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Around the NHL: Rangers extend Lafreniere, Penguins send Jarry down, Sharks are historically bad
New York Rangers forward Alexis Lafreniere.
Photo credit: © Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images
Shane Seney
Oct 28, 2024, 10:00 EDTUpdated: Oct 28, 2024, 09:35 EDT
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It’s a spooky edition of Around the NHL, as it’s Halloween week and teams are starting to get exposed for their costumes. We’re almost a month into the season and the storylines have been very entertaining to follow early on, but there’s also been a mix of some cringe-worthy material.
Here’s the good, bad and ugly from around the NHL:

Good – Alexis Lafreniere secures the bag

The New York Rangers have extended forward Alexis Lafreniere on a seven-year contract worth $52.15 million, $7.45 million average annual value. The former 2020 first-overall pick has turned things around in a major way through the first five years of his career.
After registering just 21 points in his rookie year, Lafreniere has recorded eight points through eight games this season and is coming off a 28-goal and 57-point season a year ago, which was followed by a great showing during the Stanley Cup Playoffs, recording 14 points in 16 playoff games.
The Rangers are off to a blazing 6-1-1 start, and Lafreniere’s strong play has been a major part of the team’s success, along with Artemi Panarin carrying the load, with 15 points through the first eight contests. Meanwhile, the Rangers’ goaltenders have been magical to start the new year, with Igor Shesterkin posting a .926 save percentage (Sv.%) through six appearances, and backup Jonathan Quick looking like his old self, playing to a .953 Sv.% in his two games of work.
Next up for the Rangers is an extension for Shesterkin, but so far, it doesn’t appear there’s been significant progress made between the two sides. The Maple Leafs and Rangers don’t face off again until February 28 on Broadway.

Bad- Penguins sent Tristan Jarry home during road trip

In one of the most bizarre storylines of the young season, the Pittsburgh Penguins brought three goaltenders on their western Canada road trip last week, only to send Tristan Jarry back to Pittsburgh, and then eventually down to the American Hockey League for a conditioning stint.
Jarry is off to a 1-1-0 start to his NHL season, along with a .836 Sv.% and after starting the season opener, lost his starting job to rookie Joel Blomqvist early on. Meanwhile, last season’s backup Alex Nedeljkovic is now healthy and has been given a chance to run with the starting gig.
As part of Jarry’s conditioning stint, he can be down with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins for up to two weeks, he didn’t have to clear waivers, his cap hit still counts for general manager Kyle Dubas on the Penguins’ books, and the kicker here is the fact Jarry had to agree to the demotion. The veteran netminder has made one AHL appearance, collecting a .941 Sv.%, allowing two goals in the victory.
Dubas spoke to Taylor Haase of DK Pittsburgh Sports and explained the rationale behind Jarry’s demotion, “the decision was based solely on what we believe is the best course to have Tristan find his form and get ample game action to transfer the work he is doing on the ice with our goaltending staff and off the ice into games.”
When asked about the unusual timing of the demotion, considering the team brought Jarry on the road trip, Dubas explained it had everything to do with getting some practice reps in with Penguins’ goalie coach Andy Chiodo. The Penguins are struggling out of the gates with a 3-6-1 record through 10 games and sit second last in the Eastern Conference. If Pittsburgh misses the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the third straight season, Dubas could be on thin ice next summer.

Ugly – San Jose Sharks off to historically bad start to the season

The Sharks have started the new season 0-7-2 and through nine games and entered the NHL record books for all the wrong reasons. San Jose is the first team to ever open consecutive seasons with at least nine straight losses.
Their 0-7-2 start comes one year after starting 0-10-1. The Sharks have been outscored 39-18, and continue to be without 2024 first-overall pick Macklin Celebrini, who is nursing a hip injury.
Sharks’ head coach Ryan Warsofsky didn’t hold back after Saturday’s 7-3 blowout to the Vegas Golden Nights, telling San Jose Hockey Now’s Sheng Peng  – “it’s embarrassing. Truly embarrassing.”
“I don’t think anyone’s happy by any means,” Warsofsky said. “There’s a lot of emotion in that locker room, frustration, anger, it’s tough right now.” The Sharks are dead last in the league, averaging just two goals scored per game.

Trick or Treat – Quick hits from around the NHL

  • St Louis Blues signed forward Jake Neighbours to a two-year, $3.75 million AAV contract extension. The 22-year-old Neighbours posted 38 points in 77 games last season, has five points through nine games this year, and is likely someone the Maple Leafs’ brass mention during Matthew Knies’ extension negotiations.
  • Monday night will be the first time Steven Stamkos has ever played at Amalie Arena in Tampa Bay as a visitor. Stamkos admitted to NHL.com’s Amalie Benjamin that the night is going to be an emotional roller coaster. Stamkos has just one point in his first eight games with the Preds.
  • Ottawa Senators forward Shane Pinto is out week-to-week due to an undisclosed injury. Pinto recorded three points in six games this season before being sidelined.
  • According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, the Montreal Canadiens are interested in adding a forward with some edge. There have also been some reports swirling that the Habs are in the trade market for a top-four defenceman.
  • Boston Bruins’ captain Brad Marchand denied recent speculation that there’s been progress made on a contract extension. The Bruins are off to a 4-4-1 start through nine games.
  • New Jersey Devils head coach Sheldon Keefe called out his goaltending duo of Jake Allen and Jacob Markstrom last week for not being ‘good enough’. New Jersey sits atop the Metropolitan Division, and has allowed 3.25 goals per game, good for 19th in the NHL. The Leafs sit 13th at 3.11 per game.
  • Florida Panthers netminder Sergei Bobrovsky became the fastest goaltender in NHL history to reach 400 wins.
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