NEW YORK (Oct. 18, 2021) – The National Hockey League announced today that San Jose Sharks forward Evander Kane has been suspended for 21 regular-season games, without pay, for an established violation of, and lack of compliance with, the NHL/NHLPA COVID-19 Protocol. Under the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement, the forfeited pay goes to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund. Kane will not be eligible to play prior to San Jose’s game on Nov. 30 (at NJD). The National Hockey League also announced today that its concurrent investigation into allegations of domestic abuse made against Kane by his estranged wife, Deanna, could not be substantiated. There will be no further comment. TORONTO (Oct. 18, 2021) – The National Hockey League Players’ Association is releasing the following statement at the request of Evander Kane: “I would like to apologize to my teammates, the San Jose Sharks organization, and all Sharks fans for violating the NHL COVID protocols.  I made a mistake, one I sincerely regret and take responsibility for.  During my suspension, I will continue to participate in counseling to help me make better decisions in the future.  When my suspension is over, I plan to return to the ice with great effort, determination, and love for the game of hockey.”? SAN JOSE, CA (Oct. 18, 2021) – The San Jose Sharks (@SanJoseSharks) today issued the following statement: “The NHL has advised our organization that Evander Kane has been suspended without pay for 21 games for an established violation of, and lack of compliance with, the NHL/NHLPA COVID-19 Protocols. While we are encouraged by Evander’s commitment to moving forward, we are extremely disappointed by his disregard for the health and safety protocols put in place by the NHL and the NHLPA. We will not be commenting further on Evander’s status prior to the conclusion of the NHL’s mandated suspension.”

Two weeks ago the hockey world was shocked when Carey Price, the goalie who carried the Montreal Canadiens to the Stanley Cup this past summer, announced he would be entering the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program.  This came out of nowhere from one of the most consistent and quiet performers in the NHL.  It was a statement which came out of nowhere and surprised many people (including GM Marc Bergevin). I'm writing this post today because when I read the explanation from Carey's wife about the situation I could immediately relate.  People in the hockey world were shocked and incredulous that the Canadiens organization didn't know this was coming.  But I understood it.  I knew exactly where Carey was coming from.  I wrote a comment on that Kukla's Korner post where I explained my personal experiences - things I had only told a handful of people.  These were things I had previously felt embarrassed and ashamed to write, but it was so easy to identify with Carey that I had no hesitation writing a post about it. So what's my story?  In 2016 I experienced my first ever concussion.  I wish I had a great story about how it happened, but I don't.  According to my wife I passed out while I was standing in the bathroom at home and hit my head on the granite countertop.  She was asleep but woke up from the sound; she came into the bathroom and I do remember her screaming at me.  I thought I had done something wrong for her to be yelling at me, so what do I do?  I stuttered to get up, walked to bed, and then fell asleep. 

from Bob Duff of Detroit Hockey Now, Here’s the problem – by not punishing the offenders of the initial foul, the NHL is leaving the victims with no alternative but to take the law into their own hands. When it comes to biblical phrases, an eye for an eye is much more popular at the rink than turn the other cheek. The league does have to mete out discipline to combat vigilante justice. However, they look foolish doing so while allowing the original offender to continue to skate free. “When I talked to my son . . . when he was asking me questions like ‘Why is the punch with a glove on more dangerous than the other one?’ I had to explain to him that it’s not,” Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill said.... The outside view is that the NHL looks to be moving in a direction where they are rolling out the welcome mat and accommodating the return of on-ice violence. And that means that they’ll be forcing more players to make like Larkin and take the law into their own hands. more

2 1/2 minutes to get caught up.  

