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Updated 2024-11-28 19:00
Carter out long term, absence 'to be measured on a month-to-month basis'
Jeff Carter is out indefinitely after suffering a cut to his leg that required surgery, but a high-ranking member of the Los Angeles Kings got a little more specific about the star forward's timetable Monday.Kings assistant general manager Mike Futa told Sportsnet 590 The FAN that Carter's recovery is going to be a lengthy one."It's not a minor injury. It was a freak (injury) and he was wearing everything you need to be wearing (to protect yourself) ... but (the protective socks are) cut-resistant, not cut-proof," Futa said on "HockeyCentral at Noon.""It's unfortunate," the executive added. "It's going to be a long-term injury. It's not ... a four-to-six weeker. It's going to be measured more on a month-to-month basis."Futa then took it one step further and implied Carter may not be back until February."He's in such great shape that he's going to come back stronger than ever, and I think he'll probably be back around ... more like a trade-deadline acquisition kind of thing, getting a guy back at that time, but what can you do?"Futa added that he doesn't think it makes sense for the Kings and GM Rob Blake to trade picks for a rental player to fill the void in the short term.Carter had surgery performed last week on his left leg after being cut by Jeff Petry's skate on a bodycheck early in Wednesday's win over the Montreal Canadiens.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
Leafs' top line success will prove to be more sustainable than Kings'
Monday's matchup between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Los Angeles Kings represents not only a meeting between two of the NHL's best teams, but two of the league's most effective lines thus far this season.LA's trio of Anze Kopitar, Dustin Brown, and Alex Iafallo have been on the ice for 11 goals for (most in NHL) at five-on-five, and only two against. On the other hand, Toronto's unit of Auston Matthews, William Nylander, and Zach Hyman have been on the ice for six goals for (sixth in NHL), but zero against. These two lines rank first and second in Plus-Minus, per Corsica.Despite the success of the Kings' top line, the underlying numbers suggest that they're in for some regression, whereas the Leafs' top line might just be hitting their stride.Even though the Kings' top line has the advantage when it comes to shot quantity, ranking fifth in Corsi For percentage with a mark of 58.96 (among lines that have played at least 50 minutes at five-on-five together), compared to Toronto's 57.76, Toronto's shots have been of higher quality.Here's a look at where Toronto's shots have come from with Matthews on the ice:With Nylander on the ice:With Hyman on the ice:You'll notice how the red area (where the majority of shots are coming from) takes up the slot when Matthews, Nylander, and Hyman are on the ice.For comparison, here's where LA's shots have come from while Kopitar is on the ice:With Brown on the ice:With Iafallo on the ice:You'll notice a trend with the graph of the Kings' top line: a bulk of their shots are coming from the outside, which means that over the course of a season, less of these shots will find the back of the net.As expected, many goals produced by LA's top line have involved a bit of luck. Shots from this angle by Brown won't be going in all season:In fact, among lines that have played at least 50 minutes together at five-on-five, Kopitar, Brown, and Iafallo rank eighth in expected goals for. Matthews, Nylander, and Hyman rank first in this category, per Corsica.This isn't to say Kopitar and Brown's bounce-back season can't continue, it's just that their path to sustainability as the league's most effective line (which they currently are), is much more foggy compared to Toronto's young trio vying for status as the best line in the league.It's clear the Leafs' top line has the advantage, and that could be evident in Monday's meeting between the two sides.(Graphs courtesy hockeyviz.com)Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
3 questions that need to be asked after Penguins waive Niemi
Antti Niemi's tenure with the Pittsburgh Penguins could very well be over, but his potential departure raises questions for more than one NHL team.The veteran goaltender was placed on waivers Monday, possibly putting an end to a Penguins' experiment that went awry in a hurry.Here are three burning questions that have to be asked following Pittsburgh's decision to expose Niemi to the other 30 NHL clubs.Is he done?It certainly looks that way.The Penguins are apparently cutting bait with their backup netminder - at least at the NHL level - after less than three full games, but he was indisputably terrible in those three outings.Niemi allowed 16 goals in only 129 minutes, including all seven in a 7-1 loss Saturday to the Tampa Bay Lightning, all five in a 5-4 loss Oct. 12 to the Lightning, and four goals on 13 shots in a 10-1 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks on the second night of the season.He's 34 years old, and clearly, his best days are in the rearview mirror.Niemi's last respectable campaign came in 2014-15 with the San Jose Sharks, when he was still a capable starter, but he hasn't proven worthy of shouldering a heavy workload, let alone serving as an NHL backup, since then.He struggled in a platoon role over the last couple of seasons with the Dallas Stars before joining the Penguins on a one-year, $700,000 deal on July 1.There are several teams that could use goaltending depth, but he might not be worth the risk.Should the Golden Knights claim him?(Photo courtesy: Getty Images)One of those clubs is the expansion Vegas Golden Knights, who've had some bad luck with goalie injuries in the early going.Marc-Andre Fleury has been dealing with concussion symptoms and Malcolm Subban is out for about a month with an injury of his own, thrusting rookie Oscar Dansk into the starting role and AHL/ECHL journeyman Maxim Lagace into the backup position.That's hardly ideal, and Golden Knights general manager George McPhee has to ask himself if it makes more sense to bring in a washed up but seasoned Niemi or let his inexperienced duo attempt to hold down the fort until Fleury and Subban are ready to return.It wouldn't be surprising if McPhee simply stayed the course, because while both injuries are concerning, neither appears to be season-ending. Still, is Niemi more of a solution or a problem to have on the roster?What is Pittsburgh's backup plan?Meanwhile, the Penguins appear interested in moving on from the Niemi gamble, but where do they go from here?For now, they've called up Casey DeSmith, an undrafted 26-year-old. DeSmith was outperforming Tristan Jarry early on in the AHL, but the latter goalie is considered the better long-term NHL prospect.Jarry, a Penguins second-round pick in 2013, posted a .925 save percentage in 45 AHL games last season. He's allowed 12 goals in three games this fall, but Pittsburgh may eventually feel he's ready for the NHL backup role if DeSmith doesn't pan out.So why does this matter?Well, Matt Murray is off to a bit of a rocky start, and while the No. 1's numbers will almost certainly improve, he's going to need some nights off here and there.Murray has been forced to appear in seven of the Penguins' first nine games, and his performance hasn't been at its typically stellar level. That further illustrates the Penguins' need for a reliable second-stringer.Whatever they decide to do in the long term, the Penguins are getting younger in the interim. Given Niemi's disastrous performance, it's hard to blame them.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
Stamkos, Kucherov awarded for huge weeks
The dominance of Steven Stamkos and Nikita Kucherov is not going unrecognized.Both Tampa Bay Lightning forwards earned star of the week honors Monday, with Stamkos claiming first star and Kucherov taking home second star. San Jose Sharks center Logan Couture was the third star.Stamkos poured in nine assists and 11 points, while Kucherov notched five goals and eight points in four games.Couture also scored five times over the week, totalling seven points in three contests.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
Flames put Jagr on injured reserve
The Calgary Flames will be without Jaromir Jagr until at least next weekend.The veteran was placed on injured reserve by the club Monday after suffering a lower-body injury early in Saturday's loss to the Minnesota Wild.Jagr left that contest and didn't return. The 45-year-old has a pair of assists and nine shots on goal through five games with Calgary this season, after signing a one-year, $1-million pact earlier this month.The NHL's CBA mandates that players placed on IR must be inactive for at least seven days, so the earliest Jagr could return would presumably be Sunday's game against the Washington Capitals, meaning he'll miss at least three contests.Calgary recalled forward Mark Jankowski from the AHL's Stockton Heat in a corresponding move.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
NHL Power Rankings: Lightning bolt ahead of the pack
theScore's NHL Power Rankings are published every other Monday. Our second go-round is put together by editors Josh Gold-Smith, Sean O'Leary, and Josh Wegman.1. Tampa Bay Lightning (7-1-1) ▲Previously 12thImagine a team where a healthy Steven Stamkos isn't even the top offensive weapon? Thanks to Nikita Kucherov, that's the Lightning these days - and that's awfully scary. - Wegman2. Los Angeles Kings (6-0-1) ▲Previously 5thThe Kings are faster, younger, and the only team without a regulation loss. New head coach John Stevens has them playing a more aggressive style, and it's working - especially while Jonathan Quick looks like he wants a Vezina. - Wegman3. Toronto Maple Leafs (6-2-0) ▼Previously 2ndThe Leafs still have troubles in their own end, but nobody can argue with their prolific offense. Thirteen players are on pace for at least 40 points, and Auston Matthews is an early Hart candidate. - Wegman4. Chicago Blackhawks (5-2-2) ▼Previously 1stThe Blackhawks still have plenty of speed and three dangerous lines. It would be foolish to disrespect a team with three Stanley Cups in the last decade. - Wegman5. Pittsburgh Penguins (5-3-1) ▲Previously 11thGlaring weaknesses at third-line center and backup goalie could hold the Pens back until they find upgrades, but the champs still have the firepower to keep them in the top five. - Wegman(Photo courtesy: Action Images)6. Ottawa Senators (4-1-3) ▲Previously 21stThe Sens avoided what many thought would be a disaster, going 3-0-2 without Erik Karlsson in the lineup. The captain has now played three games, and already has six points. They'll be a tough team to beat from here on out. - Wegman7. St. Louis Blues (6-2-1) ▼Previously 4thEven with all the early injuries, the Blues remain one of the league's top teams, in large part due to captain Alex Pietrangelo, Jaden Schwartz, and Vladimir Tarasenko. - Wegman8. Dallas Stars (5-3-0) ▲Previously 27thThe Stars experienced some growing pains to start the year, but those can be expected with a new head coach. They've now won four straight, albeit against a relatively soft schedule. Ben Bishop has provided a long-awaited solution in goal, and we all know this team can score. - Wegman9. Philadelphia Flyers (5-3-0) ▼Previously 8thMoving captain Claude Giroux to the wing has paid early dividends, as he has 10 points in eight games. Sean Couturier, known more as a shutdown player, has flourished in the No. 1 center role, providing offense and defense. Regardless, the Flyers' depth up the middle will be a question mark moving forward. - Wegman10. New Jersey Devils (6-2-0) ▲(Photo courtesy: Action Images)Previously 19thThe Devils are young, fast, skilled, and exciting to watch, but it's still awfully early. They've had some impressive victories - beating three teams ahead of them in these power rankings - but we're still in wait-and-see mode. - Wegman11. Columbus Blue Jackets (5-3-0) ▲Previously 14thNewcomer Artemi Panarin has settled in quite nicely, and along with Alexander Wennberg and Cam Atkinson, he's part of what's been one of the most productive lines in the NHL. Back-to-back losses to the Lightning and Kings aren't much to be ashamed of. - O'Leary12. Washington Capitals (4-4-1) ▼Previously 3rdAlex Ovechkin has slowed drastically after a scorching start, and losses to the Red Wings and Panthers over the weekend have Washington trending in the wrong direction. - O'Leary13. Anaheim Ducks (3-3-1) ▼Previously 10thBoy, the loss of Cam Fowler is really going to test what's already a depleted defense. Thankfully, John Gibson has quietly posted a .932 save