Morgan Rielly

PHT Morning Skate: 20 trade candidates; Can Josi win Norris?

By Joey AlfieriJan 15, 2020, 8:15 AM EST

Maple Leafs’ Morgan Rielly out 8 weeks with fractured foot

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By Adam GretzJan 13, 2020, 2:58 PM EST

The Toronto Maple Leafs’ 8-4 loss to the Florida Panthers on Sunday evening ended up being a lot worse than just an ugly final score.

It also cost them their top defenseman for the next two months.

The Maple Leafs announced on Monday that Morgan Rielly is going to be sidelined for at least the next eight weeks after fracturing his foot in Sunday’s game.

He will immediately be placed on injured reserve and re-evaluated in eight weeks.

The team also announced that Rasmus Sandin, their first-round pick in 2018, has been recalled from the Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League.

A questionable defense gets even worse

There is no way to sugarcoat this for the Maple Leafs, it is a significant loss.

They are already thin on the blue line and were probably going to need add another player before the trade deadline even when they were healthy. Now they are going to have to find a way to replace their best defenseman for two months in the middle of a playoff push. Adding to their problems is that Jake Muzzin, one of their other top defensemen, is also currently sidelined on a week-to-week basis due to a foot injury of his own.

Sandin is a fine prospect and has been having a great season in the AHL, but the Maple Leafs’ defense is in shambles right now.

Their current list of healthy defensemen: Tyson Barrie, Travis Dermott, Justin Holl, Martin Marincin, Cody Ceci, and Sandin.

That is, quite simply, not a very good NHL defense. Especially for a team that is supposed to be a Stanley Cup contender. They are going to need a huge push from Frederik Andersen in goal to mask that.

The Maple Leafs have been one of the hottest teams in the league under new coach Sheldon Keefe, but because of their slow start they still have just a two-point cushion in the playoff race.

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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 Buzzer: Varlamov, Islanders get shutout; McDavid dazzles

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By Scott CharlesJan 7, 2020, 1:09 AM EST

Three Stars

1) Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers

The Oilers captain made you forget about his three-assist performance with a spectacular goal of his own in the third period of Edmonton’s 6-4 win against Toronto. McDavid danced around Morgan Rielly and then fooled Michael Hutchinson with a nifty deke. It is always something special to see one of the NHL’s brightest stars finish a sequence by utilizing his creativity and high-end skill.

2) Semyon Varlamov, New York Islanders

The Islanders needed a win at home after dropping four straight games at Nassau Coliseum. They relied on stellar goaltending and commitment to defense to shut down the high-flying Avalanche and pick up a 1-0 win. Varlamov made 32 saves, including 12 in the third period in his first game against his former team since signing a four-year deal with New York this summer. It was only the second time Colorado was shut out this season.

3) Nikolaj Ehlers, Winnipeg Jets

Blake Wheeler did the right thing by dishing the puck to Ehlers on a shorthanded 2-on-0 opportunity. Ehlers created a neutral zone turnover due to an active stick, then the Jets captain rewarded him for the extra effort. The Danish winger also added an assist in the Jets’ 3-2 victory over the Canadiens.

Highlights of the Night

McDavid is in a world of his own

Carey Price denies Kyle Connor’s point-blank attempt

That's going to be a NO for Carey Price (@CP0031). 🙅 pic.twitter.com/ouStXOBBKQ

— NHL (@NHL) January 7, 2020

Blooper of the Night

Derick Brassard made sure Anders Lee didn’t lose his mouthguard during his celebration

Brass with the save and the assist (on Anders' mouthguard malfunction) 😂 🤣 @NYIslanders | #Isles pic.twitter.com/gahnatlP9X

— Isles on MSG Plus (@IslesMSGN) January 7, 2020

Stats of the Night

Ilya Kovalchuk is the third-oldest player in @CanadiensMTL history to record a point in his team debut. #NHLStats pic.twitter.com/0I5s7BKtSi

— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) January 7, 2020

#Oilers Connor McDavid has now scored a goal in 30 different buildings in his NHL career.

