The Winnipeg Jets' depleted defense has taken another hit, as top-pairing rearguard Josh Morrissey missed Sunday's contest versus the New York Islanders after suffering an upper-body injury during the pregame warmup.
However, the ailment doesn't appear to be serious, as Jets head coach Paul Maurice said sitting the defender was precautionary, and Morrissey is listed as day-to-day, according to Mitchell Clinton of JetsTV.
Carl Dahlstrom replaced Morrissey while making his Jets debut. Here's the lineup Winnipeg rolled out:
Dahlstrom starts with Dmitry Kulikov. Here’s the rest of lineup, at least to start:
Morrissey, 24, is Winnipeg's top defender after an offseason of turnover among the club's blue-liners. Jacob Trouba was sent to the New York Rangers in a trade, Tyler Myers signed with the Vancouver Canucks as an unrestricted free agent, and Dustin Byfuglien is currently inactive as he mulls his future in the sport.
The new-look defense has performed poorly to open the season, as the Jets had allowed 10 goals in two contests entering Sunday's game.
Morrissey averaged just over 26 minutes of ice time in his first two games while registering one assist.
The mighty Tampa Bay Lightning offense was no match for the Carolina Hurricanes in the second period of Sunday's contest, as the home side held the Bolts without a single shot on goal in the middle frame.
The Canes outshot the Lightning 17-0 in the second. It was the first time Carolina's held an opponent to no shots in a period since 2004, according to Hurricanes PR.
Conversely, it also marked the first time Tampa Bay failed to record a shot on goal in a single period since 2013, according to Bryan Burns of the team's website.
It was a dominant showing in the second for the Hurricanes, who recorded 85% of the period's shot attempts, 93% of the scoring chances, and 95% of expected goals at five-on-five, according to Natural Stat Trick.
Carolina outshot Tampa Bay 44-13 for the contest and recorded a 70-26 advantage in five-on-five attempts. The Hurricanes ultimately won the game 4-3 in overtime, marking the club's first 3-0 start since the 1995-96 season.
With his club leading 4-3 and on the penalty kill in the third period against the Montreal Canadiens, Kapanen threw his stick at Jeff Petry after it broke on a shot block.
Petry's goal completed the Canadiens' comeback after trailing 4-1, and they went on to win the contest 6-5 in a shootout, moving to 1-0-1 on the season.
Dallas Stars defenseman Roman Polak was stretchered off the ice in the second period of Thursday night's contest versus the Boston Bruins after going headfirst into the boards.
The Stars later announced Polak was taken to hospital for evaluation.
Polak inked a one-year, $1.75-million contract extension with Dallas in June. The 33-year-old played his first season with the club in 2018-19, registering nine points in 77 games.
The NHL season triumphantly returned Wednesday night, featuring a four-game slate that included dramatic pregame ceremonies, a captaincy unveiling, an overtime winner, and much more.
To put a bow on the first night of the 2019-20 campaign, here's one takeaway from each contest.
Leafs finish strong on captaincy night
Mark Blinch / National Hockey League / Getty
After weeks of suspense, the Toronto Maple Leafs anointed John Tavares as captain to kick off opening night. However, the hype of the announcement was short-lived, as Brady Tkachuk put the Ottawa Senators in front 25 seconds after puck drop to completely suck the life out of Scotiabank Arena.
Toronto ultimately lured its home crowd back in, putting together a dominant performance en route to a 5-3 victory. They did so with flash, too, with Auston Matthews burying two goals and all the new bodies from a summer full of roster turnover contributing nicely; Tyson Barrie racked up two primary assists, Ilya Mikheyev notched his first NHL goal, and rookies Rasmus Sandin and Dmytro Timashov each collected the first point of their careers.
When the final whistle blew, the Leafs had controlled 59% of shot attempts, 59% of scoring chances, and 62% of expected goals at five-on-five.
Caps' top six spoil banner night
Dilip Vishwanat / Getty Images Sport / Getty
In a battle of the two most recent Stanley Cup champions, the Washington Capitals took down the St. Louis Blues 3-2 in overtime. The home squad started hot with two goals in the first eight minutes, but the Caps took over from there and didn't look back.
