The Minnesota Wild blue line got some crushing news on Wednesday.
Defenseman Jared Spurgeon will miss at least four weeks after suffering a partial tear of his right hamstring during Tuesday's game against the Colorado Avalanche, the team announced.
The timeline for the injury means that Spurgeon will miss the remainder of the regular season and potentially the start of the postseason if the Wild are able to secure a playoff berth.
Spurgeon had been on pace to eclipse his previous career highs in goals (11) and points (38), having put up nine and 37 respectively in 61 games.
It's been a tough first season with the Stars for Methot, as he's been limited to just 28 games due to injury, including a knee issue that sidelined him from early November until early January.
In his limited action, he's recorded one assist and 27 penalty minutes.
There are two words in the NHL lexicon that will rile up any hockey fan, player, coach, or executive in 2018: goaltender interference.
More than three quarters through the season, everybody is still trying to understand how to interpret the rule, but no one has a clue. The inconsistency and the continuation of coach's challenges has clouded the concept of what differentiates a good goal, an illegal goal, and a penalty.
The bottom line is, the playoffs are less than a month away, and you-know-what is going to hit the fan if a questionable call determines the outcome of a series. Goaltender interference is said to be a topic of discussion at the annual league meetings in Boca Raton later this month, but for any change to be instituted before the postseason, it would have to be agreed upon by all parties in short order - something the NHL historically isn't very good at.
So, while fans, coaches, and players pray the next controversial call doesn't cost their team the game - or their season - let's explore some suggestions to remedy the issue going forward.
Take it out of the refs' hands
(Photo courtesy: Getty Images)
The main issue with goaltender interference is it's incredibly subjective. Hockey moves quickly, making it tough to track all of the variables. Who initiated the contact? Was the player pushed? Did the skate that nicked the knob of the goalie's stick really impede his ability to make a save with the opposite leg?
That's for the ref to decide, but that course of action may be less effective with these gray areas. So, why not have a team in Toronto's league office dedicated to making the calls? Much like the league has done with the Department of Player Safety, the team could include people that have been there. Former refs, even former goalies, could surely offer some valuable insight, and would likely instill consistent decision-making.
Adopt the IIHF's rule
(Photo courtesy: Action Images)
The IIHF has no dilemmas regarding goalie interference, because international rules state: "If an attacking skater establishes position in the goal crease, play will be stopped and the ensuing faceoff will take place at the nearest faceoff spot in the neutral zone."
It might be a radical change, but it would definitely eliminate these controversies. The crease belongs to the goalie, and enforcing a rule to ensure that's the way the game is played is a reasonable proposition.
The rule doesn't have to be adopted verbatim, but it could be a good starting point. Plus, imagine seeing a player score a desperate lacrosse-style goal, lunging through the air while managing to avoid the goalie and the blue paint. Try challenging that, coaches.
No more coach's challenges
(Photo courtesy: Getty Images)
Speaking of challenges, what if they weren't a thing?
Video review is useful for getting things right, but we're well into the coach's challenge era and things are a certified disaster. If a play needs to be reviewed, contact the aforementioned crew of rules experts in Toronto to make the call instead of a grumpy coach who has nothing to lose by demanding a replay.
If goalie interference challenges are taken away, that means offside reviews, which carry a consequence for being incorrectly challenged, will likely be extinguished as well. Is anyone really against that?
The Vancouver Canucks removed blue-liner Erik Gudbranson from the active roster Wednesday, with the 26-year-old set to undergo season-ending shoulder surgery.
Edmonton Oilers defenseman Oscar Klefbom will return to the lineup Wednesday against the San Jose Sharks after missing the team's last two games with a shoulder ailment, head coach Todd McLellan said.
Klefbom's return comes in spite of the fact that a recent procedure he had on his shoulder will require a follow-up "clean-up" as early as next week, at which point his season would be finished, McLellan added.
"There's no risk of any damage," McLellan said. "I'm not going to deny him the opportunity to contribute to this team."
McLellan added Klefbom "will be ready for training camp" next season, as reported by Sportsnet's Mark Spector.
Having a player return to the lineup coming off a procedure - ahead of further surgery on the same shoulder, no less - seems like an unnecessary risk for a team closer to last place in the league than a playoff spot.
Klefbom had a career-high 12 goals and 38 points for the Oilers last season but has been one of many players on the team to regress this year, as he has just four goals and 19 points in 63 games. It isn't too far-fetched to believe his down season may have something to do with an ailing shoulder.
Versteeg hasn't played since Nov. 24 due to a hip injury.
Even though he only had three goals and five assists in 22 games prior to his injury, the team will surely welcome his return. The Flames sit two points out of the Western Conference playoff picture, so they need all the help they can get.
