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SPORT-SCAN DAILY BRIEF NHL 5/23/2019 1106491 League sources: Report of Coyotes sale ‘premature’ 1106518 Luke Witkowski texting with Detroit Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman about his job Bruins 1106519 Danny DeKeyser wonders this about Detroit Red Wings 1106492 Bruins will see a reflection of themselves in Blues defense next season 1106493 ‘It’s all about us.’ David Backes will set history aside with 1106520 Detroit Red Wings' Anthony Mantha suspended for one Blues in pursuit of the Cup game at Worlds 1106494 ’s had a special place in Bruce Cassidy’s 1106521 Detroit Red Wings' uncertain for U.S. in childhood Worlds quarterfinal 1106495 Bruins’ David Backes must beat former team to win 1106522 District Detroit: Inside the Ilitches' land of unfulfilled promises 1106496 ‘Flying Orr’ a favorite moment in Bruins history for Bruce 1106523 Red Wings' Anthony Mantha suspended, Dylan Larkin Cassidy being evaluated at worlds 1106497 Bruins intrasquad scrimmage at Garden a sure bet for the 1106524 Red Wings’ Anthony Mantha suspended for Canada’s fans World Championship quarterfinal 1106498 How the Bruins and Blues match up in the Stanley Cup Final Oilers 1106499 David Backes, Alex Pietraneglo putting friendship aside for 1106525 Oilers fans wanted new GM to blow it all up, but only two Stanley Cup Final shots fired so far 1106500 Bruce Cassidy appreciates the history of Bruins vs. Blues 1106526 Three offseason scenarios and how each one would affect in Cup Final the Oilers salary cap 1106501 Blues goalie Jordan Binnington's unique stint with Bruins, 1106527 Examining the Oilers’ goaltending options in free agency explained 1106502 Cassidy on facing the similar Blues: 'I think they're a bit of our twin' 1106528 Revisionist Roundtable: Should the Kings have kept Dean 1106503 Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy sought advice from Bill Lombardi and ? Belichick, others before Stanley Cup 1106529 WEDNESDAY: WORLDS TO BEGIN; 1106504 Is Tuukka Rask's 'silent treatment' over? Bruce Cassidy ; ON THIS DATE; AMPLE PHOTOS gives important update 1106530 LOOKING BACK AT YEAR 1 WITH REIGN GM SEELEY 1106505 ‘A bit of our twin’: 11 things for Bruins fans to know about the St. Louis Blues Wild 1106506 St. Louis has become a throw pillow in Boston’s 1106531 Wild missed out on wide open playoffs at worst possible championship trophy room time 1106507 By the numbers: Bruins and Blues took very different paths to Stanley Cup final Canadiens 1106508 Walk the line: Why the Bruins hit the ice in the same order 1106532 Canadiens prospect Nick Suzuki on a roll for Guelph at every game Memorial Cup 1106533 Even if the Canadiens can afford to re-sign Jordie Benn, Buffalo Sabres should they? 1106509 How the past has prepared Sabres coach Ralph Krueger for the challenge ahead 1106510 How Blues' trip to Stanley Cup final impacts Sabres' draft 1106534 IIHF World Championships 2019: Matchups, where Devils picks will play in tournament quarterfinals | What about Jack 1106535 The Athletic Q&A with : The Devils coach Flames weighs in on Hughes vs. Kakko, Nico Hischier’s growth 1106511 Duhatschek: From the near early upset to missing Joel and m Otto, tales from the Flames ’89 Cup-winning team 1106536 Projecting the 2019-20 Islanders: Which offseason route 1106512 Patrick Roy interviews for head coaching will Lou Lamoriello take? job, report says 1106513 Avalanche head into offseason with clear vision on complementing impressive young core 1106537 Sam Rosen sees old MSG pal John Davidson restoring 1106514 2019 NHL Mock Draft 2.0: Colorado focuses on the long Rangers glory run 1106538 John Davidson’s dream now turns into trying Rangers task 1106539 New president John Davidson all smiles over Rangers’ draft opportunity 1106515 John Davidson: Blue Jackets in 'very good hands' 1106540 Rangers president Davidson: 'Dreams do come true' 1106516 After ‘all-in’ trade deadline, Blue Jackets now seek ways to recoup draft picks NHL 1106541 How the Blues Went From Last Place to the Stanley Cup Finals 1106517 Who and what is Stars Jamie Benn? 1106542 Back With the Rangers, John Davidson Has Unfinished Business Ottawa Senators Websites 1106543 Crawford talking as if he's still in the running for Senators 1106578 The Athletic / Pronman’s 2019 NHL Draft board: Prospects head coaching job who missed the cut 1106579 .ca / 7 NHL teams that could weaponize salary cap space 1106544 49 years ago, Bobby Orr’s iconic goal for the Bruins 1106580 Sportsnet.ca / Sorting out Flames goaltending should be almost killed more than the St. Louis Blues | Frank Fitzp Brad Treliving’s top priority 1106581 Sportsnet.ca / How Oilers could look under , according to ex-players 1106545 Accelerated development from Teddy Blueger could be 1106582 Sportsnet.ca / Stanley Cup Final Preview: good news for Penguins vs. St. Louis Blues 1106546 Former NHL heavyweight John Scott holds no grudge 1106583 Sportsnet.ca / A blueprint for how the Lightning can make against room for Erik Karlsson 1106584 USA TODAY / Stanley Cup keys: Here are five factors that will determine Bruins vs. Blues series 1106547 For the Sharks, an offseason of uncertainty begins 1106585 USA TODAY / Blues fan is a Stanley Cup away from 1106548 Sharks’ Thornton says he hasn’t thought about retirement turning $400 into $100K in unlikely bet 1106549 Magical playoff ride ends in more disappointment for Sharks 1106550 Sharks' season-long observations after conference final 1106573 Spirit of St. Louis still haunts Jets, but does the Blues' loss to Blues red-hot playoff run ease the pain? 1106551 Sharks feeling the harsh sting as an era in San Jose could 1106574 crunching: Jets need some creative accounting be ending without a Stanley Cup this summer 1106575 Seven potential trade destinations for Jacob Trouba and St Louis Blues what the Jets might get in return 1106552 Blues set ratings record for game on cable TV SPORT-SCAN, INC. 941-284-4129 1106553 Hochman: The Blues' organist, the KMOX voice, the PA announcer, the 'Chaser' – stories from Game 6 1106554 BenFred: 5 reasons the Blues finally broke through to the 1106555 Glorious! 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Social media sure is 1106562 St. Louis fan could win $100,000 if Blues are crowned Stanley Cup champions 1106563 ‘A bit of our twin’: 11 things for Bruins fans to know about the St. Louis Blues 1106564 Bourne: Stories matter and the Blues are on the precipice of writing one of the great ones 1106565 By the numbers: Bruins and Blues took very different paths to Stanley Cup final 1106566 Blues’ winning the Western Conference was an accomplishment decades in the making 1106567 Lightning Louis Domingue earned redemption 1106568 Who is the current face of Tampa Bay sports? Maple Leafs 1106569 Tulloch: A breakdown of what Mitch Marner should earn on his next contract based on comparables Canucks 1106576 Sedins’ induction into B.C. 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League sources: Report of Coyotes sale ‘premature’

By Craig Morgan

May 22, 2019

The Coyotes’ offseason is almost always accompanied by ownership and arena news. The latest news came from Sportsnet’s John Shannon in the form of a tweet on Wednesday.

It’s no secret that Coyotes owner Andrew Barroway has been looking to sell all or a portion of the team. Those efforts have been ongoing for more than a year, but league sources said Wednesday that it is premature to say that a change in ownership is imminent or that the sale will even be completed. Those same sources acknowledged that conversations/negotiations are ongoing with what they termed “a well- funded group,” but those same sources said there are multiple material issues that must be worked out.

The Coyotes have been down this road with previous potential investors, who looked into the possibility of purchasing the team, then fell by the wayside for various reasons.

If multiple issues can be worked out in talks with the current group, it’s conceivable there could be an NHL Board of Governors vote on an ownership change this summer, the sources said. Sources also confirmed that in the negotiations with this current group, Barroway would retain a minority share whose amount is still undetermined.

There is also no provision or out-clause being discussed to move the team to another city if it continues to sustain losses. If the deal goes through, it would be to keep the team in Arizona.

It is unclear how the organization’s desire for a new arena fits into the ongoing talks. NHL commissioner Gary Bettman is on record as having said the team must have a new arena to survive in Arizona. Bettman declined comment on the report or the league’s current stance on the arena, Wednesday, referring all inquiries to the team. When reached by phone, Coyotes president Ahron Cohen declined comment on the report.

Barroway has been the Coyotes’ sole owner since buying out the other members of the IceArizona group on June 12, 2017.

“I wouldn’t say it wasn’t working, it was just a lot of voices,” he said at the time. “We had 10 different limited partners. Anyone who has been in business, with 10 partners there’s going to be some different opinions sometimes, but it was always my dream to own the entire thing and that’s why I doubled down on my investment.”

Amid rumors of relocation, IceArizona completed its purchase of the team from the league in August 2013.

The Athletic LOADED: 05.23.2019 1106492 Boston Bruins “And you’ve got to put shots in good spots,” said Cassidy. “If they’re turning to chase shots, and not boxing out, then you get a better opportunity. Most of the time it is using your speed and skill. If you can Bruins will see a reflection of themselves in Blues loosen their gap, obviously, you’ve got a chance to make some plays in front of them.

“But those are all challenges I am sure other teams have looked into and Adrian Walker had some level of success. I think our guys understand now. I really do. They’ve been through it now.

“Carolina had a good defense, too — a little more mobile than heavy, but “I expect the games will be lower-scoring and more physical,” said Bruins still we were able to get guys through there. So I think they’ve kind of coach Bruce Cassidy following Wednesday’s tuneup at their Brighton figured out the formula themselves.” practice facility. “I think they’re a bit of our twin, so to speak.” The Blues also have a size advantage up front. Of the dozen forwards Nearly a half-century after meeting up in the 1970 Cup Final, a series they dressed in Game 6, nine were a minimum 6-0, 200. The most feared capped by Bobby Orr’s flight of fancy after scoring the Cup-clinching of the bunch: seventh-year sharpshooter Vladimir Tarasenko (6-0/225), goal, the Bruins and Blues square off again Monday night in Game 1 of he of the Alex Ovechkin Shoot-it-Through-a-Brick-Wall Academy. the best-of-seven championship series. For Boston, only David Backes, Marcus Johansson, Sean Kuraly, and Much has changed over the last five decades. For one, both the Bruins Coyle meet the 6-foot/200 pound standard. But neither the Blues nor any and Blues have hacked their way through three rounds of playoffs, a total other NHL team can match the offensive dynamic of Boston’s top line: of 36 games between them, without registering a single five-minute Marchand--David Pastrnak. fighting major. Anyone tuning in Monday for the first time since May 10, 1970, will be stunned by how much faster, cleaner, and lighter (right Like Cassidy, Blues coach gets a lot of play out of his down to the carbon-based sticks) today’s NHL product is compared with fourth line, made up of Alex Steen, Ivan Barbashev, and Oskar the brawling Big Bad Bruins era. Sundqvist. Look for that energy trio to line up for the Game 1 puck drop. Cassidy, too, grew increasingly confident with his Fab Fourth liners: These are two teams that, like all serious contenders, boast of intelligent Joakim Nordstrom-Kuraly-Noel Acciari. playing structure, stout defense, and the pro forma factor that is Cup- caliber goaltending. Blues pivot Ryan O’Reilly and Bergeron will finish as the top two faceoff men (total wins) in this year’s playoffs. To date, O’Reilly, the ex-Sabre, It was Jordan Binnington’s netminding that provided the Blues the spark has won 229 drops, a dozen more than Patrice the Thief. But Bergeron to turn their season around in January, and it was Tuukka Rask, with the has won a playoff-best 59.3 percent of his drops, an astounding figure, best postseason play of his career, who stole the Round 2 series vs. while O’Reilly is slightly underwater (48.7). Columbus and cleared the track for the Bruins to reach the Cup Final for a ninth time since 1970. The Blues haven’t been to a Final since the They’ll likely square up frequently, in what promises to be one of the afternoon that Orr took flight. most compelling battles within the battle in the series.

“The two heaviest teams are in the Final,” conceded San Jose coach Cassidy and Berube, both high-profile juniors as players, each is Peter DeBoer, after his Sharks were dismissed Tuesday night in Game 6 coaching in the Final for the first time. Born some seven months apart in by the Blues. “There was no space [vs. St. Louis]. They’re heavy, hard, 1965, they had very different NHL playing careers. and organized. There wasn’t any room.” The hard-rock Berube, who engaged in 258 fights over his 1,054 games, Sound familiar? The Bruins displayed much the same 200-foot stinginess was the Flyers’ for two seasons (2013-15), losing out in in their wins over Toronto, Columbus, and Carolina. Though not as Round 1 his first year, then losing his job after a DNQ in Year 2. “heavy” as the 2011 Cup-winning team that featured the wide-shouldered likes of Milan Lucic and Nathan Horton, the 2019 Bruins are a stout, Berube, who ranks No. 7 all time in NHL minutes (3,149), took defensive-minded group. over early in the season for the fired Mike Yeo, made the switch to Binnington in net, and led the Blues on a magical 29-9-5 run across the Both clubs also feature a broad base of scoring, the Bruins with 19 back half-plus of the season. different goal scorers, the Blues with 18, through the first three rounds. Jaden Schwartz (12-4—16) leads the way for the Blues, while Brad Cassidy, a first-round pick of the Blackhawks in ’83, had his playing Marchand (7-11—18) tops the Boston scoring chart. career stifled by a knee injury and took up coaching in the ECHL in ’96. Like Berube, he had limited success in his first NHL bench tour, as coach Only four other Cup Final matchups have featured two teams with as of the Capitals (2002-04), then finally made his way back when he was many scorers through the conference finals. The all-time record: The hired to replace Claude Julien in February 2017. Oilers and Flyers entered the 1980 Final with 40 “unique” scorers. In his two-plus regular seasons, the Bruins have gone 117-52-22. He The first challenge for the Bruins could be the size and heft of the St. stands 12-5 this postseason, and Monday will be his 36th playoff game Louis defensive unit, which helped the Blues limit the Sharks to two goals behind the Boston bench. over the final three games of the Western finals. The six D who dressed for the clincher all stood 6 feet 2 inches or better, topping out with the 6-6 “This is the Stanley Cup, right?” said Cassidy. “As a kid growing up, it’s Colton Parayko. Their highest-profile defender, , is 6-3, what you dream about. For me, I dreamt about it as a player, a Bruins 210 pounds, and nimble. player . . . and that dream died.”

“You’ve got to finish your checks. You’ve got to play hard on them,” said Cassidy kiddingly thanked a reporter for bringing up that old wound. Bruins center Charlie Coyle, who saw plenty of the Blues in his years “But here we are, right?” he said. “So it’s the next best thing. It’s what I with the Wild. “They do have some tough D who play physical and do for a living. Every coach wants to win. They want to be known as a rugged. But you’ve got to fire right back at them. winner. So for me . . . I don’t have a word to describe it, to be honest with “It’s going to be a physical series, and wearing down those D men is you.” going to be key. Try to make them play back there and behind them.”

Cassidy made a point of referencing the Blues’ size on defense, but Boston Globe LOADED: 05.23.2019 quickly added that both clubs can move the puck from back there. Pietrangelo is the most qualified puck lugger along the Blues blue line, while the Bruins look to both Charlie McAvoy and Torey Krug to provide their back-end push. The No. 3 unit, with Matt Grzelcyk and Connor Clifton, also can advance the puck.

To counter the size advantage of the Blues’ defensive corps, noted Cassidy, it will come down to the will and battle factor among the Boston forwards. 1106493 Boston Bruins “Pace, competitiveness is what we want,” Cassidy said. “By competitiveness, I mean still battling for pucks, finishing plays around the net. In practice, have a tendency not to try to shoot the puck in the net. ‘It’s all about us.’ David Backes will set history aside with Blues in pursuit Some of those little details we have to get back to. Faceoffs, little things of the Cup that maybe we don’t get in practice. We’re hoping to get back up to speed. There’s always risk when you step on the ice — shouldn’t be more than a normal practice. Might end up flipping guys’ sweaters in the middle of the scrimmage — we want to make sure [Patrice] Bergeron’s Adrian Walker group is on the power play together.”

Cassidy grew up in Ottawa as a huge Bruins fan, and was still 10 days “But it’s all about what’s in this room, what our goal is, and what we need away from celebrating his fifth birthday when Bobby Orr potted the to do to win these games, and it starts with Game 1 on [Monday].” Stanley Cup-winning goal against the Blues in 1970.

Backes, 35, who joined the Bruins as a free agent in 2016, captained the The iconic photograph of Orr flying through the air on May 10, 1970, Blues as they lost to the San Jose Sharks in his final year. In a rematch captured in black-and-white by the Boston Record American’s Ray in this year’s Western Conference finals, the Blues defeated the Sharks Lussier, was reprinted by Cassidy’s hometown newspaper, the Ottawa in six games, the series ending Tuesday night. Citizen.

“I turned it on and off six or seven times,” Backes said of the Game 6 “I used to deliver the paper when I was a kid,” Cassidy recalled. “I cut it broadcast. “Just need to go to bed, don’t want to think about it too much. out and it was on my wall. By the time I took it down, it was, what, But then the TV comes back on, some magical way. And end up yellow? Isn’t that the color newspaper goes?” watching a little more and by the end of it, it was tough to fall asleep. My Cassidy also recalled a trading card he kept for years, one depicting Orr wife was begging me to turn it off and go to sleep.” standing behind a table full of trophies, including the Stanley Cup and the The calls and texts soon followed. Conn Smythe Trophy as the playoff MVP.

“After the game it was tougher going to sleep than a normal night,” “So that’s what was on my wall,” said a smiling Cassidy, who is about to Backes said. “But these are the big moments you play for on the big coach in his first Stanley Cup Final. “And maybe a Farrah Fawcett stage. I think it will be extra sweet if we are able to win against that team poster.” and maybe an extra thump if they win it. That’s where we’re at, we’re Fawcett, the TV and movie actress who died in 2009, was best known for going to lay it all on the line. The long layover — both teams are going to her role on the TV series “Charlie’s Angels” (1976-81). Her poster at the be full charged for Game 1. time, like Orr’s, sold millions of copies. “It’s going to be an exciting series. You don’t get to this level by accident.

They’ve got a heck of a team, we’ve got a heck of a team, and we’re going to concentrate on doing what we need to win the game in this Boston Globe LOADED: 05.23.2019 room. We’ve got an awesome group of guys to do that with, we’ve got a few more days rest, and you know, from now on it’s for keeps and it’s going to be one heck of a series.”

Backes joined the Blues during the 2006-07 season and was named captain during the 2010-11 season. The Bruins signed Backes to a five- year contract after the 2015-16 season.

“There’s 10 guys, I think, that were there when I was there,” Backes said. “It’s half the team, so it’s a lot of familiarity. But it’s not like I left there at the trade deadline, I know every guy like the back of my hand, we were having dinners earlier this year. So, there’s some familiarity but not a ton, where I know every guy up and down. Obviously, if I’ve got information that can help us I’m going to disseminate it, but I don’t know that I’ve got the secret sauce.”

“It’s going to be a battle of wills. Both teams are very similar in their makeup, in their style of play, in their resiliency. Both have really hot . Maybe the difference that I see is we’ve got a bigger group of guys that have been to this level, been to this stage, competed in this finals extravaganza before.

“Going to be heightened emotions. It’s a binary decision now. It’s us or them, there’s no third party, no ties, none of that stuff. One of us is going to win this Cup. That’s the position you want to be in at the beginning of the year. I wish those guys well at some point. But now it’s all about us and winning this thing.”

Inside knowledge?

The Bruins are tapping the scouting of goaltending coach Bob Essensa, who guided the Blues’ Jordan Binnington with the last season.

Binnington played 28 games for Providence and was named an AHL All- Star. This season, Binnington compiled a 24-5-1 regular-season record and has a 12-7 playoff mark.

“I don’t think it’ll affect Binnington that much,” Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy said. “He’s playing well, I’m sure he’s going to be on his game, play the way he plays. Maybe a little more inside information than, maybe, San Jose did — it can’t hurt to have a little experience with him.”

The Bruins will hold a scrimmage consisting of two 25-minute periods at TD Garden on Thursday night. 1106494 Boston Bruins

Bobby Orr’s goal had a special place in Bruce Cassidy’s childhood

Adrian Walker

Bruce Cassidy grew up in Ottawa as a huge Bruins fan, and was still 10 days away from celebrating his fifth birthday when Bobby Orr potted the Stanley Cup-winning goal in against the Blues in 1970.

The iconic photograph of Orr flying through the air on May 10, 1970, captured in black-and-white by the Boston Record American’s Ray Lussier, was reprinted by Cassidy’s hometown newspaper, the Ottawa Citizen.

“I used to deliver the paper when I was a kid,” Cassidy recalled Wednesday afternoon, following his club’s workout in Brighton. “I cut it out and it was on my wall. By the time I took it down, it was, what, yellow? Isn’t that the color newspaper goes?”

Cassidy also recalled a trading card he kept for years, one depicting Orr standing behind a table full of trophies, including the Stanley Cup and the Conn Smythe Trophy as the playoff MVP.

“So that’s what was on my wall,” said a smiling Cassidy, who is about to coach his first Stanley Cup Final series. “And maybe a Farrah Fawcett poster.”

Fawcett, the TV and movie actress who died in 2009, was best known for her role on the TV series “Charlie’s Angels” (1976-81). Her poster at the time, like Orr’s, sold millions of copies.

Boston Globe LOADED: 05.23.2019 1106495 Boston Bruins “It will be hard on him if things don’t go the proper way, but at the same time, I think it would be so sweet for him if we end up working toward our goal and accomplishing that. It’s definitely a unique scenario with how Bruins’ David Backes must beat former team to win Stanley Cup long he was there and how big of part of the city he was in St. Louis. We’ll definitely work toward the goal for him as well.”

After scratching Backes for the first game of the playoffs and then a few By STEVE CONROY | [email protected] | Boston Herald more late in the Toronto series and early in the Columbus series, coach Bruce Cassidy has chosen to stick with the intangibles Backes brings in PUBLISHED: May 22, 2019 at 5:45 pm | UPDATED: May 22, 2019 at the past seven games. All wins. 6:03 PM “Where he is at this stage of his career — anybody’s really, but particular

him, who’s been through it — he doesn’t know when he’s going to get The hockey gods finally had granted David Backes his wish. After 13 another kick at the cat here,” Cassidy said. “So I think that will be the years of some very hard hockey, the Bruins forward finally has the biggest motivating factor for him, getting his name on the Stanley Cup. It chance to play for the Stanley Cup. happens to be St. Louis. I think it’s a great story line, but I don’t think it’s going to affect his drive.” But those extraterrestrials are an untrustworthy sort. For after giving Backes his long awaited chance to play for the sport’s biggest prize, they And to be sure, there is no blue left in his blood. It’s all Black and Gold turned around and said, “OK, now you’ll have to climb over some of your right now. best friends to get it.” “The stars have aligned for this to be one heck of an event and we’re just Standing between Backes and the Cup now is the team he once going to embrace and throw everything we have out there in every shift, captained, the St. Louis Blues. every moment of every game,” Backes said. “I love this group. I wouldn’t want to be in the Finals with any other group. I believe in this group. Now, this is no Sophie’s Choice for Backes, mind you. He’ll gladly elbow We’re solely focused on winning Game 1 and then we’ll worry about the his old buddies out of the way to grab the Cup. Face washes will be next game.” available to all comers. That’s the way hockey is, was and always will be. All sports have that cut-throat element. But it’s safe to say this is not how he would have scripted it. Boston Herald LOADED: 05.23.2019 Asked if it was more bittersweet or motivational for him that it’s the Blues the B’s are playing, Backes leaned distinctively to the former.

“It would have been fine to make the finals in different years and then each (team) could have had a shot at it, maybe,” Backes said. “But now it’s all about in this room. There’s still some good friends, one of my best friends (Alex Pietrangelo) is on that team, he’s the captain of their team. But I told him, ‘I’m going to love him now, I’m going to love him afterwards, but I’m going to hate him for the next three weeks.’ That’s a mutual decision that we’re going to battle out butts off for this ultimate prize. We’ll patch up whatever we need to patch up afterwards, but it’s all about what’s in this room, what our goal is and what we need to do to win these games.”

Backes did not just play for the Blues. He was the face of the franchise for a time, fully ensconced and active in the community with his charity work. He admitted he stayed up past his bedtime Tuesday to see the Blues seal the deal and joked he has to be vigilant with his “personal filter” with all the messages he’s been getting.

“There’s going to be heightened emotions,” Backes said. “But it’s a binary decision now. It’s us or them. There’s no third party, no ties. One of us is going to win the Cup, either the St. Louis Blues or the Boston Bruins. That’s the position you’d want to be in at the beginning of the year. We’re in that position. I wish those guys well up until this point, but now it’s all about us and winning this thing. All our thoughts and all our efforts are in this room.”

While there has been some turnover on the Blues since he last played there in 2015-2016, Backes estimated he still played with half of that team.

“There’s some familiarity, but not a ton where I know every guy up and down,” Backes said. “Now if I have some information that I think can help us, I’m going to disseminate it, but I don’t know if I’ve got a secret sauce.

“It’s going to be a battle of wills. Both teams are very similar in their makeup, very similar in their style of play, very similar in their resiliency, both have really good and hot goaltenders. Maybe the difference I see is we’ve got a number of guys who’ve been at this stage, competed in this finals extravaganza before and I think they just have , who was there last year (with Vegas).”

Backes is not the same impact player he was when he was in St. Louis, but he still has a strong voice in the leadership group. When he arrived in Boston he helped establish a chapel group that meets away from the rink regularly and he’s taken a lot of the young players, such as Brandon Carlo, under his wing. While this series will be emotional for everyone involved, Carlo believes Backes will feel the ups and downs a little more acutely. 1106496 Boston Bruins

‘Flying Orr’ a favorite moment in Bruins history for Bruce Cassidy

By RICH THOMPSON | [email protected] | Boston Herald

May 22, 2019 at 5:30 PM

Boston coach Bruce Cassidy came of age in Ottawa, , but he had an iconic image of the Bruins hanging on his bedroom wall.

Cassidy had in his youthful possession the famed photograph of Bobby Orr flying through the air after scoring the game winner to complete a four-game sweep of the St. Louis Blues in the Stanley Cup final on May 10, 1970.

The Bruins will face off against the Blues in the Stanley Cup Final on Monday night (8) at the TD Garden for the first time since the “Flying Orr.”

“I got it from the Ottawa Citizen, I used to deliver the paper when I was a kid and I cut it out and it was on my wall,” said Cassidy, following Wednesday morning’s practice at in Brighton.

“By the time I took it down it was quite yellowed, isn’t that how the newspaper color goes? I also had the hockey card too, with all the trophies behind it. That is what was on my wall and maybe a Farah Fawcett poster.”

The all-encompassing image was captured by legendary Boston Record American photographer Ray Lussier, and would become one of the most famous sports photographs.

The photo captured the whole sequence in one still: St. Louis goalie Glenn Hall falling awkwardly after missing the puck while Orr was sent airborne across the slot by Blues defenseman Noel Picard.

The Record American would evolve through a series of mergers into today’s Boston Herald.

Bruins third line center Charlie Coyle grew up and Weymouth and played at Boston University, so he had a history with the TD Garden before being acquired in February from Minnesota in a trade for Ryan Donato.

Coyle is thrilled to open his first Stanley Cup final against the Blues on what he considers his home ice. Coyle was a standout at Weymouth High School when he played his first championship game at the Garden.

Weymouth advanced to the MIAA Super 8 title game in 2007, a huge accomplishment for a public school, before falling 6-1 to BC High.

“I hope we get a different result,” said Coyle. “That was a fun year and will always be one of my favorite moments in hockey and having the whole town come out and fill the Garden.”

Big on ‘D’

Bruins defensemen Zdeno Chara, Charlie McAvoy and Brandon Carlo are big guys, but there is a significant falloff in size and weight with Torey Krug, Matt Grzelcyk and Connor Clifton.

The Blues three defensive pairs are noticeably bigger than their Boston counterparts. Jay Bouwmeester, Joel Edmonson, Alex Pietrangelo, Vince Dunn, Carl Gunnarsson and Colton Parayko are all over six feet tall with four weighing north of 210 pounds. Dunn is the munchkin at 6-0, 203 pounds.

“I think some of it is will, you have to have the will to go in there and get them turning,” said Cassidy. “You have to get good shots on net so they are turning to chase rebounds and not boxing out.”

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Bruins intrasquad scrimmage at Garden a sure bet for the fans

By RICH THOMPSON | [email protected] | Boston Herald

May 22, 2019 at 5:15 PM

Boston Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy figures the Las Vegas odds makers will have trouble formulating a betting line for the Bruins intrasquad scrimmage on Thursday night (7) at the TD Garden.

Cassidy said there would be a lack of team loyalty among the players assigned to the Black and White rosters in this unusual event that is open to the public, with all proceeds going to the Boston Bruins Foundation.

Cassidy is more interested in maintaining the Bruins edge than actually preparing to take on the Western Conference champion St. Louis Blues on Monday night in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup finals.

The Blues secured the Campbell Bowl with a 5-1 victory over the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday night and will face Boston in the Cup final for the first time since 1970.

“There is a little bit of who we want playing against each other and a little bit about special teams,” said Cassidy when asked about roster configurations.

“Now we might end up flipping guys sweaters anyway during the scrimmage because we want to make sure that (center Patrice) Bergeron’s group is on the power play and we are going to use (right wing Jake) DeBrusk to start there with them.

“So, if it’s a matter of changing a shirt than that’s what we will do. If this game were going to Vegas for a betting line, I’m giving you a heads’ up right now that guys might switch teams.”

The scrimmage will be broken up into two 25-minute periods with a pair of referees to keep the opposing camps operating above board. The scrimmage is conceptualized around conducting business while alleviating the anxiety of a 10-day layoff and allowing a semblance of fun seep into the process.

“I don’t think it will be anything too intense or anything like that,” said DeBrusk. “I think it is going to be a lot of fun for the fans so we are going to put on a good show.

“Anytime you can skate at the Garden in general it is always nice and fun. I don’t necessarily think it will be playoff hockey but it might be, I don’t know. But that when the wagers will come out but it’s going be fun just to play in a game.

“We got lots of time just to skate around so it will be nice to for change of scenery and get the fans involved.”

Cassidy knows there are risks of injury anytime the team takes the ice in practice whether from an accidental hit to getting clipped by friendly fire in front of the cage. Cassidy’s aim is to simulate a game type atmosphere will minimizing the risks of player injury.

“There is still risk in practice and we battle but not every drill,” said Cassidy. “We try to get some in everyday and the players are aware of it and we will discuss it again.

“Pace and competitiveness are what we want as much as anything and the physicality. Competitiveness is battling for pucks, finishing plays around the net and some of those little details we have to get back to like faceoffs.”

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How the Bruins and Blues match up in the Stanley Cup Final

By Joe Haggerty

May 23, 2019 1:33 AM

The Bruins and St. Louis Blues aren’t exactly equals in all areas, but there are enough similarities that Bruce Cassidy called them “twins” when sharing his first thoughts about the official Stanley Cup Final matchup.

Certainly, they've engaged in physical, hard-nosed and low-scoring games the past five-plus seasons when they've met and that bodes well for the entertainment value in this championship series. There are high- end, dazzling offensive talents in David Pastrnak and Vladimir Tarasenko, top flight, high-end defenders in Zdeno Chara and Alex Pietrangelo, and two very hot goaltenders in Tuukka Rask and Jordan Binnington.

So, there will be no shortage of excellent players and it should be a pounding series that shouldn’t lack for entertainment. It should also end with a Bruins series victory and another title for Boston based on the B's more experienced players and perhaps even a little dash of the home-ice advantage coming through in the end.

The prediction here is the Bruins in seven games over St. Louis.

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David Backes, Alex Pietraneglo putting friendship aside for Stanley Cup Final

By Justin Leger

May 22, 2019 4:58 PM

David Backes will see some familiar faces when the Bruins and Blues face off in the Stanley Cup Final.

Backes spent his first 10 seasons in St. Louis and has some close friends on the opposing side. His best friend is Blues captain Alex Pietrangelo, who was his teammate for eight years.

But Backes made it clear that friendship won't exist for the duration of the series.

"I told him I love him now, I'm gonna love him afterwards, but I'm gonna hate him for the next three weeks here," Backes said. "I think that's a mutual decision."

Judging by Pietrangelo's comments, that decision indeed is mutual.

"When you get to this point in the season and you get into these games, everyone's going as hard as they can regardless of whether you know each other or not," said Pietrangelo.

So yeah, don't expect these two to be buddy-buddy until the handshake line takes place.

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Bruce Cassidy appreciates the history of Bruins vs. Blues in Cup Final

By Joe Haggerty

May 22, 2019 5:11 PM

BRIGHTON, Mass. – Bruce Cassidy was an unabashed Bobby Orr fan boy as a kid growing up on the outskirts of Ottawa.

The Bruins head coach had an Ottawa Citizen newspaper clipping of Orr flying through the air after securing the Stanley Cup against the St. Louis Blues way back in 1970, so he pretty readily has an appreciation of the Stanley Cup Final history between the Bruins and the Blues. He also had a few other items on his wall as a young Bruins fan and hockey player who had no idea he’d someday himself be leading the Black and Gold to the Cup Final vs. the Blues.

“It was the Ottawa Citizen. I used to deliver that paper as a kid and I cut [the flying Orr photo] out and had it up on my wall. By the time I took it down I’m guessing it was yellow,” said Bruce Cassidy, of the most iconic photo in NHL history, and certainly in the history of the Boston Bruins. “Isn’t that what the newspaper color goes? I had the hockey card too when he had all the trophies behind him. I think it was four or five of them. That was what was on my wall. Maybe there was a Farrah Fawcett poster too.”

Bruins fans should know these 5 Blues players

All kidding aside, Cassidy has said many times over the last three seasons that he grew up a massive Boston Bruins fan, and No. 4 was his favorite player. Orr’s revolutionary hockey career with the B’s certainly factored into Cassidy picking defenseman as his position in hockey and the fast-skating, creative way that he approached the game both as a player, and now as an NHL head coach.

Cassidy has tried to pass some of the hockey history lesson down to his current players with plenty of challenges along the way.

“I don’t think players appreciate it [now] like we did growing up. I’m not being disrespectful, but I just think they have a lot of other outlets they go to in their down time,” said Cassidy. “People of my generation, we played out in the street a little more, ball hockey and maybe watched a little more sports on TV because we didn’t have many video games and whatnot. But I hope they do [appreciate the history]. It would be a bigger loss if they don’t. We try to talk about them with it sometimes, the history, legacies and etc. But it’s always up to the individual.”

Jim vs. Pam: Cup Final divides "The Office"

The legendary Orr has already served as an honorary flag bearer in the Eastern Conference Final against the , so it remains to be seen how the Bruins could involve the living legend in a Stanley Cup Final rematch with St. Louis. It’s been almost 49 years to the day when Orr went flying through the air to secure Boston’s Stanley Cup, but it will be a highlight we’ll see over and over in the next couple of weeks no matter what happens with the current group of B’s and Blues players.

That’s something most Bruins fans will never get tired of, and you can count the B’s bench boss among those looking forward to seeing flying Orr over and over again now that the Bruins and Blues are again exchanging Stanley Cup pleasantries.

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Blues goalie Jordan Binnington's unique stint with Bruins, explained

By Darren Hartwell

May 22, 2019 2:00 PM

Sure, David Backes has history with both the St. Louis Blues and the Boston Bruins.

But he's no Jordan Binnington.

The Blues goaltender, you see, spent the entire 2017-18 season with the Bruins' AHL affiliate, the Providence Bruins. But Binnington technically was still part of St. Louis organization during that stint, meaning he was a member of both participants in this year's Stanley Cup Final -- at the same time.

Confused? Allow us to enlighten you.

When the NHL expanded to 31 teams in 2017 to accommodate the Golden Knights, the Blues' AHL affiliate, the , reached a deal to become Vegas' new AHL squad.

But the Wolves' departure left St. Louis without an AHL affiliate for the 2017-18 season. So, the Blues simply loaned their minor-league players to other AHL teams to give them playing time ... which is how Binnington ended up in Providence in 2017.

The young goalie made the most of his opportunity, posting a team-best .926 save percentage and 2.05 goals against average over 28 games despite having no chance of being promoted to Boston's NHL roster.

The Blues since have found a new AHL affiliate in the , while the 25-year-old Binnington since has blossomed into a star, leading the NHL in his de facto rookie season with a 1.89 goals against average and helping St. Louis reach its first Stanley Cup Final since 1970.

But Binnington's final test will be stopping a talented Bruins team featuring three players -- Danton Heinen, Matt Grzelcyk and Connor Clifton -- who were his "teammates" just one season ago.

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Cassidy on facing the similar Blues: 'I think they're a bit of our twin'

By Joe Haggerty

May 22, 2019 2:12 PM

BRIGHTON, Mass. – Bruce Cassidy said when he looks in the hockey mirror, he sees the B’s Stanley Cup Final opponent looking back at him.

The Bruins head coach called the St. Louis Blues, who closed out the San Jose Sharks in six games on Tuesday night, their “twin” and thinks there are plenty of similarities between the two hockey clubs now preparing for Game 1 on Monday night at TD Garden. While the season trajectories were certainly a little different with the Blues in last place in their division as late as January during the regular season, the roster makeup and the style of play certainly do seem similar with physicality and skill present in equal parts, along with strong goaltending.

Five Blues players Bruins fans need to know

“I think they’re very similar to us in the way that they play. They’re a fore- checking team that plays North/South and they use all four lines. Their fourth line in particular gets a lot of assignments like ours. Goaltenders are both playing excellent,” said Bruce Cassidy. “Their D is bigger than ours, but both can move the puck. I expect the games will be probably lower-scoring, more physical. I think they’re a bit of our ‘twin’ so to speak with the way they balance their minutes. They might have a guy that plays a few more — Pietrangelo — on average than us in terms of time on ice, but I think I see a lot of similarities.”

The Blues have their top-end offensive talent with guys like Vladimir Tarasenko and Jaden Schwartz, they’ve got their two-way center in Ryan O’Reilly and they’ve got some big-name defensemen with Alex Pietrangelo and Colton Parayko leading the way. So there are certainly plenty of similarities between the two clubs, who have historically played heavy, low-scoring games against each other in their non-conference meetings over the years.

Clearly the Bruins were a little more accomplished during the regular season with 107 points to the 99 that St. Louis accumulated. And the Blues were middle of the road offensively with 2.98 goals per game during the season, but top-10 in the other major categories, showing very few glaring weaknesses in their lineup once rookie Jordan Binnington took over between the pipes midway through the year.

Cassidy also mentioned the invented word “Columbus-ish” when describing the size, physicality and attitude that St. Louis brings to the table.

So what does it all mean?

One can expect an entertaining, hard-nosed Stanley Cup Final between the Bruins and Blues that will live up to the historical significance from the last time these two franchises met in the Final when Bobby Orr went flying through the air.

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Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy sought advice from Bill Belichick, others before Stanley Cup

By Nick Goss

May 22, 2019 12:47 PM

Bruce Cassidy is getting ready to coach in his first championship series with the Boston Bruins, who open the 2019 Stanley Cup Final against the St. Louis Blues on Monday night at TD Garden.

Boston is fortunate to have four head coaches with loads of playoff experience, and two of them, New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick and Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora, have championship rings. Cassidy recently sought their advice, and he was asked about those conversations during a Wednesday morning appearance on 98.5 The Sports Hub morning show "Toucher and Rich."

Fast Facts for the Stanley Cup Final

“I’m going to keep that in-house, but I spoke to both the football team and the baseball team, and I’ve had some conversations with the basketball team as well,” Cassidy said. “So, I’ll let you figure it out from there. I don’t want to get into all those conversations, that’s private. But they’ve been very good, to share whatever they can — very supportive. It’s been great for me.

"We practice different than a football team. They're typically used to having a week off. They have that long window of preparation. For us it's a little different, but at the end of the day, there's a mental side of it that I think is important. How to keep players on their toes and don't let their mind drift and get their focus back. I think that was more the discussion than anything."

Cassidy noted that Belichick was "insightful" during their conversation. Belichick would know about long layoffs before a championship series/game. The Patriots have played in nine Super Bowls since Belichick took over in 2000, and each time they had two weeks of preparation.

The Bruins' layoff is 11 days, which is the longest between a conference final and a Stanley Cup Final in the salary cap era (2005 to the present). Boston might be a bit rusty early in Game 1 of the series, but the energy inside the arena should provide an extra boost of adrenaline.

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Is Tuukka Rask's 'silent treatment' over? Bruce Cassidy gives important update

By Darren Hartwell

May 22, 2019 12:10 PM

The Boston Bruins have a new policy in place for their red-hot goaltender ... or do they?

A few Bruins players admitted recently they're steering clear of Tuukka Rask this week in a superstitious attempt to not mess the goalie's mojo during his incredible postseason run.

But according to B's head coach Bruce Cassidy, that superstition doesn't apply to everyone.

"No, I just saw him in there," Cassidy said Wednesday in an interview with 98.5 The Sports Hub's "Toucher & Rich" when asked if Rask is still getting the silent treatment.

"Bergy's chatting with him over breakfast, to be honest with you, so that's a bad rumor."

Bruins vs. Blues: Fast facts for Stanley Cup Final

We suppose if anyone is above jinxing Rask, it's Patrice Bergeron, who's been with the goalie through Boston's two other Stanley Cup runs.

Yet even Bergeron has never seen Rask this locked in; the veteran netminder is sporting a .942 save percentage with a 1.84 goals against average this postseason, making him the current favorite to win the Conn Smythe Trophy as the MVP of the .

Fortunately for Boston, Cassidy believes Rask is immune to superstitions, even if (most of) his teammates are playing it safe with him.

"He doesn't seem any different to me," Cassidy said of Rask. "He's kind of going about his routine. Got upset in practice the other day, someone bumped into him. That's pretty typical, goalies don't like that, and then just went and stopped the puck again. So, I haven't seen a big difference."

The Bruins have six more days to either avoid Rask or follow Bergeron's lead and have a meal with him before beginning their Stanley Cup Final series with the St. Louis Blues on Monday.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 05.23.2019 1106505 Boston Bruins amateur scout in 2004 and was promoted to director of amateur scouting in 2010. He was responsible for drafting impact players like Colton Parayko, Binnington, Joel Edmundson and Sammy Blais. Armstrong was ‘A bit of our twin’: 11 things for Bruins fans to know about the St. Louis promoted to assistant GM last summer and is a strong candidate to be a Blues future NHL GM.

5. Kevin McDonald is GM of the Blues’ AHL affiliate, the San Antonio Rampage, and he’s also a pro scout. A resident of North Andover, Mass., By Joe McDonald he scouts plenty of Bruins games at TD Garden every season, and the Lawrence, Mass. native graduated from St. John’s Prep. He also worked May 22, 2019 as a scout for the New York Rangers. McDonald has worked with the Blues for the last 16 seasons.

St. Louis is a big team. The Blues play a physical game. Their attack is 6. Oh, Glen Wesley. Now working as a development coach for the Blues, relentless, and there’s little room for error. They’re deep and can roll four the former defenseman was selected by the Bruins in the first round (No. lines. Defensively, they are strong and solid. Their goaltending has been 3 overall) of the 1987 NHL Draft. He helped the Bruins reach the Stanley outstanding, too. Cup final in 1988 and 1990, but Boston lost to the both times. He scored some timely goals during his career in Boston. The Come to think of it, that sounds a lot like the Boston Bruins. moment he’s most remembered for, however, is the shot he missed in Game 1 against the Oilers in 1990. He had a wide-open net in overtime, So, when the puck drops for Game 1 of the Stanley Cup final between St. but his shot sailed over the crossbar. Edmonton won that game in Louis and Boston on Monday at TD Garden, expect an all-out battle from overtime and eventually took the series. Fortunately for Wesley, he won start to finish. a Stanley Cup with the Carolina Hurricanes in 2006. “I expect the games will be low-scoring, more physical. I think they are a 7. Former Bruins forward Rob DiMaio is the director of player personnel bit of our twin,” explained Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy. for the Blues. He spent parts of four seasons in Boston from 1996-2000. There are many connections between the two organizations, so here’s a He recorded 35 goals and 62 assists for 97 points in 272 games for the cheat sheet ahead of the Stanley Cup final. Bruins. He also played for the Islanders, Lightning, Flyers, Stars, Rangers and Hurricanes. 1. Let’s start with the obvious: It was 49 years ago the last time the Blues played in a Stanley Cup final. They lost to the Bruins in somewhat 8. Former Bruins forward Tim Taylor is the director of player personnel dramatic fashion with the image of Bobby Orr flying through the air in a and a pro scout for the Blues. He played two seasons in Boston (1997- moment known as “The Goal.” One cool aspect of that moment that fans 99) and posted 24 goals and 18 assists for 42 points in 128 games. might forget is the fact that No. 4 scored the fourth goal of the game in 9. never played for the Bruins, but the Melrose, Mass., the fourth period (overtime) at the 40-second mark, and was tripped by native is a pro scout for the Blues and played nine seasons in St. Louis. Blues defenseman Noel Picard, who also wore No. 4. 10. Current Blues television analyst and former NHL goalie Darren Pang Cassidy, a lifelong Bruins fan, had a few interesting pieces of was a teammate of Cassidy’s when the two played for the Chicago memorabilia hanging on his wall when he was a kid. Blackhawks. “I used to deliver the paper (Ottawa Citizen) as a kid, and I cut it out and 11. After finishing his playing career with the Dallas Stars, Bruins GM it was on my wall,” Cassidy said of the iconic Orr photo. “By the time I served as a scout for that organization under then-GM took it down, it was yellow. I had his hockey card, too, when he had all Doug Armstrong, who is the current GM of the Blues. the trophies behind him. Those were on my wall, and maybe a Farrah Fawcett poster.”

2. The Bruins helped develop Blues rookie goalie Jordan Binnington. St. The Athletic LOADED: 05.23.2019 Louis drafted him in the third round (No. 88 overall) in 2011. Last season, he refused an assignment to the ECHL, so Blues GM Doug Armstrong spoke with Bruins assistant GM John Ferguson and the sides agreed on a deal where St. Louis would loan Binnington to the Providence Bruins.

Under the watchful eye of Bruins goaltending coaches Mike Dunham and Bob Essensa, Binnington posted a 17-9-0 record, a 2.05 goals-against average and a .926 save percentage in 28 games for Providence. Current Bruins defenseman Connor Clifton and Binnington were teammates there.

“I’d like to think it will help,” Cassidy said of the team’s scouting report on Binnington. “Goalie Bob (Essensa) knows him from Providence, so there’s a little extra there. I don’t think it’ll affect Binnington much (because) he’s playing well. I’m sure he’s going to be on his game even though we might have a little more inside information than San Jose did … hopefully we can expose him.”

3. The David Backes storyline during the Cup final will be one to pay attention to. The former Blues captain said this is bittersweet for him playing against his former team. He spent 10 seasons in St. Louis before signing as an unrestricted free agent with the Bruins in 2016.

“The stars have aligned for this to be one heck of an event, and we’re just going to embrace it,” Backes said. “We’re going to throw everything we have out there every shift, every moment of every game. I love this group, and I wouldn’t want to be in the finals with any other group. I believe in this group.”

4. Bill Armstrong is the assistant general manager and director of scouting for the Blues. His background with the Bruins is significant. As a 6-foot-5, 220-pound defenseman, he played three separate stints with Providence. He was a player/assistant coach for the AHL team the season it won the Calder Cup in 1999 under the guidance of then-coach . After two seasons as an assistant, Armstrong served as coach for two seasons (2000-02). He joined the Blues organization as an 1106506 Boston Bruins manager Theo Epstein made one of the great roster moves in team history with his decision to bring 85-year-old Johnny Pesky to St. Louis for the World Series.

St. Louis has become a throw pillow in Boston’s championship trophy Johnny needed to be there, and not just to see the Red Sox finish off the room Cardinals in the Fall Classic. For while Boston’s four-game dismissal of the overmatched Cardinals served the purpose of finally and forever chloroforming the “1918” chant that had been raining from opposing By Steve Buckley grandstands for decades (notably at Yankee Stadium), it meant something more for Johnny. The old shortstop had spent most of his May 22, 2019 adult life being known as the guy who “held the ball” in the 1946 World Series against these very St. Louis Cardinals, and never mind that the whole thing was a sports fable that seemed destined to follow Johnny to St. Louis has emerged as a throw pillow in Boston’s 21st century trophy the grave. Don’t get me going on Enos Slaughter’s “Mad Dash” (which it room. surely was) or center fielder Leon Culberson’s role in all this or Pesky’s banquet story about later attending that rainy Oregon football game and Take a look at all the shiny, chromey hardware. The room has more bling hearing a fan yell out, “Give the ball to Pesky, he’ll hold onto it!” Look that than One-Eyed Willy’s stash of gold from “The Goonies.” Take an even stuff up on your own time. closer look and you’ll note that three of Boston’s 12 combined championships this century by the Patriots, Red Sox, Bruins and Celtics What we know, now, is that the whole thing did bother Johnny a little. We have come at the expense of St. Louis sports teams. Nothing, it seems, know this because of the manner in which the Red Sox took care of all makes a Boston sports team more comfortable and confident than family business on that October 2004 night at Busch Stadium, as showing up for a championship game and finding that the competition is members of the team joyfully brought Pesky to the center of the room so a bunch of guys with “St. Louis” on their bubble gum cards. that he could embrace the World Series trophy. The old man cried. Postseason hero Curt Schilling kissed him smack on the lips. He really And here we go again. When the Bruins finally take the ice next Monday did. night at TD Garden for Game 1 of the Stanley Cup final — at which time Zdeno Chara will become the first active player in history to “We’re finally winners,” said pitcher Derek Lowe, the pitcher of record for simultaneously be receiving retirement benefits — it’ll be the feisty St. all three of Boston’s series-clinching victories that fall. “We’re not the Louis Blues lining up across the ice as Todd Angilly is crooning the happy guys that came in second, the so-close-but-so-far kind of thing. national anthem. It’ll also be the first time the Blues have played in the There are so many people who deserve credit for this. I was happy to Cup final in 49 years, and you all remember how that ended: Bobby Orr see Johnny Pesky here and I saw a tear in his eye.” took Derek Sanderson’s pass from behind the net and put a shot past Blues goaltender Glenn Hall to win Game 4 in overtime, completing a It was in St. Louis, at old Sportsman’s Park, on Tuesday, October 15, four-game sweep for Boston’s first Cup since 1941. 1946, that Johnny Pesky was said to have held the ball.

The Blues of 1970 were an expansion outfit and had put up a good fight. And 58 years and 12 days later, Johnny Pesky was back in St. Louis and The NHL had doubled the size of the league three years earlier by holding the World Series trophy. adding six teams, and in doing so decided to lump them all in one Johnny had a .307 lifetime batting average and .394 lifetime on-base division — the so-called West Division — so as not to break up the percentage. Had he not lost three full seasons during his prime as he . The Blues emerged from the hodge-podge West and made served his country in World War II, he may very well have wound up in it to the Cup final in each of their first three seasons, whereupon they the Hall of Fame. were systematically annihilated by their Original Six opponent. In the spring of 1970, it was the Bruins. That we remember it at all — and, oh, He died in 2012, aged 93, so he wasn’t around to see the Sox take down we do — is because a photographer named Ray Lussier, shooting for the the Cardinals in the 2013 World Series rematch. But he can rest easy, old Boston Record-American, captured an image of Orr flying through the knowing that St. Louis is where Boston goes shopping for air after scoring the Cup-clinching goal. It is, by acclimation, the greatest championships. photo in hockey history. (What’s the second-greatest photo in hockey history?) Considering the Bruins are going to sweep the Blues in the Cup final, it’ll be one-stop shopping in this case. But these Blues of 2019 are not those cannon-fodder Blues of 1970. They went on a tremendous run during the second half of the regular season, and then they bumped off the Winnipeg Jets, Dallas Stars and The Athletic LOADED: 05.23.2019 poor, poor Joe Thornton and the San Jose Sharks in the Stanley Cup playoffs. They will be worthy opponents for the Bruins in the Cup final.

This will be the 11th time that teams from Boston and St. Louis have met for a major-league championship. They also are the only two cities to oppose each other for a championship in the NFL, NBA, NHL and MLB. Boston is 7-3 in those matchups.

Before continuing, it’s important to note that this is not one of those Boston vs. St. Louis, our-city-against-your-city columns. I have no interest in posting up the Bunker Hill Monument against the Gateway Arch, or doing the Ted Williams-vs.Stan Musial thing. (Teddy Ballgame is baseball’s last .400 hitter but Stan the Man played on three World Series winners, blah, blah, blah.)

But what can’t be denied is St. Louis’ throw-pillow status in Boston’s 21st century championship run. The roll call:

February 3, 2002: In one of the biggest upsets in NFL playoff history, the Patriots defeat the St. Louis Rams, 20-17, in Super Bowl XXXVI for the first championship in franchise history.

October 27, 2004: The Red Sox complete a four-game sweep of the St. Louis Cardinals for their first World Series championship in 86 years.

October 30, 2013: The Red Sox finish off the Cardinals in Game 6 of the World Series for their third championship this century.

In any discussion of Boston-St. Louis sports relations, the 2004 World Series has special meaning. And it all began when then-Red Sox general 1106507 Boston Bruins That might mean a slight advantage for teams like Boston that have the edge in both over a team like St. Louis. Also working against St. Louis is the fact that teams that scrape their way into the final haven’t historically By the numbers: Bruins and Blues took very different paths to Stanley done well. The Blues are just the ninth team to make it to the final with a Cup final single-digit playoff goal differential and only two of those teams, the 2015 Blackhawks and 2007 Ducks, won it all, with one of those scenarios happening against another team carrying a single-digit goal differential. On the other side, though, teams above plus-20 that face a team below By Dom Luszczyszyn that mark are just 6-5, so perhaps there’s not much to be made about May 22, 2019 Boston’s dominance, either.

Theoretically, more data relevant to the current environment shouldn’t be ignored as it often is. Though past Stanley Cup finals are inconclusive at The Stanley Cup final is finally upon us and the matchup is set: it’s the best as to whether playoff dominance matters, it shouldn’t hurt a team’s Boston Bruins vs. the St. Louis Blues. While they’ve both made it this far, chances. the two teams did so in dramatically different ways and that might set the stage for what to expect going forward. That’s what I had in mind when introducing Elo adjustments (based on margin of victory, venue and opponent strength) to my playoff model last In the East, the Bruins have earned much more decisive victories en year, but it seems that the lopsided difference in paths between this route to their third Stanley Cup final berth with the current core. Through year’s finalists has thrown a wrench into that. If you’ve been following 17 games in these playoffs, the Bruins have outscored opponents 57-33, along with our daily updated projections you may have noticed that the good for a goal differential of plus-24, or an average differential of 1.41 Bruins’ chances of winning it all have looked exorbitantly high ever since per game. It’s the exact same total goal differential as their opponent dispatching the Leafs in the opening round, skyrocketing after nearly earned all season. For further context, the Bruins were at plus-44 during every game to its current lofty perch of 73 percent. the regular season and plus-0.54 per game, nearly three times less potent. Only seven of the team’s 17 games have been decided by one That the Bruins would be favourites is to be expected considering they goal and the team is 3-4 in those games. They’re 9-1 otherwise, with finished with eight more points this season and a goal differential that seven of those wins (and the lone loss) coming by a margin of three or was nearly twice as high, but to the current degree we have it is likely more goals. Boston has also won seven straight games, stretching back surprising and deserves some skepticism. Oddsmakers are currently to the second round. giving the Bruins a roughly 60 percent chance of beating the Blues while other models are either in a similar range, or leaning toward the Blues. In the West, it’s a completely different story with the Blues having Over 70 percent is a bit much for a Stanley Cup final matchup and scraped through close game after close game to get here, their first significantly higher than any of Boston’s previous three series. Without Stanley Cup final in 49 years. Through 19 games, the Blues only have a the Elo adjustment, Boston’s probability would instead be 68 percent plus-nine goal differential which is better than their regular season efforts against St. Louis, which is still very high, but slightly more palatable. (plus-0.29 per game) thanks to monstrous Games 5 and 6 in the conference final, but pales in comparison to the Bruins’ efforts. Of the That’s a five percent difference and begets the question of what a team’s 19 games, 11 have been decided by one-goal where the team is reasonable adjustment is for what is by far the largest difference on 8-3. They’re 4-4 otherwise. record over the last 32 years between two finalists’ playoff performance. On the surface the adjustment is obviously high and perhaps it’s worth It’s not a matter of competition quality either. On average, the three diminishing in the future, but with the discovery that no other past Stanley Bruins opponents had a plus-28 goal differential this season, while that Cup final even comes close to comparing maybe it’s not as outlandish as number was plus-21 for the Blues. it seems.

It’s been a tale of two very different paths through the first three rounds. The Bruins have simply looked unbeatable for most of the playoffs, while The result is that the Bruins and Blues are on completely opposite ends the Blues haven’t really played their best hockey yet – it makes sense of the spectrum compared to prior Stanley Cup finalists. that the odds would shift significantly toward the Bruins, especially given the magnitude of each team’s performance. Based on the two teams’ Since 1987 – when all three playoff rounds went to best-of-seven – the regular season performance, this series would already look like it’s Bruins’ plus-24 goal differential ranks seventh out of 64 teams, though Boston’s to lose. Add that spectacular playoff performance to the mix and that doesn’t take into account that the NHL has become a much more the Bruins become very heavy favourites. difficult league since rapid expansion in the ’90s. Just one of the six teams ahead of the Bruins (the 1994 Rangers) had a more difficult path The Blues will be in tough, but this team has conquered steeper slopes than this Bruins team that faced three teams with a goal differential north than this one already – what’s one more to capture the first championship of 20. There’s a case to be made that the Bruins’ three-round run has in franchise history? been one of the most dominant from the past three decades, but the same cannot be said for the Blues, whose plus-nine differential ranks tied for eighth-last. The Athletic LOADED: 05.23.2019 It’s a matchup between a playoff powerhouse with a lot of momentum and a team that had to grind out nearly every win. On either side, it’s a rarity to see two such paths in any season, let alone converging in the final round of the same playoffs.

Over the past 31 seasons before this one, the average difference between two finalists’ playoff goal differential is 5.5 goals with only four series featuring an imbalance larger than 10 goals (three of which were won by the team with the higher goal difference), the largest of which would be 12 goals in 2004 and 1994. The 15-goal difference in this series is by far the largest on record.

The question now is whether any of this matters, and it depends on how you look at it. Ultimately, we’re talking about just 31 playoff series here and that’s not much data to draw any meaningful conclusions from, but still, some interesting trends emerge.

Since 1987, the team with a better playoff goal differential has won 18 of 31 Stanley Cup finals (58 percent), but just five of the last 13 in the salary cap era (38 percent). In comparison, the team with a better regular season goal differential has won 21 of 31 Stanley Cup finals (68 percent), though that does go up to 72 percent (13 of 18) when considering teams that have both a better regular season and playoff goal differential. 1106508 Boston Bruins It takes players aback when it’s altered.

“You notice,” said Kuraly of changes in the line when those closest to him are not playing. “You line up and it’s like, ‘Whoa.’ ” Walk the line: Why the Bruins hit the ice in the same order every game In college, Coyle did not have a choice. At Boston University, the Terriers hit the ice in numerical order. Coyle, who wore No. 3, was at the head of By Fluto Shinzawa the line.

May 22, 2019 It doesn’t work that way in the NHL. Players emerge without correlation to their digits. But to those in line, the order is completely understandable.

On Feb. 20, after he was traded from the Wild to the Bruins, everything Some of it is common sense. The Bruins defer to their leaders to bring was novel to Charlie Coyle. After arriving in Las Vegas to meet his new them onto the ice. Since 2006-07, Chara, as captain, has been the first team, Coyle had to figure out a lot of things — including where he’d stand skater. as the Bruins filed onto the ice. “I’ve always thought it was important to have your leaders lead you out “That’s always the weird thing,” Coyle said. “It really doesn’t matter for onto the ice,” Krug said. “Obviously I’m not jumping (Chara) or Bergy me. I’m always feeling it out, seeing who’s going, seeing who doesn’t anytime soon, so I try to get as close as I can. Backs is in front of me really care as well. Usually you just go at the end. But maybe there’s a when he’s in the lineup, so I’m fourth. I just think it’s important that your guy who likes to go at the end. So that’s kind of what I did. You just let leaders lead you out to battle, and you want to be part of that group. I everyone do their thing. Then you just shuffle in after.” don’t know if that says anything, but that’s my thought process behind it. I want to be part of the group that leads guys out there fearlessly and can NHL players like things just so. It matters to Zdeno Chara, who wears go to work.” No. 33 and formerly wore No. 3 in Ottawa, to take three slap shots in warmups prior to line rushes. Sean Kuraly enjoys a pregame Americano. This is not necessarily so around the league. In Pittsburgh, Sidney On the team charter, Charlie McAvoy, David Pastrnak, Matt Grzelcyk and Crosby and Evgeni Malkin are the final two skaters onto the ice. Jamie Torey Krug regularly sit at a table to play cards. Benn, Dallas’ captain, is last in line.

This exactitude extends to how the Bruins line up as they prepare to take It’s not like the players pass out numbers among themselves to the ice. Aside from injuries and lineup changes, the order is always the determine the lineup. It is an organic process. As they consider each same. other’s pregame routines and figure out approximately where they stand among their peers, the order develops naturally. For Game 1 of the Stanley Cup final, Tuukka Rask will lead his teammates onto the TD Garden ice. This is how every starting goalie For the Bruins, the veteran leaders cluster together. McAvoy (21 years around the league operates. old), DeBrusk (22) and Carlo (22) are in similar career stages. Kuraly and Heinen have overlapping traits as versatile bottom-six forwards. After Rask, the skaters’ order, assuming all are healthy, will be as follows: “From the start of the year, you randomly have different handshakes and different things you do,” Heinen said. “It’s just naturally the way it works Zdeno Chara out. You never talk about it or anything. It’s just randomly how it works. David Backes We’re kind of creatures of habit. We keep on doing the same thing naturally.” Patrice Bergeron The order is the same for pregame warmups except for one change. Torey Krug Marchand moves up in the line after Bergeron and before Krug to take part in a specific routine. David Krejci Before warmups, pucks are placed atop the boards in front of the bench. Noel Acciari Bergeron attacks the pile with a swipe of his arm. Marchand sweeps the Marcus Johansson rest of the pucks off the boards except for one, which he leaves for Krug.

Joakim Nordstrom “Before I started knocking all the pucks down, he just always wanted to throw a puck,” Marchand said. “I don’t know what he does with it. I don’t Charlie McAvoy turn around and watch him. But he told me to leave him a puck, so I leave him a puck. Whatever he does with it, he does with it.” Jake DeBrusk For the game, Marchand drops back in line after Coyle and before Brandon Carlo Pastrnak, the last skater. The seconds between being fourth and 17th Sean Kuraly matter.

Danton Heinen “I don’t like being out too early,” Marchand said. “I hate being out on the ice waiting for the game to start. I like that when I come out there, we’re Matt Grzelcyk pretty much ready to go. Coming out last, you get out there with a minute Connor Clifton (to go). You do a quick lap and the game’s starting, rather than being out there. Even another minute, it just seems like it drags on. By the time I Charlie Coyle get out there, I just want to play.”

Brad Marchand The line is about routine and familiarity. It does not affect a game’s outcome. Yet there is something about following the biggest man in NHL David Pastrnak history into competition. Feeling almost as big as Chara before the game Jaroslav Halak may help the Bruins when they’re chasing pucks during it.

At the Garden, most of the players exit the dressing room and stand in “He’s always ready to go,” Heinen said. “He’s always looking you in the the hallway as the clock ticks down. Rask, Chara, Backes, Bergeron, eye when he’s walking by you. You know he’s ready. He’s a guy you Krug and Krejci leave the room and exchange fist bumps with teammates want leading you. He’s the biggest, strongest guy. You don’t really think lining the hallway as they walk toward the ice. The rest fall into line. about it too much. But it’s kind of nice following a guy like that.”

