SPORT-SCAN DAILY BRIEF NHL 6/2/2020 1185667 Ducks sign defenseman Kodie Curran to 2-year, $2-million 1185694 ‘Is it worth it?’ Anton Stralman questions safety of NHL’s contract Return to Play plan 1185668 Many questions remain about risk and health as NHL talks 1185695 WITH FLOOD OF YOUNG PROSPECTS ON return to play PROFESSIONAL PRECIPICE, TOUGH DECISION MADE 1185669 Why Anders Bjork could be a postseason wild card AT AHL LEVEL 1185670 Which ‘black aces’ are likely to join the Bruins for the playoff run? Canadiens 1185696 Stu on Sports: Canadiens issue a statement against violence and racism 1185671 In statement, Pegulas say they want to help eradicate 'racism and inequality' 1185672 Former Sabre Marco Scandella: 'We represent one race, 1185697 Chris Mason says hardest part of new NHL playoff format the human race' will be playing without fans Flames Islanders 1185673 Five (obvious) predictions for a Flames vs. Jets play-in 1185698 Sports figures take stand for racial justice amid nationwide series protests 1185699 Projecting the Islanders’ roster for when the NHL returns to play 1185674 Bag of Jerks: The ‘playoffs,’ another defensive logjam, contracts 1185700 Rangers’ K’Andre Miller speaks out after being target of racist Zoom hack 1185675 Blackhawks’ Drake Caggiula reveals he’s engaged 1185701 Kaapo Kakko ‘feeling great’ amid Rangers’ coronavirus 1185676 : George Floyd’s death and the national concerns unrest that followed ‘moved me to tears’ 1185702 NY Rangers prospect K'Andre Miller: 'I support the Black 1185677 Blackhawks organization, Jonathan Toews, Zack Smith Lives Matter movement' make statements on George Floyd protests 1185703 Projecting the New York Rangers' playoff roster for the 1185678 Rozner: Playoff hockey is welcome in any form NHL restart: Who makes the cut? 1185679 Jonathan Toews releases powerful statement on George 1185704 Rangers prospect K'Andre Miller weighs in on George Floyd's death, mass protests Floyd's death and his own experience with racism 1185680 Blackhawks' Zack Smith issues statement following death 1185705 Forecasting the skaters the Rangers will carry when they of George Floyd, protests return to play 1185681 Blackhawks issue statement following death of George Floyd, mass protests 1185682 The NHL's coronavirus pause: Players, coaches offer 1185706 Coach D.J. Smith says the players must stay ready for opinions on return-to-play format next year in long off-season 1185683 A pro scout breaks down the proposed Blackhawks-Oilers 1185707 GARRIOCH: Coach D.J. Smith says he and GM Pierre qualifying-round matchup Dorion have discussed the possibility of naming a captain 1185708 Q&A: How superstitious Sens coach D.J. Smith hopes to sway the lottery — again 1185684 Keeler: For Avalanche’s , Calder Trophy race is a family affair 1185709 Answering questions about the Flyers’ lineup, the season’s resumption, and more | Sam Carchidi 1185685 Michael Arace | Ex-Blue Jackets GM Scott Howson faces 1185710 Flyers sign defenseman Linus Hogberg to entry-level deal; challenge running AHL still trying to lure Wyatt Kalynuk 1185711 Flyers will take strong resume into round-robin tournament against Capitals, Bruins, Lightning 1185686 How a comeback OT win over the Oilers was the 1185712 Fish: For Flyers, playoff format could have pros and cons difference between the Stars being winners, losers of the 1185713 Flyers lose rights to prospect David Bernhardt NHL pl 1185714 Picking the best hub city for Flyers in NHL's 24-team Playoffs plan 1185715 Linus Högberg signing boosts Flyers ‘D’ prospect pool, but 1185687 The most stunning Michigan sports endings this century more decisions loom from all corners 1185688 Red Wings hope for 'different opportunities' to stay sharp during long layoff 1185716 Penguins issue statement condemning racism, senseless 1185689 NHL will spend millions on daily coronavirus testing if violence season resumes 1185717 Penguins A to Z: Will Reilly will try to prove he’s not 1185690 Red Wings final grades: One of franchise’s worst seasons irrelevant reflected in marks 1185718 Ex-Penguins defenseman Frank Corrado joins Swedish team 1185719 Ty Avolia, who went viral as a 2-year-old for a video of his 1185691 JONES: Networks could get creative broadcasting NHL reaction to a by Penguins player Sidney Cros games in empty arenas 1185720 Ron Cook: Sports won't completely save us, but we need 1185692 Monday Musings: It would be nice if Edmonton Oilers a galvanizing force could play in own hub 1185693 A pro scout breaks down the proposed Blackhawks-Oilers qualifying-round matchup San Jose Sharks 1185721 Logan Couture writes in message, “I think most of us have 1185742 Jets sign D-man, waive 2 others turned a blind eye when it comes to racism. It canno 1185743 Time for our sports heroes to speak out about racism 1185722 After playoff miss, Sharks have 2015-16 season as a 1185744 Jets sign offensive defenceman Chisholm to entry-level model contract 1185723 What Sharks can learn from last time they missed Stanley 1185745 The road map for Declan Chisholm to become another Cup playoffs late-round hit for Jets 1185724 Evander Kane on white NHLers addressing racism: We need ‘strength in numbers’ World Leagues News 1185753 What future for sport and sponsors after the coronavirus St Louis Blues lockdown? 1185725 En route to the Blues, Zuke lived the 'Slap Shot' life 1185754 Coronavirus in sport: Athletics is back on track as Spotakova shines 1185755 Competitive sports resume in England after 75-day 1185726 We want our athletes to speak up, but only if they say shutdown what we want to hear 1185756 Stands Full of Fan-Submitted Cardboard Cutouts. What 1185727 Lightning’s Mathieu Joseph: Let’s lead with love, demand Could Go Wrong? change 1185757 The NHL's coronavirus pause: Players, coaches offer 1185728 ‘Is it worth it?’ Anton Stralman questions safety of NHL’s opinions on return-to-play format Return to Play plan 1185758 Sports owners are using the pandemic as a leverage tactic, and it's gross Maple Leafs 1185759 'It's the best we have:' How football teams are training in 1185729 Robertson one of several intriguing possibilities for Leafs' the age of social distancing expanded roster 1185760 What baseball practice will look like in Iowa with 1185730 How Semyon Der-Arguchintsev put himself back on the coronavirus prevention guidelines in place Maple Leafs’ prospect map 1185761 Revived England-Australia Ashes series cancelled due to coronavirus pandemic SPORT-SCAN, INC. 941-284-4129 1185746 Ben Kuzma: Horvat's leadership and raw honesty shine bright in tumultuous times 1185731 Caesars Entertainment cashes Golden Knights’ division title bets 1185732 Golden Knights help fans get in shape with workout videos 1185733 Golden Knights end meal-donation program 1185734 Golden Knights sign 2018 draft pick Connor Corcoran 1185735 Capitals assistant Reid Cashman named Dartmouth head coach 1185736 Capitals assistant coach Reid Cashman will leave for Dartmouth job after season 1185737 Alex Ovechkin's message amid George Floyd protests: 'Respect and love each other' 1185738 Capitals assistant coach Reid Cashman named head coach at Dartmouth 1185739 Alex Ovechkin reveals his all-time favorite Capitals sweater 1185740 Capitals GM Brian MacLellan does not see why the 2020 Stanley Cup deserves an asterisk 1185741 Caps assistant Reid Cashman becoming Dartmouth men’s hockey head coach Websites 1185747 The Athletic / ‘Is it worth it?’ Anton Stralman questions safety of NHL’s Return to Play plan 1185748 The Athletic / Evander Kane on white NHLers addressing racism: We need ‘strength in numbers’ 1185749 The Athletic / Wheeler: Final ranking for the 2020 NHL Draft’s top 100 prospects 1185750 Sportsnet.ca / Black people are dying. White athletes need to speak out. | Sportsnet.ca 1185751 Sportsnet.ca / One question every non-playoff NHL team must answer this off-season 1185752 TSN.CA / A statistical look at the Penguins vs. Canadiens play-in series 1185667 Anaheim Ducks

Ducks sign defenseman Kodie Curran to 2-year, $2-million contract

By ELLIOTT TEAFORD | PUBLISHED: June 1, 2020 at 3:52 p.m. | UPDATED: June 1, 2020 at 3:52 p.m.

The Ducks signed Kodie Curran, a 30-year-old defenseman who played in Europe for the past four seasons, to a two-year, $2 million contract Monday. Curran has not played a game in the NHL and has appeared in only 20 games in the AHL after playing Canadian collegiate hockey.

He was named the best player in Sweden’s top league this past season, after he had 49 points, including 12 goals, in 48 games with Rogle BK Angelholm. He signed in January to play in Russia’s KHL, but bought himself out of the deal to pursue an NHL contract.

Curran wasn’t drafted by an NHL team and, after a solid career at the University of Calgary, he spent parts of two seasons with the Hartford (Connecticut) Wolf Pack, the New York Rangers’ AHL team, and the Greenville (South Carolina) Swamp Rabbits of the ECHL.

He said in a recent interview with Canada’s CTV that he rediscovered his love for the game while in Europe, playing first in Denmark in 2016-17 and then Norway the following season before shifting to Sweden for the 2018-19 season. He had six power-play goals and a plus-8 defensive rating in 2019-20 for Rogle.

“I’ve loved the game since I was a kid and I just didn’t have that same drive,” he said. “I didn’t have that same motivation to play the game, so I figured I wanted to get back into the college feel, that team unity. You know a lot of camaraderie is something I’ve always loved, and I found that in Europe.”

The website www.capfriendly.com first reported the signing.

Orange County Register: LOADED: 06.02.2020 1185668 Boston Bruins day, it’s going to come down to individual choice, Max Domi’s individual choice. But it really is scary and it really is dangerous for a player with a pre-existing condition.

Many questions remain about risk and health as NHL talks return to play Even though the protocol is there and the document is there and they take all the safety measures, do you want to take the risk? Would I? No. Would you? Probably not. But if there is one thing our experience has By Joe Haggerty June 01, 2020 3:00 PM shown us, we’re not wired like these [NHL players]. These guys want to play. I can’t speak for Max Domi, but if I were a betting man I’d bet that

he would play. While the NHL made big news last week with the unveiling of its plan to Domi himself admitted it was on his mind while talking it over on a return to play with a 24-team tournament expected to get going this conference call with reporters a few weeks ago amidst the COVID-19 summer — barring any unforeseen COVID-19 setbacks — there is still outbreak and subsequent NHL work stoppage. plenty to be hashed out. Marinaro on Canadiens making postseason: 'It's stupid' The NHLPA and NHL will need to come to agreement on other aspects of the league’s return-to-play plan and teams will need to begin skating, "Being a Type 1 diabetic, it's something that raises some concern. But practicing and preparing to play in the postseason tournament that’s still you really don't know how everyone's going to be affected by this months away. disease. Being a Type 1 doesn't change much. I would handle myself the same way as if I didn't have [diabetes]," said the 25-year-old Domi, who The NHL is expected to make a formal announcement that the 31 NHL is third on the Canadiens with 17 goals and 44 points in 71 games this teams can begin Phase 2 with small practice groups at NHL facilities season. "Everyone is affected by this in their own way. A lot of people sometime over the next few weeks, and the word is that NHL training have been struggling. camp won’t begin prior to a July 10 start date. This means we could be seeing Stanley Cup playoff hockey in August and September before a “A lot of people have suffered loss. It's been a really tough time for Stanley Cup is awarded to the winner of the 2019-20 NHL season everyone, and you have to be sensitive to that. You have to understand sometime in the fall. that this is very real. People have gotten sick from this. People have died from this. All you can really do is do your part, stay at home, stay safe Get the latest news and analysis on all of your teams from NBC Sports and be respectful of any rules that were put in place.” Boston by downloading the My Teams App The good news is that most teams, and subsequently most players, will The real question, though, is how safe it’s going to be for players, be eliminated from playoff contention within the first few weeks of a referees, team and league personnel and anybody else essential that’s Stanley Cup playoff return-to-play. The attrition of playoff rounds will involved to help make these NHL games happen in designated hub cities quickly lessen the amount of people, both quarantined and coming into once they are up and running. contact with each other, present at the hub cities. Bruins captain Zdeno Chara acknowledged there is still plenty left to go A few shortened playoff series at the start of the NHL tournament could when it comes to the issues of health and well-being while talking about a make that an even more expeditious process that’s as safe as it can return to play with Bruins reporters last week. possibly for everybody involved. But at the end of the day it will be about “These are the questions that still need to be processed. After the some level of risk for each and every NHL player involved. approval of the format there are other steps that need to be gone over,” It all boils down to a very personal decision — and it shouldn't be all that said Chara. “I’m sure this is one of those things that everybody needs to surprising if not every player signs up to assume that COVID-19 risk be aware of that the safety and health of players, staff, coaches and once play does resume. everybody working around [the games] needs to be taken care of. Those are the questions that will need to be asked and answered.” Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 06.02.2020 Some NHL players like Leafs winger Mitch Marner already expressed concern about any NHL personnel with underlying health conditions like forward Max Domi, who has Type 1 Diabetes. Clearly there are also some older NHL coaches like Claude Julien, Joel Quenneville and John Tortorella who could be more at risk if a COVID-19 outbreak were to happen during these playoffs, and that doesn’t even take into account older NHL assistant coaches as well.

Haggerty: Ranking the Top 10 NHLers from Massachusetts

“I’m all down for starting everything up [with the NHL season again]. Let’s rock. [But] what if someone gets sick and dies? It's awful to think about, but still," said Marner of Domi, his former London Knights teammate, a few weeks ago during a video chat with fans. "There's dudes like [Max] Domi who has diabetes. If he gets it, he's in [a predicament]."

TSN 690 radio host Tony Marinaro admitted on an NBC Sports Boston Zoom call with James Murphy and yours truly last week that it’s a “scary” scenario for the Canadiens given their situation with players and coaches. It wouldn’t shock anyone if there may even be some hesitant players who opt not to return to play this summer depending on their individual health situations and concern level.

“I just got off the phone [on-air] about an hour ago with Dr. Leighanne Parkes, who is an infectious disease specialist at the Jewish General Hospital in Montreal and I asked her about Max Domi. I asked her about Max Domi because as we know with this COVID-19 that it’s mostly the elderly that are losing their lives. But if there is somebody losing their life before the age of 80, then it’s someone with an underlying health condition. Max Domi is a Type-1 diabetic and that is scary and extremely dangerous.

“I asked her about the [21-page] document put out by the NHL for their health protocols [during the return to play] and she said it was a well thought out document. She said the NHL has covered most of the bases, if not all of them, and it was really well thought out. But at the end of the 1185669 Boston Bruins recover the quickest and get back up to speed in a short amount of time will help your team.”

Bjork will have competition. Cassidy noted that Karson Kuhlman, who Why Anders Bjork could be a postseason wild card could also contend for right-side duty on the No. 3 line, has eight games of playoff experience. Bjork has none.

By Fluto Shinzawa Jun 1, 2020 But Bjork and Coyle had developed an on-ice partnership that spilled over into off-ice conversations about strategy and style. In 383:31 of shared 5-on-5 play, the two were on the ice for 16 goals scored and 14 allowed. They posted a 51.33 CF%. They recorded a rate of 1.7 An interrupted season is nothing new for Anders Bjork. This is Bjork’s expected goals against per 60 minutes, superior to the 1.77 xGA/60 third professional year. He has yet to experience one without a submitted by the perpetually vigilant duo of Marchand and Bergeron. premature shutdown. “I feel like I’ve got to put my work in to earn my spot back,” Bjork said on In the 2017-18 season, the wing lasted only 30 games before shoulder a video call. “That’s the culture on the team for sure. That’s how we’ve surgery cut his first pro season short. In 2018-19, following 33 combined been successful. Guys are constantly pushing each other. You have to if appearances in Boston and Providence, a second procedure on the you want to play. It’s tough to embrace that. But I think it’s really same shoulder sent Bjork to an early summer vacation. important to embrace it.” So by now, two-plus months of unexpected inactivity is, for Bjork, simply The Athletic LOADED: 06.02.2020 a way of NHL life.

“He has been used to this, where he has to stop and start,” Bruce Cassidy said Monday on The Athletic’s Perfection Pod. “There’s the mental part of it, the challenge. He’s been there.”

Cassidy can project, within reasonable margins of error, how the players he knows the best will perform when play resumes. , Patrice Bergeron and David Pastrnak, assuming good health, should produce like the top-liners they are.

The task is not as easy when it comes to Bjork. Fifty-eight games in one season is the most that Bjork, 23, has totaled as a professional. It does not provide Cassidy with the expansive sample size he’d prefer.

Bjork’s 19- sum signals one thing. His acceleration, shiftiness and heavy shot hint at another. It makes for an uncertain projection. The upside, however, is lofty.

Injuries, and now a pandemic, have blurred what should be, at this point of Bjork’s career, a relatively focused picture of what he is and what he will become. His skill set should make him a candidate to ride as high as the No. 1 line, the position he manned during his first training camp.

But before the NHL went dark, Bjork could not even crack the lineup for four of the five most recent games. The reasons why are easily apparent.

In his last three appearances against Calgary, Dallas and Florida, Bjork posted an on-ice Corsi For percentage of 27.27, 31.58 and 21.0, according to Natural Stat Trick. His lines — Bjork skated with Nick Ritchie and Charlie Coyle against Calgary, Coyle and Jake DeBrusk against Dallas, Joakim Nordstrom and Sean Kuraly against Florida — combined for zero goals scored and one goal allowed.

A dip in performance, however, was not the only reason Bjork was directed to the press box. Cassidy was intent on determining how Nick Ritchie and Ondrej Kase would fit alongside David Krejci. He also wanted to figure out whether Sean Kuraly would best serve the team at No. 3 left wing or No. 4 center.

So in what would be the regular-season finale against Philadelphia, Krejci centered the ex-Ducks. Kuraly and Jake DeBrusk flanked Charlie Coyle. Nordstrom ran with Par Lindholm and Chris Wagner.

Bjork was the odd man out.

Whether that trend will resume will not be determined for quite some time. Bjork and the players have to progress through the skates and off- ice workouts of Phase 2. Cassidy is not allowed to oversee any of it. In the looming training camp of Phase 3, Bjork has to show his bosses he’s too important to be left out of the regular rotation.

Bjork’s training has included hill repeats on rollerblades near his family’s home in Mequon, Wis. The workouts, plus Bjork’s natural athleticism, should eliminate fitness as a concern.

“I think the break will help him in terms of his strength,” Cassidy said. “I imagine he’s been working out. Not on the ice, but off the ice, being a little stronger. For playoff hockey, that’s paramount that you can stand the rigors of the so-called two-month season, if you’re fortunate to get that far. That part will be a positive for him. Young legs coming in. Quick recovery could work to his advantage to staying in the lineup every night. This could be a positive for Anders. It’s a true unknown as to who’s going to excel and who’s not. But I do believe that part of it — the guys that can 1185670 Boston Bruins Steven Kampfer

A veteran presence on the blue line, the 31-year-old defenseman has played only 10 games for the Bruins this season. He spent the majority of Which ‘black aces’ are likely to join the Bruins for the playoff run? the season with Providence but proved last season that he could make an immediate impact in a playoff game for the Bruins when needed. He understands the systems well and, because of his experience, would By Joe McDonald Jun 1, 2020 likely be the first player inserted into the lineup if needed.

Urho Vaakanainen

The AHL’s season has been canceled because of the COVID-19 The 21-year-old defenseman made significant strides in his development pandemic, and exit meetings have been completed for the Providence this season. He played in every situation and could do the same in Bruins. Boston if needed. He likes to join the rush but would need to think defense first if Cassidy gives the rookie the nod. It helps that he’s played That doesn’t mean those players are done for the season. seven games already for the Bruins. He’s matured and increased his Before the NHL resumes, the league needs to decide how many players compete level. will be allowed on teams’ rosters with the addition of the so-called “black Zach Senyshyn aces,” prospects (and occasional minor-league veterans) who join the NHL team for the playoffs. The NHL has reportedly advised general The organization was very excited to see the 2015 first-rounder’s managers to prepare for a 28-player roster with an unlimited number of development this season. Before the AHL’s stoppage, the 23-year-old goalies. forward was playing solid, consistent hockey for six weeks down the stretch. The winger started to score, was reliable on the forecheck, The Bruins have already held internal conversations about their roster proved he’s willing to play in the dirty areas and used his NHL-caliber and which players from Providence are likely to be added. General speed. During his brief stint in Boston (six games) he has impressed the manager Don Sweeney, coach Bruce Cassidy and Providence coach Jay coaching staff. Leach each have preferences, although Sweeney will make the final decision. Daniel Vladar

Cassidy plans to conduct a few intrasquad games once full practices are Because teams can add an unlimited number of goalies, the 22-year-old allowed so the players can shake the rust and ramp-up to gamelike netminder should be in the mix. The 6-foot-5, 185-pounder made conditions against their own teammates. Some of these potential black significant strides in his development this season. The one aspect that aces will get a test run then. will be a challenge for Cassidy is how he works the tandem of Tuukka Rask and Jaroslav Halak. The coach will decide whether to stick with a The current roster is well set, and every player with a minor injury is true No. 1 or equally distribute the workload for the goalies. It will take expected to be healthy and ready to go once the league resumes. We goalies longer to regain their timing, so Vladar should have an also know that defenseman Kevan Miller (knee) has been ruled out for a opportunity to show his bosses what he can do. return this season. Here’s a breakdown of the players in consideration for the expanded roster: The 21-year-old prospect decided to forgo his senior season at the University of Maine and signed an entry-level contract with the Bruins. He Jack Studnicka was scheduled to join Providence, but due to the pause in the season, he The rookie centerman enjoyed a terrific first pro season. The 21-year-old was unable to start his pro career. He could also be added to the Bruins’ forward led the Atlantic Division champions with 23 goals and 26 assists expanded roster to get familiar with the organization. for 49 points in 60 games. He also tied an AHL rookie record with seven The Athletic LOADED: 06.02.2020 short-handed goals. He was relied on for every scenario while showcasing his competitiveness, speed, talent and hockey sense, proving why he’s the top prospect in the organization. At this point in his development, he has the ability to play up and down the lineup for the Bruins, and he’s a lock to join the big club for the playoffs. He has a strong work ethic and continues to develop into a solid two-way player. If he plays in the top six, Studnicka will be used as a winger. In the bottom six, he could handle his natural center position.

Trent Frederic

There’s a lot to like about his game. His numerous attributes bode well for the Bruins, including his size and strength. He has a relentless style of play, especially on the forecheck, and possesses an above-average shot. He stands up for his teammates. He’s versatile and could play up and down the lineup if needed. A natural centerman, the 6-foot-2, 200- pounder can play the wing and is almost a definite roster addition.

Paul Carey

The 31-year-old forward has 100 games of NHL experience, including four playoff games. He spent the entire season in Providence and served as a mentor, on and off the ice, for the organization’s prospects. Because he has postseason experience, he could be the player who could be inserted into the lineup if needed and has the ability to provide immediate results.

Jakub Zboril

At the time of the AHL’s pause, the 23-year-old defenseman had become Providence’s best player on the back end. He has developed into a smart, puck-moving defenseman and has increased his compete level and become a force down low. His strength is his ability to transition the puck and find open ice. Leach and Cassidy have been impressed with Zboril’s development this season. He will no doubt add depth to Boston’s blue line if he’s added to the expanded roster. 1185671 Buffalo Sabres

In statement, Pegulas say they want to help eradicate 'racism and inequality'

By Staff

Terry and Kim Pegula, owners of the Buffalo Bills and Buffalo Sabres, issued a statement Monday night, saying that they was want to "help foster a community that is focused on love and equality" in the wake of the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis and nationwide protests that followed.

The statement also said they want to continue to work with "those dedicated to eradicating racism and inequality."

The Pegulas' public statement follows those issued by teams throughout the and other sports teams and individual players.

The statement in full reads, "We are saddened and angered by the actions of those involved in the senseless killing of George Floyd. We stand with and will continue to work with those dedicated to eradicating racism and inequality. We stand with those peacefully protesting. We stand against those who are motivated by hatred and violence. We pray for the victims and their families and ask you to join us to help foster a community that is focused on love and equality."

Buffalo News LOADED: 06.02.2020 1185672 Buffalo Sabres

Former Sabre Marco Scandella: 'We represent one race, the human race'

By Staff

Former Buffalo Sabres defenseman Marco Scandella has released a statement on Instagram in light of the racial injustice and social unrest following the killing of George Floyd last week in Minneapolis.

Scandella, now with the St. Louis Blues, spent part of three seasons with Buffalo before being traded to Montreal and then the Blues this season.

Here is Scandella's statement as he joined a large number of NHL teams and individual players decrying Floyd's death.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Marco Scandella (@scandeezy6) on Jun 1, 2020 at 1:31pm PDT

The , the Sabres' ECHL affiliate has issued a strong statement sand said the organization will donate to the African American Fund of the Greater Cincinnati Foundation.

We stand together. pic.twitter.com/D0QFkpgGUn

— Cincinnati Cyclones (@CincyCyclones) June 1, 2020

Buffalo News LOADED: 06.02.2020 1185673 Of course, it’s nothing that is going to help Gaudreau once the Jets — these Jets — make up their minds to defuse him, which he no doubt knows.

Five (obvious) predictions for a Flames vs. Jets play-in series But for No. 13, it’s a chance to seize the moment. Last spring he’d been overwhelmed by Colorado’s attention — one measly helper in the opening round — so he must sense an opportunity now to repair his By Scott Cruickshank Jun 1, 2020 postseason reputation.

The Jets, no dummies, will have familiarized themselves with the Rocky Mountain blueprint for on-ice neutralization. The idea is to hatch a collection of bold predictions in advance of the postseason. Which leaves the Flames star with no under-the-radar entry into this series. Sure, Geoff Ward can pursue favourable matchups, but the left A potential list-topper? That the Calgary Flames and the Winnipeg Jets winger will be a focal point of enemy checkers from the opening faceoff. actually do get to battle through a qualifying round. Because the NHL’s resumption is far from a sure thing. There are obstacles aplenty. Obvious prediction: Gaudreau is tested like never before.

But say the hurdles are overcome. Say the clubs gather at a neutral site. Hub sweet hub Say the puck drops on Game 1. With zero games slated for Calgary, Ward can proceed with confidence. Here, framed by leaps of logic and a lack of imagination, are a few items The Flames coach will not have to field a single question about his club’s that will happen during a week-plus of head to head between the old inability to dominate, or perform even decently, at the Saddledome. Smythe-mates. It was a topic that clearly annoyed the typically low-key Ward, who Forget bold projections — let’s start with obvious predictions. appeared to worry that repeated inquiries about his team’s shortfall might drive doubt into the players’ minds. Like father (dis)like son “I think there’s been such an emphasis about how we can’t play at home, Drafted 19th overall by the Jets in 1990, Keith Tkachuk soon exerted his how we suck at home, how we’re terrible at home,” Ward said one night. will on the NHL stage. Broad-shouldered and soft-handed, he managed “It’s all we’ve been hearing around home for a while now.” goal totals of 41 and 50 and minute totals of 201 and 255 during his four full seasons in Winnipeg. And those particular comments had arrived shortly after a victory in Calgary. Tkachuk — whose wife, Chantal, is from Manitoba’s capital — also wore the C for the Jets. But collecting 16 wins in 33 tries on home ice is not only less than satisfactory, it’s inexplicable. At the Saddledome, the Flames, as a group, Now here comes the next generation of the clan, wearing a red smock were minus-14 — fourth-worst team rating in the NHL. and a sloppy grin. Yet they were one of only six clubs to register at least 20 road wins. Bank on it — in no time at all, Matthew Tkachuk will give the viewing Leading them had been Elias Lindholm, whose 16 away goals were audience in Winnipeg something to hiss about. Because, in the heat of bettered by only 13 players. Their penalty kill is fifth-best on enemy ice the action, you can expect the usual from No. 19 — accidentally bumping (and 15th at home). In other words, they travel well. the goalie in the crease, inadvertently jostling a defender after the whistle, directing a barrage of bon mots to the closest ear-hole, At one stage late in the season, Ward told reporters: “For us, it shouldn’t masticating non-stop his already misshapen mouthguard. All with a smirk matter — home, road. If you guys can figure out somewhere else we can on his face. play, let me know. We’ll play there, too. It’s no big deal.”

It’s irksome. And what do you know? Here we are — somewhere else.

On top of which, the young man can execute offensively. That flair So maybe news of a neutral-site tournament isn’t the worst thing for the somehow makes the rest of his act even more aggravating. And he locals, who do some of their best work out of a suitcase. wouldn’t have it any other way. Obvious prediction: The Flames do not experience a single loss at the For Flames fans, it’s a great schtick. For the boosters of 30 other squads, Saddledome. the behaviour is not so cool. (Worth noting: If Las Vegas ends up being confirmed as a hub city, feel Obvious prediction: Matthew Tkachuk’s presence becomes a series free to cringe. The Calgarians are 0-6-0 — and have been outscored by flashpoint. a count of 27-6 — at T-Mobile Arena. Of course, the Golden Knights have something to do with that.) Johnny and the Jets Glovers’ triangle One of the most pressure-packed nights of Johnny Gaudreau’s career took place against the Jets. There is always a straight-up netminding battle to promote.

During that game in Winnipeg — Oct. 19, 2014 — the young man Most of the time, anyway. Because in this case, it has the potential to be recorded one goal and one assist. No big deal, you might say. Just a three-headed showcase. another productive appearance. For starters, there is Connor Hellebuyck, the main man in Winnipeg. And But those with good memories will note that the rookie had gone he is superb, a likely finalist for the Vezina Trophy with those terrific pointless in the opening five dates — quietly recording only a single shot numbers — 31-21-5, 2.57 GAA, .922 SV%, six shutouts. (Lifetime on net — before being a healthy scratch in Columbus. against the Flames, statistically one of his favourite marks, he’s 5-2-0, 1.97 GAA, .932 SV%.) So getting back into the lineup stood as a meaningful moment. A flop against the Jets may have punched his ticket for AHL Adirondack — as Meanwhile in Calgary, there remain two realistic options for crease-work, farfetched as it may seem now. Instead, there was his response, an a couple of guys drawing identical $2.75-million salaries — David Rittich offensive outburst in the second period that kicked off a stretch of 12 and Cam Talbot. points in 10 games, thereby depriving hockey fans in Glens Falls, N.Y., of a chance to witness first-hand his talents. Rittich handled the bulk of the starts in the season’s early stages and earned an invitation to the NHL’s All-Star weekend. Somewhere along That game, Gaudreau proved he could be an everyday NHLer — and he the way, he wrenched his elbow. Related or not, his play dipped. But was off to the races, finishing with 64 points. Talbot — who’d signed a one-year deal in Calgary to prove that he was still capable of shouldering first-string work — had been excellent from The breakout stands as a scrapbook moment, pivotal and feel-good. January on. In The Athletic reader poll, Flames fans were asked to select one of the gents to start Game 1. The too-close-to-call result? Rittich 51.9 percent, Talbot 48.1 percent.

So who does Hellebuyck spy at the far end of the rink on opening night?

Stay tuned.

Obvious prediction: Goaltending spells the difference, even if Calgary’s side of the equation remains unknown.

History is bunk

Everyone claims there is no such thing as momentum in the postseason.

Good thing, it saves the Flames from having to shake the disappointment of 12,000 days ago — the last time they faced the Jets in a series.

Facing elimination April 16, 1987, the Calgarians rustled up a single goal — Joel Otto (from Jim Peplinski and Reggie Lemelin) — and lost 6-1 in Game 6. They went home, while the advancing Jets got swept by the Edmonton Oilers.

It was the third straight spring the clubs had tangled — the Jets prevailing in 1985, the Flames in 1986.

Since the Jets’ rebirth in 2011, the Flames are 11-7-2 against their old chums. But, over the past three winters, the Jets have captured four of the seven meetings — all by a single goal, including the relatively recent display outdoors in Regina.

Indeed, there is little to separate the teams, including points percentage — eighth-seeded Calgary at .564, ninth-seeded Winnipeg at .563. Both are 6-3-1 in their last 10 games coming into the dust-up.

These are two operations desperate for postseason success. And here, as part of the play-in brigade, they’re trying to just get into the 16-team brackets.

The Flames, since their 1989 Stanley Cup championship, have advanced past the first round only twice. As for the Jets, since relocating from Atlanta, they’ve enjoyed 2018’s burst of playoff goodness, but little else.

Obvious prediction: This matchup is hotly/closely contested.

Bonus hunch: It’s a best-of-five series that goes the distance. While we’re at it, bank on three overtimes.

The Athletic LOADED: 06.02.2020 1185674 Carolina Hurricanes Haydn Fleury – Joel Edmundson/Brady Skjei

Here’s my prediction without:

Bag of Jerks: The ‘playoffs,’ another defensive logjam, contracts Jaccob Slavin – Dougie Hamilton

Sami Vatanen/Haydn Fleury -Brady Skjei

By Sara Civian Jun 1, 2020 Jake Gardiner – Trevor Van Riemsdyk/Joel Edmundson

Regardless, I think they’ll call up both Jake Bean and Joey Keane. Maybe they’ll see some play, but as you said, there is once again a Hey, y’all. How are you doing? logjam on aisle Canes. I can definitely see some sort of rotation Any Mad Libs introduction to this month’s Bag of Jerks talking about implemented as the Canes have in the past, especially with the “unprecedented times” or (insert buzzword of choice here) feels uncertainty surrounding new players Skjei and Vatanen. incredibly tone-deaf to me. Our little niche feels so infinitesimal compared There’s also the fact that the Canes could sit Vatanen through the with everything going on in the world — and it is. But I also think this has playoffs and get their conditional pick back. That would seem a little become our weird little community over time, one that has kept me going crazy if Hamilton wasn’t definite and Pesce wasn’t a “maybe,” but you’re through all this. And the monthly mailbag is sort of our time to check in on potentially getting two top-four defensemen back and calling two up who each other. could play in the NHL yesterday. It’s a fair question.

So here we are, and I hope you’re well. If you’re just catching up on OK, not my idea — stole it like all great ideas. Caps fans (ugh) talking hockey new,s here we go: about what game picture would go up on the marquee. They settled on The Hurricanes were one of two NHL teams to vote “no” on a 24-team Holtby blocking Tuck’s shot in the Finals. What would the Canes’ picture playoff format. be? In-game — can’t be Brind’Amour holding the Cup. Too easy. — John Z. The NHL announced the details of that format, and here’s what it all means for the Canes. Great question, and thanks for eliminating the Rod Brind’Amour Cup picture because that’s way too easy. How about his game-winner in Investigating our burning questions about return to play. Game 7 against the Sabres?

Hey Sara! Love your articles. Apologies in advance for the dumb Lines? Just kidding, but where do you think the Canes should strengthen question I’m about to ask, you can tell what I’ve been watching during in the draft (whenever it happens)? — Matt M. quarantine because of it. If players on the Hurricanes and writers from The Athletic were to be on an episode of “Family Feud” against each Matt, I promise I will never complain about tweeting the lines ever again other, which five players and writers would we see and which team would after this. It’s so hard to strengthen in net via draft, but I would like to see win? — Whitney G. the Hurricanes take a chance on a goaltender. I will obviously go more in-depth about their options when everything is more clear. This is an amazing question, Whitney. Probably Top 10 since the Bag of Jerks was born. Has to be. Thank you for your great article featuring THE LINES. It’s amazing to see our abundance of defenseman (these are not your father’s Canes), but Team Hurricanes has to include Justin Williams and Andrei Svechnikov isn’t the forecasting of lines futile? Doesn’t it ultimately come down with to fill the elder statesman and youth roles. Next, Ryan Dzingel and this team to who RB’A thinks comes back in the best shape? — Bernie P. Jordan Martinook strike me as two who can think outside the box for creative answers and provide some entertainment. Can you imagine Speaking of THE LINES, you’re absolutely right. We’re potentially about them in the lightning rounds? Let’s get James Reimer in there, too. I just to enter the most unique NHL postseason of all time, and there’s no way feel like he knows a lot of random stuff and has a quick wit to him. to know what resources have been available to which players, who has been doing what, who is able to adapt. It’s going to be a lot of things just Boom. playing out in front of our eyes. Uncertainty is weird and, honestly, a little bit scary — but it will be fascinating to see how much deviation there is As for Team Athletic? from an “ideal lineup” based on who is in the best shape. The people would demand Down Goes Brown, and for all the right At the same time, these guys are pros and they know the coach and reasons. Justin Bourne is hip to the right combination of old-school and training staff they’re dealing with. I’m confident they’re finding ways to new-school mentality to make an impact. Dom Luszczyszyn would crush come back in the best shape they possibly can. it for the millennials. Craig Custance is too creative not to make the cut. Katie Strang is too sharp. If you could trade names with any Hurricane, which one would it be? — Cory F. Who would win? Fans like you and me. Give me fuel. Hey Sara, I’ve been an Athletic subscriber for a few months and always enjoy your coverage. My question is: What’s the story behind the Canes Give me fire. ditching the Checkers? The news stories implied some dissatisfaction on the part of the Canes, but I haven’t seen any details. Thanks. — Douglas Give me Nino Niederreiter. S. What has been your Canes highlight of the year? — Howard H.

Thanks so much for your continued support, Douglas. The story is that Not Andrei Svechnikov’s lacrosse goals in themselves, but just the the story isn’t over yet. There are so many moving, complex parts of this atmosphere after both of them happened. I remember being in the press situation, and obviously COVID-19 has complicated all of it. It seems like box in Winnipeg, and the reporter next to me is basically screaming in my we’ll get some clear-cut answers this week, though. Stay tuned. face: “Did you just see that?!”

Sara — It’s fun to be following the Canes again! I missed them, and I They put the Hurricanes on a certain plane of relevancy based on the missed your reports about them. Say, is Peter Mrazek good to go? pure skill and style of play of the team alone. Then you have Andrei Thanks — Don B. Svechnikov, who is so humble, being forced out of his shell a bit. He’s Hi, Don! Mrazek is good to go. So is Reimer. cracking jokes and dishing out one-liners. Then you have Brind’Amour praising him without hesitation in a way Brind’Amour rarely speaks. I Sara, even if Pesce isn’t yet ready to play, it appears the Canes now often think about the way he said “the sky is the limit” while describing have a surplus of defensemen — who plays against the Rangers? Also, Svechnikov. when the 2020-21 season starts, who are the defense pairings? — Bill B. I also love that, even though they’re a flashy move, they’re a sign of his Bill, here is my prediction with Pesce: hard work. He has practiced that move, sometimes for hours a day, since he saw Mikael Granlund pull it against Russia in 2011. If anyone was Jaccob Slavin – Dougie Hamilton going to do it first in the NHL it was him, then he did it twice. Jake Gardiner – Brett Pesce Have you spoken to any of the pending free agents re: their feelings around how this break could affect their next contract? How real is the concern around a potentially decreasing ? How are they feeling around increased injury potential in the playoffs going into a new contract? — Michael F.

Great question. While I haven’t spoken directly to players about this, I’ve talked to a few agents who have expressed how difficult navigating this situation is right now. There are so many questions and virtually no answers. It’s a lot of anxiety and a lot of “be patient.”

Who wins in a best-of-7 series: 38-year-old Justin Williams vs. 28-year- old Justin Williams? — Jessi T.

I think this is the exact point in our timeline where the asteroid hits Earth and we call it a day.

The Athletic LOADED: 06.02.2020 1185675 Chicago Blackhawks

Blackhawks’ Drake Caggiula reveals he’s engaged

By PHIL THOMPSON

Chicago Blackhawks winger Drake Caggiula announced his engagement to girlfriend Laura Kirkpatrick in a tweet Monday.

In the message to fans, Caggiula said he proposed Sunday, writing: “I asked my best friend to spend forever with me and she said yes! What an incredible day! Love you Laur.”

The accompanying pictures show Kirkpatrick’s shocked expression while listening to the proposal and flashing an engagement ring.

Social media accounts under Kirkpatrick’s name indicate she’s a registered nurse in the Toronto area.

Caggiula is a native of Pickering, , a Toronto suburb. He had nine goals and six assists in 40 games for the Hawks this season.

Chicago Tribune LOADED: 06.02.2020 1185676 Chicago Blackhawks On Sunday, goalie Malcolm Subban, the Hawks’ lone African-American player, tweeted a photo of Martin Luther King Jr. alongside one of King’s quotes: “We must learn to live together as brothers or we will perish Jonathan Toews: George Floyd’s death and the national unrest that together as fools.” followed ‘moved me to tears’ His older brother, Devils star P.K. Subban, posted a picture and quote by Tupac Shakur on Instagram: “It’s not black against white. When I say ‘we,’ it’s the good against the evil.” By PHIL THOMPSON CHICAGO TRIBUNE |JUN 01, 2020 | 6:06 PM P.K. Subban also posted a painting of Floyd along with the hashtag #justiceforgeorgefloyd.

Chicago Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews on Monday became the Chicago Tribune LOADED: 06.02.2020 latest Chicago athlete to denounce police brutality against black people and voice support of protests sparked by the death of George Floyd last week in Minneapolis while in police custody.

Video of police officer Derek Chauvin kneeling on Floyd’s neck for nearly nine minutes touched off national outrage, marked by both peaceful protests as well as vandalism, looting and clashes with police in various cities. Chauvin and three other officers were fired, and Chauvin faces third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter charges.

“A lot of people may claim these riots and acts of destruction are a terrible response,” Toews wrote on Instagram on Monday. “I’ll be the first to admit that as a white male that was also my first reaction.

“But who am I to tell someone that their pain is not real? Especially when it is at a boiling point and impossible to hold in anymore. It’s obviously coming from a place of truth. This reaction isn’t coming out of thin air.”

Toews posted a popular video of a 45-year-old black man heatedly expressing his frustration to a 31-year-old black man as a crowd watches.

“I’m tired of seeing this (expletive),” the older man says in the video. “Ain’t nobody going to protect us. We got to start our own (expletive) riot. … At this point I’m ready to die for what’s going on.”

Later in the video, the 31-year-old turns to a 16-year-old black male: “What I need y’all to do right now is come with a better way. Because how we’re doing it ain’t working. He’s angry at (45). I’m angry at 31. You’re angry at 16.

“You understand me? Putting yourself in harm’s way is not the way,” the man says tearfully.

Toews said in the post that while he doesn’t condone looting, he questioned the effectiveness of peaceful protesting as the only solution.

“Listen to these two men debate,” he wrote. “They are lost, they are in pain. They strived for a better future but as they get older they realize their efforts may be futile. They don’t know the answer of how to solve this problem for the next generation of black women and men. This breaks my heart.

“I can’t pretend for a second that I know what it feels like to walk in a black man’s shoes. However, seeing the video of George Floyd’s death and the violent reaction across the country moved me to tears. It has pushed me to think, how much pain are black people and other minorities really feeling?”

‘Got to do better!’ Chicago athletes — from Zach LaVine to Tim Anderson to Thad Young — speak out in response to the death of George Floyd »

Michael Jordan calls for ‘systemic change’ in his statement on the death of George Floyd: ‘Every one of us needs to be part of the solution’ »

Toews urged compassion and empathy.

“My message isn’t for black people and what they should do going forward. My message is to white people to open our eyes and our hearts. That’s the only choice we have, otherwise this will continue.

“Let’s choose to fight hate and fear with love and awareness,” wrote Toews, who closed with the hashtag #blacklivesmatter.

Blackhawks center Zack Smith expressed similar sentiments: “As a privileged white man playing in the NHL (a predominantly white league) I feel it’s as important now as ever to show support for the black community and encourage change.

“If you think the current way black people and other minorities are treated here today is OK …. you are a racist. If you don’t have an opinion or are ‘neutral’ on this subject then you are ignorant and very misinformed.” 1185677 Chicago Blackhawks the answer of how to solve this problem for the next generation of black women and men. This breaks my heart. I can’t pretend for a second that I know what it feels like to walk in a black man’s shoes. However, seeing Blackhawks organization, Jonathan Toews, Zack Smith make statements the video of George Floyd’s death and the violent reaction across the on George Floyd protests country moved me to tears. It has pushed me to think, how much pain are black people and other minorities really feeling? What have Native Toews posted an emotional statement Monday on Instagram, calling for American people dealt with in both Canada and US? What is it really like “white people to open our eyes and our hearts.” to grow up in their world? Where am I ignorant about the privileges that I may have that others don’t? Compassion to me is at least trying to FEEL

and UNDERSTAND what someone else is going through. For just a By Ben Pope Jun 1, 2020, 1:26pm CDT moment maybe I can try to see the world through their eyes. Covid has been rough but it has given us the opportunity to be much less preoccupied with our busy lives. We can no longer distract ourselves from the truth of what is going on. My message isn’t for black people and Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews posted an emotional statement what they should do going forward. My message is to white people to Monday on Instagram, calling for “white people to open our eyes and our open our eyes and our hearts. That’s the only choice we have, otherwise hearts.” this will continue. Let’s choose to fight hate and fear with love and After an eventful weekend throughout the city of Chicago, the awareness. Ask not what can you do for me, but what can I do for you? Blackhawks released a statement Monday calling on themselves to work Be the one to make the first move. In the end, love conquers all. with citizens to confront the problems currently facing society. #blacklivesmatter

“We need to educate ourselves, have more honest conversations and A post shared by Jonathan Toews (@jonathantoews) on Jun 1, 2020 at acknowledge that we have a lot of work to do, starting with our own 12:40pm PDT organization,” the Hawks stated. Hawks forward Zack Smith also spoke out in a statement posted Monday “Chicago has been our home since 1926, and we need to work harder to on Twitter and Instagram. build a more equitable Chicago for all our citizens.” Smith — an Alberta, Canada, native — acknowledged that many hockey A statement from the Chicago Blackhawks. pic.twitter.com/1hEki2Yk3J players often fear speaking out or sharing their opinions during interviews, but that the gravity of the current situation requires different — Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) June 1, 2020 behavior.

Protests from the Loop to the South Side drew thousands of activists, “As a privileged white man playing in the NHL (a predominantly white angered by last week’s death of George Floyd at the knee of a white league), I feel it’s as important now as ever to show support for the black Minneapolis police officer, together on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. community and encourage change,” Smith said. “If you think the current way black people and other minorities are treated here is OK, you are a Saturday’s initially peaceful protest escalated into a riot in the evening racist.” and night hours, with police cars burned and more than a hundred stores looted. Similar patterns of looting spread throughout the rest of the city My thoughts I felt compelled to share. pic.twitter.com/OcvJ1B7UyT and suburbs Sunday, even while peaceful protests marched elsewhere, with the downtown area shut down by police. — Zack Smith (@Smit_Treat15) June 1, 2020

“Our thoughts are with the family of George Floyd and the many others Chicago Sun Times LOADED: 06.02.2020 who have experienced similar devastating losses,” the Hawks said. “Our thoughts are also with the many hardworking people and small businesses who have suffered over the past several days.”

“There is no tolerance for racism and inequity in our city and society.”

The Hawks’ statement came after the NHL released its own statement Sunday in support of protestors.

“The NHL stands with all those who are working to achieve a racially just society, and against all those who perpetuate and uphold racism, hatred, bigotry and violence,” the NHL’s statement read. “In our own sport, we will continue to do better and work diligently toward culture change.”

Hawks captain Jonathan Toews posted an emotional statement Monday on Instagram, calling for “white people to open our eyes and our hearts.”

“A lot of people may claim these riots and acts of destruction are a terrible response. I’ll be the first to admit that as a white male that was also my first reaction,” Toews said. “But who am I to tell someone that their pain is not real?”

“I’m not condoning or approving the looting, but are we really going to sit here and say that peaceful protesting is the only answer?” Toews added. “If it was the answer. we would’ve given it our full attention long ago.”

“Let’s choose to fight hate and fear with love and awareness.”

View this post on Instagram

A lot of people may claim these riots and acts of destruction are a terrible response. I’ll be the first to admit that as a white male that was also my first reaction. But who am I to tell someone that their pain is not real? Especially when it is at a boiling point and impossible to hold in anymore. It’s obviously coming from a place of truth. This reaction isn’t coming out of thin air. I’m not condoning or approving the looting, but are we really going to sit here and say that peaceful protesting is the only answer? There has been plenty of time for that, and if it was the answer we would’ve given it our full attention long ago. Listen to these two men debate. They are lost, they are in pain. They strived for a better future but as they get older they realize their efforts may be futile. They don’t know 1185678 Chicago Blackhawks Especially when you consider the adversarial way in which Bettman usually works to hammer the players, you have to give the man credit for trying to get this done and make happy as many people as possible in Rozner: Playoff hockey is welcome in any form the process.

While many fans have reacted negatively to the NHL's plan to finish the No, it's not perfect. When you have the perfect plan, feel free to send it 2019-20 season with a 24-team playoff, Commissioner Gary Bettman along. deserves credit for trying to get this done. Bettman worked with the players and did the best he could to find a reasonable format that won't be entirely equitable for the teams at the top of the standings, but it's a decent solution and is better than no solution Barry Rozner at all.

It's hockey and most of us will be happy to have it back once the games begin. You can please some sports fans some of the time, but you can't please most of them ever. For those who hate it, well, the only suggestion here is don't watch playoff hockey this summer. Pretty sure that's the saying. If not, it oughta be. Maybe you would have been happier if Bettman had just flushed the As the NHL announced its return to play this summer, the negative season down an airport toilet. reaction to the 24-team tournament in many corners of the hockey universe was not at all surprising. Daily Herald Times LOADED: 06.02.2020 It's hardly a perfect plan, but then again there can't be a perfect plan given what sports have endured the last few months.

Reminds me of the guy who lost his cellphone in an airport a few years ago.

As I was working on my laptop in a quiet corner of the terminal, I spotted it on the floor. The gentleman next to me looked at the very expensive phone as I placed it on the counter between us and he suggested we ask whoever retrieves it to at least put in the code and open it so we would know it was the rightful owner.

Made sense to me.

When the slob -- he really was a tremendous slob -- returned to pick up his phone, I asked that he please enter his code. Rather than thank me for not stepping on it, taking it to lost and found -- which would have added an hour to his search -- or flushing it down an airport toilet, he yelled something rather inappropriate and -- as far as I'm aware -- physically impossible.

A simple thank you would have sufficed, but ya know, no good deed and all that.

Recently, there was an email from a Michael Lee, who was apparently not enjoying our healthy coverage of "The Last Dance" and the many stories written surrounding the greatest dynasty in the history of Chicago sports, which for most people was a pleasant reminder of a previous era and an entertaining time-killer during a pandemic.

Wrote Mr. Lee, "ENOUGH with Michael Jordan. You sports writers treat him as if he were the second coming of Jesus. ENOUGH."

Back in March, a much friendlier email was nevertheless unhappy with criticism of the Bears' brain trust. Tom Drake wrote that in difficult times he wanted only positive talk.

Tom, just for you I will pick the Bears to win the Super Bowl this season.

It is normal in the course of a week to receive angry messages via email or on social media. Part of the job is having an opinion, and there's always someone displeased.

Having been in newspapers, radio and TV for more than three decades, this is a basic fact, but rare is the person who can't get enough Michael Jordan. That was a surprise.

It's usually best to laugh, pour a drink and move on.

In any case, while rarely being any sort of fan of NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, the man has worked trying to put something together for hockey fans, and he bent over backwards working with the players to accommodate their needs and wishes.

The easy move would have been to cancel the tournament and try to get next season started on time. It might have been the smart thing to do given so much uncertainty and so many states' unwillingness to restart the economy.

But the players and owners obviously wanted some conclusion to this season, and the current plan has given them a path. 1185679 Chicago Blackhawks Compassion to me is at least trying to FEEL and UNDERSTAND what someone else is going through. For just a moment maybe I can try to see the world through their eyes. Covid has been rough but it has given us Jonathan Toews releases powerful statement on George Floyd's death, the opportunity to be much less preoccupied with our busy lives. We can mass protests no longer distract ourselves from the truth of what is going on.

My message isn’t for black people and what they should do going forward. My message is to white people to open our eyes and our hearts. By Charlie Roumeliotis June 01, 2020 3:00 PM That’s the only choice we have, otherwise this will continue.

Let’s choose to fight hate and fear with love and awareness. Ask not what can you do for me, but what can I do for you? Chicago athletes — both former and current, including Michael Jordan — have been speaking out following the death of George Floyd and the Be the one to make the first move. In the end, love conquers all. mass protests that ensued over the weekend. Jonathan Toews joined that group on Monday, sharing a powerful statement on Instagram. Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 06.02.2020

Here's what the Blackhawks captain had to say:

View this post on Instagram

A lot of people may claim these riots and acts of destruction are a terrible response. I’ll be the first to admit that as a white male that was also my first reaction. But who am I to tell someone that their pain is not real? Especially when it is at a boiling point and impossible to hold in anymore. It’s obviously coming from a place of truth. This reaction isn’t coming out of thin air. I’m not condoning or approving the looting, but are we really going to sit here and say that peaceful protesting is the only answer? There has been plenty of time for that, and if it was the answer we would’ve given it our full attention long ago. Listen to these two men debate. They are lost, they are in pain. They strived for a better future but as they get older they realize their efforts may be futile. They don’t know the answer of how to solve this problem for the next generation of black women and men. This breaks my heart. I can’t pretend for a second that I know what it feels like to walk in a black man’s shoes. However, seeing the video of George Floyd’s death and the violent reaction across the country moved me to tears. It has pushed me to think, how much pain are black people and other minorities really feeling? What have Native American people dealt with in both Canada and US? What is it really like to grow up in their world? Where am I ignorant about the privileges that I may have that others don’t? Compassion to me is at least trying to FEEL and UNDERSTAND what someone else is going through. For just a moment maybe I can try to see the world through their eyes. Covid has been rough but it has given us the opportunity to be much less preoccupied with our busy lives. We can no longer distract ourselves from the truth of what is going on. My message isn’t for black people and what they should do going forward. My message is to white people to open our eyes and our hearts. That’s the only choice we have, otherwise this will continue. Let’s choose to fight hate and fear with love and awareness. Ask not what can you do for me, but what can I do for you? Be the one to make the first move. In the end, love conquers all. #blacklivesmatter

A post shared by Jonathan Toews (@jonathantoews) on Jun 1, 2020 at 12:40pm PDT

A lot of people may claim these riots and acts of destruction are a terrible response. I’ll be the first to admit that as a white male that was also my first reaction.

But who am I to tell someone that their pain is not real? Especially when it is at a boiling point and impossible to hold in anymore. It’s obviously coming from a place of truth. This reaction isn’t coming out of thin air.

I’m not condoning or approving the looting, but are we really going to sit here and say that peaceful protesting is the only answer? There has been plenty of time for that, and if it was the answer we would’ve given it our full attention long ago.

Listen to these two men debate. They are lost, they are in pain. They strived for a better future but as they get older they realize their efforts may be futile. They don’t know the answer of how to solve this problem for the next generation of black women and men. This breaks my heart.

I can’t pretend for a second that I know what it feels like to walk in a black man’s shoes. However, seeing the video of George Floyd’s death and the violent reaction across the country moved me to tears. It has pushed me to think, how much pain are black people and other minorities really feeling? What have Native American people dealt with in both Canada and US? What is it really like to grow up in their world? Where am I ignorant about the privileges that I may have that others don’t? 1185680 Chicago Blackhawks

Blackhawks' Zack Smith issues statement following death of George Floyd, protests

By Scott King June 01, 2020 1:20 PM

On Monday, Blackhawks forward Zack Smith tweeted out a statement in the wake of George Floyd's death and the mass protests that ensued over the weekend.

My thoughts I felt compelled to share. pic.twitter.com/OcvJ1B7UyT

— Zack Smith (@Smit_Treat15) June 1, 2020

Smith's full message read:

"As a privileged white man playing in the NHL (a predominately white league) I feel it's as important now as ever to show support for the black community and encourage change. If you think the current way black people and other minorities are treated here today is ok.... you are a racist. If you don't have an opinion or are 'neutral' on this subject then you are ignorant and very misinformed.

"I strongly disagree with rioting and looting of homes and small businesses but if you resent this movement because of the actions of a few vandals then you are missing the point entirely. As hockey players we sometimes come off as robots in our interviews and stay clear of opinions on most social issues and controversy.

"Personally I don't like posting my opinions on social media these days for several reason(s). However with the amount of racist people (especially those in positions of power) being exposed during this movement I felt the need to show my support for the black community and the need for change. Please be safe and take care of each other out there."

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 06.02.2020 1185681 Chicago Blackhawks

Blackhawks issue statement following death of George Floyd, mass protests

By Charlie Roumeliotis June 01, 2020 11:20 AM

The Blackhawks joined the sports world and hockey community on Monday by speaking up in the wake of George Floyd's death and the mass protests that ensued over the weekend.

The full statement reads as follows:

The events over the past several days have been painful for our city of Chicago and the many communities within it. There is no tolerance for racism and inequality in our city and society.

We need to educate ourselves, have more honest conversations and acknowledge that we have a lot of work to do, beginning with our own organization. Chicago has been our home since 1926, and we need to work harder to build a more equitable Chicago for all of our citizens. We owe it to ourselves, our city, all of our residents and our next generation.

Our thoughts are with the family of George Floyd and the many others who have experienced similar devastating losses. Our thoughts are also with the many hardworking people and small businesses who have suffered over the past several days. We need to work together to move forward as One Community. The Chicago Blackhawks remain committed to that.

The NHL also released this statement on Sunday night:

As protests in both the United States and Canada in recent days have focused attention upon racial injustice for the Black community, the NHL stands with all those who are working to achieve a racially just society, and against all those who perpetuate and uphold racism, hatred, bigotry and violence.

We share the sentiments expressed by our players and Clubs in their calls for justice, and we encourage everyone to use their platforms and privilege for systemic change. In our own sport, we will continue to do better and work diligently toward culture change throughout hockey and endeavor to be mindful of our own shortcomings in this process.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 06.02.2020 1185682 Chicago Blackhawks seven series in the conference championships and finals, but deputy commissioner Bill Daly said talks are ongoing with the players about making one or both of the first two rounds seven-game series.

The NHL's coronavirus pause: Players, coaches offer opinions on return- Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman and NHLPA rep Kris Letang said the to-play format players want seven-game series in the round of 16.

"One thing that comes up often is that everybody is used to a best of Emily Kaplan Greg Wyshynski seven. You know how it feels when you lose the first two or you win the first two. I think it's an easier thing to put on a best of seven, because everybody knows what to expect," he said.

It has been 81 days since the NHL hit the pause button on the 2019-20 One aspect of the return-to-play plan that the players see as a necessary season because of the coronavirus pandemic. As the cancellations and evil is competing inside empty arenas. In a perfect world, the Stanley postponements around the world of sports continue, there also have Cup playoffs are contested in front of raucous crowds that give teams a been continuous nuggets of new information regarding the potential home-ice advantage in critical games. But restarting in a global pandemic resumption of the season, the draft, the playoffs and how it all affects is far from perfect, which means playoff games with no fans. 2020-21. "It sucks, frankly. But we gotta do what we gotta do to play hockey," said As players, executives and fans continue to adjust to the new normal, we McDavid. will provide updates every week, answering all the burning questions about the various angles of the NHL's relation to the pandemic. Although Jordan Staal of the Hurricanes agreed. "You've seen over the years in on-ice action remains on the shelf, there have been some intriguing Carolina that when the team gets into the playoffs, we usually make a developments since last week's update. Get caught up on it all here: push. That goes to show what our fans can do," said Staal. "We have an extra advantage here in Raleigh. But it's just part of it. There's not much What have players and coaches been saying about the 'return to play' else you can do. We're going to have to find a way to motivate format? ourselves."