percentage through seven starts - O'Leary14. Nashville Predators (4-3-1) ▲Previously 29thThe Preds haven't looked particularly great or particularly bad, but if they can keep up high shot rates, their wildly low shooting percentage (5.95) should improve, and so should their record. - O'Leary15. Vegas Golden Knights (6-1-0) ▼(Photo courtesy: Action Images)Previously 6thVegas keeps winning, but with Oscar Dansk leading the charge in goal from here on out, you can color us skeptical. - O'Leary16. New York Islanders (4-3-1) ▲Previously 22ndThe Islanders have been fairly average across the board, but have managed just a 4 percent conversion rate on the power play - how is that even possible? - O'Leary17. Calgary Flames (4-4-0) ▼Previously 16thMike Smith's early workload has been similar to his prior duties in Arizona, but he's survived so far, posting a .927 save percentage across eight starts. Calgary still might want to cut down on the shots against per game (35.4). - O'Leary18. Florida Panthers (3-4-0) ▼Previously 15thFlorida's offered a balanced attack so far, but with Roberto Luongo headed to the IR, the team will need to tidy things up in the defensive zone. - O'Leary19. Minnesota Wild (2-2-2) ▲Previously 25thThe Wild have been ravaged by injuries, and should be focused on staying afloat until their talented roster can be reassembled. - O'Leary20. Edmonton Oilers (2-5-0) ▼(Photo courtesy: Action Images)Previously 15thThe Oilers have managed a worse record than nearly every team on this list, but considering they're averaging almost 40 shots per game and still employ Connor McDavid, they retain the benefit of the doubt, for the time being. - O'Leary21. Boston Bruins (3-3-1) ▼Previously 9thThings have really gone downhill for the Bruins since their season-opening win over the Predators.A slew of injuries (Tuukka Rask, Ryan Spooner, Adam McQuaid), a pair of losses to the Avalanche, and an overtime loss to the Sabres in which they blew a three-goal lead have left Boston smarting, despite getting Patrice Bergeron and David Backes back from their respective ailments. - Gold-Smith22. Winnipeg Jets (4-3-0) ▲(Photo courtesy: Getty Images)Previously 31stWinning four of out five games since the last edition of the power rankings gets the Jets out of our basement and closer to where many project they'll ultimately finish.Victories over the Oilers and Wild inspire some hope, but Winnipeg still has some work to do before it can be considered a legitimate playoff threat. - Gold-Smith23. Carolina Hurricanes (3-2-1) ▼Previously 18thIt wasn't easy evaluating the Hurricanes after one game, but it's a little clearer now. Carolina earned big road wins over the Oilers and Flames, but losses to the Jets and Stars showed consistency is still a work in progress. - Gold-Smith24. Vancouver Canucks (4-3-1) ▼Previously 17thVancouver has won three of its last four, but two of those were over the Sabres and Red Wings. It's only a matter of time before reality sets in. - Gold-Smith25. San Jose Sharks (3-4-0) ▲Previously 30thWins against a couple of struggling squads in the Canadiens and Sabres and a victory over the surprising Devils were enough for the Sharks to gain some ground, despite a pair of losses to the Islanders.San Jose still isn't scoring enough, though, and will need to figure that out as it continues a five-game road trip Monday at Madison Square Garden. - Gold-Smith26. Detroit Red Wings (4-4-1) ▼Previously 7thLast week was a big test for the Red Wings, and they failed it by losing three games against legit contenders in the Lightning, Maple Leafs, and Capitals. Following that up with a 4-1 beatdown on home ice at the hands of the Canucks wasn't great, either. - Gold-Smith27. New York Rangers (2-5-2) ▼Previously 23rdThe Rangers have lost five of their last six, and while Saturday's win over the Predators was a good sign, New York hasn't been playing to its full potential. We knew the Rangers were going to regress, but it wasn't supposed to happen this quickly. - Gold-Smith28. Colorado Avalanche (4-4-0) ▼Previously 20thLast week, we told you not to get used to seeing the Avalanche ranked as high as they were, and Colorado responded by winning three straight, before losing three in a row. Despite solid play at times, the Avalanche are still too inconsistent to sustain success over the long haul. - Gold-Smith29. Montreal Canadiens (1-6-1) ▼(Photo courtesy: Action Images)Previously 24thIt's still way too early for the Canadiens to give up on the season, but seven straight losses are definitely cause for concern. Montreal went 0-for-3 on its California road swing last week, as both scoring and defense remain major issues. - Gold-Smith30. Buffalo Sabres (2-5-2) ▼Previously 26thThe Sabres earned a big comeback win over the Bruins on Saturday night, but they still have the third-worst goal differential in the league and a host of root causes to account for that. - Gold-Smith31. Arizona Coyotes (0-7-1) ▼Previously 28thThe NHL's lone remaining winless team has seven regulation losses in eight games. That's bad. - Gold-SmithCopyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
The Retro: Rick Vaive on Ovechkin, early retirement, and Glen Sather's trash talk
Over the course of the 2017-18 season, theScore will run a series of interviews with former players in which they recall some of the greatest moments of their career. This edition focuses on Rick Vaive, who racked up 788 points in 876 career games with four NHL teams.On playing for the Birmingham Bulls of the World Hockey Association prior to joining the NHL:The most interesting part was my junior team (the QMJHL's Sherbrooke Castors) not wanting me to leave. They offered me a heck of a lot more money than I would've made in Birmingham.I kept telling them, “It’s not about the money. I want to be a better player, and in order to do that, I’m going there to play against better players. It’s nothing against you guys, you’ve treated me extremely well, but this is a big step for me and I want to make it.”They kept upping the ante … it was ridiculous money for 1978. The problem was, most of their best players had already moved on. Attendance had been going down, and they wanted to keep it up. But I said no.On leading the WHA in penalty minutes that season:It was a tough league back then; the year before, Birmingham had the toughest team in pro hockey. They beat up on everybody. And then they got rid of those guys, and everybody else figured it was time to take it out on the young guys. I had a few broken noses and quite a few punches to the head.John Brophy was my coach, and he was a big part of that. We talked a lot; he was a Maritimer, as was I. He said, “We’ve got guys that can look after that, but you have to do some of it yourself.” And I kind of already knew that; I had done that in junior. And I knew that if you don’t stick up for yourself, then they’re gonna run all over you.I didn’t win too many fights, but I think guys got tired of breaking their knuckles on my helmet and head. And it worked; it gave me a lot more room.On his first NHL game:I just remember I was terrified. I mean, it was the NHL; it's where you always dream of playing. The butterflies were floating around like crazy. I don't remember much else, to be honest. All I remember is we wore those Halloween sweaters (laughs). We took a lot of ribbing over that.I remember my first goal like it was yesterday. It was actually a backhand, believe it or not. I came down the right side and the defenseman kind of cheated to the outside so I cut into the middle through the slot and roofed a backhand past Rogie Vachon. That's a good memory.On who hit him the hardest in his career:It was a lot of guys. And the funny thing was, back then, the defensemen were big. Most teams had defensemen who were 6-3, 6-4 and 230 (pounds). And they hit hard. And most of the rinks back then, especially Maple Leaf Gardens and the Montreal Forum, the boards and the glass, they didn't give.When you look at Montreal's defense my first couple of years, (Larry) Robinson was still there, and (Gilles) Lupien. They'd run you into the boards and it was like hitting a cement wall.On who dished out the best trash talk:You know what's funny? It was Glen Sather.I scored against Edmonton a lot. And Sather wouldn't start until about halfway through the game, and then every time I would skate by, he would say something like, "I'm gonna send (Dave) Semenko after you." And I would turn around and say, "What's that about?" And then I would chirp back at him - so he did send Semenko after me (laughs).The things he would say ... I remember one time there was a faceoff right by the bench, and he was chirping at me. I turned around and said, "Glen, you were a midget when you played. You never went in a corner. So why are you chirping?" I could see the guys on the bench chuckling a little bit.On his favorite referee story:(Laughs) I actually have two of them. In Vancouver, Harry Neale was our coach - and Harry used to have that kind of high-pitched voice, and every time the referee would skate by, he would say, "Come on, come on! You missed that penalty," or something like that.I think the referee was Ron Wicks. And Harry was chirping at him about something, and Ron skated by the bench, turned around and said, "Harry, I'm trying to help you as much as I can, but your team's not very good!" The whole bench cracked up over that, even though it was a shot at us.The other one was in Buffalo, when Rick Dudley was head coach. Duds was pretty bad at getting on the referees and the linesmen, and they would come to us and ask if we could talk to him, and we did - but it didn't stop him.One night we're playing L.A., and we're up 5-2 with about a minute left in the game, and Dudley was getting on Ron Asselstine so bad that night. So right by our bench, the Kings were in on a rush and the lead guy was literally 4 feet offside. Actually, it might have been 6 feet. It was a lot. And Asselstine waved it off, turned around and smiled at Duds. And they scored on the rush.Duds went nuts. He was banging on the glass, and at the old (Buffalo Memorial Auditorium), the glass would move quite a bit by the bench and it was almost touching the fans, and they were all backing away. I mentioned it to Ron when I saw him recently, and he started laughing and said, "I remember that very vividly." I thought it was pretty funny myself.On his favorite NHL game:I don't think I was ever in any really meaningful ones (laughs). I think it would have to be Game 3 of the 1986 playoffs, when we swept Chicago in the first round. It was a best-of-five, and they finished 29 points ahead of us in the Norris Division. We snuck into the playoffs, and swept them in three straight. It was at Maple Leafs Gardens, and I couldn't believe the crowd.Because we were such underdogs, I don't think a lot of the season-ticket holders bought their (playoff) tickets, so they went on sale to the public. So it was all your rabid, crazy fans at that third game. And late in the game, we were up by two or three goals, and about 40 brooms were thrown on the ice. To see that at the Gardens was kind of unheard of.That was a good feeling, when we knocked them out three straight. That was probably the most meaningful game I played in.On the guy from his playing career he considers most underrated:Although he's in the Hall of Fame, Chris Chelios is the guy.I think people realize he was a good player, but I don't think they know just how good he was at reading the play, and how smart he was. He didn't overexert himself in any game; he didn't have to, because he was always in the proper position. He was very physical - dirty at times, but that was okay, because he was just giving it back. But he was smart.He moved the puck well, he saw the ice well, he could run a power play, he could kill penalties ... he could do it all. And he played, what, 26 years? The fact that a defenseman could do that, it's incredible. And he could get under your skin as well as anyone. But he wouldn't say anything - he'd hit you, and then he'd smile, or just skate away. He let his play do the talking.On playing his last NHL game at age 32:I remember it very clearly. I was playing for Buffalo. It was at the Montreal Forum. And I didn't get a shift.John Muckler was in the midst of taking over as general manager, and he fired Dudley early in the season. And I had been playing on a line with Pierre Turgeon. I wasn't scoring, but I had about 70 or 80 shots, and probably three or four quality chances each game. John stepped in as coach, and I suddenly found myself in the press box pretty much for the rest of the year.My last game, we had some injuries. And the team had called up Jody Gage and someone else from Rochester; both of them had basically played their whole career in the minors and they were in their 30s. And he gave them regular playing time and sat me on the bench, and I didn't get one shift. And that was very disappointing.I think if I had been able to go somewhere else and get another chance, I could have prolonged my career by three, four, maybe five years. You never want to stop playing - and then that day comes and it's like, "Wow." You can't believe it's over.On which current NHL player reminds him of himself:I think if there's anybody that plays a similar style ... I know it kinda sounds crazy, but (Alex) Ovechkin reminds me a lot of the way I played.It's kind of the same thing with him: if he doesn't get involved early, and hit a few guys or get hit, and get his nose in there, he seems to fade away and you don't really see him the rest of the night. Of course, he might get on a power play and one-time one home. But yeah, a lot of his goals are slappers, he gets around the net a lot, he isn't afraid to hit or get hit.I would say out of all the guys, he's probably the guy that's the closest to me in terms of style of play. He can play any way he wants to. I considered myself a guy like that. If the coach wanted me to play a bang-and-crash style, okay. If he wanted me to play wide open and score goals, okay. I was good with either one of those styles.(Special thanks to the NHL Alumni Association for its assistance.)(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)Other entries in this series:
