Articles in NHL Talk

NEW YORK (March 1, 2024) – Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews, Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid and New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin – who each began February by participating in the 2024 NHL All-Star Weekend – have been named the NHL’s “Three Stars” for the month of February.

from Eric Duhatschek of The Athletic,

Someone asked me the other day: When did the NHL trade deadline become so wild? I had to think about it for a minute because it didn’t happen overnight. It was a slow, steady evolution to this moment in time. The idea of supplementing a team for a successful playoff run took seed back in 1980 when the New York Islanders traded Billy Harris and Dave Lewis to the Los Angeles Kings for Butch Goring. Up until then, the Islanders were a perennial contender that couldn’t get over the top. Then they did. With Goring aboard. And proceeded to win the Stanley Cup four times in a row.

And because the NHL is a copycat league, other contenders saw the impact of the Goring deal and gingerly, gradually started exploring that option themselves. It didn’t pay off again in such a meaningful way until 1991 when the Pittsburgh Penguins made that six-player trade with the Hartford Whalers to acquire Ron Francis and Ulf Samuelsson — and promptly won the first of two consecutive Stanley Cup championships.

That got the ball rolling harder.

Since then, there have been varying degrees of success — but mostly failure — as teams either tweaked or aggressively added reinforcements for the stretch run and playoffs. Over time, it became an arm’s race — and until this year, an arm’s race that frequently began weeks and even months before the actual trade deadline.

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* Nathan MacKinnon became the second-fastest player in franchise history to reach the 100-point mark behind Peter Stastny with the Quebec Nordiques (60 GP in 1981-82).

* Sebastian Aho, Teuvo Teravainen and Jesperi Kotkaniemi helped the Hurricanes beat the Blue Jackets ahead of 2024 Hockey Day in Finland, while Auston Matthews inched closer to becoming the NHL’s first 70-goal scorer since Alexander Mogilny and Helsinki native Teemu Selanne 31 years ago.

* Thursday featured the NHL’s second trade in as many days, with Ilya Lyubushkin returning to his former club in a three-team deal involving the Maple Leafs, Ducks and Hurricanes. Click here to read the #NHLStats Pack for the upcoming Trade Deadline (3 p.m. ET on March 8).

* ArtemiPanarin and ConnorMcDavid – two of the League’s top five scorers – each tallied three points to spur their respective club to victory Wednesday, as New York climbed into first place in the NHL and Edmonton moved within a point of the reigning Stanley Cup champions in the standings. McDavid (22-72—94 in 55 GP) now sits six points away from his seventh career 100-point season while Panarin (35-47—82 in 60 GP) pursues his first.

* The reigning Presidents’ Trophy-winning Bruins and Stanley Cup champion Golden Knights face off at 7 p.m. ET on Sportsnet programming before Nathan MacKinnon and fellow No. 1 pick Connor Bedard, who are each in the running for at least one NHL Award this season, go head-to-head for the third time when the Avalanche visit the Blackhawks at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN.

* The latest documents from #NHLStats taking a look at the 21st leap year day in League history and the upcoming 2024 Hockey Day in Finland are now available at the NHL’s media site. As trade winds pick up, with Chris Tanev joining the Stars via a three-team deal Wednesday, the Stats Pack for the upcoming Trade Deadline (March 8) also is available.

* Patrick Kane continued to make an impact for the Red Wings as the 35-year-old extended his point streak to nine games in a contest that saw Detroit score eight goals in a contest for the first time in six years.

* The Golden Knights snapped the Maple Leafs’ winning streak at seven games, became the fastest franchise to 300 wins and eclipsed the previous mark by 28 contests.

* Sidney Crosby climbed another NHL all-time list after he recorded his 1,000th career even-strength point in a Penguins comeback overtime victory.

* Connor McDavid will continue his come-from-behind pursuit of a fourth consecutive Art Ross Trophy when the Oilers host the Blues on a national broadcast in both the U.S. and Canada.

via the NHL's YouTube page,

Bloopers and lighthearted moments including an epic tribute to Jaromir Jagr, a golden ticket redeemed over a decade later, a hilarious exchange between Bedard and Foligno and the return of the Green Men in Vancouver!

