SPORT-SCAN DAILY BRIEF NHL 7/15/2020 Anaheim Ducks Colorado Avalanche 1188078 Ducks sign right wing Troy Terry to 3-year, $4.35-million 1188106 Mikko Rantanen missed the Avalanche’s original training contract extension camp. He’s excited to be part of the second. 1188079 With a new contract, the Ducks bet on bigger things from 1188107 Avalanche’s Nathan MacKinnon named 2019-20 Ted Troy Terry Lindsay Award finalist 1188108 Nathan MacKinnon named finalist for the Ted Lindsay Arizona Coyotes Award 1188080 Schedules announced for Coyotes’ qualifying round, exhibition game Columbus Blue Jackets 1188081 Rick Tocchet impressed with quality of Coyotes’ 1st 1188109 Pierre-Luc Dubois’ unexplained absence part of NHL’s training camp practice secretive policy 1188082 Coyotes’ health, mental reset in focus as training camp 1188110 Blue Jackets’ Seth Jones, Oliver Bjorkstrand bonded over begins broken ankles Boston Bruins Dallas Stars 1188083 Minus David Pastrnak and Ondrej Kase, Anders Bjork 1188111 Stars notebook: Power-play units take on more shape; making a quick impression in Bruins’ camp Tyler Seguin makes himself at home in Dallas 1188084 Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy giving David Krejci-Jake 1188112 What Stars’ Tyler Seguin learned from his experience DeBrusk tandem another look during a Black Lives Matter protest 1188085 Bruins' David Pastrnak, Ondrej Kase might not practice 1188113 No team needed a break more than the Dallas Stars, until Thursday whose bizarre season continues 1188086 Even amid pandemic, Zdeno Chara and Patrice Bergeron 1188114 Goalies get into a groove on Day 2 of Stars camp, but who blaze path for Bruins will be No. 3? Buffalo Sabres Detroit Red Wings 1188087 Report: Michael Frolik has offer to play in KHL for former 1188115 Back when NHLers thought the Detroit Red Wings had Calgary coach outstanding players 1188088 Sabres player rep Jake McCabe on new GM, new CBA 1188116 Possible trade targets for the Red Wings, who have and fatherhood money to be buyers 1188089 Josh Allen, Jack Eichel to be featured on 'Captains Circle' 1188117 Saginaw Spirit sign Detroit Red Wings prospect Albin social media program Grewe 1188118 Red Wings 1930s all-decade team: Jack Adams, two Calgary Flames Stanley Cups and three team names 1188090 Flames seeking redemption from embarrassing 2019 1188119 The Red Wings’ No. 4 draft pick: Making the case for Jake post-season Sanderson 1188091 Pandemic provides perspective for Flames superstar Gaudreau, whose girlfriend works as nurse Edmonton Oilers 1188092 SNAPSHOTS: Second day of strange groupings based on 1188120 Back to the Battle: Edmonton Oilers prepare for tuneup 'circumstances' against Calgary rivals 1188121 Edmonton Oilers' Draisaitl a finalist for NHL's most Carolina Hurricanes outstanding NHL player 1188093 ‘The energy is perfect,’ Carolina Hurricanes coach Rod 1188122 Edmonton Oilers plan to deke Phase 3 COVID-19 risks BrindAmour says of training camp and make it to the bubble 1188094 Answering popular training camp questions: What will 1188123 JONES: Oilers having big hand in bringing NHL Awards games be like without fans? hardware to Edmonton 1188124 Lowetide: What should Oilers fans expect from Connor Chicago Blackhawks McDavid in the playoffs? 1188095 What would define a successful ending for the 2019-20 Chicago Blackhawks? Florida Panthers 1188096 3 takeaways from the Chicago Blackhawks’ first workout, 1188125 Long layoffs hurt the Panthers this year. So far, this one including Jonathan Toews’ views on the Hub Bubble and feels different for Florida 1188097 Blackhawks notebook: Calvin de Haan misses practice; 1188126 Why Panthers center Noel Acciari is heading to bubble Corey Crawford still ‘unfit’ even after birth of newborn son 1188098 Hawks don't plan to squander second playoff chance 1188127 Panthers’ Sergei Bobrovsky is refreshed and ready to lead 1188099 Shaw expects to return to Blackhawks next season Florida in NHL playoffs 1188100 Blackhawks' de Haan misses practice due to family emergency Los Angeles Kings 1188101 Eddie O raring to go with playoff hockey 1188128 11 Los Angeles pro sports franchises join forces in social 1188102 How Blackhawks embracing underdog status could work justice fight against Oilers 1188129 LA KINGS JOIN THE ALLIANCE: LOS ANGELES AS 1188103 2020 NHL season restart: Blackhawks-Oilers full schedule PART OF ORGANIZATIONAL INCLUSION INITIATIVE and exhibition opponent 1188104 Oilers defenseman Caleb Jones "unfit to play" first two days of Phase 3 1188105 Why Blackhawks are eager for 'heck of an opportunity' ahead of NHL's restart Minnesota Wild Pittsburgh Penguins 1188130 Wild's Kevin Fiala: 'I feel I'm going to be the same player' 1188158 The Penguins get reintroduced to contact in preparation 1188131 Wild will play Colorado in exhibition game in Edmonton on for upcoming tournament July 29 1188159 Penguins hope they have their third line finally figured out 1188133 Wild say training camp is off to strong start after long 1188160 NHL sets times for Penguins’ qualifying round games, hiatus exhibition vs. Flyers 1188161 Double Team: Rick Tocchet was a keystone for the Montreal Canadiens Penguins and Flyers 1188134 NHL teams get taste of pandemic hockey as first day of 1188162 ‘Burgh’s Best to Wear It, No. 48: Tyler Kennedy was key summer camp unfolds to Penguins’ 2009 Stanley Cup 1188135 Stu on Sports: Canadiens getting used to 'new normal' at 1188163 Penguins’ Kris Letang on why he decided to play, David training camp Morehouse on NHL schedule for 2020-21 1188136 Jesperi Kotkaniemi's improved skating impresses Claude 1188164 With a fresh start, Jared McCann looks to give the Julien at Habs camp Penguins the third line they lacked 1188137 Canadiens, agent racing against the clock to get 1188165 The Penguins are excited about the future — short- and Alexander Romanov to the bubble long-term — of this duo 1188166 Yohe: Key observations from Penguins training camp, Day Nashville Predators 2 1188138 NHL announces first three game times for 1188167 Inside the Penguins’ Phase 3 workouts: Lines, goalies, Predators-Coyotes series, plus exhibition game absences and draft picks 1188139 Predators: Asterisk or not, winning Stanley Cup this season will be tougher St Louis Blues 1188140 Rexrode: The case for Juuse Saros to start in goal for the 1188168 Gordo: 'Crisp' Blues return to the rink eager to defend the Predators Cup 1188169 Parayko, Bortuzzo not on the ice as Blues start training New Jersey Devils camp 1188141 Mets bids: Steve Cohen, Alex Rodriguez-Jennifer Lopez, 1188170 Perunovich signs his deal with Blues, won't train with them Josh Harris-David Blitzer advance to 2nd round; SNY not in camp 1188142 Coronavirus update: WNBA’s Elena Delle Donne denied 1188171 Blues resume practicing; Parayko, Bortuzzo absent medical waiver; No fans on PGA Tour; 43 NHL players 1188172 Hochman: Q-&-A with Pietrangelo on Blues' Stanley Cup test p chances — ‘We've got the depth to do it’ 1188173 The Blues’ familiarity with their lineup bodes well with New York Islanders quick turnaround 1188143 How the Islanders’ deal with Ilya Sorokin unfolded 1188144 Islanders, Rangers to meet in sole warmup game as Tampa Bay Lightning season restarts 1188174 Time is short and intensity is needed as Lightning prepare 1188145 Islanders hope to include goalie prospect Ilya Sorokin in for playoffs workouts right away despite ineligibility for this s 1188175 Normalcy returns for the Lightning, at least on the ice 1188146 The year that made Barry Trotz: Inside his season as a 1188176 Lightning amp up physicality on Day 2 of training camp 25-year-old head coach Toronto Maple Leafs New York Rangers 1188178 On July 28, Artturi Lehkonen’s Canadiens and Kyle 1188147 Artemi Panarin one of three finalists for Ted Lindsay Clifford’s Leafs will see their first game action since the Award 1188179 There’s no social distancing on the ice, but there is 1188148 David Quinn tasked with getting Chris Kreider, Rangers in socializing. Leafs Travis Dermott and Frederik Gauthier playoff shape 1188180 Leafs team defence a focus for Keefe at camp: 'We need 1188149 Islanders, Rangers to meet in sole warmup game as to be a lot better' season restarts 1188181 Nothing being handed to Robertson as Keefe notes 1188150 Rangers' Chris Kreider says he feels 100% after returning competition for spots at Leafs camp from broken foot 1188182 NHL NOTES: Covering off COVID 1188151 Rangers' Artemi Panarin a finalist for Ted Lindsay Award 1188183 TRAIKOS: Nylander facing a make-or-break playoffs with 1188152 For the Rangers to have defensive success, it isn’t just the Maple Leafs about the defensemen 1188184 Mirtle: Auston Matthews becomes the reluctant face of NHL players with COVID-19 Philadelphia Flyers 1188153 Flyers coach Alain Vigneault on Carter Hart preparing for Vancouver Canucks Stanley Cup playoffs debut: ‘I think this is the rig 1188205 Canucks notebook: Rathbone signs, no doubt for Miller, 1188154 Flyers coach Alain Vigneault on NHL bubble: ‘We’re the Roussel's delight lucky ones' 1188206 Ed Willes: NHL's new normal is different, very different 1188155 Flyers return to ice looking to regain winning chemistry | 1188207 Ben Kuzma: Toffoli has Miller in his corner to tout future On the Fly Canucks worth 1188156 Is Chris Pronger coming back to Philly for new endeavor? 1188208 Why signing Jack Rathbone was timely, crucial for future 1188157 NHL schedule 2020: Start times for Flyers vs. Penguins of Canucks’ defence exhibition game, Flyers vs. Bruins round-robin game 1188209 What do Canucks players hear when they’re on the ice? Vegas Golden Knights World Leagues News 1188185 Golden Knights to play lone exhibition game against 1188224 Even with COVID-19 cases surging, many schools are Coyotes preparing for fall sports 1188186 Golden Knights not easing into training camp 1188225 Why these Cubs look more equipped than most to handle 1188187 Does this Stanley Cup deserve an asterisk? Golden coronavirus season Knights say no 1188226 Kings' Barnes isn't at NBA restart, says he has 1188188 Golden Knights say they gained an edge through coronavirus preparation for return to play 1188227 Report: Nets’ Michael Beasley tests positive for 1188189 VGK Fans Come To Pick Up Game Posters, But Not coronavirus, leaves bubble Allowed To Watch Training Camp With Pandemic 1188228 Sports transfers in California rise during 2019-20 school year despite coronavirus Washington Capitals 1188229 NBA star Russell Westbrook in isolation after testing 1188190 With babies due, Lars Eller and Carl Hagelin prepare to positive for Covid-19 enter, and leave, NHL bubble 1188230 Inside the NFL offensive linemen summit, where players 1188191 Capitals open training camp: Takeaways from Monday prepare for a season of uncertainty and notes going forward 1188231 Penrith NRL player Charlie Staines stood down for breach 1188192 Capitals to play Hurricanes in lone exhibition game before of coronavirus biosecurity protocols round robin tournament SPORT-SCAN, INC. 941-284-4129 1188193 Lars Eller intends to leave bubble for the birth of his second child 1188194 Brenden Dillon indicates he is open to re-signing with Capitals 1188195 The biggest ‘what ifs’ in Capitals history: What if Washington had not won the 2004 draft lottery? 1188196 Can Tom Wilson be as effective a player without a crowd to feed off of? 1188197 Building Trust at Work: DC's NBA, NFL, NHL and WNBA coaches share leadership tips 1188198 Brenden Dillon is getting familiar with the Capitals and feels ‘right at home’ Websites 1188210 The Athletic / What’s in a name change? The logistics of retiring and creating a team nickname 1188211 The Athletic / The year that made Barry Trotz: Inside his season as a 25-year-old head coach 1188212 Sportsnet.ca / How Leafs' Mikheyev turned injury, pandemic into blessings in disguise 1188213 Sportsnet.ca / Canucks' Pettersson brings playoff experience into first run at the Cup 1188214 Sportsnet.ca / Leafs' Black Lives Matter support among Dubas' proudest moments in hockey 1188215 Sportsnet.ca / As Leon Draisaitl's unique ascent continues, Oilers' quest for Cup begins 1188216 Sportsnet.ca / Flames' Gaudreau not off to ideal start as playoff proving grounds loom 1188217 Sportsnet.ca / NHL Training Camps Day 2 Live Blog: Goalies aren't messing around 1188218 Sportsnet.ca / Canadiens' long shot Stanley Cup bid rests on Carey Price's impact 1188219 Sportsnet.ca / Leafs hope to reset as they return to play in roller-coaster season 1188220 TSN.CA / Defence and more defence Sheldon Keefe's main focus in camp 1188221 TSN.CA / Fired up William Nylander aims to become dominant Toronto Maple Leaf when play resumes 1188222 TSN.CA / View from Vegas: Nate Schmidt on staying safe, Vegas Golden Knights' chances 1188223 USA TODAY / Los Angeles' 11 professional sports teams join together to tackle racial injustice Winnipeg Jets 1188199 Scheifele all business on, off ice 1188200 Maurice preparing for unfamiliar foe in Flames 1188201 Homegrown product fitting in good between Laine and Ehlers 1188202 'It would give me chills': Jets' Scheifele revives Olympic dream... Maurice convinced he, staff, are COVID-19 1188203 FRIESEN: Jets' Eakin hoping to feel right at home 1188204 Reading between the lines to predict how the Jets will approach the Flames 1188078 Anaheim Ducks a mental thing, but it takes time to realize that you’re one of the guys the team needs to have success,” Terry said. “I’m starting to get that now.

“But at first, it was hard to think that you’re needed as much as all those Ducks sign right wing Troy Terry to 3-year, $4.35-million contract other guys.” extension

Orange County Register: LOADED: 07.15.2020 By ELLIOTT TEAFORD | [email protected] | Orange County Register

PUBLISHED: July 14, 2020 at 3:33 p.m. | UPDATED: July 14, 2020 at 3:33 p.m.

The Ducks signed Troy Terry to a three-season, $4.35-million contract extension Tuesday, a deal based more on potential and expectations than on past results. He has shown flashes of the player he might one day become, but his statistics have been modest so far.

Terry, a 22-year-old right wing, has recorded eight goals and 20 assists in 81 games over parts of three seasons with the Ducks. He also has 23 goals and 34 assists in 55 games over two seasons with the San Diego Gulls, the Ducks’ American Hockey League team.

Ducks general manager Bob Murray had hoped an extended assignment with the Gulls to end the 2019-20 regular season, plus an anticipated deep run in the Calder Cup playoffs, would accelerate Terry’s rise from heralded prospect to productive NHL player.

Murray’s plans were thwarted when the AHL season was suspended March 12 and ultimately canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic. Terry also missed out on the Gulls’ playoff run to the Western Conference final last season because of a broken leg.

The Ducks’ season ended March 11, and they were not included in the NHL’s Return to Play plan, having finished outside the league’s top 24 teams. Training camps began Monday and games are scheduled to resume Aug. 1 in hub cities Edmonton and Toronto.

Terry was the Ducks’ fifth-round pick in the 2015 draft. He signed with the Ducks on March 27, 2018, after a stellar career at the University of Denver that included an NCAA championship in 2017 after helping to lead Team USA to the World Junior Championship.

Terry also played in the 2018 Winter Olympics, when NHL players didn’t participate.

Finding the same sort of success in the NHL has been difficult for Terry, though.

“It’s just a different game,” he said by phone from his offseason home in suburban Denver.

Of scoring only four goals to go with 11 assists in 47 games with the Ducks in 2019-20, he said, “I think it was almost good that I struggled. I think even though I was playing good, but I wasn’t getting the bounces and things weren’t going my way, it was good to go through that.”

Murray’s message to Terry before sending him to San Diego on Feb. 25 was simple: Be more assertive, be a leader, don’t always defer to your teammates.

Consider it a lesson learned.

Terry had 16 points, including seven goals, in 14 games with the Gulls.

“I took a lot more shots,” he said. “I was taking it more into my hands. When they sent me down, it hurt me, but I’m proud of the way I responded down there. I did my job down there. It was part of the growing pains, I guess. When I went to San Diego, I had more of an attitude.”

The Ducks were still considered Stanley Cup contenders when Terry made his NHL debut late in the 2017-18 season. They were a veteran- dominated team on the way to winning a fifth consecutive Pacific Division title and securing a sixth consecutive playoff berth.

It took time for Terry to realize that he wasn’t just along for the ride, but that he was a valued and trusted member of the roster, someone who was being counted on to assist in a rebuilding project that would one day restore the Ducks’ status as an elite team in the NHL.

“When you’ve got Ryan Getzlaf, who’s going to be a Hall of Famer, and when you’ve got all these guys who are incredible players, maybe it’s just 1188079 Anaheim Ducks some potential free agents despite not having a ton of salary-cap space for 2020-21. Defensemen Brandon Guhle, Christian Djoos and Jani Hakanpää were all re-signed. Depth forward Sam Carrick is back for With a new contract, the Ducks bet on bigger things from Troy Terry another year. Calgary-born defender Kodie Curran was imported from Sweden, where he was the SHL’s most valuable player.

Left to determine is whether Ryan Miller will return for an 18th NHL By Eric Stephens season or if there will be a need to have Anthony Stolarz take over the backup goalie role or bring in a proven option from outside. The other

notable restricted free agents who remain unsigned for next season are The final numbers — the obvious ones that scoring forwards still get paid winger Sonny Milano and defenseman Jacob Larsson. But Terry’s is a for — were not what Troy Terry wanted. Four goals in 47 games with the key name crossed off on the to-do list. Ducks this past season. Fifteen points in all. Totals nowhere near what “They were awesome about it and wanted to get a deal done,” Terry said. the right wing feels he is capable of posting. “And obviously I don’t really have any leverage to mess around with. It It was not a wasted year. There was improvement in the not-so-obvious was just a very mutual agreement, and I’m glad they were able to do it numbers. Many more shots taken and put on net. More takeaways. quickly. I’m really grateful for them and how they’ve handled it. They Positive possession metrics. didn’t try to make it wait or anything. They wanted to get it done, and they were nothing but reasonable. “A good way to say it is I was very effective,” Terry told The Athletic on Tuesday. “Just not productive.” “I’m really happy with the deal and really happy I get to stay with the Ducks for three more years.” The 22-year-old is going to get paid on the hope of what he can do more than on what he has done. With a new contract due for the 2020-21 These days, Terry is skating twice a week and working out with a group season, Terry and the Ducks agreed on that and two more as the winger that includes former Denver Pioneers teammates Will Butcher, Dylan signed a three-year deal worth $4.35 million. Gambrell and Logan O’Connor. The university facilities aren’t open, but they’ve found a high-level facility in Elite Speed Sports Performance in The breakdown is $1.35 million for next year and steady raises to $1.45 suburban Centennial, Colo. It’s convenient for Terry, who lives in the million (the contract’s average annual value) for 2021-22 and $1.55 Cherry Creek section of town. “I love going to DU any chance I get,” he million for 2022-23. Terry will be 25 at the end of the deal and will have said. “But it’s a good setup for us.” salary arbitration rights, which he did not possess for this negotiation. And the winger is attaching himself to his new 10-week-old bernedoodle, The Ducks had all the leverage, and Terry and his agent, Kurt Overhardt, Sullivan. “It’s the same type of dog that Cam (Fowler) has,” Terry said. “I knew that. Terry didn’t even have big offensive numbers to point toward, was like, ‘I want one.’ and so Anaheim general manager Bob Murray has a young talent on a bridge deal that’s very team-friendly. If he does start putting up numbers “He’s a baby. They’re supposed to be 45 to 60 pounds. I think he’s befitting an everyday top-nine winger, the contract will be even friendlier definitely going to be around 60. Maybe more. He’s big. He’s got quite as he also positions himself for a much bigger deal for his prime years. If the paws.” he doesn’t fulfill his potential, the Ducks have a contract that’s quite The middle of July is usually downtime on the NHL calendar, except movable. nothing about this year is normal. Like others, Terry hasn’t played a But what the contract does represent is the Ducks’ faith that Terry will game since March, when the AHL also shut down. Unlike those who are become an impact player. Now he wants to repay that faith. on playoff teams, Terry may not play again until December — if the NHL is able to start the 2020-21 season on its preferred schedule. “I feel that they view me as a big part moving forward,” Terry said. “This is kind of a way for them to show it to me. I’m extremely grateful. I’m not It leaves him a little envious of those who are back in camp with their satisfied. I know that I’ve got a ways to go before I’m the player that I teammates, pushing the pace in drills and hoping that exhibition games think I can be. and round-robin contests are at the end of this resumption of action before this year’s expanded Stanley Cup playoffs commence. “I think they see that. I’m excited to kind of get this deal done. I’m really happy with it and now just focus on having another three years to “When I come home to Denver in the offseason, I didn’t realize it until become the player they expect me to be and the player I expect me to now, but I kind of have this mental clock almost where I know I’ve been be.” here for two, two and half months and it feels like it’s time to go back and play hockey,” Terry said. “I’m getting that right now. Especially seeing Terry’s two pro seasons have been split between Anaheim and San everyone else coming back for the playoffs and all these other teams Diego. His NHL numbers so far total eight goals and 20 assists over 81 getting ready to play. I’ve definitely got the itch. contests. Modest, to say the least. They’re offensive numbers befitting a fourth-line forward, which the Denver native is not. “I’m just trying to keep in decent shape. Mostly just strength train and trying to get bigger, which is kind of the best thing for me right now. It’s While the end result often wasn’t there, the former University of Denver hard not to think about it. I think everyone wants to play. The guys who star and hero of the 2017 World Juniors for the United States was more are about to play are excited, and it’s just a long time for us to wait. It is assertive with his decision-making in the offensive end and showed his tough to see.” ability to work in tight spaces and create plays more often. Much more emphasis was also placed on shooting the puck, as his attempts increased to 2.97 per game with the Ducks compared with 1.84 in his 32- The Athletic LOADED: 07.15.2020 game rookie season.

The goals for next year are obvious. Keep a spot with the Ducks all season. Get on the scoresheet more often.

“I’ve always been a guy that wants the puck all the time,” Terry said. “I think you were seeing I had the puck on my stick way more and I was better at controlling play depending on the night. That’s another thing that I obviously want to work on, my consistency. It’s hard to do night in and night out in the NHL.

“It’s the guy that’s making an impact every night consistently. Playing with the puck and making plays. Playing a 200-foot game. Not just being effective but really producing and helping our team win games. I know I’m capable of it.”

Murray hasn’t been idle during this long break since the NHL shut down play in March. The Ducks didn’t qualify for the 24-team return-to-play tournament, but the longtime GM has gone about resolving the status of 1188080 Arizona Coyotes

Schedules announced for Coyotes’ qualifying round, exhibition game

BY MATT LAYMAN

JULY 14, 2020 AT 3:34 PM

The National Hockey League announced Tuesday the schedule for exhibition games and for the return-to-play postseason qualifying round, both of which will involve the Arizona Coyotes.

After arriving in the hub city of Edmonton on July 26, Arizona will play an exhibition game against the Vegas Golden Knights on July 30 at 7 p.m. July 30 will be the third of three days of exhibition games across the league, and the Coyotes’ game will be very last one in the league to be played. The Coyotes’ opponent in the qualifying round, the Nashville Predators, play their exhibition game on July 30 as well.

Arizona Sports LOADED: 07.15.2020 1188081 Arizona Coyotes

Rick Tocchet impressed with quality of Coyotes’ 1st training camp practice

BY MATT LAYMAN

JULY 14, 2020 AT 9:49 AM

Arizona Coyotes head coach Rick Tocchet has said repeatedly that he prefers to keep an even-keeled attitude, but he admitted Monday after the first day of return-to-play training camp practice that he was happy with what he saw.

“As much as the players are excited, the coaching staff is excited,” he said. “I’m not just saying I was impressed with the day, I really liked the work ethic. I actually thought the skill level was a lot farther than I thought [it would be] after being off so much. That’s a credit to the guys for skating in phase 2, I think it really helped the transition of our first day in phase three. So I was really impressed.

“I think we went 55 minutes and they were gassed at the end, but I tell you what, I was expecting them to be gassed halfway through practice and they weren’t. So I’m really impressed with the first day of practice.”

The Coyotes and other NHL teams have begun training camps (phase 3) in advance of a 24-team playoff tournament (phase 4) to determine a Stanley Cup winner after the season was stopped in March because of the coronavirus pandemic. A roster of 32 players is present in Glendale for the skates.

Part of the quality of Monday’s opening practice was attributed to the work the players and staff did in phases 1 (quarantine) and 2 (small- group workouts) to stay in shape and remain prepared.

“We had a lot of guys buy into phase 2, and a lot of guys were around the arena, working on their game, working out with the strength coaches, and I think you saw that today,” forward Taylor Hall said. “Not only are guys familiar with playing with other guys on the team, but they’ve been skating at the Gila for a while now, and I think that always helped just to feel comfortable going into a training camp like this. I think familiarity and comfort level is going to be huge going into these games here.”

When the Coyotes get to Edmonton, which is the hub city they’ll be in for the duration of their time in the postseason tournament, they’ll have to remain disciplined and deal with what’s thrown at them.

“If I’ve got to wear a mask, I’ve got to wear a mask. If I’ve got to coach with no whistle, no whistle,” Tocchet said. “I’ll deal with that, just like our players have to deal with when we enter the bubble there. We’ll have to deal with things. We’re stripped of some stuff, but in life, it’s nothing to what other people get stripped of. We’re not too worried of what’s presented in front of us right now. We’re just worried about, whatever’s being told we’ve got to do, we’ve got to do, and let’s play hockey. That’s really [what] the guys are marching to right now.”

On Monday, it was revealed in the NBA that the Sacramento Kings’ Richaun Holmes crossed a boundary at the league’s hub site in Orlando and now has to quarantine for 10 days. The Coyotes will look to avoid those sorts of missteps.

“I saw a guy left the campus to get delivery food and now he had to quarantine for 10 days,” Hall said. “I think guys are going to be smart about it. I think guys know it’s going to be a different situation going into it. You’re going to have to be prepared to get used to your hotel room and get used to hanging around the guys as much as you can and just enjoy it.”

Arizona Sports LOADED: 07.15.2020 1188082 Arizona Coyotes

Arizona Sports LOADED: 07.15.2020

Coyotes’ health, mental reset in focus as training camp begins

BY MATT LAYMAN

JULY 13, 2020 AT 7:18 PM

The coronavirus-caused hiatus for the National Hockey League has allowed teams to get healthier than they would’ve otherwise been for the playoffs. That could end up being especially relevant to the Coyotes.

A number of players could benefit from that time off ahead of the Coyotes playing a five-game play-in round against the Nashville Predators. Leading scorer Conor Garland suffered an injury before the pause and was listed as week-to-week on March 8. Goaltenders Darcy Kuemper and Antti Raanta both dealt with injuries of varying severity during the 2019-20 season. Forward Phil Kessel dealt with various injuries during the season but played through them.

“Everyone goes through injuries,” general manager John Chayka said. “I think your depth gets tested. If we want to get where we want to get to, we’re going to need guys to step up. I think it’s an interesting time. No one’s quite sure what to expect in terms of ramping it up, like [head coach Rick Tocchet] said, from zero to 100, in a short time to get going and we get right into postseason play. So my expectation and my belief is that we’re going to need a lot of guys.

“I think the key for us is goaltending is a big part of our team, and Darcy and Antti in my opinion are the top tandem. So those guys, you hope they stay healthy and they make the impact you expect them to make, and we’ll deal with injuries as they come.”

In response to a question about the absence of forwards Michael Grabner and Derek Stepan from the first Phase 3 training camp practice on Monday, Chayka said the players were “deemed unfit to play.” That could be a common refrain as the NHL has tightened rules about injury updates so as not to reveal if a player tests positive for coronavirus or is simply injured.

“To date, we’ve had no one that’s expressed that [they plan to opt out of the season],” Chayka said. “I think the key is guys want to feel safe. I can tell you our staff’s done a tremendous job, amazing job really in the building, making sure that they’re doing everything possible to keep these guys safe.”

Kessel could be one of the biggest X factors for the Coyotes. He had only 14 goals in 70 games of his first season with the Coyotes, and he said recently that this was the most injuries in a single year that he’s had in his career. If he can be healthy and return to his old form, he could be a major weapon for Arizona’s offense.

“Phil’s actually been good on the ice,” Tocchet said Monday. “Phil, he’s an honest guy, he’s got a lot of character. He goes, ‘Hey, listen –‘ he was injured [this] year, he’s got some bumps and bruises that affected his game but he doesn’t like to use that as an excuse. He knows, ‘Hey, I need to be better.’ He’s looking forward to the series. He’s excited, he’s smiling.

“John said this a while ago, I’m glad Phil Kessel’s on our team right now going to the playoffs instead of playing against him. So that’s really what it comes down to.”

But even beyond a physical reset, the Coyotes got a mental reset, too. Arizona can focus on playing like the first-place team it was at one point this season instead of trying to climb back into a playoff position, as they would’ve had to do if the regular season had continued as normal.

“To me, it’s not even the injuries. It’s the mental aspect,” Tocchet said. “Some guys, maybe they didn’t feel they had that good of a year, it’s a reset. Everybody can reset it. And it’s amazing when you get guys that maybe they weren’t as good as you thought they would be or they didn’t feel they were as good, they reset and it’s amazing how these guys come out of it and how they’ll do.

“I have a feeling a couple guys that maybe weren’t happy with their play are going to play well and have a big impact for us, I can just tell. Just their attitude and the way they’ve talked to me in practice today. It’s a refreshing thing and it’s a reset for everybody.” 1188083 Boston Bruins ▪ A small number of reporters, carefully spaced out on the chilly concourse at Warrior, saw fourth-line winger Blidh, defense prospect Vaakanainen and reserve goalie Vladar join the group. Rookie tough guy Minus David Pastrnak and Ondrej Kase, Anders Bjork making a quick Trent Frederic, who was missing Monday, skated after practice. Spare impression in Bruins’ camp goalie Max Lagace arrived for post-practice shooting drills, the Bruins trying to keep their goal creases uncluttered.

Aside from Pastrnak and Kase, the only other missing face was assistant By Matt Porter Globe Staff coach Kevin Dean, who was unable to attend.

Updated July 14, 2020, 3:13 p.m. ▪ Cassidy said a smaller group will skate Wednesday. Some 10-12 players, mostly those who have been skating regularly at Warrior, will

take maintenance days. With top wingers David Pastrnak and Ondrej Kase not on the ice the first ▪ Day two of the Bruins’ summer sprint to the postseason went off without two days of camp, Anders Bjork (left) was the Bruins' best player on a hitch. Unless you were a goalie. Early in practice, Rask left the ice for a Monday, according to coach Bruce Cassidy, and promoted to the top line few minutes after taking a puck in an unprotected spot. Later in the alongside Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand on Tuesday. session, Halak was on his back and covered in snow after Nordstrom cut With top wingers David Pastrnak and Ondrej Kase not on the ice the first to the crease and bowled him over. The two shared a laugh after two days of camp, Anders Bjork (left) was the Bruins' best player on practice, Halak playfully pounding Nordstrom’s shoulder. Monday, according to coach Bruce Cassidy, and promoted to the top line ▪ Players are asked to keep their distance from each other, but that didn’t alongside Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand on Tuesday. stop call-up Senyshyn from going after Grzelcyk in successive battles The league’s co-leading goal scorer (48) and the most important trade around the net. It also didn’t keep blue liners Krug and Clifton from deadline addition, the top two right wings on a Stanley Cup contender, “throwing down” in a fake fight after practice. Krug got the better of the have yet to touch the ice at Warrior Ice Arena. No sweat. No worries. wrestling match.

Coach Bruce Cassidy, addressing the media via Zoom after the club’s ▪ The leadership group — Chara, Bergeron, Krejci, Marchand and Krug second practice of return-to-play camp, anticipated both Pastrnak and — huddled for a post-practice chat that lasted several minutes. Kase could skate on Wednesday. ▪ Center prospect Studnicka, an AHL All-Rookie selection and “What happens with some of these guys, again, unable to practice or Providence’s leading scorer, looks confident. During one drill, he beat unfit — whatever the terminology, it’s all-encompassing — they weren’t Halak low on a 2-on-2 rush with a quick snapshot. Studnicka is unlikely to on the ice today,” said Cassidy, who again wore a Black and Gold mask, play during the postseason, unless it is on the right wing. pulling it down to shout instructions, during a spirited 50-minute session.

“Some of that has to do with the timing of testing, returning from Europe, etc. It’s not necessarily an injury or a positive test in a lot of these cases.” Boston Globe LOADED: 07.15.2020 While Kase, the trade deadline pickup from Anaheim, has yet to settle into a role here, the Bruins will need Pastrnak in full flight. It’s preferable, Cassidy noted, to miss time now rather than after the Bruins take their July 26 charter to Toronto, where they will settle into their hub hotel, run through a final few practices and start preparing for round-robin opponents Philadelphia (Aug. 2), Tampa (Aug. 5) and Washington (Aug 8). In Brighton for the next two weeks, he can push the pedal harder with extra practice reps, longer skating sessions and more intense workouts.

“Some guys certainly can make up the ground quicker than others,” Cassidy noted.

“There’s time for that now. As we get closer, that becomes less and less, and I think the effect becomes greater and greater on the player trying to play catch-up.”

▪ Speedy winger Anders Bjork, up for a second contract at the end of the year, wants to prove himself worthy of a playoff lineup spot. Things are going well on that front, particularly with the top two right wings ahead of him (Pastrnak and Kase) out of the lineup.

Bjork, tabbed by his coach as “maybe the best player” of Day 1, was promoted to Pastrnak’s spot on Line 1, alongside Brad Marchand and Patrice Bergeron. He skated with his usual zip, and showed increased power on his shot on several finishes

Coming off two seasons shortened by shoulder injuries, the former Notre Dame star looked strong in the Bruins’ preseason camp. Though he didn’t make the kind of splash that put him on the top line, he strung together a strong first half, earning the trust of Cassidy and his teammates and even seeing time on the penalty kill. The second half wasn’t as promising. His game sagged, and he found himself scratched after the Bruins traded for Kase.

“There’s competition for him now to get in the lineup. We like Anders as a person. We like him as a player, but we’re going to play the 12 best guys,” Cassidy said. “He’s certainly in that mix. Is he automatic? No.”

Cassidy said a “handful of other guys” are in Bjork’s shoes. That group includes Karson Kuhlman, who skated on the second line with the familiar Jake DeBrusk-David Krejci combo.

Sean Kuraly remained on the third line, playing the right side of center Charlie Coyle and left winger Nick Ritchie, another new piece Cassidy is trying to fit into his group. 1188084 Boston Bruins It would also help to get the full roster into camp. David Pastrnak and Ondrej Kase missed their second straight day to fulfill their quarantine obligations. While Pastnak will go back with Bergeron and Marchand, Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy giving David Krejci-Jake DeBrusk tandem Kase could well wind up on Krejci’s right side. another look “I think there are lots of possibilities,” said Krejci. “Honestly, we didn’t get as many games as we would have liked to because of the virus going around and everyone knows (Kase) hasn’t been there (Monday and By STEVE CONROY | [email protected] | Boston Herald Tuesday) because of the NHL rules on the quarantine for 14 days. Hopefully he’ll be back soon and we can get some reps as a line and July 14, 2020 at 6:40 p.m. create some chemistry.”

With real games a little less than three weeks away, time is of the The Bruins were the best team in the NHL in its coronavirus-truncated essence. regular season, and not by a small margin.

They won the Presidents Trophy by six points over the closest Boston Herald LOADED: 07.15.2020 competitor, the St. Louis Blues, who had played one more game; and led the league in goals against average (2.39), were second in power-play (25.2%) and third in penalty killing (84.3%).

What is amazing is that they were able to accomplish that with their second and third lines in flux for much of the season. That is at least partly because the chemistry between second-line center David Krejci and his left wing Jake DeBrusk was, for whatever reason, not nearly the same as it was in the first two years of the partnership.

At the time of the stoppage in March, coach Bruce Cassidy had split up the two, moving DeBrusk to Charlie Coyle’s line and creating an Anaheim East line with Krejci skating between recently acquired former Ducks Nick Ritchie and Ondrej Kase.

But with time short to prepare his team for the the opening round-robin game against the Flyers on Aug. 2, Cassidy will go with what he knows to start, reuniting DeBrusk with Krejci in the first two days of training camp. The pairing may not have the same hand-in-glove familiarity that the Patrice Bergeron-Brad Marchand tandem does, but Cassidy figured it was worth a try.

He’s not married to the idea, but he wants to give the pair a chance to rekindle the bromance, so to speak.

“Sometimes absence makes the heart grow fonder, so maybe they’ll reconnect after a little time away. They’ve had good chemistry in the past,” said Cassidy after Day 2 of this two-week camp. “They’re not Marchie and Bergy simply because they haven’t had the reps or the years of work. And Jake isn’t in Marchie’s category in terms of time in the league and resume. Certainly Krech and Bergy are similar. You’ve got to give that a little more time to grow.

“So we’re going to go back to it. If we don’t like what we see in some of the round-robin or practices, then Jake goes back with Coyle and we try probably Ritchie (with Krejci) or somebody else. But we’re going to give it a look and see where it’s at. I still think it’s early, until we start getting into some good 5-on-5 even within our own group, and see how they play against live competition, then we’ll see where it leads. We tried different things because we made deals at the deadline and tried to get guys in the most comfortable position. We didn’t feel like we were breaking up a real hot duo, so it was probably as good a time as any to do it. My guess is, if the pause hadn’t happened, we probably would have gone back to Krech and DeBrusk at some point after a little time apart. So we’re doing it now.”

Krejci was first paired with DeBrusk in the Edmonton native’s rookie season two years ago and, last season, they made good on the promise they showed. Krejci tied his career high in points (20-43-73) and DeBrusk potted 27 goals.

But while each player had good individual spurts this season, the pair simply didn’t seem to click. They were split up a couple of times during the season. Krejci wound up with 13-30-43 totals in 61 games and DeBrusk finished with 19-16-35 in 65 games.

Just two days into camp, Krejci was not ready to venture a guess as to whether the pairing can regain what it once had.

“Right now it’s just about getting up to speed,” said Krejci. “It’s really good to be out there with the guys in practices and just being out there, feeling the puck. I feel like in the next week or two we’ll be working on some things as a line and as a team. That’ll come. But right now I think the most important thing is to just get up to speed, get the compete level up and go from there.” 1188085 Boston Bruins

Bruins' David Pastrnak, Ondrej Kase might not practice until Thursday

By Joe Haggerty

July 14, 2020 12:37 PM

BRIGHTON, Mass. — Another day passed without David Pastrnak and Ondrej Kase on the ice at Bruins Return to Play camp, and now it looks like they may not skate with the full group until Thursday at the earliest.

Both players are in the midst of going through quarantine and COVID-19 testing before being cleared by the B’s medical advisors and staff to practice with the rest of the group, and it’s ending up taking more than the one or two days the B’s expected in the first place.

Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy couldn’t say for sure if Pastrnak and Kase would be on the ice with the smaller group on Wednesday, or if they might skate on their own at Warrior Ice Arena at some point during the day. The expectation is, however, that Pastrnak and Kase will be part of a full practice group on Thursday that should also include Trent Frederic, who skated on his own with Bruins skating coach Kim Brandvold at Warrior on Tuesday morning.

The expectation is that missing the first three days won’t be too detrimental for Pastrnak and Kase provided they are taking part by the end of the week.

“Let’s just assume they get back into the mix Thursday with the group. I don’t think they will be too far behind. I think some European players were in countries where they were free to skate earlier, so they might have had the benefit of skating while guys couldn’t here,” said Cassidy of Pastrnak, who was skating with Czech pros as of a few weeks ago before heading back to Boston. “But the rules were that when you come back you had to quarantine for ‘X’ amount of time, so I don’t hold it against them. Those were the rules in place and they were kind of fluid as we went along.

“Now if they came back the day before [camp started] and were told they needed to sit for 14 days, then that probably wouldn’t have been the wisest move. If they’re in with the group on Thursday and they look good, healthy and fit and [good] conditioning, then I think they’ll catch up in a hurry and we’ll be fine.”

Urho Vaakanainen, Anton Blidh and Daniel Vladar all joined the B’s camp group on Tuesday for the first time and Anders Bjork was bumped up to right wing with Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand after really popping in Day One of camp.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 07.15.2020 1188086 Boston Bruins In a way, Cassidy believes the younger players without wives or children can uplift their leaders by being chain-pullers and responsible teammates.

Even amid pandemic, Zdeno Chara and Patrice Bergeron blaze path for “It’s not always incumbent on the veteran guys to be big brother,” Bruins Cassidy said. “There’s certain situations where, yes, we need it. They want it. They’re willing to do it. But there’s also a situation here where little brother can pull on the rope a little harder too, on days where some By Fluto Shinzawa of the veteran guys are maybe dealing with some issues back home that they’re not able to do because they’re in the bubble.” Jul 14, 2020 There is not much sand remaining in this cohort’s hourglass. Chara can

be an unrestricted free agent at year’s end. Krejci and Rask are signed On Tuesday, Zdeno Chara conducted his video media briefing while through 2021. Bergeron’s contract expires a year later. wearing a mask. Recently, Patrice Bergeron cautiously extended his They raised one Stanley Cup. They chased two more in 2013 and 2019. family’s perimeter by permitting his children to play with one neighbor’s They could add to their legacies by bringing the trophy home in what kids. could be the most challenging circumstances in NHL history. These may be the best ways the captain and his lead alternate could It would be a heck of an addition to how they will be remembered. lead the team. “I think it will mean a lot for those guys,” Cassidy said. “It will be talked With each day, the Bruins advance closer to Phase 4. On July 26, they about for years to come.” are scheduled to leave Boston. Their departure for Toronto is not guaranteed. Camp notes

During Phase 3, the Bruins, like their 23 playoff counterparts, are free to • Anton Blidh, Urho Vaakanainen and Dan Vladar, missing on Day 1, lead their lives how they please as they come and go from their training joined the group for Tuesday’s practice. Trent Frederic skated on his own facilities. If any of the players, staff or their friends and families contract after practice under the supervision of skills coach Kim Brandvold. COVID-19, they could bring the virus into Warrior Ice Arena and put the Players in such situations are usually returning from injury. entire traveling party at risk. An outbreak could scuttle the playoffs. • Neither David Pastrnak nor Ondrej Kase practiced for the second “Professionalism is going to be huge,” Bergeron said. “We need to rely straight day. Both players went to Europe during the shutdown. They on everyone for this thing to happen and to work. Right now in Phase 3, were subject to testing protocol upon returning to Massachusetts. you’re allowed to go home. We’re not going to babysit you on your Cassidy hoped both would be available for Thursday’s session. Cassidy whereabouts and all that. So it’s about trusting one another, making sure planned to rest some players on Wednesday. everyone is doing the right thing and is committed for this thing to work and go forward.” • Cassidy reunited Krejci and Jake DeBrusk for the first two days. He is likely to keep them together. DeBrusk played on the third line with Charlie Briuns coach Bruce Cassidy believes he has the best leadership group in Coyle prior to the shutdown. the league. It’s difficult to argue. Chara and Bergeron are respected throughout the NHL. David Krejci and Tuukka Rask, the other Black-and- • Jeremy Lauzon practiced with Matt Grzelcyk on the No. 3 defensive Gold elders and fellow ring-winners, would not have 1,447 combined pairing for the second straight day. It is likely Lauzon’s job to lose. John games of NHL experience without being dependable pros. Moore and Connor Clifton practiced as the spare duo.

“I feel they’re as well-respected as any players that have been in here in • The physicality picked up on Day 2. During one drill, Clifton banged a long time,” Cassidy said. “You go back to different generations of Chris Wagner, sending him into the crease and knocking over Jaroslav different players that have done great things for the Bruins. I think those Halak. Chara and Sean Kuraly traded slashes. After the session, Clifton guys are right up there.” and Torey Krug shed their gloves and engaged in a fake fight.

Cassidy will lean on them more than ever.

“We ask them to police a little more, maybe,” Cassidy said. “But we’re The Athletic LOADED: 07.15.2020 asking all the individuals. You have to be more responsible because of the coronavirus. It’s that simple. It isn’t just relatable to hockey. It’s all of pro sports that are trying to start up. It’s communities. It’s on everybody to social distance, mask up when necessary. It’s even more important for us because if one person gets infected, it can go through your whole team. It could hurt your chances if that were to happen.”

In the before times, Chara, Bergeron, Krejci and Rask led simply by doing their jobs. They trained. They watched their diets. They got their rest. They spoke up when necessary.

That may not be good enough anymore. Not only must they look over their regular teammates, they are additionally responsible for the AHL regulars who are in camp: Paul Carey, Trent Frederic, Maxime Lagace, Zach Senyshyn, Jack Studnicka, Urho Vaakanainen, Dan Vladar and Jakub Zboril. Even if none of the Providence players dress in the playoffs, they are just as prone to infection as anyone.

So it will be critical for the veterans to model responsible behavior that younger players cannot help but follow.

It’s why during the first two days of camp, the leaders exercised precision and diligence in the drills. So far, the Bruins have been pleased with Phase 3. Energy, crispness and focus have not been lacking.

“Yesterday, the first practice, I was actually surprised with how everyone looked and everyone played,” Krejci said. “We’re in good shape. It’s good to see.”

Chara, Bergeron, Krejci and Rask will say goodbye to 11 children in total when they leave for Toronto. Months may pass before they are reunited. It’s a big ask. 1188087 Buffalo Sabres

Report: Michael Frolik has offer to play in KHL for former Calgary coach

Mike Harrington

Jul 14, 2020 Updated 13 hrs ago

Veteran winger Michael Frolik, a unrestricted free agent after finishing the season with the Sabres, might struggle to get many NHL offers for next season given the way he played here. So he's apparently looking overseas.

According to Sport-Express, Frolik is mulling a one-year offer in the KHL from Avangard Omsk, a Russian team coached by longtime NHL bench boss Bob Hartley.

Frolik played for Hartley in 2015-16 in Calgary. It was Frolik's first of five seasons for the Flames and the last of four seasons there for Hartley, who won a Stanley Cup in Colorado in 2001.

Frolik, 32, had just one goal – an empty-netter – and three assists in 19 games for the Sabres after being acquired from the Flames on Jan. 2 for a fourth-round pick in this year's draft. The Sabres hoped Frolik, a 2013 Cup champion in Chicago, would add some offense and have some positive effect on their struggling penalty kill, but the veteran had little impact.

On top of that, Frolik carried a bloated cap hit of $4.3 million and became a lightning rod for criticism when it came to acquisitions by former GM Jason Botterill. Frolik had scored before, compiling seven NHL seasons of at least 15 goals, but never found any rhythm in Buffalo.

Buffalo News LOADED: 07.15.2020 1188088 Buffalo Sabres "But watching baseball be all over the media the way it has been has really been too bad for that sport and for the fans. Nobody wants to hear the old 'millionares vs. billionares' argument, especially now when you Sabres player rep Jake McCabe on new GM, new CBA and fatherhood have millions of people filing for unemployment amongst this whole mess. So I was very encouraged the way our talks went."

Although escrow from their paychecks rises to 20 percent at the start of Mike Harrington the deal, it can get down to 6 percent by the end. There's other perks for the players, most notably Olympic participation in 2022 and 2026. Jul 14, 2020 Updated 20 hrs ago "It really seemed like a win-win for us and the owners and you don't say

that too often," said McCabe, who lauded the work of Players Association In lots of areas, Jake McCabe felt all kinds of conflicting emotions but head Donald Fehr. "It's not a perfect system or a perfect agreement but also plenty of peace Monday. given the circumstances, I think both sides probably feel it's the best they could have done. For starters, the veteran defenseman could have been back on the ice with his team had the Buffalo Sabres been part of the NHL's return-to- "For me the Olympics is such a good way to grow the game. You get so play training camps, which opened in 24 locales around North America. many new fans. Look at the last time in Sochi (in 2014) and people still The Sabres, of course, are one of seven teams who didn't qualify for the talk about T.J. Oshie's shootout magic. That wasn't even a gold-medal expanded playoffs so they are not skating. game or bronze medal game and people still talk about it, all the shots he took and made in that game. That just shows how big of a stage it is." The Sabres haven't played a game since March 9 and don't figure to play again until December but all this pandemic-induced down time has been McCabe is optimistic the NHL will get revenue jolts from its new a boon for McCabe and his wife, Gaby, who watched the birth of television deal that will be negotiated next year, as well its Olympic daughter Georgia Rae on April 20. participation. The Seattle expansion franchise will boost revenue as well, although the players don't get any of the $650 million expansion fee. "It's frustrating to realize that we don't get a chance to compete in the playoffs and how much longer it's going to be for next season to begin," "Everybody thinks we're 50-50 partners but when you see that $500 McCabe told The News from his offseason home in Chicago. "We don't mllion Vegas fee and the $650 million Seattle fee and you realize we even totally know when that's going to be. You're just trying to manage don't get a sniff of that, we're very much not 50-50 partners," he said. the proper workload and just figuring out how you're going to go about "The tough part about negotiating a CBA with 750 players in a different your training schedule. spot in their career is you're not going to make everybody happy. But the downside of not getting an agreement here would have put us in serious "It would have been a tougher pill to swallow for me if I just didn't have trouble the next couple of years because they're expecting a pretty my daughter. I've been able to focus on family and being a dad for a little serious revenue drop, especially if you have no fans." while. But what happened to our team has sunk in and it definitely stinks at how long we have to wait to get back on the ice." McCabe said he's starting to ramp up his summer skating this week. He's a huge Cubs fan and is hopeful baseball and the NBA can get their The fact the Sabres are not playing now, of course, was a big reason seasons going. And he's looking forward to more down time with his Jason Botterill was fired as general manager last month and replaced by newest fan. Kevyn Adams. McCabe admitted players were as surprised as everybody else when Terry and Kim Pegula announced their decision. "It's been a pretty awesome thing, a bright spot of this pandemic to have a new baby," McCabe said. "She's definitely a sweetheart." "It definitely was a surprise to see the amount of changes and the number of people gone but it goes along with the circumstances we're in unfortunately," he said. "When you don't produce a winner, that's the risk Buffalo News LOADED: 07.15.2020 you run. I feel bad. I've been in the on-ice product and we haven't got the job done. There's a lot of good people I've gotten to know who are looking for jobs elsewhere. I take that to heart and I feel bad for those families. Especially at a time like this, which is not easy."

McCabe was drafted in 2012 and Adams was an assistant coach as McCabe attended development camps. Their relationship continued as McCabe became a regular in Buffalo while Adams became an executive at HarborCenter and then with the Sabres.

"I'd skate at HarborCenter before camp and he was there and I've gotten to know him pretty well the last 6-7 years," McCabe said. "I'm excited for him and he brings a great attitude. He reached out a couple of days after he was named GM and we had a good chat. It's one of those things where we're a very optimistic group, (coach) Ralph Kreuger is an optimistic guy and Kevyn follows suit with that. We had a great conversation and it's just frustrating to wait as long as we have to for us to get back at it."

McCabe said he's hopeful the NHL camps and playoffs will forge ahead as teams deal with new protocols developed to deal with the coronavirus. While the on-ice portion of the league is tenuous, the Sabres' player representative is thrilled where the game is off the ice.

In the midst of a global pandemic, the players and owners agreed to a new collective bargaining agreement that runs through 2026. Neither side utilized its opt-out option from the CBA last fall, setting the stage for a spirit of collaboration that has been impressive to view.

"Going into this, we were both wanting the best deal possible and looking at the impact on the game," McCabe said. "I don't know if that's the reason the negotiations were so peaceful but it helped. We have a history with Gary (commissioner Gary Bettman) that might not be the best in the eyes of older players, who have been through the '12-13 stoppage and the '04-05 lockout. Maybe there's not the highest level of trust for guys who went through that and understandably so. 1188089 Buffalo Sabres

Josh Allen, Jack Eichel to be featured on 'Captains Circle' social media program

Mike Harrington

Jul 13, 2020 Updated Jul 13, 2020

Bills quarterback Josh Allen and Sabres center Jack Eichel will be the focus Sunday night on the debut episode of "Captains Circle", as current and former Bills and Sabres captains discuss their leadership experiences as professional athletes.

The first episode premieres Sunday at 7 p.m. on the Bills' YouTube channel and Facebook page, as well as the Sabres' YouTube channel and Facebook page.

Allen and Eichel will speak together in a virtual format and discuss topics such as their rookie seasons, the expectations and responsibilities of being a captain, the pressures that come with having a high-profile position in the NFL and NHL and their roles as team leaders and community advocates.

Eichel, 23, was drafted No. 2 overall by the Sabres in 2015 and has been the team captain since 2018. Allen, 24, was drafted No. 7 by the Bills in 2018 and helped lead the team to the playoffs in January.

Buffalo News LOADED: 07.15.2020 1188090 Calgary Flames relied on to be a big part of postseason and that’s where legacies are born. We have to take some charge going into Game 1.”

Lindholm, 26, knows that there’s only a small window to make a Flames seeking redemption from embarrassing 2019 post-season difference — and that window begins on Aug. 1 when the Flames square off with the Winnipeg Jets in the best-of-five play-in round to see who makes the Stanley Cup playoffs. Kristen Anderson, Postmedia “Coming in a second time, I obviously want to keep building on the end of July 14, 2020 6:11 PM MDT the season and come in with a good mindset,” said Lindholm who finished the regular season with 29 goals and 25 assists in 70 games.

“For now, you are running out of opportunities. It’s only my second time While most of us can barely remember what happened last week thanks and I’m turning 26 soon. You know how tough it is to get in. to the surreal feeling of being amid a global pandemic, memories of last “You do whatever it takes to help the team win.” spring are fresh for the Calgary Flames. From Ward’s perspective as the head coach, he, along with his staff, It’s why they’re eager to drop the puck after a four-month pause. It’s why have been spending these last four months digging into preparations. they’re so intent on proving themselves to the rest of the hockey world as the National Hockey League prepares for an unprecedented play-in “We haven’t left any resources unturned, to be honest with you,” he said. round prior to the 2020 post-season. “We’ve talked to people in other sports, we’ve reviewed our own game in- depth, we’ve talked about all our individual players in-depth and talked “We got embarrassed last year in the postseason,” Sean Monahan said about where we need to go with them. We’ve taken a look at every other flatly, chatting with reporters during Tuesday’s media Webex call team in the National Hockey League and drawn on things they do well, following a brisk 10 a.m. skate. “As a player and you’re representing an things that maybe we could put in our game. We’ve looked at old NHL organization, that sticks with you. I don’t like looking back at the regular games. We’ve looked at European games. So, we’ve done an awful lot of season if you’re in a playoff picture. Right now our goal is to be ready for things to find those two or three gems you can stick into your game to this postseason and that’s what we’re gearing up for. make you a better team. The time has been good … we have more time “We’ve got a lot to prove and a lot of things are motivating us.” to deal with what we need to get done through practice. That’s a nice luxury to have.” The overarching factor that was brought up on Tuesday was the first line’s disappointing performance in a first-round upset at the hands of the But, at some point, Ward needs to hand the keys over to the players who Colorado Avalanche. are the ones, ultimately, seeking redemption.

After producing one of the best regular seasons in memory — along with “The experience of what we went through, we’re really going to challenge a career year for Monahan, left-winger Johnny Gaudreau and newcomer ourselves to see what we learned,” he said. “We’re all anxious to see, Elias Lindholm, their first year as a trio — the entire team flopped against ultimately, what will be revealed when playoffs start Aug. 1. Until that the hungry Avs stars like Nathan MacKinnon, Mikko Rantanen, and point in time, all we can do is prepare. But at the end of the day, you Gabriel Landeskog. A spectacular 82-game campaign was a distant have to hand it over to the players at some point — they’re the guys that memory after five games of mediocrity from the Flames. play the games and then they have to take it on themselves to improve upon what happened and really show what they believe in as a group.” Even Cale Makar — parachuted in after winning the Hobey Baker — looked superhuman when compared to veteran defender and eventual Norris Trophy winner Mark Giordano. Calgary Sun: LOADED: 07.15.2020 It wasn’t a good look, especially for a franchise that has had a recent track record of flopping when the games get tough.

Geoff Ward, then an associate coach under Bill Peters, felt when the Flames needed up the ante … they simply didn’t.

“Probably the easiest way to put it — it wasn’t a matter of skill last year, it was a matter of will,” said Ward, who was promoted to interim head coach after Bill Peters resigned partway through the 2019-20 season following controversy surrounding past racial remarks he’d made. “They had more will and you saw it in the game they put on the ice compared to the game we put on the ice. We all have to be aware of that. The one thing is, if every guy in your room is not prepared to step outside their comfort zone, then your chances of being the team hoisting the Stanley Cup at the end of the day are greatly reduced.”

That feeling stuck with Lindholm in the weeks and months after the early playoff exit. It also motivated him through the entire 2019 off-season and into the 2019-20 regular season up until the COVID-19-forced pause.

“I think as soon as I got home you have that on your mind pretty much the whole summer working out and you see how tough it is to go all the way, even though you had a successful regular season,” Lindholm said. “You see how tough it is to get to the finals. That was good motivation for myself and hopefully for other guys. Coming into this year, every year you realize how you don’t have many chances to go at it and I think right now we as a team do not have a lot of experience, and I think it’s good to get the whole team a couple games last year and hopefully we can feel better this year.”

So what, exactly, went wrong for the top trio that combined for a measly five points in the best-of-seven series which was over in five?

How did they go from being so productive — scoring 259 goals between the three of them — to being so unproductive?

“We’ve talked about it a lot and behind closed doors too,” Monahan said. “We got embarrassed. We got outworked, outcompeted. We got owned by Colorado. That sticks with you. You want to be a guy that can be 1188091 Calgary Flames — after every drill, they’re sucking wind. And there is no rest. You’re going right back at it again.

“So I think, in my eyes right now, I kind of enjoy it a little bit more. I know Pandemic provides perspective for Flames superstar Gaudreau, whose it’s going to help me in the long run, so I’m kind of happy I’m in a smaller girlfriend works as nurse group right now to try to get those extra reps in and try to get a little bit more prepared from when the games start in a couple of weeks.”

Wes Gilbertson When the games do start, Gaudreau will be trying to put past playoff struggles behind him, to prove that he can be a go-to guy in those crucial July 14, 2020 5:40 PM MDT contests.

An overtime goal, perhaps a clutch assist, and the headlines might scream, ‘Hero!’ Johnny Gaudreau is still growing accustomed to the new realities at the rink. With Meredith working in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) back in Philadelphia, he knows better. Masks in the locker-room and for off-ice activities. Medical gloves in the weight-room. Frequent testing for COVID-19. The Calgary Flames’ first-liners aren’t fretting.

The Calgary Flames’ first-liner is also gaining an even greater Although mysterious “circumstances” have prevented star forward appreciation for what his girlfriend, Meredith, deals with as one of the Johnny Gaudreau from practising alongside his usual sidekicks during front-liners. She is a nurse at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. the first two days of training camp at the Saddledome, it seems nobody is losing sleep over it. “It’s been a little eye-opening, some of the things we’ve had to be doing,” Gaudreau said after Monday’s training-camp sessions at the “When we get them back together, they’ve had enough chemistry over Saddledome. “The other day, when I was flying back to Calgary, I wore time together … “ said Calgary Flames interim coach Geoff Ward. “So I’m my mask the whole day. It was, like, seven hours I had to wear it. And sure it’s going to be like riding a bike once they do finally get reunited.” she was like, ‘This is every night for me, 12 hours a night, three-nights a week.’ It’s crazy what they are going through, and she’s doing a lot of Flames centre Sean Monahan, who has rarely been separated from good. Gaudreau over the last several seasons, isn’t sweating it, either.

“It just puts it into perspective that it’s not that bad wearing (a mask) for “I’m sure we’ll be back together soon,” Monahan shrugged. “Not really two hours at the rink when you’re hanging out with the guys.” too worried.”

Indeed, health-care professionals are truly deserving of the descriptions With the Flames now reconvened to prep for the NHL’s summer restart, that we too often attach to guys who score goals and stop pucks for a Monahan and Elias Lindholm have been skating in the morning sessions. living. Johnny Hockey is part of a small pack that sweats in the early “I don’t really consider myself a hero at all,” agreed Gaudreau. “We’re afternoons. just trying to get back playing some hockey, get some sports on “As circumstances dictate, they will be back together at some point,” television, try to lighten the mood and get people around the world a bit Ward promised Tuesday. “And when that happens, I’m sure it’s going to more excited when they’re sitting at home doing nothing. I think that will be like business as usual. So I’m not that worried about it.” be something that will be great for us to do.”

There will, finally, be hockey on TV on the first day of August. Calgary Sun: LOADED: 07.15.2020 That’s why Gaudreau and his buddies are now back at the Saddledome after a four-month pandemic pause, now shaping up for a best-of-five play-in series against the Winnipeg Jets inside the NHL’s hub-city bubble in Edmonton. (It was announced Tuesday that the Flames will also face the arch-rival Oilers in a July 28 exhibition date.)

“It was a pretty long stretch that we had, just sitting at home and trying to work out at home, so it’s good to be back at the rink and see the guys,” Gaudreau said. “It’s a little bit different wearing the mask all the time and wearing medical gloves when we work out and stuff like that. At the same time, it’s worth it to just be around the guys again and see them and chat with them and get on the ice with them.”

Thing is, Gaudreau hasn’t been around a bunch of the guys. Not since the start of training camp, anyway.

Through two days of Phase 3, the biggest storyline at the Saddledome is that mysterious “circumstances” have forced interim coach Geoff Ward to separate nine gents — including Johnny Hockey — from the larger group. While his usual linemates Sean Monahan and Elias Lindholm lace ’em up in the morning, Gaudreau is skating in the afternoon wave with fellow forwards Sam Bennett, Mark Jankowski, Milan Lucic, Andrew Mangiapane and Zac Rinaldo, plus rearguards Rasmus Andersson and Noah Hanifin and goaltender Cam Talbot. (Ward reiterated Tuesday that the roster breakdown is dictated by factors that he can’t elaborate on.)

While some have wondered if it will be detrimental to the Flames’ playoff chances that their regulars aren’t all prepping together, Gaudreau figures there may actually be some benefits.

The 26-year-old ordered a Peloton bike early in the pause and logged a lot of miles on the rollerblades that the Flames shipped south to him, but there’s no substitute for actually being on a frozen-sheet.

“Honestly, I think I like it better not being with the big group,” Gaudreau said. “I’d been off the ice for three months and the only way I’m going to be in game shape, ready to go, is if I get skated pretty hard. Having eight or nine guys on the ice, I love it. I mean, you can see the guys on the ice 1188092 Calgary Flames and Heat captain Byron Froese … Another Battle of Alberta? Yes, please. The Flames are set to play the Edmonton Oilers in an exhibition clash on July 28 at 8:30 p.m. MT to prepare for the play-in round … the SNAPSHOTS: Second day of strange groupings based on NHL released a full schedule on Tuesday, complete with game times for 'circumstances' the first few clashes. The Flames play the Jets at 8:30 p.m. on Aug. 1, 12:30 p.m. on Aug. 3, and 4:45 p.m. on Aug. 4. All games are at Edmonton’s Rogers Place.

Kristen Anderson, Postmedia

July 14, 2020 4:58 PM MDT Calgary Sun: LOADED: 07.15.2020

Over the weekend, Calgary Flames general manager Brad Treliving said not to read into the groupings of players that the media would see when training camp began.

But it’s difficult not to speculate when a handful of the team’s top National Hockey League players — including superstar Johnny Gaudreau, crash- and-bang forward Sam Bennett and secondary netminder Cam Talbot — along with the Flames’ potential second defence pairing of Noah Hanifin and Rasmus Andersson, were together for the second day in a row.

Meanwhile, the majority of the group skated in an earlier session that included Gaudreau’s regular linemates Sean Monahan and Elias Lindholm. Around the league, many teams have broken their players into their main and taxi-squad groupings.

Like he did after Monday’s ice times, Flames head coach Geoff Ward was cryptic in his answers when speaking of the “circumstances” that have dictated the curious split.

“It’s a thing that’s ongoing on a daily basis,” Ward said. “So, when the circumstances deem that we can do it, then we’ll do it. Until that point in time, we just have to continue doing what we’re doing and getting our work in.”

Hmmm….

COACH SAYS

Like Monday’s first day of practice, Ward was focused on the execution of drills and ensuring his players didn’t simply go through the motions.

He stopped the first grouping’s skate to reiterate a net-front drill — audibly, even to the media seated in the upper bowl of Scotiabank Saddledome — and, shortly after, took them over to the whiteboard.

This theme continued throughout the entire session and, at one point, it sounded like Ward was losing his voice which he confirmed later in the day when he was hoarse on his daily Webex media conference call.

“I guess all of us are getting ready through training camp,” Ward said with a chuckle.

AROUND THE BOARDS

After leaving Monday’s skate early, Flames centre Derek Ryan was “unable to participate” in practice on Tuesday … Also missing for the second day in a row were forwards Dillon Dube and Buddy Robinson … LW Andrew Mangiapane, who was in the second grouping for reasons unknown, was observing the first group’s ice time. Makes sense, considering it was made of up most of his buddies who are expected to be on the NHL roster … The only coach wearing a mask, again, was goaltending guru Jordan Sigalet who has multiple sclerosis … Even from many metres away, netminder David Rittich could be heard swearing and chirping his teammates before a puck battle drill … Flames blueliner Juuso Valimaki looked mobile in his second skate with the main group. The 21-year-old blew out his ACL last summer and spent what was supposed to be his rookie campaign rehabbing. It should be interesting to see if he gets any playing time at all during the play-in round or the post- season. Doubtful, but never say never.

OFF THE GLASS

With LW Johnny Gaudreau participating in the second group, that left a hole on the first line along with the first-unit powerplay. Alan Quine was a placeholder during line rushes with Elias Lindholm and Sean Monahan in the first group … Ward is pleased with the progress of some of the new faces and prospects who are part of the Phase 3 training camp. One, in particular, is Adam Ruzicka who played his first season of pro with the Stockton Heat last year. “Looks like a totally different hockey player … you can tell he’s had a year of pro hockey and that he’s been schooled by the guys in Stockton,” Ward said. He also pointed out Austin Czarnik 1188093 Carolina Hurricanes Or played in a game in a long time. Because of the injury, sustained when he was hit by a shot, Vatanen has not been in a game since Feb. 1 against the Dallas Stars.

‘The energy is perfect,’ Carolina Hurricanes coach Rod BrindAmour says Vatanen, 29, said he spent a month in Finland before returning to of training camp Raleigh and was able to get in enough skating. He said he “feels pretty good” after the push of the first two days of camp.

BY CHIP ALEXANDER “I’m ready to go. Health wise I feel 100 percent,” he said. “I have no worries about that. Of course it takes a little time to get used to the game JULY 14, 2020 02:46 PM speed and like that, but we have a long time still before we start to play so I’ll be ready.”

The Canes traded for Vatanen to bring in another right-handed shooting RALEIGH defenseman after Dougie Hamilton and Pesce, both right-shot D-men, Any questions about Carolina Hurricanes winger Martin Necas were were injured. Hamilton is back but Vatanen gives Brind’Amour another answered quickly Tuesday. savvy, experienced player on the back end and an option on the power play. Necas was on the ice for the Canes’ second training camp practice. The rookie forward was on a line with Vincent Trocheck and Nino Niederreiter “He’s a talented, talented player and he’s got to be in that mix,” as the Canes again put in a lot of work at PNC Arena. Brind’Amour said. “You’re talking power play ... We’re certainly trying to find him a spot. That’s what he does. He’s good at it. Necas’ absence on Monday, when the Canes began practice in Phase 3 of the NHL’s Return to Play format, was not explained. The Phase 3 “But he hasn’t had any reps with us. There’s a learning curve. You can’t protocols, agreed on by the NHL and NHL Players Association, does not wait five games to see if it’s going to work with him. Those are things allow teams to disclose information on positive coronavirus tests or we’re ironing out now.” injuries. Before the qualifying ... the playoffs begin. But whatever caused Necas to miss practice Monday was no longer an issue Tuesday. The Canes are as close to full strength — defenseman Brett Pesce remains unable to participate as he recovers from shoulder News Observer LOADED: 07.15.2020 surgery — as they’re going to get.

“I didn’t expect (Necas) to look dynamite today but he’s always that kind of flashy player,” Canes coach Rod Brind’Amour said in Zoom media call. “I’m not worried about how he’s going to be in a couple of weeks.”

As for the team, after two days of camp ...

“To be honest, you almost feel like we wish we could play in about three days, because I feel like the energy is perfect right now,” Brind’Amour said.

It won’t be three days. While the Canes will play the Washington Capitals in a 4 p.m. exhibition game in Toronto on July 29, it’s not until Aug. 1 that they will take the ice against the New York Rangers to start Phase 4 postseason competition.

Brind’Amour made it clear Tuesday that he considered the series against the Rangers a playoff round. Not a best-of-five qualifying round, as the NHL is deeming it, with the winners advancing to fill out the 16-team Stanley Cup playoff, but the first round of the 2020 playoffs.

“You can call it whatever you want to call it,” Brind’Amour said. “This is the playoffs because if you don’t win three of five, you’re done. Last time I checked there’s no shootouts in these games. It’s the playoffs and we know that.

“We’re treating it like that and you have to. There’s really no other way to describe it. You can call it a play-in to get to the next round but it’s the playoffs. They just expanded the playoffs. That’s all it is.”

Point made? That will be the Canes’ focus until Aug. 1.

One interesting twist is that until Feb. 24, Sami Vatanen was a defenseman for the New Jersey Devils and Brady Skjei across the Hudson River playing for the Rangers. But the NHL trade deadline brought both D-men to the Hurricanes and now the two are being paired together on D in training camp.

Skeji did get in seven games for the Canes before the NHL paused the season March 12 because of the coronavirus pandemic. Vatanen was on injured reserve with a leg injury and never played for Carolina, getting a feel for his new team and seeing some old friends — fellow Finns Sebastian Aho and Teuvo Teravainen — but not getting on the ice to compete with them.

As a pending unrestricted free agent, Vatanen faced the prospect of possibly never playing for the Canes had the NHL not agreed on the Return to Play plan. He has that chance now.

“It’s been a little weird, you know,” Vatanen said Tuesday on a Zoom call. “I came here and I was ready to play but I was unable to. It was unfortunate that the season got a little bit postponed. It’s been nice though. I haven’t played with the Finns in a long time.” 1188094 Carolina Hurricanes practices that we’ll have, a component we’ll have to throw in for sure is making a point of the noise level and emotion in the practice.”

Hopefully Jake Gardiner has learned a thing or two. Answering popular training camp questions: What will games be like without fans? Day 2 observations

Martin Necas, who was the only Hurricanes regular absent on Day 1, joined the team on the ice for Day 2. Two friendly reminders: 1. He By Sara Civian arrived in the United States over the weekend. 2. Every update about Jul 14, 2020 missing players is going to sound something like “unfit to play” from here on out, regardless of the situation. “Clubs are not permitted to disclose player injury and/or illness information,” is the exact terminology. Necas rotated onto the right wing of the Vincent Trocheck line. “He’s in good Beloved Hurricanes play-by-play announcer John Forslund once told me shape. I’m not worried about how he’s going to be in a couple of weeks, he often requests sounds of the game — the ping of the crossbar, skates that’s for sure,” Brind’Amour said. on the ice — turned up in his headset. Noted right-shot defenseman Vatanen made his Hurricanes media debut And even though we hockey folk are notorious for trying too hard to Tuesday: “Health-wise, I feel 100 percent,” he said. “Of course, it takes a recruit non-hockey fans to like our sport, I’ll contest that our sport has the little time to get used to game speed … I’ll be ready.” Said Brind’Amour: best natural sound. It’s why that scene with no crowd noise in “Miracle” “He’s a talented player, he’s gotta be in that mix, power play, we’re will give you chills every single time. certainly trying to find him a spot — that’s what he does, he’s good at it. But that’s just the movie — the 1980 Olympics were obviously well- But there’s a learning curve and we can’t wait five games to see if it’s attended. And as the NHL prepares for playoffs in empty arenas, lack of gonna work. Those are things we gotta iron out right now.” crowd noise presents one of the biggest challenges. I asked for your biggest training camp questions over multiple platforms “That’s going to be weird,” said Sami Vatanen. “You’re getting used to and I’m working on answering the most popular ones every day. This playing again, the fans give you some energy. But everyone’s gotta step whole post was centered around one of your biggest concerns — playoff up and create our own energy on the bench.” games without the fans. Every day we’ll kick it off with another one of the most popular questions and go rapid fire with the general updates and The Hurricanes tweeted a video of coach Rod Brind’Amour addressing more fringe questions in the bullet points. this on the ice as training camp opened Monday. How close are players to game ready? Captain Jordan Staal was honest “When we get ready to drop the (goal horn) puck, what’s going to hit you that there’s a lot of work to do for most players. Meanwhile, Aho had the like a ton of (goal horn) bricks is when you go out there and there’s no benefit of playing in a group setting with his home team — Liiga’s Karpat people in the stands,” he said. “We are a quiet team. We need to keep — while quarantining there. “At first we started skating with a small group our own juice going. So if your guy doesn’t speak too much or chirp too of NHL players, guys from the KHL, guys who play in the Finnish league, much on the bench, you’re going to have to get in your own heads.” too. It helped to practice with high-skilled guys, team practice is a little different than just individual,” he said. This reminded me of a moment last season, shortly after the Hurricanes clinched the playoffs. I walked through the doors of the dressing room Is it possible for socially distanced post-playoff win celebrations? We’ll and into what I can only describe as a constant loop of Jordan Martinook see. Tuesday, the Canes all seemed to be doing some sort of stick in the screaming. I heard a teammate ask “Why are you screaming?” to which air celebration after scoring. he screamed back: “Why aren’t you?!”

Moments like this are why I wrote last week that Martinook is an important part of a unique situation, but he can’t do it all. Brind’Amour The Athletic LOADED: 07.15.2020 and the Hurricanes are hyper-aware that they need to create a louder atmosphere.

“Like Roddy says, it’s our job to keep our own juice going,” Sebastian Aho said. “We’re not the loudest team, so that’s one thing we really have to pay attention to.”

How do you fix that once you’ve targeted the issue?

“Very, very good question,” Brind’Amour said. “We talked about it yesterday, and I think the players all think it’s gonna be OK, you know? ‘Yeah, we’ll be all right, we’re competitors.’ But for me, that’ll probably actually be the biggest factor going. Walking into a new building, where you’re used to getting juice from the crowd and it’s just not there. That’s going to take some time and adjustment, for sure. The good news is both teams are in the same boat there, so it’s not an advantage or disadvantage for anyone — it’ll just be a huge adjustment.”

The Hurricanes will try to squeeze their own juice, but it goes beyond the excitement factor of crowd noise.

“It’s kinda hard to explain, the way I would describe it is when you play the crowd actually helps you anticipate (moments in the game),” Brind’Amour continued. “When there’s a chance, maybe you hear the crowd. When you’re about to get hit you can hear it. There are little cues the crowd gives you that actually help you in a game. Guys will have to adjust, and it’ll be very, very interesting to see which team does that the best.”

In the aforementioned video, Brind’Amour mentioned players on the bench hyping up solid plays a little more than they normally would as a way to mentally prepare. Expect more of this toward the end of camp.

“We’re trying to up the ante on the communication part of things, just making sure we’re talking a lot and keeping the energy up in the rink,” Brind’Amour said. “When we start ramping up to scrimmage-type 1188095 Chicago Blackhawks And while 35-year-old Brent Seabrook’s age and return from three surgeries since December doesn’t make anyone think he’ll see crazy minutes against the Oilers, it will be interesting to see if a return to the What would define a successful ending for the 2019-20 Chicago playoffs rejuvenates Seabrook. Blackhawks? “That just shows what kind of character that he has, and the commitment,” Keith said of his friend’s comeback. “We all take note of that, and that inspires all of us.” By PAUL SULLIVAN Saad, Keith, Seabrook, Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews all know what CHICAGO TRIBUNE it’s like to win a Cup or three, so they might not need much inspiration.

JUL 14, 2020 AT 6:18 PM But this will be a different kind of journey for them now that the Hawks are undisputed underdogs. Even when they finished third in the Central

Division in 2015, everyone knew not to underestimate them once the Due to circumstances beyond our control, we’ll have to assume Corey postseason began. They outlasted the Ducks in a seven-game Crawford, our favorite foul-mouthed goaltender, is “unfit to play” for the conference finals, then beat the Lightning in six games for their third rest of training camp, however long that may be. Stanley Cup in six seasons.

If there’s a change regarding Crawford’s status, Chicago Blackhawks But now the Cup-winning core is surrounded by a bunch of kids, and the brass has assured the media it will let us know. inconsistent season that came to a premature finish in March doesn’t exactly bode well for the restart. But until then, we’ll just have to hope for the best and fear the worst, knowing the Hawks would have to roll the dice on one or two of their “It’s a little bit different,” Saad said. “The years we were winning, we were three backup goalies: Collin Delia, Malcolm Subban and Kevin Lankinen. always talked about (among) the favorites. For us, it doesn’t really matter. The excitement just to be here and have the opportunity (to win), So if that indeed is the case heading into a best-of-five play-in series you see teams that are always not ranked the highest that win the Cup. against the Edmonton Oilers, what would be regarded as a successful The opportunity is there for everyone … and we’re not sure if we ending for the Hawks? would’ve had this opportunity (had the full season played out).

Does just being in the play-in round suffice? After all, their young players “Older guys, younger guys, the excitement is through the roof to embrace at least will get a taste of the postseason, something that seemed this challenge. Being the underdog doesn’t affect us.” impossible when the coronavirus pandemic halted the season March 12. It’s something the Hawks could theoretically build upon for the 2020-21 For a couple of fresh-faced 19-year-olds like Boqvist and Kirby Dach, season, even if they don’t advance to the first round. there’s no time like now to show the Hawks’ future is in good hands.

Or does success demand an upset of the Oilers, even with a backup This will be their first chance to grow playoff beards, and nothing can feel goalie? The Hawks haven’t won a playoff series since the 2015 Stanley better than that. Cup Final, which seems like another era. They lost to the Blues in the “I’ll try one out,” Dach said. “I don’t know if I’ll look any good in it. Last first round in 2016, got swept by the Predators to open the 2017 year in juniors I tried to and it was pretty patchy. It didn’t look too good. postseason and missed the last two playoffs altogether. “But, I mean, it’s part of a playoff tradition, so I might as well give it a go.” The Oilers are not exactly a powerhouse, mind you, and there’s a significant offensive drop-off after MVP candidate Leon Draisaitl, Connor Might as well. McDavid and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. After four months without hockey, even a patchy playoff beard would be Or would it take a first-round upset of the top Western Conference seed a welcome sight for Hawks fans. — either the Blues, Avalanche, Golden Knights or Stars — to convince fans that general manager Stan Bowman’s blueprint for the future is working? As a play-in team, the Hawks would be the ultimate underdogs, Chicago Tribune LOADED: 07.15.2020 but with a series win under their belt and no fans in the stands to give either team home-ice advantage, maybe the regular season that ended four months ago would be rendered meaningless.

There is plenty of time to consider the options. The play-in series opener isn’t until Aug. 1.

As for now, the Hawks have gone through two hard days of workouts at First Third Arena and appear ready for anything.

There was no update Tuesday on Crawford, while Subban and Lankinen worked out with the first team and Delia played against the extras. It’s too early to read anything into that, though speculating is free, so let’s guess Subban gets the first shot to prove Game 1 is his to lose. Remember, a year ago Delia looked like he would be a Hawk in 2019-20 before Bowman signed free-agent goalie Robin Lehner, sending Delia down for more seasoning at Rockford.

“We’ve got a lot of goaltenders (champing) at the bit here to get that opportunity,” forward Brandon Saad said Tuesday. “It’s not like we have a shortage of that. There’s guys that have had some taste in the NHL, and I think they’re ready to embrace that opportunity.

