Twitter erupted Wednesday night at the conclusion of the Colorado Avalanche victory over the Anaheim Ducks.
The digital uproar was the result of a heated conversation – perhaps being a bit diplomatic about it – between Avalanche head coach Patrick Roy and Ducks coach Bruce Boudreau at the end of the game. Oh yeah, the Avalanche won by a score of 6-1.
The photo of the two coaches jawing between the benches was a screen grab, posted on Twitter by TSN’s Kate Beirness.
The Calgary Flames received a huge scare on Thursday when veteran defenseman T.J. Brodie had to be taken to a hospital after collapsing on the ice and convulsing during practice.
On Friday, the team issued an update on his status.
General manager Brad Treliving said that the initial neurological tests on Brodie have all come back negative so far, while also adding that more tests still need to be done and that no stone will be left unturned in trying to figure out what happened.
Team Doctor Ian Auld also added that so far it looks the incident was more likely related to a fainting episode than anything inside the brain.
“An event like this can be caused by something inside the brain, something scary, and it can also be caused by syncope or fainting episodes. The reasons for why people faint are many,” said Auld, via the Flames’ website. “I don’t think we have all the answers yet and we still have a few more tests to go but all the early indications are that it’s very likely more related to a fainting episode than something significant and inside the brain.”
There is obviously no timeline for Brodie’s return to the lineup at this point.
“We’re going to go through the process of checking every box and make sure we administer every test,” said Treliving. “But he’s come through everything thus far and doing well, feeling good. He’s on the mend. He will obviously not travel with us today as we head to Arizona and Las Vegas. He will stay under the supervision of our medical team led by Ian (Auld).”
The 29-year-old Brodie has spent all 10 years of his career with the Flames after the team drafted him in the fourth round of the 2008 NHL draft.
With him sidelined indefinitely the team has recalled Oliver Kylington from the American Hockey League.
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Adam Gretz is a writer for Pro Hockey Talk on NBC Sports. Drop him a line at phtblog@nbcsports.com or follow him on Twitter @AGretz.
The National Women’s Hockey League announced Thursday it had added enough financial backing after a two-month capital campaign to ensure its viability beyond its fifth season this year.
The league declined to reveal specifics in noting its number of private investors has grown beyond 20 with the addition of insurance and technology entrepreneur Andy Scurto. In 2017, Scurto sold his firm for $160 million.
“This infusion of capital from Andy Scurto and our partners who believe in the power and value of professional women’s hockey is another important milestone for the NWHL, our players, supporters and fans,” NWHL Commissioner and founder Dani Rylan said. “This provides us with long-term viability.”
The league is a little over a month into its season with teams in Boston, Buffalo, New York, Connecticut, Minnesota and New Jersey.
The NWHL was able to add investors despite losing the backing of a majority of the world’s top players in the offseason. In May, more than 200 players – including members of the U.S. and Canadian national teams – pledged not to compete in North America this season following the collapse of the Canadian Women’s Hockey League. The players formed the Professional Women’s Hockey Players’ Association to push for establishing a league with what they said needed to have a viable, sustainable economic model.
The Buffalo Sabres relinquished ownership of the NWHL Buffalo Beauts, while the New Jersey Devils ended their agreement with the NWHL’s Metropolitan Riveters.
In September, Rylan vowed her league wasn’t going anywhere, and added the NWHL was proving it could be viable without the NHL.
The league said the new funding will be directed toward building the league’s infrastructure, enhancing player development and attracting more investors, including team owners. Two months ago, Miles Arnone led a group of investors to purchase the Boston Pride.
Arnone said the focus on infrastructure and adding owners will eventually lead to an increase in player salaries. The NWHL no longer reveals its salary scale, though players can now earn a bump in pay through a newly introduced 50-50 split of sponsorship and media right revenue.
In September, the NWHL announced players had already earned a 26% pay increase based on new agreements reached over the summer.
The disorderly conduct and disruptive behaviour charges against Toronto Maple Leafs forward Auston Matthews have been dismissed.
Those charges were made against Matthews after an incident in Scottsdale, Arizona last May, when a female security guard at Matthews’ condo complex, Fayola Dozithee, filed a complaint against the 22-year-old for trying to break into her car while she was in it doing paperwork at 2 a.m.
According to the police report, Dozithee added that she was terrified by the actions of Matthews and the friends he was with at the time. Matthews was also accused of pulling down his pants and grabbing his buttocks (with his underwear on) sometime after the initial incident took place.
The two sides have now come to an agreement on a financial settlement that would simply dismiss the charges against Matthews.
“On Nov. 13 the matter was settled between the parties and the criminal matter was dismissed,” a spokesperson from the City of Scottsdale’s communications department said, per the Toronto Star.
Despite the fact that the incident occurred in May, it only came to light during Maple Leafs training in late September.
“It’s not something that I think any of us really wish we were talking about today. Unfortunately, it’s the situation we’re in,” Matthews told reporters during camp. “I regret any of my actions that would ever put a distraction on the team or distress any individual.
“I take a lot of pride in preparing myself for the season and representing the Toronto Maple Leafs as well as I can. Unfortunately due to the situation, I’m afraid I can’t really make any other comments.”
According to TSN’s Rick Westhead, Arizona prosecutors and Matthews’ lawyers were scheduled to meet at a trial readiness conference on Nov. 27. That will no longer be necessary.
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Joey Alfieri is a writer for Pro Hockey Talk on NBC Sports. Drop him a line at phtblog@nbcsports.com or follow him on Twitter @joeyalfieri.
• Capitals head coach Todd Reirden brought a few champions in to talk to his team about winning it all. (NBC Sports Washington)
• Why have the Devils’ bad players playing well and why are the good players playing bad? (All About the Jersey)
• How has Kevin Hayes looked in his first few games with the Flyers? (NBC Sports Philadelphia)
• Rod Brind’Amour is already the best coach in Hurricanes franchise history. (Cardiac Cane)
• Only Brendan Shanahan will be able to fire Mike Babcock. (Leafs Nation)
• Noel Acciari has been an incredible steal for the Florida Panthers. (The Rat Trick)
• Cale Makar is having a rookie season for the ages. (The Hockey News)
• The wives and girlfriends of Canadiens players are learning how to play hockey. (Sportsnet)
• We’re starting to see load management between the pipes in the NHL. (ESPN)
• This broadcast duo have been calling Red Wings games for 25 years. (Detroit News)
• The Golden Knights need to make sure that they don’t let their recent struggles frustrate them. (Sinbin.Vegas)
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Joey Alfieri is a writer for Pro Hockey Talk on NBC Sports. Drop him a line at phtblog@nbcsports.com or follow him on Twitter @joeyalfieri.
