#2023 NHL Entry Draft | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

zegrasdrysdale · 4 months

Note

Thinking of: reader going to one of Ethan’s games with their son/daughter and once the kid sees his dad he’s so excited! Jumping up and down and screaming “daddy!! daddy!!”

AHHH IM HAVING BAD BABY FEVER!!!!!

[ memorable ] e. edwards

paring : Ethan Edwards x fem!reader

summary : Ethan plays first game as a Devil in October 2025 after signing his entry level contract over the summer so his fiancée brings their three year old son to the game to surprise him

warning(s) : none really (a suggestive comment it were getting picky)

author’s note : i also had baby fever so here we are lol

༺═──────────────═༻

The day Ethan came home one afternoon and told her that he made the Opening Day roster for the Devils, there was excitement in the air. She couldn’t be any prouder of her fiancé than she was at that moment, except for maybe when he was drafted by the Devils in 2020. There were a handful of days between the end of the preseason and the start of the regular season so that excitement only grew as Opening Day got closer.

Ethan can’t wait to get on NHL ice with the Devils for the first time. He’s looking forward to sharing the ice with Luke and Seamus again for the first time since the three of them played at Michigan.

No one is more excited than their three-year-old son Chase though. He has told everyone at his preschool over the last few days that his “daddy is gonna be on TV”. He can’t wait to watch Ethan play hockey on TV.

Or so he thinks.

She hasn’t told Chase yet because she knows he’ll tell Ethan but she isn't taking him to preschool because they're going to spend the day getting ready for the game. She's taking Chase to the Prudential Center tonight so he can watch Ethan play in person. Both of them have no idea of her plans.

Yes, Chase has seen Ethan play in college, but playing in the NHL is so much bigger than playing in college. Plus, she's not sure if he even remembers watching Ethan play in college. He was barely a year old when she took him to Tampa in the spring of 2023 for the Frozen Four.

Now he's three and all he can talk about is how excited he is that his dad is playing in the NHL. It makes her heart so warm and she can't wait to bring Chase to the arena for the game. Ethan's parents came in too as part of her surprise. All four of them will be at the glass for warmups to celebrate his first NHL game.

Her alarm goes off on game day at the usual time so nothing seems off to Ethan, though he's already up and in the mini gym doing his pre-practice workout by the time her alarm goes off.

At seven, she leaves her shared bedroom to go wake Chase up like it's a normal day. She throws on a hoodie on top of her tank top and boxer shorts she usually sleeps in before she goes to get Chase up.

She walks into his bedroom and he's already sitting up in bed like he's been up for a few minutes already. She turns the lights on and smiles. "Good morning, Chasey," she says.

"Hi, mommy," Chase giggles. "Daddy's music woke me up."

She leans down and presses a kiss to her son's head. "I'll let daddy know that he needs to turn down the music in the morning so he doesn't wake you up," she promises. "Should we go tell him to turn it down?"

Chase nods and sprints out the door at the suggestion. She lays out his outfit for the day and quickly walks out after him. When she gets down the hallway to the gym, Ethan has Chase in his arms and Chase is hugging his dad.

"Good morning, buddy," Ethan greets Chase. "Sleep well?"

"As well as I could with your music too loud," Chase comments. She covers her mouth with a smile as she watches her fiancé and son. "Mommy said she'll tell you to turn it down."

Ethan smiles and turns his attention to her. "Did she?" he asks. "I'll make sure keep it down in the mornings when you're sleeping, okay?"

Chase smiles and hugs his dad. She bites her lip and looks at her boys. It's the little things that make her happy, and watching her son and her fiancé together makes her incredibly happy.

"Chasey, why don't you go get ready?" she suggests. "I'll make sure you get to say goodbye to daddy before he leaves for practice. I laid out your jersey so you can wear it to school today."

Their son nods and Ethan puts him down. Chase giggles and runs back to his room, leaving her alone with Ethan for the first time that morning. She kicks the door closed, but not all the way so she can hear Chase run back down the hallway.

She takes a few steps toward Ethan as he turns down the music. She wraps her arms around her sweaty fiancé's neck. "Good morning to my favorite NHL player," she comments. Ethan's hands rest on her waist. "Excited for tonight?"

"I feel a lot of things about tonight," Ethan admits. "Excited, nervous. I have been looking forward to my first NHL game and I wish you could be there so it's going to be a bittersweet moment."

"You know I'll be cheering you on from wherever I am, even when I'm home," she tells him with a frown to sell her lie. "Both Chase and I will be rooting for you tonight, and every game after."

Ethan shoots her a sad smile. She surges up to her tiptoes to press a quick kiss to his lips because she hates seeing him so sad.

When she lowers herself, Ethan cups her jaw and pulls her back into the kiss. It's a deeper kiss than the last one they shared and neither of them pulls away this time. Her arms slide from around his neck to around his bare torso so he can't go very far.

"I'm so proud of you," she mumbles against his lips.

He hums and deepens the kiss even more. She laughs as Ethan's fingers curl in her messy locks. "Love you," Ethan tells her between kisses. "Both of you."

There are quick footsteps in the hallway so she pulls away quickly. Ethan runs his fingers through his hair as they step away from each other so they don't traumatize their three-year-old. "Mommy, can we have chocolate pancakes for breakfast before school?" Chase asks as he pushes open the door. "Pretty please?"

"I think it's a special day so I think we can have chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast," she replies. "You look handsome in your little Devils jersey. Do you think your friends will like it?"

Chase nods and does a little spin. A little "Edwards 73" being on his back could make her cry. This is truly Ethan's moment, and she can't wait to celebrate at the arena with their son and Ethan's parents.

"I'm going to go shower really quick but we can eat some breakfast together before I leave for practice and you leave for school, okay?" Ethan says to Chase. Chase nods and grabs her hand. "I'll be out in a few minutes. Maybe mommy will let you help her with breakfast if you listen to her."

She shoots Ethan a look as Chase drags her out of the room. Her three-year-old pulls her down the hallway to the kitchen. She grabs ingredients for pancakes and the chocolate chips. As much as she would love to have Chase help with breakfast, she doesn't want his jersey to get dirty so she puts him at the table with some coloring books so she can cook breakfast in peace.

Down the hallway, she can hear Ethan in the shower as she mixes the ingredients together. Chase gets her attention to show her one of the pages that he colored. She tells him it looks good as she begins to pour the batter into a pan to cook some pancakes. She makes some smaller pancakes for Chase and full size pancakes for her and Ethan.

He emerges from the hallway in a Devils hoodie with his number on his chest and compression shorts that don't hide much. She's piling the already made pancakes on a plate for the three of them. She grabs plates out of the cabinet and puts them on the table for them.

"They look amazing, baby," Ethan tells her. He presses a kiss to her cheek before he sits down at the able.

"If I didn't have to bring Chase to school in a little bit then I would have cooked something healthier for you since it's game day," she replies.

Ethan grabs two pancakes and starts to cut them up. "It's okay," he says. "I'll make it up with a healthy lunch. I'm pretty sure that Luke, Jack, Shea, and I are going to lunch so I'll suggest something on the healthier side. Maybe Chipotle since I know Luke and Jack love it. I'll probably head to Shea's to hangout before the game, maybe nap. I don't know yet."

She cuts some pancakes up for Chase. "Sounds good to me," she tells him. "I think I'm going to do some shopping today. Grab some groceries, maybe some new outfits for when I do attend games this season." Ethan smiles at the last comment. "Then I'll pick Chase up from school at the normal time and we'll both be here for the game."