“It’s tough. Obviously Crawford was a Cup-contending caliber (goalie) to be out. We’re not sure if he’s coming back, but it’s that next-man-in-line attitude … and for us, it’s playing our best to support whoever is back there.”

The Hawks will need a strong defensive effort to offset the loss of Crawford, but the top two pairings — Duncan Keith-Adam Boqvist and Connor Murphy-Calvin de Haan — provide reason to believe. De Haan missed practice Tuesday because of a family emergency, and coach Jeremy Colliton said his return date is unknown. 1188096 Chicago Blackhawks Sebarook has undergone three surgeries since he was sidelined seven months ago — shoulder surgery in December, left hip surgery in January and right hip surgery in February.

3 takeaways from the Chicago Blackhawks’ first workout, including “I don’t know how he’s feeling now, but I think he looked good,” Jonathan Toews’ views on the Hub Bubble and COVID-19 guidelines defenseman Duncan Keith said after the workout. “And it’s great to see him back out there. It’s always a lot more fun when he’s back out there on the ice with the guys. It’s impressive. By PAUL SULLIVAN “It’s a quick turnaround, really, and to be joining the group in the middle CHICAGO TRIBUNE of the summer without a proper kind of lead-up up to the training camp, not how it would normally be … I think that just shows what kind of JUL 14, 2020 AT 9:22 AM character that he has, and the commitment. We all take note of that, and I think that inspires all of us.”

Here are three takeaways from the Chicago Blackhawks’ first workout at Jonathan Toews was amazed at how “quick (Seabrook) bounced back” Fifth Third Arena. from the surgeries.

1. The Hub Bubble isn’t for everyone. “He seems to be so physically resilient, and maybe that’s something special about him,” Toews said. “He can have three surgeries, back-to- The Hawks will hold nine practices in Chicago with two off days before back-to-back like that, and keep on trucking.” reporting to Edmonton on July 26, where they’ll enter the so-called Hub Bubble. Toews trained with Seabrook for a while before Seabrook went home to Canada later in the shutdown, and said he was especially happy for his They’ll have one exhibition game against a still-to-be-announced team on friend, “knowing what he’s done and what he’s laid on the line for this July 28 at Rogers Place, before the best-of-five series against the Oilers team the last decade or more.” begins on Aug. 1. “It’s crazy to see how much he’s been through and how much he’s given In Edmonton, the Hawks will stay at the same hotel as the other five to this team,” Toews said. “So it’s nice to see him get that opportunity to teams that are among the bottom six seeds —the Vancouver Canucks, take care of himself and focus on himself for once. He’s that guy who Calgary Flames, Winnipeg Jets, Minnesota Wild and Arizona Coyotes. always seems to put the team before himself, no matter what.” The top six seeds all stay at another hotel. 3. The Blackhawks are committed to dialogue with fans about their name The Hawks’ hotel is a two-minute walk to Rogers Place, and players will and logo. be asked to isolate during their time in Edmonton to avoid the possibility of contagion. Families will not be allowed to join players in the two hub Washington’s NFL team announced Monday they would change their cities — Edmonton and Toronto — for the first two rounds. name and logo after pressure to do so.

Like the NBA bubble in Orlando, not everyone is going to be happy. The Blackhawks announced in a statement last week they don’t intend to change their name, and general manager Stan Bowman reiterated that “You’re going to find all sorts of different attitudes as far as the bubble stance Monday, saying the dialogue will continue. and that whole isolation,” Hawks captain Jonathan Toews said. “I feel like we’ve been in isolation for three or four months not doing a whole heck of “I certainly take a lot of pride in working for the Hawks,” Bowman said. a lot. “I’ve been here for a long time, going on my 20th year with the organization. I think when we came out last week with our statement, I “Part me says being away from people, isolating ourselves really isn’t the think it makes a lot of sense what we’re saying. answer. But I’m not going to sit here and talk about my views too much in that sense. At the end of the day there is a sacrifice we have to make, “We’re trying to honor the logo and be respectful. There certainly is a fine and it’ll be nice to get things going.” line between respect and disrespect. And we want to do an even better job. I think the most important think, to be clear, is we want to educate, Toews said no one knows “how and when people catch” COVID-19, and we want to do what we can. I think we’ve done a good job, but we want the only thing players can do is “get a good rest, eat healthy, take care of to do a better job, and I think we’re committed to that going forward. It’s your body, (and) do all the little things” that help prevent the spread. an important thing for us to start the dialogue, and then follow through on that dialogue, and those things have already happened. “What else can you do?” he said. “Sitting around and worrying about it is just going to drive you crazy. I think the NHL has gone to great lengths to “We’ve tried to engage in the past, and we want to do an even better job create a safe environment. It’s far from perfect at the end of the day, but going forward and make sure that all of our players understand the everyone has their own beliefs and seeing where they stand with all of heritage and the reason that we are the Chicago Blackhawks. this. “We take pride in that, but we want to do an even better job, and now is “It’s up to you to really do the right thing to be respectful of others, but the time to begin that and do a better job going forward. I think it’s also take care of yourself.” exciting to be part of that.”

No matter what happens, Toews thinks it’ll be an eye-opener for young Hawks players who will be enjoying the playoffs for the first time and those who know what it’s like during a normal Stanley Cup playoffs. Chicago Tribune LOADED: 07.15.2020

“I think it’s a good experience for everyone, because the veteran guys who have played a lot of playoff hockey have never been through something like this before,” he said. “And the young guys who have never played in the playoffs, there’s no better opportunity to get your feet wet and show your teammates what you can do. Every game, that thought of a Cup being on the line has to be in the back of your mind. You win one game there’s no telling how far you can go.”

Toews believes the Oilers won’t have any real home-ice advantage since there will be no fans in the stadium, but added the Hawks would still “play that role that we’re the road team and try to make things hard on them.”

2. Having Brent Seabrook back on the ice was an inspiration to his teammates.

Brent Seabrook was the first player on the ice for the Blackhawks’ opening workout Monday, and it was a great sight for his longtime teammates. 1188097 Chicago Blackhawks

Blackhawks notebook: Calvin de Haan misses practice; Corey Crawford still ‘unfit’

By Ben Pope@BenPopeCST

Jul 14, 2020, 7:19pm CDT

Mysteriously missing goalie Corey Crawford remained “unfit to participate” on the second day of Blackhawks training camp Tuesday — and he wasn’t the only NHL regular absent.

Defenseman Calvin de Haan, whose participation Monday was his first appearance in seven months since undergoing shoulder surgery in December, was gone Tuesday because of what was called a family emergency.

“[It’s] unclear when he’ll be back,” said Hawks coach Jeremy Colliton who also had no update on Crawford.

Rookie Nicolas Beaudin skated with the first-team practice group and replaced de Haan in his pairing with Slater Koekkoek. The rest of the Hawks’ defensive pairs (Duncan Keith and Adam Boqvist, Connor Murphy and Olli Maatta and Brent Seabrook and Lucas Carlsson) remained unchanged.

Malcolm Subban and Kevin Lankinen were the goaltenders practicing with the first team, while Collin Delia practiced with the taxi squad. Colliton said to expect a rotation of the three as they compete to replace Crawford.

After traveling to the Edmonton postseason “bubble” site on July 26, the Hawks will play an exhibition game against the Blues on Wednesday, July 29, at 5:30 p.m. It’ll be their lone warmup contest before beginning a best-of-five series against the Oilers, for which the NHL also announced start times Tuesday.

Game 1 on Saturday, Aug. 1, will be a 2 p.m. matinee, while Games 2 and 3 on Aug. 3 and Aug. 5 will start at 9:30 p.m. — the final NHL playoff games those days.

Hawks winger Andrew Shaw announced Monday he’ll sit out the playoffs and aim to return for the 2020-21 season.

“I feel healthy and am close to fully being healed from not just my last concussion but from others I have had over the years,” Shaw wrote in a statement. “[I] have come to the difficult decision that these extra five months until next season would be great for my health and recovery.”

Colliton said Tuesday that he has been in close contact with Shaw, relaying his own experiences with concussions. Colliton’s successful AHL career in the Islanders organization was derailed by head injuries.

“I’m familiar with what he’s going through, so I tried to be open with him with my own experiences,” the coach said. “Ultimately, he knows he has our support and we’re here for him so he can take care of himself and his family. In a perfect world, that would involve him returning [next season] and helping us win. But we’ll see.”

Chicago Sun Times LOADED: 07.15.2020 1188098 Chicago Blackhawks Now, is that realistic? Well, that's certainly open for debate.

All the Hawks know is they're going to do everything they can to shock the hockey world by ousting the Oilers. Hawks don't plan to squander second playoff chance "It's going to be a tough series against Edmonton," Keith said. "They have two of the best players in the world -- if not THE two best to players John Dietz in the world in (Connor) McDavid and (Leon) Draisaitl.

Follow @johndietzdh "But it's not just those two guys. There (are) other players on their team that are dangerous. They were ahead of us in the standings, so we know Updated we've got our work cut out for us.

7/14/2020 6:40 PM "But we're excited to have this opportunity and show that we belong and we could make some noise as an underdog."

Jonathan Toews knows how lucky the Blackhawks are to have a second life and a chance to compete for the Stanley Cup. Daily Herald Times LOADED: 07.15.2020 Same goes for Duncan Keith. And Brandon Saad, Patrick Kane and Connor Murphy.

So it should come as no surprise that every one of those players over the past few weeks has talked about how they do not want to waste this unique opportunity.

"A lot of guys had time to reflect on the years they had to kind of prepare for this playoff," Brandon Saad said after Tuesday's practice at Fifth Third Arena. "Now that we know it's happening for sure, I know guys are ready to go. They're excited. You can see the energy.

"You do the best you can with the situation you're in and the excitement couldn't be any higher for this group."

The Hawks' situation was dire at best in mid-March. With a record of 32- 30-8, there was almost no way they were going to qualify for the Stanley Cup playoffs.

But four months later, here they are with a new lease on life thanks to the NHL's decision to expand the playoff field to 24 teams.

"We were able to sneak in under these rules," Toews said. "It's an opportunity for all of us. Regardless of whether there's fans in the building or not, there's something to play for. A lot of pride. It's good experience for everyone. ...

"Every game, that thought of the Cup being on the line has to be in the back of your mind. You win one game, there's no telling how far you can go. We'll really try and build that feeling, that mindset, in the locker room over the next couple of weeks before we start."

Let's be clear here: Unless they get Corey Crawford back, the Hawks' chances remain minuscule. Crawford, who was declared unfit to participate Monday, did not practice Tuesday and may not be ready to face the Oilers when the best-of-five series begins in Edmonton on August 1.

That would force coach Jeremy Colliton to choose between one of four goaltenders, with the most likely options being Malcolm Subban and Collin Delia. It would take a herculean effort all over the ice for either of them to help the Hawks vanquish the Oilers.

"We (have) a lot of goaltenders chomping at the bit here to get that opportunity," Saad said. "So it's not like we have a shortage of that. There's guys who've had a taste in the NHL. They're ready to embrace that opportunity.

"So it's tough obviously. ... We're not sure when (Crawford's) coming back. But it's kind of just that next-man-in-line attitude where we're going to be prepared regardless of who's in net." Tuesday's practice featured more high-speed drills and plenty of scrimmaging. Colliton also gave forward Philip Kurashev a look on the fourth line with David Kampf and Ryan Carpenter. Brent Seabrook remained outside of the top six defensemen as he attempts to come back from three surgeries.

When practice was over, Colliton spent about 20 minutes working on the power play with Saad, Dylan Strome, Alex DeBrincat, Alex Nylander and Adam Boqvist.

There were also plenty of sprints at the end of practice as coaches try to get players in the best possible shape to face the Oilers.

The hope, of course, is that those sprints help the Hawks prepare for a marathon postseason. 1188099 Chicago Blackhawks

Shaw expects to return to Blackhawks next season

John Dietz

Follow @johndietzdh

Updated

7/14/2020 6:14 PM

Andrew Shaw, out since December with a concussion, took to Instagram on Monday night to tell Blackhawks fans that he expects to return for the 2020-21 campaign.

"Doing well and getting better every day," Shaw wrote. "I feel healthy and am close to fully being healed from not just my last concussion, but from others I have had over the years."

Shaw, who was drafted by the Hawks in 2013 and was a big part of two Stanley Cup teams, was reacquired from Montreal last offseason. He scored 3 goals and had 7 assists in 26 games.

A healthy Shaw would be a huge plus for Jeremy Colliton's squad, especially considering the feisty forward still has two years remaining on a contract that carries a $3.9 million cap hit.

Said coach Jeremy Colliton, who was forced to retire due to multiple concussions: "We'd love to have him back. He's an important player for us. Does a lot of things for ya on and off the ice.

"I'm familiar with what he's going through, and so I've tried to be open with him about my own experiences. Ultimately it's just him knowing that he has our support and we're here for him and want to do everything we can so he can take care of himself and his family.

"In a perfect world that would include him returning to play for us and helping us win. But we'll see."

Shaw also thanked the Blackhawks medical staff and explained that he wanted to take as much time off as possible to completely heal.

"These extra five months … would be great for my health and recovery," Shaw wrote. "I look forward to being back next season, better and stronger than ever!

"There's nothing I would love more (than) to be back out on the ice with the boys battling for Lord Stanley. I'll be cheering on and supporting the Blackhawks through this run! Love you boys and miss you like crazy!"

No de Haan, Crawford:

Defenseman Calvin de Haan missed practice Tuesday due to a family emergency. Coach Jeremy Colliton said it's "unclear when he'll be back."

Colliton gave no further guidance on goalie Corey Crawford, who was deemed unfit to play Monday and did not practice Tuesday. Colliton also wouldn't say if Crawford is in Chicago or if he's elsewhere.

"The update is he's unfit to participate," Colliton said. "That'll be the answer until something changes there."

Daily Herald Times LOADED: 07.15.2020 1188100 Chicago Blackhawks

Blackhawks' de Haan misses practice due to family emergency

Staff Report

Associated Press

Updated

7/14/2020 5:40 PM

CHICAGO -- Blackhawks defenseman Calvin de Haan missed practice Tuesday because of a family emergency.

Coach Jeremy Colliton said he isn't sure when de Haan will be back.

The 29-year-old de Haan is coming back from right shoulder surgery in December. He was acquired in a June 2019 trade with Carolina.

If de Haan is ready to go, he could provide a big lift for Chicago when it faces Edmonton in the qualifying round. The best-of-five series begins Aug. 1 at the NHL hub in Edmonton.

There was no further word on goaltender Corey Crawford, who wasn't seen at practice for the second straight day.

NHL teams are strictly limited when it comes to what they can say about missing players in the COVID-19 world.

While the situation with Crawford is unclear, Blackhawks forward Andrew Shaw announced he plans to return next season. Shaw hasn't played since Nov. 30 because of a concussion.

Colliton said the team would love to have him back.

'œUltimately it's just him knowing that he has our support and we're here for him and wanting to do everything we can so he can take care of himself and his family,' Colliton said. 'œIn a perfect world that would involve him returning to play for us and helping us win, but we'll see.'•

Shaw, who turns 29 on Monday, had three goals and seven assists in 26 games this season. He helped the Blackhawks win the Stanley Cup in 2013 and 2015.

Daily Herald Times LOADED: 07.15.2020 1188101 Chicago Blackhawks "The analytics, the numbers, the results of a season series or anything that happened five or six months ago, it's absolutely irrelevant," Olczyk laughed. "This is a new season, a completely new season.

Eddie O raring to go with playoff hockey "I do believe that you need the guy in goal, you need hockey health and you have to stay away from the virus. Those three things have to happen. But young teams? Older teams? Experienced teams? I don't Barry Rozner have the answer. I wish I could handicap it.

Follow @BarryRozner "I love long shots. I'm a horse player. You want to back a 99-1 shot? I can't argue with you." Updated And as Olczyk has made his rounds of the league via telephone, one 7/14/2020 8:12 PM thing has become clear.

"Every team I've talked to thinks they have a shot," Olczyk said. "The It's only a matter of time before Eddie Olczyk finds his way to the Hall of core guys I've talked to, or management teams, they all say same thing. Fame as a broadcaster. They all say, 'Why not us?' But in a five-game series, Game 1 is pretty much a must. You're asking for trouble if you lose Game 1. But it's not just in that role that he understands the game's value. It's in his 35 years in the NHL that he has learned what the game means to "I think it has a chance to be really exciting if everyone's healthy. Nobody those who need it. knows. Just have to wait and see. But if those three things happen, any team could go on a two-month heater and all of a sudden they're playing And it's why he knows the return to action Aug. 1 is significant. for the Stanley Cup."

"It's an opportunity to entertain," Olczyk said. "We know what's Good luck picking a winner. Let's just hope we get the chance to see it happening in the real world. This is not the real world, but it's an happen. opportunity for all of us in hockey to at least bring some enjoyment to people's lives, to turn on a TV or a radio, and watch or listen to your favorite team, to see the Blackhawks in the playoffs. Daily Herald Times LOADED: 07.15.2020 "We all know you can't get away from real life, but at least for a few hours it's good for the mind and soul to have something else.

"Players and coaches and organizations look at this chance here to bring some positive feelings and galvanize a community or a city by going out and entertaining.

"It's really exciting to have this possibility. There's still a lot or hurdles, but it's an opportunity to put a smile on somebody's face and I think that's a good thing considering this pandemic we're living through, even if it's for a short period of time."

Exactly where he'll be broadcasting from is unclear, though he expects to find out in the next few days. Olczyk has Hawks and NBC Sports Chicago obligations, but he's also the face of the national NBC broadcast along with Doc Emrick.

Based on what the other sports are discussing, it's likely that the local hockey broadcasts will originate from studios in the hometown, while the national broadcast teams will be on site in the bubble. Olczyk will be a part of both, eventually.

"I don't know all the logistics yet," Olczyk said. "It's just nice to know that the games are on the schedule and I'll get to work with Pat Foley again soon."

Olczyk has passed the time during the shutdown like the rest of us, though one big change is he's returned to the golf course for the first time in more than a decade.

"It's a good way to get outside," Olczyk said. "It would be better if I could straighten out my driver."

The much bigger news is last week he welcomed his first grandchild, Audrey Marie, courtesy of daughter-in-law Erika and son Eddie.

Grandpa Edzo is also a cancer survivor, lest we forget, but he says he's been assured that he has no more reason to fear COVID-19 than anyone else.

"I've talked to my doctors and they told me I'm not in any higher risk category. I'm far enough removed from chemo that I don't have to worry about it," said the 53-year-old Olczyk. "Believe it or not, it's three years on Aug. 4 that I found out.

"Even before I got sick, I used to carry hand sanitizer around. I think as you get older you just become more aware of your surroundings and try to lead a healthy life.

"I feel good. Looking forward to getting back to work."

As for what's going to happen when play resumes, you can count Olczyk among those who doesn't have a clue as to who will have an advantage. 1188102 Chicago Blackhawks

How Blackhawks embracing underdog status could work against Oilers

By Scott King

July 14, 2020 5:49 PM

They sat at No. 12 in the Western Conference, six points out of a wild card spot with four teams to jump in 12 remaining regular season games.

Now that they'll be facing the Edmonton Oilers in a little over two weeks for a chance to make a run at the Stanley Cup again, they're going to embrace the challenge.

"It’s going to be a tough series against Edmonton," Blackhawks defenseman Duncan Keith said following the Hawks' first day of training camp leading up to the postseason on Monday. "They have two of the best players in the world - if not THE two best to players in the world in (Connor) McDavid and (Leon) Draisaitl. But it’s not just those two guys. There (are) other players on their team that are dangerous. They were ahead of us in the standings, so we know we’ve got our work cut out for us. But we’re excited to have this opportunity and show that we belong and we could make some noise as an underdog."

As an underdog, most of the pressure is off Chicago and on Edmonton. The West's No. 5 team at the time of the pause is not only the favorite to beat a team that wouldn't have normally been in the postseason in the Blackhawks, but they have the added expectation of winning as the home ice club with the series being played in Edmonton.

In March, the Hawks realistically may have either been dwelling on why they came up short again or which golf courses they should hit up. Now, they're thinking about how they have nothing to lose in a postseason they're not supposed to be in, taking on a team they're not supposed to beat.

"I think we match up pretty well," Hawks forward Brandon Saad said after Day 2 of camp on Tuesday. "It’s something we haven’t touched upon too much here at camp. It’s more about getting ready and focusing on what we can bring to the table. But I think everyone’s looked pretty good in camp for the most part with staying in shape and trying to take advantage of getting the touches and reps in. But they have a good team and I know it’s going to be a challenge for us. But I think for us, we’re confident as a group regardless of who we’re playing. Just focus on what we can do to have success."

After Day 2's practice, Blackhawks head coach Jeremy Colliton said the team will begin strategizing for the matchup shortly.

The Hawks finish up their Phase 3 training camp on Sunday, July 26 before traveling to Edmonton to take on the Oilers.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 07.15.2020 1188103 Chicago Blackhawks

2020 NHL season restart: Blackhawks-Oilers full schedule and exhibition opponent

By Charlie Roumeliotis

July 14, 2020 5:30 PM

The Blackhawks will take on the St. Louis Blues in their lone exhibition game prior to their five-game play-in series against the Edmonton Oilers, the NHL announced Tuesday. The game will be played on Wednesday, July 29 at 5:30 p.m. CT, which is three days before the qualifying round begins on Aug. 1.

The league also released the full schedule between the Blackhawks- Oilers:

Game 1 — Aug. 1 at 2 p.m. CT

Game 2 — Aug. 3 at 9:30 p.m. CT

Game 3 — Aug. 5 at 9:30 p.m. CT

Game 4 — Aug. 7 (TBD)*

Game 5 — Aug. 8 (TBD)*

*If necessary

The Blackhawks kicked off Phase 3 of formal training camps on Monday at Fifth Third Arena, where they will have a two-week period to prepare before traveling to their hub city of Edmonton on July 26.

Each of the 24 teams in the NHL's Return to Play format will have an opportunity to play in a tune-up game before hitting the ground running. Is there a better measuring stick for the Blackhawks than the defending Stanley Cup champions?

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 07.15.2020 1188104 Chicago Blackhawks

Oilers defenseman Caleb Jones "unfit to play" first two days of Phase 3

By Scott King

July 14, 2020 1:24 PM

Oilers defenseman Caleb Jones was ruled "unfit to play" and didn't practice with Edmonton on Day 1 of their Phase 3 training camp leading up to their play-in series against the Blackhawks on Monday. TSN's Ryan Rishaug reported there was no change to Jones' status for Day 2, but that Jones did skate with the Oilers' second group on Tuesday.

Under the NHL's Return To Play protocol, teams will not be giving specifics on the status of players who are unavailable to skate.

Oilers coach Dave Tippett shed some more light on Jones' status folling Tuesday's practice.

"He'll continue to skate every day until we get the green light that he can join the regular group, but he's progressing and hopefully not in the too distant future he can come and be a part of the main group. Won't be tomorrow, it won't be the next couple days, but we'll see where we are in the next couple days," Tippett said.

Jones, 23, has played in 60 games with the Oilers over the past two seasons. Mike Green, another Edmonton defenseman, opted out of the NHL's Return To Play program and will not participate in camp or the league's 24-team playoffs.

The Hawks will play the Oilers in a best-of-five qualifying round in Edmonton starting Aug. 1.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 07.15.2020 1188105 Chicago Blackhawks

Why Blackhawks are eager for 'heck of an opportunity' ahead of NHL's restart

By Charlie Roumeliotis

July 14, 2020 10:50 AM

When the NHL paused its season on March 12, the Blackhawks had a 2.6 percent chance of making the playoffs, according to Hockey Reference. They were six points out of the final wildcard spot in the Western Conference and had four teams to jump, which would have been virtually impossible with only three weeks of hockey left.

But because of the financial ramifications of the COVID-19 pandemic, the league was forced to get creative about its Return to Play plan and announced a 24-team format in May. The Blackhawks, as we know, were the final team in the West to get in.

And while it may not feel like their postseason drought has ended, the Blackhawks won't apologize for it. They've been handed a gift and want to take advantage of this new life.

"It's a heck of an opportunity," Jonathan Toews said after Day 1 of training camp. "We were kind of going down that road where our playoff chances were dwindling. It would've been a long-shot otherwise, but we were able to sneak in under these rules and under this format, so it's an opportunity for all of us. Regardless of whether there's fans in the building or not, there's something to play for."

You won't find a bigger competitor than Duncan Keith, who's a two-time Norris Trophy winner and wears his emotions on his sleeve. He wants to get back to playing consistent playoff hockey and is as motivated about the restart as anyone. Just check his Instagram page.

"The biggest thing is just the fact that we're getting a chance to compete and be in the playoffs," Keith said. "You go back to the regular season, we were several points out and it wasn't looking good. Now we're in this opportunity — it's a great opportunity for us to try to prove that we deserve to be in the playoffs. ... We know we've got our work cut out for us, but I think as a group, we're excited to have this opportunity and show that we belong and that we could make some noise as an underdog."

On one end of the spectrum, you have a group of multiple Stanley Cup winners hungry to play meaningful hockey again. On the other end, you have a group of young players that haven't had a taste of the postseason yet and are itching to find out, even though there won't be any fans in attendance.

Put the groups together and you have a hungry Blackhawks squad that's eager to show they can make a potential run.

"It's good experience for everyone because the veteran guys that have played a lot of playoff hockey have never been through something like this before and the young guys who have never played in the playoffs, there's no better opportunity to try and get your feet wet and try and show your teammates what you can do," Toews said. "So, every game, that thought of the Cup being on the line has to be in the back of your mind. You win one game, there's no telling how far you can go, so we'll really try and build that feeling and that mindset in the locker room over the next couple weeks before we start."

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 07.15.2020 1188106 Colorado Avalanche

Mikko Rantanen missed the Avalanche’s original training camp. He’s excited to be part of the second.

By MIKE CHAMBERS | [email protected] | The Denver Post

PUBLISHED: July 14, 2020 at 1:12 p.m. | UPDATED: July 14, 2020 at 4:51 p.m.

Some Avalanche players probably aren’t thrilled going through a second full-fledged training camp this season. Mikko Rantanen isn’t one of them.

After all, the star right winger missed camp last fall.

Rantanen was without a contract in September and training on his own in his native Finland. He signed a six-year, $55.5 million contract on the last day of the NHL preseason, and joined the Avs just days before they opened the season Oct. 3.

Rantanen had two goals in the opener and was looking great. But following a 7-0 start, Colorado lost Rantanen to a broken ankle in the eighth game of the season at St. Louis, forcing him to miss 16 games. He later suffered a shoulder injury and missed 12 more games before the NHL paused its season March 12 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

“It’s hard to say. Obviously, you can speculate,” Rantanen said on a Zoom call from Pepsi Center. “I didn’t think the second injury (had anything to do with it). I got tripped up and went headfirst into the boards, almost, so I don’t think training camp would help with that. But, maybe, it’s speculating with the ankle injury, and what would have happened if I was in the training camp. It’s hard to say.”

What’s become clear is that Rantanen is delighted to continue on in a new-look season, with no fans at Edmonton’s Rogers Place when the Avs return to play Aug. 2.

“Different situation. Everything is going to be a little bit different. But it’s the same game of hockey,” he said. “We have a good team; everybody’s healthy. It’s going to be fun and we have to play our best to get far.”

The key to do that, he said, is to be careful, be smart, stay healthy “so we can finish the season the right way.”

A handful of players around the league have opted out of the proposed 24-team playoffs in which the Avs are among eight teams guaranteed to play in the 16-team field. Rantanen, 23, said he never considered that choice.

“No kids. No wife. So no consideration,” he said. “I was ready to play.”

Footnotes. Day 2 of training camp Tuesday featured a change in the Avs’ top two lines. Left wing Gabe Landeskog dropped to the second line and Andre Burakovsky was elevated to the first. Landeskog had played with second-line center Nazem Kadri previously this season, and Burakovsky has had some time on Nathan MacKinnon’s line. … Fourth-line center Pierre-Edouard Bellemare was injured briefly when linemate Matt Nieto redirected a puck in his chest. Bellemare fell to his knees but finished the 55-minute practice in the second session. … The NHL announced the schedule for exhibition games and qualifiers inside the Canadian bubbles Tuesday. The Avalanche faces Minnesota in an exhibition July 29 at 12:30 p.m. in Edmonton. That will be followed by qualifiers against St. Louis on Aug. 2 (4:30 p.m.), Dallas on Aug. 5 (4:30 p.m.) and Vegas on Aug. 8 (TBD).

Denver Post: LOADED: 07.15.2020 1188107 Colorado Avalanche

Avalanche’s Nathan MacKinnon named 2019-20 Ted Lindsay Award finalist

By JOE NGUYEN | [email protected] and MIKE CHAMBERS | [email protected] | The Denver Post

PUBLISHED: July 14, 2020 at 9:13 a.m. | UPDATED: July 14, 2020 at 4:03 p.m.

Avalanche forward Nathan MacKinnon on Tuesday was named one of three finalists for the Ted Lindsay Award, given “to the most outstanding player in the NHL,” as voted by fellow players.

MacKinnon, 24, amassed 36 goals and 58 assists for 93 points during the coronavirus-shortened 69-game regular season, ranking in the top 10 in the NHL in all three categories. He led Colorado to a 42-20-8 record, the second-best in the Western Conference and just two points behind Central Division leader St. Louis.

Forwards Leon Draisaitl of the Oilers and Artemi Panarin of the Rangers are the other finalists.

The winner will be announced during the conference finals at a to-be- determined date.

“There’s no doubt Nate is — if he’s not the best player, he’s not that far,” Avs defenseman Sam Girard said of MacKinnon on a Zoom call from training camp Tuesday. “He’s so good on the ice and such a great guy, too, off-ice. In practice, he’s a leader. You want to follow him. He’s always 100 percent on the ice. You want to be better practice after practice. There’s no doubt he deserves it.”

The Ted Lindsay Award is one of the NHL’s two MVP awards. The Hart Trophy is the MVP award voted by the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association.

“Hopefully he wins both of them,” Avs coach Jared Bednar said Tuesday after two training camp practices. “We’re spoiled. We see him every day. Obviously, the impact he has for our team, we consider him an MVP candidate.

“Look at some of the injuries that we had throughout the course of the season (and) we didn’t miss a beat and that was because of players like Mac leading the charge and elevating their game when we needed him most. That’s what an MVP does.”

This is the second time MacKinnon has been named a finalist for the Lindsay Award. He was recognized in 2017-18, but lost to Oilers forward Connor McDavid. Colorado has had one winner of the award in its history — Joe Sakic in 2000-01.

Denver Post: LOADED: 07.15.2020 1188108 Colorado Avalanche Artemi Panarin, New York Rangers

Panarin played in 69 of New York’s 70 regular-season games while he helped lead the Rangers to a place in the Qualifying Round after tying for Nathan MacKinnon named finalist for the Ted Lindsay Award the fifth-most standings points (37) since Jan. 1. The 28-year-old forward of Russia (Korkino, Chelyabinsk Oblast) led all NHL players in even- strength points (71), tied for second in assists (63), tied for third in points By Aarif Deen (95 points) and placed third in points per game (1.38). He twice recorded point streaks of at least 12 games in 2019-20 (19 points in 12 GP, Oct. July 14, 2020 24 – Nov. 20; 19 points in 13 GP, Feb. 7 – March 1). Panarin is the first Rangers player to be voted as a finalist since Henrik Lundqvist (2011- 12), and he is looking to become the first Rangers recipient in 14 years The NHL has announced that Avalanche superstar Nathan MacKinnon is (Jaromir Jagr in 2005-06). one of three finalists for the Ted Lindsay award alongside Edmonton’s Leon Draisaitl and Rangers forward Artemi Panarin on Tuesday. About the Ted Lindsay Award:

MacKinnon, 24, finished second in Ted Lindsay voting in 2018, awarded The Ted Lindsay Award (TLA) is unique as the only award voted on by to the most valuable player as voted by the NHL players’ association. the players themselves, carrying on the tradition established with the Neither of the three finalists has ever won the award. Lester B. Pearson Award in 1970-71. NHLPA members annually vote on the player they deem to be the most outstanding in the NHL regular The center finished the regular season with team-highs in goals (35), season. Reintroduced in 2009-10, the TLA honours the legacy of its assists (58) and points (93) in 69 games, playing a majority of the season namesake – the late Ted Lindsay – an NHL All-Star forward known for with alternating wingers as injuries regularly decimated Colorado’s his skill, tenacity, leadership and role in establishing the original Players’ lineup. Association. For more information on the TLA, visit NHLPA.com. Join the conversation by using #TedLindsayAward.•••••• MacKinnon finished 43 points ahead of Cale Makar, who was second on the team with 50, marking the highest difference between the top two Announcement Schedule: scorers on any team since Washington’s Alex Ovechkin finished 43 points ahead of Nicklas Backstrom in 2007-08. The three finalists for 2020 NHL Awards are being announced through Tuesday, July 21. The series of announcements continues Wednesday, The NHL will announce the Hart Trophy finalists on July 21 — an award July 15, when the three finalists for the Calder Memorial Trophyand Jack that MacKinnon could potentially be a nominee for. Adams Award will be unveiled.

TORONTO (July 14, 2020) – The National Hockey League Players’ Association (NHLPA) announced today the three finalists for the 2019-20 Ted Lindsay Award (TLA) are forwards Leon Draisaitl of the Edmonton milehighsports.com LOADED: 07.15.2020 Oilers, Nathan MacKinnon of the Colorado Avalanche and Artemi Panarin of the New York Rangers. The TLA is presented annually “to the most outstanding player in the NHL,” as voted by fellow members of the NHLPA.

Each player is seeking his first TLA honour. MacKinnon is a TLA finalist for a second time (also 2017-18), while Draisaitl and Panarin are both first-time finalists for the award. All three players led their respective teams in scoring this season while helping reach the field of teams scheduled to return to play this summer.

The 2019-20 TLA recipient will be announced during the Conference Finals (exact date TBD). Formerly known as the Lester B. Pearson Award, the TLA honours its namesake and NHLPA pioneer, Ted Lindsay.

The three TLA finalists received the most votes from their fellow players based on their 2019-20 regular-season campaigns, and are listed in alphabetical order as follows:

Leon Draisaitl, Edmonton Oilers

Draisaitl played in all 71 of Edmonton’s regular-season games as he helped lead the Oilers to the fifth-best points percentage in the Western Conference. The 24-year-old forward of Germany (Cologne, North Rhine- Westphalia) led the NHL in points per game (1.55), assists (67), power- play points (44) and average ice time among forwards (22:37), while he tied for first in game-winning goals (10). Draisaitl topped all scorers with 110 points – the first German-born player to win the Art Ross Trophy. He also finished second in both even-strength points (66) and power-play goals (16), and he placed fourth in goals (43) on the season. Draisaitl is looking to become the first German recipient of the TLA, and follow teammate Connor McDavid’s back-to-back awards (2017-18, 2018-19) to extend the run of consecutive Oilers recipients to three.

Nathan MacKinnon, Colorado Avalanche

MacKinnon played in 69 of Colorado’s 70 regular-season games to help the Avalanche secure the second-best regular-season points percentage in the Western Conference. The 24-year-old forward of Canada (Halifax, Nova Scotia) paced all NHL players in shots on goal (318). His 93 points ranked fifth in league scoring, 43 points ahead of his closest teammate. MacKinnon placed third in even-strength points (62), fourth in power-play points (31) and tied for fifth in points per game (1.35). A model of offensive consistency, he has scored at least 35 goals and 90 points while also recording exactly 58 assists for three seasons in a row. Now a two-time TLA finalist, MacKinnon looks to join Joe Sakic (2000-01) as the second Avalanche player to receive the award. 1188109 Columbus Blue Jackets

Pierre-Luc Dubois’ unexplained absence part of NHL’s secretive policy

Brian Hedger The Columbus Dispatch

Jul 14, 2020 at 2:19 PM

It didn’t take long for the Blue Jackets’ restart training camp to produce a mystery absence.

Center Pierre-Luc Dubois missed practice Tuesday at the OhioHealth Ice Haus with what is believed to be a minor issue, though no update was provided by the team. It was the second day of the Jackets’ training camp as part of the NHL’s return.

Contacted by The Dispatch, general manager Jarmo Kekalainen deferred to the NHL’s new policy for updating injuries — which, essentially, is to provide no specifics.

The league also is discouraging teams from using terms such as "upper body" or "lower body" to identify injuries, instead encouraging the use of terms such as "fit to play" or "unfit to play."

The Chicago Blackhawks were among the first to use the new descriptor Monday on their first day of camp, saying goaltender Corey Crawford was "unfit to play" to explain his absence from the ice.

It’s an effort to prevent the disclosure and/or discovery of players who test positive for COVID-19 during the league’s return, but it has already led to a shroud of mystery and speculation.

Dubois, for instance, was skating and shooting by himself at one end of the ice Tuesday before practice, opposite the end where goaltenders were doing pre-practice work. He left the ice when the full team showed up for a warmup skate and didn’t return.

The Dispatch has learned that Dubois’ situation is not believed to be something serious, but that didn’t do much to quell anxiety and speculation on social media.

NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly was asked last weekend about injury disclosures during the league’s return to the ice. In short, a cloak of secrecy is now mandated.

"We’ve obviously dealt with that situation and talked to the players association about it and continue to feel that medical privacy is important in this process," Daly said. "Having said that, we understand as a league we have an obligation of some transparency with respect to the COVID virus.

"At least for now, we’re going to maintain a policy where the league is announcing, basically, league numbers, and clubs are really prohibited from giving any information with respect to COVID test results — and for purposes of making the system work, any injury information going forward."

The NHL released a statement Monday stating that more than 600 players participated in the league’s Phase 2 voluntary workouts at team facilities over the previous month and 4,934 COVID-19 tests had been administered. Those tests produced 30 confirmed positive results, and the league is aware of 13 additional players who tested positive outside of protocols.

Players and others cleared to interact with them will be tested every other day during training camp and then every day once teams travel July 26 to quarantine "hubs" in Edmonton (Western Conference) and Toronto (Eastern Conference).

Columbus Dispatch LOADED: 07.15.2020 1188110 Columbus Blue Jackets (Funny aside: Blue Jackets GM Jarmo Kekäläinen was drawn to Bjorkstrand’s game back in 2012-13 when he was heavily scouting Jones that season. The Blue Jackets took Bjorkstrand in the third round, No. 89 Blue Jackets’ Seth Jones, Oliver Bjorkstrand bonded over broken ankles overall, that next summer.)

“That was the first time I got to know him,” Bjorkstrand said of Jones. But this was the most time they’d ever spent together. By Aaron Portzline Every day they’d walk through an almost deserted Arena District and Jul 14, 2020 arrive at an almost deserted Nationwide Arena, just a couple of security guards and arena workers milling around beyond the dressing room.

Forward Alexandre Texier was there for part of it, but he was allowed to COLUMBUS, Ohio — While most of the NHL was hunkered down the return to France to continue his recovery from a stress fracture in his last four months, Blue Jackets defensemen Seth Jones and right winger back. Dean Kukan had a knee injury that needed help, but he wasn’t Oliver Bjorkstrand were bonding over their broken ankles. around long, either. The setting for this “buddy cop” movie — starring a 6-foot-3 American- It was mostly just Bjorkstrand and Jones, laughing and leaning on each born defenseman and a 5-11 forward from Denmark — was an other through a process that was, at times, both painful and frustrating. otherwise-abandoned Nationwide Arena because of the global coronavirus pandemic. “At the 10-, 12-, 14-week mark, it wasn’t really getting a whole lot better,” Jones said. “It wasn’t getting better as quickly as I wanted it to. There “We spent a lot of time together,” Bjorkstrand said, looking back on their were definitely some tough days, so having him there was a big help. rehabilitations after Tuesday’s second day of training camp. “It’s been good and nice to have somebody around. It would have really sucked to “Until about Week 14 or 15, I didn’t really feel like I could do everything. be the only guy here.” But as soon as week 15 hit (in late May), I felt like I was back to normal.”

A quick refresher: One of the bright spots in the first two days of training camp for the Blue Jackets has been watching Jones and Bjorkstrand — once lost for the The Blue Jackets’ endured an endless string of injuries during the 2019- season — flying around the ice, making sharp cuts and quick stops. 20 season, but they continued to win — somehow — even as the man- games piled up and the roster was transformed by AHL players. It’s hard to look at the global pandemic and find any bright spots. But it’s hard to ignore the silver lining it has afforded Jones and Bjorkstrand. It was only after Jones went down with a fractured right ankle on Feb. 8 against Colorado that the hill started to appear too steep. The Jackets “It’s annoying to be injured,” Bjorkstrand said. “Then again, it sucks the lost eight straight (0-3-5), including that game against the Avalanche. way the world is right now.

Jones, one of the NHL’s top defensemen, was expected to miss the rest “I’m lucky enough that I can play games now, I guess. I’m just ready to of the regular season but hoped to return for the playoffs. play. I didn’t expect to come back and be able to play playoff hockey this season. For me, it’s exciting now that I have a chance to help the team. Twelve days later, in a game against Philadelphia, Bjorkstrand suffered I’m super excited and ready to go.” the same injury to his left leg. Suddenly, a Columbus team that was starved for goals was now without its top goal scorer for the rest of the Notebook season. • Center Pierre-Luc Dubois was absent from practice on Tuesday. This “It’s been very well talked about how our team handled some of the would be news during “normal” times because Dubois is the Blue injuries,” Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella said. “I respect our club Jackets’ No. 1 center. But with a global pandemic raging in the United doing that. We were in a tough way there when Jones went down and States, the absence of any player sets off alarm bells. Oliver went down. You could see us sputtering there.” This one does not seem worthy of alarm, though general manager Jarmo The Blue Jackets were clinging to eighth place in the Eastern Conference Kekäläinen would not comment on Dubois’ absence. Dubois was out — it felt slippery, actually — when the NHL was put on “pause” March 12. ahead of the full squad of Blue Jackets around 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, skating and shooting pucks on one end of the ice while the goaltenders One of the league rules during the stoppage was that only injured players worked with coaches at the other end. When the rest of the team came were allowed in the rink under heavy restrictions and precautions, onto the ice to skate a few minutes before 11 a.m., Dubois departed. If meaning that Jones and Bjorkstrand were cleared to continue their rehab this were a COVID-19 situation, Dubois wouldn’t have been in the at Nationwide under the watchful eye of the Blue Jackets’ medical and building, much less on the ice. Word on the street is that the ailment training staffs. (whatever it may be) is “nothing serious.” Jones had his surgery three days after the fracture (Feb. 11) because his • The NHL announced that the Blue Jackets’ exhibition game (before the goal was to hurry back for the start of the playoffs. qualifying round) will be July 30 against Boston, a familiar foe. The Bjorkstrand knew that was likely out of the question, so he waited longer league also announced game times for the first two games of the for his swelling to subside before undergoing surgery. He went under the qualifying round vs. Toronto. Game 1 (Sunday, Aug. 2) will be at 8 p.m. knife on March 3. ET; Game 2 (Tuesday, Aug. 4) will be at 4 p.m. ET. The Leafs, as the higher seed, will be the home team in Games 1, 2, and 5. Of course, “I got the surgery before Bjorky did,” Jones said. “So the things I was every game is being played in Scotiabank Place, so “home” is a relative going through were things he’d be going through days later.” term here.

“We joked that he was the test dummy,” Bjorkstrand said. • If the Blue Jackets knew of Dubois’ ailment overnight, they likely would have elevated a player from Group 2. Instead, the Group 1 practice They also ended up having some conversations they never could have carried on with only 11 forwards. The Jackets didn’t skate as lines very imagined. often, but when they did, Boone Jenner double shifted, taking Dubois’ “We always compared the size of our ankles (the swelling), how it felt rushes between Nick Foligno and rookie Liam Foudy and his own when we were jumping or walking or moving around on them,” Jones between Alexandre Texier and Oliver Bjorkstrand. said. “We could get a feel for where each other was at (in the process).” • One other change in the lines: Foudy and Emil Bemstrom switched It’s not like Jones and Bjorkstrand weren’t buddies before, of course. spots, with Foudy up with Foligno and Jenner and Bemstrom back with Eric Robinson and Riley Nash. Jones has spent the last 4 1/2 seasons in Columbus after his trade from Nashville. Bjorkstrand has spent parts of the last five seasons with the • Per Blue Jackets’ public relations, all 11 players in Group 2 were Blue Jackets, becoming a regular three seasons ago. present in the afternoon session that was not open to the media.

Also, the two spent the 2012-13 season together in Portland, Ore., • Agent Dan Milstein announced on Twitter the Blue Jackets’ signing of playing for the Western Hockey League’s Winterhawks. forward Mikhail Grigorenko on Monday, but the Blue Jackets said Tuesday that the contract had yet to be approved by the NHL. The deal — one year, $1.2 million — is for the 2020-21 season, so Grigorenko is not eligible to play for Columbus until next season. You’ll recall that the Blue Jackets’ first deal with Grigorenko was rejected, but both sides agreed to honor their commitment until it became legal for him to sign.

• The Blue Jackets will have one more day of practice with heavy skating drills Wednesday before camp moves into a different stage. On Thursday and Friday, the Jackets will work on special teams and “their concept for facing Toronto,” Tortorella said. They’ll also have an intrasquad scrimmage each day.

The Athletic LOADED: 07.15.2020 1188111 Dallas Stars than us,’ so hopefully we use that to our advantage going into Edmonton.”

After spending this summer in Dallas, Seguin said he might be more apt Stars notebook: Power-play units take on more shape; Tyler Seguin to stay in Texas in the future, even if “maybe my mom is a little bit mad at makes himself at home in Dallas me I haven’t” gone back to Toronto.

“I’ve always just worried about the thought of not being with my trainer By Matthew DeFranks and if I’m mature enough to do that,” Seguin said. “So this quarantine gave me the opportunity to try it out and I realize now I can work out on 7:16 PM on Jul 14, 2020 CDT my own or do my own program, or be able to run it at least. I wouldn’t be surprised now in the next couple years if I’m more in Dallas. Trying to get

used to this heat is a new thing as well, 110 degrees. FRISCO — On Tuesday morning, the Stars practiced their power play “I don’t regret my decision, I look forward to going home after we win the against penalty killers (on Monday, there was no PK for the power play). Stanley Cup.” Instead of focusing primarily on entries like they did on Monday, the power play started with an offensive zone faceoff, before they practiced Seguin said he burned through some Netflix shows and movies during entries later on the same possession. quarantine, and even painted a couple rooms in his house. But the biggest change came with his three dogs. The power-play units also took on more shape after the offensive zone faceoff. “Full-time dog dad,” Seguin said. “My dogs are going to be a little weirded out when I’m gone now because they’ve seen me every day so much. First unit: John Klingberg at the point, Tyler Seguin in the left circle, More walks than usual just because I’m always in town. That’ll be the Alexander Radulov in the right circle, Joe Pavelski in the slot and Jamie biggest adjustment is just them missing me now.” Benn at the net-front. — Bowness watched practice from the empty bench with a mask on Second unit: Miro Heiskanen at the point, Roope Hintz in the left circle, again on Tuesday, just as he did Monday. Bowness, 65, was waiting for Denis Gurianov in the right circle, Radek Faksa in the slot and Corey the team’s coronavirus test results from Monday’s round of testing before Perry at the net-front. getting on the ice. Third unit: Esa Lindell and Stephen Johns at the blue line, Justin Dowling Bowness said that will be the plan on Wednesday. and Jason Robertson in the circles and Mattias Janmark at the net-front. “Get back out there,” he said. “Get the rust off the blades.” The penalty killing pairings for forwards and defensemen stayed somewhat stable during the drill, and looked like this. — The lines and pairings remained the same on Tuesday, with the exception of forward Joel L’Esperance and defenseman Thomas Harley Forwards: Jason Dickinson with Blake Comeau, Andrew Cogliano with practicing in both groups. On Monday, forward Ty Dellandrea and Mattias Janmark, Joel Kiviranta with Nick Caamano, Tyler Seguin with defenseman Gavin Bayreuther practiced in both groups. Jamie Benn, and Joe Pavelski with Radek Faksa. — Goaltender Ben Bishop practiced with the rest of the group on Defensemen: Andrej Sekera with Esa Lindell, Jamie Oleksiak with Tuesday. On Monday, he worked with goaltending coach Jeff Reese Stephen Johns, Taylor Fedun with Joel Hanley, Miro Heiskanen with before practice, but did not skate with the rest of his teammates. John Klingberg. — Goaltender Colton Point missed his second straight day of practice There was a handful of players that did not participate in either special while waiting for test results. teams unit: Rhett Gardner, Joel L’Esperance, Ty Dellandrea, Gavin Bayreuther, Dillon Heatherington and Thomas Harley.

Stars interim head coach Rick Bowness said the Stars will not Dallas Morning News LOADED: 07.15.2020 scrimmage as initially planned on Wednesday morning, and will instead fill the time between practice sessions with more special teams work.

“What we liked out of that whole thing, and that’s why we changed our plans for tomorrow, it got the competitive juices flowing,” Bowness said. “It really did. You can tell the penalty killers were excited when they frustrated the power play, and the power play got really excited when they scored a goal. We’re going to feed off that energy and that’s why tomorrow, we’ll change what we’re going to do.”

The Stars have a scheduled off-day on Thursday before scheduled 45- minute scrimmages on Friday and Saturday, in addition to two practice sessions.

At home in Dallas: Tyler Seguin was one of five Stars who spent the four months off from hockey in Dallas, a change in his typical summer routine in which he returns home to Toronto to live and work out.

After spending a month in the Bahamas, Seguin returned to Dallas and was part of a workout group at captain Jamie Benn’s house that also included goaltender Ben Bishop, forward Blake Comeau and defenseman Jamie Oleksiak. He was also the leader of the workouts, blending together workout plans from personal strength coach Matt Nichol and Stars strength coach Brad Jellis.

“I didn’t know I was going to enjoy it,” Seguin said. “There was a point a month or two in where I said to myself ‘Maybe this is something I’ll do when I’m done playing hockey, something I enjoy doing.’”

Seguin said the group helped motivate each other after watching “The Last Dance,” ESPN’s 10-part documentary about Michael Jordan and the 1997-98 Chicago Bulls.

“We were in the gym yelling at each other ‘MJ Mentality’ the whole time,” Seguin said. “It was fun, but we put in our work. We kept saying ‘We don’t know how many guys around the league have been working harder 1188112 Dallas Stars

What Stars’ Tyler Seguin learned from his experience during a Black Lives Matter protest

By Matthew DeFranks

6:32 PM on Jul 14, 2020 CDT

FRISCO — In the last four months, with the NHL paused due to the coronavirus pandemic, Tyler Seguin spent some of his time learning about Black Lives Matter.

He attended a Black Lives Matter protest June 4 in the wake of George Floyd’s death the previous week. He posted a statement on social media about learning to become more empathetic and hoping that society “will come out enlightened, fight for change, and will finally hear the historically stifled voices of all underrepresented groups of people.”

Seguin — the 28-year-old former first-round pick and current franchise center for the Stars — was one of the most high-profile hockey players to express support for Black Lives Matter. On Tuesday, following the second day of Stars training camp, Seguin spoke to reporters about his experience.

“Knowledge is power with everything going on in the world,” Seguin said. “That’s how I looked at it. When everything happened, I felt so sad. It just hit me seeing everything with George Floyd and the lady in the dog park, I forget her name, just everything going on. Just realizing how many Black friends I have from growing up in Brampton, just at the gym in Toronto. Saying to myself at that point in time, it wasn’t my business and waiting a day or two and realizing that’s part of the problem is me sitting here saying that’s not my business even though it bothered me.

“That’s just from understanding and learning, and going on Twitter and reading articles and learning about history, and understanding that’s my problem, that’s everyone’s problem. Just want to be part of the change. Realizing I have a platform, no matter how small that platform is, to make a difference. That’s why I wanted to take that first and second step of doing something to change and help change. I think you’ll see more steps now in the next couple of months. It’s kind of hard to do much going to Edmonton, but at least for next season, we’ll have things going on. We’ve worked with St. Philip’s kids before, and you’ll see new things with that as well. I’m looking forward to that.”

Seguin said he spoke with Black hockey players like former Capitals forward Devante Smith-Pelly and Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse. He said he learned to discern between different news outlets. For Seguin, he said making hockey more welcoming to Black players begins with information and understanding.

“I can personally say I’ve never really thought twice or understood,” Seguin said. “I’ve just been a white, Canadian hockey player that loves hockey and goes about my business. I’ve never kind of looked twice, or thought twice. For me, that was the accountability to speak out, to understand that I’m in the wrong as well for not realizing or understanding other people’s paths have been way harder than mine.”

Seguin said he would be part of multiple initiatives in the future.

Seguin already volunteers at St. Philip’s School and Community Center in South Dallas, where the Stars pledged $2 million last April. He said he would also be a part of an NHL-led initiative and “something personally from me as well.” Seguin said the plans would also be for when fans are allowed back in arenas, and that heading to Edmonton for the postseason would pause those plans.

“It’ll just be continuing to understand, and how I can change, how we can all change and how everyone can feel more comfortable,” Seguin said. “I was sitting there talking with [Smith-Pelly] a couple of weeks ago, and just realizing that I’ve never even asked him if his path was harder than the rest, or harder than mine. You just kind of go along with everything. It’s just kind of how it’s been and how it is. It’s something that we need to change, and need to understand. Understand that everyone is equal, and make the world a better place.”

Dallas Morning News LOADED: 07.15.2020 1188113 Dallas Stars And no one knows how an NHL game played on neutral ice in an empty arena in Edmonton, or in the NHL’s other bubble of Toronto, is exactly going to affect the play.

No team needed a break more than the Dallas Stars, whose bizarre “I think the first couple of shifts it’s going to be, ‘Wow, this is quiet. This is season continues dead,’” Bowness said. “You’ll have to give them some time to get used to it. Initially it’s going to be awkward. You’re going to have to create that atmosphere.” BY MAC ENGEL And no one knows how this is all going to work when the teams arrive, JULY 14, 2020 05:00 AM and start playing.

They all know it just beats watching another episode of Netflix.

Dallas Stars captain Jamie Benn spent his coronavirus break pretty much like everyone else. Star-Telegram LOADED: 07.15.2020 He cut his own hair. Twice.

He and the few teammates who were in town, including forward Tyler Seguin and goalie Ben Bishop, would convene at his gym, located all the way in his back yard.

And, “I started painting for fun,” Benn said Monday on a Zoom call with reporters. “You can only watch so much TV and Netflix and movies.”

Amen.

On Monday, the Dallas Stars returned to practice at their facility in Frisco since the NHL season stopped in March. Their last game was March 10.

No team “needed” a break more than the Dallas Stars. No team should benefit from a break more than the Dallas Stars.

“The break in our season, it [came] at a pretty good time,” Benn said. “I think it gave our group a chance to regroup and rejuvenate.”

No NHL team has had a more bizarre season than the locals. They started the season by losing eight of their first nine games, even though they were projected to be a contender in the Western Conference.

Their head coach quit, and later admitted he is battling alcoholism.

The Stars rallied to win a memorable Winter Classic at the Cotton Bowl against the Nashville Predators on New Year’s Day.

By the end of February, the Stars were one of the best teams in the NHL with a 37-20-6 record. Then they went on a six-game losing streak.

Then the world stopped.

The first practice back featured a head coach, Rick Bowness, who kept mostly to himself, and remained at a distance from his players, because they are all waiting COVID-19 test results.

As expected, defenseman Roman Polak did not attend. He is one of the few players opting not to play in the NHL’s 24-team completion of the season.

The Stars’ first game back is scheduled for Aug. 3 against the Vegas Golden Knights in Edmonton, Alberta.

The Stars’ qualified for the “round robin” part of the NHL’s playoff relaunch, and will play a total of three games before proceeding to their playoff opponent.

The question now is when the teams return to play, will it be more like a start to a 2020-’21 season? Or will be it a continuation of the 2019-’20 season?

“I don’t expect that [it will be like the start of the regular season],” Benn said. “I think we’re going to see pretty close to playoff hockey as usual.”

Count him as an optimist.

“It’s been a long time off as we all know; we will scrimmage as much as we can,” Stars coach Rick Bowness said. “Play will be ‘scrambly’ like in October from a September training camp. The intensity won’t be of an October. The intensity will be playoff.”

Depending on what point in time the Stars’ pick up, they should be in good shape to win a series or two.

They have the goalie in Ben Bishop. They are one of the best defensive teams in the league, and rank second in goals allowed per game.

The concern today is the same as it was back in March: Scoring. The Stars don’t do a lot of it, and rank 26th in the NHL in goals per game. 1188114 Dallas Stars deeper in his crease and is more reactive. Seeing them side-by-side in practice is a fun contrast.

Khudobin’s style also means he’s more of a “rhythmic goaltender” who Goalies get into a groove on Day 2 of Stars camp, but who will be No. 3? needs repetitions to be successful. It’s hard to be rhythmic goalie as a backup or 1B when you don’t play as often, so the key to Khudobin’s success is treating every practice like a game. That’s what he’s done in By Sean Shapiro training camp, making some dazzling stops. He often looks like he’s working harder in net than Bishop during practice, and that’s frankly Jul 14, 2020 because he has to.

None of these observations are new. Both goalies are in their 30s, and FRISCO, Texas — Even in a normal year, there’s never enough data we know what to expect from them in a training camp. Watching from the first two days of training camp. Oettinger and Bow has been a more interesting case study, since both have made major strides in their game this past season. The drills, like they’ve been the past two days, are designed around certain concepts and getting players into a rhythm. Players have the puck Bow has been the more impressive goalie so far by my eyes. He’s also on their stick more often, and the level of defending – both intentional much smoother and more technically sound than he was at the start of and unintentional – is a work in progress. The past two days have been the 2019-20 season. His footwork is more efficient and his reading of about teaching and getting into a rhythm. plays has improved. On Day 1 of training camp, he made a handful of tremendous saves against the Stars’ top power-play unit while working Asking for early training camp impressions is similar to asking a teacher without penalty killers in front of him. to grade how their student took notes: It’s really not fair. Bow’s skating has also led to a better presence as a puckhandler. His There have been lots of questions from fans, who for the first time aren’t retrievals and passes are crisper, and he’s calmer than he used to be in able to watch a training camp in person, about how a certain player has most situations. In the past, Bow would panic a bit with the puck as a performed. In general, it’s the same answer for all of them. They are passer, leading to more rushed decisions by his defensemen and professional athletes running drills; they all look adequate enough. ultimately failed breakouts.

The one position we can judge a little – and the wormhole that we are Bow has worked on his puckhandling with Bishop a ton, and it’s diving deep into today – is goaltending. something they’ve talked about quite a bit. In the past, Bow has referred to picking Bishop’s mind like working with an additional goalie coach on There is no soft opening for goalies. While forwards and defensemen can the ice. ease into things, a goalie can’t. You stop the puck, or you don’t. That’s the job description. And that is the one area where Bow has a major advantage over Oettinger. Bow and Khudobin handle the puck well enough that the Stars’ And for the goalies attending Stars training camp, the job descriptions for defensemen don’t have to adjust too much to Bishop being absent. two of them could be slightly altered this month. Oettinger playing would mean a change in system to where the Ben Bishop is the Stars’ starting goalie; that’s not going to change. He’s defenders have to do more on their own getting the puck from below the going to play Game 1 of the playoffs, and his most important job during goal line. His footwork has noticeably improved since December, while this camp is to remain healthy and continue a 2019-20 season that has he still needs to be better squared with his feet coming off the post. been the least injury-plagued of his NHL career. There are times when Oettinger is more square to the corner and not the Anton Khudobin is the best insurance policy the Stars could imagine. He puck when coming off his post, which has led to some easier pickings for led the NHL with a .930 save percentage, and thanks to his work, the NHL shooters the past two days of training camp. Stars had the second-best statistical goalie tandem in the NHL, trailing Oettinger’s save selection, however, has greatly improved. He’s more only the Boston Bruins. efficient with his movements and has tracked pucks better through traffic; Khudobin isn’t going to supplant Bishop as the No. 1, but he’s a more- he’s using his body more to make saves through traffic and his rebound than-capable 1B who could play more often in this return-to-play format control, which was already good, is even better. Oettinger, particularly than you’d expect. with his glove, holds rebounds that Bow struggles to handle sometimes.

The other goalies that have skated so far, Landon Bow and Jake Oettinger historically was a slow-starting goalie in college, so it’s Oettinger, are in a battle for that No. 3 role in Alberta. The Stars are interesting to see him work early in camp. A slow-starting goalie is one hoping it never comes to pass that either cracks the lineup, but how they that takes longer to get up to speed; some NHL goalies known as slow fare in the side-by-side comparison will determine who potentially gets an starters typically need at least a handful of games before they get to top opportunity if it arises. speed at the start of a season. (Mike Smith in Edmonton for example has a career .907 save percentage in October but a .929 save percentage in We’ll start at the top of the depth chart with Bishop, who took part in his April.) first full team skate on Tuesday. By comparison, Bishop has been average when it comes to starting the Bishop is not a technically great goalie. If you were picking a goalie season, with a career save percentage of .913 in October that spikes based strictly on drills and techniques in practice like they do in youth to.926 career in the month of November. Khudobin, as you might expect hockey, Bishop would be cut every time. He’s not a great skater – his from a rhythmic goalie, tends to need at least a couple games before feet sometimes look like he’s behind the play in his save selection – but hitting top form. His career save percentage in October is .900, in he reads the game at such a high level that it doesn’t hinder him. His 6’7 November it’s .928. frame sometimes helps him get away with an unorthodox approach – a lot of times, in fact, if you look at his career numbers. Does this mean anything with this restart? Maybe, but it’s certainly a data point the Stars should keep in mind as they assess the goalies and their In many ways, the Stars’ system is also built around Bishop’s ability to usage in the round-robin. With four games between the round-robin and handle the puck. His stretch pass, referred to as a “Bish-up,” is a the exhibition, it would probably behoove the Stars to give both Bishop highlight of his puckhandling, but the consistent retrievals and short and Khudobin a pair of starts so both are in closer to prime form for any passes to defensemen allow the Stars to exit the zone frequently with scenario in the postseason. After that? Bow and Oettinger will continue to possession. battle for the No. 3 role, even if both of them head into the bubble.

Khudobin isn’t a great puckhandler like Bishop, but he’s an above- average one who handles it well enough for the Stars’ defensemen to be effective even if they are busier in retrievals when the Russian is in net. The Athletic LOADED: 07.15.2020

Stylistically, Khudobin is on the opposite end of the technical spectrum. At 5’11, puny by NHL goalie standards, he has to be a technical savant and take advantage of his athleticism to be effective. Khudobin is aggressive and more proactive in his goaltending, while Bishop plays 1188115 Detroit Red Wings

Back when NHLers thought the Detroit Red Wings had outstanding players

Helene St. James, Detroit Free Press

Published 1:37 p.m. ET July 14, 2020 | Updated 4:01 p.m. ET July 14, 2020

Detroit Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman on a Zoom call following the news he'll pick fourth in the 2020 draft. Detroit Free Press

The only players to win the award in franchise history were the two greatest forwards from the last 50 years.

The NHL is rolling out 2020 trophy finalists over the coming days, beginning with Tuesday’s Ted Lindsay Award: Edmonton’s Leon Draisaitl, Colorado’s Nathan MacKinnon and the New York Rangers’ Artemi Panarin.

The award is for the most outstanding player as voted by fellow members of the NHL Players’ Association. Given annually since 1971, it underwent a name change in 2010 from Lester B. Pearson to honoring Lindsay, the former Wings great who was a key figure in the formation of the labor association.

In this edition of Detroit Red Wings Revisited, we look back at the team’s history with the award.

It was not taken home by a Wings player until 1989, when Steve Yzerman had his 65-goal, 90-assist season. His 155 points ranked third in the league behind only Mario Lemieux (199) and Wayne Gretzky (168). Gretzky had won the award five the previous seven years and Lemieux the other two.

Jacques Demers, Yzerman’s coach at the time, said Yzerman “should be proud of himself. That’s how much respect he’s got from the other player in the NHL.”

Yzerman won the award May 24, 1989. Less than a month later, on June 18, the Wings made headlines for drafting their first Russian (Soviet at that time) player when they selected Sergei Fedorov in the fourth round.

Five years later, Fedorov became the second Wings player to be named the NHL’s outstanding player in a vote by the NHLPA. It was part of a slew of awards Fedorov earned after his amazing 1993-94 season.

Fedorov recorded 56 goals and 64 assists to reach 120 points, second in the league only to Gretzky’s 130 points. Fedorov also took home the Hart Memorial Trophy (most outstanding player as voted by media) and the Frank J. Selke Trophy (top defensive forward).

At the time, Fedorov called his award-winning night “the greatest time I have ever had.”

Fedorov, though, had his eyes on a bigger piece of hardware. He’d just watched fellow Russians Sergei Zubov, Alexei Kovalev and Sergei Nemchinov help the Rangers win the Stanley Cup.

"I just hope I can have my name on it, too, with my teammates,” Fedorov said. “That’s what we work for.”

Detroit Free Press LOADED: 07.15.2020 1188116 Detroit Red Wings roster that has no wiggle room. Kapanen might be the type of low-key acquisition that thrives with a bigger chance somewhere else.

►Andreas Johnsson, Toronto, winger: Signed for three more years at Possible trade targets for the Red Wings, who have money to be buyers $3.4 million per, Johnsson had eight goals and 13 assists in 43 games and is another young player (25) who might benefit from a larger role.

Ted Kulfan, The Detroit News Detroit News LOADED: 07.15.2020 Published 11:29 a.m. ET July 14, 2020

Detroit — The NHL Draft and free agency are ways the Red Wings can help themselves this long offseason.

But at some point later in the summer or early fall, there will be opportunities to make some trades — deals that might not cost the Red Wings as much as you’d think.

The reason is the upper limit of the salary cap will stay at $81.5 million in the new collective bargaining agreement — and will stay at $81.5 million until revenues reach $4.8 billion, which will trigger a formula to increase the cap.

But until then the Wings, using their ample cap space, have a great opportunity add players that certain teams simply cannot afford.

The Wings only have $46.2 million committed to 11 players right now, with decisions pending on 12 restricted free agents. The Wings will bring back some of those restricted free agents but still will have plenty of money to add productive, proven players from cash-strapped teams.

Pittsburgh (15 players under contract, $13.2 million available cap space), Tampa Bay (15 players, $5.3 million cap space), St. Louis (20 players, $2.04 million cap space) and Toronto (16 players, $4.5 million cap space) are teams who will have to make deals.

With that in mind, here are some players who could interest the Wings this offseason:

►Tyler Johnson, Tampa Bay, center: Johnson has a cap hit of $5 million over the next four seasons and his statistics have dropped over the last three seasons (14 goals, 31 points this season). But general manager Steve Yzerman is familiar with Johnson from his days in Tampa and at 29, Johnson would strengthen the Wings’ lineup.

►Yanni Gourde, Tampa Bay, center: With a cap hit of $5.16 million for the next five seasons, Gourde’s six-year, $31 million deal seemed generous as soon as it was signed, and it now haunts the Lightning. Gourde slumped from 25 and 22 goals in 2017-18 and 2018-19, respectively, to 10 this season. He might actually thrive with a bigger role on a team like the Wings.

►Alex Killorn, Tampa Bay, center: With three more years at $4.45 million, Killorn scored a career-best 26 goals this season. But at age 30, how much better will Killorn get? The Lightning need the cap cushion to sign several important restricted free agents.

►Tristan Jarry, Pittsburgh, goaltender: Jarry is only 25 and will be an RFA after making $675,000, with a career-best 20-win season and .921 save percentage. Do the Penguins keep Jarry or Matt Murray? It’s difficult to envision them keeping both.

►Matt Murray, Pittsburgh, goaltender: Another RFA who made $3.75 million this season, but at age 26 he had his poorest season with 20 wins and .899 save percentage. Murray has won two Stanley Cups with Pittsburgh, but his play the last two seasons hasn’t inspired confidence.

►Jake Allen, St. Louis, goaltender: The situation is the same in St. Louis, where the Blues have two goals but appear to be leaning toward keeping Jordan Binnington. Allen, 29, will make $4.35 million next season then becomes an unrestricted free agent. Allen straightened out his game his season, with 12 wins in 21 starts and a career-best .927 save percentage.

►Jaden Schwartz, St. Louis, winger: The Blues can’t keep everyone and Schwartz, 28, might be expendable. He’s signed for one more season at $5.35 million and bounced back with 22 goals and 57 points. Schwartz would supply a sorely needed threat on the wing.

►Kasperi Kapanen, Toronto, winger: Signed for two more seasons at $3.2 million a year, Kapanen, 23, had 13 goals and 36 points on a Leafs 1188117 Detroit Red Wings

Saginaw Spirit sign Detroit Red Wings prospect Albin Grewe

Updated Jul 14, 2020; Posted Jul 14, 2020

By Hugh Bernreuter | [email protected]

Detroit Red Wings fans won’t have to drive far to watch one of their team’s top draft picks play in 2020-21.

The Saginaw Spirit signed Detroit’s third-round pick from 2019, Albin Grewe, to an Ontario Hockey League contract Monday. Saginaw drafted Grewe in the second round of the Canadian Hockey League import draft.

Grewe, a forward, was the 66th overall pick in the 2019 draft and played the 2019-20 season in his native Sweden. He played for Djurgadens, skating for both their SuperElit junior and Swedish Hockey League teams. Grewe, who will wear No. 46, totaled seven goals and 13 assists in 42 games.

“Albin is a skilled, ultra-competitive player that will help push the pace for our group each and every day,” Saginaw Spirit general manager Dave Drinkill said in a press release. “He is a player you want to have on your team but definitely do not want to play against.

“Not only does he play extremely hard and competitive, but he has the skill set and mindset to play our style of play. We look forward to seeing what he can do in Saginaw with a strong cast of forwards with him this year.”

Saginaw’s forwards include Cole Perfetti, who is projected as a Top 10 pick in this year’s NHL Draft and a potential pick for the Red Wings, who have the No. 4 pick.

Historically, the Spirit have done well picking Detroit Red Wings prospects in the import draft. Filip Hronek and Jan Mursak were both Spirit import players who played with the Red Wings.

“I am so happy and excited to be a part of the Saginaw Spirit,” Grewe stated in a press release. “I can’t wait to join the team and get started.”

Michigan Live LOADED: 07.15.2020 1188118 Detroit Red Wings The club’s only coach and general manager in the 1930s was hired in 1927 during the franchise’s second season. The Red Wings won two Stanley Cups and finished in first place three times in the decade.

Red Wings 1930s all-decade team: Jack Adams, two Stanley Cups and three team names Michigan Live LOADED: 07.15.2020

Posted Jul 14, 2020

By Ansar Khan | [email protected]

Detroit’s NHL entry had three different names in the 1930s.

The franchise originated in 1926 as the Cougars, changed to the Falcons in 1930, and in 1932 became the Red Wings.

The NHL began the 1930s with 10 teams, including the Pittsburgh Pirates, New York Americans, Montreal Maroons, and the original Ottawa Senators.

The Red Wings gained prominence in the decade, winning their first two Stanley Cup championships in 1936 and 1937. After playing their first season in Windsor, they moved into the newly built Olympia Stadium in 1927, the red barn on Grand River that would be their home through 1979.

MLive will break down Red Wings all-decade teams over the next two weeks. Today, a look at the franchise’s best players in the 1930s.

Forwards

Herbie Lewis: At 5-foot-9 and 160 pounds, this left wing was considered one of the fastest skaters of his time. He played nearly the entire decade with Detroit and collected 129 goals and 150 assists in 430 games in the 1930s. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1989, 50 years after his NHL career ended and two years before he died at age 84.

Ebbie Goodfellow: A center and part-time defenseman who spent all 14 of his NHL seasons with Detroit, including the entire decade of the 1930s, when he picked up 109 goals and 147 assists in 450 games. He played on three Cup-winning clubs, served as captain for five seasons and was the franchise’s first Hart Trophy winner in 1939-40. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1963. He died in 1985 at age 79.

Larry Aurie: Listed at 5-foot-6 and 148 pounds, this right wing led the franchise with 130 goals in the 1930s, also contributing 124 assists. His No. 6 was retired by owner James Norris after the 1937-38 season (he returned to play one game in 1939). It was reissued to his cousin, Cummy Burton, for two seasons from 1957-59. It has been out of circulation since. But the Red Wings have not officially retired it and raised it to the rafters because Aurie is not in the Hall of Fame. Aurie died of a stroke in 1952 at age 47.

Defensemen

Doug Young: Nicknamed “The Gleichen Cowboy,” Young appeared in 338 games for Detroit in the 1930s (32 goals, 36 assists). He scored a career-high 10 goals as a rookie in 1931-32 but was mainly a defensive- minded defenseman. He was captain from 1935 to 1938. Young died in 1990 at age 81.

Ralph “Scotty” Bowman: No, this is not the Scotty Bowman. This one appeared in 204 games for the Red Wings in the latter part of the decade, winning two Cups. He died in 1990 at age 79.

Goaltender

Normie Smith: He made 92 saves in a six-overtime 1-0 victory over the Montreal Maroons in the 1936 semifinals, the longest game in NHL history (176 minutes and 30 seconds before Mud Bruneteau scored). The goalie on Detroit’s first two Stanley Cup champion teams, Smith went 72- 70-30 in the decade, with a 2.23 goals-against average and 17 shutouts. Traded to Boston in 1938 after a falling out with coach and general manager Jack Adams, Smith retired rather than play in the minors. He came out of retirement briefly during World War II’s player shortage. He died in 1988 at age 79.

Coach

Jack Adams 1188119 Detroit Red Wings play. I find him similar to Miro Heiskanen in that way, where when we were coaching against Heiskanen at the worlds that year, Heiskanen had (12) points in seven games in that event, led all defensemen in scoring, but he did it with zero risk. He did it with real efficient play and smart play, The Red Wings’ No. 4 draft pick: Making the case for Jake Sanderson and not a lot of defensemen can score and create without taking massive risk. And Jake can produce offense without a lot of risk to his game.”

Sanderson, of course, is the son of longtime NHLer Geoff Sanderson, a By Max Bultman fact which Appert is quick to point out does not guarantee anything in and Jul 14, 2020 of itself. But, he noted, the fact that Geoff Sanderson managed to play 1,100 games in the NHL without being a superstar-level player does speak to an ability to take care of himself and develop the right kind of professional habits. In that sense, the literal bloodlines may not matter This is the fifth in a series examining the Red Wings’ options with the quite as much as the fact that Jake Sanderson, according to his coach, fourth overall pick in the 2020 NHL Draft. You can read parts 1, 2, 3 and understands the work it’s going to take to become an elite player. 4 here. Today, we lay out the case for U.S. National Team Development Program defenseman Jake Sanderson. When we spoke by phone, Appert said Sanderson was working out right then, praising his athleticism and calling him a “physical specimen.” On In the neat and tidy version of Jake Sanderson’s sizzling draft-year top of that, as would be expected for a captain of the NTDP, Sanderson narrative, the BioSteel All-American Game in late January is when gets high marks as a winner and competitor, with Appert recalling Sanderson’s stock shot skyward. Sanderson’s visible aversion to losing and willingness to play through a The premise is simple enough: In a game that pitted the United States tournament with a broken jaw (that X-rays had not picked up) in the National Team Development Program (U.S. NTDP) against the other top team’s U17 campaign. draft prospects from the United States, Sanderson delivered two assists “His work ethic on a daily basis is incredibly impressive,” Appert said. and one thundering hit to fellow 2020 first-round prospect Brendan “But then he combines that with a real ability to transfer things we’re Brisson en route to Player of the Game honors. Sanderson hadn’t showing him on video or talking to him about and being able to put it into entered the year as a likely top-10 pick, but not long after that big his game very quickly. That’s not easy to do, and he probably has done performance, he was trending that way. that as good as anybody I’ve coached.” So, was that when he hit a turning point? The Red Wings need more talent at virtually every position, and that Seth Appert, Sanderson’s coach at the NTDP, has a different take on the certainly includes Sanderson’s position as a potential top-pair, left- significance of that event for his star defenseman. handed defenseman. He would immediately join Moritz Seider at the top of the team’s prospect pipeline, giving the Red Wings the potential for a “I think it was when people noticed,” Appert said by phone recently. “I firm future identity built from the back end. don’t think it was a turning point (in his game). I think it was a statement, though.” Ultimately, with Sanderson, the one big question comes back to his offense. The basics With a pick as high as fourth overall, that question may prove essential. Sanderson is a 6-foot-2, 185-pound defenseman for the NTDP, which And you can certainly find ways to talk yourself into leaning either plays a schedule featuring opponents in the NCAA and USHL as well as direction when it comes to Sanderson. international tournaments. He was the team captain, and he had 29 points in 47 games this season. The skeptic can point to Sanderson’s point totals and offensive scouting reports and wonder why, with such a high draft pick, a team like Detroit The Athletic’s Corey Pronman did a full video breakdown of Sanderson wouldn’t rather use it to draft a more dynamic offensive threat like the last month, in which Pronman gave Sanderson’s skating a grade of 60 forwards who will be available at fourth overall. One can certainly (on the 20-80 scouting scale), which translates to the top third of question the ultimate ceiling of a defenseman who, no matter how solid professionals, and called Sanderson “the best defender I saw this season defensively, doesn’t appear to have a Quinn Hughes-like ability to among draft-eligible players and arguably among all NHL prospects.” On instantly transform a team’s dynamic in the offensive zone. The bar for Pronman’s draft board, he also gave Sanderson’s hockey sense a 60 becoming a true game-changer without that high-level production is high. grade and rated his puck skills and physical game both above average. He ranked him 13th overall for this draft class, and The Athletic’s Scott For the believer, though, there is some still room to dream on a legitimate Wheeler ranked him 19th. impact player anyway. Sanderson is not among the top point-producing U18 defensemen in NTDP history, but his per-game numbers are still How’s this for the first line of a sales pitch: “He just smothers his respectable, particularly considering the games Sanderson lost due to opponent.” the season’s early ending. Those games would have been within the That’s how Appert describes his captain’s defense. USHL and international competition because the NTDP was already through the toughest part of their schedule against the older, bigger “And it’s skating, but it’s (also) gap control … his lateral closing ability in NCAA teams. the neutral zone on line rushes against is really impressive, and he can do it against the college players,” Appert said. “He did it against the best And, Sanderson’s per-game stats nonetheless are in line with other college teams in the country this year just as (well) as he did it against notable NTDP defensemen such as Charlie McAvoy, Kevin Shattenkirk our own age group. So his ability to close rushes out is crazy good, but and Seth Jones in their age-17 seasons in the program — though it is then he’s also physical and mean in the corners and at the front of the important to note that McAvoy and Jones were late birthdays, so they still net. … had one more year until being drafted in those seasons (Sanderson, as a July 8 birthday, was about two months from being in that same boat). “He’s just an elite defender. He likes to defend. He likes to be mean and physical and hard to play against.” There’s also the fact that, even though the 2019 NTDP class was full of offensive dynamos, the 2020 group of which Sanderson was part was not That’s the foundation of Sanderson’s game. And that alone is valuable. littered with lottery picks who were racking up points left and right. The While dazzling offensive defensemen have certainly (and justifiably) 2019-20 U18 team’s leading scorer, Thomas Bordeleau, ended up with taken center stage in draft conversations, blueliners who have defense .98 points per game, which would have been seventh on last year’s as a headlining trait rather than sheer scoring can, at times, get a bit lost team. That doesn’t change Sanderson’s scouting report, especially since in the public conversation. Pronman notes “Sanderson’s value will be on the defensive side of the ice more than offense,” but the context nonetheless matters when But a defenseman with high-level smarts, mobility and the ability to win comparing and critiquing sheer statistical production. difficult battles can serve a crucial role in offense, too: getting the puck back so a team can actually play on offense. And that’s not all Sanderson With Sanderson’s skating, he can pose a threat on the offensive rush as can do for a team’s offense, either. well smother plays in his own end, and the NTDP staff has encouraged him to continue to join those rushes and be more active in the offensive “I think his offensive game is underrated, and it’s underrated because it’s zone. Appert said Sanderson’s development has been built around being effective and smart and (efficient),” Appert said. “He just makes the right a top-flight defender first but also has included more and more encouragement to add offensive skills and elements, including what Appert classifies as “offensive precision.”

“If they have high precision, then the risks they’re taking are more calculated and smarter,” he said. “And if they lack precision, they’re careless and reckless with their decisions. And so those are things that we’ve challenged him to keep working on while not losing his identity as the best defender in the world in his birth year.”

