Penguins keeping their 2020 first-round pick
Pierre LeBrun: The Pittsburgh Penguins told the Minnesota Wild that they will be keeping their 2020 first-round pick from the Jason Zucker trade and will be sending them their 2021 first-round pick. It is unprotected next season.
New jersey for the Senators
Bruce Garrioch: In the next couple of months the Ottawa Senators will release a new jersey as they look to rebrand the team.
Backstrom injured in Game 1
Capitals PR: Washington Capitals forward Nicklas Backstrom left yesterday’s game early.
Samantha Pell: Capitals coach Todd Reiden on Anders Lee hit on Backstrom, who missed the final two periods: “It was a late hit on a player who wasn’t expecting it. It was predatory.”
Hurricanes coach fined $25,000
NHL: The NHL has fined Carolina Hurricanes head coach Rob Brind’Amour $25,000 for comments he made after Game 1 yesterday.
Brind’Amour also has a conditional $25,000 fine for any similar inappropriate behavior between now and next August 12th.
Luke DeCock of the Raleigh News & Observer: Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour challenged the Boston Bruins second goal. The NHL ended up ruling that officials got a different aspect wrong, awarded the goal, and the Hurricanes were given a penalty.
“This is why the league’s a joke, in my opinion, on these things,” Brind’Amour told The News & Observer. “That one is a crime scene.”
Brind’Amour said the referees wouldn’t give him any info on the call on the ice.
“They came to me, and I said, ‘If he has possession of it then it’s goalie interference. If he doesn’t have possession then it’s a hand pass. It’s one of the two. I don’t know what you’re calling on the ice,’” Brind’Amour said. “All he has to do is tell me. ‘We’re calling it nonpossession (by Mrazek),’ then we’re challenging a glove-hand pass. If it’s possession, then goaltender interference. I said, ‘Tell me the call on the ice.’ They wouldn’t do it when I say, ‘What is the call?’ So I had to flip a coin. …”
“I said, ‘What was the call on the ice?’ and he said, ‘You’ve got to call one or the other.’ It should be so easy. If they said the goalie had it, then it’s an easy call. They wouldn’t tell you. It makes no sense. I know we weren’t the better team, but if that goal doesn’t go in, do we win that game? I don’t know.”
Forward Justin Williams and defenseman Sami Vatanen were unfit to play. Both injuries aren’t believed to be serious.