The Avs officially began rookie camp, but the big news is coming from around the league. Sidney Crosby, Kirill Kaprizov, Connor McDavid, and the Hughes brothers. Crazy news all around.
All that and more on this edition of Deen’s Daily — September 11.
Colorado Hockey Now
We had no hockey news for like six weeks and now we can’t go six minutes without some crazy story. Strap in. This one’s a doozy.
Let’s start with the biggest name in hockey. Not Connor McDavid (that was so last week). We’re talking Sidney Crosby, and the sudden shift in energy from him and his camp when discussing speculation that he might, one day, play for someone else.
The Avs will always be a link to No. 87. There’s no other way around it.
I’m at rookie camp now, watching the Avs’ prospects practice in preparation for a game on Friday. But my colleague Colleen Flynn made it down to Family Sports to get the latest for the veterans on the team.
Scott Wedgewood is in town. Valeri Nichushkin is in mid-season form.
READ MORE: Wedgewood Joins Avalanche Informal Practice, Nichushkin Shows Competitive Spirit
Here’s Part 2 of the September Mailbag.
Around The NHL
Kirill Kaprizov: This is a whopper of a story. And quite honestly, it’s just the latest in a string of “WHAT?!” storylines that have graced the hockey world in recent days.
First it was McDavid.
Then Crosby.
Then the Hughes brothers.
Now?
Kaprizov reported turned down an eight-year deal worth $128 million. If he signed, it would’ve been the largest AAV in NHL history and the largest total dollars of any contract signed in this league.
Does he want more? Does he want less term? Does he want to play somewhere else? It feels like everything is on the table now. Like McDavid, I wonder if Karpizov is another example of a player smart enough to see what’s around him and ask the hard questions about if the Minnesota Wild are truly going to be competitive for that long.
After all, we went into the offseason thinking that one or both of Brock Nelson and Brock Boeser would sign there. None of them left their current teams.
PTO Signings: We’ve got more PTOs, starting with goalie Kevin Mandolese landing in Montreal. He was in the Avs’ organization last year.
The Panthers also took one of the top free agents left on the market in Tyler Motte and signed him to a PTO. He’ll join Ben Harpur and the already announced Noah Gregor at training camp.
Pittsburgh Hockey Now: The Pens angle on the Crosby news. Also, one of Crosby’s first NHL coaches has officially announced his retirement and a big media personality is back in the game in Pittsburgh.
San Jose Hockey Now: This is a great get for my colleague Sheng Peng in San Jose. Peng met with Yaroslav Askarov, and the Sharks’ No. 1 goalie answered subscriber questions on SJHN.
Florida Hockey Now: The top futures bets to take for the Panthers.
Detroit Hockey Now: We know about Albert Johansson, but another defenseman in the system, Anton Johansson, also seems like a sure bet to be a stable NHL piece one day. (The two are not related.)
San Jose Hockey Now: We finally have an entry-level contract for the No. 2 overall draft pick.
