NHL 2021-22 season Fantasy & Chat thread

[mr. leisure]

DeBrusk asks Bruins to trade him, GM confirms

Boston will try to accommodate forward, whose production has declined in each of five NHL seasons

Jake DeBrusk has asked the Boston Bruins to trade him, and they are exploring options to accommodate the forward, general manager Don Sweeney confirmed Tuesday.

DeBrusk is in his fifth season with Boston, which selected him with the No. 14 pick in the 2015 NHL Draft.
"I'm not overly surprised that this eventually came out," Sweeney said. "I've been in the know for quite some time, and we've been trying to look at a hockey trade situation that would help the Boston Bruins and, as I do my job, accommodate with what Jake thinks best. There's a balance there."
DeBrusk, who was a healthy scratch for a 3-2 win against the Vancouver Canucks on Sunday, has scored six points (three goals, three assists) in 17 games this season. He was in the lineup against the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday with the Bruins without two forwards; Brad Marchand served the first of a three-game suspension for slew-footing Vancouver Canucks defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson on Sunday, and Anton Blidh is out with an upper-body injury.
Boston was unable to recall any players from Providence of the American Hockey League because that team is in lockdown because of an outbreak of COVID-19.
"Regardless of the situation that Jake has certainly made it known that he would prefer a new opportunity, we expect Jake to play well," Sweeney said. "This comes down to the Boston Bruins having to make a hockey decision, and for Jake it comes down to him playing his best hockey."
DeBrusk's offensive production has declined each season after he scored 43 points (16 goals, 27 assists) in 70 games as a rookie in 2017-18. He scored 42 points (27 goals, 15 assists) in 68 games in 2018-19, and 35 points (19 goals, 16 assists) in 65 games in 2019-20, for a total of 62 goals in those three seasons.
Last season, DeBrusk scored 14 points (five goals, nine assists) in 41 games and the 25-year-old continued to struggle this season.
"It wasn't what I wanted or the team wanted in retrospect," DeBrusk said in September. "So [I] obviously want to improve on it. Pretty much forgot my whole career. Whether it was the 27-goal season or last year, I'm clean-slating it. I think it's a pivotal point in my career as well. So [I'm] just trying to do the little things every day, just take it day by day and not look too far in advance or anything in the past."
DeBrusk declined to comment through a Bruins spokesman Tuesday.
"Jake's had a lot of success," Sweeney said. "At times players get to a situation where they don't feel that they're playing their best hockey, and I think Jake would openly admit he hasn't played his best hockey. And sometimes players just look and say, maybe it's cleaner if I try to do that somewhere else, and that's probably where this has gotten. The responsibility is shared in that regard.
"It doesn't mean we stop working and stop trying to compete at the level we have to and, as I said, Jake has to go out and play his best game tonight because that's what's best for Jake and for the Boston Bruins."

[Checkerboard]

Caps at Panthers tonight. Keep an eye on Owen Tippett. He's getting better all the time.

[Checkerboard]

Leafs and Caps. Top spot ain't big enough for the two of us.

[mr. leisure]

The Sharks placed Evander Kane on waivers on Sunday with an AHL assignment in his future should he clear.
Kane, who has yet to play for the Sharks this year following a 21-game suspension for breaking COVID-19 protocols and a series of off-ice issues, has never played in the AHL. The 30-year-old has four years at a $7 million average annual value left on his contract.

What a disaster .

[yisman]

The Sharks placed Evander Kane on waivers on Sunday with an AHL assignment in his future should he clear.
Kane, who has yet to play for the Sharks this year following a 21-game suspension for breaking COVID-19 protocols and a series of off-ice issues, has never played in the AHL. The 30-year-old has four years at a $7 million average annual value left on his contract.

[BarkingToad]

It's crazy to read Murray released. Seems like an attempt to save money, although I'm not an expert in that department

I’m surprised too, haven’t kept up on Ottawa

[hotcross]

It's crazy to read Murray released. Seems like an attempt to save money, although I'm not an expert in that department

[mr. leisure]

Murray placed on waivers by Senators

Goalie is in second season of four-year, $25 million contract


Matt Murray was placed on waivers by the Ottawa Senators on Saturday.

