With the Kingston Fontenacs losing to the Niagara IceDogs in the Ontario Hockey League Eastern Conference semifinals, the offseason begins for Lawson Crouse—or does it?

The Panthers’ 2015 first round pick (11th overall) has had two incredible seasons in the OHL, scoring 113 points in 105 games (ontariohockeyleague.com/stats). The large left winger has shown potential in leading the team and promises to make an impact at the next level. According to the guys at Cats on the Prowl, that move seems to be coming sooner rather than later.

#FlaPanthers Lawson Crouse eliminated from the OHL Playoffs tonight…hearing from sources that it’s possible he comes to Florida…

— Cats on the Prowl (@Cats0ntheprowl) April 14, 2016

Crouse’s Contribution

If general manager Dale Tallon were bold enough to make this move, what would the Panthers be getting? Aside from his offensive talent, the 6-foot-4-inch, 212 pound Crouse would bring additional size and speed. With injuries affecting the team for the beginning of the playoffs, the Panthers could benefit from having a legitimate scoring threat on the fourth line.

Crouse was not originally touted as an offensive threat. TSN Director of Scouting, Craig Button, regarded him more as a grinding playmaker.

Lawson has unique skills and abilities and while he may not have prolific offensive capabilities, he has a game where he will create offensive opportunities in multiple ways. A smart, strong skater with power and a great desire to create room and space with purposeful play.  One of the few power players in draft.

Since then, however, he has clearly exhibited his offensive prowess and could provide additional depth to the team’s already balanced attack. The Panthers’ fourth line (Wilson–MacKenzie–Thornton) is a group of grinders. They do exceptionally well against physical opponents and cause all sorts of havoc on the forecheck. Without speed though, they pose very little threat in the offensive zone—scoring seven goals between them this season. Replacing Wilson with Crouse would keep the line’s physicality intact while providing scoring potential. This scenario is very similar to what the Panthers were trying to accomplish with Quinton Howden earlier in the season.

On any other team, adding a new player to the mix, at this time, would negatively impact the locker room dynamic. The Panthers are different. By consistently dedicating themselves to the bigger picture, the players on this year’s Panthers team will do whatever it takes to win. If Tallon thinks this move will make the team better for the playoffs, watch out for some Crouse highlights.

Once the Colorado Avalanche selected Mikko Rantanen with the 10th pick in last year’s draft, Florida Panthers General Manager, Dale Tallon seemingly jumped out of his seat to make his team’s selection.

Although it was speculated that the Panthers thought very highly of Rantanen, Tallon got to select the “faller” of the draft class, Lawson Crouse.

There is no doubt that Crouse slid down the draft rankings because scouts questioned his offensive upside, but it was his size, speed, shot and all-around game that had some scouts ranking him as high as fifth overall.

So what should fans of the Panthers expect from the soon to be 19-year-old Crouse?

Size and Physicality 

There’s no denying that Crouse’s biggest strength is his size, which allows him to dominate shifts by wearing down his opponents through force, rather than skating circles around them.

As I mentioned above, Crouse isn’t even 19 years old, yet he stands at six-foot-four and weighs 214 pounds, which means he still has time to grow an inch or two and put on some muscle and overall weight.

That’s a pretty scary thought.

His size and strength allow him to get to the dirty areas on the ice and score a lot of the ugly goals his team may score. Here’s an example (Crouse is number 67 in black), via catsontheprowl.com.

The ability to bury garbage goals is something that the Panthers desperately need.

Anyone who watched their regular season or playoff power play will know how bad it really was and it is largely due to the fact that there is no one standing in front of the net causing havoc.

Crouse’s net-front presence will undoubtedly help the Cats when they’re up a man, especially since they operated at under 17 per cent on the power play in the regular season, and under roughly 13 per cent in the postseason.

There is no doubt that Crouse will be physically ready for NHL play as a 19-year-old, but it may take a little while for the points to start flowing in.

A Complete Game, on top of skill

Along with his size, Crouse also brings the ability to play at both ends of the rink.

He headlined the Kingston Frontenacs‘ power play and penalty kill units. He also finished out his final year in the OHL with 62 points in 49 regular season games and 11 points in the 9 playoff games the Fronts played, one of the goals coming on the penalty kill, here’s the clip of the short handed goal:

But, as previously mentioned, there’s a reason why Crouse is such a highly touted prospect. It’s because he has the size, but he also possesses high-end talent. Here’s another example of Crouse’s many talents.

NHL Comparables

When looking at prospects, I love to think of three comparables for a player. The best case comparable, the likely comparable and the worst case comparable, here’s my three:

Wayne Simmonds – If Crouse ends up putting up 25 to 30 goals and 50 to 60 points per season in his prime, he’ll be the steal of the 2015 draft at 11th overall. Simmonds is my “best case” comparable for Crouse because they have a lot of similarities. They’re both big and strong, they play the boards well and drive to the net. The two players also have lethal shots and the ability to set up players around them. If Crouse hits his skill ceiling then he could very well be a Simmonds-type player.

Milan Lucic – I’ll admit, Lucic is probably closer to a “best case” than a “likely comparable” but Crouse and Lucic are such similar players that it’s a hard comparison to ignore. Again, size is a big reason why they’re so much alike, but the players also have that “mean” side, where they’re not afraid to stand up for teammates by fighting or laying a big hit. Even if Crouse doesn’t put up a 60-point season, Lucic will probably be the best player to compare him to, simply because of the similarities in their games.

Tom Wilson – Although Wilson is only 22 years old, we’ve likely seen what type of player he is going to be in the NHL. He is extremely tough, can drive to the net, kills penalties very well and gets under the skin of his opponents. Wilson is also known for walking the line in terms of clean play, and that’s where this comparison works in my eyes as the “worst case” comparable. Crouse has also had some suspension troubles in the OHL and has crossed the line on more than one occasion. If Crouse cannot figure things out in the offensive zone in the NHL, or cannot learn to control his aggression, he could end up as a Tom Wilson-type player. Considering how high the Panthers picked him, they will expect a lot more from Crouse than 20 to 30 points and 100 plus penalty minutes.

With the Panthers long-eliminated from the playoffs it’s time for us to look at all of the possibilities for the Cats’ 2016-17 season.

In this article I’m going to share five prospects that I believe could earn a spot on the Panthers’ roster next year, whether it be out of training camp – or midway through the season.

I’m going to exclude Michael Matheson from this list because of the role he played in the playoffs for the Panthers, there’s really no doubt he’ll start the year on the NHL roster.

1) Lawson Crouse

I’ve already written an in-depth article on what the Panthers should expect from Crouse if he makes the roster this year, but he is the Panthers’ top prospect, and deserves top spot on this list.

Lawson Crouse, Florida’s first pick from last year’s draft, will look to have a big year for the Cats next season. (Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports)

Crouse, of all the others on this list, is the most likely to make the team out of camp, and that’s due to his size.

He’s very, very big – especially for someone who isn’t even 19 years of age yet.

Crouse will without a doubt start the season on a line with Nick Bjugstad and a veteran right winger like Teddy Purcell.

Crouse’s ability to use his body to win puck battles and cause havoc in front of the oppositions net will be a huge addition to the Panthers’ roster; which is severely lacking both of those attributes on a nightly basis.

2) Connor Brickley

After last year’s training camp, Brickley all but forced the Panthers to give him a spot on their opening day roster.

He looked good on the fourth line with Derek MacKenzie and Quinton Howden, they all brought speed and physicality to each game, and even generated some offense at times.

As his time with the Cats wore on, Brickley started to take too many penalties and thus, quickly fell into Gerard Gallant’s dog house.

While only 24 years old, Brickley still has plenty of time to develop into a versatile checking-winger at the NHL level. Here’s a look at his first career NHL from this past season.

If we look at Brickley’s AHL numbers, we can see that he actually has very little to prove at that level, scoring at a .5 point-per-game pace in both of his seasons in the league.

This year he should be given a shot at a permanent role with the Panthers, that is, assuming the Panthers choose to re-up his contract for another year or two.

If Brickley fails to impress the Panthers this season, that might mean he could be lost to waivers or traded as a depth piece to another team.

3) Jayce Hawryluk

Hawryluk, in my eyes, is the Panthers most underrated prospect.

He is a smaller forward, but he plays an incredibly gritty style and is capable of putting up a very good amount of points.

Hawryluk and the Brandon Wheat Kings just won the WHL Championship and are now headed on to the Memorial Cup to face off against the best junior teams in Canada.

In his four seasons with Brandon, Hawryluk’s point totals increased every year, and they exploded in his final year.

In 232 regular season games, Hawryluk posted 119 goals and 278 total points. In the playoffs we saw more of the same. In 45 playoff games he scored 22 goals and 60 points.

Although he has scored at an impressive rate in juniors, Hawryluk will likely be a middle-six player in the NHL. A fair comparable would be Brendan Gallagher of the Montreal Canadiens, due to the aggravating style of game he plays on top of the offensive production he can add.

Here’s a clip of Hawryluk fighting Tampa Bay Lighting Prospect Brayden Point.

Hawyrluk will likely start next season in the AHL, but if he has a strong camp he could very well see some games alongside Crouse and Bjugstad on Florida’s third line.

4) Mackenzie Weegar

It’s not often that a team will rely on a 7th rounder to turn into an NHL player, but Dale Tallon believes Weegar can become an impact player at the NHL level and has even said that he sees Weegar running the powerplay in the future.

Without a pick in the last round of the 2013 draft, Tallon traded his 2014 7th to the Canadiens for thier 2013 7th rounder, and that’s where Tallon took Weegar.

In his two seasons in the QMJHL, with the Halifax Mooseheads, Weegar acumulated 103 points in just 123 regular season games. In 33 playoff games he had 27 points.

The past couple seasons have allowed Weegar to work on his defensive game and overall positioning while in the ECHL and the AHL, and his offense has begun to come into its own a little.

Last year in the AHL, Weegar scored 7 goals and 24 points in 64 games. While he didn’t come close to shattering any records, he took another step in a long road towards becoming that offensive specialist Tallon thinks he can be.

The Panthers’ right side is set on defense, so Weegar will begin the year in the AHL. If one of Alex Petrovic, Erik Gudbranson, Aaron Ekblad or Steven Kampfer go down to an injury, Weegar could see a few games with the Big Club in 2016-17.

5) Ian McCoshen

A former teammate of Matheson, McCoshen was selected by the Panthers in 2013, with the 31st overall pick.

Panthers prospect, Ian McCoshen has the potential to become a steady two-way defenseman in the coming years. [photo: Britta Lewis]

Despite increasing his offensive production each year at Boston College, McCoshen will very likely be more of a hitter, rather than a scorer, which the Panthers left-side desperately needs going forward.

With Willie Mitchell retiring this season, Matheson will likely play his minutes. But if the Panthers were to lose Brian Campbell to free agency, there would be a gaping hole in the Panthers’ D-corps, one that McCoshen could potentially fill.

Assuming the Panthers do bring Campbell back, then we should expect another year of NCAA hockey for McCoshen. If he chooses he wants to turn pro, then the Panthers AHL team could use him without a doubt.

Worth a Mention

Linus Hultstrom – Hulstrom was omitted from this list because I know very little about the Swedish defenseman. He is a right handed shot, so his path, like Weegar’s, is blocked by four NHL proven defensemen.

What we do know, is that he is capable of putting up points, which the Panthers blueline is desperatly hurting for. If he produces well in his first year of North American pro-hockey, in the AHL, then he could be an injury call-up for the Cats.

Rocco Grimaldi – In my opinion, Grimaldi’s time with the Panthers is probably done.

He is an undersized player with a lot of visible talent, but he cannot seem to put the pieces together when given his chances in the NHL. The Panthers top-nine all but set, he is probably going to be the odd-man-out for another year.

I expect Grimaldi to be a piece in a trade, either this offseason, or during the year, but there is a chance that he makes the Panthers out of camp; there’s no doubt he possesses the talent to do so.

Although the offseason hasn’t even started for some teams, the Florida Panthers have wasted no time with theirs, making numerous front-office changes, as well as changing their logo and redesigning their uniforms.

The one part of the Panthers that will show very little change from last season is their forward corps.

The top-six is set with Jonathan Huberdeau, Aleksander Barkov, Jaromir Jagr, Reilly Smith, Vincent Trocheck and Jussi Jokinen, and the third line will have Nick Bjugstad and Lawson Crouse on it.

So really, there’s one vacant spot in the Cats’ top-nine.

I’ll break down my options for the right wing spot on the third-line, as well as who I believe should get the spot.

Rocco Grimaldi

(Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports)

Grimaldi has been one of the more polarizing prospects in the Panthers organization since Dale Tallon took over in 2010.

Plenty of scouts believed he had the skill to be a first rounder in the 2011 draft, but he fell to the Panthers at the 33rd pick due to his size.

Grimaldi stands at just five-foot-six, and weighs in at 180 pounds. At 23-years of age, he has yet to consistently impress the Panthers or their fans in the numerous chances he has been given.

In 20 games this year, Grimaldi scored three goals and five points, and had a minus-four rating. In two playoff games, he got zero points and just two penalty minutes.

In another article that I mentioned Grimaldi, I stated that I believe he will be traded as a part of a package, or will be dealt to a team looking for a project at the cost of a late pick, but Grimaldi could have an incredible training camp next season and force the Panthers to give him an extended look.

If Grimaldi makes the Panthers’ opening night roster it will come as a surprise to many, but it is still a possibility and thus, was worth a spot on the list.

Teddy Purcell

The Panthers traded for Purcell just before this season’s trade deadline in February and I’d say they got almost exactly what they paid for.

The Florida Panthers traded for Teddy Purcell in February to add depth and scoring to the third line. (Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports)

Purcell was far from spectacular, but he was certainly not a bad acquisition, and they should at least consider bringing him back.

Away from the puck Purcell leaves a lot to be desired, and Panthers fans caught him failing to clear the puck out of the Panthers’ defensive zone on numerous occasions. He was brought in, though, to add scoring and to buff up a very weak powerplay, and that’s what the 30-year-old did.

In 15 regular season games with Florida, Purcell had 11 points, five of them coming on the man advantage.

Then in the playoffs, he added two points, one of which was scored on the powerplay.

Again, Purcell didn’t light the world on fire, but if he plays 70 or more games, he’s a virtual lock for 40-50 points and would be a good option for the Panthers second power play unit.

If the Panthers don’t feel comfortable giving the third-line wing spot to a rookie, Purcell could be brought back on a two-or-so year contract.

He is an extremely safe bet when all things are considered.

Lawson Crouse

Lawson Crouse was Florida’s first-round selection (11th overall) from the 2015 draft.  (Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports)

Like I said at the start of the article, Crouse is a lock to start the season with the Panthers and it will likely take a lot of catastrophic errors for him to be sent back to the OHL.

He has nothing left to prove at the junior level and will not be eligible to play in the AHL next year.

Before the McCann/Gudbranson trade, it was pretty much set in stone that Crouse would play on Bjugstad’s left side, on the Panthers’ third line.

Now, after adding another left shooting centre/winger in McCann, Crouse could be asked to move to the right side if the Panthers want to keep Bjugstad at centre and McCann on his comfortable side.

Though we do not know what wing Crouse will play on, we do know that his size, speed, grit and skill will be a great addition to the Panthers’ middle-six, powerplay and possibly the penalty kill.

I expect Crouse’s impact to be felt immediately – no matter where he slots into the lineup (I looked at Crouse more in-depth in this article).

Nick Bjugstad

For years I have wanted Bjugstad to be shifted from centre to wing, just to see if it would work.

With McCann likely making the Panthers’ opening night roster, I think now is the time to try it out.

The main reason being that Bjugstad’s biggest assets are his size, speed and shot, not his faceoff ability or defensive play, although they aren’t bad either.

If the Panthers tried Bjugstad on the wing, it could allow him to focus on just scoring goals, which is what he has shown capable to do, scoring 24 goals in 72 games in 2014-15.

As of today, the Panthers don’t actually have a right handed winger in their top-nine.

Huberdeau, Jagr, Smith, Jokinen, Crouse and McCann all shoot left, having one right-handed winger playing on his natural side may benefit the Panthers.

Seasoning Bjugstad into a winger could also be important for the future of the franchise.

As of now, the Panthers do not have a replacement for Jagr, the team’s current top-line right winger.

In a year or two, a first-line of Huberdeau, Barkov and Bjugstad would make a lot of Panthers’ fans happy. All three players are big, fast, strong and skilled and with Huberdeau and Barkov known for their playmaking abilities, Bjugstad’s heavy shot could be the perfect fit for the line in the not so distant future.

Bjugstad is six-foot-six and 220 pounds and off the top of my head, I can’t name very many wingers of his size, that can skate, stick handle and shoot the puck as well as him.

If McCann can play centre at the same level as Bjugstad, it could allow the Panthers to utilize a weapon that almost no other NHL team has.

The Florida Panthers’ future superstars will get a taste of what it takes to be full-time NHL players when the club holds its annual development camp, which takes place from July 11^th to July 15th at the Panthers’ IceDen facility in Coral Springs.

The team has invited 41 players to this year’s camp. The group contains six members of the club’s 2016 draft class, as well as a number of other NHL hopefuls—many of whom will be getting their first real exposure to the club’s conditioning, educational, and off-ice training programs. These development camps are generally considered to be a major step toward playing in the NHL, and prospects who grab the club’s attention here can get a longer look from coaches at the team’s training camp this September.