“It’s just routine. So then it’s just smooth,” Coyle said. “It’s not like, ‘Oh, are you the first one out?’ That’s kind of awkward. Everyone’s got their The Athletic LOADED: 05.23.2019 thing. Everyone’s cool with it. So you just do it. It just becomes a routine. Everyone knows where everyone’s going. That’s how you do it.” 1106509 Buffalo Sabres He used that experience during his previous, albeit brief, NHL head coaching stint.

When Krueger became coach of the Oilers for the lockout-shortened How the past has prepared Sabres coach Ralph Krueger for the season in 2012-13, he and his staff had little time to overhaul the team's challenge ahead system from the previous season. Rather than bogging down a young roster with intricate adjustments, he opted for simplicity and trusted his instincts. By Lance Lysowski Retired center Eric Belanger, who turned 35 during that season, recalled Published Wed, May 22, 2019|Updated Wed, May 22, 2019 Krueger often tweaking his lines and system in-game based on which players were performing better. There was no stubbornness to keep one

line together or to only trust talented young players such as Taylor Hall. Ralph Krueger had seen enough. Standing behind the bench in "Whether you're the best player or a guy on the third line, the guy who is Montreal's Bell Centre, Krueger called time out after Team Europe fell having a good game is going to play more minutes," Belanger said in a behind 3-0 less than eight minutes into a pre-tournament game against phone interview. "He would quickly make adjustments and wasn't afraid Team North America in the 2016 . to sit a younger guy after he turned the puck over five times in a period. A roster comprised of players from eight countries huddled around Everyone knew the expectations. He was sharp behind the bench." Krueger and listened to what assistant coach Brad Shaw recalled as an Krueger lasted only 48 games as coach before he was fired by then- "ultra-positive" message that fueled Team Europe to the tournament general manager Craig MacTavish during a Skype call. Though there final, where it lost to Canada in a best-of-three series. was tangible progress, Krueger remained unsure how he wanted to use The masterful coaching performance illustrated Krueger's ability to get the speed and skill of an NHL roster. the most out of a roster, make remarkable in-game adjustments and Coaching Team Europe at the allowed communicate a game plan to players of various nationalities, all of which Krueger to experiment with systems and different approaches, and he were reasons General Manager Jason Botterill cited when asked last found a clear identity after two pre-tournament games. week why Krueger was chosen as the Buffalo Sabres next coach. Team Europe's coaching staff – Krueger, Shaw and Winnipeg coach Those who worked with Krueger in the past, either on the international – were unable to conduct proper practices in the week stage or during his three-year stint with the Edmonton Oilers, detailed to leading up to the tournament because several players were participating The Buffalo News how a 59-year-old who spent the past five years as in Olympic qualifying games. That gave Krueger only one morning skate chairman of English Premier League's Southampton F.C. can use his to prepare his roster for its first pre-tournament game against Team experiences in his quest to bring playoff hockey back to Buffalo. North America, a 4-0 loss in City. "I have no doubt he’s going to be successful," Shaw, now an assistant Team Europe had been outscored, 7-0, in less than 68 minutes of coach with the Columbus Blue Jackets, said in a phone interview. "I think tournament play when Krueger called that fateful timeout on Sept. 11, one of the best things that he did for our team was, even in that short 2016. The game resulted in a 7-4 loss, but slowly his players began to time frame, to create an identity and a culture. I think looking from the follow his puck-possession-driven game plan that used speed in the outside at Buffalo, I think that’s something that was missing. ... He’s a attack to take advantage of opponents, some of whom relied on great communicator. He’s a great leader. ... I think the world of him as a individual talent during the 12-day tournament. guy and a hockey coach." Though the plan was not enough to defeat Canada in the tournament Peter John Lee thought Krueger misspoke amid a preliminary round final, Krueger discovered how he wanted to use the speed he'll have at game at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy. Switzerland held a two- his disposal in Buffalo. goal lead against Canada and was going on the power play, when Krueger told five of the team's penalty killers to take the ice for the man "I think from that point on, our team went in another direction as far as advantage. unity and believing in one another," Shaw added. "We kind of got to understanding how we were going to play and what our best game Few in the sport know Krueger as well as Lee. The two have been looked like, or at least we had some glimpses of it. I give Ralph a lot of friends since they were teammates in Duesseldorf, Germany, from 1986 credit for that timeout. For me, it was the turning point." to '88 and shared philosophies throughout their post-playing careers. Lee, who played six seasons in the NHL, was general manager of When Tom Renney was hired as Oilers coach in 2010, he identified Eisbaren Berlin, which competes in Germany's top professional league, Krueger as a candidate for the staff. The two coached against one when Krueger asked him to join Switzerland's coaching staff in the another at the IIHF World Championship and later discovered they summer of 2002. shared many of the same philosophies.

Lee always regarded Krueger as an innovator but opting to keep their Renney knew the Oilers were in the process of getting younger, and he best skill players on the bench against the top team in the world seemed thought a collaborative relationship such as theirs would be beneficial for odd because Switzerland could pull away with a power play goal. maximizing the roster's potential. Krueger was uniquely qualified to earn However, Krueger made the unorthodox decision because he noticed the players' trust and deliver the sort of positive message Renney was trying opposing coach, Pat Quinn, was sending four skilled forwards out to try to implement. to score short-handed. Krueger's coaching career began with a seven-year stint behind the Switzerland did not score on the power play but it held on for one of the bench for VEU Feldkirch, including five-straight Austrian championships, biggest upsets in the tournament's history, only two days after it stunned an experience that led to him author a best-selling book in German on defending world champion Czech Republic. Krueger's roster had only leadership and motivational skills titled, "Teamlife: Over Setbacks to three active NHL players, two of whom were goalies, and both goals Success." against Quinn's team were scored by Canadian-born Paul DiPietro, who was 10 years removed from playing in the NHL. Krueger also served as a core member of the World Economic Forum's council on new models of leadership, a platform he used to detail how "I will never forget the great Pat Quinn’s compliment to Ralph that in that empowering others and collaboration are the cornerstones to success. game the Swiss team played a better ‘Canadian game’ than Team Canada." Lee, who has been Eisbaren Berlin's GM for 19 years, recalled "At the end of the day, you have to make sure there is some type of in an email. connectivity between the person delivering the message and those who are receiving it," Renney said. "I don't know if there is anyone better in The victory gave Krueger worldwide attention. However, he had long the game than Ralph Krueger. He's uniquely gifted in that sense. He has been respected for using North American concepts on the bigger, the ability to communicate with anybody, young or old, and making them European rink. His innovative style led Switzerland to 18 international feel relevant." tournaments over 13 seasons, building a winning culture in a country that experienced little success before his arrival. DiPietro, a fifth-round draft pick of the in 1990 and Ontario native, had played professionally in Switzerland for six seasons and was in the process of becoming a citizen when Krueger asked if he'd Botterill's search for a head coach centered around candidates with a be willing to represent the country at the 2005 World Championships. track record of developing young talent and getting those players to follow a disciplined structure that emphasizes the importance of goal DiPietro did not know much about Krueger, other than the coach's prevention. reputation in building the country's development program, but the then- 34-year-old center quickly realized the latter's ability to connect with Krueger has never served as head coach for an entire 82-game NHL players in very little time leading up to the tournament. Switzerland season, and his only season in that role resulted in a 19-22-7 record. reached the quarterfinals at worlds that spring before making history at However, the Oilers' power play was led by Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Hall the 2006 Winter Olympics. and Jordan Eberle, all 21 or younger, when they finished third in the league in 2011-12. They did so by listening to the unique concepts "He built a culture by communicating with players and working with Krueger installed as associate coach, specifically neutral-zone position them," DiPietro, now an assistant coach with Switzerland's U20 national on breakouts. team, recalled. "He would never give up on guys, and you'd see it in practice every day. He got us to come together quick and we played He also cleaned up some off-the-ice habits from young players, including together as a team. Every player felt valued and had a role. That's poor body language, and instilled confidence in veteran players who important." grew frustrated following another difficult season in Edmonton.

Krueger used the same strategy following his two-year stint working "He finds a way to get the best out of people, no matter their position," under Renney. Upon being hired as head coach, Krueger called the said Chabot, the former Oilers goaltenders coach who is now a Oilers' veterans and explained the role each would play in helping the development coach with the . "He has succeeded in team succeed sooner than some expect. The gesture resonated with everything he's done and the main cause is he's very approachable and Belanger, who was frustrated by a diminished role the previous season. inclusive. He finds ways to bring his own ideas to a team, no matter the field, and finds ways to get things moving forward and improving." Krueger explained during a conference call last week how he planned to use communication to build a "hardworking culture" with the Sabres. Krueger was never tasked with developing players during his stint with Switzerland since the roster was comprised of experienced professionals "It builds from off the ice on to the way we play," Krueger said. "We and Team Europe was a veteran roster led by some of the sport's most should feel connected when we’re out there. It’s certainly a hardworking respected leaders at the time. It is important to note he has been credited culture. It’s a culture that treats people right with giving everybody a voice with helping build Switzerland's national team program, which has since but quite clear who has the responsibility. I think that it’s an open and produced a number of high-end NHL players, including New Jersey honest culture but one that strives to find out what everybody is made of. center Nico Hischier, the first overall draft pick in 2017. First the individuals and then finding out from the group. Those are driving elements for me in the culture we’d like to build in Buffalo." However, those who worked with Krueger wonder what he can accomplish with more time and better circumstances. The 2012-13 During those preliminary talks with Oilers veterans in 2012, Krueger lockout limited his ability to install a system and gave him less time to revealed his first significant, outside-the-box decision: only he and develop relationships with young players because many of them were assistant Steve Smith, who served on Phil Housley's staff with the forced to play in the until the NHL and its Sabres in 2018-19, would be behind Edmonton's bench for the 2012-13 players' association ended the work stoppage. season. Still, Krueger is lauded for how he guided the roster to playoff contention, Kelly Buchberger, the other assistant, would join goaltending coach though the Oilers missed the postseason after they lost nine of 10 games Frederic Chabot in the press box. Krueger wanted one consistent down the stretch. They played with better defensive structure and a message and thought fewer voices would allow players to not be bogged culture was established, according to Belanger. down with chatter between shifts. "Ralphie was doing all the right things with those younger guys," Everyone had a voice in how the Oilers were going to play, from the Belanger said. "Guys started to fully understand that he was going to youngest on the roster to the most experienced assistant coach. hold them accountable if they turned the puck over or made mistakes. I Feedback was encouraged in meetings, though Krueger wished to keep would have loved to see him stay there and be able to coach more with those short as a way to keep the concepts simple. Krueger then crafted that team because I loved the way he was handling things." his message to motivate the Oilers, who held a six-year playoff drought.

"You have to make the guys believe what you say," Belanger said. "As players, we were aware what kind of team we had. We were young, but Buffalo News LOADED: 05.23.2019 we were still decent. ... Ralphie had us believe in 'Let's shock the world; it's us against them and show everyone we're more than a young team. Stop saying we're young and that we're going to get there. Let's go there now.' ... It started with his relationship with players."

Krueger has already begun building relationships with the Sabres. He texted a number of players on the roster before traveling to to meet with Jack Eichel and Sam Reinhart, both of whom are competing in the world championships. The plan is to then sell Jeff Skinner on the vision to snap an eight-season playoff drought, which is the longest in the NHL.

Though Krueger needs to finalize a coaching staff and will have a voice in personnel decisions, he learned through his travels nothing can be accomplished without communicating with those on the ice and behind the bench.

"Building relationships with his players was always an important part of his process because he believed this to be the foundation of building trust, accountability and commitment," Lee said. "Put it this way, if aliens landed on our planet today, I would suggest sending Ralph to find a way to communicate with them."

The Sabres' future likely will be determined by the success of Eichel, Reinhart, Rasmus Dahlin and Casey Mittelstadt. In the salary cap era, an inability to develop young players handcuffs coaches and general managers, ultimately leading to the sort of turnover that has plagued the Sabres since 's firing in February 2013. 1106510 Buffalo Sabres

How Blues' trip to Stanley Cup final impacts Sabres' draft picks

By Staff

Published Wed, May 22, 2019|Updated Wed, May 22, 2019

Thanks to the St. Louis Blues' victory in the Western Conference finals against the San Jose Sharks, the Sabres will get the Blues' first-round pick, either No. 30 or No. 31, at next month's NHL Draft.

The Sabres will send the Sharks' pick at No. 29 to the to complete the pretrade deadline acquisition of Brandon Montour.

Montour, a 25-year-old right-shot defenseman, had three goals with seven assists in 20 games with the Sabres. He is under contract through 2019-20 and will be a restricted free agent next summer.

The Sabres sent Ryan O'Reilly to the Blues in exchange for winger Vladimir Sobotka, center Patrik Berglund, winger Tage Thompson, a first- round pick in 2019 and a second-round pick in 2021. O'Reilly led the Blues' second-half resurgence, is a finalist for the Selke Trophy and has 14 points, including three assists in Tuesday night's clinching game against San Jose, in 19 playoff games.

The Sabres acquired San Jose's pick when they sent Evander Kane to the Sharks in February 2018 for a conditional 2019 first-round draft pick, a conditional 2019 fourth-round draft pick and forward Danny O'Regan.

The Sabres could have as many as eight picks when the draft is held June 21-22 in Vancouver, beginning with the seventh overall selection. However, the Sharks have the option to retain the fourth-round pick from the Kane trade. Doing so would cost San Jose a 2020 third-round selection.

Buffalo also will have its own third-round pick, three in the sixth round and one in the seventh.

Buffalo News LOADED: 05.23.2019 1106511 Otto’s winner was only possible because goaltender Mike Vernon made three 10-bell saves in overtime to keep the game (and the series) alive long enough for Otto’s game-winner.

Duhatschek: From the near early upset to missing Joel Otto, tales from “Think about how many lives would have changed and how many the Flames ’89 Cup-winning team memories might have turned out differently if Joel doesn’t score there – or if Vernie doesn’t make those three saves in overtime,” McDonald said. “Oh my gosh, what a relief that was. By Eric Duhatschek “If you look at all the upsets that happened in the first round of this year’s May 22, 2019 playoffs, well, that almost happened to us too. Thank God we found a way to get through that series. It’s not as if the second or third rounds

were easy, but they were a hell of a lot easier than the first one was.” CALGARY – Nowadays, only one player from the Calgary Flames’ 1989 According to Fletcher, escaping from the first round was the single most Stanley Cup championship team – Joel Otto – works at the Scotiabank important step on their Stanley Cup journey. Saddledome on a more-or-less regular basis. Otto is an assistant coach for the WHL’s Calgary Hitmen, who have their dressing room situated “The team was so uptight because of the early exit after winning the right next door to the Flames’. Just down the corridor from both rooms is Presidents’ Trophy the year prior,” Fletcher said. “Once we lost the first a massive photo that takes up almost an entire wall devoted to the 1989 game at home, that put us on our heels the rest of the way. And we Flames’ championship team. weren’t very good in Game 6 in Vancouver and then we come home for Game 7 and we scored that dramatic highlight-reel winning goal.” There, right in the middle, lying sideways on the ice, with his hands cradling the Stanley Cup is Lanny McDonald, massively whiskered Fletcher delivered the last line absolutely deadpan — with what could beyond his usual signature mustache. To McDonald’s left is 50-goal only be described as tongue-firmly-in-cheek. Beauty, of course, is in the scorer Joe Nieuwendyk, who is in turn flanked by and eye of the beholder. Hakan Loob. General manager is standing right behind McDonald, with one hand on the Cup, the other around McDonald’s “All I know is,” Fletcher said, “all of our players were on the ice, going shoulder. The top row, left to right, features Colin Patterson and Gary crazy. There were 19,000 people in the stands going crazy. But to his Roberts at one end, Brad McCrimmon and Ric Nattress at the other. All dying day, Pat Quinn (the Canuck GM) complained to me about the goal. are wearing joyful, almost manic smiles. I have Reid Mitchell (the Leafs director of hockey and scouting operations) in our office here in Toronto, who was there in Vancouver But where is Otto? back then, who thinks the same thing. They do a lot of whining.

Missing in action, it turns out. “All I tell them is, every time I look at the record book to see who won that first round in ’89, it’s still Calgary.” According to Otto, the now wide-spread tradition of taking a postgame team picture with the Cup was not so well-established in ‘89. Accordingly, The most significant transaction in NHL history – Wayne Gretzky being after the parade of players had taken their turns, circling the Montreal traded/sold to the Los Angeles Kings in the summer of 1988 — actually Forum, with the Stanley Cup held aloft, Otto figured the party was shifting changed the fortunes of three hockey teams. to the dressing room and made his way there. Backup goalie Rick Wamsley joined him, both unaware that the players lingering on the ice It forced the Edmonton Oilers, Gretzky’s ex-team, to press on in a brave were informally gathered by photographers to pose with the Cup. new world without the most prolific scorer of all time. It landed Gretzky in a market, Los Angeles, which needed his star power to cement its place Thirty years have passed since the Flames won their one-and-only on the crowded southern California sports landscape. Stanley Cup and if Otto has any regrets about the most magical ride of his professional life, it is the daily reminder of his absence from that But it also opened the door for the Flames, their long-time Smythe celebratory photograph. Division rivals, to win the only championship in team history.

“It’s funny,” Otto said, “because they have these classic games on TV It is worth wondering now, so many years after the fact, what might have now and I’d never watched it before until just recently with my wife and I happened had the Gretzky trade not occurred? can kinda see what happened. I was maybe the fourth or fifth guy getting Calgary had 117 points that year. In an era when ties still counted as a the Cup, and everyone’s going around, getting their turn. Once single point, it was an extraordinary total. In all, six of the 12 forwards everybody’s had it, they did a thing where Chopper ( Al who dressed on the night the Flames won the Cup – Nieuwendyk, MacInnis) tapes a commercial about going to Disneyland (after he won Roberts, Joey Mullen, Loob, Fleury and McDonald – would score 50 or the Conn Smythe trophy), which is what they did back then. more goals in a single season at least once in their careers. And that “I knew we were wrapping up, so I just made a beeline to the dressing doesn’t count playmaker extraordinaire, , the future Hall of room – and there were tons of people in there already. The locker rooms Famer, who had 85 regular-season points in 72 games for Calgary that were tiny; all the guys who were up from Salt Lake were in there. Sutes year and scored the game-winning and the insurance goal on the night (injured defenceman Gary Suter) was there; he’d come down from up they won the Cup. top. The media was there, friends and family. So, it wasn’t like there was Or for that matter, Mark Hunter, who played a bottom-six role on the nobody in there, or you were asking yourself, ‘where is everybody?’ team and still accounted for 22 goals in 66 games.

“Lo and behold, they’re out there getting the best picture in Flames’ On defence, they had the future Hall of Famer, MacInnis, who became history and me and Wammer (Rick Wamsley) and (assistant coach) Tom the first defenceman in NHL history to win the postseason scoring crown. Watt aren’t in it. So … very disappointing. It’s a good story – and it’s why MacInnis finished with 31 points in 24 games and was a difference-maker I’m half-famous here in Calgary now. That’s a story I get to tell and in the final series against Montreal, firing that blistering slap shot past the everyone gets a chuckle out of it.” Canadiens’ Patrick Roy early and often. It has long been a point of The truth of the matter is, Otto is half-famous in Calgary for something far contention of who the playoff MVP on that oh-so-deep team actually was different and more important. In a Stanley Cup run which featured just – MacInnis, or perhaps Vernon. three losses in their final three rounds, the Flames almost didn’t make it Or maybe even Gilmour, who was a critical piece in the win over out of the first round against a team that finished 43 Montreal, but had some trouble in the opening round, as he was just points behind them in the regular-season standings. In the end, it was recovering from an illness that sapped his strength and left his normally Otto’s goal – in overtime of the seventh and deciding game of the skinny frame looking thinner still. opening round – that paved the way for everything that came next. Thanks to Fletcher’s timely wheeling and dealing, the Flames were a Had Calgary lost, it would have represented one of the biggest upsets in deeply talented team by the late 1980s, but there had always been a Stanley Cup history. psychological hurdle of trying to get past Edmonton. But in ’89, the Oilers Nor was the goal exactly a thing of beauty either – Jim Peplinski’s opened the playoffs against Gretzky’s Kings – and lost a heartbreaker. centering pass from the right boards deflected in off Otto’s skate past When the dust had settled after the first round, it was if a giant weight goaltender Kirk McLean. had been lifted from Calgary’s collective shoulders. From then on, it was mostly smooth sailing the rest of the way. They swept the Kings, That turned out a prophetic conversation. McDonald scored the go-ahead eliminated the Blackhawks in five and then needed six to defeat the goal in Game 6 before two goals by Gilmour eventually clinched the Canadiens. Flames’ 4-2 victory. But McDonald didn’t find out until after the warmup that he was actually playing – the message relayed to him indirectly by There is a popular narrative associated with Calgary’s 1988 trade of Brett Risebrough. Hull to the St. Louis Blues for Wamsley and Rob Ramage that goes like this: Even though the Flames gave up a young player who would go on “What happens is, Riser sticks his head into the dressing room and gives to become the fourth-highest goal scorer in NHL history (741 career me the signal to come over,” McDonald said. “So, I go into Bearcat regular-season goals), it was worth making the trade because they (trainer Jim Murray)’s training room, where the guys are being taped up, wouldn’t have won the Stanley Cup without either Wamsley or Ramage. and Riser kicks everybody out. I don’t even know what that means – am I in or out? Then Riser asks: ‘Do you remember the power play?’ Well shit, Wamsley was a reliable backup to Vernon but only played 20 minutes in how do you forget the power play? I’ve been playing it for 16 years. So the ’89 playoffs. Ramage started the postseason in the press box, as the yes, I remember the power play. team’s seventh defenceman, but when Suter was lost five games into the opening round, coach had the luxury of turning to the veteran “He didn’t say, ‘you’re in’ but that was his way of telling me I was playing. Ramage. Yeah, crazy. I remember Bearcat, his bald head sticking around the corner, listening in to our conversation – and him yelling to the guys in But two of the genuine unsung heroes of that playoff run may have been the room, ‘he’s in – that means we’ve won.’ I’ll never forget that. I didn’t the third pair, of and Ric Nattress, who had their roles and even know at the time who was out of the lineup. It turns out, it was Pep responsibilities increase after Suter’s injury. Macoun was an especially and Huntsy (Tim Hunter, the teams’ co-captains). It was one reason why effective two-way presence – he had three goals and nine points in 22 I didn’t pick up the Cup until I could call them over, so we could lift it games. Coming so soon after almost losing his life in a single car together – because that would be hard on anybody, not playing in the accident that caused Macoun to miss the entire 1987-88 season, it was final game like that. It’s a team game — and that’s what you do.” an extraordinary recovery. The Flames had a charter flight that left Montreal right after the game, According to Crisp, one of only a handful of people to have ever won a with the Stanley Cup in tow but securely packed in a trunk, destined to Stanley Cup as both a player and a coach, the ’89 Flames relied heavily travel in the plane’s baggage compartment. on their depth players to be difference makers, from Otto all the way through the lineup. But according to McDonald assistant trainer Al Murray, Bearcat’s son, had a better idea. “When Suter went down, we thought, ‘oh, oh, that’s a big hole,’” Crisp said. “But I’ve always believed Jamie Macoun was one of the most “It was one of those planes that had both a front and a rear entrance,” underrated players in the game – not by us – but by the league. He never McDonald said. “Naturally, all of us old veterans went to the back of the got a lot of accolades. But (assistant coaches) Tom Watt, Doug plane, so we could party back there and Al said, ‘I can go over to Risebrough and I used to say: ‘Jamie Macoun is a warrior.’ If I had to go customs and get their big lock cutters if you want the Stanley Cup up into a foxhole, the first guy I’d want beside me is Jamie Macoun. He only here.’ I said, ‘absolutely, we do.’ He said, ‘what should we do with it?’ I knew one way – to win, at any price. He was like a , on said, ‘put it in the washroom and we’ll put an ‘out of order’ sign on the defence. Then Ric Nattress, he was better than people thought he was, washroom door.’ So that’s what happened. No one knew, other than the and when he lined up with Jamie, they fit like a glove, that pair. Nat four of us at the back of the plane, that we had the Stanley Cup aboard. stayed at home, Jamie could roam; those two guys were good together.” “About half an hour into the flight, the pilot announces: ‘Congratulations Brad McCrimmon – the popular hard rock of a defenceman, who died in on winning the Stanley Cup; I just want to let you know you have a the 2011 Yaroslavl plane crash — was an underrated force as well, on special guest aboard at the back of the plane.’ Al Cat had asked me if I the ice and in the dressing room. wanted to bring it out, but I said, ‘no, it was your idea, so you’re bringing it out.’ So, Al Cat brings the Cup out of the washroom and the party was “They called him Sarge and The Beast for a reason,” Crisp said. “I can’t on for the next four-and-a-half hours.’ I think we probably needed to stop think of anybody who’d want to come down his side of the ice. I just in Winnipeg to pick up more beer.” cringe at how many penalties he would have taken in today’s game when he brought that stick down on people. Now, you can’t even tap a guy on Once the team arrived back in Calgary, McDonald said the celebration the glove. McCrimmon would break wrists and arms or whatever with no continued at his home on the western edge of the city. The McDonalds call, whenever he swung his stick from left to right. He would always give live on an acreage, with what he described as “very understanding a guy a little room between him and the boards and let the guy think he neighbours.” had space and then he went to work on him. He was just a pillar for us back there.” “The party lasted three days – seriously. Guys and gals either slept over, or they’d go home to make sure their kids were fine with the From the time they eliminated the Canucks until they opened the Stanley grandparents and come right back. It was absolutely awesome. Cup final against the Canadiens, the Flames lost just one game in about a month – to Chicago in a comparatively easy conference championship “We had bands playing out there – everything. Oh my god, we had way series. But in the final, they fell behind two games to one to the too much fun.” Canadiens, which was the same deficit they faced three years earlier in McDonald said he took the Stanley Cup to all three schools in the their previous final appearance against the Canadiens. In ’86, Montreal Springbank area on Day 2 of the celebration and every class had their was able to close the series in five games. picture taken with the iconic trophy. Over the past three decades, But two critical wins by the Flames – by a 4-2 margin in Game 4 at McDonald has encountered dozens of those children, now adults, who’ve Montreal and by a 3-2 count at Calgary in Game 5 – flipped the narrative asked him to sign those photos. and set the stage for Calgary to be the only visiting team to clinch the “It is amazing how many of those I still see today,” McDonald said. Cup at the Forum in Montreal. McDonald had been a spectator for three “People still come up to me and say, ’30 years ago, I was eight years old games in a row, but at the 11th hour, was added to the lineup by Crisp, in – and you brought in the Stanley Cup.’ It was so cool to be able to do the hopes that his presence would provide a psychological lift. that.”

For McDonald, watching the games was harder than actually playing. The ’89 championship saw two NHL careers end – McDonald, who “It’s funny because when you first come into the league, you’re trying to retired following a 16-year career; and Loob, who was returning to find as much ice time as possible – and then at the end of your career, Sweden after only six NHL seasons to raise his family in his native you’re trying to do the same thing,” McDonald said. “So not playing in country. With two spots opening up on the right side, the Flames signed Game 3, 4 or 5, you’re just trying to be the best possible teammate you Russian star Sergei Makarov on the actual day they won the Stanley Cup can possibly be, but knowing full well you want to be out there yourself. as a replacement for 1989-90. So, to have that chance to play in Game 6 … I remember, the morning of Other departures soon followed – Peplinski retired six games into the the game, talking to Colin Patterson. I said to him that I’d scored my first- next season and then briefly mounted a comeback five years later. But it ever NHL goal at the Montreal Forum and wouldn’t it be a cool way to was never quite the same again. The Flames lost in the opening round in finish it off if I scored my last-ever goal there as well?” each of the next two seasons and after they missed the playoffs the year after that, massive changes followed. The ’89 championship team held a major reunion to mark the 25th anniversary of their Stanley Cup title, which McDonald acknowledges was “the big one.” With about a month to go in the regular season, the Flames invited the eight alumni from the ’89 team who still make Calgary their home to watch a game against the New York Rangers from a private box – and their presence was acknowledged on the Jumbotron.

But Vernon couldn’t make it and neither could McDonald, so the plan is to assemble this Saturday on the anniversary date, with Mullen and Loob potentially making their way to town to join the party. According to McDonald, his own family brewery – the Montana-based Tamarack Brewing Company — collaborated with the Wild Rose Brewery on a new beer appropriately called Yeah Baby, named after broadcaster Peter Maher’s signature call during the Stanley Cup run. The plan is simple: “We’re going to get together with as many guys who are in town and have a good time.”

Years after scoring the goal that broke Vancouver’s hearts, Otto finally met Quinn in person when they were both volunteering at a hockey clinic. Otto was anxious to meet the legendary ex-player, ex-coach and ex- manager because teammate Dana Murzyn thought the world of Quinn.

“So, I’m tickled pink to be able to go say hi to Pat Quinn, but the first thing he says isn’t ‘hello’ or anything like that. He said: ‘You kicked it in.’ I’m thinking, ‘Honestly? After all these years? Give it a rest.’ But that’s been the entire Vancouver nation saying that to me for years.”

For his part, Crisp says three things immediately come to mind when he reflects back on the ‘89 playoff run – and all of them involve that pivotal do-or-die seventh game in the opening round.

“It’s overtime in the seventh game in our building – I’m still cringing about that,” Crisp said. “I can still see Tony Tanti, who has a wraparound, and he’s got Vernie beat, and he comes around our net and throws it right off the post. Then Stan Smyl has a breakaway, just him and Vernon – Vernon makes a glove save and I still don’t know how he did it. Then No. 3, when we scored the winning goal, I’m thinking, ‘that’s it, I don’t care what happened or how it went in.’ I just started throwing guys over the boards – and told them ‘get out there and start celebrating.’

“I wasn’t giving anybody a chance to change their minds.”

The Athletic LOADED: 05.23.2019

1106512 Colorado Avalanche

Patrick Roy interviews for Ottawa Senators head coaching job, report says

By JOE NGUYEN | [email protected] | The Denver Post

PUBLISHED: May 22, 2019 at 12:04 pm | UPDATED: May 22, 2019 at 12:12 PM

Roy, 53, spent three seasons as Colorado’s vice president of hockey operations and head coach from 2013-16, compiling a 130-92-24 record. He led the Avs to the top of the Central Division in 2014 before losing to the Minnesota Wild in the first round of the playoffs. In August 2016, he resigned from his positions.

He returned to helm the of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League in 2018, where he was head coach from 2005-13.

If hired, Roy would take over a Senators team that finished with an NHL- worst 64 points last season. Ottawa fired Guy Boucher in March. Former Avs head coach Marc Crawford finished the season as the interim head coach.

Denver Post: LOADED: 05.23.2019 1106513 Colorado Avalanche himself as a No. 2 after years of being the man in Colorado only to be supplanted by Philipp Grubauer this past season.

Odds are Varlamov is gone, perhaps getting a chance to compete to be a Avalanche head into offseason with clear vision on complementing No. 1 elsewhere, but Sakic won’t totally turn that page. Which in itself is impressive young core interesting.

“I spoke with Varly, the doors will remain open right to the end,” said By Pierre LeBrun Sakic. “Obviously he’s going to want to see what’s out there for himself. He wants to be a No. 1 and he is a No. 1. He’ll have opportunities, he is May 22, 2019 an elite goalie. But we’ll see what happens.”

Only thing I can read into that is whether Varlamov and his camp led by agent Paul Theofanous (who also represents UFA goalie Sergei As far as opening questions go, Joe Sakic probably didn’t see this one Bobrovsky) see what’s out there July 1 and compare it to what they can coming because all people want to know about his offseason is how he’s still get in Colorado. And that perhaps what Sakic is saying is that going to get Mikko Rantanen signed. Varlamov can still fight for the net in Colorado despite how things ended But when we chatted on the phone late last week, my opening salvo was this season. asking the Colorado Avalanche GM if he would consider putting the No. 4 Of course, the majority of Sakic’s energy and stress levels will be overall pick in play for the June draft. devoted to one Mr. Rantanen, he of the 87 points in 74 games this After all, the Avs have come a long way over the past two years. They season. just knocked off the top seed in the West in Calgary and pushed a Sakic, according to a source Tuesday, has already reached out to agent veteran San Jose team to seven games. Getting more immediate NHL Mike Liut to get things going over the past week. But it could certainly be help by trading that pick might be tempting… a negotiation that lasts all summer long. “We’re looking forward to that pick, we know we’re going to get a good “Our intention is to get him signed,” said Sakic. “I’d love a long-term deal. player. There’s no intention of moving it,” responded Sakic. “You got to If it has to be a short-term, bridge deal, it can be that. I don’t think I’m the listen to everything. You can’t say 100 percent you’re not going to move only guy in this situation. There’s a lot of tremendous hockey players all it, but we’re pretty happy with keeping it and making that selection and in the same situation coming up. I can’t tell you the timing of it. I don’t bringing on another good young player.” know if there’s going to be a pecking order or what’s going to go on. One thing we’ve seen in recent years is a higher reticence among GMs “But there’s a lot of teams in this same situation,” added Sakic. “To be to move a top-10 pick regardless of their status on the NHL’s food chain. honest, it’s a good problem to have. Because all of them are great Why? As another team executive recently told me, whether you’re hockey players.” rebuilding, retooling, tweaking or you’re all in, the salary cap system has People around the league wonder if this is finally the summer we get an taught everyone that reloading with fresh, young talent is a prerequisite offer sheet, and perhaps we will, but I don’t see Rantanen being the guy no matter your lot in life. that way. The Avs have too much cap room. They wouldn’t be the smart The league is younger, those younger players arrive more ready to target that way. They’re not vulnerable. It’s too easy to match for them. contribute, and they’re cheap under the cap for three years. The days of Unless of course the offer is so damn crazy … but Colorado already going all-in and using your first-round pick to acquire veteran help seems showed in 2013 when it matched Calgary’s offer sheet on Ryan O’Reilly like the kind of thing you shouldn’t do anymore. how it would likely react. First-round picks are more valuable than ever. The Avs have two of them “Probably like everybody, nobody lets their players leave,” Sakic said of next month at No. 4 and No. 16. what his likely answer would be to an offer sheet. “This is a quality So unless a team absolutely propels Sakic off his draft table seat in player, you’re going to want him on board. We’re not in a pinch (cap- Vancouver with an offer for the ages, he seems intent on selecting at No. wise) where we have to worry about it. I don’t anticipate it happening, but 4. Which is wise, despite my best efforts to make him think about it. you know what, if it does happen, we’ll deal with it.

The more immediate NHL help will likely come in the form of free agency, “But at the end of the day, I know Mikko wants to be here, we want him a dip in the waters for an Avs team that has plenty of salary cap space. here, I want him to finish his career here. At the end of the day we’re As my good pal Ryan Clark, our fearless Avs beat writer, recently going to try and find a way to make it work. That’s the intention.” chronicled in his top five pressing concerns for Colorado this offseason, Rantanen playing in Colorado his whole career sharing a power-play unit finding more secondary scoring is a clear plan and the UFA market might with superstar linemate Nathan MacKinnon and young point man Cale help in that regard. Makar, well, there’s a vision. ‘We’ll see what opportunities are out there to try and get better. You can’t You get excited about where this thing is headed in Denver for all the always guarantee free agency, there’s guys we’re going to want to talk to obvious reasons and then you watch Makar play this spring like he’s a that we think are a good fit,” said Sakic. “You know what? There’s going four-year NHL veteran and your jaw drops. to be a lot of people going after the same players. Just because we’re going to be more aggressive doesn’t mean you’re going to land your “He’s got incredible speed, vision, he really sees the game and guy.” understands how to play the game; when to jump in, when to back off, he makes passes that not a lot of guys can make,” says Sakic, you know, No, but what Sakic is saying is that the Avs will be trying perhaps a little the Hockey Hall of Famer who knew a thing or two about passing. “The more acutely than normal on July 1. game opens up nicely for him. He works on his defensive end work, too. Some of that improvement as far as not relying on the big line as much People say he’s a smaller D, he’s not small. He is strong on his edges. also showed itself in the playoffs. We won’t soon forget J.T. Compher He’s strong on the puck.” and that Game 6 win over the Sharks. There’s growth to come from It is an important offseason for an Avs team with plenty of housekeeping, Alexander Kerfoot and Tyson Jost, too. guys that need to new contracts, plus a desire to upgrade elsewhere, and “Some of our younger guys played well, but I still think we’d like to add a hope of not regressing in their program but rather taking that next step there, to go along with the growth we’re seeing from our younger toward being a legit Cup contender. players,” said Sakic. “If those guys can make another step and we can In a league that’s so, so close, more than ever, there’s a lot of uncertainty help out by acquiring another forward, that’s going to make us even attached to that. stronger.” But Sakic saw a young team take giant strides especially late in the year. Sakic will need to budget for a backup goalie, too, although that No. 2 will be much cheaper than the $5.9-million cap hit veteran Semyon Varlamov “I thought the entire team learned how to play,” said Sakic. “We were carried this season. Of course, the pending UFA goalie doesn’t see really committed into playing a good solid game, good team defence, managing the puck well; that was the one thing through that tough stretch this season was that we were forcing issues and trying to make stuff happen that wasn’t there. And it hurt us. But down the stretch and what I really liked in the playoffs, we played one way against Calgary and then had to play a different way against San Jose. Every team is a different matchup and I thought the guys, especially managing the puck, did a heck of a job taking what was given.

“That was probably our biggest area of improvement down the stretch and into the playoffs along with the fact you’re getting hot goaltending.”

The fourth-overall pick will be joining a lineup ready to wreak havoc in the Western Conference for the next decade. Going to be fun going to Denver every spring.

The Athletic LOADED: 05.23.2019 1106514 Colorado Avalanche my taste and maybe that turns Buffalo off after the Mittelstadt experience but he’s the best center here.

8. Edmonton Oilers – Matthew Boldy, LW, USNTDP (USHL) 2019 NHL Mock Draft 2.0: Colorado focuses on the long run For a team this bad, they certainly don’t have any questions down the middle. McDavid and Draisaitl have shown they can dominate together BY AJ HAEFELE and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins finally stayed healthy and produced like a high-level player. Assuming they don’t trade any of the three, they need MAY 21, 2019 to find some wing help immediately. Boldy is a guy who reminds me so much of Marian Hossa in his two-excellence and goal-scoring acumen.

He’s an extremely high IQ player who will have a chance to impact the 1. New Jersey Devils – Jack Hughes, C, USNTDP (USHL) game in all three zones. The Oilers desperately need a guy like that.

I’m holding firm here on Hughes. I like Nico Hischier but I think the 9. Anaheim Ducks – Peyton Krebs, C, Winnipeg Ice (WHL) Hughes/Hischier 1A/2A center combination is too good of a temptation Another fit between team and player that just makes too much sense not on how to build a roster. New Jersey is also an organization with deep to happen come draft day. Anaheim has a nasty habit of drafting players I USA Hockey ties so they’ll have a significant amount of information on personally love and Krebs is one of my favorite players in this draft. He’s Hughes. extremely smart and has a very good two-way game. There are 2. New York Rangers – Kaapo Kakko, RW, TPS (Liiga) questions about how high the skill level is but his performance on a bad WHL team was pretty damn impressive. I can’t help but wonder how Kakko could easily end up the star of this draft class. He broke the under- differently we’d be talking about him had he and Cozens swapped teams 18 goal-scoring record in the Liiga set by Aleksander Barkov and for the year. Anaheim just gets it right. proceeded to put on a show at the World Championships. Not the U-18s. The World Championships. He has just as much claim as the top 10. Vancouver Canucks – Cole Caufield, RW, USNTDP (USHL) prospect in this draft class as Hughes does given the seasons they’ve The little dude scored an outrageous 72 goals across all appearances had. The Rangers have stocked their system with a lot of quality young this year. He’s just 5’7″ and that’s going to test the will of a league that players the last two years. This year they get the superstar to really put has long had an obsession with size. The success of a guy like Alex the bow on their rebuild. DeBrincat would suggest that it really is a smaller player’s NHL right now 3. – , D, Vancouver Giants (WHL) and Vancouver needs dynamic offense. The other option here was Dylan Cozens but I think Vancouver is going to see an opportunity to have Chicago has invested heavily in their defense in the last two drafts. They Brock Boeser riding shotgun next to Elias Pettersson and Caufield can had two first-round picks last year and both were used on defensemen do something similar next to Bo Horvat, giving them a top six to (Adam Boqvist, ). They had another top pick, Henri legitimately fear. Jokiharju, see action in the NHL this season. Ian Mitchell, who was just named captain of the Denver Pioneers, is another top prospect for them. 11. Philadelphia Flyers – Dylan Cozens, C, Lethbridge Hurricanes, And yet none of those guys have the upside or all-around game of (WHL) Byram. He’s the best defenseman in this year’s draft by a significant The drop of Cozens, who was my second guy for Detroit, Edmonton, and margin and the pressing question of how Chicago was going to replace Vancouver finally ends here. He’s a big body who plays with physicality Duncan Keith gets answered by the lotto lords here. and loves shooting the puck. Whereas Dach is the playmaking center, 4. Colorado Avalanche (from OTT) – , C, USNTDP (USHL) Cozens is a shoot-first player. I have Cozens dropping just a touch because I think he ultimately plays right wing in the NHL, which hurts his Stan Bowman is pals with Alfie Turcotte (Alex’s father) and Chicago has value just enough when comparing him to guys like Zegras and Krebs heavily targeted the USHL and specifically the USNTDP in recent years. and that’s why he gets this far down. His “bull in a china shop” playstyle There are lots of reasons for Chicago to take Turcotte, a fantastic two- is a great fit for Philadelphia and it would be fun to see him land on a line way center whose offensive upside might be the only question mark with last year’s top pick, Joel Farabee, down the road. about his on-ice ability. They didn’t and now Colorado gets a guy some are touting as a future Selke candidate. Turcotte has some injury 12. Minnesota Wild – Philip Broberg, D, AIK (Allsvenskan) questions and his size will certainly feed into those. I’m ignoring the noise Paul Fenton has certainly put his stamp on the Wild with a number of and focusing on what he does on the ice and it certainly has been deals that shook up their look and feel. With Jason Zucker and Jared dynamic. The argument about him not facing the top competition Spurgeon potentially on the way out this summer, the big shake-up in because of Jack Hughes exists and that’s fine but Turcotte’s production Minnesota doesn’t appear close to done yet. One area I expect him to without Hughes has been elite in its own right. repeat from the success he helped build in Nashville is in building a 5. Los Angeles Kings – Kirby Dach, C, (WHL) strong defensive pipeline. The Wild have used just one selection in the first two rounds of the last five drafts on a defenseman and it was last The Kings have still valued size and Dach has plenty of that. They’ve year’s first rounder. I see them going back to the well with Broberg, also put an increased emphasis on skill and Dach certainly is not lacking whose elite skating ability fits nicely in with the league’s trend towards there. His combination of physical maturity and skill level make him one defenders who can fly. The rest of Broberg’s game is a work in progress of the more intriguing guys. They could easily go with Jeff Carter clone but this would be a good start for Fenton in trying to plan for the future on Dylan Cozens but I like Dach’s upside a bit more the Kings. a defense that is rapidly aging and on the verge of an overhaul.

6. Detroit Red Wings – Vasili Podkolzin, RW, Russia 13. – Cam York, D, USNTDP (USHL)

I’m keeping this pick from my original mock draft because I think Steve I originally had Florida going after a forward but I took a look at that group Yzerman will stick with what he did in Tampa Bay and just target talent. again and I just don’t see why they would. They already have one of the Podkolzin will be a slow burn as whoever drafts him will wait two years NHL’s deepest top six forward group in the NHL and they have a ton of on him in Russia. The timeline is the same as a kid going to two years of intriguing young players on the way. Just look at this list: Henrik college or juniors but the uncertainty of his development path in Russia Borgstrom, Aleksi Heponiemi, Owen Tippett, Grigori Denisenko, and might scare a team or two off. Yzerman has the ultimate job security and Serron Noel. This was the first team I considered going all-in on Spencer can wait. Knight as well but I think Cam York could provide a nice Keith Yandle replacement in a few years. Yandle is coming off a career year last 7. Buffalo Sabres – Trevor Zegras, C, USNDTP (USHL) season so there’s plenty of time to let the dynamic York develop before Jack Eichel needs some help here and Casey Mittelstadt hasn’t lived up he shows up and starts taking o-zone starts. to expectations yet (par for the course for that draft class right now). They 14. Arizona Coyotes – Thomas Harley, D, Mississauga Steelheads have some intriguing wings but very little down the middle. With Dahlin, (OHL) Ristolainen, and Montour on the back end I don’t see them reaching for a defenseman. Zegras is a guy whose skill level jumps off the ice and his The Coyotes do a pretty good job of balancing offense and defense in stock has felt like it was on the rise to the point where I think Los Angeles their draft classes so they never feel too top-heavy in any given area. at five could seriously consider him. He’s a bit too perimeter-oriented for This gives them the flexibility to attack any position whenever they’re on the board. I was insistent last year Arizona would have taken one of the several stud defensemen available but they eschewed that route in favor of going bold with Barrett Hayton as they tried again to find a number one center. This year, I think they do look to the blue line and the swift- skating Harley is the man at this selection. He gives them a mobile blueliner to go with Pierre-Olivier Joseph and is a nice style contrast to their selection of Kevin Bahl last year. They’re an organization that values balance quite a bit and that leaves Harley as the guy here.

15. Montreal Canadiens – Victor Soderstrom, D, Brynas IF (SHL)

With 12 picks in the top-100 the last two seasons, Montreal has added seven forwards and five defensemen to their pipeline. That’s pretty balanced given the selections but none of their firsts have been on defense. Soderstrom would immediately give their defense a new top prospect. He’s a solid all-around defender who lacks great size but had a productive and impressive season as a teenager in the SHL. That’s always worth noting.

16. Colorado Avalanche – Moritz Seider, D, Adler Mannheim (DEL)

This one really came down to Seider versus Alex Newhook and with Turcotte the pick at four, it felt like I needed to go with the top defenseman here. The run on defenders left Colorado with a bit of a “leftover” feeling as I like both Harley and Soderstrom more than Seider but that’s not to say Seider is without his own merits. He’s a big kid and a right-handed defenseman who moves very well for his size. He’s a raw defender but has some puck-moving ability. He’s a big question mark right now as to what his ultimate upside is but he’s a piece of clay Colorado can take their time in molding. It’ll be a couple of years before these two guys contribute to the Avs but by the time they arrive, they could be much-needed reinforcements.

BSN DENVER LOADED: 05.23.2019 1106515 Columbus Blue Jackets Columbus Dispatch LOADED: 05.23.2019

John Davidson: Blue Jackets in 'very good hands'

Brian Hedger

May 22, 2019 at 11:00 PM May 22, 2019 at 11:00 PM

He addressed the New York media Wednesday with a lump in his throat roughly the size of a golf ball.

“It’s no secret that New York has always held a special place in my heart,” said John Davidson, the Blue Jackets’ former president of hockey operations and newly crowned president of the New York Rangers. “This is the only organization I would’ve ever left Columbus for.”

There was a genuineness in his words, as one of hockey’s most respected and beloved figures completed his transition from Columbus back “home” to New York — where Davidson had previously spent the bulk of his professional career.

The place he is leaving, though, still tugged at his heart.

“Columbus is a great city, the Blue Jackets are a very proud club and I wish them all the best,” Davidson said, pausing to let the golf ball subside. “They’re in very good hands.”

Left unsaid, of course, was that Davidson is a huge reason why.

It was Davidson who set out upon his hiring in 2012 to change the culture of the franchise. “Brick-by-brick,” was how he put it, promising to build a winner in Columbus through hard work, dedication and persistence.

He delivered on the promise, ordering the bricks, mixing the mortar and putting in place a staff to assemble a winning foundation, starting with general manager Jarmo Kekalainen.

“There was nothing negative (about Columbus),” Davidson told The Dispatch on Wednesday during one of many calls following his news conference at . “I just had an opportunity to do something that doesn’t come along very often for anybody. So, sometimes you just have to make tough decisions and jump in with both feet. And I’m doing that.”

He and his wife, Diana, have made the leap happily — going back to a place that still feels like home. Both, however, will miss the greater Columbus community and Blue Jackets organization.

“I’m going to miss Double Eagle and Muirfield,” Davidson said, referring to his favorite local golfing tracks. “I’m going miss the Cameron Mitchell restaurants. They’re all good. Every one of them. I’m going to miss 20 minutes to the airport, too. I’m going to miss a lot of things.”

Mostly, though, they will miss the friends they met here.

“I’m going to miss a lot of people,” said Davidson, who is originally from Calgary, a blue-collar city in western Canada. “I will miss the people most — people I worked with, people at (Nationwide Arena), the people everywhere I went. People there are just … good people.”

They now have a good hockey team, which will ultimately be Davidson’s legacy leading the Blue Jackets. He badly wanted that legacy to include a Stanley Cup, but it didn’t happen in time.

The next chapter of Davidson’s life in professional hockey arrived at his doorstep and he couldn’t turn it down. He’s a New York Ranger now, again, and that was another reason for the lump in his throat.

That means competing in the same division as the Blue Jackets, though, and he knows better than anybody how difficult that could be. He hired the guy who now holds the keys to the Jackets’ hockey side, whose staff was hired under Davidson’s oversight — including fiery former Rangers coach John Tortorella.

“If you try to figure out the positives and negatives of Columbus, as a city to live in, the quality of life, where I was with the franchise … it’s zero negatives,” Davidson said. “Absolutely none. It’s a quality city and we’d gotten through a lot of the hard work, too (as a team). So, I look at it and I know that everything’s good in Columbus. They’re in real good hands.”

1106516 Columbus Blue Jackets almost certainly won’t be a commensurate first-round pick coming back to Columbus.

The Blue Jackets will also have extensive depth on the blue line. Dean After ‘all-in’ trade deadline, Blue Jackets now seek ways to recoup draft Kukan and Vladislav Gavrikov showed themselves worthy of playing time picks in the Stanley Cup playoffs, joining the six regulars from this season.

It won’t be a surprise if the Blue Jackets move one of their defensemen By Aaron Portzline for a scoring forward if Panarin and Duchene leave. But they could trade one for a draft pick, too. May 22, 2019 Trades of this nature happen most often on the draft floor.

With all of their pending unrestricted free agents, and a bunch of COLUMBUS, Ohio — Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen restricted free agents, the Blue Jackets are projected by started his climb in the hockey world as a scout, first with the Ottawa CapFriendly.com to have more than $30 million of leeway under the Senators and then the St. Louis Blues, where his work as director of NHL’s projected $83 million salary cap. amateur scouting drew wide acclaim. Defenseman Zach Werenski, an RFA, will eat a chunk of that, but even if If anybody cherishes draft picks, it’s longtime scouts like Kekalainen, Duchene signs on long term with the Blue Jackets, they’ll have enough which is part of what made the Blue Jackets’ all-in approach at the NHL room under the cap — with Sergei Bobrovsky and Panarin off the books trade deadline in February so fascinating. — to get creative.

Kekalainen traded this year’s first-round pick to Ottawa for forward Matt Remember the trade two years ago in which David Clarkson was dealt to Duchene; this year’s fourth- and seventh-round pick to the New York expansion Vegas for a first-round pick? It was announced as part of a Rangers for defenseman Adam McQuaid; and second-round picks in larger deal with the Golden Knights but was really a stand-alone 2020 and 2021 to Ottawa for forward Ryan Dzingel. He also traded a agreement. conditional first-round pick in 2020 to the Senators should the Blue Jackets re-sign Duchene this summer. The Blue Jackets could be on the other side of such a trade this summer, where they assume a contract of a declining player in exchange for a This after the Jackets had already dealt this year’s second-round pick to draft pick. The more money and term remaining on the contract, the Vegas in their expansion trade two years ago, this year’s fifth-round pick bigger return the Blue Jackets could get, perhaps even a prospect along to Detroit in a draft-pick trade at last year’s draft, and this year’s sixth- with an early-round draft pick. round pick to Arizona for minor-leaguer Ryan MacInnis. How badly does Edmonton want to get out from under the remaining Put another way: the Blue Jackets, as of today, own just two draft picks years on forward Milan Lucic’s contract? He’s signed through 2022-23 at at the NHL Draft on June 21-22 in Vancouver: their third-round selection a salary cap hit of $6 million. (No. 81 overall) and a seventh-round pick (No. 212) that originally belonged to Calgary. What about Vancouver with forward Loui Eriksson, who’s signed through 2021-22 at $6 million? Or the New York Rangers with defenseman Marc That’s the fewest picks of any team in this year’s draft. Carolina, Detroit, Staal, who’s signed through 2020-21 at $5.7 million? Los Angeles, Montreal, New Jersey and Philadelphia each have 10 picks in the seven-round draft. Only Dallas (4), St. Louis (4), San Jose (4), Those would all be expensive buyouts or expensive reclamation projects, Winnipeg (3) and Columbus have fewer than five picks. so perhaps more likely is Patrick Marleau, who has one season remaining at $6.25 million with the . It could be a historic weekend for the Blue Jackets next month in British Columbia. Clarkson was traded two years ago, with three years remaining on his $5.25 million per season contract, and he garnered a first-round pick for No team has drafted fewer than four players in a single draft since the the Golden Knights. NHL’s entry draft took on its current format (amateurs, plus European pros eligible) in 1980. In recent seasons, the Arizona Coyotes have become the NHL’s Goodwill Store — the place where the league’s high-dollar clubs drop off After the deals were done, Kekalainen said the Blue Jackets’ on-the-cusp their (not so) gently used players. But instead of a tax-deductible receipt, prospects, like forwards Alexandre Texier, Emil Bemstrom, Liam Foudy, the Coyotes have cashed in for prospects and picks. etc., made dealing the draft picks seem like less of a gamble. With all of them close to being NHL-ready, the Jackets have years to restock the The Blue Jackets would rather not be in the conversation with Arizona, of pipeline. course. But if you’re desperate for draft picks …

But he’s also mentioned repeatedly that the Blue Jackets will explore This is going to happen in the NHL eventually, and the Blue Jackets ways to recoup some of the draft picks. might be in a prime spot to pull it off this summer with Bobrovsky and Panarin. The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun took a look at the issue earlier this “There are many, many ways,” Kekalainen said. “We’ll have a chance to month. get some more picks in this year’s draft. And next year’s.” In order for this to work, it has to benefit all three parties: the acquiring Here are some of those ways: team, the trading team and the player(s).

Even if the Blue Jackets lose Artemi Panarin and Duchene via free From the players’ perspective … agency, they’re still going to have a crowded house at forward with the aforementioned Texier, Bemstrom and Foudy, along with Eric Robinson, The Blue Jackets are the only NHL team that can sign Bobrovsky or expected to push for regular roles. Panarin to eight-year contracts. Seven years is the max for every other NHL club. Assuming they extend qualifying offers to Markus Hannikainen and Lukas Sedlak, the Jackets will have 11 returning forwards in addition to Bobrovsky will be 31 in September. Panarin will be 28 in October. It’s the four mentioned above, and they’re almost certain to add players via likely that these are their last NHL contracts, so that extra year could free agency if both Panarin and Duchene walk. make a huge difference in the whole-term value of the deal.

Those 11 returning forwards does not include Sonny Milano, who From the Blue Jackets’ perspective … seemed to drift out of the Blue Jackets’ plans in 2018-19, though he The Jackets aren’t interested in doing either of these guys favors on their salvaged a long season with a strong showing in the AHL playoffs. way out the door, but if signing them and trading them allows the Blue Milano will require waivers to be sent to AHL Cleveland in 2019-20, so Jackets to get something for them, they’d put up with doing the the Blue Jackets have reached a fork in the road with their 2014 first- paperwork. round draft pick. If the Blue Jackets could sign-and-trade both Bobrovsky and Panarin to If there’s an NHL team that sees Milano as a bona fide NHL player, the Panthers, the return could be a pretty sweet draft pick. (Second perhaps the Blue Jackets could trade him for a draft pick … though it rounder?) But don’t expect the Jackets to swing a deal for a pittance. A seventh-round pick won’t get it done.

The window for NHL teams to speak with unrestricted free agents begins June 23, the day after the draft. That means that in order for the Jackets to acquire a pick in this year’s draft, they’d have to grant permission for teams to negotiate with Bobrovsky and/or Panarin.

These deals take time to put together. The New York Islanders tried to swing such a deal with Toronto last summer when John Tavares decided to sign with the Maple Leafs, but, incredibly, they ran out of time.

From the acquiring team’s perspective …

The longer the term, the easier it is for club’s to get a lower average annual value (salary cap hit) on contracts.

A seven-year, $77 million contract for Panarin carries an $11 million cap hit. An eight-year, $80 million contract is $3 million more in the players’ pocket, but a $10 million cap hit for the club. That can make a big difference.

Further, if you’re the Panthers, and your grand plan is to add coach , Bobrovsky and Panarin this summer, it would be a great benefit to lock the deal(s) down early.

Quenneville has already signed with the Panthers. Bobrovsky appears headed there, too, though it’s not official. Panarin will have many, many suitors, and it could behoove the Panthers to strike a deal — if Panarin is willing, obviously — before the New York Rangers even have a chance to make a pitch.

The Panthers’ willingness to sign both players to max eight-year contracts could swing the deal, too.

The Athletic LOADED: 05.23.2019 1106517 Dallas Stars The question of Benn’s identity is a complex one. His media persona is part of that puzzle.

Benn is rarely a good interview. He’s soft-spoken and doesn’t like talking Who and what is Stars captain Jamie Benn? about himself. This also isn’t a reflection of Benn as a person or a captain.

By Sean Shapiro First of all, most hockey interviews are worthless. The questions are bad, there is an agenda on both sides, and any time a press scrum May 22, 2019 assembles, the chances of a player — any player — saying anything of real substance drop rather close to zero.

The worst interviews — post-game scrums — are the ones fans see Jamie Benn has spent a decade in Dallas. Let that sink in for a minute. most. It’s the moment players are either most guarded (after a loss) or The 2019-20 season will be Benn’s 11th with the Stars. He’ll be the most deflective of praise (after a win). Benn, like most players, falls into eighth player in franchise history to play 11 seasons with the club and these categories. As a representative of the media, I’ll readily admit that just the fifth to spend at least 11 campaigns in North Texas since the “What was the difference in the game?” is such a broad and lazy team relocated here in 1993. question when we really should be asking about the change in the neutral zone forecheck during the second period. As far as DFW professional athletes go across the four major sports, Benn will be the 58th athlete to play at least 11 seasons in North Texas. The best interviews are those which happen behind the scrums and With his current contract running through 2025, he’s on track to play 16 rarely involve a camera. They include give-and-take conversations, seasons with the Stars. where two people are treating each other like, well, people. There is a trust factor between the two parties. Mike Modano played 16 seasons in Dallas. Jason Witten is about to play his 16th with the Dallas Cowboys. Dirk Nowitzki played 21 with the Benn doesn’t like to talk about himself, and he never has. But he’s given Mavericks. As far as longevity goes, Benn is on track to finish his career strong interviews and insight on teammates in a one-on-one setting. He among a prestigious group. also doesn’t hate the media. If that were the case, he wouldn’t have such a comical back-and-forth with Stars website writer Mark Stepneski, and But for as long as he’s spent in Dallas, and as long as he’s likely going to he wouldn’t have agreed in principle to fill in and write the foreword for spend in the city, defining Jamie Benn has been somewhat difficult. my book when I was still trying to track down Modano.

It should be easy, right? Benn is the Stars captain. The present and If there’s anything Benn hates, it’s the concept of the media scrum and longtime face of the franchise. The only Art Ross Trophy winner in public speaking. Within his circle of trust, there’s a personality the public franchise history. And, in theory, the final player to ever wear No. 14 for rarely gets to see. the Stars. But it’s not that simple, and the 2018-19 season only muddied the waters. This helps create a side effect where some question Benn’s captaincy and his leadership in the locker room. It’s hard to picture that same In many ways, this goes back to the events of Dec. 28, 2018, when Stars person who is so bland in public delivering a fiery locker room speech or CEO Jim Lites called me into his office and proceeded to rip into Benn filling a room with personality in between periods. and Tyler Seguin. He dubbed their performance “fucking horse shit” and doubled down that these two players needed to be ripped in such a Believe it or not, Benn sets the tone in the Stars locker room. He’s the public manner. undisputed leader. His is not a rah-rah type leadership approach; it’s more reserved, and there’s an aura that Benn is willing to go through a When something goes that far publicly, you can only imagine how heated wall for anyone else wearing victory green. He would never ask a it is behind closed doors. The Tom Gaglardi “WTF” texts Lites told us teammate to do something he wouldn’t. about are a pretty good indication of the frustration which preceded such a public explosion. That’s not my assessment; I’ve never been on the bench during a game or in the locker room. It’s an assessment of Benn’s leadership from Seguin may have been ripped, but his attempted public shaming was a dozens of conversations with his teammates who have all said similar side effect of the Scud missile aimed at Benn. The Stars’ captain was the things. true target of Lites’ comments; it was just convenient to include Seguin in the ripping, since he was recently signed to a similar contract and, as When Stars coach Jim Montgomery needed the team to buy in to his they say, all is fair in love and horse shit. system and embrace a more defensive approach around the All-Star break, Benn was one of the key voices who made sure the message The Stars’ playoff victory over the – a series in which stuck. Benn’s play can be questioned, and that’s fair, but his leadership Benn’s ‘little brother’ treatment of Ryan Ellis in Game 5 stood out – has never been in doubt among those within the locker room or coaches’ helped ease tensions. But everything that was swept under the rug was offices. suddenly brought back into the daylight after Dallas’ season ended in the heartbreaking Game 7 loss to the St. Louis Blues. The Stars, however, aren’t paying Benn such a massive sum of money for leadership. That money is a reflection of what the Stars believed Benn What worked? What didn’t? Someone else won the Stanley Cup this would be when it came to helping put pucks in the net. year; why wasn’t it us? How is the relationship between the captain and his franchise? And this is where dissecting and describing Benn gets even more difficult. No matter how you feel about Lites’ comments, it’s a fact that Benn’s point totals were his lowest in a non-lockout year since his rookie season. There is a version of Benn that lives in people’s minds and created sky- It’s also a fact that Benn was the NHL’s fourth-highest-paid player during high expectations. It involves Benn wearing No. 22, not No. 14. He’s the 2018-19 season yet finished in a tie for 94th in league scoring with 53 actually wearing a visor, and he’s taking over games for Team Canada at points. Teams don’t like accounting for $9.5 million per season against the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. the salary cap for the NHL’s 94th-ranked scorer. “Sochi Benn” legitimately climbed into the conversation for the best How did Benn feel about his season? player in the world. He won the Art Ross Trophy the following season and would consistently take over games. He was a force to be reckoned “Some ups and downs. Some good, some bad,” Benn said. “Definitely with, and if you were building a hypothetical team between 2014 and some room for improvement.” 2016, the Stars captain would have been among the first players selected across the league. Where can he improve? That was Benn’s prime. He was 24 in Sochi and 26 when he finished “In all areas of my game.” third in MVP voting in 2016. There’s a better answer, but Benn is never going to give that one in a He’ll be 30 in July. Expecting Benn to turn back the clock four or six public setting. Just like he’s never going to reveal publicly how he truly years is both unfair and impossible. His best years are gone, and that’s felt about the mid-season attack by upper management and ownership. That’s not who Benn is, and that’s OK. the natural life cycle for a power forward whose prime was unfortunately What Benn and the Stars do need to figure out is how to maximize the wasted. captain’s effectiveness going forward. Aging is undeniable, but that doesn’t mean he’s already obsolete. Even with all the consternation We want explanations for aging. If a player has lost a step, it’s about his season, Benn was one of the Stars’ best players during the immediately assumed he’s injured or fighting something, as many 2018-19 campaign. He’s still going to be one of their best players next assumed during Game 6 and 7 against the Blues when Benn, who nearly season. won the game in overtime, just looked off. Have we properly answered the question, “Who and what is Jamie Was Benn dealing with an injury this season or in the playoffs? He would Benn?” Absolutely not. But it was worth a try, and I’m sure we’ll try again never willingly admit it. He bristled at the suggestion during a playoff for six more seasons. interview. The Stars also didn’t list him among the players battling things when the season ended. While Roope Hintz and Mattias Janmark were given heroic accolades for playing with broken feet, Benn didn’t get such a public excuse or chance to be lauded on social media for being The Athletic LOADED: 05.23.2019 “hockey tough.” Benn did miss four games due to injury this season and left two others with an upper-body injury that was probably caused by a hit from Miles Wood in early January. His neck received constant treatment during games after collisions. This is something the Stars never addressed, but happened in public view on the bench.

