NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 6, 2021

by | Dec 6, 2021

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 6, 2021

The Canucks fired Jim Benning and Travis Green, the Flyers fire head coach Alain Vigneault, Blake Wheeler reaches a career milestone, the Lightning picked up a notable win, and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

CANUCKS FIRE BENNING AND GREEN

THE PROVINCE: The Vancouver Canucks fired general manager Jim Benning and head coach Travis Green. Assistant GM John Weisbrod and assistant coach Nolan Baumgartner were also relieved of their duties.

The Vancouver Canucks fired head coach Travis Green (left) and general manager Jim Benning (NHL.com).

Bruce Boudreau takes over as head coach on a two-year contract. Stan Smyl replaces Benning on an interim basis as the club begins its search for a full-time replacement.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Team owner Francesco Aquilini reportedly decided to remain patient with the club following a meeting with Benning last month. What likely spurred Aquilini to clean house was their 4-1 loss on Saturday to the Pittsburgh Penguins in which a fan tossed a jersey on the ice in the third period as others chanted “Fire Benning”.

That frustration among Canucks fans has been building for some time. The club reached the playoffs only twice in the past seven years under Benning’s management.

They seemed to be on the rise in 2019-20, coming within one game of reaching the Western Conference Final. A poor start and a COVID-19 outbreak scuttled their 2020-21 campaign. Things didn’t get any better this season despite a healthier roster, the additions of Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Conor Garland and the re-signing of core players Elias Pettersson and Quinn Hughes.

It’ll be interesting to see how the Canucks respond to Boudreau’s coaching. He’s an experienced NHL bench boss who’s had success in turning struggling or rebuilding clubs into playoff contenders. He faces a daunting challenge this season. With 18 points in 25 games, the Canucks are nine points out of a wild-card berth in the Western Conference.

FLYERS FIRE VIGNEAULT

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reported the Philadelphia Flyers fired head coach Alain Vigneault and assistant coach Michel Therrien. Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli reports Mike Yeo will replace Vigneault behind the bench for tonight’s game against the Colorado Avalanche. Seravalli also believes Rick Tocchet will be high on the Flyers’ list as Vigneault’s full-time replacement.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Vigneault was on increasingly thin ice as the Flyers dropped their last eight games. Last night’s lifeless 7-1 shellacking at the hands of the Tampa Bay Lightning was the last straw for general manager Chuck Fletcher.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Winnipeg Jets captain Blake Wheeler celebrated his 1,000th career game with two assists in a 6-3 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs. Mark Scheifele, Kyle Connor and Pierre-Luc Dubois each had a goal and an assist for the Jets, who’ve won three of their last four games. Leafs defenseman Rasmus Sandin departed in the third period following a knee-on-knee collision with the Jets’ Neil Pionk. There was no update on his condition following the game.

The Tampa Bay Lightning collected their 1,000th regular-season victory by crushing the Philadelphia Flyers 7-1. Victor Hedman, Corey Perry, Ryan McDonagh and Ross Colton each had three points. The Flyers have dropped eight straight games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With the Canucks cleaning house yesterday and the Montreal Canadiens conducting a front-office purge a week ago, could the Flyers be next? Their season has rapidly gone off the rails following a promising start, prompting calls from their fans for Alain Vigneault to be relieved of his coaching duties.

Speaking of teams mired in a winless skid, the New York Islanders dropped their 11th straight in a 3-2 shootout loss to the Chicago Blackhawks. Patrick Kane potted the game-winner while Marc-Andre Fleury picked up his 499th career victory. Mathew Barzal assisted on both Islanders’ goals while teammate Matt Martin was a late scratch.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Injuries and a COVID outbreak decimated the Isles’ lineup over the past month. However, they also seemed to lack the spark that sent them to two straight conference finals and had them projected as a potential Stanley Cup contender this season.

Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Robin Lehner made 23 saves as his club held off the Calgary Flames 3-2. Nicolas Roy had a goal and an assist for the Golden Knights while teammates Max Pacioretty and Evgenii Dadonov netted the other two goals. Following the game, Lehner announced he had withdrawn from consideration for Sweden’s Olympic team citing health reasons after consulting with his psychiatrist and his agents.

