[mr. leisure]

Ovechkin could play for Capitals against Bruins

Forward, defenseman Orlov cleared to return from NHL COVID-19 list

by Tom Gulitti @TomGulittiNHL / NHL.com Staff Writer
Alex Ovechkin could play for the Washington Capitals against the Boston Bruins at Capital One Arena on Saturday (7 p.m. ET; ESPN+, NBCSWA, NESN, NHL.TV) after he was removed from NHL COVID-19 protocol.

Capitals coach Peter Laviolette said the status of Ovechkin and defenseman Dmitry Orlov, who was also removed from protocol, would be decided later Saturday after each took part in the morning skate. Ovechkin skated on a line with T.J. Oshie at center and Richard Panik at right wing. Orlov was on the extra defense pair with rookie Martin Fehervary, who is on Washington's taxi squad.
"Yeah, I have my bye week already so I feel pretty rested and ready to go," Ovechkin said Saturday. "Obviously I don't have lots of time to spend on the ice but I did some workouts in my gym and did some running so try to do the max that I could do."
Ovechkin, Orlov, center Evgeny Kuznetsov and goalie Ilya Samsonov have been in quarantine and on the NHL COVID-19 list since Jan. 20. Kuznetsov and Samsonov remain in quarantine and unavailable to play.
"It [stinks], obviously," Ovechkin said. "No one wants to be [in protocol], no one wants to put yourself in that position. But you know it's over so you learn from it and move forward."
Laviolette said after an optional practice Friday that he didn't know if any of the four players would play without going through at least one full practice first.
"I'm not skirting it, I don't know," Laviolette said. "I've never been here before. Oftentimes when players are just injured or they're on long-term [injured reserve], they're out on the ice before practice and eventually they might work into a practice and then they might come off long-term IR. So those are typical things that we deal with. But I'm not sure about this case exactly.
"I think whenever the players come out, they're available, I'll have conversations with them, and I'll figure it out from there."
Orlov stayed on the ice late after the morning skate, suggesting he is not playing Saturday.
"I think I'll talk to the coaches, but when you don't skate 10 days, it's always hard to come back, especially (because) everybody kept playing and is in good shape," Orlov said. "But you do some workouts with the bike and I have in my house synthetic ice. I try to skate there, but it's still different. It's not like you play the game. I just skated today, and I wish I felt better, but it is what it is right now."
The Capitals (5-0-3) are 3-0-1 without Ovechkin, Orlov, Kuznetsov and Samsonov.
"Yeah it was a great response by teammates and by (the) team, obviously we got points and that is the most important thing," Ovechkin said. "Obviously happy for the guys who had the opportunity to step up and play well and it was fun to watch."
Before going into quarantine, Ovechkin scored five points (one goal, four assists) in four games. The 35-year-old has 707 goals in 16 NHL seasons, one behind Mike Gartner for seventh all-time.
Orlov played in 401 consecutive regular-season games before missing the past four. He doesn't have a point in four games but is second on the Capitals with an average ice time of 20:49 per game.
Center Lars Eller skated in a non-contact jersey Saturday but is expected to miss his second straight game because of a lower-body injury sustained in a 3-2 win against the New York Islanders on Tuesday.
Defenseman Justin Schultz, who was hit in the face with a shot during a 6-3 win against the Islanders on Thursday, did not practice Saturday.

[mr. leisure]

January 31, 2021
Carpiniello: Tony DeAngelo and Alexandar Georgiev involved in altercation after Rangers loss

By Anthony Scultore

Rick Carpiniello has now confirmed with three different sources that there was indeed an incident between Tony DeAngelo and Alexandar Georgiev after the game last night.

DeAngelo and Georgiev involved in altercation

What we could all see at the end of yesterday’s 5-4 loss in OT to the Penguins was ab exhausted threesome. Artemi Panarin, Mika Zibanejad, and DeAngelo were pinned after a long shift and could barely skate by the time Sidney Crosby scored.
However, prior to that Georgiev and DeAngelo had a miscommunication behind the net and failed to clear the puck. Without knowing what specifically happened in the tunnel, one can only assume this was the spark for the dust up which was broken up immediately.

In today’s day an age, rumors travel faster than the speed of light. There’s word that DeAngelo was involved in some altercation with a teammate after the game.
“There’s always rumors, I’m not gonna address rumors,” David Quinn responded. “This isn’t about one incident. It’s not about one thing.”

The Rangers held DeAngelo out of practice to protect the waiver process which sounds like they wouldn’t mind if he was claimed. Georgiev was also not out there today, listed as maintenance.
Quinn noted that the Rangers will have more information that can be revealed in the next 24 hours.

[hotcross]

In accordance with NHL rules, the Devils' training facility has been closed until further notice. Their next scheduled game is Feb. 9 at home against the Penguins. The postponed games will be rescheduled.


The Devils' games on Feb. 2 and Feb. 4 at the Pittsburgh Penguins were postponed, as was their Feb. 6 game at home against the New York Rangers. This brings the total number of games postponed in the 2020-21 NHL season to 14 since it began on Jan. 13.


The Devils had traveled to Pittsburgh and will remain there for an undetermined amount of time this week.


The NHL announced that four additional players were added to the Devils' COVID-19 list on Monday. The list currently includes goalie Mackenzie Blackwood, who hasn't played since Jan. 19; as well as forwards Andreas Johnsson, Janne Kuokkanen, Michael McLeod, Kyle Palmieri, Pavel Zacha and Travis Zajac.


Also listed are goalie Aaron Dell, defenseman Sami Vatanen (travel quarantine) and defenseman Connor Carrick, who left the team to be with his wife, Lexi, for the birth of their first child.

[batt33]

In accordance with NHL rules, the Devils' training facility has been closed until further notice. Their next scheduled game is Feb. 9 at home against the Penguins. The postponed games will be rescheduled.






