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Thankful Series 2019-20

What Your Team Is Thankful For: Detroit Red Wings

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As the holiday season approaches, PHR will take a look at what teams are thankful for as the season heads past the one-quarter mark. There also might be a few things your team would like down the road. We’ll examine what’s gone well in the early going and what could improve as the season rolls on for the Detroit Red Wings.

What are the Red Wings most thankful for?

Very little has gone right for Detroit this season as the team finds itself dead last in the league, four points out of 30th place and nine points out of 29th place, suggesting the team is likely to land another significant lottery in June. And while none of that is worthy of being thankful for, Detroit’s general manager Steve Yzerman, is eager to complete the team’s rebuild and likely has no qualms about seeing this franchise at the bottom in hopes of completely rebuilding the franchise up. It has plenty of complementary pieces and several players who could be stars, but a picking up a franchise player in a stacked draft might be the most valuable piece to this franchise.

Who are the Red Wings most thankful for?

Anthony Mantha.

Mantha missed eight games with a knee injury, returning today, but continues to be the team’s leading scorer with 12 goals and 23 points this season, which puts him on pace for almost a goal per game. After posting 48 points for the past two seasons, Mantha looks ready for a potential breakout season if he can remain healthy. He is third on the team among forwards in TOI, averaging 18:54 and looks to have taken his game to another level this year.

Considering that Dylan Larkin has seen a slight decline in his play so far, the team should be thankful that Mantha continues to improve season after season.

What would the Red Wings be even more thankful for?

Defense.

Detroit has struggled defensively this season with injuries as the team has been without several of their veteran blueliners for chunks of the season already. Other than Filip Hronek, the defense has looked to be in serious trouble. Danny DeKeyser has missed all but eight games so far this season. Trevor Daley has missed 20 games, Mike Green has missed eight games and isn’t the same player he once was, while Jonathan Ericsson has been waived and used just eight times this season. Even Dennis Cholowski has failed to live up to expectations this year and has been sent to the AHL as well.

The team needs the defense to get healthy and more importantly, they need some of their young blueliners to take that next step and provide some defense to give the team a chance.

What should be on the Red Wings’ Holiday Wish List?

Goaltending.

The teams goaltending has hit some hard times. The star of the team is Jonathan Bernier, who is boasting a 3.34 GAA and a .890 save percentage in 20 appearances. And yes, that’s the best of the bunch. 35-year-old Jimmy Howard, who is currently out with a strained groin, is struggling even worse with a 3.94 GAA and a .887 save percentage in just eight appearances. The team did add Eric Comrie to the team in a trade with Arizona. However, so far there hasn’t been any indication that he’s the answer in two appearances, although it’s still early.

Unfortunately, the team may not find the answer during the holidays. They may be more likely to fix that problem by making a big splash in the free agent market this summer when some interesting names might be available, including Washington’s Braden Holtby, Jacob Markstrom, Robin Lehner amongst others.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

What Your Team Is Thankful For: Dallas Stars

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As the holiday season approaches, PHR will take a look at what teams are thankful for as the season heads past the one-quarter mark. There also might be a few things your team would like down the road. We’ll examine what’s gone well in the early going and what could improve as the season rolls on for the Dallas Stars.

What are the Stars most thankful for?

Last year, Dallas allowed the second-fewest goals in the league at 2.46 per game.  They’re allowing even fewer this season, checking in at just 76 through 32 contests (2.38 per game).  They have Ben Bishop and Anton Khudobin to thank for that.  The duo are in their second season together and Khudobin has played more than well enough to allow the Stars to play Bishop, 33, less than a full number one workload which paid dividends last season.  It’s not an overly expensive tandem either as they slot in with the 12th-highest goalie cap charge in the NHL though that will likely go up next year if they ultimately re-sign Khudobin, a pending unrestricted free agent.

Who are the Stars most thankful for?

