from Michael Mcarthy of Front Office Sports, The NHL’s return to ESPN after 17 years is supercharging advertising sales for Disney, which has nearly sold out commercial time for the season. The Mouse expects to sell more than $100 million in NHL-related sales this season, sources tell Front Office Sports. “We are very, very well sold,” said Rita Ferro, president of Disney advertising sales, who declined to comment on numbers. “We have a couple of positions left, mostly in the playoffs and Finals. There was a lot of demand for the NHL on ESPN — and across Hulu and ESPN+.” continue

via Sportsnet's YouTube page, Here's the top 5 player performances of the week in the NHL, including Connor McDavid's 8 points in 3 games, Alexander Ovechkin sniping twice vs. the Rangers to move past Marcel Dionne, and Tyler Bertuzzi scoring a 4-spot vs. the Lightning.  

from Bob Duff of Detroit Hockey Now, Tyler Bertuzzi is among a growing minority on the roster of the Detroit Red Wings. He was here prior to Steve Yzerman taking over as GM of the Red Wings – and he’s still here. Threre’s not many of them left. Bertuzzi is one of just eight holders from the pre-Yzerman era on Detroit’s current NHL roster that is off to a 2-0-1 start to the 2021-22 season. “Obviously it’s been a tough couple of years but that happens sometimes in sports,” Bertuzzi assessed of the team’s rebuild. “We have a lot of young guys coming in right now that are earning jobs and playing big roles that will help in the long run. “Just the chemistry and getting everyone together, building from the core and out. It feels good to get off to this start. We just gotta keep it going.” Let’s look at how rapidly Yzerman has reshaped this Red Wings team during his 2+ seasons in charge. continued

Daniella Bruce tweets, Tyler Bertuzzi said he’s really happy with his start to the season after missing almost a full year. Said it’s a great feeling. Bertuzzi confirms he can’t go to Montreal but will be in Chicago. Below find a video of Jeff Blashill and I will add Tyler Bertuzzi if available.  added 1:43pm, Bertuzzi now below too.

Four minutes long.  

via Ansar Khan tweet, lines and D pairs in practice before facing Calgary tomorrow at ?@LCArena_Detroit? Bertuzzi-Larkin-Raymond Fabbri-Suter-Zadina Namestnikov-Rasmussen-Erne Smith-Stephens-Gagner Rowney DeKeyser-Hronek Leddy-Seider Staal-Lindstrom Oesterle-Stecher

NEW YORK (Oct. 20, 2021) – Florida Panthers forward Joe Thornton has been fined $1,875, the maximum allowable under the Collective Bargaining Agreement, for slashing Tampa Bay Lightning forward Boris Katchouk during NHL Game No. 42 in Tampa Bay on Tuesday, Oct. 19, the National Hockey League’s Department of Player Safety announced today. Watch below.

Just under 3 minutes to watch.  

from George Richards of Florida Hockey Now, It’s not often that you see a contending NHL team have not one but two rookies perform in a starring role as was the case Tuesday when both Spencer Knight and Anton Lundell helped lead the Florida Panthers to a 4-1 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning. Usually if a team has two standout 20-year-olds, that means the team is rebuilding. Not contending. Which is what the Panthers are. A legitimate contender. With two pretty good rookies. “They are great,” Florida team captain Sasha Barkov said following the game. “They are special, special players. We’re lucky to have those guys on our team.” The Panthers played a good game on Tuesday, with Knight getting his first start of the season and pretty much picking up where he left off when we last saw him. continued Watch the game highlights below.

from Pat Hickey of the Montreal Gazette, The San Jose Sharks didn’t surprise the Canadiens with their fast start Tuesday night, but coach Dominique Ducharme said his team didn’t handle the situation well. “We knew they play fast and have lots of puck support and they throw everything at the net,” Ducharme said after the visitors crushed the Canadiens 5-0. “We needed to box out, we needed to be good coming back killing plays and we got beat on those plays. It’s a lack of execution, a lack of engagement on certain plays that cost us and that was the case in the first period.” The Sharks scored twice in the first 3:36 of the game and, given the lack of production from the Montreal offence, the game was effectively over. Brendan Gallagher hit the nail on the head when he said there wasn’t just one thing that needs to be corrected. The Canadiens are 0-4 to start the season, they have scored only three goals, are 0-for-13 on the power play and have given up seven power-play goals. “A lot of people are going to turn on us and it’s important in that locker room that we don’t,” Gallagher said. “We have to do the right things to find solutions. It’s never easy to get out of those things. It’s disappointing that it’s happening in the very beginning of the year, but this is when you’re challenged. You want to test yourself in tough situations and that’s where we are now.” There were signs that the fans were turning on the Canadiens before the loss. The announced attendance was 16,095, more than 5,000 short of capacity. continued Game highlights are below.

