SPORT-SCAN DAILY BRIEF NHL 6/10/2020 Blackhawks Continued 1175409 NHLers form Hockey Diversity Alliance amid fight for racial 1175441 Ever wonder where the puck from 's 2010 justice -clinching went? 1175410 Forward Conor Garland is Coyotes’ nominee for Bill 1175442 ‘Five nights straight’: Inside the Blackhawks’ roving 2010 Masterton Trophy Stanley Cup party 1175411 What we learned from the introduction of Coyotes CEO Xavier A. Gutierrez 1175412 Coyotes’ Meruelo hopes to announce arena plans this 1175443 Avs defenseman Ryan Graves is Colorado winner, year, despite virus national nominee for Bill Masterton Trophy 1175444 Avs made a statement about racism and some fans made Bruins a statement back 1175413 Kevan Miller is Bruins’ nominee for Masterton Trophy 1175414 Kevan Miller is Bruins’ Masterton nominee 1175415 Bears watching: Who should Bruins avoid when — and if 1175445 Blue Jackets’ Nathan Gerbe displays award-worthy — playoffs begin? determination 1175416 Bruins' Kevan Miller nominated for NHL's Masterton 1175446 Perseverance, sportsmanship, dedication: Thy name is Trophy by local writers Nathan Gerbe 1175417 Former Sabre Lawrence Pilut's two-year contract 1175447 Defenseman Stephen Johns named Stars’ nominee for Bill announced by Russian team Masterton Memorial Trophy 1175418 Curtis Lazar is Sabres' nominee for Masterton Trophy 1175448 After missing 22 months & returning to NHL, Stephen 1175419 Future forecast: Imagining a brighter scene on Sabres’ Johns is a Masterton nominee clean-out day in 2023 1175449 Detroit Red Wings find value in Robby Fabbri. Here's what 1175420 Flames making contingency plans for U.S. training camp he's worth 1175421 Giordano earns Masterton nod after providing steadying 1175450 Robby Fabbri named Red Wings' Masterton Trophy hand Flames needed nominee for perseverance 1175422 Fourth time’s the charm? Why is the 1175451 Robby Fabbri resurrected career, named Red Wings’ epitome of the Masterton Masterton candidate 1175423 Carolina PHWA chapter nominates Canes’ James Reimer 1175452 JONES: Edmonton Oilers' Connor McDavid a worthy for Masterton nomi-knee for NHL's Masterton trophy 1175453 Lowetide: Every prospect in the Oilers system and what’s next for each player 1175424 ‘We knew this was going to be the year’: Former Chicago 1175454 Does being an NHL hub city really benefit the local Blackhawks look back on a wild and wonderful 2010 Stan economy? Experts weigh in 1175425 How Sam Acho recruited Jonathan Toews, Mitch Trubisky, Jason Heyward and other athletes to try to spark change 1175426 2010 Blackhawks describe what made Stanley Cup 1175455 Kings’ Jeff Carter undergoes surgery to repair a core champion team so special muscle injury 1175427 John Wiedeman felt pressure to get call on Patrick Kane's 2010 Cup-winner right 1175428 Ryan Dempster pulled a unique prank on Sean Avery at 1175456 Wild defenseman Matt Dumba brings first-hand grasp of LA Kings game racism to new hockey alliance 1175429 Why Dustin Byfuglien's move to forward was a game 1175457 Goalie Alex Stalock is Wild's nominee for Bill Masterton changer for 2010 Blackhawks Memorial Award 1175430 Brent Seabrook's Blackhawks teammates tease him about 1175458 Wild star Matt Dumba teams up with fellow hockey players his superstitions to eradicate racism 1175431 How Blackhawks' healthy scratches almost jinxed 2010 1175459 From career backup to starter, Wild’s Alex Stalock is Stanley Cup Final Game 6 Masterton Trophy nominee 1175432 Blackhawks reminisce about turning point of 2010 Stanley 1175460 Thrust into top goalie role, Alex Stalock is Wild’s Cup run Masterton Trophy nominee 1175433 What Marian Hossa remembers most about winning first Stanley Cup with Blackhawks 1175434 Duncan Keith: 2010 Stanley Cup champ Blackhawks 1175461 Canadiens Shea Weber plans to stay home in could've been a 'mean machine' B.C. to train 1175435 Patrick Kane, Blackhawks share viewpoints of 2010 1175462 Stu on Sports: 'Celebrating' 27th anniversary of Stanley Cup-clinching goal Canadiens' last Cup 1175436 Ryan Dempster partied with Blackhawks after 2010 Cup 1175463 Shea Weber is Canadiens' nominee for Masterton Trophy win, pitched for Cubs next day 1175464 Shea Weber’s Masterton nod exemplifies Canadiens’ 1175437 Ryan Dempster wanted to be next , not need to manage their captain baseball 1175438 Why Jonathan Toews compared Patrick Kane's game preparation to Michael Jordan's 1175465 How NJ Devils coach Alain Nasreddine reacted to George 1175439 Corey Crawford named Blackhawks' nominee for 2020 Bill Floyd's death Masterton Trophy 1175466 Potential Mets buyers Josh Harris and David Blitzer have 1175440 How former Blackhawks forward Dave Bolland and Vince turbulent ownership history Vaughn became close friends Maple Leafs Continued 1175467 Trades were cornerstone of New York’s biggest dynasties 1175501 Leafs' Hyman speaks on racial equality, getting back on 1175468 Isles' Thomas Hickey, Rangers' Henrik Lundqvist the ice following Masterton nod nominated for Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy 1175502 Tavares, Leafs glad to be back for first limited workouts 1175503 Zach Hyman is Maple Leafs' Masterton Trophy nominee 1175504 Finding an NHL comparable for 10 of the Maple Leafs’ 1175469 Trades were cornerstone of New York’s biggest dynasties best prospects 1175470 Mark Messier trade got Rangers the right player at right time 1175471 The Rangers who returned to practice facility to begin NHL 1175518 Ben Kuzma: Private arenas set COVID-19 bar for city return rinks to think of reopening 1175472 Rangers return to practice facility with small group training 1175519 Markstrom makes Canucks extension case, Baertschi 1175473 Isles' Thomas Hickey, Rangers' Henrik Lundqvist banter, lauding Larionov nominated for Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy 1175520 Patrick Johnston: Through personal tragedy, Jacob Markstrom has persevered Senators 1175521 Where does J.T. Miller rank among the NHL’s elite 1175474 The time off has given Bobby Ryan a chance to get forwards? refreshed and to start prepping for next season 1175475 Senators' winger Bobby Ryan named Ottawa nominee for NHL's Masterton Trophy 1175505 Henderson Silver Knights making it easier for fans to get 1175476 Bobby Ryan finds ‘silver lining’ in journey to sobriety as a swag Masterton nominee 1175506 Golden Knights’ Shea Theodore nominated for award 1175477 McIndoe: Ottawa fans have lost hope in Eugene Melnyk. 1175507 Golden Knights’ Shea Theodore nominated for There’s no getting it back perseverance award 1175508 Golden Knights Owner Bill Foley Acquires Another Winery In California 1175478 Flyers coach Alain Vigneault has big lineup decisions, starting with how much Carter Hart plays | On the Fly 1175479 Oskar Lindblom, Flyers’ Masterton nominee: ‘I look 1175509 Garnet Hathaway latest Caps player to offer his support forward to the day I’m back on the ice' for Black Lives Matter 1175480 Cam York, Bobby Brink may make Flyers fans forget 1175510 Two years later, the best fan memories from the Capitals' about explosive Cole Caufield Stanley Cup celebration 1175481 When hockey meets Hollywood: The story of the Flyers’ 1175511 Stanley Cup 2018: Remembering Lord Stanley's journey role in ‘This is 40’ around D.C. 1175482 Ranking Claude Giroux’s 10 best goals 1175512 Capitals share team message in support of Black Lives Matter movement 1175483 Ex-Penguins forward Ville Nieminen hired as coach of Websites Swedish team 1175522 The Athletic / As Phase 2 opens, how do players get in 1175484 Even in a pandemic, Mike Sullivan keeps Penguins hockey shape without risking injury? prepared 1175523 The Athletic / How Colin Kaepernick became a guiding 1175485 Penguins notebook: In an empty arena, Mike Sullivan force in the fight for diversity in hockey might have to use his indoor voice 1175524 The Athletic / Pronman’s scouting report: Why Alexander 1175486 Penguins A to Z: Trust goes a long way for Dominik Simon Holtz is a top NHL prospect 1175487 Evgeni Malkin selected as Penguins’ Masterton Trophy 1175525 The Athletic / Predictions unplugged: Anonymous NHL nominee coach, scout and exec pick play-in winners 1175488 NHL playoff length and reseeding. Right moves? Or bad 1175526 The Athletic / Pronman’s scouting report: Why Cole decisions? Perfetti is a top NHL prospect 1175489 Evgeni Malkin is the Penguins' nominee for 2020 1175527 The Athletic / Wheeler: A 2017 NHL Draft re-draft and Masterton Trophy review of my ranking 1175490 Answering the biggest questions as the Penguins enter 1175528 Sportsnet.ca / Anson Carter details how race played role Phase 2 of NHL’s return in hockey career 1175529 Sportsnet.ca / Maple Leafs trying to gain edge with approach to Phase 2 of return 1175491 NHL: Sharks’ Thornton nominated for Masterton Trophy 1175530 Sportsnet.ca / Erik Gudbranson: Fear kept me from 1175492 Colin Kaepernick's aid to Evander Kane, Hockey Diversity speaking up. It won't anymore. Alliance 'invaluable' 1175531 Sportsnet.ca / Bobby Ryan's comeback from addiction 1175493 Handing out our version of the Sharks’ end-of-season earns him Senators' Masterton nod awards 1175532 Sportsnet.ca / Why Zach Hyman is the Maple Leafs’ easy Masterton pick 1175533 Sportsnet.ca / Amid loss of father, Markstrom endures to 1175494 Lightning players excited to be back on the ice earn Canucks' Masterton nomination 1175495 Lightning’s Alex Killorn nominated for Masterton Trophy 1175534 Sportsnet.ca / Ducks GM Murray clarifies comments on Eakins: 'I left him high and dry' Maple Leafs 1175535 Sportsnet.ca / Remember When? ends 1175496 get back on the ice career as a Stanley Cup champion 1175497 Leafs John Tavares and Zach Hyman spoke Tuesday 1175536 TSN.CA / Toronto Maple Leafs getting used to new normal about the need to do more when it comes to combatting of Phase 2 racism. 1175498 Captain Tavares returns to the ice and breaks down the Maple Leafs’ challenge 1175513 Jets forward Letestu nominated for Masterton award 1175499 Perseverance. Sportsmanship. Dedication. Zach Hyman 1175514 Oilers among teams to hit the ice while Jets stay grounded earns the Maple Leafs’ Masterton trophy nod in many 1175515 Emotional Stoykewych cites concussions, calls it a career ways 1175516 ALL HEART: Jets' Letestu nominated for Masterton after 1175500 TRAIKOS: Tavares determined to change his post-season life-threatening heart condition narrative 1175517 Winnipeg’s Masterton nominee Mark Letestu on gratitude, identity and purpose World Leagues News 1175537 Australia on track to see coronavirus largely gone by July, sport resumes 1175538 NASCAR takes next step in return from coronavirus; set to allow fans back in Florida, Alabama 1175539 North Carolina declares Ace Speedway imminent hazard, closes track 1175540 Boxing returns to Las Vegas after coronavirus shutdown 1175541 Home-field advantage in sports might be a thing of the past in the crowd-free coronavirus era, early data from SPORT-SCAN, INC. 941-284-4129 1175409 Arizona Coyotes

NHLers form Hockey Diversity Alliance amid fight for racial justice

BY ASSOCIATED PRESS JUNE 9, 2020 AT 1:26 PM

Seven current or former black NHL players formed the Hockey Diversity Alliance on Monday, creating another avenue to fight racism and intolerance in the sport.

Akim Aliu, whose story of racism in hockey in late 2019 brought the topic back to the forefront, and San Jose forward Evander Kane will head up the group. The executive committee is made up of Minnesota defenseman Matt Dumba, Detroit defenseman Trevor Daley, Buffalo forward Wayne Simmonds, Philadelphia forward Chris Stewart and recently retired forward Joel Ward. “Our mission is to eradicate racism and intolerance in hockey,” the group said in a letter. “We will strive to be a force for positive change not only within our game of hockey but also within society.”

After telling his story of longtime coach Bill Peters using racist language toward him in the minors, Aliu earlier this season consulted with the league office and owners on means of change. The league announced the formation of several councils to address diversity and inclusion, which are expected to have their first meetings next month. The Hockey Diversity Alliance will be independent of the NHL but hopes to work in tandem with the league to promote diversity and inclusion.

Kane has been at the forefront of current black players speaking out about racism and racial inequality in the aftermath of the death of George Floyd in Minnesota. He called on white athletes in hockey and others sports to also speak out, and more than 100 NHL players have posted on social media about the subject.

Some of those players, plus NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and NHLPA executive director Don Fehr, also took part in a video with the message: “You don’t have to look like George Floyd to understand that what happened to him was wrong.”

Earlier in May, Aliu shared even more of his experiences of racism in hockey on The Players’ Tribune. Kane shared that post on social media, and now he and Aliu have combined to lead a new effort.

“In creating our alliance, we are confident we can inspire a new generation of hockey players and fans,” the group said. “We are hopeful that anyone who puts on skates or sits in the stands will do so without worrying about race, gender or socioeconomic background and will be able to express their culture, identity, values and personality without fear of retribution.” Arizona Sports LOADED: 06.10.2020 1175410 Arizona Coyotes

Forward Conor Garland is Coyotes’ nominee for Bill Masterton Trophy

BY MATT LAYMAN JUNE 9, 2020 AT 12:41 PM

Arizona Coyotes forward Conor Garland is the team’s nominee for the Bill Masterton Trophy, given annually to the player who most exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey.

All 31 NHL teams have a nominee. The nominees and winner are selected by the Pro Hockey Writers Association, an international network of writers who cover the sport and vote on a number of league awards. Garland, 24, played his second NHL season this year and scored a team-high 22 goals with 17 assists for 39 points. At just 5-foot-9 and a former fifth round pick, he overcame stigma about his size and remade his game to stick in the NHL.

“Nobody really knew who he was and what he did to get there,” head coach Rick Tocchet told Arizona Sports in December. “So obviously he went down to Tucson and worked on his game. And then he came up, and he goes, ‘OK, to make the NHL, I’ve got to be this type of player. I can’t do the stuff I’m doing in junior.’ And he changed his game in the sense: more give and go, going around the net, darting in and out, being a pest out there. Just going to those tough areas.” Garland is on a $775,000 per season contract, according to CapFriendly, making him the lowest-paid player on the team despite being the leading goal scorer. He has one of the lowest cost-per-goal rates in the NHL.

From the nomination submitted by the Arizona chapter of the PHWA:

The Bill Masterton Trophy often goes to a player who has overcome an injury or personal tragedy to return to the ice. Garland’s candidacy is built more upon the first and third words listed in the trophy’s criteria: perseverance and dedication to . He needed every ounce of both to make it in the NHL.

Masterton was 29 years old when he played his first season with the Minnesota North Stars in the 1967-68. That year, he suffered a head injury on the ice during a game and died two days later. Arizona Sports LOADED: 06.10.2020 1175411 Arizona Coyotes “It was also a chance I think to be part … this is a team on the rise. This is going to be the franchise in the NHL that’s going to have an incredible amount of success on the ice, and I want to be part of ensuring that it will What we learned from the introduction of Coyotes CEO Xavier A. have an incredible amount of success off the ice.” Gutierrez Reaching new demographics in Arizona

Part of the significance of Gutierrez’s hire wasn’t just that he is a new BY MATT LAYMAN JUNE 8, 2020 AT 5:34 PM president and CEO, but he’s the first Latino to hold that position in NHL history.

With Gutierrez and Meruelo, the Coyotes may be well-positioned to Last year, the Coyotes got a new owner, . On Monday, they target new demographics in the Valley. announced a new president and CEO, Xavier A. Gutierrez. “The Latino market is large here,” Gutierrez said. “I believe it’s 40%-plus, The Harvard and Stanford grad has an extensive background in business so it’s clearly a market that we want to tap into. I think it wouldn’t make and investments, with employers ranging from Lehman Brothers to the business sense not to approach them. In terms of how to do so, it is both NFL. On paper, it would seem to be a good hire. And on paper, it Spanish and English. You have English-dominant families, and I have corroborates Meruelo’s continuous bold claim that he ‘sure as [expletive]’ nephews who hockey was their first sport in California because the Kings wants to win, as was written on Meruelo’s t-shirt during a media and the Ducks reached out to them. They’re English-dominant and they conference call on Monday and uttered aloud once again for all to hear. are rabid hockey fans. And we want to see that and we want to replicate that here. So it will be a mix of both. “We want to build a financially stable and prosperous organization for the long term and our ultimate goal is to bring, definitely, sure as [expletive], “I think the way to think about it is we want to welcome fans. And so to bring a Stanley Cup to Arizona,” Meruelo said in his opening being in culture, being culturally-relevant and appropriate, I think that’s statement. what matters. I would say the same of targeting female hockey fans, which are incredibly passionate fans that I think have a great, great Gutierrez’s opening statement said the organization vowed to strive opportunity for us to target them, as well.” toward winning on the ice; sustainable, long-term business solutions off the ice; financial stability; strategic decision-making; expanding the The Coyotes introduced Spanish social media accounts and a Hispanic fanbase; and leading in the community. All easy, right? Advisory Board last year. The Coyotes fanbase has long wanted a new arena, partly because of Wanting to be innovative and use tech Gila River Arena’s location in the West Valley and the inconvenience of getting there for weeknight games. Owner Alex Meruelo said the hope is The opening statement from Gutierrez expressed the desire to be to have something arena-related announced by the end of this year. innovative in reaching new fans.

“If it wasn’t for what happened with COVID, we’d be so much further “I come from a background in which technology plays an incredible part ahead.” Meruelo said. “It’s really set us back at least six to nine months. I of what you do,” Gutierrez said. “So tech-enabled strategy will clearly be still hope and I plan, with Xavier’s help — Xavier is very good at this — top-of-mind. But also, just an in-person, real outreach. So we want to be we’d like to get something announced by the end of the year.” present in this community. We want to be present with our fans and we want to be present with the fans-to-be. So I think it’s a strategic plan that Gutierrez acknowledged his role in getting something done. utilizes technology, utilizes digital platforms. We want to be a vanguard of the confluence between sports, media, entertainment and technology. “Clearly, there’s been conversations pre-dating me about what is the best And we will. We’re bringing in team members to be able to do that.” option,” Gutierrez said. “I’m very new. I’m going to look at everything. I’m obviously going to take the lead on this. But clearly, Mr. Meruelo also has Among the items on Gutierrez’s resume is his experience working on the his perspective that we would like to pursue a solution that’s long-term, board of directors of Sizmek, an advertising technology firm. that’s financially stable and that makes sense for our team, for our players, for our fans and for this entire community.” Hockey background

There will be other challenges as well, perhaps some that are unique to Gutierrez, a Harvard alum, said his first hockey game was a college the hockey world and in the sports world. Gutierrez’s background is match between Harvard and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in largely in non-sports business, but he did work as a financial analyst in November of 1991. He later became a San Jose Sharks fan. the NFL league office. “My son is no longer a Sharks fan, he is now a Coyotes fan,” Gutierrez “Obviously sports is different in large part because you have so many said. “I still have my Harvard hockey jersey hanging in my closet, even if stakeholders, right? You obviously have ownership … You obviously my wife wants me to throw it away.” have our partners, our business partners, who we want to see succeed Arizona Sports LOADED: 06.10.2020 and we want to be the partner of choice. You also have the league and you have the other owners, so there’s other stakeholders there. And then ultimately you have this community … So it’s unique in that perspective. “Plus, whenever I’ve done a transaction, I haven’t had a virtual zoom meeting with media. So that also makes it incredibly different. Everything you do is quite public, and we will strive to live up to being the best.” Why he wanted the job

Gutierrez has worked in investments and was the managing director of both Phoenix Realty Group and Clearlake Capital. So why take over the top office of a hockey team?

“There’s so many things that really make this the right opportunity for me. It starts first with Alex Meruelo,” said Gutierrez, who formerly worked for the Meruelo Group. “The opportunity to work with someone who I admire, someone who I respect, someone who’s accomplished so much and who I know so well. We have done many transactions, many investments over the years. So the opportunity to come back to him.

“Second, I’m incredibly passionate about sports. And I’m incredibly passionate about this opportunity to here with such a fanbase and such a community. 1175412 Arizona Coyotes

Coyotes’ Meruelo hopes to announce arena plans this year, despite virus

BY MATT LAYMAN JUNE 8, 2020 AT 4:00 PM

The Arizona Coyotes’ long-awaited announcement of a new arena in Arizona has been even further delayed because of the coronavirus pandemic, majority owner Alex Meruelo said in a digital conference call with media on Monday, while a goal is still to announce something by the end of this year.

The comments came during the introductory press conference for Xavier A. Gutierrez, the Coyotes’ new president and CEO.

“If it wasn’t for what happened with COVID, we’d be so much further ahead.” Meruelo said. “It’s really set us back at least six to nine months. I still hope and I plan, with Xavier’s help — Xavier is very good at this — we’d like to get something announced by the end of the year. “We’re working very hard. What I can tell you is this: Xavier has moved down here. His whole family’s here with them. They bought a beautiful house. My son lives here. I’m not going to go anywhere and we’re committed to Arizona. It’s not that simple. And you ask, ‘Why?’ Well, we’re still right now currently playing in Glendale. You know very well we can’t leave tomorrow. It’s impossible to leave tomorrow, so I have to be there probably a couple more years. Now, Glendale has expressed a tremendous amount of interest in us staying there. So I will listen to what they have to say. But we’ve also gotten a couple offers from the East Valley, which are extremely attractive.”

Meruelo reaffirmed his commitment to keeping the team in Arizona. Gutierrez’s background is that of a business executive and investor, and he has an undergraduate degree from Harvard with a J.D. from Stanford.

“Clearly, this is home. We want to find the right solution. But everything’s on the table in terms of what makes sense for our team, for our fans and for this community,” Gutierrez said. “Clearly, there’s been conversations pre-dating me about what is the best option. I’m very new. I’m going to look at everything. I’m obviously going to take the lead on this. But clearly, Mr. Meruelo also has his perspective that we would like to pursue a solution that’s long-term, that’s financially stable and that makes sense for our team, for our players, for our fans and for this entire community.”

The Coyotes currently play in Gila River Arena, which is owned by the City of Glendale and managed by A.E.G., an arena management firm. The Coyotes lease the space on a year-to-year basis, automatically renewing at the first of the year unless and until they elect to opt out of it.

“We have a lot of forward progress moving on with what we wanted to do with the team and where we were going, but this [virus] kind of set us back,” Meruelo said. “My goal is to have something done by the end of the year. That’s my goal. And I believe that if it wouldn’t have been for this situation, we would have been a lot further down the process.”

Under former CEO Anthony LeBlanc, who is now with the , the Coyotes announced plans to partner with Arizona State University and build a shared arena space in the East Valley. ASU eventually pulled out of that deal in 2017. “You’re working with cities, you’re working with entities and they all have different timelines,” Meruelo said. “So within that structure, my hope is to have something done by the end of this year. But the most important thing to report to all the fans, like I said before, I’m not leaving Arizona. I love the state. I love the city and the East Valley. I love Phoenix.” Arizona Sports LOADED: 06.10.2020 1175413 New York Rangers: Henrik Lundqvist, G

Ottawa Senators: Bobby Ryan, F Kevan Miller is Bruins’ nominee for Masterton Trophy Philadelphia Flyers: Oskar Lindblom, F

Pittsburgh Penguins: Evgeni Malkin, F By Matt Porter Globe Staff,Updated June 9, 2020, 11:21 p.m. San Jose Sharks: Joe Thornton, F

St. Louis Blues: Jay Bouwmeester, D

Kevan Miller has undergone at least three surgeries during his comeback Tampa Bay Lightning: Alex Killorn, F attempt. Toronto Maple Leafs: Zach Hyman, F Kevan Miller won’t play when the Bruins resume their season, but the defenseman’s hard work on the comeback trail earned him an award Vancouver Canucks: Jacob Markstrom, G nomination. Vegas Golden Knights: Shea Theodore, D The Boston chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association Washington Capitals: Michal Kempny, D named Miller its nominee for the 2019-20 Masterton Trophy, given to the player who best demonstrates “qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, Winnipeg Jets: Mark Letestu, F and dedication to hockey." Boston Globe LOADED: 06.10.2020 Miller, 32, hasn’t played since April 4, 2019, because of a twice-broken right kneecap. He first broke it while crashing into the boards that night in Minnesota. He broke it again, more seriously, while training for a return for last spring’s Stanley Cup Final.

He has had at least three surgeries, the most recent in late March.

Kevan Miller could be in line for a prestigious honor.

The ex-Vermont captain missed 43 games in 2018-19 because of several injuries, including a broken hand (October ‘18), a fractured larynx (November ‘18), and a torn oblique (February ‘19).

He does not have a contract with the Bruins for next season. Other nominees for the Masterton around the NHL include Philadelphia’s Oskar Lindblom, who did not play this season as he fought Ewing sarcoma; Ottawa’s Bobby Ryan, who scored a hat trick in his first home game after dealing with an alcohol problem; Dallas’s Stephen Johns, who missed 22 months because of headaches and returned to play 17 games; and St. Louis’s Jay Bouwmeester, who remains out of action following a cardiac event during a February game.

Also nominated is Florida’s Noel Acciari, the former Bruin who recovered from a broken sternum in last year’s playoffs to score a career-best 20 goals.

The full list of nominees:

Anaheim Ducks: Ryan Miller, G

Arizona Coyotes: Conor Garland, F Boston Bruins: Kevan Miller, D

Buffalo Sabres: Curtis Lazar, F

Calgary Flames: Mark Giordano, D

Carolina Hurricanes: James Reimer, G

Chicago Blackhawks: Corey Crawford, G Colorado Avalanche: Ryan Graves, D

Columbus Blue Jackets: Nathan Gerbe, F

Dallas Stars: Stephen Johns, D Detroit Red Wings: Robby Fabbri, F

Edmonton Oilers: Connor McDavid, F : Noel Acciari, F

Los Angeles Kings: Jonathan Quick, G

Minnesota Wild: Alex Stalock, G Montreal Canadiens: Shea Weber, D

Nashville Predators: Jarred Tinordi, D

New Jersey Devils: Travis Zajac, F New York Islanders: Thomas Hickey, D 1175414 Boston Bruins

Kevan Miller is Bruins’ Masterton nominee

B’s defenseman fighting hard to reclaim career

By STEVE CONROY | PUBLISHED: June 9, 2020 at 12:09 p.m. | UPDATED: June 9, 2020 at 4:51 p.m.

Kevan Miller, who has been fighting to get back in the lineup after suffering a debilitating knee injury in April 2019, is the Masterton Memorial Trophy nominee from the Boston chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers Association. The award is given to the player who best demonstrates “qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey.” The winner will be chosen from the 31 league-wide nominees at a later date. The rugged Bruins defenseman has not been in uniform since he crashed knee-first into the end boards at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minn., in a late regular-season game, breaking his knee cap.

As the B’s march to the Stanley Cup Final wore on, Miller’s dogged effort to get back in the lineup was thwarted when his knee cap fractured again during rehab. He spent the entire 2019-20 season rehabbing again both on and off the ice, only to suffer another setback which required surgery. But the California native, who will be an unrestricted free agent this summer, is again working out in hopes of one day returning to game action.

“I truly appreciate the nomination, it’s been quite the journey to get healthy and I’m hoping to persevere and live up to the nomination,” said Miller in a statement. Boston Herald LOADED: 06.10.2020 1175415 Boston Bruins on the road (17-15-2). They could also get back goalscorer Jake Guentzel, whose season appeared to be over after shoulder surgery.

As good as the B’s have been this year, this one would be close to a pick Bears watching: Who should Bruins avoid when — and if — playoffs ’em. The B’s do not want to finish fourth in the round robin. begin? Toronto Maple Leafs — Bruins fans love to mock the Leafs, as if they’ve been some kind of pushover the three times the B’s faced them in the By STEVE CONROY | June 9, 2020 at 5:25 a.m. first round over the last decade, twice the last two years. Well, the Leafs took them to seven games in each of those series.

The miracle comeback in 2013 does not really factor into the discussion The entered Phase 2 in its Return To Play plan — different teams. But the last two seasons the Leafs gave the B’s all on Monday, allowing players to return to their team’s facility for voluntary they could handle and, if Nazem Kadri had not gotten himself suspended small group, non-contact workouts. in both series, Toronto might have taken both of them. The B’s can’t count on that in a matchup with Toronto this year after Kadri was dealt for These are baby steps, to be sure, and actual competitive hockey games Tyson Barrie, even though the D-man has not been everything the Leafs taking place are difficult to imagine, not just because of the coronavirus had hoped for. The B’s were 2-0-1 against the Leafs with one of the restrictions but also against the backdrop of the worst civil unrest this scheduled contests canceled. All games occurred before the Leafs’ big country has seen in over 50 years. acquisitions, which were much-needed backup goalie Jack Campbell and But let’s try to imagine them. rugged Kyle Clifford, for picks and Trevor Moore, a bottom six forward who was a spark plug for Toronto in last year’s series. Last week, the NHL announced that should the league make it through Phase 2 and Phase 3 (training camps) without any major setbacks, then But the biggest issue for the Leafs will be goaltender Frederik Andersen. it will be on to Phase 4, the 24-team tournament with reseeding as He has not been good in the two Games 7’s and it’s hard to know opposed to brackets. The Bruins will be playing in a round robin with the whether that’s because of fatigue after playing 60 or more games the last other three top teams in the Eastern Conference — Tampa Bay, two seasons or he’s just one of those guys who cannot rise to the Washington and Philadelphia — to determine the top four seeds while occasion. This scenario should take away any fatigue factor at least. teams seeded fifth through 12th will fight for their lives in play-in series. The Leafs’ weak spot is still defense, but the collection of skill they’ve got The round robin in which the B’s will be playing is not do-or-die like a real up front (Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, William Nylander, John playoff series, but it will determine how easy — or not — their path to the Tavares) is explosive. Youth could serve them well. This could go the Stanley Cup will be. distance again.

The B’s have already lost some advantages that they were well on their Columbus Blue Jackets — If the Jackets could somehow get past the way to earning. Home ice is gone. That particular “advantage” can seem Leafs in their play-in series, they would present a decent amount of like more of a burden at some junctures of the playoffs, but it’s something discomfort for the B’s. After losing a bevy of talent via free agency — most coaches and players would still rather have than not. Also, the including Artemi Panarin, Sergei Bobrovsky and — advantage that the Jennings Trophy-winning goaltending tandem of Columbus was picked by most to be an also-ran. Tuukka Rask and Jaroslav Halak gave the B’s last year will not matter. But GM Jarmo Kekalainen’s message to his team last season by While the 1A-1B system allowed Rask to enter the playoffs fresh last doubling down at the trade deadline last year seems to have carried over year — and it showed — now every team, even ones that had to rely to this year. With coach John Tortorella no doubt stoking the fires, the primarily on one goalie, will have a well-rested netminder. And while the Jackets have played with a chip on their shoulder most of the season B’s were in generally good health with 12 games left in the regular while battling myriad injuries. Whether they can regain that esprit de season, other teams who had key missing pieces will now be in better corps in a short time span remains to be seen, but the Jackets were shape. giant-killers last year when they knocked off the Lightning. It wouldn’t Still, provided the next month-plus produces no health- or labor-related take as a big a stone to knock down the Leafs. setbacks, the B’s will get the chance to play for the Cup, and that’s all Goalie Elvis Merzlikins has emerged as the Jacket’s go-to netminder, but that really matters. If they are in fact the best team, as they were in the the biggest key would be the return of defenseman Seth Jones, who long-forgotten regular season, then they should be able to beat anybody. broke an ankle in February. While he’s an All-Star and was a No. 4 But some first round draws would be more difficult than others. Here are overall pick in 2013, Jones still seems a tad underrated. Brad Marchand four teams the B’s would do well to avoid once the round of 16 begins. recently named him as one of the defenders who gives him the most trouble. Pittsburgh Penguins – This should be self-evident given their top seeding among the play-in teams, but some may think back to the last time the The B’s are undeniably better than Columbus, but in hockey work ethic B’s played Sidney Crosby & Co. in 2013, when the B’s swept the heavily can close the gap significantly. And the Jackets know how to work. favored Pens. The series was not nearly as easy as the 4-0 final tally Florida Panthers – Bruins players on Zoom calls have frequently stated would indicate. And anyway, that was seven years ago, ancient history in how strange it will be to play in an empty building, but the Panthers hockey years. In the 2019-20 regular season, the B’s were 2-1 against should be used to it. The attendance-challenged Cats play in front of the Pens, but really only deserved to win one of those games. The first wide swaths of empty seats most night at BB&T Center. meeting in November was one of the more entertaining games of the year, but the B’s weren’t great in it. They opened up a 3-0 lead but fell Perhaps that’s part of the reason that the Panthers are never quite as behind in the second period 4-3 and were outshot in the final two periods, good as they should be. They were headed for another DNQ this year, 35-16. The B’s were somehow able to come back and win, but the bad but have been granted a reprieve with this unique format. performance-good result trend could last only so long. While the Panthers paid a mint for Bobrovsky, who’d been In a home-and-home in January, the B’s played very well in a 4-1 win at underwhelming, rookie Chris Dreidger has been very good. The guess the Garden only to blow another three-goal lead in Pittsburgh and this here is Joel Quenneville’s squad knocks off the defensive-minded time taking a well-deserved L. That Sunday afternoon loss would usher in Islanders and gives whomever they face in the round of 16 a legitimate some changes, including the insertion of Jeremy Lauzon into the lineup scare. to give the back end a little more jam. It’s worked well. As for the rest? There’s not much scary there. The Rangers are coming, The teams have not played since the trade deadline, when the B’s perhaps as soon as next season, but they’re not here yet. The Isles don’t moved David Backes (who played his last game for Boston on Jan. 9) have enough firepower. When it comes to the Hurricanes, all I see is the and Danton Heinen to Anaheim for Ondrej Kase and Nick Ritchie in Whalers. And I have absolutely no fear of the Canadiens. Just like in separate deals while the Pens picked up Jason Zucker, Patrick Marleau 2014, and in 2004 and in 2002. … and two-time Cup-winner Conor Sheary for a return engagement. Boston Herald LOADED: 06.10.2020 A break the Pens would get is the neutral site. While the B’s were solid both home and away (22-4-9, 22-10-3), the Pens were merely average 1175416 Boston Bruins

Bruins' Kevan Miller nominated for NHL's Masterton Trophy by local writers

By Joe Haggerty June 09, 2020 10:54 AM

If you spent even a moment talking to Kevan Miller about his 2019-20 NHL season with the Bruins, there was no doubting his dedication to the game of hockey.

His characteristic perseverance has been there from Day One in his pro hockey career as he worked his way as an undrafted stay-at-home defenseman out of the University of Vermont who made himself into an NHL defenseman.

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Unfortunately, the rugged 32-year-old Bruins defenseman didn’t play a single game this year while attempting to come back from a pair of fractured kneecap injuries that cropped up when he crashed into the boards at the end of last season. The first injury agonizingly kept him out for the entirety of Boston’s run to the Stanley Cup Final last spring. Even worse, Miller re-injured his broken kneecap while pushing to try and return during a playoff run where his physical play and overpowering strength around the net might have been able to make a difference for Boston had he been healthy.

Those injuries carried over into this season and Miller experienced several setbacks with his knee, and never appeared in a single game despite pushing hard in his rehab to be able to play once again. It was a tremendously frustrating season for the seven-year NHL veteran in the last year of his contract with the Bruins.

Haggerty: What if some NHL players opt not to return?

But Miller never stopped putting in the work while trying to make a full comeback and all season did nothing but show the "qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey” that make for a worthy Masterton Trophy nominee. “I truly appreciate the nomination,” said Miller, of the Masterton nod as voted by the Boston chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers Association (PHWA). “It’s been quite the journey to get healthy and I’m hoping to persevere and live up to that nomination.”

It’s no surprise since those are the unmistakable traits he’s shown throughout a blue collar career where nothing was handed to him, and Miller had to put the work in for each of the 324 NHL games he’s played through a steady stream of injuries caused by the physical nature of his style of play.

Miller isn’t just a worthy nominee on the ice, however.

In addition, Miller has been an active member of the Boston community when it comes to charitable endeavors as, among many other activities, a spokesperson and vocal advocate for the Brain Aneurysm Foundation throughout his Bruins career.

Here’s the list of the 31 Masterton nominees from each of the NHL clubs, including former Bruins players Noel Acciari (Florida) and Joe Thornton (San Jose). The field of 31 nominees will be narrowed down to three finalists and an eventual winner when the rest of the NHL Awards are announced at a date to be determined for the 2019-20 NHL season. SportsNet.com LOADED: 06.10.2020 1175417 Buffalo Sabres

Former Sabre Lawrence Pilut's two-year contract announced by Russian team

By Lance Lysowski

Lawrence Pilut may have played his final game with the Buffalo Sabres.

Pilut, a 24-year-old defenseman, signed a two-year contract with in Russia of the Kontinental Hockey League, the team announced Tuesday. He was a pending unrestricted free agent and the Sabres can retain his NHL rights for three years by extending him a qualifying offer.

A source told The Buffalo News last month that Pilut signed the contract and that the Sabres intended to retain his rights. However, it's unclear if Pilut would be able to return to Buffalo while under contract in the KHL. After all, the KHL does not typically have an NHL opt-out clause in its standard player contracts.

Pilut, who spent most of the past two seasons in Rochester, was seeking a bigger role with more playing time. "We are pleased that Lawrence Pilut decided to continue his career in KHL," Traktor Chelyabinsk sports manager Roman Belyaev said on the team's website. "He had an offer to stay in the NHL, but we managed to persuade him that we could offer more ice time and a bigger role in Traktor."

Pilut, the 's defenseman of the year in 2017-18, signed a two-year entry-level contract with the Sabres in May 2018. He was selected to the 's All-Star Classic in each of his two seasons with the Rochester Americans, totaling 49 points in 67 regular-season games with the Sabres' top minor-league affiliate.

Pilut also appeared in 46 games with the Sabres, including 13 this past season. A shoulder injury suffered during the Calder Cup Playoffs last April prevented Pilut from participating in training camp under coach Ralph Krueger. The late start to the season also stalled Pilut's on-ice development and he could not earn a role on the NHL roster.

Buffalo News LOADED: 06.10.2020 1175418 Buffalo Sabres

Curtis Lazar is Sabres' nominee for Masterton Trophy

By Mike Harrington Published Tue, Jun 9, 2020

Forward Curtis Lazar, who spent virtually the entire 2018-19 season in the minor leagues before earning a regular role with the Buffalo Sabres this season, has been named as the Buffalo nominee for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy.

The Masterton Trophy is awarded annually by the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association to the NHL player who best exemplifies qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey. The trophy honors the late Bill Masterton, the only NHL player to die from injuries sustained in a game. It was first awarded in 1968, a few months after Masterton's death while playing for the Minnesota North Stars.

Lazar will join the league's other 30 nominees in voting for the award and three finalists will be named before a winner is determined. Normally handed out at the NHL Awards ceremony each June in Las Vegas, the league has not yet decided how it's going to handle its postseason awards for the pandemic-delayed season. Former Sabres goalie Robin Lehner, representing the New York Islanders, was last year's winner.

A former first-round draft choice of the Ottawa Senators best known for being "Captain " during the 2015 World Junior Championships, Lazar's NHL career ground to a halt last season as he played just one game in Calgary and was a full-time AHLer at Stockton for the first time in his career. But he took advantage of regular ice time to have his best year as a pro, with 20 goals and 41 points in 57 games.

Lazar had a good training camp in Buffalo this year but didn't make the team. But after collecting 14 points in 18 games in Rochester, Lazar persevered to again carve out a regular role in the NHL.

"It’s just confidence," Lazar said earlier this season. "Last year, spending that time in the American League in more of a scorer’s role, I guess, allowed me to tap into that potential again. Now when I get a chance, I’m not rushing my shots or rushing my passes. I see it, I make it. Other than that, it’s coming full circle. It comes with experience. I’m in my sixth year [as a] pro now. It’s nice to kind of see all those years and hard-earned miles and games pay off, and the game is starting to slow down."

Lazar had five goals, five assists and 10 points in 38 games for the Sabres but his numbers were dwarfed by his multiple roles -- including serving as one of the team's most prominent killers as well as the designated faceoff man to start overtime. In that slot, he won three draws that directly led to immediate possessions and game-winning goals. The organization raved about his work ethic in Rochester and about the way he impacted the club's young prospects, and that was a big factor in his promotion to the NHL. Buffalo News LOADED: 06.10.2020 1175419 Buffalo Sabres league. While it took longer than most anticipated and many wanted, Casey Mittelstadt’s game finally includes solid offensive numbers.

With Eichel, Cozens and Mittelstadt providing an impressive core down Future forecast: Imagining a brighter scene on Sabres’ clean-out day in the middle, the team’s stable of talented wingers had no trouble finishing. 2023 There may not be another team that can match the duo of Skinner and Kane. Skinner, who recently turned 31, has reached the halfway point of his eight-year contract. It’s not yet decided if Kane will become a free By John Vogl Jun 9, 2020 agent or sign an extension in Buffalo.

While Kane is still performing at age 34, the Sabres benefited mightily from having multiple players reach their prime at the same time. In The Sabres held online “locker clean-out days” to wrap up a addition to the 26-year-old Eichel, Olofsson, Reinhart and Kahun are 27, disappointing 2019-20. Some day, the players, coaches and media will Thompson is 25 and Mittelstadt is 24. again gather at the arena for in-person meetings. There should be plenty of staying power on the back end, too, with We’ll look ahead to a scene in Buffalo’s locker room following the 2022- Dahlin and Samuelsson (both 23), Jokiharju (24), Johnson (21) and 23 season. Hamilton (30). The fans’ appreciative roars still echoed through KeyBank Center as the Now in his fourth pro season, goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen has Sabres said goodbye to each other and a glory-filled season. grown into the reliable, upper-echelon starter the Sabres have long In one corner of the dressing room, a group of four longtime Buffalo needed. The 24-year-old learned well during his extended stay in the players talked proudly of lifting the team from the ashes. Across the way, minors and was ready when Buffalo handed him the starting job during four others chatted excitedly about joining a team on the rise and pushing the 2021-22 season. it to great heights. The players provided the type of season that Buffalo fans have wished Make no mistake: It was this year’s blockbuster deadline deal, three for since 2007. The rejuvenated backers packed the plaza for pregame summers of tinkering and a core in its prime that helped Jack Eichel fulfill parties and filled bars and restaurants to watch the run. Good times were his destiny. easy to find.

When the Sabres drafted Eichel, they became the 10th non-expansion It was long overdue. The pain the Sabres felt during the drought was club since 1979 to pick in the top two in consecutive years. Buffalo has massive, but it was nothing compared to the fans’ anguish. The Buffalo now become the sixth team of those 10 to reach the Stanley Cup Final faithful poured their time, money and emotions into a franchise that had within eight years. become a laughingstock. Each season was more agonizing than the previous one. As everyone knows, it wasn’t easy or painless, especially for Eichel. But at age 26 and in his eighth NHL season, Eichel captained the Sabres to But as the sound of cheers lingered in the atrium and smiles filled the their long-awaited spot in the finals after a convincing Eastern dressing room, this locker clean-out was finally one to cherish. Conference championship. The Athletic LOADED: 06.10.2020 Jeff Skinner, Rasmus Dahlin and Kyle Okposo were among those who made the winding journey alongside Eichel. Exhausted yet exhilarated from the two-month grind of springtime hockey, the veterans joined the captain in reliving the ride.

They recalled the low point of 2020, when fans revolted, ticket sales plummeted and a bumbling organization missed the playoffs for the ninth straight time – three times longer than the previous franchise-worst drought of only three seasons. Back then, hope was lost, anger was easily found and it seemed nothing would ever go right again. Three years later, the Sabres have finally buried those ghosts with a series of solid moves.

The biggest, of course, was bringing Patrick Kane home. Set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer, the South Buffalo native waived his no-move clause and embraced February’s trade from the Blackhawks to the Sabres. His history of winning and a desire to see his neighbors celebrate propelled the 34-year-old to a spectacular playoff run.

Kane beamed with pride while talking about hanging his royal blue jersey alongside the Sabres uniforms he collected as a kid.

The Sabres were able to make the splash for Kane by building a well- rounded contender. They signed winger Tyler Toffoli during the crazy offseason of 2020, adding him to a group that already included Skinner, Okposo, Sam Reinhart, Victor Olofsson, Dominik Kahun and Tage Thompson.

During the summer of 2021, the Sabres signed high-scoring defenseman Dougie Hamilton. The puck-moving free agent fit in well with a core featuring Dahlin, Henri Jokiharju, Mattias Samuelsson and Ryan Johnson.

Buffalo enjoyed a third straight successful offseason in 2022, taking advantage of forward Johnny Gaudreau’s desire to play closer to home in the Eastern Conference. After signing the free agent, the Sabres finally had enough talent for three impressive scoring lines, which created too many matchup problems for opponents.

The run wouldn’t have been possible if not for the continued growth of the Sabres’ own talent. Dylan Cozens arrived in 2020-21 at age 19 and has blossomed into a bona fide No. 2 center in his third season in the 1175420 Calgary Flames became general manager in the spring of 2014, they have either used WinSport’s facilities or held camp at Scotiabank Saddledome.

Treliving said they have looked at a couple of locations for a potential Flames making contingency plans for U.S. training camp U.S. camp and could make a decision based on the hub city that is announced. But nothing has been finalized. Kristen Anderson, Postmedia However, since the COVID-19 outbreak put the NHL on pause on March 12, everything is up in the air.

“It’s not normal — we wouldn’t normally do a camp in the U.S.,” Treliving The Calgary Flames’ first preference is holding their ‘Return to Play’ said. “It’s strictly because are we going to be able to get everyone back training camp in Calgary when the National Hockey League shifts into on time? By no means am I saying it’s going to happen. But, yes, we’ve Phase 3. certainly looked at it.

However, because of the Canadian government restrictions for any “(Having a plan is what) this is all about. We’ve been looking at every incoming travellers requiring a 14-day isolation period to limit the spread eventuality and are planning for it.” of COVID-19, the team is exploring the logistics of holding a camp in the U.S. Calgary Sun: LOADED: 06.10.2020

Flames general manager Brad Treliving said they started the process when the NHL began firming their dates, including the potential start of training camps that won’t occur before July 10.

With a large chunk of their roster out of Canada — Mikael Backlund, Rasmus Andersson, Elias Lindholm and Oliver Kylington are still in Sweden, David Rittich is in the Czech Republic, Matthew Tkachuk is in St. Louis, Johnny Gaudreau is on the New Jersey shore, and Noah Hanifin is in — the quarantine process raises an issue if it’s still in effect in a month.

“We’ve certainly looked into it,” Treliving said on Tuesday. “We have a lot of people out of country, whether that be Europe or the U.S. Even if you’re flying commercially within Canada, there’s a quarantine. Our thought was that if there was a training camp starting on a certain day and we couldn’t get everybody back or they couldn’t quarantine in time for the camp, we said, ‘OK, what are our options?’” The quarantine issue has also been a discussion point for the NHL when considering hub cities for the playoffs, as Canadian cities wouldn’t be options if players and staff are required to isolate for two weeks.

At the end of May, Alberta Premier Jason Kenney sent a letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, asking to ease restrictions on the U.S. border so it would be possible to have playoffs in Edmonton — one of the potential host cities.

The coronavirus situation in Alberta continues to improve with hospitalization rates remaining low and active COVID-19 cases are lower than expected. As such, the Alberta government is moving into Stage 2 of relaunch on June 12.

Things can change quickly. Either the curve continues to flatten and the Canadian government decides to relax the rules or the situation goes the opposite direction and a second wave of the coronavirus hits the country and North America. Treliving wants to be prepared.

“I want to be real clear — this is not about jumping the line or anything like that,” he said. “It’s just that right now, our rules in this country state that if you come to Canada, out of the country, you have to self- quarantine for 14 days. With Stage 2 protocols, if you fly from Toronto to Calgary, you have to quarantine for 14 days. In the U.S., you don’t quarantine for 14 days. So, that’s what it is.

“If all of a sudden, the NHL said, ‘Training camp will start on this date.’ And that date was less than 14 days from now and you have somebody outside the country. Well, they can’t start on that date. They’ll have to come in and quarantine … well, that doesn’t work. All it is is looking at options.”

The NHL opened Phase 2 of the ‘Return to Play’ initiative on Monday, allowing teams to open facilities for voluntary workouts for players in small groups with stringent health regulations in effect.

The Flames opted to wait a few days so their staff could implement the protocols, opening Scotiabank Saddledome on Wednesday or Thursday for players to hit the ice and use their workout rooms. There is only a handful of the roster in the city at the moment, including Mark Giordano, Sean Monahan, Michael Stone, and Dillon Dube along with prospects Matthew Phillips and Glenn Gawdin among others. Usually, when teams hit the ice for their fall training camp, they skate at their home arenas for weeks until preseason begins. Since Treliving 1175421 Calgary Flames Giordano’s 893 career National Hockey League appearances — all with the Flames — have been a testament to his workhorse-like approach to the game.

Giordano earns Masterton nod after providing steadying hand Flames He also didn’t miss a beat after sitting out 10 games, nursing his needed hamstring during February. And, on top of it, the Toronto native was still one of the Flames most important players during their quest for a playoff spot. In 60 games this season, Giordano’s five goals and 26 assists had Kristen Anderson, Postmedia him seventh in team scoring.

“The two words that stick out for me is perseverance and dedication,” said Flames general manager Brad Treliving. “A big part of it that people The 36-year-old provided the exact type of guidance on-ice that the team don’t see are a lot of the stuff he does behind the scenes. I think this year needed during a rollercoaster ride of a season. it’s even more so when we talk about all the things we’ve been going After 13 seasons in the National Hockey League, Mark Giordano can through the last three months … what he means to the community, what admit that he hasn’t had a year quite like this one. he means to people in the community, how he leads by example, the unselfishness. At the beginning of the 2019-20 season, the Calgary Flames were on rocky ground when his defence partner, teammate and best pal “When I say this year in particular, I speak of the COVID-19 period. That collapsed on the ice and started convulsing. TJ Brodie’s episode was just shows you who Mark is. All the acts in the community he does to only the tip of the iceberg of a campaign that included a massive losing make everyone be better, do better, feel better. That’s who he is.” streak, a coaching change, saw Giordano suffer a potentially devastating Much like a former longtime Flame, model leader, and his predecessor hamstring injury, and, most recently, a pandemic which paused the wearing the ‘C’ — Jarome Iginla — Giordano’s hunger seems to be regular season entirely. present, year after year. “I joke around with Looch (Milan Lucic) all the time,” the Flames captain “The main thing for me is I haven’t won a Stanley Cup here,” he said. was saying. “We’ve been around a long time and seen a lot of things. “You get into the league at a young age, you’re trying to stick around and “But this year, we’ve definitely seen it all.” you are trying to just make a name for yourself and stick in the NHL. Then, as you get older and you establish yourself more, naturally your Through the rough waters, however, Giordano was always the steadying goal changes. Everything is taken care of in your personal life and your force, keeping the ship afloat with his leadership skills, his calm and contract situation and winning becomes so much more important. collected nature, and his work ethic. “If you asked Iggy, too, it would have been a similar answer … to win that The 36-year-old provided the exact type of guidance on-ice that the team Stanley Cup, that’s what everyone chases … that’s what drives me every needed during a rollercoaster ride of a season. day.” And it’s why the local chapter of Professional Hockey Writers Association Off the ice, his charitable efforts — along with his wife Lauren’s scribes named Giordano its nominee for the Bill Masterton Memorial contributions — have been widely recognized during the pandemic and Trophy, the award that is given annually to the player who best displays appreciated by the Calgary community. character, work ethic, perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to the game. The Giordanos were often spotted participating in birthday drive-bys with their children Jack and Reese, driving in their vehicle along with the “The thing that sticks out most for me was when Brodes went down and Calgary Fire Department with balloons flying and honking their horn to we had that scare — just as a friend, not even as a teammate, a guy I’ve brighten days as Calgarians were isolating in their homes. played with for a longtime,” Giordano said. “To go through that was a scary, scary moment and put things into perspective. As a team, we were In April, a woman revealed in heart-warming social media post that a bouncing all over the map, it seemed like all year. I really felt we started representative of the family had covered her $430 grocery bill at to gain a lot of consistency … (then, injuring his hamstring) … the first Walmart. Lauren also scoured social media to help those in need, thought that goes through your head is that the season is over … Then, including providing a laptop for one family so they were able to get their this virus happened. It abruptly stopped everything. education and toys for children.

“It’s definitely been one of the weirdest years I’ve been a part of.” They are also active in raising money for the Calgary Board of Education year-round through the Team Giordano program promoting physical No matter how challenging the grind has been — mentally and physically fitness and academics. — Giordano has shown up when it matters most. “This (award) just reaffirms who he is and what he’s all about,” Treliving Perhaps more telling is the fact he has shown up in the same way, year said. “You want to know what being a leader and being a good person after year, and received his second straight Masterton nod. is? Watch what he does.”

In total, Giordano’s name has been in the mix four times (also in 2014 Calgary Sun: LOADED: 06.10.2020 and ’16). The recognition doesn’t go unnoticed. Or underappreciated.

“It’s huge,” he said. “We’re always at the rink together and to be nominated by you guys is obviously pretty special to me. It’s a pretty cool think that you guys nominated me more than once for this award. And then with what the award stands for. The dedication, the perseverance, things like that, I take a lot of pride in being dedicated to the sport both on and off the ice.

“I do feel like there have been ups and downs in my career too and there’s been some adversity.”

Undrafted in the Hockey League and the NHL, Giordano has become the poster boy for perseverance and adversity.

On the ice, Giordano has established himself as one of the NHL’s elite , who was recognized league-wide at the end of the 2018-19 campaign when he hoisted the Norris Trophy. He became the first 35- year-old to capture the award since Nicklas Lidstrom. 1175422 Calgary Flames “Personally, we almost think it’s something that should be an obligation … and we’re in a fortunate spot to be able to do that. We should be willing and wanting to do that.”

Fourth time’s the charm? Why Mark Giordano is the epitome of the Two pillars of the Masterton are perseverance and dedication. They also Masterton happen to be the backbone of Giordano’s DIY career.

The details are well known. That, despite being overlooked at the OHL By Scott Cruickshank Jun 9, 2020 and NHL drafts, he rose through pro hockey’s ranks.

It’s a journey rich enough to bear repeating.

It is easy to lose track. The NHL paused March 12. The official start of Cobbled from The Athletic archives, here is an oral history, chronicling summer is now only days away. his evolution from teenaged long shot to elite defenceman:

And, in between, there has been a whole lot of nothing, hockey-wise. After a season with the Brampton (Junior A) Capitals, Giordano is eager to audition for OHL Owen Sound. He makes an immediate impression. “I don’t even know what week we’re on now. We have to be closing in on three months,” Mark Giordano said. “You just try to get into that routine Mike Stothers, head coach: You couldn’t help but notice that right away where you’re doing, obviously, the things that are necessary as far as — everyone’s wearing black pants and you had this guy spinning around training and all that. A lot of guys have kids and you have to get them in green. And if I remember right, the pants were kind of ratty and torn. I through their home-schooling. It becomes sort of a new routine. think he was one of those guys who would put his skates on first and then put his pants on. So you know how everything gets frayed at the “It was weird at the start and it’s almost become normal now. Hopefully, bottom? It’s like, “Ah, man. This guy …” I didn’t know him from a hole in we can get back to our old normal as soon as possible.” the ground.

