defenseman is probably going to be having a discu sion with the NHL's department of player safety on Sunday after he was given a match penalty against the for an illegal check to the head of . The match penalty carries an automatic one-game suspension pending a league review. What is so interesting about this particular play is it involved getting hit directly in the head by either Muzzin's hip or butt. As Gordon attempts to make a play on the puck, he falls down to one knee just as Muzzin comes flying in and makes direct contact with his head. Muzzin Garrett Jones Jersey match penalty for check to the head of Gordon's head cc Stephanie (@myregularface) Muzzin ended up getting a five-minute major and the match penalty for the hit. Gordon did not return to the game. When it comes to additional discipline, it's all going to come down to whether or not the league feels Muzzin was put in a situation where making head contact was unavoidable, and given that Gordon went down to the ice just before contact, that seems like a strong po sibility. The Kings were leading 3-1 at the time late in the third period, but Muzzin's penalty was quickly followed by a delay of game penalty on the Kings that gave Arizona an extended 5-on-3 power play. The Coyotes capitalized thanks to goals from and just 30 seconds apart to send the game to overtime. The Kings would eventually win in the extra period thanks to a shorthanded goal by just 36 seconds into the period. [GIF via ] Isaiah Mullens Jersey
The Senators will paydefenseman Cody Ceci$4.3 million during the 2018-19 season, . Ceci, a restricted free agent, and the Senators became the second NHL case this summer to enter intoarbitrationas the sides failed to reach agreement on a long-term contract extension before Wednesday's hearing. Ceci's camp reportedly sought a contract worth $ Jahmir Johnson Jersey 6 million per season; Ottawa countered with$3.35 million. MORE: Senators set sights onlong-term deal with UFA-to-be Mark Stone The contract decision, good for one year, skewed low toward the team's interests, a departure from arbitration norms that typically favor players. Ceci, 24,can enter into arbitration again following the 2018-19 season unle s the sides agree on a long-term contract before then. Further extension talks must wait until Jan. 1, however. I dont believe discu sions on an extension reached beyond $4 mil in first couple of years, hence no deal was reached. Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) The Senators' 2015 first-round draft pick, now a veteran of 366 NHL games, presentedsomething of a polarizing case. He's long been groomed as the organization's top defense prospect with first-pairing potential. Short of that, Cecihas yet to deliver on such promise. He's coming of a season of five goals and 19 points, playing23:20 per game, but has become known as one of the league's biggestpo se sion liabilitiesmuch of his career. Cody Ceci turned the puck over on 16.4% of his defensive zone po se sions last season. That ranked him 232nd out of 272 qualified defenceman. Yet, it ranked 3rd best amongst Senators defencemen. So, thats pretty much where Ceci and the Senators are at. Mike Kelly (@MikeKellyNHL) Should the Senators eventually followthrough on , their captain and arguably the NHL's top defenseman, Ceci would a sume the mantle as a de facto No. 1 on the Sens' blue line, for better or worse. He now has a full season to prove he's worthy of a long-term investment. If and when the Senators and Cecido resume contract negotiations when eligible, it will become a part of series of fascinatingdecisions that could determine the future of the franchise. Also on Friday, , agreeing to a one-year contract worth $7.35 million. The Stone case surprised some who expected longer term. The Sensmust wait until Jan. 1 to discu s an extension with Stone, too. StonejoinsKarl son and top center Matt Duchenein the final year of their contracts. All three could becomeunrestricted free agents in 2019, provided none are traded before then. The Senators already have parted with Mike Hoffman this offseason and are expected to soon sell off more veterans, namely Karl son. Exree Loe Jersey
More NHL: | | | | | Morning buzz Think had it tough on Tuesday night? Not only did the lose a crucial game to the , he took a puck to the face and then later a stick to the face and ended the night looking like that above.Did I mention he also came back after this puck to Spanish La Liga Jersey the face to score a goal? #Hockey (GIF via SB Nation) So what about that Flyers lo s? It was pretty embarra sing. According to , "we weren't ready to play." Oh no. ( ) Then there was the who were pretty much in control of the on Tuesday night, outshooting Edmonton, 43-19. They also lost 3-0. Afterward they had the dreaded closed-doors meeting for some 22 minutes. ( ) Jon Cooper coached his first NHL game last night -- a 2-1 win -- but his quote