NEW YORK (Feb. 26, 2024) – Minnesota Wild left wing Kirill Kaprizov, Toronto Maple Leafs right wing Mitchell Marner and New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin – three players who participated in the 2024 NHL All-Star Weekend earlier this month – have been named the NHL’s “Three Stars” for the week ending Feb. 25.

from Ryan Dixon of Sportsnet,

- Detroit’s win in Chicago was its second of the weekend after a 6-1 shellacking of the St. Louis Blues 24 hours prior. Combine that with Tampa Bay ending a miserable three-game skid with a victory on Long Island on Saturday followed by another in New Jersey on Sunday and, suddenly, the Eastern Conference wild-card picture is beginning to crystalize. On the flip side, the “Fi-re Lin-dy!” chants are back at the Prudential Center thanks to the Devils’ 4-1 loss to the Bolts. With Tampa and Detroit looking pretty solid in the wild-card slots (though the Lightning have played the most games in the East) it’s starting to feel like Jersey’s only chance to salvage this season is to catch Philly for third in the Metro. And even the Flyers might have felt out of reach had Sidney Crosby not put together an incredible four-point performance on Sunday in a wild 7-6 win over his Pennsylvania rivals in Pittsburgh.

- The Rangers’ 10-game winning streak ended on Sunday at the hands of the Columbus Blue Jackets. The Leafs have posted seven straight W’s after their win in Denver on Saturday, but that team gets a lot of attention even without Tyler Bertuzzi scoring a birthday hat trick. Less noisy, but nearly as impressive, is the five-game streak the Nashville Predators have put together, with all five victories coming on the road after triumphs Saturday in San Jose and Sunday in Anaheim. Nashville suddenly has one hand — or at least a few fingers — on the final Western Conference playoff berth and you have to wonder if that changes the calculous when it comes to potentially dealing Juuse Saros. The Preds are pretty openly future-focused right now, but thinking big picture is a tick harder when you’re actually in a post-season spot as opposed to floating around the fringes.

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* Nikita Kucherov potted another four points in a road game for the Lightning to become the NHL’s first 100-point scorer in 2023-24 and joined a small list of active players with at least four 100-point campaigns.

* It was a night to remember at United Center as Patrick Kane scored the overtime winner in his first game back in Chicago after spending 16 seasons donning a Blackhawks uniform, hours after Chris Chelios asked him not to “steal his thunder” on Chelios’ jersey retirement night.

* Sidney Crosby tallied his 39th career four-point game – already the most among active players – to propel his club to a win in the latest instalment of the ‘Battle of Pennsylvania’.

* A four-game Monday features a pair of games on Sportsnet and TVA Sports starting with the Senators visiting the Capitals before the Oilers welcome the Kings.

from Steve Simmons of the Toronto Sun,

- When Bob Johnson was coaching in the NHL, he figured the best way to shut down Gretzky was to ignore him. This came after years of trying to shadow him. Instead of shadowing Gretzky, Johnson chose to shadow linemate Jari Kurri instead. The strategy worked at the time.

- If NHL hockey can’t sustain itself in Winnipeg, then commissioner Gary Bettman will have no choice but to move the team to one of the many American cities that could. The Jets have the wealthiest owner in the NHL. But losing money and trending in the wrong direction isn’t the way to go. Bettman will fight forever to keep hockey in money-losing Arizona. And while he’s fought for Edmonton and Calgary before, we’re not sure he has it in him to do it one more time in Canada.

- At the NHL all-star break, Bettman was quite complimentary about Toronto and how much it has meant to the league. You could, however, reverse the equation and calculate how little the NHL has actually done for the Maple Leafs over time. This is the 19th season since the salary cap was added to hockey. The Leafs were against it then, and probably against it now. In the past 18 years, the Leafs have been in the post-season eight times, missed it 10 times, and are 1-8 in playoff rounds since the cap was introduced.

- The injury to Mark Stone in Vegas gives crafty GM Kelly McCrimmon all kinds of LTIR money to play with as the trade deadline approaches. No doubt, Stone will be back for the playoffs, where dollars don’t count and the McCrimmon will be at the front of the trading line with money to spend.

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* Tyler Bertuzzi scored three times on his birthday and joined Toronto’s train of hat tricks, accounting for the club’s fourth this month – a feat only three other teams in the past 25 years have accomplished. With every hat trick this season, AstraZeneca has donated $5,000 to the Hockey Fights Cancer Fund of the V Foundation up to $500,000 – click here for more information.

* Matt Rempe, who made League history by debuting in the 2024 Navy Federal Credit Union NHL Stadium Series last weekend, scored the first goal of his NHL career as the Rangers extended their winning streak to double digits and matched a franchise record.