With that in mind, here are 3 players that Panthers fans should keep an eye on.

Lawson Crouse (F): The 11^th overall pick in the 2015 draft, Crouse spent the past year with the Kingston Frontenacs of the Ontario Hockey League, where he posted 23 goals and 39 assists in 49 games. The 19-year-old “Sheriff” also got his first taste of the AHL when he was called up for two games by the Portland Pirates last season.

The 6’4”, 215-lb Crouse has the size, speed, and strength that the Panthers need on the wings, but the club might be taking a long-term approach with him. After all, power forwards like Crouse generally take awhile to develop, so the Panthers may be smart not to rush Crouse into the lineup. But if Crouse impresses at the development and training camps—and there are a lot of people within the organization who expect him to do exactly that—then the Panthers may want to find a spot for him with the big club this fall.

There’s an added benefit to bringing Crouse up to NHL: He would get to spend his off-ice time with Jaromir Jagr, a future first-ballot Hall of Famer who has a sterling reputation for mentoring the team’s young players.

Henrik Borgström (F): This year’s development camp will very likely be the only chance that Panthers fans have to see Borgström, the team’s 2016 first-round pick, in a Panthers uniform this year–the Helsinki, Finland native has committed to the University of Denver and is expected to be a major contributor to the Pioneers this fall.

But that doesn’t mean that the 6’3”, 183-lb Borgström won’t put on a show for Panthers fans while he’s in Coral Springs. The 18-year-old Finn’s dynamic playmaking and smooth skating ability helped him to put up 55 points (29 G, 26A) in Finland’s HIFK Jr League last season; fans who attend this year’s camp will probably find themselves salivating over Borgström’s dazzling skillset, the same way opponents did as he blew by them in the HIFK.

Ian McCoshen [photo: Britta Lewis]

Ian McCoshen, D: The Panthers have spent much of their off-season solidifying their defense. They signed Keith Yandle to a 7-year deal and locked up Aaron Ekblad with an 8-year extension; they also brought in Mark Pysyk and Jason Demers, two experienced blueliners who will be counted on to play quality minutes this season. This is all a long-winded way of saying that McCoshen, the 31^st overall pick in the 2013 draft, will have to put together a very impressive showing in order to make Florida’s 2016-17 squad. But if anyone on the development camp’s roster can do it, it’s the imposing, talented McCoshen.

The 6’3”, 221-lb defenseman has an intimidating physical presence that was on display during his three years with Boston College, as was his ability to play in all three zones: the 20-year-old notched 50 points (17G, 33A) in 110 games with the Eagles.

So Who Makes the Team?

Borgström won’t be with the big club come the Fall. As mentioned above, he is committed to the University of Denver, and the added ice time he’ll get there will help him develop into the special two-way player that Panthers’ scouts expect him to be. McCoshen might be able to distinguish himself, but it’s still likely that he starts the season in the AHL given the logjam on Florida’s blueline.

Right now, Crouse looks like the best bet to make the Panthers’ 2016-17 roster. At age 44, Jagr won’t be around forever, and it’s possible that Crouse will benefit more from working with the Czech than he would from playing in the AHL. If nothing else, Crouse will likely be one of the Panthers’ first call-ups if and when injuries occur to one of Florida’s wingers.

The World Junior Championship Evaluation Camp in Plymouth, Mich. is starting to give a good glimpse of what we will see at the 2017 World Junior Championship this winter. Teams have gone from split squads to a single unit, and some cuts have been made.

Wednesday, the early game pitted Canada against Finland, who has struggled so far in Michigan. They’re down a couple players, in addition to being the youngest team in the tournament. But that didn’t stop them from upsetting Canada on the back of a late third-period goal and a goal on the first shot of overtime.

Though it’s just a single exhibition, here’s a look at who stood out in Wednesday’s match.

Veini Vehvilainen, G, Finland

Canada outshot Finland 35-23, and it actually looked worse than that. Canada dominated throughout most of the game and though Vehvilainen wasn’t forced to be outstanding, he made a few good saves and played positionally sound. He’s the reason Finland was able to push a comeback late in the game.

He made one outstanding save in the second, but was fighting off the puck at times and would probably like to have the goal back that he did let in. He was good and it seems likely that he’s back in net at World Juniors for the Finns this year, after starting the 2016 tournament as the starter before he ceded the net to Minnesota Wild prospect Kaapo Kahkonen.

Travis Konecny, RW, Canada

Playing on a line with Lawson Crouse and Tyson Jost, Konecny helped Canada to dominate the possession battle. He was the best player on the ice for either team, and that’s not because he scored the lone Team Canada goal.

Konecny was showing off speed and intelligence throughout the game. The Canadian power play was lifeless, and, this side of Thomas Chabot, Konecny was one of the only players who had any life on the man advantage. He was skating circles around teammates and his agitating play drew a penalty late in the game. Though true to form for the afternoon, Canada couldn’t capitalize on the resulting power play.

Lawson Crouse, LW, Canada

The 6-foot-4 winger was strong in the corners, showed a quick release and created quite a bit of offense for the Canadians. He was also a bit of a utility knife, playing in all situations. With his talent and size, he could be playing some games in the NHL this season. Team Canada should hope it doesn’t stick or that he’s loaned to the national team in December. He’ll be a big asset for them as they try to win gold on home ice.

Jakob Chychrun, D, Canada

Paired with Connor Hobbs, Chychrun was one of the best defenders on the ice. He moved the puck well and wasn’t scared to get up into the offensive zone, activating from the blue line. Though, he was always smart about it, recognizing moments when he could inject some life into the forecheck. His intelligence and ability to see the play develop before it happened stood out (with the obvious exception of getting burned by Arttu Ruotsalainen on the final play of the game).

Arttu Ruotsalainen, C, Finland

Speaking of the game-winning goal, Ruotsalainen beat both Chychrun and Hobbs to the net to tap home a one-timer from Penguins prospect Kaspar Bjorkqvist. But Ruotsalainen was tagged for this list even before that goal. He showed speed, hands and made a nice play to set up Finland’s first goal by Eeli Tolvanen.

Throughout the game, when Finland was able to counter Canada’s momentum, Ruotslainen was there, using his speed to make space. Though he’s a smaller forward at just 5-foot-8, he’s dynamic and on a depleted Finnish team, he could make his World Juniors debut at age 19.

via GIPHY

Kristian Vesalainen, W, Finland

The 6-foot-3 17-year-old forward didn’t jump out at you with an outstanding game, but he played to his strengths. His speed and stickhandling talent were apparent, and he showed flashes of the ability to kick it into another gear. It wasn’t a highlight-reel performance, but despite being younger than most of his opponents he held his own, even if a bad tripping call with 10 minutes left in the game killed Finland’s momentum. If they hadn’t scored a late goal, that might have loomed large.

Thomas Chabot, D, Canada

Like Chychrun, Chabot looked a step above the other defensemen on both sides of the rink. He was the team’s best defenseman on the power play, putting shots toward the net and playing with some urgency in the third period.

He’s a confident player. Even late in the game, with the score tied up, he didn’t play overly cautious and was willing to jump up into the attack without hesitating. It made him an impact player, even if those actions weren’t enough to counter the late Finnish attack.

Other players of note: Kaspar Bjorkqvist, Eeli Tolvanen, Mathieu Joseph, Anthony Beauvillier

The Florida Panthers have managed to unload Dave Bolland’s cumbersome contract to the Arizona Coyotes, but they had to send Lawson Crouse along with him to get it done. In return, Florida receives Arizona’s 2017 3rd round draft pick and a conditional 2nd round draft pick in 2018.

The 30-year-old Bolland has three years left on his contract, with an AAV of $5.5 million. The injury-prone forward registered just one goal and five points in 25 games last year before injuries ended his season and made him ineligible for a buyout.

The offloading of Bolland gives the Panthers a shade over $9.2 million in cap space heading into September, according to General Fanager. “We plan to use this cap space to continue to aggressively build on the steps we took this summer,” said general manager Tom Rowe.

For Arizona, they have just $2.34 million in cap space before they move Chris Pronger to long-term injured reserve. He’s another example of the team using cap space as an asset to improve their team in the long-run. They also acquired Pavel Datsyuk’s contract from the Red Wings at the draft in a deal that allowed them to draft defenseman Jakob Chychrun.

For their troubles, the Coyotes acquire Crouse, who was selected 11th overall in the 2015 draft. The 6-foot-4 forward adds another talented player to an incredible group of young players that includes Max Domi, Anthony Duclair, Dylan Strome, Chychrun, Brandon Perlini, Nick Merkley, Christian Fischer, Christian Dvorak and Ryan MacInnis.

“We are very pleased to acquire Lawson,” said Coyotes general manager John Chayka. “He’s a big, physical, power forward who is a strong skater with good hands. Players of his caliber and profile are extremely hard to find.”

Lawson Crouse and @SNChrisSimpson discuss today's trade. @BioSteelSports #CAMP Cup is live: https://t.co/APf3qzatjmhttps://t.co/mk4TH9esxX

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) August 25, 2016

Crouse put up 23 goals and 62 points in 49 games for the OHL’s Kingston Frontenacs last season. He also spent time playing for Team Canada at the World Junior Championship, where he put up five points in five games before Canada met a disappointing early exit. He’s a highly regarded prospect who was a bit of a controversial pick at 11 in 2015, but has proven that his offensive skills are there and that he’s more than just a big body.

He is currently training with fellow Coyotes Max Domi and Dylan Strome.

The Florida Panthers have been one of the NHL’s more active clubs this offseason, but their latest personnel decision has some fans scratching their heads.

In a polarizing move, the Sunrise-based team agreed to a deal with the Arizona Coyotes late Wednesday night, dealing former Chicago Blackhawk Dave Bolland and 2015 first-rounder Lawson Crouse in exchange for two draft picks. According to the Panthers’ official announcement Thursday morning, a 2017 third-round selection is guaranteed, with conditional stipulations also rewarding either an additional third-rounder in 2017 or the Coyotes’ second-round pick the following year.

“Today’s transaction creates significant cap space for us in each of the next three NHL seasons, while simultaneously giving us the ability to add more good, young players to a farm system we know we need to improve,” general manager Tom Rowe said in a release. “We plan to use this cap space to continue to aggressively build on the steps we took this summer to construct a championship-caliber roster here in South Florida today and well into the future.”

The Offload

Hampered by injury, Bolland had yet to justify his $5.5 million cap hit. (Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports)

While at a steep cost, the Panthers finally found a way to rid themselves of Bolland’s contract — a five-year, $27.5 million deal signed in 2014. The Canadian centerman appeared in 76 games for the squad, scoring 28 points off of 7 goals, in between stretches as a healthy scratch and an eventual AHL assignment. Due to a lingering injury, the Panthers were unable to buy him out — however, the trade affords the Cats an additional buffer, freeing roughly $10 million more than a traditional buy-out would have, according to the Miami Herald’s George Richards.

Following the move, Florida — despite a whirlwind offseason that saw numerous contract extensions doled out to members of its young core — now owns the league’s third-lowest payroll, giving Rowe approximately $9.829 million in projected cap space to play with. With star winger Jonathan Huberdeau entering the final year of his current contract, that extra wiggle room ought to come in handy.

And, while the trade did net a less-than-favorable return given the stock the Panthers had placed in Crouse, Arizona was one of the team’s only viable suitors. Despite tying $13 million in cap space to their two highest-paid skaters — one of which is injured long-term, the other (Pavel Datsyuk) out of the league — the Coyotes still manage to fall outside of the NHL’s 10-highest payrolls.

The Prospect

Crouse plays for the OHL’s Kingston Frontenacs and has represented his native Canada at the international level. (OHL Images)

The sticking point, for most Panthers fans, is Crouse. A highly-touted prospect two years removed from being drafted, the London, Ontario-native showed promise as a physically imposing two-way skater with offensive upside. With a handful of bottom-six openings available, the prevailing opinion was that Crouse would once again have a crack at earning a spot on the opening night roster.

Combined with GM Rowe’s previous comment on the need to strengthen the farm system, Crouse’s inclusion continues to baffle; Hockey’s Future ranks Florida’s farm system 19th in the league, having yet to account for the departures of Crouse and diminutive forward Rocco Grimaldi, and notes a particular lack of depth on the wings.

However, questions swirled around this particular prospect.

In his draft year, more stock seemed to be placed on Crouse’s size than his scoring.  Totalling 51 points in 56 games throughout his sophomore campaign, the hulking winger failed to produce at a clip comparable to other top prospects. And although he bumped his offensive output by 11 points during his last major junior season, his goal scoring dipped, finding the twine on six fewer occasions.

Crouse’s impact, though, isn’t simply quantified on a scoresheet. He is sound in his own end, and the 6-foot-4, 213-pound forward willingly throws his weight around, unafraid to bang bodies.

“I love to hit,” he said in a 2015 article. “I’m a very physical player and I don’t mind a fight either.”

Whether or not Crouse will achieve his potential remains to be seen.

One thing, however, is clear: The Cats want to win. And they want to win now.

Facing Off is a weekly column debating five of hockey’s hottest topics each and every Monday. From current events like trades and hat tricks to bigger-picture stuff like scandals and expansion — you name it, we’re debating it. Albeit, not always with a serious tone. We’re keeping this column light, so keep that in mind when reading, and feel free to join in on the fun by leaving a comment. Follow us on Twitter (@FacingOff_THW) and get in on the debate there too.

Clearly, the hockey season is getting closer.

That’s evidenced by the full slate of legit topics to debate this week. So full that Brandon Pirri’s signing with the Rangers didn’t move the needle nearly as much as Jimmy Vesey’s the week before. Pirri may prove to be the more productive player between the two, but by adding both to the fold, the Rangers are making me rethink my offseason standings predictions from earlier this month that left them out of the playoff picture. I’ll probably have to find a way to get them back in — likely replacing the Blue Jackets or possibly the Islanders — for my preseason predictions in October.

For now, we’ll focus on the present and welcome back Sebastian Hedley-Noble, one of our Facing Off regulars who covers the Colorado Avalanche and Florida Panthers for THW. Those teams were both making headlines over the past week, so we’ll start there.

Jared Bednar, are you a fan of that hire for the Avs? If not, who was your top choice of the rumoured candidates? Or are you a believer that anybody would have been better than another season of Patrick Roy? Could this coaching change be a blessing for Colorado? Can the Avs make the playoffs under Bednar?

HEDLEY-NOBLE: I am a fan of hiring Bednar as head coach. I was leaning specifically towards Kevin Dineen, but I trust Joe Sakic with this decision 100 per cent and am pretty excited for the future under Bednar. I never thought of the coaching hire as “anyone will be better than Patrick Roy” because I liked Roy, the players liked Roy, and he has a winning track record. But I was getting very frustrated with the lack of system and structure in place, especially when it came to the defensive zone. So I was actually more worried than anything, but it seems to have ended up well for Colorado in the end.

Everything I hear about Bednar is positive, most notably his two championships he’s won in two different leagues, the most recent being the Calder Cup with the Lake Erie Monsters (now Cleveland Monsters). He also has a winning record everywhere he’s been. What I am really excited for is to see his supportive system in action. Everyone I’ve spoken to about Bednar have the same answer concerning his style of play. That his style would be fast-paced, north-south hockey, with support in each zone, and that will fit right in with the Avalanche players, and what they need frankly. It’s an exciting style too, so there won’t be any worry of the Avalanche turning into a boring team! Thankfully that’s never really been the case in Colorado.

As far as the playoffs are concerned, I was in the optimistic camp, saying that even under another season with Roy, the Avs should be in the playoffs. Now it seems like many more see that as an actual possibility with the Bednar hire, and I’m right there with them. The Avalanche have bucket loads of talent, so if Bednar can get the best of them and instill a solid defensive system, this team will be very dangerous going forward. I could definitely see them battling for one of the wild-card positions this season.

FISHER: Me too! Many, myself included, believe Roy was holding the Avs back and it’ll be interesting to see whether Bednar can push them forward and perhaps into the postseason. That Central Division is stacked top to bottom and I had Colorado bringing up the rear in my offseason standings predictions — only ahead of the Vancouver Canucks in the Western Conference basement — so Bednar is taking on quite the challenge. I do like his chances for at least marginal improvement on last season’s 82-point, ninth-place finish, though it’ll probably take 90 points to make the playoffs and that will be easier said than done.

Like Sebastian, Bednar wasn’t my first choice. In fact, he wasn’t even among the dozen names I rattled off as potential candidates right after Roy resigned. I honestly thought Ralph Krueger could have been a good fit for Colorado, and I still think it’s only a matter of time until he gets another opportunity if he wants one. Another former Oilers coach, Todd Nelson, was also on my shortlist, along with Travis Green, the Canucks’ farm hand who apparently did get an interview but wasn’t among the finalists. Nor was Bob Hartley, which was a bit of a surprise considering he coached the Avalanche to the 2001 Stanley Cup and was familiar with the Western Conference from his recent tenure with the Calgary Flames. Dineen did make the final three — along with Washington Capitals assistant coach Lane Lambert — and would have brought more experience than Bednar but, again like Sebastian, I’m becoming a fan of this hire.

