Jakob Chychrun’s return to action is great news for a lot of
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NHL Style Rankings: Rangers D-Man Steals the Show From Patrik Laine
Nov 2, 2022
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - OCTOBER 11: K'Andre Miller #79 and Jacob Trouba #8 of the New York Rangers walk the blue carpet prior to the home opener against the Tampa Bay Lightning at Madison Square Garden on October 11, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Jared Silber/NHLI via Getty Images)
If I had to describe the NHL fashion scene through the first month of the 2022-23 season in one cliche phrase, "good not great" comes to mind.
We've got Blue Jackets forward Patrik Laine cornering the market on the bangers. Meanwhile, inaugural style rankings King David Pastrnak is nowhere to be found off the ice (on the ice is a completely different story).
So far, I'm left wanting a lot more innovation. But at the same time, it feels like the style of the whole league is trending up on average.
I guess I'll take it.
As a quick reminder, you can find the original NHL style rankings right here on Bleacher Report every other Wednesday. Now let's get into Round 2.
I have a well-documented love/hate relationship with hats—I love them when they actually complement an outfit, I hate them when they look like a prop. Jets forward Adam Lowry has a well-documented collection of hats. This has led to a hit-or-miss history with Lowry and the style rankings, but his 2022-23 debut is a hit.
Everything about this fit, including the hat, is seamless right down to the greyscale. And, honestly, if you're going to do a hat, your best bet is the hat/pinstripe combo.
As a bonus, Lowry paid homage to the Jets' Heritage Blues with a dash of red. Social media managers, please take note: We need more shoe pictures!
Somehow, this is not only Sharks defenseman Erik Karlsson's season debut, but his first-ever appearance in the style rankings since their inception last season. But the notoriously stylish Swede has finally made it with this tweed number. This shade of blue looks great on him, and in all, it's a cohesive and trendy finish.
He also rolled up to the rink in that second look Tuesday and scored his first career hat trick. Look good, play good, things of that nature. What a start to the season for Karlsson!
The more I learn about Sabres forward Tage Thompson, the more I like the guy. The Sabres got to pick individual goal songs this year, and he went with a classic: "Fishin' In The Dark" by Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. Then he scored a hat trick at home and let the people listen to it three times.
He's got six goals and 12 points in nine games, and I don't know if it's correlation or causation, but his looks have been reflecting his play recently. He gets extra points for the tailoring considering he's 6'6".
Your favorite style icon's favorite style icon, Senators forward Mathieu Joseph, makes his season debut at No. 7.
Where do we even begin with this one? Joseph is simply crushing the double breast. And when you're going double-breast, you can get a little dramatic with the hat. Well done.
Loving the pattern range here with Panthers forward Patric Hörnqvist's first looks of the season--he's giving the people a little bit of everything. I also absolutely love the color scheme of the second look, between the shades of green and the brown shoes. Earthy tones for the win.
To be completely honest with you, he's been on my radar for a while—he's made the rankings a few times in the past! But as they say, it's a "what have you done for me lately?" league, and his tailoring was holding him back earlier this season.
I know tailoring is hard for the big boys, and Zadorov's 6'5" stature isn't doing him any favors in that aspect, but he's figured it out with his most recent looks, and it's fantastic. I'm sorry I ever doubted you!
Sometimes, I get legitimately sad thinking about all the outfits we've missed out on just because there aren't photos. That's not all on social teams—one time Mikhail Sergachev told me Andrei Vasilevskiy arrives at the rink too early for the paparazzi.
And contrary to our style rankings wants and needs, the priority here is playing hockey. I'll bet that's why we haven't seen Pastrnak's look in a while—the man is on a heater, and we have to let him cook.
Anyways, shout out to Twitter user @9kempe for showing us Maple Leafs forward William Nylander's look here, because otherwise, I would've totally missed it. Nylander's known around the league for his style, and I'm so glad we're getting a taste of it now.
I will always love Laine for taking his risks, especially when it feels like no one else is. I'm loving the outer-space theme he's been showcasing through the first month of the season, and here we have his latest installment of astronaut chic.
