NBC’s coverage of the 2019-20 NHL season continues with Sunday’s matchup between the Washington Capitals and Pittsburgh Penguins. Coverage begins at 12:30 p.m. ET on NBC. You can watch the game online and on the NBC Sports app by clicking here.
Hockey fans sometimes bristle over the hype surrounding Sidney Crosby vs. Alex Ovechkin. It’s easy to see why. Not only are there other bright stars around the NHL, there’s also other great players on both teams.
There are, indeed, plenty of fun storylines as the Penguins and Capitals finally meet for the first time in 2019-20. But let’s not kid ourselves; Crosby vs. Ovechkin remains a lot of fun. And, hey, it’s even more fun when you throw Evgeni Malkin, Nicklas Backstrom, and other names into the mix.
Renewing the rivalries of Crosby vs. Ovechkin, Penguins – Capitals
Capitals head coach Todd Reirden said that the rivalry doesn’t “go away,” and that’s a great thing for the NHL.
” … But it clearly triggers upon Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin as the main stars,” Reirden said, via NHL.com’s Tom Gulitti. “There’s lots of stories beneath that, but the rivalry is outstanding and it’s amazing for hockey and I think will forever be remembered just like you talk about [Larry] Bird and Magic [Johnson in the NBA] or different rivalries that have gone on in sports.”
Sunday’s game marks the 50th regular-season meeting between Crosby and Ovechkin, and the 75th if you add in playoff skirmishes.
As you’d expect from two iconic superstars, some of the head-to-head numbers are staggering. Through 49 regular-season games against each other, Crosby has the edge in overall points (70 to 51) while Ovechkin scored more goals (30 to 24). Crosby’s Penguins won three of four playoff series, but Ovechkin had been more prolific (33 points to 30).
It’s almost too perfect that the winning team in all four Capitals – Penguins series of the Crosby – Ovechkin era went on to with that year’s Stanley Cup.
Take, for instance, the one-two punches of Crosby + Malkin and Ovechkin + Backstrom. Since 2005-06, when Crosby and Ovechkin got started, Crosby + Malkin boast the most combined points of any two teammates (2,299) while Ovechkin and Backstrom rank second (2,178).
(Imagine where Crosby + Malkin would be if they didn’t frequently deal with injuries that Ovechkin and Backstrom mostly found ways to avoid?)
With Ovechkin chasing 700 goals at 695, and both teams atop the Metropolitan Division, it’s just as easy to focus on the present as it is to marvel at the past.
While Braden Holtby struggles, Ilya Samsonovhas been red-hot. Barring late changes, Samsonov is expected to start on Sunday. Reirden looks at the situation as mostly positive.
“We’re fortunate to have a young up-and-coming goaltender that’s performed very well and a Stanley Cup, Vezina winner as well,” Reirden said, via NBC Sports Washington. “So we’re in a good situation.”
The Capitals have been there before, where an upstart goalie (first Philipp Grubauer, now Samsonov) outplays Holtby. If things shake out the same way again — with a Stanley Cup — they’d welcome this bit of turbulence.
Either way, there are a lot of storylines to watch on Sunday, so enjoy.
Mike Emrick, Eddie Olczyk, and Brian Boucher will have the call from Capital One Arena in Washington D.C. Sunday’s studio coverage on NBC will be hosted by Liam McHugh with analysts Keith Jones and Mike Milbury.
It’s the NHL All-Star break, which means it’s a good time to reflect on what’s happened during the first four months of the 2019-20 season. There’s been plenty of surprises and disappointments so far, and it’s never too early to begin discussing who could be up for the the major awards in June.
The PHT staff was polled for their top three choices for the Hart, Norris, Vezina, Jack Adams, and Calder. Below are our selections and our reasons behind our No. 1 selections.
Let us know your winners in the comments.
SEAN: The problem for the super duos in Boston and Edmonton is there are arguments to be made for McDavid and Draisaitl and Marchand and Pastrnak for MVP. All are worthy, but right now the top spot has to go to MacKinnon for what he’s done this season with the Avs. His 70 points puts him top three in NHL scoring and he kept on scoring as Mikko Rantanen and Gabriel Landeskog missed time with injuries. How important has been for Colorado? The second leading scorer on the team — Cale Makar — is 35! points behind him.
JAMES: Woof, this is a tough one. MacKinnon gets the edge for two reasons: First, his defensive impact is stronger than guys like McDavid (in a granular way) and secondly, MacKinnon generated big offense and huge shot totals even with key linemates out. He didn’t have the luxury of Mikko Rantanen as often as McDavid had Leon Draisaitl or Pastrnak had Brad Marchand (who’s just as worthy of consideration as Pastrnak).
ADAM: The Oilers’ roster still isn’t very good outside of the top-two or-three players, and McDavid is single-handedly putting that team on his back and carrying it. He is simply the most dominant player in hockey. He should be going for his third or fourth MVP at this point in his career.
