NHL Vibe Check: Draft Expectations, Soft Rebuilds and a Tough Free-Agent Market
Folks, we're less than a week out of the 2023 NHL draft and it's time for our first Vibe Check of the offseason.
For those who are unfamiliar with the Vibe Check, it's a way to canvas questions and get the thoughts of the people who are most important: You, the hockey-loving fans of the world.
And if you're not a fan of this, well, to quote musical icon Taylor Swift: Haters gonna hate, hate, hate, hate.
As always, I'm grateful for each and every question y'all throw at me. There were some particularly creative ones this time around, so let's get into it.
Designer Helmets and Skates?
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Helmets would be the obvious answer, here, and I'd like to see skaters have the option to design even a little piece of their helmet, I suppose. But what if each individual skater got to choose the advert on his jersey in this ad-laden era? Would never happen, obviously, but it could be interesting. Other than that, how about bejeweled mouthguards like grills?
I have no notes, I just wanted that photo to be in the story.
Let Ron Cook with the Kraken?
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Expect the best No. 20 pick in the history of the draft and be sure to place a ton of pressure and expectations on the kid.
Just kidding.
There are tons of great players in the NHL who have ended up selected 20th or later, but there is also a fair share of busts.
I will say, I trust Ron Francis and his crew with a later first-round draft pick more than I trust many general managers and front offices in the league.
Let go and let Ron cook and don't read too much into any of it.
T-Swift Breaks Down the NHL
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I love this question so much that I'm actually going to assign a Taylor Swift lyric to every team's season. It's the offseason, baby, and I have all the time in the world.
Metropolitan Division
Hurricanes: "Where is this going? I thought I knew for a minute, but I don't anymore. And I stare at the phone, (GM Don Waddell) still hasn't called..."
Blue Jackets: "Dear John, I see it all now, it was wrong…"
(I'm so sorry)
Devils: "Devils roll the dice, angels roll their eyes, what doesn't kill me makes me want you more…"
Islanders: "You're on your own kid, you always have been…" (Ilya's version)
Rangers: "It's OK, yeah, life is a tough crowd. Thirty-four and still growin' up now…"
Flyers: "With Pennsylvania under me, are there still beautiful things?"
Penguins: "Do you really want to know where I was April 29?"
(Not in a playoff spot)
Capitals: "I didn't choose this town, I dream of getting out, there's just one who could make me stay..."
Atlantic Division
Bruins: "All that I know is I don't know how to be something you miss, I never thought we'd have a last (goalie hug), I never imagined we'd end like this."
Sabres: "It would've been fun, if you could've been the one…"
Red Wings: "Hey Stephen, why are people always leaving?"
Panthers: "And it's a sad picture, the final blow hits ya, somebody else gets what you wanted again…"
Canadiens: "I don't know about you, but I'm feeling 22. Everything will be alright if you keep me next to you (for eight years)..."
Senators: "There are no rules when you show up here, bass beat rattling the chandelier, feeling so Gatsby for that whole year…"
Lightning: "God rest my soul, I miss who I used to be…"
Maple Leafs: "It must be exhausting always rooting for the anti-hero…"
Central Division
Coyotes: "Goodbye, goodbye, goodbye, you were bigger than the whole sky…"
Blackhawks: "Yeah, they'll tell you now, you're the lucky one.."
Avalanche: "Soldier down on that icy ground, looked up at me with honor and truth, broken and blue, so I called off the troops…"
Stars: "I have this thing where I get older but just never wiser…"
Wild: "All that you ever wanted from me was sweet nothing…"
Predators: "Let me remind you this is what you wanted…you were all I wanted, but not like this…"
Blues: "Catastrophic Blues, moving on was always easy for me to do. It hits different 'cause it's you…"
Jets: "It's a cruel summer with you…"
Pacific Division
Ducks: "I'm in a new hell every time you double-cross my mind. You said if we had been closer in age, maybe it would have been fine, and that made me want to die…"
Flames: "This is why you shouldn't kill off the main guy…"
Oilers: "You saw me start to believe for the first time.."