Bednar should have been on my radar to begin with. He was, after all, the most successful minor-league coach last season. Not to mention he’s a good ol’ Saskatchewan boy like myself. I really should have been rooting for him, and now that he’s got the job, I’m hoping he does well in Colorado. I do think Bednar has his work cut out for him as a rookie head coach taking over a team that lacked in structure and systems. I don’t think Bednar will work miracles the way Mike Sullivan did in Pittsburgh, but with the right game plan — an actual game plan — the Avs should be trending in the right direction this season. This was easily their best move of the offseason, even if Sakic didn’t initiate it.

The Panthers gave up on Lawson Crouse, giving him away to the Coyotes as a means of getting rid of Dave Bolland’s contract. Smart move or stupid move? Who has been more impressive as a rookie GM, Tom Rowe in Florida or John Chayka in Arizona?

(Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports)
The Panthers were obviously high on Lawson Crouse just over a year ago, selecting him 11th overall in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft. It’s worth noting, though, that Scott Luce (right) was responsible for that pick and he’s no longer in the organization but has since been hired as scouting director for the Las Vegas franchise.

HEDLEY-NOBLE: I think it was a smart move for sure to move Bolland and that hockey-god awful contract to clear up some important cap space moving forward. On the other hand, Crouse IS a promising youngster, but you have to give in order to get.

Looking at the Panthers’ left-wing depth, Crouse seemed to be a valuable piece — their best piece actually — however with the acquisition of Jared McCann, they obviously felt Crouse was expendable. I didn’t agree, because after McCann (who also plays center), their left-wing depth is pretty thin.

Time will tell if that was a good move but, for now, it is a solid deal for both the Panthers and Coyotes.

The more impressive of the two rookie GMs for me is absolutely Chayka. He’s 27 years old and already the GM of an NHL franchise! Are you kidding me!? I flipped out when I initially heard the news of his hiring, though after watching his moves during the draft and this off-season, now I’m thinking the rest of the NHL better watch out for this youngin’!

FISHER: I’m withholding judgment on the trade for the time being, waiting to see how Florida plans to utilize this newfound cap space. With Bolland’s $5.5-million salary off the books, the Panthers could plug another hole or potentially two in their roster, with those impending additions essentially factoring into the return.

As it stands, and if Florida stands pat for some reason, without making any more moves between now and the start of the regular season, I’d be tempted to say stupid move. When the trade was announced, it was shocking, but I assumed the Panthers pulled the trigger on Crouse because they already had another deal in the works to get a more experienced, more expensive power-forward type. So far, that hasn’t come to fruition and I’m not sure it will. This might simply be addition by subtraction for Florida, but throwing in Crouse doesn’t seem very smart if you ask me. He possesses a rare package of size and skill, the type of player that doesn’t grow on trees.

Bolland was an anchor — and still has three years remaining on his contract — but as long as he stays on the long-term injured reserve, his cap hit wouldn’t have counted anyway. Arizona has come out and said Bolland is a long way from returning, which makes this trade look like Crouse — the 11th overall selection in 2015 — for two draft picks outside the top 30. That might be telling into what Florida’s new GM and overhauled scouting staff really thinks of Crouse’s upside. It may be more of an indictment of Crouse than Bolland, believe it or not.

(THW file photo)
John Chayka might look wet behind the ears and half the age of most his managerial peers, but the Arizona Coyotes’ GM has been getting a passing grade for his moves to date.

Nevertheless, Chayka and the Coyotes are stockpiling some serious talent for the future. Crouse joins a young core and impressive prospect pool in Arizona, which includes his world-junior teammates Max Domi and Anthony Duclair, plus fellow OHLers Dylan Strome, Christian Dvorak, Brendan Perlini, Ryan MacInnis and Christian Fischer. Those are just the forwards with top-six NHL potential.

Chayka also swung draft-weekend deals for a couple of elite defencemen out the OHL in Jakob Chychrun and Anthony DeAngelo, who graduated as the CHL defenceman of the year in 2015.

Rowe made some moves to shore up Florida’s defence too, signing Keith Yandle and Jason Demers and acquiring Mark Pysyk, but Chayka has been winning me over with every move he makes, including this trade for Crouse.

If only Chris Pronger and Pavel Datsyuk were in their prime and not retired, that Coyotes’ roster would be ready to contend right now, but the future is definitely bright for Arizona and Chayka certainly deserves a lot of the credit.

Speaking of suspect roster decisions, how about Team Canada’s injury replacements for the World Cup? Jamie Benn out, Logan Couture in over Taylor Hall. Duncan Keith out, Jay Bouwmeester in over the likes of P.K. Subban, Kris Letang, Mark Giordano and Brent Seabrook. Were you surprised by those selections? Would you have gone in a different direction?

HEDLEY-NOBLE: I don’t have too much of a problem with Couture over Hall. They’re both great forwards capable of playing big minutes. Perhaps Canada went with the more physical Couture this time, that’s all. I’m not saying I would have made the same decision, because I’m a big fan of Hall’s game, but I can see why Couture would be an attractive option.

The roster move that did have me puzzled was Bouwmeester over several others like Subban and Letang as you mentioned. Subban/Letang would have been at the tippy-top of my list, and Seabrook would also be ahead of Bouwmeester as well. But, as I am not in charge of Team Canada, nor do I have any real say in their decision-making process, I’ll just have to let it go!

I was a big Bouwmeester fan when he was a Florida Panther, but since his moves to Calgary and St. Louis, he hasn’t quite been the same player or reached that next level.

If Canada falters, this topic of suspect roster decisions will surely be brought up again!

FISHER: I’ll start by going to bat for my boy, Hall. He’s played a key role in Canada capturing back-to-back golds at the world championship tournament and he actually plays left wing — the position that needed filling when Benn bowed out. Couture is a centre for San Jose, albeit left-shooting, and has never represented Canada internationally before — aside from the under-18s way back in 2007.

Couture was firing on all cylinders in this year’s playoffs, but he was also accusing Sidney Crosby of cheating in the Stanley Cup Final, so there could be some lingering animosity between those foes turned teammates. Conversely, Hall and Crosby were buddy-buddy and even linemates in winning worlds two years ago.

Sure, there is a risk factor with Hall’s game — similar to Subban — and he might not be the most reliable or consistent defensively, but Hall’s speed could have been an asset on a roster of bigger, slower forwards for the most part.

Couture wasn’t a bad choice — Bouwmeester was, more on him momentarily — but all I’m saying is that if I’m Hall, I wouldn’t be answering the call for Hockey Canada after this season if the Devils don’t make playoffs. I’d be icing my millions on a beach somewhere instead.

The Bouwmeester decision was more baffling — some would argue indefensible — and I don’t agree with it, though I do understand the rationale. There’s no doubt that Bouwmeester is an inferior talent in comparison to Subban, Letang and at least a dozen other Canadian-born defencemen not on the World Cup roster, but Bouwmeester had a few things working in his favour.

For one, Bouwmeester already has established chemistry with Alex Pietrangelo, having played together at times for the Blues and for Canada in the past. He’s also left-handed, which means the moon to Canada’s coach, Mike Babcock, who is adamant about the importance of left-right pairings. Lastly, a little bit of loyalty likely won out for Bouwmeester over fellow lefties like Mark Giordano, who doesn’t have as much history with Hockey Canada.

Bouwmeester has won eight medals, including four gold, with the Maple Leaf on his chest — to Giordano’s none — so that may have been the deciding factor, albeit a double standard going back to Hall. I’m not one to push for Flames, past or present, but if Babcock wasn’t budging on bringing another righty into the fold, I would have gone with Giordano or even his Calgary teammate T.J. Brodie before Bouwmeester. Personally, I wouldn’t have been able to overlook Subban again.

Thoughts on Jiri Hudler to the Stars? Is that a good fit for him? Does that addition make Dallas the favourite to win the Central Division again? Or would the Stars have been better off spending that $2 million on another veteran blueliner like Dennis Seidenberg or Kyle Quincey? Or bringing back Kris Russell? Can Dallas succeed with its current depth on defence and mediocre goaltending?

(Andy Martin Jr.)
Jiri Hudler had his ups and downs in a Calgary Flames jersey, and it’s debatable what he’ll do for the Dallas Stars on a one-year deal. Hudler, at 32, could be nearing the end of his career or just getting going again.

HEDLEY-NOBLE: No, I don’t think Hudler is one of their “missing pieces” whatsoever. He was MIA in Florida, pun intended, and no it absolutely does not make the Stars the Central Division favorites.

I don’t know why Dallas didn’t address its defensive holes. There was no real questioning the offense, and adding an aging Hudler doesn’t put the Stars over the top at all.

They need help on defense, and in net they have two good goalies with aging potential to be really good on their day. The problem is that tandem of Kari Lehtonen and Antti Niemi didn’t work out so well, in fact it was a disaster. They’re not nearly consistent enough, and if that continues this season, the Stars are in for a rough one.

Like I said before, offense isn’t the problem and they have some talented young guys to work into the lineup, which is also why I was scratching my head at the Hudler signing. But maybe Dallas figures it can beat the opposition 5-4 most nights. Screw defense and goaltending! Sorry, I just don’t see that happening again.

I think the Stars will make the playoffs for sure, but take a step back when it comes to being Central Division champs. One of Lehtonen or Niemi needs to step up in a big way for the Stars to enjoy similar success to last season.

FISHER: I like this signing significantly more than Sebastian, but I still don’t think Hudler should have been a priority for the Stars. Trading for Ben Bishop or Marc-Andre Fleury should have been topping Jim Nill’s to-do list — and still should be. Any of those aforementioned defencemen would have bolstered the Stars’ young, bound to be mistake-prone blue line too. If that’s the defence Dallas is running, it’s going to need a better goalie sooner or later.

In saying that, I can see how it would have been hard to pass up a skilled forward like Hudler for a $2-million bargain. Going back to July 1, I don’t think anybody would have been surprised or overly critical of a team signing Hudler for, say, three years and $9, maybe $12 or even $15 million — as in $3 to $5 million annually. Granted, it did look like Hudler lost a step last season, but the year before he scored a career-high 31 goals and 76 points and was among the league’s most productive players at even strength.

Nill and the Stars are taking a low-risk, high-reward gamble on Hudler’s ability to bounce back, and if he doesn’t for whatever reason, it’s not like Dallas is deeply invested or lacking firepower up front without him. Hudler can just sort of come in and do his thing, much like Ales Hemsky has done there the last couple seasons. They could be linemates and I could totally see them clicking, thus rebounding.

The Stars do seem to be loading up with the intention of rolling four scoring lines this season. As of today, Dallas’ depth chart could look something like this:

Benn-Seguin-Sharp

Janmark-Spezza-Nichushkin

Hudler-Faksa-Hemsky

Roussel-Eakin-Eaves/Ritchie

If I’m a Stars’ fan, sure, sign me up for that. Let’s run-and-gun and win those 5-4 games Sebastian was talking about. I don’t know if that roster, as a whole — including defence and goaltending — is constructed to win a Stanley Cup, but it’s built to entertain and should be successful in the regular season again. I wouldn’t bet against Dallas winning another division banner, even without addressing its glaring weaknesses.

Alexander Radulov, boom or bust with the Canadiens? Who lasts longer in Montreal, Radulov or head coach Michel Therrien? Do you like how that roster is shaping up?

(Jeanine Leech/Icon SMI)
Alexander Radulov left Nashville on a low note — showing up hungover to a playoff game was no laughing matter. But he’s been all smiles since arriving in Montreal and having just turned 30 years old, Radulov is still capable of being an impact player if he’s taking this second chance seriously.

HEDLEY-NOBLE: I really have no idea what to expect from Radulov, and I don’t think a lot of other people do either, especially the younger fans who didn’t get to see him before he went to the KHL.

He’s an amazingly gifted hockey player but, as everyone knows, has his off-ice issues which have been well-documented, but some of which can be over-exaggerated. I loved watching him as a Nashville Predator, that I can say for certain.

So to answer the first part, Radulov could end up at either end of the boom or bust spectrum. He’ll be the Canadiens’ best forward or end up being scratched for whatever reason. We won’t know until some pucks are dropped.

As for who lasts longer, Radulov or Therrien, I’d say Therrien goes before Radulov. If the team stumbles out of the gates, Therrien will be blamed, not Radulov — unless, of course, some off-ice incidents occur! It should be very interesting to keep an eye on things in Montreal.

When it comes to the Habs’ roster, I love the addition of Andrew Shaw — him and Brendan Gallagher will be a pain in the ass for opponents on a game-by-game basis. However, beyond their top-six forwards, I don’t see much depth, which is a big problem in today’s game. But their defense looks solid, and we all know about Carey Price and his abilities.

A lot of Montreal’s success this season will depend on Radulov and whether he can consistently bring his excellent skill to one of the biggest and harshest hockey environments in the world. Oh, and a healthy Price would be much welcomed I’m sure.

FISHER: I guess we probably should have defined “boom” and “bust” a little better. Let’s say 20-plus goals and/or 50-plus points classifies as a boom. Think Alex Semin 2.0 for the bust side of things. Like Sebastian, I’m clueless on what to expect from Radulov — the guy’s a total wild-card — but I’m not going to totally dodge the question either.

Providing he stays healthy, and assuming Shea Weber and Andrei Markov can keep him in line, I like Radulov’s potential for a “boom” season. He’s always had the skill to put up numbers and he seems more mature and motivated to make amends for his past missteps — then again, so did Semin. Anything could happen, and Montreal has some pretty appealing strip clubs (so I’ve heard), but Radulov is claiming to be a family man committed to winning this time around.

(The Associated Press)
Michel Therrien managed to keep his job — and thus his whistle — despite Montreal’s disappointing season, but the bench boss will presumably be on a short leash in 2016-17, possibly a shorter leash than Radulov.

Time will tell whether that’s talk or truth, and Therrien will obviously have a hand in Radulov’s success or lack thereof. From the outside looking in, it appeared as though Therrien failed Semin as much as Semin failed the Canadiens last season, so hopefully the coach learned a lesson and loosens the reins on Montreal’s latest Russian experiment. If Therrien is too hard on Radulov and he doesn’t respond or decides to pack up and go home again, that would be a big blow for the team and could be the final straw for Therrien too. Radulov will have to play within club rules like everybody else but may need a little leeway in getting accustomed to the North American game again. A patient approach could pay dividends come the second half of the season.

At the end of the day, Radulov is no Price. Radulov won’t be saving the day, nor will Weber or Shaw or anybody but Price. There is a reason that Price won the Hart Trophy two years ago and that’s because the Habs go as he goes. He’s absolutely their MVP. Price claims to be feeling like his “old self” again and we’ll see whether he’s returned to form at the upcoming World Cup. If Price is at the top of his game, I do like the Canadiens’ playoff chances and I actually predicted them to finish second in the Atlantic Division based on that premise. They are a team that — like Radulov — could go either way, but Marc Bergevin wasn’t afraid of making bold changes this offseason and we’ll find out soon enough whether those moves, including Radulov, were for better or worse.

BONUS TOPIC

Why should hockey fans and people in general look forward to the new documentary, Ice Guardians?

HEDLEY-NOBLE: Well it’s pretty simple really, this is uncharted territory when it comes to the subject matter. Ice Guardians tells the different stories of the enforcer throughout the years in the NHL straight from their mouths. No bias one way or the other. You’ll be seeing all sorts of players in the movie — from different eras of hockey — talk about their experiences, so you’re getting the whole history with this film.

They were able to put together so many greats of the game, from true enforcers to superstars. Players like Wendel Clark, Dave Schultz, Brett Hull, Chris Chelios, Jarome Iginla, Todd Fedoruk, Scott Parker, Dave Semenko, Rob Ray, Brian McGrattan and many more! I interviewed the man behind the magic, Adam Scorgie, and will have my story with him out in a couple of days right here on The Hockey Writers. Stay tuned for that!

FISHER: I’m pumped for that, both Sebastian’s story and the actual movie. Scorgie is a local boy, from Kelowna, and he’s doing a bang-up job promoting his latest work ahead of its world premiere at the Toronto Film Festival on Sept. 12. He’ll be doing a red-carpet showing here in Kelowna on Sept. 29 as well — with several of those famed scrappers in attendance — and Ice Guardians will make its television debut on the Super Channel on Oct. 8. You won’t want to miss it.

This documentary isn’t glorifying, nor shaming fighting in hockey. It is humanizing those who drop the gloves for a living and giving them a well-deserved, long-overdue voice. I’ve met many of the enforcers featured in this film — I’ve even shared a dressing room with Semenko and Clark Gillies at Bob Bourne’s Fantasy Greats Hockey Camp a few years back — and I can vouch for them being stand-up guys as opposed to standoffish. Intimidation is a big part of their job and you’d expect them to have alpha-male, bully-type demeanors, but off the ice they all seem to be the biggest teddy bears with the wildest senses of humour and the best stories. So I can’t wait to hear them tell it like it is.

Who won this round of Facing Off? Feel free to weigh-in with your opinions in the comments below. We will be checking in periodically to both defend and expand on our initial answers. If you want to see us face-off over a topic, we’re open to suggestions as well.

The “Summer of Change” in Sunrise isn’t over yet: Last week, the Florida Panthers traded injured center Dave Bolland to the Arizona Coyotes. The cost of unloading Bolland’s boat-anchor contract (another three years at $5.5 million per) was Florida’s 2015 first round draft pick, Lawson Crouse.

In exchange for Bolland and Crouse, the Panthers received a third-round draft pick in 2017 (either Detroit’s or Arizona’s; whichever is higher) and a conditional third round pick in 2018 (it becomes a second round selection if Crouse plays at least 10 NHL games in 2016-17 or if Arizona trades him).

