Red Wings Detroit
Blackhawks Chicago
Sharks San Jose
Wild Minnesota
Predators Nashville
Stars Dallas
Golden Knights Vegas
Coyotes Arizona
Avalanche Colorado
Ducks Anaheim
Lightning Tampa Bay
Blue Jackets Columbus
Canucks Vancouver
Flyers Philadelphia
Bruins Boston
Kings Los Angeles
Blues St. Louis
Senators Ottawa
Jets Winnipeg
Sabres Buffalo
Capitals Washington
Maple Leafs Toronto
Flames Calgary
Islanders New York
Devils New Jersey
Rangers New York
Penguins Pittsburgh
Oilers Edmonton
Panthers Florida
Hurricanes Carolina
Paul Kukla (Kukla's Korner)
Jack Hughes An Olympian?
from Larry Brooks of the New York Post, - You know, chances are that Auston Matthews will be Patrick Kane’s center for Team USA at the Olympics, and if not him, then likely Dylan Larkin, but do not go to sleep on the possibility of Jack Hughes emerging as a top-six force for the Yanks in Beijing. Of course, the overtime winner Friday night against the Blackhawks was a work of open-ice beauty in the three-on-three competition. And the spin move off which No. 86 scored his first of the night was about skill. But perhaps more noteworthy was seeing Hughes come away with the puck outnumbered two-on-one below the goal line just prior to the first one. Hughes between Kane and Chicago linemate Alex DeBrincat, perhaps?... - So you’re Tom Fitzgerald, GM, and you have the chance to acquire Jack Eichel. Are you interested if Nico Hischier is the featured piece of the package going the other way? - Whispered into our ears by a savvy individual with keen insight into the dynamics of the league (and that description eliminates scads of suspects, no?), we’ve been advised not to discount the possibility that Marc Bergevin, entering the final year of his contract as general manager in Montreal, just might wind up in Los Angeles next season working with Kings president Luc Robitaille. more on the first topic plus other hockey notes including a look at TNT's first night...
Paul Kukla (Kukla's Korner)
Wings Refuse To Be Pushed Around
from Ansar Khan of Mlive, The Detroit Red Wings’ first two games have been chippy, with players getting in each other’s faces and roughing it up, scrums after the whistle, and just a whole lot of volatility. The message they’re sending is they’re not going to stand by idly or turn the other cheek if they feel they are being abused physically. “We got each other’s backs,” Filip Zadina said. “That’s the most important thing on the ice. We’re showing them we’re a team.” Zadina was shaken up but escaped serious injury Saturday on a hit to the head from Conor Garland during the third period of the Red Wings’ 3-1 victory over the Vancouver Canucks at Little Caesars Arena. It triggered a skirmish, one of several that happened two nights after Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin sustained injury after being checked into the glass by Tampa Bay’s Mathieu Joseph. “I think you’ve seen it pretty early that we’re pretty tight in the room,” Marc Staal said. “You do something to one of us, it affects all of us and we’re all going to jump in and stick up for each other. It was good to see tonight, and we’ll continue to play that way.” continued Below watch the extended game highlights.
Paul Kukla (Kukla's Korner)
NHL Short Notes
* Connor McDavid and Sam Bennett accounted for the NHL’s third and fourth hat tricks of the 2021-22 season. * Brad Marchand joined rare company with a penalty-shot goal to open the Bruins’ 97th season. * Katie Guay, one of 10 women who joined the AHL roster of officials for the 2021-22 season, became the first female to ever referee a game in the league.
Paul Kukla (Kukla's Korner)
Videos- The Post Game Talk After Beating Vancouver
First up is Thomas Greiss and below find Mickey Redmond, Marc Staal and Jeff Blashill. added 10:38pm, game highlights are below.
Paul Kukla (Kukla's Korner)
Video- The Nikita Kucherov Injury
from Joe Smith of The Athletic, So when Kucherov struggled to crawl his way over teammates’ legs on the bench and hobble into the dressing room midway through the third period Saturday night, his fellow players got worried. You rarely see him in that much pain. “It didn’t look good,” Steven Stamkos said. “We’re praying he’s OK.” The Lightning will know more about the severity of Kucherov’s injury when he’s evaluated again upon their return to Tampa, with coach Jon Cooper saying nobody should “hit the panic button.” The fact the winger wasn’t laboring as he walked out of the arena seemed like a good sign. more ($$$) Below, watch how the injury may have occurred.
Paul Kukla (Kukla's Korner)
Quick Recap- Detroit Red Wings-Vancouver Canucks
All I can say after watching the first two Detroit games is this is a much improved team. No flicking between game for me, the Wings are making me watch them. Tonight's game, Wings win 3-1. Detroit played like a po'd team, which was great to see. Detroit goals and a great save by Thomas Greiss are below with team stats coming soon. Next game is Tuesay when Columbus visits.
Paul Kukla (Kukla's Korner)
Video- HNIC Panel Discusses The Dylan Larkin Suspension
The one thing the HNIC panel didn't bring up was the injury Larkin suffered from the Jamie Benn cross-check. via Sportsnet,
Paul Kukla (Kukla's Korner)
Video- Hockey Night In Canada Opening
Music from Dua Lipa. via Sportsnet,
Kate from PA now in SC-made in Detr (Kukla's Korner)
One Game In
There are many positives to take from the Wings first outing this season. Six goals scored, plenty of action, fast paced. T-Bert had a great game. D-Boss scored the first goal of the season to get it started, then was nailed from behind by a nasty, dirt bag hit. The youngsters looked very good as well. We all know what happened after Larkin got hit so no need to go into that. That being said, the Wings are only one game in, in a very long season which Wings fans hope will be very entertaining, and most likely exciting. Game two tonight. I'm all in. It's a Live Blog!
Paul Kukla (Kukla's Korner)
Video- Preview Of Tonight’s Game Against The Canucks
Ken Kal and Daniella Bruce preview the game, all in 12 minutes.
Paul Kukla (Kukla's Korner)
Vegas Golden Knights Injury Report
Vegas suffered some injuries during Thursday’s loss to LA. Hearing Max Pacioretty out approximately 6 weeks, while Golden Knights await further clarity on Mark Stone. Tough early-season blow. — Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) October 16, 2021
Paul Kukla (Kukla's Korner)
Another ebug Could Play In Toronto Tonight
from David Alter of The Hockey News, The salary cap was always going to be an issue this season for the Toronto Maple Leafs and it has now created a rare scenario. With an injury to one of their goaltenders and other players unavailable on a short-term basis, the team was forced to sign an amateur goaltender to dress as their backup against the Ottawa Senators at Scotiabank Arena on Saturday. Alex Bishop, a third-year University of Toronto goaltender from Richmond Hill will put on the Toronto Maple Leafs sweater. "It just comes down to that the flat cap has created some situations that are difficult to manage even [more] than they were a year ago," Maple Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe said. continued
Paul Kukla (Kukla's Korner)
Video- Jeff Blashill After The Skate This Morning
14 minutes to watch,
Paul Kukla (Kukla's Korner)
The Morning Skate
As most expected for the 7pm puck drop against Vancouver. Thomas Greiss is the first goalie off the ice today for the Red Wings — Max Bultman (@m_bultman) October 16, 2021
Paul Kukla (Kukla's Korner)
Teaching Hockey In Seattle
from Trevor Lenzmeier and Marisa Ingemi of the Seattle Times, On the ice, hockey players and fans are quite superstitious. Player rituals take many forms; some NHLers get dressed in the exact same order before every game (i.e., left skate then right skate, left glove then right glove), while other skaters refuse to leave the rink after warm-ups until every other skater has left the ice. That’s not to mention the charms and curses that are commonplace come playoff time — in Detroit, fans throw a dead octopus onto the ice, while in Nashville, they chuck catfish. Bushy, unkempt playoff beards bring postseason success, while touching the Clarence Campbell or Prince of Wales trophies after winning a conference championship spells doom. As early as peewee hockey, preteen players are warned not to touch the Cup, lest they be cursed not to lift it themselves. Did we mention that hand-to-hand combat is a semiregular part of the sport?... Do’s and Don’ts You snagged the hottest ticket in town and are headed to Climate Pledge Arena to see our Seattle Kraken face off with an NHL rival. Here’s what to expect at the rink. Don’t wear shorts unless you like the cold. Layers are your friend. Do wear a jersey (known as a “sweater”). Hats are acceptable, as are actual sweaters. Don’t be surprised if our Kraken players and their opponents push each other in front of the net, regularly, after the whistle calls play dead. But it’s a fine line between shoving and trash talk and taking a minor penalty. Don’t expect to get your hat back. Do take bathroom breaks and/or get snacks during intermission. It’ll be a little while. more
Paul Kukla (Kukla's Korner)
A Slow Start For The Montreal Canadiens
from Brendan Kelly of the Montreal Gazette, Phillip Danault scored in his first game as a Los Angeles King. Of course he did. That’s just the way things are going for your Canadiens. Everything is going wrong for this team. It’s only been two games, but Les Boys of October, who often overachieve during the early days of the season, are looking downright dismal thus far and are faring worse than even the most pessimistic observers expected. The Canadiens have lost their first two games, going down 2-1 in the season opener Wednesday to noted playoff losers the Toronto Maple Leafs and then getting embarrassed by the lowly Buffalo Sabres on Thursday, with one of the most sad-sack teams in hockey destroying them 5-1. Ouch! But it’s not just the two losses. It’s the way they’ve been playing. Other than the first six or seven minutes of the game in Toronto, Dominique Ducharme’s squad has looked oddly disinterested in these two games. It’s as if they just don’t care. Any way you slice it, there isn’t a more depressing scenario to set the scene for what was supposed to be the team’s triumphant return to the Bell Centre for their home opener against the New York Rangers Saturday (7 p.m., SNE, CITY, TVA Sports, TSN 690 Radio, 98.5 FM). This was supposed to an exciting moment. Premier François Legault, hockey fan that he is, recently gave the green light for the Bell Centre to operate at full capacity and team owner Geoff Molson was dreaming of a heartwarming night with around 21,000 fans wildly cheering on the lads who made it all the way to the Stanley Cup final a few months back. continued
Paul Kukla (Kukla's Korner)
Do You Pay Adam Fox $10M Per Year?