The Devils' games on Feb. 2 and Feb. 4 at the Pittsburgh Penguins were postponed, as was their Feb. 6 game at home against the New York Rangers. This brings the total number of games postponed in the 2020-21 NHL season to 14 since it began on Jan. 13.


The Devils had traveled to Pittsburgh and will remain there for an undetermined amount of time this week.


The NHL announced that four additional players were added to the Devils' COVID-19 list on Monday. The list currently includes goalie Mackenzie Blackwood, who hasn't played since Jan. 19; as well as forwards Andreas Johnsson, Janne Kuokkanen, Michael McLeod, Kyle Palmieri, Pavel Zacha and Travis Zajac.


Also listed are goalie Aaron Dell, defenseman Sami Vatanen (travel quarantine) and defenseman Connor Carrick, who left the team to be with his wife, Lexi, for the birth of their first child.

The Devils’ COVID-19 outbreak and its subsequent impact on the Sabres after those teams played two games this weekend in Buffalo has forced the first postponements of the Islanders’ season.

[mr. leisure]

MacKinnon week to week for Avalanche with lower-body injury

Center did not play third period against Wild on Sunday, is tied for third in NHL with 14 points

NHL.com @NHLdotcom
Nathan MacKinnon is week to week for the Colorado Avalanche with a lower-body injury.

The center did not play in the third period of a 4-3 overtime loss at the Minnesota Wild on Sunday.
"It is what it is," Colorado captain Gabriel Landeskog said. "Better to go through it now than in May and June in the playoffs. ... We'll figure this out and keep working. There's no other way to answer this than we're going to keep working."
MacKinnon played 15 shifts totaling 15:24 and had two assists Sunday. He left the ice with 18 seconds remaining in the second period.
MacKinnon is tied for third in the NHL with 14 points (two goals, 12 assists) in 10 games. He was fifth in the NHL with 93 points (35 goals, 58 assists) in 69 games last season.
Coach Jared Bednar said J.T. Compher will take MacKinnon's spot as center on the top line with Landeskog and Mikko Rantanen.
"It's a good opportunity for me," Compher said Tuesday. "We know how great Nate's been for us for the last few years and at the start of [this] year. With that said, I'm not Nate. Gabe and Mikko, we're on the same page, I just need to play my game, support those guys."
The Avalanche will be without five other players when they play the Minnesota Wild at Ball Arena on Tuesday (8:30 p.m. ET; NBCSN, ALT). Goalie Pavel Francouz, forward Pierre-Edouard Bellemare and defenseman Devon Toews each has a lower-body injury and is week to week; forward Matt Calvert and defenseman Erik Johnson each has an upper-body injury and is week to week.

[Otters27]

Will the Arizona Coyotes ever be good? Seems like they were getting better but still a bottom dweller

[mr. leisure]

The Coyotes and all the Cali teams suck .

[batt33]

Hurricanes goalie Petr Mrazek’s injury will keep him out longer than expected


Mrazek, after four starts, led the NHL in goals-against average (0.99) and save percentage (.955). He was coming off his second shutout of the season after a 32-save effort in the 1-0 overtime win over Tampa Bay.
His own player ran into him....

[mr. leisure]

Avalanche have four more games postponed due to COVID-19 protocol

Through Feb. 11, in addition to game with Wild from Thursday

NHL.com @NHLdotcom

The Colorado Avalanche had four additional games postponed, through Feb. 11, due to NHL COVID-19 protocol.

The Avalanche game against the Minnesota Wild scheduled for Thursday was previously postponed due to COVID-19 issues with the Wild.
In addition, Avalanche games at the St. Louis Blues on Saturday and Sunday, and home games against the Arizona Coyotes on Feb. 9 and Feb. 11 have been postponed.
Forwards Tyson Jost and Gabriel Landeskog were the Avalanche on the NHL protocol list Thursday.
The Colorado training facility is closed. The NHL is reviewing and revising the Avalanche regular-season schedule.
Minnesota, which lost 2-1 at Colorado on Tuesday, had five players added to the protocol Wednesday, when the NHL postponed the next four Wild games, through Feb. 9.
The Coyotes and Blues, who played each other Tuesday and Thursday, were subsequently rescheduled to continue their series at St. Louis on Saturday and Monday. Those games have been rescheduled from March 29 and March 31.
The NHL has postponed 24 games during the 2020-21 season; two were postponed prior to its start.

[mr. leisure]

NHL announces schedule changes for 27 games

With several teams temporarily shut down this past week due to COVID protocols the league has had to do some major shuffling of its schedule for the 2020-21 season. On Saturday it announced schedule changes for 27 games involving eight different teams (Boston Bruins, Buffalo Sabres, New Jersey Devils, New York Islanders, New York Rangers, Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Washington Capitals).
All of the teams are in the East Division. These changes are going to result in a fairly condensed schedule for most of these teams. Most of these games were already postponed and needed to be rescheduled, but the list does include one new postponement: Tuesday’s game between the New Jersey Devils and Pittsburgh Penguins, which has been moved to March 18.
As of now the Devils game against Philadelphia on Thursday is still scheduled for that day. The Devils are one of the teams that has been shut down. They have not played in a week.

