Dater’s Daily: Erik Johnson horse “MacKinnon” wins, Fleury puts on Hawks jersey

Good Tuesday everyone. Just think: NEXT month, Avs players will be on skates again. Let’s do that hockey links, notes, random thoughts, starting with a nice win for Erik Johnson the other day:

• Erik Johnson owns racehorses with his company ERJ Racing LLC. And, he likes to name them after current Avalanche teammates. He had one named “Landeskog” before, and now there’s another, “MacKinnon.” MacKinnon finished first the other day at the Del Mar track in California, race No. 3 on the day. It was a Maiden Special Weight horse race, and the race had a purse of $71,760. Some decent side money for EJ (Del Mar Race Day Results
• Marc-Andre Fleury is going to be a division rival again of the Avs, as he has now decided to join the Chicago Blackhawks after all (Chicago Sun-Times)
• San Jose: Sheng Peng’s sources say the NHL trade chatter around Timo Meier has gone south because of his hefty contract.
• Washington: Don’t roll out the red carpet for Tom Wilson to live in your head rent-free. Don’t roll out the red carpet to let Tom Wilson live in your head rent-free. Don’t roll out the red carpet…  Sammi Silber writes–Tom Wilson could have a much different impact next season. 
• Detroit: I’m putting this up here because it’s my second favorite story today. Detroit Red Wings goalie prospect Sebastian Cossa (2021, 15th overall) is a world-class trash talker. He’s already getting on Team Canada’s nerves for chirping in practice. 
• Jonathan Toews missed the entirety of the 2020-21 campaign due to chronic immune response syndrome. Tracey Myers provides more on his condition and what GM Stan Bowman had to say about a return. (NHL)
• After Pittsburgh GM Ron Hextall recruited some Philadelphia Flyers scouts and other employees, the Flyers have made major change to their staff.