The Calgary Flames defenceman does not have long to wait. Stothers: Here’s this guy who just walks in from the parking lot, throws his bag into the middle of the floor and says, “Hey, I’m here to make your Phase 2 of the league’s return-to-play program is here. hockey club.” And you’re like, “OK, bud.” Then you know what? He does The plan allows players, a handful at a time, to yank on their skates and make it. scoot around the ice at team facilities. This, weeks in advance of formal Stothers: You could see that he was that much more determined than training camps, allows them to shake loose the rust in a virus-free anybody else — he wasn’t going to be sent home. He was there. He was environment. going to stay. He was going to get out of those green pants and into the That is if they choose. Because the whole exercise is voluntary. same colour pants as everybody else. It’s a great story. It really is.

The Flames expect to have players, in a couple of small groups, After two productive seasons in Owen Sound, Giordano’s choices are gathering at the Saddledome as early as Wednesday. limited. York University perhaps. Then, on July 6, 2004, the Flames announced that GM Darryl Sutter had signed seven hopefuls — Richie “It’s not like normal training camp where the bell goes off and Regehr, Dustin Johner, Patrik Nilson, Davin Heintz, Justin Taylor, Carsen everybody’s got their guys there,” general manager Brad Treliving said. Germyn, Mark Giordano — to three-way contracts. “For most teams, there’s a lot of guys that aren’t here yet. Tod Button, scout: Darryl thought that those guys would show up and “We are going to get cracking … (but) it takes a little bit of time to get work. If they’re willing to go to the East Coast (league) for 15 grand, they testing done, medicals done and a couple of check-list things that you wanted to play hockey. That was his theory. need to do. It’s not like we haven’t been active.” Richie Regehr: At that point, we had no leverage, so we were, “OK, yup. In Calgary all along — and, fair to say, champing at the bit — is Let’s take anything that’s given to us.” Just a copy-and-paste contract. It Giordano. was bare-bones — the minimum that you could get in each league.

The Flames captain has said more than once during the pause that the Giordano is strong but raw. Sutter, at the summer rookie camp, tells most important piece to any return is skating. He’s pedalled the bike, he’s strength coach Rich Hesketh: “Make sure you teach this kid how to train pounded the treadmill and it’s getting old. because he could be something special.” “When I’m training, when I’m changing things up daily, that’s when it Hesketh: And here’s this big top-heavy kid … who could bench press a doesn’t seem like such a chore,” Giordano said. “Getting back on the ice, house. Clearly very talented, but he had no clue how to train. So I was just emotionally, it’s going to give you a big lift. We’ve been itching to get like, “OK, I’ll make sure I do this.” back out there for a long time. Mentally, it’ll be a big boost.” Hesketh: Gio is amazing — he took it all in. Once he learned what he In the meantime, by gum, there is news. Actual news. needed to do? He ran with it, literally.

Not only is Flames prospect Dustin Wolf the CHL’s goaltender of the year Giordano begins his pro adventure in Lowell, Mass., and because it’s the — to go with his WHL and USA Hockey nods — the local chapter of the 2004-05 lockout season, the AHL is stacked with highly regarded Professional Hockey Writers’ Association has nominated Giordano for youngsters. So, for an unknown like him, a demotion to the ECHL is a the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, which goes to the player “who best very real possibility. Steadily, though, he wins over Lowell’s staffers. exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey.” Tom Rowe, head coach: I said, “Are you sure this guy’s a first-year? Because he plays like a veteran.” He walked into the room and he was Previously singled out in 2014, 2016, 2019, this marks the fourth time very confident, but not cocky. He was very respectful of everybody in the that Giordano will represent the Flames on the Masterton ballot. room, of all the guys around him. But he knew he was a good player. He just wanted to establish himself. He knew what he had to do off the ice. “It’s pretty cool,” he said. “Obviously, when people vote for you for You didn’t have to babysit him. A very, very easy guy to coach. awards like this, it makes you feel really good about yourself. It’s an award I don’t take lightly. I was just looking over a list of past winners. It’s Mike Commodore: I’d never heard of him. At first, I wasn’t really sure. He a pretty special list of players.” got scratched a few times at the beginning because we had other guys we were going to play and he was an undrafted rookie. I remember him Giordano’s value to the team and to the city is clear. being — if I’m being totally honest — a little chunky. I remember thinking, Even post-pause, he and wife Lauren have been earning headlines — “This guy could probably lose 10.” But I’d watch him in practice and he participating in drive-by birthday parades, covering grocery bills of actually moved pretty decent for being a couple of pounds heavy. unsuspecting customers, helping those struggling to pay rent. Brennan Evans: You could tell he took it very seriously. Some guys, “Honestly, we’ve grown up as adults here,” Giordano said. “I’ve always maybe it takes a while to get their diet dialled in or maybe they’re used to said about Calgary, it was a real eye-opener here — it feels like a small living with billets. But Gio, he was an adamant pro from Day 1. community. Even in tough times … if you have the means, you help each other out. For us, we love giving back to a city that we’ve grown up in. Commodore: Gio lost his marbles on somebody. I’m like, “Wow. I didn’t set PK — you don’t see that too often. You’ve got to give him a lot of know he had that in him. That’s impressive.” And he did well in the fight. props for how good of a game he plays overall. Rare to see. This is blowing him up in my eyes a little bit. As the year went on, I’m like, “This kid’s actually pretty decent.” Now, did I think he was going to be the In 2018-19, Giordano earns the James Norris Memorial Trophy in a captain of the Flames for however many years it’s going to end up being? landslide, drawing 165 out of 171 first-place votes. No. I didn’t think he was that good. By the end of the year, I was like, Commodore: That would be a pretty good feather in the cap when it’s all “Man, I think this kid definitely has a shot to play in the NHL.” said and done, if you could say, “I was the only undrafted player in the The following season Giordano is assigned to AHL Omaha. There, he history of the NHL to win the Norris Trophy” — that is impressive. If you leads the team in scoring. had to describe his career in one line, that would sum it up right then and there as well as any one line could. Scott Allen, assistant coach: He never once pulled me aside and said, “Hey, what’s going on? When am I going to get my shot?” Never. He Regehr: He’s just stuck with it. I don’t think he was in a hurry to get to the stayed the course. It wasn’t a panic thing. It was, “I’m going to get there. NHL and that helped him build his game. Now you could say in the same And when I get there, I’m going to stay.” way, he hasn’t been in a hurry to get to that Norris Trophy. He’s just been going, going, going and working, working, working. All of a sudden, he’s On the rise, Giordano gets into 48 games with the Flames in 2006-07, there and everyone’s seeing how good he is. but Sutter refuses to offer him a one-way deal in the offseason. The young man threatens to bolt to Russia. It’s no bluff — he spends the Travis Hamonic: I’ve been saying this for a long time — he’s the best season in Moscow. Sutter calls the decision a “big mistake.” defenceman in the game. He’s got to be the best leader. He’s a heck of a person, both on and off the ice. You guys see all year what he does on Jim Playfair, associate coach: I would think that speaks volumes to his the ice, in practice, in games. The season that he had, it’s crazy. He internal confidence. Walking in as a 20-year-old free agent and then, means that much to our group, our team, this organization, this city. He’s three years later, saying, “If you guys don’t want to pay me what I think Mr. Everything for us. I’m worth, I’m going to go to Russia.” Not many guys would do that … a pretty small group of people. So were we surprised? I think you were At 36, he is still going strong. Only Iginla has dressed more times for the surprised initially. But when you truly know Mark’s character and what he Flames. Giordano is on pace to reach the 900-game plateau early next stands for, it’s who he is. Right is right. Wrong is wrong. That’s how he season. conducted himself then and I think he still conducts himself that way. Stothers: It’s hard to play as long as he’s played. When you’re not the Back from Russia, Giordano swiftly establishes himself as an everyday biggest guy or the fastest guy or the toughest guy or have the hardest NHLer in 2008-09. shot or anything like that … he just does everything the right way. I’m happy for him — proud as hell of him. He never took a shortcut in his life. Richie Regehr: He grew a bunch. His confidence grew a ton. I think he made a really, really good decision to go to Moscow. Because his Commodore: No, I’m not calling Gio chunky anymore. The fact that he’s offensive capabilities — it’s a puck-possession league — grew so much managed to beat Father Time … I love it. It’s fun for me to watch from a from that. And his skating got a lot better. He was very offensive at the totally personal standpoint. I was part of his career for a very, very short start, then he sort of morphed into everything. period of time — but it was a very interesting time. Because to see where he was? And to see where he is? It really is amazing. Playfair: His quiet confidence really started to come through. He came back and he didn’t feel the pressure that he had something to prove. He Evans: He didn’t have one crazy year where he just blew the doors off knew he was a good player. He knew he could play in the league. He everyone, he just got better and better and better every year. Look at him knew he could help a team win in the league. now — he’s still getting better. He’s one of those guys who can probably play till he’s 40 or 50 — who knows? He’ll be like Chris Chelios, all Going into 2009-10, the Flames’ big three on the blue line — Robyn tanned-up and playing forever because he’s such a hard worker, right? Regehr, and newly acquired Jay Bouwmeester — get the He’s a bit of a phenom, the way he trains, the way he takes care of hockey world buzzing. But out of all that star power, it is Giordano who himself. emerges. Consistency is his calling card. The Athletic LOADED: 06.10.2020 Playfair: When you think about it, he doesn’t have bad games. I mean, he’ll have a bad shift, he’ll have a bad period. But, rarely, does he have a bad game. And if he does have a bad game? He won’t have two in a row. That’s where he separates himself from a lot of players.

Conditioning is at least a part of the reason. Not satisfied with meeting minimum standards, he pushes. Year after year, Giordano is rated as one of the fittest athletes on the premises.

Ryan van Asten, strength coach: I would think it’s a huge component to his success. His fitness allows him to accomplish all the other goals. He doesn’t need to worry about, “Am I going to have enough gas in the tank in the third period or overtime to do what I need to do?” That’s just a given. He can focus on other things. van Asten: Not only is he really strong, but he’s also powerful and quick. He’s just a total package, really. Exactly what you want in a hockey player. He’s not the biggest guy on the team, but he looks like an Adonis. You can basically see every muscle on his body when he’s training.

Hesketh: He’s got all this fast-twitch fibre that just wants to be unleashed … when you see him move, that’s the twitchy look — a guy that doesn’t look like he wants to stop moving. He’s always kind of vibrating. After Jarome Iginla departs in 2013, the obvious choice for captain is Giordano. A “C” is added to his sweater, he leads by example. Playfair: When you’re on the opposite bench and you watch him, he’s challenging players, he’s pushing top players. And if anyone challenges him, he’s pushing right back. He’s not out there to have a bunch of fun. He’s out there to try to figure out how to win.

Dillon Dubé: I don’t think he gets enough credit. When I was drafted, I didn’t know how good he was. But, honestly, night in and night out, he’s the guy who runs the team. He’s our engine. First-line power play, first- 1175423 Carolina Hurricanes

Carolina PHWA chapter nominates Canes’ James Reimer for Masterton

BY CHIP ALEXANDER

The Carolina chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers Association has nominated goaltender James Reimer for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, which honors perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey.

The Hurricanes acquired Reimer from the Florida Panthers in June in a move that was mostly viewed as a way to shed the contract of Scott Darling. But rather than become an afterthought in Carolina’s crowded goaltending situation, the 32-year-old Reimer instead became a key part of the team’s rotation. Reimer went 14-6-2 with a 2.66 goals-against average and .914 save percentage in his first season with Carolina. Reimer did not have a regulation loss after the calendar flipped to 2020, going 6-0-2 in his last eight decisions — the longest stretch of his career without a regulation loss since a 10-game run in 2011. The Masterton Trophy honors the late Bill Masterton, the only NHL player to die from injuries sustained in a game. First awarded in 1968, the Masterton Trophy is under the trusteeship of the PHWA. Members of the PHWA also vote on the NHL’s first and second All-Star teams as well as the Hart, Norris, Calder and Selke trophies. The Carolina chapter also awards the Josef Vasicek Award to the Hurricanes player most cooperative with the media each season and annually selects a most valuable player. News Observer LOADED: 06.10.2020 1175424 Chicago Blackhawks comeback capped by Brent Seabrook’s game-winner 26 seconds into overtime.

“That was a moment where you look back at a game, when you find ‘We knew this was going to be the year’: Former Chicago Blackhawks yourself trailing in a game, when you need to dig a little deeper where look back on a wild and wonderful 2010 Stanley Cup run you say, ‘You know what, we’ve done this before. We have the capability of coming back on teams.’ We had a lot of comeback wins that year, none bigger than the 5-0 Calgary game.” By PHIL THOMPSON CHICAGO TRIBUNE |JUN 09, 2020 | 6:05 PM The team had its share of characters. “(Winger) Ben Eager was a guy that cracked me up. He was probably the funniest guy on the team. Great one-liners, good trash-talker as well throughout the course of a game. He The story of the Chicago Blackhawks’ 2010 championship, whose 10- always kept you on your toes." year anniversary players and fans have been celebrating this week, ends with Patrick Kane’s stunning overtime goal in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup 2. Kris Versteeg’s Cup experience boils down to three things: Grandpa, Final in Philadelphia. rap music and Vince Vaughn.

But it really began with a 4-1 series loss to the Detroit Red Wings in the Versteeg owes his hockey career to his family, but most of all to his 2009 Western Conference finals. grandfather. Morris Pashkowich, now 84, brought him to games, paid for equipment and put “food on the table during tough times for the family. “I think we knew (then) we had the team, we just had to fill a few pieces He really stepped up.” with Hoss (Marian Hossa) and Kopey (Tomas Kopecky) coming in,” said Dave Bolland, who would go on to record eight goals and eight assists So it was really meaningful when his grandfather got to lift the Cup when during the 2010 postseason. Versteeg brought it to Lethbridge, Alberta.

“We knew we were right there. We knew this was going to be the year.” “When I think of the Stanley Cup, the first thing I think of in my mind is my grandpa walking into a party (at Versteeg’s home) holding the Stanley Some of the memories from the 2010 postseason are indelible: Kane’s Cup and I’m damn near crying. Probably was crying. It was such an shorthanded goal in the first round against the with emotional moment for me and my family.” 13.6 seconds remaining to send Game 5 into overtime; Dustin Byfuglien’s overtime goal against the San Jose Sharks in Game 3 of the His grandfather had an unusual way of following Versteeg’s games. conference finals; and Duncan Keith getting seven teeth knocked out by “When I would be playing games, he would be watching the games while a puck the next game but playing on to help the Hawks sweep the having his headphones on. Back in day, they had Walkmans. He’d be Sharks. listening to the game on the radio as well — that’s how avid of a fan he was.” Other memories took place in hotels, hometowns and locker rooms, which were more than just sentimental — they were part of a yearlong Someone tell Kane to stop hogging the puck. “There’s multiple times learning and bonding experience. where (Pashkowich) would call me and he was like, ‘Your line mate needs to look for you more. … Kane’s shooting that puck? He’s got to In interviews with the Tribune, Bolland, Kris Versteeg and Patrick Sharp give it over to you.’ recalled the events that stood out. “And I go, ‘Of course, I agree with you. Kane’s got to pass me that puck 1. Patrick Sharp will never forget Keith’s teeth. all the way,’ ” Versteeg said, laughing. “I was on the ice when it happened,” Sharp said. “It was a big game for Versteeg famously rapped LMFAO’s “Yes” during the Hawks’ victory us, it was a clinching game and Duncan took a full slapshot puck right to rally. He had long been a fan of rap, and he always was an entertainer at the mouth. … Shards of teeth were still in his mouth, which is kind of heart. gross. But he came right back in the game, ended up assisting on the game-tying goal, and we would end up winning later on and on our way “I didn’t watch hockey (as a kid) so much to watch (the stars) as much as to the finals. I’d wait to watch interviews of Jeremy Roenick and the characters. … I watched the hockey part but I also like to watch the entertainment side “The lasting image that I’ll have is him doing the postgame interview at (of hockey), as well as basketball. I loved Shaquille (O’Neal), how he center ice. The building was going nuts after the handshakes. He had would grab the mic and rap and do funny things in the early 2000s with gauze in his mouth and blood everywhere — it was an ugly scene — but L.A.” it showed how badly Duncan wanted to win.” During the rally, Versteeg mentally picked out three or four possible Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews deserved the accolades they songs he’d perform if he got the chance. received, but others were “stars in their own right. It just took time for people to recognize that. We knew it all along. Guys like Andrew Ladd “At the time, Sharpie said, ‘You’ve got to go up there and do it.’ … went on to have great careers. Dustin Byfuglien was one of those guys.” Obviously it didn’t take too much convincing, just a couple of Bud Lights to get me there.” The Sharks series was one of the most trying. “It was a four-game sweep, but man, those games felt anything but one-sided. Every game Versteeg wants a recount of the parade’s crowd size (don’t go there). was real tight. Our goaltender Antti Niemi stood on his head. … That was Crowd estimates for the parade and rally at Grant Park exceeded 2 that series we just had key goals at key times in the game. Dustin million people. Versteeg thinks there were more. Byfuglien continued to score game-winning goals. Kane and Toews were playing top hockey at that point.” “When we left (the United Center), there was a string of people. We were like, ‘Holy crap.’ I don’t even know if those people were taken into the Patrick Sharp hugs the Stanley Cup during player introductions during equation from the United Center all the way down Madison (Street). … the Blackhawks Convention on July 30, 2010. There was barely any room for the buses to get through. And every time you’d get to a street and you looked left or right, you couldn’t see The trip to Europe to open the season forced the players to bond, with anything but people.” little to do except hang out in hotel lounges and play video games with each other. The Hawks finished the preseason playing in the Victoria D.J. Khaled’s “All I Do Is Win” was one of the songs of the summer and Cup in Zurich before playing the first two games of the season against another anthem for the Hawks. “I can’t imagine a better song coming out the Florida Panthers in Helsinki, Finland. The Hawks lost in a shootout in at a better time in my life. Every time they would put that on and ‘Chelsea the opener then blanked the Panthers 4-0 in the rematch. Dagger’ in any restaurant and any bar. And the whole club and bar or restaurant would just start screaming, ‘All I do is win!' It was amazing.” “You get on that plane, come home and feel good about what you accomplished. … That’s when a lot of the camaraderie was built as well.” Blackhawks forward Kris Versteeg scores against the Flyers during Game 1 of the on May 29, 2010, at the United The game against the Calgary Flames on Oct. 12, 2009, in which the Center. Hawks rallied from five goals down, was a defining moment. Just the fifth game of the season, Patrick Kane, Bolland and Sharp scored during a Versteeg remembers assisting on Tomas Kopecky’s winning goal in Game 1 against the Flyers in the Cup Final. “I did a spin-around and passed to Kopecky out into the slot. And he held onto it, went around and scored a great goal. To me that pass to him that gave us the lead in Game 1, that was one of biggest moments in my career.” Versteeg still has trouble watching Jeff Carter’s near miss that might have won Game 6 for the Flyers. “The pass went through Brian Campbell’s legs. It was probably (less than) 2 minutes left and Carter got around the net and … Niemi made an insane save. ... I still actually watch and I get nervous. I almost can’t watch it.

“It was on TV and I was just watching it with my kids, and I’m like, ‘Oh man, I feel like I’m going to have a panic attack now.’ Game’s already over, but you’re thinking about the possible outcomes if it did go in.”

Versteeg got to hang out with actor and big-time Hawks fan Vince Vaughn, whom he met through mutual friends. “I remember walking a couple of places with him and it was like a mob scene every time.” When Versteeg received his championship cap, “I didn’t take it off for like four days.” But then he decided to give it to Vaughn. “We were at rooftop dinner party, (I said), ‘Yeah, just keep it. You’re a big fan. You’ve supported us.’ ”

3. Dave Bolland remembers the roster was chock-full of leaders.

They were friends but held each other accountable. “Our communication was great” Bolland said. “We’d have a few guys you’d always hear a few swear words of guys yelling at each other, but (that’s) how we communicated, how we got along with each other. … If I made a mistake, (Brent) Seabrook would let me know. ‘Thanks for telling me, I need to do that better.’ We were always behind each other.”

Did we mention the pro wrestling belt? “Seabs was always great. If we had a two- or three-game losing streak, Seabs would always do something. I think he was the one who came up with the (WWE) belt for the player of the game.

“I think we were in Arizona and Seabs came in with this spandex underwear. … He came with a little speedo on and wraps around his knees and elbows how the wrestlers do it. I think Seabs was the guy in the dressing room that would boost the guys up.”

Dave Bolland, left, and Patrick Kane celebrate during the Blackhawks Stanley Cup rally on June 11, 2010.

Players really wanted to earn the belt by making the top plays on the ice.

“When you have 20 guys in the room that are competitive and want to win, having something else on the line is great, too.”

The crush of fans at the rally was an eye-opener for Bolland. “I give them credit. There were some dark years when things weren’t going so well, but they were always there.” Chicago Tribune LOADED: 06.10.2020 1175425 Chicago Blackhawks part. He talked about how building trust with people in the neighborhood was important.

“The second thing that came out was some of the despair, the How Sam Acho recruited Jonathan Toews, Mitch Trubisky, Jason hopelessness,” Acho said. “Some of the kids said, ‘Nothing is going to Heyward and other athletes to try to spark change in Chicago’s Austin change here. I’ve been here my whole life, nothing is going to change.’ neighborhood “We were sitting there looking for solutions and answers, and just that despair got me thinking, we’ve got to do something,” he said. “What By COLLEEN KANE CHICAGO TRIBUNE |JUN 09, 2020 | 12:11 PM we’re trying to do now is to get people together to rally around that community and say, ‘Let’s make a change. It’s not a one-time thing, but a long-lasting permanent change.’” Sam Acho speaks with members of the My Block, My Hood, My City How the Bears are helping kids from Chicago’s West and South sides: ‘I organization at Halas Hall on Nov. 30, 2018. care about people who are on the margins. I care about people who are forgotten about.’ » Former Bears linebacker Sam Acho was riding a bus with other Chicago pro athletes around the Austin neighborhood on the West Side last week Acho understood that a unique set of circumstances brought such a high- when a teenager delivered a truth that stuck with him. profile group together. The group with some of the city’s biggest sports names — including The stoppage of sports because of the coronavirus gave players from Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews, Bears players Mitch Trubisky and multiple teams time off in Chicago at the same time. But even as sports Allen Robinson and Cubs players Jason Heyward and Jason Kipnis — begin again, he hopes they each can commit to working in the just finished an event with Chicago youth, leaders and police officers. community a few times a year while also offering their resources to They listened as the kids discussed their feelings over the death of partner with organizations in the neighborhood. He’s hopeful they can George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police and the anti-racism start projects like building a food mart to help provide another healthy protests that followed, and then the athletes boarded the bus for a tour. eating option.

As Acho took note of the many liquor stores but few grocery stores in the Robinson noted last week the importance of furthering change after the neighborhood, the girl spoke up. protests begin to quiet.

“While we were on that bus and talking about what we were seeing, she “It’s the people who are actually living in it like myself, like my family, like said, ‘A lot of y’all look at this as a field trip, but we live here,’” he said. my teammates — for guys like that (to continue) to get in the community “’People live here, people grow up here, people raise their families here. and continue to impact the community,” the Bears receiver said. “The So my hope is that you wouldn’t just come once and leave. This is real biggest thing is … to impact things when this isn’t going on, to continue to for us.’” be able to (keep) things going in a positive direction on an everyday basis and not just sparingly when events like this happen.” Acho’s takeaway was this: Last week’s gathering should be just the first of many steps to help people in the neighborhood. Acho has been doing his part to keep conversations about change flowing. It came about after Acho felt a deep sadness when considering the events of the last few months, including the deaths of Floyd, Ahmaud He wrote a book, due out in October, called “Let the World See You: How Arbery and Breonna Taylor. Acho, who is a free agent and still training as to Be Real in a World Full of Fakes.” It addresses many of the issues he waits to sign with an NFL team, was an important voice for the Bears he’s talking about now, including his experiences as the son of Nigerian when he played in Chicago from 2015-2018 and was on the team’s social parents who attended a predominantly white school when he was justice committee in 2018. He now is the vice president of the NFL younger. Players Association executive committee. He and his brother, Emmanuel, who was a linebacker in the NFL for three seasons, have Column: When Drew Brees uses the American flag to virtue signal, he been among the vocal leaders in the NFL community over the last ignores black contributions to the military — and the systemic reasons several weeks. many don’t know their family history »

Acho considered the ways he could make a difference, which has He also wrote a compelling article for The Players’ Tribune detailing the included writing an article on diversity in NFL front offices and coaching steps the NFL should take to promote diversity in its front offices and staffs and making various media appearances. He called a friend at By coaching staffs. Acho said the idea came to him after watching the draft The Hand Kids Club, an after-school program for kids in under-resourced and noticing the disparity between the mostly white team leaders and the neighborhoods. mostly black players who were drafted. After speaking out about the NFL’s “sophomoric” suggestions to change the Rooney Rule this spring, “She said, ‘Man, our kids just need encouragement,’” Acho said. “Their he began to hear from black coaches and front office personnel about situation was already bad, but now it’s dire. Not only their living what they thought of NFL hiring practices. situations, but then add COVID to that, having school taken away and some of their after-school programs taken away. And then now it’s “It came about asking people who are affected by the Rooney Rule, who almost like an attack on their identity and who they are.” are affected by racism and discrimination and bias, ‘Hey, what do you think is the solution?’” Acho said. “Because if you have all white guys Acho believes bringing people together is one of his gifts — and he trying to solve problems around diversity, it’s probably not going to work. started with Trubisky, who right away said he was in and then recruited So why don’t you ask the people who are affected by this, people who Robinson. Acho called friends from the Bulls and in baseball and asked a have been passed over what they think?” Bears employee to help reach out to the Blackhawks. Within 36 hours, he had secured the participation of Bulls players Ryan Arcidiacono and Max Acho said he sees the back and forth that has been happening between Strus, Blackhawks goalie Malcolm Subban and Northwestern alums and NFL players and the league as promising. current NFL players Tyler Lancaster and Austin Carr. The White Sox did “I feel hopeful because dialogue is happening, and I’m excited that we’re not have a player available to attend on the day. able to get a back and forth, but now I’m eager to see some solutions,” U.S. Rep. Danny K. Davis and Ald. Emma Mitts (37th) also attended with he said. “We are at a critical juncture in the world, specifically in America, Chicago police officers. BUILD and Westside Health Authority took part where change can actually happen. From what I understand, there’s with By the Hand. been more changes to laws and more progress when it comes to fighting racism in these last two weeks of protesting than there has been in a For the athletes, the event was about two things: Using their ears and very long time, so I’m hopeful that change will actually happen from the their resources. dialogue.”

They participated in “healing circles,” in which kids vented their And he plans to continue taking steps to take part in change, including in frustrations and asked the police, “Why are you killing black people? Why Chicago. is this happening?” Acho took note of one police officer who said his job was to serve and protect, but sometimes officers forget about the serve “When opportunity comes to make a change, it’s almost like, ‘I’m here and ready,’” Acho said. “There’s an adage in the Bible, it’s like, ‘Here I am, Lord, use me. I’m here. I’m available. Use me.’”

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2010 Blackhawks describe what made Stanley Cup champion team so special

By Matthew Rooney June 09, 2020 6:45 PM

The 2010 Blackhawks were a great team. Yes, this seems like an obvious statement, but as time passes it’s easy to forget just how good they were. They finished with 112 points — most in franchise history — and just a point shy of the San Jose Sharks for the top seed in the Western Conference, who they swept in the conference final. The Hawks played in a division with three 100+ point teams, including the two-time defending Western Conference champion Detroit Red Wings. They were in the top five in the NHL in both goals scored per game and goals against, and had three of the NHL’s top 100 ranked players of all- time. During the 2010 Blackhawks reunion show, moderator Eddie Olcyzk asked the group to give a brief explanation about what made the team so successful. One resounding answer from the group: the team's depth. “Our depth was unbelievable,” Dave Bolland said. “You look from the top to the bottom, we had guys that could play all positions.”

