The International Olympic Committee dropped bombshell news on Tuesday, banning the Russian NOC from the 2018 Winter Olympics. While there’s a lot to unpack right now and plenty of details that must be settled, the hockey implications could be massive.
The press release does note that “clean athletes” will be able to participate if they meet certain standards, but they’d do so under a neutral flag, and that’s where things get even dicier for the men’s and women’s hockey tournaments.
Via the IOC’s release, here’s the pertinent bit about clean athletes participating as “OAR,” which inspired references to C-tier alt rock:
To invite individual Russian athletes under strict conditions (see below) to the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018. These invited athletes will participate, be it in individual or team competitions, under the name “Olympic Athlete from Russia (OAR)”. They will compete with a uniform bearing this name and under the Olympic Flag. The Olympic Anthem will be played in any ceremony.
The most pertinent question for fans of international hockey is: how will this affect the KHL’s involvement in the tournament?
As you may recall from a month ago, the KHL discussed the possibility of not participating in the 2018 Winter Olympics if a doping ban hit Russia, which has come to fruition today with more than mild surprise for some. Sportsnet’s John Shannon mentions that it’s possible the KHL could opt out as soon as Wednesday.
Now, the instinct might be to assume that no KHL means that Russia alone gets hit hard, but it would be a problem for the U.S. and Canada among other countries, as well. Plenty of North American talents ply their trade in the KHL, the second most prominent pro league below the NHL.
PHT’s Sean Leahy notes that seven Americans participating in the Deutschland Cup and 19 Canadians on the Channel One Cup roster currently play in the KHL. The AP’s Stephen Whyno notes that it wouldn’t even be clear which nation would replace Russia (or a neutral Russian team) if that falls through. Yikes.
Now, there are some other options for adding players. Darren Dreger discussed some NHL prospects currently playing in the NCAA as examples of roster options, and there are certain AHL players who could conceivably be available for the 2018 Winter Olympics, too.
As Whyno reports, the IIHF’s current response is, essentially, that they need to take time to gather their thoughts and plan a next step.
In an interesting twist, you wonder if the NHL actually dodged a bullet by not participating this time around.
Ultimately, there’s an element of wait-and-see here, but it’s a big mess for tournaments that were already hurt by a lack of NHL players. PHT will monitor this messy situation as it plays out over the next few days, weeks, and perhaps months, so stay tuned.
More from Olympic Talk:
Russia banned from Olympics; athletes can compete as neutrals
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James O’Brien is a writer for Pro Hockey Talk on NBC Sports. Drop him a line at phtblog@nbcsports.com or follow him on Twitter @cyclelikesedins.
Late in the second period of the Washington Capitals’ eventual 4-1 win against the San Jose Sharks from Monday, Joe Thornton delivered a questionable hit on T.J. Oshie, which ended the slick forward’s night with an upper-body injury.
The retaliation came early in the third, as Tom Wilson exacted revenge against Thornton by dropping him with a hard punch in a quick-but-violent fight. It was quite a spectacle between two teams you wouldn’t expect to build bad blood.
(You can see video of the fight above this post’s headline, while the hit is below. This post initially covered this situation.)
As it turns out, Sharks coach Peter DeBoer’s reaction to this carnage was arguably even more entertaining than the violence itself.
For one thing, cameras caught DeBoer jawing with Capitals assistant Lane Lambert following the Wilson – Thornton skirmish:
DeBoer didn’t clam up about it after the game, unloading on the Capitals for such a “premeditated” response. He used dirtier words to the media and unquestionably in arguing with Lambert.
“Well like I said, if someone would have grabbed Joe in the heat of the moment after the play because they thought a liberty was taken, then I’ve got no problem with that,” DeBoer said, via Kevin Kurz of The Athletic. “To go into the dressing room, think about it, come in the first shift, and do that premeditated crap is just garbage.”