Greg Wyshynski: The 24-team, conference-based "return to play" format While some of the NHL's teams and players reacted to the inequities of that was approved by the NHL and the NHLPA last week is being treated the season restart format, New York Rangers coach David Quinn painted by some as a necessary evil and by others as the best the two sides a larger picture. could create in a season truncated by a global pandemic. "I think we all have to be very careful when we are talking about fair," he "I don't think it was anyone's first choice. I think the first choice was that said, "because when I think about fair right now, I think about the 100,000 we finish the regular season," said Montreal Canadiens forward Brendan people that have lost their lives and the loved ones that have been Gallagher, whose team went from being outside the playoff race to the affected by it. I think about the first responders who have been exposed 12th seed in the East under the approved format. "But this was really the to this terrible disease mentally and physically. I think about the 30-40 only opportunity that works for the league and the players, in the sense of million people that have filed for unemployment. I think about the small giving everyone that opportunity and not taking it away from teams with and big business that have been shut down. I think about the seniors that 10 or 14 games left to go. Giving everyone in that mix a chance, and then are in high school and college that will never experience one of life's giving teams like ourselves a second life." great moments. So I think we all have to be very sensitive to the word 'fair.' We have been very fortunate that we continue to play a game that Gallagher's teammate Paul Byron, the Canadiens' NHLPA player rep, we love and coach a game that we love. I understand fairness in the said he was "actually surprised it passed 29-2" when the NHLPA voted small context of our sport, but I think we all have to keep the word 'fair' in on it, expecting more than two teams to have objected. One of the teams perspective." that voted against the format was the Carolina Hurricanes. Now that the format has been settled, what are the players' biggest "I think the bigger issue, especially for our guys, was what were the 68 concerns? games we played for? What did we grind for? The bulk of the season was completed, and they just threw that out," Hurricanes coach Rod Wyshynski: Their concerns boil down to two main topics: safety and Brind'Amour told ESPN. "Why not carry the points over that you had? I family. think that the thought was if you're playing in five, six, seven games, we could easily have all had the same amount of games, figured that out. "We were trying to get the format in place first. But those are questions That would've been your play-in, and then take your points with you and we're now going to need answers to," said McDavid. "Safety of the see how you end up. But we understand. Nobody really cares. At the end players and everyone involved is paramount. That's the main issue that's of the day, they want to see hockey. We want to get back to playing. Is it gotta get solved right now. It has to get answered before we can move the best way to do it? Probably not, in my opinion." forward."

Weighing regular-season achievement in a season restart format was Vancouver Canucks center Bo Horvat acknowledged that NHL players something the "return to play" committee debated, according to are accustomed to playing through illness and injury, but COVID-19 is a Edmonton Oilers star and task force member Connor McDavid. different story.

"That was a huge issue in putting the format together. Who deserves to "You want to be in every single game. You want to be a difference- be in, who deserves a handicap or something like that. But we've beaten maker," he said. "Before, you played through colds, played through this thing to death. To handicap those teams in a way ... maybe it's not injuries. But it's a different animal, this virus. You have to be cautious of the most fair way, but the integrity of the is still yourself, but also the people around you." going to be intact," he said. "Let's say a team like Montreal beats Byron said that the process to determine safety protocols is the reason Pittsburgh and goes on to win the Stanley Cup. I think they're a very the players approved a return to play format but have yet to approve an deserving team if they're going to win five rounds. There's never going to actual return to the ice this summer. be a perfect format, but this one checked off multiple boxes." "There are so many protocols that have to go in place," he said. "If one EDITOR'S PICKS guy tests positive, I see it as unlikely that other guys don't test positive, How the 2020 NHL playoffs can be the greatest ever but if they're testing everybody, I have to believe that they'll probably find it. What would happen if half your team or four or five or six guys test NHL Viewers Club: Seinfeld's 'The Face Painter' positive at one time? I don't know.

Rod Brind'Amour's take on the NHL's playoff format, empty arena games "It's concerning for sure. The doctors, when you do the research on and his training camp plan COVID, it's very contagious. How bad are the symptoms? How bad will it be? No one really knows. We're young. We're healthy. They say even if But there are still boxes to be checked in the postseason format. Like, for we get it, we'll be fine. But it just takes one case to go south, to change example, whether the two rounds preceding the conference final will also life for anybody. This is what the union and the league are looking into, to be five-game series like the qualification round. The NHL has currently make sure we're taken care of." designed those rounds to be best-of-five series, followed by best-of- Listen to ESPN On Ice that all towels become single-use and for no water bottles to be communal -- but this will all be negotiated again for actual games. Emily Kaplan and Greg Wyshynski take you around the NHL with the latest news, big questions and special guests every episode. Listen here When will training camps get started? » Kaplan: The NHL still hasn't put firm dates on anything. As Bettman That includes Letang, the Penguins star who suffered a stroke in 2014. explained Tuesday: "There's a reason that we're not giving you dates He was concerned about returning to play because of his medical history. now, because anybody who gives you a date is guessing, and we think we'd rather take a more holistic approach to doing this." "I had my fair share of questions, and they've all been answered. Certainly, I can say I would be safe to play," he said. "The safety of the But we do know players won't be told to report to training camp before players, the safety of the people that will be traveling and be part of the July, and I've been told it won't be until at least July 10. group that goes there. That's the No. 1 thing. The families, too. It's not a road trip for several days. Guys are going to be away from their family "I think realistically if we're in training camp mid-July, that would be a and their kids for an extended period of time." good thing, and if we can be playing by the end of July or the beginning of August, that would be a good thing, too," Bettman said Tuesday. "But The ability to spend time with family during the postseason is something if it has to slide more, then it'll slide." of great concern to the players. Training camp is believed to be roughly three weeks, though that is "It's going to be difficult. How long we're away for, no one knows for sure something the NHL and NHLPA have to negotiate, and Bettman said he yet. Could be a month. Could be two months," Byron said. "My kids have will seek input from the players. become accustomed to me being around 24/7. They have a certain level of attachment. It's going to be difficult. At the same time, we're hockey How is the NHL handling Canada's mandatory 14-day quarantine period players. Unfortunately, it's part of our job [to be away]. Through for those traveling across the border? technology, you find a way to connect to your family when you're not Kaplan: It's definitely an issue, and if Canada doesn't ease its restrictions there." in the next two to three weeks, the NHL will almost certainly rule out a But technology isn't the solution that Horvat is looking for this summer. Canadian city from being one of its two hubs when it resumes play. (The His wife, Holly, is due to deliver their first child in July. NHL ideally would like to pick at least one Canadian city for several reasons, one of which is that it's simply cheaper to stage games there.) "I've been thinking about that pretty much every day," he said. "It's definitely not easy, but I'm not the only one in this kind of situation. Daly said the NHL has "reached an understanding with the Canadian Everybody's got a thing to worry about. But we're going to have to make government that players can cross the Canadian border as well both the most of it when the time comes. We haven't made any decisions. internationally from overseas but also from the United States so they can We're going to see how this thing plays out. Hoping for the best." return to their home city without [a] problem." However, regarding the federal quarantine, Daly said: "We don't have a resolution there, but it's Hoping for the best is a good way to describe the players' mindset as an ongoing dialogue, for sure." they enter this difficult phase of planning with the league. Many American-born players on Canadian teams -- Maple Leafs center "If we do come back and play, we're going to have to put a lot of trust in Auston Matthews, who is back home in Arizona, is a good example -- the NHL to keep us safe and healthy," said Gallagher. "That's a major, likely won't return for the voluntary workouts because of this; it's best to major step to take. Obviously, you go through the amount of players in stay put where they are. our union, there are going to be players with those fears. They have to be made comfortable to come back. I don't think there have ever been Vancouver Canucks GM Jim Benning said on Wednesday his team is negotiations between the two sides that have gone perfectly." considering moving its training camp to the U.S. to circumvent any issues. "It's something that we're thinking about, but also, too, we just The NHL, meanwhile, says its commitment to the players from the start want to give it a few more days just to see if something is going to of the process is to "do everything within our power, and consistent with change,'' Benning said. "The perfect scenario [is] we'd like to use our medical knowledge, to keep everyone as safe as they can be," according facilities. We're probably going to have 30, 32 guys here, and we have to Daly, via TSN 1260. "We want to return to the ice. But we're not great facilities for our players, so we would like to do that first and returning to the ice if we're putting people at significant risk." foremost. But we've talked about moving it off-site.''

What kind of quarantine rules will the players, coaches, staff (and their The Canucks are one of six Canadian teams in the 24-team format, and families) have upon arrival at the hub cities? the other franchises might consider doing the same.

Emily Kaplan: This is something we still don't know. As NHLPA executive Has the NHL clarified anything about whether the qualification round is a director Donald Fehr reiterated to us this past week shortly after playoff round or not? Like when it comes to conditional picks? commissioner Gary Bettman laid out the plans, pretty much everything from this point forward will need to be negotiated by the players. Wyshynski: The qualification round both is and is not a playoff round for the players and their stats. Allow me to explain. Will players be allowed to bring family members with them to hub cities? That's something the players want but will have to negotiate with the It is a playoff round when it comes to overall player stats. In announcing league. (Fehr told ESPN he thinks it's "very unlikely" players will have to the return-to-play format, Bettman said the regular season was over as of be separated from their families for an extended period of time.) March 11's games. The NHL told ESPN that stats from the qualification and round-robin games will be counted as part of the playoff totals for Will players be given some sense of normalcy or freedom, or will they players, rather than as an extension of the regular season or another simply be shuttling from hotel to rink, hotel to rink? Again, this is category. Hence, we got the news that the stat-based regular-season something that needs to be negotiated. awards for 2019-20 have been decided, with Leon Draisaitl taking home the Art Ross Trophy for most points, Alex Ovechkin and David Pastrnak To get a sense of what the players are thinking on this, here's what John tying for the Rocket Richard Trophy (most goals), and the Boston Bruins Tavares, a voice on the NHL/NHLPA's return-to-play committee, said this winning the Presidents' Trophy for most standings points, as well as their past week: "When you're in [the bubble] for an extended period of time, goalie tandem earning the William M. Jennings Trophy for allowing the you obviously want to feel as comfortable as a person. I think the mental fewest goals. side of it, the mental health side of it to make sure that we feel we're not just kind of in our hotel rooms and going to the rink, that there's going to But the qualification round is not a playoff round for the purposes of be really good structure in place so we can feel like ourselves and be determining conditional draft picks. As first reported by The Athletic, the ourselves." NHL sent a memo to teams that stated: "For trade condition purposes, a club will not be deemed to have qualified for the playoffs unless or until And then there are the health and safety protocols at the arena: what they have progressed into the Round of 16, and 'Playoff games/rounds' social distancing might look like in the locker room, and what in-game will only include the games/rounds played in the Round of 16 or later. We adjustments will need to be made. We can look at the Phase 2 protocols believe this interpretation will best reflect the intentions of the parties at for parameters -- and the NHL's lengthy document for Phase 2 covers the time of the trade." plenty, including instructions for players to shower at home, mandates Take the Vancouver Canucks' first-round pick. The more listening, and as much signal boosting and support as I can muster, own the rights to it, as it went from the Canucks to the Lightning in the even though I know it's ultimately insufficient. But we did carve out some J.T. Miller trade, and then to the Devils in the Blake Coleman deal. If the time to watch the finale of "Defending Jacob" on Apple TV+, in which Canucks do not make the playoffs in 2019-20, the first-round pick will Chris Evans plays a father whose son is charged with murdering a transfer to a 2021 first-rounder. As of now, despite being in a playoff spot classmate. And after several episodes of family drama and crime via points percentage and being seeded seventh in the Western procedural ... hoo boy, we did not expect the absolutely wild turns the Conference, the Canucks have yet to "make the playoffs." They'll have to finale takes to wrap it up. It's not exactly high art -- no matter what show beat the in a best of five to be a playoff team. Michelle Dockery apparently thought she was acting in -- but it was enthralling. Which brings us to a rather confusing part of this definition of the qualification round. The Devils also hold the rights to Carolina's fourth- ESPNChicago.com LOADED: 06.02.2020 round pick this season in the Sami Vatanen trade. According to Cap Friendly, it upgrades to a third-rounder if Carolina makes the playoffs and Vatanen plays in 70% of its playoff games. Carolina hasn't made the playoffs yet; and if Vatanen plays in the qualification round, those games would not count toward his total playoff games as a Hurricane this season, but they would be added to his personal postseason stat totals.

Everybody got that?

The NHL and the NHLPA are still figuring out some of the other implications for qualifying round stats for players, including player performance bonuses and transition rules.

The condition on the first-round pick involved in the Blake Coleman trade remains unresolved until the Canucks play their qualification round against the Wild. Mark LoMoglio/Icon Sportswire

How different might games look on TV?

Kaplan: This is one of the most fascinating aspects of the NHL resumption plan. Since there won't be fans in the arena (and maybe not some members of the media, either), the NHL will rely heavily on its TV production and is thinking more ambitiously than perhaps ever before. The NHL, after all, is best as a live-game experience -- nothing beats the energy of being in a rink -- and hockey doesn't pop on TV quite like the NFL does.

That might change. Steve Mayer, the NHL's chief content officer, gave some hints as to what we can expect in an appearance on the league's in-house podcast, The Rink, this week. Get ready for miked-up players and intimate camera angles! (It's unclear whether F-bombs and other profanity will be censored.)

"You're going to see, no question, cameras put in places that we could never put them before," Mayer said. "All of the things that we've always wanted to do, yeah we're going to give them a try. I think audio is a huge piece of how we're going to approach the next world. You want to hear the sounds of the NHL. You want to hear the players. You want to mike them up, and here we can. And I do think we have a huge advantage over other sports when it comes to constant noise, especially in play. I think camera-wise, everything just coming down lower, showing the speed of the game. I do think you'll see some experimental cameras, things we haven't done before that we'll certainly give a try."

Any more developments on the testing plan front?

Wyshynski: Daly said that testing players frequently was the "linchpin" for finding a path toward a return to play.

"We will have a rigorous daily testing protocol where players are tested every evening and those results are obtained before they would leave their hotel rooms the next morning, so we'll know if we have a positive test and whether the player has to self-quarantine himself as a result of that positive test," Daly told The Associated Press. "It's expensive, but we think it's really a foundational element of what we're trying to accomplish."

And, as always, what's your latest pop culture addiction this week?

Kaplan: I've started watching "The Americans" -- thanks to so many of you who reached out with encouragement that it's a worthwhile investment. I really like it so far, but I'm only five episodes in. Since we did Disney's "Miracle" for our Viewers Club rewatch recently, it's been pretty funny to watch Noah Emmerich go from ' mild- mannered sidekick as an assistant coach for the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team to a pretty savvy FBI agent working his Russian asset (even though he's still a little clueless emotionally). I thought this was a terrific op-ed from Masai Ujiri in The Globe and Mail. Also a PSA that every episode of Anthony Bourdain's "Parts Unknown" is on HBO Max.

Wyshynski: Like many, I've had a difficult time pulling away from news and social media in the past few days. I've done a lot of reading, much 1185683 Chicago Blackhawks The Blackhawks have proven similarly inept defensively, so even with Calvin de Haan expected to return from his shoulder surgery, it could be wide-open, fire-wagon hockey throughout the series. McDavid will get his A pro scout breaks down the proposed Blackhawks-Oilers qualifying- chances against the Blackhawks. So the key is making sure Kane gets round matchup his, too.

“Their defense is OK, it’s not great,” the scout said. “Darnell Nurse plays a lot of minutes for them. He’s really tough, one of the toughest guys in By Mark Lazerus Jun 1, 2020 the NHL. And he could play tougher, even. But I really don’t like him as a defenseman. I think he makes some poor decisions. (Second-pairing

defenseman) Ethan Bear is a rookie back there, so you have to get after Try to envision the Blackhawks power play as you imagine it should look. them and somehow get your matchup. It’s somehow getting Kane out there when he doesn’t have to be against McDavid. You’ve got to get Patrick Kane bringing the puck into the zone with speed before setting up Kane some good looks.” on the half wall. Dylan Strome and Jonathan Toews always lurking around the net, ready to make a deft pass or snap off a quick shot. Alex The McDavid factor DeBrincat and that remarkable release looming in the left circle. Adam Much like with Kane and Toews, there’s always a debate over whether Boqvist or Brent Seabrook manning the point, ready to unleash a blast the Oilers are better off loading up the top line with McDavid and from the point and create rebounds for everyone else. Draisaitl, or keeping them on separate lines so opposing coaches have to With that much talent, it seems like it should always work. Of course, it pick their poison, defensively. McDavid and Draisaitl started the year rarely does. together, but were split up when Yamamoto was called up. McDavid languished a bit — well, by his standards — without much talent on his Well, in Edmonton, it works. Oh man, does it work. wings, so shortly before the season was paused, Nugent-Hopkins moved up to the top line alongside McDavid and Zack Kassian. “It’s almost perfect,” a Western Conference pro scout said. “Nothing against (Oscar) Klefbom, he’s fine. But if they had a huge bomb from the The dynamic duo figures to be split up to start against the Blackhawks. point, you’re talking the best power play of all time. You have (Connor) McDavid bringing it in, then you have (Leon) Draisaitl, who in-zone is “An (opposing) coach would probably prefer you put them all on one line probably more dangerous than McDavid because he’s one of the best and just deal with them like that,” the scout said. “But if I’m (Oilers coach passers and has a ridiculous shot. If you give him time, he’s just so good. Dave) Tippett, there’s almost zero question in my mind: split them up. (Ryan) Nugent-Hopkins, he’s got a good shot, very smart, sneaky player. They were clicking so good before with Yamamoto on that second line, Give him time and he can make plays. Then you’ve got (Alex) Chiasson and McDavid’s going to be fine with whoever’s he’s with up there. I would in front of the net, a big guy who does his job there. That’s an be shocked if they put them together. But who knows? It’s a different interchangeable piece, but those other three guys make it one of the format, and it’s not like they were clicking two weeks ago; it was three better power plays you’ll ever see.” months ago. But if you have them, a coach always wants to keep them separated and only use them when he needs to — having that atomic It’s not hyperbole. The Oilers’ power play scored at a 29.5-percent clip bomb, so to speak.” this season, the fourth best since the NHL started keeping track. The only three teams to score at a higher rate all played more than 40 years The scout laughed when asked how to corral McDavid. Nobody’s really ago — the 1977-78 Canadiens and the 1977-78 and 1978-79 Islanders. figured it out yet. Granted, the Blackhawks held him pointless the two times he faced them this season, but it’s an almost impossible task to do So if the NHL manages to clear all the daunting logistical hurdles that it with any consistency. Duncan Keith will be the key. Back in the first await it so that its return-to-play plan comes to fruition, the Blackhawks meeting on Oct. 14, Jeremy Colliton matched up Keith and Connor will have one mandate above all others in their best-of-five “qualifying- Murphy and the Brandon Saad-David Kampf-Dominik Kubalik line with round” series against the Oilers. McDavid, to great effect. On March 5, it was Keith and Boqvist along with the Saad-Toews-Kubalik line that did the job. Stay the hell out of the penalty box. Still, the scout described McDavid as almost indefensible. That’s lesson No. 1 from the scout. The rest looks like a classic coin-flip. Here’s the scout’s breakdown of the rest of the matchup, one that “He doesn’t dominate every shift, it’s impossible to dominate every shift,” Chicagoans seem a lot more excited about than Edmontonians, given the scout said. “But anytime he sees that little opening that no one else how the Oilers finished a whopping 11 points ahead of the Blackhawks, would even see as an opening, and he’s already got that half-step on a only to be thrown into a neutral-site toss-up against a team with far more guy, he turns it into a scoring chance — a Grade-A. You can’t contain championship experience. him because you don’t know when it’s coming. Hockey’s a game of ad- libbing on the go, and he just takes advantage of it and just blows past Who got screwed? Well, it’s clearly the Oilers. Who will win? That’s not guys with superhuman speed. There’s really nothing you can do. Play quite as obvious. him tight, do the best you can. But at the end of the day, when he gets 5-on-5 his opening, he’s going to take advantage of it.”

The Oilers have one of the best power plays of all time. They also have Even without Robin Lehner, Corey Crawford gives the Blackhawks an the second-best penalty-killing unit in the league this season. But at 5-on- edge in the goaltending department over the Oilers. (Kamil Krzaczynski / 5, well, they’re just not very good. And considering how officials tend to USA Today) be stingier about calling penalties in the postseason, that could benefit Goaltending the Blackhawks, who out-attempted and out-chanced the Oilers in all three meetings this season, winning twice. Here’s where the Blackhawks have their biggest edge. We can debate whether or not they’d be better off with Robin Lehner or Corey Crawford, At 5-on-5, the Oilers were outscored 157-141 this season (the but the fact is, even with Lehner traded to Vegas, Chicago has a two-time Blackhawks, for comparison, were even at 147-147). Edmonton is 22nd Stanley Cup-winning goaltender, and Edmonton doesn’t. Crawford had in expected goals-for percentage (48.35) and 27th in Corsi percentage posted a sparkling .928 save percentage since New Year’s Day and was (47.87). They have arguably the two best players in the league in looking like his old self. He’s also playing for a contract as a pending McDavid and Draisaitl, but they don’t have much else. unrestricted free agent. The call-up of 2017 first-rounder Kailer Yamamoto just before New Edmonton, meanwhile, has longtime Blackhawks nemesis Mike Smith Year’s gave the Oilers a significant boost, as he posted 11 goals and 15 and Mikko Koskinen in a timeshare. assists in just 27 games, mostly on a line with Draisaitl and Ryan Nugent- Hopkins. The Oilers got even faster at the trade deadline by adding In nearly identical minutes, Koskinen had much better numbers than Andreas Athanasiou from Detroit, but he managed just two points in his Smith (.917 save percentage to Smith’s .902), but as The Athletic’s nine games with Edmonton. Daniel Nugent-Bowman pointed out on the Laz & Powers podcast this week, Smith seems to be the preferred option for both Tippett and his “At 5-on-5, they have a few guys that can give you fits, but they’re pretty teammates. ordinary,” the scout said. “They have confidence in their goalies, but I don’t have as much confidence in them as they do,” the scout said of the Oilers. “(For Chicago), I really would much rather have Robin Lehner around, because he’s a huge reason they got through some tough times. Having both him and (Crawford) helps. So that’s going to hurt them a little bit. But Chicago has the edge here.”

X-factor

It all comes back to McDavid, doesn’t it? In his lone playoff appearance, back in 2017, McDavid had a modest five goals and four assists in 13 games. That was just his second year in the league, though, and he’s been champing at the bit to get another crack at the postseason. While the scout repeatedly said that he liked Chicago’s lineup better than Edmonton’s, the McDavid factor has a way of overriding everything else. The fact that naturally gifted skaters such as McDavid will be able to find their legs and their edges quicker than most — “When it was my first time skating in three months, it felt like I was skating in sand,” the scout quipped — only gives him another advantage coming off what could end up being a five-month layoff.

Who will win? Hell, we don’t even know if they’ll even play. But if the Oilers and Blackhawks get a crack at each other in August, it figures to be one of the most compelling — and wide-open — series of the qualifying round.

“It really is a toss-up,” the scout said. “But McDavid, he’s the type of guy whose speed is there on Day 1 or Day 2 of training camp. Now this is stupid to say — here’s some game-changing analysis for you — but I really just think he’s going to be a handful. And he’s not going to let his team lose in a little five-game opening series. But we’ll see. In a short series, you just never know.”

The Athletic LOADED: 06.02.2020 1185684 Colorado Avalanche “To me, would there be anything cooler then if Bill’s still here and whenever they (award) this thing, if Cale could call him and say, ‘Bill, look at this!’ That, to me, would be unreal.”

Keeler: For Avalanche’s Cale Makar, Calder Trophy race is a family affair Denver Post: LOADED: 06.02.2020

By SEAN KEELER | June 1, 2020 at 6:00 a.m.

This part still cracks Gary Makar up. He and son Cale, the Avalanche’s wunderkind defenseman, found themselves hanging at ’s house in Alberta last summer, not long after the younger Makar found himself jumping straight from college to the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Gary’s known Hay, the former Chicago Blackhawks center and ex- Calgary Flames president, for a while now, through various business dealings and mutual friends. Hay was the linchpin of the Blackhawks’ celebrated “Million-Dollar Line” in the early ‘60s, flanked by on the left and Murray Balfour on the right. A member of Colorado College’s 1957 national champs and former CEO of the Hockey Hall of Fame, the man’s a walking Wikipedia.

At one point, Bill shared with the pair a picture of himself with the that he won with Chicago in 1960.

Then he looked at Cale.

“Wouldn’t that be something,” Hay said to the young Avs star, “if you and I both had our names on the Calder Trophy?”

Heck yeah, it would, although it’s been a coin flip for months now. The favorites to take home honors as the NHL’s top first-year player are two defenders: Makar, who ranks second among rookies in points (50) and Vancouver’s , who tops the newbie scoring charts (53).

Makar has the edge in points per game, with 0.88 to Quinn’s 0.78, thanks to the Avs rookie having to miss a stretch of contests with an upper-body injury. It’s the first time since World War II that a couple of defensemen ranked 1-2 in rookie points.

“All his friends that know him, they would even ask him (about it),” Gary Makar said of the Calder Trophy. “And honestly, it would be an incredible honor, but it’s not even a 1 % priority with him. I know he doesn’t even follow that (debate).

“I’ll follow it. I do follow a lot of it, and I can’t help but read some stuff from fans, especially here in Canada, with us being so close to Vancouver.”

When it comes to the Makars and the Calder Trophy, there’s a little family history. And maybe a sense of payback, too. Gary’s cousin, former Flames center , finished second in Calder voting in 1974 to Islanders defender .

“Again, it’s just nice,” Gary said. “But if you’re not, you’re not. I know (Cale) doesn’t even think about that stuff.”

He’s thinking about unfinished business. About how soon he’ll have to be game-ready for the 24-team playoff format pitched by NHL commissioner Gary Bettman last week. About getting off the roller blades and onto the ice — real ice, ice he hasn’t been able to skate on since the coronavirus chased him back to the family home up in Calgary 10 weeks ago.

“Obviously it weighs on his mind every day,” Gary said. “The great thing is, I know some of the players, they do talk. Obviously, as a rookie, he just follows. ‘OK, this is what I have to do,’ (and) it makes it a lot easier.”

Although at this point, the kid’s running out of bit to champ. When the Avs rookie saw areas in the United States start to open up in May, especially across the South, he turned to his dad and grumbled:

“Oh my gosh. Those guys are skating, but I can’t.”

Dad chuckled at that one, too.

“You’re getting antsy because you see guys in Florida where ice (rinks) are open,” Gary said. “Not only do you want to get out there, but it’s like those guys are going to have an advantage.”

Again, unfinished business.

And a promise to an old friend.

“Bill’s not in great health right now,” Gary said of Hay, who turned 84 last December. 1185685 Columbus Blue Jackets NHL teams cycle in and out of rebuilding phases ‒ which is to say its development league is always a distinct need. The AHL will play next season, in some form or another, as safely as possible, and hope with Michael Arace | Ex-Blue Jackets GM Scott Howson faces challenge everybody else for a vaccine. running AHL Columbus Dispatch LOADED: 06.02.2020

Michael Arace The Columbus Dispatch Jun 1, 2020 at 5:58 AM

Scott Howson, the former Blue Jackets general manager and longtime Edmonton Oilers front-office fixture, was in Boston the night the NBA shut down. It was Tuesday, March 11. Within days, the whole country was shuttering.

In the nearly three months since, as all walks of life turned into a shelter- in-place, Howson has been transitioning to his new job as president and CEO of the . It’s a whole new world in a whole new world.

Like the rest of us, Howson has had his brushes with the surreal nature of our times: His daughter, Joanna, as president of her senior class, emceed a virtual high school graduation ceremony that was broadcast on YouTube. The broadcast included clips of prominent well-wishers, including author R.L. Stine, actor Josh Radnor, ubiquitous Jungle Jack Hanna, Ohio State basketball coach Chris Holtmann and … Ray Lewis. The Hall of Fame linebacker.

Meanwhile, Howson has been working from his Columbus-area home trying to figure out what happens next with 31 independently owned and operated AHL affiliates. And the short answer is, he can’t be sure.

“We don’t know what the world is going to look like in two weeks, let alone three months from now,” Howson said in a telephone interview Sunday. “Nobody does. But we have to be ready.”

The night the NBA shut down, Howson was attending an AHL meeting/charity function in Boston. The next day, the NHL and AHL paused their seasons. On May 11, the AHL officially canceled the remainder of its season.

“Our reality was that once we sent the players home, we knew it would be difficult to restart,” Howson said. “Our league doesn’t work without the fans. The business doesn’t make sense without the gate. We knew the likely outcome.”

Last week, the NHL announced plans for a 24-team playoff system to be played in two “hub” cities — if, indeed, it is possible to do such a thing, with COVID-19 still lurking this summer. Given that the league could lose as much as $1.2 billion if nothing can be salvaged, both players and management are well-motivated. Stay tuned.

(Columbus is among 10 cities under consideration as one of the two hubs. Howson did not speak to this, but word on the street is Las Vegas and Toronto are the front-runners — but if the Canadian government does not lift its 14-day quarantine for travelers entering the country, then Columbus is considered the likely next option.)

Howson does not officially assume his AHL office until July 1, but he parted ways with the Oilers weeks ago and his entire focus has been working minor-league scenarios for the 2020-21 season (as well as 2021-22, when an affiliate for Seattle will join the AHL). He also has to plan his family’s move to Springfield, Massachusetts, where the AHL has its headquarters (in one of the last states to reopen).

“We immediately pivoted to what to do next season,” Howson said. “We’re building a schedule with models to start in October, November, December or January.

“What if we’re looking at operating in arenas at 50% capacity? Twenty- five percent? Zero percent? It could be different in different places. Are teams still interested in playing under such conditions? Which ones?”

Contingencies, contingencies. What if, say, 20 teams want to play and 11 don’t? What will the schedule look like? The travel? What if, say, 11 teams want to start earlier than the rest of the league — or just want the practice and support facilities up and running for their minor leaguers?

“We’re ready for the challenge,” Howson said. “There are lots of possibilities, and we just have to be able to react. We’ll help in any way we can. I really believe we’re going to play next (season), in some form.” 1185686 Dallas Stars But it didn’t. The Stars won, and that extra point was the difference in securing Dallas a playoff spot instead of having to play in a qualifying- round series.

How a comeback OT win over the Oilers was the difference between the Dallas Morning News LOADED: 06.02.2020 Stars being winners, losers of the NHL playoff format

The extra point secured Dallas a playoff spot instead of having to play in a qualifying round series.

By Matthew DeFranks

Final standings offer the mind endless opportunities for hypothetical scenarios.

What if the Stars don’t get a particular save from Ben Bishop or Anton Khudobin? What if a shot at a game-winning goal is missed by Tyler Seguin, Jamie Benn or Denis Gurianov? Would that one play, or one point, have a marked difference on the Stars’ season? In short, the answer is yes.

In the Western Conference standings, the Stars finished just barely ahead of Edmonton based on points percentage. The Stars had 82 points in 69 games (a possible 138 points) for a points percentage of .594. The Oilers had 83 points in 71 games (a possible 142 points) for a points percentage .585.

It’s a margin so narrow that one fewer point by Dallas and one more point by Edmonton would have shifted the Oilers (.592) past the Stars (.587), handing Edmonton a berth in the round of 16 instead of having to face the Blackhawks in a best-of-five qualifying round. Such a scenario would have turned the Stars into losers of the playoff format instead of winners and would have made a run for the Stanley Cup require an additional three victories.

Now, we can look at the Stars’ comeback 5-4 overtime win over the Oilers on Nov. 16 as a difference-maker. If Benn doesn’t put a backhand past Mikko Koskinen in overtime, and the Oilers win, the Stars would be playing the Blackhawks in the qualifying round instead of sitting pretty in the round-robin stage.

Of course, a 69-game season cannot be boiled down into one singular game or moment. There are many chances across the grind of a season to allow for a point gained or a point lost. With that in mind, however, the manner in which the Stars won in November makes for a natural milestone for the season.

After Jason Dickinson scored the first goal of the game midway through the first period, the Oilers scored four of the next five goals to take a 4-2 lead entering the third period. Connor McDavid picked up three assists. Jim Montgomery (he was the Stars coach at the time) yanked Bishop just 3:34 into the second period after Jujar Khaira gave Edmonton a 2-1 lead.

The Stars would need five goals to beat the Oilers that afternoon. At the time, Dallas had played 20 games and scored five goals just once. On the season, the Stars allowed at least four goals in 17 games and went 1-13-3. So an offensive outburst from the offensively challenged Stars was unlikely.

But a hard forecheck by Radek Faksa and Andrew Cogliano led to a Blake Comeau goal 5:21 into the period. With 1:49 left in the third period, went from end to end and left a drop pass to Tyler Seguin, who throttled it past Koskinen.

“I actually said before the game, it’d be nice for us to win a game 6-4 or 5-4,” Montgomery said in November. “That’s what matriculated. But we feel the way we’ve played, especially in the last 10 games, we haven’t scored earlier like we have the last three games, but we felt we were getting those chances. Just a matter of time with the players we have that we’ll even start to score more.”

Then Benn ended his career-long 16-game goal drought with a beauty 1:14 into overtime.

“Ah, can’t believe it went in,” Benn said with a smirk after the game.

That game could have very easily slipped from the Stars: a pulled goalie, a two-goal deficit, the world’s best player on the other side with Leon Draisaitl, his Art Ross running mate. Plus, it was less than a week after Montgomery’s public criticism of Seguin and Benn after a loss in Winnipeg. 1185687 Detroit Red Wings The Pistons would go on to make the NBA Finals for the second straight season, but more than 15 years later, “Malace” is still a defining moment.

Nov 21, 2005: The Jiri Fischer Game The most stunning Michigan sports endings this century from all corners Red Wings vs. Predators, ppd.: Wings defenseman Jiri Fischer was just 25 but had already played 304 regular-season games for the Wings Ryan Ford, Detroit Free Press Published 6:01 a.m. ET June 1, 2020 | when he took the ice on a Sunday night at Joe Louis Arena. Updated 10:19 a.m. ET June 1, 2020 Less than an hour later, his NHL career was over, ended by a heart problem that presented itself in a seizure soon after Fischer exited the ice following a shift. Let's look back at former Detroit Tigers pitcher Armando Galarraga's near-perfect game on June 2, 2010, at Comerica Park. Wochit At 8:07 p.m., about halfway through the first period, Fischer slumped off the bench and onto the floor, and Wings staff leapt into action. As coach Tuesday marks the 10th anniversary of Armando Galarraga’s “Imperfect Mike Babcock tried to get the referee’s attention to stop play — he did in Game,” in which he seemingly retired all 27 Cleveland batters at about a minute’s time, according to the Freep’s Helene St. James — Comerica Park, only to have No. 27, Jason Donald, called safe at first team doctor Anthony Colucci, sitting directly behind the bench in the base erroneously by umpire Jim Joyce. stands, immediately jumped down and began administering CPR.

It’s certainly one of the most jaw-dropping of surreal endings in Michigan “His heart had stopped, and there was no pulse," Babcock said. "But they sports since the dawn of the 21st century — an event that many fans can hooked up the auto defibrillator, and they shocked him. The heartbeat remember exactly where they were when they saw or heard it, with just a that leads to death, they got that stopped, and going, and they continued shorthand mention of “The Imperfect Game” or “The Galarraga Game” with the CPR.” enough to elicit pained reactions. Fischer was taken to Detroit Receiving Hospital, and the game was It’s not the only such game here in the Mitten in the past 20 years, called at about 9 p.m., and later rescheduled for late January. though. Here’s a look at some of the most surreal regular-season games in that span. These are the games we couldn’t stop talking about the day He never played for the Wings again, moving into the front office, though after, the ones that — for better or worse — have taken on a life of their he did take the ice for the Wings’ alumni team as part of the 2014 Winter own in our collective memories. Classic festivities.

(Did we miss one? Let us know down in the comments!) Sept. 1, 2007: App State

Nov. 3, 2001: Spartan Bob Appalachian State 34, Michigan 32: The Mountaineers weren’t expected to be pushovers — they were the defending Division I-AA champs — but Michigan State 26, Michigan 24: The Spartans’ winning drive in East this was a No. 5 Michigan team, a dark horse national title contender, Lansing got a little hometown cooking. Or did it? playing at the Big House.

This much we know: Trailing by four points, MSU QB was And sure enough, U-M scored first, just over two minutes in. But App tackled on the 1 with 12 seconds remaining to make it third down. The State scored four touchdowns in the first half for a 28-17 halftime lead clock ticked down to :01 before the Spartans snapped the ball and spiked and made it 34-32 with a 24-yard field goal with 26 seconds left. it to stop the clock — with :01 remaining. On fourth down, Smoker found T.J. Duckett in the end zone for the winning TD. Still, what’s arguably the greatest upset in history wasn’t over until App State blocked a 37-yard field-goal attempt with six seconds Was Spartan Stadium timekeeper Bob Stehlin, an MSU alum, just quick left. enough on the button to help out the Spartans? U-M broadcaster Frank Beckmann seemed to think so, as he narrated on WJR-AM (760): “They Even more stunning — almost no one saw it live. It was the debut game stopped the clock, Jim (Brandstatter, Beckmann's radio partner). They broadcast of the Big Ten Network, which wasn’t carried by many cable stopped the clock when they shouldn’t have. That clock should have run providers. Thus, most fans got the news from Beckmann and out. That’s unbelievable. ... That’s criminal. ... Jim, this game was stolen Brandstatter on WOMC-FM (104.3). from the Michigan Wolverines.” Then again, they were probably better off not having seen what After the game, the Big Ten reviewed video and announced it couldn’t Beckmann termed “The worst loss in Michigan football history.” find any evidence of wrongdoing. But the conference also installed Sept. 12, 2010: Complete the Process neutral timekeepers at all stadiums the next season. So … does the victory go to the Spartans, or to “Spartan Bob?” Bears 19, Lions 14: It’s not like the Lions haven’t found a lot of ways to lose in stunning fashions — “taking the wind” in OT, Dan Orlovsky Nov. 19, 2004: Malice at the Palace running out of the end zone, “Bat-Gate” against the Seahawks … look, Pacers 97, Pistons 82:The play-by-play from this game’s box score is we made a list just a few years ago — but this one makes the list for its calm enough, if oddly abrupt — with 45.9 seconds left in the game, long-lasting implications. there’s a short note: “Shooting foul by M. World Peace” (who was known After losing Matthew Stafford to injury late in the second at the time as Ron Artest), then “End of game.” quarter and giving up a go-ahead touchdown with less than two minutes The video from Auburn Hills is another story. Artest delivers a hard foul left, the Lions (led by Shaun Hill) drove to the Bears’ 25 with 31 seconds on Ben Wallace, who retaliates with a shove that sends Artest all the way left. Hill found Calvin Johnson on the right side of the end zone. Johnson to media row. There, a scrum between the Pacers and Pistons breaks leapt over his defender to haul in the pass, going to the ground with the out, mostly settled within 30 seconds as Artest lounges on the scorer's ball before popping up quickly to celebrate … without the ball. table in front of reporters. Still … a touchdown, right? Look, there's the ref signalling it! (You, a Then, a plastic cup flies from the stands and hits Artest, who climbs into Lions fan, already know what Fox NFL rules analyst Mike Pereira is the stands to fight the fan who threw it, later identified as John Green. going to say.) Artest was joined by several of his teammates, and soon enough, several "This is the process," Pereira said. "He's considered going to the ground, Pistons as the action ripples through the first few rows of seats, then and when you go to the ground you have to hold on to the ball after back onto the court. hitting the ground. It's all a process."

Eventually, the players were escorted off the court by security, the stands And sure enough, referee Gene Steratore echoed that — “In order for the were cleared and the game was called. The aftermath was brutal for both catch to be completed (Johnson) has got to maintain possession of the teams, though the Pacers took the brunt of the suspensions. In all, nine ball throughout the entire process of the catch.” — as he announced the Pacers and Pistons were suspended for a total of 146 games: Artest (73 touchdown was overturned. regular-season games and 13 playoff games); Stephen Jackson (30); Jermaine O'Neal (15); Wallace (six); Anthony Johnson (five); Reggie And so began the advent of receivers “completing the process” Miller (one); Chauncey Billups (one); Elden Campbell (one); and Derrick seemingly every week, aka “The Calvin Johnson Rule.” The NFL Coleman (one). changed the rule prior to the 2018 season, leaving Lions fans — and Johnson — something new to complain about: “They ought to add it to my stat sheet,” Johnson told the Freep's Dave Birkett. “We knew it was a catch from Day 1.”

Sept. 18, 2010: Little Giants

Michigan State 34, Notre Dame 31 (OT): It wasn’t the first time the Spartans had run the play, faking a field goal only to hit tight end Charlie Gantt on a pass downfield. They'd done it in the Alamo Bowl to end the 2009 season.

But the timing of this one, trailing by three in overtime on national TV against the Fighting Irish at Spartan Stadium? That’s the stuff legends are made of.

And when the trick play — named after a 1994 Rick Moranis/Ed O'Neill youth football movie — succeeded with punter/holder Aaron Bates hitting Gantt for a wide-open 29-yard TD, coach had burned the phrase “Little Giants” into Spartans fans’ memories forever. (Fun fact: Running back Le’Veon Bell was the intended receiver, but was covered too tightly.)

Sept. 18, 2010, Michigan State 34, Notre Dame 31 (OT), Spartan Stadium: A game that can be summed up in two words — “Little Giants” — holder Aaron Bates throwing a 29-yard touchdown pass to tight end Charlie Gantt on a fake field goal in overtime to send the crowd at Spartan Stadium into hysterics and begin the legend of Dantonio’s risk- taking nature.

Dantonio had suffered a postgame heart attack. He returned to the sideline five weeks later to lead the Spartans to the first 11-win season in school history.

Oct. 22, 2011: Rocket

Michigan State 37, Wisconsin 31: It was a game MSU, hosting the undefeated No. 4 Badgers, was supposed to lose. And sure enough, they were down, 14-0, halfway through the first quarter.

But the Spartans roared back with a 31-3 run in less than three quarters for a two-TD lead. The Badgers did some roaring of their own, scoring the game-tying TD with 86 seconds left, then apparently forcing overtime with a stop that put MSU 44 yards from the end zone with just four seconds left.

Enter “Rocket,” MSU’s name for the Hail Mary play that sent everyone to the end zone, including former quarterback Keith Nichol. MSU QB heaved the ball toward the goal line, where it slipped through a defender’s hands and bounced off receiver B.J. Cunningham, right to Nichol, who was waiting half a yard out of the end zone. Nichol bulled forward but was stopped short. Overtime.

Except … it went to the booth for review, and eventually, word came down: Nichol had broken the goal line. Touchdown.

Now, any team can win on a game-ending Hail Mary — just ask the Lions — but what elevates this one was the wait for the final call. A full 2 minutes, 20 seconds elapsed on the broadcast — an eternity in slo-mo instant replay world — before the Spartans could finally celebrate.

Oct. 17, 2015: Trouble with the snap

Michigan State 27, Michigan 23:Yes, the Spartans were favored over the rival Wolverines. But no one could have expected it to end this way.

With Michigan leading, 23-21, and simply needing to punt from near midfield and bury MSU deep in its zone, punter Blake O'Neill fumbled a low snap — a sequence immortalized in announcer Sean McDonough’s call, “Trouble with the snap!” — then tried to kick it anyway.

Hit midway through, he sent the ball right into the arms of MSU’s Jalen Watts-Jackson, who rumbled 38 yards to the end zone, flanked by his teammates.

Half the state went wild as, buried at the bottom of a dogpile, Watts- Jackson suffered a broken hip, and half the state ... well, simply stared in shock, many locked in the pose dubbed the “Surrender Cobra.”

“What do you say about the last play?” U-M coach Jim Harbaugh said. “It’s … unfortunate.”

Actually, Harbaugh did have one other thing to say about the play: “He should’ve just fell on it.”

Detroit Free Press LOADED: 06.02.2020 1185688 Detroit Red Wings Many players, including Luke Glendening, said this is the longest they’ve continuously been off the ice.

“I can go back to my high school days and playing football (at East Grand Red Wings hope for 'different opportunities' to stay sharp during long Rapids) and I thought I was in great shape,” Glendening said. “Then layoff stepping onto the rink and I felt terrible and out of shape. Skating just isn’t one of those things that transfers very easily.

Ted Kulfan, The Detroit News Published 5:43 p.m. ET June 1, 2020 “But that being said, guys are riding the bike and running and working out, so they’ll be ready.”

Glendening said it would be an interesting idea to have a mini-camp – Detroit – The Red Wings saw their regular season come to an official end similar to an NFL organized team activity (OTA) – but noted it would be a last week. matter for the NHL and the NHL Players’ Association to work out.

At least now they know they can begin preparing for next season. “It’s very weird,” Glendening said. “Here in Michigan with the gyms closed, it’s kind of everyone’s on their own and trying to figure that out. But when will that season begin? And how are Wings players going to stay in hockey shape, with no games for a long time? “You could look at it either way: It could be up to nine months without hockey but also it’s a great time to reset. It's a great time that if you’re Anthony Mantha missing something, whether you need to rehab a shoulder or an ankle or NHL commissioner Gary Bettman acknowledged last week the 2020-21 a knee or a hip, it’s time for that, and hopefully we’ll come back better regular season might not begin until December or January, which would than ever." mean an approximately nine-month span between meaningful hockey Blashill feels it would be beneficial for coaching staffs and players on the games for the Wings and six other teams who aren’t part of this seven non-playoff teams to get together during this long offseason. summer’s 24-team playoff format. “But there’s lots that go into that,” Blashill said. “This layoff is as long as It’s necessary, and the Wings understand the unique circumstances, but any of our guys have ever had outside of a long-term injury. I want to do it’s less than ideal. everything we can to make sure that we’re as ready as individuals and a “I’ve had some discussions with some of the players on this and there is team for next season. some concern among the players,” coach Jeff Blashill said. “It’s a big “I’m hoping we get some different opportunities than we’ve had in the disadvantage for those seven teams (that didn’t qualify for the playoffs), past.” for those individual players, without organized practices and coaching and going at full speed. I’m hoping we can look toward some creative Detroit News LOADED: 06.02.2020 solutions with the NHL.”

With so many other more pressing topics to work out, this particular issue is far from being addressed.

Ideas that have been floated include mini-camps for the non-playoff teams, some exhibition games, or simply groups of players working with the coaching staff.

Anything to break into the long time between games and other hockey- related activities. And hockey being a unique sport that’s played at supreme speed and with intricate timing, getting some one-ice work would be beneficial.

“Hockey is played with people at an incredible pace, it’s a chaotic game,” Blashill said. “There’s a lot of things going on around you and if you don’t experience that for a long period of time, you’re not training your body to make those decisions.

“Whether it’s a goalie to make reads and see through traffic, or a forward knowing what he’ll do with the puck before he gets it and makes the proper play, you can’t replicate that (without practices, games).”

Detroit Red Wings center Dylan Larkin met with the media in a teleconference Thursday to talk about the premature end of the 2019-20 season. The Detroit News

One piece of the puzzle that has been difficult to replicate for any hockey player during this close to three-month hiatus is the inability to skate. It’s a unique athletic act that cannot be easily duplicated by any sort of exercise.

Anthony Mantha and Dylan Larkin have done some rollerblading during the hockey shutdown, probably the closest thing there is to actual skating in terms of technique.

“I’ve had some rollerblade sessions,” said Mantha, who has been in Montreal during the pandemic and has begun offseason training. “When I was a little kid, I was always in the street rollerblading. Over the years, not so much. I used to go on a couple (rollerblading) rides around my hometown. It was just like skating.”

Larkin also has gone back to rollerblading, while working on his stickhandling in his back yard.

“Rollerblading is something I did as a kid, so I’ve definitely put the rollerblades on,” Larkin said. “But it’s hard to get the stride mechanics when you’re not on the ice.” 1185689 Detroit Red Wings

NHL will spend millions on daily coronavirus testing if season resumes

By Josh Slagter

Last week, the NHL finalized a straight-to-the-playoffs plan to determine a 2020 Stanley Cup champion, if the season is able to resume amid the coronavirus pandemic.

A huge part of that process will be daily COVID-19 testing, which will be laborious and expensive.

“We will have a rigorous daily testing protocol where players are tested every evening and those results are obtained before they would leave their hotel rooms the next morning, so we’ll know if we have a positive test and whether the player has to self-quarantine himself as a result of that positive test,” deputy commissioner Bill Daly said. “It’s expensive, but we think it’s really a foundational element of what we’re trying to accomplish.”

The NHL estimates 25,000-35,0000 tests will be needed to complete the postseason. At approximately $125 per test, the league’s cost could approach $4 million. From the players risking their health to return, regular testing was insisted.

“You need testing at a level sufficient to be confident that you’re going to be on top of anything which might happen,” NHL Players’ Association executive director Don Fehr said. “If that turns out to be daily, and that’s available, that’s OK. That would be good. If it turns out that that’s not quite what we need and we can get by with a little less, that’s OK.”

Daly said one person testing positive would not necessarily halt the postseason. That player would be isolated and further testing would be done on coaches and teammates, with hopes of preventing an outbreak.

While the NHL has a plan to return, it has not committed to specific timing.

“I think realistically if we’re in training camp mid-July, that would be a good thing, and if we can be playing by the end of July or the beginning of August, that would be a good thing, too,” commissioner Gary Bettman said. “But if it has to slide more, then it’ll slide.”

Michigan Live LOADED: 06.02.2020 1185690 Detroit Red Wings interested in signing him for another year, but he would probably go back to Edmonton if made an offer,

Contract: Unrestricted free agent. Red Wings final grades: One of franchise’s worst seasons reflected in marks Luke Glendening (C-): He posted his lowest production (nine points) since his rookie season of 2013-14 and a career-worst minus-29 rating. He led the team in hits and was tops among forwards in blocked shots By Ansar Khan but was not nearly as effective as before. He assumed a bigger leadership role after being named one of four alternate captains.

Contract: One year remaining at a $1.8 million cap hit. Steve Yzerman’s first season as Detroit Red Wings general manager began with promise. A 3-1 start offered some hope that they were on Darren Helm (B-): He will start next season as the longest-serving Red their way back after bottoming out the year before. Wing and hope to replicate a quietly efficient season in which he collected nine goals, provided energy in a bottom-six role and had a The optimism was quickly dashed during an eight-game losing streak. It decent minus-6 rating considering the team’s horrendous goal was the first of five streaks of six or more losses. differential. He could be moved for a draft pick at the trade deadline.

The Red Wings (17-49-5) finished with the third-worst points percentage Contract: One year remaining at a $3.85 million cap hit. in franchise history (.275) in a season cut short due to the coronavirus pandemic. They finished 22 points behind the NHL’s next-worst team. Dylan Larkin (B): He led the team in points for the third year in a row (53) They missed the playoffs for the fourth year in a row, their longest but his goal production declined (from 32 to 19) and he started slowly (six drought since going five years without reaching the postseason from goals, 10 points in first 28 games). He likely will be named captain before 1979-83. next season, his sixth in the league, and still has another level to reach.

They were last in goals per game (2.00), goals against per game (3.73) Contract: Three years remaining at a $6.1 million cap hit. and the penalty kill and third from the bottom on the power play. Detroit Red Wings vs. Dallas Stars - October 6, 2019

About the only positive to glean from the season is they have an 18.5 Anthony Mantha (B): The big winger would have had his best season if percent chance to win the June 26 draft lottery for the first pick, likely to he had not missed 39 games with injuries (sprained knee, punctured be Alexis Lafreniere. lung). His combination of size (6-5, 221) and sniping ability (65 goals past The final grades, naturally, were mostly poor. They were based on three seasons) make him a valuable part of the core moving forward. performance vs. expectations. Only players who finished the season on Contract: Restricted free agent. the Red Wings roster were included: Frans Nielsen (F): Long-time pro suffered through his worst season, Forwards relegated to the bottom six and removed from the power play due to Justin Abdelkader (F): He continued a downward trend with his worst ineffectiveness (four goals, nine points in 60 games). A buyout would season, failing to score a goal in 49 games and picking up only three cost too much, so he could be a frequent healthy scratch next season. assists. He is not the physical presence he once was and was a healthy Contract: Two years remaining at a $5.25 million cap hit. scratch multiple times. Brendan Perlini (F): The 12th overall pick in 2014 had an opportunity to Contract: Three years remaining at a $4.25 million cap hit. resurrect his career after arriving from Chicago for a promising defense Tyler Bertuzzi (B): The team’s All-Star Game representative was its most prospect (Alec Regula) but struggled from the start, was often scratched, consistent forward, scoring 21 goals for the second year in a row and and finished with one goal and four points in 39 games. He is not likely to putting up 48 points, one more than his previous career-best. He brings a return. much-needed combination of skill and grit. Contract: Restricted free agent.

Contract: Restricted free agent. Dmytro Timashov (Incomplete): A young winger noted for physical play Christoffer Ehn (D): He provides little offensively (two goals, two assists) despite his modest size (5-10, 192), he did not show much in five games, as a fourth-line checker and penalty killer. He offers flexibility in playing but it is a small sample size. If he does not sign with a KHL team, as has center or wing, coming in and out of the lineup and up and down from been rumored, he will need to show much more to earn a roster spot next Grand Rapids as roster needs dictate. season.

Contract: Restricted free agent. Contract: Restricted free agent.

Adam Erne (D): Acquired for a fourth-round pick from Tampa Bay, it Filip Zadina (B-): The No. 6 pick in 2018 was making strides, showing wasn’t surprising that his modest production on a top team (seven goals, flashes of his shooting and scoring ability (eight goals, 15 points in 28 20 points, plus-10) dipped in Detroit. But a little more offense (he had two games after being recalled from Grand Rapids). He was close to goals and five points in 56 games and was a minus-24) and returning from a fractured ankle when the season was paused. He abrasiveness was needed. missed valuable development time. He should make the roster at the start of the season in 2020-21. Contract: Restricted free agent. Contract: Two years remaining at an $894,167 cap hit. Robby Fabbri (B-): Yzerman’s best trade snagged this former first-round pick from St. Louis for expendable fourth-line center Jacob de la Rose. Detroit Red Wings vs. Anaheim Ducks - October 8, 2019 Fabbri, whose career had been sidetracked by two major knee injuries, Defensemen rebounded with 14 goals and 31 points in 52 games with the Red Wings. Alex Biega (C+): He started as a fringe player acquired for depth in an Contract: Restricted free agent. early season trade with Vancouver. He gained coaches’ trust as the Valtteri Filppula (D-): A disappointing season for the veteran who season progressed, earning more ice time, and finished on what can be returned for his second stint in Detroit. His regressed offensively (from 17 considered their top pairing, often matched against the opposition’s best goals to six) and defensively (his minus-42 rating was second-worst in line. the league) after being signed as the second-line center. Contract: One year remaining at an $875,000 cap hit.

Contract: One year remaining at a $3 million cap hit. Madison Bowey (C-): Mobile, with a tremendous shot and untapped Sam Gagner (Incomplete): He appeared in only six games (one goal, no offensive ability, he had some good moments. But defensive miscues assists) after arriving from Edmonton in the Andreas Athanasiou trade as prevented him from securing a regular spot in the lineup. Improvement in a way for the Oilers to clear cap space. The Red Wings might be his own zone will determine if he can play on the third pairing, will be a frequent scratch or be sent to Grand Rapids. That is assuming he will be re-signed. Contract: Restricted free agent.

Trevor Daley (D): He turns 37 in October and will probably retire following two injury-plagued seasons. He had no goals, seven assists and a minus-22 rating in 43 games.

Contract: Unrestricted free agent.

Danny DeKeyser (Incomplete): The defense took a big hit when he was idled by a back injury that eventually required season-ending surgery. He appeared in only eight games. He will return next season as a likely top- pair defenseman.

Contract: Two years remaining at a $5 million cap hit.

Jonathan Ericsson (D): It was a frustrating end for a player selected last overall in 2002 who made his NHL debut in 2008 and spent his entire 13- year career in Detroit. He was a frequent healthy scratch, was waived twice and spent some time in Grand Rapids. He appeared in only 18 games.

Contract: Unrestricted free agent.

Cody Goloubef (Incomplete): He left no lasting impression, playing only two games after being claimed off from waivers from Ottawa and won’t be re-signed.

Contract: Unrestricted free agent.

Filip Hronek (B-): He took a significant step in his first full NHL season as the club’s top scoring threat from the blue line (nine goals, 31 points), a player with an outstanding shot and good offensive acumen. Defense remains a work in progress, but he showed some improvement despite a minus-38 rating. He logged the most ice time on the team (23:53 average) and showed much grit by not backing down from the rough stuff.

Contract: One year remaining at a $714,166 cap hit.

Gustav Lindstrom (C+): He passed the test, during a late-season 16- game audition, as a safe, steady defender who can move the puck to the forwards fairly efficiently. He likely will need more seasoning in Grand Rapids at the start of next season -- if there is an AHL season.

Contract: One year remaining at a $775,833 cap hit.

Patrik Nemeth (B-): The team’s most consistent defenseman assumed a bigger role due to injuries, averaging a career-high 22 points and matched up much of the time against top lines.

Contract: One year remaining at a $3 million cap hit.

Detroit Red Wings vs. Montreal Canadiens - January 7, 2020

Goaltenders

Jonathan Bernier (B): His performance picked up in early December, when he wrested the starting job from Jimmy Howard. Bernier gave a real bad team a chance to win, or at least remain competitive, in most of his starts. His numbers (15-22-3, 2.95 goals-against average, .907 save percentage) were fairly good, all things considered.

Contract: One year remaining at a $3 million cap hit.

Jimmy Howard (F): A dreadful ending to the team’s workhorse for a decade as he experienced one of the worst seasons ever for a goalie (2- 23-2, 4.20 GAA, .882 save percentage).

Contract: Unrestricted free agent.

Coaching

Jeff Blashill and staff (D): They did not have much talent to work with, and injuries to key players compounded the problem. Yzerman has been consistently supportive of Blashill, who will return for a sixth season. Some young players (Bertuzzi, Fabbri, Zadina, Hronek) showed growth. Poor special teams was a major problem.

Michigan Live LOADED: 06.02.2020 1185691 Edmonton Oilers “While hockey has great natural sounds — stick, puck, glass, boards, posts and skates on ice — which all can be enhanced by microphones like happens at the Olympics where 30 to 40 ice mics are used compared JONES: Networks could get creative broadcasting NHL games in empty to 10 to 12 at an NHL game, there are some challenges built in. arenas “A major challenge would be how to use and monitor the voices of the players and officials as raw as they might be. In previous times those types of things were monitored closely. The league and the networks will Terry Jones have huge challenges keeping the voices rated PG.

