SPORT-SCAN DAILY BRIEF NHL 12/14/2020 1180615 How we’d run the Ducks: Unload veterans and keep adding prospects 1180616 BHN Puck Links: Boston Bruins Prospect Not Alone In World Juniors Cuts 1180617 Pierre Lacroix dies at 72: How the hockey world reacted to the former Avalanche GM’s death 1180618 Pierre Lacroix, former Avalanche GM who built 2 -winning teams, has died at 72 1180619 NHL journal: Avalanche will land in middle of NHL realignment 1180620 Pierre Lacroix, former Avalanche GM and architect of two Stanley Cups, has died at 72 1180621 Pierre Lacroix: 1948-2020; Those who knew him will never forget him 1180622 Pierre Lacroix, iconic Avalanche former , has died Red Wings 1180623 mailbag: Why is still 's coach? 1180624 Seven Red Wings prospects to compete at world junior championships Oilers 1180625 Lowetide: Theodor Lennstrom is the Oilers’ latest European bet on defence 1180626 Jack Todd: Nordiques GM Lacroix was one of the smartest people in hockey 1180627 Penguins A to Z: Casey DeSmith gets his old job back 1180628 Pair of Penguins Prospect Goalies Make 2021 WJC Squads 1180629 PENG TO THE POINTdeMause on Sharks Leaving San Jose: “It’s hard for me to take it really seriously.” 1180630 Lightning sign top draft pick Jack Finley Maple Leafs 1180631 Leafs will have six prospects at world junior, but Robertson won't take part Canucks 1180632 Canucks prospects tracker: Hoglander's sweet sendoff, McDonough starts strong 1180633 Canucks preach team toughness for tense Canadian division clashes Websites 1180634 .ca / Pierre Lacroix, former GM of Nordiques, Avalanche, dies at 72 SPORT-SCAN, INC. 941-284-4129 1180615 Anaheim Ducks without any top-line skaters, let alone an elite one. Those players are generally acquired at the draft and the next three seasons should be spent focusing on getting as many picks as possible. — Dom How we’d run the Ducks: Unload veterans and keep adding prospects Luszczyszyn

The Prospect Pipeline

By The Athletic NHL Staff Dec 13, 2020 When will our players get here?

The Ducks’ prospect pool has a nice blend of players who are knocking on the NHL door and who are still two or three years away. It’s an As an extension of the NHL Future Power Rankings, which look ahead to enviable position to be in because even as names like Maxime Comtois how teams will stack up three seasons from now, we are diving into what and Josh Mahura officially move on, they’ll still have an abundance of each team can expect and what moves it can make to produce the best other B-level prospects who are, presumably, getting better. Having a outcome. strong prospect pool means having more than one wave of inbound talent. It’s about sustainability. The Ducks have done a nice job building The Athletic will break down what each team needs to do to, or should both quality and quantity over the last few drafts. It means there’s no rush do, to take the next step toward contention. James Mirtle will give advice for college players like Henry Thrun, Ian Moore and Sam Colangelo, and based on the salary cap situation. Dom Luszczyszyn will dive into the that prospects like Brayden Tracey and Jacob Perreault can be allowed and look at what each team has on his Stanley Cup checklist. to cut their teeth in junior and then the AHL if need be. Scott Wheeler and Corey Pronman will answer four key questions about the team’s prospects. And Eric Duhatschek will propose a game plan for How good will they be when they get here? the general manager. Then the local beat writer will put it all in perspective with a reality check. For a while, the Ducks’ prospect pool was strong without being one of the league’s best. The star power of Trevor Zegras and Jamie Drysdale has The Cap Situation changed that, though, positioning them with two of the best prospects at their respective positions. Their success will be pivotal to whatever There’s acres of bad money here. comes next for the Ducks because they’ve never had a shortage of The combined weight of Corey Perry’s buyout with on IR middle-of-the-lineup players but there have been real concerns about (not LTIR) and David Backes is $18 million — or more than 22 percent of who was going to carry the mantle in the post-Getzlaf era. In Zegras, their cap space. they have a player who may be able to drive a top line and run a power play. In Drysdale, they might have a right-handed No. 2 defenseman for That’s a hard way to win — and they can’t do much about most of it other the top pairing. And Perreault gives them another chance at an impact than wait for the clock to run out on the contracts. guy. That’s huge.

The Ducks cap situation improves dramatically by 2021-22, however, What positions do they play, and do we have excesses or deficiencies? with Ryan Getzlaf’s enormous deal off the books. Management should look to further add flexibility by moving out older players for future assets The Ducks’ only real hole in their system at this is probably a left- that can help when Anaheim is more competitive. They would be able to , scoring . On defence, Drysdale and Moore are both get a haul of assets for most of their veterans on the blue line, for righties, while Mahura and Thrun (a favourite of mine) are lefties, with example. Jackson LaCombe as an intriguing project who plays both sides. In net, Lukas Dostal has emerged as one of the better goalie prospects in the With a contention window that is at least two or three years off, they world. At center, Zegras gives them a top-of-the-lineup talent and Benoit- should look to unload anyone over 30 in the next six months for players Olivier Groulx and Isac Lundestrom should provide fine depth. Colangelo with potential — especially up front. Perhaps there might even be a taker and Perreault are both righties who can score, too. But I don’t think for Getzlaf at the deadline at half his salary, if he’s willing to waive his no- Comtois is going to be the left-handed threat they need (even though I do move clause. — James Mirtle think he’ll be a very good NHLer), and Tracey is more of a complementary piece if he makes it. The Analytics What does our prospect pool tell us about where we are in a competitive The Stanley Cup Checklist is based on research done earlier this year cycle? looking at the average value for players at every position from the past 10 Cup champions. It’s based on the best-of-the-best each year, making The strength of the Ducks’ prospect pool is reflective of where they’re at it a high bar to clear and it means no team will have every box checked as an organization, which is to say in a bit of a reset. It will be incumbent off, but the more holes a team has filled, the closer they are to being a on them to stick with it, though. Just because it’s strong now and there’s Cup contender. A name in a specific box means he’s in the right ballpark talent coming doesn’t mean it’s time to pivot into a next chapter. My for projected value compared to past Cup winners, with some on the advice would be simple: Don’t get ahead of yourself, keep adding lower end and some on the higher end. Using an age curve, we made prospects and picks for another year or two at minimum. — Scott note of what each team already has on their roster signed for each of the Wheeler next three seasons. The Game Plan Let’s take a look. Few teams understand the value of draft choices better than the Ducks I like the Kevin Shattenkirk signing in a vacuum, just not for this team. do and part of the goal in a rebuilding year is to determine just how far The time to tank is now for a team that was fourth last in expected goals along some of the youngsters they’ve been patiently nurturing — Troy last year and is one of two teams in the league without a single top line Terry, Sam Steel, Max Jones — have come along and to see if they are player. ready to make an NHL impact. It may well be that rookie forward Trevor Zegras leapfrogs them all in short order, which is what the organization It’s hard to win when your best forward is … Rickard Rakell? Maybe? By badly needs — not just a prospect to fill an NHL uniform, but one who GSVA he projects to be worth 1.4 wins, which is the rate of an average can be a difference-maker. second-liner. That’s not good enough and if any team needs to tank to start building an elite future core, it’s this one. It’s the final year of Getzlaf’s contract, worth $8.25 million, and though it’s likely Anaheim will want to keep Getzlaf around as a Duck for life, the In all honesty, that’s not happening with John Gibson in net who is single- same might also have been said of Corey Perry a few years back. handedly saving the team from the lottery year after year. The first order Perry’s buyout charge lingers on the books for 2020-21, which will of business might just be to find him a new home and start tanking for handcuff any significant move, other than the usual shedding of contracts real. Half-in and half-out delays the inevitable as there’s very little chance at the deadline if the Ducks fall out of the playoff race. UFA acquisition this team as currently constructed can turn things around into contention Kevin Shattenkirk solves the short-term problem of a viable PP with a re-tool. quarterback, but they’ll need a superhuman performance from John In terms of high-end core talent, the Ducks are one of the worst-off teams Gibson to be competitive this season. It feels as if the Ducks are about to in the league and it’s difficult to see them contending anytime soon embark on another spinning-your-wheels-in-place kind of a season — and if that’s so, it could ultimately prove costly for coach Dallas Eakins, who was promoted from their minor-league team to supervise the transition of all those young pros to the NHL. A lot of things have to fall into place for the Ducks to be more than just a second-echelon team through these transitional years. — Eric Duhatschek

The Reality Check

My colleagues have presented a stark view of the Ducks’ future, one that varies from dim to doomsday. I could play the optimist’s role and present cases that the picture isn’t as gloomy as it’s been made out to be. But the facts are they’re not a good team, haven’t been one for some time and don’t have anyone that can immediately transform them into something approaching good save for Gibson going back to stealing games for them night after night.

As currently constructed, the Ducks need a lot to go right in order to be a playoff team in 2020-21. Key veterans must have seasons more like those near or at their peak years. Several youngsters that have dipped their toes in the NHL water now need to swim the length of the pool and be the kind of players that can win races rather than just take up lanes. And did I mention Gibson stealing games? Maybe that can be done in a short season. Back in 2013, Anaheim took advantage of that by blowing right out of the gate and riding that momentum to the first of five straight Pacific Division titles.

But with our Pierre LeBrun reporting the possibility of St. Louis joining a division that already has Colorado, Dallas and Vegas at the top, it seems ridiculous that the Ducks can unseat one of those four just to squeeze into the playoffs. And if that miracle happens, there is the idea that they can take down one of the other three in an opening-round matchup to start an improbable run. Detroit learned the hard way that slipping into the playoffs only to get bounced early only delayed an inevitable teardown.

It goes against what GM Bob Murray stands for when it comes to competing and how a team shouldn’t build by intentionally bottoming out and hoping to strike gold in the lottery. But that may be the way to go as they don’t have Getzlaf and Perry in their prime to carry the Ducks. No one has taken the baton from Getzlaf as someone that can drive the franchise and there isn’t a skater on the roster that can now be claimed as among the NHL’s elite.