Come playoff time, nearly everyone is battling something. With the way Benn plays the game at his best, his body takes a beating. When you run someone over, you are still part of the collision. It’s a simple reality; a soon-to-be 30-year-old body doesn’t just bounce back like it did when it was 25 or 26, even for professional athletes.

Another thing that Benn will never admit, but is obvious from watching him closely, is that he’s taken on a form of load management with his effort during the past three seasons. There are nights when Benn seems to coast through the motions, only really dialing in when the other team “pokes the bear” or riles him up. More and more teams have come to realize that, when this happens, it’s best to leave Benn alone. Otherwise, they’ll get a dose of “Sochi Benn,” who can still come out in spurts.

“You watch Seguin and [Alexander] Radulov, they bring it every single night. The effort is always there,” an NHL scout said. “That doesn’t happen with Benn. He doesn’t bring the same effort every night and I wonder if that’s a physical thing. Is it best for his recovery and body if he has a so-called off night every seven or eight games?

“And maybe that’s what happened in Game 6 and 7 against St. Louis. Because he brought it in the first round and early on against the Blues. But when your body is used to taking off every 10 games and going through the motions, I would think by Game 6 – what was that, their 12th game? His body was asking for that easier night.”

I polled a handful of NHL scouts about Benn. Some think his effort fell due to the big contract; he got his paycheck and lost his edge. Maybe that’s the case, or maybe we really need to look at what happened to other aging power forwards and accept that human beings simply can’t thrive with that type of punishment in their late 20s. They’ll only look worse next to quick-healing players in their early 20s.

The Stars have a few key questions to answer about Benn and his future. Dallas’ ownership, as we saw publicly in December, will ask themselves, “Can we win with Jamie Benn?” It’s a fair question, and frankly one management should ask about every player every offseason. But it’s also question where ownership’s answer won’t matter. Only Benn’s does, thanks to the ironclad no-movement clause for the life of his deal. He’s not going anywhere without his permission, and since he has full control, why would he ever sign off on a deal that wasn’t best for him?

For some fans, it might be fun to surmise and play armchair GM about a trade with the Vancouver Canucks during the summer. Based on the city’s proximity to his hometown in Victoria, British Columbia, you’d think it’s one of the few places where he’d greenlight a deal. But moving a $9.5 million cap hit is nearly impossible, and even with the cap going up, spending that much on a player who only registered 53 points isn’t smart business for other GMs.

The only way Benn leaves Dallas is if he wants to. Were Lites’ comments and that public blast from ownership enough to make him feel that way? Sure, Benn was hurt by their words, as anyone would be, but the opinion of the team’s CEO and owner have very little impact on his everyday life in a city where he and his brother both bought homes.

Benn also shouldn’t be held at fault for signing the contract. If someone is willing to pay you that much money and give you that much control, take the deal and the lifetime security. You’d be foolish not to. 1106518 Detroit Red Wings

Luke Witkowski texting with Detroit Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman about his job

Helene St. James, Detroit Free Press

Published 1:59 p.m. ET May 22, 2019 | Updated 4:14 p.m. ET May 22, 2019

Luke Witkowski is keeping his cell phone close.

For one thing, he’s checking in with Detroit Red Wings forward Dylan Larkin, who was hit in the groin area by a puck during a game at the World Championship. Witkowski sent Larkin a message via Snapchat.

That’s on a personal level. On a professional level, Witkowski is waiting to meet with new general manager Steve Yzerman, who took over the team April 19.

“I sent him a text when he got the new gig,” Witkowski said Wednesday after helping hand out around 500 new bikes to Detroit Public School elementary students in an event sponsored by the Wings and Chevrolet.

“I’m suspecting we’ll meet up at some point this summer,” Witkowski said.

Witkowski, a free agent, said an end-of-season meeting with former general manager was left open-ended.

Here’s what Witkowski, 29, has going for him.

He has history with Yzerman from their days with the Tampa Bay Lightning. He was already in the organization when Yzerman was named general manager of the Lightning in 2010, having been drafted 160th overall in 2008. Witkowski was re-signed three times by Yzerman in Tampa.

Witkowski described his relationship with Yzerman as “actually pretty close. I didn’t hesitate to send him a text. Actually the last time I talked to him was right before free agency when I was with Tampa. They wanted me to come back and I came here.”

Witkowski has a supporter in Wings coach , with whom he has history dating to their days at Western Michigan.

Witkowski is a reserve who can fill in on defense or forward. He’s not going to take a prospect’s spot. He doesn’t complain if he doesn’t play for weeks. He provides toughness.

“I tried to do what I can with what I’m given,” Witkowski said. “Show up to the rink every day with a smile on my face. At the end of the day this is the best job I’ve ever had and probably the best job I ever will have.

“For what I’m given, I thought I did pretty well.”

Witkowski is inexpensive. He is coming off a two-year, $1.5-million contract. At that salary range, if he’s waived (as happened last season) and sent to Grand Rapids (he wasn’t) his salary would not count against the cap.

Witkowski, who looks five years younger after trimming his long beard down to his chin, is naturally hoping he’ll get another contract. A native of Holland, Witkowski’s Instagram feed is full of pictures of him enjoying the local outdoors.

Detroit Free Press LOADED: 05.23.2019 1106519 Detroit Red Wings playoffs. You saw this year the top two seeds go out in the first round. It’s not like you have to go into the playoffs as one of the top one or two seeds — you just have to get in. You look at St. Louis, they were in last Danny DeKeyser wonders this about Detroit Red Wings defense next place I think January 5th or something like that, and the run they’ve gone season on. It’s wild. You just have to get in the playoffs and get some confidence.”

Helene St. James, Detroit Free Press Detroit Free Press LOADED: 05.23.2019 Published 1:43 p.m. ET May 22, 2019 | Updated 4:13 p.m. ET May 22, 2019

What will the Detroit Red Wings’ defense look like next season?

One of the guys who will anchor it was at on Wednesday to help present around 500 Detroit Public School elementary students with new bicycles and helmets.

Danny DeKeyser, 29, is coming off a bounce-back season and is likely to repeat as the top workhorse on the team in minutes played. But what about the rest of the corps?

Veterans Mike Green, Trevor Daley and Jonathan Ericsson each have a year left on their contracts, but there are questions about the health of each one of them. Ericsson, 35, fought back spasms last season, leaving in question whether he has another season left in him. Green, 33, fought a viral infection and only played 43 games. Daley, 35, was limited to 44 games.

Filip Hronek, 21, is coming off a good rookie season and would seem to have earned a spot (especially added to how dominant he’s been at the World Championship, where he has 10 points in seven games for the Czech Republic). Dennis Cholowski, 21, is expected to challenge for a spot after spending most of the second half of 2018-19 honing his game in the minors. Madison Bowey, 24, acquired in the Nick Jensen trade from Washington, showed progress down the stretch.

Then there’s prospect Oliwer Kaski, 23, a free-agent signing currently playing for Finland at the World Championship. He’s a good skater with high-end skill.

“I’m definitely excited to see what comes about,” DeKeyser said. “We have young guys knocking on the door who think they’re ready to play and it looks like they are ready to play. So there are probably going to be some tough decisions that are have to be made, maybe more so this year.

“I just hope that our D-corps improves every year, whether it’s the same guys we have or if we have new guys.”

New general manager Steve Yzerman did not return a message seeking comment. There’s been no word yet on what veteran defenseman Niklas Kronwall, 38, will do – he played 79 games last season and looked like he’s figured out how to manage the pain of his bad left knee, but people who were in the locker room the night of the Wings’ finale, April 6, said he was emotional, as if it might have been his last game.

“I know he’s up in the air, from what I’ve heard,” DeKeyser said. “I’m hoping he’s coming back. He’s a great leader and on the ice he’s always cool and confident. If he’s gone, I’ll definitely miss him. I love Nik.”

The event, put on by the Wings and Chevrolet, included DeKeyser and Luke Witkowksi demonstrating bicycle safety procedures for the students, who sat in one end zone at the arena wearing bright-colored T- shirts and even brighter smiles. It didn’t matter to them that rain disrupted plans to have them ride their new bikes around the plaza.

It’s the second straight year DeKeyser has been a part of the event. While some the Wings are handing out bikes, others are playing at the World Championship and others are vacationing, the last two teams standing in the Stanley Cup playoffs — the Boston Bruins and St. Louis Blues — are preparing for Monday’s Game 1. The 2019 playoffs saw all four division winners — Tampa Bay, Washington, Nashville and Calgary — eliminated in the first round and a No. 2 seed and No. 3 seed advance to the final.

The Wings may not be a playoff team next season, but at the very least there’s no reason not to be inspired by seeing how these playoffs have shaken out.

“I think as a team we have something to prove, as individual players we have something to prove,” DeKeyser said. “We want to get back to the 1106520 Detroit Red Wings

Detroit Red Wings' Anthony Mantha suspended for one game at Worlds

Helene St. James, Detroit Free Press

Published 12:08 p.m. ET May 22, 2019 | Updated 12:26 p.m. ET May 22, 2019

Detroit Red Wings forward Anthony Mantha’s unsportsmanlike conduct will cost him a chance to help Canada advance at the World Championship.

The Intentional Federation announced Wednesday that Mantha has been suspended one game for a hit during Tuesday’s 3-0 victory over the in Kosice, Slovakia. Mantha made clear contact with forward Colin White’s head during the third period, receiving a two-minute penalty and a 10-minute misconduct. It was the same game wherein Wings forward Dylan Larkin left after taking a puck to the groin area in the first period. He is questionable for the U.S. quarterfinal against Russia.

Kyle Turris of Canada celebrates his goal with teammate Anthony Mantha during the World Championship game between Canada and USA at the Steel Arena in Kosice, Slovakia, on May 21, 2019.

The further punishment means Mantha must sit out Thursday’s quarterfinal against Switzerland.

It’s an unfortunate, though self-imposed, turn of events for Mantha, disrupting what has been an outstanding tournament for him. His assist against the U.S. gave Mantha seven goals and five assists in seven games.

Detroit Free Press LOADED: 05.23.2019 1106521 Detroit Red Wings

Detroit Red Wings' Dylan Larkin uncertain for U.S. in Worlds quarterfinal

Helene St. James, Detroit Free Press

Published 9:19 a.m. ET May 22, 2019 | Updated 12:27 p.m. ET May 22, 2019

Detroit Red Wings forward Dylan Larkin traveled with the U.S. to the site of their quarterfinal game, but his availability is uncertain.

The U.S. had Wednesday off, and Larkin remained under evaluation as the team prepared for Thursday’s match against Russia in Bratislava, Slovakia.

Larkin was injured in the first period of Tuesday’s 3-0 preliminary-round loss to Canada in Kosice, Slovakia, when he was hit in the groin area by a puck. Canadian defenseman Phillippe Myers fired a slap shot from the right point that felled Larkin, and he looked in considerable pain as he rushed to the bench.

Red Wings forward Dylan Larkin of the United States celebrates after he scores the 2nd goal over Germany's Mathias Niederberger during the World Championship on May 19, 2019, in Kosice, Slovakia.

Wings coach Jeff Blashill, who is head coach of the U.S. squad, provided an update to the Free Press Wednesday (it was afternoon in Bratislava).

“He is dealing with some pain but otherwise looks like OK,” Blashill said. “No definitive word on his status for Thursday yet.”

Larkin has three goals – two of them game-winning ones – and two assists in seven games.

Detroit Free Press LOADED: 05.23.2019 1106522 Detroit Red Wings Five years ago, President and CEO Chris Ilitch described elements of the massive development choreographed to rise simultaneously.

“Now we really have been unharnessed, unleashed. The idea is to have District Detroit: Inside the Ilitches' land of unfulfilled promises it all come out of the ground at once in 2017.”

CHRIS ILITCH, PRESIDENT AND CEO, IN 2014

Louis Aguilar, The Detroit News "Now we really have been unharnessed, unleashed," he said in 2014. Published 10:02 p.m. ET May 22, 2019 | Updated 10:59 p.m. ET May 22, "The idea is to have it all come out of the ground at once in 2017." 2019 The conceptual renderings of streets brimming with sidewalk cafes and quaint shops in "five new neighborhoods," with names such as “Wildcat Corner" and “Cass Park Village," were posted on the district website. A Detroit — Ilitch companies own or control at least 60% of the properties projected 184 apartments were to open at the same time as Little in the area they hope to transform into an entertainment district larger Caesars Arena in 2017. Two years ago, the group said it was ready to than the size of downtown Detroit, according to a Detroit News analysis. start one of the largest residential developments in recent city history, creating nearly 700 new housing units in six buildings. The Ilitch family enterprise, founded by pizza magnates Mike and Marian Ilitch, has a dominant interest in the languishing 50-block area called The None of that, aside from the arena, has yet to come to fruition. District Detroit, according to the review of property records, state records, interviews and tax assessments. The Ilitch group, along with family members, have been hailed as visionaries for investing heavily in Detroit when many would not. Critics “The walkable neighborhood with active restaurants and retail around the charge the group is a self-serving behemoth that left large swaths of the arena with year-round activities has not materialized because (the Ilitch future district area untended while amassing land. organization) doesn't want it to.” Many local politicians continue to express support, or simply decline RICHARD ETUE, CASS CORRIDOR RESIDENT AND ACTIVIST comment about the delays.

Thursday, the Detroit Medical Center plans to break ground on a new "The reality is that major development often takes time," wrote Arthur sports medicine facility on Ilitch land next to Little Caesars Arena. Earlier Jemison, Detroit's chief of services and infrastructure. "When you take this week, the Ilitch group revealed a new timetable for a renovating the on a 50-block redevelopment, it’s not surprising that some aspects will long-vacant 13-story Hotel Eddystone, a few yards away. move more quickly than others."

Despite promises that the district would transform a forgotten area of U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Detroit, in whose district the development Detroit by 2017, more than a dozen of its 50 blocks are now more vacant falls, has a different perspective. than when the plan was launched in 2014, according to the News analysis. "It's just wrong and unjust," she said. "I'm tired of us trying to make it out they are the best thing that ever happened to the city. We see homeless The accounting shows just how dependent the area is upon the Ilitch and longtime residents being pushed out of this island they have created. organization for its development as the long-awaited tie between two of Detroit's high-demand neighborhoods. "We . . . let them, a mega-billion dollar corporation, get away with decaying and boarded up buildings for years. When are we going to hold "The walkable neighborhood with active restaurants and retail around the them accountable?" arena with year-round activities has not materialized because (the Ilitch organization) doesn't want it to," said Richard Etue, a Cass Corridor The Ilitches began stockpiling property in the area in 1987 when the resident and part of a neighborhood advisory committee that has met company agreed to move its headquarters from the suburbs to the Fox with Ilitch officials about the plans. "I just think they don't know how to do Theatre. In some form, the Ilitches have been chasing the goal of it." creating new neighborhoods since at least 1992, when they began searching for a new baseball stadium for the Tigers. Although it's long been considered an Ilitch development, a detailed breakdown of the family's holdings in the area has never been compiled. The trailblazers The Ilitch group declined comment for this story, but says it has invested Part of the reality the Ilitch group envisions already exists on eight blocks $1.5 billion and counting. along Woodward Avenue.

The group used more than two dozen companies that often cloak their It includes Little Caesars Global Resources Center, the $150 million, ties to the organization to buy land in the district. In addition, many city- nine-story building still under construction that will house 700 workers; owned properties, such as Little Caesars Arena, are controlled by the the Fox Theatre, the 5,000-seat venue and office tower, which is the Ilitch group. current Little Caesars headquarters; Comerica Park, the Wayne County- The News examined the public records of more than 500 properties in owned baseball stadium that’s home to the Ilitch-owned Detroit Tigers; and near the district to find traceable links to the organization and found: Little Caesars Arena, the 20,000-plus seat venue that’s part of an $863 million retail and office complex; the Mike Ilitch School of Business at Ilitch properties account for 83.8 acres, or 34% of the area's 243 acres. Wayne State University, built on land owned by the Ilitch group. Downtown Detroit is 77.4 acres. The October 1987 deal for the Fox Theatre and five blocks of property The Fox Theatre and Hockeytown Cafe are the only two historic first lured the Ilitch group to Detroit. The deal still defines the relationship buildings, of the 29 the Ilitches control, that the organization has restored between the Ilitches' king-size desires and a city desperate for corporate and filled with tenants since 1987. patronage.

The group controls 46 empty parcels and 24 vacant buildings. By then, Mike and Marian Ilitch had built the largest carry-out pizza chain in the world, a title it retains. Mike had owned the Red Wings for five 148 of the properties linked to Ilitch entities are being used for 29 parking years. facilities, which are the only new developments beyond the high-profile venues along Woodward Avenue. The Fox, a former opulent “movie palace” built in 1928, had been empty for 13 years by 1987. Signs of Detroit's fading glory were everywhere. A few large properties presumably are not available for Ilitches to buy or Not far from the Fox on the once-upscale Woodward Avenue were porn control. Cass Technical High School, Ford Field, two parks, a DTE theaters and party stores with clerks working behind bullet-proof glass. Energy substation and the Masonic Temple fall within the district. Remove those and the Ilitches control at least 64% of developable land. The Fox deal was to revive a theater district on the northern edge of downtown near Grand Circus Park. Involving more than a dozen Grand plans buildings, the city and another developer, Charles Forbes, crafted the The District Detroit project has faced increasing criticism because of the plan. The city bought the Fox, along with four other buildings and a lack of progress since the opening of Little Caesars Arena, its signature parking lot from Forbes and sold it all to the Ilitches for $3 million — $6.3 piece, in 2017. million in 2019 dollars. The city demolished eight buildings to make way for parking. The city This time, the Ilitches operated in stealth mode in its effort to buy a gave the Ilitches the empty Detroit Life and Blenheim buildings on Park neighborhood -- a common tactic for developers with a big plan. Avenue and allowed the group to decide whether to save or raze the neoclassical-styled structures. The city loaned the Ilitches $8 million for For more than a decade, various limited liability companies with no public the project. link to the Ilitches spent nearly $50 million buying 56 properties. The firms bought empty lots, shabby homes, dive bars, vacant and occupied “When you take on a 50-block redevelopment, it’s not surprising that buildings, a shelter for Vietnam War veterans, and other sites in the area some that would become the future footprint of Little Caesars Arena.

The Ilitches spent $35.2 million on the renovation — $72.2 million in 2019 Most properties were bought way above market value. The sellers signed dollars. The firm relocated 250 Little Caesars workers from the suburbs confidentiality agreements. The buyer left scant information in public to the Fox office tower. It converted the former Hughes & Hatcher records, using such names as the Corporation Co., with post office boxes building, named after a men’s clothier, next to the Fox into what would as addresses. become Hockeytown Café and the 430-seat City Theatre. The city gathered 74 properties in the future arena site and turned them The purchase paid off for the Ilitches not only in profits — the Fox was over for free to the Ilitch group. The city still owns the property through its the nation’s top-grossing theater of its size within five years — but in Downtown Development Authority where Little Caesars Arena stands. marketability. The Ilitches credited the positive press as one of the reasons Little Caesars pizza sales kept growing. Dozens of Ilitch properties have sat empty for more than a decade. “It’s been painful to not be able to develop some of that property because The Ilitches kept empire-building. In 1992, Mike bought the Tigers for $85 every time we made a move, the price for other property would shoot million. Almost immediately, the new owner contended historic Tiger way up,” Chris Ilitch told The News in 2014. “But we had to wait, and that Stadium in Corktown was outdated and the team hurt.” needed a new home near the Fox. Finley: Ilitch vision for downtown District was a mirage City officials joined in a public campaign exploring the idea. Then-Mayor Dennis Archer and other city officials, along with reporters, traveled with Finley: This broken Ilitch promise benefits Detroit Ilitch executives to visit stadiums such as Baltimore's Camden Yards. A vision unrealized

A major snag arose back in Detroit. Building owners near the Fox were From the start, the Ilitch organization and its supporters have sold District demanding double and triple the sagging market value for their Detroit as the spark of widespread development in a quick amount of properties. The high prices threatened to sink the plan. time. It is why the group needed hundreds of millions in tax money, it In March 1994, the Ilitches revealed its solution: Let the organization take argued. control of the entire neighborhood. “We . . . let them, a mega-billion dollar corporation, get away with The plan was called Foxtown. It included: decaying and boarded up buildings for years. When are we going to hold them accountable?” A sports-shopping entertainment complex spanning 40 blocks and 80 acres. U.S. REP. RASHIDA TLAIB, D-DETROIT

A new stadium that would link to open plazas and new stores capped “From the time we bought the Fox Theatre, I could envision a downtown with glass or copper roofs. where the streets were bustling and people were energized,” Mike Ilitch said in a December 2012 statement. It came when state legislation was 7,000 new parking spaces. introduced to allow public funding to help build the arena. “It’s been a slow process, but we're getting there now.” 150 new condominiums and upscale lofts. In 2014, as the group sought Detroit City Council approval of the deal, A television production and recording studio serving both the new arena Ilitch documents given to the Council state 184 residential units would and Fox. likely be ready when the arena opened in September 2017.

A Motown Museum branch, a blues-jazz hall, a movie theater, a sports In January 2016, Ilitch officials declared a new major hotel, with 300-400 hall of fame and restaurants. rooms, and about 150 residential units would be open less than “20 A magnet school for performing arts or summer sports camps. months from now,” said an Olympia Development of Michigan vice presidentat the time, Steve Marquardt. The llitches wanted at least two dozen buildings and sought to have another dozen demolished. The company expected at least $200 million The Images of the five new neighborhoods are no longer on the District in taxpayer support. Detroit website. The hotel and residential units are still planned, but the timeline is vague. Foxtown never moved past the concept stage. It didn’t have to. Politicians and Wayne County voters came to the rescue. Politicians The eight-block stretch of Woodward Avenue makes the family’s crafted a ballot proposal in 1996 for a 1% hotel room tax and 2% car ambitions vital to the city. Beyond Woodward, the other major Ilitch rental tax to pay for not just a new baseball stadium across the street development is the MotorCity Casino Hotel. The casino hotel, owned by from the Fox, but also new football stadium for the Lions next to the new Marian Ilitch, is just past the northwest border of the district on Grand Tigers' home. River Avenue.

In 2000, the $325 million Comerica Park debuted. The Ilitch group paid Ilitch companies are the city’s fourth largest employer in the city, with about $145 million for the stadium’s construction. Wayne County 7,686 workers, which is 1,325 more than General Motors employs in taxpayers and federal grants paid the rest. Detroit. Income tax collected from workers' paychecks is the city government's largest source of funds. The money helps pay for services The Ilitches never let go of the Foxtown idea. In 2002, during a Wings such as police, fire department and fixing potholes. road game in San Jose, Calif., members of the family were struck with inspiration. It came as they walked around the new $450 million Santana The venues run by the Ilitches attract more than 12 million visitors Row, described as a "village within a city." annually.

Santana Row is 42 acres of low-rise buildings in the same faux- It’s tough to put a true price on all the breaks Ilitch companies have been Mediterranean style. Palm trees line security-monitored paths to shops awarded since the 1987 Fox Theatre deal. By conservative estimates, it like Gucci and Urban Outfitters, dozens of restaurants, nine spas and has been awarded a half billion dollars in tax subsidies and grants; the salons, a boutique hotel, and residences. company has been given dozens of properties for free; dozens of others have been demolished, there are the two decades of free city police The Ilitches hired one of Santana Row's main designers, Richard patrols for Red Wings and Tigers games (the practice stopped in 2018). Heapes. It wanted that same vision for the edge of downtown Detroit, mainly in the Cass Corridor neighborhood. It’s one of the most desolate But the Ilitches are still chasing their long-deferred dream. areas of the city. Plenty of parking Many Cass Corridor residents view the surface parking lots and parking Some residents have substance abuse issues and other challenges that garages as daily reminders the Ilitch plans are not geared for them. make daily life a struggle. But, by Cass Corridor standards, the buildings were stable and clean. Each building had its own maintenance person “Of course, it’s not about the people who have lived here, it’s about under the prior owner. getting new people here,” said Karen McLeod, a 30-year Cass Corridor resident. The neighborhood is also called Midtown. Conditions in the buildings quickly changed since the 2016 sale. Months after the sale, a partial roof collapse permanently closed one of the In 2016, the Ilitches built, expanded or renovated 18 parking lots. The city buildings. Before the building closed, it joined the other two apartment didn’t enforce a landscaping requirement applied to surface parking lots, buildings in racking up nearly two dozen blight violations for such things allowing more room for additional parking spaces. More than 7,800 as rodent infestation, failure to inspect for lead paint and dangerous living “secure, well-lit and credit card-ready parking spots” are operated by conditions, according to public documents. Ilitch's Olympia Development of Michigan. In summer 2018, The News found an old mattress blocking a staircase in McLeod lives in an apartment building operated by a nonprofit dedicated one of the buildings. In the other building, an unused janitor sink in the to keeping affordable housing in the area. It's a few blocks from the hallway was dirt-caked and cockroach infested. In July, the Ilitch group arena. The city took away most of the street parking to make room for said it was the true owner of the buildings. The admission came as it Little Caesars Arena traffic. During most LCA events "there's just a flood sought city approval to tear down four empty buildings, including one at of traffic, and we are just kind of trapped," she said. There are about 200 the corner of Henry and Cass, near the apartments. LCA events a year. One block from the Henry Street apartments is another small historic When there is not an event, the neighborhood “feels hollowed out now,” apartment building owned by an entity linked to the Ilitch group. The McLeod said. “People are being forced out or just leaving. There are far Cass Park Apartments, 2714 Second, was bought in July 2016 for $2.1 fewer business now.” million.

Howes: Empty Ilitch promises loom over FCA plant package Since the purchase, parking for the 37-unit building has been wiped out Vacant buildings, lots by the Ilitch-run parking lot next to the building. Management of the building has changed at least twice during that time, according to current Meanwhile, 24 vacant buildings and 46 vacant lots are under Ilitch and past residents. control, spread throughout the district. When asked about Cass Park Apartments in February, the Ilitch Patrons who use the northwest corner of Little Caesars Arena pass by organization emailed The News a one-sentence reply: the towering ex-Hotel Eddystone, a lifeless 13-story building near the Cass Avenue/Sproat Street part of the sports/entertainment complex. "We are very excited about our development plans for The District This week, a new plan for the Eddystone was released. It's a $40.9 Detroit and look forward to sharing future project plans at the appropriate million renovation to convert the building for residential and ground-floor time." retail. The building would ready for occupancy sometime around 2021 or Cass Corridor resident Etue says it's time for the city to take a harder line 2022. with the organization.

“Of course, it’s not about the people who have lived here, it’s about "My across-the-board position is, 'put up or shut up" as far as (the Ilitch getting new people here.” group) is concerned," Etue said.

Amid a bustling downtown near Grand Circus Park, the 18-story United Artists Theatre, 150 Bagley Ave., had been dormant since the early 1980s. The Ilitch organization bought the former movie palace in 1997. Detroit News LOADED: 05.23.2019

On Park Avenue, the Detroit Life and Blenheim buildings that the city gave to the Ilitch group as part of the 1987 Fox Theatre deal are still vacant.

Not far from the MotorCity Casino Hotel is a virtual dead zone of 22 properties on the western border of the district; a mix of grassy lots around Temple between Third and Fourth and two blocks of boarded-up buildings along Grand River.

In May 2017, Ilitch officials said the group was ready to start one of the largest residential projects Detroit had seen in decades. Six buildings would be used to create 686 residential units. The Eddystone and the United Artists buildings were to be among the four vacant buildings to be filled, along with the construction of two new buildings. The buildings should have been opened by now or well on the way to being renovated.

Beyond the new deadline set for the Eddystone this week, the timeline for remaining projects are more fluid.

City officials remain content to allow the Ilitch group to determine when that time is appropriate.

Tax breaks sought for $40.9M renovation of ex-hotel next to arena

Absentee landlord

There are four apartment buildings on streets where Ilitch-run parking lots take up most of the block. The surface lots look spotless and secure. The apartment buildings are at risk ever since being bought by Ilitch- linked entities, said more than a dozen current and past residents and others familiar with the conditions.

At three apartment buildings on the same block of Henry Street, one of the buildings has closed and the other two have been hit with city blight violations since an Ilitch-linked entity bought the properties in 2016.

The residents in the three Henry Street apartments, 96 units in total, pay $300 to $400 a month in rent and don't have long-term leases. Many residents are service industry workers, such as dishwashers in one of the nearby trendy restaurants or cleaners of downtown office buildings. 1106523 Detroit Red Wings

Red Wings' Anthony Mantha suspended, Dylan Larkin being evaluated at worlds

Ted Kulfan, The Detroit News

Published 12:58 p.m. ET May 22, 2019 | Updated 12:58 p.m. ET May 22, 2019

Canada's Anthony Mantha, a Red Wings forward, was given a one-game suspension Wednesday by the International Ice Hockey Federation for a hit to the head of Team USA forward Colin White during Tuesday’s game.

Anthony Mantha will not play, and Dylan Larkin is still unknown, as the men’s hockey world championship rolls into quarterfinal play Thursday in Slovakia.

The two star Red Wings' forwards both made news during Tuesday's 3-0 Canada victory over Team USA in the final game of the preliminary round.

Mantha was given a one-game suspension Wednesday by the International Ice Hockey Federation for a hit to the head of Team USA forward Colin White during Tuesday’s game.

Mantha was given a two-minute penalty for an illegal check to the head on the play, and a 10-minute misconduct.

"The Panel finds that Mantha’s actions were dangerous, created a serious risk of injury to White, and violated IIHF Official Rule 124 (Checking to the Head and Neck). Mantha could have played the puck rather than making the check," the IIHF said in a statement. "Based on these facts, the Disciplinary Panel determined that because Mantha will be sanctioned with a one game suspension. He will be eligible to return for the semi-final round should Canada advance."

Tied for the tournament lead with seven goals (in seven games), Mantha will not dress for Canada (6-0-1) in Thursday’s quarterfinal game against Switzerland. Mantha has 12 points in the tournament (five assists).

Larkin's impact was painful in another way.

Larkin took a shot from the point from Canadian defenseman Philippe Myers directly to the groin area in the first period.

Larkin skated directly to the bench and was in obvious pain before going to the locker room. Larkin did not return to the game, after playing seven shifts for a total of 3 minutes 42 seconds.

In a text Wednesday to The Detroit News, Red Wings and Team USA coach Jeff Blashill said it’s uncertain whether Larkin will play in Thursday’s quarterfinal against Russia (7-0-0).

“He traveled with us,” Blashill texted. “Still evaluating. He is dealing with some pain but otherwise looks like OK. No definitive word on his status for Thursday’s game yet.”

Larkin has five points (three goals, two assists) in seven games for Team USA (5-2-0).

In the other two quarterfinals, Finland plays Sweden and the Czech Republic plays Germany.

The semifinals take place Saturday, with the gold and bronze medal games are Sunday.

Detroit News LOADED: 05.23.2019 1106524 Detroit Red Wings

Red Wings’ Anthony Mantha suspended for Canada’s World Championship quarterfinal

Updated May 22, 12:27 PM; Posted May 22, 12:09 PM

By Matt Wenzel | [email protected]

Anthony Mantha has been one of the top players at the World Championship and helped Canada advance out of pool play but will be sidelined for the next game.

The International Ice Hockey Federation issued a one-game suspension on Wednesday for the Red Wings forward, who won’t be able to play for Canada in its tournament quarterfinal against Switzerland on Thursday in Slovakia. Mantha was suspended for violating IIHF Rule 124 related to checking to the head or neck for a hit he delivered to United States forward Colin White in the second period of Canada’s 3-0 win on Tuesday. He received a two-minute penalty and 10-minute misconduct for the hit.

Mantha played in the first seven games for Canada (6-0-0-1, W-OTW- OTL-L), which took first place in Group A. His is tied for the tournament lead with seven goals and tied for fifth with 12 points.

If Canada wins its quarterfinal against Switzerland, Mantha would be eligible to return for a Saturday semifinal. The other quarterfinals pit the United States against Russia, Finland against Sweden and the Czech Republic against Germany. The gold and bronze medal games are on Sunday.

Larkin update: Red Wings forward Dylan Larkin is questionable to play for the United States in Thursday’s quarterfinal against Russia.

Larkin was injured in the first period of Tuesday’s loss to Canada when he took a puck to the groin or abdomen, immediately left the game and didn’t return. Jeff Blashill, who coaches the Red Wings and the United States, said in a text message to MLive “He traveled with us. Still evaluating. He is dealing with some pain but otherwise looks like OK. No definitive word on his status for Thursday game yet.”

Larkin has three goals and two assists for the United States (4-1-0-2), which had a five-game winning streak snapped in the loss to Canada and will face unbeaten Russia (7-0-0-0) for a chance to advance.

Michigan Live LOADED: 05.23.2019 1106525 Edmonton Oilers GM Jim Nill for permission to talk to , the Oilers interim head coach in 2014 when was fired.

“I’ve got a pretty good idea what I want to do. There’s probably Oilers fans wanted new GM to blow it all up, but only two shots fired so somebody a little ahead,” said Holland. “Ideally, I’m looking for a guy far who’s been in the (head-coach) seat before. Am I open to hiring somebody who’s never done that? I am. I hired Jeff Blashill for his first head-coaching job in the NHL. My original list had most guys who’d been Jim Matheson, Edmonton Journal NHL head coaches before but there were three or four who hadn’t, the top up-and-comers.”

Holland wouldn’t be adverse to hiring somebody who had been been a When Ken Holland came in as the head honcho, the long-suffering fans head coach, failed, and was better for it the second time around. in Oiler Nation wanted him to blow things up. “Look at (Craig) Berube in St. Louis. Being in the chair once and you get But so far, there’s been only two major moves — vice-president of fired, the perception is you are better the next time with decisions you hockey ops Craig MacTavish leaving to coach in Yaroslavl, outside make. That’s the advantage, gaining that experience, as long as you Moscow, and now Duane Sutter, who headed up the pro scouting have passion.” department, drawing the short straw. Tippett, 57, has coached over 1,100 NHL games in Dallas and Arizona Sutter, 59, the VP of player personnel, who won four Stanley Cup rings but hasn’t been behind a bench since 2017. He’s working for Seattle’s with the New York Islanders in their glory days and later was coach of the expansion entry right now. Florida Panthers, had been with the Oilers eight years. “What you’re looking for in a coach is somebody with energy and passion He’s a hockey man, through and through, part of Sutter royalty. But he and you’re up to speed with how the game’s played today. Experience is was tied in with Peter Chiarelli, even if there’s a sentiment that the former a good thing,” said Holland. general manager operated in a vacuum on many of his trades. This ’n’ that: The Oilers signed Bakersfield defenceman Logan Day, who “Unfortunately, the Oilers have made the playoffs once in the last 13 was on an AHL contract last season, to an NHL deal. The 24-year-old years and there’s going to have to be some change,” said the new who played an NCAA Division 3 school at Endicott College outside Edmonton GM, who has been on the job two weeks. “I’ve known Duane Boston, led the Condors in defence points this season. And his play was since the late ’80s or early ’90s when he coached the Medicine Hat so good Brandon Manning watched all the playoff games. Tigers. He lived down the from block from me and lived across the street from my in-laws. He’s a good man, a good hockey man and he’s a Hockey beat writer Jim Matheson and host Craig Ellingson talk about worker but I’ve got to make some change and see where we go.” coaches and the Edmonton Oilers.

Holland would like a new head of pro scouting by the draft, when there There are old ones. Specifically: are going to be trades made, and certainly going into free-agency, where they hope to sign a few bottom-six forwards. Craig McTavish, the Oilers’ bench boss for the first eight NHL seasons of the 21st Century, lately senior vice-president of hockey operations, He said he wanted to make the call on Sutter now to give up lead time and now a former member of the organization after he left last week to before the draft for him to find other work. coach in Russia.

The Oilers made a series of forgettable trades under the former GM in Ralph Krueger, head coach of the Oilers in the lockout-shortened Chiarelli’s three and half years here. The pro scouts assess other 2012-13 season, who was hired last week by the Buffalo Sabres as players’ strengths and weaknesses, although Chiarelli may also have coach after leaving his chairman’s job in soccer’s English Premier made deals by going with his own gut, so it’s not totally right to paint the League with Southampton. He had recently said he wasn’t interested in pro scouting department with the same brush.The other North American returning to the Oilers. pro scouts – Paul Messier and Chris Cichocki – are still working for the team. And did you know Duane Sutter was once an NHL head coach? For parts of two seasons with the Florida Panthers in 2000-01 and 2001-02. Holland admitted if trades don’t work out, the GM and pro scouts are “all He was let go from his job as Oilers’ head of pro scouting earlier this lumped in together. You’re a team. The pro scout is the person the week. manager deals with the most. Not every decision works out, but you have to have more good ones than bad.” And, eventually and maybe soon, a new one. The Oilers are expected to hire a head coach perhaps by the end of the week. Odds are it’ll be The natural assumption would be Holland turning to his old club in Detroit former Arizona Coyotes and Dallas Stars coach Dave Tippett, who’s for Sutter’s replacement, but unless he’s giving Wings head of pro been working with Seattle’s expansion franchise, and not Todd Nelson. scouting and Hall of Famer Mark Howe a better job, such as assistant GM, and more money, he can’t get him for a lateral move.

Two other Western-based pro scouts, Archie Henderson and Bruce Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 05.23.2019 Haralson, are very smart, hard-working men who grind it out too. So keep their names in mind. Keep Sean Burke’s name as well; he’s Montreal’s Western pro scout who lives in Phoenix but has a place at Sylvan Lake. He was getting a second interview for the Oilers GM job before Holland became their main target.

Holland’s search for new head coach might happen by Friday.

Dave Tippett is the front-runner with the feeling they need an experienced guy for the Pacific Division to match wits with Todd McLellan, Peter DeBoer, , Bill Peters and Rick Tocchet. But if Holland doesn’t have his man by Friday, he won’t name one until the week of June 3-7. He’ll be tied up at the NHL Combine in Buffalo the week between, looking at players for the June draft and won’t take his eye off that ball.

Holland isn’t saying who’s on his short list of about four for interviews but former Penguins/Buffalo head man Dan Bylsma, who was in Detroit as Jeff Blashill’s assistant, reportedly isn’t in the running. There’s a possibility Oilers assistant Glen Gulutzan, a head man in Dallas and Calgary, is still in the hunt. It doesn’t appear Holland has asked Dallas 1106526 Edmonton Oilers Assuming those projections to be accurate, the Oilers could run with something like the following:

Although this is not a great roster, it’s probably better than last year’s Three offseason scenarios and how each one would affect the Oilers group. A healthy Sekera and the $5.5 million in forwards we have added salary cap via free agency are substantial upgrades on what the team ran with last season.

By Jonathan Willis This isn’t a terrible approach, provided Edmonton makes good choices in free agency. It lets the team burn off a bunch of bad money, running the May 22, 2019 Gagner, Brodziak and Manning deals as well as the Gryba buy-out down to zero while halving the time left on the Sekera and Russell contracts

and the Pouliot buy-out. The Oilers, like so many other teams, have salary cap problems this This mediocre, mostly status quo roster gives us an idea of where the summer. Oilers are today under the cap. If they make no subtractions at all, they’ll According to PuckPedia, the Oilers have $70.2 million committed to 15 have $8 million or thereabouts to go hunting for upgrades. players next season. Assuming the NHL’s December estimate of an $83 Scenario 2: Clearing the Lucic contract million upper limit holds up, this leaves Edmonton with just $12.8 million to add seven to eight players, a list which presumably includes at least The Oilers can and should be more aggressive, particularly when it two top-nine forwards and a No. 1A/1B goalie. comes to their greatest cap liability: Milan Lucic. It’s unlikely that Edmonton has seen Lucic at his worst yet, and the sooner they make a It isn’t a lot of money and improving the Oilers while staying cap move the better for the long-term health of the team. This summer is a compliant will be a challenge for new general manager Ken Holland. poor substitute for last summer, but it’s still better than trying to make a While Holland has some options, once he and his staff survey the roster, move next summer. it should become apparent that buying-out any player should be ruled Is a trade even possible? Probably. out. Despite the doom and gloom surrounding Lucic’s contract, there are Milan Lucic would be a candidate, but the structure of his contract makes hypotheticals that make sense. Partially, this stems from the fact that the savings so minimal that it isn’t worthwhile. Andrej Sekera might have NHL teams still value Lucic for more than his point production, and so his been, but he’s played his way back to being at least tradeable and market value will be higher than his declining scoring indicates. Mostly, arguably worth keeping. though, it comes down to the fact that some teams care about cap hit Kris Russell will have trade value around the NHL. Mikko Koskinen is and some care about salary. overpaid, but teams need two goalies and his expected value is higher The Oilers — and a lot of their competitors — care about Lucic’s $6- than the saving associated with buying him out. Sam Gagner is overpaid million annual cap hit. For a budget team, that number is irrelevant, and but brings offensive skill to a forward corps that needs it. the more important one is his $4.75 million in average annual salary ($4 Even Brandon Manning is better passed over. A buyout will cost million if traded after he’s paid his July 1 signing bonuses). $916,667 in 2019-20 and $666,667 in 2020-21. Burying him in the minors What Edmonton needs to do is find a situation where much of the heavy will carry a $1.18-million hit over a single season, during which time he lifting trade-wise has already been done by those differing priorities. can fill a role as organizational depth. The same reasoning applies to There are several possible targets, but the most obvious is Ottawa. Kyle Brodziak, but to an even greater extent given that a) his buried cap hit is even smaller and b) there’s a chance he can still play an NHL depth Consider this hypothetical starting point of a July 2 trade: role. To Edmonton: Zack Smith, Mike Condon As much as the Oilers are facing an immediate cap crunch, there’s no sense prolonging the pain with buy-outs. Letting the clock run out on To Ottawa: Milan Lucic some of Peter Chiarelli’s lesser mistakes will make the team’s path to As Edmonton sees it, there is a massive gulf in value there: Smith and eventual contention easier. Condon have a total remaining cap hit of $8.9 million over the life of their Edmonton does have options even without buy-outs. combined deals, vs. Lucic’s $24 million. Making that trade straight across would save them $15.1 million in cap space. Scenario 1: The patient approach Yet as Ottawa sees it, the gulf to be bridged is a lot smaller: just $6.5 The easiest way forward would ignore the trade market entirely. million, the difference between the $9.5 million in total salary owed to Edmonton could elevate some internal pieces, do some judicious free- Smith and Condon and the $16 million in salary owed to Lucic. The extra agent shopping and be left with a roster not worse than what it has iced cap space used is a bonus as it reduces the money they must spend the last two seasons. elsewhere. Moreover, if they value the last two years on Lucic’s deal at even $1-million per season, the gap drops to just $4.5 million. To begin with, we need to address the Oilers two significant restricted free agents: Jesse Puljujarvi and Jujhar Khaira. That doesn’t make the hypothetical deal a good straight-across trade for Ottawa – the Oilers, through some combination of sweetener and Puljujaarvi is a hard player to pin down because there just aren’t many retained salary, must make a deal worthwhile – but a trade is no longer comparable cases. In December a two-year deal falling somewhere insurmountable. Some combination of futures or retained salary makes between Jake Virtanen and Sam Bennett/Tom Wilson on the salary this deal possible in a way that an exchange with a cap team would not spectrum seemed likely, but that assumption banked in some be. improvement from the player – which never came. The Oilers have no shortage of possible sweeteners and Ottawa might Virtanen got two years at $1.25 million under a slightly lower cap, but be more enticed by some scenarios than others, but for the sake of also had a full NHL season under his belt, while Puljujarvi does not. A simplicity let’s just have Edmonton retain $1.5-million per year and add a two-year pact would probably come in at that figure or below, but it’s also draft pick. possible that Puljujarvi comes in closer to the deals signed by Jacob Josefson or Gilbert Brule – roughly a one-year, $1-million contract under This doesn’t actually improve Edmonton’s cap situation in the short-term: an $83-million cap. the loss of three-quarters of Lucic’s contract is offset by the addition of Smith and Condon’s buried contract. I’d suggest the one-year deal makes the most sense for all concerned. The long-term benefits are undeniable, though. Over the three following On the flip side, Khaira is relatively simple to pin down. A look at 10 seasons, the Oilers would be docked a total of just $7.75 million against players who signed extensions immediately following similar age-24 the cap – $3.25 million for one year of Smith and $4.5 million in retained seasons (by points-per-game and average ice time) suggest a one- or cap hit – rather than the $18 million showing if they keep Lucic. two-year deal with a cap hit in the $1.5-to-1.8-million range. Similar math works in other scenarios. Ottawa is the obvious candidate In a perfect world, Edmonton would manage more, using money-for- for this kind of trade, but there are other possibilities. A trade centered on money trades to take dollars off the blue line and apply it at forward Carolina’s Scott Darling, as another example, offers some of the same and/or in net, the positions of greatest immediate need. heavy lifting. In the past the Hurricanes have done pretty well by extracting sweeteners out of teams in cap trouble; it’s how they landed It’s risky in some respects, but this is the summer to do it. Defence is the Teuvo Teravainen. position of the Oilers greatest prospect depth: Jones is ready, while the unmentioned William Lagesson and Ethan Bear might be and Evan This approach would treat 2019-20 as a transition year, taking one Bouchard and Dmitri Samorukov aren’t far behind. There’s also the season to get rid of Lucic’s contract in exchange for three years of upcoming Seattle expansion draft, which will leave teams leery of taking benefits. Meanwhile, the team would likely still be better: this version has on additional defencemen in need of protection, meaning this is the year the same minor upgrades as the patient approach roster while Smith is to thin the herd a little bit. an acceptable stand-in for what Lucic is likely to provide next year. Moreover, a new GM only gets one honeymoon. It shouldn’t be hard to Clearing Lucic’s contract would be a major win for the Oilers, but in the sell 2019-20 as a year of transition as the Oilers deal with the mistakes of dream scenario, Holland would be capable of being even more the past. It’s going to be much harder to make that same argument in aggressive with Edmonton’s pricey contracts. 2020-21.

Scenario 3: An aggressive summer

Edmonton has a lot of money tied up on defence and should clear at The Athletic LOADED: 05.23.2019 least one top-six roster spot for AHL standout Caleb Jones. Sekera is one possibility for that deal, but Russell is cheaper and it shouldn’t be hard to flip a $4-million No. 4/5 defenceman for a similarly priced middle- six forward or No. 1A/1B goalie.

There are too many possible targets to list them all individually, but from an Edmonton perspective is James Reimer in Florida makes all kinds of sense. The Panthers are believed to have a strong interest in Sergei Bobrovsky, with Reimer a holdover from the previous regime who has fallen out of favour after a bad year. He is, however, a 31-year-old with a career .914 save percentage and would likely be Edmonton’s starter immediately upon arrival.

Any team with cap issues and extra forwards or goalies might work as a target, though. Winnipeg, for example, combines a defence in flux with a cap crunch and a zillion forwards; although Nikolaj Ehlers is the preferred target (for good reason) among pundits, in a money-for-money deal like this one, Mathieu Perreault is a logical target.

Also, while we’re dumping money, let’s stick Kyle Brodziak in the minors and bring in a new fourth-line centre. We’ll also pull the trigger on that rumoured Matt Benning-for-Connor Brown deadline swap, though any similar money-for-money deal would work as well.

The calculated risk being taken here is on defence, where we’ve moved Nurse to his off-side on the second pair. It could be Klefbom or Sekera instead, or the team could roll the dice on Jones in the No. 4 role on the right side; whatever the case subtracting Russell and Benning leaves the team a little bit thinner.

It’s probably still at least a comparable group to last season, though. Neither Sekera nor Jones was a regular and as replacements for Russell/Benning they seem at least adequate.

The benefits are everywhere else. Using money-for-money swaps to fill the goalie (Reimer) and third-line forward (Brown) holes gives Edmonton the ammunition to make some real upgrades up front. Suddenly the team could swing for a Phil Kessel-sized contract without sending money out, which in turn would not only place Draisaitl on the second line but give him a real partner in Nugent-Hopkins.

There are other ways to open up that cap space, too. We haven’t touched Sekera here, but moving him with some kind of sweetener should be doable given his performance, the short term left on his deal (just two seasons) and declining real-dollars salary. If the Oilers moved Sekera instead of Benning they’d have even more cap space than they do in this hypothetical.

We have used specifics here to illustrate what’s possible, but the point isn’t Reimer or Lucic-to-Ottawa or any of the exact ideas outlined here. It’s to illustrate that Edmonton’s cap problems can be overcome.

At worst, a stay-the-course approach (Scenario 1) leaves Edmonton with enough money to make some upgrades, buying time for its cheap young players to develop and burning a year off its pricey old contracts. That’s not a bad place to be.

It’s also at least theoretically possible to do more. On the road to the Stanley Cup, Lucic’s ugly deal and declining performance represent Edmonton’s single-biggest contract obstacle over the next few years. Scenario 2 outlined a hypothetical approach to get most of that money off the books, and if the Oilers do only one big thing this summer that’s the big thing to get done. 1106527 Edmonton Oilers goalie Jimmy Howard came as a result of an interview in 2016’s postseason.

“I thought our goaltending was a strength of our team this year, but the Examining the Oilers’ goaltending options in free agency wheels came off of both of them at different times. When the wheels came off of Jimmy Howard in January and February, Petr Mrazek took the ball and ran. And when the wheels came off of Petr in the middle of By Allan Mitchell February and March, Jimmy Howard took the ball and ran. We’re going to need two really good goaltenders like all teams do.” May 22, 2019 It offers insight into Holland’s thinking on goalies. Would he consider

signing Mrazek as the other half of his first Edmonton tandem? His even- One of the first newsworthy items from Ken Holland after his hiring strength save percentages since 2016-17 are .911, .914 and .929 and his pertained to the Edmonton Oilers goaltending situation. It gave fans a age (27) makes him an attractive option. sense of his immediate direction and gave increased importance to the Smith & Talbot backup goaltender position. Goalies over 30, as a group, become a less certain bet. Erosion, Edmonton has Mikko Koskinen at $4.5 million times three years, a inconsistent play, injuries, fatigue, they all impact a goaltender’s ability to controversial deal signed Jan. 21 — just two days before general perform adequately as he ages. Mike Smith, who turned 37 in March, manager Peter Chiarelli was fired. If Holland is going to pursue free posted a .917 (including all game states) save percentage in the playoffs agency, that implies another significant contract. Is there a superior free this spring for Calgary. His regular season number (.898) was quite poor agent to Koskinen who is affordable? Let’s have a look. and would have been a disastrous campaign save for a strong surge Even-strength save percentage after the All-Star break (he was .908 in his final 19 games).

I like to use even strength numbers with goalies, partly because some Talbot’s even strength numbers since 2015-16: .920, .927, .915 and .907 teams have ghastly penalty killing and it can bury a goalie’s stats for an (including two teams) also implies erosion, and he’s 31. I believe a strong entire season. I also prefer to use three seasons, as the larger the case could be made that Talbot’s issue in Edmonton was overuse. If the sample size the greater chance of finding top dead centre. Here are the Oilers use the Holland method (two goalies in tandem) over the year, main free agent goaltenders for the summer of 2019, with even strength could Talbot handle the load? Is he interested in returning? totals over the last three seasons: Varlamov Sergei Bobrovsky: 4,451 saves on 4,789 shots (.929) I expect Varlamov will be among the three most expensive free agent Robin Lehner: 3,657 saves on 3,956 shots (.924) options among goalies this year, but his even-strength number above trails the pack. His 2016-17 season (.904 even-strength save : 2,495 saves in 2,710 shots (.921) percentage) is the outlier, otherwise he would rise to the top. He is 31, and could be the best available option, but there’s a chance he signs with Petr Mrazek: 2,457 saves on 2,671 shots (.920) the Avalanche before free agency begins. Mike Smith: 3,485 saves on 3,791 shots (.919) What does it all mean? Cam Talbot: 3,972 saves on 4,324 shots (.919) Goaltenders are the least understood hockey players, partly because it’s Semyon Varlamov: 2,833 saves on 3,090 shots (.917) difficult to measure success outside of team play and partly because season-over-season performance can vary wildly even among quality There are others worth discussing (Anders Nilsson, Michael Hutchinson, stoppers. The seven men noted here are all reasonable bets, with Curtis McElhinney) but for our purposes I’m going to drill down on some several of them having slight issues relating to age or recent of the more established options. performance levels.

Bobrovsky & Lehner Koskinen, Edmonton’s signed goalie for 2018-19, had an even-strength save percentage of .913 last season. It’s important for Holland to find a Bobrovsky is one of the biggest names on the free agent market this goalie who can push the incumbent, possibly out of the way. The nature summer, Craig Custance had him No. 4 on his list of the 20 biggest free of goaltending performance, however, means Holland could choose well agents for The Athletic. Robin Lehner’s cap hit last season ($1.5 million) and still miss. would seem manageable, even with a healthy raise, but his stunning performance (.934 even-strength save percentage for the Islanders had My choice is Brian Elliott based on his impressive consistency. him No. 5 for the year) probably puts his price out of the Oilers’ range. Holland would be wise to inquire on both, but chances are Edmonton will do its serious shopping down another aisle. The Athletic LOADED: 05.23.2019 Elliott

Brian Elliott is my personal choice for best available on this list, for several reasons. He turned 34 in April, and his changing addresses in recent seasons obscures some fairly consistent performances. Here are his last four seasons:

41 GP, 2.07 GAA, .930 SV% with the St. Louis Blues in 2015-16

49 GP, 2.55 GAA, .910 SV% with the Calgary Flames in 2016-17

43 GP, 2.66 GAA, .909 SV% with the Philadelphia Flyers in 2017-18

26 GP, 2.96 GAA, .907 SV% with the Philadelphia Flyers in 2018-19

It looks as though Elliott’s ability is eroding, but if we track it back to even-strength save percentage, these seasons go as follows: .934, .918, .925 and .918. That’s consistent goaltending, and Elliott should come in at a reasonable free agent salary.

Mrazek

Mrazek’s availability offers an interesting wrinkle for Holland and the Oilers. He was drafted by the Red Wings and posted some strong seasons in Motown, eventually reaching goalie of the future status. Insight into Holland’s view on goaltending, Mrazek and fellow Red Wings 1106528 Los Angeles Kings him was reasonable. The clouds seemed to lift around the Kings during the first full season with his replacement, John Stevens.

Individually, it showed. Anze Kopitar was a Hart Trophy finalist. Drew Revisionist Roundtable: Should the Kings have kept Dean Lombardi and Doughty was a Norris Trophy finalist and Dustin Brown bounced back Darryl Sutter? nicely from what looked like NHL purgatory.

If you are assessing coaching, the wrong move was not giving Stevens By Rich Hammond, Lisa Dillman, Josh Cooper, Eric Stephens more than 13 games in his second season to get things right.

May 22, 2019 Josh Cooper

This is a really tough question to answer. If you asked me a year ago, I would have said absolutely it was the right move at the right time. Blake Questions and more questions confront the Los Angeles Kings as they got the Kings out of Marian Gaborik’s contract with a player in Dion attempt to figure out how best to emerge from a freefall of a season, Phaneuf who was far more effective. He was dogged in ensuring that arguably the most disappointing in the last 25 years or so. L.A. did not give up any prospects in “win-now” trades and held onto draft picks — in part because Lombardi had dealt away so many. They may have had their worst showing in a decade — matching their 71 point total from the 2007-08 season. But not much was expected from The Kings got great seasons out of their championship core in Kopitar, that group, a team featuring a young Anze Kopitar and a young Dustin Doughty and Jonathan Quick. There was buy-in from the players toward Brown. This past season came close to the disappointment of the 1993- new coach John Stevens, and the spark and joy was back with a more 94 campaign in which the Kings missed the playoffs with 66 points after offensive-oriented system. reaching the Stanley Cup Final in 1993. But in just one season, the Kings turned into a culture of entitlement Analyzing the shortcomings of this past season should be a required (their words, not mine), and seemed to lose that competitive edge. Also, exercise. But what about probing deeper and looking at the decisions Phaneuf’s deal turned into an albatross, while Gaborik will likely spend that led the Kings to where they are today. For starters, did the Kings the rest of his contract on some form of injured reserve, meaning the make a mistake in moving on from coach Darryl Sutter and general Ottawa Senators won’t have to deal with his salary cap hit. This is manager Dean Lombardi when they did? something that would very much have helped the Kings.

It has been two years since the Kings fired Sutter and Lombardi, the men Would Sutter and Lombardi have helped prevent any of this from at the helm for the franchise’s first Stanley Cup championship in 2012 happening? Who knows? I think Sutter’s time as Kings coach was over and the second in 2014. The team issued a statement on April 10, 2017 and a fresh voice was needed. from Dan Beckerman, AEG’s president and CEO, stating, in part: “With the core players we have in place, we should be contending each year Kopitar and Brown — especially the latter — seemed to really enjoy not for the Stanley Cup. Our failure to meet these goals has led us to this dealing with Sutter’s demanding style and saw their numbers spike in change.” 2017-18.

But was it the right call? The Athletic assembled a roundtable of NHL Lombardi is a different story. I don’t think he would have let the culture reporters to examine that question — Josh Cooper, Lisa Dillman, Rich slide in the way it did. He is the ultimate “culture” GM, and you would Hammond and Eric Stephens. have never seen any entitlement happen under his watch, at least in my opinion. Lisa Dillman Were some of the trades and contracts and decisions he made to keep The short answer: It was not a mistake with Sutter, but the firing was L.A. competitive just flat out bad? Sure. The Gaborik contract was a bust. premature with Lombardi. He didn’t buy out Mike Richards when he should have. He basically gave the rival Sharks their starting goaltender of the future in Martin Jones in Here is a longer look at the decisions, starting with Lombardi. He kept exchange for one year of Milan Lucic. The Ben Bishop deal made zero chasing past glories with his moves after the Kings’ second sense, and the fact that Erik Cernak turned into a top-four defenseman championship. If you look closely at Beckerman’s statement from the day added insult to injury in that trade. of the firing, it gives off a mixed message. If the idea was that the Kings wanted to keep chasing championships with that group, you could have Though Lombardi was the architect behind two Stanley Cups, his errors made a strong case for continuing with Lombardi. in managing the team’s roster after its second championship were simply egregious — how about not having the cap space to re-sign Justin His strategy — giving up future assets to try to keep winning — may have Williams? been the correct one, but the execution was flawed. Lombardi left a mess not just because of trading future assets but also due to how the cap was That being said, Lombardi’s shortfalls as a GM (at least in L.A.) involve managed. more keeping a team competitive. His strengths involve building and rebuilding. This team needs a bit of a rebuild. Asking an untried executive and new GM (Rob Blake) to figure that out and fix it is asking a lot. In a lot of ways, when teams have to fix salary If the Kings had seen they needed a ground-up readjustment in the cap issues, that’s when you really need an experienced hand to spring of 2017 when Lombardi was let go, maybe the answer would have understand how to resolve them. been to keep him rather than ask Blake to try to extend the championship window a little further with a flawed, aging roster that had no financial Blake was dealt an unfortunate situation. Not only did he need to correct wiggle room. a multitude of issues created by the previous regime but he also didn’t necessarily have the experience in how to do it. When I covered the Nashville Predators, following the 2013-14 season I thought David Poile was given too much leeway to fix a flawed roster he Lombardi fixed the Kings once before, and winning two championships in created. was the fall guy and I thought that wasn’t right. three seasons should have bought him more time from the AEG Instead, Poile was able to make all the right moves and use his years of overlords. You only need to look at the patience the Blackhawks showed experience, along with some continuing education on today’s game, to with GM Stan Bowman in Chicago. The Blackhawks have missed the push Nashville to a level it had yet to reach. He adapted, and no doubt if playoffs the past two seasons and haven’t won a round since winning the the the Kings kept Lombardi, he would have probably done the same. Stanley Cup in 2015. But, by sticking with Bowman, they’ve already started to put some of the Generation Next pieces in place. Is Lombardi a better option right now than Blake? We’ll see after the next two summers if Blake can successfully re-make the Kings and get the You can’t quite say the same thing about the Kings. group’s culture back on track. As we’ve noted in grading his moves so A lot of times with a coach like Sutter who has a hard-edged approach, far, he hasn’t done the best job since his start date. That being said, a he eventually wears out his welcome. The message stops getting couple of years ago we thought Joe Sakic (who took a similar route as through even if it is being delivered by the best of coaches. Blake to become Colorado’s GM) was a disaster as a general manager, and now the Avalanche appear primed for success during the next Sutter, of course, was the hardest of hard-edged guys. It was obvious his several seasons. message was wearing on the players and the decision to move on from “You want the best GM you can get at any point in time,” a former team players who “fit,” not only in terms of skill but within Lombardi’s narrow executive said. “If you can get better, then switch; if not, then don’t. definition of what it meant to be a Los Angeles King. Whether you can tell who’s that guy is the issue.” It all worked. The Kings, who wandered in the desert for 40 years, won Eric Stephens the Cup twice in three seasons and Lombardi looked like a genius, but then the game changed. Lombardi, an expert builder, had to maintain his At the time of the firing, I honestly had thought Sutter had earned the creation, and that’s when things started to crumble. He invested poorly right to at least go out with him resigning or retiring. Or even, to pull a when it came to salary cap room, in part out of an admirable but page of Todd McLellan’s book with San Jose, a “mutual parting of the misguided tendency toward loyalty, then attempted to dig himself out with ways.” So, I was a bit stunned when the Kings’ decision to separate from trades, but many of those were awful and only doubled the Kings’ misery. Sutter was, indeed, a firing. Two Stanley Cups is two Stanley Cups, especially when they are the first and only ones for a franchise that’s 50 The Kings’ championship window closed faster than anyone expected, years old. and by the end of the 2016-17 season, they were left with too many aging players on large contracts and not enough top-level prospects That is not to say it wasn’t necessary. As we’ve seen with Sutter and, ready to step in and contribute. Without question, that falls on Lombardi. subsequently, Joel Quenneville, winning a Cup or multiple doesn’t save His decisions, particularly those from 2014-17, put him and the Kings in a one from getting the pink slip. Fair or not, there is a shelf life with bad spot. coaches and players eventually tune the majority out or aren’t as willing to listen to the message given them from the same voice. Kings hockey The thing is, the Kings already had the perfect person with whom to was a painfully dull brand of hockey brought to fans and regular rebuild: Lombardi. Two years ago, AEG seemed to believe the Kings, observers nightly during Sutter’s final season. They couldn’t score and with new GM Rob Blake, could tinker and get back on top. That was folly. weren’t very imaginative in creating chances to do so. Opponents had The better answer would have been to direct Lombardi to do what he did adjusted to them and they were slow to do the same in return. a decade earlier: start over.

As far as Lombardi, much respect should be shown for how he built the Kings into a Western Conference power but it also became clear that he didn’t have the foresight to keep L.A. ahead of the curve when it came to The Athletic LOADED: 05.23.2019 how the NHL was only getting faster and more skilled while transitioning more away from “heavy” hockey. Teams still can succeed playing a physical style (For instance, St. Louis this season), but they must also ice rosters that have the speed and quickness to play a pursuit and puck- possessive game. Years of trading draft picks away to chase after more Cups during their slide downward caught up with the organization and they’re barely starting to fill the pipeline again with higher-end young talent.

It hurts now but the time was right to depart from both.

Rich Hammond

Let’s do the easier one first. Sutter is a coaching supernova. Three seasons in Chicago. Six in San Jose. Three in Calgary. Six with the Kings. In fairness, he left Chicago in part to focus on his family and, in Calgary, he went upstairs to focus on his duties as general manager. That doesn’t detract from the fact that when you hire Sutter, it’s for a sprint, not a marathon. His style — which can be summarized as: work, work, work, work, then work some more — grates on players after a while.

After the 2015-16 season, Lombardi pondered whether to cut ties with Sutter. Instead, they worked things out and Sutter got a contract extension. Lombardi believed Sutter could change and be less negative, both behind the scenes with players and in public. It’s strange, given how the two men often seemed like odd-couple brothers, that Lombardi thought Sutter could alter his style. Sutters don’t change.

