Monthly Archives: April 2018
Sharks clinch postseason berth with Avalanche’s loss
The San Jose Sharks clinched their 18th postseason berth in the last 20 seasons when the Colorado Avalanche lost to the Los Angeles Kings on Monday night.
Amazingly, the Sharks have only missed the playoffs six times in franchise history - four of which came in the team's first six seasons of existence.
The Sharks have yet to lock up home-ice advantage for the first round of the playoffs, but they seem destined for a matchup against one of their state rivals - the Los Angeles Kings or Anaheim Ducks.
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Wild clinch playoff spot with win over Oilers and Avs’ loss
The Minnesota Wild clinched their sixth straight playoff berth on Monday night after they defeated the Edmonton Oilers and the Colorado Avalanche lost to the Los Angeles Kings.
The Wild shut out the Oilers 3-0, while the Avs were taken down 3-1 by the Kings.
Barring unforeseen circumstances, the Wild will finish third in the Central Division, which would set up a first-round matchup against the Winnipeg Jets.
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Watch: Karlsson keeps puck from potential final home game with Senators
Erik Karlsson still has one year remaining on his current contract, but that didn't stop him from collecting a potentially historic souvenir from what could have been his final home game as an Ottawa Senator.
After Ottawa's defeat at the hands of the Winnipeg Jets on Monday, Karlsson was seen taking the game puck from the back of the net and stuffing it into his pants. That came after he registered three assists en route to cementing his fifth consecutive campaign with at least 60 points.
Here's another look:
Karlsson has been rumored to be leaving Ottawa since the start of the season, but considering he's signed through 2018-19, it's strictly speculation at this point.
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Wild’s Suter requires ankle surgery, will miss rest of season
The Minnesota Wild will have to make their run at the Stanley Cup without their most reliable blue-liner, as Ryan Suter requires surgery on his injured right ankle that will see him miss the remainder of the season, the team announced Monday.
Suter fractured the ankle after taking a hit from Dallas Stars forward Remi Elie on Saturday night, seemingly twisting his leg and ankle in the process. He was helped off the ice and did not return.
The injury to their cornerstone defenseman comes as the Wild are already dealing with a serious injury to fellow top rearguard Jared Spurgeon, who's still recovering from a partially torn hamstring suffered in mid-February.
In 78 contests this campaign, the 33-year-old Suter averaged 26:47 of ice time per game, while tying a career high in points with 51.
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Odds: Vegas pegs MacKinnon as Hart favorite, Rinne for Vezina
Spring is finally in the air. And with that, the NHL calendar is inching closer to what we all crave most: playoff puck.
However, there is another major event on the horizon, as the league will hand out its awards for the game's best coaches, front-office executives, and players at the completion of the 2017-18 campaign.
And of course, Vegas oddsmakers have weighed in with the players they feel are favored to take home the major hardware at the end of June. Here's a look at the odds for the 2018 NHL Awards.
Norris Trophy
Player (Team) | Odds to win |
---|---|
Victor Hedman (Lightning) | 4-9 |
Drew Doughty (Kings) | 9-2 |
P.K. Subban (Predators) | 13-2 |
John Klinberg (Stars) | 9-1 |
John Carlson (Capitals) | 10-1 |
Shayne Gostisbehere (Flyers) | 20-1 |
Brent Burns (Sharks) | 35-1 |
Last year's winner: Brent Burns
Vezina Trophy
Player (Team) | Odds to win |
---|---|
Pekka Rinne (Predators) | 4-9 |
Andrei Vasilevskiy (Lightning) | 9-4 |
Connor Hellebuyck (Jets) | 15-2 |
Sergei Bobrovsky (Blue Jackets) | 11-1 |
Last year's winner: Sergei Bobrovsky
Art Ross Trophy
Player (Team) | Odds to win |
---|---|
Connor McDavid (Oilers) | 1-10 |
Nikita Kucherov (Lightning) | 3-1 |
Evgeni Malkin (Penguins) | 14-1 |
Nathan MacKinnon (Avalanche) | 20-1 |
Claude Giroux (Flyers) | 30-1 |
Last year's winner: Connor McDavid
Maurice 'Rocket' Richard Trophy
Player (Team) | Odds to win |
---|---|
Alexander Ovechkin (Capitals) | 1-6 |
Patrik Laine (Jets) | 11-2 |
William Karlsson (Golden Knights) | 17-2 |
Evgeni Malkin (Penguins) | 10-1 |
Last year's winner: Sidney Crosby
Hart Trophy
Player (Team) | Odds to win |
---|---|
Nathan MacKinnon (Avalanche) | 1-1 |
Nikita Kucherov (Lightning) | 9-4 |
Taylor Hall (Devils) | 9-2 |
Connor McDavid (Oilers) | 9-1 |
Anze Kopitar (Kings) | 19-2 |
Evgeni Malkin (Penguins) | 12-1 |
Claude Giroux (Flyers) | 20-1 |
Last year's winner: Connor McDavid
Notes: The Calder Trophy odds are currently off the board as oddsmakers consider New York Islanders stud rookie Mathew Barzal a lock to earn the award.