The last two lottery-bound seasons did not procure a No. 1 overall pick or even a top-five selection, which the Ducks haven’t had since 2005. But they did net Zegras and Drysdale out of those drafts and the two have the kind of high-end potential that can fill positions where they need young star-level talent — center and defense. If players like Troy Terry and Sam Steel start to become offensive threats and point producers, then you have a promising next core to build around. Having Zegras or Drysdale become an elite player would be a bonus.

Losing in Southern California is different from other places. You lose in SoCal and you lapse into irrelevance. There’s the Lakers, the Dodgers and all the other pro teams fighting to get their share of attention in a landscape full of transplants. It is hard to gain it even when the operation is chugging along and playing into May and June. So I get the distaste that goes with burning it all down. But the Kings bit the bullet and now have the game’s deepest prospect pool. The Ducks have tried to avoid that and it hasn’t gotten them very far.

With a season that is expected to be only 56 games, the Ducks need to use the first few weeks as a gauge to determine where a hard call is needed. The division-only schedule in 2020-21 will give them an immediate sense of who they really are. And if they are again at the bottom of the standings within the first 10 games or so, then it’s time to see what can be gained with moving some of the valuable veterans you do have. The big picture has to always remain in view.

Few fans at the most will be in attendance and that is in the absolute best of circumstances. (And, to beat you to the joke, it’s not like the Ducks play in a filled-to-the-brim arena every night anyway). Make this year a wash and try to gain some more draft capital or prospects that can be players in 2021-22 and beyond. And say your prayers on Lottery Night. It’s bound to go Anaheim’s way one day. Right?

Maybe the Ducks will surprise us all with an “I-told-you-so” season and paint a rosier picture. Personally, I like my crow sauteed with lemon and pepper. But if the inevitable must be, let it come sooner than later. We told you so. — Eric Stephens

The Athletic LOADED: 12.14.2020 1180616 Boston Bruins

BHN Puck Links: Boston Bruins Prospect Not Alone In World Juniors Cuts

Published 19 hours ago on December 13, 2020

By Joe Haggerty

It was stunning to see Boston Bruins prospect Johnny Beecher left off the Team USA roster for World Juniors on Saturday morning, and unfortunate to see that it was due to a positive COVID-19 test for the 2019 B’s first round pick.

But Beecher wasn’t the only young American prospect left off Team USA’s roster because of the unfortunate COVID-19 circumstances.

Team USA GM John Vanbiesbrook confirmed later on Saturday that Beecher was the only COVID-19 positive test for Team USA, but that his roommate San Jose Sharks prospect was also left off the team because he was in close proximity to Beecher: “(Beecher & Bordeleau) were crushed. We were informed early [on Saturday] morning. We appealed, did everything we could” but final roster had to be turned in.

It’s really too bad that both bright, young hockey players were caught in 2020’s maelstrom of weirdness as they were clearly looking forward to competing for their country, with Beecher looking to play in the World Juniors after playing in the tournament last season. It’s also too bad for Boston Bruins fans that were looking forward to the holiday tournament to get a good look at one of Boston’s top prospects in the system as a sophomore at the University of Michigan.

But now Boston Bruins fans will instead keep their eyes on Team Finland’s Matias Mantykivi and Team Russia’s Roman Bychkov as the lone two B’s prospects in the tournament, and perhaps start counting down the days until the 2021 NHL regular season expected to start about a month from now.

Now onto the links:

*Speaking of the World Junior Championships, draft pick Tim Stuetzle is ready to lead Team Germany in what’s expected to be a favored group at the tournament. (Sportsnet)

*Cool story about Ryan Reaves and fatherhood that gives a different side to the notorious tough guy for the . (WGRamirez.com)

*A pair of Pittsburgh Penguins goaltending prospects are expected to take part in the World Juniors, which bodes well for the future between the pipes for the Penguins. (Pittsburgh Hockey Now)

*Who has the better home sweater? C’mon, now. Do we even have to ask this question?

*The stood pat with their goaltending situation, which has very clearly not been good enough with Petr Mrazek and James Reimer. Could they make a move for Marc-Andre Fleury or Darcy Kuemper somewhere down the line? (The Athletic)

*For something completely different: Interesting study that says kids with developing brains get more out of receiving material gifts than memory gifts like a family trip to Disney. (CNBC)

Boston Hockey Now LOADED: 12.14.2020 1180617 Colorado Avalanche

Pierre Lacroix dies at 72: How the hockey world reacted to the former Avalanche GM’s death

By JOE NGUYEN | December 13, 2020 at 5:24 p.m.

Former and Colorado Avalanche general manager Pierre Lacroix died Sunday. He was 72.

Lacroix was the architect behind the Avs teams that won the Stanley Cups in 1996 and 2001.

Denver Post: LOADED: 12.14.2020 1180618 Colorado Avalanche our association were fortunate to be part of the hugely successful teams he assembled during his time in Colorado.”

Denver Post: LOADED: 12.14.2020 Pierre Lacroix, former Avalanche GM who built 2 Stanley Cup-winning teams, has died at 72

By KYLE FREDRICKSON | PUBLISHED: December 13, 2020 at 11:38 a.m. | UPDATED: December 13, 2020 at 6:43 p.m.

The architect behind the two Colorado Avalanche Stanley Cup championship teams has died. Pierre Lacroix passed away Sunday from complications from COVID-19, per Quebec media reports. He was 72.

Lacroix — the former Quebec Nordiques and Colorado Avalanche general manager — assembled rosters that earned NHL glory when the Avs’ current GM, , twice hoisted the Stanley Cup as a player.

“Pierre was a visionary and a true leader,” Sakic said in a news release. “From the moment he took over as GM, he established a winning culture that spread throughout the organization. As players, we knew he would do everything he could to help the team achieve that goal of hoisting the Stanley Cup. Pierre was instrumental in not only building the Avalanche into a championship team but also in the growth of hockey in Colorado. His footprint is everywhere in this hockey community.”

Lacroix helped take professional hockey to the summit in Denver as the Nordiques GM who oversaw the team’s transition from Quebec to Colorado for the 1995-96 NHL season — with the Avalanche winning the title in their first season. The Avs claimed their second Stanley Cup during the 2000-01 season.

“Pierre is someone I trusted very much right from the first time I met him,” Sakic said. “I’ll always remember him as not only a great GM but an even better person. He always treated everyone like family and he wanted us players to have that same mentality. He was a great example to all of us. Pierre was a mentor to me and someone I learned a lot about the business of hockey from. We as an organization and myself personally, will really miss him.”

Lacroix stepped down from his position as GM in 2006 but remained with the franchise as team president until 2013. Lacroix made several high- profile trades for players such as goalie , Ray Bourque, and to help keep the team competitive. The Avalanche won division titles in each of Lacroix’s first nine seasons as general manager.

“Pierre was my agent when I was a player (in Quebec), as well as our leader when I worked for the Avalanche for 14 years,” Michel Goulet, a former Nordiques forward and inductee, told The Denver Post. “He was an amazing man and friend. He always did things with care and class. He took pride in leading by example and we shared a lot of laughs in his post-hockey days. Though he is gone, his spirit will live on in those he touched along the way.”

Reaction to Lacroix’s passing from across the NHL poured in on Sunday with prominent voices expressing their condolences.

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman: “Pierre Lacroix’s eye for talent, appreciation for elite-level athletes and fearlessness in pulling off the big made him one of the most successful team builders in recent NHL history. Fiercely competitive and personally engaging, he was highly regarded by his fellow general managers and his voice was respected throughout the league.”

Kroenke Sports and Avalanche team owner Stan Kroenke: “Pierre was truly a legend and one of the greatest executives in sports. He had a team-first mentality that valued players and staff equally and his winning attitude was immediately evident to our family when we acquired the Avalanche in 2000. Denver is considered one of the world’s towering sports cities and that would be impossible without Pierre’s many contributions, including leading the Avs to Colorado’s first major professional championship with the 1996 Stanley Cup title.

“Pierre had a unique zest for life that uplifted anyone who knew him. We will miss him greatly.”

Former Avalanche defenseman John-Michael Liles: “The Colorado Avalanche Alumni Association is heartbroken to hear of the passing of Pierre Lacroix. He was an amazing man who was respected throughout the hockey world to this day. His legacy speaks for itself, and many from 1180619 Colorado Avalanche

NHL journal: Avalanche will land in middle of NHL realignment

By MIKE CHAMBERS | December 13, 2020 at 6:00 a.m.

With financial issues stable between owners and players, the NHL’s most pressing matter is now temporary realignment — guaranteed to happen if the 2021 season unfolds.

The league wants an all-Canadian division to eliminate the need to cross borders, and the creation of three American divisions to limit travel within the U.S.

The Avalanche won’t have anything to lose, and just a little to gain, because it is the league’s only team continuously based in the Mountain Time Zone (Arizona does not recognize Daylight Savings Time).

The Avs, who normally play in the Central Division with six teams based in the Central Time Zone, are expected to be placed in the western-most American division, likely dubbed the Pacific, and geographically sit in the middle of that loop.

Pacific-time teams Las Vegas, Anaheim, Los Angeles and San Jose would be in that division, plus probably St. Louis and either Minnesota or Dallas in Central time, and Arizona.

So not much would change for Colorado — especially if its road games against Pacific teams start earlier than before. With no fans allowed in buildings to begin the season, if not all of it, there is less emphasis on avoiding rush-hour traffic — because there won’t be any.

So an Avs game at Los Angeles, for example, could be a 7 p.m. MST start, and Colorado’s road games against the likes of Minnesota, Dallas or St. Louis would be the normal 6 p.m. Discussions about moving up game times at Pacific-zone teams came about because Minnesota, Dallas and St. Louis each complained that too many of their road games would begin too late for many of their fans.

