2021-22 NHL News

[CANADIENS27]

NHL.com.  Winnipeg forward Blake Wheeler will miss several weeks due to a knee injury.  The injury occurred in a collision with teammate Nathan Beaulieu during a penalty kill scramble at the Jets' goal crease.  

 

 

[CANADIENS27]

NHL.com. Washington center Nicklas Backstrom could make his season debut tomorrow night against Chicago.  Backstrom has been recovering from a hip injury that has been bothering him since last season.  He took a step forward during practice Monday taking regular line rushes and working with the first power play unit.  

 

 

[electron58]

On 12/12/2021 at 7:23 PM, electron58 said:

The Colorado Avalanche have placed netminder Jonas Johansson on waivers.

The Florida Panthers have claimed goaltender Jonas Johansson off waivers from the Colorado Avalanche.

[electron58]

Minnesota Wild general manager Bill Guerin will serve as GM of the U.S. Olympic men’s hockey team, USA Hockey announced Tuesday.

[electron58]

The NHL's efforts to keep COVID-19 at bay are failing.

With another handful forced to enter protocol Tuesday, including stars Brad Marchand and Mat Barzal, there are now upwards of 30 players sidelined with COVID-19, threatening both the legitimacy of games and overall schedule.

[electron58]

On 12/7/2021 at 2:46 AM, electron58 said:

Winnipeg’s Neal Pionk has been suspended for two games for Kneeing Toronto’s Rasmus Sandin.

That's it, 2 games! Pionk could have ended Sandin's season.  That's another reason why the players are taking things into their own hands, or, their own knees.

Neal Pionk sounded like someone who didn’t want to get into a war of words or wade into an episode of the blame game.

As the Winnipeg Jets defenceman returned to the ice with his teammates for the first time since being suspended two games for kneeing Toronto Maple Leafs defenceman Rasmus Sandin and missing a third because of a concussion he sustained after taking a subsequent knee to the head from Jason Spezza, Pionk showed gratitude for not missing more time and expressed regret for the play that initially sent him to the sidelines.

“Listen, I’m not out there to hurt anybody or have any sort of intent. It made me sick watching (Sandin) go off the ice, and he’s limping off the ice,” said Pionk, noting his concussion symptoms lasted for four days before he started light workouts and eventually got back on the ice.

“He’s a great young defenceman, I never want to cut his career short, even by a game. So there’s remorse there, and definitely not the intent on the hit. I understand that what I did wasn’t right, and I’ve accepted that. I’m just looking forward to getting back.”

[electron58]

Vancouver Canucks win 5th game in a row, with 4-3 win over Blue Jackets. (after being down 3-0 after the first period)

[electron58]

Tuesday’s Hurricanes versus Wild game has been postponed. The announcement comes after four additional Hurricanes players tested positive for COVID-19 following a morning skate in Minnesota. Prior to arriving in Minnesota, two Hurricanes players and one trainer had tested positive for COVID-19. Those players were Seth Jarvis and star center Sebastian Aho. The trio stayed behind in Vancouver, where the team played Sunday, to quarantine. At the time of reporting, the identity of the four players who tested positive in Minnesota had not been announced. Suspecting an active transmission, the NHL stepped in and cancelled Tuesday’s contest. The Minnesota Wild were slated to face the Carolina Hurricanes at Xcel Energy Center Tuesday night. The Hurricanes had played the Calgary Flames on December 9th in Calgary. The Flames are experiencing their own COVID outbreak, with nine players and one staff member testing positive. The NHL moved to postpone the next three Flames games, making the announcement Monday. The Flames will remain out of action until at least December 16th, if the league deems the outbreak under control.

[electron58]

1 hour ago, electron58 said:

Vancouver Canucks win 5th game in a row, with 4-3 win over Blue Jackets. (after being down 3-0 after the first period)

Only 4 points out of a wild card spot!

[electron58]

The San Jose Sharks have placed forward Joel Kellman on unconditional waivers. With this, they are set to terminate his contract.

[electron58]

On 12/13/2021 at 3:48 PM, electron58 said:

The Calgary Flames are going to see a handful of games postponed due to so many players being entered into COVID-19 protocol.

Flames Have Three Games Moved

At a minimum, the next three games for the Calgary Flames are being postponed after six players and one staff member entered the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol in the last 24 hours. Among the names affected are Elias Lindholm, Andrew Mangiapane, Adam Ruzicka, Chris Tanev, and Nikita Zadorov.