We all hold him to a high standard around here, so we need to remember there's absolutely no shame in not being No. 1 every single week. This look (and one of my favorite recurring suits of his in the second photo) keeps Laine in the top three.
Is there a new Bruins-style icon in town? No shade, no tea to Pastrnak, who just hasn't been in many photos for whatever reason. But goalie Linus Ullmark's looks have been as impressive as they've been consistent lately--and you get extra points for consistency.
If you're gonna do the three-piece suit thing, you might as well do it big. This has been Ullmark's M.O. through the first month of the season, and I am here for it.
The outrage was palpable when Rangers defenseman K'Andre Miller didn't make the first round of style rankings this season, and I loved the passion from Blueshirt nation. Frankly, Miller deserves the hype.
I didn't hate the two suits I saw from him ahead of the first rankings, but I didn't love them, either. Part of that is because I hold him to such a high standard. I felt validated when I saw him in this masterpiece on Oct. 20, and although I gave everyone else a fair look, I sort of knew he'd be debuting at No. 1.
At only 22-years-old, Miller's making a name for himself on and off the ice with his potential as part of this young Rangers core and his style that oozes New York City class. His looks are rarely the loudest in the room, but they don't have to be.
Take this look for example. I've seen a few iterations of this pink and red color scheme recently in the NHL, and they've looked nice, but the texture of the red suit and tie and the juxtaposition of the pink shirt take Miller to another level, here. Add the peace sign pose, the glasses and the matching phone case, and he doesn't need some wild pattern or hat.
He's just got it, and everyone knows it.
Dare I say Miller's subtle-yet-strong swagger is reminiscent of King Henrik Lundqvist himself?
The NHL season is fast approaching and with training camps
set to open in a few weeks, there are still a few big-name free agents still
available. After Phil...
Patrik Laine, Blue Jackets Agree to 4-Year, $34.8M Contract in NHL Free Agency
Jul 22, 2022
COLUMBUS, OH - OCTOBER 16: Patrik Laine #29 of the Columbus Blue Jackets celebrates his game winning goal in overtime for a final score of 2-1 against the Seattle Kraken at Nationwide Arena on October 16, 2021 in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Ben Jackson/NHLI via Getty Images)
The Columbus Blue Jackets traded for forward Patrik Laine during the 2020-21 campaign and made sure they kept him for more than just the remainder that season and the next one.
Columbus and Laine have agreed to terms on a four-year, $34.8 million contract extension through the 2025-26 season, the franchise announced Friday. The pact is worth $8.7 million annually.
Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen said in a statement:
"One of our priorities this summer was signing Patrik Laine to a contract extension. He is a special player, one of the truly elite goal scorers in the National Hockey League, and he has fit in extremely well with our group since his arrival. He is an integral part of the team we are building in Columbus, and we couldn't be happier that he will continue to be a Blue Jacket for the foreseeable future."
The right wing was a restricted free agent after the 2021-22 season ended.
Columbus acquired Laine and Jack Roslovic in a blockbuster trade in January 2021. It sent the Winnipeg Jets forward Pierre-Luc Dubois and a third-round pick in the 2022 draft for the two forwards.
Not only does bringing Laine back make it more likely that the trade is seen as a success for the Blue Jackets, but it also helps reverse a troubling trend recently.
Columbus had a reputation under former head coach John Tortorella that it was unable to re-sign its marquee players. Most notably, Artemi Panarin, Sergei Bobrovsky and Matt Duchene all left after the team's 2019 playoff run in which it swept the top-seeded Tampa Bay Lightning and before losing to the Boston Bruins in a tightly contested second-round series that went six games.
There was also some apparent tension between coach and player with Dubois before Columbus traded the forward.
However, it is a new era for the Blue Jackets after they parted ways with Tortorella following the 2020-21 campaign, which was his sixth with the organization. They made the playoffs four straight years during his tenure but were just 18-26-12 in his last season and last place in the Central Division.
Laine had just 21 points in 45 games in his first season with Columbus and posted a career-worst plus-minus of minus-29.
