Dan’s Daily Links: Hitch Flips McDavid, Kings ‘Pathetic’

Hockey fans were not short of opinions or shy when the Edmonton Oilers tabbed Ken Hitchcock as their head coach. Hitch has a few controversial ideas about offense. The LA Kings and the Blackhawks are struggling with failure and the inevitable decline of champions in the salary cap era. And oh by the way, the Pittsburgh Penguins were off, Friday.

Ken Hitchcock believes in Corsi. While teams like the Penguins judge scoring chances, Hitchcock is about the big Corsi rating. The Oilers are buying in and, most importantly, they’re winning. (Sportsnet)

And there’s this McDavid goal from Thursday night…

Kings defenseman Drew Doughty tore into his team. “Pathetic.” “Embarrassing.”  (TSN)

The Kings and Chicago Blackhawks engaged in some of the best hockey of the salary cap era when they traded Stanley Cup championships. From 2010 to 2015, The Blackhawks won three Cups and the Kings brought home two Cups and their battles in the Western Conference Finals will be the stuff of legend.

Both teams dished big contracts and were saddled with big regrets. The Athletic’s Mark Lazerus backed up the report that indeed the Blackhawks have sent a league-wide email essentially offering to pawn a couple of defensemen they signed this summer. There was more from Scott Powers… (The Athletic)

Carolina is middling but they are fun.

One week after signing a new deal with the Toronto Maple Leafs, William Nylander and Maple Leafs forward Kasperi Kapanen were uninjured in a minor car accident (CTV)

And the Penguins should have an easier time against the Ottawa Senators. Matt Duchene could be out long-term (Sportsnet)