Daily Nuggets: Golden Knights Challenges; USA Pummels Canada

The Vegas Golden Knights have some decisions to make. They’ll be without star defenseman Shea Theodore for a while, but they have options for temporarily replacing him. Elsewhere in the Daily Nuggets, in the 4 Nations Face-Off Tournament, Team USA defeated Team Canada for the first time since 2010. The highly anticipated tilt between the USA and Canada was one for the ages, complete with fights, big hits, and highlight-reel goals. The games have all been entertaining, but last night’s took the cake.

I ate crow and a huge slice of humble pie for breakfast this morning. I was higher on it than most, but my expectations for the 4 Nations Face-Off Tournament were low. I was excited for it, but I’ve also been excited for the All-Star Game in years past. It’s not really going to be best-on-best hockey, I thought, but it’ll do. 

Yeah… cut me another slice of that humble pie, will you? 

Golden Knights News

Shea Theodore’s injury complicates things for the Golden Knights. However, there are some temporary solutions to the Theodore-shaped hole in the team.

Last night, the USA defeated Canada in an international best-on-best tournament for the first time in 15 years. Jack Eichel helped put on a defensive clinic and registered an assist on the game-tying goal.

The Athletic ($): Team Canada could potentially ice the Nova Scotia Line– three forwards hailing from the same hometown. How many cities can boast this? Peter Baugh ranks 15 of them. Vegas doesn’t appear, but several Golden Knights make the list!

NHL Trade Talk, News, & National Hockey Now

Sportsnet: Connor McDavid is determined to earn the right to play Team USA in the final on Thursday. The only way to guarantee a rematch is for Team Canada to defeat Team Finland in regulation on Monday. McDavid said they’ll have to treat Monday’s game like a Game 7, inadvertently inviting a slew of jokes at his expense.

The Athletic ($): There was another 4 Nations Face-Off game yesterday. Finland defeated Sweden in overtime, which sets up a very competitive slate of games on Monday in Boston.

New Jersey Hockey Now: Like the Golden Knights, the Devils have struggled since the Christmas break. Here are three reasons Devils fans should be optimistic after the 4 Nations break.

Detroit Hockey Now: At the 2006 Winter Olympics, Red Wings legend Nicklas Lidström broke a young Mikko Rantanen’s heart. Nineteen years later, Rantanen got his revenge.

NHL History: On February 16, 2001, Mathieu Schneider became the first player in NHL history to score a goal against all 30 teams.