Avs followers won’t have that problem.

Prospects. The future of an NHL team is often defined by how many draftees are playing at the World Junior Championship. The prestigious under-20 tournament is where future NHLers solidify their names to the most astute hockey folks.

And this year, the WJC at Rogers Place in Edmonton — the same bubble utilized by the NHL throughout the recent — takes center stage, with the NHL idle when the tournament unfolds Dec. 25 to Jan. 5.

From a North American perspective, the Avalanche looks great at the WJC — with a combined four draftees competing for the United States or Canada, including an NHL-high three for the latter.

Defenseman Bo Byram and forward , selected by the Avs with the No. 4 and No. 16 picks of the 2019 draft, were strong bets to make Canada’s prestigious 25-man roster, and they did when it was finalized Friday. Defenseman , who was Colorado’s only 2020 first-round pick (25th overall), also made the team in a surprise to those who didn’t follow the training camp regularly.

Newhook, a Boston College sophomore, is among just three NCAA players on the team. The other 22 play major-junior or professionally.

Defenseman Drew Helleson will represent the Avalanche for Team USA. Helleson, a 2019 second-round pick (47th overall), is a classmate with Newhook at BC.

Luddy. David Ludwig, an NHL player-agent for Denver-based KO Sports Inc., has been hired by general manager Bill Armstrong as the club’s director of hockey operations/salary cap compliance. “Luddy” begins his new position Jan. 1.

Ludwig is a California native who received his bachelor’s degree at the University of Colorado-Boulder and his law degree at the University of Denver. He played club hockey at CU and DU.

Denver Post: LOADED: 12.14.2020 1180620 Colorado Avalanche

Pierre Lacroix, former Avalanche GM and architect of two Stanley Cups, has died at 72

By Aarif Deen - December 13, 2020

Former Avalanche general manager Pierre Lacroix passed away, it was announced by the team Sunday.

Once a player agent, Lacroix, 72, was hired as the GM of the Quebec Nordiques in 1994. He followed the team to Denver when the Nordiques relocated and held the position for the Avalanche for 11 years.

Lacroix was an iconic figure for the Avalanche. Just two months after Colorado’s inaugural season, Lacroix traded for one of his former clients, Patrick Roy, who helped lead the Avalanche the final six times in their first seven years.

Along the way, Lacroix traded for multiple All-Stars such as Theoren Fleury, Rob Blake and Raymond Bourque. milehighsports.com LOADED: 12.14.2020 1180621 Colorado Avalanche Avalanche, all of the hockey world, all of Colorado, has to be devastated. Rest in peace, my brother.”

The bitter, ultimate irony about Lacroix’s life was that he had, in recent Pierre Lacroix: 1948-2020; Those who knew him will never forget him years, gotten back to robust, full health after some serious medical issues, including a bout with cancer. He was enjoying life in retirement, especially doting on his three grandchildren. He and Coco, in fact, spent the Thanksgiving holiday in the Boston area visiting grandson Max, who Published 13 hours ago on December 13, 2020By Adrian Dater plays prep hockey there and currently is living in the home of Ray Bourque. Some time shortly after, however, Lacroix contracted the coronavirus. He was overcoming it, however, but on Sunday morning, Claude Lemieux knew a few wheelers and dealers by 1995, several Eric Lacroix said, he suffered a fatal heart attack. Whether that was years into an NHL playing career that by then had him on the move to connected to the virus or not is unclear. Denver. Lemieux was used to being around brash, persuasive and confident people – himself being one. Then he met Pierre Lacroix. “Eric (Lacroix) sent me a sweet text, letting me know, that he didn’t want to be in the hospital anymore,” Lemieux said. “I’m thankful I got to see “I loved everything about him, the minute I really got to know him. He just him about a year and a half ago. We spent the day in together in Las loved life. He believed in himself and he did things the way he believed. Vegas, with our wives, and he was really doing great. I’m just very, very He was one of my favorite people on this planet,” Lemieux, the former sad. It’s like I lost another father.” Avalanche forward and four-time Stanley Cup winner, told Colorado Hockey Now this afternoon. Avalanche general manager Joe Sakic preferred not to comment when contacted by Colorado Hockey Now, but released this statement on Lacroix, the Avalanche’s first general manager and architect of two behalf of him and the team: Stanley Cup championships, passed away at age 72 today at his home in Lake Las Vegas, Nevada. Lacroix had been treated recently for COVID- “It is a sad day for the Avalanche organization and its fans. Pierre was a 19, a source close to the Lacroix family confirmed. He is survived by his visionary and a true leader,” Sakic said. “From the moment he took over son, former Avalanche player Eric Lacroix, another son, Martin, his wife, as GM, he established a winning culture that spread throughout the Colombe (Coco) and three grandchildren. My former colleague, Terry organization. As players, we knew he would do everything he could to Frei, reported that Lacroix died from a heart attack this morning. help the team achieve that goal of hoisting the Stanley Cup. Pierre was instrumental in not only building the Avalanche into a championship team Pierre Lacroix was someone that, if you ever were in his orbit, you never but also in the growth of hockey in Colorado. His footprint is everywhere forgot. A self-made man from humble beginnings, Lacroix rose from beer in this hockey community. Pierre is someone I trusted very much right sales in the Montreal area to high-powered hockey player agent to even from the first time I met him. I’ll always remember him as not only a great greater heights as an NHL general manager. His career was one of GM but an even better person. He always treated everyone like family stunning success, including a record nine straight NHL division and he wanted us players to have that same mentality. He was a great championships his first nine years on the job, with the Quebec Nordiques example to all of us. Pierre was a mentor to me and someone I learned and Avalanche, from 1994-2003. For Lacroix, there was only one goal, a lot about the business of hockey from. We as an organization and which he said many times to anyone who would ask him: myself personally, will really miss him. On behalf of the Avalanche organization, we are sending our thoughts to Coco, Martin, Eric and the “The ultimate goal,” Lacroix would say. “Our goal is to win the last game entire Lacroix family.” of the season.” Stan Kroenke, chairman and owner of Kroenke Sports and His Avalanche teams did that twice, in 1996 and 2001. The Avs’ Cup Entertainment, also issued the following statement: championship in 1995-96 was the first major pro title in Colorado sports history. His teams made it to at least the Western Conference finals in six “Pierre was truly a legend and one of the greatest executives in sports. of the first seven seasons in Denver. He pulled off some of the biggest He had a ‘team first’ mentality that valued players and staff equally and blockbuster trades in NHL history, including the Patrick Roy deal with his winning attitude was immediately evident to our family when we Montreal in 1995. He was a man unafraid of taking risk. He loved to acquired the Avalanche in 2000. Denver is considered one of the world’s wheel and deal, and only half-kiddingly said once that he had a hard time towering sports cities and that would be impossible without Pierre’s many driving past a house with a “for sale” sign in the yard without wanting to contributions, including leading the Avs to Colorado’s first major knock on the door and negotiate a price. professional championship with the 1996 Stanley Cup title. Pierre had a unique zest for life that uplifted anyone who knew him. He treated Lacroix was a master of secrecy too, a master of misdirection and everyone like they were a part of his family and was always available to subterfuge. Even during his biggest blockbuster deals involving some of anyone who needed his guidance. We will miss him greatly. On behalf of the biggest names in hockey history, Lacroix had a poker face that never my family, Kroenke Sports & Entertainment and the Avalanche gave anything away to the media. When Lemieux was acquired by the organization, we extend our sincerest condolences to Coco, Martin and Avalanche in October of 1995, he never knew Lacroix had been hot on Eric, and Pierre’s three grandchildren.” his trail. He soon became fascinated by the man he would soon affectionately call “Father Pete.” NHL commissioner Gary Bettman also issued the following statement:

He had a temper and those who crossed him would hear about it, “Pierre Lacroix’s eye for talent, appreciation for elite-level athletes and sometimes loudly and profanely. But he never held a grudge, and was fearlessness in pulling off the big trade made him one of the most sweet and gentle around women, children, the elderly and anyone who successful team builders in recent NHL history. Fiercely competitive and might have had a strike or two against them in life. He absolutely loved personally engaging, he was highly regarded by his fellow General kids, and he made it a firm and non-negotiable part of being an Managers and his voice was respected throughout the League. Avalanche player or staff person that giving back to the community, especially to under-privileged kids, was part of the job. “Following a successful career as a player agent, Lacroix became President and General Manager of the Quebec Nordiques in 1994, “I just loved listening to everything he had to say about life, about shepherded the team’s relocation the following year and established the business, about family,” said Lemieux, who today is a player agent Colorado Avalanche as a model franchise while re-establishing the NHL himself. “I just loved his commitment to his family. He was an amazing in Denver. husband, an amazing father. He was a big teddy bear. He could be tough, but he was very sensitive down deep and he had a heart of gold. “The teams Lacroix built won nine division titles in his first nine seasons He did so many things for other people, less fortunate people, that never as a general manager and captured the Stanley Cup in 1996 and 2001. got any publicity, and he didn’t want any publicity for things like that.” Having represented such superstar Quebec players as Patrick Roy and Mike Bossy as an agent, Lacroix traded for Roy, Ray Bourque and Rob The Avalanche’s first owner, Charlie Lyons, told Colorado Hockey Now Blake as a GM to complete Avalanche teams with young mainstays such that Lacroix was such a close friend that he asked him to be the as Joe Sakic and Peter Forsberg, turning them into champions. The godfather to his own children. mourns his passing and sends our condolences to his wife, Colombe, their sons, Martin and Eric, and the entire Lacroix “He was the ultimate family man,” Lyons said. “A lot of people pretend to family.” be family men, but they’re not. He ran his business like a family. Hockey lost not only a generational leader, but an innovator. He was both. The Iconic NHL coach told Colorado Hockey Now, “In 1976 in the tournament, he was our business manager and I got to work with him. Then, he was a player agent and when I was with the and he represented our goalie, Bob Sauve. Pierre was a friendly man who later sold his agency to Bob Sauve. He built some great teams, starting in Quebec and continuing with the Avalanche.”

