Although we’ve learned a lot about all 32 teams throughout the preseason, some lingering questions remain. We’ve gathered a panel of our reporters and analysts to tackle five of the biggest:
What player will take a leap to stardom this season?
Ryan S. Clark, NHL reporter:Moritz Seider made a jump last season, scoring 52 points in 82 games en route to winning the Calder Trophy. It’s possible he could raise his profile even more with another standout season and potentially attract some Norris Trophy consideration.
Leah Hextall, NHL broadcaster: Fresh off a four-year, $31 million deal, Jason Robertson is motivated and has the ability to repeat and build on his 40-plus goal season in Dallas. He’s set to be a star in Dallas and a household hockey name.
Victoria Matiash, NHL analyst: I don’t believe we’ve seen anything near what Lucas Raymond is capable of yet. He leveled out a bit last April, suggesting the gas tank neared empty after a full 82-game season. The 20-year-old will be better prepared, and even more productive, through his second tour on a Detroit top line with center Dylan Larkin.
Arda Öcal, NHL broadcaster:Jack Hughes. He had some sweet highlight-reel goals last season, including throwing his stick into the crowd after an overtime winner. In terms of on-ice flash, he and Trevor Zegras seem to be cut from the same cloth, and I’m here for all of it.
Kristen Shilton, NHL reporter:Cole Caufield. The Canadiens’ youngster came to life late last season under Martin St. Louis. And there’s a big opportunity up for grabs in Montreal’s lineup. Caufield has good hands around the net and a great shot; he could light it up this season for a team that needs it.
Greg Wyshynski, NHL reporter:Tim Stützle has been centering Claude Giroux and Alex DeBrincat during the preseason for the Ottawa Senators, which I imagine is a pretty good spot if you’re Tim Stützle. He had 58 points in 79 games last season. This line could be a multiplier.
Which rookie are you most excited to watch?
Clark:Matty Beniers scoring nine points in his first 10 games last season has created expectations he should challenge for the Calder Trophy. Now it is a matter of how he looks over a full 82-game season.
Hextall:Jake Sanderson. The University of North Dakota product is everything you want in an NHL defenseman. He’s an elite skater, moves the puck, makes good decisions and is mature beyond his years.
Matiash:Cole Perfetti. Tucked in the Jets’ top six, the No. 10 overall pick from 2020 is going to hit 65 points. Goodness knows that team could use such a boost — productively and emotionally.
Öcal: Other than Shane Wright vs. the Habs, I’d love to see how Juraj Slafkovsky slots into that Montreal lineup. Does he start the season there, and does he make an immediate impact? He’s certainly got the size and hands, along with loads of confidence, even if he’s a little inconsistent at times (as expected of a rookie).
Shilton:Mason McTavish. The Anaheim Ducks freshman showed off at the World Juniors in August, earning MVP honors while leading Canada to gold with eight goals and 17 points. He’ll bring top-end skill, speed and creativity to a rising Ducks’ squad.
Wyshynski: A lot of the rookies listed here sound very exciting, but do any of them hold the very fate of their team in their tender gloves? Logan Thompson could very well determine whether or not the Vegas Golden Knights make the playoffs, with starting goalie Robin Lehner out for the season.
What has to happen for the Avs to repeat — and how likely do you think it is to happen?
Cale Makar reflects on his offseason after winning the Stanley Cup and what the Avalanche are hoping to achieve this season.
Clark: Finding a consistent second-line center. Nazem Kadri‘s departure leaves a hole the team believes can be filled internally. If so, then, it solves a major concern. If not, they could be pressed to find the answer elsewhere. Whoever it is, they will play a vital role in the Avs’ chances for a consecutive title.
Hextall: To repeat, the Avalanche need to pick up where the team left off and most importantly stay healthy — which takes a little luck. But the window to win is wide open, and it looks like the Avs will have a good shot. Oh, and Nathan MacKinnon hasn’t settled down because he won — now he wants more.
Matiash: One of Pavel Francouz or Alexandar Georgiev has to run with the starter’s gig in net. Someone — J.T. Compher or Alex Newhook or someone else — has to somewhat replace Nazem Kadri at second-line center. I don’t think either happens.
Öcal: The Avs didn’t win the Stanley Cup because of goaltending. But they won. Now that Darcy Kuemper is gone — just the fourth time in NHL history a starting goalie who won the Cup went to another team that offseason — they have Pavel Francouz and Alexandar Georgiev. If the goaltending can be good — not stellar, just good — the team will be in a fine position to make another Cup run.