However, he bounced back some in 2021-22 with 26 goals and 30 assists for 56 points in 56 games.
The No. 2 overall pick of the 2016 draft will look to remain an impact player with this new deal. He wasted no time making an impression with 64 points in 73 games as a rookie. The 2017 All-Star selection posted 70 points in his second season, 50 points in his third and 63 points in his fourth.
Laine is known for his powerful one-timer and is someone who can score on the power play, draw attention to set up others and anchor the offense for stretches.
The Finn is just 24 years old and figures to be a key offensive contributor for Columbus with his new contract.
Blue Jackets Signing Johnny Gaudreau Takes Stacked Metro Division to New Level
Jul 14, 2022
COLUMBUS, OH - APRIL 22: The cannon goes off after Jack Roslovic #96 of the Columbus Blue Jackets scores a goal against the Ottawa Senators during the first period at Nationwide Arena on April 22, 2022 in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Ben Jackson/NHLI via Getty Images)
That explosion you heard around 7 p.m. ET on Wednesday night was bombshell news being dropped: Johnny Gaudreau was going to the Columbus Blue Jackets. It's fitting for a team that sets off a literal cannon every time a goal is scored in their home barn.
Get ready for a lot of fireworks as the explosive winger has decided to sign with the rebuilding franchise. In a move that no one could have seen coming, the former Calgary Flames forward opted against returning home to the east coast and instead signed a seven-year, $68.25 million contract ($9.75 million AAV) in Columbus.
Gaudreau, whose 115 points were tied for second in the league last season, could be leaving upwards of $15 million on the table to sign with a team that seemingly came out of left field. For the last few months, the narrative had been that Gaudreau wanted to play for a team closer to his native New Jersey.
He seemed destined for the Philadelphia Flyers, New Jersey Devils, or even the New York Islanders, but another Metropolitan Division team came flying in off the top rope to steal the 28-year-old and stun the hockey world.
It's created a ripple effect throughout the division. The addition of Gaudreau makes the Metro a murderer's row of sorts. Every team has a legitimate chance of contending for a Stanley Cup Playoff spot except the Flyers and maybe the Devils, though that could change.
New Jersey has made it known that it intends to take a step forward to try and get over the hump of its extended rebuild. The failed pursuit of Gaudreau means that general manager Tom Fitzgerald had to go to Plan B.
Fitzgerald was able to obtain a free-agent forward late Wednesday night after reportedly striking an agreement with former Lightning winger Ondrej Palat on a five-year deal. The trade market is also a place to explore for the Devils, with Vladimir Tarasenko a name to keep an eye on. Targeting an elite, high-priced free agent like Gaudreau just one year after signing defenseman Dougie Hamilton to a seven-year contract shows the aspiration to contend again and it remains to be seen if New Jersey is done after the Palat signing.
But the Blue Jackets seem to think they can contend again as well.
The run never came to fruition, and Kekalainen was forced to do some tearing down of sorts in order to retool. He fired coach John Tortorella and loaded up on draft picks. The Blue Jackets were not expected to make much noise in a tough division for a few more years, but now there is a chance they can re-sign Laine, which makes the expectations sky-high.
The run never came to fruition and Kekalainen was forced to do some tearing down of sorts in order to retool. He fired coach John Tortorella and loaded up on draft picks. The Blue Jackets were not expected to make much noise in a tough division for a few more years, but now there is a chance they can re-sign Laine, which makes the expectations sky-high.
COLUMBUS, OH - SEPTEMBER 11: Columbus Blue Jackets General Manager Jarmo Kekalainen addresses members of the media during Media Day at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, OH on September 11, 2019. (Photo by Jason Mowry/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Coincidentally, that's about the same height of the hill they'll have to climb in the division. Every single playoff team in the Metro addressed a glaring weakness.
The New York Rangers reached the Eastern Conference Final just last month, and while there was some roster turnover following the season, most of the top guys are locked up long-term. They also signed center Vincent Trocheck on Wednesday to replace Ryan Strome on the second line and goalie Jaroslav Halak, giving them a quality veteran backup to reigning Vezina Trophy winner Igor Shesterkin.