Bryan Bickell talks life after hockey nearly one year after MS diagnosis
As a 31-year-old unrestricted free agent with three Stanley Cup rings on his resume, Bryan Bickell was in position to cash in this past summer.Instead, he chose to retire after a 10-year career, and nearly a year to the date he was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis - an unpredictable disease of the central nervous system that disrupts the flow of information within the brain, and between the brain and body - it's a decision he's clearly at peace with."I don't know how many more years I could've played but I wanted to finish and worry about my health," Bickell said in a recent interview with theScore. "Not get injured anymore. To be around the kids. There's an upside compared to last year to move on."After winning the 2014-15 Stanley Cup with the Chicago Blackhawks, Bickell spent much of the next season in the American Hockey League, as he battled injuries, unexplained health problems, and a level of play far below the standard he'd set during his career.He continues to deal with those recurring health issues in retirement, which he now knows stem from the relapsing-remitting form of MS he's been diagnosed with.In that form of the disease, Bickell's symptoms come and go, often taking different shapes every time they rear their ugly head. Like a lot of MS patients, he's often left in the dark as to what struggles can be blamed on the disease, which currently has no cure."We don't really know exactly when it started, it could've started five years ago. Nobody can really pinpoint it," he said, while admitting to feeling "exhausted" about once a month.(Photo courtesy Getty Images)Before stepping away, Bickell opened the current NHL season back in Chicago, where he played the majority of his career after being selected 41st overall by the Blackhawks in 2004. He signed a one-day contract in early October, and then retired as a member of the team."It was an honor to do that, not every player gets to do it," Bickell said. "The nine years I was with the 'Hawks and getting the opportunity to come back to retire there was special, 'cause of the memories and the friendships and fans."It was an honor that helped Bickell put to bed a season in which he played only seven games for the Carolina Hurricanes and scored just one goal before taking a much-needed leave from the NHL level. He was diagnosed with MS soon after, on Nov. 14, 2016.Bickell would eventually return to the playoff-eliminated Hurricanes for four games to end the campaign, and provided one last on-ice memory with a shootout winner against the Philadelphia Flyers in his career finale.Long known as a grinder, and with a history of success throughout tough postseason battles, Bickell is now carrying on that persona in retirement as he helps others fight the debilitating disease he's living with.He and his wife, Amanda, have partnered with Manantler Brewing Co. to raise funds for a new MS service dog program they run via the Bryan & Amanda Bickell Foundation. The program currently has one fully-trained dog, a pit bull, that assists those diagnosed with MS, with plans to add more."It's not just for the person; it's for the family as well. That's what we're doing. We'll keep this going and see how it goes," Bickell said.Per the foundation's website, the dogs "will be specifically trained for the individual that it is going to serve."In helping others affected by the disease, Bickell is preserving those same principles from which he derived so much on-ice success."That's one thing I wanted to do, push on," he added.The 2017-18 season means different things for the Blackhawks and Hurricanes, who are at opposite ends of the competitive spectrum. But for Bickell - who hasn't ruled out returning to the sport one day in some capacity - his focus is now elsewhere for the first time in more than a decade, and he's OK with that."Just being a dad, really. I have two young girls, that are 3 and 1 who are keeping me pretty busy."Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
Canucks hand Red Wings 4th consecutive loss
DETROIT (AP) Sven Baertschi scored twice, and the Vancouver Canucks used a dominant second period to pull away for a 4-1 victory over the Detroit Red Wings on Sunday night.Vancouver scored three times in the second, outshooting the Red Wings 18-6 in the period. Baertschi, Derek Dorsett and Jake Virtanen scored in the second for the Canucks, who are 3-1 so far on a five-game trip.Detroit has lost four in a row. Anthony Mantha scored the only goal for the Red Wings, tying it at 1 late in the first.Vancouver opened the scoring when Bo Horvat's shot was deflected and trickled right to Baertschi in front of the net. He stickhandled around goalie Jimmy Howard and backhanded the puck in.Mantha's equalizer came on a wrist shot from the top of the left circle.Dorsett gave Vancouver the lead back with his fifth goal in the past five games. Horvat found him in front of the net with a pass, and Dorsett's shot bounced in the air off Howard before coming down behind him and going in the goal.Baertschi's second goal came on a wrist shot from the top of the slot, then the Canucks added another in the final minute of the period.Detroit's Mike Green was unable to control the puck entering the Vancouver zone and ended up knocking it backward to Daniel Sedin, who went the other way on a 2-on-1. Sedin passed to Virtanen, whose initial shot was stopped before he put away the rebound.Sedin's assist on that goal brought his career point total to 990.UP NEXTCanucks: At Minnesota on Tuesday night.Red Wings: At Buffalo on Tuesday night.---For more AP NHL coverage: https://apnews.com/tag/NHLhockey---Follow Noah Trister at www.Twitter.com/noahtristerCopyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
Without strong goaltending, Golden Knights' hot start will cool off fast
The Vegas Golden Knights, for better or for worse, have captured the attention of the hockey world early in their maiden voyage, jumping out to a 6-1 record - the most successful start to a franchise's inaugural campaign in the 100-year history of the NHL.Whether you're a skeptic or a fan, the product in Vegas is about to be tested mightily, as replacement starting goaltender Malcolm Subban joined Marc-Andre Fleury on the injured reserve with a lower-body injury.The optics of the situation are quite simple: An NHL team lost two goalies to injury, so they must be screwed. But when looking at how reliant Vegas has been on strong goaltending through its first eight games, it appears unusually obvious that the Golden Knights' unforeseen early success is about to come to a screeching halt.The optionsFirst off, let's look at who Vegas will roll with in goal while Fleury and Subban are on the shelf.After Subban was pulled from Saturday's contest, he was replaced by Oscar Dansk, who stopped 10 of 11 shots to lock down an overtime win over St. Louis in his NHL debut.Dansk, 23, was a second-round pick of the Blue Jackets in 2012, and had a save percentage of .903 in 24 games with Rogle BK of the Swedish league last year. He'll be the starter from here.Who will back him up? That duty's been bestowed upon Maxime Lagace, an undrafted 24-year-old called up from the AHL's Chicago Wolves. Lagace doesn't have any NHL experience, and in 32 games with the Texas Stars last season, he managed an 11-12-2 record with an .883 save percentage and a 3.56 goals-against average. Yikes.The numbers(Photo courtesy: Action Images)The numbers propping up the Golden Knights' hot start don't appear to be very sustainable. Vegas owns the seventh-highest PDO (shooting percentage plus save percentage) in the NHL at 103.13. That number typically moves closer to 100 as the season wears on, and should take a hit sooner than later considering Fleury and Subban combined for a sky-high .936 save clip early on.At five-on-five, Vegas also owns the league's second-worst Corsi differential at minus-47 and the worst expected goals-for percentage at 42.14, according to Corsica. Relying on this team to continue scoring so efficiently doesn't seem like a very safe bet.That's without even mentioning that three of the Golden Knights' wins have come in overtime, and they've only outshot their opponents in two of eight contests.The (long) road aheadNo matter which way you slice it, six wins in eight games is six wins in eight games. However, Vegas benefited from a favorable early schedule that featured two games versus the lowly Coyotes, and one game each against the Red Wings and Sabres.Up next, though, Vegas plays two games at home before an eight-of-nine stretch on the road that includes stops in Boston, Ottawa, and Toronto. It's not going to be easy.The Golden Knights have certainly done better than many expected early on, and they want it to be recognized:
Subban to miss approximately 4 weeks with lower-body injury
The Vegas Golden Knights' goaltending situation has been dealt another critical blow, as current starter Malcolm Subban has been sent to injured reserve with a lower-body injury, and is expected to miss approximately four weeks, general manager George McPhee announced Sunday.Subban was injured in the third period of Saturday's win over St. Louis after he lunged for a shot on his blocker side. He was helped off the ice and subsequently replaced by Oscar Dansk, who helped the Golden Knights secure the victory in overtime.The club's primary option in goal, veteran Marc-Andre Fleury, was diagnosed with a concussion Oct. 15, and his timetable to return is still unclear.In three starts as Vegas' No. 1 option, Subban earned two wins, while owning a .936 save percentage and 2.06 goals against average.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
Leafs bring back Polak on 1-year, $1.1M deal
The Toronto Maple Leafs have signed defenseman Roman Polak to a one-year, $1.1 million contract, the team announced Sunday.The 31-year-old blue liner had been practicing with the club, but hadn't earned a contract since a gruesome leg injury ended his season in Game 2 of Toronto's first-round playoff series versus the Washington Capitals.Although the Maple Leafs have jumped out of the gate to a 6-2 start, the club has allowed 28 goals - the seventh most in the NHL. Polak, already familiar with what head coach Mike Babcock expects of him, will be counted on to help stabilize the back end.In 75 games with Toronto last season, Polak netted 11 points, averaging 17:55 of ice-time.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
Report: Golden Knights fear Malcolm Subban out multiple weeks with injury
The Vegas Golden Knights are off to a record start despite an injury to their starting goaltender, and now they may have another significant one to overcome.Malcolm Subban will have an MRI on Sunday, but a team source told Sportsnet's John Shannon that the netminder is "probably out weeks" with the injury he sustained in Saturday's win over the St. Louis Blues.Subban left the game after falling to the ice in pain following a shot by Blues forward Jaden Schwartz in the third period.
Brian Boyle practices in full with Devils for 1st time since leukemia diagnosis
The New Jersey Devils got some encouraging news Sunday morning.Brian Boyle was cleared for full participation in practice and joined his teammates for Sunday's session.
