Your place for everything NHL.
Game 1: Capitals at Golden Knights Monday 5/28 8:00
Game 2: Capitals at Golden Knights Wednesday 5/30 8:00
Game 3: Golden Knights at Capitals Saturday 6/2 8:00
Game 4: Golden Knights at Capitals Monday 6/4 8:00
Game 5: Capitals at Golden Knights Thursday 6/7 8:00 (If necessary)
Game 6: Golden Knights at Capitals Saturday 6/10 8:00 (If necessary)
Game 7: Capitals at Golden Knights Wednesday 6/13 8:00 (If necessary)
Boston Bruins at Buffalo Sabres Oct 4th
Buffalo fans will get to see first overall draft choice Rasmus Dahlin in his first NHL game. He will help to improve their defensive core as Buffalo was To go along with this, they will see a revamped roster as Buffalo greatly improved their bottom 6 with the additions of Patrick Berguland, Vladimir Sbotka, and Conor Sheary.
Edmonton Oilers vs. New Jersey Devils Oct 6th
Both the Oilers and Devils will start their seasons in Sweden in the NHL’s global series. Last year, the Colorado Avalanche and Ottawa Senators played a back to back series, also in Sweden. Gothenburg, Sweden
John Tavares has signed a 7 year, $77 million dollar contract with an average salary of $11 million per year. He was drafted first overall in the 2009 NHL entry draft and had been with New York for his entire nine year career. He was also captain of the Islanders for his last five years with the organization. He gained the captaincy during the 2013 offseason after veteran defenseman Mark Streit was traded to the Flyers.
Tavares reportedly met with the Maple Leafs, the Boston Bruins, the Dallas Stars, the San Jose Sharks, the Tampa Bay Lightning, and his former team the New York Islanders. He ended up deciding between the Sharks and the Maple Leafs but ultimately went with hometown Maple Leafs.
Tavares will join a Maple Leafs team filled with young talent in Auston Matthews Mitch Marner, William Nylander, Zach Hyman, Connor Brown and Kasperi Kapanen. He will help Toronto to take the next step as the previous two years had resulted in first round losses to Washington and Boston. Tavares is an elite center which are hard to come by in the NHL.
This was apparent during the 2018 NHL entry draft as right-wing Filip Zadina was projected to be drafted third overall by the Montreal Canadiens. He ended up being drafted sixth overall by the Detroit Red Wings after Montreal, Ottawa, and Arizona all passed on Zadina for lower-projected centers. (While Brady Tkachuk is predominantly a left-winger, he does have experience playing center.) The Leafs now have the center depth of stanley cup contending teams. They have two untouchable players in Auston Matthews and John Tavares while also having Nazem Kadri. Some notable center combinations include the Penguins former combination of Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Nick Bonino, the Ducks combination of Ryan Getzlaf, Ryan Kesler, and Adam Henrique, the Jets former combination of Mark Scheifele, Bryan Little, and Paul Stastny, and lastly the Sharks combination of Joe Thornton, Logan Couture, and Tomas Hertl.
However, the addition of Tavares comes at a cost as he is owed $11 million per season for the next seven years. With the salary on the rise, Tavares’ salary is realistic for players of his caliber. His salary is between Jack Eichel’s ($10 million per year) and Connor McDavid’s ($12.5 million per year). The only negative with this massive deal is that general manager Kyle Dubas was unable to sign James van Riemsdyk. Van Riemsdyk was a large part of the Leafs powerplay as he had eleven goals on the man advantage. He helped Toronto obtain the eighth best powerplay last season with a 25% conversion rate. While it was the right move to let Tyler Bozak and Leo Komarov (who signed immense deals with the St. Louis Blues and the New York Islanders) in free agency, Patrick Marleau, who played on the second line is only getting older. Van Riemsdyk would’ve been the clear replacement for him, considering he had 36 goals on the third line with sub-par players in Tyler Bozak and Kasperi Kapanen. Andreas Johnsson showed that he was capable of a bottom six role in the nine regular season games and six playoff games he played in. While he did only have 3 points in nine regular season games, he generally played well. Furthermore, he had a large impact in extending Toronto’s first round series with Boston to seven games. He played in a top-six role during his time with the Marlies and had an impressive 54 points in 54 games to go along with 24 points in 16 playoff games. While he showed potential in his previous season, there is some uncertainty about if he can sustain those numbers in the NHL. He hasn’t shown that he is capable of a top six role in the NHL (though, Mike Babcock only played him on the third line last season). This offseason, the Maple Leafs resigned Johnsson to a one year, two way deal which further illustrates the uncertainty with him. Currently, Patrick Marleau and Zach Hyman are the only two left wingers on the Leafs with experience on the top six. When Marleau does retire in the near future, Johnsson will have to make most of his opportunity.
