Regal Rundown: Jeff Carter had core muscle surgery

Lots of news today, so let’s get right to it.

• The Kings reported that Jeff Carter had surgery for a core muscle injury last Thursday. The injury was sustained on Feb. 18 against Winnipeg, and Carter missed the last 10 games of the season (including the seven-game win streak) before the NHL shut down. Carter is beginning his rehab right now and is expected to be healthy for the start of the next season, whenever that is. Hopefully, even if the NHL elects to cancel the 2020 postseason and move directly ahead with the the 2020-21 season, Carter will still be ready for that timeline.
• One compelling reason for the NHL to consider canceling the 2020 postseason? The border between Canada and the United States will remain closed through the end of July. Six of the playoff teams in the NHL’s Return To Play plan are from Canada, and this would severely complicate and delay getting players to training camp. There could be an exception made for professional athletes, but that is yet another hurdle the league will have to clear. To put it plainly: /

Day, ruined

— lisa dillman (@reallisa) June 9, 2020

• On that note, Dillman shared some of her thoughts on the Kings’ draft strategy and offseason decisions in a mailbag for The Athletic. The Athletic also ranked each team’s goalie situation with regards to their cap hit. Let’s just say the Kings could be higher.
• Evander Kane and Matt Dumba are among the seven players who are part of the Hockey Diversity Alliance, which aims to eliminate racism in hockey. The alliance is focused on youth and will thus try to make hockey affordable for young people of color. Currently, the alliance is independent of the league. The NHL itself has made four committees to address issues of diversity within its sport: the Executive Inclusion Council, the Player Inclusion Committee, the Fan Inclusion Committee, and the Youth Inclusion Committee. Notably, the player group will include women’s players from both Canada and the U.S.
• Kings scout Blake Bolden, a Black female, cited Nelson Mandela’s quote about the power of sports to change minds. ICYMI: Helene Elliott profiled Bolden earlier this season. /

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“Sports have the power the change the world. It has the power to inspire, the power to unite people in a way that little else does. It speaks to youth in a language they understand. Sports can create hope, where there once was only despair. It is more powerful than governments in breaking down racial barriers. It laughs at the face of all types of discrimination.” -Nelson Mandela Let us all do better 🖤

A post shared by Blake Bolden (@sportblake) on Jun 9, 2020 at 11:28am PDT

• ESPN ranked the weirdest hockey overtime goals in playoff history. That means Alec Martinez doesn’t make the cut because his goal wasn’t “weird”, it was simply awesome. /

Have a good one, folks. Go Kings Go!