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Rookie Issue 2024
In our 2024 Rookie Issue, our cover story focuses on two Minnesota freshmen who are making their marks in Year 1: Brock Faber and Marco Rossi. We also take a deep dive into Connor Bedard's game by speaking with his junior coach/GM and a group of pro scouts, and we profile two other sensational rookies: Connor Zary and Dmitri Voronkov. In addition, we look at what's led to the successful start of the PWHL and preview the NHL trade deadline, with breakdowns for all 32 clubs.
PACIFIC DIVISION TRADE DEADLINE PREVIEW
ANAHEIM DUCKS NO ACTIVE ANAHEIM DUCK has more goals since 2017 than ADAM HENRIQUE. But it’s a near certainty the 33-year-old’s days with the franchise are coming to a close this spring. He’s in the final season of a five-year deal with a $5.83 million AAV. Henrique has proven to be a reliable two-way pivot who is strong in the faceoff circle (winning 53 percent of draws since 2017) and productive on the power play (only Cam Fowler has more PP points since 2017). Henrique would be a welcome depth addition to a playoff contender’s center position, and the Ducks could absorb part of his salary. Henrique went to the Cup final as a rookie with New Jersey in 2011-12. Also available as pending UFAs are rugged defenseman Ilya Lyubushkin, checker Sam…
Five Times The NHLPA Snubbed The NHL
THE NHL AND NHL Players’ Association have been at odds at times when it comes to licensing merchandise. Much of this turmoil occurred in the 1990s amid labor disputes. Here are five interesting products that the NHLPA licensed without NHL approval. 1. NHLPA HOCKEY ’93 VIDEO GAME The NHL Hockey video game, released by Electronic Arts in 1991, was licensed by the NHL but not the NHLPA – though not for lack of trying. “I went to Time Warner, who handled licensing for both the league and the players,” said Michael Brook, the game’s producer. “They said they could only give us the NHL license.” NHL Hockey was popular enough to get a sequel, so Brook decided to try the players again. “I went directly to the Players’ Association, and they said…
SECRET CORE
THE 2024 WORLD JUNIOR Championship ended on a sour note for Norway, as the team was relegated to Div. 1A after a 5-4 overtime loss to Germany. And while the Norwegians ended up as the only winless team in this year’s tournament, they weren’t getting stomped out every game. They often punched back on offense. Encouragingly, two of the major contributors to the team’s attack were also two of the youngest players: right winger Michael Brandsegg-Nygard and defenseman Stian Solberg. Both are eligible for the 2024 NHL draft. When you remember that Mats Zuccarello, the best player in Norwegian history, wasn’t drafted, it’s not hard to forecast that Brandsegg-Nygard and Solberg could represent the best Norwegian draft class ever. Admittedly, it’s not a high bar: the most Norwegians ever taken in one…
THE RACE IS NOW ON
COMING INTO THIS SEASON, it was pretty much unanimous that Chicago’s Connor Bedard was going to be one of the major storylines as The Next Big Thing in hockey. The sensational teen was, in the minds of a lot of people, a lock for the Calder Trophy. But that’s the funny thing about the Calder: some of the greatest players of all-time didn’t win it. Sidney Crosby lost out to Alex Ovechkin after both posted stunning 100-plus point rookie years. Wayne Gretzky didn’t win it, but that’s because he’d already played pro hockey in the WHA with Indianapolis and Edmonton before his NHL debut with the Oilers. And Connor McDavid fell short of top-rookie honors after an injury limited him to 45 games (in which he still put up an impressive…