Lots of good, and some bad, from first half of NHL season
The NHL season reached its midway point earlier this week. With that in mind, here’s a quick look back at the highlights from the first half of 2016-17:
1. Blue Jackets, Wild soar — Columbus and Minnesota produce long win streaks. December was kind to the Blue Jackets and the Wild as both teams appeared to have a leg up on a playoff berth. Columbus won 16 straight, including a New Year’s Eve win over Minnesota in St. Paul. The Wild won 12 straight and established itself as a tough out under first-year coach Bruce Boudreau.
2. Give them a name — Las Vegas’ expansion team got its identity on Nov. 22 as it christened itself the Vegas Golden Knights. Owner Bill Foley wanted “Knights” and he got his wish. A lot of local fans weren’t thrilled with the name but better to have a team with a questionable nickname than no team at all.
3. The kids are all right — Toronto’s youth movement is paying dividends as Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, Morgan Rielly and William Nylander have been turned loose by coach Mike Babcock. The Leafs were 18-13-8 with 44 points and were two points out of a playoff spot Tuesday.
4. World Cup — Best vs. best hockey. Canada rising to the challenge. Team North America and Team Europe with successful and entertaining teams. It was a good way to lead into the NHL season.
Then, there were the disappointments.
1. Gallant gone — The Florida Panthers’ decision to part ways with coach Gerard Gallant on Nov. 27 was a head scratcher. He had guided the team to a 103-point season last year and though the team was struggling at the time he was let go, there were injuries to key players and the Panthers were only a game below .500. He’ll be back behind the bench next year, maybe at T-Mobile Arena?
2. Brooklyn Blues — Bad ice. Bad karma. Bad decisions. What happened to the Islanders team that won their first-round playoff series last spring and was expected to take the next big step forward? Instead, they didn’t re-sign Frans Nielsen and Kyle Okposo, let fan favorite Matt Martin walk and threw big money at free agent forward Andrew Ladd who may personify the disappointment that is the Islanders.
3. Snowed under in Colorado — When the Avalanche left Las Vegas following a perfect preseason, optimism abounded. Colorado won three of its first four games. Then they won three of 17 from mid-November to mid-December. The Avs are mired at the bottom with just 27 points, worst in the NHL. Maybe Patrick Roy knew something when he bailed as its coach last summer.
4. World Cup — Team USA was a disaster as management miscalculated on the kind of team it needed to win. Not enough skating and scoring. All of those guys were with Team North America. It led to an early exit and questions at the top.
SO LONG, THIRD JERSEY
The NHL’s change of manufacturers from Reebok to adidas will mean no third jerseys next season. Eighteen of the 30 teams currently have an alternate sweater, but according to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, adidas has no plans to make an alternate uniform.
For Golden Knights fans, that may be good news as you won’t have to buy three jerseys to complete your ensemble when two will suffice. For some teams which have a third sweater, a decision might have to be made as to what will serve as the home uniform.
The Islanders, who have a black third jersey, announced it will wear their traditional blue and orange at home. The Wild, which has green and red home sweaters, will have to decide which to keep. Same with Vancouver, which has a blue third jersey that is a throwback and a tribute to the Canucks’ days with the hockey stick inside the rink crest.
REMEMBERING MCDONALD
The New York Rangers were mourning the loss of one of their biggest fans after New York City detective Steven McDonald died from cardiac arrest Tuesday. He was 59.
McDonald was shot in 1986 and was paralyzed from the neck down. The Rangers created a players’ award — The Steven McDonald Extra Effort Award — in 1987-88. Among the winners have been Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier, Brian Leetch, Henrik Lundqvist, Ryan Callahan, a four-time recipient, and Adam Graves, a five-time winner.
MILESTONES
Washington’s Alex Ovechkin’s career 1,000th point was one of several milestones this week. In addition to Ovechkin who had two goals vs. Pittsburgh and has 1,001 points, Florida’s Roberto Luongo won his 448th game Tuesday and moved ahead of Terry Sawchuck to No. 5 on the NHL’s career wins list. Thursday’s Islanders-Panthers game was broadcast by the ageless Jiggs McDonald, who is celebrating his 50th anniversary of calling NHL games. He started with the expansion Los Angeles Kings in 1967 and worked 15 years calling Islanders games and has also worked in Atlanta and Florida.
Steve Carp’s weekly NHL notebook appears Sundays. Contact him at scarp@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913. Follow @stevecarprj on Twitter.