Another goaltender interference controversy, another unhappy coach.
The Los Angeles Kings were the most recent victims, this time coming in overtime of Tuesday night's game against the Arizona Coyotes:
You be the judge... Shoulda, woulda, coulda... but no. Carter was tripped and puck when in off Doughty's skate in OT, but was ruled off as goalie interference. Well of course it was.... pic.twitter.com/o9DHn5Jt5D
Based on how the season has gone, it seems like a call that could've gone either way, but Kings head coach John Stevens clearly wasn't pleased with the decision to wave off the goal.
"I don't know what I'm talking about because I'm still confused on the whole issue," he said postgame, according to Dennis Bernstein of The Fourth Period. "It's a guessing game."
The Coyotes went on to win the game in a shootout. The Kings are just two points up on the Anaheim Ducks and Calgary Flames for a playoff spot, so the extra point is surely one they could've used.
The most senior member of the Carolina Hurricanes didn't mince words following the club's excruciating loss to the Boston Bruins on Tuesday night.
The Canes were staked to a 4-1 lead in the third period, but the Bruins roared back with five unanswered tallies in the final frame, handing Carolina its seventh loss in 10 games.
"It's beyond anger, to be honest," Justin Williams told Fox Sports Carolinas after the game. "We've got thousands of Boston fans cheering for them when we're at home. It's a product of what's happening. It's beyond upsetting, but we gotta look at ourselves and know we're responsible for what we've done at this point."
Carolina now sits seven points outside the playoff picture with 12 games remaining. Although the Hurricanes' odds of qualifying were slim before Tuesday's collapse, that's the type of loss that could have lingering effects on an organization, particularly one that just shook up its front office.
In the first edition of theScore's Vezina Trophy Power Rankings, editor Josh Wegman ranks the top goaltenders around the league from this season.
5. Frederik Andersen, Maple Leafs
GP
Rec.
GAA
SV%
SO
57
33-18-5
2.76
.919
5
If there's one word to describe Frederik Andersen, it's workhorse. The Maple Leafs netminder leads the league in games started, minutes played, shots against, and saves.
They haven't exactly been low-stress minutes, either. Among playoff teams, the Leafs allow the most shots against per game, the second-most scoring chances against per 60 minutes, and the sixth-most high-danger scoring chances against per 60 minutes, per Natural Stat Trick.
Andersen has been able to overcome these obstacles and post a better save percentage than Tuukka Rask, for example, who isn't tested nearly as often.
4. Sergei Bobrovsky, Blue Jackets
GP
Rec.
GAA
SV%
SO
56
30-21-5
2.42
.921
4
The Blue Jackets rank 25th in goals per game - lower than any other current playoff team - meaning there isn't much room for error for Bobrovsky. If he allows more than two goals in a game, chances are Columbus isn't going to win.
That puts an absurd amount of pressure on a goaltender, but last year's Vezina Trophy winner has handled it with relative ease. In fact, Bobrovsky has been able to hide some of his team's defensive flaws, as he ranks first in the NHL in high-danger save percentage among goalies with at least 30 games played, per Corsica.
3. Andrei Vasilevskiy, Lightning
GP
Rec.
GAA
SV%
SO
57
40-13-3
2.52
.923
7
Vasilevskiy was the front-runner for the Vezina after a blazing-hot start, posting a .939 save percentage in his first 34 games, but it appears his first season with a starter's workload has led to some fatigue, as his save percentage in the 23 games since then is just .902.
Nonetheless, the 23-year-old has cemented himself as one of the league's top goaltenders. Those who believe he's a byproduct of the team in front of him are mistaken. In fact, it's hard to believe the Lightning would sit atop the NHL's standings if it weren't for their stud netminder.
2. Connor Hellebuyck, Jets
GP
Rec.
GAA
SV%
SO
58
35-11-9
2.36
.924
6
The Jets didn't make any major offseason moves, yet they've already surpassed their point total from last season by five with still 12 games to go. While health has been a contributing factor to their turnaround, the single biggest reason for their improvement has been the play of Connor Hellebuyck in goal.
He's been an absolute rock between the pipes since the get-go, never posting lower than a .911 save percentage in any month, and nothing higher than a 2.63 GAA.
1. Pekka Rinne, Predators
GP
Rec.
GAA
SV%
SO
51
38-9-4
2.25
.929
7
Rinne is first in the NHL in both GAA and save percentage among netminders with at least 40 games played. Not only has he simply stopped the puck at a better rate than any other goaltender with a full starter's workload, but he's also arguably the league's best puck handler - a wildly underrated aspect of the position.
Rinne is having one of the best season's of his career in his age-35 season, and he's primed to finally get recognized for his efforts with his first Vezina Trophy.
