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crashingthenet · 6 years ago

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12/30-1/5

Weekly Recap:

NHL All-Star Weekend Last Man In voting ends January 10th, so head on over to nhl.com and vote for your favorites up to 10 times a day.

On January 1, the Boston Bruins faced the Chicago Blackhawks in Notre Dame Stadium under the watchful eye of Touchdown Jesus for the 11th annual Winter Classic. The Bruins won 4-2 in regulation.

Anaheim Ducks prospect and Team Canada captain Maxime Comtois has been repeatedly harassed on social media following Team Canada’s departure from the IIHF World Junior Championship.

The Edmonton Oilers recently acquired Brandon Manning from the Chicago Blackhawks, who you may remember as That Guy Who Broke McDavid’s Collarbone and Knocked Him Out of Calder Contention; more on this next week.

Alex Ovechkin, of the Washington Capitals, was named captain of the Metropolitan Division for All-Star Weekend, but later announced he would not be attending. The NHL plans to penalize him by forcing him to sit out the first game immediately following All-Star Weekend.

The Philadelphia Flyers claimed goalie Mike McKenna off waivers from the Vancouver Canucks on Friday; McKenna is the seventh goalie the Flyers have had this season. While McKenna is expected to back Carter Hart, there is a chance he could be starting in net at some point in the near future.

Play of the Week:

During the December 31 matchup between the Dallas Stars and the visiting Montreal Canadiens, who beat the Stars 3-2 in Overtime, defenceman Jordie Benn (a former Star himself) incurred a penalty which resulted in a Power Play Goal scored by his own brother, forward Jamie Benn, captain of the Stars.

Players to Watch:

Forward Nikita Kucherov leads the Tampa Bay Lightning, and the league, with a total of 69 points; that’s 20 goals and 49 assists in 41 games, 17 of these points were notched in the last five games he’s played. Kucherov has a career total of 403 points in 406 games played.

Defenceman Tyson Barrie of the Colorado Avalanche became the all-time leader in scoring by a defenceman in franchise history on Friday. Barrie has 25 assists and 5 goals in 38 games this season. He has a career total of 278 points in 444 games played.

San Jose Sharks goalie Martin Jones has 17 wins, including 1 Shutout, and 4 Overtime Losses in 30 starts this season. Jones has faced an impressive 827 Shots Against this season, and has played a total of 1,751 minutes in 30 games played.

Prospect Watch:

Forward Filip Zadina, drafted 6th overall by the Detroit Red Wings in 2018, has 17 points in 27 games played this season. Zadina was recently loaned to Team Czech Republic for the IIHF World Junior Championship. He had a very successful career in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, where he played for the Halifax Mooseheads. He won the Mike Bossy award as the league’s Best Professional Prospect in 2017-18. Zadina currently plays for the Grand Rapid Griffins of the American Hockey League.

Defenceman Nic Hague, drafted 34th overall by the Las Vegas Golden Knights in 2017, has 17 points in 36 games played this season. Hague played for the Mississauga Steelheads of the Ontario Hockey League. He led the Steelheads in scoring with 35 goals and 78 points in the 17-18 season; he was awarded the Max Kaminsky trophy as Defenceman of the Year. Hague currently plays for the Chicago Wolves of the American Hockey League.

Forward Jordan Kyrou, drafted 35th overall by the St. Louis Blues in 2016, has 10 goals and 23 points in 23 games (in the AHL). Kyrou had a very successful career with the Sarnia Sting of the Ontario Hockey League, tallying 109 points in 56 games during the 2017-18 season. He was awarded both the Red Tilson (Most Outstanding Player) and the Jim Mahon (Top Scoring Right Wing) trophies in 2017-18. Kyrou currently plays for the San Antonio Rampage of the American Hockey League.

Team of the Week:

The New York Rangers, an Original Six team who are currently 5th in the Metropolitan Division of the Eastern Conference, were founded in 1926 and play out of Madison Square Garden. They have won 4 Stanley Cups, most recently in 1993-94. Notable alumni include Mark Messier, Wayne Gretzky, Jaromir Jagr, Tim Horton, Guy Lafleur, Pat LaFontaine, and Marc Savard.

Outside the NHL:

The Calgary Inferno lead the Canadian Women’s Hockey League with 27 points in 16 games played. Rebecca Johnston leads the team with 10 goals and 25 points in 16 games.

The CWHL All-Star Game will take place at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto on January 20.

The Boston Pride lead the National Women’s Hockey League with 14 points in 9 games played. Haley Skarupa leads the team with 4 goals and 11 points in 8 games.