The 27-year-old goalie is in the second season of a four-year, $25 million contract ($6.25 million average annual value) he signed with the Senators on Oct. 9, 2020, two days after he was acquired in a trade with the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Murray is 0-5-0 with a 3.26 goals-against average and .890 save percentage in six games this season after he was 10-13-1 with a 3.38 GAA and an .893 save percentage in 27 games (25 starts) last season.
"We want him to get going," Senators coach D.J. Smith said Saturday. "He will be on waivers today, and if someone picks him up, he'll get an opportunity there. If he doesn't, he'll likely go down to Belleville (American Hockey League) and get an opportunity to play and get his game back."
The Senators (4-14-1) have the fewest points in the NHL (nine) and have allowed the most goals per game (3.84). They are 27th in goals scored per game (2.42) after a 4-2 loss to the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday.
"We've certainly got to play better in front of him as well, so we've got to take some blame there, but this is about getting his game back," Smith said.
Murray has been limited to six games because of COVID-19 and injuries. Ottawa has used two other goalies this season: Filip Gustavsson is 3-5-1 with a 3.37 GAA and .907 save percentage in nine games (eight starts); Anton Forsberg is 1-4-0 with a 4.44 GAA and an .883 save percentage in six games (five starts).
A third-round pick (No. 83) in the 2012 NHL Draft, Murray helped the Penguins win the Stanley Cup in each of his first two seasons (2016, 2017). As a result, Pittsburgh left goalie Marc-Andre Fleury exposed in the 2017 NHL Expansion Draft, when he was selected by the Vegas Golden Knights.
After two seasons as the Penguins starter, Murray split time with Tristan Jarry in 2019-20, and was 20-11-5 with a 2.87 GAA and an .899 save percentage in 38 games. Jarry was 20-12-1 with a 2.43 GAA and .921 save percentage in 33 games (31 starts) and played in the NHL All-Star Game.
Jarry then signed a three-year, $10.5 million contract (average annual value of $3.5 million) with the Penguins on Oct. 3, four days before Murray was traded to the Senators.
Murray is 127-71-20 with a 2.76 GAA, .911 save percentage and 13 shutouts in 232 regular-season games (224 starts) with Pittsburgh and Ottawa. He is 29-21 with a 2.18 GAA, .921 save percentage and six shutouts in 51 Stanley Cup Playoff games (50 starts).
"By no means is this on Matt Murray," Smith said. "We want him to be the best goalie possible and give him the best chance. I think a lot of this revolves around -- he's had a lot of injuries and nothing you can do about it -- COVID, a lot of things, he's missed a lot of time and hasn't been able to get into a rhythm."

[Checkerboard]

Oops, yep thanks, got the teams backwards ... Kraken beat Florida, Leafs with chance to take Atlantic first place on Sunday night versus Ducks.

Big afternoon game today (Sunday) for top place over all standings Carolina vs Washington.

Will score monster Ovechkin continue on his tear? He's getting close to overtaking Jagr on all time list, 19 more goals to go I think it is.

[mr. leisure]

Kase was scratched from Leafs line up vs Ducks last night due to workload versus Kings in prior game. Kase should be back in versus Sharks on Sunday.

In the game versus the Kings, eleven different Leafs scored multiple points.

Leafs now tied with Panthers atop Atlantic, and with Carolina and Washington atop overall league standings.

Leafs played Sharks last night and they play the Ducks on sunday . We get what you mean .

[Checkerboard]

Kase was scratched from Leafs line up vs Ducks last night due to workload versus Kings in prior game. Kase should be back in versus Sharks on Sunday.

In the game versus the Kings, eleven different Leafs scored multiple points.

Leafs now tied with Panthers atop Atlantic, and with Carolina and Washington atop overall league standings.

[BarkingToad]

Too bad Bread Man didn’t throw a brick at Marchand

[yisman]

Bruins winger Brad Marchand is known for getting under the skin of opponents on the ice. Apparently that extends to the benches too.
With 12 seconds left in Friday's game, New York Rangers star Artemi Panarin was given a misconduct penalty after throwing one of his gloves at Marchand as the two were on their respective benches. Marchand was also given a misconduct penalty.
As the two players were standing near the ends of their benches yelling at each other, Panarin slipped off his left glove and hurled it with his bare hand, hitting Marchand in the side as the Bruins winger raised his arm in defense.