Sutter was masterful in 2011-12, when he took over an underachieving, wayward Kings team and prodded it to the Stanley Cup, and in 2013-14, when his steady (and heavy) hand helped guide the team through three seven-game playoff series. As they said at the start of “The Big Lebowski,” sometimes there’s a man, he’s the man for his time and place. That was Sutter and the Kings from 2011-14, but times change, and the Kings had to move on. That shouldn’t detract from the extraordinary job he did in those years.

Lombardi is more complicated, and he got fired (at least) a year too early, without a chance to atone for some of his mistakes. The man who lifted the Kings to their greatest heights deserved more.

From the earliest days of his tenure with the Kings, Lombardi was obsessed with dynasties. He knew how to put a winning team together, and had already done it once, in San Jose a decade earlier. He was less sure about how to keep a winning team together, not only in terms of roster moves but in terms of keeping players focused and motivated after they had tasted success. Even before the Kings won the Cup — heck, even before they made the playoffs — Lombardi read Bill Walsh’s books and picked Ronnie Lott’s brain. He wanted to know how the San Francisco 49ers kept things together throughout the 1980s.

Lombardi seemed to know his weakness, and worked hard to overcome it, but ultimately couldn’t. Initially given a long leash by AEG, Lombardi burned down the organization in 2006 and 2007, then rebuilt it piece by piece, with a methodical — some might even say maniacal — fixation on 1106529 Los Angeles Kings

WEDNESDAY: WORLDS PLAYOFFS TO BEGIN; MEMORIAL CUP; ON THIS DATE; AMPLE PHOTOS

JON ROSEN

MAY 22, 2019

AROUND THE WORLD, AROUND THE WORLD. The IIHF World Championship knockout round begins Thursday as Alec Martinez and the United States will face Ilya Kovalchuk and Russia. You’re in direct competition! (It’s a slow news day, and this notebook will covertly be just links to Michel Gondry music videos and Simpsons clips.) The game will be broadcast at 7:15 a.m. PT on NHL Network, in case you were looking for a soundtrack to your breakfast. Down the road in Kosice, Adrian Kempe and Sweden’s title defense continues against arch-rival Finland. In other quarterfinal match-ups, Canada faces Switzerland and the Czech Republic counters Germany.

Adrian Kempe: 7 GP, 3 G, 3 A, 6 Pts, 2 PIM, 14 SOG, +3, 13:22 TOI

Alec Martinez: 7 GP, 0 G, 4 A, 4 Pts, 0 PIM, 14 SOG, -6, 21:36 TOI

Ilya Kovalchuk: 7 GP, 2 G, 3 A, 5 Pts, 4 PIM, , 9 SOG, +5, 14:19 TOI

Say, that Alec Martinez minus-six stands out and is the counterpoint to his Player of the Game performance against Germany in which he registered two assists and two shots on goal in 21:42 of time. The Team USA running blog includes a Five Questions feature with Martinez in which he shared that the most recent movie he saw was White Boy Rick. Pure Michigan.

Meanwhile, France and Austria were relegated to Division I-A, where they’ll face South Korea, Hungary, Romania and Slovenia, the likely hosts, while the top flight at the 2020 Worlds in Switzerland will include the six teams in the playoff round, Slovakia, Latvia, Denmark, Norway, Great Britain, Italy, Belarus and Kazakhstan.

LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 05.23.2019 1106530 Los Angeles Kings ORI: Was one of the brightest spots of last season seeing those aforementioned defensemen – Roy, Walker, MacDermid – go up and experience success in the NHL?

LOOKING BACK AT YEAR 1 WITH REIGN GM SEELEY RS: Absolutely. Having a little bit of time to reflect on last year, any time you can have guys like Roy, Walker and MacDermid step up, you have Amadio who has continued to develop, Wagner and Luff were able to go ZACH DOOLEY up after a short period of time in Ontario, Cal Petersen showed well in his time in LA, Rempal also got a little bit of time. Any time those guys go up MAY 22, 2019 and we can provide a push at the NHL level and have those guys go up and compete for jobs and earn time there, that’s a positive step in the right direction. That was nice to see and I think it’s a reflection of our I sat down with Ontario Reign General Manager Richard Seeley staff’s hard work and all the people around our organization that help yesterday to recap his first season as the team’s GM. these guys along.

Seeley has been within the organization since 2015, with his first three ORI: When Roy, Walker and MacDermid went up, it left the backend years as Head Coach of the ECHL’s Manchester Monarchs. As a player, extremely young. Did you feel that putting younger players into larger Seeley was a sixth-round draft pick by Los Angeles in 1997, and spent roles than maybe was anticipated of them in October was a positive step six seasons in the organization at the AHL and ECHL levels. for their development?

The Powell River, BC native was appointed as the General Manager with RS: When you say “anticipated in October” I don’t know if we want to put Ontario in summer 2018, overseeing development and administration for people into a box. We want our guys playing as much as possible and the AHL club. Notes and quotes from our chat: ultimately, it’s on the players to earn that ice time. It’s up to them to come in and prove to our coaching staff that they deserve to be playing in “X – Seeley emphasized that while development of players to one day play role, or X amount of minutes per night”, whether it’s 10, 15, 20 minutes, for the Los Angeles Kings is priority number one in Ontario, development power play, penalty kill, that ice time is going to be earned. Obviously, we does not need to come at the expense of winning. He noted that, ideally, want all of our guys coming in and earning that ice time right away, we development and winning would go “hand-in-hand” as it has traditionally want that competition where we’ve got eight defensemen and 15 gone in the past in the Kings organization with Ontario and formerly forwards all vying for that ice time and there’s a competitive environment Manchester. The 2018-19 season was just the second time since 2001 around them. It’s a development league. We want Kale Clague playing that the Kings’ top AHL affiliate missed out on the Calder Cup Playoffs, lots of minutes, playing in a variety of different roles and Kale earned with the organization also developing several NHL players in that time that. Partially, what comes along with it is opportunity and part of it is a frame. “The number one goal is we want to develop hockey players for guy being ready to take advantage of opportunity. As a couple of guys the Los Angeles Kings, first and foremost, but I’m of the belief that got opportunities with Los Angeles, it provided a little bit more opportunity winning hockey games, being involved in an AHL playoff race and in Ontario and a few defensemen were able to take advantage of that. It’s ultimately the Calder Cup playoffs is key for development,” Seeley said. “I a big jump from wherever our players are coming from, whether it be don’t think it’s one or the other, the goal is to do both and at the end of Europe, NCAA or the or U-Sports, it’s a big the day one can’t be at the cost of the other. It is not easy to do, but if we jump coming to the American League and it takes some guys longer than do it right, we will be able to accomplish both. I think the organization has others to figure out what they need to do to be successful as a done a good job of that in the past and will continue to strive to do that professional. moving forward. ORI: Were there any younger players that you were especially happy – In terms of AHL contracts and PTO/ATO players, Seeley felt that with the development of this season? forward Kyle Bauman was a player that came in and did a good job during his first season. While not the flashiest member of the Reign, RS: Yes, [with singling out individuals]. We could see our guys develop Bauman’s work ethic was top notch and the first-year forward played a over the course of time more at a macro level. I’m a believer that all of key role in the team’s bottom six, as well as on the penalty kill. Seeley our young players developed this year at certain levels. When everybody also felt that defensemen Craig Wyszomirski and Cliff Watson came in gets together and goes to camp in Los Angeles, and guys get assigned and did well to seize opportunity on PTO arrangements in the second to Ontario, we have these ideas of where we think they might be and half of the season. There remains a possibility that some of last season’s hopefully where they slot in. Some guys, those positions shift after players on AHL contracts or try outs could return, but no further details as training camp and at the start of the season and I [think] that some of our of yet. None of last season’s AHL deals are multi-year pacts that extend guys came in and were maybe at different places, good or bad, then into the 2019-20 season. where we thought they were actually starting from. Once they got to Ontario, I’m of the belief that they did get better, for sure, there was lots – Regarding Matt Moulson – Seeley praised his impact last season in the of development all around. Whether we can say they developed their Reign’s dressing room and on the ice, however any comment regarding a skating stride or adapted to the pace of play in the [AHL], or whether it be possible AHL deal with Ontario for the veteran forward would have to be that they have a better understanding of what it takes to mentally and reserved until July 1, as Moulson is still a member of the Buffalo Sabres physically prepare to be a professional hockey player and compete for an organization. NHL job, I believe all of our guys, every last one, have a better idea of – The process is ongoing for new additions to the Reign staff for an that going into next year. Hopefully a lot of these guys are able to Assistant Coach and a Video Coach. Those positions will be filled in the translate that and use this valuable time in the summer to continue their coming weeks. development, I think our guys now understand that the ante is high. It’s difficult to play in the NHL and it’s difficult to be successful in the Ontario Reign Insider: With how this season shook out, how will the team American League and I think all of our guys have a better idea of what go about adding veterans next season, and would an experienced that’s going to take and have developed this year. I’m optimistic and I’m defensemen be a consideration? excited to see some of those guys make the jumps that a Roy or a Walker, Luff, Petersen and Wagner made after their first-year pro into Richard Seeley: I think every year at the American League level varies their second year pro. and a lot of it is dependent upon what’s going on with the LA Kings – Our main job is to make sure we’re developing hockey players for the Los ORI: What do you see the role of the ECHL being in development, as it Angeles Kings. I think in looking at it, you want to have the right mix of seems that more and more teams are placing draft picks and prospects veterans here to support our younger guys and help to bring them along in the ECHL early in their career? in the development process, help them be successful. Last year, we had a little bit of experience, with the potential of MacDermid being around, RS: I think it’s a development model, that’s how we view it. Roy and Walker as second-year guys, and we look again fairly young on Organizational depth, you see the value that American League teams the backend. That will be something we would explore, having the right can have to the NHL and developing prospects, I think the same can be mix of veteran presences around to support our young group and that said at the ECHL level. As an organization, we view it as a development could potentially be a defenseman for next season. tool for us, especially for younger players. At certain times in the year, players may not be ready for the amount of ice time we want to see them play at the American League level in order to develop and going to the ECHL can be beneficial for them. It may be a two-week stint, it could be a two-month stint, but we try to utilize that to make sure our guys are playing. We had a few guys we sent [to Manchester] to earn ice time and they did a good job, and I think it was beneficial for their development. They got a chance to play in playoffs and play in expanded roles on what they played in Ontario. Overall, I thought it was beneficial.

LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 05.23.2019 1106531 Minnesota Wild

Wild missed out on wide open playoffs at worst possible time

Every few years or so, the NHL playoffs turn into a ridiculous free-for-all where seeding doesn’t matter. The Wild is missing out on this season's Stanley Cup fun.

By Michael Rand MAY 22, 2019

Welcome to the Wednesday edition of The Cooler, where our reward for all this better be a glorious Memorial Day Weekend. Let’s get to it:

*Of all the years for the Wild to miss the playoffs … this was a bad one.

It doesn’t happen every postseason, or even most postseasons in the NHL. But every few years or so, the NHL playoffs turn into a ridiculous free-for-all where seeding doesn’t matter.

When the opportunity for upsets is so prevalent, being a team consistently good enough to squeeze into the playoffs is a decent strategy for trying to win a championship.

Unfortunately for the Wild, it couldn’t take that strategy far enough in its six consecutive seasons making the playoffs from 2013-18. Minnesota advanced twice to the second round as a lower seed, but each time the Wild was stymied by Chicago. In the 2017 playoffs, the Wild was bounced early as a higher seed while Nashville emerged from the bottom of the Western Conference.

This season, though, is the widest of wide open. I could take you through the entire postseason spectrum, but here’s all you really need to know:

After the games of Jan. 2, the St. Louis Blues had 34 points. They had the very worst record in the NHL, as no team had fewer points than that. Even the Wild had 39 points. But the Blues on Tuesday defeated the Sharks in the Western Conference Finals and are headed to the Stanley Cup Finals to face Boston.

The Wild missed out on all the fun in the worst year possible.

*MLB prospect Carter Stewart is reportedly eschewing the draft system and instead will sign a six-year professional contract in Japan for $7 million.

Stewart could then be a free agent after six years when he’s 25 — after making more money in Japan than he presumably would have made via a signing bonus and salary in MLB. It will be interesting to see if more baseball players test this strategy as a work-around for MLB’s tight salary restrictions around service time.

*The Orioles have allowed 100 home runs already this season (with the Twins contributing mightily to that total). MLB continues to be on a record pace for home runs. At the current rate, there will be 6,346 home runs hit this season. That’s 200-plus more than the record-setting year of 2017 (and 2,000 more than in 2014).

*If the All-NBA teams are announced on the same schedule as a year ago, we will find out Thursday who is on the three teams.

This is of particular interest to Karl-Anthony Towns and the Timberwolves because if he makes one of the three teams this season, it will trigger a significant raise in his contract extension.

His salary next season would jump from $27.2 million to $32.7 million, a boost of $5.5 million. Over the length of his five-year deal, he would earn $189.7 million if he is named All-NBA this season. If not, he will earn $158 million. Both are unfathomable sums of money, but it’s still a difference of almost $32 million over five years — both for Towns and on the Wolves’ salary cap.

Star Tribune LOADED: 05.23.2019 1106532 Montreal Canadiens Hawel snapped one glove side on Scott for a 3-2 advantage just 1:21 into the second, and Suzuki doubled the lead as he got in behind the defence and finished off a pass from Ratcliffe at 5:02.

Canadiens prospect Nick Suzuki on a roll for Guelph at Memorial Cup Despite being down two and their season on the line, the Raiders weren’t Scores twice and adds an assist as Storm beats the WHL champion showing the urgency they needed and didn’t get a shot on Popovich until Raiders 5-2 on Tuesday, eliminating Prince Albert from the tournament. 11 minutes into the period.

“Long season, emotionally and physically. No excuse but we were drained,” said Pachal. THE CANADIAN PRESS Suzuki put the game out of reach for good at 6:42 of the third when he banked the puck into the net off the back of Scott’s pad from the goal line. HALIFAX — Nick Suzuki put an end to the season for the Prince Albert Raiders, while also giving his Guelph Storm a chance to go directly to the “There was some improvement from Games 1 and 2 here tonight, Memorial Cup final. managed the puck better, played with the lead better,” said Storm coach George Burnett. “When we were a little sloppy we got through it. The Montreal Canadiens prospect had two goals and an assist as Guelph beat the WHL champion Raiders 5-2 on Tuesday, eliminating “I think it’s important for us to get some rest. Make sure our energy is Prince Albert from the four-team tournament. high for the next opportunity.”

“We knew we had to up our compete level, win more battles. I thought we Montreal Gazette LOADED: 05.23.2019 did a good job of that,” said Suzuki.

“We’re definitely happy, but we have to watch this next game to see where it takes us, but we know we are in at least the semifinals.”

The OHL champion Storm (2-1) were hoping the final round-robin game would allow them to advance directly to the championship game. Alas, it was not meant to be.

The host Halifax Mooseheads (2-1) lost 4-3 to Quebec league champion Rouyn-Noranda Huskies (2-1) Wednesday night. It was a rematch of the QMJHL final that the Huskies took in six games.

The Huskies’ victory left Halifax, Guelph and Rouyn-Noranda with 2-1 records, but Halifax advanced to the final using the tournament’s tiebreaker formula. Guelph and Rouyn-Noranda play the semifinal Friday night.

“We can’t control anything that happens in that game, we just have to watch it. They don’t really like each other, so hopefully it’s a hard competitive game,” Suzuki said before the match was played.

Linemate Isaac Ratcliffe also scored and assisted on both Suzuki goals.

Fedor Gordeev and Liam Hawel added goals for the Storm (2-1) while Sean Durzi tacked on two helpers for a tournament-leading seven points in three games. Anthony Popovich made 19 saves.

Sean Montgomery and Dante Hannoun scored for the Raiders (0-3). Brayden Pachal had two assists as Ian Scott stopped 20 shots.

“Not the way we wanted to finish for sure,” said Raiders coach Marc Habscheid. “I’m disappointed for the guys right now.

“Tonight we were gassed. Just didn’t have much of a tank, so that’s the tournament.”

WHL champions have struggled in recent years at the Memorial Cup and this time around was no different.

The Raiders dropped three games in a row at the national major junior hockey championship to be sent home early.

Tuesday’s loss was the 13th in a row for the WHL at the four-team competition, in the past five tournaments.

The last time the WHL champion won a contest was the 2015 semifinal, when the Kelowna Rockets beat the Quebec Remparts before falling to the in the final to start the streak of defeats.

Suzuki picked up the puck near centre and skated over the blue line before sending a cross-ice pass to Gordeev, who beat Scott high blocker at 10:18 of the first to open the scoring.

The Raiders responded less than two minutes later when Montgomery deflected a Noah Gregor point shot through Popovich only eight seconds into a power play.

Ratcliffe got the better of Pachal in a battle between the captains to restore Guelph’s lead, toe-dragging around the Prince Albert defenceman before sliding a backhand between Scott’s legs at 15:18.

The Storm looked to be heading into the break up 2-1 only for Hannoun to tip one by Popovich with 44 seconds to go in the period. 1106533 Montreal Canadiens compensation and job description did not include facing some of the best forwards in the NHL.

Simply put, Benn is a third-pairing defenceman who struggles when Even if the Canadiens can afford to re-sign Jordie Benn, should they? tasked with elevating his level of play. This was painfully obvious to all that watched him play in the top four and should have been even more achingly evident to Claude Julien. In this particular case, the blame lies in By Marc Dumont May 22, 2019 his usage rather than his performance. Expecting someone signed to a depth deal to face players like Connor McDavid or Nathan MacKinnon is

a recipe for disaster. Jordie Benn is a good defenceman. The Canadiens need more of those. As evidenced by the pairings chart at the start of this article, when Benn Ergo, Montreal should sign him. Actually, let’s pause before taking that played with Kulak, Folin or Ouellet, things went quite well. In fact, you final logical step. could argue that Benn was one of the best third-pairing defencemen in The 31-year-old impending unrestricted free agent finished his second the league last season, given his offensive production and on-ice full season with the Canadiens by reaching a career high in goals (5) and statistics. points (22) while spending time with various partners throughout the Let me name a few players, and while you read them, try to figure out lineup. how they relate to Benn. Overall, Benn had a successful season from an on-ice statistics P.K. Subban, Drew Doughty, John Klingberg, Esa Lindell, Oliver Ekman- standpoint. When he patrolled the ice, the Canadiens controlled 54 Larsson, Shayne Gostisbehere, , Samuel Girard and percent of the shots, 55.1 percent of the high danger chances and 52.2 Torey Krug. percent of the goals. Any guesses? Whether it was with Xavier Ouellet, Brett Kulak or Christian Folin on the third pairing or in a top-four role with Shea Weber or Jeff Petry, Benn It’s not just a list of defencemen that have a better chance than Benn of generally had a positive impact when it came to controlling the flow of the winning the Norris trophy, it’s also a list of defenceman that Benn play. outscored at 5-on-5 this season.

But there’s one column in particular that stands out, and that’s the high And he put up pretty solid underlying numbers while doing so, further danger goals for percentage (HDGF%), especially when Benn was facing cementing his status as an underrated defenceman. Hell, he even played a higher quality of competition beside Petry or Weber. the role of Andrei Markov’s successor at one point in the season, albeit very briefly. His goals for percentage and expected goals for percentage eventually aligned, but throughout the year there was a clear discrepancy in the The Next $tep ratio of goals to high danger goals allowed. Evolving Hockey projects that Benn is in line for a significant raise, Of course, playing in the top-four means you’ll be facing highly skilled mostly due to his stellar underlying numbers. However, their algorithm opponents, which almost inevitably leads to defencemen allowing more has concluded that he could earn up to $3.5-million per season on a four- high danger goals. But while Benn was on the ice, over 70 percent of the year contract. goals scored were of the high danger variety, an anomaly on the Canadiens’ blue line. Unless Benn is willing to take a pretty big discount on his upcoming contract – let’s be honest, there’s absolutely no reason for him to do so You’ll notice Petry was dangerously close to crossing the 60 percent seeing as this will probably be his last opportunity to cash in on free threshold but a lot of that has to do with their time spent together. When agency following a career year – his level of play has all but placed him playing away from Benn, Petry’s high danger goals against dropped from out of the Canadiens’ price range. 3.27/60 all the way down to 1.45/60. It’s not that the Canadiens couldn’t use Benn next season. When sent The easiest conclusion is that Benn simply bleeds high-quality chances out on the third pairing or the penalty kill he’s a very effective when defending. defenceman, but in all likelihood he’ll command too much money and/or too much term to fit in their plans moving forward. But not so fast. While there’s some truth to that notion, it’s a little more complicated than that. An amicable breakup seems to be the best and safest approach for all involved. Yes, the vast majority of the goals scored against Benn came from the slot, however, he wasn’t always at fault. For example, you can hardly The Athletic LOADED: 05.23.2019 blame him when makes a sloppy play in the neutral zone as the defencemen are making a change:

Or when Weber misjudges the trajectory of the puck and Carey Price decides to give it away to the highest-scoring line in the NHL:

Therefore it would be unfair to pin the blame for Benn’s numbers solely on his performance. But we should acknowledge that despite the mitigating circumstances, he was on the ice for a bevy of goals against.

One of his biggest issues is gap control, whether at the blue line or as he collapses down low. Benn tends to give his opponents a little too much time and space when entering the defensive zone. And when Benn would apply pressure to the puck carrier, his timing was far from immaculate.

Furthermore, even when Benn was in position to break up an odd-man scoring rush, he struggled to shut down passing lanes, leaving his goaltender vulnerable to a high danger scoring chances.

But despite the red flags in Benn’s defensive play, the majority of which arose when playing on the top two pairings, there was a lot to like in his game this season, especially away from the top-four – a situation he never should have been utilized in.

With a $1.1-million price tag, Benn had the 160th highest salary cap hit among all defencemen last year, a clear indication that his original 1106534 New Jersey Devils keeping him out for the first time in the tournament. He had one assist in six games prior to that. It would be surprising to see Hughes sit out again against Russia, especially if center Dylan Larkin is banged up.

IIHF World Championships 2019: Matchups, where Devils will play in Kaapo Kakko, F (Finland) tournament quarterfinals | What about Jack Hughes, Kaapo Kakko? Kakko, another option for the Devils at the top of the draft, scored five goals in his first two games of the tournament, and he finished with six By Chris Ryan goals and one assist in his seven games with Finland. Kakko and company will play Sweden in the quarterfinals.

Mackenzie Blackwood, G (Canada) Group play at the 2019 IIHF World Championships ended on Tuesday in Slovakia, where seeds for the eight teams advancing to the medal round Blackwood played just one period for Canada during the group stage, were decided. serving primarily as the team’s third-string goalie. He did stop every shot he saw in that relief appearance, but Blackwood will likely watch the rest In Group A, Canada and the United States went head-to-head for first of the tournament, barring an injury to Matt Murray or Carter Hart. place on Tuesday afternoon, and Canada grabbed a 3-0 win over Devils goalie Cory Schneider and the U.S. Star Ledger LOADED: 05.23.2019

The United States finished in fourth place in Group A, behind Finland in second and Germany in third. The United States will play Russia in the quarterfinals, while Canada will take on Switzerland.

Russia capped off a perfect 7-0-0 run through Group B, beating Sweden to cap off their seventh straight regulation win of the tournament. Sweden, which features Devils forward Jesper Bratt, had a slim chance of winning the group with a three-goal victory, and instead it will enter the quarterfinals as the third seed out of Group A.

New Jersey Devils' Damon Severson, Mackenzie Blackwood weigh in Jack Hughes, Kaapo Kakko.

The Czech Republic took the second seed after a win over Switzerland on Tuesday, and Switzerland, featuring Devils center Nico Hischier, took the fourth and final quarterfinal spot out of the group.

Here’s are the four quarterfinal matchups, plus a look at all the Devils still playing in the medal round.

QUARTERFINALS

United States vs. Russia

Germany vs. Czech Republic

Sweden vs. Finland

Switzerland vs. Canada

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DEVILS UPDATES

Cory Schneider, G (United States)

Schneider started five of the United States’ seven games in group play, winning three of them. He dropped a 4-1 decision against Slovakia to open the tournament, then Tuesday’s 3-0 defeat against Canada. Schneider did look sharp in Tuesday’s loss, where he didn’t have much of a chance of saving the first two goals he allowed. It’s a safe bet to say he’ll play in Thursday’s quarterfinal game against Russia.

Damon Severson, D (Canada)

Severson went scoreless on Tuesday in Canada’s win, but he finished with five assists in seven games. Due to a couple injuries, Severson has been playing top-pairing minutes, including shifts on the power play and penalty kill for Canada.

Nico Hischier, C (Switzerland)

Hischier finished with three goals and five assists in seven games during his first stint with the Swiss national team. Switzerland made the tournament final last year, winning the silver medal when Hischier was out recovering from an injury suffered during the NHL season. If Switzerland wants to top Canada, Hischier will need to be a big factor.

Jesper Bratt, F (Sweden)

Bratt finished with two assists in five games with Sweden, though he did miss two games with an upper body injury. He will be good to go for Sweden’s quarterfinal game against Finland.

Jack Hughes, F (United States)

Hughes, the Devils potential selection with the No. 1 pick of the 2019 NHL Draft, was a healthy scratch for the United States against Canada, 1106535 New Jersey Devils execution coming out of our own zone. Lots of times it caused us to defend more than we should have had to. I think that will be big.

Offensively, there’s some things I saw on our rush play that, I don’t want The Athletic Q&A with John Hynes: The Devils coach weighs in on to say ‘be more dynamic’ but have a dual threat of offensive zone Hughes vs. Kakko, Nico Hischier’s growth and more play/forecheck but also the ability to attack off the rush and create numbers on the rush with your defensemen making some decisions where we can be more difficult to defend in those situations. By Corey Masisak May 22, 2019 Do you look at the last two years as a whole and say you shouldn’t overreact to one or the other? Or do you focus on last year and say ‘we just can’t do that again’? KOSICE, Slovakia — Devils coach John Hynes is spending part of the offseason as an assistant coach for the United States entry at the IIHF It’s both. It went really well the year we made the playoffs. I think when 2019 World Championships in Slovakia. you look at the big picture, the year we made the playoffs we didn’t have a ton of adversity roster-wise. Lots of times when we needed to make The Americans won five of seven games in preliminary round play, but a plays or get saves, we got them. We were able to gain a lot of traction 3-0 loss Tuesday to Canada left them in fourth place in Group A ahead of and momentum that helped us later in the year. That was a big factor. a date with Russia in the quarterfinals Thursday in Bratislava. But after the playoffs, we said that we knew we had a lot of work to do. Hynes spoke with The Athletic before the Canada game about a variety We found a way to make the playoffs, but were we roster-wise, structure- of topics, from the simmering debate about selecting Jack Hughes or wise a perennial playoff team? We didn’t overreact and act like we had Kaapo Kakko with the top pick next month, reflections about last season arrived. and the rebuilding plan to date and thoughts on what could be a very I think this year there were some things that were unacceptable, but I interesting summer for the New Jersey franchise. don’t think you can overreact to it. The main point is when you have good What are your thoughts on Jack Hughes and Kaapo Kakko, now that seasons, you also have to evaluate and be critical and not get too high you’ve spent some time watching them in person? and after this past season not to get too low but understand that things need to improve. There are also some things that we did well that you They’re both dynamic players. I think if you look at Jack, he’s a speed have to build on. Now we have to have a good offseason, and from player. He’s a dynamic skater who can make plays at high speeds. He’s management to coaches to players we have come back ready to go. got great anticipation skills and reads. I think that’s what makes him a dynamic guy. When you look at Kakko, he’s a strong skater. But he’s got Have you taken any time to stop and think about how this could be a excellent hands, good vision and he can really play in traffic. Strong on potentially important offseason in the big picture for the franchise? the puck. He can play very strong in the hard areas of the game, but then I think we have very stable ownership and management, so I think it’s so there’s offense that breaks out from that. He’s not just a hard player, he’s important that we do what’s best for the team and best for the also a dynamic player. He’s a tough guy to defend. And so is Jack. organization. We all work collectively and have input. But as far as They’re just different. controlling what you can control, if there’s opportunities to make our team What do you think of being in this position at No. 1? better this year, our ownership group and management group are certainly going to do that. But it has to make sense and be the right I think it’s great. We would rather be in this position where you have to situation for us. I think there is potential for that. I think with everything we determine between two players that are both high-end elite players in do, it’s done with a clear plan of what we need and what we think we can their own rights. We get to make the decision for what we think is going develop from within. With that clear plan, there has to be clear thinking to be best for our organization and for the future moving forward. It’s a too and not just jump into certain things or overreact. challenging decision, but it’s one that you welcome and one you’re glad to have to make. One NHL GM going through a rebuilding plan once said to me, ‘We have a plan and one day we’re going to wake up and have a really good team.’ Other people have said to me they’d like to avoid the pressure and be at Do you feel like the plan is still on course for you to wake up one day and No. 2 … realize all of the highs and lows of the past few years were worth it?

But you know what, that’s part of the deal. That’s part of what the Part of rebuilding and building is getting to a point where you can business is. You have to do your homework, you have to be very contend annually ever year. Yeah, it does take time. There’s going to be thorough, and then you have to make a decision that you feel is going to highs and there’s going to be good and bad seasons and there’s going to be the right one. I don’t think there’s any … I think whichever player we be bumps in the road. It’s hard when you’re going through that. It’s hard decide on is going to be a great player for our franchise. when you’re not having a good season and you have the injuries and you’re giving kids a chance and trying to find what you have in the most Between the end of the season and coming here, how much time did you demanding league in the world in tough situations. spend going back over the season and evaluating or looking for things that you might have missed? So one of the things that was really beneficial was behind the scenes, constantly having good player communication, good communication with Yeah, we went back through a lot of stuff with our coaches. I think it’s the management and coaches. Where are we going? What makes sense important for the first couple of weeks after … we had some very for us? Which is really, really important when you’re going through it. thorough meetings with our players. Going through the coaches and our During the hard times, it’s not easy on anyone. What makes it management staff and our scouting staff and saying, ‘OK, what is the encouraging is there is a plan and there is clear communication and makeup of our team?’ That’s the first priority extending into the summer, there is an understanding of when it does goes well, ‘OK, why did it go and our coaches now have assignments to study our own team and well?’ And if it didn’t, well why didn’t it? And then how do we bridge that some other teams in the league that, whether it’s tactically we want to gap? And how do we become (a contender)? If you didn’t have that type look at how certain teams do things, maybe a little bit differently, or of communication, you didn’t have that type of plan and the ability to better. tweak the plan, then you wouldn’t have the chance to keep growing and We’ll come back in early July for development camp and have some getting better. I think we do have a strong culture and a lot to build from. coaches meetings and go through a lot of that material. The next step will Now it is on us as coaches and players to make sure that has to continue be fine-tuning that and by August will be getting ready for training camp to grow. and working on changes or tweaks that we might have planned. One thing I wanted to ask you at the end of the year … from the outside it You had a pretty similar roster last year compared to the year before, but seemed like the whole season was an experimental period with trying to was there anything that you looked back and thought, ‘I wish we had figure out where Nico Hischier fits best on the top power play. Is figuring done this a little differently or coached this situation differently?’ out where he fits the best on a checklist of things to do moving forward?

I think we can make some tweaks in some areas of our defensive zone Yeah, that’s a fair question. When you look at his skillset, he’s such a coverage. Some of our breakout situations, getting up and out of our good player. He’s a player that gets to the inside of the ice. He has the zone has to be better so we can defend quicker and have our structure skill to make plays off the goal line and he also has the willingness to get help us be a bit harder to play against. The second part for us is just our at around the net for tips, screens and rebounds. He does have the qualities that we could look at him possibly on the flanks, but one of the things I’ve talked to him about is for him to be on the flank as a playmaker, you have to be a strong shot threat and a good decision maker. That’s something we felt for this summer in his development plan. We want him to work on his wrist shot, the deception in his shot and also be more of a threat with a one-timer.

We have experimented with him on the flank running (the power play), on the goal line, in the bumper role. He’s such a smart player, but if you’re in that spot we want a guy who can consistently score from that area too. We also used him on the strong side where (Hall) typically plays. He has so many good qualities. He’s smart, he’s competitive, he plays on the inside. Getting him to the spot where he’s an everyday guy on the top unit is something we’ve talked to him about and using this summer to improve the qualities he needs to be a great power-play player.

What has your experience been like so far with (new analytics department hires) Tyler Dellow and Matt Caine?

They’ve been great. They are great additions. Ever since I’ve been here, our ownership group, Josh (Harris) and David (Blitzer), have been very progressive off the ice. We’ve made progress with the analytics, off-ice training, our nutrition and all of those things. That is the foundation of building a quality organization, as Ray (Shero) has talked about quite a bit. Now we’ve upgraded and changed and worked in the offseason to get our analytics better and more clear and how we can use it as advantage because it’s new to the league. I think that adding Tyler and Matt now … they’re both great guys. They bring a little bit different skillset, which is really helpful for us and they have been great to communicate with you.

I’ll be spending quite a bit of time with those guys this summer, just to see what do we need as coaches? How can they help us? And the important thing is to really tie in how does it help with game prep? How do you help them help us with things you can get in game and then postgame moving forward? I’m encouraged by it. They’re bright guys, easy to communicate with, they’re passionate and I think they’re going to make our group better.

What do you take from this (IIHF) experience personally? Beyond the pull of wanting to win medals for your country, how does this help you as coach?

One thing, the opportunity to compete for country is a great honor. You get to work with real quality people. You get the opportunity to work with other coaches, to get different ideas systematically, tactically, meetings- wise and how they communicate with players. If you look at our team, you have another opportunity to grow as a coach and work with high-end, elite players and guys who come from different teams and different areas. There are other general managers here and you’re spending time with those guys and talking hockey. They see how you work and you see how they work. It can be a great way to create new relationships and help your development.

I did this four years ago in 2015 as a head coach and it was a great experience. I learned a lot and tweaked a lot. I had the opportunity to go to the World Cup and work with John Tortorella, Mike Sullivan and Jack Capuano. It was a great group. You always bring things back to the team, which is huge. In the last couple of summers, I’ve gone and visited other coaches from other sports and organizations and a couple different NFL teams to see how they run meetings, how they teach and how they build their culture.

You signed up for this before he did, but now that you’re here together, has this been an opportunity for you to get to know Jack better?

Oh, absolutely. It’s been great. You get a chance to know him as a person and see how he plays and practices and how he comes in and out of the rank and his moods and it’s been great. It’s also been great to see Kakko live. I haven’t seen him live this year. I’ve seen him on video, but nothing replaces being at ice level and watching a player or coaching against a player and practicing with a guy. I’m glad that it worked out that way because getting to see these two guys up close has been great.

The Athletic LOADED: 05.23.2019 1106536 New York Islanders Greco. This roster also projects Leddy to stay and Boychuk as a regular, meaning there’s no room for Dobson or Bode Wilde or Sebastian Aho should any of those three push for a spot in camp.

Projecting the 2019-20 Islanders: Which offseason route will Lou And the returns of Tom Kuhnhackl and Valtteri Filppula, both nice Lamoriello take? contributors last season, would mean Michael Dal Colle is an extra once more.

By Arthur Staple May 22, 2019 Not many steps forward here. This one seems almost as farfetched as Lamoriello hitting every home run in the first roster, but if the Islanders get too close to July 1 in their negotiations Lee, Nelson and Lehner, there could be trouble and a lot of scrambling. Today is the one-year anniversary of the Islanders hiring Lou Lamoriello to run their hockey operations. It’s been an eventful year, to say the least; The main positive of this group is there’s a ton of cap space and many that the Isles played into May after the tumult 12 months ago says a lot tradable assets. Also a lot of empty seats at the Coliseum and Barclays about what Lamoriello and his decisions have wrought. Center — room to spread out!

But there’s no sitting still, of course. The draft is coming up, followed by Realistic free agency; Lamoriello has a slew of his own free agents to work on, plus a need to add some scoring up front and juggle his defense corps to This version has some sizzle — the Islanders woo Jeff Skinner to be the possibly swing a trade for more offense. And it’s a banner year for triggerman with Barzal and on the power play to the tune of seven x $8.5 restricted free agents, especially on some potentially cap-strapped million — and perhaps a less-than-ideal return on a Leddy trade, getting teams, so the Isles could be in the offer-sheet mix. Wild winger Jason Zucker back. Zucker has four years left at $5.5 million AAV, so he needs to produce. We’ve compiled — with the incredible assistance of Cap Friendly and its Armchair GM tool — three versions of the 2019-20 Islander rosters: One Lee returns at six years, $7 million, and Nelson a shade under that at six closer to ideal, one more realistic and one that’s pretty close to a worst- years, $6.5 million. Lehner gets 5 million per. Small increments in salary case scenario. Even the ideal one, of course, hews close to reality — and term that are more player-preferred but still accomplish the goal of we’re not just starting from scratch here. keeping some of this past season’s core together while leaving room for improvement up front. Ideal Anthony Beauvillier, who is back on a bridge deal in all our scenarios, This version of the 2019-20 Isles has it all: The star free agent wooed gets a crack at being LW1 with his pal Barzal here. Boyle, a possible with big money in Artemi Panarin; a successful offer sheet for RFA trade target at the deadline last season, signs on for three years instead Kasperi Kapanen, lifted from Lamoriello’s old squad in Toronto for decent of two, but still provides versatility as the new 3C. Komarov stays on and but not insane money at five years and a $5.5 million cap hit, which fills Clutterbuck’s role until further notice, weakening that fourth line. would cost the Isles their 2020 first- and third-round picks; another scoring winger in Brandon Saad, acquired from the Hawks for Nick Dobson doesn’t make the roster here, in keeping with Lamoriello’s Leddy; and a spot in the top six on defense for 2018 first-rounder Noah preferred patience with teenagers. Instead, Boychuk has a regular spot Dobson. and Adam McQuaid signs on for defensive depth, including to swap out with Boychuk as needed. Ladd starts on LTIR to get the Isles under an Those, along with the returns of Anders Lee (five years, $7 million AAV), $83-million cap. Brock Nelson (6 years, $6m AAV) and Robin Lehner (4 years, $4.5m AAV) at team-friendly prices and term add up to a much deeper, more It’s going to be an exciting few months for the Islanders, a different sort of complete Islander lineup. Johnny Boychuk is not ideal as the No. 7 offseason than the one that began a year ago today. defenseman, but he’ll be 36 in January and could use a smaller Which path will Lamoriello choose? workload. Jordan Eberle departs, as well, but with Kapanen and Saad the Islanders have improved on the right side. The Athletic LOADED: 05.23.2019

Brian Boyle comes in as the new 3C on a short-term deal and Leo Komarov, even with his positive contributions in his first season, ends up as a buyout. Nothing personal with Komarov, but three more seasons at $3 million per isn’t workable with Panarin in the fold for huge money and contracts coming due for Mathew Barzal, Devon Toews and Ryan Pulock.

Only one of Andrew Ladd (knee surgery) and Cal Clutterbuck (possible back surgery) needs to be on LTIR to make the money work on an $83- million cap for next season, but there is room.

Panarin is a real long shot, of course. But he fits what the Islanders need most and a top line with him and Barzal is deadly; add in Kapanen, an emerging scorer in Toronto this past season while playing most of his minutes with Patrick Marleau, and that is a force of a top line, backed by the dependable Lee-Nelson combo with Saad, another proven scorer, or Josh Bailey on the right.

Moving Leddy allows Toews to grab more minutes and Dobson can work in on the third pair of what would be one of the younger D corps in the league.

It isn’t perfect, but this looks like one of the best possible outcomes for Lamoriello once the dust settles in July.

Hoo boy

This is the darkest timeline — where all four Isles mainstay free agents walk and Lamoriello is unable to replace them with anyone but second- and third-tier FAs. Lots of names could be plugged in here and no one’s saying Carl Hagelin, Derick Brassard or Wayne Simmonds couldn’t contribute, but as an entire second line? Unlikely.

And if Lehner moves on and the Isles strike out on Sergei Bobrovsky, what’s left will require some more magic from Mitch Korn and Piero 1106537 New York Rangers You thought that Rosen might erupt any minute into an “Oh Baby!” his old partner made so popular.

“He deserves all these good things that have happened,” Rosen said. Sam Rosen sees old MSG pal John Davidson restoring Rangers glory “This a special day for him, and I couldn’t be happier for him.”

New York Post LOADED: 05.23.2019 Steve Serby

They became Hall of Fame broadcast partners and best friends for 20 years — the big, gregarious goaltender from Ottawa who became an adopted son of Rangers fans and the professional announcer out of Stuyvesant High School and CCNY.

And on the day when John Davidson came home to the Rangers as team president, a proud and emotional Sam Rosen could see himself in the MSG Network booth, this time without Davidson at his side, bathing in the euphoria of another Rangers Stanley Cup.

Rosen, asked if he thinks his old sidekick will bring a championship back to New York, told The Post: “I do. I do. He will work tirelessly. This is not just coming to New York and celebrate a welcome home. This is to come back to New York to bring a championship to the Rangers.

“There’s a good foundation in place. [Outgoing president] Glen Sather’s done a great job along with [GM] Jeff Gorton, they have good people in place, and now they have an excellent leader who’s so well-respected at the top. I think he knows talent, I think he knows what it takes to put a quality team together, and I think the Rangers will enjoy the fruits of that.”

Rosen knew what the moment the Rangers put the “1940” chants to bed meant to Davidson, who got to the 1979 Cup Final against the Canadiens as the Rangers goalie.

“We put our arms around each other, I felt so good for him again because he was a Ranger,” Rosen said.

“He had experienced coming close to that magical moment, and now, those years later [in 1994], he was experiencing this championship at the Garden. It was a great, great feeling, because I knew how much it meant to the ex-players who had tried so hard who have been there and hadn’t reached the ultimate goal, and now he got to feel it, what it was all about.”

Davidson left the booth in 2006 to help build the Blues, then the Blue Jackets, and is the right man at the right time for the Rangers.

“Because he has an appreciation of where the organization has been … where it’s come from … what it took to win a championship,” Rosen said. “And the strong feelings, the emotion, you could see it when he stepped to the microphone, the tears in his eyes and the quivering, because his dream had come true.

“Hopefully for him, it’ll come to fruition that he’ll win a championship, that would be the greatest thing, the culmination of one of the great success stories.

“Think of this: He was drafted as an 18-year-old by the St. Louis Blues. Two years later he gets traded — he’s still a kid. Coming to New York, and taking over from — legend. Hall of Famer. He handled it. He learned from it. He grew to be a successful player. I think if they would have had the medical magic that they have now, he would have had a lengthier career. And then goes on to become a Hall of Fame broadcaster, successful executive … he is a great success story.

“And if the Rangers win the Cup under his guidance … it’s the ultimate.”

They met in 1975, when Davidson, now 66, had been traded by the Blues. Rosen, now 71, was working for UPI Audio Network. When left the TV booth in 1986 to become Rangers GM, Davidson replaced him, and he and Rosen quickly became a fun-loving and professional dynamic duo.

“I used to think I had a great work ethic,” Rosen said. “When I watched him work, it was twice as hard as me. I would try to watch as many games as possible … he watched every game. He had one of those big satellite dishes. I had to get one to match him. Because we would go on the air and he’d be talking about things that I hadn’t seen. And then personality-wise, we enjoyed each other and the wives became friends, the families grew up together. We would spend Christmas at John’s house, he would spend Thanksgiving at our house.” 1106538 New York Rangers Conference champion Bruins in the second round. But coming back to New York, getting to lead the Rangers, was something he couldn’t pass up. It was 40 years ago he was on the ice, helping them reach the John Davidson’s dream now turns into trying Rangers task Stanley Cup Final. And now he’s back.

“It’s been quite a circle,” he said.

By Zach Braziller Wednesday was a dream, as Davidson said. But it’s only just beginning.

New York Post LOADED: 05.23.2019

As John Davidson stepped to the microphone, chants of “J.D.” could be heard in the background from the highlight video tracing his career arc.

Owner James Dolan welcomed him back home, where he excelled as a player and broadcaster for nearly three decades. Familiar faces were everywhere, from former MSG Networks broadcast partner Sam Rosen to former players and and onetime teammate .

Davidson’s voice nearly cracked as he began to address the gathering at the Garden on Wednesday morning for his introductory press conference as the team’s new president.

“Dreams do come true,” he began, five days after he left the Blue Jackets to take the same job with the Rangers.

Soon, though, the emotions were left behind, the reminiscing was in the past. He has a job to do, tasked with overseeing the rebuild general manager Jeff Gorton and Davidson’s predecessor, Glen Sather, have started.

This won’t be a fairy-tale script, the 66-year-old Davidson warned. It will take patience. It will take diligence. It will take time. And after overseeing rebuilds with St. Louis and Columbus, Davidson knows the road that lies ahead.

“There’s a lot of work to do here,” said Davidson, who played in goal for the Rangers from 1975-83 and was an analyst on the team’s broadcasts for 20 seasons before joining the Blues as their president in 2006. “There’s no shortcuts. It’s nothing but hard work, and it takes patience and resolve, and I really want to make sure that I used the word patience and I use the word resolve, because we’re going to be in a battle here to get this club to be better.”

Enlarge ImageRangers legend Brian Leetch

Rangers legend Brian LeetchCharles Wenzelberg/New York Post

Davidson, the Blue Jackets president since 2012, was in the Rangers’ division the last six years. He said he followed them closely and liked what he saw. He believes their rebuild is off to a good start, with a young roster, the second overall pick in the upcoming NHL draft — Davidson gushed about the opportunity to land either American center Jack Hughes or Finnish wing Kaapo Kakko — and several other assets. He sees the proper culture, discipline and accountability being instilled by coach David Quinn and his staff. He praised Gorton for being transparent and honest with Rangers fans about the need to remake the team.

He’s back on Broadway to help in any way possible, to ensure the Blueshirts return to the heights they rose to when he was their broadcaster.

As president, Davidson considers himself the “soul” of the organization, and hopes the relationship between Gorton and himself will be like they are “married at the hip.” He doesn’t envision major changes, joking that he’s not walking into the job with a hand grenade.

“I want to continue what’s been started here, and that’s to build the Rangers to become perennial Stanley Cup contenders,” Davidson said. “They’re doing it the right way.”

The tricky part is next. Unloading veterans for prospects and draft picks was easy compared to the climb that will need to follow. Now the Rangers have to determine when it’s time to win, how much longer they wait until cashing in some of their chips, and when and how to spend big in free agency. It’s a delicate balance, but one Davidson has already overseen twice.

“His experience, his even-keel way about him, it’s going to be a great asset for us as we go through the process, there’s no question about that,” Gorton said.

Leaving Columbus wasn’t easy. The Jackets stunned the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Lightning in the opening round and pushed the Eastern 1106539 New York Rangers

New president John Davidson all smiles over Rangers’ draft opportunity

By Zach Braziller

John Davidson spent the majority of his introductory press conference smiling, soaking up his return to Broadway as the Rangers’ president. That grin widened when the upcoming NHL Draft was brought up, and the opportunity his new team has in front of itself with the No. 2 overall pick.

Either American center Jack Hughes or Finnish winger Kaapo Kakko — the top two amateur prospects most experts consider future stars — will be wearing a Blueshirt, and Davidson didn’t even try to hide his glee about the potential of such a proposition.

“It’s huge in every way,” Davidson said. “These are types of players that can help define a franchise. You have to make sure the timing is right, make sure they’re ready, etc. I think every Rangers fan should have a smile on their face that they’re picking No. 2. That’s something really special.”

The Rangers won’t have a hard decision to make. The Devils, who own the first pick, will basically make it for them.

“It’s a no-lose situation when you have kids of that ilk,” Davidson said. “When you have an opportunity like this, it’s one of those where you can hardly wait until the draft types of things.”

It’s a massive opportunity for the rebuilding Rangers, who haven’t picked in the top two since selecting in 1966. They were fortunate to move up in the lottery after entering sixth. And now they will have a chance to either get one of these premier prospects.

Hughes has been considered the No. 1 choice, spending this year playing for the United States National Team Development Program and scored 20 points (nine goals, 11 assists) at the under-18 world championship in April. The 18-year-old Kakko is pretty impressive in his own right, scoring six goals during the current world championship in Slovakia and posting 38 points (22 goals, 16 assists) this year in the Finnish Elite league to win its rookie scoring crown.

“It’s a huge step for us, obviously a little bit of luck involved when you win the lottery, so to speak, to get the No. 2 [pick],” general manager Jeff Gorton said. “The opportunity to get a player of that caliber is a huge thing for everybody in the organization, our fans. It’s really lifted the franchise.”

New York Post LOADED: 05.23.2019 1106540 New York Rangers “There’s only one New York . . . Once you figure it out, and it gets in your blood, it’s there forever. It’s a special place to win and that’s what we plan on doing.’’

Rangers president Davidson: 'Dreams do come true' — New Rangers president John Davidson

Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 05.23.2019 Colin Stephenson

John Davidson was never at a loss for words when he was the best TV color commentator in hockey. But on the day he returned to New York, to be introduced as the new president of the Rangers, the former goaltender and Hall of Fame broadcaster struggled for a moment to get the words out.

“Dreams do come true,’’ Davidson said after Madison Square Garden Chairman James Dolan introduced him and invited him to the podium to make his opening remarks. After that, the 66-year-old Davidson choked up for a moment. But he steadied himself, and explained that, having lived in New York for 28 years while he played and broadcasted for the Rangers, he has become a New Yorker, and the opportunity to come back to replace Glen Sather, who stepped down as team president last month, was one he simply could not pass up.

“New York’s special,’’ he said. “There’s only one New York . . . Once you figure it out, and it gets in your blood, it’s there forever. It’s a special place to win and that’s what we plan on doing.’’

Davidson, known simply as “JD’’ to everyone in the Rangers organization and to all Ranger fans, said in his podium remarks that he knows what Dolan’s vision is, and he shares the same vision.

“I want to continue what’s been started here, and that’s to build the Rangers to become perennial Stanley Cup contenders,’’ he said. “Jim [Dolan] is a man who wants to win; he wants to do it right, and we’re on the same page.’’

Davidson has spent the last 13 years rebuilding first the St. Louis Blues and then the Columbus Blue Jackets as president of hockey operations for those clubs. Now, he joins the Rangers at a pivotal time. Fifteen months into their rebuild, the Rangers have collected a passel of young prospects and draft picks and, having had the good fortune of scoring the No. 2 overall pick in the NHL draft lottery, management is in position to potentially speed up the rebuild with some aggressive moves this summer in the draft, trade and free agent markets.

“There’s a number of ways we can go at any time, there are some key issues coming up, as far as free agency, the draft, all these things,’’ general manager Jeff Gorton said. “Deals come up. So, just be ready for everything. Understand that we have a plan in place and we want to – I think ‘JD’ mentioned that, too – we want to stick with our plan. We want to be as aggressive as we can, at the right time. So, figuring out when that is, you know, that’s the trick.’’

Gorton said he doesn’t envision his job changing much with Davidson taking over for Sather as his new boss. He said he has spoken to Blue Jackets GM Jarmo Kekalainen and other people around the league about Davidson, and all reports say he will be a first-class boss to work for.

Davidson was asked to describe the separation of duties between himself and Gorton. He didn’t exactly answer the question, but indicated he will be very involved in the day-to-day operations of the club, and he and Gorton will work together.

“Married at the hip,’’ he said of himself and Gorton. “As I said, what I want, from my point of view, is everybody to know their seat on the bus, but I don’t want to walk in as a team president and have everybody stand at attention. It doesn’t work like that in our game. I want everybody at ease. And we’re going to work together. Communication. Thoughts and ideas. Lots of disagreements, but everybody on the same team.’’

Gorton was asked specifically about Chris Kreider, who is entering the final year of his contract. The Rangers will have to decide whether to extend Kreider’s contract or perhaps trade him this summer. Gorton said he hasn’t made that decision – or any decisions involving the pending free agents on the team – just yet. He was waiting for Davidson to come on board, and now will sit down with him in the next few days and start formulating a game plan, he said. 1106541 NHL Image

Jordan Binnington, left, played more than 200 minor league games before stopping 25 shots in his first game for the Blues on Jan. How the Blues Went From Last Place to the Stanley Cup Finals 7.CreditEric Hartline/USA Today Sports, via Reuters

On Jan. 3, St. Louis had the worst record in the N.H.L. On Tuesday, the Jan. 7 Blues became the Western Conference champions. Craig Berube, after starting in goal for 14 straight games, rested him in favor of Jordan Binnington. Once the Blues’ best goalie Ben Shpigel prospect, Binnington, 25, had played more than 200 minor league games before skating onto the ice at Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia for his first N.H.L. start. He stopped all 25 shots in a 3-0 victory. Afterward, the Blues played “Gloria.” The St. Louis Blues, the N.H.L.’s worst team as late as the morning of Jan. 3, are four wins from hoisting their first Stanley Cup. They advanced Jan. 8 to the final round for the first time in 49 years on Tuesday night, ousting the San Jose Sharks from the Western Conference finals with a 5-1 At the midway point of their season, after a 3-1 defeat to Dallas, the victory in St. Louis. Blues were second from last in the 15-team Western Conference, with 38 points, just ahead of Los Angeles. A daunting charge loomed: 25 of their It’s worth mentioning once more: after playing 45 percent of their final 41 games were on the road. schedule (37 of 82 games), the Blues had the worst record in the entire 31-team league — not just among teams in the Central Time Zone or the Jan. 23 Midwest, or that have the word “Blue” in their name. A remarkable In their final game before a nine-day break, and after losing three of their reversal, spearheaded by a 25-year-old rookie goaltender and by a last four, the Blues defeated Anaheim, 5-1. They had the 12th-best defensive revival overseen by an interim head coach, powered St. Louis record in the conference, but because of a logjam of teams ahead of toward the playoffs and through them. them sat only three points out of a wild-card spot.

The reward is a matchup with the Boston Bruins, who swept St. Louis in Feb. 5 the final in 1970 — the last time the Blues played for the Cup. Before the teams play Game 1 Monday night in Boston, it’s instructive to see just At the 11-minute-9-second mark of the third period at Florida, Ryan how the Blues went from worst in the N.H.L. to best in the West. O’Reilly tied the score at 2-2. The Blues did not trail again for the next 517:2. Sixteen days later, on Feb. 21, Jamie Benn of Dallas beat Jordan Nov. 19, 2018 Binnington at 3:46 of the second period of a 5-2 loss to the Stars.

After losing, 2-0, at home to the Los Angeles Kings — the only team at Across the Blues’ 11-game winning streak, the longest in the N.H.L. the time that had fewer points than St. Louis — the Blues fired their head since Columbus won 16 in a row during the 2016-17 season, Binnington coach, Mike Yeo. The loss dropped St. Louis to 7-9-3. To replace Yeo, was 9-0 with a .947 save percentage, solidifying his hold on the starting the Blues elevated one of his assistants, Craig Berube, a longtime N.H.L. job. The Blues, with 69 points, were third in the Central Division, in enforcer, to be the interim coach. Berube’s pugilistic sensibilities belied position for a playoff berth. an acumen for the game that had earned him head coaching jobs with the Philadelphia Flyers and the Blues’ top farm team, the Chicago Feb. 25 Wolves, who finished with the American Hockey League’s best record in 2016-17 under his guidance. General Manager Doug Armstrong could have detonated his team in December, January or early February, swapping veterans for assets to Dec. 16 improve their playoff chances in future seasons. But he didn’t. At the trade deadline, Armstrong made one deal, acquiring defenseman Another home game, another desultory loss at Enterprise Center. The Michael Del Zotto from Anaheim for a sixth-round pick, to improve his crowd booed the Blues during and after their 7-2 defeat to Calgary, the team’s playoff chances right away. seventh time in 19 home games that St. Louis had allowed at least five goals. The Blues’ record was 12-15-4, and the hockey analytics site Image MoneyPuck pegged their odds of winning the Stanley Cup at 0.6 percent. March 29 “I don’t have answers anymore,” forward told The St. Louis Post-Dispatch. “It’s just kind of embarrassing, to be honest with The Blues, after winning five straight, began the day needing one point you.” against the Rangers — or an Arizona loss at Colorado — to clinch a postseason spot. St. Louis blew a two-goal lead and lost, 4-2. A few Jan. 2, 2019 hours later, though, Colorado defeated the Coyotes, granting the Blues entry to the playoffs with more than a week remaining in the regular Ottawa’s overtime loss to Vancouver granted the Senators a point that season. Not since the Ottawa Senators did it in 1996-97 had a team lifted them out of the N.H.L. cellar. The new tenants at the bottom of the ranked last in the league standings after Jan. 1 gone on to make the league? The 15-18-4 Blues, with 34 points. If players knew about the playoffs. indignity, it was not because they noticed it in their dressing room. Craig Berube had removed the standings board. “Where we were at, and to get April 7 where we had to get to, it’s a long process,” he told reporters Tuesday morning. “And to see that every day, it doesn’t change quick enough. It’s The Blues finished the regular season with 99 points, one behind Central just a negative effect.” Division champion Nashville and the same as the Winnipeg Jets, whom St. Louis would face in the first round of the playoffs. Entering the Jan. 6 playoffs, the Blues had a 10.1 percent chance of winning the Cup, according to MoneyPuck. The night before the Blues played at the Flyers, some players — among them Alexander Steen, Robert Bortuzzo and Joel Edmundson — visited April 17 a private social club in South Philly called Jacks NYB. During commercial breaks of the N.F.L. playoff game between the Eagles and the Bears, the After the best season of his career, Ryan O’Reilly was announced as one D.J. played “Gloria,” a 1982 song by that reached as high of three finalists for the Selke Trophy, awarded to the league’s best as No. 2 on the music charts in the United States. defensive forward. O’Reilly, acquired in a trade on July 1, led the Blues with 77 points and won 56.9 percent of his faceoffs. “I’d heard it before — me and my dad listen to some old-school music,” Bortuzzo told Frank Seravalli of SportsNet. “But it’s not a song that Image would’ve been prevalent in any of our lives. It’s a catchy song. I Jaden Schwartz’s teammates, and the fans in St. Louis, happily remember specifically looking at Steen right away, saying, ‘This is our celebrated the left wing’s hat trick on April 20.CreditJeff Curry/USA jam.’” Today Sports, via Reuters

Right then, they resolved to blast “Gloria” in their locker room after every April 20 win. Jaden Schwartz scored all three of St. Louis’s goals in a 3-2 victory in Game 6 against Winnipeg as St. Louis advanced to the Western Conference semifinals against the Dallas Stars.

April 26

Among the seven teams that changed coaches during the season, only St. Louis made the playoffs, a testament to the influence of Craig Berube, who was voted one of three finalists for the Jack Adams Trophy, awarded to the league’s best coach. By instituting discipline and defensive accountability, Berube led the Blues to a 38-19-6 record, and their 65 points after Jan. 1 were the most in the N.H.L. in that span.

April 27

Jordan Binnington was announced as one of three finalists for the Calder Trophy, awarded to the league’s top rookie. All he did after his call-up from the minors was go 24-5-1 with five shutouts, a .927 save percentage and a league-leading 1.89 goals-against average. Binnington could become the first goalie to win since Steve Mason in 2009.

Image

Patrick Maroon grew up just outside St. Louis, and his goal in Game 7 of the Blues’ second-round series against Dallas put his team in the conference finals.CreditJeff Curry/USA Today Sports, via Reuters

May 7

Patrick Maroon, the pride of Oakville, Mo., about 15 miles south of downtown St. Louis, jammed in a loose puck behind Stars goalie Ben Bishop 5:50 into the second overtime for a 2-1 victory in Game 7, sending the Blues into the conference finals against San Jose.

May 8

A St. Louis radio station, Y98, played “Gloria” for 24 consecutive hours.

May 15

The Blues, after twice overcoming two-goal deficits, squandered a lead in Game 3 against the Sharks in the final seconds, then lost, 5-4, in overtime, on a controversial goal by Erik Karlsson. As fans at Enterprise Center hurled debris onto the ice, the Blues insisted that during the winning play Timo Meier had passed the puck with his hand — which is against the rules, but not reviewable. Replays proved they were correct, and the N.H.L. later acknowledged the referees had made a mistake. The Blues channeled the slight into comprehensive victories in Games 4, 5 and 6.

May 21

The only team of recent vintage that could match St. Louis’s improbable path to the Stanley Cup finals is the 2017-18 Vegas Golden Knights, who won the West in their inaugural season. David Perron, the ultimate talisman, played for both teams, and on Tuesday night he opened the scoring just 1:32 into Game 6 against San Jose. Jordan Binnington saved 25 of 26 shots as the Blues became the first team in the expansion era — since they joined the N.H.L. for the 1967-68 season — to play for the Cup after ranking last in the league standings after their 20th game.

New York Times LOADED: 05.23.2019 1106542 NHL Boston University, who had a 32-36-14 record in his rookie season behind the Rangers’ bench.

“There are no quick fixes,” Davidson said. “It’s hard work, it’s patience Back With the Rangers, John Davidson Has Unfinished Business and it’s having the proper resolve.”

Asked if he would feel instant pressure to generate results under the By Allan Kreda klieg lights of New York, Davidson said, “I have no problems with that.”

“If you want to do it right and do it well, there’s always pressure,” he added. “Obviously, the sooner you win the better. That’s the goal. But John Davidson stepped behind a lectern emblazoned with the Rangers you have to do it the right way. I’ll assess everything.” logo on Wednesday and got straight to the point. Besides, the memories of the finals loss in 1979 are still fresh. “Dreams do come true,” he said at Madison Square Garden, appearing to become a bit misty-eyed after he was introduced as the Rangers’ new “He didn’t finish it then,” Davidson’s wife, Diana, said. “That’s the reason president about 40 years to the day after leading the team to the Stanley he wanted to come back and finish this. You were ‘this far’ from the Cup.” Cup finals as a goaltender. New York Times LOADED: 05.23.2019

“It’s no secret that New York has always been a … held a very special place in my heart,” he added, with his wife and one of their two daughters in the audience.

Davidson, 66, is replacing the retiring Glen Sather, who has been at the helm since June 2000.

Hiring Davidson is a logical move for the youthful Rangers, who missed the playoffs for the second straight season as they work through a dramatic rebuild that began in February 2018.

Only four players remain from their Cup finals run in 2014. The team has been accumulating young talent and has two first-round picks, including the second over all, and two second-round picks in next month’s draft.

“I want to continue what’s been started here,” Davidson said. “That’s to build the Rangers to become perennial Stanley Cup contenders. They are doing it the right way.”

[Who will the Rangers get with the No. 2 pick: Jack Hughes or Kaapo Kakko?]

Davidson brings the pedigree of a hockey life that has included most every layer of N.H.L. experience, from player to Hall of Fame broadcaster to team executive. He played two seasons with St. Louis before spending parts of eight seasons with the Rangers, his career cut short because of knee injuries.

The magical 1979 playoff run, during which the underdog Rangers upset the Islanders in six games in the semifinals before losing in the Cup finals in five games to the Canadiens, cemented Davidson’s status in the team’s history.

“We got on a roll with a bunch of young players, and that run was significant because of the feeling of what New York gave back to us,” he said. “I used to wake up in the morning up in Westchester and there would be gifts on the doorstep — from people I didn’t even know.”

After his playing career ended in 1983, Davidson moved to the MSG television booth, where he would be paired with Sam Rosen. Their tenure included the spring of 1994, when the Rangers won the Stanley Cup after 54 years of frustration. Davidson’s “Oh baby” exclamations became as well known as Rosen’s “It’s a power-play goal” refrain.

“He’s the right man for the organization right now,” Rosen said of Davidson.

Davidson left television in 2006 to take over as president of the St. Louis Blues for six years before assuming the same role with the Columbus Blue Jackets, where he was until last week. Columbus, a struggling young franchise when Davidson got there, made the playoffs in four of his six seasons.

“This is the only organization I would ever have left Columbus for,” Davidson said.

He was quick to assert that there is plenty of work ahead in his new role. Primarily, there is planning for next month’s draft and getting to know his players. That will include a conversation with , the team’s 37-year-old franchise goaltender, who has two years left on his contract but is coming off the worst season of his 14-year N.H.L. career.

“He’s a proud, proud guy and very successful at what he does,” Davidson said. “I can hardly wait to chat with him.”

Davidson also said he was looking forward to working with General Manager Jeff Gorton and Coach David Quinn, the former coach at 1106543 Ottawa Senators Perhaps part of Crawford’s sell job to Dorion is to bring in a highly respected former NHL defenceman to handle the blueline. (Crawford has been outspoken in his support of former Senators centre Chris Kelly, who Crawford talking as if he's still in the running for Senators head coaching took over as the assistant coach handling forwards following Boucher’s job departure).

