Every summer brings its share of changes in the NHL. As the off-season coincides with the holidays, we sometimes find ourselves surprised at the opening of the season to find heads in new colors. Let’s have fun doing a review exercise to be ready for training camps. Today, ten moves in the Eastern Association.
Former team: Calgary Flames
New Team: New Jersey Devils
The Canadian traded him at the right time after all. Despite a 34-goal season, the Flames’ new GM traded Toffoli to the Devils this summer for Yegor Sharangovich, a 25-year-old winger who had 30 points in 75 games last year and a third-round pick. Toffoli, 31, will be granted full autonomy at the end of the season. The CH, we recall, obtained a first round choice in 2022 (Filip Mesar), Emil Heineman and a fifth round choice in 2023 (Yevgeni Volokhin) for Toffoli.
Former team: Ottawa Senators
New team: Detroit Red Wings
Buy low, sell high! The Ottawa Senators paid the Chicago Blackhawks a seventh overall pick and an early second-round pick in 2023, plus a third-round pick in 2024 for Alex DeBrincat after a 41-goal season; a year later, the Red Wings gave up a first-round pick in 2024 (the worst between the Bruins’ and theirs) and a fourth-round pick for DeBrincat (in addition to Dominik Kubalik to reduce their payroll), disappointing in Ottawa. However, they managed to retain him for four years, which the Senators failed to do.
Former team: San Jose Sharks
New team: Pittsburgh Penguins
The Penguins got their hands on the NHL’s top offensive defenseman, 101 points last year. The price is not exorbitant: a first-round pick in 2024 and a second-round pick in 2025. The new Penguins GM also managed to jettison Jeff Petry, Mikael Granlund and Jan Rutta to comply with the salary cap. Karlsson will not correct the weaknesses of the Penguins, who already have a brilliant right-handed offensive defenseman, Kris Letang, but he will do no harm.
Former Team: Winnipeg Jets
New Team: New York Rangers
Blake Wheeler has been out of favor in Winnipeg since coach Rick Bowness unraveled his captain’s letter when he arrived at the start of last season. At 36, he is no longer the player of the good years, but he still amassed 55 points in 72 games last year. It’s a bargain at $800,000 for just one year, but it blocks a spot for youngsters Alexis Lafrenière and Kaapo Kakko.
Former Team: Calgary Flames
New Team: Boston Bruins
It’s not a big deal since Lucic, 35, scored just 7 goals last year, but sentimentally the news may have made Bruins fans happy. Lucic had his best years there and he will be able to make a last lap without pressure in Boston within a fourth line at an annual salary of one million.
Former team: Boston Bruins
New Team: Carolina Hurricanes
The name may not arouse passions, but Orlov, 32, is one of the most underrated defensemen in the NHL and he will further strengthen this already formidable squad in Carolina. After being acquired by the Bruins at the trade deadline in March, Orlov had 17 points in 23 games, averaging more than 22 minutes of ice time, and had eight assists in seven playoff games. He’s expensive though: 7.75 million per season for two years.
Former Team: Philadelphia Flyers
New Team: Columbus Blue Jackets
The Flyers wanted to speed up their rebuild and the Blue Jackets wanted to speed up their recovery. Columbus GM Jarmo Kekalainen therefore gave up a 2023 first-round pick (22nd overall, Oliver Bonk) and a 2024 second-round pick for the 26-year-old defenseman, once considered one of the best in the league. his generation in this position, but in stagnation according to many. Nevertheless, he remains a first pair defender capable of playing between 22 and 25 minutes and his salary will occupy less than 5 million on the mass of the Blue Jackets since a third team, the Kings of Los Angeles, absorb 2 million on his mass.
Former team: New York Rangers
New Team: Ottawa Senators
Tarasenko wasn’t bad last year, 29 points in 38 games in St. Louis, 21 points in 31 games in New York, but not transcendent either. That’s probably why he waited almost a month, and signed a one-year, $5 million contract with the Senators. The 31-year-old winger had his career-best season a year earlier, 82 points, including 34 goals, in just 75 games. Pierre Dorion, the Senators GM, obviously hopes to have gotten his hands on the 2021-2022 forward…
Former Team: Boston Bruins
New team: Toronto Maple Leafs
The Bruins would have liked to retain his services, especially after Bertuzzi’s prowess in the playoffs: ten points, including five goals, in seven games. Bertuzzi, just 28 years old, 62 points, including 30 goals, in just 68 games the year before, will cost the Leafs $5.5 million, but for only one year. He replaces Michael Bunting, now with the Hurricanes. Max Domi and defenseman John Klingberg also agreed to a one-year contract and allow the Leafs greater salary flexibility.
Former Team: Carolina Hurricanes
New Team: Washington Capitals
After an injury-plagued year in which he played just five games but scored three goals, the former Canadiens scoring ace, 35 in November, will get $2 million for a year, but will double his salary if he does. he plays at least twenty matches. He still had 37 points in 39 games just two years ago in Vegas before he fell in battle, but he’s not getting any younger either.
Can we really contradict him? Richard Labbé has more details.
1- As captain of the Canadiens, Nick Suzuki wants to have an impact on the ice, but also outside of it. Katherine Harvey-Pinard tells.
2- Despite the turbulence, Alexandre Pratt has confidence in this project for a new professional women’s hockey league.
3- Quebecers Matthew Bergeron and Sidy Sow will start the season in the NFL.
