#Concussion Management in Edmonton

[viraphysiotherapy]

Concussion Management in Edmonton at Vira physiotherapy

Physiotherapists with an interest in Concussion Management in Edmonton can help with retraining balance, managing headaches, and settling neck and arm pain.

[momentumspinephysiotherapy]

Physiotherapist edmonton: Promoting Optimal Health and Recovery | Momentum Spine and Sports Physiotherapy Clinic

Introduction: Understanding the Importance of Physiotherapy

In today's fast-paced world, maintaining optimal physical health is essential for a high quality of life. Physiotherapy plays a crucial role in promoting wellness, recovering from injuries, and managing various conditions. At Momentum physiotherapist edmonton, we offer a wide range of specialized services to address the unique needs of our clients.

The Role of a Physiotherapist in Edmonton

A physiotherapist is a highly trained healthcare professional who specializes in assessing, diagnosing, and treating musculoskeletal conditions. At Momentum Spine and Sports Physiotherapy Clinic, our dedicated team of physiotherapists works closely with patients to develop personalized treatment plans that target their specific concerns.

Arthritis Physiotherapy in Edmonton: Alleviating Joint Pain

Arthritis can cause significant pain and discomfort, limiting one's ability to perform daily activities. Our arthritis physiotherapy Edmonton aims to reduce pain, improve joint mobility, and enhance overall function. Through a combination of manual therapy, therapeutic exercises, and pain management techniques, our physiotherapists help individuals with arthritis regain their independence and improve their quality of life.

Athletic Therapy Windermere: Enhancing Performance and Preventing Injuries

Athletes, both amateur and professional, can benefit from athletic therapy services in Windermere. Our skilled athletic therapists provide comprehensive assessments, injury prevention strategies, and rehabilitation programs tailored to the unique demands of sports-related activities. By optimizing performance and minimizing the risk of injuries, athletes can excel in their chosen sports.

Back Pain Physiotherapy Windermere: Restoring Comfort and Mobility

Back pain is a common condition that can significantly impact one's daily life. Our back pain physiotherapy services in Windermere focus on identifying the underlying causes of back pain and developing effective treatment plans. Our physiotherapists utilize a variety of techniques, including manual therapy, therapeutic exercises, and spinal stabilization exercises, to alleviate pain, restore mobility, and improve posture.

Car Accident Physiotherapy Windermere: Recovering from Injuries

Car accidents can result in various musculoskeletal injuries that require specialized care. Our car accident physiotherapy services in Windermere aim to facilitate a full recovery from injuries sustained in motor vehicle accidents. Our physiotherapists employ a comprehensive approach, combining hands-on therapy, exercise programs, and pain management strategies, to promote healing and restore function.

Chronic Pain Physical Therapy Edmonton: Improving Quality of Life

Living with chronic pain can be physically and emotionally challenging. Our chronic pain physical therapy services in Edmonton focus on managing pain, improving physical function, and enhancing overall well-being. Our physiotherapists employ evidence-based techniques such as manual therapy, therapeutic exercises, and relaxation techniques to help individuals with chronic pain regain control of their lives.

Foot and Ankle Pain Physiotherapy Edmonton: Regaining Stability

Foot and ankle pain can significantly impact mobility and daily activities. Our foot and ankle pain physiotherapy services in Edmonton aim to alleviate pain, restore joint mobility, and improve stability. Our physiotherapists utilize a combination of manual therapy, therapeutic exercises, and customized orthotics to address specific foot and ankle conditions effectively.

Pelvic Floor Physiotherapy Edmonton: Restoring Confidence and Functionality

Pelvic floor dysfunction can lead to urinary incontinence, pelvic pain, and other distressing symptoms. Our pelvic floor physiotherapy services in Edmonton provide specialized care to address these concerns. Our physiotherapists employ a range of techniques, including pelvic floor exercises, biofeedback, and manual therapy, to help individuals regain pelvic floor strength, improve bladder control, and enhance their quality of life.

Vestibular Physiotherapy Windermere: Regaining Balance and Reducing Dizziness

Vestibular disorders can cause dizziness, vertigo, and balance problems. Our vestibular physiotherapy services in Windermere focus on restoring balance, reducing dizziness, and improving overall stability. Our physiotherapists use specific exercises and techniques to retrain the vestibular system and help individuals regain their equilibrium.

Work Injury Physiotherapy Windermere: Facilitating a Safe Return to Work

Work-related injuries can be physically and emotionally challenging. Our work injury physiotherapy services in Windermere aim to facilitate a safe and efficient return to work. Our physiotherapists develop customized rehabilitation programs to address work-related injuries, reduce pain, improve functional abilities, and enhance workplace ergonomics.

Knee Pain Physiotherapy Windermere: Restoring Strength and Flexibility

Knee pain can be debilitating, affecting mobility and overall well-being. Our knee pain physiotherapy services in Windermere focus on reducing pain, improving knee stability, and restoring strength and flexibility. Our physiotherapists employ a combination of manual therapy, therapeutic exercises, and tailored rehabilitation programs to help individuals regain optimal knee function.

Sports Physiotherapy Edmonton: Enhancing Athletic Performance

Athletes often require specialized care to optimize their performance and prevent injuries. Our sports physiotherapy services in Edmonton cater to the unique needs of athletes, addressing both acute injuries and chronic conditions. Our physiotherapists develop personalized treatment plans that include sports-specific exercises, injury prevention strategies, and rehabilitation programs to help athletes perform at their best.

Conclusion: Achieving Optimal Health through Momentum Physiotherapy

Momentum Spine and Sports Physiotherapy Clinic in Edmonton provides comprehensive services to promote optimal health, recovery, and well-being. Our team of highly skilled physiotherapists offers personalized care and evidence-based treatments to address

Address:

5108 Mullen Road NW Edmonton, AB T6R0S9 Tel:(587) 409-4495

[nextstepphysiotherapyedmonton]

Physiotherapy for Motor Vehicle Accidents in Edmonton For Recovery

Discover how Next Step Physiotherapy in Edmonton offers specialized care for individuals recovering from Motor Vehicle Accident Physiotherapy Edmonton. From addressing whiplash to managing concussions, our tailored treatments focus on alleviating pain, restoring mobility, and promoting overall well-being. Trust our experienced team to guide you through your recovery journey with personalized physiotherapy solutions.

https://tinyurl.com/2ppf92vf,  587-853-0878

#Physiotherapy #Recovery #MotorVehicleAccidents #physiotherapyedmonton #nextstepphysiotherapy #motorvehicleaccidentphysiotherapy #motorvehicleaccidentphysiotherapyedmonton #physicaltherapyaftercaraccident

#mvaphysiotherapy #physicaltherapyaftercarcrash #mvaphysio

[vertexphysiotherapy]

Healing Minds, Restoring Balance: A Guide to Concussion Physiotherapy

Trust Vertex Physio for comprehensive concussion management Physiotherapy edmonton. Receive safe and effective rehabilitation for optimal recovery. Contact us for specialized care.Contact us: https://usmansamad.com/healing-minds-restoring-balance-a-guide-to-concussion-physiotherapy/ , (825) 525-2852, southclinic@vertexphysio.ca

[nebulein]

Text transcript under the cut

The Freedom of Choice

Windy City Sports, August 2022

"I didn't pick the city, the city picked me," Toews says with a rueful smile. Hockey prospects have no input over who will own their rights for the first few years of their careers, their fates left up to the whims of a bunch of senior executives to decide. "All I ever wanted was to play hockey." Chicago picked Jonathan Toews third overall in the 2006 NHL entry draft and—after another year at college to develop—he's played here ever since. The 34-year-old captain of the Chicago Blackhawks has settled well into the city that picked him, embracing a town and a club that's been his home for over 15 years.