Pretty much every team with eyes on contention needs a top-notch defenseman.  That is one element that Dallas has lacked in the past but that is very rapidly changing with the emergence of Miro Heiskanen as one of the up-and-coming stars on the back end in the league.  The second-year pro just missed out on being one of the finalists for the Calder Trophy last season but is having an All-Star caliber campaign.  He already has collected 21 points this season, good for a share of 12th among all NHL defenders.   Heiskanen has also seen his playing time jump to 24:29 per night to lead the team.  He’s under team control for at least the next five seasons and still has a year left to go after this one on his entry-level deal, one that carries a base cap hit of just $894K.

What would the Stars be even more thankful for?

More production from their top line.  When at their best, the trio of Jamie Benn, Tyler Seguin, and Alexander Radulov can be among the better groups in the league.  However, none of them have reached double figures in goals yet while Radulov (the closest to that mark with nine) being a recent healthy scratch.  At a combined cap hit of $25.6MM, a lot more is expected from that group.  If they can get going, Dallas could find themselves battling near the top of the Central Division instead of battling for a Wild Card spot.

What should be on the Stars’ Holiday Wish List?

Scoring, scoring, and more scoring.  Dallas hasn’t had many issues keeping the puck out of their own net but they’re near the basement of the league in goals scored.  More production from that top line would go a long way towards solving that but even with that, they need a boost on their second and third lines as well.  With Martin Hanzal out for the season, the Stars have some financial flexibility to go into LTIR although with performance bonuses for Heiskanen, Corey Perry, and Andrej Sekera, there is some risk to doing so as any that are reached would see their cap charge carry over to next year.  With that in mind, GM Jim Nill may be looking for player-player swaps to try to find that scoring help.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

What Your Team Is Thankful For: Columbus Blue Jackets

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As the holiday season approaches, PHR will take a look at what teams are thankful for as the season heads past the one-quarter mark. There also might be a few things your team would like down the road. We’ll examine what’s gone well in the early going and what could improve as the season rolls on for the Columbus Blue Jackets.

What are the Blue Jackets most thankful for?

A rock-solid scouting staff.

There hasn’t been a ton to celebrate in Columbus over the past few months. The team watched several of their best players leave for greener pastures (or sandier beaches) this summer and have now struggled through the early part of the season en route to a 11-14-4 record. The hopes that Pierre-Luc Dubois, Seth Jones and Zach Werenski could take the next step and keep them competing for a divisional playoff spot have been dashed so far, as the offense and goaltending have desperately missed Artemi Panarin and Sergei Bobrovsky (at least the one that played for Columbus).

There is reason to be hopeful for the future however. Players like Alexandre Texier, Emil Bemstrom and Andrew Peeke all selected outside of the first round, have made contributions in the NHL this season, despite each being under 22. The team’s most recent first-rounder, Liam Foudy, is one of the most dynamic skaters in the CHL and has a good shot at representing Canada at the upcoming World Juniors. If Columbus decides to hang onto their picks, or even collect some new ones, their staff have the skills to rebuild this pipeline quickly.

Who are the Blue Jackets most thankful for?

Seth Jones.

Through all the noise and disappointment, the Blue Jackets best defenseman has quietly logged huge minutes for the team while still being one of the best at both ends of the rink. Jones may not be having the best season of his career, but is a stabilizing presence for the organization that can be relied upon every night.

With an excellent contract that keeps him under control through the 2021-22 season, Jones can still be the core of whatever GM Jarmo Kekalainen tries to build in Columbus.

What would the Blue Jackets be even more thankful for?

A few more saves.

It’s not that Joonas Korpisalo and Elvis Merzlikins have been dreadful this season, it’s just that neither one is well suited to be a starting goaltender in the NHL right now. The former had played in 90 NHL games before this year and hadn’t been very effective since the 2015-16 season, while the latter had only been really tested against players of this caliber at the World Championships. Merzlikins had always shown quite well at international competitions, but the grind of the NHL is a much different animal.

Blaming a pair of goaltenders with such little experience for the struggles this season would be foolish, but getting an extra save or two would certainly make things look a lot better.

What should be on the Blue Jackets’ Holiday Wish List?

A draft lottery horseshoe.

