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Thankful Series 2022-23

What Your Team Is Thankful For: Edmonton Oilers

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As American Thanksgiving and the holiday season are upon us, PHR is taking a look at what teams are thankful for in 2022-23. 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 Edmonton Oilers.

Who are the Oilers thankful for?

Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.

Is there really any other answer here? Edmonton’s dynamic duo has wholly separated themselves from the rest of their team, for better and worse. McDavid and Draisaitl are both in the top four in league scoring and are the only Oilers with double-digit goals on the season. With Evander Kane sidelined long-term, they need nothing short of absolute excellence from those two, and they’re delivering.

Outside of them, Edmonton’s scoring depth is bordering on atrocious, at least among healthy players. Outside of Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Zach Hyman, no healthy Oilers forward has more than five points.

While they can’t do it all themselves, it’s impossible not to have optimism for the Oilers with those two on the ice. Even their advanced defensive numbers are improving, albeit just slightly in Draisaitl’s case, and they’re averaging more than 22 minutes a game. Without generational-level play from them, Edmonton is much further outside of the playoff picture than they currently stand.

What are the Oilers thankful for?

Their power play.

The Oilers are struggling mightily at even strength. Their -13 goal differential at 5-on-5 is sixth-worst in the league and the worst among teams currently in playoff position. However, Edmonton’s 21 5-on-4 goals are tied for first in the league, and their 28.8% conversion rate is tied with the Stars for third. It may not be a sustainable formula for long-term success, but their power play has been essential for the Oilers to keep pace while addressing their other issues.

What would the Oilers be even more thankful for?

A return to form for Jack Campbell.

Edmonton’s scoring issues have been a significant root cause of their middling performance, and Stuart Skinner has stabilized the crease for now. Nonetheless, the Oilers still committed five years and $25MM to the netminder this offseason, and they need at least average goaltending for that price point.

Campbell’s failed to live up to that. He’s had some bright spots on the year, and he still has a 7-5-0 record, but his goals-against average is north of 4.00, and his save percentage is just .875%. They don’t need the small stretches of elite play he’s shown in the past, but they do need a number much closer to the .900% save percentage mark, even in a tandem role.

What should be on the Oilers’ holiday wish list?

A scoring winger before the deadline.

Kane’s return will inevitably solve many of this team’s issues. Still, if youngsters like Kailer Yamamoto and Jesse Puljujarvi continue to underperform, their offense won’t be deep enough for another deep playoff run. While some may argue a gritty bottom-six presence is what the team needs, you simply can’t win a Stanley Cup without capable depth scoring. There are sure to be plenty of sellers at the deadline wanting to improve their chance at a top-two selection in the draft, with multiple affordable options for Edmonton to choose from.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

What Your Team Is Thankful For: Detroit Red Wings

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As American Thanksgiving and the holiday season are upon us, PHR is taking a look at what teams are thankful for in 2022-23. 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.

Who are the Red Wings thankful for?

Steve Yzerman

The answer to this question isn’t all that original or innovative as Yzerman happened to be who the Red Wings were thankful for in 2020 and 2021. But, take a look at Detroit’s place in the standings, their offseason, and their recent draft history and it’s not too difficult to see why Detroit is thankful for Yzerman and his “Yzer-plan.”

Considering Yzerman was covered in our previous two iterations of this series, we’ll take a look at what the legendary player turned legendary executive has done in the time being. Looking back at last year’s trade deadline, the then-promising Red Wings looked to be turning a corner in their rebuild, but still weren’t in contention for a playoff spots. Yzerman dealt Vladislav Namestnikov and Troy Stecher for later-round draft picks and executed a blockbuster deal including one of the deadline’s prized assets: Nick Leddy.

In exchange for the UFA-t0-be and Luke Witkowski, Yzerman brought back a second-round pick, defenseman Jake Walman and forward Oskar Sundqvist. Walman and Sundqvist have dealt with their share of injuries since arriving in Detroit, but both have fit in nicely and have proven to be part of the solution. While they’re not superstars, the pair of players in addition to a second-round pick in a deep 2023 draft class represents incredible value for a pending UFA who was, at the time, struggling.

Fast forward to this summer, the Red Wings ready to finish the rebuild and playoff aspirations on the mind, Yzerman made himself one of the busiest executives of the offseason. Detroit first acquired the rights to goaltender Ville Husso, who has been fantastic thus far, and signed him to a three-year contract. The team followed the Husso acquisition with a free agent spending spree that included the likes of Andrew Copp, Dominik Kubalik, and David Perron up front and Ben Chiarot, Olli Maatta, Robert Hagg, and Mark Pysyk on defense.

The recent additions, combined with Detroit’s established stars like Dylan Larkin and Tyler Bertuzzi, along with a young wave of talent like Lucas Raymond and reigning Calder Trophy winner Moritz Seider, as well as a few breakouts helped propel the Red Wings to an 11-5-4 record thus far, putting them in playoff position. Detroit has plenty of people to thank for the turn-around, but sitting at the top is the boss in Yzerman.

What are the Red Wings thankful for?

Breakouts and Rebounds

Three seasons ago, winger Dominik Kubalik finished third in Calder voting, seemingly coming out of nowhere as a 24-year-old rookie, scoring 30 goals in just 68 games with the Chicago Blackhawks. That was the last Chicago team to make the playoffs and as the team regressed, so did Kubalik, who hadn’t yet come close to matching his rookie production since.

Things seemed to hit an all-time low for Kubalik in the NHL last season, putting up just 32 points in 78 games, a far cry form his 30 goals (and 46 points) in fewer games just two years prior. The rebuilding Blackhawks opted not to qualify Kubalik and he hit the free agent market this summer, picked up on a two-year deal. Now, Detroit appears to have one of the best value contracts in the entire sport.

The organization seems to have that rookie version of Kubalik, or maybe something better. Now 27, Kubalik has 21 points, nine goals and 12 assists, in just 20 games thus far. Coming into today, Kubalik ranks second on the team in points, behind only Larkin. Whether or not Kubalik can maintain this level of production is a good question, especially being that the team is only through 20 games, but what he has done has played a major part in the team being in a playoff spot at American Thanksgiving, a team that also ranked just 17th in the NHL in goals-for coming into today.

On top of Kubalik’s rebound, the Red Wings have seen an impressive breakout from homegrown defenseman Filip Hronek. Now 25, Hronek made his debut back in 2018-19 and has shown to be a capable puck-mover on the backend. Hronek hit a career-high 38 points in 78 games last season, around his average point-per-game total for his career. This season, however, the defenseman has turned things to another level, netting six goals to go with 12 assists for 18 points through his first 20 games.

