NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 21, 2022
Canada defeats Finland in overtime to win gold at the 2022 World Junior Championship, Nathan MacKinnon enjoys his day with the Stanley Cup in Halifax, and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.
NHL.COM: An overtime goal by Columbus Blue Jackets center Kent Johnson lifted Canada over Finland 3-2 in the Gold Medal Game at the 2022 IIHF World Junior Championship in Edmonton. It’s Canada’s 19th tournament championship and its first since 2020.
Anaheim Ducks center Nathan McTavish (NHL Images).
Canada took a 2-0 lead in the game on goals by Joshua Roy (Montreal Canadiens) and William Dufour (New York Islanders) with Mason McTavish (Anaheim Ducks) collecting assists on both. McTavish also saved the game for Canada in overtime by blocking a shot at the goal line, setting the stage for Johnson’s game-winner.
Finland rallied to force the extra frame on goals by Aleksi Heimosalmi (Carolina Hurricanes) and Joakim Kemell (Nashville Predators). They take home the silver medal for its 17th top-three finish in tournament history.
In the consolation game earlier in the day, Sweden won the bronze medal with a 3-1 victory over Czechia. Minnesota Wild goaltender Jesper Wallstedt made 27 saves while teammates Fabian Lysell (Boston Bruins), Isak Rosen (Buffalo Sabres) and Linus Sjodin (Sabres) scored for Sweden.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: McTavish was named the tournament’s most valuable player and the top forward. Wallstedt was named the top goaltender and Finland’s Kasper Puutio was the top defenseman. McTavish also topped The Hockey News‘ ranking of the tournament’s top-20 players.
TSN: Nathan MacKinnon celebrated his day with the Stanley Cup with a parade through downtown Halifax. The 26-year-old Colorado Avalanche superstar is a native of Cole Harbour, part of the Halifax municipality. It’s also the home of Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby. MacKinnon spent two seasons with the QMJHL’s Halifax Mooseheads before joining the Avalanche in 2013-14.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: As MacKinnon observed in an interview, returning to Halifax with the Stanley Cup brings his playing career full circle. In his final season with the Mooseheads, he helped them win the QMJHL’s Presidents’ Cup and the Memorial Cup.
PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: The Philadelphia Flyers rank at the bottom of The Athletic’s fan confidence level survey. The Flyers had the fourth-most entries (1,000) by fans upset over the team’s direction and management’s inability to deliver on its promise earlier this year of an “aggressive retool”. The Flyers received a D-minus ranking in roster building, cap management, drafting and development, trades, free agency and vision.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flyers’ only significant addition this summer was hiring John Tortorella as head coach.
NHL.COM: The Carolina Hurricanes extended its affiliation agreement with the ECHL’s Norfolk Admirals through the 2022-23 season.
Sweeney wake up. Trade Foligno and pkg the Lysell kid as the sweetener he is a bum. We need some future considerations
Will not respond to grumpy fart
Could not resist. Happy Sunday
On a real note. Great JR final’s way to go Canada 🇨🇦
No, No , No – GO FINLAND
2 Highly touted Leaf prospects on Finland
I really like this Niemela kid , Long awaited RD
Very entertaining game , Gallant Comeback
Unhappy Ending
Joakim Kemell , most impressive kid at WJC
After becoming the first expansion team to win the Stanley Cup (back-to-back by the famed Broad Street Bullies), Philly has been all over the map, but they’ve become a bad joke since Fletcher was brought in.
Paul, they’re “all over the map” IMHO because the Flyer cronies can’t stop from meddling in the decision making process? Even the legendary Bobby Clarke, Holmgren, etc were terrible in handing out those bad contracts, I. E. Richards, Bryzgalov, Carter that saddled the team back them! Hextall took over and was moving the team in the right direction and they continued to meddle in his decision making! They only have themselves to blame. In addition, there has never been a penalty that they don’t love, loss of emotional composure, poor goaltending and team defense has always led to their demise. Just when they seemed like they were on the right track with Hextall and AV, upper management pulled the plug on them! There must be something wrong in the locker room and all the way up through the organization? Perhaps, they will be better this year with Torterella? Flyer fans need to realize the “broad Street bullies” are an era gone by. By the way, there were some good hockey players on those teams: Clarke, Barber, Kindrechuck, Lonsberry, Parent and MaCleash, Leach, Clement, etc. Not just Schultz, Kelly, and the other goons! GO AVS!!!!
I always enjoyed watching the Flyers (on tv) after the Seals moved to Cleveland. And, yes,I’m getting old.
YES, Joakim Kemell was a first round pick this past draft
I think – Nashville
D- rating for Philadelphia Flyers , Exciting times for Flyer Fans
They now have Tortorella , The D- may climb to a C- never a dull moment with Torts on board
Kemell was thought of as a top 5 draft pick going into the season, and started off hot with his team, but then injuries wrecked his season. Teams may not have liked his size either
Big win by Nashville by taking the kid – they could use a sniper like him
Fabian Lysell had a decent tourney bit of a disappointment. Not sure if he’s readyto play in the nhl this year.