She hands Chase's plate to him and takes away his coloring book and crayons so he can eat. He shoves some of the pieces into his mouth.

Her phone dings with a text. She pulls it out of her hoodie pocket and glances at the nofication.

from: tara edwards - 7:38 am lee and i are landing in about 30 mins. has e left? does chase know about the surprise?

to: tara edwards - 7:40 am eating breakfast w the boys rn. eth is leaving when i "leave" with chase at 8. i'll tell him in the car about the surprise

"Who's texting you so early this morning?" Ethan questions.

"The groupchat I'm in with the other wives and girlfriends," she lies. "They're all excited for you to play in the game tonight and they wish that Chase and I could be there."

Ethan smiles and swallows a bite of pancake. "I'm happy you're getting along with them," he tells her. "Especially since I have no idea what's going to happen this season. I'm on the roster today but I could be sent to Utica any day. I think you could use some extra support just in case."

She matches his smile and nods. "It's nice to have a group that was so welcoming too," she replies. "The girls really welcomed us with open arms, and they adore Chase."

His phone starts buzzing and he realizes what time it is. "Oh, I gotta get going," he tells them. "It's almost eight and Keefe wants to hold a meeting before practice. I don't want to be late today."

Chase finishes eating as Ethan talks. "Time to go to school?" he asks. He looks at his mother.

"Time to go to school," she confirms. "All done?" Chase nods and she takes his plate. She grabs Ethan's plate as well as her own and puts them all in the sink. Ethan goes to grab his things and she pulls Chase out of his seat.

She holds Chase on her hip as she grabs his backpack sans lunchbox since he's not actually going to school. She slides on her slippers by the door as Ethan emerges with his new equipment bag with the Devils logo on the side. She smiles as he puts on his slides with his socks that go halfway up his shins. "Wow, you look like a hockey player on his way to practice, E," she teases him.

He rolls his eyes and opens the door for the two of them. Chase has been put down but holds his mother's hand so he doesn't go running down the hallway. Ethan follows close behind them.

Their apartment is on the third floor so they just take the stairs down to the first floor. Ethan struggles a little bit with his large equipment bag. He's good once he's on solid ground on the first floor.

Ethan throws his equipment in the trunk of his car. She stands next to him with Chase as the trunk is shut. He picks up Chase and holds him on his hip. "Good luck tonight, daddy!" Chase says. "Score a goal for me and mommy!"

"I always do, Chasey," Ethan tells him as he presses kisses to his son's cheek. "You look good in your jersey. Have a good day at school and I'll see you in the morning." Chase wraps his little arms around Ethan's neck. She smiles at the two of them.

He holds his extra arm out for her and she steps into a hug with her son and fiancé. Ethan presses a soft kiss to her forehead as she wraps an arm around his waist. "I can't wait to see you in Devils red, E," she tells him when she looks up at him. "We'll be looking for a 73 on the ice."

Her fiancé presses a quick kiss to her lips before he hands Chase over to her. "I love both of you," he says as he walks around to the driver's side of the car. "I'll be thinking of both of you while I play tonight."

She blows a kiss in Ethan’s direction, and Chase mimics her. She laughs as Ethan catches both kisses then gets in his car. She and Chase wave goodbye to him since it will be the last time either of them see him before they see him on the ice tonight.

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*

Needless to say, Chase was estatic when she told him the plan for the night. In the car on the way to pick up Ethan’s parents, she told him that they were going to go to the arena to watch him play. She has never seen him so excited for anything in his very young life. He was even more excited when grandmom and grandpa got in the car. He wouldn’t stop talking about seeing Ethan on ice.

She leaves Chase with his grandparents to actually go shopping for groceries and an outfit for that night. She wasn’t lying when she said she needed to go pick up a couple of groceries and outfits.

Plus, she needed some time alone since the day is already super chaotic.

Ethan does text her after lunch to tell her while she’s out that he is going over to Seamus’ apartment before the game to hangout and maybe nap so she doesn’t have to tell his parents to take Chase out since he’s supposed to be at school. She tells him to let her know when he’s up from his nap, if he naps.

When she gets home, Tara and Lee are playing with toys in the living room with Chase. Her son greets her at the door despite her hands being full with bags. “Hi, my handsome boy,” she says when she drops her bags and embraces Chase. “What are you playing with?”

“Animals,” he replies. “All my favorite animals. Lions and wolves too.”

She smiles when she sees the setup on the coffee table. “I’ll join in the game in a little bit, okay?” she tells him. “I have to put away the food.”

Chase nods and runs back to his toys. She hauls the bags onto the kitchen island and begins to unpack them.

It’s not until she’s nearly done when Tara walks up to her. “He’s so excited to watch Ethan play hockey at the arena tonight,” she tells her. “It’s all he’s been able to talk about since you left. I’ve never seen him so excited.”

She smiles. “You should’ve seen him in the car,” she tells Tara. “I mean, he went from looking miserable because he thought he was going to school to being the happiest kid in the world when I told him. He was so excited and asked so many questions. I think this is going to be a core memory for him.”

“It’s going to be memorable for all of us,” Tara replies. “I mean, it’s Ethan’s first NHL game after four years of college. I didn’t think he was going to sign his contract for the longest time, especially after Chase was born. It makes me so happy that he has the life he wants. A beautiful baby boy, a beautiful wife-to-be, and an NHL career.”

The women both laugh and she wipes away tears that have rolled down her cheeks. “I can’t wait to see Ethan’s reaction when he sees all of us there tonight,” she says. “He has no idea that we’re coming.”

“Thank you for flying us in for this,” Tara says. “It means so much to me and Lee that we’re here.”

“It was no problem,” she replies as she pulls Ethan’s mom into a hug. “I’m going to start getting ready. I have one of Ethan’s Michigan jerseys if you want to wear it?”

Tara pulls back from the hug. “I think his wife and son should wear his name and number,” she tells her. “Lee and I will be just fine in our Devils gear.”

She smiles and nods. Tara goes back to playing with her grandson and she takes her outfit into her bedroom to get ready for the game since it’s about three. She was out a lot longer than she thought she was going to be so she has less time to get ready since she wants to be ready and have Chase fed by five.

Knowing that Chase is occupied by his grandparents and Ethan isn’t coming home before the game, she takes an everything shower and takes her time. She shampoos and conditions her hair, washes and exfoliates her face and body, and then shaves all necessary parts of her body.

She has some soft music playing as she showers to calm her nerves about tonight. All she wants is for Ethan to have the best game and all she wants is for her son to have fun at the game. She hopes for the best tonight.

A Devils win with an Ethan goal is the ideal outcome for the night, but as long as Ethan has the best time on NHL ice then she’ll be happy. If Chase has the best time at the game watching his dad then that’s a win in her book, no matter what the score of the game is.

Once she’s out of the shower, she wraps a towel around her body and secures it under her arms. She blow dries her hair before she leaves the bathroom.

She throws on a robe to check in on Chase and Ethan’s parents. Tara is in the kitchen while Lee and Chase are at the table. “Hi,” she says, confused. “What’s going on in here?”

“I thought I would make some dinner,” Tara replies. “Just some chicken nuggets before we leave. Chase requested chicken nuggets.”

She kisses the top of Chase’s head. “Ah, okay,” she says. “Thank you. I was going to make something before we left.”

“I got it,” Tara says with a smile. “Go finish getting ready. I’ll have some chicken nuggets for you when you’re done.”

