NHL Rumor Mill – November 3, 2023

by | Nov 3, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – November 3, 2023

Check out the latest on Leafs forward William Nylander and Canucks winger Conor Garland in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

NYLANDER

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Stan Fischler considers William Nylander one of the best players in Canada. He also thinks the 27-year-old Toronto Maple Leafs winger will become one of the NHL’s highest-paid players on his next contract.

Toronto Maple Leafs forward William Nylander (NHL Images).

Fischler believes Nylander will want to get out from under the shadow of Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner and John Tavares and be the top banana with another club.

TSN: Earlier this week, Dave Poulin took note of Nylander’s hot start to this season and how it might affect the Leafs’ efforts to re-sign him. He believes fair compensation for the 27-year-old winger would be what teammate Mitch Marner is earning annually ($10.9 million) on his current contract.

That’s $4 million more than Nylander, who has scored more goals than Marner over that time and outperformed him in the playoffs. Nevertheless, the latter is going to get a raise on his next contract.

TORONTO SUN: Terry Koshan also weighed in on Nylander’s performance thus far and his contract situation. He noted that it’s clear the winger has been underpaid.

If $10 million annually was a sticking point between Nylander and Leafs management at the start of the season, that number is bound to rise as he continues his dominating play.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Leafs have just 11 players under contract for 2024-25 with a projected $33.4 million in cap space. $10 million annually for Nylander will eat up roughly one-third of that cap room, leaving little room to re-sign or replace fellow UFAs Tyler Bertuzzi, TJ Brodie, Max Domi, John Klingberg, Mark Giordano and Ilya Samsonov.

Assuming the Leafs re-sign Nylander, they’ll have over $45 million invested in just four forwards (Matthews, Marner and Tavares) for next season. That will be over half of what could be an $88 million cap payroll.

Some observers believe the Leafs will trade Nylander by the March 8 trade deadline if he’s not under contract by then. I doubt that’ll happen as long as they’re in playoff contention. They’ll keep him for one more postseason run even if it means losing him to free agency next July.

One way or the other, though, this could be Nylander’s final season with the Leafs. He will draw plenty of interest next summer from clubs that will consider him as a franchise player and pay him accordingly on a long-term contract.

GARLAND

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Fischler also noted the number of teams reportedly interested in Conor Garland. The Nashville Predators, Washington Capitals, Columbus Blue Jackets and Winnipeg Jets are among the clubs linked by the media to the 27-year-old Vancouver Canucks winger.

Fischler pointed out that it’s been over a year since the Garland rumors began and yet he remains with the Canucks. He suggested the possibility that the winger might never get dealt.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The interest in Garland seems genuine but the timing has been all wrong. The flattened salary cap since last season has made it difficult for clubs to take on his $4.95 million cap hit through 2025-26 even with the Canucks reportedly willing to retain 30 percent of his cap hit.

Perhaps that situation changes closer to the trade deadline when teams will accrue more cap space. Otherwise, it might have to wait until the offseason when the salary cap is expected to jump by at least $4 million.










NHL Rumor Mill – October 6, 2023

by | Oct 6, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – October 6, 2023

Check out the latest on Leafs forward William Nylander, Sharks center Logan Couture and Senators center Shane Pinto in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

COULD NYLANDER HIT THE TRADE BLOCK?

NHL NETWORK: Steve Konroyd recently expressed his belief that the Toronto Maple Leafs will trade William Nylander at some point during this season. He doesn’t think the Leafs can afford to re-sign the 27-year-old forward, who could seek close to $10 million annually on his next contract.

Mike Rupp agreed with Konroyd, saying that Nylander has been underpaid for years. He believes there will be teams knocking on the door, including the Anaheim Ducks.

THE ATHLETIC: Jonas Siegel reports Nylander told his agent that he’s willing to negotiate with the Leafs during this season. However, he doesn’t want to hear about the status of those talks until the two sides have a deal in place.

Toronto Maple Leafs forward William Nylander (NHL Images).

