NHL Atlantic

The unlikely rivalry between the Montreal Canadiens and Carolina Hurricanes took an interesting turn Thursday. 

Per ESPN's Greg Wyshynski, the Hurricanes set up a website with the address DidTheHabsLose.com, and they directed their fans to it via social media after Thursday's 4-1 win over the Canadiens at the Bell Centre.

Unfortunately, there was a moment Friday morning when the site was hacked and turned into an anti-Carolina webpage. 

According to Wyshynski, the original site "featured a banner photo with the word 'YES' in bold letters." The website also went beyond bragging about the victory and trolled the organization:

Underneath were two links to buy two Hurricanes player T-shirts: One for center Sebastian Aho, whom the Canadiens unsuccessfully attempted to sign away from Carolina with a free-agent offer sheet in 2019; and one for forward Jesperi Kotkaniemi, whom the Hurricanes poached from Montreal via an offer sheet last offseason. The shirts were on sale for $20—which is Aho's number and Kotkaniemi's signing bonus - for anyone using the promo code 'oui.'"  

Thomas Williams of Yahoo Sports noted the website no longer exists, but it is still accessible through a web archive if any Hurricanes fans want to remember the moment. 

While not exactly a full-fledged rivalry, like the Canadiens and Toronto Maple Leafs, the Habs and Hurricanes could turn into a fun one to watch. Former Canadiens player Jesperi Kotkaniemi joined Carolina in the offseason after Montreal declined to match an offer sheet in restricted free agency. 

Based on how they reacted to Kotkaniemi on Thursday, fans are holding a grudge against him for leaving.

The 21-year-old got the last laugh during the game by scoring a goal in his return to Montreal. 

Some hacker got the ultimate measure of revenge on the Hurricanes, though it's unclear if that person is a Canadiens fan. 

The Boston Bruins and defenseman Charlie McAvoy reached an agreement Friday on an eight-year, $76 million contract extension.

Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic first reported the deal, which features a $9.5 million average annual value (AAV) and includes $26.5 million in signing bonuses.

McAvoy has established himself as one of the NHL's best two-way defensemen since making his debut for the Bruins during the 2017-18 campaign. The 2016 first-round pick tallied 122 points (24 goals and 98 assists) across 235 appearances over his first four seasons.

Dom Luszczyszyn of The Athletic and JFresh of EP Rinkside provided an analytical look at the blueliner's high-end impact.

His new contract, which will go into effect beginning next season, links him to Boston through 2029-30.

The agreement comes on the eve of the Bruins opening their 2021-22 schedule Saturday night when they host the Dallas Stars at TD Garden.

McAvoy, 23, joins Brandon Carlo, 24, as young Boston defensemen who are under contract for the long haul. Carlo's six-year, $24.6 million deal runs through 2026-27.

The New York native becomes the latest rising star on the blue line to land a lucrative extension ahead of the 2021-22 season, joining the Columbus Blue Jackets' Zach Werenski ($9.6 million AAV), Colorado Avalanche's Cale Makar ($9 million AAV) and Dallas Stars' Miro Heiskanen ($8.45 million AAV), among others.

"I'm very happy for them," McAvoy told reporters in September. "I know quite a few of them. Couldn't be happier for them. They're all very well deserved. For me, I'm just excited about this year, excited about the group we have. Being back together and seeing everybody is always awesome."

With McAvoy set to emerge as a perennial Norris Trophy candidate, the Bruins were wise to lock him into a long-term extension despite the high price.

With the NHL season underway, it appears the Buffalo Sabres might be inching closer to working out a deal for disgruntled forward Jack Eichel. 

ESPN's Emily Kaplan recently reported on The Point that the NHL and NHL Players Association have intervened to "push things along" between Eichel and the Sabres. Last Thursday, there was "serious optimism" that a trade was imminent, but things "went quiet" on Friday. 

As of now, five teams are still in on Eichel, Kaplan adds. Each of those teams have agreed the former Sabres captain will get the artificial disk replacement surgery he desires instead of the neck fusion surgery that Buffalo believes is the best option. 