As helpful as Hronek’s offensive boost has been for Detroit, he’s also taken the next step in his defensive game. The defenseman had compiled a career -95 plus/minus rating, which included a -29 last season. Now in 2021-22, Hronek has improved his rating, registering a +10 so far. Those numbers could be attributed to team performance in many instances, and though the jump in Red Wings performance from Hronek’s first four years to this one is significant, the stark difference in Hronek’s own numbers is telling nonetheless. On top of his plus/minus, Hronek’s possession metrics have jumped modestly as well, including Corsi and Fenwick ratings above 50 for the first time since his rookie year.

What would the Red Wings be even more thankful for?

Health

As successful as Detroit has been this season, the team has had to do it without a number of players for fairly significant periods of time. Notably, Bertuzzi missed 13 games, Sundqvist seven, and exciting rookie Elmer Soderblom has missed seven and counting too. Winger Filip Zadina, who was injured November 5th is expected to be out long-term as well. Robby Fabbri, who has yet to play this year, as well as Matt Luff and Mark Pysyk are currently on IR

Sure, Bertuzzi and Sundqvist are back now, and Soderblom and Zadina combined for two points in 22 games, both from Soderblom, however the constant shuffling of lines and players in and out of the lineup does still serve to hamper team chemistry on the ice. On top of this, although the team didn’t expect to have Fabbri to start this season, Detroit could stand to have more offense and losing a player such as Fabbri, who had 30 points in 56 games in 2021-22, is felt.

Worth noting to this end is forward Jakub Vrana, who has played just two games this season. Vrana is not injured, but is instead participating in the Players’ Assistance Program. Of course, the organization’s first priority is to get Vrana the help he needs and to have the 26-year-old take as much time as he needs to get it and be comfortable returning, however Vrana’s missed production, in addition to the Red Wings’ bulk of injuries, serves to compound the injury and offense issues.

What’s on the Red Wings holiday wishlist?

A Larkin extension in place

Like Yzerman in the first question, this seems a bit easy, but it’s hard to imagine the front office, the players, and the fans want much else more than signing their superstar captain to a long-term extension.

The last time the Red Wings made the playoffs, Larkin was a rookie fresh off a 45 point debut. That was 2015-16 and since, Detroit and Larkin have failed to make the playoffs. In that time, the team has gone through a meaningful and much needed rebuild, with Larkin patient throughout. For his career, Larkin has diligently worked on his game to become an all-around contributor and roughly a point-per-game player now, currently on pace for his best season yet with 23 points in 20 games.

The Red Wings have plenty of talent on their team besides Larkin and have even more coming, however his presence as a Michigan native, team captain, and well-rounded player on the ice cannot be understated for Detroit. There’s no indication Larkin wants to leave and given his status in the locker room and Yzerman’s reputation as an executive, it wouldn’t be surprising if the two sides are intentionally not focused on negotiations at the moment with plenty at stake on the ice. Still, getting Larkin signed would presumably give both team and player peace of mind and allow the team to continue to build as they see fit, without worrying about Larkin’s future, and whether or not that’s in Detroit.

What Your Team Is Thankful For: Dallas Stars

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As American Thanksgiving and the holiday season are upon us, PHR is taking a look at what teams are thankful for in 2022-23. 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.

Who are the Stars thankful for?

Jim Nill

Dallas Stars GM Jim Nill has taken his fair share of criticism in his nearly 10-year tenure as GM of the Dallas Stars, with a good deal of that criticism coming lately. He signed the injury-prone Tyler Seguin to along-term, big money deal, as well as the (formerly) struggling Jamie Benn to the same. He established what was supposed to be a lockdown goaltending due of Ben Bishop and Anton Khudobin, neither of whom worked out for the most part. And, he failed to re-sign or trade defenseman John Klingberg, who left in free agency. All fair criticisms, however the veteran executive is getting rebound performances from both of those forwards, managed to replace that goaltending duo with young superstar Jake Oettinger and capable backup Scott Wedgewood, and sure Klingberg is gone, but that has allowed Miro Heiskanen to flourish.

Looking back on recent Stars history, the team has missed the playoffs just once since the start of the 2018-19 season, which came in the shortened 2020-21 season, made it to the Stanley Cup Finals, and have transitioned an already terrific core of Benn, Seguin, and Klingberg into a core of Oettinger, Heiskanen, and Hart Trophy contender Jason Robertson, featuring those other names, all of this coming under Nill’s watch. Not only does the team now have a young, controllable core leading the way, but they boast some of the best prospects in the league with rookie Wyatt Johnston leading the way along with Logan Stankoven, Mavrik Bourque and others.

Finally, Nill hired head coach Jim Montgomery, who was let go after off-ice issues. Still, Montgomery was considered to be among the best coaches in the league, and losing him put Dallas in a tough situation. Nill was able to replace him with Rick Bowness, who helped bring the team to the Stanley Cup Finals. With the awareness that Bowness may not be the right fit anymore, Nill moved on and hired Peter DeBoer this offseason, who as of this afternoon, has Dallas fifth in the NHL in points.

The ultimate goal for any executive is to get the team at least one Stanley Cup, and Nill has yet to deliver. However, he’s been able to create long-term stability already, with apparently much more to come considering the strong veteran contribution, the talented young core, and the top notch prospects waiting to make their mark.

What are the Stars thankful for?

Rebounds from Seguin and Benn

$19, 350,00.00.  That’s the combined cap-hit between both Tyler Seguin and Jamie Benn. It’s a hefty number, but certainly worthwhile for a pair of superstar players any day. But, if one or both of those players is hurt, or struggles, that number doesn’t look so rosy.

For Seguin, he played in just three games in the 2020-21 season, and tallied 50 points and 49 points respectively in the 2019-20 and 2021-22 seasons.  A 50 point season is far from poor, but for a player like Seguin, who had been a regular point-per-game player or close in his career, commanding a $9.85MM cap hit, that may not cut it. This season however, Seguin has begun to turn things around, playing in all 20 of the Stars’ games this season, recording 16 points. That’s not necessarily the prime Seguin point-production Dallas had signed up for, but is a strong tick up from the prior three seasons.

Seguin’s rebound is promising, especially given his injury issues in the past, but the new-found superstardom from Benn has served to propel the team up the standings this year. Once an Art Ross winner, Benn was a consistent point-per-game, physical forward for Dallas. The team signed Benn to an eight-year, $76MM deal starting in the 2017-18 season. The veteran turned in a 79 point campaign that year, but hasn’t repeated that production since. This season, however, Benn’s return to his previous ways, scoring nine goals to go with 13 assists in just 20 games thus far.

