Author: Hockey Feed

Patrick Kane sounds off on news that Jonathan Toews is done in Chicago.

Post author By Hockey Feed
Post date 13 April 2023

Zuma Press

This just in: Tonight Jonathan Toews will play his final game for the Chicago Blackhawks.

Blackhawks’ GM Kyle Davidson has issued a statement through the team, indicating that the team will NOT re-sign Toews as a free agent this upcoming offseason and that tonight will represent the end for Toews in Chicago.

More insight from Blackhawks insider Mark Lazerus:

But TSN insider Pierre LeBrun states that Toews has not made a decision yet on whether he plans to continue his NHL career next summer.

Honestly… could you blame the guy if he just packed up and retired for good? He’s given his heart and soul to the Blackhawks for nearly two decades and has accomplished nearly every thing there is to accomplish in the sport. He’s a true champion and will go down in history as one of the best Blackhawks in history, with a real argument that he is THE best Blackhawk in history.

He’s a three time Stanley Cup champion, a two time Olympic gold medalist and one of the most respected players of his generation. His body is failing him and he has nothing to prove to anyone in the hockey world. Take a bow, Jonny… you’ve done well.

Last week though in conversation with Lazerus, Toews let it be known that he’d love to get the chance to play for a Stanley Cup contender one more time.

“There’s no doubt I’d love to know what that feels like again, to play hockey on the biggest stage and enjoy the spotlight and have an entire city on your back,” he said. “When you’re going through something real with your teammates, where you’re pushing through a lot and working through things together and figuring out how to reach the peak of the hockey world together. Nothing replaces that. You always kind of long for that experience.”

– Jonathan Toews

It sounds to me like there’s still a little fire in the belly there…

It makes me wonder if he might be interested in another spin around the sun with his good buddy Patrick Kane, now of the New York Rangers. Kane, of course, is a pending unrestricted free agent himself so his future is unclear as well.

“He’s a legend. I mean, he turned that franchise around. It’s pretty impressive what he’s done with his career, but just for that city … Great with the fans, great with the people. He was a guy that led our team so he’s a legend,” said Kane earlier today when told about the news.

“He’s had an amazing career. I really hope he enjoys tonight … & puts on a show for the fans because he gave a lot of people a lot of great memories.”

Tags Patrick Kane

Hockey Feed

Leafs forced to sign another amateur goalie tonight

Post author By Hockey Feed
Post date 12 April 2023

Toronto Maple Leafs

UPDATE: The Leafs have officially recalled goaltender Joseph Woll from the AHL’s Toronto Marlies. It’s expected that he’ll be permitted by the NHL to play this evening under emergency circumstances. He’ll be backed up by amateur Matt Onuska, however.

Read below for our earlier report on this developing story.

Earlier this week the Toronto Maple Leafs signed top prospect Matthew Knies from the NCAA’s Minnesota Golden Gophers. It’s a big signing for a big name prospect and it deserves recognition, but the team arguably made a much more impactful signing yesterday that isn’t receiving near the attention.

Because the Leafs have signed Knies and have inserted him into their roster, they no longer have the cap space to call up goaltender Joseph Woll from the AHL. This meant that last night Ilya Samsonov was backed up this evening by a beer leaguer on an amateur tryout.

To be fair to Nick Chenard, he’s much better than your typical beer league goalie, but he’s still nowhere near NHL level… or even AHL level. The 21 year old is a former OHL netminder who aged out of the league following this past season. Again, nothing against him and I honestly hope he gets to live out his NHL dreams… but this entire scenario seems like a bit of a farce to me.

What do the Leafs do tonight for their game against the Tampa Bay Lightning? Do they go back to Samsonov? They can’t playy Chenard as he signed a one day amateur tryout. What’s the play?

NHL insider Elliotte Friedman:

What an absolute joke…

I mean… the NHL will prop up a franchise the the Arizona Coyotes, a franchise who is doing everything they possible can to get under the NHL’s salary floor. There’s no punishment for the Coyotes… but the Leafs, a team who is consistently at the top of NHL’s highest salaried teams, has to dress a minor leaguer for cap reasons.

