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.  

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.  

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,  

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 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 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

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

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

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

from Joe Starkey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, It's not just that Sidney Crosby is "leading" the Penguins, scoring goals and setting them up and playing what is probably the best 200-foot game in the NHL. No, it's more than that. It's deeper than that. The recent spate of injuries seemed to spur some kind of chemical reaction in the Penguins’ dressing room. I don’t know how long it will last, but I know this: Crosby has literally, if unwittingly, infused the rest of the team with his particular style of hockey. He is them. They are him. If you had to describe the Penguins’ style at the moment, during this unlikely four-game winning streak, you could accurately say, “They are doing what Sid does and playing the way Sid plays — fast, furious, responsible, intelligent.” continued

from Matthew DeFranks of the Dallas Morning News, Jim Nill hears the calls for changes during the Stars’ 1-6-1 start to the season. That doesn’t mean the general manager will act on them. “To say you’re going to make all these changes, people are thinking about trades or whatever, those things don’t happen overnight,” Nill said. “You just don’t go have a bad start to the year and go ‘OK, we’re going to trade four or five guys.’ That doesn’t happen in this business. We’ve got to figure this out internally first. We’ve got to see where we’re at with our team, and then you start to make adjustments from there.” The Stars have lost four straight games, and enter Friday night’s game in Pittsburgh without a regulation win in the season’s first two weeks.... Does Nill feel pressure to make changes to the roster or the coaching staff? “No, no,” Nill said. “This is something we’ve got to work out internally. We’ve been talking with the players, they know they’ve got to get better. I’ve been talking with the coaching staff, they’re pushing every button they can, and we’ve got to get through this. read on

from Ted Kulfan of the Detroit News, After a nice start to the season, things are slowly going the other direction for the Red Wings. They lost their third consecutive game Thursday — after winning three of their first four this season —  in Calgary, 5-1. The Wings have lost the first two games of this three-game western Canada trip, which ends Friday in Edmonton. In an effort to ignite a moribund offense — with exception of the high-scoring first line — coach Jeff Blashill juggled his forward lines and split up the Tyler Bertuzzi, Dylan Larkin and Anthony Mantha top unit. continued from Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press, Special teams have extinguished the Detroit Red Wings, rendering that hot start a cooling memory. They surrendered three shorthanded goals while squandering their own man advantages Thursday at the Saddledome, slinking off with a 5-1 loss that looked uglier because it followed a 5-1 loss at Vancouver and a 5-2 home loss to Toronto. The loss to the Maple Leafs can’t be pinned on special teams, but the Wings blew 97 seconds with two extra skaters against the Canucks while allowing 3 goals short handed, and looked bad again against the Flames. “The big story to the last two games is that probably more than anything else,” coach Jeff Blashill said. “When you’re always playing from behind, those are momentum killers. We have to find a way to one, score on the power play, and stem the goals against on the PK.”   continued Below, watch the game highlights and post-game interviews.

from Emily Kaplan of ESPN, This summer included a glimmer of hope. The Red Wings welcomed Steve Yzerman as general manager. Not only is Yzerman a Hall of Fame player for the Wings, but he comes off an eight-year stint with the Lightning in which -- through bold moves, shrewd drafting and strong development -- he built Tampa Bay into a powerhouse. "He's a legend here, an icon," said Kronwall, who retired in the offseason, then joined the front office staff. "Then, he comes back. His track record speaks for itself, of what he did down in Tampa. So just getting him back into the organization is great. Let alone being the general manager and guiding this franchise back to where it's supposed to be, and where it should be." ... Yzerman's arrival also brought cautious optimism that the rebuild will now accelerate. Yzerman has promised to restore a winning culture but has been overly cautious in assigning a timeline. "I don't know if it will take one, two or five years," Yzerman said. In fact, he evades sharing as many details as possible. He won't give any clues on what he'd like his team's identity to be -- "To answer your question, yeah, I do know what I'm looking for. Do I want to elaborate on it? Not particularly. Can I? Not particularly," he said -- nor any particulars on how he would categorize the 2019-20 season as a success, besides "everyone in the organization, at all levels, getting better." more

Hughes records first NHL point vs. Kakko, Rangers; Kessel scores first goals in a Coyotes uniform; Hutton sets Sabres record in shutout performance. October 18, 2019

Lack of scoring an issue, a big one right now. Bad defense an issue, a big one right now. Calgary 5 Detroit 1 Helm goal, Helm slash and Detroit stats below.

