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Michael Traikos
Michael_Traikos@THN
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Michael is the Managing Editor, Digital, for The Hockey News. He has more than 20 years of experience covering hockey, having previously been the national hockey columnist for Postmedia, where he covered multiple Stanley Cups and the Olympics.
Joined at Sep 21, 2023Activity
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'They Won't Let It Happen!' — Refs Blasted For Breaking Up A Goalie Fight
Blame the refs.
That was the universal reaction from fans as on-ice officials "robbed" fans of a goalie fight between Boston's Jeremy Swayman and Los Angeles' Darcy Kuemper on Sunday.
One said it was "illegal." Others said it should be "grounds for immediate dismisall" or "a fireable offense." Another even suggested "jail time."
Indeed, fans wanted to see a goalie fight. And the fact that officials stopped it from happening was "absolutely heinous."
It's difficult to argue against that point. After all, who doesn't love a good goalie fight?
For one, they're rare. The last time we saw one in the NHL was five years ago. Secondly, they're kind of hilarious.
Unfortunately, fans were once again "robbed" of one from happening on Sunday, when on-ice officials prevented Kuemper and Swayman from getting close to one another.
The play began in the Kings' zone, when Bruins' Marat Khusnutdinov got mixed up with Kuemper in the crease, with Kuemper stripping Khusnutdinov of his helmet. As a scrum ensued, Swayman left his net and skated towards halfway down the ice, beckoning for Kuemper to join him.
"That's Swayman calling Kuemper out to the red line," said one of the announcers.
"They're going to go!" said the other announcer, as Kuemper met his challenge.
Except, sadly, they didn't let it go. Instead, the on-ice officials prevented broke up what could have been the first goalie fight since Edmonton’s Mike Smith and Calgary’s Cam Talbot went at it on Feb. 1, 2020.
"Look at this: Kuemper against Swayman! The referee grabs Swayman. The linesman grabs Kuemper. They won't let it happen!"
The Kings won the game 7-2, but all anyone wanted to talk about was the fight that didn't happen.
"I mean, nobody wants to see that," Kings coach Jim Hiller told reporters. "Well, I shouldn't say that. Neither teams' coaches want to see
that because those are some pretty important players you don't want
busting up hands or anything like that."
It's true, you don't want to see goalies fight for the same reason you don't want to see star players fight: there's the potential of an injury. Just ask Islanders goalie Rick DiPietro, who missed six weeks with facial fractures and a swollen knee after taking a left hook from Pittsburgh's Brent Johnson in a 2011 fight.
Following the game, Swayman spoke with reporters and revealed the reason why he challenged Kuemper to a fight.
"He
touched one of my guys," Swayman said. "I think that was something that
I'm not going to accept, and kudos to him. He stepped up, just it got
broken up... It didn't happen, so you just move forward."
When
asked if challenging Kuemper to a fight was a way to get the Bruins
fired up, Swayman once again stressed that it was more about protecting
his teammates.
"I
think it just comes down to just sticking up for my teammates," Swayman
said. "I don't care who it is. It's a guy in the black and gold. You're
not going to touch him without getting contested. I care about every
one of these guys like a brother. I just went with the way I felt. I
felt like it was my turn to step up."
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'Give Them The Puck!' — Buffalo Sabres Score Own Goal In Embarrassing Loss To Utah HC
If you thought things could not get any worse for the Buffalo Sabres this year, take a look at what happened in Thursday's 5-2 loss to the Utah Hockey Club.
Down 3-2 in the final minutes of the third period, Buffalo had its goalie pulled and extra attacker on the ice when Utah took a delayed penalty. That should have given the Sabres a power play. Instead, it led to an embarrassing moment that pretty much summed up Buffalo's season.
With the official's hand in the air for the delayed penalty, all Buffalo had to do was allow a Utah player to touch the puck and get a whistle.
Tage Thompson, however, had a different idea.
"Give them the puck. Give them the puck. Give them the puck!" shouted Sabres TV analyst Rob Ray, who became increasingly annoyed as the the Sabres passed the puck around. "Give. Them. The. Puck."
Thompson did not give Utah the puck. Rather, he attempted to pass the puck back to the point.
"I mean, it was kind of a scrambly play, and I was just kind of filling a spot and I got the puck and wasn't really aware that there was a delayed call," said Thompson. "So had that been the case, then I probably would have just tried to attack and shoot it, make them touch it. But yeah, they're kind of sitting there, and thought I had a lane to (Rasmus Dahlin) to the top, and it just went through everybody."
Sadly, Thompson missed his target with his pass and the puck banked off the boards and travelled the length of the ice and towards the net.
"The Sabres throw it away and this is going to maybe go into the net?" added play-by-play commentator Dan Dunleavy. "Off the boards. Oh my goodness, it's in."
"Give them the puck," an angry Ray said again, in disgust.
Ray — and Buffalo fans — had every reason to be frustrated in how Buffalo handled the delayed penalty. After all, it was only two weeks when the Sabres were in a similar situation against the Tampa Bay Lightning, with the team passing the puck around and wasting valuable time rather than get the whistle.
“We’ve gone over this,” coach Lindy Ruff told reporters. “The Tampa game was the same. I don’t know if (Thompson) realized whether they were getting a penalty, but just chalk another one up.”
Utah scored once more as Buffalo had its two-game winning streak snapped. With 15 games remaining, the Sabres are in last place in the Eastern Conference standings — and 29th overall.
"Bad play by me and even worse result," said Thompson.
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Woll Or Stolarz: Who Should Be In Net For The Maple Leafs In The Playoffs?
The Toronto Maple Leafs do not know who they will be playing if the playoffs were to start today. But regardless of the opponent, it appears they might finally have settled on a starting goalie for Game 1.
Joseph Woll, who made consecutive starts for the first time in more than a month, made 26 saves in a 6-2 win against the Calgary Flames on Monday. Two nights later, Woll stopped 38 of 39 shots in a 2-1 win against the Colorado Avalanche.
In the process, Woll made an emphatic statement as to who should be in net when the playoffs begin next month.
“We’ll figure all that out,” said head coach Craig Berube, who refused to look too far ahead.
If Berube seems noncommittal, it’s because he has the luxury to be.
The Leafs are not in the same position as Florida or Tampa Bay or even Ottawa, who have a defined No. 1 goalie and a defined backup. As much as Woll has played lately — and as good as he’s been — the 26-year-old is still one part of a tandem with Anthony Stolarz, who at times has been even better.