This makes the Flames the third team this season to have games postponed due to COVID, the New York Islanders and Ottawa Senators being the first two. The salary cap could be part of the decision to postpone games as the Flames have less than $1 million in space to make recalls.

The Calgary Flames have added seven players, seven support staff and three coaches to the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol.

The seven additional players are: Rasmus Andersson, Byron Froese, Johnny Gaudreau, Erik Gudbranson, Trevor Lewis, Jacob Markstrom and Tyler Pitlick. The coaches include head coach Darryl Sutter, associate coach Kirk Muller and assistant Ryan Huska.

[arpem-can]

18 hours ago, electron58 said:

The NHL's efforts to keep COVID-19 at bay are failing.

With another handful forced to enter protocol Tuesday, including stars Brad Marchand and Mat Barzal, there are now upwards of 30 players sidelined with COVID-19, threatening both the legitimacy of games and overall schedule.

is this any wonder ?...I look at the packed arenas south of the border and no one is wearing a mask ...the variant is already running  rampant south of the border where millions  of people aren't vaccinated to begin with ...look at Alberta's vaccination  track record  ...it's a mini Texas with 6 players out  already and games to be re-scheduled ......btw I didn't see DD wearing a mask at the Pitts game last night ...hmmm....basketball/football games are breeding grounds  ..at least people wore masks at the Grey Cup ....the perfect storm is brewing ...this will be ugly ..and for what ? ...the "right to choose" to make other people sick and take up valuable hospital beds ? ...those that can't get in for elective surgeries are taking the brunt of this selfishness ( I know someone with a tumour who had to wait an extra month for cancer surgery because of lack of beds ) .....I got my booster shot today ...the vaccination site opened at 11 am and my appointment was for 11:20am  and there was already at least 200 people in the building mostly getting booster shots ...I feel somewhat safer up here ....no travel plans 

[kinot-2]

The Flames’ outbreak has now grown to 10 cases — nine skaters and a member of the training staff. Added to the list Tuesday were forwards Milan Lucic and Sean Monahan and defenceman Noah Hanifin

[H_T_L]

16 minutes ago, arpem-can said:

is this any wonder ?...I look at the packed arenas south of the border and no one is wearing a mask ...the variant is already running  rampant south of the border where millions  of people aren't vaccinated to begin with ...look at Alberta's vaccination  track record  ...it's a mini Texas with 6 players out  already and games to be re-scheduled ......btw I didn't see DD wearing a mask at the Pitts game last night ...hmmm....basketball/football games are breeding grounds  ..at least people wore masks at the Grey Cup ....the perfect storm is brewing ...this will be ugly ..and for what ? ...the "right to choose" to make other people sick and take up valuable hospital beds ? ...those that can't get in for elective surgeries are taking the brunt of this selfishness ( I know someone with a tumour who had to wait an extra month for cancer surgery because of lack of beds ) .....I got my booster shot today ...the vaccination site opened at 11 am and my appointment was for 11:20am  and there was already at least 200 people in the building mostly getting booster shots ...I feel somewhat safer up here ....no travel plans 

As you mentioned,,,, DD not wearing a mask last night and it's not the first time when he's been on the road south of the border. Seems American teams have different covid protocols then the Canadian ones. You would think the NHL would say something.

[electron58]

The New Jersey Devils acquired goaltender Jon Gillies from the St. Louis Blues on Wednesday in exchange for future considerations.  The Blues signed Gilles to a one-year, two-way contract last week, when starter Jordan Binnington was in the COVID-19 protocol.  The 27-year-old stopped 36 of 39 shots faced against the Anaheim Ducks in his lone game with the Blues this season. He has a 3-1-0 record in the AHL with a 1.76 goals-against average and a .939 save percentage over four AHL with the Providence Bruins and Lehigh Valley Phantoms. Gillies has appeared in 13 career NHL games with the Calgary Flames and Blues, posting a 4-5-1 record, with a 2.72 goals-against average and .905 save percentage.

[electron58]

The NHL is tightening the screws with COVID-19 infections on the rise.  After discussions between the NHL and NHLPA this week, enhanced protocols will be in effect until at least Jan. 7, 2022 in an effort to curb the continued spread of the infection, according to multiple reports.  This means daily testing for all players, as well as masking and physical distancing inside facilities and restricted activity on the road. 

