With August just around the corner, field hockey fans are looking forward to the start of the new NHL season.
They can’t wait to see their favorite club’s new additions in action.
However, to this day, a few big names are still out of contract in the league.
Among them isformer Montreal Canadien Tomas Tatar, who is coming off a 48-point, 20-goal season with the New Jersey Devils.
It was his seventh season of at least 20 goals.
In short, despite his good offensive production, no rumours linking him to other teams surfaced this summer.
Only Sheng Peng, a journalist covering the San Jose Sharks, suggested that Tatar might end up in San Jose.
How might Dumba, Tatar, Comtois fit #SJSharks?
Two NHL scouts and Team 33 evaluate the free agents: https://t.co/RZDwrHcrXQ
– Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) August 3, 2023
Although it’s only a proposal, it’s still a good idea.
The Sharks are rebuilding, and they could really use a Tomas Tatar to mentor their youngsters.
Something that might have changed the Devils’ mind about re-signing Tatar could be the addition of Tomas Nosek.
New Jersey has shown a lot of interest in Nosek, and the team’s former star, Patrik Elias, has added his two cents to the discussion.
Tom Fitzgerald wanted Tomas Nosek.
Fitzgerald called Patrik Elias. Elias called Nosek.
Within days, he was a Devil.#NJDevilshttps://t.co/QdKq83WVps
– Ryan Novozinsky (@ryannovo62) August 4, 2023
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Nosek’s one-year, million-dollar contract restricted the club’s salary cap. They could have had nearly 3 million dollars under the payroll.
Perhaps with that extra million dollars, the Devils would have had the money to re-sign the Slovak.
GM Tom Fitzgerald had other plans in mind.
In addition to Tatar, Patrick Kane is still available, but his agent had made it clear that he would not sign before the start of the season, or even when he is able to return to action.
His recovery period was estimated at between four and six months last June, which could keep him out of action until December.
Tatar thus becomes, for the time being, the best striker still without a contract.
Even if the majority of the big names available are forwards, there’s still one good defenseman on the free agent market: Matt Dumba.
According to the renowned Elliotte Freidman, Dumba would be of interest to the San Jose Sharks too, only if they manage to trade Erik Karlsson as many rumors have it.
NHL Tonight: Elliotte Friedman on NHL Tonight on unrestricted free agent defenseman Matt Dumba.
** https://t.co/tyGSwOBQXf transcription
Bruce Boudreau: “Last thing from me Elliotte. I guy that I had, had a lot of interest all year is Matt Dumba. I…https://t.co/txv7kYdx8F– Shop PRO Hockey (@ShopProHockey) July 13, 2023
Other interesting names have yet to be snapped up this summer.
The list includes forwards Pius Suter, Josh Bailey and Jonathan Toews.
Most of these players should be under contract by the start of the 2023-2024 season, but where and at what price?
Breaking news
– Too bad for Bouchard, who had an excellent second set.
TENNIS | She was defeated by American Danielle Collins https://t.co/2QvyWrJGhT
– TVA Sports (@TVASports) August 5, 2023
– If Ohtani wants to stay at the top of his game, he’ll have to be more careful.
His latest episodes involving cramps need to be taken seriously. https://t.co/ODID7V2B33
– Passion MLB (@passion_mlb) August 5, 2023
– Read more.
Hall of Fame inductee DeMarcus Ware had to overcome many obstacles to get therehttps://t.co/1MXSLbKAcV
– RDS (@RDSca) August 5, 2023
– Interesting.
In the last 3 seasons, Pavel Buchnevich has more 5v5 points than:
– Timo Meier
– Tage Thompson
– Elias Lindholm
– Jack Hughes
– John Tavares
– Aleksander Barkov
– Anze Kopitar
– Roope Hintz
– Claude Giroux
– Elias PetterssonTraded for a 3rd liner and a 2nd round pick. pic.twitter.com/nLHDWYMHL3
– Big Head Hockey (@BigHeadHcky) August 5, 2023
– Can McDavid surpass Dale Hawerchuk?
For context, he had 72 points in his first 38 games this year.
If he did that this upcoming season, he would finish 7 points behind Hawerchuk for 4th all-time. pic.twitter.com/mguXzz9GLj
– Big Head Hockey (@BigHeadHcky) August 5, 2023