The NWHL All-Star Weekend will take place at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville February 9-10.

Weekly Thoughts:

The Carolina Hurricanes made some interesting moves this summer, though it doesn’t really seem to have worked out so well for them. The Hurricanes had dealings with both the Buffalo Sabres and the Calgary Flames, who appear to have gotten the better end of these deals.

The Buffalo Sabres have been continuously improving their game this season, and currently hold the number one Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference.

Sabres forward Jeff Skinner, acquired from the Carolina Hurricanes this summer, has 28 goals and 41 points in 41 games this season. Last season, Skinner finished with only 49 total points in 82 games.

The Calgary Flames are number one in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference and are, at this point, guaranteed to advance to Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Forward Elias Lindholm, acquired from the Hurricanes this summer in a package deal along with Noah Hanifin, currently has 20 goals and 48 points in 42 games this season with the Flames. Lindholm finished last season with 44 points in 81 games.

Defenceman Noah Hanifin, who was drafted 5th overall by the Hurricanes in 2015, currently has 21 points in 42 games. He tallied 32 points in 79 games last season.

The Carolina Hurricanes are 6th in the Metropolitan Division of the Eastern Conference, and are currently out of playoff contention.

Forward Michael Ferlund, acquired in a package deal from the Calgary Flames, has 12 goals and 19 points in 33 games. He tallied 41 points in 77 games last season.

Acquired in that same deal was defencemen Dougie Hamilton, who has tallied only 5 goals and 13 points in 40 games. Last season, Hamilton had 44 points in 82 games.

In exchange for Skinner, the Hurricanes acquired several future draft picks and prospect Cliff Pu, a forward, from the Sabres. Pu currently plays for the Charlotte Checkers of the American Hockey League. He has a total of 3 points in 30 games this season.

In contrast to the Hurricanes, their AHL affiliate the Charlotte Checkers are having a fantastic season. The Checkers currently lead the Atlantic Division and the entire Eastern Conference with 53 points; that’s 25 wins at two points apiece, and 3 overtime, or OT, losses, which are worth one point each. That’s 5 more points than the second overall team in the conference, the Bridgeport Sound Tigers (48 points), and 6 points more than the number one team in the Western Conference, the Iowa Wild (47 points.)

In addition to being the top team in the league, two Checkers forwards, Nicolas Roy and Martin Necas, have been named CCM/AHL Player of the Week. Forward Janne Kuokkanen and defenceman Trevor Carrick have also been named to the AHL All-Star Classic; Mike Vellucci (Checkers) will coach the Atlantic Division.

Weekly Vocabulary:

Icing: When a player shoots the puck across both the center red line and the opposing team’s goal line with the puck remaining untouched.

Off-Side: When a player crosses the blue line in the attack zone before the puck.

Chirping: Mocking another player/ref/fan.

Body Checking: Using the hip or body to knock an opponent, sometimes against the boards or to the ice. Illegal in women’s hockey.

Hooking: The act of impeding an opponent by placing the blade of a stick into their body. Hooking incurs a penalty.

Slashing: The act of contacting an opponent’s body or stick with one’s own as a result of a swinging motion. Incurs a penalty.

Roughing: The act of contacting an opponent with the hand or fist when making a punching motion. Can incur either a penalty.

Boarding: Checking a defenseless player and causing them to violently impact the boards. Incurs a penalty.

Cross-Checking: The act of checking an opponent with the shaft of the stick held in both hands. Incurs a penalty.

Minor Penalty: Any penalty lasting 2-4 minutes.

Major Penalty: Any Penalty over 5 minutes.

Weekly Trivia:

Every year during the NHL Awards, the Hart Memorial Trophy is awarded to “the player adjudged to be the most valuable to his team.“ Winners are selected by the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association in all NHL cities at the end of the regular season. Wayne Gretzky was awarded to Hart Memorial Trophy a total of nine times throughout his 20 season career, eight of which were consecutive from 1980-87. His ninth and final win came in 1989. Gretzky is one of two players who have won the Hart with more than one team; Mark Messier is the second.

Weekly Standings:

Eastern Conference

Metropolitan Division

Washington Capitals – 52 points

Pittsburgh Penguins – 52 points

Columbus Blue Jackets – 49 points

Atlantic Division

Tampa Bay Lightning – 66 points

Toronto Maple Leafs – 54 points

Boston Bruins – 50 points

Western Conference

Central Division

Winnipeg Jets – 52 points

Nashville Predators – 51 points

Dallas Stars – 48 points

Pacific Division

Calgary Flames – 54 points

Las Vegas Golden Knights – 54 points

San Jose Sharks – 51 points

*Note: all information was obtained prior to 12pm on Saturday January 5. Information occurring after the 12pm deadline will feature next week.

