from Steve Simmons of the Toronto Sun,

- ...And I wonder now: Is Auston Matthews, without the luxury of Nicklas Lidstrom on defence, heading in Yzerman’s direction with the Maple Leafs? Has his game expanded as his goal-scoring numbers have dropped considerably this season? Or is just circumstantial that Matthews is scoring well below his Rocket Richard pace of a year ago?...

- Patrice Bergeron, who doesn’t seem to age, has been on the ice for only 17 even-strength goals against this season with the Boston Bruins. By comparison to the great centres in hockey, that is rather spectacular. Connor McDavid has been scored on 58 times. Leon Draisaitl, 60 times. Sidney Crosby and Jack Hughes, 50 times apiece. Tage Thompson, 51 times. Brayden Point, 53 times. And, great as Matthews has been defensively, he has been scored on 37 times. They can give Bergeron the Selke Trophy now. There’s nobody in his league for the best team in hockey.

- In Matt Murray’s first three full NHL seasons, he started 47, 45 and 50 games for the Pittsburgh Penguins. In his past three seasons in Ottawa and Toronto, he has started 25, 20 and 19 games.

- There should be a rule for all these phony hockey websites writing about the next trade that isn’t happening: If you don’t know an NHL general manager, if he doesn’t know you, then please go away.

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