Bruins Daily: PWHL Boston Debuts, NHL Vigilantism Rising

The Boston Bruins haven’t exactly taken part in it, but thanks to a lack of consistent officiating and discipline from the NHL Department of Player Safety, NHL Vigilantism is rising.

That, NHL news, the latest NHL trade rumors, and more in the latest Boston Hockey Now Bruins Daily:

Boston Bruins

Boston Hockey Now: Boston Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery is tired of the NHL allowing the ‘mauling’ of superstars like Connor McDavid, Brad Marchand, and David Pastrnak.

Boston Hockey Now: When they play the Pittsburgh Penguins for the first time tonight, the Boston Bruins will still be without rookie center Matthew Poitras.

Former Boston Bruins captain Patrice Bergeron dropped the ceremonial puck, and the PWHL Boston team officially kicked off its inaugural season.

An incredible moment. 🫶

Thank you to Patrice Bergeron for dropping the puck on the inaugural @PWHL_Boston game! pic.twitter.com/eelxS7cRQj

— PWHL (@thepwhlofficial) January 4, 2024

Patriots Football Now: Say hello to our new brother site, Patriots Football Now! If you subscribe here or at PHN, you get a subscription to both sites. Also, you will then be subscribed to every site in the National Hockey Now network! Use the code MURPHY10 and get $10 off a yearly subscription!**

Atlantic Division

Montreal Hockey Now: Montreal Canadiens fans are starting to see why their team used the No. 1 pick overall at the 2022 NHL Entry Draft on winger Juraj Slafkovsky.

Buffalo Hockey Now: How will the sputtering Buffalo Sabres play without their captain Kyle Okposo?

Detroit Hockey Now: Just as he did in the final quarter of last season for the Panthers, goalie Alex Lyon has taken over the net for the Detroit Red Wings.

Sportsnet: The spirit of the PWHL and, more specifically, PWHL Ottawa, could serve as a lesson for the listless Ottawa Senators.

TSN: Boston Bruins fans may not like this, but at this point, the Hart Trophy race definitely includes Toronto Maple Leafs sniper Auston Matthews.

NHL

Florida Hockey Now: Somehow, Florida Panthers pest Nick Cousins once again escaped a penalty and supplemental discipline for another dirty hit.

Things got nasty between Jason Zucker and Nick Cousins at the end of the 2nd period tonight 😳 pic.twitter.com/CgmfIFz76g

— Gino Hard (@GinoHard_) January 3, 2024

Yet somehow, an opposing player, Arizona Coyotes forward Jason Zucker, trying to exact retribution because the referees didn’t do their job, did not.

There was another case of NHL vigilantism this week involving Minnesota Wild forward Ryan Hartman exacting revenge for a cheap shot by Winnipeg Jets defenseman Brenden Dillon on Wild sniper Kirill Kaprisov.

Winnipeg's Cole Perfetti on Ryan Hartman's high-sticking fine: "He said, ‘No disrespect, nothing against you…  it had to happen, something had to happen for what happened to Kaprizov there,' … That’s what he thought he needed to do to get back at us."https://t.co/70gaVrC090 pic.twitter.com/rXBip8JuMy

— Scouting The Refs (@ScoutingTheRefs) January 3, 2024

The ‘Dressing Room’ panel broke it down on Sportsnet on Wednesday night.

The dressing room was the place to be on tonight's panel. 🍿 pic.twitter.com/zqpfHg3xdH

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) January 4, 2024

I gotta agree with Jamal Mayers here. Like it or not, Jen Botterill, this is what happens, and frankly, it needs to happen when the officials and the NDPS don’t do their jobs.

IMHO, Nick Cousins is CURRENTLY the dirtiest player in the NHL.

However, what happened to him last night was not just a direct result of his actions but also indirectly a result of not enough disciplinary action against him this season.

The NHL needs to decide if they're… https://t.co/P6xVLFHFvj

— MurphysLaw74 (Jimmy Murphy) (@MurphysLaw74) January 3, 2024