[BarkingToad]

Hockey all day on friday .

Great day to have NHL Center Ice and skip going to the stores.

[Checkerboard]

Through 16 games, Sillinger has tallied 4-4-8 while playing major minutes alongside veteran winger Jakub Voracek in a top-six capacity. He's already made an exclusive list of 18-year olds in franchise history. Sillinger is just the sixth 18-year-old to play for the club, joining Rostislav Klesla (2000), Rick Nash (2002), Dan Fritsche (2003), Gilbert Brule (2005) and Nikita Filatov (2008). Of the group, he was the fourth youngest to make his debut at 18 years, 151 days. Only Klesla (18-88), Nash (18-116) and Filatov (18-145) were younger.

He was born in Columbus, and his dad played for 12 different NHL teams, including 2 years with Blue jackets which finished up in 2003, just before Cole was born.

[mr. leisure]

Hockey all day on friday .

[yisman]

Through 16 games, Sillinger has tallied 4-4-8 while playing major minutes alongside veteran winger Jakub Voracek in a top-six capacity. He's already made an exclusive list of 18-year olds in franchise history. Sillinger is just the sixth 18-year-old to play for the club, joining Rostislav Klesla (2000), Rick Nash (2002), Dan Fritsche (2003), Gilbert Brule (2005) and Nikita Filatov (2008). Of the group, he was the fourth youngest to make his debut at 18 years, 151 days. Only Klesla (18-88), Nash (18-116) and Filatov (18-145) were younger.

[Checkerboard]

[FONT="]Like most NHL teams, the Minnesota Wild decided to stay in Manhattan before playing the New Jersey Devils. The Wild's plan to avoid New Jersey yielded unfortunate results this time around, though. [/FONT]
[FONT="]The Holland Tunnel connecting Lower Manhattan and Jersey City closed Wednesday, halting Minnesota's team bus and forcing a half-hour delay in the Wild-Devils game. Fans who got seated early reportedly booed the announcement. [/FONT]

Wow, they were late for work!

[mr. leisure]

Av`s are 8-1-1 in their last ten .

[BarkingToad]

Graves tripped him on a breakaway, Point actually took the penalty shot, and played another 10 minutes or so. Sounds like it's his left shoulder.

Pretty sure that’s it.

[mr. leisure]

Like most NHL teams, the Minnesota Wild decided to stay in Manhattan before playing the New Jersey Devils. The Wild's plan to avoid New Jersey yielded unfortunate results this time around, though.
The Holland Tunnel connecting Lower Manhattan and Jersey City closed Wednesday, halting Minnesota's team bus and forcing a half-hour delay in the Wild-Devils game. Fans who got seated early reportedly booed the announcement.

Wondered why it was delayed .

[yisman]

Like most NHL teams, the Minnesota Wild decided to stay in Manhattan before playing the New Jersey Devils. The Wild's plan to avoid New Jersey yielded unfortunate results this time around, though.
The Holland Tunnel connecting Lower Manhattan and Jersey City closed Wednesday, halting Minnesota's team bus and forcing a half-hour delay in the Wild-Devils game. Fans who got seated early reportedly booed the announcement.

[Checkerboard]

Brayden Point out 4-6 weeks, 2/3 of top line out long term.

Graves tripped him on a breakaway, Point actually took the penalty shot, and played another 10 minutes or so. Sounds like it's his left shoulder.

[BarkingToad]

Players are missing games because of false positives?

[mr. leisure]

Chara enters NHL COVID-19 protocol, Nelson out 2-4 weeks for Islanders

Defenseman seventh New York player unavailable after testing positive

EAST MEADOW, N.Y. -- Zdeno Chara became the seventh player on the New York Islanders roster to enter NHL COVID-19 protocol when he tested positive for the virus Monday.