“I look at the depth of our team, guys stepping up on different nights," Patrick Kane added. "Everyone had contributions, everyone had their night.”

Colin Fraser attributed the success to the team's competitive nature.

“Compete. We had grinders that would compete but our top players competed too," he said. "We had skill that played hard.”

Dustin Byfuglien echoed Fraser’s sentiment about the group's versatility, not without taking a jab at his buddy, Kane. “Other than Kaner, everyone worked hard,” Byfuglien quipped. “We were just such a tight group. So young, and we were all coming in together. Just having fun. There wasn’t one game I remember that we were scared or nervous about going into. We knew that we could just come in and play hockey. Whatever way you wanted to play, we could play.” Patrick Sharp summed everything up talking about the team’s desire to be great.

“At the end of the day, we were just a bunch of hockey guys that wanted to be great individually and wanted to have a great team, and it was a perfect storm of everything," Sharp said. "Special to be a part of that team.” A perfect storm is a fitting way to describe the 2010 run, as much of the team was disbanded due to salary cap constraints in the summer. But 10 years later, there still remains zero doubt from the 2010 Blackhawks about how great they were, and just how special of a team they had.

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John Wiedeman felt pressure to get call on Patrick Kane's 2010 Cup- winner right

By Slavko Bekovic June 09, 2020 5:07 PM

Now that 10 years have passed, everyone seems to remember Patrick Kane’s 2010 Cup-clinching goal vividly. But for some, it also brings back some traumatic work experiences.

In the latest edition of the Blackhawks Talk Podcast, NBC Sports broadcaster Doc Emrick labeled it “the worst call I ever made in 47 years.” And on Sports Talk Live, Blackhawks’ radio voice John Wiedeman recalled the uncertainty of the moment and the time a bad situation turned into a memorable moment. “Nobody knew where that puck was after Patrick Kane had shot it,” said Wiedeman. “Leading up to the overtime, I had that sense of ‘I gotta get this right. There’s so many people depending on me, I gotta get this right.’

“It’s my obligation to make sure that I got it right. Now, having done play by play professionally for, leading up to that point, I think it was 10 years, I had enough practice that I should have been able to handle that moment,” recalled Wiedeman. “But when that moment is upon you, you really don’t know what’s going to happen and you have to rely on your training, and I think a little bit on your instincts.” As usual, the Stanley Cup Final usually brings out throngs of media members and numerous extra broadcast partners come out from across the globe. Wiedeman and partner Troy Murray’s broadcast location came at the expense of the extra coverage.

“We were 15 feet outside the last broadcast booth. Visiting radio, they kick you out, you’re like the lowest member of the food chain,” he said. “And in Philly, we were working on a ledge, and the ledge was 15 feet down from the end broadcast booth and there were people walking behind Troy Murray and me, almost the whole night. You know, like, ‘Hey, we gotta get through, you guys are in the way,’ and nobody seemed to even care.”

When Kane slid the puck under Flyers’ goalie Michael Leighton’s pads, he seemed to be the only person in the building that knew the game - and the Blackhawks’ 49-year Stanley Cup drought - was over.

“Now, I’ll admit that there was a second there where I didn’t know where that puck was. But I was basing my call on two things,” said Wiedeman. “One was the body language of Patrick Kane. Why would he skate so vigorously behind the net and around and up the far boards, waving his hands in the air going ‘Hey, come on, boys, it’s over! It’s over!’? Why would he do that if that puck wasn’t in the net? So I trusted Patrick Kane to know that it was in the net, that he indeed saw it go into the net, there was a definitive end to this.”

The second factor Wiedeman based his call on? He finally saw the puck...but it took a bit longer than usual.

“When Michael Leighton, the goaltender of the Flyers was down in the crease, he had turned his body one way and then the other, and when he turned that other way, I saw the puck down underneath the apron of the net,” Wiedeman recalled. “And I heard Troy Murray to my left saying ‘It’s in! It’s in! It’s in!’ And he has a ton of experience in the NHL, not only as a broadcaster but definitely as a player, he’s seen it all. And when I heard that and I saw that and said, ‘This is it.' 'He scores, it’s in, the Blackhawks win the Stanley Cup.' And I went on a little bit of a soliloquy about the 49 years and the fans’ patience and all of that. There was a great sense of relief on top of it, I’ll admit, but an incredible sense of euphoria.”

And a memorable call so endearing to Blackhawks fans all came because of the precarious positioning of a broadcast perch.

“But it turned out to be the best possible broadcast perspective for calling the game-winning goal. Who knew?”

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Ryan Dempster pulled a unique prank on Sean Avery at LA Kings game

By Alex Shapiro June 09, 2020 3:45 PM

Ryan Dempster loves hockey. He also loves pranks. So, when he blends the two it turns into a great story, one which he shared with NBC Sports Chicago's David Kaplan.

“I love going to hockey games, I really do,” Dempster recently told Kaplan. “That was a thing, as seasons would kind of overlap, if there was a moment where if I could get from a day game over to a Penguins game, I was going, if we were in Pittsburgh.

“If we’re in a city and it’s hockey season, can I make it to a game, can I go to a morning practice and watch these guys skate? RELATED: Ryan Dempster partied with Blackhawks after 2010 Cup win, pitched for Cubs next day

“I actually remember one time going to a Blackhawks game against the Kings, and Sean Avery was a friend of mine, and I just decided that day to wear a Captain America costume. So I’m sitting behind their bench and I’m just all over him. I mean I’m just burying him.

“He was dating Rachel Hunter at the time, from that ‘Stacy’s Mom’ music video. I’m saying ‘I don’t care if you are dating Stacy’s Mom, I’ll still whip your tail. Let’s go Avery, you’re a bum!”

Hockey players, known for interacting with fans — whether it’s giving a puck to a kid over the glass, or chirping back at a heckler — wouldn’t miss an opportunity to dish with this rowdy fan.

“He’s given me the ‘C’mon, get down here, let’s go.’ And he didn’t know it was me.

“So after the game I’m still full uni’d up. And I rode it out, they were trying to kick me out of seats and I’m like, ‘I’m Captain America, I sit wherever I want.’ And I make my way down to the locker room, the Kings locker room, and he’s taking his skates off, and you see him lock eye contact with me. And this is a beeline, this is not a conversation, it’s fisticuffs. And I peel the mask off and he’s just like, ‘Oh my god, are you kidding me? That was you?’

“So as people know, I’m a bit of a clown, and that was a bit of a clown moment.” Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 06.10.2020 1175429 Chicago Blackhawks

Why Dustin Byfuglien's move to forward was a game changer for 2010 Blackhawks

By Scott King June 09, 2020 6:10 PM

During the 2010 Stanley Cup Playoffs, Dustin Byfuglien played the first round — against the Nashville Predators — on defense with Brian Campbell injured. Campbell was out after getting hit into the boards by the Capitals' Alex Ovechkin on March 14.

For Byfuglien and the Hawks, all bets were off when Campbell returned to the lineup in time for the Western Conference Semifinals against the Vancouver Canucks.

Big Buff — 6'5, 260 lbs. — would be a wrecking ball in front of the net against the Canucks and the rest of the Hawks' opponents in the 2010 postseason. "I thought coming into that series (against Vancouver) we would be alright," Byfuglien said on a 2010 Chicago Blackhawks Player Reunion Show that aired on NBC Sports Chicago Tuesday evening, celebrating the 10-year anniversary of the team winning its first of three Cups in six seasons. "I think the boys kind of knew that we were going to have fun and we were going to continue playing good hockey and just doing the right things and once we got there, everyone was on the same page.

"It was just fun to be a part of. And the goals, I didn't have to play with Duncan (Keith) anymore on defense,” Byfuglien joked. “I moved up to forward, so just sitting in front of the net made it a lot easier.”

“I think just the whole presence of him was so intimidating for defensemen, for goaltending, we saw it through the whole playoffs,” Campbell said of Byfuglien, the Hawks’ giant goalie screen. “I don't want to jump ahead, but I still remember the San Jose goal where (Evgeni) Nabokov was standing around looking for a puck and it was already in the back of the net. “There was only one reason why it was in the net, because he couldn't see anything. The hits . . . It was honestly probably one of the most dominating performances that you can honestly say you've seen in a playoff series and I give a lot of credit to Buff because he played so many different roles for our team.

“And I don't know, I wouldn't want to be hit by him. It's not fun, I've had that before. But he's quite the presence for a goaltender and I think he's still giving Bobby Lu (former Vancouver goalie Roberto Luongo) some nightmares right now. I definitely know that from playing with Bobby Lu in Florida.” Blackhawks three-time Stanley Cup champ turned TV analyst Patrick Sharp thinks Byfuglien came into his own in the 2010 Semifinals.

“It seemed like he really came to life that series,” Sharp said. “As the villain in Vancouver, I think he really thrived under that pressure. We know Buff here on this call but he keeps to himself and he lays low but in that moment, in those big playoff games when the whole Vancouver Canucks team was focusing on him and the media was all over him, it just seemed like he got better and better in those big moments.” Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 06.10.2020 1175430 Chicago Blackhawks

Brent Seabrook's Blackhawks teammates tease him about his superstitions

By Matthew Rooney June 09, 2020 6:30 PM

While pregame rituals and superstitions have their roles throughout all sports, no athletes seem to take them as seriously as hockey players do. From Patrick Kane’s puck flip to Jonathan Toews's and Alex DeBrincat’s side bump, these rituals are held sacred by athletes, with the ability to throw off their game mentally if not executed. During the Blackhawks 2010 Stanley Cup reunion show, the group was asked about any specific rituals or superstitions they remember and the former teammates looked no further than one of their locker room leaders.

“It’s got to be Seabs,” chirped Andrew Ladd almost immediately. “Seabs would have to tap everyone’s knuckles when we went out, and Soupy [Brian Campbell] would hide on him.”

“I sat beside [Brent Sopel] so it must have rubbed off on me” said Seabrook, defending himself. Dustin Byfuglien chipped in that Seabrook “used to change the music at every stoplight on the way to the rink."

According to his teammates, Seabrook had a specific pregame diet as well.

“The seven Hershey kisses you used to have,” contributed Ladd. “Seven bottles of water too. The night before, had to have brownies and ice cream too,” added Troy Brouwer.

Sweet tooth and all, Seabrook’s pregame rituals clearly seemed to work out for the better.

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How Blackhawks' healthy scratches almost jinxed 2010 Stanley Cup Final Game 6

By Scott King June 09, 2020 6:20 PM

2010 Stanley Cup champ and former Blackhawks forward Colin Fraser had a unique story when it came to Game 6 of the 2010 Final heading to overtime.

In a 2010 Chicago Blackhawks Player Reunion Show that aired on NBC Sports Chicago Tuesday evening, which celebrated the 10-year anniversary of the team winning its first of three Cups in six seasons, Fraser noted that himself and the other Hawks healthy scratches for Game 6 in Philadelphia may have gotten ready to celebrate a bit early. "Me, (Adam) Burish and Bick (), we put our gear on and Philly tied it late in the third (Scott Hartnell made it 3-3 with less than three minutes remaining in regulation), we had our gear on already," Fraser said. "We're sitting there like, 'We just jinxed it.' We're hiding in the little closet in the massage room there so guys didn't see us (during intermission before OT).

Related: How Blackhawks 2013 Stanley Cup champ Brandon Bollig barely made on-ice celebration "Then we're like, 'Okay, now we better win because I can't sit here with all my equipment on, I'll feel like a complete donkey. So we were watching the monitor and then we run out to the bench and we stopped on the bench because we didn't know if (the puck from Patrick Kane's overtime goal) was in there, so we didn't want to run on the ice, celebrate and then have to pick up our crap and go back to the dressing room. I'm just happy it was in."

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Blackhawks reminisce about turning point of 2010 Stanley Cup run

By Charlie Roumeliotis June 09, 2020 6:05 PM

In all three Blackhawks Stanley Cup runs over the past decade, you could identify a specific moment in the postseason that served as the turning point. There might be several of them along the way, but one usually stands out when you look back at the playoffs as a whole.

In 2010, there wasn't a bigger moment than Game 5 against the Nashville Predators when Patrick Kane tied it up in the final minute with a shorthanded tally and Marian Hossa scored the overtime winner after sitting in the penalty box for five minutes. It's a moment Chicago fans will never forget and it's scary to think what could've happened if the Blackhawks fell behind 3-2 in the series going back to Nashville.

"I think that was my only shorthanded goal of my career, so it was worth it," Kane said during Tuesday's 10-year anniversary player reunion show on NBC Sports Chicago. "It came at a good time. Obviously that whole play, Nashville had possession, [Martin] Erat threw it in front of the net and [Jonathan Toews] lugged it up the ice, I think he gave it to [Brent Seabrook] and took a shot ... if I remember correctly, [Duncan Keith] hit the crossbar off a tip and then it came around and all five of us touched the puck again: [Patrick Sharp], Seabs, Duncs, Tazer and myself just putting it in the net, so great feeling. "The celebration was kind of wild. Even though we tied up the game, it kind of felt like we won a game there with that type of celebration. The crowd was going nuts and like everyone said, it was unexpected that we would tie it up, so it was a great feeling and got to overtime and obviously [Marian Hossa] coming out of the box wrote a great story." It was a perfect script for Hossa, who found himself in the right place and the right time to score his first career playoff goal as a Blackhawk.

"Just lucky moment and a great feeling after sitting in the penalty box for five minutes," Hossa said. "Definitely, that game got us going and I think the confidence went higher each game after that."

At the time, you could feel the tension inside the United Center as the regulation minutes wound down. The magnitude of that game was significant. But the Blackhawks didn't fully realize it until they looked back on the entire championship run.

"We were rolling and feeling confident after that Game 5 win and were feeling pretty calm we would find a way to close out the series," Toews said. "But when you're in the moment you're just kind of concentrating on the next game. I think when you win the Stanley Cup and look back in hindsight you can kind of pinpoint those moments that you came close to either being knocked out or against the ropes and I think we can all look at Game 5 as a pretty make-or-break moment for us."

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What Marian Hossa remembers most about winning first Stanley Cup with Blackhawks

By Charlie Roumeliotis June 09, 2020 6:40 PM

Marian Hossa will go down as arguably the greatest free-agent signing in Chicago sports history after playing a crucial role in all three Stanley Cup runs for the Blackhawks. But there was a moment in his career where Hossa doubted he'd ever get another chance to earn a ring.

In 2008, Hossa lost to the Detroit Red Wings in the Stanley Cup Final as a member of the Pittsburgh Penguins. The following season, he went from Pittsburgh to Detroit and found himself on the losing end of a rematch that went seven games. Back-to-back trips to the Stanley Cup Final and nothing to show for it.

Hossa signed a 12-year contract with the Blackhawks on July 1, 2009, hoping to win just one championship in Chicago. So you can imagine his emotions during the 2010 Stanley Cup Final — his third consecutive appearance — after Patrick Kane scored the game winner in overtime. "I think we can call it the most bizarre goal in OT because it was crazy, scoring OT winner like that," Hossa said during Tuesday's virtual players reunion show on NBC Sports Chicago. "I saw Kaner and a couple guys going crazy and we jump over the bench and we didn't know if we should celebrate. I think I went straight to the referee, I wanted to make sure, after being three straight times in the Finals, if the puck was in so after they told me the puck was in I started celebrating with the boys and got the monkey off my back, so definitely one of my favorites in my career to see my teammates score and one of the hugest, so thanks Kaner again."

One of the best parts about the on-ice celebration is Jonathan Toews hoisting the Stanley Cup above his head then immediately screaming: "Where's Hoss?" It's a moment Hossa will never forget.

"I remember the moment when Jonny gave me the Cup after the game and the first time, he let it go and I remember the weight of the Cup surprised me how heavy it was for the first couple seconds," Hossa said. "Then after that I just took it around and said the hockey dream came true. Unforgettable feeling."

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Duncan Keith: 2010 Stanley Cup champ Blackhawks could've been a 'mean machine'

By Joe Collins June 09, 2020 6:55 PM

Some Chicago sports fans were lucky to witness two three-peats in the mid-90s, courtesy of Michael Jordan and the Bulls.

Could the Blackhawks have reached those lofty heights? Or at the very least, could they have secured a back-to-back championship?

15-year Hawks veteran Duncan Keith was part of all three Stanley Cup champion teams— 2010, 2013 and 2015. But even he, like so many die- hard Blackhawks fans, wonders ‘what could have been.’

The longtime defenseman was part of the recent 2010 Chicago Blackhawks Player Reunion Show, which celebrated the 10-year anniversary of the team winning its first of three Cups in six seasons.

“It was a two-year team in the making,” Keith said. “The year before, we lost to Detroit in the Western Conference Final and it kind of carried over. I look back on that team…you had guys end up going to different organizations and starring and being captains and top players. Had that team been able to stay together…we would have been able to really show what we could do with confidence knowing that we’d won before.” The 2009-10 season was one for the books for Keith. In addition to being the anchor of the blue line, he notched career highs in goals (14), assists (55) and points (69). He also won the first of two Norris Memorial Trophies that season.

The Hawks’ win over the Flyers that season helped wipe away 49 years of anguish for the franchise. Patrick Kane’s game-winner in overtime of Game 6 gave Chicago its first Stanley Cup title since 1961. But some of the team’s key cogs soon went elsewhere. The Blackhawks traded Dustin Byfuglien, Ben Eager and Bren Sopel to Atlanta. Then they dealt Colin Fraser to Edmonton for a sixth-round draft pick. A week later, Kris Versteeg was part of a five-player trade with Toronto. Andrew Ladd was traded a day later— the same day Adam Burish signed as a free agent with Dallas. In September, goaltender Antti Niemi would sign as a free agent with San Jose. Brian Campbell and Tomas Kopecky were dealt the following summer.

“If we would have been able to stick together, it would have been a pretty mean machine to deal with,” Keith said. "We were a confident group as it was. But if you’d just imagine the confidence that we would have had as a group had we been able to stick together with a championship under our belt already. I guess it’s always easy to look back and think what could have happened.”

And if you ever wondered why the celebration after the 2010 Cup was so special — lasting well into the days and weeks that followed — Keith made it clear.

“That celebration— I think a lot of it was just the fact that we knew kind of in the back of our minds that we weren’t going to be able to keep everybody around…and the team was going to get broken up because of the cap so I think there was some subconscious stuff going on there knowing that we wanted to do it for each other. That’s how close we were.”

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Patrick Kane, Blackhawks share viewpoints of 2010 Stanley Cup- clinching goal

By Charlie Roumeliotis June 09, 2020 6:15 PM

One of the most memorable overtime goals in NHL history is Patrick Kane's during Game 6 of the 2010 Stanley Cup Final to end a 49-year championship drought for the Blackhawks. It was also one of the most bizarre finishes you'll ever see.

There was no light. There was no signal. And there was plenty of confusion.

Only a handful of people in the building saw the puck go in and nobody was more confident at the time than Kane, who admitted during Tuesday's virtual players reunion on NBC Sports Chicago that he still has nightmares about alternative history. "It's an amazing moment for the Blackhawks franchise and obviously our team," Kane said. "Looking back on that play, I think [Patrick Sharp] is still pissed I didn't pass it to him in the slot because he was open, but we got the win and we won the Stanley Cup, so that was all that mattered. But even to this day, I still have some bad dreams where that puck's not in the net and I'll be throwing my equipment all over the ice and running up and down the ice and the puck's not in, so just happy it went in. I was pretty sure at the moment. "Obviously the celebration was kind of weird where I was running to the other end of the ice. I think Sharpy knew it was in, [Andrew Ladd] was chasing me as well, [Brian Campbell], and then guys coming off the bench didn't really know how to react. A lot of them didn't know whether to celebrate or [wait] for confirmation on the goal. Just watching that game and seeing the whole celebration, how it was kind of one celebration with Antti [Niemi] and then once there was confirmation on the goal it was like a whole other celebration with the team, so pretty cool the way it worked out though."

Brian Campbell, who recorded the primary assist on Kane's Stanley Cup- clinching goal, had a different viewpoint. He wasn't sure where the puck was and started looking everywhere but the back of the net.

"No clue," Campbell said. "I kept looking in the netting above the glass, I thought it hit the goalie's stick and went up into the netting. But I always say shame on all of us for not believing in a Hall of Famer scoring a goal with Kaner there and not believing that when he put his hands up it went in, but I'm glad ... I kept my gear on because I didn't want to be the one picking my gear up and playing more hockey and look like that."

Colin Fraser had a unique perspective. Like Brandon Bollig shared recently on the Blackhawks Talk Podcast about his vantage point of "17 Seconds" in 2013, Fraser was a healthy scratch and found himself scrambling in the locker room with Bryan Bickell and Adam Burish.

"I wasn't on the bench, I was riding pine as the 13th forward in the dressing room," Fraser joked. "Stupid story, but it was me, Burish and Bick and we put our gear on and Philly tied it late in the third. We were sitting there thinking we just jinxed it and were hiding in the closet and massage room so guys wouldn't see us, so now we were like, 'we better win because I can't sit here and take all my equipment off and feel like a complete donkey.' "We were watching on the little monitor and then stopped on the bench because we didn't know if it was in either, so we didn't want to run on the ice, celebrate, then have to pick up our crap and go back to the dressing room like the 13th forwards we were, so I'm just happy it was in. I'm with you Kaner, I would've had nightmares myself if it didn't go in and we would've had to do it all over again."

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Ryan Dempster partied with Blackhawks after 2010 Cup win, pitched for Cubs next day

By Tim Stebbins June 09, 2020 1:50 PM

As the Blackhawks reached hockey’s mountaintop in 2010, winning their first Stanley Cup since 1961, the Cubs were beginning to decline. They went 75-87 that season, Year 1 of a five-year rebuild.

You’ll have to forgive then-Cubs ace Ryan Dempster, an avid hockey fan, for how he felt watching the Blackhawks run through the 2010 playoffs while his own club struggled.

“I think at times, I was more excited for what they were doing out on the ice than what we were doing on the baseball field,” Dempster told NBC Sports Chicago’s David Kaplan last week. “Especially in 2010 and watching them go through all that was incredible.” Dempster befriended fellow Brent Seabrook, Duncan Keith and Jonathan Toews, and those friendships provided him the chance to celebrate with the Hawks after they won the Cup against the Philadelphia Flyers — though he almost passed up the opportunity.

Kaplan explained what happened that night, June 9, 2010, on his radio show Tuesday. [Dempster] said he's asleep, and what I found out later was he was in Milwaukee. He had to pitch in Milwaukee the next day at 1:10 and he's asleep in his hotel room and the phone rings.

It's Brent Seabrook: 'Dude, we won the Cup. Get out here.' [Dempster] is like 'I got a game tomorrow.'

He got someone to drive him to Chicago and he stayed out late, like 5:30 in the morning. Got back to Milwaukee and then actually pitched into the sixth inning.

The Cubs lost on June 10, 2010 via a walk-off, but Dempster pitched well, tossing 5 1/3 innings while allowing three runs (two earned) on five hits and five walks with three . The late-night rendezvous seemed well worth it. “Sometimes I don’t highly encourage those kind of things, but every once in a while when you have something special like the Stanley Cup coming through,” Dempster said, “you have to make exceptions but be willing — if you’re going to stay out with the owls, you gotta get up and soar with the eagles in the morning.”

“For a Canadian kid, I grew up watching hockey night in Canada, I loved hockey. “To be able to hold the Stanley Cup, to sip a beer out of a Stanley Cup, what an incredible moment at a time that I’ll forever be grateful for those guys sharing a little bit of their time with their trophy with me."

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Ryan Dempster wanted to be next Mario Lemieux, not baseball pitcher

By Alex Shapiro June 09, 2020 1:26 PM

Ryan Dempster had a great MLB career. He played for 16 seasons, including eight and a half with the Cubs. He won a World Series in his final season with the 2013 Boston Red Sox.

But Dempster told NBC Sports Chicago’s David Kaplan that he actually grew up wanting to be a hockey player.

“I always had this aspiration of thinking I could be Wayne Gretzky, or for me Mario Lemieux,” Dempster said. “That was the guy I admired the most. But reality was, it wasn’t in my cards.

“I was a much better baseball player, I kinda skated like Happy Gilmore. So it was not really something I was going to do growing up.”

Beyond not being a great skater, his family also didn’t have the resources or time to support hockey along with all the other sports he and his brothers played.

“As a kid growing up, the hockey rink was about 30 minutes from our house. With two younger brothers, when my parents could finally afford for us to be playing some hockey-- gear was expensive, all of those kinds of things-- we were on three different teams and my mom’s ripping one of us out at 5:30 a.m. and then coming back and taking another one out.

“Finally after that season she’s like, ‘Alright boys, listen, you boys can play hockey and no other sports, or every sport and no hockey.’ We loved every other sport so it was kinda easy, but I missed it.”

What do you think, could you imagine Dempster donning the Indian Head sweater instead of the Cubbies’ pinstripes?

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Why Jonathan Toews compared Patrick Kane's game preparation to Michael Jordan's

By Scott King June 09, 2020 1:12 PM

Like every other sports fan in the universe, Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews watched ESPN's docuseries "The Last Dance" about Michael Jordan and the 1998 NBA champion Chicago Bulls.

The three-time Stanley Cup champ and two-way center gave teammate Patrick Kane quite the compliment in comparing him to Jordan in an Instagram video interview Toews did with NHL Network analyst and former NHL goalie Kevin Weekes on Monday.

"I see similarities in just the way Kaner approaches his game, how methodical he is with his preparation, just how specific he is with his thought process," Toews said. "I think he's just a very observant person and I think you see a lot of that in Michael Jordan too. That confidence when it comes time to play the game, he's not thinking, he's just going out there to play. "But he's done the homework, he's kind of merged that intuition and rational thinking and they're coming together at the right time. There's a time to think and prepare and strategize and there's a time to just set that free and obviously that's easier said than done and that's probably something I'm still working on at this point in my career." Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 06.10.2020 1175439 Chicago Blackhawks

Corey Crawford named Blackhawks' nominee for 2020 Bill Masterton Trophy

By Charlie Roumeliotis June 09, 2020 9:00 AM

For the second straight year, Corey Crawford is the Blackhawks' nominee for the 2020 Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, annually awarded to the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to the sport, as voted upon by the team's chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers' Association. The 35-year-old goaltender played his first full regular season since the 2016-17 campaign after missing the second half of the 2017-18 season and parts of the 2018-19 season because of a concussion. He shared time with Robin Lehner for most of the season, but got better the more he played, especially down the stretch, to keep the Blackhawks in the playoff race.

Crawford finished the regular season with a 16-20-3 record with a 2.77 goals-against average, .917 save percentage and one shutout. From Jan. 1 and on, he had a 10-9-1 record with a 2.33 goals-against average and .928 save percentage.

Only two other Blackhawks have won the Masterton Trophy: Pit Martin (1969-70) and Bryan Berard (2003-04). The 31 nominees will be narrowed to three finalists in a poll by the PHWA members, and the winner will be announced at the NHL Awards at a later date.

Lehner was the recipient of the award in 2019 after turning in a Vezina Trophy-caliber season going into a year in which he revealed his battles with addiction and mental health issues.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 06.10.2020 1175440 Chicago Blackhawks "We sat glass-side, in the corner. I remember him heckling players, he's very vocal as you know. He's very passionate and he likes to win," Byrne said. "Look, getting to go to any sporting event with Vince is How former Blackhawks forward Dave Bolland and Vince Vaughn unbelievable. He's the unofficial mayor at times when you walk around became close friends the city with that guy."

6-11-vaughn-polar-plunge.png

By Scott King June 09, 2020 7:23 AM Vaughn's 2010 hockey excitement overflowed into gaming.

