NEWSLETTER
Here’s hoping you had a great Memorial Day. The NHL provided us with a single game on the calendar: Game 7 in Carolina. The Canes hadn’t lost on home ice in the entire playoffs; the Rangers were trying to come back from the brink for a second consecutive series. Something had to give…
• The Rangers ended the Canes’ home win streak and season with a resounding win. Unfortunately for Carolina, their should-be back-up goaltender, former Blackhawk Antti Raanta, was lost to an injury in the second period. The game was already out of reach, but going to their third netminder wasn’t an ideal way to finish the season.
Here’s the play that injured Raanta pic.twitter.com/nhYdhuwM6B
— Jonny Lazarus (@JLazzy23) May 31, 2022
• The Canes also lost rookie forward Seth Jarvis to a big, high hit from Jacob Trouba — who also knocked Sidney Crosby out of a couple key games in the first round of the playoffs — early in the first period. Trouba’s been known for big (questionable) hits and he’s made an impact with concussion-causing hits in two series already in this postseason.
• The Rangers will now play the two-time defending champion Tampa Bay Lightning in the Eastern Conference Final. Blackhawks fans should keep an eye on one of Tampa’s coaches, Derek Lalonde, who should be on Chicago’s radar for their next head coach.
How About Derek Lalonde as a Blackhawks Head Coach Candidate?https://t.co/Ul5khlRTIv pic.twitter.com/uSrQR7dG4q
— Bleacher Nation Blackhawks (@BN_Blackhawks) May 31, 2022
• Sometimes fans can forget that COVID is still a very real thing. And for the Oilers — the only team left from Canada — that impacts their travel plans when playing a team in the United States. They didn’t just hop on a charter and fly straight to Denver this weekend.
The Oilers flew to Vancouver and then bussed across border to Colorado. (Similar to round one v. LA). They had a long travel day, with some unexpected delays due to their large group I’m told.
But no players tested positive as there is no testing when crossing border.
— Jason Gregor (@JasonGregor) May 30, 2022
• As Blackhawks fans get ready for the 2022 NHL Draft, one writer to follow is Corey Pronman at The Athletic. He published his final prospect rankings before the draft on Tuesday morning.
New @TheAthleticNHL: My top 127 ranked players in the 2022 NHL Draft, with full write ups and tool grades, and for the first time ever, player comparables https://t.co/wcRQYtPg2u
— Corey Pronman (@coreypronman) May 31, 2022
• Speaking of youth movements, the Cubs had three more youngsters make their big league arrivals count during Monday’s double-header against Milwaukee.
Three Cubs Prospect Debuts in a Single Day and Other Cubs Bullets – https://t.co/vdrqFGScH7 pic.twitter.com/0TnYOW7oK7
— Bleacher Nation (@BleacherNation) May 31, 2022
