Staff writer Craig Jones joins the podcast to discuss Philipp Grubauer’s career season, the success of the defensive group and what could happen before next week’s NHL trade deadline.

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Staff writer Owyn Cooper chats with Juliana Nikac, social media manager for the NWHL’s Connecticut Whale, about her love for the game of hockey, having a career in sports and much more.

• What is your background in hockey and how did you end up in the industry? (2:00)
• What was it like going to school at two colleges with prestigious hockey programs? (7:05)
• What did you know about the NWHL and what about it drew your interest in working for them? (9:40)
• What is the voice of the Connecticut Whale on social media and how did you find your brand? (12:00)
• What was the most difficult part of running social for a sports team during COVID-19? (15:57)
• What the impact been like when the NHL puts a spotlight on the NWHL? (22:23)
• Thoughts on a NWHL team in Colorado? (25:45)
• If you had advice for aspiring young women in the sports industry, what would you tell them? (28:04)
• What is your take on fans with multiple team allegiances? (31:12)
• What are your thoughts on the NHL’s division alignment? (36:48)
• Who is your Stanley Cup pick? (43:15)

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Host Aaron Goldschmidt chats with College Hockey News senior writer Avash Kalra about the Denver Pioneers and the NCHC conference.

• Is North Dakota the team to beat this year? (5:55)
• What’s going on with Magnus Chrona? (8:43)
• Do the Pioneers not have enough scoring? (13:59)
• Is Carter Savoie one of Denver’s top playmakers of the last decade? (16:15)
• Why haven’t the Pioneers been able to fight back into games this season? (19:15)
• Frozen Faceoff updates (22:00)
• How does the NCHC compete for national championships every year? (28:25)
• Will the NCAA pull off the Frozen Four tournament? (33:12)

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Host Aaron Goldschmidt chats with Locked on Avalanche podcast host Chris Micieli to discuss the Colorado Avalanche season thus far.

• Why can’t the Avalanche stay healthy? (11:35)
• Can the Avs get by without Nathan MacKinnon? (16:00)
• Which player are you excited to see step up with all the injuries? (24:45)
• Is Bowen Byram ready? (30:09)
• Will Cale Makar avoid a sophomore slump? (33:00)
• Is Jared Bednar a long-term solution for the Avalanche? (38:24)
• Can Grubauer finally stay healthy and be the Avs #1? (49:05)
• The Lake Tahoe outdoor game is right around the corner. Boom or bust? (52:42)

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In this first podcast of season 4, the Rink staff members John Jaeckel, Sean Fitzgerald, and Andy Campbell to talk about the latest Blackhawks news considering the absence of Jonathan Toews to open the new year.

Watch the entire replay of the Facebook live right here:

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In this final podcast of season 3, the Rink staff members John Jaeckel, Ray Napientek, Sean Fitzgerald, and Andy Campbell to talk about the Blackhawks moves.

• Kirby Dach fractures his wrist at World Championships.
• Dylan Strome is still not signed with camp starting in a week
• Carl Soderberg signed to fill a spot at center

Watch the entire replay of the Facebook live right here:

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This process begins with the opening of training camps and the NHL regular season as well as the divisional layouts. With the season beginning in just over three weeks, formal training camps will begin on Jan. 3. The seven teams that did not participate in the 2019–20 Return to Play will be permitted to open their training camps as early as Dec. 31. There will be no preseason games as teams get ready to jump into what will surely be a chaotic schedule.

The @NHLPA and @NHL have announced an agreement to play a 2020-21 regular-season schedule of 56 games beginning on Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2021. https://t.co/2on0oStnMd pic.twitter.com/aggYeVMjfj

— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) December 20, 2020

To make traveling easier, the NHL temporarily restructured the divisions. Teams like Colorado, Minnesota and St. Louis head west while Columbus, Detroit and Tampa Bay move into the new Central Division. The new Canadian North Division, created to avoid teams having to cross the US/Canada border, is made up of Calgary, Edmonton, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Vancouver and Winnipeg.

Teams will play each division foe eight times with the exception of the North Division, who will play each other either nine or 10 times. Playoffs will return to a more traditional format of 16 teams, with the top four in each division qualifying.

TSN’s Pierre LeBrun laid out several key season dates including the Seattle Expansion Draft and NHL Entry Draft as well.

So, to recap:
Puck drop: Jan. 13
Trade deadline: April 12
End of reg season: May 8
Expansion draft: July 21
NHL draft: July 23-24
Free-agent Frenzy: July 28
July 29: LeBrun goes to cottage https://t.co/um2EkAIOc6

— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) December 20, 2020

According to Sportsnet insider Elliotte Friedman, the there is a Dec. 24 opt-out deadline for non-playoff teams, and Dec. 27 for playoff teams. Group II RFAs must be signed by Feb. 11 to play this season. Players on one-year deals can extend on March 12. These are a few more details that Friedman laid out:

• Entry-level contract slide for rookies drops from 10 games to 7
• Training camps will include 36 skaters and an unlimited number of goalies
• No-movement clauses extended through July 28, which means that any player with one will have it through the expansion draft

#NHL/#NHLPA Agreement: 23-man roster with $81.5 million salary cap.