Meanwhile for the Islanders, Mathew Barzal will likely take over Tavares as their number one center. Barzal won the Calder Trophy last season, as the NHL’s top rookie. He had 63 assists, good for fifth best in the league, and an above point per game rate of 85 points. Either Brock Nelson or Anthony Beauvillier could take over the second line role Barzal had last season. Nelson has previously played on the second line but was downgraded to the third and sometimes fourth line by former head coach Doug Weight. Nelson had a down season for his standards but for a bottom six player had an admirable 19 goals and 35 points. Beauvillier’s numbers are similar to Nelson’s, with 21 goals and 36 points. However, Beauvillier is only 21 and has much more potential than Nelson (26). Beauvillier is also a two way player which is something important in a center. He may have played left wing for the majority of last season but has played as a center for the rest of his career. Last season, he told Brian Compton, co-host of the Isle Seat Podcast that “he’d prefer to play center.” Whoever ends up being the Islanders second line center, the Islanders seem to be in a better direction with new head coach Barry Trotz and new general manager Lou Lamoriello.
The singing of John Tavares shows that Toronto is all in for their quest for the Stanley Cup. They went from a rebuilding team to a stanley cup contender. They are considered to be on the same level of elite teams like the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Washington Capitals. They are now favorited by many to win the stanley cup, as expectations are now higher than first round exits. While Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, and WIlliam Nylander are still on their entry contracts and are very young, a stanley cup win is the goal and anything short of this will be a disappointment and a failure.
The Maple Leafs now have the potential to be a dynasty for many years to come.
James van Riemsdyk has signed a 5-year contract with the Philidelphia Flyers worth $7 million per year. This signing comes after van Riemsdyk posted a career-high 36 goals to go along with a respectable 54 points. Keep in mind that Mike Babcock had him playing on the third line with sub-par players that for most of the year included the likes of Tyler Bozak and Kasperi Kapanen.
Van Riemsdyk started his career in Philadelphia as he was drafted second overall in the 2007 NHL entry draft. However, he was traded in 2012 to the Maple Leafs for defenseman Luke Schenn. While he seemed like a bust at the time, the return of Luke Schenn downgraded the Flyers roster. In his three years of playing with the Flyers, (after being drafted, he played 2 more years for the University of New Hampshire) his highest point total was 40. While his third year with the Flyers was during the lockout, he was not on pace to improve that point total. His numbers vastly improved with Toronto. His best years in Toronto (and in his career) have been his previous two seasons. In the 2016-2017 season, he had a career-high 62 points followed by last season’s 36 goals. Bringing back van Riemsdyk will further bolster Philadelphia’s forward group of Claude Giroux, Jakub Voracek, Sean Couturier, Wayne Simmonds, and young centerman Nolan Patrick.
While van Riemsdyk may be getting the salary of elite players like Johnny Gaudreau, Fillip Forsberg, and David Pastrnak, this signing provides stability for Philidelphia. Wayne Simmonds will be a free agent in a year. Rumors surrounding Simmonds indicate that the Flyers may be preparing to trade him. van Riemsdyk is in his prime years and plays a similar role, in front of the net on the powerplay. Last season, both players had an impressive 11 goals on the powerplay. The addition of van Riemsdyk will also fill a massive need on the second line for the Flyers. While Oskar Lindblom only played 23 games for the Flyers last year, he didn’t produce well with only six points. He even had more penalty minutes (8) than points (6). This is despite consistently playing on the second line. Furthermore, Patrick and Voracek are pass-first players so having van Riemsdyk should help to balance out the scoring for Philadelphia. While van Riemsdyk may never live up to his potential as a second overall draft pick, he should help improve Philadelphia’s forward core with his goal-scoring ability.
