2023-07-20 15:56:38
We are on July 20, a date when generally, there is very little activity in the NHL. The draft and the opening of the free agent market are far behind us and no decision has yet been rendered via arbitration.
But 2023 will be a year where July 20 will still have stirred.
Guy Boucher has accepted an assistant coaching position with the Toronto sworn enemies…
Kirk Muller, who had been out of work since leaving Calgary, just did the same thing, but with the Washington Capitals…
The Washington Capitals have named Kirk Muller as an assistant coach and Kenny McCudden as an assistant/skills coach.#ALLCAPS
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) July 20, 2023
Former Canadiens Nate Thompson announced his retirement after 15 years in the NHL…
And Nicklas Backstrom (Capitals) said he no longer felt any pain following his major hip operation, he who had been reduced since 2015 due to this injury. Backstrom will be there from Day 1 of training camp in Washington.
Good news for the Caps, who need offensive punch precisely.
Nicklas Backstrom had reportedly been dealing with chronic hip pain since 2015 before having hip resurfacing surgery in 2022 ????
He now says he is pain-free and will be at the Capitals’ training camp in the fall.
(h/t The Hockey News) pic.twitter.com/L614cDMNmc
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) July 19, 2023
And several rumors could materialize over the next few hours. Big July 20 in the world of hockey!
The Islanders are shopping (again) for a scorer
The Islanders tried to lure Pierre-Luc Dubois and Vladimir Tarasenko to New York, but obviously Brooklyn, Elmont and the New York suburbs can’t come close to Manhattan.
According to Elliotte Friedman, good old Lou hasn’t thrown in the towel at this level, however. He would still try to attract a guy able to put it in in his locker room.
Friedman on NHL Network asked if the Isles are looking for another scoring winger: “I’ve heard Tarasenko and the Islanders were possibly a bad match and not going to happen. I do think they are looking for another scorer, yes, absolutely”
— NHL Watcher (@NHL_Watcher) July 20, 2023
The options in the full autonomy market are limited, however.. Patrick Kane won’t sign until he’s recovered, Jonathan Toews isn’t what he used to be, neither is Phil Kessel, Zach Parise, Eric Staal, Derick Brassard and Tomas Tatar and I really don’t see Patrice Bergeron or David Krejci coming to the Isles.
So there remains the transaction market… and that of hostile offers.
Are Troy Terry and Trevor Zegras real options for Lou?
Is Alexis Lafrenière really on the market?
I have a good option for you, Lou: Mike Hoffman is currently available. And his greatest quality is his lightning shot, genre…
Teuvo Teravainen sur le marché?
No, Don Waddell doesn’t have such a quiet vacation as Jeff Gorton and Kent Hughes.
The Hurricanes have the nose thicket pretty much everywhere.
Erik Karlsson: la « course » would always be between the Penguins and the Hurricanes.
Cont’d: “That’s the thing about the danger about reporting this, that it seems to change from time-to-time…I think Carolina has got a number in mind, at this point in time, I don’t think San Jose is going to get to, so we’ll see what Pittsburgh can do”
— NHL Watcher (@NHL_Watcher) July 20, 2023
Vladimir Tarasenko: his name is still constantly linked to the Hurricanes.
Waddell would like to add at least one important ingredient to his recipe before the start of the 2023-24 season.
But since he only has $2.5 million in lousses below the salary cap (and Karlsson and Tarasenko are not on minimum wage), the Hurricanes GM should be able to free up some space to complete some move whether it be.
And this gesture, it could implicate Teuvo Teravainen.
Friedman on the Hurricanes (NHLN): “I think they’ve talked to some teams about Teravainen, if they need to make some cap room, I think Carolina has a few things going on out there”
— NHL Watcher (@NHL_Watcher) July 20, 2023
The former Blackhawks first pick, sent to Carolina to get rid of Bryan Bickell’s abysmal contract, will be eligible for full free agency in less than a year.
He earns an average annual salary of $5.4 million, but he just finished a tough season of only 37 points (in 68 games).
The Hurricanes should give something away with Teravainen so they can get away with it.
Kent? Jeff? Your cell is not closed, right?
William Nylander and the Maple Leafs are far from an agreement
Brad Treliving added important pieces to the Toronto recipe: Tyler Bertuzzi, Max Domi, Ryan Reaves, John Klingberg, Guy Boucher…
But this morning he exceeds the salary cap by nearly $9 million, while placing Jake Muzzin on the LTIR will only free him $5.625 million. Can’t wait to see how he fare at this level…
And the next step will be to sign Auston Matthews and Willam Nylander to contract extensions. Matthews would like to have an average annual salary of $14 million according to the most recent rumors, while Nylander would not want to be the only top Maple Leafs forward to sign (a little) at a discount.
Matthews might even like to wait to see Nylander sign before doing so, but the latest news is that Nylander and the Maple Leafs aren’t going anywhere near a deal.
Friedman on NHL Network talking William Nylander extension: “I think that’s kind of at a standstill, I just think that they aren’t close”
— NHL Watcher (@NHL_Watcher) July 20, 2023
That is not likely to be settled on July 20, unfortunately…
A lot of
– At least $4 million for Ilya Samsonov, while the Maple Leafs are only offering him $2.4 million right now (at the dawn of arbitration?)
– All in unison: no!
Does Auston Matthews deserve to be the highest paid player in the NHL?
— TVA Sports (@TVASports) July 20, 2023
– The countdown has not only begun in Montreal. It is also in Laval.
8️⃣5️⃣ days until it starts
8️⃣5️⃣ days before it starts #GoRocket pic.twitter.com/GB9MLn9lGj— Rocket de Laval (@RocketLaval) July 20, 2023
– I can’t wait for tomorrow night.
Inter-Miami | The next chapter of Messi’s career will start on Friday
– The Sports Press (@LaPresse_Sports) July 20, 2023
– Bravo champion!
A pitcher sends Yankees fans wild and the media ignites:
— TVA Sports (@TVASports) July 20, 2023
– Eugénie Bouchard received an invitation to participate in the National Bank Open next month in Montreal. She hasn’t played in Montreal since 2009.
Eugenie Bouchard will play in Montreal next month:
— TVA Sports (@TVASports) July 20, 2023
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#Teuvo #Teravainen #leave #Carolina #quickly