Siegel thinks that this suggests Nylander has a clear number in mind for his next contract and won’t contemplate a deal unless the Leafs get there. General manager Brad Treliving could contemplate moving Nylander if a deal isn’t in place by the March 8 trade deadline.

However, Siegel doubts Treliving will peddle Nylander. He points out that clubs trying to win the Stanley Cup typically don’t trade away their best players even at the risk of their departure as free agents following the season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Leafs could trade Nylander if this season goes off the rails by the trade deadline. Otherwise, I agree with Siegel that they’ll hang onto him for the playoffs if they feel they have a chance at winning the Stanley Cup.

If Nylander does hit the trade block perhaps the Ducks will have some interest. I agree with Rupp that he’d be a good fit in Anaheim given the experience and skills he’d bring to their rebuilding roster. They’d also have the cap space to sign him.

However, the Ducks could be on Nylander’s 10-team no-trade list for this season. It’s also possible that they don’t want to invest big money in expensive talent at this stage of their rebuild. If they are interested, they might prefer waiting for free agency on July 1 rather than giving up draft picks and promising young players to acquire him in a trade.

ARE COUTURE’S DAYS NUMBERED IN SAN JOSE?

DAILY FACEOFF: Frank Seravalli recently said he thinks that San Jose Sharks captain Logan Couture could become a prime trade candidate.

He doesn’t think teams will be enamored with the 34-year-old center’s contract. However, he pointed out that the Sharks retained salary on Erik Karlsson and Brent Burns to facilitate trading those players.

Seravalli pointed out that the Sharks have one salary retention slot left. He thinks they could try to leverage that in order to generate trade interest in Couture.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Couture is signed through 2026-27 with an average annual value of $8 million and a three-team trade list. The Sharks almost certainly must retain a healthy chunk of his cap hit if they wish to move him.

Sharks GM Mike Grier recently said he’d be willing to entertain offers for Couture if he wanted to be traded. So far, there’s no indication that he wants out. We’ll see what happens as the season progresses.

THE LATEST ON THE PINTO SAGA

TSN: With the Ducks signing Jamie Drysdale on Thursday, Ottawa Senators center Shane Pinto remains the last notable unsigned restricted free agent.

Chris Johnston reports the Senators continue working with Pinto’s agent to try and get a deal done before the upcoming start of the regular season. He noted that the 22-year-old center is two years away from arbitration eligibility. That makes it difficult to value what could be a second year in the deal, making a player less inclined to sign a one-year contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The ongoing uncertainty over Josh Norris’ health for this season also puts more urgency on the Senators to get Pinto under contract.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 21, 2023

by | Sep 21, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 21, 2023

The Bruins name their new captain, Steve Stamkos hasn’t had any contract extension talks yet with the Lightning, plus updates on William Nylander, Mattias Ekholm, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: The Bruins named Brad Marchand as the new captain, replacing Patrice Bergeron who retired in July. Bruins CEO Charlie Jacobs praised Marchand’s development over his 15 seasons with the club, noting that he had the opportunity to learn from former Bruins captains such as Bergeron and Zdeno Chara.

Boston Bruins winger Brad Marchand (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Marchand’s pesky style of play and his lengthy list of fines and suspensions from earlier in this career had some fans questioning this decision by the Bruins. However, the evolution of his game into an elite scoring winger combined with his lead-by-example performances made him an obvious choice as Bergeron’s successor.

For those who believed defenseman Charlie McAvoy would’ve been a better choice as Bruins captain, his day will come within the next several years. The 35-year-old Marchand will likely retire within the next five years. Marchand is also slated to become an unrestricted free agent in 2025 if he and Bruins management fail to reach an agreement on a contract extension before then.

TAMPA BAY TIMES: Lightning captain Steven Stamkos told reporters yesterday that he was disappointed in the lack of contract extension talks with management. “It was something that I expressed at the end of last year that I wanted to get something done before training camp started,” said Stamkos. “There haven’t been any discussions.

