Daily Faceoff Morning Report — 03/15/22
The Daily Faceoff Morning Report will be released on weekdays, recapping the key news and events from the day before.
We will highlight injuries that will affect today’s games, hot streaks, cold streaks, and anything relevant for everyone from the casual hockey fan to the Fantasy Hockey grinder.
First domino falls in lead-up to trade deadline
Josh Manson (D) has been rumoured in trade talks for the last couple of seasons. He was finally dealt on Monday to the Colorado Avalanche in a move that will surely solidify an already exceptional defensive core for the Avalanche. Read about what the Anaheim Ducks got in return here.
With the trade deadline less than a week away, use yesterday’s light day in the NHL to catch up on some necessary reading to prepare you for the festivities:
- Frank Seravalli’s list of trade targets
- Sizing up the NHL goalie market
- Why teams are asking for draft picks in 2023 instead of 2022
Senators outshoot Coyotes by 28, lose 5-3
The Arizona Coyotes defeated the Ottawa Senators in the lone game in the NHL on Monday despite being outshot 43-15. Lawson Crouse (LW) scored goals at even strength, shorthanded, and on the powerplay to register his first career hat-trick in the victory for the Coyotes. Crouse set a new career-high in goals and added to his already career-best point totals (58GP / 18G / 12A / 30PTS). He has six points (4G / 2A) in his last five games and is one of only five players with more than 15 goals and 150 hits. Brady Tkachuk (LW) is the leading goal scorer on that list with 20 goals. Tkachuk played his signature style of game for the Senators on Monday night, racking up two points (0G / 2A), nine-shot on goal, and three hits.
How about a short-handed @Enterprise hat trick for Lawson Crouse (@LawCrouse) tonight? 🤯 pic.twitter.com/G8jRVTayLm
— NHL (@NHL) March 15, 2022Nick Schmaltz (C, RW) continued his run of hot play and registered two points (1G / 1A) for the Coyotes. He has only been held pointless twice in his last 13 games and has 25 points (12G / 13A) in that span.
Nick Schmaltz now has 15 points in his last six games!! 🥶
📺: @Sportsnet ➡️ https://t.co/4KjbdjVctF #NHLonSN pic.twitter.com/cJtXdCP77R
Josh Norris (C) scored two goals for the Senators and now has eight points (6G / 2A) in six games since returning from injury. Scott Wedgewood (G) saved 40 of 43 shots for the Coyotes and improved to 3-0-1 when recording 40 saves or more. Since January 28th, Wedgewood has recorded a 6-3-0 record and a .929 SV%, the sixth-best in the league during that time.
Other News and Notes
- Chris Gear provides his grade and analysis for the Josh Manson trade.
- NHL suspends Auston Matthews for two games.
Injury Report
- Jakob Chychrun (ARI) is expected to miss two to four weeks with an upper-body injury.