In 35 starts this season, which is a career high, Woll is 24-12-0 with a 2.70 goals-against average and a .908 save percentage. Stolarz, who will get the start against the New York Rangers on Thursday night, is 13-8-3 with a 2.39 goals-against average and a .918 save percentage. Combined, the tandem has the sixth-best save percentage in the league.
The problem with a tandem, of course, is that what works in the regular season rarely works in the playoffs. You can’t have both guys trading starts in a seven-game series. Not if you hope to have success.
The Leafs learned this the hard way last year, when Ilya Samsonov was in net for the first four games against the Bruins, before Woll took over with Toronto down 3-1 in the best-of-seven series. And though Woll won Games 5 and 6, an injury forced him out of Game 7, which Samsonov lost.
In other words, one guy has to take over the net. And the way it’s looking, it appears that Woll is making his case that he should be the one who gets the nod — at least for Game 1.
“He’s played excellent,” Berube said of Woll, who has won seven of his last nine starts and is on a three-game winning streak. “The last three games, he’s been really good.”
Against Colorado, which outshot Toronto 39-26, Woll had his hands full with one of the top offensive teams in the league. Woll stopped all six shots from NHL leading scorer Nathan MacKinnon, as well as another nine combined from Cale Makar, Martin Necas and Brock Nelson.
“He was excellent,” said Berube. “Made some real good saves, held us in there in the first period. I thought we were on our toes in the first period, We looked like we were a little bit tentative, not aggressive enough, watching them … that’s a very good team over there.
“Joseph Woll did what he had to do for us in net. He was very good.”
If he keeps playing this way, Woll should be the guy who Toronto leans on in the playoffs. And as long as he stays healthy — something that has plagued him so far in his career — he could be the goalie who finally gets the Leafs over the hump and past the first two rounds.
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'I Don't Like The Word 'Mercy Pull' ': Flames' Rookie Dustin Wolf Gets Yanked For The First Time This Year
Well, this was new.
After 41 starts as a rookie goalie, Dustin Wolf was pulled for the first time this season. But if the Calgary Flames hadn’t been scheduled to play again the following night, chances are that the Calder Trophy candidate probably would have stuck it out for the entirety of what was a St. Patrick’s Day massacre against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Monday.
“I don’t like the word, ‘mercy pull,’ ” said Flames head coach Ryan Huska.
Whatever you want to call it, Wolf made an Irish Exit and didn’t return for the third period of the 6-2 loss. By then, the score was 5-1 and the game was basically over. Not that any of it was Wolf’s fault. But with Calgary playing the New York Rangers on Tuesday, it made more sense from a strategic standpoint to ensure Wolf was ready for the next game.
"He’s played really well for us. He’s given us a chance every time he’s been in there,” said Huska. “At 5-1, we’ve got a lot of hockey in a short period of time. He’s going to get a lot of games coming up. So it was just a decision to get Vladdy (Dan Vladar) in there and get (Wolf) ready for his next start.”
In other words, expect Wolf to be in the net for what Mackenzie Weegar called a “must win” against the Rangers.
“It’s the biggest game of the year,” said Weegar, whose Flames are two points back of the Canucks for the final wild card spot. “I need more from everybody, including myself. We’ve got to get out of this and we’re right in a playoff spot if we win.”
Though he’s just 23 years old, Wolf is the reason why a Calgary team that thought would be in the draft lottery conversation has instead been hovering around a wild card spot for most of this season. He is ranked amongst the top-10 goalies in the NHL with a .912 save percentage. Among rookies, no one comes close to his 41 starts.
On Monday, he might not have been his sharpest. But he wasn't the reason why Calgary lost.
In fact, Wolf’s save on Nylander, who was alone in front of the net in the first period, directly led to the Flames tying the game 1-1. The Flames appeared to tie the game again 2-2 on a power play goal from Morgan Frost in the second, but the goal was called back because of a challenged offside. After that, Calgary got into penalty trouble and Toronto made them pay, with Auston Matthews and William Nylander combining for three goals.
“He’s our backbone back there,” said Weegar. “He’s doing it all for us. He’s making absolutely stunning saves and he’s got so much composure. It’s too bad that coming into the hockey mecca we couldn’t play a little better for him when the bright lights were on him.”
Wolf should get a chance at redemption against the Rangers. Hopefully, he lasts the entire game.
“It’s pretty incredible, actually,” Huska said of Wolf going this long into the season without getting pulled. “When you look at the body of work he’s put in all year long. He’s been very, very consistent. For a young goaltender, that’s something that you have to tip your hat to, because it doesn’t happen that all that often really.
"So he’s done a great job and by no means was this on him tonight in that situation.”
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'There’s Only One Place That Beats Winning (At Home) On A Saturday Night': Senators Extend Six-Game Win Streak Against Maple Leafs
The owner of the Ottawa Senators was standing in the visitors hallway as goalie Linus Ullmark was talking about what makes this latest six-game winning streak different than the one that occurred in December.
"This time around it just feels like we’re not as satisfied as we were the last time," said Ullmark, who stopped 21 of 23 shots in a 4-2 win against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday. "And so we know that we want to go for seven. And then we want to go for eight and then nine."
Michael Andlauer was smiling. When he bought the Senators less than two years ago, the hope was that he would help turn around a team that had not made the playoffs since 2016-17. And now, with the team holding a five-point as the first wild card seed in the Eastern Conference, it's finally coming into place.
"It’s positive, like it should be," said Ullmark.
Indeed, the Senators have belief. And that belief is rooted in the fact that this feels like a legit playoff team.
You couldn't have said that in the previous seven seasons. But with Ullmark in net and a roster that received a vote of confidence — and a shot in the arm — with the trade deadline acquisitions of Dylan Cozens, Fabien Zetterlund and Greg Gilbert, there's no excuses anymore. The Senators have all the pieces to end their drought and make the post-season.
If they do, Ottawa could see the Toronto, a team its swept in the series series, in the first round. After all, the Senators are now only four points back of Tampa Bay and Toronto for second- and third-place in the Pacific Division.
"There’s only one place that beats winning (at home) on a Saturday night," said Ullmark. "This one feels pretty darn good."
Saturday win was a wild one, that's for sure. The Battle of Ontario featured a fight, several lead changes and a hilarious miscue from Ullmark, who got caught playing the puck and essentially assisting on an Auston Matthews goal.
"I’ve got to work on my angles a little bit," said Ullmark, laughing at his flub. "Honestly, not a good toe drag. Just the whole thing was just — it came off so hot. I got caught thinking I should play it right up. And as soon as I did that and then hesitated, the puck just bounced right up and I then tried to solve it. For a goalie, tend the goal."
If there was a positive in the negative, it was that the Senators answered back with a goal from David Perron a few minutes later.