NHL announces schedule changes for 27 games

By Adam GretzFeb 6, 2021, 10:02 AM EST

Getty

With several teams temporarily shut down this past week due to COVID protocols the league has had to do some major shuffling of its schedule for the 2020-21 season. On Saturday it announced schedule changes for 27 games involving eight different teams (Boston Bruins, Buffalo Sabres, New Jersey Devils, New York Islanders, New York Rangers, Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Washington Capitals).
All of the teams are in the East Division. These changes are going to result in a fairly condensed schedule for most of these teams. Most of these games were already postponed and needed to be rescheduled, but the list does include one new postponement: Tuesday’s game between the New Jersey Devils and Pittsburgh Penguins, which has been moved to March 18.
As of now the Devils game against Philadelphia on Thursday is still scheduled for that day. The Devils are one of the teams that has been shut down. They have not played in a week.
[Related: NHL making changes to in-arena protocols]

Here is the complete list of changes.
It is a lengthy list.
• Game #254, Philadelphia at NY Rangers, originally scheduled for Feb. 16, is now scheduled for Sunday, Feb. 14 at 6 p.m. ET
• Game #364, New Jersey at NY Rangers, originally scheduled for March 4, is now scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 16 at 7 p.m. ET
• Game #667, Buffalo at Washington, originally scheduled for April 13, is now scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 18 at 7 p.m. ET
• Game #150, Buffalo at NY Islanders, originally scheduled for Feb. 2, is now scheduled for Monday, Feb. 22 at 7 p.m. ET
• Game #295, Buffalo at New Jersey, originally scheduled for Feb. 22, is now scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 23 at 7 p.m. ET
• Game #635, New Jersey at Buffalo, originally scheduled for April 9, is now scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 25 at 7 p.m. ET
• Game #322, Philadelphia at Buffalo, originally scheduled for Feb. 26, is now scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 27 at 1 p.m. ET
• Game #346, Washington at New Jersey, originally scheduled for March 1, is now scheduled for Sunday, Feb. 28 at 3 p.m. ET
• Game #301, NY Islanders at New Jersey, originally scheduled for Feb. 23, is now scheduled for Tuesday, March 2 at 7 p.m. ET
• Game #180, NY Rangers at New Jersey, originally scheduled for Feb. 6, is now scheduled for Thursday, March 4 at 7 p.m. ET
• Game #163, Buffalo at NY Islanders, originally scheduled for Feb. 4, is now scheduled for Thursday, March 4 at 7 p.m. ET
• Game #374, NY Rangers at New Jersey, originally scheduled for March 5, is now scheduled for Saturday, March 6 at 1 p.m. ET
• Game #375, Buffalo at NY Islanders, originally scheduled for March 5, is now scheduled for Saturday, March 6 at 1 p.m. ET
• Game #201, Pittsburgh at New Jersey, originally scheduled for Feb. 9, is now scheduled for Thursday, March 18 at 7 p.m. ET
• Game #477, Pittsburgh at New Jersey, originally scheduled for March 19, is now scheduled for Saturday, March 20 at 1 p.m. ET
• Game #151, New Jersey at Pittsburgh, originally scheduled for Feb. 2, is now scheduled for Sunday, March 21 at 1 p.m. ET
• Game #529, NY Islanders at Boston, originally scheduled for March 27, is now scheduled for Tuesday, March 23 at 7 p.m. ET
• Game #532, Buffalo at Pittsburgh, originally scheduled for March 26, is now scheduled for Thursday, March 25 at 7 p.m. ET
• Game #179, Buffalo at Boston, originally scheduled for Feb. 6, is now scheduled for Saturday, March 27 at 1 p.m. ET
• Game #561, NY Islanders at Pittsburgh, originally scheduled for March 30, is now scheduled for Saturday, March 27 at 7 p.m. ET
• Game #557, Philadelphia at Buffalo, originally scheduled for March 30, is now scheduled for Wednesday, March 31 at 7:30 p.m. ET
• Game #716, Philadelphia at New Jersey, originally scheduled for April 20, is now scheduled for Thursday, April 1 at 7 p.m. ET
• Game #494, Pittsburgh at New Jersey, originally scheduled for March 21, is now scheduled for Friday, April 9 at 7 p.m. ET
• Game #195, Buffalo at Boston, originally scheduled for Feb. 8, is now scheduled for Tuesday, April 13 at 7 p.m. ET
• Game #665, NY Islanders at Boston, originally scheduled for April 13, is now scheduled for Wednesday, April 14 at 6 p.m. ET
• Game #715, Pittsburgh at Buffalo, originally scheduled for April 19, is now scheduled for Sunday, April 18 at 3 p.m. ET
• Game #166, New Jersey at Pittsburgh, originally scheduled for Feb. 4, is now scheduled for Tuesday, April 20 at 7 p.m. ET

[jrgum3]

NHL announces schedule changes for 27 games

With several teams temporarily shut down this past week due to COVID protocols the league has had to do some major shuffling of its schedule for the 2020-21 season. On Saturday it announced schedule changes for 27 games involving eight different teams (Boston Bruins, Buffalo Sabres, New Jersey Devils, New York Islanders, New York Rangers, Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Washington Capitals).
All of the teams are in the East Division. These changes are going to result in a fairly condensed schedule for most of these teams. Most of these games were already postponed and needed to be rescheduled, but the list does include one new postponement: Tuesday’s game between the New Jersey Devils and Pittsburgh Penguins, which has been moved to March 18.
As of now the Devils game against Philadelphia on Thursday is still scheduled for that day. The Devils are one of the teams that has been shut down. They have not played in a week.

NHL announces schedule changes for 27 games

By Adam GretzFeb 6, 2021, 10:02 AM EST

Getty

With several teams temporarily shut down this past week due to COVID protocols the league has had to do some major shuffling of its schedule for the 2020-21 season. On Saturday it announced schedule changes for 27 games involving eight different teams (Boston Bruins, Buffalo Sabres, New Jersey Devils, New York Islanders, New York Rangers, Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Washington Capitals).
All of the teams are in the East Division. These changes are going to result in a fairly condensed schedule for most of these teams. Most of these games were already postponed and needed to be rescheduled, but the list does include one new postponement: Tuesday’s game between the New Jersey Devils and Pittsburgh Penguins, which has been moved to March 18.
As of now the Devils game against Philadelphia on Thursday is still scheduled for that day. The Devils are one of the teams that has been shut down. They have not played in a week.
[Related: NHL making changes to in-arena protocols]

