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The NHL dropped the puck in its shortened 56-game season Wednesday, and one thing has become clear: The next 115 nights – which will be crammed into 863 games – will be doozies. Opening night brought us a bit of everything: a raised banner with no fans, a very spectacular puck drop, one fight, extra time, a dizzying amount of commercials and 37 goals combined.
Here are our main takeaways:
1. The Montreal Canadiens should be players in the North Division
Taking the Toronto Maple Leafs – the team everyone plans to run away with in the division – in overtime, the Habs made a statement. Don’t count Montreal. There’s a lot to like about GM Marc Bergevin’s offseason. He added depth to every position, from goalkeeper (solid replacement Jake Allen) to defense (Joel Edmundson, as well as the arrival of top prospect Alexander Romanov, who looked formidable playing 22: 49 in his debut) on offense (Tyler Toffoli was the big free agent, but Josh Anderson was the first to be loved by the fanbase with total effort, including two goals).
The schedule is clearly stepped up, especially with Jesperi Kotkaniemi, 20, and Nick Suzuki, 21, ready to contribute. A game like Wednesday’s shows the Canadiens are fanatic.
“We were the best team there,” Anderson said afterwards.
Message received!
2. Things look different, but we will adapt
The NHL’s summer bubble taught us that empty hockey arenas translate into a TV product. The lack of fans has never been a problem; the mesh covering the seats at level 100 definitely helps, and the broadcasts mostly perfected the ambient noise from the crowd. But a lot has changed since the summer too. The NHL calculated its losses by disrupting its normal schedule, and Commissioner Gary Bettman said the league and its clubs would lose billions – not millions – to even run a 2021 season. (Gate’s revenue generated directly and indirectly during games account for about 50% of league revenue, and as of now only the Coyotes, Panthers and Stars plan to have fans, in limited capacity).
The NHL is therefore becoming a little more aggressive in the search for income. For the first time, the league has sold the naming rights to the names of its divisions. You won’t often hear me call it the MassMutual NHL East Division, but you will hear it on your shows. A lot. The league also allowed teams to put advertisements on their helmets for the first time; however, they are so inconspicuous that I didn’t notice them (or disturb them much). Advertisements in the arena, however? Holy cow, it was like an overload. The most visible were the advertisements circling the glass above the panels. In Tampa, it was little Adidas logos. In Edmonton, the words “Rogers 5G” were printed over and over and over again around the glass. It was a lot. But, perspective: it keeps people employed and entertained us.
3. It’s gonna be a long season in Chicago
A game against the defending champions might not be the best barometer, but Wednesday’s 5-1 beating by the Lightning felt as brutal as it was inevitable for the Blackhawks. Chicago has grown from franchise legend Corey Crawford (the only goaltender in team history to win multiple Stanley Cups) to an unproven trio. Game 1 starter Malcolm Subban made a few highlight-worthy saves, but if it’s the best defensive effort you can trot, yikes.
The blue line, which had been leaking all last season, often left Subban high and dry. The Blackhawks have struggled to generate a check before. No Crawford, Brandon Saad, Alex Nylander, Kirby Dach and Jonathan Toews – without inspiring replacements – are a problem. The Blackhawks have finally admitted what was becoming very clear from their transactions: They are in reconstruction.
“We don’t have enough players, top to bottom, to compete with the best teams,” general manager Stan Bowman told me in October. “We have a lot of good players, we have a good start on the ingredients of a good team, but we still have a way to go, and I accept that.”
Chicago is using this season as a chance to give young guys some reps. While it’s admirable to have a plan, you have to feel for Patrick Kane and Duncan Keith, who still give everything at a high level but just don’t have the supporting cast around them to visualize another Championship. anytime soon.
4. Bring the offense
The trend has been gradual in the NHL over the past five seasons, with goal averages slowly increasing (peaking at 3.02 goals per game / per team last season) and average goalie save percentage declining (.910 in 2019-20). The first three games of the Eastern Conference alone have given us 24 goals (an average of four goals per team). A few goalkeepers I spoke to during the offseason – especially in teams that hadn’t played since March – said the long stretch without match situations would be a challenge and perhaps require a slight period of adjustment. If you’re wondering how the lack of proper training camps and preseason exhibits could manifest itself, expect some sloppy, wide-open matches – at least to start the campaign.