(Odds courtesy: Westgate SuperBook)
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NHL Twitter bids farewell to Sedins following retirement announcement
Daniel and Henrik Sedin announced Monday that this season would be their last, closing the door on two careers that are destined to be enshrined in downtown Toronto in the Hockey Hall of Fame.
Related: How do the Sedins stack up against the best brother duos in NHL history?
Between the duo, their resume includes over 2,500 combined games, over 2,000 points, two Art Ross Trophies, and a Hart for good measure. So, there is no denying the impact the Sedin brothers had on the game of hockey and the NHL players they've influenced along the way.
Following the announcement, former coaches, teammates, and friends from around the league gave props and showed some love for two of the most productive NHLers Sweden has ever produced.
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A Look At This Summer’s Potential NHL Big Spenders
How do the Sedins stack up against the best brother duos in NHL history?
It's the end of an era in Vancouver.
On Monday, Daniel and Henrik Sedin announced that the 2017-18 campaign will be their final NHL season. They will hang up their skates for good following the last three games.
The two have spent their entire careers in Vancouver. Not only do the twins hold every major category in Canucks' franchise history, including games played, goals, assists, and points, the two are also one of the most iconic - and dominant - brotherly duos to ever grace the NHL:
Daniel and Henrik Sedin
Daniel | Category | Henrik |
---|---|---|
1308 | Games | 1327 |
391 | Goals | 240 |
647 | Assists | 829 |
1038 | Points | 1069 |
While the Sedins will end their careers without their names engraved on the Stanley Cup, their trophy case isn't lacking hardware. Daniel has two major awards to his name, as he won both the Art Ross Trophy and the Ted Lindsay Award in 2010-11, while Henrik took home the Art Ross and the Hart Trophy in the season prior.
Here is how they compare to some of the all-time best:
Hall of Famers
Maurice and Henri Richard
Henri | Category | Maurice |
---|---|---|
1259 | Games | 978 |
358 | Goals | 544 |
688 | Assists | 422 |
1046 | Points | 966 |
- It takes a dominant goal-scorer to have an award named in your honor, and that is the case with Montreal Canadiens legend Maurice 'Rocket' Richard. His brother, Henri, didn't fare too badly either, wrapping his 20-year career with 11 Stanley Cup wins.
Bobby and Dennis Hull
Bobby | Category | Dennis |
---|---|---|
1063 | Games | 959 |
610 | Goals | 303 |
560 | Assists | 351 |
1170 | Points | 654 |
- Arguably the greatest goal-scorer of his generation, Bobby Hull's 610 career goals rank 17th all time. Brother Dennis possessed similar talent, and the skill set trickled down to Bobby's son, Brett, too.
Frank and Peter Mahovlich
Frank | Category | Peter |
---|---|---|
1181 | Games | 884 |
533 | Goals | 288 |
570 | Assists | 485 |
1103 | Points | 773 |
- The Mahovlich brothers defined winning, as Frank won six Stanley Cups - four with the Toronto Maple Leafs, two with the Canadiens - while Peter captured four in Montreal during the 1970s.
Anton and Peter Stastny
Anton | Category | Peter |
---|---|---|
650 | Games | 977 |
252 | Goals | 450 |
384 | Assists | 789 |
636 | Points | 1239 |
- Anton and Peter were the dominant siblings of the Stastny clan, but brother Marian can't be forgotten either. He notched 294 points over a short, five-year career with the Quebec Nordiques and Maple Leafs.
Rob and Scott Niedermayer
Rob | Category | Scott |
---|---|---|
1153 | Games | 1263 |
186 | Goals | 172 |
283 | Assists | 568 |
469 | Points | 740 |
- Scott Niedermayer was so successful that he squeezed in a few years at the tail end of his career to join brother Rob in Anaheim to help the Anaheim Ducks to the Stanley Cup. Niedermayer won four Cups, a Norris Trophy, and the Conn Smythe Trophy as the playoff MVP.