Washington finished the game at 59% Corsi For while owning 60% of scoring chances and 61% of expected goals at five-on-five. The club found a ton of success through their top two lines, which is a great sign moving forward.
As usual, Alex Ovechkin found the back of the net while his line produced several chances, but Washington's second line of Jakub Vrana, Lars Eller, and T.J. Oshie did considerable damage as well. The trio owned a whopping 73% of shot attempts, and Vrana - who's expected to take on a larger role in the offense this season - registered five shots and the overtime winner in over 17 minutes of work.
Look out for this offense when Evgeny Kuznetsov returns from suspension.
McDavid and Draisaitl: Still very good
Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / Getty
The Edmonton Oilers didn't look all that inspiring hosting the Vancouver Canucks on Wednesday, but their two superstars did enough to treat the home crowd to a win.
First off, Leon Draisaitl was a force. He skated with purpose and picked up right where he left off from a season ago with two goals and an assist. Then there's Connor McDavid, who looked merely pedestrian until a third period showstopper electrified Rogers Place and completed the Oilers' late comeback.
Edmonton entered the season hoping for more out of its supporting cast, but sometimes you have to take what you can get.
It's worth noting the Canucks looked solid in this one. They largely controlled play at even strength, while Tyler Myers, J.T. Miller, and Quinn Hughes all found the scoresheet. Tough result in what was an encouraging performance for Vancouver.
The Golden Knights are scary
David Becker / National Hockey League / Getty
Only one side of the high-profile Pacific Division rivalry was ready for the rematch of last season's controversial playoff series, and it wasn't the San Jose Sharks.
Vegas seemingly played in a higher gear all night, cruising to a 4-1 victory. The Golden Knights were in control in all facets of the game, scoring a goal on the power play, shorthanded, and two at even strength. They also out-chanced the Sharks 29-8 at five-on-five, and won the overall shot battle 35-22.
The Golden Knights' top line had 14 shot attempts to four against, while Mark Stone and rookie Cody Glass - two thirds of the club's second unit - each scored. A full season of Stone stands to be huge for Vegas, who fully looked the part of a Stanley Cup contender in its first test on Wednesday.
Talk of this summer's star-studded horde of restricted free agents was inescapable. There were rumblings of historically rich contracts, offer sheets, and extended holdouts. In actuality, it was a whole lot of waiting around until a flurry of deals came to fruition once training camps started.
The drama finally ended Sept. 28 when Mikko Rantanen and Kyle Connor became the final members of an unfathomably deep group of young phenoms to put pen to paper. With the biggest story of the offseason finally settled, let's take one last look at each RFA deal and hand out some grades before these players take the ice to do what they do best.
Sebastian Aho, Carolina Hurricanes
What we projected: 8 years, $82 million ($10.25M AAV) What he signed for: 5 years, $42.27 million ($8.54M AAV)
Aho was the lone recipient of the vaunted offer sheet as the Montreal Canadiens attempted to poach him with a contract the Hurricanes quickly matched. Aho reportedly wasn't getting the offers he wanted from Carolina, so he leveraged his way to a richer deal while leaving the door open for another lucrative contract before his age-27 season.
One could easily make the case Aho is worth much more than $8.54 million per season, and he'll almost certainly be considered a bargain as this deal progresses. We can't give the Hurricanes full marks, though, since it was technically Montreal that created his very reasonable cap hit.
Grade: B+
Brock Boeser, Vancouver Canucks
Jeff Vinnick / National Hockey League / Getty
What we projected: 7 years, $51.45 million ($7.35M AAV) What he signed for: 3 years, $17.625 million ($5.875M AAV)
We figured Boeser would get a long-term deal, but the Canucks didn't have the cap room to swing a big-ticket extension without moving bodies. So, the two sides agreed on a feasible bridge settlement as negotiations lingered into September.
Paying a 30-plus-goal player less than $6 million per year is a win for the team, but there's a good chance the Canucks face some serious financial headaches when it's time to re-sign Boeser. Elias Pettersson and Quinn Hughes will need new contracts before his next deal, while presumptive captain Bo Horvat will be eligible for an extension come 2022.
