NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 19, 2021
Lopsided wins by the Blues and Flyers, the three stars of the week, Evander Kane receives a lengthy suspension, Nikita Kucherov could be sidelined longer than expected, and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.
GAME RECAPS
NHL.COM: A five-goal outburst in the second period powered the St. Louis Blues over the Arizona Coyotes 7-4. Jordan Kyrou had two goals and two assists and Klim Kostin also scored twice for the Blues. Shayne Gostisbehere collected three assists for the Coyotes. Blues winger Pavel Buchnevich could face supplemental discipline after receiving a match penalty in the first period for headbutting Coyotes forward Lawson Crouse.
Eleven Philadelphia Flyers collected points in their 6-1 victory over the Seattle Kraken. Derick Brassard led the way with a goal and two assists while Travis Konecny, Joel Farabee and Justin Braun each had a goal and an assist. Carter Hart picked up the win with a 23-save performance.
New York Rangers left wing Artemi Panarin (NHL Images).
Artemi Panarin’s overtime goal lifted the New York Rangers to a 2-1 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs. Ilya Shesterkin made 40 saves while Mika Zibanejad also scored for the Rangers. Michael Bunting replied for the Leafs while teammate Auston Matthews was shut out in his season debut as he returned to action from offseason wrist surgery.
The Anaheim Ducks picked up their second win of the season by nipping the Calgary Flames 3-2 in overtime. Jamie Drysdale tallied his first NHL game-winning goal. Johnny Gaudreau had two assists for the Flames.
HEADLINES
Los Angeles Kings center Anze Kopitar, Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin and Tampa Bay Lightning winger Steven Stamkos are the NHL’s three stars for the week ending Oct. 17, 2021.
NBC SPORTS BAY AREA: The NHL has suspended San Jose Sharks winger Evander Kane without pay for 21 games for violating the league’s COVID protocols by using a fake COVID vaccination card. His salary will not count against the Sharks’ cap payroll during his suspension. The league also announced its concurrent investigation into allegations of domestic abuse by his wife could not be substantiated.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kane’s ongoing off-ice issues are raising questions about his future with the Sharks. He hasn’t skated with the team since the end of last season after mutually agreeing with the club not to participate in training camp while those investigations were ongoing.
TAMPA BAY TIMES: Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov could be sidelined for an extended period by a lower-body injury suffered during Saturday’s game against the Washington Capitals. The club is trying to determine the severity of the injury and whether surgery is required.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kucherov missed the entirety of the 2020-21 regular season after undergoing hip surgery last December. It’s unclear if his latest injury is tied to that procedure.
COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: Nathan MacKinnon will be joining his Avalanche teammates in Washington following a negative COVID-19 test yesterday. He’s been sidelined nearly a week after testing positive twice. MacKinnon, who is reportedly asymptomatic and feeling fine, could play in tonight’s game against the Capitals if he has another negative test today.
WINNIPEG SUN: Jets captain Blake Wheeler entered the league’s COVID protocol yesterday. His status for tonight’s game against the Minnesota Wild is uncertain.
TRIBLIVE.COM: Pittsburgh Penguins winger Bryan Rust is listed as week-to-week with a lower-body injury.
MONTREAL GAZETTE: Mike Hoffman is expected to make his debut with the Canadiens tonight when they face off against the Sharks at the Bell Centre. Hoffman was recovering from an injury suffered during offseason training.
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH: Blue Jackets forward Max Domi will be sidelined two-to-four weeks with a fractured rib.
THE PROVINCE: The Vancouver Canucks announced defenseman Travis Hamonic has been granted a temporary leave of absence for personal reasons. His salary won’t count against their salary-cap payroll during his absence.
TSN: Dallas Stars forward Radek Faksa was fined $5,000.00 by the department of player safety for slashing Ottawa Senators winger Tim Stutzle on Sunday. Stutzle left the game immediately but return to action in the third period.
NEW YORK POST: Islanders forward Matt Martin will make his season debut after recovering from an ankle injury. The Isles also place forward Leo Komarov on waivers.
TSN: Former NHL winger Ilya Kovalchuk was named the general manager for the Russian Olympic Committee’s men’s hockey team at the 2022 Winter Olympics. Former NHLers Sergei Gonchar, Sergei Fedorov and Evgeni Nabokov will serve as assistant coaches.
Shesterkin shestshut the door. Excellent goaltending …. Kudos to him, not happy as a Leaf fan
21 games …. For faking Covid proof…. Strong message…. But appropriate
The domestic abuse and gambling now without substantiation…. How do Sharks receive Kane after his 21 game suspension ???
Avs will be happy to have Mac K in the line up
Queue up the “This allows Tampa the cap room to go get Eichel and Kucherov will be ready just in time for the playoffs” conspiracies.
