Three Majors and a Minor – Tkachuk, the Avalanche and the Canadiens

Welcome to another edition of Three Majors and a Minor. This week we look at three major talking points of the young NHL season and one minor that is slowly creeping upon us. If you like what you read remember to give us a follow on Twitter and Instagram as well as subscribing you our YouTube channel. Ok, let’s get this show on the road.

Tkachuk gets a taste of his own medicine

Matthew Tkachuk doesn’t mind being the instigator. A quick look at last season’s run-in with Edmonton Oilers Zack Kassian is enough to determine the Calgary forward is not trying to win any popularity awards with fellow hockey players. However, it would seem the instigator doesn’t like being instigated.

Tkachuk lost his freakin’ mind on Tuesday at the end of the Flames 4-3 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs. As the whistle went at the end of 60 minutes Leafs defenseman Jake Muzzin flicked a puck at Tkachuk and the older brother of Brady went completely ballistic. Referees and teammates had to separate the two as Tkachuk kept swinging and going after the smiling Muzzin.

It’s possible Muzzin’s puck flip was in retaliation for Tkachuk’s ‘accidental’ fall on goaltender Jack Campbell in a previous clash. Campbell will be out for weeks with a lower-body injury and led to Tkachuk coming in for some criticism. Tkachuk said after the first game “It’s a good thing I don’t listen to it.” Seems Muzzin got his attention.

It will be interesting to see if there will be any fell over into the next contest given how many times the teams will play each other.

Out in the Kaut-ld

The Colorado Avalanche are 5-3 as of writing and the firm Stanley Cup favorites are still finding their feet in this shortened season. Their last two wins over the San Jose Sharks were character wins in different ways. The first 7-3 crushing showed the offensive talent at Jared Bednar’s disposal while the following 3-0 win showed the grit and determination needed, especially with the score 0-0 going into the third period.

This record has been despite injuries including Andre Burakovsky, Pavel Francouz, Matt Calvert, and now Pierre-Edouard Bellemare who left Thursday clash against San Jose with a lower-body injury. And yet 2018 first-round draft pick Martin Kaut finds himself out in the cold. Kaut played one game against Anaheim but registered less than six minutes and took a sloppy penalty.

That was enough for him to be relegated back to the taxi squad in favor of… Kiefer Sherwood! He was then moved from the taxi squad to the Colorado Eagles where it looks like he will start the season. I don’t get it and with Calvert and Bellemare out I want to see Kaut and Shane Bowers get chances as these are and should be the team’s future.

Are The San Jose Goalposts Regulation?

Speaking of the second Avalanche v San Jose game I have to ask if the Sharks switched out the goalposts because nothing else makes sense. The Avalanche hit five posts on the night as San Jose goaltender Devan Dubnyk must have felt like Ned Flanders

Dubnyk every time a puck hits his post pic.twitter.com/uGAbUN7MFg

— Gavin (@G__Daly) January 29, 2021

The Avalanche finally found their way through in the third period to cruise past a lucky Sharks team 3-0 but the posts added a sense of nervousness for a majority of the game.

And now leaving you with a minor thought…

Can the Montreal Canadiens keep up their early season form? They are currently undefeated and have the joint best goal differential alongside the Dallas Stars. It will all come down to if Nick Suzuki (7 points in 7 games) and Jesperi Kotkaniemi (5 points in 7 games) can keep the youth going wild in Quebec.

See you next week for another edition of Three Majors and a Minor. In the meantime head over to our shop and help support your favorite news outlet.