After what many considered a great start to the season, the Wings are having some growing pains. It was expected. No one likes to watch their team lose, and, we don't have that expectation when we tune in to watch our team play. Any normal fan is thinking that their team has as good a chance as any to pull out a win. We're not quitters, and, we expect the guys we root for aren't either. It's a Live Blog!

via Sportsnet, “The Grim Reaper,” invades Writers Bloc with Jeff Blair and Stephen Brunt to discuss whether his career path as an NHL enforcer would have changed if he knew the risks of CTE and mental health back then?  

Despite leading the Metro division with a 6-2 record, the Hurricanes are kicking the tires on wingers across the league with eyes on adding a talented depth scorer to their lineup. With Jack Campbell impressing in LA, is Jonathan Quick’s time with the Kings running up? The TSN Hockey Insiders discuss this and more in Insider Trading. Watch at TSN, no geo-blocking.

The Wings play in Edmonton Friday night from Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press, In an interview with the Free Press, Holland said he roots for the Wings, and is glad to get both games against them out of the way this month. Here are highlights from the interview. How closely do you follow the Wings? They were a massive part of my life. I’ve watched most of those players from the draft table to the NHL. I’ve got relationships in that locker room. I follow their scores more closely than any other team in the league. I’ve only gotten to see them once or twice, but I do follow their fortunes. Do you root for them except when they play the Oilers? Absolutely. I put on an Adirondack Red Wings jersey when I was 27 and I’m now 63. I am happy they are in the East and they are in the West, so other than the two times we play, I’m rooting for them. I’m rooting for them, I’m rooting for Steve, rooting for them to surprise. Every year there are two or three or more teams that the oddsmakers thought were not going to be in the playoffs. I’m hoping the Wings are going to be one of those surprises. more

Puck drops just after 9:00pm ET tonight in Calgary. Taro Hirose up first, below you will find Dylan Larkin and Jeff Blashill.   "I'm just trying to soak it all in." Taro gives his thoughts on playing against his childhood team in his hometown tonight. #DETvsCGY pic.twitter.com/m4oqDZi6kO — Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) October 17, 2019

The @MapleLeafs announced today that centre John Tavares sustained a broken finger late in last night’s game in Washington. He will be out of the lineup for a minimum of two weeks, at which point he will be reassessed by the team's medical staff. — Leafs PR (@LeafsPR) October 17, 2019

NEW YORK (October 17, 2019) – Anaheim Ducks forward Nick Ritchie has been fined $4,121.86, the maximum allowable under the Collective Bargaining Agreement, for roughing Buffalo Sabres forward Vladimir Sobotka during NHL Game No. 96 in Anaheim on Wednesday, Oct. 16, the National Hockey League’s Department of Player Safety announced today. The incident occurred at 15:57 of the second period. Ritchie was assessed two minor penalties for roughing. The money goes to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund. Watch the incident below.

NEW YORK (October 17, 2019) – Vegas Golden Knights forward Valentin Zykov has been suspended for 20 games, without pay, for violating the terms of the NHL/NHLPA Performance Enhancing Substances Program. Under the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement, the suspension is accompanied by mandatory referral to the NHL/NHLPA Program for Substance Abuse and Behavioral Health for evaluation and possible treatment. The National Hockey League will have no further comment on this matter

The #RedWings who did not practice yesterday — Nemeth, DeKeyser, Erne — all skating this morning in the optional. — Dana Wakiji (@Dwakiji) October 17, 2019   Below, find Calgary's morning skate lines.

Jack Hughes on biggest adjustment to NHL game: "I think that along the walls, the D are heavy on pucks; that's 1 thing that's obviously different from (the NTDP). But I'm 6 games in & feel every game I've learned a little bit more & kind of built on things from each game." — Mike Morreale (@mikemorrealeNHL) October 17, 2019   Through 6 games, Hughes is without a point.