"We’re not a perfect team. And we’re probably never going to be a perfect," said Ullmark. "I don’t think any team is perfect. But that’s the beauty of it."
No, the Senators are not perfect. But like the playoff-bound teams that Ullmark has been on in the past — he went to the playoffs in three straight years with Boston — this one feels like it is pushing in the right direction.
"Every team’s different," said Ullmark. "I’m just happy to contribute every night and play with these guys, these fellas. It’s been a fun ride so far and I really hope that we can achieve one of our goals, which is to get to the playoffs, but I don’t look forward as much. I look three days ahead to Montreal. That’s what is important to me."
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From Sleepovers To Leading His Team In Scoring, Tyler Toffoli Is Living His Best Life
From sleepovers to leading his team in scoring, Tyler Toffoli is living his best life this year. It just happens to be on a team that is in last place overall in the NHL and recently went an entire month without a win.
Not that he's complaining.
When asked what it's like to be the old guy on a rebuilding San Jose Sharks team that has its future sewn up in rookies Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith, the 32-year-old laughed.
"I think we've said it all season long — we have a lot of fun in here," Toffoli said after a recent win against the Toronto Maple Leafs. "It's one of those things where it sucks to lose. But then you come to the rink and hang out outside the rink, for the most part we're always together. It's fun."
It's fun for Toffoli, because despite the team's struggles he is having what looks like yet another career-type year.
With 24 goals in 63 games, Toffoli is once again leading his team in goal-scoring. If it stays that way, it will be the fourth time in his career — having previously led the Kings, Canadiens and Flames in goals — that he's finished as the team leader in that category.
"I think it's just one of those things where I personally felt very confident that past few seasons," said Toffoli, who has 43 points in 63 games. "Being able to play with some really good players obviously helps. It's just one of those things where I try to get open."
The chemistry that Toffoli has forged with Celebrini and Smith extends well beyond the rink. During a recent bus ride from Toronto to Buffalo, a wager was made that if Toffoli, Celebrini and Smith all scored in the same game that the three of them would bunk together in the same hotel room.
"Out of no where, (Smith) is like 'If all three of score tomorrow, you're sleeping over," said Toffoli, who initially balked at the idea of crashing with his teammates. "I'm like, 'Will, I'm not sleeping over. I'm 32 years old. That doesn't happen anymore.'
"Long story short, we end up playing really well in Buffalo and I score the empty-net goal with 30-, 40-seconds left, whatever it was. As soon as it went in, I went to the bench and I was laughing. I didn't even realize that all three of us had scored.
"Will was like, 'Sleepover! Sleepover!"
"I'm like, 'What are you talking about? It's not happening.' And then we end up getting on the plane after the game and my coach came up to me and was like, 'You have to sleep over, you know that, right?' I'm like, Oh God, here we go."
Indeed, that led to a hilarious Instagram post where Toffoli was on a roll-away cot next to Smith and Celebrini, with Celebrini remarking that he "Slept like a baby."
Toffoli, who signed a four-year contract with the Sharks last summer, could have more sleepovers in his future. Based on the way that Celebrini and Smith have been playing — they have combined for 32 goals and 81 points — don't be surprised if the wins start coming as well.
"It's tough, but it's one of those things where we have a lot of talent in here and we have guys that want to win," said Toffoli. "There's never any give. Even if we're not having a good night, we're going to come back and keep fighting — whether that's the same night or the next game, we bounce back and we try to pull things together."
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How Much More Losing Can Rasmus Dahlin Take Before He Demands Out Of Buffalo Like Eichel and Reinhart?
They say patience is a virtue. But even the most virtuous people have limits on how much they are willing to take.
Rasmus Dahlin, for example, has spent his entire seven-year NHL career playing for a Buffalo Sabres team that has yet to qualify for the playoffs. That’s the same length of time that Sam Reinhart spent in the city, before he was eventually traded to Florida. And it’s one year longer than Jack Eichel lasted, before he essentially forced management into trading him to Vegas.
Like Eichel and Reinhart, who gave up so much of their prime years playing for a non-playoff team, how long will it take before Dahlin also appears to have had enough?
How long before he also grows tired of the losing? Tired of missing the playoffs? Tired of the constant teardown and rebuild? And most importantly, how long before he gets tired of watching star player after star player leave?
A week after Dylan Cozens was dealt to Ottawa at the trade deadline after spending five fruitless years in Buffalo, the Spittin Chiclets podcast suggested that Dahlin had told GM Kevyn Adams that if something doesn’t change — and quick — that he also wants to be moved.
Dahlin quickly refuted it. But he also indicated that his patience is starting to wear thin.
"I want to be moved?" Dahlin said when told of the Spittin' Chiclets report. "That I want to be gone from Buffalo? I don't know what he's talking about. I have never said I want out of here. I'm not happy where we're at. I don't want to lose. We have to get better.
"I never said I want out of here. That's pretty clear."
Dahlin, who signed an eight-year extension worth $88-million in 2023, turns 25 years old next month. He has essentially wasted his 20s playing for a non-playoff team.
During that time, the Sabres have never finished higher than 10th in the Eastern Conference standings. This year, they are 14 points back of the second wild card spot. They are the worst team in the conference and will miss the playoffs for an NHL-record 14th consecutive year.
"We have to do a lot of stuff," Dahlin told reporters. "It takes everyday work. You have to do hard work every day … stuff has to change. That's how it is. I absolutely hate losing."
It's not just Dahlin who is getting sick of the losing. Tage Thompson, who was brought over in the Ryan O'Reilly trade, has been here for seven years. Owen Power, who was drafted No. 1 overall, is in his fourth season.
Fans are repeatedly told that next could be better. That the team is still young and that eventually things will turn around. But it’s hard to be optimistic when so many other rebuilding teams are taking the steps that Buffalo hasn’t been able to take.
Ottawa, which has missed the playoffs for seven straight years, is currently holding down the first wild card spot. Detroit, which has missed the playoffs for eight years, is four points out of a playoff spot. Even Montreal, which started its rebuild three years ago, is only two points out.
Meanwhile, Buffalo continues to spin its wheels and cannot seem to gain traction.
Even when the Sabres try to make a move, like trading Cozens to the Senators at last week’s trade deadline in exchange for Josh Norris, it’s yet another reminder that Buffalo has moved on from yet another top-10 pick who was supposed to be the solution.
For those counting at home, the list of first-round picks who have been sent out the door is getting longer and longer. If the Sabres are not able to turn this thing around, it could also include Dahlin.