before the game was exceptional. ( ) defenseman , just 21 and in only his second season in the NHL, might be the youngest player in the league not wearing a visor. He's starting to consider joining the converts. ( ) Wayne Fleming, a longtime NHL a sistant coach and also an a sistant for Team Canada, died on Tuesday at 62 from brain cancer. ( ) Patrick Sharp is getting closer to a return for Chicago but to shoot for Friday would be "a stretch." ( ) Could the NHL learn something from NASCAR? Please say no. Please say no. ( ) An update on that story from Tuesday of the coach throwing his earpiece and it looking like it landed in a fan's beer. Turns out it wasn't his ear piece but 's smelling salts. The timing on that is beyond incredible. Wednesday's scheduleMontreal at Boston (7:30 ET, NBC Sports Net)Phoenix at Minnesota (9 ET)Colorady at Calgary (10 ET)Anaheim at San Jose (10 ET) Europe 2024 Jersey
More NHL: | | | | | A few days after shipping Jarome Iginla to Pittsburgh, the made another move on Monday by trading defenseman to the .In return for Bouwmeester the Flames will get St. Louis' first-round pick in the upcoming draft, defenseman and goalie Reto Berra. If the Blues don't make the playoffs this season then the Flames will get a fourth-round pick in this draft and the first-rounder will be deferred to the following draft.With that, it's definitely open season on the Flames roster.Unle s you really value that first-round pick -- which will probably be middle of the road or worse -- it's not a Jarrett Culver Jersey particularly great return for Calgary. Flames GM Jay Feaster had said he wanted to get a good return that involved NHL-ready players if he moved Bouwmeester, but neither Cundari nor Berra would appear to fit that mold, at least not as elite prospects. Cundari, 22, is a rather small defenseman at 5-10. He went undrafted out of the OHL and signed with the Blues. This season for the Peoria Rivermen in the AHL he has seven goals, 18 a sists in 56 games while racking up 80 penalty minutes.Standing 6-4, Berra fits the mold of big goalies, but the Swi s native is 27 now and still hasn't made it over to North America since the Blues drafted him back in 2006. He is playing for Biel in the Swi s League, having played in 49 games this season and posting pedestrian numbers with a 3.01 goals against average and .906 save percentage.It seems like a light return for Bouwmeester from Calgary's perspective, but at this point they needed to move on and got what they could, both for Iginla and for Bouwmeester. Bouwmeester's name had been mentioned in the past as a po sible trade target and connected with the Blues as well as the Red Wings, but one problem was that Bouwmeester had to sign off on any deal. With him in his fourth season with the Flames and Calgary headed once again for an early offseason, he obviously gave his consent.It was thought there was some trepidation about acquiring Bouwmeester because he carries a pretty heavy salary. After having his contract rights traded to Calgary from Florida, Bouwmeester signed a deal that brings a $6.68 million cap hit through next season. For a player whose offensive production had gone down in Calgary, it seemed a bit bloated.But that doesn't speak to Bouwmeester's reliability. Until this trade, Bouwmeester has not mi sed a game since 2003-04. He's the NHL's current iron man, and he's a huge minutes eater to boot. This season he has played 25 minutes per game with the Flames. For a guy who is not a liability on the back end, it's reasonable. You know what you're going to get from JayBo. Bouwmeester brings another bit of baggage with him to St. Louis. He is the NHL record holder for most games played without making the postseason. Since his whole career up to this point has been spent with the Panthers and Flames, he hasn't been to the playoffs despite playing 750 games. Olli Jokinen -- who also spent time with the Panthers and Flames -- went longer to start his career without the postseason than Bouwmeester up to this point, but he finally broke through, leaving Bouwmeester as that dubious record holder.Obviously, the hope in St. Louis is that will change this season. The Blues are in a surprising spot, fighting for a berth into the postseason. The defense, which was so good last season, has been a major disappointment, both in front of the goalies and between the pipes. That's why they went out and acquired from Buffalo earlier this week. (Fun fact: the Panthers traded Bouwmeester and received Leopold in return from Calgary).Plus, while Bouwmeester's offensive output had been down, he has enjoyed a bit of a rebound this season. He can still bring some of that offense he was known for in Florida. Kevin Garnett Jersey