Best Gm’s in bruin history
3) Pete Chiarelli
2) Jeff Gorton ( should have kept him)
1) Milt Schmidt
Worst Gm’s
2) Mike O Connell
1) The real Teflon Don ( If Jacobs called Don himself and told him to get busy, he’d probably open the door to his td executive suite for a brief second shuffle a few papers before nodding off.
Sop’s best gms
3) Happ Ems
2) Lynn Patrick
1) Art Ross
Worst gms there aren’t any He likes everybody
Morning, Rick.
How are ya, today?
Best GM in Boston History
Harry Sinden
Best Coach – Don Cherry
If u don’t believe me – Ask Bobby Orr
Best GM – All Time
Punch Imlach
Good, heading out for a loooooooong walk with my poochy, how’s your newfie dog?
Uhh, Imlach “all time” best? Ahead of Pollock? Not even close.
She’s doing well, Rick. Hafta take her out early in the morning. Just too hot for her after 9AM.
The other 2 bozos don’t care about the heat, but it’s hard on their paws.
Enjoy your day!
Canada got lucky! McTavish save of the tournament.
All the calls went Canada way.
Mike Johnson brutal as a color commentator. I know your cheering for Canada but give me a break. Asking for a 5 minute major on a 2 minute minor.
Caper
No doubt they got lucky that was some good hand eye by mctavish. To save the day.
Some you got to be good to be lucky 🍀
how did the Hawks not rank as the worst on that list? instead of trading veterans they traded away good young players for picks. they are definitely failing for Bedard
They seem to be following the Eddie Johnson approach to a potential generational draft.
Unfortunately, the difference between the Mario Lemieux draft year and now is that finishing last guarantees nothing and you could drop to 3rd. And there’s no potential generational candidate ranked there.
@Tommy Boy
Carter Hart is a great goaltender
Love to See him in Toronto
He’s seeing away too much rubber in Flyer land !
Who is responsible for not drafting Cale Makar
Clarke openly blames Hextall
They drafted someone off the board , whomever – 1 of the worst mistakes in NHL history
Bring on Fred Shero – facsimile and Kate Smith
It will be interesting – the Cronies and Torts
Every GM at the time would have taken Nolan Patrick, hell the Avalanche were going to take him @ #2 if they didn’t get the #4 pick! It’s easy to look back in hindsight and say The Flyers should have taken Makar?
is Hart that good, I’m not so sure, maybe? But we keep hearing how good he is but seems a little leaky to me?
Flyer fans always puffing out their chest but no Stanley Cups in forever!!!
Ken, I agree with tommyboy and, to be fair, when Makar went 4th overall to Colorado in 2017, 3 teams had a crack at him. NJ had the 1st pick and went for a C – Nico Hischier – who was very highly rated at the time – the Flyers followed suit with another highly-rated C at the time, Nolan Patrick, followed by Dallas who took LD Miro Heiskanen.
Bob McKenzie of TSN had the tp 4 as Hischier, Patrick, Heiskanen, Makar – exactly how they went
His cohort at TSN, Ryan Kennedy, had then Patrick, Hischier, Vilardi, Heiskanen – with Makar 5th
Craig Button had them Hischier, Patrick, Makar, Glass – with Heiskanen 5th
Jeff Marek had them Patrick, Hichier, Heiskanen, Tippett – with Makar 9th (back of Liljegren)
Corey Pronman of ESPN had them Hischier, Patrick, Vilardi, Glass with Makar 18th – well back of Liljegren
NACS on LeafsHub had them Patrick, Hichier, Vilardo, Tippett – and also had Makar 18th, also back of Liljegren
Here the link to the full draft rankings pre-draft
http://www.mynhldraft.com/2017-draft/2017-nhl-draft-rankings
George O thanks for having my back, I was just trying to point out that Hextall had a good plan in my opinion and the Flyer’s traditionally have no patience. As a result, I think they shoot themselves in the foot? Here’s to hoping they ultimately turn things around. Torterella will get them refocused that’s for sure!!
Flyer Brood Street Trivia
1. Riverton Rifle –
2. Ash Can –
3. The Hammer-
4. Zorro-
5. Mad Dog –
6. Big Bird-
7. The Moose-
8. The Diver –
9. The Fog-
Don’t forget
Rio
Izzy
Cowboy
Flockey Hockey
The Rat
Johnny Vermont
& last but Not least “The Blob”
Above lineup – sums up more of a Sesame Street cast !
George and Pengy must be @ church today
@George
I was looking for reaction when I mentioned Imlach
I was actually being sarcastic , although Imlach was successful in the 60’s , before my time
I always remembered him as somewhat of a crazy person , coming back , I am a friend of the Sittler family – not Darryl personally , but not fond memories of “Punch!”from that front !!!