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Poll: Which Non-Playoff Team From The East Will Return In 2024-25?

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The 2024 Stanley Cup playoff picture in the Eastern Conference was similar to 2023 aside from a few changes to the seeding of the eight teams. The only team switch was the Washington Capitals and New Jersey Devils with the former making it in as the final wild-card team in the Conference on the last day of the regular season. The 2024-25 season will bring similar hypotheticals as any new season in which teams will ultimately find themselves in the group of 16.

New Jersey may be the early favorite to return to the playoffs after an impressive summer. The team added a salary-retained Jacob Markstrom in an early-summer swap with the Calgary Flames while handing out big-ticket contracts to Brett Pesce and Brenden Dillon. That trio should help the team dramatically improve upon their 3.43 GA/G (28th) from last season with the offense still as staunch as ever. The only concern that may carry over from last season is the organization’s recurring injury concerns. Only four players are returning from last year that played in 75+ games and New Jersey will need to keep a much healthier lineup if they want another shot at the Stanley Cup.

There has been an informal race throughout the last several years as to which of the Buffalo Sabres, Detroit Red Wings, or Ottawa Senators will return to the playoffs the quickest in the Atlantic Division. Detroit came close last year by tying in points with the Capitals on the final day of the regular season but ultimately losing on the tiebreaker of ’Regulation Wins’. The Sabres made a point to strengthen their bottom six this summer while the Red Wings largely added around the edges. Ottawa made the biggest splash by bringing in goaltender Linus Ullmark in a trade with the Boston Bruins and should have center Joshua Norris around for much of the season.

The Pittsburgh Penguins will be another team to look out for as they’ve missed each of the last two postseasons by a combined four points. None of the other teams in the Eastern Conference have the benefit of deploying Sidney Crosby making Pittsburgh an immediate threat to qualify for the postseason. The Metropolitan Division is arguably the toughest in the NHL but the Penguins could capitalize should other divisional opponents get off to slow starts.

Other teams in the Eastern Conference could make a surprise run to the postseason but the abovementioned group serves as the favorite candidates at this point. Which one of these teams do you think has the best chance of returning in 2025?

Which Non-Playoff Team From The East Will Return In 2024-25?
New Jersey Devils 40.14% (643 votes)
Detroit Red Wings 18.16% (291 votes)
Ottawa Senators 13.23% (212 votes)
Pittsburgh Penguins 12.55% (201 votes)
Buffalo Sabres 12.23% (196 votes)
Other (comment below) 3.68% (59 votes)
Total Votes: 1,602

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Sidney Crosby “Optimistic” Extension Will Be Done Before Season

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Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby told media members in Las Vegas that he is “pretty optimistic” a contract extension will be in place before the start of the regular season as originally reported by Joshua Clipperton of the Canadian Press. Crosby was in town for the NHL/NHLPA Media Tour after it had returned from Europe a few weeks ago.

The quote from Crosby is certainly a different tune on the extension negotiations from only a few days ago when Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported that Crosby was still uncertain about signing an extension altogether. Friedman raised the concern in his original report that Crosby’s competitive nature may be giving him pause about continuing the final years of his Hall-of-Fame career on a retooling Pittsburgh roster. The Penguins organization is rumored to have multiple offers on the table to retain their captain.

It would still not be a major shock to see Crosby enter the 2024-25 regular season without an extension. Crosby has been an MVP-level talent well into his mid-to-late 30s but the Penguins have failed to put a playoff-caliber team around him. Pittsburgh missed out on the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time since Crosby’s rookie season in 2022-23 and again failed last year. Crosby himself has nearly willed the Penguins into the postseason in those two years but the team’s lack of aggression in improving their team may have him considering other options.

On the flipside of the coin; Crosby may have every intention of finishing his career with the only organization he’s ever known despite the team’s on-ice success over the last several years. He has little left to accomplish in his career with three Stanley Cups, two Art Ross Trophies, three Ted Lindsay Awards, two Maurice Richard Trophies, two Conn Smythe Trophies, two Hart Memorial Trophies, and one Mark Messier Leadership Award. He currently sits 10th all-time in scoring in the NHL and could reach second all-time if he continues his torrid scoring pace.