Drew Doughty had a goal and two assists and Adrian Kempe scored twice as the Los Angeles Kings upset the Edmonton Oilers 5-1. Oilers captain Connor McDavid received a five-minute major and game misconduct for boarding Kempe in the third period. Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse scored in his first game since being sidelined six games with an injured finger.

The Columbus Blue Jackets snapped a four-game losing streak by beating the San Jose Sharks 6-4. Adam Boqvist scored twice for the Jackets. Timo Meier and Matt Nieto each had two assists for the Sharks.










Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – December 5, 2021

by | Dec 5, 2021

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – December 5, 2021

The latest on Jake DeBrusk, the Stars are shopping Anton Khudobin, plus some recent Islanders and Rangers speculation in the Sunday NHL rumor roundup.

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports the Boston Bruins are continuing to shop Jake DeBrusk, who requested a trade last weekend. They’ve informed teams that they’re going to do this on their timeline and seek a defenseman or forward of equal value to the 25-year-old winger.

Boston Bruins winger Jake DeBrusk (NHL Images)

  VEGAS HOCKEY NOW: Owen Krepps wondered if the Golden Knights might be interested in DeBrusk, noting he carries a reasonable $3.675 million cap hit. However, he doubted they have anything the Bruins would be interested in. Krepps also pondered other possible trade targets such as the San Jose Sharks’ Evander Kane, the St. Louis Blues’ Vladimir Tarasenko, New York Rangers’ Vitali Kravtsov and the Chicago Blackhawks’ Dylan Strome.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Dan Kingerski mused over whether DeBrusk would be a fit with the Penguins. While his style of game could be enticing, his consistency and the fact the Penguins are jockeying with the Bruins for a playoff spot makes a trade between those two clubs unlikely. Kingerski also dismissed suggestions the Penguins would be a good destination for Evander Kane.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Golden Knights will have to shed salary when Jack Eichel comes off long-term injury reserve so I doubt they’ll be a suitor for DeBrusk. The Penguins also face the same situation once Evgeni Malkin comes off LTIR in the coming weeks.

SPORTSNET: Jeff Marek reported the Dallas Stars are testing the trade market for Anton Khudobin. They appear set in goal now with youngster Jake Oettinger and veteran Braden Holtby. Marek said they spoke to the Buffalo Sabres about the 35-year-old netminder.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sabres could be out of the goalie market for now following last week’s acquisition of Malcolm Subban from the Chicago Blackhawks. Khudobin also has a four-team no-trade list and the Sabres could be on it.

THE ATHLETIC: In a recent mailbag segment, Arthur Staple was asked if New York Islanders general manager Lou Lamoriello will make a move to bolster the club’s blueline depth and flagging offense.

Staple suggested Montreal Canadiens defenseman Ben Chiarot or Chicago Blackhawks (and former Isle) Calvin de Haan could help the Islanders blueline. He mentioned the Bruins’ Jake DeBrusk but feels that could cost the Islanders a forward in return.

NEW YORK POST: Larry Brooks recently reported the Rangers opened contract extension talks with center Ryan Strome. Brooks pointed out the difficulty of re-signing Strome when the Rangers face a salary-cap crunch for the next two seasons with Kaapo Kakka and Alexis Lafreniere due for new contracts.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 4, 2021

by | Dec 4, 2021

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 4, 2021

​A hat-trick performance for Mark Scheifele, Igor Shesterkin injury clouds Rangers win, Canadiens’ hockey ops VP Jeff Gorton meets the Montreal media and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Mark Scheifele tallied a hat track to lead the Winnipeg Jets over the New Jersey Devils 8-4. The Devils overcame a 3-0 deficit to take a 4-3 lead before the Jets put them away with five unanswered goals. Nikolaj Ehlers also scored twice for the Jets to hand the Devils their third straight loss.

Winnipeg Jets center Mark Scheifele (NHL Images).

