Voracek off the COVID list
Charlie O’Connor: Philadelphia Flyers forward Jakub Voracek is off the COVID protocol related absence list. Guessing he’ll practice today and they might have a better idea if he’ll be able to play on Saturday.
Senators waive Chlapik
Bruce Garrioch: The Ottawa Senators put Filip Chlapik on unconditional waivers for the purpose of terminating his contract.
Sabres coach on Skinner … Agent talks to GM
WGR 550: Buffalo Sabres coach Ralph Krueger on Jeff Skinner before last night’s game. Skinner was scratched again from the lineup: I will not disclose any roster decisions regarding that before tonight’s game. The responsibility to get the maximum effort out of a player comes down to the coaching staff and the player himself.
It’s a very complex process that we go through, and the taxi squad is adding some good competition into the mix. We want Jeff to get to his A-game. At the end of the day, the decisions we make will hopefully help us win hockey games.”
Lance Lysowski of the Buffalo News: Jeff Skinner was scratched for the third consecutive games last night. He has six years left at a $9 million salary cap hit. Skinner has no goals and one assist in 14 games this season.
Don Meehan, Skinner’s agent said that he had a long conversation with Sabres GM Kevyn Adams on Wednesday. Meehan left Adams know his and Skinner’s concerns.
Since coach Ralph Krueger took over as their head coach, Skinner’s ice time, offensive zone starts, and power play time cut. He had been playing on the fourth line. Krueger hasn’t wanted to use Skinner with Eichel.
Entering last night, the Sabres had only scored 20 5-on-5 goals in 16 games.
Babcock knew the Leafs would fire him after Lou left
Sportsnet: Mike Babcock knew that when Lou Lamoriello left that the Toronto Maple Leafs back in 2019, his days were numbered. Babcock lasted 18 months later.
“It wasn’t shocking to me. I knew when Lou left, I was getting fired,” Babcock said in an interview with Christine Simpson, which will air during Wednesday Night Hockey on Sportsnet ahead of a game between the Maple Leafs and Calgary Flames. “… The bottom line is, I really believe it’s important that every general manager and every coach have their manager and their coach, their guy. And that wasn’t me.”