Because Sanderson did not have those extra late-season USHL games or the chance to put on a show at the World U18 Championships at his home rink (in the Red Wings’ back yard, no less), the hockey world has to do a bit more projecting on this late-rising July birthday than would otherwise be ideal.

Some projecting is always necessary when drafting 18-year-olds, but in a perfect world, scouts would have been able to see Sanderson’s full body of work before making the call on what his true ceiling may be. That’s not this world, though, and it’s left Sanderson in an interesting spot.

For the Red Wings, the arguments for and against taking him may sound awfully familiar to a player Detroit spent the sixth overall pick on just last year. While Sanderson isn’t quite as big as Moritz Seider, and played for one of the most high-profile prospect teams in the world rather than getting his feet wet against men in the DEL, there’s some rhyme between the two players’ profiles when it comes to rock-solid defensive reputations and questions about ultimate offensive ceilings.

Does that make him the Red Wings’ “type”? Or does the fact Detroit just drafted a player of a similar profile make it less likely they’d do so again, in a draft that looks heavy on high-end forward talent? Certainly, the Red Wings need to find an offensive game-breaker at some point.

Either way, the same principle that first helped Detroit fans come around on the Seider pick a year ago will be at the forefront for whatever team ends up taking Sanderson this fall: If he hits his ceiling as a potential top- pair, tough-minutes defenseman who can skate well and help a team’s offense (even if not by piling up points), then you simply don’t get many chances at acquiring that kind of player outside the very top of the draft.

“He’s the real deal,” Appert said. “On and off the ice.”

The Athletic LOADED: 07.15.2020 1188120 Edmonton Oilers This will be the first time where the Stanley Cup will be awarded in a Canadian city since 2011 in Vancouver, when the Boston Bruins won it. Any significance to Nova Scotian Nate MacKinnon, who will be here with Colorado Avalanche in the Edmonton bubble? Back to the Battle: Edmonton Oilers prepare for tuneup against Calgary rivals “It’s cool that the Cup will be awarded in Canada because it’s been a long time but I don’t play for a team in Canada. Obviously, I’d like to bring it home to where I’m from but I’d like to win the Cup anywhere. Doesn’t matter the city or the country,” said MacKinnon. Jim Matheson, Edmonton Journal Normally Oilers season-ticket holders would be clamouring for playoff July 14, 2020 6:37 PM MDT tickets, loud and proud, for the first post-season games since 2017, but they’ll be watching them on TV. They missed out on the final seven league games when the NHL paused March 12, and the Oilers gave Before we get the return-to-play tournament will we get the Return to them a couple of choices in May with their season-ticket purchase. Mayhem exhibition? “Credit amounts were based on the number of events cancelled or We all know how the Edmonton Oilers and the Calgary Flames like one rescheduled,” said Tim Shipton, Oilers vice-president of communications. another when the games count, and now we’ll see if they can be civil in a “Most of our season-ticket holders took advantage of a rebate incentive tune-up for the Stanley Cup tournament. to roll their credit over to next season.”

The rivals will play each other July 28 at Rogers Place with an 8:30 pm This ’n’ that: The Oilers decided not to bring in farmhand Markus face-off at Rogers Place. An interesting matchup, considering the teams Granlund as an extra forward for Phase 3, probably because he’s signed dislike one another and the object of a tuneup for the return to play is to in Ufa of the Kontinental Hockey League, so has no future with the team. get through it without anybody getting hurt. But can these two teams play He has played 335 NHL games though … Feisty Hawks forward Andrew a quiet 60 minutes? Shaw, bothered by concussion symptoms since November, has opted out of the return to play … Ex-Oilers winger Drake Caggiula was on a The Chicago Blackhawks, who are the Oilers’ qualification round third line with rookies Kirby Dach and Dominik Kubalik when the Hawks opponent, are playing the St. Louis Blues at 4:30 p.m. on July 29th. opened Phase 3. “I wish we had more than one (tuneup) game but it’s one step in our preparation for our opening game,” said Oilers coach Dave Tippett, who’ll likely have his tournament starting goalie in net for the Flames game, Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 07.15.2020 unless he splits the duties with each playing half the exhibition.

The Avalanche, Blues, Golden Knights and Stars are playing a round- robin for playoff seeding when the tournament gets to eight teams after the qualification best-of-five series in the West.

There is still no sign of defenceman Caleb Jones with the main group practice and scrimmage Tuesday. Still deemed unfit, Jones did work out afterward with the three extra goalies and some carryover players from the main session.

Tippett says Jones, a candidate for the third blue-line pairing, will play in the qualification round but isn’t quite ready to join the full workout.

“He’ll continue to skate until we get the green light so he can join the regular group. He’s progressing and maybe (ready) in the next couple of days,” said Tippett, with the Oilers off Thursday.

Chicago’s No. 1 goalie Corey Crawford didn’t skate for the second straight day and his status for the tournament is very much up in the air.

Crawford, who had a .927 save percentage in 15 games after Feb. 1, gives the 12th-seeded Hawks a punter’s chance, of course. Without him, they’ll have to go with either Malcolm Subban, who played all of 70 seconds after his trade from Vegas Feb. 24 for Robin Lehner, or farmhand Collin Delia, who started 14 games last season with a .908 save percentage.

Hawks defenceman Calvin de Haan, out since shoulder surgery in November, missed Tuesday’s skate because of a family emergency. He’s expected to be in their top six, if able.

WHAT’S UP IN THE WORKPLACE?

Tippett says he won’t be wearing a mask behind the bench. He feels safe without one.

“I mumble at the best of times and if I put a mask on, I’ll get a lot of too many men on the ice penalties,” he joked. “With all the protocols we’re going through, the sanitation and everything, the doctors and experts wouldn’t put us in that situation if they felt it was dangerous. I’m fine with where we’re at. The game gets hectic behind there but I don’t expect any problems.”

Rogers Place’s familiar surroundings would offer marginal benefit for Leon Draisaitl over the playoffs.

“I think the NHL’s going to keep it as fair and even as possible but we’re used to the ice, what the ice conditions are like in the building, which should help us,” he said. 1188121 Edmonton Oilers “Leon is a power forward with high-end skill. He plays a strong, heavy game.”

“Forsberg? Oooh, that’s a steep comparison,” said Draisaitl. “I know what Edmonton Oilers' Draisaitl a finalist for NHL's most outstanding NHL my limits are in terms of carrying the play. I know I’m probably not the player best carrying the puck through three zones, so I try and stick to my game.

“I like to engage with defenders and hold them off that way, and try to Jim Matheson, Edmonton Journal find an open guy.”

July 14, 2020 5:46 PM MDT Draisaitl and winger Kailer Yamamoto were dynamite from New Year’s Eve on. Yamamoto had 26 points in 27 games on Draisaitl’s right side,

with Draisaitl the teacher and Yamamoto the excited pupil. The NHL’s Hart trophy is a subjective media vote on the player judged “We started clicking early on and that made our team a lot more most valuable to his team, but if you ring up 120 points and your team dangerous so we could balance out our scoring. Yamo came up with no misses the playoffs, then how important are you? fear and while he’s a smaller guy, he doesn’t necessarily play to that The Ted Lindsay award, which goes to the most outstanding player as size. He’s a lot of fun to play with,” he said. judged by the rank and file, is more cut and dried. It’s best player in a The coach certainly sees that. single year. “If Leon is giddy about playing with anybody on our team it’s Yamo. It’s Which brings us to handicapping the three-horse race between the interesting to see top players recognizing the skill of somebody else and Edmonton Oilers’ Leon Draisaitl, who won his first scoring title with 110 it’s become a bond between the two. They’ve had that since day one,” points and led for 79 of the season’s 161 days; Colorado’s Nathan said Tippett. MacKinnon, who had 93 points, a whopping 43 more than runner-up Cale Makar on the Avs; and New York Rangers winger Artemi Panarin, who “Really, I look at Leon and Connor, two young core players, who are had 95 points and two point-streaks of at least 12 games. continuing to mature. They’v recognized the responsibility they have with even younger guys so they become contributors on our team.” “It’s always an honour to be recognized around the league and by your peers,” said Draisaitl, who doesn’t like blowing his own horn, but didn’t have any trouble talking about the other two finalists. Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 07.15.2020 “Why don’t you tell us Leon why you would vote for Nate or Artemi?” said an NHL moderator on a zoom conference call Tuesday, when the Top 3 in voting were named.

“Two of the best players in the world, I don’t think these two guys need their tires pumped any more. They’re not very much fun to play against but they are fun to watch on TV,” laughed Draisaitl.

All of them in a close battle in a year where Draisaitl’s teammate Connor McDavid didn’t make the final three for the first time since 2016. McDavid’s won the MOP twice, as has Sidney Crosby with Alex Ovechkin getting it three straight years since the trophy was named after the Hall of Famer Lindsay 12 years ago.

The award usually goes to the points champion, but not always.

In 2009 and ’10, Ovechkin won the Lindsay but Evgeni Malkin and Henrik Sedin had the most points. In 2013, Crosby won the Lindsay but Martin St. Louis won the Art Ross. In 2015, Jamie Benn won the points title but goalie Carey Price got the Lindsay MOP.

“This award is a one-year thing but it’s also a body of work that’s required to get the respect of your peers. These two guys have been dominant for so long. It’s a tough league and the way these two guys produce every night is special” said MacKinnon.

Draisaitl led the NHL with 33 multiple point games, including three points or more in 14 of those. He had a point in 21 of the first 23 Oilers games and had 48 in the Oilers 29 games in 2020. Apart from a bad December, defensively, when he was minus-24 but still earned 14 points in the 14 games, the 24-year-old was a rock.

Does the German-born centre and third-overall pick in 2014 ever look back and think it’s all happened very quickly?

“As the other two players know, we’ve all worked extremely hard to be the players we are today. We’ve put the work in, starting at a very young age. Coming over (to Prince Albert) as a 16-year-old kid and not knowing what to expect, it took me awhile to get the hang of everything,” he said. “But I’ve had some great coaches and people around me to guide me and push me.”

What became obvious was he could carry the team when McDavid was hurt, getting 12 points in a six-game stretch from Feb. 11-21. What was also clear was he was at his best when the checking got the hardest, feeding off the physical engagement with opposing players. It’s almost like the play doesn’t start with Draisaitl until there is a guy draped over him and he’s shielding the puck.

“He’s like (Peter) Forsberg in how he used to invite that contact and how he made plays with guys on his back,” said Oilers coach Dave Tippett. 1188122 Edmonton Oilers And even if they all turn up negative, training camp is very short, and it’s sandwiched between four months off and the playoffs, so losing players for even a small amount of time can cost a team a series.

Edmonton Oilers plan to deke Phase 3 COVID-19 risks and make it to Ideally, they lock themselves inside the house for these last two weeks the bubble and wait for the bubble to open, but that’s easier said than done. For guys who are about to be locked up in a hotel for up to two months, it must be tempting to go out and enjoy their last 10 days of freedom.

Robert Tychkowski Kailer Yamamoto, for instance, had been in quarantine for 14 days after arriving back in Edmonton from Spokane. He’s got two weeks before he’s July 14, 2020 5:18 PM MDT locked down again inside the bubble.

But he has no intention of turning this into Mardi Gras. The world is watching the Edmonton Oilers right now. “I’ve been hanging pretty low,” he said. “I just got off of quarantine The sports world, anyway. yesterday, so I’ve been hanging out at my apartment. I haven’t been doing much. In less than two weeks, over 600 people from 12 teams will be climbing into Edmonton’s quarantine bubble for the fourth and final phase of the “I went to the grocery store Monday. It was the first time I’ve been out. NHL’s return-to-play plan. That was pretty fun. But I haven’t been doing much.”

While it’s incumbent on every one of those people to stay safe in the Once inside the NHL safe zone, the Oilers still don’t know what to expect, meantime, the responsibility is even greater in the hub cities of Edmonton other than knowing they’ll be at the JW Marriott. They have enough to and Toronto. deal with right now on the outside before they shift their focus to the lockdown. It would look pretty bad, and could even jeopardize the entire effort, if there was a COVID-19 outbreak inside Rogers Place or Scotiabank “We haven’t gone through it too much on what it’s going to be like, Arena days before the playoffs start. exactly,” said Athanasiou. “As we get closer to moving into that bubble we’ll dial it in and make sure we’re all on point.” Head coach Dave Tippett says the issue has been discussed on a formal level in Edmonton and the players are continually discussing it among Yamamoto doesn’t expect to be climbing the walls, though. He came themselves. The importance avoiding unnecessary risk hasn’t been lost through his first quarantine just fine and says the bubble will be more of on the talent. the same.

“We’ve addressed it with our whole organization,” said Tippett, after the “I’m a pretty laid back guy, I don’t think I need to be leaving the hotel for second day of training camp Tuesday. “The players are on board with anything,” he said. “I can play video games, watch Netflix. I’ll be just fine.” that. Our whole staff is. Everyone is cognizant of what’s going on and making sure that they’re taking care of themselves and not putting themselves in bad positions.” Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 07.15.2020 The precautions being taken inside the arena appear thorough, but with players returning home after practice every day, the outside world remains the real threat.

That’s why the league is holding its breath right now. Everyone realizes that if the NHL’s plan is going to collapse, the most likely scenario is that it will happen in the next two weeks, when players and their cohabitants are running to the store, going out for dinner, grabbing a coffee or a drink and doing all the things that normal human beings do.

Add the fact that Oilers are like fan magnets when they leave the house, regularly approached by people wanting selfies, autographs or just a chance to pat one of them on the back and say, “Good luck against Chicago,” and you can see why the concern is high.

“The players know that,” said Tippett. “They’ve talked about it among themselves and we’ve talked with them about it. Hopefully everybody stays safe so we can get in the bubble.”

Winger Andreas Athanasiou says the Oilers are taking the precautions very seriously. With so much riding on this — including an opportunity to win a Stanley Cup — they are the first ones to realize how important it is to stay on the ice for all of training camp and enter the bubble as one healthy group.

“I think everyone knows what’s going on,” said Anthanasiou. “It’s everyone’s job to take care of themselves. Everyone knows what’s at risk.

“We’ve all been taught in the last couple of weeks and months how to take care of yourself and do the best you can to minimize your chance of getting it and spreading it.

“It’s just about maintaining that and doing what we’re told from a protocol standpoint and a safety standpoint.”

It’s a relentless and unpredictable game of hide and seek, though, with a virus that’s already found 13 million people worldwide.

Just this week, the Pittsburgh Penguins, who also thought they were doing everything right, sat nine players out of training camp because of potential secondary exposure. It can happen that quickly. 1188123 Edmonton Oilers Thanks to the third-party border dispute with the federal government, I can’t tell you.

The events staff the NHL assembled and began travelling to Edmonton JONES: Oilers having big hand in bringing NHL Awards hardware to and Torontp on Tuesday involving units dealing with testing for up to 900 Edmonton at both hubs and directing hotel room operations and dozens of other areas.

NHL chief content officer and hub city project head Steve Mayer and his Terry Jones big-picture team was also scheduled to arrive in Edmonton to begin developing plans including the NHL Awards. July 14, 2020 4:30 PM MDT But until the NHL settles it’s glitch involving the federal government, good

luck gathering details on any of that. When Edmonton became hub city for the COVID-19 pandemic version of Preparations, however, continue involving the detailed logistics of the Stanley Cup playoffs, nobody mentioned the potential bonus to go preparing the ‘bubbles’ in Edmonton and the next time the Oilers skate in with five rounds of playoff action behind closed doors. Rogers Place, the NHL Stanley Cup logo may be at centre ice instead of Nobody was saying, ‘Hey, that might mean the NHL Awards will be held the team’s logo. here, too.’ The glitch came to light back on Saturday. At the same time NHL Well, bonus. commissioner Gary Bettman, deputy commissioner Bill Daly, NHLPA executive director Donald Fehr and assistant Mathieu Schneider were The NHL has revealed not only will Edmonton play host to all those holding a virtual video media conference to officially celebrate the playoff games in front of all those empty seats, the NHL Awards, ratification of the return-to-play agreement and an extended-collective normally held with great ceremony in Las Vegas, will be presented here bargaining agreement, a pair of follow-up press conferences had to be during the Western and Eastern Conference final series. postponed.

And it could be a huge haul of hardware for the Edmonton Oilers, who The provincial premiers of Alberta and Ontario, mayors of Edmonton and had their first finalist named Tuesday. Toronto and executives of both the Oilers and Maple Leafs were waiting to trumpet their selections as hub cities. The NHL Players Association announced the three finalists for the Ted Lindsay Award as Most Outstanding Player and Leon Draisaitl has won a The glitch with the federal government still hadn’t been settled as of trip to Edmonton. Tuesday afternoon. And until then, anybody involved with the hubs has been placed on mute. Nathan MacKinnon of the Colorado Avalanche and Artemi Panarin of the New York Rangers are the other two finalists the players picked. At this rate, Bettman may be presenting the Stanley Cup on Oct. 4 in Edmonton by Zoom. Draisaitl, who will already be receiving the Art Ross Trophy as the NHL’s top point-getter, is favoured to win the Lindsay, captured the previous two seasons by Edmonton’s Connor McDavid. Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 07.15.2020 Draisaitl, the 24-year-old native of Cologne, Germany, is also favoured to win the Hart Trophy with a chance that McDavid, second in NHL point production behind him, will be named one of the three Hart finalist when the Most Valuable Player is named July 21.

McDavid has also won two Hart Trophies so far in his career.

The 23-year-old Oilers captain, who spent the entire off-season rehabbing a last-game-of-the-schedule injury, is favoured to win the Masterton Trophy.

When you think about it, just having the NHL Awards here and shipping all the NHL’s awesome trophies to Edmonton would be appropriate.

Oilers fans might not be able to go to the games, but to see all the trophies in an elaborate display at City Hall or the new art gallery would be a great gift to the fans. Goodness knows, Oilers have their names on enough of them.

Draisaitl will make it 11 times that an Oilers player has won the Art Ross and 11 more an Oiler has won the Hart Trophy, if that happens.

Eight times an Edmonton player has won the Ted Lindsay.

Four times an Oilers individual has been awarded the Conn Smythe. Three King Clancy and two Norris and Lady Byng Trophies have been captured by members of the team. And solo Vezina and Jack Adams Trophies have been won by members of the former World Hockey Association franchise.

So how do you stage an NHL Awards Show during the COVID-19 pandemic?

Traditionally, it’s a TV show with a host of high-profile presenters with lots of glitz and glamour.

But do you fly everybody to Edmonton and put together a show to be held before empty seats at the Winspear Centre?

Or do you put together a much more modest production involving Zoom video technology out of the TV studio at Rogers Place with any of the players not still involved in the playoffs sitting at home in front of their laptops? 1188124 Edmonton Oilers Penalty kill: 5.15 goals against per hour (2nd) The biggest difference is on special teams. Holland’s free-agent signings

combined with Tippett’s expert handling gave Edmonton a stunning Lowetide: What should Oilers fans expect from Connor McDavid in the special-teams advantage. The coaching staff opened up the power play, playoffs? and Edmonton’s talented skill players caught fire.

One item that stands out: The 2016-17 Oilers had the edge in even- strength goal share. How much did McDavid impact five-on-five results in By Allan Mitchell each season? I’ll throw in his possession numbers to get a better view:

Jul 14, 2020 2016-17: 21-42-63 in 1,315 minutes (2.87 points-per-60); 53.99 shot differential; 62.10 goal differential; 56.0 DFF percentage

2019-20: 21-29-50 in 1,055 minutes (2.84 points-per-60); 47.64 shot Oilers fans are pumped for the resumption of NHL play and just the sixth differential; 51.67 goal differential; 47.8 DFF percentage playoff appearance by the team since the turn of the century. To say that frustration has taken up residence in the NHL’s northernmost city since McDavid’s scoring totals remain strong, but his possession numbers the spring of 2007 is an understatement. have fallen off and his goal differential lost an alarming 10 percent. We see how much has been lost when observing his on-ice five-on-five goal The average Oilers fan has a clock ticking in his or her head that goes totals for the two seasons in question: like this: Connor McDavid’s unrestricted-free-agent date is July 1, 2026, and that means the 2020 Stanley Cup is one of just seven chances that 2016-17: 77-47 (+30) remain to win a championship. 2019-20: 62-58 (+4) Oilers general manager Ken Holland can’t think like that, coach Dave Tippett can’t think like that and McDavid isn’t approaching each season Is this due to McDavid’s long summer rehab and not having the that way. But for Oilers fans, a McDavid exit without a Cup ring explosiveness of the past? Or is this something that can be fixed with a represents hockey armageddon. designated defensive winger? Before we move on, a quick stop to admire McDavid’s power-play ability and some incredible numbers this past That’s a lot of pressure to handle every day, and yet it is a fact. season.

Gone are the carefree days and nights of 2017, when a young team 2016-17: 3-24-27 in 249 minutes (6.5 points per 60) thrilled Oilers fans with a fine playoff run that suggested the future was unlimited. A more anxious, intense fan base has replaced the group that 2019-20: 11-32-43 in 249 minutes (10.37 points per 60) sang the national anthem in full voice before Game 1 of the opening Moving forward series against the San Jose Sharks in April of that year. McDavid might post stunning five-on-five goal differentials in the playoffs Since the 2017 playoffs, the Oilers franchise has run into cap issues, and put all of this to rest. If he has a monster postseason, that’s what will bled talent and turned over coaches Todd McLennan and Ken Hitchcock, be written about him, and it will be fair. while also moving on from general manager Peter Chiarelli. I’m fascinated by Tippett’s tweak Monday, moving Nugent-Hopkins to the Holland arrived in the spring of 2019 and took a different approach than top line. Tippett has been exceptional at unlocking offence since arriving, Chiarelli had tried, choosing to add smaller, less expensive pieces to surprising from a coach whose reputation involves grinding road games suppress goals against and improve the penalty kill. and goalies who block out the sun. His key addition was Tippett, who (along with his staff) conducted I looked at how Tippett handled McDavid’s deployment in 2019-20 and something close to a master class on getting the most out of a team that uncovered a curious item. After having a stroke of genius when moving is top-heavy with talent. Leon Draisaitl to centre and packing the line with Nugent-Hopkins and As we enter training camp and prepare for the playoffs, what is the Kailer Yamamoto, Tippett didn’t find a comfortable trio for the No. 1 line expectation of the captain? We know he spent the summer of 2019 in the months that followed. rehabbing a potentially career-altering injury, and despite fantastic McDavid with Draisaitl and Zack Kassian played 443 minutes at five-on- numbers there were times he wasn’t himself. Is there another gear for the five this season, finishing with a 53 percent goal differential despite losing captain in the upcoming playoffs? Will a rested McDavid torch NHL the possession battle. However, the lines that the captain populated after teams just for fun? Draisaitl’s move to centre are a storm of small samples: Or was the presence of Ryan Nugent-Hopkins on McDavid’s left wing Neal-McDavid-Kassian — 71 minutes together; 53.23 Corsi; 57.89 shot Monday an admission that the team’s No. 1 line needs a defensive differential; 50.00 goal differential (4-4). conscience? Was McDavid’s 2019-20 performance out of step with his past for reasons other than exhaustion from a summer spent rehabbing? Athanasiou-McDavid-Ennis — 31 minutes together; 50.82 Corsi; 45.16 shot differential; 66.67 goal differential (2-1). Let’s start by looking back at that 2016-17 team and comparing it with the 2019-20 group. Nuge-McDavid-Kassian — 28 minutes together; 41.18 Corsi; 44.44 shot differential; 100.00 goal differential (1-0). The 2016-17 regular-season numbers Archibald-McDavid-Kassian — 28 minutes together; 49.21 Corsi; 41.94 Record: 47-26-9, 103 points .628 winning percentage (tied for 7th in the shot differential; 33.33 goal differential (1-2). NHL) Gagner-McDavid-Chiasson — 26 minutes together; 40.00 Corsi; 33.00 Even-strength goal share: 53.37 percent (8th) shot differential; 0 goal differential (0-2). Even-strength expected-goal share: 51.54 percent (8th) Neal-McDavid-Archibald — 24 minutes together; 53.49 Corsi; 38.10 shot Power play: 8.21 goals per hour (6th) differential; 66.70 goal differential (2-1).

Penalty kill: 7.78 goals against per hour (29th) Ennis-McDavid-Archibald — 24 minutes together; 27.27 Corsi; 32.00 shot differential; 66.70 goal differential (2-1). The 2019-20 regular-season numbers That’s a series of line changes that Craig MacTavish would be proud of, Record: 37-25-9, 83 points .585 winning percentage (12th in the NHL) and you can see some promise in a few of these trios. None of them had a chance to coalesce, but the season ended so Tippett looks a little like a Even-strength goal share: 48.05 percent (25th) mad scientist here. Even-strength expected-goal share: 48.75 percent (22nd) Nuge? Power play: 10.64 goals per hour (1st) On Monday, Tippett had fans talking when he moved Nugent-Hopkins from the Draisaitl line. I’m not sure I buy the Nuge-McDavid combination as a real possibility. Since 2015 at five-on-five, the two players haven’t had brilliant chemistry. In 613 minutes together over five years (excluding time both spent with Draisaitl), the pair has a goal differential of 33-28 and a shot differential of 333-344 (49 percent) at five-on-five.

It pales in comparison with McDavid-Draisaitl or Nuge-Draisaitl.

What does it all mean?

McDavid is the best player in the game, and anyone on his wing is going to score. Oilers fans should be encouraged by Tippett’s desire for more. My bet is he is looking for a trio who can outscore with McDavid and Draisaitl as centres. He feels good with Yamamoto alongside Draisaitl, and he might feel now is the time to move Nugent-Hopkins.

Andreas Athanasiou or Tyler Ennis could do the coach a gigantic favour by stepping up and emerging as a legit outscoring option for the top line. Failing that, we might see the Oilers with pairs (McDavid-Nuge and Draisaitl-Yamamoto) on the opening night of the playoffs.

There’s a chance, a reasonable one, that McDavid’s rest between the regular season and playoffs allows him to carry a line as he has in the past. I think Tippett’s move on Monday was both an acknowledgment that his franchise player needs a little help based on the regular season and a hint about the possibility of running pairs instead of lines in the playoffs.

Oilers fans should be pleased the coach is plotting for all possibilities, while also being aware that a rested and driven McDavid could lay waste to opponents in the 2020 playoffs. It’s already a fascinating training camp.

The Athletic LOADED: 07.15.2020 1188125 Florida Panthers Miami Herald LOADED: 07.15.2020

Long layoffs hurt the Panthers this year. So far, this one feels different for Florida

BY DAVID WILSON

JULY 14, 2020 06:52 PM

Forgive Joel Quenneville if he had his reservations about how smooth the Florida Panthers’ return to the ice might go this week.

The last time they went more than a week without playing, the Panthers came out of the All-Star break in February, lost 7 of 9 games and tumbled out of playoff positioning. At the very start of the season when it had gone months without playing a real game, Florida lost 5 of 7 to start the year.

The Panthers’ latest long layoff won’t officially end until next month, when Florida faces the New York Islanders in the qualifying round for the expanded Stanley Cup playoffs, but so far the coach is pleasantly surprised with the way things are going in Coral Springs.

“I was shocked how well it went,” Quenneville said after the Panthers’ first practice of the postseason training camp Monday.

“It didn’t feel like the first practice,” captain Aleksander Barkov said.

“I think we all kind of felt good out there,” fellow center Noel Acciari said.

Day 1 was a success. Day 2 ramped up the action even more. For the first time, all 30 players worked out together to play an intrasquad scrimmage at the Florida Panthers IceDen.

Quenneville’s praise wasn’t quite as effusive as it was a day earlier, but he still found the team’s enthusiasm worth gushing over.

“I thought the guys did all right,” he said. “They worked hard. Technically, there are some areas you can see where we talked about it, but I liked their approach. I liked their enthusiasm. It was an effective day.”

Before the season was halted for more than three months because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Florida was riding a two-game winning streak and felt some minor tweaks to its lines and team philosophies meant a turnaround was on the horizon. Those lines are unchanged so far, with Barkov sharing the top line with wingers Frank Vatrano and Evgenii Dadonov.

After a long layoff, teams can go one of two ways: They can treat the restart as a new beginning or they can try to pick up where they left off. The Panthers are trying their best to achieve the latter.

On Tuesday, the top line impressed as Dadonov opened the scoring by beating superstar goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky for the first goal of the day. Bobrovsky was stout the rest of the way and his team wound up winning the scrimmage 3-1 after forwards Erik Haula, Owen Tippett and Acciari all scored.

“We obviously haven’t had that in a while,” Haula said of the live action. “It’s important that we get that right away, get the body acclimated to it and the pace of the play, just getting your brain back into it. Obviously, things are moving fast. The quicker we can get to that game speed inside of your head, the easier the game will get. Take it one day at a time and try to do better every day.”

The first day of August is shaping up to be one of the busiest days ever on the South Florida sports calendar. The Panthers, Miami Heat and Miami Marlins will all be in action, and the three games are spread out in a way for viewers to spend basically all day glued to their couches.

The NHL announced game times for the qualifying round and Florida will open up the postseason at 4 p.m. against the Islanders. Both Games 2 and 3 — on Aug. 4 and 5, respectively — will start at noon. Game times for a potential Game 4 and 5 are still to be determined. The Panthers will also play the Tampa Bay Lightning in an exhibition game July 29 at noon.

Aug. 1, for those keeping track, features the Heat’s first seeding game against the Denver Nuggets at 1 p.m., the Panthers’ postseason opener at 4 p.m. and a Marlins game against the defending World Series champion Washington Nationals at 6 p.m. 1188126 Florida Panthers

Why Panthers center Noel Acciari is heading to bubble even after birth of newborn son

BY DAVID WILSON

JULY 14, 2020 03:28 PM

Greyson Drew Acciari will be less than a month old when the Florida Panthers depart for Toronto to enter a bubble and play in the NHL’s expanded postseason, so Noel Acciari faced an agonizing decision to make. The center wants to help his Panthers make a run through the Stanley Cup playoffs, but he also has a newborn child to worry about.

Ultimately, he decided he’s off to Canada to take part in the NHL’s COVID-19 restart and square off against the New York Islanders in the qualifying round next month.

“It was a big decision,” Acciari said Monday. “With bringing in a new child, my wife and I talked about it, and this is our job. We’re paid to be here and our ultimate goal is to win the Stanley Cup, and to have the opportunity to be playing for it is something special and you don’t always get that opportunity.”

Kate Acciari, the forward’s wife, gave birth to the couple’s first child last Tuesday — less than a week before Phase 3 of the NHL’s return-to-play plan began. Typically, the birth would have coincided with hockey’s offseason, giving Acciari plenty of time to raise his son through the first few months of his life. Instead, the coronavirus pandemic triggered a fourth-month shutdown for the NHL, and now the league’s top 24 teams are supposed to head to one of two Canadian hub cities next week to crown a champion. For at least a few weeks, Acciari will have to leave behind his wife and newborn son.

Florida could exit the bubble as soon as mid-August if it loses to the Islanders in the qualifying round. It could also be in a bubble until October if it gets all the way to the Stanley Cup Final. Acciari, who scored 20 goals and dished out seven assists in the regular season, wants to be with his teammates however long the season lasts.

“It’s going to be tough to leave Grayson for the first potential two months of his life,” Acciari said, “but hopefully we can bring back the Cup, and it’ll all be worth it.”

With assistant coach Mike Kitchen opting out of the NHL’s return-to-play plan Monday, the Panthers will also enlist some coaching help from their AHL Springfield affiliate. Geordie Kinnear, coach of the Springfield Thunderbirds, will join Florida when it travels into the bubble next month to serve as the staff’s “eye in the sky” in Toronto, watching games from up in a box.

“It was a difficult decision to say the least, but the right decision for me and my family.” – Kitchen.

With Kitchen staying behind, Florida will have to divvy up some of the coach’s responsibilities. Andrew Brunette will take on a larger role in setting the defense, and Derek MacKenzie will handle the penalty kill. The two assistant coaches will coach from the bench with Joel Quenneville. Brunette had primarily spent games up in the box this season.

Still, Kitchen will have a role to play from South Florida.

“We wish him the best with health as we go through this,” Quenneville said. “Obviously, we’ll be in touch with Kitch. He’ll be a part of our staff. He’s influential in decisions we make, and how we change the [defense] and how we run the [penalty kill].”

Miami Herald LOADED: 07.15.2020 1188127 Florida Panthers It has been true since the day he signed his deal that Florida’s hopes of returning to the playoffs and making a run relied on elite play from the net — the axiom of riding a hot goaltender to postseason glory.

Panthers’ Sergei Bobrovsky is refreshed and ready to lead Florida in There’s pressure that comes with being the $70-million man with 34 NHL playoffs career playoff games and the hopes of a franchise resting sizably in your glove. It stands to reason there was some bumps in finding comfort.

But a couple weeks out, Bobrovsky is optimistic that those By MAX MARCOVITCH inconsistencies are in his past, that he’s adjusted to his new home. And that he can lead a playoff run when the playoffs commence on Aug. 1. SOUTH FLORIDA SUN SENTINEL “It’s a unique situation for everybody, but on the line, there’s a lot on the JUL 14, 2020 AT 3:57 PM line,” Bobrovsky said. “There is a Stanley Cup and that’s what most of the hockey players, including me, have dreamed about. So it’s, at this point, my approach is go day-by-day and try to put together everything After Monday’s practice ended, Florida Panthers coaches gathered to and be ready to do what’s happening the first game.” share their thoughts. The day carried a “first day of school” feel, and coaches were eager to converse about what they saw.

Once gathered, one by one, they unanimously praised the performance Sun Sentinel LOADED: 07.15.2020 of goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky.

“[Goaltenders coach Rob] Tallas wasn’t in our meeting when we were talking about it and I go, ‘We’ll ask Tallas what he thought,' because when you don’t notice goalies that’s a good thing,” coach Joel Quenneville said Monday. “And he was raving on how well Bob did.”

That was a welcome sign for the Panthers brass, who had not all been together since mid-March and had not seen Bobrovsky on the ice since late February, when he went down with a lower-body injury. He was on the mend, nearing a return to play, when the coronavirus pandemic abruptly suspended play across the league.

But the ensuing four months without hockey have been a reprieve, Bobrovsky said Tuesday.

Much was expected of Bobrovsky entering the 2020 season, after inking a seven-year, $70 million deal that made him the second-highest paid goaltender in the NHL by average annual salary, behind Montreal Canadiens net-minder Carey Price. But the level of play hasn’t met those expectations yet.

In 50 games this season, Bobrovsky has allowed a career-worst .323 goals against average. His .900 save percentage is his lowest since his second year in the league with the Philadelphia Flyers. The Panthers have won just 23 of his 48 starts.

Time off, in turn, was as much about resetting mentally as it was physically.

“It’s been a good time for me,” Bobrovsky. “I was able to take some time for rest and was able to get some time for training, good training. I feel I am in good shape, physically and mentally, and I’m excited about this opportunity.”

Quenneville and Bobrovsky both mentioned the goaltender was working closely with Tallas to make minor mechanical tweaks, changes Bobrovsky said were “very small” and that “most of the people don’t really understand what we’re talking about.”

For him — after 10 years in the league, including twice winning the Vezina Trophy, awarded for the best goaltender in the NHL — it’s always been more about finding a mental stasis than overhauling his mechanics.

Finding a rhythm in his new home. Building chemistry with new teammates. Winning games.

“It’s just, I would say, more the mental setup, just to be patient and let the things come to you,” he said. “It’s the mental approach, just I would say, be relaxed and enjoy the experience.”

Added Quenneville: “He’s committed to doing whatever it takes, and during this re-evaluation phase I’ll say, with Tallas, they probably discovered some things they might look at differently. But I think it was a real good process, in talking with Tallis through the process, and Bob as well. Bob has had a great attitude about where he is and where he’s at today. "

Tuesday, Bobrovsky, like the rest of the team, returned to competitive play, starting in net for Team White in the team’s Red v. White scrimmage. He allowed just one goal in his team’s 3-1 victory. 1188128 Los Angeles Kings

11 Los Angeles pro sports franchises join forces in social justice fight

By ELLIOTT TEAFORD | [email protected] | Orange County Register

PUBLISHED: July 14, 2020 at 9:29 a.m. | UPDATED: July 14, 2020 at 9:29 a.m.

The widespread street protests for change in the wake of George Floyd’s death have largely come to an end, but the push to drive investment in communities of color and to make an ongoing impact for social justice continued Tuesday.

Eleven professional sports franchises in greater Los Angeles have joined forces to launch The ALLIANCE: Los Angeles, making a five-year commitment to “address racial injustice, develop educational opportunities and support other important issues” in communities of color.

The teams also will support the Play Equity Fund’s social justice movement in Los Angeles and Orange counties as well as the work of Accelerate Change Together (ACT) Anaheim. The aim is also to inspire additional movements for change throughout the nation.

The Angels, Chargers, Clippers, Dodgers, Ducks, Kings, Galaxy, Lakers, Los Angeles Football Club, Rams and Sparks have joined forces to form The ALLIANCE: Los Angeles and to continue their individual charitable efforts across the region.

“The ALLIANCE: Los Angeles is an unprecedented collaboration by sports organizations recognizing the impact they can have by working together, and they should be commended for seeking to make significant changes in communities of color,” Renata Simril, president of the Play Equity Fund, said in a statement. “The Los Angeles region is one of the most competitive markets, and sports is one of the world’s most competitive industries. But these organizations are putting their competitive instincts aside to work collaboratively for social justice.”

The ALLIANCE: Los Angeles will join with the Play Equity Fund to hold a Sports for Social Justice Symposium on July 22, with leaders from the franchises as well as social justice leaders and sports commentators. The webinar will coincide with National Youth Sports Week (July 20-24).

Orange County Register: LOADED: 07.15.2020 1188129 Los Angeles Kings The initiative will be guided and influenced by Blake Bolden, who joined the Kings approximately six months ago as an AHL scout. Bolden will now serve as AHL Scout/Growth and Inclusion Specialist. She will retain her scouting duties while working in partnership with Kings executive LA KINGS JOIN THE ALLIANCE: LOS ANGELES AS PART OF leadership, Kings Care Foundation and Hockey Development ORGANIZATIONAL INCLUSION INITIATIVE departments to define diversity and inclusion initiatives both internally and externally.

“We’ve definitely been working,” Bolden said. “The Kings Executive BY ZACH DOOLEY FOR LAKINGSINSIDER.COM leadership has responded quickly and are working diligently to prioritize JULY 14, 2020 the eradication of racism and inclusion in our game. Personally, these initiatives give me tremendous hope for the future.

“My hiring 6 months ago is a perfect example of the many contributions The LA Kings announced this morning that the organization has joined made to promote diversity in our sport. I am honored to work closely with “The ALLIANCE: Los Angeles”, as a part of the organization’s inclusion an organization that has been and continues to do great work to create initiative. As a part of their efforts, the Kings have created “The LA Kings systemic change.” Inclusion Initiative”, a program designed to contribute to building equity in sports and within the front office, while helping to eradicate racism in and In 2015 Bolden became the first black professional women’s hockey around the world of hockey. player. She’s played hockey professionally in both the Canadian Women’s Hockey League and National Women’s Hockey League This is such an exciting announcement. The Kings are very proud, and following a standout playing career at Boston College. She has also me personally, I am so excited about The ALLIANCE. We are here played overseas and represented the U.S. in several international hockey because of sports, and sports are such a positive in people’s lives. I’m a tournaments. sports fan, I’m a professional athlete, and from pro sports all the way to youth sports, it brings people together. While sports teams do hold a The Kings will announce more specific details of the LA Kings Inclusion special place for fans, as an athlete, we can work to create more Initiative in the coming weeks, including the organization’s first-ever free, opportunities in youth sports for young people who have been left out. week-long youth hockey camp. Looking back, it was just a coincidence that I played hockey. I was the In a collaboration to pursue change in communities of color and develop only black person in every rink that I went to, black women included. My meaningful programs, the 11 professional sports organizations in greater mom just so happened to date a man that loved the game of hockey, I Los Angeles have joined together to launch The ALLIANCE: Los was brought to games, I watched it, and those players inspired me to say Angeles, a comprehensive five-year commitment to drive investment and “hey, I want to pick up a stick.” Growing up in a black community, it was impact for social justice through sport. evident that the challenges and the access that I have, it just wasn’t fair, and I don’t want it to be a coincidence anymore for more black and brown Following the recent protests nationwide, the 11 teams have united to kids to be playing more sports. That just goes against everything that we address racial injustice, develop educational opportunities, and support stand for, those unfairnesses. We are committed to doing more and other important issues facing communities of color, particularly Black more, getting involved in meaningful ways as allies in the fight against communities. The 11 teams will advocate for social justice, address racial injustices. We want to level that playing field, drive more disparities and take actions to help end racial inequality. This opportunities for youth in sports, because sports have that powerful commitment includes supporting the Play Equity Fund’s social justice impact on youth. With The ALLIANCE, this is a chance to show the real movement in communities across greater Los Angeles, and in Orange power of sport. County amplifying the work of Accelerate Change Together (ACT) Anaheim. These innovative cooperative response models of engagement It’s truthful that hockey is a predominantly white sport and with that, we are aimed to inspire similar actions nationally. are just really trying to eradicate racism around the world of hockey, and really create some inclusion within our game. I think, number one, we just The 11 professional sports teams that form The ALLIANCE: Los Angeles have to be diligent in expressing to our fans that we want to diversify and include the Anaheim Ducks, Los Angeles Angels, Los Angeles Chargers, we want to bring people of color into our game, because representation LA Clippers, Los Angeles Dodgers, Los Angeles Football Club, LA matters. I think going out there in the community, having ball hockey Galaxy, LA Kings, Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Rams and Los initiatives, working with YMCA’s and other LA public schools is Angeles Sparks. The ALLIANCE: Los Angeles was formed in addition to something that we’re definitely going to do, and we have a lot of the robust efforts of the teams’ community affairs departments and initiatives coming up. We just launched our LA Kings Inclusion Initiative foundations, which will continue their charitable activities across the today, which we’re really excited about, and I think with our executive region. committee, you’ll see a lot of things coming out of the LA Kings and I’m sure with the Ducks as well. “The ALLIANCE: Los Angeles has been forged specifically to create positive change in underserved communities, with an emphasis on Black From The LA Kings – communities,” said a spokesperson for The ALLIANCE: Los Angeles. “All 11 teams are united in their dedication to this effort and recognize driving The LA Kings, in conjunction with today’s historic announcement of THE change is a long-term commitment. Through sports and social ALLIANCE: Los Angeles program, have announced the creation of a new programming, we aim to work in communities to affect structural changes organizational initiative – The LA Kings Inclusion Initiative – a program on levels that have a lasting impact.” designed to contribute to building equity in sports and within the front office, while helping to eradicate racism in and around the world of The ALLIANCE: Los Angeles is partnering with the Play Equity Fund to hockey. manage this initiative in greater Los Angeles.

The goal is to contribute to the fight to end racism by tackling the A 501(c)3 public charity, the Play Equity Fund was established in Los systemic issues in our city and industry, while creating opportunity and Angeles to drive social change across communities through sport. It is equity in hockey. The LA Kings Inclusion Initiative also aims to further the only nonprofit worldwide dedicated to Play Equity as a social justice align with key allies in our game and sports overall, and this Initiative will issue to bring the transformative power of sport and structured play to include all aspects of the organization down to our affiliates with Ontario youth – regardless of their race, socioeconomic status or gender – who and into our development systems. have been left behind by the current system.

“Diversity and Inclusion are critically important for our organization. The Orange County-based franchises will expand upon their established Amidst all of the outcry that was amplified with the murder of George partnership of investing in organizations and programs making positive Floyd and countless others, and the recurring evidence of systemic change. Formed in 2013 by the Ducks, Angels and Disneyland Resort, racism in our society, we have devoted an enormous amount of time the Accelerate Change Together (ACT) Anaheim collaborative was looking inward at our organization and our sport at all levels here locally created to address the urgent needs of Anaheim’s at-risk youth and in Los Angeles,” said LA Kings Chief Operating Officer Kelly Cheeseman. families. “It is clearly evident that we can do more to contribute to systemic change.” “The ALLIANCE: Los Angeles is an unprecedented collaboration by sports organizations recognizing the impact they can have by working together, and they should be commended for seeking to make significant changes in communities of color,” said Renata Simril, President of the Play Equity Fund. “The Los Angeles region is one of the world’s most competitive markets, and sports is one of the world’s most competitive industries. But these organizations are putting their competitive instincts aside to work collaboratively for social justice.”

The term social justice can be broadly defined as the degree of fairness or justice in the opportunities and access to resources, wealth, political representation, and privileges within a given society. In neighborhoods with high poverty rates, opportunities to play – a globally recognized fundamental human right of childhood – oftentimes do not exist, particularly for kids of color.

Barriers include the elimination or reduction of enrichment of programs, budget challenges for afterschool programs including sports, safe passage to playgrounds, transportation, lack of trained and well-paid coaches and the rising costs of athletics and intramural programs. These factors severely limit access and opportunities for kids of color to build a pathway to lifelong wellbeing. The pro teams of the ALLIANCE: Los Angeles are united in their determination to combat this injustice.

The ALLIANCE: Los Angeles and the Play Equity Fund will hold a Sports for Social Justice Symposium on July 22, to coincide with National Youth Sports Week, which is July 20-24. This webinar will include leaders from the sports organizations, as well as social justice leaders and sports commentators.

LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 07.15.2020 1188130 Minnesota Wild playoffs when time and space can decrease because of an uptick in physicality.

Already, Fiala envisions Staal and Greenway’s proficiency in the corners Wild's Kevin Fiala: 'I feel I'm going to be the same player' leading to cycle play — movement that could create scoring opportunities for Fiala.

“I feel I’m going to be the same player,” he said. By Sarah McLellan Star Tribune Evason is confident, too, and among Wild personnel, he might know JULY 14, 2020 — 11:35PM Fiala best.

As the previous head coach of Nashville’s minor league team, Evason oversaw Fiala’s adjustment from Europe after the Predators drafted him As soon as the pass landed on his stick, Kevin Fiala was striding toward in 2014 — a transition that included growing pains as the Switzerland the net, pulling the puck back just once before flinging it behind the native had to learn the North American game. goalie. “I’ve had some tough fights with him, small fights,” Fiala said. “But in the The finish ended up being the last goal the Wild would score in the end, I’m very happy that he showed me the way.” regular season, capping off a 5-4 overtime victory in Anaheim on March 8. But the play meant more than that. It was also the latest exclamation Evason has enjoyed watching this evolution by Fiala, and their journey point in Fiala’s emergence as a dynamic scorer. together is far from over. Both are now ushering the Wild into a new era in which each is key to the team’s success. “With that goal, you can kind of see the confidence,” said center Eric Staal, who didn’t play that game but still remembers watching the “To watch the process that he’s gone through, from when he first came highlight. “It had been building for a while, but he was definitely that over to where he is now, it’s exciting because of the work that he’s put in, player that you wanted to have the puck there. That’s been kind of the the maturity that he’s gained, the teammate that he’s become, the player theme for the last couple weeks before we ended up stopping, and you that he’s become — it’s all Kevin,” Evason said. “It’s within him.” just want to pick that back up.”

Fiala was arguably the Wild’s most important second-half catalyst, helping drive the team toward playoff contention and, ultimately, a Star Tribune LOADED: 07.15.2020 qualifying-round matchup against Vancouver next month as part of the NHL’s return.

As a result, the 23-year-old winger also has become the face of the aggressive, up-tempo pace the Wild is pursuing under recently minted head coach Dean Evason — a fitting partnership, because the two have history that precedes the Wild.

Kirill Kaprizov’s addition next season undoubtedly makes this playing style more sustainable, but so does Fiala’s contributions if he keeps delivering.

And whether he rediscovers that prowess could shape the Wild’s postseason potential.

“That will be the challenge,” Evason said. “Not that Kevin was flying under the radar, but people know he’s a high-offensive, talented guy on the Minnesota Wild, so teams are gonna concentrate on trying to shut him down. So that’ll be a real challenge for him to fight through adversity in all areas of the game.

“Is it unrealistic that he slips back in? I don’t think so because I think you’ve seen his work ethic. He’s likely been the guy that’s been on the ice the most. So he’s a rink rat. He’s a guy that just wants to get on the ice, and so honestly we don’t foresee him taking a step anywhere but forward.”

Before the season paused in mid-March, Fiala and the Wild were one of the NHL’s most offensive combos.

Over the course of the 12 games Evason coached after taking over from the fired Bruce Boudreau, the Wild scored a league-leading 43 goals and only two players in the NHL had more goals than Fiala in that span. Going back to his last 18 games, Fiala scored the second most in the league in that time with 18.

While his individual skills were on display — such as that overtime winner in Anaheim — Fiala has frequently pointed out the support he had on the ice was helpful in his surge, and the Wild was presenting a five-man attack in the offensive zone.

Not only were forwards chasing down pucks and closing gaps, but the defense joined the push — pressure that led to sustained quality time in the offensive zone. Considering the results — an 8-4 record — this approach worked without making the Wild too vulnerable defensively.

“It’s not going to be just Kevin that’s going to be the difference,” Staal said. “It’s going to be everybody collectively. But Kevin’s going to be a big part of that.”

Through two days of training camp, Fiala has worked with Staal and winger Jordan Greenway on what looks like the top line, and this could be the duo that helps Fiala’s speed and shot make a difference in the 1188131 Minnesota Wild

Wild will play Colorado in exhibition game in Edmonton on July 29

By Sarah McLellan

JULY 14, 2020 — 5:29PM

The NHL announced exhibition games and some game times as it resumes play with postseason games in Toronto and Edmonton.

The Wild will play Colorado in an exhibition game on Wednesday, July 29, at 1:30 Central time in Edmonton.

Game times are also set for the Wild's first two games against Vancouver in a best-of-five play-in series. Game 1 is Sunday, Aug. 2, at 9:30 Central and Game 2 is Tuesday, Aug. 4, at 9:45 Central.

Game 3 on Thursday, Aug. 6 has a game time to be determined. If necessary, Game 4 is Aug. 7 and Game 5 is Aug. 9.

Star Tribune LOADED: 07.15.2020 1188132 Minnesota Wild playoffs when time and space can decrease because of an uptick in physicality.

Already, Fiala envisions Staal and Greenway’s proficiency in the corners Wild's Kevin Fiala: 'I feel I'm going to be the same player' leading to cycle play — movement that could create scoring opportunities for Fiala.

“I feel I’m going to be the same player,” he said. By Sarah McLellan Star Tribune Evason is confident, too, and among Wild personnel, he might know JULY 14, 2020 — 11:35PM Fiala best.

As the previous head coach of Nashville’s minor league team, Evason oversaw Fiala’s adjustment from Europe after the Predators drafted him As soon as the pass landed on his stick, Kevin Fiala was striding toward in 2014 — a transition that included growing pains as the Switzerland the net, pulling the puck back just once before flinging it behind the native had to learn the North American game. goalie. “I’ve had some tough fights with him, small fights,” Fiala said. “But in the The finish ended up being the last goal the Wild would score in the end, I’m very happy that he showed me the way.” regular season, capping off a 5-4 overtime victory in Anaheim on March 8. But the play meant more than that. It was also the latest exclamation Evason has enjoyed watching this evolution by Fiala, and their journey point in Fiala’s emergence as a dynamic scorer. together is far from over. Both are now ushering the Wild into a new era in which each is key to the team’s success. “With that goal, you can kind of see the confidence,” said center Eric Staal, who didn’t play that game but still remembers watching the “To watch the process that he’s gone through, from when he first came highlight. “It had been building for a while, but he was definitely that over to where he is now, it’s exciting because of the work that he’s put in, player that you wanted to have the puck there. That’s been kind of the the maturity that he’s gained, the teammate that he’s become, the player theme for the last couple weeks before we ended up stopping, and you that he’s become — it’s all Kevin,” Evason said. “It’s within him.” just want to pick that back up.”

Fiala was arguably the Wild’s most important second-half catalyst, helping drive the team toward playoff contention and, ultimately, a Star Tribune LOADED: 07.15.2020 qualifying-round matchup against Vancouver next month as part of the NHL’s return.

As a result, the 23-year-old winger also has become the face of the aggressive, up-tempo pace the Wild is pursuing under recently minted head coach Dean Evason — a fitting partnership, because the two have history that precedes the Wild.

Kirill Kaprizov’s addition next season undoubtedly makes this playing style more sustainable, but so does Fiala’s contributions if he keeps delivering.

And whether he rediscovers that prowess could shape the Wild’s postseason potential.

“That will be the challenge,” Evason said. “Not that Kevin was flying under the radar, but people know he’s a high-offensive, talented guy on the Minnesota Wild, so teams are gonna concentrate on trying to shut him down. So that’ll be a real challenge for him to fight through adversity in all areas of the game.

“Is it unrealistic that he slips back in? I don’t think so because I think you’ve seen his work ethic. He’s likely been the guy that’s been on the ice the most. So he’s a rink rat. He’s a guy that just wants to get on the ice, and so honestly we don’t foresee him taking a step anywhere but forward.”

Before the season paused in mid-March, Fiala and the Wild were one of the NHL’s most offensive combos.

Over the course of the 12 games Evason coached after taking over from the fired Bruce Boudreau, the Wild scored a league-leading 43 goals and only two players in the NHL had more goals than Fiala in that span. Going back to his last 18 games, Fiala scored the second most in the league in that time with 18.

While his individual skills were on display — such as that overtime winner in Anaheim — Fiala has frequently pointed out the support he had on the ice was helpful in his surge, and the Wild was presenting a five-man attack in the offensive zone.

Not only were forwards chasing down pucks and closing gaps, but the defense joined the push — pressure that led to sustained quality time in the offensive zone. Considering the results — an 8-4 record — this approach worked without making the Wild too vulnerable defensively.

“It’s not going to be just Kevin that’s going to be the difference,” Staal said. “It’s going to be everybody collectively. But Kevin’s going to be a big part of that.”

Through two days of training camp, Fiala has worked with Staal and winger Jordan Greenway on what looks like the top line, and this could be the duo that helps Fiala’s speed and shot make a difference in the 1188133 Minnesota Wild Pioneer Press LOADED: 07.15.2020

Wild say training camp is off to strong start after long hiatus

By JACE FREDERICK | [email protected] | Pioneer Press

PUBLISHED: July 14, 2020 at 6:07 p.m. | UPDATED: July 14, 2020 at 6:08 p.m.

Kevin Fiala spent much of the NHL’s four-month hiatus in Sweden, skating and working out with few coronavirus-related restrictions. Many of his teammates remained in the U.S., some unable to do much of anything related to training, depending on where they were and what they had at their disposal.

So it would only make sense to see rather large disparities in fitness level and sharpness between Wild players when training camp opened this week in St. Paul.

But that hasn’t been the case.

“You know what? No. Honestly,” Wild coach Dean Evason said. “And there’s a few guys that we know that weren’t on the ice but for a handful of times, and they look the same. … It doesn’t look from our vantage point that there’s a huge separation between guys.”

Which is a welcome sight for a team that is just a couple weeks away from stepping into a playoff series with Vancouver. Even Fiala said he felt “way better” Monday than he expected. That’s not to say the first two days of training camp at the TRIA Rink in St. Paul have been physically intensive. Evason said the team has tried to achieve a “good pace” for maybe 20-25 minutes each day, before slowing it down.

That pace has been achieved.

“I’ve been in a lot of practices over my career, a lot of games, and I think both practices were designed well for the layoff that we’ve had and getting up to speed,” veteran Wild center Eric Staal said. “But as far as the pace and the energy … I mean, the energy I assumed would be there, just because of the time and everybody has that excitement to get back out there, but the pace has been what I have been impressed (with). Even the execution has been better. … As far as these first two days have gone, I felt like it’s been going really well.”

Evason said the Wild will get into more systematic work Wednesday, and Staal said it will be telling how guys feel physically after the fourth and fifth days of camp. Minnesota’s first intrasquad scrimmage is set for Saturday. Evason said strength and conditioning coach Sean Skahan monitors the players at each practice and gives full reports. And the coaching staff has kept open lines of communication with the players.

Evason was adamant that it’s not a bad thing if players tell him a certain drill or practice was particularly challenging, as adjustments can be made as necessary. But that hasn’t been the case thus far.

“So hopefully we can continue as a staff to continue to do the right things,” Evason said, “and go like this (upward trajectory) as far as not getting those serious bumps and bruises and pulls and what have you and soreness in order to get going for (our first game on Aug. 2).”

That’s not to say he’s taking it easy on the team. There were multiple occasions Tuesday in which things weren’t being executed properly, and the coach let his players know about it.

“We do it constantly, it’s just an attention to detail. If we ask them to get their skates on the blue line and they don’t, then we stop it and we do a little over and back (skate),” Evason said. “It’s just details, dialing it in and attention to detail. That’s no different than your practice when we first took over. … We stop it, and we do it right. I think most coaches do that. Those two situations this morning, we’ll continue to do that. But we were out there an hour, and only to have that happen a couple times is pretty good already.”

Staal said that mind-set of holding everyone accountable is what players want in a coach.

“It was a good second day,” Staal said. “We’ll keep building and be ready again (on Wednesday), and we’ll just keep our group focused on what we’re trying to accomplish when we head out to Edmonton.” 1188134 Montreal Canadiens “We want to be part of the conversation,” John Tavares, the team’s captain, said. “We need to stand up against racism in all forms in our society and in our community here in Toronto.”

NHL teams get taste of pandemic hockey as first day of summer camp Tavares is delighted to have an opportunity to complete the season. unfolds “I think we all feel very fortunate to get this chance,” he said.

The biggest challenge, of course, will be to stay healthy. Marty Klinkenberg “We’ve seen cases rise in the U.S.,” Tavares said. “We have to be really smart and really understand how you [are] exposed[d]. It’s a crucial time.”

The Maple Leafs and 23 other NHL teams got their first taste of Players were split into two groups in their first day back and took part in pandemic hockey on Monday as the league moved closer to a return to fast-paced scrimmages. They were given little time to rest between shifts play after a four-month pause due to the spread of COVID-19. as a means to help them regain playing condition.

Toronto president Brendan Shanahan, general manager Kyle Dubas and Ilya Mikheyev, a promising rookie from Russia who was sidelined on head coach Sheldon Keefe all wore face coverings as the first day of an Dec. 27 when an artery and tendons were severed in his right wrist, unprecedented two-week summer camp unfolded at the Ford looked especially sharp. So did Andersen and Nick Robertson, an 18- Performance Centre. year-old left wing who scored 55 goals in 46 games this year for Peterborough in the Ontario Hockey League. It was unusually quiet at first as players followed netminder Frederik Andersen onto the ice. The silence was broken only by the sound of Mostly, players were happy after months of boredom and isolation. pucks raking against the boards and clanking off goalposts and “It’s just nice to be back, to be in Toronto with all of my teammates, doing crossbars. what we all love,” Matthews said. A smaller-than-usual gathering of journalists watched from carefully Morgan Rielly said the biggest adjustment he has had to make is to wear spaced positions marked with Xs on the floor to assure physical a mask at all times when off the ice. Zach Hyman professed to getting distancing. Health screenings were done and temperature readings were used to the precautions, and says he has now been tested for COVID-19 taken before members of the media were admitted to the arena. Face countless times. masks were mandatory. “It is the new normal for the Stanley Cup playoffs,” Hyman said. Six Canadian NHL teams joined 18 American counterparts in opening training camp yesterday in their respective cities. The teams are The NHL has returned after a long layoff with a vast number of safety preparing for the NHL's restart, which begins Aug. 1 in Toronto and measures in place. All interviews with players and coaches are now Edmonton. The Canadian Press being done via Zoom.

The same measures were implemented by each of the two-dozen Everyone thinks that is fine. Not so long ago, they were worried that organizations that are preparing for rejigged playoffs that begin with a hockey was done, perhaps for a long time. qualifying round on Aug. 1, provided the contagious respiratory illness can be kept in check. “I think everybody had those concerns,” Keefe said. “There was so much uncertainty. I was afraid we wouldn’t be able to come back.” The Pittsburgh Penguins sidelined nine team members on Monday who are feared to have been exposed secondarily to the novel coronavirus. Around the league, 43 players have tested positive so far, including Globe And Mail LOADED: 07.15.2020 Maple Leafs star Auston Matthews.

The 22-year-old contracted COVID-19 near his home in Arizona last month.

“I can’t really pinpoint when and where I got it,” Matthews said on a video call with sportswriters after practice. Matthews said he had no symptoms, but was forced to quarantine for two weeks.

Anxious teammates reached out to him when they heard he might be ill.

“I saw the report and texted him right away,” Mitch Marner said. “This is not a joke, and it is nothing to take lightly.”

A half-dozen players opted to not return to their teams because they or their family members have pre-existing health conditions that make it especially risky if they came down with the virus. Montreal’s Max Domi, who has Type-1 diabetes, has reached an agreement with the Canadiens to wait another week to 10 days before he decides.

All but one of the 34 players Toronto invited to camp participated on the first day. The only person missing was defenceman Timothy Liljegren, who spent most of the season in the American Hockey League.

“Timothy was unfit to play here today,” Keefe said vaguely.

So much has changed since hockey crashed to a halt on March 12. More than 571,000 deaths have been attributed to COVID-19 worldwide, and protests against racial injustice have spread over the deaths of Black men at the hands of white police officers.

In recognition of that, Maple Leafs players will wear Black Lives Matter T- shirts beneath their jerseys from now until the end of the season. They donned them as a group for the first time on Monday.

“We wanted to continue that message and stand with the movement,” Matthews said. “I try to treat everybody equally. I try to judge [people] by their heart and their character, not by their race.”

The initiative was driven by the players and supported by management. 1188135 Montreal Canadiens lot of areas that we’re good, but other areas that we thought we could improve. So we worked on that and then we also took time to look at Pittsburgh and then what we did against them and didn’t do against them and then they’re strengths and weaknesses throughout the whole year.” Stu on Sports: Canadiens getting used to 'new normal' at training camp The Canadiens had a 1-1-1 record against the Penguins during the regular season. The Canadiens won 4-1 in Pittsburgh on Dec. 10, lost 3- 2 in overtime at the Bell Centre on Jan. 4, and lost 4-1 in Pittsburgh on Stu Cowan • Montreal Gazette Feb. 14. Publishing date:Jul 14, 2020 “I guess the situation has allowed us to really prepare well for what’s about to come,” Julien said. “Right now, this week has been committed to really working on our game, our overall game, not specifically against the The Canadiens are getting used to their “new normal” at the Bell Sports Penguins. But hopefully those things will help us against the Penguins, Complex in Brossard during Phase 3 of the NHL’s Return to Play Plan. but more so about ourselves. Next week we plan on attacking and preparing in consequence with the Pittsburgh Penguins.” One of the changes is that the Canadiens are using several locker rooms with only four players in each one during training camp. Julien added that he has been impressed by the fitness level of his players after four months off because of the COVID-19 pandemic. “Everywhere we go, we’re wearing masks,” forward Jake Evans said during a videoconference Tuesday after the Canadiens practised on Day “For the conditioning, it was very unique as far as players,” the coach 2 of training camp. “Even when we’re getting dressed, we’re wearing said. “Some skated more regularly than others. Some we didn’t anticipate masks. The only time we’re not wearing masks is when we’re working out would have much of an opportunity, depending on where everybody and on the ice. So definitely a different setup. Guys are more spread out, lives. I can honestly say we’re presently surprised. I think we’re further but we’re obviously just trying to be very cautious and smart about our ahead than what we had anticipated probably two months ago when we decisions. So I think the team is doing a great job of trying to prevent this first looked at it as the following months progressed. (COVID-19).” “(The players) were finding ice time, they were finding ways to keep The same four players will share a locker room each day. themselves in shape. So we were able to, I guess, adjust our mini-camp to a level that would be more suited for the conditioning that they were in. “There’s a lot of precautions being taken and I think the team’s doing a So I like what I’ve seen in the first couple of days.” good job of that,” Evans said. Evans played 13 games with the Canadiens at the end of the regular Coach Claude Julien said during another videoconference after practice season after getting called up from the AHL’s Laval Rocket and posted 2- that he likes how smoothly things have gone during the first two days of 1-3 totals and a plus-1 while averaging 10:21 of ice time and winning training camp. 51.8 per cent of his faceoffs. In 51 games with the Rocket, the 24-year- “And when I say that, you got to give a lot of people credit,” Julien added. old had 14-24-38 totals and was minus-5. “Obviously, our No. 1 criteria through all of this with the NHL is to protect Evans has been skating on the fourth line during the first two days of the players. … I think our medical staff, training staff and everybody training camp and is obviously hoping to be in the lineup when the involved have done a great job of creating a really safe and comfortable Canadiens face the Penguins. Evans’s fifth game in the NHL was against atmosphere here right now. Those first two days have been great. the Penguins in Pittsburgh on Feb. 14 when the Canadiens lost 4-1. He “I like the way the schedule’s been put together,” the coach continued. “It remembers looking across the ice at Penguins superstars Sidney Crosby seems to be working really well for us. Everything has been tightened up, and Evgeni Malkin during the pregame warmup. from video watching to gym work to on ice. The less time the players “Seeing them in warmups and realizing you’re actually going to be spend here the better it is and the safer it’s going to remain. So we’re playing against those guys is a pretty cool experience,” Evans recalled. doing a really good job, I think, as an organization here. I think the first “But then, once the game started, you wash it out. You obviously know two days have been way, way better than I even expected. I thought when they’re on the ice because of what they could do to you. But you’re there’d be glitches and there’d be some challenges, but everybody’s not really in awe of them anymore. You’re more focused on helping the done a wonderful job and a great job and all the little fine details have team. been looked after. So I like the direction we’re going right now.” “They’re guys you look up to growing up, so that was obviously a cool Captain Shea Weber didn’t take part in Tuesday’s practice, but did skate experience,” Evans added. “But for me, I remember they’re a very fast after it was over and also worked on his shot. Xavier Ouellet and Brett team and you don’t want to give them too many opportunities because Kulak missed practice for the second straight day. Josh Brook, who they can capitalize on those. That’s mainly what I remember from them. I missed practice on Monday, took part in Tuesday’s practice. know they’re an experienced team and have some older guys that have Julien said he expects Weber to take part in practice Wednesday. played a lot of games and played a lot of playoff games. So I think we’re going to be ready for that. I think we’re excited.” “That’s what I anticipate that he’ll be there tomorrow,” the coach said. “He went on the ice there today for a few minutes. So he just was unavailable One of the players Evans will be battling with for a spot on the roster is for practice today. I respect the speculations and all that stuff, there’s Jesperi Kotkaniemi, who has impressed Julien during the first two days of nothing we can do about it. We got to respect the protocols and the rules training camp. that the NHL has put in place.” Julien was asked how much his decision on whether Kotkaniemi plays or The NHL will only allow teams to announce that players were “unable to not will have to do with whether Max Domi decides to join the team. GM practise” as part of its Return to Play Plan. Marc Bergevin announced on Sunday that Domi, who has Type 1 diabetes and celiac disease, would wait 7-10 days before deciding Preparing for Penguins whether he will join the Canadiens during Phase 3.

The Canadiens will meet the Pittsburgh Penguins in their best-of-five “What I’d like to think, and what I’d like for Kotkaniemi to think, is that this first-round playoff series, with Game 1 slated for Saturday, Aug. 1 in week and next week if he can continue to show us how well he’s Toronto. Game 2 will be on Aug. 3 and Game 3 on Aug. 5 and the NHL progressed, because he’s skating way better than he did at the beginning announced Tuesday that the first three games will all be 8 p.m. starts. of last year. … We knew that he had knee surgery and the recovery and The NHL also announced that the Canadiens will play the Maple Leafs in everything else. You know, he’s still a 19-year-old player. He had his ups an exhibition game in Toronto on Tuesday, July 28 at 8 p.m. and downs and he had his challenges … but at the same time I like what Julien was asked Tuesday how much his practices during training camp I’m seeing right now. He seems to have a good pace to his game and his will be focused on preparing for the Penguins compared with improving skating. So we need to have a look at that. Just because right now Max what his own team is doing. isn’t here it doesn’t mean it automatically goes back to Kotkaniemi who’s going to be moved out of there. We’ll make those decisions as we move “For the last two months with our coaching staff we would meet through forward here.” teleconference, obviously,” he said. “We kind of worked on our own game, what we could do to improve our team in certain areas. There’s a Kotkaniemi, who turned 20 on July 6, had 6-2-8 totals and was minus-11 in 36 games with the Canadiens this season before getting sent down to the Rocket. In the AHL, Kotkaniemi had 1-12-13 totals in 13 games with the Rocket and was even in plus/minus before suffering a spleen injury during a game in Cleveland on March 6.

Tomas Tatar is one of seven Canadiens who can become unrestricted free agents after the 2020-21 season. The others are Brendan Gallagher, Phillip Danault, Joel Armia, Jordan Weal, Jeff Petry and Charlie Lindgren.

Dale Weise and Christian Folin can become unrestricted free agents after this season, while Domi, Charles Hudon, Victor Mete and Xavier Ouellet can become restricted free agents.

Tatar, who led the Canadiens in scoring this season with 22-39-61 totals, was asked during a videoconference Tuesday about the possibility of signing a contract extension.

“I’m sure there’s going to be a talk, but at this moment we’re just trying to focus (on being) back and there’s a big task ahead of us and I think that’s more important right now than dealing with this,” he said. “But I’m sure these talks will come eventually. But right now the focus is to be in a playoff and have a good battle against Pittsburgh.”

Tatar is in the third season of a four-year, US$21.2-million contract with an annual salary-cap hit of $5.3 million. When asked if he’s worried the financial hit the NHL will take because of COVID-19 will make it more difficult for him to get a good contract, Tatar said: “To be honest, I literally didn’t put any thoughts about it. I think during the pandemic you kind of push all these things aside, even the hockey. Everybody was just concerned about the health. Right now, with this return, honestly it’s been so focused on the playoffs and our next team. So we’ll see … we will definitely have this talk about what the extension will be like, what sort of opportunity I have.”

Tatar, 29, added that he’d love to stay with the Canadiens.

“I love Montreal, to be honest,” he said. “Fans have been really great to me, the organization is one of the highest in the league. I have a great time here. I think the locker room is very good. It’s a good market, for sure. I fell in love with the city. But, like I said, we will know more for sure once the talks will start.”

During Tuesday’s videoconferences with Julien, Evans and Tatar, the Canadiens had thankfully fixed most of the technical issues they had on Monday. There were still a few “can you hear me?” moments, along with one funny exchange between Julien and TSN’s John Lu.

After Paul Wilson, the Canadiens’ senior vice-president (public affairs and communications), said: “John, you’re up (to ask a question),” there were a few seconds of silence.

“I think we lost him,” Julien said..

“No, you got me here, Claude? You doing all right?” Lu asked.

“Yeah, John,” Julien said. “What are you wearing today?”

At that point, you could hear the other journalists in Brossard laughing in the background on the videoconference, but you have to understand that Lu is the most dapper dude who covers the Canadiens.

“I’m wearing a mask,” Lu replied.

“You’re wearing a mask … with a bow tie or something?” Julien said.

“A neck tie,” Lu replied. “You know what, maybe we have to get these zooms set up both ways so you can see us, too. You’re at a disadvantage.”

“I’ll make a call about that and see what we can do about it,” Julien said.

Montreal Gazette LOADED: 07.15.2020 1188136 Montreal Canadiens

Jesperi Kotkaniemi's improved skating impresses Claude Julien at Habs camp

Pat Hickey • Montreal Gazette

Publishing date:Jul 14, 2020

Four months ago, things were looking bleak for Jesperi Kotkaniemi, but he has a reason to be smiling again as the Canadiens prepare for the NHL Return to Play tournament next month.

The 20-year-old Finn was experiencing a sophomore jinx when the Canadiens sent him down to Laval on Feb. 1 to find his game. He responded by averaging a point a game through 13 games. But his season came to an abrupt halt when he suffered a spleen injury in Cleveland and there were some fears his career might be over.

But a healthy Kotkaniemi is back at the Canadiens’ training camp this week and coach Claude Julien is pleased with what he has seen.

“He’s skating much better,” said Julien, who noted that Kotkaniemi’s difficulties might have stemmed from knee surgery last summer, which interrupted his normal training program.

Kotkaniemi could be pressed into a key role when the Return to Play tournament gets underway on Aug. 1 because the Canadiens don’t know if Max Domi will be available. Domi, who is a Type 1 diabetic and also suffers from celiac disease, is taking some time to assess the risks to his health. If he’s not available, it will mean larger roles for Kotkaniemi and fellow 20-year-old Nick Suzuki.

Suzuki centred the No. 2 lone with Jonathan Drouin and Joel Armia Tuesday, while Kotkaniemi was between Paul Byron and Artturi Lehkonen on the third line.

The conventional wisdom is that both will move down the depth chart if Domi returns, but Julien suggested there would still be a place for both of them.

He said Suzuki appeared well rested after hitting a wall in the three weeks leading up to the halt. He had 13 goals and 41 points in 71 games, but he went eight games without a point before picking up an assist in the team’s final game against Nashville.

“What I’d like for Kotkaniemi, in the next few weeks, is that he continues to show us how well he’s progressed,” Julien said. “He’s skating way better than he did at the beginning of the year. We knew he had a knee surgery and the recovery and everything … he was still a 19-year-old player, he had his ups and downs, he had his challenges. Everybody knew that. But I like what I’m seeing right now, he seems to have a good pace to his game and his skating.”

Julien said he was pleased with the first two days of the camp.

“I like how smooth things have been going so far,” he said. “Obviously, the No. 1 priority throughout all of this is to protect the players and everyone involved. Our medical staff and training staff have done a really good job creating a safe and comfortable atmosphere here right now. The first two days have been great. The schedule has been working really well for us. Everything has been tightened up from video watching to on-ice training. The less time the players spend here, the better and safer it is. I think the first two days have been way better than I even expected.”

The team announced that captain Shea Weber was unable to practise, but he joined his teammates in the latter stages of the one-hour session and then stayed on the ice for some individual work with assistant coach Luke Richardson. Julien said he expected Weber to participate in Wednesday’s practice.

Josh Brook, who was absent from Day 1, was on the ice Tuesday, but Brett Kulak and Xavier Ouellet were missing for a second consecutive day.

Montreal Gazette LOADED: 07.15.2020 1188137 Montreal Canadiens be here shortly with the quarantine and the paperwork. In the long run, it’s going to help him tremendously.”

There are other factors at play here that we outlined Monday, such as Canadiens, agent racing against the clock to get Alexander Romanov to being able to get settled and acclimated in Montreal after the postseason. the bubble But even if Romanov’s time with the club is extremely short, there is still value there.

A lot of that value is named Shea Weber. By Arpon Basu Even though Weber will be focused on the postseason and taking full Jul 14, 2020 advantage of this opportunity at this stage of his career, something he does extremely well is helping young players feel comfortable and, most

importantly, like they are a part of the team. We’ve heard it from several One of the reasons the Canadiens signed Alexander Romanov of them over Weber’s time in Montreal. He does it for young players like immediately and burned the first year of his entry-level contract was to Victor Mete, for players who are in and out of the lineup like Charles get him to join the team as soon as possible to live the experience of Hudon, for anyone on the fringes of the group trying to find a way in. these unique playoffs and get to know his new teammates and staff. Weber is often that gateway, and that’s what he plans on doing for Romanov, no matter when he’s able to join the team. It was not the only reason, far from it, but it was considered an important part of it. “I think it’ll be like any young player that comes in here, we’ve got to integrate them into our team and welcome them in as quick as we can,” The Canadiens’ July 26 departure date for Toronto is still relatively far Weber said Monday. “I don’t think it’s going to be an exceptional, or a away, but the clock is ticking for Romanov to secure his visa for entry into different, unique circumstance. I think we’ll welcome him in, we’ll work Canada, something the team and his agent Dan Milstein are working with him as much as we can. hard to expedite. But right now, it is looking unlikely that Romanov will be able to secure his visa – which requires a medical and collecting “At the same time, he’s obviously a very capable player, a good player biometrics in addition to the paperwork – before Friday at the very and the team has confidence in him. So you want to just make sure he earliest. Perhaps that changes, perhaps they find a way to speed up the feels comfortable here and I think he’ll slide right in.” process between now and then, but that was the situation as of Tuesday. It is already known that Romanov will not get to play any games for the Romanov was unable to apply for a visa until he had a signed contract Canadiens, but in the eyes of coach Claude Julien, that matters little to with the Canadiens, which only happened Monday, even though they what he can gain. agreed to terms on May 8. It was delayed because the NHL insisted that “Whether the player is in the lineup every game or in the lineup for players like Romanov not be allowed to participate in the return to play certain games, the fact he is with the team, the fact he will get the tournament, while the NHLPA felt they should be allowed because experience of living through this situation – because we know that players signing entry-level contracts in March in the past were permitted whenever we play in the playoffs, you can see it’s much more intense to play in the Stanley Cup playoffs. Because of the dispute, Romanov than it is in the regular season. The stakes are much higher. There’s a lot had to wait for the CBA and return to play protocol to be ratified before he more drive. There’s a lot more focus,” Canadiens coach Claude Julien could sign his contract. said Tuesday. “You usually see the players after an 82-game season. If Romanov were to receive his visa Friday, that would free him up to Well, now we’ll start with a five-game season, then hopefully another travel to Montreal on Saturday, July 18, which would leave just enough seven games after that, but it goes by pretty quickly. time for Romanov to complete his mandatory seven-day quarantine upon “So I think the fact we’re in the playoffs will really help the development of arrival before the Canadiens depart for Toronto on Sunday, July 26, our young players. It’s an excellent opportunity for us, and if we can therefore allowing Romanov to travel with them. If the visa is issued any make it last as long as possible to the point where we have a chance to later than that, then getting Romanov inside the bubble would become win a Stanley Cup, it will be to our benefit.” trickier, and it’s not entirely clear how it would work. Julien was not talking specifically about Romanov there; he was talking One possibility would be that Romanov, knowing he doesn’t have enough about his young players in general. But the benefits of extending their time to quarantine in Montreal, would fly directly to Toronto and playoff run might apply most to Romanov. Because otherwise, his time in quarantine there, but there is nothing in the NHL’s Phase 4 return to play the bubble risks being extremely short. protocol that addresses this specific situation.

There is a section of the document that refers to players who leave the bubble and want to re-enter which might apply to Romanov, but efforts to The Athletic LOADED: 07.15.2020 clarify this with the NHL on Tuesday were unsuccessful. That section, which refers to players who have left the bubble due to approved, extenuating circumstances or medical reasons, says that upon re-entry that player would need “to return at least four consecutive negative PCR test results over a four day period, and will be required to quarantine in their individual hotel room until such testing requirements have been fulfilled.”

Either way, it appears obvious – barring a change in his visa status in the coming days – that at the very least, Romanov is unlikely to get to participate in training camp in Brossard. Which is not the end of the world, of course, because that is only one part of why the Canadiens wanted to start his contract immediately. But it was something they hoped for him to do.

“Just as a former player, you go in to your first NHL training camp and you come back the next year, it’s night and day,” Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin said Monday. “You’ve just already been there, you’ve been around the players, you’ve been around the staff. That’s something that (is invaluable). We were able to do that and we didn’t hesitate on that.

“And also, the fact that Alex could’ve went back to Russia if that was the case because he couldn’t play or practice. Who knows what’s going to happen with the NHL which hopefully will be back in business in early December? It’s just with the uncertainty, he wanted to be here, and he was willing to come and we welcome him with open arms. Hopefully he’ll 1188138 Nashville Predators

NHL announces first three game times for Predators-Coyotes series, plus exhibition game

Staff report

The NHL announced game times for the Predators' first three qualifying round games in the best-of-five series against the Arizona Coyotes in Edmonton. Game 1 is scheduled for 1 p.m. on Aug. 2, with Game 2 scheduled for 1:30 p.m. on Aug. 4 and Game 3 scheduled for 1:30 p.m. on Aug. 5.

No times were announced for Games 4 or 5, which are scheduled for Aug. 7 and 9, respectively. The Predators will be the designated home team in Games 1 and 2.

Television designations have not been announced by the league.

Western Conference playoff games will be held in Edmonton, with Eastern Conference playoff games in Toronto, as the NHL strives to finish the 2019-20 season after shutting the league down due to the COVID-19 pandemic in March. Teams began full-squad training camp in their own cities this week.

Also, the NHL announced the Predators and Dallas Stars will play an exhibition game at 3 p.m. on July 30. The Stars are among the four Western Conference teams that already have a spot in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs and will compete in a round-robin format to lock in the order of the top four clubs.