The New York Rangers’ 1-0 win over the San Jose Sharks was overshadowed by Igor Shesterkin’s lower-body injury that forced the Blueshirts goaltender from the game in the third period. Ryan Strome netted the only goal. Alexandar Georgiev made nine saves to preserve the shutout.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Shesterkin has been stellar this season for the Rangers, ranking among the early favorites for the Vezina Trophy. Rangers head coach Gerard Gallant said the training staff indicated his injury wasn’t as serious as it looked when he had to be helped from the ice. He’s listed as day-to-day but there’s concern among some observers that this could be a prolonged absence.

Max Pacioretty scored two goals as the Vegas Golden Knights trounced the Arizona Coyotes 7-1. Shea Theodore and Reilly Smith each collected two points and Laurent Brossoit kicked out 29 shots.

The Seattle Kraken picked up their third straight home victory by holding off the Edmonton Oilers 4-3. Alex Wennberg’s second-period goal proved to be the game-winner while teammate Adam Larsson scored against his former club. Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl each had a goal and an assist for the Oilers. The Kraken played without Jaden Schwartz, Jordan Eberle and Calle Jarnkrok as all three are listed as day-to-day.

Shootout goals by Johnny Gaudreau and Matthew Tkachuk gave the Calgary Flames a 4-3 win over the Anaheim Ducks. Sean Monahan had a goal and an assist while Dan Vladar made 31 saves in regulation and overtime. Earlier in the day, the Ducks learned captain Ryan Getzlaf is listed as week-to-week with a lower-body injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Getzlaf was having a strong start to this season. With 20 points in 23 games, he already exceeded the 17 points he had in 48 contests last season.

HEADLINES

MONTREAL GAZETTE: Jeff Gorton, the Canadiens’ new executive VP of hockey operations, had his first press conference with the Montreal media yesterday. He said he’s looking at all options for the club’s next general manager and acknowledged former Canadiens star Patrick Roy’s interest in the job. However, Stu Cowan believes two other former Habs – Mathieu Darche and Daniel Briere – are the leading candidates for the job.

Gorton indicated head coach Dominique Ducharme will remain in his job for the rest of the season. He also said he intends to improve the club’s player development and analytics departments.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Gorton made it very clear he and whoever becomes the next GM will be looking at everything with regards to improving the team and its direction. That also includes examining where several players on long-term contracts might fit into their plans. His intention to improve player development is long overdue given how poorly the Canadiens have drafted and developed talent in recent years. 

Speaking of the Canadiens, defenseman Jeff Petry is day-to-day with an upper-body injury.

CHICAGO TRIBUNE: Blackhawks forward Tyler Johnson will be sidelined for three months following neck surgery. He underwent artificial disc-replacement surgery, the same procedure Vegas Golden Knights center Jack Eichel had last month. The Blackhawks also placed defenseman Connor Murphy on concussion protocol. There is no timetable for his return.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 25, 2021

by | Nov 25, 2021

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 25, 2021

​The Panthers tied a winning-streak record, McDavid and Draisaitl reach scoring milestones, Alex Ovechkin tallies his most assists through 20 games, and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

NHL.COM: The Florida Panthers picked up their 11th straight home win to start the season as they downed the Philadelphia Flyers 2-1. Aaron Ekblad tallied in overtime as the Panthers tied the 1963-64 Chicago Blackhawks for the longest season-opening home win streak at 11-0-0. The victory also propelled them into first overall with 31 points.

Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl (NHL Images).

Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid each scored two goals and collected two assists to lead the Edmonton Oilers to a 5-3 win over the Arizona Coyotes. Zack Kassian also chipped in a goal and two assists while the Coyotes Clayton Keller had a three-point performance. Draisaitl has a league-leading 20 goals and 40 points, joining Wayne Gretzky as the only Oiler to score 20 goals in less than 20 games. McDavid, meanwhile, netted his 400th career assist. Earlier in the day, the Coyotes placed goaltender Carter Hutton in COVID protocol.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Draisaitl maintains a four-point lead over McDavid in the NHL scoring race.