#crashingthenet #carolina hurricanes #buffalo sabres #hurricanes #sabres #new york rangers #rangers

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crashingthenet · 6 years ago

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1/20-1/26

Weekly Recap:

On Wednesday, the Edmonton Oilers officially announced that GM/President Peter Chiarelli had been fired. Earlier this season the Oilers also fired their coach and brought in Ken Hitchcock.

There was slight concern that Erik Karlsson might miss the All-Star Game due to injury, but luckily he was able to participate.

Hockey legend Pavel Datsyuk is coming up on the end of his KHL contract and his agent says he’s not ruling out an NHL return.

In a somewhat unexpected turn of events, Tyler Seguin (Dallas Stars) has made a surprising change is his pregame routine with Mark Scheifele (Winnipeg Jets) by exiting the ice without putting up a fight. Both Scheifele and Seguin prefer to be the last player off the ice after warm-ups which has, in the past, led them to rock-paper-scissors and, most recently, trickery. More on this next week.

Connor McDavid won Fastest Skater for the third year in a row at the All-Star Skills Competition. All Skills Comp results can be found at nhl.com.

Brianna Decker of the US National Women’s Team was among those who demonstrated for the All-Star Skills Comp and her time was faster than that of Leon Draisaitl, who won the competition. This prompted fans to tweet #PayDecker, as the winners of Skills Comps get paid for winning them and fans felt that Decker, who had the fastest overall time, had been cheated. CCM announced they would #PayDecker the full amount.

The NHL announced that they would pay $25,000, the amount of the prize money for competition, to all four demonstrators from the US National Women’s Team; Kendall Coyne Schofield, Brianna Decker, Renata Fast, and Rebecca Johnston. The money will go to the charity of their choice.

The All-Star MVP Award was given to Sidney Crosby for his performance in the All-Star Game.

Additional All-Star coverage and news can be found at nhl.com.

AHL All-Star Classic results can be found at theahl.com.

Play of the Week:

Kendall Coyne Schofield of the US National Women’s Team became the first women to compete at All-Star Weekend. She replaced Nate Mackinnon in the Fastest Skater Competition on Friday.

Players to Watch:

Forward Taylor Hall of the New Jersey Devils currently has 11 goals and 37 points in 33 games played this season. He has a career total of 202 goals and 511 points in 562 games played. Hall was drafted first overall by the Edmonton Oilers in 2010; he played six seasons in Edmonton before being traded to New Jersey in exchange for Adam Larsson.

Forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins of the Edmonton Oilers currently has 16 goals and 46 points in 50 games played this season. He has a career total of 135 goals and 359 points in 507 games played. Nugent-Hopkins was drafted first overall by the Edmonton Oilers in 2011.

Forward Jordan Eberle of the New York Islanders currently has 11 goals and 23 points in 45 games played this season. He has a career total of 201 goals and 464 points in 633 games played. Eberle was drafted 22nd overall by the Edmonton Oilers in 2008; he played seven seasons in Edmonton before being traded to the Islanders in exchange for Ryan Strome.*

(*Ryan Strome was recently traded to the Rangers in exchange for Ryan Spooner, who was sent down to the Bakersfield Condors of the American Hockey League.)

Prospect Watch:

Forward Kailer Yamamoto, drafted 22nd overall by the Edmonton Oilers in 2017, has 2 points in 17 games this season in the NHL; he has 5 points in 26 games played in the NHL. He has 4 goals and 8 points in 13 games played with the Bakersfield Condors of the American Hockey League this season. Before being drafted, Yamamoto played with the Spokane Chiefs of the Western Hockey League where he tallied 105 goals and 291 points in 230 games played.

Forward Ryan McLeod, drafted 40th overall by the Edmonton Oilers in 2018, currently plays for the Saginaw Spirit of the Ontario Hockey League; he previously played for the Mississauga Steelheads, also of the Ontario Hockey League. McLeod has 14 goals and 46 points in 41 games played this season between the two teams. He has a career total of 56 goals and 178 points in 239 games played.