The Pittsburgh Penguins didn't make any major acquisitions Wednesday, but they did re-sign center Evgeni Malkin, forward Rickard Rakell and defenseman Kris Letang. The Penguins showed that they are still a top team in the league and that Sidney Crosby is still a top player in an intense first-round showdown with the Rangers a few months ago. Had they not been down to their third-string goalie, they might have been able to eliminate New York.
The reigning division winners, the Carolina Hurricanes, added 2017 Norris Trophy winner Brent Burns. He might be 37, but he still generates shots and moves the puck, and the Canes needed a right-shot puck-mover after dealing Tony DeAngelo to the Flyers last week during the NHL draft in Montreal.
Brent Burns, reportedly traded to CAR, is a veteran puck-moving defenceman who played the most minutes in the NHL in 2021-22. Loves to shoot the puck but has been way less trigger-happy in the past few seasons. Something tells me he'll be chucking pucks again. #LetsGoCanespic.twitter.com/MJFGL9tc3u
The club also took advantage of the Vegas Golden Knights' cap situation by acquiring Max Pacioretty in a trade for future considerations and signed speedy forward Ondrej Kase as a depth move, bringing in a total of five players on Wednesday.
The Washington Capitals also improved their Achilles' heel by signing goalie Darcy Kuemper, who is fresh off of a Stanley Cup win.
The Islanders' direction seems unclear, but general manager Lou Lamoriello often operates in secrecy, with few leaks and even fewer public comments.
That leaves the Flyers on an island by themselves. It might be a long season in Philly.
Philadelphia GM Chuck Fletcher said the Flyers couldn't make anything work with Gaudreau because of cap space. It's a problem of Fletcher's own creation, as he's been building the team since 2018, and fans have a right to be upset about this whiff.
The reason why Flyers fans are up in arms—and Blue Jackets fans are ecstatic—is that Gaudreau is a franchise-changer. As a speedy, playmaking winger, he's among the best passers in the league and has tremendous vision and instincts. All of this is in addition to his scorer's touch. He just completed a monster season, scoring 40 goals and putting up 115 points.
His size (5'9") has been a liability at times, so any team will need strength and size on the ice with him, but that's not exactly a problem, especially considering the Blue Jackets also signed 6'4" defenseman Erik Gudbranson on Wednesday.
CALGARY, AB - MAY 15: Johnny Gaudreau #13 of the Calgary Flames speaks to media after the Flames defeated the Dallas Stars during the overtime period of Game Seven of the First Round of the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Scotiabank Saddledome on May 15, 2022 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The Flames defeated the Stars 3-2 in overtime. (Photo by Derek Leung/Getty Images)
The biggest problem facing Columbus now is Laine's contract. He's a restricted free agent in need of a raise. His previous salary was $7.5 million, and the Blue Jackets only have a little more than $3 million in cap space.
But even with Laine, this team might not be formidable enough to fight off all of the competition in the Metro. Goalie Elvis Merzlikins has not looked as strong as he did during his rookie campaign and the Jackets failed to trade his backup, Joonas Korpisalo. Columbus' .897 save percentage was ranked 24th last season.
The power-play success rate was only 24th in the league. There were plenty of growing pains in head coach Brad Larsen's first season, but there were bright spots too—namely, the growth of top prospects Kent Johnson and Cole Sillinger. This may not be the year we see Columbus become serious contenders, but if they take strides and play in meaningful games down the stretch, it shouldn't be considered a failed year.
It's why the signing of Gaudreau is so fascinating. You don't bring in a player like Gaudreau just to make strides—you bring him in to win. It won't be easy in the Metropolitan Division, but the rest of the teams have just been put on notice.
Winners and Losers from the 2022 NHL Draft Lottery
May 11, 2022
SECAUCUS, NEW JERSEY - MAY 10: Commissioner of the National Hockey League Gary Bettman presides over the 2022 NHL Draft Lottery on May 10, 2022 at the NHL Network's studio in Secaucus, New Jersey. (Photo by Mike Stobe/NHLI via Getty Images)
The Montreal Canadiens went from a Stanley Cup Final in 2021 to picking No. 1 overall in the 2022 NHL draft during a year in which the Habs are hosting the event at Bell Centre.