from Ryan Kennedy of The Hockey News, We've seen some pretty big contracts signed by NHL defensemen lately, from Quinn Hughes to Ryan Pulock and just today, Charlie McAvoy in Boston. The Bruins mainstay inked an extension that will see him earn $9.5 million per season for eight years, beginning with the 2022-23 campaign. McAvoy is worth every penny of that contract, but his new pact brings up an intriguing thought: Is Adam Fox going to get $10 million per season on his next contract? Fox of course is the reigning Norris Trophy winner - you literally can't do better than he did as a defenseman last season - and the New York Rangers star is basically the same age as McAvoy, having been born just a couple months apart from each other. At 23, Fox is in his prime NHL years and based on his skill set, he's going to be in that window for quite awhile, especially when you consider that his game is predicated on smarts and vision rather than physical attributes that degrade over time. Now, Fox may not have as much experience as McAvoy in the NHL, but it's pretty fun to stack the two side by side even if they don't play the exact same game. McAvoy is a lot more physical, while Fox has been a better offensive producer and surprisingly, averaged more minutes than his Bruins peer last season (which was a bit of shock to me, as McAvoy had to do a lot for the B's last season, where blueline depth wasn't as strong as it was in New York). Both are analytics darlings, too. continued
Paul Kukla (Kukla's Korner)
NHL Short Notes
* Late rallies were the theme Friday as all three games featured a thrilling finish, but Marcus Foligno and the Wild were the only ones to successfully complete a comeback. * It only took Dougie Hamilton 17 seconds to make his presence felt in a Devils uniform as he found the score sheet faster than any other defenseman in NHL history in a couple of categories. * Sportsnet’s Hockey Night in Canada is ready for its 2021-22 debut, with an all-Canadian doubleheader set to take center stage.
Paul Kukla (Kukla's Korner)
Video- Grand Rapids Griffins With A 6-1 Home Opener Win
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - Six different Grand Rapids Griffins lit the lamp and five enjoyed two-point nights on Friday as the home team roared to its largest-ever victory in a Van Andel Arena opener, defeating the Rockford IceHogs 6-1 before a capacity crowd of 10,834. Chase Pearson, Tyler Spezia and Dennis Yan each tallied a goal and an assist while both reigning AHL Defenseman of the Year Ryan Murphy and rookie Kirill Tyutyayev chipped in a pair of helpers, leading Grand Rapids to a win for the fifth time in its last six home debuts. Joe Veleno scored the first goal of the 2021-22 campaign on the power play with 12:12 remaining in the opening period off Murphy’s first assist as a Griffin, but Josiah Slavin answered for Rockford at the 14:52 mark with the only goal Calvin Pickard would surrender on the night, sending it to intermission tied 1-1. Tyutyayev notched his first point in North America by setting up Spezia’s go-ahead tally 3:14 into the second, before goals by Turner Elson at 4:20 and Hayden Verbeek at 17:11 pushed Grand Rapids’ lead to three heading into the final 20 minutes. Elson’s marker gave him 100 points (41-59--100) for his Griffins career. A Pearson power play goal at 4:25 of the third made it a 5-1 game, and Yan wrapped up the scoring by beating Malcolm Subban with 6:58 remaining. Game highlights are below.
Paul Kukla (Kukla's Korner)
After Practice Today
Blashill said no health update on Larkin other than he wasn’t able to practice today and will see specialist on unspecified injury. Said his hearing with NHL for punching Joseph taking place right now. #RedWings — Ansar Khan (@AnsarKhanMLive) October 15, 2021 Blashill said they rate their players on a 1 to 5 scale after every game and rarely does a player get a 5 but the coaching staff gave Bertuzzi a 5 across the board for his all-around play last night. #RedWings — Ansar Khan (@AnsarKhanMLive) October 15, 2021
Paul Kukla (Kukla's Korner)
Detroit’s Practice Today
via Ansar Khan tweet, Fabbri replaces Larkin as center on line with Bertuzzi and Raymond. Other practice lines: Erne-Suter-Zadina Namestnikov-Rasmussen-Gagner Smith-Stephens-Rowney D pairs: DeKeyser-Hronek Leddy-Seider Staal-Lindstrom Oesterle-Stecher added 12:14pm, Khan... Fabbri, who's played some center the past couple seasons, went 8-3 on face-offs last night. Bertuzzi's four goals came on a total of four shots. Hronek's 25:09 in ice time was two minutes more than anyone else's. Dylan Larkin took a slow, brief twirl on the ice before practice and left. He was shaken up from cross check into boards from Matthieu Joseph last night and has a hearing with NHL today for his retaliatory punch to the face.
Paul Kukla (Kukla's Korner)
Morning Line- Sean Shapiro On ESPN And TNT
I’ll admit that my expectations have risen in the past couple of weeks. There was a lot of early hubbub about how Turner and ESPN were going to change hockey coverage, and without proof I was worried it would simply be NBC’s coverage packaged into another, albeit more widely available, platform. But after seeing ESPN make the commitment to a studio show, seeing the Turner media preview, I’m more confident that hockey coverage is headed in a better direction in the United States. The big thing is having two networks pushing each other, I like that TNT wants to beat ESPN and vice versa — I think both hired a rules expert for that reason, and once Wayne Gretzky was courted by both, the runner-up in signing Gretzky went and hired Mark Messier. -Sean Shapiro of The Athletic. Read more ($$$) from Shapio and Richard Deitsch on ESPN and TNT.
Paul Kukla (Kukla's Korner)
Video- A Hearing Today For Dylan Larkin
Detroit’s Dylan Larkin will have a hearing today for Roughing Tampa Bay’s Mathieu Joseph. — NHL Player Safety (@NHLPlayerSafety) October 15, 2021 Watch below.
Paul Kukla (Kukla's Korner)
A Motivated Tomas Tatar
from Jackie Spiegel of the Sporting News, On Friday night at the Prudential Center, Tomas Tatar will play in his first regular-season game for his new club, the Devils. The last time he played in a meaningful game was 141 days ago, which means it's been almost four months since he laced up the skates and hit the ice in the Canadiens' fifth game of the 2021 Stanley Cup playoffs first-round series against the Maple Leafs. But didn't Montreal play into July? Yes, but Tatar spent it watching from the stands. "Out of nowhere, to be honest, the coaches made this decision which I respected," he said during media day with his new club. Tatar played the first five games against Toronto and then sat the rest of the way. "We had a hell of a run in the playoffs. Obviously, you're upset, you wanted to play and I think I could help the team, especially in the final, but I had to respect the decision." The decision was, well, a head-scratcher. Then-interim coach Dominique Ducharme made a guy who had led the team in scoring over the course of the three seasons he was there (149 points in 198 games) a healthy scratch. How good was Tatar for Le Bleu-Blanc-Rouge? He had 21 points more than the second guy, defenseman Jeff Petry, and of his 149 points — which he collected at a tear of 0.75 per game —119 were at even strength. "He's been a proven top-three or four scorer on the teams he's been on. He's great at getting open. He's great at finding the people that are open. He knows where to be," Devils coach Lindy Ruff said. continued
Paul Kukla (Kukla's Korner)
Videos- Talk After An OT Loss To The Tampa Bay Lightning
Below find Mickey Redmond post game, the game highlights and Tyler Berttuzzi/Jeff Blashill after the game. from Ethan Sears of DetroitRedWings.com, "We played well enough to win the hockey game," Blashill said. "We take a penalty (at) 5-on-6 and we gave up a 5-on-6 goal. So we gotta do better than that for sure." In other recent seasons, the highlight of the night for Detroit against the two-time defending Stanley Cup champions might have been the pregame ceremony, in which Larkin was honored as captain at center ice, standing with a row of past Red Wings captains. Even with the loss, you couldn't say that about this game. Larkin scored in the first, putting in a loose puck after Robby Fabbri created a breakaway against the run of play, and Bertuzzi scored his first goal 18 seconds into the second period - splitting two defenders and finishing past Vasilevskiy. Bertuzzi's second came just after a power play expired at 7:52, cleaning up a loose puck after Adam Erne's shot was saved by Vasilevskiy. That set the stage for a hectic final 10 minutes of the second period, featuring three goals and seven penalties, sending the game into the third with Detroit hanging onto a 4-3 lead. In the end, neither that nor the ensuing 6-3 lead would be enough. "I thought we were in a good spot," Blashill said. "I was real confident that we were gonna find a way to win that hockey game. So it's a gut punch when you don't." more
Paul Kukla (Kukla's Korner)
The Seattle Kraken Notch Their First NHL Win
from Robby Stanley at NHL.com, The Seattle Kraken got the first win in their history when they defeated the Nashville Predators 4-3 at Bridgestone Arena on Thursday. Brandon Tanev scored two goals, Alex Wennberg and Jared McCann each had a goal and an assist, and Philipp Grubauer made 27 saves for the Kraken (1-1-0). "I feel like it's just big for the franchise," Wennberg said. "Obviously, it's so new and to get that first win, I feel like it's a big accomplishment. I don't know if we celebrate it any differently, I think it's just really good for the team and for us as an organization. It's just like, 'Hey, that's the first one.' Hopefully there's many more to come and that's where we're aiming at." Mikael Granlund had a goal and two assists, and Juuse Saros made 22 saves for the Predators (0-1-0). Wennberg gave Seattle a 3-2 lead at 9:54 of the second period, shooting into an open net at the right post off a pass from Alex Barre-Boulet, who was playing his first game with the Kraken after being claimed off waivers from the Tampa Bay Lightning on Monday. continued Watch the game highlights below.
Paul Kukla (Kukla's Korner)
NHL Short Notes
After honoring late goaltender Matiss Kivlenieks in a pre-game ceremony at Nationwide Arena, the Blue Jackets scored eight goals en route to winning their home opener. * Tyler Bertuzzi scored four times for the hosts, but Tampa Bay staged a three-goal, third-period comeback to win a thriller in Detroit – one of seven games Thursday that saw teams combine for six or more goals. * Anze Kopitar capped the night with a historic five-point outing for the Kings, while the Kraken edged the Predators at Bridgestone Arena to earn their first regular-season win in franchise history.
