NHL News & Notes: Bobrovsky, Upper Deck & More

In today’s News & Notes, Sergei Bobrovsky is going to miss a game, the NHL and NHLPA have agreed to continue working with Upper Deck as exclusive partners and the Boston Bruins and Boston Pride have formed a new partnership.

Related: NHL News & Notes: Andersen, Duchene & More

Bobrovsky to Miss Game

The Columbus Blue Jackets have announced that Bobrovsky is set to miss the team’s game Thursday night against the Nashville Predators due to an incident. The details of the situation will remain in-house according to Blue Jackets’ general manager Jarmo Kekalaninen, though he did release a statement on the matter.

“There are certain expectations and values that we have established for our players that define our culture,” Kekalainen said. “An incident occurred in which Sergei failed to meet those expectations and values, so we made the decision that he would not be with the team for tonight’s game. This is an internal matter and we will have no further comment at this time.”

Sergei Bobrovsky #72, Columbus Blue Jackets
Sergei Bobrovsky #72, Columbus Blue Jackets – December 22, 2018 (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)

The 30-year-old Bobrovsky is 18-13-1 this season with a 2.81 goals-against average and a .906 save percentage and two shutouts in 32 games. In his place, the Blue Jackets have recalled Jean-Francois Berube from the Cleveland Monsters while also placing Brandon Dubinsky and Markus Hannikainen on the injured reserve.

NHL and NHLPA Continue Partnership With Upper Deck

The NHL and the NHL Player’s Association announced Thursday that they have both opted to continue their partnership with The Upper Deck Company as the exclusive licensed manufacturer of NHL Trading Cards.

Representatives from the NHLPA and the NHL had the following to say respectively:

“We are very proud of our long-standing relationship with Upper Deck and look forward to continuing to grow the profile of our players through these iconic collectibles,” said Sandra Monteiro, Chief of Global Business Strategies for the NHLPA. “Under this partnership, both the players – and the sport in general – will benefit from Upper Deck’s commitment to expanding the reach of NHL cards to younger collectors through digital and in-store programs.”

“Upper Deck has demonstrated their commitment to promoting NHL hockey in creative and innovative ways for 29 years,” said Brian Jennings, NHL Chief Branding Officer and Executive Vice President. “Upper Deck has continually delivered top-notch, innovative products that emotionally connect fans of all ages worldwide to their favorite teams and players. We look forward to collaborating with Upper Deck to ensure that the next generation of fans can enjoy this time-honored tradition.”

The President of Upper Deck, Jason Masherah, also commented on the agreement.

“The renewal of the exclusive agreements between Upper Deck, the NHLPA and the NHL is a tribute to the success of a partnership that dates back to 1990 and continues to grow in North America and around the world,” said Masherah. “It celebrates our shared commitment to keep innovation and quality at the core of our business and to bring hockey cards and collectibles to new consumers on a global scale.”

Bruins and Pride Form Partnership

The Bruins and the Pride have formed a partnership that should have everybody in the hockey community and especially the city of Boston excited. As of Jan. 10, both teams have partnered to support the growth of women’s hockey in Massachusetts. This partnership will also help aid the Pride financially which is a huge step forward for women’s hockey as a whole.

“The Boston Pride are incredibly proud to join the rich history and competitive hockey family of the Boston Bruins,” said NWHL Deputy Commissioner Hayley Moore. “The Bruins’ commitment to advancing hockey across all levels aligns with what the NWHL stands for. We appreciate this partnership and their support in marketing and player development for the Pride, and we look forward to collaborating with the Bruins on a series of meaningful youth hockey initiatives.”

The Bruins will host the third annual Girls Hockey Day on Feb. 8 at TD Garden. More details and the entire release can be found here.