JOEY: This may be the obvious pick, but the Oilers are so thin behind McDavid and Leon Draisaitl that it’s hard not to consider their captain the frontrunner to be MVP. McDavid is currently on pace to pick up 127 points, which is one point fewer than last year’s Hart Trophy winner, Nikita Kucherov, finished the season with in 2018-19.
SCOTT: Whether he wins the award or not, McDavid is by far the most valuable player in the National Hockey League
SEAN: A leg injury will likely derail Hamilton’s chances in June, but for now he’s been top for the class this season. He’s got the points (40), the possession stats (58% Corsi, via Natural Stat Trick), and is top five in goals above replacement (13.4) and wins above replacement (2.3), via Evolving Hockey.
JAMES: If Carlson’s scoring lead shrinks, I’d lean toward someone like Pietrangelo, who scores and also shines more in underlying metrics. Carlson’s still mostly … fine, though, really, and his offense has been impossible to ignore. Not just 13 goals and 60 points, but also six game-winners. Sorry, I can only ignore so many shiny points. Hamilton would be in the top three if not for his unfortunate injury — I assume we’ll sadly have to forget about him here.
ADAM: I say this knowing Hamilton is almost certainly not going to win at the end of the season because of his injury (and because Carlson’s point total will get most of the votes) but we are talking strictly first half performance here, and I think Hamilton was the best all-around defenseman in the first half before his injury given his dominance at both ends of the rink and his ability to control the pace of the game. He has always been underappreciated and a legit No. 1 defender, and this is his best performance to date.
JOEY: How can you argue with the Carlson pick? The 30-year-old is top 10 in league scoring, which is shocking at this point, and he’s on pace to surpass the 100-point mark. His overall game isn’t terrible either. What a year.
SCOTT: The offensive part of his game this season has been outstanding but Carlson’s play on both ends of the ice is a huge reason why the Capitals are atop the NHL standings.
SEAN: Hellebuyck is as important player to his team as anyone this season. As the Jets continue to struggle, the netminder has stood out keeping them above water and in the playoff race. He sports a .926 even strength save percentage, is top five in goals saved above average (10.75, per Natural Stat Trick), and leads all goalies in goals above replacement (16.3), wins above replacement (2.8), and standings points above replacement (5.5), as tracked by Evolving Wild.
JAMES: Hellebuyck deserves legitimate MVP consideration. The Jets would be lost without them, as they’re getting swamped and basically asking Hellebuyck to save the day. He’s doing so to a staggering extent. Bishop’s been incredible for Dallas, though, and is even impressive in certain stat categories. Sheer workload wins it for Hellebuyck.
ADAM: Bishop does not get enough attention for being one of the league’s best goalies. He has already been a Vezina finalist three different times in his career and should be there again this season. The Stars have a good team, but no one person is driving their success more than him.
JOEY: Hellebuyck might not have the best numbers of the three candidates on this list, but he’s done a relatively good job playing behind a less-than-stellar defense. The Jets lost Dustin Byfuglien, Tyler Myers and Jacob Trouba in the off-season, so being the goaltender on that team was never going to be easy.
SCOTT: Binnington busted on the scene last season but has proven that it was not a fluke with excellent play between the pipes.
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SEAN: The Blue Jackets are in a playoff spot, just as we all predicted back in July… Despite all of the departures in free agency Tortorella has gotten the best out of his charges, with a special thanks to the recent play of goaltender Elvis Merzlikins. As Cam Atkinson said before the season, Columbus came in with chips on their shoulders and have proved doubters wrong through the first half.
JAMES: Let’s be honest; “keeping your job” is the real Jack Adams Award for coaches in 2019-20. There are some great choices — including Barry Trotz, who didn’t make the top three — but Sullivan’s Penguins haven’t just rolled with huge injury punches. They’ve also managed to be a top team, not just a team clinging to wild-card contention. Sullivan’s versatility as a coach has really impressed me since he joined the Penguins.
ADAM: Sullivan. The Penguins not only lead the league in man-games lost due to injury, but the quality of players that have been sidelined is far and away above what any other team has had to deal with. They are still one of the league’s best defensive teams, one of the league’s best teams overall, and are playing like they did during the 2015-16 and 2016-17 seasons when they won the Stanley Cup.
JOEY: Tortorella has had to make serious adjustments heading into this season. Losing Panarin and Bobrovsky is something most coaches wouldn’t be able to overcome. Whether they make the playoffs or not, Tortorella needs to be in the conversation for the Jack Adams.
SCOTT: With all the injuries that have ravaged the Penguins, they are still in prime position in the Eastern Conference and Sullivan has done a great job of integrating call-ups up and down the lineup.