This includes creation of 4-6 man taxi squad. All 29 players (max) will travel and practice with NHL team. Taxi squad is paid full AHL salary. CBA has been expanded to include for more flexible emergency recalls

— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) December 19, 2020

As far as the Seattle Kraken are concerned, the expansion draft will be July 21, 2021. Pick submissions and interview periods are as follows, according to <ahref=”https://twitter.com/reporterchris/status/1340693553215905793?s=20″>Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston:

Clarification: This applies to RFA’s and UFA’s left unprotected. Those players can be signed by Seattle before the July 21 expansion draft, which would then have them be designated the selection from their former club.

— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) December 20, 2020

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The Rink staff members John Jaeckel, Jeff Osborn, Sean Fitzgerald, and Aaron (Goldschmidt) Goldstein to talk about the Blackhawks announcement today that Stan Bowman has been promoted, while Jaime Faulkner takes President of Business Ops, and Danny Witz becomes CEO.

Watch the entire replay of the Facebook live right here:

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The-Rink.com co-hosts Jeff Osborn , and John Jaeckel are joined by The Rink writers Andy Campbell and Sean Fitzgerald to talk about the big trade of the day.

• • • Brandon Saad and Dennis Gilbert to Colorado for Nikita Zadorov and Anton Lindholm

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The-Rink.com co-host Jeff Osborn , Rink prospect writer Ray Napientek and The Rink Colorado‘s Aaron Goldschmidt wrap up the Blackhawks first day of the NHL draft.

• • The Stan Bowman and the Blackhawks took a “safe” pick selected Lukas Reichel
  • What we might expect from tomorrow’s rounds 2-7
  • A couple of surprise moves from other teams.

Watch the entire replay of the Facebook live right here:

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https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/colorado-hockey-rinkcast/id1531527924

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The-Rink.com co-hosts Jeff Osborn , John Jaeckel and surprise guest Aaron Goldschmidt of The Rink Colorado wrap up the Blackhawks season and start to contemplate the draft and free agency.

• • After making the Oilers look silly, the Vegas Golden Knights return the favor to the Blackhawks
  • Kirby Dach and Dominik Kubalik continued to play well
  • Alex DeBrincat, Dylan Strome and Alex Nylander did not
  • The irrational hate for Olli Maatta
  • Corey Crawford and goalie talk
  • Discussion about the lack of player development

Watch the entire replay of the YouTube live right here:

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Here are our picks:

Photo courtesy of NHL.com

New York Rangers vs Carolina Hurricanes

Cris:  CAR in 5

The biggest question mark on the Canes is their goaltending. However, their defense corps is one of, if not the best in the League. I think that, in the end, it is just too much for the Rangers to overcome.

Jeff:  CAR in 5

I really wanted to pick the Rangers. They have a three-headed monster in goal, promising youth, and MVP candidate Artemi Panarin. Unfortunately, they were the second worst team in the Metro this year. They just aren’t ready. I think they make it a series because the Canes have a pretty tense situation in goal, but it won’t be enough. Better days are ahead for the Rangers.

JJ:  CAR in 5

John:  NYR in 5

Just a hunch – Carolina’s playoff mojo doesn’t carry over to this year. The Rangers have the feel of a team on the rise in a hurry.

Juliana:  NYR in 5

I almost picked the Hurricanes. In my opinion, this series really hinges on two things: goaltending and if Dougie Hamilton can play for the Canes. This prediction is based off him not playing and Igor Shestyorkin stealing the show. It also helps that the Rangers have Hart candidate Panarin leading the offense. This will be one of the more interesting series to watch.

Marie:  CAR in 4

Let me just start by saying, I have no idea. I’m an AHL fan. I only halfway pay attention to the NHL so a lot of my picks will be based more on random feelings than actual facts. But I think Carolina tends to rally and play well when it matters most. As cliché as it sounds, it’s often about which team wants it more, and I think that’s Carolina.

Photo courtesy of NHL.com

Chicago Blackhawks vs Edmonton Oilers

Cris:  EDM in 4

Corey Crawford missed the majority of training camp. Although both teams struggle to defend, the Oilers do have an edge with their goaltending. This should definitely be an interesting series to watch.

Jeff:  EDM in 4

Edmonton has holes but not as many as the Blackhawks have. Edmonton also has two of the best players in the world in Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.  In goal, both teams have question marks, but the Oiler hold the slight COVID edge. If Crawford was available for a full training camp, I would give the Blackhawks the edge in net, but he is really behind the curve. The Blackhawks were last in the Central for a reason. Their defense stinks.

JJ:  EDM in 5

This series I was split on, as I can really see either team taking this series in five games. However, I do believe that the Oilers will have a slight advantage over the Blackhawks. I think the Oilers offensive firepower will eventually prove to be too much for the Blackhawks, and that they just will not be able to put a quick stop to the dynamic duo of McDavid and Draisaitl.

John:  EDM in 4

Whether Crawford plays or not, the match-ups between the nets are in Edmonton’s favor, both center on center, and Edmonton’s blue line corps versus Chicago’s small, softish forwards. Not to mention what may be an absolutely sieve-like Chicago blue line against Edmonton’s overall forward corps.

