The Official National Hockey League Appreciation Thread

[KarateKen]

Lots of teams making moves with the trade deadline now less than 24 hours away.

[KarateKen]

Major trade between Vegas and San Jose as the Knights get Tomas Hertl. Hertl is currently injured by expected to be back before the end of the season. If this trade works out it will give Vegas more down the middle and a player with a lot of playoff experience as Hertl was on the Sharks in 2016 when they made the Stanley Cup Finals.

This trade I think will work out well for both teams. The Sharks are in a rebuilding stage and shipping the 30-year-old and having Vegas pick up 83% of his salary opens up options for the Sharks. Hertl has six years (I think) left on a major contract that pays him on average over 8 million a year. Sharks also get a first-round draft pick in 2025. Vegas gets two third round picks, one in 2025 and the other in 2027.

A quick look might make it seem this was a steal for Vegas, but the Sharks could also benefit from this long term.

[sensei8]

Knights need the trades if nothing else other than a moral boost so that they can put an end to their losing streak, which is now at 4, behind them no matter the ice.

GO KNIGHTS!!

[KarateKen]

Knights need the trades if nothing else other than a moral boost so that they can put an end to their losing streak, which is now at 4, behind them no matter the ice.

GO KNIGHTS!!

Bad news for the Knights on Friday was a report that Stone will miss at least the rest of the regular season. Last year Stone came back just in time for the playoffs and they won the cup, so maybe he can come back this year too.

It is not a surprise to see teams like the Sharks, Devils, and Coyotes be sellers at the trade deadline, none of those teams will make the playoffs. Devils traded Tyler Toffoli to the Jets and NJ will eat 50% of his salary. Busy day on the trade market.

[KarateKen]

Bizarre ending to the Nashville Minnesota game Sunday. In overtime Minnesota pulled goaltender Marc Andre Fleury and add an extra attacker. It paid off as Minnesota got the goal and got a much-needed win to keep their slim playoff hopes alive. However, it is a risky and unusual play. There are only three other times in NHL history that I am aware of where this ever happened, and twice it ended in a empty net goal. This is risky not only because of the empty net, but the rule says that if you pull the goalie in overtime and lose, you are stripped of the point in the standings that you normally get by making it to overtime. It was a gutsy call but the correct one. Minnesota is chasing both Vegas and Nashville in the standings, hoping to get a low playoff seed. One point would not have helped them because they would have fallen a point behind Nashville when they needed to gain one. Very rare situation that worked out well for Minnesota.

[KarateKen]

Flyers head coach John Tortorella was ejected from the game in Tampa the other night but refused to leave the bench. After a continued back and forth with the official he finally did leave. His lack of cooperation lead to a 50,000 dollar fine and a two-game suspension. Torts was angry about a penalty called on his team and gave the ref and earful leading to the ejection.

Ironically, I was just thinking a few weeks ago "what would happen if a coach refused to leave the game after an ejection." Well now we know.

[sensei8]

What are great win for the Knights over the Kraken. The fat lady didn't sing.

For most of the game, the Kraken held the Knights at bay. But, with 17 seconds left in regulation, the Knight tied the game when Marchessault with his second goal...4-4. At 3:01 in OT, Eichel found the net for the 5-4 win over the Kraken.

Next Knight game is tonight on Flames ice.

GO KNIGHTS!!

[KarateKen]

Minnesota got a break on Tuesday when Vegas lost to Tampa Bay, but in typical Minnesota sports fashion they failed to help themselves on Wednesday and lost 6-0 to the LA Kings. Minnesota remains three points back of Vegas for the final playoff spot. Vegas and LA are also competing for the third spot in the pacific. Minnesota and Vegas meet two more times in the regular season, each team having a home game. Those two games could decide who goes to the playoffs and who does not. The first meeting is March 30 in Minnesota, then again April 12 in Las Vegas.

The Seattle Kraken, who were still playoff hopeful a week ago, have spiraled into a five-game losing streak and their playoff homes are basically done.

The Jets, Stars, and Avs are all tied at the top of the central with 93 points, only one point behind Vancouver for the top seed in the west.

Out east the Bruins 97 points is the most in the league with Florida and the NY Rangers at 94, Carolina right behind at 92. Detroit, Washington, and the NY Islanders are all fighting for the final spot in the east, and the Buffalo Sabers still have a chance, five points out. Buffalo has not made the playoffs in like 13 or 14 consecutive seasons, an NHL record.

The Sharks, Ducks, Blackhawks, Senators, and Blue Jackers are all stinking up the joint and are at or near the bottom of their divisions.

[KarateKen]

Once again the Wild come up short. They got one point against St. Louis tonight but needed two. Minnesota has dropped to 10th in the west behind St. Louis and with Vegas seeming to have snapped out of their slump the already slim playoff hopes for Minnesota are starting to dwindle even further.

[sensei8]

I don't think that the Knights are out of their slump yet with their 2 recent wins. They're still in 4th place, and they better win a bunch of games if they want to get back to the promise land of the Stanley Cup with only 19 games left in the regular season. Knights remaining schedule looks promising, but the Knights will face a lot of teams that can play the role of spoilers and dash many a team's hopes and dreams.

GO KNIGHTS!!