Daily Nuggets: The Evander Kane Sucker Punch & NHL Trade Talk

That might have been the ugliest Vegas Golden Knights game of the season. With a golden opportunity before them, they lowered the drawbridge and invited the Edmonton Oilers in for tea. Evander Kane sucker-punched Keegan Kolesar for his troubles and dropped an F-bomb to boot. Also in the Nuggets, NHL trade winds swirling around Connor Hellebuyck in Winnipeg, also maybe a breeze around Marc-Andre Fleury, too. The New York Rangers and Gerard Gallant decided he shouldn’t be the Rangers’ coach anymore.

Vegas lost Game 2, but Game 3 could be a real doozy. Brayden McNabb said the VGK won’t forget those punches.

And I have a few days to breathe. I’d love some restaurant recommendations from folks who live in Las Vegas. I’m tired of paying $8 for a bottle of tea on the strip! (And yes, I know about Bugsy’s. And the meatloaf sandwich at the Little Ale’Inn is pretty good, too). While I’m out here, I don’t have a car, so it has to be a short distance from the Strip/Freemont or on the bus line. What have you got?

Vegas Golden Knights

Vegas Hockey Now: Splat. The Golden Knights were never in the game and stumbled through the 5-1 Game 2 loss. Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid scored a pair. The Vegas Golden Knights recap.

The controversy began late in the second period. “If you want to f— around,” — sucker punches by Evander Kane.

It will be interesting to see if the league gives Mr. Kane a call for those rips on Kolesar.

The analysis and grades from T-Mobile Arena. Alarming trends for the Golden Knights.

NHL Trade Rumors, News & National Hockey Now:

The Athletic ($): The Minnesota Wild will be in cap hell with a handful of free agents to sign. Not everyone can stay. Also — even though he said no, the Athletic writers still wonder if Marc-Andre Fleury would open himself to the NHL trade market for the right suitor.

Gee, who could be the right suitor?

Pittsburgh Hockey Now: The Penguins got old and slow. The next GM has a clear task ahead to retool the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Sportsnet: The battle for the few available goalies is going to drive up the price — Ryan Dixon laid out seven teams that could trade for Connor Hellebuyck. Here’s the list.

It’s also time to start learning the draft prospects. Here are the top 60.

Montreal Hockey Now: Weaponize salary cap space. The Montreal Canadiens can be salary cap brokers — and in that realm, here are the top Canadiens trade targets.

TSN: The Rangers didn’t fire Gerard Gallant wasn’t fired, technically. The former Golden Knights coach and the Rangers “mutually parted ways.”

LA Hockey Now: The Kings have a few critical free agents. The big question is who stays, and who goes for the LA Kings?

Calgary Hockey Now: It’s been a mass exodus out of Calgary. Could the captaincy convince Mikael Backlund to stay?