Welcome again to Screen Shots, an ongoing THN.com feature in which we take a few hockey topics and break them down in short paragraphs. As always, we’ll forego any more introduction and get right down to business:
With 98 assists in 78 games, Tampa Bay Lightning superstar winger Nikita Kucherov is just one assist behind Edmonton dynamo Connor McDavid for the lead in the NHL in that category. However, McDavid has missed the Oilers’ past two games with an injury, and although Edmonton has four games left to play – and Tampa has three games remaining – we suspect the Oilers will rest McDavid for most of, if not all of the regular-season that’s left, giving Kucherov ample opportunity to overtake McDavid for the lead in assists.
The Bolts don’t have anything to prove in the standings – they’re all but locked into the first wild card berth in the Eastern Conference – so it’s possible Tampa Bay sits out Kucherov for one or two games to keep him safe and fresh for the post-season. But if that doesn’t happen and the Lightning do dress Kucherov, it’s safe to say he’s going to nudge past McDavid and hold onto top spot in the race for the Art Ross Trophy as the league’s top point-getter. It’s been a hell of a year for Kucherov, and we don’t suspect he’s going to let up anytime soon, if at all.
Related: Lightning Strike Up an Electric Run as They Look to Retake the Post-Season Throne
As the Arizona Coyotes play out their final few days before relocating to Salt Lake City, the franchise is positioned to take big steps this summer and finally round into a legitimate Stanley Cup playoff team. ‘Yotes GM Bill Armstrong has stacked up 20 draft picks in the first three rounds of the next three drafts, and while it does make sense for Armstrong to continue with his youth movement, it’s also possible that he converts some of those picks into NHL-ready veteran talent.
While Armstrong builds through drafting and trades, the Coyotes have approximately $41.4 million in salary cap space this summer to lure unrestricted free agents to Salt Lake. With the 2024 UFA group shaping up to be fairly decent – star forwards Steven Stamkos, Sam Reinhart, Jake Guentzel and Tyler Bertuzzi all are set to be available – there’s a good chance Armstrong can add the veteran help the team clearly needs.
Ultimately, the Coyotes need continued growth from their core of youngsters to take the next competitive step, but for the first time in many years, they’ve got an excellent opportunity to augment the team with players who see them as a legitimate group on the rise. They’re still not an elite team by any metric, but the chance to be in a positive-minded market and play on a team that can give opponents a run for their money will make Salt Lake attractive to NHLers seeking a new home.
Related: Opinion: The Arizona Coyotes Brand Just Needs a Break
Finally, barring a three-game win streak to end their regular season, the San Jose Sharks are going to finish with the NHL’s worst record and secure the best draft lottery odds to win top spot and take junior hockey phenom Macklin Celebrini. They may not be the worst team ever – the way they looked to start the season – but San Jose still has a good long way to go before they even think about getting back to the playoffs.
That said, this writer likes what Sharks GM Mike Grier has done this season, moving out veteran players in exchange for draft picks and prospects. They may not be a post-season team next season or the season after that, but once Grier does what’s expected and trades captain Logan Couture (and buys out defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic) this summer, San Jose is going to slowly-but-surely be a team on the rise.
They may not be as deep into their roster rebuild as, say, the Montreal Canadiens and Anaheim Ducks are at the moment, but the Sharks have up-and-comers Will Smith, Quentin Musty, William Eklund and Thomas Bordeleau to build with, and Celebrini would certainly accelerate their turnaround. Grier has been transparent about the organization’s need to bite the bullet and restock the roster for the next 10-15 years, and though that almost assuredly means similar struggles for them next season and until further notice, San Jose appears to be on the right track to do things the right way. Let’s give credit to Grier for taking the most proven road to redemption.
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News Summary:
- Screen Shots: Kucherov Cuts Gap With Mcdavid, Coyotes Off-Season and Sharks Rebuild
- Check all news and articles from the latest NHL updates.