Now, though, he may soon get to pick his next destination. Toews is on his last contract year, and in a full teardown initiated by newly appointed Blackhawks GM Kyle Davidson it doesn't look like there's a roster spot for the veteran captain anymore. "It's hard to know where you're supposed to fit in," Toews says, taking a sip of his coffee.

He looks cozy in the hip but quiet upscale coffee place not too far from his home, dressed down in a lightweight cream hoodie, athletic shorts, and his trusty Birkenstocks. Off the ice, Toews is unassuming, a quiet guy with intense dark eyes that netted him a lot of nicknames early in his career. Age has mellowed the serious center, who was famously prone to outbursts on the bench, loudly arguing with referees over every call he didn't agree with. "Oh yeah, he's gotten soft in his old days," Patrick Sharp, former teammate and good friend of Toews jokes. But age hasn't taken the competitive drive from Toews. He still wants to win. "I don't think time is ever gonna change that," he admits with a laugh.

The Blackhawks are about as far from winning as you can get. With disappointing performances these past few seasons, barely dipping their toes into the playoffs, Davidson finally decided to burn it all to the ground, trading away the few hopeful young talents in Debrincat, Hagel and third overall pick in the 2019 draft Kirby Dach. Toews doesn't like to speak about Davidson's decision, but the stoic mask his face becomes as he politely "no comment"s does all the talking for him. He doesn't agree with the new management the Wirtz family brought in, publicly disagreed with other trades in the past. But the loss of a good teammate is easier to stomach if the return is more than a limp handshake and vague hopes of picking the right prospects years down the line. And Toews' time is running out. For him to still be a part of the rebuild, it would have needed to happen four years ago.

"It is what it is" seems to be the mantra echoed by the players in the locker room, at least the few that were there, that still know what it could've been—if only. Once upon a time Kane and Toews turned Chicago into the most successful hockey team of the last decade, bringing home three Stanley Cups in five years to a city whose streets were lined in red jerseys as far as the eye could see. Now they're the last stragglers of the old guard as one by one the rest of them retired, got traded away or decided to sign elsewhere. Dallas, Tampa Bay, Edmonton, Columbus, Montreal, Washington, Ottawa: the list of possible destinations for a former Blackhawk spans 31 cities and two whole continents overseas. What would it mean for Toews to play with an old teammate again? He shrugs, tracing the wood grain of the coffee table. "Sure, it'd be nice," he says, in the listless way I tell my wife that visiting her parents on the weekend is a great idea.

Jonathan Toews doesn't want to play anywhere else. Fifteen years ago Chicago picked him, and in return he gave everything he had to this city. It's certainly cost him: His health, weathering numerous concussions and most notably sitting out a whole season while his body slowly recovered from a condition that might best be described as physical burnout. His relationships, recently splitting from long term partner Lindsey Vecchione and watching even his retired friends move out of town, back to Canada or Europe. And ultimately, his career.

There's no question he's going be a hockey hall of famer, most likely a first ballot inductee, joining ex-teammates Marian Hossa, Brent Seabrook and Duncan Keith. But what seemed so certain before has now become doubtful under new GM Davidson, who doesn't appear to share Stan Bowman's deep appreciation for Toews and all he did for this city: whether he'll see his number 19 raised to the rafters of the United Center, or whether it'll be Patrick Kane's 88 alone that'll hang up there, next to Chicago greats Mikita, Hull, and Esposito.

The tides have turned in Chicago. Leaving town would mean giving up a dream that Toews still harbors in a tiny corner of his heart: to retire a Blackhawk, never having donned another jersey than the red and white, the C stitched on his chest a sight so familiar few can remember the single year it wasn't there.

But Toews doesn't sound ready to hang up his skates, even though he's got plenty of projects dear to his heart he could focus on, such as his Jonathan Toews Foundation that fosters kids' wellness and nutrition, planting gardens for schools in low income neighborhoods.

"It's a tough choice, but at least it's mine this time," Toews says, trying to make light of a situation that's clearly ripping him apart. It's a statement that's true only on paper. Sure, he'll have the freedom to sign wherever he wants to. But how many clubs can afford to pay the veteran a salary that he deems himself worthy of in a time where the salary cap is flatter than America's Midwest? There may be fewer choices here than Toews makes it out to be. And the one choice he really wants isn't even on the table: to win one last time with the Blackhawks, the team that drafted him.

Hockey life is tough on young players whose only choice is to sign with the club that owns their rights or forego the NHL, but it's even tougher on its veterans whose only choice is the way in which to break their own hearts when the only home they've ever known forsakes them.

[andrewuttaro]

New Look Sabres: GM 30 - VAN - Never Easy

6-5 OT Loss

It’s never easy with these guys is it? They gave us just enough Thanksgiving hope to make us think this season wasn’t already over. A shockingly weak Atlantic Division was the gravy beside a turkey of early winter belief. Well maybe send a check for it to Josh Allen because I don’t know if our hope is coming from this team or if it’s a biproduct of the football team’s success. Even when it’s close, even when they force it into overtime, this hockey club drags us hard. Tyler Myers gets a two-point night including a go-ahead goal? This game felt like it was being written for us; written in just a way to give us the full range of emotions. We got the former Sabres scoring, we got Marcus Johansson scoring a goal to resurrect himself, we got Victor Olofsson being the hero we knew in October and getting a powerplay goal! We even got an OT winner… that was iced as the football kickers say! It was a drama, a dramatic tragedy. These guys could’ve gotten two points tonight, but they had to settle for one. Hey, at the end of the day the regular season is like a good streaming show. Every episode has its moments and the overarching narratives are what keep you coming back. The Sabres current overarching narrative is a Jack Eichel point streak that has now reached twelve games straight! That’s the longest of his career and accompanied by some pretty stellar gifs out of this one. Speaking of coming back, how about those Canucks jerseys? I got confused at times because at a quick glance they look like the Sabres primary home jerseys. So the Canucks actually wore two throwback jerseys begging the question why the Sabres… nope, okay I’m going to resist the urge to distract from this game. It was actually rather fun if I say so myself.

This team is resistant to making it easy. It’s funny to say that two games removed from demolishing the New Jersey Devils but throughout it’s rare to see a complete performance from these guys. The Sabres went in ebbs and flow for the whole first period but it was more ebbs than flows if you know what I mean. Right after a decent stretch of O-Zone time Jordie Benn the angry leprechaun airmailed a puck into the neutral zone where Josh Leivo managed to out-maneuver his guy and go in on Hutton to draw first blood. The Canucks were dominating in every category except 5 on 5 high danger scoring chances in the first and even that was 50/50. I don’t think I’d want to say the home team could’ve scored even more in the first but it was another less than stellar period for Buffalo. The Jake McCabe – Zach Bogosian pairing was so terrible I’d like to rant about it but that feels like beating a dead horse at this point. I do trust Krueger to rotated Colin Miller back in, I do not however trust Jason Botterill to move the piece necessary to allow him to ice the best D-Core. That debate is a little too tired for a Saturday night though. I’d rather roast those ugly V jersey throwbacks the Canucks wore for warmups. Meh, I’ll save it for the P.S.