My Swedish is very limited, but every single bad word Niclas Wallin ever taught me is in this one interview. #helevete https://t.co/exl4CVAYfg — Aaron Ward (@NHL_AaronWard) October 17, 2019

from Chris Johnston of Sportsnet, The journeyman was hardly the only culprit in Wednesday’s 4-3 loss to the Washington Capitals, but he did get burned for three goals in a 78-second span after Toronto had built him a first-period lead. This is a difficult, often thankless job. Even if Hutchinson was never really put in a position to succeed, he still had to own part of the defeat. “You’re never happy when you lose a game or let in four goals,” he said. “But they made some good plays.”... The Leafs brought veteran Michal Neuvirth to training camp on a professional tryout agreement to challenge Hutchinson for the backup job this fall, but he struggled to stay healthy and was released. Should they end up looking for another option in-season, they’ll be inhibited by their salary cap squeeze. It would basically have to be a money-in, money-out proposition. The most appealing scenario for the organization is seeing things work out with Hutchinson. He’s got internal support from both Andersen and goalie coach Steve Briere, among others. But he also has to deliver on the occasional junk-mail assignment. “You gotta find a way each and every night and you need different people to do it each and every night,” said Babcock. “You can’t give up as many goals on the back-to-back. That’s 10 goals in two games back-to-back. more

3 goals for Evander Kane.     more below...

from Ansar Khan of Mlive, The Detroit Red Wings’ lack of secondary scoring has coach Jeff Blashill contemplating spreading the wealth by breaking up his dominant top line. Dylan Larkin, Anthony Mantha and Tyler Bertuzzi have been a roll since the final few weeks of the 2018-19 season and are off to a hot start. They have combined for 11 goals in six games. Problem is, the rest of the team has accounted for only six goals.... The Red Wings need to spark Andreas Athanasiou and Taro Hirose, who have skated with Luke Glendening on the second line. Athanasiou, who missed much of preseason with an injury, has no goals and one assist in four games. Hirose, a Calgary native looking forward to his first NHL game in his hometown, has no goals and two assists in six games. Blashill moved Hirose to the third line, with Valtteri Filppula and Christoffer Ehn, in Wednesday’s practice in Calgary. Adam Erne did not practice due to an injury that has him listed as question for tonight. Frans Nielsen, who returned from injury in Tuesday’s 5-1 loss at Vancouver, was centering Athanasiou and Glendening. “We need more out of more lines,” Blashill told media after practice. “Ultimately, we may have to tinker with that top line if we can’t get more going out of more lines, so we’ll see. The (Jacob) de la Rose line (with Darren Helm and Justin Abdelkader) has been good.” read on from Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press,

McDavid joins elite company with 17 points through seven games; Carlson continues historic start with Capitals; Kane shines with first-period hat trick.

Nice!  

OFFICIALS UPDATE: Linesman Michel Cormier left the @penguins / @Avalanche game in the second period due to injury and will be kept out the remainder of the contest for precautionary reasons. The game will continue with two Referees and one Linesman. — NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) October 17, 2019

from Jabari Young of CNBC, The National Hockey League is relying on the “good judgment” of its players as it expands overseas, particularly in China, and positions itself in the U.S. to profit from the newly legalized gambling here,  Commissioner Gary Bettman said on CNBC’s “Power Lunch” on Wednesday. The feud between the NBA and China hasn’t had any blow back on the NHL so far. NBA players can’t seem to avoid offending fans or politicians, no matter what they say... Bettman was asked if it was a good idea to continue expanding in China, given the fragile relationship with the U.S. right now. Selecting his words carefully, the commissioner responded: “When you’re dealing in foreign countries, geopolitical issues can impact your business, and you have to be mindful of that. “We probably have the most international player base of any of the sports,” Bettman added. “And to the extent we can do business internationally, we do it, and when there are impediments to it, we either pivot or choose another course. There are no hard and fast rules in terms of how you do it.” He said the NHL hasn’t has adopted a social media policy for its executives and players in light of the NBA’s plight in China, saying the NHL hasn’t issued a “memoranda” on the matter. “We rely on the good judgment of all of our on-ice and off-ice personnel to do what they think is sensible and responsible,” Bettman said, adding the league is “overwhelmingly proud” of the way players conduct themselves. more Watch the interview below.

Anthony Mantha up first, followed by Taro Hirose and Jeff Blashill below.   "You won't necessarily score on the first chance, it's going to be the second or third rebound that's going to go in and I think that's what we need to focus on." - Mantha x practice day. pic.twitter.com/lyq8WxSuXK — Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) October 16, 2019

via TSN's YouTube page, TSN Senior Hockey Reporter Frank Seravalli explains how hitting rock bottom in 2015 in Montreal triggered Zack Kassian to turn his life around, and paved the way to Kassian getting off to the best start of his NHL career this season. Seravalli also discusses how important Kassian is to the Oilers' success.  

