NEWSLETTER
Before the Chicago Blackhawks wrap up their road trip tonight with a meeting with the Calgary Flames at 8:00 (ct), let’s take a spin around the NHL and check in on some news and notes from around the league. But, first, we’ll start with some off-ice Chicago Blackhawks news.
• The Chicago Blackhawks and the attorneys for Kyle Beach and John Doe 2 have agreed to mediation in their efforts to come to a settlement in their pending sexual assault lawsuits. Mediation is a step in the right direction for a speedy and fair resolution. Mario has more on the news here:
Report: Blackhawks, Representation for Kyle Beach and “John Doe 2” Agree to Settlement Mediation https://t.co/6La4rAbvAK
— Bleacher Nation Blackhawks (@BN_Blackhawks) November 23, 2021
• The New Jersey Devils unveiled a new jersey this week, a third jersey that will be a regular part of their rotation. While they’ve taken some heat for the design’s simplicity (or blandness) and its similarness to another jersey you might have seen before, I don’t think they’re as bad as some do. Check them out:
In Jersey, tradition is everything.
OUR STORY ➡️ https://t.co/1GDeAfytvH pic.twitter.com/x5ssSn5vUi
— New Jersey Devils (@NJDevils) November 23, 2021
Rooted in Garden State hockey history. Forged for the future. #NJDevils | #MadeInJersey pic.twitter.com/5qj1eE8X7A
— New Jersey Devils (@NJDevils) November 23, 2021
Coming soon… maybe. pic.twitter.com/Aq2wUWZYS0
— New Jersey Devils (@NJDevils) November 23, 2021
• They do kind of look like the Chicago Blackhawks 2019 Winter Classic threads, but considering the Blackhawks don’t wear that jersey anymore, I don’t have a huge issue with the parallels between the two sweaters.
Someone at the Devils found the first draft of the 2019 Blackhawks Winter Classic jerseys in a drawer and said "f*** it, good enough" pic.twitter.com/EtVRdyF99p
— Jeff Veillette (@JeffVeillette) November 23, 2021
• The Players seem to dig them:
“I think people know I’m a person with an open mind. I think it’s great,” said Subban. “Adidas is one of my partners. When I went to Portland last summer, they showed me a couple of the third jersey options for some of the teams. I’m really excited. New Jersey has so much history and so much culture. I think they did a really good job with the jersey.”
• If the players like them, and the New Jersey fans like them, why do we care?
• The Hockey Hall of Fame announced some changes to their Selection Committee on Tuesday morning:
.@HockeyHallFame announces Cammi Granato will join the 18-member Selection Committee starting Jan. 1.
Granato will replace the outgoing John Davidson, who also chaired the committee.
Mike Gartner, a Selection Committee member since 2009, will be elevated to chair. pic.twitter.com/cM4ubHkuU0— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) November 23, 2021
• Cammi Granato is the first woman elected to the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame and a long-time player and pioneer of the women’s hockey movement for the past three decades. Granato is a native of Downers Grove, IL, and is the U.S. Women’s National Team’s all-time scoring leader with 343 points (186-157) in 205 games.
• Playoffs!? Don’t talk about playoffs. Well, maybe we can talk about them a little bit.
Somehow, the Blackhawks still have 64 games left to play this season.
So could they climb all the way into the playoffs?
It's possible, but the path to that point still looks difficult.New story: https://t.co/in3a8Hqp0q
— Ben Pope (@BenPopeCST) November 22, 2021
• Pierre LeBrun lays out what the opening round matchups would look like if the season ended today:
Based on points percentage, here's how the playoff matchups would work if they started today:
WEST
P1 Edm vs WC2 Nash
C1 Min vs. WC1 Wpg
P2 Cgy vs. P3 Ana
C2 Col vs. C3 StL
EAST
M1 Car vs. WC2 Bos
A1 Fla vs. WC1 CBJ
M2 Was vs. M3 NYR
A2 TB vs. A3 Tor— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) November 23, 2021
• There are a few juicy matchups in there!
• One of those matchups features the Colorado Avalanche and Cale Makar, who made history for the Avs by becoming the first defenseman to score multiple goals in consecutive games.
Cale Makar (2-0—2) became the first defenseman in @Avalanche / Nordiques history to record multiple goals in consecutive games.#NHLStats: https://t.co/fHuC23ZjLq pic.twitter.com/xWdTWGlrq5
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) November 23, 2021
• This score is a beauty:
goddamn Cale Makar is so smooth pic.twitter.com/RFmoMJuAO3
— Dimitri Filipovic (@DimFilipovic) November 23, 2021
• A big congratulations to Erik Karlsson! Karlsson skated his 800th NHL game this week for the San Jose Sharks. Karlsson has spent the past four seasons with the Sharks after spending the first nine seasons with the Ottawa Senators. The veteran defenseman has tallied 633 points (146 goals, 487 assists) in his career.
Congrats on 8️⃣0️⃣0️⃣ NHL games @ErikKarlsson65! pic.twitter.com/xVjO2uQb2Z
— San Jose Sharks (@SanJoseSharks) November 23, 2021
That’s it for today!
