Sorry folks, but all the holidays and time spent with family and friends has kept me away for awhile. Have no fear, the Puck Whisperer is back for all your hockey and hops news.

First up, we have already had 4 coaches fired this season. The Bruins got things started by firing Jim Montgomery. Montgomery was in the middle of his third year and guided Boston to the best overall record just two years ago, good enough to win the Jack Adams award for coach of the year. With Boston struggling out of the gate, a change may have been necessary but one wonders if their GM should have been shown the door instead? Montgomery wasn’t out of work for long as five days later he became coach of the St. Louis Blues. St. Louis opted to let go of Drew Bannister, who had the interim tag removed after last season. Montgomery had previously been an assistant with the Blues, so there was some familiarity there. Chicago also made a change, letting Luke Richardson go after three years. The Blackhawks were supposed to be better with phenom Connor Bedard leading the charge, but both Bedard and Chicago have struggled, costing Richardson his job. Lastly, Detroit shook things up by replacing Derek Lalonde with Todd McLellan. Lalonde had also been with the team for three years, but they were supposed to challenge for a playoff spot this year and so far they are just outside the window. McLellan has some familiarity with Detroit, as he was an assistant with them for years before becoming a head coach.

I’ll be the first to say that my predictions for the playoffs have not lived up to what was promised (particularly the Nashville Predators), but I have no idea what is happening with the New York Rangers. For a team that just last season won the President’s Trophy for best record and made it all the way to the Eastern Conference Final, I felt confident that this group could get over the hump and make it to the Stanley Cup Final as they basically returned the entire team. Well readers, it appears that unless a miraculous change happens, the Rangers will be hitting the golf course come playoff time. You know things are bad when your GM sends a letter out to teams that all players are available for trades. Then there was the whole Jacob Trouba mess. We all understand this is a business, but dragging your captain through the mud and practically forcing him to take a trade just doesn’t look good. Trouba deserved better and hopefully finds it in Anaheim. Lastly, they gave up on 2019 2nd overall pick Kaapo Kaako and shipped him off to Seattle. He had just started to pick up his production, but he had been a healthy scratch just prior to being traded. I would not be surprised if the Rangers end up looking for a GM after this season.

Lastly, in my last column I might have jinxed Alex Ovechkin. Shortly after it was posted, Ovechkin fractured his fibula and missed 16 games, the longest amount he has missed in his career. While many thought this may derail the chase of Gretzky’s record, Ovechkin has picked right back up where he left off. He has scored in three of his past four games, bringing him to 18 goals in 22 games. He is currently 24 goals away from breaking the record.

Let’s also take a look at some local college hockey teams. Quinnipiac University is currently ranked 18th in the country. They have a 10-6-1 record and will prepare to face Northeastern on the 4th. Yale is having a slow start to their year, having a 3-7-1 record and are getting ready to take on Union. A team more known for their basketball teams, the UConn hockey team is currently 8-8-1 and looking to get back above .500 by facing Harvard. Lastly, Sacred Heart University is a program on the rise. With a record of 10-7-3, they could make some noise in their conference as they get set to take on Air Force.

BREWIN’ IN BETHEL

Now for what many of you are probably waiting for. The time between Christmas and New Years is tough, between not knowing what day it is and regular meals getting tossed aside in favor of all of the great desserts. Plus, all those resolutions that we make and forget about after a month. For those of you celebrating a Dry January, best of luck!  For those looking for a recommendation of what to have either tonight or when you’re done, just wait! What I’m drinking currently is Another Space Ozdyssey from Brewport. The story behind this beer is a good one so gather around. Space Ozdyssey was originally the last beer brewed at Veracious Brewing.  Sometime after Veracious closed, the co-owner Tess, affectionately known as the “Queen of Connecticut Brewing” passed away. When Brewport said they would start brewing this beer again, Oz, the dog whose picture was on the can and for whom the beer was named after, sadly had to be put down. So whatever you’re drinking, cheers to the new year and celebrate with friends and loved ones (especially your furry ones).