It’s the scariest time of year, and that means there are plenty of ghoulish highlights and fiendishly devious plays to catch up on from last week in the NHL. Here’s the best and worst of the last week of October.
goal of the week
It’s always scary for opposing teams every time Connor McDavid clicks and, as usual, the best player in the league is absolutely in fire. It was another great week for McJesus, who had five points in four games, including a hat trick against the Blackhawks. This particular count to complete the trifecta was particularly notable, as it left Jake McCabe in the dust before taunting Alex Stalock.
Backup of the week
Marc-Andre Fleury’s uneven start put the Wild on a tough streak throughout the first month of the season, but when The Flower pulls this stuff out of its bag, you know you’re in for a treat. The 37-year-old keeper had flair in mind on this one, as he robbed Alex DeBrincat blindfolded with a nifty glove, including a slick little pinwheel to top it off.
I don’t know about you, but I can’t remember the last time a non-Edmonton Oilers player led the league in scoring. Already at the end of October, however, it is David Pastrnak who looks as scary as ever. Not only did the Bruins sniper’s nine points this week put him at the top of the league, but the goals he scored were pretty bizarre as well. Check out this absolute rocket from earlier this week that Ville Husso had no chance of stopping.
Performance of the week
Joe Pavelski may be one of the oldest players in the NHL, but it turns out the zombified remains of the Dallas Stars sniper are still producing at the highest level. After an 81-point season last year, business was business as usual for one of the Stars’ most consistent contributors. His eight points in nine games through Saturday are punctuated by his killer performance last weekend against the Montreal Canadiens, where he scored three against a Montreal team that had no chance of slowing him down.
The best hands of the week
Did we mention that McDavid is not from this planet? An alien invasion is the only logical explanation for the kind of crazy stuff this guy is doing at what appears to be a nighttime base. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone so daring as to try to juggle the puck in the middle of a game, but when you’re number 97, it must be like another day at the office.
Dish of the week
Considered a low-end this season, the Philadelphia Flyers roared out of the gate with 10 points in seven games, which is good for the tops of the Metropolitan Division. While Carter Hart flawless goalkeeper has been at the forefront of the Flyers’ success, contributions up and down the roster, combined with a coach who knows how to get the best out of his playerslifted the Flyers to surprising heights early on.
Travis Konecny has added a nice little creative wrinkle to his game this year, as evidenced by this cheeky little pass to set up Tony DeAngelo for his second of the season.
The worst of the week
Although the Canucks have since won two games (which allowed Bruce Boudreau to win his 600th victory in the process), that doesn’t mean the start of their season isn’t straight out of a horror movie. From team infighting to calls for owner Francesco Aquilini to sell the team, things escalated very quickly for this Canucks team hoping to make a playoff push.
Perhaps the lowest moment, however, came last week, when a fan got fed up and threw his jersey on the ice in disapproval. It’s certainly a way to take the temperature of an increasingly frustrated fan base.
quote of the week
Brad Marchand returned to action for the Bruins after offseason surgery on both of his hips, which is remarkable in itself. On top of that, everyone’s favorite rat didn’t miss a beat, scoring a pair and adding an assist in his season opener on Friday against the Blue Jackets. It is truly exceptional. But perhaps the best part of Marchand’s triumphant comeback was that quote he said to the media last Thursday before his debut. Talk about putting in the work.
funniest moment of the week
Announcers interrupted by games on the ice is nothing particularly new, but this particular case last Tuesday was particularly amusing. Listen, all I’m saying is there are worse things you could talk about as the action unfolds. Ask Nick Castellanos.
Two-for-one milestone special
Phil the Thrill had a big week on the milestone ledger. Of course, as has been widely publicized, the most unlikely ironman perhaps in NHL history he broke the 990-game plateau, putting him ahead of Keith Yandle for most consecutive games ever. More low-key, however, Kessel scored his 400th career goal in the same game. Defeating former Maple Leafs teammate James Reimer, Kessel became the 106th player in NHL history to reach that record. Not bad for a guy once accused of making a daily trip to Front and John St for hotdogs.
healthiest time
Alex Nedeljkovic had a sweet message for someone special last weekend during the Red Wings’ game against the Anaheim Ducks. Who said October was all about spooky stuff? Kudos to Ned for telling mom she rocks.