The season is still early and whether either player’s production is sustainable over 82 games, or the remainder of their contracts, is difficult to predict. But, coming into this season, it appeared the Stars were resolved to appreciate whatever they could get from the pair, while relying on players like Robertson, Heiskanen, Joe Pavelski, and Roope Hintz for the bulk of their offense. Getting the value back from the two players is not only important, but the simple boost in production from both has appeared to turn the Stars from a solid team to an elite one.

What would the Stars be even more thankful for?

A breakout performance from Denis Gurianov

This year, Gurianov has been, in a word, streaky. The forward began the year without a point in his first nine games, but has since turned in four points in his last five games. The twelfth overall pick in the 2015 NHL draft, Gurianov has not lived up the ceiling that Stars hoped for when they drafted him.

Supposed to be an elite point-producer, Gurianov’s best season came in the shortened 2020-21 season, where he had 30 points in 55 games. Now 25, Gurianov’s play has certainly not been terrible, but his production has been frustratingly light given his potential, and at times non-existent. It could very well be time for the Stars to move on from him, but one recent event may have left them feeling burned. That recent event was the breakout of Valeri Nichushkin.

Dallas took Nichushkin 10th overall in 2013, and much like Gurianov, the winger was just about fine, just not what the Stars had hoped for. After three seasons, Nichushkin returned to Russia, but came back to Dallas for the 2018-19 campaign, where he had just 10 points, all assists, in 57 games. After that, Dallas opted to move on, and Nichushkin settled with the Colorado Avalanche, where he had much of the same solid, but not great, production. Last year, however, Nichushkin broke out with 52 points in 62 games, receiving Selke votes en route to a Stanley Cup Championship, one he played a major role in.

Given their experience with Nichushkin, it’s understandable why the Stars might not want to move on from Gurianov just yet. Still, the team has plenty of young talent and only so many roster spots to go around. With the large cap hits being held by players like Benn and Seguin, and the need for long-term contracts for Robertson and Oettinger in a couple years, they’ll also need every dollar of cap space they can get. If Gurianov proves he’s replaceable at a lower cost, Dallas may just have to go down that road.

What should be on the Stars holiday wishlist?

A trade partner for Anton Khudobin

At the moment, with no imminent needs or holes in their lineup, the Stars can be patient with finding a suitor for veteran goaltender Anton Khudobin, who is currently buried in the AHL. The goaltender was once one of the more important players on the Stars roster, leading the team in net during the run to the Cup Finals back in the bubble season. That performance earned him a three-year, $10MM contract. However, after injury and poor performance, and the team needing to save as much as they can on their cap hit, the team chose to bury him in the AHL. There, his $3.333MM cap hit is reduced by $1.125MM, reflecting a $2.208MM figure.

Khudobin has been good enough with the Texas Stars, Dallas’ AHL affiliate, posting a .905 save-percentage and 2.96 goals-against average in nine games, but any trade with the goaltender included will presumably be billed as a cap-dump in nature. The goaltender’s cap hit isn’t so bad that there won’t be a suitor to take it for the remainder of this season for the right price, but just what the market for this sort of trade is, especially during the season, is tricky.

The Stars don’t necessarily need to make this trade to be compliant, however the team will likely need to move Khudobin if they wish to be players at this year’s trade deadline. Given their place in the standings, should it hold steady, Dallas will most likely wish to be active at the deadline. The more Dallas seems handcuffed, however, the price may rise. It could be its highest if cap compliance is at play, but needing to add a player or two with Cup aspirations on the mind and an open Cup window that can only last so long, does seem to tie Dallas’ hands a good deal.

What Your Team Is Thankful For: Columbus Blue Jackets

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As American Thanksgiving and the holiday season are upon us, PHR is taking a look at what teams are thankful for in 2022-23. 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.

Who are the Blue Jackets thankful for?

Ville Siren.

Don’t know who Ville Siren is? That’s kind of the point. The Blue Jackets director of amateur scouting isn’t the one that has to face the cameras every day, but he’s arguably just as important to the organization as general manager Jarmo Kekalainen. There isn’t a ton to be thankful for in Columbus right now, as injuries have absolutely ravaged the NHL roster and it looks like they won’t be competing for the playoffs this year.

But with Siren in place, fans can be pretty confident that the team will turn things around eventually, thanks to their strong history in the draft.

When he joined the organization in the summer of 2013, the Blue Jackets had just made four selections in the top 50 picks. Those players ended up being Alexander Wennberg, Kerby Rychel, Marko Dano, and Dillon Heatherington. They did get Oliver Bjorkstrand that year, but otherwise whiffed on most of their picks. Moving forward, Siren has repeatedly plucked NHL talents out of the draft even in rather late positions.

Elvis Merzlikins, Vladislav Gavrikov, Markus Nutivaara, Andrew Peeke, Emil Bemstrom, Daniil Tarasov, and Alexandre Texier were all picked outside of the first round, while Zach Werenski, Pierre-Luc Dubois, Yegor Chinakhov, Cole Sillinger, and Kent Johnson all look like first-round hits. No scouting department is going to hit a home run with every selection but more often than not, Siren’s group seems to have a good sense of where the value lies.

What are the Blue Jackets thankful for?

A changing narrative around the market.

For years, there has been a narrative that players would never choose to play in Columbus. Stars wanted out, free agents wouldn’t sign, and the team would never have real game-changing talent. That is beginning to shift, thanks to the work that Kekalainen has done. Johnny Gaudreau shocked the hockey world by signing a massive contract with the Blue Jackets, Patrik Laine settled down and inked a multi-year extension, and Werenski committed to the program just as another defenseman was looking for a way out.

The Blue Jackets might not be competitive this season but the program that Kekalainen (and John Davidson) have built at least now allows them to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with some bigger markets when it comes to acquiring and retaining star-level talent.

What would the Blue Jackets be even more thankful for?

A little bit of health (next season).

Navigate to the Blue Jackets’ CapFriendly page and you will see an injured reserve list that could be a pretty impressive roster on its own. Laine, Werenski, Merzlikins, Jakub Voracek, Jake Bean, Justin Danforth, Nick Blankenburg, and Adam Boqvist are all out of the lineup, meaning the team doesn’t really have a chance to keep pace in the Metropolitan Division

It’s probably not going to turn around this year, but when the Blue Jackets come back in September 2023, they’ll have a roster loaded with young talent that could be ready to make some noise. If you’re hoping for consistency and health, it’s for the 2023-24 season that you want it – after they get a crack at the Connor Bedard sweepstakes.

What should be on the Blue Jackets’ holiday wish list?

Another first-round pick.

There’s a chance here for the Blue Jackets to pick multiple times in three straight first rounds. Adding that kind of talent to an organization in such a short period can create an avalanche (pun intended) of success, with impact players all over the roster. Remember that even outside of Johnson and Sillinger, who are already staples on the NHL roster, Columbus has David Jiricek, Denton Mateychuk, and Corson Ceulemans in the system as first-round talents picked in the last two years.

