Cam Talbot's debut in goal for the Philadelphia Flyers on Friday night set an NHL record, as the club used its eighth netminder in a single season.
Talbot was acquired from the Edmonton Oilers in February, and his start against the New Jersey Devils this evening pushes the Flyers past the 1989-90 Quebec Nordiques, the 2002-03 St. Louis Blues, and the 2007-08 Los Angeles Kings to earn the unique record, according to NHL.com's Adam Kimelman.
Here are the goalies who have appeared between the pipes for Philly this season:
Goalie
Age
Record
SV%
Carter Hart
20
13-8-1
.917
Brian Elliott
33
8-7-1
.917
Calvin Pickard
26
4-4-2
.863
Anthony Stolarz
25
4-3-3
.902
Michal Neuvirth
30
1-4-1
.859
Alex Lyon
26
0-1-0
.806
Mike McKenna
35
0-1-1
.833
Cam Talbot*
31
10-15-3
.893
* With Edmonton
The Flyers' inconsistencies in goal have been a major weakness for a team that sits six points back of the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference entering Friday night.
NHL Network has hired United States Olympic Gold Medalist Kendall Coyne Schofield as a studio analyst.
Coyne Schofield will make her debut on ''NHL Tonight'' on Monday, March. 4 at 10 p.m. ET alongside Tony Luftman and Kevin Weekes, the network announced on Friday.
On March 5 at 4 p.m. ET, the 26-year-old will be part of the second annual all-female production of NHL Network's daily show ''NHL Now'' with co-hosts Jamie Hersch and Jackie Redmond.
“I am extremely excited for the opportunity to join NHL Network as an on-air analyst,” she told NHL public relations. “I’m looking forward to joining a team of expert analysts and sharing my passion for the game with hockey fans.”
The Illinois native made history when she became the first woman to compete during NHL All-Star weekend in January. Coyne Schofield put her speed on display in the Fastest Skater event, posting a time of 14.5 seconds.
In this episode, John's joined by Daniel Nugent-Bowman of The Athletic to discuss the Senators and Oilers, two struggling NHL franchises. Topics include:
The odd timing and delivery of the Boucher firing in Ottawa
A tumultuous year in Oilers land coming to a close
Ken Hitchcock, Keith Gretzky report cards
Will Connor McDavid force his way out of Edmonton?
— Spittin' Chiclets (@spittinchiclets) March 1, 2019
Former NHLer Sean Avery shared a colorful opinion on the New York Islanders fan base's relentless booing of former captain John Tavares during his return on Thursday night.
The Islanders faithful created a wildly hostile environment for the marquee matchup, serenading their former captain with chants such as, "We don't need you!" while also launching toy snakes on the ice during warmup.
Tavares, who had 621 points in 669 games with the franchise, said he expected to hear it in his return with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Avery spent 10 seasons in the NHL - including six with the cross-town New York Rangers - and accrued 1,533 penalty minutes in 580 career contests.
— Spittin' Chiclets (@spittinchiclets) March 1, 2019
Former NHLer Sean Avery shared a colorful opinion on the New York Islanders fan base's relentless booing of former captain John Tavares during his return on Thursday night.
The Islanders faithful created a wildly hostile environment for the marquee matchup, serenading their former captain with chants such as, "We don't need you!" while also launching toy snakes on the ice during warmup.
Tavares, who had 621 points in 669 games with the franchise, said he expected to hear it in his return with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Avery spent 10 seasons in the NHL - including six with the cross-town New York Rangers - and accrued 1,533 penalty minutes in 580 career contests.
The Ottawa Senators may be in a rebuilding stage, but general manager Pierre Dorion still expects more out of his team.
Dorian revealed during a press conference Friday that he shared that sentiment with the players earlier in the day.
"I told them that our play recently wasn't acceptable," Dorion said, according to TSN's Frank Seravalli.
"No more excuses," Dorion added.
The Senators, who fired head coach Guy Boucher on Friday, are the worst team in the NHL and are mired in a six-game losing streak. Their three leading goal scorers - Matt Duchene, Mark Stone, and Ryan Dzingel - were traded away prior to the deadline, but Dorion remains optimistic that Ottawa can be competitive.
"We are fielding a team that can win games," he said, according to TSN's Brent Wallace.
The Ottawa Senators fired head coach Guy Boucher on Friday, the team announced. Associate coach Marc Crawford will take over on an interim basis.
Boucher took the Senators on a miracle run to the conference finals in his first season behind the bench but couldn't replicate that success in the following two years.
Crawford has served as an associate coach with the Senators since Boucher was hired prior to the 2016-17 season. He ranks 22nd all time with 549 wins as an NHL head coach, winning a Stanley Cup with the Colorado Avalanche in 1995-96. His last head coaching job was a two-year stint with the Dallas Stars from 2009-2011.
