This Week in the NHL: Flames, Predators meet in ‘Tank Bowl’
With 32 teams, games every night and countless narratives emerging, the NHL season can make one’s head spin, and it’s easy to miss out on the weekly storylines. Not to worry; every Monday from October to April, I’ll map out the major events, games, plotlines and milestones on tap for the next seven days.
So what’s happening the week of Dec. 1 -7 ?
Brenden Dillon’s 1,000th game
Columbus Blue Jackets at New Jersey Devils, 7:00 p.m. ET
Dillon is the type of defenseman whose ideal game is one in which you don’t notice him, meaning he’s played mistake-free, meat-and-potatoes hockey, so it’s fitting that he’s very quietly reached the 1,000-game plateau, split across five franchises. The 35-year-old remains a reliable third-pair banger and penalty-kill fixture.
Dec. 2: ‘Tank Bowl’ matchup between NHL’s bottom two teams
Calgary Flames @ Nashville Predators, 8:00 p.m. ET
Through Sunday’s action, the Flames and Predators hold the two worst points percentages in the NHL, meaning they’re on track to have the top odds for the NHL Draft Lottery at 25.5 percent and 13.5 percent, respectively. Are their seasons lost enough already that their respective fan bases will cheer for a loss as a “win” in this matchup?
Dec. 4: Jim Montgomery returns to Boston
St. Louis Blues @ Boston Bruins, 7:00 p.m. ET
It’s been just more than a year now since the Bruins dumped Montgomery as their head coach just one season and change after he led them to the greatest regular season in NHL history and won the Jack Adams Award as coach of the year. The Bruins ended up missing the playoffs last season, while Montgomery quickly caught on with the Blues and led them on a Cinderella run to a playoff berth. They’ve struggled to stay competitive this season, however, while the Bruins are back on the upswing. Maybe a win over Montgomery’s old team could spark a surge for the Blues?