David Pastrnak has been perhaps the most exhilarating player on the Boston Bruins. The team drafted him with the 25th pick in the 2014 draft. He’s known for his puck control and diverse deking ability. He impressed in his first season but struggled in his second season to improve his offensive production. Finally breaking out, Pasta had 70 points in 75 games. This was good for second on the team behind Brad Marchand (85 points). He mainly played on the first line, though was occasionally bumped down to the second line to create more balance. Despite playing with David Krejci in previous years, most B’s fans thought he was a better fit on the first line. In late July, general manager Don Sweeney released this non-optimistic statement on the contract negotiation:
“We’re at the same point as when (the press) asked me the last time,” said Sweeney. “We’re in a holding pattern. I have not made as much progress as I would like. But we have plenty of time and opportunity to continue to talk and we will find a landing spot.”
Some comparable contracts are:
Leon Draisaitl: $8.5 mil per yr.
Johnny Gaudreau: $6.75 mil per yr.
Filip Forsberg: $6 mil per yr.
Jonathan Drouin: $5.5 mil per yr.
You have to keep in mind that Draisaitl may have gotten overpaid because of the margin between his contract and Connor McDavid’s massive contract worth $12.5 mil per yr. Some rumors say that Pasta’s camp may have waited on Draisaitl’s contract as a comparable. The Bruins are rumored to be asking for $6 mil, 6 year contract. Some recent reports say that Boston is giving him the option between a 6 yr. or 7 yr. deal. Others reports support that his camp aren’t impressed with any of the offers he’s recieving.
With the market rising, it seems like the Bruins and his camp are intent on a long term deal, not a bridge deal. This is smart as players like Evgeny Kuznetsov are gaining $7.8 mil per yr.
We will see what concludes with this deal but it could take a while…
One of the unsung rookies of the Toronto Maple Leafs has agreed to a three-year, $6.3 million contract ($2.1 million per year). In his first full season, he had 36 points, with 20 goals. Despite being drafted in the 6th round, he put up 90 points in 110 AHL games with the Toronto Marlies during the 2014-15 and 2015-16 seasons. His deal now means that all of Toronto’s players are under contract. Known as a versatile player, he played over 160 minutes on the penalty kill. He should likely see time on the third line with either Nazem Kadri or Tyler Bozak. This is largely due to the fact that they have two upcoming star right wings in William Nylander and Mitch Marner. Throughout last season, he played in a few different spots but most constantly with Kadri. Near the beginning of the year, he saw time with Zack Hyman and Auston Matthews. Having a guy who can score 20 goals or more on the third line should be pivotal for Mike Babcock and this young Toronto team.
Oct 4: St Louis at Pittsburgh (The Penguins raise their Stanley Cup banner for the second consecutive year)
Oct 4: Toronto at Winnipeg (Auston Matthews and Patrik Laine are now sophomores but this rivalry is still going strong. Last year, the season series was tied, one game a piece. Both teams won in overtime, by a score of 5-4 on their home ices.)
October 5: Minnesota Wild at Detroit Red Wings (First NHL game at Little Caesars Arena)
October 10: Arizona Coyotes at Vegas Golden Knights (First NHL game at T-Mobile Arena)
Dec. 16: Montreal Canadiens at Ottawa Senators (2017 Scotiabank NHL100 Classic)
Jan. 1: New York Rangers at Buffalo Sabres (2018 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic)
Jan 9: Oilers at Predators (The Oilers were one round away from facing them in the Conference Finals)
Jan. 13: Philadelphia Flyers at New Jersey Devils (possible Nolan Patrick/Nico Hischier matchup)
Feb. 6: Vegas Golden Knights at Pittsburgh Penguins (The flower returns to Pittsburgh)
Feb. 6: Vegas Golden Knights at Pittsburgh Penguins (Marc-Andre Fleury returns to Pittsburgh)
Steven Stamkos-
We all know Stamkos’ superstar production, if healthy. Though he has tremendous upside with his one-timer ability on the powerplay, he does have a significant history of injuries. As we have season in the past two seasons, these have proved to be long-term and even kept Tampa out of the playoffs in 2017. This, while lower tier teams including Boston, Toronto, and Ottawa squeaked in to the playoffs in the final weeks of the season. If he is available after 4-6 rounds, he could be a key member of your fantasy team. You do have to keep in mind that he did have a points per game average of slightly over one. This, in the just 17 games he participated in. He is a bargain as the likes of Nikita Kucherov and Victor Hedman may now have higher value.