She looks at Chase. “Are you being good for grandmom and grandpa?” she asks. Chase nods and looks up at her. “We’ll leave when I’m done getting ready. Make sure you eat whatever grandmom makes for you, okay?”

He nods again and goes back to playing with his animals with Lee. She runs her fingers through his dark locks and decides in that moment to take him to get a haircut over the weekend. She goes to do her hair, put on her makeup then get dressed.

She straightens her hair and does some neutral makeup when she gets ready. She puts on a pair of loose ripped jeans that she bought today and black ankle boots with a two inch heel to give her some height. She puts on the red Devils jersey that Ethan got her and tucks in the front of the jersey into the waist of her jeans.

“Mommy!” Chase calls. “I’m done my nuggets! Can we go see daddy?”

“Yes, Chasey,” she calls back. “We can go see daddy!”

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*

The ride to the Prudential Center is the most exciting and nerve wracking experience of her life. Ethan has no idea that the four most important people in his life life are on their way to watch his first NHL game.

Chase basically vibrates in the backseat as she drives to the arena. He is very awake and didn’t take his nap after lunch because of how excited he is.

They pull into the player parking lot and sees Ethan’s car parked next to Seamus’. Chase is on her hip and Ethan’s parents walk behind her when they walk into a back door to get into the arena. She plays with her engagement ring as they get their credentials so they’re free to watch warmups with the other wives, girlfriends, and families.

“Have a good time,” the security guard says as soon as the three adults in the group get badges that hang on their neck. She puts her on and checks the time.

Warmups start in ten minutes. She quickly walks through the hallways with Chase still on her hip. The four of them come out at the glass in the opposite corner of where the players will come out.

She looks around at the stands that are filling up and puts Chase down for a few minutes since she’ll have to hold him once warmups start.

Fans are gathered at the glass to watch warmups. A sea of red, white, and black jerseys are lined up with signs. A handful of families, wives, and girlfriends are standing in the corner, and she sees Seamus’ parents at some point.

Then warmups start. Per NHL tradition, the rookies get a lap when warmups start. Seamus and Ethan take their lap before the the lights come up. As soon as they do, the other Devils players come out onto the ice, as well as the other team. Ethan takes a shot and skates right by the four of them without a second glance.

Chase notices though. He bangs on the glass in front of him and yells, “Daddy! Daddy!”

She pulls out her phone to get a picture of this moment. Chase has the biggest smile on his face as he tries to get his father’s attention. She even manages to grab a video of Chase banging on the glass.

Once the boys start stretching and taking line rushes instead of shooting pucks at the net, she notices Ethan standing with Seamus and Luke at the blue line. The trio talks about something but she has no idea what.

It just ends with Ethan looking directly at them. His jaw drops and he glances at his friends before he skates over to them.

Curtis Lazar stands at the glass talking to his wife and kids when Ethan skates up to them. Chase is moving so much in her arms that she stands him up on the boards. Lazar says something to Ethan that she can’t hear but it makes Ethan smile.

“Daddy!” Chase yells. Ethan waves at his son and Chase happily waves back at his dad. She has one arm around Chase so he doesn’t fall. She presses her lips in a line and holds back tears as she watches the interaction they’re having.

Ethan waves at his parents then makes a hand heart at her and Chase. She blows him another kiss and he smiles at her before he skates away to warm up. She smiles and watches her fiancé as he does his warmup routine.

The moment when Chase saw Ethan was everything she wanted. Her boys interacting at a game was a beautiful experience.

Tears roll down her cheeks and Chase asks, “Mommy, why are you crying?”

“I’m okay, Chasey,” she tells him as she wipes them away. “They’re happy tears, I promise. I’m very proud of your daddy. That’s all.”

Chase smiles and hugs his mom. She wraps her arms tightly around her son. Her eyes fall on Ethan as he takes a line rush. He is already proud to wear the Devils logo and she knows he’s about to put his all into this game.

Her son turns her attention back to his dad on the ice. He is so fixated on watching Ethan. It’s like he’s mesmerized by Ethan skating around on the ice. He passes the puck back and forth with Seamus for a second before he leans down to grab it.

Ethan skates back over to them and holds the puck up for Chase to see. He smiles and giggles as Ethan gets the puck between the net and glass. She catches the puck for Chase and hands it to their son.

While Chase is preoccupied with the puck, Ethan puts his hand up to the glass. She rests hers on his and smiles at him. “Love you,” Ethan mouths.

“Love you too,” she replies before he skates off.

One by one, players begin to leave the ice. Ethan is one of the last players to leave the ice and he makes sure to stop by one more time before he does.

She puts Chase down so she can get herself together. It was a very emotional moment for her, and it was everything she expected and more. She’s incredibly proud of Ethan and can’t wait to see what he does during the game.

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*

Because it’s so late when the game ends, she takes her son home to try and put him to bed. Chase isn’t going to sleep anytime soon because of how exciting the game was. He watched his dad score his first NHL goal from the blue line and a Devils win. It was a 2-1 win over the Wild.

There’s no way he’s sleeping any time soon. She’s almost a hundred percent sure that he’ll still be awake when Ethan gets home. It was truly an exciting and memorable game for her, her son, and Ethan.

Tara and Lee stayed behind at the arena to come back to the apartment with Ethan while she went home with her son.

She looks back in the rearview mirror at Chase and he’s holding his puck. He’s turning it over and over again as he looks at it. “Did you have fun at the game?” she asks.

“Yeah!” Chase giggles. “Daddy scored a goal for us.”

With a smile, she nods. “Daddy did score a goal for us,” she replies. “His first NHL goal. Are you proud of him?”

Chase nods. “Yeah,” he replies. Then he yawns. “Will I see daddy before I go to sleep?”

“I don’t know, Chasey,” she tells him. “You look a little sleepy.”

He smiles as she pulls into the parking lot of their apartment building. She parks the car and gets out before she gets Chase out. The spot next to her is still empty so Ethan isn't back. She assumes he's doing media since he had an incredible NHL debut. He'll probably be back late, but Chase will probably force himself to stay awake anyway.

She pulls Chase out of his carseat and takes the elevator up to their apartment with Chase on her hip. His head rests on her shoulder. He really is tired.

Once inside their apartment, she kicks off her shoes and walks right to Chase's room to at least get him into his pajamas. He puts the puck on his pillow. "I wanna sleep with the puck daddy gave me," he tells his mom.

"That's all up to you, Chasey," she laughs as she pulls out a pair of pajamas for her son. "You can sleep with the puck or put it on your table. Whatever you'd like to do, my love. Get changed and we'll wait for daddy to get home together, okay? Maybe watch his interview." If he did any interviews.

Chase gives his mom a little thumbs up and she laughs as she leaves the room to let him get into his pajamas. She changes out of her own outfit into one of Ethan's old Michigan hoodies that she stole and checkered pajama pants.

When she emerges from her room, she sees Chase on the living room couch already. She smiles and shakes her head as she joins her son. She grabs her laptop and goes to the Devils’ YouTube page to see if Ethan did any media after the game.

He did. The most recent video was uploaded ten minutes ago and is titled “Edwards, Hischier, J. Hughes, Keefe talk about Wild win over Minnesota”. She smiles and clicks the video. Ethan does his interview first, and it’s about two minutes long.

“Ethan, how did it feel to get your first NHL goal so early in the season?” one of the reporters asks.

“Really good,” he replies. “Takes a lot of pressure off of me early so I don’t focus on that and focus on bettering my play this season.”

He looks around as another reporter asks, “Was there anyone special in the building for your first NHL game? We saw you interacting with a group behind the glass during warmups.”