Paul Kukla (Kukla's Korner)
Quick Recap- DRW-TBL
The Detroit Red Wings lost to the Tampa Bay Lightning 7-6 in OT. Detroit goals and Larkin's dust up are below and team stats too. The Wings have some work to do and they will bounce back.
Paul Kukla (Kukla's Korner)
The Captains
Former @DetroitRedWings captains Red Berenson, Paul Woods, Nick Libett, Dennis Hextall, Steve Yzerman, Alex Delvecchio, Nick Lidstrom and Henrik Zetterberg officially welcomed Dylan Larkin as the newest captain before the start of the 2021-22 season. #LGRW pic.twitter.com/aze6dDdlo0 — Bally Sports Detroit (@BallySportsDET) October 14, 2021
Paul Kukla (Kukla's Korner)
TSN Insiders Tonight
With Brady Tkachuk and the Ottawa Senators finally ending their stalemate, the TSN Hockey insiders break down Tkachuk's contract and the structure that led to both sides agreeing to get it done. As well, the insiders talk about Shea Weber's injury status, the length of long lists required for the Olympics and more. Watch at TSN
Kate from PA now in SC-made in Detr (Kukla's Korner)
Welcome Back!
Welcome back to all! I hope all is well, and, the 19 have had a peaceful Summer. It's been far to long since we've had much of anything to be excited about, but, that's about to change. The new season is finally upon us with actual youngsters aboard. Whooda thought? Eh? We know not to expect miracles. We know to expect rookie mistakes, which will be forgiven, but, the addition of Seider, Suter, Raymond and a few other new faces have made this season something to look forward to. One of the many objectives for the "Yzerplan" is to bring this team to some form of respectability this season while providing an entertaining game to watch. Here's to the 2021-2022 Detroit Red Wings! Hope for the best..... It's a Live Blog!
Paul Kukla (Kukla's Korner)
Have A Great Season
Putting this up before Kate's live blog goes up to just say enjoy this season of the winged wheel. I am hoping everyone is healthy and their life has not been one of pain and suffering the last year and a half. I know some members have had issues outside of the Covid, a few have experienced first hand the force of mother nature and others are struggling to find suitable work. One thing about KK/A2Y is we are a strong community. Many of use have had the opportunity to meet each other over the years at various events and communicate in different ways. We may be a little more experienced in life lessons but that is a good thing. We think before we speak or write most of the time and that's a good thing. My goal this season is to make sure everyone stays on topic in the comment section. I am tired of the daily bombardment of politics, health issues and the economy I read or hear everyday at various outlets and social networks. KK and A2Y should and will become more of a safe space for you know, to talk hockey with other hockey fans. There are numerous options for you to talk about other topics not related to our game, but it is not here. My health (type ll diabetic) has actually improved, new meds seemed to have done the trick and I am looking forward to working long hours again this year. Enjoy the season, any issues or comments, you know how to reach me. Stay safe, stay healthy and LGRW! Om a side note, there is a quick KK Donation Drive going on for those who may have missed it late in July.
Paul Kukla (Kukla's Korner)
Watching TNT
from Warner Media, TNT’s first-ever NHL regular season telecast – the New York Rangers facing the Washington Capitals (7:40-10:14 p.m. ET) – is the most-watched game to ever air on the second night of nationally televised NHL coverage, among total viewers and all key adult and male demos. That makes it the largest audience for the second night of nationally televised NHL regular season action in the nearly 30 years on record. The Rangers/Capitals telecast delivered an average of 817,000 total viewers, up 139% vs. the comparable game window in 2020-21 (Buffalo vs. Philadelphia / 342,000 viewers) and an increase of 210% over the primetime game televised on the second night of NHL coverage in 2019-20 (Minnesota vs. Nashville / 238,000 viewers). Rangers/Capitals peaked with an average of 920,000 total viewers from 9-9:15 p.m. The second game of last night’s NHL on TNT doubleheader between the Chicago Blackhawks and Colorado Avalanche (10:14p-12:53a) averaged 522,000 total viewers, up 284% vs. the same telecast window on the second day of NHL coverage in 2020-21 (Arizona vs. Las Vegas). The Blackhawks/Avalanche telecast peaked with an average of 887,000 total viewers from 10:15p-10:30 p.m. continued
Paul Kukla (Kukla's Korner)
Stream- Preview Of Tonight’s Detroit-Tampa Game
via the You Tube page of the Detroit Red Wings, Ken Kal, Art Regner, & Daniella Bruce preview tonight’s home opener against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Stream scheduled to start at 5:15pm, watch below.
Paul Kukla (Kukla's Korner)
Time To Establish Their Own Identity
from Ted Kulfan of the Detroit News, ...maybe the most distinguishable difference from the past few seasons is there's simply more NHL talent throughout the lineup. The Wings' roster is deeper. "It is," said Larkin, who will begin his seventh NHL season Thursday when the Wings play host to the Tampa Bay Lightning. "It's younger. We had guys fighting for roles, guys battling all camp for that, and it was good and competitive. Some new guys came in and really wanted jobs. You could see (with the practices). Guys showed up in shape and ready to play. It was a good camp. "(Now) we're through it and we're focused on Tampa." What Larkin, 25, sees with this particular group is an opportunity to reverse the negative vibe that comes with missing the playoffs the last five seasons, the losing records and the unfavorable perception of the team around the NHL. Larkin feels it's definitely time to "write our own history." "We need to go out there and execute and prove why we, as a group, don't want to be continuing the trend that's been going on here," Larkin said. "We've talked about it, talked about we're our own team and we'll write our own history. "There's so much history with this team, and you can look at it as pressure but things haven't been going well, so we're really going to start something now. Start with a push for the playoffs and playing meaningful games and playing the right way, with everyone contributing. When you get everyone contributing it's fun and you win hockey games. "And we begin to write history of our own." more ($$$)
Paul Kukla (Kukla's Korner)
Brady Tkachuk Finally Signs With Ottawa
OTTAWA - The Ottawa Senators announced today that the team has signed forward Brady Tkachuk to a seven-year, $57.5M contract. The contract has an average value of $8.214 million annually and includes the following breakdown: $4.0M in 2021-22, $6.5M in 2022-23, $10.5M in 2023-24, $10.5M in 2024-25, $10.5M in 2025-26, $8.5 in 2026-27 and $7.0M in 2027-28. Tkachuk, 22, appeared in each of the Senators' 56 regular-season games in 2020-21 and led the team in scoring with 36 points (17 goals, 19 assists) while accruing a team-high 69 penalty minutes. The campaign marked the second consecutive in which he has led the team in points.
Paul Kukla (Kukla's Korner)
Videos- The Talk After The Morning Skate
Danny DeKeyser first, below find Marc Staal and Jeff Blashill.
Paul Kukla (Kukla's Korner)
Franchise Values
According to @Sportico's calculations, the average @NHL team is worth $934 million, and the combined fair-market value of the NHL’s 32 clubs, including ownership’s stakes in real estate, regional sports networks and additional team-related holdings, is $30 billion. pic.twitter.com/PPfYZi3Cxc — Sportico (@Sportico) October 14, 2021 More here.
Paul Kukla (Kukla's Korner)
The Only News From The Morning Skate
Alex Nedeljkovic is the first goalie off for the Red Wings — Max Bultman (@m_bultman) October 14, 2021
Paul Kukla (Kukla's Korner)
Stanley Cup Window Closing On Jamie Benn
from Mac Engel of the Star-Telegram, “When I talked about the guys I was proud of last season, he was one of them,” Nill said. “He was in the bubble and two months later he was back at it. He played some of his best hockey for us last season. He and [forward] Joe Pavelski both really battled and did everything they could. “Jamie has had a great summer,” he said. “If there is a benefit to us not making the playoffs, it’s that he’s had time to rest and get completely healthy.” Benn is under contract through the 2024-25 season, and his salary cap hit is $9.5 million every year of his deal. He’s not going anywhere just yet. He’s not a liability, but he is also entering that point in his career where the team has to know he needs help. Even if he doesn’t want it. “How our team is composed might be able to help us manage him more,” Nill said. “I don’t know if it’s ‘load management,’ but we can spread it around.” No player with the Dallas Stars deserves a Stanley Cup more than Jamie Benn. No player could care, play, or fight, any harder than Jamie Benn. But after 925 hard games, and 17,102 heavy minutes, there is a price. more
Paul Kukla (Kukla's Korner)
Taking The Pulse Of The 19
Feeling confident, feeling okay, feeling like another year of playoff-less hockey? What's on your mind as we wait for the puck to drop tonight against the Tampa Bay Lightning? I want to see the continued growth of Michael Rasmussen and Filip Zadina. Sometimes I close my eyes and see Steve Yzerman's rookie year. You knew just by watching him he had greatness written all over him. Will that feeling be the same with Lucas Raymond? This post is waiting for your comments.
Paul Kukla (Kukla's Korner)
A Dud For The New York Rangers
from Larry Brooks of the New York Post, The Rangers beefed up, you might have heard, but their success this season will still in large measure be determined by the talent-laden top two lines. So if you learn that in Wednesday night’s opener here against the Capitals that neither Mika Zibanejad nor Artemi Panarin was credited with a shot, that the top six forwards that also feature Chris Kreider, Kaapo Kakko, Ryan Strome and Alexis Lafreniere combined for a sum of six shots at even strength, how would you think the Blueshirts had fared? Correct. Final score in a game toward which the Rangers had pointed to and built toward for months, 5-1 against. When it was over, the team took care not to beat itself up. Oh and by the way, there was no beating up of Tom Wilson. There was no beating up of anyone in a game in which the Blueshirts did attempt to set a physical tone — step right up, Sammy Blais — but never veered out of control. A stat to chew on as head coach Gerard Gallant started the Zibanejad line rather than the fourth line including Ryan Reaves: No. 75 was on the ice at the same time as Mr. Wilson for a sum of 0:09. But here is a more pertinent stat: Trailing 1-0 after the first period on the first of three Washington power-play goals and then 2-0 at 12:38 on another PPG and 3-0 just 24 seconds later, the Blueshirts went the final 18:41 of the second period without an even-strength shot on goal. They went 13:33 without a shot of any kind from 3:50 to 17:23, finishing with five for the middle 20 minutes. continued Game highlights are below.