Call me crazy, but I think there’s got to be a better way for the NHL to go about things. Personally, I think every team should be required to carry three goaltenders at all times. I love a good David Ayres or Scott Foster story as much as the next guy, but it’s pretty ‘bush league’ that things have to come to this. I mean, could you ever see the NFL, NBA or MLB allowing a team to sign a beer league accountant or a Zamboni driver take to the playing surface? Not a chance…

But in Gary Bettman’s NHL we get weird, random little things like this that pop up all the time to remind us just how much the NHL actually cares about the sport that it pretends to champion.

Tags Joseph Woll

Hockey Feed

Red Wings announce another emergency roster move

Post author By Hockey Feed
Post date 12 April 2023

Grand Rapids Griffins

The Detroit Red Wings were forced to call up forward Taro Hirose from the American Hockey League affiliate Grand Rapids Griffins prior to yesterday’s home finale against the Dallas Stars. Tonight, prior to their second to last game of the 2022-23 NHL season, they’ve announced another emergency roster move.

Forward Danny O’Regan has been brought up from the Griffins, while defenseman Simon Edvinsson has been returned to the club (as originally planned in order to avoid a year coming off his three year entry level contract).

Oringally drafted 138th overall by the San Jose Sharks in the 2012 NHL Draft, O’Regan would eventually be dealt to the Buffalo Sabres in the trade that saw controversial forward Evander Kane head to San Jose. He’d later play within the New York Rangers and Vegas Golden Knights organizations before signing with the Anaheim Ducks in 2021.

Ducks traded O’Regan to the Red Wings in exchange for Michael Del Zotto in December of 2022. In 37 games with the Griffins this season, O’Regan has scored 14 goals along with 17 assists.

In 30 career NHL games, he’s scored one goal with five assists. The Red Wings take on the Carolina Hurricanes tonight from PNC Arena starting at 7:00 PM EST.

Tags Danny O’Regan, Detroit Red Wings, Grand Rapids Griffins, Simon Edvinsson

Hockey Feed

Blackhawks sign former 1st round bust, give him a second chance at the NHL

Post author By Hockey Feed
Post date 12 April 2023

Zuma Press

According to Chicago Blackhawks insider Ben Pope, the team has signed 31 year old defenseman Jarred Tinordi to a one year contract extension worth $1.25 million.

Tinordi is a former failed 1st round pick (22nd overall in 2010) who has bounced around the NHL and the AHL for the past decade. With the Blackhawks though he has finally found a home in the NHL and managed to play 44 games with the team this season, his career high by a mile.

“I’m part of something they’re building here,” Tinordi said to Pope. “As a player, that’s all you really want: to have a role on a team and be respected for what you do, on and off the ice. I felt that this year. It just makes me play harder for the team.”

“I really wanted to dial in my consistency, and that’s something — for the most part this season — [at which] I’ve been really good,” he said. “You don’t want your bad games to be ‘D’ games. You want to keep your bad games at a ‘B’ and your good games at an ‘A’. [I’ve been] just working through that.”

“I couldn’t be more excited to be back for another year to help this team grow,” he said.

Auston Matthews sets Leafs team record

Post author By Hockey Feed
Post date 12 April 2023

ESPN

While Toronto Maple Leafs forward Auston Matthews won’t be completing the hat trick of Maurice Richard Trophy wins as the National Hockey League’s top goal scorer, he’s still putting together an offensive campaign that most any other player in the League would envy.

He tallied his 40th goal of the season during last night’s 2-1 overtime victory over the Atlantic Division rival Florida Panthers at FLA Live Arena, and in doing so, he surpassed a team record. Because this is his 5th career 40-goal season, Matthews surpassed team legend Darryl Sittler’s previous mark of four. Meanwhile, he also surpassed Lanny McDonald and Rick Vaive’s team records of three and two straight 40-goal campaigns, respectively.