Team of the Week**:

The Edmonton Oilers, who are currently 7th in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference, were founded in 1971 but didn’t play their first game until 1972 as one of the founding teams in the World Hockey Association and were originally supposed to be one of two Alberta teams along with the Calgary Broncos, who relocated to Cleveland, Ohio before the WHAs first season. Because the Broncos relocated, the Edmonton Oilers were renamed the Alberta Oilers, though they did return to their original name the following season. The Oilers joined the NHL in 1979 when the two leagues merged. The Oilers have won five Stanley Cups, most recently in 1989-90. The Oilers very famously played from Rexall Place (Northlands Coliseum) from 1974-2016. They now play from Rogers Place. Notable alumni include Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier, Grant Fuhr, Adam Oates and Jacques Plante.

Outside the NHL:

The National Women’s Hockey League All-Star Weekend will take place at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville February 9-10.

The American Hockey League All-Star Classic was hosted by the Springfield Thunderbirds January 27-28. Results can be found at theahl.com.

Weekly Thoughts:

The Edmonton Oilers have been struggling this season, which has been a theme for the franchise for this decade. The Oilers have had four first overall picks in the last 9 years; in addition to this they have had Top Ten picks four separate years in the same span. Many blame former GM/President Peter Chiarelli for the poor state of the franchise, despite the fact that his career with the franchise started in 2015, which is long after their struggles began.

Prior to be hired by the Oilers, Chiarelli worked for, and was fired by, the Boston Bruins. In his time with Boston, he drafted Tyler Seguin second overall in 2010, but traded him to the Dallas Stars in July of 2013. Seguin became one of the top producers in Dallas as well as a fan favorite; there are those who view this as a bad trade, and those who do not.

While working for the Oilers, Chiarelli drafted Connor McDavid first overall in 2015. He also worked out a trade with the Islanders which resulted in them gaining the draft pick that gave them Mat Barzal, who won the Calder this summer. Chiarelli also dealt Jordan Eberle to the Islanders in exchange for Ryan Strome.

Chiarelli also traded defenceman Justin Schultz to the Pittsburgh Penguins, who went on to win the Stanley Cup two seasons in a row.

The summer after drafting Connor McDavid, Chiarelli dealt Taylor Hall, the first overall pick from 2010, to the New Jersey Devils in exchange for Adam Larsson. This is still a hotly debated trade.

Chiarelli has also signed several frankly outrageous contract extensions. Milan Lucic at 28 was given a seven year, $42 million extension. Goaltender Mikko Koskinen, 30, was recently signed to a three year, $13.5 million extension after only appearing in 31 NHL games.

While Peter Chiarelli made mistakes and ultimately harmed the franchise, he is not the source of all their struggles. The franchise has been on a decline for a very long time and it might be time to just toss the whole front office and start fresh. This would, of course, steal even more time from Connor McDavid who honestly deserves a team that is doing well, seeing as he already carries the weight of the franchise on his back.

Weekly Vocabulary:

Toe Drag: Dragging the puck along the ice with the end (toe) of the stick blade on the ice as opposed to pushing with the bottom edge.

Poke Check: Using the stick to poke the puck away from an opponent.

Deke: When a player handles the puck or himself in such a manner to fool the opponent into moving out of position, allowing the player to get past. Originated from the word decoy.

Dangle: When a player does a series of dekes in a row to get around the opposing players.

Wheel: Typically referred to when there is time and space to skate with the puck, sometimes is said to tell someone to skate faster.

Snipe: A powerful, accurate shot used to finish plays.

Celly: Short for celebration. A player may celly after scoring a goal.

Weekly Trivia:

The first NHL All-Star Game was held at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto on October 13, 1947. The Maple Leafs played against a team of All-Star players from other teams in the league. The All-Star team won 4-3. The idea of the game originated from the Player’s Committee and was approved on May 23, 1947. The proceeds from the game were divided between Toronto charities and the Player’s Emergency (Benevolent and Disability) Fund. At a meeting in September, players agreed to set up a pension fund, to which players gave $900 each and 25 cents per every playoff ticket sold and two-thirds of the All-Star Game proceeds.

Weekly Standings:

Eastern Conference

Metropolitan Division

New York Islanders – 63 points

Washington Capitals – 60 points

Columbus Blue Jackets – 59 points

Atlantic Division

Tampa Bay Lightning – 76 points

Toronto Maple Leafs – 62 points

Montreal Canadiens – 61 points

Western Conference

Central Division

Winnipeg Jets – 64 points

Nashville Predators – 64 points

Minnesota Wild – 55 points

Pacific Division

Calgary Flames – 71 points

San Jose Sharks – 65 points

Las Vegas Golden Knights – 62 points

*Note: All information was obtained prior to 12pm on Saturday January 26. Information occurring after the 12pm deadline will feature next week.