Juliana:  EDM in 5

Edmonton is simply the better team. They have top-ranked special teams, McDavid, and Draisaitl. That’s really all you need to win. I think the Blackhawks can make this series tough for the Oilers, but they’re lacking too much defensively.

Marie:  EDM in 3

This hasn’t been Chicago’s year, and I don’t see that changing in the playoffs.

Photo courtesy of NHL.com

Florida Panthers vs New York Islanders

Cris:  NYI in 5

This was a tough one. I do think that Florida could pull it off, seeing as they have the offense. However, after the season Sergei Bobrovsky has had, you can’t rely on him to steal the Panthers any games. While the Islanders have difficulty scoring, their defense definitely outperforms Florida’s. If Bobrovsky does manage to get hot at the right time though, this could be a totally different series.

Jeff:  NYI in 5

While I like the Florida roster overall, I think that the Isles’ stingy defense and goaltending will eventually be too much. If the Islanders get in trouble, Joel Quenneville can out-coach just about anybody. Even though they scored a lot of goals in the regular season, Florida just doesn’t have the high-end scoring they will need to overwhelm the Islanders. That said, Bobrovsky will be in goal for Florida and he has carried his team past better opponents in the playoffs.

JJ:  NYI in 4

John:  NYI in 5

Bobrovsky has been, at times, a good playoff goalie, but he has looked human too often for a $10 million a year guy.

Juliana:  NYI in 5

I truthfully think Florida is a more well-rounded team than the Islanders are, but Bobrovsky looked terrible in the exhibition game against Tampa and he’s been streaky throughout his entire career. If the Isles can tighten their defensive game and play like we know they can, they’ll easily win the series. But the Panthers have Joel Quenneville behind the bench and good offensive firepower. I still think the Isles pull through here.

Marie:  NYI in 5

Just seems like the Islanders are on a roll this season. It feels like they have something to prove.

Photo courtesy of NHL.com

Montreal Canadiens vs Pittsburgh Penguins

Cris:  PIT in 4

I would never count out a fully healthy Penguins team. The Canadiens just don’t have the depth necessary to combat that. As well, based on his performance over the last season or so, I do not expect Carey Price to be stealing any games for MON.

Jeff:  PIT in 4

Much like EDM over CHI, the Pens have Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. Montreal was the 12th seed for a reason. They just don’t have the firepower to take out Pittsburgh.

JJ:  PIT in 3

John:  PIT in 4

I agree with Gatekeeper, this one feels a lot like Chicago-Edmonton for similar reasons.

Juliana:  PIT in 3

Simple explanation: Price is not the goaltender he used to be and Montreal doesn’t have the star power that Pittsburgh does. If Jake Guentzel and Brian Dumoulin didn’t come back, I’d say this series would be closer. But they’re back, so Pittsburgh has a great advantage.

Marie:  MON in 4

This is one of those cases where logic holds no sway with me. My football biases bleed over into hockey. I simply cannot pick the Steelers on Ice Penguins. Also, Alex Belzile (who played a big role when the Eagles won the Kelly Cup in 2017) made the Canadiens roster. I’m not saying he’s going to carry the team or anything, but I love him as a player and hope he gets a real shot (assuming he plays again after that hit he took on Tuesday). Therefore, I’ll cross my fingers and hope for Montreal to pull off the upset.

Jake Muzzin Alex Belzile #HFhits

Well. I guess they’re not going to stop being physical. pic.twitter.com/SfTonrpR6O

— hockeyfights (@hockeyfights) July 29, 2020

Winnipeg Jets vs Calgary Flames

Cris:  WPG in 5

Connor Hellebuyck. The goalie has had an MVP caliber season, despite all the pieces WPG lost on the back end (Trouba, Byfuglien etc). Hellebuyck can and will steal the Jets games.

Jeff:  WPG in 5

If you asked this question prior to the season, I would have said Calgary, hands down. Hellebuyck was having an MVP worthy season for the second time in the last three years, though. A hot goaltender can win a cup for a team. I wouldn’t pick them as a cup winner, but Calgary has so many issues and too much drama.

JJ:  WPG in 5

John:  WPG in 5

Scheifele, Wheeler and Laine. This could be the year Winnipeg puts it all together and makes a run. They have the size and talent to be a brutalizing playoff team, and Hellebuyck is hot.

Juliana:  WPG in 5

Despite how similar these teams are on paper, Calgary lacks in goaltending while Winnipeg has Vezina candidate Hellebuyck in net. The stars of the Flames also had down years, while the stars of the Jets still played like stars. If he continues to play like he did during the regular season, the Jets will sneak out of this qualifying round.

Marie: Winner: WPG in 5

Hellebuyck. That is all.

Save and celly?

Connor Hellebuyck with the can't-miss highlights. pic.twitter.com/yTKLecVJ0i

— NHL (@NHL) September 19, 2019

Arizona Coyotes vs Nashville Predators

Cris:  NSH in 5

ARI doesn’t have the scoring depth they will need. While I wouldn’t pick NSH to be a cup contender, they are a more well-rounded team than the Coyotes.