“All this new approach could be interesting to watch but it can’t compromise the simple things about TV coverage of the game. I want to It might be a lot of fun right now to dial into a Zoom meeting between the be able to see the puck go into the net, the flow of the game and hear the creative minds of , Sportsnet, NBC Sports and announcer say ‘He shoots he scores!’ If you ruin that, you are damaging NHL Productions. the core of watching sports. It would be excellent entertainment and an education, I believe, to watch “It will be a real challenge for the networks to not over produce. If TV them spitball ideas on how to present empty arena Stanley Cup hockey sports executives learn anything through the pandemic, it’s that sports games. viewers actually want to watch the event. They’ve had their homework assignments each weekend, no doubt, to “Over produced, over announced sports are for the people in the industry watch all those Bundesliga soccer games and the pro baseball action not for the fan at home. from Korea. “Good quality sports television is simple and effective.” If and when the NHL is able to return from COVID-19 and the current rioting, Commissioner Gary Bettman has promised hockey fans that you Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 06.02.2020 are going to watch the Stanley Cup playoffs on TV like you have never watched them before.

“You have to see what you can do that will be a little different. I mean, one of the things our head of events and content Steve Mayer is focusing on when it comes to playing without fans is ‘What do we do so the experience conveys itself well on television?’” said Bettman.

“The number of things we have to check the boxes on other than simply playing is off the charts.”

The NHL is planning the TV presentation with the network people with the idea that, if nothing else, empty-seat games provide opportunity.

There’s unlimited choice, for example, where to place the TV cameras and the number of them that you’d be able to use would be virtually unlimited.

Then there’s sound.

Both the Bundesliga, the first of Europe’s five major soccer leagues to return, and the Korean baseball league, experimented this past week using canned crowd noise.

The German soccer league also experimented using music.

But the early appeal of these games, to me, has been to hear the sounds of the game you don’t normally hear — the sound of a well-struck soccer ball, for example. I love that sound.

You can hear the interaction of the players and the coaches shouting at the players.

It’ll be interesting where the NHLPA might draw the line when it comes to sound for a Stanley Cup playoff game, especially with the number of four-letter friend getters that tend to get tossed around.

With all that in mind I reached out to John Shannon for his thoughts.

With Hockey Night In Canada for 18 years and executive producer for seven, Shannon was the producer in charge of Olympic hockey for the 1988 Calgary Olympic Winter Games, Lillehammer 1994 and Nagano 1998.

He won an Emmy for hockey coverage at Salt Lake 2002 for NBC and went on to be VP Broadcasting for the NHL for five years.

“I haven’t talked to anyone involved in the NHL planning, but from my perspective this is a chance for the NHL to get closer to the game and the players,” said Shannon.

“The modern day arena has forced a cookie cutter approach to production which is reflective of putting the paying customer ahead of the television viewer.

“There should be more hand-held cameras in the corners, at the blue lines and around the rink.

“A bigger issue will be the audio,” said Shannon. 1185692 Edmonton Oilers The mandatory 14-day quarantine for people arriving in Canada isn’t something that should get in the way of Canadian cities being considered as hubs. It’s pretty easy to make exceptions for people heading straight Monday Musings: It would be nice if Edmonton Oilers could play in own into a bubble. hub On the other hand, anything anti-Alberta is a popular sentiment in Canada right now, so maybe Trudeau sees the political currency in saying No. Robert Tychkowski COVID CONCERNS

For the most part, young, healthy players comprise a very low COVID-19 Nobody even considered it when the Edmonton Oilers were putting risk group, but there are going to be numerous coaching and together their proposal, but now that they have to, the possibility of teams management types in that bubble who are well into their 60s. They’re the not being allowed to play in their own hub city is sending a jolt through ones we should be worried about … If I was a player, I would also be the entire organization. concerned about the human element of the hub city plan. Being holed up in a hotel for two or three months, followed by a short off-season, might Nothing has been finalized yet, or even fully debated, but the topic is seem doable on paper, but could be wreak havoc on mental health and definitely on the table, and it’s concern for the Oilers. personal lives. “Obviously we’ve talked about that,” said NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill SYMPATHY PAINS Daly. “We certainly see some merit to moving the club to a different market so that any perceived advantages associated with being in a Few cities can understand the way Buffalo’s Jack Eichel is feeling than home market are eliminated.” Edmonton. The Buffalo Sabres captain expressed more frustration this week with the fruitless wheel-spinning he’s endured in his five seasons in That’s a kick in the gut for the Oilers, who’ve worked very hard, on a the NHL, none of which have taken him anywhere near the playoffs. variety of levels, to make one of the strongest cases in the league for hosting a 12-team bubble. Even in an expanded 24-team return to play strategy, a format so inclusive the .500 Montreal Canadiens get to play, Buffalo still couldn’t It won’t make any difference for the fans — they’ll have to watch on TV make the grade. no matter where the games are played — but from an organizational standpoint, putting in all that effort to create the safest and best possible We feel your pain, Jack. The Oilers finished 21st, 30th, 30th, 29th, 24th, environment, then having to send your own team somewhere else, isn’t 28th, 28th, 29th, 8th(!), 23rd and 25th in an 11-year span, so we know. going to sit well. It’s an angry, frustrating feeling when the team is up to its neck in failure and there doesn’t seem to be an end in sight. Captain Connor McDavid, for one, doesn’t believe playing in an empty building, especially now that all rinks basically look the same, will provide Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 06.02.2020 any competitive advantage.

“I would say probably not. It’s gonna feel weird in the building no matter where you play. No matter if you’ve played there 100 times. No matter if you’ve never played there. The building is going to feel weird with no fans being in there. So I would say probably not. That’s just my opinion.”

BIGGER ISSUES

With daytime protests and nighttime riots and looting sending many US cities into chaos, it’s hard to fathom any of them being in a position to take on a hub city challenge anytime soon. Places like Los Angeles, Chicago and Minneapolis will have far more important issues to deal with in the upcoming weeks than trying to keep 12 hockey teams safe and comfortable.

If things get much worse down there, sports in general might have to hit the pause button again.

RINGS HOLLOW

The NFL tried to get on the right side of the police reform issue Saturday, saying it welcomes its role in an “urgent need for action.”

“We recognize the power of our platform in communities and as part of the fabric of American society,” commissioner Roger Goodell said in his statement. “We embrace that responsibility and are committed to continuing the important work to address these systemic issues.”

Not surprisingly, people were quick to call B.S., pointing out that when Colin Kaepernick tried to use the “power of their platform” to draw attention to an urgent need for action, it spelled the end of his career.

DEAD AIR

It’s ironic, but for many NHL markets, one of the major problems with the NHL’s return to play formula is going to be the massive dead space where hockey used to be.

Once the play-in round is complete, the eight eliminated teams, and seven teams not included at all, will end up playing five or fewer games in nearly nine months (from the early March shutdown to the start of next season in early December).

It’s going to make for some long, cold nights in October and November.

EASY ANSWER 1185693 Edmonton Oilers The Blackhawks have proven similarly inept defensively, so even with Calvin de Haan expected to return from his shoulder surgery, it could be wide-open, fire-wagon hockey throughout the series. McDavid will get his A pro scout breaks down the proposed Blackhawks-Oilers qualifying- chances against the Blackhawks. So the key is making sure Kane gets round matchup his, too.

“Their defense is OK, it’s not great,” the scout said. “Darnell Nurse plays a lot of minutes for them. He’s really tough, one of the toughest guys in By Mark Lazerus Jun 1, 2020 the NHL. And he could play tougher, even. But I really don’t like him as a defenseman. I think he makes some poor decisions. (Second-pairing

defenseman) Ethan Bear is a rookie back there, so you have to get after Try to envision the Blackhawks power play as you imagine it should look. them and somehow get your matchup. It’s somehow getting Kane out there when he doesn’t have to be against McDavid. You’ve got to get Patrick Kane bringing the puck into the zone with speed before setting up Kane some good looks.” on the half wall. Dylan Strome and Jonathan Toews always lurking around the net, ready to make a deft pass or snap off a quick shot. Alex The McDavid factor DeBrincat and that remarkable release looming in the left circle. Adam Much like with Kane and Toews, there’s always a debate over whether Boqvist or Brent Seabrook manning the point, ready to unleash a blast the Oilers are better off loading up the top line with McDavid and from the point and create rebounds for everyone else. Draisaitl, or keeping them on separate lines so opposing coaches have to With that much talent, it seems like it should always work. Of course, it pick their poison, defensively. McDavid and Draisaitl started the year rarely does. together, but were split up when Yamamoto was called up. McDavid languished a bit — well, by his standards — without much talent on his Well, in Edmonton, it works. Oh man, does it work. wings, so shortly before the season was paused, Nugent-Hopkins moved up to the top line alongside McDavid and Zack Kassian. “It’s almost perfect,” a Western Conference pro scout said. “Nothing against (Oscar) Klefbom, he’s fine. But if they had a huge bomb from the The dynamic duo figures to be split up to start against the Blackhawks. point, you’re talking the best power play of all time. You have (Connor) McDavid bringing it in, then you have (Leon) Draisaitl, who in-zone is “An (opposing) coach would probably prefer you put them all on one line probably more dangerous than McDavid because he’s one of the best and just deal with them like that,” the scout said. “But if I’m (Oilers coach passers and has a ridiculous shot. If you give him time, he’s just so good. Dave) Tippett, there’s almost zero question in my mind: split them up. (Ryan) Nugent-Hopkins, he’s got a good shot, very smart, sneaky player. They were clicking so good before with Yamamoto on that second line, Give him time and he can make plays. Then you’ve got (Alex) Chiasson and McDavid’s going to be fine with whoever’s he’s with up there. I would in front of the net, a big guy who does his job there. That’s an be shocked if they put them together. But who knows? It’s a different interchangeable piece, but those other three guys make it one of the format, and it’s not like they were clicking two weeks ago; it was three better power plays you’ll ever see.” months ago. But if you have them, a coach always wants to keep them separated and only use them when he needs to — having that atomic It’s not hyperbole. The Oilers’ power play scored at a 29.5-percent clip bomb, so to speak.” this season, the fourth best since the NHL started keeping track. The only three teams to score at a higher rate all played more than 40 years The scout laughed when asked how to corral McDavid. Nobody’s really ago — the 1977-78 Canadiens and the 1977-78 and 1978-79 Islanders. figured it out yet. Granted, the Blackhawks held him pointless the two times he faced them this season, but it’s an almost impossible task to do So if the NHL manages to clear all the daunting logistical hurdles that it with any consistency. Duncan Keith will be the key. Back in the first await it so that its return-to-play plan comes to fruition, the Blackhawks meeting on Oct. 14, Jeremy Colliton matched up Keith and Connor will have one mandate above all others in their best-of-five “qualifying- Murphy and the Brandon Saad-David Kampf-Dominik Kubalik line with round” series against the Oilers. McDavid, to great effect. On March 5, it was Keith and Boqvist along with the Saad-Toews-Kubalik line that did the job. Stay the hell out of the penalty box. Still, the scout described McDavid as almost indefensible. That’s lesson No. 1 from the scout. The rest looks like a classic coin-flip. Here’s the scout’s breakdown of the rest of the matchup, one that “He doesn’t dominate every shift, it’s impossible to dominate every shift,” Chicagoans seem a lot more excited about than Edmontonians, given the scout said. “But anytime he sees that little opening that no one else how the Oilers finished a whopping 11 points ahead of the Blackhawks, would even see as an opening, and he’s already got that half-step on a only to be thrown into a neutral-site toss-up against a team with far more guy, he turns it into a scoring chance — a Grade-A. You can’t contain championship experience. him because you don’t know when it’s coming. Hockey’s a game of ad- libbing on the go, and he just takes advantage of it and just blows past Who got screwed? Well, it’s clearly the Oilers. Who will win? That’s not guys with superhuman speed. There’s really nothing you can do. Play quite as obvious. him tight, do the best you can. But at the end of the day, when he gets 5-on-5 his opening, he’s going to take advantage of it.”

The Oilers have one of the best power plays of all time. They also have Even without Robin Lehner, Corey Crawford gives the Blackhawks an the second-best penalty-killing unit in the league this season. But at 5-on- edge in the goaltending department over the Oilers. (Kamil Krzaczynski / 5, well, they’re just not very good. And considering how officials tend to USA Today) be stingier about calling penalties in the postseason, that could benefit Goaltending the Blackhawks, who out-attempted and out-chanced the Oilers in all three meetings this season, winning twice. Here’s where the Blackhawks have their biggest edge. We can debate whether or not they’d be better off with Robin Lehner or Corey Crawford, At 5-on-5, the Oilers were outscored 157-141 this season (the but the fact is, even with Lehner traded to Vegas, Chicago has a two-time Blackhawks, for comparison, were even at 147-147). Edmonton is 22nd Stanley Cup-winning goaltender, and Edmonton doesn’t. Crawford had in expected goals-for percentage (48.35) and 27th in Corsi percentage posted a sparkling .928 save percentage since New Year’s Day and was (47.87). They have arguably the two best players in the league in looking like his old self. He’s also playing for a contract as a pending McDavid and Draisaitl, but they don’t have much else. unrestricted free agent. The call-up of 2017 first-rounder Kailer Yamamoto just before New Edmonton, meanwhile, has longtime Blackhawks nemesis Mike Smith Year’s gave the Oilers a significant boost, as he posted 11 goals and 15 and Mikko Koskinen in a timeshare. assists in just 27 games, mostly on a line with Draisaitl and Ryan Nugent- Hopkins. The Oilers got even faster at the trade deadline by adding In nearly identical minutes, Koskinen had much better numbers than Andreas Athanasiou from Detroit, but he managed just two points in his Smith (.917 save percentage to Smith’s .902), but as The Athletic’s nine games with Edmonton. Daniel Nugent-Bowman pointed out on the Laz & Powers podcast this week, Smith seems to be the preferred option for both Tippett and his “At 5-on-5, they have a few guys that can give you fits, but they’re pretty teammates. ordinary,” the scout said. “They have confidence in their goalies, but I don’t have as much confidence in them as they do,” the scout said of the Oilers. “(For Chicago), I really would much rather have Robin Lehner around, because he’s a huge reason they got through some tough times. Having both him and (Crawford) helps. So that’s going to hurt them a little bit. But Chicago has the edge here.”

X-factor

It all comes back to McDavid, doesn’t it? In his lone playoff appearance, back in 2017, McDavid had a modest five goals and four assists in 13 games. That was just his second year in the league, though, and he’s been champing at the bit to get another crack at the postseason. While the scout repeatedly said that he liked Chicago’s lineup better than Edmonton’s, the McDavid factor has a way of overriding everything else. The fact that naturally gifted skaters such as McDavid will be able to find their legs and their edges quicker than most — “When it was my first time skating in three months, it felt like I was skating in sand,” the scout quipped — only gives him another advantage coming off what could end up being a five-month layoff.

Who will win? Hell, we don’t even know if they’ll even play. But if the Oilers and Blackhawks get a crack at each other in August, it figures to be one of the most compelling — and wide-open — series of the qualifying round.

“It really is a toss-up,” the scout said. “But McDavid, he’s the type of guy whose speed is there on Day 1 or Day 2 of training camp. Now this is stupid to say — here’s some game-changing analysis for you — but I really just think he’s going to be a handful. And he’s not going to let his team lose in a little five-game opening series. But we’ll see. In a short series, you just never know.”

The Athletic LOADED: 06.02.2020 1185694 Florida Panthers He believes there’s “no way it’s going to feel like a normal playoffs” without fans but notes that the competitive players will raise their level of play, considering the stakes.

‘Is it worth it?’ Anton Stralman questions safety of NHL’s Return to Play Stralman also has concerns about how a delayed postseason, which plan could end as late as October, would impact future seasons, with the 2020-21 season potentially starting in December or January.

By Joe Smith Jun 1, 2020 “We could have another short summer — or maybe not even a summer,” he said. “From that perspective on health for me, being one of the older guys going through the grind for a few years, we need that time during the summer to recover and heal all the limbs. You can come down and Anton Stralman picked up the phone, and you could hear the breeze in start this playoff in August in the best-case scenario. Maybe the smart the background. thing to do is wait another month and start a new season. You’re already The veteran Florida Panthers defenseman was at a farm outside of his at the point where you’d normally come back to your city to start camp. hometown of Tibro, Sweden — “in the middle of nowhere” — watching “There’s just a lot of questions and not a lot of answers right now.” his 13-year-old daughter Liv ride horses. Considering the worldwide coronavirus pandemic, this seemed like a pretty good bubble to be in. Is Stralman in the minority among players in having these concerns? Or is there a growing underbelly of players skeptical about what a return “It’s 71 and sunny, beautiful,” Stralman said. “I can’t complain. Everyone might look like? is doing well.” “I think a lot of guys look at it in different ways depending on where you Stralman, 33, knows that he’ll eventually have to fly back to Florida if the are in your career,” Stralman said. “Whether they have families or not. I NHL’s Return to Play plan advances to Phase 3 of actual training camps, think it’s very individual. I know some guys that definitely want to play no which could open in early July. The 24-team format has already been matter what. Some guys want to play if it’s right. Some don’t. approved by the NHLPA, but there’s still a long way to go in terms of making all the logistics work, including the 25,000-30,000 COVID-19 “I also think just the uncertainty of everything makes it harder. That’s the tests it would require over the length of the playoffs in two hub cities. frustrating part.”

But Stralman wonders: “Is it worth it?” The Athletic LOADED: 06.02.2020 “I think you should be concerned,” Stralman said. “There are so many ways to look at this thing. I know everybody wants hockey back, but safety has to come first. And it’s a little bit worrisome, I can’t deny that. Even though most players are young and healthy, I’m sure there are players like me that have underlying health issues. I don’t know how my body will react if I get this virus.”

Stralman has dealt with bronchiectasis, which prevents mucus from being cleared from his lungs, since early in his career. It was finally detected during the Swede’s time with the Rangers, and he just got off the medication in the past year.

“It would be terrible if we fly into hub cities and start playing, and maybe one of the workers in the building gets it. It’s not just the 50 guys on the team, there’s a lot of people that need to be there to make this work. If some of those people get sick and potentially die from that, who is responsible? And is this something I want to be part of? It’s about the safety, not just for me but everyone involved. That raises a lot of questions on if we should do this thing. And if we do, would there be a price to pay for it?

“I’m not sure that’s the right thing to do.”

Stralman, a veteran of 818 NHL games, is still dreaming of his first Stanley Cup and — if hockey does indeed return — would have a chance to compete for a playoff spot in a five-game play-in round against the Islanders. Of course, he would love another shot at hockey’s holy grail. He’s not getting any younger. But Stralman said he hopes that if the NHL doesn’t find a way to be “bulletproof” when it comes to safety, they make “the right decision.”

“I think the main thing is safety,” Stralman said. “And I don’t think we should be obliged to be prioritized over people that actually need it way more than we do. There are so many people in this world right now that are going through some really tough times. I think all hockey players and owners should consider themselves fairly lucky to be where they’re at.

“I know that not everybody has families, but I don’t think any (player) likes the fact we’re going to fly in and be away from our families for a long period of time. And I have more questions about the reason for this: Is it to recover some revenue? What is the calculation? I assume flying 24 teams to two cities and keeping them protected in a bubble at hotels, with all the medical and required personnel that you need for such a long time, it has to be expensive.

“How does it add up, and is it worth it? Profit and money should never come over health and safety.”

Stralman said his wife, Johanna, and their four children will likely remain in Sweden if and when he returns to the United States to play. Like many players overseas, Stralman isn’t planning on coming back for Phase 2, as he has a full gym at home and accessibility to ice. 1185695 Los Angeles Kings with an even longer and more aggressive string of profanity from Stothers. They weren’t fighting, they were celebrating, and while I don’t remember the exact words that were shared, the demonstration of care WITH FLOOD OF YOUNG PROSPECTS ON PROFESSIONAL as part of the fraternal bond between player and coach was exposed. PRECIPICE, TOUGH DECISION MADE AT AHL LEVEL Stutts wasn’t going to let a non-authority figure enter his bus and cause a stir and did so in a way that conveyed more about what he thought about his players than words on a page ever could. (Perhaps he just needed to vent after a weird, weird, weird Utica press conference left him with a JON ROSEN JUNE 1, 2020 self-diagnosed “migraine.”)

Stutts was incredibly helpful to me, to Zach Dooley, to Lindsay Czarnecki So, it’s disappointing to see Stutts go. The direction the team is heading and Joey Zakrezewski. He treated us all very, very well. Stutts is a great is understandable. There are a flood of young prospects on the precipice quote, and we appreciated his candor in the wonderful Bus Texts series, of their professional careers, and just as other parts of the organization but if you wanted to get a feel for what really catalyzed and pushed him, have experienced re-boots or re-freshes or re-builds, so too will the AHL it was often found in quiet weekday mornings at TSPC adjacent to the affiliate after six seasons under Head Coach Mike Stothers that included media seating area. There, it was where you learned more about Stutts a championship and a sequel that produced a none-to- as a family man – Stutts the dad, Stutts the grandfather. There may have shabby run to the conference final, where they were felled by a Lake Erie been a different tenor in his voice, but his care and best interests for Monsters team then went on to win Cleveland’s first pro sports those he was entrusted with resonated. championship in 52 years. Today is a tough day. Thank you Stutts for everything. A great coach and Samuel Fagemo, Akil Thomas, Tyler Madden, Cole Hults and Alex teacher, but an even better person and man. You pushed us everyday to Turcotte will all play their first North American pro games this season, become better players and better people and I’ll always be grateful for and Rasmus Kupari is looking to build off an Ontario debut halted by a our time together. Thank-You. pic.twitter.com/TdsjX3Oe1X season-ending knee injury. Stothers, who was 220-137-35-13 as — Brett Sutter (@sutter_brett) May 30, 2020 Manchester and Ontario’s coach with a championship during a period the team had traded first round picks in 2011, 2013, 2015 and 2016, leaves via Reign Insider: the team on good terms and the appreciation of those he served under and alongside. The sense I have is that the team sees this as a very Czarnecki: How’s Bissonnette, looked like he went down hard in third important juncture in its prospect development, one in which they want to after Bickel hit? continue to imprint their desired DNA on its personnel. Stothers was Stothers: Biss is fine. He is at the back of the bus telling anyone who will plenty qualified at that, and Rob Blake and the LA Kings still view the listen how he went in and won the faceoff clean, in the second period. competitiveness he directly stoked as a core constitutional trait that they This will be one of the few times he voluntarily comes into my office to seek out and cultivate in their player pool. They’re also looking to boost Watch video, then he will want the clip sent to his dad. skill and scoring and maximize the skill set of an important generational group and will search out a new voice to do so. More from Bus Texts:

I do not get the sense that they already have a clear figure locked up for Stothers on Kempe getting “sewn up” so he “will be back on the cover of this position. After the realization settled that we weren’t going to work GQ magazine as early as the next issue” with Stutts anymore, there were a few names that initially came to mind. Among them were Chris Hajt, a current and former Ontario assistant Stothers on a “first name gutless, last name stupid” sucker punch sandwiched around two years on Phil Housley’s staff in Buffalo, and Stothers on Stockton chopping at opponents “like a lumberjack building a Marco Sturm, an assistant under Todd McLellan. The Kings are not tied log cabin” to promoting from within, nor should there be an expectation that they will, but off an initial glance, I believe both will draw (or have drawn) View this post on Instagram some consideration. There are also several younger coaches from the How does it feel to beat your biggest rival and head to the the Western junior ranks that I’d think would draw very serious consideration, as well; Conference Finals? Pretty. Darn. GREAT! #SoCalSeries #CalderCup I wouldn’t be surprised to see the organization favor coaches with fairly #playoffs #ONTvsSD recent experience in college or major junior levels. A post shared by ontarioreignhockey (@ontarioreignhockey) on May 15, More on the AHL gig throughout ::gestures to swath of indeterminate 20 length:: LA Times: LOADED: 06.02.2020 Sad to see Stutts go. One of the best coaches I had . Great guy and great person. Thank you for everything Stutts. Good luck with everything. ⁦@LAKings⁩ ⁦@ontarioreign⁩ pic.twitter.com/XjqFy5LtPt

— peter_budaj31 (@PBudaj31) May 30, 2020

As for Stothers, I still go back to the 2015 Calder Cup as one of my favorite projects with the Kings. On the way from Manchester to Utica between Games 2 and 3, after the Monarchs won a pair of games in overtime to take a 2-0 lead on the road with them, he chewed out one of the members of the team’s staff when the buses stopped at a poorly equipped rest area in Western Mass like I’d rarely been chewed out in hockey before. (And I’ve been chewed out!)

After celebrating in/sullying the visitors rocker room at the Utica Memorial Auditorium a week later, and some two or three hours into a beer- drenched drive through the night back to New Hampshire, the two buses – one “loud” bus for the players and another for the coaches and staff – stopped at another rest stop so players and staff could restock at a 24- hour convenience mart. (This was approximately when Rob McPherson of KingsVision accidentally booked his return flight to Los Angeles for the following day rather than later that morning. Friends, be careful booking travel at one in the morning whilst celebrating a sports title.)

All players looked alike in their playoff beards, some of which were shorn off by the time we’d left Utica and made recognition difficult. But a hoodied figure I want to believe was Nic Dowd stepped up onto our bus holding a beer while barking/swearing, words that were immediately met 1185696 Montreal Canadiens Sally Jenkins of the Washington Post wrote a fantastic column on the weekend about Kaepernick and the NFL.

“Two knees,” Jenkins wrote to begin her column. “One protesting in the Stu on Sports: Canadiens issue a statement against violence and racism grass, one pressing on the back of a man’s neck. Choose. You have to choose which knee you will defend. There are no half choices; there is no room for indifference. There is only the knee of protest or the knee on the Author of the article:Stu Cowan • Montreal Gazette neck.

“NFL owners chose the knee on the neck.”

On Monday, the Canadiens joined many other pro sports teams, leagues Jenkins’s entire column is a must-read. Click here to read it. and players in issuing an official statement on social media expressing their support for peaceful protests after George Floyd, a black man, was Today’s @SInow Daily Cover, on the coming reconsideration of Colin killed in Minnesota by a policeman. Kaepernick: https://t.co/yTsvVuKbm4

“Like everyone else, we were horrified by the Images of this heinous and — Michael Rosenberg (@Rosenberg_Mike) June 1, 2020 despicable crime,” read the Canadiens’ statement, which was posted on Air Jordan weighs in Twitter. “Violence and racism need to stop, and as an organization we have always been committed to doing our part to share our fundamental Even former NBA superstar Michael Jordan weighed in on what values of inclusion and respect.” happened in Minnesota with an official statement on Twitter.

Déclaration des Canadiens de Montréal Jordan has never been one to weigh in on social issues and took heat during a 1990 Senate race in his home state of North Carolina when he A statement from the Montreal Canadiens pic.twitter.com/6ldXHq6ATP was with the Chicago Bulls and refused to endorse Democrat Harvey — Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) June 1, 2020 Gantt, an African-American who was running against incumbent Republican Jesse Helms, who was regarded as a notorious racist. Evander Kane, a black player with the San Jose Sharks, joined Stephen Brunt, Richard Deitsch and former Montreal Gazette baseball writer Jeff Jordan, who made hundreds of millions of dollars over the years by Blair on Toronto Sportsnet 590 The FAN’s Writers Bloc show Friday and endorsing Nike, was quoted at the time saying: “Republicans buy called on more voices in prominent positions in the sports world and sneakers, too. elsewhere to speak up and show their outrage. Statement from Michael Jordan: pic.twitter.com/lWkZOf1Tmr

Kane also spoke about the culture in hockey, where he said “rocking the — Jordan (@Jumpman23) May 31, 2020 boat” is frowned upon. During the recent ESPN documentary series about Jordan titledThe Last “The problem is that hockey culture and the way it’s ingrained, especially Dance, which can be seen in Canada on Netflix, Jordan said his in terms of Canada and throughout minor hockey, is to put your head comment was a joke. down, go to work, and shut your mouth,” Kane said. “That’s essentially the message from when you step on the ice from five years or eight “I don’t think that statement needs to be corrected because I said it in jest years old, whenever it may be. And it’s continuously pounded in to you, on a bus with Horace Grant and Scottie Pippen,” Jordan says in the to conform to what everybody else is doing. documentary. “It was thrown off the cuff. My mother asked to do a PSA for Harvey Gantt, and I said: ‘Look, Mom, I’m not speaking out of pocket “And when you have certain players that don’t conform to what these old- about someone that I don’t know. But I will send a contribution to support school mindsets that are at the top are telling you to do, then you’re him.’ Which is what I did. viewed as a bad apple or a problem or a bad guy. And that’s a major problem, and there’s been plenty of examples of that.” “I do commend Muhammad Ali for standing up for what he believed in,” Jordan added. “But I never thought of myself as an activist. I thought of Former Canadien P.K. Subban immediately comes to mind for me. myself as a basketball player. I wasn’t a politician when I was playing my Below is a tweet linking to an NHL.com story with reaction from several sport. I was focused on my craft. Was that selfish? Probably. But that NHL players on social media, including Subban, who quotes the late was my energy. That’s where my energy was.” rapper Tupac Shakur saying: “It’s not black against white. When I say Helms ended up winning re-election to a fourth term in North Carolina, ‘we,’ it’s the good against the evil.” getting 52.6 per cent of the vote, while Gantt received 47.4 per cent.

Current and former NHL players took to social media throughout the Jordan’s decision to weigh-in now on what happened in Minnesota might weekend to comment on calls for racial justice following the death of have something to do with the excellent Nike “Don’t Do It” video below, George Floyd. Here are some of their posts: https://t.co/bzxr8yYovC which was retweeted by the Canadiens’ Max Domi. — NHL.com (@NHLdotcom) June 1, 2020 Let’s all be part of the change. #UntilWeAllWin NFL statement is laughable pic.twitter.com/38CQGkye0a

Commissioner Roger Goodell issued an official statement on behalf of — Max Domi (@maxdomi) May 29, 2020 the NFL on the weekend that actually made me laugh. This Date in Habs History “We recognize the power of our platform in communities and as part of It was on June 1, 1988 that the Canadiens hired Pat Burns as their new the fabric of American society,” Goodell wrote. “We embrace that head coach, replacing Jean Perron. responsibility and are committed to continuing the important work to address these systemic issues together with our players, clubs and “When you hire Pat Burns, you hire his instincts,” former Montreal partners.” Gazette columnist Michael Farber wrote in the next day’s paper. pic.twitter.com/rRUOPpWSpE “You don’t spend 16 years of your life as a cop without developing instincts,” Farber continued. “You know who’s who, what’s what, and who — NFL (@NFL) May 30, 2020 might be looking to stick a shiv in your ribs. This is the same NFL that kicked former San Francisco 49ers “Whether those instincts click in at a bar in Gatineau or in the locker room quarterback Colin Kaepernick out of the league for kneeling during the of the Montreal Canadiens, it doesn’t much matter. The Canadiens hired national anthem before games as a silent protest against police brutality themselves a hockey coach yesterday but they also hired themselves a against African-Americans in the U.S. cop. Burns still has the instincts, the nose. A good cop never loses his What happened in Minnesota is the exact reason why Kaepernick and nose. some other NFL players were taking a knee during the 2016 season. “Yeah, you go into the dressing room and you can spot the bad guys, the Maybe the NFL should have listened back then and embraced “that jerks, who’s lying,” Burns told Farber. “After so many years as a responsibility” Goodell now writes about. policeman, you get a sense of things. Even in your private life. You see something happening, and you make note of the licence plate. It’s just I also absolutely love the tweet and video below from Sergey Kocharov, something that becomes part of you.” who is the vice-president of communications for the Washington Capitals.

“The Canadiens can use a cop,” Farber wrote. “Or a babysitter. Either It’s an important video with what’s going on in the world today. one probably could do the job with a group of miscreants that needs constant care.” “No one is born hating another person because the color of his skin, or his background or his religion. People learn to hate, and if they can learn Burns would take the Canadiens to the Stanley Cup final in his first year to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the behind the bench before losing to the Calgary Flames. Burns made the human heart than its opposite.” - Mandela. https://t.co/E8Ay1qEe6D playoffs in each of his four seasons with the Canadiens before deciding to leave Montreal and become coach of the . — Sergey Kocharov (@SergeyKocharov) May 31, 2020

Burns would go on to win the Stanley Cup with the New Jersey Devils in Montreal Gazette LOADED: 06.02.2020 2003.

Sadly, Burns passed away on Nov. 19, 2010 after a long battle with cancer. He was 58.

THIS DATE IN #EXPOS HISTORY - June 1

2000 - Carl Pavano scattered 8 hits over 8 innings in 5-3 win over Orioles.

1980 - Andre Dawson's third double of game in 12th inning drove home Warren Cromartie in 7-6 win over Cards.

1974 - Bob Stinson hit 3-run homer in 7-6 win over Braves pic.twitter.com/mFVA46zXzL

— Stu Cowan (@StuCowan1) June 1, 2020

Birthday boy

Happy birthday to former Expos outfielder/first-baseman Brad Wilkerson, who turned 43 on Monday.

Wilkerson spent four seasons with the Expos and was in the lineup for their final game at Olympic Stadium when they lost 9-1 to the Florida Marlins on Sept. 29, 2004, in front of 31,395 fans. After the game, Wilkerson tried to talk to a few reporters, but as Jack Todd wrote in the Montreal Gazette the next day, Wilkerson “broke down himself and slumped weeping over his spikes, too upset to speak.”

Wilkerson was also in the lineup on Oct. 3, 2004, when the Expos lost 8- 1 to the New York Mets at Shea Stadium in their final game before becoming the Washington Nationals.

“The last home game was a little tougher, with how the fans stood up and showed so much class and were loud, as Montreal fans always are,” Wilkerson told former Montreal Gazette baseball writer Stephanie Myles after the game in New York.

Remembering Michel Plasse

Monday would have been former Canadiens goalie Michel Plasse’s 72nd birthday.

Sadly, Plasse died from a heart attack on Dec. 30, 2006, at age 58.

The Canadiens selected Plasse with the No. 1 overall pick at the 1968 NHL Draft. He remains one of only three goalies ever to be selected No. 1 at the draft, along with Rick DiPietro (2000, ) and Marc-André Fleury (2003, Pittsburgh Penguins).

On Feb. 21, while playing for the Kansas City Blues in the CHL, Plasse became the first professional goalie to score a goal in a game against Oklahoma City.

Plante would spend two seasons with the Canadiens before being claimed by the Kansas City Scouts in the 1974 NHL expansion draft.

Quote of the day

I absolutely love the quote below from ’s mother that hockey- writing legend Stan Fischler shared on Twitter Monday.

Orr has two brothers, Ron and Doug, and two sisters, Pat and Penny.

Answer to Sunday's Tell The Maven: When interviewed by a reporter Bobby Orr's mother was asked: "What do you think of your son?" To which Mrs. Orr succinctly replied:

"Which one?" (One of the best answers of all-time.)

— Stan Fischler (@StanFischler) June 1, 2020

Video of the day 1185697 Nashville Predators

Chris Mason says hardest part of new NHL playoff format will be playing without fans

Will Backus, Nashville Tennessean Published 7:00 a.m. CT June 1, 2020 | Updated 11:07 a.m. CT June 1, 2020

During a zoom press briefing, Nashville Preds center Nick Bonino took questions from fans and reporters. Nashville Tennessean

When the Predators return to the ice, it won't be in Bridgestone Arena and it will be without fans.

On May 26, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman revealed the league's plan to return to play, which features a 24-team playoff format that will be split between two hub cities. Games will be played in an empty arena, with only essential personnel allowed access.

Nashville was not among the 10 cities proposed as one of the host sites. Each "hub" will host 12 teams, one for each conference.

In a segment on "The Return of Predators Hockey: A Fox Sports Roundtable," which aired at 8:30 p.m. CT Sunday night on Fox Sports Tennessee, former Predators goalkeeper and current analyst Chris Mason shared his concerns with the new format.

"To me, the biggest thing will be playing without fans," Mason said. "Fans always used to ask you, 'Do you hear us out there? Do we make that much of a difference?' Yes, yes you do."

The roundtable featured analysts from the Predators and their first opponent in the new playoff format, the , discussing the return to play.

The NHL does not have a return date planned, though the hope is for July or August. The league plans to reopen facilities in early June for restricted, voluntary workouts, with training camps to be held after July 10.

Nashville has not played a game since March 10, a 4-2 win over Montreal. The Predators finished the regular season with a 35-26-8 overall record, which nets them the No. 6 seed for the Western Conference in the new playoff format.

Even though games will be played in a different city, Mason said players still would appreciate the presence of fans.

"When you score that goal and you don't have that eruption in the building," Mason said. "Even as a visitor when you're an opposing goalie, you feed off the other fans."

Mason proposed filtering in crowd noise or other in-game noise over the speaker to fill the void left by the lack of fans, though no plans have been made by the NHL in that regard.

He also said that he was not sure it would be a sufficient simulation of the real thing.

Terry Crisp, a former NHL coach and a current Fox Sports Tennessee analyst, said that the effect that crowd noise has extends to the coaches. In Crisp's case, loud and rambunctious fans saved him from drawing several penalties.

"In that respect, I would really miss the fans cause they were saving my rear end from the referees saying, 'You're out of here, and you're gone,' " Crisp said. "Sports without fans, it ain't right. It just isn't right."

Tennessean LOADED: 06.02.2020 1185698 New York Islanders is encouraging to see people of all colors around the world speaking out and protesting another human tragedy that has too often been the death of a black person. No one should be excused from acts of racial hatred. Sports figures take stand for racial justice amid nationwide protests Please do not allow anyone to demonize those who are standing up against these acts.”

Giancarlo Stanton, traded to the Yankees from the Marlins by Jeter, By Andrew Gross tweeted out this weekend, “Enough is Enough. It’s going to take everyone to help this system change.” Mets’ hurler Marcus Stroman,

from Medford, tweeted this weekend that racism is “thriving” in the U.S. Anders Lee is a white athlete who grew up in Edina, Minnesota. The and those who turn a blind eye are “part of the problem.” Islanders captain has watched protests against racial inequality rage in Mets teammate Pete Alonso posted earlier this weekend on his the United States in the wake of a black man dying while being held Instagram account, “To anyone who faces this type of discrimination, I down by a white police officer in nearby Minneapolis. will fight for you and be an ally.” On Monday, Lee joined a growing list of professional athletes, coaches Statement from the New York Mets. pic.twitter.com/bUaDqR11fH and leagues speaking up for racial justice. — New York Mets (@Mets) Jun 153, 2020 pic.twitter.com/K08JN0ZG2T On Monday, the Mets tweeted, “Queens, NY is one of the most diverse — Anders Lee (@leeberr09) Jun 153, 2020 areas in our country. We take pride in our diversity. It is our strength. “I will never fully understand because [of] the color of my skin but I have That is why we denounce all forms of racism and discrimination…We an opportunity to make a difference,” Lee said in a statement posted on hope to be a part of positive change in our society.” his Twitter account. “I stand for anti-racism. I stand for the rights of black Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson said he feared for the lives people in America, so we can all be equal. I stand alongside the black of children. community through this difficult time and in the future. I stand for the justice of George Floyd and the countless others who have been killed by pic.twitter.com/WdZwlVLwtQ racism. Black Lives Matter.” — Russell Wilson (@DangeRussWilson) Jun 153, 2020 Floyd died in Minneapolis on May 25. He was in handcuffs and face down on a city street as police officer Derek Chauvin kneeled on his “I remember my dad and grandfather telling me vivid stories of the 50s neck. and 60s regarding the brutal acts of violence inflicted upon blacks,” Wilson said in a statement. “It seems that we have been thrust back to Rangers prospect K’Andre Miller, who was born in the Minneapolis those horrific events all over again in 2020. The reality is the past has suburb of Hopkins to a white mother and black father and who had never left us. racially derogatory comments hacked into a Zoom teleconference in April, also tweeted his support for Black Lives Matter on Monday. “We need true leadership. We need justice. We need equality.”

“I struggle because I’ve never been fully accepted by either the black Many players have accused NFL commissioner Roger Goodell of community or the white community,” said Miller, adding he was “targeted” hypocrisy after his statement on Saturday that, “The protesters’ reactions because of his race in youth hockey. “It’s time to let black people be to these incidents reflect the pain, anger and frustration that so many of judged based on who we are not what we look like.” us feel.” Quarterback Colin Kaepernick’s career was effectively ended once he began kneeling during the national anthem as a silent protest The marches, both violent and peaceful, have been a daily occurrence against racial inequality. since, as have the Images of looting and fires burning in cities such as Philadelphia and Los Angeles. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, in a memo to league personnel this weekend, said he was “heartened” by league and WNBA personnel Former Atlanta Braves’ great Dale Murphy said Sunday his son, Shawn, “speaking out to demand justice, urging peaceful protest and working for was hit in the eye by a rubber bullet while participating in a protest in meaningful change,” and pledged to continue the NBA’s efforts to Denver. “promote inclusion and bridge divides.”

Last night, my son was shot in the eye with a rubber bullet while The Nets, the New York Liberty and Barclays Center issued a peacefully protesting for justice for George Floyd. His story is not unique. joint statement this weekend that “Enough is enough.” Countless others have also experienced this use of excessive police force while trying to have their voices heard. Nets interim coach Jacque Vaughn, Knicks interim coach Mike Miller and former Knicks coach David Fizdale were among those who attached their — Dale Murphy (@DaleMurphy3) May 152, 2020 name to a statement from the National Basketball Coaches’ Association saying, “The events of the past few weeks — police brutality, racial “His story is not unique,” Murphy tweeted. “Countless others have also profiling and the weaponization of racism are shameful, inhumane and experienced this use of excessive police force while trying to have their intolerable.” voices heard.” National Basketball Coaches Association Membership Statement on the Chicago Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews said on his Instagram Death of George Floyd pic.twitter.com/Yc7QNpnVr5 account he now understands the anger. — NBA Coaches Assoc. (@NBA_Coaches) Jun 153, 2020 “A lot of people may claim these riots and acts of destruction are a terrible response,” Toews posted. “I’ll be the first to admit that as a white On Monday, ESPN reported the coaches’ association had established a male that was also my first reaction. But who am I to tell someone that committee on racial injustice and reform that included Fizdale. their pain is not real? I’m not condoning or approving the looting, but are we really going to sit here and say that peaceful protesting is the only Former Knick Enes Kanter, now with the Boston Celtics, participated in a answer? There has been plenty of time for that, and if it was the answer protest in that city on Sunday night. He wore his green, No. 11 Boston we would’ve given it our full attention long ago.” jersey and chanted, “I can’t breathe,” echoing what Floyd said as he was held down. Miami Marlins CEO Derek Jeter, who shared few opinions as Yankees captain, pulled no punches in a statement released via Twitter on Former Knick Patrick Ewing, now the Georgetown coach and recovering Monday. from COVID-19, tweeted on Monday, “We have a responsibility and a platform to speak out against racism and injustice. We will not be silent. pic.twitter.com/rObsemS29n We will not ignore senseless violence and brutality. We will be part of the solution.” — Miami Marlins (@Marlins) Jun 153, 2020 It’s time for our voices to be heard. pic.twitter.com/xQjXeAs7Nw “This is a narrative that has happened far too often with us as people of color,” Jeter said. “It is time for racial hatred to end and to be — Patrick Ewing (@CoachEwing33) Jun 153, 2020 unquestionably recognized and responded to with severe punishment. It The NHL issued a statement late on Sunday declaring the league stood, “with all those who are working to achieve a racially just society and against all those who perpetuate and uphold racism, hated, bigotry and violence.”

Statement from the National Hockey League: pic.twitter.com/F0AagVAg4e

— NHL (@NHL) May 152, 2020

The Islanders issued statements on Monday endorsing the stances by both the NHL and Lee.

#UnitedAsOne pic.twitter.com/XUmXIanRKf

— New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) Jun 153, 2020

“We condemn racism and injustice and stand with all affected by senseless violence,” the Islanders said. “We must come together, treating each other with empathy, dignity, and respect…To the brave officers who go to work every day seeing the human being and not the color of one’s skin, we thank you for protecting us.”

Tiger Woods tweeted Monday night: “I have always had the utmost respect for our law enforcement. They train so diligently to understand how, when and where to use force. This shocking tragedy clearly crossed that line.”

He also said: “We can make our points without burning the very neighborhoods we live in. I hope that through constructive, honest conversations we can build a safer, unified society.”

Notable quotes

“I will never fully understand because [of] the color of my skin but I have an opportunity to make a difference. I stand for anti-racism. I stand for the rights of black people in America, so we can all be equal."— Anders Lee

“This is a narrative that has happened far too often with us as people of color. It is time for racial hatred to end and to be unquestionably recognized and responded to with severe punishment." — Derek Jeter

“Enough is Enough. It’s going to take everyone to help this system change.” — Giancarlo Stanton

“To anyone who faces this type of discrimination, I will fight for you and be an ally.” — Pete Alonso

“We have a responsibility and a platform to speak out against racism and injustice. We will not be silent." — Patrick Ewing

Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 06.02.2020 1185699 New York Islanders Sebastian Aho-Thomas Hickey

Lamoriello told reporters last week that Pelech, out since rupturing his Achilles’ tendon in January, would be a full go for this month’s Phase 2 Projecting the Islanders’ roster for when the NHL returns to play workouts. That’s a huge return for the Islanders, who didn’t look great for six weeks prior to Pelech’s injury but were incredibly inconsistent without their underrated top-pair defenseman. Andy Greene, acquired a month By Arthur Staple Jun 1, 2020 before the pause, won’t be accustomed to sitting out, but he was brought in to replace a guy who doesn’t need replacing anymore, so he drops

down the depth chart. The calendar has turned to June and Phase 2 of the NHL’s return to play Boychuk had missed a couple of games after taking the horrific skate cut plan may be enacted shortly. That would mean small groups of NHL to his eyelid before the season went on hold, so it doesn’t seem likely players, including the Islanders, would be permitted to skate again. that Dobson would hang onto that spot now. Aho would be the only one Beyond that is a possible training camp, no earlier than July 10, and the who wasn’t on the NHL roster at the pause who’d be brought back, much 24-team playoff, likely starting in August. the same way he was called up a handful of times this season just to So still a long way off and with many hurdles to leap. But Lou Lamoriello, round out the practice group, never getting into a game. Barry Trotz and the Islanders staff have been planning for what’s to Goalies (4) come, most notably for an expanded, 28-skater roster that teams will be permitted to carry for the duration of the postseason, plus as many Semyon Varlamov goalies as a team wants. Thomas Greiss As with previous roster decisions at the end of the 2018-19 and 2019-20 training camps, the Islanders do not typically go beyond the simplest Ilya Sorokin* course of action. That likely applies here, as well — Lamoriello and Trotz Christopher Gibson prefer experience and, with a fully healthy squad, there are barely any open spots for younger, less proven players. First things first: Varlamov and Greiss are the Islanders goalies heading into the postseason. It would be so very out of character for Trotz or But we haven’t seen a healthy Islander squad in a long while, so let’s Lamoriello to go with an unknown like Sorokin over their two NHL take a look at what the forward, defense and goalie groups may look like veterans at such a crucial time. if and when training camps pick up next month. Now, regarding Sorokin, who hasn’t signed a contract as of today: He’s Forwards (18) still in limbo thanks to the NHL’s decision to change a longstanding Anders Lee-Mathew Barzal-Jordan Eberle league rule and not allow unsigned draft choices to sign 2019-20 contracts during the pause. The players’ association is going to fight the Anthony Beauvillier--Josh Bailey league on this seemingly arbitrary change — remember, Cale Makar made his NHL debut for the Avalanche in last season’s playoffs, so this -J-G Pageau-Derick Brassard avenue has been used very recently. The league and the PA have Matt Martin-Casey Cizikas-Cal Clutterbuck agreed to extend the deadline for signing such players from today until July 1, though in Sorokin’s case (as well as ’s with the Wild Leo Komarov-Otto Koivula-Tom Kuhnhackl and Grigori Denisenko with the Panthers) there’s the matter of securing a work visa and getting over to the States from Russia in the middle of a Kieffer Bellows-Andrew Ladd-Ross Johnston pandemic. So time is of the essence. As far as invitees, the only real open spot is the one Bellows occupies. If the league prevails and Sorokin doesn’t join the team for the July After a strong AHL season with 22 goals and a capable eight-game training camp, you’d likely see Jared Coreau along with Christopher Islander stint, Bellows has likely earned a chance to skate with the club Gibson as the extra goalies. There’s a chance Jakub Skarek joins, but if over Oliver Wahlstrom, who also got his first taste of the NHL this the Isles are looking for extra goalies, bringing in a veteran pro who’s still season. Having essentially a second training camp would be beneficial in North America might be easier than getting Skarek back here from the for Wahlstrom, who turns 20 on June 13, but it could be months before Czech Republic. that occurs. This will be a tough decision. As to who starts Game 1 against the Panthers in August, the betting is on The other 17 spots seem spoken for. In the two weeks after the trade Varlamov, who got the bulk of the starts and performed better over the deadline and before the season shut down, the Islanders were carrying final month of the regular season. 16 forwards and had Cizikas on injured reserve, almost ready to return. So it seems obvious that all 17 of those players should be back, if not The Athletic LOADED: 06.02.2020 playing in their same roles.

And about those roles … We’re presuming there are no lockdown injuries and everyone makes it through training camp unscathed, so it’s an ideal situation for Trotz — to have all his players at his disposal. Komarov, who hadn’t been a regular when healthy this season, could easily trade spots with Dal Colle, but my instinct is to believe that Pageau could fill Komarov’s spot on the second PK unit and that would render Komarov’s lineup presence less crucial.

The Islanders’ four centers being healthy and playing together for the first time will be interesting to watch. Lamoriello paid a high price to acquire Pageau — if the Isles lose their qualifying round series to the Panthers and don’t win the draft lottery, they will be surrendering a pick in the 13- 15 range to the Senators, along with their second rounder — and paid Pageau handsomely in the name of having one of the deepest center groups in the league. Now the Isles may get the chance to show it off.

Defense (10)

Adam Pelech-

Devon Toews-

Nick Leddy-Johnny Boychuk

Andy Greene-Noah Dobson 1185700 New York Rangers

Rangers’ K’Andre Miller speaks out after being target of racist Zoom hack

By Mark Fischer June 1, 2020 | 8:33pm | Updated

The death of George Floyd sparked Rangers prospect K’Andre Miller to speak out Monday for the first time about being the target of hundreds of racial slurs while conducting an online Q&A with fans after signing his NHL contract.

“I’ve struggled for months to find the words to express my frustration and anger over the Zoom conference call incident when I was to be introduced after signing my NHL contract,” the 20-year-old black defenseman wrote in a statement posted to Twitter. “It’s something that I won’t ever forget.”

Miller waited to address the April chat hacking because “it seemed like there were so many other priorities in the world, that it wasn’t my place to speak out,” he said, referencing the coronavirus.

But the death of Floyd, a 46-year-old black man who was killed by a white police officer last week in Minneapolis, and the protests that followed, prompted Miller, a Minnesota native, to take a stand.

“I struggle because I’ve never been fully accepted by either the black community or the white community,” Miller said. “I struggle because for years I have been one of the only people of color on my hockey teams. I have been targeted because of my race when I was in youth hockey by some coaches, parents and players, but I refused to give up because of my love for the game.”

The NHL and all tiers of hockey have long-been hotbeds for racism. In 2011, a fan in Canada threw a banana onto the ice when then-Flyers forward Wayne Simmonds, who is black, was attempting to score in a shootout.

Former NHLer Akim Aliu in November alleged that his one-time coach Bill Peters showered him with racial slurs while he played under Peters a decade ago in the minor leagues. Peters resigned as the Calgary Flames coach this season following the accusations, and found a new coaching job in Russia.

In response to the Miller incident, the NHL said that “no one deserves to be subjected to such ugly treatment and it will not be tolerated in our League.”

The Rangers eventually disabled the chat feature, and the call continued without further disruption. Five-hundred fans had logged on to hear from their newest player.

Miller, the team’s 22nd overall pick in the 2018 NHL Draft, signed a three-year, $3.825 million contract with the Rangers on March 16, shortly after the league shut down due to the coronavirus.

The Rangers on Monday did not immediately return a request for comment.

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Kaapo Kakko ‘feeling great’ amid Rangers’ coronavirus concerns

By Larry Brooks June 1, 2020 | 7:40PM

As Kaapo Kakko is on the ice in Finland preparing to rejoin the Rangers for the qualifying round against Carolina if the NHL is indeed able to stage its summer Stanley Cup tournament, president John Davidson isn’t alone in monitoring conditions that would apply to the 19-year-old who has Type 1 diabetes and celiac disease.

“We are in constant communication with [Kakko],” Andy Scott, Kakko’s agent, told The Post via email on Monday. “He is skating, working out and feeling great.

“As you can appreciate, we are monitoring everything closely for all of our players, including Kaapo, and we will be listening to the advice of our medical experts, and those of the Rangers, regarding his particular situation.”

According to the main page of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) website, “Current evidence suggests that individuals with well-managed T1D are NOT at higher risk of contracting COVID-19. Experts further say that if someone with well-managed T1D does contract COVID-19, they are not necessarily at higher risk of developing serious complications from the disease. Those at greatest risk are people with consistently elevated blood sugar levels and those with a second chronic disease [such as heart disease or lung disease].”

Kaako, the second-overall selection in last June’s entry draft, recorded 10 goals and 23 points in 66 games as a freshman. The winger broke a 14-game drought by scoring twice in the Blueshirts’ 4-2 victory in their penultimate match in Dallas on March 10.

“I know that he’s skating and working out like a madman to try to get ready to come back. I’m sure he’s going to want to play, but at the same time, again, it’s important for everybody to be taken care of regarding their health,” Davidson had said on a Zoom call with reporters Thursday. “It doesn’t matter if you’re a 19-year-old young player or if you’re an older executive. Everything has to be done in the right fashion.

“If he, hypothetically, cannot play, he can’t play. We’re going to take care of him, he’s a big part of us. If he can play, he’s going to play and I’m sure he’s going to want to play. But we listen to the science, we listen to the medical people, they’re going to tell us what to do.”

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NY Rangers prospect K'Andre Miller: 'I support the Black Lives Matter movement'

Vincent Z. Mercogliano, NHL Writer Published 7:02 p.m. ET June 1, 2020 | Updated 7:17 p.m. ET June 1, 2020

The only African-American player in the New York Rangers' organization tweeted Monday evening declaring his support in the movement for racial justice.

K'Andre Miller, a 20-year-old defenseman who signed his entry-level contract in March, posted a thoughtful statement that delved into what it's like being a black hockey player, writing, "it’s time to let black people be judged based on who we are not what we look like.”

The former first-round pick began by recalling a highly publicized incident during a video conference on the platform Zoom shortly after his signing. The chat was hijacked, with racial slurs being hurled at Miller in the written comments section.

K'Andre Miller puts on a team jersey after being selected by the New York Rangers in the first round of the 2018 draft.

"It’s something that I won’t ever forget," Miller wrote, adding that he was hesitant to address it at the time due to "many other priorities in the world," specifically the coronavirus pandemic.

Miller grew up in St. Paul, Minnesota, near where George Floyd was recently killed while police restrained him and compressed his neck, which sparked national protest and unrest.

The NHL and several teams have released statements in support of the black community, but as of 7 p.m., the Rangers have yet to issue any public statement.

Here is the full tweet from Miller:

Black Lives Matter. pic.twitter.com/8RFWwSEaaE

— K'Andre Miller (@kandre_miller) June 1, 2020

“I’ve struggled for months to find the words to express my frustration and anger over the Zoom conference call incident when I was to be introduced after signing my NHL contract. It’s something that I won’t ever forget. But with COVID19 taking a stranglehold on the nation, it seemed like there were so many other priorities in the world, that it wasn’t my place to speak out about that incident. This pandemic isn’t discriminatory, it has been difficult for everyone and the priority was to keep everyone safe.

Now, in the midst of the senseless death of George Floyd, at the hands of a Minneapolis police officer, the peaceful protests and violent riots have become the focus for all of us. I want to express my growing concern for the safety of our citizens of color, specifically in my home state, given the recent events. I support the Black Lives Matter movement.

I struggle because I’ve never fully accepted by either the black community or the white community. I struggle because for years I have been one of the only people of color on my hockey teams. I have been targeted because of my race when I was in youth hockey by some coaches, parents and players, but I refused to give up because of my love for the game.

You can only imagine how it felt to have an organization like the New York Rangers draft me, the hockey player. For that one moment in time I didn’t have to be defined by the color of my skin but rather on my hockey skills, athletic ability and character. This is how it should be all the time. It’s time for action, time for change and once and for all, it’s time to let black people be judged based on who we are not what we look like.”

Bergen Record LOADED: 06.02.2020 1185703 New York Rangers Goalies

Starter — Igor Shesterkin

Projecting the New York Rangers' playoff roster for the NHL restart: Who Backup — Henrik Lundqvist makes the cut? Extra — Alexandar Georgiev

Thoughts: It's a debate that will continue until the puck drops, with Vincent Z. Mercogliano, NHL Writer Published 1:50 p.m. ET June 1, 2020 Davidson saying the starting goalie will be "a coach's decision." | Updated 2:09 p.m. ET June 1, 2020 Frankly, I think too much is being made of that comment. What purpose does it serve the Rangers to announce a starter before we even know if and when the games will be played? This is a situation where I would By approving the 24-team playoff format last week, the NHL has taken trust the actions more than the words, and the Rangers' actions at the one of the many steps it will require to conclude the 2019-20 season. end of the season made it clear that Shesterkin is their No. 1 option.

There are more difficult steps ahead to ensure the league can actually Extras play those games in a safe way — but in the meantime, hockey fans can have a little fun imagining what a return to play would look like. Forwards — Lemieux (suspended), Steven Fogarty, Tim Gettinger, Micheal Haley and Vinni Lettieri That starts with putting together rosters for the qualifying round, where the New York Rangers are set to potentially face off against the Carolina Defensemen — Nick Ebert, Libor Hájek and Darren Raddysh Hurricanes in a best-of-five series. 's Libor Hajek (25) practicing with his team at the PLAYOFFS: What the 24-team format means for the Rangers Champion Skating Center in Cromwell, CT Jan. 22, 2020. The Wolf Pack are the New York Rangers' minor-league affiliate in the American Hockey RANKINGS: The top prospects at every position for the Rangers League.

Multiple reports have indicated teams will be allowed to carry a roster of Thoughts: If the reports about 28 skaters hold true, the Rangers would 28 skaters and unlimited goalies, although nothing has been announced have eight more spots to fill. These players would add extra bodies for in an official capacity. camp, but their main purpose is to protect against injuries.

Which players should the Blueshirts select? Here's our initial projection: I believe the Rangers will go with a minimum of five forwards. They have Forwards the depth to add a sixth — Boo Nieves? Danny O'Regan? — but it's not necessary. The five I picked each fill a specific role. Line 1 — Chris Kreider (LW), Mika Zibanejad (C) and Pavel Buchnevich (RW) Fogarty surpassed Nieves as the top center for AHL Hartford this season. Gettinger provides depth on the wing, particularly as a fourth- Line 2 — Artemi Panarin (LW), Ryan Strome (C) and Jesper Fast (RW) liner who the Rangers trust in the defensive zone and on the penalty kill. Haley brings a veteran presence who's more than willing to drop the Line 3 — Phil Di Giuseppe (LW), Filip Chytil (C) and Kaapo Kakko (RW) gloves. Lettieri brings scoring punch in case any of the top guys go down. Line 4 — Brett Howden (LW), Greg McKegg (C) and Julien Gauthier And Lemieux would join the active roster once his suspension is (RW) complete, dropping McKegg down as additional center depth.