They have the assets to do it, too. Gustav Nyquist and Gavrikov are both going to be coveted at the trade deadline, and Jack Roslovic might even be available. When teams are tossing around draft picks for marginal improvements for a playoff run, the Blue Jackets will be waiting to add another future asset to the pile.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

What Your Team Is Thankful For: Colorado Avalanche

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As Thanksgiving and the holiday season approaches, PHR will be taking a look at what teams are thankful for in 2022-23. 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.

Who are the Avalanche thankful for?

Alexandar Georgiev.

The Avalanche have an incredible team, so naturally, it’s difficult to pick just one person the franchise should be thankful for. That being said, though, one name does emerge above the rest of the pack: Georgiev. Why? Because when looking at both a player’s performance alongside what could reasonably be expected of that player, Georgiev soars above all other Avalanche players.

Cale Makar is doing extremely well. Nathan MacKinnon has been brilliant. Mikko Rantanen has stormed out the gates. But brilliance is the expectation for those players. For Georgiev, what could reasonably be expected from a netminder who posted an .898 save percentage last year? Could the Avalanche have expected the performance he’s given them?

Even the most optimistic Avalanche fan would have to admit that Georgiev’s play so far this year has come as a surprise. The netminder has gone 9-2-1 with a 2.40 goals-against-average and a sterling .929 save percentage. That .929 mark is tied for third-best in the NHL, and is eight points better than the .921 save percentage former starting goalie Darcy Kuemper gave Colorado last season.

The Avalanche surrendered three draft picks to the New York Rangers in order to acquire Georgiev, and then promptly gave him a $3.4MM AAV contract that runs until the summer of 2025. At the time, it was viewed as a risk, seen as the team taking a major leap of faith in trusting such an unproven goalie in a year where they would be defending a Stanley Cup championship.

Now, it seems that leap of faith is being rewarded, and that’s something for the Avalanche to be most thankful for.

What are the Avalanche thankful for?

The depth of talent in their organization.

Every NHL team faces its fair share of injuries over the course of a season. That much is unavoidable. But in the Avalanche’s case so far in 2022-23, their injury woes have gone beyond “fair share” territory. At the moment, the team has two players on injured reserve and two more on long-term injured reserve. In addition to those inactives, numerous players are either playing through ailments or battling day-to-day injuries that aren’t worth full IR placements.

It is no secret: Colorado has dealt with an avalanche of injuries so far this year. But what has kept the team afloat (to the tune of a three-game winning streak and an 11-5-1 overall record, has been the depth players who have adequately taken on spots in the lineup that were vacated by injured players.

Players such as Martin Kaut, who hit waivers earlier this year, and Jacob MacDonald, an undrafted 29-year-old blueliner, have been forced into impact roles this year. While the team would still ideally have the players originally penciled into those roles healthy, the contributions of these depth players cannot be forgotten.

Once the Avalanche’s injured stars return to full health and resume their spots in the lineup, the help given to the team by their depth players cannot be forgotten.

What would the Avalanche be even more thankful for?

Better performance from Alex Newhook.

So much has gone right for the Avalanche so far this year, and much of what has gone right has been related to the risks the team took last summer as they walked a salary cap tightrope after winning the Stanley Cup.

One of the major dice rolls the team took was to trust their internal options (plus Evan Rodrigues, who they eventually signed to a one-year deal) to be able to handle their second-line center role.

The thought was that Newhook, a 2019 first-round pick who had 33 points in his 71-game rookie year, would be ready to take the next step and occupy the spot in which Nazem Kadri had so much success.

So far this year, though, that thought has been proven to be a bit premature. Newhook, who has spent time on the wing as well, has found consistent scoring to be a struggle and has just six points in 17 games so far.

What would make the Avalanche even more thankful this holiday season is if Newhook could manage to play like the top-six center the team expected him to be. If he could, that would go a long way toward providing confidence that the Avalanche could defend their 2022 Stanley Cup title.

What should be on the Avalanche’s holiday wish list?

A cleaner bill of health.

When the Avalanche are fully healthy, their roster has precious few holes. The team is built like a juggernaut and is fully capable of winning another Stanley Cup. But to get to that point, they’ll need their players to be healthy enough to contribute. So far this year, that hasn’t been the case.

They’ll need captain Gabriel Landeskog to return from his major injury, Valeri Nichushkin to return to the ice and get back to where he was last season, and they’ll need the rest of their roster to avoid extended stays on injured reserve.

This general sentiment — a need to stay healthy — applies to all teams, but it’s especially important for a team on a Stanley Cup-or-bust trajectory. Triumphing over every other NHL team is extremely difficult, and requires the right balance of talent, will, and luck.

The Avalanche have no shortage of talent, that much is clear, and they proved their mettle during their run last season. But luck is that final championship-winning component, and getting some better luck than they’ve had so far in the health department should be the number-one item on the Avalanche’s holiday wish list.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

What Your Team Is Thankful For: Chicago Blackhawks

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As Thanksgiving and the holiday season approaches, PHR will be taking a look at what teams are thankful for in 2022-23. 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.

Who are the Blackhawks thankful for?

Patrick Kane.

Sure, Kane’s production (14 points in 18 games, a 64-point pace) so far this year isn’t quite where it was last year. But looking at the bigger picture, the person the Blackhawks should undoubtedly be most thankful for is Kane. Why? Because the Blackhawks have been upfront with their team’s direction, and Kane has been and will continue to be extremely helpful in getting GM Kyle Davidson where he wants his franchise to go.

Davidson is made it no secret, the Blackhawks are rebuilding. They are engaged in a relentless pursuit of as many future assets as possible and have begun building a formidable war chest of draft picks and prospects. Kane currently represents their most significant contributor toward building that stockpile this season.

First and foremost, Kane is the team’s most attractive free agent. While his no-move protection and Blackhawks’ desire to do right by their franchise icon may limit the trade return the team receives in any Kane deal, Kane is still likely to be the most sought-after player at next year’s trade deadline. If Kane is traded, the Blackhawks will still net major assets in return, the type of assets the team craves as they build toward future contention.

Additionally, Kane’s play is elevating the team’s pursuit of future assets in other ways. This summer, the Blackhawks signed Max Domi and Andreas Athanasiou to identical one-year, $3MM deals. The implied intention of these deals was to give Domi and Athanasiou, two skilled offensive players, a wide-open environment to score as much as possible and turn themselves into attractive flippable assets at the trade deadline.

As Kane’s center and left winger, respectively, Domi and Athanasiou have produced well (12 points for Domi and eight for Athanasiou) and have firmly placed themselves in the mix of forwards set to be dealt next year. If the Blackhawks receive more for Domi than the Blue Jackets received last year, Domi being able to ride shotgun next to Kane, one of the game’s biggest stars, will be one of the reasons why.

