Daily Nuggets: Cassidy’s Concerns; All Hail Cale, Oilers Injuries

Good morning, folks. The Vegas Golden Knights are in a mini-slump. On Thursday, they produced a lifeless effort against the Winnipeg Jets for their second loss in a row. As a result, their sleeper hold on the Pacific Division is slipping. Head coach Bruce Cassidy had some choice words for his team postgame.

Elsewhere in the Daily Nuggets, the Edmonton Oilers are hemorrhaging superstars. Cale Makar made some hockey history as his Colorado Avalanche clinched a playoff berth. The fourth-longest active postseason drought continues, and the St. Louis Blues will never lose again.

Golden Knights News

On Thursday, the Golden Knights went out and laid an egg on home ice against the Winnipeg Jets. They started slow and never caught up to speed. The Jets had their way with the Golden Knights for 40 minutes; the 4-0 final score was a fitting end to the night. Here are my 7 Observations: 

Head coach Bruce Cassidy wasn’t happy following the loss. He criticized his team’s poor start and admitted some of their bad habits are concerning.

Remember last week when the Golden Knights held a commanding lead over the Pacific Division? Yeah… about that. The Los Angeles Kings have won eight of their last nine games and sit just three points behind the Golden Knights in the standings. Objects in the mirror are closer than they appear.

The Athletic ($): Hockey is the game of unsung heroes and unrecognized stars. Harman Dayal compiled a list of the 10 most underrated defensemen in the NHL, and– who’s this? Why, it’s Brayden McNabb!

Playoff Clinches & Eliminations

Three teams entered Thursday’s slate of games with something to play for: the Colorado Avalanche and Tampa Bay Lightning were on the brink of clinching a playoff berth, and the Anaheim Ducks faced elimination. The Avalanche punched their ticket to the Stanley Cup Playoffs, but the Lightning lost, delaying their celebration. The Ducks lost, ending their playoff aspirations.

Teams that can be eliminated from playoff contention on Friday: None

Teams that can clinch a playoff berth on Friday: None

NHL News, Rumors, & National Hockey Now

Sportsnet: The Edmonton Oilers might be in trouble. They’re already down Connor McDavid, Mattias Ekholm, and Stuart Skinner– how much worse can it get? The answer is ‘a lot.’ Leon Draisaitl left halfway through the game on Thursday against the San Jose Sharks and did not return.

The Athletic ($): Oh, this is great. Goaltenders are more talented than ever, and Jesse Granger provides an in-depth breakdown of how some of the best scorers in the league are adapting.

Pittsburgh Hockey Now: Suddenly, winning the Pacific Division looks much less appetizing. The St. Louis Blues rattled off their 11th straight win on Thursday against the Penguins, moving into the first wild card spot.

Colorado Hockey Now: Move over, Mike Green– there’s a new sheriff in town. Cale Makar scored his 30th of the season on Thursday, becoming the ninth defenseman in NHL history to reach that mark.

New York Islanders Hockey Now: Shot, meet chaser. Islanders winger Anthony Duclair is taking a leave of absencefrom the team following head coach Patrick Roy’s comments to the media.

New Jersey Hockey Now: Offer sheets are the hot new thing after St. Louis Blues general manager Doug Armstrong’s success with Dylan Holloway and Philip Broberg. James Nichols lists three candidates the Devils take a swing at.

NHL History: On April 4th, 1967, Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Terry Sawchuk became the first to record 100 regular season shutouts.