Paul Kukla (Kukla's Korner)
KK- This Donation Drive Is Not For Everyone
I held a KK Donation Drive in late July and know a few people missed it in the summer since some have reached out to me asking about it. So I am doubling back to reach those who may have taken the summer off. I do not expect those who donated then to do so again, instead if you did not see the post in late July or just want to give something for the drive, it would be much appreciated. I prefer payment via PayPal and also have a GoFundMe account set up. You can also use Zelle, which is a way to send a donation through your bank. The email address to use is pk at kuklaskorner dot com KK members who have donated in the past will receive at least a year of no ads on KK with a donation of $20. First time donors will receive the same benefit with a donation of at least $25. I hope to make this post short and sweet. It will not be a sticky but it will be brought up in the rotation when needed. Thanks in advance to all.
Paul Kukla (Kukla's Korner)
NHL Short Notes
* After the NHL’s all-time leading goal scorer, Wayne Gretzky, welcomed hockey fans to the NHL on TNT and NBA legend Charles Barkley appeared as a special guest on the broadcast, Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin scored twice to surpass Marcel Dionne for fifth on the NHL’s all-time goals list. * Ducks rookie Mason McTavish and Capitals rookie Hendrix Lapierre each scored in their NHL debuts, marking memorable nights for the teenagers. * A total of 18 teams are in action during Thursday’s slate, highlighted by a pair of NHL veterans set to make their debut with new clubs.
Paul Kukla (Kukla's Korner)
Some Luck Couldn’t Hurt
from Bob Wojnowski of the Detroit News, Is it still too early to judge the Red Wings solely on stats and standings? Yeah, it is. But it’s time for a look, a leap, and perhaps a little luck. In year three of the Steve Yzerman-led rebuild, they’re taking a closer look at their young talent, and hoping for a leap. The Wings certainly will be younger, deeper defensively and presumably better, whether the record reflects it or not. The process has passed the weeding-out stage and is headed toward the finding-out stage, and it’s time to push it a bit. So they’re looking at Lucas (Raymond) and seeking Mo (Seider). The touted first-rounders, 19 and 20 respectively, will make their highly anticipated debuts, which instantly makes this season more interesting. A bunch of guys have a bunch to prove, from captain Dylan Larkin to the old-young goalie tandem of Thomas Greiss and Alex Nedeljkovic, to center Pius Suter, 25, surprisingly unsigned by Chicago after a solid rookie campaign. For Jeff Blashill, in his seventh season as coach, the heat will only rise if the youngsters don’t. It’ll be painful at times, with a jolting opener against the two-time champion Tampa Bay Lightning Thursday night. The Wings are pegged by most to land in the NHL’s bottom five, which is where they finished in the pandemic-shortened 56-game slate. continued (paid)
Paul Kukla (Kukla's Korner)
Video- Chatting With Charles Barkley And Jon Cooper
via Sportsnet, 6 years ago, Jon Cooper walked into a bar in LA and by chance happened to meet Charles Barkley. The two chatted hockey and basketball for 3 hours. On Monday, Christine Simpson sat down with them on the Big Picture.
Paul Kukla (Kukla's Korner)
Watching ESPN
#NHL fans tuned in for ESPN's historic @NHL opening night doubleheader ESPN's presentation of #NHLFaceOff is the top season-opening doubleheader on record More: https://t.co/zfx44qM7bq | #NHLonESPN pic.twitter.com/vPXVZm4J5z — ESPN PR (@ESPNPR) October 13, 2021
Paul Kukla (Kukla's Korner)
The NHL Debuts On TNT Tonight
via the NHL PR department, Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer and Sports Emmy Award winning broadcaster Charles Barkley will join tonight’s NHL on TNT Face Off Presented by Verizon pre-game show. Barkley, a passionate NHL fan, will help to usher in TNT’s inaugural NHL telecasts alongside “The Great One” Wayne Gretzky and fellow studio analysts Anson Carter, a10-year NHL veteran, Rick Tocchet, a three-time Stanley Cup Champion, hockey personality and former AHL & NHL veteran Paul Bissonnette, and host Liam McHugh. Tonight’s pregame coverage will also be commercial-free, starting at 7 p.m. ET, live from the TNT’s brand-new, state-of-the-art NHL studio in Atlanta. TNT will drop the puck on its inaugural NHL regular season of live coverage at 7:30 p.m., when the New York Rangers, led by Artemi Panarin, Mika Zibanejad and 2021 James Norris Memorial Trophy winner Adam Fox, visit the Washington Capitals and their star-studded lineup highlighted by Alex Ovechkin, John Carlson and Evgeny Kuznetsov. Later at 10 p.m., the 2021 Presidents’ Trophy winners Colorado Avalanche and Mikko Rantanen will host the Chicago Blackhawks, with the anticipated Chicago debut of 2021-22 Vezina Trophy winner Marc-Andre Fleury. Use this as an open post and tonight's schedule is below.
Paul Kukla (Kukla's Korner)
Youngsters Are The Key To Detroit’s Rebuild
from Ansar Khan of Mlive, How quickly the Detroit Red Wings complete their rebuild and become consistent playoff contenders depends to a large extent on the impact of their top draft picks. Defenseman Moritz Seider and winger Lucas Raymond, the first two first-round selections under general manager Steve Yzerman, are entering the league together, making their NHL debut Thursday against Tampa Bay at Little Caesars Arena. They will be franchise cornerstones for many years if all goes according to plan. Adding their youth and talent to a team that has missed the playoffs five years in a row has created more anticipation for the 2021-22 season. “That’s great for our organization and our team right now because I believe they make us better,” Detroit captain Dylan Larkin said. “They’re two great kids that are going to continue to work and elevate their game. They’re going to learn pretty quickly what the NHL is all about on Thursday night. You don’t know until they do it. They look good so far and I know Lucas and Moritz will keep working to ensure they’re impact players.” continued
Paul Kukla (Kukla's Korner)
Video- A Sit Down With Dylan Larkin
He's with the Word on Woodward crew.
Paul Kukla (Kukla's Korner)
Mattias Ekholm’s New Contract Is Official With The Nashville Predators
Nashville, Tenn. (October 13, 2021) - Nashville Predators President of Hockey Operations/General Manager David Poile announced today the team has signed defenseman Mattias Ekholm to a four-year, $25 million contract that will keep him in Nashville through the 2025-26 season. The contract will begin in the 2022-23 season and carries an annual average value of $6.25 million. "When you think about foundational pieces on our hockey team, Mattias Ekholm is certainly at the top of the list, and we couldn't be happier to get this deal done with the start of the regular season upon us," Poile said. "An alternate captain who leads both vocally and by example, Mattias brings stability and size to our defense corps and has embraced serving as a mentor to the younger players on our team. We have a group of young, right-shot defensemen that includes Alexandre Carrier, Philippe Myers, Dante Fabbro and Matt Benning who all have the opportunity to learn from and play with Mattias on the side opposite him, and we're excited about the stability that will provide us on the blue line."
Paul Kukla (Kukla's Korner)
Videos- The Talk After Practice
Mr Seider first, Mr. Blashill below.
Paul Kukla (Kukla's Korner)
Does The Cup Get Raised In Canada This Season?
