NHL Rumor Mill – November 22, 2021

by | Nov 22, 2021

NHL Rumor Mill – November 22, 2021

​What will the Sharks do with Evander Kane? What are some possible trade destinations for Canadiens defenseman Ben Chiarot? Should the Rangers shop Alexandar Georgiev? Check out the latest in today’s NHL rumor mill.

THE ATHLETIC: Kevin Kurz wondered what the San Jose Sharks will do with Evander Kane when the 30-year-old winger’s 21-game suspension ends in about a week. General manager Doug Wilson has kept his plans for Kane under wraps. It would take some time for the winger to return to game shape as it appears he didn’t spend much time on the ice during his suspension.

San Jose Sharks winger Evander Kane (NHL Images).

Kane was the Sharks leading scorer last season. However, his troublesome personality upset several of his teammates. Bringing him back into the lineup could disrupt team chemistry.

It’s unknown if Kane wants to return to the Sharks. Given his off-ice issues, trying to trade him if he wants out could prove almost impossible. The Sharks could buy him out but that would leave considerable dead cap space on their books for the next six seasons.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It will be interesting to see how Wilson handles this situation. He attempted to trade Kane in the offseason but couldn’t find any takers. Factor in his contract with its $7 million annual average value over the next three years and it’s doubtful Wilson will have better luck moving him during the season.

A contract buyout would have to wait until the offseason. Cap Friendly indicates that will cause some salary-cap headaches over the next six years but it would clear a big chunk of his current cap hit from their books while ridding themselves of a divisive player from their dressing room. However, that doesn’t address the immediate issue of what to do with him once his suspension is over.

MONTREAL HOCKEY NOW: Mitch Gallo listed the New York Islanders, Toronto Maple Leafs, Edmonton Oilers and Colorado Avalanche as potential trade destinations for Ben Chiarot. The 30-year-old Montreal Canadiens defenseman has become a recent subject of trade speculation by several pundits. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman believes Chiarot could fetch a first-round pick.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Barring a comeback for the ages, the Canadiens will be sellers leading up to the March 21 trade deadline. Pending unrestricted free agents like Chiarot could be dangled in the trade market but I don’t see that happening this early in the season despite the Habs’ current woes. They’ll likely wait until after the February Olympic break to move him in order to maximize the potential return.

The Islanders could use Chiarot right now but I’ll be surprised if general manager Lou Lamoriello parts with a first-rounder to get him. The Avalanche got off to a stumbling start but seem to have righted their ship and don’t appear in any hurry to swing a deal. The Oilers and Leafs are playing well so they’ll likely wait until the second half of the season to consider any significant moves.

NEW YORK POST: Larry Brooks believes the Rangers have a backup goaltending problem after watching Alexandar Georgiev give up four goals on 18 shots in yesterday’s game against the Buffalo Sabres before being relieved by starter Igor Shesterkin. The Rangers would win the game 5-4.

Brooks observed something seems wrong with Georgiev’s performance this season. He indicated the 25-year-old netminder has been unhappy as a backup and has wanted out for a while even if he hasn’t formally requested a trade. He claimed the Rangers made Georgiev available this summer but couldn’t get a nibble.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: As Brooks pointed out, Georgiev’s poor play this season will further diminish his trade value. The Rangers need a more reliable backup for Shesterkin to avoid overworking their starter. If Georgiev wants out he’ll have to perform better in order to entice a rival club into acquiring him.










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.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 19, 2021

by | Nov 19, 2021

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 19, 2021

​

Connor McDavid and Troy Terry extend their points streak, Jacob Markstrom collects another shutout, the Panthers remain undefeated at home, and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid tallied another highlight-reel goal to extend his season-opening points streak to 16 games in a 2-1 victory over the Winnipeg Jets. McDavid and Kyle Turris also scored in the shootout while Stuart Skinner made 46 saves for the win. Nikolaj Ehlers scored in regulation for the Jets.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McDavid’s goal was almost a carbon copy of the one he recently tallied against the New York Rangers, stickhandling his way through three defenders with his blazing speed to beat Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck. With 30 points, McDavid sits three behind teammate Leon Draisaitl for first place in the NHL scoring race.