Ranking the goalies: 8 backups see action on busy Saturday night
More than a few coaches turned to their backup goaltender in a jam-packed night on the NHL calendar.Eight second-stringers got the call Saturday night and came away with varying degrees of success. Here's our assessment of their performances, from the most alarming to the most promising.Time to panicAntti NiemiThe Pittsburgh Penguins netminder struggled in two earlier appearances this season, lasting just nine minutes in his first contest and then allowing five goals to the Tampa Bay Lightning in his second start a week later.Niemi didn't fare any better in a rematch against the Lightning on Saturday. He gave up seven goals, including four on the first 14 shots. Through three games as a Penguin, it looks like more of the same from Niemi, who was bought out by the Dallas Stars in the offseason after he posted a dreadful .892 save percentage a year ago.Louis DomingueFollowing a leg injury to newcomer Antti Raanta, the Coyotes have been forced to throw Domingue into the deep end, with ugly results.The Arizona netminder has struggled, leaving the Coyotes - winless through eight games - calling on 21-year-old AHL farmhand Adin Hill. Domingue's allowed 19 goals in five contests (three starts), including Saturday's loss to the Chicago Blackhawks.Cause for concernAnton KhudobinWith starter Tuukka Rask shelved with a concussion, Khudobin is the go-to goalie in Boston for the immediate future.The early returns came up in favor of the Bruins, as he turned aside 26 shots while backstopping Boston to a 6-3 victory over the Vancouver Canucks. But the next game wasn't as impressive - he and the Bruins surrendered a 4-1 lead over the Buffalo Sabres before losing in overtime.Philipp GrubauerThe Capitals have an intriguing up-and-coming goaltender in Grubauer, but the 25-year-old has failed to find a win in the early season.Through three contests - including Saturday's 4-1 loss to the Florida Panthers - Grubauer's earned a .848 save percentage, a stark contrast to the .926 he posted a year ago. He needs to improve in order for the Capitals to comfortably grant Braden Holtby the occasional night off.Time will tellAlex StalockStalock signed with the Wild after a five-year run in San Jose, but hasn't seen much action at the big-league level. He's appeared in just four NHL games over the past two seasons, and spent much of last season in the minors.He needs a larger body of work with Minnesota for the team and its fans to accurately evaluate him. The 30-year-old appeared in a career-high 24 games with the Sharks in 2013-14 and came away with 12 wins and a .932 save percentage.Malcolm SubbanThe Golden Knights saw something in Subban when they claimed the budding netminder on waivers from the Bruins. After he arrived in Las Vegas, the team quickly made room for him by shipping former backup Calvin Pickard to the Toronto Maple Leafs.Subban struggled when called upon by the Bruins, but the 23-year-old got the last laugh with his new club. He picked up his first win as a Golden Knight - and first NHL win overall - with a 3-1 victory over Boston. Subban added his second career win two nights later against the Sabres.One bad nightJuuse SarosEvery goalie is due for a bad game eventually, and unfortunately for Saros, it was his turn Saturday. The Nashville Predators netminder allowed three goals on 14 shots in a loss to the New York Rangers.After two games, the 22-year-old remains in search of his first win on the season. But the victories should soon follow - the Predators see plenty of potential in him, and that's easy to understand considering the Finnish goaltender posted a winning record alongside a .923 save percentage last season. It won't be long before he's entrusted with more games as Nashville puts a succession plan in place for starter Pekka Rinne.Aaron DellCalling on Dell is typically a safe bet for the Sharks, but that wasn't the case Saturday, as they were sunk by the New York Islanders. Dell allowed four goals on 22 shots and was handed his second loss of the season.He appeared in 20 games with the Sharks in 2016-17, his first NHL campaign after spending the previous four seasons in the minors, and posted an 11-6-1 record that's now earned him an extended look as the Sharks' second-stringer.(Photos courtesy: Action Images)Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
3 teams that made strong statements Saturday
Saturday is always an adventure around the NHL, and this 12-game slate was no exception.Three teams in particular stepped up in a big way, letting the rest of the league know it's time to take them seriously.Kings are backWith a 6-4 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets, the Los Angeles Kings remain the lone team without a single loss in regulation.After missing the playoffs last season, the Kings have gone 6-0-1 under new head coach John Stevens.As a bonus, Dustin Brown and Anze Kopitar appear committed to wiping away their poor personal performances from a year ago, as evidenced by their stat lines through seven games.PlayerGoalsAssistsPointsKopitar6511Brown5611Not to be outdone, Jonathan Quick is riding a .938 save percentage after being sidelined by injury for most of last season.Stop doubting the SenatorsThe Toronto Maple Leafs entered the latest installment of the Battle of Ontario as a burgeoning powerhouse, having averaged almost five goals per game to date.It was the pesky Ottawa Senators who came out on top Saturday, however, limiting Toronto to three goals while pouring it on with six of their own.Those who take deeper dives into advanced stats tend to cast doubt on Ottawa, especially considering the Senators ranked 31st in Corsi For in five-on-five play (43.39) heading into the game, according to Corsica. This, to be sure, is not generally seen as a recipe for success.To the Sens' credit, though, they keep winning, and they have their all-world defenseman back in the fold to boot.
Brassard, Stone lead Senators to win over Maple Leafs
Derick Brassard and Mark Stone each had two goals and an assist, Erik Karlsson had three assists and the Ottawa Senators beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 6-3 on Saturday night.Nate Thompson and Ryan Dzingel also scored for the Senators, who have earned points in seven of their eight games (4-1-3) and won at home for the first time after coming in 0-3-1. Craig Anderson stopped 28 shots in his seventh start of the season.James van Riemsdyk, Auston Matthews and William Nylander scored for the Leafs, and Frederik Andersen made 29 saves. Toronto had won its first three road games.Trailing 3-0 entering the final period, the Leafs struck quickly with goals from van Riemsdyk and Matthews 2 1/2 minutes apart to pull within one at 8:34. However, Stone gave the Senators a two-goal cushion again 7 seven seconds later.Nylander scored on the power play with 7:08 left, pulling the Leafs within one again but they got no closer. Brassard scored with 3 1/2 minutes left and Stone added an empty netter with 39 seconds to go.Ottawa took its 3-0 lead with one in the first and two in the second.Thompson got his first as a Senator when he smacked in a rebound at 12:01 of the first period as Andersen had his back to the puck and his head in the net following a mass scramble in front of the goal.Dzingel increased the lead to 2-0 when he tipped Karlsson's point shot off the glove of Andersen and in with 5:40 remaining in the second.The Senators kept pressing and made it a 3-0 game with just 12 seconds to play in the period when Brassard took a cross-ice pass from Bobby Ryan off his skates and then beat Andersen on the stick side.Notes: Mark Borowiecki was a scratch for the Senators while Eric Fehr, Josh Lewo and Calle Rosen were scratches for the Leafs. ... Anderson became the first goaltender to appear in 300 games with Ottawa.UP NEXTMaple Leafs: Host Los Angeles on Monday night.Senators: Host Los Angeles on Tuesday night in the fourth game of a five-game homestand.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
Senators' Ryan expected to miss a month with fractured finger
The Ottawa Senators earned the win Saturday night, but they lost forward Bobby Ryan in the procces.Ottawa beat the Leafs by a convincing score of 6-3, but Ryan will be lost for about a month with a fractured digit after taking a shot off his right index finger.
Don't let Kucherov's hot streak overshadow Stamkos' start
While the rest of the hockey world salivates over Tampa Bay Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov's blistering streak - 10 goals in nine games - to begin the season, Steven Stamkos is quietly off to one of the best starts of his career.Specifically, it's No. 91's hottest season-opening performance since he notched 19 points in the first nine games of the 2010-11 campaign.The Lightning captain has managed to fly slightly under the radar with 18 points while his linemate, Kucherov, has set the league ablaze.
Red Wings trade Sheahan to Penguins for Wilson
The Pittsburgh Penguins have added a center.The club acquired Riley Sheahan and a fifth-round pick in 2018 from the Detroit Red Wings in exchange for winger Scott Wilson and a 2018 third-round selection, the Penguins announced Saturday.Key to this deal is the exchange of salaries. Sheahan is signed through this season and carries an average annual value of $2.075 million, while Wilson's cap hit comes in at $625,000 and his deal also runs through 2017-18.