Pittsburgh finished one point back of a playoff spot in the 2022-23 campaign and three points last year which shows one to three more wins throughout the regular season could give Crosby another shot at a Stanley Cup. He has always been known as one of the fiercest competitors in the game and Crosby’s desire to win will ultimately play a large factor on his decision-making over the next few weeks.

Summer Synopsis: Florida Panthers

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The Florida Panthers achieved the ultimate goal earlier this year by winning the franchise’s first Stanley Cup in team history. Like most champions in the salary cap era, the Panthers have their work cut out for them regarding filling out their depth options for the upcoming campaign. The team has done well in keeping most of their core talent together but the negative externalities of the team’s run of success have created some holes further down the lineup.

Draft

2-58: C Linus Eriksson, Djurgårdens IF (HockeyAllsvenskan)
3-97: D Matvei Shuravin, Krasnaya Armiya Moskva (MHL)
4-129: C Simon Zether, Rögle BK (SHL)
6-169: C Stepan Gorbunov, Belye Medvedi Chelyabinsk (MHL)
6-193: F Hunter St. Martin, Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL)
7-201: G Denis Gabdrakhmanov, Tyumenski Legion (MHL)

It was always going to be difficult for Florida to make any noise during the draft due to their lack of draft capital. The organization swung some trades to acquire additional capital but only came away with one player projected to make an impact.

Eriksson is a legitimate NHL prospect after securing a solid season last year with Djurgårdens IF. The young center scored three goals and 11 points in 29 regular season contests and showed a knack for being a physical presence in all three zones. He was a star on the international stage last season scoring seven goals and 22 points in 22 international contests while playing for Sweden’s U18 squad.

Zether is the only other draft pick from the Panthers this summer that could become a fixture in Florida’s future lineup. Zether managed 42 games in the Swedish Hockey League last year while securing four assists. Rögle also kept him around for the playoffs with the team eventually losing in the Finals.

UFA Signings

D Adam Boqvist (one-year, $775K)*
F Jesper Boqvist (one-year, $775K)*
G Chris Driedger (one-year, $795K)
F MacKenzie Entwistle (one-year, $775K)*
F A.J. Greer (two-years, $1.7MM)
D Jaycob Megna (one-year, $775K)*
F Tomas Nosek (one-year, $775K)*
D Nate Schmidt (one-year, $800K)

* denotes a two-way contract

Most of Florida’s available cap space went to Sam Reinhart and his new eight-year, $69 MM contract. The team took a similar approach to last summer to find buy-low bargains on the open market.

The organization hopes that (Adam) Boqvist and Schmidt become a buy-low bargain as the Panthers require help on their blue line. The former is not far removed from being a top defensive prospect but has seen his career hampered by injuries up to this point. He recently scored five goals and 24 points in 46 games for the Columbus Blue Jackets in the 2022-23 NHL season but the team cut him loose after only posting one goal and 10 points in 39 games last year.

Schmidt will probably have a longer leash than Boqvist on the back end due to his lengthy experience and he could even sneak into the team’s top four. Schmidt is a trustworthy defenseman as evidenced by his 50.6% career CorsiFor% and he should be a seamless fit in Florida’s playstyle.

RFA Re-Signings

F Anton Lundell (six-years, $30MM)

Lundell has been a terrific middle-six option for the Panthers since his rookie campaign three years ago. He’s already collected 216 games in Florida with 43 goals and 112 points. He gives the Panthers another offensive player who can carry responsibility in all situations. The young Finnish forward was a major tool in the Panthers capturing their first Stanley Cup earlier this year with three goals and 17 points in 24 postseason contests.

Departures

D Lucas Carlsson (San Jose, two-year, $1.6MM)
F Nick Cousins (Ottawa, one-year, $800K)
D Oliver Ekman-Larsson (Toronto, four-year, $14MM)
D Casey Fitzgerald (NY Rangers, two-year, $1.55MM)*
G Magnus Hellberg (Dallas, one-year, $775K)*
F Ryan Lomberg (Calgary, two-year, $4MM)
D Brandon Montour (Seattle, seven-year, $50MM)
F Kevin Stenlund (Utah, two-year, $4MM)
G Anthony Stolarz (Toronto, two-year, $5MM)
F Vladimir Tarasenko (Detroit, two-year, $9.5MM)

*denotes a two-way contract

It was going to be next to impossible for Florida to keep around all their depth from last season and the team lost quite a bit this summer. The most concerning losses will be Montour and Ekman-Larsson on the blue line as the two combined for 17 goals and 65 points in 146 regular season games. The team still has Gustav Forsling and Aaron Ekblad left to carry the load but the Panthers will need major improvements from other members of their defensive core to replicate that success.