A smile grows on Ethan’s face as he says, “Yeah, uh, I had a few people here today. it was a surprise that my fiancée planned at some point. She flew in my parents from Canada and brought our son to watch the game. Chase had so much fun during warmups. I could see him from every angle on the ice and it was a really special moment for me to have them all here tonight.”

“Daddy said my name!” Chase exclaims. “He mentioned you too, mommy.”

“Yeah he did,” she replies. “Keep watching, buddy.”

The first reporter asks another question. “Do you consider your roster spot safe after tonight?”

Ethan shakes his head. “I will keep fighting hard every single game and practice to keep my spot,” he explains. “I scored one goal tonight and blocked a couple of shots throughout the game but I don’t believe my spot is safe. I’m aware I could be sent down at any moment and I want to make sure that doesn’t happen. As long as I keep fighting and producing then I don’t see why I couldn’t be on this roster for all 82 games.”

She smiles at Ethan’s response. He’s told her so many times over the last few days that he’s worried about his roster spot. It sounds like he knows what he has to do to stay on the NHL roster.

“How was the locker room before the game?” another reporter asks. “Was it intense or were the boys ready?”

“Oh, the locker room was buzzing before the game,” he replies. “I mean, everyone was ready to start this season on a winning note, especially after getting knocked out in the first round last year. I came in and realized what kind of team I’m on this season and I’m ready to fight with them to get further into the playoffs and get the Cup.”

The reporters thank Ethan and it cuts to Nico’s part of the interview. She pauses the video and looks at Chase. He has a proud look on his face, like he’s showing how proud he is of his dad.

“Mommy?”

“Yes, Chasey?”

“Will daddy have an interview after every game?”

“I think it depends on what he does during the game,” she explains. “If he scores then he’ll most likely do an interview. If he has a good game then he might do an interview. I don’t think it’ll be after every game.”

Chase nods in response.

The sound of the door opening sounds behind them and they both look behind them. Tara and Lee walk in first. Ethan follows them in his game day suit. Chase is off the couch immediately as he goes to greet his dad.

She’s slower to approach them so the boys can have their moment. Tara and Lee say their good nights and go down to the extra bedroom. Ethan picks up Chase and hugs his son. “Did you have fun at the game, buddy?” he asks Chase.

“Yeah!” Chase giggles. “Thank you for the puck.”

“You’re very welcome,” he replies. “Let me say hi to your mom and we’ll go put you to bed. Can you go get ready for bed? We’ll be right in.”

Chase nods as he is put down. He scurries down the hallway and Ethan turns to his fiancée.

She smiles. “That goal was very sexy of you, E,” she tells him. “I’ve never found you hotter than when you scored in the NHL.”

“I have a bone to pick with you,” Ethan laughs. “I did not know that you guys were coming to the game. Of all days to surprise me at a game.”

As she drapes her arms around his neck, she says, “I was able to surprise both you and Chase. I wanted the game to be memorable for both of you.”

“It was,” he tells her. “I’ll never forget my first NHL game. It makes it so much more special since you and Chase were there.”

She smiles and surges up to press a lingering kiss to his lips. Ethan’s hands rest on her waist and he holds her there for a second. “We’re going to end up having another baby by the end of the season if you think me scoring goals is sexy,” he mumbles against her lips.

“It wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world,” she tells him without breaking the kiss. “Having another little Edwards running around. Plus, I’ve always thought you scoring goals was sexy.”

Ethan laughs.

“Mommy!” Chase calls. “Daddy! Come put me to bed!”

༺═──────────────═༻

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callsign-bubbles · 8 days

Text

Nitrogen is a chemical element; it has symbol N and atomic number 7. Nitrogen is a nonmetal and the lightest member of group 15 of the periodic table, often called the pnictogens. It is a common element in the universe, estimated at seventh in total abundance in the Milky Way and the Solar System. At standard temperature and pressure, two atoms of the element bond to form N2, a colorless and odorless diatomic gas. N2 forms about 78% of Earth's atmosphere, making it the most abundant chemical species in air. Because of the volatility of nitrogen compounds, nitrogen is relatively rare in the solid parts of the Earth.

Nathan Raymond MacKinnon (born September 1st, 1995) is a Canadian professional ice hockey center and alternate captain for the Colorado Avalanche. MacKinnon was selected first overall by the Avalanche in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft. MacKinnon won the Stanley Cup with the Avalanche in 2022, and has also won the Hart Memorial Trophy and the Ted Lindsay Award as the league's most valuable player during the 2023–24 season. He is widely regarded as one of the best ice hockey players of his generation.

(x. x. x. x.)

part of the nhl periodic table of poems featuring elemental haiku by mary soon lee, created by @simmyfrobby

#hockey poetry #nhl periodic table poems #nathan mackinnon #colorado avalanche #parallels between how nate used to be and how he is now... etc etc #EYE think he's just a little silly #our driven and hardworking dogg 🥰

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dailyoverview · 28 days

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Sphere is a music and entertainment arena in Paradise, Nevada, located just off the Las Vegas Strip. Constructed between 2018 and 2023 at cost of $2.3 billion, the 18,600-seat venue contains the world’s highest-resolution LED screen, 164,000 speakers, and a 580,000-square-foot external LED display known as an “exosphere.” It has already hosted several major musical performers, the 2024 NHL Entry Draft, and is part of the Formula 1 Las Vegas Strip Circuit.

36.120556°, -115.161389°

Source imagery: Nearmap

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dmercer91 · 11 months

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ebug's sister, dm91

ok, first post where blake is blake!! also, excuse the absolute dumpster fire that is my life, and is the reason that this post is one post and not like 47

last season! (2022-23) part one / part two / part three / part four / part five / part six / part seven / part eight / part nine / part ten / part eleven / part twelve

(2023-24)! part one /

blakefriarr_

liked by dawson1417, adamfantilli and 6,947 others

blakefriarr_: so many things have happened since i last popped up on all your timelines and made them immeasurably better!

this is episode one of season two of i-am-both-the sister-of-the-devils-home-emergency-backup-goaltender-and-also-happen-to-be dating-dawson-mercer-forward-for-the-devils series!

these pictures are in no particular order, because, i am moving into a new place with afore mentioned dawson mercer and have spent the last several weeks making it look like it's not the most depressing back alley murderous apartment any of you have ever laid your eyes on

and apparently, i have a ball ton of stuff!

regardless, here's what i've caught up on;

the entire nhl draft! though i have not acquired any new adoptees, it did come to my attention that the anaheim ducks as an organization did personally victimize me during the 2023 entry draft (they also took a BALLSY amount of time to re-sign bitch one and bitch two. what the literal fuck, dudes). also- if you are seeing this and you need help to flee, blink twice (not you adam) (you know who you are)

2, the entire preseason was also missed while i was one, curing myself from jetlag and the absolute dread of going back to uni and two, moving my egregious amount of shit with a spiteful level of independence. the devils won every preseason game! dawson scored that clusterfuck of a goal on slide two and we also got to see goalie bonks again! (i told you those pics weren't in order and i meant it)

three, (or four, i forgot what came first) quinneth played his first regular season game as captain of the canucks ad they kicked ass against the edmonton dudes. goncrats captain ;p

four (probably) rookie had both his first reg season nhl game AND his birth on the same day! he cried on camera for thousands of viewers and made me question kidnapping his brother and locking him in an abandoned building in ohio (who am i kidding i don't want to be in ohio). the blue jackets have since been doing blue jacket things (losing)

five (it's all blended together these days) the devs started their regular season and now i get to go to the arena and watch in peace as nico makes dumb faces, jack gets into petty scrums and goes to the box (apparently? that ones new.) and dawson does dawson things (be hot)

sixth and finally, assistant coach and captain quinn (he should probably drop a title for his mental health, me thinks) turned 24! i giggled profusely at an edit of him as tracksuit rob. good job on aging, kid 🎉

that's all, i think. (probably not, what do i know)

view 712 comments..

jj.friar31: remember when we were roomies??? siblings defying the odds?? i've been left out to dry. i'm MARINATING in my loneliness. you've basically shot me and left me out for dead, blakey.