Who remembers the 1919 Montreal Canadiens? Anyone? Because that's how far back you have to go to find a team that did what the Edmonton Oilers just did on Thursday night in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Finals. The Oilers trailed 3-0, on the road, and came back to beat the Florida Panthers 5-4 in overtime on a Leon Draisaitl winner. that the last team to come back from 3-0 down on the road to win a Stanley Cup Finals game was the 1919 Montreal Canadiens, who beat the Seattle Metropolitans in such a scenario back in Game 5 a cool 106 years ago. Way back on March 29, 1919, Seattle scored twice in the first period and once in the second. That set up Montreal for three third-period goals, the second and third come from Newsy Lalonde. In overtime Isaac Bonga Jersey , Jack McDonald scored the winner. Ironically, that series ended up as a 2-2-1 tie. Game 4 had ended up as a scorele s draw after two overtime periods didn't get a goal. And then the series was abandoned due to the Spanish Flu. MORE: This time around, either the Oilers or Panthers will really win it. It certainly looked like it'd be Florida when it scored the first three goals in dominant fashion on its home ice, already holding a 2-1 series lead. But then Edmonton stormed back with four in a row. The Panthers scored a miraculous goal with 19 seconds left to force overtime. It was the second-latest overtime-forcing goal in Stanley Cup Finals history, behind only Corey Perry's 18-second magic earlier in this series for Edmonton. In OT, there were great chances both ways before Draisaitl ended it. For anyone watching Thursday night, don't worry if you can't remember the 1919 Canadiens. Because now you've got the 2025 Oilers. Russell Westbrook Jersey
More Rick Barry Jersey Playoffs: | | | | Blackhawks win 3-1 | CHI leads series 1-0| :The Blackhawks were severely dominated in po se sion in this game, though you wouldn't know it by the scoreline. A strong start and finish to the game was enough for the Blackhawks to knock off the Kings. Chicago wasn't very good in the second period, as LA just controlled the play, but the Blackhawks came out of the middle period with a 2-1 lead. They really got going in the third period, though. Everything looked better in the final frame as the Blackhawks played confidently with the lead. Despite the poor second, the Blackhawks had flashes of brilliance at both ends of the ice. Good goaltending from Corey Crawford was so huge for the team as he made sure that second period didn't get out of hand. There is a fair amount to work on after this game, but if nothing else, the Blackhawks showed they could finish a game, which is something they struggled to do early in the postseason. That third period was a strong one. :From the tight turnaround between this series and their seven-game marathon against the , you wouldn't have blamed the Kings if they were flat in Game 1. But they weren't at all. The Kings actually had the better of the play in the game, bolstered by a second period in which they outshot the Blackhawks 17-6. They only got one goal out of the onslaught, which in the end was all they'd get. The Kings stuck to what has made them succe sful in these playoffs, but ran into a solid goalie and some strong defensive play from the Blackhawks. The game evened out in the third period and the Kings came close to tying the score on a breakaway, but he hit the post. If that puck goes in, it's a different game. Those are the breaks in a tight series. Now LA gets two full days off to unwind from a very busy 48 hours and recharge knowing they were in this one to the end. Play of the Game:After he had a goal disallowed earlier in the game, got rewarded when the Blackhawks found themselves on a three-on-one break. After Bryan Bickell absorbed a check, Marian Ho sa started a rush up ice. He was joined by and Toews. Ho sa dropped the puck to Oduya, who then sent a no-look pa s to Toews for a one-timed snap shot into the top of the net. That made it 3-1 late in the third period and pretty much iced the game for the Blackhawks. From the way the play started to the finish, this was the game's prettiest goal and it was a huge one for Chicago.Player of the Game:The nod goes to Corey Crawford for his 25-save performance, most notably his 16-save effort in the second period. Had he not been there to help the Blackhawks weather that storm, it could have been a very different game. After his performance during Chicago's Cup run last year and how he has been going throughout this postseason, Crawford should become better known as a reliable postseason goalie. He was just so steady in this game and it allowed Chicago to keep pre sing even when they were struggling.Turning Point:The Blackhawks surviving the second period was probably the most important aspect of this game, so the buzzer after the second was probably the turning point. After being badly outshot 17-6 and having that goal disallowed, the Blackhawks managed to come out of the second still in the lead at 2-1. When Chicago came out for the third period, everything seemed a fair amount more even. Weathering that second period storm and surviving with the lead was huge for them.GIF of the Game: Marian Ho sa might be 35. He might be widely considered as a highly-skilled player, which doesn't get him much street cred for his toughne s. But make no mistake, Ho sa's physical strength is as good as anybody's. got a good idea of just how strong Ho sa is as he attempted to hit the Blackhawks forward. The end result? Brown on his rear end, violently. Kaleb Wesson Jersey