Troy Terry also extended his points streak with a goal but his Anaheim Ducks had their eight-game winning streak snapped in a 2-1 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes. Seth Jarvis snapped a 1-1 tie in the third period while Hurricanes goalie Frederik Andersen stopped 31 shots.

Calgary Flames goaltender Jacob Markstrom collected his league-leading fifth shutout of the season to douse the Buffalo Sabres 5-0. Johnny Gaudreau and Andrew Mangiapane each tallied twice for the Flames.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The NHL’s modern-day single-season shutout record is 15 held by the late Tony Esposito in 1969-70. Markstrom is already a third of the way toward reaching that record.

The Florida Panthers extended their season-opening home winning streak to 9-0-0 by dropping the New Jersey Devils 4-1. Spencer Knight kicked out 45 shots while Jonathan Huberdeau and Anthony Duclair each had a goal and an assist. Panthers center Joe Thornton returned to the lineup after missing eight games with an undisclosed injury. The Panthers (27 points) hold a one-point lead over the Hurricanes atop the NHL’s overall standings.

Shootout goals by Steven Stamkos and Brayden Point gave the Tampa Bay Lightning a 4-3 win over the Philadelphia Flyers. The Lightning extended their points streak to nine games (7-0-2). Stamkos also had a goal and an assist in regulation play while Claude Giroux tallied twice for the Flyers. Earlier in the day, the Flyers announced defenseman Ryan Ellis will be sidelined four-to-six weeks dealing with a lingering lower-body injury.

Minnesota Wild winger Kirill Kaprizov had his first four-point NHL game (one goal, three assists) as his club trounced the Dallas Stars 7-2. Mats Zuccarello, Victor Rask and Alex Goligoski each had a goal and two assists for the Wild.

Morgan Rielly scored twice and Jack Campbell made 27 saves as the Toronto Maple Leafs nipped the New York Rangers 2-1. The Leafs have won five straight games and snapped the Rangers’ win streak at four.

A two-goal performance by Brandon Saad carried the St. Louis Blues to their first victory in five games with a 4-1 win over the San Jose Sharks. Blues goalie Ville Husso got his second win in as many starts with a 27-save performance.

The Vegas Golden Knights got two goals from defenseman Zach Whitecloud in his return to the lineup from a broken hand to beat the Detroit Red Wings 5-2. Golden Knights blueliner Shea Theodore was scratched from this contest with an undisclosed injury. Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin returned to the lineup after missing half of his previous game to a false positive COVID test. Teammate Moritz Seider left the game in the third period after taking a puck off his right knee.

Columbus Blue Jackets captain Boone Jenner netted two goals to lead his team over the Arizona Coyotes 5-4. Coyotes goalie Scott Wedgewood made 42 saves. Earlier in the day, Coyotes defenseman Conor Timmins underwent successful knee surgery. He’ll be sidelined for the remainder of the season.

The Pittsburgh Penguins blanked the Montreal Canadiens 6-0 as Tristan Jarry made 24 saves for his first shutout of the season. Sidney Crosby scored his first goal of the season while Teddy Blueger tallied twice and set up another. Earlier in the day, the Canadiens recalled winger Cole Caufield after his six-game stint with their AHL affiliate in Laval.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens have just one win in their last 10 games. They’ve now reached the point where their “slow start” to the season can now be called a poor start, with no end to their misery in sight.

IN OTHER NEWS…

CANUCKS ARMY: The Vancouver Canucks placed Justin Bailey on waivers.