So Kane, already under a microscope by the NHL, and probably law enforcement, pulls a fake vaccine stunt? Is there a Darwin Award in the NHL? Can the Sharks, or any team,terminate a contract because the player is an idiot? They can call it the Zac Rinaldo clause!
Kane is one of those people who create their own storms … then get upset when it rains.
One of Forrest Gump’s favourite lines comes to mind in this situation
“Lt. Dan, you got new legs?”
Haha
Stupid is as stupid does?
“Me and Jenny goes together like peas and carrots”
I dont know but could this of been planned by the Sharks and Kane? gives a better excuse for him to not be with the team right now and see if dust settles to move him when it does
Why on earth would Kane put himself in a position that SJ could terminate his contract outright?
Unless he’s even dumber than some would suggest? He’d be leaving millions on the table. I don’t think any team is touching that hot mess right now, or anytime soon.
I dont think the fake vax card is enough to terminate
and it lets the Sharks not have to deal with him for a few weeks or the issue of him
You don’t think it is, but it may be. But playing devils advocate, Okay, why would Kane add fuel to the already raging fire that surrounds him.
It just doesn’t make much sense to think this is some type of an agreement. Would you trust Kane to not open his mouth about this agreement if it does go sideways for him? Throwing gasoline on the GM and entire sharks organization?
And I still don’t think any team is trading for this guy.
I do agree with you that no other team will touch him
When somebody shows you who they are, believe them the first time.
In this case the first 5 times.
Those are profoundly wise words, Ray.
Kane: ” I made a mistake”
Translation: I got caught.
Papers, please. You don’t have your papers? You don’t know where they are? We have ways of making you talk.
90k, 100k people pack stadiums to watch football. No masks. No checks to see if they’re vaccinated. But vaccine and mask mandates are about our health. Riiiiiiiiiight.
The amount of effort it takes to be this insecure is wild.
Enlighten us Paul, what is it about then?
You stumped me.
In Canada you do have to show proof of vaccination to get into a stadium, or a restaurant, or work at some places, etc.
Where I work, it will be coming within the next couple weeks, even though it isn’t mandated for us by the province for B2B businesses like us. Many of our customers already have the same.
The Oilers actually did it well before the gov. Likely a health decision for it’s staff but also a business decision.
Over 700,000 Americans dead of Covid, Paul. And counting.
Yet once again you show up here with your moronic comments about proven and sensible health precautions …. astonishing.
Oh….you’re one of those people.
These guys are right. Paul, how dare you come here with a different opinion than someone else. You should be ashamed
We’re not talking about what our favourite colours are, Radino. Clue in. It’s not about opinions, it’s about science and facts, and literally life and death choices. Got a sarcastic retort for that?
Wernt you the fella that was rather hostile yesterday towards my opinion of the players who absolutely were more deserving of the conn smythe?
I don’t know when the UFO landed and dropped off all these stupid idiots, but clearly they aren’t coming back for them!
At least they aren’t suffering fools gladly in Washington where virtually the entire coaching staff have been terminated
https://www.cnn.com/2021/10/18/sport/nick-rolovich-washington-state-football-coach-covid/index.html
“Anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that ‘my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge.’”
― Isaac Asimov
A parachute might not work 100 percent of the time either but I sure as hell am not jumping out of a plane without one.
I sure hope the Kane issue leads to termination. While it’s only been one game plus preseason, the Sharks seem to have the kind of unity and comraderie going that makes them fun to watch and presents all kind of good possibilities for the season. Suggesting this could be a joint effort between Kane and Sharks to get him released from his contract is lunacy. This dude needs no assistance in digging his own hole.
Habs have Hoffman joining the lineup for the first time and it will be interesting to see what he’ll bring.
The lesser known quantity is Adam Brooks as the 3C tonight against SJ.
Any TML fans have an opinion on Brooks?
I like him and wish they had put Amadio on waivers rather than Brooks. He’s a late bloomer, defensively responsible, and can chip in on offense. With the Leafs, I thought he’d be paired with Spezza and Simmonds. Spezza could use him right now. Hope he does well with the Habs.
BCLeafFan,
Thanks, I’ll keep an eye on him tonight
What surprised me is that the Habs then placed him on waivers and nobody bit.
George O,
The Habs never put him on waivers, that was poor reporting.
Ahh – that makes more sense. I was scanning NHL Transactions at Puckpedia when I saw it
I watched him in the Dub. Good player, well rounded and gives it his best every shift. I think you got a good one. I was a little surprised that the Leafs let him go. In all fairness, they’re pretty full at C.
Hoffman should touch 20+, but wear out his welcome in fairly short order. Look for him to be dealt at the deadline.
2422,
Thanks for the info
One cool thing about coming here is that there are folks from all over the place with knowledge of different players and teams.