Unnumbered Thoughts: Future considerations, culture, and more from a week in Nashville

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — I love NHL Draft week. 

It’s the only time the entire NHL world descends on one place, you run into coaches you’ve covered, players about to start their careers, and the bar scene turns into a who’s who of NHL management – Bill Guerin blew all cover of that with his shout outs to Tootsies. 

Fun time to end one season and usher in another. 

Let’s go through some unnumbered thoughts. 

A. It’s been a long time since “Future considerations” have had this much value. 

In a cap-strapped league, which is still partially due to the COVID-19 fallout, teams have been forced to make financial decisions over personnel decisions. 

Reilly Smith, for example, was a cap casualty moving to the Pittsburgh Penguins so the Vegas Golden Knights had space to sign Ivan Barbashev. 

The Detroit Red Win