Thoughts: The first two lines are easy, but it gets a little tricky after that. I know, I know. You're wondering where Vitali Kravtsov is. As I wrote a The lingering question is whether or not Kakko will be cleared to play. As couple weeks ago, the Rangers are still very high on his potential. But I a Type 1 diabetic with celiac disease, there are concerns he could be just can't see them using him in a playoff game yet. If they need to add more vulnerable to coronavirus than most. Team president John offense to the active roster, Lettieri has the edge following a much more Davidson said he's still unsure, indicating the Rangers will follow the productive season. And I don't believe the Rangers are ready to trust advice of medical professionals. Kravtsov defensively in such important games.

Until further notice, we'll keep Kakko penciled in on the third line. But one Maybe they add him as a confidence boost and for the experience of player we know won't be able to play in Game 1 is Brendan Lemieux. practicing with NHL players, which they could also consider for defensemen like Yegor Rykov and Tarmo Reunanen. The latter could be The NHL Department of Player Safety announced March 13 that a sleeper candidate coming off a solid season in , but Raddysh and Lemieux would be suspended for his hit on Joonas Donskoi of the Ebert feel like safer bets after learning the Rangers' system in Hartford all Colorado Avalanche in what turned out to be the regular-season finale. season. Besides, if any of the top-six defensemen go down, Hájek would The DOPS purposely didn't announce a number of games because of the almost certainly be the first fill-in. fluidity of the situation. I'm told the suspension will remain in effect if the season resumes this summer, but the length is still to be determined by For the record, even though he'd be eligible, I don't see the Rangers senior vice president of player safety . bringing former first-round pick Lias Andersson back from Sweden just to be a healthy scratch. Lemieux's absence increases the likelihood of Howden being used as a left-winger. Expect him to shift to center on the fourth line whenever Bergen Record LOADED: 06.02.2020 Lemieux returns, but the Rangers can use McKegg in the meantime. They might be tempted to use Howden on the third line with Chytil and Kakko, which was an effective combo for a portion of the season. But for the sake of continuity, my hunch is that Di Giuseppe occupies that third line spot.

Defensemen

Pair 1 — Ryan Lindgren (L) and Adam Fox (R)

Pair 2 — Brendan Smith (L) and Jacob Trouba (R)

Pair 3 — Marc Staal (L) and Tony DeAngelo (R)

Thoughts: No surprises here. This is how the Rangers ended the season and it's almost surely how they'll play it if they resume.

You could argue over the top pair, but based on usage — Lindgren and Fox had started 12 consecutive games prior to the pause — the rookie tandem sure looks like No. 1. 1185704 New York Rangers

Rangers prospect K'Andre Miller weighs in on George Floyd's death and his own experience with racism

By Colin Stephenson

K’Andre Miller, the 20-year-old former first-round pick of the Rangers who in April was subjected to racist epithets during a Zoom chat with fans, weighed in Monday on the subject of racism in the wake of the killing of George Floyd.

“I want to express my growing concern for the safety of our citizens of color, specifically in my home state, given recent events,’’ said Miller, a Minnesota native, in a statement posted on his Twitter page Monday evening. “I support the Black Lives Matter movement.’’

Black Lives Matter. pic.twitter.com/8RFWwSEaaE

— K'Andre Miller (@kandre_miller) Jun 153, 2020

Miller, a 6-5, 210-pound defenseman who was the second of three first- round picks the Rangers made in the 2018 draft, had just signed his first professional contract after the conclusion of his second season at the University of Wisconsin. With the NHL on pause since March 12 because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Rangers arranged a Zoom chat with 500 fans to introduce him, but someone hacked into the call and typed repeated racial slurs that Miller was able to see. After the call was over, the Rangers and the NHL put out statements decrying what happened and promising an investigation into the matter.

Miller, who has a black father and a white mother, did not issue a response to the incident until Monday, when he spoke out a week after the death of Floyd, a black man who was killed when a white Minneapolis police officer pinned his knee on his neck for nearly nine minutes. The police officer, Derek Chauvin, was charged with third degree murder on Friday, and there have been protests across the country — some of which have turned violent — during the past few days.

“I’ve struggled for months to find the words to express my frustration and anger over the Zoom conference call incident when I was introduced after signing my NHL contract,’’ Miller said in his statement. “It’s something that I won’t ever forget. But with COVID-19 taking a stranglehold on the nation, it seemed like there were so many other priorities in the world, that it wasn’t my place to speak out about that incident. This pandemic isn’t discriminatory, it has been difficult for everyone and the priority was to keep everyone safe.’’

Miller went on to say that he has “never been fully accepted by either the black community or the white community’’ and that throughout his hockey career, he has had to deal with being “one of the only people of color’’ on the teams he played on. He talked about “being targeted because of my race’’ by parents, coaches and players when he was in youth hockey and spoke about how being drafted by the Rangers was one moment when he “didn’t have to be defined by the color of my skin, but rather on my hockey skills, athletic ability and character.’’

“This is how it should be all the time,’’ he concluded. “It’s time for action, time for change and once and for all, it’s time to let black people be judged based on who we are, not what we look like.’’

Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 06.02.2020 1185705 New York Rangers Also, and this is important, 19-year-old Kakko may be held out due to the potential Covid-19 risk involved for a player with immunity issues due to Type 1 diabetes and Celiac disease. That decision will be made by the Forecasting the skaters the Rangers will carry when they return to play Rangers’ medical staff.

Then, of course, we don’t know which players will be up from Hartford, or otherwise, to fill out the roster of skaters. By Rick Carpiniello And mostly, which of the Rangers’ three goalies will be the Game 1 starter, though we’ve certainly opined on that previously and will again shortly. So much is still unknown about the NHL’s return to play: Where? When? To some degree, how? So, starting with the obvious:

But one thing the teams – in this case the Rangers – do know is that they Forwards will need to set a roster for (fingers crossed) an eventual training camp followed by (fingers crossed) a play-in series against Carolina. First line

When last they convened for an overtime loss in Denver on March 11, Panarin-Strome-Fast the Rangers had a 21-man roster, plus three injured players. Upside: We know that Panarin and Strome have a certain kinship. What we know, or expect – final decision still pending – is that the play- Whether Strome truly is a top-line type of center, it works. Unless a in/playoff roster will likely include 28 skaters and unlimited goaltenders. scoring right winger falls out of the sky, Fast is a good choice to fill out Well, the Rangers already had unlimited goalies (three) when the roster the line. Not only because he provides a defensive conscience but – and limit was 23 players. The number of skaters could change. But we also I think this gets overlooked in his game because of a lack of pure know that for health and safety reasons, traveling parties will be small – offensive skill – he does the other things in the offensive zone that 40 or 50 or so – thus rosters won’t be enormous, relatively speaking. Panarin needs. Fast gets in on the forecheck, recovers pucks, gets them in the hands of Panarin, Strome, and the defensemen, and goes to the Players won’t need to be recalled. Once on the roster, wherever that net front. number ends up being, they are on the team. So if a coach wants to use a player who wasn’t on the 23-man roster at the pause, he can simply do Downside: Again, you’d love to have three offensive players on that line. so. No recall necessary, no transaction necessary, no emergency But it does work with Fast there. And, PS, we’re not sure that’s the first necessary. line or the second, really, but will call it Line 1 because the Rangers’ best offensive player and legit league MVP candidate is on it. If Rangers coach David Quinn wanted to replace Artemi Panarin with Tim Gettinger, he could do so. He’d then be sent to have his head examined, Second line but technically he could do so. Kreider-Zibanejad-Buchnevich

Also, a best-of-five series will force the Rangers to play their whole Upside: Well, this threesome is actually more offensive. Zibanejad could lineup, especially since players should not be expected to be in top game arguably be the team’s MVP even if Panarin is the one in the Hart Trophy shape. During a normal offseason they train for months to be in tip-top conversation. Kreider’s return from a broken foot is certainly a boost – condition before training camp. This will be more like the olden days, the Rangers went 2-4-1 starting with the game in Philadelphia in which when players reported to camp in order to get into shape – though he was injured. Buchnevich ended the season strongly for a second certainly out of shape was defined much differently then and now. straight year and Zibanejad was as hot as any player in the NHL.

Before we get deeper into the potential roster, I just wanted to touch on Downside: There really is none as long as the streaky Buchnevich plays this silly idea floated by Carolina – as if the Hurricanes were so superior the way he has, to be fair, for a majority of the season. to the Rangers through the first 70 games (two points up with two games in hand and the Rangers 4-0 during the season series). Third line

The Hurricanes reportedly proposed that the Rangers would have to win Howden-Chytil-Kakko four games to win the series. So imagine this: The Rangers take a 3-1 series lead. The Canes must win Game 5 to survive. They win it, thus Upside: The Diaper Line was very good for a stretch early in the second losing the series 3-2 and do the Storm Surge as they advance? half of the season. If Kakko plays, it has a chance to be dangerous offensively as a line that avoids an opponent’s top checkers/defensemen. Please. If Kakko doesn’t play, perhaps Gauthier slides into his spot, adding some size and speed. OK, back to the roster. Downside: That line also had some mighty struggles at times. It most In Denver the night before the pause, the Rangers lineup looked like this: certainly isn’t the prototypically defense-minded third line; in fact it is the Artemi Panarin-Ryan Strome-Jesper Fast opposite. Howden’s underlying numbers were awful, though I don’t think he played as poorly as the stats said (nor does Quinn). Chytil was the Phillip Di Giuseppe-Mika Zibanejad-Pavel Buchnevich best of the bunch certainly. Kakko had expected hiccups of a rookie teenager, but finished with a pair of goals in the next-to-last game. Then Brett Howden-Steven Fogarty-Kaapo Kakko there is the inexperience factor to consider. Brendan Lemieux-Greg McKegg-Julien Gauthier Fourth line Brendan Smith-Jacob Trouba Lemieux-McKegg-Gauthier Ryan Lindgren-Adam Fox Upside: As a group, they provide enough defensive-mindedness and Marc Staal-Tony DeAngelo additionally bring the energy and offensive-zone time a good fourth line ideally possesses. Certainly Lemieux adds the elements of toughness, Alexandar Georgiev agitation (he mocked the Storm Surge following the Rangers’ last win in Raleigh) and he draws a lot of penalties for a power play that is Henrik Lundqvist legitimately dangerous. That will not be the lineup in Game 1. Downside: For one, we don’t know if Lemieux will be available at the What we know: Chris Kreider (broken foot) and Filip Chytil (lower body) start. He also, if he plays well, moves up onto the third line regularly. were out injured. Both will be ready to go in training camp. Micheal Haley McKegg is just fine as the pivot on that line. Gauthier, who could slide up, has been out since having core muscle surgery in February. hasn’t yet produced offense at the NHL level, which is why he finished there. What we don’t know: Lemieux was suspended for a late hit in that game in Denver, though the league hasn’t yet determined the length of the Defensemen suspension. First pair think Georgiev could handle the job, but isn’t likely to get that chance this year. Smith-Trouba And the rest … Upside: Trouba was better – and meaner — later in the season, though still inconsistent. He certainly needs a legit first-pair partner. Smith So that likely lineup, spelled out above, puts the Rangers at 21 players – deserves credit for being put in that spot and performing as well as he 18 skaters. They could have as many as 10 more skaters available, and did. that number possibly could go up. Keep in mind that, at least at this point and very much subject to change, college players or free agents signed Downside: Brady Skjei didn’t work out on the first pair and was traded – after the pause or signed to contracts that begin next season are not to Carolina, actually – at the deadline. So Smith, who barely played eligible. That includes Morgan Barron, K’Andre Miller, Patrick defense all season — other than on the penalty kill – got the first-pair nod Khoderenko, and Justin Richards, among others. If they do become by default. Quinn didn’t want to break up his other two effective pairs. eligible, Barron certainly would be an option, among others. Perhaps he will experiment with Staal in that spot during camp. Or perhaps Libor Hajek will get the call. More on him in a bit. Libor Hajek, defenseman

Second pair Hajek was the next defenseman to be recalled from Hartford when the season paused. That move was considered after the Skjei trade, but the Lindgren-Fox Rangers wanted to hang onto all their recall options following the trade Upside: This was arguably the Rangers’ best defense pair, a couple of deadline. He had gone down to the AHL in January while recovering from rookies who were shockingly good from the first time they were paired – a knee injury. Hajek was playing well enough to be considered as and much better together than apart. Fox was a complete revelation in Trouba’s post-Skjei partner, and he will probably get a look there in three zones. Lindgren, who moves the puck perhaps better than anybody camp. anticipated, is otherwise a perfect throwback partner for the offensive- Phillip Di Giuseppe, winger minded Fox. When Kreider went down, Di Giuseppe was promoted to his spot. He Downside: There is a danger, perhaps, in giving them too much could very easily end up playing on the third or fourth line in Game 1 responsibility with their zero games of NHL postseason experience. because of his effective three-zone play, even if it only translated into Other than that, there’s no reason to think they can’t handle what Quinn one goal and three assists. He certainly is a top candidate to play during puts on their shoulders. Lemieux’s suspension or if Kakko is held out. Di Giuseppe has played Third pair 170 NHL games (15-30-45), but never in the playoffs.

Staal-DeAngelo Vitali Kravtsov, winger

Upside: In 2018-19, this was the first pair for long stretches, often given The drama is in the rearview mirror – Kravtsov sulked when he didn’t shutdown assignments just because there was nobody else to do that make the team in training camp, then left Hartford to return to Russia job. I think Staal has had two solid seasons in a row and that DeAngelo before coming back. His game got better late in the season, and even if has come miles in his maturity as a player. All credit to him for doing so. the Rangers aren’t sure if they’d use him ahead of other forwards, it certainly would be good for his development if he came to camp to be Downside: If they are forced to play too many crucial minutes or around the coaches and teammates in July. Why not? matchups because the other pairs fail, they could be exposed. Lias Andersson, center/winger Goalies: Similar boat as Kravtsov, only more experience. Andersson sulked in Henrik Lundqvist Hartford, then left the team and was suspended, before the Rangers loaned him to HV71 of the Swedish league in late January. There he Upside: We all know his playoff pedigree, the Game 7 records, the showed off some of his skill. Andersson and the Rangers front office elimination-game records, his 127 consecutive post-season starts … And have been in touch, particularly team president John Davidson, and we all know he’s 24-4-0, 1.73, .947 against Carolina since 2011, Andersson will be treated as if he is one of their players until he isn’t. It including three impressive wins this season. The Rangers could surely couldn’t hurt anybody or anything (especially his trade value) for him to have bigger problems than starting Lundqvist for a potential storybook be present when the season restarts. Plus he has 66 NHL games under ending. his belt and has the kind of hard-nosed, abrasive game that translates in Downside: Lundqvist, 38, started just one of the last 19 games and four the playoffs. of the last 30 (1-3) after Igor Shesterkin was recalled. It’s difficult to Steven Fogarty, center/winger imagine he could turn on a switch and round up some of his old karma. The captain of the Wolf Pack stepped in fairly well in his two recalls, and Igor Shesterkin is a big body (6-3, 208) who can play multiple positions. He’s also a more Upside: Quinn has pretty much said the rookie is the Rangers’ No. 1 mature player (age 27) even if he’s only played 18 NHL games. goalie – perhaps not in so many words, but it was clear when he talked Vinni Lettieri, winger about playing the goalie who played the best, then started Shesterkin so frequently. In a postseason series, you play your No. 1. The kid was the He didn’t play an NHL game this season, but played in 46 the previous best goalie in the AHL, then went 10-2 with a .932 save percentage two seasons and was Hartford’s all-star rep (after Shesterkin was called (including a win in Raleigh in the Rangers’ last visit) after his recall. He is up) and led the Wolf Pack with 25 goals and 47 points in 61 games. clearly the heir to Lundqvist’s throne. Tim Gettinger, winger Downside: Shesterkin has no playoff experience and we don’t yet know how much he’s been able to skate or work out while Lundqvist has been Still very much a work in progress at age 22, but you’d think his size (6-6, pushing himself on the ice in Sweden. Shesterkin will have to have a 220) and ability to work the boards in a bottom-six role would make him a solid training camp to not be challenged by Lundqvist. roster candidate. Gettinger played two NHL games this season, four the year before. He had 16 goals in 57 games with Hartford. Alexandar Georgiev Boo Nieves, center Upside: There were certainly times the last two seasons when it looked possible that Georgiev, not Shesterkin, would take over for Lundqvist – Nieves lost his job, pretty much, to McKegg. He played just four NHL and he did late in ’18-19. Georgiev is capable and dependable, and like games this season, 76 in the NHL in his career. A checker and a good Shesterkin, handles the puck far better than Lundqvist. He was clearly skater, Nieves scored five goals and 27 points in Hartford. No. 2 down the stretch this season, even though Lundqvist was virtually Yegor Rykov and/or Darren Raddysh, defensemen always the in-uniform backup to Shesterkin or Georgiev. Not sure where either stand in terms of NHL-readiness, but the Rangers Downside: Again, a complete lack of playoff experience. Plus this: If are surely going to want to have at least one more defenseman, if not Shesterkin fails, perhaps the desperation of the situation points two, to be safe in the event of injuries (or God forbid, illness). Rykov is completely in the direction of Lundqvist getting the call based on history. I still a top prospect, but his development was slowed by an injury he suffered in camp last summer. Raddysh played in all 62 games for Hartford with six goals and 28 points.

Matt Beleskey, winger

If the Rangers decide to go in a completely different direction – i.e. add some muscle, especially if Lemieux’s suspension goes beyond one or two games (not likely), and if they don’t feel the need to have more than two extra defenseman – Beleskey, who will be an unrestricted free agent when the season is over, would be a unique choice. He has played 477 NHL games and 37 more in the playoffs, in which he has a stunning 13 goals, one of those an OT winner for Anaheim in 2015, when he scored eight times in 16 games.

The Athletic LOADED: 06.02.2020

1185706 Ottawa Senators

Coach D.J. Smith says the players must stay ready for next year in long off-season

Bruce Garrioch

Published:June 1, 2020

Updated:June 1, 2020 5:23 PM EDT

This is all uncharted territory for D.J. Smith and the Ottawa Senators.

So the Ottawa Senators’ coach is trying to have a lot of flexibility when it comes to preparing for next season with general manager Pierre Dorion because nobody is sure how this is all going to unfold.

Dorion and Belleville coach Troy Mann and his staff are conducting exit interviews with the prospects for the club’s AHL affiliate this week. Then, next week, Dorion, Smith and his staff will hold their discussions with the players who were in Ottawa before the book 2019-20 is officially closed.

From there, the efforts to ramp up for next season will be stepped up because lately most of the attention has been on preparing for the NHL draft that will be held after the season is completed this summer.

Smith is hopeful the players coming back are already thinking about next season.

“Gyms are closed or just re-opening and in this situation you’ve really got to be self-driven,” Smith said Monday from his home in Tecumseh, Ont. “We’re hoping a lot of gyms once it’s safe to do so and then guys can get back to proper training.

“Everything we’re doing is on Zoom now. (Strength coach) Chris Schwarz is keeping up with these guys, he’s giving them stuff and so he’s speaking to them regularly and making sure they’re ready. It’s not a generic program like it used to be, everything is individual for what each player needs, especially with their nutrition, and I speak with him regularly and he’ll make sure they get the right information.”

The message to the young players from Smith will be simple: Be ready for whatever scenario the league presents when the Senators do return.

“I’ll speak to them throughout the summer and I’ve spoken to some of them already, as to what to expect” Smith said. “There’s no excuses about being ready and there can’t be any surprises here.

“Now, I know everyone, I’ve seen them all play whether it’s down here or up there. Last year, I was coming in just watching video. I know what they need to improve on and we need to see it when training camp starts.”

Smith and Dorion will sit down later this month to discuss the roster for next season.

“We’ll probably do that in the next week or so,” Smith said. “The big thing right now is the draft and they’re putting all their time and effort in making sure they’re ready for that. Once that’s done, (the roster) will likely be the next step.”

Ottawa Sun LOADED: 06.02.2020 1185707 Ottawa Senators “The biggest thing is to make sure when we get to camp that there’s no excuses for a guy to come into camp and not be in the best shape of his life,” Smith said. “We’re going to have significant time off, it looks like, and there can’t be any surprises. Chris Schwarz has done a nice job, but GARRIOCH: Coach D.J. Smith says he and GM Pierre Dorion have I’ve got to make sure that I’m on top of it as well and communicating with discussed the possibility of naming a captain these guys.

“Can we test these guys? Can we find a way? How do we do it? That ensures us that when these guys get here for camp, we can’t just be in Bruce Garrioch shape, we need to be in the upper echelon of the league in fitness for us Published:June 1, 2020 to play fast and hard every night.”

Updated:June 1, 2020 4:59 PM EDT The Senators and the other six teams that aren’t playing are holding talks with the NHL about how they can have access to their players during this off-season. Teams are scheduled to go back for camp to resume the season around July 10 and the league told one of the non-participating We’ll ‘C’ what happens in the off-season. teams on a conference call last week the possibility existed they could As the Ottawa Senators start looking towards next year, coach D.J. bring their players in if they wanted. Smith told this newspaper in a post-season wrap up interview Monday “It would be great if we could bring them in for a couple of weeks of morning he and general manager Pierre Dorion have discussed the skating or training and that’s going to be up to the NHL to decide what possibility of naming a captain next season, but those talks will continue they’re going to allow us to do,” Smith said. “But that would be ideal. If in the coming months. not, you’re relying a lot on trust and relying on them being professionals While that doesn’t mean a decision to put the captain’s ‘C’ on and they’re going to have themselves ready. somebody’s jersey in 2020-21 is set in stone after the club went without “Ultimately, these guys want to have success and you want to give them one the last two seasons, Dorion and Smith will study their options to the right things to be training on when they’re getting ready. It’s so much determine if one of the young players is ready to take the next step in the better when you get them on the ice and you’re able to see them. If we development of their leadership with the Senators. can’t, we’ll work around it and make sure we’re ready.” The Senators haven’t had a captain since they dealt defenceman Erik One of the biggest decisions made will be determining whether this club Karlsson to the San Jose Sharks in Sept., 2018 and, instead, have been is ready to have its ninth captain in franchise history. going with three players wearing alternate ‘A’s. Last season, veterans Ron Hainsey, Mark Borowiecki and Jean-Gabriel Pageau wore the ‘A’s Ottawa Sun LOADED: 06.02.2020 before the latter was traded to the New York Islanders in February after he turned down a contract extension.

Defenceman Thomas Chabot, 23, who wore an “A’ down the stretch, and winger Brady Tkachuk, who will be 21 in September, would both be top candidates to wear the ‘C’ for the organization but it’s a big decision by the Senators to decide if either player is ready for that role.

“We’ve talked a little bit about it,” Smith said in an interview with Postmedia from his home in Tecumseh, Ont. “There’s some tough choices to be be made there and are they ready? Is it now? Is it in another year? That’s something and a discussion will go on throughout the summer.

“The big thing is you want to make sure the guy is ready and it’s not too soon.”

Signed to an eight-year, $64 million deal last September that will kick in next season, Chabot is likely the top candidate. He plays a big role for the team by playing huge minutes on a nightly basis, he does things the right way, he’s a natural leader and he’s already committed to be here for the long-term.

Of course, Tkachuk has to get consideration to be the captain as well because there aren’t many nights where he doesn’t lead this team into battle and carry everybody else with him. He isn’t afraid to get his nose dirty, he doesn’t have many off nights and he always works hard.

Whatever decision Dorion and Smith make will be difficult because as much as the club is rebuilding around its young players it doesn’t want to foist too much on them, either.

“If that player isn’t ready it could effect his game,” Smith said. “The captain has to be a guy who’s game doesn’t waver regardless of the score and how you’re playing. That’s something we’ll discuss with Pierre and the management and make that decision.”

Whenever the Senators return they’re going to have an injection of youth in the lineup next season and that’s nearly guaranteed. Not only will they have high-end prospects from the NHL draft in camp when it opens, Belleville prospects , Drake Batherson, Alex Formenton, Logan Brown, Vitaly Abramov, Erik Brannstrom and Christian Wolanin should all push for spots.

That’s why Smith is confident even if the Senators don’t play until December the club will be in good shape. Strength and conditioning coach Chris Schwarz is keeping a tab on the players regularly and because the Senators are young Smith is confident his group will be in good shape despite the long break the club will have because its not one of the 24 teams returning to action this summer. 1185708 Ottawa Senators and a lot of good young players. Now we’ve got to make sure we’re holding them accountable so that we’re good every year.

Looking back a bit on your time in Toronto, there are some parallels to Q&A: How superstitious Sens coach D.J. Smith hopes to sway the lottery Ottawa. Your first season the Leafs finished 31st in the league. Then you — again got the No. 1 overall pick and several young players jumped to the NHL. How do those early seasons inform how you approach the job in Ottawa?

I think it was imperative for me to go through that in Toronto. Being 31st By Hailey Salvian Jun 1, 2020 place and to play kids, regardless of the score, continue to develop every day and just do it right. I really saw how it was done. And the following

year, you know Matthews came in, (Mitch) Marner came in, (William) D.J. Smith already knows how he’ll be spending June 26, the day of the Nylander came in I mean that was a special group. Freddie Anderson NHL’s (Phase 1) draft lottery. was traded for, they brought Patrick Marleau in, I mean there was a lot of moves in that offseason that allowed us to be successful for sure quicker Smith admits he is superstitious. His former colleagues in Oshawa still than I think that anyone thought. joke about how he wore the same shirt to every game during the Memorial Cup in 2015. So, I think it’s unfair to put Ottawa in that situation with those expectations. We are significantly younger. You know, the Leafs still had So his plan for Lottery Day 2020? It’s “identical” to what he did on June Tyler Bozak and and a bunch of guys that have been 24, 2016, when he was part of Mike Babcock’s coaching staff in Toronto, around. We’re younger than them but we’re also full of picks and could and the Leafs won the lottery and the Auston Matthews sweepstakes. have two guys in the top few picks. So, it’s only a matter of time. I truly believe that and I look forward to growing with the group. We have to He’ll be at his home near Windsor when the announcement is made — take a step and by that, I mean more young players have to be doing a lot of visualizing. developing and eventually we’re going to turn the corner, it’s just when. Smith said he envisioned the Leafs’ lottery win months before it And can we end up with two, possibly three picks in the first round? If you happened, which is something he’s been trying to replicate for the do that, we’ll certainly expedite the rebuild quicker than most would think. Senators. And contrary to what many Senators fans have been doing this season, he won’t be going near any simulators. I was talking with an editor who wondered if Sens fans will cheer for the Panthers in the qualifying round to get that third pick a little higher … “They used to play that simulator every day and I’d always say, ‘I don’t know why you’re doing that. We’re getting it,’” Smith said in an interview Well, you look at some of the players around the league that are mid-to- with The Athletic. “So I just kind of envision that we are getting it (in late first-round picks and end up being superstars in the league. Is it Ottawa) and that’s just the way it is.” going to be pick No. 4 that ends up being a superstar? Or is it going to be pick No. 12? You don’t know. So, you hope you have it down to a “I hope my vision doesn’t let me down. But if we don’t get No. 1, any one science, but in saying that we’re going to end up with some really good of those players in the top three they say could be a No. 1 in any other players in this draft. draft. So we’re going to end up with a good player.” As a coach, how do you even begin to prepare for a season when you In his relatively short time in the NHL, Smith has experienced a lot. He’s could have several new, potentially NHL-ready, young players? seen a team get the first overall pick and go from worst in the league to a perennial playoff qualifier. Prior to his NHL career, he won a Memorial I think the biggest thing is to make sure that the leadership group is Cup with a team he helped build. there, because it can’t always be me. It’s Brady’s time and it’s Chabot’s time. It’s time for these guys now to hold people accountable. It’s easier He draws on the past to help inform his future as he looks to lead the said than done but it’s time for them to start to push guys. If I don’t have Senators through their rebuild. to push them nearly as much, I can really concentrate my time on the As Smith heads into the offseason, his first as an NHL head coach, he younger guys and the guys that are in their first year. And I think both gave The Athletic a window into how he’s approaching the next few those two are ready for that role. months and beyond. Your fingerprints are all over the NHL in such a short period of time. Some answers have been edited for length and clarity. said you made him a better defenceman. Mark Borowiecki and Thomas Chabot have talked about improving with you as a coach. It’s been five years Sunday since you won the Memorial Cup with Does that history help you lead this team? Oshawa. Happy anniversary! I do. I think the biggest thing it comes down to is trust. Players want to be You know what, I didn’t even realize at the time it had been five years. counted on and there’s gonna be times when they’re not going good and Certainly, that helped give me an opportunity to work in Toronto under that’s where you earn their trust in my opinion. If you truly believe in a Babs by winning that. So I can’t thank the players enough for what they guy, you know, he’s going to go through some times where he’s not did and how hard they played for me. gonna score or maybe not playing his best, but sometimes you got to Is it true you wore the same shirt during the whole championship run? stay with him. And I think players, when you’re talking to them every day, realize that I only want the best for them. I want to win hockey games, Oh yeah! Black shirt with the red tie, and we didn’t lose a game at that that’s for sure. But I know if I can get a guy to push himself to be the best whole Mem Cup. I wasn’t willing to change anything. We had a heck of a he can be, I know that I’m gonna have success. run. It was a three-year development plan, some kids were drafted, some kids traded away, some were brought in but our core group was there I think those relationships are pretty clear in talking to players who have essentially for three years. And it all came down to an overtime goal by played for you. (Anthony) Cirelli and it was great. I’m hard on them during the game and I hold them accountable. But in You mention the development plan there. It took only three years to turn saying that I really do want these guys to enjoy the NHL, enjoy hockey around a young Generals team into a championship team. Obviously the and enjoy the experience. It’s a once in a lifetime thing and it’s over OHL and NHL are different but do you see a similar blueprint or path to before you know it. success here in Ottawa? Commissioner Gary Bettman said next season could start as late as Yes, for sure. And I think it starts this year. I think a lot of our young guys January. How does such a potentially long offseason impact how you’ll were our hardest working players, and I think when they become the approach things this summer and fall? guys that are holding us accountable every day, as to work ethic and We’re going to have to look at if the league will let us bring players in to what they expect the Ottawa Senators to look like and play like it makes skate for a week or two, or will the players have informal skates. We’re it really easy. I think about — and I bring up a lot now — “The Last going to have to find a way to make sure these guys are skating and Dance” with Michael Jordan. Players that came in there were expected to allowing themselves to continue to get better. They all skate on their own work hard, and I think you see that with the Boston Bruins, how they but it’ll be unchartered waters as to what happens. We’re certainly going continue to be competitive with leaders like Zdeno Chara and Patrice Bergeron. And that’s what we want here. We have enough draft picks to do everything in our power to make sure we’re the fittest team in the National Hockey League and we’re ready when it’s time to go back.

How hands-on will you be during free agency or the draft?

I’ll be in constant communication as we get going in the summertime with our young guys. With the draft, I mean I’m just gonna sit back and watch. Those guys are good at their job and they’re good at what they do. They’ve continued to provide Ottawa with good draft picks so I’m just going to sit and cheer them on. When it comes to free agency, if Pierre needs me, we’ll talk about different players and whatever they need from me I’ll do. I’m committed to doing everything in my power to make this team better but at the same time you have to allow people to do their job. And I think that’s one thing when it comes to scouts, a lot of coaches want to get their hands in on it. They’re good at what they do for a reason.

What would you say to a new Senators fan to get them excited or on board for next season?

When you watch the Sens, you pick your favourite player or favourite couple players, and I think you’re gonna be able to grow with these players going forward. I remember as a young boy watching the Red Wings going through tough times and it was all worth it when they finally started to be one of the best teams in the league. I was a lifelong Red Wings fan and I watched them go from the bottom to the top. And there’s nothing more exciting than to see a team, like now, that’s out of the playoffs, to finally get in the playoffs, to finally win a round, to compete for a Stanley Cup and then win a Stanley Cup. I mean, I had the opportunity to do that as a kid and I’d say as an Ottawa fan, you have that same opportunity and we’re going to push for a Stanley Cup in time.

The Athletic LOADED: 06.02.2020 1185709 Philadelphia Flyers

Answering questions about the Flyers’ lineup, the season’s resumption, and more | Sam Carchidi

by Sam Carchidi,

Some questions answered along the Flyers’ trail as the NHL continually tweaks plans to restart the suspended season.

The NHL had hoped to start training camps on July 1, but the date was pushed back a few days ago.

Now camps won’t start until July 10 -- at the earliest. That means the season won’t resume until at least Aug. 1 … and probably later.

Let’s say it begins Aug. 10. That would be about five months since teams played, and it would probably move the start of next season to late December or early January, perhaps with an outdoor game on New Year’s Day.

It’s understandable why the NHL wants to resume the season. The TV revenue (as much as $500 million) will reduce losses and perhaps prevent the salary cap from taking a significant dip in 2020-21.

Fans are getting impatient, though most still want the season to begin and want a completion to the dramatic first five-plus months.

Pulling the plug would be like watching the first eight episodes of the oh- so-suspenseful Ozark and then telling viewers, sorry, you won’t find out if Marty Byrde is still alive because this season is done.

Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 06.02.2020 1185710 Philadelphia Flyers

Flyers sign defenseman Linus Hogberg to entry-level deal; still trying to lure Wyatt Kalynuk

by Sam Carchidi,

Two days before they would have lost his rights, the Flyers signed puck- moving defenseman Linus Hogberg to an entry-level contract on Saturday.

The two-year contract has an annual cap hit of $925,000, according to CapFriendly.com. The deal starts in 2020-21.

“He still has to put on some weight and get stronger,” assistant general manager Brent Flahr said about the 6-foot-1, 176-pound Hogberg. “But he’s pretty mobile and sound defensively. The best part of his game is probably his transition and getting the puck up ice out of the defensive zone.”

Hogberg, 21, who is from Stockholm, Sweden, was selected by the Flyers in the fifth round (139th overall) of the 2016 draft. He has spent parts of five seasons playing in the , the country’s top division.

He is expected to play for the AHL’s Lehigh Valley Phantoms next season.

After making his SHL debut in 2015-16, Hobgerg had nine goals and 34 points in 181 games, and he helped Vaxjo win the 2018 national championship. This season, he had 14 points and a minus-14 rating in 50 games for Vaxjo.

When the Flyers selected Hogberg in 2016, then-general manager Ron Hextall called him the team’s “sleeper” of the draft.

Hogberg, who represented Sweden in the 2018 World Junior Championships, became the eighth member of the Flyers’ 2016 draft class to sign with the organization. The others: German Rubtsov (first round); Pascal Laberge (second round); Carter Hart (second round); Wade Allison (second round); Carsen Twarynski (third round); Connor Bunnaman (fourth round); and Tanner Laczynski (sixth round).

Flahr said the Flyers are still negotiating with offensive-minded defenseman Wyatt Kalynuk, their seventh-round selection from the 2017 draft. The promising Kalynuk, 23, has decided to forego his senior season at Wisconsin, so he can become a free agent later this summer.

The 6-1, 180-pound Kalynuk was an all-Big Ten selection this past season after collecting 28 points, including seven goals, in 36 games.

Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 06.02.2020 1185711 Philadelphia Flyers Tampa Bay (43-21-6) Record vs. Lightning this season: 0-2.

Scores vs. Lightning this season: 1-0 loss; 5-3 loss in Tampa. Flyers will take strong resume into round-robin tournament against Capitals, Bruins, Lightning Game highlights: Hart made 27 saves, but Tampa won the team’s first meeting as Andrei Vasilevskiy (23 saves) collected the shutout and a

second-period goal by former Flyers farmhand Pat Maroon was the by Sam Carchidi, difference. It was Game 45 for the Flyers, and first time they were blanked this season. In the rematch, Nikita Kucherov, Steven Stamkos, and Victor Hedman each had two points for Tampa, which iced the win with an empty-net goal. Flyers will take strong resume into round-robin tournament against Capitals, Bruins, Lightning Lightning’s top players in series: Kucherov, Stamkos, Maroon, and Hedman each had two points for the Lightning, who got strong The dates and location haven’t been set, but the Flyers know their performances from Vasilevskiy (2-0, 1.50 GAA, .946 save percentage) opponents will be Boston, Tampa Bay, and Washington when the NHL against the Flyers. season resumes and they play in a three-game, round-robin tournament. Flyers’ top players in series: Provorov (minus-4) and Giroux each had Each were the Eastern Conference’s top four teams in the regular two points in the series. season, and this tournament, expected to be held in early August, will be for seeding purposes only. The games will be played with the overtime Miscellany: The Flyers did not have a “plus” player in the series. … and shootout rules used in the regular season. Tampa won both games despite going a combined 0-for-9 on the power play; the Flyers were 2-for-8. ... Hedman was plus-3 and averaged 28:38 Based on the tournament’s results – and not the regular season – the of ice time per game. teams will be seeded Nos. 1 through 4 and will top an eight-team Eastern Conference field. Washington (41-20-8)

Never mind that the Flyers (89 points) finished 11 points behind Boston Record vs. Capitals this season: (3-0-1). (100) in the regular season. If they win the round-robin, they would be the top seed – and potentially have an easier matchup in the first playoff Scores vs. Capitals this season: 2-1 shootout loss; 3-2 win; 7-2 win in round. (With games being played at neutral sites, however, no one will Washington; 5-2 win in Washington. have a home-ice advantage.) Game highlights: Evgeny Kuznetsov gave the Caps their only win with a If two teams are tied in points after the round-robin tourney is completed, shootout goal. … Hart made 25 saves and Kevin Hayes deposited the the winner will be declared by their points percentage during the regular decisive goal, shorthanded, in the Flyers’ 3-2 victory. … In the 7-2 Flyers season. win, Giroux (three points) ended a 13-game goal-less drought and Couturier also had three points, helping hand the Caps their worst loss of Boston had the best points percentage at .714, followed by the Lightning the season. … Hayes and Provorov each had a goal and an assist in the (.657), Capitals (.652), and Flyers (.645). 5-2 victory.

The Flyers, however, had the best record (5-3-1) among these four Capitals’ top players in the series: Most of the Caps’ big guns struggled teams in head-to-head, regular-season matchups against each other. In in the series (see below), but T.J. Oshie managed a goal and an assist those matchups, the Flyers had a .611 points percentage, followed by and netted the team’s lone power-play goal. Washington (.600), Tampa (.563), and Boston (.500). Flyers’ top players in the series: Giroux had five points, and Konecny Here is how the Flyers (41-21-7) fared against the three teams: (three goals), Couturier, and Jake Voracek each had four points. Hart had a 1.45 GAA and .953 save percentage in two games against Boston (44-14-12) Washington. Record vs. Bruins this season: 2-1. Miscellany: Alex Ovechkin, who finished tied with Pastrnak for the NHL Scores vs. Bruins this season: 3-2 win (SO) in Boston; 6-5 win (SO); 2-0 lead with 48 goals, had no points, a minus-4 rating, and just 10 shots in loss. the four games. … The Flyers’ penalty kill was 16-for-17 in the series. … Ovechkin, John Carlson (minus-5), (minus-5), and Nicklas Game highlights: In the 3-2 win, Phil Myers became the first Flyers Backstrom (minus-5) were a combined minus-19. … The Flyers’ Matt defenseman since Mark Howe in 1987 to score goals in three straight Niskanen, a former Cap, was plus-4 in the series. games. … The Flyers overcame a 5-2 deficit in their 6-5 shootout victory, and Travis Konecny netted the winner. … Tuukka Rask, playing on his Flyers defenseman Matt Niskanen (second from right) celebrates his 33rd birthday, made 36 saves and outdueled Carter Hart in Boston’s 2-0 first-period power-play goal with teammates Kevin Hayes, , win on March 10, the last game either team played. The loss ended the Jake Voracek, and Shayne Gostisbehere against the Buffalo Sabres on Flyers’ nine-game winning streak Dec. 19.

Flyers rookie defenseman Phil Myers gets tangled with Boston's Jake Flyers defenseman Matt Niskanen (second from right) celebrates his DeBrusk in a Jan. 13 game at the Wells Fargo Center. The Flyers won in first-period power-play goal with teammates Kevin Hayes, Morgan Frost, a shootout, 6-5. Jake Voracek, and Shayne Gostisbehere against the Buffalo Sabres on Dec. 19. Flyers rookie defenseman Phil Myers gets tangled with Boston's Jake DeBrusk in a Jan. 13 game at the Wells Fargo Center. The Flyers won in Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 06.02.2020 a shootout, 6-5.

Bruins’ top players in series: Brad Marchand, David Krejci (two goals), and Charlie Coyle each had three points for the Bruins, and defenseman Charlie McAvoy was plus-4. Rask was flawless in his lone game against Philadelphia.

Flyers’ top players in series: Sean Couturier had five points (goal, four assists) and won 55.5% of his faceoffs; Travis Sanheim had two goals, and Konecny had three points.

Miscellany: Claude Giroux had no points and was minus-4, but he won 63% of his faceoffs in the three-game series. … Ivan Provorov had a team-high 12 shots. … Boston’s high-scoring David Pastrnak had 13 shots but just one goal. 1185712 Philadelphia Flyers Not all teams were happy with the tournament format. For instance, Carolina wound up in a first-round match-up with the

Rangers. The Hurricanes were swept, 4-0, by the Blueshirts during the Fish: For Flyers, playoff format could have pros and cons regular season.

Coach Rod Brind’Amour sounds a little miffed that the Rangers, who were not among the top eight teams in the East (the Hurricanes were) By Wayne Fish when the season came to a halt, get a rare opportunity to pull off a “good fortune″ upset. Posted May 30, 2020 at 8:11 AM No big shocker then that Carolina was one of just two teams who voted

against the 24-team plan. Alain Vigneault’s team wouldn’t have to participate in the first round to Speaking on the “ESPN on Ice″ podcast on Wednesday, the former Flyer become one of the 16 teams in the traditional format. great made his feelings known. From the Flyers’ perspective, the round-robin portion of the proposed 24- “I think the bigger issue felt like, and especially our guys, was like ‘What team playoff tournament would appear to be somewhat of a two-edged was the 68 games we played for?’ The bulk of the season was completed sword. and they just threw that out,″ Brind’Amour said. “I think that’s how (the By finishing fourth in the Eastern Conference standings, the Flyers are Hurricanes) felt. And I think that’s justifiable in a way.″ already guaranteed entry into what will eventually amount to a traditional In a best-of-five series, the Hurricanes’ season could be over in a hurry. 16-team format. Tampa Bay was the other team to vote against the format. Here’s the good side of it: The Flyers don’t have to break training camp and go hellbent for leather like the eight teams being forced to qualify for Flyers sign defenseman the next round. The Flyers have signed defenseman Linus Hogberg to an entry-level Here’s what might not be the good side of it: The Flyers won’t have to contract beginning next season. play desperate hockey the way teams like the Penguins, Blue Jackets and Hurricanes will. Teams such as that might be a little more battle- The 21-year-old Hogberg was a fifth-round pick (139th overall) in the tested moving forward than the Flyers, Boston, Tampa Bay and 2016 NHL Entry Draft. The 6-foot-1, 176-pounder from Stockholm, Washington. Sweden, has been playing in Sweden since that time, spending the majority of it with Vaxjo Lakers HC of the Swedish Hockey League, which James van Riemsdyk addressed the format during an interview with is the country’s top division. NBCSN’s Mike Tirico on Friday. Burlington County Times LOADED: 06.02.2020 Van Riemsdyk, the Flyers NHL Players’ Association rep and a member of the Return-to-Play committee, indicated there really isn’t an ideal formula for how this all plays out, providing conditions with the pandemic continue to improve.

“With these things, we’re trying to make the best of a situation that’s not ideal,″ van Riemsdyk said. “It’s coming up with a format that we thought was fair enough for everyone.

“I think there are still things we’re trying to discuss. You look at a team like Boston (which won the Presidents’ Trophy for most points), for example — they had such a great regular season to date. We want to make sure that things are placed properly ... (to) acknowledge the season they’ve had so far.″

Of course, playing all the games in two “hub″ cities (one East, one West) with no fans will preclude most aspects of home-ice advantage for the higher-seeded teams but at least there are things like last line change, etc.

“We’re still trying to throw things off the wall,″ JVR said, “and see what makes the most sense.″

Phase 2, which includes allowing about six players at a time to skate without coaches, should be kicking in around early July. Some players, such as Ivan Provorov and Claude Giroux, have been skating on their own at private rinks.

It’s important that players get as much time on skates as possible to avoid injuries once play does resume.

Van Riemsdyk was asked if he is optimistic the NHL can return should all the proper health precautions be taken.

“Through the whole process, I’ve tried to remain optimistic,″ van Riemsdyk said. “Just being on the Return-to-Play committee, you realize how everyone is prioritizing the safety aspect.

“So nothing that we do will come at the expense of that. Knowing that’s our thought process makes me comfortable. I think it will become obvious one way or another if we’re able to play. I’m going to remain optimistic but I think it’s probably still too soon to say for sure one way or another.″

Flyers general manager Chuck Fletcher is scheduled to participate in a media conference call on Monday so he should be able to shed some light on some of the particulars involving the Flyers and their planned workout regimen at the Skate Zone in Voorhees, N.J. 1185713 Philadelphia Flyers

Flyers lose rights to prospect David Bernhardt

By Jordan Hall June 01, 2020 6:00 PM

Two days after signing one of their 2016 draft picks to an entry-level contract, the Flyers lost the rights to a prospect from the same class.

The club opted to not sign David Bernhardt before Monday's 5 p.m. deadline. As a result, the 22-year-old Swedish defenseman has become a draft-related unrestricted free agent.

Bernhardt was a 2016 seventh-round draft pick of the Flyers, when Ron Hextall was general manager and Chris Pryor was director of player personnel. Linus Hogberg, another blueliner from Sweden who was taken by the Flyers in the fifth round of the same draft, inked his ELC on Saturday.

The Flyers' decision to let Bernhardt's rights expire is not considered surprising. Below the pro surface, the club is pretty well-stocked at defensemen with prospects Egor Zamula, Wyatte Wylie and Hogberg set to join AHL affiliate Lehigh Valley in 2020-21, while the signing of Wisconsin product Wyatt Kalynuk could be around the corner. Kalynuk is an offensive-minded defenseman who has developed a ton with the Badgers. His rights were set to expire next summer. Now that it appears he will forgo his senior season at Wisconsin, it would be surprising if he's not signed soon by the Flyers. If, for some reason, both sides don't agree to terms, Kalynuk can eventually become a free agent.

Furthermore, the Flyers have unsigned blueliners Cam York, Mason Millman, Adam Ginning, Ronald Attard and John St. Ivany in the system. York, a 2019 first-round pick at Michigan, is the most touted, while Millman, a 2019 fourth-round selection, is coming off a 44-point, plus-31 junior season with the OHL's Saginaw Spirit.

Bernhardt, a 6-foot-3, 203-pound, lefty-shot defenseman, had seven points (one goal, six assists) through 33 games in the Finland pro league Liiga after opening 2019-20 in the SHL.

Here's a look at the Flyers' 10-player 2016 draft class:

First round — German Rubtsov (Flyers/Phantoms)

Second round — Pascal Laberge (Phantoms/Royals)

Second round — Carter Hart (Flyers)

Second round — Wade Allison (Phantoms)

Third round — Carsen Twarynski (Flyers/Phantoms)

Fourth round — Connor Bunnaman (Flyers/Phantoms)

Fifth round — Linus Hogberg (Phantoms)

Sixth round — Tanner Laczynski (Phantoms)

Sixth round — Anthony Salinitri (no longer in organization)

Seventh round — David Bernhardt (no longer in organization)

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 06.02.2020 1185714 Philadelphia Flyers and team personnel who are not from Canada but are employed by a Canadian hockey club. Even so, those people with visas must quarantine for 14 days, which makes me wonder how a Canadian hub city would work considering the current guidelines and the number of teams that Picking the best hub city for Flyers in NHL's 24-team Stanley Cup would hold their camps in the United States. I may just be missing Playoffs plan something here, but border barriers still seem to be an issue.

Operating under the assumption that current guidelines continue, it seems the best way to go would be two cities in the United States (I By Brooke Destra, Katie Emmer, Taryn Hatcher, Joe Fordyce, Jordan guess?). Hall June 01, 2020 12:35 PM For the East, I’d like to see it in Columbus. That is, if and only if, there are

not thousands and thousands of Ohio State students around. From some Predictions for who is named Flyers' 2019-20 most improved player quick research it seems OSU is aiming to announce its plans in mid-June for the fall semester, which could, and probably would overlap with the Going End to End today are NBC Sports Philadelphia's Brooke Destra, NHL’s postseason. If it opts out of in-person classes, Columbus is an Katie Emmer, Taryn Hatcher, Joe Fordyce and Jordan Hall. ideal location.

The topic: Picking the best hub city for the Flyers in the NHL's 24-team The city has two arenas capable of hosting NHL games, Nationwide Stanley Cup Playoffs plan. Arena and Value City, where the Buckeyes play. Both are outfitted with the necessary broadcasting equipment to be able to bring the game to Destra the fans at home. And, while I’ve heard that geography doesn’t actually This is honestly quite an interesting debate because while fans won’t be concern the player that much, it is one of the few cities in the eastern half in attendance, location will still greatly play a factor in how teams perform of the United States. based on a number of reasons. Fordyce Right off the bat, while some of the West Coast locations could work on I’m going to choose a building the Flyers are very familiar with — paper because of the amount of hotels and facilities close to the arenas Scotiabank Arena in Toronto. Familiarity isn’t a bad thing, and the Flyers that could host a conference during the playoffs, you have to consider the know Toronto well, it’s a hockey hotbed, and I’m sure the buzz will be ice. Outdoor temperature always affects rinks, but imagine having playoff palpable. However, with the absence of fans, the Flyers would get to play hockey in Las Vegas late July with 102-degree weather. in a great hockey atmosphere, minus the raucous hostile crowd that With the amount of players constantly on the ice, more wear and tear usually awaits the orange and black for a game in Maple Leaf country. bound to happen because of the high levels of games at a single hub While the idea of playing in a place like Pittsburgh and winning in enemy location, in addition to the heat levels — it just seems like a bad recipe. territory on the Penguins' ice sounds appealing, there are plenty of Two viable options that make the most sense would be Toronto and factors already at play here, namely getting back in game shape, trying to Pittsburgh. Both locations would be much more manageable weather- recapture the momentum the Flyers had before the NHL pause, as well wise, have ample number of local facilities for training and, since they are as health concerns. The last thing Alain Vigneault and company need is tourist spots, hotels would be able to put up players, staff and whoever for the arena they’re playing in to become another character in what is else needed to pull this off successfully. already the most complicated script the NHL has ever written.

The Flyers haven’t been in Toronto for the playoffs since 2004 for the Hall Eastern Conference semifinals — a series that they won in six games, It's important to note that the Eastern Conference's tournament could be but struggled away from home ice. held in a Western Conference city, so the 10 cities under consideration Pittsburgh is a spot the Flyers know well and can be used to their — Chicago, Columbus, Ohio, Dallas, Edmonton, Alberta, Las Vegas, Los advantage. Their overall record on the road against the Penguins is 58- Angeles, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota, Pittsburgh, Toronto and 67-22 and while it’s not the best, the Flyers have had the edge in the Vancouver, British Columbia — are all possibilities for the Flyers. playoffs, winning four of the seven matchups between the two teams. Picking the best city for the Flyers, let's go with Pittsburgh. There's a Obviously individual records between the Leafs and Penguins aren’t a familiarity with the trip and PPG Paints Arena, where the Flyers are 14-4- huge factor, considering there’s no guarantee the teams would even 4 in 22 regular-season games. With no fans, the idea of winning in meet — but having that as a reference for the Flyers’ success at those Pittsburgh could be a fun source of motivation for the Flyers, even arenas seemed important to note. providing an underdog type of feel. The Flyers have always seemed to relish the opportunity of playing and winning in Pittsburgh. Either way, playoff hockey — the best kind of hockey — is being discussed and I’m sure the league is going to pull through and make the "The ideal hub city is a place where there’s enough room for players to best choices for their players and fans. have a life, they’re not going to be sent back to their hotel rooms and stay there 24/7 when they’re not practicing and playing, but it’s going to be a Emmer contained environment and it’s going to be a secure environment," NHL I understand there won’t be much of a home-ice advantage without fans deputy commissioner Bill Daly said last Friday. "It’s going to give the in attendance but please, anything but Pittsburgh. I could see how there players some opportunity for some entertainment and some freedom, but could be an argument of how the Flyers could possibly be more within a contained environment." comfortable in battling in playoff hockey in a setting such as PPG Paints From that perspective, Pittsburgh might not be the most attractive city Arena, but there’s just a sense of discomfort I have with the thought of among the 10. But from a hockey standpoint, it feels like a good fit for the the Flyers having to spend such a lengthy amount of time in the home Flyers. city of their biggest rival. Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 06.02.2020 With that, I’m going with Columbus, only if that cannon is buried in some storage closet underground far away somewhere. I think Nationwide Arena would be one of the best spots on this list for the Eastern Conference hub city. More specifically, it would be most ideal for the Flyers as it would be the closest option in the country to Philadelphia besides Pittsburgh.

Hatcher

Before I go picking a city here, there’s a really important issue to address. Out of an abundance of concern for everyone’s health (and understandably so), the Canadian-U.S. border is still closed. Which means that if you’re a non-Canadian, you can enter Canada, but only if you’re healthy and have a work visa. That includes most NHL players 1185715 Philadelphia Flyers “He’s solid defensively. He understands the game,” Flahr said. “I think he has an identity and knows what he is, and he plays to it.”

“He’s one of those players — I guess you’d say he’s efficient,” Flahr later Linus Högberg signing boosts Flyers ‘D’ prospect pool, but more elaborated. “He doesn’t make many mistakes. But at the same time, he’s decisions loom of value skating the puck and going north, and I think forwards like playing with him.”

In the SHL, Högberg’s advanced stats hinted as much. Three times he By Charlie O'Connor Jun 1, 2020 helped his teammates to more than a 55 percent shot share at 5-on-5, and he was never a major drag on Växjö’s play-driving performance.

(All statistics are 5-on-5 only and courtesy of SHL.se.) With just two days to go before the Philadelphia Flyers would have lost exclusive negotiating rights with defenseman prospect Linus Högberg, In a best-case scenario, Högberg develops into what has become a rare, the front office put to bed the question of whether it viewed the 2016 fifth- but extremely valuable, type of NHL defenseman: one who can play a round pick as part of the organization’s future. conservative, defensively oriented style but also help his teammates to regularly outshoot and outchance the opposition. If a team wants a On Saturday afternoon, the Flyers announced they had signed Högberg balanced defense, it can’t ice a blue line with six variations of — who has spent the last four seasons in the SHL with the Växjö Lakers Gostisbehere and Sanheim. Stylistic complements to those types are since being drafted by Philadelphia in 2016 — to an entry-level contract, necessary, which the additions of Matt Niskanen and Justin Braun officially making the 21-year-old a member of the organization. The two- showed this past season in Philadelphia. Högberg could potentially year deal, which begins in 2020-21, has a projected cap hit of $815,000 develop into a modern-day NHL defensive defenseman. that could jump to a $900,000 average annual value if the full $170,000 in performance bonuses are earned. That said, it’s far from a guarantee he gets there. For starters, his 2019- 20 season was inconsistent; according to contributing writer Alexander Long an under-the-radar prospect (No. 15 in The Athletic Philadelphia’s Appleyard, Högberg’s play slipped a bit after Växjö added two significant most-recent ranking in January) in the club’s deep pool, Högberg was defensemen, which pushed Högberg down the depth chart. In addition, drafted by Ron Hextall, not current general manager Chuck Fletcher, and as Flahr pointed out, Högberg will need to improve his functional strength it was unclear whether the new regime viewed him as worthy of an entry- in order to win enough battles and force enough changes of possession level contract. Time was running out. Per the NHL collective bargaining to thrive in his own zone in North America. agreement, the team held negotiating rights with Högberg through the fourth June 1 after he was drafted — in other words, today. “I think just (adding) strength,” Flahr said of Högberg’s transition. “It’s a more physical game over here. He’s got the good stick, obviously the The Flyers faced a similar deadline with Tanner Laczynski and Wade mobility to defend and I think he’s smart. But just closing people off. … Allison, who would have become unrestricted free agents on Aug. 15 had It’s just going to be smaller rinks and getting adjusted (to that change).” they not signed in March. But their situations were different. Philadelphia would have signed both players years ago, but they preferred to stay in If Högberg can improve his consistency and pack on added muscle, he school through their senior seasons. It came down to whether Laczynski has the upside to become a very useful complementary player in the and Allison would choose to join the organization, not whether the Flyers NHL. wanted them in the first place. Högberg, on the other hand, had long been open to signing, but had to convince the organization he deserved Will Linus Högberg head to the AHL next? (Courtesy of Kate Frese) a contract in the first place. If he went unsigned, it would have been the Next step Flyers’ decision, not his. Just because Högberg is now under contract, it’s not a foregone Now, Högberg formally enters the next stage of his career, and can conclusion he will begin the 2020-21 season in North America. In theory, chase down his dream of establishing himself as an NHL player. But the Flyers could choose to loan Högberg back to the SHL (or any what type of player is he? Why did the Flyers choose to sign him? What European league) for further development — that’s the path they took comes next? And what might the signing mean for two other unsigned with goaltending prospect Felix Sandström, who signed with Philadelphia blueliner prospects? in 2018 but spent an additional year in Sweden before coming over to A unique skill set North America for the 2019-20 season.

Most late-round draftees wait years for their first crack at high-end However, Flahr made it clear the Flyers intend to bring over Högberg as professional hockey. But mere months after turning 18, Högberg was a soon as possible. full-timer in the SHL — likely the fourth-best league in the world behind “He’s put in his time (in Sweden). I think he wants to come over,” Flahr the NHL, KHL and AHL — and part of the regular rotation for Växjö. said. “But the plan is for him to come over and get his feet wet over He made it to the top level of Swedish hockey because of the same skills here.” that intrigued the Flyers when they drafted him in June 2016. However, Flahr acknowledged the unusual times, and the impact the “He’s a puck-moving defenseman,” assistant GM Brent Flahr said of coronavirus pandemic might have on prospects’ development. With Högberg, shortly after the signing was announced Saturday. “His Högberg almost certainly not ready to jump straight to the NHL, the retrievals are good, he’s a strong skater, transitions the puck well, and logical place to start his North American career is in the AHL with the that’s of value in today’s game.” Lehigh Valley Phantoms. However, the AHL is a ticket-revenue-driven league, and there’s no guarantee its 2020-21 season will begin until fans Högberg isn’t a dynamic skater in the Travis Sanheim mold or an electric are allowed to attend games. puck-mover like Shayne Gostisbehere. But the 6-foot-1, 176-pound left- handed defenseman is solidly above average in both areas, and seems If the AHL season were delayed and the SHL started on time in the fall, to have the type of skill set that usually makes for an offensively oriented might the Flyers consider loaning Högberg to ensure continued blueliner. development?