Lightning general manager Julien BriseBois said having Stamkos finish his playing career with the Lightning was in everyone’s best interest. However, his captain will have to wait until the end of this season before negotiations begin. “Steven and I share the common goal of bringing the (Stanley) Cup back to Tampa,” said BriseBois. “That’s our objective. In order for us to do that in future years, we’re going to need to spend our cap dollars as wisely as possible.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Re-signing Stamkos won’t be easy for the Lightning. They’ve been pressed for cap space in recent years due to the high cost of retaining their best players, resulting in a steady erosion of their overall roster depth.

With the cap projected to rise by $4 million next season, the Lightning have just over $12 million in cap space with 16 players under contract. I’ll have more on Stamkos in today’s Rumors update.

TSN: The Toronto Maple Leafs intend to try William Nylander at center for the coming season. The club also announced that goaltender Matt Murray will soon undergo a “significant surgery” while defenseman Jake Muzzin will remain on long-term injury reserve with a cervical spine injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Leafs experimenting with moving Nylander from the wing is to see if they can add more scoring to their third line while moving David Kampf down to the fourth-line center role. The move also comes with Nylander in a contract year as he’s slated to become a UFA next summer.

Murray will be joining Muzzin on long-term injury reserve with a combined $10.3 million.

DAILY FACEOFF: Edmonton Oilers defenseman Mattias Ekholm will miss the start of training camp with his hip flexor injury. There’s no timeline for his return.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Subsequent reports suggest Ekholm won’t be sidelined for long. He regularly skated with Evan Bouchard last season on the Oilers’ second defense pairing.

OTTAWA SUN: Senators general manager Pierre Dorion claimed he and Shane Pinto’s camp are inching toward a new contract for the 22-year-old center. The two sides have reportedly closed the gap in their negotiations but work remains to get a deal done.

Meanwhile, center Josh Norris will be skating with a non-contact yellow jersey as the Senators hit the ice for training camp. Norris tweaked his shoulder during a recent captain’s skate in Ottawa but it isn’t considered a serious injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Senators aren’t taking any chances with Norris. An injured shoulder requiring season-ending surgery limited him to just eight games in 2022-23.

TSN: Montreal Canadiens center Christian Dvorak will miss the opening month of the regular season as he continues to rehab from his March 15 knee surgery.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That explains in part why the Canadiens brought back Sean Monahan for another series.

MONTREAL GAZETTE: Speaking of the Canadiens, Paul Byron announced his retirement as a player and has joined the franchise as a player development consultant. In 521 games over 12 seasons, the 34-year-old two-way winger had 98 goals and 110 assists for 208 points with the Canadiens, Buffalo Sabres and Calgary Flames. He also had 11 points in 36 playoff games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hip injuries force Byron’s retirement after missing the entirety of last season. His energetic play and leadership made him popular with his teammates and a fan favorite in Montreal, especially during the Canadiens run to the 2021 Stanley Cup Final.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: And speaking of players moving on to front-office roles, Patric Hornqvist joined the Panthers’ hockey operations department as a development coach and scout. Hornqvist, 36, announced his retirement in July due to season-ending concussions suffered in December.

NASHVILLE HOCKEY NOW: A DUI criminal charge against Predators head coach Andrew Brunette has been dropped. Brunette was accused of driving his golf cart under the influence in Florida earlier this year.

THE PROVINCE: The Vancouver Canucks confirmed defenseman Tucker Poolman will not play this season due to ongoing migraine symptoms plaguing him since 2021-22.

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: Saku Maenalanen has been released by the Avalanche from his professional tryout offer after failing his training camp medical.

ARIZONA SPORTS: The Coyotes signed forward Jan Jenik to a one-year, two-way contract.