While most of the Panthers moves this summer garnered positive reviews, the inclusion of Crouse in last week’s deal with the Coyotes met with some skepticism:

Not a great trade ….. Crouse is too valuable

— Panthers Facebook (@PanthersFBK) August 26, 2016

Why would Florida trade Lawson Crouse?

— Thank You P.K. (@ADiraimondo91) August 26, 2016

Why did the deal have to go down now, and why was Crouse dealt? One question is easier to answer than the other.

Why Now?

The oft-injured Dave Bolland is now an Arizona Coyote. (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)

Prior to the trade, Florida had $4,329,167 in cap space and 14 forwards (Bolland included), seven defensemen and three goalies under contract. All indications are that Bolland won’t play this season, so the Panthers could’ve simply placed him on Long-Term Injured Reserve. Because of the way LTIR rules are structured, though, the team would receive little benefit from doing so, if any.

The veteran center was dealt to Arizona with both short- and long-term considerations in mind. This season, the newly-created cap space (currently $9,829,167) gives Florida flexibility to add a player or two between now and the trade deadline, if necessary.

Next summer, that cap space will come in handy when contract extensions for Aaron Ekblad, Reilly Smith and Derek MacKenzie kick in and pending RFA Jonathan Huberdeau gets a raise. Panthers management likely had 2017 in mind when they dealt Bolland last week. Factoring in raises for the aforementioned players, Florida GM Tom Rowe and Co. must’ve realized that moving Bolland now could mean the difference between pursuing quality, veteran free agents and filling roster openings with raw prospects next year.

One more consideration was likely a key factor in making the trade now: Very few teams could swallow Bolland’s $5.5 million cap hit whole, and Florida wasn’t the only club looking to unload a bad contract (see Girardi, Dan or Lupul, Joffrey) or otherwise clear cap space. Such maneuvers are essentially a game of musical chairs, and the Panthers found their seat first. In doing so, the Cats all but eliminated the Coyotes as a trade partner for the Rangers, Maple Leafs or anyone else in a similar bind.

Why Lawson Crouse?

Did Arizona ask for Nick Bjugstad before “settling” for Lawson Crouse? (Robert Mayer-USA TODAY Sports)

While the need to move Bolland was clear, the inclusion of Crouse in the deal was less so. The hulking (6’4″, 210 lbs.) winger, touted as the “total package of size, skill and speed,” was Florida’s first-round pick just last summer. Why would they give up on him so quickly?

Because details of trade negotiations rarely leak, we can only speculate as to the back-and-forth between Florida and Arizona. Given the Coyotes weakness down the middle of the ice, I’d be shocked if their initial ask wasn’t for either Vincent Trocheck or Nick Bjugstad. Assuming that happened, credit Panthers management for refusing to part with either of those key players, as the loss would have a major impact on the club’s playoff hopes.

The trade of Bryan Bickell and Teuvo Teravainen to the Carolina Hurricanes back in June set the market price for moving unwanted contracts. Considering the difference between Bickell’s and Bolland’s contracts (one year at $4 million vs. three years at $5.5 million per), sending Crouse to the Coyotes was a bargain for the Panthers.

The deal could prove even sweeter, depending on Crouse’s development. Some concerns were voiced about Crouse’s production at the major junior level. The prospect didn’t do himself any favors at Florida’s development camp, either:

Lawson Crouse didn’t stand out at develop. camp last month.I think Dryden Hunt,Jayce Hawryluk and Kyle Rau are more NHL ready. #flapanthers

— Harvey Fialkov (@hfialkov) August 25, 2016

It’s important to remember, though, that Crouse is only 19. While he’s already NHL-sized, he’s still maturing, both mentally and skill-wise. Crouse could turn out to be the next Rick Nash. Statistically speaking, however, he’s more likely to be the next Jimmy Hayes. If you were Tom Rowe and facing the potential choice of re-signing Huberdeau or keeping “the next Jimmy Hayes,” what would you do?

The Los Angeles Kings have a captivating history in the annual NHL Entry Draft, especially so when it comes to selecting players in later rounds of the event.

While the Kings, like most teams, have been solid when it comes to drafting quality talent within the first round, namely nabbing Anze Kopitar, Drew Doughty and Tanner Pearson, Los Angeles has in fact been arguably more successful in rounds two through seven in recent years, a trend which has afforded the Kings with a number of surprisingly promising young prospects.

In 2011, the Kings grabbed Nick Shore in the third round, 82nd overall. Two years prior, Jordan Nolan was selected 186th overall, while Alec Martinez and Dwight King were both fourth-round choices in 2007. The most outstanding late-round pick of all being that of superstar goaltender Jonathan Quick, who was selected by the Kings in the third round, 72nd overall back in 2005.

Yet, despite all of their current talent and apparent luck in the Draft, the Kings remain poised to add yet another young prospect who was – you guessed it – a late round selection in the annual NHL Draft.

Who is Spencer Watson?

In case you have yet to hear of Spencer Watson, let’s take a quick look at his career to date, as well as the skills and abilities which make him one of the Kings’ least known yet top prospects.

A four-year veteran of the Ontario Hockey League’s Kingston Frontenacs, Watson’s game has been slowly, yet steadily progressing since his rookie season in 2012-13, perhaps a reason why he was not highly touted heading into the 2014 NHL Entry Draft.

As a rookie with the Frontenacs, Watson was, in fact, impressive, scoring 23 goals and 40 points, totals which were good for fourth best on his Kingston team. His sophomore season of 2013-14, the campaign preceding his selection in the 2014 NHL Draft, was one defined by improvement, as Watson’s production soared to 68 points, 33 of which were goals. In 2014-15, Watson’s third OHL season, the budding winger missed 27 games due to injury yet still managed to finish second on his team in scoring, totaling 20 goals and 48 assists.

Through his first three OHL seasons, Watson had yet to truly separate himself from the pack. Although he was widely regarded as a quality forward, he had yet to demonstrate the elite level skill and finish of a top-tier NHL prospect. His seventh round, 209th overall selection by the Kings in the 2014 Draft was, at the time, seemingly an accurate point of selection for the London, Ontario, native.

However, come the 2015-16 season, Watson exploded, showcasing the elite skill level and finish present within a high-quality NHL prospect.

In his fourth season in Kingston, Watson, in 64 games played, netted a whopping 43 goals, 10 tallies more than his previous career high established two years prior. Further, his point total jumped to 89, an incredible 21 greater than his previous high, also set in 2013-14.

Yet, this wasn’t simply the case of a quality prospect playing alongside elite teammates. Watson outscored teammate Lawson Crouse, a first-round pick of the Florida Panthers recently traded to the Arizona Coyotes, by 27 points. Oh, and he also added 17 points in just nine playoff games.

The Scouting Report

Although he isn’t the biggest player on the ice, standing 5’11”, 170 pounds, Watson more than makes up for his apparent lack of size through his persistent on-ice work ethic.

A tireless skater who has the ability to drive both the game and the play, Watson uses his solid speed and explosive acceleration to blow past opposing defenders and isn’t afraid to drive to the net having done so.

It is Watson’s speed and agility which allow his style of play to wreak havoc on opposing defenders and netminders. While at full speed, Watson has the unique ability to utilize his entire skill set, whether it be unleashing a crisp, accurate shot or making a crafty pass to a fellow teammate. Watson’s ability to operate at full-speed, yet see the ice, and his teammates on it, have made the young right-winger a complete threat offensively.

His gifted skill set was a major reason why the Kings signed Watson to a three-year, entry-level contract in April of 2016.

Projecting the Future

At the moment, the future is bright for Watson, who, after four years of OHL hockey, will likely move into the pro ranks with the Kings’ AHL affiliate, the Ontario Reign, in 2016-17.

With that being said, the coming season will be an extremely telling one for Watson and his future, especially so for his career in professional hockey. Throughout his career, pundits have pointed to Watson’s apparent lack of size as an indication of why he will not succeed at the professional level, but as we have seen in the modern day NHL, players of incredible skill yet smaller stature are of increasing abundance and value in the League.

In reality, Watson is not incredibly undersized, and based on his breakout OHL season in 2015-16, appears ready to make the jump to the AHL. While the Kings will surely allow the seventh-rounder time to further develop his game, Watson, like Pearson and Tyler Toffoli in years passed, could be thrust into the Kings’ lineup following a year of two of success in the minor pro ranks.

In all, Watson will need time to further develop his game. However, based on his elite skill level and experience to date, it would appear as though the Kings have drafted yet another late-round gem, and one that could play a major role in the team’s future success.

This is going to be a young, exciting team to watch — and a team capable of exceeding expectations, perhaps even pushing for a playoff berth.

The prospect junkies will be picking Coyotes left and right in fantasy leagues this season, but it remains to be seen how Arizona’s youngsters will fare in the big league. Some will thrive and others may not survive.

There will be some hit-and-miss options when it comes to the Coyotes, but many fantasy GMs will be willing to take those risks.

The only sure bet is on the blue line, but the upside is promising for several Arizona players — including a handful of rookies — this season.

(Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports)
Oliver Ekman-Larsson is one of only a few defencemen across the league that would be considered their team’s top fantasy performer.

Top Performer: Oliver Ekman-Larsson, D

OEL, as he’s affectionately known, is a fantasy stud and should be among the defence leaders in goals and shots again this season.

With the influx of offensive-minded newcomers, Ekman-Larsson could actually improve on last season’s totals of 21 goals (tied for second), 55 points (seventh) and 228 shots (fifth) in 75 games. Had he played all 82, Ekman-Larsson’s stats would have prorated to 23 goals (second), 60 points (fifth) and 249 shots (second). He’s absolutely a top-five fantasy defenceman and could be ranked as high as third behind only Erik Karlsson and Brent Burns. Yes, Ekman-Larsson is that good and he’s still just 25 years old.

Ekman-Larsson also logs a ton of ice-time and is Arizona’s top power-play guy, so there is no reason to expect a drop-off in any of those categories. If anything, anticipate a slight uptick on the assumption that the Coyotes will generate more offence as a whole.

If Arizona’s goals-for number goes up — from 209 last season, ranked 24th out of 30 teams — Ekman-Larsson’s numbers will likely reflect that too.

Underrated Performers: Michael Stone, D, Connor Murphy, D and Kevin Connauton, D

It’s difficult to pick just one — and none of them are great fantasy options — but this defence trio is capable of chipping in from further down the depth chart or off the bench.

(Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports)
Michael Stone, seen stretching here, is coming off knee surgery but has been steadily improving as a fantasy option. He had a career-high 36 points last season, tied for 34th in the league amongst defencemen with Aaron Ekblad and Morgan Rielly.

Definitely consider each of them for deeper leagues, but note that Stone could be slowed by off-season knee surgery. He hopes to be ready for the regular-season opener, but it was a six-month recovery process after repairing both his ACL and MCL in April.

That’s a pretty serious operation and Stone might not be the same player to start the season. He ranked second among Arizona defencemen — behind the aforementioned Ekman-Larsson — with 36 points last season, but Stone will likely see less power-play time this season with the free-agent signing of Alex Goligoski.

As doom and gloom as that may sound, Stone is still rather underrated in the fantasy realm.

Murphy was limited to 17 points and Connauton netted nine in 38 games after coming over from Columbus — prorated to 19 over 82 — but both could come close to doubling their production this season. That makes them stronger candidates for another category later in this outlook.

Shane Doan probably deserves a shout-out here too. He’ll turn 40 years old just before the season starts but is still going to be good for 40-plus points and possibly 50. He’s no Jaromir Jagr, but Doan deserves more credit for his continued fantasy contributions and shouldn’t be overlooked because of his age. Don’t reach for Doan based on years past when he was putting up 60-plus points, but don’t avoid him in the later rounds.

Overrated Performer: Martin Hanzal, C

Hanzal got off to a blazing start last season and became a hot commodity in fantasy leagues before fizzling out in the second half. Granted, he was also injured, but Hanzal finished fifth in team scoring with 41 points, including 13 goals, in 64 games — prorated to 53 points and 17 goals. That’s good, but not great — 41 was still a career-high and he’s never scored more than 16 times.

Hanzal could also find himself further down Arizona’s depth chart in more of a checking role this season depending how and where rookies Dylan Strome and Christian Dvorak fit in. Even if his even-strength role remains the same, Hanzal’s power-play time will likely decrease to some degree.

Hanzal is in a contract year as a pending unrestricted free agent next summer, so that could fuel his fire for a 20-goal, 50-point campaign, but it’s best to temper expectations when considering him for your fantasy team. There is also the possibility that Hanzal becomes trade bait if Arizona is out of the playoff race at the deadline and those rumours could be a negative distraction as well.

Anthony Duclair isn’t necessarily overrated, but he could fall victim to the sophomore slump. Duclair was fourth in team scoring with 44 points, including 20 goals, last season and might be hard-pressed to match that stat-line in his second campaign. Max Domi seems more likely to build on his rookie totals of 52 points (second) and 18 goals (fourth). Domi could even overtake Ekman-Larsson as the Coyotes’ leading scorer in 2016-17.

Fantasy Sleeper: Alex Goligoski, D

He’s not an unheard of sleeper — he’s been a household name before — but Goligoski seems to be flying under the radar in most draft rankings.

Goligoski was overshadowed by John Klingberg’s emergence in Dallas, but Goligoski is still good for 35-plus points and could flirt with 50 if he’s pairing with Ekman-Larsson on the top power-play unit. That seems to be the plan heading into training camp, so put a little star beside Goligoski as a veteran defenceman who could enjoy a resurgence this season.

Goligoski is still probably a No. 3 or No. 4 on your fantasy depth chart, but don’t let him go undrafted into the later rounds. If he’s available in that No. 4 range — in a league of 12 or more teams — Goligoski is worth strong consideration this season.

Bounce-back Candidates: Radim Vrbata, RW and Luke Schenn, D

These aren’t ideal candidates or strong bets to bounce back, but they do fit the bill from Arizona’s roster.

Vrbata fell out of favour in Vancouver last season and seemed to lose interest as well. His stat-line provided the evidence on both fronts, posting just 13 goals and 27 points in 63 games — prorated to 17 and 35 over 82.

That was a drastic drop-off from the previous season — his first with the Canucks, when Vrbata clicked with the Sedin twins to record a career-high 63 points, including a second-best 31 goals.

Now Vrbata is back in Arizona, where he played from 2007 to 2014, scoring 35 goals in 2011-12. He’ll be familiar with Dave Tippett’s coaching systems and could be rejuvenated if he’s motivated again. Was that the problem last season or did Vrbata actually lose a step skill-wise? Time will tell.

Schenn hasn’t lived up to his draft status as the fifth overall pick from 2008. He’ll be suiting up for his fourth different team this season, but seemed to make strides after getting traded to Los Angeles last season.

Schenn will never be a point producer — he’ll be lucky to exceed 20 ever again — but for fantasy leagues that reward hits and blocked shots, he’s been reinventing himself as a physical, shutdown type. Even still, Schenn is likely a waiver-wire guy in the vast majority of leagues.

The advanced stats don’t paint Schenn in a positive light, but if he picks up with the Coyotes where he left off with the Kings, he’ll be a bounce-back candidate in real life and might even play his way into fantasy relevance again.

Breakout Candidates: Connor Murphy, D and Kevin Connauton, D

Not a lot of strong options here either, but these guys deserve a second mention.

(Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports)
Connor Murphy should be coming into this season riding a wave of confidence and momentum from a strong showing at the world championship.

Murphy was among Team USA’s best players at the world championship tournament this spring and could be poised for a big breakout. He should be a bona fide top-four defenceman by season’s end and might be moving the fantasy needle more than expected too.

You can probably take a wait-and-see approach with Murphy because rival fantasy managers won’t be paying too much attention to him, but if and when you notice him taking off, don’t hesitate to make that claim. For deeper leagues, Murphy may be worth rostering from the get-go.

Ditto for Connauton, who counted four goals among his nine points with Arizona and has always had a cannon of a shot. His all-around game remains a work in progress, but the Coyotes liked enough of what they saw to sign him for another two years.

Connauton might never be a go-to fantasy guy, but he’d make a decent pick-up in a pinch — especially if he’s seeing some time on Arizona’s second power-play unit.

Impact Rookies: Dylan Strome, C, Christian Dvorak, C/LW, Lawson Crouse, LW, Anthony DeAngelo, D and Jakob Chychrun, D

These rookies probably won’t all make the opening-night roster, but they will be getting long looks in training camp as the Coyotes look to go young.

(Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports)
Dylan Strome is Arizona’s top prospect and he’ll likely debut on a scoring line this season.

Arizona bought out veteran centre Antoine Vermette to open up a spot — presumably for Strome, the third overall pick from 2015, though Dvorak centered Mitch Marner’s line for the Memorial Cup champion London Knights and dominated in the face-off dot as well. There could be room for both of them in the lineup, with Strome possessing the higher offensive ceiling. Some see Strome as a potential Calder contender this season.

Crouse, the 11th overall pick in 2015, recently came over in a trade from Florida. He’s a budding power forward and will be battling for a roster spot with Brendan Perlini, a similar player who Arizona selected 12th in 2014.

DeAngelo and Chychrun will both be in tough to crack the defence, considering we’ve already covered the perceived top-six in Ekman-Larsson, Goligoski, Stone, Murphy, Connauton and Schenn. That’s not counting Zbynek Michalek, Jamie McBain and Klas Dahlbeck — all listed on the NHL roster — nor Kyle Wood, another prospect acquisition who could surprise in camp.