Dahlin is ballin’
While his streak has since been interrupted, Rasmus Dahlin’s start to the season has been a revelation for the Buffalo Sabers, who for the first time since the early 2010s don’t look like the Headless Horseman lost at sea. Tied for third in a jam-packed Atlantic Division, Dahlin has been a key cog for a young Sabers d-core who looks like a different beast. Alongside Owen Power, whose pundits plan to slip into the Calder conversation, the future suddenly looks pretty bright in Buffalo…wait, where did I hear that before?
Who says Drai can’t play defense?
For years, Leon Draisaitl’s harshest critics have always had a retort when debating his place among the game’s elite. “Of course he can score at will,” they say, “but he cannot defend his life.” Yes, Draisaitl got it right his struggles in the past suppressing the odds against his team, but when it comes to defending the ice at home, Draisaitl shows a pretty good feeling here when a visiting fan decided to be a bit more last Monday.
Mullet Arena Mayhem
After a long six-game road trip to start their season, the Arizona Coyotes finally had the opportunity to host a game at Mullet Arena. While the mood was supposedly a lot of fun, the widely shared vision of the visitors’ locker room has certainly caught the attention of many people. Thankfully, it looks like this setup is only temporary, but it’s definitely not the arrangement NHL players are used to.
Stick it out
Toronto Maple Leafs equipment manager Bobby Hastings has spent his time in the limelight before when he picked up an assist off the bench in a Mitch Marner play in 2018, but this Hastings work that went viral last week is something entirely different. Experience the laser-like focus this one takes, as it moves from stick to stick depending on which player is in possession of the puck. Now those are quick reflexes.
Oh no, you don’t!
Milan Lucic is a far cry from his days with the Bruins when he served as a murderous mainstay at the top of the roster who could topple with the best of them. Despite his declining skills, the 34-year-old still likes to swing once in a while and can be a real bully on the ice when he feels the need. For example, check out this funny sequence from last Saturday where the big boy saw the Hurricanes switch lines and just decided it wasn’t going to happen while he was skating next to their bench.
Upward trend:
No NHL team fires on all cylinders like the Bruins do. They look deadly to start their season, having won eight of their first nine and five in a row. The club are cruising, with a league-best goal differential of over 18, and it looks like it will only get better from here with Homecoming Merchant. Under the hood, the team still looks deadly, even with key cogs like Charlie McAvoy still expected to run out of time. They are in the top five in the league in goal percentage, expected goal percentage and corsi percentage. As Mark Twain once said, “Reports of my death are greatly exaggerated.”
Downward trend :
There was a period in the mid-2010s when John Gibson looked set to follow in Ryan Miller’s footsteps and become America’s next great goalie. Often considered one of the league’s most underrated goaltenders, Gibson failed to win a Vezina Trophy during his period of dominance in his early 20s.
Those days seem like a distant memory, as the 29-year-old has tumbled down the league’s top flight list, and now finds himself near the bottom of the pile by metrics such as goals scored above expectations about a putrid Anaheim Ducks team that spat out the door. Sitting just 1-6-1 and losing their last seven games, things look bleak for the Ducks, who looked set to turn promising rookie Trevor Zegras into a springboard for future playoff success. Instead, it’s been a bad case of Duck Season in Anaheim, as the club desperately seeks to get back on track and salvage a horrific start.
Best Halloween Costume
Last, but definitely not least, late October means group Halloween costumes for NHL players across the league. There were some real stars, (Rangers’ take on Dodgeball is also a real winner) but no one could beat the entire Super Mario Bros. timeless and topical from the Bruins that got a lot of laughs on Hockey Twitter. With Patrice Bergeron as Mario and Marchand as his brother Luigi, the B’s filled the roles to perfection.
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