Colorado hockey now LOADED: 12.14.2020 1180622 Colorado Avalanche

Pierre Lacroix, iconic Avalanche former general manager, has died

Published 16 hours ago on December 13, 2020By Adrian Dater

It’s with horrible sadness that I report that Pierre Lacroix, who led the Avalanche to two Stanley Cups and eight straight division titles as president and general manager, has died at age 72. His son, Eric, confirmed the news to Colorado Hockey Now.

Lacroix was a former player agent who moved to the other side of the desk in 1994 as general manager of the Quebec Nordiques, then moved to Denver along with the franchise in 1995 and led an unprecedented reign of success with the Avalanche. He remains the only GM NHL history to win nine straight division titles – all in his first nine years on the job. Known for his brash, swashbuckling moves, he engineered several blockbuster trades that helped the Avs win Stanley Cups in 1996 and 2001 and sent the team to the Western Conference finals six of its first seven seasons in Denver.

Lacroix, a member of the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame, left the Avs in 2013, retiring to the Las Vegas area, on Lake Las Vegas. He is survived by his wife, Colombe and sons, Eric and Martin.

I will have much more on Pierre Lacroix later. This is devastating news to all who knew him. I learned so much from him, not just about hockey, but about life. He was a very good and decent man.

Colorado hockey now LOADED: 12.14.2020 1180623 Detroit Red Wings They don’t look like a playoff team, but they will be expected to be more competitive.

“With the pandemic and everything, who will the Wings have at the World Detroit Red Wings mailbag: Why is Jeff Blashill still Steve Yzerman's Juniors?” – L. Berry coach? Defenseman has opted not to play for Germany at the event scheduled to start Dec. 25 in Edmonton without fans. He's thriving playing for Rögle in the , where Saturday he Helene St. James earned an assist for a third straight game (giving him two goals and nine assists in 15 games).

But at least the Swedish contingent is Wings-heavy, with 2020 first-round Jeff Blashill and select members of his staff have returned to Little pick Lucas Raymond headlining a group that also includes fellow Caesars Arena to prepare the Detroit Red Wings for the coming season. forwards Theodor Niederbach (second round, 2020) and Elmer They can’t officially have anything to do with the players, many of whom Soderblom (sixth round, 2019), and defensemen Albert Johansson are skating at the practice facility inside LCA, until training camp opens, (second round, 2019) and Gustav Berglund (sixth round, 2019). but the December activity is a nice change after months of working from Defenseman Eemil Viro (third round, 2020) is on Finland’s roster and home. COVID-19 has pushed the 2020-21 season to 2021 alone, with Jan Bednar (fourth round, 2020) will play for the Czech the NHL and NHL Players Association agreeing to parameters of a deal Republic. expected to start the season in mid-January. A Perfect Holiday Gift I spoke with Jeff Blashill at length about the coming season, including What: “The Big 50: The Detroit Red Wings.” lineups, the captaincy, and testing protocols.That article led to the first question in this mailbag. Author: Helene St. James, who has covered the Red Wings at the Detroit Free Press since 1996. Foreword by Chris Osgood, winner of three “My question is how does Blashill still have a job? What does Steve Stanley Cups as a Wings goaltender. Yzerman see about him that the regular fan doesn’t see. His record is terrible. If [Jim] Harbaugh is on the hot seat why isn’t Blashill? Thank you Publisher: Triumph Books. for your time.” – Aaron R. Pages: 336 pages (paperback). Yzerman opted not to make a coaching change when he took over as general manager in April 2019, which was within weeks of former GM Price: $16.95. (a close friend of Yzerman’s) giving Blashill a two-year Availability: Available in leading bookstores and online from booksellers, extension. Yzerman has endorsed Blashill multiple times: Before the including Amazon and Barnes & Noble. 2019-20 season, at the trade deadline, and again after the season ended. Yzerman said it’s unfair to judge Blashill based on the 17-49-5 About the book: “The Big 50” brings to life the men and moments that record, because the roster needs to be better before Blashill can be fairly made the Red Wings such a dynamic and iconic franchise for nearly a assessed. Yzerman pointed to the fact that over the last three trade century. The book features never-before-told stories about the greats deadlines, the Wings have moved out skilled players in order to gain such as Howe, Yzerman, Lidstrom and Lindsay, the near-greats beloved future assets. by fans and the great memories of Fight Night, the Fabulous Fifties, the Team for the Ages, the Grind Line, The Joe and much more. No doubt, last season was terrible. But what was Blashill supposed to do about , who struggled so much in goal he won only twice Detroit Free Press LOADED: 12.14.2020 in 27 starts?

Yzerman signed Calvin Pickard in 2019 as insurance in net, but in Pickard’s first outing, he allowed six goals on 35 shots. He appeared in three games for the Wings, posting a 5.46 goals-against average and .797 save percentage. Yzerman traded for Eric Comrie in early December, but he lasted just three games, posting a 4.28 GAA and .864 save percentage before he was placed on .

Blashill played Jonathan Bernier as much as possible but had to give him a spell now and then. Howard wasn’t able to finish his last two starts.

It wasn’t just in goal the Wings lacked depth. They were a one-line team, relying on , Tyler Bertuzzi and Anthony Mantha for 40% of their goals — and remember, Mantha played only 43 of 71 games because of injuries. Both Mantha and Andreas Athanasiou missed all of January, and just as they returned, Filip Zadina was injured. Other than Robby Fabbri (14 goals), the other forwards contributed next to nothing offensively.

On defense, the Wings were so banged up they rolled through 14 players. Filip Hronek’s 31 points accounted for 33% of the production the team got from the back end. Danny DeKeyser, whose 22:04 led the team in average ice time in 2018-19, was lost eight games into the season. None of the defenseman played all 71 games.

So that is what Yzerman saw: A roster too weak to fairly judge the coach.

As for the second part of the question: Blashill is on the hot seat. He is entering the last year of his contract and will be in charge of an improved roster.

Yzerman has made multiple changes, bringing in forwards Vladislav Namestnikov and Bobby Ryan, defensemen Marc Staal, Jon Merrill and Troy Stecher, and goaltender Thomas Greiss. With the caveat that injuries can change things, the perception is the Wings can put together three scoring lines, solid defensive pairs, and have two who’ll give them a chance to win. 1180624 Detroit Red Wings

Seven Red Wings prospects to compete at world junior championships

The Detroit News

Left wing Elmer Soderblom shoots the puck during the Red Wings development camp.

Five of the seven Red Wings prospects named to rosters for the world junior hockey championships on Saturday are from Sweden, which hasn't won the gold medal since 2012 in Calgary and just twice in the tournament's 44-year history.

The 2020-2021 tournament begins on Christmas Day and wraps up with the gold medal game on Jan. 5 in Edmonton.

First-round draft pick Lucas Raymond is the only one of the five Swedes drafted by Detroit to play on last year's world junior team, which won a bronze medal by beating defending champion Finland 3-2. The 5-10, 185-pound winger had two goals and two assists in seven games last year.

Joining Raymond on Team Sweden are centers Theodor Niederbach and Elmer Soderblom and defensemen Albert Johansson and Gustav Berglund.

Two other Red Wings draft picks at the Swedish evaluation camp (William Wallinder and Albin Grewe) were cut after testing positive for COVID-19. Sweden coach Tomas Monten, who coached Raymond at the World Junior Summer Showcase in Plymouth last year, also tested positive and will be replaced by Joel Ronnmark.

The other Detroit draft selections in the tournament are Finland defenseman Eemil Viro and Czech Republic goaltender Jan Bednar.

Red Wings draft picks at worlds

►Lucas Raymond: (1st round/2020, RW, 5-10, 185 pounds, 12 points in 22 games with Frolunda)

►Theodor Niederbach: (2nd round/2020, center/RW, 5-11, 172 pounds, 35 points in 19 games with Frolunda)

►Elmer Soderblom: (6th round/2019, RW/LW, 6-7, 227 pounds, four points in four games with Frolunda)

►Albert Johansson: (2nd round/2019, defensemen, 6-0, 170 pounds, seven points in 20 games with Farjestad)

►Gustav Berglund: (6th round/2019, defenseman, 6-2, 195 pounds, three points in 17 games with Vasteras)

►Eemil Viro: (3rd round/2020, defenseman, 6-0, 170 pounds, six points in 16 games with TPS in Finland)

►Jan Bednar: (4th round/2020, goaltender, 6-4, 195 pounds, 4.16 goals against average in five games with HC Energie Karlovy)

Detroit News LOADED: 12.14.2020 1180625 environment for any trying to make the jump out of a European league to the NHL.

Persson Lowetide: Theodor Lennstrom is the Oilers’ latest European bet on Originally signed by Peter Chiarelli in May 2018, Persson didn’t come defence over to North America until training camp in 2019. He came out of nowhere as a top-end prospect, someone who was playing second- division hockey in Sweden as late as 2015. By Allan Mitchell Dec 13, 2020 When Persson attended training camp, a new general manager and coach were on the job, so there was no direct connection. He won an NHL job under those circumstances, and that’s a positive for any player. There’s a growing buzz around Swedish defenceman Theodor Lennstrom. Signed by Ken Holland for the Edmonton Oilers on April 29, At the end of that training camp, he hurt his shoulder. Later in October, 2020, he is expected to compete for a roster spot when the team’s he lost more time with a concussion. By the time he was healthy, the training camp opens in January. Oilers had replaced him, and Persson was traded to Anaheim.