Jeff:  NSH in 4

I’d love to see this upset but I just don’t think ARI can pull it off. As long as the Preds get decent goaltending, they should be able to send the Coyotes home. That’s not to say that Phil Kessel and Taylor Hall can’t put a scare into the Preds, but I just can’t see it being enough to carry the Yotes.

JJ:  NSH in 4

John:  NSH in 5

In the end, the Yotes will not have enough versus a deep, albeit perennially under-performing Nashville team.

Juliana:  NSH in 4

Both of these teams greatly lack offense, but the defense of the Predators is simply better than the Coyotes. If Pekka Rinne and Juuse Saros can be consistent in net, this is an easy series win for Nashville. If there’s any series where an upset can happen though, it could be this one.

Marie:  NSH in 4

Back when the Colorado Eagles were winning back-to-back Kelly Cups, a certain ECHL owner complained that his team, which (in his opinion) dominated the regular season by playing NHL-style hockey, consistently got beat in the ECHL playoffs. He felt the fast, furious, hard-hitting nature of the ECHL playoffs put his team at an unfair disadvantage. Well, like it or not, the playoffs are a whole different animal in just about any league. What worked in the regular season won’t always work in the post-season. Which is all my long-winded way of saying I don’t think Arizona’s style of hockey is going to cut it.

Photo courtesy of NHL.com

Columbus Blue Jackets vs Toronto Maple Leafs

Cris:  TOR in 4

Columbus is at their best when they are playing their system. Due to the break, the play-in round is going to be very similar to early season hockey, where games are decided by talent rather than the systems in place.

Jeff:  TOR in 5

I’d say TOR in 4 but it’s the Leafs. They will find a way to introduce some drama. Elvis Merzlikins is a nice story in goal for CBJ, but TOR can take this series on talent alone. Columbus’ -7 goal differential should be enough to send them to the second draft lottery.

JJ:  TOR in 4

John:  CBJ in 4

Columbus, like Winnipeg and Boston, is a team built more for the grind and attrition of the playoffs. They’re going to follow much the same prescription as they did in sweeping the Lightning last year. Probably not a popular pick, but the Jackets may pull off the early upset again. It’s also easy to see the officiating favor Toronto, in that the games are in Toronto, and it’s… Toronto. That could shift the series very much in the opposite direction.

Juliana:  TOR in 5

This is another fun series everyone should pay attention to. The Blue Jackets are relatively healthy now, and so are the Leafs. While Columbus has a way better defense corps than Toronto, the Leafs have a monstrous offense that can score their way out of almost anything. I’d love to say Leafs in 3 or 4 games, but we know better than to say that. Still, I think Toronto pulls away with a series win.

Marie:  CJB in 4

I’m basing this largely on their sweep of Tampa in last year’s playoffs. They’re a team on a mission.

Photo courtesy of NHL.com

Minnesota Wild vs Vancouver Canucks

Cris:  VAN in 5

I do believe MIN will put up a fight; however, as I mentioned above, the play in rounds will likely be more reliant on talent. Vancouver has the edge there.

Jeff:  VAN in 3

Vancouver has a solid team that has promising young players at every position. Minnesota is stuck between over-the-hill vets and unproven youth. I’m not a Devan Dubnyk fan and feel like he puts up decent regular season stats and then turns back into a pumpkin in the playoffs. The Wild gave up a ton of goals while the Canucks scored a ton. This should make for a short series for the team from the, “State of Hockey.”

JJ:  VAN in 5

John:  VAN in 3

Sort of like the Rangers-Carolina prediction. Vancouver just has that feel of a team on a quick rise, where Minnesota is more like Chicago. A team sort of stuck in the middle of the pack and lacking a clear character at this point.

Juliana:  VAN in 5

As boring as the Wild can be, the Canucks give away games like it’s free food. Ultimately, it comes down to lines and defensive pairs clicking. If Vancouver’s top six can score like we know they can, this is an easy series win, but who knows how many defensive lapses they’ll make. I think this series will be closer than some might think, but the Canucks will be heading into the first round of the playoffs.

Marie:  MIN in 5

This is another case where there’s not a lot of logic behind my pick. The two Wild teams (Minnesota and their AHL affiliate, the Iowa Wild) seem to pull off victories when I least want them to. I’m predicting that trend will hold true and some really ugly wins will carry them through the qualifying round.

What do you think?

Tell us your thoughts! 

Are we wrong? 

Who do you think will move on to the next round?

The post Round Table: The-Rink staff play-in predictions appeared first on The Rink.

The-Rink.com co-hosts Jeff Osborn, John Jaeckel, are joined by Rink writer Ray Napientek to wrap up the Blackhawks exhibition win and preview the play-in series vs the Edmonton Oilers

• • Corey Crawford emerged from the shadows post-COVID and played with only three days of practice.
  • Dominik Kubalik is ready for the postseason.
  • Kirby Dach also looked energized.
  • The Blues laid a huge turd in the wrap of the exhibition game.
  • We talk about Calvin de Haan and Connor Murphy.
  • The Oilers aren’t going to look like the Blues did Wednesday.
  • We discuss the Blackhawks banning Native American headdresses at all future games and team events.

Watch the entire replay of the ZOOM call on Facebook live right here:

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Corey Crawford, who had Covid-19, got the start in the exhibition game despite potentially needing to take it slow ahead of Saturday against the Oilers. The defense, which was always to be desired, looked sloppy early as the Blackhawks clearly were shaking the rust off. Adam Boqvist, especially, looked lost out there and had trouble passing the puck. Hopefully, the Blackhawks were just attempting to not exert themselves in a “meaningless” game, but some aggressiveness would be welcomed.

The Blackhawks had a couple of good looks early on including a power play, five minutes into play, when Jonathan Toews shoveled a pass to Dominik Kubalik on the left side of Jordan Binnington. A quick shoulder save kept the Blackhawks off the board in the first.

Close but no cigar, Kuby.#Blackhawks #SummerHockey pic.twitter.com/5a7kReY3tW

— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) July 29, 2020

Some positives in the period, however, were the Blackhawks prevented the Blues from a shot on goal over two power plays. A scoreless first period to start the game.

The Blackhawks looked more like a cohesive unit in the second period. Dominik Kubalik gave Jonathan Toews a reverse pass along the boards and Toews came from behind the goal to flip the puck to Brandon Saad giving the Blackhawks the first goal of the night.

CUE CHELSEA DAGGER!

Toews sets up Saad and it’s 1-0 #Blackhawks! pic.twitter.com/qlfehhwsd3

— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) July 29, 2020

Less than two minutes later, the Blackhawks scored again off another turnover by the Blues. Dylan Strome prevented the Blues from clearing the puck and he redirected the stolen puck to Patrick Kane.  While two Blue’s players focused on Kane, Strome slid in front of the net for the 2–0 lead.

That pass
That finish #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/mJWw3mlG7K

— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) July 29, 2020

Crawford started the second period but did not finish it as Malcolm Subban took over for Crawford at the mid-way point in a move that will surely be praised over most social media. If Crawford is going to be a big factor in the play-in series, then it was smart to give him some time in front of competition but there was no need to have him out there longer than needed. He saved 11 of 11 shots and was as good as the team could have hoped for. He played a little over 30 minutes and left with a lead. That is about all you could hope for in a tune-up game.

Malcolm Subban is coming into the game at halfway mark of second period.

Corey Crawford’s night is over. He stopped all 10 shots he faced. Good sign. #Blackhawks

— Charlie Roumeliotis (@CRoumeliotis) July 29, 2020

The Blackhawks took a 2–0 lead into the final period of the game. Jake Allen would start the third period for the Blue’s, but the goalie change provided the same results. Allen had 2.15 goals against average in 24 games for St. Louis and that was the second best mark in the league. Unfortunately for him, the Blackhawks would hit that number on the head. Well, one Blackhawk in particular.

Following some four on four play, the Blackhawks had 75 seconds with a man advantage, but they would need only 17 seconds of that to get their point across. Patrick Kane dished the puck to Kirby Dach, who had the wherewithal to spot Kubalik in front of the net for the power play goal.

And then these SMILES?

ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!#AllforOne pic.twitter.com/nGapt8bJgh

— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) July 30, 2020

The Blackhawks were up 3–0, and went back to the Kubalik well for one more wish. Following a Zach Sanford penalty, Kubalik took a feed off a Blues turnover from Toews that the Calder trophy finalist put in the back of the net for his second power play goal of the night. Nothing new from the man who scored 30 goals in the shortened regular season. A welcome sight for the Blackhawks as they finish the Blues 4–0.

So you bend… and snap! Works every time.#Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/UFcFg3UvJZ

— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) July 30, 2020

Overall, the Blackhawks played good enough to win but if they want to make a push to the impossible, they will need the team to be a lot quicker and a lot smarter with the puck against an Oilers team that rightfully earned a playoff spot.

The puck drops at 2 p.m. on Saturday at Rogers Place in Edmonton in front of an empty crowd. Hockey in August, we will take what we can get.

The post Along the Boards: Blackhawks shutout Blues 4–0 in exhibition warm up appeared first on The Rink.

The @NHL has announced the 2020 #StanleyCup Qualifiers North American broadcast schedule including a 10-game opening weekend. Full Broadcast Schedule: https://t.co/hmUwsKJdQY pic.twitter.com/kb0XGIzQyC

— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) July 21, 2020

On top of the broadcast schedule, they also announced that NHL Center Ice and NHL.TV will be available for 21 of the Qualifying Round and Round Robin games from Saturday, Aug. 1, through Wednesday, Aug. 5. The Blackhawks’ first game of the Qualifying Round will not be available on these platforms.

The Chicago Blackhawks and Edmonton Oilers series broadcast schedule with Center Ice and NHL.TV options are as follows:

(Courtesy of NHL.com)

The entire schedule for the first five days of play can be found here.

The Blackhawks are scheduled to leave for Edmonton on Sunday, July 26 ahead of their exhibition game scheduled for July, 29. Today is a scheduled off day for the team so any updates on the status of Corey Crawford or Jonathan Toews for the trip will be delayed until tomorrow.

The post NHL releases Return to Play broadcast schedule appeared first on The Rink.