Tennessean LOADED: 07.15.2020 1188139 Nashville Predators

Predators: Asterisk or not, winning Stanley Cup this season will be tougher

Paul Skrbina

Nashville Tennessean

The Predators, like most other teams, won the 2020 Stanley Cup.

They raised virtual banners to celebrate the computer-simulated outcome against the Flyers, which was conducted during the four-month hiatus in wake of the COVID-19 pandemic that halted the season March 12.

The quest to begin their journey toward what they hope is their first real Stanley Cup banner is scheduled to begin Aug. 2 in a five-game, play-in series against the Coyotes in Edmonton.

Training for that journey continued Monday when teams began camp.

No matter who wins the Cup, if there is one awarded this season, it will go down in history as, well, something different.

The 24-team playoff tournament begins Aug. 1 in Edmonton and Toronto.

Asterisks have been mentioned because of the unique circumstances. It has been suggested by some that winning the Cup this season would be tainted.

Predators defenseman Ryan Ellis embraces the term asterisk, but for a reason other than such a victory would be cheapened because the playoffs won't be conducted in a traditional format.

He explained that for 16 teams, winning the Cup would mean an extra round of playoffs. He said the limited training camp and unpredictability due to the unique format should play a role.

"If there's an asterisk it's because it was a harder process to win," Ellis said Monday during a Zoom call with reporters.

Goalie Pekka Rinne concurred, saying every team has a chance.

"A few of the teams have a chance they probably wouldn't have gotten (had the regular season played out as normal)," Rinne said. "That makes it interesting. At the same time, there's teams like Boston who were doing really well. I don't think they have the same advantage ... as (they) would have been in a normal situation."

While a Stanley Cup title would be nice, the Predators aren't quite looking that far ahead. At least not yet.

The team had 24 players on the ice Monday and several others on the ice before practice.

For now, the Predators are focused on trying to get their legs under them, find line combinations that have a history of chemistry, such as the Ryan Johansen, Filip Forsberg, Viktor Arvidsson line, which was back together during the first day of camp after pretty much being broken up during the season.

Such as figuring out how to split goalie time between Rinne and Juuse Saros.

Such as figuring out their power play and penalty kill units.

"Taking these two weeks so we can feel as good as possible before getting in games," Johansen said. "That's the focus right now."

Tennessean LOADED: 07.15.2020 1188140 Nashville Predators argue in polite Finnish over who’s opening the door for whom. The key consideration here is confidence.

That’s why Saros should start Game 1, not because he “deserves” it. Rexrode: The case for Juuse Saros to start in goal for the Predators This is about winning, and for a coach that means maximizing your personnel. So let’s play it out hypothetically both ways. Saros starts and struggles early in the series. Hynes, faced with the urgency of a best-of- five situation, has at his disposal the best player in franchise history, a By Joe Rexrode Vezina winner, the architect of that 2017 run, a goalie whose last Jul 14, 2020 postseason appearance featured 76 minutes of 51-save brilliance before a 2-1 overtime loss at Dallas.

Going to Rinne there is a power move, greeted with confidence by Nashville’s Finnish Four boarded a chartered plane from Helsinki to New teammates who have played in front of him for so much postseason York on June 26, then took another from New York to Nashville to start artistry. And Saros will be fine. He ascended to No. 1 this season with the most enjoyable possible quarantine together. numbers (17-12-4, 2.70 goals-against, .914 save percentage in 34 starts) that don’t tell the story of a brutal start, and one postseason won’t Mikael Granlund, who chartered that flight along with Leo Komarov of the reverse his standing or the clock. If it’s a bad go, it can be digested as a New York Islanders — a plane filled with more than 20 Finnish NHLers, necessary step. Saros is still in line to be the $1.5 million starter next such as Colorado’s Mikko Rantanen and Dallas’ Roope Hintz — has season, Rinne his $5 million backup. been staying at Pekka Rinne’s place since the return to Nashville. Eeli Tolvanen has been staying with Juuse Saros. Workouts by day make Now flip it around. Say Rinne starts Game 1. Say he struggles early in way for health-conscious feasts at night. Saros and Tolvanen come over the series and gets the hook. That after the worst regular season of his to Rinne’s house, where his cooking is of some legend in Predators career might urge him to choose more time to perfect lohikeitto over the circles. last $5 million. Now Saros has to save the day after losing his job for some reason. Now people are wondering why Hynes switched to the 37- “A lot of good dinners, so good it’s hard to pick a favorite,” Saros told The year-old with the 3.17 goals-against average and .895 save percentage. Athletic of the scene at the home of his goaltending mentor, where he used to live during his first two Preds training camps. “He’s been grilling a Starting Saros, who has been considerably better than Rinne in the lot lately, sausages, chicken, vegetables, kind of a mix of everything. The 2019-20 season, is the sensible starting point. It isn’t necessarily the stuff he’s been doing on that grill has really stood out.” ending point. (Christopher Hanewinckel / USA Today)

Rinne has supported Saros throughout this long-developing transition at Hynes said the coaching staff will have to make a decision at the end of starting goaltender. And until Predators coach John Hynes is forced to this abbreviated training camp, and “hopefully one of these guys makes it think otherwise, that’s what Rinne’s postseason role should be, one of for us in a positive way.” support for his protégé and replacement. The usual encouraging words, a trip to the crease when called and, hey Pekka, any chance you can Cue Allen Iverson’s thoughts on practice. Barring something bizarre, it’s smuggle a few containers of lohikeitto (Finnish salmon soup) to the hard to believe the sessions ahead will put Rinne back ahead of Saros. bubble? The case for him is that he’s done this at the highest level. It is supported by his tendency to play well after long breaks. “Of course that’s the goal for me, I want to play, and I’ve got to earn that spot,” Saros said of a long-awaited opportunity that will be pursued in In the past three seasons, Rinne has been exceptional in his first eight what Hynes deems a competition. “I’ll try to earn it and hopefully I’ll get starts. He was 5-1-2 with a 1.83 goals-against and .943 save percentage the call. But this situation is like a positive thing for (Rinne and me), there in the fall of 2017. He was 6-1 with a 1.55 goals-against, a .949 save really isn’t anything bad about the situation. That’s my point of view.” percentage and two shutouts in 2018. He was 7-0-1 with a 1.74 goals- against, .937 save percentage and two shutouts last fall (and still had Rinne’s, on Hynes calling it a competition, is this: “Yeah, I mean, happy those ugly final numbers). At the same time, Saros has started slowly. with that answer.” Taking into account his first five starts — which keeps it early in the “(Saros) was so strong last season, especially at the end of the season,” season because he had fewer opportunities as the backup — Saros went Rinne told reporters Monday after the first practice of a training camp that 1-3-1, 3.70, .870 in 2017; a solid 4-1, 2.50, .913 in 2018; and 1-4, 3.61, breaks a four-month pandemic pause, which makes it understandable to .884 in 2019. This is all worth discussing and will come to mind if Game 1 mistake pre-pause hockey as last season. “That was pretty much the first unveils October Saros. time in a long, long time when I was mostly watching games from the bench at the end of the season. I had no problem, the way he was “I haven’t really thought about that,” Saros said of early season struggles. playing, and I wasn’t playing as strong. But yeah, this training camp, “I mean, it depends on so many different things.” again, I mean, I try not to take anything for granted and just trying to give So does Hynes’ decision, though it’s easier than it will be described. my all and do my best and see what happens.” Unlike the work ahead to crank up Nashville’s special teams and even The 25-year-old Saros, who has been considerably better than the 37- the line shuffling that could put Ryan Johansen back with Filip Forsberg year-old Rinne in the 2019-20 season, should get his first career and Viktor Arvidsson, this situation is one of strength. Few coaches get to postseason start Aug. 2 in Edmonton. Rinne should have to wait for his have a Rinne in reserve. 90th. That’s the sensible starting point. It isn’t necessarily the ending point. The Preds and Arizona Coyotes commence their best-of-five Qualifying Round series that day, and if Nashville is to have staying The Athletic LOADED: 07.15.2020 power in what could be a wild 24-team pursuit of the Stanley Cup, both goalies figure to supply it.

That’s made likely right away by the fact that Games 2 and 3 against Arizona come on back-to-back days, Aug. 4 and 5. According to Elias Sports Bureau, the last Stanley Cup Playoff series to feature a back-to- back was the 2016 first-round matchup between the New York Islanders and Carolina Panthers (Games 1 and 2). It’s a rarity, saving coaches from goalie wear-and-tear decisions in the playoffs — even though a deep run with games every other day is a lot for one person. See: Rinne from the start to the finish of the Preds’ 2017 run to the Stanley Cup Final.

Hynes has a luxury many coaches don’t have in this Arizona series, knowing he can get winning goaltending in Game 3 from the guy who was sitting in Games 1 and 2. He also knows any moves he makes in this regard will be as friction-free as a professional sports coach could possibly expect. Rinne and Saros will both thank him kindly and then 1188141 New Jersey Devils

Mets bids: Steve Cohen, Alex Rodriguez-Jennifer Lopez, Josh Harris- David Blitzer advance to 2nd round; SNY not for sale

Updated Jul 14, 2020; Posted Jul 14, 2020

By Mike Rosenstein

And then there were four.

Sportico reports four bidders have advanced to the second round of negotiations to buy the New York Mets. Those advancing include billionaire hedge fund manager Steve Cohen, ex-New York Yankees slugger Alex Rodriguez and fiancee Jennifer Lopez, and New Jersey Devils and Philadelphia 76ers owners Josh Harris and David Blitzer.

According to Sportico, an fourth “unidentified party” also advanced.

The groups were informed of their status by the investment bank Allen & Co., which is overseeing the sale process. They were also told not to submit offers on the team’s regional sports network, SNY, which is not part of the sale, said the people, who were granted anonymity because the matter is private. The groups were told that representatives for Allen & Co. and the Mets would reach out soon to provide more detailed information on the franchise, the people said.

The non-binding first-rounds bids were due last Thursday. FOX Business Network’s Charles Gasparino reported Cohen was the front-runner after putting the most cash on the table: $2 billion for the club and another $2 billion for SNY.

The New York Post reported Cohen’s offer topped the one made by Rodriguez and Lopez.

The former Yankee slugger’s bidding group offered around $1.7 billion, two sources close to the situation said. That is also in the range of the bid that came in from Philadelphia 76ers and New Jersey Devils owners Josh Harris and David Blitzer, sources said.

However Gasparino now reports the offer made by Rodriguez was in the ballpark with Cohen’s proposal.

On top of that, ESPN reported Monday that NFL stars Brian Urlacher, Travis Kelce and DeMarco Murray are among the investors backing the bid by Rodriguez and Lopez.

According to the New York Post, “Mets COO Jeff Wilpon would prefer to sell the team to J-Rod if their offer is close to the best bid at the end of the auction, several sources said.”

Cohen agreed in December to buy the Mets for $2.6 billion, but the deal collapsed in February when Cohen pushed for immediate control of the team while the Wilpon family wanted to remain with the club for five more years.

Fred Wilpon bought a minority share of the Mets in 1980. In 1986, Wilpon became an equal partner in the club with Nelson Doubleday, Jr. The Wilpon family bought out Doubleday and became the sole owner of the Mets in 2002.

In April, Forbes released its list of the most valuable MLB franchises. The Mets were 6th at $2.4 billion. However cash flow is a problem for the Mets with baseball struggling to salvage the 2020 season amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Star Ledger LOADED: 07.15.2020 1188142 New Jersey Devils

Coronavirus update: WNBA’s Elena Delle Donne denied medical waiver; No fans on PGA Tour; 43 NHL players test positive

Updated Jul 14, 2020; Posted Jul 14, 2020

By Mike Rosenstein

The sports world continues to adapt to the coronavirus pandemic, even as the NFL, NBA, MLB and NHL look to resume play.

Here are the latest updates:

ESPN reports “a panel of physicians has denied reigning WNBA MVP Elena Delle Donne’s request to opt out of the 2020 season due to medical concerns.”

The Washington Mystics star and Delaware native gave a statement to the Worldwide Leader:

“I love my team, and we had an unbelievable season last year, and I want to play! But the question is whether or not the WNBA bubble is safe for me. My personal physician who has treated me for Lyme disease for years advised me that I’m at high risk for contracting and having complications from COVID-19.”

The PGA Tour announced Monday fans won’t be allowed to attend any tournaments for the rest of the year.

The move was not a surprise as all five tournaments since the TOUR returned have been played under the same conditions. Although there were plans to reintroduce spectators in a limited capacity at this week’s Memorial Tournament presented by Nationwide, those plans were scrapped as numbers spiked across the country. Each tournament through the season-ending TOUR Championship in Atlanta, Sept. 4-7, will now be played without fans in attendance.

The NHL announced Monday 43 players have tested positive for COVID- 19 since June 8.

The NHL had in excess of 600 Players report to Club training/practice facilities for optional participation in Phase 2 activities. There were 4,934 COVID-19 tests administered to this group of Players. Those tests resulted in a total of 30 returning confirmed positive test results for COVID-19. In addition, the League is aware of 13 additional Players who tested positive for COVID-19 outside of the Phase 2 Protocol. All Players who tested positive were/have been self-isolated and were/are following CDC and Health Canada protocols. During Phase 3, the NHL will continue to provide regular updates on the number of tests administered to Players and the results of those tests.

According to Johns Hopkins University, more than 13 million people worldwide have tested positive for the coronavirus, including more than three million in the U.S.

Star Ledger LOADED: 1188143 New York Islanders

How the Islanders’ deal with Ilya Sorokin unfolded

By Jared Schwartz

July 14, 2020 | 6:58PM

The prized goalie prospect signed a one-year, entry-level contract and a one-year contract extension for the 2020-21 season, the team announced Monday. By signing now, Sorokin can burn this season, which will count toward his service time, and become a restricted free agent after next season.

In order to sign off on that, however, Sorokin had to earn president and general manager Lou Lamoriello’s trust.

“What we had to do was, first of all, have an understanding that he wanted to come [from Russia],” Lamoriello said Tuesday. “And then if we did make a decision to burn a year, then we would, in good faith, be able to sit down and negotiate a fair situation because of his status, his abilities and also with the unknown that he had not yet been here. … I was comfortable with that, with his previous agent and also his present agent.

“He had to play a very big role in that, that he definitely wanted to come or we would not have gone in this direction. We were comfortable that we could get something worked out. You put faith in a person’s word, and trust, and then you go forward, which says a lot about [Sorokin].”

Although he is ineligible to play in the NHL’s 24-team playoff tournament, Sorokin is expected to join the team in Toronto to practice and grow accustomed to both his teammates and the country. The 24-year-old is open to playing for Bridgeport in the AHL, according to Lamoriello, before earning his spot on the team.

The 78th overall pick in the 2014 draft, Sorokin has excelled for CSKA Moscow in the KHL. He won the Gagarin Cup last season and was named MVP of the playoffs. In 40 games this season, he was tied for second in wins, third in goals-against-average, tied for fourth in save percentage and first in shutouts.

Those performances have already excited goalkeeping coaches Mitch Korn and Piero Greco, according to head coach Barry Trotz, who called them “two kids in a candy store.”

Matt Martin did not practice and is dealing with a personal matter, though Trotz said, “It’s all positive.” Martin is notably married to former NFL quarterback and current radio host Boomer Esiason’s daughter Sydney, who is pregnant.

The Islanders will hold their first scrimmage on Wednesday, according to Trotz.

Goalie Semyon Varlamov, who is under contract through 2022-23, met Sorokin while playing for the Russian national team. Varlamov said they have “a great relationship.”

New York Post LOADED: 07.15.2020 1188144 New York Islanders

Islanders, Rangers to meet in sole warmup game as season restarts

By Andrew Gross [email protected] @AGrossNewsday

Updated July 14, 2020 7:48 PM

This might be the strangest entry in the bitter Islanders-Rangers rivalry.

The NHL on Tuesday released its schedule for exhibition games and the start times for the first three games of the best-of-five qualifying series under the league’s return-to-play format. The season was paused on March 12 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The New York rivals will play an exhibition game on July 29 at 8 p.m. at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, the hub city for the Eastern Conference as 12 teams will be in a quarantined arena/hotel bubble.

But that will be it for warmup games before the first elimination round begins.

The seventh-seeded Islanders open their qualifying series against the 10th-seeded Panthers on Aug. 1 at 4 p.m. Game 2 will be Aug. 4 at noon and Game 3 will be on Aug. 5 at noon.

Games 4 and 5, if necessary, will be on Aug. 7 and Aug. 9 with no faceoff times set yet.

The 11th-seeded Rangers will open their qualifying series against the sixth-seeded Hurricanes on Aug. 1 at noon. Game 2 will be Aug. 3 at noon and Game 3 will be Aug. 4 at 8 p.m. Games 4 and 5, if necessary, will be on Aug. 6 and Aug. 8 at times still to be determined.

The higher seed will be the designated home team for Games 1, 2 and 5.

Roll call

Rookie Kieffer Bellows, who had 21 goals over his final 33 games for the Islanders’ AHL affiliate in Bridgeport, skated with the second group after missing Monday’s practice…Goalie Jakub Skarek, defensemen Nick Leddy and Sebastian Aho and forward Leo Komarov remained absent. NHL guidelines now forbid teams from releasing specific information on practice or game absences…Defenseman Scott Mayfield and Matt Martin also did not participate. Martin’s wife, Sydney, is expecting the couple’s first child. “Marty has got some personal stuff,” Trotz said. “It’s all positive.”

Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 07.15.2020 1188145 New York Islanders I’m focusing on the playoffs. I want to focus on the present, not on the future. He signed a deal and it’s great for him.”

Islanders hope to include goalie prospect Ilya Sorokin in workouts right Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 07.15.2020 away despite ineligibility for this season

By Andrew Gross [email protected] @AGrossNewsday

Updated July 14, 2020 6:04 PM

The Islanders have been hoping to sign Ilya Sorokin since selecting him in the third round in 2014.

The long wait ended Tuesday with not just one, but two contracts for the Russian goalie and the possibility he will be joining the team, albeit ineligible to play, for the current training camp and when the Islanders depart for their quarantined arena/hotel bubble in Toronto on July 26.

“His stats and his resume speak for themselves,” Islanders president and general manager Lou Lamoriello said on a conference call. “The success he’s had in the KHL as well as the Olympics and the World Championships, we certainly feel highly about him. All records go out the window when you come to the NHL. But he has the skills and talent to have success.”

Sorokin, who turns 25 on Aug. 4 — Game 2 of the seventh-seeded Islanders best-of-five qualifying series against the 10th-seeded Panthers — agreed to a one-year, $925,000 entry-level deal for the remainder of this season. He also agreed to a one-year, $2 million deal for 2020-21.

As part of the NHL-NHL Players’ Association return-to-play/collective bargaining agreement extension, unsigned draft picks such as Sorokin were ruled ineligible to play if signed for 2019-20 but they could have this season count toward free agency. The second deal keeps Sorokin from being a restricted free agent this offseason.

“It was a normal process other than the transition rules, which we all had to adapt to and learn about,” Lamoriello said. “When I first came here [in 2018], I spoke to Ilya. His decision was to sign a two-year [KHL] contract and he had no out clause. Once that contract expired, we were talking to him and his intention was to turn pro in the NHL. Then, then pandemic took over. Fortunately, everything worked out.”

Lamoriello said Sorokin was still in Russia as of Tuesday and there are health and safety protocols, including COVID-19 testing, before he can join the Islanders for training camp, which began on Monday.

Lamoriello said the intention was to include Sorokin among the 52 personnel members the Islanders are allowed to bring to their hub city. Since Sorokin is ineligible to play, Lamoriello is hoping Sorokin will not count toward the maximum of 31 players the organization can bring.

The goal is to get Sorokin working with director of goaltending Mitch Korn and goalie coach Piero Greco as quickly as possible to get him acclimated to the North American game.

The NHL is not planning on starting the 2020-21 season until Dec. 1 but Lamoriello said the hope is the AHL can begin play before then. Lamoriello added Sorokin has indicated a willingness to play in the NHL’s top minor-league affiliate.

“My experience with Mitch for 20 years and Piero for two years is that any goaltender we get to our organization, they are like two kids in a candy store,” Islanders coach Barry Trotz said. “They love to work with the players.”

Sorokin spent the last five full seasons with CSKA Moscow and was named the KHL’s playoff MVP in 2019 as he backstopped his team to the Gagarin Cup championship. He compiled a 26-10-3 record with a 1.50 goals-against average and a .935 save percentage this past season.

Sorokin also won an Olympic gold medal in 2018 at the Pyeongchang Winter Games.

Sorokin has trained in the past with current Islanders goalie Semyon Varlamov, in the first season of a four-year, $20 million deal.

“Me and Ilya have a great relationship,” Varlamov said. “It’s great for him to sign a deal. It’s great for the organization in the long run. At this point, 1188146 New York Islanders coach,” these cliché things. But there’s a reason for that. He’s really a relatable guy, and he really talks your language.

Glenn Kehrer, Manitoba winger: He was a good listener. He would have The year that made Barry Trotz: Inside his season as a 25-year-old head a conversation with you. coach Jason Taylor, Manitoba winger: In that era, in the 1980s, there was a lot more negative reinforcement. Barry was kind of the first guy that I had, in junior or my university time, that was a positive reinforcement guy. By Rustin Dodd Larry Dyck, Manitoba goalie: He was very good at separating discipline Jul 14, 2020 from how he felt about you as another guy. He always made you feel part of it, even though you might have been in the doghouse because of bad

play. Nobody can remember the record, and the big wins and cruel losses blur Billy Keane, Manitoba player: I just played way harder for Barry, because together. Most of the memories, even the good ones, have faded at the we made a connection. He was a personable guy. And you look at what edges, but there is one Barry Trotz story that everyone knows. It has to he’s done: He makes connections with players. They don’t care how do with bumblebees. much he knows; they just know that he cares. The story begins in 1987. Trotz, the Islanders’ head coach, was a first- Derril Trakalo, goalie: When you play with the guy, you know he’s going year hockey coach at the University of Manitoba. He was on the job, to go to war for you, no matter what. You see that same person, whether mostly, because the program’s leader — the legendary Wayne Fleming he’s a coach or a player or whatever the case. — was on a leave of absence to coach in Europe. Trotz was 25 years old and uncertain about his future, barely older than the guys on his team. A clipping from a Nov. 16, 1987 edition of the Regina Leader-Post. He was just removed from working for a computer company (the (Courtesy of Newspapers-dot-com) Burroughs Corp.) that made servers for businesses. One day in the fall of 1987, as Trotz was getting settled into the role of To the players, Trotz contained multitudes: intense and relatable, head coach, Manitoba faced the University of Saskatchewan in a organized and generous, but also a little green. He would ask his guys preseason game. Mike Butters, a defenseman, found himself in the front about their classes and future after college. He displayed a confidence of the net, trying to block a shot. The first shot attempt was knocked and steadiness in practice that belied his youth. He was coming off a down, but then came another, and Butters was suddenly on all fours. The career in juniors as a defenseman who was a little slow and a little heady shot blasted him in the face. The puck shattered his nose. Blood and wouldn’t start much unless it was warranted. spattered.

“But I definitely witnessed him finish a few things, if you know what I “I get to the bench,” Butters said, “and Trotsky — you figure a guy is mean,” said Derril Trakalo, a goaltender from Winnipeg. going to be like, ‘Are you OK?’ Instead, he’s like: ‘Hey, great block.’”

One game that season, Trotz and his Bisons were in a real brawl. Butters was like many others players on the Manitoba roster that season: Nothing was going right. The penalties stacked up. The other team was On the team because he had nowhere else to go. He wasn’t drafted. His tough and physical. Manitoba wasn’t spoiling for a fight, Trotz told his pro prospects were limited. He just wanted to keep playing, to keep his players between periods, but if it came to that, he had an answer. professional hopes alive while going to school. That was perfect for Trotz. “We’ll bumblebee the (expletive).” Trotz, Butters said, recruited him to Manitoba, told him he’d help with The players looked around the room, their eyes glancing at one another. professional leads, and focused on his development. Bumblebee the (expletive)? What? “He kept staying on me about: ‘This is how you be a pro,’” Butters said. “If one guy starts fighting, then bumblebee the (expletive),” Billy Keane, a “If you want to be a pro, this is how you do it.” Manitoba player that season, recalled Trotz saying. “Just bumblebee him. Just keep coming, keep coming. And it’s not just one or two. It’s Trotz was still learning on the job, but he knew the kind of program he everybody.” wanted to build. He had started his coaching career as an assistant at Manitoba after a back injury ended his playing career. Fleming, the If the other team wanted a fight, they’d give ‘em a swarm. That was the program’s head coach, would hand him little slips of paper with coaching way Trotz coached. tips and ideas. He built a network of college head coaches. The offer at “If you got a teammate in trouble,” Trotz said, “get over there quickly. Manitoba, however, had come out of the blue. Trotz had planned to That doesn’t mean you have to fight, but get over there and show a coach Portage in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League. Then Fleming strength.” took a leave of absence. The school needed a head coach.

Trotz was still three decades away from winning a Stanley Cup with the “It happened very quickly,” Trotz said. Washington Capitals. None of the Manitoba players could guess that In 1987, and later, the rosters of college hockey programs were he’d one day be the second longest-tenured coach in North American comprised of players who had played in the Western League or juniors, sports, trailing only Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, or that he’d enter this and guys who wanted to play a little more hockey while moving on with Islanders campaign poised to pass friend Ken Hitchcock for third all-time their lives. Trakalo, a goaltender, fell into the latter group. He had played in NHL wins before the novel coronavirus pandemic halted the season. with Trotz in juniors, ended up at Manitoba, skipped a year and then told The Barry Trotz of Manitoba was just getting started. But there were hints Trotz that he’d return on one condition: If he got a job, he’d leave the of his future, of a young coach focused on culture, of a career built on team after Christmas. players. This was the way it went. Players were older and experienced, but “I love coaching,” Trotz told a reporter that season. “But I’m still a student hockey wasn’t always first priority. The level of hockey in the university of the game and the pension plan and security are not the greatest for system was higher than it was in the Manitoba league. The players were coaches. You could be fired after a month or after two or three weeks. smarter and more physically developed. If they weren’t totally focused on That’s sort of scary.” hockey, that was just one more thing to overcome. At 25, Trotz was the youngest university head coach in Canada. His team, he said then, In the moment, Trotz wasn’t sure what the future held. But more than would be a “lunch-bucket crew.” three decades later, he views the season at Manitoba as one of the most formative in his career. “He was the same age as a lot of the players,” Trakalo said. “Thinking back on it, it had to be a pretty tough situation for him to come into. And I “I don’t think I’ve grown as much, like I did in that one year,” Trotz said do remember: Initially, there was definitely a period of adjustment.” last week before Islanders training camp reopened. “I had to.” Fleming, the old coach, was a classic taskmaster. The previous year’s Mike Butters, Manitoba defenseman: The thing that stands out most is he squad had success. The new roster had plenty of fresh faces. Trotz, was instantly relatable. He made a connection with me and had belief in players said, attempted to take Fleming’s style and build on it. His my game. I’ve heard over the years — these guys call him a “players practices were structured and organized, with a focus on discipline. He “This is just the way it is, boys,” Butters remembers Trotz saying. “We’re was self-assured and believed in his methods. He was demanding and just going to have to suck it up.” didn’t tolerate nonsense. The Bisons lost both games. The season was over. A few years later, “But he didn’t have to yell and scream,” said Dyck, another goaltender Trotz caught on as an assistant in Baltimore, an affiliate of the who later played in the IHL. “In the same matter-of-fact style he would Washington Capitals. So began his ascent to the top of the NHL speak to Alexander Ovechkin, he would do the same with you.” coaching ranks. His latest challenge includes guiding the Islanders to the playoffs for a second straight year after an inconsistent stretch before the Trotz, Dyck said, possessed a bevy of soft skills. A master of constructive league-wide shutdown. It starts Aug. 1, when the team faces the Florida criticism, he would pull players aside, point out their mistakes while Panthers in a play-in series in Toronto. noting when something wasn’t their fault. Yet there is one more Trotz story that everyone remembers. Earlier that “I just grew so much professionally as a coach,” Trotz said. “And (I) season, Butters recalled, during a Sunday football game in Winnipeg, a probably grew from a teaching standpoint, knowing how important it was defenseman on the team named Larry Bumstead was caught on that there was a partnership between the coach and the player.” television doing the Red River Jig in his underwear during a Blue Trotz also knew how to take the air out of a tense situation. Years earlier, Bombers Game. when he was starting out at Manitoba, the team took a trip to Europe The next day, the guys showed up for practice and they started skating. over the holidays. They started in Germany before passing into Czechoslovakia, which was still part of the Eastern bloc. At one point, “We skated and skated and skated,” Butters said. Trakalo said, a group of armed guards boarded the team bus to check passports. Trotz handed over his passport, which had a photo of him with The message was simple: They were representing the school. A line had a mustache. been crossed. He had treated them with respect. Now they had to pay the price. “The guy was looking at his passport, and looking at Barry, and looking at his passport and looking at Barry,” Trakalo said. “Barry took his index “He comes in and goes: ‘The first 45 minutes were because you were finger and put it under his nose, because he had just shaved off his horrible in Lethbridge (in the last game),’” Butters said. “’The second half mustache. is because one of your defenseman decided that he was going to dance in his bikini on national television during the Grey Cup.’” “The guard started laughing. It was just the funniest thing.” The guys skated. Trotz watched. At 25 years old, the coach knew what Dyck: I got called up at 15 years old to play with the Regina Pats and all I he had to do. He always wanted his punishments to be accompanied had was sweatpants, and they wore a suit and tie. Trotzky was on the with a life lesson. It was, Jason Taylor said, exactly who he was. team. He lent me a suit and tie. “It’s what separates him from a lot of guys,” Taylor said. “He’s kept his Trakalo: I was already on the downside of my career. I’d spent the two identity of who he is. People in rural Manitoba, there’s certain toughness previous falls at the Rangers camp, and it occurred to me that I was and resiliency that we all understood.” going to be an average player, at best, in the NHL. I just wanted to play and have fun. He had this sort of calm presence about him, but he was Or, as Keane put it: He just made you care. also very intense. “I would put my face in front of a puck for Barry,” Keane said. “That’s just Keane: He did seem green at the time. But I totally respected the way he the way it was. That’s just the connection he made.” handled it. He was basically real honest with our group: He said, “Hey, listen guys, I’m new to this. And I’m going to make mistakes, and I’m going to work my tail off. And we’re going to be the hardest working team The Athletic LOADED: 07.15.2020 out here.”

Taylor: Barry was just a real refreshing change because he was such a players coach. He treated everybody fairly, and it was always positive. He kind of played to your strengths.

Butters: Maybe our on-ice success wasn’t great, but I learned a ton. And it got me on my way professionally.

The 1987-88 Manitoba Bisons were not perfect. Far from it. They finished with a .500 record. They were a little undermanned. But the players say they competed. That’s all Trotz asked of them. Keane likes to say that his coach had a “soft spot for the small, hard-working stiffs.”

“It’s more than winning games,” Trotz said. “You got to help develop some young men and help them along.”

While Trotz used the practices to refine his methods, he used the collegiate competition to build his knowledge base. He learned from studying Clare Drake, the longtime coach at Alberta, and George Kingston, who had won big at Calgary. He tried to pull bits and pieces from each.

“You had all these coaches that were teachers,” Trotz said, “and they were teaching coaching.

“When you’re young, you try to control everybody and everything. But as you get older, I think you learn to filter out what really matters and what doesn’t.”

The season was not without highlights. Manitoba traveled to the United States and took a game from Saint Cloud State, a top American program. They stole a game from Calgary, ending the Dinos’ 12-game winning streak. Their season ended in late February, against Calgary in the Canada West semifinal at Centennial Arena in Calgary. Even getting to the game was a true test. That was the month of the Calgary Winter Olympics, so there were no flights or hotel rooms available on short notice. Instead, the team flew to Edmonton, rode a bus to Red Deer and stayed there. 1188147 New York Rangers participate in the tournament, played his off, right-side. The 22-year-old Hajek, whom the organization still holds in high regard, would likely be the first man up if one of the club’s six varsity defensemen — Adam Fox, Ryan Lindgren, Jacob Trouba, Brendan Smith, Marc Staal, Tony Artemi Panarin one of three finalists for Ted Lindsay Award DeAngelo — becomes unfit to play.

By Larry Brooks New York Post LOADED: 07.15.2020 July 15, 2020 | 12:13am

This type of affirmation was not necessary for anyone who paid the slightest attention to Artemi Panarin and the 2019-20 Rangers.

Nevertheless, the winger’s first year in New York following the richest per-year free-agent commitment in franchise history was consecrated on Tuesday with a nomination for the NHLPA’s Ted Lindsay Award that goes to the league’s “Most Outstanding Player” as voted by the players.

Panarin, who recorded 95 points (32-63) in 69 games while leading the league in even-strength points and assists, is one of three finalists for the trophy, joined by Edmonton’s Leon Draisaitl and Colorado’s Nathan MacKinnon. It would be no surprise at all if these three forwards are also named finalists for the Hart Trophy when that announcement is made by the league next week.

Panarin said that he narrowed his focus on his craft this season by reading less press and paying less attention to social media. All he missed were the figurative roses being tossed at his feet throughout the greatest season of the 28-year-old’s five-year career after signing his historic seven-year, $81.5 million deal worth an AAV of $11,642,857.

The Russian drove the Rangers until Mika Zibanejad grabbed a share of the wheel. Combining with Ryan Strome in the middle and Jesper Fast on the right for the final 18 matches and 32 of the last 34, Panarin was on for 128 of the Blueshirts’ 233 goals (54.9 percent) and was plus-36. Indeed, he became the first player in 10 seasons to record at least 95 points with at least a plus-35. The Russian Rockette established himself as one of the upper-echelon players in the world.

His production was only part of his value with the Rangers. His personality represented an equally important chunk.

“I think a lot of guys would say he’s a funny guy. He’s not overly loud in the dressing room but when he says something, a lot of times, he’s got a very dry sense of humor, he’s witty, he’s sarcastic and he’s as sharp as a tack,” Chris Kreider said. “He’s a very good teammate.”

“He competes like a dog on the puck in games. He wants to win. He’s highly, highly competitive. You can see that today in the scrimmage, him and Mika going back and forth a few times. He wants the puck — he doesn’t want anyone else to have it — and off the ice, a very good teammate, a very good friend and one of the happiest people you’ll ever meet.

“He’s a little soft-spoken, maybe because he’s not as comfortable with the language, although I think he speaks much better English than he lets on, as I’m sure a few people have said, but yeah, he’s a great all- around human being.”

Panarin was accompanied by Rangers director of European scouting Nickolai Bobrov, who acted as a translator for No. 10 on the NHL Zoom call that featured his fellow finalists. Panarin talked about looking forward to having the chance to compete for the first time for his country. He then addressed the matter of having been overlooked by the NHL in his draft years.

“I would like to thank all the general managers for not taking the chance of drafting me,” said Panarin, who signed as a free agent with the Blackhawks for 2015-16, “That allowed me the chance to be on a team that played my style and let me be successful.”

Start times for Rangers’ first three qualifying-round games have been set. Game 1, Aug. 1, Noon; Game 2, Aug. 3, Noon; Game 3, Aug. 4, Rangers listed as home team, 8 p.m. Times have not been set for the if necessary Game 4 (home) on Aug. 6 or Game 5 on Aug. 8. The Rangers will meet the Islanders in an exhibition game on July 29 at 8 p.m. All games will be played at Toronto.

When the Rangers broke into a scrimmage for the final 20 minutes of practice, taxi-squad defensemen Libor Hajek and K’Andre Miller joined the group to fill out a four-man blue line a side. Miller, who is ineligible to 1188148 New York Rangers NEW YORK RANGERS

David Quinn tasked with getting Chris Kreider, Rangers in playoff shape

By Larry Brooks

July 14, 2020 | 10:33PM

Seasons have natural rhythms. Players report to training camp in September after a summer’s work. The athlete who is not in shape from Day 1 rarely catches up and is just as apt to find himself in the AHL as on his NHL team’s top six.

It is fast from the start and it gets faster by increments as calendar pages turn, taking a leap at Thanksgiving, another following the Christmas hiatus, and yet another at the trade deadline with playoff races in focus. And when the playoffs start? It’s like a different sport.

There are signposts marking the journey at which players can be traditionally evaluated and there are various crescendos that build through a season conventionally monitored by coaching staffs. It is never a color-by-numbers operation, but there is familiarity to the calendar tied to the evolving pace.

But there is nothing natural about 2020 and there will be next to nothing conventional about this NHL Return to Play that is two days into camp and a little more than two weeks away from the opening games of the Stanley Cup tournament qualifying round.

So there will be no easing into this. There is nothing familiar here. David Quinn and his staff are not preparing the Rangers for a marathon. The coach and his assistants are preparing the team to hit the ground running as best they can in a vacuum of comparative information.

Players did not report on equal footing. Some were able to skate for weeks in Sweden. Some were confined to their homes for long stretches during the break in action. Some are ahead, some are behind. But where does that leave the team two days into camp and only a little over two weeks away from their Aug. 1 Game 1 against Carolina?

“That’s a good question. I mean, we’re trying to find that out,” Quinn said on a Zoom call following a 50-minute practice that included 20 minutes of scrimmaging. “At the end of the day, we’re probably never going to be in the shape or condition out of the gate we were when the season ended, but every team is going to be in that same situation.

“Our goal is to be in better shape than the other 23 teams. Everything is relative, and we’ve got to find a way to get there in the next 2 ¹/₂ weeks. I have liked what I’ve seen the last two days, I love our energy physically, I love our enthusiasm mentally, guys are staying on and we’ve got to kick them off the ice after practice.”

“There’s a lot of good things going on right now, we’re going in the right direction, but we have a long way to go.”

Mika Zibanejad’s line matched up against Ryan Strome’s in the scrimmage, with Zibanejad and Strome’s left winger, Artemi Panarin, appearing to engage at times in their own private battle of can-you-top- this? The tempo was reasonable throughout the session and prudence was observed. From Monday’s first day to this, there was an uptick.

Zibanejad had Pavel Buchnevich on his right and Chris Kreider on his left. When we last left the Rangers, Kreider had missed his sixth straight game with a broken left foot he sustained by John Tortorella-ing a Phillippe Meyers shot in Philadelphia on Feb. 28. He and the team were pointing to a return on March 16 or March 18. That, the winger admitted on his Zoom call Tuesday, might not have represented the wisest thinking.

“I think I might have been pushing a little more than I should have to come back a little earlier than I should have,” Kreider said. “It certainly didn’t feel good putting the boot on the first few minutes when I first got onto the ice before it started to settle down a little bit.

“But a few weeks into quarantine it just all of a sudden woke up and felt pretty good. There was a decent amount of rehab initially, but everything is 100 percent now.”

1188149 New York Rangers

Islanders, Rangers to meet in sole warmup game as season restarts

By Andrew Gross [email protected] @AGrossNewsday

Updated July 14, 2020 7:48 PM

This might be the strangest entry in the bitter Islanders-Rangers rivalry.

The NHL on Tuesday released its schedule for exhibition games and the start times for the first three games of the best-of-five qualifying series under the league’s return-to-play format. The season was paused on March 12 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The New York rivals will play an exhibition game on July 29 at 8 p.m. at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, the hub city for the Eastern Conference as 12 teams will be in a quarantined arena/hotel bubble.

But that will be it for warmup games before the first elimination round begins.

The seventh-seeded Islanders open their qualifying series against the 10th-seeded Panthers on Aug. 1 at 4 p.m. Game 2 will be Aug. 4 at noon and Game 3 will be on Aug. 5 at noon.

Games 4 and 5, if necessary, will be on Aug. 7 and Aug. 9 with no faceoff times set yet.

The 11th-seeded Rangers will open their qualifying series against the sixth-seeded Hurricanes on Aug. 1 at noon. Game 2 will be Aug. 3 at noon and Game 3 will be Aug. 4 at 8 p.m. Games 4 and 5, if necessary, will be on Aug. 6 and Aug. 8 at times still to be determined.

The higher seed will be the designated home team for Games 1, 2 and 5.

Rookie Kieffer Bellows, who had 21 goals over his final 33 games for the Islanders’ AHL affiliate in Bridgeport, skated with the second group after missing Monday’s practice…Goalie Jakub Skarek, defensemen Nick Leddy and Sebastian Aho and forward Leo Komarov remained absent. NHL guidelines now forbid teams from releasing specific information on practice or game absences…Defenseman Scott Mayfield and Matt Martin also did not participate. Martin’s wife, Sydney, is expecting the couple’s first child. “Marty has got some personal stuff,” Trotz said. “It’s all positive.”

Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 07.15.2020 1188150 New York Rangers

Rangers' Chris Kreider says he feels 100% after returning from broken foot

By Colin Stephenson [email protected] @ColinSNewsday

Updated July 14, 2020 6:54 PM

Two days before the NHL season shut down on March 12, because of the coronavirus pandemic, Chris Kreider skated for the first time since suffering a broken foot just 10 days earlier. He admitted Tuesday he might have been a little aggressive at the time in trying to rush back to the lineup.

“Yeah, I think I might have been pushing a little more than I should have to come back a little bit earlier than I should have,’’ Kreider said after the Rangers practiced for the second time since training camp reopened Monday for the 2019-20 restart. “It certainly didn't feel good putting the boot on for the first few minutes when I was first getting on the ice. But it started to calm down a little bit once I got out on the ice.’’

The shutdown forced Kreider to take a step back, and now he’s fully healthy, he said.

“A few weeks into quarantine, it just, all of a sudden, woke up, and felt pretty good,’’ he said. “It feels 100% now.’’

Kreider, who signed a contract extension with the team on Feb. 24, suffered a broken left foot blocking a shot in Philadelphia on Feb. 28.

Ice chips

Ds Libor Hajek and K’Andre Miller, who are working with the taxi squad, joined the NHL group to take part in the scrimmage. Coach David Quinn said the pair didn’t stand out, but “didn’t look out of place,’’ either.

Miller, the 2018 first-round pick who signed his first professional contract with the team in March, is not eligible to play in the restart this season. But Hajek, who started the season with the Rangers before being sent down to AHL Hartford in January, could.

“Hajek was certainly going in the right direction as the season came to an end,’’ Quinn said. “We were getting good reports on him. Libor's a real good player. He's gonna have a great future in this organization.’’ … The NHL will announce the finalists for the Calder Trophy (Rookie of the Year) on Wednesday. D Adam Fox is expected to be a finalist.

Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 07.15.2020 1188151 New York Rangers

Rangers' Artemi Panarin a finalist for Ted Lindsay Award

By Colin Stephenson [email protected] @ColinSNewsday

Updated July 14, 2020 5:22 PM

When the Rangers signed Artemi Panarin as a free agent last summer, they expected big things from the 28-year-old Russian forward. And in his first year with the team, Panarin has clearly delivered.

Panarin was named Tuesday as one of three finalists for the Ted Lindsay Award, given to the NHL’s Most Outstanding Player, as voted by the members of the NHL Players Association. Edmonton Oilers center Leon Draisaitl, the league’s leading scorer, and Nathan MacKinnon, who helped push the Colorado Avalanche to the fourth-best record in the league, are the other finalists. The winner will be announced during the Conference finals.

Panarin, a 5-11, 170-pound, righthanded-shooting left wing, led the Rangers and was tied for third in the NHL in scoring with 95 points (32 goals, 63 assists). He led the league in even-strength points with 71, and was second in the league in plus-minus rating, at plus-36. He is the first Ranger to be a finalist for the award since Henrik Lundqvist, in 2011-12. The last Ranger to win the award was Jaromir Jagr, in 2005-06.

“When you're third in the league, in scoring, lead the league in five-on- five points, and you're plus-36 … I think his stats really speak volumes as to the type of season he had,’’ Rangers coach David Quinn said of Panarin, on a Zoom call after Tuesday’s practice.

Panarin signed a seven-year, $81.5 million contract with the Rangers last July, after having helped the Columbus Blue Jackets to their first playoff series win – a stunning first-round upset sweep of the President’s Trophy-winning Tampa Bay Lightning in the 2019 playoffs. Then he set his sights on coming to Broadway, spurning Columbus’ efforts to keep him and turning down a more lucrative offer from the Islanders to sign with the Rangers.

“I think he understood the magnitude of coming to New York,’’ Quinn, said. “[He knew] the impact he was gonna have on this organization on and off the ice. And he embraced it. He never shied away from it.’’

In a Zoom call with Draisaitl and MacKinnon Tuesday afternoon, Panarin – speaking through interpreter Nickolai Bobrov, the Rangers’ director of European scouting – said there was pressure coming to New York as a free agent, but he said that was “normal.’’

“But both the surrounding people that I met in New York and also the decision to read less press and look at less social media allowed me to focus on my craft and drop that level of pressure and stress that I might have felt,’’ Panarin said.

Panarin caused a stir a few weeks ago when he put out a statement on social media that the NHL and the NHLPA needed to “fix the escrow’’ problem the league has, in which a percentage of player salaries is withheld until after the season in order to make certain the players don’t get more than their 50 percent share of Hockey Related Revenue, as agreed upon in the collective bargaining agreement. Panarin urged his fellow players to not report to the NHL’s restart training camp until a new deal was agreed to that would eliminate the escrow.

Escrow remains part of the collective bargaining agreement, which was extended to 2026 and ratified by a vote of the players on Friday, but Panarin showed up when training camp opened on Monday. He scored the only goal in the short five-on-five scrimmage the Rangers had at the end of their practice Tuesday, beating Lundqvist with a one-timer from the left circle.

Jean Ratelle, in 1971-72, Mark Messier, in 1991-92, and Jagr are the other Rangers to win the award, which was previously known as the Lester B. Pearson Award.

Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 07.15.2020 1188152 New York Rangers I wouldn’t break up the rookie pair of righty Adam Fox and lefty Ryan Lindgren, their best and most consistent pair – while at the same time, I wouldn’t try to force that tandem into shutdown assignments. I also wouldn’t break up Marc Staal and Tony DeAngelo, simply because For the Rangers to have defensive success, it isn’t just about the DeAngelo has come so far as a player with Staal’s steadiness on his left. defensemen But I do think either Staal or Lindgren would be a better partner for Trouba.

Then there’s Libor Hajek, whose season went downhill a bit with another By Rick Carpiniello injury, then eventually headed upward in Hartford toward the end of the Jul 14, 2020 season. The kid, a lefty, was about to be recalled at the pause. Now he’s here on the taxi squad. He practiced with a separate group on Monday, then with the main group on Tuesday simply because Quinn wanted to have eight defensemen for scrimmages (K’Andre Miller, who’s in camp TARRYTOWN, N.Y. — The Rangers defense heading into the play- but ineligible to play in the postseason, was also among the eight). in/playoffs isn’t about six or seven defensemen. Is Hajek a likely candidate to play with Trouba? Probably not. It just isn’t. It can’t be. It must be a team-wide buy-in, and it isn’t unprecedented. “Hajek was certainly going in the right direction as the season was coming to an end,” Quinn said Tuesday. “We were getting good reports In early January, something clicked for the Rangers – almost daily on him. Libor’s a real good player and he’s going to have a great future in reminder: they’re rebuilding and young – and they all of a sudden this organization. I know when a guy gets games, an extended period of discovered defensive play. Not just the defensemen. Everybody. ‘look’ up here, then they go back down, people kind of frown on that or The results spoke for themselves. The Rangers went on a 16-6 run that take that as a big negative. We certainly don’t. I just think it’s the put them smack in the race for a playoff spot that turned into a play-in continuing development of a young defenseman in the National Hockey spot when the pandemic stopped the season. League.”

From Jan. 7 through Feb. 27, Rangers coach David Quinn noted at the Of course, it behooves Hajek to be ready, as it does any of the extra time, the Rangers were second in the league in goals scored and fifth in players up from Hartford. goals against. “Like we told all these guys, the extras that we have here, if we make the “That wasn’t a small sample,” Quinn said. “It was almost two months. We run we think we’re capable of making, all those guys are going to play,” had the second most wins in the league, we had the best power play. But Quinn said.” We’re just not going to go injury-free for an extended period it was all stemming from playing good defense. of time. So we’re fortunate to have people like Libor here, who we feel comfortable with if his number is called.” “The type of chances that we were giving up, with the frequency that we were giving them up, certainly diminished as the season went on through As inconsistent and indecisive as he was, until he’s sufficiently replaced, January and February and leading into March.” the Rangers will miss Skjei, who is now a Hurricane. To be clear, that was a deal the Rangers had to make – a first-round pick coming in Well, the caveat too was that goalie Igor Shesterkin arrived on Jan. 7. return, and Skjei’s contract coming off the books, especially now that the But it surely wasn’t all goaltending. cap is going to be flat for a while and the Rangers will need that money Quinn thinks the goaltenders gave the team more confidence structurally, for Kreider’s new contract, not to mention for Tony DeAngelo or/and but that they “go hand-in-hand” in terms of credit for the defensive Ryan Strome (but probably not both). turnaround. Surely the way Shesterkin and Alexandar Georgiev handle Until somebody else is ready – and the Rangers have a cavalry of young the puck helps the Rangers get out of trouble and out of their own end, lefty defense prospects eventually coming, starting with Miller – the too. Rangers have a decision to make on Trouba’s left.

The Rangers will get good goaltending in this unprecedented Another bit of sudden adjustment was that of Rangers assistant coach postseason, of that we can be fairly sure. But if they don’t defend as a Lindy Ruff getting the head coaching job with the Devils last week. Ruff team, as a group of six on the ice, they could be done in very early handled the defensemen and is largely credited with the progress made August in Toronto. by Lindgren, Fox and DeAngelo, especially on the defensive side.

“I think it was a night-and-day difference from the beginning of the year to “I’m going to miss Lindy,” Quinn said. “From a professional standpoint he where we were when everything shut down,” Chris Kreider on Tuesday. certainly helped me a lot. He helped this organization an awful lot. He’s “I think a big part of that was just protecting the middle. That’s something done a great job with our young defensemen and I couldn’t be happier for that we definitely stressed. We want to be quick to pucks, and all over him that he got this opportunity.” teams when there are loose pucks in the corners, but also know when the right time is to go and pressure and to double and try to pin pucks, For some reason, that’s not a popular sentiment in social media land, and try to come up with pucks in those battles and know when you need where it’s always been fashionable to blame assistant coaches, to protect the middle and not get too spread out and give up high-volume especially the defensive coaches – see Ulf Samuelsson, Jeff Beukeboom chances from the middle.” and Ruff the last seven seasons, and Mike Sullivan before them. Now the role falls to Greg Brown, who was brought in as a defensive coach, and Kreider bought in. Mika Zibanejad shined in all 200 feet of ice surface. Gord Murphy, the Hartford assistant brought up to replace Ruff. Other forwards figured things out as the Rangers continued to score goals – and certainly the Rangers’ bottom six had best defend all the But the six or seven defensemen are what and who they are and the way time now. the Rangers defend must return to the January-February standard. Quinn felt that the 2-4-1 breakdown (with 5-2 and 5-3 losses to Philadelphia, a But let’s get back, for a moment, to the six D-men who will dress in a 6-5 overtime win over Washington in Zibanejad’s five-goal game, and a given game, because the Rangers face an odd circumstance. Clearly really ugly 6-4 loss to the Devils) was partly due to a difficult schedule. their No. 1 defenseman, the one in whom they would/should entrust first- pair matchup duty, is Jacob Trouba. Unfortunately Trouba doesn’t have a “We’ve got to get back to being thorough all the time,” he said during that legit first-pair partner. Brady Skjei didn’t work there, and indeed, since little slip. Skjei was traded, Trouba’s partner has been Brendan Smith. Yes, The Rangers’ only chance when it all starts up Aug. 1 (fingers crossed) is Brendan Smith, who for most of the last two seasons has been a fourth- that they figure out again about the commitment needed, an allegiance to line winger (and a penalty-killing defenseman). Smith did some terrific defend, as they did in January. things up front this season snf played admirably well there. And Smith did fine for the first couple of post-Skjei games, before the Rangers went 2-4- “Overall, I think we just made a little bit more conscious effort to realize 1, allowing five or more goals in four of those games. That was hardly on how important defense was,” Quinn said. “I also think … in general, we Smith. all found a new level of trust in each other and that gave us a much better chance to be sound structurally defensively. But the choices are slim for the first-pair left defenseman in the play-in series against Carolina. Slim and complicated. “I think the buy-in piece and the trust factor was a (big) part of it, guys just growing and evolving and understanding what it takes to have success at the National Hockey League level. Maybe we were teaching a little bit better. Maybe they were getting our message a little bit louder and clearer. But overall I really believe it was the evolution of a bunch of guys getting a better understanding of what it’s going to take to have success in the National Hockey League. I go back to the fact that you can’t play good team defense if you don’t really trust each other. I thought that our guys found a new level of trust amongst each other after the New Year.”

In many ways, this is like a New Year. We will see about the Rangers’ resolution.

The Athletic LOADED: 07.15.2020

1188153 Philadelphia Flyers During the season’s long pause, Hart went back home to suburban Edmonton and didn’t have much access to ice, facing shots “maybe four times.” He said he went three months without skating, calling it probably the longest stretch off the ice in his life. Flyers coach Alain Vigneault on Carter Hart preparing for Stanley Cup playoffs debut: ‘I think this is the right time for him' “That’s why I came here a little bit early,” he said after Tuesday’s session.

He has been here about a month, and before camp started Monday, he by Sam Carchidi, was able to get on the ice four times a week with Dillabaugh and “just kind of focus on the foundation principles of my game. Just kind of bring

those back and slowly get back into a rhythm.” When fans last saw Carter Hart — or Cah-tah Haht, as teammate Kevin Vigneault wants to keep his players sharp heading into the playoffs on Hayes and head coach Alain Vigneault like to playfully call him — the Aug. 11 and plans to play backup goalie Elliott — whom Hart calls a Flyers goalie was putting the finishing touches on a terrific season. “great mentor” — in at least one game in the round-robin tournament Hart was on a certified roll. Since returning from a lower-abdominal against Boston, Tampa Bay, and Washington. That tourney starts Aug. 2. injury, he had a 9-2 record and a .934 save percentage in 11 games. “Our expectations are to have a long playoff run and a big prize, which Overall, he was 24-13-3 with a 2.42 goals-against average (eighth in the starts by winning the first round,” Vigneault said. “You’re going to need league) and a .914 save percentage. some depth.” Pretty impressive for a 21-year-old who is in his first full NHL season. Vigneault later added, “the focus here is not just to win the first round.” Now comes another first: Hart is preparing to appear in his initial Stanley With Hart as X factor on a strong, cohesive team, a long playoff run isn’t Cup playoffs. out of the question. Hart is known for his steady, unflappable demeanor, but it’s fair to Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 07.15.2020 wonder if his first NHL playoff experience will shake his nerves.

“To be honest, whenever I play I am always nervous before games,” he said Tuesday after Day 2 of Training Camp II in Voorhees. “That’s just because I care. That’s not at the point where I let it affect me or affect my game. I am sure there will be nerves when the first playoff game comes. That’s just part of the game of hockey. As a younger player, that’s just part of the steps in your career you have to take. I think it’s one step I have been waiting for my whole life. It’s going to be very exciting. Our group here is ready to get things going.”

Flyers goalie Carter Hart stops a shot by Buffalo's Dominik Kahun during a March 7 game at the Wells Fargo Center. Hart went 9-2 in his last 11 games.

Flyers goalie Carter Hart stops a shot by Buffalo's Dominik Kahun during a March 7 game at the Wells Fargo Center. Hart went 9-2 in his last 11 games.

Vigneault believes Hart has the makeup to thrive under pressure.

“Certain players have a way of pushing themselves and really working hard at their game to become the best they can be,” Vigneault said. “I see that in Carter. He really works at his game. He’s got a great relationship with Kim [Dillabaugh, the goalie coach]. They talk about game situations, technique, the technical aspects. And you can see him wanting to get better every day. He doesn’t have a lot of experience at this level, but he’s played some big games at other levels and has come up big. I’m confident that with him and support from Brian [Elliott], it’s a great tandem.

“I’ve really seen Carter grow, and I think this is the right time for him.”

Vigneault downplayed the fact that Hart, who has excelled on the World Junior stage, has never played in the Stanley Cup playoffs.

“Experience is experience. It’s important. But the fact Carter has played big games, I think he’ll come in with the right mindset,” Vigneault said. “I really like the progression he’s had throughout the year. He had some real good moments, he had some challenging moments, and he faced them head-on. I think he’s excited and looking forward to this opportunity. I’m really confident that he’s going to do a really good job.”

Hart’s teammates love kidding around with him.

Asked about the growth in Hart’s game this season, right winger Jake Voracek said the goalie was “still the same kid off the ice, a young, innocent kid that everyone’s [playfully] making fun of, so that’s a good sign. If you’re getting made fun of, that means people like you. It’s a good thing.”

Voracek paused.

“Obviously, he was one of the best goalies in the league at this early stage of his career,” he added. “We’re real lucky to have him on our team and I can’t wait to see what the future holds for him.” 1188154 Philadelphia Flyers Friday, then will have scrimmages Saturday morning, the sixth day of camp. Because of coronavirus concerns, camp is closed to fans.

Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 07.15.2020 Flyers coach Alain Vigneault on NHL bubble: ‘We’re the lucky ones'

by Sam Carchidi,

Flyers coach Alain Vigneault understands why many players around the league, including his own, say it is difficult being away from their families for up to three months because of training camp and the NHL tournament.

“Being away from people who are close to you is a challenge,” he said after one of the sessions at Training Camp II on Tuesday in Voorhees. “But that being said, it could be a month or it could be three months if we make it to the end, and this will be a time people will remember for the rest of their lives. I don’t feel anyone in our situation right now has any right to complain about anything.

“Obviously, we’re going to miss the people who are close to us — our families, our parents, etc. But we’re getting an opportunity here to compete for the Stanley Cup. We have one of the best facilities, the best people taking care of us, and if you look at what’s going on around the world right now, where people are losing their jobs, losing their businesses and going from paycheck to paycheck, we’re the lucky ones. We’re playing a sport, a sport that we all love. We’re going to get a chance [to win a Cup]. That’s one of the things I talked to the guys about.”

Vigneault said his players need to stay safe during this preparation phase to get to the bubble in Toronto, “and I don’t expect to hear really a lot of complaining. We’re a fortunate group in today’s society.”

The NHL will permit players to see their families during the conference finals and Stanley Cup Final, both in Edmonton.

Turning to veteran leaders

Between the two practice sessions Tuesday, Vigneault said he is leaning on veterans like Claude Giroux and Matt Niskanen “to bring our group together and to help everyone understand the preparation and the will that is needed to be successful in these playoff times.”

The Flyers open their three-game, round-robin tourney against Boston on Aug. 2 in Toronto.

Elliott’s regimen

During the season’s long pause, backup goalie Brian Elliott stayed sharp in the latter weeks by practicing at a Madison, Wis., rink with some NHL and college players. “We just tried to make the most of it,” Elliott said. “We went about two times a week to start and then got up to three. Had some personal goalie coaching as well and tried to get back to the fundamentals that sometimes you elude when you are off for a while.”

Added Elliott: “I feel good; the boys look good. I think we are just gaining confidence day by day here.”

Elliott said the Flyers want to finish as high as possible in the round-robin seeding tourney to get the home-ice advantage in the playoffs and get the last line change.

Voracek’s ‘advantage'

Starting in April, right winger Jake Voracek skated in Prague and played against other NHL players twice a week.

“I got lucky because everything opened up back home,” he said. “... Never skated this much in the summer. It’s going to be an advantage for me.”

Breakaways

Vigneault said training camp is all about conditioning, execution and timing. They’re trying to “get to the level — or close to the level we were at prior to when we left,” he said. ... Vigneault is experimenting with the lineup until Friday. Among his lines: Kevin Hayes centering Joel Farabee and Travis Konecny; Derek Grant centering Michael Raffl and Tyler Pitlick; and Scott Laughton centering James van Riemsdyk and Nic Aube-Kubel. “Don’t read too much right now into the lines or the D pairs,” Vigneault said. ... The Flyers will have on-ice sessions Wednesday and 1188155 Philadelphia Flyers process, for sure. I’m sure nobody felt fantastic. Hopefully we get a little better every day and hit a high level when we need to in a couple weeks.”

As camp progresses, the drills will get faster and cleaner. Gradually, the Flyers return to ice looking to regain winning chemistry | On the Fly players’ timing will return. The sooner the better.

Niskanen said the team’s exhibition game and the round-robin tourney will help immensely. by Sam Carchidi, “Obviously those three games are for seeding, but we’re going to view that as we need to get better each game,” he said. “When that first round hits (Aug. 11), everybody’s got a good feel for the game back again and For the Flyers, Day I of Training Camp II was, well, a little bit different feel for your linemates. Everybody will be on the same page again on Monday. how we want to play and what are systems are -- our trigger moments For one, there wasn’t a packed crowd watching in Voorhees. Because of and all that good stuff. It’s going to be a process.” the coronavirus protocols, no fans are allowed at practices. A process, the Flyers hope, that will be accelerated because of the For another, players came into camp in various conditions because not confidence they gained by their outstanding play before the season was everyone had access to training facilities/apparatus during the four- paused. month virus pause. Flyers captain Claude Giroux skates with the puck with teammate Ivan The hope is that after about three weeks of practices and one exhibition Provorov against the Florida Panthers on Feb. 10. game, the Flyers will be ready when they restart their season Aug. 2 by Things to know playing Boston in the round-robin tournament in Toronto. “Energized” Flyers focus on Stanley Cup playoffs, not round robin, as You’re signed up to get this newsletter in your inbox every Tuesday. If Training Camp II begins. you like what you’re reading, tell your friends it’s free to sign up here. I want to know what you think, what we should add, and what you want to Center Nolan Patrick not on Flyers’ training camp roster, but defenseman read, so send me feedback by email or on Twitter (@broadstbull). Thank Egor Zamula is. you for reading. Some stats from the Flyers’ regular season, courtesy of Ed Barkowitz. — Sam Carchidi ([email protected]) Some questions that will be answered as camp opens. My column. Eyes on the prize For the second straight year, Sean Couturier is the Flyers MVP. At times, Flyers captain Claude Giroux didn’t think the season would resume. Alain Vigneault has turned the Flyers into Stanley Cup contenders, writes Mike Sielski. “There were a lot of things happening. One week I would think we would come back. The other week I thought there would be no chance,” he said Lineup look (for now) after camp opened Monday in Voorhees. “To be where we are right now, Practice was divided into two groups -- one in the morning, the other in it’s pretty fun to get all the guys back together.” the afternoon -- on Monday. “Once things were starting to get under control and we were able to get That meant there were some line combinations and defensive pairings back here, there was a lot of excitement going through the group chats,” that seemed logical and others that will undoubtedly be adjusted. right winger Travis Konecny said. “We’re definitely excited to be here now.” For what it’s worth, here they were:

Giroux said the Flyers “started the season with one goal -- to win the Line combinations Stanley Cup. Now we have a chance to do that. Guys are pretty excited to get back on the ice and compete together. Should definitely be a little Sean Couturier centering Claude Giroux and Jake Voracek. different. Obviously there are a lot of things: no fans, staying in one city. Kevin Hayes centering Joel Farabee and Travis Konecny. It’s very different, but we are going to have to get on the same page and try to enjoy it.” Scott Laughton centering James van Riemsdyk and Nic Aube-Kubel.

They also need to get back into sync quickly. Camp won’t last long. The Derek Grant centering Michael Raffl and Tyler Pitlick. Flyers will head to Toronto on July 26. Nate Thompson centering Connor Bunnaman and Carsen Twarynski. The Flyers had won nine of their last 10 games before the season was halted March 12. Morgan Frost centering German Rubtsov and Andy Andreoff.

“Everybody is starting from Point A,” Giroux said. “The momentum is Defensive pairings obviously huge in hockey. We have to find the way we were playing. We Ivan Provorov and Matt Niskanen. need to work on working as a team and keep playing the same way we were at the end of the year. A lot of teams, even us, we have a few guys Travis Sanheim and Phil Myers. back [from injuries]. It’s definitely a unique situation here. For us, it’s trying to be able to get the momentum as fast as you can.” Robert Hagg and Justin Braun.

Giroux liked the way the team looked Monday but knows the Flyers have Shayne Gostisbehere and Mark Friedman. lots of work ahead of them. Egor Zamula and Andy Welinski.

“We have two weeks here to get in the best shape we can. Get our legs Tyler Wotherspoon and Nate Prosser. under us. Get our hands going,” he said. “I think we are going to have some good practices here. It’s going to be important that we’re all in this Important Dates: together. We’re going to try and find our game. That’s all I can say.” Aug. 2: Flyers vs. Boston in Toronto. As far as pace and execution, defenseman Matt Niskanen said, Monday Aug. 6: Flyers vs. Washington in Toronto. seemed like a typical first day of camp after a long layoff. Aug. 9: Flyers vs. Tampa Bay in Toronto. “We had almost normal off-season in length of time, but players’ availability for gyms and ice times were a really wide range,” Niskanen From the mailbag said. “Some guys skated a lot. Some not much at all. Kind of all over the map there. I felt all right [Monday]. Certainly hope I feel better soon. For If you had to grade both GM Chuck Fletcher and head coach Alain the first day, I thought it was productive. Guys’ passes were all right. Vigneault since they started with the Flyers, what would you give them? Guys’ legs were all right. It was a productive first day. It’s going to be a (@theashcity via Twitter) Answer: Thanks for the question, Luc. Fletcher, in his first full season as the Flyers’ GM, has benefited from ex-GM Ron Hextall’s strong drafts but has put his stamp on this year’s team by acquiring and signing Kevin Hayes and adding Matt Niskanen, Justin Braun, and Tyler Pitlick in moves that turned golden. He also made deadline deals for Derek Grant and Nate Thompson, and both moves were helping the Flyers before the season was paused. I’d give him an A-minus.

As for Vigneault, his first season with the Flyers has been superb heading into the 24-team NHL tournament. He led the Flyers to the NHL’s biggest turnaround this season and is one of the top coach-of-the- year candidates. Vigneault gets an A for the regular season, but how the Flyers fare in the playoffs will finish off his grade. Ditto Fletcher.

Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 1188156 Philadelphia Flyers

Is Chris Pronger coming back to Philly for new endeavor?

By Brooke Destra July 14, 2020 10:15 PM

He wasn’t in Philadelphia for a significant amount of time during his successful career, but Chris Pronger was widely loved by Flyers fans — and still is.

While his career ended abruptly in the early weeks of the 2011-12 season, his time with the Flyers has always felt unfinished.

Now, almost nine years later, could there be a possibility of Pronger joining the organization once more?

The Hockey Hall-of-Famer posted a few clues to his Instagram account Tuesday night, implying that a “big announcement” is coming the next day.

View this post on Instagram

Big announcement coming tomorrow! Stay tuned ...

A post shared by Chris Pronger (@thechrispronger) on Jul 14, 2020 at 5:11pm PDT

And one post wasn’t enough to contain his excitement, as he took to his Instagram story as well — now adding that it’s the “best day ever” and tagging the location as the Wells Fargo Center, home of the Flyers.

Many have taken to the comments section under his post, giving their guesses on possible scenarios, but Pronger isn’t budging.

On July 8, Pronger announced that he stepped down from his senior vice president of hockey operations position with the Florida Panthers. He also noted that he made this decision to focus on his and his wife Lauren’s business, Well Inspired Travels — a luxury travel company that caters to elite athletes, executives and business owners.

So, what does this recent career decision and posts mean? We’ll just have to take Pronger’s advice and “stay tuned” until tomorrow when the announcement is made.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 07.15.2020 1188157 Philadelphia Flyers

NHL schedule 2020: Start times for Flyers vs. Penguins exhibition game, Flyers vs. Bruins round-robin game

By Jordan Hall July 14, 2020 7:40 PM

Alain Vigneault and his staff have put together a detailed, science-based plan to prepare the Flyers for what could be an unprecedented run at the 2020 Stanley Cup.

They know they have about a month to work with following an abrupt stoppage that spanned four months because of the coronavirus outbreak.

"I believe it’s going to work," the Flyers' head coach said Monday about his team's plan ahead of the NHL's return-to-play 24-team tournament.

Part of the plan includes an exhibition contest. It also features three interesting round-robin games, which will dictate the Eastern Conference's top-four seeds but can serve as a tune-up of sorts, as well. During the qualifying round, the Flyers will try to improve their seeding and strategize for the first round of the playoffs, which begins Aug. 11.

We've got 30 days to get ready for our first official game on Aug. 11," Vigneault said. "Our group is excited, focused, energized — and we've been waiting a long time here to have this opportunity to compete for the Stanley Cup, and we’re going to get it.

"We are going to take this time that we have in front of us here to obviously prepare the team. We’re also going to take the exhibition game and the three games that we're going to play because really, Aug. 11, our first game in the first round for the Stanley Cup Playoffs starts there. I’m going to put on the ice at that time the best lineup that we have.

We now know when and who the Flyers will play in their exhibition game: the Penguins. The NHL also released the start time for the Flyers' round- robin opener against the Bruins.

Here are the details so far, while broadcast information is to be announced on another date:

Flyers vs. Penguins, Tuesday, July 28 — 4 p.m. ET (exhibition)

Flyers vs. Bruins, Sunday, Aug. 2 — 3 p.m. ET (round robin)

Flyers vs. Capitals, Thursday, Aug. 6 — TBD (round robin)

Flyers vs. Lightning, Sunday, Aug. 9 — TBD (round robin)

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 07.15.2020 1188158 Pittsburgh Penguins Penguins coaches remind their players to have some, but not total, restraint, during combat drills.

“When you’re playing a game that’s belligerent in nature, there’s risk The Penguins get reintroduced to contact in preparation for upcoming associated with it,” Sullivan said. “We’re going to compete hard out there. tournament Our guys are respectful when players are in compromising positions. And certainly, that’s something that we encourage our guys to be aware of out there. But when you’re playing the game hard, and you’re playing the game in a physical manner, there’s going to be risk associated with it. SETH RORABAUGH | Tuesday, July 14, 2020 8:03 p.m. That’s just the nature of the sport.”

Added defenseman Marcus Pettersson: “It’s a different type of Note: CCPA compliance requires embedded widgets like Facebook, conditioning when you get into bodies and stuff like that. We’ve been Twitter and inline videos be disabled in stories. working that for a few days now. We’re going to get better at that as camp goes. It’s a big aspect coming back when you haven’t really seen The Penguins have been avoiding contact. that part of the game.

It’s not because they’re averse to a confrontation with longtime nemesis “It’s been a grinding couple of days, and I’m sure it’s going to keep Tom Wilson of the Washington Capitals or mixing it up with New York grinding. But it’s something that we need and something that’s going to Islanders checking machine Cal Clutterbuck. help us.”

It’s more literal than that. Tribune Review LOADED: 07.15.2020 They’ve been social distancing, like many, for the past four months because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. That means limited trips to grocery stores or restaurants.

And to the corner boards.

At least until Tuesday.

On the second day of their training camp in preparation for the NHL’s postseason tournament set to open in August, the Penguins worked extensively on battle or combat drills in tight spaces on the ice.

During the first approximately 20 minutes of the session at their Cranberry complex, they broke off into groups of three and worked on close passes while facing tight physical defense from their teammates.

It wasn’t exactly the Penguins and Flyers waging a Roman-Greco wrestling match while cycling in the corner during a Game 7, but it was pretty intense, especially for a group that has largely not experienced competition, albeit internally, like this in several months.

“We’ve got a pretty competitive group, and I think it comes natural to them,” coach Mike Sullivan said. “Something that we talked about on the ice (Tuesday) was just recapturing the edge that our team plays with. We’ve got to bring that when we play against one another. That’s going to make us better when we bring that certain edge to our own respective game.”

Many of the Penguins have been skating since June as part of the NHL’s second phase of returning to play during informal sessions. But those sessions had heavy restrictions when it came to the number of players on the ice as well as contact.

On Monday, Sullivan lauded the overall conditioning of the team but noted there is a different element of hardiness required for battling an opponent directly.

“We’ve got a pretty fit group,” Sullivan said. “I do think there are aspects of the fitness that we have to address in order to get our guys game ready, and we’re trying to do that. Most specifically, it’s the belligerence, the combative drills, the tight-area space. That’s a different type of conditioning. That’s really only the aspect of their conditioning that they haven’t been able to address up until this point because they’ve been trying to adhere to the guidelines the league has set out and making sure that there was social distancing taking place as best they could on the ice through the informal skates.

That’s not anything out of the ordinary for a normal training camp in September during ideal circumstances, let alone a pandemic.

“Every summer that you come back, that’s the area of our game that usually training camp is focused on, battle drills,” defenseman Kris Letang said. “Because in the summer, you try to be careful of each other and try not to injure anyone. That’s the process we’re into right now. We’re putting a lot of focus on that. At the same time, we have guys that have a lot of energy. They have a lot of enthusiasm out there on the ice. It’s been a fun process out there so far, especially (Tuesday).”

Obviously, putting an opponent wearing a Capitals or Flyers sweater — or, if all goes as planned over the next few weeks, a Montreal Canadiens sweater — into the boards is much different than doing that to someone donning the same practice jersey as you. 1188159 Pittsburgh Penguins Aug. 5 – Penguins at Canadiens, 8 pm. Aug. 7 – Penguins at Canadiens, Time TBA (if necessary)

Aug. 8 – Canadiens at Penguins, Time TBA (if necessary) Penguins hope they have their third line finally figured out While the games will be held in Toronto, each contest will have a

designated home and away team to determine which end of the ice is SETH RORABAUGH | Tuesday, July 14, 2020 7:12 p.m. defended as well as the final line changes before faceoffs.

Winners of the qualifying round will move on to the first round of the playoffs. Note: CCPA compliance requires embedded widgets like Facebook, Twitter and inline videos be disabled in stories. Additionally, the NHL announced its schedule of exhibition games prior to the postseason. The Penguins will face the rival Philadelphia Flyers at 4 Throughout the regular season, the Penguins’ third line was work in p.m. Tuesday, July 28 in Toronto. progress. Mostly because of injuries, the third line rarely was composed of the same trio of players for more than a handful of games at a time. Tribune Review LOADED: 07.15.2020

And with Nick Bjugstad sidelined after back surgery this spring, they must turn to another potential trio.

Through the early days of training camp in Cranberry, Jared McCann has been working at center with Patrick Marleau on the left wing.

The right wing was expected to be inhabited by Patric Hornqvist, but he has yet to participate in training camp for undisclosed reasons. Reserve forwards Sam Lafferty and Evan Rodrigues have been alternating on the starboard side in Hornqvist’s absence.

There are high hopes for what this line — with Hornqvist — can offer the team in the postseason.

“They all bring something different to the table. Jared McCann brings an element of speed, scoring ability. He can really shoot the puck. Patty Marleau is just a real solid two-way player. A good skater, good size, real strong on the wall, real responsible defensively. (Hornqvist) brings what (Hornqvist) brings, and we all know that. That’s a line that could be very good for us if we so choose to put those three guys together.

“They’re a line that could help us at both ends of the rink. To have the opportunity to have a top-nine (group of forwards) like we have is just an indication of the lineup we have when we have a healthy line up.”

Said McCann: “We look at ourselves like the game changers. We feel like we have something that a lot of teams don’t. We’ve got that veteran presence with (Marleau) and (Hornqvist) as well. I’m just trying to complement them.”

Sullivan pumped the breaks on any assumption Lafferty or Rodrigues were simply fill-ins for Hornqvist.

“These are guys that we think we can play up and down the lineup,” Sullivan said. “Both of them have the ability to play center as well as the wing position. They just bring a different position than a guy like (Hornqvist). It just gives us an opportunity to see these guys in different circumstances.

“My hope is that the versatility that we have and the ability we have to move these guys around our center icemen, for me, gives us a lot of versatility and a lot of depth.”

11 absent

Hornqvist was one of 11 players who remained absent from practice on Tuesday along with forwards Anthony Angello, Adam Johnson, Sam Miletic, Sam Poulin, Phil Varone, defensemen Pierre-Olivier Joseph, Juuso Riikola, goaltenders Casey DeSmith, Alex D’Orio and Emil Larmi.

Nine of those players are being held from camp indefinitely because of exposure to an individual who had contact with a person who tested positive for the coronavirus. Per NHL policy, the team has not identified any of those players.

Series logistics

The NHL released times for the qualifying round of its postseason tournament scheduled to start in August.

The Penguins will face the Montreal Canadiens in a best-of-five qualifying round at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto.

Their schedule of games:

Aug. 1 – Canadiens at Penguins, 8 p.m.

Aug. 3 – Canadiens at Penguins, 8 p.m. 1188160 Pittsburgh Penguins

NHL sets times for Penguins’ qualifying round games, exhibition vs. Flyers

SETH RORABAUGH | Tuesday, July 14, 2020 6:34 p.m.

Note: CCPA compliance requires embedded widgets like Facebook, Twitter and inline videos be disabled in stories.

The NHL released times for the qualifying round of its postseason tournament slated to start in August.

The Penguins will face the Montreal Canadiens in a best-of-five qualifying round at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto.

Their schedule of games:

Aug. 1 – Canadiens at Penguins, 8 p.m.

Aug. 3 – Canadiens at Penguins, 8 p.m.

Aug. 5 – Penguins at Canadiens, 8 pm.

Aug. 7 – Penguins at Canadiens, Time TBA (if necessary)

Aug. 8 – Canadiens at Penguins, Time TBA (if necessary)

While the games will be held in Toronto, each contest will have a designated home and away team to determine which end of the ice is defended as well as the final line changes before faceoffs.

Winners of the qualifying round will move on to the first round of the playoffs.

Additionally, the NHL announced its schedule of exhibition games prior to the postseason. The Penguins will face the rival Philadelphia Flyers at 4 p.m. Tuesday, July 28 in Toronto. All 24 remaining teams will play one exhibition game.

Tribune Review LOADED: 07.15.2020 1188161 Pittsburgh Penguins established a still-standing franchise record for points with 123 in 1992- 93 while being selected for the All-Star Game.

After following that with a 107-point effort and another All-Star nod in Double Team: Rick Tocchet was a keystone for the Penguins and Flyers 1993-94, Recchi was on the move again, traded to the Montreal Canadiens early in the lockout-shortened 1994-95 campaign.

By March of 1999, Recchi returned to the Flyers in another trade. In SETH RORABAUGH | Tuesday, July 14, 2020 5:19 p.m. 1999-2000, he led the Flyers in scoring again with 91 points, earning another selection to the All-Star Game. In 2000-01, he was the Flyers’

leading scorer a fourth time with 71 points. Note: CCPA compliance requires embedded widgets like Facebook, Recchi enjoyed three more productive seasons in Philadelphia, reaching Twitter and inline videos be disabled in stories. the 20-goal mark in each and aided the team’s run to the Eastern While the NHL is on hold because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, Conference Final in 2004. the Tribune-Review will offer the Double Team project, an examination of A fourth-round pick in 1988, Recchi was a member of the Penguins for the five best players who have contributed substantially to the Penguins seven seasons over three different stints. After debuting in 1988-89, and another franchise. For consideration, a player must have played at Recchi’s first full season in the NHL was 1989-90 as he posted 30 goals least the equivalent of a full season for each franchise. (Sorry, Jarome and 67 points in 74 games and a fifth-place finish in voting for the Calder Iginla fans.) Memorial Trophy, which recognizes the league’s top rookie. Today, a look at the Philadelphia Flyers. As the Penguins’ longest and While Lemieux recuperated from back surgery in the early stages of most enduring rivals, the Flyers, named primarily for phonetic appeal, 1990-91, Recchi picked up the slack, earning his first All-Star Game joined the NHL along with their cross-state foes during the NHL’s 1967 selection and leading the team in scoring with 113 points in 70 games. expansion. In 292 all-time games against the Flyers, the Penguins have That spring, he had 34 points in 24 postseason games for the Stanley a 105-148-39 record. Cup champions. 1. Rick Tocchet, right winger Rejoining the Penguins as a free agent just prior to the 2004-05 lockout, There are few things hockey fans from either end of the Keystone State Recchi had brief-but-productive second and third acts with the Penguins. will agree on. Rick Tocchet being one of the baddest men on Earth is one In 2005-06, he had 57 points in 63 games before being moved at the of them. trade deadline to the Carolina Hurricanes. Recchi re-signed with the Penguins during the 2006 offseason. At age 38, he appeared in all 82 A sixth-round pick in 1983, Tocchet debuted in 1984-85, appearing in 74 games and recorded 67 points. games and putting up 39 points as well as a team-leading 181 penalty minutes while helping the Flyers reach the Stanley Cup Final, losing to Early the following season, Recchi was claimed off waivers by the Atlanta the Edmonton Oilers. Thrashers.