Anze Kopitar-
Kopitar has been among the league best defensive-minded centers in his 11 year career. This despite only winning the He has shown great efficiency as a No. 1 center, with a career +69 rating. Last year, he had an off-year with only 12 goals in 72 games. A few things to keep in mind:
He mainly played with Dwight King, Jarome Iginla, and Marian Gaborik who aren’t exactly first line forwards. Even with Tyler Toffoli occasionally on the first line, Kopitar’s number didn’t improve. The addition of Michael Cammalleri could slighly improve L.A.’s offense but he is nowhere near the player he used to be.
Jeff Carter is a much less riskier choice for a center. Even if he doesn’t match his almost career year with 34 goals, he plays with Tanner Pearson and Tyler Toffoli. Both young forwards should get between 25-30 gaols with Toffoli possibly exceeding this expectation. Carter could and should see time on the first line along with these same two linemates.
More Content (Avoid) Will Be Added on The Following Players:
-James Neal, Vegas Golden Knights
-Zack Parise, Minnesota Wild
-Bobby Ryan, Ottawa Senators
-Bryan Rust, Pittsburgh Penguins
-Derek Stepan, Arizona Coyotes
-Jordan Eberle, New York Islanders
-Paul Stastny, St. Louis Blues
-Tyson Barrie, Colorado Avalanche
-P.K. Subban, Nashville Predators
-Justin Faulk, Carolina Hurricanes
-Brian Elliot, Philidephia Flyers
The following titles will be updated/published in the nearing months:
-Constant Updates w/ The Score Feature
-Fantasy Forwards/Defenseman/Goalies to Avoid
-Fantasy Breakout Canditates
-Recent Underrated/Unnoticed Trades
– Way Too Early 2018 Season Predictions
-NHL Projected Lines for 2018 Season
-Toughest Schedules for 2018 Season
-The Addition of Scores (Providing Stats For Every Game)
And much more…
Please follow/share this blog as we are motivated to deliver first-class analysis of all things NHL.
With a new NHL season just around the corner, we’ve decided to take a look at some projected lineups for all 31 teams. Though many keys players still remain free agents, much of the action has died down. This is accurate of June 10th and many changes will likely be made. Now, we start with the Anaheim Ducks…
Rickard Rakell- Ryan Getzlaf- Corey Perry
Andrew Cogliano- Ryan Kesler- Jacob Silverberg
Nick Ritchie- Anton Vermette- Patrick Eaves
Ondrej Kase- Dennis Rasmussen- Logan Shaw
Randy Carlyle certainly has some decisions to make before opening night. Chris Wagner will likely be competing with Dennis Rasmussen for the fourth line center shot. Patrick Eaves could be moved up to the second line to create more balance within the forward group. Two underrated players on this west-coast team are Rickard Rakell who had 33 goals last season and Ondrej Kase who showed good signs as a rookie. Rakell has the versatility to play center and can provide a spark where ever placed among all 12 forwards. Nick Ritchie could see some first line time with his ability to drive the net and Ryan Getzlaf’s playmaking ability. Ondrej Kase is another underappreciated forward. Though we only played 53 games for Anaheim last season, he showed his offensive potential and was a consistent and reliable shootout option. Along with this tandem, Nick Ritchie could evolve into a bigger role and into a decent scoring option. He’s been known as a power forward who will finish his checks with a strong wrist shot. This will be especially helpful since Jacob Silverberg has had little to no improvement in his production despite the high hopes and expectations for him. He has yet to break-out and show his full potential. Despite, his point total going up by 10 compared to last season, he has yet to reach the 50 point mark/plateau.