If Kekalainen and head coach John Tortorella were speaking honestly, they probably would admit that the team isn’t going to win the Stanley Cup this season. While the St. Louis Blues showed everyone to not give up at this point in the year, the Blue Jackets are only three points ahead of the New Jersey Devils and 13 points out of a divisional playoff spot. It would be an incredible story if they were to turn things around, meaning they may soon end up focusing on the upcoming draft instead.

Columbus doesn’t have their second- or third-round picks thanks to the Ryan Dzingel and Ian Cole trades, but could very well end up as sellers at the deadline to recoup some of those lost assets. A draft lottery win would certainly be something to celebrate and build around moving forward.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

What Your Team Is Thankful For: Colorado Avalanche

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As the holiday season approaches, PHR will take a look at what teams are thankful for as the season heads past the one-quarter mark. There also might be a few things your team would like down the road. We’ll examine what’s gone well in the early going and what could improve as the season rolls on for the Colorado Avalanche.

What are the Avalanche most thankful for?

There aren’t many teams that can stake a claim to the notion that they have the best line in the league.  Colorado’s top unit of Gabriel Landeskog, Nathan MacKinnon, and Mikko Rantanen are certainly in that conversation though.  MacKinnon has blossomed into one of the top scorers in the NHL (he’s currently third in league scoring) and is on one of the top value contracts in the league at $6.3MM for three years after this one.  Rantanen is continuing to play at a better than a point per game level for the third straight season and is locked up long term.  Landeskog gives the unit a bit of grit with some scoring touch as well and is signed for another year.  There are nights where this trio is unstoppable which has helped keep the Avs within striking distance of top spot in the Western Conference.

Who are the Avalanche most thankful for?

It would be really easy to pick MacKinnon here.  He’s a top player in the league and is on a team-friendly deal.  However, they also have a Calder Trophy contender that could also be in the mix for the Norris Trophy in Cale Makar who has taken the league by storm in his first full season.  He’s averaging nearly a point per game while logging over 20 minutes a night; both of those are particularly impressive for a first-year defender.  The sky appears to be the limit when it comes to his upside.

They’re also extremely thankful for the restrictions on entry-level contracts which allows his cap hit to check in at less than $900K (plus some bonuses of which the ‘A’ level ones are likely to be hit).  As a result of his price tag that is way below market value, Colorado sits near the top of the league in cap space which will allow them to be aggressive in trying to add top talent to this group for this season and next until Makar’s deal expires.  Makar may be a rookie but he brings a lot to this team.

What would the Avalanche be even more thankful for?

Some more proven defensive depth.  They have some quality prospects in the system with Bowen Byram and Conor Timmins but they are vulnerable to being hit by the injury bug if some injuries strike on their back end.  Erik Johnson is currently injured and as a result, they’re going with more of a committee approach but that group could stand to be improved.

An impact top-four defender would make a huge difference but even a veteran third pairing option or two would go a long way towards slotting players like Mark Barberio and Calle Rosen in more ideal spots on the depth chart.  Defense matters in the playoffs and that’s an area that GM Joe Sakic may want to address.

What should be on the Avalanche’s Holiday Wish List?

Beyond the defensive help, Colorado can afford to try to swing big on the trade market.  They’re a popular speculative destination for Taylor Hall which would really bolster their second line and take some pressure off the MacKinnon group.  One more star would really vault them into contention and they have the prospect pool to deal from to make something happen.  They’ll be a team to watch for in the coming months.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

What Your Team Is Thankful For: Chicago Blackhawks

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As the holiday season approaches, PHR will take a look at what teams are thankful for as the season heads past the one-quarter mark. There also might be a few things your team would like down the road. We’ll examine what’s gone well in the early going and what could improve as the season rolls on for the Chicago Blackhawks.

What are the Blackhawks most thankful for?

Goaltending.

After several years of watching and waiting for Corey Crawford to return to full health after a slew of concussion issues, the team splurged and signed Masterson and Jennings Trophy winner Robin Lehner as an insurance policy. The team hoped Crawford could bounce back, but after two years of unreliable backup options, the team felt that Lehner was the perfect addition for one season.

Instead, Lehner has been sensations (minus his struggles with shootouts), but the 28-year-old has a 2.71 GAA, but an even more impressive .929 save percentage in 15 appearances. However, Crawford has bounced back as well with a 2.89 GAA and a .912 save percentage, giving the team an impressive one-two combination.