Over the next three seasons, Tocchet led the team in penalty minutes, a 3. Kjell Samuelsson, defenseman considerable achievement given the franchise’s general approach to A giant for any era, Samuelsson towered over most of his peers at 6-foot- rough play. And during that span, he began to develop into one of the 6, 235 pounds. For the majority of his career, he was the league’s tallest NHL’s premier power forwards. player. By 1986-87, Tocchet played in 69 games and scored 21 goals, marking But Samuelsson wasn’t a lumbering clod who relied only on brute force. the first of the 10 seasons he would reach the 20-goal barrier. He also He made up for a lack of speed with a long reach as well as an intelligent added 21 points in 26 playoffs games while helping the Flyers reach game. And while he wasn’t an overly physical player, few tried to test another Stanley Cup Final, losing to the Oilers again. him. Tocchet led the Flyers in scoring twice, with 96 points in 1989-90 and 71 The Flyers acquired Samuelsson from the New York Rangers via trade in points in 1990-91. Midway through the 1991-92 campaign, he was dealt December 1986. Thriving under coach Mike Keenan, Samuelsson across the commonwealth in a blockbuster trade. appeared in 46 games after the transaction and put up seven points as Finding a home on the Penguins’ top line, Tocchet formed an imposing well as 86 penalty minutes. He appeared in all 26 postseason games of trio along with franchise center Mario Lemieux and left winger Kevin the team’s run to the Stanley Cup Final. Stevens. In only 19 games following the trade, Tocchet put up 30 points. Samuelsson remained a sturdy, dependable presence on Philadelphia’s Famously playing throughout the playoffs with a broken jaw, Tocchet blue line for the next five seasons but rarely drew attention — negative or appeared in 14 games, recorded 19 points and helped the Penguins win positive — given the nature of his game. His steady play even earned the Stanley Cup that spring. him a selection for the 1988 All-Star Game.

Fully healthy and acclimated to his new team, Tocchet enjoyed the Wanting to add a defensive presence to his blue line, Penguins general signature season of his career in 1992-93 with the Presidents’ Trophy- manager Craig Patrick acquired Samuelsson as part of the deal that also winning Penguins. Appearing in 80 games, Tocchet set career-highs with netted Tocchet. 48 goals and 108 points. Occasionally teamed with fellow Swedish defenseman Ulf Samuelsson Laboring through injuries that limited him to 51 games in 1993-94, (no relation), Kjell Samuelsson stabilized the team’s blue line, helping the Tocchet was dealt to the Los Angeles Kings during the 1994 offseason. club win the Stanley Cup that spring. After bouncing around with the Kings, Boston Bruins, Washington Samuelsson spent three more seasons with the Penguins, and by the Capitals and Phoenix Coyotes, Tocchet returned to Philadelphia at the 1995 offseason, he re-signed with the Flyers. 2000 trade deadline and helped the club reach the Eastern Conference final. Appearing in 75 games and recording 14 points in 1995-96, Samuelsson helped the Flyers reach another Stanley Cup Final, losing to the Detroit More of a bottom-six forward by this stage of his career, Tocchet lasted Red Wings. three more seasons in Philadelphia before retiring. With 1,817 penalty minutes, he remains the Flyers’ career leader in that category. Injuries hobbled Samuelsson for the next two seasons, and by October 1998, he joined the Tampa Bay Lightning as a free agent. 2. Mark Recchi, right winger 4. Ross Lonsberry, left winger Of course, the Penguins could not acquire Tocchet without giving up something of quality in return, and Recchi went to eastern Pennsylvania Lonsberry wasn’t the most celebrated member of the Broad Street in the transaction. Bullies, but he was one of the most valuable components in them becoming the first expansion franchise to win the Stanley Cup in 1974. As was the case in Pittsburgh, Recchi was a marvelous producer in Philadelphia. Initially teamed with franchise center Eric Lindros, Recchi Flyers general manager Keith Allen acquired Lonsberry in a seven-player trade with the Kings in January 1972, then the largest such transaction in NHL history.

Primarily used on the Flyers’ second line with Rick MacLeish and Gary Dornhoefer, Lonsberry, who won the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy in 1973 for dedication to the sport, set a career high with 32 goals along with 51 points in 1973-74. He then added 13 points in 17 postseason games as the Flyers won their first championship.

Appearing in all 80 games in 1974-75, Lonsberry, a two-way forward, had 24 goals and 49 points then added seven points in 17 games as the Flyers defended the Stanley Cup.

The Flyers and Lonsberry played for the Stanley Cup again in 1976, losing to the Canadiens. After two more productive seasons in Philadelphia, he was traded to Pittsburgh.

Lonsberry was solid but hardly spectacular in his three-year run with the Penguins to finish his career. In 1978-79, he recorded 24 goals and 46 points. During 236 career games with the Penguins, Lonsberry recorded 129 points and helped the team reach the playoffs all three seasons he played in Pittsburgh.

5. Jaromir Jagr, right winger

There are plenty of players who spent time with both franchises who had more meaningful existences with the Flyers than Jagr. But as someone bound for the Hockey Hall of Fame, he gets the nod here.

The Penguins tried to re-sign Jagr in the 2011 offseason, a decade after he was traded to the Washington Capitals in a transaction that was a salary dump. The #JagrWatch that summer took a strange turn, however. Spurning the Penguins’ very public courtship, Jagr signed with the rival Flyers.

After spending three seasons playing in Russia, a 39-year-old Jagr showed he had could still play in the NHL, putting up 54 points in 73 games. Most memorably, he played a key role in the Flyers defeating the Penguins in the Eastern Conference quarterfinal round that spring.

His stay in Philadelphia was brief as he joined the Dallas Stars as a free agent in July 2012.

Jagr’s accolades with the Penguins are well documented, especially within this series. The No. 5 overall pick in the 1990 draft, Jagr played a key role in the franchise’s first two Stanley Cup titles in 1991 and ‘92.

A six-time All-Star with the Penguins, Jagr won the Art Ross Trophy as the league’s top scorer five times in Pittsburgh. He also earned the Hart Memorial Trophy as the league’s MVP in 1999.

Still the franchise’s career leader in winning goals (78), Jagr is the NHL’s second-leading career scorer with 1,921 points.

Honorable mention: Mike Bullard, center; Ruslan Fedotenko, left winger; Orest Kindrachuk, center; Maxime Talbot, center; Ken Wregget, goaltender.

Tribune Review LOADED: 07.15.2020 1188162 Pittsburgh Penguins • Safety Carlton Williamson was a hard hitter nicknamed “The Hammer” for some strong Pitt defenses in the early 1980s. A third-round pick of the San Francisco 49ers, he won a Super Bowl ring in 1985.

‘Burgh’s Best to Wear It, No. 48: Tyler Kennedy was key to Penguins’ • A first-round pick in 2015, Steelers linebacker Bud Dupree enjoyed a 2009 Stanley Cup breakout season this past year with 11½ sacks.

Tribune Review LOADED: 07.15.2020

SETH RORABAUGH | Tuesday, July 14, 2020 3:27 p.m.

Note: CCPA compliance requires embedded widgets like Facebook, Twitter and inline videos be disabled in stories.

The Tribune-Review sports staff is conducting a daily countdown of the best 100 players in Pittsburgh pro and college sports history to wear each jersey number.

No. 48: Tyler Kennedy

Hockey has jersey numbers that can be iconic. The single digits tend to be identified with some of the game’s stars from earlier eras. Bobby Orr made No. 4 iconic.

In more modern times, superstars inhabited higher figures such as Mario Lemieux’s No. 66 or Sidney Crosby with No. 87.

And of course goaltenders such as Patrick Roy (No. 33) dominate the 30s.

But what about 48?

In hockey, they tend to call that a “training camp number.” That’s a diplomatic way of saying the player who dons it doesn’t have a secure spot on the roster.

Sure enough, when the Penguins recalled Tyler Kennedy from Wilkes- Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League for the first time Oct. 27, 2007, he wasn’t exactly someone they were building the franchise around.

That’s why the equipment staff gave him such an inglorious number.

But through sheer effort and ample humility — he never bothered to ask for a sexier number — Kennedy stuck with the team and became a key component of some considerable success for the Penguins in the late 2000s.

A fourth-round pick in 2004, Kennedy made his debut in 2007-08, finding a home at right wing on the team’s third line with center Jordan Staal and left winger Jarkko Ruutu. Contributing 10 goals in 55 games, he helped the team reach the Stanley Cup Final that spring.

In 2008-09, Kennedy remained on the third line, which included Matt Cooke instead of Ruutu by this point, and spent the entire season on the NHL roster, appearing in 67 games and putting up 15 goals and 35 points.

His finest moment as an NHLer came that spring when he appeared in 24 games and contributed nine points, including a league-leading three winning goals. His most notable goal from that postseason was the deciding score of Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final, a 2-1 home win against the Detroit Red Wings.

Three nights later, Kennedy and the Penguins won the Stanley Cup in Detroit.

Kennedy spent six seasons with the Penguins, recording a 21-goal season in 2010-11. Perhaps his most lasting legacy is the unique goal celebration the Penguins crafted for him with former WWE wrestler Ken Anderson (AKA Mr. Kennedy).

Other No. 48s of note:

• Waite Hoyt was the ace for the New York Yankees’ pitching staff during their dominance of the 1920s. Later in his career, he spent parts of five mostly mundane seasons with the Pirates during the 1930s. In 1969, he was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

• Pitcher Rick Reuschel spent 19 seasons in MLB, including a three-year stint with the Pirates in the mid-1980s. During the 1985 season, he mustered a 14-8 record for the last-place Pirates and was named National League Comeback Player of the Year. 1188163 Pittsburgh Penguins Tribune Review LOADED: 07.15.2020

Penguins’ Kris Letang on why he decided to play, David Morehouse on NHL schedule for 2020-21

TIM BENZ | Tuesday, July 14, 2020 7:10 a.m.

Note: CCPA compliance requires embedded widgets like Facebook, Twitter and inline videos be disabled in stories.

On Monday, the Penguins opened training camp to prepare for 2020’s rebooted “NHL in a bubble” format.

The quest for the Stanley Cup officially resumed in Cranberry at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex. But first there is the quest to escape practices without the whole team contracting coronavirus.

Easier said than done.

On Day 1, the Penguins had to hold back nine players from skating — including Patric Hornqvist and Juuso Riikola — out of “an abundance of caution” because there were concerns of secondary exposure to someone with the virus.

“The decision that was made to quarantine the players out of caution is just going to be part of this process,” coach Mike Sullivan said after Monday’s practice. “It’s one of those things that we’ve got to be ready to adjust and adapt. That’s what we did out there today.”

In other words, welcome to hockey’s “new normal.”

I’m not sure if there is anything in the world I hate more than the phrase “new normal.”

Penguins Radio Network host Brian Metzer and I spend a lot of time talking about that situation in this week’s “Breakfast With Benz” hockey podcast. We also dive into defenseman Kris Letang’s interview on 105.9 The X with Mark Madden.

The topic of Letang’s health came up. Remember, Letang had a stroke in 2014. He also has a hole in the wall of his heart. But Letang insisted to Madden that he’ll be with the team when it returns to play.

“We saw all the options, the danger, and what was the best call to make,” Letang said about his consultations with medical experts. “And we ended up believing that wouldn’t be an issue to get back there.”

“There” as in the ice.

That’s a good thing for the Penguins. Because not only will Letang be essential on the blue line, he may also be key on the Pens’ power play if he entrenches himself in Phil Kessel’s old spot along the left wall.

We also get into the topic of next year and how this crazy, restructured season is going to bleed into the 2020-21 season.

Penguins president David Morehouse was also on 105.9 The X Monday, and he talked about the NHL’s plan to potentially start play sometime between December and January.

“I do think we could get through an 82-game schedule,” Morehouse told Madden. “It would go into the summer, and the following year we’d probably start in October. Like we should anyway. The math works for a Jan. 1 start. Moving through June and into July. And I think that’s probably our best-case scenario.”

Morehouse said waiting until the calendar turns to 2021 to begin next season may make things safe enough so that fans can return to the stands.

“We’re giving it more time for a vaccine. Or a medicine that makes (coronavirus) less deadly, or contagious,” Morehouse continued. “Having that extra time gives us an advantage. We won’t open our doors until our fans can be safe. We are also looking at ways to make the building more safe as far as retrofitting.”

Metzer and I tackle all these issues, as well as bigger-picture ones.

Such as our disappearing jobs, walking sharks and bears with nunchucks. 1188164 Pittsburgh Penguins For that to happen, McCann will need to get back to playing like he did in his first 76 games in Pittsburgh, when his 25 goals ranked third among Penguins.

With a fresh start, Jared McCann looks to give the Penguins the third line When the scoring dried up in January, McCann started to over-think they lacked things on the ice. The coaching staff noticed he too often lingered tentatively on the perimeter and he admits that he was guilty of turning down good looks at a goalie.

Matt Vensel Sullivan said McCann appeared to be figuring things out just before the pause.

“I went into it knowing I hadn’t scored in a while,” said McCann, who had Remember that night in Pittsburgh back in January when Sidney Crosby 14 goals in 44 games before his slump. “But I went home, shot some had a spectacular effort in his long-awaited return from injury? After pucks and just kind of hit reset. I’m not the type of guy to kind of dwell on everything that’s happened on the planet since, you’re forgiven if your something like that.” memory is foggy. McCann, a restricted free agent this offseason, had quietly become a Jared McCann certainly does, though he swears he is done dwelling on pretty valuable player during the first half of the season. Due to all those it. injuries, he was used all over the lineup. He was even their first-line That 7-3 win against the Minnesota Wild on Jan. 14 was the last time he center for a little while. put the puck in the net during a game. McCann went 22 games without Sullivan thinks he will benefit from settling in at center, with Bjugstad out. scoring before the NHL suspended play March 12 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, then went back home to Canada to take out his frustration on “Jared is going to do a really good job,” he said. “He’s very comfortable the net in his driveway. there. It’s his natural position. He’s played a lot of real good hockey for us, specifically, when he’s played at the center-ice position. So I think Tuesday, exactly six months since his last goal, the 24-year-old hit the Jared’s going to be fine.” ice at UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex with a second chance and a clear mind. McCann believes he can be better than fine. He said that Marleau, Hornqvist and he have the potential to be “game-changers” during the “I think Jared’s got a fresh start here and he’s excited to get back on the playoffs. ice,” Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said after the practice. “We think that line has an opportunity to be a difference-maker for us, Jared being a big Recent history suggests that the Penguins will need it to go all the way. part of it.” Post Gazette LOADED: 07.15.2020 Whether McCann can rediscover his scoring touch and help to give the Penguins a legit third line will have a significant impact on their Stanley Cup hopes.

We saw the Penguins trot out three formidable scoring lines in their back- to-back Stanley Cup runs under Sullivan. In the playoffs, that kind of balance up front is not so much an advantage as it is a necessity to make a deep run.

This Penguins squad boasts what is still one of the NHL’s best one-two punches at center in Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, and the return of Jake Guentzel and the addition of Jason Zucker give them wingers to work with. Meanwhile, they stumbled upon an obnoxious checking line centered by Teddy Blueger.

But the Penguins, largely due to injury, didn’t consistently get enough from the other forward line. Sullivan had to piece that third trio together, often relying on rookies or fringe veterans who started off in Wilkes- Barre/Scranton.

The season-ending injuries to Nick Bjugstad and Dominik Simon notwithstanding, the Penguins are pretty healthy now. And a pair of deadline deals gave Sullivan three new options for his lineup. Suddenly, he has a lot to work with.

“To have the opportunity to have a top nine like we have is just an indication of the depth we have when we have a healthy lineup,” the coach said.

During the first two days of training camp part deux, Sullivan asked McCann to center the third line. At left wing was Patrick Marleau, the 40- year-old whom the Penguins acquired from the San Jose Sharks in February. Fellow newcomer Evan Rodrigues and rookie Sam Lafferty rotated on McCann’s other side.

The presumption is, though, that if Patric Hornqvist is available, he will line up next to McCann and Marleau. Hornqvist is among the nine Penguins being held out after potential secondary exposure to someone with COVID-19.

Sullivan suggested those three have complementary skill sets. McCann has wheels and one of the team’s best wristers. At this stage in his career, Marleau is “a real solid two-way player.” And, Sullivan said, “Horny brings what Horny brings, and we all know [what] that [is].” Yeah, a honey badger on ice skates.

“I think they could potentially be a really important line for us,” Sullivan said. 1188165 Pittsburgh Penguins there are “aspects of fitness” that can’t be replicated skating individually or in small groups.

“It’s the belligerency. It’s the combative drills. The tight-area space. The The Penguins are excited about the future — short- and long-term — of pushing and shoving and leaning on guys. That’s a different type of this duo conditioning,” he said.

In one drill early in the 50-minute practice, two teams of three skaters jostled between the faceoff dot and the wall to gain the puck and Matt Vensel maintain possession. The coach said those types of drills could not be done during Phase 2.

“That’s really the only aspect of conditioning they haven’t been able to Mike Sullivan, a coach who isn’t afraid to tinker, had four months to mull address up to this point, because they’ve been trying to adhere to the potential line combinations and defensive pairings. But when the guidelines the league has set out,” he said. “They were trying to make Penguins finally got back on the ice as a full squad — or as close as they sure there was social distancing taking place the best they could on the could get — at UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex on Monday, he left his ice for the informal skate.” defensive corps intact. ‘Keep both sides happy’ That meant youngsters Marcus Pettersson and John Marino were still together as his second pair, and Sullivan had a pretty simple explanation Kris Letang, as the team’s player rep, was a part of the negotiation for that. process as the NHL and the NHL Players’ Association found common ground on both the NHL’s return-to-play plan and a new collective “We really liked the pair when we put them together,” the Penguins coach bargaining agreement. said Tuesday. “That’s one of the reasons why they’re back together right now.” “The main goal was always to make sure that we grow our game and make sure the game of hockey is healthy and going in the right direction,” When the season stopped due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Pettersson he said. and Marino were slotted above the veteran duo of Jack Johnson and Justin Schultz. The two had more ups than downs after stepping into Still, it took sacrifices, financial and otherwise, from both sides to hammer more significant minutes. out a deal. He said that despite contentious moments throughout the process, he believed the players and owners never wavered in their “We think they’re both good players,” Sullivan said. “They both bring commitment to working together through a tough situation, unlike what good size and a long reach. They’re hard to play against. They take up a took place in baseball. lot of space. They have great gaps. They defend the blue line on the entries extremely well.” “Both sides need to really look at what’s best for the game and at the same time keep both sides happy,” he said of the process. “There was There is plenty to be excited about when it comes to the future of those compromise on both sides. And with the uncertainties coming ahead of two. The Penguins locked up the lanky Pettersson this winter after a us, the negotiation of escrow and everything around it, we finally agreed strong first year in Pittsburgh. Marino figures to receive votes for the on some numbers.” NHL’s All-Rookie team, though a pair of other impressive blue liners will probably edge him out. Exhibition game scheduled

Pettersson, who headed back home to Sweden soon after the season Each of the 24 teams participating in the NHL postseason will play one was paused, marveled at his partner’s poise, saying he played like a 10- exhibition game prior to the start of the tournament on Aug. 1. The NHL year veteran. announced Tuesday that the Penguins will open that slate of exhibition games by facing off against the rival Philadelphia Flyers at 4 p.m. on July “Playing with Johnny, he’s been so lights-out the whole year,” Pettersson 28. said. “I think we kind of read the game the same way. We talk a lot with each other and we can kind of read off each other and I think that helps a The Penguins are scheduled to open their five-game qualifying round lot.” series against the Montreal Canadiens on Aug. 1 at 8 p.m.

That budding partnership has the Penguins feeling good about the Post Gazette LOADED: 07.15.2020 present, too.

McCann-Marleau connection

Jared McCann’s said his parents are in the middle of moving, and in the process of packing up their house, they found a pretty special piece of memorabilia.

McCann, at 12, got a puck autographed by none other than Patrick Marleau.

McCann explained that his parents used to have a home in Arizona. He went to a game between the San Jose Sharks and the then-Phoenix Coyotes and his player representation agency got him an introduction to stars on both teams. Marleau was in the middle of his first stint in San Jose at the time.

“I was really young, so I was kind of starstruck. I remember I met Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau and Patty signed a puck for me,” said McCann, now 24.

A dozen years later, that starstruck kid is skating on a line with Marleau.

“He’s definitely a guy I still look up to,” McCann said of the 40-year-old.

Penguins get belligerent

Tuesday’s practice emphasized group battles down low and along the boards. One reason was to sharpen tight-area skills. Another was conditioning.

Sullivan said Monday that players “did a terrific job in controlling what they could to prepare themselves for this training camp,” but he noted 1188166 Pittsburgh Penguins A moment later, I approached former Penguins player and broadcaster Phil Bourque. “I’ll tell you who looks great out there,” I said.

The ol’ 29’er finished my sentence for me. Yohe: Key observations from Penguins training camp, Day 2 “Marino,” he said. “I just said the same thing to three people. Oh my gosh.”

By Josh Yohe Jul 14, 2020 That pretty much sums it up. It was one practice, but everything he did was just right. He’s special.

• The Penguins worked extensively on drills in tight quarters. This is no Good afternoon, hockey fans. surprise. Sullivan mentioned on Monday that, while his team was in outstanding condition, that introducing physical play would be important. The Penguins recently wrapped up the second day of their “training camp” at the UMPC Lemieux Sports Complex. Here are 10 observations Much of practice circulated around work in the corners. Malkin threw a from Cranberry, where good vibes continue to rule the day. couple of fairly big hits to get started, and it went from there.

• Sometimes, to truly appreciate greatness, it’s best to arrive early to • It’s really early to be gauging goaltending, but there’s no doubt that this practice. I walked into the complex at 10:25 a.m. and, for the next 20 is the hot button topic for the Penguins in this camp. I didn’t see anything minutes, watched as Sidney Crosby skated alone. No teammates. No resembling a red flag on Tuesday. Both Matt Murray and Tristan Jarry coaches. Just the greatest player of his generation, a few dozen pucks, a looked pretty sharp. fresh sheet of ice and pure determination. Full disclosure: We have assigned seats for these practices because of Crosby rocketed shot after shot, first wrist shots, then backhand the team’s COVID-19 policies. My seat happens to be much, much closer offerings. Again and again. to Jarry’s side of the ice, so it’s a lot easier for me to focus on him. From what I witnessed, I thought Jarry looked really, really composed and This is nothing new and it’s something I’ve witnessed hundreds of times sharp. I watched Murray more from afar, and I liked what I saw from him, while covering him for more than a decade. But it was a reminder of what too. makes him so great. I’ve heard from many people in his inner circle and in the organization who insist they’ve never seen Crosby so inspired, so Tuesday’s practice wasn’t really one that showcased the goaltenders, so hungry. If Tuesday morning was any indication, those observations were I wouldn’t look into it all that much. But neither of them looked bad, for accurate. what it’s worth. Far from it.

From watching him alone to watching him with his teammates, he looks • I saw something pretty noteworthy during practice. It wasn’t a drill, had locked in for the second day of camp. He’s obviously been putting the nothing to do with skating or an impressive one-on-one play. Nah, it was work in during the past few months, and watching him Tuesday was a conversation. Two of them, actually. something else. Crosby looked utterly dominant in every drill and in every facet of the game. In between drills, Patrick Marleau and Jared McCann engaged in a long chat, and it was evident that they are trying to figure one another out. SIDNEY CROSBY OUT FOR PRACTICE WAY BEFORE EVERYONE Then they chatted again following the workout. This was encouraging to ELSE. SOME HABITS NEVER CHANGE. see. PIC.TWITTER.COM/NVR1BKTW2Q We know the Penguins’ top-six is absolutely loaded and we know they — JOSH YOHE (@JOSHYOHE_PGH) JULY 14, 2020 showcase one of hockey’s top fourth lines. What we don’t know is what to expect from the third line, which will include McCann and Marleau. • His partner in crime wasn’t far behind. It’s easy to forget what a They’ve never played together. The conversations, I suspect, are a start. sensational season Evgeni Malkin enjoyed before everything shut down March 12, but he played at an MVP level. A new, improved Malkin was • Maybe it’s because I haven’t watched live hockey in a while. Maybe. on display as early as training camp in September, when his effort and But I don’t think so. energy level was off the charts. This was very much evident Tuesday. The Penguins just look fast. Really, really fast. The tempo of their During many drills, Malkin looked like a Hummer ripping through a bunch practice was impressive. It wasn’t your normal practice, and it certainly of Honda Civics. I’ve seen Malkin sleepwalk through practices in the wasn’t your normal training camp practice. They have the look of a past, although I wouldn’t ever say he’s looked lazy in practice. That hungry team and a healthy one. The speed was impossible to ignore. wouldn’t be accurate. But his energy level appeared to be on a par with They’ve done a good job of getting back to their identity as one of the Crosby’s, which is saying something. Both of the Penguins’ superstars NHL’s fastest teams, and it’s evident while observing practice. looked outstanding. • Patric Hornqvist — and the eight other players who may have been • At the conclusion of a drill, Malkin blatantly tripped Teddy Blueger. It exposed to a person who was exposed to COVID-19 — was again held wasn’t one of Malkin’s lazy trips, but rather, he was getting a little greedy out of practice. There is no update regarding when the nine players may and simply wanted to steal the puck. Malkin’s always at his best when he return. plays this way. James Neal used to call him “The Bully” when he was deploying that kind of mindset. Lineup

Mike Sullivan laughed at this play and raised his arm to indicate a penalty The lineup looked the same as Monday: should have been called. Jake Guentzel-Sidney Crosby-Conor Sheary Malkin then looked at Blueger and did a belly flop onto the ice, indicating Jason Zucker-Evgeni Malkin-Bryan Rust that he believed Blueger embellished the call. John Marino then looked at Malkin as if to say, “What are you talking about?” Patrick Marleau-Jared McCann-Evan Rodrigues

It was all quite amusing and illustrated that, while the Penguins are taking Zach Aston-Reese-Teddy Blueger-Brandon Tanev this training camp seriously, they’re all having fun. Brian Dumoulin-Kris Letang • Oh yes, John Marino. Marcus Pettersson-John Marino Sometimes, when I watch practice, I like to focus on certain players. Makes it more fun, breaks up the monotony of practice. Other times, a Jack Johnson-Justin Schultz player looks so good that it simply snatches your attention. Sullivan has mentioned to the media numerous times that he’s pleased That’s what Marino did Tuesday. During three-on-two drills, groupings of with how practices are going, and that’s great. But what he says to the Penguins forwards swooped in on Marino and Marcus Pettersson on players carries a lot more weight, and things are so quiet at the practice three different occasions. On all three, Marino calmly anticipated the play facility, that some words are quite easily audible. and intercepted the puck. This is what he yelled to the Penguins following practice: “Great job!” The Athletic LOADED: 07.15.2020 1188167 Pittsburgh Penguins That way, if the starter falters early in Game 1 against the Canadiens, Sullivan would not be pulling that goalie for one who hasn’t faced any action (other than from teammates) since March.

Inside the Penguins’ Phase 3 workouts: Lines, goalies, absences and Are the lines and pairing set? draft picks Was the arena in which the Penguins will begin their 14th consecutive postseason originally designed for basketball instead of hockey?

By Rob Rossi Jul 14, 2020 Yes.

Also, don’t worry; the plan is to stop starting answers to questions with, well, questions. A few of the Penguins’ longest-tenured employees probably could have predicted what happened the day before the franchise’s first practice Sure as Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena was conceived as a home for the during a pandemic. After all, those same employees can recite all the NBA’s Raptors and not the NHL’s Maple Leafs, the Penguins appear to downs that have preceded the ups over the past half-decade. know whom they want slotted where when they arrive in hockey’s Mecca to face hockey’s most historic franchise. Don’t know about the lows? (At some point, it won’t seem so weird that the Pittsburgh Penguins and Here’s a story. Here’s another. And here’s something truly bizarre for the Montreal Canadiens, franchises that have combined to win 15 road. championships in the NHL’s post-expansion era, will stage a playoff battle in Toronto, where the Cup has existed only in a Hockey Hall of Still, from the Images of current superstars Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Fame display during that same period of time. Maybe.) Malkin on the walls to the banners honoring Mario Lemieux and the five Stanley Cup titles the Penguins have won since he arrived in Pittsburgh, A look at the lines from the Penguins’ first practice: there are signs of the highs everywhere at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex — where the current squad practiced as a group for the first Penguins' lines (July 13) time in four months Monday. First Of course, not all players returning from the NHL’s pause amid the Jake Guentzel COVID-19 crisis were able to participate in that practice. Sidney Crosby Faces and names change, but the Penguins, as a franchise, appear destined to be forever star-crossed. Conor Sheary

These Penguins, even without nine players because of their potential Second exposure to a person with COVID-19, looked the part of a Cup-caliber group in a brisk, sharp practice run by coach Mike Sullivan on Monday. It Jason Zucker featured a reunion of Crosby and Jake Guentzel, which was quite a fine Evgeni Malkin start for the Penguins’ re-start to this most unbelievable of NHL seasons. Bryan Rust As for what to watch for during their two-week camp … well, Day 1 offered some questions to keep in mind. Third

Who will be the goalie for Game 1 against Montreal? Patrick Marleau

Seriously! Like, that one couldn’t wait? Jared McCann

Nah. Evan Rodrigues

The Penguins’ goalie situation has been the tie that binds Sullivan’s Fourth tenure. For reasons covered exhaustively in the past, three goalies — Jeff Zatkoff, Marc-Andre Fleury and Matt Murray — took the crease for Zach-Aston Reese the postseason openers in each of Sullivan’s first three seasons. If he Teddy Blueger goes with Tristan Jarry, whose production was superior to that of two- time Cup champion Matt Murray during the regular season, Sullivan will Brandon Tanev have launched five postseasons with four different goalies. About as expected. The exception was Evan Rodrigues to the right of The first practice of camp offered no clue as to whether Jarry or Murray Jared McCann on the third line, but that slot would have belonged to will get the nod when the Penguins face the Canadiens in Toronto on Patric Hornqvist. Aug. 1. In fact, the only real news about either goalie is that each was breaking in new pads Monday. Oops. Sorry. Been a while.

Most people within the organization suspect Murray, to whom Sullivan Sullivan doesn’t assign numbers to lines. Forgot about that. has regularly turned to in crucial moments, will be the starter for Game 1 Everybody might want to forget about inking Conor Sheary, Jason of the Penguins’ qualifying-round series. Zucker, and any of Patrick Marleau, McCann, Rodrigues (or, if he can The only smart bet, though, is that Sullivan probably will decline to play, Hornqvist) in those spots above, too. divulge any decision he has made until at least the day of that first game. Sullivan’s history is that of building lines around two players and mixing in Before then, the best opportunities for Murray to secure his spot or Jarry a third depending on a variety of factors. Neither the Guentzel-Crosby to win it from him will come in three scheduled scrimmages and an nor Malkin-Bryan Rust duos is likely to be broken up, and the Zach exhibition game. Aston-Reese-Teddy Blueger-Brandon Tanev line has become a potential Penguins goalie Tristan Jarry has a lighter moment during practice at heir to depth trios of the Penguins’ salary-cap-era title teams. UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex on Monday. (Courtesy of Pittsburgh That could mean veterans such as Marleau and Hornqvist find Penguins) themselves at some point as the other winger with either Malkin or The exhibition game could prove particularly telling. Crosby. It could also mean speedy, streaky wingers such as Sheary and Zucker might float a bit when the games start. It’s the only one before a best-of-five series. Whereas in a traditional camp, Sullivan might give his would-be No. 1 goalie a full game to fine- Or in practices. tune, it might make more sense for Murray and Jarry to divide playing Zucker had been with the Penguins only a month before the NHL went time in the Penguins’ exhibition warmup. on pause. Sheary had been gone for two-plus seasons before he was acquired at the trade deadline. Marleau and Rodrigues, also deadline acquisitions, each had enough time with the Penguins to blink a couple of times before the shutdown.

Sullivan’s challenge will be to give a handful of forwards opportunities to familiarize themselves with different spots in the lineup, all the while providing his preferred lines due time to establish chemistry.

Not any easy task.

However, as was the case even before their first practice of this camp, the Penguins are likely to arrive at their facility and learn a player — or players — have contracted or been exposed to COVID-19. That reality might convince Sullivan to be even less dogmatic about who plays with whom and instead try to get all the forwards comfortable with one another.

Most NHL coaches wanted three weeks for camp after the four months away. Those wishes had less to do with working players into shape and more with practicing for potential COVID-19 contingencies.

Will anybody opt out of going to Toronto?

Rutherford addressed that topic not long after the NHL and NHLPA agreed to a four-year extension of the collective bargaining agreement. The only surprise he provided was that he will not join the Penguins in Toronto — at least for the start of the postseason.

He won’t be alone among prominent team officials staying behind in Pittsburgh.

Lemieux, a cancer survivor, and CEO/president David Morehouse, who has had heart-related issues, did not plan to be in Toronto. Nor does vice president of media relations Jennifer Bullano-Ridgley, who has a young daughter.

Jacques Martin, at 67 the oldest member of Sullivan’s assistants by at least 20 years, did plan to be with the Penguins for games.

Aside from Martin, the absence of Rutherford and others might not seem like a significant factor in the on- or off-ice success of the Penguins. But, at least at the start of camp, Sullivan was likely going to be the highest- ranking member of the organization on-site in Toronto, where the Penguins will be permitted to bring 52 people.

Reputable for his organizational and communication skills, Sullivan is likely not going to be stretched too thin in Toronto. But the absences of some trusted colleagues will make a novel experience feel even stranger for a coach trying to join elite ranks by winning a third title.

What’s up with the Penguins’ first-round pick?

Technically, this isn’t a question that will be answered during camp.

It might be answered by how the Penguins make use of camp, though.

Their series against the Canadiens will determine what happens with the 2020 first-round pick. If the Penguins are victorious, the selection will belong to the Minnesota Wild. If the Penguins are defeated, they might keep the pick — as it could become the first overall selection.

“The lottery will determine whether we keep the pick,” Rutherford said in a text message Monday night.

Rutherford dealt the first-round pick as part of the deal that brought Zucker to Pittsburgh from the Minnesota Wild. Rutherford placed a contingency on the pick, protecting it in case the Penguins missed the playoffs and ended up as part of the 2020 draft lottery.

The Penguins can’t miss the playoffs; the NHL is counting the qualifying- round as part of the postseason, even though winners in that round will advance to the first round of the playoffs.

Don’t try to make sense of it. Times are tough enough already.

Read this story to better understand what’s going on with the No. 1 slot for the 2020 NHL Draft. Just know that the Penguins conceivably could get upset by the Canadiens and end up adding a potential generational winger to the back end of the Crosby/Malkin era.

It would be some kind of story if that is how things worked out. It also would be disappointing for Crosby and Malkin, each of whom spent most of Phase 2 talking up the NHL’s return as a great Cup chance to teammates who joined them in Pittsburgh for group workouts.

The Athletic LOADED: 07.15.2020 1188168 St Louis Blues Defensemen Colton Parayko and Robert Bortuzzo weren’t on the ice, but they weren’t hurt. Rather, they were apparently shelved for a few more days by a positive coronavirus test.

Gordo: 'Crisp' Blues return to the rink eager to defend the Cup This first Phase 3 practice split the team into two sessions lasting just under an hour. Afterward, the locker room remained closed to the media and Pietrangelo, Armstrong and Jordan Binnington conducted interviews via video conference from less than 100 yards away. Jeff Gordon The Blues will work 33 players during this Phase 3 camp, then take 31

players to Edmonton for Phase 4 — real-life bubble hockey sequestered The Blues reconvened at Centene Community Ice Center on Monday from the rest of humanity. morning eager to resume their Stanley Cup defense. “I think everybody was a different level out there today, it seems to me,” They hardly looked like a team that had been gone for four months. Armstrong said. “You could tell the guys that had access to ice (compared) to some of the guys that might not have access to ice. I Coach Craig Berube and Co. led them through fast-paced drills that believe in talking to Craig (Berube) that we’ll have a much better feel to stressed skating, passing, skating, shooting and even more skating with where we’re at a week from today and then we’ll just continue to grow. tempo. “Today wasn’t an evaluation day. It was a get-their-feet-moving day. It’s “We were crisp,” Blues captain Alex Pietrangelo said. “We were good. almost going to be a get-your-feet-moving week and then we can start Obviously a pretty furious practice out there, but overall guys were pretty moving into a different phase next week.” sharp. The mental side too was pretty good.” While some Blues looked sharper than others, this was a far different The sounds of hockey reverberated through the practice rink. Pucks scene than we saw after the 1994-95 lockout. Back then, pudgy clanged off posts, rang off the glass and hammered the end boards. playmaker Craig Janney returned in beer-and-cheeseburger shape and incurred the wrath of coach Mike Keenan. Sticks tapped the ice and banged on the boards. Skate blades bit into the ice. Whistles pierced the air and Berube bellowed commands above the Janney lasted just eight games in that shortened season before Keenan din. shipped him to San Jose.

There was Jaden Schwartz getting a rise from teammates with his During this pandemic shutdown, it appears that Blues players largely spinning backhand goal from the slot. kept their stuff together while awaiting the call to restart.

There was Carl Gunnarsson converting Pietrangelo’s feed for a rare “I don’t know if it’s the mindset maybe that all along we kind of knew we weak-side tap-in, then thanking him with a glove bump. were going to have a chance to come back so everybody was staying in the swing of things,” Pietrangelo said. “In a normal offseason you really There was Alexander Steen bobbling the puck while zig-zagging through shut your mind off and take a break. You know you have three or so obstacles, then recovering it to score into the upper right-hand corner. months until things get going again. There was Marco Scandella deflecting a shot out of mid-air into the net, “I think for a lot of us we kept our brain in it and knew that at some point then winding up a two-arm celebration. we were going get ready to play.” There was Sammy Blais, roofing a wrist shot and sending the And now they are. goaltender's water bottle flying in the air. St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 07.15.2020 There was Jordan Kyrou hitting the jets, cutting to the slot on his forehand burying a snap shot.

There was Jake Allen hugging the post to his right and sweep-checking the puck away from Vince Dunn.

There was Vladimir Tarasenko, all the way back from his shoulder injury, pumping one shot after another into the net. This is how good he looked during the Phase 2 small-group workouts that preceded the full-team restart.

“I got a glimpse of him through that time frame,” Blues general manager Doug Armstrong said. “His shot is still dynamic. He seems, I was saying to one of the coaches today, to score at will. That’s something you take for granted when you’re watching him every day. You realize how special it is when you don’t get to see him for four or five months.

“It was great to see him out there. He looks fantastic. I know he’s knocking off some of the rust.”

Of course, there were a few notable differences as the NHL restarted in the midst of a global pandemic. For instance, the temperature outside was climbing into the 80s as the Blues ended their hiatus.

“We went to the rink in some pretty warm weather last year when we were playing in the playoffs,” Pietrangelo noted.

Fair enough. It was plenty hot outside when the Blues won the Cup by knocking off the Boston Bruins in seven games.

But there other hints of the new normal facing the Blues. Water bottles were carefully spaced at the bench, two by two with a towel separating each pair.

Team support staff and rink personnel wore masks covering their mouth and nose. So did the smattering of media types sitting in the otherwise empty stands or scattered along the outside of the glass. 1188169 St Louis Blues setup is foolproof when it comes to the coronavirus, but the hub city concept — at least in theory — minimizes risk as much as possible.

“Going into the hub cities, you have a little more comfort level,” Parayko, Bortuzzo not on the ice as Blues start training camp Armstrong said. “When you look at the precautions the NHL and NHLPA have taken, I feel really comfortable that if we can through these couple of weeks and get up there. . . .

Jim Thomas “There are gonna be some setbacks, some road blocks. Things are gonna happen and you have to be able to just roll with it. But as the guys

got here and Phase 2 (voluntary workouts) got longer — farther and Never mind that two of his top seven defensemen weren’t on the ice farther into it — and our guys kept having negative tests, it made us feel Monday, the first day of Phase 3 (training camp) at Centene Community really good that we’re in a good spot.” Ice Center. Of course, not all the test results came back negative. But at least the Blues general manager Doug Armstrong came with the jokes for his Blues are past Phase 2. The voluntary phase of the pandemic “pause” is Zoom conference with reporters, when asked about the status of Colton over. They will be playing their round-robin opener in less than three Parayko and Robert Bortuzzo. weeks, on Aug. 2 against the Colorado Avalanche.

“They changed their cell numbers during the break, so I haven’t had a The key to getting there is successfully navigating through the two weeks chance to reach them,” Armstrong said. “So they didn’t know it was of camp at Centene. Right now, the players are free to go where they practice today.” please once they leave Centene. And that’s where trouble can take place. It was actually kind of funny, and totally unexpected given Armstrong’s normally intense ways. The news that teammates had tested positive was a sobering reminder that COVID-19 can strike anyone, anywhere, at any time. The presumption, of course, is that Parayko and Bortuzzo are among the Blues who tested positive for COVID-19. But the NHL has adopted a “Yeah, it’s real,” goalie Jordan Binnington said. “A very uncertain time. So policy that neither the league nor the teams will disclose such in those times, I think all you can do is kinda take care of yourself and be information, so there was no confirmation from Armstrong about what a good citizen to those around you. seems to be obvious. “I’ve kept it pretty tight. Wearing masks everywhere I go, I try to at least. “They’ll be back in short order,” Armstrong said. “We’re not allowed to Keeping your distance in conversations. You miss hugging people and talk about it. But you’ll see ‘em on the ice sometime this week.” shaking people’s hands a little bit.”

If that turns out to be case, the disruption to training camp will be minimal Binnington has been so diligent about wearing a facemask that he has for the defending Stanley Cup champions. caught himself occasionally driving — by himself — with his mask on.

The Post-Dispatch reported July 4 that four players and one coach had “You make fun of those people who are driving by themselves with a tested positive for the coronavirus, according to a source familiar with the mask on, but I sometimes forget,” he said. “So I understand where situation. But that was nine days ago, and the positive tests were spread they’re coming from.” out over a period of time prior to that. From Armstrong, to Berube, to Pietrangelo there have been talks with the So the expectation was that some of those testing positive would be team about staying safe and being smart. cleared by the time camp opened. And that appeared to be the case “The biggest thing for us is doing what’s right for each other and doing Monday at Centene. Coach Craig Berube had his full complement of what’s right for each other’s families,” Pietrangelo said. "We’ve just gotta assistant coaches on hand for the day’s two practices; and Parayko and get to the bubble, right? Bortuzzo were the only missing players. “But it’s really important that everybody’s smart right now, make sure we Minus those two defensemen, the Blues had 30 players on hand, split do what’s right, keep everybody safe. Because you get everyone into two groups — with one group practicing at 10 a.m. and the other together, things change. But we’ve got a smart group. We all kind of going at noon in what were 45-minute sessions. With only eight know what’s at risk here. Not too worried about it.” blueliners available, San Antonio callups Jake Walman and Derrick Pouliot pulled double duty, playing defense in both practice sessions. St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 07.15.2020 Just like society at large, coping with the coronavirus has become a way life for the NHL. And with that in mind, one of the features of the league’s return to play plan is that players could opt out of participating in the 24- team postseason format without penalty if they declared their intentions by 4 p.m. (Central) on Monday.

Armstrong said the Blues had no takers.

“Everyone in our group has indicated that they want to play,” Armstrong said. “We’ve always let the players know that the health and safety of themselves and of their family is at the forefront. They have 100 percent of our support.

“So we didn’t call each individual to ask them that question (about opting out). I think they knew going in that we would support whatever decision they made. No one’s come to us asking us not to participate.”

The decision came easier for some than others. Captain Alex Pietrangelo is raising soon-to-be 2-year-old triplets with wife Jayne.

“It was a really long conversation, more than one conversation between me and my wife,” he said. “Ongoing discussion I guess is a good way to put it. I think the safest way to do it is to get to the bubble. Once we get there at least I know my family’s gonna be safe.”

Getting to the bubble has become the team’s rallying cry.

When the Blues reach their hub city of Edmonton on July 26, they will be in a tightly controlled bubble of hotel, practice rink, game venue. No 1188170 St Louis Blues Teams are limited to 30 skaters and an unlimited number of goalies in camp, and the Blues will have 29 once Tucker arrives for 33 total. When teams go to their hub cities, they can have only 31 players total. Tucker isn’t eligible to play this season, so one player who is in camp won’t Perunovich signs his deal with Blues, won't train with them in camp make the trip. Hofer, the fourth goalie, is the obvious choice, though Armstrong made it sound as if there would be a provision to bring him in

in case of injuries. Tom Timmermann “The NHL has said if you get below a certain number of goaltenders, they understand the importance of that position and will allow you to fill in,” he said. Scott Perunovich, the Blues’ second-round pick in the 2018 draft and the winner of the Hobey Baker Award as the top player in collegiate hockey Tarasenko line reunited this season, signed a two-year entry-level deal with the Blues on Vladimir Tarasenko was in his usual place on a line with Jaden Schwartz Monday, but won’t be joining the team for camp. and Brayden Schenn when the Blues resumed practice. Perunovich had agreed with the Blues to two contracts in March during Ryan O’Reilly’s line, which also includes Zach Sanford and David Perron, the league’s pause, one if the league permitted signees to play this remained intact, and Robert Thomas was centering Sammy Blais and season and another if they didn’t. Ultimately, the NHL decided that Tyler Bozak. On the fourth line, Mackenzie MacEachern was with Oskar players who signed during the pause would not be eligible to play. The Sundqvist and Alexander Steen, while Ivan Barbashev centered callups Blues could still have had Perunovich come to camp and train, though Kostin and Poganski, though that might have just been so each line had that would burn the first year of his contract. a center. (Coach Craig Berube did not speak to reporters on Monday.) “Scotty is going to sign his contract (to start) in 2021,” general manager Jordan Kyrou, Jacob de la Rose and Troy Brouwer were another Doug Armstrong said. “He was in town and doing some work. He’s back combination. in Minneapolis now and won’t be here for Phase 3 as he prepares to get St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 07.15.2020 ready for the main camp next season.”

Perunovich was chasing a third consecutive NCAA championship at Minnesota-Duluth when the season was abruptly canceled by COVID-19, just before the start of the tournament. Perunovich had six goals and 34 assists in 34 regular-season games at UMD.

Pietrangelo focus on hockey

In a normal year, July 1 would have been the day that Alex Pietrangelo’s future would have been settled, with the first day of free agency seeing him sign with the Blues or somewhere else in the league. Instead, on July 13, he was still skating with the Blues, his future still unclear.

“It’s kind of a tough question to answer right now,” he said of any contract talks. “There wasn’t a whole lot going on. There was a whole lot of questions regarding everything moving forward with the CBA. Both sides were kind of sitting down and waiting to see what happened before any discussions, so it’s quiet. We’ll worry about the finals right now, we’ll move forward and see what happens here. Not much to say other than what Army says, the goal is to get something done. That’s been the goal from the beginning and we’ll see where things go. The focus right now is getting through (camp) healthy and playing and we’ll see where things end up.”

Plenty of new faces in camp

The Blues had seven players in camp on Monday who weren’t with the team when play stopped on March 12. (Eight if you include Vladimir Tarasenko, who came off injured reserve on Monday.)

Joining the team were forwards Klim Kostin and Austin Poganski, defensemen Niko Mikkola, Derrick Pouliot and Jake Walman, and goalies Ville Husso and Joel Hofer. All of them but the goalies saw action with the team this season, though not very much. Mikkola appeared in five games and Kostin in four, and none of the others more than two.

Defenseman Tyler Tucker, the team’s seventh-round pick in 2018 who played in juniors this season and had 17 goals and 39 assists in 55 games, will be in camp later this week.

“He got the word just Saturday that he was able to participate,” Armstrong said, “so he’s going to be come and join us.”

Along with Tucker, the biggest surprise among the call-ups was Hofer. The Blues’ fourth-round pick in the 2018 draft, he spent the season playing juniors with the Portland Winterhawks of the Western Hockey League, and he was wearing gear with their colors in practice on Monday. Hofer led Canada to the gold medal at the 2020 world junior tournament.

“He’s someone that we obviously watched this year, what he did for Portland and after world juniors, I think it’s a great steppingstone for him,” Armstrong said. “We certainly need four goaltenders for this training camp. It gives him an opportunity to skate with our guys and get to know them.” 1188171 St Louis Blues During the NHL pause, Perunovich agreed to two contracts with the Blues, but which one he signed would depend on whether or not he would be allowed to play this season. When the new CBA was agreed to, it was decided that players would not be allowed to sign this season and Blues resume practicing; Parayko, Bortuzzo absent play this season. So that settled the question of which one Perunovich would sign.

"Scotty is going to sign his contract (to start) in 2021," Armstrong said. Tom Timmermann Jul 13, 2020 0 "He was in town and doing some work. He's back in Minneapolis now and won't be here for Phase 3 as he prepares to get ready for the main camp next season." The Blues were back on the ice at Centene Community Ice Center in Maryland Heights on Monday, with everyone on hand except Perunovich signed with the Blues after finishing his junior season at defensemen Colton Parayko and Robert Bortuzzo. Minnesota-Duluth, after which he won the Hobey Baker Award as the top player in college hockey. He had six goals and 34 assists in 34 regular- Coach Craig Berube had said a couple of players might miss the first few season games. days of practice, but would be back. The Blues cancelled an involuntary workout two Fridays ago after reportedly four players and a member of St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 07.15.2020 the coaching staff had tested positive.

By league policy, the Blues can't comment on the nature of any injury during this postseason. "They'll be back in short order," general manager Doug Armstrong said Monday. "You'll see them back on the ice sometime this week."

All members of the staff were on the ice on Monday.

Berube broke his group into two sessions for practice, with callups Derrick Pouliot and Jake Walman skating with both groups.

The lines were:

Schwartz-Schenn-Tarasenko

Sanford-O'Reilly-Perron

Blais-Thomas-Bozak

MacEachern-Sundqvist-Steen

Kostin-Barbashev-Poganski

Kyrou-de la Rose-Brouwer

On defense:

Gunnarsson-Pietrangelo

Scandella-Walman

Dunn-Faulk

Mikkola-Walman

Pouliot

Goalies:

Binnington

Allen

Husso

Hofer

The players who weren't on the roster when play was stopped were forward Klim Kostin and Austin Poganski, defensemen Walman, Pouliot and Niko Mikkola and goalies Ville Husso and Joel Hofer.

Barbashev being moved off the fourth line was likely because the team wanted a center on the other line for practice purposes.

General manager Doug Armstrong said that defenseman Tyler Tucker, the Blues' seventh-round pick in 2018, would also be joining the team in camp.

"He got word Saturday that he'd be able to participate so he's going to be on the ice later this week," Armstrong said.

When Tucker hits camp, the Blues will have 33 players present. Teams can take only 31 players to the hub city, so two players in camp won't be traveling.

PERUNOVICH SIGNS

Scott Perunovich, the Blues' second round pick in the 2018 draft, signed a two-year entry level contract on Monday. 1188172 St Louis Blues forward, what are some of the things you have to do as a leader to make sure that no more issues come up like that?

PIETRANGELO: I think if you look at what the NHL has done in terms of Hochman: Q-&-A with Pietrangelo on Blues' Stanley Cup chances — precautions that they've given everybody, it's really just up to not just our ‘We've got the depth to do it’ team, but everyone. If you want things to go smoothly and want to continue playing, players need to follow the guidelines and everything will go smoothly. If people are careless and reckless, it's not going to work. And that's kind of, I guess, the story of society right now. Benjamin Hochman I think the players know that everyone's going be smart because

everybody wants a chance to play and wants a chance to win — and In a phone conversation Sunday, Blues captain Alex Pietrangelo some of us, to win again. So the NHL has done a good job of really kind discussed numerous topics about the defending champs, who begin of thinking that through. Obviously the bubbles are going to be big formal training camp (aka “Phase 3”) on Monday. enough where the players are comfortable and there’s enough to do, and guys aren't going to feel like they need to go and do something that's “Petro” talked about the Blues’ chances at a Stanley Cup repeat in 2020 going to put everybody else at risk. So I trust the players. Guys know (“it’s going to be one of the hardest ones to win”), as well as topics what's at risk here. including his own tough decision to play, his looming contact status and the return of a certain player. HOCHMAN: Describe the importance of goaltending depth, knowing you have Jordan Binnington and Jake Allen, who’s having a tremendous HOCHMAN: A lot of fans are aware that you and your wife have young year. triplets. Can you put into words what went into making the decision to definitely play, go to this bubble in Edmonton and be away from the PIETRANGELO: Our goaltending has been a key for us, not just this past family? year. So to have two guys that can kind of push each other? And God forbid something does happen to one of them, you know the other one PIETRANGELO: I thought really, really long and hard about this. I really can pick the other one up. Internal competition is always good, too. But did. If anybody’s been around me, they know how much of a family guy I those guys have nothing but respect for each other. They’re going help am and how important it is to me. There's nothing more important to me each other along the way, no different than the rest of our lineup, right? than my children. I thought really long and hard. I had some really good You look at our defensemen, these forwards. How do we win these conversations with my wife. She's obviously supportive, or else I wouldn’t games? Well, we use our depth, and we play everybody in different be going, right? situations. I think that's why we’ve been such a good team for so long. And I really don't see that changing. … In all honesty, I think for me to have an opportunity to maybe win again with this group is obviously something special. We’ve always wanted to And in this first little bit here, yes we've had a chance to train, but you play (the rest of the season), and I just feel the NHL has done enough to can't really replace playing the game. I can bump my teammates in make me, as a dad, feel comfortable walking into this bubble and being practice all I want but, it’s never the same until you get into a game. safe and not putting my family at risk. HOCHMAN: You’re an unrestricted free agent after this season. Is it at HOCHMAN: Why are the St. Louis Blues equipped to make another least hanging over your head the idea that you guys can win the Stanley Stanley Cup run in your opinion? Cup and it's possible it could be your last games with St. Louis?

PIETRANGELO: Same reason, because of why we are where we are — PIETRANGELO: I knew that going into this year, playing on the last year first in the division and conference. Obviously we have a similar team to of my deal, and it hasn’t really bothered me. I don't think it's really who we were last year, we know our identity, we know how to play. And affected my play. The way I look at it is — it's business. And I think just as important is — we had some bumps and bruises, but no one was everybody else understands that, my teammates understand that. really seriously injured, other than Vladi (Tarasenko). We're healthy, and Hopefully we can get something done, but whether it does or it doesn't, I we've got the depth to do it. As a team right now, you need depth. No look at it in a way of: I've been with this group for a while, we've one’s played hockey in three or four months. For some guys, it’s just not accomplished so much. And how much better would it be if I could say I going to be easy coming out of the gates. So you're going have to use won it twice with this team? It would be pretty special. everybody to kind of get ourselves back into this. … We had some internal talk, me and my wife, about that whole (idea of The interesting part is that everybody's pretty much healthy and on an not) playing because of that stuff, but I don't think I can leave my even playing field now, that’s why a lot of people are saying it’s going to teammates playing without me. It’s just how I’m bred. I just want to have be one of the hardest ones to win. Because the hardest part about another opportunity with these guys. winning (the Stanley Cup), going through we went through last year, was really trying to stay healthy when you're having that push that we did. The (Blues general manager Doug Armstrong) and I said the same thing from playing of 82 games a year is gone now for most of us (physically). And the beginning — the goal is to get something done. Whether it works out it's nice because we get a fresh start, and we're able to kind of get back or not, I mean, we don't know. There's a lot that goes into these into this thing healthy. And I think, too, we're not losing sight of — it’s discussions. There's a lot that goes into the decision for me and my maybe 30 games, so you really have an opportunity to stay healthy. It's a family what we need to do moving forward. So the goal from day one has little bit easier on the body. been to get something done. We'll see kind of where it goes, now that the CBA is extended. HOCHMAN: I’ve compared Tarasenko’s return to the 2020 playoffs like Bob Gibson’s return from a broken leg late in the 1967 season, just in HOCHMAN: Last question. Did you ever think the city of Edmonton time to lead the Cardinals to the World Series title. Describe your would be so important to you and your life? excitement about getting him back. PIETRANGELO: (chuckles) I guess not. I haven't spent more than a PIETRANGELO: That’s not a bad X factor to have coming back into the couple days in Edmonton at a time, but I heard it stays light out pretty playoffs, right? To me, it's a testament to our group, our coaching staff, late. It's a little bit different. I mean, I went to the Olympics in Sochi, and I everybody that we did what we did up to this point in the year without a went to the World Cup in Toronto. I think it's going be more like the player of his caliber. We all know how special the player Vladi is. So Olympics where you're in that village and there's tons of space. I don't anytime you can add a guy to the mix like that, and a guy with an impact think the league is going to put us somewhere where we’re going to be like that, I mean, look let's be honest, it's going to be pretty beneficial for bored out of our minds. They’re going to keep us busy. They’re going to you. The funny part is, it was almost like it's a deadline acquisition, have stuff for us to do. And you know, all of us who have kids, we don't except it’s a guy who's played for this team for a couple hundred games. sit still for more than five minutes. So I think we're going to need He’s familiar with how we play. Not many teams are getting a player of something to do or else we’re going to be awfully bored. That was a big that caliber back at this time of the year, especially after having success conversation with the league about that stuff. They're doing the right before that. things to make sure guys want to be there and guys are comfortable.

HOCHMAN: There was news that four Blues players got COVID-19 after St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 07.15.2020 going to a bar. It's a lessons-learned situation, I'm sure. But going 1188173 St Louis Blues that you don’t necessarily see, but focusing on those little details will take over and his game will just unfold from there.”

BACK AT #STLBLUES TRAINING CAMP TODAY. HERE’S RYAN The Blues’ familiarity with their lineup bodes well with quick turnaround O’REILLY AND DAVID PERRON, BOTH IN THE FIRST GROUP, GETTING SOME SHOTS IN: PIC.TWITTER.COM/ZZR1L1RJWK

— PETER BAUGH (@PETER_BAUGH) JULY 14, 2020 By Jeremy Rutherford and Peter Baugh Jul 14, 2020 On the third line, Bozak centered that group in the past, but Thomas has been there the first two days of camp. On Tuesday, Thomas was in rhythm with Blais, who scored in a drill and triggered a smile from gap- Blues coach Craig Berube put some thought into his line combinations toothed Thomas. during the four-month break, but not much. With the club having a lot of familiarity up front, and meaningful games coming quickly, there isn’t It was expected entering camp that the fourth line would feature much time or reason to experiment. Barbashev, Sundqvist and Steen. But through two days, MacEachern has been with Sundqvist and Steen, and Barbashev has centered Klim In the first two days of training camp, the top line has consisted of Jaden Kostin and Austin Poganski. Berube acknowledged Barbashev’s new line Schwartz, Brayden Schenn and Vladimir Tarasenko. Yes, Tarasenko has needed a center, but “like I said, we’re looking at different combinations played only 10 games this season, but since Schenn arrived in 2017, that of guys,” he said. “We’ll move guys around. Don’t get set on what you’re trio has played 123 games together and a total of 786 minutes, 49 seeing out there right now. It’ll change over time here and there.” seconds at five-on-five, according to Natural Stat Trick. Barbashev isn’t overthinking it. Meanwhile, the second line of Zach Sanford, Ryan O’Reilly and David Perron played 58 games together this season (400:12); on the third line, “That was the roster lines, and I’ve got to go with this,” he said. Sammy Blais spent most of the season sidelined with a wrist injury, but Robert Thomas and Tyler Bozak played 62 games together (319:25); and For now, it places Barbashev on a line with Kostin, a fellow Russian. on the fourth line, Mackenzie MacEachern has been playing in Ivan “He played last year — I think it was a couple of games — and he’s Barbashev’s spot with Oskar Sundqvist and Alexander Steen, but the growing,” Barbashev said. “It’s a really big step for him this year and next Blues could go back to Barbashev, Sundqvist and Steen, who have year because it’s time for him to make some moves and try to get on the played 100 games together (112:28) the past two seasons. roster. But he’s been good. Vladi talks to him a lot, helps him out on the “I think there are some lines out there that have been together for quite a ice and off the ice. But you can see Klim is progressing.” while here with this team, so they’re familiar with each other, and you can Then there’s Jordan Kyrou, who is playing on the last of the Blues’ six see it out there,” Berube said. lines in camp. He set up a goal in Tuesday’s practice, unleashing a shot Forwards from the faceoff circle. Hofer blocked that attempt, but Jacob de la Rose poked in the rebound. Left wing Center Right wing “There are still some spots that are available maybe and we’ve got to Jaden Schwartz Brayden Schenn Vladimir Tarasenko keep looking at guys,” Berube said. “We need everybody. I think in this kind of a tournament format, we’re going to need a lot of guys. You never Zach Sanford Ryan O’Reilly David Perron know what happens with injuries and things like that. We want to make Sammy Blais Robert Thomas Tyler Bozak sure everybody is prepared and ready to go.”

Mackenzie MacEachern Oskar Sundqvist Alexander Steen On defense, the Blues are attempting to trot out the pairs that would play together when the round robin begins, but couldn’t Monday with Colton Klim Kostin Ivan Barbashev Austin Poganski Parayko and Robert Bortuzzo not on the ice for undisclosed reasons. Parayko was back on the ice Tuesday, and Berube said Bortuzzo Jordan Kyrou Jacob de la Rose Troy Brouwer shouldn’t be far behind him. Several Blues players said Monday how impressive Tarasenko looked in “We’ll get (Bortuzzo) back here soon, and then we’ll have everybody his first full practice since October, and Berube backed up that praise back, which is good,” he said. “We’re a little bit short on D with these Tuesday. groups right now. But it’s good to see Colton back out there today.” “He looks like the Vladi of old to me, like he’s shooting the puck really Defensemen well, he’s moving, he looks really good out there,” Berube said. “He’s been off for a long time, but to be honest with you, he doesn’t look rusty Left defense Right defense to me. He’s pretty dialed in right now. He looks strong. He’s skating well. I’m sure that his conditioning is pretty good, but it will get better over Carl Gunnarsson Alex Pietrangelo time, just like everybody else’s.” Marco Scandella Colton Parayko It’s no surprise O’Reilly and Perron, All-Stars this season, are together on Vince Dunn Justin Faulk the second line, and after a breakout year for Sanford, few will question his presence there. Jake Walman Derrick Pouliot

On Tuesday, O’Reilly and Perron passed the puck back and forth with Niko Mikkola Robert Bortuzzo * ease during a drill, and after pulling goalie prospect Joel Hofer out of the net, Perron buried a dish from O’Reilly. Assistant coach Steve Ott gave * Not skating them an “attaboy” by tapping the ice with his stick. Parayko was back with Scandella, with whom he primarily played after “I think that (familiarity) will really help getting back to these meaningful Jay Bouwmeester was lost for the season and Scandella was acquired games,” O’Reilly said. “Those are the guys we feel the most comfortable from Montreal. They played 11 games together (169:25) before the with, and when you get in these situations, you know what each other will pause and had a 56.33 expected-goals-for percentage. do, and you know where each other is on the ice. So, the more familiarity Meanwhile, Vince Dunn and Justin Faulk round out the third defensive there is, that will just help us as we go along on this tournament.” pair, though Berube didn’t rule out the possibility of Faulk playing on the In his second full season, Sanford doubled his goal total to 16 and posted left side if need be. 30 points this year. “It could happen, for sure,” Berube said. “We can go back to our old D “His impact this season has been huge,” O’Reilly said. “You can see the pairs there, but again, you never know what happens, the situations that confidence that has been coming with him, the plays that he’s making. come up. (Faulk) is prepared to do whatever — right, left, it doesn’t For him, it’s trusting his ability again. He knows when he’s at his best matter. He’s a good team guy and he’ll play where we ask him to play.” game and what he can do. There’s so many other details that he brings In net, Jordan Binnington will be the starter, but the Blues are confident in Jake Allen, who had a solid season. “(Binnington has) given us no reason not to think that he’s capable,” And what about playoff beards? They’re usually clean-shaven by now, general manager Doug Armstrong said. “What he did last year, what he but players like Pietrangelo already have them, and others like Kyrou did this year, what he and Jake did as a tandem this year was appear to be starting one. spectacular for us. So we believe he’s going to come in here like everyone else and knock off the rust and be ready to go.” “I’ve got a playoff beard; it’s coming in,” Pietrangelo said. “There’s some scruffy-looking fellows in there. I’ll tell you what, though, you keep us in Binnington was asked Monday about the difficulty of a goalie staying that bubble too long and it’s going to look real funny by the end of it. We’ll sharp during the break and what he did. be cutting each other’s hair, I guess.”

“Anything you could find, just keep the body moving on a day-to-day Barbashev’s baby basis, whether it’s biking, swimming, working out or keeping the mind sharp in different ways that you can at home,” Binnington said. “I think The Blues will be traveling to Edmonton on July 26 and open round-robin everyone is in the same boat around the league. Just take care of play against Colorado on Aug. 2. Barbashev and his wife, Ksenia yourself and prepare as well as you can.” Bezgodova, are expecting a child in August, but the forward has decided to remain on the roster for the tournament. Goalies “We didn’t even talk about it, (whether) to opt out or not,” he said. “It was Jordan Binnington actually really simple. I’m still 24. I have a full career ahead of me. After winning last year, I want to do it all over again. That feeling has been Jake Allen stuck in me for a long time and you just get even more hungry after Ville Husso winning.”

Joel Hofer If Barbashev leaves the bubble, he will have to quarantine when he returns to Edmonton following the birth of the baby. But with the Blues needing to ramp up quickly during the restart, they’ll have to go with the goalie who performs, and Berube said Binnington “I’m not sure what the plan is, but I guess I will go back to St. Louis,” he does that. said. “I understand it’s really hard for her (with) me going away when the baby is due, but I promised her I’ll be back.” “I’ve got confidence in both goalies. I really do,” Berube said. “Binnington, coming into this year, I think maybe a lot of people were wondering if he The Athletic LOADED: 07.15.2020 could do what he did from January on, which he has. He wins hockey games — that’s the best way I can put it. Binner wins games, he wins hockey games, and that’s what goalies are supposed to do.”

Preparing for no fans

The Blues know how to play when fans aren’t watching. They practice at the Centene Community Ice Center, where spectators aren’t following their every move.

But playing actual games in an empty arena? That will be a new experience.

“It’s one thing, like without fans at the Centene Center where you’re all congested, the noise reverberates off the walls and it feels almost like a game situation,” Armstrong said. “I think when you get into these massive NHL arenas, and the noise dissipates as it travels, it’s going to be something new that we haven’t experienced.”

Armstrong, who is curious if the league will pump in music or artificial crowd noise, doesn’t believe fans are necessary to get his players motivated, so he’s not too worried. Pietrangelo also isn’t concerned and said he thinks the Blues will be able to adjust after their first exhibition game, which will be July 29 against the Chicago Blackhawks.

“It’ll feel a little bit different when you get out to a game, that’s for sure,” Pietrangelo said. “It’ll take some adjustment, but I’m sure after the first exhibition game and getting into the play-in games, I think that will help us adjust a little bit here as we move forward.”

For O’Reilly, it will be nice having three round-robin games to adjust ahead of any actual playoff series. He anticipates the games feeling more open since there won’t be movement coming from around the rink. But until they’re there playing games, he doesn’t think there’s a way to prepare for a fanless arena.

“It’s going to be the playoffs, and it’s going to be extremely intense,” O’Reilly said. “Once you’re on the ice and the play starts, you don’t really have time to focus on what’s going on around (you).”

Other oddities

The Blues aren’t used to driving to their practice facility in mid-July, but the in-season high temperatures are not completely foreign to them.

“I mean, we went to the rink in some pretty warm weather when we were playing in the playoffs,” Pietrangelo said. “But this is a little bit different looking at the schedule and knowing what time of the year it is. I think the biggest thing for us will probably be when this is all over in October and November, not playing games will be a bit of a change for us because that’s typically when we’re getting ready to start the season. We’re in the (competition) mindset because we’ve been skating here for a little while, but I’m sure it will feel a little bit different when this is all over.” 1188174 Tampa Bay Lightning “Every team is going through the same kind of thing we are so I don’t think anyone is going to have an advantage,” Hedman said. “I think the team that has the advantage at the start is the one that can really go into that (playoff) mindset right away.” Time is short and intensity is needed as Lightning prepare for playoffs Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 07.15.2020

John Romano Sports Columnist

TAMPA — The preferred ambiance at Lightning training camp:

Day 1: Pleasant.

Day 2: Spirited.

Day 3: Hellfire?

This is the challenge of re-starting a hockey season just in time for the playoffs. All the normal patterns get tossed aside in the name of quickly ratcheting up for postseason intensity.

Naturally, Day 3 on Wednesday won’t be quite that unhinged. But the Lightning did start banging each other around a little Tuesday, and they will have their first scrimmages on Wednesday. The key is being careful not to overdo it in the early going, while also being cognizant that your first playoff game is in four weeks.

“It’s a different mindset going into camp,” defenseman Victor Hedman said. “We know what’s at stake a few weeks from now. You’re not going to have nine exhibition games where you feel out players and give other players a chance. From the start, the team that’s probably going to be on the ice for the first (exhibition) is probably going to play in all those (playoff) games.

“It’s habits and mindset. You have to ramp it up in practice. You have to play hard in practice.”

This isn’t about getting in shape. Or, at least, it shouldn’t be. Most players were responsible enough to get their skating and conditioning up to speed before camp began. And by that, I mean no one on ice appeared as winded as I was from walking up the stairs at Amalie Arena.

The greater challenge is being prepared mentally when the Lightning leave July 26 to begin postseason preparations in Toronto. That means intensity. That means chemistry. That means camaraderie. That means all the things a team normally spends six months building toward.

“No question,” coach Jon Cooper said. “It was pivotal … having our guys here in Tampa the whole time, for the most part, I thought was a really good sign for our group. They all kept in contact. They did things together. They just did a whole bunch of things that I thought was really cohesive to keeping our group together. Especially with the new guys in (Blake) Coleman and (Barclay Goodrow) and (Zach Bogosian). And guys like (Jan Rutta) who had been away for so long because of injury. It feels like we don’t have any new guys anymore.

“That is going to come in handy when you’re sprinting into this tournament.”

This is clearly something that has been worrying the Lightning all summer. If you recall, Tampa Bay was one of the few teams that voted against the revised playoff format because players were concerned about getting a bye during the play-in round, then having to face a team already coming out of a do-or-die series.

Tampa Bay, instead, will play three round-robin games against Washington, Boston and Philadelphia in the first week of August that will help determine seeding for first-round matchups. Then they’ll face the winner of one of the play-in series.

“I think it’s going to be very tough to mentally simulate a playoff game or pretend you’re playing a playoff game,” forward Alex Killorn said. “But we’re going to have to find a way.”

Cooper said the challenge is getting the players prepared quickly without wearing them down. They’ll take a day off after the scrimmages on Wednesday, then have intrasquad games scheduled for early next week.

In between, there are tweaks to be made on special teams and in some other areas that Cooper said the coaching staff noticed while reviewing the season’s first 70 games on video during the four-month shutdown. 1188175 Tampa Bay Lightning Forwards: Carter Verhaeghe-Brayden Point-Nikita Kucherov, Alex Killorn-Anthony Cirelli-Ondrej Palat, Alex Volkov-Mitchell Stephens- Mathieu Joseph

Normalcy returns for the Lightning, at least on the ice Defensemen: Victor Hedman, Jan Rutta, Zach Bogosian, Braydon Coburn, Luke Schenn

Goalies: Andrei Vasilevskiy, Scott Wedgewood Diana C. Nearhos Lightning Reporter Second session participants

Forwards: Blake Coleman-Barclay Goodrow-Tyler Johnson, Pat Maroon- TAMPA — The Lightning are back on the ice. And on the ice, it’s Cedric Paquette-Yanni Gourde, Alex Barre-Boulet-Gemel Smith-Luke business as usual — or as usual as a training camp in the middle of the Witkowski season after a 125-day break can be. Defensemen: Erik Cernak, Ryan McDonagh, Kevin Shattenkirk, Mikhail All 33 players on the roster attended the first day of playoff training camp Sergachev, Foote Monday. Steven Stamkos, who is dealing with a leg injury, was present but skated by himself between sessions. Goalies: Curtis McElhinney, Spencer Martin

Jon Cooper wasn’t sure what to expect from this previously-unheard-of Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 07.15.2020 situation. He just knew he wanted to feel good afterward, and he did.

“I liked the where the guys were at,” the coach said. “I wasn’t sure what my expectations were going to be but it was all positive. Ultimately, I was really excited to be back and I felt that vibe from the guys as well.”

Tyler Johnson and Alex Killorn have both been skating — Killorn in Tampa and Johnson at his offseason home in Idaho, then Tampa — so they felt pretty good getting back Monday.

That goes a long way to being ready for training camp, but even NHL players working out isn’t the same as an NHL practice.

Killorn thinks previously having so much of the team together for the voluntary sessions helps now. The skating itself is beneficial, but also having been together sparks some chemistry in the drills.

“You’re not going to see that here in the first couple of days but we will dig into some areas we want to improve on,” Cooper said. “The first couple of days are about trying to get the feel for being in an NHL practice again.”

That meant Monday was a lot of individual work, getting players moving at high tempos. They worked in groups, but not on drawn-up plays or even team system. Still, it’s hard to assess exactly where they are.

“You typically only figure that out when things get more physical,” Killorn said. “Playing three-on-three against your teammates you can kind of get a feel for your lungs and that kind of shape, but once you start battling it takes it to a different level.”

He added that with two weeks, there’s plenty of time for camp to progress before their single exhibition game, then the round robin.

These are unusual questions to ask going into the playoffs, better suited for the real preseason, but at least they are familiar ones. Players and coaches know how to get their bodies ready for the grind.

It’s the rest of the setting, off the ice, that is so unusual.

Looking around the team meeting at all of the other masked faces isn’t a usual part of hockey or life, at least it wasn’t before the pandemic. Even as hockey starts to feel normal, the face coverings are a constant reminder that it isn’t.

“I think you hear a lot of people say the new normal and I think that’s kind of where it is right now,” Johnson said. “I mean, we’re wearing masks everywhere we go besides when we’re on the ice or in the gym right now. We’re getting tested every day. So that’s definitely different than what our normal is.”

The Lightning are split into two dressing rooms, with players in the day’s second session using the visitor’s space.

Another space usually reserved for the opposing coach’s interviews was set up as a new Zoom room. Players sit at a table looking at a desktop computer and webcam set up in front of the sponsored backdrop.

Navigating the mute button has replaced accidentally speaking over someone asking a question in the scrum.

When they step on the ice, the mechanics of hockey are familiar, but this is hockey in a pandemic and it takes some adjusting.

First session participants 1188176 Tampa Bay Lightning

Lightning amp up physicality on Day 2 of training camp

Mari Faiello Sports Trending and Outdoors Reporter

TAMPA — If Monday’s training session was the warmup, then Tuesday definitely picked up as the Lightning brought a more physical tone to the second day of training camp .

The group of 33 players — divided into two sessions with Steven Stamkos skating alone for the second-straight day — practiced heavier drills.

They took their normal laps around the sheet and shot on an empty net or two, then it was straight to work as assistant coach Derek Lalonde instructed them on the opening drill.

Some more of the physicality we saw at #TBLightning practice today. pic.twitter.com/PqFlMI2kO6

— 홼횊횛횒 홵횊횒횎횕횕횘 (wears a mask) (@faiello_mari) July 14, 2020

A goal was set up along each blue line and coaches dumped pucks into the center, forcing players to battle in two-on-two situations for 15 seconds or so. A whistle would blow and the next group would race in.

Sticks clacked and the boards rumbled as players fought for possession. All welcome sounds after a near-four-month hiatus.

In a world where people are instructed to social distance and stay 6 feet apart when possible, the players can’t do so when it comes to practices or games. It’s all necessary to prepare for what’s ahead — an exhibition contest against the Florida Panthers at noon July 29 and four round-robin games before the Lightning’s playoff stint officially begins.

#TBLightning face off against the #FlaPanthers at noon on July 29 for their exhibition game https://t.co/f0Ad3qUZb4

— 홼횊횛횒 홵횊횒횎횕횕횘 (wears a mask) (@faiello_mari) July 14, 2020

And coach Jon Cooper understands that.

“Regardless, you’re going to have to put your team in a position to play meaningful hockey games and when you do that, there’s going to have to be contact,” Cooper said. “You just can’t run these flow practices, you can’t run these no-touch the whole time because at some point somebody’s coming after you and you have to be prepared for it.”

Defenseman Victor Hedman thinks it’s necessary to bang bodies to get back into hockey shape.

“It’s obviously a little bit of a different approach going into training camp and straight into the playoffs,” he said. “Usually, you have to get a feel for it in the beginning of training camp. You’re usually with 60 guys when you start. But it’s a different normal, but a new normal.”

Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 07.15.2020 1188177 Tampa Bay Lightning that you don’t necessarily see, but focusing on those little details will take over and his game will just unfold from there.”

BACK AT #STLBLUES TRAINING CAMP TODAY. HERE’S RYAN The Blues’ familiarity with their lineup bodes well with quick turnaround O’REILLY AND DAVID PERRON, BOTH IN THE FIRST GROUP, GETTING SOME SHOTS IN: PIC.TWITTER.COM/ZZR1L1RJWK

— PETER BAUGH (@PETER_BAUGH) JULY 14, 2020 By Jeremy Rutherford and Peter Baugh Jul 14, 2020 On the third line, Bozak centered that group in the past, but Thomas has been there the first two days of camp. On Tuesday, Thomas was in rhythm with Blais, who scored in a drill and triggered a smile from gap- Blues coach Craig Berube put some thought into his line combinations toothed Thomas. during the four-month break, but not much. With the club having a lot of familiarity up front, and meaningful games coming quickly, there isn’t It was expected entering camp that the fourth line would feature much time or reason to experiment. Barbashev, Sundqvist and Steen. But through two days, MacEachern has been with Sundqvist and Steen, and Barbashev has centered Klim In the first two days of training camp, the top line has consisted of Jaden Kostin and Austin Poganski. Berube acknowledged Barbashev’s new line Schwartz, Brayden Schenn and Vladimir Tarasenko. Yes, Tarasenko has needed a center, but “like I said, we’re looking at different combinations played only 10 games this season, but since Schenn arrived in 2017, that of guys,” he said. “We’ll move guys around. Don’t get set on what you’re trio has played 123 games together and a total of 786 minutes, 49 seeing out there right now. It’ll change over time here and there.” seconds at five-on-five, according to Natural Stat Trick. Barbashev isn’t overthinking it. Meanwhile, the second line of Zach Sanford, Ryan O’Reilly and David Perron played 58 games together this season (400:12); on the third line, “That was the roster lines, and I’ve got to go with this,” he said. Sammy Blais spent most of the season sidelined with a wrist injury, but Robert Thomas and Tyler Bozak played 62 games together (319:25); and For now, it places Barbashev on a line with Kostin, a fellow Russian. on the fourth line, Mackenzie MacEachern has been playing in Ivan “He played last year — I think it was a couple of games — and he’s Barbashev’s spot with Oskar Sundqvist and Alexander Steen, but the growing,” Barbashev said. “It’s a really big step for him this year and next Blues could go back to Barbashev, Sundqvist and Steen, who have year because it’s time for him to make some moves and try to get on the played 100 games together (112:28) the past two seasons. roster. But he’s been good. Vladi talks to him a lot, helps him out on the “I think there are some lines out there that have been together for quite a ice and off the ice. But you can see Klim is progressing.” while here with this team, so they’re familiar with each other, and you can Then there’s Jordan Kyrou, who is playing on the last of the Blues’ six see it out there,” Berube said. lines in camp. He set up a goal in Tuesday’s practice, unleashing a shot Forwards from the faceoff circle. Hofer blocked that attempt, but Jacob de la Rose poked in the rebound. Left wing Center Right wing “There are still some spots that are available maybe and we’ve got to Jaden Schwartz Brayden Schenn Vladimir Tarasenko keep looking at guys,” Berube said. “We need everybody. I think in this kind of a tournament format, we’re going to need a lot of guys. You never Zach Sanford Ryan O’Reilly David Perron know what happens with injuries and things like that. We want to make Sammy Blais Robert Thomas Tyler Bozak sure everybody is prepared and ready to go.”

