Second overall draft pick Nolan Patrick endeared himself to the Flyers faithful by dropping the gloves and engaging in his first NHL fight with David Krejci of the Boston Bruins.
The unlikely opponent made it less than a heavyweight tilt.
According to @hockeyfights, David Krejci hasn’t fought since the 2011 preseason.
And it looked like an unexperienced bout with Patrick.
The veteran center - who's been skating on his own since announcing a diagnosis of leukemia on Sept. 19 - could indeed make his New Jersey Devils debut on Oct. 7 against Colorado.
"There's a possibility," head coach John Hynes said Wednesday, per Tom Gulitti of NHL.com. "Brian will be back with us starting (Thursday) and then we'll just kind of see where he goes over the next week. But nothing has been ruled out yet."
Boyle has yet to practice with the team but may be able to do so as early as Monday, giving him several days to get acclimated.
"I think with Brian, he knows really when he's ready," Hynes continued. "We're not going to rush him. If he is ready and he can get a full week of practice in, that's probably fine. He's not going to get a preseason game, so no matter what he's going into a regular season game (to start).
"If he's back with us next week, we're going to have some very intense practices and if he gets a full week, I have a pretty strong feel he'll be ready to go."
Boyle signed a two-year, $5.5 million contract with the Devils as an unrestricted free agent on July 1.
One of the NHL's few black players has decided not to kneel during the American national anthem this season.
San Jose Sharks forward Joel Ward released a statement Thursday on Twitter, stating that, though he supports those who have knelt during the anthem to protest racial inequality and police brutality, he won't do so himself.
"Although I fully support those who before me have taken the lead in bringing awareness to these issues, I will not kneel during the national anthem like my brothers have done," he wrote.
In Ward's statement, he opens up about the racism he's experienced.
"As a black man, I have experienced racism both inside and outside of the sporting world. I have been pulled over by law enforcement for no reason. I have been looked at suspiciously because of the color of my skin."
In spite of this, Ward feels "the original message" has been lost, and the focus has shifted to the act of kneeling, rather than what it stands for.
What the Toronto, Ontario native truly wants is for society to move forward on this highly debated issue.
"We need to be working on bridging the gap between people of all color, and between law enforcement and minorities," he wrote. "How can we be a part of the solution and not part of the problem - or be another distraction from what the real issues are?
"If we spend more time talking about these real issues instead of the actions that are taking place in an attempt to raise awareness about them, we will be a much richer and stronger society."
As a 10-year NHL veteran, and a minority in the league, Ward's voice certainly speaks louder than most.
National anthems are reportedly a topic of discussion among the NHL's 31 chairmen.
The board of governors added the role of anthems to its agenda Wednesday in light of last weekend's events in the NFL, according to Sportsnet's John Shannon.
NHL owners believe the anthems are part of the tradition of the game of hockey. Particularly in those cities where the fans sing.
The NHL team owners, who cited Nashville and Chicago as examples, believe anthems have become "part of the event" at games, and that fans like them, according to Shannon.
NFL players and owners united en masse in peaceful protests against Trump, and, of course, to the original cause - bringing attention to police brutality and racial injustice - last Sunday.
Forty-five years ago today, Paul Henderson scored one of the most iconic goals in hockey history: the winner in Game 8 of the 1972 Summit Series against the Soviet Union. Coming in the midst of the Cold War, the Canadian victory was bigger than hockey.
If Henderson had never scored that goal, though, most hockey fans probably wouldn't know who he was. In 707 NHL games, the left winger collected just 236 goals and 477 points.
Here are five more players who didn't light up the scoresheet over their careers, but still became responsible for some of the most legendary goals in hockey history.
Bill Barilko
Without Bill Barilko's Stanley Cup-clinching overtime goal in 1951, The Tragically Hip song "Fifty-Mission Cap" wouldn't exist.