Sens' Anderson asked Leafs' Matthews to sign his stick from 4-goal game
For most NHL goalies, allowing four goals to the same player in a single game is usually a memory they want to quickly erase.However, for Ottawa Senators goalie Craig Anderson, that wasn't the case. After Toronto Maple Leafs centerman Auston Matthews' four-goal output, Anderson kept the stick he used that game, and later asked for the 20-year-old to sign it."I just asked one of the guys (to get it autographed)," Anderson said, according to Bruce Garrioch of Post Media. "I had the stick lying around and I thought, 'Maybe I should get it signed,' and, the next time (the Leafs) were in town, he signed it for me."The insignia Matthews chose for the paddle was almost as sharp as his lightning-quick snapshot."Thanks ‘Four’ making my first game memorable," Matthews penned.Usually, when a player just entering the league takes a jab at a longstanding veteran like Anderson, even if it's light-hearted, there are repercussions.Again, not Anderson's style."Yeah, it’s funny. It’ll be up on my wall and it’ll be a good story for the grand kids one day," Anderson said Friday. "It was creative. I guess it’s kind of expected of a guy that’s that creative on the ice to be that creative intelligently." ... It seems like he’s got a very creative personality. It shows with the way he plays and it shows with the way he signed it."Matthews may have some creativity off the ice, but he's certainly got plenty when he's on it. The Arizona native has 10 points in 7 games and will look to continue his hot streak against Anderson and the Senators when they resume the Battle of Ontario tonight in Ottawa.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
Rangers snap 5-game skid with win over Preds
NEW YORK (AP) Kevin Hayes and Jimmy Vesey each had a goal and an assist to help the New York Rangers snap a five-game skid with a 4-2 win over the Nashville Predators on Saturday.Chris Kreider added a power-play goal and David Desharnais extended his point streak to four games as the Rangers picked up their second victory of the season.Mattias Ekholm and Fillip Forsberg each scored for Nashville, and Juuse Saros made 11 saves for the Predators.The Rangers, who have struggled in first periods this season by allowing 13 goals in nine games, earned a two-goal advantage at the end of the first 20 minutes.Jesper Fast tallied his first of the season just 5:12 into the game as New York scored the first goal for only the fourth time in nine games. Predators defenseman Alexei Emelin had trouble controlling a bouncing puck and Hayes was able to race up ice for a breakaway opportunity. Fast trailed the play and cashed in on the rebound.After killing off three penalties of their own in the first 20 minutes, the Rangers power-play unit doubled their lead at 19:34. J.T. Miller was able to slip out of the corner with control of the puck and fed a wide-open Chris Kreider in front. It was only the second time this season that the Rangers have had a multi-goal lead.Henrik Lundqvist made 23 saves for New York and picked up career victory No. 407. He is now tied with Glenn Hall for ninth place on the NHL's all-time wins list.Early in the middle period, the Predators were able to cut the deficit in half. Defenseman Mattias Ekholm was able to walk into the slot all alone and blasted a slap shot past Lundqvist at the 1:44 mark of the second period.Later in the second period, Filip Forsberg scored his sixth goal of the season when he deflected a soft Roman Josi wrist shot at 15:30.However, later in the middle period, Hayes danced around defenseman Matt Irwin, and beat Saros on the short side with a pretty backhand, forehand maneuver to help the Rangers regain a two-goal advantage. Vesey and Brady Skjei assisted on the play.With 4:30 remaining in the second period the Predators cut the Rangers lead in half once again. Filip Forsberg deflected a soft Roman Josi wrister as he tallied his sixth of the season, Ryan Johansen and Josi assisted on the play.Vesey added an empty-netter in the final minute to secure the victory for New York. It was Vesey's first goal of the season.The Predators have lost four consecutive games at MSG with their last win coming December 10, 2013.NOTES:Lundqvist became the 20th NHL goalie to appear in 750 games and became the third to accomplish that feat with one team (Martin Brodeur, Devils and Tony Esposito, Blackhawks). ... Alternate captain Marc Staal skated in his 698th game, tying Mark Messier and Steve Vickers for 12th on the franchise's all-time games played list. ... New York scratched F Paul Carey, F Adam Cracknell and D Steven Kampfer. ... Nashville placed C Nick Bonino on injured reserve Friday with a lower-body injury. ... D Yanick Weber was activated from injured reserve Friday, and skated in his first game since suffering an upper-body injury on October 12th against the Stars. ... Predators scratched F Pontus Aberg, D Anthony Bitetto and D Samuel Girard.UP NEXT:Predators: Host Calgary Flames TuesdayRangers: Host San Jose Sharks MondayCopyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
5 poor decisions by Canadiens' front office to blame for slow start
The Montreal Canadiens have not been able to stop the bleeding in their disastrous start to the 2017-18 season.On Friday, the club dropped their seventh straight game, this time a 6-2 defeat to the Anaheim Ducks. Head coach Claude Julien called his club's performance "unacceptable," but in their defense, it isn't just the players who have been underperforming.The fact is, this team is not built to be elite, and that responsibility belongs to general manager Marc Bergevin and his sidekicks. Bergevin has made some questionable decisions, not just this season, but also in years past, and it has all culminated to spark the Canadiens' early 1-6-1 record.The infamous Subban trade Whether P.K. Subban was dealt due to his antics off the ice or his relationship with then-coach Michel Therrien, the Canadiens are worse for it.We are in just the second year of the deal and already it is catching up with the club. Shea Weber doesn't have the same foot-speed as Subban, and the Nashville Predators star has outperformed Weber offensively, tallying a points-per-game average of 0.64 over 73 regular-season games compared to Weber's 0.51 mark.The trade came after a 2016 season in which the Canadiens missed the postseason due almost solely to the injury to Carey Price that saw him miss the final 70 games of the campaign. If it was indeed a reaction to missing the playoffs, it was an extremely poor calculation.Bizarre 2017 trade deadlineDespite the Subban trade, the Canadiens still managed to recapture the Atlantic Division and subsequent playoff berth due largely to the return of Price last season.However, before the postseason began, Bergevin decided to load up at the deadline - as most contending teams do. The problem: he didn't load up on talent.Instead, he decided to get slower by adding size. He acquired defenseman Jordie Benn and forwards Andreas Martinsen and Dwight King. The team largely dealt draft picks, except in the case of Martinsen, who was acquired for forward Sven Andrighetto, who at the time looked to be one of the team's most exciting prospects.The result was a first-round exit at the hands of the New York Rangers. To add insult to injury, Andrighetto has tallied three goals and six points in eight games with the Colorado Avalanche this season - which bests everyone in the Canadiens' lineup so far.Allowing Radulov, Markov to walkLast season, the Canadiens went out on a limb bringing in Alexander Radulov, but after the 31-year-old finished second in team scoring with 18 goals and 54 points, it seemed like the club had found a new offensive weapon.Once Radulov became an unrestricted free agent, though, Bergevin botched the chance to bring him back. Radulov inked a five-year, $31.25-million contract with the Dallas Stars. Bergevin later offered the same deal, but it was too late.That was followed up with another failed negotiation with longtime defenseman, Andrei Markov. The veteran signed in the KHL, where he currently sits with four goals and 15 points in 22 games with Ak-Bars Kazan.To make it all worse, the Canadiens now sit comfortably with the third-most cap space in the NHL (just under $9.25 million), money that could have been used to retain these two.Jonathan Drouin dealThe Jonathan Drouin deal is a little more interesting.There is no debating the fact he is a great talent - something the team longs for, especially with the aforementioned departure of Radulov. However, the fact the team had to give up their top prospect hurts.Mikhail Sergachev was the price to pay and as we sit now, it's interesting to ponder what the Canadiens might look like with his speed and skill on the back end.Drouin does lead the Canadiens with five points through eight games, but Sergachev also leads all Tampa Bay Lightning defenders with six points in eight games. The sample size to compare each is extremely small, but with the Canadiens' poor defense among their biggest issues at the moment, it's hard not to consider this trade.Defensive blundersNowhere else is Bergevin's ineptitude clear than how he tried to fill out his defensive core this offseason.The team addressed the club's defense by signing Karl Alzner to a hefty, five-year, $23-million deal, while also inking Joe Morrow and Mark Streit to cheap one-year deals.It took just two games before the Canadiens decided to place Streit on waivers and buy out his contract. Meanwhile, Morrow has been a non-factor while playing in just three games, averaging 11:35 minutes of ice time a night.The moves have left the club with a defensive corps that is slow and under-skilled. They can be thankful that Victor Mete has come out of nowhere to make an instant impact, but a rookie defender can only do so much.(Photos courtesy: Action Images)Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
Betting preview: Predictions for all 12 Saturday matchups
Ahead of Saturday's jam-packed NHL slate, theScore's Flip Livingstone predicts the winners for all 12 games.Saturdays in the NHL. Time to gather 'round the TV, crack a few wobbly pops, and make some hockey picks. Here's a quick look at all 12 games and theScore's pick for each one:Gold PickChicago Blackhawks (4-2-2) @ Arizona Coyotes (0-6-1)The Blackhawks look to be recapturing their Cup-winning form to start the year, and that's bad news for the hapless Coyotes. Factor in that Chicago has won four straight in the desert and holds an 8-1-1 record in its last 10 versus Arizona overall, and the Blackhawks are a slam dunk gold pick.Silver PickBuffalo Sabres (1-5-2) @ Boston Bruins (3-3-0)Two things matter in this matchup: One, the Sabres are a poor road team and have looked awful out of the gate, losing seven of their last eight away from home. Two, they also struggle against the Bruins, going winless in their last five contests against Boston.Bronze PickNashville Predators (4-2-1) @ NY Rangers (1-5-2)It may be the first game of the day, but it's also an ideal scenario for the Preds, as these two teams are trending in opposite directions. Nashville is coming off two convincing wins, while New York's lost two close decisions, and has only one win on the year.Remaining matchupsEdmonton Oilers (2-4-0) @ Philadelphia Flyers (4-3-0)The Oilers are starting to show signs of life coming off their second win, while the Flyers are firing blanks. Lean Edmonton in what should be a high-scoring, run-and-gun affair.Toronto Maple Leafs (6-1-0) @ Ottawa Senators (3-1-3)This is a tight one to call, as both teams have started the season strong. However, Auston Matthews and the high-flying Leafs are far too hot right now to bet against, so look for them to take this contest in a close one-goal game.Pittsburgh Penguins (5-2-1) @ Tampa Bay Lightning (6-1-1)Pittsburgh played Friday night against the Panthers and struggled out of the gate, and that was with No. 1 netminder Matt Murray between the pipes. Saturday should be Antti Niemi's turn to start, which is never a fun night for Pens fans. Take Tampa for the win.San Jose Sharks (3-3-0) @ NY Islanders (3-3-1)Avoid betting on this snoozer altogether. But if you must, the Islanders have looked marginally better and the Sharks have struggled away from the tank, losing seven of their last 10 road games.LA Kings (5-0-1) @ Columbus Blue Jackets (5-2-0)Two of the hottest teams to start the season will go toe to toe Saturday night, and picking the winner is far from a lock. This is a classic coin flip, but seeing as the Kings just signed Brooks Laich (!?) to fill Jeff Carter's roster spot, the Jackets get the nod in this one.Minnesota Wild (1-2-2) @ Calgary Flames (4-3-0)The Wild have only one regulation win to their credit this season and have struggled lately at the Saddledome, losing their last two contests in Calgary. This game may lack goals, but that favors the Flames quite nicely.Florida Panthers (2-4-0) @ Washington Capitals (4-3-1)Washington and Florida played last night, meaning both should have their backup goalies manning the blue paint, making this game a bit of a sticky wicket to predict. However, the Panthers are winless on the road this season and Alex Ovechkin is lighting the lamp on the regular, so take the Caps to earn the home W.Carolina Hurricanes (3-1-1) @ Dallas Stars (4-3-0)The two big winners of the offseason face off for the first time with their revamped lineups. Carolina is riding the hot hand of netminder Scott Darling, and has only one regulation loss. Another coin-flip scenario, but take the Hurricanes in a one-goal game.St. Louis Blues (6-2-0) @ Vegas Golden Knights (5-1-0)Vegas has easily been the feel-good story of the 2017-18 campaign, but, realistically, it's the Blues who have been the Western Conference's best team, as they currently sit tops with 12 points. St. Louis keeps rolling against the Knights.Pick SummaryChicago Blackhawks (Gold)Boston Bruins (Silver)Nashville Predators (Bronze)Edmonton OilersToronto Maple LeafsTampa Bay LightningNew York IslandersColumbus Blue JacketsCalgary FlamesWashington CapitalsCarolina HurricanesSt. Louis Blues(Photos courtesy: Action Images)Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
Senators seeking 1st home win of season vs. rival Maple Leafs
OTTAWA -- Looking for their first home victory of the season, the Ottawa Senators will face a monumental task when they entertain the Toronto Maple Leafs at Canadian Tire Centre on Saturday night.They will have to slay a dragon -- or at least what some people view as the hottest team in the NHL.On Friday, the Maple Leafs (6-1-0) were declared 8-1 favorites to win the Stanley Cup by Bodog, an online gambling site that had them at 14-1 on Oct. 4. The Tampa Bay Lightning were next on the updated list at 9-1."All that stuff is fluff," Maple Leafs coach Mike Babcock told the Toronto Sun. "I have coached lots of good teams that were (No. 1) in the ranking, that won the Presidents' Trophy, that tied for the Presidents' Trophy and didn't win the Cup. It's hard to win the Cup. It's darn near impossible. Let's not worry about that, let's try to get in the playoffs. Let's do that by winning the game in Ottawa."The Senators (3-1-3) are trying to catch the Maple Leafs and the Lightning, who they trail by three and four points, respectively, in the Atlantic Division standings.After sweeping their three-game road trip to western Canada for the first time in franchise history, the Senators thought they'd have a chance to gain some traction with a five-game homestand. But after losing the first two, Ottawa's record at Canadian Tire Centre is 0-1-3.The most recent loss, a 5-4 overtime setback at the hands of the New Jersey Devils on Thursday, was the second time the Senators have thrown away a two-goal, third-period lead in their own building.Coach Guy Boucher blamed turnovers for both losses."We've just got to manage the puck," Boucher said Friday. "We know at the beginning of the year it's harder. Every coach is talking about that. That's normal. Having said that, if you look at last year after seven games, and you look at this year, we're ahead in every department."The process starts back at zero, and we have to understand that the bad habits that were engrained are still there, but they're just going away faster than last year."Boucher said that winger Zack Smith, who suffered an upper-body injury against the Devils, will be lost for "at least" a week. He added that defenseman Mark Borowiecki, who is also dealing with an upper-body injury, is doubtful for Saturday's game.Making his seventh start of the season in goal for the Senators will be Craig Anderson, who has a career record of 13-6-3 against the Maple Leafs.Toronto, which has won its last three games, is expected to counter with Frederik Andersen, who is 3-1-2 against the Senators.The Senators held a 3-1-0 record against their provincial rivals last season, back when the young Maple Leafs were followed by only modest expectations."Sometimes in life when things go too good, you get a little complacent," said Babcock. "That's my job to make sure that doesn't happen, to do everything I can about that. But our players have to understand that if you get ahead of yourselves, you don't win. You just have to be diligent, but solution-based and get better every day and then you have a chance to be successful."Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
Canadiens set franchise record with 30-shot period
Fire away, fellas.The Montreal Canadiens set a new franchise record for shots in a single period with 30 during the second stanza Friday in Anaheim, eclipsing their previous mark of 27.Conversely, Ducks goaltender John Gibson set a new franchise record with 28 saves in the middle frame.The Canadiens were outshot 21-7 and outscored 3-0 in the first period - clearly a message was sent at intermission.