Strange night in the NHL. Four of the five Canadian teams that played at home failed to sell out. Winnipeg, Calgary, Vancouver and Montreal below capacity. Toronto sold out. Huge attendance problems in Ottawa. Not good for the NHL when Canadian teams struggle at the gate. — Ken Campbell (@THNKenCampbell) October 16, 2019

Dana Wakiji tweets, full llist of players not practicing today: DeKeyser, Nemeth and Erne Bertuzzi-Larkin-Mantha Glendening-Nielsen-Athanasiou Hirose-Filppula-Ehn Helm-de la Rose-Abdelkader Daley-Hronek Ericsson-Green Cholowski-Biega Bowey

@DetroitRedWings - One last center ice face off at The Joe! Gonna miss it, but the memories will last a lifetime!?? pic.twitter.com/glUDYUQR8M — Joe Kocur (@kocurfoundation) October 16, 2019

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. … The American Hockey League and NHL Network today announced a schedule of 20 live AHL broadcasts on NHL Network during the 2019-20 season, marking the most live AHL regular-season game telecasts ever in a single season on NHL Network.

from Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet, - Jinx alert: Heading into Wednesday’s games, there is only one player in the NHL who has been on ice for at least 80 minutes in all situations and not suffered through a goal against. That is Anaheim’s Rickard Rakell (107:48, 4-0 Ducks). He does kill penalties, and Buffalo’s lethal man-advantage is in town. There are only two players who have played 100 five-on-five minutes and not been scored upon. They are Anaheim’s Cam Fowler (101:57, 6-0 Ducks) and Tampa Bay’s Ryan McDonagh (100:46, 4-0 Lightning). Jordan Staal was in the conversation, but that ended with Pierre-Luc DuBois’ game-winner for Columbus last Saturday. (Source: Natural Stat Trick.) - One thing I’m hearing a lot: the bottom of the Eastern Conference is much, much better than a year ago. “Those teams are improved,” one scout said. “There won’t be as many (higher-seeded clubs) coasting to the playoffs, like a few of them were used to.” - Ottawa owner Eugene Melnyk halted the search for a President of Hockey Operations until at least the end of the season. What is uncertain is if the search will continue, or if GM Pierre Dorion’s work convinces Melnyk that no new hire is necessary. It is believed Melnyk was asking an experienced executive for suggestions (I’d heard Glen Sather), but we can’t be sure if that will continue, either. more

Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet with a few Thoughts on the Wings, - Blashill felt a late-season winning streak last March gave his players some confidence. The Red Wings won eight of nine, including five over playoff-bound clubs: the Islanders, Vegas, San Jose, Boston and Pittsburgh. “Against real teams, we played really good hockey,” he said. “Confidence matters. The margin of victory in this league is razor thin. You better believe … it matters to an individual and a team.” Blashill praised the likes of Dennis Cholowski, Filip Hronek and current AHLer Joe Veleno for how they prepared during the summer, but we spent the majority of our conversation on the top line. “They have learned a shared responsibility. It’s not one of them looking at the other two (to do something). I don’t like the phrase, ‘two-way players.’ I prefer ‘winning players.’” What does that mean? “It means they are not cheaters. They have developed into that.” What percentage would you put on them to indicate how close they are to where they need to be? “I won’t answer that. It puts a ceiling on them and I won’t do that. This league is relentless and ongoing night after night. They are all better today than they were a year ago, three years ago, five years ago. Credit to them.” - Blashill on working with Ken Holland and Steve Yzerman: “They are not a whole lot different. Two of the most respected men in the NHL. (Holland) should be a Hall of Famer, his success speaks for itself. Great man. Yzerman is there, extremely respected. Both men believe in reality. No short-cuts. Build through the draft. And they both believe young players have to go through a process. Steve could have forced young players on our team, but would only allow it if they were 100 per cent ready.” a bit more which is on Mantha's 4th goal against Dallas...

A little over 5 minutes to watch.  

from Chris Ryan of NJ.com, The Devils added assistant general manager Tom Fitzgerald to the team’s coaching staff, where he’ll serve as an assistant coach under John Hynes. The move isn’t meant to be permanent. He likely won’t spend the entire season as an assistant coach, but he will be with the team at daily practices and meetings for the time being, whether that be a few weeks or months.... Fitzgerald isn’t replacing anyone on the current staff. Instead, he’ll join the current group to add an extra set of eyes and another voice to the room. Fitzgerald has served as an assistant coach in the past with the Pittsburgh Penguins. read on

from Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, The afternoon included a tour of the White House, including the East, Blue, Green and State rooms and Library. The team also spent some time in the Oval Office with the President, but there was no meal. Binnington noted that he had previously visited the Vatican. “Really didn’t like it,” he said. “This tour. A thousand times better. Smooth. I understood everything. It was just really cool to see what it’s like over here, have an idea where they live in the White House.” During the actual ceremony, Binnington said he had an idea he might be called upon when he saw his name among several listed in a binder brought by Trump to the podium. “So I had a second to get myself together,” he said. “I was going to make a shout out to the media, to tell them to take it easy on (Trump). He’s just a human. “It was really cool. Being part of that whole process and actually (Trump) talking politics up there. . . . He was talking about the stuff that was going on. It was cool to be up there to experience what it’s like for him. “He was pretty smooth. And he’s funny. He did a great job. And he’s a really nice guy so it was a great visit.” more

Six games into a miserable start to their season, the Wild are proving to be an aging, plodding, aggravating-to-watch team and one that’s finding itself outmatched just long enough in games against younger, faster, more skilled teams that they’re unable to overcome the spurts of ineptitude that have occurred in every game except versus bottom-dwelling Ottawa. -Michael Russo of The Athletic after the Minnesota Wild lost 4-2 to the Toronto Maple Leafs.  Russo has more (paid) on the state of the Wild.

from Ted Kulfan of the Detroit News, The Red Wings road trip didn’t start the way they wanted it to, by any stretch. Vancouver defeated the Wings 5-1  Tuesday as the Wings opened a quick three-games-in-four-days trip through western Canada. The loss dropped the Wings to 3-3 on the season. hrough the opening five games, there were stretches where the Red Wings’ didn’t play well, but not for lengthy periods of game. But Tuesday, many facets of the Wings’ game simply weren’t good enough, despite Dylan Larkin opening the scoring 30 seconds into the game and getting the Wings going quickly. continued from Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press, Not even a week has passed since Dylan Larkin stood in a visitors locker room and talked after a victory about how the Detroit Red Wings are building an identity, how they won’t go away. The past two games, that team has not shown up. The 3-1 start has segued into a 3-3 record after two straight losses where the Wings can fault their work ethic. A 5-1 loss at Vancouver Tuesday came three days after a 5-2 loss at home to Toronto, and both nights the score reflected that the Wings did not show enough hustle. “It wasn’t enough for our team to come in and start a road trip and not have compete level anywhere near to where theirs was, to what it should be in an NHL game,” Dylan Larkin said after the stinker at Rogers Arena. “It was unacceptable. Frustrating, I think — if we play like that every night, it’s going to be the same result. We’re not good enough to come out and just throw our sticks out there and play hockey. We need to battle, we need to block shots, and the PK needs to be good. We need to win battles in front of our net. We didn’t do any of that and it’s frustrating.” continued Below, catch the game highlights and post-game talk.

from Tim Cowlishaw of the Dallas Morning News, It’s not fair (or even a good idea) for a city to have dueling hot seats for coaches, so there is no place for the Stars’ Jim Montgomery on one right now. Besides, we are talking about seven games out of 82 after a rather special rookie campaign for the Dallas coach. So even with the Stars having won just one of their first seven games, no one here is suggesting change or even thoughts about the next coach in a sport where change is always right around the corner. Montgomery did two things well last year in leading the Stars to the seventh game of the second round against St. Louis. He wasn’t Ken Hitchcock, and that was an important step one. Players always need a breath of fresh air after a run with Hitch, and that’s not to suggest Monty was some sort of pushover for this team, coming out of the college ranks as he did. But he was different, and he explained things and they worked pretty well. On top of that, the Stars had Ben Bishop in net where he finished second in Vezina Trophy balloting behind his former Tampa Bay backup Andrei Vasilevskiy. This year Bishop has struggled, the power play (1 for 22) has been invisible and the Stars have positioned themselves along the bottom of the West with a 1-5-1 record. continued

Rielly ties Vaive with four assists in second period; Kuemper maintains NHL’s best goals-against average since late March; Hurricanes off to best seven-game start in franchise history  

If you watched the first 30 seconds of the game (Larkin goal), you saw the best of the Wings tonight. Vancouver scored the next 5 with the Wings looking a bit flat including the PK, which allowed 3 goals. Vancouver wins 5-1 and the goals are below.

Tonight's game is the first of a few late night games. Vancouver seems like a good place to reboot after the last game, so, let's forget about it just like the Wings will, and carry on with the rest of the season. It"s a late night Live Blog!