For those unfamiliar with the Canadian hit, Barilko's goal in '51 won the Toronto Maple Leafs the Cup, but later that summer, he boarded a single-engine private plane bound for a weekend fishing trip and disappeared. His body initially couldn't be found. The Leafs didn't win another Cup until 1962 - the same year Barilko's body and the wreckage of the plane was discovered.
The man they called "Bashin' Bill" had just 62 points in 252 career regular-season NHL games. He did live up to his nickname, though, accumulating 456 penalty minutes.
Bobby Baun
Bobby Baun set the bar for "hockey tough" incredibly high.
In Game 6 of the 1964 Stanley Cup Final, the Maple Leafs were trailing the Detroit Red Wings 3-2 in the series. Midway through the third period, Baun was stretchered off after blocking a shot. It turned out he fractured his ankle on the play. However, he returned later in the period, and wound up scoring the OT winner to force a Game 7, which the Leafs ended up winning.
Baun played 17 NHL seasons, finishing with a career high of just 20 points.
Uwe Krupp
In their first season in existence, the Colorado Avalanche produced an unlikely hero despite having stars such as Joe Sakic and Peter Forsberg on the roster.
Towering German defenseman Uwe Krupp, who finished with 281 points in 729 career NHL games, scored the triple-overtime winner in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final to complete the sweep for the Avs. He's probably never had to pay for a drink in Denver since.
The 1998 Olympics were the first to allow NHL players, and goaltender Dominic Hasek carried the Czech Republic in Nagano. With the gold-medal contest locked in a 0-0 tie midway through the third period, Petr Svoboda notched what would be the only goal of the game - and the biggest goal in Czech hockey history.
Svoboda's career didn't feature many other thrilling moments, though. In 1,028 regular-season games, he scored just 58 goals.
Alec Martinez
The most recent of these career-defining goals came from the stick of Los Angeles Kings defenseman Alec Martinez. After notching the OT winner in Game 7 of the 2014 Western Conference Final, Martinez played the hero once again by potting the Cup clincher in overtime of Game 5 against the New York Rangers.
The Isles say they've turned in "a comprehensive proposal to create a world-class sports and entertainment destination" at Belmont Park, according to Jim Baumbach of Newsday Sports.
The Islanders had played their home games at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum on Long Island since 1972, but began playing at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn in 2015-16. The facility was built primarily for basketball, and has drawn some heavy criticism for hosting NHL hockey.
Belmont Park, located just outside New York City and about 20 minutes from the old Coliseum, has been under discussion as a possible location for a new arena since April.
The Islanders' ownership group is reportedly visiting Detroit on Thursday to tour the new home of the Red Wings, Little Caesars Arena, according to Sportsnet's John Shannon.
The Blues have a sudden need for forward help, as it was announced Wednesday that Robby Fabbri will miss the entirety of the 2017-18 season after re-injuring his surgically repaired left knee.
Despite being 45 years old and well past his prime, Jagr can still contribute offensively and could provide an element of scoring depth to St. Louis' forward group.
Last season, Jagr registered decent numbers for the Florida Panthers. Across a full 82-game slate, the Czech native tallied 16 goals and 30 assists while also logging a respectable 17 minutes in ice time per game.
Rumors have swirled regarding Jagr's next destination since the Panthers cut ties with the veteran winger July 1.
Anderson, who's a restricted free agent, elected not to report to training camp while awaiting a new contract.
“This trade request is news to me,” Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen said after the initial report was published. “And we are not looking to trade Josh Anderson.”
The winger's agent, Darren Ferris, declined to comment.
Throughout the month of September, James Bisson and a cast of editors from theScore will share their rankings of the greatest players, teams, and moments in the 100-year history of the National Hockey League. Our final list focuses on the greatest players (Note: "All-Star" refers to end-of-season All-Star team voting and not to appearances in the All-Star Game):
Gartner was never a superstar - he didn't make an All-Star team, and never contended for a major award - but he was the most reliable goal-scorer of his or any other era. Gartner scored 30 or more goals in each of his first 15 NHL seasons, the longest such streak in history. Combine that reliability with a truly epic mustache, and how could we not rank him here?