Naturally, the other coaching candidates have also given Dorion their version of how the rebuilding Senators can go from last overall to Ken Warren competitive to a playoff team eventually.

The mix of experience and new-age coaching thinking — Dorion did a solid job in investigating candidates with differing backgrounds — was Patrick Roy is the name of the hour on the Ottawa Senators head solid. No doubt, there were a variety of ideas tossed around about how coaching front, but from where we sit Marc Crawford remains a best to coach and manage the modern NHL player. compelling option. Roy had immediate success and then faltered as a coach in Colorado, While the news of general manager Pierre Dorion’s interest in Roy — but the biggest issue he faces is explaining his abrupt departure as head and vice versa — gathered steam on the weekend, Crawford was on the coach from Colorado in 2016 due to a difference of opinion with airwaves in Vancouver. Avalanche general manager Joe Sakic. How well can he work with Crawford has 556 wins in his career, sixth among active NHL bosses, others? and he’s as comfortable in the media spotlight as any bench boss. Martin played a primary role in turning the then dysfunctional franchise Typically, when the interviewing process is going on, those in serious into a model of consistency and success, building around a core of consideration lay low publicly, leery of saying something that could talented high draft picks. What works against him is the fact he hasn’t jeopardize their chances of assuming the position. served as a head coach since the 2011-12 season with Montreal.

Not Crawford, though; he has given Dorion and the Senators a thumbs- That, too, is a handicap for Bowness, whose last head coaching gig was up for their “due diligence” in pursuing a variety of coaching options since with Phoenix in 2003-04. Bowness does, however, have a recent run of the end of the season. excellence handling defences in Dallas and Tampa as an associate coach. In addition to Roy and Crawford, the Senators have also interviewed blast-from-the-Senators-past coaches Jacques Martin and Rick Leaman and Mann have never been behind an NHL bench. Smith has Bowness, along with Belleville head coach Troy Mann, Toronto Maple been Mike Babcock’s assistant in Toronto, but never served as a head Leafs assistant D.J. Smith and Providence coach Nate Leaman. coach in the big leagues.

“It’s always good for an organization to interview as many people as Mann did an impressive job in handling many of the Senators’ top possible,” Crawford said on TSN 1040. “I would like to have an answer prospects in Belleville. He pushed them to within one win of the playoffs, right now, but hopefully they’ll recognize I’m the top guy.” but it might be too soon to give him the top job in Ottawa.

Clearly, Dorion hasn’t yet told Crawford he’s free to go back to coach in Which brings us back to Crawford. The Senators’ season ended seven Switzerland or to pursue any other coaching opportunity that might be weeks ago and the initial interview with Dorion was completed soon available. afterward.

The Senators general manager may even go back to Crawford one more If nothing else, it’s intriguing that he’s not yet looking for something else. time before a final decision is made. Ottawa Sun LOADED: 05.23.2019 It’s also worth considering that Crawford was interviewed for the head coaching position back in 2016, before Guy Boucher was hired. Interestingly, Boucher’s exhaustive plan for the head coaching job back then included having Crawford as his associate coach.

At the very least, Dorion has valued Crawford’s inside view of the roller- coaster ride that saw the Senators plummet all the way from the seventh game of the Eastern Conference final in 2017 to dead last in the NHL standings in 2018-19.

If the Senators do end up hiring Crawford, he will have a head start on the next stage of the rebuilding process, already quite familiar with the building blocks that include Brady Tkachuk, Colin White, Thomas Chabot, Christian Wolanin, Christian Jaros and Max Lajoie.

Crawford did look and sound comfortable as interim coach after replacing Boucher, but we’re not reading too much into that 7-10-1 record.

The post-, Matt Duchene, Ryan Dzingel roster was a temporary and makeshift one, with the shock of so much rapid change eventually giving way to the reality that yesterday was gone.

The season closed with the likes of veterans Oscar Lindberg and Brian Gibbons taking on bigger roles out of necessity, but that’s not the direction of the future.

The big-picture plan — Crawford talked about the need to “orchestrate an organization” in his Vancouver radio interview — will be built around giving as much experience as possible to young players, even if that likely means the losses pile up in the short term.

If there’s an advantage for Crawford, it’s that he already has a feel for the rather unique organizational structure, from owner Eugene Melnyk on down.

At the same time, though, he did a play a significant role on Boucher’s staff, handling the defence for most of his stint as associate coach. It was not even close to good enough last season. The Senators allowed 302 goals against, most in the NHL since the 2006-07 Philadelphia Flyers. 1106544 Philadelphia Flyers St. Louis had been swept in its previous two Final appearances by Montreal. Now they were down, 3-0, to Boston. But in Game 4, on the Bruins’ ice, the Blues displayed some resilience. It was 3-3 late in the 49 years ago, Bobby Orr’s iconic goal for the Bruins almost killed more third period. than the St. Louis Blues | Frank Fitzpatrick While not as fervently as my ride, I was pulling for Boston too. A Flyers fan, I hated the Blues. With a rugged defense, they’d literally and figuratively beat Philadelphia like a drum. The Flyers had won only twice by Frank Fitzpatrick in their previous 18 meetings, two of which ended in 8-0 Blues victories.

When regulation ended in a tie, my disappointed driver slammed the steering wheel so hard the car shuddered. But in the first minute of On Mother’s Day 1970, mine nearly lost her oldest child. overtime, Derek Sanderson slid the puck to Orr, who, while tripping on I remember because that was the day Bobby Orr almost killed me. Noel Picard’s skate, pushed it past Blues goalie Glenn Hall.

If, as seemed certain for the longest instant of my life, I’d ended up at the From the ice-level vantage point he’d borrowed from a Boston Globe bottom of Connecticut’s Naugatuck River, the Bruins superstar ought to photographer, the Boston Record-American’s Ray Lussier calmly have been charged as an accessory. snapped one of sport’s most iconic photos.

That incident when fate nearly linked Orr and me forever came to mind There was nothing calm about my ride’s reaction. He screamed with joy when I saw that Boston and St. Louis were set to meet in a rematch of and, as he reflexively lifted both hands off the steering wheel, one hand the 1970 Stanley Cup Final. slammed into the unyielding roof.

Whether or not you specifically remember their first series 49 years ago, As he yelped in pain, he inadvertently showered me with the beer he still you’ve surely seen an image of its dramatic conclusion, hockey’s most clutched in his good hand. Mortified, he instinctively reached over to pat famous photograph. me dry. With both hands.

In it, Orr, arms and legs urgently extended as if he were diving into a pool The fact that our suddenly un-reined car was at that moment atop a for an Olympic anchor lap, is parallel to the ice. A highway bridge in Waterbury, Conn., appeared to concern him a great millisecond earlier he’d scored the overtime goal that won the Cup for the deal less than it did me. Bruins, their first NHL championship since 1941. With no one to guide it, the vehicle veered sharply toward the guardrail. The elated hockey player’s mouth is open wide in a screech of pure The Naugatuck River looked like my next stop. Now it was my turn to delight. holler.

At that same moment, I too was screaming – in terror. Somehow the flustered driver managed to regain control. But I still don’t remember much about the postgame show. That Sunday, May 10, I’d arisen early. My penultimate year at Temple was over and I was going to hitchhike to Boston to visit a friend. That evening, after one or two more lifts, I reached Boston. Cars, their horns blaring, were still parading through the narrow streets as I made My father, who’d without prompting made me an artfully drawn sign my way to my friend’s apartment. announcing my destination, drove me to King of Prussia. As we shook hands, I could see his nostrils flare. Like so many college kids then, I was a hitchhiking veteran. I’d already thumbed it home from Wisconsin and twice I’d made round trips to Ann “Smells like you’ve already had your share,” he said, “but would you like Arbor. a beer?”

That’s not to suggest those episodes were adventure-free. Once, the A warm Narragansett never tasted so good. drunk who picked me up in Indiana slammed his car into a toll booth. Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 05.23.2019 Another time, an on-leave GI in Beaver Falls, Pa., shared the herbal stash he’d acquired in ‘Nam, then pulled over on a dark road and fell asleep.

But that day things went routinely. Almost immediately, I got a ride to Paramus, N.J., and after a few more hours found myself at an entrance ramp to I-84 in Connecticut.

That’s where a young driver, who said he’d been working at some factory all night, signaled me to climb in. He was going as far as Rhode Island.

It was 90 degrees that afternoon and my ride was sipping a beer, though he didn’t appear to be intoxicated. Best of all, he was listening to sports on the radio, Game 4 of the Blues-Bruins series.

He told me he played hockey and was a rabid Bruins fan, a rabid Orr fan. That was no surprise. Everyone in New England adored No. 4.

The 22-year-old defenseman had revolutionized his position and the game. That season Orr would be the NHL’s regular-season and playoff MVP. More impressive, he’d win the Norris Trophy as the league’s best defensive player and the Art Ross Trophy as its top scorer with 33 goals and 87 assists. A year later, he’d raise those totals to 37 and 112.

As the game neared its end, the driver was twitching with anticipation. His Bruins were about to end a Cup drought that stretched back beyond his birth, beyond the attack on Pearl Harbor.

The poor Blues were outclassed. They’d reached the Final in each of their three seasons, but because of the NHL’s odd postseason structure, had yet to win a game.

Original Six teams like Boston were in one division then, and the six clubs born in 1967’s expansion were in the other. There was no playoff cross-pollination until the Final. 1106545 Pittsburgh Penguins workouts) to your own personal experience, how you felt out there and what you feel you’re missing. I think that makes a big difference.”

Tribune Review LOADED: 05.23.2019 Accelerated development from Teddy Blueger could be good news for Penguins

JONATHAN BOMBULIE | Wednesday, May 22, 2019 6:14 p.m.

Before he made his NHL debut with the Pittsburgh Penguins at the end of January, the story of Teddy Blueger’s career was slow and steady improvement. His two-way game was always a point of strength, but his offensive game took some time to come around.

As a freshman at Minnesota-Mankato, Blueger managed six goals and 19 points. By the time he was a senior, he nearly doubled those totals to 11 and 35.

In his first season with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, he had seven goals and 31 points in 54 games. This season, he jacked those totals up to 21 goals and 39 points in just 45 AHL games.

Once he arrived with the Penguins, though, he wrote a different script, immediately putting up six goals and 10 points in limited ice time in 28 games.

To break that down a little further, Blueger averaged 1.1 goals per 60 minutes of five-on-five ice time. The only player on the team with a better figure was 40-goal man Jake Guentzel (1.45).

To outside eyes, he was an overnight success. The way Blueger saw it, though, it was the same process he followed in college and in the minors, just accelerated.

“I had a good run there for a bit and was able to play some more minutes and stuff and grew more and more comfortable,” Blueger said. “I’d say probably the first 10, 15 games, I’d say my game took some adjusting. I was just worried about chipping the puck forward and dumping it in. After that, it kind of started to slow down a bit. I was able to hang onto the puck more and make more plays and feel more comfortable that way. I thought I played better after that.”

Blueger’s development continued once the season ended. At the World Championships in Slovakia, he posted a goal and three assists in seven games and was named one of Latvia’s top three players. He also ranked among tournament leaders with a 62.7% success rate in the faceoff circle.

Continued improvement from Blueger is critical for the Penguins.

While much of the focus around the team’s desire to get better at this point in the offseason focuses on trades, free agency and the draft, the Penguins will also need to see improvement from within. It’s not reasonable to expect many of the team’s key players will see a boost in production as they move into their 30s. It is reasonable to expect the 24- year-old Blueger’s arrow to be pointing up.

With 42-year-old Matt Cullen hitting unrestricted free agency and considering retirement, the fourth-line center job looks wide open for Blueger.

Most of the forwards who spent time on the team’s fourth line this season did not match’s Blueger’s production of five five-on-five goals in 28 games.

Riley Sheahan had six in 49 games. Cullen had five in 71 games. No one else scored more than two.

If the Penguins are going to be the kind of team that rolls four lines that can score – a stated goal of coach Mike Sullivan on many occasions – Blueger seems better equipped for the task than many players who have been tried in the role over the past two seasons.

With his developmental pace on overdrive, Blueger will spend his summer preparing to fill it during his second NHL season.

“You know what to expect,” Blueger said. “Everyone always says, ‘It’s fast, it’s skilled, blah blah blah,’ but you don’t really get a feel for what it’s like until you’re actually in it. You know what the pace is like, what to expect, how hard it is to hang onto pucks, protect the puck down low, beat guys one on one, things like that. You can tailor (offseason 1106546 Pittsburgh Penguins

Former NHL heavyweight John Scott holds no grudge against Phil Kessel

Jonathan Bombulie

The only suspension of Phil Kessel’s 13-year NHL career came when he delivered a series of two-handed chops to former Buffalo Sabres heavyweight John Scott in a 2013 preseason game.

In an appearance on the Spittin’ Chiclets podcast this week, Scott said he has no hard feelings.

Thinking one of his Sabres teammates had been taken advantage of in a fight earlier in the game, the 6-foot-8 Scott reportedly told Toronto coach that he would fight whoever was sent out to stand next to him off the next faceoff.

Carlyle thought he could diffuse the situation by sending out Kessel, a scorer who rarely fights.

He was wrong.

“He wasn’t saying anything. It was his coach who was saying everything,” Scott told the podcast. “Phil was an innocent bystander. He got caught between me and Randy Carlyle going at each other. Randy kind of threw him to the wolves there. That’s what happened.”

Scott immediately dropped his gloves and tried to fight Kessel, who responded with a series of lumberjack chops. A brawl that included a goalie fight ensued. Kessel was suspended for three preseason games.

“Have you ever been hit with a belt, like your mom’s belt when you’re growing up? Or a wooden spoon? It was like that,” Scott said. “I didn’t feel it at the time, but when I got in the locker room and the juices kind of died down, I was like, ‘What’s going on with my leg?’ There was a welt on my leg. He got me good.”

Scott’s goodwill did not extend to former Penguins enforcer Tom Sestito, however. He identified Sestito as his most hated opponent during his 10- year pro career.

“I don’t like him. I have never liked him,” Scott said. “I just don’t like how he plays the game. All through the AHL, I’d ask him to fight and he’d be like, ‘My hand’s broken,’ then he would fight someone else or this and that and he would duck me. The one time he did fight me was the time he tried to jump me from behind and tried to pull me down and wrestle me down. He wouldn’t square up with me.

“I know he’s a tough kid. I’ve seen him fight really tough guys. But for some reason, he just got under my skin one time. I don’t even like his face. I think he talks too much. He’s just that one guy that I don’t like. I’ve never met him or talked to him in my life. He’s probably a great guy. I just don’t like him.”

Tribune Review LOADED: 05.23.2019 1106547 San Jose Sharks Nyquist, 29, is coming off a career season with 60 points in 81 games between the Sharks and Red Wings. Reportedly, before he was traded to the Sharks, he was seeking a deal upward of $5 million per season. For the Sharks, an offseason of uncertainty begins Once Meier’s new deal is done, and if Karlsson and Pavelski re-sign, there may not be much room left over for a new deal for Nyquist. San Jose Sharks may look a lot different in 2019-2020 depending on whether Erik Karlsson, Joe Pavelski and Joe Thornton return One way or another, the Sharks will look different next season. “Some of the guys you may not see until you play them the next season,” Couture said. “So it’s the worst part of playing in this league. There are By Curtis Pashelka many positives. That’s probably the biggest negative. But we expect there are going to be changes and right now it’s just too early to think about it.” ST. LOUIS — Joe Thornton wasn’t about to make any declarations about San Jose Mercury News: LOADED: 05.23.2019 his future immediately after the Sharks lost the Western Conference Final to the St. Louis Blues. It’s possible, too, that no announcement will be forthcoming when the Sharks hold exit interviews later this week. No, Thornton, and general manager Doug Wilson, it seems, may need a bit of time to help figure out what’s next. A Sharks season that started with candid talk about winning the Stanley Cup will end with what could be one of the most turbulent summers in recent memory. Thornton is among seven Sharks players who are set to become unrestricted free agents this offseason, with four more players entering restricted free agency. In one form or another, change is coming. “Every year. I mean, you get used to the unfortunate part of the business,” said center Logan Couture, who will be one of the team’s cornerstones for years to come, on Tuesday night. “You play with guys for eight months. Every day, you got a schedule, you come to the rink, you see the guys, go on the road, and then it comes to an abrupt end. “You don’t know what to do with yourself, then changes are made.” Among the players who may depart are captain Joe Pavelski, defenseman Erik Karlsson and forwards Gus Nyquist and Joonas Donskoi. Soon-to-be RFA’s Timo Meier and Kevin Labanc are coming off their entry-level contracts and at least in Meier’s case, will likely be due for a significant pay raise. Pavelski is coming off a 38-goal season, tied for second-most in his 13- year NHL career. He’s been the captain for four seasons, as coach Pete DeBoer referred to he and Thornton as the “heartbeat of this team.” DeBoer and Wilson both said during the season that Pavelski can be an effective NHL player for years to come. Thornton, who had 51 points in 73 games this season, will turn 40 on July 2, and Pavelski will turn 35 just nine days later. There has also reportedly been little dialogue between the Sharks and Pavelski’s camp regarding a new contract up until this point. The Sharks may want Pavelski back, but the cost, and particularly the term of a new deal, may be sticking points. A new deal for Karlsson also figures to be complex. When the Sharks first acquired Karlsson, it almost seemed assured that the two-time Norris Trophy winner’s next contract would be in the range of what Los Angeles Kings’ defenseman Drew Doughty received — eight years and $88 million. The Sharks, unless they trade exclusive negotiation rights, are the only team that can offer Karlsson an eight-year pact. Other teams, after July 1, can only offer seven-year deals. But Karlsson’s health issues this season could make teams wary about committing that amount of money. The upper limit of the NHL’s salary cap is projected to be around $83 million for next season, and a deal with an average annual value of $11 million would take up over 13 percent of that in the first season. Per CapFriendly, the Sharks already have over $58 million in contracts committed to 15 players for next season. Karlsson missed 27 of the Sharks’ final 33 regular season games with groin and leg injuries, but still had 45 points in 53 games. He played the first 19 playoff games at far less than full strength and still had 16 points. He can be a difference-maker of the highest order when he’s healthy. The Sharks just wished they would have seen more of the type of player he could be. “Maybe the best defenseman in the world, or in that conversation,” DeBoer said of Karlsson. “We had him healthy for six weeks and dialed in. The first two months of the season, he was getting used to us, two and a half, I thought he got dialed … and we were maybe the best team in the league in that stretch. And then he wasn’t healthy again.” The Sharks should be able to bring back Donskoi, 27, if they so choose at a reasonable price. He is coming off a two-year deal worth $3.8 million. 1106548 San Jose Sharks

Sharks’ Thornton says he hasn’t thought about retirement Joe Thornton would play next season at age 40

By Dave Luecking |PUBLISHED: May 22, 2019 at 6:03 am | UPDATED: May 22, 2019 at 6:06 am

ST. LOUIS — Moments after the San Jose Sharks’ season ended with a 5-1 loss in Game 6 of the Western Conference final, with the victorious St. Louis Blues still on the ice celebrating their trip to the Stanley Cup Final, Sharks icon Joe Thornton was asked point-blank if he had thought about his future. His answer was just as direct. And simple, too. “No,” he said. This was no time for the 21-year-veteran, the first overall pick way back in 1997, to address whether he’ll play another year in a quest for the Cup at age 40 or hang up his skates after a star-studded career. The disappointment of the season’s final loss, so close to the ultimate goal, was not the time. Still, others spoke to what he has meant to the team not only this season but since arriving 14 years ago, in a trade with the Boston Bruins. “He’s such a special guy,” said defenseman Brett Burns, with Thornton seated next to him in the Sharks locker room. “So many guys in here are so lucky to play with him, to learn from him how to work, about being a teammate and about being a good person.” Thornton logged 16 minutes in Game 6, fifth among San Jose forwards but carrying a bigger load than usual with stars Joe Pavelski and Tomas Hertl sidelined for the deciding game. They were joined on the injured list by defenseman Eric Karlsson, which amounted to San Jose missing three of its top five or six players. No excuses, though. “Their team defense is tough, man,” Thornton said. “We played a good hockey team that beat us; that’s the bottom line.” For 60 minutes, Thornton demonstrated his “love for the game,” as Burns called it, and for the Sharks. “He’s the face of the organization,” said Sharks coach Peter DeBoer, who expressed the disappointment of the coaching staff in “not helping him, and all the players, get there (to the Stanley Cup). He gave everything he’s got and should be there. It’s hard not to feel responsibility in not helping him get where he belongs.” Thornton and the Sharks reached the Stanley Cup Final in 2016, losing to Pittsburgh after beating the Blues in the Western Conference final. The Stanley Cup is about the only thing missing from his stellar resume. He won five gold medals with Team Canada, in the 2006 and 2010 Olympics, the 2004 and 2016 World Cup, and the 1997 World Junior Championships. He also won two silver medals, in the 2001 and 2015 World Championships. Individually, he won the Hart Trophy as the NHL MVP, the Art Ross Trophy as its leading scorer and was a first-team All-Star after the 2005- 06 season, his first in San Jose. He has played in six All-Star games and was the Sharks player of the year three times. He’s the Sharks’ career leader with 780 assists and a plus-180, and he’s among the franchise’s career leaders with 1,034 games played (second), 244 goals (third) and 1,024 points (second). For his career, he has 413 goals and 1,065 assists for 1,478 points in 1,566 career games. Stanley Cup or not, he’ll be enshrined in the a few years after his career ends. That doesn’t make losing perhaps his last game any easier, though. “We were missing a lot of (guys), but we felt going in that we were going win,” Burns said. “We had a great chance. They don’t come often. It’s a lot of work for a long time (to get to the conference finals), a lot of luck and a lot of magic. That’s what makes it so tough.” San Jose Mercury News: LOADED: 05.23.2019 1106549 San Jose Sharks 22-year-old Meier had 30 goals and looks like a long-time fixture as a top-six forward.

BETWEEN THE PIPES: Martin Jones was one of the worst starting Magical playoff ride ends in more disappointment for Sharks goalies in the league during the regular season in his first year of a $34.5 million, six-year contract. He had a career-low .896 save percentage in the regular season and was pulled early in two of his first four Josh Dubow, Ap Sports Writer Published 1:14 pm PDT, Wednesday, postseason starts. He rebounded and was a key part of the first-round May 22, 2019 win over Vegas but finished the playoffs with an .898 save percentage. San Francisco Chronicle LOADED: 05.23.2019 SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — Magical comebacks, dramatic wins and the most talented roster in San Jose Sharks history weren't enough to deliver the franchise its first Stanley Cup title. A team depleted by several key injuries ended its season with a 5-1 loss in Game 6 of the Western Conference final Tuesday night, turning the drama of Game 7 wins in the first two rounds into footnotes on a season that was ultimately a disappointment. "We didn't make it easy for ourselves the whole playoffs," defenseman Brent Burns said. "We always battled back. We got through a lot as a team. A lot of guys just battled. Just to get this far a lot of things have to go right. We battled together but came up short. It's crushing to come this far and not get the job done." The goal for the Sharks was clear ever since they acquired two-time Norris Trophy winning defenseman Erik Karlsson from Ottawa just before the start of the season. Coach Peter DeBoer told his team the ingredients were in place for that elusive first championship in San Jose. It appeared like that could be the case after the Sharks rallied from three goals down in the third period of Game 7 in the opening round to beat Vegas in overtime and followed that up with another Game 7 win against Colorado in round two. But with Karlsson unable to play the final four periods of the postseason because of a groin injury that slowed him since January, and captain Joe Pavelski and two-way center Tomas Hertl also out after taking high hits, the Sharks didn't have enough to handle the Blues. This season ended like so many others for the Sharks, who have won more games than any other team and the second-most playoff series the past 15 seasons but still are seeking a first championship. "They all hurt," said center Logan Couture, who tied a franchise record with 14 goals in the playoffs. "It doesn't matter what the roster is. When you get this far in the playoffs or you make the playoffs it hurts. You get in the playoffs you believe you can win." Here are some other takeaways from the season: JUMBO JOE: One motivating factor for the Sharks this postseason was delivering a title for beloved leader Joe Thornton. The greatest player in franchise history turns 40 in July and has not decided whether he wants to come back for another season. Thornton dealt with injuries early in the season, then had a strong stretch as a third-line center late before struggling a bit the final two rounds outside of a two-goal performance in Game 3 at St. Louis. "He's the face, he's the heartbeat of the organization," DeBoer said. "I think like all the players in that room, as coaches we're disappointed for not helping him get there. Because he gives you everything he's got and should be there." CAPTAIN PAVELSKI: No player personified the Sharks' grueling journey this spring more than Pavelski. His postseason started with a puck that deflected off his face for a goal. The injuries only got worse when his helmet violently crashed to the ice, leading to a bloody concussion in Game 7 against Vegas. That led to the epic comeback with four goals on one disputed major penalty that will go down as the greatest moment in franchise history until the team wins a Cup. Pavelski made a triumphant return in Game 7 of the second round but got hurt again in Game 5 against the Blues. Pavelski turns 35 and heads into an uncertain summer of free agency following a 38-goal season. KARLSSON'S FUTURE: It was a somewhat disappointing first season in San Jose for Karlsson and now the question is whether it will be his only one. He took about two months to find his groove and then played at an elite level for about six weeks. He hurt his groin in January and was never the same. He missed 27 of the final 33 regular-season games and was never completely healed in the playoffs. He heads into free agency in July and his decision will impact what the Sharks will be able to do with Pavelski and other key pieces. STEPPING UP: The biggest positive for San Jose this season was the emergence of Hertl and Timo Meier as building blocks for the future. The 25-year-old Hertl was the top-scoring forward for the Sharks with 74 points and showed the capability of manning a top line as a center. The 1106550 San Jose Sharks decision for the Sharks in the coming weeks, who made a huge personnel commitment to even acquire Karlsson from Ottawa.

Karlsson's up-and-down year Sharks' season-long observations after conference final loss to Blues Karlsson’s regular season shouldn’t be held against him, but it was no doubt frustrating for San Jose. His first third was mostly acclimating to By Brodie Brazil May 22, 2019 9:53 AM the new surroundings, his second third was dominant and impressive, and the final third was spent with an injured groin. In total, he tallied three goals and 42 points in 53 games. His playoffs were much better with 16 points in 19 games, especially impressive considering the injury On paper, it might have been the best Sharks team ever assembled. But he played through. it all came to an end on Tuesday night, as San Jose lost the Western Conference final four-games-to-two to the St. Louis Blues. Hertl's career season Here’s a look back -- and forward -- on where this franchise stands. Another career season goes to Tomas Hertl. He scored 35 goals, but most importantly made the critical move from winger to center back in Stressful run December. By the playoffs, he was taking almost 30 draws per contest, and often winning around 20 of them. What we just witnessed had to be among the most stressful playoff runs in Stanley Cup history. San Jose got to their fifth ever conference finals (Mostly) steady Jones by winning a pair of Game 7s, but never had a two-game lead in any of the three rounds. There was never an opportunity to breathe or enjoy the Let’s be frank, there were questions surrounding Martin Jones in the view. regular season, and for the first four playoff games. It’s hard to argue with the body of work he showcased in all the playoff games since then. Disappointment Spotlight San Jose was one of four remaining teams this postseason, but the journey leaves more disappointment than accomplishment. It’s an San Jose enjoyed the national hockey spotlight more than ever in 2018- important perspective to remember how incredibly high the standards are 19. The Sharks might have made the biggest trade of the season, for this team. acquiring Erik Karlsson in September. SAP Center hosted the NHL’s All- Star Weekend in January. And here in May, the Sharks got to play all of Jumbo's future their third-round games on exclusive nights. I don’t believe for one second that Joe Thornton has played his last game Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 05.23.2019 with the Sharks. The bigger concern is how many more playoff opportunities he will get, after turning 40 years old as an unrestricted free agent this summer. Western Conference final appearances don’t happen every season, as we know. Healthy Thornton It was an important season to have for Thornton. He transitioned to a third line center role, playing about five fewer minutes per contest, but still being effective. In addition, he racked up more milestones than I can summarize here, and most importantly: was generally healthy. Captain America Joe Pavelski had a tremendous rebound season, coming off a hand injury to lead the team in goals at 38, which was up from 22. He also is an upcoming free agent this summer, and will be 35 next season, but proved that his exceptional net-front play of tips and redirects may not have any correlation to age. Vegas Game 7 The “Pavelski Payback” in Game 7 of the first round against the Vegas Golden Knights might have been the best overall moment and win in San Jose’s franchise history. Or at least in the history of SAP Center. Elimination was on the line, and scoring four goals in a four-minute span was an unprecedented tribute to the fallen Captain. "Clutch-ure" Logan Couture had another monster postseason and is only two playoff goals behind the leader (50) since 2010. He continues rising to the occasion on the biggest of stages. And despite losing two teeth in the postseason, “Clutch-ure” showcased among the biggest of hearts. Meier improves Timo Meier continues to take huge steps in his career. Last season he reached 21 goals, and this campaign he eclipsed the 30-goal mark in 78 games. Meier also has developed the reputation of a hard-nosed player who can make power scoring moves and add a physical element of the game. The restricted free agent is well deserving of a raise from his $1.65M salary from this season. Karlsson's decision Will Erik Karlsson be a Shark next season? From my view, it’s a 50-50 proposition. Sure, both side had months to work something out. But at the same time, free agency is a huge opportunity for any big name, and I don’t blame Karlsson for exploring the options. Should Sharks retain EK65? Regarding Karlsson, it’s also a huge financial commitment by San Jose if they are to retain him. He would likely become the team's highest-paid player and would become a big piece under the salary cap. It’s a large 1106551 San Jose Sharks Pavelski was listed as a game-time decision Tuesday and traveled to St. Louis, but DeBoer said he wasn’t close to playing after leaving Game 5 following a big hit along the boards from St. Louis captain Alex Sharks feeling the harsh sting as an era in San Jose could be ending Pietrangelo. without a Stanley Cup Pavelski didn’t appear in the room after the game and hasn’t spoken to the press since before Game 5. By Scott Burnside May 22, 2019 Hard to imagine that there is a long-term match between the Sharks and Karlsson, but time will tell.

Likewise hard to imagine the Sharks without captain Pavelski leading ST. LOUIS – If it wasn’t for the blaring strains of Laura Branigan’s them. But Wilson has made hard calls on emotional matters like this in “Gloria” that filled the San Jose Sharks’ dressing room every time the the past, allowing former captain Patrick Marleau to go to free agency door opened, you might have thought for a moment this was any other and sign with Toronto two summers ago. night following a loss. So, Pavelski’s future, too, remains uncertain. Somber? For sure. But on this night, given the circumstances – and frankly even if all those But the players’ equipment had already been set out in the player’s stalls, players were in the room – the focus would still have been on Thornton. shin pads, skates, as though there was a tomorrow. The big center dropped into a dressing room stall right next to Burns as But there wasn’t. Burns was finishing up his postgame scrum. A team that looked so often this spring like a team of destiny abruptly Shirtless, Thornton fiddled with a towel on his lap as he answered became a team tossed to the curb. questions. A team that looked like it was going places when they erased a 3-1 He is going to turn 40 on July 2, the day after free agency begins. He’s series lead against Vegas and then erased a 3-0 deficit in Game 7, played 1,566 regular season games and he’ll go to the Hall of Fame before winning another Game 7 against Colorado is now simply going when he’s finally done playing. home following its 5-1 loss Tuesday night. That’s the impossible part of these moments when the dream of a “Obviously we didn’t make it easy on ourselves the whole playoffs,” Brent Stanley Cup – and in this case the dream of a first Stanley Cup for Burns said. Thornton – is so emphatically snuffed out. People immediately want to know what now. The big defender with the distinctive long unruly locks of hair and gap- toothed grin sat slouched in his stall, a Sharks toque jammed on top of He knows that. his head. He was asked what was going through his mind in the final moments at “To get this far, there’s a lot of things that have to go right,” he said. “We Enterprise Center Tuesday night as the fans on their feet feted their battled together and came up short. It’s crushing because you come this hometown heroes and the Sharks stood frozen in their spots on the ice far and not get the job done. I think it’s not from a lack of effort. We took before coalescing into the receiving line that ends every playoff series. the hard road a lot. That’s the fun thing about the journey, but it’s tough. Tough to not get it done.” He paused. There was no urgency in the dressing room like you see after a regular And sighed. season road game when teams are scurrying to get on buses and get to “Just…” chartered aircraft. And he paused again. Most NHL teams stay overnight after road games in the playoffs to guard against potential overtime games that would disrupt sleep even further. “I don’t know,” he said, quietly looking at the towel in his lap. “I don’t But make no mistake, no one wanted to be in this dressing room, in this know.” space, any longer than they had to given the celebrations that were going on a few yards away. Then he stood. The Blues, like the Sharks, have never won a Stanley Cup. They are “OK, thanks guys,” Thornton said and he was off. going to the final for the first time since 1970. As he left the room – and yes, I’ll put in the obligatory perhaps for the last The Sharks were in the final just three years ago, losing in six games to time as a San Jose Shark, maybe for the last time as an NHL player – it Pittsburgh in 2016. was reminiscent of being in the very same room just a few days ago after Game 3. They are one of the few teams in the NHL that managed to stay consistently in the hunt. They missed the playoffs just once since the The Sharks had just taken a 2-1 series lead with a controversial 5-4 2004-05 lockout. overtime win on a goal by Karlsson that followed a hand pass that should have negated the play. You don’t have that success without drafting and developing shrewdly because you’re nowhere near the top end of any draft, which is where Regardless, the Sharks were ahead in the series and in control of their the generational players live. destiny. You have to create a culture that is attractive to your own players and to In the dressing room, Sharks players were doing interviews as the team’s players that might want to come, like Evander Kane. training and equipment staff got ready for the off day that would precede Game 4. And sometimes it’s still not enough. Some of the team’s ownership group and significant others dropped by San Jose coach Pete DeBoer would say at one point Tuesday night that the room to congratulate the players on the dramatic win, including Rudy it’s a harsh league. It is that. It is relentless. It’s a game that demands Staedler and his wife. In the midst of this, Thornton wandered through players forge bonds and give more than they think they can and then the room naked with the exception of a strategically placed mesh clothing give some more. And then, when you fail, which is what all teams but one bag. ultimately do, the game demands hard decisions. He stopped long enough to give Staedler’s wife a big hug and carried on. There are hard decisions coming for GM Doug Wilson and for key players like Erik Karlsson, Joe Pavelski and Joe Thornton, all of whom It was classic Joe Thornton. are unrestricted free agents. Logan Couture was in the midst of a media scrum but paused as Two of those players, Karlsson and Pavelski, along with top forward Thornton sauntered past au naturel prompting a broad grin from Couture Tomas Hertl, were too banged up to play in Game 6. and a shake of his head. Karlsson was so broken down by groin and/or core body issues that As someone noted in the room, Thornton was in “don’t give a fuck” mode plagued him during the last-third of the season that he didn’t make the and, at the time, it seemed to embody what the Sharks were about, a trip to St. Louis after missing all of the third period in a critical loss at team embracing the moment because, as is the hard truth about the home in Game 5. Stanley Cup, you don’t know how many shots you’re going to get. That walk through the room seemed like it happened ages ago. Not long after Thornton departed the room Tuesday night, DeBoer talked about the disappointment of not being able to help Thornton get there, to get to a final, to help him get his hands on the trophy that has eluded him all these years. “He’s the face, he’s the heartbeat of the organization,” DeBoer said. “I think, like all the players in that room, as coaches we’re disappointed we’re not helping him get there. Because he gives you everything he’s got and should be there. It’s hard not to feel responsibility as one of the people around him for not helping him get where he belongs. He belongs playing for a Stanley Cup, and that’s the disappointing part.” DeBoer faced all the reminders of what his team lost as he walked from the visitors’ dressing room to the media room. To get there, he had to walk past the Blues’ dressing room. Across the narrow hallway, a glassed club area for fans was opened up; players, fans, families, reporters, former Blues luminaries and team executives were all milling about in a happy mishmash of celebration. DeBoer negotiated that crowd before answering questions about his battered team. Someone suggested that it must be disappointing knowing that things will be different next season, but DeBoer wasn’t there yet. His disappointment was more immediate, more visceral. “My disappointment isn’t thinking about next year,” he said. “Mine is in the group that we had this year and the adversity we faced and the people we had and the work put in and the number of times they were written for dead and buried and the number of times they kept getting off the mat, the things guys played through. That’s the disappointing part for me. That’s stuff you don’t see should get rewarded, but it’s a harsh league and it’s a hard trophy to win. So my disappointment’s there.” Each season that ends this way is an opportunity lost. That’s what hurts at the end of the day. That they’ll never get these days back again. Thornton, Burns, Karlsson, Pavelski, Hertl, go down the list. This opportunity doesn’t come again. Oh, the Sharks will be back again, because that’s how they roll, it’s how Doug Wilson rolls. But not like this. Because it’s never the same. The only thing certain, even for teams that win a Stanley Cup, is that change is inevitable. It is especially so for teams like San Jose that will keep swinging until they make contact. Doesn’t make it any easier, especially with the strains of “Gloria,” the Blues ubiquitous victory song, sneaking into the Sharks’ room and the Blues getting ready to do what the Sharks can now only dream of doing until next season. “I don’t know. It’s hard to think about that right now,” Kane said as he peeled the tape off his shin guards for the last time this season. “I think that type of stuff it’s for a later date to think about. This one’s going to sting for a while.” The Athletic LOADED: 05.23.2019 1106552 St Louis Blues

Blues set ratings record for game on cable TV

Dan Caesar St. Louis Post-Dispatch

The Blues are surging into the Stanley Cup finals for the first time in nearly half a century and do so on a television ratings roll. Their victory Tuesday over San Jose that gave them the Western Conference title generated the team’s best rating ever for a contest shown on cable TV. Nielsen, which tracks viewership, reports that 20.8 percent of homes with a TV in the St. Louis market tuned in to NBCSN’s production. That tops the previous high, a 19.6 rating Fox Sports Midwest drew in 2016 for Game 7 of a first-round playoff series against Chicago — the team’s biggest rival. The rating Tuesday in the San Francisco Bay Area, in which San Jose is located, was 3.2. Nielsen has tabulated ratings on a daily basis in St. Louis since 1989, so figures for the Blues’ three Stanley Cup finals appearances (1968, ‘69 and ‘70) are not available. The top figure on record is 28.3, for Game 7 of a first-round series against Detroit in 1991. That telecast was on KPLR (Channel 11). Ratings Tuesday surged from 9-9:45 p.m., when the final period was played and the postgame celebration began. The average for the three 15-minute segments in that span was 24.6, with the peak stretch (9:30- 9:45) at 26.9. The Cup finals begin Monday, and Game 1 will be carried on NBC (KSDK, Channel 5 locally). NBCSN will have the next two contests, with the remainder on NBC. All finals games are set to start at approximately 7:10 p.m. ON THE CALLS Decades of frustration for Blues fans was somewhat alleviated Tuesday night. The team still hasn’t won an NHL title, but now has its best chance since 1970 — when it last made it to the championship round. And the play-by-play announcers on U.S. national television and the Blues’ radio network who broadcast the milestone victory that sent them back to the finals had similar calls as Tuesday’d contest wrapped up with the Blues winning 5-1. “There’s 10 seconds to go in the Western Conference final,” Blues radio voice Chris Kerber said, neatly setting the stage. “Seven remaining. And the St. Louis Blues, for the first time in 49 years, have done it! You can bring out the Zamboni! The Blues will go to the Stanley Cup final and face off against the Boston Bruins. A rematch FORTY-nine years in the making comes true in St. Louis tonight!” NBCSN’s Kenny Albert was thinking along the same lines: “For the first time in 49 years, the St. Louis Blues are heading to the Stanley Cup final!” he exclaimed, then the network’s cameras caught the celebration in the stands and on the ice. St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 05.23.2019 1106553 St Louis Blues put the Blues game on. They had it on, the kids were cheering — and they played 'Gloria' after the Blues won.

“I called her up afterward and said, 'Gracie, I'm so sorry I couldn't be Hochman: The Blues' organist, the KMOX voice, the PA announcer, the there tonight.' And she said: 'Dad — I wouldn't want you anywhere else.'” 'Chaser' – stories from Game 6 In the broadcast booth after the game, Kerber's phone buzzed with texts after texts. He couldn't get to them all — even the next day, they were Benjamin Hochman still coming in. But he spotted one text from his dad: Congratulations, very impressive. Great game, great call. … And how about that storm? Got the Cardinal game postponed, putting you on the Behind-the-scenes stories from those who were at Enterprise Center on big 50,000 watts. The series winner on KMOX — meant to be. Tuesday for the Blues' series-clinching victory. On Wednesday, Kerber was asked to put that moment of reading the text Kelly Chase, former Blue and forever a Blue into words. He paused and finally said: The old Blue walked down the same dark hallway he did as a player, the “I'll choke up if I try to answer that question right now.” hall that opened out to the white of this paradise of ice. Jeremy Boyer, Blues in-stadium organist Tuesday night, third period — it was almost happening. The Blues were about to advance to the Stanley Cup finals. Organist Jeremy Boyer plays for God and the Blues “I was standing right down here in the hallway (behind the bench), Boyer is well-versed in playing for players and prayers — he plays the looking up at the jumbotron — I wanted to experience being down at this organ at the Enterprise Center and at a church. ice level as close as I could without interfering,” said Chase, who played During the second intermission, the Blues in the lead, Boyer began eight seasons for the Blues — and then became a community mainstay playing Bon Jovi. after. “Because I wanted to hear the crowd at ice level. “I played 'Livin' On A Prayer,'” said Boyer, who is in his 12th season with "It's something you dream of us a kid. I just stood behind security and the team, “and everybody started singing along. And it kind of was like just soaked it all in. And then the guys were coming off, and for guys like everybody felt like that song – we're so close, we're halfway there, we're Alex Steen and Patrick Maroon, who I (helped) as a young player (in St. livin' on a prayer. It's a prayer that everyone has been throwing up for Louis) and got him playing. They knew how emotional it was and what it almost 50 years. Is it really going to happen? Everyone singing with the meant to me — and I appreciate them." organ was a very cool moment for me.” No. 39 wore a No. 38 pin over his heart. When the game ended, “Gloria” began blaring, but they soon stopped “Pavol Demitra,” Chase said of the former Blues star who died tragically Laura Branigan for a little more Jeremy Boyer. As the Campbell Bowl in 2001. was slowly walked onto the ice, “I got to play 'When The Blues Go Marching In,'” he said, “and that song goes back to the first time we were And in Chase's heart were the others the Blues had lost — , in the Stanley Cup final. It was exhilarating. Something you dream of as a Ron Caron, , Doug Wickenheiser and so many others. kid. For that moment to happen, it was surreal.” “Chaser” shared this moment with them. Tom Calhoun, PA announcer for Blues games When he saw , Chase began to cry. It was his 1,477th Blues game. Then Chase looked back up in the stands. He's worked for five different team ownerships. “It was emotional, and I could see people hugging each other in the stands and thinking — man, it just means a lot to them! ... We know how And on Tuesday night, following the 5-1 win, Calhoun announced: important it is to the city. ... "Western Conference Champions — the St. Louis Blues!” “Fifty-two years they haven't won a Cup, but every year the fans come “I've never been able to announce the word 'champions' in connection to out and they support us. And really all they demand is work-ethic — and the Blues in the 32 years I've been doing the PA, so it was awesome and showing that you care. And these guys, you can tell they care, and gratifying,” Calhoun said. “I was thinking of every single Blues fan at the they've gone above and beyond. For me, that's the most-special part of time, if that's possible. Because I wanted it to be perfect for them. what's going on in this city. There's a closeness that's different.” “After the game, (I saw) all of the other people who have worked for the Chris Kerber, voice of the Blues on KMOX radio team and for the building for so long, and they were so incredibly happy. High-fiving, hugging — champions by association. It was wonderful.” After broadcasting the moment his favorite team did something it never did before, Chris Kerber received a text message from his father. Boyer's music has accompanied Calhoun's in-game announcements for years. Lou Kerber is 76. His health is “OK,” his son shared. Lou doesn't go to the Blues games — he sits in his chair in the living room, listening to his “To finally go to the finals?” Boyer said. “You could hear it in his voice, I son do the radio play-by-play ... while watching the television broadcast felt like. ... I think he's always energetic — but I think he had a little extra on mute. oomph to his voice last night. A little extra life to it. When the Blues beat the Sharks, Chris Kerber announced: “And the St. "It was Western Conference champion-level. I think everybody kind of Louis Blues, for the first time in 49 years, have done it! You can bring out had that last night.” the Zamboni! The Blues will go to the Stanley Cup final and face off St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 05.23.2019 against the Boston Bruins. A rematch forty-nine years in the making comes true in St. Louis tonight!" It would've been a cool experience for any broadcaster — but then consider that Kerber is from St. Louis and grew up listening to the Blues on KMOX. On Tuesday night, not only did he get to narrate the moments to those he loved the most, but to thousands of strangers who don't consider him one, as Kerber is the person who brings their Blues to them. It was a tough night for Kerber, though — his daughter was also graduating from eighth grade. He really wanted to be there. “She was all excited,” Kerber said. “She had this dress that just makes her beautiful, as any dad would say, and she went with her Robby Fabbri Winter Classic jersey wrapped around the waist. “After the graduation ceremony they had a dance in the cafeteria. Earlier in the day, some of the kids pointed out the TVs and asked if they could 1106554 St Louis Blues there's room for all of these small players, but I don't think it's an accident. There's no space. They're heavy. They're hard. They're organized.” BenFred: 5 reasons the Blues finally broke through to the Stanley Cup And they hit. finals 2. Dynamic depth

Blues look to redeem in Game 4 Ben Frederickson Asked Tuesday night to recall his trade-deadline decision to make no major moves, Blues general manager Doug Armstrong explained his Yes, it really happened. reasons for sitting tight. No, you were not dreaming. “I didn’t want to displace any of our nine,” Armstrong said. “We believed in what (Oskar) Sundqvist was doing. We believed in (Ivan) Barbashev. Your St. Louis Blues are four wins away from their first Stanley Cup, four So, it just felt like this group had something going on. We felt they had wins away from that parade, four wins away from a curse cured. earned the right to see how far they could take it.” A tornado warning tried to stop them. Smart call. Like the Sharks and the Stars and the Jets, it failed. In this series, the Blues got goals from 12 different players. Twelve! Jaden Schwartz, who had the worst regular season of his career, paced These Blues changed coaches, changed goalies, and, in front of a sold- the group with four. Three Blues – Tyler Bozak, David Perron and out Enterprise Center crowd on a stormy Tuesday night, changed Vladimir Tarasenko – each had three. Ivan Barbashev and Oskar perceptions of an organization that had been blocked from the Stanley Sundqvist chipped in two a piece. Then six others came up with one, Cup finals since 1970. from Robert Bortuzzo’s game-winning backhand, to Brayden Schenn’s Game 6 drought-buster. The Blues’ third and fourth lines remain game- Hey buddy, they’re still here. And there, crying in the hallway near the changers, and the fourth line’s bottling up of the Sharks’ top line was a dressing room, was Kelly Chase, the man who first read that Blues major factor. A whopping 17 Blues scored a point in this series. rallying cry. And there was little Laila, the Blues’ superhero, interviewing Alexander Steen. And there was Bobby Plager in his playoff beard, Zoom out, and the depth is even more dramatic. Eighteen Blues have at celebrating for two. least one postseason goal. Twenty Blues have at least one postseason point. Twelve Blues have multiple postseason goals. Seventeen Blues A crowd of 18,684 assembled beneath a scary sky, and that's not have multiple postseason points. counting the mass at Ballpark Village. The hockey gods stirred over our downtown. Tornado sirens sounded. So? Those who could not be here Another example: Sundqvist, a fourth-liner, leads all Blues with a watched from their basements — if their reception didn't cut out. The postseason plus-minus of plus-7. Just don’t call him a fourth-liner. The storm calmed. The sirens stopped. Not long after the Blues scored the Blues have started refusing to label their lines, because each has such first goal of the game, the rain ceased. an important role. It would sound corny, except it’s actually true. Blues legends , Brett Hull and a long list of teary-eyed, “We play all four lines,” Tarasenko said Tuesday. “It's been every game. well-oiled alums tried to make sense of a 5-1 Blues win. Current Team wins. Everybody does their job really well. There's no one, two, Cardinals Adam Wainwright, Yadier Molina and Kolten Wong cheered three, four. It's just our team. We get four wins, we move on, and that's like Average Joes. Old friends Chris Long and David Freese popped up what matters.” on the big screen, stirring roars. It was a movie in real life, and it just now reached the best part. 3. Tarasenko Stepped Up “We’re not done, boys,” Blues coach Craig Berube told his men. Blues and Sharks square off in third round “Four more wins,” echoed Mr. Plager. When Tarasenko’s quiet Game 1 stirred questions about his postseason performance, both Berube and his star player had decisions to make. “There’s still one more opponent to beat,” Vladimir Tarasenko said. Berube could stick up for his player, or challenge him publicly. And Tarasenko had to decide how he would respond. Berube did a bit of both, "The big prize is still ahead of us," added general manager Doug praising Tarasenko’s ability but also asking him for more. The coach Armstrong. played it perfectly. So did Tarasenko, who ratcheted up his game, Boston beckons. The focus had shifted to the Bruins before last call at specifically his play away from the puck, and as a result broke through Enterprise Center. Here’s why the Blues are bound for Beantown . . . his scoreless spell. 1. Perfectly-Placed Physicality After the Sharks limited Tarasenko to one shot in Game 1, he averaged more than three shots per game over the following five games. He went Blues face Sharks in game 3 from scoring one goal in his last eight postseason games to scoring three goals and dishing four assists over the next five games. He was a plus-3 Let’s go back to Game 1 of these Western Conference Finals, when the player after Berube challenged him. Tarasenko's 16 hits in the series tied Sharks won and almost sneered at the Blues’ attempt to smear them in for fourth among Blues players. When No. 91 is active and shooting, the loss. High-scoring San Jose defenseman Erik Karlsson, a specific good things happen for the Blues. His coach pressed the right button, but target of the Blues due to his recent missed time with groin and leg Tarasenko deserves the credit for rising to the occasion and silencing the injuries, said in a post-game press conference that the Blues seemed conversation about his impact in big games. more interested in physicality than hockey. Some media members ran with the story. The Blues were too worried about being too physical! No, 4. Binnington is a cold-blooded closer they weren’t. While they made a point to shift their focus to hits and puck possession instead of just hits, the Blues never really scaled back their Blues and Sharks go for broke in game 6 of the semifinals intention of making San Jose physically uncomfortable. For the third time in as many postseason series, Blues rookie goalie It worked. The Sharks played Tuesday’s Game 6 without Karlsson, Jordan Binnington refused to allow more than two goals in any of the Tomas Hertl and captain Joe Pavelski. All had been knocked out of the series’ final three games. He now has a 7-2 record through the final three game because of hits delivered by the Blues, or because of injuries games of each round. He has stopped 235 of the 247 shots he’s faced in complicated from hits delivered by the Blues. The Blues out-hit the those games. During the Blues wins against the Sharks in Game 4, 5 and Sharks 208-182 through six games. And through the first four games, the 6, Binnington stopped 75 of 77 shots. Blues out-hit the Sharks 148-99. Alex Pietrangelo’s Game 5 hit on “He’s a real good goalie,” Sharks forward Joe Thornton said. Pavelski knocked him out of the series. Ivan Barbashev’s Game 5 hit on Hertl knocked him out of the series. The Blues were ruthless towards Ya think? Karlsson, who went from dismissing the physicality to grimacing on the bench in Game 5, and absent entirely in Game 6. Heat-seeking missile "You've got to realize what a great goaltender means to a hockey team," Sammy Blais had a series-high 31 hits. He was smashing someone Bob Plager said Tuesday. "Go back to our first years. Glenn Hall and every time you blinked. The Sharks broke down as the series aged. By Jacques Plante. Not bad. We went to three Stanley Cups. We had a the time they started hitting back, it was too late. good bunch of guys, but we had great goaltending. Our goaltenders, they gave us a chance to be in every game. When you are not playing good, “I think the two hardest, heaviest teams are in the final,” San Jose coach they gave us a chance to start playing good. This guy has done the same Pete DeBoer said Tuesday. “Everybody talks about skill and speed, and thing. Look at the third period. They had a lot of shots there at the end. We had a few, but we scored the goals. Our goalie (Binnington) gave us a chance to do that." 5. Hand pass? Blues moved past it Blues and Sharks square off in game 3 of the semifinals It could have broken them. Not long ago, something like the on-ice officials missing Timo Meier’s illegal hand pass before the Sharks’ game-winning overtime goal in Game 3 could have derailed the Blues. But Berube’s bunch has developed a habit of sidestepping potholes instead of wallowing in them. The Sharks, blessed with lots of luck during their run, got defensive after the non-call. The Blues simply shrugged it off and turned into a steamroller. They were 3-0 after the hand pass. They outscored the Sharks 12-2 after the missed call. “They found that hard character,” Armstrong said. It is this quality, a remarkable ability to turn the page, that has the Blues headed for Boston with room to improve an already amazing comeback story. St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 05.23.2019 1106555 St Louis Blues Brayden Schenn restored order for the home team six minutes later, when he gathered a rebound from the skates of Sharks goalie Martin Jones and scored just his second goal of this postseason. The two-goal Glorious! Blues go marching in to Stanley Cup finals after 49-year lead restored, it was only a matter of time before the Blues could see all absence the way to Boston. The Sharks outshot the Blues 10-0 over the first 12½ minutes of the third period, but then came goals by Tyler Bozak and an empty-netter for Ivan By Jim Thomas St. Louis Post-Dispatch Barbashev. A night that began with tornado warnings blaring around the arena ended with — what else? — “Gloria.”

Alumni on hand such as Brett Hull and Kelly Chase fought back tears. Stick taps to Glenn Hall and the Plager brothers, Jimmy Roberts and Ron With their newly-minted Western Conference championship hats in place, Schock. To and Noel Picard. Al Arbour, Terry Crisp, the Blues posed at center ice with the Clarence S. Campbell Bowl, which Jacques Plante — the whole crew from the infancy of St. Louis Blues goes to the Western champion. But none of them touched it — that’s bad hockey. luck. They laid the foundation and electrified this town a half-century ago with Who would have thought this possible? Stanley Cup finals appearances in each of the team’s first three years of existence. Fellas, you now have company. Just a year removed from being an organizational outcast in Providence — the AHL farm team of the Boston Bruins — Binnington was asked if he For the first time since 1970, the Blues are returning to the Cup finals. ever imagined he’d be in this spot a year a later. This town of toasted ravioli-crunching, pork steak-munching, Bud- guzzling Blues fans is electrified once more. “I wouldn’t have put money on it,” he said. The Blues — yes, the Blues — are playing for the Cup, winning the Six months ago, when soon to be non-interim coach Craig Berube took Western Conference finals four games to two with a 5-1 victory Tuesday over what looked like a sinking ship, he wouldn’t have put money on a over the San Jose Sharks at Enterprise Center. Stanley Cup appearance, either. “I don’t understand yet,” said Vladimir Tarasenko, whose power-play goal “No,” Berube said. “We were just trying to get on the right track then. late in the first period counts as the game-winner. “It’s obviously a pretty Once we got going though in January and February, I knew we had a big deal for us to get what we get. The feeling is we’re not done yet. good hockey team. We get in the playoffs and anything can happen. ... Credit to our players. They battled and they believed they were gonna “Really proud of the team how far we go, but there’s still one more make the playoffs and we made it. And now we’re here.” opponent to beat. It feels unbelievable. I’m not going to lie.” Here, but as Bobby Plager reminded, there’s work to be done. The last time the Blues made the Cup finals in 1970, they faced Bobby Orr and the Boston Bruins. Nearly a half-century later, they’re back in the “Four more wins, boys,” he told reporters. Cup and playing ... Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand, Tuukka Rask and the Boston Bruins in the Cup finals. Four more wins. Game 1 is Monday in Boston. St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 05.23.2019 Dead last in the 31-team NHL on Jan. 2, the Blues need four victories against Boston to complete their improbable worst-to-first journey. “I always thought this was possible when looking at this group,” said Ryan O’Reilly, the team’s unofficial regular-season MVP who had three assists Tuesday. “But having the struggles we had early in the year and then rallying to be here now, it’s amazing that we actually have a chance to win a Stanley Cup now.” They do. The Blues have never won a Stanley Cup. In fact, they’ve never even won a Stanley Cup game, getting swept by the Montreal Canadiens in 1968 and ‘69, and the Bruins in 1970. But as the clock wound down at Enterprise, and the crowd kept chanting “We want the Cup! We want the Cup!” all things seemed possible. “To go through what we went through this year is not easy,” said Alex Pietrangelo, who with an assist Tuesday set a Blues record for most points by a defenseman in one postseason (13). “I’m sure people questioned me (as captain) and questioned the group. “Sometimes you question yourself. But sometimes you have to lean on the people around you. They were nothing but supportive. When you have a group that’s as close as ours is — the hard times are hard, but you can have those hard and honest conversations with each other and we did that when things weren’t going well.” Things went well Tuesday. With rare exception, the Blues were in control against a San Jose team missing three injured mainstays: Erik Karlsson, Joe Pavelski and Tomas Hertl. The team that scored first won every game in this series, and on Tuesday it was David Perron on a tip-in of a Sammy Blais shot just 92 seconds into play. “I’ve never played in an atmosphere like that,” Blais said. “I think it was incredible at the end when they were singing, ‘We want the Cup!’ Everyone on the bench had chills and it was a great moment.” Tarasenko’s goal gave the Blues’ revived power-play unit a goal in the last four games of this series, and gave the Blues a 2-0 lead. But Dylan Gambrell made the Blues sweat for a while when he got behind the St. Louis defense for a mini-breakaway and beat Jordan Binnington with a high wrister at the 6:40 mark of the second period to cut the lead to 2-1. Gambrell, whose resumé includes only 11 regular-season NHL games, was in the lineup only because of the injuries to Pavelski and Hertl. 1106556 St Louis Blues

