Hockey News: Joe Thornton’s Goal Celebration; Flames Hot Start

In case you missed it, Joe Thornton’s attempt to take the heat of off rookie teammate Tomas Hertl may have gone a little too far. Or maybe it shouldn’t have gone public in the first place? [Puck Daddy]

Poor Hertl meanwhile is just trying to live the dream in the NHL, but old curmudgeons like Adam Oates won’t let him. [National Post]

Really a shame Oates wasn’t the Capitals coach when this happened. [Hockey Hermit]

Speaking of Ovechkin, he may actually be deserving of the Hart Trophy this season. [Russian Machine Never Breaks]

The Calgary Flames are also off to a good start. Taking a look up and down that line-up, one wonders how that’s possible, but it’s thanks in part to a rookie who not even stay in the NHL this season. [Ottawa Citizen]

Don’t look now, but Patrick Roy’s Avalanche are unbeaten. [CBC]

Claude Julien prepared himself according for Roy’s visit. [Rant Sports]

The Penguins are 3-0 at home this season and have allowed just three goals in the process. Imagine if the ice was decent? [Post Gazette]

What has happened to Claude Giroux? [Sportsblog]

Jaroslav Halak is key to the Blues success. If he keeps up this level of play, the EA Sports prediction may end up being right. [ESPN]

Is it too early to panic about the Rangers poor start? Maybe, since no one can point to John Tortorella as the problem. [Bleacher Report]

The Rangers have a lot of free agent decisions to make. [Blueshirt Banter]

Seth Jones is quietly acclimating himself to the NHL. [Toronto Star]

Cody Franson’s return to Nashville didn’t go so well. [TSN]

Is Jake Gardiner on the trading block? The emergence of Morgan Rielly might suggest that. [Globe and Mail]

Joffrey Lupul is hurt again. [The Spec]

Things aren’t going well for the Sabres or Mikhail Grigorenko. [Sabres Noise]

Thomas Vanek does the Hertl. [Die by the Blade]

And finally, David Moss shows his support for injured high school player Matt Sorisho [Sporting News]