BHN Puck Links: Vatrano On Panthers Top Line, Kadri Ready To Shine

In today’s BHN Puck Links, one former Boston Bruins forward has found a home the Florida Panthers’ top line as Phase 4 and the Stanley Cup Playoffs grow closer and closer. A former Bruins goalie has a goalie coach that thinks he can bounce back and win a Vezina Trophy with the San Jose Sharks and two thorns in the collective sides of Bruins and NHL players are ready for playoff hockey.

Vatrano At Home In Florida

Former Bruins forward and UMass-Amherst star Frank Vatrano has regained his scoring touch and found a home on the Panthers’ top line in training camp. After being dealt by the Bruins to the Panthers at the 2018 NHL Trade Deadline, Vatrano had his breakout season last year with 24 goals and 39 assists in 81 games for the Panthers. The Springfield, MA native had a slow start this season but gained steam in the second half and finished with 16 goals and 34 points in 69 games. That strong finish has him skating shotgun with Sasha Barkov and Evgeni Dadonov. Our Panthers beat man George Richards has more at Florida Hockey Now. 

The Moose Believes In Martin Jones

First off, a big welcome to Sheng Peng and San Jose Hockey Now to the National Hockey Now family! Sheng has become a highly regarded hockey reporter and we’re honored to have him on board!

Sheng came in with a bang as he got an exclusive one-on-one with former NHL goalie and Sharks goalie coach Johan Hedberg. Hedberg believes that despite a decline in his play the last two seasons, former Bruins goalie (yes if just for a few hours, he still was Bruins’ property), Martin Jones can regain his form and win the Vezina ‘In the right situation’.

Kingerski Makes It To Toronto

Colleague and CEO and Founder of the National Hockey Now circuit Dan Kingerski is in Toronto and has started the mandatory 14-day quarantine for anyone entering Canada. Like yours truly, Dan seems to always have travel adventures, some horror stories, and he documents that in Day 1 of his Quarantine Blog. Follow Dan and Pittsburgh Hockey Now for all your Pittsburgh Penguins Phase 4 coverage from Toronto. Dan will also provide some Bruins and Panthers coverage as well!

Kadri Ready For The Playoffs

After exiting the playoffs earlier than his former Toronto Maple Leafs teammates did in the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs (that’s hard to do given the Leafs early exits), Colorado Avalanche forward Nazem Kadri is ready for some playoff action. The Av’s are a favorite in the Western Conference (I picked the Bruins over the Avalanche for the Cup back in October!), and Kadri not only wants to be the pest that drives opponents nuts but also be an offensive force. Adrian Dater has more from Edmonton. 

Can We Just Change It To The St. Patrice Trophy?

For a ninth straight season, Bruins center Patrice Bergeron was named a finalist for the Selke trophy given to the NHL’s best defensive forward. Bergeron can break the record for the most Selke Trophies if he wins this year. Bergeron is tied for the most all-time Selke Trophies in league history with Montreal Canadiens legend Bob Gainey. They each have four to their name. Guy Carbonneau, Pavel Datsyuk and Jere Lehtinen are all tied for second-most all-time with three each. Alex Thomas has the story for BHN. 

The Ramifications Of Breaking NHL’s Safety Protocol

For those of you who still think I made a big deal out of nothing saying Bruins forward, David Pastrnak let his team down, read this thread from TSN reporter Ryan Rishaug. 

Domi Giving It A Shot

After missing the first week of Phase 3 and training camp last week to make sure the NHL Return will be safe enough for him to play in with Diabetes, Montreal Canadiens forward and pest Max Domi is back on the ice with his teammates this week. Friend of BHN Eric Engels of Sportsnet gives us the story from Brossard, QC. 

Ownership, Not Coyotes GM Talking Contract With Hall

Not sure what it means for the future of Arizona Coyotes General Manager John Chayka but the new Coyotes ownership, not him, has been discussing a new contract with impending unrestricted free agent Taylor Hall. New owner Alex Meruelo, his son Alex Jr., and new CEO Xavier Gutierrez had dinner with Hall and his agent Darren Ferris recently but Ferris did say that no deal will be made until after the playoffs.