The trio of Cousins, Lomberg, and Stenlund were not game-breakers in their own right but their presence will be missed. That group of forwards gave Florida a certain level of grit last year making them irritating to play against. The team should be able to replicate their tenacity throughout the season and at the trade deadline but it seems like an edge they’re missing headed into this year.

Salary Cap Outlook

The Panthers have a similar situation to last year with only $766K in cap space heading into the regular season. The team will continue to accrue cap space throughout the regular season and should be able to upgrade their roster once the trade deadline rolls around. The team’s core is still intact meaning they won’t need to add any high-level talent via trade this year so they are in a good position to be competitive again. Nex summer could be dramatic as Ekblad, Sam Bennett, and Carter Verhaeghe are expected to reach unrestricted free agency.

Key Questions

Where Will The Physicality Come From? Florida was one of the most physical teams last year with 12 players recording more than 100 hits on the year. Four of those players left via free agency meaning the Panthers will need to supplant the missing toughness. It has become a part of their team identity and a tool for their success. Megna is the only addition from this offseason that could reach 100 hits throughout an entire regular season but this already feels like something the team will need to address at the trade deadline.

What Is The Plan For Spencer Knight? It was not long ago when Knight was one of the most exciting goaltending prospects in the league. He achieved an impressive run during the 2021-22 campaign leading the Panthers to extend him on a three-year, $13.5MM contract. Sergei Bobrovsky took back the reins in a turn of events that eventually led to Knight spending the entirety of last year with the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers. He played well with the Checkers earning a 25-14-5 record in 45 games with a .905 SV% and is projected to play backup for Bobrovsky this season. Still, Knight’s $4.5MM salary is one of the highest in the league for a backup netminder and the cap-strapped Panthers may look to move on from him if they get a reasonable offer.

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Notes On Connor McDavid’s Next Contract

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The Edmonton Oilers got a major piece of work done earlier this week by signing forward Leon Draisaitl to an eight-year, $112MM contract to keep him in Alberta through his age-37 season. They will have to visit a similar situation in a year with captain Connor McDavid as he will be eligible to sign an extension with the Oilers on July 1, 2025.

McDavid may very well break Alex Ovechkin’s record of $124MM total salary on his next deal as the expectation is that he will become the highest-paid player in the league at the very least. The salary cap for the 2025-26 NHL season is expected to land around $92MM which would theoretically allow Edmonton to pay McDavid a maximum of $18.4MM a season. McDavid would only have to receive $15.5MM a year over an eight-year term to match Ovechkin’s record.

It doesn’t sound like McDavid is interested in receiving the maximum 20% of the total cap as he avoided that salary during his last negotiations with the Oilers. On his most recent episode of the ’32 Thoughts’ podcast, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman said, “The story I always heard about Connor McDavid’s last negotiation, Jeff Jackson is now the President of the Oilers, he was the agent at the time, and, you know, one of the things they said was, the maximum any player can be paid at the cap is 20% and at the time, they said, we’re not going to ask for 20% and the Oilers are like, ‘Oh, Thank God.’ And because if he would have asked for 20% they would have paid it. But McDavid wasn’t interested in that“.

McDavid’s desire to win likely plays a part in his avoiding a record-setting salary up to this point. If the former sought the max salary, the Oilers would only have around 65% of their cap space left to put together a competitive team around McDavid and Draisaitl.

As much fun as it would be to see McDavid become an unrestricted free agent in two years, there is no reason to doubt his commitment to Edmonton. All signs are pointing to the Oilers extending McDavid as quickly as they can, especially after making such a strong commitment to Draisaitl. He won’t come cheap though as McDavid will likely become the highest-paid player of all time on his next contract.

Four Teams Have Interest In Mark Giordano

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The Score’s Kyle Cushman wrote that the Buffalo Sabres, Calgary Flames, Edmonton Oilers, and Toronto Maple Leafs have maintained interest in veteran defenseman Mark Giordano. The oldest player in the NHL last year has spurned any interest in retirement and is again looking for an NHL opportunity next year.