5. It’s not easy to be the favorite
I remember talking to Nathan MacKinnon before last season, and he said it was the first time in his Colorado Avalanche career that he felt his team could win. The stake is upped this year, thanks to MacKinnon continuously playing as an MVP and general manager Joe Sakic continually shaping shrewd moves to make this team stronger. Colorado opened as a Stanley Cup favorite in Las Vegas this season. But it was a slow start for the Avs in their first game. They were too sloppy with the puck, which you can’t afford to do against the big, tough St. Louis Blues. I had been eager to see the line of Gabriel Landeskog, Nazem Kadri and Brandon Saad, but they did not look good together, and coach Jared Bednar was quick to merge his lines. Colorado’s typically successful offense struggled to generate much pressure. Credit St. Louis for strong team play. And yes, it’s only Game 1. But the target is squarely on Colorado now, and it’s going to be every team’s best, every night.
On Wednesday, Patrick made his first NHL game in 652 days. (And you thought 2020 was a long one!) Then he scored in the first period, on the power play (Philadelphia Achilles heel in the summer bubble). The No.2 pick in the 2019 draft missed all of last season with a debilitating migraine disorder. It was a lingering story for Philly all season; General manager Chuck Fletcher said last January that Patrick was progressing and the Flyers were optimistic he could make the playoffs. Philly stocked up on depth crosses at last year’s trade deadline to compensate, but they’re now in much better shape with Patrick taking third behind Sean Couturier and Kevin Hayes.
Meanwhile, Lindblom performed for the first time since being diagnosed with cancer in December 2019. Lindblom, who was going through a breakout season at the time of her diagnosis, completed her last chemotherapy treatment in July.
“He’s a guy when you see him in the locker room, you want to go and fight him,” Hayes said. “He’s a warrior. He didn’t look out of place.”
Even sweeter: The Flyers’ fifth goal, initially awarded to Travis Konecny, was awarded to Lindblom hours after the game.
The Flyers’ offense scored six goals – including three in a row to close the third – against the Pittsburgh Penguins in their opener, showing why many hockey players expect the Flyers to face each other this year. . This game really sagged the depth of Philly. I buy the Cup hype in this team.
7. Some young players to watch the rest of the season
Canucks training camp star Nils Hoglander will be Vancouver’s latest Swedish obsession. Without a lot of competition behind him on the right wing, Hoglander could stay in the top six for a while. A goal in Hoglander’s opener means his hype will escalate, at the speed of the Canadian media. Ditto for Alexander Romanov, who, as mentioned earlier, will play a big role in Montreal, behind only Shea Weber in ice time on Wednesday. The defender played with a ton of confidence and did you see this section pass ??
That vaunted lead system that the Flyers have in place? It’s now fully realized, with 2018 first round Joel Farabee shining with one goal and three assists. Farabee, 20, appears to be on the verge of taking a big step forward. And it will be good to see Oilers Kailer Yamamoto get a full season after scoring 11 goals in 27 games last season (and one in the Canucks game on Wednesday). The looks on the top power play and wing of Leon Draisaitl will only improve Yamamoto’s stock.
Jordan Kyrou was in full swing in the Blues’ opener, and he could be a reliable option to score depth. He said he gained 10 pounds this summer, but it doesn’t appear to have compromised his speed.
And I don’t know how much rookie defenseman Cal Foote will play for Tampa Bay, but consider me intrigued. Coach Jon Cooper sheltered Foote’s minutes in his NHL debut against Chicago (he only recorded 10:47 a.m.) as he definitely showed some nervousness in Game 1, but Foote has promise. We’ll see if he’s back on the cab team once the Lightning escapes the hell of the salary cap.
The 23-year-old American skater was fortunate enough to be the first player in NHL history to score in five straight opening games. The first four occurred in Matthews first four seasons in the NHL. This did not happen to him on Wednesday against the Habs, although he touched a crossbar in the third. I still predict Matthews will chase Alex Ovechkin for the scoring title this season; he will just have more catching up to do.
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