The second period wasn’t as bad. It did however start with the visitation of the ghost of Christmases past. Vancouver was buzzing around Hutton when a Tyler Myers move drew Hutton a little further out of his net that you probably want. Antoine Roussel took advantage and put them up 2-0. More on Mr. Myers later. Mere minutes later Johan Larsson had the puck behind Thatcher Demko in the Vancouver net and put out front for a charging Kyle Okposo. Okposo, back surprisingly quickly from another concussion, snuck that one in, 2-1 Canucks. That response felt big and it was only amplified two minutes later when Rasmus Ristolainen got a quick pass from Victor Olofsson on a Vancouver delayed penalty. He launched one of his trademark rockets we might hopefully miss real soon and suddenly the game was tied. This was a very encouraging chain of events after the comeback came too late in Calgary the other night. This time we were treated to some real fun hockey for a little bit: back and forth and wow, isn’t it nice when our team doesn’t suck or rock, they just entertain us?

As soon as that thought was ticking through my head Josh Leivo struck again. It was a neutral zone turnover courtesy of Marco Scandella and this time Elias Pettersson was involved. Once again, there was some comeback in Buffalo and finally a powerplay goal by way of Mr. October Powerplay Victor Olofsson. It was a pretty one-timer too within the last minute of the middle frame. It would be 3-3 going into the third period and the script writing unto this point was interesting, it felt like we were due for something really trash or really nice in the third act. Turns out we got both. On a play that started all the way back in their own zone, Tyler Myers and JT Miller come streaking in on Hutton and Miller gives Myers a gorgeous assist to slam in a real banger, 4-3 Canucks… wait for it… shorthanded! That’s some real trash, friends. Does that feel bad? Well how about another for Antoine Roussel, 5-3, guess whose an all-star now? Make it happen Vancouver, you can vote nine times a day! Now, here’s something to ponder: What if I told you 2014 NHL All-Star Zemgus Girgensons would play into yet another comeback? Funny joke, eh? This is a comedy, but it’s based on a true story like Tag. LOL. Yeah, Girgensons did it at 12:05 of the third period and once again made it a one goal game. Keep it close guys! Hell, you can win it too if you want! Unfortunately this entertainment was not a comedy… if it was it was a dark one. No, this was a tragedy when all was said and done.

The seven remaining minutes of regulation were not without excitement. Pettersson almost scored a true slapper for the ages and the boys wearing blue (not Vancouver because remember, they’re wearing those awful black skate jerseys) kicked into gear for the late equalizer. In the last five minutes or so Buffalo really found their stride forcing the Canucks to only have the option of icing it to get a break. With 58 seconds left Marcus Johansson gets the puck way out at the blueline and rips a shot through the woods and five hole to find the equalizer. Skinner-Johansson-Asplund is a sneaky good line. Weirdly enough Johansson has been the worst part of it lately so hopefully this big goal gets him going again. I’ll be honest I’d feel a little wronged as a Canucks fan. The refs called this game with endless penalties for Vancouver. It was almost like these refs really wanted to see how bad our powerplay is. This one was settled in OT. This overtime period was weird AF. Henri Jokiharju got called for tripping a Canuck and effectively iced a Jack Eichel game winning goal. I’m not saying it was unfair seeing it back again but perhaps the refs felt they had some making up to do. OT Powerplays are cardiac experiences. Jack Hughes almost scored a dozen times before JT Miller scored a high rocket Hutton couldn’t get his glove to. 6-5 OT Loss, the Sabres were in it the whole time and got a point for it but, damn that felt like an opportunity missed. It’s never easy, even when it’s fun.

I think the hockey gods took umbridge with my suggestion the Sabres could get 4 out of 6 points on this trip. Between the embarrassing 45 or so minutes in Calgary and the final result tonight in Vancouver we’ve got two points… and I kinda feel that maybe it for us before the next time we see them at home. Have you seen Conor McDavid lately? Hell, have you seen Leon Draisaitl lately? If the game Buffalo wins on this trip is Edmonton I am going to look like a real clown. If it happens though I will be proudly making balloon animals. Like, comment and share this blog. For us bloggers there are no loser points in engaging our readers. Maybe tonight respond to this post with an emoji describing how this game made you feel. Do a whole a dramatic tragedy with emojis! I’m feeling festive. With tomorrow’s lineup of games for Buffalo teams it will be incredible of we get one win out of our teams this weekend. Let’s Go Buffalo!

Thanks for Reading.

P.S. Okay so the Canucks have never had a good jersey. However the Skate jersey and the flying V are a special kind of tacky. If aliens had to represent visually what popular culture was in the 1980s they could really just show that ugly rag.

[viraphysiotherapy]

Vira Physiotherapy & Sports Injury Clinic provides Concussion Management in Edmonton

Vira Physiotherapy & Sports Injury Clinic provides Concussion Management in Edmonton. we don't take hard hits lightly. Concussions are mild traumatic brain injuries that can alter the way your brain functions.

[momentumspinephysiotherapy]

Welcome to arthritis physiotherapy edmonton, where your recovery and well-being are our top priorities. If you're searching for expert care and exceptional results, you've come to the right place. We specialize in providing physiotherapy services in Edmonton, tailored to your specific needs. Whether you're looking for physiotherapy near you or in search of professional guidance to achieve optimal recovery, Momentum is here to help.

[winterolympicssports2018-blog]

A Penguins-Predators rematch for the Stanley Cup looks likely

Click here for More Olympics Updates https://www.winterolympian.com/a-penguins-predators-rematch-for-the-stanley-cup-looks-likely/

A Penguins-Predators rematch for the Stanley Cup looks likely

Are we headed for another Stanley Cup final between the back-to-back-champion Pittsburgh Penguins and the team they defeated in the six-game final nine months ago, the Nashville Predators?

This certainly appears to be the case.

We’re not ignoring contenders like the Winnipeg Jets, Vegas Golden Knights, Tampa Bay Lightning, Boston Bruins and other clubs that have put together stellar regular seasons, but no teams have performed as well as the Predators and Penguins since the calendar flipped to 2018.

Best records in 2018

Nashville (33 games) 24-4-5 — 53 points

Pittsburgh (32 games) 22-8-2 — 46 points

Minnesota (33 games) 21-8-4 — 46 points

Toronto (32 games) 20-7-5 — 45 points

Colorado (34 games) 20-9-5 — 45 points

Philadelphia (35 games) 21-11-3 — 5 points

San Jose (36 games) 20-11-5 — 45 points

Worst records in 2018

Vancouver (33 games) 9-20-4 — 22 points

Detroit (34 games) 11-19-4 — 26 points

N.Y. Islanders (33 games) 10-17-6 — 26 points

Chicago (35 games) 12-20-3 — 27 points

Montreal (33 games) 10-15-8 — 28 points

Carolina (34 games) 13-17-4 — 30 points

Edmonton (33 games) 14-17-2 — 30 points

The Penguins took their sweet time finding their groove this season. After a 4-1 loss on New Year’s Eve in Detroit, Pittsburgh was 22nd overall in the 31-team league and in danger of not making the playoffs. The loss of veterans like Chris Kunitz, Nick Bonino, Matt Cullen, Ron Hainsey and Trevor Daley appeared difficult to overcome.

But after three months of struggles, captain Sidney Crosby picked up his play and Evgeni Malkin has been brilliant and is now considered a strong Hart Trophy candidate. Phil Kessel also has been dazzling; with 10 games left on the docket, he only needs four points to post his career-best season.

Pittsburgh general manager Jim Rutherford worked his usual deadline magic, and the addition of Derick Brassard will be big in the playoffs. He played well for the Ottawa Senators in their march to the East final a year ago and contributed to the New York Rangers’ run to the 2013-14 Stanley Cup final.

The Penguins have even survived a nine-game absence from No. 1 goalie Matt Murray, who is due to return this week from a concussion.