Red Wings C Dylan Larkin says one game suspension for punching TBL Mathieu Joseph "was warranted." Said he shouldn't have reacted the way he did. But he had "so much anger" from what he went through after neck injury in April, when there was no disciplinary action against Benn. — Helene St. James (@HeleneStJames) October 18, 2021   Larkin said Joseph texted and apologized for hit. Larkin did likewise for punch. — Ansar Khan (@AnsarKhanMLive) October 18, 2021   Jeff Blashill says Marc Staal is getting looked at. Didn't practice today. Status uncertain. — Helene St. James (@HeleneStJames) October 18, 2021 Videos will be added below when available   Jeff Blashill on Joe Veleno: "Its important for guys to be in spots where they have a chance to thrive. We want him to be in important roles. There is going to be a time where Joe plays for us this year, bet on that." #LGRW @DetroitRedWings — Daniella Bruce (@daniellabruce_) October 18, 2021

NEW YORK (Oct. 18, 2021) – Los Angeles Kings center Anze Kopitar, Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin and Tampa Bay Lightning center Steven Stamkos have been named the NHL’s “Three Stars” for the week ending Oct. 17.

Jon Cooper says  is going to be out for a little while. “Definitely not a day-to-day thing.” Will wait to get more information before having a clearer idea just how long he’ll be out. #GoBolts — Bryan Burns (@BBurnsNHL) October 18, 2021

per Ansar Khan tweet Dylan Larkin is on the ice. Will update as needed.

* Maple Leafs forward and reigning Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy winner Auston Matthews is expected to make his season debut Monday against the Rangers. He needs one goal for 200 in his NHL career. * Connor Brown (0-3—3) and Filip Gustavsson (32 saves) helped power the Senators to a League-best seventh consecutive home win dating to last season. * The final day of the 2021 Amerigol LATAM Cup saw Columbia and Puerto Rico take home the Men’s and Women’s title, respectively.

from Jack Todd at the Montreal Gazette, The diagnosis is pretty simple. The Canadiens miss their heavyweights. Read ‘em and weep: Shea Weber , Corey Perry , Phillip Danault , Carey Price . Weber and Price are missing through no fault of the management. Price will be back. Weber probably won’t. But Danault and Perry could have been retained — and from what we have seen so far, both should have been signed. Without those four, the Canadiens have a team with talent but without direction, without an identity, without a sense of itself. Surprising? It shouldn’t be. The ferocious penalty kill that was such a critical factor in the run to the Stanley Cup final has been almost completely gutted, beginning with Danault’s absence at centre ice . continued

via Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun, there was serious concern when Tim Stuetzle took a slash on the wrist from Dallas centre Radek Faksa late in the second and went straight to the dressing room. It was on the left wrist he had surgery on before the start of last season but the 19-year-old Stuetzle was fine. “The medical staff is so good these days I had X-rays within minutes and I knew right away that it was negative,” Smith said.  

Calgary’s Rasmus Andersson has been fined $5,000, the maximum allowable under the CBA, for Roughing Edmonton’s Kailer Yamamoto. — NHL Player Safety (@NHLPlayerSafety) October 17, 2021 Watch the incident below.

from Dan Shaughnessy of the Boston Globe, Former Bruins winger and Dorchester native Jimmy Hayes, who was found dead in his Milton home Aug. 23, died with fentanyl and cocaine in his system, his wife and father revealed Sunday. It’s the news some feared when the wildly popular, pillar of the community died suddenly after celebrating his son’s second birthday with his wife, Kristen, and infant son on a perfect Sunday seven weeks ago. Hayes’s sudden death made no sense in the moment. The 6-foot-5-inch, 31-year-old ex-athlete presented as a healthy, happy young man, blossoming into a full life of parenting, podcasting and doing good deeds for others. continued

from Ted Kulfan of the Detroit News, "When you really care about each other and see something happen to one of your teammates, you get over emotional,” Blashill said. “I’d rather have that than have guys that don’t like each other. We got a whole bunch of guys that care about each other." Blashill has liked the way the Wings have stood up to the Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning, and the Canucks in consecutive games. "We want to be a unit that comes every single day and fights together and wins together," Blashill said. " I mean fighting to find ways to win hockey games. We’ve done a good job over two games so far in terms of competitiveness.” Both Tampa and Vancouver appeared to want to get into chippy, physical games against the Wings. If more teams want to do that, the Wings are ready. “It’s reactionary when you see one of your teammates get hurt,” Staal said. more (paid sub.)

from Kristen Shilton of TSN, Auston Matthews waited until he was ready. Finally, that time has come. The Maple Leafs’ star anticipates making his season debut on Monday, when Toronto hosts the New York Rangers. It’s been a long road for Matthews, from offseason wrist surgery on Aug. 13 to admitting he hadn’t reached his goal of being 100 per cent healthy by the Leafs’ opener last Wednesday. Sitting out the Leafs’ first three games wasn’t an easy choice, but it’s one Matthews knows can pay off. “It's been good to just stay patient and make sure I'm feeling fully confident, which [after] taking a little bit of extra time I absolutely do,” Matthews said after the Leafs’ practice on Sunday. “I'm pumped. It’s been not a lot of fun watching. I've been itching to get back in.” continued

via Patrick Johnston of the Vancouver Province, The NHL’s COVID-19 protocol this season, agreed to by the players’ association, places a heavy burden on unvaccinated players. But the vaccinated part of the team also has to deal with those burdens. Things like potential masking in dressing rooms if they aren’t able to maintain six-feet distancing from the unvaccinated player. Social distancing measures being put in place on planes and busses. It’s surely annoying for the vaccinated players to have to deal with these extra bits. The unvaccinated player themselves can’t leave the team hotel on the road. They have to take a PCR test every day. Costs borne by the team to deal with the unvaccinated player are counted 50 per cent against the players’ share of revenues. The rules were designed to make things uncomfortable for unvaccinated players … but somehow four guys are still shrugging their shoulders and the teams are somehow going along with it. If Tyler Bertuzzi and Mackenzie Blackwood weren’t so important to their teams, it seems likely they’d have been handled like Zac Rinaldo. Or even like Travis Hamonic.

“When you coach your own team, especially the way I feel about how you coach, I’m locked in on my team and what we’re doing. I don’t spend a lot of time on the other teams. I know what we’re going to face before we play them, but I’m not watching the league from the inside out. “Here, I get to watch games and I’m learning about the league and its personnel. I get to listen to other coaches and other players. I get to see stories about other players … all this stuff I didn’t know. “I want to coach again, and I hope this is going to help me understand the league even better.” -John Tortorella, now an ESPN analyst.  Aaron Portzline of The Athletic has much more (paid) and other CBJ topics.

from Steve Simmons of the Toronto Sun, - It is not cute or humorous that the Maple Leafs had to sign a kid off the streets to back up Jack Campbell in goal on Saturday night. Because they couldn’t afford to call up the obvious choice, Michael Hutchinson, under the rules of the NHL’s salary cap. Instead, they signed 24-year-old Alex Bishop of Richmond Hill, who hadn’t played a game for the University of Toronto since 2020 and dressed him for Hockey Night In Canada. This kind of signing makes the Leafs and the league look bad. The league for having rules that allow Zamboni drivers and accountants to play goal against highly skilled professional athletes. The team for not handling its own money well enough to have cap room to deal with unsuspecting injuries.... - Maybe the kid is growing up. After their final pre-season game, fans were waiting outside the parking area for Patrik Laine’s autograph. Laine stopped, got out of his car, and spent about the next 15 minutes signing autograph after autograph. - Funny though to hear hockey commentators promoting prop bets between periods while all the advertising seems to be for online gambling in an NHL that still doesn’t mandate announcing starting goaltenders. - I can kick the puck to you, and you score a goal, that’s a good pass. Maybe even an official assist. But if I kick the puck in the net, it’s ruled no goal. In hockey, you can score by deflecting the puck off every part of your body. Why not skates too? The NHL has liberalized the kicking the puck rule somewhat, what it really needs to do is eliminate it completely. - Sheldon Keefe had his first training camp with the Maple Leafs, even as he was missing his first-line centre and best player, Auston Matthews. He had no shortage of practice time. He had no shortage of time for him, for general manager Kyle Dubas, for club president Brendan Shanahan, to deliver a message of expectations and purpose for this Leafs season. And then the Leafs began in Game 1 against Montreal. Against the team they were embarrassed by in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs. And the Habs were playing shorthanded themselves, without Carey Price, without Shea Weber out for the long term, without Philip Danault, and they came out more than flat.... more on the fist and last topics plus other hockey notes...

