Tag Archives: Hockey
NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 17, 2020
One Hundred Years Ago, Three Future NHLers Led Canada To Olympic Glory
NHL reportedly enters roster freeze, AHL postpones season until May
The NHL entered a roster freeze at 5 p.m. ET Monday, according to Sportsnet's Chris Johnston.
Teams have been informed that the four-recall rule regularly implemented after the trade deadline will continue to apply if the season resumes, Johnston added.
The AHL, meanwhile, announced Monday it has advised its teams that the indefinite suspension of games will not be lifted before May. All AHL players are being recommended to return to their home facilities.
Some NHL clubs have continued to make roster moves during the pause; the Anaheim Ducks waived forward Kiefer Sherwood on Sunday. Sherwood cleared waivers Monday.
News of the roster freeze follows the league's Monday announcement that play is unlikely to resume in the coming weeks. It could be about 45 days until the league ramps up hockey activities for teams. The NHL also announced that players can now leave their respective clubs' cities to return home if they wish, and must self-quarantine until at least March 27.
Some players have started to make plans to return to their home countries. The Vancouver Canucks' Jacob Markstrom and Elias Pettersson, for example, are expected to return to Sweden, according to Postmedia's Ben Kuzma.
Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
KHL halts playoffs for 1 week to reformat, reschedule after 2 clubs withdraw
The KHL will pause its Gagarin Cup playoffs for one week in order to create a new format and schedule for its six remaining teams after two clubs withdrew from the postseason, the league announced Monday.
Finland's Jokerit Helsinki and Kazakhstan's Barys Nur-Saltan bowed out after the opening round of the playoffs due to the coronavirus outbreak and travel restrictions being implemented worldwide, according to The Hockey News' Steven Ellis.
The six remaining teams - CSKA, Ak Bars, SKA, Dynamo Moscow, Sibir, and Salavat Yulaev - are all based in Russia.
The KHL announced Saturday it is closely monitoring the pandemic and defended its decision to continue its operations. The world's second-largest hockey league was scheduled to begin the second round of its playoffs Tuesday.
Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
Former Ducks, Flames goalie Jonas Hiller retires
Former Anaheim Ducks and Calgary Flames netminder Jonas Hiller announced his retirement Monday.
Hiller, 38, hasn't played in the NHL since the 2015-16 campaign, but he spent the last four seasons with Biel HC in the Swiss league.
The southpaw signed with the Ducks as an undrafted free agent in 2007 and played in 328 games over seven seasons with Anaheim, including a league-high 73 contests in 2011-12. He ranks third in Ducks franchise history in wins (162), goals-against average (2.51), save percentage (.916), and shutouts (21).
Hiller spent two seasons with the Flames before heading overseas, joining them as an unrestricted free agent ahead of the 2014-15 campaign. He enjoyed a successful first season in Calgary, going 26-19-4 with a 2.36 goals-against average and a .918 save percentage during the regular season to lead the team to a surprise playoff berth and a first-round series win over the Vancouver Canucks. The 2015-16 campaign was not nearly as friendly to him, however, as he managed a 3.51 goals-against average and .879 save percentage in 26 games.
Hiller shined for Switzerland in numerous international appearances, but perhaps none more memorable than at the 2014 Olympics, when he posted a 0.67 goals-against average and .971 save percentage in three games. Unfortunately, Switzerland scored just three goals across four tournament contests.
Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
NHL Unfinished Business: The 2020 Playoff Race
Ducks’ Sherwood clears waivers
Anaheim Ducks forward Kiefer Sherwood went unclaimed on the wire, according to Sportsnet's Chris Johnston.
The Ducks waived Sherwood on Sunday, initiating the first transaction since the NHL suspended its season due to the coronavirus on Thursday.
Now that the 24-year-old has cleared, Anaheim can pay him at a bi-weekly rate based off his $70,000 AHL salary, rather than a daily calculation using the $925,000 he was earning in the NHL, according to The Athletic's Eric Stephens.
Sherwood collected one assist in 10 games with the Ducks in 2019-20 before the league paused the season. Anaheim called him up after trading Ondrej Kase to the Boston Bruins in late February.
The New York Rangers have since pulled off the second move following the shutdown, signing defenseman K'Andre Miller to an entry-level contract Monday.
Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
NHL players can go home, must self-quarantine through March 27
The NHL has changed its policy regarding player travel while the season remains paused due to the coronavirus.
Players are now allowed to return home to locations outside of their club's home city, including outside of North America if flights are available, the league announced Monday. However, they need to self-quarantine through March 27, unless a longer period is necessary due to local travel mandates.
After the self-quarantine period, the NHL will consider allowing clubs to open their facilities to players in small groups for training and care "on the same basis as in the offseason."
On Sunday night, the CDC advised against gatherings of 50-plus people for the next eight weeks. The NHL said Monday that it will aim to provide guidance on the possibility of opening training camps about 45 days into that timetable.
Monday's decision differs from the league's original stance, announced three days prior. In a memo sent to players Friday, the NHL reportedly instructed them to self-quarantine in their club cities while avoiding travel.
The move mirrors a similar shift in the NBA. That league reportedly sent a memo to its players Sunday detailing travel policies allowing them to go outside their teams' home markets after consulting with their organization.
Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.