NHL teams are getting started early the trades this season, as Tampa and Nashville got together for a trade that at least made some sense earlier this week. On Friday, the Islanders and Blackhawks completed a rare draft picks only trade well ahead of the draft which didn’t make any sense from the outside looking in for one of the teams involved.
On the ice, we’ve had back-to-back nights of overtime hockey, with the Rangers and Panthers playing a pretty physical Game Two at Madison Square Garden.
With the Avalanche, I looked back at the comments from the press conference the other day regarding Valeri Nichushkin and how the team left the door open for him just a little bit, perhaps out of necessity.
All that and more in this Saturday edition of Evan’s Daily.
Colorado Hockey Now
It certainly doesn’t sound like the player want Valeri Nichushkin back when he’s reinstated by the NHL, but the Avalanche may not have a choice.
Surprise Trade
The Islanders and Blackhawks got together for a trade involving just draft picks from the 2024 NHL Draft on Friday. A little confusing a month ahead of the draft, as you don’t really know what players will be available when you pick, but it is what it is.
The trade at least makes sense from an Islanders point-of-view, as they gain an extra picks. As for what the Blackhawks are doing, your guess is as good as mine.
The #Isles have acquired a first-round pick (#20) and two second-round picks (#54 and #61) in the 2024 Draft from the Chicago Blackhawks for the team's first-round pick (#18) and second-round pick (#50), per the team.
— Andrew Fantucchio (@A_Fantucchio) May 24, 2024
I really don’t get it from Chicago’s perspective. You give up an extra second round pick to just move up two spots in round one, and then you only move up a few spots in the second round. That team is so bad, and they easily could have used one of those picks to get Connor Bedard some help. I guess they weren’t interested in that, but watching that team last year, that young man needs a much better supporting cast. Another rough year coming up in Chicago.
Overtime Chaos
There hasn’t been a lot of room on the ice in the Conference Finals so far, which should be expected at this point. Game One in both series weren’t particularly entertaining, even though the Oilers and Stars went to double overtime. I enjoyed Game Two between the Panthers and Rangers a lot more because the hate was palpable. Those two teams don’t like each other, and were throwing the bodies around all night long.
Kulikov's hit on Wennberg gets reviewed as a major, gets reduced to an interference minor pic.twitter.com/zcDKWhuRla
— Shayna (@hayyyshayyy) May 25, 2024
New York won in overtime, tying the series up at one, and whoever makes it out of this battle might be a little beat up. That’s how it should be at this time of year.
National Hockey Now
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We love two NHL teams in the same division making a trade, so an Ullmark for Chychrun trade sounds like a lot of fun.
Could Sean Walker make sense for the Sharks?
One lesson the Flyers could take from every team remaining.
Find the true NHL value of Justin Barron.
Did Ullmark block a trade to the New Jersey Devils?