39. Eric Lindros
GP
G
A
P
+/-
PIM
760
372
493
865
215
1398
Hockey fans can only imagine what kind of incredible stats Lindros could have accumulated had injuries not derailed his career after 13 seasons. In his prime, Lindros was an unstoppable force, crunching opponents and racking up points at will. He made two All-Star teams and won the Hart Trophy in 1995, while his 1.14 career PPG average ranks 17th all time entering this season.
38. Larry Robinson
GP
G
A
P
+/-
PIM
1384
208
750
958
730
793
Robinson's contributions to the Canadiens' five consecutive Stanley Cup titles in the late 1970s were significant; Big Bird won a Norris Trophy during the Habs' second Cup run in that span, and he captured the Conn Smythe Trophy the following year with a league-best 21 playoff points. He claimed six championship rings in total, and his career plus-minus rating is the best in NHL history.
37. Adam Oates
GP
G
A
P
+/-
PIM
1337
341
1079
1420
35
415
Oates originally made a name for himself as Brett Hull's stubby-bladed playmaker of "Hull and Oates" fame - but he was even better out of Hull's shadow, going on to lead the league in assists three times following his time in St. Louis. Despite that success - and despite his career assist total ranking seventh in history - Oates made just one end-of-season All-Star team.
36. Peter Forsberg
GP
G
A
P
+/-
PIM
708
249
636
885
238
690
As good as Lindros was during his shortened career, Forsberg - who was sent to Quebec in the deal that brought The Big E to Philadelphia - was a little better. And in fewer games, too. Like Lindros, Forsberg won a Hart Trophy with 106 points in 2002-03. Unlike Lindros, he captured a pair of Stanley Cup titles with the Avalanche, finishing with 171 points in 151 playoff games.
35. Dale Hawerchuk
GP
G
A
P
+/-
PIM
1188
518
891
1409
-92
730
Another player whose performances in the 1980s were largely overshadowed, Hawerchuk was one of the most brilliant offensive centers of his time. Yet, six 100-point efforts in his first seven seasons earned him just one All-Star nod along with the Calder Trophy in 1982. He did, however, finish runner-up to Wayne Gretzky in Hart Trophy voting with 130 points in 1984-85.
34. Jari Kurri
GP
G
A
P
+/-
PIM
1251
601
797
1398
298
545
As gifted as Kurri was - and trust us, he was one of the greatest wingers of his time - it didn't hurt that he spent much of his prime alongside The Great One. He was a five-time All-Star, won the Lady Byng in 1984-85, and led the league with 68 goals a season later. While his production tailed off after age 33, Kurri still left the game as the highest-scoring Finnish-born player in history.
33. Teemu Selanne
GP
G
A
P
+/-
PIM
1451
684
773
1457
95
650
It's only fitting that a man who idolized Kurri as a youngster would be the one to break his record for scoring among Finnish-born players. And that's not all Selanne did - not by a long shot. His 76 goals as a rookie will likely never be challenged by another first-year player, and he left the NHL in 2014 with four All-Star nods, two Rocket Richard Trophies, and the 15th-most points ever.
32. Terry Sawchuk
GP
W
L
T/O
GAA
SO
971
447
330
172
2.51
103
The early 1950s belonged to Sawchuk. He won three Vezina Trophies during a four-year run with the powerhouse Red Wings, led the league in victories in each of his first five seasons, and paced the NHL in goals-against average twice and shutouts three times in that span. He added a fourth Vezina in 1965 - at age 35 - and still ranks sixth all time in wins among netminders.
31. Denis Potvin
GP
G
A
P
+/-
PIM
1060
310
742
1052
460
1356
Long before the Islanders became one of the most feared dynasties in hockey history, Potvin was their heart and soul. The sensational two-way defenseman won three Norris Trophies in a four-year stretch prior to the Isles' Stanley Cup dominance and finished with six All-Star berths plus a runner-up showing in the 1975-76 Hart Trophy race. His 310 goals rank fifth all time among blue-liners.