However, Matthews wasn’t in the mood to talk about his accomplishment following last night’s win, instead electing to talk about the heroic performance of goaltender Ilya Samsonov between the pipes. The Russian goaltender made 45 saves in a winning effort, certainly earning the admiration of his teammates.

“He’s just such a competitor in there,” Matthews said of Samsonov. “I really admire his mindset and the way he goes about his business and just a lot of fun to see him do his thing in there. He’s been so solid for us all year so I can’t say enough good things about him.”

Matthews won’t be playing tonight as his team faces the Tampa Bay Lightning in a regular season preview of their upcoming postseason matchup that will start later this month.

Tags Auston Matthews, Toronto Maple Leafs

Hockey Feed

Derek Lalonde states the obvious after embarrassing loss

Post author By Hockey Feed
Post date 12 April 2023

The Detroit Free Press

While it was billed as “Fan Appreciation Night” at Little Caesars Arena for last night’s Detroit Red Wings home finale, they didn’t exactly reciprocate the favor with their play on the ice.

Goaltender Ville Husso was pulled midway through the first period after allowing three goals on six shots from the visiting Dallas Stars, and by the time that it was all said and done, six pucks found their way past the duo of Husso and Magnus Hellberg en route to a 6-1 setback. For Husso, it was another subpar performance between the pipes.

“It’s hard to build momentum when we just can’t keep it out of our net,” head coach Derek Lalonde said. “And that’s on everyone, not just the goalies. We just had some timely bad breakdowns.”

Detroit generated very little offensive pressure against goaltender Jake Oettinger, who was given the rest of the night off at the start of the third period by head coach Pete DeBoer. Meanwhile, Husso found himself surrendering goals in bunches barely a week after posting a shutout against the Montreal Canadiens in his return to the lineup from a lower body injury that had kept him out of action for the previous seven games.

“We were advised to get him back in there and see how he handled that situation he was dealing with in his lower body,” Lalonde said. “Unfortunately, it’s been a really tough stretch for him. It’s going to be hard, because these last three games are just going to crush his overall numbers. There was some hockey this year where he was excellent, won us a lot of hockey games.”

“We want him to be a potential No. 1 for us and he’s had flashes of showing us he can do that,” Lalonde said. “Maybe a lesson for him in how he approaches his offseason and hopefully being ready when camp starts next year.”

Husso has appeared in a career high 55 games this season, his first in Detroit after being acquired from the St. Louis Blues and subsequently signed to a three year contract.

Tags Dallas Stars, Derek Lalonde, Detroit Red Wings, Little Caesars Arena

Hockey Feed

Kyle Dubas confirms the worst for Matt Murray

Post author By Hockey Feed
Post date 12 April 2023

Zuma Press

Earlier today the Toronto Maple Leafs announced that they have officially recalled goaltender Joseph Woll from the AHL’s Toronto Marlies. Woll will get the start tonight against the Tampa Bay Lightning, with amateur Matt Onuska backing him up.

Regular back up Ilya Samsonov is reportedly working through a minor injury and starter Matt Murray… well.. he’s seemingly ALWAYS out of the lineup.

GM Kyle Dubas also confirmed today that Murray has a concussion and that there is no timeline for his return.

Yeah… progressing toward Robidas Island and the end of his NHL career…

Actually, I shouldn’t be so glib when talking about a guy’s brain health, but the fact of the matter is that this is pretty routine for Murray now. The guy can NEVER stay healthy and outside of two remarkable short runs with the Pittsburgh Penguins he’s been the most inconsistent goaltender in the entire NHL.

Again, I know there’s not much he can do to protect himself from a freak injury like the one he suffered earlier this month but the fact of the matter is that Murray consistently lets himself and his teammates down due to injury. I have NO CLUE why Dubas thought he was getting anything other than an inconsistent, injured goaltender when he acquired Murray from the Ottawa Senators.