The defenseman joins forwards Josh Bailey, Anders Lee, Kieffer Bellows and Ross Johnston, and defensemen Adam Pelech and Andy Greene in protocol. Forward Anthony Beauvillier had a false positive test and missed a 5-2 loss to the Calgary Flames on Saturday. He returned for a 3-0 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Sunday.
The Islanders will also be without center Brock Nelson for 2-4 weeks because of a lower-body injury sustained in the first period Sunday. Nelson leads them in goals (nine) and points (11) this season.
"We'll continue to do what we have control of," Islanders general manager Lou Lamoriello said before practice Tuesday. "You can't deal with things that are out of your hands. Certainly, these are difficult times, but we will stay focused on the players we have, what our abilities are to replace players if necessary and just stay as positive as we possibly can.
"I don't think there's any way you could approach this or handle this any differently."
The Islanders (5-8-2) are on a six-game losing streak (0-6-0) and scheduled to play the New York Rangers at UBS Arena on Wednesday. They delayed practice Tuesday until the afternoon to allow time for more testing.
Lamoriello said none of the players in protocol would be available for the game Wednesday. He said he had dialogue with the NHL on Monday about a possible postponement.
"There is no decision, to my knowledge," Lamoriello said. "We're preparing to play unless we hear otherwise."
Ryan Pulock (lower body) is out 4-6 weeks. The defenseman was injured in the second period of a 4-1 loss at the Tampa Bay Lightning on Nov. 15 after blocking a shot from forward Mathieu Joseph and appearing to limp off the ice.
Forward Anatoli Golyshev and defenseman Thomas Hickey were recalled from Bridgeport of the American Hockey League on Tuesday. Lamoriello said the Islanders are also willing to make a trade for reinforcements, but there is nothing imminent.
"Whatever can do to get better, we would," Lamoriello said. "But we will be getting our players back, and I can assure you that I've gotten calls. Many teams want to help us in different ways but not that could really help us."

[BarkingToad]

Brayden Point out 4-6 weeks, 2/3 of top line out long term.

[Checkerboard]

Dallas Stars indicated that 2nd year goalie Jake Oettinger will be starting more games than the pace they kept him on

His stats in 2 starts this year: 2 wins, .955 save pct, and 1.43 GAA goals against per game

All the games in his previous stint up were low attendance bubble games, and his record in those was pretty good. This season's two games at .9955, he likes to play in front of fans.

[Checkerboard]

Dallas Stars indicated that 2nd year goalie Jake Oettinger will be starting more games than the pace they kept him on

His stats in 2 starts this year: 2 wins, .955 save pct, and 1.43 GAA goals against per game

I hope Oettinger gets the start hosting Oilers tonight, will play Dallas.

[hotcross]

Dallas Stars indicated that 2nd year goalie Jake Oettinger will be starting more games than the pace they kept him on

His stats in 2 starts this year: 2 wins, .955 save pct, and 1.43 GAA goals against per game

[mr. leisure]

Who's gonna be the first team to get to 30 pts

Canes

[Checkerboard]

Who's gonna be the first team to get to 30 pts

I'll resist the more obvious answers and say Calgary or Toronto, eh?

[Otters27]

Who's gonna be the first team to get to 30 pts

[BarkingToad]

Captain Anders Lee missed the game along with Beauvillier, plus two defensemen Pelech and Green.

Keep an eye for these players during the upcoming Thanksgiving week home schedule.

I’m sure Isles will make up lots of ground when players come back and playing more home games rest of the season.

[Checkerboard]

The Quebec Nordiques could soon be returning to an arena near you.
Quebec Premier Francois Legault is in discussions with NHL commissioner Gary Bettman to bring back the defunct franchise. RDS reports that Legault will be meeting with senior leaders of the NHL in early 2022.
"You have to look to know who is ready to invest," Legault said. "We have an amphitheater already built in Quebec and we are making contacts with Commissioner Gary Bettman to find out what we need to bring back the Nordiques."

Quebec City has the rink facility, looks like a Coyotes move maybe.

[hotcross]

Islanders lose long awaited home opener.

Captain Anders Lee missed the game along with Beauvillier, plus two defensemen Pelech and Green.

Keep an eye for these players during the upcoming Thanksgiving week home schedule.