Yet Högberg never scored much in the SHL. His highest scoring season “I guess if the American League didn’t start and Sweden’s playing, I with Växjö came in 2019-20, when he had 14 points (five goals, nine guess we’d consider that,” Flahr acknowledged. “We’ll figure out those assists) in 50 games, and he finished with 34 points in 181 SHL games. details later. But the plan is for him to come over.” Not exactly the résumé of a future offensive dynamo from the back end. Högberg wasn’t just signed because the Flyers didn’t want to lose his It’s not that Högberg can’t make impressive plays with the puck. After all, rights. He was signed because they value him, and because they think crisp first passes out of the defensive zone certainly qualify, and that’s an he’s ready for his shot in North America. area of strength. It’s more that he leans toward a simple, straightforward How the signing impacts other prospects playing style that doesn’t necessarily lend itself to highlight-reel maneuvers. Högberg isn’t the only Flyers blueliner prospect whose pro future will be decided in the coming hours, days and weeks. Wyatt Kalynuk, a 23-year-old defenseman who just finished his junior season at Wisconsin, is the highest-profile case still in limbo. On Wednesday, the Wisconsin State Journal’s Todd Milewski reported the Badgers had chosen a new captain to replace Kalynuk for 2020-21, and head coach Tony Granato acknowledged Kalynuk was planning to turn pro, which led to the election of a new captain.

That seemed like good news for the Flyers. After all, Kalynuk is a viable prospect — ranked 18th among Flyers prospects by The Athletic Philadelphia in January, 14th by Corey Pronman in August 2019 and eighth by Scott Wheeler in February. If Kalynuk planned to turn pro, it meant he was destined to sign with Philadelphia soon, right?

Not necessarily. Because the Flyers drafted Kalynuk in 2017 at 20 years old — draft picks are typically 17 or 18 — a slightly different set of rules apply. When Kalynuk officially notifies the NHL that he is de-enrolling from school, he has the option of declaring himself an unrestricted free agent after 30 days have passed, if he doesn’t sign with the Flyers before that deadline.

In other words, Kalynuk isn’t locked into joining the organization, even though the Flyers have long expressed interest in signing him.

So when the Högberg signing was announced — especially two days before the June 1 deadline — some fans wondered if he was something of a fallback option, a blueliner prospect added to the pool at the last minute because the organization no longer believed Kalynuk would sign.

That fear isn’t quite accurate, at least in the here and now.

Flahr said the Högberg contract was essentially finished weeks ago, which a second source confirmed to The Athletic. The Flyers decided to add Högberg well before the news that Kalynuk would be leaving school.

Kalynuk has not yet informed the Flyers — who remain in contact with him — of his intentions. In fact, it’s entirely possible the 30-day window has not officially begun. Kalynuk is likely still weighing his options, and the Flyers believe they’ve made a strong case that they’re the best fit for him.

The rules surrounding entry-level contracts are a bit hazy at the moment. In past years, the NHL allowed teams to sign players on their reserve lists — such as college players ready to turn pro or European players looking to make the jump — at the tail end of a season and permitted their contracts to start immediately. That’s how Cale Makar appeared in the playoffs for Colorado last season after concluding his sophomore year at UMass Amherst, and how Chris Kreider jumped straight from his junior year at Boston College to the NHL postseason in 2011-12. But in the wake of the pandemic and paused season, the NHL initially held that all newly signed contracts would start in 2020-21, essentially outlawing the Makar/Kreider path for this season, should it resume. The National Hockey League Players’ Association, understandably, sees things differently.

Kalynuk almost certainly isn’t enough of an impact prospect to jump straight into the playoffs this summer. But he could theoretically reach his second contract a year sooner if the NHL ruled deals could begin in 2019-20, and he successfully negotiated such a contract with his future organization. It’s just another factor that might inspire a wait-and-see approach from Kalynuk’s camp. In any case, more details on his decision are anticipated in the next few weeks.

Fans won’t have to wait nearly as long for news on David Bernhardt, another Swedish blueliner prospect who faces the same June 1 deadline as Högberg did. Unlike Högberg, however, it appears the Flyers won’t lock up Bernhardt before today’s deadline. The 2016 seventh-round pick struggled in 2019-20, eventually leaving the SHL to play in the Finnish Liiga, and remains a work-in-progress, even at 22. Expect the Flyers to let his rights lapse.

The Athletic LOADED: 06.02.2020 1185716 Pittsburgh Penguins

Penguins issue statement condemning racism, senseless violence

JONATHAN BOMBULIE | Monday, June 1, 2020 9:46 p.m.

Following the lead of more than two-thirds of NHL teams, the Penguins released a statement Monday night condemning racism, social injustice and senseless violence.

“This has been a horrible time for our country and our city,” the statement read. “We are all appalled by senseless violence and share the outrage that racism and social injustice continue to permeate our society. The killing of Mr. (George) Floyd impacted us all.

“Moving forward from this moment, and after the violence that took place in our own city on Saturday, we must work together to ensure that we always treat each other with dignity, respect, and a spirit of understanding.

A protest turned violent in the shadow of PPG Paints Arena on Saturday. A statue of Mario Lemieux outside the building was vandalized, and Penguins president David Morehouse helped rescue a KDKA-TV cameraman who was beaten.

Earlier Monday, Penguins winger Jason Zucker issued a more forceful statement. Zucker played parts of nine seasons for the Minnesota Wild before being traded to the Penguins in February.

“It is us vs. racism,” the statement read, in part. “One of the most powerful things I continue to read during this time is: When your children ask you about this time, when they learn about George Floyd in our history books, what will you say YOU did in response to racism and injustice?

“At the VERY least, you can use your voice. I am pro justice. I am pro accountability. Black lives matter.”

The Penguins were criticized by social media users earlier Monday for a tweet the team issued in the aftermath of the Tree of Life shooting in 2018. It included a photo of two of the officers who were shot while responding to the shooting, Mike Smigda and Anthony Burke, and chief Scott Schuber holding a “Thin Blue Line” flag.

To critics of police brutality, the flag has become a symbol of oppression.

The tweet was subsequently deleted.

Tribune Review LOADED: 06.02.2020 1185717 Pittsburgh Penguins and accurate shooter having led the Engineers with an average of 2.53 shots per game this past season.

It remains to be seen how he will handle life as a professional, but he’s Penguins A to Z: Will Reilly will try to prove he’s not irrelevant taken the first step to prove he’s not irrelevant.

Follow the Penguins all season long.

SETH RORABAUGH | Monday, June 1, 2020 5:54 p.m. Tribune Review LOADED: 06.02.2020

While the NHL is on hold due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the Tribune-Review will offer Penguins A to Z, a player-by-player look at all 54 individuals under NHL contract with the organization, from mid-level prospect Niclas Almari to high-profile trade acquisition Jason Zucker.

Player: Will Reilly

Position: Defenseman

Shoots: Left

Age: 22

Height: 6-foot-3

Weight: 195 pounds

2019-20 NCAA statistics: 34 games, 22 points (eight goals, 14 assists)

Contract: Two-year entry-level contract with a salary cap hit of $806,250, which begins in 2020-21. Pending restricted free agent 2022.

Acquired: Draft, seventh round (No. 217 overall), June 24, 2017

This season: Will Reilly is bound to always be the answer to a trivia question.

As the last overall pick in the 2017 draft, Reilly will be identified partially by that designation no matter what he accomplishes as a professional hockey player.

While the NHL doesn’t celebrate “Mr. Irrelevant” with the grandeur the NFL does, it is a tag that follows any NHLer no matter what success he enjoys.

A perennial 20-goal scorer like Penguins forward Patric Hornqvist? Did you know he was the last overall pick of the 2005 draft?

A borderline NHLer such as Penguins defenseman Zach Trotman? Oh yeah, he was the last overall pick in 2010.

As for Reilly, he was very relevant for Rensselaer Polytechnical Institute (RPI) over the past four seasons. In 139 career games for the Engineers, Reilly had 68 points (22 goals, 46 assists).

As a senior in 2019-20, Reilly served as RPI’s captain and finished second in overall scoring and first in power-play scoring with nine points (four goals, five assists). Also a key component to RPI’s penalty kill, he led his team with 27 blocked shots. His play earned him a selection to the Eastern College Athletic Conference’s second team.

(Video courtesy Rensselaer Polytechnical Institute)

Before the NCAA postponed play in early-March, Reilly had led the Engineers to fourth place in the ECAC and a first-round bye in that conference’s postseason tournament.

Had the AHL’s season not been halted March 12, Reilly likely would have signed an amateur tryout contract with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton to finish the 2019-20 campaign.

The future: Reilly presumably will open the 2020-21 season with Wilkes- Barre/Scranton but will face stiff competition for playing time as fellow defensemen Niclas Almari, Kevin Czuczman, Pierre-Olivier Joseph, Jon Lizotte (AHL deal), Cam Lee, Trotman and David Warsofsky are signed to contracts that could have them in the AHL next season. An assignment to the to get some playing time in the ECHL is always a possibility.

Overall, Reilly has the base elements to be a defenseman desired by most teams in the NHL of 2020, particularly the Penguins. That’s to say he’s the proverbial “puck-moving” defenseman as a good skater and someone who can create offense. And as a right-handed defenseman — a precious commodity at all levels of hockey — he is a pretty aggressive 1185718 Pittsburgh Penguins

Ex-Penguins defenseman Frank Corrado joins Swedish team

SETH RORABAUGH | Monday, June 1, 2020 1:48 p.m.

Former Penguins defenseman Frank Corrado has joined MODO of the Allsvenskan, a second-tier league in Sweden.

A member of the Penguins for parts of two seasons, Corrado — who was something of a cult hero thanks to advanced metrics which complemented him — appeared in seven games and failed to record a point during his tenure with the Penguins.

A member of “Black Aces” taxi squad during the Penguins’ 2017 Stanley Cup title run, Corrado predominantly played for the Wilkes- Barre/Scranton Penguins during his time with the organization.

In 49 games over two seasons with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, Corrado had 18 points (two goals, 16 assists).

In 2019-20, Corrado, 27, played for the , AHL affiliate of the Ottawa Senators. In 36 AHL games with Belleville, he had 10 assists.

Another former Wilkes-Barre/Scranton defenseman, Chris Wideman, has joined Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod of Russia’s KHL.

Acquired in a transaction at the 2019 trade deadline, Wideman’s time with the Penguins organization amounted to three games and two assists with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton toward the end of the 2018-19 season. Wideman, 30, spent the 2019-20 campaign with the , AHL affiliate of the Anaheim Ducks. In 53 games with San Diego, he had 31 points (nine goals, 22 assists).

Tribune Review LOADED: 06.02.2020 1185719 Pittsburgh Penguins couldn’t believe it when he learned the news and now calls Ty “Buckle Up Baby” as his nickname.

He still goes to Penguins games, though not as many now that he has a Ty Avolia, who went viral as a 2-year-old for a video of his reaction to a busy hockey schedule of his own. His favorite players are Jake Guentzel goal by Penguins player Sidney Crosby in the 2012 Stanley Cup playoffs, and Sidney Crosby.

He’s also gotten to know a former Penguin in Tyler Kennedy, whom Ty practices with once a week. Kennedy recently learned Ty’s true identity ADAM BITTNER as well and told Hilary he figured it out because he said Ty gives him the same intense looks during practice that he did in the GIFs, though Hilary JUN 1, 2020 8:00 AM suspects someone might have tipped it off.

That’s about as often as his past fame comes up with new Six years ago, the face of the Penguins’ playoff run was not a player. It acquaintances, though. Hilary said few people recognize him now and was this guy: there’s never really a natural time to bring it up.

Ty Avolia rose to internet fame that year as the Penguins used the catch “That’s just not the first thing we talk about when we meet new people,” phrase “Buckle Up, Baby,” coined by radio broadcaster Phil Bourque, as Hilary said with a chuckle. their playoff motto. That GIF of the excited tot — the Buckle Up Baby — The family does not have an overt connection to the team itself, though subsequently found its way onto social media and became a sensation, they’ve met Bourque and chatted with him on occasion. Ty, of course, as fans used it endlessly as a symbol of their own excitement. still loves them and likes their chances to win their third Stanley Cup title The team ended up flaming out in the second round against the New of his lifetime. York Rangers, but an enduring meme was born. Ty’s face has never “They’ve been doing pretty good,” he said. really faded from the the web since. Rather, the GIF has been used even more widely as social posters near and far have discovered it and used it As for future internet fame, Ty has no plans. When asked if he knew what in all kinds of contexts beyond hockey. he’d like to do in a second viral GIF, he simply replied “no” before scampering off with his dad for some post-practice ice cream with his Sidney Crosby hoists the Stanley Cup before the 2017 Stanley Cup teammates. champions banner rises to the rafters Wednesday, October 4, 2017 at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh. Post Gazette LOADED: 06.02.2020 All the while, Ty is growing up. As the Penguins set their sights on a pandemic-delayed 2020 playoff run, Ty is 8 years old, still in love with hockey and navigating his unique life as a mini celebrity that many have seen, but few immediately recognize without the baby cheeks.

Ty’s mother, Hilary, told the Post-Gazette that neither of them can remember the moment portrayed in the GIF. It was at a Penguins game earlier in that season, but the family attended several as season ticket holders at the time.

Before Hilary knew it, her son’s face was everywhere. It was, she said candidly, a bit overwhelming at first.

“To see him all over the internet was crazy,” she said. “And how fast it took off? It was probably even before lunchtime that [WTAE-TV] got into contact with me. I come into work at 7 a.m., so from 7 to 5 p.m. it was just in and out. People just blowing up my phone. ... We did this interview [with WTAE] the exact same day.”

Fortunately, that initial surge of attention has subsided in the years since. They’ll still hear from friends when the GIF is used somewhere prominent. There was a mini-stir recently when Steelers lineman Zach Banner used it.

For the most part, though, life is fairly normal for the family of three that includes Joe, Ty’s father.

Ty’s love of hockey actually pre-dates his viral fame. His parents said he asked for hockey skates for Christmas a few months earlier. They were surprised to find some in his size as he bounced around the store, playing with a stick and ball.

Kris Letang takes a shot in front of the Jets' Jacob Trouba in the first period of a game at PPG Paints Arena on Feb. 27, 2016.

Now he’s learning the game at the development level. Before the pandemic, he was playing with the Southpointe Rink Rats, based at Printscape Arena at Southpointe in Canonsburg. And he’s had a ball.

This season, his team played during intermission at a Penguins game — he says he wasn’t nervous about that at all — and won a tournament in Niagara Falls. Ty, now a second grader at Fort Cherry Elementary school, said his best skills are stick-handling and scoring, though he looked pretty quick skating around the arena at a recent practice. And he uses his trademark fist pumps as his goal celebration.

Through the pandemic, he’s followed some online workouts and has roller-bladed to keep his legs strong.

His coaches and teammates recently learned that he was the star of the GIF they’ve seen so many times over the years. Hilary said one coach 1185720 Pittsburgh Penguins have a great voice, especially in the black community. But to change these issues, it comes as the entire society has to get involved.”

I’ve always believed sports has less racism than the rest of society. Ron Cook: Sports won't completely save us, but we need a galvanizing Teams just want to win and couldn’t care less about the color of those force they employ or share a locker room. But I’ve been reminded too many times recently that racism still exists in sports. Calgary Flames coach Bill Peters was fired after using the n-word. So was NASCAR driver Kyle Larson. The NFL blackballed Colin Kaepernick for his peaceful protest of RON COOK social injustice in 2016. And don’t get me started with the NFL having to JUN 1, 2020 6:00 AM strengthen the Rooney Rule, practically begging its teams to consider minority hires.

Sports need to start by cleaning up their own house, then worry about the There has been rioting in the streets in many American cities, including rest of the world. Pittsburgh. Property has been ruined, needlessly and senselessly. Monuments have been vandalized. Innocent lives have been lost in Sports certainly can do more to help than the violent protests of the past abhorrent protests that have been anything but peaceful. few days.

More than 104,000 people have died in this country from COVID-19. Pittsburgh mayor Bill Peduto tweeted the protest here turned ugly About 40 million are unemployed. Businesses are gone, never to return. Saturday, not because of “the young Black Leadership that organized People are struggling to pay their rent and feed their families. this march, [but because of] anarchists, hell bent on chaos and destruction. They hijacked a peaceful march for justice and exploited it There never has been a worse time for the United States of America or, for their own selfish agenda.” Two police cruisers were set on fire and at as someone on Twitter called it with some justification, the States of least a dozen buildings were damaged or looted. The Lemieux statue America. outside PPG Paints Arena was vandalized. There were 44 arrests as of early Sunday morning. I like to believe sports can help. I don’t know who started the riots in other cities. I just know those who Penguins CEO David Morehouse addresses the media near NHL's Black did are criminals, not on the same level as Chauvin, the Minneapolis Hockey History mobile museum along Bedford Avenue in front of the police officer who was charged with third-degree murder and second- Pittsburgh Miller PreK-5 African-Centered Academy, Friday, Jan. 31, degree manslaughter, but criminals nonetheless. They thrive in settings 2020, in the Hill District of Pittsburgh. (Darrell Sapp/Post-Gazette) where they can be nameless and faceless, which is easier than ever with Sports can’t solve all of the problems, but they can impact change for the everybody wearing masks these days because of the coronavirus. Most greater good by what the games provide on the field and what the people of those who are leading the violence don’t care about Floyd’s murder. in them do off the field. They care only about causing problems for the peaceful protesters specifically and our country in general. They think they are strong, but Sports brought Pittsburgh together like nothing else in the 1970s they are weak. Cowards, actually. because of what the Super Steelers did. In Atlanta, there was much damage, including at the College Football Sports brought America together like nothing else after the 9/11 terrorist Hall of Fame, which had its windows broken and its gift shop looted. attack. Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms immediately condemned the violence as We need sports, now more than ever. the National Guard was deploying. “What I see happening on the streets of Atlanta is not Atlanta. This is not a protest. This is not in the spirit of The sports world’s response to the horrific murder of George Floyd at the Martin Luther King Jr. This is chaos. A protest has purpose. When Dr. knee of Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin has been encouraging. King was assassinated, we didn’t to this to our city. If you want change in A lot of the right people — black and white — emerged to say the right America, go and register to vote.” things. Prominent sports figures from Roger Goodell to Ben Roethlisberger to Carson Wentz to NFL Players Association president JC Kaepernick did it the right way. His protest wasn’t directed at the flag or Tretter to Tom Izzo and Roy Williams, among so many others, have the brave men and women who protect it. Not for one second. It was pledged to do more to make their sport and their world a better place. directed at the blatant social injustice we continue to see every day. Did I San Francisco 49ers owner Jed York donated $1 million to local and mention his protest was peaceful? national organizations, such as the Players Coalition, that are creating Sports can learn a lot from Kaepernick. change to help oppressed minorities. All of us can. “Being from North Dakota, I’ve spent a large part of my life surrounded by people of similar color, so I’m never gonna act like I know what the black First Published June 1, 2020, 6:00am community goes through,” Wentz, the Philadelphia Eagles quarterback, Post Gazette LOADED: 06.02.2020 tweeted. “I’ll never know the feeling of having to worry about my kids going outside because of their skin color. [But] I don’t understand the society that we live in that doesn’t value all human life. It’s heartbreaking and disturbing.”

“Racism is something we all must take responsibility to end,” Tretter, the Cleveland Browns center, tweeted. “As human beings, we need to identify and challenge prejudice, rather than deny it. Silence in the face of injustice only works to protect and perpetuate that injustice.”

LeBron James carries the ball up the court as the Lakers face the Brooklyn Nets in January.

That’s what New Orleans Saints safety Malcolm Jenkins, co-founder of the Players Coalition, was talking about on ESPN.

“This is an American issue. And, more importantly, this is a white issue that, I think, is perpetuated on black people. Racism in our country has been a one-way street. And so when we talk about these issues, it has to be everybody involved. It can’t just be black people who are fighting against the police. This is an American issue that everybody should take offense. …

“[White sports figures], more than anybody else, have the ear of the majority of this country whereas black athletes, we are influencers, we 1185721 San Jose Sharks “I understand it. I’ve been on the receiving end of it,” Kane said, “and I know a lot of players that look like me and (Douglas) have been.”

Kane also said Friday his Sharks teammates have been supportive for Logan Couture writes in message, “I think most of us have turned a blind what he stands for, adding, though, that, “I think hockey, unfortunately, eye when it comes to racism. It cannot continue” has a different culture than some of the other sports in terms of speaking out and using your voice and speaking your mind.”

Couture concluded his message by saying, “Thanks for Akim and By CURTIS PASHELKA | PUBLISHED: May 30, 2020 at 3:28 p.m. | Evander speaking so loudly about the issue. We all need to learn, we UPDATED: June 1, 2020 at 9:55 a.m. need to love each other regardless of skin color.”

San Jose Mercury News: LOADED: 06.02.2020 Sharks captain Logan Couture expressed his support for teammate Evander Kane on Saturday, saying the sport of hockey and society at large needs to do much more to combat racism.

“First of all, I applaud Evander for speaking the truth,” Couture wrote in a message posted to his Twitter account. “Racism exists in society, it also exists in hockey, That’s a fact.

“Growing up in this game is a privilege. At times I think most of us have turned a blind eye when it comes to racism. It cannot continue.”

Appearing on ESPN on Friday, Kane expressed his horror at the way George Floyd was killed earlier this week in Minneapolis, dying after he was pinned to the ground by former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, who had his knee on Floyd’s neck.

Kane called on more high profile white athletes to speak out about the incident and about racism in society, saying in part that they need to have, “the same amount of outrage that I have inside, and using that to voice their opinion, to voice their frustration. Because that’s the only way it’s going to change.”

Couture, 31, grew up in southern Ontario in Canada and just finished his 11th season with the Sharks and his first as captain.

Kane was acquired by the Sharks in 2018 and is one of a handful of minorities that have played for the team in the last decade, including Jamal Mayers, Scott Gomez and Joel Ward.

For complete Sharks coverage

“I’ve had the opportunity to to play with some incredible teammates. Black, white, all colors,” Couture write. “Getting to listen to them about things they have gone though in hockey/life is eye opening. As a society and as hockey players we are only scraping the surface in fixing what desperately needs fixing.”

In an riveting article he posted on The Players’ Tribune on May 19, former NHL player Akim Aliu detailed the taunting and abuse he endured as a junior hockey player in Windsor, Ontario in 2005.

In the article, titled, “Hockey Is Not for Everyone,” Aliu wrote about how when he was 16, he refused to “strip naked and get in a bathroom in the back of the team bus with three other rookies” as part of a hazing ritual.

As retribution, Aliu wrote that a Windsor teammate, Steve Downie, who was two years older, “tapped me on the shoulder during a practice. I turned, and he shoved his fiberglass stick through my mouth. I lost seven teeth in half a second. Blood gushing down my chest into my pants.”

Aliu also detailed his 2009 incident in the AHL with the Rockford IceHogs, coached by Bill Peters. Aliu wrote that Peters used the n-word, “over and over in front of me and my teammates just because he didn’t like my choice of music.”

Days after Aliu’s article was published, Kane appeared in a video produced by TSN to discuss how racism can permeate hockey culture.

Kane appeared with Myles Douglas, an African-American who grew up in North Carolina before he moved to Toronto, where he now a forward with the North York Rangers AAA U18 team. Douglas said this past season, he was the target of racist remark in about half of the games he played.

“Not surprised,” Kane said after hearing Douglas’ story. “It’s something that people don’t want to admit happens today, they want to turn a blind eye, they want to pull the curtain to cover it up.”

Kane mentioned how when the Sharks played in Colorado against the Avalanche in the second round of the 2019 playoffs, a fan yelled slurs toward him. Kane said he told an official and “nothing was done.” 1185722 San Jose Sharks and 24 assists in 70 games as a 40-year-old and has expressed interest in returning for his 23rd NHL season.

“Knowing Joe, he’s going to want to come back,” Couture said. “He’s still After playoff miss, Sharks have 2015-16 season as a model got game. I think he still will help any team that’ll take him. If he’s healthy and he’s ready to go, I don’t see why not.”

San Francisco Chronicle LOADED: 06.02.2020 By Josh Dubow Updated 5:18 pm PDT, Saturday, May 30, 2020

With the NHL’s announcement last week that the 2019-20 regular season is over — when and if the league resumes, it will go straight to an expanded playoffs — the Sharks knew their season was over officially.

They will have plenty of time to stew over the franchise’s worst season in 17 years. San Jose is one of seven teams left out of the NHL’s scheduling plans until next season starts in late fall or early winter.

One year after making it to the Western Conference Finals, the Sharks finished with the worst record in the conference and missed the playoffs for just the second time since general manager Doug Wilson took over in 2003.

“We’re not used to losing or having a losing season here, so it wasn’t fun,” captain Logan Couture said Thursday. “As a group, we know that every single person needs to be better next year. I think with this long break it adds time for guys to get prepared. Motivation should be at an all-time high for everyone. When you have a year like this, you want to come back and prove to people that it was just a fluke.”

This is rare territory for the Sharks, who have been one of the most consistent franchises in the league. The last time they missed the playoffs was in 2014-15, then they bounced back the following season to earn the team’s first trip to the Stanley Cup Finals before losing to Pittsburgh in six games.

Couture believes a team that has a talented defensive group led by Erik Karlsson, Brent Burns and Marc-Edouard Vlasic, as well as forwards like himself, Tomas Hertl, Evander Kane and Timo Meier, has the ingredients in place to repeat that turnaround.

“I believe that summer a lot of people wrote us off, said the window’s closed, this team’s done, stick a fork in them,” Couture said. “I think that lit a fire in a lot of us. It’s going to be the same thing this year. There’s going to be people who are writing those same articles, there’s going to be fans saying the same things. The only way that that can change is we go out and make a change and show them that we’re still a good team. We still have the pieces in my mind to compete.”

Those pieces just didn’t click this past season as the Sharks got off to a rough start following last spring’s long playoff run. The team rebounded in November before falling apart again, leading to the firing of coach Peter DeBoer in December.

After a difficult beginning under interim coach Bob Boughner, the Sharks showed signs of coming into form in January before a series of injuries derailed the season.

“When one thing came crashing down, it all just fell apart,” Karlsson said. “Once you get in a big hole like that, no matter how good you are or how much experience you have, it’s hard in the short period of time to give yourself a spin in the way that it’s going which is not in the right direction. That kind of feels like what happened to us. We tried so many things to repair it. But at the same time I don’t think that there’s anything we could have done differently that would have changed the short-term results.”

Now the task for the Sharks is to play with better structure and cohesion from the start next season to avoid those holes.

One of the bigger questions the team will face before returning in the fall will be the status of Boughner. Wilson has praised Boughner’s performance even though the team was just 14-20-3 during his tenure.

But Wilson has not committed to bringing him back next season even though Boughner has earned the respect of many key players.

“He did a great job with where he was at and where we were at,” Burns said. “He had the knowledge, he was detailed. He was extremely detailed, actually, in the different scenarios. He was able to make little in- game changes. If he needed to snap, he could. He was great.”

The Sharks also have a handful of free agents to make decisions on, most notably longtime leader Joe Thornton. Thornton had seven goals 1185723 San Jose Sharks The Sharks came back super strong after missing the 2014-15 playoffs, reaching the Stanley Cup Final the following season. It will take some discipline and consistency to find similar form after a down year, with possibly eight months between their last game and the start of next What Sharks can learn from last time they missed Stanley Cup playoffs season, which should be delayed due to a prolonged hiatus due to the ongoing public health crisis.

“Even not playing now, you’re going to have to train for seven or eight By Scott Bair June 01, 2020 11:47 AM months. That sucks,” defenseman Brent Burns said. “It’s not fun. It’s tough work to get your body and mind ready for a year and we have to figure out how to do that for double, triple the time. Guys train as hard as The Sharks we so bad in 2019-20 that they couldn’t even qualify for an they can and thank the gods it’s only two and a half months away from expanded 24-team NHL playoff field designed to wrap a campaign the game. It’s going to be difficult.” paused by the coronavirus pandemic. Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 06.02.2020 They’ll be watching playoff hockey from home for just the second time in 16 seasons, an outlier outcome for a team that has been as steadily successful as any in professional sports.

The Sharks fell flat during a disastrous season where they finished dead- freaking-last in the Pacific Division and never got off the canvas after a brutal start. A team full of veteran stars finds itself in an odd position heading into a prolonged offseason, trying to find a way to rebound quickly from a disappointing campaign.

Many top players were around the last time the Sharks missed the postseason in 2014-15, and while the situations are not identical, there are lessons to be gleaned from the experience and their previous response to disappointment.

They finished above .500 in that 2014-15 season, and didn’t miss the postseason by much. The Sharks went 3-10 in the month of February, which sank their playoff chances and prompted the team and head coach Todd McLellan to mutually part ways.

But the Sharks reached different depths in 2019-20. They were the Western Conference’s worst team despite a roster full of heavyweights, with injuries to key players and some internal discord preventing the Sharks from reaching their vast potential. The letdown also led to Peter DeBoer's in-season firing and a coaching search now underway.

But Sharks captain Logan Couture knows a lot can be learned from that last offseason.

“I think a lot of guys went home during that summer determined to be in better shape and add some bite to their game,” Sharks captain Logan Couture said last week during a video conference with local reporters. “[Sharks GM Doug Wilson] challenged a lot of us to step up our games and improve as players. We wanted to come into the next year and prove that we were still a good team here in San Jose. I believe that summer a lot of people wrote us off and said the window was closed, that the team was done and to stick a fork in them.”

The Sharks surely will see similar predictions this offseason, just as they did five years ago, and it could prove to a motivating factor this time around.

“I think that lit a fire in a lot of us, and I think we’ll have a similar response this year,” Couture said. “There are going people writing those same articles. There are going to be fans thinking the same things. The only way that can change is if we make it change and show everyone we’re still a good team.

“We still have the pieces, in my mind, to compete. That’s all we can do, just work as hard as we can this summer and be as prepared as we can heading into the next training camp. I don’t think our camp this year was up to par, so we need to have a better one and get off to a good start, because we didn’t have a good one this year.”

Defenseman Erik Karlsson hasn’t been in San Jose long, but experienced plenty of disappointing seasons with the Ottawa Senators. He missed the playoffs four times with that club and each time – he was traded after missing the 2017-18 postseason -- the team responded to each setback with a playoff berth the following season.

“Every time you have a letdown, when you don’t feel that you performed up to the standards that you would like, it gets to everybody on the team and within the organization,” Karlsson said. “You have to make sure you come into the next year as prepared as possible to avoid having a bad situation repeat itself. That type of response shows a lot of character, and we have a lot of high-character guys on this team. I feel like, ever since we found out our season was ending, everyone has committed to coming back stronger next year.” 1185724 San Jose Sharks “It was showcased in a fashion that people saw it take 8 minutes and 46 seconds for a man to die and for the police brutality to continue after a man was dead and unconscious,” Kane said. “Maybe it was the fashion he was murdered in and it made people wake up and realize it has been Evander Kane on white NHLers addressing racism: We need ‘strength in an issue. It’s been going on in the U.S. and around the world for numbers’ hundreds of years. There have been opportunities to take people up and learn why it happens. It had to take another incident for people to start

getting it and to realize we have a problem and for them to admit it to By Ryan S. Clark Jun 1, 2020 themselves.

“A lot of people like to pretend it does not happen. That it does not exist. That’s part of the problem. That’s where you get pushback as a minority.” A few seconds have passed. That is the time Evander Kane needs to collect his thoughts before answering what is the first of several Kane said conversations about race and racism are not often had in the questions regarding what it is like to see his two universes finally collide. NHL. He said teammates can be close with each other but that does not mean those discussions are necessarily going to take place. He said it Hockey, and the perpetual conversations about facing racism as a black goes back to the fact “nobody really wants to ruffle any feathers,” and he man. said black players throughout the league discuss those issues among themselves. George Floyd died a week ago Monday when he was arrested by police outside a shop in Minneapolis. Several videos of Floyd’s arrest revealed He said race and racism are under more of a microscope because of how a white police officer, Derek Chauvin, knelt on Floyd’s neck while he Akim Aliu’s story. Aliu tweeted in November how then-Calgary Flames was pinned to the ground. Floyd’s death has generated mass protests coach Bill Peters, who was Aliu’s coach in the Chicago Blackhawks and rioting in numerous cities throughout the United States over a five- system, “dropped the N-bomb several times toward me in the dressing day period. room” for his choice of music. Aliu also claimed Peters wrote a letter to the front office asking the forward be sent to the ECHL. Days later, Aliu What happened to Floyd has led to several discussions taking place with then talked about how he was playing with the Colorado Eagles in the the focal point being racism. A growing number of white NHL players ECHL in 2011 when he attended a Halloween party and the team’s have begun speaking out via social media about why changes need to be equipment manager, Tony Deynzer, entered a room in blackface wearing made. They have joined black players such as the San Jose Sharks’ an Afro wig that was attempting to replicate Aliu’s hairstyle and a sweater Kane, Tampa Bay Lightning prospect forward Mathieu Joseph and J.T. that had Aliu’s nickname “DREAMER” on the nameplate across the Brown, who is a forward in the Minnesota Wild organization, in speaking shoulders with his No. 78 beneath. out over the last few days. Peters stepped down from the Flames, who also issued a statement New Jersey Devils defenseman Connor Carrick tweeted Sunday morning denouncing racism on Sunday. The Eagles, who are the AHL affiliate of that “racism is alive and well in the shoulders of our country” while further the Colorado Avalanche, placed Deynzer on administrative leave. stating “we must see, acknowledge, listen to the struggles of minorities.” Carrick was joined by Florida Panthers center Brian Boyle, Sharks center Aliu shared his story in the wake of what happened to Maple Leafs and captain Logan Couture, Los Angeles Kings center and captain Anze forward Mitch Marner and then-head coach Mike Babcock. Marner was a Kopitar and Nashville Predators center Kyle Turris in issuing statements rookie when Babcock had him rank his teammates from hardest to least- calling for action. The Devils tweeted Sunday how “the racism, prejudice hardest working. He then shared Marner’s opinions with his teammates. and injustice faced by the black community and people of color is unacceptable and has no place in society” while the Kings stated they “That’s the point people don’t understand as to why that it is important,” are “united against racism and acts of hatred toward others.” Kane said of Aliu. “We knew about (Aliu’s) story and some of the things he said. But until it involved someone who was in our league, it then took Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews, who is Mexican American, the articles and stories that had to take place for action to eventually became the most notable figure in the sport to voice his opinion Sunday happen.” night. His tweet expressed how “as a Latino American it is impossible for me to understand and fathom what others endure” and that “the world Kane spoke with The Athletic a few hours before the Maple Leafs must unite not divide.” tweeted a statement Sunday evening calling for change.

Even Sharks owner Hasso Plattner released a statement Friday evening He pointed out how Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, the firm that saying “there is no room for racism in hockey,” adding that the owns Toronto FC, the Toronto Raptors and Maple Leafs, showcased organization applauded Kane for his responses on the subject. discrepancies in how it handled addressing racism. Kane asked why the Raptors had a statement ready and prepared that was released Saturday “For me, it’s been … it’s been a good step. A small step in the right night but why the Leafs — when they are owned by the same group — direction,” Kane said in a Sunday interview with The Athletic about had not put out one of their own at that time. having white players speak out. “It was great to see not only from white players in the league but our owner, Hasso Plattner, being the first on “You have certain people that are willing to have a conversation and they that front with his own words and not just issuing a general statement on would have been willing to have it a long time ago,” Kane said. “At the behalf of the organization. That was awesome to see from him. It shows same time, part of the reason that players of colors and minority players the type of character he has and the type of character we have in this are scared to have the conversation and knew maybe someone else was organization. not ready to have that conversation is the culture of our sport and the culture of our game. When I saw (the Raptors’ statement), I was a little “I am a believer in things starting at the top, and it does not get any surprised. I know there are owners out there that own multiple franchises higher at the top than with ownership. It was great he was taking the lead in the same city and found I found it interesting the Toronto Raptors on these type of things.” issued a statement, which was great.

Kane, who has been vocal about racism throughout his career, said he “But the Leafs are owned by the same company and ownership group did not know Couture was going to comment. He received a text and haven’t done it yet. People might say ‘you’re nitpicking’ and ‘you’re message from Couture shortly after the tweet and they began texting looking for something that is not there,’ that it’s bullshit. It does not come each other. Kane praised Couture by saying the Sharks’ captain showed off that way to me or to us. It speaks to the culture of hockey at the his character and leadership and said “he wants to be a part of it and highest level and the people in positions who are at the highest level.” have all of his teammates’ back, not just certain guys.” On Sunday night, Kroenke Sports & Entertainment issued a statement The 11-year veteran was then asked why he felt Floyd’s death became through its four teams in the Avalanche, Colorado Mammoth, Colorado the catalyst for white players voicing their thoughts, especially Rapids and Denver Nuggets that was posted on each team’s Twitter considering previous cases, such as those of Mike Brown, Trayvon account within a half-hour. Martin and Tamir Rice over the last few years, could have served as a conversation starter. Kane said the immediacy of Floyd’s death along Kane said the conversations held between black players are not done in with the fact the video was on social media within hours is one of the large groups. He said it does, however, reside in the back of their minds factors he believes played a role in why white players have commented. when saying “hello” to each other on the ice or walking down the hallway before the game. He said the league’s black players “for the most part” are on the same page but the biggest issue goes back to the repercussions of speaking out about racism.

He said a player going into unrestricted free agency might worry about how it impacts his next contract, or that a fringe player could wonder if it plays into why he might not be called up to the NHL on a regular basis, or that a young player has to contemplate the consequences of speaking about it at an early age knowing those actions run the risk of being held against him later in his career.

“As a minority, there is more for us. We have to take more into account,” he said. “It’s because we’re different. No matter how many times people want to say we’re all the same and we’re all one team, we have not been treated the same. Not just in hockey but in the world, which is what we’re fighting for. That’s to be treated as equals and to get equal opportunities.”

Exactly what is it that makes Kane unafraid to speak considering there are others who feel they cannot do the same?

“Hockey is such a culture where guys are worried about what they are saying and how their reputation is perceived. Reputation for me is bullshit,” Kane said. “It’s about someone’s character. Reputation is how someone perceives you. … What I do is put stock into people’s character and it truly shows and you truly find out about someone’s character and that things are not all rainbows and butterflies. When it comes to speaking out and saying what is right and what is just and what I believe in? I don’t really care what other people have to say.

“Are there consequences in terms of making people uncomfortable? I don’t care. I think we need to make people more uncomfortable.”

Kane was asked if there is any advice he would offer to help more white hockey players, athletes or people speak up. He suggested that talking to those impacted by racism would be a strong start. He recalled speaking to his parents about race and how their experiences as older people allowed him to have a better understanding of what took place before Kane was born in 1991.

He also offered another suggestion in that having strength in numbers is critical in spreading more awareness about racism and what needs to be done to combat the issue.

“You look at some of the biggest people in sports. People like LeBron James,” Kane said. “He’s been saying this for years as well. That it is always been about supporting people and issues like racial injustice. If his voice is not going to create the change alone, nobody’s voice is. We need to support one another and use our numbers to our advantage and that’s where you get strength in numbers. That could not be more true. Especially in these circumstances.

“We need as many people, as many voices and as many heads put together to help change the way we do things in society, especially in the justice system.”

The Athletic LOADED: 06.02.2020 1185725 St Louis Blues regular shift because my shoulders were so bad. Mike (Crombeen) and I sat the bench for probably two periods.”

Crombeen had been sick, so his playing time that night was limited as En route to the Blues, Zuke lived the 'Slap Shot' life well by coach Red Berenson.

“Red saw everybody was getting tired, so he finally threw Mike and I in,” Zuke said. “Red tells the story, we looked pretty fresh, so he sends us Jim Thomas 6 hrs ago out again for a second shift and that’s when I ended up going into the corner. Mike was all alone out in front so I passed the puck out to him.”

In an article written after Pat Maroon’s double-overtime winner last Seventh in a series of "Where are they now?" stories on former St. Louis season against Dallas, former Post-Dispatch sportswriter Dan O’Neill Blues players. ranked the Crombeen goal No. 2 on his list of most memorable playoff Remember the scene in “Slap Shot” where Walt the bus driver takes a overtime goals in franchise history. (The list included only games prior to sledgehammer to the side of the Johnston Jets’ team bus? Mike Zuke Maroon’s heroics.) does. For the last 25 years, Zuke has run Zuke Enterprises, which sells apparel “Actually, I lived ‘Slap Shot’ for half a year,” said Zuke, the former Blue. and memorabilia to teams, corporations, clubs, and charity groups. “Four or five of the guys I played with down at Mohawk Valley in the Business has been a little slow during the coronavirus pandemic, so he’s North American Hockey League were extras in the movie.” now selling hand sanitizer, personal protective equipment and synthetic ice. Wait, there’s more. “It’s just plastic tile that goes together like a jigsaw puzzle,” Zuke said. “In the movie, I don’t know if you remember, but they took a “Even though it’s plastic you can skate on it, you can turn on it. You can (sledgehammer) to the bottom of the bus and broke up the door where stop on it.” the equipment went,” he said. He remains active in the Blues Alumni Association here, at age 66 Well, that very same bus was the one used by Mohawk Valley to get to skating regularly with the group pre-pandemic. And he's been involved in its road games in the months after filming of the hockey classic was coaching youth hockey for nearly 30 years, currently serving as skills completed. director for the Affton Americans program. He basically coaches the program’s coaches. “The production company writes a check to the owner to fix the bus,” Zuke said. “He puts the money in his pocket, takes a piece of plywood “As you know nowadays, skill development is so important,” Zuke said. (over the damage). So we’re traveling to Maine and , below-zero “All these guys do the off-ice training and they do the skills. It’s a lot more weather, and our equipment’s all in this bus with the wind blowing specialized now than it was when I grew up.” through it.” In what can only be described as snapshot of hockey culture in Canada, As a result, once it was game time, “We’d have to put on frozen Zuke grew up playing on a backyard rink in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. equipment,” Zuke said. And in this case not just any rink.

Memories of those bus rides, and the sensation of wearing frozen When Zuke was about 7, his father — Mike Zuke Sr. — built it. equipment, may have contributed to Zuke’s decision to retire from the NHL midway through the 1985-86 season. After spending parts of five “It started off small, with two-foot high boards,” Zuke said. “And then a seasons with the Blues, Zuke spent his last 2 ½ NHL campaigns with the couple of years later he put in six-foot high boards. He put lights up. So Hartford Whalers. we would skate on it all winter, probably from November to almost April, we’d skate outdoors every night.” In his early 30s at the time, the game was getting faster, Zuke was slowing down, and he was on a two-way contract. Whalers GM Emile By “we,” Zuke meant the whole neighborhood. The whole town. Future “The Cat” Francis, who had brought Zuke to St. Louis years earlier as NHL players such as Ron Francis, Marty Turco and Joe Thornton, as Blues GM, told Zuke right before Christmas that Hartford wanted to bring well as current Winnipeg Jets coach Paul Maurice, used to skate at the up some younger players. rink, which became known as the Zukeadome. When the skaters became too numerous to dress in the Zuke household, an old barn was brought “He wanted me to become assistant player-coach in Binghamton (N.Y.),” over on wheels to the backyard. Zuke said, referring to the Whalers’ farm club. “Because I came up riding the bus, I thought it was time to just get into business. Decided not to go “So the kids started dressing in there with an old pot-bellied stove,” Zuke down.” said.

Like so many other Blues alums, he decided to establish roots in St. It took Zuke all the way to the NHL and a life in St. Louis. Louis. A couple of years into his tenure with the Blues, he purchased a Thomas and Timmermann on the Blues: Where are they now? home in Ballwin. So it was back to the Gateway City after his playing days were over. He still lives in the same house. Hockey writers Jim Thomas and Tom Timmermann catch up with former Blues players and coaches. ‘A lot of us stay here because of the people, the city,” Zuke said. “It’s a great place to raise a family. Good opportunities for business. We’re St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 06.02.2020 appreciated by the fans. They appreciate the old guys.”

Blues fans seem to have a deep knowledge of franchise history and former players. Zuke got a reminder of that Monday.

“I just walked into a car dealership not five minutes ago, and the guy said, ‘Hi Mike,’ “ Zuke said in a phone interview. “And I said, ‘Hi, have we met before?’ And he said, ‘No, no I just recognize you.’''

Keep in mind, Zuke’s last game in St. Louis was 37 years ago. He had a good run in St. Louis, scoring 22 goals in 1979-80 and 24 goals in 1980- 81.

Zuke’s favorite moment as a Blue came in the playoffs against Pittsburgh in the 1980-81 season, when he set up Mike Crombeen for the game- winner in double-overtime in the decisive Game 5.

“I had injured my shoulders with about three or four games left in the season,” Zuke recalled. “(When) I came back for the playoffs. I was still hurting a little bit so I was in the lineup all the time but I didn’t play a 1185726 Tampa Bay Lightning In this image posted to Miami Heat basketball player LeBron James' Twitter page, Miami Heat players wear team hoodies. Heat stars Dwyane Wade and James decided on March 22, 2012, to make their reactions about the Trayvon Martin situation public, and James felt the best way to We want our athletes to speak up, but only if they say what we want to do that was the team photo with everyone wearing hoodies. Martin, an hear unarmed black teenager wearing a hooded sweatshirt, was shot to death on Feb. 26, 2012, in Sanford by a neighborhood crime-watch volunteer.

[AP] JOHN ROMANO Being outspoken is not part of an athlete’s job description. Nor should sports figures have to swallow their opinions simply because they have high-profile careers. It’s up to each athlete to decide what’s personally There is a fine line athletes must walk when it comes to expressing their important, and it’s up to each fan to decide whether that’s a dealbreaker. beliefs. And a nation of fans cannot seem to agree on which side of the line we should all be standing. It’s a weird dichotomy that a lot of people don’t seem to grasp. If you feel so strongly about your own beliefs, shouldn’t you extend that same Speak, and you’re an agitator. Don’t speak, and you’re a sellout. courtesy to others? The right to express an opinion shouldn’t be dependent on whether a person agrees with you, nor whether they want That’s the curious path you walk when you’re a star athlete in a world to speak out or remain silent. aflame with opinions. It’s been like that for decades, although social media has brought it closer to all our doorsteps. Much of the criticism on Reddick’s Twitter feed had to do with protests turning destructive in recent days. And it’s hard to argue that looting and Or haven’t you seen Tyler Reddick’s Twitter feed? In 17 words Sunday vandalism is either justified or productive. evening, the NASCAR driver offered a small gesture of solidarity in the wake of Black Lives Matter protests. But that’s not what the protests were about, and that’s not what any athlete is seeking. Most of the responses were positive, but it wasn’t long before resentment showed up. You can be passionate about the need to address systemic racism and generational poverty, and still be aghast at the vandalism of property. “What a way to kill your racing career. I see your (sic) one of those Just as you can be passionate about the valor and integrity of cops, and snowflake sheep." still be aghast at incidents of police brutality. “Don’t get political. U just lost a fan." If you agree Floyd’s death was tragic and unnecessary, if you are an “You (expletive). I hope you lose your ride now." advocate of peaceful reform, if you are in favor silent protests, you might find you have more in common with an athlete than you realize. “Long time fan, but if u agree with this black lives matter (expletive) … (expletive) you!" Someone like, say, Colin Kaepernick?

As it turns out, Reddick got off easy. Throughout the years, other athletes Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 06.02.2020 have faced death threats and loss of income for standing up for their beliefs.

Tommie Smith and John Carlos were evicted from the Olympic Village in 1968 after their raised-fist protest. During the Chicago Bulls’ White House visit in 1992, guard Craig Hodges delivered a letter to President George H.W. Bush that expressed his concerns about racism in America. He never played another game in the NBA. Muhammad Ali was stripped of his heavyweight title and lost his boxing license on the day he refused induction to the military based on religious reasons.

For the most part, history has been more forgiving and complimentary of athletic protests. The basic social and economic rights Jim Brown, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Bill Russell, Curt Flood, Billie Jean King and others risked their careers for in the 1960s and 1970s are considered praise-worthy causes today.

And yet speaking out still comes with grave risk. And for some stars, silence does, too.

Think of the biggest sports names of the past 30 years. Michael Jordan. Derek Jeter. Tiger Woods. Tom Brady. At one time or another, all have been accused of turning their backs on social justice in order to protect their reputations and endorsements. Just a few days ago, San Jose Sharks defenseman Evander Kane said it was incumbent on white athletes to lend their voices in order to spur progress.

“We’ve been outraged for hundreds of years and nothing’s changed," Kane said while talking about the George Floyd case on ESPN. “It’s time for guys like Tom Brady and Sidney Crosby and those type of figures to speak up about what is right and, clearly in this case, what is unbelievably wrong."

Compare that to Fox News personality Laura Ingraham, who told LeBron James and Kevin Durant to “shut up and dribble" after they criticized Donald Trump on a podcast in 2018.

“Must they run their mouths like that," Ingraham asked rhetorically.

So what’s the answer? Do big-time athletes have an obligation to speak on social issues, or are they overstepping their roles by expressing their opinions?

The answer, of course, is neither. 1185727 Tampa Bay Lightning me. We need to focus on the solution. On making a change in the way we educate children. We need to go about being anti-racist in a way that is significant. Burning police cars and looting stores or businesses run by people in your community is not a productive or significant way to be anti- Lightning’s Mathieu Joseph: Let’s lead with love, demand change racist.

“(George Floyd’s) death was unacceptable, my heart bleeds for him and his family, and I assume he would want us to fight for a better world. Let’s DIANA C. NEARHOS lead with love and demand change all together as human race. The only way out is through.

He and former Lightning players J.T. Brown and Kevin Weekes share “Mathieu” thoughts on the protests and racial unrest. Kevin Weekes’ full comments Mathieu Joseph stands out on any hockey team. He’s a black man in a “You barked up the wrong tree. sport dominated by white people. “Let me just start by highlighting both your ignorance and arrogance. “As a kid, playing sports helped me develop strength, which allowed me to brush off racist comments as much as possible,” the 23-year-old “The day you have bananas thrown at you on the ice. The day your Lightning forward wrote in a lengthy tweet Sunday. family and loved ones have to hear people scream racial epithets while watching you play. The day you have to worry about some media Joseph, the son of a Haitian man and a white Canadian woman, posted a intentionally call you a wrong team, when they know your legal name, two-page note, which he referred to as “some thoughts.” Joseph, who when they know your legal name. The day have to answer to ‘why did has spent most of this season in the AHL, is the first Lightning player to you just not play basketball!?’ The day you have to worry about you and comment publicly on the death of George Floyd, a 46-year-old black man your family being legally harassed. (The) day you have to feel fearful of a who died last Monday in Minneapolis while handcuffed in police custody. police officer in either Canada or the U.S. The day you have to explain Joseph said his heart bleeds for Floyd and his family, and he called and prove to officers that you didn’t steal your car. The day you and your attention to Floyd’s death not being an isolated event. parents are belittled by authorities at the airport. The day your Mom gets belittled at the grocery store. The day crooked legal systems exploit you He made a distinction between being non-racist and anti-racist, but financially. The day you finance hockey camps at Malvern and Ice Sports adding that violent protests are not the way. Scarborough that helped produce 12 NHL Players, and give countless others access to the great sport of hockey. The day you are a fellow NHL “Once this all boils over, what concrete actions will be taken?” Joseph ambassador. The day you support numerous initiatives in Barbados, asked. Canada, and the United States. The day someone (you) feels arrogant J.T. Brown, who spent six-plus seasons with the Lightning and grew up enough and privileged enough to tell you how to feel in response to an outside of Minneapolis, has been active on Twitter. During his time in attack within your racial community — then and only then, can you tell Tampa, Brown, who is black, was vocal about race matters and worked me how to ‘be better.’ ” to bring awareness around issues of police brutality. “Until then, commit to being a part of the solution, as opposed to On Sunday, the 29-year-old shared Images of his Minnesota community perpetuation the problem.” coming together, including a massive food donation made available for Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 06.02.2020 families in need.

On Friday, he commented on the impossibility of protesting in a manner that everyone views acceptable.

Also Sunday, NHL Network analyst Kevin Weekes, a black Canadian who spent time with the Lightning, took to Twitter.

The former goaltender stated that no one is superior or inferior to anyone else. A commenter compared his statement to the “all lives matter” slogan and told him to “be better.” Weekes, 45, responded, saying no one can tell him how to feel.

He highlighted the discrimination he faced in hockey, saying others can tell him how to react “the day you have to explain and prove to officers that you didn’t steal your car.”

Mathieu Joseph’s full comments

“Feeling and reacting are two very different things. How you react is often more in your control than how you feel. So I’ve been giving a lot of thought these past couple of days about how to react and part of me is still a bit torn and confused about everything. What I know for sure is that how I react will have an impact on not just myself, but the people around me.

“Growing up playing hockey, it is obvious that I was part of a visible minority. As a kid, playing sports helped me develop strength which allowed me to brush off racist comments as much as possible, even though they still happened. Watching the events unfold across America makes me extremely sad. I wish I could say what happened to (George Floyd) was an isolated event, but I know it’s not. The problem is that everyone has known that for a long time, and yet very little was done about it. And now people have had enough.

“That said, once this all boils over, what concrete actions will actually be taken? It is not enough to be non-racist, events unfolding today have proven that. But violent protests are not the answer or a good way to be anti-racist. Two wrongs will never make a right, and it saddens me to see people using these protests as a way to act violently and tear down cities. Cities which they helped build. Cities which they call home. Innocent lives are being put in danger and that doesn’t make sense to 1185728 Tampa Bay Lightning He believes there’s “no way it’s going to feel like a normal playoffs” without fans but notes that the competitive players will raise their level of play, considering the stakes.

‘Is it worth it?’ Anton Stralman questions safety of NHL’s Return to Play Stralman also has concerns about how a delayed postseason, which plan could end as late as October, would impact future seasons, with the 2020-21 season potentially starting in December or January.

“We could have another short summer — or maybe not even a summer,” By Joe Smith Jun 1, 2020 he said. “From that perspective on health for me, being one of the older guys going through the grind for a few years, we need that time during

the summer to recover and heal all the limbs. You can come down and Anton Stralman picked up the phone, and you could hear the breeze in start this playoff in August in the best-case scenario. Maybe the smart the background. thing to do is wait another month and start a new season. You’re already at the point where you’d normally come back to your city to start camp. The veteran Florida Panthers defenseman was at a farm outside of his hometown of Tibro, Sweden — “in the middle of nowhere” — watching “There’s just a lot of questions and not a lot of answers right now.” his 13-year-old daughter Liv ride horses. Considering the worldwide Is Stralman in the minority among players in having these concerns? Or coronavirus pandemic, this seemed like a pretty good bubble to be in. is there a growing underbelly of players skeptical about what a return “It’s 71 and sunny, beautiful,” Stralman said. “I can’t complain. Everyone might look like? is doing well.” “I think a lot of guys look at it in different ways depending on where you Stralman, 33, knows that he’ll eventually have to fly back to Florida if the are in your career,” Stralman said. “Whether they have families or not. I NHL’s Return to Play plan advances to Phase 3 of actual training camps, think it’s very individual. I know some guys that definitely want to play no which could open in early July. The 24-team format has already been matter what. Some guys want to play if it’s right. Some don’t. approved by the NHLPA, but there’s still a long way to go in terms of “I also think just the uncertainty of everything makes it harder. That’s the making all the logistics work, including the 25,000-30,000 COVID-19 frustrating part.” tests it would require over the length of the playoffs in two hub cities. The Athletic LOADED: 06.02.2020 But Stralman wonders: “Is it worth it?”

“I think you should be concerned,” Stralman said. “There are so many ways to look at this thing. I know everybody wants hockey back, but safety has to come first. And it’s a little bit worrisome, I can’t deny that. Even though most players are young and healthy, I’m sure there are players like me that have underlying health issues. I don’t know how my body will react if I get this virus.”

Stralman has dealt with bronchiectasis, which prevents mucus from being cleared from his lungs, since early in his career. It was finally detected during the Swede’s time with the Rangers, and he just got off the medication in the past year.

“It would be terrible if we fly into hub cities and start playing, and maybe one of the workers in the building gets it. It’s not just the 50 guys on the team, there’s a lot of people that need to be there to make this work. If some of those people get sick and potentially die from that, who is responsible? And is this something I want to be part of? It’s about the safety, not just for me but everyone involved. That raises a lot of questions on if we should do this thing. And if we do, would there be a price to pay for it?

“I’m not sure that’s the right thing to do.”

Stralman, a veteran of 818 NHL games, is still dreaming of his first Stanley Cup and — if hockey does indeed return — would have a chance to compete for a playoff spot in a five-game play-in round against the Islanders. Of course, he would love another shot at hockey’s holy grail. He’s not getting any younger. But Stralman said he hopes that if the NHL doesn’t find a way to be “bulletproof” when it comes to safety, they make “the right decision.”

“I think the main thing is safety,” Stralman said. “And I don’t think we should be obliged to be prioritized over people that actually need it way more than we do. There are so many people in this world right now that are going through some really tough times. I think all hockey players and owners should consider themselves fairly lucky to be where they’re at.

“I know that not everybody has families, but I don’t think any (player) likes the fact we’re going to fly in and be away from our families for a long period of time. And I have more questions about the reason for this: Is it to recover some revenue? What is the calculation? I assume flying 24 teams to two cities and keeping them protected in a bubble at hotels, with all the medical and required personnel that you need for such a long time, it has to be expensive.

“How does it add up, and is it worth it? Profit and money should never come over health and safety.”

Stralman said his wife, Johanna, and their four children will likely remain in Sweden if and when he returns to the United States to play. Like many players overseas, Stralman isn’t planning on coming back for Phase 2, as he has a full gym at home and accessibility to ice. 1185729 Toronto Maple Leafs the Marlies. Petan played in 16 games with the Leafs last season, but none after Dec. 12, though his 129 NHL games would put him in a high level of comfort. Korshkov had 16 goals in 44 games for the Marlies and in his NHL debut (and only game with the Leafs), scored in Buffalo Robertson one of several intriguing possibilities for Leafs' expanded against the Sabres on Feb. 16. roster In goal, considering there is no limit, there would be little reason to not carry both Kasimir Kaskisuo and Joseph Woll behind starter Frederik Andersen and No. 2 Jack Campbell. Terry Koshan What has to be kept in mind, naturally, is that what will drive the Leafs Published:June 1, 2020 will be the usual stars — Matthews, Mitch Marner and Tavares up front, Updated:June 1, 2020 5:57 PM EDT Rielly on the blue line, Andersen in goal. Zach Hyman and William Nylander will be eager to resume what was an excellent regular season for each.

Early traction on part of Andersen could give Leafs a leg up in series As for Robertson, what seems clear is that he is not far from getting a versus ... legitimate shot. If it doesn’t happen once the NHL hits Phase 4 (if it gets that far in the midst of the COVID-19 global pandemic) and the play-in Nick Robertson takes a pass from John Tavares (or Auston Matthews or round, Robertson will have all the more motivation to make the club out Alex Kerfoot), darts quickly to his left and lifts the puck over the of training camp for the 2020-21 season. Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender. Toronto Sun LOADED: 06.02.2020 In overtime of Game 5 of the qualifying round, with the goal sending the Maple Leafs into the 2020 Stanley Cup playoffs at some point in the next few months.

We’re sure more than a few in Leafs Nation have envisioned such a scenario in the days since Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas confirmed that Robertson, fresh off a 55-goal season with the , will be part of training camp, with a shot at cracking the Toronto roster for the qualifying round and the playoffs.

Considering the Leafs’ injury situation — only winger Andreas Johnsson, recovering from knee surgery in February with an original prognosis of a six-month rehabilitation, would likely be out — open spots on the Leafs’ roster will be hard to come by.