** Previously the featured teams have been from the Original Six Era and I had planned on finishing those six teams out before I featured any of the other 25 teams but Edmonton is just such a hot commodity in news right now that I felt it best to feature them this week.

#crashingthenet #edmonton oilers #oilers #new york islanders #islanders #new jersey devils #devils #nj devils

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crashingthenet · 6 years ago

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1/13-1/19

Weekly Recap:

Two days after announcing his retirement, Rick Nash and his family dropped the ceremonial puck at the January 13 matchup between the visiting New York Rangers and the Columbus Blue Jackets. Nash had previously played for both teams.

Montreal Canadiens mascot Youppi! celebrated his 40th birthday at the Bell Centre on Saturday. The party was attended by some of his friends and fellow mascots. Youppi! originally debuted in 1979 as the mascot for the now defunct Montreal Expos, a baseball team who became the Washington Nationals in 2005. The Montreal Canadiens adopted Youppi! after his team relocated.

On Saturday, the Los Angeles Kings hosted special guest announcer and longtime hockey fan, Snoop Dogg. Snoop Dogg also provided a play-by-play as the first period winded down. Prior to the game, Snoop Dogg spent some time DJing from the crowd and even dropped the ceremonial puck. Snoop Dogg was the unofficial host of All-Star Weekend in 2017.

On Wednesday, the NHL and NHLPA released a joint statement announcing that there will not be a 2020 World Cup of Hockey. The statement claims that it is just not feasible within the schedule.

Harrison Browne dropped the ceremonial puck at Madison Square Garden for the New York Rangers Pride Night on Tuesday. Browne played three seasons in the NWHL with the Metropolitan Riveters and the Buffalo Beauts before retiring after last season. He now works with the You Can Play Project as a consultant.

Goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky has allegedly waived his no move clause with the Columbus Blue Jackets; since this report was made public, he has refused to comment. Bobrovsky is eligible for unrestricted free agency on July 1 and many experts and analysts think the Blue Jackets are considering trading him before the February 25 trade deadline.

Taylor Hall of the New Jersey Devils will miss All-Star Weekend due to an lower-body injury. He will be replaced by teammate Kyle Palmieri.

Play of the Week:

Goaltender Carter Hart stopped a shot from forward Ryan Donato by stealing the puck straight off the blade of his stick during the January 16 meeting between the Philadelphia Flyers and the visiting Boston Bruins.

Players to Watch:

Defenceman Morgan Rielly of the Toronto Maple Leafs currently has 13 goals and 48 points in 47 games played this season. Rielly has a career total of 44 goals and 219 points in 435 games.

Forward Kevin Hayes of the New York Rangers currently has 10 goals and 33 points in 39 games played this season. Hayes has a career total of 83 goals and 207 points in 349 games played.

Goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury of the Las Vegas Golden Knights currently leads the league in Wins (27) and Shutouts (6). In addition to his 27 wins, he also has 4 overtime, OT, losses this season. He has a career total of 431 wins, 74 OT losses, and 54 shutouts.

Prospect Watch:

Defenceman Jake Bean, drafted 13th overall by the Carolina Hurricanes in 2016, has 5 goals and 25 points in 41 games played this season. Bean had a very successful career in the Western Hockey League with the Calgary Hitmen and the Tri-City Americans, tallying 49 goals and 196 points in 219 games played. Bean was also a member of Team Canada at the IIHF World Junior Championship two years in a row, winning silver in 2016-17 and gold in 2017-18. Bean currently plays for the Charlotte Checkers of the American Hockey League.

Defenceman Kale Clague, drafted 51st overall by the Los Angeles Kings in 2016, has 3 goals and 18 points in 34 games played this season. Clague previously played in the Western Hockey League with the Brandon Wheat Kings and the Moose Jaw Warriors where he tallied 26 goals and 167 points in 195 games played. Clague also participated in the IIHF World Junior Championship two years in a row, winning silver in 2016-17 and gold in 2017-18. Clague currently plays for the Ontario Reign of the American Hockey League.

Forward Taylor Raddysh, drafted 58th overall by the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2016, has 11 goals and 25 points in 37 games played this season. Raddysh had a very successful career in the Ontario Hockey League with the Erie Otters and the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds where he tallied 120 goals and 292 points in 241 games played. Raddysh also participated in the IIHF World Junior Championship two years in a row, winning silver in 2016-17 and gold in 2017-18. Raddysh currently plays for the Syracuse Crunch of the American Hockey League.