from Mark Spector of Sportsnet, There are floor-to-ceiling windows in the room where the Edmonton Oilers conduct their postgame interviews. Inside, the players are calm and quotable, just two games into a nice start to the NHL season. Outside on the street, it was bedlam, with 300-400 fans banging on the windows and cheering on Jesse Puljujarvi as he sat at the podium next to Leon Draisaitl, chanting “MVP! MVP! MVP” when it was Connor McDavid’s turn, and generally acting as if it were June, not October. The Oilers beat Calgary 5-2 on a sudsy Saturday night in The Big E, and the local superstar had a hat trick. McDavid even scored one on that one-timer he’s been working on at practice. You remember, the one Draisaitl had joked was “fluffy” when asked about McDavid’s shot a few days ago. Draisaitl was ready when he took to the podium after the game. “If you watch the replay, it WAS a little fluffy,” he kidded. “It came off nice, but it was fluffing. It was a nice shot, I will give him that. A very nice shot. Good for him.” Good for him. It was a metaphorical pat on the head from a 50-goal scorer with one of the best one-timers in the game, to a player who scores every which way but like that -- until Saturday night. Like Rory McIlroy saying, “Nice drive,” when you “blister” one 225 yards down the middle. continued Game highlights are below.

from Larry Brooks of the New York Post, - You know, chances are that Auston Matthews will be Patrick Kane’s center for Team USA at the Olympics, and if not him, then likely Dylan Larkin, but do not go to sleep on the possibility of Jack Hughes emerging as a top-six force for the Yanks in Beijing. Of course, the overtime winner Friday night against the Blackhawks was a work of open-ice beauty in the three-on-three competition. And the spin move off which No. 86 scored his first of the night was about skill. But perhaps more noteworthy was seeing Hughes come away with the puck outnumbered two-on-one below the goal line just prior to the first one. Hughes between Kane and Chicago linemate Alex DeBrincat, perhaps?... - So you’re Tom Fitzgerald, GM, and you have the chance to acquire Jack Eichel. Are you interested if Nico Hischier is the featured piece of the package going the other way? - Whispered into our ears by a savvy individual with keen insight into the dynamics of the league (and that description eliminates scads of suspects, no?), we’ve been advised not to discount the possibility that Marc Bergevin, entering the final year of his contract as general manager in Montreal, just might wind up in Los Angeles next season working with Kings president Luc Robitaille. more on the first topic plus other hockey notes including a look at TNT's first night...

from Ansar Khan of Mlive, The Detroit Red Wings’ first two games have been chippy, with players getting in each other’s faces and roughing it up, scrums after the whistle, and just a whole lot of volatility. The message they’re sending is they’re not going to stand by idly or turn the other cheek if they feel they are being abused physically. “We got each other’s backs,” Filip Zadina said. “That’s the most important thing on the ice. We’re showing them we’re a team.” Zadina was shaken up but escaped serious injury Saturday on a hit to the head from Conor Garland during the third period of the Red Wings’ 3-1 victory over the Vancouver Canucks at Little Caesars Arena. It triggered a skirmish, one of several that happened two nights after Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin sustained injury after being checked into the glass by Tampa Bay’s Mathieu Joseph. “I think you’ve seen it pretty early that we’re pretty tight in the room,” Marc Staal said. “You do something to one of us, it affects all of us and we’re all going to jump in and stick up for each other. It was good to see tonight, and we’ll continue to play that way.” continued Below watch the extended game highlights.

* Connor McDavid and Sam Bennett accounted for the NHL’s third and fourth hat tricks of the 2021-22 season. * Brad Marchand joined rare company with a penalty-shot goal to open the Bruins’ 97th season. * Katie Guay, one of 10 women who joined the AHL roster of officials for the 2021-22 season, became the first female to ever referee a game in the league.

