Penguins/NHL
Tocchet the ‘IT’ Coach with players around the league? There’s no team in the NHL built like the Florida Panthers with a combination of size/toughness/speed. There’s also no elite team like them that prioritizes a dump and chase game and executes it as well as they do. We could be looking at a growing trend around NHL. There’s no question Rick Tocchet who was criticized this past season in Vancouver for a lack of creativity with his system, is going to be implementing the same blueprint in Philadelphia as the Flyers try to build a contender in the mold of the Panthers in the next 2-3 years. Multiple agents and league executives believe Tocchet is worth the $5.25 million a year pay day because of how popular he is with players. Some feel Philadelphia has suddenly become a top-5 destination moving forward over the next couple years and Tocchet will be utilized as a major recruiting tool…..
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Florida’s Trio: Aaron Ekblad, Brad Marchand, Sam Bennett pending UFA’s all at the right time. You could see a team like Toronto chase all three if they hit the open market. Ekblad, Bennett are type of players Rick Tocchet and the Flyers will covet. Growing sense even at his age, Brad Marchand has set the table to command a 3-year deal in the $21 million range from contenders this summer. Teams believe you can still get two very productive years out of him…..To get Sam Bennett out of Florida, it’s going to take $8 million per season. Is Aaron Ekblad a true #1? No, but he’s going to get a big deal in free agency and will get multiple offers over $7 million per season.
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DAL-EDM Heavyweight Battle: Mikael Granlund a goal, assist in the Dallas Stars thrilling 6-3 comeback win over the Edmonton Oilers, giving him 4 goals and 3 assists in his last five playoff games. Granlund will always be among a long list of talented players that just never meshed in Pittsburgh under previous coaching staff but immediately looks like a top-two line player now in two different places since the Pittsburgh debacle. Looking back at that 2022/2023 Penguins team, it was such a failure by the coaching staff/players that that team didn’t get into the playoffs; Say what you want about Ron Hextall, a top-7 forward group of Crosby, Guentzel, Malkin, Rakell, Rust, Granlund shouldn’t see you miss the postseason.
The Penguins have gathered a lot of intel from coaching candidates on how To read this insider news, subscribe to get “Inside Access”! According to one coach that has To read this insider news, subscribe to get “Inside Access”!
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Capitals assistant Mitch Love, Penguins assistant David Quinn who are expected to be among the top finalists in Pittsburgh, remain strong contenders for the To read this insider news, subscribe to get “Inside Access”! While Seattle and Pittsburgh are considering some of the same candidates in the final stages, indications have been that Kings To read this insider news, subscribe to get “Inside Access”!
Rumblings: Dubas re-engaged Oilers this week determined to move Jarry; Crosby camp growing increasingly frustrated