Why early returns aren't promising for Sabres under Housley
It was supposed to be, at least, a little bit different for the Buffalo Sabres this year.First-year general manager Jason Botterill has a potential franchise player to build around in Jack Eichel, who signed a big-time contract extension and is admittedly sick of losing. There's also plenty of complimentary talent to work with - particularly up front - and this team seemed capable of challenging for a playoff spot.But problems on defense and in net still remain, and until those are addressed, the Sabres do not seem poised to be any better under new head coach Phil Housley than in the Dan Bylsma era.Here's a few examples of why that's the case.Dominated by CanucksTo be perfectly frank, a home game against a Vancouver Canucks team that was defeated handily the night before should be a gimme for good teams. The Sabres did jump out to an early lead, and held a 2-1 advantage after 20 minutes, but were soundly outplayed over the remaining two periods.
Ovechkin moves into 1st on all-time OT goals list
Move over Jaromir Jagr, you have some company atop the all-time overtime goals list.Washington Capitals forward Alex Ovechkin buried a nasty one-timer to lift the Caps past the Detroit Red Wings Friday, notching the 20th OT marker of his career, moving him into first place on the all-time list.Here is tonight's historic game-winner:
Twitter reacts to yet another controversial offside review
Another night, another controversial offside review in the NHL.Hours after the league admitted an overturned goal from Thursday's action should have counted, the Buffalo Sabres appeared to have been on the wrong end of another challenge.The goal was scored by Daniel Sedin, on a play where it appeared as though Jake Virtanen was clearly offside.The Sabres challenged the call, resulting in a lengthy review.
Red Wings, Athanasiou come to terms on 1-year deal
The Detroit Red Wings agreed to terms with winger Andreas Athanasiou on Friday to a one-year deal, the club announced. The contract is worth a reported $1.3875 million, according to TSN's Bob McKenzie.Detroit and AA had been apart on dollar figure, with the latest reports indicating the Wings were willing to offer the forward two years at $3.8 million, which Athanasiou's camp apparently balked at.In order for the deal to be officially completed, Detroit must do some roster shuffling to come in under the salary cap, as McKenzie points out the club would not be cap compliant if the deal were to be inked today.Athanasiou's contract saga had been one of the more talked-about storylines of the NHL's offseason, and until Ken Holland and Co. can work some magic with their lineup, expect it to drag on a little while longer.McKenzie also notes the team will be looking to make a move in the coming days in an attempt to dump salary, and that a potential deal could involve Riley Sheahan and the Pittsburgh Penguins, who are currently looking to add depth up the middle.AA finished the 2016-17 campaign with 29 points in 64 games, and could be practicing with the team as early as next week if Detroit can quickly sort out its current cap crunch dilemma.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
Canucks' Gudbranson suspended 1 game for boarding Bruins' Vatrano
Vancouver Canucks defenseman Erik Gudbranson has been suspended one game for boarding Boston Bruins forward Frank Vatrano, the NHL Department of Player Safety announced Friday.The incident occurred 6:13 into the first period of Thursday night's game. Gudbranson was assessed a five-minute major for boarding and a game misconduct. The Bruins would go on to score three times while forward Jake Virtanen served the penalty.Vatrano escaped serious injury and remained in the game.Gudbranson's suspension means he will miss Friday's game against the Buffalo Sabres, but will be eligible to return on Sunday when the Canucks visit the Detroit Red Wings.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
Report: Red Wings, Athanasiou closing in on deal
The stalemate between Andreas Athanasiou and the Detroit Red Wings is reportedly nearing a conclusion.The two sides are closing in on an agreement, an NHL source told The Athletic's Craig Custance.Athanasiou is a restricted free agent who failed to come to terms with the Red Wings over the summer. He's missed the first seven games of the regular season while negotiating.The forward's camp and the team had several conversations this week, including a conference call that included both Athanasiou and head coach Jeff Blashill, according to Custance.He'll apparently be promised a top-nine role with regular time on both the power play and penalty kill, along with an increase in overall ice time.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
NHL admits overturned Avalanche goal should have counted
It likely won't be much consolation for the Colorado Avalanche, but the NHL now says a Colorado goal it disallowed should have been allowed to stand.The league acknowledged its error Friday."Although there was an offside, it occurred prior to the puck clearing the zone which nullifies any goal review related to that offside," the NHL said in a statement Friday. "The entry into the zone immediately prior to the goal was onside, therefore the goal should have counted."You can watch video of the play here.What would have been the tying marker for the Avalanche and Mikko Rantanen was challenged by the St. Louis Blues, who felt Sven Andrighetto was offside before the goal was scored.The NHL's video room in Toronto overturned the call on the ice, citing the fact that Andrighetto was offside.However, the league's statement Friday confirmed a mistake was made in disallowing it, citing Rule 78.7, which governs which plays can be challenged for an offside infraction.Goals can't be reviewed for a potential offside call if the puck comes out of the zone and back in again, as it did on Rantanen's goal Thursday night, or if all members of the attacking team clear the attacking zone again between the time of the offside play in question and when the goal is scored, according to the rule.Had the NHL realized that at the time, the goal would have counted and the Blues would have been assessed a minor penalty as a result of the failed offside challenge.St. Louis held on for a 4-3 victory Thursday night.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
Betting odds favor Maple Leafs to win Stanley Cup
It's been 50 years, but the Toronto Maple Leafs are pegged to be this season's Stanley Cup winners - at least according to oddsmakers.Bodog released its updated 2018 Stanley Cup odds and the Maple Leafs are leading the pack at 8-1 odds. The team hasn't hoisted the Cup since 1967 - a fact its fans are well aware of.The red-hot Tampa Bay Lightning are right on Toronto's heels, while the Chicago Blackhawks, Edmonton Oilers, and Pittsburgh Penguins aren't far behind.Here's the full list:TeamsOddsMaple Leafs8-1Lightning9-1Blackhawks12-1Oilers12-1Penguins12-1Ducks14-1Blues14-1Capitals14-1Blue Jackets20-1Stars20-1Kings20-1Wild20-1Predators20-1Rangers22-1Flames22-1Sharks25-1Bruins33-1Golden Knights33-1Senators33-1Canadiens33-1Red Wings40-1Devils40-1Flyers40-1Hurricanes50-1Panthers50-1Islanders50-1Jets50-1Avalanche66-1Sabres100-1Canucks100-1Coyotes200-1Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
Pacioretty blames self for Canadiens' slow start: 'I'm the worst one on the ice'
Montreal Canadiens captain Max Pacioretty prefers to lead by example, but he hasn't done a great job of that to begin the season.The club has an Eastern Conference-worst 1-5-1 record, and Pacioretty has shouldered much of the blame, admitting his play has made it hard to rally teammates."That is the challenge … how am I going to go tell my teammates that we got to be better when I’m the worst one on the ice," said Pacioretty, according to Stu Cowan of the Montreal Gazette. "That's what keeps you up at night … that's what keeps me up at night. Trust me, if you guys think I don’t care you got it all wrong. If anything, I think too much and I care too much."Related - Debate: Is it time for the Canadiens to panic?Since the 2013-14 season, only Alex Ovechkin, Sidney Crosby, and Joe Pavelski have more goals than Pacioretty's 142. He's well aware that goal-scoring is his greatest asset - even though he has just one goal through seven games - and is why he suggests the best way to get his team back on track is to start scoring goals."I'm worried about my game personally, but numbers-wise I know I help the team by scoring goals and by producing offence and I know it’s not there and I take full responsibility for that every time that that’s the case," Paciorety said. "But no one's going to get me or the team out of this other than myself and ourselves."Luckily for the Canadiens, time is on their side. With 75 games remaining, more than 91 percent of the regular season is still to be played, but the fact remains, the deeper the hole, the higher they'll need to climb.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
Breaking down McDavid's mind-boggling spin-o-rama assist
Connor McDavid's highlight-reel assist was ridiculous, but it needs to be broken down frame by frame to be fully appreciated.The reigning Hart Trophy winner pulled off a jaw-dropping, spinning pass to Patrick Maroon for an easy tap-in goal late in the first period of the Edmonton Oilers' overtime win over the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday night, and he embarrassed a couple of respectable defensemen in the process.Duncan Keith was the primary victim of McDavid's mastery, and Brent Seabrook also had a primo seat for the spectacle, making the play all the more impressive.Let's take a look at exactly how he did it.It begins with Oilers forward Kailer Yamamoto controlling the puck along the boards and eyeing McDavid up the middle.Yamamoto feeds McDavid, who carries the puck out of the Oilers' defensive zone.As McDavid enters the offensive zone, he's met by Keith, with Seabrook backing him up while also monitoring Maroon.Let's switch to the aerial view now, because this is where the fun really begins.McDavid has a step on Keith, so Seabrook comes over to provide help.The Oilers superstar turns his back to Keith and protects the puck.McDavid continues pivoting with Keith squaring him up, while Maroon quietly sneaks down low with his defender preoccupied.Suddenly, McDavid swings the puck out behind both his body and Keith's imposing frame.Then, in the blink of an eye, he flings the puck across the crease to Maroon, who has a virtually wide-open cage.Maroon taps in one of the easiest goals he'll ever score.Let's zoom in for another look, because we can.It's hard to believe McDavid found his way out of this.Keith and Seabrook look like they have him boxed in.But that's when McDavid's body control and uncanny hands separate him, literally, from the competition.There's no way Keith saw this coming.Maroon is barely even in the picture, but somehow, McDavid knows he'll be there.And he is.Too easy.There was nothing simple about McDavid's tremendous effort to set up the goal, though.The MVP made something out of nothing and single-handedly created what will certainly be remembered as one of the plays of the season.(Images courtesy: NHL.com)Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
The Retro: Olie Kolzig on shattered sticks, broken noses, and swollen testicles
