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Morning Skate: Connor McDavid and Sidney Crosby bring the NHL back in style
The All-Star break is over, and the stars have already shown up to play.
Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
Lace ‘em up. Time for the Morning Skate.
★★★
WELCOME BACK
Ah, real hockey games. Maybe it was the terrific All-Star Game over the weekend, but the return to NHL action felt more exciting than usual. Recharged. Restocked.
Some of that probably had to do with the long-awaited return of Connor McDavid. The Edmonton Oilers super-rookie missed almost three months with a broken clavicle, robbing us of what could’ve been a historic rookie season.
But who says it still can’t be? At the very least, it’ll still be thrilling. McDavid returned to the lineup on Tuesday and schooled the Columbus Blue Jackets for a goal and three points. And oh, man. The goal was spectacular.
HE’S NOT THE ONLY ONE FEELING GREAT POST-BREAK
- It was somewhat fitting that on the same night his heir apparent as “the best in the game” was dominating in Edmonton, Sidney Crosby was busy hat tricking the Ottawa Senators. Don’t look now, but Crosby is just a few points from fifth overall in points.
- Some guy named Jean-Francois Berube led the Islanders in net for his first career win.
- Quite the change of pace for Toronto, as they rallied from a 3-1 deficit to down the Bruins in overtime. James Reimer finally gets some support for the first time in weeks.
- If you’re looking for some game tape to show players how not to play on the penalty kill, look no further than the Arizona Coyotes’ effort last night.
- You won’t believe it, but the Canadiens lost again. I know. Shocking. They never do that.
- The Blackhawks are reaching familiar heights after yet another victory over a division rival.
- Winnipeg couldn’t get out of its own way on Tuesday.
NEWS & NOTES
- The second half of the season has barely begun but time is already running out for the Calgary Flames.
- With the season lost, the Blue Jackets should consider giving Sergei Bobrovsky the rest of the year off before they break him beyond repair.
- Should the Edmonton Oilers consider signing Milan Lucic this summer?
- Flyers defenseman Radko Gudas was ejected for an ugly clipping play last night. He was suspended a little over a month ago, so there’s a chance the league’s patience is thin enough to suspend him.
- Broad Street Hockey figures out how the Flyers have performed in all three zones this season under their new coach.
- Sure, they have one of the best records in the NHL. But that doesn’t mean the Dallas Stars will actually contend this season.
- The Maple Leafs unveiled their new logo on Tuesday. It’s still a leaf. A slightly more prickly leaf. But still a leaf. Very threatening. (In all seriousness, it is an upgrade.)
- Joel Ward might’ve been the missing piece all along for the Sharks.
- You probably thought John Scott was done being a news item. Wrong. He roasted Mike Milbury last night. Hero.
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