* Sunday’s slate features an NHL on TNT doubleheader as the network celebrates Hockey Day in America as well as the Blackhawks raising Chris Chelios’ No. 7 to the rafters at United Center and welcoming Patrick Kane for the first time as a visitor on Sportsnet and NHL Network.

from Larry Brooks of the New York Post,

- ... After the contest, the coach of this underachieving team — wracked by goaltending issues the hierarchy has permitted to fester all year — suggested reporters had been “exerting excess pressure” on New Jersey’s power-play guys by asking them about their difficulties.

Yes, I can imagine Nico Hischier melting into a puddle upon being asked what the boys need to improve.

- As weak as it gets....

- From the trade market: Is it possible, as I was told, that the ’Canes have made it known they are willing to listen on Martin Necas, and if that is accurate from a source who has proven to be trustworthy, what am I missing?

If you are Jacob Markstrom, are you sure you’re waiving your no-move clause to come to New Jersey? Perhaps it is Carolina that will be calling.

- Everyone knows how much I love to watch Jack Hughes play, I had him in the Hart conversation each of the past two seasons before his injuries intervened. I am fairly certain that he rushed back too soon from the latest one that sidelined No. 86 for 11 games bridging the All-Star break. He hasn’t looked close to the electrifying athlete we’ve come accustomed to seeing.

But, I am sorry to say, the fact is that anyone paid to watch No. 86 play against the Rangers on Thursday probably should have asked for his/her money back.

more on the first topic plus other topics too

from Eric Duhatschek of The Athletic,

Crosby isn’t the sort of player who says one thing but means another. If he says he wants to be a Penguin for life, then that should be the end of the story. The Penguins will do their best to be as competitive as they can be for as long as they can be with this core, and then do what they’ve done twice before – sink to the bottom, and hope that when (or if) they get another chance to draft first overall, it happens to coincide with a year when a Mario Lemieux or a Crosby is sitting there waiting for them.

Just a reminder by the way that Crosby’s current contract was a 12-year deal, worth $104.4 million and signed back on July 1, 2012, when Ray Shero was the Penguins’ GM. The contract carries an AAV of $8.7 million, and was frontloaded, with the highest compensation in the first three years of the deal, $12 million. Of course, what that’s meant is that in terms of real dollars – not dollars that count against the cap – Crosby has been the NHL’s best value for the second year in a row.

That’s because last year, this year and next year, he will earn just $3 million. That’s it. No performance bonuses. No signing bonuses. $3 million. And to save you the trouble of looking it up, for that $3 million, Crosby has 56 points in 54 games and is playing above 20 minutes per night. In terms of value, that’s hard to beat.

more ($), focused on the Hart Trophy...

* The two top teams in the Metropolitan Division skated to victories, with Artemi Panarin continuing his point-producing ways for the Rangers while rookie Pyotr Kochetkov planted himself on a short list in NHL history with a 44-save shutout.

* The Maple Leafs scored early and often at T-Mobile Arena, with Auston Matthews joining rare company in franchise history by scoring his 10th goal in a five-game span and teammate Mitchell Marner tying the second-longest stretch in NHL history with two or more assists.

* Pavel Buchnevich scored two goals in a span of 0:25 to help his club score the fastest three tallies in franchise history and added to the Hockey Fights Cancer Fund of the V Foundation thanks to AstraZeneca, who is donating $5,000 to the up to $500,000 for every hat trick this season. Click here for more information.

via the NHL Network's YouTube page,

It's trade season around the National Hockey League, and Elliotte Friedman joined NHL Tonight to talk about some hypothetical trades.

from Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet,

- Please recognize that this is manifesting purely in my head. But, as I watch Daniel Alfredsson on the bench in Ottawa, I can’t help but wonder if the Senators consider a Karlsson reunion. At least, brainstorm it. Yes, it’s complicated and yes, everyone would have to be on board. But no one mind-melds with Karlsson like Alfredsson, and, since it got into my head, I can’t stop thinking about the possibility of it.

- Doug Armstrong never talks about this stuff, but the price on Pavel Buchnevich is said to be very high. The versatile forward has another year under contract. Two firsts, or something like it?

- Interested parties do not believe David Savard wishes to leave Montreal.

- Teams have asked Buffalo about Alex Tuch, but the Sabres value him.

- There’s been a lot of speculation about the Lightning — which, on paper, makes a lot of sense — but look at the trade the Flames made for Elias Lindholm. Can the Lightning put together a similar package, knowing there will be competition? It’s hard to see. Toronto made a pitch, and would want to know the possibility of signing him, but Hanifin appears headed for the US on a long-term basis. Teams want to know where he’s willing to sign.

