Opening Faceoff: Tuesday, Jan. 8

By Jesse Connolly

Ilya Kovalchuk, the odds-on favorite to captain New Jersey this season, may stay in Russia. (Getty Images)
 

Good reads

• Devils forward Ilya Kovalchuk has apparently enjoyed his time as CSKA’s captain so much that he might stay in the KHL. Greg Wyshynski has the details.

• Syracuse.com’s Lindsay Kramer writes that the AHL is happy to welcome back its big brother and expects a strong second half of the season.

• Alex Kovalev, who has tortured the Bruins during his lengthy NHL career (35 goals in 84 games), will be attending the Florida Panthers’ training camp.

Quick hits

• Portland Pirates goalie Mark Visentin was named the AHL’s Player of the Week. He allowed just two goals on 89 shots in his last two starts.

• Connecticut head coach Bruce Marshall, the all-time winningest coach in Huskies history, resigned from his position yesterday. He’d been on medical leave since November.

History lesson

• On this day in 1998, Jason Allison had a hat trick and Sergei Samsonov picked up three assists, leading the Bruins to a 5-2 victory over the visiting Coyotes. Nikolai Khabibulin allowed all five of Boston’s goals.

Today on NEHJ

• We’ll have Mike Zhe’s latest Division 3 Journal and unveil Nos. 100-76 on our list of the 100 greatest players from New England.

Entirely off-topic

• Watch Al Roker talk about pooping his pants at the White House. Yes, I’m serious.

Jesse Connolly can be reached at jconnolly@hockeyjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter at @JesseNEHJ.