I get that Dubas has created a tough situation for himself given his team’s cap restraints, but Murray’s injury history has really forced this team to make some out of the box decisions.

But in Gary Bettman’s NHL we get weird, random little things like this that pop up all the time to remind us just how much the NHL actually cares about the sport that it pretends to champion.

Tags Matt Murray

Hockey Feed

Maple Leafs announce several notable scratches

Post author By Hockey Feed
Post date 12 April 2023

Salt Wire

The Toronto Maple Leafs are back in action tonight against a familiar opponent in what will be a dress rehearsal of their upcoming postseason matchup.

The opening round series between the Leafs and Tampa Bay Lightning, which essentially had been slated to happen since early this year thanks to the updated postseason seeding system, was officially set in stone last week. They’ll be taking on one another tonight at Amalie Arena as an appetizer to the main event to come later this month. However, the Leafs will be short several faces for tonight’s game in the name of load management.

According to head coach Sheldon Keefe, it will be forwards Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner along with veteran defenseman Mark Giordano who will be watching from the press box. Meanwhile, forward Calle Jarnkrok will make his return to the lineup.

Tonight’s game against the Lightning will begin at 7:00 PM EST.

Tags Mark Giordano, Toronto Maple Leafs

Hockey Feed

Maple Leafs sound off on Matthew Knies NHL debut

Post author By Hockey Feed
Post date 12 April 2023

Editor in Leaf

The Toronto Maple Leafs were able to pick up two points in the standings thanks to last night’s 2-1 victory over the Florida Panthers in overtime; it was captain John Tavares playing the role of hero with the game winning goal, snapping the six game winning streak of the Panthers.

But the theme of the evening was the National Hockey League debut of highly-touted prospect forward (and Arizona native) Matthew Knies, who was signed to a three year entry level contract after completing his season with the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers.

He skated in 13:09 of ice time while playing a total of 18 shifts. And while he didn’t find the scoresheet, the Leafs had plenty of good things to say about his first appearance in the NHL.

“I thought he did a good job,” head coach Sheldon Keefe said in his postgame media remarks. “I thought the pace didn’t faze him at all. His feet were moving. He made some smart plays with the puck. There were a couple of mistakes out there, but I think some mistakes are good. You can learn through that and adjust your game, which I thought he did. I thought he did a nice job.”

“Listen, it hasn’t been easy for him in terms of what he has been through with not just the devastating loss that they had after such a long season but the turnaround he had to get here,” he continued. “I don’t know how much he enlightened you about that, but his day leading up to the game and then getting here in the arena. When I went to go talk to him before warmup, he was still talking to doctors and going through all the medical stuff that they have to do.”

It may as well have been a postseason game for the Panthers, who are desperately attempting to secure a postseason berth for the fourth straight year and need every point they can get. And Keefe was impressed with how the rookie handled himself in a high pressure situation.

“To see it in the NHL in what was really a playoff-calibre game tonight in terms of intensity, competitiveness, and urgency of every play,” Keefe said. “To see it live, he looked like a guy that was comfortable despite clearly not being comfortable as you are making natural adjustments.”

Tags Matthew Knies, Sheldon Keefe, Toronto Maple Leafs

Hockey Feed

It’s official: The NHL is going to Australia

Post author By Hockey Feed
Post date 12 April 2023

NHL

G’day, mates!

Believe it or not, the NHL is headed down under!

The NHL announced earlier today that the Arizona Coyotes and Los Angeles Kings will be traveling to Melbourne, Australia for pre-season games next September!

Check it out:

Crazy!

I personally really get a kick out of it when the NHL heads to European markets like Russia, Sweden, Finland, Czech Republic, etc. but I kind of tune out when they go to new markets like China, Japan, United Kingdom and the like. Australia would obviously fit into the second category, so I’m not terribly excited for these potential games, but I do think there’s some novelty to it.

Frankly, I wish the NHL would do a better job of serving its existing markets, rather than trying to shoe horn itself into non-traditional markets but I think the ship sailed on that decades ago.