rookie abstention and one rookie no-show. To the general manager who submitted his votes so late that we had to send the graphics back to the printer; we love you, but fuck off.
St-Louis Blues	NEFHL U23 Team Rankings - #21- #20	Blues-Graham	2022-09-14 15:39:46	388	Well how annoying is this? I woke up early here today in the Sunny DRC (google it!) specifically to write this article. It took me about 40 minutes or so. The full article was done, I was only typing in the title and for some unknown reason my Government of Canada issued laptop decided to blue screen. So, this is actually the 2nd version and 2nd time I’ve written this article today. Lets see if I can knock it off in 20 minutes instead of 40 this time. Today we’ll look at teams 21 and 20. It’s weird, in my final version of the original rankings I had the team who’s currently 21 sitting in 20. However after a review sometime last week, I moved the team in 21st up three spots and dropped #20 down 1. It probably reflects how I feel about team 21’s top 2 prospects. #21 – The Calgary Flames. Rank/Tier Player 63/5 Logan Stankoven - C 137/6 Lane Hutson - D 143/6 Luca Del Bel Belluz - C 154/6 Joshua Roy - LW The reason I originally had the Flames in 20th over MTL was that their top prospect was a forward whom I tend to value more than defencemen. It is the NEFHL after all. However, it’s hard for me to get behind the top 2 prospects on the Flames list. Maybe that’s because I can’t see them behind towering 6’4 defenceman Noah Dobson. There is no denying the talent of Stankoven and as a forward he has a decent chance of making the show eventually. His shot mechanics are impeccable and he can score and create. He also has a great motor but at 5’8 and only 170 pounds can he get to the area’s he needs to get to at the NHL level? A definite maybe. The next player on the list is Lane Hutson. Another 5’8 giant. The difference between Stankoven and Hutson is around 20 pounds according to Eliteprospects. I shit bigger than that and I’m a small guy. I could tolerate this small size in a forward, but I have less patience for it in a defencemen. The physical demand on a defenceman is much higher than a forward plain and simple. If I were Lane Hutson I’d be pulling a Wendel Clark and moving from D to FWD as quickly as possible. He has no future in the NHL – Unless he grows. Which according to him, he will. Lol. My son think’s he’s going to be 6’ as well. Personally I can’t say I’m enthralled with the other prospects on the Flames list either although Josh Roy just put up some monster numbers. I’d be more comfortable if it wasn’t in the Q but even in the Q, those numbers are gawdy. One guy not on the list but who I really like is Tyson Foerster. The guy has a bullet, has good size and has produced at the AHL level. All that said, the Flames are year in and year out one of the best run clubs in the NEFHL. They have a constant supply of young talent and manage to compete for the cup. They always end up with those NCAA late bloomers that they got in the later rounds of the draft… so who am I to question them. #20 – The Montreal Canadians Rank/Tier Player 31/4 Noah Dobson - D 36/4 Martin Fehérváry - D 45/5 Philip Tomasino - RW 89/6 Jiri Kulich - C/LW A list full of players with NHL experience. Not bad for 20th overall. The list starts with a 6’4 dman that just put up 51 points in 80 GP. Is it fair to even consider Dobson a prospect? Not really. He’s clearly excelled beyond that point but he is under 23 so that makes him fair game. Next on the list is another D Man with lots of experience although not quite the point totals that Dobson put up. In fact not even close. Fehervary projects as a top 4 Defensive defenceman which isn’t particularly valuable in the NEFHL. If this was a pure NEFHL list, he probably wouldn’t have made it. That said, he’s a legit NHL dman which is more than some of the players on this list will ever become. Those are the facts. Tomasino is another guy with a full season of NHL experience under his belt. How high is his ceiling? His numbers from last year don’t exactly jump off the score sheet but I expect he does become at a minimum a 3C if not a 2C. Rounding out Montreal’s list is one of my favorites from this years draft Jiri Kulich. He’s a Czech which is awesome and he has a bullet of a shot and a great motor. I’m cheering for him. Perhaps at some point Montreal will trade him to me. Speaking of Czech’s how about that Dostal. He would have been on any list of mine for sure. He put up some stellar numbers last year in the A – a .916 SV% over 40GP. He owns good NHL size at 6’2 and only 175 pounds. He’s a projected NHL starter in my books. Finally lets not forget about Stuart Skinner. He’s already 23 and will turn 24 in November but he put up some good numbers over limited games in the NHL last season and projects as the backup this year and starter of the future in Edmonton. Looks like goaltending is set for the Habs future. That’s all for now folks. I do hope to pound out another article tonight at my hotel if my piece of shit laptop doesn’t blue screen again.
Minnesota Wild	Zegras signs Entry Level Contract and GM dips into Free Agency	Wild-Peter	2022-09-13 18:00:03	321	It finally happened. Weeks after being announced cover athlete for the upcoming NEFHL23 video game despite playing ZERO NEFHL games, Trevor "the trevor" Zegras is officially a member of the Minnesota mild. The announcement of the cover photo triggered a media shitstorm with 'fiery but peaceful' protests outside the arena, a netflix miniseries on the brink of collapse due to excessive costs and race-swapping backlash, and the GM battling white supremacists trash loser right wing domestic terrorist extremists on the internet. Things have gone quiet on that front for now. Although rumors keep persisting of a new 'jersey rebrand' in the works before the drop of the puck for the 2022-2023 season. There is nothing to report on that right now. In the meantime, Trevor "smokes" Zegras is donning the green and red WILD jersey. "I'm just really happy to finally get going. Meeting some of the guys I haven't met yet and just being around the boys and playing hockey." said the young center. "It's hard not to notice my name mixed in with the chaos that happened recently. I just want to focus on hockey." "We were always going to sign him for this season. Just a matter of when. We were looking to bring him on midway through the year but always had the possibility of signing him before the season started." replied the GM. "We tried to bring back Paul Stastny who had some success with us in the past as a mercenary, but just couldn't finalize a deal with him and the offseason is winding down. Trevor will be supported by Hintz, Pageau, Evans down the middle to start the year. Pettersson will move to the right side for now." The wild/mild also brought back veteran blue liner Duncan Keith on a one year, massively overpaid, $1,800,101 deal. "Duncan Keith is one of the best leaders on D in this entire league. Just look around. He is still extremely fast and his defensive reliability is very obvious. He may not be as offensively gifted as he was 10 years ago but we need him to be a stable defensive presence on the bottom pair and maybe some special teams." The GM created controversy last season when the team struggled out of the gate and there were no takers for the then even more overpaid Keith and his $2,800,000 salary. Before the deadline the GM waived the veteran so the player can make a post-season run. The Edmonton Oilers benefitted and saw Keith in the post-season. Critics said this was tanking and is ruining the league. But people not lacking in critical thinking saw this as legitimate move since he was available for less than the price of a Tim Hortons coffee, literally for months with no takers. "I really hope we're not in the same position this time around." said the GM. "We want to compete this year. Forget about last season and burn it from memory. That is a place we don't ever want to be back to. The roster is starting to take shape. We're still active on free agency. We have about 4 million in cap to play with. We could have around 2 million more if we made some roster moves. We're a little forward heavy right now. The forward trios outside line one will be interesting. We see a lot of possibilities with the roster, cap, trade availabilities. We want the season to start." ____________________________ Article: 15/5 'Show me the money' bonus: $2,500,000 / $10,000,000
Philadelphia Flyers	Week 4 UFA recap	Flyers-Jamie	2022-09-09 13:44:48	394	WINNERS Detroit Lars Eller - $1,450,000 - 4 years -Eller has nice ratings and has been consistent through career; $1.45 for 4 years is a good price and low risk even at 33 years of age. Tampa Bay Arvid Holm - $500,000 - 2 years -Never heard of him before this signing, but he's 23, 6'5, did well in Sweden before doing rookie season in AHL and didn't do too bad. Goalies are lotto tickets and this guy seems worth the roster spot to try. Edmonton Chris Wideman - $800,000 - 3 years -Wideman has some solid ratings and $800k is a good deal. Helps their blueline - smart signing. Vegas Jani Hakanpaa - $1,000,000 - 2 years -Now that the SMASH era of the NEFHL has officially began, Vegas brings back their big bad bruiser. I know I couldn't sign him for less, so million seems