Eichel failed his physical last month and was also stripped of his captaincy amid the ongoing dispute between himself and the Sabres on how to handle his herniated disk injury. 

The 24-year-old hinted he wanted out of Buffalo in his 2020-21 season-ending media availability, saying he would be willing to play for another franchise. 

Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman (via The Daily Goat Horn) reported in September that the Anaheim Ducks, Los Angeles Kings, Vegas Golden Knights, Minnesota Wild and New York Rangers were interested in Eichel. However, the Rangers might be out on the Massachusetts native after giving Mika Zibanejad an eight-year contract extension on Sunday. 

During a recent appearance on The Jeff Marek Show, Friedman also revealed that the Calgary Flames tried hard to acquire Eichel during the offseason. 

The Sabres drafted Eichel second overall in 2015. He has tallied 355 points (139 goals, 216 assists) in 375 games. Buffalo has not qualified for the postseason once since the 24-year-old was drafted. 

Eichel was supposed to be a centerpiece of the Sabres' rebuild after signing an eight-year, $80 million contract extension before the 2017-18 season. With the Boston University product on his way out the door, Buffalo could remain in turmoil for the foreseeable future. 

The Ottawa Senators have signed forward Brady Tkachuk to a seven-year, $57.5 million contract, the team announced Thursday. The deal has an average annual value of $8.214 million.

"We're thrilled to come to a long-term agreement with Brady," Senators owner and governor Eugene Melnyk said in a release. "He's a valuable member of our leadership group, is universally respected by his teammates and a player we're certain will have a significant impact on our success in the seasons ahead."

The deal came just hours before Ottawa's season opener against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Tkachuk, who had been a restricted free agent, is linked to the Senators through the 2027-28 season.

The 22-year-old had the perfect reaction to his new deal:

Frank Seravalli of the Daily Faceoff reported Tkachuk is not expected to play in the opener but will be in attendance at the Canadian Tire Centre. 

The Senators selected the winger fourth overall in 2018. He has led the team in scoring in each of the last two seasons, including a 17-goal, 19-assist 2020-21 campaign. 

Tkachuk, the brother of Calgary Flames forward Matthew Tkachuk and son of former NHLer Keith Tkachuk, is considered a vital piece of the Senators' rebuild. 

Ottawa has not made the playoffs since the 2016-17 season, when it reached the Eastern Conference Finals, and has been in turmoil since, posting a 105-152-34 record over the past four seasons. 

The Senators are not projected to make the playoffs during the 2021-22 season in a tough Atlantic Division that includes the reigning Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning and the Boston Bruins, Florida Panthers, Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, Detroit Red Wings and Buffalo Sabres.  

The Montreal Canadiens announced Tuesday that they signed forward Nick Suzuki to a contract extension.

The Habs noted that it is an eight-year deal worth $63 million that will keep him under contract with the team through the 2029-30 season.

Regarding the decision to lock up Suzuki, Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin said: "We are very happy to secure Nick's services for the next eight seasons."

Although he is only 22 years of age and set to enter his third NHL season, Suzuki is already an alternate captain for the Habs and one of their best players.

Acquired in a trade with the Vegas Golden Knights in 2018, Suzuki made his NHL debut during the 2019-20 season, registering 13 goals and 28 assists for 41 points in 71 games.

He was even better last season, as he matched his 2019-20 point total of 41 but did it in only 56 games. He also set a new career high with 15 goals in a top-six forward role for Montreal.

Perhaps even more impressive was Suzuki's performance during the postseason. After putting up seven points in 10 playoff games in 2020, Suzuki followed that up with seven goals and nine assists for 16 points in 22 playoff games last season.

Suzuki was Montreal's leading scorer both in terms of goals and points during last season's playoffs, as the Canadiens shocked the hockey world and made it all the way to the Stanley Cup Final before falling to the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Each of the past two regular seasons were truncated because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but with a full 82-game schedule on tap for 2021-22, Suzuki is poised to enjoy a career year.

Now that Suzuki is set to earn $7.875 million annually, the Habs are banking on him being their go-to guy offensively.