from Michael Russo of The Athletic, The Minnesota Wild didn’t need Xcel Energy to pump any juice inside the arena that holds its naming rights Tuesday night. With a capacity crowd excited to pack the arena once again after such a small number of fans were allowed inside last season, the kilowatts of electricity flowing through the building for a home opener that became an instant classic was absolutely off the charts. Nearly 22 months passed since the last time the Wild hosted the detested Winnipeg Jets, but it didn’t take long for the rivalry to reawaken and, without a shadow of a doubt, reignite. In a physical, chippy game that saw the Jets target Kirill Kaprizov over and over again, the Wild pulled together, stood up for each other and kept attacking Winnipeg’s net. In the end, Minnesota managed to rally from three one-goal deficits and ultimately one final two-goal deficit by taking advantage of an overturned Jets empty-net goal to miraculously force overtime instants later. continued (paid) Below, watch the game highlights.

from Ansar Khan of Mlive, “I had some really nice looks today and especially this time of the game you want to score to help the team,” Raymond said. “Of course, you want to get that first goal. It’s something real special and it’s awesome, a special night.” Raymond opened the scoring at 6:17 of the third period, taking a pass from Dylan Larkin and wiring a wrist shot over goaltender Joonas Korpisalo’s glove on the short side. Shortly after that, Raymond side-stepped a check in the neutral zone and made a nice touch pass to Larkin, who set up Tyler Bertuzzi’s goal at 8:53, his fifth of the season, which proved to be the winner. “Those are a couple of dynamic offensive plays,” coach Jeff Blashill said. “The one thing (Raymond) does pretty consistently is play a complete game. That earns trust and you get minutes. Are there parts of his game that have to get better? A hundred percent. And he knows it, especially moving his feet. He’s a real cerebral player, sometimes he can get caught just thinking his way through the game instead of thinking and moving his feet. “Him and (fellow rookie Moritz) Seider both have a real good combination of confidence but yet real calm people and real respectful, real good inner drive. They’re not entitled people. I think (Raymond) has got a maturity beyond his years. That’s certainly going to help him as he goes through any upcoming trials and tribulations he’ll face.” more Below, watch the extended highlights.

* Joel Eriksson Ek scored the NHL’s fifth hat trick of the 2021-22 season and helped the Wild outlast the Jets in a feverish finish at Xcel Energy Center. * Leon Draisaitl reached the 200-goal milestone and aided the Oilers to a 3-0-0 record to start the season. He required the fifth-fewest games by an Edmonton skater to hit the mark. * Spencer Knight maintained his perfect record in the regular season and backstopped the Panthers to victory in their playoff rematch with the Lightning.

via the YouTube page of TSN, The TSN Hockey Insiders discuss the options the Sharks have with Evander Kane when he returns from his 21-game suspension, but explain why terminating his contract is not one of them. The Insiders also talk about Canucks GM Jim Benning saying he's not looking at the market for a defenceman, and much more.  

I was getting a bit nervous after 40 minutes of play, thinking the only video I had was the Nick Lidstrom interview. In the 3rd period, Tyler Bertuzzi scored, follow by the first NHL goal from Lucas Raymond.  Columbus scored on the power play to make it 2-1. Namestnikov and Erne added an empty net goals to give the Wings a 4-1 win. Lidstrom interview and Detroit goals are below and team stats too. Next game is Thursday with the Wings hosting Cal-Gary.

