Here are all the links from around the hockey world, and what I’m reading while the dust is settling on NHL free agency.
*Larry Brooks says that the NHL has destroyed budding dynasties, and I say, well, it could be worse. They could be the NBA where only two teams have a chance of actually winning, and there is zero parity to the league whatsoever. Also, Brooks clearly has an issue with Bruins owner Jeremy Jacobs being named to the Hockey Hall of Fame. Hey, it’s not the Hall of Hockey Popularity or the Hall of Being Well-Liked. As I wrote last week, Jacobs is never going to be beloved because he was a bit of an absentee owner and because there was a reputation for not spending enough money to really go for Cups in Boston. Nobody will argue those points, but Jacobs has been one of the most powerful owners in the NHL for the last thirty years while the game was grown exponentially. That’s exactly the kind of thing that the HHOF Builder category was, well, built for.
*The Buffalo Sabres have plenty to prove with a new GM in place, and a group of players being brought in to change the culture.
*Meanwhile in Montreal, the Habs filled a need by signing Karl Alzner as the kind of player that will fit in well with Claude Julien’s system.
Boston Bruins
*The Blue Jackets were active ahead of the opening of free agency, and still might have a few big moves up their sleeve while they try to build something that can net them Colorado Avalanche center Matt Duchene as well.
*Kevin Shattenkirk clearly really, really wanted to play for the New York Rangers after taking less years, less money and a much smaller deal to fit in with the Blueshirts for the next four years.
*PHT writer James O’Brien has the Nashville Predators perhaps preparing another move after shipping a third round pick to the Vegas Golden Knights in exchange for Alexei Emelin.
*For something completely different: The Ansel Elgort think pieces are exactly why I don’t go to the Ringer on a regular basis. It’s a perfectly well-executed Hollywood think piece/deep dive, but there is just no appeal to me for this kind of stuff.