Team of the Week:

The Toronto Maple Leafs, founded in 1917 as the Toronto Arenas, currently play from Scotiabank Arena and are 2nd in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. The Maple Leafs were the Arenas until 1919 when the name was changed to the St. Patricks; when Conn Smythe bought the franchise in 1927, he rebranded the team as the Maple Leafs. The Maple Leafs played out of Maple Leaf Gardens, called ‘Canada’s Cathedral of Hockey’, from 1931-99. The Maple Leafs have won 13 Stanley Cups, most recently in 1966-67. Notable alumni include King Clancy, Tim Horton, Mats Sundin, Doug Gilmour, Joe Primeau, and Curtis Joseph.

Outside the NHL:

The National Women’s Hockey League All-Star Weekend will take place at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville February 9-10.

The Canadian Women’s Hockey League All-Star Game took place at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto on January 20. Team Gold beat Team Purple 8-4.

The American Hockey League All-Star Classic will be hosted by the Springfield Thunderbirds January 27-28.

The East Coast Hockey League All-Star Game and Skills Competition will take place on January 21 in Toledo, hosted by the Toledo Walleye.

Weekly Thoughts:

*** There are no Weekly Thoughts this week. I’ve been sick and haven’t had time to write anything for this section. I might try to do a special post at some point this week to make up for it, though.

Weekly Vocabulary:

Fight Strap: A strap that anchors a player’s jersey to his pads so that his jersey cannot be removed during on-ice fights. If a player does not anchor his jersey and it comes off in a fight, he incurs a penalty.

Forechecking: Checking in the offensive zone in order to gain control of the puck and set up a scoring opportunity.

Backchecking: Rushing back to the defensive zone in response to an opposing team’s attack.

Hat Trick: When a single player scores three goals in one game. A hat trick is considered a ‘natural’ hat trick if all three goals are scored successively.

Gordie Howe Hat Trick: Named after the great Gordie Howe, a Gordie Howe Hat Trick is when a player scores a goal, tallies an assist, and gets into a fight all in one game. (I do have to note that Gordie Howe himself only ever had two Gordie Howe Hat Tricks throughout his career.) A ‘natural’ Gordie Howe Hat Trick occurs when all three happen in a single period.

Line Brawl: When most, if not all, of the players currently on ice are engaged in some form of scuffle.

Weekly Trivia:

The King Clancy Memorial Trophy is awarded to the “player who best exemplifies leadership qualities on and off the ice and has made a noteworthy humanitarian contribution in his community.“ The winner is selected by the NHLPA and the NHL Broadcasters’ Association. Most recently the trophy was awarded to Daniel and Henrik Sedin; this was the first time to trophy was awarded to more than one player.

Weekly Standings**:

Eastern Conference

Metropolitan Division

New York Islanders – 62 pts

Columbus Blue Jackets – 59 pts

Washington Capitals – 59 pts

Atlantic Division

Tampa Bay Lightning – 76 pts

Toronto Maple Leafs – 60 pts

Boston Bruins – 59 pts

Western Conference

Central Division

Winnipeg Jets – 64 pts

Nashville Predators – 60 pts

Colorado Avalanche – 52 pts

Pacific Division

Calgary Flames – 69 pts

San Jose Sharks – 63 pts

Las Vegas Golden Knights – 62 pts

*Note: Information was obtained prior to 12pm on Sunday January 20. Information occurring after the 12pm deadline will feature next week.

** Weekly Standings are current as of 6pm on Sunday January 20.

#crashingthenet #toronto maple leafs #maple leafs #tampa bay lightning #lightning #los angeles kings #la kings #kings #carolina hurricanes #hurricanes

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crashingthenet · 6 years ago

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1/6-1/12

Weekly Recap:

Last Man In voting has concluded, and the winners are forward Jeff Skinner (Atlantic), forward Gabriel Landeskog (Central), defenceman Kris Letang (Metropolitan), and forward Leon Draisaitl (Pacific).

The IIHF World Junior Championship ended with a 3-2 regulation gold medal victory for Team Finland. Team USA was awarded silver; Team Russia took home bronze.

On Saturday, the Los Angeles Kings hosted “90’s Night,” during which they used glowing pucks. The glowing pucks originally debuted in 1996, but were later discontinued at the end of the 1997-98 season.

The Montreal Canadiens announced on Monday that goalie Carey Price would be opting out of All-Star Weekend. Price is currently recovering from a lower-body injury and the organization felt he should take the time to rest instead. He will be replaced by goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy of the Tampa Bay Lightning.

All-Star Weekend will be hosted by the San Jose Sharks January 25-26. The NHL has partnered with Adidas to produce eco-friendly jerseys made from marine plastic waste materials. The jerseys will feature team logos for the first time.

