If that means dropping an unproductive/now-ill Tyler Toffoli for, say, Arizona’s Nick Schmaltz, or showing a currently quiet Noah Dobson the fantasy door, so be it. After serving as one of this season’s finest fantasy surprises, Frank Vatrano is now struggling further down Anaheim’s lineup. Time to call it and dip into the free-agent pool […]
Continue readingMore Teams. More Games. Take a look back at some of the NHL’s greatest rookie debuts as we await Connor Bedard‘s first game with the Blackhawks. (1:33) Opening night of the 2023-24 NHL season is Tuesday, with a tripleheader of games on ESPN and ESPN+: Nashville Predators-Tampa Bay Lightning (5:30 p.m. ET), Chicago Blackhawks-Pittsburgh Penguins […]
Continue readingMore Teams. More Games. With NHL opening night on the horizon, take a look back at some of the best moments from last season. (0:58) After a wild offseason that included multiple superstars joining or leaving the Calgary Flames, opening night of the 2022-23 NHL season is fast approaching. ESPN will be your home for […]
Continue readingLindy Ruff had reason to smile. Not just because the New Jersey Devils were in the midst of a winning streak that would reach 11 games, but because the same fans who had called for his dismissal at the start of the season had audible apologized: “Fire Lindy!” had become “Sorry, Lindy!” That happens when […]
Continue readingIn the salary cap era, if you’re in a playoff spot on the holiday, history says you have more than a 75% chance of making the postseason. It’s an indicator many front offices swear by, and will dictate how teams conduct business for the rest of the season — be it player additions, subtractions, or […]
Continue readingTuesday’s projected ultimate contest, airing on ESPN, features one of the NHL’s greatest, travelling back to Pittsburgh after an inarguably dreadful road trip. Sidney Crosby’s Penguins can hardly wait for the comforts of home after stumbling and bumbling in winless fashion through Edmonton, Calgary, Vancouver, and ultimately Seattle. Now they have to host the league-leading […]
Continue readingThe 2021-22 NHL season is being called a return to normalcy. Last season was an unprecedented one for the NHL due to the COVID-19 pandemic: Four geographically realigned divisions, including one solely comprising Canadian teams; teams playing only opponents within those divisions; and a new playoff format that eschewed wild-card teams. But it ended just […]
Continue readingOn Saturday, he cashed in on that quest, dealing a 2023 third-round draft choice along with Ty Smith to the Pittsburgh Penguins for John Marino. Marino, 25, can play on the right side for New Jersey — a clear position of need for a club that failed to make the playoffs last season — and […]
Continue readingNEW YORK — Pittsburgh Penguins center Evgeni Malkin scored 5:58 into the third overtime to defeat the Rangers 4-3 on Tuesday night in a wild Game 1 of their opening-round Stanley Cup playoff series. It was a contest that featured an all-time performance by Rangers goalie Igor Shesterkin and a stunning relief effort from Penguins […]
Continue readingWe weren’t kidding about that, by the way, as the 2021-22 NHL season features the debut of the NHL’s 32nd franchise, the Seattle Kraken. Whether you’re a seasoned drafting pro, putting together a league with your buddies, or trying it out for the first time, you can find our fantasy hockey draft rankings below. These […]
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