30. Stan Mikita
GP
G
A
P
+/-
PIM
1394
541
926
1467
159
1270
In a five-year window between Gordie Howe's and Maurice Richard's primes and the emergence of the Bruins' deadly Orr-Esposito tandem, Mikita was the best player in the NHL. The native of Sokolce, Czechoslovakia, racked up four scoring titles from 1963-68 and won two Hart Trophies. He finished with eight All-Star nods, but just one Stanley Cup (1961).
29. Jacques Plante
GP
W
L
T/O
GAA
SO
837
437
246
145
2.38
82
It might not be the greatest five-year stretch of goaltending in NHL history, but it's close. Plante was on another planet from 1955-60, going 185-77-55 with a 2.14 GAA, 37 shutouts, and five Vezina Trophies. He added a rare Hart-Vezina double two years later, and finished as the top NHL goalie seven times. He has the seventh-highest win total in league history.
28. Jean Beliveau
GP
G
A
P
+/-
PIM
1125
507
712
1219
--
1029
Beliveau remains one of the most beloved players in Canadiens history, and owns a rare double-double with 10 All-Star nods and 10 Stanley Cups on his Hall of Fame resume. He won the Hart Trophy in 1956 with a league-best 88 points and repeated the feat eight years later. He also ranks second all time in franchise points with Montreal, just 27 behind Guy Lafleur.
27. Brett Hull
GP
G
A
P
+/-
PIM
1269
741
650
1391
23
458
Only a handful of players in NHL history have lit the lamp 70 or more times in a season - and Hull is one of just three to have done it more than once. Joining Gretzky and Mario Lemieux in any category is a big deal, and so was Hull's 86-goal 1990-91 campaign, which ranks as the third-highest single-season tally ever. Hull was a deserved Hart Trophy winner that season.
26. Ron Francis
GP
G
A
P
+/-
PIM
1731
549
1249
1798
-10
979
As the highest-scoring player in history to never win a Hart Trophy, it may shock younger fans to know that Francis ranks behind only Gretzky, Jaromir Jagr, Mark Messier, and Gordie Howe in career points. Francis won three Lady Byng Trophies while recording 100 or more points three times and leading the league in assists twice. And he remained productive into his late 30s.
25. Bryan Trottier
GP
G
A
P
+/-
PIM
1279
524
901
1425
452
912
Trottier and Mike Bossy were the offensive spark plugs in the Islanders' dynasty of the late 1970s and early '80s. Trottier won the Hart Trophy in 1978-79 with career bests in assists (87), points (134) and plus-minus (76), and he won the Conn Smythe Trophy the following year. He added his fifth and sixth Stanley Cups with Pittsburgh in the early 1990s.
24. Bobby Hull
GP
G
A
P
+/-
PIM
1063
610
560
1170
105
640
"The Golden Jet" terrorized opposing netminders for more than a decade, racking up seven goal-scoring titles while becoming the first player in history to score more than 50 goals in a season. He won the Hart Trophy twice (1965 and '66), claimed three scoring crowns, and was named to 12 All-Star teams. He added 303 goals and 638 points in 411 World Hockey Association games.
23. Ken Dryden
GP
W
L
T/O
GAA
SO
397
258
57
74
2.24
46
When people talk about players they wish had played longer, Bossy, Orr, and Lemieux often come to mind. But what about Dryden? Despite playing just seven full NHL seasons, the lanky netminder scooped up five Vezina Trophies, six All-Star nods, a Calder Trophy, a Conn Smythe Trophy, and six Stanley Cups. Had he played four or five more seasons, he might be considered the best ever.
