Around the NHL: Connor McDavid breaks the single post-season assist record, Blue Jackets relieve Pascal Vincent of duties, and more!

The big question is, can he break the all-time points record? As it stands, the Oilers can play up to three more games, but are down 3-1 in the series. The all-time record, also set by Gretzky, is 47 points in 18 games.

Of course, McDavid won’t beat the point-per-game pace set by Gretzky, but 10 points in three games is easy for McDavid if the Oilers can win the next two games.

Calder Cup tied at one

Sticking with ongoing hockey, the American Hockey League is down to two teams, the Hershey Bears (Washington Capitals) and the Coachella Valley Firebirds (Seattle Kraken).

Game 1 went to the Firebirds, as they defeated the Bears 4-3 thanks to two goals from John Hayden. The second game wasn’t as close though, as the Capitals’ affiliate defeated the Kraken affiliate 5-2 thanks to two goals from Hardy Häman Aktell.

On Tuesday, the series will shift to Coachella Valley as they’ll host Game 3 at 8:00 p.m. MT. In fact, they’ll host the next three games, with Game 4 coming on Thursday at the same time, as well as Game 5 on Saturday at 7:00 p.m. MT. This is for travel purposes. 

Either way, this will more than likely be the last bit of professional hockey we’ll see on television until pre-season begins.

Blue Jackets relieved Pascal Vincent of coaching duties

The Blue Jackets hired Mike Babcock on Jul. 1, 2023 and fired him on Sept. 17 due to unprofessional conduct.

In need of a coach before the start of training camp, the Blue Jackets hired Pascal Vincent the same day, spending just one season with the organization where he led the Jackets to a 27-43-12 record.

The 52-year-old started his coaching career in 2000-01, joining the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles of the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (then the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League). In his eight seasons with the Screaming Eagles (now just Eagles), they went 296-206-31-33, with the latter being the old tie category. 

After Cape Breton, Vincent took a job with the Montréal Juniors of the same league, compiling a record of 111-72-21, ending his tenure in the QMJHL at the end of the 2010-11 season.

Vincent spent five seasons with the Winnipeg Jets from the 2011-12 season until the 2015-16 season, before taking a head coaching role with their American Hockey League team, the Manitoba Moose. In five seasons, he had a 155-139-31 record, before joining the Blue Jackets organization in 2021-22, spending two seasons as the assistant.

It was an unfortunate position to be in, and hopefully he can bounce back.