Hampus Lindholm- Josh Manson
Cam Fowler- Sami Vatanen
Kevin Bieska- Brandon Montour
The Ducks have tremendous depth at defense, with two top pair guys in Lindholm and Fowler. They also are young in this department with everyone 26 or younger, excluding Bieska. Last year, the ducks had a proficient 2.4 goals against game and are looking to build on this accomplishment/achievement. This year, the Ducks lost Clayton Stoner in the expansion due to a deal prohibiting them to take certain defenseman. George McPhee also traded for defense Shea Theodore who ranked second in points for defenseman this postseason.
John Gibson
Ryan Miller
Though Jonathan Bernier was solid and underrated in his one year with Anaheim, they still let him go into free agency and instead singed an older but more reliable Ryan Miller to a 2 yr., $4 million dollar contract to backup John Gibson. Gibson is up with the best for his athleticism but his inconstant play and inability to lead a team raced a few red flags for the Ducks. This situation was similar to Jake Allen earlier in the year before turning into an elite netminder after Mike Yeo was hired as head coach and Martin Brodeur served as goaltender coach. He was one of the hottest goaltenders in this time. To go along with an impressive 11-6-0 record, Allen had a .942 SP and 1.72 GAA in the hot stretch for the whole organization, as they had the fifth best record in this league after the many personnel changes. Even back-up goaltender Carton Hutton performed better under these changes. After the Mike Yeo era started, Brodeur picked St. Louis’ starting tendy and (especially in the beginning) gave Hutton more starts. (Allen was still the clear started but he also got more rest and stamina).
Arizona:
Max Domi- Derek Stepan- Anthony Duclair
Brandon Perlini- Christian Dvorak- Tobias Rieder
Clayton Keller- Dylan Strome- Jamie McGinn
Lawson Crounse- Nick Cousins- Jordan Martinook
John Chayka has certainly shaken up this Coyotes roster over the last two years. He has acquired Derek Stepan whose role has been considered a second line center. With-in this Coyotes organization, he is viewed as the first line center. Expect boosts from young players including, Lawson Crounse, Clayton Keller, and Dylan Strome who should start evolving into full NHL players. Expect Derek Stepan to be moved down to the second line if Christian Dvorak or even Strome start to surge and show more of their potential. While there are certainly fills to hole in this forward lineup, the future is starting to take shape and Coyotes fans should be enthusiastic.
Oliver Ekman-Larsson- Niklas Hjalmarsson
Alex Goligoski- Jakob Chychrun
Kevin Connauton- Luke Schenn
Depsite being left-handed, Hjalmarsson is used to playing right defenseman as he was Duncan Keith’s linemate in Chicago where Connor Murphy now plays for. Him and Oliver Ekman-Larsson played for Team Sweden in the World Cup of Hockey so expect them to have a naturally strong chemistry together. Expect Jakob Chychrun to build off his strong rookie season and to evolve into a strong fantasy option on defense. The only problem with putting him on the first defensive pair, despite being right handed is that he and Ekman-Larsson are both known as offensive defneseman. Who ever the next head coach is, he would likely want a balance. Though Arizona doesn’t have a captain (and aren’t required to have one), Oliver Ekman-Larsson is likely the frontrunner for this honor with Shane Doan leaving after 21 years with the organization and 12 years as captain. The Coyotes also traded Martin Hanzal to the Wild last year, leaving a legitament hole in their leadership. Hjalmarsson and Derek Stepan will help these absences and bring a strong influence to this young Arizona roster.
