Good morning, folks. The Vegas Golden Knights are about to embark on a brief road trip where they’ll play three games in four days. They’ll do so without a few key players– two are officially on Injured Reserve and one is week-to-week. After practice on Wednesday, head coach Bruce Cassidy provided injury updates and chirped Brad Marchand.

Elsewhere in the Daily Nuggets, let’s look and see which teams will regress to the mean. One trade rumor is crushed; another takes its place. The Edmonton Oilers– particularly Connor McDavid– can’t score, and the Toronto Maple Leafs might be in trouble.

Also, I finally set up a YouTube channel. This is where I’ll post locker room videos and the occasional analysis. I got started yesterday– you can hear from Jack Eichel and Shea Theodore here.

Golden Knights News

Don’t blink! With all the injuries surrounding this team, there’s a chance you missed an update or two. Here’s the latest on Noah Hanifin, Adin Hill, and Brett Howden, as well as the lines from practice. I’ve got it all in one place in the latest Golden Knights Notebook.

There’s a new sheriff in town. And by that, I mean that the Golden Knights recalled a goaltender and a defenseman on Wednesday. 

Before puck drop against the Carolina Hurricanes on Monday, the Golden Knights placed Mark Stone on Injured Reserve. Here’s a breakdown of what exactly that means and how it affects the team.

ICYMI: The Golden Knights currently sit atop the Pacific Division standings. But now, they’ll face their first big challenge of the season. How will they fare without their captain, who is second in the league in scoring and tied for first in power play points? Here’s their plan.

NHL News, Rumors, & National Hockey Now

The Athletic ($): Are the Tampa Bay Lightning cooked? Are the Ottawa Senators in trouble? And are the Seattle Kraken… good? Um, we can’t rule anything out, but probably not.

Sportsnet: Ah, yes, the Leafs. Most teams aren’t ready to hit the panic button seven games into a new season– especially not with a 3-3-1 record. But the Toronto Maple Leafs are scrambling. They’re blowing leads, giving the puck away, and not getting enough out of Auston Matthews. I guess they miss Mitch Marner.

Sportsnet: The Edmonton Oilers are off to a slow start– hey, I’ve seen this one before! Despite a concerning lack of offense, the underlying numbers suggest that goals will come. Just… maybe not from Connor McDavid, who has scored just once this season.

The Athletic ($): The Golden Knights have fallen… a spot in the front office rankings, that is.

New Jersey Hockey Now: It’s never too early for trade talk. Every team needs a defenseman, and it’s not often that one as good as Dougie Hamilton is on the market. Or, at least, he’s not not on the market.

Philly Hockey Now: When one trade rumor starts, another is squashed. It sounds like the Flyers aren’t looking to deal Owen Tippett.

Colorado Hockey Now: Now that’s an accomplishment. Grizzled 40-year-old veteran Brent Burns recently played his 1,500th game, and the Avalanche will hold a ceremony on Thursday.

Sportsnaut: Is it time for the Ottawa Senators to worry about the lack of production from Fabian Zetterlund?