Anyone can have a goalie, even two, but find at least one who knows how to stop pucks? That’s the hardest part. Talk to the Philadelphia Flyers, who have been looking for one since the Mulroney government, and the Edmonton Oilers aren’t much better in that department. Connor McDavid won’t be around forever, and we wonder if the Oilies have finally found the man for the job in Stuart Skinner, a likeable 24-year-old mustachioed returning from a season where he was named in the Calder Trophy race. . “I can be better next season,” he told NHL.com, in essence. It will be necessary, because McDavid will not be able to do everything alone, and also because this mustache will no longer be so sympathetic if ever the triumphs do not follow. Since McDavid’s arrival in 2015-16, the Oilers have employed a total of 11 goaltenders.
Have there ever been this many teams without a captain at this time of year? The question arises, because at last count, no less than 10 NHL teams were still without a captain for the next season. This list of course includes the Boston Bruins, who will have to find a successor to newly retired Patrice Bergeron. Most of these positions will be filled, but it makes you wonder if the importance of being able to bet on someone to wear the C is not diminishing. The Canadiens have already gone through seasons without a captain, and the Arizona Coyotes have gone the past two seasons without one, although the Coyotes can hardly be considered models of sound management.
This line from a text on the Sportsnet site certainly caught our attention: “Fear not, Flames fans, Mackenzie Weegar is optimistic. It’s unclear if this is a nice show of irony, but regardless, the Flames defenseman really thinks his team is on the upswing. In the same text, Weegar discusses rumors of “guys who don’t want to be here”, yet another reminder of the difficult reality that awaits small Canadian markets. Here, among others, Elias Lindholm, Noah Hanifin and Mikael Backlund are in their last year of contract, and one wonders if they will want to be back. The Flames have a new GM in Craig Conroy, and a new coach in Ryan Huska. Obviously, these two men already have a lot of work to do.
It’s not just cats that have nine lives, Nathan Beaulieu too. After waiting a very long time by his laptop this summer, the 30-year-old defenseman finally got…a tryout with the Carolina Hurricanes. His chances of success are probably quite slim, since the Hurricanes are already sold out on the blue line, but hey, this is another opportunity for the one who will be on his fifth team since being selected in the first round by the Canadian in the 2011 draft. Last season, Beaulieu had to make a detour to the American League, the time of four games.
It’s been passed over in silence, but last week the Hurricanes confirmed the extension of their lease in the Raleigh area until 2044. At the same time, the club’s management announced major renovations in this lost corner between two highways, including the addition of a hotel, a performance hall, renovations to the arena, as well as the construction of family housing (we don’t really know who would want to stay there, but hey, it’s a other file). This news will undoubtedly put an end to the rumors of the club’s move. By the way, who remembers this account, somewhere on social networks, which once listed the planes that arrived in Quebec from Carolina? It was a good time.