- At the last Board of Governors meeting, the NHL indicated it was thinking of something different with this year’s awards. The last possible day of the Stanley Cup Final is June 24, with the draft June 28-29. That’s not a lot of time. What’s possible here is a smaller, scaled-down event at the draft, with only a few of the major awards announced. The NBA reveals its winners during the opening rounds of the playoffs, so players get an ovation from the hometown crowd. I like the idea, we’ll see what the NHL does.

more Thoughts

* Auston Matthews made some NHL history against his hometown team by scoring twice to eclipse 50 goals on the season in just 54 games.

* Zach Werenski scored twice and established a franchise record in the process as the Blue Jackets survived a four-goal Ducks rally to earn a win Wednesday.

* Brandon Hagel and Alex Ovechkin will both look to extend their point streaks when the Lightning clash with the Capitals on ESPN during Thursday’s 11-game slate.

from Justin Bourne of Sportsnet,

As we move towards the NHL’s trade deadline, I see GMs of teams in the playoff mix being faced with two options given the league’s parity-wracked standings. I’ll lay them out before weighing in.

Option 1: This ain’t the year to burn assets, anything could still happen

If you’re a fan of a team with a more passive GM, I can guarantee you’re going to hear some of this rhetoric. They’ll recognize a flawed team, hope their goalie gets red hot at the right time, get a few bounces, and be the next surprising Cup champ (or, let’s face it for these GMs, just a deep run buys them years of employment). They’ll spin the wheel of fortune and come up bust.

The logic will be “In a year it could be won by anyone we’ve got a chip and a chair too, and we shouldn’t throw assets at our somewhat flawed roster.”

It’s the type of losing we allow in hockey – if you’re conservative and risk-free you can call it maturity and discipline, and you’ll get another job.

Option 2: In a wide-open year, every bit of improvement gives a team a better chance to be the lucky ones

NFL teams go for it on fourth down these days far more than they used to, because they’ve learned taking that risk gives them a better chance at victory.

At this year’s NHL trade deadline, every little place teams improve in could push them to that next fresh set of downs, the next round of the playoffs.

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via the YouTube page of the NHL Network,

NHL Network insider Elliotte Friedman joins NHL Tonight for a Trade Deadline Roundtable discussing the latest rumors around the league, including potential options for the Calgary Flames, New Jersey Devils and Pittsburgh Penguins.

* The Rangers and Panthers – the top teams in the Eastern Conference – extended their winning streak to eight and six games, respectively.

* Quinton Byfield brought the fans at Crypto.com Arena to their feet with a highlight-reel goal en route to the Kings’ fourth straight victory.

* Auston Matthews enters Wednesday just one shy of his 50th goal of the season and is in striking distance from becoming the fastest player to reach the mark since Mario Lemieux in 1995-96. Click here for notes on his path to 50.

* An NHL on TNT and Max doubleheader between the Flyers and Blackhawks as well as the Bruins and Oilers highlight the rest of Wednesday’s five-game slate.

from Mike Vorkunov,

FuboTV, a live TV streaming platform, has launched a civil lawsuit against Disney, Fox and Warner Bros. Discovery, alleging that the media companies have engaged in anticompetitive practices for years and that they are continuing to do so through the combined sports streaming app they intend to launch later this year, according to court documents.

The lawsuit, filed in federal court in the Southern District of New York, also names ESPN and Hulu as defendants.

In the suit, FuboTV, which has been in business since 2015, alleges that the companies have engaged in a campaign that has resulted in suppressed competition in the U.S. sports-focused streaming market causing harm to FuboTV and its customers and the companies’ latest joint venture will continue to suppress competition.

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via TSN's YouTube page,

TSN’s Hockey Insiders have more on Flames blueliner Noah Hanifin, how buyers are patiently waiting for the list of sellers to grow, and the latest on the Penguins, Stars and Panthers, the Coyotes in the market for more draft picks.

* Matinee madness! The Wild and Canucks combined for three hat tricks and 17 goals in the NHL’s highest-scoring game of the season so far.

* Kirill Kaprizov, Joel Eriksson Ek, J.T. Miller and Sean Monahan each potted hat tricks to raise AstraZeneca’s donation to the Hockey Fights Cancer Fund of the V Foundation by $20,000. After also seeing four three-goal performances on Nov. 4, the 2023-24 campaign became the first season to feature multiple days with at least four hat tricks since 2008-09 (4 on Dec. 11, 2008 & March 7, 2009).

* An eight-game Tuesday features a doubleheader on Sportsnet ONE and TVA Sports that closes with Ryan O'Reilly and the Predators clashing with the Golden Knights.