Dater’s Daily: Avalanche-Vegas game Monday postponed, Gretzky resigned to losing scoring record

Merry Christmas Eve, my Colorado Hockey Now readers. And, Merry Christmas a day in advance. I know what all of us want for Christmas: NHL hockey. Unfortunately, we just got word that Monday’s Avalanche game in Vegas — and the other 13 NHL games scheduled for that day — is postponed.

Basically, the NHL is taking one more day in their return to game action. Practices still will resume Sunday.

The league Friday afternoon annnouncement noted the “regular-season schedule will not resume prior to Tuesday, Dec. 28. The League had planned to resume its schedule on Dec. 27, but in order to allow the League an adequate opportunity to analyze League-wide testing results and to assess Clubs’ readiness to play, the target date for resumption of game play will be pushed back an additional day. Teams will return to practice on Dec. 26 and it is expected that the League will provide an update on its return to play plans by the end of day on Sunday.”

• We’ll find out at Sunday’s possible Avs practice, but you also have to like the odds of Gabe Landeskog being back on ice with the fellas. Would he need more practice time before playing? Maybe. Then again, Landy likes to get going when he’s feeling healthy.
• Wayne Gretzky sounds like a man resigned to the fact that his all-time goal-scoring record – 894 goals – is toast, with Alex Ovechkin well on pace to break it. (CBS Sports)
• I wouldn’t have thought that possible, but Ovechkin is just a machine.
• I haven’t heard a word on Bo Byram in the last few days. Let’s hope he’s on the ice on Sunday, too.
• The Boston Bruins used words like “sad” and “frustrated” to describe their feelings about having to skip the Olympics this season due to COVID complications. (Boston Hockey Now)
• With the bummer of an Olympic story in mind, here’s a feel-good story about former Calgary Flames forward Curtis Glencross right before the holidays. (Calgary Hockey Now)
• Should San Jose Sharks head coach Bob Boughner be on the hot seat this season? Shen Peng discusses over at our San Jose branch. (San Jose Hockey Now)
• We’ve heard this before, but FOD (Friend of Dater) Dan Kingerski says this looks like the last hurrah for the core group with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Certainly, it could be with new ownership coming in that’s undoubtedly going to cut costs. (Pittsburgh Hockey Now)
• What’s your favorite Christmas gift ever from your childhood? Here’s mine: