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BHN Puck Links: Welcome To The NHL Seattle Kraken!

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The name game in the NHL continued Thursday. After the New York Islanders announced the name of their new arena on Wednesday, the future 32nd NHL team finally has a name.

Also, will the Pittsburgh Penguins have a short leash with goalie Matt Murray when the Stanley Cup Playoffs qualifying round begins on August 1? Will Colorado Avalanche rookie defenseman and Calder Trophy Finalist Cale Makar be healthy when his team takes off for Edmonton, the Western Conference hub city, on Sunday? What position will Florida Panthers defenseman Mark Pysyk play once the Qualifying Round begins? All that and more in your BHN Puck Links!

Welcome to the NHL Seattle Kraken!

The NHL Seattle expansion team finally has a name and it shall be the Kracken. The franchise made the announcement on a Facebook live stream Thursday.

Isles Name New Arena

With construction in full swing for the Islanders new arena in Belmont Park and the team headed to the Stanley Cup Qualifying Round, optimism is running high on Long Island. There was even more reason to look forward to the future Wednesday as the team announced they had rewarded the arena-naming rights to Swiss bank UBS.

Sullivan Will Have a Short Leash On Murray

Penguins extraordinaire Dan Kingerski of Pittsburgh Hockey Now, our sister site, says we can expect Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan to have a short leash for two-time Stanley Cup-winning goalie Matt Murray. Dan explains why Sullivan will have no issues turning to Jarry between the Penguins’ pipes, even in-game if necessary. 

Promising News On Makar

Scott MacDonald of Colorado Hockey Now, another sister site, reports that the news is promising when it comes to the health of Calder Trophy finalist and Avalanche rookie defenseman Cale Makar. Both Hart Trophy finalist Nathan MacKinnon and Av’s head coach Jared Bednar expressed confidence that Makar will be good to go for Phase 4. 

Panthers Happy To Have Mark ‘Prius’ Pysyk 

He may not be Dustin Byfuglien, the hybrid monster that then-Chicago Blackhawks head coach  Joe Quenneville utilized during their 2010 Stanley Cup run but Panthers defenseman – and now forward – has become a valuable piece for Quenneville with his new team, the Panthers. As George Richards of another sister site, Florida Hockey Now reports, Pysyk, a natural defenseman, got his first up front with the Panthers back in October and since has impressed his coach and teammates so much that Keith Yandle nicknamed him ‘The Toyota Prius Hybrid Mark Pysyk’!

What Went Wrong For Lukas Radil In San Jose?

New National Hockey Now family member Sheng Peng of San Jose Hockey Now had an exclusive interview with 29-year-old Czech forward Lukas Radil went from having a promising NHL rookie season in 2018-19 to just signing a deal in the KHL recently. 

Neely Says Don’t Expect Pastrnak Or Kase Until Toronto

Cam Neely believes the David Pastrnak and Ondrej Kase ‘Unfit to play’ saga should roll into Toronto and Phase 4 but is hopeful the two Czech forwards should be cleared to play by the time the Bruins play the Flyers in the round-robin round on August 2

Will Betting On The NHL Return Be Profitable?

The new strict injury disclosure rule that the NHL and NHLPA put into place in the new CBA has dark clouds of mystery hovering over every player that goes on the ‘unfit to play’ list. No more lower-body or upper-body injuries and with the darkest cloud of all, COVID19, not going anywhere soon, speculation is running rampant. So what does this mean for hockey bettors who are foaming at the mouth to start betting some puck again? It means that the NHL Return could be unfit to bet

Cassidy Ranked Fourth-Best Coach In NHL Return

In a recent NHL.com poll voted on by their writers, Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy was voted the fourth-best coach in the NHL Return. The 2018 and 2020 Jack Adams Award finalist finished behind three Stanley Cup-winning coaches in Sullivan (two Stanley Cups), Quenneville (three Stanley Cups) and Washington Capitals head coach Barry Trotz (one Stanley Cup). 

Will Robertson Make Leafs Playoff Roster

There’s a growing sense that 18-year-old Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Nick Robertson could suddenly be playing his first career NHL game in the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs. The 5’9 Robertson – who scored 55 goals in 46 games with the Peterborough Petes this past season – has had to adjust to the size and physicality of the NHL but it appears he’s impressed head coach Sheldon Keefe enough to be playing in the top six right now. 

Edmonton Planning Watch Parties For NHL Return

In a move that would totally go against everything the NHL and the cities of Edmonton and Toronto are trying to prevent with their bubbles for NHL players, the city of Edmonton is seriously considering holding viewing parties just outside of the Western Conference bubble. Really? This, as COVID19 cases are once again spiking in Edmonton too! 

 

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