Training camps are drawing ever closer, but that doesn’t mean the news cycle is slowing down. An unexpected head coaching change late in the summer dominated storylines over the weekend, while the Colorado Avalanche moved to pick up one of the few impact free agents left on the market a few days before.
With those moves in the rearview mirror, it’s time for another edition of our mailbag. Our last one ran in two parts. Edition one looked at how teams view the goaltending position in the wake of Vegas’ tandem approach that led to a championship, candidates for a breakout season in 2023-24 and the value of Pierre-Luc Dubois’ long-term extension in Los Angeles. Edition two covered some recent high-value trades, puzzling summer moves and the rebound potential for the Stars’ former elite duo of Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin.
You can submit a question by using #PHRMailbag on Twitter or by leaving a comment down below. The mailbag will run on the weekend.
Is Mike Babcock’s stint as head coach in Columbus the shortest in NHL history? Let’s exclude interim coaches, for the sake of argument.
Has any coach been fired/resigned without coaching a game? Or running a practice even?
Over a hundred years of NHL hockey, it’s had to have happened before. Take infamously hot tempered GMs like Punch Imlach, or screwball owners like Charlie Finley.
The Blackhawks have immensely upgraded their Forward group since last year. Their Defensemen will go as far as Korchinski, Vlasic, Allan and Kaiser will take them. The obvious weakness is G where Soderblom, Commesso, and Stauber are untested and Mrazek is just plain horrible. What do you think the odds are Davidson speeds up the rebuild by trading for Hellybuck? He’s supposedly on the market and the Hawks are probably one of the few teams that have both the Prospect, Draft and Salary Cap Capital to get a deal done. I think Davidson could get a deal done for just about anyone they want. The Hawks could take on half of Mrazek’s contract back as it’s an expiring deal and would give the Jets something to maybe flip at the deadline fo something anyway to add to the kitty. Thoughts?
Hellebuyck has his heart set on Detroit so he’s not gonna sign elsewhere, most likely, till Yzerman says no.
I would trade them Cossa and Husso for Helly right now!
gowings- Fact check, Detroit is about a 20 minute boat ride from Chicago. 10 minute flight. So doubt it’s a big deal.
In what universe??? You watch too much Jetsons!
Uncle Mike, better fact check those times and maybe refresh your memory on geography lol. Detroit is number one on his list.
Yeah because he’s the ONLY Goalie in the League they could get. With what the Hawks have to offer they could trade for anybody. I just mentioned Hellybuck because he’s the only one I know for sure has been made available. Get a grip. The point was that Detroit and Chicago aren’t exactly on opposite coasts. You guys drink don’t you?
You’re missing the real point. It’s not that Detroit is targeting him (although they very well might be), it’s that if given the chance to sign with any of the 32 teams, Hellebuyck would sign with Detroit. Chicago really doesn’t have that much more, if anything, to offer than Detroit. Plus, Detroit is in a situation where they can wait a year for him to get to free agency.
What? Where do you come up with this stuff?
I told you , They drink. Obviously to excess. Plus he’s the only one I’ve ever heard say that Hellybuck only wants to play for Detroit. Bet if somebody traded for him and said hey I’ll give you 10 million a year he’d say, Where do I sign?
never said that and you are truly a fool
Didn’t SAY YOU said it. Reading is a skill after all. Now we know why they asked the question” Why can’t Johnny read”?
Review of Luke Hughes Calder chances please! Convince me he is not next to Bedard as a top 2 favourites or, if you agree, explain why he doesn’t seem to be on anyone’s radar for this award. Thanks!
The CHL and NHL have a rule that 18 and 19 year olds drafted out of juniors can’t play in a North American professional league, unless it’s the NHL. I understand why the rule was put in place: to keep professional leagues like the AHL and ECHL from stripping Canadian juniors of high end talent. But the rule can hurt some players, for example Shane Wright. Do you see this rule continuing, or do you think perhaps they may grant “exceptional status” to certain 18 and 19 year olds to play in professional minor leagues, similar to that granted to 15 year olds like Connor Bedard, to play in major juniors?
Good morning! I am wondering about the development of Cayden Primeau and his future role with the Habs. Seems to me that he’s not getting a lot of opportunities. Or maybe he’s just not ready?
Or maybe he still has enough potential to be part of a package to address a more dire roster need?
Is there any idea on when we might actually hear the findings of the Hockey Canada investigation? Are they really going to let this drag on into the season?
Seems like the powers that be want this to quietly go away. I wish all the different sports writers would push this story. I’m of the belief there’s more to this story than is being reported.
What are the ‘A’ and ‘B’ bonuses for ELC’s based on position?
Can you give the readers a bit of a primer on what’s going on with pro women’s hockey in North America? It would seem the PHF has been dissolved and reformed into a new league, but I would love to know more about what happened there.
really ?? lame
Pretty simple, actually. The PHF has been at loggerheads with an independent players’ group that refused to play for it (they didn’t like several ways the outfit was run), and that played an exhibition schedule the last couple of years. Mark Walter, a billionaire who is co-owner of the LA Dodgers and Chelsea FC, got together with Billie Jean King and the players’ group, bought out the PHF and its assets, dissolved the league, and started a new one, which’ll begin play in January. No more civil war.
That sounds awesome, but it kinda stinks to lose the Buffalo team. I would have gone to see them! Now I gotta settle for Toronto. >`:
Depending where, exactly, they’re bound to play. The New York team, for instance, isn’t necessarily going to be in New York city: the rumor afoot is that they’ll be based out of Bridgeport. So far, The Hockey News especially’s giving regular coverage (they have a beat writer on the PWHL), as is Sportsnet.
I want to thank you for the response/analysis of PLD’s fit/contract with the Kings in the last mailbag. That analysis was enlightening and valuable to me. Thanks again.
What are candidates to be exposed on waivers after training camp and claimed by another team? Does the current cap situation make it easier to sneak players through waivers?
I like grocery’s question
If you answer that one can you also consider related questions:
Do non competitive teams intentionally hold back cap space each year looking for early waiver claims? If so do they tend to flip the resource or hold on to them?
Has Vega’s recently cup win using 4 goalies set the future of the position? Are NHL goalies going to be treated like running backs in the NFL (where teams are starting to roster 4-5 on cheaper contracts as they are replaceable) and will we see their contracts affected in a similar way?
I had a similar question. During the dead puck era goalies carried more weight. It looks like we’re going back to 80s level scoring. Will this lessen the average goalie AAV (baring you standouts/vezina level?)
Where will Logan Couture be playing on this day next year and which team(s) will be paying his salary?
What kind of return could the ducks expect if they can’t workout a deal with Trevor Zegras and decide to trade him?
I would bet that it would be 4 pieces, 3 futures and 1 1st line NHL player, one that the Ducks could use on their 1st line.
Hypothetical.. If Bedard underwhelms.. Hughes, Cooley or Fantilli for the Calder?