Boston Bruins:
Brad Marchand- Patrice Bergeron- David Pastrnak
Frank Vatrano- David Krejci- David Backes
Sean Kuraly- Ryan Spooner- Peter Cehlarik
Noel Accuri- Riley Nash- Tim Schaller
Expect new head coach Bruce Cassidy to play around with the different line combinations often in games and in practices. Over his short tenure with Boston, the former assistant coach and Providence Head Coach has made sure everyone be held accountable and to expect to be moved if you’re struggling. Last year, he often switched David Pastrnak to the second and David Backes onto the first. Pasta has surged, coming off a 70 point season. Cassidy tried to balance the lines but Pasta’s performance was more dominant on the first line. Expect JFC and Jake DeBrusk to be battling for a roster spot. As shown with inserting Kuraly for the struggling Ryan Spooner in Round 1, don’t be surprised to see younger and possibly hungrier players to get a chance. Last year, Drew Stafford was Boston’s second line left winger despite being right-handed and a natural right wing. A recent report from Micheal Russo of the Star Tribute implies that Stafford could be linked to Minnesota where some of his old teammates from Buffalo played in. (Most notably Tyler Ennis and Marcus Foligno). In 18 games, he had 8 points with a +8 rating. The Bruins have also been linked to Gabriel Landeskog and Matt Duchene. Joe Sakic recently stated he wasn’t shopping or trying to get move Duchene despite recent rumors suggesting Boston’s Brandon Carlo would be an asset for Colorado with the recent support of BU Terrior Charlie McAvoy (both players are right-handed). Last season, Sakic and Don Sweeney were citied at TD Garden talking together in the second intermission. This wasn’t a game against Colorado as Sakic made the trip without the team or the rest of the management. Don Sweeney said his main needs are a “middle of the [forward] lineup, transition-minded defensemen and the backup goaltender position”
Zdeno Chara- Brandon Carlo
Torey Krug- Adam McQuaid
Charlie McAvoy- Kevan Miller
The defensive core is starting to evolve into a younger defensive group. Charlie McAvoy came in a tough scenario with a large amount of Boston’s defenseman were injured in Boston’s lone playoff round. After BU lost to Minnesota Duluth in the NCAA Tournament, he had a strong showing in the AHL, despite playing few games. He played on the first defensive pair with Zdeno Chara. He could replace Brandon Carlo on the first defensive pair. Also, Kevin Millar could get boosted to the second defensive pairing. George McPhee and his staff selected Colin Miller. Miller had the offensive skill set but on defense he was often criticized for forcing unnecessary turnovers. This season, Miller improving in this department but still ended up occasionally ending up as a healthy scratch in the lineup. This was partly due to John Micheal- Liles’ presence (he’s currently a free agent). With all of these defenseman gone, Torey Krug could get moe playing time despite already being identified as a top four defenseman.
Tuukka Rask
Anton Khudobin
At the beginning of the year, there were high expections with a slim margin of error for Tuukka Rask. Despite this, he ended up getting the nod to be one of the two goalies for the Atlantic Division (along with Carey Price). Though we wasn’t a Vezina finalist, hopes were bright and high for the Finnish goaltender. Near the end of the year, some Bruins fans doubted his ability to carry the team as an elite goaltender. This was most notably after a 6-3 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning after squandering a 3-3 tie coming into the third period. Remember after despite being a Stanley Cup competitor and a serious threat in the postseason this Lightning team never was in a playoff spot of any sorts (not even a wild card spot). They were also without their captain and first line sniper Steven Stamkos for the year after an injury sidelined him in mid November. Khubidin was also quite dissapointing after making his return to Boston. He led Boston to losses against the brutualy bad Colorado Avalanche. He did end the season with 6 consective wins before losing to Washington in the last game of the season. In his hot stretch, he seemed more poised while still being active to the play and found most of his success on the road (like the rest of the Bruins team). He even lead the B’s to stop a 10 game win streak by the Calgary Flames in their west-coast/pacific roadtrip. There aren’t many options at backup goaltender but former Bruin Chad Johnson could be worth looking at in a trade with Buffalo since they have Robin Lehner and Linus Ullmark. The only problem is that after a strong showing with Calgary, he could compete for the starting netminder as Lehner hasn’t established himself as someone who can steal games for a team. Also, Don Sweeney likely wouldn’t trade a second round pick for a back-up goaltender unless it be included in a package deal.
NHLEVERYTHING 