NHL News: Hlinka Gretzky Cup, McBain re-signs, Frederic arbitration numbers
Ryan Gagne
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Today’s NHL news follows up on the latest regarding the upcoming Hlinka Gretzky Cup in the Czech Republic and Slovakia, Jack McBain’s new deal, and Trent Frederic’s arbitration details.
Whether you are into the latest trade buzz, signing news, and more, stick with The Daily Goal Horn.
Hlinka Gretzky Cup begins on July 31, with top 2024 prospects skating against one another.
Prospects and their development are among professional hockey’s most talked about topics. Ultimately, this means most of the hockey world will have their eyes set on the 2023 Hlinka Gretzky Cup in Břeclav, Czech Republic, and Trenčín, Slovakia, for the next few days.
As one of the premiere tournaments for U18 players across the globe, this unofficial IIHF tournament has been an international spectacle since its inception in 1991. Once the puck drops on Monday, the eight participating countries: United States, Czech Republic, Sweden, Germany, Slovakia, Switzerland, Canada, and Finland will play each other one in the robin round before entering the playoffs on August 4 with the medal games occurring on August 5.
Although it features upcoming stars under 18, the tournament has become very popular over the last decade, especially since it was rebranded to its current format in 2018. Furthermore, since most prospects will soon be draft eligible in 2024 or 2025, plenty of scouts and reporters will be tracking their performances to start filling out their draft rankings.
Ultimately, every team is chasing Canada at the event as the defending champions from 2022 look to add a 24th title to their collection this summer.
Coyotes Jack McBain gets a new deal, and Bruins Trent Frederic moves forward with his arbitration case
Right now, there isn’t a lot of player movement in the NHL, allowing Jack McBain to have the news all to himself on Sunday when the Arizona Coyotes announced his new contract. After playing out his two-year entry-level contract in Arizona, the Boston College alumni nearly doubled his salary with a new two-year agreement for $3.1 million.
As a rookie, McBain was making $883,750 per year and, after scoring 26 points in 82 games last season, got a nice pay increase avoiding arbitration in the process. Now 23-year-old will be on the books for $1.59 million for the next two seasons as he continues establishing himself at the NHL level.
Meanwhile, bottom-six fan favorite Trent Frederic continues his arbitration filing with the Boston Bruins, asking for a one-year deal worth $2.9 million. However, the Bruins countered with a two-year contract valued at $1.4 million yearly. Although both sides appear to be off in their initial sit-down, they should be able to find a point in the middle and work out a deal.
As remarkable as the year was for the entire Boston team, Frederic had a career season with 31 points and almost 12 minutes of ice time a game. Even though he’s not a flashy top-six guy who is rallied upon to fill the net, he scored 17 goals last year and provided the Bruins with timely points on nights the top guys weren’t clicking.