The Jets could be getting a big boost on the blueline in the future as there's now a 'growing sense of optimism' surrounding the return of Dustin Byfuglien. Suffering through rough starts to the year, the heat in Minnesota, Dallas and New Jersey is starting to ratchet up. The TSN Hockey Insiders discuss this and more in Insider Trading. Watch at TSN.

via the YouTube page of the NHL, Marc-Andre Fleury doing Marc-Andre Fleury things, skate blade bloopers, unlucky bounces and mustard packets make for a fantastic season debut of Weird NHL! Almost 17 minutes to watch.  

from Steven Ellis of The Hockey News, That the Neal-Lucic swap happened, though, offers another rival fanbase hope that they, too, can rid themselves of what is quickly becoming an albatross of a contract. We’re speaking of the Los Angeles Kings, of course, who might want to start thinking about how they’re going to rid themselves of the final four seasons of Jonathan Quick’s 10-year, $58-million deal. While Quick’s goals-against average and save percentage improved after his third game of the season, a 5-2 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights, the bad news it that as we enter into the third week of the NHL campaign, the 33-year-old netminder possesses a 6.43 GAA and .793 SP. Even though that’s a small sample size, it’s one of the worst starts by a supposed No. 1 netminder in some time. And those are just the simple surface numbers. His .818 SP at 5-on-5 ranks last among the 37 goaltenders with at least three games played, his .632 high-danger SP at five-a-side is third-last among the same group of netminders and Quick’s minus-6.25 goals-saved above average is the worst among all goalies.  more

Blashill first, Cholowski below.   "We know we gotta play great hockey to give ourselves an opportunity to win. You gotta do that every night in this league and certainly this is a good Vancouver team, we're going to have to do that for sure." pic.twitter.com/u5IB300uXa — Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) October 15, 2019

Dana Wakiji tweets, DeKeyser left the morning skate a little early. Bernier first goalie off the ice.

Everyone that I've talked to is excited to see it. Not many people in the world get to go in and actually take a tour, be by the Oval Office. I know we have a lot of Canadians, but most of the Canadians are converted Americans by now. "So political views aside, that's everyone's own opinion, it doesn't matter. I think it's a great opportunity for us. I'm not really sure what's in store for the exact tour, but it still should be pretty cool." -Jake Allen, goaltender for the St. Louis Blues, via Jeremy Rutherford tweets.

from Dan Shaughnessy of the Boston Globe, It was a holiday festival at the Garden Monday. It’s not every day the home team wins and you see a guy score four goals in one game. With lots of families on hand for the Columbus Day matinee, David Pastrnak found the back of the net four times and the Bruins improved to 5-1-0 with a 4-2 win over the Anaheim Ducks. Brad Marchand, the goat of Game 7 in June, had assists on two of the goals and seems to be on a mission to get back to the Cup Finals. Marchand has five assists and four goals in the last five games.... “I think the best thing to happen to our group was pretty much staying together,’’ Marchand said. “It allowed us to continue our chemistry and kind of roll in from last year and feel confident and comfortable with one another. “It’s easy to get on our game quickly when you already have the chemistry and already feel comfortable with one another, and that’s what’s going on here.’’ Keeping things the same seems to have been the offseason goal for Bruins hockey bosses Cam Neely and Don Sweeney. This is the same team that got to Game 7. Playing at the same level so far. read on

from Bryan Bastin of On The Forecheck, With the 2019-2020 NHL season nearly three weeks old, amateur and professional statisticians, armchair analysts, and visualization creators have been hard at work providing deeper insight intothe hockey games we watch each night. The large majority of the publicly-available data and statistics all are derived from the NHL’s own Application Programming Interface (API). Before you yawn and dismiss it for techno-babble, the NHL API is also used to feed websites like NHL.com, ESPN, TSN, and most fantasy hockey sites. It contains a massive amount of information, that, once sorted through, can give you anything from number of hits for a player to the framework for advanced statistics like Goals Above Replacement (GAR). Two of the most widely-known and respected people in the analytics community are Josh and Luke Younggren, who are on Twitter as @EvolvingWild and known for their website Evolving Hockey. They host a treasure trove of stats on their website, as well as being one of the few publicly-available sources for statistics like Expected Goals (xG)—a measure of the probability that any missed shot, shot on goal or goal had of scoring. Calculating xG takes in many, many factors (those interested can read more here), but one of the most important is shot location. The NHL provides this information in its play-by-play data in the form of X and Y coordinates—making it simple to calculate shot distance and angle, among other things. However, Monday evening Josh and Luke posted to Twitter a peculiar finding: continued