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Fans React To Boston Trading Brad Marchand To Florida: 'The Panthers Officially Have The Most Annoying Team In NHL history'
In a stunning move that no one saw coming, Boston Bruins captain Brad Marchand was traded to the Florida Panthers in a stunning move minutes before the 3 p.m. deadline on Friday.
And the reaction from the hockey world — as well as the memes — did not disappoint.
As @nucksmemes tweeted on X, 'The Panthers officially have the most annoying team in NHL history."
Indeed, Marchand should feel at home in Florida, where the NHL's biggest rat joins fellow pests Matthew Tkachuk and Sam Bennett on the top team in the Atlantic Division. This year, the trio has combined for 62 goals and 144 points. But it's the combined 277 hits and 187 penalty minutes that probably has opponents — especially in the playoffs — fearing for their lives as the Panthers look towards reaching a third straight trip to the Stanley Cup final and back-to-back championships.
“I suspect that it's going to be rather seamless,” Panthers GM Bill Zito said of Marchand’s integration with the team.
“I think all of us are just looking forward to seeing, on the heels of the Four Nations, you saw Sam Bennett and Marchand play together, and it's just, it's great for the sport, right?” said Zito. “It's exciting, it's fun, and probably all of you, I would think, when you think about the hockey side of it, and the fan side of it, the romantic love of the game, you smile, and you're like, ‘This is going to be pretty fun.’ ”
Unfortunately, fans will have to wait a while to see the trio in action.
Tkachuk is expected to be out for the remainder of the playoffs with a groin injury he suffered at the 4 Nations Face-Off, while Marchand is week-to-week with an upper-body injury he suffered last weekend.
Marchand, who was acquired from Florida in exchange for a conditional 2027 second-round pick (the pick will become a 2027 or 2028 first-round pick if Florida wins two rounds of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs and Marchand plays in 50 per cent of the team's post-season games), might not be the same player who once had 100 points. But even at the age of 36, he is a shift-disturbing presence who has chipped in for 21 goals and 47 points this season.
Wherever he plays — and here's hoping that the Panthers put Marchand and Tkachuk on a line with Bennett — he's going to be a nightmare.
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'No Way I Was Missing This Game': Matthews, Tkachuks Among Those Dealing With Injuries At 4 Nations Face-Off
Who’s hurt at the 4 Nations Face-Off, and how much it could end up hurting their respective NHL team when the regular season resumes?
Shea Theodore is week-to-week with an upper-body injury. Charlie McAvoy is in the hospital with an injured shoulder and infection. And Brady Tkachuk crashed into the post in a game against Sweden.
Word is that Tkachuk will still play in the championship final on Thursday despite being under the weather and missing practice on Wednesday. The same goes for Auston Matthews and Matthew Tkachuk, who missed the last game of the round-robin because of lingering injuries.
As with the Stanley Cup playoffs, players are grinding through minor injuries, ailments and general soreness for a taste of glory. But at what expense? With the playoffs, at least you know there is a long summer break waiting for you at the end of the line. But once this two-week tournament ends, there is no rest.
Instead, NHL teams are already back practising for the stretch drive of the regular season, followed by the war of attrition that is the playoffs.
Maybe this is why Alex Pietrangelo decided to skip the festivities after complaining of a nagging knee injury right before the tournament started. It's a decision that was criticized initially but looks even better now that his defense partner, Theodore, is out week-to-week. Injuries at this time of year are never ideal, especially for players on teams with playoff — or championship — aspirations.
With the tournament winding down, here’s a look at some of the players who are hurt and how much it could end up hurting their respective NHL teams.
Charlie McAvoy
According to the Bruins, McAvoy "sustained an injury to his right shoulder acromioclavicular joint" in the first game of the tournament and then was "diagnosed as having an infection in his right shoulder, as well as a significant injury to his AC joint."
He remains in the hospital, where his condition is improving, according to the Bruins' physician.
That's a tough loss for the Bruins, who are tied with the Blue Jackets in ninth place in the Eastern Conference standings — one point behind the final wild-card spot — and have been without Hampus Lindholm since Nov. 12.
Brady Tkachuk
Tkachuk, who crashed into the goal post in the final game of the round-robin, did not practise on Wednesday but is expected to play against Canada in the championship game. With two goals in three games, having Tkachuk in the lineup against Canada is important. But even more important is that Tkachuk, whose Senators are clinging to a wild-card spot, can lead Ottawa to its first playoff appearance in eight years.
Auston Matthews
The Team USA captain was dealing with shoulder issues earlier in the season, which caused some in Toronto to wonder if he should skip the tournament altogether. That never happened. But with Matthews missing the final round-robin game due to a "new" injury, reportedly upper-body soreness, there is talk again about whether he should be playing in the final.
"There's no way I was missing this game," Matthews told reporters. That doesn't sound like he's 100-percent healthy. If so, that's a concern for the Maple Leafs, who might not be in danger of missing the playoffs but will be looking to Matthews to get them over the hump in the post-season.
Sidney Crosby
There were fears the Team Canada captain would have to miss the 4 Nations Face-Off after an upper-body injury kept him out of the Penguins' final two games. Those fears, of course, were quickly allayed once the tournament began.
Crosby, who is tied for the scoring lead with five points in three games, has turned back the clock with his clutch performance.
As to what shape the 37-year-old will be in when the tournament ends, who cares? With the Penguins locked in a three-way tie for 13th place in the Eastern Conference standings — six points back of a wild-card spot — it's not like he will lead them into the playoffs. Then again, don't count it out.
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Send In Sam Bennett: Why Canada's Pest Needs To Play Against Team USA
The healthy scratch in Canada's first game led the playoffs with 87 hits in 19 games for the Florida Panthers last year.
Somewhere, Sam Bennett must have been smiling. And perhaps taking a long, deep whiff of some smelling salts.
Led by the Tkachuk brothers, who combined for four goals and 10 hits, Team USA delivered 32 hits in a 6-1 blowout over Finland at the 4 Nations Face-Off on Thursday. That was exactly double the amount that Finland managed, and it was 12 more than what Canada delivered against Sweden the night before.
Which raises the question: can Canada continue to play a skilled game when they face USA on Saturday? Or will they have to match the Americans hit for hit to secure victory?
In other words, does Canada need Bennett to go from being a healthy scratch to a shift-disturbing winger?
“I knew there was a chance I wouldn’t be in,” Bennett told reporters after being a healthy scratch against Sweden. “All I can do is control what I can control, and that’s just to be ready and support the guys. If I do get the call, I’ll be ready to go.”
Bennett only has 18 goals and 35 points in 55 games for the Florida Panthers this season. But the reason he made this team ahead of arguably more talented players, such as Mark Scheifele, John Tavares and countless others, was his grit. And also because of the Americans.