Oilers fans have heard the story several times over the past decade: Persson’s year-over-year numbers show he’s a quality SHL player who European defender is NHL-ready and could be a plug-and-play. Since got hurt and was unable to show his best in the NHL: 2010, this story has been written in Edmonton about Anton Belov and Joel Persson. In each case, the player came with strong positives in 2018-19 terms of numbers and scouting reports but did not seize the day and grab SHL an NHL career. 50 games, 6-25-31 Could things be different with Lennstrom? Before we answer that question, let’s identify the issues with Belov and Persson. 32-25, +7

Belov 2019-20

When Belov signed with the Oilers in time for the 2013-14 season, he NHL was ticketed to make the NHL. The general manager at the time, Craig MacTavish, said “we went over (to the World Hockey Championships) 13 games, 0-2-2 and very much liked what we saw. We’re excited to have him. He moves 7-8, -1 the puck well. He makes quick decisions with the puck. He has a high skill level and competes hard. The expectation is that he’s going to come 2020-21 in and help us. He’s big. He plays heavy. He’s got some toughness.” SHL Belov was slotted on the third pair, and coach Dallas Eakins got him the easiest minutes he could, but it was one and done. Belov’s problem was 24 games, 3-18-21 mobility and the pace of the NHL game, as well as decision-making in 21-8, +13 areas we take for granted. An example: During a game against the Coyotes, Belov had been out for a long time, had a chance to get off, but Persson is just 26 and still might be worth signing for an NHL team. hesitated and ended up being on ice just a shade less than two minutes. These numbers indicate that he’s a legit player despite a late start and Right at the end of the shift, the Coyotes went jailbreak toward the Oilers’ not establishing himself in a short look by the Oilers. end. Belov didn’t have anything left. Holland and coach Dave Tippett didn’t sign him and were trying to suss He has talent, and if he stayed another year or two, I expect he might out Ethan Bear and other youngsters while also dealing with health have had a career. As it is, comparing his NHL season with the two KHL issues from incumbents Adam Larsson and . It’s possible campaigns (before and after) tells a story: they didn’t get a great look at him.

2012-13 He is over 20 minutes in the SHL this season (15 minutes during his time with the Oilers) and is on a trajectory to exceed his 2018-19 Swedish KHL numbers by some margin.

46 games, 9-17-26 Lennstrom

40-21, +19 There are several good indicators for Lennstrom, although I’m not certain 2013-14 he’s a better prospect than Persson. He was signed by Holland, who would have seen him and had Archie Henderson (plus others) watching NHL the player before a contract was signed.

57 games, 1-6-7 The opening attributable to the Oscar Klefbom injury could benefit Lennstrom. If coach Dave Tippett runs the left side of his defence using 29-37, -8 Darnell Nurse on the top pair, Caleb Jones on the second pair and Kris 2014-15 Russell on the third pair, Lennstrom will be in competition with William Lagesson to be first man up in the event of injury or poor play by the KHL incumbents.

36 games, 3-5-8 We don’t have any numbers for Lennstrom in the NHL yet, but here are his most recent three seasons in the SHL: 36-10, +26 2018-19 Belov’s ice time fell drastically as well. In 2012-13 in the KHL, he was playing 22:11 but fell to 16:41 in his lone NHL season. Back in the KHL 47, 2-13-15 (St. Petersburg; he did not return to Omsk), he played 17:11. The quality of the team absolutely affected these numbers, but it’s also true that 32-24, +8 Belov struggled enough for management to pass on the opportunity to 2019-20 bring him back for a second year. Speed and quickness left him behind in coverage too often. 31, 3-12-15

The Oilers in 2013-14 had a rookie general manager (MacTavish) and a 26-16, +10 rookie coach (Eakins). The team had been struggling for some time, at least since MacT ended his coaching career after the 2008-09 season. 2021-21 The Oilers during this time could safely be described as a hostile 18, 4-4-8 11-10, +1 Klefbom’s injury opens up an opportunity. When camp opens, I see Lennstrom on the outside of the roster but also with an opportunity Lennstrom’s time on ice is down season over season (17:50 a year ago, available. Oilers fans who are used to few roster battles in training camp 16:36 in 2020-21), and he didn’t play in a couple of games during the may be in for a treat. year. The Athletic LOADED: 12.14.2020 At even strength, the Frolunda club uses him in a depth role. Here are the stats for Frolunda’s defencemen in 2020-21 at even strength, sorted by time on ice in the discipline:

Jesper Sellgren

24 games, 1-4-5

16:32

13-12, +1

Stefan Elliott

24 games, 1-3-4

15:36

10-13, -3

Jens Olsson

23 games, 1-0-1

15:21

12-7, +5

Mattias Norlinder

18 games, 1-1-2

14:55

7-9, -2

Viktor Ekbom

20 games, 0-1-1

13:49

10-10, 0

Theodor Lennstrom

18 games, 1-4-5

13:34

11-10, +1

Five players on the Frolunda team are averaging more time at even strength per game than Lennstrom. He ranks No. 5 in overall ice time for the club this season, fourth in power-play time and No. 7 on the kill.

On the other hand, he has scored 2-2-4 in his past five games and is averaging 18 minutes a game.

What does it all mean?

There’s plenty of buzz surrounding Lennstrom, and the “saw him good” talk online is quite strong. Add to that the fact he was procured by Holland and his scouting staff (led by Henderson) and there’s plenty to like about his future.

Lennstrom’s skill set is a fit for a need in Edmonton. He can transport the puck well and plays some in all three game disciplines. He is 26 years old and 6-foot-1 and 190 pounds, and he has a contract in hand with an opportunity knocking when training camp opens.

Math isn’t waving him in. Math suggests that Lennstrom’s skills, the ones that would land him in the NHL, do not appear in the available SHL numbers. Nothing about his current SHL season suggests he’ll be a workhorse or will be effective in helping outscore the opposition in any game state.

A good guess would have Lennstrom as one of the “aces” on Edmonton’s roster in 2020-21. The players ahead of him on the left side entering camp are Nurse, Jones, Russell and Lagesson. If Philip Broberg lands in training camp, and that would seem to be a distant bell at this point, then the first-round pick from 2019 becomes a wild card. 1180626 MontrealCanadiens To get the vaccine out there, it’s going to require an effort equivalent to winning a Super Bowl, a World Series, NBA championship, World Cup or Stanley Cup. The logistics are mind-boggling, the effort to convince a public nurtured on disinformation daunting. Jack Todd: Nordiques GM Lacroix was one of the smartest people in hockey Let Lindsey Vonn and P.K. Subban join forces and link their muscular arms for a vaccine. If athletes don’t want to help promote the vaccine, they can go to the back of the line. For those who do, front and , please. Jack Todd • Publishing date:Dec 13, 2020 Score one for the owner: Not often that an owner in any sport makes the

heroes list for the MMQB, but owner Francesco If you’re still in the camp of those inclined to think COVID-19 is a hoax or Aquilini made it when he took to Twitter to fire anthem singer Mark that wearing a mask is a terrible imposition on your personal freedom — Donnelly for performing at an anti-mask rally. Donnelly’s brand of idiocy first, shame on you. is actively dangerous. Allowing him to go on bellowing the anthem (hint: he’s not our favourite singer, anyway) would have put both the Canucks Second, perhaps the death of the brilliant former Quebec Nordiques GM and the NHL in a bad light. Pierre Lacroix in Las Vegas on Sunday will help to convince you that you’re tragically wrong. Heroes: Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, Alphonso Davies, Jamal Murray, Josh Allen, Paolo Rossi, Dick Allen, Jackson He, Jarome Iginla, Steph Curry, Like most journalists who dealt with him when he took over the , Charley Pride, Diego Maradona &&&& last but not Nordiques and then helped lead them to two Stanley Cups as the least, Pierre Lacroix. Colorado Avalanche, I liked Lacroix and knew him as one of the smartest people in the game. Zeros: The overhyped Junior Canada Cup, breakdancing as an event in the Olympic Games, hazing in junior hockey, anti-vaxxers, anti-maskers, But it was only as I was writing on the Patrick Roy trade last week that it , Don Cherry, Ron MacLean, David Samson &&&& last but hit me: Had Ron Corey replaced Serge Savard with Lacroix rather than not least, Jeffrey Loria. Réjean Houle, the Canadiens’ dynasty might have endured into this millennium. Montreal Gazette LOADED: 12.14.2020

Lacroix, it’s fair to say, was the Sam Pollock of his time, head and shoulders above most of his competition. He took over a strong team with some holes in it, closed up all the weak spots and built a terrific team that was also great fun to watch. In the weeks before the Nordiques left for Colorado, I remember writing that the Nordiques’ practices were more fun to watch than the Canadiens’ games.

Twenty-five years ago this month, Lacroix persuaded Houle to part with the last piece of the puzzle that would make the Avalanche champions: the greatest money goaltender ever to play the game.

Hats off to you, Pierre. And damn this virus, anyway.

Line up for your shots, ladies and gentlemen: As we edged closer last week to a protocol that would allow the National Hockey League to return to play early in the New Year, word got out that players in the NHL and the NBA might be allowed to jump the line and get their coronavirus vaccines ahead of most everyone else.

There was a general hue and cry about the general unfairness of it all, to which I contributed my share.

I was wrong.

Let the first person to get a vaccine in Canada be Dr. Laurent Duvernay- Tardif of the Kansas City Chiefs, who has earned it in every way — among many other things, he qualifies as a front-line health worker.

Then let him be followed by every recognizable athlete and celebrity willing to do one thing: Allow the vaccination ceremony to be filmed and broadcast to the world. We could begin with Duvernay-Tardif’s fellow Lou Marsh Award-winner Alphonso Davies and Davies’s significant other, Canadian soccer star .

Step up, . Come on down, . Let’s see you at the front of the line, LeBron James. Aaron Rodgers and Patrick Mahomes? Plenty of room here. Kyle Lowry and Nick Nurse. Brooke Henderson, Sue Bell, Megan Rapinoe, Venus and Serena Williams.

Kanye West, if you can damp down the crazy long enough to get a shot, let’s put you with Taylor Swift. Heck, bring the whole Kardashian clan if it will help.