— Sportsnet Stats (@SNstats) January 7, 2020

NHL Scores

Edmonton Oilers 6, Toronto Maple Leafs 4

Winnipeg Jets 3, Montreal Canadiens 2

New York Islanders 1, Colorado Avalanche 0

Columbus Blue Jackets 4, Los Angeles Kings 2

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Scott Charles is a writer for Pro Hockey Talk on NBC Sports. Drop him a line at phtblog@nbcsports.com or follow him on Twitter @ScottMCharles.

McDavid, Oilers get the best of Maple Leafs

By Scott CharlesJan 7, 2020, 12:05 AM EST

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Nathan MacKinnon, David Pastrnak and others are firmly in the conversation for the Hart Trophy, but Connor McDavid reminded everyone why he is unanimously praised as the most electric player in the NHL.

McDavid recorded a goal and three assists in the Edmonton Oilers’ 6-4 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs Monday. He also submitted an entry for the mythical goal-of-the-year competition when he undressed defenseman Morgan Rielly and slipped a puck past Michael Hutchinson. McDavid collected his 24^th goal of the season and League-leading 69^th point.

“We just gave him way too much space,” Auston Matthews said of McDavid. “He’s the most dangerous player in the world for a reason so when you just let him fly through the neutral zone with the speed [and] skill he has, he’s going to make us pay. That’s what he did tonight.”

The Oilers moved into third place in the Pacific Division with the victory but have played three more games than the Vancouver Canucks who trail only by a point in the standings. Edmonton is not a Stanley Cup favorite by any stretch of the imagination, but the St. Louis Blues’ championship journey last season proved that any team can make an improbable run.

“When you’ve got Connor McDavid, the window is now. The time is now,” Oilers GM Ken Holland said in an interview with Sportsnet 590 earlier in the day.

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The Maple Leafs have been playing a better style of hockey since the organization moved on from Mike Babcock. Sheldon Keefe has posted a 15-5-1 record since assuming the head coaching responsibilities.

However, Toronto abandoned its structure and forced Keefe to pull Frederik Andersen at 1:45 of the second period after Edmonton scored three goals on its first 19 shots. Toronto’s 10-game point streak was also snapped in the loss.

“We left Freddie out to dry,” Matthews told reporters. “For a guy like him who does so much for us night in, night out, brick wall for us every night, the chances we were giving them, it’s not fair to leave him out to dry. It’s definitely not on Freddie at all.”

The Maple Leafs have five games remaining before the bye and All-Star weekend, four of which are in Scotiabank Arena. The opportunity is there for Toronto to end the first half of the season on a positive note and keep the surging Tampa Bay Lightning in the rear-view mirror.

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Scott Charles is a writer for Pro Hockey Talk on NBC Sports. Drop him a line at phtblog@nbcsports.com or follow him on Twitter @ScottMCharles.

The Buzzer: Nylander keeps Maple Leafs rolling; Canucks make it 6 in a row

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By Adam GretzJan 3, 2020, 1:44 AM EST

Three Stars

1. William Nylander, Toronto Maple Leafs. Following a restricted free agent contract dispute and a down 2018-19 performance, Nylander became a popular target for criticism in Toronto. Not anymore. He continued what is turning out to be a massive breakout season on Thursday night by scoring two more goals and adding an assist in the Maple Leafs’ 6-3 win over the Winnipeg Jets. The Maple Leafs are now 14-4-1 under new coach Sheldon Keefe and 8-0-1 in their past nine games. Nylander has 19 goals and 38 total points in 41 games this season. That puts him on a pace for 38 goals and 76 points over 82 games. That level of production makes his $6 million cap hit a bargain.

2. Nathan MacKinnon, Colorado Avalanche. MacKinnon got the Avalanche rolling with a late first period goal and never slowed down as the cruised to a huge 7-3 win over the St. Louis Blues. He recorded his fourth four-point game of the season, most in the NHL. It is his ninth since the start of the 2017-18 season, tied for second-most in the league (behind only Nikita Kucherov) during that stretch. Read more about the Avalanche’s big win here.