Over the course of the 2017-18 season, theScore will run a series of interviews with former players in which they recall some of the greatest moments of their career. This edition focuses on Olie Kolzig, who won 303 regular-season games over parts of 17 NHL seasons, along with the 2000 Vezina Trophy.What he remembers from his first NHL game:My first NHL game was in 1989 in Hartford, Connecticut. I had a great training camp, and I was told I was starting in Hartford, facing Mike Liut. I felt really good going into the game, obviously really nervous ... and by the end of the first period, we were down 3-0. It wasn't the greatest start. (laughs)It wasn't like they were bad goals against, but having said that, I don't think I made any big saves, either. But (Capitals head coach) Bryan Murray kept me in the net, I had a much better second period, and we closed to 3-2. They ended up getting one in the third period to make it 4-2, and we scored near the end to make it respectable. Overall, I got some good reviews.The second game was more memorable, though. It was at Maple Leaf Gardens. We were up 4-1 about halfway through the second period; I was playing really well. I grew up in Toronto, so I watched a number of games at Maple Leaf Gardens. So I was feeling good. And we ended up losing the game 8-4 - and two days later, I was on my way back to junior. (laughs)When he realized he belonged in the NHL:There were a lot of fleeting moments where I thought I belonged before reality checked back in. But I would say (the turning point) was the 1997-98 training camp. The previous year we traded Jim Carey to Boston for Bill Ranford. And Bill and I had a great training camp together; we were probably equal, but he was the experienced veteran, so he was the starter going into the season.We were in Toronto for our opener, and I think we were up 5-0 or 5-1 after the first. During that period, Bill had taken a shot in the groin. He was complaining about it, and after the intermission, he couldn't go back out; his testicles had started to swell up a little bit. So obviously I went in.Despite having a great training camp and that the last time I was in Toronto was years ago, I still had a little bit of doubt. But I had a great game, I ended up preserving the lead, and we ended up winning 7-1. And I think from that moment, I exorcised a lot of demons from Toronto. And because Bill was out for a while, and I continued my great play from training camp, the rest was history.The best trash talkers he encountered:Sean Avery might be on everybody's list, at least for modern-day goalies. Kevin Kaminski, my teammate in Washington, was pretty vocal on the bench and on the ice - stirred up a lot of crap. Joe Reekie, a defenseman on my team, was quite a talker; he'd make you laugh quite a bit.Matthew Barnaby was also good. And I played with Barney in Rochester the year that we went to the Calder Cup finals. But in the Eastern Conference finals in 1998, he was on an all-time roll. He was obviously trying to get me off my game, and despite us being friends, he didn't hold back.I think with guys like that, it's originality. Anybody can say the given lines, but when you're original and you're not crossing the line ... there's a few guys who cross the line, and brawls start because of that. But if you're original and you make the other guy think, that's a real talent. Barney definitely had that.His most memorable referee story:I tended to get along with most officials. I found if they were on your side, you'd get the benefit of the call most of the time.A real bad one, and it wasn't meant to happen, but ... it was in Pittsburgh in the early 2000s. We were just getting smoked. And I remember Ryan Malone had a breakaway on me and scored; it was near the end of the game, and I ended up on my back.I turned around to fish the puck out of the net with my glove, and without even looking, I just threw the puck toward center ice. And at the same time, Pat Dapuzzo - who was an absolutely great guy, an official most players got along with - he happened to be in the wrong spot at the wrong time. And I absolutely smoked him with the puck. I think I broke his nose, and he left the game.I think I got a lot of grief from linesmen probably for the next month or two, but I reached out to Patty and made sure that he knew it obviously wasn't intentional, and he knew it wasn't. That's probably the most interactive I've been with an official.His biggest save:Probably Game 6 against Buffalo in the conference finals. It was overtime; there was a two-on-one, and I forget who took the shot, but it was probably from the top of the circles, and I made a right pad save, and the rebound went to my right, and I can't remember who was coming down but the puck ended up right on his tape.He took a shot and I just reacted, came across and got my right toe on it to make another save; he had a wide-open empty net. And I want to say that a couple of minutes later, we went down and Joe Juneau put the overtime winner in to get us into the finals.The most underrated player of his era:Alex Semin. The guy was considered a great player, but I don't think people realize how good he was. I think legitimately he was more talented than (Alex Ovechkin). He had a snap shot ... the way he changed the angle, it was heavy. He was a very hard player to stop.Unfortunately, I don't think he had the drive or the motivation that Ovie had. As a result, people didn't get to see the true Alex Semin.The time he lost his mind in the dressing room:I think it was '96, '97, sometime around then. Jim Carey had become the No. 1 guy, and at that point, I was given numerous chances to take over that job. And for whatever reason, whether it was self-inflicted or the team didn't play well, I just never grasped the spot.We were in Edmonton; we had struggled in Calgary the night before, so I got the start in Edmonton. And we were down 2-1 with (less than) two minutes left in the second period, and they scored on a power play where the puck was ramped by my own player about 10 feet in front of me, and went right over my shoulder and into the net.We came into the locker room, and I didn't think anything of it at the time. Obviously you don't want to give up a goal that late, especially when it's a one-goal game. And I remember our coach, Jim Schoenfeld, he was very emotional and upset because we gave up the late goal. And he said to Jim, "Ace, you're going in. I need one of you two guys to stop the puck."Schoenie went back into the coach's room, and in the old Edmonton locker room the coach's room is right across from the medical room. And I was always known for having a bad temper, and I think things just boiled over on my part. A, I didn't think I deserved to be pulled, and B, with everything that happened in my career, it just looked like another failed opportunity.So I went berzerk in the locker room. There's a big cement pillar that's off to the left before you go into the medical room, and I just teed off on it with my goalie stick. I think the biggest piece I had left of my goalie stick was a 2-inch piece of the knob. And I went into the medical room and ranted and raved, saying "If you think it's so easy, why don't you go into the net, you big red-headed blank-blank-blank?"And it dawned on me right then and there that the coach's room is right across from the medical room. And as I said it, Schoenie walked into the coach's room, and at that moment I thought I had played my last NHL game.To Schoenie's credit, he said, "Hey, Olie, listen. I know you're emotional. I just need to get our guys going. Just take it for what it is and we'll get through this." I couldn't believe it; I had dodged a huge bullet. And from that point on, I really tried to steer my emotions in the proper channels, because that could have been the end of my career.What he remembers from his last NHL game:My last NHL game was a lot more pleasant (than the first). It was a win at the Bell Centre when I was playing for Tampa. I went there for one year at the end of my career. The season was ... from a personal standpoint, it wasn't great. I tore my biceps tendon and got put on the shelf in November and was done.From an organizational standpoint, there was new ownership, new coaching staff, it was Steven Stamkos' first year. Barry Melrose was our coach to start, but he was fired 16 games in. There was a lot of dissension, a lot of stuff that shouldn't have had anything to do with hockey.We were on a bit of a losing streak, and I remember on the bus, Marty St. Louis came up to me and said, "You think you can win this game for us? We need it." And I said, "Yeah, I love this place. It's my favorite place to play." And I think we won 4-3.It wasn't my best game by any stretch, but given the circumstances, the situation we were in with the team and that just having that conversation with Marty on the bus ... and again, it was my last NHL game, and it happened to be a win in my favorite building. It definitely stuck out.Rapid FireThe best player he ever played with: Alex OvechkinThe best player he ever played against: Mario LemieuxThe player with the best slap shot: Al IafrateThe player with the best wrist shot: Jaromir JagrThe hardest guy to move from in front of the net: Dave AndreychukHis favorite coach: John BrophyHis favorite road arenas: Bell Centre, Madison Square Garden(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)Other entries in this series:
Marchand: Maple Leafs should play Matthews 1 vs. 5 to 'make it fair'
Boston Bruins forward Brad Marchand has concocted a way to slow down Toronto Maple Leafs sensation Auston Matthews.
Canucks' Gudbranson to have hearing for boarding Bruins' Vatrano
Vancouver Canucks blue-liner Erik Gudbranson will have a hearing with the NHL's Department of Player Safety regarding his hit from behind on Boston Bruins pivot Frank Vatrano.Here is a clip of the play in question:
Ranking the best rookie performances from Thursday night
Much like the rest of professional North American sports, hockey is quickly becoming a "young man's game." And, after the outstanding performances from a crop of rookies Thursday night, that growing trend is becoming more evident with each passing game.Due to the volume of stellar showings - three players got their first career NHL goals - we thought it was fitting to put together a list, ranking all of the solo standouts.Here's Thursday's best rookie performances:No. 7 - Kailer Yamamoto, Edmonton Oilers(Photo courtesy: Getty Images)Yamamoto may still be waiting for his first NHL goal, but that isn't stopping him from fitting right in playing on Connor McDavid's wing. The diminutive rook has impressed so far and he continued that progression Thursday night.While his assist on Patrick Maroon's goal was nice, it was Yamamoto's skating and patience with the puck that impressed the most.The Oilers have been looking for someone to slot in on McDavid's line, and by the looks of it, Yamamoto is fitting the bill quite nicely. The rookie has three points in five games to start his career.No. 6 - Matthew Barzal, New York IslandersPotentially the most underrated rookie on this list, Barzal had one of the nicer goals of the night with this beauty play against the Ottawa Senators.
3 things we learned from Bergeron's season debut
Patrice Bergeron's season debut came not a day too soon for the Boston Bruins.After beginning the season with a record of 2-3-0 without Bergeron in the lineup, the Bruins welcomed him back from an undisclosed lower-body injury for Thursday's game against the Vancouver CanucksOn a day it was announced goaltender Tuukka Rask will be sidelined with a concussion, this club needed a boost, and Bergeron brought just that in a 6-3 win.Here are three things we learned from his season debut.Sparking the offenseIn just shy of 21 minutes of ice time, Bergeron recorded one goal and three assists with six shots on goal. The four-point performance was the fourth of his career and second of 2017, according to Hockey Reference.Two points came on the power play while two came at even strength, and the Bruins certainly seemed energized by his presence on the ice.
Laich after signing with Kings: 'Don’t ever give up on your dreams'
"Resiliency rules the world."That was the message tweeted out by Brooks Laich after he signed a one-year, $650,000 contract with the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday.