Tyler Bertuzzi first, below Mickey Redmond and Lucas Raymond.  added 10:41pm, game highlights are below and Mickey explains the Hudson Bay rules.  added 10:47pm, Jeff Blashill is below too.  added 11:21pm, before my head hits the pillow, a picture below of Raymond and his puck   We hear from Tyler Bertuzzi after he scores his fifth goal of the season, which also turns out to be the winner Tuesday night. #LGRW pic.twitter.com/UkuIsr4yPS — Bally Sports Detroit (@BallySportsDET) October 20, 2021

Head-butting  

If there's one thing to be said about the Wings this season, it's that they're fun to watch again. Not boring, not slow and old, and not the inevitable feeling of dread that we've all come to know in the last few seasons. These games are actually entertaining, and exciting.  Larkin is back in the lineup tonight, T-Bert is on fire, and, the youngsters are really putting on a good showing so far. Yes, there is plenty of room for improvement, and that will come in time, but for right now let's just enjoy the moment, and have a good time. I do realize it's only game three in a long season, but, bring it on!    It's a Live Blog!

from Michael Traikos of the National Post, The timing was curious — if not more than a little coincidental. As Jesperi Kotkaniemi prepared for his much-anticipated return to Montreal after signing a contentious $6.1-million offer sheet with Carolina in the summer, a report surfaced out of a Quebec-based newspaper suggesting that GM Marc Bergevin’s tenure with the Canadiens is all but over. Not only that, but according to La Voix de l’Est, owner Geoff Molson has tabbed Patrick Roy as a possible replacement, having reportedly met with the Hall of Fame goalie several times already. C’est what? In case anyone forgot, we’re just a week into the season. And while the last-place Canadiens haven’t looked like the team that beat Toronto, Winnipeg and Vegas en route to the Stanley Cup final, you’d think that the team would be given at least until the end of the month before reporters and fans starting calling for Bergevin’s head. continued

Wishing all the best for #Isles great Mike Bossy, who, in an open letter, announced he was stepping away from his on-air role at TVA Sports as he's battling lung cancer. — Andrew Gross (@AGrossNewsday) October 19, 2021

from Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet, - Jack Eichel’s agents aren’t commenting on this one, but I think I see their strategy if this continues without medical resolution or trade: Eichel’s been seeing doctor after doctor in search of support for the artificial disc replacement. The more support they get, the more they will argue it is an acceptable practice and that the new CBA agreement is not meant to prevent what could be seen as a reasonable medical choice. I’m not a lawyer, so I can’t predict if that will work, but it’s definitely the basis for some kind of legal challenge/grievance should we get to that point. - Nikita Kucherov is going to see a specialist to determine the extent of his injury. So we may not get clarity on his situation for a few days. But head coach Jon Cooper said it isn’t as long-term as last year, while Mikhail Sergachev told The Athletic’s Joe Smith Kucherov is “going to get some rest, get ready for the Olympics.” - According to a couple of sources, Rangers’ coach Gerard Gallant personally called Vitali Kravtsov to ask the forward to consider returning. Kravtsov is in Russia, but several teams say they’ve been told he wants to play in the NHL, not stay overseas. He went home to find a comfortable spot to skate and be ready. Getting him to come back to New York will take some serious convincing, as it’s not his preference. He’d like a fresh start. New York is asking a high price for the 2018 first-rounder, but there’s legitimate interest. It’s a poker game. - Edmonton is 2-0. GM Ken Holland told Oilers Now propagandist Bob Stauffer “my history in Detroit was when the team was good and we have a chance, I’ll spend.” (Stauffer did specify not a rental, but someone with term or team control.) Probably not smart to make any judgments after two games, though. “If you’re in the top eight and you think you’ve a real chance,” Holland added, “the time is now, we’re trying to take another step.” - For a second time, Mark Howe is retired. The Hall-of-Famer ended his playing career in 1995 and, after last season, retired as a scout. “I remember asking dad when I was still playing, ‘How do you know when it’s time?’” Howe said Monday. “He answered, ‘You’ll know.’ He was right. It hit me then and it hit me again.” Howe said he wants to spend more time with his partner, Sharon, recognizing that is more important to him now than work. “I’ve been compensated very fairly. I strongly believe in Steve Yzerman and his plan. Steve is the hardest-working guy I’ve seen. He demands the same of others and he should. But I wasn’t just tired, I was burned out. It is time.” Howe went out of his way to praise the Red Wings and the Ilitch family. “They were great to me, and us. To share my father with the rest of the world when he passed made a difficult time very nice.”... more on Mark Howe plus other Thoughts...