There are 42 Canadian forwards with more points than Bennett. But only 18 of them have delivered as many bodychecks as him.
Call him a pest if you like. Bennett, who could be the long-lost brother of Matthew and Brady Tkachuk, doesn’t seem to care. He knows what his role is: finish checks, get in opponents' faces and draw penalties.
It’s a very Canadian type of playing style. Or rather, it used to be.
These days, with a roster that includes Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon and Mitch Marner, Canada has never had as much skilled depth as they have at this tournament.
That skill was obviously on display against Sweden. But when Canada plays the Americans, the ice will shrink, and the physicality will ramp up — especially now that Matthew and Brady Tkachuk are playing on the same line. Brady had a game-high eight hits against Finland. Against Canada, don’t be surprised if that number doubles.
With that in mind, Canada must match the Americans' physicality if they hope to win. They will need Brad Marchand to embrace his role as the 'Rat,' and for Travis Konecny, Seth Jarvis and Brandon Hagel to play with one foot over the line. And they will need Bennett to do what he did in last year’s Stanley Cup run when he led all players with 87 hits in just 19 games.
After all, when Canada plays USA, it will be anything but another skills competition.
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'Marner Is Clutch Now. Clear Out Bay Street': Fans React To Maple Leafs Star Finally Playing The OT Hero
"I thought it was a big-time player making a big-time play at a big-time moment, and that’s why guys like him are on this team."
It was three years ago — after yet another first-round playoff exit in yet another Game 7 — when Tampa Bay Lightning coach Jon Cooper was asked whether he thought the Toronto Maple Leafs needed to break up their core four to get over the hump and win a Stanley Cup.
Cooper responded with an answer that seemed more like a warning shot.
"I’ve been behind the bench with Mitch Marner. I’ve been behind the bench with Auston Matthews," he said. "And if those guys became available, I would be first in line to put them on my team."
Now, we see why.
Cooper, the bench boss of Team Canada, does not have Matthews on his team. But he does have Marner, who scored the overtime goal in a 4-3 win against Sweden at the 4 Nations Face-Off.
Taking a drop pass that travelled almost the length of the neutral zone from Sidney Crosby, Marner sprinted into the offensive zone and ripped an absolute dart past Sweden's Filip Gustavsson at 6:06 in the 3-on-3 overtime.
It was a moment Marner said he dreamed about. It was also the kind of clutch performance that Leafs fans have been waiting for him to deliver for years.
After all, this is not the Marner we have typically seen in past playoffs for the Maple Leafs.
Marner had one goal in seven games against the Bruins in last year's first-round exit. Two years ago, he went without an even-strength point in a second-round loss to the Panthers. In total, he's scored just 11 times in 57 post-season games.
That lack of production when the games matter the most could be part of the reason why the pending UFA is still without a contract extension. It's doubtful that one OT goal will change that. But if anything, Marner provided a reminder of what he is capable of when the stakes are raised and his team needs him the most.
Who knows, maybe this goal — and this experience of coming up big in a best-on-best tournament — can be a springboard for Marner and the Leafs. Maybe we'll see a different version of him when the playoffs begin. Maybe he is (gasp!) clutch.
"It's actually over. Marner is clutch now. Clear out Bay St.," @marlanderthews posted on X.
"Marner scoring the game-winning goal for Canada probably has so many Leaf fans so angry lol," posted The Hockey News' OHL site editor, Jared Brown.
"Mitch Marner, the guy who disappears in big games?" posted @MikeBeauvais.
When asked what scoring a goal of that magnitude can do for Marner, who is ranked among the top five in the NHL with 71 points in 54 games this season, Cooper seemed confused by the question.
“I don’t know. If you’re saying that, like, is that a confidence-building goal? That kid oozes confidence," Cooper told reporters. "So I thought it was a big-time player making a big-time play at a big-time moment, and that’s why guys like him are on this team. He was fabulous.”
The only question is whether he can be just as fabulous in the spring when the stakes will be raised even higher.
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The Johnny Gaudreau Memorial Trophy Or Bob Cole Cup? What Could The 4 Nations Face-Off Trophy Be Called?
A 4 Nations Face-Off trophy was unveiled on Tuesday, but it doesn't have a name — yet. Here are some ideas for it.
When Canada plays Sweden to kick off the 4 Nations Face-Off on Wednesday, the stakes will be obvious.
Call this a glorified week-long All-Star Game if you’d like. Or question why a so-called best-on-best tournament is missing so many of the NHL’s top superstars. But there’s plenty to play for.
At the top of the list is obviously national pride. Winners will also receive gold medals.
And then, there’s the trophy. While not nearly as impressive as the Stanley Cup, the 4 Nations trophy looks like a huge upgrade over the Frank Gehry-designed World Cup trophy from 2004 and 2016. For one, it doesn’t look like an ashtray or something you’d put flowers in — although you may be able to eat poutine or drink Tim Hortons' coffee out of it.
There’s just one thing missing at the moment: a name.
It remains to be seen whether a name will be revealed later. Here are four ideas for the name of the 4 Nations Face-Off trophy.
The Johnny Gaudreau Memorial Trophy
Johnny Gaudreau, who was tragically killed with his brother Matthew while riding their bikes in the summer, would have been a lock to play for Team USA at the 4 Nations Face-Off.
In fact, his presence has already been felt. Team USA is keeping a stall with Gaudreau's No. 13 on full display in the team’s dressing room.
Gaudreau's father, Guy, was invited to help coach at practice on Tuesday as well.
Naming the championship trophy after Gaudreau would be yet another way to honor a player who represented his country at five World Championships, who won gold at the 2013 world juniors and who played with many Americans and Canadians for Team North America at the 2016 World Cup. It would also honor the impact Gaudreau and his family have on the hockey community, not just on the ice but especially off the ice.
The Bob Cole Cup
The voice of hockey for millions of Canadians, Cole passed away last April after a legendary broadcasting career.
Many of Cole's best moments came on the international stage, where he called the 1998 Olympics, when Dominik Hasek led the Czech Republic to an upset win over Canada, as well as the 2002 Olympics when Canada finally won gold.
"Now after 50 years, it's time for Canada to stand up and cheer," an emotional Cole said back then. "Stand up and cheer everybody! The Olympics Salt Lake City, 2002, men's ice hockey, gold medal: Canada!"
The Forsberg Trophy
Sweden put Peter Forsberg on a national stamp after arguably scoring one of biggest shootout goals ever at the 1994 Olympics, when he deked past Canadian goalie Corey Hirsch with a "one hand, slide in" move to win gold.
