Daily Nuggets
Daily Nuggets: Golden Knights Flop; Standings Stagnant, New ‘Nucks Debut

The Vegas Golden Knights have won just three of their last 13 games. It’s not yet time to panic, but it will be soon if they can’t figure out how to turn the ship around. Brandon Saad made his Golden Knights debut yesterday, but that wasn’t enough to fend off the New York Rangers. Elsewhere in the Daily Nuggets, Vancouver Canucks transitioned from the JT Miller era to the Filip Chytil era. The New Jersey Devils are struggling to stay healthy, and Ryan Hartman is getting an in-person hearing with the DoPS.
Golden Knights News
There’s been no change in the Pacific Division standings. The Golden Knights and the Edmonton Oilers are still tied with 68 points on the season; the Oilers, however, have a game in hand.
The Golden Knights keep finding new ways to lose. Yesterday’s loss was particularly deflating as they played well enough to win but didn’t get the goaltending or finishing that would have put them over the edge. Here’s my first crack at a report card.
When Brandon Saad became a free agent, he had no shortage of teams interested in signing him. He chose the Golden Knights, and now we know why: he wants to try and win a third Stanley Cup.
The Golden Knights practice today at Prudential Center. They’ll play the New York Islanders tomorrow.
NHL News, Trade Talk, & National Hockey Now
Florida Hockey Now: The New York Islanders were on a seven-game heater before they ran into Carter Verhaeghe and the Panthers. “High event games” and “New York Islanders” don’t typically go together, but yesterday was an exception, as the two teams combined to score nine goals. The Golden Knights play the Islanders tomorrow and should try to avoid that kind of run-and-gun hockey.
New Jersey Hockey Now: The Golden Knights are scheduled to face off against the Devils on Thursday. The Devils are overdue to make a trade; hopefully, they wait until after the Golden Knights leave town.
Sportsnet: Minnesota Wild winger Ryan Hartman is in some serious trouble. He was ejected from Saturday’s game after attempting to injure Ottawa Senators center Tim Stützle, and now the Department of Player Safety has him dead to rights. Hartman will have an in-person hearing, which offers the NHL to suspend him for more than five games. I’ll be shocked if they don’t throw the book at him.
TSN: New Jersey Devils winger Stefan Noesen was given a match penalty yesterday for his hit against Tage Thompson. Thompson has since cleared concussion protocol– whew– and it looks like Noesen will avoid supplemental discipline.
JT Miller has four points in his first two games with the New York Rangers. So, let’s look the other way. In his Vancouver Canucks debut, Filip Chytil scored the tying goal that stole the Canucks a point.
NHL History: On this day in 1998, Dino Ciccarelli became the ninth player to score 600 goals.