Episode 55 of the Hockey Free For Podcast, The Pre-Draft episode 06-28-2023

Episode 55 of the Hockey Free For All Podcast, the pre-draft episode

This episode is all about the draft, signings, and a wild day of trades.

#1. The 2 trades episode 55 has to kick off with are, the Montreal Canadiens acquired a very highly skilled forward in Alex Newhook with elite skating, elite stick and puck skills and elite Hockey I.Q. from the Colorado Avalanche for the 31st pick in the 1st round of the 2023 draft, the 37th pick in the 2nd round of the 2023 draft and Left Defensive prospect Gianni Fairbrother.

#2. Gianni Fairbrother is the latest prospect in a group that has had brutal health issues that have significantly limited growth and directly affected their careers.

#3. Very, very likely Alex Newhook will be the right winger on the number 1 line with Center Nick Suzuki and left winger Cole Caufield.

#4. Now this brings the discussion to the 2nd most important trade. Thankfully the Pierre Luc Dubois saga has mercifully come to a conclusion, and he is on his way signed sealed and delivered with an 8-year contract in hand at 8.5 million per season to the L.A. Kings. I hope Pierre Luc Dubois has both a great career and an even better lifestyle out there. I am so thankful that Montreal did not acquire him as it would have been nothing short of a circus environment from day one of his arrival and a total disruption and destruction to the team.

#5. Winnipeg fared much better than most though possible by obtaining the 23-year old, 6’ 03, 200lbs plus center Gabriel Vilardy, The highly effective and always engaged forward Alex Iafallo, A very reliable defensive center prospect in Rasmus Kupari, who also has a high offensive upside to his game and a 2024 2nd round pick. Very few gave Winnipeg even a chance of netting that type of return, so Kevin Cheveldayoff deserves a lot of credit and respect for they way he was able to bring closure to the Pierre Luc Dubois saga and drama and make the Winnipeg Organization stronger in the end. One down and many more to go in Winnipeg.

#6. I am still very curious to see if Connor Hellebuyck is traded to Toronto for the 28th pick in the first round of the 2023 draft and if there is a multi-player deal with Nashville in the cards that sends Nikolaj Ehlers, Mark Scheifele, Blake Wheeler and Sam Gagner to Nashville for center Cody Glass, Left Winger Zachary L’Heureux, Defenseman Tyson Barrie and Defenseman Mark Borowiecki and all of Winnipeg’s issues are solved, wrapped up and summer break can be in full swing for the entire organization.

#7. If you like to keep up on signings and trades, wait until you hear what’s happened in the last 96 hours.

#8. Even though it will be fantastic to watch Connor Bedard, Adam Fantili Leo Carlsson and Will Smith all get drafted, the biggest question has got to be is Mitchkov there at 5 when Montreal Selects, and if he is does Montreal take him, or does Montreal clean up with potential trades to either the Philadelphia Flyers or the Washington Capitals? One can almost see an insane like the Herschel Walker trade scenario where Montreal acquired an unimaginable amount of draft picks.

#9. The other thought that I can’t get out of my head at the moment is that the trade between Montreal and Colorado yesterday that brought Alex Newhook to Montreal, can’t be Montreal’s only activities in the 2023 draft. It seems highly unlikely to me that Montreal would pick at number 5 overall and just patiently sits there until their next pick at 69 in the 3rd round, and this is why I believe that if Mitchkov is there when Montreal picks at number 5, there will be a trade with Philadelphia who picks at 7th overall and again at this point at 22nd overall in the first round, and trade begins with the inclusion of those 2 first round picks in the 2023 draft and many other picks as well. I guess we will all find out in a few hours.