The Coyotes are suddenly in good shape on the back end, but DeAngelo has an elite skill-set and was named CHL defenceman of the year in 2015 before racking up 43 points in 69 games as a rookie pro with Tampa Bay’s farm team last season. DeAngelo’s character has been called into question at times, but Arizona seemed to steal him for a second-round pick that turned into fellow defence prospect Libor Hajek during the draft in June.

Chychrun was once touted as a candidate to go first overall in 2016 and was still widely considered a top-10 prospect on draft day, but he was falling hard when the Coyotes traded up to take him 16th overall. Chychrun doesn’t have near the offensive upside of DeAngelo — not many do — but Chychrun should still be a fantasy contributor if and when he sticks.

Chychrun needs to go back to junior if he doesn’t crack Arizona’s roster, but DeAngelo would likely be the first call-up should injuries occur. Expect DeAngelo to make his NHL debut at some point this season and be ready to claim him. If something were to happen to Ekman-Larsson or Goligoski, DeAngelo could take the league by storm like Shayne Gostisbehere did last season when Mark Streit went down in Philadelphia.

Goaltending

This is, by far, the biggest question mark for the Coyotes.

(Sergei Belski-USA TODAY Sports)
Mike Smith will be a boom-or-bust fantasy pick this season and there is no telling which way he’ll go. Somebody will pick him and either reap the rewards or suffer the consequences.

Mike Smith used to be a strong fantasy option, especially as a guy who saw a ton of shots and posted a respectable save percentage. However, he’s struggled with injuries and inconsistencies since the lockout year and is no longer starter-worthy in most fantasy leagues at 34 years old.

Smith now ranks in the bottom third of the league — in the 20 to 30 range, with the likes of fellow veterans Cam Ward and Ryan Miller. You should no longer be pinning your fantasy hopes on these guys in the year 2017.

The Coyotes might not even be pinning their season on Smith. He’ll probably be on a short leash from the outset, with Louis Domingue coming out of nowhere to match Smith’s win total (15) last season, while posting very comparable statistics across the board.

Domingue made 39 appearances to Smith’s 32 last season and had a .912 save percentage and 2.75 goals-against average to Smith’s .916 and 2.64.

The 24-year-old Domingue could be Arizona’s goalie of the future and that torch passing could take place this season even if Smith stays healthy.

In saying that, Smith could rebound to backstop the Coyotes into playoff contention. One way or the other, Arizona is going to need solid goaltending to be in the wild-card mix, but your fantasy team would be wise to shy away from both Smith and Domingue. As third-stringers, they might be worth a late-round flyer, but don’t take them any earlier.

The Arizona Coyotes announced their opening night roster on Tuesday afternoon, and fans around the league can expect the Desert Dogs to ice one of the NHL’s youngest teams in 2016-17:

Congrats to rookies @flippers27, @10_CD, @stromer19, @j_chychrun7 & @LawCrouse on earning NHL roster spots with #Coyotes! pic.twitter.com/bNdCMKM986

— Dave Vest (@davest4yotes) October 12, 2016

There could be up to four players making their NHL debuts on Saturday against the Philadelphia Flyers, and the most surprising of which is 18-year-old defenseman Jakob Chychrun. Chychrun, who was selected with the #16 overall pick in June, was not initially expected to compete for an NHL job this season. However, the youngster immediately impressed Coyotes brass with his maturity and play on the ice, and, as a result, will be the first rookie to play for the Coyotes in his draft year since Mikkel Boedker and Viktor Tikhonov both did so during the 2008-09 season.

Long-Awaited Debuts

Also making their NHL debuts will be highly-touted forward prospects Christian Dvorak and Dylan Strome. Dvorak, who absolutely destroyed the competition last year with the London Knights, has impressed during the preseason; he had a goal and two assists in four preseason contests and provided the primary assist on Shane Doan’s overtime goal against the Anaheim Ducks on October 1.

Dvorak also has played well in the faceoff circle; he won 39 of the 69 draws he took during preseason action, which was good for a winning percentage of 56.5%. If he’s able to continue winning faceoffs at that rate in the regular season, he could take over as the team’s lead faceoff man after the offseason departures of Antoine Vermette and Boyd Gordon.

Joining Dvorak down the middle is last year’s third overall selection Dylan Strome. Strome, who was reportedly the last player to be cut during last season’s training camp, gave Coyotes management no choice but to keep him on the roster this year as he put up two goals and two assists in seven preseason games.

There’s still some work for Strome to do in the weight room, but there’s no questioning his skill; he appears to be vastly improved in all aspects of his game and could easily find himself in contention for the Calder Trophy at season’s end. The Coyotes made the right choice in keeping him in the NHL rather than sending him back to junior for another campaign with the Erie Otters.

A Big Body

Rounding out the group of three teenagers that will play for the Coyotes this season is big left winger Lawson Crouse, who was acquired from the Florida Panthers over the offseason in the deal that also sent the contract of injured forward Dave Bolland to Arizona. Unlike Dvorak and Strome, Crouse will not be expected to immediately contribute on offense; instead, he’ll likely play on one of Arizona’s checking lines where he’ll be expected to use his 6’4″, 220lb frame to punish the opposition while he gets acclimated to the NHL game.

After a very impressive training camp, 21-year-old rookie center Laurent Dauphin also made the Coyotes opening night roster. Dauphin had a goal in eight games with the Coyotes last season, but, like the other four rookies, will be playing on opening night for the first time.

Laurent Dauphin is the guy generating some under-the-radar buzz at #Coyotes camp this year. Last year it was Martinook, 2014 it was Rieder.

— Luke Lapinski (@LukeLapinski) October 3, 2016

Dauphin’s training camp performance reminded many of the performance that Jordan Martinook turned in last season; both players entered camp without much fanfare, but both gave Coyotes management no choice but to keep them on the roster due to strong preseason showings. Martinook was able to parlay his strong camp into a solid rookie campaign which saw him win the team’s hardest working player award, and Dauphin will be looking to make a similar impact in the NHL this season.

Overall, the Coyotes should be one of the NHL’s most exciting teams to watch this season. They arguably possess their most talented roster in franchise history and are primed to return to the playoffs for the first time since the 2011-12 season.

Jarome Iginla would not waive his no-trade clause at the trade deadline last year, but he might be willing to this year. At least, that’s what Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported Saturday.

It’s the final season of Iginla’s three-year deal in Colorado and it could be the last of his career, making this his last chance to chase the Cup.

Over the course of his impressive career, he’s won the Memorial Cup, two WHL championships, World Junior gold, World Championship gold and two Olympic golds. But he’s still never won the Stanley Cup. Hoisting the Cup would send him into elite company as a member of the Triple Gold Club.

Though, he may need to hit another gear to wind up on the roster of a contender. Iginla has spent time playing on the Avs fourth line this season, registering just three goals and six points in 26 games so far.

Photo: Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers

Getting Calls on Girgensons

The Buffalo Sabres are getting calls on forward Zemgus Girgensons, but they aren’t interested in selling low on him, Friedman reports.

The Latvian forward has posted just two goals and five points this season and has seen his ice time move toward a vanishing point on the distant horizon. He played 10:07 in Friday’s game against the Capitals and that’s the only time he’s been above 10 minutes of ice time in the last seven games. He’s been north of the 14-minute mark just twice all season.

The International Schedule

In the same “Headlines” segment, Friedman outlined an ambitious international schedule the NHL is considering along with early CBA negotiations. The outlined schedule looks like this:

– World Cup in 2020 and 2024
– Olympics in 2018 and 2022
– Two “Ryder Cup” style events in 2019 and 2023
– Preseason games in China as soon as next year (at least two)
– Two regular season games in Europe as soon as next year

Nick Kypreos mentioned the players may be best served to leave escrow negotiations behind. He doesn’t believe it’s a battle they can win.

Iginla OK With Emelin Hit, More Or Less

With 3:28 left in Saturday’s 10-1 drubbing of the Avalanche, Canadiens defenseman Alexei Emelin threw a big hip check on Colorado’s Joe Colborne. With frustrations running high for the Avs, it turned into a bit of a melee. Iginla went after Emelin but the 30-year-old defender wasn’t going to entertain fisticuffs late in a game that had lost meaning for Montreal.

“At that point of the game when they’re beating us like that, it’s not really a matter of whether it’s clean or not,” Iginla, who was playing in his 1,500th game, told Mike Chambers of The Denver Post. “[I] just don’t think [it’s right]. If I’m going up-over like that with two minutes left and down 10-1, I’d hope guys are coming in [for me]. That’s the way I’ve played and I think that’s the way it should be played.

“They can do the hit if they want,” he continued. “It’s part of the game. But we are allowed to do what we do too. That’s what penalty minutes and stuff are for.”

Landeskog felt similarly, telling reports after the game “sometimes those [hits] go unpenalized and sometimes they get a penalty. I just don’t like how he doesn’t answer to it afterward when he comes over.”

About That Drubbing

The beatdown suffered by the Avs was painful. It’s exceedingly rare to lose by nine and the team knows it all too well.

After the game, Landeskog summed it up nicely: “We got our ass whooped tonight.”

“Obviously, they’re a good team. They’re a fast team and they came out and they played hard and took it to us,” Landeskog said, “but you’ve got to be able to withstand a little bit of pressure as well.”

Oleksiak Hearing

Dallas defenseman Jamie Oleksiak will have a hearing with the NHL Department of Player Safety on Sunday following a high hit on Philadelphia’s Chris VandeVelde.

The league announced the hearing Saturday after Oleksiak appeared to have caught VandeVelde in the head with an elbow in the third period of a 4-2 loss. It pretty clearly looks like the head is the initial point of contact, but Oleksiak is 6-foot-7 and towers above just about everyone in the league. Nonetheless, being tall doesn’t exempt players from having to control their own body.

Tippett Pleased With Crouse

Coyotes head coach Dave Tippett was pleased with the effort he got from rookie Lawson Crouse in a 4-1 win over the Predators on Saturday.

Crouse assisted on Alex Goligoski’s opening goal through sheer hustle and outmuscling Yannick Weber behind the net. He also put three shots on goal and dropped the gloves with P.K. Subban in 12:34 of ice time.

“He’s a real good player and is going to become a better player,” Tippett said. “But that was the best game he’s played in the NHL so far.”

Rookie Brendan Perlini scored his first NHL goal Saturday as well, with an assist from rookie Jakob Chychrun.

Rookie Laurent Dauphin also tallied a goal on the day he was recalled to the NHL. In all, Arizona rookies combined for five points in the team’s first game without Max Domi. “That’s we’re hoping for,” Tippett said. “We need to get these young players up and going, as well as have our veterans kind of lead the charge for us.”

Photo: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Odds & Ends

– The NHL concussion spotters continue to do their job without regard for who the player in question is. Saturday, they pulled Sidney Crosby from a game against the Lightning after he was run into the boards by Tampa’s Luke Witkowski. He returned to the game after going through protocol.

Crosby finished the game with two goals and once again leads the league with 20 goals.

– The Toronto Maple Leafs have officially activated Josh Leivo and added him to the team’s 23-man roster, reports Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston. He’s been designated a non-roster injured player for the entirety of the season so far.

– Additionally, Antoine Bibeau will get the start in net for the Leafs. It will be his NHL debut. In 13 starts with AHL Toronto, Bibeau has posted a .907 save percentage with a 6-5-3 record.

The speed and energy finally arrived. At least, this was for one game, and decision-makers of the Arizona Coyotes hope the effort foreshows a successful path.

For a team mired in a six-game losing streak and displaying difficulty putting the puck in the net, a four-goal outburst against the Nashville Predators Saturday came as a welcomed relief. The issue now: can the Coyotes maintain this burst?

That may be easier said than done because Arizona departs the desert for a challenging four-game road trip. For now, the success of an impressive 4-1 win over Nashville before 13,820 in Gila River Arena shows promise.

There are two reasons for the optimism. First, the speed and puck management displayed against the Preds was missing for the vast majority of games. Plus, two of the four goals scored were delivered by players in which a solid transition season was expected. A third tally demonstrated the need for speed and the ability to force plays.

Big Goal Outburst

Brendan Perlini, at the junior level (Terry Wilson /OHL Images)

Goals from former first-round pick Brendan Perlini and second-round pick Laurent Dauphin were certainly appreciated. More importantly, the Coyotes picked up four goals in this one, and that’s the most they scored in a game since Arizona defeated the Avs in Denver, 4-2, on Nov. 8.

“You never see it coming, but you hope,” coach Dave Tippett told The Hockey Writers. “The young players have been moving in the right direction. All of them, from where they were for the first five games to where they are between 25 and 30 now, that’s just the evolution.”

Perhaps the biggest encouragement came from left wing Lawson Crouse, picked up from the Panthers in a trade this past offseason. Despite just one goal and one assist in his first 22 games with Arizona, Tippett left Crouse on the ice to grow. A significant step forward was realized Saturday on the first Arizona goal.

That’s when Crouse barreled down the slot, split the Nashville defense and found an open Alex Goligoski in the right face-off circle. After Crouse delivered a sharp pass to his stick, Goligoski fired his first goal of the season past Pekka Rinne, and the Coyotes were off to an early lead past the midway point of the opening period.

Perlini and Dauphin then picked up the torch and veteran Martin Hanzal closed the scoring just past the midway point of the final period.

“It’s always nice when you can split the defense and the puck just ends up on your stick,” Crouse said. “Obviously, we had a good start but it was kind of just building off that. I think it was an all-around effort. It feels good to get the full two points this game. In the past, we’ve been chipping in here or there, but that’s not good enough in this league. It was great to get the full two points (Saturday).”

Christian Dvorak, Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Max Domi (Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports)

How the Immediate Future Plays Out

For now, the Coyotes hope to build off the speed and acumen of younger players.

With Max Domi now on the injured reserved list, because of a facial injury suffered in a fight last Thursday night, Perlini, Crouse, Christian Dvorak, Anthony Duclair, Jakob Chychrun and Dauphin all have to pick up their teammates. That tough stretch of four straight now on the road begins Monday night in Pittsburgh and then carries into Detroit, Toronto and Minnesota. The Coyotes then come off this trip to face the Flames at home Dec. 19, and Tippett and others hope the trust and confidence placed in these players pays dividends.

Fearing trepidation and facing the best players in the world, Arizona Coyotes’ goal tender Mike Smith told The Hockey Writers during the recent All-Star festivities that he would probably need a hug in support.

That was Smith’s desire, and he pointed to the caliber of competition in last Sunday’s All-Star game in the Staples Center as a good reason. After acquitting himself well and drawing popular praise for his effort from the Los Angeles Kings‘ crowd, Smith informed listeners that all was good and a reassuring hug was not necessary.

Perhaps what Smith should have asked for was an apology from referee Chris Rooney, who called a questionable tripping penalty against Martin Hanzal at 16:41 of the final period Tuesday night. That led to Jake Muzzin’s power play goal with 1:30 left in the game, and a 3-2, Kings’ victory before 11,577 at Gila River Arena. The loss snapped the Coyotes’ modest three-game winning streak, and the team learned a valuable lesson.

“(The Kings) pushed in the third and we did not push back,” forward Lawson Crouse told The Hockey Writers. “I thought we played a hard, physical game against a tough team. We created some good chances, but, like I said, we didn’t push back when we needed.”

Martin Hanzal (Bob Frid-USA TODAY Sports)

Coming out of the All-Star break, the Coyotes, as a team, possessed a high confidence level. That’s an important variable of their game missing for most of the season. That aspect of team play was especially evident from the fourth line.

The unit of Jordan Martinook, a left-handed shot playing on the right wing, Ryan White at center and Crouse on the left wing, accounted for both Arizona goals. When White scored at 18:30 of the second period, that was his second goal in his last three games and three points in his last three games.

“We’re going into games now expecting to win each time,” White said. “What we came away from this one was that when we stay with teams, we’ll be okay.”

Coyotes Need “To Push Back”

Photo: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

The term “push back” was heard more than once in the Coyotes’ dressing room and from coach Dave Tippett in his post-game remarks to the media. What remains encouraging is the way the Coyotes are approaching each game. Their resolve is there and the confidence level appears in place.

“For us to be successful, everyone has to compete,” Tippett said. “We have some momentum from the past few weeks. At this point, we need to recognize what we did. When we get pushed, we have to respond and push back.”

What is necessary is to maintain the high level of play. Coming into Tuesday night’s home game against the Kings, Arizona was riding that three-game winning streak, and represented the longest of the season. As well, the Kings were riding a crest.

After losing four straight from Jan. 16 to Jan. 23, the Kings captured road wins over the Devils and Hurricanes. The Coyotes lack of a strong, third period allowed the Kings back in this one and helped Los Angeles gain its third straight victory.

Now, the Coyotes must find a way to respond and keep out of the penalty box during critical times.

Facing Off is a weekly column debating five of hockey’s hottest topics each and every Monday. From current events like trades and hat tricks to bigger-picture stuff like scandals and expansion — you name it, we’re debating it. Albeit, not always with a serious tone. We’re keeping this column light, so keep that in mind when reading, and feel free to join in on the fun by leaving a comment. Follow us on Twitter (@FacingOff_THW) and get in on the debate there too.

Clearly, the hockey season is getting closer.