Consistency in Tennessee

The Predators, on the other hand, have been a model of consistency this season and keep improving as the playoffs quickly approach. They are first overall as of Monday and appear destined to win the Presidents’ Trophy. They are currently on a 13-0-1 run — only the Bruins have had a longer point streak this season at 14-0-4 — and Nashville was the first team to clinch a playoff spot on Friday.

They added Bonino in the off-season and centre Kyle Turris through a trade last fall. Dependable defenceman Ryan Ellis returned to action from off-season knee surgery in early January.

Then former captain Mike Fisher unretired and veteran general manager David Poile added another piece in right wing Ryan Hartman from the Chicago Blackhawks at the trade deadline.

The Predators already have strong goaltending with Pekka Rinne and an outstanding defence corps with current captain Roman Josi, P.K. Subban, Ellis and Mattias Ekholm.

Now they have one of the strongest middles with Ryan Johansen, Turris, Bonino and Fisher to combat the Penguins’ capable group of Crosby, Malkin, Brassard and Riley Sheahan.

The NHL hasn’t had repeat Stanley Cup finalists since the Red Wings and Penguins clashed in the 2007-08 and 2008-09 championship series, with Detroit winning the first one and Pittsburgh taking the rematch.

The Penguins have exhibited resiliency this season. They won’t go easy. They have a shot at winning a third championship in a row, something that hasn’t been accomplished since the Islanders won four straight between 1979-80 and 1982-83.

The Predators, however, have improved their roster and have high hopes of duplicating what Pittsburgh did to Detroit nine years ago.

Source link

[andrewuttaro]

New Look Sabres: GM 44 - CAR - No Answers

When Jeff Skinner got the All-Star Weekend’s Last Man in Atlantic Division spot this afternoon it felt like we had won something. It’s always fun when it feels like a whole community is behind something but this insistence seems to be a thing with team that don’t win many things. Our closest friends to the north had a few of their players get together in a hotel room and make a video campaigning for Morgan Reilly to be this division’s last man in. We have our guys and we stick by them, especially when we don’t have the mystique of banners blurring our vision. Jeff Skinner, a Toronto boy himself, came into this first game against his former team of eight seasons on a wicked tear tallying 29 goals in 43 games. His agent has also surely ended the telephone tag with the Buffalo Sabres front office to begin contract talks in earnest. For several reasons I think I speak for many Sabres fans when I say hanging a few goals on this Canes team, especially by the stick of Skinner, was a tantalizing idea entering tonight. The 2006 series is a little before my time so the crux of my hatred for Carolina is really rooted in the Whalers night and their treatment of our boy, Jeff. That trade in the rearview mirror last summer and the organization looking for a scoring winger now as if they didn’t have one for eight years, sets the stage for an excellent playoff trash talk: Carolina, Your loaded lineup is clearer to everyone outside then it is to any of the old-fashion tools you have in your front office. You got a GM smart enough to recognize the brilliance of post-game rituals but not smart enough to understand y’all were one goalie away from contention last summer. A Playoff series with you would be a fun confluence of circumstances that would create a small City of fun narratives not least of which would be both teams having being out of the playoffs for so long. Y’all don’t have it, though. You certainly don’t have the goaltending to win a series and of the glut of skilled skaters who would make it difficult for the Sabres to go sweeping these Canes together are less than the sum of their parts. Sabres in 5, and your uninspired team back into the basement! Let’s get down to some Friday night fun!

The first ten minutes of this game was remarkably similar in chances and overall pace. It was back and forth pretty consistently well Carolina seemed to give up the more juicy rebounds and overall chances. Then just about the screwiest goal against for the Sabres this season happened when noted trade bait Micheal Ferland put the puck high on Carter Hutton and the puck went almost straight up. It bounced off the top of the net back toward Hutton and Marco Scandella came rushing into help only to help knock it in. Lucky bounce: Carolina up 1-0. There would be more screwy goals in this game unfortunately. With Jack Eichel back in this game he centers a top line of Skinner and Tage Thompson. Thompson got his opportunities last game; more than that he’s looked great lately and you got to think the patience Phil Housley and this coaching staff has had with him is paying off. That’s a fun top line and after the Sabres held off the Canes push through the remainder of the first it gave us some fun. Rasmus Dahlin was right in front of Curtis McElhinney and put one past him but not in before Jeff Skinner swung in and evened up this game at 1 with twenty seconds left in the first. Even better, it was a powerplay goal for a club that rarely scores powerplay goals. Even better: screw Carolina and their foolish management for cutting loose our sweet Jeff for having a couple concussions several years ago! An NHL team traded this guy! I know we said the same thing about Ryan O’Reilly but guys, this shit is the real deal this time!

It was nothing but good vibes going into the second. Then things really opened up. There was powerplay going each way in the first. In the second there were five; favoring Carolina of course but five. This middle frame is when Carolina outshoots Buffalo who outshot them in the first. The Sabres powerplay had an opportunity early in this period to get ahold of this game and it failed to because we almost forgot how the PP goes on this team with that Skinner goal, eh? Starting at 4:30 into this period three goals happened in 1 minute and 12 seconds. First it was grizzled Canes legacy veteran Justin Williams who skated in from the left wall on Hutton and put it over his near shoulder. Thirty seconds later Evan Rodrigues, Jason Pominville and Johan Larsson come streaming into the O-zone and even though that sounds like the setup to a joke the goal Pommer scored straight as an arrow down the middle was no joke. It was 2-2 for a precious, brief 42 seconds before the most fun name in the NHL Sebastian Aho got a goal in off Rasmus Dahlin’s skate. Hutton had no chance. The rest of the period allowed us to catch our breaths but offered no solace when Sebastian Aho got in another freakish bouncer through Hutton’s legs at 12:27 into the period to get Carolina up 4-2. The Sabres attack seemed to struggle to set up anything in the O-zone for the rest of the period before everyone’s drunk uncle Johan Angry Larry Larson got into a fight he decisively lost against Justin Faulk. The second intermission was nothing like the first: no good vibes this time. Only prayers the third period Sabres come alive and get us this win. Everyone hates Carolina in Buffalo in spite of everyone’s cousin living there according to how many Sabres fans appeared to be at that arena.

Whatever secret mojo the Canes selectively have from season to season, game to game, well they found it. I am not going to bitch and moan about the bounces on the ice because that is the weakest sauce out there. The Canes broke up everything in the third period. Bad bounces aside the Sabres got to the net a handful of times in the in the final frame and just could not get one through. Sabres powerplay: oh you know how it ended. Nothing, nothing happened except my excruciated groans frightening my cats and awaking my wife. That is, until the final five minutes of this game when Kyle Okposo goes all the way down the wall and rode the goal line in and shot the tightest angle goal humanly possible. That makes sense coming from the sex-man: it made me think if Pommer and Okposo can score in this one maybe we can get a November style comeback. My hopes went up and not long after Hutton went off for the extra man and Buffalo called a timeout. Trailing by one goal with less than two minutes left you see the guys gather around the bench where assistant coach Davis Payne strategizes with the olde clipboard. Housley has had some trouble with his behind-the-bench staff or at least that’s the hot rumor right now. Payne seems to be the deployment and strategy guy in situations like this. Sure, the Canes didn’t score an empty netter but this game ended 4-3 and I can’t help but look at the Blue and Gold struggling to get some O-zone time in those last minutes with the extra man and think maybe a shake up behind the bench wouldn’t hurt right now. This loss stung and all the Skinner narrative aside, no combination of right wings for him and Eichel got it done as the panicked shuffling began in the third. I’m not saying these last six games have been so rough because deployment has ruined us, Eichel was out for a few games, but whatever it is they got to figure it out. Carolina is a team you have to beat in the back half of this season especially.