Suzuki is likely to center the top line with veteran Tyler Toffoli and rookie Cole Caufield flanking him.

Caufield is among the top candidates to win the Calder Trophy as NHL Rookie of the Year, and if Suzuki continues to progress as expected, the Canadiens could have another star on their hands in Caufield.

Auston Matthews will miss least the first three games of the regular season as he recovers from a wrist injury, per Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.   

Toronto opens its season Wednesday at home against the Montreal Canadiens, and the star center will also miss an away-and-home set against the Ottawa Senators on Thursday and Saturday.

"It's coming along well," Matthews told reporters on Sept. 13. "Right now it's a couple more weeks until I can kind of get out of the splint and start kind of really rehabbing and build my strength back. But I mean, as far as timeline goes, I'm going to get back on the ice this week. I'm really hopeful to be able to be ready for Game 1. That's my goal right now. Just take it day-by-day and see how I'm feeling."

The 24-year-old won the Calder Memorial Trophy as the league's top rookie in 2016-17 and the Maurice Richard Trophy as the NHL's No. 1 goal scorer last year. He scored a career-high 41 goals in just 52 games in a regular season shortened to 56 contests because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The No. 1 overall pick in the 2016 draft has lived up to the hype and then some. The California native has scored 199 goals over his five seasons and never fewer than 34 in any given year.

Toronto had missed the playoffs in 10 of the 11 seasons prior to his arrival. Since then, the Maple Leafs have made the postseason each year.

On Aug. 13, the Maple Leafs announced that Matthews underwent successful wrist surgery.

"Matthews encountered discomfort upon increasing his on-ice training earlier this week," the statement read. "After consultations with specialists and Maple Leafs medical staff, surgery was the recommended course of action. His recovery will be a minimum of six weeks."

Being without Matthews for any amount of time is a tremendous blow to a team that heavily relies on his goal-scoring. He was also tied for second on the Leafs last year with a plus-minus of 21.

Without him, the onus is on players such as Mitchell Marner, John Tavares and William Nylander to keep the Leafs offense in sync.

The Florida Panthers and captain Aleksander Barkov reportedly agreed to an eight-year, $80 million contract extension Friday ahead of the 2021-22 NHL season.

Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman first reported details of the deal. Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic noted the contract includes signing bonuses worth over $70 million in total.

Barkov has been a cornerstone in the Panthers lineup since the franchise selected him with the second overall pick in the 2013 draft.

His breakout season came in 2015-16, when he scored 59 points in 66 games, and he ranks 16th among all NHL players with 405 points across 404 appearances over the past six years, per StatMuse.

The 26-year-old Finland native tallied 26 goals and 32 assists in 50 contests for Florida last season.

Barkov's analytics also suggest he's one of the league's best forwards, as illustrated by JFresh of EP Rinkside:

In September, the dynamic center confirmed he wanted to remain with the Panthers for the long haul.

"I love playing here. I love what we're building here," Barkov told reporters. "Hockey in South Florida is getting bigger and better. I'm really excited about everything that's going on here. I haven't really thought about anything else. Wearing a Panthers jersey is a huge honor for me."

Florida has reached the postseason each of the past two seasons, but it was knocked out in the qualifying round in 2020 and got eliminated by the eventual Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning in the first round of last season's playoffs.

The Panthers upgraded their roster during the offseason, highlighted by a trade with the Buffalo Sabres to acquire Sam Reinhart, who'll likely skate alongside Barkov on the top line.

They also signed 42-year-old future Hall of Famer Joe Thornton to provide depth at center.

Florida's path to a Stanley Cup title is complicated by playing in an Atlantic Division that also features the Lightning, Boston Bruins and Toronto Maple Leafs, but it definitely has enough talent to make a deeper playoff run this year after getting a recent taste of postseason action.

The Panthers will open the new campaign Thursday when they host the Pittsburgh Penguins.

The NHL and NHL Players' Association announced Thursday that Montreal Canadiens goalie Carey Price is taking leave from the team to voluntarily enter the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program.

