Stephen Whyno Associated Press Published 4:30 AM EDT Sep 14, 2020 Edmonton, Alberta — While the New York Islanders were celebrating Brock Nelson scoring the first goal of the game, Tampa Bay Lightning center Yanni Gourde was steaming about giving it up. Coach Jon Cooper decided to keep him on the ice for some redemption.
Although the Toronto Maple Leafs don’t have the prospect pool that they used to, they still have some really solid options that will look to make an impact in the lineup soon. Having one of the best developmental programs in the entire NHL has allowed them to develop prospects with more efficiency and that has
One of the Carolina Hurricanes’ biggest strengths lies within their defense. Their squad is stacked on the back end and will be for years to come. Yet, quality depth scoring on offense was a shortcoming last season. With such a good core of defenders, should the club subtract from defense to address their lack of
In today’s Montreal Canadiens News and Rumors rundown, there’s news on American Hockey League (AHL) players loaned to European leagues, general manager Marc Bergevin making trades to add depth, what will Ryan Poehling do to take his next developmental steps and a plethora of trade rumours. European Loans Hayden Verbeek — who was signed as
In this edition of Toronto Maple Leafs News & Rumors, I’ll focus on current and past general managers by sharing the news that Lou Lamoriello has been voted the NHL’s General Manager of the Year. I’ll share some rumors about Maple Leafs general manager (GM) Kyle Dubas’ growing reputation as a trader who asks a
Much consideration has been given to the legacy of Jonathan Toews, long-time captain of the Chicago Blackhawks. Heading into his 13th NHL season, Toews has seen an incredible amount of success. But he’s also 31 years old, and many feel his inevitable decline has already begun. So what can we currently infer about the state
The Atlanta Thrashers were the second of four expansion teams to hit the ice around the turn of the 21st century, playing their inaugural season in 1999-2000. Like the others, they would start to build their roster by picking one player from each team in an expansion draft. The Nashville Predators, who entered the league
Stephen Whyno Associated Press Published 6:44 AM EDT Sep 13, 2020 Edmonton, Alberta – Anton Khudobin gloved the puck out of the air on Shea Theodore’s shot at the most intense moment of the game like it was part of a leisurely morning practice. “I just tried to find the puck and react to it,”
It was recently reported that the Chicago Blackhawks offered Corey Crawford a one-year deal worth $3.5 million. Although coming across like a hometown discount for his services, as he’d be bringing in nearly 50% less than his previous paycheques, it is unclear what his role will be for next season. Corey Crawford, Chicago Blackhawks (Amy Irvin /
The Washington Capitals were eliminated from the Stanley Cup Playoffs in the first round for the second consecutive season. The difference between this year and last year is that the Capitals had a 2018 Stanley Cup win to fall back upon in 2019. This year, though, they repeated upon their first-round exit from the year
In this edition of Toronto Maple Leafs News & Rumors, I’ll share the news that Auston Matthews came in second to Nathan MacKinnon in the voting for the Lady Byng Trophy. I’ll report another COVID-19 quarantine that impacts a Maple Leafs signee. Related: Maple Leafs News & Rumors: Further Thoughts About the Andersen Trade Finally,
That was a fun offseason project — ranking the NHL teams by position. Fun and enlightening, yet challenging since the league’s parity is so prevalent on paper. There were tiers at every position that opened the door to much debate, with the slightest of margins separating several teams. That made for difficult decisions from top
According to a number of reports, the Edmonton Oilers have shifted focus away from Matt Murray of the Pittsburgh Penguins and towards goaltender Darcy Kuemper of the Arizona Coyotes. As the Oilers continue to gather information, trying to make the best possible decision for next season’s goaltending tandem as possible, Elliotte Friedman noted on a
In today’s NHL rumor rundown, there is new out of Vegas where the Golden Knights have reportedly agreed to a deal with Robin Lehner on a five-year extension. The only problem? The goaltender is denying it. Vancouver Canucks forward Tyler Toffoli reveals his priority as a pending unrestricted free agent, and there are updates as
During the remainder of the Stanley Cup Playoffs and the offseason, we’re going to look into all things Florida Panthers. Yes, that includes the draft and free agency, but it will also shed a little bit of light on a franchise that doesn’t get a lot of love. One series will focus on the best
Helene St. James Detroit Free Press Published 10:00 AM EDT Sep 12, 2020 In less than a month general manager Steve Yzerman is tasked with making a choice that hopefully moves the needle on the Detroit Red Wings’ rebuild. He holds the fourth overall pick in the 2020 draft, as the Wings were bruised as much
In today’s NHL rumor rundown, there is news that Mikko Koivu and the Minnesota Wild have come to the end of their road together. In Montreal, speculation is the Canadiens might shop two forwards, potentially keeping the one most thought might be moved. The Edmonton Oilers have apparently switched their goaltending focus, the Colorado Avalanche
Occasionally I will be asked for my thoughts as to whether hitting (bodychecking) should be allowed in women’s hockey. For those unfamiliar with the rules for the women’s game, while body contact is allowed and happens quite regularly, bodychecking is not. Delivering a bodycheck constitutes a two-minute minor penalty. If you really want to know
Associated Press Published 1:02 AM EDT Sep 12, 2020 Edmonton, Alberta — Coach Barry Trotz never questioned his New York Islanders’ resolve. Brock Nelson broke a tie with 3:25 left, Semyon Varlamov made 34 saves and the Islanders the kept the Tampa Bay Lightning from taking a three-game lead in the NHL’s Eastern Conference final
In this post, I am going to make a case that the Toronto Maple Leafs might have a unique opportunity to create the best fourth line in NHL history by keeping Jason Spezza and by signing two restricted free agents (RFAs) – Joe Thronton and Wayne Simmonds. Might it be possible to utilize the experience,