I also hate how the Sabres have been back passing and dumping and chasing for the last dozen games or so. That shit kills teams, it’s not aggressive and it’s not what made this team get ahead in the first half of this season. That first half was a lot of luck but also a lot of making your own chances. This team made few of their own chances tonight and this revolting loss to the Hurricanes is the result. It’s Tampa, Edmonton, Calgary and Vancouver now before the bye-week. If you think any of those teams will be a walk in the park you haven’t you haven’t looked at the standings lately. The Buffalo Sabres are going to fall out of their playoff spot and I don’t feel bad saying it now. It’s inevitable now. The question really is can they get it back: can they? Jack’s going to look a better as we go here but it’s going to take the whole team to make good on the risen standards of this season. The Sabres answered a goal with a goal in the second period of this game but right now it really feels like they have no answers for a team that is damn near in free fall. What’s going to turn it around?

I apologize for this cloud of depression over your Friday night but hey, that’s not my fault is it? Tampa Bay is tomorrow and I find myself on another trip east this weekend so you probably won’t see that postgame blog until Sunday night. I got to be honest: unless we have a fun little upset to talk about I don’t anticipate there being a lot of enthusiastic recapping going on in that one. In spite of that: share this blog with your friends and drop a like. While you’re doing those things drop a comment as well. Maybe you can answer me this: What will it take to get the Sabres on the right track again at this point? Just like the boys in Blue and Gold I don’t have any answers right now for that.

Thanks for reading.

P.S. I think I am happy with Skinner getting 8 mil AAV over 7 years to as much as 9 mil over 7 years. I think he’s reasonable enough to know he won’t be making Eichel money.

[paradoxicalca]