According to the Associated Press, the player assistance program was created in 1996, and it assists players and their families with "mental health, substance abuse and other matters."

Price was already expected to miss the start of the 2021-22 regular season because of a non-COVID illness and recovery from offseason knee surgery.

Angela Price, Carey Price's wife, released the following statement on Instagram regarding Carey's entrance into the program:

While addressing the media Thursday, Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin said Price will miss a minimum of 30 days, but it "could be longer."

Bergevin also said he was caught "off guard" by the news since he just learned of it Wednesday, but added: "Today I'm not thinking of Carey Price the Montreal Canadiens goalie, but Carey Price the human being."

The 34-year-old Price has been one of the NHL's top goaltenders for the past 14 seasons, and he is coming off a magical 2020-21 campaign.

Price split time with Jake Allen during the regular season, starting 25 games and going 12-7-5 with a 2.64 goals-against average, .901 save percentage and one shutout, but it was during the playoffs when he truly stepped up.

Starting 22 games, Price went 13-9 with a 2.28 GAA, .924 save percentage and one shutout as the Habs shockingly made it all the way to the Stanley Cup Final before falling to the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Despite his remarkable performance, Price was left unprotected in the expansion draft, but the Seattle Kraken did not select him, ensuring he would remain in Montreal.

During his successful NHL career, Price has appeared in 707 regular-season games, going 360-257-79 with a 2.50 GAA, .917 save percentage and 49 shutouts.

He is a seven-time All-Star and won both the Vezina Trophy as the NHL's top goalie and the Hart Trophy as NHL MVP at the conclusion of the 2014-15 season.

Price is also in elite company on the international stage, having won gold in the Olympics, World Junior Championships and World Championships for Team Canada.

With Price away from the team, Allen is in line to take on the lion's share of the work between the pipes until he returns.

The Habs are in good hands given that Allen won a Stanley Cup during his time with the St. Louis Blues and has a career 2.50 GAA and .913 save percentage in eight seasons.

There reportedly may be some movement on the trade front involving Buffalo Sabres center Jack Eichel.

According to TSN's Darren Dreger, the standstill may be "shifting," as teams interested in Eichel have gained additional access to his medical records to "clearly" see what he is dealing with.

Dreger added that Eichel and the Sabres are "hopeful" a trade can be worked out with one of the teams that have expressed interest.

Eichel is on injured reserve after failing his physical because of a neck injury. He and the Sabres are at odds, as he wants to undergo artificial disk replacement surgery, while the Sabres want him to get disk fusion surgery, as no active NHL player has ever had Eichel's desired procedure.

Eichel is one of the most dynamic, young talents in the NHL. However, it can be argued he has been wasted on a Sabres team that has not reached the playoffs since 2011, which was well before he entered the league.

The Sabres made Eichel the No. 2 pick in the 2015 draft behind only Edmonton Oilers superstar Connor McDavid.

Across six NHL seasons, Eichel has appeared in 375 games and registered 139 goals and 216 assists for 355 points.

He broke the point-per-game mark for the first time in 2018-19, recording 28 goals and 54 assists for 82 points in 77 games. He was better the following season, with a career-high 36 goals to go with 42 assists for 78 points in 68 games.

Eichel seemed poised to enter the MVP conversation last season, but he never looked quite right and had his campaign cut short by the neck injury suffered on a hit by New York Islanders forward Casey Cizikas.

All told, Eichel appeared in 21 games and finished with two goals and 16 assists for 18 points.

Given the manner in which his injury has been handled and the frustrations of playing for a perennial losing team, it is clear Eichel no longer wants to be in Buffalo.

One thing working against the 24-year-old, however, is the fact that he is under contract through the 2025-26 season, meaning the Sabres are under no obligation to trade him.

Still, there is some incentive to move on from Eichel since keeping him could be a disservice to Sabres players and coaches who would likely be forced to answer questions about it throughout the year.

Also, since Eichel is one of the best young players in the game, it stands to reason that the rebuilding Sabres could get a large, useful package of players and draft picks for him.

Finding a trade partner and consummating a deal would be the best resolution for all parties involved.