Schenn breaks his drought with a big goal for Blues

By Tom Timmermann St. Louis Post-Dispatch

When the puck went in, Brayden Schenn couldn't control himself. He let out a yell, put his back against the boards, threw his stick to the ice and was soon swamped in a sea of teammates. “That's a black hole moment,” Schenn said Tuesday night, standing in the hallway outside the Blues locker room after the conference-clinching 5-1 win over San Jose that is sending the Blues back to the Stanley Cup finals for the first time since 1970. “Whatever comes to your mind, that's what happens.” If Schenn was excited, so were his teammates and most of the 18,684 fans at Enterprise Center. San Jose had cut the Blues' lead to 2-1 and all of a sudden, the game was hanging in the balance. All it would take was one goal by the Sharks and the game would be even, and all the good vibes built up in the first 30 minutes of play would be gone. Instead, Schenn, with just his second goal of the playoffs, allowed everyone to breathe again. “That was a monumental goal to solidify it and say Hey, we're taking a lead back,” said center Ryan O'Reilly, “and he's worked so hard.” Brayden Schenn in the postseason has been like Jaden Schwartz in the regular season. Hard work and chances, but precious few goals. Prior to Tuesday night, Schenn had one playoff goal, albeit a big one: He had the goal that tied Game 5 of the Winnipeg series at 2-2. After that, 13 games without a goal. In that time, Schenn had been around the net, taking shots, making plays, but nothing was going in. “Hockey is just a weird game sometimes,” said Schwartz, an expert on the topic. “The pucks are going in, you get some bounces and sometimes, even though you're playing well, you're getting chances, they just don't go in. He was playing great, especially this series, working, getting around the net. So it's nice to see him get rewarded. That was a huge goal for us.” The goal, with 7:13 to go in the second period, came on the power play, which scored twice on Tuesday to be a big part of the difference in the game. Alex Pietrangelo took a shot from the blue line, and the rebound came to Schenn on the right of San Jose goalie Martin Jones. He pulled the puck away from Jones' pads with his stick and then shot it in, unleashing one of the most joyful expressions seen on ice in a series of good feelings for the Blues. “I've had chances, the opportunity has been there,” he said. “Getting a chance to play on the power play, I felt like I had to step up tonight and get one for the boys and it was nice to contribute. “It's just one of those things where it was a matter of time before it was going to go in and I got a bounce and a break and I was able to get one. … I'm an offensive guy. For me, I feel like, you want to step up and contribute and that's by scoring goals. I was happy to do it tonight.” For the Blues, they can only hope that goal for Schenn does what has happened to Schwartz, unleashing an offensive onslaught. Schenn has two goals and five assists in 19 playoff games, after having 17 goals and 37 assists in the regular season. Of the team's top line players, he's been the quietest, at least on the scoresheet. If he gets going, that's one more asset for the Blues to bank on. “I think he's been playing great hockey it's just the points, the goals have not come,” Berube said. “It's not from a lack of try and chances. He's getting lots of chances. So it was good to see him get that one tonight.” And even better if he can get some more. St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 05.23.2019 1106557 St Louis Blues happen.’ And when we did, we kind of got closer and then we were playing good. You’re like, ‘OK, we’re playing good and we have a lot of division games to play. Maybe we can make the playoffs.’ But up until Hochman: What a feeling for Blues' long-suffering fan base, from Plager that point, we might have been playing better, but the reality was — if we to Hullie to Laila didn’t win all those games, we just weren’t going to catch up.” And the next matchup couldn’t be sweeter. Of course, if the Blues had matched up with the Carolina Hurricanes, in whatever city those guys are Benjamin Hochman in, it would’ve been quite a big deal. But there’s something almost ceremonial about the possibility of St. Louis beating Boston to win its first Stanley Cup. They hugged and hugged and hugged, the squeezes squeezing out The Bruins, an “original six” team, were the opponent in the Blues’ most- tears. recent Stanley Cup finals. The NBA’s St. Louis Hawks won their only championship in 1958, when Bob Pettit and the boys beat the Boston There were Patrick Maroon and his brother, Jordan Binnington and his Celtics. The St. Louis Rams lost Super Bowl XXXVI to the New England father, Tom Stillman and an equipment guy, Kelly Chase and a cop, Patriots. And the St. Louis Cardinals have had numerous World Series Colton Parayko and 11-year-old Laila Anderson — who’s fighting a rare battles with the Boston Red Sox. disease and put Colton’s gift, a CONFERENCE CHAMPS hat, upon her bald head. Seemingly each generation of Cards fans have faced the Red Sox in the fall classic. In 1946, the Cards won on the famed “Mad Dash” by Enos “My dream is coming true,” Laila exclaimed. “We’re so close.” Slaughter; in 1967, Bob Gibson and “El Birdos” won it all; in 2004, the At 9:35 p.m. Tuesday, the fans inside Enterprise Center experienced a Cards were an amazing team, but the Red Sox made history and won it deafening delirium and it was glorious. For the first time since 1970, the all; in 2013, David Ortiz and Boston broke St. Louis hearts, yet again. Blues will play in the Stanley Cup finals. A couple stars of that 2013 team — Yadier Molina and Adam Wainwright For anyone in St. Louis under age 49, it’s a never-felt-it feeling. This was — were among the fans Tuesday at Enterprise Center. During Game 6, an emotion unlocked. You’ve experienced amazing, one-of-a-kind the ballplayers were interviewed on the jumbotron. “Waino” yelled into moments and different stages in your life. Earning your driver’s license, the microphone: “We want to see a Stanley Cup finals come to St. Louis!” graduating from high school, getting married. And now, you can refer to Well, it’s actually happening. that feeling from Tuesday — the time you felt something you never felt before as a Blues fan, that all-encompassing bliss, that unwavering, Dreams are coming true. irreversible feeling. St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 05.23.2019 St. Louis 5, San Jose 1. The Blues won Game 6. The Blues will play the Boston Bruins for the Stanley Cup. “I don’t know if I cried that much when I actually won,” said Brett Hull, the greatest Blue, who won his first Stanley Cup with Dallas. “And we still haven’t won anything yet. But it’s so exciting for this franchise and this city and the fans. . . . “The way they were playing (in Game 5), it was like there was no chance we were going to lose (Game 6). I saw (the team owner) Mr. Stillman before the game, and I was like: ‘Are you OK?’ He looked like he was scared to death. I go: ‘Tom, don’t worry! We have no chance of losing.’ “It was after the clock hit zero when, all of a sudden, the flood of emotions came. I saw Bob Plager and was like: ‘Oh my God!’ And I watched Kelly Chase out here crying.” The last day the Blues were in a Stanley Cup finals game, May 10, 1970, Bobby Orr scored and soared above the ice. Only four times since then had the Blues even advanced to the conference finals. And now, finally, the Stanley Cup finals. “It’s so special to be able to do this in this town,” said forward Alexander Steen, the longest-tenure current Blues player. “I don’t think people outside this city understand what a community we have here. It’s very special.” Some folks might compare the Blues’ fan base to the long-suffering followers of the Detroit Lions or Cleveland Indians, or those even of the Chicago Cubs before they ended their drought in 2016. However, here’s the thing about the Blues — those other teams have gone through long droughts where, very early in the season, it was known that the team was bad. But the Blues often have been, at least, pretty good. The longest stretch they have gone without making the playoffs is three years. They had a streak in which they made the postseason tournament every year for a quarter-century! Yet, not once in that span did they advance to the finals. An annual tease, annual tempting, annual torture. If you’re picking your poison, that might be more brutal than being a fan of a hopeless loser for long stretches in numerous generations. And, of course, this particular season was an emotional whirlwind, not one for the weak. On January 2, the St. Louis Blues had the fewest points in the . Asked when he truly thought they could turn this thing around, defenseman Jay Bouwmeester said: “Honestly, probably not until that streak and we won 10 games. Before that, you’re looking at the standings and are like, ‘Man, we’ve got to jump over a lot of teams. Unless we do something like (a crazy winning streak), it’s not going to 1106558 St Louis Blues Finally, Tom Stillman brought stability. “Mr. Stillman said, ‘Here, get us a winner, whatever it costs, whatever we have to spend to get it,’” Plager said. “We’ve done that.” Gordo: Blues' heroics wipe away decades of disappointment During their five-plus decades, the Blues have suffered much heartache, including Bob Gassoff’s fatal motorcycle wreck, the brain tumors that took down Barclay Plager and the cancer that claimed broadcaster Dan Jeff Gordon Kelly. “Barclay’s wife was up there, his kids,” Plager said of the alumni box. “A lot of tears up there.” When the Blues last met Boston in the Stanley Cup finals back in 1970, Bruins defenseman Bobby Orr finished them off with his Game 4 Doug Wickenheiser and Erik Johnson, two former first overall draft picks, overtime goal. suffered catastrophic knee injuries during team parties. Then there were the many management-inflicted wounds with bad trades. “We were the expansion team, they were the original six and Bobby Orr was pretty good that year,” noted Bob Plager, a mainstay of those early The team sent emerging goal-scorer Paul MacLean to Winnipeg for Blues. defenseman Scott Campbell, who quickly retired due to his asthma condition. And how about swapping Gilmour for Mike Bullard? Yeah, Orr famously went airborne with his iconic celebration — slightly aided by Dougie had some off-ice issues, but come on. Noel Picard’s trip — and the Blues slowly sank into decades of soul- sapping frustration. Can you imagine sacrifice a young Rod Brind’Amour to get Ron Sutter and Murray Baron? Or moving Chris Pronger for and Now the Blues are finally back up on the big stage, bidding for their first scraps? Cup. They advanced by eliminating the San Jose Sharks 5-1 in Game 6 of the Western Conference finals in a frenzied Enterprise Center. There are so many colorful memories! But now Tarasenko, Brayden Schenn, Ryan O’Reilly and Jordan Binnington are getting the opportunity Fans waited nearly five decades for this chance and endured many , , Bernie Federko and Mike Liut never got. numbing setbacks. So their persistent chant of “We want the Cup!” Tuesday night was understandable. “We want do it for the city, one more round,” defenseman Colton Parayko said. “Let’s keep going.” “This city and what’s gone on here ... you look up at the screen and you see Yadi (Molina) here, the baseball players here with their Blues St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 05.23.2019 sweater on,” Plager said amid the postgame celebration. “We went to the finals a few times, I didn’t see any Cardinals with the Blues sweater on. They’ve taken this city.” Just a few months ago, fans feared this team would cause more exasperation. This talent-laden squad underachieved under fretful coach Mike Yeo and it was slow to respond when Craig Berube replaced him. Then, when you least expected it, the Blues pulled together and began their long climb up the standings and into the bracket. They upset Winnipeg in six games, outlasted Dallas in seven and then dispatched the Sharks to avenge their loss in the 2016 conference finals. “We built for a long time, over the years, to get this opportunity,” Blues captain Alex Pietrangelo said. The Blues won the last two games of the series by a combined score of 10-1. They looked very capable of taking the fight to Boston in the Cup finals. “They have a hard team, a hard team to play against,” winger Vladimir Tarasenko said of the Bruins. “We have a hard team, too.” Back in the late '60s, Blues fans must have believed their team would always be in the hunt. It was the best of the NHL’s six new teams, loaded with well-respected veterans. The Blues advanced out of the expansion bracket to the Cup finals in their first three years, only to get swept by Montreal twice and Boston once. Then the NHL blended the expansion teams with the Original Six teams to balance the conferences. The easy path to the Cup finals vanished and the Blues spent the better part of five decades battling to stay relevant and, at times, stay in business. Through all of their travails, the Blues employed some of the greatest hockey minds: Lynn Patrick, Scotty Bowman, Al Arbour, Cliff Fletcher, Jimmy Devellano, , , , Joel Quenneville and Ken Hitchcock. The Blues also featured many of the league’s all-time scorers, including Wayne Gretzky, Adam Oates, Doug Gilmour, Dale Hawerchuk, Brett Hull, Brendan Shanahan, Pierre Turgeon, Al MacInnis, Peter Stastny and Phil Housley. But ownership instability became a recurring theme. Sid Salomon Jr. was an awesome expansion owner, but his son Sid Salomon III let things slide. Ralston Purina picked up the pieces, but eventually shut down the franchise after the NHL blocked its sale to Saskatoon investors. Harry Ornest swooped in, slashed costs and unleashed the family dog in the bowels of The Arena. Mike Shanahan’s group rescued the team and spent record-setting dollars to add star power to the franchise. But in time those money guys fired Shanahan, then bailed themselves. Bill and Nancy Laurie came along, lost millions and bailed. The Dave Checketts group came along, ran out of money and bailed. 1106559 St Louis Blues “With Dunn out of the lineup, Eddie’s a good choice,” coach Craig Berube said. “Eddie’s got some good power-play skills actually. He makes some good plays out there on the power play. He’s got a pretty good shot.” Three top players missed Game 6 for Sharks There were a few times earlier in the season when Berube told Edmundson to be ready to go on the ice on the power play because Pietrangelo or Colton Parayko needed a breather when rolling up the By Tom Timmermann St. Louis Post-Dispatch heavy minutes they often do. “At the moment I was pretty happy that they kept those guys out there,” Edmundson said, “but now that I’ve got a few reps in today and watched some video, I’m pretty comfortable now.” The San Jose Sharks were without their top two goal scorers in the St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 05.23.2019 regular season and one of their top defensemen for Game 6 against the Blues on Tuesday night at Enterprise Center. Defenseman Erik Karlsson and forwards Tomas Hertl and Joe Pavelski sat out Game 6 for San Jose, as injuries old and new kept the trio out of the crucial game. Pavelski had 38 goals and Hertl had 35 for the Sharks, and Hertl had nine goals in the first two rounds of the playoffs before being held to one by the Blues in the first five games. Karlsson, a two-time Norris Trophy winner, has been battling leg and groin injuries all season and left Game 5 in the second period. He was questionable going into that game, but coach Peter DeBoer took a chance on playing him, a gamble that didn’t pay off when Karlsson, who missed some shifts late in Game 4, couldn’t continue. Hertl, who was second on the Sharks in points with 74 in the regular season, was injured in the second period of Game 5 after a hit by Ivan Barbashev in the neutral zone. Neither made the trip to St. Louis. Pavelski made the trip, and DeBoer said he would be a game-time decision, but when the Sharks came out for pregame warm-ups, Pavelski wasn’t there. Dylan Gambrell, who played in eight games for the Sharks in the regular season and one in the playoffs, and Marcus Sorensen, who had played every playoff game before Game 5, stepped in for Hertl and Pavelski, and Tim Heed, who played 37 games in the regular season, replaced Karlsson. COME AND GET ME In the third period of Game 5, the Sharks sent out forward Micheal Haley apparently for the sole purpose of going after Alex Pietrangelo. He repeatedly crosschecked Pietrangelo and got an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty and a 10-minute misconduct. “I don’t know (why), do you have the answer?” Pietrangelo said. “I have no idea. I don’t know, I’ll take that as a compliment, I guess. I guess they think I have an impact on the game. They can run at me all they want. ... If I’ve got to take a few hits to get this team to win, it’s OK with me.” As to a hit on Pavelski that knocked him out of Game 6, Pietrangelo said: “I don’t know what he left with. That’s tough because we kind of got sandwiched between the ref, so I don’t know. I honestly don’t. I hit him and then I looked down and he went off the ice, and I went back to play.” POWER ED Defenseman Joel Edmundson, whose power-play time had been largely limited to going onto the ice with a few seconds to play when teams are about to go back to even strength, has been logging regular power-play time in the playoffs. In Game 4, Edmundson played 1:20 on the power play, and in Game 5 he played 3:06 in a game in which the Blues had a man advantage for 9:22. The move was brought on by two events — the injury to defenseman Vince Dunn in Game 3 and the Blues giving up a shorthanded goal and another goal to a player right out of the penalty box in Game 2. “I enjoy it,” Edmundson said. “It’s obviously a new thing for me. I played a bit in juniors, but over the past five years there hasn’t been much power- play time. Just watching some video, talking to my unit, figuring out where I should be, what I should do. It’s still a learning process. I’m just trying to be out there and keep it simple.” One of Edmundson’s responsibilities on the power play is to make sure there aren’t any more short-handed goals for the opposition. “Absolutely,” he said. “That’s the main reason I’m out there. Throughout the playoffs, we’ve been having too many odd-man rushes when they’re on the penalty kill. I’m out there as a safety valve. I just want to keep it simple and get pucks on net and let the forwards bury it.” 1106560 St Louis Blues

Broadcasters Kerber, Albert have similar calls on Blues' milestone victory

By Dan Caesar St. Louis Post-Dispatch May 22, 2019

Nearly a half century of frustration for Blues fans was somewhat alleviated Tuesday night when the team beat San Jose to reach the Stanley Cup finals. The Blues still haven't won an NHL title, but now have their best chance since 1970 — when they last made it to the championship round. And the play-by-play announcers on U.S. national television and the Blues' radio network who broadcast the milestone victory had similar calls as the game wrapped up. "There's 10 seconds to go in the Western Conference final," Blues radio voice Chris Kerber said, neatly setting the stage. "Seven remaining. And the St. Louis Blues, for the first time in 49 years, have done it! You can bring out the Zamboni! The Blues will go to the Stanley Cup final and face off against the Boston Bruins. A rematch forty-nine years in the making comes through in St. Louis tonight!" NBCSN's Kenny Albert was thinking along the same lines: "For the first time in 49 years, the St. Louis Blues are heading to the Stanley Cup final!" he exclaimed, then the network's cameras caught the celebration in the stands and on the ice. St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 05.23.2019 1106561 St Louis Blues TIME TO Are you excited the St. Louis Blues are in the Stanley Cup Finals? Social BE media sure is A

ST. BY JASON KOCH MAY 22, 2019 10:53 AM LOUIS

BLUES Blues open a best-of-seven playoff series against the San Jose Sharks at 7 p.m. Sunday at Scottrade Center. FAN “Gloria” goes a long way. — Big Rig Maroon (@NotPatMaroon) May 22, 2019 St. Louis and the metro-east are celebrating the Blues victory in the Oh, one last reminder of just how far this Blues team came this season: Western Conference Finals on Tuesday, and plenty of people were The St. Louis Blues are headed to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time reacting on social media. since 1970. Even the official Twitter account for Laura Branigan, her hit song used by They enter 0-12 all-time in Stanley Cup Final games, having been swept the Blues this season, is getting in on the fun. in 1968, 1969, & 1970. “Sending out to @StLouisBlues, Blues fans, the city of St. Louis, & On Jan. 3, the Blues had the fewest points in the NHL and were 300-1 to beyond in the US as well as Laura’s international fan base that have win the Stanley Cup. pic.twitter.com/TpfVzItYRe been riding this Blues & “Gloria” wave also!” along with a link to Branigan’s live performance of the Blues theme song. — ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) May 22, 2019 Branigan died in 2004, but her famous song has the Blues headed to the Here are a few more excited fans ready for the Blues to bring the Cup to Stanley Cup Finals. St. Louis: Sending out to @StLouisBlues, Blues fans, the city of St. Louis, & PLAY GLORIA!!!! beyond in the US, as well as Laura's international fan base that have been riding this Blues & "Gloria" wave also! ~ Kathy Golik, Other Half FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 49 YEARS, THE ST. LOUIS BLUES WILL Enter. Laura Branigan Gloria "Live" https://t.co/t60EKeFtzg via PLAY FOR THE STANLEY CUP @YouTube WE ARE 4 WINS AWAY — Laura Branigan (@laurabranigan) May 21, 2019 LET’S GO BLUES!!! pic.twitter.com/TRKsZnVEqJ jumped in with a congratulations, too: — x - Josh Hyman (@joshhymanNHL) May 22, 2019 Congratulations, St. Louis #Blues! A handpass. Just a reminder: THIS is their most recent moment in the Stanley Cup A premature carved Joe Thornton statue carved by Pierre McGuire. Finals. pic.twitter.com/5ar0afpmny NBC Sports Network. — Keith Olbermann (@KeithOlbermann) May 22, 2019 A tornado. And some of the youngest fans also had a great time celebrating the team’s win: Massive disbelief from outside STL. I first met Laila this past year at the St. Louis Children's Hospital during NOTHING could stop these St. Louis Blues. the Blues annual Christmas visit. Laila has always been their biggest supporter and they've always rallied around her. It was so special to see Kind of cool. #stlblues them celebrating together tonight. @KMOV #stlblues pic.twitter.com/9Bb0KewZ4t — Dan Buffa (@buffa82) May 22, 2019 — Brooke Grimsley (@BrookeGrimsley) May 22, 2019 The St. Louis Blues have won the Western Conference and have advanced to the Stanley Cup Finals. For some fans, the line of storms that pounded the St. Louis region just WEEEEEEEEEEEEEE as the puck dropped did little to dampen their enthusiasm. Everyone in Missouri is worried about this storm tonight. SLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP The only storm hitting Missouri is the one that the St. Louis Blues have INNNNNNNNNNNN been building up for 49 years. JUUUUUUUUUUUUUULY!!!!!! pic.twitter.com/YHSMBwKFrm It’s time to do damage. It’s time to make history. It’s time to make it to the — Joey Palazzola (@Palazzola_RTN) May 22, 2019 Stanley Cup. I can’t get this quote from @Bozie42 out of my head from the off-season. — Big Rig Maroon (@NotPatMaroon) May 21, 2019 “I want to win a Cup. So damn bad. That’s why I signed in St. Louis. I keep trying to think of the perfect tweet to describe this Blues' season There’s your headline. Print it.” and I've deleted it 25 times now. You really can't describe the year that team had so to hell with it: Play Gloria, bring on the Bruins and destroy I love Boz Lightyear. Do it Blues.#stlblues your liver tonight, St. Louis. — Parayko’s Broken Stick (@Paraykosstick) May 21, 2019 — Anthony Stalter (@AnthonyStalter) May 22, 2019 He introduced me to St Louis Blues hockey as a kid. Has been going to And do you remember team dog BarClay? games with me for years. No one I would rather have been at the game with last night. Thanks for being the best dad. @… The St. Louis Blues got a team dog and are now in the Stanley Cup https://t.co/4RDFcjaksE Final. If you think that is a coincidence you're out of your damn mind pic.twitter.com/cWJjFQ1BXC — Joe Barbieri (@stlbarbieri) May 22, 2019 — Brandon Murphy (@2Murphy8) May 22, 2019 Belleville News-Democrat LOADED: 05.23.2019 But at the end of the day, it was this tweet that summed up the fan reaction on Twitter: WHAT A 1106562 St Louis Blues

St. Louis fan could win $100,000 if Blues are crowned Stanley Cup champions

BY PETE GRATHOFF

The St. Louis Blues defeated the San Jose Sharks 4-2 in the Western Conference Finals to reach the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time in 49 years. It’s rare when a sports fan has a chance to make some serious money if their favorite team wins a championship. But Scott Berry of St. Louis is set to win $100,000 if the Blues beat the Boston Bruins and win the Stanley Cup for the first time. In January, the Blues had the fewest points in the NHL and now they’re four wins from being crowned as the league’s best team. Coincidentally, Berry was in Las Vegas in January, as he told ESPN, and made a $400 bet on the Blues to win the Stanley Cup Final. Berry got 250-to-1 odds at the Caesars sportsbook at Paris Las Vegas and stands to win $100,000. “I bet with the heart on this one,” Berry told ESPN. “Before I hit my flight I decided that had I been here gambling I probably would’ve lost around $500, so I pulled that out of the bank account. My max withdrawal was $500, so that was all I could take out. I put $100 on the Cardinals at 15-1 and dumped the rest on the Blues.” Not long after, the Blues caught fire, winning 11 straight games to shoot up the standings. They made the playoffs and beat Jets, Stars and Sharks in the postseason. Darren Rovell of the Action Network said Berry has been offered money for his ticket from PropSwap, which buys betting tickets when the outcome has yet to be determined. Scott Berry (middle) got a $12,000 offer at @PropSwap for his Stanley Cup ticket. He said no. He got a $30,000 offer. He said no. Tonight, he got a $40,000 offer and he said no. His $400 ticket on the Blues to win the title is worth $100,000 if they can win four more. pic.twitter.com/qYbPZtYVkB — Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) May 22, 2019 Berry told Rovell that he texted his friends after placing the bet. Berry’s friend Brendan Chapel, who was in Las Vegas, put down $200 on the Blues to win. Chapel’s wife had urged him not to make the bet. But now? “She’s now the biggest bandwagon Blues fan,” Chapel told Rovell. Belleville News-Democrat LOADED: 05.23.2019 1106563 St Louis Blues 5. Kevin McDonald is GM of the Blues’ AHL affiliate, the San Antonio Rampage, and he’s also a pro scout. A resident of North Andover, Mass., he scouts plenty of Bruins games at TD Garden every season, and the ‘A bit of our twin’: 11 things for Bruins fans to know about the St. Louis Lawrence, Mass. native graduated from St. John’s Prep. He also worked Blues as a scout for the New York Rangers. McDonald has worked with the Blues for the last 16 seasons.

6. Oh, Glen Wesley. Now working as a development coach for the Blues, By Joe McDonald May 22, 2019 the former defenseman was selected by the Bruins in the first round (No. 3 overall) of the 1987 NHL Draft. He helped the Bruins reach the Stanley Cup final in 1988 and 1990, but Boston lost to the Edmonton Oilers both times. He scored some timely goals during his career in Boston. The St. Louis is a big team. The Blues play a physical game. Their attack is moment he’s most remembered for, however, is the shot he missed in relentless, and there’s little room for error. They’re deep and can roll four Game 1 against the Oilers in 1990. He had a wide-open net in overtime, lines. Defensively, they are strong and solid. Their goaltending has been but his shot sailed over the crossbar. Edmonton won that game in outstanding, too. overtime and eventually took the series. Fortunately for Wesley, he won Come to think of it, that sounds a lot like the Boston Bruins. a Stanley Cup with the Carolina Hurricanes in 2006. So, when the puck drops for Game 1 of the Stanley Cup final between St. 7. Former Bruins forward Rob DiMaio is the director of player personnel Louis and Boston on Monday at TD Garden, expect an all-out battle from for the Blues. He spent parts of four seasons in Boston from 1996-2000. start to finish. He recorded 35 goals and 62 assists for 97 points in 272 games for the Bruins. He also played for the Islanders, Lightning, Flyers, Stars, “I expect the games will be low-scoring, more physical. I think they are a Rangers and Hurricanes. bit of our twin,” explained Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy. 8. Former Bruins forward Tim Taylor is the director of player personnel There are many connections between the two organizations, so here’s a and a pro scout for the Blues. He played two seasons in Boston (1997- cheat sheet ahead of the Stanley Cup final. 99) and posted 24 goals and 18 assists for 42 points in 128 games. 1. Let’s start with the obvious: It was 49 years ago the last time the Blues 9. Keith Tkachuk never played for the Bruins, but the Melrose, Mass., played in a Stanley Cup final. They lost to the Bruins in somewhat native is a pro scout for the Blues and played nine seasons in St. Louis. dramatic fashion with the image of Bobby Orr flying through the air in a moment known as “The Goal.” One cool aspect of that moment that fans 10. Current Blues television analyst and former NHL goalie Darren Pang might forget is the fact that No. 4 scored the fourth goal of the game in was a teammate of Cassidy’s when the two played for the Chicago the fourth period (overtime) at the 40-second mark, and was tripped by Blackhawks. Blues defenseman Noel Picard, who also wore No. 4. 11. After finishing his playing career with the Dallas Stars, Bruins GM Cassidy, a lifelong Bruins fan, had a few interesting pieces of Don Sweeney served as a scout for that organization under then-GM memorabilia hanging on his wall when he was a kid. Doug Armstrong, who is the current GM of the Blues. “I used to deliver the paper (Ottawa Citizen) as a kid, and I cut it out and The Athletic LOADED: 05.23.2019 it was on my wall,” Cassidy said of the iconic Orr photo. “By the time I took it down, it was yellow. I had his hockey card, too, when he had all the trophies behind him. Those were on my wall, and maybe a Farrah Fawcett poster.” 2. The Bruins helped develop Blues rookie goalie Jordan Binnington. St. Louis drafted him in the third round (No. 88 overall) in 2011. Last season, he refused an assignment to the ECHL, so Blues GM Doug Armstrong spoke with Bruins assistant GM John Ferguson and the sides agreed on a deal where St. Louis would loan Binnington to the Providence Bruins. Under the watchful eye of Bruins goaltending coaches Mike Dunham and Bob Essensa, Binnington posted a 17-9-0 record, a 2.05 goals-against average and a .926 save percentage in 28 games for Providence. Current Bruins defenseman Connor Clifton and Binnington were teammates there. “I’d like to think it will help,” Cassidy said of the team’s scouting report on Binnington. “Goalie Bob (Essensa) knows him from Providence, so there’s a little extra there. I don’t think it’ll affect Binnington much (because) he’s playing well. I’m sure he’s going to be on his game even though we might have a little more inside information than San Jose did … hopefully we can expose him.” 3. The David Backes storyline during the Cup final will be one to pay attention to. The former Blues captain said this is bittersweet for him playing against his former team. He spent 10 seasons in St. Louis before signing as an unrestricted free agent with the Bruins in 2016. “The stars have aligned for this to be one heck of an event, and we’re just going to embrace it,” Backes said. “We’re going to throw everything we have out there every shift, every moment of every game. I love this group, and I wouldn’t want to be in the finals with any other group. I believe in this group.” 4. Bill Armstrong is the assistant general manager and director of scouting for the Blues. His background with the Bruins is significant. As a 6-foot-5, 220-pound defenseman, he played three separate stints with Providence. He was a player/assistant coach for the AHL team the season it won the Calder Cup in 1999 under the guidance of then-coach Peter Laviolette. After two seasons as an assistant, Armstrong served as coach for two seasons (2000-02). He joined the Blues organization as an amateur scout in 2004 and was promoted to director of amateur scouting in 2010. He was responsible for drafting impact players like Colton Parayko, Binnington, Joel Edmundson and Sammy Blais. Armstrong was promoted to assistant GM last summer and is a strong candidate to be a future NHL GM. 1106564 St Louis Blues Combine those things with the roster sporting three locals in Charlie Coyle, Matt Grzelcyk and Chris Wagner and bam, you’ve got some pretty good stories, Boston. Bourne: Stories matter and the Blues are on the precipice of writing one The reality is most of these stories are plain, obvious and generally of the great ones interesting, so the B’s will likely earn the backing of casual fans (note: I exclude the more hardcore fans here, who know enough to not wish any more success on the sports fans of Boston). The Bruins stories are to By Justin Bourne May 22, 2019 history what Pixy Stix are to sugar – mostly lacking in nuance. “Local boys make good” is straight sugar.

If you want to poo-poo the Bruins story, you might say “ho-hum, a core of For those who live under a rock, and were thereby able to avoid this little good players played well, they’ve been hanging around for years and bit of information, Sunday’s Game 5 between St. Louis and San Jose happened to get a good run of goaltending, that wasn’t that exciting.” And was followed that same evening by the finale of the cultural phenomenon maybe if you’re not from Boston, you’d add one more dose of “And oh “Game of Thrones.” For those of you non-watchers (or maybe it’s yeah, screw Boston and their fans and their stupid run of winning.” singular non-watcher at this point. Catch up already, DAVE from Peoria), the finale featured a good deal of Tyrion Lannister, who at one point But that sounds like more a finding a reason for the sake of it. delivered a line that likely resonated with all sports fans. The idea he put forth was simple: “stories matter.” A 2019 St. Louis Blues Stanley Cup victory means … Fans already know that. That’s essentially why so many of us are still Using the same method we have above – taking a glance at the most invested at this time of the season, even when our favourite teams have obvious storylines – there doesn’t seem to be quite as many readily been eliminated. We’d at least like to see how this story ends. available Pixy Stix there past Patrick Maroon (which is arguably the best of the four “local boy makes good” tales). David Perron’s been back a This year’s iteration of the playoffs has at times diverged from the NHL’s few times, and would be rewarded for that loyalty. Good for Alex more common storylines of yore, which for the past decade have been Pietrangelo, he’s a nice player. Way to prove ‘em wrong Vladdy acted out by the same main characters. You’ve had your Toews and your Tarasenko. Great run, Jaden Schwartz, what a performance Jordan Kanes, there’s been Crosbys and Malkins, and that shadowy Ovechkin Binnington. villain has commonly lurked somewhere in and around the thick of the best plots. For awhile, and quite fittingly here, the plot even included Maybe those surface-level points don’t hint at the type of show you’d Kings, who spent years rising to the throne before losing it, reclaiming it, want to binge-watch, but let’s talk more about the organization as a before finally being dethroned and cast into the league’s dungeon where whole, their fans, and of course, the players currently writing the Blues they reside today. latest and potentially greatest story. It’s more of a tiramisu than the straight dope. But this year’s playoffs introduced us to a whole host of new characters. Since their traits and tendencies were largely unknown to most casual First, the organization. This is a team that’s been through the wringer, viewers, followers had to spend a little time getting know them. Before from making and losing three finals in their first three seasons (back most of the major battles were fought I wrote a couple of articles around when an expansion team was going to make the final regardless), to those “outsiders'”expected arrival. One predicted their presence (and almost leaving in the 80’s, to having their greatest rosters hampered just potential conquest) in the finale and one admonished the league’s enough to steal their best chances at glory. If the whole world wanted to showrunners for not better introducing those characters earlier in this or see Joe Thornton rewarded for his sticktoitiveness, wait until you hear previous seasons. In the end, those challengers fell and only the Bruins about basically every single Blues fan. Most of these people should be and Blues remain. eligible for the Bill Masterton Trophy at this point. At this point I find myself contemplating: Of the two combatants Let’s do a brief rundown on some franchise moments from Blues history remaining, which has the better story left to be told? in Coles Notes fashion, then move it to present day. For this, I’ve reached out to our Blues beat reporter, the excellent Jeremy Rutherford At a glance, the more interesting story seems to come from the team with for help. (Also, read his great piece on the Blues moving on here.) What the players we know best, the Bruins. Let’s first take a look at how the follows are his notes, followed by my own reactions. history books would read were they to be victorious, then see if the Blues couldn’t produce a better tale. On the St. Louis Blues throughout the years: A 2019 Boston Bruins Stanley Cup victory means … 1. They let go of four coaches who went on to win the Stanley Cup elsewhere (Scotty Bowman, Al Arbour, Jacques Demers, Joel A Bruins Cup would add immeasurably to the legend of their current Quenneville). three-man core. The respect they currently have around the hockey world may vary individually (I think you know what I mean by that), but as Well, that’s kinda awkward. If you’re listing the best NHL coaches in the a group, few are held in higher esteem. The thing is, if they don’t win at history of the game, you may have three of them right there. this point, that will mean that the Blues did, and this Bruins core would 2. They were a threat to move to Saskatoon in 1983 when Ralston Purina then most likely finish with one total Cup, which … which is very good! didn’t want to own the team anymore. With the club in limbo, they didn’t That’s really very good. But there are a fair number of people with one attend the draft and had no picks in ’83. Cup. To be at the center of two Cups, particularly two Cups this far apart with such wildly varied rosters around them, well, wow. That would be a They didn’t attend the draft in 1983, the year names like Steve Yzerman, truly incredible feat, an achievement that would launch this group into a Cam Neely and Dominik Hasek were drafted. Got it. rarified tier and they’d be a part of any conversation regarding “best team cores.” 3. One of the franchise highlights was the Monday Night Miracle in 1986, rallying from a 5-2 deficit against Calgary in Game 6 of the conference With a Cup win the legacy of Tuukka Rask goes from being a great final in the third period and winning 6-5 in OT on Doug Wickenheiser’s goaltender who managed to get one as a backup, to the type of goalie goal. They played Game 7 in Calgary, with the winner headed to that could lead a team to a championship. David Backes has put in a Montreal for the Stanley Cup final. When they lost 2-1 to the Flames, long, physical career and his move to the Bruins would be instantly cheapskate owner Harry Ornest canceled a rare charter flight, forcing validated (if the dollars and cents didn’t already do that). The city of Bernie Federko and a team secretary to put commercial flights for all the Boston itself could add another trophy to their ridiculous, impossible run players on their credit card. in major sports, where they just … win everything. Seriously, it’s getting ridiculous. On top of that, Bruce Cassidy could win his first, which would “You missed the Cup final by a goal in Game 7, find your own way cement him as one of the best current coaches. home.” That’s the depths this organization has climbed out of to reach this point. GM Don Sweeney came in with a lot to do in terms of adding prospects and modernizing the Bruins roster and at first, the results were spotty. 4. The Blues signed Scott Stevens and gave Washington FIVE first- There were the bold Milan Lucic and Dougie Hamilton trades, the dicey round draft picks as compensation. They had Stevens for one year. After signing of Matt Beleskey and Backes, the whiffs at the 2015 Draft and signing Brendan Shanahan from New Jersey, the Blues had to give the trading Reilly Smith for Jimmy Hayes. But he’s gotten better with time Devils compensation and offered Curtis Joseph and Rod Brind’Amour. and he’s now rolling out a roster that can obviously beat any team on any But the arbitrator, Judge Houston, instead gave Stevens to the Devils. given night – were they to get it done, the proof would be in the pudding Imagine how giving up five first rounders for a defenceman would go over and any questionable transaction would be regarded as nothing more today, then imagine the backlash that would come when they take an than hiccups along the way. action that costs them said player after one year. ONE! 5. In the early 1990s, the Brett Hull/Adam Oates magic was short-lived, 4. On Jan. 3, they had the fewest points in the NHL (34), and while they when Oates wanted to renegotiate his contract multiple times. The Blues had some games in hand, they were essentially in last place. They would instead traded him to Boston for Craig Janney and the Blues’ magic 1-2 become, I think, the seventh team in NHL history to be in last place after punch was no more. Jan. 1 and make the playoffs. They became the first team to be in last place after Jan. 1 and win a playoff series. With all the talent that was almost on the Blues at the same time, you can start to see how deep the pain runs. In the month between Jan. 22 and Feb. 20 the Blues played 11 times, which offered up 22 points. They picked up … 22 of those. They didn’t 6. In 1996, the Blues had a good team with Grant Fuhr in net, playing a just get better, they stormed from the basement and gave themselves a record 79 games. But he played just two in the playoffs, leaving the first- realistic shot to win the division in the season’s final days. Even though round series against Toronto with a knee injury after a “collision” with they fell short, things turned out OK. Nick Kypreos. Blues fans still hate Kypreos. The Blues beat the Leafs, but with Jon Casey in net, they lost to Detroit in the conference semifinals 5. Jordan Binnington arrived in early January and saved the season. (Hi, with Steve Yzerman scoring the game-winner in double OT. Bourne here. I need you to turn in to this part, it’s pretty crazy.) He was fourth on the goalie depth chart at the start of the year (Jake Allen, Chad Again: the Blues are the almostiest almost team that’s ever almost’d. Johnson, Ville Husso), and the year before had been loaned out to 7. The Blues could have re-signed Wayne Gretzky, but Mike Keenan Providence because the Blues didn’t have a primary affiliate and were alienated Gretzky, who left for New York. forced to loan him out to the Bruins’ affiliate. Binnington won nine straight starts at one point and I believe 15 of 18 starts. He had the famous “Do I Hmm, “Gretzky,” eh. Rings a bell. I think his brother was almost GM of look nervous?” comment when asked about his nerves during a lot of the Oilers or something? close games. 8. The Blues didn’t want to re-sign Hull, so they let him go to free agency. Binnington was loaned out to the Bruins affiliate a season ago, I love He couldn’t win a Cup in St. Louis, but won one in Dallas and one in that. This is my second favorite player storyline from the Blues. How Detroit. insane is it to get plugged into an NHL roster as a rookie on a team that’s in the basement, and to nonchalantly throw them on your shoulders for a Ouch. march to the Cup? This whole organizational story is a non-story without this story. 9. The Blues won the Presidents’ Trophy with 114 points in 1999-2000 but were beaten in the first round by San Jose. 6. The Blues could have won Central Division all the way up to the final day of the regular season, but Nashville grabbed the title and Winnipeg I think the story sets up beautifully for them to avenge one of their biggest finished second. The Blues opened in Winnipeg and won the first two playoff disappointments ever in the Conference Final, then go on to face games at MTS Place. They lost Games 3-4 at home, but and then trailed the team they last faced – and lost to – in the Cup final to complete their Game 5 in Winnipeg 2-0 entering the third period. The tied the game with journey. about eight minutes left in regulation and Jaden Schwartz won it with 15 10. The Blues were for sale in 2006 and the firm that coordinated the seconds left in regulation. They went 3-0 at MTS Place in that series and sale felt it was in the team’s best interest if they cleared the books of big have been phenomenal on the road (at Winnipeg, Dallas, San Jose). contracts, so they traded Chris Pronger to Edmonton for a bag of hockey In 41 home games this season, the Jets lost at home 12 times. The pucks. Blues went in there, in the midst of the playoff madness and just outright If you trade Chris Pronger in his prime you … you should feel bad about snatched three huge wins. Apparently Binnington’s “Do I look nervous” yourself. That is all. comment that so clearly requires a “no” response can apply to their entire team. By now, you’re either convinced this organization and their fans have been through it to the point of deserving their happy ending, or you’re 7. Pat Maroon was on the way out earlier this season, likely traded or frankly just not a very nice person. It’s OK to be honest with yourself waived. But the team turned their season around, Maroon played better, there. and in Game 7 against Dallas in the second round, the St. Louis native scored the game-winner in double-OT for his hometown team, a goal that But if you don’t care about the big picture – lots of teams don’t win for will go down as one of the biggest in franchise history. half-decades-and-counting, sure – let’s talk just about the single season they’ve had and not just the “started bad, then got good” stuff. For this, If you like the Pixy Stix stories, go ahead and get your buzz off this one. let’s go back to Rutherford, perhaps the person who knows the team The Pat Maroon story – the local boy who becomes nearly unwanted, the better than basically everyone who isn’t a player or on St. Louis’ staff. father-son relationship that sees both meltdown whenever they talk about each other and the scorer of the double-OT Game 7 winner AT HOME … On the Blues throughout this season … come on now. 1. They set high expectations, trading for Ryan O’Reilly and signing 8. Schwartz had 11 goals in 69 games in what was a very disappointing David Perron, Pat Maroon and Tyler Bozak. They got off to an awful start regular season. But he has 12 goals in the playoffs (second to Logan (was it Mike Yeo or would it take time for chemistry to develop with new Couture) and has been the Blues’ postseason MVP. faces) and fired Yeo. It’s tough to explain how the postseason is just a complete reset/fresh These are the type of decisions where the arbiter ends up being results. start, but it truly is. Schwartz’s performance here has been an utter If they win it all, it was the right move, no questions asked. If they don’t, testament to that truth. did Berube really do more with this group than Yeo would’ve? All I know is, we’re about to let a few wins and losses write that ending. 9. The Blues adopted Laura Branigan’s “Gloria” song as the team anthem after five players went to a bar in Philadelphia in January and 2. Joel Quenneville became available and Craig Berube became an saw the crowd reaction to the DJ playing the song. The Blues play the afterthought with fans. song in the locker room after every win, and it has taken over the town, played in public anywhere you can imagine. He might advance all the way to a “present thought” if they see him giving a speech to the city of St. Louis with the whole team at his back in If for nothing else, the joyousness of this song – and the fact that it a few weeks. comes from some guys hanging at the bar after things were very much hanging tenuously in the balance for the team – should earn your full 3. On Jan. 2, Blues GM Doug Armstrong had a meeting with local support. I bet we hear more about that night from the players down the ownership (15-16 members) and laid out two plans — one if they kept road. Plenty of those nights have ended poorly, but sometimes they do losing and one if they turned it around. The plan if they kept losing just bring a group together. included listening to offers for their top players. I’m told they had a deal with Boston sending the Bruins Brayden Schenn. I got it confirmed that While the Bruins have a chance to add a sequel to the story they’ve Vladimir Tarasenko and Alex Pietrangelo were on the block, but I’m not already written, the Blues have the chance to offer up something new. sure how far talks got with anybody. (Pietrangelo has a no-trade clause, They have a chance to free so many fans who’ve been kept in the chains Tarasenko’s doesn’t kick in until this summer). of relative misery since the inception of the franchise. They’re on the precipice of something special. The shape and history of the franchise, somehow, could end up having hinged on a bunch of seemingly innocuous mid-to-late January games Regardless of what happens, their season will have been viewed as a against teams like Montreal and Anaheim and Philadelphia, the type of success, but without completing the journey, it will eventually be all but games that make you go, “Sure I guess I’ll watch if that’s what’s on, forgotten by those outside of the realm of St. Louis. So with that, we whatever.” They lose those and they could be without two of their better know there’s one last battle to be fought for them to provide us with what players ever for good and wouldn’t have this legit chance at the Cup. seems to be the most interesting story left available. The Athletic LOADED: 05.23.2019 1106565 St Louis Blues happening against another team carrying a single-digit goal differential. On the other side, though, teams above plus-20 that face a team below that mark are just 6-5, so perhaps there’s not much to be made about By the numbers: Bruins and Blues took very different paths to Stanley Boston’s dominance, either. Cup final Theoretically, more data relevant to the current environment shouldn’t be ignored as it often is. Though past Stanley Cup finals are inconclusive at best as to whether playoff dominance matters, it shouldn’t hurt a team’s By Dom Luszczyszyn May 22, 2019 chances. That’s what I had in mind when introducing Elo adjustments (based on margin of victory, venue and opponent strength) to my playoff model last The Stanley Cup final is finally upon us and the matchup is set: it’s the year, but it seems that the lopsided difference in paths between this Boston Bruins vs. the St. Louis Blues. While they’ve both made it this far, year’s finalists has thrown a wrench into that. If you’ve been following the two teams did so in dramatically different ways and that might set the along with our daily updated projections you may have noticed that the stage for what to expect going forward. Bruins’ chances of winning it all have looked exorbitantly high ever since dispatching the Leafs in the opening round, skyrocketing after nearly In the East, the Bruins have earned much more decisive victories en every game to its current lofty perch of 73 percent. route to their third Stanley Cup final berth with the current core. Through 17 games in these playoffs, the Bruins have outscored opponents 57-33, That the Bruins would be favourites is to be expected considering they good for a goal differential of plus-24, or an average differential of 1.41 finished with eight more points this season and a goal differential that per game. It’s the exact same total goal differential as their opponent was nearly twice as high, but to the current degree we have it is likely earned all season. For further context, the Bruins were at plus-44 during surprising and deserves some skepticism. Oddsmakers are currently the regular season and plus-0.54 per game, nearly three times less giving the Bruins a roughly 60 percent chance of beating the Blues while potent. Only seven of the team’s 17 games have been decided by one other models are either in a similar range, or leaning toward the Blues. goal and the team is 3-4 in those games. They’re 9-1 otherwise, with Over 70 percent is a bit much for a Stanley Cup final matchup and seven of those wins (and the lone loss) coming by a margin of three or significantly higher than any of Boston’s previous three series. Without more goals. Boston has also won seven straight games, stretching back the Elo adjustment, Boston’s probability would instead be 68 percent to the second round. against St. Louis, which is still very high, but slightly more palatable. In the West, it’s a completely different story with the Blues having That’s a five percent difference and begets the question of what a scraped through close game after close game to get here, their first reasonable adjustment is for what is by far the largest difference on Stanley Cup final in 49 years. Through 19 games, the Blues only have a record over the last 32 years between two finalists’ playoff performance. plus-nine goal differential which is better than their regular season efforts On the surface the adjustment is obviously high and perhaps it’s worth (plus-0.29 per game) thanks to monstrous Games 5 and 6 in the diminishing in the future, but with the discovery that no other past Stanley conference final, but pales in comparison to the Bruins’ efforts. Of the Cup final even comes close to comparing maybe it’s not as outlandish as team’s 19 games, 11 have been decided by one-goal where the team is it seems. 8-3. They’re 4-4 otherwise. The Bruins have simply looked unbeatable for most of the playoffs, while It’s not a matter of competition quality either. On average, the three the Blues haven’t really played their best hockey yet – it makes sense Bruins opponents had a plus-28 goal differential this season, while that that the odds would shift significantly toward the Bruins, especially given number was plus-21 for the Blues. the magnitude of each team’s performance. Based on the two teams’ regular season performance, this series would already look like it’s It’s been a tale of two very different paths through the first three rounds. Boston’s to lose. Add that spectacular playoff performance to the mix and The result is that the Bruins and Blues are on completely opposite ends the Bruins become very heavy favourites. of the spectrum compared to prior Stanley Cup finalists. The Blues will be in tough, but this team has conquered steeper slopes Since 1987 – when all three playoff rounds went to best-of-seven – the than this one already – what’s one more to capture the first championship Bruins’ plus-24 goal differential ranks seventh out of 64 teams, though in franchise history? that doesn’t take into account that the NHL has become a much more difficult league since rapid expansion in the ’90s. Just one of the six The Athletic LOADED: 05.23.2019 teams ahead of the Bruins (the 1994 Rangers) had a more difficult path than this Bruins team that faced three teams with a goal differential north of 20. There’s a case to be made that the Bruins’ three-round run has been one of the most dominant from the past three decades, but the same cannot be said for the Blues, whose plus-nine differential ranks tied for eighth-last. It’s a matchup between a playoff powerhouse with a lot of momentum and a team that had to grind out nearly every win. On either side, it’s a rarity to see two such paths in any season, let alone converging in the final round of the same playoffs. Over the past 31 seasons before this one, the average difference between two finalists’ playoff goal differential is 5.5 goals with only four series featuring an imbalance larger than 10 goals (three of which were won by the team with the higher goal difference), the largest of which would be 12 goals in 2004 and 1994. The 15-goal difference in this series is by far the largest on record. The question now is whether any of this matters, and it depends on how you look at it. Ultimately, we’re talking about just 31 playoff series here and that’s not much data to draw any meaningful conclusions from, but still, some interesting trends emerge. Since 1987, the team with a better playoff goal differential has won 18 of 31 Stanley Cup finals (58 percent), but just five of the last 13 in the salary cap era (38 percent). In comparison, the team with a better regular season goal differential has won 21 of 31 Stanley Cup finals (68 percent), though that does go up to 72 percent (13 of 18) when considering teams that have both a better regular season and playoff goal differential. That might mean a slight advantage for teams like Boston that have the edge in both over a team like St. Louis. Also working against St. Louis is the fact that teams that scrape their way into the final haven’t historically done well. The Blues are just the ninth team to make it to the final with a single-digit playoff goal differential and only two of those teams, the 2015 Blackhawks and 2007 Ducks, won it all, with one of those scenarios 1106566 St Louis Blues started crying. He never cries and that was just like … that one kind of kicked me in the balls.”

“Well maybe I will get my parade,” Plager said. “But no, in the final Blues’ winning the Western Conference was an accomplishment seconds, just to look at the fans when we scored the goals, this city and decades in the making what has gone on here, you look up at the screens and you see Yadi (Molina) and the baseball players here with their Blues sweaters on. They’ve adopted this city, the baseball team, and the local ownership By Jeremy Rutherford May 22, 2019 here, Mr. Stillman said, ‘Get us a winner, whatever it cost, whatever you have to spend to get it, and they’ve done that.'”

Blues legend Bobby Plager (left) gets congratulations from club owner In the Blues’ alumni suite Tuesday night, every generation of the Tom Stillman. (The Athletic) franchise was covered: Bobby Plager (1960-70s), Bruce Affleck (’70s), Larry Patey (’70-80s), Paul Cavallini (’80-90s), Kelly Chase (’90s), Chris The Blues players responsible for those feelings couldn’t have been Pronger (’90-2000s) and Barret Jackman (2000-2015). more proud. “The tradition of all the Blues is represented tonight,” Jackman said. “I saw ‘Chaser’ in hallway crying after the game, and you know it’s almost “There’s a lot of guys that put blood, sweat and tears into this team …” making us cry too,” Blues star Vladimir Tarasenko said. “It’s unbelievable to see these guys happy. They’re pretty excited too, so it give us Just those seven players alone played in a combined 3,576 regular- goosebumps and really happy for those guys too. When you see those season games in St. Louis, and only Plager ever sniffed a Stanley Cup guys crying, it means a lot for us too. They’re probably more excited than final. us.” So with the Blues leading San Jose 3-1 in Game 6 of the Western “Bobby, the list goes on and on,” Blues captain Alex Pietrangelo said. Conference final, and one period away from the franchise’s first trip to the “Those guys have built the foundation of this organization and they Cup final since 1970, there were a few nervous former players looking represent the Blue Note pretty well. We try and carry that on. It trickles onto the ice at Enterprise Center. down to the guys on our team, guys like (Alexander Steen) have put a lot of time, effort and games into this team. Guys like (Jay Bouwmeester), “Well, it’s 20 minutes to go and it’s like I don’t want to jinx anything,” those are the guys you’re fighting these games for. ‘Bouw’ is a man of Plager said. “I know how important this game is and you don’t want to very few words but we got a couple of smiles out of him.” say too much because it’s hockey and anything can happen.” The emotions stirred, too, for Blues general manager Doug Armstrong, “I’ve got a calm demeanor right now,” Affleck said. “I’m waiting to go who received high praise after his construction of the team last summer, crazy, but I have no emotions — none. I didn’t even jump up when we then heard calls for his job when the club faltered, and then finally ended scored. Usually I do, but I haven’t this game for some reason.” the season as one of three finalists for GM of the year. “Most of us, including me, we’ve been on pins and needles,” Patey said. “It was emotional for sure,” Armstrong said. “I’m an emotional guy “It’s never over until it’s over, and that’s the way we’re all going to be until anyway, behind closed doors, but more happy for other people, though. the last couple of minutes. We don’t want to get too far ahead of When you’re around here and you see the alumni, you see so many ourselves right now.” people that want this team to do well, the city wants it to do well, the “These fans have waited so long, you just want to push as hard as you baseball team wants it to do well … but the big prize is still ahead of us. can at this point,” Cavallini said. “You think about all these guys that have We have to enjoy tonight, but we have to get back to work tomorrow, and put in so much hard work and never got this opportunity to get this far … that’s sort of the wet blanket that comes out in a manager. But you know you’re just hoping, hoping, hoping for the city.” what, it was a special feeling.” “They’re 20 minutes away from having an opportunity to do something A team that was last in points in the NHL with 34 on Jan. 3 was the that hasn’t been done since 1970,” Chase said. “Our city needs this. conference champ, which is stitched on this hat Stillman showed The There’s been a lot of bad coverage, whether it was Ferguson or the Athletic in the locker room. Rams leaving, there was a lot of negative stuff around the city, and it’s a (The Athletic) great city. That’s what I’m thinking about right now.” It was a long road, one that saw a coaching change to Craig Berube and “For me?” Pronger asked. “You’re excited for the hard work that these the emergence of a young goalie, Jordan Binnington, deep on the depth players, the coaching staff, owners, and management put in … you see chart at the start of the year. the enthusiasm of the crowd, you look at the excitement, the energy, and it’s pretty impressive.” “The coach, he got in here and I’m so happy for him because he’s a player like us,” Plager said. “He wasn’t the skill player, he had to go work And yet, “it’s 20 minutes away,” Jackman said. “You don’t want to jinx it.” for what he got every year and understand the game, and he came in In a third period that heard the crowd of 18,684 chant “We want the Cup,” here and that’s what he’s demanded from his players and they’ve and watch the Blues tack on two more goals en route to a scintillating 5-1 responded perfect.” victory over San Jose, the worrying was finally over. The clock on the It also saw the coming together of a locker room that had well-known Jumbotron clicked down to zero, clinching the best-of-seven series four personality differences earlier in the season. games to two, and the only thing left to do was play “Gloria!” and shake hands with the Sharks. “To go through what we went through this year is not easy,” Pietrangelo said. “I’m sure people questioned me (as captain) and questioned the The Western Conference champion Blues will face Boston in a rematch group. Sometimes you question yourself. But sometimes you have to of the 1970 Stanley Cup final, with Game 1 set for Monday at 7 p.m. CT lean on the people around you. They were nothing but supportive. When at TD Garden in Boston. But with six days until that best-of-seven series you have a group that’s as close as ours is, the hard times are hard but begins, it was time to celebrate a half-century of history in the making. you can have those hard and honest conversations with each other and “When they hit zero,” Blues legend Brett Hull said, “there was (no we did that when things weren’t going well. It started with me needing to emotions) because I knew we were going to win. I knew we were a better be better and turning things around, getting that feeling back. We knew team, I knew the way we were playing, there was no chance we were we were a good team and we could play better. When this group is going to lose. I saw Mr. (Tom) Stillman before the game and I go, ‘Are sacrificing and playing the way they need to play it’s fun to watch.” you OK?’ He looked at me like he’s scared to death. I go, ‘Tom, don’t Bobby Gassoff Jr., the son of late Blues player Bob Gassoff, said there’s worry, we have no chance of losing.’ always been something about this team that has struck him. “But it was after it hit zero when all of a sudden the flood of emotions hit “If anybody deserves it, these kids deserve it, the way they work and me and I’m looked at Bob Plager, and I’m like ‘Oh my God.’ I watched play,” Gassoff Jr. said. “The chemistry and the adversity that they’ve Kelly Chase out here and he was crying. I go, ‘I don’t know if I cried that overcome throughout this year is really second to none. It’s a real special much when I actually won (the Stanley Cup)’ and we still haven’t won group. As a lot of the alumni in there can attest, there’s been a lot of anything yet. It’s so exciting for this franchise and this city and the people great teams that have come through this rink and it takes a lot of and the fans to be going to the Stanley Cup finals.” character to get to where this team has come to right now, and it’s pretty Both Chase and Plager were, in fact, tearing up. exciting to see what they’re on the verge of potentially accomplishing.” “I was in the hallway and I’m looking at people crying in the stands and I So why this team? was like, ‘Holy shit!'” Chase said. “Then I see Bobby Plager and he “We’ve had some great teams and I don’t want to say anything negative about those teams, but when you look back, all those teams that we lost to went on to win the Cup,” Armstrong said. “So it’s not like we lost to a team and then they got hammered the next round. Most teams went on to win or get to the finals. We had some great teams and we thought we should have got there a couple of other times. “That’s one thing I learned from my mentor Bob Gainey — that you never know when it’s going to be your opportunity to have an extended run. But I know last year, we didn’t have a chance to have an extended run. This year, you get in and you have a chance. You’ve seen teams make it and this is just a special group that has a no-quit attitude to it. Give the guys a ton of credit — they found a way to do things at the most important time.” And now they’ll face the Bruins, who do have former Blue David Backes, but no longer have Bobby Orr. “Somebody says, ‘Do we have a chance because Boston doesn’t have Bobby Orr any more,'” Plager said. “I said, ‘Yeah, but you’ve got to realize the Blues don’t have the Plager brothers either.'” Armstrong laughed out loud when that comment was relayed to him. “I’m happy for Bobby,” he said. “You see him walking around here and the glass is always half-full, even in October and November when I didn’t see it half-full. But I’m happy for him.” “Bobby Plager, thank God he’s still here,” Hull said, “and his brother Barclay, who unfortunately I never even got a chance to meet, but I’ve heard so many unbelievable stories about him that I feel like I do know him. Ron Caron, who traded for me, who loved the Blues more than anything. Mike Shanahan, who bought the team and was the greatest human being I ever met. Doug Wickenheiser, , anyone right up there in those rafters. Bobby Gassoff, I mean, dude there’s so many. But honest to God, I hope at some point they let Bob Plager lift that Cup.” Kelly Chase and Brett Hull (The Athletic) Plager, though, deflected the attention. “I’ve always said that I want it for myself, to get there and maybe win a Stanley Cup,” Plager said. “But tonight, this was for the players and the fans. They deserve it a lot more than Bob Plager and they worked for it a lot more than I did.” But Plager was putting some pressure on the Blues. “I just told everybody, ‘It’s simple: get in the playoffs, make the playoffs, and all you’ve got to do is win your last game,'” he said. David Perron, who was in the Stanley Cup final last year with Vegas, said the Blues have one thing going for them. They posed for a picture with the Clarence S. Campbell Bowl, which comes with winning the West, but did not come in contact with it. “I was just glad to see ‘Petro’ not touch that trophy because we touched it last year and it didn’t work,” Perron said. But this year, with this team, it feels different. “Just emotionally, it’s so bloody deserving,” Chase said. “I just feel like for them to get to the final and watch the reaction of people and to think that they’re four games away from what would change the entire history of the franchise, it just means the world.” And everyone from the 1960s to 2019 would have a hand in it. “I guess you could say that,” Patey said. “We’re a separate part of it, but we feel that we’re still a part of it. I think that’s where the emotion comes in, and just to be a part of this is so great. Not really the alumni first, but the city and the guys that are always answering that question: When is it going to happen? Well you know what, we’ve got a chance to make it happen right now.” Plager paused. “There’s a lot of tears up there (in heaven),” he said. “I’m about to tear up again right now if I don’t get out of here.” The Athletic LOADED: 05.23.2019 1106567 Tampa Bay Lightning

Lightning goaltender Louis Domingue earned redemption Originally acquired as a third goalie, Domingue proved himself a more- than-capable NHL back-up.

By Diana C. Nearhos

TAMPA — Louis Domingue started out as an insurance policy. He turned out to be much more than that for the Lightning this year. The Lightning traded for Domingue as a third goalie in November 2017. Entering this season as Andrei Vasilevskiy’s backup, he spent a month as the starter after Andrei Vasilevskiy broke a foot and helped launch the team on a 16-game point streak. And he set a franchise record with 11 consecutive wins. The 27-year-old outperformed the third-goalie role. And his performance this season was a long way from having to rent his own ice time when he was with the Coyotes. Before Arizona traded him to the Lightning, Domingue was all but dismissed by the Coyotes. Worse than being released and receiving a chance to sign with another team, he was assigned to the AHL but never physically sent there. Instead, Domingue was sent home. He rented his own ice time and skated with then-Arizona captain Shane Doan, unsure when his next chance to play would come. Finally, he was traded to the Lightning, assigned to AHL Syracuse and eventually given a chance as Tampa Bay’s backup. This season turned into the Domingue redemption tour. He proved himself a more than capable backup. Four times he faced at least 40 shots, winning three. He gave up a few leads but had some help doing so, and then clamped down late in games to give the Lightning a chance to win. The best example of that was a Nov. 17 win over the Flyers. Tampa Bay took a 3- 0 lead but squandered it. Domingue made a few impressive saves to get the game to overtime, when Anthony Cirelli scored. Coach repeatedly said backup goalie is one of the hardest roles on a team. The Lightning schedules which goalie will start which game, so Domingue usually knows when he’ll play. But it’s hard for a backup to stay sharp without game action. When Vasilevskiy gave an interview about learning when to rest, Domingue quipped he’d be happy to take on a few more games so the starter could have more time off. Yet it was in the backup role, with four to eight games between appearances, that Domingue won half of his record-setting 11 straight starts. He beat the record of nine set by starters John Grahame in 2005- 06 and tied by Vasilevskiy in 2017-18. With another year on his contract at $1.15 million, look for him to return and continue as the backup. And Domingue had fun along the way. For a while, he was the only Lightning player to engage with the camera during the team’s fist-bump- line videos after wins. He started taking it to the next level, adding props including Fathead graphics, a mini dirt bike and even blowtorches. In the “series finale,” Domingue set up velvet ropes and welcomed the Lightning to the 60-Win Club. Louis Domingue’s season High: Domingue made 29 saves and allowed just one goal in a 7-1 Dec. 8 win against the Avalanche, which had the most potent line in the NHL at the time. Low: He allowed seven goals on 30 shots as his teammates were practically nonexistent in front of him in a 7-1 loss in his return to Arizona on Oct. 27.. By the numbers 21 Wins in 26 starts, the best rate of any goalie in the NHL this year 40 Saves in a game twice 1,561 Minutes played, third highest of his career Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 05.23.2019 1106568 Tampa Bay Lightning heartbeat, but Stamkos is still the most recognizable and accomplished player on this team. He’s grown up here since getting drafted No. 1 overall as an 18-year-old in 2008. Stamkos has put down roots and has Who is the current face of Tampa Bay sports? made an impact in the community. All Stamkos needs to do is bring home a Stanley Cup.