r/hockey NHL Power Rankings Week 10: Blood in the Water Edition

/r/Hockey NHL Power Rankings Week Dec 2, 2019 - Dec 8, 2019Thank YouThank you to all of the volunteers doing the power rankings. Each ranker has their own system and have their own reasonings and analyis. It truly is a lot of work.RankersSpoilerOrganizersSpoilerVisualizationThe visualization contains historical data, so you can see how your team has done over time. Hopefully, we can run this for many years in hopes that we can see the rise and fall of teams by /r/hockey opinion.It automatically updates so feel free to bookmark. You can find it hereProcessHow does this work? Throughout the course of the week rankers are able to access an app that will allow them to rank teams. At the end of the period we calculate the average ranking for every team and collate all of the analysis provided by rankers.The app then generates a post that is first proofread and then posted to /r/hockey!Rankings (27/31 Rankers Reporting)Ranking (avg)TeamDeltaOverall RecordRecord This WeekComments1 (1.38)Washington Capitals122-4-53-0-0The Caps are the best team in the league. Let me tell you what - a president's trophy type season is a lot more fun with a cup under the belt. 128-point pace, 80% of available points, and the most remarkable thing is it feels sustainable. After sweeping the Cali trip last week (for the first time ever) the Caps play the Jackets and the Bruins at home then the Bolts away. When the team is clicking like this every game's a treat. Right now it's must watch hockey. Go caps.2 (2.66)Boston Bruins-120-4-61-1-1A look at the calendar told me the Bruins' point streak would end against Colorado and the Bruins' first regulation loss at home would be against them too. The curse of Ray Bourque lives on another season. Still, this is a slump for the Bruins. Pasta didn't score a goal this week so any thoughts are 50-in-50 are gone. They were #1 in the Power Play going into this week and manage to not score a PP goal; a whopping 0/9 this week, while giving up their first shorthanded goal of the season to Chicago and also scoring their first one against them as well. There would be no "Ford® F-150 Final Five" bailout against the Avs like so many games before that one. Bergeron is still injured which is pas bon. McAvoy seems to be in a bit of a funk with his defensive lapses; not to mention Carlo has more goals and points than him this season so far.3 (3.17)Colorado Avalanche219-8-23-0-0This team is hot. We have no losses in regulation with Rantanen on this team, and his impact is felt even when he doesn't get points. 3 road wins in regulation this week with the toughest game in Boston. Injuries still suck with Kadri, Grubauer and Makar now out, but this team will keep pushing. Our depth has been huge with Burakovsky and Nichuskin starring this week. Next up is a solid homestand Calgary, Philly and potentially our next top winger in Taylor Hall come to the Can this week lets see if we can make it 9 games in a row. Makalder Watch: Cale had a quieter week but has been maintaining that role as our #1 RHD at 5v5 and quarterbacking the PP. His return just demonstrates how dominate our line up can be though as he didn't have this same confidence before Rantanen was hurt. Hopefully nothing to serious on the injury front, he may have been pulled for concussion protocol more than anything else against Boston.4 (5.9)New York Islanders-19-7-22-2-0It wasn't a great week by any stretch but they still managed to get 4/8 points. Lots of line combinations being tested right now, but its good to see Eberle and Lee get on the scoresheet lately. Komarov is showing life again (compared to last year), which is promising given his usage.5 (5.97)St. Louis Blues-218-7-61-2-0Not our best week, but we beat our Hawks and we are still in a good place despite the injuries we are dealing with. Hope to see Kyrou get a chance here soon with the club. Maybe fuck around and trade Jake Allen for William Nylander 1 for 1?6 (8.59)Pittsburgh Penguins617-9-43-0-0If Malkin is the fire I hope Crosby comes back as the flame. It also doesn’t take a genius to see that Jarry is the goalie now. That short-term contract on Murray is looking pretty good right now.7 (8.66)Philadelphia Flyers117-8-52-1-0A 4 game winning streak versus fairly weak teams has done wonders for the Flyers in the standings. Time will tell if all these 1-goal wins are unsustainable in the end, but for now the team is looking quite solid.8 (9)Carolina Hurricanes-118-11-12-1-09 (9.62)Dallas Stars-17-11-32-1-0Splitting games with Jets helps keep us in the playoff hunt, and a solid win over NYI. Rads with 1G 1A after being a healthy scratch the game before.10 (9.93)Edmonton Oilers-418-10-41-1-12 losses (SO to Buffalo and Sens) and a win (Kings) this week. The schedule looked like it should have been a relatively easy 3 wins, but this is the Oilers we're talking about; no way that happens. This team is floundering and the source of the problem is surprisingly everyone but our bottom 6. That's right, just when the bottom 6 has shown up to the season, everyone else is taking a break. This team has games against the Canes, Wild and Leafs, all of whom we haven't historically done well against. Still tied for the Pacific lead, though that may not last long.11 (10.03)Winnipeg Jets-118-10-22-0-1The Jets keep unsustainably winning... for the 7th week in a row. Hellebuyck continues to post unsustainable numbers while our offensive talent produces unsustainably high numbers relative to their advanced stats. Meanwhile, the D are playing unsustainably above expectations, and PoMo continues to chew Juicy Fruit at an unsustainable rate. If there was one word I'd have to use the describe the unsustainable Jets, it'd have to be ... consistency.12 (10.1)Arizona Coyotes-118-10-43-1-013 (15.24)Vegas Golden Knights215-12-52-1-1Even though the Knights just lost to the Rangers 5-0, they were just in a 5 game point streak and it was all with back up goalie Malcolm Subban in net. Now that Fleury has returned, lets see if the Knights can have a much better December.14 (15.31)Florida Panthers-15-9-52-1-0Disappointing loss against the Wild to start the week, but the team bounced back with wins against the BJs and the Sharks. The defense and Bob both played well which is very encouraging.15 (15.34)Tampa Bay Lightning214-10-32-1-0The Bolts are slowly coming out of their slumber. The Wild game had problems but even then the boys nearly got a point out of the whole affair. In the last 14 games the team only has 1 multi goal loss and that was due to an empty net. This team is playing some extremely competitive hockey. But the biggest difference this season is depth. They have 12 players with 10 or more points and could have as many as 14 after Monday.16 (15.72)Vancouver Canucks215-11-42-0-0The Canucks only played twice this week, but at least they scored eleven times. The team manages to keep its head above water after a few weeks of mediocrity. The big story is Roussel's return to the line up - nicley timed with fellow agitator Burrows' entry into the ring of honour - and he has seen immediate success with Virtanen and Gaudette on the perfectly-named "Gravy Line." Hello, depth scoring; we've missed you.17 (17.59)Nashville Predators213-10-51-0-1It's weird, in some ways this team looks to be moving forward, getting some solid play out of the younger players. At the same time, it also seems strongly reminiscent of last year's team that coasted to a first round bow out. Which is the real Preds? Only time (and likely lots of booze) will tell.18 (18.31)San Jose Sharks-515-15-20-3-1Another bad week for the Sharks showing their consistency issues. The team can be one of the best in the league when they want, but at times they look like AHLers. Poor defence has plagued this team for a while now, and it needs to be fixed if we want to make the playoffs. Hopefully we can turn it around next week before we find ourselves halfway through the season and out of a playoff spot.19 (18.86)Calgary Flames315-12-42-0-0Calgary has won 4 straight under Geoff Ward. The team appears to be putting in more effort and the results show it. The Flames are icing 4 competitive lines and Johnny Hockey is starting to look like himself again. Overall, things are looking up for the Flames.20 (19.21)Toronto Maple Leafs-414-13-41-2-0Freddy Andersen is probably the most underrated goalie in the NHL. But even the Leafs don't appreciate him. After they fell behind 3-1 late against Philly on Tuesday, the team let up an empty-netter, then completely collapsed and left their star goalie out to dry, as the Flyers blew it open 6-1. After the game, Andersen asked coach Keefe if he could play the second game of a B2B against the Avalanche, and Keefe used it as a statement that the Leafs needed that game. Quite the storyline, huh? Still lost. Don't let MacKinnon have that much time. Or Nichushkin. Wait who? Overall not a bad game, just a close one where Spezza made the mistake on the PP to give up a breakaway. In Marner's second game healthy, he dished two assists, and Matthews broke a 5 game goalless drought against the defending champs, forcing them to yank Binnington after a 4-1 first period. The Leafs shut it down well, and left St. Louis with the two points and a 5-2 win. The Leafs head west next week, facing the Canucks, Flames and Oilers21 (19.93)New York Rangers-115-11-32-2-022 (20.21)Minnesota Wild214-12-42-1-0A couple of minor setbacks this week with the point streak coming to an end in Carolina, and injuries to Jared Spurgeon and Mikko Koivu. But the fact that Wild fans are disappointed in a 2-1-0 road trip shows just how different the atmosphere is around this team compared to the beginning of the season. While thoughts go out to Devan Dubnyk being home due to his wife's undisclosed illness, the team has solidified around Alex Stalock and Kaapo Kahkonen - the latter of which should get more ice time moving forward. I'm sure Wild brass want to be careful around handling the Big Kahk but so far he's shown a natural feel for getting out of tight spots without making a mess.23 (21.72)Montreal Canadiens-13-11-62-1-0The Habs recovered from an 8 game losing streak with a strong week, earning hard-fought wins against the Isles and the Rangers. Weber and Gallagher have led the way, bolstered by solid contributions from Danault, Suzuki, Cousins, Thompson, and others. Team effort. But for how much longer can Ben Chiarot channel Chris Pronger? Help wanted. Otherwise, Cayden Primeau held his own in his NHL debut (a tough 3-2 home loss to Makar's Avalanche), and we're sure to see him again next week-- speaking for myself, I prefer Primeau to Kinkaid for these back-to-backs anyway. All told, this team misses Jonathan Drouin more than ever, and fans can hope that his return in the new year might provide a welcome boost. We'll see. In the meantime, the Habs continue to tread water in a turbulent Atlantic. It's been a wild ride so far!24 (21.76)Buffalo Sabres-314-11-62-1-1An average week is a good week at this point. We've had a lot of overtime games recently due to the fact that we don't usually play a coherent, homogeneous 60 minute game. Kyle Okposo was back in the lineup this week, and he scored in each game he played. I really think he adds something to the team, and I really hope he doesn't have to deal with any more concussion issues. After the OT win in Edmonton Jack Eichel is on a 13 game point streak, the longest in the league and of his career so far. I should mention the New Jersey game but I think the Devils' writer will have that covered.25 (23.66)Anaheim Ducks-12-14-41-2-0We won the battle of the basement! 2 solid efforts in games against Winnipeg and washington. Basically the right way to lose games if that makes sense.26 (24.31)Chicago Blackhawks112-12-62-1-1Blackhawks missing time this week: Keith (week-to-week with a groin injury), Shaw (concussion), Caggiula (day-to-day after a concussion), Maatta (illness), Lehner (missed Monday with food poisoning), Strome (returned Thursday from a concussion), M. Crawford (on leave due to allegations against him). The Hawks were forced to start the game one man down on Monday due to injuries and cap concerns. Despite these issues, the moms spurred the Hawks to wins in Boston and New Jersey. Milestones achieved this week: DeBrincat's 150th point, C. Crawford's 250th win, De Haan's 100th point, Gustafsson's 100th point, Toews's 900th game. After a 12-game goal-less streak, Alex DeBrincat has a 3-game goal streak.27 (27)Columbus Blue Jackets-111-14-40-3-0We need to fix the Jacket's power play. Monkey paw curls -- Our PP is actually pretty decent now, but that's the only part of our offense that seem to generate chances these days. Or, if we do generate chances, we outshoot our opponent 47-19 and lose 2-3 (like vs NYR this week). Is it all mental or was Panarin really that integral to our offense that we have no answer?28 (27.83)Ottawa Senators112-17-11-2-0This is exactly the kind of week the Sens needed after our recent success in the standings - a pure focused noseline dive away from "contender" territory and firmly into the "rebuilding" zone. The Wings have really stepped up their tanking game with a remarkable 9 game losing streak, and the Sens have a LOT of ground to cover in Operation DernièrePourLafrenière. It's also reassuring in the midst of this much needed losing streak to see Marcus Hogberg a good game versus the Flames; he will likely be backup to Nilsson next season when we, hopefully, are less interested in picking first overall.29 (28.55)Los Angeles Kings-111-18-20-4-0This quote from coach TMAC about sums it up “We come in after the game, we sit there and we look at each other, and we just keep telling the same story over and over again,” which is what I've felt like I've been doing the whole season thus far. In bright spots, Adrian Kempe has been looking great, and his play has become a talking point amongst Kings media. Furthermore, the Kings haven't been playing particularly poorly, its just key moments and special teams. They've actually been solid in 5 on 5 hockey. Hopefully the Kings can turn it around- a large portion of the upcoming schedule is on the road- and it will be vital for the Kings to obtain some points.30 (29.45)New Jersey Devils-9-15-50-3-131 (31)Detroit Red Wings-7-21-30-2-0Alexis Lafreniere has 70 points in 32 games. So we go that going for us. Which is nice. r/hockey NHL Power Rankings Week 10: Blood in the Water Edition Source

[marilynngmesalo]

L.A. Kings hire former Sharks, Oilers coach Todd McLellan

L.A. Kings hire former Sharks, Oilers coach Todd McLellan L.A. Kings hire former Sharks, Oilers coach Todd McLellan https://ift.tt/eA8V8J

LOS ANGELES — Todd McLellan was hired as the new head coach of the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday, taking over a two-time Stanley Cup-winning franchise that slumped to the NHL’s second-worst record this season.