I have no problem with any of these folks getting their vaccines before your average Joe and Josephine Schmoe, as long as they’re willing to get their shots on camera and to become the public face of the effort to persuade the public that wearing masks and getting your vaccination are the only ways we’re going to stop this thing.

The best way to persuade people (as my friend Kevin Paul Dupont in Boston has been saying for some time) is to have athletes and celebrities lead the way. Won’t listen to Dr. Anthony Fauci? How about Tom Brady? No time for Dr. Theresa Tam? Maybe you’ll listen to Connor McDavid. 1180627 Pittsburgh Penguins As one of the smallest goaltenders in the NHL, DeSmith relies on quickness and agility far more than a larger goaltender. And as a favorite of goaltending coach Mike Buckley, he has the trust of management.

Penguins A to Z: Casey DeSmith gets his old job back Assuming it happens, the 2020-21 NHL season will be condensed in some form and likely will include several games on back-to-back days. That will mean the Penguins will have no other option but to trust DeSmith. SETH RORABAUGH | Sunday, December 13, 2020 11:11 a.m. Tribune Review LOADED: 12.14.2020

While the NHL is on hold because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the Tribune-Review will offer Penguins A to Z, a player-by-player look at all 48 individuals under NHL contract with the organization, from mid- level prospect Niclas Almari to high-profile trade acquisition Jason Zucker.

Casey DeSmith

Position: Goaltender

Catches: Left

Age: 28

Height: 6-foot

Weight: 181 pounds

2019-20 AHL statistics: 41 games, 18-18-2 record, 2.92 goals-against average, .905 save percentage, two

Contract: Second year of a three-year contract with a salary-cap hit of $1.25 million. Pending restricted free agent in 2022.

Acquired: Undrafted free-agent signing, July 1, 2015

Last season: The 2019-20 campaign was a double-edged sword for Casey DeSmith.

On one hand, he was making a seven-figure salary for the first time in his career. Considering DeSmith began his professional existence at the ECHL level on a tryout basis with the in 2015, the notion of him pulling in a financial figure with two commas was nothing insignificant.

At the same time, his ample paycheck was the reason he spent the entire season, virtually, in the AHL.

When the Penguins gathered for training camp in September of 2019, DeSmith was thrust into open competition with for the backup gig behind .

By any measure, DeSmith and Jarry each held serve during the 2019 preseason. As a result, Jarry and his $675,000 salary cap hit stayed on the NHL roster.

While Jarry eventually became the starter for stretches of the season and even earned a nod as an All-Star, DeSmith was assigned to Wilkes- Barre/Scranton, spending five and a half months on buses before the AHL’s season was halted in mid-March because of the pandemic.

Serving as a starting goaltender for the first time since his final season in the NCAA level with New Hampshire in 2013-14, DeSmith played admirably for an underwhelming Baby Penguins team that struggled to remain in the playoff picture most of the season. In November, DeSmith was selected as the AHL’s goaltender of the month when he put up a 7- 1-0 record along with a 1.60 goals-against average, a .951 save percentage and two shutouts.

An embarrassing episode occurred in early January when DeSmith briefly was recalled to serve as the team’s backup goaltender for a road game against the Montreal Canadiens in a transaction intended to allow Jarry rest for a home game the next night. But he misplaced his passport and was not able to make the trip.

When NHL resumed play for a postseason tournament in August, DeSmith was included on the Penguins’ postseason roster but never dressed.

The future: With Murray now a member of the Ottawa Senators, Jarry is the starter and DeSmith once again has the backup job, a role he aptly inhabited during the 2018-19 season. 1180628 Pittsburgh Penguins

Pair of Penguins Prospect Goalies Make 2021 WJC Squads

Published 21 hours ago on December 13, 2020By PHN Staff

In a sign which highlights the recent lack of Pittsburgh Penguins draft picks and shallow depth of the Penguins prospect pool, the team will have only two representatives among the 10 teams in the 2021 WJC (World Junior Championships), which begin Dec. 25 at the Rogers Place in Edmonton, AB.

Barring COVID-19 delays, the 2021 WJC tournament will run through Jan. 5.

Top Penguins prospect Sam Poulin was squeezed off the Team Canada roster as several teams allowed their top draft picks to play in the tournament, rather than be ready to immediately report to NHL training camps which the NHL and NHLPA expect to begin by Jan. 3.

Penguins prospect goalie Joel Blomqvist will represent Team Finland. Goalie Calle Clang will represent Team Finland and Team Sweden,

Blomqvist, 18, was recently drafted by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the second round (52nd overall) of the 2020 NHL Draft. This season, the goaltender split time between Karpat of , Finland’s top professional league, and Hermes of Mestis, Finland’s second-tier professional league. In two games with Karpat, Blomqvist is 2-0-0 with a 1.50 goals-against average and .914 save percentage. With Hermes, he is 3-3-3 with a 2.56 goals-against average, .908 save percentage, and one .

Last season, the 6-foot-2, 183-pound Blomqvist won Junior SM-Liiga’s Best Goalie Award and was named to the First All-Star Team after leading all goaltenders with a .931 save percentage in 34 games with Karpat U20.

Internationally, the Uusikaarlepyy, Finland native played in the 2019 World U17 Hockey Challenge and the 2019 World U18 Championships. Finland a silver medal at the U-17 level.

The Pittsburgh Penguins followed Blomqvist’s pick by drafting Clang in the third round (77th overall) of the 2020 NHL Draft. This season, the 18- year-old goaltender is playing with Kristianstands IK of Hockey Allsvenskan, Sweden’s second-highest professional league. This season, his record is 4-4-0 with a 1.81 goals-against average and .939 save percentage.

The 6-foot-2, 194-pound goaltender spent most of the previous two seasons with Rogle BK J20, a developmental team for the SHL’s Rogle BK. In 58 games between 2018-20, he went 29-28-0 with a 2.72 goals- against average and .911 save percentage.

Internationally, the Olofstrom, Sweden native represented his country at the 2019 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge and 2019 World Under-18 Championship, winning bronze and gold medals, respectively.

Team Finland opens the tournament on Dec. 25 against Germany at 6:00 PM ET. Finland’s preliminary play continues on Dec. 27 (2:00 PM ET vs. Switzerland), Dec. 30 (2:00 PM ET vs. Slovakia), and Dec. 31 (6:00 PM ET vs. Canada).

Clang and Team Sweden will open the 2021 WJC tournament on Dec. 26 against the Czech Republic at 2:00 PM ET. Sweden’s preliminary play continues on Dec. 28 (6:00 PM ET vs. Austria), Dec. 30 (9:30 PM ET vs. Russia), and Dec. 31 (9:30 PM ET vs. U.S.).

Pittsburgh Hockey Now LOADED: 12.14.2020 1180629 San Jose Sharks mess with your business model, you’re quick to start throwing around threats.

Jerry Reinsdorf’s famous quote, when he flew down to Tampa Bay to see PENG TO THE POINTdeMause on Sharks Leaving San Jose: “It’s hard their stadium when he was trying to negotiate a new stadium for the for me to take it really seriously.” White Sox, he was later asked, are you really gonna move to Tampa Bay? His response was, “A savvy negotiator creates leverage.”

That’s what all this is about, right? It’s about leverage. It’s about wanting Published 2 hours ago on December 13, 2020By Sheng Peng to rattle that saber, remind people we don’t have to be here in San Jose.

It’s a way of throwing your weight around.

