Category: Headline Sports with Matt Harrington

NHL image from nhl.com

On Headlines podcast with Matt:

#1 24 teams eight to nine sites for the Stanley Cup Playoffs is it an idea that most likely will get off the ground by June 1st?

#2 How rusty will the players be after having two months off?

#3 How bad of an idea is it to travel by plane to a province or a state that doesn’t practice sheltering in and social distancing for the playoffs?

#4 NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman also suggested playing in one location for a dozen teams with a schedule that would more or less reflect a March Madness format but with best out of seven series.

#5 Bettman is on the push to get this going because the owners want to get something for their money rather than pay players who didn’t play at all.

Matt Harrington does Headline Sports each Saturday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

New Jersey’s PK Subban says he has every confidence the Devils can make it to the Stanley Cup and win a Norris Trophy (nhl.com photo)

On Headline Sports podcast with Matt:

#1 Not to beat his own drum New Jersey’s P.K. Subban said he’s one of the best defenseman in the NHL he says he’s confident New Jersey can win a Norris Trophy or a Stanley Cup in the future.

#2 Matt NHL.com asked in a recent article who did wear number 88 better was it the Chicago Blackhawks Patrick Kane, the San Jose Sharks Brent Burns or the Boston Bruins David Pastrnak?

#3 Montreal Canadiens forward Max Domi says he’s just fine with staying in Montreal and while he knows he could be a restricted free agent he would like to stay in Montreal and is not pushing for free agency.

#4 The Minnesota Wild’s Matt Dumba had his season end by an injury says he want to continue the season if and when it returns. Dumba had a great season going before he had to go in for pectoral surgery.

#5 The Boston Bruins Kevan Miller who had his third surgery on his knee and has not played for the Bruins in a year. He had his last surgery eight weeks ago how ready do you see Miller being by September?

Matt Harrington does Headline Sports each Saturday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Matt Murray (pictured) and Pen goalie Tristan Jarry are the question of general manager Jim Rutherford if he will keep both goalies or not (nhl.com file photo)

On Headlines podcast with Matt:

#1 The Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Jim Rutherford had some cap room concerns regarding his two goaltenders Matt Murray and Tristan Jarry. Rutherford has more than $68 million committed next season to the roster and is paying Murray $3.75 million and Jarry $675,000. Rutherford said if he kept both goalies he would have to move things around.

#2 In the Boston Bruins 1970 documentary Big, Bad and Bobby, the Bruins Bobby Orr said that his 1970 team matches up well with this years Bruins team.

#3 Although the Bruins lost in game 7 to the St Louis Blues in that 1970 Championship Orr said this year’s Bruins have a lot of great young players and have the best NHL record at 44-14-12.

#4 Mikhail Sergachev wants to focus on hockey and has not talked about a new contract with the Tampa Bay Lightning. Sergachev says he’s leaving that up to his agent. Sergachev says he’ll wait to see what the salary cap is going to be like and with everything on hold due to the quarantine he said he can wait.

#5 Matt talk about Toronto Maple Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe who just recently said that he’s treating the quarantine time like an off season. Keefe said he’s treating the time for cramming sessions to review film and being able to take stock in his first year as the Leafs head coach.

Matt Harrington does Headline Sports podcasts each Saturday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

The Ottawa Senators signed defenceman Artem Zubs on Friday for a one year deal. Zubs played in the KHL (senshot.com file photo)

On Headlines podcast with Matt:

#1 Matt, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman has formed a Return to play committee and is in a holding pattern as to how teams will line up the schedule and if games will be played in neutral sites or by divisions. Also decisions are being made based on how local municipalities enforcement on shelter in place.

#2 Artem Zubs has signed a one year entry level deal with the Ottawa Senators for the 2020-21 season. Although terms were not disclosed Zubs tied in the Kontinental Hockey League with a plus 35 rating and had 13 goals, nine assists, in 57 games.

#3 The new arenas in Belmont Park for the New York Islanders and Key Arena in Seattle are getting the once over as they should both be ready for play in September 2021. It’s a real can’t wait and see once they pull the sheet off the new buildings.

#4 The Calgary Flames signed a three year entry level deal with goaltender Dustin Wolf coming out of the WHL. In the WHL Wolf was 1.88 in goals against, .935 saves percentage, and had nine shutouts. He’s someone to really look forward to whenever he joins the Flames AHL affiliate in Stockton.

#5 One of the things that Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Brent Seabrooks could say about the current downtime in the NHL is that it gave him time to recover from shoulder surgery in December and hip procedures in January and February. Seabrooks has 103 goals and 361 assists in 1,114 games.

Join Matt each Saturday for Headline Sports at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

The Tampa Bay Lightning’s Steven Stamkos should be ready after recovery from March 2 surgery when the NHL returns (nhl.com)

On Headline Sports with Matt:

#1 Gary Bettman and the NHL are discussing ways to open up the season in a neutral site location playing three games at least a night calling it a trial balloon. Also sources say that games could be played locally but with no fans.

#2 The neutral site idea is getting some traction because there would be no travel involved and getting on planes.

#3 The players however will have to sacrafice being away from their familes for extended amounts of times.

#4 There will be no fans watching these games in the building it will feel like a pick up game arena atmosphere every night.

#5 The Tampa Bay Lightning’s Steven Stamkos will be back once the NHL season gets going. Stamkos is coming off core muscle surgery March 2 and he was expected back at that point in six to eight weeks.

Matt Harrington does Headline Sports each week at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

On Headline Sports podcast with Matt:

#1 The Winnipeg Jets Dustin Byfuglien and the Jets have parted company. The Jets terminated Byfuglien’s contract which had one more year on it. It was a mutual parting of the ways as the 35 year Byfuglien had ankle surgery back in October and missed 71 game including pre season back in September.

#2 The NHL hasn’t given up on the season yet NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said safety comes first for the players and the public before the league returns back to action.

#3 The idea to have neutral site games in places like North Dakota and Saskatchewan and have some 30 teams up for games could be a gamble for Bettman it could be a successful idea that could go without a hitch or it could be just that one player or one worker in the arena that could set shelter in place up all over again.

#4 The Montreal Canadiens Andrei Markov 41 who has played 16 seasons and 900 games has announced his retirement. Markov said he wants to spend more time with his family and said the time has come.

Matt Harrington is your host each Saturday for Headline Sports at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

nhl.com file photo: NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly said while neutral site games are a consideration it’s not the league’s first choice

On Headline Sports podcast with Matt:

#1 NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly was discussing neutral site games when the NHL season resumes Daly did add that it would not be the preferred choice.

#2 Daly said that the NHL should and would be prepared as much as they possibly can but said that it’s premature to set that course at this juncture.

#3 The NHL has directed the players to self quarantine through April 15th and Daly said he would not be surprised if that date is extended

#4 While the window to finish the regular season and Stanley Cup post season remains open neutral site hockey might be a strong option considering local laws for shelter in place and social distancing still being in effect.

#5 Daly also had to take into consideration the new season isn’t that far behind a neutral site scenario. September is the supposed start of the exhibition season followed by the regular season in October.

Matt Harrington does Headline Sports each Saturday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com