The trade deadline has come and gone and I apologize for getting this one out a little late. But with the trade deadline came the departure of one of Vancouver’s top prospects. Tyler Madden was included in the trade that brought in Tyler Toffoli. Some WHL players made up for the regular Madden gifs this week as well as Vancouver’s most recent first-round pick. All this and more in this week’s edition of the Blackfish Report.

CHL

  • Carson Focht has been torching the WHL recently with 10 points in his last 7 games. He’s recorded 6 goals and 4 assists as well as 30 shots on net.
  • Jett Woo has also been lighting it up offensively with 1 goal and 8 assists on his current 7 game point streak.
  • Ethan Keppen is still out of the Firebirds lineup with an injury.
  • Arturs Silovs won all 3 games he started for the Barrie Colts including a 42 save performance against the Windsor Spitfires.

NCAA

  • Will Lockwood recorded a 3 point game on the 17th with 2 goals and an apple. He also recorded a secondary-assist in the back-to-back series against Notre Dame. He left the game in the third period on the 22nd due to a knee injury which will be evaluated sometime this week.
  • Northeastern was romped by Boston College in a home-and-home Thursday and Friday. They dropped the first game at home 3-2 and then were decimated 10-1 the next night. Aidan McDonough was pointless in the series. It will be interesting to see how he produces with Tyler Madden, his most frequent linemate, out for the rest of the regular season.
  • Jack Rathbone had another solid week with 3 assists in two games played. His 26 points are 4 points more than his previous career-high in 9 fewer games. His 1.08 points-per-game is 3rd in the NCAA for defencemen.

Russia

  • Vasili Podkolzin had a 3 assist week including a 2 assist performance against Jokerit. All three of them were of the primary variety.

Sweden

  • Nils Hoglander was pointless in 3 games this week. He’s on a lengthy cold streak right now with only 1 assist in his last 9 games. He’s also seen a decline in ice-time in his last 3 games. It would seem Hoglander is going through growing pains as he is still suiting up on Rogle’s third line but his ice-time hasn’t reflected that deployment.
  • Arvid Costmar had a primary-assist in 2 games this week for Linkoping J20.

Czech

  • No games for Karel Plasek this week.

Finland

  • Petrus Palmu had 2 assists, a primary and secondary, in 2 games this week.
  • Toni Utunen was pointless in 2 games this week as the 7th defenceman for Tappara.

AHL

  • The Utica Comets beat the Belleville Senators 6-3 in their lone game this week.
  • Michael DiPietro stopped 30 shots for his 17th win of the season. His workload will look to increase even more due to recent events for the big club. With Jacob Markstrom injured, Vancouver traded DiPietro’s backup Zane McIntyre for Louis Domingue who will most likely serve as Thatcher Demko’s backup while Markstrom recovers. That meant the Comets called up Jake Kielly from the ECHL to serve as Utica’s second goaltender. DiPietro will continue to get the majority of starts.
  • Justin Bailey netted his 25th on the power-play and then his 26th at even strength.
  • Lukas Jasek had the assist on Bailey’s 26th.
  • Kole Lind scored his 13th with the secondary-assist to Bailey. This line has been the offensive motor for the Comets since the New Year.
  • Nikolay Goldobin had 2 apples this week.
  • Brogan Rafferty had his 34th assist from the power-play.