First up is Thomas Greiss and below find Mickey Redmond, Marc Staal and Jeff Blashill.  added 10:38pm, game highlights are below.  

from Joe Smith of The Athletic, So when Kucherov struggled to crawl his way over teammates’ legs on the bench and hobble into the dressing room midway through the third period Saturday night, his fellow players got worried. You rarely see him in that much pain. “It didn’t look good,” Steven Stamkos said. “We’re praying he’s OK.” The Lightning will know more about the severity of Kucherov’s injury when he’s evaluated again upon their return to Tampa, with coach Jon Cooper saying nobody should “hit the panic button.” The fact the winger wasn’t laboring as he walked out of the arena seemed like a good sign. more ($$$) Below, watch how the injury may have occurred.

All I can say after watching the first two Detroit games is this is a much improved team.  No flicking between game for me, the Wings are making me watch them. Tonight's game, Wings win 3-1.  Detroit played like a po'd team, which was great to see. Detroit goals and a great save by Thomas Greiss are below with team stats coming soon. Next game is Tuesay when Columbus visits.

Formerly known as Saturday Headlines. via Sportsnet, Elliotte Friedman and Jeff Marek discuss a historic day in the AHL, Jack Eichel, and much more on 32 Thoughts.  

The one thing the HNIC panel didn't bring up was the injury Larkin suffered from the Jamie Benn cross-check. via Sportsnet,  

Vegas suffered some injuries during Thursday’s loss to LA. Hearing Max Pacioretty out approximately 6 weeks, while Golden Knights await further clarity on Mark Stone. Tough early-season blow. — Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) October 16, 2021

Music from Dua Lipa. via Sportsnet,  

There are many positives to take from the Wings first outing this season. Six goals scored, plenty of action, fast paced. T-Bert had a great game. D-Boss scored the first goal of the season to get it started, then was nailed from behind by a nasty, dirt bag hit. The youngsters looked very good as well. We all know what happened after Larkin got hit so no need to go into that. That being said, the Wings are only one game in, in a very long season which Wings fans hope will be very entertaining, and most likely exciting. Game two tonight. I'm all in. It's a Live Blog!

from Brendan Kelly of the Montreal Gazette, Phillip Danault scored in his first game as a Los Angeles King. Of course he did. That’s just the way things are going for your Canadiens. Everything is going wrong for this team. It’s only been two games, but Les Boys of October, who often overachieve during the early days of the season, are looking downright dismal thus far and are faring worse than even the most pessimistic observers expected. The Canadiens have lost their first two games, going down 2-1 in the season opener Wednesday to noted playoff losers the Toronto Maple Leafs and then getting embarrassed by the lowly Buffalo Sabres on Thursday, with one of the most sad-sack teams in hockey destroying them 5-1. Ouch! But it’s not just the two losses. It’s the way they’ve been playing. Other than the first six or seven minutes of the game in Toronto, Dominique Ducharme’s squad has looked oddly disinterested in these two games. It’s as if they just don’t care. Any way you slice it, there isn’t a more depressing scenario to set the scene for what was supposed to be the team’s triumphant return to the Bell Centre for their home opener against the New York Rangers Saturday (7 p.m., SNE, CITY, TVA Sports, TSN 690 Radio, 98.5 FM). This was supposed to an exciting moment. Premier François Legault, hockey fan that he is, recently gave the green light for the Bell Centre to operate at full capacity and team owner Geoff Molson was dreaming of a heartwarming night with around 21,000 fans wildly cheering on the lads who made it all the way to the Stanley Cup final a few months back. continued

Ken Kal and Daniella Bruce preview the game, all in 12 minutes.  

from David Alter of The Hockey News, The salary cap was always going to be an issue this season for the Toronto Maple Leafs and it has now created a rare scenario. With an injury to one of their goaltenders and other players unavailable on a short-term basis, the team was forced to sign an amateur goaltender to dress as their backup against the Ottawa Senators at Scotiabank Arena on Saturday. Alex Bishop, a third-year University of Toronto goaltender from Richmond Hill will put on the Toronto Maple Leafs sweater. "It just comes down to that the flat cap has created some situations that are difficult to manage even [more] than they were a year ago," Maple Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe said. continued

14 minutes to watch,  

3 1/2 minutes to watch.