Dater’s Daily: Avs re-sign Gilbert, Rangers fans taunt Buffalo over Eichel

Good Tuesday to you all. Another 95-degree day forecast for Denver. Not exactly hockey weather, but let’s do some looks around the NHL anyway, starting with an Avs signing of depth defenseman Dennis Gilbert.

• Gilbert, you’ll recall, was the other player that came over from the Chicago Blackhawks last summer along with Brandon Saad. The 24-year-old, 6-foot-2, 216-pound D-man signed a one-year, two-way contract with the Avs yesterday. The native of Buffalo played three games last season. According to PuckPedia, the Avs will pay Gilbert $750,000 at the NHL level, and $160,000 at the AHL level.
• I think Avs fans are really going to like Kurtis MacDermid. In my talk with him yesterday, I was impressed with how earnest he seemed about wanting to keep getting better in his career. I do think that the Avs will try to play him more at forward than on defense, but that’s just my hunch for now.
• Check out what some Rangers fans did in Buffalo:

Buffalo,

The time has come.

Starting today for the next two weeks in honor of our 300th episode:

Blueshirts Breakaway has purchased a billboard on I-190 next to the Buffalo Sabres KeyBank Arena demanding an Eichel trade.

We all want this Jack Eichel saga to end.#FreeJack pic.twitter.com/RNVQToorFK

— Ryan Mead (@OhRyanMead) August 16, 2021

• TSN: The Minnesota Wild and Kevin Fiala avoided arbitration and agreed on a new contract for the Wild star forward.
• The Nashville Predators did the same with goalie Juuse Saros and agreed to a four-year, $20 million contract.
• Our boys in Boston have a cup of a story. Remember when Alex Ovechkin mercilessly speared Trent Frederic in the family jewels? Frederic talked more about it and said–it didn’t hurt?!
• Detroit: The Red Wings received howls when they signed Adam Erne to a $2.1 million deal to avoid arbitration. Kevin Allen explained WHY Steve Yzerman did it.
• Auston Matthews had wrist surgery and might miss the start of Leafs camp (NHL.com)
• Wild GM Bill Guerin isn’t worried about losing Calder winner Kirill Kaprizov to the KHL (TSN)
• As Montreal looks to return to the Stanley Cup Final, the team took steps to make some changes to the lineup in the offseason. Mike Zeisberger examines the Habs’ performance and changes this summer. (NHL)