Mackenzie MacEachern Oskar Sundqvist Alexander Steen On defense, the Blues are attempting to trot out the pairs that would play together when the round robin begins, but couldn’t Monday with Colton Klim Kostin Ivan Barbashev Austin Poganski Parayko and Robert Bortuzzo not on the ice for undisclosed reasons. Parayko was back on the ice Tuesday, and Berube said Bortuzzo Jordan Kyrou Jacob de la Rose Troy Brouwer shouldn’t be far behind him. Several Blues players said Monday how impressive Tarasenko looked in “We’ll get (Bortuzzo) back here soon, and then we’ll have everybody his first full practice since October, and Berube backed up that praise back, which is good,” he said. “We’re a little bit short on D with these Tuesday. groups right now. But it’s good to see Colton back out there today.” “He looks like the Vladi of old to me, like he’s shooting the puck really Defensemen well, he’s moving, he looks really good out there,” Berube said. “He’s been off for a long time, but to be honest with you, he doesn’t look rusty Left defense Right defense to me. He’s pretty dialed in right now. He looks strong. He’s skating well. I’m sure that his conditioning is pretty good, but it will get better over Carl Gunnarsson Alex Pietrangelo time, just like everybody else’s.” Marco Scandella Colton Parayko It’s no surprise O’Reilly and Perron, All-Stars this season, are together on Vince Dunn Justin Faulk the second line, and after a breakout year for Sanford, few will question his presence there. Jake Walman Derrick Pouliot

On Tuesday, O’Reilly and Perron passed the puck back and forth with Niko Mikkola Robert Bortuzzo * ease during a drill, and after pulling goalie prospect Joel Hofer out of the net, Perron buried a dish from O’Reilly. Assistant coach Steve Ott gave * Not skating them an “attaboy” by tapping the ice with his stick. Parayko was back with Scandella, with whom he primarily played after “I think that (familiarity) will really help getting back to these meaningful Jay Bouwmeester was lost for the season and Scandella was acquired games,” O’Reilly said. “Those are the guys we feel the most comfortable from Montreal. They played 11 games together (169:25) before the with, and when you get in these situations, you know what each other will pause and had a 56.33 expected-goals-for percentage. do, and you know where each other is on the ice. So, the more familiarity Meanwhile, Vince Dunn and Justin Faulk round out the third defensive there is, that will just help us as we go along on this tournament.” pair, though Berube didn’t rule out the possibility of Faulk playing on the In his second full season, Sanford doubled his goal total to 16 and posted left side if need be. 30 points this year. “It could happen, for sure,” Berube said. “We can go back to our old D “His impact this season has been huge,” O’Reilly said. “You can see the pairs there, but again, you never know what happens, the situations that confidence that has been coming with him, the plays that he’s making. come up. (Faulk) is prepared to do whatever — right, left, it doesn’t For him, it’s trusting his ability again. He knows when he’s at his best matter. He’s a good team guy and he’ll play where we ask him to play.” game and what he can do. There’s so many other details that he brings In net, Jordan Binnington will be the starter, but the Blues are confident in Jake Allen, who had a solid season. “(Binnington has) given us no reason not to think that he’s capable,” And what about playoff beards? They’re usually clean-shaven by now, general manager Doug Armstrong said. “What he did last year, what he but players like Pietrangelo already have them, and others like Kyrou did this year, what he and Jake did as a tandem this year was appear to be starting one. spectacular for us. So we believe he’s going to come in here like everyone else and knock off the rust and be ready to go.” “I’ve got a playoff beard; it’s coming in,” Pietrangelo said. “There’s some scruffy-looking fellows in there. I’ll tell you what, though, you keep us in Binnington was asked Monday about the difficulty of a goalie staying that bubble too long and it’s going to look real funny by the end of it. We’ll sharp during the break and what he did. be cutting each other’s hair, I guess.”

“Anything you could find, just keep the body moving on a day-to-day Barbashev’s baby basis, whether it’s biking, swimming, working out or keeping the mind sharp in different ways that you can at home,” Binnington said. “I think The Blues will be traveling to Edmonton on July 26 and open round-robin everyone is in the same boat around the league. Just take care of play against Colorado on Aug. 2. Barbashev and his wife, Ksenia yourself and prepare as well as you can.” Bezgodova, are expecting a child in August, but the forward has decided to remain on the roster for the tournament. Goalies “We didn’t even talk about it, (whether) to opt out or not,” he said. “It was Jordan Binnington actually really simple. I’m still 24. I have a full career ahead of me. After winning last year, I want to do it all over again. That feeling has been Jake Allen stuck in me for a long time and you just get even more hungry after Ville Husso winning.”

Joel Hofer If Barbashev leaves the bubble, he will have to quarantine when he returns to Edmonton following the birth of the baby. But with the Blues needing to ramp up quickly during the restart, they’ll have to go with the goalie who performs, and Berube said Binnington “I’m not sure what the plan is, but I guess I will go back to St. Louis,” he does that. said. “I understand it’s really hard for her (with) me going away when the baby is due, but I promised her I’ll be back.” “I’ve got confidence in both goalies. I really do,” Berube said. “Binnington, coming into this year, I think maybe a lot of people were wondering if he The Athletic LOADED: 07.15.2020 could do what he did from January on, which he has. He wins hockey games — that’s the best way I can put it. Binner wins games, he wins hockey games, and that’s what goalies are supposed to do.”

Preparing for no fans

The Blues know how to play when fans aren’t watching. They practice at the Centene Community Ice Center, where spectators aren’t following their every move.

But playing actual games in an empty arena? That will be a new experience.

“It’s one thing, like without fans at the Centene Center where you’re all congested, the noise reverberates off the walls and it feels almost like a game situation,” Armstrong said. “I think when you get into these massive NHL arenas, and the noise dissipates as it travels, it’s going to be something new that we haven’t experienced.”

Armstrong, who is curious if the league will pump in music or artificial crowd noise, doesn’t believe fans are necessary to get his players motivated, so he’s not too worried. Pietrangelo also isn’t concerned and said he thinks the Blues will be able to adjust after their first exhibition game, which will be July 29 against the Chicago Blackhawks.

“It’ll feel a little bit different when you get out to a game, that’s for sure,” Pietrangelo said. “It’ll take some adjustment, but I’m sure after the first exhibition game and getting into the play-in games, I think that will help us adjust a little bit here as we move forward.”

For O’Reilly, it will be nice having three round-robin games to adjust ahead of any actual playoff series. He anticipates the games feeling more open since there won’t be movement coming from around the rink. But until they’re there playing games, he doesn’t think there’s a way to prepare for a fanless arena.

“It’s going to be the playoffs, and it’s going to be extremely intense,” O’Reilly said. “Once you’re on the ice and the play starts, you don’t really have time to focus on what’s going on around (you).”

Other oddities

The Blues aren’t used to driving to their practice facility in mid-July, but the in-season high temperatures are not completely foreign to them.

“I mean, we went to the rink in some pretty warm weather when we were playing in the playoffs,” Pietrangelo said. “But this is a little bit different looking at the schedule and knowing what time of the year it is. I think the biggest thing for us will probably be when this is all over in October and November, not playing games will be a bit of a change for us because that’s typically when we’re getting ready to start the season. We’re in the (competition) mindset because we’ve been skating here for a little while, but I’m sure it will feel a little bit different when this is all over.” 1188178 Toronto Maple Leafs

On July 28, Artturi Lehkonen’s Canadiens and Kyle Clifford’s Leafs will see their first game action since the pandemic stalled the NHL season, an exhibition test in Toronto.

By The Canadian Press

The Maple Leafs will face off against the Montreal Canadiens on July 28 in their only exhibition game before the Stanley Cup playoffs.

That day, the Edmonton Oilers will also meet the Calgary Flames and the Pittsburgh Penguins will take on the Philadelphia Flyers.

All Eastern Conference games are in Toronto, with the Western Conference clubs in Edmonton.

The Vancouver Canucks meet the Winnipeg Jets in Edmonton on July 29 as part of a six-game exhibition slate. Three games will conclude the tune-up schedule on July 30.

The best-of-five Stanley Cup qualifying round opens with five games on Aug. 1, including Winnipeg versus Calgary, Montreal against Pittsburgh and Edmonton taking on Chicago.

The play-in schedule in Toronto starts with the New York Rangers against the Carolina Hurricanes. The best-of-five series between the Leafs and Columbus Blue Jackets starts Aug. 2.

Toronto Star LOADED: 07.15.2020 1188179 Toronto Maple Leafs “Close contact” with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 — at a patio bar filled with strangers, for example — could sideline a player for 48 hours or more while waiting for test results. The league defines “close contact” as “15 minutes or longer at six feet or less.” The only There’s no social distancing on the ice, but there is socializing. Leafs exceptions to the distancing rule are for medical or therapeutic reasons Travis Dermott and Frederik Gauthier were opponents in Tuesday’s 30- and, of course, “scrimmages that involve body contact.” minute scrimmage. The Leafs are indeed scrimmaging. On Monday, coach Sheldon Keefe staged 20-minute mini-games with shortened benches, three lines aside. On Tuesday, Keefe played his power-play lines against his penalty-killing By Kevin McGran units for 30 minutes — complete with referees enforcing the rules, while players got back to changing in the fly and spacing on the ice. Eventually, Keefe will hold a full game scrimmage. Hockey players, bless ’em, are creatures of routine. But this Maple Leafs training camp — in July, with its nasal swabs and masks and social When players are asked about the big differences at camp, they don’t distancing — is anything but routine. talk about masks and social distancing. They focus on hockey answers.

They won’t go out at night. They won’t carpool. The only time they’re “It’s different in the sense that the urgency is there to hit the ground allowed to get close to each other are those bodychecks in the corner. running,” said Spezza. “There’s no kind of dipping your toe in the water and then ramping up. We have a short camp, one exhibition game and The Leafs are doing their best to make it all sound so normal, a camp to then into the playoffs (starting Aug. 2 against Columbus).” prepare for an expanded summer-fall Stanley Cup tournament in which teams will share hotels while locking themselves away from their families So this new normal — designed to get the Leafs and the other 21 playoff- and friends. bound teams into game shape safely — is simply part of the furniture.

“For the most part, we’re trying to keep it as normal as possible, the “Strict adherence by all participants to preventative measures, diligent routines. You have to get out of your comfort zone a little bit. Might as hygiene practices and enhanced testing will be key,” is how the NHL put well get used to it,” said centre Auston Matthews. it in guidelines sent to teams prior to training camp.

“We’re wearing masks and social distancing, but around the rink we’re “I don’t know if it’s normal, but it’s something we have to deal with,” said kind of doing the same thing (as usual),” said winger William Nylander. goalie Frederik Andersen. “To give ourselves a chance at winning, small precautions like that are going to be part of it, and something we’ll have “It’s almost like normal to come in and get tested,” added winger Zach to do as a team. Hyman. “It’s the new normal. It’s a part of the process. It’s going to be part of the Stanley Cup playoffs. You can’t avoid it.” “Putting a Q-tip up your nose every day is not so fun, but I think (we’re doing) the best thing we can and it’s our responsibility to keep each other So the players have adapted to the realities of the COVID-19 pandemic safe.” as it affects their livelihood. For now, they are being tested every second day. It will ramp up to every day come July 26, when Toronto and Toronto Star LOADED: 07.15.2020 Edmonton will host 12 teams each.

All players were also tested and cleared before training camp. The dressing room, exercise facilities and bench are frequently sanitized. Winger Andreas Johnsson and defenceman Timothy Liljegren — listed as unfit to play — were seen wearing masks as they exited the locker room to watch teammates practise. Coaches and officials involved in the scrimmage did not wear them.

All players must wear a mask whenever they aren’t working out or skating.

“I’ve been wearing a mask as much as I can, and you almost want to desensitize yourself to it,” said veteran centre Jason Spezza. “The more you comply with it, the more you wear it, the more normal it feels and the less of a distraction it becomes, so that’s been the message.

“You have to get on board quick, and then we’re able to play hockey.”

Interactions with the media, and even team officials, are more or less off limits. Media access is limited to 22, each designated an X on the floor to stand — six feet apart — at the two rinks in use at the Ford Performance Centre. Media must also answer a health questionnaire and pass a temperature check before entering, and scrums are by teleconference. No one-on-ones.

Players are discouraged from doing anything that would contribute to the spread of the virus. The league is asking them not to carpool, for example, and players are encouraging each other to avoid patios for dinner. And no one beyond their family (for the camp portion) and teammates should come into contact with them.

They’re supposed to put their jerseys and anything else that needs laundering into a washing machine themselves, rather than a bin at the centre of the locker room.

Hot tubs, saunas and steam rooms? Off limits.

Showers? At home, not the rink, is preferred, and no shared towels or toiletries.

Like the rest of us, they’re encouraged to wash their hands frequently, avoid handshakes, sneeze into a tissue or an elbow, and avoid anyone who might be sick. 1188180 Toronto Maple Leafs “The work that we’ve done in Phase 2, having so many players here and putting in the work that they have and the feedback or the input that they’ve allowed the coaching staff to have in the work, even though it was a voluntary phase, we’ve really been able to push and get a lot of Leafs team defence a focus for Keefe at camp: 'We need to be a lot work done,” Keefe said. “That has allowed us to be ahead of where we better' thought we might be at this stage. We’ve been able to try different things and have a greater volume of work.

“We fully expect our guys to be a lot better defensively when we come Terry Koshan back (to games) and we’re going to need to be, given what’s at stake. That’s the greatest area of opportunity for us to grow as a team.”

Sheldon Keefe often will give long-winded answers — the anti-Mike LEAFS TO TUNE UP FOR PLAY-IN SERIES WITH EXHIBITION TILT Babcock in that regard — when taking questions from media. VS. HABS

Usually, Keefe, the coach of the Maple Leafs since Nov. 20 when he took Before facing the Columbus Blue Jackets in the post-season for the first over from the less-loquacious Babcock, does make a fine point. time, the Maple Leafs will meet an old foe for a friendly.

On Tuesday, asked about what he saw during the National Hockey Leafs and Montreal Canadiens will face off in an exhibition game at League pause when he watched his team’s 70 regular-season games in Scotiabank Arena on July 28 at 8 p.m., the National Hockey League 2019-20, Keefe went straight to the net. revealed on Tuesday as it announced the full exhibition schedule. Each NHL club will play one exhibition game after it arrives in its respective “I don’t think it’s any secret that we have to be a lot better defensively,” hub city. Keefe said during a Zoom call at the Ford Performance Centre after Leafs practices wrapped up. The Leafs and Blue Jackets will play Game 1 of their best-of-five qualifying series on Aug. 2 at 8 p.m., with Game 2 coming on Aug. 4 at 4 “There is no area of our game defensively that we were satisfied with and p.m. we’re not kidding ourselves here. We know there are a lot of areas we need to look at and frankly, it’s every area.” The start times for Game 3 (Aug. 6), Game 4 (Aug. 7) and Game 5 (Aug. 9) are to be determined. Games 4 and 5 will be played if necessary. Perhaps, but you can expect the Leafs will spend more time in the coming weeks placing greater emphasis on keeping the puck out of their The Leafs will be the home team for Games 1, 2 and 5. own net than putting it in the one at the far end of the rink. “Once we get going, it’s hit-the-ground running,” Leafs centre Jason Never mind that the Columbus Blue Jackets, the Leafs’ opponent in the Spezza said. “It’s one exhibition game and it’s go-time, so as an athlete, best-of-five qualifying round once Phase 4 of the NHL’s Return to Play it’s pretty exciting.” plan gets under way, had an awful lot of trouble scoring goals before the The NHL indicated that broadcast information for all games will be NHL halted games on March 12. The Jackets scored 180 times in 70 released in the coming days. games, more than only the Los Angeles Kings (178 goals in 70 games) and the Detroit Red Wings (145 goals in 71 games). Needless to say, Toronto Sun LOADED: 07.15.2020 neither the Kings nor the Wings are participating in the NHL post-season.

The Leafs allowed 227 goals in 70 games — only four teams gave up more.

Just a couple of days into training camp, the Leafs haven’t yet turned their sole focus to the Blue Jackets. The greater thrust is, and will be, improving as a five-man group when defence is at the fore.

So while it’s a bonus that Keefe will have his top six defencemen at his disposal — the pairs right now are Morgan Rielly-Cody Ceci, Jake Muzzin-Justin Holl and Travis Dermott-Tyson Barrie — there’s more to it than healthy bodies on the blue line.

“That gives us lots of different options to try different things, it makes us deeper and not have to be so concerned about matchups,” Keefe said. “But our message here throughout this camp is that it’s not just on the defence. Our forwards have got to do more work and we’ve got to be a five-man unit in how we defend in each zone and a lot of the work falls on the forwards. That’s where we need to get a lot better.”

Tyson Barrie, following the play during yesterday’s practice in Etobicoke, says he needs to find that line between creating offence and being responsible in his own end. Craig Robertson / Toronto Sun

Still, those who patrol the blue line recognize that steps can be made from their end, both as pairs and individually.

“As a team we’ve been going through some stats and percentages and we have to be better,” Barrie said. “All of our offensive numbers are there. For me, it’s finding that line of jumping in and trying to create offence and making plays and then also being responsible in my own end and shutting down plays in the neutral zone and transitioning the puck.

“I think my personal game fits well with what the team’s going through. It’s got to be a little more focused on shutting the other teams down and getting into that top tier of teams that limits chances.”

Cohesiveness could work in the Leafs’ favour. They were among the NHL teams that had the most participants in voluntary workouts in Phase 2, and while Keefe will concentrate more on specifics in the coming days, that the Leafs for the most part have been together for several weeks should help iron out some blips. 1188181 Toronto Maple Leafs agency looks like, it’s probably not going to be as good as it would have been.

“But it’s all relative and if you just keep good perspective. We’re lucky to Nothing being handed to Robertson as Keefe notes competition for spots have jobs and be able to play this game, so you can’t really stress about at Leafs camp that.”

LOOSE LEAFS

Terry Koshan A day after defenceman Timothy Liljegren was deemed by Keefe to be unfit to play, defenceman Mac Hollowell replaced Liljegren on the Phase 3 roster. Liljegren watched practice from one end of the rink on Tuesday … Keefe said he has not witnessed any indication that Ilya Mikheyev, Will Nick Robertson stick with Leafs? who has not played since Dec. 27 when he suffered a lacerated wrist Not that we expected anything otherwise, but Nick Robertson won’t be against New Jersey, remains negatively influenced by the injury. “I’ve gifted a spot on the Maple Leafs’ post-season roster. seen none of that,” Keefe said. “In fact, I think he’s shooting better now, which I’m not sure has anything to do with the wrist necessarily but just Those 55 goals that Robertson scored for the Peterborough Petes in the amount of time that he’s been able to work on his game from an 2019-20? They’re so last year, in a sense. individual skill standpoint.” Mikheyev had returned to the ice for workouts long before the NHL halted play on March 12 … Physical winger Kyle “He needs to find a way to be effective in all areas of the game,” Leafs Clifford was in mid-season form, running over Rasmus Sandin in the coach Sheldon Keefe said on Tuesday of the Leafs’ 2019 second-round corner during a drill. Once the play ended, a snow-covered Sandin, pick. “He has been very successful, in particular this past year, in proving otherwise unscathed, got a stick tap on the shin pads from Clifford … himself to be an elite goal-scorer at the junior level. This from veteran forward Jason Spezza: “I got a feeling that whoever “Trying to find his way to getting the right timing to find space to get shots wins the Stanley Cup will be talked about for a long time, with the and use his strengths offensively, there is that part of it. But I think as he adversity that you went through and to stay ready during the four months is going to learn, if he hasn’t already here in the first couple of days, that off.” We would agree. it’s a lot harder to do those things at this level.” Toronto Sun LOADED: 07.15.2020 “He knew it was going to be a challenge coming in. He needs to earn it and he needs to really show it and make it obvious he is ready, and he has some time to be able to do that.”

Robertson, to no surprise, has caught the eye of Leafs teammates.

“Very shifty,” goaltender Frederik Andersen said. “That’s the biggest thing I saw. He has a really good release, looks like he can score.”

Crucial for Robertson and other hopefuls such as Kenny Agostino, Adam Brooks and Nic Petan is Keefe’s open approach at camp.

“The message to the team (on the first day on Monday) was we’ve got competition here for spots,” Keefe said. “To say that we were happy or satisfied with the way we were playing and where we were at as a team before the pause is just not the case.

“We’re challenging our players to push each other and that’s not just the players on our team, but it’s those that have come in from the Marlies.

“The whole group has to get better with our practice habits. We have to push each other to get better in every area of the game.”

SPECIAL TIMES

Keefe didn’t run a usual scrimmage on Tuesday, instead playing 5-on-4 to get some work in for the power-play and penalty-killing units.

And though it was special teams only, two referees and two linesmen were on the ice. Officials will be part of every scrimmage for the rest of camp.

“Even though we were doing special teams, we still think it adds a little bit of the game element to it, certainly the professionalism of the face-offs and the way things were called,” Keefe said. “We are trying to get up to speed on game feel and the intensity and all those things as quickly as possible.

“Special teams is a huge part of it and that’s why we got right to it. It’s a huge part of any season, but in the playoffs it can make or break you, so we wanted to get right at it.”

The top power play unit featured defenceman Tyson Barrie and forwards John Tavares, Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner and William Nylander. When Marner later moved to a penalty-killing unit, Robertson took his place with the No. 1 group.

BARRIE UNDERSTANDS

The flat salary cap of $81.5 million US for the next couple of seasons doesn’t bode well for unrestricted free agents, but Barrie, who will hit the open market once the 2020 playoffs are done, is not losing sleep.

“It’s a difficult time for everybody (with the coronavirus pandemic),” Barrie said. “It’s been tragic across a lot of North America. Whatever free 1188182 Toronto Maple Leafs Panarin, who signed for seven years at $81.5 million US last summer, had 95 points, tied for third in the league with Boston’s David Pastrnak and was first in even-strength points. A revived New York team made the RTP qualifying round. NHL NOTES: Covering off COVID Draisaitl’s 110 points came in a year in which star teammate Connor McDavid missed time with injury. The German helped Edmonton get back in the playoffs, with the Oilers posting a record of 24-5-2 when he Lance Hornby scored. Draisaitl would be the fourth Oiler to win this award after Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier and McDavid.

The Pittsburgh Penguins and Montreal Canadiens — set to face off in the MacKinnon was fifth in scoring (58 assists and 93 points) and had 29 NHL’s qualifying tournament next month — both have ongoing COVID-19 multi-point games. As always, it will be interesting if the Hart Trophy concerns. finalists, as voted by hockey writers, differ from the players’ picks when the former prize is announced July 21. But first up Wednesday will be the Pittsburgh announced it voluntarily held back nine unidentified players Calder Trophy finalists for rookie of the year and Jack Adams Award for from the start of camp due to potential secondary exposure. They had coach of the year. been close to a person who in turn had contact with someone who had tested positive. ICE CHIPS

A tweet from the team stated the decision was made “to sideline the TSN reports the NHL has begun sending its personnel to Edmonton and players out of abundance of caution in an effort to avoid exposure to Toronto to manage hotel rooms, team rooms, workout facilities and anyone else within the organization. The players will re-join the team constant testing for almost 1,000 people in each hub city … Blackhawks when it is deemed safe to do so in accordance with NHL protocol and goalie Corey Crawford, who was not in Phase 2 workouts, was further test results.” designated unfit to play by the club as camp started … At least one coach opted out of the tournament, Florida Panthers’ Mike Kitchen, an A total of 11 Penguins were absent from practice Monday and Tuesday, assistant on Joel Quenneville’s staff. “It was a difficult decision to say the including forwards Anthony Angello, Patric Hornqvist, Adam Johnson, least, but the right decision for me and my family,” Kitchen said … Sam Miletic, Sam Poulin, Phil Varone, defencemen Pierre-Olivier Joseph Cassidy on next month’s tourney: “You have to make sacrifices to win a and Juuso Riikola and goalies Casey DeSmith, Alex D’Orio and Emil Stanley Cup any year, but this year (they’re) going to be unique” … Larmi. Coach Todd Reirden of the Capitals says his team is playing the Carolina Hurricanes in their exhibition game in Toronto after teams report to the The Canadiens had a couple of “false positives” on three players who bubble July 26. While the pre-tournament schedule of friendlies is not yet tested prior to camp, on top of holding out Max Domi a few days as official, it’s also looking like the Leafs and Canadiens will clash July 28. doctors assess if the star’s Type 1 diabetes is too much of a complicating factor for Covid-19. Defenceman Karl Alzner already decided he would Toronto Sun LOADED: 07.15.2020 not opt out of the Return To Play tournament.

Captain Shea Weber did not practice Tuesday, his absence falling under the cone of silence all teams can now invoke for injuries or Covid, though he later came out on his own. Coach Claude Julien expects the defenceman back on Wednesday. Defenceman Xavier Ouellet and left winger Brett Kulak have missed both days.

THE GREAT COVER-UP

To mask or not to mask?

While most Canadians in populous regions are donning PPE indoors or for situations where social distancing is impossible, it’s a little trickier for NHL coaches.

For example, staffs in Calgary and Toronto did not wear them as camps opened this week, while Boston’s Bruce Cassidy and most of his assistants had them on. While the league hasn’t mandated them, Cassidy said they were following guidelines set forth by their own medical staff, at least for the first few days of being re-introduced to close contact with players.

Bruins captain Zdeno Chara wore one for his post-practice Zoom call with the media.

“This is a test for us in many ways,” said Chara. “We’ve just got to work with the health department and people who are trying to find the best solutions. Everybody has to take some responsibility to do what it takes to get past this pandemic.”

Calgary’s Geoff Ward is also taking advice from the Flames’ medical staff, but noted masks aren’t mandatory and worried that if he yells instruction, his commands will be muffled. His assistants are mask free, other than goalie coach Jordan Sigalet, who has multiple sclerosis and would be at risk.

“If it gets to the point where the medical people feel I have to wear one, I’ll put one on,” Ward promised.

TED TRIO NAMED

No one can say the Rangers didn’t get a good return in the first year on Artemi Panarin’s contract.

The winger was among the three finalists for the Ted Lindsay Award, for MVP as voted by the players, along with league leading scorer Leon Draisaitl and Nathan MacKinnon of the Colorado Avalanche. 1188183 Toronto Maple Leafs “Obviously, I wanted to come back and be the player I know I can be, but I wasn’t able to do that,” Nylander said at the end of the 2018-19 season. “I couldn’t keep that consistency up throughout the year.”

TRAIKOS: Nylander facing a make-or-break playoffs with the Maple This season had been drastically different. Leafs Nylander, who was named the “comeback player of the year” in Postmedia’s year-end awards, showed why the Leafs invested $45 million over six years in him. Of his 31 goals, seven were game-winners. Michael Traikos All but nine came in even-strength situations, where he mostly played on a line with Tavares.

The only fear is that the pause in the schedule will cause him to reset like What is William Nylander’s future with the Toronto Maple Leafs? he did a year ago. Then again, it’s not like he’s been idle. While Nylander A couple of years ago, you would have said he was part of the core. That went to Florida when the season shut down, he spent the time mostly he was a key to the team’s pursuit of a championship. That he, along playing tennis with his younger brother, Alex, a forward with the Chicago with Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner, represented the Big 3 on Blackhawks. offence. Once it was safe, Nylander was among the first group of players taking But that was before the Leafs acquired John Tavares in free agency. And part in informal practices in Toronto. that was before Nylander missed a couple of months of the 2018-19 “I feel pretty good out there,” said Nylander, who was one of the last season while holding out for more money and then followed it up with the players off the ice after practice on Tuesday. “Phase 2, I think, helped a kind of nightmarish season that he’d like to forget. That was also before lot of the guys feel better. I mean, we were only five guys out there for the NHL announced that the salary cap probably wouldn’t be increasing the beginning of Phase 2, so that got a lot of conditioning out there and a much in the next couple of years and before anyone knew the names of lot of skating, so I think we’re feeling pretty good out there.” Ilya Mikheyev and Nick Robertson. The true test will come against the Columbus. Chances are that the Blue Big 3? With Zach Hyman having scored four more goals than him in the Jackets will try and keep the Big 3 of Matthews, Marner and Tavares off past two seasons combined, Nylander might not even be part of the the scoresheet. team’s core anymore. If that happens, then Nylander will be counted on to bring offence. And if In other words, this could be a make-or-break playoffs for the 24-year-old he succeeds, then you can count on him being part of the team’s core for Nylander. He not only has to produce, but he also has to show that his many years to come. production can be the difference between winning and losing a series. Toronto Sun LOADED: 07.15.2020 And he knows it.

Despite tying for 15th in the league with a career-best 31 goals this season, Nylander still ranked fourth among Toronto forwards with 59 points in 68 games. The offence was obviously welcomed. But for a team that ranked third in goals-scored but sixth last in goals-allowed, it wasn’t exactly necessary.

Until the Leafs can take a step forward and actually win a playoff round or two, there is always going to be talk of whether having Nylander in the lineup is a better option than trading him for a defenceman — especially with the salary cap now forcing GM Kyle Dubas to likely move salary out the door in the off-season.

“Playoff hockey is a little different. That’s why we need to have a high- intensity here in camp to get us all ready for that aspect of the game,” said Nylander, who has only three goals in 20 playoff games over the past three post-seasons.

“That’s where all the big players show up, and that’s where I think a big part of my game this year will help me become a dominant player in the playoffs.”

At this point, the Leafs will settle for adequate.

While Nylander was skating on a line with Matthews and Hyman for the first two days of training camp, as well was stationed in front of the net on the top power-play unit, the Leafs don’t really need him to be Matthews, Tavares or Marner. He doesn’t have to lead the offence. He just needs to supply some form of secondary scoring when it matters the most.

They can’t have him disappearing on the scoresheet, like he did a year ago after Nazem Kadri was suspended against the Bruins. Back then, Toronto didn’t lose to Boston because Matthews, Marner and Tavares weren’t as good as Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak. They lost because the Bruins’ third line was better than the Leafs’.

While Nylander had a goal and two assists, Charlie Coyle had three goals and one assist. In a seven-game series where the top-two lines took turns blanking each other, it was the third line that ultimately caused the pendulum to swing in Boston’s favour.

Part of the reason why he didn’t show up in the playoffs was because Nylander never found his legs after missing the first two months of the season. Also missing was his confidence. Nylander managed just seven goals and 27 points in 54 regular season games. Looking back, the year was a disaster. 1188184 Toronto Maple Leafs Matthews had returned home to Arizona shortly after the NHL season shutdown in March and, at the time, his home state was viewed as relatively safe from the pandemic. Coronavirus cases have since spiked dramatically there, as the U.S. as a whole battles escalating caseloads in Mirtle: Auston Matthews becomes the reluctant face of NHL players with many areas. COVID-19 “I mean it was not a hot spot for two months,” Matthews said. “It was like the safest place to be. Obviously things kind of flipped pretty quickly there. I didn’t really find it too different than it is here (in Toronto). Lots of By James Mirtle Jul 14, 2020 stuff for the most part closed.”

Matthews added that he was unsure how he contracted the virus and The question came early for Sheldon Keefe on Monday afternoon, as it said it was clear everyone’s experience with the disease would be would after any other Maple Leafs practice. different. He still believes, however, that the league’s return-to-play plan makes sense, given all the precautions being taken. Only the answer was different. “I keep reading that a lot of people feel that this is probably going to be “Can you tell us where Timothy Liljegren was today?” the hardest Stanley Cup to win, with everybody being fresh coming in, having four months off,” Matthews said of the NHL’s unprecedented five- “Timothy was unfit to play here today,” said the coach. round tournament. “I don’t know really what to expect. I’m not sure This is the script of our new reality, brought on by a global pandemic and anybody really knows what to expect. It’s out of the normal.” the extraordinary circumstances for the NHL’s return to play. Across the Finding a new normal with all of this is not going to be easy. Even the league on Monday as training camps reopened, players were missing question of whether or not to report when teams and players test positive without explanation, as the NHL attempts to keep those who test positive is a precarious one, with ethical and privacy dilemmas coming into play. for COVID-19 anonymous – even as their ranks balloon each week. It’s something we as a media organization debated here going back to On Monday, the NHL announced a series of new cases, with a total of 43 March, when members of the Ottawa Senators tested positive and players now having returned positive tests. That was up from 35 the names began leaking out. week prior. On the weekend, our Arpon Basu learned that three Montreal Canadiens NHL STATEMENT ON COVID-19 TESTING RESULTS: players had tested positive for COVID-19. Less than 24 hours later, PIC.TWITTER.COM/LAKEQJ0B8N however, it was revealed that two of those cases were deemed to be false positives. — NHL PUBLIC RELATIONS (@PR_NHL) JULY 13, 2020 On Monday, Josh Brook, Brett Kulak, and Xavier Ouellet were not on the Was Liljegren among those new cases? We may never know, barring the ice at Habs training camp, which naturally drew speculation that they are player himself opening up about his absence upon his return. the players impacted.

In fact, of all those having tested positive leaguewide, we know just one NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said the league intends to report name: Auston Matthews. That’s thanks to a Toronto Sun report last coronavirus cases only on a leaguewide basis, even as the spotlight month which revealed his results, something the Leafs star had declined grows on players and teams preparing to enter the hub city bubbles. to comment on until camp opened Monday in Toronto. “We don’t want to be in a situation where we’re doing it on a club-by-club Those close to the 22-year-old said that he had been disappointed and basis or a player-by-player basis, because I think the interests of medical frustrated by the fact he was “outed” as a confirmed case against his will, privacy are important, and we’re going to protect them,” Daly said. even as the identities of every other infected NHL player have, to date, been protected. Many media outlets, including The Athletic, have That line is blurred by the fact that NHL players’ injury information has declined to identify players against their will, even as cases have long lived in the public domain, with daily updates in the media and on multiplied rapidly across the sporting world. team websites on broken bones and torn ligaments. Even cases of the flu are typically revealed when they lead to missed practices or games. Keeping names out of the news may be far more difficult now that the NHL’s return to play has entered Phase 3, with an eye to playing games One way COVID-19 is different is it often presents in healthy young in a little more than two weeks’ time in Edmonton and Toronto, their two athletes with minimal symptoms, which means the only impact to players hub cities for the playoffs. Unlike when Matthews was training in private is the fact they have to quarantine away from teammates. Players also last month in Arizona with other idle NHL players – several of whom also are wary of having all of their medical results become an open book, contracted the virus – those skating in 24 training camps across North even when involving ailments that have nothing to do with their careers. America will have cameras on them every day going forward. When the initial report about Matthews came out last month, some player When someone isn’t on the ice, the speculation will turn to COVID-19, agents were outraged that his privacy had been violated. He wasn’t even even if they have a broken ankle, concussion, or other affliction. with his team, they said, and the test result wasn’t going to impact his ability to play. (Matthews’ agent, Judd Moldaver, declined to comment for Matthews could have sidestepped those questions in his first availability this story.) with reporters in months on Monday, but he opted instead to speak about his experience with the virus. He explained that he was largely “That was totally out of line,” said one high profile agent, who declined to asymptomatic, with the biggest downside being the fact he had to adhere be identified. to a strict quarantine for two weeks, which meant not being able to skate Whether those boundaries are respected going forward remains to be much in the lead up to his return to Toronto. seen. Other leagues, like Major League Soccer, are dealing with teams Matthews wasn’t concerned with a minor setback conditioning-wise, dropping out of their return to play tournaments entirely, with large however, not with plenty of time to prepare to face Columbus in play-in numbers of positive tests leading to postponed games and questions games beginning on Aug. 2. And not given he had quickly recovered over whether they’ll be able to compete at all. from a disease that has claimed more than half a million lives the past Should that happen in hockey, it will obviously be headline news. several months across the world. The NHL hopes to avoid that by getting its nearly 750 player contingent “It didn’t really hinder my training,” Matthews said. “I was able to do stuff to Edmonton and Toronto without any infected players in the group. With at home. Obviously wasn’t able to leave or skate or anything. That’s kind how easily this virus spreads, however, that may not be possible, given of really the only thing that took a hit for me. I was skating beforehand all the contact they could have with support staff inside those bubbles. and having to take two or three weeks off the ice. That obviously kind of Routine testing is now the new normal, which is why next week’s catches up to you. coronavirus results from the league will be telling. “But (I was) pretty much asymptomatic. Felt, for the most part, pretty Bizarrely, a case can be made that teams with many cases now could normal for the two weeks. But did my quarantine and feeling healthy now. have an advantage, assuming the positive tests allow their players to So it’s all good.” build an immunity to the virus before games begin. And the last player anyone needs to worry about getting sick, at this point, is the young face of hockey’s biggest franchise.

Matthews has now, reluctantly, become the face of something altogether different.

The Athletic LOADED: 07.15.2020 1188185 Vegas Golden Knights

Golden Knights to play lone exhibition game against Coyotes

By Ben Gotz Las Vegas Review-Journal July 14, 2020 - 4:56 PM

The Knights will play their lone exhibition game before the postseason starts at 7 p.m. July 30 against the Arizona Coyotes, the NHL announced Tuesday.

The league also said the Knights’ first round-robin game against the Dallas Stars will begin at 3:30 p.m. August 3. Start times for the Knights’ other two round-robin games against the St. Louis Blues (Aug. 6) and Colorado Avalanche (Aug. 8) have yet to be determined.

LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 07.15.2020 1188186 Vegas Golden Knights

Golden Knights not easing into training camp

By Ben Gotz Las Vegas Review-Journal July 14, 2020 - 4:47 PM

The loud thwack of stick hitting glass Tuesday at City National Arena was a not-so-subtle reminder for the Golden Knights that they’re not easing into training camp.

Coach Pete DeBoer was only too happy to play percussion during his second practice to remind his players to skate hard through the end of drills. With less than three weeks to go until the team’s first meaningful game in four-plus months, the Knights are trying to get back to full speed as soon as possible.

“The last two days have definitely been an indication of how camp is going to be,” defenseman Nate Schmidt said. “Flying around each and every day. It’s been really nice to have that pace. It really brings your lungs back. It brings things back to game speed a lot quicker.”

DeBoer has put the Knights right back to work in camp so far. Tuesday featured plenty of full-ice drills centered on the team’s breakout and rush patterns, plus a scrimmage for the second straight day.

The up-tempo work fits right in with DeBoer’s vision for the team. Upon his arrival in January he spent plenty of time working on the Knights’ transition game to get them playing like the high-flying outfit that reached the 2018 Stanley Cup Final again.

“I thought we ramped up the work level today and the guys responded,” DeBoer said. “The pace was real good again. You’re always looking for that sweet spot where you can keep that pace and quality of work. We went over an hour today, an hour (and) 15 (minutes). There was pace right from minute one right through minute 75. I thought it was a real good day.”

Schedule update

The Knights will play their lone exhibition game in before the postseason starts at 7 p.m. July 30 against the Arizona Coyotes in Edmonton, Alberta, the NHL announced Tuesday.

The league also said the Knights’ first round-robin game against the Dallas Stars will begin at 3:30 p.m. on Aug. 3. Start times for the Knights’ other two round-robin games against the St. Louis Blues (Aug. 6) and Colorado Avalanche (Aug. 8) have yet to be determined.

Knights avoiding Strip

The Knights aren’t required to stay home when away from the rink during training camp, but the team wants players to be smart.

Center William Karlsson said players have been asked not to put themselves at risk before they leave for their hub city, on July 26. Training camp protocols ask players to stay home “as much as possible” and avoid unnecessary contact with non-family members.

“Obviously, going on the Strip I don’t think is a great idea,” Karlsson said. “Pretty much the recommendation is to stay off the Strip.”

Fleury misses practice

Marc-Andre Fleury was at City National Arena chatting with teammates Tuesday, but he didn’t practice for the second straight day.

DeBoer said Monday the goaltender wasn’t being held back because of a positive COVID-19 test. Fleury is expected to practice with the Knights later this week.

LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 07.15.2020 1188187 Vegas Golden Knights Flags, after all, do fly forever. “I’ll tell you what, people are going to remember who won this Stanley

Cup,” coach Peter DeBoer said. “I think it’s a spectacular format. I think Does this Stanley Cup deserve an asterisk? Golden Knights say no it’s going to be outstanding hockey, and whoever wins it will have earned it.”

LAS VEGAS SUN LOADED: 07.15.2020 By Justin Emerson Tuesday, July 14, 2020 | 2 a.m.

Golden Knights Return for Practice

There’s no question the upcoming Stanley Cup playoffs will be one of the oddest in recent memory. There are 24 teams, a play-in round, a round- robin for seeding in two buildings in Canada, neither of which will have fans.

There are two ways of looking at it.

The first is that this Stanley Cup is played in the world of coronavirus, where a shortened season led to an expanded playoff field where anyone might be ruled medically ineligible at any moment. That kind of ambiguity could knock the validity of this year’s championship.

The second is the one held by all the Golden Knights asked after their first practice on Monday: that all the idiosyncrasies of this year’s Stanley Cup make it that much more valuable.

“Every team is healthy, everybody is rested from their little boo-boos and ready to go, so it’s going to be a tough Stanley Cup to win,” Vegas forward Jonathan Marchessault said. “At the end of the day, your name is on the Stanley Cup, so it’s going to be like the other ones, I think.”

He’s right, of course. The actual Cup wouldn’t have an asterisk, and should the Golden Knights win, their names will go right alongside all the past winners and those still to come.

The Golden Knights have Mark Stone, Max Pacioretty and Alex Tuch back, all of whom were set to miss regular season games had the season not paused. Every other team is in the same boat. Injuries and fatigue entering the postseason are as close to a nonfactor as they’ve ever been.

But there are other factors, like this imaginary scenario: The Montreal Canadiens are the 24th-ranked team in the tournament. They won 31 of their 71 games this season and under normal circumstances would have finished the year 10 points out of a playoff spot.

But they also have a goalie many players consider to be the league’s best in Carey Price. What if he gets hot, the Canadiens get some bounces and end up in the Stanley Cup Final?

What if they face the Golden Knights, and on the morning of Game 1, Mark Stone and Marc-Andre Fleury test positive for COVID-19, can’t play, and the Canadiens win the Cup?

Fans in Vegas would revolt, claiming that had their best forward and their starting goaltender not contracted the disease that allowed the Canadiens into the tournament in the first place, the Golden Knights would have won.

Granted, maybe that’s dealing too much in hypotheticals, but it underscores the realities of the situation. With more teams playing a tournament under the specter of a global pandemic, the potential for unpredictability is off the charts.

The Golden Knights say the chaos not only doesn’t detract from the prestige of winning this year, it amplifies it.

“I definitely don’t think there’s going to be an asterisk. I’ve heard some guys say it in the media before, but it’s probably going to be the hardest Stanley Cup to win,” forward Nick Cousins said. "It’s going to be probably some of the best hockey that’s been played in the playoffs, in my opinion, in the last 10 years, and I’m looking forward to it.”

Bizarre seasons are more or less lost to history, too. People don’t remember the Chicago Blackhawks’ championship in 2013 or the New Jersey Devils’ victory in 1995 as cheapened because they came in lockout-shortened regular seasons. They remember them as parts of larger dynasties.

That’s how the Golden Knights view this season. If they win the Cup, it’s unlikely that years from now the conversation around their championship will start with “Yeah, but …” 1188188 Vegas Golden Knights “This is obviously uncharted waters, and we’re relying on our players a lot. Our leadership group, and how they’re feeling every day, to have a lot of input on how we ramp up to be ready for that.”

Golden Knights say they gained an edge through preparation for return to Marchessault said Monday’s practice was surprisingly easy, and he play believes that will give him and his teammates an advantage over some other teams.

“I think right now we have an edge, because we’ve been doing small By Jesse Granger Jul 14, 2020 practices for a few weeks now,” he said. “When you start back you’re a little sore in the hips and groin and stuff like that, but we’ve been through

that already, and we’re already scrimmaging.” Monday was the first day of training camp for the Golden Knights, but the Golden Knights forward Nick Cousins said this year’s postseason will be action on the ice at City National Arena certainly didn’t look it. one of the best, but that “it’s going to be a race to see who can find their Coach Peter DeBoer stepped off the ice for the second half of practice, game the quickest. It’s a quick turnaround here. You only have two allowing his team to engage in a full scrimmage. It wasn’t playoff hockey, weeks to get going, and two weeks until we start playing meaningful but it certainly wasn’t the sloppy, careless practice so familiar with the games.” start of training camps each year. If the early-round games are indeed determined by which teams can find Mark Stone was patrolling the neutral zone, regularly stealing possession their footing and rhythm fastest, the Golden Knights’ first day of training from players to prompt fast breaks the other way. Alex Tuch was flying camp is certainly a good sign for their chances. up and down the wings, ripping shots past goaltender Oscar Dansk. It felt “It’s all about getting that game speed back, and Day 1 of training camp almost like the pause never happened. we’re right into the scrimmages,” Marchessault said. “I think in the long That wasn’t by coincidence. It was the product of weeks of hard work and run it’s going to pay off. It shows how dedicated and ready our team is for preparation. Media was allowed in the building, and all interviews were the playoff push that I believe we can make.” conducted by Zoom. The Athletic LOADED: 07.15.2020 “We were able to get into some scrimmaging today because of what our group has done the last four or five weeks,” DeBoer said. “The large majority of them have been in town and have participated in Phase 1 and 2. There’s been a real commitment by the group to be able to start camp and be able to get into what we did today, at the pace they were at today. It’s a real testament to the heavy lifting those guys have done voluntarily over the last four or five weeks.”

Almost all of the Golden Knights players remained in town during the NHL’s four-month pause. And while they weren’t able to hold full practices, their commitment to working out at home, plus the outstanding attendance during the small-group practices in Phase 2, has set them up to hit the ground running this week.

“It’s all about preparation,” Jonathan Marchessault said. “I gotta say today felt pretty easy, honestly. Almost the whole team has been here for four weeks now. We’ve been preparing really well with (director of hockey operations Misha Donskov), and I think the team looks good.”

Sunday, general manager Kelly McCrimmon raved about his players’ conditioning upon their return, saying, “I’m really happy with how the players have handled this. The state of our team is real strong. It’s right where we want it to be.”

That showed on the ice Monday as Vegas skipped the introductory, foundation-building drills and went straight into scrimmages and systems.

“We’ve been working pretty hard over the last five or so weeks on the ice, and I think that’s going to pay off,” veteran defenseman Deryk Engelland said. “We can step in and work more on systems (rather) than getting back in shape because we’ve been doing it for so long as a group.”

The Golden Knights weren’t the only team with high attendance for Phase 2 skates, but the fact that only a handful of players left Las Vegas, and none left North America, could put them a few steps ahead of other teams.

“I think it says a lot about the team and what we think we can achieve here,” Engelland said. “Everyone still has the same goal we had at the beginning of the year, but I think everyone really believes we have a really good opportunity.”

The Golden Knights still have 12 days of training camp before they depart for Edmonton. DeBoer and his staff will need to balance hard practices like Monday’s with plenty of rest to make sure his players are in peak physical condition when the puck drops.

“We do have a long runway, a lot of practice time, between today and Round 1,” DeBoer said. “We do have to pace that, but for me, it’s about quality over quantity. We’re going to be in daily discussions with (the players) about days off and breaks in order to keep the quality at where it was today. 1188189 Vegas Golden Knights

VGK Fans Come To Pick Up Game Posters, But Not Allowed To Watch Training Camp With Pandemic

By Alan Snel of LVSportsBiz.com

No fans.

Before this most unusual season for the Vegas Golden Knights, practices during the playoffs during the franchise’s first two seasons often attracted packed houses at City National Arena, the VGK training center.

But in year three when the Knights fired popular coach Gerard Gallant and replaced him with former San Jose Sharks coach Peter DeBoer, a team that found its groove before a novel coronavirus pandemic halted the NHL is re-starting with a training camp before no fans.

On Tuesday morning, DeBoer and his coaches put the Knights through their second day of training camp to prep the team for the 24-team pandemic playoffs that begin April 1. The Western Conference teams will play in the bubble in Edmonton, while the NHL clubs from the East head to Toronto. It’s a made-for-TV sports event as the two dozen teams pursue a Stanley Cup north of the border with no fans allowed at games.

Naturally, no VGK fans were allowed to watch the Golden Knights training camp workout Tuesday in light of the novel coronavirus pandemic. Golden Knights PR set up 19 spots along the bleacher railing for media and VGK staffers to watch and document the fast-paced practice. I bicycled to City National Arena and was happy to draw a temperature reading of 98 degrees on the 110-degree day to enter the building after answering questions about my health. I bellied up to the railing in the number four seat position and took in 90 minutes of spirited practice.

The Knights have two starting world-class goaltenders: Marc-Andre Fleury and Robin Lehner. Fleury had the workout off, but Lehner practiced and looked sensational. He’s a big and agile man with a touch of humor on his Twitter account and a quick glove hand to snap pucks out of mid-air.

Fans did come to the building in Downtown Summerlin to pickup game posters from four home games that were scrubbed because of a virus pandemic that claimed the lives of 135,000 Americans. It remains to be seen if sports like the NHL, NBA and MLS can re-start their seasons without the spread of the COVID-19 altering the return-to-play plans. Meanwhile, MLB and WNBA are looking to launch shortenen seasons in a few weeks.

LVSportsBiz.com LOADED: 07.15.2020 1188190 Washington Capitals Each player is taking different precautions. Center Nicklas Backstrom decided his family — fiancee Liza Berg and their three kids — would stay in Sweden when he came back to the D.C. area in late July. Berg gave birth to the couple’s third child, Alizee, in late March. Alizee joins sister With babies due, Lars Eller and Carl Hagelin prepare to enter, and leave, Haley, 6, and brother Vince, 3. NHL bubble “I think we decided pretty early that I was going to go over myself,” “You’re going to have to take a lot of precautions for when you leave,” Backstrom said. “We liked our setup better for my fiancee and kids to Lars Eller said of his plan to leave the NHL bubble to return for the birth stay back in Sweden there. It wasn’t really a long conversation. … We all of his second child. want sports back, and we want to do what we love, you know?”

Coach Todd Reirden followed a similar approach. Reirden’s teenage son, Travis, was born with common variable immunodeficiency, a disorder Samantha Pell July 14, 2020 at 6:52 PM EDT that leaves his body unable to defend against bacteria and viruses. To keep him in the safest environment possible, the family decided Reirden’s wife, Shelby, and Travis would stay in Indiana near Shelby’s Washington Capitals center Lars Eller thought long and hard about family and friends during training camp. returning to play amid the novel coronavirus pandemic, weighing the pros and cons with a good chunk of his thoughts concerning family. Reirden said he is still figuring out whether he will have a chance to see his family before the team travels to Toronto on July 26, but he is Eller’s wife, Julie, is pregnant with the couple’s second child and is comfortable with their decision. expected to give birth Aug. 8, the day the Capitals are scheduled to play the Boston Bruins in the team’s last game of the round-robin tournament Notes: The Capitals continued to skate in two groups during the second in Toronto. On Aug. 11, the first round of the playoffs are scheduled to day of camp. All players on the training camp roster participated except begin. That’s where the stress and complications arise. backup goaltender Ilya Samsonov, defensive prospect Alex Alexeyev and forward Shane Gersich. Samsonov and Alexeyev missed their Family continues to be at the forefront of all conversations as players second day of practice; Gersich had practiced Monday. return to the rink, and decisions are being made with great care. Under the NHL’s protocols, players will be able to leave the hub cities and come For the rest of the season, teams are not allowed to share player injury back under certain circumstances, including the birth of a child. When and/or illness information, the league and the NHLPA announced last they return, they will have to isolate and test negative for the virus for four week, “out of respect for an individual player’s right to medical privacy.” . consecutive days before being cleared to play. . .

With his baby due so soon, Eller is making plans to be there. The NHL announced the Capitals will play the Carolina Hurricanes in an exhibition game at 4 p.m. on July 29 in Toronto. Also, the Capitals’ “You’re going to have to take a lot of precautions for when you leave,” round-robin opener against the Tampa Bay Lightning will begin at 4 p.m. said Eller, who also has a 7-year-old daughter, Sophia. “Depending on on Aug. 3; times for the team’s other round-robin matchups are to be how you travel and you travel back and forth and who you’re going to be determined. in contact with and so on, I’ll have to serve some time inside the bubble and test a number of times before I can join my teammates again and Washington Post LOADED: 07.15.2020 play games. We’re working on trying to figure out how we do that the best possible way. That’s what’s going to happen.”

The Capitals open training camp after four months apart and with the postseason looming

Winger Carl Hagelin has a similar situation, with the birth of his second child expected in September. He also is planning to be there for the birth, but he said Tuesday he hasn’t put much thought into it because it’s a little further away. The Hagelins also have a 2-year-old daughter, Blanche.

“For me, I spoke to my wife, too, and she said, ‘As long as you come back when the kid is born, you’re welcome to leave,’ ” he said. “She knows hockey is a big part of my life and it’s a big part of our family’s life, and so we have an opportunity here to win the Stanley Cup and that’s the goal right now.”

Multiple players opted out of the league’s return-to-play plans because of family considerations, including former Capitals defensemen Karl Alzner and Mike Green. No Capitals player opted out — the deadline to do so was Monday — but they have candidly discussed the importance of keeping their families safe.

Training camp is considered one of the most delicate parts of the NHL’s plans. For two weeks during camp, players will not be required to self- isolate away from the rink. Instead, players and club personnel are expected to stay at home as much as possible, avoid unnecessary interaction with nonfamily members and not spend social time together in close contact.

NHL clubs will test players and personnel every other day during training camp, and results must be available within 24 hours. Individuals whose results are not received within that time will not be allowed in team practice facilities.

“I think this phase presents the biggest risk in terms of we’re a bubble here in the rink, we can control who does what and all that, but once everybody goes home, you’re relying on individuals to be smart and take precautions,” Eller said. “You’re relying on the people that you’re hanging out with to do the same thing. So there’s no doubt in my mind this is the riskiest part, and I wouldn’t be surprised at all to see if there’s going to be more positive tests around the league, maybe even here. I would not be surprised.” 1188191 Washington Capitals At the end of the day, we’ll be with 20 of our best buddies and we’ll be going through it together.”

Nicklas Backstrom likened the bubble configuration to an Olympic village, Capitals open training camp: Takeaways from Monday and notes going or the living arrangements for players in the World Cup of Hockey. forward “I think the bubble, it’s going to be a good setup for us there in Toronto,” Backstrom said. “I think they’re going to have restaurants and stuff hooked up for us, so we’re going to be happy about that after everything.” By Adam Zielonka - The Washington Times - Tuesday, July 14, 2020 Ovechkin contract not coming soon

Monday was the first day Ovechkin was eligible to sign a contract Monday was the first time in 123 days that the Washington Capitals extension with the Capitals, according to how the NHL is approaching its practiced together in large groups at MedStar Capitals Iceplex because revised schedule. Before the pandemic changed everything, the date of the coronavirus pandemic. would have been July 1, the start of the new league year.

That means, for example, it had been 123 days since coach Todd But Ovechkin said Monday that no contract discussion has taken place Reirden was allowed in-person access to his players under the NHL’s yet. rules and protocols. It was the first time players had a formal, organized practice in that span of more than four months. “Not even talking, not even thinking about it because right now we have lots of stuff to do,” Ovechkin said. The start of Phase 3 of the NHL’s return meant an abbreviated training camp period could begin, marking some progress for the sport’s attempt Ovechkin has one year left on his contract — the 2020-21 season — so to return from its pause enforced by the coronavirus pandemic. there will be time later this year for a deal to get done.

There’s plenty of reason to question whether hockey and other major Get ready for Dillon-Orlov sports in North America will be able to pull this comeback off. But with The Capitals split their 31 active players Monday into two groups. The regards to how comfortable players will be with protocols and how much morning group featured four defensemen, including Brenden Dillon and adjustment will be required, it was revealing how quickly players got back Dmitry Orlov. into their old routines once they hit that sheet of ice Monday. A Dillon-Orlov second pairing was in the works the week the pandemic “On the ice is normal,” Alex Ovechkin said. “On the ice is same rules (as) postponed the season. With the blue line hitting more than a few what we have before.” midseason bumps, Reirden wanted to try different combinations after “When we got on the ice, it was back to playing hockey,” Reirden added. Washington acquired Dillon ahead of the trade deadline. Dillon started his Capitals days on the top pair with John Carlson. The Capitals will continue their training camp Tuesday and Wednesday, with a planned day off on Thursday. A limited number of reporters were Monday’s practice was mostly about getting players skating for longer granted access to the rink, but all press conferences were conducted periods of time and starting to work them into game shape. But going over Zoom, an increasingly common solution in the pandemic age. forward, expect the coaching staff to try out Dillon and Orlov together as they plot their defensive pairings for the playoffs. Here’s what else was apparent Monday, and what to monitor in the days to come. “Obviously we didn’t do a lot of 3-on-2 type of drills,” Reirden said. “You’ll see more of that tomorrow and Wednesday as we get going into our day NHL rule about virus updates will be frustrating off, and we can take a look more at how they can form some chemistry together. Certainly, granted, Dillon was a big help to our team and Three Capitals players on the return-to-play roster didn’t participate in certainly will help us defensively with his playoff style of hockey that he Monday’s practice: defensemen Michal Kempny and Alex Alexeyev and plays. He’s no fun to play against.” goaltender Ilya Samsonov. From social media posts, it’s clear that at least Samsonov and Kempny have returned to the District from their Washington Times LOADED: 07.15.2020 home countries.

But the team could not give any details of why they were absent. Other teams around the league had to call their absent players “unfit to play.”

That’s because the NHL will not allow teams to divulge whether players are sick or injured the rest of this year, citing medical privacy.

The policy diverges from other leagues such as Major League Baseball and the NBA, which have left it up to the teams and players how much they want to say when players test positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus.

As this chugs along, though, it’s important for fans and media not to speculate about who might have COVID-19. There is no evidence that Kempny, Alexeyev or Samsonov were absent Monday because they were sick — only that they were absent.

Impact of hub city ‘bubble’ a wild card

Though Ovechkin, Reirden and company were comfortable and perhaps relieved to get back on the ice, no one is quite sure how they’ll feel when they get to Toronto, the Eastern Conference’s hub city.

The Capitals will travel to Toronto July 26 after less than two weeks’ worth of training camp. Tom Wilson, the team’s representative on the NHLPA executive board, said concrete details have yet to be shared with players besides hotel accommodations, but he thought it might end up feeling like “one big field trip.”

“I think guys usually have their routine and superstitions,” Wilson said. “They have everything that they do on a typical game day and I think anything typical has been kind of thrown out the window for the next few months. So you’re going to have to adjust, you’re going to have to adapt. 1188192 Washington Capitals

Capitals to play Hurricanes in lone exhibition game before round robin tournament

By J.J. Regan July 14, 2020 6:29 PM

The Capitals will play the Carolina Hurricanes at 4 p.m. on July 29 in each team's lone exhibition game before beginning the 2020 postseason, the league announced Tuesday.

The exhibition game will be played in the hub city of Toronto. Teams are scheduled to travel to their hub cities on July 26. Each of the 24 teams in the postseason will play one exhibition game before the postseason officially begins on Aug 1.

RELATED: CAPS RELEASE PHASE 3 ROSTER

As the final seeding for the top-four seeds is not yet set, the Caps and Hurricanes could see each other again soon. It is possible for these two teams to play in the first round of the playoffs depending on where Washington finishes in the round robin and if Carolina defeats the New York Rangers in a best-of-five series in the qualifying round.

Here is the full exhibition schedule:

Hockey. In July.

12 exhibition games are on the schedule later this month ahead of the #StanleyCup Qualifiers. https://t.co/64XfKl1jJy pic.twitter.com/ApuIKYP2M2

— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) July 14, 2020

The broadcast information has not yet been announced.

In addition, the NHL has also set the start time for Washington's first round robin game. The Caps will play the Tampa Bay Lightning on Aug. 3 at 4 p.m. The start times for Washington's remaining two games have not yet been set.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 07.15.2020 1188193 Washington Capitals

Lars Eller intends to leave bubble for the birth of his second child

By J.J. Regan July 14, 2020 3:21 PM

The disruption to the NHL season because of the coronavirus has affected more than just the postseason. For Lars Eller, it will mean having to leave the team in order to be with his family for the birth of his second child.

The 2020 postseason is scheduled to begin Aug. 1. Eller's wife is due on Aug. 8, the same day as the Capitals' third round robin game. Obviously that means unless she delivers early, the baby will be born after Eller has left for Toronto.

Eller, however, expressed Tuesday that he intends to be with his family when the baby is born.

"We're working on making the necessary arrangements so I can be for the birth and come back to the bubble after that," Eller said.

When the whole point of the bubble is to isolate the players and limit their contact with the outside world in order to keep them from contracting the coronavirus, obviously this will present some challenges.

Eller, however, is hardly the only player who is facing this dilemma. The season pause means several players who thought they were going to have an offseason baby now will be having their new additions during the postseason. While the NHL and NHL Players' Association were negotiating the health and safety protocols for the league's return to play plan, family access became one of the major talking points. It's hard to maintain a bubble if you also allow family members in, but players did not want to be away from their families for several months. Certain rules were written in that would allow players to leave the bubble and return if necessary and those are the rules Eller is now trying to figure out so he can rejoin the team after his baby is born.

"You're going to have to take a lot of precautions for when you leave," Eller said. "Depending on how you travel and you travel back and forth and who you're going to be in contact with and so on, I'll have to serve some time inside the bubble and test a number of times before I can join my teammates again and play games. We're working on trying to figure out how we do that the best possible way."

Players did have the option of opting out of the playoffs, but Eller elected not to take that option. For him, trying to win a second Stanley Cup is still a priority, it's just not more important than his family.

"We're going to have a new addition to our family here in a couple weeks," Eller said. "I don't know when it's going to happen, but it's going to happen. But at the same time, I want to be with my team and also committed to that and want to win another Cup."

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 07.15.2020 1188194 Washington Capitals

Brenden Dillon indicates he is open to re-signing with Capitals

By J.J. Regan July 14, 2020 4:20 PM

With a training camp in July, a delayed postseason, an abbreviated offseason, a flat salary cap all in the midst of a pandemic, the future is uncertain for pending unrestricted free agent defenseman Brenden Dillon. While not much is known right now, there is one thing he does know and that is that he really likes it in Washington.

"I'm happy with being a Washington Capital," Dillon said. "From Day 1 when I came here in the trade, they've made me feel right at home. I think the system, the way we play from the D-core on, I feel a big part of things here."

Dillon was with the San Jose Sharks since 2014 before he was traded. The reality that he would most likely be playing somewhere else in 2020- 21 came to a head when the Sharks bottomed-out and sold him at the trade deadline to Washington. Now, his future is uncertain.

At 29 years old, the next contract was likely going to be Dillon's last big one. He is on the last year of a five-year contract that carries a cap hit of $3.27 million per year. In a normal offseason, he likely would have sought another long-term deal with a raise. This, however, will not be a normal offseason and it is suddenly unclear what kind of money players will be able to get on the open market.

Dillon said he is trying not to concern himself with the uncertainty of free agency.

"I've had so much other things I've been worried about," he said. "Just the world in general and touching base with family and friends and everything."

Dillon has played primarily on the top pair with John Carlson since he was brought in. Though the pandemic has limited him to just 10 games of action with the Caps, both sides seem to have left a favorable impression. When asked about his future, Dillon indicated he would be open to re-signing.

"The kind of mutual talks amongst my agent and [general manager Brian MacLellan], those things are confidential with them," Dillon said. "But for me as a player and being part of the Caps, it's been awesome and hopefully can be here."

Though he fits in nicely as a top-four defenseman, re-signing him would add another body into a logjam of left-shooting defensemen within the franchise.

Dmitry Orlov, Michal Kempny, Jonas Siegenthaler, Marin Fehervary and Alex Alexeyev are all left defensemen and all but Siegenthaler are under contract beyond this season. Siegenthaler is a restricted free agent who will almost certainly be re-signed. Re-signing Dillon exacerbates the issue, but top-four defensemen are hard to find and if a proven player like Dillon is interested in re-signing, that is hard to pass up if you can get the numbers to work.

The possibility of there being interest in Dillon returning to Washington beyond this season adds to the importance of the 2020 postseason. This may not just be a quest for the Cup, but an audition for those left defensemen to see who the team may want to keep for the future.

"For a lot of us going into this free agency, there's going to be a lot of questions from not just the players' side, but the team side and the planning that goes into these things," Dillon said. "That's above my pay grade and I'll kind of cross that bridge when I get there."

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 07.15.2020 1188195 Washington Capitals The Capitals risked it all by tearing their team apart in 2003-04. Miss the generational talent of Ovechkin and they could very well have ended up with Barker and a mid-round pick in 2005. This is a team that wasn’t very good WITH Ovechkin the first two years of his career. It’s hard to see The biggest ‘what ifs’ in Capitals history: What if Washington had not won how it would have had anywhere near the same success on the ice - or the 2004 draft lottery? off it.

Let’s not forget, interest in the team was nowhere near as strong as it is today. The Capitals had a hardy, loyal fanbase, but Penguins fans By J.J. Regan July 14, 2020 6:00 AM always took over the arena come playoff time. They had a long run of success in the 1980s and 1990s, but often jettisoned star players (Mike Gartner, Scott Stevens, Larry Murphy). There was little sizzle, not much looked at what ifs for the season. This week, we are looking at some of star power, just good, solid teams that had a reputation for choking in the the bigger what ifs from franchise history. playoffs and only went to the Stanley Cup Final once in 1998.

The Capitals have picked No. 1 overall only once in franchise history and Excitement over Ovechkin, with his tinted visor and his electric-yellow selected Alex Ovechkin in the 2004 draft. He is the greatest player to laces and his physical dominance and his jaw-dropping goals, sparked ever to play for the organization, perhaps the greatest goal-scorer of all the Rock the Red era that took hockey in Washington to a different level. time and the captain who led Washington to its first Stanley Cup. Some top phenoms only have to be great on the ice. Ovechkin had to do that and re-sell the sport, too, to a younger generation of fans. It was a But what if the Capitals had not won that draft lottery? Herculean task, but the Capitals are glad the ball bounced their way and Despite a 59-point season, Washington had only the third-worst record in gave them 15 years and counting with their franchise icon. the NHL in the 2003-04 season and had to leapfrog both Pittsburgh and Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 07.15.2020 Chicago for the No. 1 pick.

The Penguins had the greatest odds of winning. Had they won the lottery, they would have taken Ovechkin. Let that sink in for a moment if you can.

It would have been less likely, of course, that Pittsburgh would win the lottery in 2005 and taken Sidney Crosby the next summer at No. 1 overall.

The 2004-05 season was canceled by a lockout. There were no team records to determine the draft lottery odds. Instead, the NHL came up with a new plan that guaranteed each team at least one ball in the lottery, but no more than three.

For every No. 1 overall pick or playoff appearance over the previous four years, a team lost a ball. So, the Caps, despite finishing with 59 points in 2003-04, ended up with only one ball and picked 14th in one of the most asinine draft set-ups in NHL history.

Had Pittsburgh won the lottery in 2004, the Penguins would have dropped from three balls to two and it would have been far less likely that they got Crosby - though not impossible. If Pittsburgh had pulled that off, it would have resulted in perhaps the greatest dynasty in league history.

But under that scenario, with Ovechkin on the Penguins, the Caps would have gotten one ball back in the Crosby draft. They still probably would not have walked away with the No. 1 pick, though the odds are they’d have picked better than No. 14.

Here’s the real problem with losing the lottery in 2004: There was no consolation prize for Washington. Yes, Ovechkin’s fellow Russian Evgeni Malkin was the clear No. 2 pick that year and he, too, is a future Hall-of- Famer. But that wouldn’t help the Caps because there was only a chance to move up to first that year, no higher. If the ping-pong ball doesn’t bounce the right way, Washington would have stuck with the No. 3 or No. 4 pick.

There were some decent players taken later in that 2004 draft like Blake Wheeler and Alexander Radulov. But the player ultimately taken third by the Chicago Blackhawks was defenseman Cam Barker.

Haven’t heard of him? That’s because Barker played just 310 games in the NHL. That’s more than most, sure. But his last season playing in North America was 2012-13 where he split time between the Vancouver Canucks in the NHL and Texas Stars in the AHL.

Andrew Ladd was selected fourth by the Carolina Hurricanes, Wheeler fifth. Hopefully Washington’s scouts would have recognized the value of Wheeler and selected him at No. 3 and they’d have taken a valuable player. Wheeler has 264 career goals and 761 points. A good, solid career and any team would take that even at No. 3

But he’s no Ovechkin. People won’t walk around years from now saying they saw Blake Wheeler play.

The 2004 draft was so critical to Washington obviously because of Ovechkin, but also because had it lost out on him that long, slog of a rebuild, which still took until 2007-08 to really get moving, might have taken even longer. 1188196 Washington Capitals

Can Tom Wilson be as effective a player without a crowd to feed off of?

By J.J. Regan July 14, 2020 6:00 AM

When the 2020 postseason finally gets underway in August, the games will be played without fans. NHL commissioner Garry Bettman said in a press conference Saturday that the league had "very special things planned" to enhance the game atmosphere, but regardless of what the league tries to do, there is no question that the games are going to lose something without that fan element. No Capitals player understands that more than Tom Wilson.

"Less boos and less cheers, I guess, at home," Wilson said after Monday's practice. "But it will be weird."

Fans like having access to the players, but there is such a thing as too much access. We see that every year when a team wins the Stanley Cup and the cameras (and especially the mics) get too close to the celebrations. After a few swear words make it into the broadcast, the camera quickly shifts away. Now imagine what you can hear from players when there is no sound from the fans to drown them out.

That's something that Wilson, a known trash-talker on the ice, has thought about.

"I’ll have to watch, I guess, what I’m saying," he said. "Less F words and stuff like that. It will definitely be a little bit different if the mics are picking that up. But I guess it will be entertaining."

But how will this affect the game itself?

Just how strange it will be to see games without fans in the stands and how exactly these games will look and sound has been discussed ad nauseam to this point. Something that no one is talking about is how this could actually affect the game.

Physical play is not just about the physical toll it takes on opposing players, it's also about building momentum. It's about feeding off the swell of the crowd, the boos or the cheers after a big hit.

While physical play will always be a part of Wilson's game, what will that look like without fans? Will that element of the game be as effective without a crowd to feed off of?

"I’m a guy that thrives off of momentum and energy," Wilson said. "That’s something that I try to bring to the table, so I guess you can say that it’s even more important for me to do that and try to lift the team up any way I can."

Wilson has worked his way into a top-line role as a player with top-six skill to go with his physical prowess. It's a combination few players can match in today's NHL which makes him such a valuable asset for Washington.

Can he still be as effective with no crowd and if not, how will this change Washington's forward makeup? It's a question the team needs to answer very quickly.

"I think there will definitely be times when it gets a little bit quiet out there," Wilson said, "But I guess we’ll just pretend that we’re playing in a rink that has a little less atmosphere than we’re privileged to have in DC.”

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 07.15.2020 1188197 Washington Capitals But in many ways, that relationship with Trotz helped Reirden. In fact, much of Reirden’s preparation in taking over was learning from his own coaches.

Building Trust at Work: DC's NBA, NFL, NHL and WNBA coaches share “I think trust from players, it comes from honesty and as a player, I was leadership tips fortunate enough to play for a coach by the name of Joel Quenneville, who is the second-winningest coach in the NHL history,” Reirden said of the current Florida Panthers coach who led the Chicago Blackhawks to three Stanley Cups last decade. “What he taught me as a player, and I By J.J. Regan July 14, 2020 7:00 AM didn’t always like to hear it, but it was honest evaluation of my game. And some days were some pretty long drives back to my apartment. I may have even shed a tear after some of the things he said to me. But at least NBC Sports Washington brought together local coaches Ron Rivera I knew where I stood, and it allowed me to focus on what I needed to do (Washington football), Todd Reirden (Capitals), Scott Brooks (Wizards) to improve.” and Mike Thibault (Mystics) to discuss the intricacies of their craft in a free-wheeling discussion hosted by Julie Donaldson. We present six That is a philosophy Brooks shares with Reirden after a discussion he days highlighting different themes of their conversation - experiences, once had with legendary UCLA men's basketball coach John Wooden. stories and lessons shared from careers in coaching. “I remember middle of my career, like in the middle of the 90s, I knew I One of the most important jobs of a head coach of a professional sports wanted to get into coaching, so I had a meeting with Coach Wooden and team is to build trust with players. This isn’t the pee-wees where coaches it was the most surreal experience I've ever had,” Brooks said. “It was are teaching you how to play the game. A head coach must bring several like a biblical figure. It’s like John Wooden. You've heard so much about professional men or women together and convince them that he can fundamentals, so much about pyramids, so much about the first thing he make that team successful. It’s about selling yourself to the team as taught his players, how to tie his shoe and put the shoes on so it wouldn't much as it is leading it. cause blisters. And I just remember one thing, one word that really just stood out, and he said 'honesty'. You want to be a good coach? Be This is a task coaches like Scott Brooks and Todd Reirden know all too honest with your players. And some of the tough conversations that I had well. with players or some of the tough conversations that coaches had with me and honesty was so important.” Brooks took over as head coach of the Washington Wizards in 2016. Reirden, meanwhile, was promoted from associate coach to head coach Brooks added, “Sometimes you kind of want a little bit of a half-truth and after Barry Trotz resigned in the wake of the Capitals' Stanley Cup the reason why you didn't play was because you couldn't guard anybody championship in 2018. Both coaches joined host Julie Donaldson along and you couldn't pass in positions. But you want honesty, and I think that with Washington football head coach Ron Rivera and Washington helps gain your players’ trust.” Mystics head coach Mike Thibault in NBC Sports Washington’s Coaches' Roundtable. On the one hand, what is Brooks going to be able to teach Wall or Beal about the game of basketball that they don’t already know? What could Brooks inherited a team with two superstars in John Wall and Bradley Reirden possibly have to tell Ovechkin about scoring goals? They most Beal and immediately went about the task of teaching them how good the want to be put in a position to succeed. Wizards could be if those premier talents worked within the team’s structure. But that took work. As great as those players are, however, they can’t have that success without the team and both coaches agreed it takes that honesty to build “When you have superstar players, you have to form a relationship with up a player’s trust enough that they are willing to listen and play how they them and have them have a good understanding that you need your are coached. But that is a goal more realistic with buy-in from the top teammates to help you even become even better of a superstar,” Brooks players. If they believe, their teammates will follow, too. said. “I’ve always believed in good role players. If you can make them superstars in their roles, and I think the star players and the coaches can “You cannot fake genuineness to the players and passion and the do that and allow that to happen, that makes the star players even better. desire,” Reirden said. “They know whether you're trying to make them It makes your team better. ... When they understand that your team has a better, trying to make our team better. They know whether you're all in or chance to be special." not. They see right through you and I think that it's best to wear your passion on your sleeve and show up with a great game plan that involves Brooks has now been the head coach in Washington for four seasons, everybody, involves your full team. Because none of us are winning leading the team to the playoffs twice. The Wizards did manage to make without having a team in our sport.” the cut for the resumption of the 2020 NBA season on July 30, so Brooks still has a chance to make it three out of four. Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 07.15.2020

RELATED: HOW RON RIVERA QUICKLY MOVED ON AFTER PANTHERS' FIRING TO COACH WASHINGTON

Reirden also inherited a talented roster with players like Alex Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom. The Capitals were coming off a Stanley Cup championship when he took over, of course, and he had been with those same players since 2014 so his task was unique. He already had established relationships.

“I thought the real challenge for me coming in and taking over the defending champion was to be able to relate to that and find different strategies,” Reirden said.

Reirden was with the Capitals as an assistant coach for four years under Trotz coaching the team’s defensemen. Now in his second season as head coach, Reirden has led the Caps to two Metropolitan Division titles and the team will be among the top four seeds in the Eastern Conference when the NHL’s season pause ends on Aug. 1.

As a member of Trotz’s staff, Reirden knew the players already. Building the same level of trust with those players that Trotz had while convincing them that he, too, could lead them to the NHL mountaintop, however, remains was an unenviable task.

“It was going to be a tough act to follow,” Reirden said. 1188198 Washington Capitals The many safety protocols. The frequent tests. Understanding what masked teammates and coaches are trying to say to him.

“You find yourself asking guys to repeat themselves a few times through Brenden Dillon is getting familiar with the Capitals and feels ‘right at their mask when were chatting in the room,” he chuckled. “It’s crazy home’ circumstances. Everybody is just trying to stay healthy, first and foremost. We all see what’s going on around the league, around the world. If you take care of yourself, you’re going to take care of the rest of your teammates and put yourself in a good spot.” By Tarik El-Bashir Jul 14, 2020 In theory, Dillon had millions of reasons to sit out the return to play.

Opting out, though, was never a consideration. ARLINGTON, Va. — Brenden Dillon doesn’t know how free agency is “There’s always a risk when having a big layoff like this whether you’re a going to unfold for him. But the big defenseman does know exactly how UFA or a guy on a six-year deal,” he said. “Everyone’s got risk for the he’d like it to. whole season. If I had that in the back of my mind I don’t know if I would Dillon wants to re-sign in D.C. be able to play at the level I wanted to, if I was thinking about this, thinking about that. We understand the risk, not just for injury but for the “I’m happy with being a Washington Capital,” he said Tuesday, the coronavirus going around. For us, whether we’re away from the rink or in second day of training camp 2.0 at MedStar Capitals Iceplex. “From Day the rink, it’s just about doing our part, whether that’s wearing a mask or 1 when I came here in the trade, they’ve made me feel right at home. mixing in an extra stretch to make sure the hips are feeling good. We’re just trying to do what we can to stay healthy.” “The system, the way we play, I feel like a big part of things here,” he continued. “I feel even better now. And I think for myself to have a couple Trying to stay healthy and, of course, helping the Caps make a deep run of weeks of training camp to get even more acclimated and a (better) while simultaneously proving that he can be a long-term solution on understanding of things, I think it’s going to pay huge dividends.” defense.

Indeed, if there was any upside to the stoppage for the Caps it’s the fact “It would be great,” Dillon said of potentially re-signing. “To come in and that their trade deadline additions — like Ilya Kovalchuk and Dillon — are see a special group like this, to see how skilled the guys are, to see how now afforded the opportunity to start fresh, go through a full camp, get much fun they have at the rink, it truly is an awesome place to be.” comfortable with their teammates, master the schemes. “For me as a player and being a part of the Caps, it’s been awesome. “He already seems more comfortable going through this a second time,” And hopefully I can be here.” coach Todd Reirden said of Dillon, whom Washington acquired from San Jose on Feb. 18 for two draft picks. “Obviously, he was with us for a The Athletic LOADED: 07.15.2020 number of games, got a feel for us and then took the time away and had a chance to reflect. And now I think he’s come back understanding exactly what is expected of him and the impact that he can have on our team. ”

That impact ideally means logging 20-plus minutes a night, playing a key role on the penalty kill and, most important, consistently using his 6-foot- 4, 225-pound frame to bully opposing forwards.

“He’s given us a veteran presence and he certainly is no fun to play against,” Reirden said. “The strongest games that he’s had this year were when he was really a thorn in the side of a few opponents and some of the other team’s top players. That’s where he can be effective. And, obviously, his leadership in our room also helps with us having a little bit of a younger D group back there.”

It’s not a question of whether Dillon is a fit; he is because he plays the heavy brand of hockey the Caps prefer. He has also seamlessly integrated himself into the room. During the pause, in fact, he purchased an Xbox so that he could enjoy virtual tee times with his new teammates.

The question is whether there’s a deal to be made. There are currently four defensemen under contract for 2020-21 — John Carlson, Dmitry Orlov, Michal Kempny and Nick Jensen. Jonas Siegenthaler is a restricted agent and figures to re-signed and 20-year-old Martin Fehervary could push for a spot, too. That’s a decent start but not a finished product.

As we explained last week, a flat cap and the Caps’ proximity to the ceiling will require the team to make some tough choices.

“To be honest, not really,” Dillon said when asked if he’d given much thought to how a stagnant cap will influence his situation. “I’ve had so many other things I’ve been worrying about, just the world in general, touching base with family and friends and everything.”

Dillon didn’t want to go into details, but he did acknowledge that his outlook is different today than it was pre-COVID-19.

“Looking ahead for a lot of us going into this free agency there’s going to be a lot of (unknown), not just from the player’s side but from the team side and the planning that goes into these things,” he said. “That’s above my pay grade, and I’ll kinda cross that bridge when I get there.”