So while Kane may not be able to bring one more Stanley Cup to Chicago, his potential parting gift to the franchise is still shaping up to be a valuable one.

What are the Blackhawks thankful for?

The strength of the 2023 draft class.

This was mentioned in the Thankful For piece on the Arizona Coyotes, but it’s applicable to the Blackhawks as well. As a team expecting to be among the NHL’s worst by the end of this season, the Blackhawks are likely to have their pick from the cream of the crop at the 2023 NHL draft. And luckily for them, this draft is shaping up to be quite the harvest of talent.

The Blackhawks will likely have a strong chance to land potential franchise-altering talent Connor Bedard, and even if they miss out on the big prize, Adam Fantilli, Matvei Michkov, and Leo Carlsson would each be quite the consolation prize.

But beyond just the top-end, the Blackhawks’ many trades and their trades to come have put them in a position to have quite a few more draft picks at this draft than their originally-allotted seven selections.

The depth of this draft is as highly-regarded as its top-end, and the Blackhawks have placed themselves in a premier position to infuse their farm system with some major talent. While the losses to come this season will hurt, the quality of this upcoming draft class is definitely something to be thankful for.

What would the Blackhawks be even more thankful for?

Elite play from Seth Jones.

If Kane is indeed traded at any point this season, he will pass the torch as the Blackhawks’ most important player to Jones. The 28-year-old blueliner is on a major $9.5MM AAV deal that will expire in the summer of 2030 and is in a position to be the linchpin of Chicago’s defense for the rest of the decade.

The Blackhawks would be even more thankful this holiday season, then, if Jones could return and display the sort of form he showed during his time with the Columbus Blue Jackets. Jones wasn’t bad last season, scoring 51 points in 78 games in an all-situations, minutes-eating role, but he wasn’t the sort of elite, top-ten defenseman his salary pays him to be.

This year, Jones has gotten off to a slower offensive start with four points in eight games, but his minutes have remained heavy, as he’s averaging over 25 minutes per night.

Having turned 28 last month, Jones might not wish to remain in Chicago for the rest of his peak years while the team rebuilds. But for what it’s worth, Jones has not communicated any sort of clear desire to be moved. And since he has a full no-movement clause and a hefty salary, the Jones-Chicago partnership is likely here to stay.

So, with that in mind, having Jones return to the lineup and put forth a dominant season on both ends of the ice would be an extremely welcome development for both the player and team, and it would be something Blackhawks fans could definitely be thankful for.

What should be on the Blackhawks’ holiday wish list?

Other teams interested in acquiring the Blackhawks’ veterans.

We’ve already covered the fact that the Blackhawks are likely to shop Domi and Athanasiou this season, but the potential names the Blackhawks could move doesn’t end there. Veterans such as Jack Johnson, Connor Murphy, Jujhar Khaira, Colin Blackwell, Sam Lafferty, and Jason Dickinson could be of interest to other clubs, especially so in the cases of certain players off to hot starts, such as Lafferty and Dickinson.

What the Blackhawks should have on their wishlist, then, is a robust market of other teams interested in bidding on and eventually acquiring their players. While the success of Chicago’s rebuild is unlikely to be singularly determined by their ability to extract as much as they possibly can from another team in exchange for their middle-of-the-lineup players, one just needs to take a short look to the East to see how other teams have jump-started their rebuilds through savvy deadline deals.

The New York Rangers, for example, took an in-decline Rick Nash and got a first-round pick and Ryan Lindgren, among other pieces, for him. Even as recently as last season, the Montreal Canadiens were able to pry a second-round pick from the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for Brett Kulak, and that second-rounder became Lane Hutson, who is currently terrorizing Hockey East defenders as a Boston University Terrier.

The Blackhawks have enough veteran players to add a glut of draft picks or prospects to their organization, so with that in mind the Blackhawks should definitely have heavy trade interest in their players on their 2022-23 holiday wishlist.

Pictures courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

What Your Team Is Thankful For: Carolina Hurricanes

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As Thanksgiving and the holiday season approaches, PHR will be taking a look at what teams are thankful for in 2022-23. 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.

Who are the Hurricanes thankful for?

Martin Necas.

The Hurricanes have a 10-5-3 record through 18 games. It isn’t bad by any means, but there are some unexpected issues rearing their ugly heads, especially in terms of depth scoring and goaltending. But after generating some criticism last season for a step back in production, even getting tossed around in trade rumors, Necas has stepped up in a big way to help buoy the team through a rough stretch.

Necas sits in the team lead in assists (14) and points (22), seeing the majority of his time on a unit with Jesperi Kotkaniemi and Andrei Svechnikov. He’s been elevated to the top unit alongside Sebastian Aho in Teuvo Teravainen’s injury-related absence, scoring three points in four games there. Necas is averaging over 19 minutes a game, posting solid possession numbers in the process, and is looking every bit as strong as his 12th-overall in 2017 billing suggests.

He’s had to generate a lot of that offense on his own, too. While Svechnikov is plugging along with 12 goals in 18 games, Kotkaniemi, his usual center, has an eye-widening three points on the year. Necas isn’t shooting much higher than his career average, either, with his 14 percent mark this season just 1.5 percent over his 12.5 percent mean.

He can’t and shouldn’t be expected to do it all by himself all season, though. They need considerably more out of a healthy Teravainen, Seth Jarvis, and Paul Stastny on the scoresheet. Their defense has been contributing, sitting sixth in the league in goals against despite subpar goaltending. If the Hurricanes are going to push through on a deep playoff run, those players simply need to do better.

What are the Hurricanes thankful for?

Good drafting and a good farm system.

Their AHL affiliate, the Chicago Wolves, won the Calder Cup last season. That success is already paying off in the NHL this year, with minor-league vet Stefan Noesen playing some resurgent hockey in an unexpected NHL opportunity due to injuries.

Chicago’s had youngsters step up in the absence of Noesen and Andrew Poturalski, who signed with the Kraken, who both had 100-point campaigns last year. Jamieson Rees is taking a huge step forward in his development, leading the team with 13 points in 14 games. He could be a call-up option if things continue to sour for Carolina’s depth forwards.

What would the Hurricanes be even more thankful for?

An early Max Pacioretty return.

14 years into his NHL career, Pacioretty remains a bona fide top-line winger. He’s played just a combined 87 games over the past two years though, and an offseason Achilles tear was expected to keep him out past the All-Star break.

That may still be the case, but Pacioretty did return to the ice this week in an unexpected development. The 34-year-old had 37 points in 39 games last year on the Vegas Golden Knights despite dealing with intermittent injuries throughout the season. An earlier return to the ice, if nothing else, could allow some other depth Hurricanes to play lower in the lineup and get more advantageous matchups. Either way, Pacioretty’s return from LTIR is bound to work toward solving this team’s biggest problem.