What a wild year it's been for one of the NHL's most historic franchises. Montreal is going to party like it's 1993.
Shane Wright is the projected first overall pick. There has been some debate as to whether or not the OHL center is worthy of the honor after a slow start to the season, but 94 points in 63 games with the Kingston Frontenacs was good enough to land him on top of the NHL's Central Scouting bureau's latest prospect rankings.
The New Jersey Devils are picking second, marking the fourth time in six years the club has selected in the top five. The Arizona Coyotes, who had the second-best odds to land the first pick, will select third, the Seattle Kraken fourth and the Philadelphia Flyers will go fifth.
The Ottawa Senators and Detroit Red Wings won a few too many games and they'll go seventh and eighth, respectively. The Columbus Blue Jackets got the Chicago Blackhawks' sixth pick as part of the terms of the Seth Jones trade and they'll make two selections in the first round.
Let's take a look at some of the highs and lows from the night with draft lottery winners and losers.
PETERBOROUGH, ON - MARCH 29: Shane Wright #51 of the Kingston Frontenacs skates against the Peterborough Petes in an OHL game at the Peterborough Memorial Centre on March 29, 2022 in Peterborough, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Ken Andersen/Getty Images)
Winner: Montreal Canadiens
Wright should start brushing up on his French.
The OHL forward is one of eight players in CHL history to be granted exceptional status and he was clearly worthy, scoring 39 goals in 58 games as a 15-year-old. A speedy, skilled center like Wright is the perfect building block piece for a team like the Habs. Putting Wright behind Nick Suzuki will give them a 1-2 punch up the middle that can grow together as new general manager Kent Hughes and president of hockey operations Jeff Gorton build around those two and winger Cole Caufield.
Last year, the Canadiens were the talk of the draft for the wrong reason. Former general manager Marc Bergevin stood at the podium at Bell Centre and defiantly chose Logan Mailloux, a prospect who had asked teams not to choose him after he was convicted of a crime of sexual nature in Sweden. There was some concern that it would damage the brand and isolate women who support the team.
But Bergevin was fired less than two months into the 2021-22 season and he's now working under Rob Blake in Los Angeles. It's a new era in Montreal, and though it likely won't be a successful one right away, the team has turned the page and the excitement is rapidly building.
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - FEBRUARY 05: The Philadelphia Flyers mascot Gritty interacts with a fan during the game between the Metropolitan Division and the Central Division during the 2022 Honda NHL All-Star Game at T-Mobile Arena on February 05, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
Loser: Philadelphia Flyers
This is a big offseason for general manager Chuck Fletcher. The Flyers don't have a coach, a clear team identity or a clear direction in which the team is headed. The club has decided to stick with the GM it hired in the fall of 2018 as they attempt an "aggressive retool" after a season Fletcher described as "beyond unacceptable."
It's not that the fifth pick is bad. The general consensus is that this is a very good draft class, but one that still has some question marks after Wright.
Maybe they end up with another center like Matthew Savoie, a very skilled and disciplined playmaker. Maybe it's a big defenseman like David Jiricek they can pair with Ivan Provorov in the future (should they keep Provorov).
The 2023 class is absolutely loaded, but this one has a lot of high-end talent, so the Flyers are going to get a quality player and a possible franchise cornerstone. It just might not be one that makes an impact right away. Fletcher said he's not asking fans to wait 5-7 years for a winning product and a player like Wright, who could step into a lineup next season, would have helped expedite that retool.
VANCOUVER, BC - JUNE 21: A view of the stage after the New Jersey Devils picked Jack Hughes first overall at the 2019 NHL Draft at Rogers Arena on June 21, 2019 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. (Photo by Jonathan Kozub/NHLI via Getty Images)
Winner: New Jersey Devils
The Devils have an embarrassment of riches when it comes to prospects these days, which is a change from some lottery seasons a few years ago. The cupboards were pretty bare when they took Swiss center Nico Hischier at No. 1 overall in 2017. They can add another talented young player to that stockpile with the second overall pick.