[electron58]

The Nashville Predators are slated to play the Chicago Blackhawks on Friday, but are currently dealing with a COVID-19 outbreak.  The team announced six players and six members of their traveling party have been added to the COVID-19 protocols.  That includes forwards Mikael Granlund, Ryan Johansen, Matt Luff, Michael McCarron and Philip Tomasino as well as defenseman Ben Harpur.  It also has hit the coaching staff, with head coach John Hynes, assistant coaches Dan Lambert, Todd Richards and Ben Vanderklok in the COVID-19 protocols.

[electron58]

Patrice Bergeron joins Brad Marchand, Craig Smith in COVID-19 protocol originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston.  The Boston Bruins are being hit hard by COVID-19 right now, and they've now lost their two best players -- Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand -- to the NHL's protocols. The Bruins announced Wednesday morning that Bergeron has entered the COVID-19 protocol. Brad Marchand and Craig Smith were placed in the COVID-19 protocol on Tuesday. Patrice Bergeron played and scored Boston's only goal in its 4-1 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday night at TD Garden.

[electron58]

The Vancouver Canucks have named Derek Clancey as the team's new assistant general manager, a role that will involve him overseeing the franchise's professional and amateur scouting staffs.  "We are building a front office with people with a variety of backgrounds," Jim Rutherford, the Canucks' president of hockey operations and interim general manager, said in a statement. "Derek has excellent experience and has played an important role on three Stanley Cup-winning teams. He will be a key member of our leadership team as we create a progressive, collaborative hockey operations group that can support our team and players at all levels."

[electron58]

Kyle Beach, Blackhawks reach mediation settlement in negligence lawsuit.  The mediation session was conducted on Zoom and was to include Kyle Beach's lawyer, Susan Loggans, a member of the Wirtz family and the lawyers for the Blackhawks. It ultimately led to a confidential settlement.

[kinot-2]

2 minutes ago, electron58 said:

Kyle Beach, Blackhawks reach mediation settlement in negligence lawsuit.  The mediation session was conducted on Zoom and was to include Kyle Beach's lawyer, Susan Loggans, a member of the Wirtz family and the lawyers for the Blackhawks. It ultimately led to a confidential settlement.

Why are all these "settlements" or "non-distclosres" confidential? 

[electron58]

 A fourth Vancouver Canucks player has been placed in the NHL's COVID-19 protocol.  Defenceman Tucker Poolman left Vancouver's game against the Columbus Blue Jackets with about five minutes to go in the first period Tuesday. The team later said on Twitter that he has been placed in protocol.  Earlier in the day, the club said defencemen Luke Schenn and Brad Hunt and winger Juho Lammikko had tested positive for the virus.  The team was retested Tuesday morning, with Hunt's result coming back shortly before the game.

[electron58]

4 minutes ago, kinot-2 said:

Why are all these "settlements" or "non-disclosures" confidential? 

Probably don't want to admit guilt, incase there are more cases down the road.  Kinda like the Michael Jackson fiasco.

[electron58]

Edmonton Oilers head coach Dave Tippett has officially entered the league's COVID-19 protocols, the team confirmed after Tuesday's game against the Toronto Maple Leafs.  
Tippett was not behind the bench for the game, sitting out for what the team at first said were "precautionary reasons."  Tippett's addition to the protocols marks the second member of the Oilers organization to enter them on Tuesday, with forward Ryan McLeod being the first.  The coach being sidelined comes as a surge of positive COVID-19 results rocked the NHL, causing postponements and dramatic roster adjustments across the league.

[arpem-can]

21 hours ago, H_T_L said:

As you mentioned,,,, DD not wearing a mask last night and it's not the first time when he's been on the road south of the border. Seems American teams have different covid protocols then the Canadian ones. You would think the NHL would say something.

 I see it as something akin to playing roulette . Bettman and the owners ( for the most part ) want everything to appear normal and the arenas filled . People don't have to prove they've been vaccinated so inside the arena it's ...in a word ...life-threatening  . Can you imagine lining up for 2 hours before a game just to prove you've been vaccinated ?....ain't going to happen  ....Bettman and the rest know full well it'll drive people away from the game especially after last year . As always it's all about the buck .