Hello everyone,
Hope all is well with you. We have some big news from around the league and in the world of hockey and just before the weekend, where you can read as you sip your Saturday morning coffee.
- The Ottawa Senators have signed another one of their big young defensive stars, Jake Sanderson, to an 8-year, $64.4M extension (with an AAV of $8.05). Sanderson, 21, only played 77 games as a rookie last season and had 4 goals and 28 assists. Although it is a small sample size, it looks like GM Pierre Dorion really believes in this young stud, who was picked 5th overall in the 2020 NHL draft and has shown flashes of excellence, as he stated that “Jake’s transition to the pro game has been flawless.” He will be a stud and can really play in the top 4 minutes for the team along with Chabot, Chychryn, and Artem Zub. It looks like Ottawa is trying to make the playoffs this year in a very deep division (with Toronto, Boston, Florida and Detroit) and it they are solidifying their back end.
- The Chicago Blackhawks are going to retire Chris Chelios No. 7 on February 25 , 2023 before they play the Detroit Red Wings (another team he played for) at United Center in Chicago. The announcement came after his friend, and lead singer of Pearl Jam announced the honour before more than 20,000 fans at United Center. Chelios, 61, who was most recently a hockey analyst, is a Hockey Hall of Fame defenseman, playing 26 seasons, including 9 with Chicago from 1990-99, and still ranks fourth in Blackhawks history among defensemen with 395 assists and 5th in goals (92) in 664 games. He was their captain from 1995-99. We believe that he was a heck of a player and loved watching him be dominant on the ice.
- We also want to announce that both Dustin Brown, a two-time Stanley Cup champion with the Los Angeles Kings, along with 4 others have been selected to be entered into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame Class of 2023 by USA Hockey. Brown is joined by longtime NHL executive Brian Burke, two-time Cup winner Jamie Langenbrunner, Boston College women’s hockey coach Katie King Crowley and retired NHL official Brian Murphy to be inducted. This is a big honour and each of these individuals have done not only so much for the game of hockey, but promote it in the USA. They have each made an impact on their communities and continue to be influential. We wish them a big congratulations on the big honour.
- We also want to note that NHL defenceman Michael Del Zotto has called it a career from professional hockey, after playing for 14 seasons in the NHL. A 20th 1st-round pick by the New York Rangers at the 2008 NHL Draft, Del Zotto won a Stanley Cup championship with the St. Louis Blues in 2019 and was named to the All-Rookie Team in 2010. He played for the Rangers, Nashville Predators, Philadelphia Flyers, Vancouver Canucks, Anaheim Ducks, Blues, Columbus Blue Jackets and Senators and put up 63 goals and 199 assists in 736 games. We wish him all the best in retirement and hope to see him involved in the league soon.
- The Arizona Coyotes have re-signed GM Bill Armstrong to a 3-year contract extension. Armstrong, 53, has been the Coyotes GM since Sept. 17, 2020 and has done great work rebuilding the team and trying to keep them competitive. As an assistant GM and director of scouting for St. Louis was instrumental in building the Blues’ 2019 Stanley Cup champion. He has done a good job and continues to attract free agents to come and play for the Yotes. Well deserved.
- Finally, the Philadelphia Flyers have signed Morgan Frost to a 2-year, $4.2 million. Frost, 24, put up 19 goals and 27 assists in 81 games last season with the Flyers and led the team with 41 even-strength points while playing on a one-year, $800,000 deal. Frost, who was a 27th pick of the 2017 NHL draft, has really come into his own and become a staple for the team and really made an impact whenever he is on the ice. We hope to see great things from him this upcoming season.
Thoughts?
Pawel the ‘Cat’
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