The are back in the playoffs for the first time Dennis Schroder Jersey in 15 years. Now, they know what the full schedule looks like for their Eastern Conference playoff series in the first round against the . There was already no question that the building will be rocking as the Sabres make their return -- the first two games are in Buffalo, and those fans are more than ready. But even when the series shifts to Boston, that's an environment that should bring some awesome intensity as a perennial contender tries to spoil a surprise Sabres team from making a deep run. Whatever happens, it promises to be a special series. MORE: Sabres-Bruins playoff schedule The seven-game series will commence on Sunday, April 19. That first game is slated to begin at 7:30 p.m. ET and be broadcast on ESPN. The schedule isn't fully determined, because the NHL figures out the games deeper into the series depending on how many series are still being played acro s the league. But this is how it shapes up as is: Game 1: Sunday, April 19 - 7:30 p.m. (ESPN) Game 2: Tuesday, April 21 - 7:30 p.m. (ESPN) Game 3: Thursday, April 23 - 7 p.m. (TNT) Game 4: Sunday, April 26 - 2 p.m. (TNT) Game 5: Tuesday, April 28 - TBD Game 6: Friday, May 1 - TBD Game 7: Sunday, May 3 - TBD Games 5, 6 and 7 are all the "if nece sary" games in a best-of-seven series that can be over as soon as four games if there's a sweep. More NHL news: Chris Paul Jersey
Close your eyes and picture this: It's a relaxing, warm night in August. You just spent the day having fun in the sun, trying to soak up what's left of the summer months. Night rolls around and you and your friends get together to watch...the Stanley Cup Playoffs?You can open your eyes now, because that may soon be your reality. The NHL season due to the global COVID-19 outbreak but the league is currently exploring options with regards to a potential return down the Ty Jerome Jersey road. According to recent reports, there's a po sibility that return could come sometime in July and feature games being played into September.When the NHL announced it was pausing operations on March 12, the league reportedly reached out to teams about their arena building availability through July. Now, , clubs are being asked to provide availability through August, suggesting that the league is exploring the idea of running the Stanley Cup Playoffs deep into the summer months.It would be a bold and unprecedented decision and one that comes with plenty of questions begging to be answered. How would the schedule work?There's not much in the way of specifics right now but the idea might line up with a popular proposed plan from NHL players. That plan has players regrouping for a brief training camp in early July before finishing out the regular season (most teams have 10-12 games remaining) in late July. It's unknown if the league would play the full 82-game slate to completion or settle on a reduced number.After that, the playoffs would be held in August and September, with a one-month offseason in October before the next league year begins in November. Under this format, the NHL would also need to inquire about arena availability in September, which has yet to happen as far as we know. Per the NHL players and some of the Board of Governors are in favor of this plan to some extent. Very interesting. Situation is obviously very fluid. Jason Myrtetus (@jasonmyrt) Here's what we know right now: With the current CDC recommendations, the earliest po sible return for the league is early May but that's very optimistic considering the way things are trending with regards to the COVID-19 outbreak. In a normal playoff format, the postseason would take about three months, so if the NHL wants to stick to a traditional Stanley Cup Playoffs this year without the season carrying into September, they would need to begin the playoffs by July. What would the playoffs look like?Obviously, it all depends on when the NHL deems it safe and appropriate to return to action, but the league would presumably love to stick with a normal playoff format. Such a scenario sees eight teams from each conference qualify in a four-round, best-of-seven bracket. However, finishing the regular season and holding a traditional postseason might not work logistically if the league wants to wrap everything up by September. In which case, the NHL would either need to scrap a portion of -- or the entire remainder of the regular season, or they would need