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin collected three assists in a 6-3 win over the Montreal Canadiens. Ovechkin (33 points) has 18 assists in 20 games, exceeding his previous best (17) in 2008-09. He joins Mario Lemieux, Johnny Bucyk, Gordie Howe and Martin St. Louis as the only players’ age 36 or older to reach at least 18 assists in their first 20 games of the season. Capitals defenseman Justin Schultz left the game with an upper-body injury. Canadiens rookie Cole Caufield potted his first goal of the season.

Colorado Avalanche center Nazem Kadri had two points to extend his points streak to 10 games to help his club beat the Anaheim Ducks 5-2. Kadri has netted 21 points during that streak. Sonny Milano scored both goals for the Ducks. Earlier in the day, the Ducks listed Adam Henrique as day-to-day with an upper-body injury.

The Toronto Maple Leafs netted four goals in the second period on route to a 6-2 victory over the Los Angeles Kings. Auston Matthews and John Tavares each had a goal and an assist while Rasmus Sandin chipped in three helpers. The Leafs have won seven of their last eight. Earlier in the day, the Kings placed forward Andreas Athanasiou in COVID protocol.

A four-goal first period powered the Boston Bruins over the Buffalo Sabres 5-1. David Pastrnak, Charlie Coyle and Nick Foligno each collected two points for the Bruins, handing the Sabres their fourth straight loss. Bruins netminder (and former Sabre) Linus Ullmark didn’t start as he’s nursing a minor undisclosed injury but served as a backup in this contest.

Minnesota Wild winger Kevin Fiala scored in the shootout as his club nipped the New Jersey Devils 3-2. Wild goalie Cam Talbot made 40 saves in regulation and overtime and was perfect in the shootout. The Devils overcame a 2-0 deficit on goals by Pavel Zacha and Yegor Sherangovich with Nico Hischier assisting on both.

A 36-save performance by Tristan Jarry carried the Pittsburgh Penguins to a 4-1 victory over the Vancouver Canucks 4-1. The Penguins have won four straight while the Canucks have dropped seven of their last eight contests.

Elvis Merzlikins kicked out 36 shots for his first shutout of the season as the Columbus Blue Jackets blanked the Winnipeg Jets 3-0, spoiling Pierre-Luc Dubois’ return to Columbus for the first time since getting traded to Winnipeg in January.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Jets’ usually reliable offense has dried up of late, managing just four goals in their last four games. Meanwhile, the Blue Jackets continue to exceed expectations, winning seven of their last 10 contests.

The Detroit Red Wings got 35 saves from Alex Nedeljkovic to snap a four-game losing streak by doubling up the St. Louis Blues 4-2. Adam Erne broke a 2-2 tie while Robby Fabbri had a goal and an assist. Blues center Brayden Schenn returned to action after missing nine games with an upper-body injury. Earlier in the day, the Wings placed defenseman Danny DeKeyser in COVID protocol.

Chris Kreider and Kevin Rooney each scored twice to lead the New York Rangers to a 4-1 win over the New York Islanders, who had seven players in COVID protocol. The Isles have lost seven straight games. Adding to their misery, defenseman Noah Dobson is listed as day-to-day with a lower-body injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Athletic’s Arthur Staple shot down a rumor claiming Isles general manager Lou Lamoriello asked the league for a postponement. NHL sources said they didn’t believe any such request came from Lamoriello. The league continues to monitor the Isles’ situation closely. Yesterday was the first time in a week the club had no new COVID cases.

Max Pacioretty collected an assist as the Vegas Golden Knights defeated the Nashville Predators 5-2. Pacioretty missed 17 games with a fractured foot. Filip Forsberg scored both Predators’ goals as he returned from a nine-game absence with an upper-body injury.

The Seattle Kraken got 35 saves from Philipp Grubauer and a late goal in the third period by Marcus Johansson to upset the Carolina Hurricanes 2-1. Jared McCann tallied the tying goal on a power play in the second period for the Kraken (6-12-1), giving them their second straight win. The Hurricanes (14-3-1) sit two points behind the first-overall Panthers.

