In Red Wings Land
On waivers today: Bunnaman (PHI), Rask (MIN), Gemel Smith (DET)
— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) February 18, 2022
Blashill said at the presser that the move to put Smith on waivers was for flexibility. Detroit has Carter Rowney, Mitchell Stephens and Jakub Vrana all nearing returns and they have a full 23-man roster. Somebody has to be waived to pull any of them off IR unless they send a person down.
SPEAKING OF WHICH
UPDATE: The #RedWings today assigned center Joe Veleno to the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins. pic.twitter.com/LtGUbEBcVL
— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) February 18, 2022
Of course, Detroit is off all weekend and the Griffins play two games. Veleno looks to be the one who’ll be staying in GR when Vrana is back but I’d expect a good chance he’s back in the lineup against the Avs.
Around the League
The Canadiens have hired Nick Bobrov and Vincent Lecavalier to join the hockey operations department.#GoHabsGohttps://t.co/wG7PemjvtV
— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) February 18, 2022
Getting all the old Bolts back together.
Commissioner Bettman Upholds Six-Game Suspension Assessed to Bruins’ Marchand – NHL
No active player has been suspended more times than Mr. Marchand; this is his eighth (8th) suspension. (NHL Ex. 1.) In addition, he has been fined four (4) times for physical fouls.3 Although the on-ice penalty calls that resulted in supplementary discipline have varied in their specifics, all have involved serious violations, including elbowing, slew footing, clipping, roughing, spearing, cross-checking and (now) high sticking. It is, to say the least, an unenviable record. And (again), to make matters worse, Mr. Marchand’s most recent suspension prior to this one occurred less than three months ago, when he was suspended for three (3) games for slew footing Vancouver Canucks player Oliver Ekman-Larsson on November 28, 2021.
He’s also been fined for diving.
It is difficult to imagine any kind of provocation that might have served to justify or mitigate the conduct involved here, but I note that virtually no evidence of provocation was offered at all. Mr. Marchand testified only that his punch was prompted by Mr. Jarry’s comment (after making the save): “How about that f—g save?” (Tr. 14.) To say that Mr. Marchand overreacted to that comment would be an understatement. Mr. Marchand himself admitted as much, testifying that Mr. Jarry’s comment was “nothing really out of line or derogatory in any kind of way[.]” (Tr. 8.) Mr. Marchand also admits that he overreacted, stating: “my emotions got the best of me and I made a poor decision.” (Tr. 18.)
Lol what a big stupid baby.