For the moment, Dillon is focused on finding his footing on the ice and, like everyone else, trying to wrap his head around the NHL’s “new normal,” as he called it. 1188199 Winnipeg Jets why 24 teams were included, with an initial best-of-five qualifying series required before getting to the traditional group of 16 squads playing best- of-seven series.

Scheifele all business on, off ice Jets centre Adam Lowry: "this is the new normal right now and this is going to be something we have to get used to."

As for the Olympics, Scheifele could be a big winner from the inclusion, Mike McIntyre as he will likely be on Canada’s radar for the 2022 Winter Games in Beijing.

"Obviously, that’s one of the greatest honours you could ever have. It They admittedly do their best work on the ice. But a trio of Winnipeg Jets takes a lot of hard work and there are so many great Canadian hockey players put in some heavy lifting away from the rink these past few players. I just want to continue to work on my game to make that dream a months in helping to get the sport back up and running in the middle of a reality one day. You’ve just got to keep working at it, work hard and do global pandemic. what you can for your team and if they see what you do, then awesome. Mark Scheifele was invited to be part of a small return-to-play committee. But you’ve just got to keep working hard," said Scheifele. Andrew Copp was a key part of a collective bargaining unit. And Adam "It would be very special. It comes back to the growth of the game. When Lowry, the team’s player representative, was in the loop and keeping there are those special moments that play over in kids’ minds, that does everyone appraised of what was going on. so much for growing the game. For me as a hockey player as well, to see There may not be another NHL club that had more players with a voice that would be so special. It would give me the chills. So that’s definitely on critical matters, which included working out a new financial framework very, very big. Hopefully we see some of those special moments in the in these shaky economic times, extending the current collective future." bargaining agreement through the 2025-26 season, and guaranteeing Winnipeg Free Press LOADED 07.15.2020 Olympic participation in 2022 and 2026. Players ratified the deal by a 502-135 vote last week.

"It was obviously an honour to be a part of that committee. A lot of very good hockey players and a lot of smart hockey minds all on one call. A lot of phone calls, a lot of ideas thrown around, there definitely wasn’t a stone unturned in terms of ideas thrown around," Scheifele said Tuesday of the rather exclusive group that also included Connor McDavid, John Tavares, James van Riemsdyk and Ron Hainsey.

Mark Scheifele: "It was obviously an honour to be a part of that committee."

"I think it’s all about educating yourself. When I first got in the league, I didn’t understand a lot of the business side of things. But over the last number of years, I’m the assistant rep to (Lowry), so it’s been kind of an interesting journey that way just in terms of learning more about the business side of things, learning about what goes into creating the cap and all that stuff."

There’s no question the Jets often target heady players during the draft, including former Western Hockey League scholastic player of the year Josh Morrissey who, along with Scheifele, serves as the team’s alternate captain.

Which is why head coach Paul Maurice wasn’t surprised to see some of his troops take such active roles in negotiations.

"We’ve got some pretty smart guys in our room. You’ve talked to those three guys and you know if you ask a question, you’re going to get a well- thought-out answer," said Maurice.

Josh Morrissey, the Winnipeg Jets alternate captain along with Scheifele, is a former Western Hockey League scholastic player of the year.

"What I do like is that I think they have the players’ interests at heart, as they should in those roles, but also the games. They love the game and they respect the game, so it’s not just a one-sided deal here. I think those three guys, especially, would have a really good affinity for both sides of it. The players’ side but also the fans’ side, the management side. Understanding that all of these pieces need to be thought of when we’re constructing these deals."

Lowry said player health and safety was the critical part of return-to-play negotiations, and he believes the end result of creating so-called bubbles in the hub cities of Edmonton and Toronto was a solid resolution during an unprecedented situation.

"Kind of going through the process, knowing how diligent the NHL and the players association were in making sure that there were a lot of steps and a lot of precautions and a lot of things put into place to try and maximize our safety," he said.

"It might be different playing without fans and playing in the middle of summer, but this is the new normal right now and this is going to be something we have to get used to."

Lowry said another key component was preserving the integrity of the playoffs despite not being able to complete the regular season. That’s 1188200 Winnipeg Jets Backup goalie Laurent Brossoit and defencemen Anthony Bitetto, Nelson Nogier and Logan Stanley have not skated at camp. Under new NHL protocols, all the Jets are permitted to say is they were "not fit to practice" without having to give further details regarding injury and/or illness. Maurice preparing for unfamiliar foe in Flames The Winnipeg Jets' 2019 first round draft pick Ville Heinola.

There’s been some local buzz about why 19-year-old Ville Heinola wasn’t Mike McIntyre added to the playoff roster. The talented defencemen, picked in the first round of the 2019 draft, made the Jets out of camp last fall and skated in

eight games with the big club, and three more with the Manitoba Moose, Paul Maurice figures it just might be the most unpredictable playoff series before returning to his pro league in Finland. of them all, featuring a pair of Western Canadian squads who hardly "Certainly lots of consideration was given to him. You know, we’ve got 10 know a thing about each other. defencemen that were under NHL contract and basically on the NHL There’s not a lot of helpful video for the Winnipeg Jets head coach and roster at the end of the season," explained general manager Kevin his staff to look through as they prepare for a best-of-five qualifying round Cheveldayoff. series against the Calgary Flames beginning Aug. 1. The former Smythe "With a player like Ville, who we believe that the future is the most Division rivals have met just once this season, and that was under unique important thing for him right now, we felt that the fact that he came over circumstances at the Heritage Classic in Regina. here, went back, went to world juniors, went back to his team, that if we Not only did they play under a snowy sky at a football stadium, but Bill weren’t going to be able to put him in a certain situation where he was Peters was the coach of the opponent, soon to be replaced by Geoff absolutely going to be playing on a nightly basis that it was going to be Ward. best for him to make sure that we don’t interrupt his summer training regime so that he’s ready to provide some regular opportunities for him "I’ve watched it once, and didn’t cut anything out of it to use," Maurice next season." admitted Tuesday. "This series is the most unique in the NHL. We’ve at least played all the teams in the East a game we can watch and Winnipeg Free Press LOADED 07.15.2020 understand, but that outdoor game is a different animal. I don’t think there’s a whole lot there you can use."

Instead, the Jets will focus their preparation on the version of the Flames just prior to the COVID-19 pause in mid-March. Ironically, Winnipeg’s next game on the schedule was to be in Calgary, with another meeting to follow a couple weeks later.

"At the end of the day, NHL teams are kind of like battleships. It’s not like you’re ripping apart a brand-new system and putting something completely different in easily," said Maurice.

"There’s probably nothing unique in the NHL, in any one system. So if you have three major defensive systems, your forecheck, your neutral zone defence and your D-zone coverage, and maybe three major offensive systems in how you break out the puck, how you counter and your offensive zone play, you’re probably not going to find one team that does something completely different. But what makes them different is the combination of those systems that they run, and then, of course, the bigger one is the individual skill set of the players running those systems."

Jets captain Blake Wheeler was among the first NHL players to speak about social justice issues including racism and inequality earlier this year following the killing of a Black man at the hands of a white police officer in his home state of Minnesota.

And that had his coach beaming.

Winnipeg Jets captain Blake Wheeler was one of the first NHL players to speak out against police violence after the killing of George Floyd by police officers in his home state of Minnesota. THE CANADIAN PRESS/John Woods

"The overriding thought for me is that I love it when people of Winnipeg get a glimpse into who this guy is. If you research Paul Maurice saying nice things about Blake Wheeler, there’s going to be a whole lot of articles come up. And I wonder sometimes if it sounds like I’m trying to be nice to my captain. But this guy’s a special guy. He’s an intense guy and he’s a caring guy," said Maurice.

"So it doesn’t surprise me that there’s an injustice that he sees, that he feels. And he speaks up and he speaks his mind. But in all of his comments and in all of his conversations, there’s a passion that comes out. It’s just like when you guys talk to him after a game. It’s real. That’s the person that he is. But he lives it. There’s lots of guys that appear very intense but don’t play all that hard. They’ve got a good persona but you never actually see it on the ice. The way he plays is the way he practises is the way he prepares. And it’s the personality you see in front of the camera and that is true and consistent throughout his life. I look at that. He has a special message and he wants to share it and I think it’s great for Winnipeg Jets fans to see what their captain... see what he believes and see what he stands up for."

Four Jets were missing in action for a second straight day of camp. 1188201 Winnipeg Jets Eakin, who is just one year removed from scoring a career-high 22 goals with the Golden Knights, said it's tough to tell given the small sample size, but he's encouraged by the early returns.

Homegrown product fitting in good between Laine and Ehlers "These guys create so much space on the ice from the defensive zone moving forward, just backing guys off and beating guys wide and shooting the puck. It’s fun to be a part of. It took one or two games to kind of get my legs under me. You’ve got two guys on your wings that By: Mike McIntyre | Posted: 07/14/2020 7:00 PM | Comments: can really fly and they’re really creating offence, creating areas and pockets and speed and just generating room all around the ice, and both lethal with the puck on their sticks. A couple games in we started to find a Stop me if you've heard this before: the Winnipeg Jets, a bit thin at bit of a rhythm," said Eakin. centre, go hunting for trade-deadline help in an attempt to bolster their fortunes. The search ends with a veteran skater who is quickly plugged in "Things were kinda progressing, the wins were coming, we were chipping to the second line in between young studs Patrik Laine and Nikolaj in and we were having fun. So it’s good to get back out with those guys Ehlers. and get back on the ice and try to pick up where we left off."

Paul Stastny in 2018. Kevin Hayes in 2019. And now, Cody Eakin in In addition to keeping fit during the four-month break, Eakin was 2020. It's almost as if these guys have a type. watching the off-ice NHL business closely, especially as it pertains to the financial structure of the league and future salary cap given the uncertain Unlike the previous two deals where first-round picks went the other way, economic times, which includes playing without fans at least for now. the Jets didn't have to pay a ransom to bring their newest middle man into the fold. A conditional fourth-rounder to the Vegas Golden Knights in Eakin is a pending unrestricted free agent, in the final year of a deal exchange for Eakin was worth the gamble. paying him US$3.85 million per season. With no growth projected on the US$81.5-million cap for the coming few years, that could hinder guys in Normally, by mid-July, we'd have a verdict on whether the swap was a his position hoping for the next big deal to come their way. He'd likely success or failure, but these are far from normal times, and the jury is still have some contract clarity in a normal year, given July 1 signals the start out since Eakin barely got his feet wet with his new club before COVID- of free agency. Now, that's not expected to happen until at least mid- 19 brought the NHL to a halt in mid-March. October.

The timing couldn't have been worse for the 29-year-old Winnipeg "There's no sense really worrying about it. It's kind of a weird time for product, who was just starting to fit in after suiting up for eight games with everyone and, us as hockey players, it's no different. One day at a time, his new linemates. The Jets had reeled off four straight victories, with we're focusing on the now. We're focusing on the qualifying round here Eakin contributing the game-winning goal against the Arizona Coyotes and worrying about the rest later," said Eakin. along with three helpers in that span. Eakin is hoping to get back to hockey's promised land, as he did in 2018 "It was definitely interesting. It was kind of uncharted territories for when the expansion Golden Knights made it to the Cup final only to be everyone. Guys were rolling, starting to get some confidence, the wins downed by the Washington Capitals. were coming, So it’s unfortunate that it had to shut down like that," Eakin said Tuesday following his team's summer training camp skate at Bell "It’s going to be interesting for sure. It’s going to be a little different. But at MTS Iceplex. the end of the day, it’s still the same game on the same sheet of ice, so it’ll be fun. It’ll be fun, it’ll be fast, it’ll be hard, it’ll be competitive and If the Jets are to make some noise in the post-season, they'll need to we’re looking forward to it," he said. have more than just their top offensive line of Mark Scheifele, Kyle Connor and Blake Wheeler going. That's where Eakin can lend a helping Winnipeg Free Press LOADED 07.15.2020 hand. He's taking the spot traditionally held by Bryan Little, who suffered serious ear and head injuries after being hit by an Ehlers slapshot in November and has been shut down for the remainder of the season, his future very much in doubt.

A big loss, for sure. Jets head coach Paul Maurice said this week he sees plenty of similarities between Eakin and Little, both on and off the ice.

"Bryan Little’s the guy you’re trying to add at the deadline, right. The really good two-way pro, the guy you’re not really coaching because he knows exactly what he’s supposed to do. He’s got a great work ethic. So you miss that out of your room. Where we were fortunate is that we were able to find a player in some ways who is a bit like that, certainly in temperament and personality and focus on the game," said Maurice.

"Cody’s not an outspoken guy, neither was Bryan, and they both know their way around the defensive zone very, very well and Cody scored a bunch of goals last year, so he can produce points. We know that Bryan had done that for us. I think you asked me to quantify it. I don’t think I can, but I can tell you we’re fortunate to add a player that’s similar in temperament and professionalism as Bryan."

Eakin hadn't heard the comments from his new coach until I mentioned them Tuesday.

"That’s pretty nice. From what I know of him (Little), he’s a really strong competitor, he’s smart, he plays the game the right way at all ends of the ice. I’ve battled with him in the faceoff circle for a number of years and we’ve gone back and forth. Unfortunately I haven’t had any time to spend with him just passing through the hallway, but that’s nice," said Eakin.

The key is to find chemistry with Laine and Ehlers. Stastny had it in spades, which was a big reason the Jets went all the way to the Western Conference final in the spring of 2018. Hayes, not so much, and he was eventually moved down the lineup as Winnipeg was eliminated in the first round of the 2019 playoffs. 1188202 Winnipeg Jets “I can’t speak for anybody else, but I do wonder how much your particular environment influences the way you think,” Maurice said. “I never left Winnipeg. And I own a TV, so I can see what’s going on in the world, even though I’m not much of a TV watcher. But I guess I always felt 'It would give me chills': Jets' Scheifele revives Olympic dream... Maurice pretty safe in Winnipeg and in Manitoba. The numbers were low. I’m convinced he, staff, are COVID-19 protected... fake crowd noise instead healthy.” of a Winnipeg whiteout will be strange Maurice says he spoke to Jets assistant Charlie Huddy, 61, about the risk.

Paul Friesen But seeing the level of precautions taken, and ordered, by the NHL convinced Maurice he and his staff will be safe.

ARTIFICIAL APPRECIATION Lost in the clatter of the start of NHL training camps and the chase for the COVID-19 Cup this week was the revival of dozens of Olympic hockey While they may have integrity, the playoffs won’t be without some oddball dreams. quirks.

The four-year extension of the collective bargaining agreement between Artificial crowd noise, for instance. the league and its players includes the NHL agreeing to go back to the Winter Games. Teams have been soliciting home-made videos of fans showing themselves cheering, in order to create an atmosphere without any fans That’s music to the ears of Team Canada hopeful Mark Scheifele. in the stands.

“Obviously that’s a huge thing,” the Winnipeg Jets centre said, Tuesday. “It’s going to take a little getting used to,” Jets centre Adam Lowry said. “You grow up watching Canada in the Olympics and seeing your “There might be a few gimmicky things. If they pump in some crowd favourite NHL players over there. For that to be in there is a huge noise when there’s a goal or a stoppage in play, you might get a little bit positive… that’s one of the greatest honours you could ever have. It of a laugh out of it. But we’re looking forward to just being back out there takes a lot of hard work and there are so many great Canadian hockey and competing.” players. The biggest advantage for the “home” team will be the ability to match “I just want to continue to work on my game to make that dream a reality lines with the last change. one day.” “Obviously, there’s not going to be the big swings in emotion where you Teammate Andrew Copp, who was on the negotiating committee, said on score a goal and the building erupts,” Lowry said. “And you don’t have to the weekend the Olympic issue wasn’t contentious at all. weather that storm on the road. With no noise in the building, you’re going to be able to hear everything. You’re going to know where guys The league has been against it in the past, but clearly the idea of labour are. peace at such a fragile, uncertain time was more important than continuing to go against players’ wishes to take part. “It’s not going to be that deafening whiteout sound that we’re used to when the playoffs roll around in Winnipeg.” Some coaches’ wishes, too. BRING ON THE FLAMES “It’s just fun,” Jets boss Paul Maurice said. “You put all the best players in the world and you’ve got two dominant countries, a lot of times, in the The NHL released the schedule for the exhibition games and qualifying Canada and the U.S… it makes for really, really exciting hockey. So I’m round, and the Jets will kick off their series with Calgary on Aug. 1, at glad that we’re back.” 9:30 p.m., Winnipeg time.

The NHL sees it as an inconvenience and interruption to its business. But Here’s the Jets’ full game schedule in Edmonton. Calgary is the home the Olympic stage can only help make the game more popular around team for Games 1, 2 and 5, if necessary. the world. July 29, 9:30 p.m.: exhibition game vs Vancouver “We all remember the Sidney Crosby golden goal,” Scheifele said. “We all remember those special World Cup and Olympic moments. So for kids Aug. 1, 9:30 p.m.: Game 1 vs Calgary growing up nowadays to be able to see NHL players in it is so huge for Aug. 3, 1:30 p.m.: Game 2 vs Calgary kids aspiring to be NHLers or playing hockey and for the growth of the game as well. Showing people how special our sport is, how specialized Aug. 4, 5:45 p.m.; Game 3 vs Calgary we are as athletes – that’s a huge thing for our game.” Aug. 6, TBD: Game 4 vs Calgary (if necessary) As for potentially seeing someone like his buddy Connor McDavid create the next indelible Canadian moment, or even himself, for that matter… Aug. 8, TBD: Game 5 vs Calgary (if necessary)

“It would give me chills,” Scheifele said. Winnipeg Sun LOADED 07.15.2020

A MATTER OF SAFETY, INTEGRITY

Scheifele was part of the return-to-play committee that hammered out the post-season tournament.

He says the biggest issue/priority was the health and safety of players.

“The next thing is just keeping the integrity of the playoffs intact,” he said. “With the best four-out-of-seven series, once it gets to the first official round, that was a big thing that was thrown around the most.”

All playoff rounds are best-of-seven, although eight teams, including the Jets, will play a best-of-five qualifying round to get in.

FEELING SAFE IN THE ‘PEG

The health and safety of coaches, of course, is also an issue, as some are in higher-risk categories simply because of their age.

Just one coach has opted out, Florida assistant Mike Kitchen citing family reasons. 1188203 Winnipeg Jets battled with him in the faceoff circle for a number of years and we’ve gone back and forth.”

It was Eakin and the Golden Knights that got the upper hand on Little and FRIESEN: Jets' Eakin hoping to feel right at home the Jets in the Western Conference Final, two years ago.

That trip to the Stanley Cup Final teaches lessons that could come in handy in the post-season tournament getting underway Aug. 1. Paul Friesen “Just the effort level,” Eakin said. “The structure of the game is so tight. The momentum can shift and the ice can tilt from one shift to the next so it’s just a matter of sticking to your game, not getting flustered, not He’s the only player on the Winnipeg Jets roster who grew up and played veering off the game plan and keeping it simple, really.” his minor hockey in Winnipeg. If the Jets get that far, Eakin will be the one who feels right at home. Yet, as familiar as his surroundings are, he likely feels more out of place than virtually all his teammates. Dad says why not Winnipeg?

You see, Cody Eakin has only been a Jet for eight games since being By now, he should have signed his next contract as an unrestricted free traded from Vegas in late February. agent.

He’d skated in his hometown team’s colours for just 113 minutes and The pandemic had other ideas, and Jets forward Cody Eakin’s hockey change when COVID-19 slammed the gate on the season. future is up in the air with so many other things these days.

“It was definitely interesting,” Eakin said on a media conference call after “It’s kind of a weird time for everyone, and us as hockey players it’s no practice, Tuesday. “It was kind of uncharted territories for everyone. different,” the 29-year-old Winnipeg product said, Tuesday. “One day at a What was it, eight games I guess? Guys were rolling, starting to get time. We’re focusing on the now. We’re focusing on the qualifying round some confidence, the wins were coming, So it’s unfortunate that it had to here and worrying about the rest later.” shut down like that. But we get a chance to get back and get after it again. A nine-year NHL vet, Eakin has been forced to move three times: from Washington, who drafted him, to Dallas in a trade, to Vegas in the “It was short, it was exciting, it was fast, and it was fun to be home.” expansion draft and via trade to Winnipeg in February.

That all changed in mid-March, just when Eakin and his new team His dad, Butch Eakin, jokes that his son bought a house in Dallas and appeared to be finding their wings. Vegas, but “he’s a little scared of buying a place” in his hometown.

Four straight wins for the Jets, four points and a plus-five rating in Eakin’s He hasn’t lived here year-round since he left home for Swift Current in last three games – it all seems like forever ago. the Western League at 16.

Eakin spent most of the shutdown at his off-season home in the Kenora “There could have been a lot worse places than to go back home,” the area, where he owns a 1.3-acre island. elder Eakin said.

“Laid low out there,” he said. “Was nice and quiet, lots to do.” What happens in this playoff tournament could go a long way to determining if this could be a longer-term fit. The last three weeks he shuttled back and forth to the city a couple times a week to skate. “I think he’d like to play here,” dad said. “If he had the opportunity, I’m sure he’d enjoy that.” But for the most part he was away from his old ‘mates in Vegas, and away from his new ones with the Jets. Eakin is coming off a contract that pays him $3.85 million this season.

I’m not saying a second round of introductions were necessary as the Winnipeg Sun LOADED 07.15.2020 Jets reconvened for Camp Pandemic this week.

But, just in case: Mr. Eakin, this is Mr. Laine and Mr. Ehlers, your linemates. Remember them?

Oh, he remembers, alright. Remembers how it took him a couple of games after the trade to gets his legs under him and start keeping up.

“You’ve got two guys on your wings that can really fly,” he said. “And they’re really creating offence, creating areas and pockets and speed and just generating room all around the ice, and both lethal with the puck on their sticks. A couple games in we started to find a bit of a rhythm.

“It’s good to get back out with those guys and try to pick up where we left off.”

Anchoring the second line is a jump up the lineup from what Eakin was doing in Vegas.

The increased load is due to the absence of Bryan Little, felled by a slap shot to the head back in November.

For a time, first-line winger Blake Wheeler filled the hole, but that took the Jets captain away from his favourite linemates, Mark Scheifele and Kyle Connor.

So the 29-year-old Eakin’s addition is a double-benefit, providing he can mesh with the skilled European duo flanking him.

Head coach Paul Maurice earlier this week tossed some sunshine Eakin’s way, saying he’s similar to Little in temperament and professionalism, not to mention his ability to produce offence while being responsible at the other end of the rink.

“That’s the first I’ve heard of it, but that’s pretty nice,” Eakin said of the comparison. “From what I know of him, he’s a really strong competitor, he’s smart, he plays the game the right way at all ends of the ice. I’ve 1188204 Winnipeg Jets Patrik Laine Andrew Copp

Adam Lowry Reading between the lines to predict how the Jets will approach the Flames Jack Roslovic

Mathieu Perreault

By Murat Ates Jul 14, 2020 Nick Shore

Mason Appleton

It’s difficult to pretend that Day 1 of Jets training camp 2.0 wasn’t weird Gabriel Bourque because it was, in fact, a little bit weird. Jansen Harkins That much is a given when you start the day with a COVID-19 survey and a temperature scan before following social distancing policy in a Logan Shaw typically bustling arena. CJ Suess

No, there weren’t hoards of fans at Bell MTS Iceplex – nor will there be at David Gustafsson any point during the current return to play scenario – and that in and of itself is a break from normal. Mark Letestu

But these inconveniences are the least we can do to make sure the good Mark Scheifele skated between Blake Wheeler and Kyle Connor (whose ship “Return to Play” sails smoothly. dekes in tight, I can confirm, are as slick as ever.) Despite mid-season experimentation, the Connor/Scheifele/Wheeler trio was always going to And believe me: I’m more than willing to stay outside of the players’ be Maurice’s go-to top line when the shifts hit the fan. bubble, conduct interviews by zoom calls and stay masked and distant from my colleagues if the whole machine works a little better because of Look at 2017-18 for evidence, when the best team Maurice ever coached it. rode massive playoff performances by all three players to a berth in the Western Conference final. Scheifele, Wheeler and Connor combined for Plus, this way I get to dodge what Andrew Copp calls “the brain tickler.” 51 points in 51 games (three players, 17 games each) during those “It goes so far up your nose that you think it’s touching your brain,” Copp playoffs and were reunited in time for the Jets to play St. Louis last said of the six-inch, COVID-19 nasal swab Jets players and staff are spring. becoming intimately familiar with. “You don’t feel good during the test but This season, Bryan Little’s injury and Wheeler’s move to centre meant after that you’re fine.” Connor, Scheifele and Wheeler only played together for 177 minutes at According to Mathieu Perreault, the test is a great way to shake the early 5-on-5. For them, that’s tiny – roughly one-third of what they hit in each of morning cobwebs. Early indications are that Winnipeg will practice as the past two years – even when you adjust for the shortened season. early as 7:45 a.m. frequently during Week 1 of camp and possibly even That’s probably a good thing. beyond. Whereas the cutback, cutback, pass-into-the-middle routine looked to It’s not exactly familiar territory for the NHL veteran. Perreault was a have gone stale for the big guns at times last season, they were able to teenager the last time his alarm clock summoned him to the ice this keep things fresh this year and even controlled the flow of play in terms early. of shot metrics — a rarity for any Jets line this year. Winnipeg’s “I was in peewee probably,” he wondered out loud. “I don’t know, it’s postseason top line controlled 53.8 percent of shot attempts and 54.3 been a while. Although, with the kids now, I’m always up this early. It percent of shots and won on the scoreboard too, by a score of 8-6. There wasn’t too bad to get up this morning.” was a little more focus on rush offence this season what with the Jets being forced to counterpunch as often as they did but the big guns How did that feel, exactly? delivered.

“I just had a coffee and once you get on the ice, you’re good to go,” the And you’d better believe you’re going to see a ton of them against 32-year-old left wing from Drummondville, Quebec, began. “Also, we get Calgary. this nose swipe every morning, so that will get you going pretty quick. It’s not very comfortable, so it usually gets your brain going.” Maurice thinks the series is going to look and feel different than a traditional best-of-seven. Perreault, Copp and Winnipeg’s other skaters are not the only Jets who need to find their mental sharpness in an awful hurry right now. “This one will be viewed far more as a sprint. As hard and as fast as you can go. Everybody will be talking about running four lines but that bench Paul Maurice spoke to the media at length on Monday and shared might get a little short a little early.” insights about Winnipeg’s plans – some explicit, some implied – that should already give us a read on how the Jets plan to approach their For context, Scheifele led all forwards in 5-on-5 ice time this season. best-of-five play-in series against Calgary. In a lengthy availability that Connor finished seventh. They were fourth and 10th in all-situations in touched on everything from his pride in Manitoba’s COVID-19 response ice time per game (Wheeler was 38th.) Maurice already loves to give big to the philosophical differences between preparing to play against minutes to his top guns. Calgary and preparing to play as the Jets, Maurice was as humorous and Take that formula and shorten the bench early? happy to talk hockey as ever. You’re going to see a lot more of this: And even though camp has just begun, he gave us several clues as to Winnipeg’s postseason plans. The sample size on line two – Nikolaj Ehlers, Cody Eakin, and Patrik Laine – isn’t enough to draw anything approaching a reasonable The first and most obvious clue came in the form of his lines. conclusion from. Forty-nine minutes is such a small amount of time in Jets forwards hockey terms that one great bounce or one special play can provide a misleading scoreboard. Kyle Connor Consider Eakin’s offensive tear. Mark Scheifele His five points in eight games in Winnipeg might make it look like he’s a Blake Wheeler scorer again but one of those points was Braden Holtby thinking he had the puck covered, another was a great bounce and another was a Nikolaj Ehlers superlative kick-play by Ehlers — most of those points come on plays Cody Eakin that would be difficult to repeat. Meanwhile, the Ehlers/Eakin/Laine line carried 47.8 percent of shot Readers may remember Maurice spelling out Winnipeg’s strengths and attempts and 45.3 percent of shots at 5-on-5. their focus for improving rush defence at training camp in September.

Do you bet on the fact they outscored teams 6-2 while playing together or My interpretation at that time was that the Jets had these five key areas the fact that they weren’t able to control play? The analytical thought is to of focus: lean much harder on the more repeatable, flow of play-based numbers than the rarer, more chaotic goal-based numbers. Transition defence

That said, I know the line has its fans and Maurice is among them. Protecting Winnipeg’s blue line

“Familiarity is very important,” Maurice said. “We’ve got two lines that Breakouts under pressure have played an extended amount of time, with Copp and Lowry but with Speed through the neutral zone different right wingers, and we’ve got the new line, which is a function of Cody Eakin being a new player for us. Where we thought we liked the Stretching the offensive zone line together, we put them together again.” The first two were bang-on and the fourth was true, if a little bit cliche in It’s this focus on familiarity combined with talk of a short bench and then that all coaches want that speed. Breakouts under pressure were a run through the lens of Jets precedents that suggests Winnipeg’s lines as strength in that Winnipeg got a lot of practice at them because, back at you see them above will be the ones you see in Game 1 against Calgary. camp, we had no idea just how fully the extent of injuries and absences would affect the team. The Copp/Lowry/Roslovic line is a little bit like the Eakin line in that they’ve played so few minutes together that it’s tough to get a read on Make no mistake, the pre-February Jets spent an inordinate amount of them. Further complicating the comparison is the fact that the Eakin trio time in their own zone. enjoyed the benefit of playing together late in the season in front of a But that’s part of the excitement right now, too. much improved Winnipeg blue line whereas Lowry’s line spent the majority of their time together during the team’s early-season defensive Winnipeg genuinely did see an uptick in their 5-on-5 metrics at the tail struggles. Still, it’s not heartening to see them below 50 percent in all end of the season. Call it health, call it DeMelo, call it staying the fight or shot-based metrics. anything you like — there was just enough of a ramp-up for an optimist to squint and see a team that had finally found its legs. That said, Copp and Lowry were together for 377 minutes at 5-on-5 with a rotating cast of right wingers and, well, their numbers aren’t that It’s a story the Jets themselves have told many times and, given the heartening either. return of Perreault and Lowry, plus the additions of DeMelo and Eakin – coupled with their record down the stretch – it’s all kinds of believable. Whereas on a deeper version of the Jets with a stronger defence, you could count on Copp/Lowry/Tanev to run the table against all comers, So what will a healthy Jets team truly look like? Copp and Lowry enjoyed 48.4 percent of shot attempts and 47.1 percent of shots. Copp’s defensive excellence and Lowry’s commitment to I asked Maurice if full health and a functional top four could point to an physicality are massive parts of Winnipeg’s playoff fortunes and Roslovic uptick in puck possession and up-ice aggression, too. continues to show flashes of offensive brilliance and two-way presence “There’s a couple of things we don’t know and one of them is ice — especially as a winger. This is a situation where I’m inclined to think a conditions. I don’t know if either team is gonna want the puck that much healthy, rested version of the line playing in front of a Morrissey/Demelo more. We’ll see how the ice is. We lost a centre (Bryan Little) and added and Kulikov/Pionk top-four should be able to boost its numbers. a centre in (Cody Eakin). We lost a defenceman in Dustin Byfuglien and But we’ll see. added a defenceman. We feel we’ve gotten ourselves back to what we thought we’d be like at the start of the year.” The Jets plans hinge on their ability to win the matchup against Calgary’s star-studded top-six which, for the time being, is a work in progress. “The style of hockey we play is fairly defined by the personnel. It’s not necessarily the game that I would try to have every team play, it’s related Take it from colleague Scott Cruickshank: to the personnel we have. We have enough speed and enough skill that we like to have the puck and we can create some things.” “Why, there was the first line — Sean Monahan, Elias Lindholm, with … Alan Quine. That’s what Jets fans should be excited about.

Then the second unit took a turn hustling netward — Matthew Tkachuk, When Winnipeg backed off of its up ice pressure and focused so hard on Mikael Backlund, with … Tobias Rieder.” protecting its own blue line – and, to be clear, transition defence will still be vital – a huge part of that was driven by a change in personnel on It’s an interesting philosophical divide. defence. Maurice is willing to read-and-react to the Jets’ day-to-day health, choose Now, full health and an upgraded defence-corps means Winnipeg can his off-days based on the circumstances and even change the way the finally play how Maurice hoped it would play all along. Jets play based on the strength of his personnel. (More on that in a minute.) But one fixed, determined, stubborn-in-what-may-or-may-not-be- Combine up-ice aggression with the Jets commitment to transition a-good-way rule of Maurice lineups is that the Jets lines you see above defence and then play defence in Winnipeg’s own zone with an upgraded are the ones you’re most likely to see when the play-ins begin. group of players? Move the puck up the ice as well as DeMelo showed that he could, while ideally seeing a resurgent Josh Morrissey and a Given the short run-up to Aug. 1, his early commitment to Winnipeg’s continuation of strength from Dmitry Kulikov and Neal Pionk? lines looks like a strength. Still, you have to admit it follows a preexisting format. There’s every reason to think that version of Winnipeg could beat Calgary — with or without a best-in-class performance from Connor But how else is he planning, given the extra time, to focus solely on the Hellebuyck. Flames? The Athletic LOADED: 07.15.2020 “That is such a real question of philosophy,” Maurice said. “When you poll the other NHL coaches and ask ‘What’s your plan for that?’ the one thing we all kind of got to is the primary priority No. 1 is your own team and your own game. By the time you’re done the pre-scouted, never in the history of hockey have your pre-scouted a playoff game with a month and a half in advance. There’s a great thing there but there’s a danger there too.”

“We want to pick the things that we’re good at, focus on that, make sure our game is right and, clearly, you want to have a plan for the style of game.” 1188205 Vancouver Canucks He knows his time in professional hockey is short. There was no chance he’d pass up returning to his team and his wife agreed.

“It’s a privilege to be in the NHL,” he said. Canucks notebook: Rathbone signs, no doubt for Miller, Roussel's delight Roussel’s first camp

Antoine Roussel is always a media favourite. He always has something Patrick Johnston to say.

So it was no surprise that when he sat down in front of the interview camera to take his turn in the daily Zoom media conference that he was Vancouver Canucks general manager Jim Benning never had any doubt sporting a big smile and even playfully poked at the camera. he'd get Jack Rathbone to sign on the bottom line. The Frenchman was quick to point out that this is also, actually, his first Jim Benning got his man. Canucks training camp. He missed his first camp in 2018 because of a late-summer concussion and then was still rehabbing his knee when the The Vancouver Canucks and star prospect Jack Rathbone agreed on a first training camp of the 2019-20 camp took place last September in three-year entry level contract on Tuesday. Victoria. The defenceman’s contract will begin immediately, meaning it will run for He was starting to find his groove as a player when the season went on two more seasons beyond the end of the current season. pause in March. A 2017 fourth-round draft pick by the Canucks, the smooth-skating, left- It was hard being off ice for so long — rinks didn’t reopen until late June shot blueliner played the last two seasons for Harvard University. He in Quebec — putting him behind the skating eight-ball, but it also meant posted 31 points in 28 games last season for the Crimson. that he was putting more distance between the present and last year’s Benning said he was delighted to get Rathbone signed. knee surgery.

“We’re happy to get it done now,” he said. “It gave me more time to work with my knee,” he said.

Born-and-raised in Massachusetts, Rathbone was seen as an under-the- He did what he could to keep fit, but there is no doubt he had to accept a radar find by Benning, former scouting director Judd Brackett and his less-than-optimal training situation. He tried to order weights and ropes to scouting staff. allow him to workout at home, but found almost everything he wanted was already sold out by the time he’d looked. Benning also threw credit the way of former scout Mike Adessa, who he said knew the Rathbone family well. “If you wait two minutes, it’s gone,” he said with a laugh.

The Canucks had told Jerry Buckley, Rathbone’s advisor, at the end of Rafferty joins main group the NCAA season that they were interested in signing the 21-year-old. Brogan Rafferty, who piled up the points on the Utica Comets’ blue-line in Rathbone and his family took their time making their decision. 2019-20, joined the main Canucks group on Tuesday, skating as the They called Benning Tuesday morning. eighth defenceman alongside Jordie Benn.

Benning, who is now in his sixth year running the Canucks, said he was Jalen Chatfield, who spent much of the regular season with the Canucks never worried that they wouldn’t get Rathbone signed. He credited the as the spare blueliner but never got in a game, was in Rafferty’s spot on efforts of his development staff, Ryan Johnson and Chris Higgins, both Monday. former collegians as well as pros, with building a relationship with all of Head coach Travis Green acknowledged that roster spot is definitely up the team’s collegiate draft picks. for grabs. “We support our players, when we draft them we keep in touch with Vancouver Province: LOADED: 07.15.2020 them,” he said.

Rathbone isn’t allowed to play for the Canucks in the play-in round, but he may yet join the team in some capacity for training camp, though Benning acknowledged they have to speak with the ministry of health.

“We have to see what his quarantine looks like,” he said. “He’d definitely have to do the two weeks.”

As for the 2020-21 season, which has a lot of unknowns as far as the American Hockey League is concerned, Benning said that’s too far away. Rathbone could play in Europe as an alternative, but the GM suggested that hasn’t been discussed yet.

“Let’s get through this year,” he said.

Vancouver Canucks TJ.T. Miller sits on the ice after a conditioning skate during the second session on Monday at Rogers Arena. RICHARD LAM / PNG

Miller another no-doubter

Like every father-athlete who has chosen to resume their season, J.T. Miller said it was incredibly difficult to leave his family behind to come back to Vancouver.

“I’m missing a big part of their lives, my little girls change everyday,” he said Tuesday, after the Vancouver Canucks’ second day of their return- to-play training camp.

But there was never any doubt in his mind about coming back. A hockey player’s career is short, he said. And he’s got incredible support from his wife.

Plus he’s fortunate to have a lot of family support for his wife near his off- season home outside Pittsburgh. 1188206 Vancouver Canucks Which is hard when your life consists of the rink and Netflix. The term surreal is thrown around so loosely these days that its meaning

has been diluted. But if you go by the strictest definition — “having the Ed Willes: NHL's new normal is different, very different disorienting, hallucinatory quality of a dream; unreal; fantastic.” — it seems applicable here. Ed Willes There are so many things about the restart which are completely outside the normal NHL experience, it’s hard to know where to start. It’s also harder to know what the impact will be on the players and the game. “Wake up, either get tested for corona or eat breakfast, then walk to the rink though B.C. Place, skate, and then back to the hotel and lay in bed.” During his availability on Tuesday, Canucks head coach Travis Green — Jacob Markstrom on life in the NHL bubble allowed that players are creatures of habit and that routine allows them to cope with the crushing demands of their job. From a distance, Day 2 of the Vancouver Canucks training camp probably looked normal. But what if that routine is broken?

The players skated. They drilled. The ice was resurfaced and they “The new normal is different,” Green said. “Things aren’t going to be scrimmaged. If you’ve been to a camp, you’ve seen it all a hundred times normal. You’re going to have to be adaptable and with being adaptable before. you can’t lose your focus.

Now take out the wide-angle lens, pan Rogers Arena and, suddenly, “You have to make sure that doesn’t disrupt your game.” things aren’t quite as normal for a seasoned scribe. To that end, Green says he’s encouraged the players to — wait for it — For starters, Gate 2 — the only entry to the rink — had to be located, talk about their feelings. That alone tells you things have been turned which isn’t as easy as it sounds. Turns out it’s on the 300 level and its upside down by COVID-19 but, throughout the lockdown, mental health accessed via Dunsmuir, not by walking around the Rog for 20 minutes has been a concern in the workplace and the Canucks are no different. cursing to yourself. “If you need to talk about it or if things are bothering you, talk to And don’t get me started on Zoom. someone, whether it’s coaches, teammates or sports psychologists,” Green said. “I think it’s important with the way things are right now.” Upon entrance, a cheerful health official points what looks like a phaser from Star Trek at your forehead and takes your temperature. Then you And will be for a while. enter the upper reaches of the arena where your colleagues have assembled — at a suitable distance, of course — when you notice your “It almost feels like the only normal part of the day is when we step on glasses are steaming up because of the mask you’re wearing. the ice,” Green continued. “We talked about that in the coach’s office. Right now everything is different and when you step on the ice, it feels This leads to a detailed conversation with another media type on the normal again. optimal positioning of glasses related to mask to prevent the fog. “If you can remember when you were a kid and just went and played Vancouver Canucks stretch and cool down after the second session on hockey, that feeling sticks with you forever. I think we have a lot of the first day of training camp at Rogers Arena on Monday. RICHARD players like that. I think that’s going to be important.” LAM / PNG Now more than ever. All this occurs on July 14 as the Canucks prepare for a play-in series with the Minnesota Wild in Edmonton which commences on Aug. 2. They will Vancouver Province: LOADED: 07.15.2020 be one of 12 teams in the Alberta capital competing for a Stanley Cup, which is scheduled to be awarded sometime in September. While in Edmonton the Canucks will exist inside a bubble, which will consist mostly of their hotel room and Rogers Place. They could be in that bubble for a month.

Goalie Jacob Markstrom, who’s just off two weeks in quarantine in Vancouver, described that existence thusly: “Wake up, either get tested for corona or eat breakfast, then walk to the rink through B.C. Place, skate, and then back to the hotel and lay in bed.”

He’s asked if he expects anything different in Edmonton.

“I know it’s going to suck,” he says.

Quite.

This week the Canucks have entered Phase 3 of the NHL’s return-to-play plan and, while it’s still early days, it appears the biggest challenge facing the team won’t be shaking off four months of accumulated rust as they ready for the Wild. It will be convincing themselves their preparation is normal and part of a coherent, well-conceived plan.

That’s the way the NHL is selling this production and, who knows, maybe by the time everyone gets to Edmonton all the parts will be fully functioning and there will be something approaching the playoffs. But in the here and now the only thing that registers is the singular abnormality of the new normal.

“It’s not normal and acknowledging that is probably a good thing,” said J.T. Miller. “We didn’t come back here to do our quarantine, play a series and go home. We’re here to win now. I think that can override anything that’s not normal.

“For what it’s worth, we still want to beat the other team even though there’s nobody there and you can’t feed off the crowd. But everyone is playing under the same conditions. It’s going to be hard. I think we need the next two, three weeks to put that behind us and treat it as normal as we can.” 1188207 Vancouver Canucks with a flick of the wrist. He’s also hard on himself to be defensively responsible and to be a difference-maker.

“I’m really looking forward to playing in some big-time games with him,” Ben Kuzma: Toffoli has Miller in his corner to tout future Canucks worth said Miller. “A lot of ugly goals are scored in the playoffs — inside the hash marks and at bottom of the circles — and he has great hands around the net.”

Ben Kuzma What Green saw through 10 games was how Toffoli used positioning and reads to get into scoring areas.

“It’s not that he has blazing speed or quick feet, but he’s extremely 'He’s super valuable and definitely a piece that we needed. He smart,” said Green. “He has good hockey sense and can make up for understands his role and there’s not much waver in his game. He’s not things with his mind. Any time you win the Cup, you’ve gone through a lot just winging it. It’s playing a simple game and then letting our skill take of situations and not just offensively. That helps now and in the playoffs.” over.' — J.T. Miller on Tyler Toffoli. That was drilled early into Toffoli. What is mutual admiration and production worth? He lit up the OHL with two 50-goal seasons and was the top AHL rookie. For unrestricted free agent Tyler Toffoli, a quick-developing chemistry But awareness to be as good without the puck as he can be with it, and friendship with Vancouver Canucks linemate J.T. Miller isn’t lost on punched his NHL ticket. the right winger. Ten points in his first 10 games after arriving in a February trade with the Los Angeles Kings gave Toffoli a comfort factor “That was one of the main things when I was trying to make the Kings,” and reason for optimism — if he extends his career here. he recalled. “The most important thing was to make plays on the wall so you’re not stuck in your zone. And when you are, you’ve got to take care He scored in a 5-4 shootout win over the New York Islanders on March of it. That’s how I got in the league and one of the things I take pride in. 10 — two days before the novel coronavirus became a pandemic to You need to do it to stay in the league.” place the NHL on pause — and scored the only goal Tuesday in the first camp scrimmage at Rogers Arena. Vancouver Province: LOADED: So, between the challenges and constraints of COVID-19, getting his game in order and mapping out the future, he hasn’t thought much about next season — only about next month and the qualifying round.

“With everything going on, it’s been confusing for everybody,” said Toffoli, who was in virus-ravaged California during the pause. “I’m just here trying to get my feet under me again and playing and having fun with everything that’s been going on.

“The first two days of camp have been pretty tough, but more of it has been off the ice to know more about the guys and that goes a lot further than on the ice. It’s my first experience being traded, but the first day I got here, Greener (Travis Green) just told me to play my game, work hard and just read off J.T. and Petey (Elias Pettersson). They’re great players and I found that out in a hurry.

“And with J.T., I really respect the way he plays. That’s how you win. When you have a guy like that leading your team, other guys follow. He really takes charge when things are going wrong and he’s there when things are going great as well.”

NEXT GAME

Sunday, Aug. 2

Vancouver Canucks vs. Minnesota Wild

7:30 p.m., Rogers Place, SNET-P, SNET 650 AM

Selling Toffoli on remaining in Vancouver was thought to be a priority for Tanner Pearson, who won a Stanley Cup with his longtime friend in Los Angeles in 2014. Now it’s Miller who has also rallied to the keep-him-here cause.

It’s because the 28-year-old Scarborough, Ont, native packs a game suited for the regular season and the playoffs, especially the time and space constraints of post-season play that place a high premium on a two-way game.

Miller isn’t one to blow smoke. He sees so much good in Toffoli that a boost on his expiring three-year, US$13.8 million deal that carried a $4.6 million salary cap hit is a priority fit for the Canucks.

“We try not to get too deep into that (contract), but I’d love it if he kept playing here,” said Miller, who led the Canucks in scoring this season with a career high 72 points (27-45) in 69 games. He’s super valuable and definitely a piece that we needed.

“He understands his role and there’s not much waver in his game. He’s good on the power play in front of the net and he stays within himself. That’s what I mean when I say he’s easy to play with. He’s not just winging it. It’s playing a simple game and then letting our skill take over.”

And when it does, Toffoli has the willingness to get to and stay in the tough areas. He can take a puck in his skates and find the top of the net 1188208 Vancouver Canucks deal and carries no Schedule B bonuses. It’s not an outsized entry-level deal of the sort signed by Thatcher Demko in the spring of 2016. Still, Rathbone’s entry-level contract matches the one signed by seventh- overall pick Quinn Hughes in 2019, an indication of the greater than Why signing Jack Rathbone was timely, crucial for future of Canucks’ usual level of leverage held by the Rathbone camp. defence The overall lack of depth beyond Hughes and Alex Edler on the left side of the blue line also opens up a realistic path for Rathbone to crack the lineup in his first training camp with the team. That was surely a By Thomas Drance Jul 14, 2020 tantalizing prospect, particularly for a player whose college team had cancelled hockey for at least the first semester.

It didn’t quite go down to the wire but it was dicey until the end. Drafted by the Canucks in the fourth round in 2017, Rathbone has developed into a top prospect. He’s highly regarded by scouts working Ultimately the deal got done. Jack Rathbone is a Vancouver Canuck and for teams around the NHL and would’ve been extremely highly sought it’s a major win for the organization. The Canucks, who have excelled in after if he’d declined to sign with the Canucks before the window closed this area in the Jim Benning era, have locked up another unsigned draft at 2 p.m. PT on Wednesday. pick playing in the NCAA. Scouts rave about Rathbone’s determination and character. An Eastern Rathbone has spent the past two seasons starring for Harvard and is by Conference talent evaluator based in the Boston area raved to me this far the club’s top defensive prospect. He’s got a heavy NHL-level shot, week about a Rathbone performance against Cornell this year, a game plus NHL-level wheels and he plays with an edge. While he’ll need to Harvard lost 3-1, where Rathbone stood out as one of the few players on continue to develop his defensive game, Rathbone, 21, will arrive in his team with the stomach for the fight against the top men’s college Vancouver for the 2020-21 season with a real chance to log minutes for team in the country in the 2019-20 season. the Canucks. “He’s an elite skater and has really high-end puck handling ability,” said a An NHL-ready defender on an entry-level contract, Rathbone could even different Boston-based scout. “For me, I think he had the best shot from be part of the solution to the Canucks’ cap crunch. the point in the NCAA.”

For the organization, getting Rathbone under contract was about as high This past season, as a 20-year-old, Rathbone stepped into a more leverage as it gets. Rathbone projects to bolster the club’s most dire area prominent role with Harvard and managed 31 points in 28 games. Among of need — their defence — for the short and long term; he will be exempt players who are a similar height and produced at a similar rate at the from the 2021 expansion process as a first-year player and he’ll be same age in the NCAA, you’ll find a ton of future top-four NHL affordable next season and potentially ready immediately. defencemen, including Nate Schmidt, Keith Ballard, Dan Boyle and Alex Goligoski. Statistically, based on the performance of comparable players, It’s a three-year deal that runs through the 2021-22 season; because it’s there’s a very good chance that Rathbone is a future top-four defender. being signed in this unique “unsigned draft pick window,” Rathbone’s contract will burn the 2019-20 season of the deal. “I was watching some Harvard games earlier this year and he made a really big jump. He was able to dominate,” New York Rangers Rathbone will reportedly join the team in Vancouver, according to Rick defenceman Adam Fox, Rathbone’s Harvard teammate during the 2018- Dhaliwal, who first broke the news, although he won’t join the team in 19 season, told The Athletic in January. “He was starting to take over Edmonton for the 24-team Stanley Cup playoff tournament. games. Itt should be exciting for Canucks fans. As late as this morning, the Rathbone camp was insistent that Rathbone “He has a bigger shot than me,” Fox said with a laugh when asked about hadn’t yet made up his mind on whether to sign with the Canucks during Rathbone’s skills. “But you watch him skate, he’s so smooth, you see the the window. Until the moment the contract was agreed to and signed, quickness he has to go along with his vision. Definitely has a lot of skill.” sources tell The Athletic that Rathbone and his family gave every indication that this was a particularly hard decision. While Rathbone will still need to work to improve his defensive game to be an everyday NHL player, he’s got the required fire and really In recent weeks, we’ve referenced widespread skepticism out of multiple impressive offensive tools. sources in the Boston market about whether Rathbone would ultimately choose to sign with the Canucks. A cost controlled left-handed defender who is, if not NHL-ready immediately, then at the very least ready to compete for a job at his first The son of a coach — Rathbone’s dad, Jason Rathbone, is the coach of NHL training camp is a massive addition for Vancouver. the Cape Cod Whalers and coached Rathbone and fellow Canucks prospect Aidan McDonough as junior players — Rathbone is extremely The Canucks are certainly relieved. There were moments of pause as close with his family. He has also developed a close relationship with they worked through the process, though the organization always former Canucks director of amateur scouting Judd Brackett, whose family remained confident that the relationship they’ve developed with is an institution in Cape Cod. Rathbone since drafting him would give them the edge in getting him signed. To underline the stakes here, earlier in Rathbone’s career, he declined an opportunity to play in the BCHL to stay closer to home. Family comes Now any anxiety can turn to excitement for the arrival of the club’s best first for Rathbone. defensive prospect. And there’s a ton of that in the Canucks organization about what Rathbone can contribute. Clearly — based on how this all played out — this was a gut-wrenching decision for the Rathbones, but as the situation developed over the past The Athletic LOADED: 07.15.2020 10 days, the Vancouver route became more likely.

Harvard has cancelled all sports through the end of the 2020 calendar year, with no commitment to play at all next season. And the three-day window that permits teams to agree to contracts with their unsigned draft picks and for those players to burn the first year of their entry-level deals created even further incentive for Rathbone to sign.

Vancouver was able to offer Rathbone certainty in an uncertain world, and that played a major role in this contract getting done.

Even with the cards falling in such a favourable way for the Canucks over the past two weeks, skepticism about Vancouver’s ability to sign Rathbone remained until this morning when the deal began to come together rapidly — as I outlined on TSN 1040 this morning.

Both sides have confirmed that Rathbone’s entry-level contract includes $850,000 in Schedule A bonuses in each of the two active seasons of the 1188209 Vancouver Canucks there had been an effort to increase in-game entertainment for fans at Rogers Arena this season. On the road, there are some oddities that can’t be avoided, like the Columbus Blue Jackets’ infamous goal cannon.

What do Canucks players hear when they’re on the ice? Players are so used to a certain level of noise that anything out of the ordinary heightens their senses. It happened in Vancouver in March 2018, when a sudden hush fell over Rogers Arena after Canucks forward Brock Boeser was flung into the team’s bench and injured his back. By Israel Fehr Jul 14, 2020 “I was on the ice and I remember when the whistle went, I turned and it

was like you could hear a pin drop, the whole place went silent,” Stecher The sound of a hockey puck striking the boards or the glass in a quiet said. “Those are more the instances you really remember, more than an arena is unmistakable. awkward noise, when it goes dead silent. It’s not very often an arena is really quiet.” It travels sharply through concourses and around concrete walls and can be heard plainly standing at an entrance door. Get close enough to the It turns out silence can be puzzling for professional athletes accustomed ice and the ringing will rattle inside the ears of an uninitiated bystander to the normal hum of a packed arena. A study presented at the Sloan well after the shot’s trajectory reaches its conclusion. Sports Analytics Conference posited that the “perfect quiet and stillness” of the home fans during free throws in clutch situations in an NBA game But for NHL players, smashing pucks with abandon in empty rinks has was “enough to take even the best basketball players in the world out of been part of the soundtrack since they started playing hockey. Hundreds their rhythm and into a damaging self-talk state.” of shots are taken during a Vancouver Canucks practice or morning skate, yet the many that miss the net and the accompanying bang barely Other than the all-too-rare penalty shot, hockey doesn’t have an register for the players on the ice. equivalent in-game situation to free throws, where a player is isolated in performance and has that much time to process their surroundings. “You’re so used to it and you’re out there every day that it becomes second-nature,” defenceman Troy Stecher said. In contrast to that basketball setting, though, what’s perhaps most challenging for a hockey player is sifting through the avalanche of stimuli “It’s background noise now. Especially when you’re out there, it’s so — visual and verbal — as they come across it during a typical run of echoey,” captain Bo Horvat added. “I don’t even hear it anymore. play.

“If you’re not around the game a lot you probably think it’s super loud.” Communication between teammates is vital. Sidney Crosby’s Golden Goal wouldn’t echo throughout hockey history without his “IGGY!” yelp to Instinctively, it makes sense that players don’t react to it, especially within spur Jarome Iginla’s fateful pass. the controlled environment of a practice. The game they play is fast- paced and sometimes frenetic. The sounds of the game are plentiful and “Sometimes you’ve gotta yell at the top of your lungs,” Horvat said. “You the players have to sort through them in real-time. can hear pretty well when you’re out there, I don’t know if it’s the glass that keeps the noise out. As the NHL prepares to return to play after a mid-March shutdown due to the coronavirus pandemic, the setting for games — in Edmonton and “Constantly talking is huge in our game.” Toronto — will be largely empty arenas. Hollering aimlessly won’t accomplish much, though. There is at least Before the shutdown, when the possibility of playing games without fans some method to the madness. was floated, the initial response from players was tepid. The buzz from an amped up crowd is a part of the hockey soundtrack that doesn’t fade “You try to be loud and vocal and clear. Less is more usually, that’s what away. we like to say,” Stecher said. “You repeat yourself twice: ‘Over, over. Up, up. Wheel, wheel.’ Make sure it’s clear and simple.” “You almost get butterflies and chills when the crowd is loud and you’re in the zone. It brings an extra energy to you,” Horvat said. “It brings that In his first season with the Canucks, Miller has made a major impact. energy out of you that you didn’t know you had.” He’s the team’s leading scorer and his line with reigning Calder Trophy winner Elias Pettersson has been one of the NHL’s best. And for as No fans in the stands will certainly be an adjustment for the players. And much as Miller has impressed with his skill and tenacity, he has just as that brings up some interesting questions. What exactly do NHL players quickly left an impression with teammates for being extremely talkative. hear while on the ice and how do they pick out the pertinent information from the distracting sounds and white noise that surround them? “I get my balls busted quite a bit about that,” Miller said.

It seems as if certain sounds, like those pesky missed shots, have dulled “I can be overly vocal but it’s important to talk about what’s going on on over time. Others, like the roar of a crowd, are channelled internally but the ice, what’s open and what’s not. When I was young, before pro, all don’t overwhelm sounds or speech that are key to the action on the ice. they talked about was communication. We would do drills where if you didn’t call for the puck, you didn’t get it. When I turned pro, talking was “You can tell right away during the national anthem if it’s going to be loud such a big thing. Nowadays, maybe the players are a little better and or not,” Stecher said. “(During) TV timeouts guys might go for a little spin skilled and maybe it’s not needed as much but talking helps a lot. I try to and soak it all in but other than that it’s the normal whistle and the quick make sure we’re communicating about everything. I want to know what change and you’re dialled in.” everyone’s thinking, especially Petey.”

In a game, the crash from a big hit will turn heads and elevate heart Pettersson, part of that younger, less gabby generation, gives Miller rates. As will the ping from a shot that has connected with the post or the plenty of silence and space to operate. crossbar. “He’s talking more than me out there, I’m very quiet,” Pettersson said. “It’s either a really good shot or a close shot,” Horvat said. “You’re close to scoring a goal or if it hits the post at your end it either could go in or it “When you’re on the ice everything happens so fast and if you hear your could save your ass.” teammate’s voice, you know they’re trying to help you.”

A sound that stands out for forward J.T. Miller is more subtle and delivers While Pettersson said he’s “so zoned into where the puck is going to end satisfaction as opposed to stress. up or where the play is going to develop,” he cited a specific example of when he’s listening intently for guidance. “They have a pad on the back bar of the net. It used to be a more hollow thunk when you hit the back bar and scored, versus the outside post. “If you’re around the boards and then you hear ‘heads up!’ you know Now we talk about the thud. It makes a thud when you score. That’s a you’re going to get a guy on you,” he said. “So make a play, be ready to good sound,” Miller said. “Even in practice, we joke about it. ‘I made the take a hit because if I’m the guy that’s getting hit, I have a responsibility thud.’” to receive the hit and not get knocked out of position or get injured.”

Off the ice, a typical NHL game follows a standard script, with prompts It’s in instances like that when their refined ear becomes critically from the PA announcer or pump-up videos on the JumboTron for fans to important. Not all soothsayers are as friendly as they first sound. make noise. Stecher acknowledged that Canucks players were aware “If you’re coming around the net and somebody’s yelling ‘Drop’ sometimes guys on the other team will try to get you to drop it but you kind of recognize everybody’s voice now,” Horvat said.

The Canucks aren’t innocent in this regard and the avowed mischief- maker is hardly a shock. Antoine Roussel, a notorious pest and chirper, admitted that he has taken advantage of unsuspecting opponents.

“You see a D not looking and you know his nickname you’re like, ‘Hey! Behind! Behind!’ I’ve done that a couple times and I did get the puck,” he said.

Developing the recognition required to avoid those fake-outs can take time. Across the last four seasons, Stecher has played over 2,000 minutes with Alex Edler as his defence partner and can identify his voice without a second’s thought.

“If I hear a call and it’s not his voice, I’ll know,” he said.

Meanwhile, Roussel and Adam Gaudette had been linemates for much of the season. They also sit next to each other in the Canucks’ dressing room, which led to some delightful banter when they were asked about their on-ice connection. Naturally, nicknames are the exclamation of choice given their place in hockey.

“When Gauds wants the puck he goes ‘Rooster, Rooster’ in a beautiful Boston accent,” Roussel said.

Gaudette chimed in from his stall and emphasized the accent, best known and often parodied for the dropped “r” toward the end of a word.

“Roostah, Roostah,” he said.

“That’s bettah,” Roussel shot back.

Gaudette and his Massachusetts roots have left their mark on his linemate. What about Roussel’s high-energy delivery?

“I hear Rous’ voice when I sleep,” Gaudette said, a playful grin across his face.

Beyond the chatter between players, they are also tuned into line change calls from the bench and whistles from the referees. Add in the non- verbal sounds, like a big hit or a puck hitting a post, and there’s a fair bit to process from an audible perspective.

The significance of those familiar sounds will come rushing back when the Canucks take the ice together for their first game in August against the Minnesota Wild. And when the day comes for fans to safely return arenas for sporting events, their vocal contributions certainly won’t be taken for granted.

The Athletic LOADED: 07.15.2020 1188210 Websites “In terms of the physical changes, these are offseason activities but there are a lot of applications you don’t think about,” said Conor O’Flaherty, managing director at New York City-based SME Branding, which has managed team and conference name changes. “Digital – that’s the The Athletic / What’s in a name change? The logistics of retiring and easiest thing to do. The challenge is the physical. Is (the name) chiseled creating a team nickname into concrete? When you think about a facility and when you walk around, you see that brand.”

A team has to ask itself: Will it remove old banners, trophies and historic By Bill Shea Jul 14, 2020 paraphernalia that use the old name and logo as part of history displays? In the case of a relocation rebrand, that’s a simpler decision than a team shifting names because of racism or bigotry. So your beloved sports team is going to change its name because of relocation, because of an owner’s rebranding whim, because it’s a slur, There also is a mountain of legal paperwork such as trademarks and or for other reasons. copyrights, licensing agreements with makers of apparel, merchandise, and other retail services. That’s work often handled at least in part by the What does that mean from a nuts-and-bolts perspective for the staff that leagues, who ink the licensing deals (and revenue from which is shared has to actually do the work of removing the old name from a seemingly among other teams, meaning all NFL clubs have benefitted from endless number of places? Snyder’s merchandise sales).

A lot of logistical work for a lot of people is what it means. And it’s With online federal trademark applications easily searchable, teams often typically an 18-month to two-year process to fully implement at a cost of will file to control a slate of possible names (and sometimes have to millions of dollars, according to sports branding experts. battle in court for them) for rebranding or for other business functions such as stadium and arena names. They often leak. Let’s get this out of the way up front: The time and cost of such a change are immaterial for billionaire sports franchise owners and leagues with “Franchises will move forward with trademarking a number of names to problematic team names. No one is weeping for team owner Daniel protect those, and perhaps to keep people guessing,” O’Flaherty said. Snyder, who is estimated to be worth $2.6 billion and owns a $100 million-plus yacht equipped with an IMAX theater. Teams also will have contracts, legal, medical, governmental and insurance documents to update, which is the work of attorneys and other His NFL team is worth $3.4 billion (he paid $750 million for it in 1999), front office staff. per Forbes. On the technical side, team and league staff have to work to replace the “At the end of the day, Snyder has a company worth $2 billion to $3 old name with the new one on official websites, social channels, mobile billion,” said sports economist and consultant Andrew Zimbalist of Smith apps – and not just on the team’s properties, but for all the other teams College. “If he has to spend $10 million or $20 million making all these and the league itself. Email addresses have to be updated. Major changes and doing new promotion around the team, no one should feel leagues have direct access to companies like Twitter and Facebook, so sorry for him. They’ll be able to figure it out. Logistically it’s complicated, that can hasten a transition process. but in terms of the struggles other companies and individuals are facing right now, we don’t need to shed any tears for Dan Snyder.” Also requiring updates: Mountains of advertising and marketing materials. Billboards. Tickets. Name badges. Business cards. Limited It’s Snyder’s employees, along with staff from the NFL headquarters and edition beer cans and cups. Entire team retail stores. And old logo a bevy of suppliers, clients, and business partners, that will have to scrub merchandise has to be destroyed, recycled or donated. The list goes on the old name once a new moniker and logo are finalized. The team and on. reportedly will retain its burgundy and gold color scheme, which will ease the rebranding burden somewhat. Media partners such as local and national TV, radio and digital carriers of the team and league’s content have to get the new name, logo, colors, Snyder has been the target of critics over his team’s name, which he has and lettering, meaning the rebrand update is work for more than staffers ardently refused to change until announcing on Monday a to-be-decided in Washington and Cleveland. name is coming and the current name is now retired. While there is a lot of work involved for low-level staffers, suppliers, Snyder’s staffers aren’t alone in the rebranding work on the horizon. In partners, and consultants, it can be done, and has been done in many Cleveland, the Indians have stated they are studying a possible name places. change two years after mothballing the widely criticized Chief Wahoo logo. The Chicago Blackhawks and Atlanta Braves have said no name It’s a far more comprehensive process in 2020 than when, say, the New changes are planned for those teams – but similar to Snyder, outside York Highlanders became the Yankees in 1913, when the New York financial pressure from corporate sponsors and retailers could eventually Titans rebranded as the Jets in 1963, and when the Houston Colt .45s force a rebrand. were renamed the Astros in 1965.

Once the renaming decision has been made, the process is more than In recent years, there have been a handful of significant major league just polling the public and hiring image consultants and brand rebrands, such as the Washington Bullets becoming the Wizards in 1997; developers. the Houston Oilers relocating to become the Tennessee Oilers in 1997 and then the Titans in 1999, and the New Orleans Hornets becoming the Here’s a quick rundown on the logistics involved in changing a team’s Pelicans in 2013. name: Other entire sports organizations have changed names with little trouble. For starters, there is the obvious: Player uniforms and equipment bearing Pro wrestling’s WWE was known as the WWF from 1979 until 2002, the new name and logo (and possibly the team colors, if the rebrand is a when it lost in court to the World Wildlife Foundation. complete overhaul) have to be replaced. New workout gear and clothing for coaches, staff and perhaps the stadium’s game-day staff have to be Complete rebrands often occur when a team relocates to a new market, manufactured in cooperation with apparel makers such as Nike Inc. – a such as the Montreal Expos becoming the Washington Nationals in 2005 company that pulled Washington’s merchandise from its site recently. and when the Winnipeg Jets relocated to Phoenix as the Coyotes in 1996. And the Browns, of course, became the Baltimore Ravens in 1996 Teams and leagues have in-house creative departments, but often rely – a name change not without problems – while the NFL opted to retain on third-party branding companies to create names, logos, and other Cleveland’s name, colors, logos, and history for the replacement team in visual imagery. 1999.

Then there’s the signage and printed materials. A team’s name, logo and Perhaps the most common rebrand stems from nicknames that are colors can appear thousands of places just in and around its home offensive to Indigenous peoples, as name changes have been made ballpark. It’s sometimes literally etched in stone, and team facilities use many times for high school and college teams. O’Flaherty said his SME the name (as is the case of Snyder’s team headquarters). All of that will Branding agency has managed the University of North Dakota’s change be replaced, even if it’s out of public view. from the Fighting Sioux to Fighting Hawks in 2015. It did the same in 1994-95 for St. John’s University’s switch to the Red Storm and the 1997-98 Miami University (Ohio) change to RedHawks (the team had partners. It makes help available for the team’s in-house creative shared the same nickname as Snyder’s NFL team). department and any outside branding agency hired for the process.

Ending negative connotations or outright racism is critical in the 21st The NBA also handles copyright and trademark filings domestically and century as a business imperative, regardless of the work and cost internationally as well as the process for searching and securing domain involved. And picking the best replacement name is nearly as important, names for any new website or future digital use. branding experts say. Whatever the approval process and logistics, the moment has arrived for “It’s not as simple as changing a name and logo. It goes to the heart of teams like Washington to make the change and then stand by the new what these franchises are and what they present,” O’Flaherty said. “How name. do different groups perceive these names? How do they resonate?” “I think now is the time. There are some fans who always will be against Even with an enormous punch list that will take years and cost millions, a it because their feeling is nothing is wrong with these names,” O’Flaherty name change functionally begins with the decision on what to call the said. “Fans, regardless of the name or design, will push back on it. The team. Franchises and leagues have to tread carefully to find a popular team needs to be prepared to push back. These changes have been but inoffensive name and logo and branding experts say fans need to happening across the college sports world for much of the last 20 years feel like part of the process. No one wants to go from a problematic name in the sports world.” to a silly or dumb name that brings a fresh wave of scorn (particularly if the team is mediocre or worse when it comes to wins and losses, such The Athletic LOADED: 07.15.2020 as Snyder’s team).

“Not engaging the fan base and stakeholders and building something true to the franchise … doing it in isolation is risky,” O’Flaherty said. “It’s a much more complex process than people think.”

A rebrand also affects team and league business partners, particularly apparel makers and retailers that help generate billions of dollars in shared revenue.

“Despite all of the progress that has been made by Fanatics on time-to- market issues, there still are long lead times for retail-based products,” said Jonathan Jensen, a sports marketing expert and professor at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill.

Taking weeks and months to get new merchandise in front of fans, while the old stuff is unavailable, means a revenue stream is cut off at a time when a global pandemic has siphoned billions from live sports.

Bureaucracy can make a rebrand messy, too. Jensen pointed at the often-traveled Rams as an example of licensing issues. The team started in Cleveland in 1937, moved to Los Angeles in 1946, then to St. Louis in 1995 before returning to L.A. in 2015.

“In the NFL specifically, this came up a while back when the Rams wanted to rebrand upon moving (back) to L.A. but the NFL wouldn’t let them immediately move away from the St. Louis-era gold on their jerseys, which led to the unfortunate situation of the helmets being royal blue and white, yet the uniforms still were navy and gold,” Jensen said. “Everyone agreed it was not a good look, yet the team’s hands were tied. They eventually just decided to postpone the rebrand until they moved into their new stadium this fall so it all could be debuted together.”

The league could expedite Washington’s rebrand because of the offensive nature of the current name.

So what do the teams and leagues that have to do the work have to say about the logistics of it all?

Not much at the moment.

Sean DeBarbieri, director of communications for the soon-to-be-renamed Washington NFL team, said via email that the team isn’t making anyone available to talk about the process of changing the name until the internal review process is complete. It’s unclear when that might be.

NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said the league isn’t discussing the name-change process at this point. It is known the league must approve any name change.

Cleveland Indians spokesman Curtis Danburg said they are not commenting beyond their initial statement about a possible name change. While MLB hasn’t commented, rebrands are known to require league approval and help is provided via MLB’s design services, legal and marketing arms. All of the leagues have such in-house units to help the process.

The NHL declined to comment.

A bit more is known about the NBA process.

The league requires a Board of Governors, i.e. owners, vote on any name change, and the process must begin 28 months before the start of the season in which the change occurs. The NBA manages the identity- change process for teams and all affected licensing, retail, and broadcast 1188211 Websites coach,” these cliché things. But there’s a reason for that. He’s really a relatable guy, and he really talks your language.

Glenn Kehrer, Manitoba winger: He was a good listener. He would have The Athletic / The year that made Barry Trotz: Inside his season as a 25- a conversation with you. year-old head coach Jason Taylor, Manitoba winger: In that era, in the 1980s, there was a lot more negative reinforcement. Barry was kind of the first guy that I had, in junior or my university time, that was a positive reinforcement guy. By Rustin Dodd Jul 14, 2020 Larry Dyck, Manitoba goalie: He was very good at separating discipline from how he felt about you as another guy. He always made you feel part of it, even though you might have been in the doghouse because of bad Nobody can remember the record, and the big wins and cruel losses blur play. together. Most of the memories, even the good ones, have faded at the edges, but there is one Barry Trotz story that everyone knows. It has to Billy Keane, Manitoba player: I just played way harder for Barry, because do with bumblebees. we made a connection. He was a personable guy. And you look at what he’s done: He makes connections with players. They don’t care how The story begins in 1987. Trotz, the Islanders’ head coach, was a first- much he knows; they just know that he cares. year hockey coach at the University of Manitoba. He was on the job, mostly, because the program’s leader — the legendary Wayne Fleming Derril Trakalo, goalie: When you play with the guy, you know he’s going — was on a leave of absence to coach in Europe. Trotz was 25 years old to go to war for you, no matter what. You see that same person, whether and uncertain about his future, barely older than the guys on his team. he’s a coach or a player or whatever the case. He was just removed from working for a computer company (the Burroughs Corp.) that made servers for businesses. A clipping from a Nov. 16, 1987 edition of the Regina Leader-Post. (Courtesy of Newspapers-dot-com) To the players, Trotz contained multitudes: intense and relatable, organized and generous, but also a little green. He would ask his guys One day in the fall of 1987, as Trotz was getting settled into the role of about their classes and future after college. He displayed a confidence head coach, Manitoba faced the University of Saskatchewan in a and steadiness in practice that belied his youth. He was coming off a preseason game. Mike Butters, a defenseman, found himself in the front career in juniors as a defenseman who was a little slow and a little heady of the net, trying to block a shot. The first shot attempt was knocked and wouldn’t start much unless it was warranted. down, but then came another, and Butters was suddenly on all fours. The shot blasted him in the face. The puck shattered his nose. Blood “But I definitely witnessed him finish a few things, if you know what I spattered. mean,” said Derril Trakalo, a goaltender from Winnipeg. “I get to the bench,” Butters said, “and Trotsky — you figure a guy is One game that season, Trotz and his Bisons were in a real brawl. going to be like, ‘Are you OK?’ Instead, he’s like: ‘Hey, great block.’” Nothing was going right. The penalties stacked up. The other team was tough and physical. Manitoba wasn’t spoiling for a fight, Trotz told his Butters was like many others players on the Manitoba roster that season: players between periods, but if it came to that, he had an answer. On the team because he had nowhere else to go. He wasn’t drafted. His pro prospects were limited. He just wanted to keep playing, to keep his “We’ll bumblebee the (expletive).” professional hopes alive while going to school. That was perfect for Trotz. The players looked around the room, their eyes glancing at one another. Bumblebee the (expletive)? What? Trotz, Butters said, recruited him to Manitoba, told him he’d help with professional leads, and focused on his development. “If one guy starts fighting, then bumblebee the (expletive),” Billy Keane, a Manitoba player that season, recalled Trotz saying. “Just bumblebee him. “He kept staying on me about: ‘This is how you be a pro,’” Butters said. Just keep coming, keep coming. And it’s not just one or two. It’s “If you want to be a pro, this is how you do it.” everybody.” Trotz was still learning on the job, but he knew the kind of program he If the other team wanted a fight, they’d give ‘em a swarm. That was the wanted to build. He had started his coaching career as an assistant at way Trotz coached. Manitoba after a back injury ended his playing career. Fleming, the program’s head coach, would hand him little slips of paper with coaching “If you got a teammate in trouble,” Trotz said, “get over there quickly. tips and ideas. He built a network of college head coaches. The offer at That doesn’t mean you have to fight, but get over there and show a Manitoba, however, had come out of the blue. Trotz had planned to strength.” coach Portage in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League. Then Fleming Trotz was still three decades away from winning a Stanley Cup with the took a leave of absence. The school needed a head coach. Washington Capitals. None of the Manitoba players could guess that “It happened very quickly,” Trotz said. he’d one day be the second longest-tenured coach in North American sports, trailing only Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, or that he’d enter this In 1987, and later, the rosters of college hockey programs were Islanders campaign poised to pass friend Ken Hitchcock for third all-time comprised of players who had played in the Western League or juniors, in NHL wins before the novel coronavirus pandemic halted the season. and guys who wanted to play a little more hockey while moving on with their lives. Trakalo, a goaltender, fell into the latter group. He had played The Barry Trotz of Manitoba was just getting started. But there were hints with Trotz in juniors, ended up at Manitoba, skipped a year and then told of his future, of a young coach focused on culture, of a career built on Trotz that he’d return on one condition: If he got a job, he’d leave the players. team after Christmas. “I love coaching,” Trotz told a reporter that season. “But I’m still a student This was the way it went. Players were older and experienced, but of the game and the pension plan and security are not the greatest for hockey wasn’t always first priority. The level of hockey in the university coaches. You could be fired after a month or after two or three weeks. system was higher than it was in the Manitoba league. The players were That’s sort of scary.” smarter and more physically developed. If they weren’t totally focused on In the moment, Trotz wasn’t sure what the future held. But more than hockey, that was just one more thing to overcome. At 25, Trotz was the three decades later, he views the season at Manitoba as one of the most youngest university head coach in Canada. His team, he said then, formative in his career. would be a “lunch-bucket crew.”

“I don’t think I’ve grown as much, like I did in that one year,” Trotz said “He was the same age as a lot of the players,” Trakalo said. “Thinking last week before Islanders training camp reopened. “I had to.” back on it, it had to be a pretty tough situation for him to come into. And I do remember: Initially, there was definitely a period of adjustment.” The Coaching Style Fleming, the old coach, was a classic taskmaster. The previous year’s Mike Butters, Manitoba defenseman: The thing that stands out most is he squad had success. The new roster had plenty of fresh faces. Trotz, was instantly relatable. He made a connection with me and had belief in players said, attempted to take Fleming’s style and build on it. His my game. I’ve heard over the years — these guys call him a “players practices were structured and organized, with a focus on discipline. He notice. Instead, the team flew to Edmonton, rode a bus to Red Deer and was self-assured and believed in his methods. He was demanding and stayed there. didn’t tolerate nonsense. “This is just the way it is, boys,” Butters remembers Trotz saying. “We’re “But he didn’t have to yell and scream,” said Dyck, another goaltender just going to have to suck it up.” who later played in the IHL. “In the same matter-of-fact style he would speak to Alexander Ovechkin, he would do the same with you.” The Bisons lost both games. The season was over. A few years later, Trotz caught on as an assistant in Baltimore, an affiliate of the Trotz, Dyck said, possessed a bevy of soft skills. A master of constructive Washington Capitals. So began his ascent to the top of the NHL criticism, he would pull players aside, point out their mistakes while coaching ranks. His latest challenge includes guiding the Islanders to the noting when something wasn’t their fault. playoffs for a second straight year after an inconsistent stretch before the league-wide shutdown. It starts Aug. 1, when the team faces the Florida “I just grew so much professionally as a coach,” Trotz said. “And (I) Panthers in a play-in series in Toronto. probably grew from a teaching standpoint, knowing how important it was that there was a partnership between the coach and the player.” Yet there is one more Trotz story that everyone remembers. Earlier that season, Butters recalled, during a Sunday football game in Winnipeg, a Trotz also knew how to take the air out of a tense situation. Years earlier, defenseman on the team named Larry Bumstead was caught on when he was starting out at Manitoba, the team took a trip to Europe television doing the Red River Jig in his underwear during a Blue over the holidays. They started in Germany before passing into Bombers Game. Czechoslovakia, which was still part of the Eastern bloc. At one point, Trakalo said, a group of armed guards boarded the team bus to check The next day, the guys showed up for practice and they started skating. passports. Trotz handed over his passport, which had a photo of him with a mustache. “We skated and skated and skated,” Butters said.

“The guy was looking at his passport, and looking at Barry, and looking at The message was simple: They were representing the school. A line had his passport and looking at Barry,” Trakalo said. “Barry took his index been crossed. He had treated them with respect. Now they had to pay finger and put it under his nose, because he had just shaved off his the price. mustache. “He comes in and goes: ‘The first 45 minutes were because you were “The guard started laughing. It was just the funniest thing.” horrible in Lethbridge (in the last game),’” Butters said. “’The second half is because one of your defenseman decided that he was going to dance The Lasting Influence in his bikini on national television during the Grey Cup.’”

Dyck: I got called up at 15 years old to play with the Regina Pats and all I The guys skated. Trotz watched. At 25 years old, the coach knew what had was sweatpants, and they wore a suit and tie. Trotzky was on the he had to do. He always wanted his punishments to be accompanied team. He lent me a suit and tie. with a life lesson. It was, Jason Taylor said, exactly who he was.

Trakalo: I was already on the downside of my career. I’d spent the two “It’s what separates him from a lot of guys,” Taylor said. “He’s kept his previous falls at the Rangers camp, and it occurred to me that I was identity of who he is. People in rural Manitoba, there’s certain toughness going to be an average player, at best, in the NHL. I just wanted to play and resiliency that we all understood.” and have fun. He had this sort of calm presence about him, but he was also very intense. Or, as Keane put it: He just made you care.

Keane: He did seem green at the time. But I totally respected the way he “I would put my face in front of a puck for Barry,” Keane said. “That’s just handled it. He was basically real honest with our group: He said, “Hey, the way it was. That’s just the connection he made.” listen guys, I’m new to this. And I’m going to make mistakes, and I’m The Athletic LOADED: 07.15.2020 going to work my tail off. And we’re going to be the hardest working team out here.”

Taylor: Barry was just a real refreshing change because he was such a players coach. He treated everybody fairly, and it was always positive. He kind of played to your strengths.

Butters: Maybe our on-ice success wasn’t great, but I learned a ton. And it got me on my way professionally.

The 1987-88 Manitoba Bisons were not perfect. Far from it. They finished with a .500 record. They were a little undermanned. But the players say they competed. That’s all Trotz asked of them. Keane likes to say that his coach had a “soft spot for the small, hard-working stiffs.”

“It’s more than winning games,” Trotz said. “You got to help develop some young men and help them along.”