Here is the complete list of changes.
It is a lengthy list.
• Game #254, Philadelphia at NY Rangers, originally scheduled for Feb. 16, is now scheduled for Sunday, Feb. 14 at 6 p.m. ET
• Game #364, New Jersey at NY Rangers, originally scheduled for March 4, is now scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 16 at 7 p.m. ET
• Game #667, Buffalo at Washington, originally scheduled for April 13, is now scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 18 at 7 p.m. ET
• Game #150, Buffalo at NY Islanders, originally scheduled for Feb. 2, is now scheduled for Monday, Feb. 22 at 7 p.m. ET
• Game #295, Buffalo at New Jersey, originally scheduled for Feb. 22, is now scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 23 at 7 p.m. ET
• Game #635, New Jersey at Buffalo, originally scheduled for April 9, is now scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 25 at 7 p.m. ET
• Game #322, Philadelphia at Buffalo, originally scheduled for Feb. 26, is now scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 27 at 1 p.m. ET
• Game #346, Washington at New Jersey, originally scheduled for March 1, is now scheduled for Sunday, Feb. 28 at 3 p.m. ET
• Game #301, NY Islanders at New Jersey, originally scheduled for Feb. 23, is now scheduled for Tuesday, March 2 at 7 p.m. ET
• Game #180, NY Rangers at New Jersey, originally scheduled for Feb. 6, is now scheduled for Thursday, March 4 at 7 p.m. ET
• Game #163, Buffalo at NY Islanders, originally scheduled for Feb. 4, is now scheduled for Thursday, March 4 at 7 p.m. ET
• Game #374, NY Rangers at New Jersey, originally scheduled for March 5, is now scheduled for Saturday, March 6 at 1 p.m. ET
• Game #375, Buffalo at NY Islanders, originally scheduled for March 5, is now scheduled for Saturday, March 6 at 1 p.m. ET
• Game #201, Pittsburgh at New Jersey, originally scheduled for Feb. 9, is now scheduled for Thursday, March 18 at 7 p.m. ET
• Game #477, Pittsburgh at New Jersey, originally scheduled for March 19, is now scheduled for Saturday, March 20 at 1 p.m. ET
• Game #151, New Jersey at Pittsburgh, originally scheduled for Feb. 2, is now scheduled for Sunday, March 21 at 1 p.m. ET
• Game #529, NY Islanders at Boston, originally scheduled for March 27, is now scheduled for Tuesday, March 23 at 7 p.m. ET
• Game #532, Buffalo at Pittsburgh, originally scheduled for March 26, is now scheduled for Thursday, March 25 at 7 p.m. ET
• Game #179, Buffalo at Boston, originally scheduled for Feb. 6, is now scheduled for Saturday, March 27 at 1 p.m. ET
• Game #561, NY Islanders at Pittsburgh, originally scheduled for March 30, is now scheduled for Saturday, March 27 at 7 p.m. ET
• Game #557, Philadelphia at Buffalo, originally scheduled for March 30, is now scheduled for Wednesday, March 31 at 7:30 p.m. ET
• Game #716, Philadelphia at New Jersey, originally scheduled for April 20, is now scheduled for Thursday, April 1 at 7 p.m. ET
• Game #494, Pittsburgh at New Jersey, originally scheduled for March 21, is now scheduled for Friday, April 9 at 7 p.m. ET
• Game #195, Buffalo at Boston, originally scheduled for Feb. 8, is now scheduled for Tuesday, April 13 at 7 p.m. ET
• Game #665, NY Islanders at Boston, originally scheduled for April 13, is now scheduled for Wednesday, April 14 at 6 p.m. ET
• Game #715, Pittsburgh at Buffalo, originally scheduled for April 19, is now scheduled for Sunday, April 18 at 3 p.m. ET
• Game #166, New Jersey at Pittsburgh, originally scheduled for Feb. 4, is now scheduled for Tuesday, April 20 at 7 p.m. ET

Wow that's a lot of rescheduled games to wrap your head around. Hopefully the NHL is able to get this condensed season in it's been rough so far with all the postponements.

[hotcross]

Will the Arizona Coyotes ever be good? Seems like they were getting better but still a bottom dweller

this happened during the offseason, in case anyone missed it:


Arizona Coyotes Lost Two Draft Picks due to Fitness Testing Scandal


The National Hockey League has sanctioned the Arizona Coyotes for violating the NHL's Combine Testing Policy during the 2019-20 season, directing the forfeiture of the Club’s 2nd-round pick in the 2020 NHL Draft and 1st-round pick in the 2021 NHL


This now leaves Arizona with only four picks in this year’s Draft, one in each of the last four rounds. They sent their first-round pick to the New Jersey Devils in their acquisition of Taylor Hall. Their second-rounder has been forfeited. And their third-round pick was sent off to acquire Carl Soderberg from the Colorado Avalanche.

Arizona will also only have one pick in the top three rounds of the 2021 Draft, with their first-rounder being forfeited and their third-round pick being apart of a trade.

[batt33]

NHL announces schedule changes for 27 games

With several teams temporarily shut down this past week due to COVID protocols the league has had to do some major shuffling of its schedule for the 2020-21 season. On Saturday it announced schedule changes for 27 games involving eight different teams (Boston Bruins, Buffalo Sabres, New Jersey Devils, New York Islanders, New York Rangers, Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Washington Capitals).
All of the teams are in the East Division. These changes are going to result in a fairly condensed schedule for most of these teams. Most of these games were already postponed and needed to be rescheduled, but the list does include one new postponement: Tuesday’s game between the New Jersey Devils and Pittsburgh Penguins, which has been moved to March 18.
As of now the Devils game against Philadelphia on Thursday is still scheduled for that day. The Devils are one of the teams that has been shut down. They have not played in a week.

