Traik-eotomy
Some NHL goalies complaining new slimmed-down goalie equipment leading to bruising and shots that sting ... Prolific Mikko Rantanen set to cash in big ... Sid the Kid not shooting as much ... David Pastrnak a real bargain ... Bolts headed for cap crunch
With his shirt off, Garret Sparks was pointing to all the areas where pucks have hurt him this season because of the new form-fitting chest protectors.
We will have to take his word for it. As of Tuesday, there weren’t any bruises to be found.
“Just because I don’t bruise, doesn’t mean I don’t feel it,” said the Toronto Maple Leafs goalie. “I’m not a hemophiliac.”
Kay Whitmore, who is the vice-president of hockey operations and the man in charge of slimming down the league’s goaltenders, has heard these complaints. Frankly, he expected it.
A year ago, not every goalie was happy to be wearing slimmer pants. Some were concerned about safety. Others simply didn’t want to change something they had been wearing for their entire career — and had been helping them to stop more pucks.
This year, it’s much of the same.
While there are complaints about bruising and shots that sting, the loudest laments have come from Washington’s Braden Holtby and MarcAndre Fleury, who believe the equipment change is unnecessary and, in some cases, unsafe. But looking at their numbers — Fleury has a .901 save percentage and Holtby’s is .885 — you have to take their issues with a grain of salt.
“I haven’t heard John Gibson say one thing yet,” Whitmore said of the Ducks goalie, who has a .949 save percentage.
“There are guys who love their models, who haven’t said a word, they’ve just gone about their business. It is what it is. There’s been some concerns because there’s been an odd seam or gap in the arms in certain models. Those are things that we’ve been addressing for the past month. We’re working with manufacturers to correct that.”
Asked about the new chest protectors, Toronto’s Frederik Andersen said: “I haven’t been concerned. I think they’ve done a pretty good job so far.”
Indeed, no one has been injured by a shot to the chest or shoulder area so far this season. But according to Sparks, goalies are starting to flinch rather than take one off the collarbone. As a result, they’re changing how they stop the puck.
“See how many guys are going, ‘Olé,’ ” said Sparks, doing his best matador impression. “Guys are trying to catch it because they don’t want to wear it on the shoulder and get drilled by it on your inadequately padded chest protector. “It’s a bruising of the mind.”
RANTANEN SCORING HIS WAY TO A NEW CONTRACT
With an NHL-leading (as of Wednesday) 12 assists and 16 points in nine games, Colorado’s Mikko Rantanen is off to the type of start that should put him in line for a hefty payday once his entrylevel contract expires at the end of the season.
As the co-pilot on Nathan MacKinnon’s line, Rantanen tied for 16th in scoring with 53 goals and 138 points in 174 NHL games.
Only three others who were drafted in 2015 have scored more: Edmonton’s Connor McDavid (269 points in 216 games), Buffalo’s Jack Eichel (186 points in 218 games) and Toronto’s Mitch Marner (142 points in 168 games).
CROSBY NEEDS TO SHOOT MORE
Sidney Crosby scored his first two goals of the season in Tuesday’s 6-5 win against the Oilers — the second coming on a gorgeous deke in overtime. According to Sportsnet’s John Shannon, it was the first time in Crosby’s career the Penguins captain went the first six games without a goal.
But the stat that sticks out is that he’s taken only 18 shots (2.57 per game). It’s the first time in his career he’s averaging less than three shots per game. When he won the Rocket Richard Trophy with 44 goals in 201617, he was averaging 3.4 shots per game.
PASTRNAK A COMPARABLE FOR NYLANDER
Boston’s David Pastrnak had played just 172 games when he re-signed for six years at a $6.66-million cap hit. At the time, it was
Just because I don’t bruise, doesn’t mean I don’t feel it. I’m not a hemophiliac.
Leafs netminder Garret Sparks says the NHL’s new formfitting chest protectors don’t really protect him all that well.
more than fair for a player with one 34-goal season. A year and a month later, it’s looking like a total bargain.
Pastrnak scored 35 goals last year and already has 10 goals in nine games this year, while playing beside Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand. This is partially why William Nylander ,who has played 185 games, wants top dollar. Playing alongside Auston Matthews and Patrick Marleau ,who’sto say Nylander won’t soon put up similar numbers? Then again, Nylander hasn’t done it yet.
THIS AND THAT
Eight games in, Max Pacioretty has the exact same number of goals and assists as Ryan Reaves ,who also has the better plus/ minus. That’s good for Reaves andnotsogoodfor Pacioretty … Anyone heard from Steven Stamkos ?He has one goal and two assists in seven games. At this time last year, he had two goals and 12 points … You think the Leafs have cap concerns? It’s nothing compared to Tampa Bay, which has leading scorer Brayden Point heading for free agency next summer, goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy coming up in 2020, and 10 players on no-trade or no-movement clauses … Don’t put too much stock in early-season statistics. Of the top-10 scorers in October 2017, only Nikita Kucherov remained at the end of the season … Entering Wednesday’s play, Buffalo’s Sam Reinhart, New York Islanders’ Jordan Eberle, San Jose’s Erik Karlsson, Toronto’s Nazem Kadri and Winnipeg’s Nikolaj Ehlers were searching for their first goal. In Kadri’s case, it might be more than a slump. He’s playing a minute less than he was last season and is no longer on a line with Marleau.
AND ANOTHER THING
Stop calling the Carolina Hurricanes this year’s Vegas Golden Knights. Three of their five wins came against the Red Wings, Rangers and Canucks. The other two were against the Wild and Blue Jackets. That’s hardly anything to brag about … Biggest difference between the Oilers team that reached the second round in 2016-17 and the one currently on display is, back then, Cam Talbot knew how to stop the puck … With Keith Kinkaid
having won the No. 1 job in New Jersey, how long before the Canucks bring back Cory Schneider? … It’s only October, but who had rookies Maxime Lajoie (four goals and seven points in eight games), Dominik Kahun
(one goal and six points in nine games) and Warren Foegele (three goals and five points in nine games) leading the Calder Trophy race?