A three-point effort by Timo Meier (one goal, two assists) gave the San Jose Sharks a 6-3 win over the Ottawa Senators. Sharks forward Nick Bonino also scored in what was his 700th career game. Brady Tkachuk had a goal and an assist for the Senators.










NHL Rumor Mill – November 24, 2021

by | Nov 24, 2021

NHL Rumor Mill – November 24, 2021

​The Sharks are reportedly willing to retain salary to move Evander Kane, Golden Knights forward Mattias Janmark could become a trade candidate plus the latest Coyotes speculation in today’s NHL rumor mill.

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: Sheng Peng cited Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman the San Jose Sharks could be willing to retain part of Evander Kane’s salary to facilitate a trade.

San Jose Sharks winger Evander Kane (NHL Images).

Appearing on the Jeff Marek Show on Tuesday, Friedman said the Sharks have let it be known they’re willing to retain some salary if a deal for Kane could be worked out. “I don’t know who’s going to trade for him right now,” he said. “I just don’t know where that is at this particular point in time or even if that’s realistic.”

Peng pointed out Kane has four years and $28 million remaining on his contract. He’s currently serving a 21-game suspension for unspecified COVID-19 protocol violations.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kane has a well-documented recent history of financial and domestic problems this year as well as clashing with several teammates. The Sharks tried shopping him during the offseason but found no takers.

Kane was the Sharks leading scorer last season. Nevertheless, his personal baggage and reportedly toxic dressing-room presence make him pretty much untradeable even if the Sharks were willing to retain up to half of his $7 million annual average value.

VEGAS HOCKEY NOW: Owen Krepps recently mused over Mattias Janmark’s future with the Vegas Golden Knights. Signed to a one-year, $2-million contract by Vegas, he’s had a slow start to the season in part because of injury.

Krepps speculated Janmark could become a trade candidate later in the season even if his play improves. The Golden Knights are projected to be over the salary cap by $7 million when Jack Eichel returns from neck surgery later this season. They could be willing to part with Janmark to clear some cap room before Eichel joins the lineup.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Janmark isn’t in any danger of moving at this point in the season but his status could be worth monitoring following the February Olympic break. That’s when Eichel could be ready to make his Vegas debut.

Janmark could surface in the rumor mill leading up to the March 21 trade deadline. His affordable cap hit, versatility and postseason experience would make him enticing for playoff contenders.

GOPHNX.COM: In a recent mailbag segment, Craig Morgan was asked if the Arizona Coyotes were looking into acquiring Los Angeles Kings center Gabriel Vilardi or New York Rangers winger Vitali Kravtsov. He said he hasn’t heard of any interest in either player on the Coyotes’ part, adding a source in Los Angeles said Vilardi’s trade value is too low right now.

Asked to rank the Coyotes trade deadline assets, Morgan listed Shayne Gostisbehere, Johan Larsson, Phil Kessel and Lawson Crouse as having the most value. Regarding Gostisbehere, Morgan believes he could be attractive to other clubs if he continues producing at his current pace.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Coyotes will be sellers at the trade deadline as general manager Bill Armstrong looks to stock up further on draft picks and prospects for his rebuilding club. Kessel, Larsson and Crouse are unrestricted free agents while Gostisbehere has a year remaining on his contract with an annual average value of $4.5 million.

Kessel’s playoff experience will draw interest from playoff clubs seeking to bolster their scoring punch up front. Gostisbehere, meanwhile, is the Coyotes’ leading scorer with 14 points in 19 games. That extra year on his contract could make him enticing for clubs seeking a puck-moving blueliner they can retain beyond this season.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 21, 2021

by | Nov 21, 2021

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 21, 2021

​Connor McDavid extends his season-opening points streak, the league-leading Panthers home-winning streak continues, the Islanders debut in their new arena, and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Connor McDavid’s season-opening points streak reached 17 games with a goal and an assist as his Edmonton Oilers downed the Chicago Blackhawks 5-2, snapping the latter’s four-game winning streak. Leon Draisaitl (35 points) also had a goal and an assist to maintain his three-point lead over McDavid atop the scoring race. Alex DeBrincat netted both Blackhawks goals.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid (NHL Images).