NHL announces schedule changes for 27 games

By Adam GretzFeb 6, 2021, 10:02 AM EST

Getty

With several teams temporarily shut down this past week due to COVID protocols the league has had to do some major shuffling of its schedule for the 2020-21 season. On Saturday it announced schedule changes for 27 games involving eight different teams (Boston Bruins, Buffalo Sabres, New Jersey Devils, New York Islanders, New York Rangers, Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Washington Capitals).
All of the teams are in the East Division. These changes are going to result in a fairly condensed schedule for most of these teams. Most of these games were already postponed and needed to be rescheduled, but the list does include one new postponement: Tuesday’s game between the New Jersey Devils and Pittsburgh Penguins, which has been moved to March 18.
As of now the Devils game against Philadelphia on Thursday is still scheduled for that day. The Devils are one of the teams that has been shut down. They have not played in a week.
[Related: NHL making changes to in-arena protocols]

Here is the complete list of changes.
It is a lengthy list.
• Game #254, Philadelphia at NY Rangers, originally scheduled for Feb. 16, is now scheduled for Sunday, Feb. 14 at 6 p.m. ET
• Game #364, New Jersey at NY Rangers, originally scheduled for March 4, is now scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 16 at 7 p.m. ET
• Game #667, Buffalo at Washington, originally scheduled for April 13, is now scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 18 at 7 p.m. ET
• Game #150, Buffalo at NY Islanders, originally scheduled for Feb. 2, is now scheduled for Monday, Feb. 22 at 7 p.m. ET
• Game #295, Buffalo at New Jersey, originally scheduled for Feb. 22, is now scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 23 at 7 p.m. ET
• Game #635, New Jersey at Buffalo, originally scheduled for April 9, is now scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 25 at 7 p.m. ET
• Game #322, Philadelphia at Buffalo, originally scheduled for Feb. 26, is now scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 27 at 1 p.m. ET
• Game #346, Washington at New Jersey, originally scheduled for March 1, is now scheduled for Sunday, Feb. 28 at 3 p.m. ET
• Game #301, NY Islanders at New Jersey, originally scheduled for Feb. 23, is now scheduled for Tuesday, March 2 at 7 p.m. ET
• Game #180, NY Rangers at New Jersey, originally scheduled for Feb. 6, is now scheduled for Thursday, March 4 at 7 p.m. ET
• Game #163, Buffalo at NY Islanders, originally scheduled for Feb. 4, is now scheduled for Thursday, March 4 at 7 p.m. ET
• Game #374, NY Rangers at New Jersey, originally scheduled for March 5, is now scheduled for Saturday, March 6 at 1 p.m. ET
• Game #375, Buffalo at NY Islanders, originally scheduled for March 5, is now scheduled for Saturday, March 6 at 1 p.m. ET
• Game #201, Pittsburgh at New Jersey, originally scheduled for Feb. 9, is now scheduled for Thursday, March 18 at 7 p.m. ET
• Game #477, Pittsburgh at New Jersey, originally scheduled for March 19, is now scheduled for Saturday, March 20 at 1 p.m. ET
• Game #151, New Jersey at Pittsburgh, originally scheduled for Feb. 2, is now scheduled for Sunday, March 21 at 1 p.m. ET
• Game #529, NY Islanders at Boston, originally scheduled for March 27, is now scheduled for Tuesday, March 23 at 7 p.m. ET
• Game #532, Buffalo at Pittsburgh, originally scheduled for March 26, is now scheduled for Thursday, March 25 at 7 p.m. ET
• Game #179, Buffalo at Boston, originally scheduled for Feb. 6, is now scheduled for Saturday, March 27 at 1 p.m. ET
• Game #561, NY Islanders at Pittsburgh, originally scheduled for March 30, is now scheduled for Saturday, March 27 at 7 p.m. ET
• Game #557, Philadelphia at Buffalo, originally scheduled for March 30, is now scheduled for Wednesday, March 31 at 7:30 p.m. ET
• Game #716, Philadelphia at New Jersey, originally scheduled for April 20, is now scheduled for Thursday, April 1 at 7 p.m. ET
• Game #494, Pittsburgh at New Jersey, originally scheduled for March 21, is now scheduled for Friday, April 9 at 7 p.m. ET
• Game #195, Buffalo at Boston, originally scheduled for Feb. 8, is now scheduled for Tuesday, April 13 at 7 p.m. ET
• Game #665, NY Islanders at Boston, originally scheduled for April 13, is now scheduled for Wednesday, April 14 at 6 p.m. ET
• Game #715, Pittsburgh at Buffalo, originally scheduled for April 19, is now scheduled for Sunday, April 18 at 3 p.m. ET
• Game #166, New Jersey at Pittsburgh, originally scheduled for Feb. 4, is now scheduled for Tuesday, April 20 at 7 p.m. ET

who ever worked out the schedule... earned their money!

[mr. leisure]

who ever worked out the schedule... earned their money!

So true , it looks extremely complicated .

[mr. leisure]

Simmonds out six weeks for Maple Leafs with broken wrist

Forward left victory against Canucks on Saturday after blocking shot

NHL.com @NHLdotcom

Wayne Simmonds will be out six weeks for the Toronto Maple Leafs with a broken wrist.

The forward left a 5-1 win against the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday at 10:25 of the third period after blocking a shot. He scored two goals and has five goals in 12 games in his first season with the Maple Leafs, who signed him to a one-year contract Oct. 9.
"He's a big loss for us," coach Sheldon Keefe said. "He's been playing well, not just with his play but he brings a lot to our room in a lot of other areas and that certainly will be missed."
Keefe said that injured forwards Joe Thornton and Nicholas Robertson are skating "comfortably" on their own but did not have a timeline for when each could be able to return to practice. Thornton sustained a fractured rib Jan. 20 and was expected to be out at least a month. Robertson sustained a knee injury Jan. 16 and was expected to be out at least four weeks.
"We've been able to rebound throughout this year really well when guys have been out," forward Alexander Kerfoot said. "It speaks to how things are in our locker room right now. Wayne's been awesome, he's a lot of fun to be around in the locker room, has a lot of experience, plays hard every day, comes to the rink with consistency in the way that he works. We're going to miss him out there, obviously he's elite on the power play and just that physicality and that mentality he brings every night, we are going to miss that."
Toronto (9-2-1) is scheduled to host Vancouver on Monday (7 p.m. ET; TVAS, SNO, SNP, NHL.TV). The Maple Leafs are first in the Scotia North Division and lead the NHL with 19 points.

