GM: Petr Barilla
Coach: John Tortorella
Last season: 23rd overall. Did not make playoffs
Ins and Outs
(Season 17 to Season 18)
In: Ryan Pulock (free agent), Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (free agent), Noah Hanifin (trade), Jakob Chychrun (trade), Brandon Hagel (trade), Drake Batherson (trade), Curtis Lazar (waivers), Connor Brown (free agent), Conor Garland (free agent), Alexander Salak (free agent), Jason Zucker (free agent),
Out: Thomas Chabot (trade), Andrei Kuzmenko (Trade), Michael Bunting (free agent), Adrian Kempe (trade), Alexandre Carrier (trade), Ryan Johansen (free agent), Jason Brancheau (free agent), Ty Dellandrea (trade), Tom Bozon (free agent), Marcus Foligno (free agent), Georgios Kouleles (free agent),
Potential Lineup
Dylan Larkin/Ryan Nugent-Hopkins/Drake Batherson
Connor Brown/Mason McTavish/Curtis Lazar
Petteri Puhakka/Kent Johnson/Brandon Hagel
Dmitri Voronkov/Peyton Krebs/Beck Malenstyn
Ryan Pulock/Jakob Chychrun
Esa Lindell/Noah Hanifin
Neal Pionk/Chris Martenet
Alexander Salak/Noah Paixao
A Question
Did Athens do enough in the off season to move up? Patience was being practiced in Greece as the Philosophers were putting together a nice collection of players in their mid- to lower-20s. Free agency completely changed their course and you shouldn’t expect Athens to repeat their 23rd finish in the league this season. They will be quite a bit better than that. By the third day of free agency, the Philosophers landed a couple of big, big fish named Ryan. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (Berlin last year) reportedly had two offers and chose Athens. He is the ideal high-end center who was needed to propel wingers Dylan Larkin and Drake Batherson to higher heights. Defenseman Ryan Pulock (Milan last year) said “no” to three reported suitors so he could join the Philosophers’ defense corps. General Manager Petr Barilla didn’t stop there, acquiring two more top defensemen in Jakob Chychrun and Noah Nanifin in trades with Tallinn and Munich. Suddenly Neal Pionk goes from the top pairing to the third duo and Athens has invested $37.9 million in five defenseman positions. Athens Coach John Tortorella has to like what he sees on his blueline. Up front, that’s where it gets somewhat hazy. There has been a good deal of turnover in Greece lately and finding chemistry on the forward lines will be the key to a climb up the standings. The Philosophers seem set for the time being in goal with the acquisition of veteran Alexander Salak. Backing him up will be someone be could someday be Athens’ greatest strength. Goalie Noah Paixao, from Portugal, is still young (23) and learning the ropes. But he is on pace to become a starter in this league. His save percentage went up from .869 to .883 last season and his goals against dropped from 4.04 to 3.45. On a team struggling at the bottom of the standings, that’s an impressive improvement by the young man.
Rose’s Focus
“Last season, I told you Jakub Vrana, Michael Bunting and Aleksander Barkov would be in Coach John Tortorella’s crosshairs and if they didn’t produce, they would be gone. They didn’t produce and now, they are gone. This season, I would like to try something different and focus on the defense corps. That group could be amazing this year. They are all between 29 and 32 years old, and they all bring good resumes and attributes to the rink. Their all-around play should free up everyone on the team to do what they do best, and if the coach can watch the work of Jakob Chychrun, Esa Lindell, Ryan Pulock, Noah Hanifin and Neal Pionk more than he watches the forwards, his blood pressure won’t make him as scary as he’s been in recent years. Fewer magic markers, clipboards, water bottles, and assorted hockey equipment will fly through the air during Philosophers practices and games. But if his young forwards start throwing the puck all over the place aimlessly, which young players are prone to do, cover the kids ears if they are within 200 feet of Torts.”
