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Trade Deadline Day 2021

04/12/2021 at 12:00am EDT

No need to have 10 tabs open or constantly surfing the web to follow all of your favorite hockey insiders when you can do it right here.

Below you will find the insiders I use and feel free to suggest any that are not listed.

I will be doing my best to keep you updated throughout the day and then crash round 6pm ET.

Jeff Carter Headed To Pittsburgh

04/11/2021 at 11:09pm EDT

added 4/12/21 at 7:09am, LAK release is below.

Evening Line- John Tortorella

04/11/2021 at 7:35pm EDT

"The core of this team has been together, and we were growing, we were getting there, and things have fallen off," Tortorella said before the Blue Jackets lost 4-3 at home to the Chicago Blackhawks. "The business end of it comes in, players wanting to leave and stuff like that, and you know what? You need to start over. I'll be honest with you, it needs to start over because there are just a lot of different personalities that come in.

"I don't know if they fit or not. We've still got to go through the process of trying to figure out who they are, who we are. Are we going to do it together? And do you understand? Are you going to buy in? And all that stuff. I don't have the answer as far as where it goes right now. We're still trying to find out about the new personnel coming in here."

Jon Tortorella, head coach of the Columbus Blu Jackets. Tim Campbell of NHL.com has more.

Nick Foligno To Toronto

04/11/2021 at 5:55pm EDT

Through San Jose means taking on $$$.

added 6:05pm,

Video- Ryan Reaves Hit Today

04/11/2021 at 4:33pm EDT

Don't Play With Cole Caufield's Development

04/11/2021 at 3:47pm EDT

from Jack Todd at the Montreal Gazette,

This team is going nowhere. Not now, not this season. On paper, they appear to have enough talent to challenge. On the ice, the only thing they challenge is your patience.

So now you want to take Cole Caufield, perhaps the most exciting Canadiens prospect since Guy Lafleur, and dump him into this very deep hole and see if he drowns?

Seriously — what’s wrong with you?

Can Caufield make this team better? Absolutely.

Can he make them good enough to beat the Leafs? Absolutely not.

more

An Update On The Covid Situation In Vancouver

04/11/2021 at 2:46pm EDT

NEW YORK (April 11, 2021) – The National Hockey League announced today that, as a result of an additional Vancouver Canucks Player being in the NHL’s COVID Protocols, the team’s practice facilities will not re-open before tomorrow at the earliest. Although the Player has not been around the team during the relevant time period (since March 31), the League’s, NHLPA’s and Club’s medical groups determined that the prudent decision was to keep the facilities closed for an additional day. The decision is not currently expected to impact the Canucks’ return to game play on April 16.

The Canucks’ organization has, and will continue to follow, all recommended guidelines aimed at protecting the health and safety of its Players, staff and community at large as set by the NHL, local, provincial and federal agencies.

Video- Jeff Blashill Today

04/11/2021 at 2:02pm EDT

Blashill video is below and first question from HSJ is about Veleno.

Jon Merrill Traded To Montreal

04/11/2021 at 1:40pm EDT

MONTREAL - Montreal Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin announced on Sunday that the team has acquired defenseman Jon Merrill from the Detroit Red Wings in exchange for a fifth-round pick in 2021 (previously acquired from Ottawa) and forward Hayden Verbeek.

added 2:05pm,

added 2:32pm, Detroit release is below.

On Waivers Today

04/11/2021 at 12:03pm EDT

Video- The Shoulder Nudge

04/11/2021 at 10:57am EDT

added 11:40am,

Video- Hearing Today For Michael McCarron

04/11/2021 at 10:08am EDT

Video below.

added 3:43pm, Two game suspension for illegal check to the head, explanation is below.

Jon Merrill Drawing Interest From The Boston Bruins

04/11/2021 at 9:48am EDT

from Joe Haggerty of Boston Hockey Now,

There were whispers on Saturday night that the Bruins are one of the teams in the running for veteran Detroit Red Wings defenseman Jon Merrill as the deadline approaches on Monday.

The “Friedman” is, of course, Elliotte Friedman during Saturday night’s Hockey Night in Canada broadcast. The 29-year-old Merrill has five assists in 36 games along with a plus-2 rating for the Wings this season but has been a solid veteran left shot defenseman for the New Jersey Devils and Golden Knights over the previous seven seasons. He’d be a cheap acquisition ($925,000) and would bring some needed veteran defensive presence to the left side where youngsters Jeremy Lauzon and Jakub Zboril have struggled this season, and where Matt Grzelcyk has missed 12 games over three plus months as a top-4 defenseman this season.

