Morning Skate - Wednesday, November 30

Morning Skate - Celebrating Streakers & Advice from Ted Lasso

November 30, 2022

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ROOPE, THERE IT IS: There's a new member of the eight-year contract extension club, as the Dallas Stars agreed to terms with forward Roope Hintz on an eight-year, $67.6 million extension. The newly-turned 26-year-old has scored eight goals and 24 points in 22 games this season.

CROSBY STRIKES AGAIN: Sidney Crosby scored the opening goal against the Carolina Hurricanes on Nov. 29 and made history again. It was his 101st career game-opening goal, which surpasses Mario Lemieux, who had 100 with the Penguins, adding to his impressive resume.

2 FOR 8 > 99: Always competing with and not to be outdone by Crosby, Alexander Ovechkin also had a historic night. Ovechkin likewise notched the game-opening goal in the Washington Capitals' 5-1 victory over the Vancouver Canucks, tying Jaromír Jágr for most in NHL history with 135. His second tally, which he notched a little over six minutes later, was his 403rd in a visiting sweater, passing Wayne Gretzky for most road goals.

LET THE PEOPLE VOTE: On May 16, 2023, that's what the citizens of Tempe, Arizona, will do. Yesterday, the Tempe City Council voted 7-0 to advance the proposal for the Arizona Coyotes' new arena to a public vote following support from the NHL commissioner. Gary Bettman was on hand to promote the $2.1 billion project, ensuring the council that the city would get an NHL Draft and All-Star Game during its 30-year, no-relocation term.

Who Said It

1) "I remember going to the camps when I was younger and how they made me feel. I remember how much fun I had, and I wanted to see that other kids could enjoy that experience too. I wanted to give back to the kids, and I thought this would be a good way to do it."

A. AnĹľe KopitarB. Mikko RantanenC. Jamie Benn 

2) "I know it's just over 30 games into my career, but I'm really comfortable with the demands of playing in this league. I'm playing in the NHL, so I don't take anything for granted. Every day at the rink, every game—it's one day at a time for me."

A. Jake OettingerB. Sam MontembeaultC. Logan Thompson 

3) "I think the biggest takeaway is how positive she was during her battle. She was always looking at the silver lining. Both of our families were very supportive during her battle which gave us strength, too. My teammates, our friends, so many people have been there for us."

A. Tage ThompsonB. Craig AndersonC. Phil Kessel

Answers can be found at the bottom of the email.

Random Streakers

Mitch Marner has officially recorded a point in 17 straight games and continues to join even more elite company, with every subsequent contest featuring a goal or assist. Should Marner extend his streak tonight against the San Jose Sharks, he will tie the Toronto Maple Leafs franchise record.

Going on a long heater is impressive, no doubt, and will cement your place in the NHL record books. But it doesn't come with any guarantee of superstardom. Sure, the longest point streaks belong to Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux, but lesser players have also had their streaky moment in the sun. In honor of Marner's run, let's check in with some not-quite-household names who have put together historic hot streaks.

Bronco Horvath

A nine-year journeyman, Bronco Horvath was certainly no scrub and even shared the league goal-scoring lead with Bobby Hull (39) in 1959-60. Outside of that season and another 30-goal campaign with the Boston Bruins, there wasn't much to Horvath's game. Those 69 combined goals comprise nearly half of the 141 he netted for his career. Still, there's no taking away that 39-goal, 80-point season that also featured a 22-game point streak.

Mike Rogers

You have to love the Wild West vibe of the 1980s-era NHL, where everyone scored in bunches. Even Mike Rogers of the Hartford Whalers somehow managed to post 17- and 18-game point streaks—and almost did it in the same calendar year! Over a pair of consecutive 105-point campaigns that weren't significant enough to even merit an All-Star nod, Rogers notched a point in 17 straight games in early 1980 and then 18 in the next season but same year. The final game of that streak happened to be the team's first of 1981.

Punch Broadbent

We've done enough research to know that Punch Broadbent won three Stanley Cups and made the Hall of Fame during an era when it was easier to get into than your average state school, so hockey historians reading this can chill. When a guy with just 172 points in 303 career games hits the scoresheet in 16 straight, it's pretty unlikely. During the 1921-22 season, Broadbent failed to record a point in three of his 24 games, finishing the season with 31 goals and 14 assists—including 37 points during his 16-game run. He also gets bonus points for being named Punch Broadbent.

Ted Lasso's Advice for Struggling Teams

"Ted Lasso" is the hit show on Apple TV about a quirky football coach coaching an English soccer team: AFC Richmond. Although he was uninformed about soccer going into the job, he quickly won over the team and fanbase with his fun, team-building personality while giving great advice. Today we look at three struggling NHL teams who could use some of Ted's pep talks, as "The Lasso Way" is the best way!

Philadelphia Flyers

Thanks to last night's victory over the New York Islanders, the

have one win in their past 11 games and are still second-worst in the Metropolitan Division. These skids usually lead to a defeated locker room, which wouldn't surprise anyone. Head coach John Tortorella said he had

back in September, as the culture of the room has been a noted issue for several years. Ted Lasso would likely give the Flyers the same advice he gave his star players

: "When it comes to locker rooms, I like them just like my mother's bathing suits. I only wanna see them in one piece." A little bit of humor goes a long way in bringing a team together while encouraging Tartt and Kent to work out their issues.

Chicago Blackhawks

Riding a seven-game losing streak, the

are the second-worst team in the NHL. Their troubles stem from not being able to overcome mistakes. If they score a goal, they usually allow one within a few minutes. When facing the Dallas Stars on Nov. 23, the Blackhawks were winning 4-1 with 10 minutes left in the third and ultimately lost 5-4 in regulation. Ted Lasso's advice for them would be what he

: "You know what the happiest animal on Earth is? It's a goldfish. Do you know why? It's got a 10-second memory. Be a goldfish." This quote would go a long way in encouraging the Blackhawks from letting their mistakes snowball.

Buffalo Sabres

Sitting second to last in the Atlantic Division, the

don't play physically enough. They are worst in the NHL in hits with 303, and Ted Lasso would tell them to step it up in that department.

"In my mind, you gotta have three things to be a Premier League team. One, you gotta play physical. Two, you gotta give 100% until the final whistle. And three, you gotta be sponsored by a Middle-Eastern airline." Switch that to NHL and being sponsored by BioSteel, and the sentiment remains the same. Winning teams are effective at controlling possession through physicality, something Buffalo needs to improve.

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