Grade: B-
Kyle Connor, Winnipeg Jets
What we projected: 6 years, $43 million, ($7.167M AAV) What he signed for: 7 years, $50 million, ($7.14M AAV)
Connor earned one more year than we anticipated, but the cap hit is nearly the same. The seventh year is a big positive for the Jets, who bought three UFA seasons for a player who's emerged as a major piece of their future.
The 22-year-old has scored 30-plus goals in each of the past two seasons and has a good opportunity to hit another level of production if he keeps his spot beside Mark Scheifele. At just over $7 million a season, this one could age very nicely for Winnipeg.
Grade: A-
Patrik Laine, Winnipeg Jets
Darcy Finley / National Hockey League / Getty
What we projected: 7 years, $54.6 million, ($7.8M AAV) What he signed for: 2 years, $13.5 million, ($6.75M AAV)
A stronger contract year from Laine might have seen the Jets back up the Brinks truck for the Finnish sniper. But inconsistency down the stretch last season made a bridge deal the only sensible resolution for each side.
Make no mistake: Laine's 50-goal potential is still there, and betting on himself with a two-year pact could make him a very rich man in the summer of 2021. That said, Winnipeg did the right thing in making him prove it.
Grade: B+
Mitch Marner, Toronto Maple Leafs
What we projected: 6 years, $55.5 million, ($9.25M AAV) What he signed for: 6 years, $65.358 million, ($10.893 AAV)
This negotiation was easily the most talked about, and once Marner put pen to paper, the rest of the class quickly followed suit. Marner came in considerably higher than we projected, but he wanted to be paid like teammates Auston Matthews and John Tavares, and he earned that right after leading the club in scoring two years in a row.
The Maple Leafs may have overpaid, but it's better to reward stars than depth pieces, and the six-year term ensures all the club's big forwards are locked in long-term. If Marner goes out and puts up another 90-point season, complaints about his cap hit will quickly fade. They're sure to reappear in future offseasons, however, as Kyle Dubas delicately maneuvers around a salary-cap structure with minimal wiggle room.
Grade: B-
Charlie McAvoy, Boston Bruins
Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / Getty
What we projected: 7 years, $54.6 million, ($7.8M AAV) What he signed for: 3 years, $14.9 million, ($4.9M AAV)
Death, taxes, and the Bruins paying their star players peanuts. McAvoy has missed significant time in each of his first two seasons, which likely made Boston wary of committing big dollars long-term, but $4.9 million per season for a player of his caliber is a steal.
At only 21 years old, McAvoy is already the complete blue-line package, and the sky is the limit over the duration of this deal. He's the Bruins' No. 1 defenseman of the future and Boston will have plenty of room to compensate him adequately when it's time to pay him again in 2022. It's hard to find any flaws in this contract.
Grade: A
Timo Meier, San Jose Sharks
What we projected: 6 years, $37.8M, ($6.3M AAV) What he signed for: 4 years, $24 million ($6M AAV)
Meier quietly signed a nice extension amid the free-agent flurry of July 1, coming in at only $6 million a year following a breakout season in which he posted 30 goals and 36 assists as a 22-year-old.
The Sharks were right up against the cap this summer and succeeded in keeping Meier's number stomachable. The young winger will still be an RFA when this deal expires, but San Jose should be in good shape to hand him a considerable raise should he maintain his superstar trajectory.
Grade: A
Brayden Point, Tampa Bay Lightning
Joe Sargent / National Hockey League / Getty
What we projected: 5 years, $42.5 million, ($8.5M AAV) What he signed for: 3 years, $20.25 million, ($6.75M AAV)
Point is arguably the best player of the bunch - a two-way stud fresh off a 41-goal, 92-point season in the final year of his entry-level contract. We figured he'd earn a five-year deal, but the Lightning have a ton of long-term money tied up already, and a lengthier pact likely would have put Point in the same cap-hit stratosphere as teammates Steven Stamkos ($8.5 million per year) and Nikita Kucherov ($9.5 million annually).
