The Box Seats: Edition Sixteen
2024 NHL Recap Games and Preview for the Week of January 23rd-29th
THE BOX SEATS Edition Sixteen, January 23rd-29th, 2024.
Hello, and welcome to “The Box Seats”, a column designed to keep Pro Hockey fans informed, educated and entertained with the news and notes from around the National Hockey League. So kick back, and read along every week during the National Hockey League season.
The National Hockey League is just a few weeks away from the All-Star Game in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Which, for some of the best players in the game, means a weekend showcase in the biggest Hockey market there is, but for their teammates, a few days to rest, relax, rehabilitate, if they’re injured, and get ready for the real second half grind that will take place over the next three months as teams fight and claw their way to grabbing one of the sixteen berths towards the Stanley Cup Playoffs. As we now get deep into January, let’s take a glance with a player and a new Head Coach to watch in this week’s NHL Hockey Action Recap Games 2024
PLAYER AND COACH TO WATCH THIS WEEK
Pontus Holmberg – Forward, Toronto Maple Leafs 
The Toronto Maple Leafs forward has been hot on the first forward line with All-Stars Mitch Marner and Auston Matthews, the leading goal scorer in all of the National Hockey League with 38. The 24-year-old Swedish native has a goal and three assists in his last five games, with a total of eight points in 18 games. The Maple Leafs take on the Winnipeg Jets in a home-and-home series that starts Tuesday in Toronto and concludes on Saturday in Winnipeg.
Patrick Roy – Head Coach, New York Islanders 
No, you’re eyes aren’t playing tricks on you, the now third-winningest goaltender in National Hockey League history once again has a job behind the bench as Head Coach, this time in Elmont with the New York Islanders, who fired previous bench boss Lane Lambert on Saturday morning, just hours after the team lost a 4-3 overtime decision on the road against the lowly Chicago Blackhawks. Roy, who won four Stanley Cups and 551 games between 1984 and 2003 with the Montreal Canadiens and Colorado Avalanche, is back coaching in the league for the first time since 2016, when he was fired after three seasons in Colorado.
Roy had a 130-92-24 record with the Avs, and only made one playoff appearance, which ended in a seven-game series loss against the Minnesota Wild in the 2014 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Roy was known for his fiery temperament as a player and certainly as a coach, with him often yelling at players, referees, and even opposing coaches at times. He also has a penchant for pulling his goaltender and putting six skaters on the ice when down by one or two goals much earlier than other NHL coaches. This is something to focus on when live betting games involving the New York Islanders moving forward.
Team Trends To Watch For (Stats as of 1/21/24)
Edmonton Oilers: Thirteen-game winning streak (Longest in Franchise History). Current run of 20-3 in their last 23 games overall.
Winnipeg Jets: Wins in ten of their last twelve games overall.
Vancouver Canucks: Wins in seven of their last eight games, with at least one point earned in nine of their last ten games overall.
Boston Bruins: Earned at least one point in eight of their last twelve games overall.
NATIONAL TELEVISION SCHEDULE FOR THE WEEK:
January 23th
Buffalo at Anaheim 
– 8:00p ET on ESPN+/Hulu
The Sabres are looking to get back into the Eastern Conference Wild Card Race with two points for grabs in Orange County on Tuesday night.
January 24th
Carolina at Boston – 6:30p ET on TNT/MAX
This heated Eastern Conference battle leads off the doubleheader coverage on TNT Wednesday night, with the Canes heading up to Boston.
Chicago at Seattle 
– 10:30p ET on TNT/MAX
The still Connor Bedard-less Blackhawks take on a Seattle Kraken club that has earned points in 13 of their last 17 Games.
January 25th
New Jersey at Carolina – 7:30p ET on ESPN+/Hulu
On the second leg of a back-to-back slate, the Carolina Hurricanes return home for a pivotal Metropolitan Division battle with the Devils, who are just six points behind the Canes for that crucial third-place slot in the Metro.
January 26th
Vegas at NY Rangers 
– 8:00p ET on ESPN
The Worldwide Leader has a rare Prime-Time showcase game on its leading network as the defending Stanley Cup champs prepare to battle against Artemi Panarin and the Blueshirts on Broadway.
January 27th
Boston at Philadelphia 
– 1:30p ET on NHL Network
The Flyers have another Saturday matinee on National Television at home, this time against David Pastrnak and the surging Boston Bruins.
NY Rangers at Ottawa 
– 7:00p ET on NHL Network
Fresh off a contest against the Vegas Golden Knights at home, the New York Rangers travel to Canada’s capital city to skate with the Ottawa Senators on Hockey Night in Canada.
January 28th
Los Angeles at St. Louis 
– 2:00p ET on NHL Network
Wrapping up the 2024 NHL Recap Games: The slumping Los Angeles Kings head to Gateway City in hopes of grabbing two points against the St. Louis Blues in a Sunday matinee affair.
Frozen Fashion: The Hockey Jersey of The Week
Each Week, we will select one NHL team jersey to highlight the design and the history of that specific sweater. This week, we look at an alternate jersey that stays true to its club’s classic design and aesthetic.
New York Rangers 2023-24 Navy Blue Alternate Jersey
Whenever you see one of the Original Six clubs unveil plans for a new jersey or design, most of that team’s fanbase will hold their breath, hoping that it’s not too far of a departure from their original look. Some teams get it right, like the Chicago Blackhawks, keeping their iconic logo and striping and merely utilizing the color Black for the main jersey as a change to the Home Red or Road White.
Other teams, like Boston, went full Pooh Bear, and it wasn’t received as well. The New York Rangers recently unveiled a new third jersey that took the Navy Blue base color we last saw for the Adidas Reverse Retro 1.0 jersey in 2021, and used the classic “NY Rangers” shield logo, which is on most of the team’s merchandise, but has only been on a jersey for a brief moment between 1976 and 1978. Those two seasons saw a departure from classic diagonal “Rangers” text, which was due to the increase of games being shown on Television. Fans didn’t care for the look, and the club switched back to the diagonal setup in 1979.
National Hockey League Trivia Question
Last Week: When was Overtime introduced into the National Hockey League?
Answer: In the 1983-84 NHL Season, a Five-minute sudden-death overtime is to be played in regular-season games that are tied at the end of regulation time. This rule continues today, with the one significant change coming in the 2005-2006 season, adding penalty shootouts to games if they are tied after the Overtime period.
Which National Hockey League Player has the most Conn Smythe Trophies, which are handed out to the Most Valuable Player in the Stanley Cup Playoffs?
Hint: He’s regarded as one of the greatest Goaltenders of All-Time
Come Back Next Week to find out The Answer!
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