Blackhawks Looking To Give Connor Bedard Help
Ben Pope of the Chicago Sun Times: Pope writes the Chicago Blackhawks want to get Connor Bedard more help this off-season. Chicago has a busy week ahead with the NHL Draft and Free Agency back to back.
GM Kyle Davidson wants the Blackhawks to compete next season, not so much for the playoffs, but to get on their way to competing for them. Chicago has the second overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft. Pope writes they could go with Ivan Demidov, who would be perfect for Bedard, but he comes with a risk.
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The most likely route is to take Artyom Levshunov, the defenseman, and then later, at pick 18, take a forward like Michael Brandsegg-Nygard or Igor Chernyshov.
Chicago could target guys like Martin Necas and Nikolaj Ehlers via trades or go after players like Jake Guentzel, Tyler Bertuzzi, or Teuvo Teravainen in free agency. The key is getting some to play with Bedard consistently.
Nashville Predators Look To Move Players at the Draft
Alex Daugherty of the Tennessean: Daugherty writes that the Nashville Predators will look to be active players when the NHL Draft begins on Friday night at the Sphere in Las Vegas.
GM Barry Trotz will look to improve his roster, listening to any trade that comes his way. There are reports the Predators are looking into Mitch Marner and Martin Necas.
But other names from the Predators roster could be on the move. Players like Cody Glass, Philip Tomasino, and potentially Yaroslav Askarov, now that Juuse Saros will stay in Nashville.
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Askarov is interesting because he has the potential to be an NHL goalie, and with Saros signed, teams could be looking into him. Tomasino and Glass could need to find new homes as they did not fit Andrew Brunette‘s system. Barry Trotz continues to reshape the team in his vision.