That’s evidenced by the full slate of legit topics to debate this week. So full that Brandon Pirri’s signing with the Rangers didn’t move the needle nearly as much as Jimmy Vesey’s the week before. Pirri may prove to be the more productive player between the two, but by adding both to the fold, the Rangers are making me rethink my offseason standings predictions from earlier this month that left them out of the playoff picture. I’ll probably have to find a way to get them back in — likely replacing the Blue Jackets or possibly the Islanders — for my preseason predictions in October.

For now, we’ll focus on the present and welcome back Sebastian Hedley-Noble, one of our Facing Off regulars who covers the Colorado Avalanche and Florida Panthers for THW. Those teams were both making headlines over the past week, so we’ll start there.

Jared Bednar, are you a fan of that hire for the Avs? If not, who was your top choice of the rumoured candidates? Or are you a believer that anybody would have been better than another season of Patrick Roy? Could this coaching change be a blessing for Colorado? Can the Avs make the playoffs under Bednar?

HEDLEY-NOBLE: I am a fan of hiring Bednar as head coach. I was leaning specifically towards Kevin Dineen, but I trust Joe Sakic with this decision 100 per cent and am pretty excited for the future under Bednar. I never thought of the coaching hire as “anyone will be better than Patrick Roy” because I liked Roy, the players liked Roy, and he has a winning track record. But I was getting very frustrated with the lack of system and structure in place, especially when it came to the defensive zone. So I was actually more worried than anything, but it seems to have ended up well for Colorado in the end.

Everything I hear about Bednar is positive, most notably his two championships he’s won in two different leagues, the most recent being the Calder Cup with the Lake Erie Monsters (now Cleveland Monsters). He also has a winning record everywhere he’s been. What I am really excited for is to see his supportive system in action. Everyone I’ve spoken to about Bednar have the same answer concerning his style of play. That his style would be fast-paced, north-south hockey, with support in each zone, and that will fit right in with the Avalanche players, and what they need frankly. It’s an exciting style too, so there won’t be any worry of the Avalanche turning into a boring team! Thankfully that’s never really been the case in Colorado.

As far as the playoffs are concerned, I was in the optimistic camp, saying that even under another season with Roy, the Avs should be in the playoffs. Now it seems like many more see that as an actual possibility with the Bednar hire, and I’m right there with them. The Avalanche have bucket loads of talent, so if Bednar can get the best of them and instill a solid defensive system, this team will be very dangerous going forward. I could definitely see them battling for one of the wild-card positions this season.

FISHER: Me too! Many, myself included, believe Roy was holding the Avs back and it’ll be interesting to see whether Bednar can push them forward and perhaps into the postseason. That Central Division is stacked top to bottom and I had Colorado bringing up the rear in my offseason standings predictions — only ahead of the Vancouver Canucks in the Western Conference basement — so Bednar is taking on quite the challenge. I do like his chances for at least marginal improvement on last season’s 82-point, ninth-place finish, though it’ll probably take 90 points to make the playoffs and that will be easier said than done.

Like Sebastian, Bednar wasn’t my first choice. In fact, he wasn’t even among the dozen names I rattled off as potential candidates right after Roy resigned. I honestly thought Ralph Krueger could have been a good fit for Colorado, and I still think it’s only a matter of time until he gets another opportunity if he wants one. Another former Oilers coach, Todd Nelson, was also on my shortlist, along with Travis Green, the Canucks’ farm hand who apparently did get an interview but wasn’t among the finalists. Nor was Bob Hartley, which was a bit of a surprise considering he coached the Avalanche to the 2001 Stanley Cup and was familiar with the Western Conference from his recent tenure with the Calgary Flames. Dineen did make the final three — along with Washington Capitals assistant coach Lane Lambert — and would have brought more experience than Bednar but, again like Sebastian, I’m becoming a fan of this hire.

Bednar should have been on my radar to begin with. He was, after all, the most successful minor-league coach last season. Not to mention he’s a good ol’ Saskatchewan boy like myself. I really should have been rooting for him, and now that he’s got the job, I’m hoping he does well in Colorado. I do think Bednar has his work cut out for him as a rookie head coach taking over a team that lacked in structure and systems. I don’t think Bednar will work miracles the way Mike Sullivan did in Pittsburgh, but with the right game plan — an actual game plan — the Avs should be trending in the right direction this season. This was easily their best move of the offseason, even if Sakic didn’t initiate it.

The Panthers gave up on Lawson Crouse, giving him away to the Coyotes as a means of getting rid of Dave Bolland’s contract. Smart move or stupid move? Who has been more impressive as a rookie GM, Tom Rowe in Florida or John Chayka in Arizona?

(Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports)
The Panthers were obviously high on Lawson Crouse just over a year ago, selecting him 11th overall in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft. It’s worth noting, though, that Scott Luce (right) was responsible for that pick and he’s no longer in the organization but has since been hired as scouting director for the Las Vegas franchise.

HEDLEY-NOBLE: I think it was a smart move for sure to move Bolland and that hockey-god awful contract to clear up some important cap space moving forward. On the other hand, Crouse IS a promising youngster, but you have to give in order to get.

Looking at the Panthers’ left-wing depth, Crouse seemed to be a valuable piece — their best piece actually — however with the acquisition of Jared McCann, they obviously felt Crouse was expendable. I didn’t agree, because after McCann (who also plays center), their left-wing depth is pretty thin.

Time will tell if that was a good move but, for now, it is a solid deal for both the Panthers and Coyotes.

The more impressive of the two rookie GMs for me is absolutely Chayka. He’s 27 years old and already the GM of an NHL franchise! Are you kidding me!? I flipped out when I initially heard the news of his hiring, though after watching his moves during the draft and this off-season, now I’m thinking the rest of the NHL better watch out for this youngin’!

FISHER: I’m withholding judgment on the trade for the time being, waiting to see how Florida plans to utilize this newfound cap space. With Bolland’s $5.5-million salary off the books, the Panthers could plug another hole or potentially two in their roster, with those impending additions essentially factoring into the return.

As it stands, and if Florida stands pat for some reason, without making any more moves between now and the start of the regular season, I’d be tempted to say stupid move. When the trade was announced, it was shocking, but I assumed the Panthers pulled the trigger on Crouse because they already had another deal in the works to get a more experienced, more expensive power-forward type. So far, that hasn’t come to fruition and I’m not sure it will. This might simply be addition by subtraction for Florida, but throwing in Crouse doesn’t seem very smart if you ask me. He possesses a rare package of size and skill, the type of player that doesn’t grow on trees.

Bolland was an anchor — and still has three years remaining on his contract — but as long as he stays on the long-term injured reserve, his cap hit wouldn’t have counted anyway. Arizona has come out and said Bolland is a long way from returning, which makes this trade look like Crouse — the 11th overall selection in 2015 — for two draft picks outside the top 30. That might be telling into what Florida’s new GM and overhauled scouting staff really thinks of Crouse’s upside. It may be more of an indictment of Crouse than Bolland, believe it or not.

(THW file photo)
John Chayka might look wet behind the ears and half the age of most his managerial peers, but the Arizona Coyotes’ GM has been getting a passing grade for his moves to date.

Nevertheless, Chayka and the Coyotes are stockpiling some serious talent for the future. Crouse joins a young core and impressive prospect pool in Arizona, which includes his world-junior teammates Max Domi and Anthony Duclair, plus fellow OHLers Dylan Strome, Christian Dvorak, Brendan Perlini, Ryan MacInnis and Christian Fischer. Those are just the forwards with top-six NHL potential.

Chayka also swung draft-weekend deals for a couple of elite defencemen out the OHL in Jakob Chychrun and Anthony DeAngelo, who graduated as the CHL defenceman of the year in 2015.

Rowe made some moves to shore up Florida’s defence too, signing Keith Yandle and Jason Demers and acquiring Mark Pysyk, but Chayka has been winning me over with every move he makes, including this trade for Crouse.

If only Chris Pronger and Pavel Datsyuk were in their prime and not retired, that Coyotes’ roster would be ready to contend right now, but the future is definitely bright for Arizona and Chayka certainly deserves a lot of the credit.

Speaking of suspect roster decisions, how about Team Canada’s injury replacements for the World Cup? Jamie Benn out, Logan Couture in over Taylor Hall. Duncan Keith out, Jay Bouwmeester in over the likes of P.K. Subban, Kris Letang, Mark Giordano and Brent Seabrook. Were you surprised by those selections? Would you have gone in a different direction?

HEDLEY-NOBLE: I don’t have too much of a problem with Couture over Hall. They’re both great forwards capable of playing big minutes. Perhaps Canada went with the more physical Couture this time, that’s all. I’m not saying I would have made the same decision, because I’m a big fan of Hall’s game, but I can see why Couture would be an attractive option.

The roster move that did have me puzzled was Bouwmeester over several others like Subban and Letang as you mentioned. Subban/Letang would have been at the tippy-top of my list, and Seabrook would also be ahead of Bouwmeester as well. But, as I am not in charge of Team Canada, nor do I have any real say in their decision-making process, I’ll just have to let it go!

I was a big Bouwmeester fan when he was a Florida Panther, but since his moves to Calgary and St. Louis, he hasn’t quite been the same player or reached that next level.

If Canada falters, this topic of suspect roster decisions will surely be brought up again!

Poll Time: Who should have replaced Duncan Keith on Team Canada for the World Cup? #WorldCupOfHockey #NHL #THW

— Facing Off (@FacingOff_THW) August 25, 2016

FISHER: I’ll start by going to bat for my boy, Hall. He’s played a key role in Canada capturing back-to-back golds at the world championship tournament and he actually plays left wing — the position that needed filling when Benn bowed out. Couture is a centre for San Jose, albeit left-shooting, and has never represented Canada internationally before — aside from the under-18s way back in 2007.

Couture was firing on all cylinders in this year’s playoffs, but he was also accusing Sidney Crosby of cheating in the Stanley Cup Final, so there could be some lingering animosity between those foes turned teammates. Conversely, Hall and Crosby were buddy-buddy and even linemates in winning worlds two years ago.

Sure, there is a risk factor with Hall’s game — similar to Subban — and he might not be the most reliable or consistent defensively, but Hall’s speed could have been an asset on a roster of bigger, slower forwards for the most part.

Couture wasn’t a bad choice — Bouwmeester was, more on him momentarily — but all I’m saying is that if I’m Hall, I wouldn’t be answering the call for Hockey Canada after this season if the Devils don’t make playoffs. I’d be icing my millions on a beach somewhere instead.

Logan Couture got added to Team Canada over Taylor Hall? Might start cheering for Latvia internationally.

— Matt Barwick (@therealfoz) August 23, 2016

The Bouwmeester decision was more baffling — some would argue indefensible — and I don’t agree with it, though I do understand the rationale. There’s no doubt that Bouwmeester is an inferior talent in comparison to Subban, Letang and at least a dozen other Canadian-born defencemen not on the World Cup roster, but Bouwmeester had a few things working in his favour.

For one, Bouwmeester already has established chemistry with Alex Pietrangelo, having played together at times for the Blues and for Canada in the past. He’s also left-handed, which means the moon to Canada’s coach, Mike Babcock, who is adamant about the importance of left-right pairings. Lastly, a little bit of loyalty likely won out for Bouwmeester over fellow lefties like Mark Giordano, who doesn’t have as much history with Hockey Canada.

Bouwmeester has won eight medals, including four gold, with the Maple Leaf on his chest — to Giordano’s none — so that may have been the deciding factor, albeit a double standard going back to Hall. I’m not one to push for Flames, past or present, but if Babcock wasn’t budging on bringing another righty into the fold, I would have gone with Giordano or even his Calgary teammate T.J. Brodie before Bouwmeester. Personally, I wouldn’t have been able to overlook Subban again.

Thoughts on Jiri Hudler to the Stars? Is that a good fit for him? Does that addition make Dallas the favourite to win the Central Division again? Or would the Stars have been better off spending that $2 million on another veteran blueliner like Dennis Seidenberg or Kyle Quincey? Or bringing back Kris Russell? Can Dallas succeed with its current depth on defence and mediocre goaltending?

(Andy Martin Jr.)
Jiri Hudler had his ups and downs in a Calgary Flames jersey, and it’s debatable what he’ll do for the Dallas Stars on a one-year deal. Hudler, at 32, could be nearing the end of his career or just getting going again.

HEDLEY-NOBLE: No, I don’t think Hudler is one of their “missing pieces” whatsoever. He was MIA in Florida, pun intended, and no it absolutely does not make the Stars the Central Division favorites.

I don’t know why Dallas didn’t address its defensive holes. There was no real questioning the offense, and adding an aging Hudler doesn’t put the Stars over the top at all.

They need help on defense, and in net they have two good goalies with aging potential to be really good on their day. The problem is that tandem of Kari Lehtonen and Antti Niemi didn’t work out so well, in fact it was a disaster. They’re not nearly consistent enough, and if that continues this season, the Stars are in for a rough one.

Like I said before, offense isn’t the problem and they have some talented young guys to work into the lineup, which is also why I was scratching my head at the Hudler signing. But maybe Dallas figures it can beat the opposition 5-4 most nights. Screw defense and goaltending! Sorry, I just don’t see that happening again.

I think the Stars will make the playoffs for sure, but take a step back when it comes to being Central Division champs. One of Lehtonen or Niemi needs to step up in a big way for the Stars to enjoy similar success to last season.

FISHER: I like this signing significantly more than Sebastian, but I still don’t think Hudler should have been a priority for the Stars. Trading for Ben Bishop or Marc-Andre Fleury should have been topping Jim Nill’s to-do list — and still should be. Any of those aforementioned defencemen would have bolstered the Stars’ young, bound to be mistake-prone blue line too. If that’s the defence Dallas is running, it’s going to need a better goalie sooner or later.

In saying that, I can see how it would have been hard to pass up a skilled forward like Hudler for a $2-million bargain. Going back to July 1, I don’t think anybody would have been surprised or overly critical of a team signing Hudler for, say, three years and $9, maybe $12 or even $15 million — as in $3 to $5 million annually. Granted, it did look like Hudler lost a step last season, but the year before he scored a career-high 31 goals and 76 points and was among the league’s most productive players at even strength.

When Jiri Hudler has a nice 50-55 point season, you'll be wondering why your team didn't cough up 2M to sign him. #Stars

— Brennan Klak (@nhlupdate) August 24, 2016

Nill and the Stars are taking a low-risk, high-reward gamble on Hudler’s ability to bounce back, and if he doesn’t for whatever reason, it’s not like Dallas is deeply invested or lacking firepower up front without him. Hudler can just sort of come in and do his thing, much like Ales Hemsky has done there the last couple seasons. They could be linemates and I could totally see them clicking, thus rebounding.

The Stars do seem to be loading up with the intention of rolling four scoring lines this season. As of today, Dallas’ depth chart could look something like this:

Benn-Seguin-Sharp

Janmark-Spezza-Nichushkin

Hudler-Faksa-Hemsky

Roussel-Eakin-Eaves/Ritchie

If I’m a Stars’ fan, sure, sign me up for that. Let’s run-and-gun and win those 5-4 games Sebastian was talking about. I don’t know if that roster, as a whole — including defence and goaltending — is constructed to win a Stanley Cup, but it’s built to entertain and should be successful in the regular season again. I wouldn’t bet against Dallas winning another division banner, even without addressing its glaring weaknesses.

Alexander Radulov, boom or bust with the Canadiens? Who lasts longer in Montreal, Radulov or head coach Michel Therrien? Do you like how that roster is shaping up?

(Jeanine Leech/Icon SMI)
Alexander Radulov left Nashville on a low note — showing up hungover to a playoff game was no laughing matter. But he’s been all smiles since arriving in Montreal and having just turned 30 years old, Radulov is still capable of being an impact player if he’s taking this second chance seriously.

HEDLEY-NOBLE: I really have no idea what to expect from Radulov, and I don’t think a lot of other people do either, especially the younger fans who didn’t get to see him before he went to the KHL.

He’s an amazingly gifted hockey player but, as everyone knows, has his off-ice issues which have been well-documented, but some of which can be over-exaggerated. I loved watching him as a Nashville Predator, that I can say for certain.

So to answer the first part, Radulov could end up at either end of the boom or bust spectrum. He’ll be the Canadiens’ best forward or end up being scratched for whatever reason. We won’t know until some pucks are dropped.

As for who lasts longer, Radulov or Therrien, I’d say Therrien goes before Radulov. If the team stumbles out of the gates, Therrien will be blamed, not Radulov — unless, of course, some off-ice incidents occur! It should be very interesting to keep an eye on things in Montreal.

When it comes to the Habs’ roster, I love the addition of Andrew Shaw — him and Brendan Gallagher will be a pain in the ass for opponents on a game-by-game basis. However, beyond their top-six forwards, I don’t see much depth, which is a big problem in today’s game. But their defense looks solid, and we all know about Carey Price and his abilities.

A lot of Montreal’s success this season will depend on Radulov and whether he can consistently bring his excellent skill to one of the biggest and harshest hockey environments in the world. Oh, and a healthy Price would be much welcomed I’m sure.

Simple question: Alex Radulov in Montreal — boom or bust? #Canadiens #gohabsgo #NHL #THW

— Facing Off (@FacingOff_THW) August 28, 2016

FISHER: I guess we probably should have defined “boom” and “bust” a little better. Let’s say 20-plus goals and/or 50-plus points classifies as a boom. Think Alex Semin 2.0 for the bust side of things. Like Sebastian, I’m clueless on what to expect from Radulov — the guy’s a total wild-card — but I’m not going to totally dodge the question either.