We expect that Robertson would have the best chance of any of those on the expanded roster to make an impact, though there is no guarantee that such an opportunity will come Robertson’s way (of course, that could change if the Leafs find themselves down 1-0 to the Blue Jackets and in need of a spark in a short series).

We have full respect for Robertson’s determination and skill. For the 18- year-old (he turns 19 on Sept. 11) to get into the lineup for Game 1, it would have to come at the expense of veteran Frederik Gauthier or perhaps rookie Pierre Engvall, who stepped into the lineup on Nov. 19 in Las Vegas and wasn’t scratched once afterward.

Ilya Mikheyev will be back from a lacerated wrist and should be in the top six. We don’t see how Denis Malgin, who had no points in eight games with the Leafs after being acquired from Florida in February, keeps his place in the top 12.

The Leafs, like the rest of the teams in the National Hockey League, will have the chance to expand to 28 players, with an unlimited number of goalies.

Of the players who are bound to find spots on the expanded roster, including Robertson, forwards Kenny Agostino, Adam Brooks, Nic Petan and Egor Korshkov, and defenceman Timothy Liljegren, none have NHL playoff experience. Brooks and Liljegren have previously confirmed their inclusion in the group of Black Aces.

Another expanded roster spot could boil down to one of defencemen Martin Marincin or Calle Rosen, with the other taking the eighth spot on the main roster, if the Leafs carry eight D-men.

Jake Muzzin will be back from a finger injury, and we figure that at least to begin, would be seventh on the depth chart among blueliners, behind Morgan Rielly, Muzzin, , Justin Holl, Travis Dermott and Cody Ceci.

The group of should provide some solid depth for the Leafs in the event they need to dip into the group of reserves. The further the Leafs go in the playoffs, the greater the chance the Leafs, we presume, will have to call on any number of players.

Agostino was one of a group of seven free agents signed by the Leafs last July 24, and went on to lead the Marlies in scoring with 49 points (27 goals and 22 assists) in 53 games. Brooks had 20 points in just 29 games on the farm and didn’t look out of place with limited ice time in seven games with the Leafs, while Petan had 31 points in 25 games for 1185730 Toronto Maple Leafs “It’s a lot easier when you’re working with guys that want to do better and find that edge to their game,” Wilson said.

As the season progressed, Wilson saw serious improvements in Der- How Semyon Der-Arguchintsev put himself back on the Maple Leafs’ Arguchintsev. “His positional play for exits, his knowledge of where and prospect map when to be, his back-pressure, he was one of our better forwards, for sure.”

And when Wilson realized how adaptable Der-Arguchintsev was, he kept By Joshua Kloke Jun 1, 2020 pushing him. Midway through the season, he suggested a move from centre to the wing. Wilson believes positional versatility would help the

young prospect evolve into a complete player. And so Der-Arguchintsev Semyon Der-Arguchintsev pauses and shrugs his shoulders as he happily moved to the wing for most of the second half of the season. The considers the question: What exactly went wrong for him in 2018-19? final result was the breakout junior season he was expected to have a year earlier, posting 75 points in 55 games. His 63 assists were third-best After being drafted by the Maple Leafs in the third round of the 2018 NHL in the OHL. Draft, the Peterborough Petes forward was expected to take a step in his development upon his return to junior. After all, the highly-skilled and Once Der-Arguchintsev moved to the wing, Wilson began showing him crafty playmaker signed a three-year, entry-level contract in Sept. 2018. video of William Nylander’s goals, as well as heat maps of where Nylander’s shots came from — the inner slot. The goal was to show Der- Instead, his point total decreased from 51 points in 68 games in 2017-18 Arguchintsev that he too, could be aggressive and drive to the net. to 46 points in 62 games in 2018-19. Wilson wanted him to think less like a perimeter player, and instead feel more confident thinking shot instead of pass. “I don’t really know what happened last year,” Der-Arguchintsev said back in March. “It happens. I just wanted to have a bounce-back year.” “It’s not like he has any fear,” Wilson said of Der-Arguchintsev’s ability to get to the dirty areas of the ice. “It’s just getting him to program his mind. As the 19-year-old speaks, with a large white T-shirt hanging off his 5- foot-10, 163-pound frame, there is no frustration in his demeanor. “I loved his adaptability.”

Der-Arguchintsev will turn 20 in September, making him eligible to play Going forward, Der-Arguchintsev knows he needs to be more selfish with for the Toronto Marlies in the AHL. As a result of the regular AHL the puck. turnover, Der-Arguchintsev has an opportunity with the Marlies. “I’m a little different. I’m not like that,” he said of thinking selfishly. “I need And that will happen because of what he did in Peterborough this past to be more selfish but that’s just not who I am as a player, mentally. But season — turning the tide of what could have been a disappointing end that’s something that I think I can work on. It’s something that’s fixable.” to his junior career. That’s not the only area of Der-Arguchintsev’s game that requires Petes GM Mike Oke has seen it before — after players have been improvement. Aside from adding more bulk to his frame, Der- drafted, some feel the hard work is over and junior will become easier. As Arguchintsev must develop more explosiveness in his skating to help a Leafs draft pick playing close to Toronto, Oke wonders if Der- separate from defencemen, if he hopes to fully utilize his next-level Arguchintsev got caught up thinking more about the Leafs than the playmaking vision. Petes. But he is convinced he will become the player he needs to be. “Sometimes players look past where they are,” Oke said. Der-Arguchintsev believes he is a better player today because he rose to Petes head coach Rob Wilson agreed. a challenge he had never faced before.

“Within a couple of months, his whole life had changed,” Wilson said. “It “The years before that, I wasn’t really paying attention to defensive stuff,” was a lot for him to ingest. It was overwhelming and he didn’t know it was he said. “That was the biggest difference for me.” overwhelming.” There is a refreshing honesty in the way he assesses his own play. As he In conversations throughout the season, Wilson found it difficult to get speaks, he never veers off course towards the cliché. His childlike him to understand that his focus sometimes strayed. Der-Arguchintsev wonder for hockey has been well-documented. was still figuring out how to contribute consistently. Der-Arguchintsev recalled former Leafs defenceman Nikita Zaitsev’s The Leafs saw that too. eyes widening in surprise during his first day at Leafs training camp in 2018. “For a lot of players like that, you get drafted, there’s an adjustment period, there are higher expectations,” Leafs senior director of player “He doesn’t care about anything,” Zaitsev said in 2018. “He just walks in development Scott Pellerin said. “Other teams know who you are. I just and starts talking with everybody, even with Babs and all the Leafs guys. think that, for him, it was just about finding his game and the way that he I told him a couple of simple things not to do, but he doesn’t care, he has to play.” doesn’t listen.”

Der-Arguchintsev acknowledged the whirlwind of activity and “all the Zaitsev, who had Der-Arguchintsev stay at his home during training camp hype around me.” But he returned to Peterborough ahead of 2019-20 that year, is far more reticent. Der-Arguchintsev’s happy-go-lucky nature ready to listen. was part of what allowed him to move past his disappointing 2018-19 season with a clear conscience. Wilson delivered some cold, hard truths ahead of the season. Wilson told him that, yes, creating offence came naturally to him, but that was true “I just want to be who I am,” he said. for countless other players trying to crack the NHL. His playmaking and puck skills alone would not be enough to get him to the NHL. Ahead of the Leafs’ 2019 training camp, he bonded with Leafs defenceman Jake Muzzin as they skated together in Toronto over the If he wanted to progress, it was up to him to make changes to his game. summer. Muzzin is one of the most talkative members on the Leafs roster, and being around him helped give Der-Arguchintsev the Wilson started with a simple request for the forward. If Der-Arguchintsev confidence to know that he wouldn’t have to act any differently in pro could become more responsible defensively and away from the puck, hockey. he’d become more of a complete player. “He’s the type of guy that likes to talk a lot. I enjoy being around those “I believe the (defensive and offensive skills) will work well for each other types of guys,” Der-Arguchintsev said. and things will start developing in the right way,” Wilson remembers saying to him. In the Petes’ dressing room, Der-Arguchintsev sat next to his close friend and linemate Nick Robertson. While Robertson took a business-like Der-Arguchintsev was more than willing to participate. And so the work approach to this past season, Der-Arguchintsev continues to look at began. They watched video together. They spent time on the ice after hockey a little differently. practice discussing defensive approaches. “I don’t find it (like) a job,” he said. “I love hockey and I treat it like it’s the thing I love the most.”

On being able to understand more complex defensive assignments, he said: “I’m a smart player and that’s why it’s easier for me to understand what’s going on.”

What matters to him is that he can back up his words with his play. And not just by producing points. He wants to prove that in the next step of his career, which he hopes is with the Marlies.

“On the Maple Leafs now, everyone is skilled,” he said. “I want to be the type of guy who coaches rely on defensively.”

The Leafs saw the improvement, too.

“He’s really grown up,” Pellerin said. “He’s got a way to go. A lot of these young players have to mature quickly. It’s a hard game. But we were really happy with his compete level this year, his playmaking and his overall consistency away from the puck. There’s a lot of real positives and we’re really happy with his progression.”

Der-Arguchintsev is ready to listen – whether that advice comes from the Petes or the Leafs – because it will help him make improvements in the thing that he cares most about.

“I love hockey. Even if it’s not going your way.”

The Athletic LOADED: 06.02.2020 1185731 Vegas Golden Knights

Caesars Entertainment cashes Golden Knights’ division title bets

By Todd Dewey

June 1, 2020 - 1:43 PM

Bettors at Caesars Entertainment who wagered on the Golden Knights to win the Pacific Division can cash their tickets.

Caesars has graded all division leaders — the Golden Knights, St. Louis, Boston and Washington — as winners in its division futures market. The Knights led the Edmonton Oilers by three points with 11 games remaining when the regular season was paused March 12 because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The season was declared over May 26 by NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman.

“Given that the NHL has declared the regular season complete, we felt it was correct to pay out on the teams that were leading their respective divisions at the time of the completion of the regular season,” Caesars director of trading Jeff Davis said in an email.

William Hill also graded all division leaders as winners and refunded wagers on teams that were second in their division (Edmonton, Colorado, Tampa Bay, Philadelphia).

MGM Resorts and the Westgate refunded bets on division futures, per house rules requiring 82 games played.

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Golden Knights help fans get in shape with workout videos

By Mark Anderson

June 1, 2020 - 12:31 PM

The Golden Knights have tried to remain active during the coronavirus pandemic shutdown, and they have tried to keep their fans moving as well.

They produce short daily workout videos for fans to follow along called the #VGKFitChallenge. Previous videos also are archived on that page.

The Knights are among a handful of NHL teams holding virtual workouts. Each video is usually two to three minutes and features members of the broadcast team going through four exercises.

“It’s certainly an odd time when everyone is at home, and during the beginning of the quarantine, we couldn’t do too much,” Golden Knights analyst Shane Hnidy said. “The players were being forced to work out from home, and that gave us the idea of doing something for the fans. We knew it couldn’t be a severe workout that’s going to have people stopping. So it’s go at your own speed. Even when we got to the hockey drills, all you need is a stick.

“Just try to make it as basic as you can but still effective, so they can get something from these workouts. I’ve enjoyed it. This is something that all of the broadcasters have really got in to, and we’ve all been able to engage with fans on social media, so it’s been fun.”

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Golden Knights end meal-donation program

By Mark Anderson

June 1, 2020 - 12:19 PM

The Golden Knights ended their meal-donation program that provided more than 13,450 hot meals to medical professionals and first responders.

Other meals also were donated to Metropolitan Police Department officers.

The program began in April as an appreciation for those fighting the coronavirus pandemic. It was planned for five weeks, but community support helped extend the program to seven.

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Golden Knights sign 2018 draft pick Connor Corcoran

By David Schoen

June 1, 2020 - 11:50 am

Updated June 1, 2020 - 6:04 PM

Defenseman Connor Corcoran signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Golden Knights, the team announced Monday.

Terms of the deal were not released.

Corcoran was a fifth-round pick (No. 154 overall) by the Knights in the 2018 draft. The team had until 2 p.m. Pacific time Monday to sign Corcoran or they lost his signing rights and he would have been eligible for the 2020 draft.

Corcoran recorded 54 points in 62 games for Windsor of the . His 19 goals ranked fourth in the league among defensemen, and he was named one of 20 finalists for the as the OHL’s most outstanding player.

The Knights did not sign 2018 draft picks defenseman Xavier Bouchard (sixth round) and goaltender Jordan Kooy (seventh round) and gave up their signing rights. Both players will re-enter the draft and become unrestricted free agents if they are not selected.

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Capitals assistant Reid Cashman named Dartmouth head coach

Samantha Pell

June 1, 2020 at 5:06 PM EDT

Washington Capitals assistant coach Reid Cashman has been named head coach of the Dartmouth men’s hockey team.

Cashman, 37, was in charge of the defense in Washington, where he spent two seasons. He and Scott Arniel were added to head coach Todd Reirden’s staff in August 2018. Cashman will remain with the Capitals through the playoffs — if they are held this summer.

“I feel like I have been given the opportunity of a lifetime to be the head coach of the Dartmouth men’s hockey program,” Cashman said in a news release from Dartmouth. “For 114 years, Dartmouth has competed at the highest level and has produced Olympians, All-Americans and NHL players. Along with the great history on the ice, Dartmouth College has been one of the finest institutions in the world for more than 250 years. It is truly an honor to be given this prestigious opportunity.”

Before joining the Capitals, Cashman had been an assistant coach for two years with the , the Capitals’ American Hockey League affiliate. Before that, he was an assistant at , helping his alma mater reach the Frozen Four in 2013 and 2016. Cashman spent nearly all of his playing career in the minors and at one point played under Reirden with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.

Cashman will be Dartmouth’s 22nd coach in program history. ESPN’s John Buccigross reported he received a five-year contract.

“The Washington Capitals congratulate Reid Cashman on being named the head coach of the Dartmouth College men’s hockey team,” the team said in a statement. “We appreciate his tireless work ethic and contributions to the organization over the past four seasons, both with the Capitals and the Hershey Bears, working with the organization’s defensemen.”

Washington Post LOADED: 06.02.2020 1185736 Washington Capitals

Capitals assistant coach Reid Cashman will leave for Dartmouth job after season

By Adam Zielonka - The Washington Times - Monday, June 1, 2020

Reid Cashman will have another job waiting for him whenever the Washington Capitals‘ season finally concludes.

Cashman, the Capitals‘ assistant coach in charge of defense, will leave later this year to become the head coach of Dartmouth University’s men’s hockey team.

The Capitals said Cashman will remain in his role with the team for the remainder of the 2019-20 season, which is technically still up in the air due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The NHL released its return-to-play plan but did not attach starting dates.

Cashman, 37, played defenseman at Quinnipiac and then in the minor leagues from 2007 to 2011.

He has served as Todd Reirden’s assistant coach for defense ever since Reirden, himself a former defensive coach, assumed the head coaching role from Barry Trotz in 2018. Before that, Cashman was an assistant coach for the Capitals‘ minor-league affiliate, the Hershey Bears.

“The Washington Capitals congratulate Reid Cashman on being named the head coach of Dartmouth College men’s hockey team,” the Capitals said in a statement. “We appreciate his tireless work ethic and contributions to the organization over the past four seasons, both with the Capitals and the Hershey Bears, working with the organization’s defensemen.”

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Alex Ovechkin's message amid George Floyd protests: 'Respect and love each other'

By J.J. Regan June 01, 2020 10:14 PM

While we all miss hockey and sports, there are things a heck of a lot more important than sports going on in our country right now and Alex Ovechkin added his voice on Monday with a hopeful Twitter message.

Washington, D.C., like much of the country, is experiencing massive protests in the wake of the senseless death of George Floyd. While Ovechkin may not be American, he certainly has become a public figure in Washington and he tweeted out a message asking everyone to "respect and love each other."

Stay safe out there everyone.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 06.02.2020 1185738 Washington Capitals

Capitals assistant coach Reid Cashman named head coach at Dartmouth

By J.J. Regan June 01, 2020 4:49 PM

Capitals assistant coach Reid Cashman will be leaving Washington to become the head coach at Dartmouth, the Caps announced Monday. The news was first reported by ESPN's John Buccigross.

"The Washington Capitals congratulate Reid Cashman on being named the head coach of Dartmouth College men’s hockey team," a statement from the team read. "We appreciate his tireless work ethic and contributions to the organization over the past four seasons, both with the Capitals and the Hershey Bears, working with the organization’s defensemen. Cashman will remain in his capacity as an assistant coach for the remainder of the season before joining Dartmouth."

The 2019-20 season was Cashman's second behind the bench in Washington where he coached primarily the team's defensemen. After his playing career, Cashman returned to his alma mater, Quinnipiac, as an assistant coach for three seasons and an additional two as associate coach. He then was hired in Hershey as an assistant coach for two years before joining Todd Reirden's staff in Washington.

Cashman had some big shoes to fill by when he came to Washington as he, ironically enough, had to replace Reirden as the team's defensive coach. Reirden had helped coach the defense to a Stanley Cup as a member of Barry Trotz's staff in 2018. Washington's goals against per game in the last two seasons was 3.02 and 3.07, both of which were higher than any of the four seasons with Reirden coaching the defense under Trotz.

Cashman will remain with the Caps through the 2020 postseason, according to the team's statement.

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Alex Ovechkin reveals his all-time favorite Capitals sweater

By Jordan Giorgio June 01, 2020 4:03 PM

Since joining the Washington Capitals back in October of 2005, Alex Ovechkin has worn dozens of variations of Caps jerseys while launching one-timers from his office, but we’ve never known which jersey was his favorite until now.

Over the course of a few weeks, the Capitals' team Instagram account hosted a Jersey Madness bracket in which they asked fans to vote on their favorite Caps jersey of all time.

*SPOILER ALERT* The team's 2015 Winter Classic jersey ended up winning it all. Some of the team decided to join in on the fun, including Ovi who revealed that his all-time favorite was the sweater he wore his rookie year in an Instagram comment. He also encouraged the team to bring back the iconic Screaming Eagle design for him to wear next year.

Ovi was able to wear these jerseys for two years until the Capitals rebranded the summer of 2007. The team switched the colors from the blue and black back to the red, white and blue original color scheme. When these new uniforms were revealed, there was another big difference along with the color scheme and design, and that was that there were only three stars versus six that were on the old uniforms.

In our new series ‘Ever Wonder,’ Capitals assistant general manager Don Fishman spoke with NBC Sports Washington to explain what each star represents and why the franchise decided to make this change.

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Capitals GM Brian MacLellan does not see why the 2020 Stanley Cup deserves an asterisk

By J.J. Regan June 01, 2020 6:00 AM

The 2020 season is unlike any other and because of that, it has brought up debates that we typically do not see in a season. From year to years, no one really questions whether the winner of the Stanley Cup was somehow invalid. If you win four best-of-seven series, clearly you deserve to be the last team standing. But now that the NHL has a playoff format for when the league resumes play, there are those who believe this year's Stanley Cup deserves an asterisk.

That notion is ridiculous., but don't take my word for it. Listen to someone who has won the Cup twice.

Brian MacLellan won the Cup in 2018 as the Capitals general manager, but he also won it as a player in 1989 with the Calgary Flames. Obviously the way in which a winner will be determined this postseason is different than a normal year, but to MacLellan, he feels winning the Cup would mean just as much as in 2020 as it would any other year.

"It's going to be different, it's going to be unique," MacLellan said Friday in a video conference. "The format's unique, but I still think players are competitive. You get in that environment, you're going to want to win. Organizations want to win."

You may be thinking to yourself, "what is he supposed to say?" but really, he had an opportunity to voice a dissenting opinion throughout the process. When the league voted on the 24-team playoff proposal, only two out of 31 teams voted against it and the Caps were not among them. MacLellan could have said this year is different or that it won't feel the same and, as someone who has won the Cup both as a player and a general manager, his opinion would certainly carry some weight.

But that's just not how MacLellan feels about it.

"Once we get into it and it gets competitive, I don't think players are going to sit there [and think] this is not the same," he said.

MacLellan added, "I don't know that it lessens it because we've had a break, we've had a situation that's come into society, come into sports."

Considering the winner of the 2020 Cup will have had to wait through a season pause of several months, played through a training camp, most likely live in seclusion in a hub city for several weeks throughout the postseason, won at least four rounds of playoff hockey (five if a play-in team goes all the way) and do all of it in the midst of a global pandemic, why would anyone think to win the Cup this year could somehow be less difficult or satisfying?

"It'll be different," MacLellan said, "But I think the satisfaction of winning a championship, playing with your team, playing with your teammates, getting through hurdles that you have to go through in the playoffs, I think that's all going to be very satisfying."

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Caps assistant Reid Cashman becoming Dartmouth men’s hockey head coach

By Tarik El-Bashir Jun 1, 2020

Capitals assistant Reid Cashman will be the next head coach of the men’s hockey team at Dartmouth, the college announced Monday afternoon.

Cashman is in his second season in Washington, where his primary responsibility has been working with the defense. He will replace , who retired in April after 23 seasons – and a program-record 331 wins – as the Big Green’s bench boss.

Cashman, 37, has agreed to stay with the Caps for the remainder of the 2019-20 season, if and when the suspended season resumes later this summer. He was promoted from the AHL’s Hershey Bears in 2018 to join Todd Reirden’s staff, which also includes assistants Scott Arniel and Blaine Forsythe.

“We appreciate his tireless work ethic and contributions to the organization over the past four seasons, both with the Capitals and the Hershey Bears, working with the organization’s defensemen,” the Caps said in a statement congratulating Cashman. The move to Hanover, New Hampshire, will also put Cashman’s wife, Stefanie, closer to her family.

The Caps are expected to wait until the end of the season before commencing a search to replace Cashman. It will be an appealing job. Washington just clinched its franchise-best fifth-straight division title and the mostly veteran blue line boasts Norris Trophy-candidate John Carlson. There are also a couple of touted youngsters – Martin Fehervary and Alex Alexeyev – in the pipeline.

Under Cashman’s tutelage, the Caps’ defense has produced mixed results. On the one hand, Carlson earned All-Star game berths in back- to-back seasons and was on pace for a franchise record in points before the campaign was cut short by the coronavirus pandemic. Meanwhile, Jonas Siegenthaler made the leap from prospect to full-timer. On the other hand, the backend has endured its share of struggles this season, including a subpar second half.

Cashman, who played four years for Quinnipiac University, received a five-year contract from Dartmouth, according to ESPN’s John Buccigross, who was first to link Cashman to Dartmouth.

Said Cashman: “I feel like I have been given the opportunity of a lifetime to be the head coach of the Dartmouth men’s hockey program. For 114 years, Dartmouth has competed at the highest level and has produced Olympians, All-Americans and NHL players. … It is truly an honor to be given this prestigious opportunity.”

Cashman will be formally introduced as Dartmouth’s new coach during an online news conference Tuesday afternoon.

The Athletic LOADED: 06.02.2020 1185742 Winnipeg Jets

Jets sign D-man, waive 2 others

Jason Bell

Posted: 06/1/2020 8:21 PM

Declan Chisholm shoots on net during a scrimmage at the Winnipeg Jets development camp last June. The Jets signed Chisholm to a three-year entry-level deal Monday.

The Winnipeg Jets got Declan Chisholm’s signature on a contract Monday, adding another young defenceman to their prospect pool.

The 20-year-old former junior star signed a three-year entry-level deal with a yearly cap hit of US$825,000 if he plays in the NHL. The deal starts in the 2020-21 season.

The deadline to get the product of Bowmanville, Ont., signed was Monday at 4 p.m. Two other defencemen, Giovanni Vallati (2018 fifth- rounder) and Jacob Cederholm (2017 fourth-rounder) were not signed by the Central Division squad.

Vallati is eligible to re-enter the 2020 NHL Draft, while Cederholm becomes an unrestricted free agent.

Chisholm was drafted by the Jets in the fifth round (150th overall) in the 2018 NHL Draft and just completed his fourth season with the OHL’s Peterborough Petes.

He set career-highs for goals (13), assists (56), and points (69). Chisholm was the third-highest point-producing defenceman in the OHL.

Winnipeg Free Press LOADED 06.02.2020 1185743 Winnipeg Jets I'd suggest anyone who gets their back up over what Couture has to say can go pound sand. But the fact Couture began his poignant words with a pseudo-apology shows just how risky many view it to stick their neck out on just about anything. Time for our sports heroes to speak out about racism A quick disclaimer of my own: I'm not suggesting we need to hear from an endless parade of white athletes wanting to score cheap PR points by attaching themselves to the popular cause of the day. Just look at the By: Mike McIntyre tone-deaf message the NFL released this past weekend, which is being Posted: 06/1/2020 5:30 PM | Last Modified: 06/1/2020 6:18 PM | Updates rightfully shredded in many quarters. It's pretty rich that the league that | Comments: 1 balked at Colin Kaepernick peacefully protesting the very same issues by taking a knee during the anthem is now claiming to be "woke."

I also understand there are those who would prefer these guys just shut Blake Wheeler admittedly struggled to find the words, but at least he up and play, believing they have little of substance to offer on social used his voice to say something. For that, the Winnipeg Jets captain justice issues. should be applauded. However, when the sentiments are seemingly genuine and well- Unfortunately, the same can't be said for the majority of Caucasian intentioned, admit a position of privilege and offer support, advocacy and athletes who are typically nowhere to be found on issues such as racism, a listening ear to those most impacted, then some real good can come inequality and police brutality, which have all been laid bare once again from it. For example, I suspect there are many fans who read what following last week's horrific videotaped killing of a black man, George Wheeler, Toews and Couture had to say who are now examining their Floyd, at the hands a white Minneapolis cop and the subsequent protests own lot in life and what they can do to make the world a slightly better that have flared up and occasionally turned violent. place.

Their silence, while not surprising, speaks volumes. They have the Bottom line: I would much prefer athletes use their platforms for good platforms. They have the power. They have fans who look up to them, rather than promoting their latest clothing line or sports drink who buy their jerseys and merchandise and hang on their every word. endorsement. It's just too bad more don't feel that way. And yet, they dare not veer from their carefully curated "brands" and all the clout and comforts, the privilege and the profits, they've reaped as a In Wheeler's case, I have no doubt he means what he says. Fearless on result. the ice, he's proven to be much the same off of it as well. He's previously called for stricter gun control in the U.S., and criticized President Donald "We need so many more athletes that don’t look like me speaking out Trump's suggestion that any football player who follows in Kaepernick's about this. It’s time for guys like Tom Brady and Sidney Crosby and shoes should be fired. those type of figures to speak up about what is right," former Jets forward Evander Kane told ESPN the other day. Wheeler is set to speak on Tuesday morning with media via Zoom. What once would have been a conference call strictly about the NHL's return- Wheeler, who hails from Plymouth, Minn., is one of the few notable to-play proposal for later this summer will now be dominated by exceptions who strayed from the usual "stick to sports" script that seems something much more important. engrained in so many hockey players. The 33-year-old once again showed true leadership qualities with his Twitter post on Saturday night. In that sense, perhaps it's not the worst thing that sports remain at a Since then, a handful of fellow NHLers and a host of teams have issued virtual standstill. As we've seen recently, there are far bigger things going their own statements. on which require our undivided attention. That goes for the athletes themselves, who would be wise to take a long, hard look at what's going "My hometown is burning. Businesses where I grew up are being on around them, at how broken and divided our world really is, and boarded up. America is not OK," Wheeler began. "Growing up outside consider how they can make a truly meaningful contribution. Minneapolis, I always felt sheltered from racism. That’s because I was. Most people I grew up with looked like me. I never had to be scared As hard as it may be for some to find the words, their voices can help when I stopped at a traffic light or saw the police in public. My kids will make a difference. never know that fear either. Winnipeg Free Press LOADED 06.02.2020 "I’m heartbroken that we still treat people this way. We need to stand with the black community and fundamentally change how the leadership in this country has dealt with racism. I’m sorry it has taken this long, but I’m hopeful that we can change this NOW. George Floyd’s life mattered. Ahmaud Arbery’s life mattered. So did every other life that has been lost by this senseless violence and racism."

Winnipegger Jonathan Toews, the captain of the Chicago Blackhawks, was another. His Instagram post Monday included a widely-shared video of two black men having a powerful, emotional debate about protesting. Toews admitted that, as a white male, his initial reaction was that these "riots and acts of destruction are a terrible response."

"But who am I to tell someone that their pain is not real? Especially when it is at a boiling point and impossible to hold in anymore," wrote Toews. "I'm not condoning or approving the looting, but are we really going to sit here and say that peaceful protesting is the only answer? There has been plenty of time for that, and if it was the answer we would've given it our full attention a long time ago."

Toews included the #blacklivesmatter hashtag and this all-important caveat: "My message isn't for black people and what they should do going forward. My message is to white people to open our eyes and our hearts."

Logan Couture, a teammate of Kane with the San Jose Sharks, also weighed in by writing, in part: "I think most of us have been at fault for turning a blind eye when it comes to racism. It cannot continue." Oddly, the Ontario-born Couture felt the need to begin his tweet with a "Sorry if this offends anyone" intro. 1185744 Winnipeg Jets

Jets sign offensive defenceman Chisholm to entry-level contract

Ted Wyman

Published:June 1, 2020

Updated:June 1, 2020 4:44 PM CDT

In somewhat typical fashion, the Winnipeg Jets slipped in just under the wire to sign offensive defence prospect Declan Chisholm on Monday.

The Jets drafted Chisholm in the fifth round (150th overall) in 2018 and had to get him under contract by Monday in order to retain his rights.

Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff has a history of waiting until the last minute to sign draft picks, but Chisholm was clearly a player the Jets wanted in the fold.

A left-shooting defenceman, Chisholm had 13 goals and 56 assists in 59 games with the Peterborough Petes of the Ontario Hockey League last season.

His 56 assists were second among all OHL defencmen and his 69 points third among blue-liners.

A 6-foot-1, 20-year-old, Chisholm signed a three-year entry-level deal with the Jets, with an average annual value of $825,000.

The Jets had three prospects that needed to be signed by 4 p.m., on Monday in order to retain their rights. They signed Chisholm, but decided not to sign defenceman Giovanni Vallati, who was also taken in the fifth round in 2018 and defenceman Jacob Cederholm, a Swede who was taken in the fourth round in 2016.

Vallati will go back into the 2020 NHL draft pool, while Cederholm becomes an unrestricted free agent.

Winnipeg Sun LOADED 06.02.2020 1185745 Winnipeg Jets Chisholm was slightly behind in goals but put up more points and actually finished fifth in the OHL in power-play assists, just seven behind league- leader Ryan Merkley (a first-round pick of the San Jose Sharks in 2018).

The road map for Declan Chisholm to become another late-round hit for Aside from his ability to put up points with the man-advantage, Chisholm Jets brings another important skill to the table.

“What Declan does extremely well on the power play is that he’s excellent on entry,” Wilson said. “He knows when he can take that burst By Ken Wiebe Jun 1, 2020 through the neutral zone and he knows when to slow it down, as he’s approaching, he knows when to drop the puck.

“I didn’t think there was a better D in the league than his entries on the Declan Chisholm would love to be the latest in the Winnipeg Jets’ power play.” expanding list of late-round gems. Gawanke is considered mobile, but Chisholm has a distinct edge when it The smooth-skating defenceman from the Peterborough Petes inked his comes to skating ability. three-year, entry-level deal that carries an AAV of $825,000 with the Jets on Monday, several hours before the 4 p.m. CT deadline. “My feet are definitely my biggest asset,” Chisholm said. “I’m able to go side-to-side very quickly and keep a tight gap on a lot of fast skaters and The Jets did not sign fellow blueliners Giovanni Vallati (another 2018 keep my speed with them as they’re skating forward. So, that helps a lot. fifth-rounder) or Jacob Cederholm (a 2016 fourth-rounder who has spent the past two years on a minor-league contract with the “My hockey IQ, too. I’m able to make smart plays and able to break down while playing mostly in the ECHL). forechecks and stuff like that by using smart hockey plays.”

Vallati can re-enter the 2020 NHL Draft, while Cederholm becomes an Projections are often a challenge, but it’s safe to say it’s going to be at unrestricted free agent. least two years before Chisholm can put himself in a position to challenge for a roster spot at the NHL level. Chisholm is coming off a strong campaign, his fourth with the Petes, chipping in career-bests in goals (13), assists (56) and points (69) in 59 And while a lot can change during that time, right now the Jets left side games. features Josh Morrissey as the anchor, while top prospects Ville Heinola and Dylan Samberg figure to be challenging for a roster spot sooner than “I definitely took another jump this year and led the backend of my team,” later — while Sami Niku shoots left but can play either side. Chisholm said during a recent telephone interview. “I really locked down the defensive areas of my game and took another progression forward When you’re a fifth-round pick, the deck is usually stacked against you. with the offensive part of my game also.” That comes with the territory, but it’s not always an impediment either.

That’s often the biggest challenge for D-prospects, especially those who The current Jets roster features plenty of first-round picks, but their most excel offensively. If Chisholm can make the required improvements in his valuable player this season just so happens to be a fifth-round pick from own zone, that will help earn the trust of his coaches – a requirement for the 2012 NHL Draft. more ice time at the next level. Late-round hits for the Jets include: Chisholm is an elite skater and Petes head coach Rob Wilson believes he’s ready for the pro game. G Connor Hellebuyck, 2012, fifth round

“The one thing he has, over a lot of players, is that he’s got outstanding D Tucker Poolman, 2013, fifth round feet and those feet are at the NHL level,” Wilson said in a telephone F Andrew Copp, 2013, fourth round interview. “He’s fortunate. He’s been blessed with great feet but he has worked on it. … There was great improvement in every part of his game.” RW Mason Appleton, 2015, sixth round

Wilson said Chisholm averaged between 20 and 25 minutes of ice time D Sami Niku, 2015, seventh round per game and wasn’t used only in an offensive role. He had the responsibility of playing in a shutdown capacity against the other team’s This isn’t to suggest Chisholm is going to eventually have the same best players, showing major improvement during individual battles and impact as Hellebuyck, but some of the most important raw materials are became much better at using his stick effectively while defending. already in place for him to continue the development process at the American Hockey League level and to see where things go from there. The Petes were playing some of their best hockey of the season and figured to be a tough out during the OHL playoffs before the campaign The Athletic LOADED: 06.02.2020 came to an abrupt end.

Instead, Chisholm has been staying active and training for the long road ahead.

Chisholm has been in attendance for the past two Jets development camps and forged a friendship with fellow prospect Leon Gawanke.

Gawanke’s first pro season started a bit slowly (common for rookie pros), but his responsibilities grew over time and he was running the No. 1 power-play unit for the Moose before the campaign was paused and eventually cancelled.

When it comes to comparisons, Chisholm and Gawanke share some similar characteristics, though the former is a left-handed shot and the latter is right-handed.

Their path to the Jets could be on parallel tracks as well as they face similar challenges.

Gawanke, chosen by the Jets in the fifth round of the 2017 NHL Draft, has a one-year head start in the process, but let’s look at the raw numbers — though it’s important to take into account the players were suiting up in different leagues.

During his final junior season, Gawanke managed to record 17 goals and 57 points in 62 games with the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles of the QMJHL. 1185746 Vancouver Canucks It’s why more than 1,000 protesters attended a racism rally Sunday at the Vancouver Art Gallery. It’s why NHL teams and players took to social media to condemn racism, hatred, bigotry and violence.

Ben Kuzma: Horvat's leadership and raw honesty shine bright in The Canucks posted this on their Twitter handle: tumultuous times “We live in one of the most diverse, multicultural places in the world, yet racism exists, here, too. Be kind and be understanding. We can do better. We are all in this together. We can be a positive force for change. BEN KUZMA We invite you to join us in sharing the #DifferentTogether pledge on social media and encourage others to take part.” Published:June 1, 2020 Brock Boeser has obviously been rocked by what has occurred in Updated:June 1, 2020 5:59 PM PDT Minneapolis, the epicentre for nationwide protest and violence.

The Canucks winger was born and raised in Burnsville, located 32 Bo Horvat makes a big deal of his small-town values. kilometres southwest of Minneapolis, and has a summer home in Prior Lake, Minn., 24 kilometres south of downtown Minneapolis. He was The Vancouver Canucks captain is approachable, amiable and skating in Sioux Falls, South Dakota and unavailable for an interview accountable. And the life lessons he learned in the tiny southwest Monday, but on Instagram offered a re-post of the following by actor farming community of Rodney, Ont. — to be respectful and think of Mariska Hargitay: others first — has never been more important. “I understand that I will never understand. However, I understand.” In more than 140 U.S. cities, peaceful demonstrations to condemn the senseless asphyxiation death of African-American George Floyd on May That’s fitting for the respectful Boeser, who has endured heartache and 25 by the knee of Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, has led to injury in his personal life and NHL career, but cares more about the well disbelief, anger, violence, looting and death. being of others.

It has turned The State of Hockey into The State of Confusion. Canucks wingers Justin Bailey and Jake Virtanen also weighed in to stress education and understanding as foundations of change toward It has turned the thought of the twin cities of St. Paul and Minneapolis racism. So did defenceman Troy Stecher. being a hub finalist for resumption of the paused NHL season into an optical nightmare. And it led to this Monday social-media post by Horvat: Vancouver Province: LOADED: 06.02.2020

“As athletes, we are often asked to provide our opinions on things that happen on the ice, in a locker-room. It usually feels familiar to us, or at the very least, like something we are qualified to speak to. Relating to and discussing the severe pain and frustration most of us are feeling now is something I am not well-suited to discuss.

“But the opinion that it is easier to say nothing, is a part of the problem that has gone on for far too long. I am not going to pretend that I know what people of colour are going through, but what I do know is there needs to be change, that we need to do better, that we need to work together and find justice, peace and love.”

Jim Benning likes to believe it wasn’t always this way.

He was born in Edmonton. He played his junior hockey in Portland and his NHL career in Toronto and Vancouver.

It wasn’t until the latter part of his 11-year career that the former defenceman had a teammate of colour. It was Val James of the Maple Leafs’ AHL affiliate in Newmarket, Ont. for a brief period in 1986-87 and Tony McKegney the following season in Italy to close out Benning’s career.

What Benning witnessed in his childhood was a melting pot of co- operative cultures. What he often saw as a player were F-bombs in the heat of battle but nothing directed at the colour of a player’s skin. What he sees now in violent protest eruptions in Minneapolis and dozens of other U.S. cities is stunning.

“It’s so unfortunate,” said Benning. “To even watch what’s going on, it just seems like a crazy time — I don’t even know what to say.”

What can you really say? You don’t have to be of colour to have slurs sent your way.

“Where I grew up in north Edmonton, there was a big influx of Italian immigrants who came over from Europe,” recalled Benning. “And with the kids I went to school with, soccer was their game and I never came across anything to any extent.

“I don’t understand why we don’t treat everybody like we want to be treated. When I played, I never really saw racism. You turned around and swore when you got run through the end boards — no matter who hit you — but I just didn’t see racism.

“I don’t know about now.”

There’s a history of racial slurs leading to NHL suspensions and former Canucks winger Donald Brashear was once branded “a monkey.” And there are forms of racism in Vancouver. It can be the looks, the words, the graffiti or the shoves now caught on smartphone cameras. 1185747 Websites He believes there’s “no way it’s going to feel like a normal playoffs” without fans but notes that the competitive players will raise their level of play, considering the stakes.

The Athletic / ‘Is it worth it?’ Anton Stralman questions safety of NHL’s Stralman also has concerns about how a delayed postseason, which Return to Play plan could end as late as October, would impact future seasons, with the 2020-21 season potentially starting in December or January.

“We could have another short summer — or maybe not even a summer,” By Joe Smith Jun 1, 2020 he said. “From that perspective on health for me, being one of the older guys going through the grind for a few years, we need that time during

the summer to recover and heal all the limbs. You can come down and Anton Stralman picked up the phone, and you could hear the breeze in start this playoff in August in the best-case scenario. Maybe the smart the background. thing to do is wait another month and start a new season. You’re already at the point where you’d normally come back to your city to start camp. The veteran Florida Panthers defenseman was at a farm outside of his hometown of Tibro, Sweden — “in the middle of nowhere” — watching “There’s just a lot of questions and not a lot of answers right now.” his 13-year-old daughter Liv ride horses. Considering the worldwide Is Stralman in the minority among players in having these concerns? Or coronavirus pandemic, this seemed like a pretty good bubble to be in. is there a growing underbelly of players skeptical about what a return “It’s 71 and sunny, beautiful,” Stralman said. “I can’t complain. Everyone might look like? is doing well.” “I think a lot of guys look at it in different ways depending on where you Stralman, 33, knows that he’ll eventually have to fly back to Florida if the are in your career,” Stralman said. “Whether they have families or not. I NHL’s Return to Play plan advances to Phase 3 of actual training camps, think it’s very individual. I know some guys that definitely want to play no which could open in early July. The 24-team format has already been matter what. Some guys want to play if it’s right. Some don’t. approved by the NHLPA, but there’s still a long way to go in terms of “I also think just the uncertainty of everything makes it harder. That’s the making all the logistics work, including the 25,000-30,000 COVID-19 frustrating part.” tests it would require over the length of the playoffs in two hub cities. The Athletic LOADED: 06.02.2020 But Stralman wonders: “Is it worth it?”

“I think you should be concerned,” Stralman said. “There are so many ways to look at this thing. I know everybody wants hockey back, but safety has to come first. And it’s a little bit worrisome, I can’t deny that. Even though most players are young and healthy, I’m sure there are players like me that have underlying health issues. I don’t know how my body will react if I get this virus.”

Stralman has dealt with bronchiectasis, which prevents mucus from being cleared from his lungs, since early in his career. It was finally detected during the Swede’s time with the Rangers, and he just got off the medication in the past year.

“It would be terrible if we fly into hub cities and start playing, and maybe one of the workers in the building gets it. It’s not just the 50 guys on the team, there’s a lot of people that need to be there to make this work. If some of those people get sick and potentially die from that, who is responsible? And is this something I want to be part of? It’s about the safety, not just for me but everyone involved. That raises a lot of questions on if we should do this thing. And if we do, would there be a price to pay for it?

“I’m not sure that’s the right thing to do.”

Stralman, a veteran of 818 NHL games, is still dreaming of his first Stanley Cup and — if hockey does indeed return — would have a chance to compete for a playoff spot in a five-game play-in round against the Islanders. Of course, he would love another shot at hockey’s holy grail. He’s not getting any younger. But Stralman said he hopes that if the NHL doesn’t find a way to be “bulletproof” when it comes to safety, they make “the right decision.”

“I think the main thing is safety,” Stralman said. “And I don’t think we should be obliged to be prioritized over people that actually need it way more than we do. There are so many people in this world right now that are going through some really tough times. I think all hockey players and owners should consider themselves fairly lucky to be where they’re at.

“I know that not everybody has families, but I don’t think any (player) likes the fact we’re going to fly in and be away from our families for a long period of time. And I have more questions about the reason for this: Is it to recover some revenue? What is the calculation? I assume flying 24 teams to two cities and keeping them protected in a bubble at hotels, with all the medical and required personnel that you need for such a long time, it has to be expensive.

“How does it add up, and is it worth it? Profit and money should never come over health and safety.”

Stralman said his wife, Johanna, and their four children will likely remain in Sweden if and when he returns to the United States to play. Like many players overseas, Stralman isn’t planning on coming back for Phase 2, as he has a full gym at home and accessibility to ice. 1185748 Websites “It was showcased in a fashion that people saw it take 8 minutes and 46 seconds for a man to die and for the police brutality to continue after a man was dead and unconscious,” Kane said. “Maybe it was the fashion he was murdered in and it made people wake up and realize it has been The Athletic / Evander Kane on white NHLers addressing racism: We an issue. It’s been going on in the U.S. and around the world for need ‘strength in numbers’ hundreds of years. There have been opportunities to take people up and learn why it happens. It had to take another incident for people to start

getting it and to realize we have a problem and for them to admit it to By Ryan S. Clark Jun 1, 2020 themselves.

“A lot of people like to pretend it does not happen. That it does not exist. That’s part of the problem. That’s where you get pushback as a minority.” A few seconds have passed. That is the time Evander Kane needs to collect his thoughts before answering what is the first of several Kane said conversations about race and racism are not often had in the questions regarding what it is like to see his two universes finally collide. NHL. He said teammates can be close with each other but that does not mean those discussions are necessarily going to take place. He said it Hockey, and the perpetual conversations about facing racism as a black goes back to the fact “nobody really wants to ruffle any feathers,” and he man. said black players throughout the league discuss those issues among themselves. George Floyd died a week ago Monday when he was arrested by police outside a shop in Minneapolis. Several videos of Floyd’s arrest revealed He said race and racism are under more of a microscope because of how a white police officer, Derek Chauvin, knelt on Floyd’s neck while he Akim Aliu’s story. Aliu tweeted in November how then-Calgary Flames was pinned to the ground. Floyd’s death has generated mass protests coach Bill Peters, who was Aliu’s coach in the Chicago Blackhawks and rioting in numerous cities throughout the United States over a five- system, “dropped the N-bomb several times toward me in the dressing day period. room” for his choice of music. Aliu also claimed Peters wrote a letter to the front office asking the forward be sent to the ECHL. Days later, Aliu What happened to Floyd has led to several discussions taking place with then talked about how he was playing with the Colorado Eagles in the the focal point being racism. A growing number of white NHL players ECHL in 2011 when he attended a Halloween party and the team’s have begun speaking out via social media about why changes need to be equipment manager, Tony Deynzer, entered a room in blackface wearing made. They have joined black players such as the San Jose Sharks’ an Afro wig that was attempting to replicate Aliu’s hairstyle and a sweater Kane, Tampa Bay Lightning prospect forward Mathieu Joseph and J.T. that had Aliu’s nickname “DREAMER” on the nameplate across the Brown, who is a forward in the Minnesota Wild organization, in speaking shoulders with his No. 78 beneath. out over the last few days. Peters stepped down from the Flames, who also issued a statement New Jersey Devils defenseman Connor Carrick tweeted Sunday morning denouncing racism on Sunday. The Eagles, who are the AHL affiliate of that “racism is alive and well in the shoulders of our country” while further the Colorado Avalanche, placed Deynzer on administrative leave. stating “we must see, acknowledge, listen to the struggles of minorities.” Carrick was joined by Florida Panthers center Brian Boyle, Sharks center Aliu shared his story in the wake of what happened to Maple Leafs and captain Logan Couture, Los Angeles Kings center and captain Anze forward Mitch Marner and then-head coach Mike Babcock. Marner was a Kopitar and Nashville Predators center Kyle Turris in issuing statements rookie when Babcock had him rank his teammates from hardest to least- calling for action. The Devils tweeted Sunday how “the racism, prejudice hardest working. He then shared Marner’s opinions with his teammates. and injustice faced by the black community and people of color is unacceptable and has no place in society” while the Kings stated they “That’s the point people don’t understand as to why that it is important,” are “united against racism and acts of hatred toward others.” Kane said of Aliu. “We knew about (Aliu’s) story and some of the things he said. But until it involved someone who was in our league, it then took Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews, who is Mexican American, the articles and stories that had to take place for action to eventually became the most notable figure in the sport to voice his opinion Sunday happen.” night. His tweet expressed how “as a Latino American it is impossible for me to understand and fathom what others endure” and that “the world Kane spoke with The Athletic a few hours before the Maple Leafs must unite not divide.” tweeted a statement Sunday evening calling for change.

Even Sharks owner Hasso Plattner released a statement Friday evening He pointed out how Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, the firm that saying “there is no room for racism in hockey,” adding that the owns Toronto FC, the Toronto Raptors and Maple Leafs, showcased organization applauded Kane for his responses on the subject. discrepancies in how it handled addressing racism. Kane asked why the Raptors had a statement ready and prepared that was released Saturday “For me, it’s been … it’s been a good step. A small step in the right night but why the Leafs — when they are owned by the same group — direction,” Kane said in a Sunday interview with The Athletic about had not put out one of their own at that time. having white players speak out. “It was great to see not only from white players in the league but our owner, Hasso Plattner, being the first on “You have certain people that are willing to have a conversation and they that front with his own words and not just issuing a general statement on would have been willing to have it a long time ago,” Kane said. “At the behalf of the organization. That was awesome to see from him. It shows same time, part of the reason that players of colors and minority players the type of character he has and the type of character we have in this are scared to have the conversation and knew maybe someone else was organization. not ready to have that conversation is the culture of our sport and the culture of our game. When I saw (the Raptors’ statement), I was a little “I am a believer in things starting at the top, and it does not get any surprised. I know there are owners out there that own multiple franchises higher at the top than with ownership. It was great he was taking the lead in the same city and found I found it interesting the Toronto Raptors on these type of things.” issued a statement, which was great.

Kane, who has been vocal about racism throughout his career, said he “But the Leafs are owned by the same company and ownership group did not know Couture was going to comment. He received a text and haven’t done it yet. People might say ‘you’re nitpicking’ and ‘you’re message from Couture shortly after the tweet and they began texting looking for something that is not there,’ that it’s bullshit. It does not come each other. Kane praised Couture by saying the Sharks’ captain showed off that way to me or to us. It speaks to the culture of hockey at the his character and leadership and said “he wants to be a part of it and highest level and the people in positions who are at the highest level.” have all of his teammates’ back, not just certain guys.” On Sunday night, Kroenke Sports & Entertainment issued a statement The 11-year veteran was then asked why he felt Floyd’s death became through its four teams in the Avalanche, Colorado Mammoth, Colorado the catalyst for white players voicing their thoughts, especially Rapids and Denver Nuggets that was posted on each team’s Twitter considering previous cases, such as those of Mike Brown, Trayvon account within a half-hour. Martin and Tamir Rice over the last few years, could have served as a conversation starter. Kane said the immediacy of Floyd’s death along Kane said the conversations held between black players are not done in with the fact the video was on social media within hours is one of the large groups. He said it does, however, reside in the back of their minds factors he believes played a role in why white players have commented. when saying “hello” to each other on the ice or walking down the hallway before the game. He said the league’s black players “for the most part” are on the same page but the biggest issue goes back to the repercussions of speaking out about racism.

He said a player going into unrestricted free agency might worry about how it impacts his next contract, or that a fringe player could wonder if it plays into why he might not be called up to the NHL on a regular basis, or that a young player has to contemplate the consequences of speaking about it at an early age knowing those actions run the risk of being held against him later in his career.

“As a minority, there is more for us. We have to take more into account,” he said. “It’s because we’re different. No matter how many times people want to say we’re all the same and we’re all one team, we have not been treated the same. Not just in hockey but in the world, which is what we’re fighting for. That’s to be treated as equals and to get equal opportunities.”

Exactly what is it that makes Kane unafraid to speak considering there are others who feel they cannot do the same?

“Hockey is such a culture where guys are worried about what they are saying and how their reputation is perceived. Reputation for me is bullshit,” Kane said. “It’s about someone’s character. Reputation is how someone perceives you. … What I do is put stock into people’s character and it truly shows and you truly find out about someone’s character and that things are not all rainbows and butterflies. When it comes to speaking out and saying what is right and what is just and what I believe in? I don’t really care what other people have to say.

“Are there consequences in terms of making people uncomfortable? I don’t care. I think we need to make people more uncomfortable.”

Kane was asked if there is any advice he would offer to help more white hockey players, athletes or people speak up. He suggested that talking to those impacted by racism would be a strong start. He recalled speaking to his parents about race and how their experiences as older people allowed him to have a better understanding of what took place before Kane was born in 1991.

He also offered another suggestion in that having strength in numbers is critical in spreading more awareness about racism and what needs to be done to combat the issue.

“You look at some of the biggest people in sports. People like LeBron James,” Kane said. “He’s been saying this for years as well. That it is always been about supporting people and issues like racial injustice. If his voice is not going to create the change alone, nobody’s voice is. We need to support one another and use our numbers to our advantage and that’s where you get strength in numbers. That could not be more true. Especially in these circumstances.

“We need as many people, as many voices and as many heads put together to help change the way we do things in society, especially in the justice system.”

The Athletic LOADED: 06.02.2020 1185749 Websites He could’ve broken the 50-goal mark across a full season if he wanted to. There were times this year where he looked downright bored out there:

The Athletic / Wheeler: Final ranking for the 2020 NHL Draft’s top 100 2. — C, Sudbury Wolves, 6-foot-4 prospects Some scouts soured on Byfield in the second half. I was not one of them. I would chalk up most of that distaste to the creeping effects of overexposure. When a top prospect has been on the scene for years like By Scott Wheeler Jun 1, 2020 Byfield has, there’s a tendency to begin to look for things to nitpick in their games. For a while, Lafreniere’s skating was one such so-called

concern. With Byfield, the combination of his unremarkable world juniors, Welcome to my 2020 NHL draft package! his at-times mediocre defensive play and the strength of the rest of the draft resulted in debates about whether he should be the No. 2 pick. This top 100 ranking (plus its 50 honourable mentions) is my fifth and final list for the 2020 class. It follows my way-too-early top 20, August’s On one hand, some of those concerns have at least some merit. Lucas tentative preseason top 31, November’s preliminary top 62 and Raymond, Alexander Holtz, Tim Stutzle and even Lukas Reichel and February’s midseason top 62. John-Jason Peterka all had more of an impact at the world juniors than Byfield did. Meanwhile, his defensive play has never been a highlight of This piece includes commentary from coaches and managers on many of his game, and despite winning more than 50 percent of his faceoffs this the draft’s prospects, tape on most others and complete evaluations year, it’s an admitted area of his game that he wants to work on — and throughout. It will be followed by a Tuesday look at 10 players who just that Sudbury staff want him to work on. On the other hand, the list of missed the cut and a Live Q&A on Wednesday. things I care about when evaluating Byfield has defensive acumen and world junior performance as a 17-year-old in limited minutes somewhere This final top 100 includes 67 forwards, 29 defencemen and four goalies. near the bottom. He’s huge, his skating has become enough of a That’s reflective of a draft that is strong at forward and weaker with strength that he can really push the pace through the middle of the ice, defencemen and goalies than it was a year ago, when 64 forwards, 30 he’s got excellent puck skill for a player his size and he’s surprisingly defencemen and six goalies featured in my final 2019 ranking. creative for his size. He’s also one of the younger players in the draft, so For a better sense of where my top 100 players come from this year, I he’s got time to figure out the rest. Byfield plays the sport’s most coveted have also broken down the list by nationality, including a weighted look at position, doesn’t turn 18 until the end of August and paced for 124 points the strength of each country’s players across several tiers. across a 68-game OHL season.

A year after no Swedes appeared in my top 10 and the Americans 3. Marco Rossi — C, Ottawa 67’s, 5-foot-9 challenged the Canadians for the most total players on my board, the Rossi isn’t far off from my idea of a perfect hockey player. He can break demographics have shifted in 2020. This breakdown is indicative of a teams down through seams, he can beat defenders one-on-one both off weaker USA Hockey crop, a rebound CHL age group and a Swedish the cycle and the rush. He can score with his release or his hands and class that is more in line with the country’s status as a hockey footwork. He plays in the middle of the ice but knows when to take the superpower. outside lane. And he’s the best defensive forward in the draft. Some On the whole, and without the presence of a generational talent, the evaluators point to his height and question whether he’ll stick at centre. class of 2020 is a strong one, particularly at the top of the draft. There Others question his late birthday and dominant team for the effect they are eight, arguably nine, skaters who would be top-five selections in most had on his remarkable production. And while the latter has some effect other drafts, plus a goalie who deserves to go in the first round on my evaluation, the former is lazy and doesn’t account for how strong (something I’m rarely comfortable saying). he is or the way his low centre of gravity in his stance helps him fight off bigger defenders. He’s also one of the most determined, focused Below are my evaluations of the top 50, followed by the complete top 100 prospects I’ve ever interacted with and is probably the most NHL-ready (including each player’s movement versus their midseason ranking). player in the draft after Lafreniere, so the team that selects him is getting Note: While I consult scouts, coaches and managers throughout the year an impact player from Day 1. on many of these players, these rankings represent my evaluations of 4. Cole Perfetti — LW, Saginaw Spirit, 5-foot-10.5 each of the prospects listed. My draft board will vary widely from that of most NHL teams and scouts. This list does not attempt to predict the There’s this thing that seems to happen with players who are labelled draft or account for team preference. Many of the players ranked in this “smart” where, like those who are labelled as two-way players, their skill top 100 will be available in the final rounds of the draft. Some may not be level doesn’t get the love it deserves. But it doesn’t have to be one or the selected at all. For more information on how I evaluate, the things I look other. Perfetti sees the game differently than everyone else in this class. for and my process, please consult the 2020 update to my guide to He sees seams others don’t. He recognizes the way opposing defenders scouting. are reading the zone before the defenders even recognize what they’re seeing in that zone. And the more you watch him, the more so-called 1. Alexis Lafreniere — LW, Rimouski Oceanic, 6-foot-1 concerns of strength or speed begin to fade. He has the indescribable Lafreniere wasn’t just the most talented player in junior hockey this knack for finding pockets of space to get open into (or for giving the puck season, he was also probably the strongest on his skates (which says to a linemate just as he enters into one of them). He’s one or two steps something considering underneath one of his skates was a taped ankle ahead of everyone else. Those things shouldn’t discount the rest of his for most of the year). He can play through defenders with his touch and tools, though. Because he grades near the top of this draft class as a stickhandling ability. He can play around them with his speed. Or he can stickhandler, individual creator and shooter as well. He’s also one of the lean on them, leverage his strength, drop his shoulder and drive to his best draft-eligible prospects off the rush that I’ve seen in recent memory. spot. And when he doesn’t have the puck, he knows how to get open, He doesn’t just make everyone else better. He can break open a game where to go to get it and how to engage physically. He’s never going to too. The reasons for ranking him a few spots lower have always been his be the fastest player in the world or have the hardest shot, but he has all skating or his strength. At this point, I’m going to stand by my evaluation. the tools he needs to be a dominant player with and without the puck at He can cleanly beat goalies from the slot every other game: the NHL level. But he will also spin off a defender and set up a goal from his knees: His shot has also become an underrated quality to his game. He made waves when he scored 42 goals in his first of three QMJHL seasons but People around Perfetti are so bullish about him that a quote like this from scouts began to question how dangerous his shot was when his goal his head coach, Chris Lazary, didn’t even make my recent feature about pace dropped in each of the next two seasons. I’ve seen some nice him (which you can read below): growth there, though. When his production really began to skew toward “He’s just scratching the surface, specifically with his body. If his body playmaking this season, it looked more like a choice than a necessity. was more advanced, he’d be challenging for the first spot. When you look He can overpower goalies when he wants to lean into it: at this draft class 10 years from now, he’ll be one of the top two or three guys.” But he also does a good job getting his shot off under pressure or releasing from an off-balance stance, as he does here: Neither did this from his general manager, Dave Drinkill: “In his eyes, the ice is huge and there’s a lot of room out there when in my board was going to feel like a disservice. If I’m drafting third overall, reality it’s not and he just sees everything different than everyone else.” he’s in the conversation. I won’t be too fussed about the actual picks on draft day if my top eight are the top eight picks off the board, in whatever 5. Lucas Raymond — RW, Frölunda HC, 5-foot-11 order that is. It’s going to come down to preference.