from Luke Fox of Sportsnet, So close. So far away. Each NHL journey north of the 49th parallel brings with it two pieces of luggage: one labelled “drought” and the other “hope.” For the first time in a long time, the “hope” carry-on was nearly too big to cram into the overhead compartment during the short-haul pandemic campaign of 2020-21. All flights were domestic, and a Canadian club was guaranteed entry into the Stanley Cup semifinals. This country had waited 10 years for a Stanley Cup finalist. And although the low-seed, high-effort Montreal Canadiens did their city and their sport proud during what might’ve been the final four rounds of captain Shea Weber’s career, the mighty Tampa Bay Lightning retained the belt by decisive knockout. The Habs’ brilliant blood-sweat-and-tears run served a hot reminder of just how difficult that climb to summit can be… only to discover that you must wrestle The Revenant bear to plant your flag. And so, we begin anew up north. continued
Paul Kukla (Kukla's Korner)
Practicing From The LCA
via Ansar Khan tweet, lines/D pairs in final practice before tomorrow’s season-opener vs. Lightning at LCA: Bertuzzi-Larkin-Raymond Fabbri-Suter-Zadina Namestnikov-Rasmussen-Erne Smith/Rowney-Stephens-Gagner DeKeyser-Hronek Leddy-Seider Staal-Lindstrom Oesterle-Stecher
Paul Kukla (Kukla's Korner)
Review Of ESPN’s First Night
from Ken Fang of Awful Announcing, Hoping to differentiate itself from NBC which held the main NHL contract dating back to 2005, ESPN assigned Sean McDonough to be its main play caller. Ray Ferraro who had been with TSN in Canada was brought in to be his partner. Their partnership on Tuesday for the Pittsburgh Penguins-Tampa Bay Lightning season opener showed potential. Ferraro offered the analysis that made him one of the NHL’s top color men over the last ten years. McDonough showed some rust in the beginning. His “goal” call instead of the more familiar “Score!” was lacking, and as Tampa Bay fell behind Pittsburgh early, the crowd at Amalie Arena grew silent. Perhaps that affected McDonough as his energy level was low. McDonough is a very good nuts and bolts announcer, and he can rise to the occasion as evidenced by his college football calls, but on this night, there were times when he was behind the action and was trying to catch up, but as he went further into the game, he was able to get into a rhythm and pace. Emily Kaplan was the rinkside reporter inside the glass and she did offer some good tidbits... In the second game, John Buccigross joined former NHL on NBC analysts Brian Boucher and A.J. Mleczko. As Boucher and Mleczko are fresh from working for the Peacock, they had a good chemistry working off one another. Buccigross’s energy level was high throughout the game. His play-by-play has improved through the years as he has called the World Cup of Hockey in 2016 as well as the NCAA Frozen Four. Buccigross is not on the level of Doc Emrick or ESPN’s previous number hockey play-by-play man Gary Thorne, but he doesn’t have to be. He was on top of the action and had a good game to call as Seattle came back from a 3-0 deficit to tie before falling 4-3 to Vegas. more
Paul Kukla (Kukla's Korner)
Waiting On Brady Tkachuk
from Kelly Egan of the Ottawa Citizen, The Ottawa Senators start a brand new season Thursday, so we enjoy our last spell of magical thinking, when anything is possible and the beer is always cold. We’re building toward a Stanley Cup — repeat, ye of little faith. Is this not the message we’ve been hearing from owner Eugene Melnyk and general manager Pierre Dorion, lo these many years? But, before reaching heaven, there was the stretch in purgatory, as we patiently endured the loss of Karlsson and Stone and Pageau and Ryan and Boro and Duchene and Dzingel, lots of others, because “we had a plan.” And that plan was “the rebuild” and the rebuild, as Dorion said at the start of training camp in September, is pretty much over. In fact, he was emphatic about that. “We’re at a stage where, for us, I think the rebuild is over ,” he told reporters. “I don’t want to hear the word anymore.” All well and grand. Except for one problem: Brady Tkachuk, our prized left-winger, our grit and our passion, one of the faces of the franchise, a curly-haired kid who made hockey in Ottawa fun again. As everyone knows, he remains unsigned on the eve of the first regular-season game and, by accounts, isn’t even in the country. And the “word” he doesn’t want to hear anymore, we read regularly, is eight, as in eight (years) for eight (million dollars). continued
Paul Kukla (Kukla's Korner)
Morning Line- Pierre LeBrun
If I were in charge of the NHL schedule, preseason would be shortened, the regular season would start around Sept. 20, and the Stanley Cup would be awarded by May 31. No June hockey in my dream world. That would allow for the draft to go mid-June at the latest and the opening of free agency around June 20-23 or so. No more July 1-4 free agency fireworks, it’s always been ridiculous that’s been the case on national holidays three days apart on each side of the border. That would be the perfect schedule. Instead, there are some owners in non-traditional hockey markets who actually would prefer not to have any games in October at all, they want a later starting season so as not to compete as much with U.S. college football, baseball playoffs and the NFL. It’s why some of those clubs have light October schedules as it is. Ridiculous. Drop the puck in September! -Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic, where you can read ($) more hockey topics.
Paul Kukla (Kukla's Korner)
A New Look For Sportsnet
from Kevin McGran of the Toronto Star, The first intermission of “Hockey Night” will feature a “players panel” with MacLean, Kevin Bieksa Kelly Hrudey and Jennifer Botterill. “We’re going to shoot it differently. We’re gonna shoot it in a 360 degree style. It’s going to be very personality driven, very opinion driven,” Corte says. The second intermission will be a new “32 Thoughts” segment with Elliotte Friedman, joined by Jeff Marek. “It’s been a fantastic brand and a fantastic piece of content for us on a regular basis,” Corte says of Friedman’s brainchild that started as a column, then became a podcast. “We’re all really excited about what that is going to be.” “Hometown Hockey” moves to Monday night, from Sunday, with MacLean and Tara Slone as hosts.... For technology nerds, it’s more than just green screen. But, yes, green-screen technology will be a part of the show. Imagine taking the host and placing her anywhere in the world, exploring arenas, stadiums or cities like a character in a video game. Or at a desk in a studio that doesn’t exist in reality. And, yes, ads for sponsors will pop up on screen for viewers at home, though they will be more seamless than clunkier earlier versions of virtual reality. But what has Sportsnet really excited is “augmented” reality. If “virtual” reality makes it appear a person is somewhere other than the set, “augmented” reality makes something that doesn’t exist necessarily to appear real and on the set, three dimensionally, beside the hosts. more
Paul Kukla (Kukla's Korner)
The Seattle Kraken Drop Their First Game
from Bob Condor of the Kraken website, This night didn't end with a storybook finish for the Kraken, but no fan should feel cheated or worried. The Seattle squad went toe-blade to toe-blade with one of the league's favorites to win the Pacific Division and Stanley Cup. The Kraken dug in right to the end with Jordan Eberle ending the game how he and his linemates started the game - with a near-miss scoring chance. The film and analytics will show lots of positives from this game. There's reason to be excited about the rest of this five-game road trip - and the full season ahead. "We will take a lot of good things we did and build on them," Dave Hakstol said during the post-game media availability. "We will try to fix one or two things but no more. We have short practice tomorrow, then get on a plane to get ready for Game 2 in Nashville." Hakstol acknowledged that the last couple days of COVID protocol uncertainty was "a challenging last 40 hours for our group." He praised his team and likely believes it built chemistry through shared adversity (my words, not his): "That we were down three-nothing [in this building} and pushed back, it says a lot about sticking together. We're disappointed we didn't get the two points." continued Watch the game highlights below.
Paul Kukla (Kukla's Korner)
How The Wings Can Improve
from Ansar Khan of Mlive, ...there are other ways for this team to take the next step in this rebuild. Here are five of them: Bounce-back seasons from Larkin, Bertuzzi The team needs its top players, Dylan Larkin and Tyler Bertuzzi, to return to form. They work well together, so a full season – or close to it -- on the same line should benefit both. Larkin had only nine goals and 23 points in 44 games, his season shortened due to a neck injury. Bertuzzi got off to a hot start with five goals and seven points in nine games before being shelved by a back injury that eventually required surgery. Can he quickly get back to playing his abrasive game? He will miss nine games in Canada due to his refusal to be vaccinated for COVID-19. A reliable second scoring line Pius Suter could solidify the troublesome second-line center spot. He collected 14 goals and 27 points in 55 games as a 24-year-old rookie with Chicago last season. He will be paired, at least initially, with his former junior teammate Robby Fabbri. Fabbri is another player who missed time last season due to illness (COVID-19) and injury (concussion), but produced when healthy (10 goals, 18 points in 30 games). He has 24 goals and 49 points in 82 games over parts of two seasons in Detroit, where he has resurrected a career plagued by knee injuries. read on
Paul Kukla (Kukla's Korner)
NHL Short News
THREE HARD LAPS * ESPN opened its first NHL broadcast in 17 years with a tribute to the iconic ESPN NHL theme song narrated by Justin Bieber. * Opening night saw the Penguins knock off the Lightning after Tampa Bay raised its third Stanley Cup banner, while the Golden Knights topped the Kraken in a battle between the NHL’s two newest franchises. * The second day of the 2021-22 season opens with the return of the oldest rivalry in League history as well as a doubleheader on TNT – their first-ever NHL regular-season broadcast.
Paul Kukla (Kukla's Korner)
Red Wing Games On Bally Sports Detroit
DETROIT – The Detroit Red Wings and Bally Sports Detroit today announced the Red Wings local television schedule for the 2021-22 season. Bally Sports Detroit (BSD) continues its award-winning production and carriage of Red Wings games by airing a total of 72 regular-season contests with 59 games slated for BSD and 13 on Bally Sports Detroit Plus (BSD PLUS).
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TSN Insiders Tonight
The TSN Hockey Insiders reveal how just four players are unvaccinated as the season gets underway, discuss why the Blackhawks are listening to offers for Dylan Strome, explain why Vitali Kravtsov is seeking a new home after refusing an AHL assignment from the Rangers, and more. Watch at TSN
Paul Kukla (Kukla's Korner)
Numbers Before The Season Starts
via the NHL PR department, 721 – Number of players on official season-opening rosters 310 – Number of Canadian players, the most of any country (43.0% of 721) – a full breakdown of NHL season-opening rosters by birth country is included below 284 – Number of players age 25 or younger (39.4% of 721)
Paul Kukla (Kukla's Korner)
Lucas Raymond Settling In
from Ansar Khan of Mlive, Lucas Raymond was nervous Sunday when he received a call to meet with Steve Yzerman on Monday. “You never know what’s going to happen,” Raymond said. “I try to keep it positive, but also look at both sides. Like if it goes well, it goes well; if it doesn’t go well, then we’ll take it from there.” It went well, as the Detroit Red Wings general manager informed the team’s No. 1 pick in 2020 (fourth overall) that he had earned a spot on the season-opening roster. “He told me that I played good during the preseason, but it’s a lot of work still to do,” Raymond said. “Just because I made this opening their roster doesn’t mean I’ll be here the entire season. So, for me, it’s just to go out there and play good and prove myself and then take it from there.” The first people he called were his parents and brother in Sweden. “Of course, to play in the NHL has been a dream of mine since I started playing hockey at 2 years old,” Raymond said. “So, they really supported me and always helped me along the way. It’s really exciting for all of us.” continue
Paul Kukla (Kukla's Korner)
Hockey Thoughts On Opening Night
from Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet, - Seattle had five players on its COVID list on Monday — Joonas Donskoi, Calle Jarnkrok, Marcus Johansson, Jared McCann and Jamie Oleksiak. Nothing is a better reminder of the uncertainty we still face, which leads to a major early-season storyline: attendance. All arenas but Vancouver’s are open to full capacity. As one executive said last week, “We’ve sold tickets, but aren’t sure how our fans feel about being in a full building. We see some uncertainty.” How will that play out in Ottawa and Toronto, which didn’t have complete clearance until last Friday? What about Calgary and Edmonton, where the health system is buckling under a COVID surge? There are teams who know their attendance will be down due to poor performance, and some who feel very confident. Gate receipts matter, so this will be a closely-watched phenomenon. (Nathan MacKinnon in Covid protocol today) - That’s a big “W” for the Canadiens to get Nick Suzuki extended. After the Jesperi Kotkaniemi offer sheet, they realized this is no time to screw around and got their number one centre signed long-term. An executive from another team said from what he heard, it was one of calmest negotiations in recent memory (Dave Gagner and Jeff Jackson rep Suzuki). There are always intense conversations, but never any danger of going off the rails. - Everyone’s being very careful about this, but word is that there are four or five teams indicating comfort with Eichel’s preferred disc replacement. There are legitimate attempts to find a solution, but it’s still a challenge. This is a hard deal to make if you’re giving up top picks/prospects, and have to wait through the surgery. The good news is that I think everyone realizes it is time to sort this out. - A little surprised Bobby Ryan and Detroit didn’t work out a contract, but Lucas Raymond sure earned his spot. Will Ryan be re-visited if the Red Wings need to add a veteran in the next few weeks? Not many places he’d rather go. more Thoughts
Paul Kukla (Kukla's Korner)
Videos- After Detroit’s Practice
Lucas Raymond first, Jeff Blashill is below.