via the YouTube page of the Detroit Red Wings, Ken Kal and Daniella Bruce preview Tuesday night's game against the Columbus Blue Jacket at Little Caesars Arena. Scheduled to start at 4pm, watch below.

from Ansar Khan of Mlive, Seider’s start Rookie defenseman Moritz Seider has three assists in his first two games and is averaging 21:38 in ice time, second on the team to Filip Hronek (24:16). “He’s earned some trust coming in here with his game at the different levels he’s played at,” Blashill said. “I just thought he did a real good job (Saturday). He’s a gamer. He’s a guy wo wants those types of minutes. He’s big, he can defend, and he can play offense. “He’s going to have his growing pains; he’s got learning to do. But in the meantime, we’re going to keep putting him out there, let him learn and keep going through the trials and tribulations that young players go through.” Electric atmosphere Blashill noted that the atmosphere at LCA the first two games has been as charged as it has been since the building opened four years ago. “I think the atmosphere has been great. Both games were highly emotional, which is a positive,” Blashill said. “We want to play with lots of compete, lots of emotion. The crowds have been awesome. It’s a loud building. It’s been a while since we had that (due to COVID restrictions last season). The first game in this building (in 2017), we didn’t have enough people in the seats. There were lots of people here, but they were either in the club level eating or checking out how beautiful the arena is. Now everybody is in the seats, and it just seems really, really loud.” more plus other topics Jeff Blashill discussed today...

I'll post videos when available to this post, in the meantime...   What is the Red Wings' subjective criteria for a scoring chance? Shot location is part of it. So is the distance the goalie had to travel to make the save. "The more the goalie has to move, the greater the likelihood of the puck going in." — Nick Cotsonika (@cotsonika) October 19, 2021 added 11:42am, Blashill and Suter videos are below.

Red wings lines and pairs at morning skate: Bertuzzi-Larkin-Raymond Zadina-Suter-Fabbri Namestnikov-Rasmussen-Erne Smith-Stephens-Gagner Rowney DeKeyser-Hronek Leddy-Seider Staal-Lindstrom Oesterle-Stecher — Max Bultman (@m_bultman) October 19, 2021

from Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic, You get an eight-year deal. And you get an eight-year deal. And you get an eight-year deal. And you and you and you! Long-term deals have been in vogue the last few months in the NHL, with Charlie McAvoy, Ryan Pulock, Nick Suzuki, Mika Zibanejad and Aleksander Barkov all doing max extensions in the last couple of weeks while Brady Tkachuk did a seven-year deal. That comes after an offseason where Colton Parayko, Sean Couturier, Andrei Svechnikov, Darnell Nurse, Adam Pelech, Brayden Point, Gabriel Landeskog, Seth Jones and Miro Heiskanen also got eight-year deals while the likes of Dougie Hamilton and Zach Hyman did seven-year max contracts as UFAs.... “Most of these contracts are for young stars just out of entry-level signed through the prime of their careers. A few are D entering free agency in their 20s who also have many prime years left,” said veteran agent J.P. Barry, who did Hamilton’s mega-deal in New Jersey. “This is the low point of the cap and it will no doubt be higher when most of these players otherwise would be entering free agency.” As agent Todd Diamond points out, you have to separate the RFA deals from the UFA deals we’ve seen. But still, there’s max term being used in both instances right now. more ($$$)

from Kristen Anderson of the Calgary Sun, OK, so things are different. The ‘Mask Cam’ has replaced the ‘Kiss Cam,’ a no-brainer, clearly, given the way COVID-19 is transmitted, the classic ‘This or That’ game between periods included whether fans preferred nose or throat swabs, and, at one point, fans were asked if they were sick of Zoom meetings. Calgary also had a different mayor by the time fans left the building, but that’s another story for another section. Yet back at Scotiabank Saddledome, where fans hadn’t been to a regular season game since before the coronavirus pandemic began March 2020, things seemed very much the same. Monday’s 3-2 overtime loss to the visiting Anaheim Ducks happened because of fixable mistakes that happened at the wrong times, including a turnover from Noah Hanifin in overtime, ill-timed back-checking by Sean Monahan which led to Jamie Drysdale’s winner. Monahan and Hanifin are both coming off surgeries and have been singled out by head coach Darryl Sutter for needing to get up to speed. “We only got one point tonight,” Sutter said. “So Xs and Os, all that, may be alright, but individuals … You gotta question some of that.” continued Game highlights are below.