That wouldn't work within the confines of the Bolts' books, and a bridge doesn't hurt Tampa in the slightest. The Lightning are still Stanley Cup favorites, and a three-year window in which their top-line pivot earns less than $7 million a season is a successful outcome any way you slice it.
Grade: A-
Mikko Rantanen, Colorado Avalanche
What we projected: 8 years, $80 million, ($10M AAV) What he signed for: 6 years, $55.5 million ($9.25M AAV)
The Avalanche needed term and security on Rantanen's deal, and they got both by locking him in for six years. Colorado is a young, exciting squad on the rise, but it won't have cap room forever; Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar, and Gabriel Landeskog will all need fresh contracts over the course of Rantanen's new pact.
A $10-million cap hit makes Rantanen the 16th-highest-paid forward in the league, but he's proved he's worth the dough after seasons of 84 and 87 points on the Avs' top line. Colorado is widely expected to grow into a contender quickly, and Rantanen will be a huge part of that.
Grade: A-
Matthew Tkachuk, Calgary Flames
Gerry Thomas / National Hockey League / Getty
What we projected: 6 years, $51 million, ($8.5M AAV) What he signed for: 3 years, $21 million, ($7M AAV)
Tkachuk's contract is the richest three-year bridge ever signed, surpassing the deal Point inked two days prior. We projected Tkachuk would get a long-term pact, but the cap-strapped Flames opted for a shorter agreement with the gritty winger in order to keep their current roster intact.
Getting Tkachuk under contract before the start of the campaign was an undeniably huge priority for Calgary, but moving a body to lock him up for a few more seasons might have been the better course of action in the grand scheme of things. Tkachuk's new deal expires in 2022, the same year Johnny Gaudreau and Mark Giordano are scheduled to hit free agency. The Flames better make the most of their current window.
Grade: B-
Zach Werenski, Columbus Blue Jackets
What we projected: 8 years, $66 million, ($8.25M AAV) What he signed for: 3 years, $15 million, ($5M AAV)
After the summer's mass exodus of star players, we figured the Blue Jackets would pony up big for a long-term commitment from Werenski - one of the game's most promising young defenders.
They opted instead for a three-year bridge, with Werenski's $5-million annual cap hit providing Columbus a nice temporary discount for his services. Werenski has been a staple on the Jackets' blue line since entering the league as a 19-year-old in 2016, and he's only going to get better. Given the club's current salary-cap picture, there should be no issues locking him down long-term on his next deal.
The bad blood between the Pacific Division rivals was on full display in the third period of Sunday's preseason finale, with the two sides engaging in numerous scrums.
The first incident started when Sharks goalie Aaron Dell gave Mark Stone an elbow as he skated by.
Shortly after, Evander Kane was ejected for abusing an official after a mix-up with Deryk Engelland. As the official worked to separate the two players, Kane's stick made contact as he shoved the ref.
Evander Kane gets ejected in his last preseason game for "abuse of officials." pic.twitter.com/OAKcqPWf2I
Overall, Sunday's contest featured 114 penalty minutes.
Animosity may have carried over from last season's first-round playoff series, which infamously ended in Game 7 thanks to an unfathomable Sharks comeback that featured four goals on a power play that never should have been awarded.
It won't be long before the Sharks and Golden Knights renew hostilities, with the two club's facing off twice in the opening week of the regular season.
The Winnipeg Jets and restricted free agent Kyle Connor are closing in on a seven-year contract extension with an average annual value above $7 million, reports Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.
Vancouver Canucks winger Brock Boeser returned to the ice on Saturday morning, less than a week after suffering a concussion in his lone preseason appearance.
Boeser & Fantenberg both wearing a non-contact jersey, both on the ice as practice begins. pic.twitter.com/oD8PQIUy7K
Boeser wore a non-contact jersey and didn't participate in the entire skate.
The 22-year-old entered concussion protocol after he went headfirst into the boards following a hit from behind from Ottawa Senators forward Chris Tierney.
Boeser signed a new contract on Sept. 16, coming to terms with the club on a three-year contract with an average annual value of $5.875 million. He potted 26 goals and added 30 assists in 69 games last season.