The Florida Panthers remain undefeated at home (10-0-0) by holding off the Minnesota Wild 5-4. Frank Vatrano scored two goals and collected an assist while Sergei Bobrovsky made 35 saves. Kirill Kaprizov and Joel Eriksson Ek each had a goal and an assist for the Wild.

Calgary Flames winger Andrew Mangiapane tallied twice in a 5-2 victory over the New York Islanders, spoiled the latter’s first game at UBS Arena. Jacob Markstrom made 34 saves and Noah Hanifin had three assists for the Flames. Brock Nelson scored both goals for the COVID-depleted Islanders, who placed Adam Pelech, Andy Greene and Anthony Beauvillier in the protocol before the game, joining Anders Lee, Ross Johnston and Josh Bailey.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Despite the loss, it was great to see the Islanders finally play in their new arena. This was a long-time dream come true for the team and their fans following years of delays due to local political machinations amid concerns about a possible relocation of the franchise.

Martin Necas goal with 34 seconds remaining in regulation gave the Carolina Hurricanes their fourth straight win with a closely contested 5-4 victory over the Los Angeles Kings. Sebastian Aho and Derek Stepan each had a goal and an assist while Frederik Andersen made 39 saves. Adrian Kempe scored two goals for the Kings. With 28 points, the Hurricanes sit one back of the league-leading Panthers.

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin scored twice and chipped in an assist to blank the San Jose Sharks 4-0. Ilya Samsonov made 22 saves for his second straight shutout while Conor Sheary also potted two goals. Sharks winger Kevin Lebanc missed this contest as he was serving a one-game suspension for slew-footing St. Louis Blues center Tyler Bozak.

Four unanswered third-period goals powered the New Jersey Devils to a 5-3 upset of the Tampa Bay Lightning. Yegor Sharangovich scored twice and set up another as the Devils ended a three-game losing skid.

Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Tristan Jarry turned aside 26 shots for his second straight shutout to down the Toronto Maple Leafs 2-0. Jake Guentzel and Jeff Carter scored the only goals in the first period as they snapped the Leafs’ five-game win streak.

The Montreal Canadiens rode a 5-0 lead to a 6-3 win over the Nashville Predators. Ryan Poehling scored two goals with 37 seconds in the second period while Tyler Toffoli had a goal and two assists. Matt Duchene collected the hat trick for the Predators.

Boston Bruins defenseman Derek Forbort had the first two-goal game of his NHL career as his club dropped the Philadelphia Flyers 5-2. David Pastrnak and Craig Smith each had a goal and an assist for the Bruins as they collected their third straight victory. Derick Brassard scored both goals for the Flyers.

Third-period goals by Reilly Smith and Mattias Janmark lifted the Vegas Golden Knights over the Columbus Blue Jackets 3-2. Laurent Brossoit picked up the win with a 27-save effort. Blue Jackets forward Max Domi rejoined the lineup after being activated off their COVID protocol list.

Two shorthanded goals by Roope Hintz helped the Dallas Stars defeat the St. Louis Blues 4-1. Stars captain Jamie Benn had a goal and an assist.

The Arizona Coyotes picked up their third win of the season (3-13-2) as they nipped the Detroit Red Wings 2-1 on an overtime goal by Clayton Keller, handing the Wings their fourth straight loss.

IN OTHER NEWS…

THE JOURNAL NEWS: The New York Rangers had a bit of a scare when center Mika Zibanejad missed practice on Saturday after being placed in COVID protocol. However, it was subsequently determined to be a false positive and he’s slated to play in today’s game against the Buffalo Sabres. Zibanejad contracted the coronavirus last January, missing a portion of last season’s training camp.

THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER: The Anaheim Ducks returned center Mason McTavish to his OHL team in Peterborough for the remainder of the season. Selected third-overall by the Ducks in the 2021 NHL Draft, he scored two goals and added an assist in his nine games with the Ducks.

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reported Fenway Sports Group had explored the possibility of a merger with Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment before pursuing their plans to purchase the Pittsburgh Penguins. Those discussions didn’t get far as MLSE was not ready for that kind of move yet.