TSN: Winger Troy Brouwer announced his retirement after 14 NHL seasons with the Chicago Blackhawks, Washington Capitals, St. Louis Blues, Calgary Flames and Florida Panthers. He scored 181 goals and 363 points in 851 regular-season games and 16 goals and 35 points in 106 playoff contests, winning a Stanley Cup with the Blackhawks in 2010. His last season was with the Blues in 2019-20.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Best wishes to Brouwer and his family in their future endeavors.










NHL Rumor Mill – November 18, 2021

by | Nov 18, 2021

NHL Rumor Mill – November 18, 2021

​A look at some options for the Islanders to replace the sidelined Ryan Pulock, possible goalie targets for the Oilers, and the latest on the Canadiens in today’s NHL rumor mill.

THE ATHLETIC: Arthur Staple examined possible options for the New York Islanders to replace sidelined defenseman Ryan Pulock, who’s out four to six weeks with a lower-body injury.

General manager Lou Lamoriello could look to within his system. He could give younger defensemen like Noah Dobson more playing time, turn to a veteran like Thomas Hickey, or call up Robin Salo.

Dallas Stars defenseman John Klingberg (NHL Images).

If Lamoriello decides to go the trade route, Staple suggested inquiring into the availability of Arizona Coyotes defenseman Jakob Chychrun or Dallas Stars blueliner John Klingberg. Less expensive options could include the Seattle Kraken’s Mark Giordano or Vince Dunn, the Montreal Canadiens’ Ben Chiarot or the St. Louis Blues’ Marco Scandella.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I don’t rule out Lamoriello pursuing a deal for a defenseman but I think he’ll look to within for the time being. Staple was merely suggesting possible trade options. There’s no indication any of those defensemen he mentioned are available.

The Coyotes aren’t moving Chychrun unless he requests a trade. They see him as a key piece in their rebuilding process. The Stars are talking contract with Klingberg and I don’t think they’ve reached the point where they’re considering a trade. I doubt the Kraken are planning to move Giordano or Dunn right now. The same goes for the Canadiens with Chiarot and the Blues with Scandella.

Anything’s possible, of course, and if Lamoriello’s willing to overpay maybe he could acquire one of those defensemen. However, I wouldn’t hold my breath waiting for one of them to be suiting up with the Isles over the next six weeks.

THE ATHLETIC: Allan Mitchell recently observed Edmonton Oilers GM Ken Holland doesn’t have a history of swinging trades this early in the season. He usually waits until the trade deadline if his club is in contention and his roster has a need to be filled.

Goaltender Mike Smith’s recent injury has given some cause for concern. Mitchell suggested the Detroit Red Wings’ Thomas Greiss, New Jersey Devils’ Jonathan Bernier, Chicago Blackhawks’ Marc-Andre Fleury and the Dallas Stars’ Anton Khudobin or Braden Holtby if the Oilers should need help between the pipes.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Some folks have already started linking Fleury to the Oilers but I’d keep an eye on the Dallas Stars. Ben Bishop has been practicing with the club for several weeks but they’re taking it slow to ensure he’s 100 percent recovered from last year’s knee surgery. They also can’t activate him off long-term injury reserve without clearing some cap space.

NHL.com’s Mike Heika speculated they could move Khudobin or Holtby though doing so could put the Stars in a bind if Bishop got hurt again. They do have promising Jake Oettinger that they could call up but they could prefer letting him spend this season with the farm team before bringing him up full time.

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman believes the Montreal Canadiens would consider adding a puck-moving defenseman.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That’s a move that might not happen until the offseason. The Canadiens are sinking like a sunset in the standings and there’s not much available in the trade market to help them right now.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 15, 2021

by | Nov 15, 2021

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 15, 2021

​Connor McDavid achieves a points milestone while Ryan Getzlaf is on the verge of reaching one of his own. Check out the details in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

NHL.COM: Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid became the sixth-fastest player to reach 600 points during his club’s 5-4 win over the St. Louis Blues. McDavid had a goal and an assist to reach that milestone in 421 games and now has 601 points. Leon Draisaitl had a goal and two assists and Kailer Yamamoto netted the game-winner with 28 seconds remaining in regulation. Robert Thomas collected three helpers for the Blues.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Drasaitl (31 points) opened a four-point lead over McDavid atop the NHL points leader board.

