Four days into the new year and with the NHL back to a regular schedule after a holiday break, so are we! There have been a lot of hockey happenings over the last few weeks, from a multitude of outdoor games and a tournament of young prospects to an ongoing battle at the top of the league. So sit back, ignore your post-holiday blues and get caught up with last week’s hockey action before the week starts anew.
Trending the net: Winter Classic a success on all fronts, Drouin saga latest for Lightning
Hockey fans may have finally killed Jaromir Jagr plus more from the last week across the world of hockey!
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Winter Classic entertained as Montreal, women’s hockey win event
The Montreal Canadiens stole Boston's thunder with a 5-1 win over the Bruins in neighboring Foxborough on New Year's Day Friday afternoon. This time in Boston, it was the visiting team taking home the honors in the drubbing by the Canadiens, who seemingly outmatched the Bruins at every turn as they kicked the game off with a goal from David Desharnais two minutes in and then Mike Condon shut the door with 27 saves. Despite the score, the festivities with 67,000-plus fans made for an enjoyable atmosphere, and Gillette Stadium didn't look half bad either.
Today's sell-out crowd at @GilletteStadium: 67,246. #WinterClassic pic.twitter.com/Zut84qJx1F
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) January 1, 2016 Maybe the most significant event happened on the final day of 2015, when the Boston Pride and Les Canadiennes faced off in the first Women's Winter Classic in a match between the NWHL and CWHL. It was the first interleague game between the two leagues, and the first outdoor match for professional women's hockey. The game ended in a 1-1 tie, as befitting for the narrative, and while the event was met with trepidation and disappointment over what many call a lack of support from the NHL in terms of streaming and promotion, women's hockey won the day on a fun showing from both leagues.
The All-Star Game will feature one John Scott after fan campaign succeeds
In one of the greatest troll jobs in recent hockey history, fans actually succeeded in voting Arizona Coyote bruiser John Scott into the All-Star Game at the end of this month. Alongside Alex Ovechkin, Jaromir Jagr, and Patrick Kane, Scott will captain the Pacific Division All-Star squad as the proverbial black sheep of the four captains that were announced on Saturday. There's been backlash -- of course -- but Scott's involvement in the All-Star Game will provide a shot of personality that will most definitely be missing after the loss of the fantasy draft. And besides, the weekend is essentially a gimmick anyway so let's have some fun while we're at it.
You know who's not having fun thanks to this? Panthers veteran forward Jagr, who last month said he was afraid the game would kill him if he was voted in, is certain for the grave now that Scott is likely to play against the winger. For shame, hockey fans. For shame.
Fans-I was afraid,that 3on3 all-Star game may kill me,now,I am more afraid,fighting John Scott 6,8 300 during All-Star, kill me for sure
— Jaromir Jagr (@68Jagr) January 2, 2016 Washington, Dallas flip flop as league’s No. 1 team
At almost the season's halfway point, we've already got a preview of one of the Presidents' Trophy races between the Capitals and Stars at the top of the NHL. While Dallas has been near the No. 1 spot all season long, Washington's stock has risen over the last month and a half as Metropolitan Division counterpart in the Rangers has fallen. While New York's success has proven to be false over the last month, the Capitals are as legitimate as they come, with the offensive talents of Ovechkin and Evgeny Kuznetsov and the spectacular goaltending of Braden Holtby lifting Washington to 59 points in 38 games.
The Stars, powered by the duo of Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin with an abundance of offensive depth, are more of a surprise as a sustainable team. There were many question marks about this team, more specifically in the goaltending region, but the pair of Kari Lehtonen with the resurging Antti Niemi has held for Dallas. The Capitals have two games in hand over the Stars, who have 60 points and sit as the league's No. 1 coming into Monday.
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Tampa Bay’s woes continue with Jonathan Drouin saga
Remember when I said the Steven Stamkos drama was over for the Lightning in our last segment? Now, GM Steve Yzerman has another problem on his hands in former third overall pick Jonathan Drouin's unhappiness with his stock in the franchise. The forward was sent down to the minors over the weekend as news surfaced that Drouin and his agent had asked for a trade in November, causing mass speculation on potential partners across the league.
Drouin hasn't produced to his expected clip, with just eight points in 19 games played this year with the Lightning while coming off two different injuries. His 14 minutes a night on the ice have been spent up and down the lineup. After playing on Stamkos' left side for awhile, much of his recent action has been on the fourth line with Brian Boyle and Jonathan Marchessault, according to LeftWingLock.com.
The Lightning put out a statement on Drouin Sunday evening, but after battling rumors of Stamkos’ departure, this latest kerfuffle with a player doesn’t shine a good look on the team, who are currently sitting two points out of a wild card spot at sixth in the Atlantic.
Steve Yzerman statement on Jonathan Drouin. pic.twitter.com/5RmIwJgDBq
— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) January 3, 2016 Canada collapses after early World Junior exit
The country didn't actually implode, but it probably felt like it after the Canadians exited the World Junior tournament in the quarterfinals on a 6-5 loss to Finland. It was a disappointing tournament for Team Canada, which placed third in Group A with just two wins in five overall games. A all around team effort for sure, but blame has been heaped upon 19-year-old youngster Jake Virtanen, who took two penalties on one play that contributed to Canada's demise. Of course, the media rolled with the scapegoat in the only way they know how.
Good morning, Vancouver. pic.twitter.com/bDNOJWtuNl
— Jason Brough (@JasonPHT) January 3, 2016 It’s fair to be upset over a loss, but the tournament is populated by prospects under the age of 20, so putting blame squarely on the shoulders of one player who has hardly seen NHL ice is quite the low.
Columbus continues to be cursed in the land of goaltending
This is not the Blue Jackets' season. After a 2015 half to the season that started... well you know, it has since morphed into one bizarre goalie injury after another. Normal starter Sergei Bobrovsky wasn't himself during the team's early slump and has just played 25 games so far this season. Now, Bobrovsky is injured again after reaggravating the groin injury that has kept him out of the lineup since the first week of December.
Then on Saturday, mere hours after Bobrovsky went on Injured Reserve, backup Curtis McElhinney injured himself by falling over in the crease in the most awkward and painful way. It's all too clear that McElhinney did something to his knee on the fall and he was immediately taken out and replaced by Anton Forsberg. It's okay if you don't recognize the names of the duo in net for Columbus through at least Tuesday, because I honestly don't think anyone does.
As long as Sergei Bobrovsky (groin) and Curtis McElhinney (knee) are out, Anton Forbsberg and Joonas Korpisalo will be #CBJ goaltenders.
— Aaron Portzline (@Aportzline) January 3, 2016 See More:
