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Even though he no longer plays for the Habs, Jonathan Drouin is still the talk of Montreal.
Why is that?
Because the forward found himself in Colorado, and because he’s having a superb season. We used to talk about him when things weren’t going so well… And we have to talk about him when things are going so well.
Drouin scored three points last night in an Avalanche victory. He now has 17 goals and 34 assists (51 points) in 73 games this season, and is probably the NHL’s best bargain if you look at offensive production alone.
After all… At $825,000, let’s just say he’s giving the Avalanche a lot.
The principal interested party will be as free as a bird this summer, and he spoke about his intentions on “The Drop” podcast, hosted by Arda Öcal and Greg Wyshynski.
What’s his goal? To return to Colorado next season (and beyond):
Jonathan Drouin, pending free agent, discusses his future with the @Avalanche.
Full interview and me and @Arda on THE DROP, plus Sidney Crosby’s MVP push and the most Stanley Cup-worthy players this season.
Search “NHL on ESPN” for the podcast or on YouTube! pic.twitter.com/4Ca3ftedjU
– Greg Wyshynski (@wyshynski) April 5, 2024
It might be difficult for Chris MacFarland to offer him a big contract, because this summer, the Avalanche will have many players to sign…
But all in all, the Quebecer has amply proven that he deserves a new pact, and that’s a credit to him.
He’s in the process of reinventing himself as a hockey player, and he’s shown a lot of fighting spirit to get there.
That’s one of the reasons he’s beennominated for the Bill Masterton Trophy .
It would be nice to see him back in Colorado next year, because he has great chemistry with Nathan MacKinnon. He has fun on the ice and that’s great to see.
Incidentally, MacKinnon is having his best season ever after being reunited with his old friend.
Is this a coincidence? The question must be asked…
Gossip
– Yes!
Career points:
1,590 – Phil Esposito (10th all-time)
1,586 – Sidney CrosbyIs Sid #10 all-time by this time next week? pic.twitter.com/FjO068Hicn
– Big Head Hockey (@BigHeadHcky) April 5, 2024
– Ouch.
Women’s hockey: Sweden mauled Chinahttps://t.co/bBn0gbypgV
– RDS (@RDSca) April 5, 2024
– Oh!
Your #NHL24 Team of the Season Week 2⃣ has arrived
– EA SPORTS NHL (@EASPORTSNHL) April 5, 2024
– Blue Jays win this afternoon against the Yankees.
Victory@BlueJays 3 (F)
Yankees 0 pic.twitter.com/eznmly9MiU– Jeremy Filosa
(@JeremyFilosa) April 5, 2024
More must-reads:
- Browns' Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett open up about competing for starting job
- Bucks executive opens up on Giannis Antetokounmpo trade rumors
- The 'Multiple 100-RBI MLB seasons' quiz
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Chicago Blackhawks reportedly set to trade 25-year-old goaltender to Stars rival, Edmonton Oilers
The Chicago Blackhawks, a crowded goaltending situation and trade rumors involving the Edmonton Oilers have fans wondering if the Stars' rivals could soon upgrade their crease before training camp. With training camp approaching, Chicago general manager Kyle Davidson has five goalies under contract, including Spencer Knight, Arvid Soderblom, Drew Commesso, newly signed Stanislav Berezhnoy, and veteran Laurent Brossoit. Only two NHL roster spots are available, which has fueled speculation that Brossoit could be moved to a contender, with Edmonton emerging as a leading candidate. For Stars fans, seeing the Oilers potentially bolster their crease should raise eyebrows. Edmonton, fresh off a deep playoff run, is looking to avoid the same issues that hurt them late in the postseason. "The Blackhawks have too many goalies and not enough spots, and Brossoit's contract and experience make him a natural trade chip for a team like the Oilers."-Julien Trekker Chicago's goalie logjam and Berezhnoy's recent signing are detailed further at NHL.com. Dallas could see its rival upgrade as Blackhawks explore trading Laurent Brossoit Brossoit, 32, carries a $3.3 million cap hit for one more season. Drafted by Calgary in 2011, he's appeared in 140 NHL games, including time with Edmonton, Winnipeg, and Vegas, where he helped the Golden Knights win the Stanley Cup in 2023. While Chicago decides, Drew Commesso continues to push for NHL time after posting a .911 save percentage over 39 AHL games. For a deeper look at Commesso's performance, his full profile is on Elite Prospects. I think if Edmonton lands Brossoit or even Commesso, Dallas may have to plan around a deeper Oilers team come playoff time, especially given how tight the Western race looks on paper.