Wow, that’s spicy. To DeBoer’s credit, he didn’t meltdown at a John Tortorella level, so we didn’t get to see a weird-awkward-awesome locker room argument.
Now, from the Capitals’ perspective, it’s not as though there was *that* much time between the hit and the fight.
Again, the check came late in the second, while Wilson dropped the gloves early in the third. Yes, there was the intermission, which could have served as an opportunity to diffuse the situation … but it’s not necessarily a given that anyone in the Caps room said “go after Jumbo Joe.” Wilson easily could have decided to stand up for his teammate on his own.
Speaking of moments from that game, the AP’s Stephen Whyno wonders if supplemental discipline is coming for Brenden Dillon:
If you want more drama, the good news is that the Capitals and Sharks meet one more time during the regular season. They’ll need to have long memories, though, as that second date doesn’t come until March 10.
Both teams seem like they’ll be battling for positioning – or perhaps their playoff lives – so the shenanigans could be limited anyway. Still, that game gets a little more sizzle to go with the Alex Ovechkin – Nicklas Backstrom – Joe Thornton – Joe Pavelski steak, if nothing else.
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James O’Brien is a writer for Pro Hockey Talk on NBC Sports. Drop him a line at phtblog@nbcsports.com or follow him on Twitter @cyclelikesedins.
The NHL opened up voting for the 2018 All-Star Game on Saturday. The event will take place the weekend of Jan. 27-28 at Amalie Arena in Tampa. As usual, Saturday night will be all about the Skills Competition, while Sunday will mark the third straight year the league goes with the 3-on-3 divisional tournament format.
Voting, you’ll remember, is only for the four captains representing each division and runs through Jan. 1. The remaining All-Stars will be named some time next month.
So with the All-Star Game on the mind, we decided to take it upon ourselves and help the NHL come up with their four captains. There won’t be any John Scott-type fun this year, unless the NHL agrees to change the Metropolitan Division jerseys to feature Ryan Reaves’ awesome Phil Kessel shirt.
In the meantime, here’s what we’re going with…
ATLANTIC DIVISION
Sean Leahy: Steven Stamkos, Tampa Bay Lightning: This one is pretty automatic. The event is in Tampa. The Lightning are ridiculous. Stamkos is the local captain. He’s going to get the loudest cheers of the weekend with Nikita Kucherov coming in a close second.
Joey Alfieri: Steven Stamkos, Tampa Bay Lightning: It’s hard not to root for Stamkos after all the injuries and health scares he’s gone through over the last couple of years. The Bolts captain has had an impressive season so far with 37 points in 26 games, but what’s even more remarkable is that he’s gone from sniper to set-up guy. He might not have a ton of personality, but he’s a feel-good story. Also, the All-Star game is being held in Tampa.
Adam Gretz: Steven Stamkos, Tampa Bay Lightning: Nikita Kucherov has more goals and more points, but Stamkos has been the face of the Lightning organization for a decade, the game is in Tampa, and now that Stamkos is finally back healthy again we are being reminded as to just how great of a player he is. A huge portion of his prime years have been taken away. He is back.
James O’Brien: Nikita Kucherov, Tampa Bay Lightning: Kucherov is way too important to the Lightning’s top pairing alongside Stamkos to be the Robin to Stamkos’ Batman, but he’s certainly paid that way. Hardcore fans know (or hopefully, are starting to truly realize) how great Kucherov is. Mainstream fans might not, so maybe this could be a beacon for them, at least before Kucherov starts collecting hardware at the NHL Awards?
This honor pretty much has to go to a Lightning player since the event is in Tampa, but it’s nice that it’s also warranted.
METROPOLITAN DIVISION
Leahy: Brian Boyle, New Jersey Devils: Remember, this is a weekend about fun, not super serious hockey. Tavares, Crosby, Kessel, Ovechkin, Bobrovsky… There sure are a handful of solid choices in the Metro, but Boyle’s a great choice here because of how he worked his way back after an early season battle with leukemia and how he’s performed since returning to the ice (4 goals, 6 points in 16 games). Plus, he has personality, which is something that is supposed to shine during All-Star Weekend.