Who are the Blackhawks most thankful for?

Patrick Kane

The Blackhawks leader continues to post impressive numbers as the 31-year-old leads the team in scoring, showing that he remains an elite scorer. The winger is ranked eighth in the NHL with 35 points and is also ranked 12th in the league with 14 goals. He’s also tied for seventh in the league with 109 shots on goal and the veteran is ranked fifth in the league, among forwards, in TOI as he averages 21:28 on the ice.

With other players struggling to produce offense, the team at least knows it can count on Kane to provide his usual amount of offense as he continues to carry the team on his back.

 

What would the Blackhawks be even more thankful for?

More offense.

While Kane is among the top in the league in points, the rest of the Blackhawks squad is quite a bit back. Even Alex DeBrincat isn’t putting up points at the same level he did a year ago as the 21-year-old has just 21 points through 29 games after a 78-point season last season. Fellow star Jonathan Toews has seen his offense plummet even more. Toews has just 15 points this season after an 81-point campaign last year.

Even the defense is struggling to produce points. Erik Gustafsson, who tallied 60 points last season, has just 10 points more than a third into the season.

What should be on the Blackhawks’ Holiday Wish List?

An improvement on defense.

The Blackhawks and their general manager Stan Bowman made changes in hopes of improving their defense this summer. The team traded for Calvin de Haan and Olli Maatta to add to their depth in hopes that Duncan Keith and Gustafsson as well as Connor Murphy and Brent Seabrook would be able to take their struggling defense to another level.

Unfortunately, that hasn’t happened. The Blackhawks are ranked 30th in shots allowed as the team has allowed 35.7 shots per game, forcing their goaltending tandem to work harder.

The team has to hope that youngster Adam Boqvist can make the transition to the NHL as quick as possible. The team played him for six games earlier in the season, but he has since been returned, but you have to figure the team will give him another chance. Another late-season possibility might be if the Blackhawks can convince University of Denver’s Ian Mitchell to turn pro after his season, but it might be too late for that this year.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

What Your Team Is Thankful For: Carolina Hurricanes

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As the holiday season approaches, PHR will take a look at what teams are thankful for as the season heads past the one-quarter mark. There also might be a few things your team would like down the road. We’ll examine what’s gone well in the early going and what could improve as the season rolls on for the Carolina Hurricanes.

What are the Hurricanes most thankful for?

Spending ability.

The Hurricanes have built a strong drafting and development system over the last several years, but sometimes there had been tough decisions to be made over how many of the league’s top players they could truly afford. With new ownership and a different swagger about the franchise, they’re now a cap ceiling team that didn’t hesitate to match an expensive, front-loaded offer sheet in the summer. Sebastian Aho will earn more than $23MM of his $42.27MM deal in the first twelve months.

Who are the Hurricanes most thankful for?

Rasmus Dahlin.

No, a paragraph from the Buffalo Sabres’ piece didn’t get left in accidentally. If it weren’t for Dahlin’s presence in the 2018 draft, the Hurricanes would have never been able to grab top scorer Andrei Svechnikov second overall. Though he had a slow rookie season by some standards—20 NHL goals for an 18-year old is still pretty good—Svechnikov is really showing why he was so highly regarded coming into the draft and was a potential option at No. 1.

With 31 points in 29 games the young Russian forward has already almost caught his total from last season, and he wont turn 20 until the end of March. It’s hard to really know how far his talent can take him, but that superstar-level, MVP-type forward that the Hurricanes have been looking for for so long might already be on the roster, and his name might not be Aho.

What would the Hurricanes be even more thankful for?

Some losses from the rest of the Metro.

Carolina is 17-11-1 through their first 29 games this season and still somehow are sitting in fourth place in the Metropolitan Division. They would be firmly in second in the Atlantic Division, but the Capitals, Islanders and Flyers have all done a little bit better this year.

The Hurricanes are coming off an Eastern Conference Final appearance that shocked the NHL, but few would be surprised to see them in Stanley Cup contention this time around. Settling for a wild card spot in the Eastern Conference would make that extremely difficult however, especially if they end up with a first-round matchup against those Boston Bruins that ended their Cinderella run last season.

What should be on the Hurricanes’ Holiday Wish List?

An improvement between the pipes.

There isn’t a man on the Hurricanes roster that would say Petr Mrazek isn’t a big part of the team, but the 27-year old goaltender still suffers from inconsistencies that have plagued his whole career. He’ll stand on his head and provide the Hurricanes with Vezina-caliber netminding one night, and then let in a pair of soft goals the next.

His .903 save percentage on the year simply isn’t good enough to carry a team to a Stanley Cup, but it’s not that far off from where Mrazek has sat for much of his career. James Reimer has been slightly better statistically, but loses just as many games as he wins and probably isn’t the answer either. It’s hard to improve your starting goalie position during the season, but perhaps Carolina can find a way to stop just a few more pucks in the second half.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

What Your Team Is Thankful For: Calgary Flames

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As the holiday season approaches, PHR will take a look at what teams are thankful for as the season heads past the one-quarter mark. There also might be a few things your team would like down the road. We’ll examine what’s gone well in the early going and what could improve as the season rolls on for the Calgary Flames.

What are the Flames most thankful for?

Strong long-term cap certainty.  With salaries for top-end players rapidly on the rise, Matthew Tkachuk checks in as their top-paid player at a $7MM AAV.  Their other core players are all locked up through at least 2021-22 so that relatively low top mark is going to be in place for a few years at the very least.  While their current salary cap situation is a bit tenuous, there are undoubtedly teams around the league that would love to have that type of ceiling at the top of their salary structure.

Who are the Flames most thankful for?

Mark Giordano has largely flown under the radar in his career.  And let’s face it, even with the 2019 Norris Trophy under his belt, he’s still under the radar.  While it’s true that he likely won’t be a repeat winner this season, he still does an awful lot for Calgary’s back end.  He leads them in minutes played per game by nearly three a night while often logging the toughest defensive assignments.  His offense has dipped a bit relative to last year but is actually above the pace of the previous two seasons.  And he’s doing this at the age of 36.  Usually, there’s some wear and tear on top defenders by that age but that hasn’t really manifested yet for their captain.

What would the Flames be even more thankful for?

More production from the top line.  While the numbers for Johnny Gaudreau (5-16-21) and Sean Monahan (6-15-21) aren’t terrible, they’re still well below their paces from a year ago.  The drop in output has played a large role in Calgary now sitting 26th in the league in goals scored after sitting in second just a year ago.

To be fair, they shouldn’t be singled out alone for the drop off offensively.  Mikael Backlund has just three goals on the season, Michael Frolik has one, and Milan Lucic is still looking for his first.  Those three veterans combine for a $14.4MM AAV; they’re not getting anything near good bang for their buck.  Even if they don’t all start producing relative to their cap hits, any kind of production would certainly go a long way towards deepening their attack.

What should be on the Flames’ Holiday Wish List?

With some of these inflated contracts on the books, their cap space is limited so finding a taker for someone like Frolik who is on an expiring contract would be extremely helpful.  Assuming they have to take a similar contract back, that player may be able to contribute a bit more offensively which would help their scoring struggles as well.

Beyond that, they’d like to get some certainty with regards to pending UFA defensemen Travis Hamonic and T.J. Brodie.  Hamonic doesn’t appear to be open to an in-season extension but GM Brad Treliving will likely circle back on that one before too long to see if there is a chance at getting a new deal done.  Can they keep him and if not, does their focus shift to Brodie or do they continue to wait?  A lot of what Calgary can do beyond this season is tied to what happens here as they basically have to encumber their cap space until these cases are figured out.  Some early answers allowing ample time to try to either accommodate new deals or find a potential trade partner would be something that Treliving would love to have.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

What Your Team Is Thankful For: Buffalo Sabres

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As the holiday season approaches, PHR will take a look at what teams are thankful for as the season heads past the one-quarter mark. There also might be a few things your team would like down the road. We’ll examine what’s gone well in the early going and what could improve as the season rolls on for the Buffalo Sabres.