Paul Kukla (Kukla's Korner)
How Good Will The Edmonton Oilers Be?
from Mark Spector of Sportsnet, Has the time finally arrived for the Edmonton Oilers? Are they finally legitimate Stanley Cup contenders, 31 years after the last parade down Jasper Ave.? It’s a question we’ll fully explore here, on the eve of Edmonton’s 2021-22 season opener against Vancouver on Wednesday, but it’s also a query you won’t get a lot of help with from within the Oilers ranks. They know -- the players, the coaches, the management -- that, like the Toronto Maple Leafs, whatever Edmonton accomplishes in the regular season won’t prove anything. After two years of second-place finishes in their division followed by first-round playoff exits, it is all about the playoffs for this team. They know it. They just won’t say it. “Right now, it’s all about the regular season. Then, it’s all about the playoffs. That’s the best way to put it,” said Leon Draisaitl, tap-dancing around the elephant in the room. “This league is too strong to think you can half(way) things and think you’ll just focus on the playoffs. continued
Paul Kukla (Kukla's Korner)
Escrow Talk
No one’s gonna feel this more than Erik Karlsson, who is the NHL’s highest paid player this season at $14.5 million in actual salary https://t.co/qL9sLRGdOX — Kevin Kurz (@KKurzNHL) October 12, 2021
Paul Kukla (Kukla's Korner)
Video- ESPN Creative Work
from the ESPN Press Room, As the National Hockey League returns to The Walt Disney Company and ESPN’s collection of television and direct-to-consumer streaming platforms, ESPN will debut a brand-new, cross-platform creative identity for its coverage. The identity combines the authenticity of legends past with the elegance of the modern game in a powerful, fluid identity, rooted in cutting edge design. “The power of Creative Studio aligning on all parts of the NHL’s return to The Walt Disney Company and ESPN platforms is simply unmatched,” said Carrie Brzezinski-Hsu, vice president, ESPN Creative Studio. “We put together a cohesive strategy for all parts of this project – everything from design identity, animation and music to ad integration, edit vignettes and digital storytelling – that come together to evolve the overall viewing experience for fans and our partners across the enterprise.” When developing this brand-new system, the ESPN Creative Studio team kept several goals in mind, including catering to a younger demographic and leveraging technical innovations (player tracking, AR and real-time stats), while also remaining true to the unwritten language of the game and maintaining a strong respect for the history of hockey. “NHL is the first project of this size and scope developed within our newly formed ESPN Creative Studio,” said Ben Bieglecki, senior manager, Creative Operations. continued Below, watch the creative work.
Paul Kukla (Kukla's Korner)
Practice Today
Red Wings lines/pairs today Bertuzzi-Larkin-Raymond Fabbri-Suter-Zadina Namestnikov-Rasmussen-Erne Smith-Stephens-Gagner Rowney rotating in @ 4W DeKeyser-Hronek Leddy-Seider Oesterle-Stecher Staal-Lindstrom (Don’t read into the order ^, just the order in which I noticed them) — Max Bultman (@m_bultman) October 12, 2021 Red Wings repping power play Bertuzzi Larkin - Erne/Gagner - Raymond Leddy Suter Hronek - Fabbri- Zadina Seider — Max Bultman (@m_bultman) October 12, 2021
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Detroit’s Goaltending Tandem Ranked In the Middle Of The Pack
from Mike McKenna of the Daily Faceoff, 16 Detroit Red Wings: Thomas Greiss & Alex Nedeljkovic Greiss performed admirably on a bad team last year in Detroit. He’s made the most out of his career and I’d expect that to continue. Nedeljkovic went on a tear with Carolina last season but the team decided to part ways when a suitable contract couldn’t be reached. Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman was smart to trade for him. the rest of the teams...
Paul Kukla (Kukla's Korner)
Playing For An Expansion Team
from Sonny Sachdeva of Sportsnet, You only get one first step. For the NHL’s Seattle Kraken, this is it — October 12, 2021 will forever mark the first game in the first season in franchise history. And for every single player granted the opportunity to don a Kraken jersey, the year ahead will be one to remember, no matter how it goes down. Only a select group of players is fated to wind up in that oddly exclusive club, to go on the unique ride that comes with being a franchise’s very first team. Only those who’ve worn the jersey and stepped on the ice in those games can understand the experience of playing an inaugural season, of planting NHL hockey where it had never been before, of turning strangers on the ice and in the crowd into a big-league family. From Ottawa to Anaheim, Columbus to Tampa Bay, Minnesota to San Jose, this is what it feels like to be part of the First Year, from those who were there and lived to tell the stories. For some, the news comes out of nowhere. Others get the chance to make the decision themselves. But it all leads to the same message: Leave behind your team, your teammates, your city. You’ve been selected. You’re headed into the unknown. NORM MACIVER (First Ottawa Senators season, 1992–93): I got a phone call saying that I was left unprotected in the waiver draft, and Ottawa had selected me. That was like two days before the season opened. That’s how I found out I was going to Ottawa. And I honestly didn’t know anything about it — hadn’t really paid much attention to it or who was on the team. I was pretty naive to the whole situation until I got there. continued
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An Eight-Year Deal For Nick Suzuki In Montreal
MONTREAL - Montreal Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin announced Tuesday that the team has agreed to terms on an eight-year, $63 million contract extension (2022-23 to 2029-30) with forward Nick Suzuki. The deal will pay him an average annual salary of $7.875 million. Suzuki, 22, posted 15 goals and 26 assists in 56 games last season while serving 26 penalty minutes. The London, ON native then led the Canadiens with 16 points in 22 playoff games to help the team reach the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 1993. "We are very happy to secure Nick's services for the next eight seasons," said general manager Marc Bergevin. The 5'11'', 205 lbs forward produced 28 goals and 54 assists in 127 career NHL games while serving 32 penalty minutes. In the playoffs, the centerman added 11 goals and 12 assists in 32 games. Suzuki was acquired by the Canadiens along with Tomas Tatar and a 2019 second round pick in return for Max Pacioretty on September 10, 2018. He was a first-round pick (13th overall) by the Vegas Golden Knights at the 2017 NHL Draft.
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IIHF Wants Harsher Sanctions For Racist Incidents
from Gabrielle Tétrault-Farber of Reuters at the Totonto Sun, The International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) will assess the need for harsher sanctions in response to a racist incident in Ukraine and plans to pressure leagues around the world to amend their rule books to define sanctions for racist behaviour, the new IIHF president said. Luc Tardif took office as head of the IIHF a day before the hockey world was rattled by footage of Andriy Deniskin, a forward at HC Kremenchuk in the Ukrainian Hockey League (UHL), taunting HC Donbass defenceman Jalen Smereck, who is Black, by pretending to peel and eat a banana. Smereck, 24, took a leave of absence after the incident. HC Donbass announced on Sunday it had reached a mutual agreement to terminate the American’s contract. continued
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How ESPN Will Cover The Games
via Dominic Massimino of Sporttechie, ESPN’s NHL coverage this season will include on-ice camera operators to film more revealing footage of games, particularly near the teams' nets. The network will also place microphones on players and on the goals to capture substantial pregame audio. Additional aerial shots will come from a Four-Point SupraCam system that will be suspended from cables above the rink. Data from SMT’s puck and player tracking system will also be shown on broadcasts across ESPN, ESPN+, Hulu and ABC. ESPN’s broadcast crew will also gain locker room access to capture coaches’ pre-game remarks. The crews will also be allowed inside the NHL’s replay review room during referee decisions, with former NHL ref Dave Jackson providing rules analysis during games. The Drop, a new 30-minute digital pregame show, will also livestream on the ESPN’s digital platform before marquee games this season.
Paul Kukla (Kukla's Korner)
Five Seattle Kraken Players In Covid Protocol
from Marisa Ingemi of the Seattle Times, The Kraken could be down several players when it opens its season in Las Vegas on Tuesday night. After Calle Jarnkrok entered COVID-19 protocol late last week, he was joined Monday by Jared McCann, Jamie Oleksiak, Marcus Johansson and Joonas Donskoi, according to coach Dave Hakstol. A team source on Monday night said it appeared Johansson could exit the protocol and play Tuesday, but the roster still was left with question marks ahead of the regular-season opener against the Vegas Golden Knights. Jarnkrok will miss the game, but the team hopes Donskoi, Oleksiak and McCann can play, the source said. “We’ve already started working toward (a) plan,” Hakstol said after practice Monday at the Kraken Community IcePlex. “Things happen quickly and sometimes at inopportune times. There’s different challenges that you go throughout the course of the season. This is one of them for us early on.” continued
Paul Kukla (Kukla's Korner)
NHL Short Notes
TWO HARD LAPS * After winning their first Stanley Cup in the last NHL game broadcast on ESPN more than 17 years ago, the Lightning will raise their third championship banner as the League returns to the network with a doubleheader to open the 2021-22 regular season. * The second game of the night will mark the regular-season debut of the expansion Seattle Kraken as they head to Vegas to face the Golden Knights. Both games will be carried on Sportsnet and TVAS in Canada.