Providing he stays healthy, and assuming Shea Weber and Andrei Markov can keep him in line, I like Radulov’s potential for a “boom” season. He’s always had the skill to put up numbers and he seems more mature and motivated to make amends for his past missteps — then again, so did Semin. Anything could happen, and Montreal has some pretty appealing strip clubs (so I’ve heard), but Radulov is claiming to be a family man committed to winning this time around.

(The Associated Press)
Michel Therrien managed to keep his job — and thus his whistle — despite Montreal’s disappointing season, but the bench boss will presumably be on a short leash in 2016-17, possibly a shorter leash than Radulov.

Time will tell whether that’s talk or truth, and Therrien will obviously have a hand in Radulov’s success or lack thereof. From the outside looking in, it appeared as though Therrien failed Semin as much as Semin failed the Canadiens last season, so hopefully the coach learned a lesson and loosens the reins on Montreal’s latest Russian experiment. If Therrien is too hard on Radulov and he doesn’t respond or decides to pack up and go home again, that would be a big blow for the team and could be the final straw for Therrien too. Radulov will have to play within club rules like everybody else but may need a little leeway in getting accustomed to the North American game again. A patient approach could pay dividends come the second half of the season.

At the end of the day, Radulov is no Price. Radulov won’t be saving the day, nor will Weber or Shaw or anybody but Price. There is a reason that Price won the Hart Trophy two years ago and that’s because the Habs go as he goes. He’s absolutely their MVP. Price claims to be feeling like his “old self” again and we’ll see whether he’s returned to form at the upcoming World Cup. If Price is at the top of his game, I do like the Canadiens’ playoff chances and I actually predicted them to finish second in the Atlantic Division based on that premise. They are a team that — like Radulov — could go either way, but Marc Bergevin wasn’t afraid of making bold changes this offseason and we’ll find out soon enough whether those moves, including Radulov, were for better or worse.

BONUS TOPIC

Why should hockey fans and people in general look forward to the new documentary, Ice Guardians?

HEDLEY-NOBLE: Well it’s pretty simple really, this is uncharted territory when it comes to the subject matter. Ice Guardians tells the different stories of the enforcer throughout the years in the NHL straight from their mouths. No bias one way or the other. You’ll be seeing all sorts of players in the movie — from different eras of hockey — talk about their experiences, so you’re getting the whole history with this film.

They were able to put together so many greats of the game, from true enforcers to superstars. Players like Wendel Clark, Dave Schultz, Brett Hull, Chris Chelios, Jarome Iginla, Todd Fedoruk, Scott Parker, Dave Semenko, Rob Ray, Brian McGrattan and many more! I interviewed the man behind the magic, Adam Scorgie, and will have my story with him out in a couple of days right here on The Hockey Writers. Stay tuned for that!

FISHER: I’m pumped for that, both Sebastian’s story and the actual movie. Scorgie is a local boy, from Kelowna, and he’s doing a bang-up job promoting his latest work ahead of its world premiere at the Toronto Film Festival on Sept. 12. He’ll be doing a red-carpet showing here in Kelowna on Sept. 29 as well — with several of those famed scrappers in attendance — and Ice Guardians will make its television debut on the Super Channel on Oct. 8. You won’t want to miss it.

This documentary isn’t glorifying, nor shaming fighting in hockey. It is humanizing those who drop the gloves for a living and giving them a well-deserved, long-overdue voice. I’ve met many of the enforcers featured in this film — I’ve even shared a dressing room with Semenko and Clark Gillies at Bob Bourne’s Fantasy Greats Hockey Camp a few years back — and I can vouch for them being stand-up guys as opposed to standoffish. Intimidation is a big part of their job and you’d expect them to have alpha-male, bully-type demeanors, but off the ice they all seem to be the biggest teddy bears with the wildest senses of humour and the best stories. So I can’t wait to hear them tell it like it is.

Who won this round of Facing Off? Feel free to weigh-in with your opinions in the comments below. We will be checking in periodically to both defend and expand on our initial answers. If you want to see us face-off over a topic, we’re open to suggestions as well.

The “Summer of Change” in Sunrise isn’t over yet: Last week, the Florida Panthers traded injured center Dave Bolland to the Arizona Coyotes. The cost of unloading Bolland’s boat-anchor contract (another three years at $5.5 million per) was Florida’s 2015 first round draft pick, Lawson Crouse.

In exchange for Bolland and Crouse, the Panthers received a third-round draft pick in 2017 (either Detroit’s or Arizona’s; whichever is higher) and a conditional third round pick in 2018 (it becomes a second round selection if Crouse plays at least 10 NHL games in 2016-17 or if Arizona trades him).

While most of the Panthers moves this summer garnered positive reviews, the inclusion of Crouse in last week’s deal with the Coyotes met with some skepticism:

Not a great trade ….. Crouse is too valuable

— Panthers Facebook (@PanthersFBK) August 26, 2016

Why would Florida trade Lawson Crouse?

— Thank You P.K. (@ADiraimondo91) August 26, 2016

Why did the deal have to go down now, and why was Crouse dealt? One question is easier to answer than the other.

Why Now?

The oft-injured Dave Bolland is now an Arizona Coyote. (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)

Prior to the trade, Florida had $4,329,167 in cap space and 14 forwards (Bolland included), seven defensemen and three goalies under contract. All indications are that Bolland won’t play this season, so the Panthers could’ve simply placed him on Long-Term Injured Reserve. Because of the way LTIR rules are structured, though, the team would receive little benefit from doing so, if any.

The veteran center was dealt to Arizona with both short- and long-term considerations in mind. This season, the newly-created cap space (currently $9,829,167) gives Florida flexibility to add a player or two between now and the trade deadline, if necessary.

Next summer, that cap space will come in handy when contract extensions for Aaron Ekblad, Reilly Smith and Derek MacKenzie kick in and pending RFA Jonathan Huberdeau gets a raise. Panthers management likely had 2017 in mind when they dealt Bolland last week. Factoring in raises for the aforementioned players, Florida GM Tom Rowe and Co. must’ve realized that moving Bolland now could mean the difference between pursuing quality, veteran free agents and filling roster openings with raw prospects next year.

One more consideration was likely a key factor in making the trade now: Very few teams could swallow Bolland’s $5.5 million cap hit whole, and Florida wasn’t the only club looking to unload a bad contract (see Girardi, Dan or Lupul, Joffrey) or otherwise clear cap space. Such maneuvers are essentially a game of musical chairs, and the Panthers found their seat first. In doing so, the Cats all but eliminated the Coyotes as a trade partner for the Rangers, Maple Leafs or anyone else in a similar bind.

Why Lawson Crouse?

Did Arizona ask for Nick Bjugstad before “settling” for Lawson Crouse? (Robert Mayer-USA TODAY Sports)

While the need to move Bolland was clear, the inclusion of Crouse in the deal was less so. The hulking (6’4″, 210 lbs.) winger, touted as the “total package of size, skill and speed,” was Florida’s first-round pick just last summer. Why would they give up on him so quickly?

Because details of trade negotiations rarely leak, we can only speculate as to the back-and-forth between Florida and Arizona. Given the Coyotes weakness down the middle of the ice, I’d be shocked if their initial ask wasn’t for either Vincent Trocheck or Nick Bjugstad. Assuming that happened, credit Panthers management for refusing to part with either of those key players, as the loss would have a major impact on the club’s playoff hopes.

The trade of Bryan Bickell and Teuvo Teravainen to the Carolina Hurricanes back in June set the market price for moving unwanted contracts. Considering the difference between Bickell’s and Bolland’s contracts (one year at $4 million vs. three years at $5.5 million per), sending Crouse to the Coyotes was a bargain for the Panthers.

The deal could prove even sweeter, depending on Crouse’s development. Some concerns were voiced about Crouse’s production at the major junior level. The prospect didn’t do himself any favors at Florida’s development camp, either:

Lawson Crouse didn’t stand out at develop. camp last month.I think Dryden Hunt,Jayce Hawryluk and Kyle Rau are more NHL ready. #flapanthers

— Harvey Fialkov (@hfialkov) August 25, 2016

It’s important to remember, though, that Crouse is only 19. While he’s already NHL-sized, he’s still maturing, both mentally and skill-wise. Crouse could turn out to be the next Rick Nash. Statistically speaking, however, he’s more likely to be the next Jimmy Hayes. If you were Tom Rowe and facing the potential choice of re-signing Huberdeau or keeping “the next Jimmy Hayes,” what would you do?

Facing Off is a weekly column debating five of hockey’s hottest topics each and every Monday. From current events like trades and hat tricks to bigger-picture stuff like scandals and expansion — you name it, we’re debating it. Albeit, not always with a serious tone. We’re keeping this column light, so keep that in mind when reading, and feel free to join in on the fun by leaving a comment. Follow us on Twitter (@FacingOff_THW) and get in on the debate there too.

Clearly, the hockey season is getting closer.

That’s evidenced by the full slate of legit topics to debate this week. So full that Brandon Pirri’s signing with the Rangers didn’t move the needle nearly as much as Jimmy Vesey’s the week before. Pirri may prove to be the more productive player between the two, but by adding both to the fold, the Rangers are making me rethink my offseason standings predictions from earlier this month that left them out of the playoff picture. I’ll probably have to find a way to get them back in — likely replacing the Blue Jackets or possibly the Islanders — for my preseason predictions in October.

For now, we’ll focus on the present and welcome back Sebastian Hedley-Noble, one of our Facing Off regulars who covers the Colorado Avalanche and Florida Panthers for THW. Those teams were both making headlines over the past week, so we’ll start there.

Jared Bednar, are you a fan of that hire for the Avs? If not, who was your top choice of the rumoured candidates? Or are you a believer that anybody would have been better than another season of Patrick Roy? Could this coaching change be a blessing for Colorado? Can the Avs make the playoffs under Bednar?

HEDLEY-NOBLE: I am a fan of hiring Bednar as head coach. I was leaning specifically towards Kevin Dineen, but I trust Joe Sakic with this decision 100 per cent and am pretty excited for the future under Bednar. I never thought of the coaching hire as “anyone will be better than Patrick Roy” because I liked Roy, the players liked Roy, and he has a winning track record. But I was getting very frustrated with the lack of system and structure in place, especially when it came to the defensive zone. So I was actually more worried than anything, but it seems to have ended up well for Colorado in the end.

Everything I hear about Bednar is positive, most notably his two championships he’s won in two different leagues, the most recent being the Calder Cup with the Lake Erie Monsters (now Cleveland Monsters). He also has a winning record everywhere he’s been. What I am really excited for is to see his supportive system in action. Everyone I’ve spoken to about Bednar have the same answer concerning his style of play. That his style would be fast-paced, north-south hockey, with support in each zone, and that will fit right in with the Avalanche players, and what they need frankly. It’s an exciting style too, so there won’t be any worry of the Avalanche turning into a boring team! Thankfully that’s never really been the case in Colorado.

As far as the playoffs are concerned, I was in the optimistic camp, saying that even under another season with Roy, the Avs should be in the playoffs. Now it seems like many more see that as an actual possibility with the Bednar hire, and I’m right there with them. The Avalanche have bucket loads of talent, so if Bednar can get the best of them and instill a solid defensive system, this team will be very dangerous going forward. I could definitely see them battling for one of the wild-card positions this season.

FISHER: Me too! Many, myself included, believe Roy was holding the Avs back and it’ll be interesting to see whether Bednar can push them forward and perhaps into the postseason. That Central Division is stacked top to bottom and I had Colorado bringing up the rear in my offseason standings predictions — only ahead of the Vancouver Canucks in the Western Conference basement — so Bednar is taking on quite the challenge. I do like his chances for at least marginal improvement on last season’s 82-point, ninth-place finish, though it’ll probably take 90 points to make the playoffs and that will be easier said than done.

Like Sebastian, Bednar wasn’t my first choice. In fact, he wasn’t even among the dozen names I rattled off as potential candidates right after Roy resigned. I honestly thought Ralph Krueger could have been a good fit for Colorado, and I still think it’s only a matter of time until he gets another opportunity if he wants one. Another former Oilers coach, Todd Nelson, was also on my shortlist, along with Travis Green, the Canucks’ farm hand who apparently did get an interview but wasn’t among the finalists. Nor was Bob Hartley, which was a bit of a surprise considering he coached the Avalanche to the 2001 Stanley Cup and was familiar with the Western Conference from his recent tenure with the Calgary Flames. Dineen did make the final three — along with Washington Capitals assistant coach Lane Lambert — and would have brought more experience than Bednar but, again like Sebastian, I’m becoming a fan of this hire.

Bednar should have been on my radar to begin with. He was, after all, the most successful minor-league coach last season. Not to mention he’s a good ol’ Saskatchewan boy like myself. I really should have been rooting for him, and now that he’s got the job, I’m hoping he does well in Colorado. I do think Bednar has his work cut out for him as a rookie head coach taking over a team that lacked in structure and systems. I don’t think Bednar will work miracles the way Mike Sullivan did in Pittsburgh, but with the right game plan — an actual game plan — the Avs should be trending in the right direction this season. This was easily their best move of the offseason, even if Sakic didn’t initiate it.

The Panthers gave up on Lawson Crouse, giving him away to the Coyotes as a means of getting rid of Dave Bolland’s contract. Smart move or stupid move? Who has been more impressive as a rookie GM, Tom Rowe in Florida or John Chayka in Arizona?

(Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports)
The Panthers were obviously high on Lawson Crouse just over a year ago, selecting him 11th overall in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft. It’s worth noting, though, that Scott Luce (right) was responsible for that pick and he’s no longer in the organization but has since been hired as scouting director for the Las Vegas franchise.

HEDLEY-NOBLE: I think it was a smart move for sure to move Bolland and that hockey-god awful contract to clear up some important cap space moving forward. On the other hand, Crouse IS a promising youngster, but you have to give in order to get.

Looking at the Panthers’ left-wing depth, Crouse seemed to be a valuable piece — their best piece actually — however with the acquisition of Jared McCann, they obviously felt Crouse was expendable. I didn’t agree, because after McCann (who also plays center), their left-wing depth is pretty thin.

Time will tell if that was a good move but, for now, it is a solid deal for both the Panthers and Coyotes.

The more impressive of the two rookie GMs for me is absolutely Chayka. He’s 27 years old and already the GM of an NHL franchise! Are you kidding me!? I flipped out when I initially heard the news of his hiring, though after watching his moves during the draft and this off-season, now I’m thinking the rest of the NHL better watch out for this youngin’!

FISHER: I’m withholding judgment on the trade for the time being, waiting to see how Florida plans to utilize this newfound cap space. With Bolland’s $5.5-million salary off the books, the Panthers could plug another hole or potentially two in their roster, with those impending additions essentially factoring into the return.

As it stands, and if Florida stands pat for some reason, without making any more moves between now and the start of the regular season, I’d be tempted to say stupid move. When the trade was announced, it was shocking, but I assumed the Panthers pulled the trigger on Crouse because they already had another deal in the works to get a more experienced, more expensive power-forward type. So far, that hasn’t come to fruition and I’m not sure it will. This might simply be addition by subtraction for Florida, but throwing in Crouse doesn’t seem very smart if you ask me. He possesses a rare package of size and skill, the type of player that doesn’t grow on trees.

Bolland was an anchor — and still has three years remaining on his contract — but as long as he stays on the long-term injured reserve, his cap hit wouldn’t have counted anyway. Arizona has come out and said Bolland is a long way from returning, which makes this trade look like Crouse — the 11th overall selection in 2015 — for two draft picks outside the top 30. That might be telling into what Florida’s new GM and overhauled scouting staff really thinks of Crouse’s upside. It may be more of an indictment of Crouse than Bolland, believe it or not.

(THW file photo)
John Chayka might look wet behind the ears and half the age of most his managerial peers, but the Arizona Coyotes’ GM has been getting a passing grade for his moves to date.

Nevertheless, Chayka and the Coyotes are stockpiling some serious talent for the future. Crouse joins a young core and impressive prospect pool in Arizona, which includes his world-junior teammates Max Domi and Anthony Duclair, plus fellow OHLers Dylan Strome, Christian Dvorak, Brendan Perlini, Ryan MacInnis and Christian Fischer. Those are just the forwards with top-six NHL potential.

Chayka also swung draft-weekend deals for a couple of elite defencemen out the OHL in Jakob Chychrun and Anthony DeAngelo, who graduated as the CHL defenceman of the year in 2015.

Rowe made some moves to shore up Florida’s defence too, signing Keith Yandle and Jason Demers and acquiring Mark Pysyk, but Chayka has been winning me over with every move he makes, including this trade for Crouse.

If only Chris Pronger and Pavel Datsyuk were in their prime and not retired, that Coyotes’ roster would be ready to contend right now, but the future is definitely bright for Arizona and Chayka certainly deserves a lot of the credit.

Speaking of suspect roster decisions, how about Team Canada’s injury replacements for the World Cup? Jamie Benn out, Logan Couture in over Taylor Hall. Duncan Keith out, Jay Bouwmeester in over the likes of P.K. Subban, Kris Letang, Mark Giordano and Brent Seabrook. Were you surprised by those selections? Would you have gone in a different direction?

HEDLEY-NOBLE: I don’t have too much of a problem with Couture over Hall. They’re both great forwards capable of playing big minutes. Perhaps Canada went with the more physical Couture this time, that’s all. I’m not saying I would have made the same decision, because I’m a big fan of Hall’s game, but I can see why Couture would be an attractive option.