What are the Sabres most thankful for?

A deep group of defensemen.  Buffalo has considerable defensive depth with which they can deal from to try to shore up their forwards.  What’s particularly nice for GM Jason Botterill is that he has a few different types of defenders that he can move.  Veterans Marco Scandella and Zach Bogosian aren’t likely part of the long-term plans but could fill a void on the third pairing for some teams.  Colin Miller is someone that has attracted a fair bit of interest over the years and has had a limited role with the Sabres so far.  While Rasmus Ristolainen’s willingness to be dealt isn’t as high, their depth on the right side makes a potential move there an option at a time where impact defenders are seldom available for trade.  Many teams look to add defensive depth as the season progresses and Botterill should be well-positioned to capitalize.

Who are the Sabres most thankful for?

Jack Eichel.  It has taken some time but he has emerged as a legitimate star center and is making his eight-year, $80MM contract look much better now.  After reaching (and surpassing) the point per game mark for the first time last season, he has taken his offensive progression to another level and sits seventh in league scoring heading into play on Monday.  While he will be viewed by many as the consolation prize to Connor McDavid who went one spot ahead in the 2015 draft class, Eichel has emerged as a legitimate franchise player in his own right and with six years left on his deal after this one, he’ll be sticking around for a while.

What would the Sabres be even more thankful for?

Some stability and consistency.  Since Lindy Ruff was let go following the 2012-13 season, Buffalo has gone through now four different head coaches with none of them making it through more than two years.  That type of frequent turnover makes it difficult to generate much in the way of positive momentum.

Another hallmark lately has been Buffalo’s penchant for streakiness.  They’ve had moments where they put together a strong string of wins but have frequently given that back with a stretch of several losses in a row.  The hope is that Ralph Krueger can be the one to turn the ship around but in the first two months of this season, that streakiness has continued.  A lengthy losing streak last month bumped them outside of the playoff picture for the time being as they look to snap of nine straight postseason misses.

What should be on the Sabres’ Holiday Wish List?

More scoring help.  Eichel, Jeff Skinner, Victor Olofsson (one of the more pleasant surprises through the first quarter of the season), and Sam Reinhart have all scored at an impressive pace so far.  However, they’ve combined for more than 57% of Buffalo’s goals as their secondary production has largely been non-existent.  Needing their top scorers to produce at the paces they’re at for the entire year is asking for a lot.  If the likes of Marcus Johansson, Conor Sheary, and Jimmy Vesey aren’t going to produce, Botterill will need to make a trade.  At least he has several defenders to deal to try to swing such a move.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

What Your Team Is Thankful For: Boston Bruins

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As the holiday season approaches, PHR will take a look at what teams are thankful for as the season heads past the one-quarter mark. There also might be a few things your team would like down the road. We’ll examine what’s gone well in the early going and what could improve as the season rolls on for the Boston Bruins.

What are the Bruins most thankful for?

While you need more than one line to carry a team, the trio referred to by some as the ‘Perfection Line’ has given Boston enough firepower to win some games even when the rest of the team isn’t contributing much.  Wingers Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak are on pace to push for 130 points which would obliterate their previous career highs and currently has them third and fourth in league scoring.  Meanwhile, center Patrice Bergeron is ‘only’ averaging 1.14 points per game, a 101-point pace over a full season (although he is currently out with a lower-body injury).  Combined, the trio has collected 50 goals in 26 games which accounts for over half of their total on the season.  That type of firepower is tough to sustain but given how effective this unit was last year, they could be capable of maintaining this.

Who are the Bruins most thankful for?

Rather than just repeating the above, Boston is also quite thankful for their goalie tandem of Tuukka Rask and Jaroslav Halak.  Rask has struggled in the past with higher workloads which is why Halak was brought in two summers ago and it’s hard to argue with the results.  Rask didn’t wear down as the playoffs went along and posted stellar numbers as they reached the Stanley Cup Final and is off to a very strong start this season as well.  Halak, meanwhile, posted his best save percentage in seven seasons last year and is on track to improve upon that this season.  Despite a litany of injuries on the back end, the Bruins have allowed the third-fewest goals in the league largely thanks to top-notch goaltending on a nightly basis.

