from Steve Simmons of the Toronto Sun,

- Gary Bettman gets roasted for being against NHL participation in the Olympics, as he should. But if you want to blame somebody for the NHL looking the other way, it’s Players’ Association boss, Donald Fehr. Clearly, the players want to play in China in 2022. Fehr hasn’t done much of anything to fight for them and hockey fans in this regard....

- In his first six games with New Jersey, rookie Jack Hughes had no goals, no assists. In his last nine games, four goals, five assists. It will probably be Hughes, his Vancouver playing brother, Quinn, and Colorado’s Cale Makar in the race for NHL rookie of the year. Makar is the early leader.

- If you do the math, the great goal scorer, Patrik Laine, has scored in three of the past 34 regular season games for the Winnipeg Jets. He’s scored goals in just two of 15 games this season.

- Mike Babcock won his 700th game the other night. We may question his lines and his lineups, his daily conversations, his stubborn ways, his inability to get the Leafs to play without the puck, but the number means something.

The number means you’re among the elite in your profession....

more on the first and last notes plus additional hockey blurbs...