Thursday LNN: Stanley Cup Champions, Hall of Fame Inductees and More
Thursday's Edition of the Links, News and Notes
- The Florida Panthers have avoided a disastrous meltdown and managed to seal the deal in Game 7. The Panthers have been buzzing for a few seasons now and the addition of Matthew Tkachuk has certainly taken the team to new levels. Now we wait to see how Brady Tkachuk reacts to his brother becoming a champion.
- While the Florida Panthers were crowned the Stanley Cup Champions, the efforts of the Edmonton Oilers didn't go unnoticed. Especially those of their Captain Connor McDavid. Throughout the playoffs, McDavid has excelled and was the main reason the Oilers were even able to get the series in Game 7. While some people disagree, the NHL named him the Conn Smyth winner in a rare occasion where the winner is not part of the Champion team. Connor McDavid didn't get on the ice to receive the trophy which is understandable considering the crushing loss he had just experienced. I don't have an issue with him refusing to celebrate an individual accomplishment while his team was at its lowest point.
- A new set of Hockey Hall of Fame inductees was announced on Tuesday. There are some years where the choices seem bland and this year is one of them. I think the biggest question is the inclusion of Shea Weber so soon after his retirement, with him still being on an NHL payroll. The other names include Pavel Datsyuk, Jeremy Roenick, and US National Women's Team members Natalie Darwitz and Krissy Wendell-Pohl.
- The NHL Alumni Association announced yesterday that former Maple Leafs forward Sergei Berezin has passed away at the age of 52.
- The dream to revive the Arizona Coyotes has hit another roadblock as the league confirmed that owner Alex Meruelo has terminated his right to reactivate the Coyotes. The decision came after Meruelo lost the opportunity to build a new arena and realized he would not meet the activation conditions set by the NHL.
- The NHL will be introducing 4 new rules to the game next season including giving teams a warning before penalizing them for players sitting on the boards.
- Glen Sather has been in the league through many generations at this point but the hockey legend who is best known for building the Edmonton Oilers dynasty has decided to retire from the game after 60 years.