Though Raymond never quite got his game to the same level as the *I have used the measurements from NHL Central Scouting’s final list for other top-ranked draft prospects this year, his blend of puck-hunting all of the players here but I think it’s important to highlight that Adler when he doesn’t have it and crafty playmaking when he does make him a Mannheim has Stützle listed at 5-foot-11 and that he is not among the truly unique player in this class. Raymond is a fearless puck carrier who players NHLCS said they measured themselves. This new measurement can pick apart teams in the offensive zone at even strength with a quick is suspect. stutter or a surprising pass or run a power play as the primary entry option and quarterback. He still needs to add some strength, which will (Soerli Binder / ) improve on his mid-level straightaway speed (his footwork is already high-end) and the threat of his shot (his release is deceptive as is), but 8. Jamie Drysdale — RHD, , 5-foot-11 the rest is there. And while he may be a little further away from his NHL Drysdale is the best defenceman in the draft and will surely not be peak than some of his peers, the long-term payoff may also surpass available at eighth overall as a result. I wouldn’t fault a team for taking them. him as high as third, either. His lower ranking here has more to do with I asked Raymond’s longtime linemate (with Team Sweden and Frolunda) the impact I believe the forwards ahead of him could — and should — Karl Henriksson for his scouting report. have at the NHL level than it does with any concerns I have about Drysdale’s game. He’s one of the more effortless skaters the draft has “(He’s) amazing to watch. Still, in practices you just can’t help but go produced in recent memory, with top-tier four-way mobility that helps him ‘wow’ at the things he does,” Henriksson said. “He’s so slick. He just close gaps, pivot away from pressure, weave through traffic, play on his turns defenders. His size is not a problem. My job is to get open. He heels when he has to and create lanes for his passes or shots. His hands waits for the perfect opportunity so just have your stick on the ice and heads-up vision also help him navigate in all three zones with the because it will come.” puck, run a power play and hit seams when they open up. And though he lacks power, both in his man-on-man defending and in his shot, he’s still 6. Alexander Holtz — RW/LW, Djurgårdens IF, 5-foot-11.5 polished without the puck and does a great job disrupting plays with his I have to be honest: In recent months, as I finalized this list, I debated stick and making quick decisions to move the puck back up ice. His lack swapping Holtz and Raymond. At one point during this process, Holtz of size and strength may limit him from becoming a Norris Trophy-calibre was No. 4 and Raymond was No. 5. There’s a lot about Holtz’s game I defender but he’s got other dynamic qualities that may help him become believe remains a tad disrespected. Everyone agrees he has power to a No. 1 (if not a very good No. 2) anyway. his game and that he’s got arguably the best wrist shot in the draft (his 9. Anton Lundell — C, HIFK, 6-foot-1 one-timer still needs some work). But some question his small area skill or his quickness or his playmaking talent. And while he needs to continue There are some misnomers out there about Lundell’s talent level and to develop his touch in traffic and his first few steps, I would argue the skating as being major concerns in considering him a top-10 pick. I third point is a lot better than he usually gets credit for. Does he need to disagree, to varying degrees, on both of those positions. He doesn’t have tunnel vision a little less when he has the puck? Sometimes. But I’ve the dynamic qualities of the forwards listed ahead of him on my board, seen him feather backhand passes through unsuspecting seams or feign and he’s never going to consistently burn defenders off the rush, but he’s shot before hitting the backdoor guy with a hard pass across the crease a better passer than he normally gets credit for, he’s heavier on the cycle or use the attention his shot gets to hit the trailer off the rush. That will than most of his peers, he can play through the middle of the ice and he give his game more dimension than people realize, I suspect. He has makes decisions and reads quickly, which is just as important (if not already shown he can make an impact at the pro level more than most more important) as his actual foot speed. It always feels like Lundell is others near the top of this draft, too. I was particularly impressed with the involved and impacting a game (with and without the puck). Over the way he handled being asked to play a new role on the power play (after course of a game, that drives results. It shouldn’t surprise anyone that as spending his entire junior career on the flank, Djurgardens moved him to a teenager in a top pro league, Lundell had a positive impact on the slot). possession, played more than 15 minutes a night or won 53.5 percent of his draws while producing offence consistently. When I asked Djurgardens general manager Joakim Eriksson about Holtz, he broke down why he thinks there’s more to his top young player In the video below you can see some of the visual cues that might than just the good shot. prompt some negative takeaways in watching Lundell. He’s got a hunch in his stride and a pitchfork skating stance that he will need to work to “He has had exceptional talent to score goals among older players his clean up. But where is he through the sequence? He’s involved and on whole life,” Eriksson said. “I mean, he has been doing that since he was the puck. And what is the outcome? Well, it’s Lundell finishing high and 10. To be a good goal scorer you can be like Ovechkin and have a good short-side: shot, but you also need to be smart about where you position yourself, how you read the game, how you show up for rebounds or going to spots 10. Noel Gunler — RW, Luleå HF, 6-foot-2 so playmakers can find you. He’s a smart player. He’s as ready to play the professional level as any young player.” One of the more polarizing players in this draft, Gunler is an unquestionably talented creator who has drawn criticism internally and 7. Tim Stützle — LW, Adler Mannheim, 6-foot-1* externally (as well as from Team Sweden) for his shift-to-shift consistency, skating and commitment off the puck. And while I won’t Stützle is the quickest player in the draft through his acceleration, and dispute some of those concerns (though I would say they’re all various maybe at his top speed too. He’s also in competition with Jamie Drysdale degrees of overstated), he also shows regular flashes of high-end skill for having the lightest stride in the class. He looks like he’s floating out with the puck, he’s got more room to fill out, he contributed as a teenager there and his feet never drag through his crossovers or his pushes. It in a top pro league, he has always dominated his peers and his makes him a threat to make something happen out of a foot race or to defensive results were pretty impressive this season. He was a 53.9 burn a defender in transition. He can also play at different tempos, which CF% player. Lulea outscored their opponents 21-9 (70 percent) with is a huge asset for a player with that kind of skating ability. Some players Gunler on the ice at even strength. And he did all of his producing at who can burn north-south really struggle to slow down the game and put even strength due to spotty power play usage (he was 17th on the team themselves in bad spots with the puck as a result. Stützle isn’t one of in average power play time per game at 0:47). those players because he can turn a full-speed rush into a quick cut or have the wherewithal to pull up and hit a secondary option. He’s also I would argue his straight-line skating is actually an asset. It looks a little deceptively strong on his stick and skates. My one concern with his game weird. Like some others his age, he picks up his stick and pitchforks is his willingness to get to the front of the net to score. He’s got an more than you would like. You’d prefer to see him extending his stick accurate shot and the hands needed to beat goalies in tight, but he could forward in one smooth north-south motion. His stride can look stunted, stand to go there more consistently. After an illness sidelined him near with his feet dragging through as well. the end of the world juniors, he also faded a little in the second half of the season, which was evident in his play and his production down the But he creates quite a bit of his offence off the rush and his stride stretch. His transition game remains the most dynamic in the class. The improved as the year progressed. His skating regularly helps him create thing about this draft class is that whoever landed at No. 7 or No. 8 on partial breaks or win races as he does on this late-season goal: He starts low in his defensive zone for this late-season goal off the rush do. And he can hang onto the puck to make a play but he can also cut as well (and that release in motion is dangerous): past them and throw a pass back against the grain in a flash. He has consistently made high-end plays without high-end players around him. Gunler could have real value if he falls (a lot like Arthur Kaliyev did) And his production is in line with many of the CHL players who will likely because his reputation gets away from him. be selected in front of him. He’s not particularly explosive for his size and 11. Yaroslav Askarov — G, SKA-Neva St. Petersburg, 6-foot-3 that may limit his NHL upside, but you don’t have to be the fastest player on the ice to play like you’re the fastest player on the ice. Askarov has pretty much everything teams look for in a goalie. He’s one of those rare prospects (along with 2021’s Jesper Wallstedt, believe it or 16. Seth Jarvis — C/RW, Portland Winterhawks, 5-foot-9.75 not) who is worth taking in the first round. He’s big, he’s athletic, he I liked Jarvis’ game when I watched him last year, but I wondered swallows rebounds, he can make those tough second-chance recovery whether he had the dynamic qualities a player his size typically needs to saves, he does a good job staying centre, he has an extended domestic be more than the kind of player you take in the 20s or 30s in the draft and and international track record of success and he doesn’t turn 18 until the project into a middle-six role rather than confidently as a top-six one. He middle of June. If I have one concern with his game that kept him out of looked good, but he never wowed me. And then he just got better and my top 10, it’s the jitteriness I’ve talked about in his game before. He better this season. By the end of the year, he was one of the best players doesn’t load up on his push-off leg like most goalies when he’s going in junior hockey and an unstoppable force who played — and produced post-to-post. Instead, he bounces and hops around the net. And though — above and beyond his linemates. I don’t tend to like to make it’s a peculiar trait, it works for him and reportedly helps to keep him comparisons to other players but he’s a slick playmaker who reminds me engaged and focused. a little of a blend between Nick and Ryan Suzuki. He’s got the well- 12. Jan Mysak — C, Hamilton Bulldogs, 5-foot-10.25 roundedness across his toolbox and the three-zone work ethic that Nick possesses, with some of Ryan’s knack for the dramatic. And though I The more I watched Mysak as the year progressed, the more I fell in love saw the former skills a year ago, I either missed some of that flair or it with his skill set. He’s got pop to his game that almost all of the players progressed a little later than his peers. He’s just flat out good offensively ranked after him lack. After putting together some spectacular age- and despite his size is a responsible defensive option. adjusted seasons in the Czech Republic, he stepped into the OHL and became a dynamic goal-scoring threat quickly, even if you account for his 17. Dylan Holloway — LW, University of Wisconsin, 6-foot-0.5 22 percent shooting percentage as unsustainable. He plays a straight- I was really high on Holloway a year ago, believing he had a chance at line game that could probably use more of an east-west element the top 10 in this draft after he looked too fast and strong for the AJHL as (particularly in the way he involves his teammates) but he can crack open a 17-year-old. Then he didn’t grab hold of me in my early viewings with a shift with the puck on his stick, he’s quick from a standstill and he does the Badgers. Then I saw him play live at Team Canada’s selection camp a wonderful job finding soft spots in the offensive zone to get open. in December, where he was excellent and followed that up by spending Watch below how he rotates off his defender and swings from behind the some time with him in Wisconsin and catching another two live viewings net to the slot. He does a great job drifting away from pressure before at the NCAA level. And when he really impressed me in all of those live sneaking back into it and finishing high off his backhand: sessions and I dug deeper on his season at Wisconsin with more tape in And though his game off the puck still needs work, I think he handled the recent weeks, some of the things I’d seen that concerned me out of the adjustment to his defensive responsibilities on the smaller ice fine. It gate began to fade. He’s a unique athlete in this class, an outstanding bears mentioning that the Bulldogs struggled as a whole defensively this skater, a physical presence and a talented scorer and creator. He’s not season, so it’s no surprise that there were some growing pains for him. going to be the driver that some of these others will be but I’d expect a breakout season as a sophomore and an impressive NHL career as a 13. Connor Zary — C, Kamloops Blazers, 6-foot-0.25 second-liner who provides some punch and pace.

Zary plays that middle-lane, tenacious, high-tempo game that every team 18. — C/RW, Chicoutimi Saguenéens, 6-foot-0.25 covets in a centre. His feet are always moving, he pushes pace, he’s engaged on the forecheck and he has enough skill to create as a Mercer has learned to maximize everything he has. This isn’t to say he playmaker and a passer. His footwork through his crossovers and speed isn’t talented. He is. But I don’t see the typical A-level tools you see in a in transition (an improved quality) opens up just enough time and space top-15 talent and I still believe he’s in that mix, so I wouldn’t fault a team for him to make those plays — and then when that space closes in on for taking him near the top 10. Mercer’s effective all over the ice by him he’s a deft handler who can navigate in and out of traffic. I don’t see making a lot of little plays with pace and aggression. He attacks a star-level player. Zary doesn’t have the flair of any of the forwards defenders when he has the puck. He attacks opposing carriers when he ahead of him or one dynamic quality that can break down defenders and doesn’t. He wins more 50/50 battles than he should by getting split open a shift but he’s a versatile, well-rounded creator who can drive underneath his man and keeping his feet moving. And then he has a line. enough skill to escape pressure, beat the first defender and make a play. He’s one of the safer bets to become an impactful NHL player. I would 14. Jack Quinn — RW, Ottawa 67’s, 6-foot-0 have liked to see him dictate play offensively a little more than he did after a trade to Chicoutimi, though, so that contributed to a bit of a fall There’s nothing in Quinn’s game to dislike. Add in dynamic ability as a from where I ranked him at the midseason point. mid-range shooter, impressive athleticism and a late-blooming career arc and it’s no wonder he broke the 50-goal plateau. You have to consider 19. Jake Sanderson — LHD, NTDP, 6-foot-1.5 the strength of his team when accounting for his excellent season, as well as his late birthday. But I would argue that his best hockey is still in There are things about Sanderson’s game and season that can’t be front of him or point to his standout performance at the CHL Top disputed. He was excellent in the second half, which is likely linked to his Prospects Game or highlight the list of recent OHL 50-goal scorers in summer birthday and the added runway he had (and has) to continue to their draft years. Alex DeBrincat and Arthur Kaliyev are the only two develop as a result. He’s an excellent skater. I used to think his skating draft-eligible OHL forwards to have broken 50 goals in recent memory. was just very good but it’s better than that, particularly in straight lines Both were selected too low in hindsight because other less important (though also laterally). He’s a mature, polished defender for his age, not factors snuck into play. That mistake won’t happen again with Quinn. He only in the way he defends the rush but also off the cycle with the demonstrated enough versatility this year to suggest he’s got more than decisions he makes on reads and pressure. I would, however, dispute his just one standout dimension going for him. He’s also got more room to fill offensive upside. Some scouts believe Sanderson to be the clear No. 2 out and get stronger than many of his peers, despite being older than defenceman in this draft. Many of those same scouts believe he has the most of them. potential to be a first pairing defenceman. That’s where I disagree, or at least where I have my doubts. Will Sanderson be able to run a power 15. Mavrik Bourque — C, Shawinigan Cataractes, 5-foot-10.25 play as he progresses up levels as he has with the NTDP? Probably. But I don’t think he’s so dynamic that he’s going to be a game-breaking If you’ve followed my work this season, you’ll know that Bourque has offensive threat or a PP1 guy. been one of my favourites in this draft. And though, I know some other evaluators who’ve grown quite fond of his game, this ranking is still There’s no question he can open up his feet and create lanes for himself probably in the minority (I’d expect him to be available into the late teens across the offensive zone blue line: or maybe even the 20s). Bourque’s one of those players who just plays fast. He’s quick from a standstill. He’s agile in high traffic. He’s can play And there’s no question he can lead the rush and pull away in transition: the puck into space and get to it. He reads and reacts before defenders But I don’t see the small area skill that most top-pairing defencemen now without the puck. And though some of those skills can be learned and have: taught, many of them can’t. That’s what separates great D prospects who project reasonably safely to the top of a lineup from boom-or-bust types Sanderson projects more as a well-rounded second-pairing defender for like Poirier. But he also scored 20 goals as a late-birthday defender, that me and I will track his collegiate career closely to see if he can change extra time could help iron out some of the D-zone kinks and I’d rather my mind. With Senators prospect Jonny Tychonick leaving North Dakota take risks on talent at the draft than make mistakes by playing it safe. I’ve for Omaha next fall and captain Colton Poolman graduating, Sanderson also seen him defend really well when he’s surrounded by better players, will likely be asked to do a lot behind Jacob-Bernard Docker and Matt whether that’s with Team Canada or at the top prospects game. Kiersted as a freshman with the Fighting Hawks next season. 23. Hendrix Lapierre — C, Chicoutimi Sagueneens, 5-foot-11.5 20. Rodion Amirov — LW, , 6-foot-0 I don’t have a lot new to offer here over any of my previous lists because I had Amirov at No. 20 on my preliminary list, No. 22 at midseason and there are no updated viewings on Lapierre, who lost his season due to he’s back at No. 20 here. That should probably tell you a couple of repeated concussion troubles. Before injuries brought the future of his things: career into question, Lapierre was a top-15 talent in this draft, maybe I’m pretty confident this is the range he belongs in. even top 10. He’s a puck-dominant carrier who can transport the puck up the ice (or across it) with a sharp pass through a seam or his feet and He didn’t exceed my expectations, nor did he fail to meet them. hands. He’s the kind of player every team wants running their power play. And when he doesn’t have the puck, he’ll chase it down to get it The strength of Amirov’s game is in his ability to protect the puck and back and keep offensive zone sequences aside. The team that takes him change directions with control. This makes him particularly effective will have to do their homework on his health, though, and there will still within the offensive zone because I wouldn’t say his straightaway speed be a chance he never gets back to being himself. He lost a crucial year in is all that high end. Amirov is dangerous because he takes what’s given every young player’s development. The good news is that the season’s to him (he’s not a pass-first player but he doesn’t tunnel-vision the net as cancellation levelled the playing field a little. Hopefully, it gives him a shooter either), and he can carry the puck into the slot to draw pressure enough time to get himself right without having the pressure that comes or create for himself. with getting back on the ice. Watch the way he cuts off the wall to spin his man around and get to a Here’s Sagueneens head coach and general manager Yanick Jean’s dangerous area on the ice here: scouting report: Or the way he changes directions to lose his man, in the same game, “He plays with speed and he makes plays. He’s a playmaker. He makes here: everybody around him better. He can make a play out of nothing. He Though Amirov indeed struggled in spurts in limited minutes (a little sees the ice as good as anyone. His vision is off the charts.” under 10 per game) in the KHL this season, his age-adjusted production 24. Zion Nybeck — LW, HV71, 5-foot-6.5 across each of the last two years in the MHL is impressive and it’s matched by an intriguing offensive toolkit. He’s got a shot at being a good Yes, that’s Nybeck’s listed height by NHL Central Scouting, who second-line forward. confirmed that’s one of their measurements. And yes, I still have him ranked in my first round. He’s that good. Nybeck now owns some of the 21. Emil Andrae — LHD, HV71, 5-foot-8.5 most impressive age-adjusted numbers of the last decade in SuperElit, Andrae has most of the qualities I look for in a draft-eligible defenceman. Sweden’s top junior level. If this were a list ranked for the most fun He’s calm under pressure. He can lead a rush in transition. He has the viewing experiences, he’s a top-five player. Though there will be more puck handling ability, east-west vision and four-way mobility needed to risk in a Nybeck pick than in many others I have ranked around him, I’d run a power play. He’s strong on his feet, which he leverages effectively bet on the reward and take my chances. There aren’t many players in along the wall. He’s physical when he needs to be without chasing for this draft who could do whatever they wanted in their respective leagues. hits. And he’s calculated enough with the puck to recognize when he Lafreniere did in the QMJHL. Carter Savoie did in the AJHL. Veeti needs to hang onto it and when he just needs to advance the play. I have Miettinen did in SM-Liiga. But it’s a small list. That’s the level Nybeck got been surprised by the caution so many have about him. He’s very likely to in one of the top junior leagues in the world. And he does it without to slip into the second round and I believe that would be a mistake. His ever really looking small. I’ve seen him dart past enough good defenders size is normally central to concerns some have with projecting him. I or slide under enough big ones along the wall to believe he’ll be able to don’t see it as much of an issue, though. He’s very good defensively for manage the pro game. Players his size need exceptional puck skills to his size. Don’t mistake his height for his sturdiness. get by at the next level. He has that. He can spend entire shifts with the puck on his stick. He’s always going to be a little limited in the ways he I asked HV71 head coach Nicklas Rahm for his evaluation of Andrae’s can impact play in his own zone but he’s so opportunistic in the other two game at the SHL level this season. Here’s what he said: zones that I’ll take my chances. I can’t wait to watch him shimmy his way past grown men some more in the SHL next season. Here’s one example “He played his game. His game is a really high-risk game. When he from this season, slowed down to half speed so that you can see the played under-20s, there was a lot of big risk in his game and the reward shimmy at the top of the zone and his near-perfect placement with the is always there. And we talked about it when he came up and he shot off the goalie’s mask from a brutal angle: adjusted that. He still did his big things out there and the crowd loved him but he took down the risk level and when it wasn’t there, he didn’t take it. 25. Lukas Cormier — LHD, Charlottetown Islanders, 5-foot-9.5 That’s what I like most about him. And he could handle the physical game. When he’s not ready for a hit, he’s on his ass. But if he’s ready for Cormier was drafted into the QMJHL as a top prospect (fourth overall in a battle, he’s pretty strong actually. He’s got a low balance. I think he can 2018), he has played like that top prospect ever since, and yet I’m have a really good year (next) year.” weirdly confident that he’s going to be available well into the second round because he’s perceived as small. If he were two inches taller, And here’s HV71 general manager Peter Ekelund on Andrae: there’s no question he’s a first-round pick. Cormier’s an excellent handler in transition and across the offensive zone blue line, where he rotates “Emil was not nervous at all. He likes to keep the puck and he kept and pivots his way into lanes. He doesn’t shy away from playing a playing the way he played in juniors, even when he came up to the SHL. physical style, despite being on the smaller side. He was a go-to option And even if he made some mistakes, he didn’t change his game. He did for the Islanders as a rookie, which earned him a spot on the QMJHL’s what he was good at.” all-rookie team. And he followed that up with consistency to his game as (HV71) a sophomore that many of the other top D in this class lack. He’s also a standout defender in his own zone, as well as off the rush and has shown 22. Jeremie Poirier — LHD, Saint John Sea Dogs, 6-foot-0.5 he can drive results on a mediocre team at both ends. After missing six weeks with a lower-body injury that sidelined him from the middle of Poirier may be the most dynamic offensive defenceman in the draft. October until early December, Cormier came back and looked like one of From the offensive zone blue line in, he can create in more ways than the best defencemen in the QMJHL the rest of the way. Drysdale. He’s got a better shot, better one-on-one skill and more strength to his game. But he also takes way more risks to create those 26. Helge Grans — RHD, Malmö Redhawks, 6-foot-2.5 chances, his game lacks the same defensive detail, his decision-making is several degrees more suspect and he can fade in and out of games Grans’ game still needs some refining but there’s a lot to like about his who can make defenders and goalies look silly. He can also score under raw tools. He’s long, he can skate, he can handle the puck well for his the bar from some of the worst angles in the offensive zone. He’s a lethal size, he can make plays as a passer on outlets or through seams in the scorer who I expect will, in time, put up big numbers in college. He offensive zone and there’s a confidence to his game that enables him to always seems to find ways to get the puck and make something happen take risks and execute. It doesn’t hurt that he’s right-handed or that he with it. You can’t teach that. You can teach some of the other stuff, dominated a top junior league as a 17-year-old, either. His skating will though. need to continue to progress as his feet can look heavy. And I would like to see him clean up some of his mistakes with and without the puck (he 30. Jacob Perreault — C, Sarnia Sting, 5-foot-11 turns it over a little too much for my liking and can get caught puck- Perreault has mystified me over the last two years. There are stretches in watching defensively). But once he matures and tidies up some of that games where he can look slow from a standstill and a little heavy-footed. sloppiness, he’s got a chance at serious upside. The combination of skill, There are others where, once he gets moving, he shows some real production, size, age and handedness is worth betting on but he’s going speed and can burn defenders. There are shifts where he looks to have to cut out sequences like this (Grans is No. 2 in white, turning the competitive and engaged off the puck and others where he gets caught puck over below the goal line): looking a little too passive. On talent, he should be more than he is – and 27. Kasper Simontaival — RW, Tappara, 5-foot-9 higher on my board, given the things I tend to look for in a player. He’s got one of the better shots in the draft (behind Holtz and Quinn but few Simontaival’s one of the prospects in this draft I’m most comfortable others). It pops off his stick and cleanly beats goalies consistently. It’s sticking my neck out to defend. After wowing me late last season and into also among the most accurate shots in the draft. Perreault is the king of the beginning of his draft year, I started to nitpick Simontaival’s game in finishing up high from tough angles like this one: the middle section of the season because he didn’t make the jump to Liiga. But he was so dominant down the stretch and into Finland’s Jr. A Or this one: playoffs that I still think he’s a first-round talent in this class — or at the But he forces plays too often and I worry some of his junior hockey very least an early second. That isn’t an opinion that’s widely shared, flashes won’t translate. He just leaves me wanting more than he should though, and he’s quite likely to fall further than he should. The risk with and he can look off good options to try to get into scoring positions that Simontaival is that he doesn’t have that extra straight-line gear you’d aren’t there. He could be a player I regret not having 10 spots higher but hope for in a smaller winger. The rest of his skill set is too high-end to I’ll stand by this assessment. He has some work to do. ignore, though. 31. Lukas Reichel — LW, Eisbaren Berlin, 6-foot-0 I’m particularly fond of his game along the wall and his low centre of gravity through the base of his stride, both of which help him absorb Early on this season, I was more impressed in my first DEL viewings of contact and make plays off the wall to the interior. Watch the way No. 38 countryman J.J. Peterka than I was of Reichel. But as the year in blue fights off stick checks and bumps to escape the wall with control, progressed, Reichel just continued to progress while Peterka’s game attack the net, draw pressure and then feed the point ahead of the goal plateaued. Peterka plays a heavier, more net-driven game (more on him below. Notice, too, the way he fights back to the front of the net (he later), while Reichel has a finesse and touch to his game that makes him scored a surprising number of goals on tips and redirects this season for more dangerous both off the rush and from the offensive zone in. The someone who is 5-foot-9): more I watched him, the more I appreciated the way his heads-up style allows him to impact the game as both a scoring threat and a creator for And watch the way he slices off the wall, cuts to the net and shows off his linemates. There’s a comfort level about his game that I admire. He some creativity with an unsuspecting backhand pass back against the doesn’t rush plays under pressure. To have that assertiveness on the ice grain to set up a tap-in here: against professionals this early in his career is impressive. Add in Or the way he darts off the boards to the middle of the ice at the start of standout skating (especially through his crossovers), a May birthday and this sequence, before creating a goal with a blind pass at the end of it: room to add some muscle and there are a lot of reasons to believe he will continue to progress. It would be one thing if these plays were handpicked highlights throughout a season. They would still be impressive, but it would be easy 32. Thomas Bordeleau — C, NTDP, 5-foot-9.5 to chalk them up to the level of his opposition. But all three of those The most consistent offensive threat in his NTDP age group, Bordeleau sequences are from his final three games of the year, in a playoff setting. is an imaginative creator who has learned to pick apart teams in the He makes these plays every game and he makes them often enough that offensive zone with his blend of puck skill, cross-ice vision and ingenuity. I believe he will eventually translate it at the pro level. I wouldn’t say he’s particularly dynamic as a scoring threat (his shot is 28. Roni Hirvonen — C/LW, Assat, 5-foot-9 accurate but I wouldn’t label it as powerful) but he’s a threat to make something out of nothing with the puck on his stick, he’s capable of After dominating the junior level a year ago, Hirvonen was one of the only beating goalies 1-on-1 with his hands and he’s deceptively strong on the players in this draft to spend the entire season at the pro level. Though puck for his size. I suspect it’s going to take him a couple of years at the his performance in my viewings throughout the season were mixed, University of Michigan before he really hits his stride and adds the Hirvonen has always dominated against his peers (domestically and strength he needs to take his game (and his speed) to the next level. internationally) and I saw enough in his play at the Liiga level down the He’s got first-round talent, though. stretch to believe in time there might be second-line upside to his game. Hirvonen’s greatest asset has become his ability to find space in the 33. Kaiden Guhle — LHD, Prince Albert Raiders, 6-foot-2.25 offensive zone to get open. He does an excellent job rotating off When I was doing the reporting for my story on Carter Savoie and Mike defenders to keep his feet moving and slide into dangerous spots. And Benning, their trainer Barry Butt, who also works with the Guhle brothers though I wouldn’t say his shot is a major asset or that he has the lower and Blackhawks 2019 third overall pick Kirby Dach, went out of his way body strength of a player like Simontaival, Hirvonen has the skill to finish to highlight Kaiden Guhle’s freakish athleticism in the gym. In a group of off plays around the net when he gets open. And when he’s not in a the world’s top young players, he stands above the rest. If you’ve position to score, his skill comes to the forefront as a creator for his watched Guhle closely, this shouldn’t surprise you. He’s one of the linemates. He will need to pick up a step and get a little stronger, but he smoothest-skating defencemen in the class and he’s pushes opposing plays a modern, crafty game. players around along the wall (and occasionally the rush). Concerns 29. Carter Savoie — LW, Sherwood Park Crusaders, 5-foot-9.25 about his skill level kept him out of my top 31 (he has a heavy shot but he’s not a playmaker and his handling still needs a bit of work when he’s On pure, raw skill, most evaluators will agree that Savoie is a first-round working in small areas) but Guhle will be a first-rounder and I wouldn’t talent. But, like a couple of the other players I have in this range, there fault a team for taking him in the late teens or early 20s. While I don’t see are other concerns that will likely contribute to his availability in the power play upside, his defensive game is already pretty refined. Guhle’s second or third round. Some question his commitment off the puck, his skating is going to be an asset at the NHL level – he can probably stand shift-to-shift effort levels and his defensive game. I don’t disagree. Savoie to get even stronger without sacrificing it – and if he can build upon a can fade in games in a big way. He plays too high in his own zone. He decent but unspectacular foundation offensively, he could become a drifts up ice ahead of the play looking for a pass. It can be frustrating to second-pairing guy. watch. But he’s also one of the only players in the draft who can come out of an unremarkable game with two goals because all he needs is a 34. William Wallinder — LHD, MODO, 6-foot-4 split second. With the puck on his stick, Savoie’s one of those players When you’re 6-foot-4 and your four-way mobility is a strength, you’ve got Villeneuve, like Miettinen, is a player whose public and private consensus my attention. Wallinder still has some work to do to round out his game perplexes me relative to what I’ve seen. I suspect a lot of it comes back with the puck. He can look off-balance through his shot, which speaks to to his frame. He’ll need to fill out to take advantage of his tools and be some technique that needs cleaning up because he’s not getting the more than just a dominant offensive defenceman at the junior level. But most out of his big frame. But he can make plays, his head is always up, despite lacking some muscle, I like his defensive game a lot. He reads he’s got enviable length and he’s only going to get better. The and anticipates the play well, which helps him break up a lot of combination of his late July birthday and his exciting combination of skills sequences and use his skill to make plays the other way. He doesn’t suggests he’s just scratching the surface. There’s more work to be done have the pop of teammate Jeremie Poirier but he was a second overall with Wallinder’s game than there is with the other top D in this draft, pick in the QMJHL draft, excelled at U17s for Canada and just led his though. He makes a lot of mistakes with the puck and I’ve seen some junior team in scoring as a defenceman (his 58 points also led all QMJHL boneheaded reads. Whichever team takes him will be trusting their D). He’s comfortable and confident with the puck, uses his teammates player development program to tap into his obvious upside. better than Poirier does, possesses excellent edge work across the offensive zone blue line and is a zone-exit and entry machine. Once he 35. Tyson Foerster — C/RW, , 6-foot-1.5 gets stronger and adds some more power, it will only enhance some of Foerster was a driver of offence on a team that needed it in Barrie this his other skills, whether that’s his shot (all nine of his goals were at even season and he just kept getting better as the year went along. When it strength this year because he was a set-up man on the PP) or his man- was all said and done, his 80 points ranked fifth among first-year draft on-man defending along the wall. There’s a risk that strength never eligibles in the OHL. I was particularly impressed by his second half comes. Some never add it. But it’s a gamble worth taking. when, after the Colts dealt the bulk of their core, he continued to 39. Daniil Gushchin — LW, Muskegon Lumberjacks, 5-foot-8.25 produce. He was also impressive at the CHL Top Prospects Game, where he made a trio of superb plays off the rush. He’s an excellent One of my favourite little balls of fire, Gushchin was named to the shooter, particularly in catch-and-release scenarios in motion. After the USHL’s third All-Star team after a season as Muskegon’s engine. He Colts traded Ryan Suzuki on Jan. 10, Foerster went on a 13-game point never stops moving, he’s relentless on the forecheck, he plays bigger streak to close out the season with 33 points in his final 25 games. I than he is and once he chases down loose pucks, he’s got the skill and worry his skating and pace of play may not be high-end enough to reach the agility to dart through traffic to make plays. I’ve never seen him play a his true potential, but if he can make some progress there, he’s got the bad game. He’s one of those players who always brings energy and even rest. when he’s not scoring or setting up goals, he’s normally creating chances and buzzing around the offensive zone to manufacture offence. He likely 36. Veeti Miettinen — RW, Kiekko-Espoo, 5-foot-9 falls into the middle of the draft because of the risks associated with Miettinen might be the player I diverge on the most from the consensus. taking a small player who hasn’t put up gaudy numbers but I see a lot of He was widely unranked in the public sphere, finished 72nd among elements an NHL team could work with to craft a middle-six winger. European players on NHL Central Scouting’s list (a ranking that suggests 40. Brendan Brisson — C, Chicago Steel, 5-foot-10.75 they believe he may not even be worth picking) and has produced mixed reviews in a couple of recent conversations I had with other scouts. I Consistency is a hard thing to measure but it always comes to mind don’t get it. It’s almost as if he gets knocked because he opted to go the when I think about Brisson. He’s not the kind of player who controls a college route and thus couldn’t play in Liiga this season. Were he not game with any one skill. He doesn’t get hot and produce a five-game committed to St. Cloud State, I’m convinced he would’ve played – and stretch where he puts up 15 points and then follows it up by going had an impact – in Finland’s top pro level his year. If I could name an pointless in his next five games. He’s not a volume shooter and thus SM-Liiga MVP, he’d be my easy choice. Not only did he lead the league won’t be a volume scorer. But there he was, at the end of his first year in in scoring by 12 points, but he also led his team in scoring by 24. And the USHL, second in the league in scoring as arguably the best player on even if you consider the fact that he’s a September birthday and you go the best team. I suspect his adjustment to the college game may be a back a year, he led his SM-Liiga team in scoring as a 17-year-old a year little slower than expected given where he’s likely to be picked, but he’s ago, outproducing Hirvonen on the Blues’ under-20 team. He has also got a spatial awareness to his game that should help him blossom into a consistently performed well for Team Finland internationally. Miettinen dominant college player in time. He reads and reacts to pressure at one needs to get stronger and he’ll be a project but college will afford him that of the highest levels in this draft with the puck on his stick, which helps time and I expect him to have an immediate impact. He’s going to him navigate in and out of trouble to make the small plays that drive change some minds. When I watch him play, I see one of the best results. releases in the draft. 41. Michael Benning — RHD, Sherwood Park Crusaders, 5-foot-8.75 He can also play in traffic and shoot off both feet: Benning can make hockey look effortless. Think Rasmus Sandin or Or with a snap shot in motion that surprises and regularly freezes Samuel Girard, players who’ve always produced while making it look goalies: easy. The puck just flows through Benning. There’s an ease and comfort to the way he plays. He sees right through pressure when the puck is on And a standstill wrist shot that has the same effect: his stick and makes a ton of small area plays. You have to keep his If he can get a little faster, he’s got the imagination, the puck skill, the stacked team, his league and his size in context when you’re evaluating poise and the shot to succeed at the NHL level. He’s one of my him. There’s no question about that. But even still, it’s not hard to favourites in this class and could well end up as a late-round steal. imagine him controlling a college game, leading the rush and running Denver’s top power play unit. His athleticism also helps him compensate 37. Braden Schneider — RHD, Brandon Wheat Kings, 6-foot-2.25 for the length that he lacks. He had two seasons for the ages at the Jr. A level and if he falls into Rounds 3 or 4, he could provide real value. In his own zone, Schneider’s one of the better defensive defencemen in this draft. He uses his length and strength well off the rush, too, but his 42. Sean Farrell — LW, Chicago Steel, 5-foot-8.5 biggest asset is his ability to take away time and space in the defensive zone, close out the wall, win puck battles and advance the play back up Farrell was a tricky player to evaluate this year because he was a passer ice with a quick outlet. After three full seasons in the WHL, I would’ve on one of the more loaded teams in recent junior hockey history. It’s liked to see a little more out of his puck game to rank him in the first easier to identify talent in scorers on teams like the Steel than the other round (where he will likely be picked), though. He has a hard point shot way around. You can question a player who racks up assists on a roster when he uses it but I would like to see him attack off the line more than that’s way more talented than the one on the other side of the ice. Then he does. He’s closer to turning pro than most and will be a penalty killer you consider that he’s on the smaller side and it’s no wonder some at the pro level, which some of these others will not be, but next year will scouts have their doubts. I’m not one of them though. He impressed me be big for his development and I’ll be watching closely to see if he can in the two years that preceded his draft campaign with the NTDP and he create at a higher, more consistent level. His skating is fine for his size was more of a driver than a passenger in my viewings this season with and won’t hold him back, but I wouldn’t say it’s a huge asset either. I fear the Steel. He reminds me a little of his future Harvard teammate Nick that a lot of his success stems from his physical maturity, which will Abruzzese for the way he navigates the offensive zone find teammates in become less of an asset against pros. soft pockets for scoring chances. I think you’ll begin to see him attack more in a different role, too, which might massage some of the concerns 38. William Villeneuve — RHD, Saint John Sea Dogs, 6-foot-1 scouts have with his game.

43. John-Jason Peterka — LW, EHC Munchen, 5-foot-11 Peterka’s one of those players that just screams “complementary third- Outside of his international showings (which were impressive), I hadn’t line forward.” Early on this season, he was one of my favourite prospects done a ton of homework on Chromiak before he made the move from his in the draft for his ability to play with strength and pace all over the ice. longtime Slovak club team to the OHL to join the Fronts, who’d taken him He’s a middle-lane driver who shoots a lot and works to get to the front of second overall in the import draft. He made an immediate impression, the net to finish off plays. He’s just naturally athletic and it fits well with though. After a two-point debut, he became Kingston’s second-most his up-tempo, north-south game. As the season progressed, though, he dangerous offensive threat behind rookie sensation Shane Wright. He’s a never really showed me he had the tools to be more than that. There are dangerous, multi-dimensional threat from the blue line in and showed he times when I want to see him slow down, or he needs to survey the ice could create both in an instant and through the cycle. When he keeps his and use his teammates better. His play, role and minutes all went cold feet moving and plays to the inside, he’s a ton of fun to watch. late in the season. It can look like he’s playing on instinct out there. That works for some players. It works for J.J. too but it may limit his upside. Fronts head coach Kurtis Foster went into detail about Chromiak’s transition to the OHL midway through the season. He has the speed, the drive and the strength: “He showed right from the beginning his skill level is top notch. His shot 44. Ryan O’Rourke — LHD, Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds, 6-foot-0 is elite, his hockey sense is elite, but it was a big adjustment, especially to the size of the rink and the schedule where you play three-in-three This is a ranking I worry about regretting. I agonized over where to rank after coming from a league where you only play twice a week. But he’s O’Rourke. He’s definitely in the same tier of D prospects as the handful quiet and he works every day. It’s almost like the three of them just of defenders who rank directly ahead of him here. He’s got a real case as played really well together because they all kind of do their own thing. a late-first/early second-rounder. The strength of O’Rourke’s game is his Shane makes plays, can skate, Chromiak’s a skilled shooter, and then ability to defend players on the breakout and stretch the ice as a passer. I (Zayde Wisdom) is a relentless forechecker.” grew to appreciate the role physicality plays in his game defensively, too. He plays a hard game along the wall and if you can live with some of the 49. Marat Khusnutdinov — C, SKA-1946 St. Petersburg, 5-foot-11 penalties that come with it, it makes him an effective man-on-man option who can assert himself over the course of a game. He became a big On a loaded team that didn’t play him on the top line or power play unit driver for the Greyhounds defensively. for much of the season, Khusnutdinov put together an impressive rookie season in the MHL – and did it while spending the entire year as a 17- He’s also got some nice deception to his game (look for the shoulder year-old. Khusnutdinov makes plays all over the ice, he’s a responsible fake below) from the blue line in: three-zone player, he doesn’t shy away from playing to the interior, he’s got enough skill to make plays from the exterior and he tracks the play I saw him make some great plays off the rush this year, too: exceptionally well. That last tool helps him intercept pucks or find space My concern with O’Rourke’s game, if I had one this season, is that on a in the offensive zone. He’s a long-term project but I see a player who team with a trio of other defencemen with some offensive skill, he never continues to maximize his skill set and makes the most out of his career. managed to make himself the clear-cut go-to guy for offensive zone 50. Connor McClennon — RW, Winnipeg ICE, 5-foot-7.75 usage. To be comfortable in taking a player in the first round, I want to see them separate themselves from their teammates. We’ll see. In the second half of this season, I finally began to consistently see the high-end skill that made McClennon one of the top minor hockey players 45. Ty Smilanic — C, NTDP, 6-foot-1 in the country a few years ago. The world saw it at U17s, but we’d never Smilanic entered the year expected to lead this NTDP age group really seen it – at least not game-to-game – in the WHL. His size remains offensively. Unfortunately, a bout with mono, a high ankle sprain and a a concern. Making it at 5-foot-9 in today’s game is one thing, making it at broken hand worked against some of those high hopes. After the more than an inch shorter is still pretty rare. He looks smaller out there. BioSteel All-American Top Prospects Game, Smilanic spent the back half But his skill with the puck is impressive. McClennon stickhandles through of the season with a cast on his top hand and the mitt of his glove cut out tough seams or around flatfooted defenders with ease. He’s got a unique so that he could grip the knob. Eventually, NHL Central Scouting sent out ability to bounce off checks, too. When the puck’s on his stick, he’s one a note to inform teams that he was playing injured. I was told that among of the more dynamic players in this draft. It wouldn’t surprise me if he his four outside fingers, only the index wasn’t in the cast. When he’s on, challenges for 90-100 points next season. He’s a problem solver who he’s got four-way quickness, standout puck protection skill and a knack finds ways to make things happen. for finishing plays around the net. Watch the way he shields the puck, The top 100 leans with his lead shoulder, attacks the front of the net and finishes his own rebound here: One of the big things that can get lost in a numbered ranking like this is the proximity of some tightly grouped players to others. To give you a 46. Justin Sourdif — RW, Vancouver Giants, 5-foot-10.75 better understanding of how closely ranked many of these players are, After really impressing me late last season and into the summer, I kept the complete top 100 has been broken down into tiers. They are as waiting for Sourdif to find another gear this year. He’s a very good junior follows: 1, 2, 3-8, 9-23, 24-53, 54-100. player as is. With enviable speed, he can make plays off the rush and is Honourable mentions (50): Brock Faber, Wyatt Kaiser, Eamon Powell, noticeable when he’s on the ice because he plays fast and loose. On a Dmitri Ovchinnikov, Donovan Sebrango, Colby Ambrosio, Carson Bantle, Giants team that lacked talent up front, Sourdif was a go-to player and Ivan Didkovsky, Axel Rindell, Ryan Tverberg, Yegor Sokolov, Thimo relied-upon creator. In his best games, he was dominant and controlled Nickl, Jack Finley, William Dufour, Raivis Ansons, Xavier Simoneau, shifts by coming at teams in waves. But he’ll need to get stronger to Artur Akhtyamov, Billy Constantino, Benjamin Baumgartner, Lukas reach his ceiling as there were games where teams swarmed him and he Svejkovsky, Oliver Suni, Tyler Kleven, Yevgeni Oksentyuk, Cross Hanas, was neutralized, even though he’s up to the physical challenge and has Ethan Cardwell, Zach Uens, Jake Ratzlaff, Artem Shlaine, Danny Weight, some snarl to his game. Maxim Groshev, Joonas Oden, Alex Cotton, Luke Reid, Daemon Hunt, 47. Justin Barron — RHD, , 6-foot-1.5 Calle Clang, Yan Kuznetsov, Will Cuylle, Parker Ford, Lleyton Moore, Alex Young, Pavel Gogolev, Oliver Okuliar, Juuso Mäenpää, Grant It was hard to get a read on Barron this season. He played on a (rare) Slukynsky, Ryder Rolston, Charlie Desroches, Kyle Crnkovic, Jan bad team in Halifax and battled injuries throughout. He has always been Bednar, Maxim Berezkin, Landon Slaggert. a top prospect and has long played with a maturity you don’t often see in 16- and 17-year-olds. But he didn’t really get the opportunity to progress The Athletic LOADED: 06.02.2020 like much of his peers, his game plateaued when he was in the lineup and I’m just a little hesitant to project him one way or the other these days. I’m just more confident in the players who are ahead of him here. He was excellent a year ago and I wouldn’t fault a team for considering him late in the first round or early in the second. There’s nothing about his game that will really grab you but he does everything well. I’ll be keeping a close eye on him next year. He’s a favourite, so if he gets off to a strong start, he’ll probably be on Team Canada for the world juniors.

48. Martin Chromiak — RW, , 5-foot-11.5 1185750 Websites Kane wasn’t alone in that sentiment. Masai Ujiri, who had his own championship-winning moment tainted by an aggressive, racially profiling police officer, weighed in on the discussion as well. “Your voice matters, especially when you are a leader or influential figure, and especially if Sportsnet.ca / Black people are dying. White athletes need to speak out. you are white,” the first African born GM and president in major North | Sportsnet.ca American sports wrote in a Globe and Mail editorial. “Leaders have to be bold enough to state the obvious and call out racism.”

Of course, some white sports figures didn’t need the prompt — Steve Donnovan Bennett | June 1, 2020, 4:40 PM Kerr, Megan Rapinoe and Chris Long, among others, all being examples.

But that group just isn’t big enough. What is needed are consistent It’s been a particularly difficult month to be black in North America, and voices of support. NHLer Evander Kane doesn’t want the only people discussing that to be Part of the privilege of being white is deciding when to care about issues people who look like him. He wants white people to speak up, too — a that don’t directly threaten your way of life. Black people aren’t allowed sentiment I understand. the same choice. We don’t move on because we can’t. And we pay a There’s an exhaustion that sets in when you’re constantly called upon to price, despite that lack of control. The long-term toll of worrying about comment on crimes against your own — and the crimes have been your safety and how you are perceived because of your race plays a role heinous and plentiful of late. in chronic stressors that create measurable disparities between the health of black people and white people. On Feb. 23, Ahmaud Arbery was gunned down while out for a jog. His killers were only just charged last week, roughly three months after his And it’s not as if white athletes don’t speak out because they truly feel death. they should stick to sports.

On March 13, Breonna Taylor was killed while she was sleeping in her How many white athletes have posted messages thanking essential own home by Louisville police during a drug raid that turned up no drugs. workers and first responders during the COVID-19 pandemic? How many white athletes shared condolences after April’s shooting rampage in On May 25, a white woman named Amy Cooper threatened black Nova Scotia? birdwatcher Christian Cooper (no relation) in New York’s , when he had the audacity to remind her of the park’s rule stating that her These are both worthy causes — that’s not the point — but it seems as if dog must be leashed. She told him, “I’m going to call the cops and say an those same athletes’ voices suddenly go silent when the issue principally African-American man is threatening my life.” She eventually did call the affects minorities. That is a huge missed opportunity for the cause of police to tell them her fabricated story, a call he caught on tape. racial justice. Just imagine how powerful it would be if white athletes used their power and platforms even at the risk of making other white Later that same day, in Minneapolis, a black man named George Floyd people uncomfortable. died in police custody, screaming for his mother and pleading that he couldn’t breathe. Officer Derek Chauvin was seen on cellphone video Kane mentioned Crosby and Brady not so much as individuals but as footage kneeling on the prone and handcuffed Floyd’s neck for a placeholders for the entire class of established white athletes. He could staggering eight minutes and 46 seconds. That’s longer than it will take have said Connor McDavid or Mike Trout and the point would have been you to read this story. Floyd was suspected of using a counterfeit $20 bill. the same. What does it say that the vast majority of high-profile white athletes aren’t willing to use a couple cents’ worth of data and 280 Add to that the arrest of black CNN correspondent Omar Jimenez, who characters to send out anything more than the obligatory thoughts-and- was taken into custody by state troopers on the air on Friday while prayers tweet? The silence is all the more deafening as cities burn and covering the protests over Floyd’s killing, as his own mother and people without the protection of fame and fortune are shot, tear-gassed grandmother watched live. It’s worth pausing to note that Jimenez was and run over by police while standing up for this cause. arrested before Chauvin was. Of the 38 white athletes on Forbes’s list of the 100 highest-paid athletes And on Sunday, during protests in Atlanta, two college students were on earth, only six (Gordon Hayward, Derek Carr, Ben Roethlisberger, Tasered and forcibly removed from their car on live TV. Police later said Kevin Love, Carson Wentz and Kirk Cousins) spoke publicly about racial they thought the couple was armed, which they weren’t. injustice in the month before Chauvin was arrested.

All of these incidents (and many more) are connected by an utter The top five golfers in the world are about to play in the first PGA disregard for the humanity of black people. In response, concerned tournament since the COVID-19 lockdown began, the Charles Schwab citizens in cities across North America have taken to the streets in Invitational — commonly known as The Colonial. Imagine if one of them protest, and social media has been flooded with shows of support as well played 18 holes wearing an “I can’t breathe” t-shirt. Imagine if they as pain, sorrow and anger at systemic racism and the continued loss of collectively held a press conference to start the tournament, discussing black life. The public outcry has been remarkable. these issues. Imagine if they donated their earnings to a cause that could help. But for those of us in the sports world, another aspect of the response has been noteworthy as well: the level of silence from white sports Is any of that crazy to suggest? Would any of it even be difficult to figures with the fame and influence to really make a difference – execute? And isn’t that how real change happens — when power and something Kane said bluntly on ESPN’s First Take on Friday. privilege is used to uplift those who don’t have any?

“We need so many more athletes that don’t look like me speaking out Imagine if an NHL player or GM said, “We are boycotting Minnesota as a about this, having the same amount of outrage that I have inside, and hub city unless we see judicial action.” Too radical? What about the using that to voice their opinions, voice their frustration — because that’s opposite? What if they said, “We demand Minnesota be a hub city so we the only way it’s going to change,” Kane said. “We’ve been outraged for can help kickstart the reconciliation and provide an economic boost to a hundreds of years and nothing’s changed. It’s time for guys like Tom town that is reeling”? It doesn’t matter how that power is applied, only Brady and Sidney Crosby, those type of figures, to speak up about what that it’s used to help. is right and, clearly in this case, what is unbelievably wrong. Because that is the only way we’re going to actually create that unified anger to Canadians may want to frame this whole thing as an American issue, but create that necessary change.” it’s not as if we are without racial injustices of our own.

Kane later joined Stephen Brunt, Richard Deitsch and Jeff Blair on We had internment camps and residential schools in Canada. Viola Sportsnet 590 The FAN’s Writers Bloc, adding: “When you have Desmond was arrested for not sitting in the back of a theater in Canada. ethnicities other than the ones that are being affected step up and say In 2017, six people were killed and 19 injured in a shooting at the Islamic something, that causes a real dialogue. It can cause real change. And it Cultural Centre of Quebec City. And our prime minister has engaged in can cause people to really open up their eyes and come together, and I multiple, documented incidents of wearing blackface. think that’s the biggest thing. And we don’t have nearly enough of that, In Toronto, black people are 20 times more likely to be shot by the police clearly.” than their white counterparts. Carding has been and still is used as a police tactic in parts of this country. D’Andre Campbell, Andrew Loku, Jermaine Carby and Dafonte Miller are How am I feeling? I wish Canadians cared about black issues as much all black victims of racial violence that was perpetrated in Canada. If you as they care about black art, black music, black sports. don’t already know their names, that’s part of the point. If your deepest relationship to a black person is on your playlist or And yet, there is a huge void on these issues where white athletes’ fantasy team, you’re part of the problem, because you are benefitting voices should be. Of the top five most-mentioned white Canadian from black success while not acknowledging that many black people are athletes on Twitter, none have released a public statement or mentioned living a nightmare. And some are no longer living at all. their own thoughts. Imagine if everyone who flooded the streets when the Raptors won a As of Saturday, a day after Kane’s comments, the lone notable exception championship last summer did so again, to protest the number of black in the Canadian hockey world was Logan Couture, another member of lives lost due to gun violence. the Sharks. Imagine if everyone who took pride in the slogan “We The North” also Though Couture may not have known it when he sat down to write, this took pride in finding a solution for our First Nations communities who type of statement carries incredible weight and influence. And it’s been don’t have clean, running water or access to affordable, healthy food. somewhat encouraging to see a smattering of other white NHLers lend their voices to the cause in the time since his tweet — including Blake Think about the message it sends a journalist like myself or an athlete Wheeler, Anze Kopitar and Auston Matthews. like Evander Kane or an executive like Masai Ujiri or an artist like Drake that you care about our work, but can’t be bothered enough to care about But those voices are still too few and far between, and Canadian players our humanity. remain particularly quiet, though a few beyond Couture have issued statements. Which is why, like Kane, I’m going to challenge my own industry.

Akim Aliu recently wrote about his racist treatment within the sport. His If you work in sports media and make a living off of the talent and article was met with crickets from most of the famous white names in the ingenuity of black athletes, the least you can do is use your journalistic game, aside from Ryan Miller — an American. skills and privilege to show that black lives have equal value to your own. The least you can do is allot more than 28 or 29 days in February to Almost every documented racial issue Aliu endured took place in humanizing black people. Canada, and was perpetrated by a Canadian. Where are the Canadian players? Where are their voices? So, salute to Evander Kane for saying what nobody else in his sport was willing to say. If I’m holding athletes to a high standard, it’s because I’ve seen the incredible and immediate power of their words and support. He’s tired, I’m tired – and it would be nice to rest on the support of others for once. The hockey community has demonstrated its capacity to rally for those who are hurting — look no further than the aftermath of the tragic Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 06.02.2020 Humboldt Broncos bus crash. The sport’s stars spoke up and the GoFundMe campaign in support of the victims raised $4 million dollars in 48 hours and ended with over $15 million — the second-highest-grossing GoFundMe campaign of all time.

That is an amazing power for good. Imagine if it was also applied to, say, the cause of Canada’s missing and murdered Indigenous women.

Institutions have power.

Leagues have power.

Teams have power.

It was the NBA’s decision to suspend play that reinforced the reality of the COVID-19 pandemic for many. The NFL took the Super Bowl away from Arizona in 1991 because they wouldn’t recognize MLK Day as a holiday. The NBA refused to award Charlotte the 2017 All-Star Game until the discriminatory HB2 bathroom bill was repealed.

There’s no quick fix to any of these issues, but the long-term one must include those with power and privilege using it for good. If they aren’t using their platforms to fight racism, then by default, they’re using their power to normalize it.

In the wake of Floyd’s death, friends and colleagues reached out to see how I was feeling.

I’ve told them what I’ll say here: I’m exhausted, and not only because of what happened to George Floyd.

I’ve been conditioned my whole life to understand that I won’t be treated equally. I learned it from the first time my father gave me “the talk” about keeping my hands at 10-and-2 when pulled over for “driving while black.” It’s a conversation I’ve rehearsed in my head for when the time comes to give it to my young son, robbing him of his innocence to hopefully prevent him from becoming the next hashtag.

I’m exhausted because people who look like me are often the only ones that care enough to do or say something, even though we have the least amount of power to create change.

I’m exhausted because racism isn’t even a minority problem; it’s the oppressor’s problem. We just bear the awful consequences.

I’m exhausted because, as Tyrone Edwards describes, systemic racism wears you down mentally. As Kathleen Newman-Bremang wrote, it’s our own permanent pandemic. 1185751 Websites Is this the end of an era? This is only the second time in the salary cap era that the Sharks have

missed the playoffs but the team has no Stanley Cups to show for it. One Sportsnet.ca / One question every non-playoff NHL team must answer year after making the Western Conference Final general manager Doug this off-season Wilson now has to make a decision: should he blow up the roster he’s spent years making or give this group another shot next season?

The Sharks have expensive long-term contracts tied to Erik Karlsson, Josh Beneteau June 1, 2020, 11:27 AM Brent Burns, Marc-Edouard Vlasic, Logan Couture, Evander Kane and Martin Jones. Most of these players took steps back or had major injuries

this season but they also have contracts that will be difficult to move in The 2019-20 NHL season officially came to a close for seven teams last order to improve the roster in the short term. week when commissioner Gary Bettman announced the league’s plan for One long-time Shark who might not return is soon-to-be 41-year-old Joe returning from the COVID-19 pandemic. Thornton, an unrestricted free agent. The Sharks tried to move the future Those seven teams now face a very long off-season, which will give Hall of Famer at the deadline and he may have to find a new home if he them plenty of time to assess what went wrong and to plan for ways to wants to play a 23rd season. improve. Some of those teams are deep into rebuilds while others are For now, Wilson seems more intent on keeping the group together with just starting that process, but all of them have questions that need to be the hope that they will figure out why things didn’t work this year. But answered in order to turn things around. nothing from Wilson would be surprising and he has a long history of Here is the most important question facing each non-playoff team now blockbuster trades. that the off-season is officially underway. “What you have to do is collectively you say, OK, that didn’t work. Now Detroit Red Wings: 17-49-5 let’s pull it all together,” Wilson said in his end of season press conference. “When you try and do too much, sometimes you end up How many free agents will be brought back? doing too little. And we didn’t play as well. We weren’t as well connected as a team. Strategically, tactically… but also as a group. The Red Wings just completed one of the worst seasons this century, but with five unrestricted free agents and 12 restricted free agents, general “These guys care and we believe in them.” manager Steve Yzerman has set himself up well to clean house and upgrade every position. Los Angeles Kings: 29-35-6

Yzerman made eight trades in his first year on the job and almost all of Will familiar faces return next season? the players he acquired are on expiring contracts. Some of them, like The Kings have been transitioning for a few seasons now and moving Robby Fabbri and Alex Biega, made enough of an impact to earn Tyler Toffoli at the trade deadline was the latest sign of that. But this off- extensions. Others, like Brendan Perlini and Adam Erne, aren’t expected season more pieces from the Stanley Cup years might have to depart to to return. None of the unrestricted free agents are expected back either, keep the rebuild rolling. including long-time Red Wings Jonathan Ericsson and Jimmy Howard. Three players who could be on the way out are Jeff Carter, Dustin Brown The most important negotiations Yzerman faces this off-season will be and Jonathan Quick. All three carry cap hits over $5.2 million for at least with top-line wingers Tyler Bertuzzi and Anthony Mantha, both RFAs. two more seasons and all are in decline, so their values on the trade The term length and cap hits for both these contracts will be important market won’t be as high as they would have been a few years ago. But down the road as younger talent pushes for more important roster spots. with only three expiring UFA contracts on the team, adding to the roster Turnover is expected when teams are deep into a rebuild but with so will require a subtraction and these three could bring back some sort of many expiring contracts, the 2020-21 Red Wings could look very future asset while opening up a roster spot for a younger player. different. Like the Senators, the Kings have been accumulating plenty of top “I think we need to improve in every area,” Yzerman said in his season- prospects in recent years including Akil Thomas, and Tyler ending press conference. “We need help in every area. We need to score Madden. All three of those players could push for NHL jobs as soon as more goals, we need to improve defensively, we need to improve in net. I next season, so decisions over which spots are actually up for grabs will think we need to get better in every aspect and it’s going to take time to need to be made. do that.” That could mean heartbreak for fans who still fondly remember the 2012 Ottawa Senators: 25-34-12 and 2014 Stanley Cup wins.