Paul Kukla (Kukla's Korner)
NHL Season Preview
via the NHL PR department... 2021-22 SEASON OPENS WITH RETURN TO ESPN; FIRST-EVER BROADCAST ON TNT The 2021-22 regular season, which will see 32 teams compete in a total of 1,312 games, the most in NHL history, will launch on Oct. 12. The opening night doubleheader will be nationally broadcast on ESPN in the U.S. – the first of 103 Exclusive NHL Games Across ESPN, ESPN+, Hulu and ABC this season – as well as in Canada on Sportsnet and TVA. * The first game of 2021-22 will see the Lightning begin their quest for a third straight Stanley Cup with a banner-raising ceremony against the Penguins. In the second contest, the Kraken will look to make waves to start their inaugural season as they face the 2017-18 expansion Golden Knights. * A five-game Wednesday on Day 2 of the 2021-22 campaign will drop the puck on the NHL on TNT’s comprehensive coverage with the first of 25 Wednesday night broadcasts throughout the season – including the first of 15 doubleheaders. The Rangers and Capitals will open the night at Capital One Arena in what could be a historic night as Alex Ovechkin chases Marcel Dionne for fifth place on the NHL’s all-time goals list. The Blackhawks and Avalanche will round out TNT’s doubleheader, with Chicago ready to debut its highly anticipated offseason acquisitions (2020-21 Vezina Trophy winner Marc-Andre Fleury and former Blue Jackets defenseman Seth Jones) and welcome the return of captain Jonathan Toews.
Paul Kukla (Kukla's Korner)
Evening Line- Allan Walsh
With the cap gymnastics going today, it’s a great reminder how bad the salary cap is for players and the game in general. There is no reason we can’t have a soft cap, luxury tax and meaningful revenue sharing. This is the system that makes sense for everyone, even the owners. — Allan Walsh (@walsha) October 12, 2021
Paul Kukla (Kukla's Korner)
Female On-Ice Officials Announced By The AHL
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. … American Hockey League President and Chief Executive Officer Scott Howson announced today that the league’s roster of on-ice officials for the 2021-22 season includes female referees and linespeople for the first time. The first AHL game ever officiated by a female referee will be the Lehigh Valley at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton contest this Saturday, Oct. 16, with Katie Guay working alongside Brandon Schrader. On Sunday, Oct. 17, Kelly Cooke will be teamed with Beau Halkidis for Rochester at Utica, and Jacqueline Zee Howard joins Carter Sandlak for Lehigh Valley at Hershey. Schrader, Halkidis and Sandlak are among 10 referees and six linespeople who will split their time between the AHL and NHL this season. Other new members of the AHL refereeing staff include Laura White, Samantha Hiller, Elizabeth Mantha and Amanda Tassoni, while Kendall Hanley, Kirsten Welsh and Alexandra Clarke have been added to the AHL staff as linespeople. All have been part of the NHL and NHL Officials Association’s mentorship program and have been invited to attend the NHL Exposure Combine.
Paul Kukla (Kukla's Korner)
‘Hockeytown’ Is 25 Years Old
from Ethan Sears of DetroitRedWings.com, Twenty-five years ago last Saturday - October 9, 1996 - the Detroit Red Wings officially launched their Hockeytown campaign. In the run-up to that day, the Red Wings had alerted media by sending a package with five items, all of them with the phrase "Hockeytown" superimposed over the Winged Wheel logo. The Red Wings started that season on the road, and beat the Vancouver Canucks, 5-3, on Oct. 9 to move to 2-1 on that season. But at their home opener four days later, the Red Wings officially kicked off the Hockeytown campaign with a 9-0 win over the Edmonton Oilers. You probably know much of the history from there: Four Stanley Cup titles, an unprecedented playoff streak and a fan base that has lived up to the Hockeytown moniker in every way. Starting with the run-up to the campaign, here are 25 top moments of the Hockeytown era, in chronological order: continued with videos...
Paul Kukla (Kukla's Korner)
The NHL Is Dark Tonight
The next off day is Thursday, November 25th, which happens to be Thanksgiving. Tonight may be a good time to check the remote batteries, store up on snacks and tell the family" see you on turkey day."
Paul Kukla (Kukla's Korner)
Detroit’s Roster Now At 23
DETROIT -- The Detroit Red Wings today assigned forwards Riley Barber, Taro Hirose and Joe Veleno to the American Hockey League's Grand Rapids Griffins. Additionally, Detroit designated center Kyle Criscuolo and defenseman Seth Barton as injured non-roster and placed left wing Jakub Vrana on injured reserve. The Red Wings also released right wing Bobby Ryan from his professional tryout. "We felt that Bobby had a good preseason for us, but due to roster limitations, we aren't able to offer him a contract at this time," said Red Wings executive vice president and general manager Steve Yzerman. "We will continue to evaluate whether there is an opportunity for Bobby in Detroit as the 2021-22 season begins." The moves bring the Red Wings to a 23-man roster, consisting of 13 forwards, eight defensemen and two goaltenders. The Red Wings will begin the 96th season in franchise history on Thursday, Oct. 14 at 7:30 p.m. when they host the back-to-back Stanley Cup-champion Tampa Bay Lightning at Little Caesars Arena.
Paul Kukla (Kukla's Korner)
Jeff Blashill Like The Look Of The Top Line
from Ansar Khan of Mlive, Lucas Raymond impressed enough during the preseason to apparently earn not only a place on the Detroit Red Wings’ opening-night roster, but also a spot on the top line. Raymond practiced with Dylan Larkin and Tyler Bertuzzi on Monday, and that is where it appears the 19-year-old fourth overall pick from 2020 will make his NHL debut Thursday in the season-opener against the Tampa Bay Lightning at Little Caesars Arena (7:30 p.m., Bally Sports Detroit). “Larks gives anybody he plays with pace; one thing Lucas has to continue to learn is to play at that higher pace,” coach Jeff Blashill said Monday. “He’s a really smart player that has to move his feet more to go get pucks, to pressure. But Larkin kind of forces you to play at a pretty high pace. “Potentially, we like the look of that line. Bert goes and gets the puck a lot. Larks brings that pace high, and Lucas is a really smart, savvy offensive player. But we’ll have to continue to watch it and see.” Raymond’s performance, in part, also influenced the Red Wings’ decision to release 34-year-old right wing Bobby Ryan from his tryout. continued
Paul Kukla (Kukla's Korner)
Video- TNT Hockey Studio
Here are details for #NHLonTNT opening night, Wednesday, Oct. 13: 7pm ET: “NHL on TNT Face Off Presented by Verizon” Pre-game with @WayneGretzky @AnsonCarterLA @RealRocket22 @BizNasty2point0 & @liam_mchugh, live from the brand new studio in Atlanta: https://t.co/mHNmTklsEV pic.twitter.com/cNtenU7Ett — TurnerSportsPR (@TurnerSportsPR) October 11, 2021
Paul Kukla (Kukla's Korner)
Videos- After Today’s Practice
Dylan Larkin first, Jeff Blashill below.
Paul Kukla (Kukla's Korner)
Bobby Ryan Releases From His PTO
Jeff Blashill just told the media.
Paul Kukla (Kukla's Korner)
Bold Predictions
from Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff, ...here are 32 bold predictions ahead of the 2021-22 NHL season: Unflappable Spencer Knight will become the first goaltender since Steve Mason in 2008-09 to win the Calder Trophy as rookie of the year. It won’t take long until it’s officially Knight’s crease in Sunrise, supplanting $10 million man Sergei Bobrovsky. The Arizona Coyotes will relocate to Houston after 25 seasons in the desert. The City of Glendale has already notified the ‘Yotes it intends to terminate the team’s lease at Gila River Arena after this season. The Coyotes have attempted to jumpstart numerous new arena projects, all of which have fallen flat. Yes, the NHL has been patient. They don’t want to leave the fifth biggest city in the U.S., but Houston is fourth, fits in the Central Division better, has a viable NHL arena and prospective owner. Oh, yes, and can’t imagine NHL owners would mind the couple hundred million dollar relocation fee after floating players a billion during the pandemic. Team USA will erase a 42-year drought and capture the Americans’ first gold medal in men’s hockey at the Olympics since the 1980 Miracle on Ice. Buoyed in Beijing by Auston Matthews, Patrick Kane, Connor Hellebuyck and the Tkachuk Brothers, this is the year for the U.S. to break through and halt Canada’s best-on-best streak at three events. more bold predictions...
Paul Kukla (Kukla's Korner)
Live Content On The NHL Network
Oct. 7, 2021 – NHL Network™ today announced it will feature live content every day during the 2021 – 2022 regular season beginning Tuesday, Oct. 12. NHL Network will increase its NHL Network Showcase™ presented by SAP game package this year with a season-long schedule of 25 live weekend afternoon telecasts. The first telecast will feature the Buffalo Sabres hosting the Arizona Coyotes on Saturday, Oct. 16 at 1:00 p.m. ET with E.J. Hradek and Mike Johnson providing the call. Stephen Nelson and Dave Reid will call the second NHL Network Showcase of the season when the Calgary Flames visit the Washington Capitals on Saturday, October 23 at 1:00 p.m. ET. Nelson and Hradek will continue to call games throughout the season alongside a rotating group of NHL Network talent.
Paul Kukla (Kukla's Korner)
Detroit’s Practice Today
via Ansar Khan tweet, RedWings on ice for practice. Don’t see Ryan. Raymond and Veleno skating with team. 23–man roster must be set by 5 p.m. today.
