from Chris Johnston of Sportsnet, Jon Cooper calls it the elephant in the room. The shock of last year’s 62-win regular season and subsequent four-game sweep by Columbus in the first round of the playoffs. That’s why the Tampa Bay Lightning coach hasn’t shied away from discussing the heart-breaking 2018-19 campaign — both behind the scenes with his players and during media scrums. He recently told reporters: "I’d be lying if I didn’t think there was a burden carried over." Tampa is off to a ho-hum start: 4-3-1 following Saturday’s 6-2 loss to smoking-hot Colorado. These are still very early days, but the Lightning have been outshot, out-chanced and out-attempted at even strength. They are not nearly as dominant on specialty teams, either, scuffling along at a 70 per cent penalty kill rate after losing trusted soldiers Anton Stralman and Dan Girardi in the off-season. The results don’t scream powerhouse just yet. more plus othet topic which were mentioned on Saturday Headlines, including the Leafs may have cap issues soon...

from Ed Willes of the Vancouver Province, Opinion: It’s unrealistic to expect this level of goaltending from Markstrom and Demko every night over the next six months. We wake up this morning to find the Vancouver Canucks in a playoff spot and the Calgary Flames not. Speaking of things which should make you happy, here are the Monday morning musings and meditations on the world of sports. • With their 3-2 win over the Rangers in Manhattan on Sunday, the Canucks have now won five of their last six outings and a win in Detroit on Tuesday will send them home from their four-game roadie with a 3-1 record. That’s laudable. But some context is also required as the first three weeks of their season are considered. Three of the Canucks’ five wins have come on the strength of their goaltending. That doesn’t mean their goalies have stolen wins. It does mean they’ve won because they had the better goalie for that game. continued

Stacking the pads and the glove well positioned.  

from Ansar Khan of Mlive, Eight games into the season, several Detroit Red Wings forwards are seeking their first goal. That’s the main reason the team is averaging fewer goals than it did last season and why the power play has been much worse. The lack offense has contributed to a four-game losing streak following a fine 3-1-0 start. The Red Wings (3-5-0) return home Tuesday to face the Vancouver Canucks (7:30 p.m., Fox Sports Detroit) following a rotten road trip to Western Canada, where they were outscored 12-3. “Three goals in three games, it’s not fun,” Dylan Larkin told media following Friday’s 2-1 loss at Edmonton. “We have to find a way to score dirty goals and we have to get all 12 (forwards) chipping in. … We have to find ways to get in front of the goalie’s eyes and score simple goals.” The Red Wings are averaging 2.38 goals per game, compared to 2.73 in 2018-19. Their power play has converted only 9.5 percent of its chances (2 for 21), compared to 18.1 percent last season. continued

SUNRISE, Fla. - Florida Panthers President of Hockey Operations & General Manager Dale Tallon announced today that the club has agreed to terms with forward Brian Boyle on a one-year, one-way contract. "With over 700 games played in the NHL and over 100 more in the playoffs, Brian brings a wealth of experience to our club," said Tallon. "He adds versatility and character to our lineup." In 2018-19, Boyle, 34, appeared in 47 games with the New Jersey Devils (13-6-19) and 26 games with the Nashville Predators (5-0-5) recording a combined 24 points (18-6-24) over 73 games played. In the postseason with the Predators, Boyle registered two assists over three games.

A sport with a history of being set in its ways — hesitant to open its doors to diverse leaders or look outside for ways to improve something as fundamental as skating — is now undergoing a rapid evolution, forcing players to get faster and more precise with each passing season. Coaches like Braid, a national-level figure skater whose transition to hockey made her the first woman in NHL history to coach full-time, have been working behind the scenes to spur that speed-hungry transformation for nearly two decades. But, even though her ability to mesh figure skating’s rigid adherence to technique with hockey players’ insatiable need to advance their skill-sets has made her one of the most valuable resources in the game, bridging those two worlds was no easy feat. -Sonny Sachdeva of Sportsnet on skating coach Dawn Braid.  Much more on this topic.

CTV with a great look at Scotty Bowman. Scroll to the 23:13 mark of the video for the Bowman feature and lasts about 20 minutes.

from Mark Spector of Sportsnet, Matthew Tkachuk got a few punches in, but Drew Doughty got the last laugh. Again. The fireworks many tuned in to see on Hockey Night in Canada between the two sparring partners came in the final 10 minutes of a game in which the listless Flames were down 4-0. As Tkachuk skated down the left wing approaching Doughty, he essentially let go of the puck with an eye on engaging with the man he’s hated for years. Alas, just before the point of contact Doughty went low, upending Tkachuk in spectacular fashion, sparking a dog pile most defensive line coaches would be proud of. “It was the first time we had a one-on-one all night, so I just kind of let the puck go and was going to go engage with him and he went low on me,” said Tkachuk, whose only other exchange with Doughty was a first period conversation off a faceoff. “Those are the moments you kind of black out and just try to get some punches in, I guess.” continued Below, watch the incident and game highlights.