What should be on the Hurricanes’ holiday wish list?

Last year’s version of Frederik Andersen.

Carolina’s defense has been elite this season, and they’ve needed to be. Andersen is historically prone to slow starts, yes, but it’s a measurable achievement to post a sub-.900 save percentage on such a defensively stout team. That’s what Andersen’s managed to do, recording a .891 mark through eight starts.

He’s been out with a lower-body injury since November 8 and remains day-to-day. Pyotr Kochetkov has been a saving grace in the meantime, recording a 2-0-1 record and a .943 save percentage in three appearances.

They’ll need goaltending in the playoffs, especially in an Eastern Conference ripe with strong possession teams similar to Carolina. Unless Kochetkov is able to break out as a starting option earlier than expected, Andersen needs to improve his play.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

What Your Team Is Thankful For: Calgary Flames

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As Thanksgiving and the holiday season approaches, PHR will be taking a look at what teams are thankful for in 2022-23. 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. 

Who are the Flames thankful for?

Brad Treliving.

The Flames general manager is in his ninth season at the helm in Calgary, and before last season there were some who believed his seat was getting warm after a few difficult years.

Treliving’s choice to bring Darryl Sutter back to Alberta was a bold one, but it’s so far worked out extremely well as the bench boss recently won the Jack Adams Trophy. But the choice to hire Sutter isn’t why Flames fans are feeling thankful for Treliving this holiday season, it’s the moves he was able to make this past summer.

Early last summer, Treliving was put in an impossible situation. Two of his team’s most important players, Johnny Gaudreau and Matthew Tkachuk, had decided that they did not see a long-term future in Calgary. So despite the fact that he had a mandate to provide Sutter with a competitive roster, he now had to deal with the impending departures of his two most important wingers.

With Tkachuk, Treliving was able to pry a major trade package from the Florida Panthers, netting superstar winger Jonathan Huberdeau, quality all-around defenseman Mackenzie Weegar, a 2025 first-round pick, and prospect forward Cole Schwindt. Additionally, he was able to lock both Huberdeau and Weegar into long-term, market-rate contract extensions. Through the Tkachuk trade, Treliving had acquired two impact players who would be around long-term.

But he wasn’t done there. With the cap space saved through Gaudreau’s departure, Treliving signed center Nazem Kadri to a major contract.

While some worried that buying high on Kadri (who scored 87 points last season, far beyond his previous career-high of 61) would be a major miscalculation, Kadri has been worth his $7MM salary so far this season, as he has posted 15 points in 17 games.

Looking at the bigger picture beyond just the acquisitions of Kadri, Huberdeau, and Weegar, though, the Flames should be thankful for Treliving because of how he restored optimism to a beleaguered Calgary fanbase.

He was dealt an incredibly poor hand last summer and made the very most of it. While the Flames still have work to do this year to become a true Stanley Cup contender, Treliving is certainly someone for Calgary to be thankful for.

What are the Flames thankful for?

The Western Conference.

While the Flames haven’t gotten off to the best start, they remain just two points out from the Western Conference’s top Wild Card spot, with just one team (the St. Louis Blues) ahead of them on tiebreakers.

If the Flames were in the Eastern Conference, though, their 18 points would put three teams ahead of them in the chase for the second wild-card spot. If there’s one thing the Flames can be thankful for this season, it’s the fact that the West, at the moment, looks like the weaker of the NHL’s two conferences.

A lot of the difference between the Eastern Conference and Western Conference has to do with philosophy. There are quite a few teams in the West who fully expect to remain near the bottom of the standings for the duration of this season. The Arizona Coyotes, Chicago Blackhawks, and Anaheim Ducks are all more focused on their future than their present.

The Vancouver Canucks and San Jose Sharks may have each intended on being a contender this season, but they have each begun their season quite poorly and will need to improve significantly to be competitive.

Even one of the teams currently occupying one of the Western Conference’s playoff spots, the Seattle Kraken, looks to be a Martin Jones injury or decline in form away from a drop in the standings.

If the Flames were in the Eastern Conference, their path to a playoff spot would likely look a lot more treacherous. The NHL is a league of parity and they’ll still need to improve in order to get there, of course, but at the moment their path to the postseason looks more comfortable than the daunting journey some Eastern Conference clubs are currently staring down. That’s definitely something for Calgary to be thankful for.

What would the Flames be even more thankful for?

Chemistry between Jonathan Huberdeau and the Flames’ other star forwards.

Jonathan Huberdeau hasn’t been bad so far this season, but his eight points of production in 14 games is a 47-point scoring pace, a far, far cry from the 115 points he scored last year. So far, Huberdeau has struggled to find a fit on a Flames line, and the first-line left-winger spot next to Elias Lindholm is currently being occupied by a red-hot Adam Ruzicka, rather than Huberdeau.

For Huberdeau to be able to reach the heights he hit as a Panther, he’ll need to find a way to gel with one of the Flames’ top two centers, Lindholm or Kadri.

He’s locked up until the summer of 2031, of course, so he has some time to find the right fit, but if the Flames want to really get going this season they’ll need to find the right landing spot for their superstar winger.

There’s no reason to be overly worried at this point, Huberdeau’s talent didn’t simply evaporate on the journey from Florida to Alberta. But if Huberdeau could find a way to click with Kadri or Lindholm and cement his place on one of the top two lines, that would give the Flames even more to be thankful for this holiday season.

What should be on the Flames’ holiday wish list?

Improved goaltending.

The Flames have given up 58 goals this season, which is around the NHL average at this point in the season. That’s not a major issue on its own, but for a Flames club that prides itself in defensive responsibility and being tough to score against, it’s a figure that needs to be improved.

Despite the absence of Oliver Kylington, a lack of defensive talent isn’t to blame for the goals they’ve let in. The Flames still have a top-four on defense that includes Weegar, Noah Hanifin, Rasmus Andersson, and Nikita Zadorov.

There are few teams that can boast a more talented set of top-four defensemen.

No, the main issue for the Flames has been their lackluster goaltending. Starting netminder Jacob Markstrom was a Vezina Trophy contender last season, as he posted a .922 save percentage in 63 games. This year, he has an .887 in 14 games.

Daniel Vladar, the team’s backup, is in a similar situation. After posting a .906 save percentage last year, Vladar has just a .881 this year, a significant decline.

While the fact that both goalies have seen their save percentages decline suggests there is more at play than simply lackluster performance in net, the reality is the Flames’ goalie tandem has to be better.