The roster move that did have me puzzled was Bouwmeester over several others like Subban and Letang as you mentioned. Subban/Letang would have been at the tippy-top of my list, and Seabrook would also be ahead of Bouwmeester as well. But, as I am not in charge of Team Canada, nor do I have any real say in their decision-making process, I’ll just have to let it go!

I was a big Bouwmeester fan when he was a Florida Panther, but since his moves to Calgary and St. Louis, he hasn’t quite been the same player or reached that next level.

If Canada falters, this topic of suspect roster decisions will surely be brought up again!

Poll Time: Who should have replaced Duncan Keith on Team Canada for the World Cup? #WorldCupOfHockey #NHL #THW

— Facing Off (@FacingOff_THW) August 25, 2016

FISHER: I’ll start by going to bat for my boy, Hall. He’s played a key role in Canada capturing back-to-back golds at the world championship tournament and he actually plays left wing — the position that needed filling when Benn bowed out. Couture is a centre for San Jose, albeit left-shooting, and has never represented Canada internationally before — aside from the under-18s way back in 2007.

Couture was firing on all cylinders in this year’s playoffs, but he was also accusing Sidney Crosby of cheating in the Stanley Cup Final, so there could be some lingering animosity between those foes turned teammates. Conversely, Hall and Crosby were buddy-buddy and even linemates in winning worlds two years ago.

Sure, there is a risk factor with Hall’s game — similar to Subban — and he might not be the most reliable or consistent defensively, but Hall’s speed could have been an asset on a roster of bigger, slower forwards for the most part.

Couture wasn’t a bad choice — Bouwmeester was, more on him momentarily — but all I’m saying is that if I’m Hall, I wouldn’t be answering the call for Hockey Canada after this season if the Devils don’t make playoffs. I’d be icing my millions on a beach somewhere instead.

Logan Couture got added to Team Canada over Taylor Hall? Might start cheering for Latvia internationally.

— Matt Barwick (@therealfoz) August 23, 2016

The Bouwmeester decision was more baffling — some would argue indefensible — and I don’t agree with it, though I do understand the rationale. There’s no doubt that Bouwmeester is an inferior talent in comparison to Subban, Letang and at least a dozen other Canadian-born defencemen not on the World Cup roster, but Bouwmeester had a few things working in his favour.

For one, Bouwmeester already has established chemistry with Alex Pietrangelo, having played together at times for the Blues and for Canada in the past. He’s also left-handed, which means the moon to Canada’s coach, Mike Babcock, who is adamant about the importance of left-right pairings. Lastly, a little bit of loyalty likely won out for Bouwmeester over fellow lefties like Mark Giordano, who doesn’t have as much history with Hockey Canada.

Bouwmeester has won eight medals, including four gold, with the Maple Leaf on his chest — to Giordano’s none — so that may have been the deciding factor, albeit a double standard going back to Hall. I’m not one to push for Flames, past or present, but if Babcock wasn’t budging on bringing another righty into the fold, I would have gone with Giordano or even his Calgary teammate T.J. Brodie before Bouwmeester. Personally, I wouldn’t have been able to overlook Subban again.

Thoughts on Jiri Hudler to the Stars? Is that a good fit for him? Does that addition make Dallas the favourite to win the Central Division again? Or would the Stars have been better off spending that $2 million on another veteran blueliner like Dennis Seidenberg or Kyle Quincey? Or bringing back Kris Russell? Can Dallas succeed with its current depth on defence and mediocre goaltending?

(Andy Martin Jr.)
Jiri Hudler had his ups and downs in a Calgary Flames jersey, and it’s debatable what he’ll do for the Dallas Stars on a one-year deal. Hudler, at 32, could be nearing the end of his career or just getting going again.

HEDLEY-NOBLE: No, I don’t think Hudler is one of their “missing pieces” whatsoever. He was MIA in Florida, pun intended, and no it absolutely does not make the Stars the Central Division favorites.

I don’t know why Dallas didn’t address its defensive holes. There was no real questioning the offense, and adding an aging Hudler doesn’t put the Stars over the top at all.

They need help on defense, and in net they have two good goalies with aging potential to be really good on their day. The problem is that tandem of Kari Lehtonen and Antti Niemi didn’t work out so well, in fact it was a disaster. They’re not nearly consistent enough, and if that continues this season, the Stars are in for a rough one.

Like I said before, offense isn’t the problem and they have some talented young guys to work into the lineup, which is also why I was scratching my head at the Hudler signing. But maybe Dallas figures it can beat the opposition 5-4 most nights. Screw defense and goaltending! Sorry, I just don’t see that happening again.

I think the Stars will make the playoffs for sure, but take a step back when it comes to being Central Division champs. One of Lehtonen or Niemi needs to step up in a big way for the Stars to enjoy similar success to last season.

FISHER: I like this signing significantly more than Sebastian, but I still don’t think Hudler should have been a priority for the Stars. Trading for Ben Bishop or Marc-Andre Fleury should have been topping Jim Nill’s to-do list — and still should be. Any of those aforementioned defencemen would have bolstered the Stars’ young, bound to be mistake-prone blue line too. If that’s the defence Dallas is running, it’s going to need a better goalie sooner or later.

In saying that, I can see how it would have been hard to pass up a skilled forward like Hudler for a $2-million bargain. Going back to July 1, I don’t think anybody would have been surprised or overly critical of a team signing Hudler for, say, three years and $9, maybe $12 or even $15 million — as in $3 to $5 million annually. Granted, it did look like Hudler lost a step last season, but the year before he scored a career-high 31 goals and 76 points and was among the league’s most productive players at even strength.

When Jiri Hudler has a nice 50-55 point season, you'll be wondering why your team didn't cough up 2M to sign him. #Stars

— Brennan Klak (@nhlupdate) August 24, 2016

Nill and the Stars are taking a low-risk, high-reward gamble on Hudler’s ability to bounce back, and if he doesn’t for whatever reason, it’s not like Dallas is deeply invested or lacking firepower up front without him. Hudler can just sort of come in and do his thing, much like Ales Hemsky has done there the last couple seasons. They could be linemates and I could totally see them clicking, thus rebounding.

The Stars do seem to be loading up with the intention of rolling four scoring lines this season. As of today, Dallas’ depth chart could look something like this:

Benn-Seguin-Sharp

Janmark-Spezza-Nichushkin

Hudler-Faksa-Hemsky

Roussel-Eakin-Eaves/Ritchie

If I’m a Stars’ fan, sure, sign me up for that. Let’s run-and-gun and win those 5-4 games Sebastian was talking about. I don’t know if that roster, as a whole — including defence and goaltending — is constructed to win a Stanley Cup, but it’s built to entertain and should be successful in the regular season again. I wouldn’t bet against Dallas winning another division banner, even without addressing its glaring weaknesses.

Alexander Radulov, boom or bust with the Canadiens? Who lasts longer in Montreal, Radulov or head coach Michel Therrien? Do you like how that roster is shaping up?

(Jeanine Leech/Icon SMI)
Alexander Radulov left Nashville on a low note — showing up hungover to a playoff game was no laughing matter. But he’s been all smiles since arriving in Montreal and having just turned 30 years old, Radulov is still capable of being an impact player if he’s taking this second chance seriously.

HEDLEY-NOBLE: I really have no idea what to expect from Radulov, and I don’t think a lot of other people do either, especially the younger fans who didn’t get to see him before he went to the KHL.

He’s an amazingly gifted hockey player but, as everyone knows, has his off-ice issues which have been well-documented, but some of which can be over-exaggerated. I loved watching him as a Nashville Predator, that I can say for certain.

So to answer the first part, Radulov could end up at either end of the boom or bust spectrum. He’ll be the Canadiens’ best forward or end up being scratched for whatever reason. We won’t know until some pucks are dropped.

As for who lasts longer, Radulov or Therrien, I’d say Therrien goes before Radulov. If the team stumbles out of the gates, Therrien will be blamed, not Radulov — unless, of course, some off-ice incidents occur! It should be very interesting to keep an eye on things in Montreal.

When it comes to the Habs’ roster, I love the addition of Andrew Shaw — him and Brendan Gallagher will be a pain in the ass for opponents on a game-by-game basis. However, beyond their top-six forwards, I don’t see much depth, which is a big problem in today’s game. But their defense looks solid, and we all know about Carey Price and his abilities.

A lot of Montreal’s success this season will depend on Radulov and whether he can consistently bring his excellent skill to one of the biggest and harshest hockey environments in the world. Oh, and a healthy Price would be much welcomed I’m sure.

Simple question: Alex Radulov in Montreal — boom or bust? #Canadiens #gohabsgo #NHL #THW

— Facing Off (@FacingOff_THW) August 28, 2016

FISHER: I guess we probably should have defined “boom” and “bust” a little better. Let’s say 20-plus goals and/or 50-plus points classifies as a boom. Think Alex Semin 2.0 for the bust side of things. Like Sebastian, I’m clueless on what to expect from Radulov — the guy’s a total wild-card — but I’m not going to totally dodge the question either.

Providing he stays healthy, and assuming Shea Weber and Andrei Markov can keep him in line, I like Radulov’s potential for a “boom” season. He’s always had the skill to put up numbers and he seems more mature and motivated to make amends for his past missteps — then again, so did Semin. Anything could happen, and Montreal has some pretty appealing strip clubs (so I’ve heard), but Radulov is claiming to be a family man committed to winning this time around.

(The Associated Press)
Michel Therrien managed to keep his job — and thus his whistle — despite Montreal’s disappointing season, but the bench boss will presumably be on a short leash in 2016-17, possibly a shorter leash than Radulov.

Time will tell whether that’s talk or truth, and Therrien will obviously have a hand in Radulov’s success or lack thereof. From the outside looking in, it appeared as though Therrien failed Semin as much as Semin failed the Canadiens last season, so hopefully the coach learned a lesson and loosens the reins on Montreal’s latest Russian experiment. If Therrien is too hard on Radulov and he doesn’t respond or decides to pack up and go home again, that would be a big blow for the team and could be the final straw for Therrien too. Radulov will have to play within club rules like everybody else but may need a little leeway in getting accustomed to the North American game again. A patient approach could pay dividends come the second half of the season.

At the end of the day, Radulov is no Price. Radulov won’t be saving the day, nor will Weber or Shaw or anybody but Price. There is a reason that Price won the Hart Trophy two years ago and that’s because the Habs go as he goes. He’s absolutely their MVP. Price claims to be feeling like his “old self” again and we’ll see whether he’s returned to form at the upcoming World Cup. If Price is at the top of his game, I do like the Canadiens’ playoff chances and I actually predicted them to finish second in the Atlantic Division based on that premise. They are a team that — like Radulov — could go either way, but Marc Bergevin wasn’t afraid of making bold changes this offseason and we’ll find out soon enough whether those moves, including Radulov, were for better or worse.

BONUS TOPIC

Why should hockey fans and people in general look forward to the new documentary, Ice Guardians?

HEDLEY-NOBLE: Well it’s pretty simple really, this is uncharted territory when it comes to the subject matter. Ice Guardians tells the different stories of the enforcer throughout the years in the NHL straight from their mouths. No bias one way or the other. You’ll be seeing all sorts of players in the movie — from different eras of hockey — talk about their experiences, so you’re getting the whole history with this film.

They were able to put together so many greats of the game, from true enforcers to superstars. Players like Wendel Clark, Dave Schultz, Brett Hull, Chris Chelios, Jarome Iginla, Todd Fedoruk, Scott Parker, Dave Semenko, Rob Ray, Brian McGrattan and many more! I interviewed the man behind the magic, Adam Scorgie, and will have my story with him out in a couple of days right here on The Hockey Writers. Stay tuned for that!

FISHER: I’m pumped for that, both Sebastian’s story and the actual movie. Scorgie is a local boy, from Kelowna, and he’s doing a bang-up job promoting his latest work ahead of its world premiere at the Toronto Film Festival on Sept. 12. He’ll be doing a red-carpet showing here in Kelowna on Sept. 29 as well — with several of those famed scrappers in attendance — and Ice Guardians will make its television debut on the Super Channel on Oct. 8. You won’t want to miss it.

This documentary isn’t glorifying, nor shaming fighting in hockey. It is humanizing those who drop the gloves for a living and giving them a well-deserved, long-overdue voice. I’ve met many of the enforcers featured in this film — I’ve even shared a dressing room with Semenko and Clark Gillies at Bob Bourne’s Fantasy Greats Hockey Camp a few years back — and I can vouch for them being stand-up guys as opposed to standoffish. Intimidation is a big part of their job and you’d expect them to have alpha-male, bully-type demeanors, but off the ice they all seem to be the biggest teddy bears with the wildest senses of humour and the best stories. So I can’t wait to hear them tell it like it is.

Who won this round of Facing Off? Feel free to weigh-in with your opinions in the comments below. We will be checking in periodically to both defend and expand on our initial answers. If you want to see us face-off over a topic, we’re open to suggestions as well.

The “Summer of Change” in Sunrise isn’t over yet: Last week, the Florida Panthers traded injured center Dave Bolland to the Arizona Coyotes. The cost of unloading Bolland’s boat-anchor contract (another three years at $5.5 million per) was Florida’s 2015 first round draft pick, Lawson Crouse.

In exchange for Bolland and Crouse, the Panthers received a third-round draft pick in 2017 (either Detroit’s or Arizona’s; whichever is higher) and a conditional third round pick in 2018 (it becomes a second round selection if Crouse plays at least 10 NHL games in 2016-17 or if Arizona trades him).

While most of the Panthers moves this summer garnered positive reviews, the inclusion of Crouse in last week’s deal with the Coyotes met with some skepticism:

Not a great trade ….. Crouse is too valuable

— Panthers Facebook (@PanthersFBK) August 26, 2016

Why would Florida trade Lawson Crouse?

— Thank You P.K. (@ADiraimondo91) August 26, 2016

Why did the deal have to go down now, and why was Crouse dealt? One question is easier to answer than the other.

Why Now?

The oft-injured Dave Bolland is now an Arizona Coyote. (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)

Prior to the trade, Florida had $4,329,167 in cap space and 14 forwards (Bolland included), seven defensemen and three goalies under contract. All indications are that Bolland won’t play this season, so the Panthers could’ve simply placed him on Long-Term Injured Reserve. Because of the way LTIR rules are structured, though, the team would receive little benefit from doing so, if any.

The veteran center was dealt to Arizona with both short- and long-term considerations in mind. This season, the newly-created cap space (currently $9,829,167) gives Florida flexibility to add a player or two between now and the trade deadline, if necessary.

Next summer, that cap space will come in handy when contract extensions for Aaron Ekblad, Reilly Smith and Derek MacKenzie kick in and pending RFA Jonathan Huberdeau gets a raise. Panthers management likely had 2017 in mind when they dealt Bolland last week. Factoring in raises for the aforementioned players, Florida GM Tom Rowe and Co. must’ve realized that moving Bolland now could mean the difference between pursuing quality, veteran free agents and filling roster openings with raw prospects next year.

One more consideration was likely a key factor in making the trade now: Very few teams could swallow Bolland’s $5.5 million cap hit whole, and Florida wasn’t the only club looking to unload a bad contract (see Girardi, Dan or Lupul, Joffrey) or otherwise clear cap space. Such maneuvers are essentially a game of musical chairs, and the Panthers found their seat first. In doing so, the Cats all but eliminated the Coyotes as a trade partner for the Rangers, Maple Leafs or anyone else in a similar bind.

Why Lawson Crouse?

Did Arizona ask for Nick Bjugstad before “settling” for Lawson Crouse? (Robert Mayer-USA TODAY Sports)

While the need to move Bolland was clear, the inclusion of Crouse in the deal was less so. The hulking (6’4″, 210 lbs.) winger, touted as the “total package of size, skill and speed,” was Florida’s first-round pick just last summer. Why would they give up on him so quickly?

Because details of trade negotiations rarely leak, we can only speculate as to the back-and-forth between Florida and Arizona. Given the Coyotes weakness down the middle of the ice, I’d be shocked if their initial ask wasn’t for either Vincent Trocheck or Nick Bjugstad. Assuming that happened, credit Panthers management for refusing to part with either of those key players, as the loss would have a major impact on the club’s playoff hopes.

The trade of Bryan Bickell and Teuvo Teravainen to the Carolina Hurricanes back in June set the market price for moving unwanted contracts. Considering the difference between Bickell’s and Bolland’s contracts (one year at $4 million vs. three years at $5.5 million per), sending Crouse to the Coyotes was a bargain for the Panthers.

The deal could prove even sweeter, depending on Crouse’s development. Some concerns were voiced about Crouse’s production at the major junior level. The prospect didn’t do himself any favors at Florida’s development camp, either:

Lawson Crouse didn’t stand out at develop. camp last month.I think Dryden Hunt,Jayce Hawryluk and Kyle Rau are more NHL ready. #flapanthers

— Harvey Fialkov (@hfialkov) August 25, 2016

It’s important to remember, though, that Crouse is only 19. While he’s already NHL-sized, he’s still maturing, both mentally and skill-wise. Crouse could turn out to be the next Rick Nash. Statistically speaking, however, he’s more likely to be the next Jimmy Hayes. If you were Tom Rowe and facing the potential choice of re-signing Huberdeau or keeping “the next Jimmy Hayes,” what would you do?