Mike Babcock didn’t dodge it: Isaac Howard should have played more.
After the Oilers’ last game, Babcock said the young winger was shortchanged on ice time and that he addressed it directly with Howard. The message, according to Babcock, was simple and blunt: “you never let a coach be mentally tougher than you.” He also told Howard that “you decide where you’re going.”
Babcock made it clear he likes what he sees from the player, too. He called Howard a good player who’s “going to be a really good one,” and pointed to a shot off the bar plus a strong play in the slot as examples of what stood out.
The challenge for Howard only gets tougher from here. Edmonton is getting healthier, with Nugent-Hopkins set to return Thursday and Hyman already back in the mix.
Babcock’s stance is straightforward: “if they’re good enough, they’ll play.” Howard remains in the lineup on the fourth line with Dach and Frederic, but his trade value is real, which means his name will keep surfacing in upgrade talk if the role doesn’t grow.
On the trade front, Elliotte Friedman added another layer to the Hurricanes’ pursuit of Mikko Rantanen. The night Carolina landed Rantanen, Friedman said the Hurricanes were also deep in talks with Vancouver on Elias Pettersson - and he believed that one might get done first.
Instead, Carolina told both teams it was time and asked for the best offer. Colorado came through, Vancouver reportedly did not, and the Hurricanes moved ahead with Rantanen.
Friedman used that story to make a larger point about how Eric Tulsky operates. When Carolina says it’s time to make a deal, other teams need to be prepared. He brought it up while discussing the Hurricanes’ interest in Connor Hellebuyck, leaving the broader question hanging: have Winnipeg and the other suitors learned from Vancouver’s miss?
In Pittsburgh, the news was far less dramatic than it first looked. Ben Kindel’s collapse on the team plane turned out to be a vasovagal episode, a temporary loss of consciousness tied to a sudden drop in heart rate and blood pressure.
Kyle Dubas said Kindel regained consciousness after receiving oxygen, which is why the plane returned to Salt Lake City before he was cleared to continue on to Pittsburgh. He’s now back at the rink for treatment and more testing, and the Penguins are placing him on injured reserve.
Dubas also said the team will use “very strict guidelines” before Kindel returns to training or game action, because his health comes first. Kindel has two goals and two assists in nine games this season.
In Other News...
Penguins Just Took A Brutal Short-Term Hit Up Front
Bryan Rusts latest injury leaves the Penguins with a short-term hole they cant easily paper over. Head coach Dan Muse said the veteran forward is expected to miss at least six weeks after suffering a lower-body injury in a recent game, a hit to a lineup that has leaned on Rusts reliability and two-way presence for years.
Pittsburgh already had to reshape its roster after placing Ben Kindel on injured reserve as well, with Rutger McGroarty and Chase Pietila coming up to fill the vacancies. Kindels situation appears less severe, but the immediate pressure is on the Penguins to absorb Rusts absence without losing too much ground while they wait for more clarity on how the roster settles. [Read more 🡒]
Penguins Already Have A Lineup Problem They Didn't Solve This Summer
Declan Carlile has given the Penguins one of those early-season roster questions that can linger if it is not handled quickly. He did manage to score a goal in recent games, but the larger issue has been his play in his own end, where the defensive breakdowns have outweighed the offensive flash and left Pittsburgh with a lineup spot that suddenly looks a lot less secure.
The problem for the Penguins is that they do not appear to have an obvious in-house fix sitting right behind him. The organization does have AHL names in the conversation, including Owen Pickering, but this is the kind of depth decision that can force a real rethink about how long Carlile stays in the mix if the recent form continues. [Read more 🡒]
Penguins Still Waiting On Ben Kindel After Scary Medical Episode
Ben Kindels immediate future remains up in the air after the young Penguins forward went through a frightening medical episode on the team plane after the club left Salt Lake City. He was given oxygen and taken to a medical center before being cleared to travel back to Pittsburgh the next day, a relief for everyone involved even as the team continues to monitor how quickly he can get back into a hockey rhythm.
The Penguins are already preparing to be without Kindel for at least a pair of home games, leaving a temporary hole in their lineup and another reminder of how quickly health can become the priority. A return to practice later in the week is still possible, but the next checkpoint for Pittsburgh will come when the team figures out whether he is ready to rejoin the lineup soon after. [Read more 🡒]