I've been watching this grand game of ours for over a half century and have always wondered how the greats of the past would do in the current National Hockey League. Let's start with the greatest all around player ever to play, Gordie Howe. The younger generation paying attention to the game know who Gordie Howe is, but those who are casual fans or just follow their team have no idea how great #9 was.

* The Blues have scored 12 goals through their first two games after putting up seven on Monday, including five in a span of 5:07.    * Derick Brassard was one of six goal scorers for the Flyers and became the 11th player in NHL history to score at least once with nine or more franchises.    * Nineteen-year-old Jamie Drysdale capped a Ducks comeback by becoming the sixth-youngest defenseman in NHL history to score a regular-season overtime goal. 

When people ask me how do i get hockey news so quickly, my answer has always been Twitter.  The information is still there but now you may have to sift through tweets to get what you are looking for. Let me explain, I have a Twitter list consisting of about 400 people, from true hokey insiders, the beat writers and team sites.  Normally the hockey insiders (a group of around 20) break the news.  So why do I follow all the others?  I also look for interesting pieces, from injuries, highlights or team stories therefore I include in my hockey list those I believe who can supply the information I am looking for.

Match penalty  

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

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

2 1/2 minutes to get caught up.  

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

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

* 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.

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.  

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

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.

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,  

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!

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

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

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.  

As most expected for the 7pm puck drop against Vancouver.   Thomas Greiss is the first goalie off the ice today for the Red Wings — Max Bultman (@m_bultman) October 16, 2021

from Trevor Lenzmeier and Marisa Ingemi of the Seattle Times, On the ice, hockey players and fans are quite superstitious. Player rituals take many forms; some NHLers get dressed in the exact same order before every game (i.e., left skate then right skate, left glove then right glove), while other skaters refuse to leave the rink after warm-ups until every other skater has left the ice. That’s not to mention the charms and curses that are commonplace come playoff time — in Detroit, fans throw a dead octopus onto the ice, while in Nashville, they chuck catfish. Bushy, unkempt playoff beards bring postseason success, while touching the Clarence Campbell or Prince of Wales trophies after winning a conference championship spells doom. As early as peewee hockey, preteen players are warned not to touch the Cup, lest they be cursed not to lift it themselves. Did we mention that hand-to-hand combat is a semiregular part of the sport?... Do’s and Don’ts You snagged the hottest ticket in town and are headed to Climate Pledge Arena to see our Seattle Kraken face off with an NHL rival. Here’s what to expect at the rink. Don’t wear shorts unless you like the cold. Layers are your friend. Do wear a jersey (known as a “sweater”). Hats are acceptable, as are actual sweaters. Don’t be surprised if our Kraken players and their opponents push each other in front of the net, regularly, after the whistle calls play dead. But it’s a fine line between shoving and trash talk and taking a minor penalty. Don’t expect to get your hat back. Do take bathroom breaks and/or get snacks during intermission. It’ll be a little while. more

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

from Ryan Kennedy of The Hockey News, We've seen some pretty big contracts signed by NHL defensemen lately, from Quinn Hughes to Ryan Pulock and just today, Charlie McAvoy in Boston. The Bruins mainstay inked an extension that will see him earn $9.5 million per season for eight years, beginning with the 2022-23 campaign. McAvoy is worth every penny of that contract, but his new pact brings up an intriguing thought: Is Adam Fox going to get $10 million per season on his next contract? Fox of course is the reigning Norris Trophy winner - you literally can't do better than he did as a defenseman last season - and the New York Rangers star is basically the same age as McAvoy, having been born just a couple months apart from each other. At 23, Fox is in his prime NHL years and based on his skill set, he's going to be in that window for quite awhile, especially when you consider that his game is predicated on smarts and vision rather than physical attributes that degrade over time. Now, Fox may not have as much experience as McAvoy in the NHL, but it's pretty fun to stack the two side by side even if they don't play the exact same game. McAvoy is a lot more physical, while Fox has been a better offensive producer and surprisingly, averaged more minutes than his Bruins peer last season (which was a bit of shock to me, as McAvoy had to do a lot for the B's last season, where blueline depth wasn't as strong as it was in New York). Both are analytics darlings, too. continued

Can you guess?