Shilton: Colorado needs Newhook to take hold of a second-line center job and Georgiev to enter the best phase of his career. The Avalanche have no reason to be complacent otherwise. With the right retooling, Colorado has a great chance at going back-to-back.
Wyshynski: It’s a bit cliché, but locating that previously insatiable hunger to win. It’s one thing to use years of motivation as fuel for a Stanley Cup championship run. It’s another to conjure that desire for a second straight Cup. Sidney Crosby did it. Victor Hedman did it. Can Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar do it?
Which team is most likely to disappoint?
Clark: The Winnipeg Jets. They have the talent to challenge for at least a wild-card berth. But the same thing could be said about the Vancouver Canucks and Vegas Golden Knights, who also missed the postseason last year. It’s possible the Jets could get back into the playoffs. But it is also plausible they could miss out considering the Western Conference appeared to get stronger.
Hextall: The Boston Bruins. Early-season injuries will provide a tough task for new head coach Jim Montgomery. First-line wing Brad Marchand, No. 1 defensemen Charlie McAvoy and top 4 defenseman Matt Grzelcyk will all miss the opening months. The B’s will be competitive, but not a contender.
Matiash: The Washington Capitals. Too old and/or too banged up. Alex Ovechkin will score, and newbie Darcy Kuemper will steal a few, but neither will do enough of either to emerge from what’s shaping up to be an even tougher Metropolitan Division this season.
Öcal: One of the Pittsburgh Penguins or Washington Capitals. It feels like one of these two teams might not make the postseason, which would be a shame for many long-time hockey fans because Sid and Ovi carried the star power of this league for many years. But with many of the same faces, particularly the “band is back together” vibe in Pittsburgh, one has to wonder if Father Time will catch up and if legacy will make room in the postseason for more energetic youth. But hey, if there are two guys that could easily prove someone wrong …
Shilton: The Minnesota Wild. Did they do anything to improve upon last season’s finish? There’s talent in Minnesota for sure, but standing pat rarely bodes well in the NHL. It seems like other teams could blow right by the Wild.
Wyshynski: The Vancouver Canucks. The Canucks have Bruce Boudreau, a Vezina Trophy-caliber goalie in Thatcher Demko and a strong collection of offensive players. But I don’t like their defense. I’m not sold on their depth, and there are at least four teams better than they are in the division. Plus, there’s a weird dysfunctionality in that organization, as Boudreau’s offseason negotiation signified.
Which team is most likely to surprise in a positive way?
Clark: The Ottawa Senators. Getting Alex DeBrincat and Claude Giroux further strengthens their top-six options with two productive players. Jake Sanderson could be the latest homegrown talent to represent what makes the Sens’ plans so promising. But Cam Talbot‘s injury does raise questions about how they will manage in net to start the season.
Hextall: The Detroit Red Wings. GM Steve Yzerman went to work in free agency signing David Perron, Andrew Copp, Dominik Kubalik, Ben Chiarot and Olli Maatta, to name a few. He found a solution in net, trading for and signing Ville Husso, who played well for St. Louis. Add this to Detroit’s young stars and we could see a big step forward by the Wings under new head coach Derek Lalonde.
Öcal: The New York Islanders. Last season will prove to be a series of unfortunate events. One of their foundational players, Mathew Barzal, is now inked long-term. Ilya Sorokin is poised to claim his spotlight as a top goaltender in the league. This team has what it takes to prove that last season was an anomaly and remind the league why they made two straight conference finals.
Shilton: The Buffalo Sabres. There’s a real sense of optimism around that growing group, from Tage Thompson to Rasmus Dahlin to Alex Tuch. The addition of Eric Comrie in net was a highly underrated offseason move. It seems certain the Sabres won’t be an easy out this season.
Wyshynski: The New Jersey Devils. The Devils will make the leap to the playoffs if new assistant coach Andrew Brunette fixes the power play, they finally get competent goaltending, and they aren’t crushed by injuries to top players like Jack Hughes again. I think all of that happens for a young and talented team.
The Hockey Hall of Fame is going to swing open its doors to some impressive former NHL stars in the next few years. Legends such as Zdeno Chara, Joe Thornton, Duncan Keith and Patrice Bergeron. Eventually Jaromir Jagr will be inducted. Probably in his 80s, when he’s done playing.
The Hall can welcome up to four men’s players in every annual class. Given how many current NHL players have a legitimate case for immortality, the selection committee will not suffer for a lack of choices.
