Category: NHL

Alex Ovechkin’s injury amidst Wayne Gretzky record hunt left NHL fans distraught

This injury could not have come at a worse time for Alex Ovechkin.

While certainly not the worst case scenario, Alex Ovechkin’s quest to break Wayne Gretzky’s goals scoring record will be put on pause for a few weeks due to an unfortunate injury.

On Monday, Ovechkin was pulled in the third period from the Washington Capitals’ game against the Utah Hockey Club due to an injury. Ovechkin and Jack McBain collided knee-on-knee in the middle of the ice on accident and the Capitals forward had to be helped off the ice after the hit.

Ovechkin had already scored two goals in Monday’s game, bringing him within 26 goals of tying Gretzky’s record.

Then on Tuesday, the Capitals announced that Ovechkin would be out week-to-week with an injury to his lower leg and would be reevaluated in Washington D.C. on Wednesday.

The news is an incredible blow to Ovechkin’s chase to break Gretzky’s record, if only because the 39-year-old was on such a tear in recent games. Over the last two games, Ovechkin put up five — yes, five — goals and was making a real push to close the gap on Gretzky. Not only that, Ovechkin’s recent surge has him sitting at the top of the NHL in goals scored this year with 15, marking an incredible start to his season.

It’s a shame Ovechkin will be out for a few weeks during this exciting chase, but at least he’s set to return sometime this season to continue the hunt. NHL fans, however, were distraught at the news amidst a historic race.

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4 NHL head coaches on the hot seat, including Mike Sullivan and the woeful Penguins

Which NHL head coaches are on the hot seat in the early goings of the 2024-25 season?

The 2024-25 NHL season is about a month and change old now and it’s definitely not panning out the way many were expecting. Sure, the early-season rust and chaos spun everyone for a loop, but as things have settled, there are a fair number of teams still performing more poorly than anticipated.

The Pittsburgh Penguins, for instance, have been one of the biggest disappointments of the NHL season so far. While we weren’t high on this version of the Penguins from the outset, Pittsburgh’s defense and goaltending are sinking this team faster than anyone could have imagined. And as such, calls for Mike Sullivan’s firing have escalated in volume over the last few weeks as the Penguins look to right the ship.

So, with Sullivan and the Penguins clearly in mind, let’s dive a bit deeper into the four NHL head coaches that are on the hot seat to begin the 2024-25 season.

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Mike Sullivan, Pittsburgh Penguins

Number one with a bullet on this list is by far Sullivan, whose miserable Penguins suffered their worst loss of the season yet on Monday in a 7-1 drubbing to the Dallas Stars. Things have gotten so dire that general manager Kyle Dubas has stated that anyone not named Sidney Crosby is on the trade block, and we’re not even at Thanksgiving yet!

There’s a lot of blame to go around in Pittsburgh for how disappointing things have been, and Sullivan did help the team win back-to-back Stanley Cups, but something has to give with the Penguins. It’s time.

James Guillory-USA TODAY Sports

Derek Lalonde, Detroit Red Wings

The Red Wings nearly made the playoffs last season, so a 6-7-1 start is not what you want to see out of Detroit amidst an eight-year postseason drought. General manager Steve Yzerman definitely deserves some heat for his plan that has yet to fully manifest itself into tangible results, but the first domino to fall in Detroit if they deem this start unacceptable will likely be Derek Lalonde.

Is it unfair, given the lack of playoff talent on this roster? Perhaps, but head coaches don’t have a long shelf life in the NHL and Lalonde is in his third season with the club. A firing could be the spark the Red Wings need to get themselves on track again.

Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports

Andrew Brunette, Nashville Predators

The Predators swung for the fences in the offseason with their stunning additions of Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault and Brady Skjei to their roster. And what has it got them? A 5-9-2 record — putting them in a tie for last in the NHL in points percentage — and just 23 combined points between their big name additions in 16 games.

Sure, we’ve seen talented rosters come back from the brink to make a playoff run, but Andrew Brunette might have to take the fall in Nashville if things continue to look grim.

Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images

Martin St. Louis, Montreal Canadiens

At the time in 2022, the Canadiens hiring first-time NHL head coach Martin St. Louis seemed like a poetic start to this new era in Montreal. The Canadiens’ youth would be fostered and nurtured by a young, promising head coach beloved by the fanbase as a whole. However, with the Canadiens starting out 5-9-2 this season, one has to wonder if the team needs a more experienced voice in the room to guide them.

St. Louis could very well be a great head coach when all is said and done, but the general rumblings out of Montreal seem to indicate that a veteran presence is needed to get this team back on task.

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The NHL Frozen Frenzy, when all 32 teams play on one day, explained

What is the NHL Frozen Frenzy that’s happening on Tuesday?

Welcome to FTW Explains, a guide to catching up on and better understanding stuff going on in the world. Are you wondering why the NHL is playing a lot of games on Tuesday? If so, we’re here to help.

Hockey fans, rejoice!

On Tuesday, October 22, fans will be treated to nearly eight hours of continuous hockey action thanks to the return of the NHL Frozen Frenzy. For the second year in a row, all 32 NHL teams will be in action on the same night, in an event the league and ESPN has dubbed the NHL Frozen Frenzy. Pretty cool, right?

Things get kicked off with the Philadelphia Flyers and Washington Capitals at 6 p.m. ET on Tuesday, which is only the first game of 16 scheduled for the night. Even better? All 16 games are staggered 15 or 30 minutes apart, meaning there should always be something to watch.

Tuesday’s slate will feature some high-profile matchups such as the Tampa Bay Lightning versus the New Jersey Devils, the Boston Bruins versus the Nashville Predators, the Carolina Hurricanes versus the Edmonton Oilers and more. All content will be available on ESPN+, with a few matchups scheduled for ESPN proper. ESPN2, however, will be hosting the NHL Frozen Frenzy Live Whip-Around Studio Show with John Buccigross, Kevin Weekes and P.K. Subban, a NFL RedZone style show for the event.

Of course, the NHL Frozen Frenzy will be the only day of the 2024-25 season where all 32 teams will play on the same day, so don’t miss out on the fun!

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NHL fans roasted John Tavares for reportedly promoting a magic amulet that blocks Wi-Fi signals

John Tavares reportedly endorses a magic amulet with healing properties and NHL fans had so many jokes about it.

NHL endorsements probably don’t get much weirder than magic amulets and for that we have John Tavares to thank.

Over the last few days, a post on Twitter/X from Washington Post reporter Will Sommer has gone viral in the NHL sphere. In the tweet, Sommer explains that Russell Brand — former actor turned conspiracy theorist and reportedly all-around piece of work — has been selling magic amulets that protect people from Wi-Fi signals and evil energies for nearly $250 a pop.

On it’s own, it’s a pretty weird story. But where does Tavares factor in? Well, in a quote tweet off the original, user @BacklogReviewer dove further into the magical amulets and found out that Tavares was featured on the website Aires Tech where they can be purchased, stating that they help him recover faster from injury. Tavares’ page has since been removed, but he still features in the drop-down menu under “Aires Athletes” as of this article’s publication.

Given that hockey fans are, well, hockey fans, this revelation caused a mass outpouring of memes and jokes from the NHL community. Of course, it’s unclear if Tavares actually endorses these magic amulets or if Aires Tech fabricated the whole thing, but hockey fans could not help but roast the Toronto Maple Leafs’ alternate captain for it all the same.

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Sean Monahan pointing to Johnny Gaudreau’s banner after scoring was beautiful and gut-wrenching

What a moment.

It was a sad night in Columbus as the Blue Jackets held their home opener and honored Johnny Gaudreau in so many ways, from warmup jerseys to starting without a winger to honor the late star forward who died this summer along with his brother, Matthew.

It was Sean Monahan who scored the Blue Jackets’ second goal on Tuesday night, and as soon as the lamp was lit, Monahan — who was close with Gaudreau — pointed right to the banner that was put up at Nationwide Arena to honor Johnny.

What a moment. It was so sad, but it was a beautiful tribute:

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The Blue Jackets started their home opener without a left winger in a touching tribute to Johnny Gaudreau

Not a dry eye in the arena.