* Late rallies were the theme Friday as all three games featured a thrilling finish, but Marcus Foligno and the Wild were the only ones to successfully complete a comeback. * It only took Dougie Hamilton 17 seconds to make his presence felt in a Devils uniform as he found the score sheet faster than any other defenseman in NHL history in a couple of categories. * Sportsnet’s Hockey Night in Canada is ready for its 2021-22 debut, with an all-Canadian doubleheader set to take center stage.

Ruff on Hughes OT goal: "I mean that's a goal that an extremely gifted player can get you. You can't draw that up and it was one heck of a play." — Mike Morreale (@mikemorrealeNHL) October 16, 2021 Watch below.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - Six different Grand Rapids Griffins lit the lamp and five enjoyed two-point nights on Friday as the home team roared to its largest-ever victory in a Van Andel Arena opener, defeating the Rockford IceHogs 6-1 before a capacity crowd of 10,834. Chase Pearson, Tyler Spezia and Dennis Yan each tallied a goal and an assist while both reigning AHL Defenseman of the Year Ryan Murphy and rookie Kirill Tyutyayev chipped in a pair of helpers, leading Grand Rapids to a win for the fifth time in its last six home debuts. Joe Veleno scored the first goal of the 2021-22 campaign on the power play with 12:12 remaining in the opening period off Murphy’s first assist as a Griffin, but Josiah Slavin answered for Rockford at the 14:52 mark with the only goal Calvin Pickard would surrender on the night, sending it to intermission tied 1-1. Tyutyayev notched his first point in North America by setting up Spezia’s go-ahead tally 3:14 into the second, before goals by Turner Elson at 4:20 and Hayden Verbeek at 17:11 pushed Grand Rapids’ lead to three heading into the final 20 minutes. Elson’s marker gave him 100 points (41-59--100) for his Griffins career. A Pearson power play goal at 4:25 of the third made it a 5-1 game, and Yan wrapped up the scoring by beating Malcolm Subban with 6:58 remaining. Game highlights are below.

Roughing  

Blashill said no health update on Larkin other than he wasn’t able to practice today and will see specialist on unspecified injury. Said his hearing with NHL for punching Joseph taking place right now. #RedWings — Ansar Khan (@AnsarKhanMLive) October 15, 2021   Blashill said they rate their players on a 1 to 5 scale after every game and rarely does a player get a 5 but the coaching staff gave Bertuzzi a 5 across the board for his all-around play last night. #RedWings — Ansar Khan (@AnsarKhanMLive) October 15, 2021

via Ansar Khan tweet, Fabbri replaces Larkin as center on line with Bertuzzi and Raymond. Other practice lines: Erne-Suter-Zadina Namestnikov-Rasmussen-Gagner Smith-Stephens-Rowney D pairs: DeKeyser-Hronek Leddy-Seider Staal-Lindstrom Oesterle-Stecher added 12:14pm, Khan... Fabbri, who's played some center the past couple seasons, went 8-3 on face-offs last night. Bertuzzi's four goals came on a total of four shots. Hronek's 25:09 in ice time was two minutes more than anyone else's. Dylan Larkin took a slow, brief twirl on the ice before practice and left. He was shaken up from cross check into boards from Matthieu Joseph last night and has a hearing with NHL today for his retaliatory punch to the face.

I’ll admit that my expectations have risen in the past couple of weeks. There was a lot of early hubbub about how Turner and ESPN were going to change hockey coverage, and without proof I was worried it would simply be NBC’s coverage packaged into another, albeit more widely available, platform. But after seeing ESPN make the commitment to a studio show, seeing the Turner media preview, I’m more confident that hockey coverage is headed in a better direction in the United States. The big thing is having two networks pushing each other, I like that TNT wants to beat ESPN and vice versa — I think both hired a rules expert for that reason, and once Wayne Gretzky was courted by both, the runner-up in signing Gretzky went and hired Mark Messier. -Sean Shapiro of The Athletic.  Read more ($$$) from Shapio and Richard Deitsch on ESPN and TNT.

Detroit’s Dylan Larkin will have a hearing today for Roughing Tampa Bay’s Mathieu Joseph. — NHL Player Safety (@NHLPlayerSafety) October 15, 2021 Watch below.