Hughes nets first NHL goal in showdown against brother Quinn; Fleury blanks Penguins in Golden Knights' 100th regular-season win; Streaks continue in another five-goal outing for Avalanche.

Tonight Don Cherry and Ron MacLean discussed- every shot you take should be intended to score, go to the net. The Sony Milano recent goal and the play of the St. Louis Blues.  And first goals in the NHL. Also, no effort from the dman, still icing.  Plus a few more topics including recent fights. via Sportsnet's YouTube page,  

from Larry Brooks of the New York Post, - Idiotic NHL scheduling, Take Two: While the Lightning, Sharks, Wild and Panthers each play just four home games in October, the Maple Leafs and Predators are playing nine and the Blackhawks, Penguins and Golden Knights eight apiece. - When you start naming the elite of the NHL, you’d be making a rather significant mistake by omitting Leon Draisaitl. - Taylor Hall, against the Rangers on Thursday, provided a fierce reminder of why he won the Hart two years ago and why he will be able to name his price either in New Jersey or on the open market. And why, if the Devils cannot get him to sign an extension, the contender that acquires him as a deadline rental will become the favorite to win the Stanley Cup. - If everyone in the Rangers organization were doing his or her job as well as Brendan Smith has done his essentially from the first day of training camp, the Blueshirts would be a playoff lock. more topics including the New York Rangers should retire Brad Park's sweater...

via Sportsnet, Chris Johnston and Elliotte Friedman break down the latest news from around the NHL, with the Maple Leafs facing roster decisions as injured players return and the Minnesota Wild struggle.  

That will get the blood boiling.  

The call was elbowing, then changed to illegal check to the head. Discussion on the hit at Reddit. Watch the hit below.   Edler on his illegal check to the head of Coleman: "I haven't seen the video. I was trying to keep my arm in and in going for the puck, I never had any intention of doing anything dirty. I hope he’s OK. He was back after, so it looked like he was." #Canucks — Ben Kuzma (@benkuzma) October 19, 2019

from Steve Simmons of the Toronto Sun, - Mike Babcock’s unyielding insistence about his goaltending rotation is costing the Maple Leafs and undermining Michael Hutchinson’s attempt to stick with the big club. All of this coming at a time when the cash strapped Leafs have next to no financial alternatives regarding a backup goalie. The stubborn Babcock is absolutely certain that back-to-back games should be played with Frederik Anderson starting the first game for the Leafs and Hutchinson, the backup for now, starting the second.... - I would be very upset about Vegas forward Valentin Zykov testing position in the NHL if I had any idea who he was. - Jonathan Quick is struggling and anyone who covered him in his great years won’t give him a break now. At his best, he was a terrific goalie but a big-time pill. more on the first topic and a few additional hockey notes...

from Matt Porter of the Boston Globe, In his third year on the job, the routine has become pleasantly familiar. He flies into a city in western North America, such as Denver to see pros, or Kelowna to scout juniors. He gets in a workout at the hotel. He arrives at the arena, finds his assigned seat, and pulls out his notebook, critiquing the players on the ice for the benefit of his team. Craig Cunningham is back in the NHL, and he is grateful. The former Bruins winger, who nearly died on the ice after suffering a heart attack before a 2016 minor league game in Tucson, now works as a scout for the Arizona Coyotes. That he is living is a highly improbable outcome, made possible by elite medical care and Cunningham’s tenacity. continued plus more hockey topics...

On the power play.   <iframe width="500" heigcent281"="" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/i1sdIP4qCP8" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="">

from Mike Chambers of the Denver Post, “They’re dangerous off the rush. They’ve got some real high-end talent. They can do a lot of different things,” Quenneville said here Friday.  “They’ve got four lines that are dangerous as well, so they’ve got really good balance up front. And some dangerous guys on the back end.” Quenneville won the Stanley Cup as an Avalanche assistant in 1996 and as a head coach for the Chicago Blackhawks in 2010, 2013 and 2015. He was the Avalanche’s bench boss for three years beginning in 2005, and when he left in 2008 amid a power struggle with the front office, Colorado began a dismal 10-year stretch in which it made the playoffs just three times and never got out of the first round. Allowing Quenneville to walk from Colorado following a second-round playoff appearance in 2008 was among the worst moves the club has ever made. It took 10 years for the Avs to get back to where Quenneville took them, while at the same time Coach Q was building a dynasty in Chicago. read on

from Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald, There’s no denying that Sergei Bobrovsky has talent. The 31-year-old Russian goaltender is a two-time All-Star and two-time Vezina Trophy winner. But there’s also no denying his slow start to his first year with the Florida Panthers, who signed him to a seven-year, $70 million contract this offseason. Bobrovsky has just a .872 save percentage through six starts — the third-lowest efficiency among the 32 goaltenders who have started at least four games. He has allowed at least four goals in four of his six starts, including surrendering five in Friday’s overtime loss to the Colorado Avalanche on Friday. For nearly every breathtaking save Bobrovsky makes, for every scrum in front of the net that he holds off — and there have been a slew of both early on this year — there seems to be an equal amount of frustrating minute-long stretches where the opposing team executes. continued

from Elliott Teaford of the OC Register, It almost looked too easy at times Friday. Not only did the Ducks win battles for loose pucks all around the ice, but they won the races to them, too, no insignificant feat against a team with the hyper-speed ability of the Carolina Hurricanes. So maybe the Ducks’ 4-2 victory at Honda Center shouldn’t have come as a complete surprise since it was, after all, their fourth consecutive home win to start the season and their sixth in eight games overall. Maybe, just maybe, they’ve gotten the hang of this whole faster-paced game thing now. “For us to come in and be able to skate with them and be fortunate enough to come out on top, it reinforces what we’re trying to build and lets us leave the rink with a little bit of extra confidence,” Ducks coach Dallas Eakins said. “The group has really embraced how we want to play.” continued The Ducks are 6-2-0

hrom Matthew DeFranks of the Dallas Morning News, In the wake of another Stars’ loss — this one a 4-2 defeat to the Penguins on Friday night — as the team searches for answers and finds none, as the standings tell the truth none of them care to hear, as the hockey world turns without Dallas’ involvement, Anton Khudobin stood in the nearly empty Dallas dressing room. He’d just completed a 29-save effort in the loss, one whose pure number of saves masks the difficulty of those he faced. He’d given the Stars a chance to win their second game of the season by carrying them into the third period tied at 1. But he couldn’t save the Stars from a 1-7-1 fate, a record that ties the worst in franchise history through nine games. Then he spotlighted one of the many Stars issues through the first two weeks: They’re not angry enough. “What else can you say?” Khudobin said. “We just got another L, [expletive], I don’t know. We just have to keep going and do something.” The loss was the fifth straight for the Stars, and they remain without a win in regulation. continued

Here's our extended edition of tonight's interview with former Red Wings and current Oilers GM Ken Holland. #OldFriendAlert pic.twitter.com/FRZSzH9rrQ — FOX Sports Detroit (@FOXSportsDet) October 19, 2019

Carlson records third three-point outing in first nine games of 2019-20; MacKinnon notches seventh career OT goal in Avalanche victory; Oilers, Ducks remain undefeated at home.  

from Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press, Jeff Blashill wants more from his top line. His top player wants more from everyone. The Detroit Red Wings finished their western Canada swing with a solid effort and great goaltending, but their inability to score has been exposed over what has grown to a four-game losing streak. They left Edmonton dinged by a 2-1 loss, the third straight game where they have managed only one goal. After scoring 14 goals to start 3-1, they’ve scored five to fall to 3-5. “It’s tough,” Dylan Larkin said after the loss at Rogers Place. “They’re keying in on a couple of us, but it has to be all 12 forwards. We have to find ways to get in front of the goalie’s eyes and get the puck and score simple goals. We haven’t had that the past two games. It is frustrating. Three goals in three games, that’s not fun. That’s not going to win you games. “Our goaltending was great. We have to find a way to score dirty goals and we have to get all 12 guys chipping in.” continued Below, watch the game highlights and post-game talk.

Quinn on Kakko finding his way through first five games: pic.twitter.com/mTZxvxR1fN — Tom Gulitti (@TomGulittiNHL) October 19, 2019

Offense still challenged, defense a bit better. Edmonton was up 2-0 then Mike Green scored with 3 1/2 minutes left in period 2 to make it a one goal game going into the 3rd. No scoring in the 3rd, Edmonton wins 2-1. Below, watch Ken Holland on his 'son', Detroit goal and Detroit stats too. Next game is Tuesday with the Wings hosting the Canucks.  Detroit travels to Ottawa on Wednesday then back home on Friday against Buffalo.  The Blues are in town next Sunday for a 5pm ET game.

As a staunch Wings fans it's very hard to be optimistic about anything after these last few games. All the good things we thought we saw in the first few games were just a mirage, I guess. It's getting harder and harder to watch this team completely fall apart after the decent finish to last season, and, the somewhat hopeful beginning to this one. There is plenty of blame to go around for sure, but, it all starts behind the bench. We are facing a Oilers team that has looked very good so far, so prepare for the worst, if you decide to join in tonight.  It's a Live Blog!

