The news from the NHL this week was far and in between as teams struggle to find ways to stay ready for the hopeful start of the season. Coaches have taken to virtually keeping up with players at home and to stay up on workouts, while the league is still trying to figure out whether the season is playable.
Top News This Week
- Max Pacioretty, a winger for the Las Vegas Golden Knights, made some interesting comments about the future of his team. He said that if the season were to resume, the Knights would be facing an uphill battle to win the Stanley Cup. His argument was that banged-up teams were getting the chance to get healthy.
- In more Stanley Cup News, Ilya Kovalchuk argues that the Capitals were primed to win the Stanley Cup at the time of the suspended NHL season. Kovalchuk had played just seven games with the Caps after his trade from the Canadiens.
- NHL.com featured a story this week about former Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Tomas Kaberle, who is doing his part to aid those in need. The retired Kaberle has started delivering meals direct to customers in Toronto that they ordered from his wife’s Italian restaurant.
- Dustin Byfuglien and the Winnipeg Jets mutually agreed to cut the defenseman loose on Friday. The 35-year-old Byfuglien took a leave of absence from the team in September, and it’s unclear if he is considering retirement.
Social News This Week
The NHL took to reliving some of the more recent Stanley Cup Finals winners on their channels, and this week was the 2012 Los Angeles Kings. This was the first Stanley Cup championship for the Kings and the first finals appearance since the early ’90s.
The @LAKings are on @NHLonNBCSports right now, don't miss out! pic.twitter.com/37QLlRwPCy
— NHL (@NHL) April 18, 2020
Hockey coaches have had to get a little creative with ways to spend their time. The league has started getting coaches on Zoom meetings to talk strategy and more hockey. This week, The Oilers’ Dave Tippett joined the Panthers’ Joel Quenneville and the Islanders’ Barry Trotz to talk.
Possession of the puck is KEY when you're playing 3-on-3. 🔑 #HockeyAtHome pic.twitter.com/IxGhI5Jwoh
— NHL (@NHL) April 18, 2020
On the same vein of revisiting former Stanley Cup Champions, the NHL retired the 2016 Pittsburgh Penguins championship as well.
Relive the @penguins' march to becoming 2016 #StanleyCup Champions on the NHL Pause Binge ➡️ https://t.co/D5CMtvvLtP and https://t.co/Fw2foYkJsR pic.twitter.com/BKzvNlF7cM
— NHL (@NHL) April 18, 2020
All of that news and more, this week in the NHL! Check back weekly with GMS Sports for the most up-to-date information on your favorite sports.