Kings: "I pictured you (Jonathan Quick) with other girls in love, then threw up on the street…"
Sharks: "Don't know how long it's gonna take to feel OK, but I know I had the best day with you (Erik Karlsson) today…"
Kraken: "This is me praying that this was the very first page, not where the storyline ends, my thoughts will echo your name until I see you again, these are the words I held back as I was leaving too soon, 'I was enchanted to meet you'"
Canucks: "I think I've seen this film before, and I didn't like the ending…"
Golden Knights: "I said remember this feeling
I passed the pictures around
Of all the years that we stood there on the sidelines
Wishing for right now
We are the kings and the queens
You traded your baseball cap for a crown
When they gave us our trophies
And we held them up for our town
And the cynics were outraged
Screaming, 'This is absurd'
'Cause for a moment, a band of thieves
In ripped up jeans got to rule the world."
.png?w=256 "Playoff Winners and Losers")
What's Next in Winnipeg?
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Oh, Johnny, what an interesting offseason it will be for your Jets, who are clearly on the verge of gigantic change.
We never know exactly how these things are going to play out, but we could be looking at a future in Winnipeg without Pierre-Luc Dubois, Blake Wheeler, Connor Hellebuyck and/or Mark Scheifele (potentially others).
Now, it's unlikely GM Kevin Cheveldayoff will trade every single one of those names this offseason, but the Jets look completely different without even two of them.
Of course, the absence of star goalie Hellebuyck would be enough to change the roster complexion on its own, and we know he and Dubois have requested trades.
Here's the thing: As much as I love the drama of an aggressive rebuild, a lot of teams are hesitant to pull that trigger too soon, as they should be.
I can't see the Jets and this particular management group throwing everything down the drain and completely starting over quite yet. I mean, they've still got one of the most underrated forwards in the league in Kyle Connor, the same deal with Nikolaj Ehlers and young budding talent like Cole Perfetti.
You don't want to throw all of that and a decent-to-below-average defense away. But shopping for a first- and a second-line center and a starting goalie that are conducive to both on-ice success and a transitional period isn't easy, and it's certainly not going to happen via the 2023 free-agency pool.
If there's one thing the Jets need to absolutely nail, it's the return on 2020 Vezina winner Connor Hellebuyck. His contract (with a $6.17 million cap hit) is up at the end of next season, and although the elite netminder will command a raise and terms, this could be the perfect situation for a team at the end of Cup contention or really anywhere in their contention window.
I'd expect a lot of interest in the 30-year-old from playoff teams, and he's coveted enough to get the Jets some impact roster players.
I'm curious to see how it all goes in Winnipeg considering contemporary management's prior reluctance to make drastic moves, but I wouldn't sell the season tickets quite yet.
Trending Up and Trending Down
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With Patrice Bergeron and David Krejčí's futures in question, goaltending uncertainty, cap issues and the way things ended last season, I'm not putting my faith fully back in the Bruins.
However, I'm curious to see what happens with the Jets and the Wild. I wouldn't categorize the Jets as bleak if they manage a soft rebuild, but I don't expect them to contend for a Cup.
As for the lottery team with the brightest future, it's hard not to answer this with "the ones who are getting Connor Bedard," because he's the best talent the draft has seen in years.
I do feel the Blue Jackets might have a fluky good season next year, and I also feel the Canadiens are just doing things right with their slow-and-steady approach. But the Blackhawks are getting Bedard and that's going to be the best for success over time.
Meeting a Hockey Hero
6 of 7There are too many to count. I'll say the best part about working in sports is the people—rarely does meeting your heroes let you down.
There are tons of funny moments, but one memory I'll treasure for life is when Doc Emrick came to a Bruins practice while he was on his farewell tour.
I remember he went around the media room shaking every single person's hand and introducing himself. What a lesson in humility.
And Finally ... the Breakout Star Next Season
7 of 7(Screaming at the top of my lungs): Seth Jarvis.
Editor's note: Feel free to direct all your Taylor Swift and NHL questions and comments to Sara on Twitter: @SaraCiv
.png?w=480 "Playoff Winners and Losers")
.jpg?w=600 "Grading Raw After WrestleMania 🔠")
