Category: NHL

Headline Sports podcast with Matt Harrington: Bettman says NHL coming back for fans benefit; Draisaitl wins Art Ross Award; plus more

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Edmonton Oilers center Leon Draisaitl (29),center, battles for the puck against San Jose Sharks right wing Joonas Donskoi in a 2018 playoff game. Draisaitl won the Art Ross Trophy as NHL points leader in the shortened season. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar)

On Headline Sports podcast with Matt:

#1 When NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman says money is not what’s driving the return to hockey is that something that’s believable?

#2 Bettman said that monetization is not driving the return but the league has heard from fans who would like to see a conclusion to the 2019-20 season.

#3 A Buffalo Sabers fan actually posted a Craigslist ad putting the Sabers up for sale after the team failed to make the NHL Stanley Cup expanded playoffs.  The fan who goes by the name of Dahlin Forever also made complaints about owners Terry and Kim Pegula and their brining back general manager Jason Boterill .

#4 The Edmonton Oilers Leon Draisaitl won the Art Ross Award and Alex Ovechkin 35, became the third player in NHL history to lead the league in goals at age 34 or older in goals.

#5 Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot said she’s excited about the possibility of hosting the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs saying,”I’m really enthusiastic about the possibility of getting hockey playoffs here in Chicago.” If that happens that will bring in badly needed income into Chicago after the Coronvirus shutdown that impacted the city’s economy.

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

Headline Sports podcast with Jessica Kwong: Stanley Cup Playoffs on the NHL drawing board; Lillard won’t play last four regular games

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The Portland Trailblazers Damion Lillard says he wants to sit out the last four NBA regular season games because it would be like an exhibition game since the Blazers are already in the playoffs (USA Today file photo)

Headline Sports podcast with Jessica:

#1 The NHL is back and their aiming to get the Stanley Cup Playoffs started either in June or July with 24 teams participating. There’s always nuances to every new format there will be 12 teams in the East and 12 in the West. Seven NHL teams didn’t make the cut.

#2 NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman stated that health and safety issues is up next after getting an agreement from the players on the playoff format and how the draft will work.

#3 In principal Bettman and the players have agreed that the regular season is done and they will go for the playoffs as soon as everyone is tuned up after some practice sessions. The games will be played in front of empty arenas.

#4 Jessica, Damian Lillard of the Portland Trailblazers said that the NBA wants to play four regular season games to make up the difference before starting with the playoffs. The reasoning for that is to fulfill the NBA contract obligation to television. Lillard says he wants no part of that because what is the purpose of playing in a game that’s really an exhibition game and taking the chance of getting hurt before the playoffs.

#5 There have been some voices out there saying the NBA should just scrap the season and playoffs and start all over again in October when pre season basketball followed by the regular season gets going. The owners are anxious to get the television revenue question is will they get the kind of ratings they want with empty arenas and playing at this stage in the season?

Jessica does Headline Sports podcasts every other Thursday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Headline Sports podcast with Marko Ukalovic: How the brackets would look for NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs

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NHL Stanley Cup Playoff brackets featuring 24 teams (graphic from actionnetwork.net)

On Headline Sports with Marko:

#1 With the Stanley Cup Playoffs returning to action what is the date range for the first series?

#2 The playoffs will consist of 24 teams although it’s the first step towards an agreement between the players and the NHL where they said it’s very likely things will move forward.

#3 The Winnipeg Jets Patrik Laine said that he’s a little rusty and that his game might look terrible but that’s not a surprise as most players must feel the same.

#4 To start the first round there will be eight teams representing each of the Western Conference and the Eastern Conference. Will these games be played in each of the team’s local rinks?

#5 What’s it like to look at the NHL’s 24 Stanley Cup team bracket and not see the San Jose Sharks?

Join Marko each Wednesday for Headline Sports at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Headline Sports podcast with Matt Harrington: Stanley Cup Playoffs proposal 12 teams each in two locations

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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

 

Headline Sports podcast with Marko Ukalovic: Could the NHL have 12 teams in one location playing?; Miller needs two more wins to tie Hasek; plus more

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The Anaheim Ducks Ryan Miller is hoping the NHL season will continue at some point so he would have a chance at catching former Detroit goalie Dominik Hasek who is two wins ahead of Miller on the all time wins for goalies list (file photo from nhl.com)

On Headline Sports with Marko:

#1 Marko the NHL are considering using eight different sites that would be able to accommodate teams in one location

#2 At the beginning of the Covid-19 shutdown Saskatchewan and North Dakota were mentioned as sites but they maybe on a short list.

#3 Commissioner Gary Bettman is studying what will work with for teams in one location, working with local governments, social distancing, and what will work in Covid-19 prevention measures.

#4 The Anaheim Ducks goalie Ryan Miller is not sure if he will be back next season and is hoping the NHL season will continue at some juncture so he can pick up two more wins to catch former goaltender Dominik Hasek who is 14th on the all time wins list with 389 wins.

#5 The Edmonton Oilers Art Hemsky says it was time to retire after the NHL suspended due to the epidemic and said after 15 years of playing in the NHL he wanted to stay at home and enjoy his kids.

Marko does Headline Sports each Wednesday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Headline Sports with Matt Harrington podcast: Subban says he confident NJ can get in the Stanley Cup Finals; Who did wear No.88 the best in the NHL?; plus more

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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

 

Headline Sports with Matt Harrington podcast: Pens trying to decide on keeping goalies; Bruins documentary on 1970 team; plus more

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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

Headline Sports podcast with Marko Ukalovic: Daly talks about how testing will go in the NHL; Sharks Thornton shaves beard plus more

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NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly says talks will go on on how to proceed with resuming the NHL season that is currently suspended (thehockeynews.com file photo)

On Headline Sports podcast with Marko:

#1 With a soft opening and patient numbers going down at least in the Bay Area would you say hockey is still a long, long, way off from returning?

#2 NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly in an interview with 630 CHED in Edmonton saying that testing would be the key issue to coming back. “We will not test asymptomatic players ahead of symptomatic people who are unable to get tested. It’s just something we will not do.” Said Daly.

#3 San Jose Shark Joe Thornton’s daughter Ayla did a video with her father standing by with a full beard and then the next without his beard when Ayla played a genie who tapped her head forward and gone. The Thornton beard was a staple for the longest time and since there’s no hockey and no growing a playoff beard necessary off it came.

#4 The Florida Panthers forward Grigori Denisenko was signed to a three year entry level contract with the Panthers. Denisenko was the No.15, 2018 draft and came out of the Russian 2020 World Juniors, he had 12 points, six goals, six assists in 38 games last season.

#5 The former Montreal Canadiens Georges Laraque says that having Covid-19 “is the worst thing ever” Laraque says he could remember being able to go running for miles two weeks ago and do many things. At 43 and retired he says having Coronavirus is a struggle just to brush his teeth because the disease has attacked his lungs. He did receive well wishes from many former and active NHL players.

Join Marko for Headline Sports each Wednesday night at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Headline Sports podcast with Matt Harrington: NHL forms Return to Play Committee; Zubs joins Sens in one year deal; plus more

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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

Headline Sports podcast with Matt Harrington: Lightning’s Stamkos should be ready when NHL is; Neutral site hockey would see three games a night

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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