Bucks executive opens up on Giannis Antetokounmpo trade rumors
The Milwaukee Bucks' decision to waive-and-stretch Damian Lillard sparked even more Giannis Antetokounmpo rumors on social media. There were already reports that Antetokounmpo was considering his options and potentially forcing his way out of Milwaukee, and the Lillard move did little to alleviate the situation. Nevertheless, the weeks have gone by, and Antetokounmpo is still a Buck. More importantly, the team believes that's not going to change any time soon. "We have no indication that anything is really changing as far as our relationship with the player we think is the best in the world," a Bucks front office executive told Spotrac's Keith Smith. "We rebuilt on the fly, in a really challenging situation, but we think we did it as well as it could be done." Antetokounmpo trade rumors have cooled off around the league, and while anything can happen in the NBA, that doesn't seem likely at this point. "Do I think the star guys like Giannis (Antetokounmpo) or LeBron (James) are going to go anywhere? Nope. Is it possible? Sure is," said a Western Conference executive. Giannis chose to stay in Milwaukee with one of the most lucrative contract extensions in NBA history. He was overly critical of the team's effort last season, and another early playoff exit may have driven him to the edge. Even so, he's talked about how he wants to win "the right way," as opposed to chasing rings. That said, with head coach Doc Rivers' long list of questionable postseason performances and a championship window that could be closing right before their eyes, Giannis trade rumors will flood social media again if the Bucks get off to a slow start during the 2026-26 campaign.
Pelicans’ exec makes team's stance on Zion Williamson crystal clear
It’s wild how quickly the NBA narrative can flip. A year ago, Zion Williamson was in every trade rumor possible. People were questioning his health, his work ethic, even his future in New Orleans. And the Pelicans? They didn’t really deny any of it. It felt like both sides were one step away from walking. But things have shifted this offseason — quietly, but clearly. The Pelicans could’ve pulled the plug. Zion’s contract gave them outs, and the trade market might’ve still brought back some real value. Instead, they stuck with him. And based on what one of their own just said, they’re not just keeping him around — they’re still betting big on him. In a recent interview with Spotrac’s Keith Smith, an anonymous Pelicans executive made it crystal clear. “Zion is still our guy. We’re all in on him. We think he’s going to have a huge year. We’ve had some bad injury luck and some things that just haven’t worked out. This partnership hasn’t even come close to reaching our best yet.” That’s not something you say if you’re halfway in. They backed it up with their offseason moves, too. They traded CJ McCollum and brought in Jordan Poole, a high-usage creator who can take pressure off Zion. They drafted Jeremiah Fears with the No. 7 pick, a dynamic young guard. They added Kevon Looney, a reliable veteran who brings playoff experience and toughness. Those aren’t tear-it-down moves — those are “let’s try this another way” moves. Of course, Zion’s health is still the question. That never really goes away. He played just 30 games last season, but in those games he looked solid: 24.6 points, 7.2 rebounds and 5.3 assists per night on 56.7 percent shooting. The explosiveness was there. The playmaking was sharp. And the hope for New Orleans is that this time, he can finally sustain it. What’s interesting is how the front office is trying to create a better environment around him. Joe Dumars has stepped in to lead basketball operations and is reportedly building a closer relationship with Zion — dinners, real conversations, not just surface-level stuff. It feels like, for once, the team is trying to meet him halfway. It’s a risk, sure. But it’s a calculated one. The West is brutal and the margin for error is thin. Still, if Zion can stay healthy for 60 games, and if Poole finds a rhythm and guys like Trey Murphy and Herb Jones keep improving — this team has a shot to be in the mix. The quote from the exec says it all. They could’ve hit reset, moved on, cleaned house. But they didn’t. They’re still in. And now it’s on Zion to hold up his end of the deal. After everything that’s happened, they’re telling the world they still believe. Now it’s time to find out if they’re right.
Lakers Insider Urges Team to Make Major Change to Starting Five
The Los Angeles Lakers have been trying to improve their roster this offseason after getting bounced in the first round of the playoffs by the Minnesota Timberwolves. Since that moment, the Lakers have added Deandre Ayton, Marcus Smart and Jake LaRavia. These moves are designed to fill their biggest holes, which were starting center and perimeter defense. Now that those moves have been made, a Lakers insider believes that there needs to be a change made to the starting lineup in order for Los Angeles to maximize its potential. More news: Lakers Rumors: Dalton Knecht's Trade Value Has Taken Massive Hit, Says Insider Lakers insider Jovan Buha thinks that the Lakers should swap out Rui Hachimura from the starting lineup and put Marcus Smart as a starter instead. “I think that the move to me would clearly be to start Marcus Smart over Rui,” he said. “I think the one concern with that is just that Rui has tended to perform better as a starter than a bench player. But at the same time, I don’t think that the starting group as previously constructed was good enough defensively — was not even close to being good enough defensively." Hachimura was the Lakers' best perimeter defensive player, but he certainly wasn't an All-Defense-caliber player or anything like that. He was a solid guy who did his best on defense. This seems like an overreaction to signing a guy who won Defensive Player of the Year when his body wasn't completely breaking down. Starting three guards, especially one in Smart, who isn't the shooter the Lakers starve, might be problematic. More news: Marcus Smart Reveals Incredible Reason He Chose Lakers in Free Agency Los Angeles definitely needs better play on defense, but Smart can't be relied upon to be healthy for more than three weeks at a time. Hachimura has also performed much better as a starter than a bench guy. Starting Smart means that the Lakers are just giving up a spot on offense. He doesn't shoot well off the ball, and they're not going to take it out of Luka Doncic's hands. Smart would be better off running the second unit and coming in occasionally to help the starters when it comes to stopping the other team's best guard. More news: Former NBA All-Star Accuses LeBron James of Using Steroids Earlier in Career For more news and notes on the Los Angeles Lakers, visit Los Angeles Lakers on SI.
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