Sunday Notes: Kraken plays today, Malkin to miss two months

Happy Sunday to all. Another great weather day here in Denver. ‘Tis a privilege, indeed, to live in Colorado. Broncos play the Jets too. Can you say, 3-0 Bronco fans? Let’s do that hockey though, starting with what’s Kraken up in Seattle:

• Big, big day for the Seattle Kraken. They play the Vancouver Canucks tonight in a preseason game, in Spokane. It’s the first game of any kind the Kraken have ever played. (Seattle Times)
• Ah, memories. I still vividly remember the first Avs game of any kind, against Montreal in 1995 in Cornwall, Ontario. Canadiens won 6-3, with Richard Shulmistra having a rough go in goal for the Avs. Owen Nolan scored the first goal for Colorado.
• Philipp Grubauer says he’s ready for the season (Seattle Times)
• Evgeni Malkin will miss the first two months for the Penguins. Here’s a look at who might fill his spot on the second line (Pittsburgh Hockey Now)
• WashingtonHockeyNow: Michal Kempny has had a coupe of rough seasons the past two years and the Capitals defenseman told colleague Sammi Silber that he’s ready to put that behind him and have a great season.
• Hall of Fame hockey writer Kevin Allen has a strong take here on Detroit’s Tyler Bertuzzi, who has refused the vaccine. The gist? That Bertuzzi is being a bad, selfish teammate (Detroit Hockey Now)
• There are NHL officials visiting every team during preseason to inform them that the league intends to crack down on cross-checking this year. The NHL is the only league that finds itself telling its member teams, “Yeah, you know those rules in the rulebook? Well, we’re actually gonna start enforcing them.”
• New Canucks goalie Jaroslav Halak wants to get to the 300-win mark (Vancouver Hockey Now)
• Can Brad Marchand play as long as Tom Brady? (Boston Hockey Now)
• Artemi Panarin addressed (sort of) the baseless accusations made against him last season (NY Post)
• Kevin Hayes of the Flyers gave some emotional words on his late brother, Jimmy (Philly Hockey Now)