It is officially past the quarter mark of the season, where every single team in the National Hockey League has played in 21 games or more to complete the 2021-2022 regular season. We will look back at the past at 7 stories that have broke prior to the final team’s 21st game; look at 7 ongoing stories around the league; and look stories to look ahead to as the season continues.
Past
1. The Fall of the Dynasty (Chicago Blackhawks)
The Blackhawks have been the biggest struggle out in the Western Conference. The Hawks covered up scandal after scandal, and are now paying the price in the present day. The organizational staff has gone against its own protocols, and decided to cover it up with an attempt for success in the current season, hence the acquisitions of Seth Jones and Marc-Andre Fleury, to name a few.
Kyle Beach had his career ruined in Chicago by Chicago before Chicago could give their first round pick a chance at making it to the NHL, and having the whole team at risk with Aldrich in the presence. Beach had teammates in support of him, and the active players and personnel remaining did not help or defend him in efforts of winning or holding value in the present world, and it has already cost management.
The Akim Aliu slip in at the end did not help either through his issues in the organization from Peters or the racism he dealt with within their organization either. The whole thing is wrong, and they are continuing to bathe in their failures.
2. How the Mighty Fallen (Anaheim Ducks)
After the mishandling of the Blackhawks, comes the notice from the league to have teams clean out their closest, and deal with their problems in the present. The one team to come forward has been the abuse from Ducks general manager Bryan Murray, the builder of their 2007 Stanley Cup.
Mistreatment if staff, coaches, and players has been reported, and he has now checked himself into an alcoholic rehab facility to help conquer his problems. While the Ducks are a team on a rise this season, and will ride it with his adds, they are dealing with new management at the top in the interim.
3. What is Kraken? (Seattle Kraken)
The Seattle Kraken have made their long awaited arrival as the 32nd NHL team, and retiring the jersey number as a result for the value of the number to the organization. Seattle completed its expansion draft in the summer, as well as participated in their first entry draft and free agency period. Even though it has not been the best start for their beginnings, they are looking to build.
4. The Best Russian Player (Washington Capitals)
Alexander Ovechkin is the best Russian born player of all time, and maybe be the greatest goal scorer of the current generation of hockey. The Great 8 is at 750 career goals, which is 4th all time in goal scoring. The Capitals, on the back of Ovi, are first in the Metro and Eastern Conference. Ovechkin has 20 goals and 21 assists in his season with Washington.
5. Goalie Blanks (Calgary Flames)
Seems like the Jennings Trophy has been decided this early with the duo of Daniel Vladar and Jacob Markstrom with the Flames having 7 shutouts in the first 19 games, touching a record that occurred in 1929. Both are in the top ten for goals against and save percentage in the league, and that has helped the Flames right their ship toward the postseason.
6. Jersey Toss (Canada)
Three Canadian teams have seen fans this season throw a jersey into the ice, including the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, and Vancouver Canucks. The Leafs’ toss was just for performance, and they have gone from under 0.500 to being first in the Atlantic Division. The Habs, after being in the Stanley Cup Finals, started the season without goalie Carey Price and defenseman Shea Weber. They’ve been dealing with injuries and losses all season, and after the jersey toss, the ownership has dismissed their entire staff expect the coaching, where they will wait in the other changes to occur first. The Canadiens now have Jeff Gorton in the helm, and his youth and retooling will help the the team reset. With the Canucks, they had a fan throw a jersey, which led to the Canucks to fire their head coach and general manager, and are still making their adjustments.
7. Broad Street Boredom (Philadelphia Flyers)
After a full offseason of moves for new leadership on players in every position and aspect, they have still failed to meet where they were since the 2020 playoffs, and have fired their coaching staff in hopes for a new change, and may change that as well. Their offensive and defensive depth have been hurting while Carter Hart has remained a great and elite young goalie in the NHL. The changes cut out the head and assistant coaches for the promotion of the other assistant coach.
