Daily Nuggets: Hertl, Pietrangelo Injury Updates; Fight Night

Good morning, folks. The playoff-bound Vegas Golden Knights are back in action Thursday against the league-leading Winnipeg Jets. It’s sure to be a challenge; fortunately, Alex Pietrangelo could return to the lineup. Golden Knights head coach Bruce Cassidy provided an update on his status, as well as Tomáš Hertl’s.

Elsewhere in the Daily Nuggets, Alex Ovechkin is three goals away from hockey history. A fight took a dangerous turn and could result in one of the participants being suspended. The Utah Hockey Club could have an official name soon, but they’re willing to pay to avoid spoilers. They filed application extensions for “Outlaws,” “Mammoth,” “Club,” and “Yetis.”

Golden Knights News

There were positive sights when the Golden Knights held practice on Wednesday. Tomáš Hertl and Alex Pietrangelo were on the ice– Hertl in a red no-contact jersey and Pietrangelo in a regular one. They both last played on March 23rd against the Tampa Bay Lightning– Hertl exited the game early after a dangerous hit; the cause of Pietrangelo’s injury is unknown. Head coach Bruce Cassidy met with the media after practice 

“[Hertl] won’t play this week, to the best of my knowledge– that’s what I was told. But having him out on the ice is a positive step. We’ll see where it leads.”

“[Alex Pietrangelo] skated today. He was off yesterday for maintenance; that was planned. We’ll see about [Thursday]… He could be available.”

And, in case you missed it, the Golden Knights are going to the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the seventh time in their eight-year existence. Their success is pretty historic.

The Athletic ($): Pierre LeBrun has the latest on all the injuries of interest– Connor McDavid, Kirill Kaprizov, and, yes, Tomáš Hertl. The organization expects Hertl back for the playoffs at the latest. Everything’s coming up aces for the Golden Knights.

Golden Knights Injury Report

Ilya Samsonov: day-to-day, upper-body injury
Alex Pietrangelo: day-to-day, lower-body injury
Tomáš Hertl: week-to-week, upper-body injury

Playoff Clinches & Eliminations

Two teams entered Wednesday’s slate of games with an opportunity to clinch a playoff berth. The Toronto Maple Leafs and the Carolina Hurricanes both punched their ticket to the postseason with regulation wins.

Teams that can be eliminated from playoff contention on Thursday: Anaheim Ducks

Teams that can clinch a playoff berth on Thursday: Colorado Avalanche, Tampa Bay Lightning

NHL News, Rumors, & National Hockey Now

Sportsnet: There has been no shortage of disappointing teams this season– hello, Nashville Predators!– but the Vancouver Canucks seem to fly slightly under the national radar. The Canucks haven’t been mathematically eliminated from playoff contention yet, but the curtain is closing on their season.

Sportsnet: That’s five goals in the last seven games for Alex Ovechkin. He’s already the best goalscorer of all time; claiming the title just reinforces that fact statistically. Ovechkin only needs three more to break Wayne Gretzky’s record and etch his name in hockey history as the all-time leading goalscorer.

TSN: As the Carolina Hurricanes steamrolled the Washington Capitals on national television on Wednesday, the game got chippy and chaotic. A fight between Jalen Chatfield and Connor McMichael ended dangerously, and Craig Button believes the league should hit Chatfield with a suspension. I can’t say I disagree. No one is a bigger advocate for fighting in hockey than I am. Punching is great; however, a martial arts-style slew foot takedown is not. 

Colorado Hockey Now: There isn’t any time of year to lose a top-six forward– or any player, for that matter. However, right now, on the eve of the playoffs, is certainly one of the worst times for the injury bug to bite. Avalanche winger Jonathan Drouin seems to be the latest victim.

New Jersey Hockey Now: It’s a bit of a lost season for the Devils. Before the season, analysts widely believed that the Devils could seriously contend for the Stanley Cup, but injuries to core players make them dark horses. However, there is a bright spot– Luke Hughes is living up to his potential as a number-one defenseman in the absence of Jonas Siegenthaler and Dougie Hamilton.

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