"We would play NHL in his theater room, it was this massive, massive screen and we'd play NHL from eight o'clock until three in the morning You might remember seeing actor Vince Vaughn getting pumped up in sometimes and John Hughes Jr. would come over and play us. We the front row during the 2010 Stanley Cup playoffs and you may recall would all just talk about hockey, the NHL, the Hawks, etc. It was such an the image of him giving a certain former Canucks goalie the business intoxicating, exciting time to be in Chicago," Steve said. during the first round of 2011's playoffs. But what was transpiring behind the scenes with the famed Blackhawks fan during the summer of 2010 Byrne saw firsthand that Vince's competitive nature rivaled that of a was even more unforgettable according to his friends. future two-time Stanley Cup champion.

Vaughn was shooting "The Dilemma" in Chicago during the summer of "Some of my best memories in Chicago have been with Vince and 2010. The film starred himself, Kevin James, Jennifer Connelly and Bolland, some of the other guys that played with the Hawks. I remember Winona Ryder with Ron Howard directing it. one time, we used to play WhirlyBall all the time, Vince and I would separate into teams and Dave would come and bring a lot of the guys 2010 and 2013 Stanley Cup champ Dave Bolland stayed in Chicago after with him, Dave and (Kris) Versteeg and maybe another Hawk or two and the Hawks won in 2010 and met Vince one day at the United Center. we split up into teams," Byrne said. "I remember, I had gotten married Bolland was working out when someone from the marketing department and my honeymoon was the next day at six in the morning. with the Blackhawks asked if he wanted an introduction to the star, who was filming at the UC. "So we go to WhirlyBall at 11 p.m. and we played three best of seven's because Vince and Dave were so competitive, and myself, we were on "I was like, 'Yeah!' I remember watching Old School, that was one of my different teams. So we kept beating Vince and Vince was so furious he first movies when I came to London (Ontario) with the team (the London kept saying, 'Another out of seven, another out of seven.' And these Knights of the ). We went and watched Old guys... There's a bar there, we're drinking, my hands were so nicked up School and everybody was dying laughing and on the ground," Bolland because people were throwing their rackets at each other, slicing each said. other.

Dave continued to see Vaughn at the UC when he was working out and "My one friend, I don't know how it happened, his nipple got cut. He was Vince was shooting the movie. The former Hawks winger got to know the like, 'How did my nipple get cut?' I mean people were hacking each other actor's friends Steve Byrne, a comedian who had a part in the movie, and and I showed up at my house at 4:15 a.m. and my flight was leaving at Peter Billingsley, formerly "Ralphie" from A Christmas story and currently six out of O'Hare and my wife was furious. a Hollywood producer. "I remember Colin Jost, who's on Weekend Update now, on SNL, came Vaughn, Byrne, Billingsley, Bolland, comedian Bill Burr and then Chicago and he broke his hand on that punching bag machine at WhirlyBall Bears' tight end Greg Olsen would have half-rink tournaments on the ice because we're all punching it, seeing how tough we were. And Colin, you at the UC when they weren't shooting "The Dilemma". Dave also began know, the Harvard kid, broke his hand on it." hanging with the group after hours. Byrne was out of town one night in 2010 and missed a special For Steve's 36th birthday Vince got Dave to surprise him with a stick celebration with Lord Stanley's Cup Vaughn wouldn't let him forget about. signed by the entire 2010 team. "I was so furious because I remember I was in Phoenix and they had won steve_and_bolland.png and Vince was eating dinner with Ron Howard at Prosecco's and they have this basement. And I remember that Coach Quenneville brought the Related: Two unbelievable Dave Bolland Stanley Cup stories Cup with him and I guess he was eating upstairs and heard Vince and "He's just an all-around great person and a great guy," Bolland said of Ron were downstairs and brought the Cup downstairs. Vaughn. "He knows everything, he's smarter than hell. I learned a lot of "I think Ron Howard talked about it on the Tonight Show and he got to things off of him, just little things. In general, he's a polite, down-to-earth drink out of the Stanley Cup and Vince got to drink out of the Stanley guy that loves going out with the guys and having some fun. You meet Cup. And of course I'm in Phoenix in some dumpy green room eating some actors or some other people that are big stars and some of them mozzarella sticks and Vince is texting me pictures of him drinking from have big heads, but Vince is a down-to-earth guy and he's just another the Cup and he's like, 'I told you, you should have stayed here.' regular person really." A year or two after the 2010 run, Bolland recalls being amazed Vince's According to Bolland, Vaughn possesses the same quick wit in real life fame reached the location of Steve's bachelor party near the border of that you see on-screen. Florida and Alabama. "He's quick and witty, he can get ya," Dave said. "I don't really say much, "This is down south, I wouldn't think anybody would know Vince down because I know he could ponce on me pretty quick. I kind of get it with there and we went out one night to this shack, this bar but it was like a Steve. It's tough for me to get in there and say a joke with them because shack. These people just basically took like wood that was off houses they're just like [that]. Steve and I always get at it sometimes, but Vince and they just built this bar. can turn quick there and he can get ya. When you get Vince and Steve and Peter Billingsley together, just three funny guys, they are hilarious." "We went in there and you wouldn't think Vince, that they would know him down there, but he's known everywhere, it's crazy," Bolland said. Later on Dave would meet Vince and his crew in a private room in the "We'd have to be put in the corner and have security guards around us. It basement of Prosecco, an upscale Italian restaurant located in Chicago's is tough for him to go anywhere, but he's great about it. He's polite about River North neighborhood, after games. it and he was always polite in every kind of way." "I know we had many great nights there just having some beers and just Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 06.10.2020 talking and having a great time. We had a lot of fun nights actually," Bolland said. "It was always great being around him. Vince is smart about the game as well. He would always correct me sometimes. He'd ask and he knew a lot about hockey, a lot about the game. It was crazy to see, he was into it."

Vaughn is definitely into hockey and was incredibly into the 2010 playoffs according to Byrne, who joined him for games. 1175441 Chicago Blackhawks

Ever wonder where the puck from Patrick Kane's 2010 Stanley Cup- clinching goal went?

By Scott King June 09, 2020 6:00 AM

Tuesday marks the 10-year anniversary of the Blackhawks ending their 49-year Stanley Cup drought after defeating the Philadelphia Flyers 4-3 in overtime of Game 6 to win the series 4-2.

The image of Patrick Kane throwing his gloves off and leaping into the air to sell the goal he scored 4:06 into OT is ironed into the brain of every Hawks fan.

Kane received the puck on the left side of Philly's zone from Brian Campbell, beat Flyers (and future Hawks) defenseman Kimmo Timonen 1-on-1, and shot the puck near the goal line through Flyers goalie Michael Leighton's five-hole to give Chicago it's first championship since 1961.

The superstar winger has since said one of the reasons for his jubilant celebration was to prove he saw it go in to the officials and his teammates since a goal hadn't been signaled. The puck was stuck in the corner of the netting.

No one knows what happened to one of the most important biscuits in NHL history much beyond that.

NBC Sports Chicago Blackhawks pre and postgame host Pat Boyle asked former Hawk and current NHL color analyst Eddie Olczyk and his often partner, lead NHL play-by-play broadcaster Mike "Doc" Emrick, where they think the puck is 10 years later on the latest Blackhawks Talk Podcast. Both broadcasters worked Game 6 in Philadelphia.

"Got no clue," Emrick said. "Chris Pronger was picking up all of those pucks, but I don't think even he would have [had] the wherewithal to pick it up that night, I don't know. There are lots of rumors about it, that a linesman got it. I have no idea, but a mad search has gone on, video and everything and [it] still hasn't turned up, to my knowledge anyway."

"Hopefully you'll be able to see it, but probably somewhere in 25-30 years all of a sudden somebody will be maybe auctioning it off, the puck there, on SpaceFace or some worldwide auction company, auction house will be auctioning off the goal that Patrick Kane scored to win the Stanley Cup in 2010," Olczyk said. "I would have to say that it will arise from the ashes at some point. I do believe it will. I do not know who or how or where, but I do believe at some point we'll see it." Related: Where's the puck? Kris Versteeg saw something

Two-time Stanley Cup champion with the Hawks Kris Versteeg recently stated what he saw regarding the high-priced item that vanished under mysterious circumstances on NBC Sports Chicago's Sports Talk Live with host David Kaplan.

"We got down there and I remember we were all kind of looking around and the one ref (Steve Miller) went in the meshing and he kind of pushed it out a bit. And I remember, I just saw the puck and that's where, around that time [I knew we won]," Versteeg said. "And our video coach was telling their coaches that it was in, we kind of got word from them and a few of us saw the ref pull it out and that was it. I hear they still can't find the puck, but I 100 percent know I saw someone pull the puck out."

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 06.10.2020 1175442 Chicago Blackhawks “It wasn’t very long at all,” Brian Campbell said. “Families weren’t in there quite yet or the media. Guys are just throwing beers in the Cup and drinking it. Everybody is standing up on their stalls and loving life.”

‘Five nights straight’: Inside the Blackhawks’ roving 2010 Stanley Cup There was an extreme sense of satisfaction for Hossa, but the party exhaustion also started to set in. Hossa was one of the older players on the 2010 Hawks. He had played an unbelievable amount of hockey over the past three seasons. By Adam Jahns Jun 9, 2020 “When you have been there three years in a row and playing two extra months, I just felt like squeezed lemon at the end of it,” Hossa said.

Everyone who went to the Pony Inn in the early hours of June 10, 2010 But he still made a promise to his wife, Jana, earlier in the playoffs. He remembers what they saw and experienced when they left the Lakeview planned on keeping it. bar. What’s still up for debate is when the party ended. “I told her, ‘Honey, if this happens and we win, you won’t see me for five Adam Burish: “It was probably 5 or 6 in the morning, 7 or 8 in the days. I’ll go five days straight hard,’” Hossa said. “She’s like, ‘I wish that morning.” comes true.’”

Ben Eager: “I think I walked out of there about 12 o’clock the next day.” It did — and it wouldn’t have happened without Hossa, who scored the memorable game-winner in Game 5 of the Hawks’ first-round series Kris Versteeg: “It was like 10 a.m. and I remember coming out of the against the Predators. Pony, me and my brothers, we were like, ‘Man, we got to get home.’” “When we won it, I said, ‘Here we go,’” Hossa said. “First night. Second It helps to ask a teammate who wasn’t there. Patrick Sharp was at home night. Third night. Fourth night. And fifth night — I basically wanted to having what he called “a celebratory breakfast” with his family and turned stay home. on the TV. “But because I told her, I had to do a fifth night. I went and I was so tired. “It happened to be on one of the news channels and the helicopter was But I still went because I needed to party five nights straight because it hovering above the Pony as Adam Burish was coming out at like 10 in was my first Stanley Cup and it took a heavy road those three years. So I the morning,” Sharp said. “I’m thinking, ‘What the heck did I miss last partied five nights straight into the morning. After that, I think I slept two night. What is going on here?’ Life is definitely different.” days.” The first night of the Blackhawks’ Stanley Cup celebration was over — in On the flight home from Philadelphia, a calm set in for the Hawks. the middle of the next day. And they were just getting started after their dramatic 4-3 win in overtime against the Flyers in Philadelphia on June 9. “It wasn’t rock-star partying,” Sharp said.

“Once we left the Pony, then it was like, ‘Holy … man,’” Burish said. “I “I think I drank one beer,” Burish said. remember walking out and there was helicopters overhead. There was people outside. There was news cameras outside.” Instead, players reminisced in small groups.

Duncan Keith at The Pony Inn, a Blackhawks favorite. (Courtesy Pat “I remember sitting with four or five guys that we all came up together, Looney) like, ‘Remember when we were playing and the United Center was empty?’” Burish said. “And, ‘Remember when we were having to go to Piecing together what transpired after that is difficult. For the players, it’s the train station to try and give away tickets wearing our jerseys?’ understandably a blur, especially 10 years later. But this is a story about those days when Hawks took the Cup on the ultimate bar crawl around “And then we’re looking and there is Jonathan Toews sitting with the Chicago. It lasted more than a week. Stanley Cup and the Conn Smythe Trophy in the seat next to him. Two years ago, we couldn’t give away tickets at the Chicago subway station Wherever the Hawks went, fans followed by the hundreds and for people to come watch us play.” sometimes the thousands, cramming sidewalks and streets of the bars that the players stopped in. They’d chase after the players’ bus, too. The The turnaround — one 49 years in the making — was complete. Hawks got their police detail because of it. Everyone wanted a picture of “We do remember what it was like when the games weren’t on TV,” the Cup. Some were lucky enough to touch it or even drink from it. Sharp said. “A lot of people were staying away from the United Center “When that trophy comes in, it’s just so shiny and it’s so big,” Eager said. and then all of a sudden to have that support city-wide was an incredible “That even if you’re not a hockey fan, you’re wondering what that it is. It’s change. And there’s a lot of reasons why it happened.” the most beautiful trophy. You put it up on the bar and people just flock to Sharp was one of them. He was acquired from the Flyers in December it. It’s so shiny and you’re slamming beers out of it. It’s a pretty cool 2005. It’s the same season that Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook broke trophy. I think it’s the best trophy in sports.” into the league. Toews and Patrick Kane arrived as 19-year-old rookies In Marian Hossa’s office, there is a framed picture hanging on his wall of in 2007. Campbell was signed on July 1, 2008. what he describes as “the best moment as a hockey player in my career.” “You almost wish that the plane ride was longer in a sense because it It’s the exact moment when Jonathan Toews handed Hossa the Cup on was just us on the plane,” Campbell said. “It was a sense that got passed the ice at the Wells Fargo Center. around. It was a reflection on everything.”

“I had goosebumps,” Hossa said over the phone. “All the memories fast- That sense? A great accomplishment. The two-hour plane ride from forwarded and went through in such a short moment. When he let it go, I Philadelphia provided everyone with some quiet time to appreciate what felt the weight of the Cup and I was shocked how heavy it was. That hit just happened but also a physical break after a grueling but successful me first. The next second after, I kissed it and I started enjoying it. playoff run. Finally, after three finals, the Cup is ours.” Looking back, it was the calm before the storm they would create in It’s why Hossa always will remember when the party started, too — the Chicago. The Hawks landed at O’Hare around 4 a.m. and their next party moment that the doors to the Hawks’ locker room in Philadelphia were — full of family and friends — was already waiting for them at Harry shut. Caray’s in Rosemont.

Playing for the Penguins and Red Wings in the previous two Stanley Cup “As soon as we landed in Chicago, it was like no signs of slowing down Finals and losing, Hossa knew what it felt like to walk into the locker for the partying,” Sharp said. “The fire department met the plane on the room with his teammates, coaches and other staff members under runway. There was people at the airport. There was people at Harry different circumstances. Caray’s. The next five, six, seven days, everywhere we went with the “For me, that was the best part of the Stanley Cup,” Hossa said. “It was Stanley Cup, there was large gatherings of people. I think that we all fresh emotions in the dressing room. The Cup is there with us. The remembered that life was going to be in Chicago after that.” cigars. The champagne. The songs. I felt like that was the best part.” Campbell slept in. He was at the Pony but didn’t stay long. Unlike Sharp, he didn’t watch his teammates come out of the bar on television. “I was passed out,” Campbell said, laughing. “I think I got up around noon “Everyone would always want me to get on the mic halfway through the that day.” night and sing and do like a rap or a song just to get everyone going if it was starting to die off,” Versteeg said. But the next step of the party would begin with him. He picked up the Cup from the United Center, where pictures with staff members were He also was a fan of Shaquille O’Neal. Versteeg loved how O’Neal sang taken. Campbell brought the Cup to his house and prepared for the night. to the crowd after the Lakers won their championships. Toews and Burish had arranged a bus for everyone. “You’d always remember guys like that who did it,” Versteeg said. “We started picking up the guys after they awoke in the afternoon,” Campbell said. “John Madden lived close to me, so picked him up and This was Versteeg’s moment. But he had no idea what he was going to went and had a beer at his little watering hole that he used to go to by his sing as he stepped to the microphone after the Hawks’ parade down house in Lincoln Park. Michigan Ave. His teammates encouraged him. Sharp introduced him. “You walk into the bar with the Stanley Cup and there’s not that many “I remember going up there and I was like, ‘Man, I have no idea,’” people in there. And then all of a sudden, they’re like, ‘Holy … ! What’s Versteeg said. “I was kind of pretty drunk because they were having going on here? It’s kind of funny when you go into a place when they’re some champagne and beer on that whole bus and it was hot down there, totally unsuspecting of anything.” too, that day and humid.

Campbell then picked up Sharp and others at Sluggers in Wrigleyville. “I remember when I got up there. It was like, ‘Oh, man, I don’t even know The team regrouped at Tavern on Rush. The party was back on. what I’m going to sing.’”

“It was pretty crazy when you pulled up and saw the amount of people A song by Usher crossed Versteeg’s mind. So did Fergie’s “Glamorous.” that were already there,” Campbell said. But he eventually came to LMFAO’s “Yes.” That could work — if he could remember the lyrics and the beat. Rockit, Market, Stanley’s Kitchen & Tap and Underground were visited, too. “I looked out there and I almost had a little bit of a panic attack,” Versteeg said. “I’m like, ‘I’m way over my head. This isn’t the Pony. This is live TV “There was a ton of other places, too,” Versteeg said. “There was a sushi in Chicago with like two million people watching live. Yeah, this is crazy.’” spot. There was a couple steakhouses, a Rosebud steakhouse, I believe. There had to be 15 places we stopped.” But it worked with some tweaking of the lyrics. “And in the end, the Stanley Cup is a dream …” sang Versteeg as he raised his hands and And that was just the first day. The team was just getting started. spun back toward his teammates who were behind him. It was a Everyone got to pick the places, too. There was no hierarchy. Toews and memorable moment from a memorable day in Chicago on Friday, June Kane had their say, but so did Burish, Colin Fraser, Brent Sopel and 11. others. “I don’t think anyone knew what to expect,” Fraser said. “And why would “I don’t know what a rock star feels like,” Burish said, “but that felt like it you? To be hit with the amount of people that were there and you’re part must have been pretty close.” of that win and part of bringing that to the city, not that I literally cried, but you almost feel like crying. Because it was so surreal. For me, it was the The 2010 Hawks were an extremely close team, the result of some of coolest part of the entire experience.” them coming up together through the minors or playing in front of a half- empty United Center. After Sunday home games, Stanley’s was a The parade was a part of that party, too. There wasn’t just booze on the popular destination. Starting with Seabrook, the Pony became their bar, Hawks’ buses — Dustin Byfuglien came equipped with his own handheld too. cooler — but fans threw their own beers to Kane on the bus.

“We had a lot of fun off the ice,” Versteeg said. “We were always Versteeg, of course, handled the karaoke before the buses took the team together. We always wanted to be together, too. Sometimes it’s forced. and their families to the Hyatt Regency for another gathering. Sometimes you got to tell teams, like, ‘Hey, let’s get together.’ This was not forced. It was all natural.” “I remember I sang it and I was like, ‘Oh, boy, I don’t even know if that was good or not,’” Versteeg said. “A little bit later I was getting texts from Or as Burish said, “everybody was one of the guys.” friends like, ‘You idiot.’”

It’s why some of the best moments of the celebration were during the bus On Sunday, June 13, the Cup took over Wrigley Field. It was paraded rides from place to place. around on the field on the final day of the Cubs-White Sox series. A picture with all three teams and the Cup was taken on the mound. The “It’s a long season and it’s a grind and by the time you’re done, your body Hawks then watched the game in the private center-field box. is aching,” Dave Bolland said. “Your hands hurt. You got stitches. You got broken bones. Guys were pretty banged up. Just to crack a nice Bud “It was kind of cool that it fell on that day,” Campbell said. Light and enjoy it with a teammate was nice and peaceful.” The Cubs, Blackhawks and White Sox pose with the Stanley Cup before Fraser recalled the “sea of people” that followed their bus and the caution a crosstown game at Wrigley Field. (Chase Agnello-Dean / Chicago tape that was used when they disembarked. Versteeg remembered Blackhawks) always hearing DJ Khaled’s “All I Do Is Win” wherever they went. For Campbell, it’s all the champagne that was sprayed. And for everyone, it’s Two days later and after a trip to Los Angeles for a taping of “The Tonight how quickly the bars filled up and scenes on the street. Show” with Jay Leno, the Cup was back in Wrigleyville with a smaller group of players — and this time on the rooftops. The Cubs played the “It was nuts,” Bolland said. Oakland A’s that night. The stars were a draw. Toews was photographed having breakfast at “Next thing you know, a couple thousand people are on Sheffield behind Ann Sather after the Pony. Fans stopped in for autographs. Wrigley Field,” Burish said. “And we had to figure out how to get out of there with the Stanley Cup without getting mobbed.” But the Cup, wherever it went, made things different. At this point, the Hawks already had police detailed to them. The players “When we went out and we were everywhere with it, wherever we went, were an attraction but so was the Cup. A account, the Stanley Cup was the attraction,” Burish said. @wheresthecup, tracked its whereabouts, though the platform was still The Cup had its own allure; its own mystique. Fans went after it. In fairly new. The fans showed up en masse everywhere they went. A night droves. out in Streeterville proved that point.

“It’s almost like it’s too crazy and you got to stay from the Cup,” Fraser “Names and memories are fuzzy, but somebody grabbed the Cup and said, “because it’s such a crazy train wreck when you’re around it.” just walked down State Street to the next bar and by the time we could turn around, the whole street was like Times Square,” Sharp said. “It was Versteeg nearly came down with stage fright at the worst possible time. just filled with people walking after this Cup.” He knew he wanted to rap at the Hawks’ Cup parade. It was his thing. He did it at the Pony all the time. There needed to be some order. But getting out of Wrigleyville on the night of a Cubs game posed its own challenges. Eager said that he had the Cup with Bolland. “We were planning on leaving before the game ends but we ended having a couple more drinks,” Eager said. “By the time we were walking out with it from the rooftops bars, the game had just ended. All the people were in the street. Bolly and I had our cop buddy who was with us. We were trying to get the Cup into the taxi. The fans were pulling at it. It was when it was packed on the streets there. We almost lost the Cup.”

Could you imagine that? “We ended up getting it in there,” Eager said, “but it almost went crowd surfing a little bit.”

One night, Joel Quenneville had to get the Cup from LuxBar to Sunda, where the players were having dinner, but he first asked the Chicago police officers who were detailed to him if there was anywhere they wanted to take it.

A surprise visit to Prosecco in River North was suggested. It’s where actor Vince Vaughn was having a private dinner after a taping for “The Dilemma.” The Cup would eventually move on to Sunda, while Quenneville would stay. It’s how those nights went in June 2010. Sometimes the Hawks acted on a whim. They always wanted to share the Cup.

“Let’s do this with the fans,” Burish said he remembered thinking. “Let’s do this with the people. Let’s let as many people drink out of it as we could.”

It wasn’t always wild. There were smaller gatherings at homes of players and staff members. Children’s Memorial Hospital was one of the first places to receive a visit from the Cup and the team. Such stops continued.

But at night, the Cup belonged to the entire city. It had its own vibe; its own magnetism. It partied. “What I remember most about those five, six, seven days afterwards was just getting the Cup around to as many people that could see it,” Sharp said. “We had had our fun with it and we were carrying it around, but it was great to see friends, family, people that work in Chicago, local businesses, you name it, hoist the Stanley Cup, get a picture with it. “It was a unique experience that we thought was once in a lifetime — and we’re very lucky to be able to do that a few times in the city.”

The Athletic LOADED: 06.10.2020 1175443 Colorado Avalanche

Avs defenseman Ryan Graves is Colorado winner, national nominee for Bill Masterton Trophy

Masterton Trophy is named after the former University of Denver star center who died Jan. 15, 1968 as a direct result of injuries sustained while playing for the NHL’s Minnesota North Stars

By MIKE CHAMBERS | PUBLISHED: June 9, 2020 at 12:39 p.m. | UPDATED: June 9, 2020 at 12:43 p.m.

Avalanche top-pair defenseman Ryan Graves is the Colorado winner and national nominee for Bill Masterton Trophy, given annually to the NHL player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to ice hockey. Graves, 25, is in his first full season with the Avalanche, and second overall. He was acquired in a trade of two underperforming young defensemen in February 2018, with Chris Bigras going to the New York Rangers in the exchange. Graves, 6-foot-5 and 220 pounds, made his NHL debut as a part-timer with Colorado last season and signed a modest, one-year, two-way contract extension worth $735,000/$350,000 last summer.

He is now partnered with rookie Cale Makar on the Avs’ top pairing and in position to receive a massive raise. Graves has nine goals, and is second behind Makar (12) in goals among defensemen. Blueshirt Nation, a Rangers’ fan site, dubbed Graves “the one that got away.” Bigras, 25, has yet to make his debut with New York.

The Masterton Trophy is voted on by the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association, which has six other awards, including the Hart Trophy as league MVP. The Masterton is named after the former University of Denver star center who died Jan. 15, 1968, as a direct result of injuries sustained while playing for the NHL’s Minnesota North Stars.

Denver Post: LOADED: 06.10.2020 1175444 Colorado Avalanche egos you have to stroke. For us, we work very closely with the police department here. They have been a great partner of ours. This is an area where blue lives do matter, where all lives matter, if you know what I Avs made a statement about racism and some fans made a statement mean. The police are defended quite a bit and we had to remember to back toe that line.”

The source added how topics like police brutality and racism are uncomfortable subjects. Therefore, a team’s statement should be By Ryan S. Clark Jun 9, 2020 uncomfortable. It cannot be a team simply stating “Racism is bad. We hope people can do this positively.” A team must address the root of this

issue or risk it growing and continuing to sprout. A statement was made May 31. One came from the Colorado Avalanche. “This is an uncomfortable topic in hockey,” the source stated. “Only a few The other came from a sizable chunk of their fans. people have had to live this as a part of their lives. We have to make it The Avalanche had just joined the barrage of NHL teams that issued a OK and we have to be uncomfortable talking about the things (that) make statement about George Floyd’s death while addressing racism. Floyd us uncomfortable.” was an African American man who died a little more than two weeks ago So what do some Avalanche fans feel about the statement? when he was arrested outside of a Minneapolis shop. Derek Chauvin, a white officer, knelt on Floyd’s neck with several videos capturing the “It’s kind of like when I saw (the Avalanche’s statement), I thought it read incident. as very generic,” said Patrick Hall, an Avs season ticket holder who resides in Thornton. “I think we are at a point on this issue that if you Protests along with ample discussions regarding racism have been held can’t, for me, if you are not saying Black Lives Matter in your statement throughout the United States and the world since Floyd’s death. and your statements are not addressing police brutality and injustice, and It just so happened that the conversation made its way to Avalanche the injustice in the system in general, you’re kind of missing it. You’re not Twitter. Kroenke Sports & Entertainment, the parent firm that oversees speaking to the problem that has come to a head.” the Avs, issued a statement that was also disseminated on the Twitter KSE’s statement addressed how the nation is in “mourning and pain” accounts for the Colorado Mammoth, Colorado Rapids and the Denver while battling what comes with racism and racial inequality. It continued Nuggets. The tweet from the Mammoth account was practically silent by saying how sports have played a critical role in “binding and with the tweet retweeted four times and liked 23 times as of June 8. integrating societies.” Muhammed Ali, Jesse Owens and Jackie Rapids fans were more active by comparison. There were 30 retweets, Robinson were mentioned as figures who opened eyes, hearts and 136 likes and five or so replies with some of them challenging what was minds. The first section of the statement closed by saying embracing said. One of the quote tweets labeled the statement as “toothless and diversity “marks the core virtue of a team.” A second paragraph called for disappointing, but expected.” honest and difficult conversations to take place in light of Floyd’s death.

