All posts by Matt Teague

NHL records no positive COVID-19 tests for 6th straight week

The NHL has maintained a clean slate in each bubble for the sixth consecutive week.

The league recorded zero positive COVID-19 tests among the 2,814 administered from Aug. 23 to 29.

As per NHL protocol, the league completed daily testing for players and every other member of the teams' 52-person traveling groups.

The second round of the postseason could conclude as early as Tuesday, at which point the two remaining Eastern Conference clubs will join the two surviving teams out west in the Edmonton bubble for the remainder of the playoffs.

The NHL's streak of zero positive tests includes the week leading up to the restart when teams arrived at their respective hub cities.

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Rangers hire Jacques Martin as assistant coach

The New York Rangers have added longtime NHL bench boss Jacques Martin to their staff as an assistant coach, the team announced Monday.

Martin, 67, replaces Lindy Ruff, who was hired as head coach of the New Jersey Devils in July.

The Ontario native has been with the Pittsburgh Penguins since 2013, serving as an assistant coach with the club over parts of the last five seasons. He helped Pittsburgh capture the Stanley Cup in both 2016 and 2017.

Pittsburgh parted ways with Martin and fellow assistants Mark Recchi and Sergei Gonchar after the club's qualifying-round loss to the Montreal Canadiens earlier this month.

Martin began his NHL coaching career as the St. Louis Blues' bench boss in 1986-87. He has since served as head coach for the Ottawa Senators (1995-2004), Florida Panthers (2006-08), and Canadiens (2010-12). Martin earned the Jack Adams Award as the league's top coach in 1998-99.

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Watch: Bruins’ Ritchie answers bell after reckless hit on Lightning’s Gourde

Boston Bruins forward Nick Ritchie was handed a five-minute major for boarding Tampa Bay Lightning forward Yanni Gourde during the second period of Game 4 on Saturday.

Gourde remained on the ice for several moments before heading to the dressing room under his own power. The 28-year-old returned for the start of the third period.

Victor Hedman capitalized on the ensuing five-minute power play to extend the Lightning lead. Tampa Bay went on to win 3-1.

Ritchie answered the bell when challenged, dropping his mitts with Gourde's linemate Barclay Goodrow minutes into the third frame.

Following the contest, Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy voiced his opinion on the play.

"Good player. Clever player, obviously," Cassidy said, according to Boston Hockey Now's Jimmy Murphy. "Got them on the power play for five minutes. Finished the game with no problems."

Ritchie, who led all players with 12 penalty minutes in the contest, said he was just trying to impose his physicality and didn't mean to injure Gourde.

"I had no intent to put a guy on the ice and injure anybody ... I'm just playing my game. That's part of it," he said, according to NHL.com's Wes Crosby.

The Lightning now own a 3-1 series lead and can advance to the Eastern Conference Final with a win Monday in Game 5.

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NHL releases updated schedule following postponements

The NHL has released an updated schedule following the postponement of Thursday and Friday's playoff contests.

The league followed the NBA and other professional sports in pausing all games in response to the police shooting of Jacob Blake. The decision was ignited by the Hockey Diversity Alliance, co-headed by Akim Aliu and Evander Kane, who challenged the league to take action.

Play will resume with Game 4 between the Tampa Bay Lightning and Boston Bruins on Saturday at 12 p.m. ET. Below is the updated schedule for each of the four remaining series:

All times ET

Philadelphia Flyers vs. New York Islanders

Game Date Time
3 Aug. 29 7 p.m.
4 Aug. 30 8 p.m.
5 Sept. 1 7 p.m.
*6 Sept. 3 TBD
*7 Sept. 5 TBD

(*If necessary)

Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Boston Bruins

Game Date Time
4 Aug. 29 12 p.m.
5 Aug. 31 7 p.m.
*6 Sept. 2 TBD
*7 Sept. 3 TBD

Vegas Golden Knights vs. Vancouver Canucks

Game Date Time
3 Aug. 29 9:45 p.m.
4 Aug. 30 10:30 p.m.
5 Sept. 1 9:45 p.m.
*6 Sept. 3 TBD
*7 Sept. 4 TBD

Colorado Avalanche vs. Dallas Stars

Game Date Time
4 Aug. 30 6 p.m.
5 Aug. 31 9:45 p.m.
*6 Sept. 2 TBD
*7 Sept. 4 TBD

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Marchessault apologizes for clapping back at fans on social media

Vegas Golden Knights forward Jonathan Marchessault issued an apology after lashing out at fans on his Instagram account following the club's 5-2 loss to the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday.

After the game, several fans took to Marchessault's latest Instagram post - a photo of him and his wife - and left comments ridiculing the 29-year-old for diving during the loss.

