NHL

SMEDLEY: Due to the fact that my family has never been interested and media coverage is lacking, ice hockey has always been the only one of the four major ...

Maybe, I’ll attach to a team and begin to follow the NHL closer than I do another major sport. Now, I’ll have to wait until October to see if this will be the year I finally try the NHL. During the Stanley Cup Finals or Playoffs I will occasionally see coverage from the media and a few commercials on television, but not enough to catch my full attention. It may just be the fact that I was raised in families that never talk about or watch ice hockey either, but the fact remains. Now, she wants me to take her to an ice hockey game soon. I’ve heard from a handful of my acquaintances that ice hockey, particularly the National Hockey League (NHL), is, in fact, quite entertaining.

That sound you hear in Denver can only mean one thing. The NHL season is over, and the Colorado Avalanche are Stanley Cup champions.

That said, Blake has a lot of free-agency work to do with the likes of Adrian Kempe (restricted), Sean Durzi (restricted), Lias Andersson (restricted) and Gabriel Vilardi (restricted), among others. He's indicated he'd like to stay in Calgary, but David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period reported on the Upper Deck spotlight that the 28-year-old forward wants to at least get a feel for the free-agency process. Their 16-4 mark in the playoffs is tied for the second-best record for a Cup champion since the 1987-88 Oilers went 16-2. They'll get back at it in October with a new coach, Paul Maurice, who was hired to replace interim boss Andrew Brunette. "I felt the fit here," Maurice told reporters. The Oilers finally played in relevant postseason games with Connor McDavid this season, advancing to the Western Conference title round after beating Los Angeles and Calgary. As mentioned earlier, the status of Kane's grievance with the Sharks may impact the situation. He's due to become an unrestricted free agent after completing a six-year, $36 million deal, and the team has offered him an eight-year contract to stick around. The organization will be in catch-up mode for the time being after word that Manitoba native Barry Trotz, a Stanley Cup winner with Washington in 2017-18, turned down Winnipeg's head coaching job to take some time away from the game. It's a question of which version of the Ducks from 2021-22 is closer to reality. Alternate captain Filip Forsberg became a point-per-game player for the first time in 2021-22 after producing 42 goals and 84 points in 69 games. "Our main thought is we want to make everything fit so that we can build a championship team," Kekalainen told Aaron Portzline of The Athletic. Getting restricted free-agent winger Victor Olofsson signed is a high agenda item, as is bringing in a goaltender to share the full-time role next season with Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, who has 13 career starts. Making prudent decisions to address those areas is certainly high on the list for GM Ron Francis, who has nearly $23 million in cap room to work with.

Since Jon Cooper replaced Guy Boucher in March 2013, the franchise has reached four Cup Finals, six conference finals/Stanley Cup Semifinals, and won two titles ...

Those are decisions that will be handled and there won’t be any surprise if the Lightning enter the next season even stronger than they were in 2021-22. After losing the 2022 Stanley Cup Final to the Colorado Avalanche, the Lightning enter another offseason that will see a bit of change to their roster. Ondrej Palat and Nicholas Paul are among the unrestricted free agents on the roster.

The NHL handed the Stanley Cup out to the Colorado Avalanche on Sunday night after the Avs beat the Tampa Bay Lightning in game six by a score of 2-1 to ...

There are plenty of free agents to keep an eye on going into this summer. It really does feel like not a lot of time from now till then and that has to do with getting the league back on track to their normal schedule next season. The Avs are now the champions.

When the Detroit Red Wings signed Filip Hronek to a three-year contract extension on Sept. 3, 2021, he was expected to continue playing an important role on ...

Hronek, Detroit's 53rd overall pick in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft, spent just one-plus season with the Red Wings' AHL-affiliate Grand Rapids Griffins before earning a spot on Detroit's 2018-19 opening night roster. Hronek embraced top-two blueliner responsibilities in the 2019-20 season by pacing Red Wings defensemen in points (26), assists (24), power-play points (11) and average ice time (23:23). The following season, the Czech native again made the Red Wings' roster out of training camp and skated in 65 of Detroit's 71 games while leading the club in average ice time (23:54).

Examining every team's entire depth chart at the NHL and prospect level and projecting their needs over the next few years.

There is a lack of a next clear guy coming from the system as well. Yes, they have some very good centers on the NHL team, but there’s no obvious next guy up in the scenario any of them need to be replaced. The Rangers have picked often and high in recent years so their stable of young talent is in a good position with depth and quality. I could have easily gone with center here, but the lack of defense prospects in their pipeline is striking. I’m not ruling out Nolan Patrick turning it around to an extent, but regardless, they could use more quality depth at center in the pipeline. The Flyers have several clear needs, but there are little answers in the current organization as to who their centers of the future are. The Kings have a deep organization of young talent at most positions including premium positions of center and defense. In terms of what the big club needs right now, I would lean toward a center, but the Bruins do at least have John Beecher coming and I think you could get some games out of Brett Harrison too. Carolina has had a ton of draft picks over the last few years, so there’s no pressing need in their system. The purpose of this from an NHL Draft perspective is to examine a club’s entire depth chart at the NHL and prospect level and project their needs over the next few years. I still like Barrett Hayton, but the Coyotes need a lot more around him. After dealing Josh Manson and Hampus Lindholm though, there is a pressing need for more top-four defense talent on the team.

The Blue Jackets hold two first-round picks going into the July 7-8 selection process.

What to know: Casey isn't a terribly different player than Hutson, as both are USNTDP players who are a bit on the smallish size but have excellent hockey sense, great skating ability and a lot of promise in the offensive zone. Stats: The big defenseman moved from his native Switzerland to Sweden this year, showing some offensive ability at the U-20 level (3-4-7 in 11 games) but spending most of his time with the senior SHL squad. Stats: Up to seven USNTDP players are projected as potential first-round picks when all is said and done at the 2022 draft, but none had as productive a season as Howard, who led the team with 82 points (33 goals, 49 assists) in 60 games. Stats: Geekie combined with Savoie to make one of the top one-two punches in the WHL this past season when it comes to draft-eligible prospects, posting a 24-46-70 line in 63 games. Stats: The Austrian made it to Sweden's top level in 2021-22, playing 46 games and posting a 7-4-11 line in a defensive league and adding a 3-3-6 mark in 13 playoff games. He might be one of the best skaters in the draft while his vision and passing ability stand out on the offensive end, and defensively he's able to use his solid frame to play a physical style. What to know: Lekkerimaki has proven himself in juniors, dominating competition in his age group, and acquitted himself well in the SHL this year in his first crack at the senior level. What to know: Kemell is an intriguing prospect, and the winger stood out at the NHL Scouting Combine for his results in the Wingate Test and force plate tests. He recovered in time to join Czechia at the World Championships, notching a goal and an assist in five games. Slafkovsky has cemented himself at the top of the draft with his international performances this year, as he boasts both size and scoring ability as evidenced by his production in tournaments against senior national teams. What to know: The Pittsburgh native and University of Minnesota commit has steadily moved up this past season and seems cemented as the top American player in the draft. Wright's status as the presumed No. 1 overall pick has hit some bumps of late -- he had what was viewed as a very good but not great 2021-22 season, and three of our 13 analysts dropped him from the top spot -- but the talented forward with an excellent shot and a standout two-way game is still No. 1 in most peoples' books.

Danny Zhilkin - a young center who could bring some speed to the Blackhawks' offense.

Zhilkin is ranked fairly consistently in a range where the Blackhawks’ first selection (No. 38) could see him available. “Zhilkin is a “do-it-all” style of player, meaning he can be relied upon to play in any area of the ice, in basically any situation that is presented. As his game has developed over the past few seasons, Zhilkin’s became much more dominant in all three zones of the ice and can be relied upon to play a 200ft game. This allows him to carry the puck through the neutral zone and make plays off the rush. “A competitive forward who flashes quality skill on the regular, Zhilkin didn’t quite live up to expectations this season, though that could be partially attributed to his not playing anywhere the previous season. But he’s also a December 2003 and I would have liked to see him make finishing plays a little more consistently (whether that’s by putting the puck in himself more consistently on the chances he gets, or making that final pass that sets up a goal more regularly) this year knowing that and his athletic advantages.

With names like Shane Wright, Brad Lambert, and Matthew Savoie all headlining favorites for the top-ranked player in what was shaping up to be a strong draft ...

Returning to the SHL for his D+1 year but could be one of the more NHL ready players in the draft. Good upside, but a long-term prospect, and the Russian factor is at play here. There are big questions about when if ever he comes to North America, but the skill and upside demand he is a first-round pick regardless. He drops the gloves but can also score with his hard shot and drive to the net. The biggest concern in his game is hit size – 5-9 and 179 pounds. The Michigan commit has size, skill, hockey sense, is a net front presence, plays a physical and two-way game. His usage in the KHL was limited and it would have been nice to see him play more minutes in another league. Thinks the game fast and has the hands and feet to match. Big, skilled, and mobile he is perhaps the most NHL-ready player in the draft. Has the upside to be the biggest impact defenseman in this draft class. His shot is quick, accurate and the release is very sneaky. The pandemic all but eliminated an entire season of development for the 2021 Draft Class, and there is still some fallout from that impact.

The Coyotes and Buffalo Sabres each have three first-round picks, and the Canadiens, Jets, Columbus Blue Jackets and Anaheim Ducks each have two. In addition to ...