What was tweeted from the Nuggets’ account drew 111 retweets, 536 It read, “each of us has a role to play in realizing Dr. Martin Luther King’s likes and less than a dozen responses. One fan thanked the team for long-deferred dream.” A commitment to continue working with civil rights “having the courage to address this horrible situation” with another groups, community activists and government leaders, along with players proclaiming “this isn’t good enough” while adding how there were no and staff, was also made. It ended by stating that thoughts were with mentions of Black Lives Matter or police brutality. Floyd’s family and with those Americans who feel “as though their voice Avalanche fans were far more engaged. It received 279 retweets, 1,314 and dignity has been compromised by intolerance.” likes and 58 responses. There were some who praised what was said. PIC.TWITTER.COM/RIQLHR8Y7D But there was a noticeable amount of more critical responses when compared to the Mammoth, Rapids and Nuggets. — X-COLORADO AVALANCHE (@AVALANCHE) JUNE 1, 2020 All because of what happened Jan. 18, 2020. The Avalanche honored “I am not a big person on when brands release statements and not doing Kendrick Castillo. He was an 18-year-old student at STEM School anything about it,” said Jayson Ramsey, an Avalanche fan who recently Highlands Ranch who in May 2019 rushed one of the shooters and was moved from Colorado to Wyoming. “I’d rather see a team donate to the fatally shot while giving his classmates time to hide. Castillo, along with change. Get involved with the change. Like the Jordan brand. They came fallen law enforcement officers, was honored that afternoon by the club at out with a statement but then Michael Jordan said he is going to donate Pepsi Center. $100 million over 10 years. I don’t think these brands should come out and say they are against it and not do anything about it. One of the features of the ceremony was a full-ice graphic displaying of the American flag, featuring a thin blue stripe taking the place of one of “What good is that going to do? A team or a brand has more of a voice the 13 stripes. than a regular person.”

Some view the flag as a way to support law enforcement. Others, Referencing the number of current and former black players, led by San however, associate the flag as being a political statement often linked Jose Sharks star winger Evander Kane and Akim Aliu, who established a with racism. Hockey Diversity Alliance on Monday, Ramsey said he hopes the Avs are 100 percent behind helping. AN SPECIAL MOMENT FOR A FALLEN HERO, KENDRICK CASTILLO #GOAVSGO PIC.TWITTER.COM/LFQSEV3GKB “I am fine with the statement but I would like to see something done on the back end,” Ramsey said. “I want them to push the change.” — X-COLORADO AVALANCHE (@AVALANCHE) JANUARY 18, 2020 He also shared his thoughts on the thin blue line flag. Ramsey said he Fast forward to a Sunday night in late May when the Avalanche issued thought the flag was used to honor heroes. He felt like people focused their statement about George Floyd. A number of Avalanche fans, along more on being upset at the flag than the fact the organization was with fans from other teams, were quick to point out their frustrations. honoring Castillo and those in law enforcement who died protecting Those who took umbrage with the club’s statement point back to that others. mid-January night. They argued it was a hollow statement from a team that used a controversial symbol months earlier. But there are others who “Instead of taking it and saying, ‘Yeah, Kendrick was a hero’ it was believe the decision to use the flag with the blue stripes prevents the Avs flipped to, ‘Your hockey team was garbage for putting that on the ice,'” from saying they want to embrace diversity and condemn racism. Ramsey said. “That whole night was about honoring a hero. I think that gets overshadowed in a lot of ways. A hockey public relations figure who was charged with crafting a statement for his hockey club told The Athletic late Monday night there is “People are always going to go back to the thought of ‘if you did a balance teams must draw when crafting their message for a general something four years ago, you can’t change that.’ There is no audience. forgiveness there.”

“I think the biggest challenge is you want to try to have a meaningful Jasmine Sturge an Avalanche fan living in Maryland, found the statement statement,” the source said. “One that isn’t hollow but you also have to to be “jarring” given the thin blue lives flag graphic was displayed on the remember you have to play nice in the sandbox and there are still a few Pepsi Center ice surface. “I’m online a lot and I interact with probably a lot of fans,” she said. “A lot of them will say sports are not politics and to keep sports out of politics. But you see things that contradict that all the time. Fans will say this is not a big deal and that it is just about honoring fallen police. But it is also a symbol of hate. It’s hard for me to separate that as a black person and as a hockey fan.

“It felt really disappointing to see it from one of my favorite teams. The Penguins did it but I don’t like the Penguins. To see it from the Avs? It was really upsetting.”

Living on the East Coast means the only time she sees the Avalanche in person is when she travels or they come to Capital One Arena to play the Capitals.

The question Sturge said she has now had to ask herself is: Would she feel welcomed at Pepsi Center if she attended an Avalanche game?

“I don’t know. Is there a safe space for me? I’m not really sure,” she said. “I am still a fan. I love the game. I love the players. It feels weird. Like you have to disassociate with it to enjoy it fully. There has to be some kind of protection against racism. Are fans willing to protect fans when it comes to racism? I am not sure. It has to go all the way up to ownership.”

Hall said these situations have the potential to place teams in difficult positions. One of the approaches he has used is learning how to separate how to cheer for players and the uniforms they wear while compartmentalizing what may be done in other departments. “As sports fans, how do we reconcile our personal beliefs with a corporate entity that represents the team?” Hall asked. “To be honest, this is a time and an issue I think if the Avalanche do not exercise some better judgment in the future, my wife and I would absolutely reconsider our season tickets. We’ve been so angry by the games that have been effectively canceled. I was furloughed for a whole month but the Avs have all this money from us for this current season of games not being played. I would say we are a little disillusioned with things right now.

“People have said, ‘I have been living my life without hockey for a while. Maybe if they don’t convey messages that we feel are morally right, maybe we give our money elsewhere or just keep it?”

A KSE spokesperson said Monday that they do not have a comment outside of the statement issued on May 31.

“I want more from all the teams,” Sturge said. “I wanted them to address the fact that this whole re-uprising was sparked by George Floyd’s filmed murder. I wanted teams to address it because it was police brutality and racism. I don’t think the Avalanche addressed it properly. It needs to be addressed that police brutality and racism go hand in hand for brown people. For everyone. If you are going to put out a statement, then, address that.” The Athletic LOADED: 06.10.2020 1175445 Columbus Blue Jackets After playing in Switzerland, where he was able to view his passion for the game through a different lens, Gerbe found it enjoyable to complete the circle.

Blue Jackets’ Nathan Gerbe displays award-worthy determination "I love the game, I’m dedicated to it, I’m willing to spend all day at the rink I if I need to, if that’s what it takes to get better or win a game," said Gerbe, who had another hernia issue repaired in March. Brian Hedger The Columbus Dispatch Jun 9, 2020 at 9:00 AM "I’ve always strived to play in the NHL and stay in the NHL. That, to me, has always been the ultimate goal, so coming back (to North America), the mindset was to get back to the NHL. I ran through a few injuries and The 32-year-old veteran is the Blue Jackets’ nominee for the NHL’s a few surgeries, but I’ve always believed the work I’ve put in would be Masterson Trophy, awarded annually to a player who exemplifies enough." perseverance and sportsmanship. He also believes in living his life a certain way, a dedication he shares The days usually start before dawn, with a trip to the gym in his with his wife, Brennan, and their three young children. basement and a challenging workout. "It’s been a lot of work, a lot of dedication and sacrifice, for my family and Nathan Gerbe, the NHL’s smallest player at 5 feet 4, then takes his for my wife," Gerbe said. "My wife and I, when we come up with what workout to the driveway of his home in Traverse City, Michigan, where he we’re most proud about over the years that have come and adversity that pushes and pulls a heavily weighted sled before shooting pucks in the has come, is that we don’t waver as people. garage. "That has been our No. 1 goal ever since we got married. And going It’s a laborious, tedious routine, but it’s also what has allowed the 32- through all this, it just kind of reassures us to just keep working for what year-old Gerbe to keep his career afloat amid numerous challenges. you want and maybe, you know, sometimes good things happen. … And "In my head, I’m always striving for more, always pushing," said Gerbe, if it doesn’t happen, then we’re still going to keep moving on as a family." who was selected by the Columbus chapter of the Professional Hockey Columbus Dispatch LOADED: 06.10.2020 Writers Association as this season’s Blue Jackets nominee for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy.

The trophy named after Bill Masterton, the only player in NHL history to die from injuries sustained in a game is presented each season by a PHWA vote to the NHL player who "best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to ice hockey." It will be awarded after the NHL season among other individual honors.

"I’m willing to work harder each day because I don’t believe there is a limit on how much work you’ve got to put in," Gerbe added.

His career is proof.

Despite his size, the Blue Jackets forward has forged an impressive a resume at all levels of the game, and he has bounced back from numerous injuries to keep plugging away.

It’s hard to find a starting point in those qualities with Gerbe, because there are numerous examples.

There was a spinal surgery in 2012 after a hit by Philadelphia’s Marc- Andre Bourdon sent him headfirst into the boards. There was a contract buyout by the Buffalo Sabres that caught Gerbe by surprise after the 2012-13 season. And then, after three years with the Carolina Hurricanes, he was forced to make a tough career decision at age 29. Faced with playing in the American Hockey League for the New York Rangers organization or heading to Switzerland with his wife and family, Gerbe chose the latter.

Most players that age don’t even sniff the NHL again if they make that call. Gerbe returned less than two years later, albeit briefly, after signing a two-way deal with the Blue Jackets in 2017-18.

He was slowed in Columbus by an aching right hip, thanks to a labral tear, and a pair of hernias didn’t exactly help matters.

"He has had groins, abs, the hip … he’s had a lot of problems," said Jordan Neumann, Gerbe’s longtime agent. "When you’re a small guy like that, he’s just played so hard for his whole life. I think his body just broke down. But he kept playing through it for years and years."

Gerbe finally had his leg issues fixed via surgery, cutting short his 2018 season with the Cleveland Monsters, but it paid off nicely this season. His speed and quickness returned, his feisty playing style got a boost, and Gerbe was ready to make an impact when he finally got his shot at NHL redemption. Recalled on emergency basis just before Christmas, Gerbe provided an energy boost the Blue Jackets needed to upend the New York Islanders on Dec. 22, scoring his first NHL goal in two-plus seasons.

He earned a regular role on the injury-ravaged team, providing some key goals along with leadership and his typical hard work. He had four goals, six assists and 22 penalty minutes when the NHL season was shut down March 12 because of the coronavirus pandemic. 1175446 Columbus Blue Jackets shorter have played in the NHL. Only seven of them have dressed in more NHL games than Gerbe, and most of those were in the very early days of the league.

Perseverance, sportsmanship, dedication: Thy name is Nathan Gerbe Now to two other huge hurdles he’s cleared in recent seasons: Europe and hip surgery. By Aaron Portzline Jun 9, 2020 Gerbe is one of the few players who has left the NHL to play in Europe, then managed to play his way back to the NHL later in his career. After two years in Switzerland, he signed a two-way deal with the Blue Jackets late in the 2017-18 season. COLUMBUS, Ohio — Nathan Gerbe was in fifth grade the first time he got chirped playing hockey. Not trash talk among players, mind you, but “You’re used to seeing guys go to Europe to write off their career, ride off an adult telling Gerbe that he was too small and not nearly talented into the sunset or go home,” Gerbe said. “My agent put that in my head, enough to play too much longer. that it would be really, really hard to come back to the NHL.

“Oh, I was young,” Gerbe said. “I was probably 10 years old. I was a little “But if you give me a challenge or tell me I can’t do something, that’s bit of a rat back then — just like I am now — and I remember an huge. It was always the dream. I never gave up on being back in the opposing coach getting really pissed at me during one of our games. NHL.” “He told me I was never going to make it. He was screaming that I’d Late last season, Gerbe started to see signs that his body was giving out always be a nobody. That struck a chord with me pretty good.” on him. He missed the end of the 2018-19 season to have major hip surgery and repair a double hernia. The future was uncertain. Gerbe laughs about it now. But the Blue Jackets forward, the shortest skater in NHL history (5 feet, 4 inches), has been fighting and scratching “I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to play in the AHL after surgery, much less the and clawing against the odds (and the doubters) ever since. NHL,” Gerbe said. “There are a lot of questions after a surgery like that.”

But never has he defied the odds more than this season. Though he was ready for training camp, it was a few weeks into the season, Gerbe said, before he was really confident in the repairs. The Columbus chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers Association has nominated Gerbe, 32, for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, Gerbe scored in his season debut with the Blue Jackets, his first NHL awarded annually to the player who best exemplifies the qualities of goal in nearly four years. Tortorella kept rolling him out there, usually in a perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey. third- or fourth-line capacity. But he quickly gained trust. Every NHL club has a name put forth each season — goaltender Robin “Not only am I 5-foot-4, but I’m also the oldest guy on the Columbus Lehner won the award last season with the New York Islanders — but it’s team,” Gerbe said. “So … rare to have a nominee who checks the box on all three categories the award seeks to honor. “You never know what the team is thinking. They have to make the decisions, and I might not agree with them, but I have to understand. I’m It’s too bad inspiration isn’t on the trophy or Gerbe might be the runaway getting older and coming off a lot of surgeries. I thought I could do it, but favorite. you never know.

The Blue Jackets recalled Gerbe from AHL Cleveland on Dec. 22, “They had some injuries in Columbus, so I got my chance. I wanted to making him the eighth forward recalled from the minors this season. Put make the most of it.” another way: he was no higher than 20th on the organization’s depth chart. Sportsmanship: (n) fair and generous behavior or treatment of others

Yet he never went back to Cleveland. In 30 games with the Blue Jackets, Gerbe will never win the Lady Byng Trophy, which is awarded for Gerbe had 4-6-10, but those numbers belie the impact he made. gentlemanly play. “No, never,” he said with a laugh.

Gerbe played with a contagious energy that lifted the Jackets’ level of But he’s regarded as a clean, hard player. Some of his most notable play throughout their lineup. He’s a big reason Columbus overcame a clashes have come against Chara (6-foot-7), who happens to be the sleepy start to go on a 19-2-5 comet that saved the season, despite an tallest player in NHL history. incredible wave of injuries. “You have to be aware of your surroundings when he’s on the ice, how He (once again) tangled with Boston’s Zdeno Chara, rocked you turn, and make sure it’s not toward him,” Gerbe said. “He could kill Philadelphia’s Claude Giroux with an open-ice hit and prompted fans in you if he catches you the right way. Nationwide Arena to chant “Gerbe! Gerbe! Gerbe!” “I love competing against him. I know everybody likes to take pictures of It’s a serenade that has been provided for very few players through the us next to each other and stuff, but it’s so much fun because of the way years in Columbus. he competes. He’s amazing, and I respect him at the highest level.”

“I’ve watched (Gerbe) play for a long time,” Blue Jackets coach John 64 INCHES VS 81 INCHES #CBJ PIC.TWITTER.COM/DFSZUEHTBX Tortorella said earlier this season. “I know the enthusiasm. I know the will — KYLE ROBERTSON (@KROBPHOTO) JANUARY 15, 2020 that he brings to the game. That’s a big part of why I think we’ve kept ourselves afloat here in such a crazy situation with people in and out (of Gerbe said he’s never met Chara off the ice, but he’d love to “shake his the lineup). hand” and say thanks for some of the battles they’ve had.

“The will of our team has been really strong, and that’s a big part of his “Respect, absolutely,” he said. game. He brings it to our club.” Gerbe was with the Blue Jackets for only 2 1/2 months when the season When Gerbe was informed Monday that he’d been nominated for the was put on pause because of the COVID-19 pandemic, so most of the Masterton, he responded: “You have no idea how much this means to leadership he provided was by example. But he made an impact as the me. captain in Cleveland. “We couldn’t be more grateful, my family and I, to be where we are. Just “What I’ve learned is that everybody has a story,” Gerbe said. “If you can grateful to be a part of this organization, this community. There’s nothing take time to learn that and understand it, it’s much easier to know what I like more than winning and being part of a team. It’s the ultimate.” motivates them, what they need.

Here’s a look at how all three aspects of the award apply to Gerbe: “Guys know I’m always going to be 100 percent honest. It might not be pretty. I’m going to tell you what I think if you want it.” Perseverance: (n) doing something despite difficulty or delay in achieving success Many of those conversations with his Monsters teammates happened in Gerbe’s home in suburban Cleveland. He and his wife, Brennan, have One more note on Gerbe’s height so you know what he’s up against: In three children, with a fourth on the way in September. over 100 years of NHL hockey, only 65 skaters who stand 5-foot-6 or “I always invite teammates over to the house,” Gerbe said. “They don’t even have to call first, just let us know if you’re wanting to stay for dinner. “(Kole) Sherwood was always over. (Paul) Bittner … he’s a good customer, too. Dillon Simpson and his wife. Sometimes I’d make it mandatory for a group of five young guys. Justin Scott is always over. Kevin Stenlund and Gabe Carlsson started coming over. Yeah, it was good.” Dedication: (n) the hard work and effort someone puts into an activity or purpose because they think it is important

Gerbe had surgery in March to repair two torn obliques and (again) a double-hernia. If the season hadn’t been put on pause, he would have been done for the season for a second straight year.

“It’s definitely tough, especially when you know what the recovery is like,” Gerbe said. “But it’s also helpful going through it a second time because you know when it’s OK to push a little bit and when you should maybe dial it back.”

If and when the season resumes, Gerbe will be among the many Blue Jackets who are healed and ready to play.

When Gerbe spent the entire 2018-19 season in the AHL, it started to look as if his NHL career was behind him. When the Blue Jackets went through an array of forward call-ups (Marko Dano, Ryan MacInnis, Jakob Lilja … ), it looked even bleaker.

“I never gave up on playing in the NHL again,” Gerbe said. “But if I’d stayed in the AHL, I would have been happy there. I had accepted a role there where I was happy with other guys when they got the call and they got their chance. I was happy to be part of it.”

But now Gerbe may have played his way into a permanent NHL spot. Nothing is guaranteed, of course, but it’s hard to imagine Gerbe not being among the Blue Jackets’ top 12 or 13 forwards, at least as they’re constructed today.

“(Gerbe) has an incredible drive to succeed and the work ethic to be the best version of himself,” Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekäläinen said. “It’s never a question of if he has done enough, but rather if he’s done too much in his preparation.”

Gerbe has said he hopes to remain in hockey long after his playing days are over, perhaps as a coach or a development coach.

The Blue Jackets signed him to a two-year extension on Feb. 2, meaning he has a contract through the 2021-22 season. It’s a two-way deal but with a hefty minor-league salary ($500,000), meaning he’s unlikely to be claimed on waivers by another club, even if he’s sent back to Cleveland.

He may be with the Columbus organization after his playing days are done. Not that he wants to think about that yet.

“It’s going to be a hard day in my life when I’m not competing in something,” Gerbe said. “I might be 90 years old when that happens.”

The Athletic LOADED: 06.10.2020 1175447 Dallas Stars Dallas Morning News LOADED: 06.10.2020

Defenseman Stephen Johns named Stars’ nominee for Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy

By Matthew DeFranks 9:09 AM on Jun 9, 2020

There were times that Stars defenseman Stephen Johns thought he would never play in the NHL again. He wondered and worried if post- concussion syndrome would end his hockey career.

It didn’t.

Because of Johns’ perseverance and dedication to the sport, and given his return to action in January after 22 months without playing an NHL game, the Dallas chapter of the PHWA named Johns the Stars’ nominee for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy. The Masterton Trophy is awarded annually to the NHL player who best exemplifies qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey. The trophy honors the late Bill Masterton, a former North Star whose number is retired by the Stars franchise and the only NHL player to die from injuries sustained in a game. The PHWA has awarded the trophy since 1968.

Johns missed the entire 2018-19 season with what was initially diagnosed as post-traumatic headaches, first experiencing symptoms of a head injury during training camp in Boise, Idaho. He did not play in any preseason or regular season games, practiced sporadically with the rest of the team and did not go on any road trips.

This season, his journey began with positive steps over the summer when he skated during development camp, but was ruled out indefinitely on the first day of training camp. Gradually, Johns began skating and practicing with the Stars before a conditioning stint with AHL affiliate Texas resulted in a four-point night in his return to competitive action.

On Jan. 18, Johns once again played in the NHL, taking the ice for Dallas in Minnesota. Before the game, he was asked what he missed the most about hockey?

“It’s hard not to get emotional asking that question because I think you miss every single thing,” Johns said in January. “I think the hardest part was sitting up in the stands and just watching tough losses and not being able to be in the locker room with the guys after, after big wins. Every single aspect you could imagine about the game of hockey.

“For people who play and have been in locker rooms, they understand the culture of it. I was kind of by myself there for 22 months, and that was probably the hardest days of my life for sure. But puts a lot of things into perspective and life is really good. It’s been really good here the last couple weeks, so hopefully it keeps trending that way.”

Johns said direct messages from Twitter and Instagram helped him through it, as did the video game community on Twitch and Stars general manager Jim Nill. Johns has not fully and publicly detailed what he went through across those 22 months. “That kept me going and made me want to keep playing this game that I love so much,” Johns said in January. “From every direction, nothing but support and commend Jim Nill enough for checking in on me every once in a while and just telling me that I was still part of the team, still part of the process. I can’t speak for any other organization, but I couldn’t be happier that I’m in this organization.”

Johns played in 17 games during the regular season, scoring twice and assisting on three other goals. The high point of Johns’ season may have come on Feb. 3 against the Rangers, when he scored his first goal since coming back with his parents in attendance at Madison Square Garden.

“Throughout this whole process, it wasn’t just me going through hell,” an emotional Johns said in February. “As parents, they want to help and for them to be here and see that, I probably know my dad was for sure crying. I’m pretty excited to go see them and give them both a big hug. As parents, they want to help but they couldn’t.” No Dallas Stars player has ever won the Masterton Trophy. 1175448 Dallas Stars In 17 games, Johns averaged 17 minutes and 40 seconds per game, the second-highest total for his career. He had five points and 50 hits. His average of 2.94 hits per game led the Stars in that category.

After missing 22 months & returning to NHL, Stephen Johns is a If Johns were to win the Masterton Award, he’d be the first Stars player to Masterton nominee do so since the franchise moved to Dallas. Al MacAdam won the award with the Minnesota North Stars during the 1979-80 season. Masterton’s No. 19 is also retired in Dallas after the forward died from injuries that By Sean Shapiro Jun 9, 2020 occurred in a game in 1968 with the North Stars.

The Athletic LOADED: 06.10.2020 You don’t dream of winning the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy. Stephen Johns certainly didn’t.

Since 1968, the Masterton has been awarded annually to the player who best exemplifies qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey. It’s become the NHL’s version of the Comeback Player of the Year award, and winners typically have dealt some hardship that altered their career arc rather drastically.

“The one award that everybody doesn’t want to win because that means you had to endure something that wasn’t a fun journey,” Johns said, when informed he was nominated. “But when you get through that and look back on it, you look at all the positives that experience brought to my life. So it’s a huge honor.”

Johns was out of the NHL for 22 months, dealing with post-traumatic headaches and post-concussion syndrome. Throughout his absence, there was a lingering question about whether his career was over. During that time, he met with countless doctors trying to figure out the constant headaches that wouldn’t go away.

“It’s something that changed me,” Johns said. “I didn’t know if I’d be able to come back. It was frustrating. There were some dark times I didn’t know if I’d be able to play again.”

For his perseverance and dedication to hockey, Johns has been nominated for the Masterton by the Dallas chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association. Johns and the other 30 nominees were unveiled this week, with voting for the Masterton to be unveiled later this summer when the NHL rolls out its plan for the awards.

Johns not only returned, but did so at a level that was equal to — if not better than — his level of play before the injury. He solidified the Stars’ defensive top four and scored an emotional goal on Feb. 3 against the New York Rangers with his parents in attendance.

After scoring that goal, Johns fought back tears as he told reporters there were times when he thought that might never happen. He added that his parents had been supportive and gone through a difficult journey watching their son potentially lose his NHL career.

“Throughout this whole process, it wasn’t just me going through hell. As parents, they want to help — and (for) them to be here and to see that, I probably know my dad was for sure crying,” Johns said at the time. “I’m pretty excited to go see them and give them both a big hug. As parents, they want to help, but they couldn’t, and I know they were hurting the whole time I was, too. So that’s the only thing going through my mind was going through the line and finding them in the stands and pointing at them.” Throughout the process, the Stars gave Johns his space and treated him like a person rather than a hockey player. The main directive was making sure Johns the person could return, and there wasn’t internal pressure to rush back onto the ice.

“There is a time when you have to say there is a bigger picture (than hockey),” Stars general manager Jim Nill said. “There is a person and him getting better and looking after his life.”

Nill went into the 2019-20 season planning on Johns not playing again in the NHL. He was supportive and wanted to help Johns get back to the ice, but even at the onset of training camp, Nill told media members he wouldn’t address Johns’ future. He asked everyone to give the defenseman his space.

Johns is extremely thankful for that approach, and said it allowed him to really focus on his recovery. By December, Johns started practicing with the NHL team and felt well enough that he could potentially return. A month later, after missing 47 games, he returned to an NHL lineup on Jan. 18 against the Minnesota Wild. 1175449 Detroit Red Wings

Detroit Red Wings find value in Robby Fabbri. Here's what he's worth

Helene St. James, Detroit Free Press Published 9:01 a.m. ET June 9, 2020

Since joining the Detroit Red Wings Nov. 6, Robby Fabbri is their second leading scorer. Filmed Jan. 30, 2020 in New York. Detroit Free Press

The trade for Robby Fabbri paid off for the Detroit Red Wings right away, leading them to their first (and only) three-game winning streak of the season.

Now it’s on general manager Steve Yzerman to settle on Fabbri’s value to the team’s future.

Fabbri turned a pair of major knee injuries into a career revival — and recognition. Cast aside by the St. Louis Blues, he was enduring life as a healthy scratch when Yzerman took a no-risk gamble on Fabbri, trading for him Nov. 6. By the time the NHL paused the 2019-20 season March 12 because of the coronavirus pandemic, Fabbri had 14 goals and 17 assists; his 31 points ranked third on the team.

Fabbri’s contributions earned him the 2020 Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy nomination from the Detroit chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers Association. Each chapter submits a nominee.

[ Red Wings were bummed when they drafted Steve Yzerman in 1983 ]

The trophy is awarded annually to the NHL player "who best exemplifies qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey." Since it was first awarded in 1968, two Wings have been recipients: Brad Park in 1984, and Yzerman in 2003. Fabbri, 24, came to Detroit with a history of injuries that sidetracked the former first-round pick after a promising debut that saw him score 18 goals among 37 points in 2015-16.

When he joined the Wings, they had lost 11 of their previous 13 games. He scored two power-play goals to lead them past the Boston Bruins, 4- 2, on Nov. 8. He registered an assist in the next game, a 3-2 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights; another assist in the 4-3 victory at Anaheim on Nov. 12; and two assists in a 4-3 shootout loss Nov. 16 at San Jose.

[ Red Wings 2015 draft review: Squandered picks and what they could have had ]

He didn’t shy away from physical contact, either — all the more encouraging given his past. Fabbri tore his left ACL in February 2017 and reinjured that knee during training camp that fall, causing him to miss all of 2017-2018.

A separated shoulder sidelined him for 11 games in 2018-19. He was limited to spot duty when he returned, squeezed out on a Blues team that would go on to win the Stanley Cup.

All Fabbri cost the Red Wings in the trade was grinder Jacob de la Rose, a waiver-wire pickup from 2018-19. Fabbri was on a one-year contract worth $900,000. [ Detroit Red Wings' last Stanley Cup was 12 years ago. Can relief be on horizon? ]

He was one of the Wings’ few scoring threats, though he also struggled defensively, racking up a minus-29 rating. A two-year deal would still make him a restricted free agent when it's up, and he’s likely to get somewhere in the $3 million annually range.

Detroit Free Press LOADED: 06.10.2020 1175450 Detroit Red Wings

Robby Fabbri named Red Wings' Masterton Trophy nominee for perseverance

Ted Kulfan, The Detroit News Published 9:32 a.m. ET June 9, 2020 | Updated 9:33 a.m. ET June 9, 2020

Detroit — Robby Fabbri had to overcome consecutive knee injuries that kept him out of the NHL for almost two full years.

There were doubts Fabbri would ever return. Fabbri, 24, was named the Red Wings’ nominee Tuesday for the Masterton Trophy by the Detroit chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers Association.

But Fabbri, acquired by the Red Wings in November, showed he still had the talent that made St. Louis draft him in the first round in 2014.