Every Sunday at Peng to the Point, we talk about the world away from SP: The San Jose Sharks’ concerns are valid, I think, but they also seem the San Jose Sharks. like concerns that are eminently addressable. Street network reduction, hold off on reducing lanes. Parking, build another structure somewhere. “Steeped in 20 years of cynicism.” These seem, in the big picture, like very doable things. That’s the vantage point from where Neil deMause, co-author of 2008’s NM: I’m sure, if all this went through and they didn’t do anything to Field of Schemes, views the San Jose Sharks’ November claim that the mitigate this, I’m sure it would cost the Sharks something. I cannot city of San Jose and Google’s re-development plans “could force the possibly imagine that the cost would be enough to make up for whatever Sharks out of San Jose.” they will lose if they actually moved out of San Jose. It’s not like there are Field of Schemes, by deMause and Joanna Cagan, “is a play-by-play a million cities out there that are better options. account of how the drive for new sports stadiums and arenas drains $2 It does seem like making a big deal out of something very small. billion a year from public treasuries for the sake of private profit.” But again, what has to be negotiated is who’s going pay for those San Jose Hockey Now reached out to deMause to get his thoughts about mitigations. I’m sure, if the Sharks owners wanted to, they could set up the recent Sharks/San Jose/Google drama. We also take a bigger picture shuttle buses or something like that, to make it easier to get to the arena. look at how teams leverage their cities and fans. But they would much rather have the city or Google set up shuttle buses. In case you missed it, SJHN has covered this situation from every angle (laughs) — the San Jose Sharks president Jonathan Becher’s initial salvo, Google It’s hard for me to take it really seriously. Especially when the current and the city of San Jose’s immediate response, Becher taking the team’s arena is fairly new, it’s in a great location — long term, it’s in a great case to city council and what’s increased his optimism recently, an location for transit, both car and public transit. There are some easy interview with a city of San Jose official — and now, an outsider’s concessions that can be made by the city to make this a little easier on perspective. the Sharks. Sheng Peng: What is your opinion of the San Jose Sharks’ angle in all Seems crazy to think that’s not gonna happen. That’s what makes it this? amusing, they had to pull out the thermonuclear weapon of we’re gonna Neil deMause: Clearly, the Sharks owners are not happy about all the move. traffic and parking disruptions that will come from a lot of new SP: This is a bluff you’ve seen many a time, I imagine. development, as most owners of a destination business would be if there’s a big development happening on their doorstep. NM: If I could just have one thing to say to every city council and every mayor’s office in the country, it’s if you’re going to cut a new deal, make I’ve seen it happen in many ways, large and small, different cities. The sure you don’t give the team an opt-out in like 10 years. You’d think thing that stands out here is the sort of veiled or not so veiled threat to they’d watch enough sports by now to know that’s just a lose-lose. You’re move the team if they don’t get their way in terms of having some giving them the security of a long-term lease if they want to stay. But yet, concessions around traffic and parking. It’s a level of escalation that you they have also the leverage of getting to opt out if they decide they usually don’t see when a business owner is trying to negotiate with the wanna leave. Or more importantly, if they decide they want to threaten to city around some sort of traffic concerns. leave and try and get a better deal. But it is a level of escalation that you often do see from sports franchises. I really didn’t come to appreciate this until the Rams broke their lease in I guess when you have a big red button permanently placed on your wall, St. Louis. Because they have that insane state-of-the-art clause where if break glass to threaten move, it’s the kind of thing that you’re likely to do the city didn’t keep the stadium ahead of like two-thirds of other NFL more often. (laughs) stadium in upgrades, the team could break its lease and move. That If the Mayor and other city negotiators have that hanging over their head, made me realize how bad a job a lot of the people negotiating on behalf the anticipation of questions about what’s going to happen to the Sharks, of cities are. that’s a lot more incentive to put that at the top of their agenda rather I ended up talking to one of the guys who negotiated for the Rams when than we’ll get to you when we get to you. they moved to St. Louis. He was like, yeah, we were amazed. We were SP: In your story from November 13th, you expressed surprise that a just like, throwing stuff out there, figuring, well, you know, they’re gonna team wouldn’t want development in the first place — even though the shoot this down. But might as well ask for it. And they said yes to Sharks have said they want development, just not that way — is this everything! something you’ve seen from other teams? Teams stay around and elected officials come and go. In Anaheim, like NM: That’s a good question. It’s definitely the reverse of what you would the Angels, if you’ve got a local mayor who was holding a hard line, then normally see, where teams are wanting more development. They’re you can just wait until they’re out of office. That’s what you see city after usually either selling the idea that their team or arena can be a catalyst city. for more development — or they actually want to be one of the people If you look at the of teams that threaten to move in sports versus developing around the site. the number of teams that actually move, at least nine out of 10 move But it’s not surprising again because you’re not going to want a lot of threats are nothing but hot air. construction on your doorstep too. SP: Shifting gears a little, in 2015, San Jose Sharks owner Hasso When the Jets wanted to build a new stadium in Manhattan, the Knicks Plattner said, “I think this is an American thing, that buildings from a went after them, tooth and nail and lawyer. Managed to lobby them out of certain age are kaput.” Is that, from your knowledge, a European way of town. That wasn’t specifically just because of traffic issues, but it was looking at things and one reason why the Sharks haven’t really pushed kind of a “get off our lawn” sort of thing. for the building of a new arena yet?

It’s a common sports team owner reaction, you see yourself as above the NM: In Europe, it’s absolutely not the trend to just go and tear it down fray. You see somebody else is proposing something that’s going to and build a new one every 20-30 years. There is a tradition of upgrades, especially for outdoor soccer stadiums. In part because European sports have a lot of promotion and relegation, you don’t the same kind of move threats there. If you threaten to move a team out of Leipzig, somebody else can just put a team in Leipzig and move his way to the top ranks. It doesn’t have that same level of threat.

So yeah, it’s definitely a North American thing to threaten to move to try to get a new building.

That said, when you’re sitting in a room with the other NHL owners, you certainly learn from them. He’s not dumb — he certainly realizes this is an option he has.

But it certainly might make him less susceptible to the thing you see with US sports teams owners, sort of my stadium is 25 years old, I feel like a loser next to this guy. (laughs) I can’t even show my face at the owner’s meeting with that crappy old stadium that doesn’t have the latest in 5G.

SP: Thanks for your time, Neil. Any other thoughts you want to add?

NM: The thing that gets to me, and we talk a lot about it in the book, it’s the way that teams use the fans. When you’re trying to get them to buy tickets, it’s come out and see your San Jose Sharks, right? We’re part of your community!

Whereas the instant that they want something, it’s you have to understand we’re just a business.

That’s a little disingenuous, you know? And again, it’s something that goes on throughout all sports. I’m not going to single out the Sharks.

It’s made me realize, okay, if I’m wearing a shirt or cap of my favorite team, it isn’t really just me joining a community. This is me buying into a corporate marketing endeavor. I have to remember that it’s a transaction. It’s not just I love them.

San Jose Hockey Now LOADED: 12.14.2020 1180630 Tampa Bay Lightning

Lightning sign top draft pick Jack Finley

By Eduardo A. Encina

Published Yesterday

Updated Yesterday

TAMPA — The Lightning signed forward Jack Finley to a three-year entry contract, the team announced Saturday.

Tampa Bay traded its two first-round selections at last year’s trade deadline to acquire forwards Blake Coleman and Barclay Goodrow, who both helped the Lightning win the Stanley Cup in September. During October’s draft, they traded up five spots in the second round, making a deal with Montreal to acquire the 57th overall pick to take Finley.

At 6-foot-5, 205 pounds, the 18-year-old already has great size and pedigree. The son of 15-year NHL veteran Jeff Finley, he scored 19 goals and had 57 points in 61 games last season with the , a major junior team in the .

Finley is the first member of this year’s Lightning draft class to sign.

Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 12.14.2020 1180631

Leafs will have six prospects at world junior, but Robertson won't take part

Terry Koshan

Publishing date:Dec 13, 2020

Get those Russia and Finland pompoms out, Maple Leafs fans.

The Leafs will have six prospects — three with Russia and three with Finland — competing at the 2021 world junior hockey championship in Edmonton, starting on Dec. 26.

With 25-man rosters for the world junior due this weekend, the Leafs decided to not make winger Nick Robertson available to play for the United States.

The Leafs want to give the 19-year-old Robertson the best opportunity to make the club for the abbreviated 2020-21 season, and that chance wouldn’t have happened in full if Robertson was at the world junior while training camp was starting back in Toronto.

“Based on the NHL and NHLPA health and safety protocols, unknowns surrounding roster protocols given the coronavirus and Nick’s standing on our roster heading into training camp, we feel it is in the best interest of both Nick and the Maple Leafs that he remain in Toronto,” Leafs general manager said in a statement, “so that we ensure he can participate in our training camp, while abiding by all health and safety standards from the city of Toronto and province of Ontario.”

In four games with the Leafs in the qualifying round against Columbus in August, Robertson showed well and scored one goal in the series.

The murky area for the Leafs is that camps might not start until the world junior is over, meaning Robertson could have gone and played for the US and not missed any of his shot at cracking the roster.

There remains the idea that NHL camps would start sometime late in December or in early January (the world junior ends on Jan. 5), if the NHL nails down its hoped-for start date of Jan. 13. Nothing has been made official by the NHL and much needs to be accomplished before any firm dates can be announced.

As it is, Leafs fans will get a good look at 2020 first-rounder Rodion Amirov, who should have a significant role with Russia in Edmonton. Also on the Russia roster are Leafs picks Mikhail Abramov at forward and goaltender Artur Akhtyamov.

With Finland, the Leafs will be represented by defencemen Mikko Kokkonen and Topi Niemela and forward Roni Hirvonen.

Toronto Sun LOADED: 12.14.2020 1180632 Vancouver Canucks The left-shot winger told Swedish newspaper Sportbladet on Friday that he hasn’t closed the door on returning to Rogle, but that’s up for the Canucks to decide.

Canucks prospects tracker: Hoglander's sweet sendoff, McDonough “If I take a place in Vancouver, I will play there. Otherwise it is up to them starts strong if they think it is best that I come back to Rogle. Then I do it and we have had a dialogue about that,” Hoglander said. “If I do not take a place, there is a good chance that I will go to Rogle and play there, but at the same time if they feel that I am going to the AHL for two weeks to be able to Mike Raptis take a place in the NHL, I will accept it. It’s a bit up to them but I will try to Publishing date:Dec 14, 2020 take a place.”

The NHL is targeting a Jan. 3 start to training camps and a Jan. 13 start to the season. An abbreviated tracker this week as world junior camps come to a close and the COVID-19 pandemic impacts Vancouver’s prospects elsewhere: Given the departure of top-six forward Tyler Toffoli from the Canucks’ lineup, there could be a plum placement up for grabs should Hoglander Nils Hoglander snatch it. He’ll have to prove to head coach that his defensive play is up to the task, something that the Canucks’ bench boss A wise man once mused that great is the art of beginning, but greater is has required out of his roster hopefuls. the art of ending. It also remains to be seen what roster allowances the league draws up That being said, the portrait Hoglander painted in his final stretch of for another season impacted by the COVID pandemic. The AHL start games in Sweden was nothing short of a masterpiece. date, tentatively set for early February, will most likely fall a few weeks The diminutive dynamo ended his Swedish Hockey League loan with after the NHL gets going, further complicating the matter for players on some strokes of genius this past week, notching two multi-point games the roster bubble. — including a spectacular goal — as the Canucks prospect now gears up Hoglander had five goals, nine assists and a plus-7 rating in 21 SHL for training camp with the big club. games this season. The 2019 second-rounder started the week by scoring a goal and adding Aidan McDonough an assist in a 5-0 win at Lulea on Tuesday. The goal came as Hoglander joined his teammates on a rush up the ice and deposited a rebound past A fast start for the power forward after a delayed start to Northeastern’s the goaltender to make the score 3-0 in the second period. NCAA season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 5-foot-9, 190-pound winger notched a secondary assist on the 5-0 McDonough and the 14th-ranked Huskies swept a home-and-home goal in the third period, using his quick feet and even quicker hands to series against Merrimack this past weekend, with the Canucks’ 2019 strip the puck from a defender in the neutral zone and start the scoring seventh-rounder registering four points. sequence. McDonough, a 6-foot-2, 201-pound left-shot winger, had an assist, three Hoglander finished the game with a goal, an assist, three shots on net shots on goal and a plus-1 rating in Saturday’s 8-2 season-opening win. and a plus-2 rating in 13:47 of ice time. But the 21-year-old really got it going on Saturday night, scoring twice Then came Thursday’s game and the goal that sent the hockey world and assisting another in a 6-3 win at Merrimack. abuzz. McDonough’s first goal came on a nice passing play up the ice, as the With Rogle leading Skelleftea 2-1 midway through the second period, Massachusetts native found some open ice at the top of the faceoff Hoglander entered the zone with speed, threw the puck at the net and circle, corralled a pass across the zone and snapped a hot shot past the didn’t stop there. The 19-year-old stole the puck behind the net and goaltender. turned on the jets, blowing by defenders as he circled in front and dangled the puck between his legs before scoring. McDonough finished the game with two goals, one assist, three shots on goal and a plus-2 rating. “Artistry” they called it in Sweden, but an artist is never satisfied with their work. As a late round pick, McDonough impressed in his freshman NCAA season, accumulating 27 points (11G, 16A) in 31 games. He caught up Neither was his head coach, apparently. with Mike Patron and Ryan Haze of the ‘I Only Touch Greatness’ podcast in mid-November to talk about how his first season went. “It’s probably just an instinct to take it on goal. I have trained a bit on it and fun to try on a match,” Hoglander said in a second intermission “The older guys helped us out a lot,” McDonough said. “Coaches helped interview. “You get a little extra confidence from seeing such a goal, but a us too. As quick as you get comfortable … that’s when you see your goal (is a) goal. We lead the match and that is the most important thing.” production go up.”