In addition to Colorado's pick, Arizona has the No. 3 selection, and No. 27 pick, which it acquired from the Canadiens in a trade for forward Christian Dvorak on Sept. 4. The Winnipeg Jets have the No. 30 pick, which they acquired from the New York Rangers in a trade for forward Andrew Copp on March 21. The Sabres have the No. 9, No. 16 and No. 28 choices. The Montreal Canadiens won the lottery and have the No. 1 pick. The 12 teams that lost in the first two rounds of the Stanley Cup Playoffs have picks 17-28. The Ducks have the No. 10 and No. 22 selections, the latter acquired from the Boston Bruins in a trade for defenseman Hampus Lindholm on March 19. The New Jersey Devils won the No. 2 selection. The Blue Jackets have the No. 6 pick, which they got in a trade with the Chicago Blackhawks for defenseman Seth Jones on July 23, as well as the No. 12 pick. The No. 16 pick was acquired from the Vegas Golden Knights in a trade for forward Jack Eichel on Nov. 4, and the No. 28 pick came from the Florida Panthers in a trade for forward Sam Reinhart on July 24. The Canadiens select No. 1 and No. 26, which they acquired from the Calgary Flames in a trade for forward Tyler Toffoli on Feb. 14. The Jets have the No. 14 pick as well as the Rangers' pick. The Edmonton Oilers, who lost in the Western Conference Final, have the No. 29 pick.

1. Montreal Canadiens · 2. New Jersey Devils · 3. Arizona Coyotes · 4. Seattle Kraken · 5. Philadelphia Flyers · 6. Columbus Blue Jackets (CHI Pick) · 7. Ottawa ...

The draft has also seen some big trades made in past years. 28. Buffalo Sabres (FLA Pick) 27. Arizona Coyotes (CAR Pick) 16. Buffalo Sabres (VGK Pick) Let’s go over what the first round looks like. The draft will feature stars like Shane Wright, Juraj Slafkovsky, Logan Cooley and Simon Nemec expected to go in the top four.

The SB Nation mock draft rolls on, and just like that, we've made it through the first four picks and the Flyers are on the clock.

This season was a pretty clear look at what happens, how quickly things can go sideways, when a team doesn’t have enough defensemen who are able to move the puck, so that’s a pretty clear and present stylistic need, and Jiricek would address that as well. His defensive game is already quite solid, he’s aggressive and forechecks well, he’s excellent at getting the puck moving up-ice in transition (using both his strong skating and an accurate first pass), and with a hard and accurate shot, he’s able to chip in a nice bit on the offensive side as well. The SB Nation mock draft rolls on, and just like that, we’ve made it through the first four picks and the Flyers are on the clock.

Here are the best players in NHL history at every number, #71-80, as we count down to the last few players that made a difference in the league.

Some of these players will never reach award status or win the Stanley Cup, but just stepping on NHL ice was something they wanted to achieve. Hockey players leave an impact on the sport, regardless of stats or championships. There are two goaltenders on this list, one current and one retired, both of which are underappreciated, because they did not lead the league in several categories.

Once again, we have gathered the SBN NHL sites together to put on our general manager caps and play pretend for the first round of the league's annual entry ...

Compared to the other notable draft eligible player out of Liiga this year, Kemell outproduced Juraj Slafkovsky in primary points per game with 0.49, relative to Slafkovsky’s 0.32. Kemell also was more productive than the Slovak winger at even strength. This season was a pretty clear look at what happens, how quickly things can go sideways, when a team doesn’t have enough defensemen who are able to move the puck, so that’s a pretty clear and present stylistic need, and Jiricek would address that as well. The common refrain around Nemec is that he is good at just about everything he does. Basically, he can be the next Pierre-Luc Dubois or the next Josh Anderson. Granted, Pavel Zacha, Nico Hischier, Jack Hughes, and Dawson Mercer jumped relatively quickly into the NHL. It is not a position with a lot of age on the squad. It’s safe to say that his game will translate well to the NHL. He is listed as 6’4”, 218 pounds, and is already an established power forward. There are teams who would spend a relatively high pick to select a guaranteed third-line player; Wright’s floor is that of a second-line centre with defensive prowess and offensive ability that will serve him well in the NHL. I do not worry about the position. There were several quality options on the board, as you’d expect when having the choice of any draft-eligible player in the entire class. Once again, we have gathered the SBN NHL sites together to put on our general manager caps and play pretend for the first round of the league’s annual entry draft. And there are two very good defencemen at the top in David Jiricek and Simon Nemec as well.

1. Shane Wright - MTL · 2. Logan Cooley - NJD · 3. Juraj Slafkovsky - ARI · 4. Simon Nemec - SEA · 5. David Jiricek - PHI.

Gauthier can be relied on to play in any situation, at any time of the game, and NTDP Head Coach Adam Nightingale knows exactly what he’s going to get out of him. The ceiling might not be as high as some other players in this range but those players don’t offer the same level of NHL projectability that Gauthier does either. You combine that with a 6-foot-2 1/2 frame, a good compete level, and NHL speed and he looks every bit like a future quality top-six NHL forward. Ranked #13 by FCHOCKEY Ranked #11 by ELITEPROSPECTS.COM Basically, he can be the next Pierre-Luc Dubois or the next Josh Anderson.