The NHL Evening Skate for Oct. 15
Heading into this evening’s action, here are the day’s top NHL storylines:
NHL players say Canada’s legalization of marijuana won’t impact them
NHL players are aware that recreational cannabis is set to become legal across Canada this week, but they aren’t concerned it will impact them. The NHL’s stance on cannabis is the most lenient of North America’s major pro sports leagues as a positive result doesn’t lead to a suspension on its own. [More]
Bruins’ Bergeron, Leafs’ Rielly, Canes’ Aho named NHL’s three stars of the week
Bruins center Patrice Bergeron led the NHL with nine points (four goals, five assists) as the Bruins won three times last week to extend their winning streak to four games. Maple Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly posted a league-leading six assists and added a goal. Hurricanes right-wing Sebastian Aho extended his season-opening point streak to six games. [More]
Golden Knights center Paul Stastny could miss 2 months with knee injury
The veteran center is out indefinitely after suffering a knee injury earlier this season vs. the Sabres. Stastny signed a three-year contract, $19.5 million contract with the Golden Knights in July. [More]
Penguins defenseman Justin Schultz out 4 months with fractured left leg
Schultz injured the leg in the first period of a shootout loss to Montreal on Saturday after getting tangled up with Canadiens forward Tomáš Plekanec. Pittsburgh announced Monday that Schultz underwent surgery Sunday and will be out until February.’ [More]
Lamp-lighters
31 Takes: An Oilers joke comes true
When you’re basically the whole offense, only scoring 108 points in a season isn’t gonna cut it. Sadly for the Oilers, through three games, Connor McDavid literally has been the entire offense. Edmonton hasn’t scored a single goal with McDavid off the ice. [All 31 Takes]
Crosby, MacKinnon help Tim Hortons surprise Kenya’s hockey pioneers
Kenya’s only hockey team, the Ice Lions, practice twice a week in the first-ever rink built in the African region. Given new equipment, new teammates and an opponent, 12 of Kenya’s hockey pioneers got to play a real game for the first time – plus meet NHL stars Sidney Crosby and Nathan MacKinnon. [More]
Fantasy forecheck
Pick ‘Em Up: Scoop up lesser-known first liners
Players are starting to gobble up the Flames‘ Elias Lindholm, who has performed admirably (who wouldn’t, though) alongside Sean Monahan and Johnny Gaudreau on Calgary’s No. 1 unit — posting four goals and six points (including a couple on the power play) and has been worth an average of just under nine fantasy points per game so far. [More pickups]
Game of the night
Los Angeles Kings at Toronto Maple Leafs
The Eastern Conference-leading Maple Leafs open a three-game home stand against a Kings team struggling to sort out issues in the net as starting goalie Jonathan Quick remains sidelined with a lower-body injury. [Full preview]