He is destined for bottom-pairing responsibilities next year after averaging his lowest average time-on-ice since the 2008-09 season. He’s spent the last two-and-a-half years with the Maple Leafs organization where he’s recorded nine goals and 45 points in 144 games while averaging 18:14 a game.

Calgary represents more of a ’feel good’ landing spot as the other three interested parties have internal expectations of contentions next season. He’s spent 15 years of his career in southern Alberta where he recorded 143 goals and 509 points in 949 games including a Norris Trophy in the 2018-19 season.

He’s seen his possession quality dip in the last several years after finishing the 2023-24 season with a 48.4 CorsiFor% compared to a 53.0% career average. He’s still a formidable bottom-pairing veteran presence and could provide a bonus to any team.

At the end of his career, the expectation is that Giordano will look to maximize his opportunity to win the Stanley Cup which would trim his potential teams down to Edmonton and Toronto. Without needing to shoulder top-level responsibility anymore at this stage in his career; he should have a ready opportunity in both organizations.

Poll: Which Team Is The Best Landing Spot For Cam Fowler?

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Earlier today it came to light that the Anaheim Ducks and long-time cornerstone defenseman Cam Fowler were working on a trade to move Fowler to a new organization. Fowler has spent nearly 1000 games as a member of the Ducks. Still, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman explained that Anaheim wants to give their young blue-liners more opportunity moving forward.

Fowler owns a modified no-trade clause in his current deal which gives him a relative amount of control over where he ends up. Friedman reported that Fowler is willing to edit the list if prompted but there are only a handful of teams with the cap space and the need for a top-four defenseman. One could reasonably assume for various reasons that Fowler likely won’t end up on the Calgary Flames, Columbus Blue Jackets, Chicago Blackhawks, or San Jose Sharks which helps iron out a more concrete list of hypothetical landing spots.

The Winnipeg Jets immediately jump out as a team that could have interest in Fowler as one of Dylan Samberg, Ville Heinola, or Logan Stanley are currently pegged for top-four duties. That trio leaves much to be desired in a top-four role which could lead the Jets to pivot to Fowler. Winnipeg has just under $6MM in cap space with Cole Perfetti the only restricted free agent left to sign. Perfetti shouldn’t eat up too much of the available space which should allow the Jets to comfortably fit Fowler’s contract into the fold for the next two years especially if the Ducks retain some salary off the top.

Utah Hockey Club has already added heavily to their defensive group this summer swinging separate trades for Mikhail Sergachev and John Marino. The team is looking to contend in their first season in Salt Lake City and Fowler would give them a complete blue line. Most lineup predictions have Juuso Valimaki on the second defensive pairing but his inconsistency over the last two seasons may give general manager Bill Armstrong some pause. Utah still owns one of the better prospect pools in the league and would not need Anaheim to retain any salary in a hypothetical trade.

Another team looking to make it back to the playoffs after an eight-year drought is the Detroit Red Wings. The team nearly swung a trade for New York Rangers’ captain Jacob Trouba earlier this summer although he used his no-movement clause to block the deal. The nixed trade for Trouba indicated that the Red Wings are still looking to upgrade their blue line making them an enticing fit for Fowler. The team largely has no reliable options outside of youngster Moritz Seider and Fowler would represent a veteran defenseman who has maintained plenty of responsibility throughout his career as evidenced by his career average of 23:15 time on ice. There is a bit more uncertainty with the Red Wings salary cap picture as they still need to look down Seider, Lucas Raymond, and Jonatan Berggren on new deals.

Fowler and the Ducks organization will inevitably agree on a trade profitable for both sides. It’s uncertain at this time whether a trade will come together relatively quickly or if Fowler will start the 2024-25 season as a member of the Ducks. Will one of the abovementioned teams swing for Fowler or will another team off the board pull the trigger?

Which Team Is The Best Landing Spot For Cam Fowler?
Detroit Red Wings 38.69% (462 votes)
Other (comment below) 25.21% (301 votes)
Utah Hockey Club 18.76% (224 votes)
Winnipeg Jets 17.34% (207 votes)
Total Votes: 1,194

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Snapshots: Ullmark, Morrissey, LeBreton Flats

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According to the team’s general manager, Steve Staios, rumors of extension negotiations between Linus Ullmark and the Ottawa Senators may have been overblown. TSN’s Bruce Garrioch reported that Staios prefers Ullmark get comfortable with the organization before beginning any discussions.

One would surmise that Staios means more comfortability with on-ice and locker-room culture as Ullmark has already proven himself comfortable with the city by purchasing a home near the arena. Ullmark is in the last year of a four-year, $20MM contract signed with the Boston Bruins in 2021 and is transitioning to an organization that doesn’t have a similar recent track record of success.

The Senators are hoping to avoid a contract similar to that of Joonas Korpisalo whom the team signed to a five-year agreement last offseason after one solid year split between the Columbus Blue Jackets and Los Angeles Kings. Ullmark has certainly generated more credibility than Korpisalo but the Senators would still do well by taking their time. The 2022-23 Vezina Trophy winner has all season to determine if he is willing to commit to the Senators organization long-term in what might be his last big payday.

Other happenings around the league:

  • Shawn P. Roarke argued the 2024-25 Norris Trophy winner to be Winnipeg Jets’ defenseman Josh Morrissey in a recent debate on NHL.com. It’s taken nearly seven years for Morrissey to reach his potential but it’s now tough to argue he isn’t one of the league’s top blue-liners. He’s scored 26 goals and 145 points in his last 159 games in Winnipeg including finishing in the top-10 in Norris voting each season. Morrissey has averaged a 91.2 on-ice save percentage in all situations despite his offensive output and has proven exceptional on both sides of the puck.
  • Garrioch reported in a recent article that talks are heating up between the Senators organization and the National Capital Commission for an arena deal at the LeBreton Flats location. Chief executive officer and team president Cyril Leeder recently spoke to season ticket holders saying, “We did meet with the NCC this week and we made a little bit of progress so we’ll see. We’re still talking. As I said last week, we’re hopeful we’ll find common ground, but we’ve got less than three weeks now to get there“. The Senators are certain to be more aggressive leading up to the arbitrary September 20th deadline as they look to build an arena for the first time since 1996.

Pacific Notes: Demko, Silovs, Lekkerimaki, Vladar

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It doesn’t appear that Vancouver Canucks’ president of hockey operations Jim Rutherford is overly confident about the team’s goaltending situation heading into training camp. He recently engaged in an interview with Iain MacIntyre of Sportsnet where the two spoke at length about goaltending and his expectations for the organization in the upcoming season.

It’s already come to light the team is considering Antti Raanta on a professional tryout agreement to serve as a short-term stopgap for the team as they buy time for Thatcher Demko and Arturs Silovs. When asked about his goaltenders Rutherford said,

“As you know, I don’t talk directly about potential injuries or the perception of where players are at (health-wise). I feel good about our goaltending. Where that is for the start of training camp and the start of the season, I don’t even know myself right now. We haven’t even done physicals yet. But I know our goalies are working hard and working towards being ready for the start of the season. As an organization, that’s what we’re hoping for“.

Both regular netminders for Vancouver are dealing with knee injuries that are taking longer than expected to recover from. The team shot out of the gates last season with an 11-3-1 record through their first 15 games which helped propel them to the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time since 2020. The Canucks have a short window to address their goaltending if they hope to start as well as they did last season.

Other Pacific notes:

  • Staying in Vancouver — Dan Rosen of NHL.com recently wrote in a mailbag that Canucks’ prospect Jonathan Lekkerimaki has an outside chance of making the team if he has a strong training camp. Vancouver’s first-round selection of the 2022 NHL Draft recently wrapped up his first season with the SHL’s Örebro HK where he scored 19 goals and 31 points in 46 games; becoming one of Vancouver’s top forward prospects. It will still be difficult for Lekkerimaki to crack the roster despite his strong efforts overseas. The Canucks overhauled their bottom-six this summer which may not be a positive starting point for the offensive-minded Swede.
  • Daniel Vladar of the Calgary Flames is progressing well from offseason hip surgery says TSN’s Salim Nadim Valji. Vladar will be entering the 2024-25 NHL season in an interesting spot as the Flames don’t have a concrete direction this season in between the pipes. Calgary is expected to name Dustin Wolf their starter this year but could pivot to Vladar quickly if the young phenom has a slow adjustment to the NHL. Vladar has never played more than 27 games in a single season but could see that number rise to 35+ if the latter hypothetical becomes a reality.