→ blakefriarr_: this is a touch dramatic, that's MY thing

→ jj.friar31: if i agree to never steal your dramatics again will you come back

→ blakefriarr_: have u seen how pretty my boyfriend is?? no dude

→ jj.friar31: blake pls

adamfantilli: of every picture you could've used you just decided to screenshot me crying

→ blakefriarr_: hi im blake have we met??

→ adamfantilli: also, do not kidnap luca.

→ blakefriarr_: oh so you just don't want my love?? is that what this is??

→ luca.fantilli: do not kidnap me

→ blakefriarr_: BOOORRRINNNGGGGG

nicohischier: every day i wonder what it would be like if we didn't let the ebug's come into the room

→ blakefriarr_: do you want dawson to be lonely and bitchless

→ nicohischer: yeah kinda??

→ blakefriarr_: oh

jackhughes: why.

→ blakefriarr_ ehehehe your bucket doing weird things

_quinnhughes: ??????? why am i tracksuit rob????

→ blakefriarr_: who else would be tracksuit rob

→ _quinnhughes: nobody needs to be tracksuit rob, friar.

→ _blakefriarr_: WRONG! you do :)

_connorbedard: am i who i are???

→ blakefriarr_: no apparently you are timbaland

→ _connorbedard: oh. okay?

→ adamfantilli: @/_connorbedard you get used to it

→ _connorbedard: do i want to??

→ adamfantilli: eh. 50/50

dawson1417: oh how i've missed the chaos

→ blakefriarr_: fbejdbsjshdghshsb

→ dawson1417: sometimes it's almost like you say words

→ blakefriarr_: :p i love you

→ dawson1417: i love you too, my girl <3

tannercharlotte: this is my reality tv

→ blakefriarr_: i'll leave him for u say the word

→ dawson1417: HEY??

→ blakefriarr_: shhhh baby go sleep

→ tannercharlotte: don't leave him b he doesn't have to know

ryangraves27: she back

→ blakefriarr_: i back!!

nhlblackhawks: ??

→ njdevils: don't '??' her she's right

→ blakefriarr_: thank you (trade for charlie)

→ nyrangers: i can excuse hawks slander but i draw the line at trying to take our char

→ nhlblackhawks: you can excuse hawks slander?

→ jj.friar31: why do teams keep doing this you have ENOUGH leverage over me

trevorzegras: am i bitch one or bitch two

→ trevorzegras: actually yk what don't answer that i don't wanna know

→ blakefriarr_: too bad you're actually both jamie is an angel

view more comments..

#dawson mercer #dawson mercer x reader #hockey imagine #nhl imagine #new jersey devils #young wild & free au !

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stereax · 11 months

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Hello! I am writing a paper for a law school class on transnational courts about the IIHF and NHL-Russia player transfers. I’m starting with the Fedotov mess and looking for a thesis from there. I have found great stuff on litigation from the early 2000s and player transfer agreements with other leagues under previous CBAs but very little current info. I’m also looking for any updates on Fedotov since the IIHF’s ruling in August and Russia ignoring it. I know he’s playing in the KHL now. Did the Flyers just let it go because there isn’t anything they can do? Any help/ideas/resources would be much appreciated!!

I love you for this, so so so much. You've combined just about all of my interests in one ask. I'll give you the very concise version of it here, for public consumption. You might know most of this already, and I'm sorry if this doesn't help that much - but DM me for more info. I can and will go searching with you. Hell, if you want, you can "interview" me via Discord or via DMs here and cite me as a source. (I've done that a lot with my friends for papers hahaha, asked them their thoughts and then cited it.) Under the cut, as always! 💜

As you're probably aware, the IIHF is the leading organizer of ice hockey stuff around the world. I believe it's them that organize the Worlds and World Juniors, and they also have international standards for things like rink size. (Of course, the NHL plays on a nonstandard rink, so...) Importantly, however, the IIHF has very little legal power. It is difficult for them to fully enforce their decisions - especially when it comes to a country that won't listen.

Ivan Fedotov was a seventh-round selection of the Philadelphia Flyers in 2015. He has been playing primarily in the KHL since. In 2021-22, he backstopped CSKA Moscow to the Gagarin Cup (the KHL's version of the Stanley Cup) in what was widely considered a "breakout" year. Following this, in his last year of eligibility, Philadelphia signed him to a one-year entry-level contract (ELC), with the intent of bringing him to Philly and seeing if he could be a good enough goaltender at the NHL level (presumably to be the backup to Carter Hart) or even the AHL level. This is where things get screwy.

Fedotov is arrested shortly after the ELC is signed under the "charge" of avoiding the Russian army draft (understand that this was most likely a politically motivated arrest). He spends the next year at a fairly remote Russian military base, only communicating with the Flyers once in this entire year. He was allowed to continue training part-time, but not to the level he could otherwise have. So the ELC slides one year.

In the summer of 2023, Philly tries to get Fedotov overseas again... only to find that he's signed a two-year deal with CSKA Moscow. Now, the NHL and KHL used to have transfer agreements, but the NHL cut these agreements after the Russian invasion of Ukraine. However, Fedotov has two contracts, and he clearly can't play in two places at once. What happens?

The IIHF steps in, and decides that Fedotov's ELC with Philly should be honored - and that he and CSKA Moscow were not allowed to sign a contract with the ELC in place. They ban Fedotov from playing for 4 months and CSKA Moscow from being able to sign non-domestic players (international transfers) for one year.

Before I continue, something to be aware of with sports in Russia: certain teams are sponsored by the state and oligarchs far more than others. This is true with Russian soccer and also true with Russian football. CSKA Moscow, in particular, is one of the most-supported teams and is notable for its ties with the Russian army. Its dominance during the Soviet era was because it could literally draft the best hockey players (and I mean draft as in draft like for the army). It's currently owned by Rosneft, an oil company that's majority owned by the Russian government. (SKA Saint Petersburg is another of these highly-supported teams, for what that's worth.)

So CSKA Moscow, sort of predictably, flips off the IIHF. And starts Fedotov. In their first game. The IIHF can't really do much - it hits CSKA Moscow with a 5000 CHF fine (laughable) and threatens to refer it, and Fedotov, to the IIHF Disciplinary Board if they keep doing it. They keep doing it. Of course. The KHL's president claims that the 4-month ban threatens Fedotov's Russian constitutional right to work and that they will thusly disregard the ruling. As of November 2nd, Fedotov is still playing in the KHL - he just recorded a shutout, actually.

The Flyers really can't do much, outside of pressure the IIHF, which has little concrete power, to levy more punishments (and the IIHF has gone quiet about this too). Philly could try to, theoretically, smuggle Fedotov out of Russia a la Malkin, but you can only imagine what the Russian government will do to Fedotov and his family if he tries to defect. Especially because Fedotov's what, 26? 27? And goalies don't tend to have a long shelf life. Even if he came to the States, and played some games in the NHL, would those precious few years be worth the wellbeing of him and his family? Probably not. Again, since the NHL and KHL no longer have a transfer agreement, Philly and CSKA Moscow would have to come to terms on their own - and CSKA Moscow isn't keen on giving up their current star tendy to play in likely the AHL.