On Tuesday, Mike McKenna became the seventh goaltender to start for the Philadelphia Flyers this season. McKenna was claimed from waivers last week from the Ottawa Senators, after being previously acquired (by Ottawa) in a trade with the Vancouver Canucks.

The Blue Jackets have issued a statement as to why they opted to sit goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky; Bobrovsky apparently acted in a way that the organization did not agree with that is unrelated to his upcoming free agent status and they will not be saying anymore about the incident. Bobrovsky and the organization have since ‘cleared the air,’ and Bobrovsky may start against the Capitals on Saturday.

Rick Nash will be retiring from professional hockey after 15 seasons. Nash’s agent released a statement on Friday that cited lingering concussion symptoms and post-concussion syndrome as the reason for his sudden departure.

Play of the Week:

On Sunday, forward Jesse Puljujarvi of the Edmonton Oilers beat out goaltender John Gibson of the Anaheim Ducks with an absolutely astounding no-look backhand pass. It was by no means a pretty play, but it was impressive in its execution. The Oilers went on to shutout the Ducks 4-0 in their own arena.

Players to Watch:

Goalie Jonathan Quick of the Los Angeles Kings recently became the 5th American born goalie to tally his 300th career win. Quick has 300 wins and 58 overtime (OT) losses in 576 games played so far in his career. He has started in 30 games this season, winning 7.

Defenceman Robert Bortuzzo of the St. Louis Blues has tallied 1 goal and 5 points in 24 games played this season. He has a career total of 13 goals and 47 points in 300 games played. Bortuzzo recently signed a three-year contract extension with the Blues.

Forward Travis Konecny of the Philadelphia Flyers has 11 goals and 24 points in 44 games played this season. He has a career total of 46 goals and 99 points in 195 games played. He was selected in the first round of the 2015 NHL Draft (24th overall). In his rookie season (2015-16) Konecny was awarded the E.J. McGuire Award of excellence by the NHL; this award goes to the prospect who “best exemplifies the commitment to excellence.” He is the first recipient of this award.

Prospect Watch:

Forward Alexandre Fortin, who went undrafted in 2015, has 2 goals and 5 points in 14 games played this season with the Rockford IceHogs of the American Hockey League; he has 3 goals and 6 points in 24 games played this season with the Chicago Blackhawks of the NHL. Fortin played for the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League from 2014-17, during which he accumulated 52 goals and 135 points in 173 games played.

Defenceman Philippe Myers, who went undrafted in 2015, has 7 goals and 24 points in 36 games played this season with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms of the American Hockey League. Myers played for the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League from 2013-17, during which he accumulated 29 goals and 92 points in 203 games played. Myers was also a part of Team Canada during the 2016-17 World Junior Championship, though he was taken out early due to a concussion; the team went on to place second and bring home silver.

Defenceman Jeremy Lauzon, drafted 52nd overall by the Boston Bruins, has 1 goal and 6 points in 18 games played with the Providence Bruins of the American Hockey League this season; he has 1 goal in 15 games with the Boston Bruins of the NHL. Lauzon played for the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League from 2013-17, during which he accumulated 35 goals and 130 points in 200 games played. Lauzon was also a member of Team Canada during the 2016-17 World Junior Championship; he tallied 2 goals and 1 assist in 7 games played.

Team of the Week:

The Detroit Red Wings, an Original Six team founded in 1926, who are currently 8th overall in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference and play out of Little Caesars Arena. The team was originally known as the Detroit Cougars form 1926-30; they were the Detroit Falcons from 1930-32. In 1932, they changed their name to the Red Wings. The Red Wings have won the most Stanley Cups (11) of any NHL franchise in the United States, most recently in 2008. The Wings previously played in the historic Joe Louis Arena from 1979-2017. They have the very distinct and recognizable tradition of throwing an octopus on the ice for luck during playoff games. The NHL has yet to successfully prevent this from occurring. Notable alumni include Brett Hull, Steve Yzerman, Ted Lindsay, Sergei Fedorov, Gordie Howe, and Nicklas Lidstrom.

Outside the NHL:

The National Women’s Hockey League All-Star Weekend will take place at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville February 9-10.

The Canadian Women’s Hockey League All-Star Game will take place at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto on January 20.

The American Hockey League All-Star Classic will be hosted by the Springfield Thunderbirds January 27-28.

Weekly Thoughts:

From fistfights between teammates, to frankly dangerous slashes aimed at opposing players, to players yelling at coaching staff during games, to CEOs taking cheap shots at top performers, frustrations are piling up this season. Perhaps after All-Star Weekend teams will be rested and ready to go.

