Dater’s Daily Links: Sounds like Conor Timmins has roster spot clinched

EDMONTON, ALBERTA – Day 8 of quarantine here. Got some fresh groceries being delivered today, with all the ingredients to make my secret, yummy spicy hot spaghetti sauce. Bon appetit!

One week ago I arrived here (technically, it’s the eighth calendar day I’ve been here) and it’s certainly been a unique experience. I have started my novel, a political thriller. I watched all three episodes of “Mean City” on Netflix last night, a show about the Mob in New York City in the ’70s. Did you know I lived as a kid in New York City from approximately 1965-69? And that a rat once leaped into my stroller on the street and bit me? It’s true. That explains everything, right?

So, about the Avs…

• They arrive here tomorrow. Everything is really ramping up here around Rogers Place. Good story on that here. The playoffs here are expected to add about 1,500 jobs (Edmonton Journal)
• Jared Bednar raved again about Conor Timmins in his Zoom call with local media. Bednar said he has “matured” a lot and that his game has progressed to the next level. I think it’s a lock he’ll make the 31-man traveling roster to Edmonton.
• That roster will be released tomorrow, by the NHL.
• Gary Bettman says he’s happy the Western playoffs (and the conference finals and Cup finals, for both conferences) is in Edmonton (Edmonton Sun)
• A huge downpour just started here. Thunder and lightning with it. Kinda cool. Hope Rogers Place doesn’t flood again.
• Aaron Ekblad hasn’t been practicing with the Florida Panthers, leading to some real worry in South Florida (Florida Hockey Now)
• John Chayka, mysteriously, seems to be out as Coyotes GM (Sportsnet)
• Cale Makar returned in a full-contact jersey, but also wore a red one for a bit too. But it’s good news he was back on the ice for all of practice.
• Nathan MacKinnon returned from a one-day hiatus too.
• The five worst free-agent signings in Sharks history (San Jose Hockey Now)
• Sidney Crosby on the mend (Pittsburgh Hockey Now)
• Everybody, head to Bender’s on Aug. 2 for the Avs-Blues game. I won’t be there, but some of those awesome posters I gave away recently on this site will be raffled off for free to patrons. I still have a bunch more. Bender’s is THE best hockey bar in all of Colorado, verified by the fact that they have poutine on the menu.