Hey gang.. Sorry for the silence the last few days. It’s been difficult to process what has happened in the hockey world so I’ve not found the bandwidth to write about it. I’m speaking of course about the tragic deaths of Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau at the hands of an alleged drunk driver. I loved Gaudreau as a player — one of the few who simply made hockey a cooler sport. He always reminded me of a Datsyuk with his puckhandling skill and tenacity. RIP Johnny Hockey, and his brother. The sport won’t be the same without you.
Does anyone have any Johnny Gaudreau moments they’d like to share? Drop them in the comments. <3
Red Wings News
Prospect games roster and schedule released
Shai Buium and Michael Brandsegg-Nygard headline the roster. The two-day event at Centre Ice in Traverse City, Michigan takes place September 14-15.
Welp, we can officially close the books on Filip Zadina’s NHL career… At least for now. The former first-rounder has signed to play in the Swiss league. Best of luck to him. Such a bummer that he was a bust for Detroit. Another Ken Holland special served up ice cold.
NHL News
Well, it happened. Not like they had much of a choice, but the Edmonton Oilers announced yesterday that they have signed Leon Draisaitl to the richest AAV in the salary cap era. The 28-year-old’s new eight-year deal begins in the 2025-2026 season and will carry a $14 million cap hit — totalling some $112 million.
Draisaitl is one of the best playmakers of all-time. A massive pay raise was in order and I can’t imagine Edmonton had much leverage, especially with a new GM. Is this contract going to reset the market? Maybe, maybe not. There aren’t many players like Leon Draisaitl or even close to his level of play. Still, I think we can expect these contracts to get richer and richer as the years go by.