The Anaheim Ducks won their seventh straight game by downing the Vancouver Canucks 5-1. Trevor Zegras scored twice, Troy Terry (one assist) extended his points streak to 14 games, and Ryan Getzlaf collected two assists to reach 999 career points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Getzlaf had 17 points in 48 games last season. The 36-year-old center has the same number of points in just 16 games thus far this season.

A shootout goal by Chris Kreider gave the New York Rangers a 4-3 win over the New Jersey Devils. Rangers winger Kaapo Kakko picked up his first points of the season with a goal and an assist. Devils goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood left the game in the third period and entered concussion protocol. Rangers forward Sammy Blais suffered an injured leg following a collision with Devils defenseman P.K. Subban.

The Washington Capitals scored twice in the second period and two more in the third in a 6-1 drubbing of the Pittsburgh Penguins. Alex Ovechkin, Tom Wilson, Evgeny Kuznetsov, Conor Sheary Garnet Hathaway and Daniel Sprong all collected two points. Penguins captain Sidney Crosby was held scoreless in his first game since returning from COVID protocol. Earlier in the day, the Capitals announced center Nic Dowd signed a three-year contract extension worth an annual average value of $1.3 million.

A four-goal third period lifted the Boston Bruins over the Montreal Canadiens 5-2. Charlie McAvoy and Charlie Coyle each scored twice for the Bruins while teammate Taylor Hall had a goal and an assist. Earlier in the day, the Canadiens announced goaltender Jake Allen was listed as day-to-day with a head injury.

Calgary Flames goaltender Dan Vladar made 27 saves for his first career NHL shutout in a 4-0 win over the Ottawa Senators. Elias Lindholm and Sean Monahan each had two points. The Senators were playing with 10 regulars on COVID protocol as Drake Batherson was the latest to make the list yesterday.

The NHL department of player safety fined Minnesota Wild defenseman Alex Goligoski $5,000.00 for high-sticking Seattle Kraken winger Jordan Eberle on Saturday. Buffalo Sabres forward Evan Rodrigues was fined $2,500.00 for a dangerous trip of Ottawa Senators forward Zach Sanford.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 12, 2021

by | Nov 12, 2021

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 12, 2021

​Leon Draisaitl powers the Oilers to a comeback win, the Kings and Ducks extend their winning streaks, the Blue Jackets set to honor Rick Nash and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Leon Draisaitl scored twice in the third period as the Edmonton Oilers overcame a 3-2 deficit to defeat the Boston Bruins 5-3. Draisaitl leads all NHL scorers with 12 goals and also collected an assist. Teammate Connor McDavid collected an assist to extend his points streak to 12 games. David Pastrnak and Patrice Bergeron each had two points for the Bruins.

Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With 26 points, Draisaitl sits two points ahead of McDavid atop the NHL scoring race.

A 34-save shutout performance by Jonathan Quick carried the Los Angeles Kings to a 2-0 win over the Ottawa Senators. Anze Kopitar and Andreas Athanasiou were the goal scorers as the Kings (8-5-1) extended their win streak to seven games. The Senators have nine players on the COVID protocol list, including Matt Murray, Alex Formenton and Nikita Zaitsev going on the list yesterday. Sens defenseman Artem Zub left the game with an upper-body injury in the first period.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That could be the last game the Senators play for a while if more of their players end up on the COVID list over the next couple of days. The league is monitoring their situation closely and could postpone several upcoming games.

Anaheim Ducks winger Troy Terry scored twice and collected an assist to extend his points streak to 13 games in a 7-4 victory over the Seattle Kraken. Ryan Getzlaf collected two assists as the Ducks (8-4-3) have won six in a row. Jared McCann tallied twice for the slumping Kraken (4-9-1), who’ve dropped three straight games.