Sutter has the Flames play a specific style of hockey, and the success of his system relies on their goaltending often being the final nail in the opposing team’s coffin. There were nights last season when Markstrom looked unbeatable. This year, those nights have been few and far between.

The success of the Flames’ goalies is integral to their team identity, so getting improved performance from each netminder should be the top item on the Flames’ wish list this winter.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

What Your Team Is Thankful For: Buffalo Sabres

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As Thanksgiving and the holiday season approaches, PHR will be taking a look at what teams are thankful for in 2022-23. 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.

Who are the Sabres thankful for?

Kevyn Adams

The man they call “GMKA” in Buffalo has been nothing short of a fan favorite in his short tenure as the GM of the Buffalo Sabres. Since taking over as the full-time GM in the spring of 2020, Adams has completely transformed the Sabres outlook, getting young players to take the next step, signing them long-term, and perhaps his biggest move to date, the trade of Jack Eichel.

Adams inherited a tough situation back in 2020, finding a team that had been rebuilding for nearly a decade with a few tough-to-stomach contracts on the books, but has seemingly done wonders with what he had. Adams replaced former head coach Ralph Krueger halfway through the 2020-21 season, replacing him with Don Granato. Forward Tage Thompson, who had never had more than 14 points in a season, was moved to center under Adams and Granato’s watch and broke out as a star. Rasmus Dahlin, the number one overall pick in 2018, has apparently taken the next step in his development this year as a true superstar defenseman. Winger Jeff Skinner, who’s $9MM AAV seemed to be one of the poorest values in the NHL, has reignited into his old self, recording 63 points last season, and 12 in 17 games to start this season.

The highlight of Adams’ resume would likely be the Eichel trade last fall. In exchange for the team’s captain, who Buffalo was almost compelled to deal, Adams was able to acquire a first-round pick in 2022 (Noah Ostlund), a secound-round pick in 2023, top prospect Peyton Krebs, and Alex Tuch. Thus far, the return is paying dividends, though Krebs has struggled to start this season and the development of their draft selections will be solely on Buffalo, Tuch, an upstate-New York native and life-long Sabres fan, has become a bona fide star in his own right and emotional leader for the team.

There’s more work to do in Buffalo, and it’s no secret that the team has been struggling lately after a strong start, however Adams’ work in his first two-and-a-half years has given the Sabres and their fans plenty to be thankful for. The sort of development seen in their young players, performance from their big contracts, and stability behind the bench is not something seen in Buffalo during this rebuild. While it’s hard to keep waiting after so much time, Adams has created what appears to be a true light at the end of the tunnel.

What are the Sabres thankful for?

Growth of young players and rejuvenation of veterans

Above, we discussed GM Kevyn Adams and his ability to get the most out of veterans like Skinner and young players like Thompson. After such a lengthy rebuild, with more still to come it seems, a lot of the present hope for the Sabres was going to have to come out of the current group the team has locked up, and thankfully for Buffalo, it has.

Starting with the veterans, Skinner will command a $9MM cap hit through 2026-27. That’s obviously a big number, flat cap or not, and Skinner’s 63 points last season and similar pace this season still don’t justify that price. However, after a pair of incredibly disappointing seasons, Skinner seems to have found his scoring touch again. Regardless of his performance, the contract is what it is and it was highly unlikely Buffalo was going to be able to move it. Now, getting as much production as they can out of Skinner will be key, and a 60-point winger is a much welcomed addition to any team’s top-six.

Another veteran turning things around is captain Kyle Okposo. The winger had his own share of disappointing seasons and while he’s now in the final year of his seven-year, $42MM contract, Okposo managed to turn in a productive 2021-22 with 21 goals and 24 assists in 74 games. Just before the start of this season, the team named him captain, with Adams, Granato, and his teammates, praising the person and leader Okposo is.

It’s not only the veteran turnaround to be thankful for in Buffalo, as the younger core including players like Thompson, Tuch, and Dahlin have all taken steps in their development to form what could be the next great group of Sabres players. As mention, Thompson went from a winger with light offensive potential to a powerhouse for the Sabres last season, turning in 38 goals and 30 assists in just 74 games. If that wasn’t enough, Thompson has turned on another gear it seems in 2022-23, leading the team with 22 points in 17 games.

Alex Tuch, who had a previous career-high of 52 points in 74 games, found his old magic once again after coming back from injury last season and making his Sabres debut, recording 38 points in 50 games. The forward has built on that success this year as well, with eight goals and seven assists in his first 17 games. On the backend, Dahlin has transformed himself from a solid, star defenseman into a Norris caliber presence, boasting 19 points in just 16 games so far, including a historic five-game goal streak to start the season. While both players have already shown the ability to be stars already, the consistency and ability to take the next step as Buffalo looks to break out (in the big picture) is something to be thankful for.

What would the Sabres be even more thankful for?

Season-long consistency

Consistency, in many ways, hasn’t been an issue for the Sabres, even in their darkest seasons during their rebuild. The team had constantly struggled, usually with many of the same issues and not much had fixed it. As things have turned around, especially in the last couple years under Adams and Granato, the team has found positive consistency, such as the breakout and stability of players like Thompson and Dahlin, the revitalization of Skinner, or even in more low-key situations, such as the calming presence of veteran goaltender Craig Anderson.

The consistency issues for Buffalo come in something that is, ironically, rooted in consistency: great starts, followed by poor performance. In Buffalo, even with many of the positive turn-arounds they’ve seen, that is holding true again this year. The team started the season 7-3-0 and looked like they were finally back on track, but has since lost seven games in a row, dropping them to 7-10-0. Four of those seven losses have come to some of the league’s best teams, including the Carolina Hurricanes, Tampa Bay Lightning, Vegas Golden Knights, and Boston Bruins, but the other three at the hands of the Arizona Coyotes, Vancouver Canucks and Ottawa Senators, were against teams Buffalo had hoped to be ahead of at this stage.

Now, let’s be realistic, good teams are allowed to lose to bad teams, are allowed to have off nights, and are allowing to have some losing streaks here and there. It happens to the best of them. However, Buffalo has made a habit of looking as though the rebuild is over, starting strong, only to drop off sharply some time early on. As of right now, that trend is being followed. The team is only three games under NHL’s .500 heading into tonight, and the season is far from over. But, the Sabres would be most thankful, beyond a smart signing by their GM or a 40 goal season from their 6’7″ center, for consistent winning over an 82 game season.

What should be on the Sabres’ holiday wish list?

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen seizing the opportunity

Many were confused when the Sabres elected to not only re-sign Craig Anderson, but bring in veteran backup Eric Comrie on a two-year deal, effectively blocking prospect Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen’s path to an NHL job. Instead, the Sabres opted to send Luukkonen to the Rochester Americans of the AHL where he could carry the load of a full-time starting goaltender and continue his development.