Here is a tiered ranking of active NHL players based on their current Hall of Fame cases. We’ve picked the brain of Hockey Hall of Fame expert Paul Pidutti of Adjusted Hockey to help figure out the locks, the maybes, “the Hall of Very Good” and which young stars are on the path to greatness.
Let’s begin with the two players who have defined this century of hockey, and another player whose legend has grown to the point where he’s a sure-thing Hall of Famer.
“Honestly, when we lose, I don’t even get in the shower until early this morning. I’ll just be mad. I just brush my teeth. It’s like, I don’t deserve soap.” — Syracuse head coach Fran Brown
Here at Bottom 10 Headquarters, located behind the “sorry, not sorry” bouquet of water hemlocks sent to the Big 12 officiating office from Utah athletic director Mark Harlan, we know all too well the sting of losing football games. We see it every week in every game we watch.
Yeah, yeah, we know what you’re thinking. “Come on, dummy, someone loses every game that anyone watches.” That’s true. At least now it is. We are also old enough to remember when games ended in ties. That was way worse.
But here in the Bottom 10 Cinematic Universe, losses are worse because that’s all you experience. You’d think we’d get used to it, numb from the pain like when you keep accidentally biting that same spot on your tongue to the point that it just becomes sensory free. But instead, it’s like Bruce Banner explained about being the Hulk: “You see, I don’t get a suit of armor. I’m exposed. Like a nerve. It’s a nightmare.”
However, as we learned in “Age of Ultron,” even after one of his worst losses, Bruce Banner does take a shower. So, Coach Brown, take it from us, in a world where every team has a helluva lot more losses than Syracuse … dude, wash up. Seriously. We can smell you from here. And we’re in Kent, Ohio.
With apologies to Mr. Clean, former Miami (Ohio) quarterback Mike Bath, former Southern Illinois running back Wash Henry and Steve Harvey, here are the post-Week 11 Bottom 10 rankings.
The Golden(plated) Flashes are still America’s last winless FBS team, losing their 18th straight game when they were edged by Ohio 41-0. Now they travel to My Hammy of Ohio, where they are given a 2.8% chance to win by the ESPN Analytics Ouija board, er, I mean Matchup Predictor. But honestly, that game will only be the appetizer ahead of the, yes, Week 13 main course that is the Wagon Wheel showdown with Akronmonious. And by appetizer we mean way-past-the-expiration-date freezer-burned mini-pizza bagels.
The New Owls not only used their talons to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory at UTEP, losing in double overtime, they earned Bottom 10 Bonus Points for firing their head coach — and during their first year as an FBS team, no less. Though the AD issued a statement that Brian Bohannon had “stepped down,” Bohannon himself responded on social media: “Contrary to what’s been reported, I want to be clear that I did not step down.” But there is no confusion as to whether the Owls have stepped up or down in these rankings, where every move up is also a move down.
Brett Favre Funding U. lost to We Are Marshall 37-3, meaning all eight of their defeats this season have been by double digits. In related news, I also received double digit political texts on Election Day — and one of those was from Favre. No, for real. I wonder, did he cover the data charges himself or did he steal change from the donation jar at his grocery store checkout?
Sometimes in this life we are asked to do things that go against the fiber of our being. Like taking your daughter to the concert of an artist you’ve never heard of. Or me having to use Earth’s most annoying instrument, the leaf blower. This weekend this team of Minutemen will be asked to try to defeat Liberty.
5. The Sunshine State
The Coveted Fifth Spot has never been more crowded. The FBS, FCS and NFL teams of Florida posted a 1-11 record over the weekend, salvaged only by the Miami Dolphins’ win over the Los Angeles Rams on “Monday Night Football.” UC(not S)F, US(not C)F, FA(not I)U, Stetson, Florida A&M and Bethune-Cookman all lost, led in misery by the Wildcats’ five-overtime loss to Southern. The Flori-duh Gate Doors celebrated the announced retaining of coach Billy Napier by losing to Texas in a squeaker 49-17. And My Hammy of Florida finally spotted an opponent a lead too large for a Cam Ward comeback and took its first loss of the season, falling to unranked Georgia Tech. If only someone else in the state could relate to that …
The Semi-No’s are continuing to work around the Coveted Fifth Spot by earning their Bottom 10 keep the old-fashioned way, not only losing to semi/sorta/kinda ACC member Notre Dame by a scant 52-3, but also earning a pile of their own Bottom 10 Bonus Points not by firing head coach Mike Norvell, but because Norvell fired both his offensive and defensive coordinators and a wide receivers coach. In related news, over the weekend a friend of mine steered his bass boat into a giant pile of sharp rocks and reacted by throwing his shirt and hat overboard.