What would the Bruins be even more thankful for?

An end to the seemingly-annual tradition of trying to chase down secondary scoring when their internal options don’t produce enough.  The Bruins have afforded ample opportunities to their younger players in recent years but the results have largely been sporadic and have resulted in too much pressure being put on their top line.  The acquisition of Charlie Coyle was supposed to help solve that and while he has helped, it’s still an issue.  Regardless, they like what he’s provided as he signed a six-year extension earlier in the week.  Even with him in the fold though, they need someone else to pick it up or GM Don Sweeney will once again be searching for a middle-six winger with some scoring tough between now and the trade deadline.

What should be on the Bruins’ Holiday Wish List?

Beyond that scoring winger, Boston is going to be hoping for an influx of spending around the league to yield a higher salary cap for next season.  The Bruins already have more than $65MM in commitments to 15 players for next season with blueliner Torey Krug in line for a sizable raise while Halak will need a new deal as well.  A bigger increase in the salary cap will be needed to keep this group intact so their Holiday Wish List likely consists of many fans around the league getting whatever is on their Holiday Wish List with the associated boost in HRR increasing the jump in the Upper Limit for 2020-21 to give them a better chance of keeping the core together.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

What Your Team Is Thankful For: Arizona Coyotes

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As the holiday season approaches, PHR will take a look at what teams are thankful for as the season heads past the one-quarter mark. There also might be a few things your team would like down the road. We’ll examine what’s gone well in the early going and what could improve as the season rolls on for the Arizona Coyotes.

What are the Coyotes most thankful for?

Stable ownership.

The entire Arizona organization seems stronger ever since the ownership merry-go-round stopped with the franchise sale this summer, and it’s easy to imagine it having a real impact on the team’s performance. New owner Alex Meruelo has committed to keeping the team in Arizona and has taken steps to connect with the Hispanic market in and around the state.

There has been a dark cloud of uncertainty following the Coyotes for more than a decade, but as the skies start to clear the sunlight is starting to illuminate an impressive on-ice product.

Who are the Coyotes most thankful for?

Darcy Kuemper (and Antti Raanta).

That impressive product starts in net, where Kuemper has once again shown he not just a capable NHL goaltender but an outstanding one. The 29-year old posted a .925 save percentage in 55 appearances last season but was completely overlooked by many hockey fans (a fifth-place Vezina finish wasn’t enough to turn heads). Talk about an encore performance; Kuemper has a .932 through 17 games this season and is a huge reason why the Coyotes are one of the best in the league at keeping the puck out of their net.

Having a “backup” like Raanta doesn’t hurt, who is posting his own incredible season as he tries to stay healthy. The 30-year old was supposed to be the full-time starter when he came to the Coyotes in a 2017 trade, but no one is complaining about his .926 save percentage through nine games, even if he does cost more than twice as much as Kuemper.

What would the Coyotes be even more thankful for?

Phil Kessel’s former self.

When the Pittsburgh Penguins made Kessel available this summer, they were originally rumored to be getting Jason Zucker from the Minnesota Wild. When that deal fell through however because Kessel wouldn’t waive his no-trade clause, it became clear that Arizona may be one of the only destinations available. That’s because head coach Rick Tocchet is supposed to have a special relationship with the enigmatic star, but it hasn’t translated into much production so far.

Kessel has just 14 points through 26 games so far for the Coyotes and has a team-worst -12 rating. That 44-point pace would be Kessel’s worst season since he was a 20-year old in Boston, and a disaster for the Coyotes who were expecting him to be their leading offensive force and biggest star this season.

What should be on the Coyotes’ Holiday Wish List?

Another goal-scoring weapon.

If Kessel’s not going to turn into the point-per-game player he has been the last two years in Pittsburgh, the Coyotes may need to go get themselves another offensive option at some point. Only Conor Garland has double-digit goals for the team so far this season and no player has cracked the 20-point mark so far.

Though the team is actually into their long-term injured reserve cap space already, they do have some flexibility still if they want to add a player at some point. If they’re in the race, we’ll see the financial commitment of Meruelo tested once again.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

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