Former Philadelphia Flyers and Vancouver Canucks coach Bob McCammon, 80, died. Energetic McCammon was one of the game’s most colorful characters.
McCammon had also worked for the Detroit Red Wings as a pro scout. He launched his coaching career in Michigan when he coached the Port Huron Flags in 1973-74. He had played for the Flags prior to coaching them.
Aunt Annie and I haven’t had the cheeriest of Christmastimes this year. It’s been a bit dark around the house, between a little bit of depression for the both of us, the reality of spending our second year and third Christmas without my mom, and the seasonal grind that is living life in a still-in-a-pandmic world as an immune-compromised person and her caregiver…
But we are tremendously grateful this morning. I asked the TMR community to step up and help us take care of AA’s property taxes as we really had nowhere else to go but the whole concept that this is a reader-supported blog, and this afternoon, I’m dropping off the final check that will pay off our taxes for the year.
It’s hard to ask for help. And it’s really hard for me to learn how to say, “Hey, there are no commercials here, no paywalls, but I pour my heart and soul into this blog, etc. etc.”
That’s probably the worst part of the job, in all honesty, but when you’re essentially a non-profit business, you still need to pay the bills. And the bill is paid.
It wouldn’t be so without the reason that I do this–you.
Now I still need to raise funds as the screen on my cell phone literally peeling off my phone like a bad wrapper off a sardine can, and it’s gonna cost about $500 to replace that phone because my credit score is a fraction (hello, student loans). But I need the phone for work as much as anything else (hey, you’ve seen what I use the computer for!), and so I’m going to keep asking that you consider lending a hand to help me break even.
But I can’t do that without expressing my profound, sincere and immense gratitude for your remarkable kindness in helping my aunt and I stay here.
Just like every Traverse City trip, just like Moonshot, a.k.a. my laptop, and just like so many other hoped-for dreams and possibilities, it happened because I work for a community.
Keeping in mind that a look at the NHL’s Eastern Conference standings reveals that the Boston Bruins have played in 5 fewer games than the Red Wings, and are only 3 points behind Detroit, thus skewing the standings quite significantly…
Here’s your optimistic Tweet of the day, from NHL.com:
Team: Frolunda HC (SHL) Position: D 2021-22 stats: 24GP | 1G | 11A | 12PTS Drafted: Detroit Red Wings (1/6, 2021)
Simon Edvinsson brings both a combination of athleticism and high compete level to this tournament. The 6-foot-5 defenseman has also improved his defensive play and should be an important contributor from Sweden’s back end.
A product of the Detroit Red Wing system, Edvinsson has spent the entirety of this season with Frolunda in the SHL and has put up 12 points (one goal, 11 assists) in 24 games – good enough to be the top point producer amongst U20 defensemen. He can be the driving force that may help Sweden improve upon their fifth-place finish from last year.
“Edvinsson is a defenseman that I expect will be the next superstar from Sweden,” Sweden-based FCHockey scout Fredrik Haak said. “He has the size, the speed, but most importantly he has the hockey IQ and hockey sense to be a front player both offensively and defensively. Edvinsson will be one of the most important players in special teams for Team Sweden in the World Juniors with his hands and creativity.”
I can’t post an embed code to this link from the Edmonton Oil Kings’ website, but Sebastian Cossa, who’s currently likely to play for Team Canada as the back-up to Dylan Garand in goal, spoke with his WHL team’s website’s Andrew Peard over the course of a 6-minute-and-20-second interview.
It’s pretty good, thought it’s bit of a “turn the speakers up” interview.
Of the players on the NHL payroll (including those on injured reserve), 13 forwards, seven defensemen and both goaltenders bear Yzerman’s stamp of approval. Either he has brought them in, he re-signed a player he inherited (like Filip Hronek), or, in the case of Dylan Larkin, Yzerman named him captain. That leaves forwards Filip Zadina and Joe Veleno to earn Yzerman’s endorsement. Yzerman has engineered significant change in a short amount of time while giving himself flexibility within the confines of the salary cap.
Larkin ascending: Larkin went into the extended break having recorded his first hat trick at the NHL level, giving him a team-leading 15 goals and 29 points. He spoke sweetly of thinking of his grandmothers when the third goal went in — they used to encourage him to score with $5 rewards. His contract with the Wings carries an annual average value of $6 million, so he doesn’t need nana’s money anymore, but the Wings needed Larkin to have this kind of season after he produced just 23 points in 44 games last season. Larkin is on pace to reach 30 goals for the second time in his career, and he has re-established that he’s the team’s engine. Larkin is a big believer in doing things right — remember, he was Henrik Zetterberg’s understudy — and that’s showing again.
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The trinity: Raymond leads the rookie scoring race, and Seider leads rookie defensemen in scoring. On top of that, Alex Nedeljkovic, who is still considered a rookie even though he was a finalist for the Calder last season, leads rookie goaltenders with nine victories. It’s happened just twice in NHL history that the rookie leaders in each category — points by a forward, points by a defenseman and wins by a goaltender — have all been on the same team.
In 1929-30, forward Ebbie Goodfellow (34 points in 44 games), defenseman Harvey Rockburn (five points in 36 games) and goalie Bill Beveridge (14 wins in 39 games) did it with the Detroit Cougars (who were renamed the Red Wings in 1932 when James Norris bought the franchise). In 1936-37, Syl Apps, Jimmy Fowler and Turk Broda did it with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
After the game, Team USA coach Nate Leaman spoke with the media, as noted by the Edmonton Sun’s Jim Matheson:
While Kemell, who leads the SM-Liiga in goals as a 17-year-old and could go in the first-round of the 2022 NHL draft, was taking off his gear in the dressing room, the Finns manufactured an improbable comeback from a 3-1 hole, scoring three times on the five-minute penalty for a 4-3 overtime victory.
Finnish captain Roni Hirvonen beat American backup Daniel Silverstein for the winner after Joel Maatta and Ville Ottevainen sent the edgy game to extra time with two more power-play goals.
“Tough lesson to learn but I would rather it happen now,” said USA coach Nate Leaman. “If it’s later, it could cost you the tournament. If this helps us become the most disciplined team, we can look back and say that was a healthy thing for us. Red got a little overaggressive at that moment but that’s what makes him tick.”
The Finns scored three goals on the game’s final seven shots on Silverstein, who replaced starter Drew Commesso after 40 minutes. Commesso gave up one goal to Los Angeles Kings prospect Kasper Simontaival early in the first, after the Finns had the game’s first seven before the USA fought back.
While Savage — the son of former NHL winger Brian Savage — got a game misconduct, Finnish defenceman Ruben Rafkin, who played for the Windsor Spitfires two years ago, was tossed out in the first period for kneeing Brett Berard.
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Because Savage’s penalty was a match and the International Ice Hockey Federation frowns on hits to the head, he might get suspended. Rafkin’s was a major and less edgy.