It was three weekends ago that the Buttermakers lost to then-second-ranked Oregon 35-0. On Saturday, they lost to then-second-ranked Ohio State 45-0. Now they play sixth-ranked Penn State, and in two weeks end their season playing currently eighth-ranked Indiana. We have to assume that a team of professors from Purdue’s legendary mechanical engineering department is studying this experience as a way to assess the stress put on a school bus that is attempting to drive over a lava field covered in landmines.
The Minors have a weekend off to continue their post-Kennesaw victory party. And what’s the best way to snap yourself out of a two-week hangover? Hair of the dog? A cold bucket of water over the head? How about the hair of a coontick hound and a bucket of water from the river during a Week 13 trip to Neyland Stadium to play Tennessee?
Whatever is left of UTEP after Knoxville will then play whatever is left of the Other Aggies after their Week 12 trip to face the OG Aggies of Texas A&M. If there’s any justice in this world, then the loser and/or winner of that Aggie Bowl would go on to play …
The Other Other Aggies lost to the one-loss team the nation forgot about, Warshington State. But if you consider the week before that, we find a Bottom 10 conundrum. Utah State beat WhyOMGing? but the week before that lost to Whew Mexico by five points. Meanwhile, Wyoming, who lost to Utah State two weeks ago, spent last weekend beating New Mexico by five points. Perhaps we will be given some clarity when Wyoming ends the year at Washington State. Or perhaps we will have already given up. As so many here in the Bottom 10 seem to do.
Waiting list: Miss Sus Hippie State, Georgia State Not Southern, FA(not I)U, Akronmonious, Meh-dle Tennessee, WhyOMGing?, Temple of Doom, Living on Tulsa Time, You A Bee?, Standfird, people who put all those election signs up but now won’t take them down.
NEW YORK — An arbitrator upheld five-year suspensions of the chief executives of Bad Bunny’s sports representation firm for making improper inducements to players and cut the ban of the company’s only certified baseball agent to three years.
Ruth M. Moscovitch issued the ruling Oct. 30 in a case involving Noah Assad, Jonathan Miranda and William Arroyo of Rimas Sports. The ruling become public Tuesday when the Major League Baseball Players Association filed a petition to confirm the 80-page decision in New York Supreme Court in Manhattan.
The union issued a notice of discipline on April 10 revoking Arroyo’s agent certification and denying certification to Assad and Miranda, citing a $200,000 interest-free loan and a $19,500 gift. It barred them from reapplying for five years and prohibited certified agents from associating with any of the three of their affiliated companies. Assad, Miranda and Arroyo then appealed the decision, and Moscovitch was jointly appointed as the arbitrator on June 17.
Moscovitch said the union presented unchallenged evidence of “use of non-certified personnel to talk with and recruit players; use of uncertified staff to negotiate terms of players’ employment; giving things of value – concert tickets, gifts, money – to non-client players; providing loans, money, or other things of value to non-clients as inducements; providing or facilitating loans without seeking prior approval or reporting the loans.”
“I find MLBPA has met its burden to prove the alleged violations of regulations with substantial evidence on the record as a whole,” she wrote. “There can be no doubt that these are serious violations, both in the number of violations and the range of misconduct. As MLBPA executive director Anthony Clark testified, he has never seen so many violations of so many different regulations over a significant period of time.”
María de Lourdes Martínez, a spokeswoman for Rimas Sports, said she was checking to see whether the company had any comment on the decision. Arroyo did not immediately respond to a text message seeking comment.
Moscovitch held four in-person hearings from Sept. 30 to Oct. 7 and three on video from Oct. 10-16.
“While these kinds of gifts are standard in the entertainment business, under the MLBPA regulations, agents and agencies simply are not permitted to give them to non-clients,” she said.
“While it is true, as MLBPA alleges, that Mr. Arroyo violated the rules by not supervising uncertified personnel as they recruited players, he was put in that position by his employers,” Moscovitch wrote. “The regulations hold him vicariously liable for the actions of uncertified personnel at the agency. The reality is that he was put in an impossible position: the regulations impose on him supervisory authority over all of the uncertified operatives at Rimas, but in reality, he was their underling, with no authority over anyone.”