What should they do with all these draft picks? Anaheim Ducks: 29-33-9

The Ottawa Senators are now in the third year of their rebuild but this off- Who’s going to score? season might be the most important one yet. The Senators have The Ducks missed the playoffs for the second straight year and the goal potentially 13 draft picks in 2020, including two in the top six and this off-season should be to upgrade the offence. potentially nine in the first three rounds. If the Islanders don’t win the lottery, the Senators will have three first-round picks this year. The team ranked 26th in the league in total goals with 182, had the 30th ranked power play with a 14.7 success rate and only had five 10-goal The Erik Karlsson trade continues to pay off with prospect Josh Norris scorers, which tied the Sabres and Red Wings for fewest in the league. winning AHL rookie of the year and the Sharks’ first-round pick carrying the third-best odds in the draft lottery. The club also collected picks in the The Ducks gave promising young players such as Max Jones, Sam Steel first two rounds by trading , Jean-Gabriel Pageau and Ryan and Troy Terry more ice time in the NHL this season, but none of them Dzingel. scored more than eight goals. Adam Henrique led the way with 26 and Jakob Silfverberg had 21 but they didn’t get much help from anyone else, While having a large pool of picks is important for any rebuild, at some including captain Ryan Getzlaf who has one year left on his deal. point those picks need to turn into players. So the pressure is now on general manager Pierre Dorion to get the picks right and begin building a The Ducks don’t have many contracts coming off the books this year so it competitive roster. will be tough to add scoring in free agency. They do, however, have two first-round picks for the second straight year, which could help them land “We are going to follow that plan, we are not going to rush things, we are a high-scoring forward either in the draft or via trade. going to do things properly,” general manager Pierre Dorion said in his end-of-season press conference. “And that is part of having long term Senior Writer Ryan Dixon and NHL Editor Rory Boylen always give it success and building a championship calibre team in Ottawa if we do the 110%, but never rely on clichés when it comes to podcasting. Instead, right thing here with this draft.” they use a mix of facts, fun and a varied group of hockey voices to cover Canada’s most beloved game. San Jose Sharks: 29-36-5 New Jersey Devils: 28-29-12 Who will make roster decisions?

The Devils have an interim head coach and interim general manager so those positions need to be solidified before important decisions can be made about the roster.

Alain Nasreddine took over as head coach on Dec. 3 and had a lot of success in half a season. The Devils went 19-16-8 after the coaching change and their .535 win percentage in that time was 21st in the league, ahead of four teams that will play if the NHL can conclude the season: the Jets, Canadiens, Islanders and Coyotes. According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, Nasreddine is being considered to remain in the role but the club is also expected to interview Gerard Gallant, Peter Laviolette and John Stevens.

As for the general manager, Tom Fitzgerald was promoted to replace Ray Shero in January and he hit the ground running. Fitzgerald made five trades in the days leading up to the trade deadline including adding a first-round pick and prized prospect Nolan Foote from the Tampa Bay Lightning for Blake Coleman.

Fitzgerald was asked about his future with the Devils during his end-of- season conference call and said, for now, he’s been given full autonomy to run the team and will continue to do so until told otherwise.

“The organization has been fantastic to me,” he said. “They are allowing me to be the GM of this team, whether it’s an interim tag or not.”

Jeff Marek and Elliotte Friedman talk to a lot of people around the hockey world, and then they tell listeners all about what they’ve heard and what they think about it.

Buffalo Sabres: 30-31-8

Which players are part of the solution?

The Sabres have now missed the playoffs for nine-straight seasons — the longest active streak in the league — and the players are getting sick of it.

“I’m fed up with the losing and I’m fed up and I’m frustrated,” captain Jack Eichel said on a conference call after his fifth season ended without any extra games. He isn’t the only one.

Head coach Ralph Krueger and general manager Jason Botterill are both staying, meaning changes to the roster are coming. An upgrade in net seems likely after Carter Hutton’s second straight poor showing, as does an upgrade to the forward group. Eichel led the team in scoring by 28 points and should be the club’s only untouchable forward.

Botterill likely only has one more crack at getting this right after three seasons outside the playoffs. That could mean big trades — potentially involving defenceman Rasmus Ristolainen or restricted free agent Sam Reinhart — that would significantly alter the core of this team. At this point, whatever it takes to snap the playoff drought will be on the table.

“I like the anger. I have no problem with people outing frustration on the past,” Krueger said of the comments from his players. “But then let’s move that conversation forward, real quick, and let’s figure out what we’re going to do about it.”

Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 06.02.2020 1185752 Websites minutes of play – a number directly comparable to stars like Colorado’s Nathan MacKinnon and Philadelphia’s Sean Couturier.

Separately, you will notice that Crosby – who has led the team in any TSN.CA / A statistical look at the Penguins vs. Canadiens play-in series counting or advanced metric since entering the league, more or less – fell quite a bit in the pecking order this season. Some of this is merely because of the missed time and recuperating from injury, and betting against a player of his calibre would be foolish. But it is certainly By Travis Yost noteworthy that for the second time in three seasons, Crosby’s incredible skill set didn’t mean much when it came to driving goal differentials:

The National Hockey League’s redesigned playoff format is official, and The good news for Pittsburgh is that, regardless of his weird regular assuming all goes to plan, we are about six weeks away from watching season, Crosby remains one of the most gifted two-way players in the hockey once again. league. That will certainly pay dividends from a matchup standpoint, as he can be used to shadow the likes of Brendan Gallagher’s line. The new format will feature 24 teams and begins with a 16-team qualifying round. The opening best-of-five series offers new life to eight Gallagher remains one of the league’s most underrated forwards and has teams that were below the original playoff cutline, and should create shown effective at piercing the defensive interior against just about waves of excitement for eager sports fans. everyone, teaming up with Phillip Danault and Tomas Tatar to create a fantastic top line. Over the next few weeks, we will be previewing each qualifying round series in detail. An archive of previews can be found here: But this transitioning Canadiens team is still top-heavy, and if their first line can’t crack the Pittsburgh defence, it could end up being a very quick (8) Toronto Maple Leafs vs. (9) Columbus Blue Jackets series.

Today, we look at a second Eastern Conference matchup, the No. 5 Goalie Overview (Goals Saved Above Average) Pittsburgh Penguins against the No. 12 Montreal Canadiens. The biggest X-Factor of the series is not particularly close – it’s Montreal Regular Season Performance goaltender .

To say that the league’s 24-team playoff gives new life to the Montreal Price is considered by his peers as the best goaltender in the league, but Canadiens would be an understatement. While most of the bubble teams the data suggests otherwise. Price’s save percentage (90.9) was below that made the postseason under the new format were just a couple of league average for the second time in three seasons, and adjustments wins back, the Canadiens were trailing by 10 points with less than one for shot quality faced aren’t material. Over that three-year window, Price per cent playoff odds. is 22nd of 24 goaltenders (minimum 5,000 shots faced) in goals saved above expectations at -32.2. The only goalies in trail, in fact, are On the other side of the coin, no team was victimized more by the NHL’s Minnesota’s Devan Dubnyk and Ottawa’s Craig Anderson. decision to create a play-in round than the Pittsburgh Penguins. Pittsburgh carried 96 per cent playoff odds at the time the regular season It wasn’t always like this. You likely remember the Price who won the was stopped, buoyed by an impressive +28 goal differential – seventh Vezina Trophy back in 2015. For years, Price was posting strong save best in the league. percentages and bailing out his defence. The opposite has been true of late: To say this year in Pittsburgh was atypical would also be an understatement. The Penguins were decimated by injuries all season Price has been an outstanding goaltender for years, but the results are long, with the most notable belonging to Sidney Crosby (sports hernia). starting to lag behind the lore. If he can put together a short series where But Crosby wasn’t the only player to miss time – just look at their scoring we see the Price of 2013-16, Montreal carries a decisive advantage in leaderboard relative to availability and you can see how much net against Tristan Jarry and the Penguins. If it’s more of the same, it’s at inconsistency there was throughout the lineup: best a wash.

Pittsburgh, to that end, may be one of the teams that benefits most from Oh, and that is me assuming Pittsburgh plays Jarry over Matt Murray. a lengthy reset. All teams are getting the benefit of getting back to full Considering their respective seasons, how could Sullivan choose health, but Pittsburgh’s true talent was likely disproportionately impacted differently? by frequently fragmented lineups. Prediction That’s particularly noteworthy when it comes to even-strength play, where the lion’s share of minutes will be played come playoff time. I would have loved to see Montreal – a dynamic puck-possession team that can occasionally skate teams out of rinks with their speed on the Montreal’s one distinct core competency is their ability to play extensively wings – draw anyone not named Pittsburgh. But their offensive limitations in the offensive zone – no team carried better puck possession and shot and inadequate special teams are a problem, and Pittsburgh is just too generation rates than the Canadiens, who ran up big differentials all deep, too versatile, and finally healthy. season long. And it wasn’t for naught: the Canadiens may have finished 24th in the standings, but they actually outscored their opponents 158 to The pick is Pittsburgh in four. 151 (+7) at even strength. TSN.CA LOADED: 06.02.2020 They may have been low on finishing talent and void of strong shooters in their top-six forwards, but you can manage through a lot when you are getting 55 per cent of the shot share (best in the NHL).

The issue here is that Montreal is running into an equally capable Pittsburgh team at even strength – a team capable of neutralizing their greatest strength. The Penguins outscored opponents 160 to 145 (+15) in this game state, seventh best in the league.

Skater Overview (Goals Above Replacement)

If you look close enough, that’s journeyman winger Bryan Rust leading the Penguins in Goals Above Replacement contributions.

It’s hard to say enough about Rust’s season – he scored 56 points (27 goals and 29 assists) in just 55 games, becoming one of the team’s most versatile weapons. Head coach Mike Sullivan’s decision to put him on the hip of superstar Evgeni Malkin – who had a ridiculous 74-point season (55 games played) in his own right – proved one of the best coaching decisions of the 2019-20 regular season. With Rust on the ice, the Penguins were 1.3 goals better than their opponents for every 60 1185753 World Leagues News "I think it will be nip and tuck because you have to plan it so far ahead, from now really, and make adjustments which is for something very complex."

What future for sport and sponsors after the coronavirus lockdown? "Same thing for Euro 2021," he added. "Will the organisers be right to play it behind closed doors or reduce audience participation?"

Terrence Burns, a former IOC marketing executive who since leaving his PUBLISHED : 2 JUN 2020 AT 08:45 role has been pivotal in five successful Olympic bid city campaigns, says imposing restrictions on spectators would rob major events of "part of WRITER: AFP their mystique and appeal".

Burns is upbeat about the future for sponsors but expects them to LONDON - Global sport is facing the "mother of all wake-up calls" as it choose projects more carefully. emerges from the coronavirus lockdown, with uncertainty over what the "Sports will always be a major component of marketing and promotional landscape for participants and sponsors will look like. strategy for brands because of its emotive efficacy," he said. Former head of Olympic marketing Michael Payne believes that although "Having said that, I expect the 'sponsor universe' not necessarily to "it will be very painful pulling through it", sport will nevertheless emerge shrink, but certainly to become more prudent and more exacting as it "healthier and stronger". looks ahead where to spend its money. While a leading advertising industry figure warns it will be "nip and tuck" "This means sports will have to work harder, in some cases re-invent for the organisers of the rearranged Euro 2021 football championships themselves, to attract sponsorship dollars that in the past were more of a and the Tokyo Olympics, former Formula One supremo Bernie sure thing." Ecclestone has told AFP the ordinary fan will just be glad to have the diversion of live sport again. - Fans desperate -

Apart from a few exceptions -- the sideshows of football in Belarus or Ecclestone, who ran F1 for decades, says the ordinary fan's wish is racing in Hong Kong and Australia -- sport has been at a standstill since rather simpler. mid-March as the coronavirus pandemic swept the globe, claiming more than 370,000 lives. Only now is it edging back to action. "At the moment what has the family to talk about but coronavirus?" he told AFP. Payne, who was widely credited with transforming the finances of the International Olympic Comittee through sponsorship, said such an "It is hardly very uplifting and something you want to discuss, but people unexpected crisis had caught sport woefully unprepared. do discuss how it is affecting them or the best way to avoid getting it."

"Whether it's international sports federations, football clubs or F1 teams, While "none of us have a clue" about the science of the virus "people do many were living way beyond their financial means," he said in an have knowledgeable opinions on sport, who their favourite competitors interview with AFP. are or who will win.

"Very few bodies or organisations had funds set aside for a rainy day. "As soon as it returns in that respect, the better for people's morale."

"This has been the mother of all wake-up calls." Bangkok Post LOADED: 06.02.2020

The 62-year-old Irishman says to learn lessons he always draws on the biggest crisis he experienced -- the Olympic Salt Lake City scandal in 1999.

For three months he went to work wondering whether the IOC would see the day out.

"Top business leaders at the time told me a measure of leadership is how you take advantage of a crisis so ultimately you will come through stronger," he said.

"It was very painful at the time but eventually I look back and say a lot of good came out of that."

Payne says similar leadership -- and tough and unpopular decisions -- are required now.

"Major changes can and will need to be driven through that perhaps would not otherwise have been able to be pushed through if everyone was sitting in their comfort zone.

"What might have been previously politically unacceptable could now be possible. Sport will be leaner and stronger for it."

Football clubs will need to rein in their spending as money from ticket sales "will take quite a while to come back".

"In the interim, clubs, event organisers and federations are going to require some serious financial engineering to manage the business," he said.

- Distancing -

Should spectators be allowed to attend events, one consequence of coronavirus is likely to be strict social-distancing measures being imposed if the Olympics and Euro 2020 take place next year.

Martin Sorrell, the British founder of advertising giant WPP, who sits on the IOC Communications Commission, says the Tokyo organisers are in a race against the clock. 1185754 World Leagues News

Coronavirus in sport: Athletics is back on track as Spotakova shines

By Sajith B Warrier Updated: Tuesday, June 2, 2020, 12:46 [IST]

Bengaluru, June 2: Victories by javelin aces Barbora Spotakova and Jakub Vadlejch highlighted the opening meeting of the Czech Athletics Federation's 'Back on the Track' series which kicked off in the central Bohemian city of Kladno as athletics returned to action, following a long break due to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Athletes were banned from tracks, helplessly watching the 2020 Tokyo Olympics being postponed until next year and the European Championships cancelled.

But the sport sprang back to life at the event, which was part of a massive nation-wide effort dubbed Together at the Start, an initiative that witnessed meetings organised in 173 cities, with some 17,000 athletes, across all age groups, competing.

Spotakova, who has held the javelin world record in the event for nearly a dozen years, prevailed in the most fiercely contested head-to-head. The two-time Olympic and three-time world champion opened with a modest 57.31M effort, but took command of the competition with a 63.69M throw in the second, her best toss since May of last year.

Nikola Ogrodnikova, the 2018 European silver medallist, fouled on her first two attempts but fought back with a 62.92M effort in round three.

Neither improved over the next three rounds, however, leaving Spotakova with the win. The 38-year-old, also reached 62.81M in the final round.

In the men's competition, Vadlejch produced just one measurable throw, an 84.31M toss in the first round, good enough for the victory. Given that he only threw farther on three occasions last year, his 2020 debut bodes well.

Petr Frydrych, one of the rare few who wasn't making his 2020 debut - he threw 79.27 in Pilzen eight days ago - was second with 78.18M.

"I really like this idea and obviously it has made quite a splash," said Spotakova.

"I think we even showed a decent performance, the corona crisis didn't derail us and in spite of everything we're pretty well prepared," she added.

As expected, Tomas Stanek dominated the shot put, his best a 21.13M throw in the second round, to debut at No. 5 on the early season world list.

Jan Kudlicka won the pole vault with a second round clearance at 5.40M and Marek Barta won the discus with 62.95M. myKhe LOADED: 06.02.2020 1185755 World Leagues News

Competitive sports resume in England after 75-day shutdown

By STEVE DOUGLAS AP Sports Writer Jun 1, 2020 Updated 8 hrs ago

A mid-morning greyhound race in a virtually empty venue in the central English city of Birmingham wouldn’t typically be an occasion warranting special attention.

For English sports fans, it was a moment to savor.

When six dogs flew out of the traps at Perry Barr at 10:21 a.m. on Monday, it marked the return of competitive sports in England after a 75- day shutdown because of the coronavirus outbreak.

The name of the winning dog — Im Sophie — will likely be the answer to a quirky quiz question in years to come.

Greyhound racing was the first of three sports to resume Monday, with horse racing and snooker also taking place without spectators and on the condition that competitors and officials follow government-approved coronavirus protocols.

A 10-race card was held at Gosforth Park’s all-weather track in the northeast city of Newcastle, where 369 entries from competition-starved horse owners were whittled down to 120 runners. Jockeys wore face masks and adhered to social-distancing regulations before and after races, and only limited personnel were allowed on the course. That meant no bookmakers or bettors, with even the owners themselves barred from attending.

In the third-to-last race of the meeting, a horse — December Second — suffered a fatal injury after clipping the heels of another runner and falling with two furlongs remaining.

Horse racing was the last live sport to shut down in Britain — on March 17.

“It’s time to return and I really feel we can come back in a safe way in a way the public can be proud of,” champion jockey Oisin Murphy said Monday, adding that he and his rivals would physically feel “very close to 100%.”

“But the mental sharpness will only come after a few weeks with some practice.”

The winning jockey of the first race at Newcastle, James Sullivan, said he was “blowing a bit coming in" as the finishing post approached aboard his horse, Zodiakos.

“It was hard work," he said. “That will blow away the cobwebs.”

Snooker’s Championship League started in Milton Keynes, north of London, with top-ranked Judd Trump in action.

There were 64 players competing in the tournament that runs to June 11, and they all had to test negative for COVID-19 before entering the empty arena for matches.

Soccer in England is set to resume on June 17 with two Premier League games.

This story has been corrected to show that Im Sophie is a dog, not a horse.

LOADED: 06.02.2020 1185756 World Leagues News How do we start exercising again without hurting ourselves after months of lockdown?

Exercise researchers and physicians have some blunt advice for those of Stands Full of Fan-Submitted Cardboard Cutouts. What Could Go us aiming to return to regular exercise now: Start slowly and then rev up Wrong? your workouts, also slowly. American adults tended to be about 12 percent less active after the stay-at-home mandates began in March than they were in January. But there are steps you can take to ease your way back into regular exercise safely. First, “start at no more than 50 percent By Victor Mather of the exercise you were doing before Covid,” says Dr. Monica Rho, the June 1, 2020 chief of musculoskeletal medicine at the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab in Chicago. Thread in some preparatory squats, too, she advises. “When you haven’t been exercising, you lose muscle mass.” Expect some muscle twinges after these preliminary, post-lockdown sessions, After a few setbacks, the National in Australia got especially a day or two later. But sudden or increasing pain during underway over the weekend. Like most sporting events at the moment, exercise is a clarion call to stop and return home. no fans were on hand. But there was cardboard. My state is reopening. Is it safe to go out? For about $20 each, fans could send in photographs of themselves that would be turned into cardboard cutouts to fill the seats at the games. It States are reopening bit by bit. This means that more public spaces are would almost be as if they were there. What could possibly go wrong? available for use and more and more businesses are being allowed to open again. The federal government is largely leaving the decision up to Never underestimate the ability of pranksters to throw a wrench into the states, and some state leaders are leaving the decision up to local most innocent of plans. Viewers on TV could not help but notice some authorities. Even if you aren’t being told to stay at home, it’s still a good odd faces in the crowd. idea to limit trips outside and your interaction with other people. Most notoriously, enjoying the Penrith Panthers-Newcastle Knights game What’s the risk of catching coronavirus from a surface? on Sunday was a cutout of Harold Shipman, a British doctor who killed more than 200 of his patients over two decades. (The real Shipman killed Touching contaminated objects and then infecting ourselves with the himself in prison in 2004.) germs is not typically how the virus spreads. But it can happen. A number of studies of flu, rhinovirus, coronavirus and other microbes have At an earlier game involving Sydney Roosters and South Sydney shown that respiratory illnesses, including the new coronavirus, can Rabbitohs, a cutout was seen of Dominic Cummings, an adviser to Prime spread by touching contaminated surfaces, particularly in places like day Minister Boris Johnson of Britain who has drawn fire for traveling in care centers, offices and hospitals. But a long chain of events has to defiance of lockdown restrictions. Again, pranksters were suspected, happen for the disease to spread that way. The best way to protect since it seemed unlikely that Cummings is a Rabbitohs fan. yourself from coronavirus — whether it’s surface transmission or close Latest Updates: Coronavirus Outbreak in the U.S. human contact — is still social distancing, washing your hands, not touching your face and wearing masks. After a week of unrest, Trump threatens to deploy the military on U.S. streets. What are the symptoms of coronavirus?

Police officers are injured by gunfire and vehicle attacks. Common symptoms include fever, a dry cough, fatigue and difficulty breathing or shortness of breath. Some of these symptoms overlap with After another night of looting in Manhattan, an 8 p.m. curfew is declared those of the flu, making detection difficult, but runny noses and stuffy for Tuesday. sinuses are less common. The C.D.C. has also added chills, muscle Shipman and Cummings apparently weren’t controversial enough for pain, sore throat, headache and a new loss of the sense of taste or smell Matty Johns, a former player who hosts a program on Fox Sports. He as symptoms to look out for. Most people fall ill five to seven days after presented a photoshopped picture of the cardboard cutouts, adding Hitler exposure, but symptoms may appear in as few as two days or as many to the mix. After heavy criticism, Johns and Fox apologized. as 14 days.

Still, despite the hiccups, rugby league’s return was widely hailed as a How can I protect myself while flying? success, with praise for tweaks to the rules that sped up the game. If air travel is unavoidable, there are some steps you can take to protect One Team, 16 Players Testing Positive yourself. Most important: Wash your hands often, and stop touching your face. If possible, choose a window seat. A study from Emory University As players returning to action are tested for the coronavirus, it has not found that during flu season, the safest place to sit on a plane is by a been surprising that a few positive tests have turned up here and there. window, as people sitting in window seats had less contact with potentially sick people. Disinfect hard surfaces. When you get to your Vasco da Gama, a top-division team in Rio de Janeiro, may have a seat and your hands are clean, use disinfecting wipes to clean the hard bigger problem. It announced that 16 players of 43 who had been initially surfaces at your seat like the head and arm rest, the seatbelt buckle, the tested had tested positive for the virus. They will be isolated, and there remote, screen, seat back pocket and the tray table. If the seat is hard will be further testing of the people who live with them. and nonporous or leather or pleather, you can wipe that down, too. Training was scheduled to start Monday. (Using wipes on upholstered seats could lead to a wet seat and spreading of germs rather than killing them.) Leagues expect to see some positive tests, and they believe isolation of the affected players will be a workable solution. But when a good chunk How many people have lost their jobs due to coronavirus in the U.S.? of a team has the virus, the problem becomes more severe. More than 40 million people — the equivalent of 1 in 4 U.S. workers — Brazil had hoped to start playing state championship games as soon as have filed for unemployment benefits since the pandemic took hold. One two weeks from now. Will Vasco really be able to participate? in five who were working in February reported losing a job or being furloughed in March or the beginning of April, data from a Federal British Sports Return Reserve survey released on May 14 showed, and that pain was highly concentrated among low earners. Fully 39 percent of former workers Britain chose Monday as the day that sports could return, and several living in a household earning $40,000 or less lost work, compared with 13 did. Among them was pigeon racing: A 4,000-bird race started at 10 a.m., percent in those making more than $100,000, a Fed official said. British time. Horse racing, dog racing and snooker also started up. Can I go to the park? Jockeys wore masks at the racetracks. “In this heat today, riding in the mask, it is very warm, and after pulling up I pulled it down a little just to Yes, but make sure you keep six feet of distance between you and get a few breaths in,” a rider, Jimmy Sullivan, told the BBC. “It wasn’t too people who don’t live in your home. Even if you just hang out in a park, bad, though. It’s manageable and it’s the sort of thing that in a week you rather than go for a jog or a walk, getting some fresh air, and hopefully won’t even notice it.” sunshine, is a good idea. How do I take my temperature?

Taking one’s temperature to look for signs of fever is not as easy as it sounds, as “normal” temperature numbers can vary, but generally, keep an eye out for a temperature of 100.5 degrees Fahrenheit or higher. If you don’t have a thermometer (they can be pricey these days), there are other ways to figure out if you have a fever, or are at risk of Covid-19 complications.

Should I wear a mask?

The C.D.C. has recommended that all Americans wear cloth masks if they go out in public. This is a shift in federal guidance reflecting new concerns that the coronavirus is being spread by infected people who have no symptoms. Until now, the C.D.C., like the W.H.O., has advised that ordinary people don’t need to wear masks unless they are sick and coughing. Part of the reason was to preserve medical-grade masks for health care workers who desperately need them at a time when they are in continuously short supply. Masks don’t replace hand washing and social distancing.

What should I do if I feel sick?

If you’ve been exposed to the coronavirus or think you have, and have a fever or symptoms like a cough or difficulty breathing, call a doctor. They should give you advice on whether you should be tested, how to get tested, and how to seek medical treatment without potentially infecting or exposing others.

How do I get tested?

If you’re sick and you think you’ve been exposed to the new coronavirus, the C.D.C. recommends that you call your healthcare provider and explain your symptoms and fears. They will decide if you need to be tested. Keep in mind that there’s a chance — because of a lack of testing kits or because you’re asymptomatic, for instance — you won’t be able to get tested.

How can I help?

Charity Navigator, which evaluates charities using a numbers-based system, has a running list of nonprofits working in communities affected by the outbreak. You can give blood through the American Red Cross, and World Central Kitchen has stepped in to distribute meals in major cities.

You might think sports organizers and owners would be delighted by the restart and the revenue it is expected to generate. But at least one soccer club chairman forcefully declared that his sport’s comeback was happening too quickly.

Lee Hoos, the chief executive of the second-tier soccer team Queens Park Rangers, reacted with passion to the announcement that the league would aim for a restart on June 20.

“We are vehemently opposed to this schedule,” he said Monday. “The players haven’t even returned to full-contact training at this moment and yet they are now expected to be in a position to play at a competitive level in just three weeks’ time.

“I am not a lone voice on this matter; we are absolutely appalled.”

New York Times LOADED: 06.02.2020 1185757 World Leagues News "One thing that comes up often is that everybody is used to a best of seven. You know how it feels when you lose the first two or you win the first two. I think it's an easier thing to put on a best of seven, because everybody knows what to expect," he said. The NHL's coronavirus pause: Players, coaches offer opinions on return- to-play format One aspect of the return-to-play plan that the players see as a necessary evil is competing inside empty arenas. In a perfect world, the Stanley Cup playoffs are contested in front of raucous crowds that give teams a home-ice advantage in critical games. But restarting in a global pandemic By Emily Kaplan and Greg Wyshynski is far from perfect, which means playoff games with no fans.

"It sucks, frankly. But we gotta do what we gotta do to play hockey," said It has been 81 days since the NHL hit the pause button on the 2019-20 McDavid. season because of the coronavirus pandemic. As the cancellations and Jordan Staal of the Hurricanes agreed. "You've seen over the years in postponements around the world of sports continue, there also have Carolina that when the team gets into the playoffs, we usually make a been continuous nuggets of new information regarding the potential push. That goes to show what our fans can do," said Staal. "We have an resumption of the season, the draft, the playoffs and how it all affects extra advantage here in Raleigh. But it's just part of it. There's not much 2020-21. else you can do. We're going to have to find a way to motivate As players, executives and fans continue to adjust to the new normal, we ourselves." will provide updates every week, answering all the burning questions While some of the NHL's teams and players reacted to the inequities of about the various angles of the NHL's relation to the pandemic. Although the season restart format, New York Rangers coach David Quinn painted on-ice action remains on the shelf, there have been some intriguing a larger picture. developments since last week's update. Get caught up on it all here: "I think we all have to be very careful when we are talking about fair," he What have players and coaches been saying about the 'return to play' said, "because when I think about fair right now, I think about the 100,000 format? people that have lost their lives and the loved ones that have been Greg Wyshynski: The 24-team, conference-based "return to play" format affected by it. I think about the first responders who have been exposed that was approved by the NHL and the NHLPA last week is being treated to this terrible disease mentally and physically. I think about the 30-40 by some as a necessary evil and by others as the best the two sides million people that have filed for unemployment. I think about the small could create in a season truncated by a global pandemic. and big business that have been shut down. I think about the seniors that are in high school and college that will never experience one of life's "I don't think it was anyone's first choice. I think the first choice was that great moments. So I think we all have to be very sensitive to the word we finish the regular season," said Montreal Canadiens forward Brendan 'fair.' We have been very fortunate that we continue to play a game that Gallagher, whose team went from being outside the playoff race to the we love and coach a game that we love. I understand fairness in the 12th seed in the East under the approved format. "But this was really the small context of our sport, but I think we all have to keep the word 'fair' in only opportunity that works for the league and the players, in the sense of perspective." giving everyone that opportunity and not taking it away from teams with 10 or 14 games left to go. Giving everyone in that mix a chance, and then Now that the format has been settled, what are the players' biggest giving teams like ourselves a second life." concerns?

Gallagher's teammate Paul Byron, the Canadiens' NHLPA player rep, Wyshynski: Their concerns boil down to two main topics: safety and said he was "actually surprised it passed 29-2" when the NHLPA voted family. on it, expecting more than two teams to have objected. One of the teams "We were trying to get the format in place first. But those are questions that voted against the format was the Carolina Hurricanes. we're now going to need answers to," said McDavid. "Safety of the "I think the bigger issue, especially for our guys, was what were the 68 players and everyone involved is paramount. That's the main issue that's games we played for? What did we grind for? The bulk of the season gotta get solved right now. It has to get answered before we can move was completed, and they just threw that out," Hurricanes coach Rod forward." Brind'Amour told ESPN. "Why not carry the points over that you had? I Vancouver Canucks center Bo Horvat acknowledged that NHL players think that the thought was if you're playing in five, six, seven games, we are accustomed to playing through illness and injury, but COVID-19 is a could easily have all had the same amount of games, figured that out. different story. That would've been your play-in, and then take your points with you and see how you end up. But we understand. Nobody really cares. At the end "You want to be in every single game. You want to be a difference- of the day, they want to see hockey. We want to get back to playing. Is it maker," he said. "Before, you played through colds, played through the best way to do it? Probably not, in my opinion." injuries. But it's a different animal, this virus. You have to be cautious of yourself, but also the people around you." Weighing regular-season achievement in a season restart format was something the "return to play" committee debated, according to Byron said that the process to determine safety protocols is the reason Edmonton Oilers star and task force member Connor McDavid. the players approved a return to play format but have yet to approve an actual return to the ice this summer. "That was a huge issue in putting the format together. Who deserves to be in, who deserves a handicap or something like that. But we've beaten "There are so many protocols that have to go in place," he said. "If one this thing to death. To handicap those teams in a way ... maybe it's not guy tests positive, I see it as unlikely that other guys don't test positive, the most fair way, but the integrity of the Stanley Cup playoffs is still but if they're testing everybody, I have to believe that they'll probably find going to be intact," he said. "Let's say a team like Montreal beats it. What would happen if half your team or four or five or six guys test Pittsburgh and goes on to win the Stanley Cup. I think they're a very positive at one time? I don't know. deserving team if they're going to win five rounds. There's never going to be a perfect format, but this one checked off multiple boxes." "It's concerning for sure. The doctors, when you do the research on COVID, it's very contagious. How bad are the symptoms? How bad will it But there are still boxes to be checked in the postseason format. Like, for be? No one really knows. We're young. We're healthy. They say even if example, whether the two rounds preceding the conference final will also we get it, we'll be fine. But it just takes one case to go south, to change be five-game series like the qualification round. The NHL has currently life for anybody. This is what the union and the league are looking into, to designed those rounds to be best-of-five series, followed by best-of- make sure we're taken care of." seven series in the conference championships and finals, but deputy commissioner Bill Daly said talks are ongoing with the players about That includes Letang, the Penguins star who suffered a stroke in 2014. making one or both of the first two rounds seven-game series. He was concerned about returning to play because of his medical history.

Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman and NHLPA rep Kris Letang said the "I had my fair share of questions, and they've all been answered. players want seven-game series in the round of 16. Certainly, I can say I would be safe to play," he said. "The safety of the players, the safety of the people that will be traveling and be part of the group that goes there. That's the No. 1 thing. The families, too. It's not a road trip for several days. Guys are going to be away from their family "I think realistically if we're in training camp mid-July, that would be a and their kids for an extended period of time." good thing, and if we can be playing by the end of July or the beginning of August, that would be a good thing, too," Bettman said Tuesday. "But The ability to spend time with family during the postseason is something if it has to slide more, then it'll slide." of great concern to the players. Training camp is believed to be roughly three weeks, though that is "It's going to be difficult. How long we're away for, no one knows for sure something the NHL and NHLPA have to negotiate, and Bettman said he yet. Could be a month. Could be two months," Byron said. "My kids have will seek input from the players. become accustomed to me being around 24/7. They have a certain level of attachment. It's going to be difficult. At the same time, we're hockey How is the NHL handling Canada's mandatory 14-day quarantine period players. Unfortunately, it's part of our job [to be away]. Through for those traveling across the border? technology, you find a way to connect to your family when you're not there." Kaplan: It's definitely an issue, and if Canada doesn't ease its restrictions in the next two to three weeks, the NHL will almost certainly rule out a But technology isn't the solution that Horvat is looking for this summer. Canadian city from being one of its two hubs when it resumes play. (The His wife, Holly, is due to deliver their first child in July. NHL ideally would like to pick at least one Canadian city for several reasons, one of which is that it's simply cheaper to stage games there.) "I've been thinking about that pretty much every day," he said. "It's definitely not easy, but I'm not the only one in this kind of situation. Daly said the NHL has "reached an understanding with the Canadian Everybody's got a thing to worry about. But we're going to have to make government that players can cross the Canadian border as well both the most of it when the time comes. We haven't made any decisions. internationally from overseas but also from the United States so they can We're going to see how this thing plays out. Hoping for the best." return to their home city without [a] problem." However, regarding the federal quarantine, Daly said: "We don't have a resolution there, but it's Hoping for the best is a good way to describe the players' mindset as an ongoing dialogue, for sure." they enter this difficult phase of planning with the league. Many American-born players on Canadian teams -- Maple Leafs center "If we do come back and play, we're going to have to put a lot of trust in Auston Matthews, who is back home in Arizona, is a good example -- the NHL to keep us safe and healthy,"said Gallagher. "That's a major, likely won't return for the voluntary workouts because of this; it's best to major step to take. Obviously, you go through the amount of players in stay put where they are. our union, there are going to be players with those fears. They have to be made comfortable to come back. I don't think there have ever been Vancouver Canucks GM Jim Benning said on Wednesday his team is negotiations between the two sides that have gone perfectly." considering moving its training camp to the U.S. to circumvent any issues. "It's something that we're thinking about, but also, too, we just The NHL, meanwhile, says its commitment to the players from the start want to give it a few more days just to see if something is going to of the process is to "do everything within our power, and consistent with change,'' Benning said. "The perfect scenario [is] we'd like to use our medical knowledge, to keep everyone as safe as they can be," according facilities. We're probably going to have 30, 32 guys here, and we have to Daly, via TSN 1260. "We want to return to the ice. But we're not great facilities for our players, so we would like to do that first and returning to the ice if we're putting people at significant risk." foremost. But we've talked about moving it off-site.''

What kind of quarantine rules will the players, coaches, staff (and their The Canucks are one of six Canadian teams in the 24-team format, and families) have upon arrival at the hub cities? the other franchises might consider doing the same.

Emily Kaplan: This is something we still don't know. As NHLPA executive Has the NHL clarified anything about whether the qualification round is a director Donald Fehr reiterated to us this past week shortly after playoff round or not? Like when it comes to conditional picks? commissioner Gary Bettman laid out the plans,pretty much everything from this point forwardwill need to be negotiated by the players. Wyshynski: The qualification round both is and is not a playoff round for the players and their stats. Allow me to explain. Will players be allowed to bring family members with them to hub cities? That's something the players want but will have to negotiate with the It is a playoff round when it comes to overall player stats. In announcing league. (Fehr told ESPN he thinks it's "very unlikely" players will have to the return-to-play format, Bettman said the regular season was over as of be separated from their families for an extended period of time.) March 11's games. The NHL told ESPN that stats from the qualification and round-robin games will be counted as part of the playoff totals for Will players be given some sense of normalcy or freedom, or will they players, rather than as an extension of the regular season or another simply be shuttling from hotel to rink, hotel to rink? Again, this is category. Hence, we got the news that the stat-based regular-season something that needs to be negotiated. awards for 2019-20 have been decided, with Leon Draisaitl taking home To get a sense of what the players are thinking on this, here's what John the Art Ross Trophy for most points, Alex Ovechkin and David Pastrnak Tavares, a voice on the NHL/NHLPA's return-to-play committee, said this tying for the Rocket Richard Trophy (most goals), and the Boston Bruins past week: "When you're in [the bubble] for an extended period of time, winning the Presidents' Trophy for most standings points, as well as their you obviously want to feel as comfortable as a person. I think the mental goalie tandemearning the William M. Jennings Trophy for allowing the side of it, the mental health side of it to make sure that we feel we're not fewest goals. just kind of in our hotel rooms and going to the rink, that there's going to But the qualification round is not a playoff round for the purposes of be really good structure in place so we can feel like ourselves and be determining conditional draft picks. As first reported by The Athletic, the ourselves." NHL sent a memo to teams that stated: "For trade condition purposes, a And then there are the health and safety protocols at the arena: what club will not be deemed to have qualified for the playoffs unless or until social distancing might look like in the locker room, and what in-game they have progressed into the Round of 16, and 'Playoff games/rounds' adjustments will need to be made. We can look at the Phase 2 protocols will only include the games/rounds played in the Round of 16 or later. We for parameters -- and the NHL's lengthy document for Phase 2 covers believe this interpretation will best reflect the intentions of the parties at plenty, including instructions for players to shower at home, mandates the time of the trade." that all towels become single-use and for no water bottles to be Take the Vancouver Canucks' first-round pick. The New Jersey Devils communal -- but this will all be negotiated again for actual games. own the rights to it, as it went from the Canucks to the Lightning in the When will training camps get started? J.T. Miller trade, and then to the Devils in the Blake Coleman deal. If the Canucks do not make the playoffs in 2019-20, the first-round pick will Kaplan: The NHL still hasn't put firm dates on anything. As Bettman transfer to a 2021 first-rounder. As of now, despite being in a playoff spot explained Tuesday: "There's a reason that we're not giving you dates via points percentage and being seeded seventh in the Western now, because anybody who gives you a date is guessing, and we think Conference, the Canucks have yet to "make the playoffs." They'll have to we'd rather take a more holistic approach to doing this." beat the Minnesota Wild in a best of five to be a playoff team.

But we do know players won't be told to report to training camp before Which brings us to a rather confusing part of this definition of the July, and I've been told it won't be until at least July 10. qualification round. The Devils also hold the rights to Carolina's fourth- round pick this season in the Sami Vatanen trade. According to Cap Friendly, it upgrades to a third-rounder if Carolina makes the playoffs and Vatanen plays in 70% of its playoff games. Carolina hasn't made the playoffs yet; and if Vatanen plays in the qualification round, those games would not count toward his total playoff games as a Hurricane this season, but they would be added to his personal postseason stat totals.

Everybody got that?

The NHL and the NHLPA are still figuring out some of the other implications for qualifying round stats for players, including player performance bonuses and transition rules.

How different might games look on TV?

Kaplan: This is one of the most fascinating aspects of the NHL resumption plan. Since there won't be fans in the arena (and maybe not some members of the media, either), the NHL will rely heavily on its TV production and is thinking more ambitiously than perhaps ever before. The NHL, after all, is best as a live-game experience -- nothing beats the energy of being in a rink -- and hockey doesn't pop on TV quite like the NFL does.

That might change. Steve Mayer, the NHL's chief content officer, gave some hints as to what we can expect in an appearance on the league's in-house podcast, The Rink, this week. Get ready for miked-up players and intimate camera angles! (It's unclear whether F-bombs and other profanity will be censored.)

"You're going to see, no question, cameras put in places that we could never put them before," Mayer said. "All of the things that we've always wanted to do, yeah we're going to give them a try. I think audio is a huge piece of how we're going to approach the next world. You want to hear the sounds of the NHL. You want to hear the players. You want to mike them up, and here we can. And I do think we have a huge advantage over other sports when it comes to constant noise, especially in play. I think camera-wise, everything just coming down lower, showing the speed of the game. I do think you'll see some experimental cameras, things we haven't done before that we'll certainly give a try."

Any more developments on the testing plan front?

Wyshynski:Daly said that testing players frequently was the "linchpin" for finding a path toward a return to play.

"We will have a rigorous daily testing protocol where players are tested every evening and those results are obtained before they would leave their hotel rooms the next morning, so we'll know if we have a positive test and whether the player has to self-quarantine himself as a result of that positive test," Daly told The Associated Press. "It's expensive, but we think it's really a foundational element of what we're trying to accomplish."

And, as always, what's your latest pop culture addiction this week?

Kaplan: I've started watching "The Americans" -- thanks to so many of you who reached out with encouragement that it's a worthwhile investment. I really like it so far, but I'm only five episodes in. Since we did Disney's "Miracle" for our Viewers Club rewatch recently, it's been pretty funny to watch Noah Emmerich go from Herb Brooks' mild- mannered sidekick as an assistant coach for the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team to a pretty savvy FBI agent working his Russian asset (even though he's still a little clueless emotionally). I thought this was a terrific op-ed from Masai Ujiri in The Globe and Mail. Also a PSA that every episode of Anthony Bourdain's "Parts Unknown" is on HBO Max.

Wyshynski: Like many, I've had a difficult time pulling away from news and social media in the past few days. I've done a lot of reading, much more listening, and as much signal boosting and support as I can muster, even though I know it's ultimately insufficient. But we did carve out some time to watch the finale of "Defending Jacob" on Apple TV+, in which Chris Evans plays a father whose son is charged with murdering a classmate. And after several episodes of family drama and crime procedural ... hoo boy, we did not expect the absolutely wild turns the finale takes to wrap it up. It's not exactly high art -- no matter what show Michelle Dockery apparently thought she was acting in -- but it was enthralling.

KGO-TV San Francisco LOADED: 06.02.2020 1185758 World Leagues News These teams are paying lip service for the need to get back on the field for the fans. They want to inspire and entertain us, they claim. They will risk the health of the players and team staff to do so.

Sports owners are using the pandemic as a leverage tactic, and it's gross But these owners just can’t pass up a chance to squeeze, can they? It’s insulting to players and fans — the owners are using a pandemic to try and get bigger, larger concessions, to make the players take the brunt of the pandemic pain, and not themselves. Nate Scott like Monday’s Big Winners: Eric Reid and Steve Kerr June 1, 2020 8:00 am The two took to Twitter to call out VP Mike Pence for saying that he

respected all forms of peaceful protest, just two years after Pence This is the online version of our daily newsletter, The Morning Win. notably walked out of an NFL game as players … peacefully protested. Subscribe to get irreverent and incisive sports stories, delivered to your Quick hits: MJ, Lewis Hamilton, NASCAR, more mailbox every morning. – Michael Jordan spoke out on the death of George Floyd: “We have had (Before I begin, a quick note that while this column will not cover the enough.” protests surrounding the killing of George Floyd, we do have a lot of coverage on the topic at FTW which you can read here. Thanks all and – Lewis Hamilton called out the entirety of F1 for their silence on the topic stay safe.) of Floyd and the repeated police killing of black people.

As pro sports slowly re-open around the world in the midst of a global – Our own Michelle Martinelli surveyed the social media presence of coronavirus pandemic, two American leagues are noticeably lagging every current NASCAR driver racing for a team … and found only three behind in negotiations to return: MLB and MLS. had spoken up on Floyd or the protests.

You’d think that the thing holding pro sports up would be concerns about – JR Smith caught a protestor trying to smash his window and delivered coronavirus, and how to safely get players back on the field. If not that, some quick justice. then dealing with the logistics of isolating players away from families for extended periods of time. For The Win LOADED: 06.02.2020

That’s not the hold up right now, at least when it comes to MLS and MLB. The hold up is money.

In MLB, players agreed back in March that they would take pay cuts and only be paid for games in which they played, basically a prorated salary system that would take the ease off owners, who would be let off the hook to pay players their full salaries for the year. Put simply: The players would only take money for the games they played.

The caveat at the time, which was very early in the days of COVID-19, was that players would only return to the field if fans were in the stands. This was perceived as a safety measure of players, but now owners are flipping it on its head — saying that while both sides now agree it will be possible to play in empty stadiums, that means less revenue for the owners … so they’re demanding massive, sliding salary cuts for the players.

MLS team owners got a proposal from players this weekend in which players agreed to leave their families for a month-long tournament in Orlando, take an across-the-board pay cut, and also extend the current CBA by a year, per a report from ESPN. This is the players basically conceding that this is a lost year for MLS and allowing the owners time to regroup before they enact a new CBA which sees more revenue sharing as part of a new TV deal.

MLS owners flatly rejected it, demanding larger pay cuts, and more importantly — bigger concessions in the already negotiated CBA. And now it appears that the owners may lockout the players.

To people who say: Well, coronavirus means that these owners are losing money. It sure does! But guess who else is losing money? The players! Everyone around the globe is losing money right now (except, of course, billionaires). This is a global pandemic.

Baseball organizations will be in the red this year, but the 10 richest MLB owners alone are worth over 35 billion, with a B, dollars. These owners’ insistence on extra salary cuts, on cutting minor leaguers’ measly $400- a-week stipend, on furloughing staff, isn’t about anything but greed. These owners are going to lose some money this year. They’ve got billions. They’ll be fine.

On the MLS side, where business isn’t as robust, I would argue it’s even more essential to get these players back on the field. These owners trying to turn a pandemic into negotiating leverage for larger CBA talks is nuts — their league is on the verge of relevance, and they’re going to lock out their players?

MLS isn’t the NFL. It isn’t the NBA. MLS is not the biggest league in the world for its sport, and arguably not even in the top ten. If MLS goes into an extended work stoppage, players will sue to get out of contracts and go play elsewhere. Or they’ll stay home and not risk getting coronavirus. 1185759 World Leagues News provided players with bodyweight video workouts that can be done without weight equipment.

Of course, not every school is in that position. Many kids are able to lift 'It's the best we have:' How football teams are training in the age of social weights at home, but certainly not everyone has that luxury either. And it distancing can also be unsafe for a number of kids to go over one teammate's house to lift weights due to the coronavirus.

That means kids from lower-income households could be at a Matt Allibone, York Daily RecordPublished 6:00 a.m. ET June 1, 2020 | disadvantage right now. Updated 11:27 a.m. ET June 1, 2020 York High head coach Russ Stoner said he hasn't been assigning his players any workouts, but he's been in touch with many who are exercising and running on their own. Gerry Yonchiuk expected to spend this spring getting to know the players in the Central York football program. "It's almost impossible to keeps kids motivated with just air squats and core exercises," Stoner said. "But the one thing about kids in York city is He just didn't expect to do it over a screen. they are resilient. They keep themselves occupied. I have a group of That's life for a new coach during a pandemic. about a dozen guys who live close to the stadium who meet up three or four times a week to run." "Coaching is about building positive relationships with players, and right now we've got to do that differently," said Yonchiuk, who was hired as Regardless of the resources a school district or team has, there is not Central York's head coach at the end of February. "The most difficult much coach supervision right now. With no in-person workouts thing for me or any new coach is installing a scheme. Even if there are happening, coaches have to trust that players are taking the personal similarities to the previous coach, the terminology is totally different. responsibility to stay in shape right now. They also have to trust that their players are being smart and not holding "captain's practices" or other "That's what makes it so hard right now." large workouts which are prohibited by the PIAA at the moment.

While Yonchiuk faces additional challenges from just starting with a new Warner said New Oxford's players fill out a form every week stating how school, he's in the same boat as every high school football coach in many reps of a particular workout they did. Again, that requires players to Pennsylvania right now. be honest.

He's trying to help his team stay in shape and get ready for a (potential) There's one common theme among coaches on the topic: If organized season without meeting or training in person. workouts are able to be resumed this summer, it will become apparent very quickly which players took the time to exercise. While the sports world in the United States is slowly reopening, high school athletics in Pennsylvania remain in a state of uncertainty. The "One thing we always preach to our players is being true to your word," PIAA set July 1 as the earliest date for a return to organized team Warner said. "Whenever the time comes and we're back together, we'll workouts, but said last week that teams in counties moved to the state's know then if you were being truthful and trying your hardest." "green phase" could potentially start training earlier. There are 17 counties that moved to green this past Friday, but York and Adams Added Shay: "This is a health issue bigger than football and when the counties remain in yellow. PIAA says no group workouts right now, I believe in following the spirit of the law. We trust that our young men are doing the right things. And it's yet to be determined if health guidelines will allow organized Bodyweight workouts are not a perfect substitute for weight lifting, but we team sports to take place this fall. trust that they are doing everything in their power until July 1. Then it becomes our job to get them as far as possible before the season starts." So not only are local football teams trying to prepare for a season they are hoping will happen, but they're trying to prepare in new ways. Many players around the YAIAA seem self-motivated when it comes to working out right now. They have goals they hope to accomplish this year Virtual team meetings. Film sessions over Zoom. Individual and from winning championships to getting noticed by colleges, so it doesn't unsupervised workouts, which are sometimes dictated by how much benefit them to be lazy. weight equipment a player has at home. Highly-recruited Central York quarterback Beau Pribula said he's lifting It's an unfamiliar situation. But one that coaches and players have no weights four times a week and doing throwing drills with his brother, choice but to navigate right now. University of Delaware quarterback Cade Pribula. Red Lion senior wide "I think it's a poor substitute, but it's the best we have right now," Red receiver/quarterback Randy Fizer said he's been doing multiple workouts Lion coach Jesse Shay said. "We've got 70 kids to stay in contact with, a day, balancing agility and strength training. and you do your best to reach out to all of them. "We're still expecting there to be a season and our coaches keep telling "We trust that our young men are doing the right things." us we'll find out eventually who has been putting in the work," Fizer said. "It's an opportunity to get ahead of the competition." Working out as individuals Camaraderie over video chat For high school football teams, off-season weight lifting is a major time commitment with multiple sessions a week. Those sessions often pick up While teams can't meet in person right now, many of them are still seeing in the summer once school ends and multi-sport athletes turn their a lot of each other. attention to the fall. Teams have been holding virtual meetings over platforms like Zoom to Then there's football camps and seven-on-seven sessions among other start learning plays and schemes and watch film together. Some are workouts. holding positional meetings, offense and defense meetings and full team meetings consistently. All those off-field and on-field workouts are done to prepare players' bodies for the season. And none of them can happen right now. That means players could have three to four meetings a week, which is more than they'd usually have during a regular offseason. While there are plenty of ways for kids to work out on their own, not every kid has access to the same equipment. One major point of these meetings is to get kids mentally prepared to step on the field later this summer. For a new coach like Yonchiuk, these "The weightlifting piece is an important piece and hopefully we can get meetings are invaluable since his players are new to his system. And for back to it soon," New Oxford head coach Jason Warner said. "We're a player like Fizer, who has played wide receiver the last two years but trying to give them the best ideas we can. CrossFit-type stuff. Just trying could switch to quarterback this fall, having a variety of sessions has also to be creative." been important.

Teams are still assigning workouts for their players, such as agility, "It's definitely a change from what we're used to," Fizer said. "But we're speed and conditioning drills that can be done without weights. Red Lion still learning stuff and we've watched a lot more film. is fortunate to contract with S3 Performance Training in York, which has "We're still enjoying the time we get together."

According to most coaches, enjoying each other's company — even virtually — might be the most important aspect of these meetings.

One of the biggest things young student-athletes are missing out on right now is personal interaction with friends and mentors. Coaches want their players to know that they're still here for them, and that being on a team is supposed to be fun.

Shay said he's been trying to make sure his team meetings include at least 15 minutes of light-hearted talk, ranging from debates about the new ESPN documentary The Last Dance to jokes about how long everyone's hair has been getting.

"With high school sports, the wins and losses pale in comparison to the relationships you forge," said Shay. "We are missing that more than we're missing running through tires right now. As coaches, we miss the relationships we have with our players."

Yonchiuk said there's been a few times when a player has called him to go over something football-related, but they've ended up speaking for around 30 minutes and gotten to know each other better. Stoner said he still texts his players everyday, and that his biggest focus the past few months was making sure they were doing well academically and getting enough to eat on a daily basis.

Coaches around the league agreed that players are missing out on a lot by not being able to partake in organized workouts right now. But they also know that everyone in the YAIAA is in the same boat right.

All they can do is prepare the best they can and hope a season still takes place.

"Everyone is in the same spot, and if we weren't holding these (virtual) meetings, I'd be going out of my mind," Yonchiuk said. "It's always been my mindset to be positive, and anything we can do for our kids to provide a glimmer of hope or excitement, we need to do right now." ydr.com LOADED: 06.02.2020 1185760 World Leagues News “Every day is going to be a learning curve, figuring out what works, what doesn’t and what’s going to be most beneficial for the kids, keeping them safe while ensuring they still have fun and a positive experience,” Brune said. “I can’t envision what we do the first day will look like anything we What baseball practice will look like in Iowa with coronavirus prevention do five days later or the next day.” guidelines in place Griffith said his plans could vary, depending on the opening practice. His original plan is to split the team up for 15- to 20-minute stations with drinks and sanitizing between each one. Brune said he has considered STAFF limiting the number of players at the field to avoid clusters.

“Practices might look a little different,” Brune said. “I’ve thrown around It’s an uncertain path into uncharted territory. bringing guys in shifts to my assistant coaches, so we’re not having masses congregating at once. It might be something we implement. More Prep baseball and softball inherited the unenviable task of blazing a trail individual work instead of whole groups at once.” for others to follow — or avoid — for the return of post-pandemic team sports. Players are encouraged to bring their own equipment and discouraged from sharing anything from gloves to water bottles. Brune, Griffith, Halter Many eyes will be on the high school summer sports as they begin and Linn-Mar’s Kyle Rodenkirk said they are not aware of players not practice throughout the state Monday, implementing new procedures and going out due to the pandemic situation. guidelines for safe participation. They will be the first activities since spring sports were wiped out due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “We don’t want anybody doing something they’re uncomfortable with,” Halter said. “That level could vary from school to school, county to “From the administrators to the coaches, players and fans, the approach county. is we’re getting an opportunity here so we have to make sure we do everything the right way and that’s kind of the bottom line,” Cedar Rapids “Ultimately, everybody has to understand this is a new situation for all. Xavier baseball coach Dan Halter said. “The situation is just going to be We don’t have other states or colleges that have played or come back. different this year. There’s no way around it.” We are the first ones back in terms of a team sport. We have an opportunity here, so we have to do everything that is needed.” Guidelines have been disseminated to schools, activities directors and coaches. Most policies and their enforcement will be determined by thegazette.com LOADED: 06.02.2020 individual school districts and county health officials. Coaches will have to share the burden of conveying those to players and parents and the execution.

“Honestly, we’re going to start practice with a long talk about how this summer is going to work,” North Linn baseball coach Travis Griffith said. “We’re going to attack it as if we’re guinea pigs, but we have to make this work.

“We can’t screw this up because then it will affect things down the road.”

Workouts will be drastically different from in the past. Players will have temperatures recorded before practice. If they register 100.4 degrees or higher they won’t be permitted to stay.

At Xavier, a trainer will greet players and take their temperature while they remain in their car. North Linn coaches will be in charge of that and immediately list the results in a Google doc. Cedar Rapids Washington Coach Scott Brune said a staff member will be on hand to administer tests.

“Safety is the top priority,” Brune said. “It’s not just that way for us but across the state.”

Hygiene, disinfection and social distancing continue to be emphasized, including hand sanitizing and washing. Griffith said the prevailing thought is clean hands is the best way to keep surfaces safe. Players will have to bring their own hand sanitizer, in addition to sanitation stations schools provide.

Dugouts won’t be used for practices, allowing players and coaches the appropriate 6 feet of spacing. Players will wash hands and sanitize before practices. Drink breaks also will include sanitation.

“There’s going to be a lot more organizational things on coaches’ ends to make this work,” Griffith said. “There’s going to be some down time (during practice).

“Coaches are going to have to be responsible. We’ll have to guide them (players) on it. There are a lot less restrictions than I thought.”

Griffith said North Linn will assign a player to each pole along the first and third base fences. They are 8 feet apart, giving them plenty of room for their bags, equipment and water containers. Brune said players will be asked to wear masks when social distancing isn’t possible.

Halter said coaches will have to devote additional time to sanitizing equipment like baseballs, screens and buckets, as some programs transition from varsity to lower-level practices.

The goal is to maximize time with players and protect everyone. This will likely be an evolving process with new guidelines and more efficient ideas. Communication between coaches, players and parents is crucial as well. 1185761 World Leagues News match against somebody towards the end of this year then that would be great but I know that’s going to be a big call,” he said.

“ comes first and I understand that, so we need to get our Revived England-Australia Ashes series cancelled due to coronavirus games on. I was aware there was a chance of the Ashes being cancelled pandemic but I’m a pretty forward-thinking bloke and I’ve been putting things into place about what we could do next and how we could fix things.”

LOADED: 06.02.2020 By Press Association Published: 1 June 2020 - 2.08PM

England’s three-match Ashes series with Australia has been cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The Rugby Football League and its Australian counterparts announced the news on Monday morning, as both bodies focus on completing their domestic club competitions.

The games had been due to take place in England in October and November, with the competition being revived after a 17-year absence. Talks have already begun about a series in 2022, with the World Cup taking place next year.

RFL chief executive Ralph Rimmer said: “We make this announcement with great reluctance and disappointment, as we had been looking forward so much to welcoming the Kangaroos for the revival of the Ashes in 2020 – and the prospect of the series had captured the imagination of our players, broadcast and commercial partners, supporters and media alike.

“However the current circumstances have had a seismic impact on rugby league, as on all other sports, and we all now need to give in order to find solutions for the greater and longer term good of the game.

“After regular discussions with the ARLC over the last few months, combined with those within our domestic competitions, we have concluded that the right thing to do for the game as a whole is to make this decision now.

“It will have a considerable impact on the finances of rugby league here in England, as we were banking on a significant boost from Australia’s first full tour since 2003.

England head coach Shaun Wane

“But as I have said regularly to all parts of the game since the seriousness of the situation became clear, we are all going to have to make sacrifices, and financial adjustments – and we should stress again our gratitude to the Government for the significant support they provided at the start of May, which will help us to deal with this major setback.”

The support Rimmer referred to was a £16million emergency loan provided to the RFL which will then be split amongst clubs, who can apply for a slice of the cash to sustain them.

“We remain committed to a worthwhile international calendar for our senior England teams to build on the legacy that next year’s World Cup will create and the Ashes would be a fantastic part of any meaningful international calendar in the future.

“We have already indicated to the ARLC (Australian Rugby League Commission) that we would be keen to welcome them for a three-Test series at any time in the future and will now work together to make this happen as soon as possible.”

Super League clubs are yet to finalise plans to restart the 2020 season, but could return in the middle of August.

The league has also set a target of playing in front of fans again as soon as October.

No games have been played since March 15 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The proposed return date of August 16 is seen as crucial to minimise any rebate due to Sky Sports, which holds broadcast rights through to the end of the 2021 campaign.

England head coach Shaun Wane is hoping to set up a mid-season Test in 2021 and would also like, if possible, to hold some sort of end-of-year camp in 2020.

“Whatever this season looks like, if there is something that we could put in at the end, whether it’s a camp, England Knights, some sort of a Test