Lightning sign F Dylan Duke to a three-year NHL contract
https://www.nhl.com/lightning/news/lightning-sign-f-dylan-duke-to-a-three-year-nhl-contract
The Tampa Bay Lightning signed forward Dylan Duke to a three-year NHL contract, vice president and general manager Julien BriseBois announced today. The contract will begin with the 2024-25 season and extend through the 2026-27 season. Duke will report to Syracuse this week on an AHL amateur tryout for the remainder of the Crunch season.
That's two gone. The early predictions that "pretty much everyone" might return seems increasingly unlikely.
April 15th, 2024 at 11:48 AM ^
The early predictions that "pretty much everyone" might return seems increasingly unlikely.
I mean, with two of the top five-ish players already gone, I'd say that prediction is completely dead...
April 15th, 2024 at 11:49 AM ^
So much for "everyone's staying." Gotta believe that Seamus, Brindley and Rut, at a minimum, will also be signing, if not now, certainly by July or August.
April 15th, 2024 at 11:59 AM ^
He was always the one most likely to be gone. Because of the NHL draft rules, guys who finish their junior year are almost always going to leave if the drafting team wants them since the drafting team will lose their rights to him if he plays through the senior season and doesn't sign within 30 days after the end of the college season. And most guys who play through their senior season will wait out that 30 days at that point. So Tampa had a major incentive to sign him now.
The longer it takes, the more likely it is some of the guys come back though. The Blackhawks were willing to let Nazar burn off one of the three entry year contract years immediately by signing him and playing him right away, which is a nice incentive to sign. The regular season ends Thursday, so that potential incentive for other guys is fast disappearing (if the drafting team is even willing to offer it).
April 15th, 2024 at 12:18 PM ^
saw that nazar sign-n-play in a day and was happy that they did that. must've been part of the bargain to get him to leave U of M.
and hey, a goal in your first game? awesome and happy for nazar.
April 15th, 2024 at 12:02 PM ^
It's not even summer yet!
April 15th, 2024 at 12:21 PM ^
Michigan Hockey Summ...err...Spring...
April 15th, 2024 at 12:35 PM ^
This one wasn't that surprising, especially given how strong he finished the season. I was more suprised about Nazar given how much time he missed and how inconsistent he's been. In terms of odds of people staying, I'd say there are 5 tiers:
- Already gone: Duke and Nazar plus grad transfers (Barzo, Warren, & Pletzke)
- Have a tough decision to make: Brindley and McGroarty
- Less likely to leave because NJ is stacked with young defensemen: Casey and Edwards
- Young guys probably coming back (but weirder things have happened): Hughes, Moldenhauer, Schifsky, Eernisse, T. Duke, etc.
- Older guys who it'll be interesting to see what they decide with NIL, playing time considerations, and young guys coming in: Truscott, Holtz, Lapointe, and Noah West (who I believe have a covid year left) plus Estapa and maybe Hallum
April 15th, 2024 at 12:46 PM ^
Also, I'm way more worried about defense next year than offense. Even if Brindley and McGroarty both leave, you still have Hughes, Schifsky, Moldenhauer, 2-3 talented incoming freshmen, Eernisse, Hallum, Estapa, Draper, and Rowe. If you lose Truscott and 1 of Casey/Edwards you might not have 6 playable defensemen next year without major transfer portal reinforcements.
Understanding my limited understanding of Michigan hockey I ask to those I consider better informed these questions.
Although we have tossed about the puck/luck/Goalie/Pachinko/Tournament variance can any similarity be drawn to what seems a consistent lack of championship defense and the focus on young high end talent that leaves before coming of age?
Is Michigan Hockey similar to Kentucky Basketball under Calipari in this sense?
Red stayed a few years too long, Pearson did what he did and now that Nuarato is in place do we have any reason to believe things will be different for M Hockey as we move forward?
Of course B2B2B (3) Frozen Fours, B1G Championships and this level of excellence is the envy of almost all but 98 is a long time ago and it seems the results might be more than just bad luck.
Pachinko? Uhh, you mean Plinko?
Mostly puck luck. Hockey is a strange sport in college - recruiting is weird enough that I don't really have a clue how it works. But also the tiny colleges held voting control over the game writ large, which is why we have recruiting rules like we do and why we have a dummass tournament plan. Especially for the regionals. But Michigan has had some other-worldly bad puck luck in all the Frozen Fours they've participated in. It's been so many, across so many different teams with different coaching staffs, that it defies logic while not being systematic.
This year was a little different. Most of the time, Michigan has the stronger amount of talent on the ice. Not this year... Just getting to the FF this year was a major win!
Naurato is an elite offensive hockey mind, one of the very best. The offensive zone movement is NHL caliber along with an excellent powerplay. I'd continue to expect top level offense, almost regardless of roster.
The defense and goaltending is still unknown to me, but at least it seemed to get better at the end of the season?
The one thing Naurato seems to be doing a better job of than most is the transfer portal. Eernisse, Warren, Barzo, T. Duke, and Pletzke all contributed to this team's run. T. Duke was kinda a weird pickup with so many other undersized offensive defensemen on the roster, but all the other pickups have been excellent. We'll see what happens this year, they could use a top-4 defensive defensemen and obviously a goalie or two.
April 15th, 2024 at 12:43 PM ^
Best of luck to a true Michigan man. Loved watching this guy play the last few years. Always seemed to come through in the biggest moments. I've said a few times I feel like he's the Sainristill of the hockey program. Will be very tough to replace.
8 (!!!) game winning goals this season!
poop
Wow this one is a little surprising. Thought he would come back to play with lil bro. Also, this one hurts.
Brindley signs with CBJ, waiting on McGroarty and Casey mostly.
Don't they know that he goes out of his way to trip opponents for no reason by failing to phase out of our reality at precisely the right time when the opponent is heading right at him? Sort of like young Jourdan Lewis, only the opposite.