from Cathal Kelly of the Globe and Mail, On Tuesday, the Stanley Cup champion St. Louis Blues will visit the White House. Per tradition, they will in all likelihood give U.S. President Donald Trump a monogrammed sweater. They’ll shake hands, take photos and Trump will start off saying something about hockey and probably end up starting a war in Greenland. A lot of people are angry at the Blues for agreeing to this long-standing U.S. sports tradition because it involves Trump. Apparently, the players ought either to decline the invitation or show up wearing black masks. Any exposure to Trump makes them suspect as possible enemies of the resistance. Time to start taking down names, comrades. Famously, NBA players are no longer expected to go to the White House. They are free to refuse because their league commissioner hates Trump, their executives hate Trump, their coaches hate Trump and their owners (pretend to) hate Trump. This isn’t exactly a bold stand. It’s a business posture. The NBA has discovered that opposition to the sitting U.S. executive tends to burnish their standing with paying customers. Also, Trump – unlike, say, China – isn’t showering the NBA with hundred-dollar bills from a leaf blower. Hence, the notable difference in tone when it comes to one strong man versus another. continued

THREE HARD LAPS * David Pastrnak produced the NHL’s third four-goal outing in 13 days to propel the Bruins to victory. Only one season in League history has seen more such performances through that same span – the NHL’s inaugural campaign (6 in 1917-18).  * Twenty-year old Cale Makar and 24-four-year old Victor Olofsson continued their impressive starts to 2019-20 as the Avalanche and Sabres extended their season-opening streaks. * The Panthers and Islanders notched the NHL’s 13th and 14th multi-goal comeback wins of the season. PASTRNAK RECORDS NHL’S THIRD FOUR-GOAL OUTING IN 13 DAYS David Pastrnak (4-0—4) netted the NHL’s third four-goal performance through the opening 13 days of the 2019-20 season to help the Bruins (5-1-0) win five of their opening six games in a season for the first time since 2012-13 (5-0-1). * Pastrnak joined Anthony Mantha (Oct. 6) and James Neal (Oct. 8) as the third player to score four goals in a game this season. The 2019-20 campaign, already one four-goal outing shy of tying the League total from 2018-19, is just the third in NHL history to feature three such performances through the first 13 days of a season.

from Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press, Quinn Hughes has shown enough dominance that one former teammate thinks he’ll be a star right away in the NHL. The Detroit Red Wings could have had Hughes in their lineup, but instead they'll get their first look at Hughes at the NHL level Tuesday when they take on the Vancouver Canucks. Hughes celebrated his 20th birthday Monday, but he already plays with a savvy beyond the nine NHL games he has played in his career.  He had an assist in his debut, already has his first goal and has two multi-point games among his six points. “He’s been impressing people with his vision, and his offensive ability is up there,” Wings defenseman Alex Biega said. “I think he is going to bode well with a full season under his belt after this year. And who knows — he might surprise people and keep his pace and be the defenseman that they’re hoping for five years from now, he might do it right now.” continued

from Travis Yost of TSN, Perhaps the biggest question surrounding the Toronto Maple Leafs heading into the 2019-20 season was whether or not they could improve their defensive play – the most glaring area of weakness for one of the league’s Stanley Cup contenders. With six games in the books, Toronto still looks to be one of the league’s better teams. But the defensive concerns persist. There are, largely, two ways to improve a team’s presence in the defensive third. The first concerns structure and tactics. The Maple Leafs play hyper-aggressively in the offensive zone, regularly taking gambles to create scoring opportunities for their army of skilled forwards. There is a lot less attention to a dump-and-chase style of hockey, with most Leafs forwards preferring to carry the puck in with control. With the offensive weaponry in Toronto’s stable, Mike Babcock and the rest of the coaching staff don’t have much of a choice. It’s worth noting that the results are there – Toronto finished last season second in even-strength scoring (3.1 goals per 60) and third in expected even-strength scoring (2.8 goals per 60), and that’s been a consistent theme since the rebuild concluded. continued

from Mike G. Morreale of NHL.com, Jack Hughes couldn't help but show his frustration during another loss for the winless New Jersey Devils on Monday. It wasn't supposed to be this way. The Devils (0-4-2) were among the most aggressive teams during the offseason, when they added high-profile players including Hughes, the No. 1 pick in the 2019 NHL Draft, and defenseman P.K. Subban. But with their 6-4 loss to the Florida Panthers at Prudential Center, they have lost their first six games for the first time since starting 0-4-3 in 2013-14. The Devils, who have failed to qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs six of the past seven seasons, are tied with the Ottawa Senators (1-4-0) for last place in the Eastern Conference. The frustration boiled over a bit Monday when New Jersey failed to hold a 4-1 lead for the second time this season. The Devils led 4-0 in a 5-4 shootout loss against the Winnipeg Jets on Oct. 4. Hughes slammed his stick on the ice after his deflection in front hit both goal posts with the Devils leading 4-2 at 7:36 of the second period Monday. The 18-year-old center has no points and is minus-4 in six games. continued

