Category Archives: Hockey News

Report: Maple Leafs looking for depth center

The Toronto Maple Leafs could be looking for a more reliable option down the middle of the ice.

While the club surely can't knock the play of centers Tyler Bozak, Nazem Kadri, and Auston Matthews to date - it appears they could use an upgrade on the fourth line.

The team is reportedly looking for a depth center, someone who could provide some more insurance with Ben Smith out with an injury and rookie Frederik Gauthier currently manning the spot, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.

While Smith and Gauthier have not contributed much on the offensive side of things - each with three points on the season - they have been among the club's best faceoff men with 53.24 percent and 52.49 percent efficiency rates respectively.

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Pastrnak’s cold streak doing faltering Bruins no favors

For a while there, it seemed the 2016-17 season was going to be the David Pastrnak show. But the young Boston Bruins winger's cold streak has turned into a genuine step back, returning him to the middle of the pack.

The 20-year-old Czech started the new season as hot as one can be, tearing through the league at a blistering pace. By early December, Pastrnak was up to 18 goals in just 23 games - tied with Sidney Crosby for the league's scoring lead.

Pastrnak posted 15 goals in 2015-16, and it took him 51 games to reach that sum. Suffice to say, his strong start was a crucial step forward, establishing himself as one of the game's new goal-scoring kings.

And then it all came tumbling down.

Injuries threw his sterling 2016-17 effort into disarray, as the young winger was forced out of the lineup for a pair of games in mid-December to get treatment on his elbow.

Since returning to the Bruins' lineup, Pastrnak's previously indomitable scoring touch has all but dried up. Following his 18-goal romp through the first 23 games of the year, he's registered just one tally in the past 20 contests, and none in his past 17.

The young Bruin has actually been shooting slightly more often during his cold streak than he was when he was terrorizing goaltenders on a nightly basis. He's averaged 3.5 shots per game over the past 20 contests, up from 3.4 during the earlier 23-game span.

Unfortunately, Pastrnak's luck seems to have deserted him, as all but one of his past 70 shots have failed to find the back of the net. A regrettable reality for the Bruins, who are desperate for success after sliding down the standings and temporarily out of a playoff spot.

Head coach Claude Julien is certainly giving his young star all the opportunity needed to get back on track, as Pastrnak is seeing more ice now than he did early in the year. Through December and January, he's averaged nearly a full minute more per game than he did through October and November.

And yet, the floodgates remain firmly closed. As it currently stands, Pastrnak still ranks 15th in the league's goal-scoring race thanks to his scorching start. But unless he can start adding to that total again some time soon, it won't mean much for the quickly falling Bruins.

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Senators Acquire Wingels from the Sharks

TSN reports the Ottawa Senators acquired winger Tommy Wingels from the San Jose Sharks in exchange for minor league forwards Buddy Robinson and Zack Stortini plus a seventh-round pick in 2017. The Sharks will also retain 30 percent of Wingels’ salary-cap hit ($2.475 million) for this season.  SPECTOR’S NOTE: Senators general manager Pierre Dorion was […]

Watch: Marner taunts former teammate Tkachuk after scoring

Mitch Marner and Matthew Tkachuk won a Memorial Cup together last spring with the London Knights, and are now in the the midst of impressive rookie campaigns for the Toronto Maple Leafs and Calgary Flames, respectively.

After giving the Maple Leafs a 1-0 lead over the Flames on Monday night, Marner couldn't resist chirping his old teammate.

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Sharks trade Wingels to Senators for 2 players, draft pick

The Ottawa Senators have acquired forward Tommy Wingels from the San Jose Sharks in exchange for forwards Buddy Robinson and Zack Stortini, along with a seventh-round draft pick in 2017.

"Tommy has been a valuable member of our franchise for many years, a phenomenal teammate and a true role model on and off the ice for our organization and the NHL," Sharks general manager Doug Wilson wrote in a statement. "As a team evolves and younger players push for roster spots, unfortunately tough decisions have to be made. We wish Tommy and his wife, Molly, nothing but success in the future."

Wingels, 28, has recorded five goals and three assists in 37 games while largely serving as the Sharks' fourth-line center this season. He's under contract through the end of this season at a cap hit of $2.45 million, and as part of the deal, San Jose will retain 30 percent of his salary.

Drafted in the sixth round back in 2008, all of Wingels' 337 regular-season games and 45 playoff appearances have come with the Sharks.

The trade bolsters Ottawa's forward ranks for a potential playoff push in light of Clarke MacArthur's inability to play this season. The Sharks, meanwhile, are able to open a roster spot for younger talent while adding size, depth, and a draft pick to their system.

Wingels is expected to join the Senators on Wednesday and could be in the lineup as early as Thursday against Calgary.

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Kings don’t expect Quick back until March at earliest, says GM

The Los Angeles Kings have pushed back the expected return date for goaltender Jonathan Quick.

The initial target for Quick's recovery from a groin injury was mid-February, but he isn't likely to step back into the crease until early March at best, general manager Dean Lombardi told Jon Rosen of LA Kings Insider on Tuesday.