Bucs quarterback Jameis Winston, 25, has been pretty successful By Joe Smith May 22, 2019 statistically during his four years in Tampa, but the team has gone 21-33 in games he has started. (Jonathan Dyer / USA Today)

Josh Tolentino: When I first arrived in Tampa/St. Pete several months TAMPA, Fla. — The photo, taken less than four years ago, is already as ago, I quickly discovered that the Lightning ruled the area. Despite their relevant as a horse and buggy. horrific collapse in the first round of the playoffs, I agree with you guys that the Lightning have turned the tide of Tampa sports and any There was Rays third baseman Evan Longoria, Buccaneers defensive conversation involving the “face of Tampa sports” should center around tackle Gerald McCoy and Lightning captain Steven Stamkos posed Stamkos. together — in home Rays jerseys — at Tropicana Field before a game in late June 2015. Stamkos, the face of the Lightning, had just led them to If the Bucs can turn it around within the next few years, you could make a the Stanley Cup final. Longoria was three years into a 10-year, $100 case for Mike Evans. He’s led the team in receiving for five consecutive million contract. McCoy, a Pro Bowler, had signed a seven-year pact seasons, and he’s locked down with Tampa Bay through 2024. worth $98 million that season. Until the Bucs become a contender again, though, it seems the Rays are THE #TEAMTAMPABAY HAT TRICK. PIC.TWITTER.COM/FFDJ78NDIZ the exciting, young team to watch right now in Tampa Bay. The Rays have quietly snuck up on opponents as one of the best teams in baseball — TAMPA BAY RAYS (@RAYSBASEBALL) JUNE 23, 2015 this year, but there aren’t many well-known names on the roster. Kevin They were the faces of the Tampa Bay pro sports teams, and they Kiermaier or Blake Snell would be my top candidates, but that could seemingly would be for some time. change by the end of the season. If the Rays are able to contend for a division title or earn their first playoff berth since 2013, Tampa fans will Yet now, after McCoy’s release Tuesday, only Stamkos remains, his know more of those unknown studs the Rays currently have on their Lightning coming off a stunning collapse in the first round of the Stanley roster. Brandon Lowe (recently signed a six-year, $24-million deal), Cup playoffs against Columbus. Austin Meadows and Tyler Glasnow are all guys on my radar. Longoria was dealt to the San Francisco Giants in December 2017, Smith: I think Blake Snell — if he stays long enough (and we know how roughly three years after another cornerstone, Cy Young Award winner often Rays stars remain for their entire contracts) — can get into the David Price, was moved out (and is now with the rival Red Sox). The conversation. I don’t see him as having the same large personality as Bucs, who once had long-time leaders like Derrick Brooks, Ronde Barber someone like Price. Heck, Price’s bulldog, Astro, had a social media and John Lynch, are now led by another new coach and Demar Dotson presence. But winning and taking the Rays to the playoffs can go a long is their longest-tenured player. Blake Snell is on the rise, the reigning Cy way. Young winner for the Rays. Stamkos, to me, has the perfect temperament. He has the star power, So, who is the current face of Tampa Bay sports? both in the U.S. and Canada. He’s great with the media, and I’ve rarely seen him pass up an autograph opportunity with fans. Kucherov is We thought it was an interesting debate, especially after seeing the crew starting to get more of a global brand thanks to deals with Adidas and from The Athletic Detroit discuss theirs. The topic should start with Bauer, but he hasn’t really opened himself up to the public to the point Stamkos, the most accomplished player on the Bay Area’s most that they know him. successful team (recent playoff exit notwithstanding). He has followed in the footsteps of previous mentors like Vincent Lecavalier and Hall of I’ll defer to Greg on Jameis, who has had controversies (and Famer Martin St. Louis — and is still playing as well as he ever has. interceptions) keep him from reaching those expectations as a No. 1 pick. “Stammer is a great guy,” Longoria said. “I know he’s respected by his teammates and by the community. He’s earned the ‘C’ on his chest.” Tolentino: Funny you bring up Blake Snell’s personality and how you compared him to David Price. I was chatting with Snell a couple of weeks Lightning center Steven Stamkos has been in Tampa since he was ago, and we discussed how life has been for him since winning the AL drafted first overall in 2008. (Kim Klement / USA Today) Cy Young Award last fall. He told me a funny story about how he’s gotten I once asked Longoria what it means to be the face of a franchise, an into Ubers and Lyfts multiple times in the Tampa/St. Pete area since ambassador in the community as a star athlete. then, and his drivers have no idea who he is. This isn’t a big deal for him, considering Snell’s low-key personality, but it continues to amaze me “The responsibility is to be the best version of you always,” Longoria said. how many of the Rays, including the team’s top pitcher, continue to fly “With that, I never wanted to create a false persona. I wanted what the under the popularity radar. Like Joe alluded to, I believe all that could fans saw from afar to be who I really am in person.” change with a postseason run and consistent winning. Who is that guy in Tampa? Rays lefty Blake Snell has a Cy Young Award, but he needs some more longevity before he becomes the guy in Tampa. (Steve Mitchell / USA Buccaneers beat writer Greg Auman, Rays beat writer Josh Tolentino Today) and I went back and forth on this debate this week. We’re curious to get your thoughts, too. Smith: Totally agree, Josh. Greg, with the Bucs releasing Gerald McCoy, where did he fall in terms of face of the franchise (and Tampa Bay)? It Greg Auman: I feel like the Lightning have such an edge in not only seemed like he had a lot of the facets working in his favor — like sustained winning but in doing so with the same central cast of leaders community work, personality and on-field performance. and stars. So any list for the “face of Tampa Bay sports” has to start with Steven Stamkos — on longevity ahead of Nikita Kucherov. Auman: Just on longevity, McCoy was probably the most well-known Bucs player, a high draft pick with six Pro Bowls. His biggest criticism will The Rays are all so new for the most part, and Kevin Kiermaier’s run has be that he couldn’t get the Bucs back to the playoffs, a difficult task for been steadily interrupted by injuries. any single player to be held accountable for. You can’t ask for a better If the Bucs could start winning with consistency, I’m sure they’d have a ambassador in the community, a family man who is selfless with his time better candidate for such an honor. and his resources in helping others. Had the Bucs had the Lightning’s success over the last nine years — or even the Rays’ — it might be a Joe Smith: I agree with you, Greg. While I know the NFL is king in most different story. Now the honor of Bucs star who’s suffered the longest markets, I just don’t see anyone on the Bucs as that guy. They lose a without a playoff appearance falls to Lavonte David, another class act familiar face in Gerald McCoy, and I don’t think Jameis Winston has won who still probably can’t make a case to be the face of Tampa Bay sports. enough to deserve that title. The Athletic LOADED: 05.23.2019 The Rays have some promising young pieces, and Cy Young winner Blake Snell might be the man in the Bay Area in coming years. If Evan Longoria or David Price were still here, you could make a case. But my choice would be the face of the Lightning franchise, Steven Stamkos. Nikita Kucherov may be their best player, Brayden Point the 1106569 Toronto Maple Leafs comparables for Marner – there simply aren’t many recent ones. Since the 2012-13 lockout, we haven’t seen a winger put up over 90 points on the final year of their entry-level contract. Tulloch: A breakdown of what Mitch Marner should earn on his next Now, I’m not a big fan of using point totals as the only measure of a contract based on comparables forward’s success (there’s a lot more that goes into evaluating performance), but if we’re being realistic, point production is the most important factor that goes into these contract negotiations. By Ian Tulloch May 22, 2019 This bias in player evaluation results in NHL teams underpaying forwards for their elite defensive contributions (e.g. Teuvo Teravainen) and overpaying players who put up “empty-calorie” point totals without driving Leafs Nation is in full offseason mode right now, with the narrative online play (e.g. Phil Kessel), but it’s the reality of the market in 2019. If our goal shifting toward restricted free agents (RFAs), leverage in contract is to accurately project Toronto’s RFA contracts, we have to look at what negotiations and everyone’s favourite topic: offer sheets. With Toronto NHL teams have been paying for historically, and when it comes to tight up against the cap this summer, it’s difficult to forecast just how forwards, that really comes down to one thing: points. much wiggle room they’re going to have to make changes to their roster. Therefore, I thought it would be fun to project what each of their RFAs The tricky part about comparing Marner’s stellar 94-point season to should earn on their next deal based on recent comparables. wingers from a few seasons ago is that the league has seen a recent surge in scoring. For example, here’s a look at how many players This article is going to focus on the most controversial of the bunch: averaged a point per game or higher over the last five seasons (minimum Mitch Marner. I’m going to save the Kasperi Kapanen and Andreas 40 games played). Johnsson discussion for later (since I think their situation is much different), so for the time being, let’s take a deep dive into the offer-sheet 2018-19: 31 point per game players candidate everyone loves to discuss, Marner. 2017-18: 24 point per game players I AGREE. BEST OFFER BETTER BE NORTH OF $10 MILLION AND PERHAPS, NORTH OF $11 MILLION PER YEAR TO ENCOURAGE 2016-17: 8 point per game players MARNER TO IGNORE THE OUTSIDE INTEREST BEYOND JULY 1. 2015-16: 8 point per game players HTTPS://T.CO/XTZQJEINBU 2014-15: 8 point per game players — DARREN DREGER (@DARRENDREGER) APRIL 25, 2019 We live in a world where players are scoring much more than they did a There’s been a lot of hyperbole on Twitter when it comes to these couple of years ago (long gone are the days of Jamie Benn winning the negotiations (on both sides of the spectrum), so my goal is to rationally Art Ross with only 87 points). Therefore, if we’re comparing two forwards break down what Marner should earn on his next contract based on his from 2018-19 and 2014-15, we have to take the recent bump in scoring comparables. As it turns out, this process doesn’t lead to any sexy into account, otherwise, we’d be overvaluing point production in recent headlines, but I think it’s a necessary exercise to help shed light on the seasons (and undervaluing players who dominated in a low-scoring situation. league). The centre vs. winger debate The simplest way I found to account for this was by looking at where At the end of the day, this negotiation really comes down to one question: players ranked in scoring each year. I decided to use points per game how important is positional value in 2019? instead of points (minimum 40 games played), since that gives us a better idea of how well players were producing on a per-game basis. Justin Bourne wrote an excellent article recently on this topic, breaking down the difference in impact on the game between centres and wingers. After doing this, it became a lot easier to find some recent comps for He found that centres are significantly more important because of how Marner. involved they are with 5-on-5 play (offensively, defensively and in There are a lot of interesting names on this list, but the one that stands transition). The argument here is one that we’ve seen reflected in out to me is Patrick Kane. I never like comparing contracts nine years contract negotiations over the past decade; centres are considerably apart from each other, but the similarities between Kane and Marner are more valuable than wingers and therefore deserve to be paid as such. so striking that I think it has some value. To play devil’s advocate, I think there’s a case to be made that the game Both of them are smaller wingers who dominated in junior for the London has slowly been shifting toward more “positionless” play, especially when Knights, became impact players right away in their rookie season and it comes to the three forwards and how they interchange roles. For really took off in the third year of their entry-level contract (ELC). Even example, when teams are planning their forecheck, backcheck or their playstyles are almost identical (elite passers, zone entry machines, breakouts, they’re not pigeonholing players into specific responsibilities love to wheel around the offensive zone with the puck, not the greatest based on their position (e.g. “the right winger always goes here”). drivers of shot metrics, but they consistently generate goals for their line Instead, we’re seeing much more fluidity in the modern game. The first thanks to their ridiculous passing ability). player on the forecheck is “F1” (Forward 1), the second is “F2”, and the More recent comparables third is “F3”. The first two occupy the roles we typically associate with wingers (high on the forecheck applying pressure, high in the defensive Now, the market has changed since Kane signed his deal in 2010, which zone taking away point shots), while F3 fills the traditional “centre” role is why I wanted to look at some comparables from more recent seasons. (third forward high in the offensive zone, first forward back in the It wasn’t too hard to find players that had similar production to Marner in defensive zone, primary puck-handler in the middle of the ice on the the final year of their ELC (top 20 point production), but none of those breakout). forwards had the same level of consistency across three years. For one player, this is because he didn’t have the opportunity (Johnny Gaudreau I don’t think the “centre vs. winger” debate is as black and white as we’d only had two years on his ELC since he played three years of college), like it to be (e.g. Marner breaks the puck out and creates space in the but the rest simply struggled to adapt to the NHL in their rookie year, offensive zone like most high-end NHL centres). With that being said, which helps explain why so many of them failed to reach the 40-game Bourne is absolutely right that the market values centres significantly minimum (receiving an “N/A” in their first season for not meeting the more than wingers. Whether that’s due to positional scarcity or on-ice games played requirement). value is a discussion for another day, but it’s clear that playing down the middle earns you more money these days than playing on the wing. I’m of the opinion that a player’s two most recent seasons are far more important in assessing their future value than the rookie year when As much as Marner’s camp will want to use the Jack Eichel or Auston they’re still adapting to the NHL (typically as a teenager), but Marner’s Matthews contracts as comparables, history has taught us that we need strong first season is definitely a factor that’s going to benefit him in these to compare centres to other centres on the market, and unfortunately for negotiations. With his point totals across three seasons, his camp is Marner, he’s played his entire NHL career on the wing. going to demand a higher cap hit percentage than everyone on that list Historical comparables we just looked at. If we’re willing to admit that positional value does matter in these The multimillion-dollar question is: does he deserve it? negotiations, how much money does a star winger like Marner deserve to I think the David Pastrnak and Gaudreau contracts are obvious examples be paid? of players taking less money than they could have based on their This ended up being a much tougher question to answer than I first production, while Kane’s is so dated that it’s hard to compare it to the thought. I didn’t realize how difficult it would be to come up with statistical modern landscape of RFAs. That brings us to Leon Draisaitl, who I would argue is the most interesting comparable for Marner. His production situation due to cap troubles. With Toronto notoriously up against the across three seasons wasn’t quite as impressive as Marner’s, but he cap, this is definitely a scenario we could see play out. performed better in his contract year, and most importantly, had experience playing down the middle (spending roughly half of his minutes For reference, here are the two recent comparables for Marner on a at centre in his contract year). bridge deal. If Marner were to sign an eight-year deal at the same cap hit percentage I still have trouble processing why Kucherov signed that contract coming as Draisaitl (11.3 percent) under an $83-million salary cap, it would be off two excellent seasons (and playoff runs), but I guess that helps approximately $9.4-million per season. This is the range that I think is explain why he fired his agent shortly afterward. Much like the Gaudreau going to make the most sense for Marner on a long-term deal. contract, I’m not sure how much weight that one will hold in future Realistically, he’s not going to settle for the Gaudreau contract (9.3 negotiations (since it was so clearly an underpayment relative to the percent of the cap, $7.7 million), but I also doubt that he’s going to get player’s performance), which is why I think it makes more sense to focus the Matthews money that his camp is rumoured to be asking for (14 on Artemi Panarin’s bridge deal. percent of the 2019-20 cap, $11.6 million). Two years at 8.2 percent of the cap helped both Panarin and Chicago in At the end of the day, it looks like a fair contract for Marner based on this situation; the Blackhawks were able to stay under the cap, while historical comparables is somewhere between 11-12 percent of the cap Panarin set himself up for a huge payday in 2019. This could be on a long-term deal, which would be between $9-10 million. With Kane something both sides of the negotiating table are interested in with and Draisaitl as his closest comparables, it’s difficult to imagine him Marner if they aren’t able to find any middle ground on a long-term deal. getting much less than 11 percent of the cap ($9.1 million), but it’s also Now, Panarin signed this contract halfway through his second year, so hard to find evidence that he’s worth more than 12 percent ($9.9 million). his body of work was actually much smaller than Marner’s is right now. If he signs a six-year deal with Toronto, it will probably end up on the With that being the case, there’s an argument to be made that Marner lower end of this spectrum (closer to $9 million), whereas an eight-year would be worth slightly more than 8.2 percent of the cap on a two- or deal would push his AAV to the higher end of the spectrum (closer to $10 three-year bridge deal. million). Keep in mind that it’s unlikely the Leafs sign Marner to a five- For fun, let’s say that number is between 8.5-9 percent. That’s between year contract, since he would be due for an extension the same year as $7-7.5 million under the current cap, which would be a reasonable AAV Matthews and William Nylander, which would be less than ideal for the on a bridge deal. I’m not sure how likely this scenario is, but it’s definitely organization. something I could see playing out if the negotiations on a long-term The Kucherov and Stone dilemma contract turn sour. I know there’s a solid case to be made that Marner shouldn’t be earning Realistically, my best guess would be a $7 million deal for two years or more per season than Kucherov or Stone ($9.5 million for eight years) $7.5 million for three years, but again, it’s tough to estimate the AAV on since those two are arguably the best wingers in the NHL. The this type of bridge deal because of how rare the situation is for a star counterargument is that the market is shifting toward paying younger player like Marner. players more than older players. The threat of an offer sheet In the past, we’ve seen UFA years valued significantly higher than RFA We’re finally getting to the elephant in the room that everyone wants to years (which has resulted in teams overpaying players like Milan Lucic, talk about (I say that with as much sarcasm as humanly possible). Kyle Okposo, Andrew Ladd, etc.). With star players like Draisaitl, Eichel and Matthews commanding huge salaries coming off their ELCs, I think It seemed like you couldn’t go five minutes this season without hearing we’re going to see superstars get more money for their prime years (21- someone on talk radio or television bring up the threat of a Marner offer 28) than they do in their later years (e.g. Stone’s contract, which takes sheet, which is why I didn’t want to lead with this section. If we’re being him from age 28-35). realistic, though, it’s going to be part of the negotiating process, so it’s an aspect we have to address. It’s a trend that we’ve already seen take place in MLB and one that appears to be on the rise in the NHL. This offseason is going to be a Under the current CBA, it’s difficult for RFAs to get any leverage coming great case study to see just how much the league’s best RFAs are off of their ELCs since they aren’t eligible for arbitration yet, but one of shifting the power dynamics in their favour, with four legitimate star the things they can do is threaten to sign an offer sheet with another players due for extensions. team (or actually sign one). History has taught us to be skeptical when it comes to this threat since we haven’t seen one signed since 2013 (or a Mikko Rantanen is easily Marner’s best comparable since Kane; both are team accept the compensation for an offer sheet since 2007), but there elite scoring wingers, with Marner scoring more across three years, but seem to be whispers around the league that offer sheets are coming this Rantanen outproducing him over the past two seasons. Whichever of offseason. these two players signs first, the other is probably going to be looking for an identical contract, so it will be interesting to see how much they go for I’m of the opinion that this mechanism is much better served for targeting (again, I suspect it will be in the $9-10 million range depending on the mid-tier players (such as Andreas Johnsson or Kasperi Kapanen, which term). As a side note, I could have included Patrik Laine on this graphic, we’ll discuss in my next article). but after such a bizarre 2018-19 season, I find his next contract much more difficult to forecast than the other four players listed here. Here’s my reasoning: Brayden Point and Sebastian Aho are a bit tougher comparables than Image from CapFriendly Rantanen since they play centre, but considering what we know about As you can see, it’s much easier to give up a second-round pick for a positional value, they also deserve to get paid. Realistically, they should player worth $4.2 million (or less) than it is to offer four first-round picks probably make more than the two wingers on the list, but with Tampa for a superstar worth north of $10.5 million. We’ve heard rumours that Bay’s tax situation and Aho’s elite defensive value not being fully Marner could be offer sheeted for as much as $11 million or even $12 captured by his raw point totals, I wouldn’t be surprised if both players million, but I doubt we see that actually play out. If we do see a star sign in the same range as Marner and Rantanen. player sign an offer sheet this summer (Marner, Rantanen, Point, Aho), I Any way you slice it, this is going to be a crucial offseason for player think it’s much more likely to be in that second tier for just under $10.5 empowerment in the NHL. If these four players were signing their million, since their team would be forced to match in that situation (two extensions a few years ago, none of them would be getting more than firsts, a second and a third isn’t enough to make you give up a star Kucherov or Stone, but with the shift toward young stars getting paid on player, but four firsts is enough to at least make you think about it). their second contract, there’s an argument to be made that they deserve When we’re thinking about Marner and Point for example, they’re clearly more money for their prime years. players who don’t want to leave their current situation (Marner as the What about a bridge deal? hometown star on his childhood team, and Point in a tax-friendly state surrounded by elite talent). By signing an offer sheet for more than $10.5 If neither side can agree on a long-term contract (between six and eight million, they would have to risk leaving that situation for a much less ideal years), a bridge deal might be the best option for both parties. Again, the one (on a team with the cap space to sign them, indicating they probably tricky part here is that there are so few comparables for Marner in this aren’t as deep talent-wise). The reason I say this is because a team like regard. Toronto or Tampa Bay would be incentivized to take the four first-round picks in this situation and use the remaining cap space on a free agent Typically, when you have a forward with elite point production (top 20 in like Erik Karlsson or Panarin. their contract year), you lock him up to a long-term contract and never look back; it’s extremely rare that teams want to bridge a player who’s If the player’s goal is to maximize their earning potential, regardless of proven to be a star at such a young age. With that being said, we have which team they play for, they should absolutely seek out offer sheets for seen a couple of instances where teams have been forced into a bridge as much money as possible – and they have every right to do so. I’m not sure if this is something that would interest Aho or Rantanen, but for a player like Marner, I think it’s much more likely he would sign an offer sheet (or use the threat of an offer sheet) to force a deal to get done with Toronto. For example, let’s say the Leafs and Marner’s camp are at an impasse; Toronto is willing to pay him $9 million on an eight-year deal, while the player wants closer to $11 million. Marner could tell the team he’s going to sign a $10.5 million offer sheet on July 1, which Toronto would be forced to match (since the compensation isn’t enough to justify losing a player of his calibre). The player would still get his money in this scenario, without the risk of having to “move his stuff” as Greg Wyshynski likes to say. The NHL fan in me actually hopes we see some big-time offer sheets this summer; it makes the league more interesting and forces teams to pay young players closer to what they’re actually worth. If we’re being realistic, though, I think it’s unlikely we see them at the higher end of the spectrum, and if we do, I’d imagine it’s in that $9-10.5 million range to force a deal to get done with their current team. To help quickly summarize the biggest takeaways from learning more about the ins and outs of the Marner negotiation, here are my best guesses at the long-term extension he signs with Toronto (which, again, is the likeliest scenario at the end of the day). Six years at $9.1 million Seven years at $9.4 million Eight years at $9.7 million These seem to align pretty well with EvolvingWild’s contract projections, although it’s possible we see these numbers creep up higher if an offer sheet is leveraged well in negotiations (by any of the four major RFAs this offseason, since they’re all going to want similar contracts). If neither side is able to agree on a long-term contract, this is my best guess at what we see in a bridge deal. Two years at $7 million Three years at $7.5 million I know these numbers probably aren’t as sexy as you’d like them to be (no crazy discounts for Toronto and no $15 million offer sheet from Arizona), but based on recent comparables, this is approximately the range we should expect to see Marner sign for this offseason. Try to keep that in mind when we’re all yelling about this a month from now. The Athletic LOADED: 05.23.2019

1106570 Vegas Golden Knights

Las Vegas Becomes A St. Louis Blues Town

By Alan Snel

The local market might be Las Vegas — Golden Knights country — but retail sales of St. Louis Blues merchandise are strong. In fact, the day after the Blues knocked out the San Jose Sharks from the 2019 Western Conference Finals — San Jose defeated the VGK in seven games in Round 1 a month ago — the last Blues cap at a Lids store in Downtown Summerlin was sold. In fact, the Las Vegas woman called ahead to inquire about the St. Louis Blues cap at Lids and the merchant put aside the final Blues hat. Fifteen minutes leader, the woman walked in and asked about the hat. The $10 hat — $10.83 with sales tax — was out the door. Last Blues cap sold at a Lids store in Downtown Summerlin Wednesday. “My kid’s teacher is a big Blues fan,” she explained. Randy the retailer said the Blues hat was only 10 bucks because it was last year’s model. No matter. There’s going to be a Las Vegas teacher sporting a St. Louis Blues cap in Sin City tomorrow. LVSportsBiz.com LOADED: 05.23.2019 1106571 Washington Capitals The Caps acquired Oshie from the Blues in 2015 in exchange for Troy Brouwer, Pheonix Copley and Washington's third-round pick in 2016, and he's now a mainstay in the Caps top six. Seven reasons you need to root for the Blues in the Stanley Cup Final Oshie played over 400 games for the Blues, recording over 300 points for the organization that drafted him. Not only did he put up stellar numbers, but he was an alternate captain for the Blues and was beloved by fans in By Julia Karron May 22, 2019 1:13 PM the area. Who better to root for than for Oshbabe's old team? The St. Louis Blues defeated the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday night to 5: Vladimir Tarasenko is tearing it up advance to the 2019 NHL Stanley Cup Final. The champions of the Western Conference will take on the Boston Bruins, the champions of the If you've got Alex Ovechkin's endorsement as a game-changer, that's a Eastern Conference, having swept the Carolina Hurricanes in four good place to start. games. Ovechkin took note of Tarasenko's skill in a 2014 game the Blues played With the St. Louis Blues and Boston Bruins squaring off in a rematch of against the Rangers and told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch "He just make the 1970 Stanley Cup Final, we've dug up the seven reasons why great jump in his career and he’s carrying the team right now.” Capitals fans, and -- well -- all NHL fans should be rooting for the Blues In these playoffs, the Russian sniper has eight goals and five assists, to hoist Lord Stanley's Cup. including points in every game of the Western Conference Finals against 1: The Blues are like the Capitals of the West the San Jose Sharks. A lot of fans think that the San Jose Sharks hold that title, but the Blues Vladimir Tarasenko now has points in all 6 ⃣ games of this series. present an even stronger case.  #StanleyCup pic.twitter.com/OIkUeu7gDR The Blues Stanley Cup drought is currently at 51 seasons. And although — Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) May 22, 2019 they made the Stanley Cup Final three consecutive seasons from 1968- 6: Pam and Jim are facing off in an Office matchup 1970, they have yet to win a game in the Stanley Cup Final. Actor John Krasinski, who played Jim Halpert in The Office, is a Bruins That should sound familiar to Caps fans. Before they won it all in 2018, fan. Washington's Cup drought was 42 years, and when they made the Cup Final in 1998 they were swept by the dominant Detroit Red Wings. John Krasinski and Emily Blunt at tonight's #Bruins game! pic.twitter.com/kDxIc5VSZg The similarities don't stop there. Each team has a Russian sniper, a crop of promising rookies on offense and defense, and acquired depth pieces — Marie Bucklin (@ChocoAndWine) June 8, 2013 in free agency to build a consistent contender. Jenna Fischer, who played Pam Beesly, Jim's love interest, is a Blues In the Blues case before this season, they couldn't make it past the fan. Conference Finals, similar to how the Caps couldn't make it out of the second round. #WeAllBleedBlue, even @jennafischer. pic.twitter.com/hYUex5lb8n Call it coincidence or fate, but the Blues are looking eerily similar to the — St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) May 7, 2019 Caps that won the Stanley Cup last year. We have a house divided. 2: No More Boston Championships We tend to lean to Team Pam because if you take a closer look, Jim was The New England Patriots just won the Super Bowl. The Red Sox just a pretty awful colleague and despite his charm and boyish looks, he was won another World Series. The city of Boston has celebrated six major kinda a bad person. professional championships since 2010 and 12 since 2000, with each parade more frustrating to watch than the last. 7: Washington helped St. Louis ascend the standings Does Boston really need another championship after a drought since On Jan. 2 the Blues were last in the league and posted a 15-18-4 record February? with 34 points. 3: Brad Marchand is the worst But their fortunes started to turn on Jan. 3, when they faced the Caps at Enterprise Center in St. Louis. They beat the Caps 5-2, and turned their A lot of people will complain about Tom Wilson's play. But Brad season around from that game going forward, including an 11 game Marchand is the king of the subtle and overtly dirty play, especially in the winning streak. playoffs where the rules relax. So really, St. Louis has Washington to thank for transforming their In last year's playoffs, Marchand was told by the league to stop licking season from one marred by losses to one where they made the Stanley players after he brushed his tongue across Leo Komarov's face. Cup Final for the first time since 1970.

Marchand explains the kiss, lick, and/or smelling of Leo Komarov  Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 05.23.2019 (@TDBank_US ) pic.twitter.com/8c3b6BL6bH — NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSBoston) April 13, 2018 This postseason, he's punched players in the back of the head after a play's been blown dead. "He does some stuff that I don't think even the great pests of history would want to emulate, like licking people. But as far as getting under people's skin, he's as good as there is." – @Burkie2020 on Brad Marchand pic.twitter.com/bfemFK3x8s — Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) May 15, 2019 He also baited Justin Williams into penalty minutes when he high-sticked him across the face. No penalty was given to Marchand on the play. Yearly reminder that Brad Marchand is a human rat #StanleyCup pic.twitter.com/SVQ9ijpEFg — Uncle Jesse (@chuysancho) May 12, 2019 Marchand's put up 18 points through three rounds in addition to his antics. 4: TJ Oshie's old stomping grounds 1106572 Washington Capitals Implementing a formula they created, evolving-hockey.com lists all pending free agents and projects the cap hit and term for each player. Using the sites in conjunction gives a good indication of the challenges Salary cap shuffle: Breaking down Capitals’ potential roster for 2019-20 looming for MacLellan. The NHL’s salary cap is projected to be $83 million for the ’19-20 season and according to capfriendly.com, the Capitals currently have 16 players By Chris Kuc May 22, 2019 on the active roster with a combined salary of $72,919,294 (including a carryover bonus overage of $1.15 million and $82,500 in potential performance bonuses). That would leave the Capitals $10,080,706 under the cap with likely six players to add. Throughout his 10 seasons as an NHL player from the early 1980s to the early 1990s, Brian MacLellan would spend his summers taking graduate Projecting the players MacLellan wants to bring back and those he school classes at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minn. possibly doesn’t isn’t an exact science and, as stated earlier, a lot will depend on what kind of deal Vrana signs. Also, it’s very likely the MacLellan had a clear vision for what his post-playing career would entail Capitals will want to bring in a fresh face or two after their disappointing and it had nothing to do with staying in hockey. first-round ouster. “I wanted to be a stock analyst, basically,” MacLellan said earlier this “We’ll have some decisions to make,” MacLellan said. “We’ll find out year. “So I tried to pursue that.” which direction we’re going on Vrana with a term deal or a bridge deal. To that end, when MacLellan retired from the NHL where he played for Some of it is money decisions. Some of it is we need to make a couple the Kings, North Stars, Flames and Red Wings, he went back to school changes.” full time and earned his MBA in finance from St. Thomas. Coupled with For the purpose of this exercise, let’s work with the players already in the his bachelor of science in business administration from Bowling Green system. This is where evolving-hockey.com’s projections come in. State, MacLellan was ready to take on the world of finance. Working on the assumption that Brooks Orpik, Dmitrij Jaskin and After an internship at an accounting firm followed by a stint in the finance Devante Smith-Pelly won’t be back, that leaves MacLellan needing to department with a national car rental agency, MacLellan settled in for the sign restricted free agents Vrana, Andre Burakovsky, Christian Djoos and next six years working for an investment consulting firm in Chandler Stephenson as well as unrestricted free agents Connolly and that helped institutions manage pension funds. If not for a call in 2001 Hagelin. from long-time friend and then-Capitals general manager George McPhee urging him to join the organization, handling other people’s Evolving-hockey.com projects Vrana signing a two-year bridge deal with money appeared to be MacLellan’s destiny. a cap hit of $3,157,816, Connolly for three-years at $3,536,091, Hagelin for three years at $2,473,358, Djoos for two years at $966,531, Having started as a part-time pro scout, MacLellan rose through the Stephenson for one year at $777,365 and Burakovsky inking a two-year ranks and was named GM of the Capitals in ’14. Two Presidents’ contract with a cap hit of $2,600,116 assuming the Capitals would not trophies and a Stanley Cup championship later, MacLellan is at the top of extend the winger a qualifying offer (worth at least $3.25 million) and then his profession. re-sign him as an unrestricted free agent. Why the history lesson a month or so after the Capitals were booted from Again, these are projections and the money and terms could be quite the postseason by the upstart Hurricanes? different than what actually occurs, but let’s keep playing. MacLellan is tasked with putting together the puzzle that will be the With those players signed at those numbers, the Capitals would be Capitals’ roster for the 2019-20 season — and beyond — and his $3,430,571 over the salary cap. experience juggling numbers will be as useful as perhaps any other time during his tenure as GM. ROSTER SIZE SALARY CAP CAP HIT OVERAGES BONUSES CAP SPACE “You can apply a lot of the analytical skills you learned toward hockey,” MacLellan said of his background in finance. “You have to maintain 22 $83,000,000 $86,430,571 $1,150,000 where your team is; you have to put a good product out there; you want $82,500 -$3,430,571 to be competitive; you have to manage what you have roster-wise, salary-wise, age-wise and try to keep it going as long as you can.” POSITION Player Salary Contract Type A couple of weeks ago, we broke down which Capitals players are likely LW, RW Alex Ovechkin $9,538,462 M-NTC, UFA-2 to stay and which are likely to go for the ’19-20 season. Every team has roster turnover from one season to the next and the LW Jakub Vrána $3,157,816 RFA Capitals will again be no exception. Expiring contracts and some long- range planning already have MacLellan busy this offseason, including the signings of AHL forwards Shane Gersich (one-year, two-way contract LW, RW André Burakovsky $2,600,116 RFA ($700,000/$115,000, with a guaranteed minimum salary of $125,000) and Brian Pinho (one-year, two-way contract ($700,000/$100,000) on LW Carl Hagelin $2,473,358 Monday. Those minor moves are just a precursor to larger ones MacLellan will LW, C Chandler Stephenson $777,365 RFA make before the ’19-20 season, including the re-signing of restricted free agent Jakub Vrana. How Vrana’s contract shakes out will have a big impact on the rest of MacLellan’s wish list, which likely includes bringing C Nicklas Bäckström $6,700,000 M-NTC, UFA-1 back forwards Brett Connolly and Carl Hagelin. Vrana’s agent, J.P. Barry, has had discussions with MacLellan and the C Evgeny Kuznetsov $7,800,000 M-NTC,UFA-6 sides are exploring different terms, including a two-year bridge deal or a slightly longer one. With other players around the league in similar situations, Barry will monitor the market this summer to get an idea of C Lars Eller $3,500,000 UFA-4 how Vrana’s contract will be structured. C Nic Dowd $750,000 UFA-3 Barry also represents Hagelin and there have been initial discussions RW T.J. Oshie $5,750,000 M-NTC, UFA-6 between the veteran and the Capitals with further talks expected to ramp up soon. RW Tom Wilson $5,166,666 UFA-5 Two terrific tools to help forecast what the Capitals roster could look like next season are capfriendly.com and evolving-hockey.com. Using the sites’ information, projections and tools helps illustrate the challenges RW, LW Brett Connolly $3,536,091 UFA MacLellan faces under the NHL’s salary cap. Capfriendly.com is the place to go for contract information and has a tool C, RW Travis Boyd $800,000 RFA-1 that allows readers to play armchair GM and assemble a team that remains under the cap. LD Michal Kempnỳ $2,500,000 UFA-3

LD Dmitry Orlov $5,100,000 M-NTC, UFA-4 RW, LW Brett Connolly $3,536,091 UFA

LD Jonas Siegenthaler $714,166 RFA-1 C, RW Travis Boyd $800,000 RFA-1 LD Christian Djoos $966,531 RFA-1 LD Michal Kempnỳ $2,500,000 UFA-3

RD John Carlson $8,000,000 M-NTC, UFA-7 LD Dmitry Orlov $5,100,000 M-NTC, UFA-4

RD Matt Niskanen $5,750,000 M-NTC, UFA-2 LD Christian Djoos $966,531 RFA RD Nick Jensen $2,500,000 UFA-4 RD John Carlson $8,000,000 M-NTC, UFA-7

G Braden Holtby $6,100,000 M-NTC, UFA-1 RD Nick Jensen $2,500,000 UFA-4

G Pheonix Copley $1,100,000 UFA-3 RD Jonas Siegenthaler $714,166 RFA-1

RD Tyler Lewington $675,000 RFA-1 Source: CapFriendly.com G Braden Holtby $6,100,000 M-NTC, UFA-1 It doesn’t take a math whiz to see the problem and there are a couple of ways MacLellan can solve things. The GM can decide to move on from Connolly, who is in line for a substantial raise after a breakout season G Pheonix Copley $1,100,000 UFA-3 during which the forward had 22 goals and 24 assists, or a combination of players or create more cap space by dealing a veteran player with a Source: CapFriendly.com high cap hit. The muddled picture that is the Capitals’ roster for 2019-20 will come MacLellan brought up that possibility last month when he responded to a further into focus next month at the NHL draft followed by free agency, question about having enough cap space to work with by saying, but it’s clear MacLellan has some work to do while the championship “depending on what we decide to do, you might have to create some window remains open. space and just go from there.” The Athletic LOADED: 05.23.2019 The most widely speculated move is to trade defenseman Matt Niskanen and his $5.75 million cap hit. While losing the veteran would weaken the Capitals’ defense, it would leave some $1.6 million under the cap and solve a lot of the financial issues MacLellan is facing in the present and also put some money in the bank for when the contracts of Nicklas Backstrom and Braden Holtby expire following next season. It would also keep open the possibility that Smith-Pelly or Jaskin could return for depth purposes. Niskanen’s absence would thrust Nick Jensen into a more prominent role as well as likely leave a third pairing of youngsters Djoos and Jonas Siegenthaler plus an extra defenseman such as Tyler Lewington. As far as the forwards, the re-signing of one of or both Connolly and Hagelin would allow coach Todd Reirden to roll four lines and also have a strong penalty kill. Thanks again to capfriendly.com, here is what the roster and depth chart would look like: ROSTER SIZE SALARY CAP CAP HIT OVERAGES BONUSES CAP SPACE 22 $83,000,000 $81,355,571 $1,150,000 $82,500 $1,644,429 POSITION Player Salary Contract Type LW, RW Alex Ovechkin $9,538,462 M-NTC, UFA-2

LW Jakub Vrána $3,157,816 RFA

LW, RW André Burakovsky $2,600,116 RFA

LW Carl Hagelin $2,473,358 UFA

LW, C Chandler Stephenson $777,365 RFA

C Nicklas Bäckström $6,700,000 M-NTC, UFA-1

C Evgeny Kuznetsov $7,800,000 M-NTC,UFA-6

C Lars Eller $3,500,000 UFA-4 C Nic Dowd $750,000 UFA-3 RW T.J. Oshie $5,750,000 M-NTC, UFA-6

RW Tom Wilson $5,166,666 UFA-5

1106573 Winnipeg Jets However, does it suggest the Jets were actually closer to success than maybe it first appeared, and a "stay the course" approach going forward is much wiser than blowing things up? Spirit of St. Louis still haunts Jets, but does the Blues' red-hot playoff run Put another way, are the Jets a lot less broken than many people ease the pain? thought, now with the benefit of some hindsight? Would St. Louis getting quickly wiped out have changed the perception? By: Mike McIntyre This is the second straight year Winnipeg was eliminated by a Cup finalist, with Vegas doing the deed last season. (The Jets won Game 1 of the Western Conference final and again seemed to have all the momentum, only to seemingly run out of gas and lose the next four). OPINION The fact it happened much earlier this spring has no doubt contributed to Gather 'round, folks, as we fire up the old time machine for a quick trip the angst. But should it? back to the not-so-distant past. Warning: The ride may be a bit bumpy. And if you're a Winnipeg Jets fan, this is probably going to hurt a little. It's always important to keep the big picture in mind, and not simply judge in a vacuum based on what went down during a two-week playoff series. It's April 18, 2019, and the city is absolutely electric as the clock hits 9 p.m. After all, the beloved local hockey team has quickly opened up a The Blues were pretty much the hottest team in the NHL when the two-goal lead in a critical fifth game of its first-round playoff series against playoffs began, having risen from the ashes after sitting dead-last in the the St. Louis Blues. league at Christmas. Sure, they finished with the same number of points as the Jets (99), but these were two teams going in opposite directions. Things started off nicely for the Jets in Game 5 with Adam Lowry scoring the opening goal just 12 seconds into the first period against the St Louis St. Louis Blues goalie Jordan Binnington has been the main reason for Blues. the Blues success this post-season. PHIL HOSSACK / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS St. Louis was surging, having played desperate hockey for months, while Winnipeg had stumbled down the stretch, falling out of first place in the Things started off nicely for the Jets in Game 5 with Adam Lowry scoring final days of the regular-season, which led to a matchup with the Blues. the opening goal just 12 seconds into the first period against the St Louis Blues. Of course, winning the division and playing Dallas might not have changed much, given the wildcard Stars beat the Central champion Adam Lowry gets the party started just 12 seconds into the contest, Nashville Predators in six games, then took St. Louis to the full seven bringing more than 15,000 fans inside Bell MTS Place to their feet and (including a 3-2 series lead like Winnipeg nearly had) before bowing out. igniting thousands more taking in the raucous street party outside the And just ask the Western Conference champs in Calgary how that rink. And after Kevin Hayes struck later in the first period, it seems like worked out for them, since they were eliminated in five games by the Jets were well on their way to a third straight victory, having evened wildcard Colorado. the series up earlier in the week with two huge road wins. All of which is to say that I'm not sure the regular season has ever meant Oh, what a difference a couple hours would make. less, and that it's much more important how you're playing when the playoffs begin then where you finished. History shows the Blues stormed back with three goals in the final frame, including the dagger by Jaden Schwartz with just 15 seconds left to play, Winnipeg Jets' Jack Roslovic gets checked by St. Louis Blues' Jay to win 3-2. That sucked the life out of the crowd, the city and the team. Bouwmeester during their first-round playoff series. The Blues' size and Just 48 hours later in St. Louis, the Jets pulled a disappearing act as they physical style of play has served them well on their run to the Stanley fell behind 3-0 — Schwartz would strike for all three, including the opener Cup finals. just 23 seconds into the game — before scoring a couple late goals that couldn't save the season. Now St. Louis has one more mountain left to climb in the big, bad Boston Bruins. Speed and skill still rule the day in the modern NHL, but there's Now one month later, the Jets have all gone their separate ways with clearly a place for size and physicality, too. It should be a heck of a plenty of questions and speculation swirling about what went wrong, series, one not for the faint of heart. along with plenty of calls for change. That's if it ever gets going. For reasons that make absolutely no sense, And the Blues? Well, they're on their way to the Stanley Cup final for the the league has decided to impose a massive break until the puck drops first time since 1970, having disposed of the Dallas Stars in a thrilling next Monday. Talk about zapping any momentum you have going, both seven-game series, followed by the banged-up San Jose Sharks in six from a fan perspective and also for the two teams that will have been idle games. for far too long. The Bruins will be playing for the first time in 11 days, the Blues for the first time in six days. St. Louis Blues' Jaden Schwartz, left, scores the game-winning goal against the Winnipeg Jets with 15 seconds left in the third period to win Whether it's trying to avoid NBA conflicts or the upcoming Memorial Day game 5 of their first-round playoff series. long weekend in the U.S., the NHL has thrown a big wet blanket over its marquee event. And that's a shame, really. Game 1 should have been THE CANADIAN PRESS/JOHN WOODS this coming Saturday night at the latest. St. Louis Blues' Jaden Schwartz, left, scores the game-winning goal The Blues appear to be a team of destiny this season, and raising the against the Winnipeg Jets with 15 seconds left in the third period to win Stanley Cup next month would cap off one of the best comeback stories game 5 of their first-round playoff series. we've ever seen in sports. Schwartz, the Jets' killer, is now up to a dozen goals in the playoffs while For that reason, I'll take St. Louis in seven gruelling games. And a Jets goalie Jordan Binnington — the rookie Jets fans serenaded with booming fan base left to wonder, once again, what could have been. chants of "You Look Nervous" during the playoff series — is the picture of poise in leading his team to the big dance. Winnipeg Free Press LOADED 05.23.2019 I told you this was going to sting. But here's the thing: I suspect there are many fans out there who feel what St. Louis has accomplished this spring puts Winnipeg's performance in an entirely new light. Some players and coaches, too. And they all may have a point. No team wants to lose, of course. But does it cushion the blow when you come close to knocking off a squad that ends up going the distance? The Jets had the Blues on the ropes, only to self-destruct in that third period of Game 5. Jaden Schwartz has scored 12 goals for the St. Louis Blues' so far in the playoffs. 1106574 Winnipeg Jets some faith in him and he has the ability to play either the left or the right side.

As mentioned in this space, the most likely scenario for Trouba includes Number crunching: Jets need some creative accounting this summer a trade in Vancouver at the draft next month — though that remains somewhat complicated, as it is not known if the top pairing defenceman is interested in signing long-term before becoming an unrestricted free Ken Wiebe agent next summer. Following his exit meeting, Chiarot expressed a desire to stick around and said playing in a Canadian market matters to him. As it stands right now, the numbers don’t add up for the Winnipeg Jets. He was a draft pick of the Atlanta Thrashers in 2010 and had to earn his That’s OK, because after a first-round exit from the Stanley Cup playoffs way to the NHL — including a brief stint in the ECHL — so it makes this spring, Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff was bound to sense for the Jets to keep him around if they can make the numbers make some important changes to the roster during the off-season work. anyway. It’s the first time in his career that Chiarot can be an unrestricted free Everyone knew the salary-cap crunch was coming and it has arrived, agent and he’s likely to get several offers that would present him with a though a scorched earth approach is not going to be the solution either significant raise from the $1.6 million salary (and $1.4 million cap hit) he — nor should it be. played for last season. The Jets have some important unrestricted free agents who are most Myers is coming off two healthy seasons and is likely to be looking for an likely going to join other teams and there are a few other players who expanded role next season. could be heading to other destinations in a trade, but that’s a reality in the salary-cap world we live in. That could be available to him if the Jets decide to move Trouba, but Winnipeg wouldn’t be able to win a bidding war for Myers, let alone retain The Jets still have a strong core and the pieces are there to contend in him at his $5.5 million cap hit. the coming years and that position can be bolstered further by a strong summer of transactions. With the Vancouver Canucks and Edmonton Oilers among the many teams looking to add right-shot defencemen this summer, Myers is At this stage of the proceedings, there are a lot of moving parts when it another guy who is likely to be joining another organization. comes to the assembly and potential reconstruction of the Jets’ roster. Up front, the most notable free agent outside of Hayes is Brandon Tanev, The dominoes aren’t likely to start to fall until next month, as the 2019 who picked a great time to come through with a career-best 14 goals and NHL Draft approaches. 29 points in 80 games. Part of the retooling process could include trying to recoup some draft Tanev is also a tenacious winger who set a franchise record for hits in a picks, as the Jets currently hold spots in the second, fourth and fifth season, played a key role on the penalty kill and will be missed. rounds. He could command somewhere in the neighbourhood of $2.25 to $3 The first-rounder, which ended up being the 20th overall selection, went million per season on the open market, which means it’s likely he’s going to the New York Rangers along with feisty forward Brendan Lemieux in to be replaced by a cheaper model. the deal for pending unrestricted free agent centre Kevin Hayes. Mason Appleton suited up in 36 games for the Jets last season (three Although the Hayes deal didn’t have the same impact as the one that goals, 10 points) and has the skill set and hockey sense to step into that brought into the fold, it was a reminder the Jets are still role. looking for a solution at centre on the second line — even after veteran Bryan Little had a solid bounce-back season. Another tangible benefit in that scenario is that Appleton is going to be playing on the final year of his entry-level contract next season, so that Hayes is unlikely to stick around, so the Jets could be looking to add will help on the budget side of things. another centre through a deal, provided they don’t think one of Jack Roslovic or Andrew Copp can fill the job internally. Kristian Vesalainen, the Jets 2017 first-rounder, will also be in the mix up front after spending a chunk of last season playing for Jokerit in the KHL. This isn’t about Little’s abilities as a player, he remains a smart and capable player, but he isn’t an ideal fit to play alongside Patrik Laine. Par Lindholm showed some potential and would be a fit to return, provided he’s willing to sign in the $1 million to $1.5 million range (he If Laine isn’t riding shotgun with Mark Scheifele and Blake Wheeler, then made $1.775 million last season as a 27-year-old rookie). the Jets need to find someone who has a bit more chemistry with him, whether it be in a trade or in free agency. Although there could be a forward included in a potential deal for Trouba, the top priority for Cheveldayoff regarding this group is to get new The Jets aren’t expected to be overly active in free agency, other than contracts done for Patrik Laine and Kyle Connor. working hard to lock down their own pending free agents. In what was a surprising development, Connor out performed Laine in The biggest impact could be felt on the blue line, where both Tyler Myers both goals (34 to 30) and points (66 to 50), though obviously usage and Ben Chiarot are UFAs on July 1 and Jacob Trouba needs a new deal played a role in that — with Connor spending a great deal more time on as a restricted free agent. the top line. Nathan Beaulieu and Joe Morrow are also pending restricted free agents You can be sure that fact will enter into the discussion for both players at and could factor into the decision-making process. the bargaining table. Beaulieu was a good fit after coming over from the Buffalo Sabres and he At this time last summer, the most likely scenario regarding the two proved to be a valuable insurance policy playing alongside Trouba on the players was that Laine (coming off seasons of 44 and 36 goals) would be top pairing as Morrissey missed the final 20 games of the regular season the one signing a long-term deal that could have approached $10 million with a shoulder injury. per season and Connor could be headed for a bridge deal. The issue for the Jets is that in order to present Beaulieu with a qualifying Right now, the tables have turned, though Connor’s long-term deal is offer to retain his rights, the dollar value would need to be a 10% raise on more likely to be in the range of the one William Nylander signed with the the $2.4 million the defenceman made last season. Toronto Maple Leafs after his contract stalemate (six years, $45 million). That’s likely a tad rich, so the Jets could try to do what they did with Laine could still do a deal in the six-to-eight year range, but a bridge is Morrow last summer – which was to not present a qualifying offer but still likely in his best interest as his dip in production and extended cold try to sign him after he becomes an unrestricted free agent. stretches last season have bumped him out of the $8 to $10 million range, at least for the time being. Perhaps the Jets could entice Beaulieu with a second year on the deal and the opportunity to compete to play on a pairing with Dustin Byfuglien. The Finnish sniper played his best hockey at the end of the season and is one of only four players in NHL history to score 30-plus goals three Since defence prospect Logan Stanley is still likely a full season away times before the age of 21, so it’s not like the Jets don’t know he can put from battling for full-time NHL work and Dylan Samberg is slated to return the puck in the net. to the University of Minnesota-Duluth for his junior season, Morrow might stick around for one more season because head coach Paul Maurice has For Laine, if he bets on himself and takes a two-year deal, he would likely Early projection for Winnipeg Jets depth chart put himself in position to really cash in during the summer of 2021, provided he limits the dry spells and produces at the level that was (Remember, the Jets are likely to add several players via trade/free expected of him. agency) What the Jets can’t afford this fall is to not have either Laine or Connor in Goalies the lineup, so getting these deals done is of critical importance this Connor Hellebuyck summer. Laurent Brossoit Yes, the Maple Leafs survived without Nylander but they would have been in a better position with him in training camp and not playing catch- Defence up from late November and on. Josh Morrissey-Jacob Trouba* After watching both the St. Louis Blues and Boston Bruins reach the Stanley Cup by using a mix of skill and playing a heavy game, it wouldn’t Sami Niku-Dustin Byfuglien be a surprise to see the Jets look to incorporate a bit more sandpaper Dmitry Kulikov-Tucker Poolman into their forward group. Nathan Beaulieu* The to-do list for Cheveldayoff this summer remains a lengthy and substantial one and he fully understands the importance of what several Forwards of those decisions could mean for the future of the franchise. Kyle Connor*-Mark Scheifele-Blake Wheeler Winnipeg Jets under contract for 2019-20 season (AAV, courtesy of CapFriendly) Nikolaj Ehlers-Andrew Copp*-Patrik Laine* Projected salary cap: $83 million Mathieu Perreault-Bryan Little-Jack Roslovic Projected salary cap hit $56,402,497 for 13 players Kristian Vesalainen-Adam Lowry-Mason Appleton Projected cap space: $26,597,503 Marko Dano*-C.J. Suess*-Logan Shaw* G Connor Hellebuyck ($6.167 million) * Restricted free agent D Dustin Byfuglien ($7.6 million) Winnipeg Sun LOADED 05.23.2019 D Dmitry Kulikov ($4.33 million) D Josh Morrissey ($3.15 million) D Sami Niku ($916,666) D Tucker Poolman ($775,00) RW Blake Wheeler ($8.25 million) C Mark Scheifele ($6.135 million) LW Nikolaj Ehlers ($6 million) C Bryan Little ($5.292 million) LW Mathieu Perreault ($4.125 million) C Adam Lowry ($2.917 million) F Jack Roslovic ($1.107 million) Pending restricted free agents (last season’s AAV) G Laurent Brossoit ($650,000) G Eric Comrie ($902,500) D Jacob Trouba ($5.5 million) D Nathan Beaulieu ($2.4 million) D Joe Morrow ($1 million) RW Patrik Laine ($3.575 million) LW Kyle Connor ($1.775 million) F Andrew Copp ($1 million) C C.J. Suess ($925,000) LW Marko Dano ($800,000) F Logan Shaw ($675,000) Pending unrestricted free agents (last season’s AAV) D Tyler Myers ($5.5 million AAV, but $3 million salary) D Ben Chiarot ($1.4 million) D Bogdan Kiselevich ($925,000, signed to play in KHL next season) C Kevin Hayes ($5.175 million) F Brandon Tanev ($1.15 million) F Par Lindholm ($1.775 million) F Matt Hendricks ($700,000) 1106575 Winnipeg Jets If ever there were the type of player whose age and performance dictated a long-term contract, it would be Trouba.

The problem is ever since his 2016 contract standoff, the perception Seven potential trade destinations for Jacob Trouba and what the Jets around Trouba is that home is simply not in Winnipeg — that he’d prefer might get in return to play as much of his career as possible in the United States. He and the Jets have been allowed to negotiate a contract extension since Jan. 1, but nothing has been announced. After all of this long-term By Murat Ates May 22, 2019 consternation, the thought in Winnipeg is that a long-term contract is not in the cards and that Trouba will be traded before this summer’s draft.

So what does Winnipeg need? It’s May 22, 2018, and Jacob Trouba sits beside Josh Morrissey at Bell MTS Place. Trouba is adamant that his mission in Winnipeg hasn’t been On the ice, Winnipeg’s most pressing need is a player who can come in accomplished yet. and play in its top four. Without Trouba and with the potential loss of Tyler Myers to free agency, there are going to be more opportunities on “You get the sense there’s a little unfinished business here with this D in Winnipeg than there are experienced bodies to fill them. It should be team,” Trouba says. “We all have such good relationships on this team noted that the Jets are presumably in win-now mode. The most ideal — it’s fun to be part of.” return may well be a Trouba clone or, at the very least, a defender who can play in their top four. Similarly pressing, Winnipeg’s second-line- Trouba is all smiles and optimism. He cracks jokes and pokes fun at centre situation is ambiguous heading into 2019-20 — Bryan Little has Morrissey while insisting that his situation in Winnipeg has improved been ousted from that job in consecutive seasons, while none of Adam since his 2016 contract stalemate. Lowry, Jack Roslovic or Andrew Copp has managed to claim his spot. “It’s a special team,” he reiterates. “You want to play for a contender and Off the ice, the Jets need to replenish their prospect pipeline. A team that’s what we have here.” known for drafting and development — and in dire need of value For Jets fans, the only way to improve this press conference from Trouba contracts after Laine and Kyle Connor get extensions this summer — would be if he closed it off by signing a long-term extension. Instead, heads into June’s draft with just a second-, a fourth- and a fifth-round Trouba holds court, lauding Morrissey’s development, highlighting their pick to its name. That sheer lack of picks needs to change, and Trouba burgeoning chemistry and emphasizing his increased responsibility as a may be Cheveldayoff’s best bet to make that happen. reason things are looking up in Winnipeg. Finally, the Jets do have prospect defencemen — most notably Sami He doesn’t sign a long-term contract. Trouba elects for an arbitration Niku, Dylan Samberg, Logan Stanley, Luke Green and Poolman — but hearing instead, which promptly ties GM Kevin Cheveldayoff’s hands. no one with Trouba’s ceiling or pedigree. Any meaningful addition to this Winnipeg is forced to choose between a one- or two-year arbitration group would have to be seen as a boon. award. Given that a two-year contract would walk Trouba directly to What could Winnipeg get for Jacob Trouba? unrestricted free agency in 2020, Cheveldayoff chooses a one-year pact. This decision will have consequences. For that answer, I turned to The Athletic’s roster of NHL reporters. I’ve sorted through their thoughts, and I’ve listed the teams in order of what I Fast forward to April 22, 2019. After a prolonged second-half slump and consider to be the most intriguing potential trade packages. Here are a six-game first round loss, Winnipeg’s optimism has faded. your Trouba targets: Trouba’s exit interview is exactly one month (or two metric playoff series) The front-runners earlier this season than it was a year ago. This time, it’s not defensive partner Morrissey at Trouba’s side but pending unrestricted free agent Detroit Red Wings — courtesy of Max Bultman Brandon Tanev. Trouba is wearing a black Detroit Tigers baseball cap. Trouba to the Red Wings is the rumour that can’t stop, won’t stop, and if He shifts back and forth restlessly in his chair as the question everyone the Jets decide this is the time to consider moving on from him, that knows has to be asked finally comes. Does Trouba want to be a long- connection will only intensify. Trouba’s from nearby Rochester, Michigan, term Winnipeg Jet? and played for the NTDP and then the University of Michigan. It only makes sense that if he wants a change of scenery, home is near the top “Same answer as always,” says Trouba. “I’ll figure it out once things get of his list. going in the summer, what’s best and move forward from there.” Trouba would likely walk right onto Detroit’s top pair, and the Red Wings It’s summertime, Winnipeg. have the cap room to not just absorb him this season but also to extend The Jacob Trouba saga is coming to an end or, at least, it should be. him before he hits free agency in a year. With May long weekend in the rearview mirror, we are exactly one month The question, then, becomes whether and how much Detroit wants to away from the NHL draft — or, from Winnipeg’s perspective, a great pay for the right to pay him more, since the Red Wings aren’t in a opportunity to trade Trouba. position to benefit much from his arrival this coming season. Assuming Those consequences we mentioned earlier? They were dire. the Red Wings won’t want to part with top young defencemen Filip Hronek or Dennis Cholowski, they don’t have a realistic young roster While playing out his one-year arbitration award, Trouba did himself all player to centre an ideal Trouba trade around. But they do have surplus kinds of favours on the ice and on his stat sheet, too. draft capital in the second round in each of the next two seasons, an area Winnipeg is in trouble, and a couple of good younger prospect We’ve known Trouba was a top-end 5-on-5 point producer for years — defencemen who could round out a deal from a value perspective. If he’s placed inside the top 20 for points per minute among defencemen at Winnipeg insists on an impact defender who can help them now, Detroit’s 5-on-5 in each of his past three seasons — but prime-time power-play hands might be tied unless the Jets have interest in Mike Green, who minutes have been tough to come by. In a league where point production had a good season when healthy but whose trade protection and virus equals ability plus opportunity, Trouba finally enjoyed the best of both issues that cost him the beginning and end of the season could prove worlds in 2018-19. With 82 healthy games and career-high power-play barriers. minutes, Trouba obliterated his previous career high of 33 points, reaching the 50-point plateau for the first time. Ultimately, then, finding a match between Detroit and the Jets could come down to how deep into the Red Wings’ rebuilding coffers Steve Suffice to say, if Winnipeg decides to trade Trouba, his value will be at an Yzerman is willing to dip. If he sees Trouba as a headlining defenceman all-time high. he wants to pay long-term, then he’ll have the assets to dangle. But if Of course, the truth is that players with Trouba’s pedigree are typically he’s leery about Trouba’s contract long term, he could end up holding a supposed to be untouchable. line that other teams around the league have no problem outbidding. At 25 years old, Trouba has just completed a career season in Winnipeg. Ates: Filip Hronek destroyed the AHL and then ran half a point per game Whether you look at all-situations minutes or key in on 5-on-5, he played for the Detroit Red Wings at just 21 years old. Any package built around the second-most minutes among Jets blueliners during the regular Hronek borders too-good-to-be-true territory for Winnipeg, but if anyone season and the playoffs, too. His 50 points led all Jets D in offence and can coax Trouba into signing long term, it’s Detroit. Still, the Red Wings tied Trouba with Patrik Laine for fourth in points. are rebuilding. Why would they do it? And don’t let Trouba’s six full years of NHL experience fool you — he’s Tampa Bay Lightning — courtesy of Joe Smith younger than Dustin Byfuglien, Tyler Myers, Dmitry Kulikov, Ben Chiarot, Nathan Beaulieu, Joe Morrow and Tucker Poolman. The Lightning are continuing their blue-line makeover this summer, since Philadelphia already has a glut of NHL-capable blueliners on the having to decide whether to bring back any of the three veteran UFAs — roster even before looking to add an impact veteran piece. Anton Stralman, Dan Girardi and Braydon Coburn. They have five defencemen under contract — Victor Hedman, Ryan McDonagh, Mikhail Would the Flyers be willing to go even bigger for Trouba — such as Sergachev, Erik Cernak and Jan Rutta — but could use another righty to including a top prospect (Frost, Farabee, Myers) or even structuring an pair up top with Hedman. offer around one of the up-and-comers on their roster (Gostisbehere, Travis Konecny, Oskar Lindblom)? I’m skeptical, but Winnipeg certainly Trouba, a target in years past, could be an intriguing option. But with would be justified in pushing for that kind of attractive return. A 2019 first- Trouba being a restricted free agent this summer, likely drawing a rounder, a B/B-plus prospect and a lower-end roster defenceman (or contract worth $6 million or more annually, there would have to be salary mid-round pick) package feels like something the Flyers might deem moved the other way to make it work. If Winnipeg is looking for a No. 2 acceptable, though. centre, the Lightning have Tyler Johnson, a former All-Star who has been playing primarily right wing the past two seasons. Johnson has a full no- Ates: A 2019 first-round pick, a B prospect and a lower-end roster trade clause, however, which would complicate matters. defenceman sound like a very realistic possibility and a reasonable line in and J.T. Miller have no-trade clauses that don’t kick in until July 1, for the sand for one year of Jacob Trouba. That said, no item in that what it’s worth. Tampa Bay could offer a draft pick, seeing that the Jets package comes close to approaching Trouba’s value, and even if could use some this year, but that doesn’t take into account the cap Winnipeg did well in the trade, the Jets would be worse on the ice in situation. 2019-20. Cap space helps but guarantees nothing. There’s no question the Lightning will be open to anything when it comes Buffalo Sabres — courtesy of John Vogl to their blue line this summer, whether it’s bringing back a veteran on a The Sabres’ biggest need – by far – is scorers. They rely overwhelmingly short-term deal or finding one via trade (like Trouba), or making another on Jack Eichel’s line, and the top priority is getting help for the centre. run at Erik Karlsson on July 1. But they would have to make the money part work, knowing they have to re-sign RFA Brayden Point and, in the But a seismic shift to the right side of the defence makes sense, too. summer of 2020, Andrei Vasilevskiy. If Trouba, as speculated, is Buffalo has the player and/or draft picks to make a move. interested in just a one-year deal to get to UFA status next summer, that could be easier to swallow cap-wise. But it would also impact the Swapping Rasmus Ristolainen for Trouba could help both teams. By potential return. acquiring Ristolainen, the Jets essentially stick with the status quo. Both players turn 25 this year. Ristolainen makes $5.4 million per season, Ates: Tyler Johnson’s offensive stats while playing alongside Brayden $100,000 less than Trouba’s expiring deal, and is signed for three more Point and Nikita Kucherov are clear of Bryan Little. That said, I can’t years. Sometimes overwhelmed as the top guy in Buffalo, Ristolainen imagine he waives his no-trade clause, leaving Winnipeg to make a could easily slide into Trouba’s No. 2 role behind Byfuglien. difficult case for second-line centre J.T. Miller or the sublimely talented, pint-size centre/winger Yanni Gourde. Both of these latter players are Their stats are comparable. Trouba had eight goals, 42 assists and 50 extremely compelling but would likely take a signed Trouba. points this year, while Ristolainen put up five goals, 38 assists and 43 points. Going back to 2014-15, Ristolainen has 34 goals and Trouba has New York Rangers — courtesy of Rick Carpiniello 32. Ristolainen has a hefty edge in assists (156-118), but that’s because he’s gotten double the power-play time. At even strength, Trouba has a The Rangers know very well that their defence is broken. But they also slight assist edge at 84-71. have a lot of prospects coming, including Adam Fox, whom they just signed, and Libor Hajek, the big piece of the Ryan McDonagh trade, and A case could be made for a one-for-one deal. The Sabres are getting the more to come later (last year’s two first-rounders, K’Andre Miller and Nils better player, but they’re also getting the costlier contract. With Trouba Lundkvist). But they also need to add top-line forwards, and I think that’s joining 25-year-old deadline acquisition Brandon Montour on the right where their cap space is ticketed in terms of free agents. side, Buffalo would be in good shape for the foreseeable future. I get the sense they’d be very interested in Trouba and could surely use If the Jets would rather have draft picks, the Sabres have two first-round him, but the cost could be prohibitive. If they fail on their forward targets selections. They own the No. 7 overall pick and No. 30 or 31, depending (Artemi Panarin, and possibly an offer sheet), then a move to get Trouba on playoff results. Neither would work straight-up. would be more likely. I don’t think they’ll be in on P.K. Subban or Karlsson, for example. Regardless of how any trade for Trouba is constructed — player or picks — Buffalo has the ammunition to fire away. Ates: If New York does make a case for Trouba, all of K’Andre Miller, Adam Fox, Libor Hajek, and Nils Lundkvist are compelling prospects on Ates: Vogl makes a strong case for Rasmus Ristolainen, a player held in D — likely in that order. The problem for the Jets is that New York traded high esteem by many in NHL circles but less so in the analytics up to get Miller at the 2018 draft, traded futures for the rights to Fox and community. Winnipeg could sell winning now with Ristolainen behind traded Ryan McDonagh for Hajek. The Rangers are heavily invested in Byfuglien or attempt to build a package around Buffalo’s many, many the men Winnipeg will want. draft picks. As in most of these scenarios, Trouba would be the best player in the deal — and that would hurt Winnipeg. Philadelphia Flyers — courtesy of Charlie O’Connor (Jerome Miron / USA Today) The Flyers enter the offseason with the goal of beefing up their blueline corps, ideally by adding a first-pair-quality defenceman who can play Dark Horses alongside Ivan Provorov and ease his load a bit, while allowing the other Dallas Stars — courtesy of Sean Shapiro puck-moving defencemen on the roster (Travis Sanheim, Shayne Gostisbehere, Philippe Myers) to slide into more appropriate roles. The Stars’ shopping list this summer includes a top-four right-handed Trouba certainly fits the bill from a talent standpoint and also comes with defenceman. Dallas has a long-term core in place with Esa Lindell, John the benefit of being right-handed, which would provide balance not just to Klingberg and Miro Heiskanen, but the fourth member has gone missing the first pair but also all the way down their defence depth chart. after Stephen Johns missed the entire 2018-19 season because of post- traumatic headaches. Johns’ future is still unclear, and Dallas’ lack of a Philadelphia isn’t lacking for assets. They have one of the deeper true second-pairing righty was exposed in the playoffs against the Blues. prospect pools in hockey, a number of young, proven-to-be-useful NHLers, and a full complement of picks in the coming two drafts (even an To be frank, the Stars’ best option is likely in free agency because of the extra third rounder in 2019 and an extra fourth in 2020). The question acquisition cost, but trying to trade for Trouba will likely at least be isn’t whether they have the pieces to make a worthwhile offer to discussed if he can be had for a combination of draft picks and futures. Winnipeg for Trouba — it’s more whether they’d be willing to part with the The players the Jets would covet most, another top-four defender or a package such an addition would require. second-line centre, simply aren’t available from Dallas. My assumption is that their first-round pick this June (11th overall) would The Stars also have limited draft picks after making deadline moves for be in play for the right piece, and considering Philadelphia’s desire to add Mats Zuccarello and Ben Lovejoy; they have only two picks in the first an impact defenceman this summer and a relatively thin free-agency three rounds over each of the next two seasons. When you consider all crop at the position, Trouba certainly fits the bill. Beyond that pick? My of these factors, the Stars aren’t likely to be in on the Trouba guess is the Flyers would blanch at including top prospects Morgan Frost sweepstakes because of the cost and the other things that should be or Joel Farabee if the 11th overall pick is leading the package, but available to the Jets from other teams. Call them a dark horse since perhaps a youngster from the next tier down (Isaac Ratcliffe, German Stars GM Jim Nill has been willing to pull the trigger on unexpected Rubtsov) could be used as a sweetener. If the Jets are also looking for deals. an NHL-caliber defenceman to come back in the deal, I imagine players like Robert Hagg or Samuel Morin could end up on the table as well, Ates: The Stars don’t have many draft picks this June, nor do they have much cap space to work with this summer. Trouba could certainly help them, but it’s tough to imagine what the Stars have to offer in return. That said, when Jim Nill does make trades, they are often of the creative variety. Nearly half of his trades since 2017-18 have involved conditional picks. Anaheim Ducks — courtesy of Eric Stephens For whatever reason, I’ve always found it interesting that the Ducks chose Hampus Lindholm with the sixth pick in 2012 instead of Trouba in a draft that was heavy on talented blueliners at the top of it. Possibly because I really thought Anaheim would take either Trouba or Matt Dumba. But I digress. Like many other teams, the Ducks can use a right-shot defenceman to fill out their top four, especially with a hole there after they’ve traded Shea Theodore, Sami Vatanen and Brandon Montour in recent years. Trouba would obviously fit that bill with his combination of grit and puck-moving ability. And at 25, he’s smack dab in his prime. How could the Ducks acquire him? Well, there’s no way they could entertain a trade for him without getting an agreement to a long-term contract that would eat up some UFA years. And that’s going to be a seven-figure average annual value number that could start with a 7. That’s too costly for them, unless they could pull off the magic trick of moving Corey Perry and the $17.25 million still owed to him the next two seasons. Also, they would need to give up something significant. With Trouba being restricted (though again eligible for salary arbitration after getting a one-year, $5.5 million deal through the process last summer), potentially becoming a UFA in 2020 and having an occasionally chilly relationship with the Jets, it could leave Winnipeg with less leverage in a trade. But the Ducks couldn’t just come in with low-ball offers. The Jets don’t have a first-round pick, and Anaheim GM Bob Murray could offer up the No. 28 or 29 selection the Ducks will end up with from Buffalo in the Montour trade, but I’d suspect Winnipeg would ask for the ninth overall choice that’s the Ducks’ own. They’d likely have to give up a really good defence prospect bound for the NHL – and more if it’s certain that Trouba signs an extension. Brendan Guhle and Josh Mahura are the closest things to that, and it’s probably not enough. Maybe the Ducks sweeten it by also offering forwards Nick Ritchie or Daniel Sprong. Being able to land Trouba and have him during his prime years is likely pure fantasy for the Ducks. But he would be the type of big swing Murray, a former longtime NHL defenceman himself who wants a strong blue line, should take as he retools his team. Ates: Like Dallas, Anaheim has a need but might not have the assets. Unlike Dallas, there are draft picks to spare but neither Brendan Guhle nor Josh Mahura projects in the range of New York’s four-prospect D. If the Jets are looking for futures, they can likely do better in other markets. The Ducks’ ninth overall pick is enticing, too, but Buffalo (seventh), Detroit (sixth) or New York (second) could beat it if they tried. The Athletic LOADED: 05.23.2019 1106576 Vancouver Canucks Henrik: “I’d like to see a mix of what we’ve been through, things we’ve won and teams we’ve been on. I’m sure they’ll do a good job.”

