New Season, The Old Same Leafs (Brutal Goaltending)

You almost feel sorry for the Toronto Maple Leafs. This is a textbook example of bad goaltending. Former Michigan Wolverine Max Pacioretty handcuffs Toronto Maple Leafs Jonathan Bernier for a goal. Ironically, this will also go down as the first goal of the 2015-16 season.

New season, same old Maple Leafs.

For the 2nd straight year the Habs' Max Pacioretty scores the 1st goal of the NHL season & does it on Jonathan Bernier at the ACC both times

— StatsCentre (@StatsCentre) October 7, 2015

Former UND Standout Matt Frattin traded to the LA Kings (RW77)

LA @ Van, Round 1 of Stanley Cup Playoffs (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Former UND standout Matt Frattin is now joining former UND standout Matt Greene in Los Angeles.  Frattin was traded as part of a trade that involved Toronto and LA.

The trade as it is written sends Frattin and former Cornell goaltender Ben Scrivens (and a 2nd round pick in 2014 or 2015) to Los Angeles for Jonathan Bernier, a goaltender who has spent his entire career thus far as a backup.

Bernier had a great year backing up Quick but it is apparent that Quick isn't about to be usurped and that his Stanley Cup performance was more the norm rather than Giguere-esque.  Scrivens is young and, at least at this point, seemed destined to be a good career backup goaltender.  Frattin has had 27 points (15g-12a) in his 82 game NHL career thus far.

Who Won?

I think Bernier is the winner in this trade.  He now comes into a fluid goaltending situation in Toronto and can more than likely take over.

Who Lost?

It's a toss up between Frattin and Toronto incumbent goaltender James Reimer.  Frattin was getting a ton of chances with Toronto and it's not all that guaranteed with Los Angeles.  Who knows if Frattin will stick in the NHL next season with LA when he suredly would have with Toronto.

As for Reimer, he sits at home having thought that Toronto was high on him.  He did do a lot for Toronto this year after all and he is young.  So Toronto goes out and acquires another young goaltender.  Bernier isn't being acquired to ride the pine.  In the end, I believe this amounts to a slap to the face to Reimer.  The NHL is a business and sometimes the business is harsh.

EDIT: More comes out about UND Hockey party

More and more information is beginning to come out about the suspension of the four UND Hockey captains - the suspension are a result of a team party that took place this past weekend in Grand Forks, ND. It would appear that the University of North Dakota is being proactive and sending a message to it's players that this type of behavior will not be tolerated.

I have seen suggestions from some fans that this party from this past weekend resembles what some classify as hazing which the NCAA takes seriously - personally I am going to wait for more information to come out before I jump to that conclusion.

Here is what UND Sports Information Director Jayson Hajdu had to say on the matter, when asked by the UND Hockey beat writer Brad Elliot Schlossman of the Grand Forks Herald, asked him if this might be a case of hazing.

“UND is continuing to gather information. If hazing has been involved, the university will take strong action.”

Kristo confirm that he got cut in an initiation party that involved -21 yrs old players. That's why he and 3 teammates are suspended. #habs
— Jonathan Bernier (@JoBern) September 19, 2012

Obviously, Kristo was caught and not cut from the team and which the writer later corrected himself.

Of course, Kristo got caught and not cut. Sorry.
— Jonathan Bernier (@JoBern) September 19, 2012

Here is a press release on the incident from CBC Radio - I translated the article with Google translate.

Hope Canadian Danny Kristo is suspended by the University of North Dakota for the first game of the season.

The team made ​​the announcement Tuesday.

Kristo and three other teammates were suspended for "unacceptable conduct" during a team party Saturday, said Brian Faison, director of sports programs at the school.

"The behavior of our players is not the role model they should play in the community, said the head coach of the team, Dave Hakstol. We rely on several players of character, but they must be accountable for their actions. '

Kristo is assistant captain this season. The other three players are also suspended two other assistants (Corban Knight, hope the Panthers, and Carter Rowney, undrafted) and the captain, Andrew MacWilliam, 7th round selection of the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2008.

In addition to the suspension, the players of the team should lend itself to such workshops weekly alcohol education. Any future violation of team rules lead to other consequences, ranging from reducing scholarships to expulsion from the hockey program.

Kristo, second-round pick of the Canadiens in 2008, will play in his fourth and final 2012-2013 academic year.

The team formerly known as the Fighting Sioux will begin its season Oct. 19 in Anchorage, Alaska.