McLellan replaces Willie Desjardins, who wasn’t retained after he replaced John Stevens early in the season and did little to halt the Kings’ precipitous slide. Although much of the core talent remains from the Kings’ championship-winning teams in 2012 and 2014, Los Angeles finished 31-42-9 in its worst season since 2007-08.

The 51-year-old McLellan has ample head coaching experience with two of the Kings’ Pacific Division rivals.

He spent seven years as the coach of the San Jose Sharks, making six playoff appearances from 2009-14 and reaching two Western Conference finals while winning the 2009 Presidents’ Trophy. The job was his first NHL head coaching gig after serving as an assistant with Detroit’s Stanley Cup-winning team in 2008.

McLellan’s final playoff series with the Sharks was the infamous first-round series in 2014 in which Los Angeles rallied from a 0-3 series deficit to eliminate the 111-point Sharks. Those Kings eventually won their second Stanley Cup title.

After getting fired in 2015 following San Jose’s only non-playoff season since 2003, McLellan spent more than three seasons in charge of the Edmonton Oilers, somewhat reviving the long-struggling franchise.

McLellan led the Oilers to their first 100-point season since 1987 and their only playoff appearance since 2006, but was still fired last Nov. 20 after a 9-10-1 start.

McLellan has 434 career victories behind the bench, ranking 33rd in NHL history and 11th among active coaches. He also was a candidate for the coaching vacancy in Buffalo, but stayed on the West Coast.

//<![CDATA[ ( function() { pnLoadVideo( "videos", "beuajG9W2CQ", "pn_video_33202", "", "", {"controls":1,"autoplay":0,"is_mobile":""} ); } )(); //]]>

McLellan is taking on a rebuilding job with the Kings, who haven’t won a playoff series since claiming their second Stanley Cup title five years ago.

Los Angeles was the NHL’s second lowest-scoring team last season, managing just 199 goals despite the elite talents of Anze Kopitar, Drew Doughty and Jeff Carter. The Kings’ 259 goals allowed were the 10th-most in the league despite the presence of Conn Smythe Trophy-winning goalie Jonathan Quick.

The Kings also had a dismal draft lottery last week, slipping the maximum three places to the fifth overall pick.

The Kings will introduce McLellan at a news conference Wednesday.

Flyers hire Alain Vigneault as next head coach

Sharks’ Joe Thornton suspended for Game 4 for head hit

Alex Ovechkin punch puts Andrei Svechnikov into concussion protocol

Click for update news Bangla news http://bit.ly/2GpOn1Q world news

[viraphysiotherapy]

Find the Best Concussion Management at Edmonton

At Vira Physiotherapy, we are dedicated to providing professional Concussion Management in Edmonton. If you are looking for Concussion Management in Edmonton then Vira Physiotherapy is here to help you with the most effective treatment plans. Book Your Appointment!...

[momentumspinephysiotherapy]

Considering Concussion Physiotherapy in Edmonton? Choose Momentum Physiotherapy!

Introduction:

Suffering from a concussion can be a challenging experience, impacting various aspects of your life, from cognitive function and balance to emotional well-being. At Momentum Physiotherapy Edmonton, we understand the complexities of concussion management and offer specialized care to help you recover safely and effectively. Our dedicated team of professionals at our concussion physiotherapy Edmonton is committed to providing personalized treatment to support your journey to optimal recovery.

Body:

At Momentum Physiotherapy Edmonton, we recognize the importance of early intervention and comprehensive care in concussion management. Our specialized Concussion Management Clinic is equipped with tools and techniques to assess and treat concussions effectively, ensuring a smooth recovery process.

Our team of experienced physiotherapists is trained in the latest concussion management protocols and techniques, allowing us to provide individualized care tailored to your specific needs and symptoms. Whether you're experiencing headaches, dizziness, balance issues, or cognitive deficits, we're here to help you regain function and improve your quality of life.

Using a multidisciplinary approach, we collaborate closely with other healthcare professionals, such as neurologists, sports medicine physicians, and psychologists, to ensure you receive comprehensive care that addresses all aspects of your concussion. From initial assessment and diagnosis to ongoing monitoring and rehabilitation, we'll guide you through every step of your recovery journey.

Our concussion physiotherapy services may include vestibular physiotherapy edmonton, vision therapy, balance training, cognitive rehabilitation, and gradual return-to-activity protocols. We'll work with you to develop a customized treatment plan that targets your specific symptoms and goals, empowering you to regain control of your health and well-being.

In addition to our clinical services, we also prioritize education and support to help you understand your injury and manage symptoms effectively. From strategies to prevent future concussions to guidance on returning to work, school, and sports safely, we'll provide you with the tools and resources you need to navigate your recovery with confidence.

Conclusion:

Don't let a concussion hold you back from living life to the fullest. Trust the experienced team at Momentum Physiotherapy Edmonton to provide you with the specialized care and support you need to recover safely and effectively. With our comprehensive approach to Physiotherapy Edmonton concussion management, techniques, and compassionate guidance, we're here to help you on your journey to optimal recovery. Schedule your appointment today and take the first step towards a brighter, symptom-free future.

[thrashermaxey]

Ramblings: Double Hat Tricks, The Bruins’ Crease, Strome, Dzingel, and Rittich (Jan. 23)

  Oh boy, am I ever glad I caught the early game on Tuesday’s schedule. It was the marquee matchup pitting the defending Stanley Cup champs versus the San Jose Sharks. The two squads did not disappoint.

  13 goals, two hat tricks, two two-goal deficits wiped out. Good times.

  Alex Ovechkin led the Caps with his third trick of the season and added an assist for good measure. The captain is up to 36 goals and 56 points in 49 contests. With that performance, Ovechkin extended his goal-scoring lead to six.

  {source} <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Alex Ovechkin has now hit 35+ goals in 11 NHL seasons. <br><br>Insane.</p>— /Cam Robinson/ (@Hockey_Robinson) <a href="https://twitter.com/Hockey_Robinson/status/1087883566363566080?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 23, 2019</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>{/source}

  However, it wasn’t enough as Washington surrendered a 6-4 lead in the third period and lost the game 7-6 in overtime. That’s six straight losses for the Caps.

  The hero of that extra frame was Tomas Hertl. The 25-year-old is having a career-season and added to that with his own three-goal, four-point night affair. It’s his second hat trick in the last five contests. He’s already matched his career-high in goals (22) set last season, and is just one shy of his career-high in points (45).

  He’s vying for the award for best value in fantasy drafts at this point.

  Linemate, Evander Kane continued his red-hot play right alongside Hertl scoring two goals in this one. The left-winger has 12 goals and 24 points in his last 19 contests while putting up 3.5 shots per game over that span. All but three of those points have come at five-on-five.

  After a dreadful November and so-so December, the 27-year-old has been a man possessed.

  Kane has always been a streaky scorer, but the difference this year is his chemistry and the development of Hertl. Kane is clicking well above his normal assist-rate, all the while finding the back of the net in a sustainable way. He's likely to go on a goal-scoring binge at some point too, but when he's dried up, you can likely now count on the apples to keep your squad from starving with him in the lineup.