[Otters27]

Maple Leafs are roaring

[batt33]

Maple Leafs are roaring

Boston starting to get hot also

[hotcross]

Would the Maple Leafs be able to beat Boston if they were playing inter-division games?

[mr. leisure]

Koivu retires from NHL after 16 seasons with Wild, Blue Jackets

Forward scored 711 points in 1,035 games, was Minnesota captain from 2008-20

Mikko Koivu retired from the NHL on Tuesday after 16 seasons.

The 37-year-old forward scored 711 points (206 goals, 505 assists) in 1,035 regular-season games for the Columbus Blue Jackets and Minnesota Wild, including one goal and one assist in seven games this season, his first with Columbus after signing a one-year, $1.5 million contract Oct. 10.
"Kind of what it came down to was I wasn't able to play at the level that I want to play at," Koivu said. "What I feel for myself, if I can't do the job on the ice the way I want to do it, it also impacts me in the room and the things that I trust and I wanted to do year in and year out so far.
"I think just as a whole, every game I had to push to get ready and then I just couldn't get into the rhythm, just didn't feel the way I want to feel as a hockey player and also be able to enjoy the game."
Koivu said he sought feedback from friends and family, including his older brother Saku Koivu, a forward who played 18 seasons in the NHL and retired in 2014, before making his decision. A meeting with Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen and coach John Tortorella on Tuesday morning put his mind at ease.
"They were both very supportive, so that kind of gave me the peace of mind that the decision is right for me," Koivu said. "I'm grateful for the chance that they gave me, and I had an opportunity to come here and experience something new with a great, great team, great teammates. The way they run the organization and everything about it, it's been a great experience."
Koivu played his first 15 seasons for the Wild after he was the No. 6 pick in the 2001 NHL Draft. He became the first to play 1,000 regular-season games for them Dec. 1, 2019, and is their leader in points (709), assists (504) and regular-season games (1,028), and second in goals (205) behind Marian Gaborik (219). Koivu scored 28 points (11 goals, 17 assists) in a Wild-record 59 Stanley Cup Playoff games.
Koivu was Minnesota captain for the past 12 seasons and left as a free agent after scoring 21 points (four goals, 17 assists) in 55 games last season, his fewest since he scored 21 (six goals, 15 assists) in 64 games as a rookie in 2005-06. He pondered retirement when the Wild decided not to re-sign him after last season but said the chance to play for the Blue Jackets reinvigorated him initially.
"I would like to congratulate Mikko Koivu on a tremendous career," Wild GM Bill Guerin said. "No one worked harder than Mikko during his time with the Minnesota Wild. He was a fiery competitor and a fantastic captain both on and off the ice. Mikko is the franchise leader in so many categories, but the impact he made in our community and the connections he made with Wild fans will live on forever. We wish Mikko all the best in his future endeavors and look forward to honoring him in front of all his fans here in the State of Hockey when we are able."
Koivu said his role as depth forward, and that he was a healthy scratch for a 3-2 win against the Carolina Hurricanes on Monday, did not impact his decision to retire. Though Koivu's time with the Blue Jackets was brief, his impact in the locker room resonated with players and coaches.
"He admits, and we knew going in, his game, he's gotten older and it's slowed down a bit and we could see that as we started, but there was still a tremendous amount of value towards the room," Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella said. "But you know what, I have a ton of respect for him as far as going out on his call."
Koivu said he'd love to have the opportunity to see the Minnesota fans again and thank them, which he wasn't able to do last season.
"Minnesota just really became home for me and the way I was always treated there by the fans, the organization, my teammates," he said. "And also Team Finland, the great memories with them. As of right now, I think I will look back on how much I got from the game of hockey, the people involved and things like that. That's something that I really appreciate, and I'm sure looking back in the next couple of weeks and things like that, you start to realize how special it was."
A native of Turku, Finland, Koivu won a silver medal at the 2006 Torino Olympics and a bronze medal at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics. He helped Finland finish second at the 2004 World Cup and played in six IIHF World Championships, including a first-place finish in 2011. He also participated in two IIHF World Junior Championships, helping Finland finish second in 2001 and third in 2002.
Koivu is fifth among Finland-born NHL players in points and assists, and seventh in games and goals.
"It's amazing when you get around people like that, how quality they are, and that's Mikko Koivu," Blue Jackets captain Nick Foligno said. "So his legacy is, I think, cemented in this league as one of the better players, one of the better people, and it's a privilege to play against him and with him and we are just so thrilled for him."
Koivu said he'd like to remain involved in hockey after a break.
"The game of hockey and the people involved, I think it's a great game and something that I've done all my life," he said. "So hopefully there's something that I will find with the game, but I think time will tell with that one, and now I just want to relax a little bit and take some time off and really think about it."

[mr. leisure]

Golden Knights game against Ducks remains scheduled after positive test

Nosek was pulled for COVID-19 protocol Tuesday, teams to play again Thursday

by Mike Battaglino / NHL.com Staff Writer

The Vegas Golden Knights game against the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday remains scheduled after Vegas forward Tomas Nosek was pulled from their game Tuesday due to a positive test for COVID-19.