Fabbri, 24, was named the Red Wings’ nominee Tuesday for the Masterton Trophy by the Detroit chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers Association.

The Masterton Trophy is awarded annually to the NHL player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to the sport.

Fabbri suffered serious knee injuries to his left ACL that required surgery during consecutive seasons in 2017-18, which cost Fabbri 20 months of rehabilitation.

From February 2017 to October 2018 Fabbri didn’t play an NHL game, tearing his ACL in a regular season game in 2017 then re-injuring it in an exhibition game the following season, costing Fabbri his entire regular season. So, considering the Red Wings are currently off the ice for potentially nine months between regular season games, this is nothing for Fabbri.

“I was off for quite a while,” said Fabbri, talking recently about his knee troubles. “It definitely prepared me for something like this. The mental and physical side of it. I’ve been through it twice and I know what my body needs to stay in shape and I know what my mind needs.

“It’s helped me out definitely. But saying that, I’m still excited about the chance to get back on the ice and get back in the gym and get back in the routine of summer training.”

Fabbri was acquired Nov. 6 by the Winga in exchange for forward Jacob de la Rose, in what many have called general manager Steve Yzerman’s shrewdest trade as the Wings’ general manager.

Having only played nine games in St. Louis to begin this season, Fabbri arrived with the Wings and had 14 goals and 17 assists in 52 games with the Wings, supplying the team established secondary scoring. "I asked him when he came to us, 'Do you want to be a fine player or do you want to be a real good player?' He shows on a fairly consistent basis he wants to be a really good player," said coach Jeff Blashill after a late- season Red Wings victory.

Detroit News LOADED: 06.10.2020 1175451 Detroit Red Wings

Robby Fabbri resurrected career, named Red Wings’ Masterton candidate

By Ansar Khan

It is not often that a player can be traded from the Stanley Cup champion to the worst team in the NHL and feed good about it.

But Robby Fabbri’s career, which included two major knee injuries before age 24 was resurrected with the Detroit Red Wings following an early season trade with the St. Louis Blues.

Fabbri was named Tuesday as the Red Wings’ candidate for the Bill Masterton Trophy, awarded annually to the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey. The selection was made by the Detroit chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers Association.

Fabbri tallied 14 goals and 31 points in 52 games with Detroit, after being acquired on Nov. 6 for fourth-line center Jacob de la Rose. Fabbri had only one point (a goal) in nine games with the Blues.

“This year is just about getting my confidence back and kind of just proving to myself that I can still be the player that I was,” Fabbri said during the season. “This is kind of the first year in a while where I’ve put some consecutive games together with some minutes. I’ve always believed in myself. I knew what I could have done (in St. Louis) if given the chance. That’s just the way of the business; and coming here just kind of gave me a refreshing start. I wanted to come in and prove to the guys here and to the fans that I can still do what I did in my first few years.”

The Blues drafted Fabbri 21st overall in 2014. He had a solid rookie season in 2015-16 with 18 goals and 37 points in 72 games, followed by a strong playoff performance (four goals, 15 points in 20 games).

He suffered a torn left ACL midway through his second season, missing the final 30 regular season games and 11 playoff games. While preparing to come back in 2017-18, Fabbri the tore the same knee ligament and sat out the entire season. He experienced no issues with the knee this season and did not hesitate to play his physical style of game.

“I’ve tried to modify the way I play, and it didn’t come out well,” Fabbri said. “It’s not really in me to stop playing that competitive and that tenacious. I’ve played like that my whole life, so it’s hard to change now.”

Fabbri is among the club’s many restricted free agents, a list that also includes Anthony Mantha and Tyler Bertuzzi. All three, and several others, will be signed before the 2020-21 season.

The NHL has not announced a date or location for its Awards Show, which was postponed from its original June 18 date due to the coronavirus hiatus. The Red Wings have had two Masterton Trophy winners – Brad Park in 1984 and Steve Yzerman in 2003. Michigan Live LOADED: 06.10.2020 1175452 Edmonton Oilers McDavid and the Oilers camp then went into public denial mode. The captain appeared on player interview exit day and assured everybody he was going to be fine with a little off-season physiotherapy. He said he’d be back for the start of training camp and able to play the first game of JONES: Edmonton Oilers' Connor McDavid a worthy nomi-knee for the season, no problem. And he was. NHL's Masterton trophy But behind the scenes, it was a major problem.

At the end of the documentary, Whatever it Takes, Metz rolled the list like Terry Jones most films usually roll the credits.

It was the audited extent of McDavid’s knee injury from a collision with a goalpost in that last game of the regular season in Calgary. It was the Connor McDavid wouldn’t become the first NHL player ever to win the Bill total tabulation what No. 97 went through to be back to start the season: Masterton trophy for overcoming an injury or a medical condition. • Fully torn PCL (posterior cruciate ligament). But on Tuesday, he became the first to be nominated for starring in a documentary. • Torn medial and lateral menisci.

Hey. Kidding. • Fully torn popliteus muscle.

Well, sort of. • Complete tear of the posterior capsule. There is truth in there somewhere. • Tibial plateau fracture.

At the time, next to nobody had a clue what the Edmonton Oilers captain • Decided on non-surgical route. had done to overcome what he was publicly pronouncing to be a minor injury suffered in the final game of the 2018-19 regular season in • Pioneering multi-discipline rehab process. Calgary. • More than 1,000 hours over 179 days to return to lineup. Then the documentary, produced by Don Metz, came out. That list alone qualifies McDavid to be one of the most worthy nominees When the exceptionally powerful film was shown during Sportsnet’s in the entire history of the award. coverage of the NHL all-star game it, had such a jaw-dropping impact Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 06.10.2020 that people were conceding McDavid the Hart trophy, the Ted Lindsay Award, the Art Ross and the Masterton.

As it turned out, teammate Leon Draisaitl put himself in position to win much of that hardware. But at 7 a.m. Tuesday morning, the local chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers Association made McDavid the unanimous selection as Oilers nominee.

McDavid, who ended up second to Draisaitl in NHL scoring with 97 points in the COVID-19-shortened season, received first place votes from all seven selectors, with Kris Russell, Matt Benning and James Neal finishing in a three-way tie for second.

McDavid, should he win, would become the first Edmonton Oilers player to ever win the Masterton.

Members of the PHWA don’t always have an easy time of it in selecting the winner of the trophy, named to honour the Minnesota North Stars player who died of injuries suffered in a game in 1968. The award is given annually to a player who exhibited the traits of Masterton: “perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey.”

McDavid wouldn’t be the first star to win the award often given to lesser- known names in the game.

In 1972, Bobby Clarke won it for overcoming diabetes to play in the NHL.

Mario Lemieux won it for missing 24 games in 1992-93 with Hodgkin’s lymphoma and still managing to win the scoring race.

Overcoming injury and other medical challenges has been a common theme, such as New York Islanders Mark Fitzpatrick, who returned from the potentially life-threatening disease of Eosinophilia-myalgia syndrome to return to the NHL in 1991-92. Others included Pat LaFontaine (head injuries), Tony Granato (brain injury), Jamie McLennan (bacterial meningitis) and several others with a variety of hockey injuries.

Jaromir Jagr won it for producing 66 points at age 44.

Dedication to the game through long, successful careers put the names of Claude Provost, Jean Ratelle, Henri Richard, Serge Savard, Lanny McDonald, Brad Park and Dave Taylor on the trophy.

As McDavid awaits his second Stanley Cup playoffs experience, he is currently enjoying the off-season provided by the COVID-19 pause that he didn’t get at this time last year. After Mark Giordano sent McDavid into the goalpost in Game 82 last year, No. 97 had to be helped off the ice and to the dressing room after exclaiming, “I think it’s broke.” 1175453 Edmonton Oilers What’s next: Bouchard is NHL-ready; it’s only a matter of time. He could start in Bakersfield next season, but he’ll be in Edmonton soon.

LC Skyler Brind’Amour Lowetide: Every prospect in the Oilers system and what’s next for each He turns 21 in July, and his freshman season in the NCAA (34 games 4- player 9-13 with Quinnipiac) has him back on course as a prospect. On draft day, the planned route went through the USHL and on to Michigan State, but instead he landed in the BCHL, followed by the ECAC. He is a smart By Allan Mitchell Jun 9, 2020 player with great wheels, and his freshman performance offered some hope for development during his college career.

What’s next: More playing time in his sophomore season with Quinnipiac. When we last talked about the Edmonton Oilers’ prospect pool, we focused in real time on the NHL graduations of Ethan Bear, Kailer LHD Philip Broberg Yamamoto and Caleb Jones. It’s been some time since the organization had so many quality options ready to step in and populate important Broberg played his first season in Sweden’s top league (SHL), scoring 1- spots in the order. 7-8 in 45 games. He averaged 13:59 per game and received under 20 minutes on the power play. The first blush is to react to the lack of Every NHL team has to prioritize development, and that means replacing offence, but he played fewer than 20 minutes on the power play and his players who graduate to the NHL as well as those exiting the system scoring at even strength aligns with other high picks from Sweden in after entry deals. The decisions of summer will be delayed by the 2020 recent seasons. Defensively, he’s doing well on a quality team playoffs, but now is a good time to look at each Oilers prospect and (Skelleftea). Broberg’s 23-23 on-ice goal differential trails the numbers project him. posted by his other defensive mates (118-102, plus-16) but that’s not unusual for a teenage rookie in a good pro league. He finished behind Here are the team’s prospects (in alphabetical order by last name), four defencemen in even-strength goal differential on the team. Broberg’s including three players who are NHL-ready, and what we might expect in even-strength time on ice per game (13:19) ranked No. 6 among 2020-21: regulars. LW Tyler Benson What’s next: Another season in the SHL, this time getting feature minutes He has completed his second AHL season and is on a clear trajectory for and substantial power-play time. Broberg’s offence will improve with a an NHL career. His rookie campaign was the best by an Oilers farmhand power-play push; the goal-differential totals for his rookie season and his in forever, and he performed well without centre Cooper Marody in his range of skills are good indicators. sophomore season. Benson made his NHL debut and showed glimpses LHD Matt Cairns of the style that should keep him in the NHL: winning battles, finesse passes and slowing down opposition progress on the forecheck. It isn’t He played sparingly for Cornell in his junior NCAA season, appearing in certain Benson will play on a skill line — his speed could limit his usage just 19 games, most of those in the first half. His team is absolutely — but he’s shown enough to be considered next man up among loaded on defence, so Cairns could be getting the squeeze because organization forwards. playing time is being earned by others. He’s a smart defender with mobility and belongs in the shutdown category of defencemen. What’s next: The Oilers have a bunch of left wingers but none with the contract of Benson. He is NHL-ready and should be on the team next What’s next: As he enters his senior season, his path is difficult due to season. the quality of competition on his own team.

RHD Filip Berglund RHD Logan Day

Berglund signed his NHL contract in May, just a few days before turning Day is a pleasure to watch with the puck on his stick, a freewheeling 23. At 6-foot-3, 205 pounds, he’s an impressive defender who also brings chaos defenceman who has impressive recovery ability when caught out finesse and the ability to move the puck. In 52 games with Skelleftea in of position. In 2019-20, he spent a lot of time chasing (his even-strength 2019-20, he posted 5-15-20 scoring totals while playing 18:20 per game. on-ice goal differential of 25-41 was the worst among Condors His 13:56 at even strength included a solid goal differential (31-28), and defencemen) the puck, and his offence (48, 6-10-16) was less impressive his 10 power-play points (2-8-10) represent a career high and a major than in 2019-20. He’ll need to be more responsible defensively. spike in usage (2:05 a game). What’s next: Day is a restricted free agent, but a right-handed defender What’s next: He’ll play a final season in the SHL before joining the Oilers has high value; a return to the organization seems likely. in time for the 2021-22 season. Based on the numbers, it’s likely he’s ready to push now, although time with the AHL Bakersfield Condors is LC Maxim Denezhkin likely no matter when he arrives. Berglund has a real chance to have an He is among the most skilled prospects in the Oilers’ pipeline. He’s an NHL career based on his age and progress. excellent passer and has a good shot, and his natural offensive ability LW Matej Blumel allows him to post impressive numbers at even strength and with the man advantage. He’s just 5-10 and 168 pounds, and he’ll turn 20 in Drafted in 2019 as an overager (born May 2000), Blumel has speed and December. scoring ability that make him an attractive draft prospect. He scored 30 goals in 58 USHL games in 2018-19 but played a lesser role in the What’s next: He played one KHL game with his team (Lokomotiv Czech pro league in 2019-20. His four goals in 31 games for HC Dynamo Yaroslavl) this season. Expect more in the coming year. If he ever Pardubice are disappointing, mostly due to a lack of playing time in a decides to come over, you’ll notice him. period when he should be taking regular shifts. LW Joe Gambardella What’s next: Another year in the Czech league for Blumel. He’ll need a Gambardella is a solid two-way winger at the NHL level whose time is spike in performance to stay on track as a prospect. now (he is 26). He lost an open NHL job to Patrick Russell at last year’s RHD Evan Bouchard training camp and might not get another chance. His goal-scoring fell badly (from 29 to 14) with Bakersfield year over year. Bouchard made big strides in vital areas of development while also delivering the impressive offence that will carry him to the NHL soon. His What’s next: Gambardella has one year left on his contract and a skill set scoring (7-29-36 in 54 games) was never in doubt, and he performed that should make NHL coach Dave Tippett sit up and take notice. The admirably with the puck on his stick. The two major keys to his offensive Oilers have a bunch of left wingers, and Gambardella can play some game are exceptional passing and the ability to get his shot through to centre. It’s Edmonton or Bakersfield next season. the net on the power play. The big news came without the puck: From RW Cameron Hebig the beginning of the season through the end of December, his even- strength on-ice goal differential was 18-28 (minus-10). From that point to He began his pro career on fire in 2018-19. In his first 15 games, Hebig the end of the season, those numbers corrected (23-23) on a team that scored nine times alongside Cooper Marody and Tyler Benson. Since struggled because of injuries and recalls. then, including this season, Hebig has scored just five goals in 80 AHL games. It’s clear he was getting zoomed by his linemates early, but the What’s next: He’ll need to earn it, but there is a scoring role available in fall in production has put his future in a different light. Bakersfield next season. Lavoie’s junior career and draft pedigree place him ahead of the competition (Kirill Maksimov and Ostap Safin). What’s next: He is a restricted free agent this summer and was signed by previous management. He is unlikely to return. LHD Theodor Lennstrom

RHD Phil Kemp Lennstrom is a newly signed SHL defenceman who should be a plug- and-play option in the AHL this coming season. I wrote about his 2019-20 Kemp enjoyed another strong year at Yale (NCAA), posting a career-best season recently, and his skill set (terrific speed, excellent passer) 11 points in 32 games. He is a shutdown type, likely the best among suggests he should be able to flourish at even strength and possibly on Oilers prospects at this time. Although his offence isn’t a major calling the power play. If his two-way game is solid and he adjusts quickly to card, Kemp’s defensive ability makes him a prospect worthy of an NHL North American ice, Lennstrom should be a hit in the AHL. contract. What’s next: Bakersfield lost a large group of defencemen from October What’s next: Senior year at Yale and dozens more astute defensive to March via recall. At the very least Lennstrom should be able to play players. An organization that lost John Marino after three years of college top-four AHL minutes and help on the power play. might be eager to sign Kemp right after his senior year. RW Kirill Maksimov RHD Michael Kesselring He is a scoring winger with some two-way acumen, but only one was on He is among the more interesting players on the list. He’s a giant display in Bakersfield during 2019-20. Maksimov didn’t touch the puck as defenceman with a seemingly awkward skating style, but he can move much as he’ll need to if pro success is to arrive. His 59 shots and five well and has great instincts offensively. His talent was raw on draft day goals in 53 games are shy of expectations, and it’s disappointing that he (No. 164 in the 2018 selection), and he still has some distance to go. was unable to wrestle away playing time from what is (mostly) a Kesselring’s junior season in the NCAA (2-3-5 in 34 games with pedestrian group of scoring wingers in Bakersfield. On the other hand, Northeastern) had plenty of success, including playing in all 34 games his even-strength goal differential (26-30) was genuinely impressive and helping Northeastern win the Beanpot championship. compared with other forwards on the team.

What’s next: More playing time and an increase in offensive production. What’s next: Maksimov needs to show the goal-scoring ability everyone Among later picks, Kesselring might be the most intriguing. saw in junior, and he’ll have to establish himself on a line with a quality G Ilya Konovalov offensive centre in Bakersfield.

This is the top goalie in the system. He has posted two strong seasons in RHC Cooper Marody the KHL (save percentages of .930 and .912 as a starter) and is just one Marody is not the player he was before Kale Kessy’s hit during the 2019 year away from free agency. He was a surprise selection by the Oilers, playoffs. He scored just over a point per game for his AHL career before both because he’s a Russian goalie and he was chosen early (seventh the hit and has delivered only .57 points per game since. It had a major goalie of 22 chosen in 2019). He is a little undersized, but the results impact on the Condors and looks like it has affected Marody’s career have been outstanding. path.

What’s next: Konovalov has one more year in the KHL before reaching What’s next: He turns 24 in December, and the 2020-21 season is the free agency. The Oilers have an excellent prospect here. He’ll be 22 in final year of his entry deal. His rookie season seems like a distant bell, July. He’s ready to come over and compete for an NHL job, but it will but if Marody can recover, he has a great chance to play in the NHL. have to wait a year. RC Tomas Mazura LW Ryan Kuffner He is a young centre who has scored well at lower levels. He brings size Kuffner could be the most obscure prospect in the Oilers system. (6-4, 190) and had success with the Omaha Lancers (USHL) in four Acquired from the Detroit Red Wings at the trade deadline, Kuffner spent games (1-2-3) before dominating high school (Kimball Academy: 35 his college career filling the net for Princeton of the ECAC. In his final games, 13-60-73). The worry about Mazura, despite the scoring and three college seasons, Kuffner scored 19, 29 and 22 goals, winning a size, is that he turns 20 in September. His performance last season is handsome free-agent contract from Ken Holland in Detroit. His pro career less impressive when viewed through that lens. has been less impressive (no goals in 10 NHL games and just six in 36 AHL contests), but he is still finding his way in pro hockey. What’s next: Mazura is slated to play for the Chicago Steel in 2020-21. He’ll need to dominate in order to impress. What’s next: A new contract (he is a restricted free agent), then a feature role in the AHL with the Condors is the likely path. LHC Ryan McLeod

LHD William Lagesson He’s the fastest forward in the system, and that has him on the fast track for NHL work. His even-strength scoring as an AHL rookie (56 games, 5- He is on the verge of an NHL career, although it might not come in 14-19) implies more offence than his OHL career suggested, and his on- Edmonton. After delivering two quality seasons in the AHL and getting an ice goal differential at even strength (27-27) was exceptional considering eight-game look with the Oilers this season, Lagesson is out of options the quality of his team. In a decidedly uneven season in Bakersfield, and waiver-eligible. He is the third in a group of minor-league McLeod shone like a diamond. defencemen developed by Jay Woodcroft and his staff over the past two seasons. The other two (Ethan Bear, Caleb Jones) are already in the What’s next: One more season in Bakersfield, with a small chance the NHL. Lagesson has less offensive flair than the other two, but he is a organization decides he’s NHL-ready during the season. quality two-way defender who should get his chance. LW Graham McPhee What’s next: If there’s no room at the NHL level, and that would appear to be the case, then a trade or waivers appear to be in Lagesson’s future. He ended his college career this season and is at a crossroads. As a He is NHL-ready. two-way winger, he is more than qualified for an NHL contract. However, during his four-year career, McPhee scored only 22 goals in 138 games RC Raphael Lavoie while playing for Boston College.

This is the prospect Oilers fans talked about all winter, and for good What’s next: McPhee could grab an AHL deal or head to Europe. His reason. Although Broberg was Edmonton’s first-round selection in 2019, worth ethic and attention to defensive detail have value. it was Lavoie being chosen in the second round that caught the imagination of fans. Lavoie was on fire all spring and was a feature LHD Markus Niemelainen player at the 2019 . His skill set was (and remains) a Niemelainen signed his NHL deal in the spring, after an impressive step perfect fit for the organization, as his shot volume and goal-scoring forward in the Liiga during 2019-20. He increased his time on ice per success are impressive. During the 2019-20 season, he scored 38 goals game by six minutes season over season and ranks as one of the top on 310 shots in just 55 games. He also impressed at the World Juniors shutdown defenders in the system. He won’t deliver big offensive with increased playing time during the two weeks around New Year’s. numbers, but his size, speed and coverage could take him a long way. He’s a pure scorer in an organization that has very few of those. What’s next: A season in the AHL with the Bakersfield Condors is He played behind Skinner (and Shane Starrett when he was healthy) and guaranteed, as the big man gets used to North American ice. was unable to force his way up the depth chart this season. In two AHL seasons, and 19 games, his career average is .898, with his greatest RW Aapeli Rasanen achievement coming in a brilliant playoff game. He is one of the most interesting players in Edmonton’s system. A centre What’s next: With Skinner ahead of him on the pro depth chart and for most of his time with Boston College, he moved to wing during the Rodrigue arriving from junior, Wells is heading for a career crossroads 2019-20 season, which saw him break out offensively (11 goals in 34 with one year left on his entry deal. games) after two pedestrian campaigns. He has value but as a centre, so the change in position and forgoing his senior season (signed with KalPa LW Nolan Vesey in the Liiga for next season) change the equation. He is at the end of his contract and is unlikely to be re-signed. In his two What’s next: He’ll play in Europe next year. Edmonton needs to sign him seasons in the Oilers organization, he played 47 ECHL and 25 AHL by Aug. 15, 2021, or lose his rights. It’s anyone’s guess how this turns games. out. There are three men who are NHL-ready: Benson, Bouchard and G Angus Redmond Lagesson. Restricted free agents likely to be gone are Redmond, Hebig and Vesey. Players who performed well in Bakersfield last season but He was acquired at the deadline for Joel Persson. He is an RFA and will might need more time are McLeod and Samorukov. not be retained. The most interesting players entering the pro system are Lavoie and G Olivier Rodrigue Rodrigue. Rodrigue completed an impressive junior career this season and is the The Athletic LOADED: 06.10.2020 one goalie, Konovalov aside, who can reasonably lay claim to being Edmonton’s top prospect at the position. The QMJHL is a skill league, a scorer’s league, so when a goaltender ends the season with a .918 save percentage in 39 games, it’s worth noting.

What’s next: Rodrigue turns 20 in July and will be a pro player when the 2020-21 season resumes. The ECHL and AHL are possible landing spots, and it is possible he wins the starting job in Bakersfield during the season. LW Ostap Safin

Safin turned pro but didn’t get close to Bakersfield this season. Instead, management sent him to the ECHL Wichita Thunder (54 games, 16-19- 35) to see what he could do in a healthy season. He played just 15 regular-season games in his final season of junior, but in 2019-20, he had a chance to produce 11 power-play points and take 111 shots. Safin was highly rated (No. 51 on Bob McKenzie’s list) in his draft season, but injuries limited his post-draft development. What’s next: Bakersfield awaits, and after Safin got the playing time Maksimov couldn’t find, it will be fascinating to see which of the two prospects grabs that opportunity on an AHL skill line.

LHD Dmitri Samorukov

He has a chance to be the latest in a line of mid-round draft picks who exceed their pedigree by miles. Caleb Jones and Ethan Bear were chosen outside the top three rounds in 2015, and Samorukov was a late third-round pick in 2017. After a splendid junior career, he turned pro in 2019-20 and played mostly third-pairing minutes. It was a struggle for the team and the player, but his on-ice goal differential at even strength (28- 34) suggests he held his own on a team badly outmanned at times.

What’s next: A move up the depth chart is likely. Samorukov will be in competition with Lennstrom and Niemelainen for playing time on the left side of the Bakersfield defence.

LW Patrik Siikanen He is a two-way winger who projects as a checking forward with some good offensive instincts. He isn’t overly creative with the puck but can find opportunities by driving to the net in offensive situations. He flourished in junior before moving up to the Liiga and posting two points in 28 games. He turned 20 in April.

What’s next: Another season in the Liiga. It’s difficult to project him into a skill role, meaning a checking future and applying for a role that traditionally has multiple candidates. He needs to show more offensive touch.

G Stuart Skinner

Skinner had a tough season playing in front of a struggling bunch of Condors in 2019-20. He finished with an .892 save percentage, with moments of exceptional play (six games, 4-2-0, .921 save percentage, 2.35 goals-against average to start November) followed by weeks of struggle.

What’s next: As of now, he’s the starter in Bakersfield. G Dylan Wells 1175454 Edmonton Oilers It would allow least 1,000 people to work in Edmonton, he said, mostly at the presently vacant JW Marriott hotel but also at Rogers Place. He estimates a couple hundred of those workers would be required for games to assist league officials, on- and off-ice crews, broadcasters, plus Does being an NHL hub city really benefit the local economy? Experts venue operations, some food and beverage staff. weigh in “Every little bit helps,” he said.

He added sectors like transportation, health care and lifestyle/recreation By Daniel Nugent-Bowman Jun 9, 2020 would also benefit.

The Oilers’ plan calls for one or two city-run recreation centres to be used for practices, so transportation from downtown is required. The rec In recent weeks, Alberta Premier Jason Kenney has touted that being an centres and Rogers Place would be rented and then cleaned after and NHL postseason hub city could be a significant boon to the provincial would “inject some dollars into the city,” Shipton said. economy, even without fans in the stands. “We’re not putting money into it. We don’t expect to subsidize it,” In a letter sent to NHL commissioner Gary Bettman on May 26 – the Edmonton Mayor Don Iveson told the CBC. “If anything, I hope to have same day the league announced its postseason format – Kenney said, “I some external source of funds to hire back some rec facility staff, like believe that the NHL playoffs could play a key part in the economic Zamboni drivers, to host the players of the NHL.” relaunch of Alberta.” Shipton reiterated the NHL’s stance that pay-for-use coronavirus tests But, according to multiple economists contacted by The Athletic, would be administered to players and team personnel, which would not suggesting such an impact for Edmonton – or any of the 12 potential hub decrease the province’s capacity. cities – should be considered symbolic or hyperbolic. Edmonton’s plan also includes a lifestyle package, namely golf for “It’s like a person who has $10 in their pocket getting an extra penny,” players and staff. Players might be able to tee off on non-game days or if said Moshe Lander, a member of the department of economics at their teams complete a series quickly. Concordia University in Montreal. “That’s not going to change the economy any.” “It all adds up to nice activity that’s not happening in a big way right now,” Shipton said. Edmonton, Vancouver, Toronto, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Chicago, Columbus, Pittsburgh and Dallas are in the running for However, the experts advise that not all types of economic impact are two hub-city spots – expected to be announced by the NHL later this created equal. month. Each city would host 12 teams, a total that would be whittled down as the postseason progresses. Holmes said the impact for golf courses could be limited if hockey players’ rounds remove tee times from public offerings or their greens Aside from places like Las Vegas charging hotel guests an occupancy fees are reduced or comped. tax, the local economic impact shouldn’t vary much between cities, according to Dan Mason, a professor of sport management and teacher Mason said professional sports teams don’t have very significant of a business hockey course at the University of Alberta. And the impact economic benefits to cities at the best of times. He notes half of hockey- won’t be grand anyway. related revenue goes to the players and most of them don’t live in the cities year-round and, thus, spend most of their money elsewhere. Mason conducted several hockey-related business reports for the City of Edmonton from 2006 to 2012, including one about the best location to Under this return-to-play format, a large American-based hotel build Edmonton’s new rink – which opened in 2016. conglomerate stands to be one of the biggest beneficiaries. That doesn’t have the same impact as supporting a bunch of local businesses that “These kinds of things don’t have the economic impacts that their would then reinvest that money back into the local economy, Mason said. proponents tend to suggest that they do … or it’s just benefitting a select group,” Mason said. “There’s not an economic development argument “When you think about how many people will be staying in hotels and there.” how long they’d be staying, it’s such a tiny, tiny amount,” he said. “It really would have no impact given the size of these cities. According to Lander, a city could expect an influx of no more than $20 million, with hotels and the food and service industry being the greatest “What’s most important is how the money recirculates within the beneficiaries over a period of approximately 70 days. economy. If you’re staying at a major hotel chain, that money gets pulled right out of the economy. That money doesn’t stay in the economy.” “Even if you say your numbers are off by a factor of 10 – call it $150 million – that’s less than one one-thousandth (of the Alberta economy),” The Edmonton bid is highlighted by having one of the newest rinks in the Lander said. NHL and an adjoining hotel, which would help create a bubble for the players, staff and potentially their family members. “The impact could be very negligible,” added Hannah Holmes, a permanent assistant teacher professor of economics at McMaster Lander usually lives in Edmonton from May to August, although COVID- University, in Hamilton, Ont. 19 restrictions will prevent that from happening this year. He believes purely from an economic standpoint, markets like Las Vegas, Toronto, Oilers senior vice-president of corporate communications and Pittsburgh, and Columbus could have other advantages. government relations Tim Shipton acknowledges “it’s not billions of dollars. We probably peg it at $25-35 million.” He suggests Vegas and Toronto could offer more entertainment options for players and staff closer to the arenas. In Vegas, that would be the (The Athletic reached out to the two other Canadian teams under case if NHL personnel had private access to a casino or the floor of a consideration. A Canucks spokesperson said the team is “currently casino, he said. (However, some casinos on the Vegas strip were waiting on some economic numbers.” A Maple Leafs spokesperson opened to the public last week.) referred us to a May 27 media availability with president Brendan Shanahan, GM Kyle Dubas and captain John Tavares.) Even with a lower Canadian dollar, “money would stretch further in Columbus or Pittsburgh than even in Edmonton” from a purchasing Shipton has spoken regularly with Kenney and his staff about trying to power parity standpoint, Lander argues. get NHL games in Edmonton this summer and fall, providing they can be held in a safe manner. Without fans in the stands and without many or any tourists visiting, hosting games in Edmonton also won’t help pay down the debt service “I think his view is that this hub city with Edmonton and Alberta hosting agreement for Rogers Place and the surrounding area. NHL hockey could be a part of the economic recovery,” Shipton said. “I don’t think he sees it as the only thing.” According to the city, 58 percent of the $613.7 million cost of the arena and nearby developments is being paid off from a ticket surcharge and a Shipton added that being a hub city would be a “tremendous opportunity community revitalization levy – “the increased uptick in the taxes for a bunch of reasons.” generated in the area around the facility,” as Mason explains. Since fans probably won’t be able to attend the games, downtown restaurants and bars aren’t expected to garner the same interest as they would have.