3. J.T. Miller, Vancouver Canucks. Miller continues to be a massive addition to the Canucks’ lineup and helped them win their sixth game in a row with his second four-point game of the season. He opened the scoring with an early first period goal, then added three assists, including the lone assist on Adam Gaudette‘s game winning goal in a wild 7-5 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. He has at least one point in five of the Canucks’ six games during this streak and continues to help push them toward a playoff spot. They paid a steep price to get him, but he has been worth it so far.

Other notable performances from Thursday

Pierre-Luc Dubois‘ overtime goal against the Boston Bruins helped the Columbus Blue Jackets improved to 8-0-4 in their past 12 games.
Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 38 shots to help the Tampa Bay Lightning pick up a huge 2-1 win over the Montreal Canadiens.
Jonathan Huberdeau remained hot and Evgeni Dadonov had three points as the Florida Panthers used a four-goal second period to storm by the Ottawa Senators.
Brent Burns scored an overtime goal and Aaron Dell made 36 saves to help the San Jose Sharks get a much-needed 3-2 win against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
All 12 Arizona Coyotes forwards recorded a point in their 4-2 win over the Anaheim Ducks.
Max Pacioretty continued to be a dominant force for the Vegas Golden Knights as he scored two more goals in their 5-4 win over the Philadelphia Flyers.
Johnny Gadreau had a goal and an assist for the Calgary Flames as they beat the New York Rangers.

Highlights of the Night

It did not result in a win, but Patrik Laine finished with 13 shots on goal for the Winnipeg Jets and scored this beauty of a goal after turning Morgan Rielly inside out.

Patrik Laine turns Morgan Rielly inside out and scores pic.twitter.com/EIOyse9vJv

— Brady Trettenero (@BradyTrett) January 3, 2020

Thanks to this beauty of a Nico Hischier goal the New Jersey Devils were able to win their third game in a row. It is their first three-game winning streak of the season. Read all about it here.

Jack Eichel helps the Buffalo Sabres get a huge win by scoring the game-winning goal on a penalty shot in overtime.

Giving @JackEichel15 a penalty shot in overtime is SIMPLY DANGEROUS. 🔥#Sabres50 pic.twitter.com/rodjaxruLN

— Buffalo Sabres (@BuffaloSabres) January 3, 2020

Blooper of the Night

This is only a blooper in the sense that it should NEVER HAPPEN if you are the New York Rangers. They allowed Calgary’s Mikael Backlund to score a shorthanded goal in a 3-on-5 situation. That was the difference in a 4-3 Flames win.

Factoids

Zdeno Chara, Joe Thornton, and Patrick Marleau became 12th, 13th, and 14th players in NHL history to play in four different decades in their NHL careers. [NHL PR]
David Pastrnak is the first Bruins player since Cam Neely during the 1993-94 season to score his 30th goal in 42 or fewer games. [NHL PR]
With his assist on Brent Burns’ overtime goal, Joe Thornton collected the 1,080th assist of his career to move him into sole possession of seventh place on the NHL’s all-time list. [NHL PR]

Scores

Columbus Blue Jackets 2, Boston Bruins 1 (OT)
Buffalo Sabres 3, Edmonton Oilers 2 (OT)
Tampa Bay Lightning 2, Montreal Canadiens 1
New Jersey Devils 2, New York Islanders 1
San Jose Sharks 3, Pittsburgh Penguins 2 (OT)
Florida Panthers 6, Ottawa Senators 3
Toronto Maple Leafs 6, Winnipeg Jets 3
Calgary Flames 4, New York Rangers 3
Arizona Coyotes 4, Anaheim Ducks 2
Colorado Avalanche 7, St. Louis Blues 3
Vancouver Canucks 7, Chicago Blackhawks 5
Vegas Golden Knights 5, Philadelphia Flyers 4

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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.