SEAN: Makar and Hughes will be the top two finalists and so far it’s an incredibly close race. They’re tight in points (Makar leads with a 0.88 points per game average) and close in minutes played (Hughes is ahead by over a minute per night), but Makar gets the slight edge here with his impact offensively for the Avs. The only question come awards season is if Ilya Samsonov came play his way in being the third finalist.
JAMES: Hughes vs. Makar remains a tough choice, and picking third is tough, with Adam Fox and forwards like Victor Olofsson (injured) and Dominik Kubalik knocking on the door. The three defensemen above are bringing offense, but are also carrying significant workloads — and not just “for rookies.” Hughes strikes me as the most impressive from an all-around standpoint, while Makar’s offensive brilliance cannot be ignored. It’s a strong, strong year for rookie defensemen, and Marino’s a hidden gem. All three defensemen are averaging more than 20 minutes per night on playoff teams.
ADAM: Makar looks like he is going to be a superstar. While the forward trio of Nathan MacKinnon, Mikko Rantanen, and Gabriel Landeskog is the foundation of the Avalanche roster, a player like Makar is what really takes them to another level as Stanley Cup contenders. An impact defenseman that can move the puck, play those minutes, and help drive the offense the way he does is a cornerstone player and the type of defenseman that has Norris Trophies in his future.
JOEY: Makar has averaged over 20 minutes of ice time in his first full year in the NHL and he’s managed to pick up 11 goals and 35 points in 40 games this season. The 21-year-old looks like he’s going to be a huge factor in Colorado for many years to come. He’s definitely the rookie of the year if he stays healthy.
SCOTT: The transition to the NHL shouldn’t be this easy but Makar has been a force on the Avalanche blueline.
Rick Tocchet replaces Gerard Gallant as Pacific All-Star coach
Gerard Gallant’s surprising dismissal as head coach of the Vegas Golden Knights on Wednesday also created another opening at the 2020 NHL All-Star Game.
For Tocchet, this will be his first time coaching in the All-Star Game. He has been the Coyotes’ coach since the start of the 2017-18 season. It is worth noting that in the chaos of the league’s coaching carousel this season (that has now seen seven coaching changes) he is tied with Vancouver’s Travis Green as the longest-tenured coach in the Pacific Division. Both are in their third years with their respective teams.
Washington’s Todd Reirden (Metropolitan Division), Boston’s Bruce Cassidy (Atlantic Division), and St. Louis’ Craig Berube (Central Division) are the other three coaches at this year’s game.
The NHL’s All-Star weekend takes place later this month on January 24-25 in St. Louis.
We know the rosters and the players who are up for the “Last Men In” vote, and now we know who the four coaches will be at the 2020 NHL All-Star Game later this month in St. Louis.
Bruce Cassidy of the Bruins will represent the Atlantic Division; Todd Reirden of the Capitals will man the bench for the Metropolitan Division; Craig Berube will run the show for the Central Division; and Gerard Gallant of the Vegas Golden Knights will serve as head coach for the Pacific Division.
This is the second straight All-Star Game for Reirden, while Gallant will be attending his third as head coach.
The four coaches were named to the All-Star teams because their teams have the highest points percentage as of Jan. 2, the halfway point of the 2019-20 regular season.
• Bruins (.702, 24-7-11)
• Capitals (.720, 27‑9‑5)
• Blues (.690, 26-10-6)
• Golden Knights (.591, 23-15-6)
The 2020 All-Star Game will once again be a three-on-three tournament that will see each division face each other in a series of 20-minute games (Atlantic vs. Metropolitan; Central vs. Pacific; and the two winners in a championship game).
The 2020 NHL All-Star Skills Competition will take place on Friday, Jan. 24 (8 p.m. ET, NBCSN) and the 2020 NHL All-Star Game will be on Saturday, Jan. 25 (8 p.m. ET, NBC).
San Jose Sharks forward Evander Kane was ejected from Tuesday’s 5-2 loss against the Washington Capitals for elbowing Caps defenseman Radko Gudas.
The hit came shortly after Kane scored a goal in what had already clearly been developing into a lopsided win for the Capitals. Gudas clearly seemed disoriented by the hit, as he was helped to the bench by Capitals’ staff.
Both Kane and Gudas have extensive histories of supplemental discipline in the NHL. Most recently, Kane was suspended for three games for abuse of an official heading into the 2019-20 season. Gudas’ most recent suspension came for two games for high-sticking back in February, so both have been suspended during the calendar year.
As you can see, Tom Wilson chirped the Sharks about their lack of a Stanley Cup ring following the Kane hit:
“It’s a high hit. It’s a reviewable penalty. The league will deal with it from there,” Reirden said. “But it’s the type of stuff we’re working to remove from the game.”
Gudas didn’t return to the game for the Capitals, but considering that it was late in the third period of a game that wasn’t very close, that isn’t all that surprising. Even so, it wouldn’t be surprising if Gudas suffered a longer-lasting injury from that hit.