Things were looking up three years ago when they chose Jack Hughes with the first overall pick, but things quickly fell apart. And now the club is at a crossroads: This rebuild cannot last forever.
The fans have been angry for years since this was not a club that really underwent any significant rebuilds when longtime former general manager and president Lou Lamoriello was running the show. But they've made the playoffs just once since 2012 and this last season was marred by injuries to top players like Hughes and Dougie Hamilton and bad goaltending.
They won't find that goaltender with the No. 2 pick, but it could help them obtain one.
Could general manager Tom Fitzgerald be swayed to give it up for a true No. 1 goalie? He seemed to be open to the possibility last week when he addressed the media in his end-of-season press conference, saying if he see a trade that would upgrade the NHL roster he would not hesitate to make it.
The Anaheim Ducks are rebuilding, and John Gibson is rumored to be on the market. Or maybe it's an impact defenseman to play with Hamilton or a high-end winger for Hughes.
There are tons of possibilities and the Devils are in a good spot with that second pick.
SECAUCUS, NEW JERSEY - MAY 10: National Hockey League Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly announces the Arizona Coyotes #3 overall draft position during the 2022 NHL Draft Lottery on May 10, 2022 at the NHL Network's studio in Secaucus, New Jersey. (Photo by Mike Stobe/NHLI via Getty Images)
Loser: Arizona Coyotes
All that tanking and the desert dogs only got the third pick.
Look, it's not that the No. 3 overall pick is a bad thing, but a player like Wright would bring some much-needed excitement and talent to a team in desperate need of both.
The Coyotes will play next season and possibly beyond at Arizona State's new rink. No offense to the Sun Devils because that program is a great success story of the growth of hockey in an untraditional market, but an NHL team shouldn't be playing in a 5000-seat college rink intended for intramural sports. The morale is low in the desert right now and for good reason.
Arizona can continue tanking next season to get Connor Bedard or Matvei Michkov. Maybe by the time Michkov, a KHL player who is under contract with SKA St. Petersburg through 2025, is able to play in North America the new arena in Tempe that has long been promised will finally be completed.
BUFFALO, NY - APRIL 29: Owen Power #25 of the Buffalo Sabres looks to control the puck against Tyler Johnson #90 of the Chicago Blackhawks during an NHL game on April 29, 2022 at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, New York. (Photo by Bill Wippert/NHLI via Getty Images)
Winner: Columbus Blue Jackets, Buffalo Sabres
The Sabres have a whopping three first-round picks, while the Blue Jackets have two lottery picks. Both teams have options when it comes to using those selections.
Columbus didn't move up or down, but it did get the Blackhawks first-round pick. Had Chicago won either of the top two picks, the Blue Jackets would have received the first-round pick next year. Chicago did Columbus a solid with such a dismal season but not too dismal, and as a result the team received the sixth pick and the Jones trade was finally completed.
Last season, the Blue Jackets used two of their 2021 draftees, Kent Johnson and Cole Sillinger, and saw good production and development from both. They're hoping to replicate that success as they build toward becoming a playoff team in the near future.
This is a chance for the Sabres to grab a few more prospects and show that they have improved their player development program. So far, it appears as though strides have been made in this area, as is evidenced by center Tage Thompson and his breakout season, but these next few years be crucial for a franchise that tries to shed its losing reputation and prove that it can develop talent and build a winning team.
BUFFALO, NY - APRIL 29: Casey Mittelstadt #37 of the Buffalo Sabres scores the overtime winning goal against Collin Delia #60 of the Chicago Blackhawks during an NHL game on April 29, 2022 at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, New York. Buffalo won in overtime, 3-2. (Photo by Bill Wippert/NHLI via Getty Images)
Loser: Chicago Blackhawks
This was the result of bad management. The 'Hawks went all in last summer and as a result, they gave up that pick in the Jones trade. Former general manager Stan Bowman made a short-sighted decision to try and load up in an attempt to give Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews one more chance at a Stanley Cup. But Bowman resigned amid following the investigation of the sexual assault allegations against Brad Aldrich and the team was bad right from the start. They fired coach Jeremy Colliton and Derek King still has the interim tag.