Alfieri: Phil Kessel, Pittsburgh Penguins: I know Kessel isn’t a fan of interviews and being in the spotlight, but hear me out on this one. Kessel plays in the game, while teammate (and resident prankster) Reaves is running around in Kessel-inspired t-shirts playing jokes on him. I seriously believe that would add another layer of entertainment to the weekend’s festivities. If you want Reaves to play in the game, I’m not opposed to it.
Gretz: Phil Kessel, Pittsburgh Penguins: He has been the best player on a back-to-back Stanley Cup champion, plus everybody seems to love him. Seems like a perfect fit for what the All-Star game is supposed to be about: A deserving player that is a fan favorite.
O’Brien: Phil Kessel, Pittsburgh Penguins: As of this writing, Kessel is the division’s most prolific point producer. This honor serves to right the wrong (the hilarious wrong, but a wrong nonetheless) of Kessel being selected last in the 2011 All-Star fantasy draft. And, really, it must be emphasized over and over that he’s a great player, full-stop. It’s OK if his captain’s ‘C’ is actually one of those hot dogs that curls, turned to the side.
(Honorable mention: Taylor Hall, who deserves to be thought of as more than just a lucky rabbit’s foot for the draft lottery.)
CENTRAL DIVISION
Leahy: Blake Wheeler, Winnipeg Jets: The St. Louis trio of Brayden Schenn, Vladimir Tarasenko and Jaden Schwartz are certainly deserving, but Wheeler’s been a beast so far with 35 points in 27 games. He’s been a consistent producer since his first full season in Winnipeg, so this would be a great chance for him to get some more (deserving) love.
Alfieri: Alexander Radulov, Dallas Stars: I fully realize I’m going off the board with this pick, but let me explain. I got to cover Radulov a little bit while he was a member of the Montreal Canadiens last season. The guy is funny (he kept referring to Carey Price as “Corey” without even realizing it), he has personality and he’s having a pretty good season in 2017-18. He might not get the national coverage that some of the other players in the division get, but he’d add some life to All-Star weekend.
Gretz: Mark Scheifele, Winnipeg Jets: The Jets are finally, for the first time in their existence, a really good hockey team that has a promising core of impact players to build around. Scheifele has become one of the focal points of that group and has quietly been one of the best offensive players in the league for three years now. Give him his due.
O’Brien: Vladimir Tarasenko, St. Louis Blues: Yes, Schwartz and Schenn have the sexier totals so far this season, but Tarasenko is the guy I’m most confident about when it comes to sustained star play. “The Tank” really isn’t far behind Alex Ovechkin as far as sniping goes, and this honor stands as a testament to that notion.
PACIFIC DIVISION
Leahy: Anze Kopitar, Los Angeles Kings: Johnny Gaudreau and Connor McDavid will definitely be in Tampa, regardless. They’re having strong seasons. While the NHL tries to get one player from each team involved, who’s to say they don’t go with Drew Doughty for LA? Kopitar is back to being the dominant force we remember and has bounced back with 14 goals and 31 points in 28 games. As an added bonus, he might even bring his awesome pup Gustl to the festivities.
Alfieri: Jonathan Marchessault, Vegas Golden Knights: How can you not go with a Golden Knight here? Marchessault has had a terrific season for the expansion side. He somehow put up a point-per-game in the first quarter of the season, and giving Vegas some more exposure would definitely be a good thing for the team and league. Maybe the team’s Twitter account has rubbed off on him a bit (not too much though).
Gretz: Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers: The Oilers for the most part stink. Mismanagement from up top has put a lousy team around the franchise player and they are by far the biggest disappointment in the league this season. That does not mean that Connor McDavid isn’t still the best player in the league.
O’Brien: Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers: Don’t let his hapless team fool you; McDavid is still the best player in the world. Plus he’s been willing to be at least funny-adjacent lately.
It’s Teddy Bear Toss season, but on Saturday night in Bismarck, North Dakota, it was raining hockey sticks.
With the Bismarck Bobcats up 5-4 in the third period over the Austin Bruins in a tense NAHL Central Division battle, Austin’s Garret Dahm collided with Bismarck goaltender John Roberts. Dahm was then greeted by Bobcats defenseman Nick Woodward and fun ensued. Dahm was given a roughing minor while Woodward was handed a major and game misconduct.
Once on the power play, Austin would score four times in a span of 2:25 to take an 8-5 lead. After that final Bruins goal two Bobcats players were handed 10-minute misconducts, and that’s when Bismarck assistant Garrett Roth, who once played for the team, proceeded to lose it.
I mean, absolutely lose it.
The Bobcats ended up with 100 penalty minutes in total, with 77 of those coming in the final period of an 8-6 loss. Austin would cash in on their power play opportunities by going 5-for-5 on the night.
It will be interesting to see how many games Roth, who was assessed the long-forgotten gross misconduct, is suspended for after this display. That was quite the yard sale.
Hurling sticks is a favorite pastime of the irate hockey coach, as Eric Veilleux and Brent Sapergia have shown us in recent years. Good thing the bench was secured, otherwise we may have had another Robbie Ftorek moment.
Stick-tap to Derek Joseph for the video
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Sean Leahy is a writer forPro Hockey Talk on NBC Sports. Drop him a line atphtblog@nbcsports.com or follow him on Twitter @Sean_Leahy.
NBCSN’s coverage of the 2017-18 NHL season continues on Tuesday night as the New York Rangers visit the Pittsburgh Penguins 7:30 p.m. ET and the Los Angeles Kings host the Minnesota Wild at 10 pm ET. You can stream the Rangers-Penguins game by clicking here and the Wild-Kings game here.
Remember when Sidney Crosby was struggling? You know, struggling by Crosby standards. One goal in 15 games a month ago has now turned into six goals and 13 points in Pittsburgh’s last six games.
“Throughout that, there were some games where you feel like you had a ton and could’ve had two or three,” he said via the Post-Gazette. “Then there were other games where there wasn’t much going on. The consistency part of the game is the biggest thing, and I think it’s been there for the last few weeks. As long as the chances are there, you know it’s going to go in.”
[Pittsburgh Penguins are rolling]
Crosby will look to keep his scoring surge going against a Rangers team that’s been better defensively, but probably still remembers a sluggish October game where they couldn’t put the Penguins away and ended up losing in overtime.
Out west, the Kings are riding a five-game winning streak and face a Wild team looking for consistency. Both have won six of their last 10 games, but it’s LA sitting comfortably in a playoff spot atop the Pacific Division while Minnesota tries to reverse a start that sees them just on the outside through 26 games.
[Anze Kopitar and Dustin Brown have the Kings back on top]
The Kings are scoring, as Jon Rosen pointed out, and are up half a goal per game this season than they were a year ago. That’s impressive considering Jeff Carter has been out since the middle of October. As Adam Gretz noted yesterday, LA is a team full of bounce-back seasons. Jonathan Quick, Anze Kopitar and Dustin Brown are all playing great hockey. That’s being buoyed by youngsters stepping in and producing, like Adrian Kempe (9 goals, 16 points) and Alex Iafallo (9 points).
Minnesota allows 32.5 shots per game, so the Kings will get their opportunities — they’ll just have to find a way to beat Devan Dubnyk, who is coming off one of his best games of the season with a 41-save performance during a win over the St. Louis Blues.
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Sean Leahy is a writer forPro Hockey Talk on NBC Sports. Drop him a line atphtblog@nbcsports.com or follow him on Twitter @Sean_Leahy.
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