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3yNIuoUjfk[/embed]
Forsberg, who also helped Sweden win Olympic gold in 2006, is as decorated an international star as you'll find. In total, he competed in four Olympics, two World Cups, five World Championships and two world juniors, where he still holds a scoring record of 31 points in seven games.
The Paul Henderson Cup
Paul Henderson scored one of the biggest goals in hockey history when he helped Canada beat the Soviet Union in the 1972 Summit Series. That eight-game series may have been the launching pad for the Canada Cup, which then became the World Cup and has now inspired the 4 Nations Face-Off. Henderson has not yet been inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame, so maybe this could be the push he needs to get in.
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Alex Steeves Sets Toronto Marlies Franchise Goal Record
thehockeynews.comAlex Steeves Sets Toronto Marlies Franchise Goal RecordSteeves scores 95th career goal with Marlies, up to 41 points in 35 AHL games this season
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Where Have All The Great French-Canadian NHL Players Gone? Canadiens' Montembeault Is Quebec's Lone Representative At 4 Nations Face-Off
Quebec-born Montreal Canadiens goalie Sam Montembeault might not even play at the 4 Nations Face-Off as Canada's third option.
Montreal will play host to the 4 Nations Face-Off. But when Canada plays Sweden in the first game of the tournament on Wednesday, don't expect much of a hometown advantage in Montreal.
Technically, the province of Quebec will be represented by just one player — and there’s a good chance he won’t see a second of ice time.
If all goes according to plan, Samuel Montembeault will not even be on the bench.
To some, he shouldn’t be on the team.
Only one other goalie in the NHL has lost more games than Montreal’s Montembeault this year. Heading into the 4 Nations Face-Off, the Montreal Canadiens goalie ranks 34th overall with an .897 save percentage and 39th with a 3.00 goals-against average (3.00) among netminders with at least 20 games played.
Among Canadians, there are a whopping 10 others who have better numbers.
Those include Washington's Logan Thompson, Los Angeles' Darcy Kuemper and Colorado's Mackenzie Blackwood — all passed over in favor of Jordan Binnington, Adin Hill and Montembeault.
There is no question that Binnington and Hill haven't been great this season. But at least they have won the Stanley Cup.
Which raises the question: was Montembeault’s selection over Ontario's Thompson, Saskatchewan's Kuemper and British Columbia's Blackwood based on something more than merit?
Canada already has plenty of players from Ontario, Saskatchewan and B.C. What they were missing was a player from Quebec.
“It doesn’t get mentioned very much, this is Hockey Canada,” longtime hockey analyst John Shannon said on Oilers Now with Bob Stauffer in early December. “And I know it’s not a topic that gets brought up a lot in the province of Alberta, but if you look at the ratio of French-Canadian players to Anglos on the Canadian team, I don’t think they had any choice but to pick Samuel Montembeault for this roster.”
It’s no secret that Canada always strives for representation from across the country. On the 4 Nations Face-Off roster, there are seven players born in Ontario, four each in Alberta and B.C., three each from Manitoba and Nova Scotia, and one each from Quebec and Saskatchewan.
Arguably, Quebec should have even more.
This year, 6.1 percent of the NHL is represented by Quebec-born players. That is the second-most of any region behind only Ontario (17.6 percent), and it's up from the 5.3 percent from last season. And yet, you wouldn’t know it if you looked at the overall stats.
Sadly, this isn't a great year for Quebec-born players.
The top-scoring forwards out of Quebec are Jonathan Marchessault and Pierre-Luc Dubois, who are tied for 60th overall among all NHLers with 44 points. Depending on your criteria, the best Quebec-born defenseman is either Thomas Chabot, Mike Matheson or Kris Letang.
In other words, we've come a long way from when Martin Brodeur, Mario Lemieux and Guy Lafleur were among the best in the world.
It’s certainly a far cry from when three French-Canadian players (Patrice Bergeron, Marc-Edouard Vlasic and Corey Crawford) represented Canada at the 2016 World Cup or when Quebec had four players (Bergeron, Vlasic, Martin St-Louis and Roberto Luongo) in the 2014 Olympics.
This time around, Quebec’s lone representative will be Canada's third-string goalie who had a 2.99 goals-against average and .901 save percentage at the time of the roster announcement on Dec. 4. A couple of months later, and the decision looks even more suspect.
There were suggestions that Montembeault was picked with an eye towards the 2026 Olympics. But Montembeault is 28 years old. He’s the same age as Blackwood and a year older than Thompson. But being from Quebec and playing for the Montreal Canadiens doesn't hurt. No one from his province was better, aside from maybe 40-year-old Marc-Andre Fleury.
Well, hopefully, that will change. Last year, the top player selected out of Quebec in the 2024 NHL draft was Sacha Boisvert (18th overall). This year, Caleb Desnoyers and Justin Carbonneau are the top-ranked players out of the QMJHL, and both are expected to be first-round picks.
Maybe they will one day represent Canada at an Olympics or some other best-on-best competition. If they do, hopefully, they have the numbers to support the decision.
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'That Is Pond Hockey': NHL On TNT Panel Rips Into Connor Bedard During Loss To Oilers
Chicago Blackhawks center Connor Bedard is on pace for 70 points, but he has the seventh-worst plus-minus rating in the NHL this season.
Connor Bedard is not experiencing a sophomore slump. But in his second NHL season, it is clear that the former Calder Trophy winner has had more bad days than good ones with the team's record.
On Wednesday, it was more of the former as the Chicago Blackhawks lost 4-3 in overtime to the Edmonton Oilers. Bedard had an assist in the loss.
But it was a montage of him giving away the puck and attempting soft passes that earned him criticism from the NHL on TNT panel, who accused the 19-year-old of playing "pond hockey."
"I think his game has to evolve, continue to evolve," TNT analyst and former NHLer Anson Carter said on Wednesday. "We know he can put up points. But it's winning hockey. That's what the Chicago Blackhawks want to see out of that young centerman."
Bedard, who led all rookies with 22 goals and 61 points last year, has scored 15 goals and 46 points in 53 games this season. He is currently tied for 44th overall in league scoring. But it's the defensive part of his game that is a big reason why Bedard was left off Canada's 4 Nations Face-Off roster while the Blackhawks find themselves with the second-worst record in the NHL.
"Sometimes I see him continue to try things that aren't going to work at the NHL level, like soft plays that are going to get picked off and go the other way," said TNT analyst and former NHLer Paul Bissonnette. "As much good he does, he doesn't always do great things."
