With the new schedule due tonight (on SportsCenter ), it's time to open up the new NHL season thread.

The Arizona Coyotes will move from the Pacific Division to the Central, with Seattle sliding into the Pacific to give each division 8 teams. The plan is for a full 82-game season.

The NHL is working on two versions of the schedule - one with an Olympic break, one without. Negotiations are ongoing as to whether the NHL will participate in the 2022 Olympic games.

Montreal defenseman Shea Weber will miss the entire 2021-22 season, and may be at the end of his career due to injuries.

Philadelphia traded D Shayne Gostisbehere to Arizona for future considerations.

Detroit acquired G Alex Nedeljkovic from Carolina for G Jonathan Bernier and a 2021 third-round pick. Detroit signed Nedeljkovic to a two-year contract.

Seattle traded F Tyler Pitlick to Calgary for a 2022 fourth-round pick.

NY Rangers signed Barclay Goodrow to a six-year deal. Financial terms not disclosed yet.

The 2021 draft is Friday and Saturday - I'd expect a few more deals then. And next week is free agency, when teams throw money around like they don't know what it's actually worth.

That schedule release show (as part of SportsCenter) on ESPN was dreadful. Should have been on NHL Network. I miss NBC already.

Well, looks like I won't be staying up late watching Vegas anymore. The Golden Knights traded Vezina Trophy winner Marc-Andre Fleury to the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for a half-filled Subway rewards card and two bottle of Mountain Dew. Handled it in about the most classless way possible, not informing Fleury of the deal (apparently his agent heard about it on social media).

You didn’t mention the Flyers’ hideous trades yet.

Nothing like giving up a ton for a defenseman with a career -161 rating.

Disgraceful. When they signed Lehner I knew it was the beginning of the end - and I said it back then.
They are being trashed out here. They have no idea what they have done. They are in a terrible division, so
they will be a playoff team yet again next season, but their days as a true cup contender are over.
At least I still have the Islanders.

That deal surprised me. I get that Nolan Patrick wasn't setting the world on fire, but man.

What really surprised me - going back to last year - was how far Ghost had fallen in the Flyers' eyes. Maybe it was something like Ollie Maatta here - early success warped expectations. But the return? Don't get me wrong - I know that trade returns aren't what they used to be (people thinking you can trade a goalie for a couple first round picks and a prospect), but that reeks of pure salary dump.

Signing Martin Jones today (1 year, $2M) seems like a decent move. Not earth-shattering, but not devastating if he doesn't work out. But all they really need him to do is push Hart a bit.

Me too DanO...of course the Isles are going to be playing in their new digs at Belmont Park and while losing Eberle they should hopefully make a good showing for the 21-22 season...

I'm pretty sure we'll be making a cross-country trip to check out the new place!

It's a sad day in Pittsburgh hockey - the legend Mike Lange is hanging up the play-by-play mic after 46 years with the Penguins. Lange missed most of last season due to precautions around Covid-19, but he did do two regular season games and two playoff games.



It's a day I've known was coming for years, but it still got here way too soon. Penguins hockey w/o Mike Lange won't be the same.

https://www.nhl.com/penguins/news/lange ... -325930160

So, are the Coyotes going to move now?

I thought I saw an article that said the team is looking at building a place near Tempe.

What I read tonight says they have nothing planned, but they’re trying to stay in Phoenix.

My cousin lives there and she said nobody would care if they left.

Their attendance is dreadful, so I’m curious how this plays out.

This is the article I read.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/n ... 201631002/

From what I've read, the Glendale location is a bad site for them. Inconvenient for most of their season ticket holders. I think we're squarely in the posturing stage right now. This is the stage where it's "obvious" that they to move to Quebec. Except it's
"obvious" they need to be in Kansas City. Except it's obvious that there are six other locations that make sense for them. I've already seen Hamilton and Hartford tossed around - those aren't happening.

My guess is it's a toss-up at this point, but if the NHL wants a team in Phoenix, they're staying. Bettman has shown that he's a fan of keeping teams where they are - he pretty much single-handedly kept the Penguins in Pittsburgh pre-Sidney Crosby. Jim Balsillie (of Blackberry) had reached an agreement to buy the team (he was even introduced on a TV game as the new owner), but then it leaked that he wanted to move the team to Hamilton. Bettman stepped in and said it was a no go, and that the league would never approve the move. Bye-bye Jim. Once the team got Crosby, they were no longer for sale.

Rangers legend, "The King", Henrik Lundquist has announced his retirement,

https://nypost.com/2021/08/20/rangers-l ... etirement/

Kind of a sad end to a great career. Best response I've seen was that Roberto Luongo tweeted at him, inviting him to do a podcast called "Two GOATS, No Cups".

You remember around 1976 I think it was when the Penguins were all set to move to Seattle?

Denver was also going to get an expansion team.

But somehow the Penguins stayed (and it didn’t look good), Seattle lost out and Kansas City moved to Denver.

It was very close in 1976 that the Penguins, who were in ruins then were going to move.

So hey, IT'S OPENING NIGHT!

I'm most excited for Thursday because that's when the Islanders begin.

I'll also be watching tomorrow for the Rangers/Caps. Should be quite interesting
if you remember last season and the way NY has now brought in a load of tough guys.

Gallant will not have a team that is pushed around. Will be fun to watch.

Good luck to all of your teams!

Wish I could watch the Kraken's first real game, but I think it’s only on Root Sports up here - which sucks,

It should be on ESPN
Oh, home blackout - I forgot

Also I don’t have ESPN.

Pens score three empty netters for the first time in team history and beat the Lightning. On pace to go 82-0.