22. Guy Lafleur
GP
G
A
P
+/-
PIM
1126
560
793
1353
453
399
Those Canadiens teams of the mid-to-late 1970s were a star-studded bunch - and Lafleur shone brightest of all. The speedy winger won three consecutive scoring titles - averaging 131 points per season over that span - while copping back-to-back Hart Trophies in 1977 and '78. He's the Canadiens' all-time scoring leader, and finished with six All-Star nods.
21. Alex Ovechkin
GP
G
A
P
+/-
PIM
921
558
477
1035
84
617
Ovechkin should continue to climb this list into his 30s - if he remains in the NHL. One of the most gifted goal-scorers in history, he already has six Rocket Richard Trophies, three Hart Trophies, and 11 All-Star berths - and he just turned 32. Of any player in history, Ovechkin has the best shot at unseating Gretzky atop the all-time goals list.
Last season, the Pacific Division housed the Art Ross, Hart, and Norris Trophy winners in Connor McDavid and Brent Burns.
The two are among the most thrilling players in the game today, and with the league's newest franchise now in the fold, there is certainly plenty of reasons to keep an eye on the Pacific Division this season.
The Pacific features several cubs looking to build off of last season, but with only eight playoff spots up for grabs, some are sure to be left disappointed.
Here's how things could pan out this year.
Ranking
Team
Last Season
1
Edmonton Oilers
2
2
Anaheim Ducks
1
3
Calgary Flames
4
4
San Jose Sharks
3
5
Los Angeles Kings
5
6
Arizona Coyotes
6
7
Vancouver Canucks
7
8
Vegas Golden Knights
N/A
Edmonton Oilers
Led by McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, the Oilers are primed to be even better than they were last season. The club should benefit from the Jordan Eberle-Ryan Strome trade, and also added Jussi Jokinen, who'll likely provide some added offensive depth.
With another year under their belts, players such as Drake Caggiula and Darnell Nurse are going to be better. If Jesse Puljujarvi can finally step into the lineup, the Oilers should be well on their way to a division title.
Anaheim Ducks
Despite losing Shea Theodore to the Golden Knights in the expansion draft, the Ducks still boast one of the premiere defense corps in the league.
Last season, Anaheim had just the 18th-best offense but still finished with the third-best record in the Western Conference and top spot in the Pacific. One of the team's most glaring issues was Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry combining for just 34 goals - after Perry tallied 34 himself in 2016.
The Ducks will be without Ryan Kesler, Hampus Lindholm, and Sami Vatanen to start the season, but they'll ultimately challenge for another division title, given their depth throughout the roster.
Calgary enters the season with the strongest defense corps in the league - now that Ryan Ellis of the Nashville Predators will miss the first couple months of the year - and in a relatively weak division, the Flames will compete for a top-three finish.
That being said, the team is still strong with Joe Pavelski, Logan Couture, and Brent Burns manning the ship. A playoff spot is expected, but a division title is probably out of the cards.
Los Angeles Kings
The Kings restructured their front office and coaching staff this offseason with the hopes of getting back to the postseason. However, they did very little to fix their roster.
The club's lone significant addition was Mike Cammalleri. The 35-year-old should give a boost to the Kings' offense, but fixing last season's 25th-ranked offense on his own is highly unlikely.
The club is poised to feature plenty of rookies and young stars. The future is bright, but don't expect the likes of Clayton Keller, Dylan Strome, Christian Dvorak and Co. to be able to make immediate impacts.
Vancouver Canucks
Barring a dramatic turnaround from Daniel and Henrik Sedin, the Canucks are unlikely to have much of a rebound from last season.
The club added Sam Gagner, Thomas Vanek, and Michael Del Zotto this offseason, and while the trio might be an improvement, these three are not going to propel the Canucks up the standings. In the end, the basement of the division is where you can expect to find Vancouver.
Vegas Golden Knights
Hockey is coming to the desert, but don't expect championships or division titles anytime soon.
The Golden Knights should be exciting and competitive with the likes of James Neal, Theodore, and Marc-Andre Fleury, but they still need more time to tool their roster and develop. A last-place finish is their most likely outcome.
