NHL Daily: Oliver Bjorkstrand, Mikko Rantanen, Arizona Coyotes
By Ryan Ritchie
NHL Daily: Columbus Blue Jackets F Oliver Bjorkstrand Scored a Pair of Goals in the First Period of Their 5-3 Win Over Pittsburgh on Saturday Night, Mikko Rantanen Could Potentially Use an AHL Conditional Stint, Arizona Coyotes Make More Roster Cuts, and More (Morning Coffee Headlines)
Grab your morning cup of coffee and join us here at Puck Prose for a compilation of NHL daily links that will help keep you updated with everything going on in the hockey world.
In today’s edition: Blue Jackets forward Oliver Bjorkstrand scored a pair of first-period goals en route to a 5-3 victory in Pittsburgh on Saturday night. Avs rookie Mikko Rantanen is recovering from an injury right now, leaving some wondering if he might be better suited to begin the year in the AHL. Arizona Coyotes made more roster cuts on Saturday getting their total number down to 27, and much more!
NHL Daily: Morning Coffee Headlines
Bjorkstrand Scores Two versus Penguins
Calder Trophy nominee Oliver Bjorkstrand scored two first-period goals on Saturday versus the Penguins en route to a 5-3 victory. His early performance in training camp is a promising sign and we expect the Danish winger to throw his name in the hat for Rookie of the Year honors after such a strong finish in 2015-16. [NHL.com]
Coyotes Make More Roster Cuts
The Arizona Coyotes have their training camp roster down to 27 players after cutting five more on Saturday. Among the group were a pair of notables in Christian Fischer and Anthony DeAngelo. Other players sent to AHL Tucson were G Justin Peters, F Stefan Fournier, and D Dakota Mermis. [Howlin’ Hockey]
Central Division: Projecting Lines/Defensive Pairings
Goalie Situations to Watch
USA Today released a list of five goaltending situations to watch in 2016-17. It includes Pittsburgh, Tampa Bay, Dallas, Detroit, and Florida – each of which are unique scenarios that could have interesting outcomes. [USA Today]
Does Rantanen Need Conditioning Stint?
Finnish prospect Mikko Rantanen is currently recovering from an ankle injury, sporting a non-contact jersey at Avs training camp. Ross Sellers over at Mile High Hockey wonders if the 2015-16 AHL standout might be better suited to get his feet wet in the minors on somewhat of a conditioning stint before jumping straight into NHL action. [Mile High Hockey]
Season Preview: Atlantic Division Breakdown/Analysis
Games to Watch in 2016-17
The Toronto Star released a list of “20 Games to Watch in 2016-17” that should captivate NHL fans. Among the list is the Heritage Classic between Edmonton and Winnipeg on October 23rd, a Stanley Cup Final rematch between Pittsburgh and San Jose on November 5th, and the Winter Classic on January 2nd when Chicago heads to St. Louis. [Toronto Star]
Tryamkin Headed for Utica?
Ben Dooley over at the Canuck Way explains why defenseman Nikita Tryamkin is better suited to start the year with AHL Utica playing top pairing minutes. The only other option is to pair him up with Luca Sbisa in a limited role or put him in the press box. [The Canuck Way]
Metropolitan Division: Projecting Lines/Defensive Pairings
Former NHL Enforcer Shot in Prison
Former NHL enforcer Patrick Cote has a long history with law enforcement, even dating back to his NHL days. He is currently serving a 42-month prison sentence in a Quebec jail for a second bank robbery (first one in 2014). News broke via French media on Saturday reporting that Cote had been shot by officers after an attempt to break up an altercation with another inmate went unsuccessful. [RT.com]
Dallas Needs Quick Start in October
We know the Stars have no problem scoring goals, but they’ll need to begin racking up wins in October to compete in a tough Central Division. Allison Scott over at Blackout Dallas explores a few different key factors to ensure this team can have sustained success early in the season. [Blackout Dallas]
Next: Fantasy Hockey Primer: Projections, 30-Team Analysis
NHL Daily Morning Rant
Now that a new season is nearly upon us and we’ve had time to watch the World Cup of Hockey and NHL Training Camps/Preseason, I’d like to update my top 25 Calder Trophy nominees heading into 2016-17:
1. Auston Matthews, Toronto Maple Leafs
2. Matt Murray, Pittsburgh Penguins
3. Patrik Laine, Winnipeg Jets
4. Oliver Bjorkstrand, Columbus Blue Jackets
5. William Nylander, Toronto Maple Leafs
6. Dylan Strome, Arizona Coyotes
7. Jesse Puljujarvi, Edmonton Oilers
8. Mikhail Sergachev, Montreal Canadiens
9. Sebastian Aho, Carolina Hurricanes
10. Mitch Marner, Toronto Maple Leafs
11. Alexandre Fortin, Chicago Blackhawks
12. Matthew Tkachuk, Calgary Flames
13. Zach Werenski, Columbus Blue Jackets
14. Pavel Zacha, New Jersey Devils
15. Mathew Barzal, New York Islanders
16. Kevin Fiala, Nashville Predators
17. Pavel Buchnevich, New York Rangers
18. Jimmy Vesey, New York Rangers
19. Ivan Provorov, Philadelphia Flyers
20. Josh Morrissey, Winnipeg Jets
21. Mikko Rantanen, Colorado Avalanche
22. Anthony Mantha, Detroit Red Wings
23. Adrian Kempe, Los Angeles Kings
24. Christian Dvorak, Arizona Coyotes
25. Anton Rodin, Vancouver Canucks
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