Nosek did not play the third period of a 5-4 win at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
"Immediately upon notification that one of its players had returned a positive test for COVID-19, Vegas Golden Knights forward Tomas Nosek was removed from Tuesday night's game vs. Anaheim, in precise accordance with the terms of the League's COVID protocol," the NHL said in a statement Wednesday. "Nosek was immediately isolated from his teammates and close contact tracing was begun, also in accordance with the protocol."
It was Vegas' third game after they had three postponed due to protocol that included coach Peter DeBoer and defenseman Alex Pietrangelo being away from the team. Vegas had not played since Jan. 26 until returning Friday; Pietrangelo has not played in the latest three games but is no longer on the protocol list.
The Golden Knights did not practice nor have media availability Wednesday. The Ducks did practice at T-Mobile Arena.
"Was it a topic of conversation last night and this morning? Well, of course it was," Anaheim coach Dallas Eakins said. "The first one was concern for the other team. For the young man that got pulled, for the team, and their team has had some problems in the past. ... And the first one is general human nature is your concern. Is he OK? Are their other guys OK? How's that all going?
"And then, obviously, the second one turns to our own team, but our guys, after our general manager, Bob Murray, is all over this stuff. He had spoken to the League. The League talked to the [NHL Players' Association] doctors, and League doctors, and everybody's on board. ...
"Our staff and players felt nothing but safe and we got back to work this afternoon. I'd be concerned if it were not a topic. If it's not a topic, that's when you see teams take it haphazardly and not care as much."
The NHL said rapid PCR point of care tests will be administered to all players and staff for Vegas and Anaheim prior to the game Thursday in Las Vegas.
"We have full faith in these protocols," Eakins said. "These protocols are ever-changing. Like, this is unchartered territory. The one thing I do have great trust in is the League is doing their best to really protect our players, our coaches, our managers, everyone, and it's ever-adopting. You've already seen adaptations to the protocols, change in the dressing room, getting the guys even further apart, getting these meetings spread out outside, do them virtually. It's never-ending, but it's necessary ..."
The NHL has postponed 34 games this season, 25 in February. It adopted additional COVID-19 preventative measures Feb. 4.
"We all understand how diligent the League is on this," Eakins said. "We're staying diligent within our group, and all we can do is hope the other teams that we're playing against are doing their best too.
"I know you hear the phrase, 'We're all in this together.' Well, we are, and it's no different when you're on the ice. Guy's got his back turned, he's in a vulnerable position. Man, you don't want to bury that guy. You've got to look after the other team sometimes, and we're just hopeful that every team in this league is doing their best, not only to protect themselves, but to protect the other team."
Defenseman Ben Hutton is the only Ducks player to appear on the NHL COVID-19 protocol list, only on Jan. 16.
"We certainly do aspire to be the team that [COVID-19] doesn't get into our room," Eakins said. "Can we 100 percent prevent that? No. But we can do our best to be that team."

[mr. leisure]

Minnesota Wild cleared by NHL to return to team activities following COVID-related pause

The Minnesota Wild have been cleared by the NHL to resume team activities.
The Wild will practice Friday at Xcel Energy Center, 10 days after their most recent game. They've had six games postponed due to COVID-19 cases within the team, including Saturday at Los Angeles. Their next scheduled game is Tuesday at Los Angeles.
The Wild have 12 players still listed by the league as being unavailable due to COVID-19 protocols. Forward Marcus Foligno was removed from the list. He was the first player to enter quarantine on Jan. 31.

[mr. leisure]

Stamkos added to NHL COVID-19 protocol list for Lightning

Forward missed loss at Panthers on Thursday with lower-body injury

by Mike Battaglino / NHL.com Staff Writer

Steven Stamkos was placed on the NHL COVID-19 protocol list Friday, one day after he did not play for the Tampa Bay Lightning in a 5-2 loss at the Florida Panthers because of a lower-body injury.

"[Thanks] to everyone who has reached out," Stamkos said on Twitter. "At this time we suspect a false positive test. Hopefully that's the case, and I will be back on the ice in the next couple of days. Until then I will continue to follow the NHL COVID list protocols."
If the forward remains on the protocol list Saturday, he would be unable to play at Florida (7 p.m. ET; FS-F, SUN, ESPN+, NHL.TV).
"Tomorrow, there will be a list of guys that can play, and we'll put together a team from that," Lightning coach Jon Cooper said Friday prior to the list being revealed. "The big thing for us is whether these guys are in or out, we can't sit down and kick the can because we're missing some important players on our team. It's a team sport, and we've got to rally around this. Some guys that haven't seen as many minutes are going to see them, and we'll see where we're at ... if in fact these guys can't go."
Lightning forward Anthony Cirelli also is uncertain for Saturday after he was injured in the third period Thursday and did not play in the final 8:34.
"Obviously, we hope it's not long term," Cooper said of Cirelli's injury. "It's tough times ... it seems like guys are going down right now. But like I said, I don't want to speculate on anything yet. So we'll have to wait and see until tomorrow."
The Lightning used 11 forwards and seven defensemen Thursday at BB&T Center. The loss ended a six-game winning streak.
Stamkos leads the Lightning with seven goals, and his 14 points are second to linemate Brayden Point (16 points; six goals, 10 assists) in 11 games.
The Tampa Bay captain did not play the final 5:26 of a 6-1 win at the Nashville Predators on Tuesday.

[mr. leisure]

Crappy ass schedule again , only two games on a sunday ??

[batt33]

Outdoor hockey at lake Tahoe this weekend.. better have some oxygen tanks available!

[jrgum3]

Was on the wrong dog tonight as Columbus blew an early 2-0 lead. On the other hand, Ottawa stormed back to take down the Maple Leafs. Gotta love hockey where dogs at juicy plus odds cash regularly.

[mr. leisure]

Outdoor hockey at lake Tahoe this weekend.. better have some oxygen tanks available!

Nice , will be watching .

[mr. leisure]

NHL Lake Tahoe event bringing hockey to 'the middle of the wilderness'

Timeless beauty of scenery on display for Avalanche-Golden Knights, Bruins-Flyers this weekend

STATELINE, Nev. -- Fifty paces. That's the distance from the closest corner of the rink to Lake Tahoe. That's it.