Doug and Max Bentley
Doug | Category | Max |
---|---|---|
565 | Games | 645 |
219 | Goals | 245 |
324 | Assists | 299 |
543 | Points | 544 |
- The two brothers suited up for the Chicago Blackhawks during the 1940s with no shortage of accolades, as Doug led the league in goals in back-to-back seasons in 1943 and 1944, while Max was recognized as the NHL MVP in 1946.
Brian and Joe Mullen
Brian | Category | Joe |
---|---|---|
832 | Games | 1062 |
260 | Goals | 502 |
362 | Assists | 561 |
622 | Points | 1063 |
- Only 45 players have scored more than 500 goals, and Joe Mullen is counted among them. The New York native ranks behind only four American-born goal-scorers - Mike Modano, Keith Tkachuk, and Jeremy Roenick - in NHL history.
Pavel and Valeri Bure
Pavel | Category | Valeri |
---|---|---|
702 | Games | 621 |
437 | Goals | 174 |
342 | Assists | 226 |
779 | Points | 400 |
- A devastating knee injury cut Pavel Bure's prolific career short, but his ability to find the back of the net can't be ignored. The Russian Rocket reached the 400-goal club in less than 700 games.
Star Talent
Eric and Jordan Staal
Eric | Category | Jordan |
---|---|---|
1089 | Games | 840 |
393 | Goals | 204 |
527 | Assists | 276 |
920 | Points | 480 |
- Eric won the Stanley Cup with the Carolina Hurricanes in 2006, while Jordan won it all with the Pittsburgh Penguins three years later. Brother Marc also suits up for the New York Rangers.
Mikko and Saku Koivu
Mikko | Category | Saku |
---|---|---|
921 | Games | 1124 |
193 | Goals | 255 |
462 | Assists | 577 |
655 | Points | 832 |
- Born leaders, it's no surprise the Koivu brothers were chosen as captains over the course of their careers. Saku wore the 'C' for the iconic Canadiens, while Mikko leads the Minnesota Wild today.
Geoff and Russ Courtnall
Geoff | Category | Russ |
---|---|---|
1049 | Games | 1029 |
367 | Goals | 297 |
432 | Assists | 447 |
799 | Points | 744 |
- The Courtnall brothers posted respectable careers, both cracking the 1,000-game plateau and finishing with near identical point totals. Geoff won the Stanley Cup with the Edmonton Oilers in 1988.
The Bloodlines
Sutter Brothers
Brother | Games | Goals | Assists | Points |
---|---|---|---|---|
Brian | 779 | 303 | 333 | 636 |
Darryl | 406 | 161 | 118 | 279 |
Duane | 731 | 139 | 203 | 342 |
Brent | 1111 | 363 | 466 | 829 |
Rich | 874 | 149 | 166 | 315 |
Ron | 1093 | 205 | 328 | 533 |
- It's one thing for two brothers to make the NHL. But six? That was the case when it came to the Sutters. The bloodlines continue today, as Brandon Sutter is a teammate of the Sedins.
The Espositos
Brother | Games | Goals | Assists | Points |
---|---|---|---|---|
Phil | 1282 | 717 | 873 | 1590 |
Brother | Games | Record | Shutouts | GAA | SV% |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Tony | 886 | 423-306-151 | 76 | 2.92 | .897% |
- A legendary scorer and a legendary netminder. Phil Esposito notched 152 points during the 1970-71, a mark that would stand until Wayne Gretzky rewrote the record books a decade later. Phil was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1984, while Tony was added four years afterward.
(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)
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Housley strongly disagrees with decision not to suspend Hartnell for Antipin hit
Phil Housley wasn't thrilled with the fact that Nashville Predators forward Scott Hartnell wasn't suspended for his hit from behind that left Victor Antipin with several injuries.
"I do know that our player was taken off on a stretcher, has a broken nose, facial lacerations, and missing teeth," the Buffalo Sabres head coach told reporters Monday, according to The Buffalo News' Mike Harrington.
"So in that respect, I strongly disagree with the NHL decision," Housley added. "It's unfortunate for Victor ... I just felt with that situation, (the ruling) wasn't handled the right way."
The Sabres defenseman laid motionless and face down on the ice for several minutes before being removed on a stretcher Saturday night. He was diagnosed with multiple injuries, including a concussion.
Here's a look at the hit in slow motion:
Antipin is in his first NHL season after spending parts of six campaigns in the KHL. Hartnell is a veteran of 17 seasons, and he has played seven of those with the Predators.
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