NHL Rumor Mill – September 20, 2023

by | Sep 20, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – September 20, 2023

As training camps open, check out the latest on William Nylander, Connor Hellebuyck, Mark Scheifele, Trevor Zegras, Jamie Drysdale, Elias Lindholm, Mikael Backlund, Brett Pesce and Shane Pinto in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

NYLANDER

TSN: Chris Johnston said he doesn’t think there’s been a whole lot of progress between the Toronto Maple Leafs and William Nylander over a contract extension. There is some hope that discussions might pick up now that the 27-year-old winger is back in North America after spending the offseason in Sweden.

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman believes Nylander will play this season with the Leafs whether he’s signed or not.

Toronto Maple Leafs winger William Nylander (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Not much different from what was reported throughout the offseason. This has the potential to become a long-running story for the Leafs and Nylander through 2023-24.

HELLEBUYCK AND SCHEIFELE

TSN: Darren Dreger reported there’ve been contract discussions between the Winnipeg Jets and pending unrestricted free agents Connor Hellebuyck and Mark Scheifele. However, those talks are now on the back burner as training camp begins.

Dreger said Scheifele hasn’t asked for a trade nor has he said he wouldn’t sign an extension. For now, however, the 30-year-old center intends to park things and focus on the coming season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That’s the first real piece of news regarding Scheifele, who kept silent about his intentions throughout the offseason. He evidently learned his lesson after innocuous comments he made following the 2021-22 season about needing to look out for himself and his future blew up in the media.

Like Nylander with the Leafs, questions about the future of Hellebuyck and Scheifele in Winnipeg will hang over the Jets season.

ZEGRAS AND DRYSDALE

TSN: Pierre LeBrun indicated there’s a “tangible gap” in contract talks between the Anaheim Ducks and agent Pat Brisson, who represents Trevor Zegras. The 22-year-old restricted free agent is the face of the Ducks and their offensive star. It’s believed the two sides are willing to agree to a three-year deal but they’re far apart on the average annual value.

Meanwhile, LeBrun said there’s no sign of progress in contract talks between the Ducks and Jamie Drysdale. The defenseman’s agent, Dave Gagner, is in Anaheim conducting negotiations with Ducks management.

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman believes Zegras and Drysdale could end up with bridge contracts.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Having those negotiations dragging on into training camp and preseason could see those two key players miss a portion of their preparation before the start of the season under new head coach Greg Cronin. That could lead to a slow start for the rebuilding Ducks.

LINDHOLM AND BACKLUND

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman noted that many of the Calgary Flames players who departed frustrated following last season’s disappointing performance have returned with more positive mindsets. It doesn’t mean contract negotiations will be easy but everyone seems to be feeling better.

Friedman thinks Elias Lindholm and Mikael Backlund will be the first pending UFAs that the Flames attempt to re-sign. He noted that the Colorado Avalanche looked into acquiring Backlund before adding Ross Colton and Ryan Johansen.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A big reason why those players are feeling better is the departure of head coach Darryl Sutter. Hiring Craig Conroy to replace Brad Treliving after the latter stepped down as general manager was another factor. The affable Conroy has been working tirelessly throughout the offseason to keep as many of his pending UFAs in the fold.

PESCE

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman said the Carolina Hurricanes gave some permission to teams to speak to UFA-to-be Brett Pesce. However, that’s now ended as the club is all in to win the Stanley Cup this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Pesce could be shopped later in the season if the Hurricanes stumble or there’s a need to address a significant roster weakness. However, I wouldn’t be surprised if he plays out this season in Carolina and tests the UFA market in July.

PINTO

TSN: LeBrun also talks about the ongoing contract talks between the Ottawa Senators and RFA center Shane Pinto. The Senators are pressed for salary-cap space but talks remain very positive. He believes a deal could be done at any time if the Senators can come up with the money for Pinto.

Dreger said teams like the Philadelphia Flyers have inquired about Pinto. However, they’ve been told by the Senators that they’re not trading him.

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reported the Flyers offered to take on an additional contract from the Senators in a potential trade for Pinto. However, he’s not convinced they want to jettison the young center.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Senators hold the hammer in negotiations with the Pinto camp. It sounds like they’re trying to find a way to free up the cap space needed to sign him. However, they could be getting squeezed by clubs seeking a sweetener in the deal.