to find an alternative (see: shorter) playoff format.Traditional playoff formatIf the NHL is ultimately forced to forego the rest of the regular season and start the playoffs based on the current standings, it's likely that points percentage would be used to determine playoff seeding. Points percentage is the percentage of points a team has accrued in the standings based on their maximum po sible point total.Here's how the first round would be seeded based on the current standings:Eastern Conference: (Atlantic 1) vs. (Wild Card 2) (Atlantic 2) vs. (Atlantic 3) (Metro 1) vs. (Wild Card 1) (Metro 2) vs. (Metro 3)Western Conference:St. Louis (Central 1) vs. (Wild Card 2) (Central 2) vs. (Central 3) (Pacific 1) vs. (Wild Card 1) (Pacific 2) vs. (Pacific 3)Alternative playoff formatsIf the league places a higher priority on finishing out what remains of the regular season, which is certainly po sible from a financial standpoint, then a shorter playoff format would likely be nece sary. Several po sible ideas have been floated in the hockey community, including these po sibilities: Regular four-round format/seeding with shorter series. It's been suggested the first three rounds could be best-of-five, with the Stanley Cup Final being best-of-seven.A three-round format, similar to what the NHL ran in its Original Six and Expansion Era days. It would basically eliminate the entire first round of the traditional format and feature four teams from each conference (the top two qualifiers from each division) in a best-of-seven all the way through.There's also been a bizarre wild card being thrown into play: A 24-team playoff that would feature quick eliminators and playoff rounds. This is the boldest and most drastic proposal, but it apparently has some support from inside the league -- probably because of the widened playoff revenue teams could pull in. I know of one team that considers this a strong option. NHL schedule maker is literally working through all options and NHL clubs are submitting creative ideas as well. Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) What are some of the complications and concerns?Being able to enjoy hockey through the summer with an extremely short offseason in between the league years probably sounds wonderful to fans -- especially when the alternative is likely cancellation -- but such a scenario does come with elements of concern.First and foremost, maintaining suitable ice quality during the hot summer months will be a difficult (and expensive) challenge for some teams, especially those that play warmer weather cities. The humidity level could have a negative effect on playing surfaces, which could sacrifice the quality of the product and put players more at risk for injury. That being said, it's likely that the league could make it work, though ice crews would have to be extra diligent in their preparations.Secondly, a shortened offseason would present a difficult turnaround for many players, especially those who made deep, grueling runs in the playoffs. A typical NHL offseason lasts about three months and we often see injuries and ailments suffered during the playoffs carry into the following season. Cutting one- or two-thirds of that recovery time could have major implications for players/teams going into next season. However, the silver lining here is that players who have been battling lingering health i sues during the regular season will be able to head into the playoffs with a few months of downtime. The proposed one-month offseason from players would also put front offices in a tough spot. They would have to organize and consolidate all of their draft and free agency plans into a condensed timeline and then operate on an expedited schedule.There are also complications when it comes to legalities. As Bob McKenzie pointed out, some NHL contracts are set to expire on June 30 of this year -- a reflection of the last day of a normal league year. If the season is extended and teams play beyond that point, those contracts will need to be amended in order for players to legally participate in-game action. Work visas would also be a point of concern for several international players.How would it affect next season?As much as the NHL would like to find an appropriate and satisfying resolution to this season, they also face the pre sure of minimizing the current predicament's impact on next season. As previously mentioned, playing through August would cut down on the offseason and put players and executives in a more difficult position heading into next year. If the NHL is considering the players' proposal as a legitimate po sibility, the targeted November start date would bring a one-month delay to the start of next season. That would likely lead to more condensed scheduling (or perhaps a slightly extended league calendar) for 2020-21 before the league was able to return to its normal operations timeline. Jevon Carter Jersey