Just over 5 minutes to watch.  

from Mark Spector of Sportsnet, Ken Holland may have moved on from the Detroit Red Wings when it became clear that Steve Yzerman’s time had come in Motown. His influence still runs deep through the Detroit organization, however. It starts with Detroit GM Yzerman, who stepped off the ice as a lifetime Red Wing to learn at the feet of the GM who likely knew before anyone that the day would come when he’d be stepping aside for Yzerman. Today Yzerman presides over a hockey department that has nothing but ties to Holland, with names like Pat Verbeek, Shawn Horcoff, Jiri Fischer, Kirk Maltby, Kris Draper, Dan Cleary all working in some capacity for the Red Wings. Each of those former players has a piece of Holland in their front office game, a foundation on which the new, post-Holland Red Wings will be built. "I’m a big believer in what Ken Holland is," said Kris Draper, the Director of Amateur Scouting for Detroit, a 17-year Red Wings player. "Ken Holland believes in culture, and creating a winning attitude within that culture. Then, when you start getting superstars buying into that culture — the McDavids, the Draisaitls, the Yzermans, the Lidstroms — and you plug third- and fourth-line guys come into a team where there is that culture and work ethic (coming down) from the top… "That’s where you become a great team." continued

#WeAreTheOnes who are committed to Jersey. The #NJDevils today signed center Nico Hischier to a seven-year contract extension with an average annual value of $7,250,000. — New Jersey Devils (@NJDevils) October 18, 2019

Below Andreas Athanasiou, find Jeff Blashill.   "We have a game tonight & I think everyone's focus is on that right now. We'll put those games in the past & come ready to play for 60 tonight." AA ahead of #DETvsEDM. pic.twitter.com/hOoiFm1frz — Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) October 18, 2019

NEW YORK (Oct. 18, 2019) – Detroit Red Wings forward Darren Helm has been fined $5,000, the maximum allowable under the Collective Bargaining Agreement, for slashing Calgary Flames forward Elias Lindholm during NHL Game No. 103 in Calgary on Thursday, Oct. 17, the National Hockey League’s Department of Player Safety announced today. The incident occurred at 5:10 of the third period. Helm was assessed a major penalty and game misconduct for slashing. The money goes to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund. If you missed the slash, watch it below.

via the NHL PR department, 14 Coach’s Challenges | 4 upheld | 10 overturned · 6 for goalie interference | 3 upheld | 3 overturned (3 to “no goal” / 0 to “goal”) · 0 initiated by Situation Room for goalie interference | 0 upheld | 0 overturned · 7 for offside | 0 upheld | 7 overturned (all to “no goal”) · 0 initiated by Situation Room for offside | 0 upheld | 0 overturned (all to “no goal”) · 1 for stoppage | 1 upheld | 0 overturned (all to “no goal”) · 0 initiated by Situation Room for stoppage | 0 upheld | 0 overturned (all to “no goal”)

from Dane Mizutani of the Pioneer Press, After falling 4-0 to the Canadiens in front of a packed house at Centre Bell, the Wild are 1-6-0 and sinking deeper and deeper into oblivion with each passing game. Perhaps it wasn’t surprising then that the Wild held about a 10-minute players-only meeting after the game in which captain Mikko Koivu addressed the team. “Some things needed to be said, and Mikko covered them,” Jason Zucker said before lighting into the team. “I think more than (a players-only meeting) is going to have to jump-start us, to be honest. It’s going to be each individual guy from (coach) Bruce (Boudreau) on down. Bruce has got to be better. We have got to be better. Everybody’s got to be better. That’s it.” If nothing else, at least the Wild stayed on brand, struggling through their latest lapse which ultimately proved to be the difference in the game.... “We all have to take a look in the mirror and kind of take some onus on our game and helping each other,” Dumba said. “We aren’t going to get far if we don’t come together here, and it’s going to be miserable like it is right now.” more

from Larry Brooks of the New York Post, It is true in the macro sense that what is good for Kaapo Kakko is good for the Rangers. At this moment, though, what is good for the Rangers is promoting Kakko from the second power-play unit to the first, if not also getting the second-overall draft selection onto the first line at five-on-five. This is not a reaction to how the Devils are deploying first-overall Jack Hughes, who does play on New Jersey’s first man-advantage unit. Neither is this a knee-jerk response to the Blueshirts going 0-for-6 in 10:38 of power-play time in Thursday’s 5-2 defeat to New Jersey at the Rock. Not at all. continued