And remember, Philly also has Matvei Michkov now. Whose father recently died under "mysterious circumstances". And it's rumored those circumstances had to do with Michkov's father trying to terminate his son's KHL contract to send him to America sooner. That's also a factor here that must be considered - is it better to play nice with the KHL now and give up on Fedotov to be able to bring Michkov stateside?

The situation is incredibly complicated; unfortunately, there seems to be no easy end in sight, and probably very little chance of Fedotov seeing NHL ice in his career. The war in Ukraine also complicates this, and that is currently locked at a stalemate, so... good luck there.

Alright, that's my little lecture. If you need anything else, do DM me! I can see what else I can do as well :)

#stereanswers #stereanalysis #stereducation #ivan fedotov #philadelphia flyers #cska moscow

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areyoutherelarry · 1 year

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Title: Slapshot Through the Heart for 1D Tour de Fic Fest

Author: areyoutherelarry

Summary: Being the third overall draft pick comes with a lot of pressure, pressure that Shawn Mendes feels like he’s cracked under until he joins the Florida Panthers and develops a massive crush on their illustrious captain, Niall Horan. However, now that Matthew Tkachuk, the sixth overall pick from Shawn’s draft year, is joining the team, maybe Shawn overexaggerated his and Niall’s connection, maybe he is the biggest draft bust, maybe he isn’t good for the team at all.

Or the Florida Panthers’ crazy 2022-2023 season but make it a friends-to-lovers Shiall Hockey AU with a dash of Matthew Tkachuk propaganda.

@1dtourdeficfest

LONG appendix below cut (Hockey people and glossary)

NHL People

Matthew Tkachuk- (American) Rat king, nepo baby (his dad played for a long time), loves to start shit and plays very good hockey, thriving in Florida, is so obsessed with his new team, always munching on his mouth guard, went #6 in 2016 NHL entry draft, won 0 Stanley Cups (left)

Mitch Marner- (Canadian) tiny baby hockey player, adorable and smiley very good at hockey, went #4 in 2015 NHL entry draft, won 0 Stanley Cups (right)

Dylan Strome- (Canadian) long-suffering, played with Connor McDavid in juniors, considered somewhat of a bust (I love him don’t come for me), went #3 in 2015 NHL entry draft, won 0 Stanley Cups (left)

Auston Matthews- (American) another great hockey player,, known for being fashionable and ✨cool✨, went #1 in 2016 NHL entry draft, won 0 Stanley Cups (right)

Connor McDavid- (Canadian) long-suffering best player currently in the NHL, known for being boring af, went #1 in 2015 NHL entry draft, won 0 Stanley Cups (left)

Nick Foligno- (American-Canadian) I don’t know much about him, another nepo baby, went #28 in 2006 NHL entry draft, won 0 Stanley Cups (right)

Alexander Ovechkin- (Russian) will probably break Gretzky’s record for # of goals scored, is a powerhouse, considered one of the best hockey players of all-time but people consider him a showboat but like yeahhhh duh, went #1 in 2004 NHL entry draft, won 1 Stanley Cup (left)

Phil Kessel- (American) Ridiculous hockey player but was good, think stereotypical Wisconsin dude and yep you’ve got him, known for drinking Coke and eating hot dogs, went #5 in 2006 NHL entry draft, won 3 Stanley Cups (right)

Connor Bedard- (Canadian) Considered a generational talent like Connor McDavid and Sidney Crosby but is only 18, hope he isn’t crushed by the Chicago sports ecosystem (I’m from Chicago), went #1 in 2023 NHL entry draft, won 0 Stanley Cups (duh) (left)

Sidney Crosby- (Canadian) One of the best players, hockey men consider him a whiner but boo to them, he is a big weirdo who has lots of superstitions and doesn’t have public social media, an enigma, went #1 in 2005 NHL entry draft, won 3 Stanley Cups (right)

John Tavares- (Canadian) He’s such a dad, considered to have “abandoned” the Islanders, whatever, went #1 in 2009 NHL entry draft, won 0 Stanley Cups (left)

Ryan Lomberg- (Canadian) Lomberghini I don’t know much about him, chirper, went undrafted, won 0 Stanley Cups (right)

Jonathan Huberdeau- (Canadian) Huby I don’t know much about him, regularly leads teams in points, went #3 in 2011 NHL entry draft, won 0 Stanley Cups (top left)

Claude Giroux- (Canadian) Scrappy hockey player who was captain of the Philadelphia Flyers for a long time, such a dad, went #22 in 2006 NHL entry draft, won 0 Stanley Cups (top right)

Paul Maurice- (Canadian) *I’m missing how to find NHL coaches’ headshots so here’s a funny Paul pic* Says this year’s team has brought back his love of hockey, notably quit previously in the middle of the season because he just couldn’t anymore, also played but only juniors because he got hurt, won 0 Stanley Cups (left)

Sergei Bobrovsky- (Russian) Always seems long-suffering, people talk a lot of shit about Bob, went undrafted, won 0 Stanley Cups (top left)

Keith Tkachuk- (American) *This picture is hella old but he looks so much like his kids* Has lots of points because he played lots of games, comes from an NHL family, pretty chirpy even with his own kids, went #19 in 1990 NHL entry draft, won 0 Stanley Cups (left)

Brady Tkachuk- (American) *The head tilt the Tkachuk brothers do* WILL FIGHT, once got bit during a fight, captain of his team has outrageously high number of penalty minutes compared to other captains, nepo baby, the Tkachuk brothers harass and love each other very much, went #4 in 2018 NHL entry draft, won 0 Stanley Cups (right)

Tim Stützle- (German) I don’t know much about him, except he loves doing adorable antics, he and Brady are silly together, hilarious conspiracy that Matthew thinks he’s annoying, went #3 in 2020 NHL entry draft, won 0 Stanley Cups (left)

Thomas Chabot- (Canadian) I don’t know much about him, he hit a teammate in the face with his stick this year accidentally, went #18 in 2015 NHL entry draft, won 0 Stanley Cups (right)

Kris Letang- (Canadian) eternally cursed, this poor man has had two TWO strokes during his career, his dad died not long after he had his second stroke, known for being French Canadian, beautiful, and obsessed with his hair, went #62 in 2005 NHL entry draft, won 3 Stanley Cups (left)

Evgeni Malkin- (Russian) is so moody, will fight you if you irk him just a little bit, also considered whiny with Sid, loves to chirp those he loves, loves jokes and is funny, went #2 in 2004 NHL entry draft, won 3 Stanley Cups (right)

Eric Staal- (Canadian) homophobe, one of four Staal brothers who have played in the NHL, went #2 in 2003 NHL entry draft, won 1 Stanley Cup (left)

Marc Staal- (Canadian) homophobe, one of four Staal brothers who have played in the NHL, went #12 in 2015 NHL entry draft, won 0 Stanley Cups (right)

NHL Glossary (most of this was copy and pasted from around the internet)

The Presidents' Trophy- The Presidents' Trophy is an award presented by the NHL to the team that finishes with the most points during the NHL regular season. Teams get two points for each win, one point for each tie, and no points for a loss

The Presidents' Trophy Curse- Finishing with the best record in the regular season has become a dubious distinction: Only twice in 20 years has the Presidents' Trophy winner gone on to win the Stanley Cup — most recently a decade ago when the Blackhawks beat Boston in the final. Since then, only one team has made it past the second round.