So far, Luukkonen has been, at best, alright with Rochester, while Comrie has had his struggles with Buffalo. But, with Comrie now out a few weeks with a lower-body injury, Luukkonen finds himself on the NHL roster with a shot to impress. This one stint in particular may not be a make-it-or-break it scenario for Luukkonen, who may not figure to get a heavy dose of starts, but it will factor into the Sabres’ opinion of him and the overall picture of where the young Finnish netminder stands as a legitimate NHL option.

A second-round pick by Buffalo in 2017, Luukkonen had dominated overseas before coming to North America. In one OHL season with the Sudbury Wolves, Luukkonen showed he could handle North American hockey before turning pro. Now in the Sabres organization, Luukkonen first proved himself in the ECHL before moving up and working in the AHL. Luukkonen’s AHL time has, again, been alright. The goaltender hasn’t been remarkable enough to force Buffalo to give him a regular shot in the NHL, but not poor to the point of taking him out of the category of true prospect status.

Encouragingly, in his brief time in the NHL, Luukkonen has impressed to an extent, giving the Sabres and their fans hope he could be the next starting goaltender in Buffalo. For that to happen though, Luukkonen will need to take another step sooner rather than later. So, what better time than now to put that on Buffalo’s holiday wish list?

What Your Team Is Thankful For: Boston Bruins

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As Thanksgiving and the holiday season approaches, PHR will be taking a look at what teams are thankful for in 2022-23. 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

Who are the Bruins thankful for?

Jim Montgomery.

The Bruins made one of the most controversial moves of this past offseason when they fired head coach Bruce Cassidy. Cassidy had taken the Bruins to within one win of a Stanley Cup championship in 2019 and had not missed the playoffs in any of his seasons coaching the Bruins. But after a disappointing first-round loss to the Carolina Hurricanes, with rumors of friction between Cassidy and the organization generating buzz, GM Don Sweeney made the choice to initiate a coaching change.

Out went Cassidy, and in came Montgomery. The 53-year-old Montgomery was the former head coach of the Dallas Stars and was hired off of Craig Berube’s St. Louis Blues staff having helped the Blues orchestrate one of their best offensive seasons in team history.

More than anything else, Montogomery represented a complete stylistic departure from Cassidy. While Cassidy was known to be a demanding coach whose style could sometimes wear players thin, Montgomery was a more laid-back, player-friendly option who was viewed as a breath of fresh air for their locker room.

At this point in the season, it’s safe to say that despite Cassidy’s initial disappointment at his Bruins exit, this seems to be a coaching move that has worked out well for all parties involved. Montgomery has the Bruins at the top of the NHL standings at this early stage, and their locker room is seemingly in great shape.

As for Cassidy, he moved on to take a role as head coach of the Vegas Golden Knights, and he has the NHL’s 31st team sitting first in the Western Conference. While it’s definitely a major risk to fire a clearly talented coach like Cassidy, the risk seems to have paid off for Boston, as they look to have a new coach who is giving them many reasons to be thankful.

What are the Bruins thankful for?

Their training staff.

A team’s training staff is an extremely important part of an NHL organization, but they often don’t receive the attention or praise they deserve. A training staff is responsible for managing the injury situations of a team’s players, and the Bruins this year have heavily leaned on theirs. Star players such as Brad Marchand, Charlie McAvoy, and Jeremy Swayman have all missed time, and yet the Bruins’ haven’t missed a beat.

In fact, both Marchand and McAvoy have returned earlier than when many may have expected them to return when their injuries were first revealed. Their recovery processes for their respective injuries seem to have gone extraordinarily well, and now the Bruins are near full health as they look to continue their scorching hot start.

While the players themselves undoubtedly deserve credit for the quick turnaround in the face of their injuries, the Bruins have to be thankful for their medical and training staff at this point in their season.

The team has capably navigated the challenge posed by the significant injuries they were hit with and the roster has returned to close to full health faster than anyone could have reasonably expected.

Injuries are inevitable over the course of an NHL season, but the Bruins’ staff has ensured that they are prepared to weather any storm injuries could force them through. That’s not something many teams can boast, and it means the Bruins’ training staff is definitely something for the team to be thankful for.

What would the Bruins be even more thankful for?

Progress in their prospect pool.

The Bruins have been a competitive team for the better part of a decade and were in the Stanley Cup Final in 2019. The cost of the team’s pursuit of another Stanley Cup championship has been that their prospect pool has suffered significantly. The Athletic’s Corey Pronman ranked the Bruins’ prospect pool last in the NHL, while EliteProspects.com ranked them 30th.

Winning games, of course, is far more important than winning prospect pool rankings. No fan would sacrifice the record of success the Bruins have had since 2011 for better placement in farm system rankings.

But that being said, a lackluster player development pipeline does hurt the Bruins’ ability to maximize their current competitive window. Their ability to win a trade deadline bidding war for a top player is limited, and the Bruins’ lack of young, cheap, developed talent may have forced their hand and led them to sign some relatively expensive contracts (Nick Foligno, Mike Reilly) to fill spots lower in their lineup.

With so much going right so far in the Bruins’ season, there aren’t many things that could happen that would make the team even more thankful. But if there’s one thing they could hope to add to what has already been a magical start to their season, it would be some accelerated progress for the team’s top prospects.

A few of Boston’s top offensive prospects, namely Georgii Merkulov and Fabian Lysell, are playing above expectations, but some, such as 2019 first-rounder John Beecher, have disappointed.

If players such as 2022 second-rounder Matthew Poitras or 2021 third-rounder Brett Harrison could take emphatic steps forward in their development, the Bruins would have that much more to be thankful for this season.

What should be on the Bruins’ holiday wish list?

Trade interest in Mike Reilly.

The Bruins don’t have any major immediate need to trade Reilly, such a trade would pose some major benefits. Sure, they would lose their top depth defenseman who they can shuffle between the NHL and AHL based on need, but in exchange, they would be rid of the $1.875MM cap hit Reilly currently costs when his salary is buried in the AHL.

Reilly is clearly no longer in the Bruins’ long-term plans and is reportedly hoping for a trade in order to resolve his current situation. Reilly’s $3MM base cap hit for this season and next complicates things and is likely the reason that he hasn’t been moved to this point, especially considering he cleared waivers.

If a team were to suddenly have interest in acquiring Reilly with limited retention required on Boston’s part, that would certainly ease the Bruins’ precarious current cap position. Reilly had 17 points in 70 games last season and could be a bounce-back possibility for some teams.

But given his $3MM cap hit and the overall shortage of cap space around the league, it seems a potential Reilly trade that doesn’t require the Bruins to attach sweetener assets is more in the “wish list” territory than the realm of realistic possibility.

Photo Courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

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