"I was frustrated from the game, obviously, but also I get sensitive when people comment on family pictures," Marchessault said, according to The Athletic's Jesse Granger.

"It got the best of me, but there's no excuse. I sincerely apologize."

Marchessault responded to the criticism with comments such as, "Go suck on your mummy's t----- and stop wasting my time," according to ESPN's Greg Wyshynski.

The 5-foot-9 winger has contributed three goals and eight points over 10 playoff contests this summer.

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Armstrong: About 20% of Blues had COVID-19 leading up to return

St. Louis Blues general manager Doug Armstrong admitted his team wasn't at full strength this postseason after several players battled COVID-19 at some point leading up to the league's return.

"Coming into Phase 3, there was a lot going on with our organization," Armstrong said Wednesday, according to ESPN's Greg Wyshynski. "Of our regular players, I think 20% of those guys had COVID at some point."

Armstrong explained each player was affected differently, as some lost weight and some couldn't work out.

"It wasn't that they had it and didn't feel anything," he said.

The Blues owned the best record in the Western Conference when the season was suspended in March, but they lost all three round-robin contests in the Edmonton bubble and were eliminated in six games by the Vancouver Canucks.

There have been no positive results for COVID-19 since teams entered their respective bubbles in late July.

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Tarasenko requires 3rd shoulder surgery, will be re-evaluated in 5 months

St. Louis Blues forward Vladimir Tarasenko will undergo a third shoulder surgery next week and will be re-evaluated in five months, the team announced Wednesday.

The Blues sniper exited the bubble during the club's opening-round series for an evaluation on his shoulder.

More to come.

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Report: Leafs exploring trade market for Andersen, Johnsson

The Toronto Maple Leafs dealt winger Kasperi Kapanen to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday, and general manager Kyle Dubas likely isn't finished making moves after another early ending to the club's season.

The Leafs have been dangling four names in recent trade talks, with starting netminder Frederik Andersen highlighting a group that also includes forwards Andreas Johnsson, Pierre Engvall, and Alex Kerfoot, multiple NHL clubs confirmed to The Athletic's James Mirtle.

Andersen has spent the past four seasons with Toronto and has one year remaining on his current deal, which carries a cap hit of $5 million. According to Mirtle, Andersen can be dealt for a "useful" but low-cost asset in what would primarily be a cap-clearing trade.

The Danish netminder had an up-and-down campaign but compiled a .936 save percentage over five play-in games against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Johnsson, 25, carries a cap hit of $3.4 million over the next three seasons. The speedy winger is coming off an injury-plagued campaign but has shown the ability to be an impactful top-nine forward.

Engvall, 24, inked a two-year, $2.5-million deal with the Leafs in February. The 26-year-old Kerfoot is under contract through 2022-23 with a cap hit of $3.5 million.

The Maple Leafs cleared more cap space by moving Kapanen and his $3.2-million AVV through 2021-22 and have $7.79 million in projected space this offseason. The club is in need of adding a top-four defenseman, while blue-liner Travis Dermott and winger Ilya Mikheyev are each restricted free agents in need of a new deal.

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Mike Green announces retirement after 15 NHL seasons

Mike Green is calling it a career after 15 NHL seasons spent between the Edmonton Oilers, Detroit Red Wings, and Washington Capitals.

The 34-year-old defenseman suffered an MCL injury in February and opted out of the NHL's return-to-play plan in July. Green says he feels healthy, but is looking forward to spending more time with his family and pursuing new things in life.

"Being an athlete isn’t the only part of who I am," he said, according to The Athletic's Tarik El-Bashir. "I am a husband, father, son, brother, uncle. I’ve been very fortunate to turn my passion into my profession, but at this point in my life, I’m considering other things that I feel called to do."

Green was acquired by the Oilers ahead of the trade deadline but played just two games with the club before the injury.

The Alberta native was one of the most electric blue-liners in the league over his decade-long tenure with the Capitals. Green finished as runner-up in Norris Trophy voting in consecutive campaigns (2009, 2010) and is one of eight defensemen in history - and the only this century - to score 30 goals in a season, netting 31 in 2008-09.

The 6-foot-1 veteran amassed 150 goals and 501 points over 880 regular-season contests, adding 37 points in 76 career playoff contests.

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Islanders eliminate Capitals with shutout win in Game 5

The New York Islanders blanked the Washington Capitals 4-0 in Game 5 on Thursday to advance to the second round.

Anthony Beauvillier scored a pair of goals for New York, and netminder Semyon Varlamov made 21 saves for his third career playoff shutout.

Josh Bailey, who finished with three points on the night, and Nick Leddy each added an empty-net goal to cement the win.

Washington has now been eliminated in the opening round of the playoffs in consecutive seasons since winning the Stanley Cup in 2018.

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