Captain- In ice hockey, the captain is the player designated by a team as the only person authorized to speak with the game officials regarding rule interpretations when the captain is on the ice. At most levels of play each team must designate one captain and a number of alternate captains (usually two or three) who speak to the officials when the captain is on the bench.

BioSteel Camp- The annual BioSteel NHL CAMP is a four-day event where 30 of the top hockey stars and prospects go through both on- and off- ice training as the NHL season start is just around the corner.

London Knights- The London Knights are a junior ice hockey team from London, Ontario, Canada, playing in the Ontario Hockey League, one of the leagues of the Canadian Hockey League.

Memorial Cup- The Memorial Cup is the national championship of the Canadian Hockey League, a consortium of three major junior ice hockey leagues operating in Canada and parts of the United States. It is a four-team round-robin tournament played between the champions of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) and Western Hockey League (WHL), and a fourth, hosting team, which alternates between the three leagues annually.

Chirp-Hockey insults are known as "chirps.” The basic theory behind any kind of trash-talking is that, by disrupting your opponent's concentration and confidence through chirping, you gain a competitive edge that might just help you win.

The Show- Many players refer to the NHL as “the show”

Training Camp- NHL training camp is the period when professional ice hockey clubs gather to prepare and enhance themselves for the next season. It starts before the start of the regular season.

Development Camp- Development Camp provides an opportunity for prospects to showcase their talents and show management and staff that they are progressing in the right direction. Players at camp are all looking to prove different things. Some camp goers will be looking to prove they're NHL-ready, some will be hoping to show the staff they've improved on areas of need based on last year's camp, some are looking to be signed and some are looking to make a good first impression, along with much more.

Prospect- A prospect is typically a player who was drafted and/or signed by an NHL team, and is assigned to a development farm team. These development leagues are the American Hockey League and the ECHL. Besides these minor leagues, draft picks may continue playing for the team that they were drafted from in the Canadian Hockey League (consisting of the Ontario Hockey League, Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, and Western Hockey League), the NCAA, the United States Hockey League, various European leagues such as the Czech Extraliga, Finnish Liiga, German Deutsche Eishockey Liga, Russian Kontinental Hockey League, Slovak Extraliga, Swedish Hockey League, the Norwegian Fjordkraftligaen or Swiss National League.

Messier Trophy- The Mark Messier Leadership Award is a NHL award that recognizes an individual as a superior leader within their sport and as a contributing member of society.

Selke- The Frank J. Selke Trophy is an annual award given "to the forward who best excels in the defensive aspects of the game." The winner is selected in a poll of the Professional Hockey Writers Association at the end of the regular season.

Waivers- Waivers is an NHL labor management procedure by which an NHL team makes a professional ice hockey player's contract and rights available to all other NHL teams. Other NHL teams "waive" any claim to a player designated for assignment in the American Hockey League (AHL) or designated for release. This means another team could sign that player to their NHL team before they go to the minors.

Celly- Slang for “celebration” and refers to the expression of joy after a player scores a goal; a celly comes in many forms and can range from a fist pump to sheathing a stick as if it were a sword to belly-sliding across the ice. The degree of celly is typically correlated to the importance of the goal.

Liney- The lines in hockey refer to the different lineups that teams utilize throughout the game. Each line typically consists of three forwards, a center and two wingers on either side of the center, and two defensemen. Usually, teams field four lines of forwards and three lines of defensemen. A liney is a player on the same line.

Cross Check- Cross-checking is “The action of using the shaft of the stick between the two hands to forcefully check an opponent.”

Empty Net- Empty net goals usually occur on two occasions in ice hockey: In the final minutes of a game, if a team is within two goals, they will often pull the goalie, leaving the net defenseless, for an extra attacker, in order to have a better chance of scoring to either tie or get within one goal. OR In the case of a delayed penalty, the non-offending team will often pull their goaltender for an extra attacker in this situation as well.

Shift- A hockey shift is when a “line” takes their turn to play while the other lines take a break on the bench to rest. Each line rotates about every 45 seconds to keep the game intensity up and give players time to rest.

Holding- Holding is any action by a player that restrains an opposing player by impeding their progress whether or not they are in possession of the puck, or by such action prohibiting their ability to pass, shoot, receive, or otherwise propel the puck.

The Box- The penalty box or sin bin (sometimes called the bad box, or simply bin or box) is the area in ice hockey where a player sits to serve the time of a given penalty, for an offense not severe enough to merit outright expulsion from the game.

Powerplay- In ice hockey, a team is considered to be on a power play when at least one opposing player is serving a penalty, and the team has a numerical advantage on the ice (whenever both teams have the same number of players on the ice, there is no power play).

Shoot-out Goal- A hockey shootout is a penalty shot competition used to decide the result of a game that is tied after regulation time and is still tied at the end of overtime. In a shootout, a player starts with the puck at center ice and has a scoring opportunity 1-1 against the opposing team's goalie. The puck can only move forwards. If it moves backwards, the play is considered dead.

Gentleman’s Sweep- A gentleman's sweep is where a team wins a playoff series but loses one game leading to a 4–1 win. It is called a gentleman's sweep under the pretense that it would be rude and unsporting to embarrass a team with a 4–0 victory, so the winning team lets the other team win a game to save face.

Important References

2022 FL Panthers Primer

Matthew Tkachuk Daddy Issues

Hockey Fun Facts

Florida’s Schedule

Shiall Timeline

Dylan Strome Primer

2015 Draft Class

Matthew Tkachuk

#1dtourdeficfest #1D Tour de Fic Fest #shiall au #so much hockey #please don't laugh at my horrible photoshop skills lol look at niall on sasha's body #i spent a lot of time on the appendix please read #niall horan #shawn mendes #matthew tkachuk

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devilsupdates · 4 months

Text

5 Bargain Free Agents the Devils Must Target

May 21, 2024 by Josh Reinitz

Heading into the offseason, the New Jersey Devils have multiple issues. The most pressing is finding a new head coach. With the search narrowed to, at most, four potential candidates and with a decision expected before the holiday weekend, the next focus should be planning for free agency. The Devils will head into the offseason with almost $19 million in available cap space (Per CapFriendly). They will be 16th in the NHL in available cap space. However, those numbers may change drastically should the team enter into an extension with pending restricted free agent (RFA) Dawson Mercer and/or acquire a top-level goaltender without offsetting salary.

Earlier this week, AFP Analytics released detailed projections for every free agent to hit the market this summer. While no model is ever 100% predictive, AFP’s version gives a good baseline on what players can expect to cost in the offseason. The Devils are fortunate to have their core locked up on long-term, team-friendly deals or entry-level contracts. The only core member they have to decide on is the aforementioned Mercer, who they could even punt on for the time being and tender a qualifying offer, as he is still a year removed from having arbitration rights.

Even with the core locked up, the Devils are not without needs. General manager Tom Fitzgerald has indicated he wants to construct a team that is more difficult to play against and made up of players you can win with. He has considerable assets ready to compete in any trade market he deems appropriate with a top-ten draft pick and young, talented, inexpensive players like Alexander Holtz and Seamus Casey who could be made available. With the bigger moves likely to come in the trade market, the Devils should use free agency to build depth and fill in around the edges. The most glaring places needing depth are a bottom-six forward, penalty-killing/defense-first defenseman, and middle-six depth on the wing. Here is a look at five players projected to cost under $3 million per year, who the Devils should kick the tires on July 1.

