Sens Halloween Costumes, Women’s Hockey on ESPN, and Kane’s Suspension
It’s the Thursday edition of Links, News and Notes!
With the NHL season fully underway, there’s lots to talk about around the NHL and the hockey world!
- After picking up NHL games earlier this year, ESPN has announced that they will also be broadcasting 60 Premier Hockey League (formerly NWHL) regular season games this season, plus special events. This is the first deal of its kind for a women’s hockey league, and it would be hard to overstate its importance. The downside for women’s hockey fans is that they will now have to pay to watch games, whereas before they were all free. For those who can watch, though, it looks like there will be some elite talent in the broadcast booth!/
How it started. How it’s going!
— Erica L. Ayala (@elindsay08) October 20, 2021
Ya girl will be calling games once again. So many people to thank, but gotta start with @DigDeepBSB. He passed along my name and helped me find my true path.
Catch you on @ESPNPlus, WoHo fans!#BlackRosie #TeamMoreMelanin pic.twitter.com/sbsMnV9we2
- The NHL has suspended Sharks forward Evander Kane for 21 games, and not for any of the reasons you might expect. During the offseason, Kane’s wife accused him of sexual assault, domestic battery, and betting on his own games. He has now been suspended for... faking a COVID vaccination card. I have so many thoughts on this, but let’s narrow it down to three. 1) It’s great to see the NHL taking a strong stance against this type of thing, as faking a COVID vaccination makes you a public health risk. 2) It is very obvious that Evander Kane should no longer be in the NHL. 3) I can’t believe Kane didn’t get suspended for any of the other stuff he’s done.
- The Ottawa Senators took advantage of a few days off to hold a Halloween party! We don’t have pictures of everyone’s costume, but what we do have is wonderful. Here’s Drake Batherson, Michael Del Zotto and Josh Norris dressed as the ghostbusters, with Tyler Ennis as a ghost:/
This combination of players has big “the kids couldn’t behave so the teacher assigned them a quieter student to calm them down” energy. The context behind it makes it even better, though:
Norris - A few of us went as the Ghost Busters for the team Halloween party. I didn't even know what Ghost Busters was, never seen the movies but Uncle Delly (Del Zotto) was kinda running that whole thing, so it was good.
— TSN 1200 (@TSN1200) October 20, 2021
I don’t know which part I like more: the fact that Josh Norris doesn’t know what the ghostbusters are (don’t call this an age thing - I am almost exactly his age and I am as shocked as the rest of you), or the fact that it was all MDZ’s idea, or the nickname “Uncle Delly.” I love this team.
Also here’s Brady Tkachuk and his girlfriend:
And finally, Victor Mete, Alex Formenton, and their respective partners:
- Moving on, our boy Mark Stone is apparently day-to-day or possibly week-to-week with a lower body injury, but he will not need surgery.
- There’s been some talk lately about the Sens potentially acquiring Claude Giroux from the Flyers. The Hockey News takes a closer look at the situation.
- Some sad news: New York Islanders legend and four-time Stanley Cup Champion Mike Bossy has just announced that he has been diagnosed with lung cancer.
- The Seattle Kraken will play their first ever home game this Saturday. Ahead of the big event, ESPN did a cool feature on the new arena.
- Aaaaaand we have our first COVID outbreak of the season. Jets captain Blake Wheeler has tested positive for COVID-19, even though he, along with every other member of the team, was fully vaccinated. The Jets are apparently bracing themselves for more cases as their players get tested.
- Finally, let’s end things on a happy note. As you may already be aware, Montreal is off to a bad start right now, and Habs fans have been characteristically calm and level-headed about the matter./