Thursday Links, New and Notes: Tim Peel, Montreal COVID and Tim Stützle’s Gift

It’s been an exciting week for the Ottawa Senators as they have finally experienced the Filip Gustavsson magic. With four crucial points taken away from the Calgary Flames, the Sens continue their Sicko ways. The Sens play again tonight but unfortunately will have to wait until they can face the Montreal Canadiens who are still in COVID protocol, more about this and other news around the league for this week’s edition of Thursday links, news and notes.

• On Monday, it was announced that the Montreal Canadiens’ game against the Edmonton Oilers was to be postponed due to two players being in the NHL’s COVID protocol system. On Tuesday, it was announced that three more Habs games would be postponed including their game against the Sens on Sunday. This is the first team in the North division that has had to have games postponed and it will be interesting to see if any other teams will also be affected.
• By now, everyone is aware of the Tim Peel incident that had him fired. He was caught on the air saying what we all know but nobody would say out loud: referees, from time to time, make “make up calls”. As this is something that you don’t expect to be said in the public, you knew the NHL had to take action. It’s never a good thing for someone to lose their job but holding a referee accountable is refreshing to see. Players had some opinions on the firing but it’s interesting to see so many already know make up calls are a “part of the game” and seem to have accepted it? That’s a whole other conversation for another day.
• When Tim Stützle was announced as the rookie of the month in February, the Ottawa Senators asked Michèle Taché, a Child Life Specialist at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario, to help announce the reward. In return, Stützle decided to say thank you to Michèle in his own adorable way./

Tim Stützle had a special delivery today for Michèle Taché, a Child Life Specialist at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario, who was named co-Rookie of the Month for February. pic.twitter.com/IzLS6aRczw

— Ottawa Senators (@Senators) March 23, 2021

• Austin Watson was not exactly the most exciting acquisition this summer. Many fans plainly didn't like the move but Watson has slowly creeped into everyone’s good books. He has made every minute he plays count and has been a core part of the penalty killing group. Unfortunately, he got injured on Monday and DJ Smith confirmed what we all expected, his season is done.
• No matter the efforts and awareness that is out there, people will continue to not realize how inappropriate and hurtful their comments are. The Buffalo Sabres have had a horrid season but this off-ice incident may be worse than anything that has happened on the ice. The Sabres’ fired their in-arena announcer after he made comments comparing women’s skin tones to toast./