The Blackhawks took the interim tag off of general manager Kyle Davidson, and it sure sounds like he's going to start rebuilding. A first-round pick sure would help jump-start a rebuild, but the 'Hawks will have to wait until next year to select one.
Penguins vs. Maple Leafs Among 3 Games Postponed; NHL Reintroduces Taxi Squads
Dec 27, 2021
TORONTO, ON - DECEMBER 11: Toronto Maple Leafs players exit the locker room behind the Maple Leafs logo before playing the Chicago Blackhawks at the Scotiabank Arena on December 11, 2021 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Mark Blinch/NHLI via Getty Images)
The NHL has postponed three more games this week because of COVID-19, the league announced Sunday. The Toronto Maple Leafs, Pittsburgh Penguins, Columbus Blue Jackets, Chicago Blackhawks, Boston Bruins and Ottawa Senators are the teams impacted.
The NHL and NHL Players Association also agreed to the reintroduction of taxi squads in order to provide teams with players who can be recalled to avoid having games postponed in the future.
Each team will be allowed to have a taxi squad of up to six players. In addition, teams are allowed to make emergency recalls from the minors if COVID-19 were to prevent them from playing with a full lineup.
Taxi squads will be in effect until at least the All-Star break in February. Players on the taxi squad will count as being in the for the salary cap and can be there for a minimum of 20 days.
The NHL also had taxi squads during the pandemic-shortened 2020-21 season.
Several players have entered COVID-19 health and safety protocols since returning from the holiday break, including Bruins forward Charlie Coyle, Maple Leafs forward Williams Nylander and Penguins forward Evan Rodrigues.
The NHL began its holiday break earlier than expected this year because of a rise in positive COVID-19 cases across the league. Every team was shut down beginning Dec. 22, though most were on pause before that point.
Several teams are set to return to action on Tuesday, including the Tampa Bay Lightning, Montreal Canadiens, Vegas Golden Knights, Los Angeles Kings, Arizona Coyotes and San Jose Sharks.
Because of postponements across the league and rise in COVID-19 cases, the NHL and NHLPA also recently decided that players would not attend the Winter Olympics in Beijing. The league needs the two-week break in the February schedule to make up more than 50 postponed games.
Former Blue Jackets Goalie Matiss Kivlenieks' Death Ruled Accidental By Prosecutor
Dec 1, 2021
Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Matiss Kivlenieks (80) has the puck in his hand as he makes a save during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the New York Rangers Sunday, Jan. 19, 2020, in New York. The Blue Jackets defeated the Rangers 2-1. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)
Oakland County (Michigan) prosecutor Karen McDonald's office has ruled that Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Matiss Kivlenieks' death on July 4 was accidental and said that there will be no criminal charges filed, per Brian Hedger of the Columbus Dispatch.
A Michigan medical examiner ruled on July 5 that Kivlenieks died of chest trauma from "an errant fireworks mortar blast," per ESPN News Services.
Per Hedger, Kivlenieks attended a post-wedding celebration at the Novi, Michigan home of Columbus goaltenders coach Manny Legace, whose daughter had just been married:
Kivlenieks, 24, died after being struck in the chest by a three-inch mortar shell fired from a tube that tipped toward a hot tub in which he was seated.
The fireworks device was a 'cake style' rack of nine mortar shells in tubes arranged in three rows of three.
The autopsy found that Kivlenieks died after suffering fatal damage to his heart and lungs.
Novi police initially conducted an investigation and ruled Kivlenieks’ death a "tragic accident," per Hedger. The department did not recommend criminal charges.
The report was sent to McDonald's office, which investigated the incident for nearly five months. Following the office's ruling, the case is now closed.
Kivlenieks appeared in eight games across two seasons with the Blue Jackets. The Latvian went undrafted, but he signed a three-year deal with Columbus in 2017 and played for the club's AHL affiliate, the Cleveland Monsters, before making his NHL debut during the 2019-20 campaign.