NHL Rumor Mill – September 14, 2023

by | Sep 14, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – September 14, 2023

Check out the latest on the Flames and the Blues in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

UPDATE ON THE FLAMES KEY PENDING FREE AGENTS

CALGARY SUN: Wes Gilbertson reports Flames general manager Craig Conroy isn’t panicking over having six key players eligible for unrestricted free-agent status next summer. He said he’s been talking to those players (Elias Lindholm, Mikael Backlund, Noah Hanifin, Oliver Kylington, Chris Tanev and Nikita Zadorov) during the summer and those discussions will continue.

Lindholm didn’t have much to say to reporters yesterday regarding his contract talks when the Flames gathered for their annual charity golf tournament. “I’ve made it pretty clear that I want to stay,” said the 28-year-old center. “That’s about it”.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Daniel Austin also reported on Lindholm’s contract situation. It’s understood that the Flames have made a big-money, long-term offer to the two-way center to keep him in Calgary. He also indicated that Conroy doesn’t want to risk losing Lindholm to free agency like his predecessor did with Johnny Gaudreau.

Earlier in the week, Gilbertson suggested it could take over $9 million annually to keep Lindholm in the fold. However, he thinks the lack of progress in getting a deal done is due to the center taking what appears to be a wait-and-see approach regarding the coming season.

Gilbertson believes Conroy doesn’t want to trade Lindholm but doesn’t doubt that he’s gauged the interest of his fellow NHL general managers to see what type of package they’d be willing to offer. Trading him, however, would also leave a huge hole at center for the Flames that will be difficult to fill internally.

Calgary Flames defenseman Noah Hanifin (NHL Images).

TSN’s Salim Nadim Valji believes Lindholm sounded more open and optimistic about his future in Calgary than he did a couple of months ago. Time will tell if that’s the case as this season unfolds.

Hanifin also provided some clarity on his situation following a summer of reports claiming he didn’t want to sign a contract extension. The 26-year-old defenseman told reporters he hasn’t ruled out the possibility of re-signing with the Flames but is putting his focus on the coming season and will see how things go from there.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Valji reported that Hanifin told management he would wait and see how the season went but he hadn’t shut the door on an extension. He also informed them during the summer that he needed time to digest the disappointment of last season.

Conroy stressed that none of those six pending UFAs have asked to be traded or told him that they didn’t want to be in Calgary. He considered it understandable that they want time to evaluate the club’s performance this season following last year’s disappointing outcome.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: In other words, a bounce-back performance by the Flames followed by a strong postseason effort could sway most of those core UFAs to re-sign. Another discouraging season like 2022-23 could lead to Conroy peddling some of them by the March 8 trade deadline.

LATEST ON THE BLUES

THE ATHLETIC: In his latest mailbag segment, Jeremy Rutherford was asked if there was any substance to rumors of the St. Louis Blues being interested in William Nylander and offering up Colton Parayko for the Toronto Maple Leafs winger.

Rutherford dismissed that rumor as well as another reader’s suggested offer for Nylander with Torey Krug as the centerpiece of the return to the Leafs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: As Rutherford observed, Nylander is a two-time 40-goal scorer who nearly had 90 points last season. The Leafs wouldn’t accept Krug even if he was healthy. He also believes any possibility of a Nylander-for-Parayko swap died out a long time ago. Parayko isn’t on the same level of talent as the Leafs winger.

Rutherford was also asked if the Blues might attempt to move a veteran defenseman such as Krug, Parayko, Justin Faulk or Nick Leddy at some point this season. He didn’t rule out the possibility.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: As we saw with Krug earlier this summer when he nixed a trade to Philadelphia, the respective no-trade/no-movement clauses of those blueliners will make them difficult to shop.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 9, 2023

by | Sep 9, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 9, 2023

Stan Bowman and Joel Quenneville speak at general managers’ meeting, an update on William Nylander’s contract talks, Tim Stutzle talks about Alex DeBrincat’s departure from the Senators, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

TSN: Former Chicago Blackhawks general manager Stan Bowman and former head coach Joel Quenneville spoke Friday at the NHL’s general manager and coaches meeting in Chicago. They were invited by league commissioner Gary Bettman and deputy commissioner Bill Daly to address the group but they did not speak to the media.