In the wake of star left winger Johnny Gaudreau’s tragic death in August, Tuesday was going to be an unbelievably difficult day for the Columbus Blue Jackets players, staff and fans.

Both the Blue Jackets and Panthers approached the night — the Blue Jackets’ home opener — with class.

After both teams warmed up in Gaudreau’s No. 13 jersey, the Blue Jackets made sure to honor Gaudreau’s memory by taking the ice for the opening faceoff without a left winger. When the puck was dropped, neither team played. Instead, they let 13 seconds tick off the clock to pay tribute to Gaudreau’s number.

This was the scene at Nationwide Arena:

There wasn’t a dry eye in the building after that.

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Blue Jackets honor Johnny Gaudreau with No. 13 warmup jerseys during Columbus home opener

What a wonderful tribute to Johnny Gaudreau.

The Columbus Blue Jackets and Florida Panthers made a heartwarming tribute to Johnny Gaudreau on Tuesday.

The 2024-25 NHL season has officially started in Columbus, with Tuesday being the Blue Jackets’ home opener in front of their fans. And, as expected, the tributes for Gaudreau and his brother Matthew — who were killed in a tragic accident that shouldn’t have happened in August — poured in throughout the evening.

MORE: What is the helmet decal NHL players are wearing to honor Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau?

Perhaps the most touching moment of all came before Tuesday’s game started, as both the Blue Jackets and Panthers stepped out onto the ice for pregame warmups in No. 13 jerseys, a tribute to the number worn by Gaudreau throughout his career.

Here are the jerseys in action as the teams skated for warmups.

What an incredibly moving tribute to a hockey player and person lost all too soon.

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The Washington Capitals brought back the screaming eagle for their 50th anniversary jerseys and it rules

The Washington Capitals brought back the black screaming eagle jerseys as a part of the team’s 50th anniversary celebrations, here’s how to buy yours.

The Washington Capitals turn 50 years old this year, and to celebrate the team is giving fans something they’ve been wanting for a long time, the return of the black screaming eagle jersey.

The jerseys range in price from $79.99 to $249.99 and are available in men’s, women’s and youth sizes.

A few different variations of the throwback jersey are now available at Fanatics including Alex Ovechkin, TJ Oshie, Tom Wilson, and more.

If this jersey doesn’t get you nostalgic for the playing days of Peter Bondra, Adam Oates and Olie the Goalie, check your pulse.

These jerseys have always been extremely popular and are sure to sell quickly, especially as Alex Ovechkin continues his quest towards becoming the NHL’s all-time leading goal scorer.

Alex Ovechkin Washington Capitals 50th anniversary jersey
Alex Ovechkin Washington Capitals 50th anniversary jersey (Fanatics)

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Washington Capitals 50th anniversary women's jersey
Washington Capitals 50th anniversary women’s jersey (Fanatics)

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How far is Alex Ovechkin from Wayne Gretzky’s goals record at the start of the 2024-25 NHL season?

Alex Ovechkin is within reach of Wayne Gretzky’s NHL career goals scoring record.

Alex Ovechkin is unquestionably one of the greatest hockey players to ever play in the NHL, and whenever he decides to call it a career, he’ll be celebrated and revered as such.

Although the Washington Capitals forward just turned 39, retirement doesn’t seem too near in the future. And that give him a chance to try to catch Wayne Gretzky’s NHL record of 894 career goals.

Going into the 2024-25 NHL season, Ovechkin has 853 career goals, which puts him in second behind the Great One. Washington’s captain needs 41 goals to tie Gretzky and 42 to break the record and stand alone.

That’s a tall order for one season, and especially from an aging superstar, but it’s still possible — especially if Ovechkin starts the season out hot in his office.

In Ovechkin’s previous 19 seasons in the NHL, he’s scored 42 goals or more 13 times, most recently scoring 42 in the 2022-23 season. At most, Ovechkin scored 65 goals in the 2007-08 season, but he tallied 31 last season.

Scoring 42 this season won’t be easy, but if Ovechkin plays a couple more seasons, Gretzky’s record will likely be his at some point regardless.

The Washington Captials’ season starts October 12 at home against the New Jersey Devils, and Ovechkin will return to trying to catch Gretzky’s mark.

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