It must be said again that Bedard is still one of the youngest players in the NHL. The growing pains he is experiencing are not unusual, especially when you consider that he's a teenager playing for a Blackhawks team amid a rebuild and just traded away one of its top players, Taylor Hall.
Still, if the Blackhawks hope to take a step forward as a team, Bedard will have to become more responsible for the parts of the game that don't always show up on the scoresheet or the highlight reel.
Bedard's minus-23 rating is the seventh-worst in the NHL (although it is only the third-worst among Chicago players). Among forwards, he is tied for 41st with 52 giveaways. His 34.7 winning face-off percentage ranked outside the top 150 among centers who have played in at least 42 games.
Until those get corrected, don't expect Chicago to be in the playoff hunt — or for Bedard to get picked when Canada starts putting together its Olympic roster in 2026.
"There's so many little details to his game that he's lacking right now," said Bissonnette. "Yes, he might put up 30 to 35 goals a season and get his 50 to 55 assists by playing power play and getting all these minutes, but they're going to continue to lose hockey games if that's how he's playing.
"That is pond hockey."
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'Can We Request A Refund On The Miller Trade?' After Just Two Games, Canucks Fans Are Already Souring On Pettersson
If Pettersson thought life with Miller was difficult, just wait until he realizes how bad it will get now that there's no longer a scapegoat for his struggles, says Michael Traikos.
Two games are obviously not enough of a sample size to determine a winner and loser in the trade that sent J.T. Miller from the Vancouver Canucks to the New York Rangers. But in this case, we’ll make an exception.
The winner is clearly Miller, who after months of drama finally gets a fresh start in New York, where he already has two goals and four points in two games.
And the loser is center Elias Pettersson, who with Miller gone suddenly has a giant bullseye on his back.
If Pettersson thought life with Miller was difficult, just wait until he realizes how bad it's going to get now that there's no longer a scapegoat for his struggles. He's already getting a taste of that.
The Canucks, which remain two points back of the final wild-card spot in the West, have struggled all season. But before last week, those struggles were often blamed on the public rift between Miller and Pettersson.
With Miller gone, there are no more excuses. There's no one left to blame. Following a pair of losses on the weekend — a 5-3 loss to Dallas and 3-2 loss to Detroit — where Pettersson combined for no goals and one assist, the Canucks' new No. 1 center is already feeling the heat.
"Yeah, of course," Pettersson, who has 11 goals and 33 points this season, told reporters on Friday when asked about the increased pressure he will experience moving forward. "To be honest, I want that pressure. It's up to me to take it."
Be careful what you wish for. Pettersson may want the pressure, but does he want everything that goes with it? Yes, Miller is no longer standing in Pettersson's way. But Miller is also not helping to shoulder the expectations.
There's now only one place to look to when something goes wrong.
Lose a game? It's Petey's fault. Fail to make the playoffs? It's Petey's fault.
Like it or not, Pettersson now has the weight of the franchise on his back. Forget about making the playoffs. Anything short of winning a Stanley Cup — much less going deeper than the Rangers in the post-season — and you know where fans will launch their displeasure.
It's already happening. Following the pair of losses to Dallas and Detroit on the weekend, fans were already asking if the Canucks traded the wrong guy.
“Was J.T. Miller really the problem?” posted @millerthegoat9 on X.
“Can we request a refund on the Miller trade?” wrote @wiley_canuck on X.
The Canucks are now Pettersson’s team — if not his problem. He not only has to show that he is better than Miller but also that he alone is better than the combination of Miller and Pettersson.
That's a difficult task. But Pettersson brought this on himself. And now that he did, he has to show that he's capable of being the superstar he showed glimpses of becoming when he scored 39 goals and 102 points in 2022-23. Who knows, maybe the Canucks will become a better team with Miller gone.
But anything short of winning a Stanley Cup, and we know where fans will point their arrows.
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With Frost And Farabee Gone, Flyers' John Tortorella Finds a New Tenant For His Doghouse In Matvei Michkov
Under John Tortorella's watch, the Philadelphia Flyers have now said goodbye to three players who were selected in the first round of the draft. Michael Traikos reacts.
Well, that didn't take long.
On the night that the Philadelphia Flyers traded away forwards Morgan Frost and Joel Farabee, a new tenant for coach John Tortorella's doghouse has already emerged.
Matvei Michkov, welcome to your new home.
The 19-year-old, who is currently ranked third in NHL rookie scoring with 14 goals and 34 points in 51 games, has been one of the Flyers' most productive players this season. But that didn't stop the Flyers coach from limiting Michkov to just 8:30 in ice time in a 3-0 loss to the New York Islanders on Thursday — his last shift came midway through the second period — and then getting into a yelling match with him while on the bench.
This happened after Cutter Gauthier, who was selected fifth overall in 2022, refused to sign with the team. And as Frost and Farabee, two highly touted first-round picks who never achieved their potential in Philadelphia and were sometimes healthy scratches, ultimately needed a change of scenery.
If the Flyers are not careful, the same fate could befall Michkov, as well as Andrei Kuzmenko, who was acquired from the Flames on Thursday.
The familiarity between Kuzmenko and Michkov, who played together for KHL St. Petersburg, was one of the reasons why the two were reunited. Based on the underwhelming season that Kuzmenko was having in Calgary with four goals and 14 points in 37 games, the two could have plenty of time to get re-acquainted while sitting at the end of the bench.
This isn't anything new with Tortorella, whose abrasive coaching style is partly why everyone from Pierre-Luc Dubois and Patrik Laine failed to develop while playing for him. And yet, that hasn't stopped Tortorella from making an example of his best players. Nor has it stopped teams from employing him.
According to Tortorella, the tough-love approach will benefit Michkov, who has gone five games without a point and was blamed for leaving the defensive zone early on a goal against the Islanders on Thursday. But it also has the risk of alienating him the same way that it did for Frost and Farabee and so many others over the years.
"We're trying to teach him how things are done — how things are done here," Tortorella told reporters. "The things of understanding conduct of a pro, all the things you do to play. I'm not going to get involved in the situation, something on the bench tonight. I'm not going to give you specifics.
"You may not believe it, but it's for the right reason, because we care about him. I care about him and where he is in the process, how far along he is in the process. And I'm not going to fail him by cowering away from situations that people may second guess or whatever it may be. We're going to do it the right way with this kid, because we think he's that special. So it's my job to do that. No matter what happens."
What could happen — and it's a very real scenario — is that Michkov gets tired of Tortorella's tactics the same way that so many others have in the past. This isn't the 1990s when 'Iron' Mike Kennan ruled the bench with an iron fist.
