Charles Rex Arbogast/Associated Press
Across the NHL this fall, training camps will have intense battles for starting roles. Although NHL teams have done their best to address needs, some expensive solutions will be found wanting, and a few prospects are going to find a way into the lineup.
Every team has a specific area that may offer opportunity for new hires and prospects, and those areas are going to receive a lot of attention from the coaching staff, media and fans.
Here are the most fascinating potential battles as NHL teams begin to prepare for training camp for the 2015-16 season.
Brandon Wade/Associated Press
The Battle: The Anaheim Ducks are loaded on the top two lines for 2015-16 and added to their riches when Carl Hagelin was acquired from the New York Rangers. For the bottom two lines, the Ducks have procured veteran role players Shawn Horcoff, Chris Stewart and Mike Santorelli. The beauty of these players comes from having a range of skills and being able to play up and down the lineup as required by injuries, slumps and trades.
Who Has The Edge? The new hires are going to be fighting for playing time and will likely push established players like Nate Thompson and Tim Jackman—as well as each other. It’s a close race, and no one appears to have an early edge.
Are These Long-Term Solutions? All of these moves are short-term solutions. The role players acquired this summer are in an effort to get out of the Western Conference next spring. The Anaheim Ducks are going for it, loading up for a run at the Stanley Cup in 2016.
Charles Rex Arbogast/Associated Press
The Battle: The Arizona Coyotes spent the summer adding to their defense. Their big-minutes defensemen of a year ago—Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Zbynek Michalek, Michael Stone—have been joined by Nicklas Grossman. That leaves several young players for the final spots, including Brandon Gormley, Connor Murphy and Klas Dahlbeck.
Who Has The Edge? Gormley must clear waivers—as Sarah McLellan of the Arizona Republic’s article indicates—and that probably gives him the edge over a player like Dahlbeck.
Are These Long-Term Solutions? As a former first-round pick, Gormley is going to get a lot of chances. He hasn’t been able to win a job as a regular up until now, and this is going …Read More
