The NHL has more talent right now than we’ve seen in a long time. The consensus top two players—Connor McDavid and Nathan MacKinnon—their running mates Leon Draisaitl and Cale Makar, and now budding young stars Macklin Celebrini and Connor Bedard. Those guys are all tremendous—some of the best in the world. But every time I watch the Tampa Bay Lightning, I can’t help but think: Is anyone better than Nikita Kucherov?
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Star Defensemen the Toronto Maple Leafs Can Target in Retool Around Auston Matthews
American hockey icon Mike Modano recently came to the defense of fellow American superstar Auston Matthews, saying he wouldn’t wish the criticism and scrutiny Matthews faces in the Toronto market on anyone.
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Kyle Dubas and the Penguins Hit an Absolute Home Run with Ben Kindel
When Kyle Dubas and the Pittsburgh Penguins selected Ben Kindel 11th overall in last year’s NHL Draft, much of the hockey world—including a lot of Penguins fans themselves—saw it as a reach and a surprising choice. Names like Jackson Smith, Victor Eklund, and Kashawn Aitcheson were thought to be the obvious picks, but Dubas and company went outside the box, and so far, it’s worked out in spades.
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The Sports Outsider 