The 2024 NHL All-Star Game
Sportsnet: Elliotte Friedman on 32 Thoughts last night on the 2024 NHL All-Star Game now that there won’t be a World Cup of Hockey in 2024.
** NHLRumors.com transcription
“With the postponement of the 2024 World Cup of Hockey, the NHL needs an All-Star in February of 2024 after we go to Florida this year. I think there is some Canadian interest.
I think one of the suggestions that has kind of been thrown around out there is, should there be a rotation of seven to 10 cities that players would like to go to in the winter. Not sure if the NHL agrees with that. I know it’s been thrown out there.
Like I said, I think there is some Canadian interest. Edmonton’s got a new building. Montreal loves to host events but they just had the draft. But I do wonder about Toronto. I think Toronto is interested Jeff and I think they’re a potential bidder.
Jeff Marek: “I think one of the reasons Toronto makes a lot of sense is, it was supposed to be one of the anchor cities for the World Cup. As you mentioned, there is a feeling around the NHL that after going south, the sunshine is catnip for a lot of players, San Jose, Los Angeles and Florida now, and before that Vegas, might be time to get into some snowy climates.”
Capitals GM on the pending UFA defensemen and their LTIR cap space
Tarik El-Bashir of The Athletic: The Washington Capitals have only one defenseman under contract for next season – John Carlson.
They have pending UFAs in Dmitry Orlov, Nick Jensen, Trevor van Riemsdyk, Erik Gustafsson and Matt Irwin, and pending RFAs in Martin Fehervary and Alexander Alexeyev.
Capitals GM Brian MacLellan wants to watch them a little more before getting into contract extension talks.
“We’ve had I’d classify them as soft discussions with a few, but I think it is important that our team is successful to continue down the same path with the same guys,” he said. “If it is not going the right way, we naturally have to look at changes and we have some flexibility with how we are set up with the salary cap.”
GM MacLellan was asked if he’d consider going the trade route to bring in more offense. He said that with Nicklas Backstrom and Tom on the LTIR and possibly returning soon, it limits what they can do from a salary cap situation.
“It is tough for an LTI team,” MacLellan said, referring to the team’s long-term injury list. “You know, these two are making progress. We have to make room to have them in the lineup (and) to help our team you would have to add a high-end guy, top-six guy but they are $5 million, $6 million. You can’t add that player while you are bringing two guys back from LTI. That’s why we say our top guys have to carry us to that point.”