This year’s busy NHL trade deadline transformed the outlook for many Stanley Cup contenders. It was an all-out arms race, with big names on the move and many buyers pushing all of their chips in. Which contenders have caught fire with their upgraded rosters? Who’s lagging behind the competition and limping into the playoffs? Let’s … Read more
Good morning, macrodata refiners! It’s been a while since the Power Rankings have been taken over by a pop culture vehicle, but the good news is that injustice ends today. It’s “Severance” week at Rankings HQ and we have a devoted disciple of Kier, Mark L., joining us for the occasion. In honor of the … Read more
Editor’s note: This article is part of our Rankings & Tiers series, an evaluation across sport about the key players, front offices, teams, franchises and much more. They’re not always talked about as much as star players, head coaches and general managers. And, in many cases, they’re not in the limelight. But one thing I’ve seen repeatedly covering … Read more
By Shayna Goldman, Jesse Granger, James Mirtle, Mark Lazerus and The Athletic NHL Staff In October, The Athletic’s NHL staff didn’t consider the Florida Panthers serious contenders to repeat as Stanley Cup champions as they didn’t receive a single vote. Additionally, the Dallas Stars only got 21.4 percent of the vote to win it all. A … Read more
The NHL’s trade deadline came and went last Friday without much movement in the crease. There were a few backup goaltenders moved to solidify depth, but no team upgraded its starter and there’s a good chance at least one team will regret that decision come playoff time. With the rosters locked, it feels like a … Read more
The trade deadline is in the rearview and once again it featured an epic escalation of deals across the contending class. Now, it’s time to sort through the aftermath. The top teams operate under a ‘keeping up with Joneses’ mentality, which led to many of the league’s best teams shoring up considerably at big prices. … Read more
Brad Marchand has made it clear he wants to play his entire career with the Boston Bruins. Management could honor its captain’s request and keep him in Boston, even without an extension in place before the deadline. But with the organization’s need for a retool, the Bruins at least have to explore the possibility of … Read more
The most common assets used at the trade deadline are draft picks, with the first-round pick often being cited as the gold standard of trade assets. But what do those first-round selections end up becoming? I thought I would look at the 22 first-round picks traded from 2020 through 2023 and who was ultimately picked … Read more
The Minnesota Wild and Los Angeles Kings have made a minor league swap, with forward Tyler Madden headed to Minnesota for defenseman Joseph Cecconi. Both players are career AHL fixtures. The Vancouver Canucks originally drafted Madden in the third round of the 2018 NHL Draft. He spent the next two seasons in a top role … Read more
Who are the best and toughest front offices to deal with in the NHL? Which owners are known for giving players what they need? What does the league need to do to improve? Asking players these questions can yield some pretty good results, but there are limits to that approach. Players have relatively limited exposure … Read more