Kevin Stenlund, Center – Projection: 2 Years x $1.34 Million

Florida Panthers general manager Bill Zito signed center Kevin Stenlund as a free agent on July 1, 2023, to add depth to his bottom six due to his familiarity with him from both their days in Columbus. Stenlund has fit well in head coach Paul Maurice’s system and bolstered a strong bottom-six in Florida’s run to the Eastern Conference Final. The Devils spent much of the second half of last season trying to fill the enormous void left by the departure of Michael McLeod after being charged with sexual assault in conjunction with other members of the 2018 Canadian World Junior Team. Stenlund, a 6-foot-4, 215-pound right-handed center, could be the answer New Jersey has been seeking. Stenlund would be the only right-handed primary centerman on the Devils, but he is also a dangerous penalty killer with two short-handed goals in each of his last two seasons. His underlying numbers in 2023-24 were not perfect for a bottom-six center. However, it was only his first full season in the NHL, and there is room for improvement. Getting in on Stenlund at this time in his career could be a boon for whichever team ultimately signs the Swede. It is difficult to find a center entering his prime who stands 6-foot-4, is right-handed, wins faceoffs over 50% of the time, kills penalties, and will cost you less than $1.5 million a season. He has been an integral part of Florida’s success, having logged over 106 bottom-six minutes at 5v5 in this year’s playoffs without having been on the ice for a goal against. He has also shown improvement in handling the puck, limiting his giveaways to 14 total this season after being credited with 12 in just 54 games last season. Stenlund would be a welcome addition to the Devils’ bottom six, forming an intimidating line with the likes of Curtis Lazar and Nathan Bastian/Kurtis MacDermid, and his ability to kill penalties would also allow the new coach to better focus the ice time of some of their forwards drafted into PK service last season. On balance, Stenlund is a fit for New Jersey in terms of play and price.

William Carrier, Left Wing – Projection: 2 Years x $2.4 Million

The Golden Knights do not have a selection in the second through fifth rounds of this year’s NHL Draft. Carrier is one of the diamonds in the rough of this year’s free agent class. He could even be someone the Devils wisely target before July 1 by expending capital to acquire his rights in a trade with Vegas for a later-round pick. Watching the playoffs this season, Carrier’s skill was fully on display. He is a capable puck-transporter as a winger and has the speed to threaten defenses and the bite to hamper opposing offenses. Notably, in a series his team lost, the save percentage at 5v5 with him on the ice was still almost 93%, and only two goals were scored against him in nearly 75 minutes of ice time. In this year’s playoffs alone, he was ranked in the 81st percentile in top speed and 92nd percentile for the number of speed bursts above 22 mph while only playing in one round. (Per NHL Edge)

The only nagging concern about Carrier is his inability to stay healthy. He has never played a full 82 games in a season but has always been available in the postseason for Vegas. The Devils should have enough depth with Lazar, Bastian, MacDermid, and Nolan Foote to rest Carrier throughout the season as needed. With the style of play he brings, it is natural to need additional rest, and it is a trade-off the Devils should be willing to accept for the chance to add a fast, 29-year-old winger who averages 244 hits per 82 games for under $2.5 million.

Brenden Dillon, Left Defense – Projection: 2 Years x $2.86 Million

While a bit pricier than the others on this list, defenseman Brenden Dillon solves enough of New Jersey’s issues to be worth the extra cash. At 33 years old, he is closer to the end than the start of his career, but with that age comes a vast amount of regular season and playoff experience. Two seasons ago, the Devils learned that playing defensemen with top-four talent on your third pair pays huge dividends and should strongly consider doing the same with Dillon. He mostly closely resembles former Devil Ryan Graves in size at 6-foot-4 and 220 pounds, but even though he is six years older, he is still a better, faster skater than Graves (Per NHL Edge) and brings more edge and aggression.

Dillon has never been shy about standing up for his teammates, a quality that is valued by New Jersey. This season, he participated in seven fights, many of which were in response to liberties taken by opponents on other Jets. He is also a premier penalty killer and defensive defenseman without sacrificing mobility and the ability to move the puck out of danger by passing or skating. This season he was credited with 241 hits and 111 blocks, both would have led New Jersey as would his career 82-game average of 198 hits and 110 blocks. Dillon has demonstrated durability throughout his 13-year career, having played at least 76 games every full season since his rookie year. The Devils may have to go up for a more favorable average annual value (AAV), but a three-year deal at $2.5 million AAV makes sense for both parties.

Jordan Martinook, Winger – Projection: 3 Years x $2.765 Million One of the easiest ways to improve your team is to take talent from your competitors. Signing middle-six winger Jordan Martinook would do just that for New Jersey. In his end-of-season press conference, Fitzgerald said he needed players he could win with on his roster. Martinook is that type of player. His counting stats belie his value, but every good team has players like him. The 31-year-old winger can play on either side of any line in the bottom nine and kill penalties. His play to save a goal in Game 6 vs. the New York Rangers in this year’s playoffs will be replayed forever. His success last season against the Devils in the playoffs should also not be lost on Fitzgerald.

The Carolina Hurricanes dominated in the regular season at 5v5 with Martinook on the ice. His expected goals for percentage (xGF%) and Corsi For percentage (CF%) were over 60. The team also had 218 more scoring chances than their opponents with Martinook on the ice. Forming a line of Ondrej Palat, Erik Haula, and Martinook would provide the team with one of the peskiest third lines in the NHL. He also brings durability. He has never played less than 77 games in his six non-COVID-impacted seasons. His skating would fit in with the Devils’ style of play as his speed bursts rank him in the 80th percentile in the NHL for bursts above 20 and 22 mph. Over the last two seasons, he has averaged 33 points per season, but the offense is not on top of the Devils’ list. However, his ability to score in the clutch and provide secondary scoring in the playoffs is highly valued. Martinook’s signing would signal a power shift within the division, and the Devils should be all in for the winger.

Jani Hakanpaa, Defenseman – Projection: 1 Year x $1.51 Million

Much like Dillon, Jani Hakanpaa would bring size, stability, and experience as an affordable third-pair defenseman. Also, like Dillon, Hakanpaa may be forced out of the Dallas Stars lineup, not due to his play but the emergence of young prospects. The 6-foot-6 225-pound Finn has less mileage on him than Dillon but is equally effective and is right-handed. Should the Devils decide to hold onto Kevin Bahl and/or move John Marino, they may see the need for depth on the right side, making Hakanpaa a perfect fit.

Hakanpaa has been forced out of this year’s playoffs with an injury but will slot back into the Stars lineup once he is physically able. He spent most of the season as the Stars’ shutdown pair teamed with Esa Lindell. The pair was also the team’s first choice on the penalty kill. Like Dillon, Hakanpaa also brings unique physicality with an 82-game average of 265 hits and 127 blocks. Hakanpaa would be a welcome addition to New Jersey, especially if he only required a one-year deal; he would essentially take the cap hit and role that was envisioned for Colin Miller at the start of the season and not encumber the Devils’ long-term plans on the back end with contracts for Luke Hughes and Simon Nemec coming due in short order.

There are bargains to be had in free agency this season, and the Devils must be buyers if they want to reclaim their place in the postseason. These five players are a good start, but others out there could fit the bill, like former Devils Tomas Tatar and Stefan Noesen, to name two. How Fitzgerald decides to build around his core will go a long way toward determining for how long the team’s championship window remains open.

#hockey imagine #new jersey devils #nico hischier #jack hughes #luke hughes #hockey #timo meier #john marino

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