The St. Louis Blues can’t seem to catch a break this season. The Blues are currently 6th in the Central Division of the Western Conference and it’s taken its toll on the team. On December 10, defenceman Robert Bortuzzo and forward Zach Sanford exchanged blows at practice.

On January 11, Florida’s Keith Yandle delivered a horrifying slash to the stick of Calgary’s Sean Monahan, barely missing his arm/hand. Monahan had just released the puck for what became the game winning empty net goal.

On January 9, forward Nathan MacKinnon of the Colorado Avalanche took his frustration out on coach Jared Bednar on the bench. MacKinnon later apologized and Bednar said that it hadn’t bothered him at all.

In December, Dallas Stars CEO Jim Lites had some choice words about the Stars top scorers Tyler Seguin and captain Jamie Benn. Lites called their performance ‘f-cking horsesh-t.’ When asked Benn responded “I don’t play for him. I play for every player in this room, the coaching staff.”

It’s clear that struggling teams are becoming increasingly frustrated as the season continues. Every team wants to compete for the Stanley Cup, but not every team has had the season they hoped for. With the trade deadline fast approaching, we might see some big moves from the teams at the bottom of the league. There have already been some big names appearing in trade rumors this season, and it’s going to be interesting to see how accurate those rumors are. It’s also going to be fun watching teams start to prepare for next year with new acquisitions.

Hopefully these teams will hit their stride and start performing better this season, but if they don’t there’s always next year.

Weekly Vocabulary:

Man-Advantage: When one team is penalized, and one of its players is sent to the penalty box, the second team maintains a man advantage for the duration of the penalty (major penalty) or until a goal is scored (minor penalty). If two penalties are called on one team there will be a two-man advantage. If more than two penalties are called on one team the man advantage is limited to two men. If both teams are penalized, there is no man advantage; it becomes a four-on-four.

Empty Net: When a team pulls their goalie in order to have six skaters (a man advantage).

Extra Attacker: A player who has been substituted for the team’s goaltender on the ice.

Too Many Men: When one team has too many men on the ice during a shift change.

Own Goal: The act of a team unintentionally shooting the puck into their own net instead of their opponent’s. For statistical purposes, the last player on the opposing team to touch the puck is awarded the goal.

Scrum: When players from both teams are piled up against the boards/goal posts, shoving and hitting at each other.

Delay of Game: Deliberately causing a stoppage of play; player is penalized with a minor penalty.

Coach’s Challenge: If a coach disagrees with a call on ice, he is able to challenge the call. This results in a video review of the play; if the coach was right and the call on ice was wrong, the goal is overturned, if the coach is wrong and the goal stands, that coach loses the ability to call a time-out.

Turnover: When the team in possession of the puck gives it up to the opponent; alternatively, the team who does not control the puck can force a turnover by ‘stealing’ the puck mid pass, or by taking it directly from the opposing player’s stick.

Face-Off: The two teams line up in opposition to each other. One player from each team attempts to gain control of the puck after it is dropped by an official between their sticks onto a face-off spot on the ice. A face-off starts every game and occurs throughout the game after every stoppage of play.

Weekly Trivia:

The Calder Memorial Trophy (not to be confused with Calder Cup of the American Hockey League) is awarded annually to “the player selected as the most proficient in his first year of competition in the National Hockey League.” The winner is selected by the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association at the end of the regular season. Players are eligible for the Calder only if they are no more than 26 years old by September 15 of their rookie (first) season. The Calder Memorial is dedicated in memory of former NHL President Frank Calder, who bought a trophy every year to present permanently to the outstanding rookie of the season. The award is now kept in perpetuity. The Toronto Maple Leafs lead all teams with 10 players who have won the Calder.

Weekly Standings:

Eastern Conference

Metropolitan Division

Washington Capitals – 58 points

Pittsburgh Penguins – 56 points

Columbus Blue Jackets – 53 points

Atlantic Division

Tampa Bay Lightning – 70 points

Toronto Maple Leafs – 58 points

Boston Bruins – 54 points

Western Conference

Central Division

Winnipeg Jets – 58 points

Nashville Predators – 58 points

Dallas Stars – 50 points

Pacific Division

Calgary Flames – 62 points

San Jose Sharks – 59 points

Las Vegas Golden Knights – 58 points

*Note: Information was obtained prior to 12pm on Saturday January 12. Information occurring after the 12pm deadline will feature next week.

#crashingthenet #detroit red wings #red wings #st louis blues #blues #philadelphia flyers #flyers

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