Bowman and Quenneville have been out of the league since 2021 following an investigation by the Blackhawks over the mishandling of allegations by former player Kyle Beach that he had been sexually abused by former assistant coach Brad Aldrich in 2010. Neither man was suspended by the league but Bettman has stated they need his clearance to return.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Following the meeting, Bettman told reporters that he has no timetable for when Bowman and Quenneville will be allowed to return to the NHL. He also claimed that the duo “voluntarily” attended the GM and coaches meeting. “It wasn’t something that they were told they needed to do,” said Bettman, “ We said if you’d like the opportunity to address the group, you would have it.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It doesn’t appear Bowman and Quenneville will be allowed back to the NHL this season. However, their attendance at this meeting could set the stage for Bettman to give one or both men his blessing to return in the near future.

THE ATHLETIC: After re-signing Auston Matthews, Toronto Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving told Pierre LeBrun that he is focused on getting William Nylander under contract. “Willy is a really important player and a really good player, and we want to get him done too,” said Treliving.

Toronto Maple Leafs winger William Nylander (NHL Images).

The Leafs GM indicated his intention to hold further talks with the Nylander camp before the upcoming season begins. The winger’s agent, Lewis Gross, told LeBrun that they remain open to getting a deal done.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Reports earlier this summer claimed negotiations weren’t going well. It’s a promising sign that both sides are still willing to discuss a contract.

Whether they can hammer out a deal remains to be seen. It’s believed Nylander seeks $10 million annually on his next contract. That could prove difficult for the Leafs over the long term with Mitch Marner due for a new deal in 2025.

THE SCORE: Ottawa Senators forward Tim Stutzle didn’t mince words regarding former teammate Alex DeBrincat during a recent appearance on the Sportsnet podcast “32 Thoughts”.

“If he doesn’t want to be there, I don’t want to have to make him be there,” said Stutzle. He went on to say, “If you don’t want to be there, good luck on your way.”

DeBrincat was shipped in July to the Detroit Red Wings following a trade request by his representatives. Stutzle added that he and his teammates wanted DeBrincat to stay, calling him “a great guy, great player.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Senators are attempting to build a contender based around their young core of talent such as Stutzle who have committed to the club’s long-term plans. They don’t want any unnecessary distractions, including from those who’d prefer playing elsewhere.

OTTAWA SUN: Speaking of the Senators, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said the sale of the club to billionaire Michael Andlauer could be done “as early as next week”.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: The Bruins could go with a “captain-by-committee” this season with three or four alternates rather than naming a team captain. The position is currently vacant following Patrice Bergeron’s retirement in July.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Bruins wouldn’t be the only NHL club to use that format if that’s what they decide to do this season. It can be a good way to determine which player is best suited to fill the role of team captain.

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: The Avalanche have invited forward Saku Maenalanen to camp on a professional tryout offer. The 29-year-old winger played 64 games last season with the Winnipeg Jets.

SPORTSNET: On his “32 Thoughts” podcast, Elliotte Friedman said he believes the Seattle Kraken have sorted out prospect center Shane Wright’s eligibility to play for their AHL affiliate in Coachella Valley this season. Wright was one game short of the CHL’s cut-off eligibility, meaning he would’ve had to return to the OHL if he didn’t crack the Kraken lineup this season.

TSN: Former NHL players Dustin Brown and Jamie Langenbrunner and former NHL executive Brian Burke are among the 2023 inductees into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame. They join women’s star Katie King Crowley and official Brian Murphy.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Congratulations to the Class of 2023 for this well-deserved honor.