Mikko Rantanen had a goal and two assists while defensemen Cale Makar, Devon Toews and Samuel Girard each had two points as the Colorado Avalanche thumped the Vancouver Canucks 7-1. The Avs scored three times in the first period and another three in the second to put the game out of reach. Colorado blueliner Bowen Byram left the game in the first period after taking an elbow to the face from Canucks center Bo Horvat. Canucks defenseman Tucker Poolman was ejected in the third period for swinging his stick at the head of Avs forward Kiefer Sherwood.

The New Jersey Devils blanked the New York Islanders 4-0 with goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood kicking out 42 shots for the shutout. Dougie Hamilton led the way with a goal and an assist.

Zach Fucale made 21 saves to become the first goalie in Washington Capitals history to notch a shutout in his first NHL game in a 2-0 win over the Detroit Red Wings. Dmitry Orlov and Lars Eller were the goal scorers. Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin collected an assist but remains tied with Brett Hull for fourth place on the all-time goal-scoring list with 741.

Shootout goals by Bryan Rust and Jeff Carter gave the Pittsburgh Penguins a 3-2 win over the Florida Panthers. Tristan Jarry got the win by stopping 36 shots. Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov scored to extend his points streak to eight games. After getting off to a 10-0-1 start, the Panthers are 0-2-1 in their last three contests.

Matt Duchene tallied two goals, including the game-winner to lead the Nashville Predators over the St. Louis Blues 4-3. Mikhail Granlund collected four assists for the Predators while Jordan Kyrou scored twice for the Blues.

The Winnipeg Jets tallied four straight goals to beat the San Jose Sharks 4-1. Pierre-Luc Dubois had a goal and an assist while Connor Hellebuyck turned aside 26 shots for the win.

Vegas Golden Knights goalie Laurent Brossoit made 24 saves as his club held on for a 3-2 win over the Minnesota Wild, snapping the latter’s four-game win streak. Golden Knights forwards Paul Cotter and Jonas Rondbjerg each scored their first-ever NHL goals.

Nick Suzuki snapped a 2-2 tie in the third period as the Montreal Canadiens doubled up the Calgary Flames 4-2 to end the latter’s five-game road winning streak. Suzuki and Brendan Gallagher each had a goal and an assist.

HEADLINES

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH: Rick Nash will become the first player in Blue Jackets history to have his number retired in an on-ice ceremony before their March 5, 2022 game against the Boston Bruins. The first-overall pick by the Blue Jackets in 2002, Nash is their franchise leader in games played (674), goals (289), assists (258) and points (547).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Nash deserves that honor. He was a true franchise player but the Jackets management wasted most of his nine-season tenure in Columbus by failing to build a solid supporting cast around him.

SPORTSNET: Lawyers representing the Chicago Blackhawks sent a letter to Kyle Beach’s attorney requesting mediation in their lawsuit settlement negotiations. In the letter, the club’s lawyers called Beach’s initial demand “extraordinary”. Beach’s lawyer replied the Blackhawks did not make a counteroffer. The former player is suing the team over its handling of his allegations of sexual assault against former video coach Bradley Aldrich.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Oilers goaltender Mike Smith has suffered a setback in his recovery from a lower-body injury suffered 23 days ago. He’s unlikely to rejoin the club for the remainder of their current road trip.

NHL.COM: The department of player safety fined Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Anthony DeAngelo $2,000.00 for diving and embellishment in a recent game against the Florida Panthers.

The Arizona Coyotes announced assistant coach Phil Housley has been placed on the COVID protocol list.

ESPN.COM: Greg Wyshynski cites a source saying the NHL is in talks with Las Vegas officials about staging two new skills competition events outdoors on the Las Vegas Strip during the 2022 All-Star weekend (Feb. 4-5, 2022).