Players don't respond to being yelled at or constantly benched the same way they used to in the past. The days of the authoritarian coach are long gone. Just ask Mike Babcock. Today's best coaches are the best at communicating their message. Call them soft or player-friendly, but this is how most players — many of whom are paid a lot more than the coaching staff combined — want to be coached.
Unless Tortorella, who coached in his 1,600th game on Thursday, realizes this, the Flyers could continue to lose their top young talent.
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NHL's Utah Hockey Club Will Not Be Called The Yeti: Three Names Remain
thehockeynews.comNHL's Utah Hockey Club Will Not Be Called The Yeti: Three Names RemainUtah's NHL team explored every avenue to make Yeti work, but due to trademark issues, it's given up and has a new vote for fans attending the next four home games.
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Did The NHL Open The Door To Russian Participation At The Next World Cup Of Hockey?
According to TSN insider Darren Dreger, the NHL and NHLPA “have advised the IIHF they intend on moving forward, at least for now, without IIHF involvement in the 2028 World Cup of Hockey.”
If there is one major complaint with the upcoming 4 Nations Face-Off — aside from it not being the Olympics — it is that there are only four countries involved.
That means that fans will not get to see Germany’s Leon Draisaitl, Czechia’s David Pastrnak and Slovakia’s Juraj Slafkovsky. It also means that Russians, many of whom are among the best players in the NHL, are also being left out.
Well, that may no longer be the case when the NHL and NHLPA host the next best-on-best tournament three years from now.
According to an X post from TSN insider Darren Dreger, the league and its players’ union “have advised the IIHF they intend on moving forward, at least for now, without IIHF involvement in the 2028 World Cup of Hockey.”
Read between the lines, and it appears that this could open the door to Russia participation.
According to NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly, the league intends on having an eight-team World Cup of Hockey in February 2028 that would be more inclusive than this year’s 4 Nations Face-Off. That means a best-on-best tournament that includes a two-time scoring champion (Nikita Kucherov), a two-time Vezina Trophy winner (Sergei Bobrovsky) and a nine-time Rocket Richard Trophy winner (Alex Ovechkin) who is on the cusp of becoming the greatest goal-scorer of all time.
“We've historically had eight teams, and what we're probably want to do is create a qualifying tournament for two of the eight teams,” Daly said at the NHL/NHLPA Player Media Tour in September. “So, in other words, four teams competing for the last two spots with the other six teams being invited.”
Those six “locks” presumably include Canada, USA, Sweden, Finland, Czechia and Russia, with Germany, Slovakia, Slovenia and Latvia probably competing for the remaining two spots.
A lot has to happen between now and then for Russia to be included, primarily an end to the war between Russia and Ukraine. But by taking the IIHF out of the equation, the NHL and the NHLPA will be the ones deciding if Russians will be allowed to play in the eight-team tournament.
“I think in large part, you know we would see where the international community is with respect to Russian participation and competition,” Daly said in September. “That will be a determining factor for us, but it would be probably somewhat persuasive, at least if, you know, depending on what the situation is. I don't want to rule out anything. I don't want to rule in anything.”
Since February 2022, the IIHF has banned Russia and Belarus from international competitions after Russia invaded Ukraine. A year ago, with the war still ongoing, the IIHF voted to uphold its ban throughout the 2024-25 season. Who knows what it will look like three years from now?
"Usually, we make a decision in February," IIHF president Luc Tardif told The Hockey News owner W. Graeme Roustan in November. "We have to answer the question, 'Is it too early to bring back Russia and Belarus to our competition?' We wait until the last moment because the teams that play in the championship in Sweden and in Denmark, they have to understand the process of relegation and promotion."
For now, the big question is what will happen in 2026 when NHLers head back to the Olympics. As of now, Russian team participation is banned, however, a lot can change between now and then.
“Well, I mean, we haven't thought that far ahead in the sense of like what, you know, because the situation is so dynamic,” said Daly. “With the Olympics, the IOC makes that decision completely.”
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'This Guy Hates Canada': Alex Pietrangelo Is The First — But Likely Not The Last — To Skip The 4 Nations Face-Off
If it were up to some Maple Leafs fans, Auston Matthews would also be opting out of the 4 Nations Face-Off, writes Michael Traikos.
It was on Sunday afternoon when the Vegas Golden Knights announced Alex Pietrangelo would be “withdrawing” from the 4 Nations Face-Off “to tend to an ailment and prepare for the remainder of the regular season with Vegas.”
A couple of hours later, the defenseman logged 24:22 in ice time during a 4-1 win against the Florida Panthers.
This leads us to two conclusions: either Pietrangelo has Wolverine-like healing powers, or maybe, like many have suspected, NHLers are treating the four-team tournament as nothing more than another low-stakes version of an All-Star Game that is worth skipping.
How else do you explain that Pietrangelo was not only able to play on Sunday but also logged the second-most minutes of any player?
"This guy hates Canada," the Big Head Hockey X account posted Sunday night.
With the win, the Golden Knights moved one point ahead of the Edmonton Oilers for first place in the Pacific Division.
That’s where Pietrangelo’s focus is on now. He’s not concerned with winning a round-robin showcase tournament for Canada. Rather, he wants to win another Stanley Cup for Vegas. The best way to do that is for him to take a week off and give his 35-year-old body a rest — not risk further injury in a tournament the NHL and NHLPA created to replace the All-Star Game.
After all, the 4 Nations is not the Olympics. It’s not even the World Cup. With no Russia, Czechia, Slovakia, Germany or other countries participating, it’s not even really close.
In other words, Pietrangelo might be the first to withdraw. But as we’re starting to see, he won’t certainly won’t be the last.
This tournament could not come at a worse time in the NHL schedule. At this point in the season, star players need a break from the wear and tear of playing four months of hockey. Instead, most of them will go head-to-head in a condensed round-robin tournament that will lead to minor injuries — or worse.
Leafs fans have already expressed concerns about management allowing Auston Matthews, who has missed considerable time this season with a nagging shoulder injury, to participate on Team USA. Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving said on Jan. 13 he isn't worried.
Vegas center Willam Karlsson, who is currently out week-to-week with a lower-body injury, is also questionable to play for Sweden, while there are no guarantees that injured Swedish goalies Linus Ullmark and Jacob Markstrom will be back in time.
At the same time, there will be no shortage of Canadians looking to take Pietrangelo’s spot on the back end. The deadline to name a replacement is Feb. 11, with Aaron Ekblad, MacKenzie Weegar and Evan Bouchard among the many potential options.
Drew Doughty, who missed the first the first part of the season, has already said, “I don’t want a break – I want to play.”
As we get closer to the 4 Nations, he, unfortunately, might be in the minority.
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