Gionta, Malone among U.S. Olympic hopefuls named for Deutschland Cup
Former NHLers Brian Gionta and Ryan Malone are among the players named to Team USA's roster for the upcoming Deutschland Cup.The tournament, which takes place in Germany in November, will be used as a scouting opportunity for Team USA to piece together its lineup that will compete in Pyeongchang as part of the 2018 Winter Olympics."The Deutschland Cup for us is a little bit to find some separation of these guys, whether that's pure pace of play or performance," Team USA general manager Jim Johannson told Stephen Whyno of the The Associated Press.In April, the NHL announced it would not make the trip to the next Olympics after attending the previous five Games, beginning in Nagano, Japan in 1998. With NHL players unavailable, competing nations have been left to build their rosters with players toiling in Europe, minor leaguers on AHL-only contracts, and college and junior players.Gionta, 38, remains an unsigned free agent, but has been practicing with the Rochester Americans, the Buffalo Sabres' minor-league club, in preparation for the Olympics.Malone, 37, secured a spot with the Minnesota Wild's AHL affiliate in Iowa after failing to land a job with the big-league club out of training camp. Malone last skated in the NHL in 2015.Here's the full roster:PositionPlayerTeam (League)Home StateFRyan StoaSpartak (KHL)MinnesotaFMark ArcobelloBern (Swiss-A)ConnecticutFChad KolarikMannheim (DEL)PennsylvaniaFAndy MieleMalmo (SHL)MichiganFBrian O'NeillJokerit (KHL)PennsylvaniaFBrian GiontaFree AgentNew YorkFJim SlaterFribourg-Gotteron (Swiss-A)MichiganFDan SextonNizhnekamsk (KHL)MinnesotaFBroc LittleDavos (Swiss-A)ArizonaFSean BackmanBerlin (DEL)New YorkFDrew ShoreZurich (Swiss-A)ColoradoFRyan MaloneIowa (AHL)PennsylvaniaFRyan LaschFrolunda (SHL)CaliforniaFRobbie EarlBiel (Swiss-A)IllinoisFGarrett RoeEV (Swiss-A)VirginiaDChad BillinsLinkopings (SHL)MichiganDBobby SanguinettiLugano (Swiss-A)New JerseyDTom GilbertNuremberg (DEL)MinnesotaDRyan GundersonBrynas (SHL)PennsylvaniaDNoah WelchMalmo (SHL)MassachusettsDMatt GilroyJokerit (KHL)New YorkDJonathan BlumVladivostok (KHL)CaliforniaDMatt DonovanFrolunda (SHL)OklahomaDMark StuartMannheim (DEL)MinnesotaDDylan ReeseHV71 (SHL)PennsylvaniaDMike LundinJokerit (KHL)MinnesotaGRyan ZapolskiJokerit (KHL)PennsylvaniaGBrandon MaxwellMlada Boleslav (Czech)CanadianGDavid LeggioMunich (DEL)New YorkCopyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
Bruins' Bergeron makes season debut vs. Canucks
On the heels of losing their No. 1 goalie to a concussion, the Boston Bruins have their top centerman back in the lineup, as Patrice Bergeron is making his 2017-18 debut Thursday against the Vancouver Canucks.Related: Bruins' Rask diagnosed with concussionBergeron, who underwent offseason hernia surgery, had been dealing with a lower-body injury that had kept him out of action for the start of this season.Forward David Backes also makes his 2017-18 debut Thursday, as the forward has finally recovered from a bout of diverticulitis.While the Bruins have struggled out of the gate, the return of Bergeron and Backes are two big additions to Boston's forward group and will go a long way in helping the Bruins turn their season around.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
Kings sign Forbort to 2-year extension
The Los Angeles Kings have signed defenseman Derek Forbort to a two-year contract extension, the team announced Thursday.The deal carries a cap hit worth $2.525 million per season.Forbort has appeared in all six games this year, picking up two assists. The 25-year-old finished last season with 18 points in 82 games.The Kings selected Forbort with the 15th pick in the 2010 draft. The native of Duluth, Minn., made his NHL debut with the Kings in 2015.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
Bruins' Rask diagnosed with concussion
Boston Bruins goaltender Tuukka Rask has been diagnosed with a concussion and will receive treatment as outlined by the NHL's protocols, the team announced Thursday.Rask suffered the concussion when he was bumped by teammate Anders Bjork during practice on Wednesday, and no timetable has been set for his return due to the nature of the injury.The Bruins already announced Anton Khudobin will start Thursday against Vancouver, and Zane McIntyre has been recalled from AHL Providence to serve as backup.Losing Rask after waiving Malcolm Subban earlier this season will put Boston's goaltending depth to the test for the immediate future.Rask posted a record of 1-3-0 with a .882 save percentage prior to the injury, while Khudobin stopped 38 of 40 shots for a win in his lone appearance this season.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
5 things Jagr accomplished before his new linemates were even born
Jaromir Jagr's advanced age is no secret, but his new linemates are young enough to be his sons.The NHL's elder statesman will start Thursday's game against the Carolina Hurricanes on the Calgary Flames' top line alongside Johnny Gaudreau and Sean Monahan for the first time since joining the club earlier this month.At 45, Jagr is nearly older than Gaudreau (24) and Monahan (23) combined. The veteran played his rookie NHL season in 1990-91, while Gaudreau was born on Aug. 13, 1993, and Monahan's parents welcomed him on Oct. 12, 1994.The age disparity is truly remarkable, so to further emphasize it, here are a handful of things Jagr had on his resume before Gaudreau and Monahan entered the world:2 Stanley CupsNot many players have won back-to-back titles in their first two NHL seasons, but that's what Jagr did in 1991 and '92.He had a solid rookie campaign and added 13 points in his first playoff run before exploding for 11 goals and 24 postseason points in the Pittsburgh Penguins' second consecutive championship run.3 full NHL seasonsIt's pretty amazing to think Jagr played at all before his youthful new linemates even existed, but it's even more impressive when you consider he was already well acclimated to the NHL game by the time Gaudreau and Monahan officially came to be.By the summer of 1993 when Gaudreau was born, Jagr had already played three full seasons in North America, appearing in at least 80 games in two of them.2 seasons with 30-plus goalsNot only did Jagr already have three NHL seasons to his name; he was also really good in them.The Czech native scored more than 30 goals in two of his first three campaigns, including a 34-goal, 94-point outburst in 1992-93.He improved on that point total the following season, finishing with 99 in 1993-94, months before Monahan was born and while Gaudreau was still less than a year old.2 All-Star Game appearancesJagr earned deserving All-Star nods in 1992 and '93. His lone point in the '92 event came on a goal by Penguins teammate Kevin Stevens, with Mario Lemieux drawing the secondary helper in the Wales Conference's 10-6 loss to the Campbell Conference.The Wales Conference fared much better the following year, and that time Jagr chipped in a goal and an assist in a 16-6 victory.Czech/NHL historyJagr became the answer to a trivia question before even stepping on the ice for an NHL game.He earned the distinction of being the first player from then-Czechoslovakia to be drafted into the NHL without first needing to defect when the Penguins selected him fifth overall in 1990.Jagr also got a fair amount of experience with his home country's national team on multiple levels before Gaudreau and Monahan were even born, helping Czechoslovakia win the bronze medal at both the World Junior Championship and the World Championship in his draft year.In all, he represented Czechoslovakia (and later the Czech Republic) five times before his new linemates saw daylight for the first time.(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
Kings' Carter having surgery, out indefinitely with cut to leg
Los Angeles Kings forward Jeff Carter is having surgery to repair a cut to his left leg and will be out indefinitely, general manager Rob Blake announced Thursday.Carter was injured in Wednesday's 5-1 win over the Montreal Canadiens after he was hit into the boards late in the first period by Jeff Petry and Petry's skate caught Carter's leg.The Kings will sign forward Brooks Laich in response, multiple sources told LAKingsInsider.com's Jon Rosen.Laich attended Kings' training camp on a professional tryout and, while he didn't earn a roster spot, he's been skating with the team at practice.Meanwhile, Carter's removal from the Kings' lineup could be significant. While he's managed just three assists through six games, he did pace the club in goals (32), points (66), and shots (250) last year.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
Debate: Is it time for the Canadiens to panic?
On Wednesday night, the Montreal Canadiens dropped their sixth straight contest, a 5-1 drubbing by the Los Angeles Kings.The loss dropped the Canadiens' record to 1-5-1 (with only a shootout win in their season opener), leaving them tied with the New York Rangers for the worst start in the Eastern Conference.It's still early, but with valuable points being squandered, is it already time for Montreal to panic?Yes, on-ice and front-office failures are sinking the shipHagerman: It would be easier for the Canadiens to remain calm in the face of early adversity if there were one or two faults in their game, but the team has holes up and down its roster - and beyond.Montreal currently sits last in the NHL with 1.43 goals per game - the only team averaging less than two - and is giving up 3.86 per contests, which is tied for 27th.The Canadiens also have the 28th-ranked power play and their penalty kill sits 25th.Jonathan Drouin is the only player who's found the back of the net more than once, while the rest of Montreal's big names have been silent.Player Goals PointsMax Pacioretty11Alex Galchenyuk11Brendan Gallagher12Phillip Danault12Shea Weber12Even more worrying is that Carey Price hasn't come to the rescue. The former Vezina Trophy winner has gone 1-4-1 while posting a 3.56 goals-against average and an .885 save percentage, conceding at least three goals in four of his six games.Of course, many of the Canadiens' struggles can be traced back to general manager Marc Bergevin, who failed to address the team's biggest needs this offseason.Instead of acquiring a No.1 center, he overpaid Karl Alzner, wasted money in signing Mark Streit, inked Ales Hemsky for some reason, and let Andrei Markov bolt for Russia.The Canadiens have failed from top to bottom this year, and we're seeing the results on the ice. It's time to panic.No, take a closer look at the underlying numbersGold-Smith: Look, the Canadiens certainly have issues, but let's not get carried away.Yes, they have the NHL's worst offense through the first seven games, and their defense hasn't been much better.But they're still driving possession with the sixth-best even-strength Corsi For percentage in the NHL, and they have the league's lowest PDO (which combines shooting percentage and save percentage) through the first two weeks, so it's largely been a case of poor puck luck and goaltending that's bound to improve.This is a team that still boasts proven finishers in Pacioretty and Drouin. Pacioretty has only one goal on 23 shots so far, but he's scored 141 goals combined across the last four seasons. If recent history is any indication, his luck will turn around.As far as the save percentage goes, Price is nowhere near this bad. Two of the three games in which he allowed four goals came against the high-powered Washington Capitals and Toronto Maple Leafs, and there's plenty of historical evidence to suggest he'll raise his game as the season progresses.Most importantly, Montreal has still only played twice on home ice. There's nothing wrong with evaluating a team after a couple of weeks, but it would be unwise to overreact when only 8.5 percent of their regular-season schedule and 4.8 percent of their home slate has been completed.Defense is the biggest problem in Montreal, and it's an issue Bergevin definitely needs to address. But should he panic? Absolutely not.(Analytics courtesy: Natural Stat Trick)Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
Blues' Sobotka fined $5K for high-sticking Blackhawks' Sharp
St. Louis Blues forward Vladimir Sobotka has been fined $5,000 for high-sticking Chicago Blackhawks forward Patrick Sharp, the NHL Department of Player Safety announced Thursday.The incident occurred during the third period of Wednesday's contest between the two clubs and saw Sobotka assessed a double-minor.The Blackhawks would take advantage, scoring twice on the extended power play. However, the Blues skated to a 5-2 win and jumped into first place in the Central Division.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
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