The game will take place at 5:30 p.m.(CST) on Wednesday, July 29, at the Rogers Place in Edmonton. Other Western Conference games that day will be the Colorado Avalanche facing the Minnesota Wild at 1:30 p.m(CST) and the Vancouver Canucks facing the Winnipeg Jets at 9:30 p.m.(CST). The full schedule of games beginning Tuesday, July 28, is as follows:

Hockey. In July.

12 exhibition games are on the schedule later this month ahead of the #StanleyCup Qualifiers. https://t.co/64XfKl1jJy pic.twitter.com/ApuIKYP2M2

— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) July 14, 2020

Following the exhibition games, the NHL will play a full slate of alternating games on Saturday, Aug. 1, beginning with the New York Rangers and Carolina Hurricanes at 11 a.m.(CST), and wrapping up with the Winnipeg Jets facing the Calgary Flames at 9:30 p.m.(CST). The full schedule for Aug. 1 is as follows:

Start times for the first five days of the #StanleyCup Qualifiers are locked in, beginning with about 15 hours of action on Saturday, Aug. 1. https://t.co/o4BjkRgvSm pic.twitter.com/nQlzPnl8oh

— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) July 14, 2020

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Off to summer camp.

Phase 3 Return to Play roster announced. #LeafsForever pic.twitter.com/GncCslBpO6

— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) July 12, 2020

Nic Petan and Pontus Aberg were two of the forwards that did not make the original phase three roster. However, it was later corrected, as Petan was deemed “fit to play” and replaced Mac Hollowell. Aberg, on the other hand, has signed with the KHL’s Traktor Chelyabinsk and does not plan on returning to North America.

Nicholas Robertson is another forward who made the phase three return to play roster. Robertson, picked 53rd overall in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft, certainly made himself a prospect to watch over the last year. In 46 games played, Robertson tallied 55 goals and 31 assists for the OHL’s Peterborough Petes. Following practice on Monday, his new teammates had nothing but good things to say about him. Morgan Rielly explained that “he’s a guy that’s going to continue to push,” and “it’s good to have people like that on board.”

Nick Robertson is getting a look today on the Leafs No. 1 power-play unit, joining Matthews, Tavares, Nylander and Barrie.

— Jonas Siegel (@jonassiegel) July 14, 2020

Jeremy Bracco was a name that did not appear on the roster. Back in May, when the AHL season was canceled, the Toronto Marlies’ general manager described Bracco’s season as “interesting,” which may actually be the best way to describe it. At training camp prior to the 2019–20 season, Bracco was coming out of his best season in the AHL yet. He had led the Marlies with 79 points, had played at over a point-per-game pace during the playoffs and had seen his defensive game start to improve. However, even with the injuries that plagued the Leafs this year, Bracco failed to crack the roster. The closest he came to playing for the NHL team was a day spent in the press box. Over the season, his stats dropped and his defensive game—a reoccurring criticism—somehow became worse.

The right wing has not played a game since early February when he took a leave of absence for “personal reasons.” While it is entirely possible that Bracco is not ready to return to hockey yet, there is also the question of where Bracco will go next. He is currently heading toward restricted free agency without arbitration rights.

Andreas Johnsson also did not appear on the roster. The left wing was on a six-month recovery timeline after his knee injury back on Feb. 13, of which surgery followed. As Maple Leafs General Manager Kyle Dubas noted during his press conference on Monday, Johnsson has done well with rehab back home and the club is waiting to see where he is at in the coming weeks.

Kyle Dubas said Andreas Johnsson was on a six-month timeline to recover from knee injury, said he's done well with rehab back home and are excited to see where he'll be at in the coming weeks

— Kristen Shilton (@kristen_shilton) July 12, 2020

Ilya Mikheyev has also rejoined the Leafs after sitting a large part of the season out due to injury and has become a stronger, faster player. Mikheyev has been put back with his previous linemates, Mitch Marner and John Tavares.

Mikheyev to Tavares pic.twitter.com/M8x4P3oh1g

— Omar (@TicTacTOmar) July 13, 2020

On Monday, Timothy Liljegren was deemed “unfit to play.” However, he has been seen at the arena watching practice and speaking to a medical trainer. This meaning his absence is likely injury related rather than coronavirus related. On Tuesday, it was announced that Hollowell would be replacing Liljegren on the roster, at least for the time being.

Liljegren did make an appearance at #Leafs camp yesterday, talking to medical trainer Paul Ayotte. Likely some sort of injury issue holding him out. pic.twitter.com/Tm3jDIpLZf

— Kristen Shilton (@kristen_shilton) July 14, 2020

Defenceman Mac Hollowell has replaced defenceman Timothy Liljegren on the Phase 3 Return to Play roster.#LeafsForever

— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) July 14, 2020

The post The Leafs are back: Here is what you need to know appeared first on The Rink.

Crawford was left as the team’s only NHL goalie with playoff experience when Robin Lehner was traded to the Vegas Golden Knights at the trade deadline in February. Former Boston Bruins first-round pick Malcolm Subban was acquired from Vegas in the trade, but has only 66 games of NHL experience as a backup and no playoff games. Behind Subban is Collin Delia with 18 NHL under his belt and, again, no playoff experience. Kevin Lankinen and Matt Tomkins are also in camp, but neither netminder has played an NHL game. Lankinen was called up as an emergency backup for a couple of games this season, but never saw the ice.