Put your back against the boards and walk to the water. Thirty paces, and your feet are on the beach. Twenty more, and they're wet.
"I think what's pretty cool is, you're standing on the rink, we're making ice, and you look over the boards, and there's a lake there," NHL senior manager of facilities operations Derek King said Monday. "So this is a gorgeous spot."
Tour the site of the NHL Outdoors at Lake Tahoe, and two things jump out: the simple, timeless beauty that brought this event here and the complex, modern infrastructure it will take to pull it off.
Though it will celebrate pond hockey with no fans in attendance, it won't be pond hockey this weekend when the Colorado Avalanche and Vegas Golden Knights play in the Bridgestone NHL Outdoors Saturday (3 p.m. ET; NBC, SN, SN1, TVAS) and the Boston Bruins and Philadelphia Flyers play in the Honda NHL Outdoors Sunday (3 p.m. ET; NBC, SN, SN1, TVAS).
These will be two real regular-season games, all the more important with the season shortened from 82 to 56 games amid the coronavirus pandemic.
"The thought of this event was a rink kind of in the middle of the wilderness," NHL executive vice president of events Dean Matsuzaki said. "Well, unfortunately, you do need a certain amount of [infrastructure] to support all of these things."


The scenery is everything you'd expect and then some at Edgewood Tahoe Resort on the California-Nevada border.
With your back to the rink facing Lake Tahoe, it's like there's no rink at all. There is only the water, unfrozen, waves chopping in the wind, and the Sierra Nevada on the far side. The tan of the sand, the blue of the water and the white of the snowy mountains provide different vistas hour to hour, depending on the time of day, the cloud cover and the light.
Just like when John Muir wrote about it more poetically almost 150 years ago.
"Tahoe is surely not one but many," the naturalist wrote in a letter Nov. 3, 1873. "As I curve around its heads and bays and look far out on its level sky fairly tinted and fading in pensive air, I am reminded of all the mountain lakes I ever knew, as if this were a kind of water heaven to which they all had come."
The infrastructure is everything the NHL needs but nothing it doesn't.
The League couldn't find a frozen lake somewhere, put up boards and glass, and play a couple of games.
"Putting it on a lake would be great," King said with a laugh. "I think that would save us a lot of time."

The ice has to be up to NHL standards, so the League is building the rink on the 18th fairway of the golf course at Edgewood Tahoe Resort.
King said the ice crew had laid about three-quarters of an inch as of Monday afternoon and planned to paint it white late Monday night or early Tuesday morning. By the time it's ready for practices Friday, it will have lines and logos and will be almost 2 inches thick.
"We're going to do everything we can to provide the best quality sheet," King said.
Everything else has to be up to NHL standards too, but because this game is on a golf course, not in a baseball or football stadium like other outdoor games, everything has had to be built from scratch.
On the side of the rink facing Lake Tahoe, the NHL is building a TV tower so the cameras can capture the action and the views. In front of the TV tower will be a small tent that will house video replay and tech support.
Flanking the TV tower are two tents that will house GM booths, the off-ice officials who record real-time statistics, and the game production crew. They will be made to look woodsy. NHL chief content officer Steve Mayer is calling them collectively "the chalet."
Behind them are two tents that will serve as the locker rooms, complete with lockers; training, medical and equipment areas; and restrooms. The only thing they won't have is showers. The players will have to clean up at their hotel.
"I do think the players are going to be pretty surprised by it all," Matsuzaki said. "My recommendation is that they come over in more warmups. Don't come off the bus in a suit like you show up at the arena. Come in your warmups."
There is a medical tent with an X-ray machine. Then there is a small village of tents and office trailers, the Mobile Refrigeration Unit and generators, all on thousands of square feet of plastic decking to protect the turf as much as possible.
"I think the players' first reaction is going to be pretty much excitement getting off the bus," Matsuzaki said. "They'll hit the locker rooms first, and you still can't see the rink from where the locker rooms are. And there will still be a real curiosity factor, I think.
"We often see, even in the stadiums, guys come out before they've really dressed in their equipment. When they see the rink and the mountains and the water, I think they're going to love it."

[batt33]

May have a little weather for the Saturday game! light snow predicted.

[Stallion]

Kinda small rink for an NHL game

[mr. leisure]

May have a little weather for the Saturday game! light snow predicted.

Perfect !

[batt33]

Perfect !

wish it could be a dumper! weather prediction starting to back off....

[mr. leisure]

wish it could be a dumper! weather prediction starting to back off....

Yeah , looking clear saturday and sunday .

[mr. leisure]

Landeskog will play for Avalanche against Golden Knights at Lake Tahoe

Forward was in COVID-19 protocol; defenseman Makar game-time decision

NHL.com @NHLdotcom
Gabriel Landeskog will return to the lineup for the Colorado Avalanche when they play the Vegas Golden Knights in the Bridgestone NHL Outdoors Saturday at Edgewood Tahoe Resort in Stateline, Nevada (3 p.m. ET; NBC, SN, SN1, TVAS).

"I was fortunate enough to be able to come back in time," Landeskog said after practice at Lake Tahoe on Friday. "… Excited to be back and I'm feeling good. I feel really good and I am ready to go "
Landeskog has missed the past two games because of NHL COVID-19 protocol. He was placed in protocol Feb. 4 and removed Wednesday. The forward has scored eight points (three goals, five assists) in 11 games this season.
"Originally I wasn't too worried about it," Landeskog said. "Then you start sitting down with the calendar and you start counting the days and realize it might come into play and might be in danger of missing this one. But obviously just follow the protocol and I was lucky enough and fortunate enough to come back in time. These are games that you definitely don't want to miss."
The Avalanche had four games postponed since a 2-1 win against the Minnesota Wild on Feb. 2. Colorado returned with a 1-0 loss to the Vegas on Sunday and defeated Vegas 3-2 on Tuesday.
Defenseman Cale Makar will be a game-time decision. He has missed the past two games with an upper-body injury.
Makar has scored 12 points (one goal, 11 assists) in 12 games this season.

[batt33]

I was hoping for a little weather...looks to be ok tomorrow at the lake.....

[batt33]

Outdoor hockey is pretty cool...what a view!