Paul Kukla (Kukla's Korner)
Watchable Rankings
from Mary Clarke of USA TODAY, No, this isn’t a power ranking to determine the best team in the NHL. Yes, some conventionally bad teams may be higher on this list, because who doesn’t love to watch a train wreck happen in real time? We’re here to rank teams based on how enjoyable and compelling they’ll be to watch, not reinvent the wheel. With that out of the way, here are all 32 NHL teams ranked from least to most watchable. 32. Buffalo Sabres Off the ice, given the Jack Eichel saga, the Sabres are a must-watch. On the ice? Hard pass. 31. Detroit Red Wings There was hope that with some key offseason additions, the Red Wings would make a stride or two out of the NHL’s basement this season. However, with the loss of Jakub Vrana to injury for at least four months, don’t expect much from Detroit this year. read on
Paul Kukla (Kukla's Korner)
Video- Gary Bettman Talks ESPN
.@NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman joins us to talk about their new deal with @ESPN and their new viewing experience for fans! pic.twitter.com/hzstBjwghF — Good Morning America (@GMA) October 11, 2021
Paul Kukla (Kukla's Korner)
A Three-Year Extension For Jon Cooper
TAMPA BAY – The Tampa Bay Lightning have signed head coach Jon Cooper to a three-year contract extension through the 2024-25 season today, vice president and general manager Julien BriseBois announced. “Unequivocally, Coop is the best person for the job,” said BriseBois. “He is a great leader, spokesperson and ambassador for our organization. We are lucky to have him as our head coach and I very much look forward to our continued partnership.”
Paul Kukla (Kukla's Korner)
Sweater Tweaks
from Paul Lukas of InsideHook, The last NHL season started three months late, had only 56 games instead of the usual 82, featured rejiggered divisional alignments and took place primarily in empty arenas — all due to the coronavirus pandemic. This season, the NHL is largely back to normal and the schedule is starting on time — which means it’s also time for the annual Uni Watch NHL Season Preview, which breaks down everything you need to know about this season’s new uniforms, logos, ice designs and more. One change that’s big in scope but subtle in execution is the introduction of a new raised-embroidery technique on jersey crests. The league and Adidas are simply calling it “dimensional embroidery,” and it appears to be similar to puff embroidery, which is commonly used for MLB cap logos. You can see a good example of it on this shot of the Hurricanes’ home jersey crest, which now has a raised white ridge running just inside the logo’s border: continued
Paul Kukla (Kukla's Korner)
Ranking Alex Nedeljkovic
from The Athletic, Corey Pronman, Michael Russo and Sean Shapiro surveyed more than three dozen experts across the NHL — a list that included general managers, head coaches, goalie coaches, goalie gurus and former goalies — and asked them to give each goalie a score between 1 and 5. We used that to tier the perceived starting goalies for all 32 teams. 20. Alex Nedeljkovic, Red Wings Despite being a Calder Trophy finalist, despite being a star at virtually every level he’s played at, the Hurricanes chose to move on rather than pay the restricted free agent. Nedeljkovic was dealt to the Red Wings and should quickly learn he’s not behind the Hurricanes’ defense anymore. Just call Jimmy Howard. “I really like Nedeljkovic. I like the way he plays,” a former goalie said. “He seems to read the play really well, he’s always a step ahead. In Detroit, it’s going to be a lot tougher than Carolina. He’s a solid starter, though.” “He’s the best puck-handling goaltender in the game, and he gets less shots because of it,” an Eastern Conference executive said. “He ran big numbers last year and he wins everywhere he goes. He’s just not a huge man.” Most panelists thought GM Steve Yzerman made a great bet acquiring Nedeljkovic. “I like him, I liked him in the AHL and obviously he couldn’t have been asked to do more last season. He needs to prove it over a longer time span to get a higher grade, but I think it’s possible he becomes a good starter,” one scout said. 31 more ($$$) goalies...
Paul Kukla (Kukla's Korner)
Happy Thanksgiving Canada
Enjoy your Hoiiday and remember to save a few leftovers to celebrate the opening of the NHL season Tuesday night.
Paul Kukla (Kukla's Korner)
Wings Place Two On Waivers
Riley Barber and Taro Hirose are on waivers today.
Paul Kukla (Kukla's Korner)
Bold Predictions For The Season
from Rory Boylen of Sportsnet, Toronto's starting goalie for Game 1 of the playoffs is neither Jack Campbell nor Petr Mrazek Nothing is guaranteed in Toronto's net this season, which is maybe not the best thing heading into such a critical one for the team. Jack Campbell was fantastic for them in 2021, but he's no stranger to injury and had a groin issue last season. Campbell has also never been leaned upon as a No. 1 over an 82-game calendar and the 22 appearances he made last season were the second-most of his career -- the most he's played in one season was 31 games in 2018-19 for the Kings. Of course, Campbell doesn't need to be a 50-game starter necessarily, because Petr Mrazek was brought in to team up with Campbell in a tandem. But Mrazek was the primary starter for two Carolina teams that had Stanley Cup hopes in 2018-19 and 2019-20 and we wouldn't exactly call it a smashing success....] Neither Pennsylvania team makes the playoffs The Metropolitan Division could be one of the more fascinating this season because of the potential for immense turnover -- or maybe none at all. Here you have your established contenders from years gone by: Washington and Pittsburgh. You have a team in the Islanders that doesn't look special, but clearly is after back-to-back Round 3 appearances. Carolina had more points than any of these teams last season, while the Flyers are a popular bounce back pick and certainly look better on paper than the inconsistency they've played with in recent years. more on the above plus additional predictions...
Paul Kukla (Kukla's Korner)
Mika Zibanejad Agrees To An Eight-Year Deal With The New York Rangers
NEW YORK, October 10, 2021 – New York Rangers President and General Manager Chris Drury announced today that the team has agreed to terms with Mika Zibanejad on an eight-year contract extension. “Since joining the team in 2016, Mika has emerged as one of the premier players in the NHL,” Drury said. “In addition to being a great player on the ice, Mika is an exemplary person off of the ice. We are fortunate to have him as part of our Rangers organization and are excited that he will continue his career in New York.” Zibanejad, 28, skated in 56 games with the Rangers last season, registering 24 goals and 26 assists for 50 points, along with 18 penalty minutes. He led the Rangers in goals, game-winning goals (seven), and shots on goal (171), and ranked second on the team in points in 2020-21. The 6-2, 200-pounder has skated in 604 career NHL games over parts of 10 seasons (2011-12 – 2020-21) with Ottawa and the Rangers, registering 200 goals and 234 assists for 434 points, along with 173 penalty minutes. Zibanejad has played five seasons with the Blueshirts (2016-17 – 2020-21), tallying 136 goals and 147 assists for 283 points in 323 games. He has skated in 31 postseason games in his NHL career, registering five goals and 14 assists for 19 points. In addition, the Stockholm, Sweden native will represent his country at the 2022 Winter Olympics. Zibanejad was acquired by the Rangers from Ottawa on July 18, 2016. He was originally selected by the Senators in the first round, sixth overall, of the 2011 NHL Entry Draft. BREAKING: Rangers, Zibanejad agree on extension, Post has learned, eight years in the range of $8.5M per...A year or two more than NYR would have preferred, but allows the AAV to be workable...Should put a damper on Eichel talk. — Larry Brooks (@NYP_Brooksie) October 10, 2021
Paul Kukla (Kukla's Korner)
The Vancouver Canucks At This Point
from Iain MacIntyre of Sportsnet, Elias Pettersson and Quinn Hughes missed the first half of camp before the club re-signed them to lucrative second contracts, and first-line winger Brock Boeser missed the last half with an undisclosed injury that threatens his status for Wednesday’s season-opener in Edmonton. Defenceman Travis Hamonic missed the entire camp and remains home in Manitoba for “personal reasons” related to the NHL’s third season amid the coronavirus pandemic. Fourth-line forwards and key penalty killers, Tyler Motte and Brandon Sutter, remain out indefinitely with injuries. All these missing pieces made it impossible for coach Travis Green to fit together his lineup puzzle and also contributed to the Canucks’ failure to generate the momentum they desperately wanted heading into this season after the disastrous last one. “You're not playing with the full lineup much, really at all, missing people,” veteran forward J.T. Miller said late Saturday. “You're just trying to get your bearings, I think. You want to win these games; you're just trying to come together as a team. Obviously, the closer we get to the end of the pre-season, it's more and more of our (NHL) squad. We're ready for the real thing; I don't know what else to say. We just want to play. We want to have our guys back. . . and I think we're excited to go into that building (in Edmonton) and play against a really good team. It's going to be an awesome test and an awesome road trip for us to get going.” The Canucks begin what they hope will be a season of redemption after last spring’s last-place finish with six straight road games. It’s not an ideal schedule for a team looking for traction as it absorbs a handful of key newcomers, including top-pairing defenceman Oliver Ekman-Larsson and scoring winger Conor Garland. “I thought we got a lot of good work done with our group,” coach Travis Green said of the 2-5-0 pre-season. “We've worked hard probably more on the defensive side of the puck than we have in the past. I see a lot of the stuff that we're working on transitioning into the games, which I like. We've had a lot of guys out of camp, which has affected the camp but it hasn't affected, I think, the overall teaching that we're trying to do.” more
Paul Kukla (Kukla's Korner)
Sunday Hockey Notes
from Steve Simmons of the Toronto Sun, - This may be completely unrelated to Carey Price’s current personal situation, but more than one hockey person was convinced this summer that Price wanted to be chosen in the expansion draft by the Seattle Kraken but remained in Montreal instead. - After Aleksander Barkov’s first game in Toronto years ago, I rode down the elevator with then-Florida GM Dale Tallon. I told Tallon that Barkov reminded me of a little of Jonathan Toews, whom Tallon had drafted in Chicago. Tallon smiled and said “better.” Barkov’s new deal in Florida pays him $10 million a year. Toews is being paid $10.5 million after he helped bring three Stanley Cups to Chicago. - Another bet: One of Shane Pinto or Cole Caufield will win the rookie of the year award in the NHL. - The part of the Robin Lehner story that made no sense to me: Coaches don’t dispense medications. I’ve been around a lot of teams for a lot of years and have never seen a coach give out a pill. Training staff and medical staff provide medication. Why Lehner centred out Alain Vigneault, whom he never played for, was hard to understand. And I respect the hell out of Lehner for speaking out, even if some of his wording needed to be edited. Lehner later clarified to ESPN’s Emily Kaplan he never intended to accuse Vigneault of distributing pills. - Did Team USA GM Stan Bowman add Seth Jones to the Olympic team among his first three ahead of Adam Fox, Charlie McAvoy or John Carlson because he was the obvious choice or because he happens to be a Blackhawk? a few more hockey notes...