Bruins and Charlie McAvoy have agreed to terms: 8 years and $9.5 M AAV $26.5 M in signing bonuses, $49.5 M in salary for $76 M total. @TSNHockey @TheAthletic — Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) October 15, 2021

from Jackie Spiegel of the Sporting News, On Friday night at the Prudential Center, Tomas Tatar will play in his first regular-season game for his new club, the Devils. The last time he played in a meaningful game was 141 days ago, which means it's been almost four months since he laced up the skates and hit the ice in the Canadiens' fifth game of the 2021 Stanley Cup playoffs first-round series against the Maple Leafs. But didn't Montreal play into July? Yes, but Tatar spent it watching from the stands. "Out of nowhere, to be honest, the coaches made this decision which I respected," he said during media day with his new club. Tatar played the first five games against Toronto and then sat the rest of the way. "We had a hell of a run in the playoffs. Obviously, you're upset, you wanted to play and I think I could help the team, especially in the final, but I had to respect the decision." The decision was, well, a head-scratcher. Then-interim coach Dominique Ducharme made a guy who had led the team in scoring over the course of the three seasons he was there (149 points in 198 games) a healthy scratch. How good was Tatar for Le Bleu-Blanc-Rouge? He had 21 points more than the second guy, defenseman Jeff Petry, and of his 149 points — which he collected at a tear of 0.75 per game —119 were at even strength. "He's been a proven top-three or four scorer on the teams he's been on. He's great at getting open. He's great at finding the people that are open. He knows where to be," Devils coach Lindy Ruff said. continued

Below find Mickey Redmond post game, the game highlights and Tyler Berttuzzi/Jeff Blashill after the game. from Ethan Sears of DetroitRedWings.com, "We played well enough to win the hockey game," Blashill said. "We take a penalty (at) 5-on-6 and we gave up a 5-on-6 goal. So we gotta do better than that for sure." In other recent seasons, the highlight of the night for Detroit against the two-time defending Stanley Cup champions might have been the pregame ceremony, in which Larkin was honored as captain at center ice, standing with a row of past Red Wings captains. Even with the loss, you couldn't say that about this game. Larkin scored in the first, putting in a loose puck after Robby Fabbri created a breakaway against the run of play, and Bertuzzi scored his first goal 18 seconds into the second period - splitting two defenders and finishing past Vasilevskiy. Bertuzzi's second came just after a power play expired at 7:52, cleaning up a loose puck after Adam Erne's shot was saved by Vasilevskiy. That set the stage for a hectic final 10 minutes of the second period, featuring three goals and seven penalties, sending the game into the third with Detroit hanging onto a 4-3 lead. In the end, neither that nor the ensuing 6-3 lead would be enough. "I thought we were in a good spot," Blashill said. "I was real confident that we were gonna find a way to win that hockey game. So it's a gut punch when you don't." more

from Robby Stanley at NHL.com, The Seattle Kraken got the first win in their history when they defeated the Nashville Predators 4-3 at Bridgestone Arena on Thursday. Brandon Tanev scored two goals, Alex Wennberg and Jared McCann each had a goal and an assist, and Philipp Grubauer made 27 saves for the Kraken (1-1-0). "I feel like it's just big for the franchise," Wennberg said. "Obviously, it's so new and to get that first win, I feel like it's a big accomplishment. I don't know if we celebrate it any differently, I think it's just really good for the team and for us as an organization. It's just like, 'Hey, that's the first one.' Hopefully there's many more to come and that's where we're aiming at." Mikael Granlund had a goal and two assists, and Juuse Saros made 22 saves for the Predators (0-1-0). Wennberg gave Seattle a 3-2 lead at 9:54 of the second period, shooting into an open net at the right post off a pass from Alex Barre-Boulet, who was playing his first game with the Kraken after being claimed off waivers from the Tampa Bay Lightning on Monday. continued Watch the game highlights below.

 After honoring late goaltender Matiss Kivlenieks in a pre-game ceremony at Nationwide Arena, the Blue Jackets scored eight goals en route to winning their home opener. * Tyler Bertuzzi scored four times for the hosts, but Tampa Bay staged a three-goal, third-period comeback to win a thriller in Detroit – one of seven games Thursday that saw teams combine for six or more goals. * Anze Kopitar capped the night with a historic five-point outing for the Kings, while the Kraken edged the Predators at Bridgestone Arena to earn their first regular-season win in franchise history.