Q: What impact and legacy have you left the sport in B.C.? Sedins’ induction into B.C. Sports Hall of Fame feels like home Daniel: “We did everything we could to be the best we could, and hopefully that can inspire people and inspire them with what we did Ben Kuzma outside of hockey.” Henrik: “Trying to be the best people we could be. Fans can think what they want of us as players — some are going to like us and some aren’t Canucks' dynamic duo set franchise records, embraced everything on — but if you can be remembered as a good person, that’s No. 1.” and off the ice Q: Could you have accomplished this without each other? We will never forget the artistry, accountability and amiable nature that set Henrik and Daniel Sedin apart on and off the ice. Daniel: “I doubt it. We helped each other since we were little kids and inspiring each other by competing and pushing ourselves because even The legendary Swedish twins were inducted Wednesday into the B.C. the first few years over here, we did a lot of talking to get through the Sports Hall of Fame — in advance of Thursday’s gala — and raising their tough times. And we got better slowly, together. We wouldn’t be here numbers to the rafters at Rogers Arena next season befits the dynamic without each other.” duo. Henrik: “I doubt it. If we could have got through the first couple of years, As great as they were in 17 NHL seasons to establish franchise records maybe we would have taken these steps ourselves. But to get through for goals (Daniel, 393), assists (Henrik, 830) and points (Henrik, 1,070) that to where we are, it would have been tough. We came in different — their league-wide impact was immense. from young players now. We were not ready to play right away and spent one or two summers in the gym when we came over.” In 2010, Henrik captured the Art Ross Trophy as scoring leader with 112 points (29-83) and the Hart Trophy as most valuable player. In 2011, Q: What don’t we know about your twin brother? Daniel won the Art Ross Trophy with 104 points (41-63) and the Ted Lindsay Award as most outstanding as voted by the players. Daniel: “He’s a slow runner (laughter). Maybe as captain he came across as being a serious guy, but he can be really funny and just great to be Henrik was also honoured with the King Clancy Memorial Trophy for around. He makes life easier and happier, too.” leadership in 2015-16 and the twins shared the award in 2017-18. Henrik: “I think you know pretty much everything, but he’s more social Greatness isn’t defined by statistics and jaw-dropping Sedinery. It was than I am. I like my alone time and he might be a little different.” when the person away from the game became as prominent as the player. The Sedins placed a priority on selflessly and quietly giving time Q: What are you most proud of in your remarkable careers? and money to charities to acknowledge and support a city and province Daniel: “When you did everything you could to get better and win, when that embraced them. you look back you can be proud and happy. And when you play a team In 2010, they made a joint donation with their wives of $1.5 million toward game, you don’t want to let your teammates down or the coach or the the pediatric intensive-care unit and diagnostic-imaging area of a new fans. We loved competing and being the go-to guys and were always up building project at B.C. Children’s Hospital. for the challenge.” Maybe that’s why the hockey gods smiled when the twins turned back Henrik: “That we’ve been able to stick around and play for so long and for the clock in their home-ice finale April 5, 2018. one team. We had people who believed in us and we never shied away from the pressure from media and fans early on. That’s what we’re most They were at their playmaking best and had just enough left in the tank proud of. And 2011 (Stanley Cup Final) is something you’re going to when Henrik fed Daniel for a one-timer slapper. His second goal at 2:33 remember forever, but there are teams every year that lose out and of overtime on the power play completed the raucous rally in an should have won.” unforgettable 4-3 triumph over the Arizona Coyotes. Q: What do you think of the Canucks’ future? The Sedins still look like they could keep playing, but have found new challenges on the ski slopes, trail and road racing courses, horse racing Daniel: “A lot of good pieces. If they can build on this and get better and and even Daniel acting as a school-crossing guard. be honest that the young players need to take the next step to get better. Everyone knows that and we’ll see. But I said when we retired the Henrik Sedin clambers over the boards with Daniel at his side in the third Canuck fans should be excited about taking the steps and getting some period of their emotional sendoff game at Rogers Arena on April 5, 2018. new players on the team.” Gerry Kahrmann / PNG Henrik: “They’ve taken a few steps for sure, but they still need things to We caught up with the 38-year-olds Wednesday before their induction: pan out and the young players to take steps. They need to surround the players they believe in with good players and support them. That’s what I Q: You’ve both won awards in Sweden and the NHL. What does this think they’re going to try to do the next couple of years.” honour mean? Q: Will we see you back in the game in some capacity? Daniel: “It means a lot. A lot of former Canucks are in the B.C. Sports Hall of Fame and a lot of other great athletes. Vancouver and B.C. have Daniel: “We’ve said all along that hockey is the main thing for us and always been a big part of our lives.” what we know, but at the same time, we’ve said we’re tired of travelling and tired of getting on those long road trips. It has to be the right fit. Who Henrik: “We grew up in a small town in northern Sweden (Örnsköldsvik) knows? We might end up doing something completely different. We’ll find and to be acknowledged like this, it’s far away from home and it’s been something that makes us happy.” amazing.” Henrik: “We said we were going to take a year off and here we are. We’ll Q: What does it mean for your families, wives and kids? see what happens but it’s something we’re going to keep our mind open to for sure.” Daniel: “It starts with mom and dad growing up because they did so much for us. They wanted to be here these two days but mom has a bad CALL TO B.C. HALL back and couldn’t make the flight. But our wives have been there for us and the kids have grown up here. We have a lot of great friends outside Other inductees are athletes Emily Brydon (skiing), Roy Gerela (football) of hockey we like spending time with and it’s a perfect situation for us.” and Kelly McCallum (rugby), builder-coaches Darlene Currie (basketball), Ken Holland (hockey) and Tony Waiters (soccer), 1968 New Westminster Henrik: “Our families have been through a lot as well and being away Salmonbellies (lacrosse), pioneer Ralph (Hunk) Henderson (basketball- from home as much as I have, the wives did a lot of work behind the football), Dan Jukich (media) and Ron Toigo (W.A.C. Bennett Award). scenes and it’s the same honour for them.” Vancouver Province: LOADED: 05.23.2019 Q: What memorabilia will go into the Hall display, and what would you like to see? Daniel: “We have a lot of old jerseys and sticks and equipment, and I like to see things we’ve done outside of hockey because being part of the Canucks means we’ve been involved in a lot of charities.” 1106577 Vancouver Canucks A week ago Tuesday:Ben Hutton His performance was everything you want in a sixth defenceman. And it’s clear that Schenn is more than happy at this point to play the role. Canucks Under the Microscope: Luke Schenn He said as the 2018-19 season wound down that clearing waivers and being demoted to the AHL in November shook him. Patrick Johnston “Am I ever going to get to play in the NHL again?” he said he asked himself at the time. Veteran defenceman was a mid-season depth pickup and played himself As good-natured and conversational as they come, Schenn set himself to into a Canucks future work. By the end of the season it looked like he’d built himself a new playing home in Vancouver. Name: Luke Schenn With a dearth of depth on the right side, the Canucks look set to re-sign Age: 29. him as a third-pairing defenceman. Position: Defenceman. Greatest strength: Physical play. Career stats: GP: 734, G: 30, A: 115, Points: 145, PIM: 545 Greatest weakness: Foot speed. Contract status: Unrestricted free agent; coming off a one-year deal he Is he trade bait? Well, he was acquired in a trade, but that was as much signed with the Ducks last summer for $800,000. about Anaheim not wanting to add a contract when they traded for Michael Del Zotto as anything. How 2018-19 went: After suddenly finding himself skating with Quinn Hughes for the super-rookie’s debut in the NHL, Schenn was brutally The big question: Who will be his left-side partner next fall? honest in how amazed he was to even be in that spot. Vancouver Province: LOADED: 05.23.2019 “I’ve been given an opportunity in Vancouver I wasn’t sure I would get and just play as well as I can, leave everything on the table and not have any regrets going into the summer,” he told reporters on March 28, after the Canucks beat the Kings 3-2. After a disastrous start to the year with the Ducks, Schenn seemed to find a home with the Canucks to close the season. There’s little doubt this is not how the rugged blue-liner expected his 11th season in the NHL to go. Sure, he was earning a salary far below what he once commanded from the Toronto Maple Leafs, but he signed with the Anaheim Ducks expecting to play. Things quickly turned sour in Orange County, and while Schenn didn’t want to get into details, it was clear that he was told in no short order by former Ducks coach Randy Carlyle that maybe he should just quit the game altogether. Schenn didn’t heed those words; instead he went to the AHL’s San Diego Gulls and found a believer there in coach Dallas Eakins. Former minor-league teammates Max Jones and Luke Schenn (right) get reunited during a Feb. 25, 2019 NHL game at Rogers Arena. When the Canucks added him, the original plan was for Schenn to play veteran mentor in Utica, but injuries to Chris Tanev and Alex Edler in mid-February saw him recalled to the NHL. Even then, coach would later admit, it wasn’t clear how long Schenn would stick around — or if he’d even play. When he finally did, he put on a display that was simple and straightforward: he played a physical game and then proved to be solid in moving the puck up ice. There was simply no fuss to his game. UNDER THE MICROSCOPE It has been over six weeks since the Vancouver Canucks began their summer holidays, nine points shy of a wild-card berth into the NHL playoffs. Today we continue our microscopic examination of the team’s roster: Tuesday: Sven Baertschi Monday: Brandon Sutter Last Friday:Travis Green Last Thursday: Alex Biega Last Wednesday: Jake Virtanen Last Tuesday: Quinn Hughes A week ago Monday: Nikolay Goldobin A week ago Sunday:Jim Benning A week ago Friday:Chris Tanev A week ago Thursday:Alex Edler A week ago Wednesday:Troy Stecher 1106578 Websites April 24, 2001 | six-foot | 174 pounds Clarke was a highly touted player coming from minor midget. He’s a regular Cy Young candidate, in that his goals often outpace his assists. The Athletic / Pronman’s 2019 NHL Draft board: Prospects who missed He was solid this season for the 67’s but wasn’t consistent. On such a the cut deep team, he also wasn’t going to be handed ice time. Clarke has a good skill set. He can make defenders miss and has impressive offense instincts with the puck to move it around despite his low assist totals. By Corey Pronman May 22, 2019 There’s no question his best asset is his shot and his ability to score from a distance. Clarke is a power-play weapon due to his skill and shot. His main weakness is his skating. The stride is wonky and lacks power. I’ve seen him turn some defenders and get up the ice fine, so I can see the On Tuesday, I published my 2019 NHL Draft board. It lists just over 100 argument it’s not a huge issue, but it’s not a strength. Clarke isn’t a great prospects I consider worth being selected. At the end of a list, the margin defender, but I like the way he competes. I do wish he would get inside to is very slim between making the cut and missing. the net as opposed to always trying to rely on his shot. You’re picking As well, while most readers rightly focus on the players who do make it, him with a bet on the skill/shot and hoping he develops the rest. the draft season comprises watching hundreds of players and crossing Ryder Donovan, C, Dubuque-USHL more players off your list than placing those on it. Oct. 4, 2000 | 6-foot-3 | 183 pounds This column is a dedication to those players who didn’t make my cut but are still good hockey players. What follows are the very last cuts, the Donovan returned to high school as a late birth date with the expectation players who were in one or more iterations of my draft ranking and I that he would tear up that level. He didn’t. Thus a player who came into thought would make the final cut. the season with top 30-40 hype slid hard, particularly after he looked lackluster in the USHL. The tools he has are legitimate. Donovan is a big Vladimir Alistrov, LW, Edmonton-WHL center who skates very well for a guy his size and has skill. When Feb. 12, 2001 | 6-foot-2 | 176 pounds Donovan gets going through the neutral zone, he looks like an NHL player. His skill level isn’t anything special, but he can make plays Alistrov came to the WHL with some hype as an impressive underage through defenders and flashes the odd instance of a top-level play. player at the IIHF U18s and the second pick in the CHL Import Draft. He Duluth used him at the point on its power play, and he did OK in that role, struggled initially with the pace of the level but got better in the second but his vision isn’t anything noteworthy. He knows he’s supposed to half. What immediately stands out is his skill level. Alistrov has the move the puck but his reads aren’t quick or precise, and he can get natural tools to make highlight reels with his stick handling and the ways tunnel-vision with the puck at times. Donovan competed fine when I’ve he gets around defenders and goalie. Put that into a 6-foot-2 frame and watched, but I’ve heard from scouts who don’t love his game off the puck you see immediate upside. His playmaking isn’t at the same level, but I and he doesn’t get to the net that much. He might be the classic example like his hockey sense. Alistrov has work to do to round out his game, of all the tools without the toolbox. though. He skates OK but his game lacks pace. He struggles in the physical aspects of the game and needs to become better defensively. Jami Krannila, C, Sioux Falls-USHL He’s worth a shot due to his significant upside. Oct. 3, 2000 | 5-foot-10 | 161 pounds Alexander Campbell, LW, Victoria-BCHL Krannila’s first season in North America went well in the USHL. He Feb. 27, 2001 | 5-foot-11 | 154 pounds wasn’t a go-to player for Sioux Falls, but he was productive and showed offensive upside. Krannila is a creative offensive player. He’s got very Campbell was part of the best line in the BCHL, often lining up with Alex good hands and hockey sense with the ability to make plays from the Newhook and Riley Hughes (NYR) and rolling over opponents. Therein perimeter and create off the rush. I wouldn’t say he was consistently lies the debate with Campbell among scouts. Was he a big reason why dynamic and there were games his skill didn’t come through, but often Victoria’s top group was so dominant, or did he ride Newhook’s coattails? enough he showed he could make tough plays and create chances. I have time for the player and he has talent, but I never saw a game Krannila didn’t score a ton this season, but he’s got a sneaky good shot. where I was incredibly impressed. The best thing about his skill set is his His skating is average. He’s not slow and he did turn the corner on hockey sense. Campbell sees the ice very well and makes plays at pace. defenders occasionally, but he’s not a burner. Defensively he’s got work He does skate and handle the puck well, but he’s not the main player you to do. He doesn’t mind engaging, but he’s got a slight frame and his want carrying the puck up the ice at the pro level. Campbell competes defensive game in terms of positional play needs attention. well, but he’s small and slight, and he’ll need to bulk up a ton as he advances up the levels. Matias Mantykivi, C, SaiPa-Jr. A Liiga Joseph Carroll, C, Sault Ste. Marie-OHL June 21, 2001 | 5-foot-11 | 159 pounds Feb. 1, 2001 | 6-foot-3 | 194 pounds Mantykivi had a good season at the junior level, with impressive flashes versus men, and on the international stage. He’s a high-end playmaker Carroll is a divisive prospect in the scouting community because of his who can drive play. His patience, vision and ability to run a power play fantastic toolkit but underwhelming production with the Greyhounds. get high grades. He’s very creative with the puck and is always looking to When you watch him play you see glimpses of a real player. He’s 6-foot- make a play. His hands are good. Not as good as his IQ, but he can 3, he skates well for a big man, he’s got nice puck skills, and he can make plays through defenders and slide out of danger. Mantykivi might make plays through defenders and to his teammates. There are shifts not be the biggest guy, but he plays hard. He takes pucks to the net and you watch Carroll on a rush with his size and talent and think he could be isn’t afraid to engage physically. His skating is the one thing that might an NHL player. However, he’s been inconsistent in his scoring and he’s limit him. It’s not bad, and I’ve seen him turn around defenders several not all that effective away from the puck. He did generate a lot of shots, times with his speed, but his stride flails at times and it’s not the most so there is an argument for bad fortune; and I did like him in games he powerful for a guy his size. didn’t score, but I also saw a lot of games where he was invisible. Henri Nikkanen, C, Jukurit-Liiga Judd Caulfield, RW, USNTDP-USHL April 28, 2001 | 6-foot-4 | 185 pounds March 19, 2001 | 6-foot-3 | 207 pounds Nikkanen entered the season with some hype due to the fact he’s a 6- Caulfield had an up and down season with the NTDP, but he has the foot-4 center with some offensive tools. He started off just ok between toolkit to be interesting as an NHL prospect. He’s a 6-foot-3 winger with the summer and early season play before an injury ended his season. some offensive touch. The skill level isn’t that interesting, but he’s got Besides his frame what I like about him is his vision. He makes plays and good instincts – and I’m tempted to say even very good on that front. He can find his teammates well. He’s not an exciting offensive player though. makes quality reads, makes creative passes and understands where to His skill and speed are both about average I’d say. Because of his size move pucks to. His skating progressed to an average level in terms of and hockey sense he can be an ok defensive center but he’s not speed, even if he’s not super agile. Caulfield isn’t a crash and bang type, physically hard on his checks and doesn’t get to the net that much on the but he works hard, kills penalties and is a great net-front forward who offensive side of the puck. He’s worth a gamble due to his toolkit but he gets a lot of tips and deflection shots. There’s work to be done with didn’t have the most persuasive season. Caulfield’s consistency, as he struggled in the second half creating offense, but he has components to work with. Dmitri Zaitsev, LW, Podolsk-MHL Graeme Clarke, RW, Ottawa-OHL May 31, 2001 Zaitsev came onto my radar in February when he made his first appearance internationally for Russia’s U18 team. He was quality in the MHL, too, but his so-so numbers kept me from getting too excited. His toolkit does create interest. He’s a winger with a lot of skill who can make plays from a standstill and on the move. He’s a slick handler who doesn’t dangle consistently, but he can make defenders miss. Zaitsev has fine feet. Every now and then he turns defenders and shows good speed, but his pace is average. Off the puck, he’s fair. He competes for pucks and shows good defensive responsibility. Eli Zummack, C, Spokane-WHL March 22, 2000 | 5-foot-9 | 179 pounds A quick Google search of Zummack might not inspire confidence. He’s a small, second-year-eligible forward without standout numbers in junior. He’s a point-per-game producer, but that’s nothing special. If you watch how he scored his points, though, I’d say a large percentage of them were legit high-end plays. And I was very impressed by his skill level. Zummack is very talented with plus hands and vision. He can thread pucks in small areas, shows great vision as a playmaker and, when he has the puck near the net, he’s going to make a good play. He’s small and not an outstanding skater, but he has speed and competes hard, playing on both specials teams at the junior level. Zummack would be a gamble, but I see legitimate pro upside in the way he plays the game. The Athletic LOADED: 05.23.2019 1106579 Websites Even if those signings are made, Dorion should look to absorb a couple veteran contracts through trades and tax his cap-crunched partners with a pick or prospect. Sportsnet.ca / 7 NHL teams that could weaponize salary cap space He has the space. Does he have the authority? New Jersey Devils Luke Fox | @lukefoxjukebox May 22, 2019, 1:50 PM Projected cap space: $35.6 million Despite an eerily quiet 2018 off-season and a disappointing 2018-19, Weaponize your cap space. Ray Shero was given a multi-year extension to guide this ship forward. The phrase may sound dangerous and thrilling, like something a sprinting The lottery-lucky executive is armed with draft picks (including another Tom Cruise might shout at Ving Rhames in Mission Impossible VII as first overall) and cap space – all the ingredients to make noise in June. explosions shower the background. That’s why we have his Devils as one of the few clubs that could realistically consider an offer sheet to accelerate their own build. In reality, it’s Marc Bergevin acquiring a useful Joel Armia and a couple of late-round Winnipeg Jets draft picks in exchange for eating backup Taylor Hall (UFA 2020) needs to believe Shero is constructing a winner, goalie Steve Mason’s $4.1-million salary. and that goes beyond re-signing RFAs Pavel Zacha and Will Butcher. But for us transaction-starved hockey nerds, that’s some high-octane New Jersey purposely and wisely took one step back at the deadline, action. trading away rentals Ben Lovejoy, Brian Boyle, Keith Kinkaid and Marcus Johansson. This is the summer for Shero to take two steps forward. When considering the group of teams that could get creative with all their luxurious salary cap space, we do so with one eye on the NHL’s most He should be engaging cap-tight Vegas, Tampa, Washington and his cap-crunched clubs this summer and their appetite to find a willing and alma mater Pittsburgh in trade talks to see if he can scoop roster talent at able trade partner for the Milan Lucics of this world. a bargain. New Jersey needs some dependability to go with its youth. The projected cap ceiling for 2019-20 is $83 million; the floor is expected New York Islanders to rise to about $61.3 million. Projected cap space: $35.2 million In discussing the teams with potential to make sneaky splashes by Lou Lamoriello will leverage any possible advantage, and this summer weaponizing their space, we chose not to dive into Colorado and it’s cap space — the silver lining to having so many impending UFAs. Carolina, both of whom currently sit under the floor, for two reasons. Captain Anders Lee leads a group that includes Brock Nelson, Jordan First, it is imperative that each re-sign a marquee restricted free agent — Eberle, Valtteri Filppula and Robin Lehner. Some will be back, RFAs Mikko Rantanen and Sebastian Aho, respectively — to a lucrative deal. Anthony Beauvillier and Michael Dal Colle need raises, and a chunk of We’re talking about an eight-figure ballpark. dough must be set aside for a goaltender. Once Colorado also doles out raises to RFAs like J.T. Compher, Alex The Isles need some elite scoring talent to complement Mathew Barzal, Kerfoot, Sven Andrighetto, and signs another goalie, hitting the floor leading us to believe Lamoriello could be aggressive on July 1. Don’t rule won’t be an issue. In Carolina’s case, it needs to ink two capable goalies. out the offer sheet here. Second, both are budget, not cap, teams with plenty of draft picks at their Another route would be trying to grab extra draft picks via trade. New disposal. We find it difficult to see ownership approving the swallow of York only has five picks at this June’s draft (no third- or a fourth-rounder) another team’s problem just to add more futures. and may want to give its scouts some help. (Yes, Ottawa too is a budget team, but the Sens have so much cap Philadelphia Flyers space and so few critical re-signings this off-season that they’ll have to spend money somewhere.) Projected cap space: $33.4 million So here are seven clubs blessed with cap room and capable of using it to Chuck Fletcher is no stranger to bold moves. On Independence Day their advantage for 2019-20. 2012, the former Wild exec aggressively signed the best two UFAs on the market, Zach Parise and Ryan Suter, to identical 13-year, $98-million Ottawa Senators whoppers. Projected cap space: $37.7 million But if the dispatching of Wayne Simmonds or the occasional Jakub Remember the old days, when the Senators were trying to trade away Voracek trade rumour has you thinking rebuild, the recruitment of coach Bobby Ryan because he was expensive? Now, the NHL’s softest (whose teams almost always make the dance) suggests spenders need his $7.25 million on the books just to reach the floor. a team that wants to contend in the Claude Giroux era. The Rebuilding Senators™ have a grand total of $4.4 million committed Fletcher must dole out raises to RFAs Travis Sandheim, Ivan Provorov to their 2019-20 blue line and a mere $22.4 million in forwards, roughly a and Travis Konecny, and spend on a goaltender to support wunderkind third of which is going to Ryan alone. Carter Hart. But he still has room to get creative — especially if he trades Radko Gudas or Shayne Gostisbehere, or buys out Andrew MacDonald. Owner Eugene Melnyk has zero intentions of sniffing the cap ceiling until 2021, but he would be wise to give GM Pierre Dorion the green light to Columbus Blue Jackets use some of this glorious wiggle room to take on some more Bobby Projected cap space: $32.5 million Ryans and further load the cupboards with picks and prospects. That way, when the Sens are ready to contend — locking up defenceman Jarmo Kekalainen’s amateur scouts might not have anything to do in Thomas Chabot long-term on July 1 would be a fine start — they have a Vancouver next month if the GM can’t recoup a couple of the draft picks surplus of tradeable assets. he splurged away to help his franchise win a round. They’re set in net and will be quiet in free agency (smart). Giving RFA Columbus has just two choices in the 2019 draft (a third and a seventh) Colin White a nice raise is a no-brainer. and is down to five in 2020. And at his season-ending press conference, Dorion left the door open to With his highest-paid player (Cam Atkinson) set to make $5.87 million re-sign RFAs Anthony Duclair, who scored eight goals after arriving via and all that pricey talent walking out the door — Artemi Panarin, Sergei the Ryan Dzingel trade, and Cody Ceci, who endured an arbitration so Bobrovsky, Matt Duchene, Ryan Dzingel, Adam McQuaid — Kekalainen bitter last summer he questioned if Ottawa even valued him. can comfortably give RFA Zach Werenski a well-deserved raise, pay a goalie and still have enough pay roll to weaponize his space and claw “We feel that Cody Ceci – slotted in the right spot – can be a very good back a pick or two. player,” Dorion said. “If we slot him in the right spot, he’s someone we’d like to keep around.” Vancouver Canucks “We’re happy with Anthony’s play. He showed he can produce at the Projected cap space: $30.5 million NHL level, but we have to make sure it’s the right fit here.” Some Canucks fans hear “weaponize cap space” and fear Jim Benning may interpret that as “sign Loui Eriksson” or “overpay Jay Beagle.” But there is good reason why Vancouver is a club to watch this off-season, which needs to begin with a long-term contract announcement for RFA Brock Boeser. The sense is that ownership is antsy to return to the playoffs, and Benning’s employment might just depend on it. The building blocks of an exciting young squad are here — Boeser, Bo Horvat, Rookie of the Year shoo-in Elias Pettersson, Quinn Hughes, Thatcher Demko — but properly filling the gaps around them is critical. Secondary scoring is essential (2018-19 bargains Tyler Motte and Josh Leivo are also RFAs), and with Alex Edler creeping toward UFA status, so is some experience on the blue line to help groom Hughes. If I’m Benning, I’m on the phone with David Poile. Buffalo Sabres Projected cap space: $29.4 million Two promising qualities about Jason Botterill: he’s willing to think outside the box (see: hiring head coach Ralph Krueger), and he’s not delusional. “We haven’t arrived yet,” the realistic GM said at one point this past season, recognizing that his Sabres’ hot October wasn’t sustainable. Botterill has one more year before Brandon Montour, Casey Mittelstadt, Sam Reinhart start knocking on his door for raises and franchise defenceman Rasmus Dahlin can be extended. Free of the pressure to win today, is there a way he can take advantage of the space he has now to help Buffalo’s future? Offer-sheet a mid-level RFA forward like Kevin Labanc or Kasperi Kapanen? Use his surplus of draft picks to help acquire another solid roster player from a cap-tight club, the way he raised eyebrows by snatching Montour from Anaheim at the deadline? Yes, the GM is trying to keep UFA Jeff Skinner in the fold and must spend more money on his crease, but with Jason Pominville coming off the pay roll, there’s plenty of flexibility here. Botterill appears to have the imagination to match. Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 05.23.2019 1106580 Websites Rittich picked up the slack as Smith worked on his form, finishing 27-9-5 with a 2.61 GAA and .911 save percentage. Alas, for the second year in a row he faded as the season progressed, making Smith the starter for Sportsnet.ca / Sorting out Flames goaltending should be Brad Treliving’s all five playoff games — three in which his name was chanted by top priority Saddledome seat-warmers. Asked if he thought Rittich, who will be 27 in August, was ready to shoulder the load as a No. 1 goalie in the league, coach Bill Peters said Eric Francis | May 22, 2019 he thought so. "I think he has the ability to do that, yeah," said Peters, who started Rittich 42 times and Smith 45, including playoffs. With all due respect to Matthew Tkachuk, Brad Treliving’s No. 1 priority this summer revolves around signing a pair of goalies. "But until you’ve done it and been there, everyone is going to question it. While still compiling input and data in an effort to explain the Calgary "He has a lot of confidence in himself, and that’s earned. I thought he had Flames’ first round face-plant, the GM has already done some footwork a very good year. The most he’s played in the NHL was this year, and on a goalie gap that has the club without an NHL starter signed for next he’s looking to take that next step too. So if we have enough people take season. the steps individually, I think collectively we will take those steps." No, we’re not talking about the signing of 23-year-old Artyom Zagidulin NHL-Flames-Smith-stands-next-to-Rittich out of the KHL this spring. Calgary Flames goaltender Mike Smith (41) stands at his bench next to One of Treliving’s first orders of business was talking to Mike Smith about backup David Rittich. (Larry MacDougal/CP) the possibility of a return. That certainly seems like the prudent plan for the undrafted Czech star, Indeed, the 37-year-old has made it clear he’d be game to suit up for whose boyish charm and stellar play have made "Big Save Dave" a Calgary next season. favourite in and outside the dressing room. At what price and whether there are better options are now the bigger Whether he’ll be handed the starting gig could also depend on who his questions. tandem-mate is. It’s important to note, he reveres Smith and the two have a wonderful relationship. At the all-star break, it would have been hard for anyone to envision a desire for the Flames to bring Smith back given his age, his disastrous The list of viable free agents to pick from is slim, but this year’s playoffs finish a year earlier and his horrific start to the 2018-19 season. may have opened some doors on that front. However, the fitness freak dug deep to battle back from confidence and Jordan Binnington’s heroics in St. Louis makes Jake Allen and his two technique issues to finish the final two months on a high that translated years left at $4.35 million annually easily attainable via trade if you into him being the Flames MVP through their five-game ouster courtesy believe the 28-year-old can rebound. of Colorado. Lehner’s stunning, career-turning season puts him in line for a large Because of it, he’s a viable option to be David Rittich’s stable mate once payday, which could make someone expendable in whatever city he again. signs in, including Brooklyn where Thomas Greiss, 33, makes $3.33 million for one more season. Rittich is a restricted free agent whose contract should be easily ironed out, albeit with a hefty raise from the $800,000 he made last year as an Semyon Varlamov will be available as a UFA thanks to Philipp unproven NHLer. Grubauer’s late emergence in Colorado, presenting teams with the possibility of signing an inconsistent netminder with a big upside. At 31 He’s now almost certain to open next season as the Flames starter. he might be worth a gamble. It says here he’s ready. So might Curtis McElhinney, a former Flames draft pick in 2002, who at 35 years of age is considered to be one of the premier NHL backups Who to pair him with is the $2 to $4 million question. after yet another solid season, this time in Carolina. That’s the sort of window Treliving likely has to work with as he He may make the most sense, as it would give the team two solid addresses the most important position in hockey. options, while also leaving the team devoid of a proven starter. Make note, Sergei Bobrovsky, Robin Lehner and Petr Mrazek do not fit What isn’t an option is starting camp with signed prospects Jon Gillies, into that budget. Tyler Parsons, Nick Schneider or Zagidulin vying for an NHL gig. Smith does, as he isn’t in any position to demand the $5.66 million he According to Capfriendly.com Treliving only has $14 million with which to earned each of the last six years on the back of a run to the 2012 West sign two netminders (last year the duo came in at under $6.5 million), Conference Final with Phoenix. Tkachuk (projected to be at least $7-8 million), Sam Bennett (who has His late season rebound and playoff brilliance has positioned him to arbitration rights), Andrew Mangiapane, Garnet Hathaway and other role extend his career at least another year as a mentor and tandem-mate players. who has the upside of starting potential. It limits his options at a position the Flames have had as a weakness Edmonton is the first team to come to mind that could use just such a since Miikka Kiprusoff retired — a shortfall that has to be improved if the veteran to help Mikko Koskinen, potentially upping the ante to get Smith team is going to challenge once again in the west. re-signed. Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 05.23.2019 They likely won’t be the only ones, given Smith’s relentless dedication to fitness, competitive drive and attitude through a pair of tumultuous seasons in Calgary. Smith will undoubtedly want to try parlaying his recent play into a two- year deal, which could scare many potential suitors away. Another option is an inexpensive, one-year deal loaded with bonuses available to players 35 and older. Bonus money for 10 or 20 games played, for example, wouldn’t be counted against the cap until the following year, giving the Flames cap relief this season. Treliving said at his season-ending press conference he was content with the goaltending duo that finished 21st in team save percentage to land the Flames atop the west in points. Surely he has designs to improve upon that significantly, which may mean having to replace Smith. Smith bounced back from a nightmarish start to the season to finish 23- 16-2 with a 2.72 goals-against average. His .898 save percentage was, by far, the worst of his career, causing a crisis of confidence early that saw him lose his starting gig and prompt locals to boo him at times. 1106581 Websites Look at it still: Rick Tocchet is doing an unbelievable job … and they still missed the playoffs.”

“If I’m your leading scorer, that’s not a superstar level,” laughed Whitney. Sportsnet.ca / How Oilers could look under Dave Tippett, according to “But when you play as a team like that, we got a long way on less talent ex-players than what the Oilers have already.” The decision should come shortly, and it is likely Tippett deciding on the Mark Spector | May 22, 2019, 6:17 PM Oilers, as much as it is the team choosing the coach. Is Tippett what the Oilers need? If he isn’t, Shane Doan would love to know what it is that can take Edmonton over the top. EDMONTON — Shane Doan had only played 18 games for new head coach Dave Tippett back in the 2009-10 season, but it was after a 3-2 “He’s stern — not overly bubbly — but at the same time very friendly. He win at home by his Phoenix Coyotes that he saw something he says has a really good mix,” said Doan. “Very personable, but at the same now, “was one of the things I’ll never forget.” time he’ll hold everyone accountable. The Coyotes beat Dallas 3-2, and Doan had shed his gear, dispensed “I hope he gets the job.” with the media interviews, showered, and was walking out of the Coyotes Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 05.23.2019 dressing room, headed fort his car. “I was walking out of the dressing room and there was, like, 13 of his ex- players from the Stars, waiting to go into his coaching office. All waiting to say hi to him. And he was excited to see them all.” All signs point to the Edmonton Oilers head coaching position being Dave Tippett’s, if he chooses to accept the mission. So, we spoke to a couple of ex-players, and a few other folks around the game, to get a vibe for what kind of coach he would be. Particularly as it pertains to Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, two of the NHL’s top four scorers who would surely trade some regular-season points for the chance to pile up a few in the post-season. “I would tell them, be prepared to have to play a full 200-foot game,” began Ray Whitney, who played two seasons under Tippett in Phoenix. Whitney tied his second-best points total ever, with 77 points for the Coyotes in the 2011-12 campaign. “I think Tipp has learned that the game has changed. You’re going to have to give those types of players the time and space to do what they’re going to do. And Connor and Leon, they’re going to get their points no matter what,” Whitney said. “What they’ll have to buy into is, Leon, if you don’t score 50 goals and 100 points — but you get 40 goals and 85 points and we make the playoffs — is that going to be good enough? If they buy into it, they still might get to their 100 points, but they will be much better at both ends of the rink. “Dave’s is a team where everybody is asked to play the same way — within reason.” Doan was the captain for every one of the eight seasons Tippett coached in the desert. He chuckled at the mention of Tippett being known as a “defensive coach.” As if there are any NHL bosses who aren’t concerned with what’s happening in their own end. “The defence part is the structure part. The part you can control. Everyone comes into the league with decent skill, but the defensive side has to be coached a bit,” Doan said. “He wants you to be offensive. Look at what (Radim) Vrbata and Ray Whitney did — they had their best years when they played for him. He’s not going to hold anyone back. “The guys who have the ability to make plays will have more freedom, but at the same time he’ll hold everyone accountable to how he expects everyone to play the game. Which is,” Doan adds, “the right way.” “Structure” is the term most coaches say when you ask what they think of Tippett’s style. And as evidenced by Doan’s opening story, Tippett is known to get his players to feel responsible, or accountable, to performing for him, while some coaches strive to have their players be accountable “to the guy next to him in the dressing room.” It’s two ends to the same means, and it could be said that Tippett’s close relationship with his players has not —– into playoff wins. In 14 seasons as a head coach, his teams made the post-season eight times, winning just five rounds. They went out in Round 1 in five springs. Tippett’s Coyotes missed the playoffs in each of his final five seasons behind the Coyotes bench, the caveat there being the financial and organizational mess the Phoenix/Arizona team has been. They have had a rock-bottom budget and a carousel of owners, two things that are not conducive to building a winner. “He took a team that no one thought could possibly do anything, to 107 points his first season there. After things got really, really bad, he took them to average over 100 points in his first three seasons there,” Doan said. “You just got eroded over time. Without the ability to do things the right way, you just eventually pick away (at the roster). It was pretty much impossible to have any kind of success at the end, when Tipp was there. 1106582 Websites can lead to an empty gas tank when the stakes are at their highest. One of our Round 1 takeaways was a clear trend in light-workload goalies having post-season success and the two starters left in the final are a Sportsnet.ca / Stanley Cup Final Preview: Boston Bruins vs. St. Louis good example. Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy was mindful of this, so Rask Blues played just 46 games this regular season. Only twice in his career had he started fewer games and been Boston’s playoff starter: In 2010, he posted a .931 post-season save percentage in a Round 2 exit and in 2013 he posted a .929 playoff save percentage on route to a Stanley Cup Rory Boylen | May 22, 2019, 12:02 AM Final loss. Now Rask is putting together a playoff run to rival Tim Thomas’s incredible performance in Boston’s 2011 Stanley Cup win. Standing with After all the upsets. After all the craziness. After all those brackets were a 12-5 record, 1.84 goals-against average and .942 save percentage, crumpled and burned and thrown away, we have two of the best four Rask could eclipse Thomas’s numbers with a strong final (1.98, .940) — teams from Jan. 1 onwards meeting in the Stanley Cup Final. and that would make him the Conn Smythe favourite. The Boston Bruins are no stranger to this place. In 2011 Boston returned But that’s far from a slam dunk. Conventionally, the weighting in Conn to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time in 21 years and defeated the Smythe voting is 50 per cent credit for your performance in Rounds 1-3 favourite Vancouver Canucks for their first Cup win since 1972. They and the other 50 per cent is tied to what you do in the final series. Vegas returned two years later and lost in six games to the Chicago goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury arrived at the final last season with an Blackhawks. And although the Bruins didn’t make it beyond Round 2 in even more historic first three rounds that had him chasing the all-time any of the following five seasons they did win one Presidents’ Trophy and playoff record for save percentage (.950). But once there, Fleury never always had the pieces of a contender. With most of the same core that’s allowed less than three goals as his Golden Knights were quickly been there all along — from Brad Marchand to Patrice Bergeron, Zdeno defeated by Washington. Chara and Tuukka Rask — Boston is back yet again. Brad Marchand: Heading into the final as the only player on a better- St. Louis’ tale of two seasons lives on after they pulled back from 1-0 and than-point-per-game pace, it seems the key for Marchand to maintain his 2-1 series deficits to San Jose in the conference final. You’ve heard this composure is to keep accumulating points. His four-game pointless story by now. Last place in the league in early January and trade streak earlier in this run culminated in the sucker punch on Columbus’ rumours surrounding just about everybody on the team — including Alex Scott Harrington that had everyone riled up. Marchand followed that with Pietrangelo, Vladimir Tarasenko and Colton Parayko. But the arrival of four points in his next two games and against Carolina in the conference rookie netminder Jordan Binnington changed everything. As the defence final he put up five points in four games. in front of him tightened up and the offence found its groove, no one posted more standings points in 2019 than these Blues. And now, they Since his first playoff run in 2011 (in which he won the Cup) only seven have a chance to cap it off with the franchise’s first Stanley Cup. players have more playoff points that Marchand’s 78: Sidney Crosby (104), Logan Couture (97), Evgeni Malkin (95), Alex Ovechkin (86), The last time these two teams met was in the 1970 Stanley Cup Final, Patrick Kane (81), David Krejci (80) and Patrice Bergeron (79). And of and although it was a lopsided four-game sweep in the Bruins’ favour, players who’ve been involved in more than one playoff series over the you might recall it ended on a historic goal that is immortalized in front of past three years, only Leon Draisaitl, Crosby and Blake Wheeler have a Boston’s home arena. Here’s hoping we get a similarly spectacular better points per game rate than Marchand. A strong final would give him moment in 2019. a solid case for post-season MVP and further cement his status as one of ADVANCED STATS the true superstars in the game today (not to mention add fuel to a Hall of Fame case currently under construction). Regular season 5-on-5 numbers via Natural Stat Trick (with league rank) Heading into the final Marchand is one goal off Boston’s scoring lead and Boston: 53.07 CF% (6th), 55.12 GF% (4th), .931 SV% (3rd), 7.34 SH% has more primary assists (10) than any other Bruin. (26th), 1.005 PDO (10th) The Playbook St. Louis: 51.50 CF% (10th), 53.04 GF% (10th), .921 SV% (12th), 8.1 SH% (14th), 1.002 PDO (13th) Stephen Whyno: Marchand should be in the Conn Smythe conversation PLAYOFF ADVANCED STATS May 17 2019 5-on-5 numbers via Natural Stat Trick (with league rank) Audio Player Boston: 50.74 CF% (9th), 58.18 GF% (2nd), .946 SV% (2nd), 7.06 SH% Your browser does not support the audio element. (9th), 1.016 PDO (1st) St. Louis St. Louis: 50.86 CF% (7th), 57.75 GF% (3rd), .930 SV% (8th), 8.58 SH% Jordan Binnington: Next to Rask, Binnington’s post-season stats don’t (2nd), 1.016 PDO (1st) look all that outstanding. His .912 save percentage ranks behind some REGULAR SEASON TEAM STATS first-round losers such as Frederik Andersen, Braden Holtby and Mike Smith. Binnington’s 2.44 GAA is solid, though again, not historic or stand- Boston: 25.9 PP% (3rd), 79.9 PK% (16th), 257 GF (11th), 212 GA (3rd) out in any way. Part of the reason for this is the Blues have been the toughest defensive team so far, allowing a playoff-low 27 shots per St. Louis: 21.1 PP% (10th), 81.5 PK% (9th), 244 GF (14th), 220 GA (5th) game. So when Binnington lets a goal in, it shows up in his save PLAYOFF TEAM STATS percentage a little more than it otherwise may for a heavy-workload netminder. Boston: 34.0 PP% (1st), 86.3 PK% (4th), 3.35 GF/G (2nd), 1.94 GA/G (1st) But take a look at Binnington’s numbers in games where the Blues were either trailing a series or could close one out and suddenly you see his St. Louis: 16.7 PP% (11th), 77.5 PK% (11th), 2.89 GF/G (6th), 2.61 value. In Game 6 of Round 1 against Winnipeg, he faced only 20 shots GA/G (6th) and stopped 18 of them, but in Round 2 against Dallas, the Blues faced elimination twice and the rookie allowed a combined two goals on 53 HEAD-TO-HEAD RECORD shots. In the conference final, San Jose led the series 1-0 and 2-1, but in Boston: 1-0-1 Games 2 and 4 Binnington came through with a .946 save percentage. In Game 6, he stopped 25 of the 26 shots he faced. St. Louis: 1-1-0 Denied by Binnington. #StanleyCup pic.twitter.com/Am3KSJ08bR Ryan Dixon and Rory Boylen go deep on pucks with a mix of facts and fun, leaning on a varied group of hockey voices to give their take on the — NHL GIFs (@NHLGIFs) May 22, 2019 country’s most beloved game. Jaden Schwartz: It seemed only a matter of time before Schwartz would CONN SMYTHE CANDIDATES find his goal scoring touch again. We assumed this would start happening in January. Then February. Then March. By the time the Boston playoffs started, we had reason to believe this would be nothing more than a write-off year for the 26-year-old. But now he’s absolutely in the Tuukka Rask: Load management is the new hot phrase in sports these Conn Smythe discussion. days. The grind of a regular season schedule can take its toll on players and, especially for NHL goalies, being overworked from October to April Schwartz finished the regular season with just 11 goals — the lowest total in a (mostly) healthy season of his career. Three of those came in a March game against Edmonton and he scored in just three games from the trade deadline on. The 183 shots he put on net in 69 games was the best pace of his career, but luck just wasn’t on his side in 2018-19. The only Blue to average more 5-on-5 shots per 60 than Schwartz in the regular season was Vladimir Tarasenko, who overcame his own struggles to finish strong. But Schwartz wrapped up with a shooting percentage of just six, which is about half of his career average. The turning point for Schwartz came in Game 5 against Winnipeg. He hadn’t scored a playoff goal to that point, but batted a mid-air pass into the net with 15 seconds left in regulation to lift the Blues to a win and 3-2 series advantage. He scored the first three goals of Game 6 as well, then added another four in seven games against Dallas. In the conference final, Schwartz scored the opening goal of a crucial Game 2 win and a hat trick in Game 5. He’s now scored more in these playoffs (12) than he did in the regular season and has six more even strength markers than the next highest-scoring Blue. UNHERALDED STAR Boston: Lots of attention has rightly been put on the likes of Marchand, Patrice Bergeron and David Pastrnak. The trade deadline pickups of Marcus Johansson and Charlie Coyle have paid off handsomely, so GM Don Sweeney has received plenty of kudos for making helpful additions. But behind this spotlight, 33-year-old David Krejci is having his best playoff run in six years. In Boston’s two previous runs to the final in 2011 and 2013 Krejci combined for 49 points in 47 games. In all other playoff seasons he combined for 38 points in 61 games. Having a healthy, productive Krejci has been an underrated X-Factor in past Boston successes. Krejci was held pointless in the first two games against Toronto, but has found the score sheet in all but two games since. His 1.25 primary assists per 60 minutes trails only Marchand, Pastrnak and Johansson on the Bruins and is ninth among all players who advanced past Round 1. One of the quietest key playoff performers of his time, Krejci leads the Bruins in 5-on-5 points and is just one off the team goal scoring lead in those situations. St. Louis: When Jay Bouwmeester was drafted third overall in 2002, the thought was one day he’d be a huge part of a Stanley Cup run. But the kind of impact he’s having on these Blues is a whole lot different than what you might have envisioned all those years ago. Now 35 years old, Bouwmeester is one of the feel-good stories of this playoff season. On a recent 31 Thoughts Podcast, Elliotte Friedman noted that it was believed Bouwmeester was about a day away from going on waivers when the Blues were at their lowest, but now he’s a key shutdown player for the team and even earned a one-year contract extension. When the Blues are protecting leads late in the game, Bouwmeester is one of coach Craig Berube’s top options. With most of his zone starts coming in the defensive end it’s not at all strange that the Blues are outshot when Bouwmeester is on the ice. He’s made some big defensive stops and, had he not got a stick on a Roope Hintz wraparound in the final minute of Game 7, St. Louis wouldn’t have even gotten past the Dallas Stars. Roope Hintz yrittää ratkaista päätöserässä ottelun vanhanaikaisella, mutta Jay Bouwmeester ja Jaden Schwartz ovat jämäkkänä maalin edustalla. pic.twitter.com/YJ3x98bUnC — NHL Suomi (@NHL_fi) May 8, 2019 Bouwmeester’s 23:01 of ice time is third on the Blues and he’s only behind partner Colton Parayko in average even strength ice time. It took him until 2013 to experience his first playoff game and 2016 to see his first series win. Among active players only Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau have played more games without winning a Stanley Cup than Bouwmeester, but he’s generally not among the rooting interests for “old guys who haven’t yet won a Cup.” Bouwmeester is finally in his first Cup final 17 years after being a top draft pick, and given all the effort he’s put in and pain he’s felt in his career, seeing him lift hockey’s ultimate prize would be a great way to close out 2018-19. KEY INJURIES St. Louis: Vince Dunn: Day-to-day (upper body) Boston: Chris Wagner, Out (forearm) Kevan Millar, Out (lower body) Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 05.23.2019 1106583 Websites Tampa would already have only about $300,000 in room. You can see the problem here.

The reason Karlsson is even being discussed as a target, though, is Sportsnet.ca / A blueprint for how the Lightning can make room for Erik because Tampa stands to lose three blue-liners to free agency already. Karlsson Given they should be contending for the Cup again in 2020, they’ll want to replace some of those guys with more than farmhands looking to make the next step up. And if Karlsson is going to become a Lightning, we’re Rory Boylen | May 22, 2019, 1:09 PM working on the assumption that none of Anton Stralman, Ryan McDonagh or Dan Girardi are back in 2019-20.

So let’s try and work this thing out step by step. Starting from the position Put on some comfy pants, load up the calculator on your phone and sit the Lightning are in today, with 10 forwards, five defencemen and two back in a comfy chair. We’re going to get a little armchair GM action goalies signed for next season with $8,576,669 in cap room and three going here. other RFAs on the roster, how can they get to a place where Karlsson fits in with a competitive salary? In one of the more intriguing scenarios we could see this summer, the idea that Erik Karlsson could use his UFA powers to join the Tampa Bay Here’s how that may look: Lightning is a mind-bending salary cap exercise. How exactly could the Lightning, already one of the seven teams facing cap hell, also afford the TRADE RYAN CALLAHAN biggest name available? It’d take some massaging of the roster for sure, but don’t scoff at the possibility. The assistant captain has just one year left on his contract, so a buyout to clear room is less than ideal because the Lightning would face a “I still think Erik Karlsson’s going to be this year’s John Tavares,” charge in 2020-21 that they otherwise wouldn’t have on the books. A Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston said on The FAN 960 in Calgary. “Taking a trade is the preferred route here. Callahan has a modified no-trade few suitors and getting wooed and seeing what’s out there. I think that clause through which he can submit a list of 16 destinations. We’re not he’s going to leverage the market and really make a life decision for too restricted here. himself. Callahan is not the same player Tampa acquired in the Martin St. Louis “It would be a surprise to me if we see him sign an extension before June trade five years ago and he hasn’t even hit 20 points since 2016. At 34 23 when he’s able to officially start talking to other teams.” years old, Callahan alone isn’t going to entice any GM to make a trade, but if the Lightning add a sweetener, some team with plenty of cap space Tampa Bay is facing some tough questions anyway, but the fact they would gladly take on one more year of Callahan at full value ($5.8 followed up a record-tying 62-win season with a first-round sweep million). The Lightning already put their first-rounder on the table as a perhaps makes giving a jolt to the roster a little more urgent. condition in a trade with the Rangers, but since they didn’t win the Cup they’ll keep it. Perhaps it can still be used in a move like this. In fact, if You’re not going to tear this thing down or trade your best players, but if New York isn’t going to land Karlsson, would they take back Callahan for you can add someone on Karlsson’s level for a relative bargain it would a season if it means adding the first-rounder anyway? be worth exploring. They’ve tried to get the player a few times before and with Julien BriseBois in the GM’s chair now, he may not be as attached Cap space after trading Callahan: $14,376,669 to the moveable pieces on the roster as the former GM who put them there. TRADE J.T. MILLER Other teams such as the New York Rangers, ones with plenty of cap Finding a way forward in this fantasy isn’t as simple as picking two or space and an opening window to move out of a rebuild toward three players off the roster making $4 plus million and sending them contention, may be more natural or plausible landing spots. But the away via trade. That’s because some of those who would be great Lightning are a legitimate dark horse in this race. candidates to move — Tyler Johnson, Ondrej Palat and Alex Killorn — all have full no-trade clauses. Sure, maybe one of them would be fine to Pinder and Steinberg move away from an elite contender like Tampa Bay, but the odds aren’t in favour of that outcome. Chris Johnston weighs in on the Hurricanes/Bruins series and Karlsson's future So we’ll instead turn our focus to Miller, who has only been part of this for the past season and a bit, and who only has modified no-trade May 16 2019 protection. According to CapFriendly, Miller can have a list of eight teams Audio Player he wouldn’t accept a trade to, so the Lightning would have lots of options. Your browser does not support the audio element. Unlike with Callahan, Tampa wouldn’t have to add anything in with Miller — this could be a move for futures where no salary comes back to “Tampa requires some serious surgery to their roster, but there’s been a Tampa Bay. Miller is right in his prime at 26 years old, has four more long song and dance between the Lightning and Karlsson,” Johnston years on his contract with a $5.25-million cap hit and is a good bet to continued. approach 20 goals and 50 points. That’s decent second line production and he also brings some net-front sturdiness, which more teams could be “They tried to trade for him out of Ottawa a couple years ago. He and after following what we’ve seen in these playoffs. Victor Hedman are very close. And that’s an organization I can see being bold just for the sheer fact they’ve been hanging around and not won a Cap space after trading Miller: $19,626,669 Cup yet. I could see Julien BriseBois, entering his second year as a general manager, making a Kawhi Leonard type of move for their team to Ryan Dixon and Rory Boylen go deep on pucks with a mix of facts and shake things up that might result in Erik signing there. I also believe he fun, leaning on a varied group of hockey voices to give their take on the would give them a little bit of a discount for the Florida factor and that it’s country’s most beloved game. such a nice place to live and some of the other star players have done TAKING CARE OF YOUR OWN RFAs/FILLING OUT THE ROSTER the same. To get Karlsson the Lightning would need to squeeze out all the cap “Don’t rule out the Lightning if they start making moves to clear cap room they can, so let’s tie up the loose ends at the lower end of the space.” salary chart. Adam Erne, Cedric Paquette and Danick Martel are three So what exactly is their situation and how may this scenario possibly play RFAs on the roster, so to gauge what they may sign for we’ll again turn out? to Evolving Wild’s model. Assuming Erne goes for $1,016,778, Paquette for $1,463,096 and Martel for $769,044, the total of the three would sit at Let’s have a peek at Tampa Bay’s cap outlook. Keep in mind they’re also $3,248,918. With Callahan and Miller out of the picture and these three still being charged $1,833,333 for Matt Carle’s buyout. RFAs signed, the Lightning would still sit with 11 forwards at this point and a cap picture that suddenly looks close to being able to afford a First, assuming next year’s cap ceiling is $83 million, Tampa Bay heads discounted Karlsson. into the off-season with $8,576,669 in room with 17 players under contract. The first order of business is to sign RFA Brayden Point, who as Cap space after signing the three RFA forwards: $16,377,751 a centre should be the most valuable of all the big-ticket RFAs. SIGN POINT TO A BRIDGE DEAL INSTEAD Of course with the state tax situation what it is, we’d expect him to follow Steven Stamkos and Nikita Kucherov and take a little less against the Even though we still have all this cap room, it’s going to go away in flash. cap. Evolving Wild has Point’s projected cap hit at $8.24 million if he At first blush, if the Lightning slot in both Point and Karlsson at $8 million, signs a five-year extension, so if we add that to their current cap number Tampa Bay would have 12 forwards, six defencemen and two goalies with $377,751 of cap space. That leaves no space for scratches or room One year from now, Andrei Vasilevskiy will be an RFA turning 26 years for recalls so we still need to find more room. As you can see, this would old in the summer. He’ll be after a hefty raise from his current $3.5 million all be very tight. and, considering they’d be buying mostly UFA years, that price tag may double. Anthony Cirelli will also be coming off his entry-level contract and Heading back to Evolving Wild’s contract projections, if Tampa Bay walks in line to become a multi-millionaire. Mikhail Sergachev, too, will be off Point straight to free agency with a four-year deal, the model has that his ELC. Right away, you’re probably at least looking at an extra $10 coming in at a $7,696,313. If a three-year deal is in the cards, according million added against the cap with those three. to the projections that would shave off a bit more and come in at a $7,280,895 cap hit. Let’s choose that route. You would have one more trading option next summer. Alex Killorn’s no- trade clause turns into a modified one where he can submit a list of 16 This would mean in three years time Point would be up again, but still be teams to be dealt to. You’d basically have to move him for this to keep a year away from UFA. Considering the years you’d be buying on that working. deal, he’d basically be treated as a UFA anyway, but in the meantime, you could shave off enough money to maybe put you in position to land In 2021 the Seattle expansion draft comes into play and warps this entire Karlsson. Arguably, everyone would be OK with this as it would put the outlook. team in its best position to win. The conclusion is that, yes, the Lightning can find a way to fit in Karlsson, Cap space after signing Point to a three-year bridge contract: $9,096,856 but it wouldn’t be easy. He could potentially narrowly fit in next season, but that crunch gets even tighter a year from now. HOW ELSE CAN WE SAVE MONEY? Should one or two of the players with no-trade clauses waive them this We’d basically have to look back to Paquette and Erne, who we signed summer, everything opens up a bit more. If there’s a blockbuster deal out for a combined $2,479,874 and downgrade on them. Whether you can there involving one or more of Johnson, Palat or Killorn for the Lightning trade them for their own cheaper replacements or simply shed those to re-work significant portions of their roster, then this picture could get a contracts for futures and swap in a couple of players from the minors, little clearer. But we can’t count on that outcome today. these depth spots are interchangeable parts of the lineup. Looking at this as practically as we can for a pie in the sky scenario Carter Verhaeghe, 23, led the AHL with 32 goals and 82 points this makes it obvious that it would take great pains for the Lightning to season. He’s also an RFA, but likely wouldn’t cost much more than accomplish. And with all the injury concerns floating around Karlsson, the $800,000. Alex Barre-Boulet, 22, also scored 32 goals in the AHL and big question is whether or not he’s worth all this hassle at this stage of will cost only $759,258 for another two seasons. Cory Conacher, 29, was his career for a team that already has plenty of great pieces in place. the third-highest scoring and costs only $700,000 against the cap. He’s the most experienced of the three and has 74 Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 05.23.2019 points in 189 NHL games. Not bad for a depth player. So let’s take out Erne and Paquette to replace them with these three players. We now have 13 forwards and are set for 2019-20 at the position. Cap space after using the farm to add cheaper talent: $9,317,472 DETERMINING KARLSSON’S COST This whole thing can come crumbling down for a variety of reasons, but chief among those is if Karlsson isn’t open to taking some kind of a discount. Right now the highest-paid defenceman in the league is Drew Doughty, who signed last July for an $11 million AAV. P.K. Subban comes in next at $9 million on a contract signed in 2014. Oliver Ekman-Larsson signed for $8.25 million last summer, and John Carlson for $8 million in 2018 as well, just before he became UFA eligible. Victor Hedman signed for an AAV of $7.875 million on an eight-year deal in 2016, but makes $8 million in actual salary for the first seven of those. Basically, $8 million is the minimum starting point here. If Karlsson signs for that great, you can fill out your seventh defenceman position with a low-cost player and have a few hundred thousand to maneuver with. But for every dollar more Karlsson costs, that squeeze gets even tighter. It all comes down to how much Karlsson would want to be a Lightning and what kind of discount he would give to do it. For fun, let’s assume Karlsson becomes the third-highest paid blue-liner in the league and costs Tampa Bay an AAV of $8.3 million. A LOOK AT OUR FINAL TEAM With everything except the seventh defenceman filled out, we have about $1 million in cap space remaining. OK, SO KARLSSON SIGNS WITH TAMPA BAY — WHAT’S NEXT? This was already a difficult exercise, where we had to do cartwheels to fit Karlsson under the cap. But we only figured this out for 2019-20. The reality is Karlsson is still in his prime years, turning 29 years old in nine days, and looking for more than a one-year deal. Given his injuries, term figures to be a sticking point for Karlsson anywhere he considers signing. And that’s the biggest conundrum when trying to fit Karlsson under Tampa Bay’s cap — how will this keep working beyond next season? The Program Elliotte Friedman: Sharks haven't given up hope on keeping Karlsson May 21 2019 Audio Player Your browser does not support the audio element. 1106584 Websites style always appears slightly different from the game before. His tweaks have a high success rate, helped by the fact that his roster has depth.

USA TODAY LOADED: 05.23.2019 USA TODAY / Stanley Cup keys: Here are five factors that will determine Bruins vs. Blues series

Kevin Allen, USA TODAY Published 2:11 p.m. ET May 22, 2019 | Updated 3:15 p.m. ET May 22, 2019

The St. Louis Blues reached the Stanley Cup Final in the first three years of their existence upon entering the NHL in 1967. They surely must have believed that winning one was in their future even if it didn't go their way early on. But it has taken them 49 years to get back. The NHL had only 12 teams in 1969-70 when the Boston Bruins swept the Blues in the Stanley Cup Final. Coincidentally, they will have a rematch, starting Monday in Boston (8 p.m., ET, NBC). Here are the factors that will determine the outcome: ► Goaltending: The matchup between rookie Jordan Binnington (12-7 record, 2.36 goals-against average, .914 save percentage) and veteran Tuukka Rask (12-5, 1.84, .942) will play a major role in this series. Both goalies have been primary factors in their teams' run to the Final. The Blues celebrate advancing to the Stanley Cup after beating the Sharks. Rask is probably playing the best hockey of his career. He has played at a higher level than Binnington for the entire playoffs, but Binnington has stopped 75 of 77 shots over the past three games. That’s a .974 save percentage. The goaltending matchup is a push heading into the Final. How each goalie handles the layoff before the Final will be interesting to watch. ► Power play: The Bruins’ power play has been dominant in the postseason, scoring at a 34% rate. In the Eastern Conference final, the Bruins were 7-for-15 (46.6%). The Blues’ power play has scored at a 19.4% rate. The Blues’ penalty- killing efficiency is 78%, compared with 86.3% for the Bruins in the playoffs. The Blues will have to stay out of the penalty box to win this series. ► Brad Marchand: He’s always the X-factor. He is an elite offensive player, the Bruins’ leading point producer in both the regular season and playoffs. He can beat you with his pure skill. But he is just as likely to defeat you with his ability to be a super pest. Very few players in the NHL can irk opponents the way Marchand can. He is a disruptive force, very effective at causing opponents to act out of character. Justin Williams gets the only penalty in this confrontation with Brad Marchand and I’m sure everyone will react reasonably!! pic.twitter.com/NWm7g9fAYV — Pete Blackburn (@PeteBlackburn) May 12, 2019 Marchand has done his job when opponents are worrying more about his antics than the Bruins' on-ice performance. The only concern for the Bruins is that Marchand has a history of crossing the line into penalties and suspensions. Losing Marchand in the Stanley Cup Final would be ruinous. ► Momentum: Both teams are riding momentum, and Game 1 will determine who holds it. The Bruins have won seven in a row, outscoring the opposition 28-9. The issue for the Bruins now is a 10-day layoff between games. Have they lost their sharpness? The Blues have won six of their last eight and have grown stronger as the playoffs have progressed. They closed out the San Jose Sharks with three impressive wins, outscoring them 12-2. ► Coaching battle: Bruce Cassidy vs. Craig Berube: The Bruins’ Cassidy and Blues’ Berube are motivators. Berube transformed a struggling Blues team that was in last place Jan. 2 into a championship-caliber team. They drive harder on the forecheck and battle more in the corners. Cassidy seems to be a superb problem solver and strategist. The Bruins' 1106585 Websites

USA TODAY / Blues fan is a Stanley Cup away from turning $400 into $100K in unlikely bet

Kevin Allen, USA TODAY Published 11:05 a.m. ET May 22, 2019 | Updated 11:05 a.m. ET May 22, 2019

It’s easy to say that the vast majority of St. Louis Blues fans didn’t see a trip to the Stanley Cup Final coming when their team was in last place in January. But maybe Scott Berry did. According to The Action Network, Berry was on a business trip in Las Vegas when he noticed the Paris Las Vegas Hotel sportsbook had the Blues as a 250-1 longshot to win the Stanley Cup. Deciding to do comparison shopping, he went to the Bellagio where he saw the Blues were listed at 150-1. “I sprinted back to the Paris and put down everything I had planned on spending on gambling — $400,” Berry told The Action Network. “To win $100,000 sounded really good.” Blues celebrate their win over the Sharks that sent them to the Stanley Cup Final. The Blues were last in the NHL on Jan. 2 and had never won a Stanley Cup in franchise history. No one could have said this was a wise investment. But now that the Blues have reached the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 1970, Berry suddenly has a hot ticket. Through Propswap, a marketplace where bettors can sell their betting slips, Berry was offered $20,000 for his ticket before Game 7 against Dallas in the second round, according to ESPN. That game went double- overtime before Patrick Maroon scored the game winner. According to ESPN.com, Berry has now received a $40,000 offer for his ticket. "Preseason, I knew they had a good squad," Berry told ESPN. "But I'm no pro. My brother and father are a little more risk-averse than I am. They probably thought I was idiot." The Bruins are favored to win the Stanley Cup Final. According to The Action Network, the Blues have a 42% chance of winning, based on probability. USA TODAY LOADED: 05.23.2019