Judging, discipline and hard work in the rink speak volumes. The last one happened over the weekend between Winnipeg and Minnesota. First Brenden Dillon given by the Minnesota Star Kirill Kaprizov transverse stick with the consequence that this is not seen in real action for a moment. After that, fists were swinging, but even that wasn’t enough.
In Sunday’s second scrimmage, the Minnesota center Ryan Hartman decided to take revenge once again by beating Winnipeg’s young promise at the start Cole Perfect with a stick in the face. Hartman had no intention of playing the puck in the situation. What made the situation special was that Hartman informed Perfetti of his intentions before the situation.
The fact that Perfetti had nothing to do with Kaprizov’s injury also made the choice of Hartman at least interesting. The Canadian teenager was not even on the ice at the time of the incident.
– With a transverse stick, you can cause such destruction that the NHL will soon make a decision regarding how it can be used or whether it can be used at all. Ways must be found for this in the same way that hanging and hitting with a stick were removed from the game, ‘s hockey expert Ismo Lehkonen demands.
– You would think that the owners would also be interested when there are ten million men at the shipyard, because the transverse ones are banging places.
Lehkonen cannot understand Hartman’s act.
– When you hit the right part of the face with a club, it breaks bones and teeth. Then we will be on the sidelines for a long time. That act was really bad humor. I do not understand.
The NHL “disciplined” Hartman for the act with fines of 4,400 dollars.
Who surprised?
One can hardly speak of either surprise, but Sebastian Ahon the mood of the last few weeks has been amazing to watch. Carolina’s fall season has been anything but easy. The team wins more than it loses, but the going has been sticky. In a tight spot, Aho has once again shown his greatness.
Since the beginning of December, Aho has scored 23 (9+14) power points in 16 matches. During this period only Nikita Kucherov, Nathan MacKinnon and Connor McDavid have scored more points in the NHL than those from Oulu.
At the same time, Carolina has accumulated points at a comfortable pace, losing only five out of 16 games in regular time.
– This Aho is a stubborn guy. You can’t even catch him with a lasso. 3+10 and +5 for the last five games. Morjes, Lehkonen laughs.
And the contribution Aho brings to the table is never just power points. Along with all the efficiency, Aho is known for his comprehensiveness, which includes a conscientious and high-quality defensive game with all his understrength responsibilities.
– It must be remembered, when talking about his power, that the underpowered responsibility eats up batteries from him quite insanely. Especially that underpowered Carolina play. Still, he forges such a result. But this is the NHL: you have to stand out. The head coach Rod Brind’Amour waiting for others there too.
Who flopped?
By far the biggest disappointment in the NHL this season and even the previous year and a half is Calgary’s Jonathan Huberdeau. Calgary signed a Canadian (as well as a defenseman by MacKenzie Weegar) in the summer of 2022 in a big player trade, where a star player traveled to Florida Matthew Tkachuck.
In the same breath, Calgary signed Huberdeau to an 8-year, $84 million contract, making him one of the most expensive players in the league.
Last season was a complete pancake from Huberdeau and to the surprise of many, the same has continued this season as well, even though the coach was changed. The Canadian has scored 72 (20+52) power points in 116 games in Calgary. The balance is crushingly weak and the ranking in the points exchange is a scary 128. The previous 14 matches include a balance of 1+1 and -4.
One of the worst flops of modern times is at hand.
– This is a complete mystery to me. I’ve been thinking about this, what the hell is rotting there. We are talking about an excellent player who is in his prime (30) and who in Florida had terrible results. A good player, but maybe on the Canadian side, the merciless pressure cooker has mixed the palette. This is completely incomprehensible, there’s no way it’s going to go away, Lehkonen sighs.
Goal of the week
Pittsburgh’s Sidney Crosby, who has experienced, seen and won everything, scored a delightful goal early on Wednesday morning – one that looked like himself. Crosby looked for a spot in the back post, but didn’t hit the puck first. In the end, he put the puck in the net while sitting on the ice. The 36-year-old veteran is still playing at a high level and is on pace for no less than 47 goals.
The last time Crosby has reached 47 hits was in the 2009–2010 season.
– An incomprehensible guy who still plays 20 minutes a night all the time against the opponent’s best and yet the performances are at this level year after year. There is not a single easy exchange available. It was funny how this goal came about, that he is not shy to go there, where the goals are made, praises Lehkonen.
What next?
Lehkonen has followed and will continue to follow with great interest Nashville, which is in an interesting stage as a club. On the other hand, the team has been rejuvenated with a heavy hand, but at the same time the top players are by Filip Forsberg, by Ryan O’Reilly and Juuse Saros through the hard level.
Many may have missed that Nashville is the second best team in the entire NHL after mid-November. It still cannot be considered a viable spring success.
– 56 percent of the points have been collected there throughout the season and now there is a tough race to see who gets to stay there, when the club in due course begins to seriously build the team with which success is sought. The language under the belt is pressed there, it’s actually quite nice to watch, Lehkonen praises.
Through Saros, Nashville will live on. During the aforementioned period, Saros has won the most games in the NHL.
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