Quick isn't skating again yet, and Rosen writes that Lombardi "acknowledged that there was a big difference between Quick getting onto the ice to test his injured groin in a limited step forward, and actually getting onto the ice and facing shots in a more structured setting."

Losers of four straight, the Kings have been relying primarily on Peter Budaj in net, with the odd start coming from Jeff Zatkoff. Los Angeles sits outside the Western Conference playoff picture, but goaltending hasn't really been a big issue, as the Kings ranks seventh in goals against per game (2.49) and 22nd in average goals for (2.47).

Whether the Kings make a move to bolster the offense and the backup goalie position remains to be seen, but if Quick is able to return shortly after the March 1 trade deadline, that could serve as a huge addition for the stretch run in and of itself.

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Coyotes’ Holland fined for sucker punch on Palat

Arizona Coyotes forward Peter Holland has been fined $3,611 for "a punch to an unsuspecting opponent," according to the NHL's Department of Player Safety.

The former Toronto Maple Leafs forward earned his punishment by taking out his frustration on Lightning winger Ondrej Palat during the Coyotes' 5-3 victory over Tampa Bay on Saturday.

Holland took exception to a significant check from Palat midway through the second period. The Arizona forward got up and landed a hard shot on the Lightning winger as he engaged with Holland's teammate Lawson Crouse.

He was assessed two roughing penalties for the incident.

The 26-year-old has appeared in 26 games for the Coyotes this season, posting six points and 14 penalty minutes.

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Ehlers emerging as Jets’ unsung hero in sophomore season

Between Patrik Laine's breakout effort and the ascension of new superstar Mark Scheifele, the 2016-17 Winnipeg Jets haven't been short on storylines. So, it's no surprise that Nikolaj Ehlers' exceptional sophomore effort has gotten lost in the shuffle.

Though it's been his gifted linemates soaking up the spotlight, Ehlers has quietly amassed 17 goals and 43 points in 50 games. Not only is the latter the second-highest mark among all Jets skaters, it's also 15th in the NHL, putting Ehlers on the same level as Alex Ovechkin and Artemi Panarin.

The 20-year-old nearly veered into sophomore slump territory early in the season, going goalless for 15 games at the tail end of 2016. He managed to keep his production rolling with a steady stream of assists, however, and since the calendar changed to 2017, the great Dane has been unstoppable.

In 11 January games, Ehlers has tallied seven goals and 12 total points. His thrilling tally Monday night against Anaheim was his third straight game with a goal, further extending his career-high sum.

Ehlers posted 15 goals and 38 points as a rookie, and has already surpassed both marks in 22 fewer games this season, emerging as a nightly threat for the rising Jets.

Should he continue on his current pace, he'll finish with 28 goals and 71 points - a plateau reached by only one of his teammates (captain Blake Wheeler) last season.

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Burmistrov ‘creating plays that are making a difference’ for Coyotes

Alex Burmistrov has made a great first impression with his new club.

In five games since being claimed off waivers from the Winnipeg Jets by the Arizona Coyotes, the 25-year-old center has recorded five assists. Two of those came in Monday's win over Florida, including the primary helper on Tobias Rieder's overtime goal.

His efforts have not been lost on head coach Dave Tippett.

The production is a result of added opportunity, as Burmistrov is averaging 16:47 of ice time with the Coyotes compared to 11:02 with the Jets.

Burmistrov, who was selected eighth overall by the Jets in 2010, is set to become a restricted free agent at season's end after the two-year, $3.1-million contract he signed upon returning from the KHL expires.

At this rate, he seems to be well on his way to finding a place in the Coyotes' future plans.

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Avalanche on pace for lowest point percentage in shootout era

All is not well in Denver.

The Colorado Avalanche, in fact, are on track to record the lowest point percentage since the adoption of the shootout following the 2005-06 lockout.

Through 45 games this season, Colorado has posted a record of 13-30-2, good for 28 points and a point percentage of .311. That's last among all 30 teams over the 12 seasons of the shootout era, according to NHL.com.

The shootout introduced a system wherein teams earn points for losing: two points go to a team that wins in regulation, overtime, or the shootout; one point to a team that loses in overtime or the shootout; and no points to a team that loses in regulation. More points, then, are being awarded on a nightly basis than prior to that lockout.

The 2013-14 and 2014-15 Buffalo Sabres are next lowest with point percentages of .317 and .329, respectively. Those teams were deep in the midst of a rebuild, with the latter roster seemingly constructed with the intent of making sure the club had the best possible chance of drafting at least Jack Eichel and hopefully Connor McDavid.

The current Avalanche squad wasn't exactly expected to contend for the Stanley Cup, but general manager Joe Sakic appeared to have assembled enough talent to at least challenge for a playoff spot under new head coach Jared Bednar.

Not even close.

On top of the lowly point percentage, the Avalanche are on pace to record the fourth-fewest goals per game while allowing the 15th-most goals against per game in the shootout era.

How long until Sakic decides to make a move?

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