Said head coach Cam Abbott moments later: McDonough, who set up the double winner against Boston University in the Final in March, will be looking to continue to “I thought it was a good finish for him, going to the net there, creative, build his game this time around. we’re kinda used to that with Nils,” Abbott said. “At the same time there’s been a couple turnovers in the neutral zone by the same player that cost “We’re young, we’re still evolving,” he said. “We’re still trying to figure out us one against. I think it’s impressive but he knows there’s still a ways to what we’re trying to be for the rest of our careers.” go to be the player he wants to be.” Vancouver Province: LOADED: 12.14.2020 The wonder kid with the magic mitts also added an assist in the 5-2 win to make it another two-point night, while taking two shots on net and notching a plus-2 rating in 13:14 of ice time.

There were no more points to be had for Hoglander in Saturday’s 2-1 win at Oskarshamn, but he did score a couple shots in a fight late in the third period which got him tossed out of the game.

If ever there was a better way to ready himself for North American hockey, this was it.

Hoglander had one shot on goal and 25 penalty minutes in 13:04 of ice time in the win for his former first-place team. 1180633 Vancouver Canucks In the second-round series opener against Las Vegas, Hughes had a rough outing. He was constantly contained in his own zone and nullified at the opposition blue-line. The Golden Knights pressured him at the point, took away passing and shooting options and he had no shots. To Canucks preach team toughness for tense Canadian division clashes his credit, he sucked it up and gathered his game.

Pettersson was the same way.

Ben Kuzma Last season, he was just as willing to deliver a check after absorbing one. He became master of the reverse hit in board battles to complement Publishing date:Dec 13, 2020 a heightened compete level. And he was also adept at anticipating hits by jumping at the last second to absorb the energy, rather than being plastered to the boards. When the puck finally drops on a compacted NHL season, testosterone levels in an all-Canadian division are going to rise. In Game 2 against the Golden Knights, Pettersson was at his playmaking, fast-breaking and quick-release best during a 5-2 victory. He How high? had a goal and two assists, was foiled on one breakaway, hit the crossbar on another dash, froze goalie Robin Lehner with a forehand A proposed 56-game slate means the Vancouver Canucks will face six deke and finished with six shot attempts. national rivals at least nine times each and the competitive sparks will fly. Add an extra meeting with the and Edmonton Oilers to OVERTIME — Canuck players from the U.S. and Europe are expected to meet the schedule total and it could be like pouring gasoline on a fire. return to Vancouver this week to adhere to the mandatory 14-day quarantine period in advance of a projected Jan. 3 camp at Rogers “When you play a team two or three times in a row, it’s going to be like a Arena. The club had hoped to conduct a group cohort quarantine during mini playoff series with a lot of good players on a lot of good teams and a their 10-day camp, but that concept was a non-starter with provincial chance to be real intense,” Canucks general manager said health officials. Sunday. “Travis (coach Green) and I have had these conversations. Vancouver Province: LOADED: 12.14.2020 “It’s going to be about playing to win and you’ve got to be smart. We have a good power play, if there’s going to be a lot of nonsense going on. When you have individual battles and personalities get involved, it has that potential. From the fans’ point, it’s going to be fun to watch.”

But when?

In an exhaustive exercise to host Major League Baseball type series, the Canucks will also travel to virus hot spots amid a surging second wave of the novel coronavirus pandemic. The enthusiasm of a targeted Jan. 3 opening for training camp and a Jan. 13 season commencement could be tempered by what plays out this week with COVID-19 and how the NHL executive committee and NHL Players’ Association adjusts accordingly.

However, if there’s a January green light, the game within the game will play a role and team toughness will be vital to combat the prospect of intimidation leading to injury.

In today’s game, the designated fighter has been replaced by the designated irritant. It’s that guy who targets the other team’s top players — like Elias Pettersson and — and attempts to take away their resolve to play through the hounding and harassment.

Among noted agitators are Matthew Tkachuk in Calgary, Zack Kassian in Edmonton, Wayne Simmonds in Toronto and, of course, Antoine Roussel in Vancouver.

“Travis talks to the players about a group mental toughness where we stick up for each other,” added Benning. “I’m confident that our guys are mentally tough and strong and we have players who play the way we want to play — strong on pucks and getting to the net — and we feel good about our group.

“We still have a lot of experienced players and younger guys to integrate and they’re going to show up and compete. They proved that in the (Edmonton) bubble experience and I was extremely proud of how hard they worked on a game-to-game basis and how they competed. We have players who know what it takes to be competitive and successful.”

Still, you know there will be some nonsense.

That’s where rosters expected to expand from 23 to 26 and adding a four-member AHL taxi squad will work to the Canucks’ advantage. It means there’s room for depth wingers like Zack MacEwen, who fought five times last season, and for restricted free agent Justin Bailey, who’s expected to soon reach terms on a contract extension.

“Bailey is part of our group,” said Benning. “He played (two) games for us last year, is a big guy and can skate like the wind and we’re going to need him here at some point.”

What the Canucks don’t have to worry about is how Pettersson and Hughes will handle the extra attention. In their first post-season adventure last summer, they not only posted 18 points (7-11) and 16 points (2-14) respectfully, they responded to the gabbing, grabbing and jabbing by playing better. 1180634 Websites "...The National Hockey League mourns his passing and sends our condolences to his wife Colombe, their sons Martin and Eric, and the entire Lacroix family."

Sportsnet.ca / Pierre Lacroix, former GM of Nordiques, Avalanche, dies Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 12.14.2020 at 72

Sportsnet Staff

December 13, 2020, 1:40 PM

Former general manager of the Quebec Nordiques and Colorado Avalanche, Pierre Lacroix, who guided the organization to its first two Stanley Cup victories and made a franchise-altering trade for Patrick Roy, has died, the Avalanche confirmed in a statement. He was 72.

"Pierre was the architect of the Avalanche’s two Stanley Cup championships, which included the city of Denver’s first major sports championship in 1996. Pierre was instrumental in not only the team’s on- ice success but also building the Avalanche brand into what it is today," read the statement.

"His legacy reaches far beyond the NHL level and his impact can be felt throughout all of youth hockey in the Rocky Mountain region. Our thoughts are with the Lacroix family during this difficult time, his wife, Colombe, his sons Martin and Eric, and his three grandchildren."

Lacroix became president and GM of the Nordiques in 1994 and moved with the team to Denver. He held the role of GM until 2006 and president until 2013 when he relinquished that tile to Josh Kroenke.

Joe Sakic -- who starred on Lacroix's dominant teams alongside the likes of Roy, Peter Forsberg and many others before joining the front office in 2010 and taking over as GM in 2014 -- was effusive in his praise of his former boss.

“It is a sad day for the Avalanche organization and its fans. Pierre was a visionary and a true leader. From the moment he took over as GM, he established a winning culture that spread throughout the organization. As players, we knew he would do everything he could to help the team achieve that goal of hoisting the Stanley Cup. Pierre was instrumental in not only building the Avalanche into a championship team but also in the growth of hockey in Colorado. His footprint is everywhere in this hockey community," he said in a statement.

“Pierre is someone I trusted very much right from the first time I met him. I’ll always remember him as not only a great GM but an even better person. He always treated everyone like family and he wanted us players to have that same mentality. He was a great example to all of us. Pierre was a mentor to me and someone I learned a lot about the business of hockey from. We as an organization and myself personally, will really miss him."

Lacroix is, perhaps, most widely recognized for his blockbuster swing for Roy. Capitalizing on a rift between the Montreal Canadiens and the Hall of Fame netminder, Lacroix acquired Roy and for , Martin Rucinsky and Andrei Kovalenko in one of the most lopsided deals in history.

The deal paid immediate dividends.

Roy would finish as runner-up for the and helped the Avalanche, in their first season since their move from Quebec, capture the franchise's first Stanley Cup.

Lacroix also made key acquisitions of star defencemen Ray Bourque and Rob Blake, which resulted in the franchise's second Cup title in 2001.

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman credited Lacroix for shepherding the organization through its relocation and establishing a model franchise in Colorado.

"Pierre's eye for talent, appreciation for elite-level athletes and fearlessness in pulling off the big trade made him one of the most successful team builders in recent NHL history. Fiercely competitive and personally engaging, he was highly regarded by his fellow general managers and his voice was respected throughout the league," Bettman said in a statement.