While Trotz used the practices to refine his methods, he used the collegiate competition to build his knowledge base. He learned from studying Clare Drake, the longtime coach at Alberta, and George Kingston, who had won big at Calgary. He tried to pull bits and pieces from each.

“You had all these coaches that were teachers,” Trotz said, “and they were teaching coaching.

“When you’re young, you try to control everybody and everything. But as you get older, I think you learn to filter out what really matters and what doesn’t.”

The season was not without highlights. Manitoba traveled to the United States and took a game from Saint Cloud State, a top American program. They stole a game from Calgary, ending the Dinos’ 12-game winning streak. Their season ended in late February, against Calgary in the Canada West semifinal at Centennial Arena in Calgary. Even getting to the game was a true test. That was the month of the Calgary Winter Olympics, so there were no flights or hotel rooms available on short 1188212 Websites “I’ve been talking to Muzz quite a bit when they were injured together and he kept just saying ‘This Mikheyev’s a monster and he’s turning into an animal in the gym and on the ice,’” said Marner.

Sportsnet.ca / How Leafs' Mikheyev turned injury, pandemic into At the time he was injured, it seemed like such a shame that it happened blessings in disguise just as Mikheyev was finding his way in North America. He’d spent the previous four seasons in the KHL and had responded well to a recent bump into Toronto’s top-six, scoring four goals in

Chris Johnston July 14, 2020, 7:56 PM six games when his wrist got severed .

But as it’s turned out in this most bizarre year, with the Leafs now preparing for a best-of-five against Columbus in the middle of summer, TORONTO — In an alternate universe, Ilya Mikheyev would have Mikheyev could be poised to make an even bigger impact than before. In returned to the Toronto Maple Leafs lineup months ago. addition to the important 5-on-5 minutes he’ll see with two of the team’s He was on track to play before the end of March, according to his agent biggest offensive stars, Keefe has him tabbed to kill penalties. Dan Milstein, potentially even challenging the minimum timeline issued Credit the 25-year-old NHL rookie for putting himself in position to earn after having an artery and tendons in his right wrist cut by a skate blade an elevated role. in the first game after Christmas. Even when it was unclear if the season could be saved amid the Instead, Mikheyev’s plans were placed on pause by COVID-19 — pandemic, Mikheyev kept grinding through workouts and on-ice sessions something we may now look back on as a blessing in disguise. while seeking out any piece of news that told him it might not all be for While most NHLers scrambled to their off-season homes for months of naught. limited physical activity, he stayed right where he was. There wasn’t so “He was thirsting for information,” said Milstein, his agent. “He’d say much as a passing thought given to returning to Russia to spend time ‘When can we start playing? When can we start playing? When do the with friends and family. playoffs start?’ “We never once discussed that,” Milstein said Tuesday. “He never “He missed hockey so much.” stopped rehabbing.” Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 07.15.2020 That helps explain why Mikheyev has made such a strong impression through the first couple days of Leafs summer training camp. You’d never know that he hasn’t taken a shift since that scary night in New Jersey when Jesper Bratt’s skate accidentally cut him or that he went months without being able to properly grip his stick to allow the tendons to heal after surgery.

Mikheyev and Jake Muzzin, recovering from a broken hand, were the Leafs granted special dispensation to work their way back from injury during the pause. They continued using the practice facility through the end of March, April and May and jumped directly into small-group workouts with teammates starting June 8.

It’s left them no rust to knock off as the NHL gets back up and running again.

In fact, by all indications Mikheyev has added new dimensions to his game while jumping directly back into a prime-time spot alongside John Tavares and Mitch Marner.

“He’s been kind of eye-opening to watch,” said Marner. “How quick and how much better he’s really gotten from my point of view.”

“The shot is a big thing,” added head coach Sheldon Keefe. “The way the puck’s coming off his stick, particularly off the pass, is impressive.”

Given the serious nature of Mikheyev’s injury, and the fact it affected the hand he uses to grip the top of his stick, you would never have expected him to improve his release. But there was also nothing to forecast the seven months of extra skating he’d get since last playing, many of it spent alongside Leafs skills consultant Denver Manderson.

He also won favour with teammates by how he approached the off-ice regimen drawn up by the strength coaches. Jason Spezza said “there’s a lot of guys cheering for [Mikheyev] to play well” after seeing his level of commitment.

“He’s a guy that I admire,” said Spezza, who has 1,084 more NHL games on his resume. “He worked, and he worked all through this time. He worked when he wasn’t sure when he’d be able to come back. Just really impressive, the dedication to the game, and I think there’s a lot of respect for him in this locker room.”

One moment that stands out came when Mikheyev and Muzzin joined the team on the road for its California swing in early March. Hours before a practice at the Los Angeles Kings suburban facility during that trip, those two were behind the rink doing sprints and other strength exercises.

Muzzin was howling out the encouragement. He absolutely loved what he was seeing. 1188213 Websites “I think for him, it’s going to get really hard. The games are really hard. I’m sure he’s going to want more room than he’s going to get. But he scored a ton of goals around the front of the net this year, which I think is underrated in his repertoire. I think it’s going to be a learning curve for Sportsnet.ca / Canucks' Pettersson brings playoff experience into first run him. I hope he picks it up right away and dominates, but sometimes it at the Cup doesn’t work like that. I think he understands it’s going to be hard battle, especially trying to create momentum within your team because no one’s

going to be there (watching).” Iain MacIntyre | July 14, 2020, 9:02 PM Pettersson said: “I think the team that wants it the most is going to win it because it’s going to be different circumstances – no hype from the fans and empty arenas. So it all comes down to, I think, who has the best VANCOUVER – Two years ago, when he was a paper-thin teenager mental game.” playing against men, Elias Pettersson won the Swedish Hockey League scoring title with 56 points in 44 games for the Vaxjo Lakers. Pettersson already has one of the best games physically in the NHL. He has 55 goals and 132 points in his first 139 NHL games and is a Naturally, there were questions then about whether the 165-pound rookie consistent driver of offence. And his trajectory still tilts upwards. could be as effective in the playoffs as intensity increased and time and space disappeared. The 19-year-old scored only 10 times and amassed The centre said he spent the four-month shutdown “in the gym” to work 19 points in 13 playoff games, winning the playoff MVP award while on his strength, as well as his skills. leading his team to the SHL championship. “The first and second seasons were different for me,” he said. “The first Apparently, Pettersson was OK with playoff hockey. one, I came in new and all that. The second one, everyone was paying attention to me. I got less time with the puck. Everyone was trying to, like, So, the issue about his lack of NHL playoff experience barely makes it to lock me down. So I learned a lot this season about how to come up with a question mark before the Vancouver Canucks star answers: “I’ve new things to be successful and make plays.” played playoff hockey before in Sweden. This summer is like a third season for him. “What I can tell from that is the games are tougher, you fight more for pucks, and everyone’s game raises. It’s just a tougher game all around. “Of course, it’s a new thing and, of course, it’s a chance to get And I expect the same thing in the NHL because the Stanley Cup is one experience,” he said. “But none of us are (just happy) to be here. We of the most famous trophies you can win, and everyone wants to win it.” want to play our best and hopefully go as far as you can go. That’s how I think we see it. Where guys are going to play next season, what’s going Including Pettersson. to happen in the future, that’s out of our control. But right now, we’re a team and we’re a good group and we’re going to try to go as far as It will be common question for the Canucks as they prepare for a possible. I think we have a chance.” qualifying-round series against the Minnesota Wild that several of their best players – Pettersson, Quinn Hughes, Brock Boeser, Jacob Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 07.15.2020 Markstrom, Bo Horvat – have little or no Stanley Cup playoff experience.

And each time he is asked about it, Pettersson’s fuel tank will fill a little higher so that when NHL games finally resume in August – if unimpeded by the coronavirus – the 21-year-old will play at full throttle. This is the way Pettersson is.

Doubt him at your peril.

“Yeah, 100 per cent,” Pettersson told Sportsnet on Tuesday when asked if he still gets motivated by questions about his ability. “I’m always trying to be positive about things and when I get doubted like I’m too small – I’ve been hearing that my whole life – I’m just trying to prove them wrong and show that I can play.

“I always like challenges. I always want to be the guy that helps the team win. That’s always been my main goal. I’ve always been a guy that’s supposed to score points and make plays, so I’m always trying to do that.”

The season before he arrived in the NHL, a year after the Canucks selected him fifth-overall in the 2017 entry draft, Vancouver had 73 points. Pettersson won the Calder Trophy as a rookie and this year was driving the Canucks on a 93-point pace when the league shut down in March.

He is still only 21 years old.

“He’s a driven, young player that wants to be one of the better players in the game,” Canucks coach Travis Green said after the second day of summer camp at Rogers Arena. “I think certain players in the league have a mindset and a drive within them, that they believe they can be one of those players, and it’s not a coincidence when they do become that because they are driven and they have high expectations of themselves. I think he has that for sure.”

Pettersson’s veteran wingers, J.T. Miller and Tyler Toffoli, have experienced extended playoff runs. Toffoli won a Stanley Cup with Los Angeles in 2014.

“He’s super competitive,” Miller said of Pettersson. “I try to be a sponge when I’m around him. I have, obviously, more experience than him, but at the same time, he does a lot of things that I struggle to do well. Everything that we’ve done, especially after Christmas. . . everything is related to the playoffs. I think he knows what it takes to be a good playoff player. 1188214 Websites

Sportsnet.ca / Leafs' Black Lives Matter support among Dubas' proudest moments in hockey

Thomas Ketko | July 15, 2020, 12:00 AM

At its best, the NHL’s return offers a sympathetic echo of what normalcy feels like — different and fainter than the normalcy that used to exist, but present enough to be familiar.

Well-laid restart plans have grown into game-day schedules, promising day-long escapes to view the events that COVID-19 stole from North America in March and hasn’t yet returned. Training camp highlights now fill social media feeds. Reporters are attending those camps, documenting the minutiae of line combinations, notable absences and signings.

It would be easy, here and now as those glimmers of normalcy return, to grow complacent about the issues plaguing the world beyond ice rinks. To escape into the entertainment of sports and turn a blind eye to the work that still needs to be done.

Lasting change isn’t about what’s easy, though. And Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas knows the movement that has defined this moment in history can’t be neglected just because sports are moving closer to their returns.

“When the matter of systemic racism came to the forefront again in North America, this time — rather than a one moment, send out a tweet or send out a statement — this to me has been very different,” Dubas told Donnovan Bennett and Sid Seixeiro during a Tuesday appearance on Tim and Sid.

“It’s been an effort from our players to educate themselves and learn the recognition that, as white athletes and white members of management and executives in the NHL, we live a very privileged life.

“And even though we all at times have prided ourselves with being involved with different anti-racism or the Pride Parade or different things. You know, it’s not enough for us just to do those things once a year and think that that’s enough — that we’re doing our part to end the different injustices or prejudices that exist in our society.”

On the first day of summer training camp, the Maple Leafs’ efforts to continue the fight against anti-Black racism even as marches and protests fall from the headlines could not be missed.

They wore powder-blue masks on their faces, and identical black t-shirts emblazoned, in all caps, with BLACK LIVES MATTER.

When asked about using workout gear to make a statement, captain John Tavares called it a “player-driven” initiative supported by upper- management. Consider Dubas one of the supporters.

“Yesterday was one of my prouder moments in the time that I’ve worked in hockey or worked with people in general,” Dubas said. “Because it was a group of athletes who, unfortunately on our team, are all white standing and using their platform and their voice to continue the conversation that’s been going on for hundreds of years.”

That conversation reached greater volumes after a Minneapolis police officer knelt on George Floyd’s neck for nearly nine minutes, killing him. Athletes across North America took part in marches and did their part to amplify the simple, essential message that Black lives matter.

“They wanted to do it,” Dubas said. “And I was extremely proud of our players for that yesterday, that they want to use their platform here as the Maple Leafs and as athletes in Toronto — one of the most diverse cities in the world — to do our part with anti-racism and any injustice that’s happening in society.”

Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 07.15.2020 1188215 Websites The Oilers are a far, far better team with Connor McDavid and Draisaitl running separate lines, coming together on the powerplay, and working to bring the players around them as close to their level as possible.

Sportsnet.ca / As Leon Draisaitl's unique ascent continues, Oilers' quest “Our young core players are starting to mature,” Tippett said. “Both Leon for Cup begins and Connor recognize the responsibility they have to help them come in and, not just become players on our team but strong contributors on our team.”

Mark Spector July 14, 2020, 8:18 PM In a sport where history tends to favour pairs of forwards, the evolution of these Oilers appears to pair Ryan Nugent-Hopkins with McDavid, while

Draisaitl has emerged as a mentor to the scrappy young Kailer EDMONTON — When Leon Draisaitl arrived on the scene, who did we Yamamoto. They have chemistry, and as such, the Oilers suddenly have have to compare him to? a venerable top six.

Jochen Hecht? Marco Sturm? “We just compliment each other really well,” Draisaitl said of the tiny Yamamoto, a 21-year-old NHL sophomore. “Yamo came up (and His father Peter, a noted German national from days gone by? showed) no fear. He’s a smaller who guy who doesn’t play to that size. We’ve been helping each other out a lot.” He was lanky, not too fleet of foot, and looked like he’d be able to put on enough muscle to survive as an NHL centreman. But, really. Had a It’s a chicken and egg thing, as we watch Yamamoto become a legit top German-born forward ever been considered more than “pretty good” as a six right winger faster than anyone had expected. Is it the Spokane native National Hockey League player? whose talents facilitate Draisaitl leading the league in scoring? Or is it the big German that has brought the young American along, finding Well, four months after wrapping up the Art Ross Trophy, Draisaitl was opportunity for Yamamoto that he otherwise may not locate himself? introduced alongside Nathan MacKinnon and Artemi Panarin as the finalists for the Ted Lindsay Award. The award is voted on by NHL “You look at his shot, but he might be the only person who can do that players, going to the “most outstanding player in the NHL.” shot,” Yamamoto said. “I try to (learn from) his passing — he might be the best passer in the league. His body position around the puck… Not just the best German player. The best player — period. “He’s meant a lot. He’s helped me since Day 1, when I was an 18-year- “Coming over as a 16-year-old kid and not knowing what to expect, it old, talking to me on off days, on the ice… Picking up little things that he took me a while to get the hang of everything,” he said, looking back on does, a play that he sees that I don’t. We talk about things like that.” that rare career that has ascended in a straight, upwards line. “I’ve had some great coaches, some great people around me who have guided me The coach likes what he sees, so much so that he could strip Nugent- to become the person and player that I am today. I am very fortunate to Hopkins from that line and employ him on McDavid’s left side. have great teammates and coaches who saw something in me and pushed me.” “Yamo and Leon have had that (chemistry) right since Day 1,” Tippett said. “Leon, if he’s giddy about any player on our team it’s Yamo. He Jeff Marek and Elliotte Friedman talk to a lot of people around the hockey likes to play on Yamo and Yamo likes to play with him.” world, and then they tell listeners all about what they’ve heard and what they think about it. Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 07.15.2020

Draisaitl picked up the half-step he required to skate at the NHL level, and added the valuable skill of shielding the puck better than most. Today, he is one of hockey’s best players at fighting the traffic and emerging to make a play.

He protects pucks like they aren’t making them anymore, holding the biscuit while draped in defenders, then coming out of the mix with the puck and a plan.

“I think of a guy like Peter Forsberg, who used to invite that contact and protect the puck. Make it hard for the opponent to check him while he’s on his back,” said Draisaitl’s head coach, Dave Tippett. “Leon is a power forward with high, high skill. Heavy when he has the puck.”

Peter Forsberg? The same Peter Forsberg who operated at a 1.25 points-per-game clip throughout his career?

The Hall of Famer? The best power forward that Sweden ever produced, Peter Forsberg?

Draisaitl laughs when informed of his coach’s quote: “That’s a steep comparison,” he said, quickly seeking out some self-deprecating elements to throw cold water on the idea that he could be hockey’s next Peter Forsberg.

“I know what my limits are, in terms of carrying the play, I know that I’m probably not the best at carrying the puck through three zones,” he said. “I like when I can engage with defenders and hold them off, and then maybe try and find an open guy.”

Draisaitl may win the Ted Lindsay, or perhaps the Hart Trophy as the NHL’s most valuable player as voted by the Professional Hockey Writers Association. Or maybe he doesn’t win either.

But here in Edmonton, as good as Draisaitl has become, we would wager he wouldn’t win the “Best Player on the Oilers Award,” if there were one. Inside the dressing room however, there is no sense that anyone really cares about the individual trophies, as the hunt for hockey’s ultimate team trophy begins. 1188216 Websites too worried – individually you’ve got to be prepared and be ready for whatever will come. I’m sure we’ll be back together soon.”

Ward hinted as much. Sportsnet.ca / Flames' Gaudreau not off to ideal start as playoff proving “At some point we’re going to get them back together and they’ll take off grounds loom from there,” said the interim coach following Tuesday’s pair of skates.

“They’ve had enough chemistry together over time that when we get Eric Francis | July 14, 2020, 5:53 PM them back together I’m sure it will be like riding a bike. I’m not that worried about it to be honest with you.”

Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 07.15.2020 There isn’t a more important player on the Calgary Flames than Johnny Gaudreau.

These are his playoffs to prove he can elevate his game when needed most.

Yet, things are not off to an optimal start for No. 13.

Day 2 of camp still has the Flames top line winger separated not only from his linemates, but from the main group.

For the second day in a row Gaudreau skated in a group of nine players, while his regular linemates — Sean Monahan and Elias Lindholm — skated together in the main group of 23.

With 12 days to prepare for the trip to Edmonton where the Flames will face Winnipeg in their best-of-five play-in series starting Aug. 1, Gaudreau would ideally be working his way back into top form alongside the two men he will combine with to help determine their playoff fate.

A poor showing by the trio, like last year, and the Flames could have the rest of the summer off as early as Aug. 5.

The reason for the split?

Well, read into interim head coach Geoff Ward’s clandestine comments from Monday any way you want, when he explained the odd groupings by saying they were due to “circumstances that became apparent last week.”

He said he couldn’t elaborate.

Pinder & Steinberg

Ken Wiebe on Winnipeg Jets' training camp, roster and matchup with the Flames

July 14 2020

Your browser does not support the audio element.

It certainly piqued everyone’s curiosity, and sure messed with the team’s ability to take full advantage of their brief time to get back up to speed as units.

“Obviously we would like to work on a bit more chemistry right away, but with two groups we get a lot of reps in, and it’s more important to get used to the ice and skating than chemistry,” said Lindholm, who led the team at the March pause with 29 goals. “It’s easy to play with Johnny and hopefully we can find that chemistry we had last season.

“You don’t have to practice every day to find that chemistry. You just have to find open spots and he will find you. We’ll see what will happen in the next couple of days.”

Is that a suggestion Gaudreau will join the adult table soon?

Ward said things could change on a daily basis with the groups, but on Tuesday it was the exact same rosters.

That meant third line winger Dillon Dube and Buddy Robinson were still “unable to participate” and that Andrew Mangiapane was also separated from his usual second line pals, Mikael Backlund and Matthew Tkachuk. (Derek Ryan was also scratched Tuesday after leaving practice early Monday).

Monahan downplayed Gaudreau’s absence from the big boys, hinting that whatever COVID-19 constraints have been placed on the team would end soon enough.

“The big thing is timing and game situational stuff,” he said when asked of things they’d normally be working on as a trio.

“At the moment we’re in two different groups. I think it’s good they’re broken down so you’re getting your work in and your reps. I’m not really 1188217 Websites Practice begins without Shea Weber, Xavier Ouellet or Brett Kulak — Eric Engels (@EricEngels) July 14, 2020

He did, however, hit the ice after practice for a skating session, and Sportsnet.ca / NHL Training Camps Day 2 Live Blog: Goalies aren't Sportsnet’s Eric Engels reported that head coach Claude Julien expects messing around Weber to be back at full practice Wednesday.

Shea Weber is on the ice now after missing practice. Emily Sadler | July 14, 2020, 12:42 PM — Eric Engels (@EricEngels) July 14, 2020

Habs fans are with their team, even when they can’t be Tuesday marks the second day of NHL return-to-play training camps, While training camps are, of course, closed to fans, the Canadiens found allowing all 24 clubs set to resume play to hit the ice for full-team a creative way to let their players know the fans are rooting for them — workouts and practices with coaches as they re-start their quest for the from home: Stanley Cup. Ovi’s still Ovi As we outlined in yesterday’s blog to mark the official opening of Phase 3, media members are permitted into the facilities — though they must In times like these, sometimes all we crave is a sense of normalcy. So wear masks, follow social distancing rules, and are not allowed in any here’s Alex Ovechkin, doing what he does best: areas where players are. That means all press conferences and interviews are still being conducted virtually, to ensure everyone’s health Stamkos skates again and safety. Steven Stamkos, who’s recovering from a lower-body injury sustained Here’s a look at what’s happening at rinks around the league on Day 2 of during Phase 2, hit the ice again for a solo session. No word yet on when the newly-opened NHL training camps. Check back throughout the day he’ll be able to join the team for practice. as we update with new developments from around the NHL: Goalies aren’t messing around today

Maple Leafs replace Timothy Liljegren on Phase 3 roster Canadiens netminder Carey Price put on a pretty good show on Monday, The Toronto Maple Leafs announced on Tuesday that defenceman Mac and his peers in the blue paint are following suit on Tuesday. Hollowell has been named to the club’s Phase 3 roster, replacing rookie Carey Price est de retour, tout le monde. rearguard Timothy Liljegren. Carey Price is back, everybody.#GoHabsGo Defenceman Mac Hollowell has replaced defenceman Timothy pic.twitter.com/f4a7YDBLAe Liljegren on the Phase 3 Return to Play roster.#LeafsForever — Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) July 14, 2020 — Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) July 14, 2020 Among Tuesday’s hockey highlights are some top-notch saves. Liljegren was the only player absent from the opening day of camp on Philadelphia Flyers veteran netminder Brian Elliott, Tampa Bay Lightning Monday, and was designated “unfit to play” by the team in accordance starter Andrei Vasilevskiy, and Winnipeg Jets star Connor Hellebuyck are with the new league rule that centralizes all players’ health and injury in fine form after the hiatus: updates with the league and not specific teams. As Sportsnet‘s Shawn McKenzie noted, Liljegren was seen at the Leafs’ facilities on Tuesday. “Did you get that?”

Liljegren, 21, made his debut with the Maple Leafs during the second half Sure did, @KidElls1. https://t.co/Eq5Oxs730k of this season, getting a chance to suit up on the club’s bruised-up blue pic.twitter.com/0BwicTB9TZ line down the stretch. Hollowell, also 21, spent the bulk of 2019-20 with the AHL’s Marlies (three goals and 12 points through 34 games) after — x-Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) July 14, 2020 starting the season with the ECHL’s Newfoundland Growlers. Meanwhile, over in Edmonton, Mike Smith and Mikko Koskinen are really After initially being named to the Phase 3 return-to-play roster on battling it out: Sunday, Hollowell was replaced by forward Nic Petan later the same day A battle along the boards between Mike Smith and Mikko but now gets another opportunity. Koskinen.pic.twitter.com/UE0DpAROhp

Special plays for special teams — Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) July 14, 2020

The Maple Leafs brought in officials on Tuesday in an effort to improve Get ready for goalie goals in Vancouver… their special teams by simulating in-game situations. Panthers have an opening behind the bench The #leafs have brought two referees and two linesmen on the ice while simulating special teams work on Day 2 of camp. Florida Panthers assistant coach Mike Kitchen announced Monday, with full support from his NHL club, that he’s not joining the team in its return- They're not scrimmaging; just running a series of power plays. to-play for personal and health reasons. pic.twitter.com/ddZ7RXpTen In his absence, Panthers reporter George Richards noted that Springfield — Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) July 14, 2020 Thunderbirds head coach Geordie Kinnear is behind one of the benches The Leafs’ struggles on the penalty kill have been well-documented in for Phase 3 and could sub in for Kitchens. post-seasons past, ultimately falling apart against Boston last spring and Geordie Kinnear, the #FlaPanthers AHL coach, is behind one of the costing them the first-round series. benches for the scrimmage; Florida assistant Andrew Brunette is behind The power-play squad, on the other hand, is looking pretty smooth: the other. With Mike Kitchen not joining the team during this restart, perhaps Kinnear — who played D during his pro career – could be [touches earpiece] staying. pic.twitter.com/1aZWBzPtHu

Yes we have been informed there are no opponents on the ice. — George Richards (@GeorgeRichards) July 14, 2020

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) July 14, 2020 Blues heading into overtime already

Weber out for Tuesday’s practice The St. Louis Blues aren’t easing into camp, and reigning Conn Smythe winner Ryan O’Reilly is leading the way. After leading the team through much of Monday’s warmup and on-ice drills (and giving us all a glimpse of his pandemic-turned-playoff beard), He also made sure to put on a mask before leaving the Zoom call. Montreal Canadiens captain Shea Weber was not present at Tuesday’s (Be like Ryan! Wear a mask!) practice. — Peter Baugh (@Peter_Baugh) July 14, 2020 We’ve also got a Vladimir Tarasenko sighting… Tarasenko hasn’t played since the end of October, poised to return from shoulder surgery just as the league came to a halt in March. He was activated off injured reserve on Monday.

Head coach Craig Berube said No. 91 shows no signs of rust.

Look who else is putting in the extra work:

Welcome back, Vatanen

Here’s a face we haven’t seen in a while:

The Devils traded defenceman Sami Vatanen to the Hurricanes at February’s deadline, but because he was injured at the time, he wasn’t able to make his debut before league operations were suspended a few weeks later. He skated with teammates during Phase 2, and is now finally able to participate in team activities as he prepares for an especially long-awaited Hurricanes debut.

Eller said he’s planning to leave NHL bubble for birth of child

While we all enjoy the hockey highlights coming our way, it’s important to also keep in the mind the personal side of this return-to-play, too, as players prepare to leave their families and get back to the game. Capitals forward Lars Eller shared some insight into his own mindset, and the level of trust each player must have in his teammates in order to keep everyone healthy at this stage.

Insightful conversation with Lars Eller of @Capitals today on a Zoom call, including this bit on the NHL's return to play. He's absolutely right: Pre-bubble training camps are by far the trickiest thing to control. pic.twitter.com/o8x97hSEoC

— Greg Wyshynski (@wyshynski) July 14, 2020

Eller also said he plans on leaving Toronto’s NHL bubble to be with his wife, Julie, during the birth of the couple’s second child. Eller said during a conference call that he’s working with the Capitals on “making the necessary arrangements so I can be there for the birth and then come back to the bubble after that.” (Quotes via Greg Wyshynski of ESPN.)

All eyes on the young guys

Included in the return-to-play protocols are guidelines around teams bringing in some extra depth, which means we’re seeing some younger prospects getting some time with the big clubs in camp.

Nick Robertson (Leafs), Brogan Rafferty and Kole Lind (Canucks) and Adam Ruzicka (Flames) are getting some looks.

"Very shifty. I think that's the biggest thing I saw. He's got a really good release, so looks like he can score." —Frederik Andersen on facing Nick Robertson

— luke fox (@lukefoxjukebox) July 14, 2020

"He needs to really show it, make it obvious that he's ready, and he's got some time to be able to do that." —Sheldon Keefe on Nick Robertson

— luke fox (@lukefoxjukebox) July 14, 2020

Not expecting too many surprises roster wise against Minnesota but if you’re looking at one long shot who could play against the Wild, Rafferty is a good bet https://t.co/Zbgv7AQjH7

— Satiar Shah (@SatiarShah) July 14, 2020

The Canucks’ top prospect from Utica is now on the ice as Kole Lind takes his first skate with the second group. pic.twitter.com/FxDK1fdjhi

— Faber (@ChrisFaber39) July 14, 2020

The kid, picking corners like it's nothing pic.twitter.com/gJJRNKsKx5

— Calgary Flames (@NHLFlames) July 14, 2020

Exhibition games taking shape

We’ll close out the Day 2 camp learnings with a note from Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston and Elliotte Friedman on how exhibition games might take shape once teams are in their NHL bubbles and gearing up for the real deal:

Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 07.15.2020 1188218 Websites in this tournament for the Stanley Cup. Now the question is, will Price offer the type of performance that stands up to his reputation?

In 58 appearances with the Canadiens this season, the Anahim Lake, Sportsnet.ca / Canadiens' long shot Stanley Cup bid rests on Carey B.C., native had a .909 save percentage and a 2.79 goals-against Price's impact average. Those aren’t exactly numbers that would strike fear in an opponent.

But if the Canadiens get the Price who posted a .933 save percentage Eric Engels | July 14, 2020, 12:02 PM and a 1.86 goals-against average in his last playoff appearance (in 2017), watch out.

Defence? MONTREAL—As painful as it might be for the Montreal Canadiens and their fans to look back on the first 71 games of a season that appeared The thought of having Shea Weber at 100 per cent has to be a all but guaranteed to end in a third consecutive playoff miss, it’s an comforting one for a Canadiens team that hasn’t had the benefit of their essential exercise to run through before we begin to look forward. captain being rested and healthy for many games since he was traded to Montreal in the summer of 2016. When the NHL slammed the pause button in the second week of March due to risks associated to the novel coronavirus, the Canadiens were all Beyond Weber, Ben Chiarot has to pick up where he left off—the 6-foot- but finished. They had suffered two eight-game losing streaks early on 3, 225-pounder hit career highs in goals, points and average time on ice that proved devastating, they lost all four games to a Detroit Red Wings in 69 games. team that won just 13 times in their 67 other contests, and they failed to gain any ground on multiple teams ahead of them in the Eastern Ditto for Jeff Petry, who registered at least 40 points for a third Conference standings who had left the door to the playoffs wide open consecutive season. with losing spells of their own. After that, it gets a little dicey. It wasn’t all bad. Can Brett Kulak be a stable No. 4 after an up-and-down season? Can Nick Suzuki emerged as one of the best rookies in the NHL, and a couple 22-year-old Victor Mete take a crucial step forward in his development of fellow 2017 draft picks, Cale Fleury and Ryan Poehling, got their feet and produce more offence? Can one of Noah Juulsen or Fleury prove wet at hockey’s highest level. The Canadiens established themselves as reliable enough to play above Christian Folin in the pecking order? a 5-on-5 juggernaut with the league’s second-best shot attempt There are depth issues here, particularly on the left side of the defence. differential and generated the second-most high-danger scoring chances. Karl Alzner has opted out of returning to play this summer, and that But the fact they were 13th in both 5-on-5 goals and 5-on-5 goal leaves Gustav Olofsson and Xavier Ouellet competing as options. differential speaks to their inefficiency in capitalizing on chances and When you look at the sum of the parts, it’s hard to view this as a team highlights some of the issues they had defending their own end. It’s also strength. indicative of the goaltending being largely inconsistent throughout and not up to par for portions of the season. Who’s going to score the goals?

Speaking of not being up to par: Montreal’s power play, which had shown Tomas Tatar and Brendan Gallagher each had 22 goals to lead the early-season signs of life after a pathetic offering in 2018-19, had Canadiens this season, but they both play on the same line. produced less than any other team in the league from Feb. 1 to Mar. 11. And, over the same period of time, the Canadiens’ penalty kill had That means Jonathan Drouin, Joel Armia, Paul Byron, Artturi Lehkonen, managed to kill off just 79.3 per cent of its penalties, which was 20th-best Suzuki and Domi (if he’s available) are going to have to provide that in the 31-team circuit. crucial secondary boost.

Their special teams were an accurate reflection of where they were, from The fact Domi leads that group with 17 goals highlights the concern a mental standpoint, when the season was paused: With 11 games Montreal might have in this department. remaining and a 10-point deficit in the standings to overcome, the Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 07.15.2020 Canadiens were dejected, downtrodden and dreading having to wait any longer to be put out of their misery.

But that’s all in the past now.

What will four months away from the ice offer the Canadiens—or any other team—in the way of perspective? What will the benefits of extensive rest do for them both physically and psychologically? What will the unexpected opportunity to play for a Stanley Cup bring out of them?

There are a lot of unknowns here.

But the unknown should be a welcome commodity for the Canadiens and their fans—especially up against all we learned about the team from October to March.

Here are some of their key storylines moving forward…

Max Domi’s availability

The 25-year-old, who has type-1 diabetes and celiac disease, is in the middle of a seven-to-10-day holding pattern, waiting to receive clearance from doctors to play.

Domi produced 17 goals and 44 points in 71 games this season after scoring 28 goals and 72 points over the course of the 2018-19 season. If the Canadiens don’t have him at their disposal –specifically up the middle — their chances of advancing past the play-in round go from not very good to dismal.

The Carey Price factor

We know the spectre of playing against the soon-to-be 33-year-old was a big part of the reason some teams fought against having the eight teams that were on the playoff bubble when the season was paused participate 1188219 Websites Toronto had gone 4-2-1 in its last seven. The pre-deadline trade for Kyle Clifford and Jack Campbell had injected the room with a triple dose of sorely needed leadership, sandpaper and backup goaltending. And Andersen had emerged on the happy side of a slump. Sportsnet.ca / Leafs hope to reset as they return to play in roller-coaster season While it would be silly to believe any momentum from early March can be transported to August, it would be equally foolish to assume that a team this loaded with scorers, this unpredictable, is incapable of making this summer eventful, in a good way. (We see you, Nick Robertson.) Luke Fox | July 14, 2020, 12:00 PM “We’ve got as good a chance as anybody,” said Tyson Barrie, preparing

for his first and last dance as a Maple Leaf. “If anybody can come out of “It certainly has been eventful.” this thing ready to rock, it’s going to be us.

From quarantine, head coach Sheldon Keefe made that beautiful “We’ve got skill, we’ve got speed, and we’ve got youth on our side. I think understatement on the unique and exciting roller-coaster that is the 2019- we should have no problem coming out of this thing.” 20 Toronto Maple Leafs. We Miss… The Game Ball Theirs is a ride — for fans whose patience is tall enough to board — that The Leaf: Blueprint Moment presented by will make you scream with delight (“William Nylander, 30-goal bargain!”) @Molson_Canadian#LeafsForever pic.twitter.com/FGqHkhn6zv and vomit in disgust (“We lost to a Zamboni driver and Maple Leafs fan… that we’re paying!”). Sometimes in the span of 72 hours. — Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) May 20, 2020

General manager Kyle Dubas, at once architect of hockey’s most Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 07.15.2020 exhilarating and infuriating roster, hit the nail on the head when he described his Leafs as “Jekyll and Hyde.”

Management, coaching staff, players, critics — they all point to the same issue: consistency. Which is a helluva thing to bottle in a season that saw significant injuries to so many core players (Morgan Rielly, Jake Muzzin, John Tavares, Mitch Marner, Zach Hyman, Travis Dermott, Frederik Andersen) and a dramatic mid-season coaching change that ushered in a fresh identity and rejigged line combinations.

Fast and young, these Leafs can lay an egg against a Buffalo team in disarray. Then spin around and execute a gutsy, clinical win, like in their most recent appearance, a 2-1 victory over Cup-contending Tampa Bay Lightning on March 10.

This is a collective that is still searching for reliability playing in front of a fan base that, after three first-round playoff exits, is starting to worry they may never find it.

“An important distinction that should be made is we didn’t necessarily say that our team was immature, we said that we played immature. I think those are two different things,” said Keefe, reflecting on the 70-game tornado.

“We’ve shown at times that we can play very well against the best teams in the league and get great results from that. It’s a matter of us finding that more consistently. We can attach whatever description we want to it, but the reality is we need to take steps both as a team and individually. Right now, when we’re not playing, it’s a chance for us reset, but also really identify where we want to grow and how we’re going to get there.”

Again, Toronto was able to roll out elite offensive power. Auston Matthews was set to cruise past 50 goals and go hunting for the Rocket Richard Trophy as well as some fringe Hart Trophy votes. Nylander was driving to the net and enjoying a career-best performance (31 goals, 59 points). Marner, Tavares and Hyman were all delivering. The power play was even scarier than last year’s.

Since Keefe took the reins, the Maple Leafs rank first in goals-per-game (3.51), and their power play ranks second overall at 26.4 per cent.

The areas of improvement need major work.

Toronto allowed the sixth-most goals, often on Grade-A chances resulting from cringeworthy giveaways and odd-man rushes. This helps explain why the club ranks 29th in team save percentage (.902). And for the third consecutive season, Toronto’s penalty-killing worsened, settling at a disappointing 21st overall (77.7 per cent).

“We have to get better,” Keefe said. “The biggest area for us to get better at is to be more consistent in both our preparation and our effort and then, ultimately, on our performance.

“We need to give ourselves an opportunity through a foundation of work ethic and competitiveness and discipline and structure, all of those things which give you a chance to win every day.”

The good news here is the roller-coaster was embarking another encouraging ascent before the pandemic slammed off all power. 1188220 Websites from 80.6 per cent in the last three regular seasons to just 64.8 per cent in the last three playoffs.

Toronto’s special teams units at practice on Tuesday looked the same as TSN.CA / Defence and more defence Sheldon Keefe's main focus in those we saw during the season. camp PP1

Tyson Barrie Mark Masters Mitch Marner - John Tavares - Auston Matthews

William Nylander TSN Toronto reporter Mark Masters checks in daily with news and notes PP2 on the Maple Leafs, who practised in two groups at the Ford Performance Centre on Tuesday. Morgan Rielly

Two days into his first training camp as Maple Leafs head coach, it's Kasperi Kapanen - Alex Kerfoot - Spezza crystal clear what Sheldon Keefe is focused on. Zach Hyman "I don't think it's any secret that we got to be a lot better defensively," he said after Tuesday's workout. "There's no area of our game defensively PK1 that we were satisfied with. We're not kidding ourselves here. We know Hyman - Marner there's a lot of areas we need to look at and frankly it's every area. From all three zones, everything that we're doing there, we're either tweaking it Jake Muzzin - Holl and making changes structurally to how we were playing or we're having more focused intensity and commitment to the habits and detail within it." PK2

In 23 games under Mike Babcock to start this season, the Leafs allowed Ilya Mikheyev - Kapanen 3.43 goals against per game, which ranked 24th in the National Hockey Rielly - Cody Ceci League. After Keefe took over the number dipped to 3.04, which ranked 17th in the league in that stretch of 47 games. So, there's still plenty of Tuesday's scrimmage was entirely focused on special teams work, with room for improvement. power play units facing the penalty kill in a series of two-minute shifts. A full officiating crew – two referees and two linesmen – oversaw the work. "We fully expect our guys to be a lot better defensively when we come back here and, of course, we're going to need to be given what's at "You got to get used to where the refs are out there," said Nylander. stake," Keefe said. "That's the greatest area of opportunity for us to grow "Even coming into the zone and setting up, it's different because they as a team so that's our focus here." take up space. That was a great aspect to be put in there."

Keefe said his initial priority after taking over in November was to get the The officials actually would've been at Monday's scrimmage, but needed highly skilled Leafs playing to their offensive potential and, sure enough, to go through COVID-19 testing. the team led the league in scoring after the coaching change. But getting a group that has long struggled defensively to take another step in that "Any time we're doing any sort of scrimmaging, we'd like to have the area proved a trickier needle to thread. The hope is this truncated officials involved if we can," Keefe said. "Even though we were doing training camp will be a turning point and allow Keefe to really put his special teams, we still think it adds a little bit of a game element to it. imprint on the team. Certainly the professionalism of the faceoffs and the way that things were called, we missed having them on the ice. Just the fact that you have four "For him it's huge to establish things and make more concrete changes," extra bodies out there, that in itself is different and I think it's important. said veteran forward Jason Spezza. "He will be able to go over the We're trying to get up to speed to game feel and intensity and all those details more thoroughly. We had an understanding of what he wanted, things as quickly as possible." but now we have a chance to work on it for a longer period of time so this is a great opportunity to get on the same page." Keefe says five more scrimmages are planned at training camp with a longer one scheduled for Wednesday. There will also be more special And for the first time all season, the blueline is completely healthy, which teams scrimmages as well. The coach credited the players for their should provide a big boost. Although Keefe was quick to point out this is diligence in Phase 2, which helped the coaching staff move into more a team-wide issue. advanced stuff right from the start of camp.

"When we talk about our team getting better defensively, it's easy of "We got so much work done in Phase 2 that we really believe has put us course to focus on the defence, but our message here throughout this ahead of the game here in terms of conditioning and some of the things camp is that it's not just on the defence," Keefe said. "Our forwards have we were able to get done there," Keefe said. "That has allowed us to got to do more work and we've got to be a five-man unit in how we really be, in my opinion, ahead of where we thought we might be at this defend each zone and a lot of the work falls on the forwards. That's stage. We've been able to try different things and do different things and where we need to get a lot better." have a greater volume of work and special teams is something we've been able to move up and we're happy to do so because it is very Justin Holl revealed that the team is looking at incorporating some new important." plays that will help them break out more smoothly. But, he also said the defence core believes it can take a step when it comes to playing in their Leafs Ice Chips: Special teams in the spotlight own end. On Tuesday the Maple Leafs had referees on the ice to simulate real "As defencemen, we can do a better job of killing plays down low," Holl game action as they worked on their power play and penalty kill. Mark said. "So if a team gets on the cycle or maybe they rap it back down from Masters has more on Day 2 and Sheldon Keefe's reasoning for focusing the point to relieve some pressure, it's about making sure we kill those on their specials teams this early in Phase 3. plays and not allow other teams to get moving on us and feeling good about themselves." ---

Defence is the main priority, but it's not the only one. On Tuesday, much On Tuesday, Nylander spoke to the media for the first time since the of the on-ice work focused on special teams. season was paused back in March. The 24-year-old winger revealed that he spent the first two months of the pandemic with his brother, Chicago "It's a huge part of any season, but in the playoffs it can make or break Blackhawks winger Alexander Nylander, in Florida. you so we wanted to get right at it," Keefe said. "It was a lot of fun. It had a been a long time since we spent that much In the past three playoffs, Toronto's power play clicked on 20.4 per cent time together," Nylander said. "We were playing video games and tennis of its chances, which was down from 23.5 per cent in the last three every day. We played probably about 45 matches and I think he was up regular seasons. The penalty kill has been more problematic collapsing one or two." Nylander returned to Toronto a couple days after Phase 2 skates began in early June.

After exploding for 31 goals in 68 games in the regular season, Nylander is now looking to prove himself in the playoffs.

"That's where all the big players show up ... I think ... my game this year will help me become a dominant player in the playoffs."

Nylander has scored just three goals in 20 career NHL playoff games.

In the final game before the pause, Nylander was reunited on a line with Matthews and Hyman and that trio has remained together to open training camp. Keefe said he didn't spend too much time thinking about what to do with his combinations during the pause.

"Just before the pause we had made that switch so I felt strongly enough about it at that time," Keefe said. "The main goal of having Mitch play with Auston when he did was just to see what that chemistry would be like with a bigger sample. Really liked what we saw from it, obviously, we saw great success with it and now we have confidence in that if we decide to switch back at any time. I think if I've shown anything it's that I wouldn't stick with anything for too long that isn't working.

"But I also believe that Mitch is a great player that's good no matter where we put him and he certainly had great chemistry with John. We need to have two very good lines. We think that Mikheyev will bring a lot to that. That said, we've got two weeks here and I expect to move things around a little bit here and there just to try different things and get guys comfortable with each other and renew some chemistry. I expect it to move around a fair bit, but we like the fact that really within that top-six forward group we've got lots of combinations that can work."

After career year, Nylander aims to prove himself in the playoffs

William Nylander reveals he went down to Florida for two months with his brother for part of the NHL pause and after a career year he's hoping to prove himself in the playoffs.

---

After being deemed "unfit to play" on Monday, defenceman Timothy Liljegren was removed from the training camp roster. Mac Hollowell took his spot on Tuesday.

Lines at Tuesday's practice:

Forwards

Nylander - Matthews - Hyman

Mikheyev - Tavares - Marner

Engvall - Kerfoot - Kapanen

Clifford - Gauthier - Spezza

Robertson - Brooks - Korshkov

Agostino - Petan - Malgin

Gaudet

Defencemen

Muzzin - Holl

Rielly - Ceci

Dermott - Barrie

Sandin - Marincin

Rosen - Kivihalme

Hollowell

Goaltenders

Andersen

Campbell

Woll

Kaskisuo

TSN.CA LOADED: 07.15.2020 1188221 Websites and get guys comfortable with each other and renew some chemistry so I expect it to move around a fair bit.”

This is Keefe’s first training camp as an NHL coach, since he was TSN.CA / Fired up William Nylander aims to become dominant Toronto promoted behind the Leafs’ bench to replace Mike Babcock in Maple Leaf when play resumes November. So far, Nylander’s been impressed with Keefe's structure for each day.

“I think it's run really efficiently,” he said. “We’re getting a lot of work done Kristen Shilton in the little time that we have and we've gone through a lot of things just in the first two days. We're getting scrimmages going and obviously that's

really important with the limited amount of games we get to play [just one TORONTO —When the COVID-19 pandemic cut short the NHL’s regular exhibition tilt] before the actual play-in starts.” season in March, it also halted what was swiftly becoming the best In Tuesday’s session, Keefe actually had two linesmen and a referee on season of William Nylander's career. the ice during special teams scrimmages, adding some realism to the But he's not feeling slighted. Rather, Nylander is using that success to power play and penalty kill work. fuel his ultimate goal of becoming a bona fide playoff performer for the "That was great,” Nylander said. “You’ve got to get used to where the Maple Leafs, when they embark on another postseason run in Phase 4 of refs are out there coming into the zone and just setting up in the zone. It's the NHL’s return to play plan next month. a little different, because they take up some space, so running [drills] “[The playoffs] are where all the big players show up,” Nylander told without it would leave some more space for the power play, obviously, reporters on a Zoom call from Ford Performance Centre on Tuesday, and I think that was a great aspect to be put in there.” where Toronto’s Phase 3 training camp continued.” And that's where I Still, nothing can totally prepare Toronto for what’s ahead, when it think a big part of my game this year will help me become a dominant transitions from not playing a game in four months to starting a do-or-die player in the playoffs.” playoff series. Like everywhere else in life though, the Leafs are learning Nylander hasn’t reached such heights in playoffs past, producing just 11 to adapt. points (three goals, eight assists) in 20 postseason games. But he's “Obviously, it's different,” Nylander shrugged. “We haven't been skating rarely been as commanding a presence on the ice as he was in 2019-20. as a team in a long time so it's nice to be out there. And I think we're Through 68 games before the pause, Nylander put up 59 points (two shy pushing the pace hard, even before the camp started, so I think we got of his career high in an 82-game season) and a career-high 31 goals, the conditioning aspect pretty dialed there and hopefully that'll help us placing him second only to Auston Matthews in that category among going into this postseason.” Leafs. TSN.CA LOADED: 07.15.2020 It was all a triumphant return to form for Nylander, who cobbled together a forgettable 27-point season in 2018-19 after missing the Leafs’ first 28 games embroiled in a contract stalemate. But while the 24-year-old will never know now just how inflated his recent stats could have become, he’ll still take valuable lessons from the pandemic-shortened year into Toronto’s playoff push.

“I was playing pretty good there,” Nylander acknowledged. “I got into a good flow and I think I started to find my game and develop in the areas where my strengths are and that I use the most out there. I think I was getting more out of my game.”

When the NHL first went on pause, Nylander took some much-needed time to decompress, traveling to Florida with his brother Alex for a couple months. It turned out to be not only a bonding experience for the siblings, but a chance for Nylander to keep his competitive juices flowing.

“I think we played probably about 45 [tennis] matches,” Nylander laughed. “And I think he was up one or two [games] there when we left Florida so it was a pretty tight [competition]. It was a long time ago since we spent that much time together. We had a blast. We were playing video games, playing tennis every day, so it was lots of fun.”

But once the NHL announced its plan to get back on the ice, in a 24-team playoff tournament set to kick-off Aug. 1, Nylander made his way back to Toronto for voluntary Phase 2 workouts. Those set the stage for his emergence in Phase 3, which will be a two-week long build-up towards the Leafs facing the Columbus Blue Jackets in Phase 4’s best-of-five qualifying round play-in series.

“I [only] missed like two practices of Phase 2, so I feel pretty good out there,” Nylander said. “I think the conditioning that we’d been doing during [that] has helped us a lot with getting our legs going [again]. We were only five guys for the beginning of Phase 2, so that got us a lot of conditioning going and we had a lot of skates so I think we're feeling pretty good.”

Head coach Sheldon Keefe opted to put Nylander back on his former line with Matthews and Zach Hyman to start training camp, a place Nylander has always been comfortable (“we know there’s chemistry there”) but that may not be his home for long.

“That [line combination] is how we finished, just before the pause,” Keefe explained. “We had made that switch, so I felt strongly enough about it at that time [to revisit it]. That said, it's about two weeks [we have] here. I expect to move things around a little bit here and just try different things 1188222 Websites "We talked a little about that today and it's no longer doing it on the fly. We were kind of doing things on the fly after the coaching change and trying to change up a few things and make a few tweaks to our system and now we get more of a chance to be all together, take some days, go TSN.CA / View from Vegas: Nate Schmidt on staying safe, Vegas through it all. We were getting to that point near the stoppage so our Golden Knights' chances guys can build on that and now we have some extra time ... it's going to be a huge advantage for us to have that extra time with him."

You guys went on an 11-2-0 run before the pause. What makes you Mark Masters confident you can pick up where you left off?

"I like our team make-up. We got two elite goaltenders and guys that can At first, Nate Schmidt was disappointed when Las Vegas wasn't named a score. Our top nine forwards, I think you can go out and put them up hub city in the National Hockey League’s return-to-play plan. against anybody. Our D with Alec Martinez coming in, he has been a calming presence, a guy with a lot of experience, who's helped Shea "Vegas is such a great place and we had such a great package that you Theodore, who’s been our catalyst on the back end this year, propelling could deliver here," the Golden Knights defenceman said. "I wish I him to new heights. Now, we still got to go through the champs. We got could've been there to say, 'Come on! It's awesome! See what we have to go through a team like Colorado. And all the teams in the Pacific here?!’ It's something you want for the city, but from our perspective, in always find a way to make the series hard against each other. Hopefully the hockey sense, it's almost easier to go away. we'll see the Battle of Alberta, just as a fan I want to see it. So, the Pacific is always hard and, like I said, the road goes through St. Louis. But I like "Now, we don't have the comforts of home five minutes away or the our group and the way our team has been. We’ve been here throughout grocery store where you know you could go and they have your favourite the entire quarantine and guys have been training a lot and we're in a piece of fish or whatever. So, at home all those luxuries you have are at good place right now." your fingertips, but in the bubble you can't quite reach it." What do you think the hockey will be like when things get going in NHL commissioner Gary Bettman has acknowledged that a key reason August? Will it be loose and high scoring like in October or crazy intense why Vegas didn't get the call to host the resumption of play for Western with everyone so well rested? Conference teams was because the number of positive tests in the Las Vegas area is trending up. And that's something Schmidt and his "Man, rest is a real thing in hockey. You play 82 games plus playoffs teammates spoke about on the eve of training camp. They see what usually, but now you get a break ... if our scrimmage today is any happened in Major League Soccer, with two teams being forced to leave indication it’s going to be the highest-paced games of all-time (laughs). I the MLS is Back tournament due to outbreaks, as a cautionary tale. mean, guys were flying left and right and I remember getting off the ice from my first shift and one of the other defencemen, Jake Bishoff who "You put all the work in and all the sudden you get get shutdown," plays for our AHL team, he was like, 'That’s the fastest hockey shift I've Schmidt said. "So, we talked about how important it is to have this ever seen,' and guys were buzzing left and right. So, if that's any sacrifice for the next 14 days ... it's like, 'We've come so far, guys. I know indication, I would tell you right now it's going to be pretty quick." it's not the most ideal situation, but we get to go back and play and do the thing we love doing." What level of intensity are you expecting in the seeding games against Colorado, St. Louis and Dallas? The chance to reunite as a full group on Monday for the first time in four months was a reminder of why they're willing to go through all the testing “It's a good question. I've thought about this a few times. I'm kind of on and protocols for a chance to play for the Stanley Cup. Even just playing the fence. I think it will be a little more of that first-game feel or maybe an inter-squad scrimmage provided a morale boost. feel like the last pre-season game where you got most of the team playing and guys are going hard because they want to ramp up, they "You go through the whole quarantine, you're working out and maybe want to be able to hit that first game of the year in stride, but not at risk. If doing small group stuff, and you don't really realize how much you miss Colton Parayko is lining up for a one-timer, am I really going to step into it the game until you step out onto the ice and get to play again and then in a seeding game? You know, yeah, competitive juices say yes, but also you're like, 'I can’t believe I haven't been doing this for four months.' So, at that point I just got to make sure I'm OK. Those games are important, that puts it back in perspective and you know you can really handle these because last change is important so I think once guys get in it and all the next two weeks." sudden, you know, mouths start yapping or a d-man gets walked or Schmidt spoke to TSN via Zoom on Monday night and offered insight on something like that, it’ll pick up. You know, all the sudden everyone is what the games may look like when play resumes for real in August. The hooting and hollering and you'll be able to hear everybody. Those guys 28-year-old from Minnesota also explained why teammate Mark Stone will be talking on the bench and it's not like we have to yell over the pissed him off on Day 1 of Knights camp. The following is an edited speakers. I can talk at this volume and speak to the goalie on the other transcript of the interview. team so it's going to be interesting. I'm going to have to go to the dictionary for some new words when I get there. I'm not good with my So, what was it like getting the gang back together? chirps. I may have to sit down with Reavo [Ryan Reaves] one of these "You know what, it was pretty fantastic. We've had most of our guys here days." in town so it was really crisp. We've been itching to get at it. It was great. How do you feel about your game this season and now going into the There was a lot of yapping back and forth between the two teams in our playoffs? scrimmage at the start and that type of camaraderie is what we've missed and what I've missed. I got out there with [Jonathan] "Getting hurt in the first game of the year is never what you want to do so Marchessault to start the day and I was betting him that he wasn’t going it took me a bit longer than I liked to get going. We were up and down to score against me today and it’s that kind of stuff that brings it back and and I wanted to be back. I had just gone through not being with the team makes days like today fun." at the start of the year prior so it was hard for me. I got myself in a position where I was down about it and was like, 'Man, I missed another Anyone impress you and come out of the break looking really good? first part of the year,' and this one is harder because you don't know when you’re going to back. As the year went along I started to play a little Oh what a beautiful sight pic.twitter.com/IiAJI0xxoW better and our whole group started to play better. How we were playing — y-Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) July 13, 2020 as a group morphed my game. Myself and Shea, Brayden [McNabb] and Alec Martinez, we all started trending up together and that’s good, but we "Mark Stone already stands out but, I mean, today it just seems like he have to start that way. So, for me, I feel great, my body feels great, we doesn't miss a beat. He's just one of those guys. It pisses me off actually, got rest, I feel fantastic. I mean, today, I didn’t know if I wanted to get off because he can just go out, pick up a stick, and be good again (smiles). the ice a few times in the scrimmage. My legs and lungs felt great. He was on my team today so I was super happy and was on the winning Training when it’s 110 degrees outside is not the most fun thing in the end of that." world but it’s good for your lungs."

Considering you guys went through a coaching change mid-season, how TSN.CA LOADED: 07.15.2020 valuable will this training camp be under new bench boss Peter DeBoer? 1188223 Websites

USA TODAY / Los Angeles' 11 professional sports teams join together to tackle racial injustice

Analis Bailey

The 11 professional sports organizations in greater Los Angeles are joining together in a bid to enact societal change and eradicate racial injustice.

The ALLIANCE: Los Angeles will partner with the Play Equity Fund, a charity established to drive social change within Los Angeles communities through programming and sports. The alliance aims to "drive investment and impact for social justice through sport" and to better cater to underserved populations, with an emphasis on Black communities.

The 11 professional teams making a five-year commitment are the NFL's Rams and Chargers, MLB's Dodgers and Angels, NBA's Lakers and Clippers, NHL's Kings and Anaheim Ducks, WNBA's Sparks and MLS' Galaxy and Los Angeles Football Club.

“The Los Angeles region is one of the world’s most competitive markets, and sports is one of the world’s most competitive industries. But these organizations are putting their competitive instincts aside to work collaboratively for social justice,” said Renata Simril, president of the Play Equity Fund.

Individual teams also are contributing their own initiatives to the overall effort. The Kings have created The LA Kings Inclusion Initiative, which seeks to help eliminate racism within hockey by focusing on hiring and recruiting, youth development programs, fan education and voting and census partnerships with the state of California.

“Diversity and Inclusion are critically important for our organization. Amidst all of the outcry that was amplified with the murder of George Floyd and countless others, and the recurring evidence of systemic racism in our society, we have devoted an enormous amount of time looking inward at our organization and our sport at all levels here locally in Los Angeles,” said LA Kings chief operating officer Kelly Cheeseman. “It is clearly evident that we can do more to contribute to systemic change.”

Top contenders, odds for Washington NFL team's new name

LSU's Ed Orgeron tells VP Mike Pence: 'We need football'

NBA All-Star 'in great spirits' after rejoining team post-COVID

Michigan football recruit stuck in Scotland due of travel ban

Pro athletes opting out of their sports in 2020

The Kings initiative will be led by Blake Bolden, the team's American Hockey League scout and growth and inclusion specialist. She became the first Black professional women's hockey player, playing in both the Canadian Women's Hockey League and National Women's Hockey League.

The alliance and Play Equity Fund will hold a Sports for Social Justice Symposium on July 22, which coincides with National Youth Sports Week July 20-24. The webinar will include social justice leaders, sports commentators and representatives from the alliance's teams.

USA TODAY LOADED: 07.15.2020

1188224 World Leagues News One of the medical experts serving on the GHSA advisory council is Dr. David Marshall, who is also the medical director of sports medicine at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.

Even with COVID-19 cases surging, many schools are preparing for fall “Every parent’s asking right now, ‘Is it safe for my child to return to sports sports?’” Seiden asked Marshall.

“Yeah, I think it is,” Marshall said.

By: Michael Seiden, WSB-TV “Are you concerned potentially of seeing pack high school football Updated: July 14, 2020 - 11:41 PM stadiums on Friday nights?” Seiden asked Marshall.

“Yeah, that is that is a concern, but there are certainly ways around that,” Marshall said. “You might limit the number of people in the stands, so It’s getting to be that time of year when the glow of the Friday Night you can use athletic tape and block off every other seat.” Lights is shining across the Atlanta metro, but many parents say they are wondering if there will even be any high school sports this fall. And if Marshall said when it comes to student-athletes, there are several ways there are – will it be safe for their children to play? they can protect themselves on and off the field.

The Georgia High School Association told Channel 2′s Michael Seiden “We have learned recently that in kids, even the adolescence, that fever that it is hoping to have fall sports but that the situation is very fluid. might not be the main symptom, it might not be respiratory symptoms. Things are changing on a daily basis. Either it’s gastrointestinal stuff, so nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach aches, things like that. So even though that doesn’t involve your We’ve learned as COVID-19 cases continue to surge in Georgia, respiratory system, that still may be a sign of coronavirus, so you don’t thousands of student-athletes are preparing for what’s expected to be a have to have cough and fever to stay home,” Marshall said. season unlike any other. With more adults testing positive, coaches are also staying vigilant. “We’re about five weeks away from the start of the 2020 season. How are you feeling?” Seiden asked Westminster High School rising junior Milton High School football coach Adam Clack recently tested positive for Holden Staes. COVID-19. He talked about battling the virus while appearing on the “Georgia Prep Sports from a Distance” podcast with host I.J. Rosenberg. “I feel good. We haven’t heard anything new in terms of if the season is going to happen or it’s not. So right now, me and my teammates have “(I had) very mild symptoms. Just a little lethargic, no fever or anything been preparing like we’re going to have a season,” Staes said. like that,” Clack said.

Staes is a stellar player who is already gaining attention from college Daniel Brunner is the head football coach at Walton High School in Cobb football powerhouses, such as the University of Georgia, University of County. Alabama and Ohio State University. “I spoke with Coach Park the other day. And you know, he just can’t be The 17-year-old said that he’s anxious to get back into pads. But right with his guys,” Brunner said. now, he and his teammates are only allowed to do on-field conditioning. Brunner told Seiden that each one of his players is required to use a Staes said when it comes to training in the weight room, he has to smartphone to check in to practice by scanning a QR code. Then a practice social distancing while lifting weights and things like that. He coach takes their temperature before they hit the field. said he also has to wear a mask. These are all safety measures to protect the entire team.

“It was definitely hard the first week, but after you get used to working out “For me, one of my biggest fears in coaching is losing a kid. We don’t in a mask, it’s not that bad,” Staes said. want to lose anybody to COVID, whether it’s a coach or player,” Brunner “This time in the summer, the helmet, the pads, full contact — you guys said. are going full speed. But this year, it’s been a little bit different?” Seiden GHSA has made recommendations to all the schools in the state about asked Staes. playing sports in the fall. But ultimately, the decisions are left to the “Usually, we would start putting the pads on late next week. We would school districts about whether or not to let students play. start having our two-a-days. But right now, we can’t have those,” Staes Channel 2 Action News producers spent the day Tuesday contacting said. several school districts in metro Atlanta about their plans for fall sports.

The teen’s father said, so far, he’s been extremely pleased with how "We are continually monitoring COVID-19 case data in the metropolitan school officials and coaches have handled this situation. area and in the DeKalb area to determine next steps regarding fall He, like most parents Seiden spoke with, is supportive of playing games athletic programming," DeKalb County Schools stated. during a pandemic. Fulton County Schools stated: “As a district, we are still planning on “We have the benefit of being at a great school with a lot of resources, so moving forward with the Fall season. We will continue to monitor the we’re confident following Westminster’s lead in this and other things. But conditions around our district as we get closer to the start of Fall as a family, this is one of many activities we talk about daily,” the father practices. As of now, Football practice will start on July 27th, and the said. other fall sports will start on August 1st.”

So what are games going to look like this season? Empty stadiums? Gwinnett schools reported they are following all GHSA practice Closed concession stands? A new rule for the coin toss? They’re all guidelines and will continue to do so. possibilities now under consideration by the Georgia High School Association. Cox Media Group LOADED: 07.15.2020 GHSA executive director Robin Hines said schools are doing a great job following the guidelines, which asks administrators to report all positive COVID-19 cases involving players and coaches.

“There have been 300 positive cases since June 1,” Hines said.

Those 300 are out of tens of thousands of athletes at hundreds of schools. Hines said right now, there are no plans to delay or cancel fall sports.

“We meet weekly with our sports medicine advisory council. And you know, we examine the data and look at where we are and in all of these types of things and make the plan for the next week,” Hines said. 1188225 World Leagues News "You look at the amount of years that guys have played that have been added here," Souza said, "and I think in times of distraction as a veteran, you're able to refocus and reshape what you're able to do to be Why these Cubs look more equipped than most to handle coronavirus successful." season Listening to the holdover Cubs talk since arriving for summer training camp, the messages have sounded almost identical, whether about the buy-in with safety precautions or the trust in teammates to help keep Gordon Wittenmyer each other safe - and even accountable away from the ballpark.

"You're not worried about relationship-building in the middle of all this," Ross said. "These guys have a background with each other. They've Houston Astros general manager James Click said this week that done special things with each other. That's a big bonus for us." "whichever team has the fewest cases of coronavirus is going to win."

Not that his thinking is new. Baseball people have been beating that trash can for weeks when it comes to what it's going to take to NBC Sports Chicago LOADED: 07.15.2020 successfully navigate a 60-game season and playoffs during a pandemic.

What's more, his point doesn't quite hit the mark. Because winning the attrition battle doesn't matter if enough attrition in other places derails the league.

But assuming Major League Baseball can actually pull off a nine-week season starting next week and that the Astros' pandemic algorithm applies at all by mid-October, the Cubs might be far better positioned to still be playing than they seemed to be in before COVID-19 wiped out most of the season.

"There are certain advantages to us being a veteran team," right-fielder Jason Heyward said. "There are certain advantages to us playing together for a number of years."

And that could be a key for any team during this MLB experiment - not only in terms of collective maturity and willingness to buy-in to health and safety protocols, on and off the field, but also to stay focused enough to perform during the daily strangeness.

"The understanding of what championship baseball looks like for a lot of these guys and having a veteran group in the type of environment that we're having to deal with on a daily basis is a huge, huge bonus," manager David Ross said. "I don't need to hold their hand for anything."

Ten current members of this team, including the first-year manager, were among the players in the room the night in Cleveland that Heyward called that famous 10th-inning, rain-delay meeting before the Cubs finished off their historic Game 7 victory four years ago.

They've had three winning seasons together since then, including two more playoff runs. And even before the pandemic shut down sports across the country in March, the urgency of a win-or-blow-up-the-core scenario was an open discussion.

Fast-forward four months.

"This is not a normal setup, and we know we can't take any moment for granted," Heyward said. "This group has done a great job of that over the years, and I'm looking forward to seeing how we carry that into a situation like this. Because I've seen us do a lot of great things in a short amount of time, when our backs are against the wall."

It might not be a coincidence that the Cubs have been the only team in the league without a player or coach testing positive since intake testing began two weeks ago.

"That veteran kind of leadership has helped as well because it's not normal," said outfielder Steven Souza Jr., a veteran grizzled by a severe knee injury that wiped out his 2019 season and the long rehab battle that has brought him to full physical capacity on the brink of this truncated season.

"I'm away from my family, and then for the most part we're just trying to stay to ourselves because nobody wants to accidentally or asymptomatically contract this virus because that means 14 games regardless," Souza said. "So I think you're watching guys handle their business like complete pros."

Ross, Heyward, Anthony Rizzo, Kris Bryant, Javy Báez, Kyle Schwarber, Willson Contreras, Jon Lester and Kyle Hendricks - they all won together in 2016 and remain invested in each other.

But even the newcomers such as Souza, reliever Jeremy Jeffress, second baseman Jason Kipnis and relievers such as Casey Sadler, Dan Winkler and Ryan Tepera bring a combination of veteran maturity, adversity-tested perspective and something to prove. 1188226 World Leagues News

Kings' Barnes isn't at NBA restart, says he has coronavirus

By TIM REYNOLDS AP Basketball Writer

Jul 14, 2020 Updated 1 hr ago

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (AP) — Harrison Barnes of the Sacramento Kings became the latest NBA player to reveal that he has the coronavirus, making the announcement Tuesday and saying he has hopes to join his team for the league’s restart later this summer.

Barnes is the only player who has started all 64 of the Kings’ games this season. To extend that streak, he’ll need to be cleared and arrive at Walt Disney World before Sacramento’s season resumes with the first of its eight seeding games on July 31 against San Antonio.

“Prior to the team leaving last week, I tested positive for Covid-19,” Barnes wrote on social media. “I’ve been primarily asymptomatic and am doing well. I’m quarantined and am abiding by the safety protocol until I’m cleared for action. I hope to join my team in Orlando when it is safe to do so! Stay safe out there.”

Barnes is averaging 14.7 points this season for the Kings.

The league said Monday that 19 players tested positive during in-market testing after July 1, those tests being done before teams began arriving at Disney on July 7. Based on the timetable Barnes used in his message, it’s likely that he was one of those 19 players in the NBA’s latest count.

The Kings have gotten Buddy Hield and Jabari Parker back after each had positive tests. Alex Len, however, remains out after his positive test, and now Barnes is in that situation as well.

“We have to prepare as if we're not going to have either one of those guys," Sacramento coach Luke Walton said. “That's just getting ready for whatever the worst-case scenario may be."

Denver's Nikola Jokic, who tested positive last month, is now at Disney and the Nuggets are waiting to see when the All-Star is going to be cleared to get on the floor.

“I have seen Nikola. It's been somewhat limited and his interaction with his teammates and other coaches has been very limited as well," Nuggets coach Michael Malone said Tuesday night. “That's kind of where we're at with it right now."

Houston’s Russell Westbrook said Monday that he has tested positive and has yet to join the Rockets at Disney. Many players have chosen to not make their diagnosis public, including two players who tested positive after arriving at Disney last week — but never got out of quarantine and into the NBA’s so-called bubble.

“This is the reality of the world that we’re living in right now, with the virus,” Miami coach Erik Spoelstra said. “We’re putting together something that we think really is safe and has everybody’s health as the No. 1 priority. But we know that nothing is 100 percent guaranteed. You have to adhere to the protocols. Everybody has to be mindful of it and respect what we’re trying to get done here.”

Heat forward Derrick Jones Jr., who tested positive for the virus last month and has since recovered to be part of Miami's workouts at Disney, said he never exhibited any signs of illness.

“Physically, I felt great," Jones said. “I never felt a symptom at all."

LOADED: 07.15.2020 1188227 World Leagues News

Report: Nets’ Michael Beasley tests positive for coronavirus, leaves bubble

Dan Feldman

NBC SportsJuly 14, 2020

The Nets – decimated by coronavirus and other issues – signed Michael Beasley.

Now, he has coronavirus.

Beasley traveled to Disney World and began his quarantine, according to Brooklyn general manager Sean Marks. But Beasley’s return to the NBA hit a snag.

Shams Charania of The Athletic:

The NBA announced that two players tested positive for coronavirus during their initial quarantine at Disney World then returned home or to isolation housing. It’s unclear whether Beasley is one of those two players or another case.

An infected player inside the bubble post-quarantine is the NBA’s nightmare scenario. But I’ve seen no evidence Beasley progressed past his quarantine… which was designed precisely to catch an infection before he spread it to others.

However, this situation raises public-health concerns.

Many jurisdictions have limited gatherings amid the coronavirus pandemic. It’s not enough to say people can decide their own risk tolerances. Because coronavirus is so contagious, everyone who contracts it could spread it to others – including those who are trying to minimize their own risk but can’t feasibly completely isolate.

Because of the NBA restart, Beasley traveled to Orlando and now back. How much responsibility does the league bear to ensure he doesn’t expose others en route?

The Nets also face concerns. They’re already down Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, Spencer Dinwiddie, DeAndre Jordan, Taurean Prince, Wilson Chandler and Nicolas Claxton. Will Brooklyn replace Beasley? If so, with whom?

And of course there’s Beasley. Hopefully, he recovers smoothly. But this is yet another complication for the 31-year-old who still faces a five-game suspension (consistent with a third marijuana violation) and struggled on and off the court with the Lakers last season.

NBCSports LOADED: 07.15.2020 1188228 World Leagues News

Sports transfers in California rise during 2019-20 school year despite coronavirus

By ERIC SONDHEIMER COLUMNIST

JULY 14, 20209:59 AM

Despite school closures in March that produced almost a complete stop to sports transfers during the COVID-19 pandemic, 16,025 high school transfers were reported statewide for the 2019-20 school year, according to data released Monday by the California Interscholastic Federation.

That’s a slight increase from the 15,968 transfers in 2018-19, according to the CIF. The all-time high was 16,839 in 2017-18.

The Southern Section, the largest in the state, reported 6,523 transfers, down from 6,630 last school year. Southern Section spokesman Thom Simmons said there was a spike in December, going from 369 the previous December to 509. Valid residence changes went down from 2,071 last year to 1,163 this year after stronger documentation requirements of parents were implemented.

As for the upcoming school year, transfer numbers could rise significantly. A waiver of transfer rules will be allowed for families switching schools for financial reasons and the possibility of high school sports not starting until January could add to the movement.

“It’s hard to judge,” CIF Executive Director Ron Nocetti said. “There’s so many unknowns moving forward. We’ve put in some waivers to allow transfers for financial reasons. That could cause an uptick in transfers.”

LAUSD Superintendent Austin Beutner announced that students won't be returning to campuses on Aug. 18, raising the question whether there will be any City Section sports this fall.

HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS

School team sports unable to be played without physical distancing, L.A. County says

One reason monitoring transfers is important is that teams playing at the highest level no longer seem to have rebuilding years. Their graduating seniors are replaced by one or two top transfer students. Sierra Canyon has won the last two state championships in basketball with multiple transfer students in the starting lineup.

Los Angeles Times LOADED: 07.15.2020 1188229 World Leagues News

NBA star Russell Westbrook in isolation after testing positive for Covid- 19

Staff Report

PUBLISHEDJUL 14, 2020, 1:28 AM SGT

LOS ANGELES (AFP) - NBA star Russell Westbrook revealed Monday (July 13) he has tested positive for Covid-19 as the league gears up for its return in Florida later this month.

Houston Rockets star Westbrook, the 2017 Most Valuable Player and one of the biggest names in the NBA, said in a statement he was feeling well and was in isolation.

"I tested positive for Covid-19 prior to my team's departure to Orlando," Westbrook said on Twitter.

"I'm currently feeling well, quarantined and looking forward to rejoining my teammates when I am cleared. Thank you all for the well wishes and continued support," the 31-year-old added.

"Please take this virus seriously. Be safe. Mask up!"

LOADED: 07.15.2020 1188230 World Leagues News “Every time I leave this place I end up becoming a better player or at least more knowledgeable,” Johnson said. “The O-line is a brotherhood.

“We call it the mushroom society because we take a lot of [expletive] and Inside the NFL offensive linemen summit, where players prepare for a we’re put in the dark.” season of uncertainty Mere weeks away from training camp, players feel similarly in the dark regarding NFL protocols that will minimize spread of infections. Players Jori Epstein expressed concerns over potential COVID-19 testing delays and protocols not yet settled between the NFL and NFL Players Association. USA TODAY None of the three players who spoke to USA TODAY Sports planned to skip the season regardless of protocol. But the unusual circumstances

are on their mind. FRISCO, Texas — As Terron Armstead tells it, no place is a bad place “The excitement I have for the season has kind of been stifled a bit just for an offensive lineman to repeatedly practice his stance. because everything going on,” Cowboys offensive tackle Cam Erving told “It’s something you can do in Walmart, in the cereal aisle,” the All-Pro USA TODAY Sports. “You can’t really get excited because you don’t Saints left tackle told a gathering of 47 NFL and collegiate offensive know what’s going to happen. It’s just different in that sense.” linemen Friday. “Over and over. Repetition.” The risk, too, is potentially more acute for linemen than many of their Armstead’s message was one of many drilled with repetition as veterans skill-position teammates. Many linemen’s height-weight coordinates yield including Eagles right tackle Lane Johnson and Buccaneers center Ryan body mass indexes within the CDC’s definition of obese—and thus, by Jensen gathered to exchange tips and advise younger linemen on how to CDC standards, at increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19. maximize every advantage during an offseason in which the coronavirus Players at the summit Friday said they’re reassured that their healthy pandemic has limited them. respiratory systems and elite fitness will reduce their vulnerability. Even BMI estimates may get tricky, Manyweather said, when “there are some But Armstead also imparted another key lesson to young guards, centers guys here with sub-20% body fat.” and tackles ranging from Texas and Oklahoma collegiate players to 2020 rookies such as the Jets’ Mekhi Bechton and Cardinals’ Josh Jones. Infecting family members is some players’ more pressing concern.

“Problem-solving,” Armstead said. “Things are going to come up you “Is it fair to ask another human to go potentially risk their life for your haven’t seen. They’ve got a game of the week, a blitz of the week that entertainment?” Jensen told USA TODAY Sports. “If I have it, and I go you guys have got to problem-solve throughout the game.” home, yeah I got tested—but I’m not going to know for 24 hours and I’m going to go home and kiss my kids.” That mantra — that no amount of preparation will account for all variables — extended far beyond the technique, recovery and film review It’s that message Jensen wants fans to remember as players continue to strategies shared across two days at the Omni Hotel adjacent to fight for guidelines that ensure their safety. Cowboys headquarters at the Star in Frisco. “We’re more than just athletes and ‘idols,’” Jensen said. “We’re human Johnson, his marketing agent Brian Bradtke and personal offensive line beings that have families we need to take care of. coach Duke Manyweather spent preceding days thwarting their own set “Our business technically isn’t an essential business.” of logistical blitzes in their pursuit to salvage an in-person summit. They required temperature screenings and symptom questionnaires from attendees upon arrival. Bottles of hand sanitizer and Clorox containers canvassed the spacious ballroom. Masks were available at check-in, USA TODAY LOADED: 07.15.2020 though most players didn't consistently wear them. A doctor in a hazmat suit administered free COVID-19 tests to dozens of participants who opted to utilize the service.

Linemen envisioned the gathering, in many ways, as foreshadowing the 2020 football season that tentatively lies ahead of them: health precautions and a nonzero level of risk are realities players can’t divorce from the contact-heavy sport that encompasses their livelihood. The risk- reward calculus of football in a pandemic is complex.

“It’s like, well, if I stay at home and do nothing, then I get called tomorrow, my ass is getting cut,” Manyweather told USA TODAY Sports on Friday from his third annual OL Masterminds Summit. “At the end of the day, what these guys understand is that the NFL is about performance and results.

“The longer they’re not playing, they’re not going to make money.”

And there’s “a relationship between the mental processing and play speed,” Manyweather teaches the players who train with him. Understanding precisely where a player’s eyes, feet, hips and center of gravity must focus makes a difference. At the summit, players across NFC and AFC teams compared strategies.

Every presnap advantage is key to withstand a “scary athlete” like Saints defensive end Cam Jordan, Jensen said, explaining that he eschews cutups for chronological game film to best spot differences in a defender’s game between the snaps when he’s dominating and ones he’s beat handily. Jets offensive tackle George Fant shared how he maximized aggressive use of his hands when protecting mobile Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson during his previous tenure with the Seahawks. Players compared varying techniques to combat defenders’ strengths, from a tendency to cheat a couple steps when facing Pro Bowl interior defenders including Aaron Donald and Gerald McCoy to realizing that the antidote to Nick Bosa’s smooth hands differs from the ideal way to counter Everson Griffen’s power or Yannick Ngakoue’s false chops and subtle thrashes. Players deem these behind-the-scenes tips worth setting aside their team loyalties. 1188231 World Leagues News

LOADED: 07.15.2020

Penrith NRL player Charlie Staines stood down for breach of coronavirus biosecurity protocols

Staff Report

Posted 2days ago, updated 1dday ago

Penrith's rising star Charlie Staines has been stood down from club duties for breaching the NRL's biosecurity protocols in the wake of his stunning debut at the weekend.

Staines breached the protocols when he hosted 10 visitors at his place of residence after scoring four tries in the Panthers' massive 56-24 victory over Cronulla on Saturday night.

NRL biosecurity protocols outlined players can host up to 10 visitors at their place of residence each day but those visitors must attend in groups of no more than five.

The 19-year-old also attended the emergency department at Nepean Hospital for treatment after suffering a recurrence of lockjaw in the early hours of Sunday morning.

He did not inform the club he had visited hospital until later on Sunday.

"Charlie has been extremely naive on this occasion and inadvertently breached the protocols that are in place to protect the game," Panthers chief executive Brian Fletcher said in a statement.

"His misunderstanding of the specifics of the guidelines can not be overlooked, nor can his failure to contact the club before seeking medical treatment for his jaw condition.

"The club and Charlie will now work closely with the NRL to ensure all necessary steps are taken to rectify the situation."

Earlier, the Canterbury Bulldogs became entangled in the Crossroads Hotel COVID-19 cluster with centre Jake Averillo stood down from training and forced into isolation.

The 19-year-old Averillo lives at home with his parents, who attended the hotel in Sydney's south west on July 5, where a growing number of cases of the virus have been linked.

Averillo, who has not played in the NRL since round seven, will be tested for COVID-19 today and will remain in isolation until at least July 19.

A Canterbury Bulldogs NRL player holds the ball on his right hand as he runs at the Sydney Roosters defence.

Both of his parents were tested over the weekend and will be re-tested on Sunday to ensure a clean bill of health for Averillo to return to training.

Health authorities in NSW have confirmed several new cases linked to the growing cluster at the Crossroads Hotel.

It is the second case of enforced isolation for the Bulldogs after captain Aidan Tolman missed two matches last month due to a teacher at his child's school contracting the virus.

The Bulldogs' decision to stand down Averillo comes after a Parramatta rookie, who breached NRL biosecurity protocols on Sunday night, was banned from returning to Eels training.

Stefano Utoikamanu made his NRL debut in the Eels' win over the Knights in Newcastle on Sunday night but broke health protocols by embracing family members and friends in the crowd after full-time.

Utoikamanu remains a part of the Eels' bubble but he is unable to return to training until the people he made close contact with pass a COVID-19 test.

The 20-year-old came on as a replacement for the Eels late in the match against the Knights.

"I had to change a winger to get him on there to give him a carry … 10 seconds … I think the club has talked to him about it (biosecurity breach)," Eels coach Brad Arthur said after the match.

"It's just a reaction. He was excited."