First up is Anthony Mantha and below is Alex Biega.  I will post any additional videos if they become available.   "We want to be an o-zone team and we want to create turnovers and I think that's exactly what we're doing right now." pic.twitter.com/2dRG16wouI — Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) October 15, 2019

Andthony Mantha, James Neal and today David Pastrnak with 4 goal games this season.  Who's next? The Bruins beat the Anaheim Ducks 4-2.  

#RedWings in practice: Bertuzzi-Larkin-Mantha Hirose-Athanasiou-Glendening Filppula-Nielsen-Erne Helm-de la Rose-Abdelkader DeKeyser-Hronek Nemeth-Green Cholowski-Biega Ericsson-Daley/Bowey — Dana Wakiji (@Dwakiji) October 14, 2019

Jack Edwards with the call.  

Thanks to all for the well wishes we’ve received for Red Wings senior VP Jim Devellano over the past few days. Happy to update you that Jimmy D underwent successful surgery today to remove the benign brain tumor. He is resting comfortably & is expected to have a full recovery. pic.twitter.com/WKj6MYUpOx — Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) October 14, 2019

NEW YORK (Oct. 14, 2019) – Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid, Winnipeg Jets right wing Patrik Laine and Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby have been named the NHL’s “Three Stars” for the week ending Oct. 13.

Five minutes to watch.  

from Ansar Khan of Mlive, ...The rookie defenseman had been struggling in his own zone but was shocked when coach Jeff Blashill scratched him against the Canucks, knowing it was a special game for Cholowski and his family. “The past few games I had made a few mistakes and I was like, ‘I got to pick my game up a little bit,’ but I didn’t expect it,” Cholowski said. “Big wake-up call, eye-opener, however you want to call it. It was tough, but I think it only made me better and stronger. I came back this year with a good attitude and a positive mindset.” Cholowski’s much-anticipated homecoming will happen Tuesday when the Red Wings face the Canucks at Rogers Arena (10 p.m., Fox Sports Detroit) in the start of a three-game Western Canada trip. His parents, brother, other family and friends will attend. “It’s huge,” Cholowski said. “It’s going to be a lot of fun; it’s going to be a big game. Being able to skate on that ice against the team I grew up watching will be pretty cool for sure.” more

from Jack Todd at the Montreal Gazette, Obviously, the column on Hockey Night in Canada and its slavish devotion to the Toronto Maple Leafs had struck a nerve. And while at least half the letters were from fans of the Canadiens, there were substantial responses from another Canadian NHL cities, especially Ottawa, Edmonton and Vancouver. The verdict? People outside Toronto are mad as hell. They have no choice but to go on taking it from Rogers, Sportsnet, Hockey Night in Canada and (to a lesser extent) TSN — but they aren’t happy about it. Hockey Night in Canada, it’s clear, has become one of the things that divide us. Of the letters I received, 95 per cent were positive. Without exception, the negative letters came from Leaf fans, divided equally between attempts at an articulate defence of the HNIC approach and the inevitable “your a idiot” letters from charter members of Ford Nation. The conclusion? Fans across the country are very angry with HNIC and they have three main complaints: First, viewers across the country hate the Maple Leafs 24/7 approach in which the Leafs can do no wrong, even when (see Auston Matthews) they pretty clearly have done wrong. It’s not only Montreal — if anything, fans in Edmonton and Vancouver seem even more disenchanted with HNIC. more

Franchise icon Marleau welcomed back to SAP Center; Penguins score seven goals in consecutive days for first time since the 1980s; Oilers, Avalanche put unbeaten records on the line today.October 14, 2019  

It's also Native Americans' Day and Indigenous People's Day in certain areas of the US. Celebrate, reflect and whatever else you do on days like this. Four games today in the NHL start at 1:00pm ET, another at 3pm and one at 5pm.  Also a late game at 8:30pm.