The cost wouldn’t be much more than a non-first round draft pick or a B-level prospect for Merrill, and that may be part of the draw to him at this point.

more options at defense for the Bruins...

Being Ken Holland

04/11/2021 at 9:38am EDT

from Terry Jones of the Edmonton Sun,

...what’s it been like to be Ken Holland?

“For me, I go to my condo and the rink when I’m in Edmonton,” he said of the two destinations that are only 400 or 500 steps across the street from each other.
“When I’m on the road, I go down from my hotel room down to the meal room, go to the rink and then to the plane to fly to the next spot.

“There’s no social activity. There’s no going out anywhere. That’s the NHL-NHLPA (Players Association) protocol.

“We love our job. That’s what we do. And we have to do what we have to do to keep not only ourselves safe but, obviously, decisions we make can impact our team and other teams in our division.

“It’s been a trying time but it’s been a trying time for everybody, whatever walk of life you’re in. It’s been a challenge for everybody with this virus.”

more

Hockey Notes

04/11/2021 at 8:17am EDT

from Steve Simmons of the Toronto Sun,

- There will be a lot of noise in the coming days about Patrick Marleau’s pursuit of Gordie Howe on the all-time list of NHL games played. Howe played 1,767 NHL games. Marleau, heading into Saturday night, had played 1,762. What doesn’t get mentioned often enough is that Howe played 419 WHA games and somehow that gets forgotten in the record books

- Alex Ovechkin is five goals away from passing Marcel Dionne for fifth overall in NHL goal scoring. Ovechkin has 727 goals. After he moves past Dionne, he’ll be 10 goals away from passing Brett Hull for fourth overall. And a weird Ovie stat: He has the least penalty minutes of his career this season and might be a longshot Lady Byng candidate.

- If I’m Team USA general manager Stan Bowman, my choice to coach in Beijing — if there is NHL involvement in China, and that’s still to be finalized — would be Pittsburgh’s Mike Sullivan … Sullivan is on a long list of those with coach of the year credentials this season. The others: Rick Tocchet in Arizona, Rod Brind’Amour in Carolina; Sheldon Keefe in Toronto; Dean Evason in Minnesota; Joel Quenneville in Florida; Barry Trotz, again, every year, in Long Island. That’s seven strong candidates and only three can be finalists.

more

A Hot Adam Erne

04/11/2021 at 7:39am EDT

from Ansar Khan of Mlive,

It was Erne’s 10th goal in 35 games, a pace equivalent to 23 goals over 82 games. He has one fewer goal than team leader Anthony Mantha.

This is what Yzerman, as GM of the Lightning in 2013, hoped to see from Erne when Tampa Bay selected him 33rd overall, just three spots outside of the first round.

Opportunities on a stacked Lightning team were tough to come by. In Detroit, he has been an established fourth-line grinder and energy player and has played almost exclusively on a line with Luke Glendening and Darren Helm.

But that hasn’t prevented him from tapping into his offensive ability.

“Adam’s got good hands and he scored in juniors, scored in the American League,” coach Jeff Blashill said. “I know that’s a big reason Steve made the trade, because he believed there was some in him in terms of offense and that he could be a good 200-foot player that could provide offense. And that’s exactly what he’s doing right now. He blocks a shot, goes down and scores. Nice handsy goal around the net with a backhand shot.”

Blashill added, “He wasn’t given anything. He’s had to earn every inch of ice he’s got, and he’s done a good job of it.”

more

Below, watch the extended game highlights of Detroit's 5-4 shootout win.

U Mass Wins Their First NCAA Championship

04/11/2021 at 7:26am EDT

from College Hockey Inc,

Massachusetts, with an impressive championship game performance, captured the school’s first national championship Saturday night at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh. The Minutemen’s convincing 5-0 win against St. Cloud State marked the culmination of an uncertain season in college hockey, one that was abbreviated and for many teams paused due to the pandemic.

Saturday, however, was a showcase of the sport, with UMass even close to full strength thanks to the return of goaltender Filip Lindberg and forward Carson Gicewicz from Covid-related quarantine. Lindberg was perfect, stopping all 25 shots he faced and setting an NCAA Tournament record with his fourth career shutout in the event.

