[News Roundup] Tuesday November 28th, 2017

[Cheese]

On this day in history

In 1979, New York Islanders goalie Billy Smith became the first NHL netminder to score a goal.

Hot seat update: Todd McLellan, Barry Trotz among coaches feeling the most heat right now

The NHL season is passing the quarter pole. Some coaches have managed to hop off the hot seat before their bottoms were seared, but others are still smelling smoke.
Here's another in a series of occasional temperature checks on coaches and their continued employment.
'They're shell-shocked': Edmonton Oilers limp home from road-trip with playoff hopes fading fast

Two dozen games into the season, the Edmonton Oilers look like a lousy hockey team, and fans are screaming for the guillotine.
They want someone's head — the coach, the GM — in a basket.
Everyone's talking about un-used cap space and bad trades, and the same fans who hated Jordan Eberle are now blowing kisses his way.
But guess what?
At exactly this juncture last season, the Oilers weren't much better than they are right now.
Two months into this season, the team has one problem — a big one. And if the Oilers can't solve it, soon, they're done.




Taming Flames forwards the key to victory for Maple Leafs

Something old and something new awaits the Maple Leafs here on Tuesday.
While they’ll be pressed to try and corral Johnny Gaudreau — part of the searing Flames’ No. 1 line with centre Sean Monahan and Micheal Ferland — they can’t forget about ageless wonder Jaromir Jagr. Four of the 45-year-old’s six points have come at the Scotiabank Saddledome and he’ll be looking for his 80th in his 45th game all-time against the Leafs.
“I was lucky to have played with him in Philly,” Toronto winger James van Riemsdyk said of when Jagr was a mere puppy of 39 years in the 2011-12 season.

Leafs vs. Flames: Calgary built for the long haul

They only go out West once a year now and they're on that trip now. But one, sometimes two, of those teams is usually right at the Maple Leafs level. Either for better, or worse.
The measuring stick lately has largely been the Edmonton Oilers. That was for all the wrong reasons in the days when making the playoffs seemed out of reach. Now for the right reasons given the arrivals of Connor McDavid and Auston Matthews.
But the real team to watch on this trip is the Calgary Flames.
(And back off Jets fans. I'm not ignoring your team here. They might be Canada's best team right now. They're just in a different division, and not usually part of Western swings.)

[Da_Chief]

Young man, can you please put the writers name in your posts? I don't wana give clicks to certain horrible writers.

Thanks for doing an awesome job.

[White Out 403]

Originally Posted by Cheese

(And back off Jets fans. I'm not ignoring your team here. They might be Canada's best team right now. They're just in a different division, and not usually part of Western swings.)

[GioforPM]

I defend GG a fair bit, but if Trotz is available...

[Toonage]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

I defend GG a fair bit, but if Trotz is available...

If they didn't go after Boudreau, they won't go after Trotz.

[belsarius]

The Flames don't have a No. 1 centre like the Oilers do in McDavid, or the Leafs do in Matthews, though Sean Monahan (at 23 with 14 goals) is no slouch.

Monahan 23GP 14G 12A 26P 1.13 P/GP
Matthews 21GP 12G 11A 23P 1.10 P/GP

It's just too bad we don't have a #1 center like Matthews.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Toonage

If they didn't go after Boudreau, they won't go after Trotz.

Trotz >>> Boudreau IMO.

[Azure]

So how many goals with Monahan have to score in a season before people consider him a true #1 center? 60? 70? 1,657?

I mean seriously.

[Jacks]

For some reason I can't quote you.

On this day in history

In 1979, New York Islanders goalie Billy Smith became the first NHL netminder to score a goal.

I still have this hockey card!
Technically Smith didn't score the goal, he was the last Islander to touch the puck. Hextall was the first to shoot and score a goal, still remember that game, it was jaw dropping when he pulled it off.

[howard_the_duck]

Originally Posted by belsarius

Monahan 23GP 14G 12A 26P 1.13 P/GP
Matthews 21GP 12G 11A 23P 1.10 P/GP

It's just too bad we don't have a #1 center like Matthews.

I love Monahan and his continued progression.

But he's nowhere close to Matthews.

[Robbob]

I know Monahan isn't Matthews, but just maybe he might be really good at doing hockey stuff.