from Steve Simmons of the Toronto Sun,

- Ken Holland says he believes in second chances. Maybe math wasn’t his best subject.

In the still undetermined matter of the National Hockey League vs. Evander Kane, the latest version in an ongoing series, the signing of the troubled Kane by Holland in Edmonton, or by any other general manager in any other city for that matter, would not represent a second chance for the troubled winger.

What chance would it be?

Five? Six? Eight? Depends on who is doing the counting.

There have been issues over the years with assault, with off-ice behaviour, with decision making, with the law, with team rules, with teammates, with women, those he was married to and those he was not, with gambling, with lawsuits, with bankruptcy, and that’s just slightly brushing the canvas of the challenge Kane brings to whichever team that chooses to sign him, all of that possibly coming after he is suspended again by the NHL///

- The best Canadian players in the NHL this half-season: 1. McDavid; 2. Cale Makar; 3. Jonathan Huberdeau; 4. Nazem Kadri.

- Frank Mahovlich turned 84 the other day and it got me thinking: How many wingers in NHL history were better than Mahovlich, who won four Stanley Cups with the Maple Leafs and still holds the Montreal Canadiens’ record for most points in a playoff season? My purely personal shortlist of those who rank ahead of Mahovlich: Gordie Howe. Rocket Richard. Bobby Hull. Alex Ovechkin. Jaromir Jagr. Guy Lafleur and Mike Bossy. So who am I missing? The next group would include Pavel Bure, Teemu Selanne and Jari Kurri.

more on the first topic and other nottes too...