Insight Into Pavel Buchnevich’s Extension Negotiations

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St. Louis Blues forward Pavel Buchnevich recently took part in a long-ranging interview with Daria Tuboltseva of RG.org where the two discussed topics such as his recent contract extension negotiations to the near future of the Blues organization. Buchnevich recently signed a six-year, $48MM extension with St. Louis on the second day of free agency this summer after seeing his name mired in trade rumors for much of the regular season.

The trade speculation was brought up in the interview and it doesn’t seem that anything was particularly close. Buchnevich referenced a conversation with general manager Doug Armstrong shortly after the trade deadline where he quoted Armstrong as saying, “I didn’t plan to trade you. The price for you was very high. But I couldn’t tell you that we definitely wouldn’t trade you, because if someone had agreed to that price, I couldn’t help but take advantage of it“.

Armstrong moved quickly on extending Buchnevich after other teams failed to meet a lofty asking price with the two sides agreeing on a salary near the draft according to Buchnevich. The two sides agreed relatively quickly allowing the Blues to have their core forwards including Robert Thomas and Jordan Kyrou locked up until the 2030-31 NHL season. The Russian forward’s only main concern was the franchise’s direction moving forward; especially after the team fired head coach Craig Berube during the regular season.

His concerns were assuaged during the negotiations as Armstrong highlighted that the organization was not interested in rebuilding. Armstrong’s credibility in the negotiations was solidified this summer as the Blues got aggressive on the trade market and with offer sheets to round out their depth. Not only did they look outside the organization for help but Buchnevich himself brought up the young talent coming up when he said, “They told me there would be no long rebuild; they want to make a strong team here and now. No one is interested in a long rebuild. They said that they would try to strengthen the team in the market. They also outlined the situation with young players: many good hockey players are coming“.

St. Louis finished six points back of a wild-card spot in the 2023-24 NHL season and life will not get any easier in a tough Central Division this year. The Colorado Avalanche and Dallas Stars still serve as some of the better teams in the Western Conference while the Nashville Predators got much better this offseason. The Blues will have to start better out of the gates this year as they look to return to the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time since 2022.

Teams Moving On From Prospects Earlier Than Ever

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One of the sub-themes from the 2024 offseason and part of a larger theme in general from the 2024-25 NHL season — organizations are moving on from top prospects much earlier than in previous years. Nick Faris of The Score recently broke down this narrative and explained how it symbolizes a few shifting narratives.

Faris writes that ten players drafted in the top 15 between 2019-2023 have changed teams since the start of the calendar year 2024. This is partly due to NCAA prospects using their inevitable free agency as a negotiating tactic to move on from their draft organization and teams reassessing their needs much quicker than in previous years.

Anaheim Ducks’ Cutter Gauthier and Pittsburgh Penguins’ Rutger McGroarty are the most recent examples of NCAA stars choosing to forego their entry-level contract with their drafting teams in the hopes of being traded to a different organization. Both were granted their wishes as the Philadelphia Flyers traded Gauthier to the Ducks for Jamie Drysdale, and the Penguins traded their top prospect Brayden Yager to the Jets for McGroarty.

The remaining top 15 talents from the previous four NHL Drafts were moved out of rapidly shifting team needs. The Colorado Avalanche had a larger need for a second-line center rather than a long-term top-four option on the blue line culminating in the trade for Casey Mittelstadt from the Buffalo Sabres for Bowen Byram. The Utah Hockey Club and Sabres moved on from Conor Geekie and Matthew Savoie, respectively, for more immediate needs on their roster with only one game played combined for their drafting franchise. The Penguins moved on from Yager for more immediate help in McGroarty, and the Nashville Predators traded top goaltending prospect Yaroslav Askarov as they will not need another starting goaltender until the 2030s.

This is not to say that NHL organizations are non-committal towards their high-end draft selections as Faris notes 12 players drafted in the top 15 from 2019-2023 have already signed long-term contracts with their respective franchises. It has become clear that NHL teams are assessing young talent faster than ever. There has been no indication that the quality of assessment has improved as some of the players who have changed hands will inevitably have better careers with their new teams.

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