pretty reasonable who can help make Vegas one of toughest Western teams to play. Ottawa Austin Watson - $1,600,00 - 2 years -Watson was a hot item in free agency with his high IT, ST, and DF - he is rated great for that specific role. On the high end dollars wise, but what was needed for a coveted free agent. LOSERS Philadelphia Pheonix Copley - $700,000 - 4 years -Flyers lack of dynamic ratings understanding saw Pheonix with a 69OV and only 11 career GP so could be 3rd string farm call up, but now is 53OV. Huge mistake by Flyers GM and shows their ineptness of running a franchise. Winnipeg Wayne Simmonds - $944,444 - 1 year -Jets are trying to toughen up and Simmonds brings some intensity, speed, and leadership. This awkward dollar amount is probably few more bucks than the guy deserves. Tyler Toffoli -Toffoli was one of the top forwards heading into UFA and still remains available is pretty surprising. He's got top end scoring to go with top notch PC/DF. A true top liner that has been too picky with his multitude of offers, but teams are strapped to what can offer and can't go up, so he sits patiently. Will he be able to sign before the season starts? Shea Weber -This will be his last season in the NEFHL, but thanks to dynamic ratings and/or no way for GMs to currently break 'too much demand', he has not inked a deal. My guess is he wants paid on what he is rated now, where GMs aren't wanting to pay 5+ later in the season when he's mid 70's. Jeff Petry -I assume Petry is stuck in a world of 'too much demand'. He's still a solid player and won't see a sharp drop in ratings like Weber, but he's unlikely to retain or improve. Dustin Brown -Retired from the NHL, Brown is looking for one last kick at the cup in NEFHL. He is the all time hit leader, by nearly 600 hits. 860 career points. He would bring a lot to a contender's lineup, but who has the space to add the gritty veteran.
St-Louis Blues	NEFHL U23 Team Rankings - #25- #22	Blues-Graham	2022-09-07 05:51:48	400	*** I wrote this on Thursday but apparently forgot to hit save. It was waiting for me at work when I arrived this morning. I woudln't say we've graduated to the teams with deep prospect pools just yet, but these next few teams at least have more than 1-2 prospects to choose from. #25 - Dallas Stars Dallas has a couple intriging forwards to put them on the board at 25. At the top of the list is the hillbilly out of Alberta, Matthew Savoie. He was the 9th overall in the 2022 draft. He's only 5'9 but can score in bunches. His size puts me off a bit but I think he's going to be a top 6 in the NHL. Chaz Lucius was the 18th pick in the 2021 draft. He can shoot the puck and score goals. Also projects as a top 6 forward in the NHL. A couple other prospectts worth noting on the Stars roster include Ozzy Wiesblatt and Tristan Luneau. Personally I like Wiesblatt more than Luneau. Luneau has a much more interesting family though. Check it out! Back to Wiesblatt - he's on the small side and didn't have a particularly great year for Prince Albert last year. #24 - Colorado Avalanche Probably the leaf fan in me but I can't stay Cole Caufield. I was so happy when he started off the year like a bag of shit. Unfortunatley that didn't last - once Martin St.Louis took over, Caufield exploded. He doesn't have the greatest speed but he's deceptive and he'll be a scorer at the NHL level. Admittedly I didn't know much about Jonatan Berggren before this excercise. But I do now. He had a great year for Detroits Farm team last year scoring at nearly a point per game. He probably tops at as a middle 6'er. He's 22 and might challenge for a spot in the NHL next year. That said, he's most likley 2 years away from playing any signifigant minutes. Colorado also has young goalie Dylan Garand. He's only 20 but has alot of promise. Is Owen Beck worth mentioning? Maybe. He's a bit undersized but has a great motor but projects more as a 2 way center (read 3rd liner). Time will tell. #23 - Edmonton Oilers Edmonton coming in heavy! Not exactly deep - at all but I really like all 3 of these prospects. Sillinger put up 16 goals in 79GP in the NHL as a 19 year old. He's big, he can shoot and play both sides of the puck and plays C. A stud. A first line C? Maybe. Likely a good #2 for sure.