Chris Kelly, who suited up in 545 games with the Senators during his playing career, has been added to Crawford's coaching staff.
The Senators will conduct a search for a new head coach after the season and have specific qualities in mind:
- A teacher who will focus on the development and growth of each player on the team;
- A listener who encourages feedback from players and the coaching staff;
- A communicator who lets every team member know where they stand and what is expected;
- A tactician who brings structure and game planning that will enhance our rebuild.
The Senators sit dead last in the NHL and traded away their three leading goalscorers - Matt Duchene, Mark Stone, and Ryan Dzingel - before the deadline.
Boucher's only other head coaching gig with the Tampa Bay Lightning followed a similar pattern to his stint in Ottawa: a conference final berth in the first season, significant regression in the second, and a coaching change midway through the third.
As we head into the home stretch of the NHL season, the battle to be anointed the league's most valuable player is heating up.
A familiar face still leads the pack, but a group of superstar contenders ensures it'll be a compelling race that could come down to the wire.
Here are our top five candidates at this point to claim the Hart Trophy in June:
5. Nathan MacKinnon
Steve Babineau / National Hockey League / Getty
GP
G
A
P
ATOI
SCF%
CF%
64
33
48
81
21:51
53.08
53.88
The Colorado Avalanche have found it tough to break through in the ultra-competitive Central Division, but MacKinnon's strong play has kept them in a playoff position, or right on the doorstep, for most of the season.
Mikko Rantanen has taken his game to another level in 2018-19, but he clearly owes some of that improvement to playing alongside the proven catalyst in MacKinnon on one of the NHL's most dangerous top lines.
The 2018 Hart runner-up might have a hard time convincing voters he belongs among the finalists this time around due to Rantanen's increased contributions, but MacKinnon should once again be in the conversation.
4. Johnny Gaudreau
Bruce Bennett / Getty Images Sport / Getty
GP
G
A
P
ATOI
SCF%
CF%
64
30
52
82
20:11
53.3
53.69
Gaudreau has cooled off a bit since our last edition, but he's still the most lethal weapon on the Calgary Flames, who remain one of the league's best stories this season.
Similar to the first name on this list, Johnny Hockey has some help, but there's no way the Flames are atop their division without his stellar play in 2018-19.
Gaudreau is on pace to eclipse the 100-point mark, and he'll likely soon surpass his career high of 84 that he established last season.
3. Connor McDavid
Mike Stobe / National Hockey League / Getty
GP
G
A
P
ATOI
SCF%
CF%
60
33
54
87
22:58
51.12
50.61
The Edmonton Oilers are probably too far out of the playoff race now for McDavid to garner enough first-place votes, but - as we've documented many times - he's arguably the NHL's most valuable player, irrespective of his team's struggles.
As such, the superstar center should at least be a Hart finalist, especially given that he's figured in on an utterly astounding 48.6 percent of the Oilers' goals.
No player does more to help his team than McDavid, but as the Oilers have slid further out of contention, the all-world forward's case to win the Hart has gotten tougher to justify.
2. Patrick Kane
Gregory Shamus / Getty Images Sport / Getty
GP
G
A
P
ATOI
SCF%
CF%
63
40
54
94
22:26
45.77
48.07
Kane has been carrying Chicago and warrants a long look for this award, even with the Blackhawks sitting outside the playoff picture.
They certainly wouldn't have gotten back into the playoff mix without Kane, who potted his 40th goal of the season in dramatic fashion Wednesday night and recently reeled off a 20-game point streak. The Blackhawks are closer to a postseason berth than the Oilers, and if they manage to secure one, it would be tough not to tab Kane for this award given his impact.
He has figured in on 44 percent of the Blackhawks' scoring (94 points on 214 team goals), which illustrates just how much Chicago depends on his elite production.
The question is how close the team needs to get to the playoffs for his individual exploits to be rewarded. That's up to the voters, but there's no disputing how good he's been or where the Blackhawks would be without him.
1. Nikita Kucherov
Scott Audette / National Hockey League / Getty
GP
G
A
P
ATOI
SCF%
CF%
65
30
74
104
19:38
53.16
53.04
It's easy to get caught up in the "most valuable" debate when it comes to Hart voting, but let's not make this more complicated than it should be.
Kucherov has been far and away the league's best player on what is unquestionably the league's best team.
Yes, the Tampa Bay Lightning superstar has a talented supporting cast and the team would probably be reasonably competitive without him. But it wouldn't be the juggernaut that's already broken the triple-digit point barrier in the standings if not for Kucherov, who's been putting up video-game numbers, having already surpassed 100 points of his own.
He's been sensational all season long, and no one is more deserving of MVP honors than Kucherov at this point.
ATOI = Average time on ice SCF% = Percentage of scoring chances generated by the player's team with him on the ice at five-on-five CF% = Percentage of shot attempts generated by the player's team with him on the ice at five-on-five