  These two players performing at such high levels are excellent signs for the Sharks as we witness Joe Thornton finally begin to succumb to Father Time and his perfect record.

  **

Not to be forgotten, Joe Pavelski added a goal and three helpers, and Logan Couture added a goal and two assists. Both of these guys are producing just below a point-per-game and are continuing to bring the consistent results that a fantasy team can set their watch to.

  **

Erik Karlsson sat this one out again. The team still expects he’ll suit up at the local All-Star festivities, which is a good sign that this shouldn't linger into the stretch drive.

  **

Of note, it sounds like Ovechkin will play Wednesday against the Maple Leafs and as such will sit out his All-Star-skipping suspension on February 1 against the Flames.

  **

Don’t look now, but the Arizona Coyotes are just two points out of a Wild Card spot. Their 3-2 win over the Senators on Tuesday evening catapulted them up the standings and into that spot.

  This is a squad that has been decimated by injuries this season. They don’t have their starting netminder. They’ve been without top forwards, and top defenders. They lack star power but are finding ways to win games.

  Not exactly a recipe for fantasy owners to be clamouring for.

  The injury concerns haven’t subsided yet either. Tuesday night saw the squad down to four defenders for a stretch as Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Niklas Hjalmarsson both left the game. Hjalmarsson returned but OEL did not.

  No word on his condition for tonight, but with the All-Star break upon us, here’s hoping that rest will suffice for OEL. At this point though, I feel it’s time to stop considering Ekman-Larsson as a high-end asset, or even one with a high-end upside.

  He’ll be 28 this offseason and has played at or above a 50-point pace just once in his career. He has witnessed his shooting volume and conversion rate consistently decline over the last four seasons. God help you if your league still counts plus/minus. 

  **

Lost in the shuffle of this one was Ryan Dzingel scoring his 20th goal of the season. The soon-to-be unrestricted free agent has saved his best hockey for when his bank account needed it most. The speedy 26-year-old winger is on pace for a tidy 34 goals and 65 points.

  Hands up if you saw this one coming?

  Dzingel is clicking at 18 percent which is likely to see some regression, but this is a player who hasn’t shot below 11.5 in any of his four NHL campaigns. He’s putting 2.3 shots on net per game after managing just 1.7 a year ago. His production will likely slow, but doesn't appear to be a true apparition. 

  All this while finding chemistry with Matt Duchene means he’s a worthy stream in the back half of the season. Even as the Senators likely settle in at the bottom of the standings, Dzingel, Duchene and Mark Stone all have millions of reasons to produce big numbers with July 1st looming.

  **

Chicago has won two games in a row. This is not a drill.

  On the heels of an 8-5 drubbing of the Caps on Sunday, the Blackhawks defeated the Metropolitan Division-leading Islanders 3-2 in the shootout on Tuesday. Dylan Strome and Jonathan Toews scored for the Hawks, while Valtteri Filppula and Mat Barzal answered for the Isles.

  Strome has been given new life in the Windy City. He has 15 points in his last 13 games and has reignited the chemistry with junior linemate, Alex DeBrincat on the Hawks’ second line. He’s also loving life on the top power-play unit.

  This is why we don’t toss away high-pedigree players before their 22nd birthday.

  Meanwhile, Toews now has 17 points in his last 14 games and 48 in 51 games overall. That 0.94 point-per-game output is right in line with his peak production during Chicago’s heyday. Perhaps we were too quick to write off the captain as waiver wire fodder.

  Patrick Kane is on pace for 47 goals and 116 points.

Jonathan Toews is on pace for 35 goals and 77 points.

Alex DeBrincat is on pace for 40 goals.

  Yet the Blackhawks are racing towards a lottery finish. In the world of fantasy, I’ll take that combination over the Coyotes’ situation any day.

  **

Drake Caggiula skated on the top line with Kane and Toews for the second straight contest skating 20 minutes on Tuesday. He’s failed to record a point in either match, but if he’s to live there long term, that makes for an interesting stream for daily setups.

  **

Edmonton lost again. This time to the team who started the night in 31st place. But, hey, at least they locked up a 30-year-old goaltender with 31 games of NHL experience and a 0.905 career save percentage. *shrug*

  Mikko Koskinen took the loss tonight, stopping 24 of 27 shots. He’s 3-8-0 in his last 12 games (10 starts) with a 0.880 save percentage and a couple of hooks midway. Not exactly pressuring management to extend him. 

  Needless to say, I don’t love the extension.

  Then there’s this:

{source}<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">They canned a head coach, the GM is on the firing line, they're 12th in the West and just lost at home to the last place team in the NHL. <br><br>And (I am not making this up) statistically this is the Edmonton Oilers fourth best season in the last 13 years.</p>— Rob Tychkowski (@Rob_Tychkowski) <a href="https://twitter.com/Rob_Tychkowski/status/1087933082282405888?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 23, 2019</a></blockquote>

<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>{/source}

  I’m guessing that seat under Peter Chiarelli is red hot.

  **

The Flames defeated the Hurricanes 3-2 in overtime in the late affair. David Rittich was once again stellar, stopping 33 of 35 to win his seventh game in the last eight. He owns a 0.918 save percentage on the season and has fully and completely locked down the starting gig in Calgary.

  With the way the Flames are playing, that’s a mighty powerful asset.

  **

Sebastian Aho continues his run by recording an assist in this one to give him 16 points in his last 11 games and 54 in 49 on the season.

  Meanwhile, Andrei Svechnikov saw just 12 minutes of ice and none on the man-advantage. Not exactly the setup we were hoping to see the youngster rocket down the back 30.

  **

There were some whispers leaking out of Boston regarding Tuukka Rask's health status on Tuesday. If you missed it, Rask suffered a nasty looking concussion when his own defender, Charlie McAvoy shoved Filip Chytil into him during a rush.

  https://dobberhockey.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/01/Rask-Conky.mp4

  Apparently, the Bruins’ trainer needed to be held back from McAvoy as he was irate that he put their goaltender in such a dangerous position. After the game, Rask was wearing a blindfold to deflect any light – not a great sign for a minor concussion.

  On Tuesday, his agent said that Rask is more day-to-day and that the injury doesn’t appear to be anything too serious. Speaking from experience, thinking that a concussion won’t be a big deal a few days after the incident is asking for trouble. We can hope Rask returns quickly and healthy, but I’m sure the Bruins (and fantasy owners) are preparing for the worst. That universe sees Jaroslav Halak take the reins.

  Back in November, this wouldn’t have seemed like much of an issue. Halak was vastly outplaying Rask – arguably playing the best hockey since his run in Montreal all those seasons ago. However, despite his strong play at the time, the Bruins refused to anoint either as the clear number one and have run a pure tandem setup.

  Season to date:

Rask: 14-8-3 0.919 SV% over 1457 minutes

Halak: 13-9-2 0.919 SV% over 1480 minutes

  However, over the last month, they’re going in opposite directions.

  Since December 22nd

Rask:  6-1-1 0.928 SV%

Halak: 2-4 0.875 SV%

  It looks to have been the right move as Rask appears to need the push throughout the season – similar to what Khudobin did for him last year. This concussion will surely throw a wrench in that. It does open up the value of Halak in a big way though, but only if he can get back to the level of play from earlier this year.

  That’s a big if. But one that is worthy to swing on if you’re in need of a starter on a good team as your squad pushes into the playoffs.

  **

Thanks for reading and feel free to follow me on Twitter @Hockey_Robinson

  from All About Sports https://dobberhockey.com/hockey-rambling/ramblings-double-hat-tricks-the-bruins-crease-strome-dzingel-and-rittich-jan-23/