It’s time to unpack everything that’s happened in the past month. There’s just so much to say about the trade deadline, player’s being forced to defend themselves in the era of new-school hockey, and the idea of tanking for draft picks. So, let’s dive right in.
1. JOHNNY GAUDREAU
When Connor McDavid threw an elbow at Jesperi Kotkaniemi during the Edmonton-Montreal game, I think most people were a little shocked that a superstar player would be so seemingly aggressive. After some thought, I saw it from a different perspective. I think it goes back a long way to when aggressive players were just another part of every team, brought in to protect those superstar players who make the plays, score the goals, and generally bring the wins.