@iceman-cometh
Ignore the hacked and now fake @icemancometh tweets on X. Doing the writing thing for The Athletic. SoCal bred. Eyes on the California teams and beyond. Still love the grits. Still kinda goofy. https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/
Just a pretty disengaged game by the Ducks so far as the Blues grab a three-goal lead in the second. They've had a ton of home games and are about to jump on a cross-country Canadian trip. Feels like they're just not into this one.
Points lost for Kings, Predators, Sharks and Kraken so still no separation when it comes to the WC2. Seattle's loss at home isn't great. L.A.'s late blown lead in regulation hurts. No shame in Nashville losing at white-hot Buffalo. San Jose managed two of four with OT losses in home back-to-back.
Scott Laughton's first goal in his Kings debut is a big one as it pulls them into a 2-2 tie late in the second period. Jared Wright also gets his first NHL point in his third game.
Thought politics and sports weren't supposed to mix.
www.nytimes.com/athletic/709...
John Carlson won’t play tomorrow vs. STL. Still working his way back from a lower-body injury that he had prior to the Olympic break.
#FlyTogether
It is too early to say if John Carlson will be the Ducks' best trade deadline acquisition ever, but the accomplished defenseman is the biggest. On them joining force for a postseason splash.
www.nytimes.com/athletic/709...
Sharks fall, 3-2, to Blues in overtime as Kiefer Sherwood scoring a big tying goal in the third but Robert Thomas gets the winner in the first minute with a rebound score off his skate. Freshly re-signed Alex Nedeljkovic stops 11 of 14 and Macklin Celebrini gets his 31st. Disappointing one for SJ.
Alex Killorn's shootout goal in the sixth round gives Ducks a 6-5 back-and-forth win over Canadiens. Lukas Dostal stopped five of six Montreal tries. Anaheim now 8-0 in shootouts. Cutter Gauthier, Radko Gudas, Jackson LaCombe, Leo Carlsson, Chris Kreider with ANA goals.
Canadiens and Ducks are really, as my friend @arponbasu.bsky.social says, mirror images of each other in a lot of ways. Explosive and leaky. Can erase deficits. Tonight, it's Montreal that's done it.
Appreciate you, Steve. Yes, I'm ready to take a small breather here.
Ducks hold a 3-2 lead after two periods as Jackson LaCombe's PP goal was the only marker in the second to snap a tie. Lukas Dostal had several key saves. Sam Montembeault has been shaky but also made some excellent stops to keep it a one-goal game.
Twenty seconds into the game, Ducks score from distance but it's pulled off the board for a successful offside challenge. So they decide to score 19 seconds later. This one counts. ... and as I type this up, Canadiens tie it up 22 ticks later.
Won't go so far as to say there was undue pressure by Ducks owner Henry Samueli but remember at the hiring of Quenneville him saying he wants back in the playoffs. Tired of rebuilding. It's time and a player like John Carlson being on the market figures into that. Anaheim is bent on being in dance.
Kings trade Corey Perry to Lightning for 2028 second-round pick.
www.nytimes.com/athletic/709...
Sharks sign Alex Nedeljkovic to a two-year extension at $3 million AAV. Would have been UFA.
A late-night stunner: Ducks acquire longtime Capitals defenseman John Carlson for their playoff push as they eye a Pacific Division now up for grabs.
www.nytimes.com/athletic/703...
Ducks get John Carlson from the Capitals for a first-round pick in either 2026 or 2027 (Anaheim's choice) and a 2027 third-round pick. With the way they're trending, the first could be in the lower half of the round. Carlson is a UFA. Anaheim was sniffing around for a RHD and land a big one.
Ducks could have something cooking here on a late Thursday night/early early Friday morning in the east.
Kings pull to within three points of Kraken for WC2 spot after 5-3 win over Islanders in Anze Kopitar's 1,500th game. Artemi Panarin gets his first L.A. goal. Offensive breakout with goals also from Samuel Helenius, Mikey Anderson, Alex Laferriere (PP), Adrian Kempe. Darcy Kuemper had 31 stops.
Been away from it for a bit so catching up to Ducks re-signing center Ryan Poehling to a four-year extension worth $3.75 million AAV. Part of the return in the Trevor Zegras deal, Poehling has done nicely as a 3C fill-in due to injuries and regular 4C while being a top penalty-killing option.
And why some might keep a packed suitcase in the closet by the front door.
Went so far south for Warren Foegele in his second season with Kings after it went so well for him in his first. Feel he can help Senators and should relish a refresh. Great skater, north-south player that's a forechecker and hard worker.
Not gonna lie I saw Sharks acquire defenseman ... pop up in my email and nearly drove off the road. Also, I shouldn't be checking email while I'm driving (Damn you, NHL trade deadline). Anyway, they got Jett Woo for Jack Thompson.
Guess I should have dropped Colton Parayko in here, but you know supposed to have gone to Sabres and all that. (Feel for you, Buffalo, but it's still all good).
Kind of like this as a pickup for available playoff depth by someone.
The anguish from fans over GMs handing out NTCs/NMCs and that they should be abolished is hilarious. Is it completely forgotten that those can often be the difference in getting a player? Especially if the NHL city has a tough time with that. You obviously have to be selective but c'mon folks.
Ducks bounce right back with 5-1 win over Islanders. Cutter Gauthier stayed red hot with two goals, Beckett Sennecke, Ryan Poehling and Frank Vatrano (EN) each added one. Ville Husso was the star through with an outstanding 42-save effort. Vegas came back in Detroit to keep the Pacific lead.
Will the Ducks be active ahead of Friday's NHL trade deadline?
www.nytimes.com/athletic/708...