Colliton on Corey Crawford, who did not skate today: “Today, Corey is unfit to participate. For now, it’s an opportunity for those guys to compete.” #Blackhawks

— Carter Baum (@CarterBaum) July 13, 2020

As Mario Tirabassi mentioned on Twitter, Crawford and his wife just welcomed their second son in March, which may play a factor. Another thing to take into account is his post-concussion issues, which could potentially be back in the mix. Thanks to the NHL’s new injury/illness protocol, Crawford’s reason for absence might not be known until the play-in and playoffs are over.

Either way, the Blackhawks need Crawford if they intend on beating the Edmonton Oilers in the play-in round and making it to the first round of the playoffs. Then, General Manager Stan Bowman will need to decide if Crawford is worth extending for next season. If the team does not extend Crawford, there could be some even darker times in store for the 2020–21 season with no experienced goalies and very limited salary cap money to sign one.

Jeremy Colliton on Corey Crawford and the opportunity for Subban, Delia and Lankinen. #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/JKfUt4jKuD

— Eric Lear (@BHTVeric) July 13, 2020

The post Blackhawks’ Corey Crawford deemed ‘unfit to play’ on day one of camp appeared first on The Rink.

Missing from the Blackhawks camp roster are forwards Andrew Shaw and Zack Smith.  Added to the roster that finished with the team in March are:

Forwards

• MacKenzie Entwistle
• Reese Johnson
• Philipp Kurashev
• John Quenneville
• Dylan Sikura

Defensemen

• Chad Krys
• Alec Regula

Goaltenders

• Collin Delia
• Kevin Lankinen
• Matt Tomkins

Minus Regula, all added players finished the season with the Rockford IceHogs. Practice will be at 11 a.m. CST every day until July 26, except scheduled days off on July 16 and 22.

Chicago opens Phase 3 Training Camp with 18 forwards, 12 defensemen and five goalies
(Photograph courtesy of the Chicago Blackhawks)

#Blackhawks lineup during drills:

DeBrincat-Toews-Saad
Nylander-Strome-Kane
Kubalik-Dach-Caggiula
Carpenter-Kampf-Highmore

Keith-Boqvist
de Haan-Murphy
Maatta-Koekkoek
Carlsson-Seabrook

— Eric Lear (@BHTVeric) July 13, 2020

The post Blackhawks announce training camp roster appeared first on The Rink.

NHLPA membership has ratified the new CBA with the NHL and the resumption of the 2019-20 season: https://t.co/GPJlQ6ivXz pic.twitter.com/Eu0jHv5REs

— NHLPA (@NHLPA) July 10, 2020

NBC Sports Chicago’s Charlie Roumeliotis highlighted some key bullet points of the new CBA, Friday, and the most interesting ones are as follows:

• The upper limit of the salary cap will be frozen at $81.5 million for 2020-21 and remain until HRR (hockey-related revenue) hits $3.3 billion.
• NHL players will participate in the 2022 (Bejing) and 2026 (Milan) Olympics, pending negotiations with the IOC.
• All no-trade and no-movement clauses will travel with the player in a trade, even if a player is moved before the clause begins.
• The minimum salaries will remain at $700,000 for 2020-21, then increase to $750,000 for 2021-22 and 2022-23 and will jump to $775,000 for the remainder of the agreement.
• The six-day negotiating window for pending unrestricted free agents leading up to the free agency signing period has been removed.

Along with the new CBA, the postseason play-in round schedule and hub cities were also formally released. Toronto will be the hub city for the Eastern Conference and Edmonton will be the hub city for the Western Conference. According to the posted schedule, there will be up to three games per day at each hub arena.

Beginning August 1 (Phase 4), the following three play-in games will take place at Scotiabank Arena for the Eastern Conference teams:

• New York Rangers vs. Carolina Hurricanes
• Florida Panthers vs. New York Islanders
• Montreal Canadiens vs. Pittsburgh Penguins

In Edmonton, the following games will also be played at the Rogers Place for the Western Conference teams:

• Chicago Blackhawks vs. Edmonton Oilers
• Winnipeg Jets vs. Calgary Flames

The full schedule is as follows:

The #StanleyCup Qualifiers are going to be an exciting 10-day stretch of hockey. https://t.co/IErZJ2hifT pic.twitter.com/Ya2wwxuhSs

— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) July 10, 2020

Immediately after the play-in round and round-robin seeding games have been completed, the second part of the NHL draft lottery will be held on August 10, followed by the first round of the playoffs on August 11. All statistics accumulated in the Stanley Cup Qualifiers (round robin and qualifying rounds) are considered part of the 2020 postseason and will be valid in the NHL archives.

As far as the Blackhawks are concerned, potential games will be played at the following dates and times:

• Game 1 — Saturday, August 1
• Game 2 — Monday, August 3
• Game 3 — Wednesday, August 5
• Game 4 — Friday, August 7 (if necessary)
• Game 5 — Saturday, August 8 (if necessary)

Chicago will begin phase 3 by opening their formal training camp on July 13, followed by traveling to Edmonton on July 26 in preparation for an undetermined amount of exhibition games on July 28-30, and their first game against the Oilers on August 1.

Give us your thoughts and feelings below!

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The full dates for the current NHL season are as follows:

As Frank notes, some of these dates have already moved. Camps scheduled to open on July 13; travel to Hubs scheduled for July 26; Qualifying round scheduled to begin Aug. 1, for example. https://t.co/vc2Zu3DWAS

— Bob McKenzie (@TSNBobMcKenzie) July 8, 2020

Critical dates for the 2020-21 season are as follows:

Tentative dates listed in #NHL and #NHLPA Memorandum of Understanding:

Later of Oct. 9 or 7 days after Cup Final ends is opening of #FreeAgentFrenzy

Nov. 17: Opening of training camps for 2020-21

Dec. 1: Opening of 2020-21 regular season

All subject to change.

— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) July 8, 2020

Also, tentative date for 2020 #NHLDraft is Oct. 6. It must follow the end of the Stanley Cup Final and precede the free agent signing period.

— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) July 8, 2020

TSN’s Bob McKenzie reported on his Insider Trading segment, today, the NHL’s daily schedule for games will be at 12:00 PM, 4:00 PM, and 8:00 PM local time at both of the Phase Four Secure Zones. This would mean that there would be six games in roughly a 15 hour window. Needless to say, this tight time frame will have to be very fluid, and it also begs to question what kind of toll the number of games in such a condensed period of time will have on the players, especially the older ones.

Teams like the Blackhawks could potentially play up to 32 games to complete this season, participate in the NHL entry draft days later, free agency, and start training camp approximately three weeks after the Stanley Cup is hoisted with full 82 game 20-21 regular season and Stanley Cup playoff to follow. This means that a team from the qualifying round could play up to 132 games from August 1 of this year to July 1, 2021.

If you recall, the players that competed in the 2016 World Cup of Hockey indicated that the extra games prior to the season took a physical toll on them when the playoffs eventually commenced. This Return to Play plan would be even worse because all the games would be played within a condensed schedule and could last much longer.

The NHL will first need to ensure the remainder of this season goes smooth and with minimal COVID-19 fallout, though.  Give us your thoughts below.

The NHL’s Return to Play bracket. (courtesy of sportsnet.ca)

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Late Sunday afternoon, the army of insiders released the proposed information regarding the plans for the NHL’s proposed playoff plans.  They also indicated that, in conjunction with the return-to-play memo of understanding, both parties are determined to agree to an extended collective bargaining agreement, which would avoid a labor-related work stoppage for the first time in Gary Bettman’s tenure.

NHL and NHLPA have finalized tentative agreement on RTP Phase 3/4 protocols but are continuing to work on finalizing the details of the CBA MOU.

— Bob McKenzie (@TSNBobMcKenzie) July 5, 2020

NBCSC’s Charlie Roumeliotis outlined several of the top points in the memo of understanding, which includes how the league will handle players who opt out of the return-to-play playoff tournament:

• Any player that opts out of Phases 3 and 4 will not be penalized in any way, but they must notify their NHL teams in writing three days after the ratification vote is complete.
• There will be a limit of 30 skaters and an unlimited number of goalies in Phase 3, and only players eligible to play in the 2019-20 season resumption are permitted to skate. A maximum of 52 personnel members — a minimum of three coaches and a maximum of 31 players — will be allowed to travel for Phase 4.
• Each of the 24 NHL teams in Phases 3 and 4 must submit its list of participating players by Thursday. Formal training camps are expected to open on Monday, July 13.
• Players must undergo a pre-participate medical exam, and if both the doctor administering the exam and the team’s infectious disease expert determine that a player is at “substantial risk of developing a serious illness,” the player will be deemed unfit to play. The player will, however, be allowed to seek a second opinion.
• If a player who tests positive for COVID-19 or develops symptoms in either Phase 3 or 4, the team is not permitted to share that information with the media or public, absent prior approval from the NHL, in consultation with the NHLPA.
• If an individual leaves the bubble environment in the two respective hub cities without permission, the individual may be subject to consequences up to and including removal. In addition, violations could result in significant financial penalties for the club and/or loss of draft choices, according to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman.
• Players’ families will be allowed to join the players for the Conference Finals and Stanley Cup Final, which will be hosted by Edmonton.

This announcement comes on the heels of more players in Major League Baseball testing positive, including two Chicago White Sox players who tested positive during the initial intake process.

As far as the CBA negotiations are concerned, a huge point of contention is the salary escrow that the players will be subjected to. Friedman also noted that noticeable changes in the new agreement are regarding Olympic participation, strengthening no-movement clauses, 35-plus contract relaxation, and the elimination of conditional draft picks for players re-signing or not re-signing with the target teams.

More news should be released in the coming days.

NHLPA, NHL Reach Tentative Agreement on Return to Play Plan, CBA Extension; Set Dates for Resumption of Play https://t.co/QKnu4L2jWV pic.twitter.com/6ClJWYhQwH

— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) July 6, 2020

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