McDavid Hits 100 Points, Markov Still Out & More

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Hitting 100 points in the NHL is a big deal. It’s even more impressive of a feat when it’s done by a 20-year-old player, and that was the case Wednesday when Edmonton Oilers‘ forward Connor McDavid notched his 100th career NHL point. To add another layer to the story, McDavid also did so in the fourth-fewest games of any active NHL player.

As listed above, McDavid recorded his 100th point in just 92 games. The only players to do so faster were Evgeni Malkin – 89, Sidney Crosby – 80, and Alex Ovechkin, who did so in just 77 games. McDavid’s 100 points come in the form of 30 goals and 70 assists, though he also added his 101st and 102nd points of his career during a three-point night against the Florida Panthers.

McDavid is certainly no stranger to posting points in the game of hockey. In the OHL, the Oilers’ centerman was considered a phenom with the Erie Otters. In three seasons with Erie, McDavid played in 166 games and scored a mind-boggling 97 goals and 285 points. McDavid also had success in the postseason with Erie, playing in 34 games, recording 25 goals and 68 points.

Andrei Markov Out at Least One More Week

Despite recent struggles, the Montreal Canadiens won’t rush Andrei Markov’s return. The veteran defenseman has missed 15 games and hasn’t played since Dec. 17. Markov was originally deemed week-to-week with a groin injury, and it was announced Thursday by Michel Therrien – and reported by Eric Engels, that the 38-year-old would miss at least one more week.

Markov is an established veteran and has spent his entire career with the Canadiens after being drafted in 1998. The team has struggled lately in terms of goal-suppression, and getting Markov back in the lineup will certainly help their cause. As it stands, the team will be without him for at least one more week, but at his age, the team would be best to play it safe and ensure that he’s 100 percent healthy before clearing him to play.

The Russian defenseman has scored two goals and 21 points in 31 games so far this year and has posted a plus-7 rating. In his career, Markov has scored 115 goals and 557 points in 959 games while also playing a very dependable defensive game. Many defensemen have come and gone through the city of Montreal, but Markov is one of the best in recent memory. Even at 38 years old, he’s still a top defender on their team, and the leadership he brings is second-to-none.

Carey Price Tries to Calm Fans and Media

After losing 4-1 to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Wednesday, Carey Price spoke up for his team. The Montreal Canadiens have struggled with allowing goals over the last few weeks, which has left many fans and media members in disarray. To this, Carey Price made a very clear and concise statement as noted in the Tweet below.

Price is right. The Stanley Cup cannot be won in January, and there is still a lot of time to right the wrongs that the Canadiens are dealing with. While there is still time for the Canadiens to fall even further in the standings after their historic start to the season, it’s also important to note that the Habs have dealt with injuries all season. Injuries are never an excuse, and though the Canadiens have been hit as hard as any team with the injury bug, it hasn’t been a factor in explaining losses from the Montreal locker room or front office.

Still, there’s no denying that Price has dealt with a tough stretch over the last few months. In October, Price played in five games and had a .954 save percentage. In 11 games in November, the former-Hart Trophy winner recorded a .944 save percentage. It wasn’t until December and January, however, that things started to get worrisome. In 11 games in December, Price posted a .899 save percentage. Through seven games in January, things haven’t gotten better as Price has recorded a .880 save percentage.

To Price’s credit, he’s taken a realistic approach to the issue. Following the loss to the Penguins, Price made it clear that his attention was squarely on the next game.

“You can’t stop those pucks now, so you just got to look forward to the next game.” Price said.

Odds & Ends

– Despite representing Ohio in different sports, Columbus Blue Jackets’ head coach John Tortorella made it clear his thoughts on Cleveland Cavaliers’ star LeBron James and a potential transition to hockey.

When talking about whether or not LeBron could make the switch, Tortorella didn’t pull any punches: