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Merry Christmas, Devils fans. Hockey is almost here. Here are your links for today:
Devils Links
Devils sign Dawson Mercer to his three-year entry-level deal:
#NEWS: Mercer agrees to terms on his three-year entry-level contract.
— New Jersey Devils (@NJDevils) December 24, 2020
Congrats, Dawson! And best of luck with @HockeyCanada at #WorldJuniors. #NJDevils | @investorsbankhttps://t.co/hFxx3FPWLf
And Mackenzie Blackwood’s deal is official: three years at $2.8 million AAV.
Return of the Mac.
— New Jersey Devils (@NJDevils) December 23, 2020
IT’S OFFICIAL. We have re-signed Mackenzie Blackwood to a three-year contract. #NJDevils | @InvestorsBank https://t.co/oSBBmTt4Qr
ICYMI: Schedule time. The Devils have released the 2021 regular season schedule. Here you can find a printable PDF and a readable table of what’s ahead: [NHL]
I’ll try to include highlights from prospects at the World Juniors in the coming days. If I miss something, please feel free to drop a link in the comments. Here’s prospect Jaromir Pytlik finding the net:
With less than a minute to go in the 2nd, @jaromirpytlik_ fires the puck and makes it 4-0 for @narodnitym.
— IIHF (@IIHFHockey) December 24, 2020
Nice pick @NJDevils ;) #WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/9Sjn4vk5Rx
A fine looking pass between prospects:
Good read from Shakir Mukhamadullin (NJD) to see the lack of Canadian players in his way to find Arseni Gritsyuk (NJD), but he fails to finish it off.
— Dylan Griffing (@Dylan_Griffing) December 24, 2020
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Shakir is just three bad plays followed by one alright play, take of that what you will. pic.twitter.com/rheSY4H6eV
Hockey Links
Sounds like the league believes it has the approval of the Canadian provinces to begin play at home arenas:
Statement from Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly on NHL Canadian Clubs Playing in Home Arenas. pic.twitter.com/mtCLTwlLcB
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) December 24, 2020
Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports on the NHL looking for revenue sources: “In the hunt to grow revenues as COVID vaccines are distributed through North America, the NHL is going to be aggressive in trying new things.” [Sportsnet]
An injury means Kirby Dach’s World Junior experience is over:
No official word yet from @HockeyCanada but Kirby Dach is out of the WJC because of the injury suffered yesterday. So Team loses its captain. CHI doctors still assessing Dach’s injury but he will be missing NHL time as well.
— Bob McKenzie (@TSNBobMcKenzie) December 24, 2020
Nikita Kucherov will miss the regular season because of a hip injury:
GM Julien BriseBois on Nikita Kucherov during today’s availability: “Unfortunately, [he] has a hip injury that will require surgery.... that means he will not be available to play this upcoming regular season.”
— Tampa Bay Lightning (@TBLightning) December 23, 2020
They can’t keep getting away with this:
A little early Christmas gift for ya.
— Tampa Bay Lightning (@TBLightning) December 24, 2020
We have re-signed Anthony Cirelli to a three-year contract worth $4.8 million AAV!
: https://t.co/uXTjBLudZB pic.twitter.com/MkUQL8BYz6
It would appear that the Staples Center has removed the Taylor Swift banner that Kings fans complained was a jinx. [Entertainment Weekly]
Feel free to discuss these and any other hockey-related stories in the comments below.