UMass is only four years removed from a last-place finish in Hockey East and a 5-29-2 record in 2016-17, head coach Greg Carvel’s first with the program. This season’s team finishes 20-5-4, the fewest losses for an NCAA champion since 1993 (Maine, 40-1-2). Its 11-0-3 run to end the season is the longest unbeaten streak to end a season since Union in 2014 (16-0-1).

“I can't say a lot to describe it. The feeling's unbelievable,” said captain Jake Gaudet. “To be here four years, the guys that have come through this program and worked really hard, to wear a letter and help lead our team to the biggest national stage is one of my proudest achievements and it's something I'll never forget.”

continued

Below, watch the final minute of play and the celebration.

NHL Short Notes

04/11/2021 at 4:19am EDT

THREE HARD LAPS

* Auston Matthews found the back of the net on Saturday and stands as the only U.S.-born player in NHL history to begin his career with five straight 30-goal seasons.

* The Blues tied the game late in regulation and captain Ryan O’Reilly scored late in overtime to propel St. Louis into a playoff spot.

* The Stars and Blackhawks had rookies play pivotal roles in their wins as they gained crucial points on the Predators in the Discover Central standings.

Video- Bonus Edition Of Saturday Headlines

04/10/2021 at 11:33pm EDT

Elliotte Friedman and Chris Johnston are back and joined by late night host David Amber and the topics were-

The Oilers are shopping for a defenseman, teams waiting on price to drop on Taylor Hall, it may be quiet in Calgary and the Blues have had some scoring issues so why is Mike Hoffman's name being floated.

Also, the Sharks not done selling, the Kings talking contract extension with Andreas Athanasiou plus a few more topics.

via Sportsnet,

Videos- Media Wrap After A 5-4 Shootout Win Against Carolina

04/10/2021 at 10:50pm EDT

First up, Adam Erne And Jeff Blashill, below find the game highlights and full 7 round shootout.

Quick Recap- Wngs/Canes

04/10/2021 at 9:53pm EDT

A decent game from the Wings, remember Carolina is a good team and in a race fro the #1 spot in the Central.

In OT the Wings had numerous chances but could not scorre.

Adam Erne in a long shootout put the Wings in the win column with a 5-4 win.

Detroit goals are below.

Team Stats

Video- Saturday Headlines

04/10/2021 at 9:26pm EDT

via Sportsnet,

Chris Johnston and Elliotte Friedman go over all the news and rumours around the league with the NHL Trade Deadline on the horizon.

Hockey Observations

04/10/2021 at 8:59pm EDT

from Larry Brooks of the New York Post,

- The ownership mandate is to win now. The Penguins do not have a first-, third- or fourth-round pick in the 2021 draft. Their pool of prospects is dry. Ron Hextall, who succeeded Rutherford as GM, was all about building from the bottom up in Philadelphia.

As sands rush through the hourglass, would Pittsburgh consider further depleting its future prospects by offering next year’s first-rounder in order to bolster this group’s chances? Jake Guentzel has been a more than worthy left-side partner for Crosby, but could the Penguins take a shot at the Sabres’ Taylor Hall?

Would the opportunity to play for a contender for the first time in his career rouse Hall from perhaps the worst season proximate to a Hart Trophy Award in NHL history? Or is Hall not Sullivan’s kind of player?...

- Is Carter Hart more Tom Barrasso, who was sent to the AHL for a spell by the Sabres in his second year after winning the Calder, the Vezina and being named to the first All-Star team as a rookie, or is the Flyers’ young netminder more in the Jim Carey category?

- In the era of parity, a reminder that the Panthers have not won a playoff round since 1996, the Maple Leafs since 2004, the Sabres since 2007, the Canucks since 2011, the Devils and Coyotes since 2012.

more on the Penguins plus other topics...

Video- From Michigan, To Texas, To Winnipeg For Connor Hellebuyck

04/10/2021 at 7:03pm EDT

via Sportsnet's YouTube page,

Before winning the Vezina Trophy, before being drafted by the Winnipeg Jets, Connor Hellebuyck began his path to the NHL in Odessa, Texas.

Tara Slone with the feature.

Thirteen Games To Go

04/10/2021 at 6:30pm EDT

Including tonight's game, let's just say we're lucky that there are only thirteen games left to go in this season. Most nights I wonder why anyone shows up here. Then I remember that we're all a bunch of Wingaholics. We may as well have some fun at the expense of this hapless team. Thanks to all 19 of you for playing along. Cheers!

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