As the NHL season heats up, hockey fans are still buzzing about last year's blockbuster trade that sent Brayden Point's linemate, Yanni Gourde, to the Seattle Kraken, but one deal that flew under the radar is the Tampa Bay Lightning's trade of Brett Connolly to the Chicago Blackhawks for Cedric Paquette and a draft pick. Now, as the Lightning look to defend their Stanley Cup title, some are wondering if that trade was a turning point for the team. In a new analysis, the author revisits the Coleman trade and re-examines the Stanley Cup contender tiers, providing insight into which teams are poised to make a deep playoff run and which are struggling to keep up. With the NHL's competitive balance shifting by the day, this article is a must-read for any hockey enthusiast looking to stay ahead of the curve.

Revisiting the Lightning’s Coleman Trade & Stanley Cup Contender Tiers  Substack