The Bruins are back home and back on the ice this morning as they get set for a Sunday afternoon meeting with the Florida Panthers, their second divisional matchup of the season.
Jeremy Swayman is expected to start, but the goaltending storyline right now belongs to Michael DiPietro. The Bruins moved Joonas Korpisalo this summer, and DiPietro has done plenty to make that decision look sharp.
He’s won his last four games, and his .925 save percentage sits in the top five across the league. His high-danger save percentage, .889, is also inside the NHL’s top five.
At 27, he’s making the most of every chance behind Swayman, even with long gaps between appearances. DiPietro said he’s taking it day by day, and he’s no stranger to that kind of grind.
Boston will practice at 11:00 AM today and will not have a morning skate before Sunday’s 1:00 PM puck drop.
The other Bruins note from the morning belongs to Providence, where the P-Bruins rallied in wild fashion. They scored five times in the third period and beat the Hamilton Hammers 5-4, with Mikey Eyssimont doing the heavy lifting. He ripped off a natural hat trick in 1:43 to turn a 4-2 deficit into a 5-4 lead.
Around the league, the Flyers’ Matvei Michkov situation keeps bubbling. His 10 goals still lead the team, but his 15:54 average ice time ranks sixth among Philadelphia forwards.
An Instagram post tied to Michkov and rookie Porter Martone’s ice time drew attention, and Michkov liked it. There’s also a social media push in Philly to fly a plane with “Fire Tocchet” on it, and the effort has already raised over $5,000.
In Pittsburgh, the sense is that change could come fast. After the 6-2 loss to Boston, Elliotte Friedman reported that trades could happen “pretty quickly,” though contract trade protection could complicate things.
Elsewhere, Sportsnet’s Michael Amato looked at four possible landing spots for Nikita Kucherov, and none of them were the Bruins. Darren Dreger reported that the Red Wings want to group Dylan Larkin and Simon Edvinsson’s trades together in timing, not necessarily destination.
In San Jose, Ryan Warsofsky leaned on Bill Belichick’s “Ignore the noise. Do your job” message while talking about his team.
In New Jersey, Sheldon Keefe questioned how the NHL is enforcing the instigator penalty after Timo Meier’s response to Jake Neighbours’ hit on Nico Hischier. And in Detroit, Emmitt Finnie continues to be a bright spot, with seven goals this season and a move to the top line while Dylan Larkin is out.
Here’s the slate for today around the NHL:
Panthers at Capitals - 12:30 PM (CA: SN)
Blues at Predators - 1:00 PM (US: NHLN; CA: SN+)
Rangers at Kraken - 5:00 PM
Canadiens at Maple Leafs - 7:00 PM (CA: SN, TVA)
Mammoth at Senators - 7:00 PM (US: NHLN; CA: SN1)
Devils at Islanders - 7:00 PM
Blackhawks at Hurricanes - 8:00 PM
Sharks at Stars - 8:00 PM
Lightning at Wild - 8:00 PM
Red Wings at Avalanche - 9:00 PM
Penguins at Kings - 9:00 PM
Canucks at Oilers - 10:00 PM (CA: SN, TVA)
In Other News...
Bruins Suddenly Have A Mikey Eyssimont Decision To Make
Mikey Eyssimont is making it harder for the Bruins to keep treating him like a depth piece. After clearing waivers and landing back with Providence, he has kept producing at a level that stands out even in the AHL, and his latest performance came in a wild 5-4 comeback win over Hamilton in which the Bruins erased a 3-0 hole. Eyssimont had already been recognized as the AHL Player of the Month for October, and the return to the lineup only added to the sense that he is forcing the issue.
For Boston, the question is no longer just whether Eyssimont can help in Providence. It is whether his strong play down there changes the conversation about his place in the organization and what kind of value he might carry if the Bruins decide to explore the trade market. He has become one of those players whose next step matters because it could affect both the NHL roster picture and whatever options Boston has later on. [Read more 🡒]
Bruins Suddenly Face A James Hagens Problem They Cant Ignore
The Bruins had to make an immediate roster move after James Hagens went on injured reserve following the injury he sustained against the Penguins. Boston is already dealing with the ripple effects of losing a forward who was hurt in a game that turned physical, and the team has not yet offered a clear update from its head coach on how long the absence might last.
Mikey Eyssimont was recalled from Providence to fill the opening, giving Boston another option as it tries to keep its forward group steady. For now, the bigger concern is Hagens and what the Bruins can expect next, especially with the injury coming on a cross-check and the team still waiting to learn more about his status. [Read more 🡒]
Blackhawks Skid Is Fueling A Bigger Debate About Jeff Blashill
Chicagos overtime win over the Blackhawks was part of a rough stretch that has pushed Chicago into a broader conversation about where this season is headed. The Blackhawks have dropped several recent games, including losses to the Avalanche, Panthers and Lightning, and their road start has been especially troubling at 0-7-1, a mark that has only sharpened the scrutiny around the teams direction.
Jeff Blashill is now at the center of that debate, with criticism building around the defensive structure and overall approach the Blackhawks are using. The concern is not just about one bad trip or one close loss, but whether the current coaching strategy is giving this roster the right framework to compete, and whether changes will have to come from behind the bench before the skid turns into something larger. [Read more 🡒]