Present
1. Disaster in the Desert (Arizona Coyotes)
The Tempe/Glendale/Phoenix/Arizona/ Coyotes continue to find themselves in the news after a separate money issue has gone down with the city for payments being behind. With the new ownership still settling into the league, and the rebuilding, the Coyotes are being set up with disaster now before it gets better.
2. New Office (Vancouver Canucks)
It is coming down the wire that the new President of Hockey Operations for the Canucks is Jim Rutherford, who has three Stanley Cups in the salary cap era with the Pittsburgh Penguins and Carolina Hurricanes. Rutherford will also serve as the interim general manager as they continue that search. Additionally, they have hired Bruce Boudreau to be their new head coach, and is 2-0-0 in his time thus far.
3. Yeo Yo (Philadelphia Flyers)
With the firings of Alain Vinegault and Michel Therrien in Philadelphia, the Flyers promoted Mike Yeo as their interim head coach. AV is still owed another $10 million dollars from the Flyers, while Yeo is serving under Fletcher, just like the old days in Minnesota. They have been winless since this change.
4. Mental Health Matters (Vegas Golden Knights)
It has become public knowledge that Vegas goalie Robin Lehner will not join Sweden in the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, China, for mental health reasons. The Knights’ starter is the first to go public about not going, but also has become a known player with mental health, and winning the Masterton Trophy as a member of the Islanders.
5. The Appeal (Toronto Maple Leafs)
After the game action on Sunday between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Winnipeg Jets, the NHLPA has decided to know appeal the current 6 game suspension for Leafs’ center Jason Spezza for his kneeing incident on Jets’ defender Neal Pionk. The PA and the Department of Player Safety have been at a head for issues since Parros took over, but it is a wait and see game with the next steps.
6. Best in the West (Minnesota Wild)
After changing the guard, they have gone faster and stronger to become a Pittsburgh style team meshing with younger talent as their core in the State of Hockey. Gambling on the kids in Kaprizov and Eriksson Ek has paid off, and Talbot has become their number one goalie.
7. Best in the East (Florida Panthers)
The Cats have done deals since day one of the Zito era, and they continue to get better and better with age. Everything is going right, even with an interim head coach in Andrew Brunette. The leaders are producing and the goaltending has been stellar between the millionaire and the rookie.
Future 1. The Olympics
February is coming fast, and January is coming faster. The new year is 2022, and the 10th is the deadline to not go to China for the Olympics. As diplomatic boycotts are ongoing within Western ideologies, the players are still able to go. With one player already removing himself, who else will follow?
2. The Winter Classic (Minnesota Wild)
The State of Hockey is getting the respect it deserves with the top team in the conference and an outdoor game to start the new year. The Wild will be hosting the Blues at Target Field, home of the Twins.
3. The Stadium Series (Nashville Predators)
Music City is also getting an outdoor game for a fan base that deserves it between the culture and the fan chants. They host the Tampa Bay Lightning at Nissan Stadium, home of the Tennessee Titians.
4. The Heritage Classic (Toronto Maple Leafs)
Buffalo and Toronto clash in an unusual take of the Heritage Classic, with it’s usual two Canadian teams, the Sabres will be the home team in Hamilton, Ontario.
5. The All Star Game (Vegas Golden Knights)
Another fan base with energy and a new breath of experience, Sin City gets the All Star Game , and is utilizing resources around the city to bring more to the weekend, including closing parts of the strip for the events. Hockey has held its place since year one after their cup final appearance against the Capitals in 2018.
6. The Price is Wright
The Shane Wright sweepstakes are red hot, with the Senators, Coyotes, Sabres, Canucks, Kraken, Islanders, Canadiens, Blackhawks, and Flyers near the bottom of the league at this time. This could also bode well for other sellers for the future number one center in Shane Wright.
7. Musical Chairs
Could we see more changes in coaching and management? So far, we have seen moves in Anahiem, Chicago, Montreal, Philadelphia, and Vancouver in one form or another just a quarter of the way through. Who is next? Who steps into what is open?
More to come ….