“There’s not really that same incentive to aggregate (downtown),” Mason said.

“It’s incremental at best,” Shipton said. “Hosting these games helps cover some expenses, but it’s not a significant win.” For all the noted drawbacks, Mason and Shipton each said there could be tangential benefits to hosting games for teams.

Players, and maybe even their families, will be in the city when the weather is at its nicest and can see some of the things it has to offer. Perhaps free agents would remember that down the road.

For those watching at home, vignettes showcasing the city can be shown before the games and during intermissions.

“You’re tapping into that civic boosterism piece. For a city like Edmonton, they historically have had a bit of an inferiority complex,” Mason said. “That’s another piece to this as well.” “It’s a huge opportunity that we haven’t seen before,” Shipton said.

When it comes to dollars and cents, however, opportunity turning into actuality depends on whom you ask. “From an economic perspective, we think it would be a very good event for the city – one of the things that could get us on the path to recovery,” Shipton said. “It’s certainly better than not hosting at all,” Lander said. “Usually sports displace economic activity. In this case, it could actually be creating activity. We’re talking in the millions of dollars, but not in the tens of millions of dollars.”

Lander said Kenney is “overstating” the impact and simply playing the role of cheerleader for the province and city.

It’s not that there’s necessarily anything wrong with that, according to experts. But there’s more to consider.

“NHL hockey was an important part of the lives of a lot of people in Edmonton before the pandemic. If Edmonton can be a part of jumpstarting some kind of quasi-return to normalcy then, symbolically, I don’t disagree with him,” Mason said. “But in terms of the actual economic impact, I don’t see it. The numbers aren’t there.

“Compared to how much the economy has been hurt by COVID, this is just like a drop in the bucket. There are other things that the province and the city could be focusing on that could have a much greater positive impact.”

The Athletic LOADED: 06.10.2020 1175455 Los Angeles Kings

Kings’ Jeff Carter undergoes surgery to repair a core muscle injury

By JACK HARRISSTAFF WRITER JUNE 9, 20201:18 PM

Kings forward Jeff Carter underwent successful surgery to repair a core muscle injury last week and is expected to recover in time for the start of next season, the team announced Tuesday.

Carter, 35, was hurt in late February and missed the Kings’ final 10 games before the NHL season was suspended on March 12 because of the coronavirus crisis. Even if the Kings’ season — which officially ended last month when they were excluded from the NHL’s 24-team restart plan because of their bottom-seven placement in the standings — had continued this summer, Carter wasn’t expected to return.

Carter remained in Southern California during the season stoppage and underwent his procedure last Thursday. Because of the schedule delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, next season might not begin until December or early January, potentially giving Carter almost six months to recover.

Before being sidelined, Carter was having a bounce-back campaign in 2019-20. In 60 games, he collected 17 goals (tied for third-most on the team) and 27 points. Seven of those goals were game-winners, including a go-ahead deflection late in the third period of his 1,000th career game on Nov. 16.

Tampa Bay Lightning forward Bokondji Imama, left, and Carolina Hurricanes forward Erik Karlsson chase the puck.

“I’ve stuck to what got me to where I am,” Carter said that night. “That’s straight lines and trying to work hard every day. Not straying from my path.”

Carter has battled back from serious injuries before, including a torn ankle tendon three years ago that cost him most of the 2017-18 season (when he tallied 22 points in only 27 games) and hampered him in 2018- 19 (when his 33 points were the lowest in any season he played at least 70 games).

Before that, Carter recorded at least 60 points in eight of his first 13 NHL seasons and played a key role in both of the Kings’ Stanley Cup-winning teams in 2012 and 2014.

Carter still has two years remaining on his contract. His annual salary cap hit is almost $5.3 million, according to CapFriendly, fifth-highest on the Kings.

LA Times: LOADED: 06.10.2020 1175456 Minnesota Wild is already involved in as an ambassador for Athletes Committed to Educating Students.

Some of the children from ACES live in the communities affected in the Wild defenseman Matt Dumba brings first-hand grasp of racism to new aftermath of Floyd’s death, Dumba said, and it’s been difficult for him to hockey alliance watch what’s happened to Minneapolis from Calgary. But he’s also proud of how the community has rallied together to take care of itself, and he Wild defenseman hopes to make difference in new hockey alliance. and Iowa Wild forward J.T. Brown are working on a fundraiser. “Just seeing the outreach I’ve had the past couple of days from teammates and other guys that have reached out has been so cool,” said By Sarah McLellan Star Tribune JUNE 9, 2020 — 11:34PM Dumba, who is skating in Calgary and said his return to the Twin Cities will depend on the NHL progressing to a potential training camp ahead of resuming the season. “We have already started a change.” Increased participation in hockey. Making an impact in the NHL first and then working on other leagues will Minorities or people of color making up at least half the team, or maybe make the most significant difference, Dumba believes. He said, “You’d be even a majority. naive to say there’s not racism in our game,” but players are trying to listen and learn and can gain an understanding by having talks with their And children only hearing of stories of racism in the sport rather than black or minority teammates. experiencing it firsthand. Change is possible in Dumba’s mind, but it’s going to take everyone to That’s what Wild defenseman Matt Dumba would like to be reality in 10 make it happen. years. “Younger players seeing not only their favorite black or minority players “They can look back and see us and all the people who get involved with standing up but also their favorite white players also committing to this is what we’re trying to do and see us as kind of pioneers for the sport and going to go such a long way in bridging that gap and bringing everyone people who got rid of something that was so negative in our game,” he said. together,” Dumba said. Star Tribune LOADED: 06.10.2020 But Dumba isn’t just hoping for change. He’s working to instigate it.

After being among the many NHL players to speak out against racial injustice following George Floyd’s killing in Minneapolis police custody, Dumba continued to show his support by helping establish the Hockey Diversity Alliance (HDA) to demolish racism and intolerance in hockey.

“This has been an eye-opener for me as well, and an opportunity where I see that I can make a difference,” Dumba said Tuesday. “I do have a voice in that community, and I want to be a leader. So I want to show those people that I’m willing to commit to that and commit to making a difference. “So this is just the start for me. Putting myself out there and being a part of this alliance is a huge step.”

Launched Monday by several pros, HDA plans to promote diversity at all levels of the sport while educating the hockey community on racism issues and advocating for acceptance and equality. While independent of the NHL, the group hopes to work with the league to accomplish its goals and already has received insight from Colin Kaepernick — a conversation Dumba said made everyone star-struck.

The initial idea came after the players discussed the need for an initiative like this in the NHL and wanting to eradicate the experiences each has had with racism in the game.

“Hearing those stories is all I really needed to be on the board and know that we were doing the right thing,” Dumba said. Growing up in Calgary, Dumba recalled many times as a child that he and his family left the rink in tears. He said his mother is scared now, just as she was scared for Dumba to leave home for junior hockey.

“You’re sitting in the car talking about what happened and seeing all the pain it caused,” said Dumba, who described himself as probably the only kid or one of two “with any color” on his youth teams. “Just having the conversation of, ‘Hey. You have to have to have tougher skin. You have to be able to take the high road on this. They are only saying that because you’re playing so well.’ When I think back about that, that’s a conversation that white parents don’t have to have with their kids nor should parents of color. That’s what I want to eliminate.”

Dumba remembers bottling up his experiences and using that as fuel to work harder and play better.

“Can you imagine that love for the game if you never had to fight with being discriminated against or feeling like you don’t belong?” he continued. “That’s what I want to promote for the youth because I think there’s a generation of hockey players that can exceed all of our expectations and really change the game.” Engagement with youth and making hockey more accessible and affordable are also aims of HDA, an endeavor similar to the one Dumba 1175457 Minnesota Wild “I just wanted to work as hard as I can and try to get that bench, that locker room feeling, ‘We’re OK back there,’” said Stalock, who became the fifth goalie in team history to record 20-plus wins in a season. “ ... I try to be a calming presence that gives them a chance to win games, and Goalie Alex Stalock is Wild's nominee for Bill Masterton Memorial Award that was my goal going in. And fortunately more nights than not, we scored more goals than the other team and got to put two points away. The South St. Paul native rebounded from a serious injury early in his career to be a major force in Minnesota this season. “It was a ton of fun to play that amount of hockey. The fun had to come to an end. We loved where we were at the end of the year. Hopefully this

thing can get back started and pick up here we left off.” By Sarah McLellan Star Tribune JUNE 9, 2020 — 11:38PM Not only was Stalock 9-3-1 going into the stoppage, but he was also tied for second in the NHL in wins (11) and tied for first in shutouts (3) since Jan. 16. And yet Stalock may not pick up where he left off if the season Wild goalie Alex Stalock had stepped in before to take over the crease resumes. while No. 1 Devan Dubnyk was unavailable. He expects to compete for the No. 1 role in a potential training camp, and Eventually, though, he’d return to his post at the end of the bench as the interim coach Dean Evason said last week he didn’t have a Game 1 backup. starter picked out.

But not this season. “I think whoever probably is looking the sharpest you gotta go with the first night,” said Stalock, who’s in the first season of a three-year, $2.355 After once again helping out while Dubnyk missed significant time due to million contract. a family matter, Stalock continued to play once Dubnyk returned for good — helping spur a second-half turnaround with the best hockey of his Wild In Minnesota since the shutdown began, Stalock could get on the ice at career as the team’s de facto starter. the Wild’s practice facility next week.

“We played great when I was in there, and it made it that much better to Although teams were allowed to open their facilities Monday to players go in, have success [and] play behind that group,” Stalock said. for small, voluntary workouts, the ice isn’t scheduled to go into TRIA Rink until next week and Stalock said he planned to train there. This emergence, after Stalock re-established himself in the NHL following a serious injury early in his career, is why he was nominated by the Twin As tricky as it might be to recapture a rhythm after a monthslong hiatus, it Cities chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association for the Bill wouldn’t be the first challenge Stalock’s faced. Masterton Memorial Trophy, which recognizes the player who best exemplifies perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey. Early in his pro career after three seasons at Minnesota Duluth, Stalock’s future looked uncertain after he was stepped on by an opponent’s skate “Pretty special,” Stalock said of the recognition. “Anytime you’re in the minors just days after he made his NHL debut with San Jose. Still, nominated for an award, it’s a nice feeling. You look at this award, it’s the Sharks stuck with Stalock and after he recovered, he went on to play almost like a team award. … You look at where we started the year and parts of four seasons with them and was the team’s Masterton nominee what we went through to where we were when the brakes got put on us, in 2014. it’s kind of like a team that came from a sluggish start, a start that a lot of people questioned how far down can this go? We clawed our way back. Despite that service time, Stalock was eventually returned to the minors and took a two-way contract with the Wild in 2016 to recalibrate his “As an individual, it’s an honor to take it. But this is a team award that for career, a decision that paid off. sure with this group, the way we competed throughout the ups and a lot of the downs we had to get our way back to contention was I think a big Steady playing time with Iowa in the American Hockey League during reason I have a chance to be up for this award.” 2016-17 enabled Stalock to rediscover his game and by the following season, he was a full-timer again in the NHL. While idle for much of the team’s start to the season, which ranked as the worst in franchise history, Stalock was certainly a catalyst for the Wild’s Fast forward to this year, and Stalock went from stand-in to standout. rebound. “Lucky to still be here today,” he said, “and hopefully, for the future.” “I try to be a calming presence that gives [the Wild] a chance to win Star Tribune LOADED: 06.10.2020 games”

Goalie Alex Stalock

He moved up the depth chart in mid-November when Dubnyk was away from the team while his wife dealt with a medical situation, and Stalock helped the Wild begin to claw out of its early hole by going 5-0-2 during the team’s season-high, 11-game point streak. Dubnyk returned to action in December and began to play regularly before another brief absence in January, but his struggles opened the door for Stalock to get another look.

And the 32-year-old South St. Paul native capitalized on the opportunity.

“Anytime you’re playing with a lot on the table is a ton of fun as an athlete,” Stalock said.

Of the Wild’s final 23 games before the season paused March 12 due to the coronavirus pandemic, Stalock started 16 including seven in a row (which tied his career high) from Feb. 25 to March 7 — a 5-2 showing that lifted the Wild closer to a wild-card berth in the Western Conference.

That finish helped the team get included in the 24-team plan the NHL will implement if the season restarts later this summer, a unique format that would have the Wild taking on the Vancouver Canucks in a best-of-five qualifying round to advance to the playoffs.

Overall, Stalock went 20-11-4 with a .910 save percentage and 2.67 goals-against average while setting career highs in games played (38), starts (36), wins (20) and shutouts (4) after spending last offseason improving his footwork to be prepared to make second and third saves. 1175458 Minnesota Wild favorite black or minority players standing up but also their favorite white players also committing to this is going to go such a long way in bridging that gap and bringing everyone together.”

Wild star Matt Dumba teams up with fellow hockey players to eradicate As Dumba grows older he is starting to fully harness his voice within the racism community, and he wants to use it to make a difference. He’s committed to that moving forward.

“I want to be a leader,” Dumba said. “This is just the start for me. I think By DANE MIZUTANI | PUBLISHED: June 9, 2020 at 4:47 p.m. | putting myself out there, and being a part of this is a huge step. But I’m UPDATED: June 9, 2020 at 4:47 p.m. going to keep doing stuff in my community, keep doing stuff with (the Hockey Diversity Alliance) and just be there for those who might not have

anyone there right now.” Matt Dumba remembers the horrors of playing hockey as a little kid. His If everyone continues to take the same approach, according to Dumba, olive skin was a darker complexion than most and made him an easy things could look a lot different in the future. target. He remembers his mother occasionally leaving the rink in tears for reasons he couldn’t quite understand. “I think all of us understand that this can be so much bigger than what it is today or in a week or in a month, a year from now,” Dumba said. “We “You’re sitting in the car talking about what happened and seeing all the have an opportunity to change the game right now, and to really just pain it caused,” said Dumba, whose father, Charles, is Romanian and make a stand for what is right.” German and mother, Treena, is Filipino. “Just having the conversation of, ‘Hey. You have to have tougher skin.'” What does that look like, say, 10 years down the road?

In that moment Dumba paused, taking a deep breath as if to process the “If I got a chance to dream, I think in 10 years, I think we’ll see at least fact that his family had to deal with the ignorance of others. It’s a problem half of the team is going to be mixed or have some color, or be some he knows continues to this day. minorities, or maybe at that time it’s the majority,” Dumba said. “Hopefully by that time kids will only hear the stories — the stories of what some of “That’s a conversation that white parents don’t have to have with their us had to go through to get where we are — and they can look back and kids,” Dumba said. “That’s what I want to eliminate.” see us and all the people who get involved with what we’re trying to do. That’s why Dumba wanted to be a voice in the newly created Hockey They can see us as kind of pioneers for the sport and people who got rid Diversity Alliance, an independent organization started by minorities who of something that was so negative in our game. You’d be naive to say play professional hockey. He’s joined by San Jose Sharks winger there’s not racism in our game. Hopefully those kids can come up and Evander Kane and former NHL player Akim Aliu, who will serve as the grow up in a hockey environment that does not have that.” co-heads, and an executive committee that includes Detroit Red Wings Pioneer Press LOADED: 06.10.2020 defenseman Trevor Daley, Buffalo Sabres winger Wayne Simmonds, Philadelphia Flyers winger Chris Stewart and recently retired NHL player Joel Ward.

The creation of the Hockey Diversity Alliance came on Monday, a couple of weeks after the tragic death of George Floyd, who died after being choked out under the knee of a Minneapolis police officer.

As that horrific video circulated around social media, and massive protests followed on an international stage, so many people came to realize what minorities have long understood. That racism is still alive.

“It’s just so sad that it came to this point,” Dumba said. “This was basically the inevitable boiling point of people actually waking up and realizing that there are problems in the U.S., in Canada, in our countries and there is this divide.” While the Hockey Diversity Alliance likely won’t have a large footprint outside of the sport, at least not right away, it can create conversations within it while continuing to grow the game at a grassroots level. The main goal is to create change within the sport itself, something members of the Hockey Diversity Alliance talked about during a conversation with former San Fransisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick.

“It was super cool hearing from Kaep and seeing how much he is really invested in this,” Dumba said. “For him to sit down and take the time out of his day to talk to us and kind of preach and give his wisdom from a guy who’s been through it was super cool.”

“I know when he was talking, everyone was listening and getting a little starstruck seeing a man of this stature,” Dumba added. “At the end of the day, he’s a real dude, and he was having real conversation with us. That’s what I got out of it. I respect the hell out of that dude.”

Asked specifically how the Hockey Diversity Alliance plans to accomplish its goals, Dumba noted how it starts at the youth level. That’s where he and the rest of the members of the Hockey Diversity Alliance remember experiencing racism for the first time. As much as that means promoting diversity and creating conversations at the youth level, it also means making the sport itself more accessible to kids from all backgrounds.

Aside from working with kids, there also need to be conversations at the NHL level, according to Dumba. He said it feels like people are listening and learning more than ever before, and the Hockey Diversity Alliance needs to keep those conversations going.

“There are a lot of smart guys in our league that understand that and are taking it upon themselves to further themselves in that aspect and really make a change,” Dumba said. “Just younger players seeing not only their 1175459 Minnesota Wild While the NHL technically started Phase 2 of its Return to Play Plan, which allows players to reconvene in small groups at team facilities, the Wild will wait a little longer to get players back together at their facility.

From career backup to starter, Wild’s Alex Stalock is Masterton Trophy Why? There isn’t any ice at TRIA Rink right now. nominee According to a team spokesperson, the ice is scheduled to be installed next week, and the Wild are hoping players will be able to return shortly after that. By DANE MIZUTANI |PUBLISHED: June 9, 2020 at 8:00 a.m. | UPDATED: June 9, 2020 at 8:39 a.m. Pioneer Press LOADED: 06.10.2020

From the moment Alex Stalock entered the NHL a decade ago, almost everyone saw him as a career backup.

Not Stalock. He worked tirelessly during his time with the San Jose Sharks, battling back from a career-threatening leg injury early in his career, and continued to grind after accepting a minor league role with the Wild a few years ago.

Eventually, he made way back to the NHL, and this season the 31-year- old South St. Paul native finally emerged as the go-to guy in the crease. While usual starter Devan Dubnyk struggled to find his game, Stalock became a stabilizing force.

On Tuesday morning, he was selected as a Masterton Trophy nominee by the Twin Cities chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers Association. Named in honor of the late Minnesota North Stars player Bill Masteron, the trophy is given annually to the NHL player who best exemplifies perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to the sport.

“It’s pretty special,” Stalock said. “It’s almost like a team award. You had to give it to one guy, I guess, that’s the tough part about any individual award. You look at where we started the year and what we went through to where we were when the brakes got put on us, it’s kind of like a team that came from a sluggish start, a start that a lot of people questioned, ‘How far down can this go?’ ”

The season was postponed on March 12 because of the coronavirus pandemic, but the NHL and players union recently agreed to restart this season sometime this summer. The Wild squeaked into the 24-team playoff tournament in large part because of Stalock, who already has started a career-high 38 games this season.

While it will likely be an open competition between Stalock, Dubnyk, and Kaapo Kahkonen when the season resumes, it’s hard to bet against Stalock at this point.

“I try to be a calming presence that gives them a chance to win games,” he said. “And fortunately, more nights than not we scored more goals than the other team and got to put two points away. It was a ton of fun to play that amount of hockey. We loved where we were at at the end of the year (and) hopefully this thing can get back started and pick up here we left off.” Stalock couldn’t help but reflect on the journey that has led him to this point. He was almost out of the NHL completely before signing a two-way contract with the Wild in July 2016. He credits former Wild general manager Chuck Fletcher with giving him a second chance.

“He was straight up with me. He said, ‘Sometimes we need to take a step back to take two steps forward.’ And that’s kind of what that season was,” Stalock said. “You learn a lot about yourself. I went down and got some good work with the staff there and (goaltending development coach) Freddie Chabot and worked on simplifying some things and gave me a chance to make a Wild team out of training camp.”

After playing 50 games for the Iowa Wild of the American Hockey League (AHL) during the 2016-17 season, Stalock earned a spot back in the NHL the following season as a backup to Dubnyk. He’s been in the Twin Cities ever since and is more confident than ever as he preps to get back on the ice.

“It’s funny,” he said. “It’s a position where I joke around sometimes the puck looks like a beach ball and sometimes it looks like it’s the size of a pea. I think confidence goes a long way with this position.” As does perseverance.

BRIEFLY 1175460 Minnesota Wild 07), Wes Walz (2005-06, 2000-01), Alexandre Daigle (2003-04), Dwayne Roloson (2002-03) and Richard Park (2001-02).

Stalock called the Masterton nominee more of a team award because of Thrust into top goalie role, Alex Stalock is Wild’s Masterton Trophy how well the Wild played in front of him this season and the way the team nominee rallied from the dead after a 1-6 start and 4-9 opening month.

Stalock was 11-4-1 in his last 16 appearances with a 2.25 goals-against average and .920 save percentage. But when you’re a goalie and you By Michael Russo Jun 9, 2020 haven’t been on the ice in three months and probably close to five by the time the NHL attempts to complete the 2019-20 season later this

summer, all bets are off as to whether you’ll return to the same player It’s one heck of a coincidence how Alex Stalock’s road to becoming a you were at the pause back in March. Wild goaltender followed a near-identical path to his partner, Devan That’s why Stalock knows that despite his career-best regular season, he Dubnyk. could be on a level playing surface with Dubnyk and rookie Kaapo In 2013-14, Dubnyk was traded twice, struggled mightily in Nashville and Kahkonen if training camp starts as planned next month. wound up in the minors in the Eastern Canadian city of Hamilton, Ont., Stalock isn’t taking for granted that he’ll automatically get the nod to start for the Montreal Canadiens’ AHL affiliate. That offseason, Dubnyk had to Minnesota’s qualifying round against the Vancouver Canucks just sign a reasonable one-year contract and become the Arizona Coyotes’ because he was the team’s No. 1 back when the league went on pause backup in order to resurrect his NHL career before being dealt to the Wild in early March. in January 2015. “With time off like this, guys are going to come back and people are In 2015-16, Stalock, too, struggled in San Jose before being dealt to the going to be at different levels,” Stalock said. “I think whoever probably is Toronto Maple Leafs and immediately sanctioned to the Maple Leafs’ looking the sharpest you gotta go with the first night. You roll right into a AHL affiliate, the Marlies. That offseason, Stalock understood and was playoff series, it’s probably the first time for a lot of people to go through more than willing to sign a reasonable two-way contract with the Wild in a training camp and all of a sudden you’re playing some of the most order to resurrect his career as goalie for Minnesota’s AHL affiliate in meaningful games of your life. Iowa. “As far as the goaltending question, that’s what we do in training camp. Four seasons later, Stalock, a guy who also once sustained a career- You get goalies that report and guys want to show what they’ve done and threatening lacerated leg with the Sharks, is still not only a goalie for his show what shape they’re in, show how they’re looking and that will kind hometown Wild, the South St. Paul native largely assumed the No. 1 of set the lineup.” starting position on the Wild this season by starting a career-high 36 games and winning a career-high 20. Long branded a career backup, it’s this type of attitude that has set Stalock apart from many goalies. That’s why, coincidentally five years after Dubnyk won the NHL’s Bill Masterton Trophy for resurrecting his career during that scintillating He has always known that he could sit for days to weeks between starts, three-month run, Stalock has now been selected as the Wild’s nominee that one loss or one bad game could relegate him to the side of the for the Masterton by the Twin Cities chapter of the Professional Hockey bench again. Writers’ Association. Devan Dubnyk and Alex Stalock The Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, which honors the late North Stars player, is awarded annually to the NHL player who best exemplifies “I wanted to step up and fill some pretty big shoes that (Devan Dubnyk) qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey. has had here,” says Stalock, who has started a career-high 36 games this season. (David Berding / USA Today) Tuesday’s honor is especially gratifying for Stalock because of that 2011- 12 incident where he missed almost an entire season after getting Yet this past regular season, Stalock learned a lot about himself and saw stepped on and slicing a nerve in his leg and then humbly going to Des his years of dedication and being a great teammate pay off when he Moines to reestablish himself five years later. supplanted Dubnyk as the Wild’s No. 1. Matt Dumba Still, he refuses to say he deserves to be the No. 1 if games resume later this summer. Once buried in the AHL, Alex Stalock has found new life with his hometown franchise. He’s stepped into the No. 1 role for a playoff “Anytime you’re playing with a lot on the table is a ton of fun as an contender. (David Berding / USA Today) athlete,” Stalock said. “At the beginning of the year, it wasn’t easy for Devan with what he went through off the ice. I felt I wanted to step up He is truly appreciative of the Sharks for taking care of him, treating him and fill some pretty big shoes that he has had here in Minnesota since and giving him a new contract even though they knew he’d miss most of Day One since he’s got here. And I knew it wasn’t gonna be easy. the following season. And, when it comes to the Wild signing him in 2016-17, Stalock said, “Going into the summer of unknown, I picked up “I just wanted to work as hard as I could and tried to get that bench, that the phone and it was (former Wild general manager) Chuck Fletcher and locker room feeling, ‘We’re OK back there.’ It’s not the guy that’s been he had a really good conversation with me. He was straight up with me back there for a ton of games the last four years. I try to be a calming and one thing that still to this day (I remember), he said, ‘Sometimes you presence that gives them a chance to win games and that was my goal just need to take a step back to take two steps forward.’ And that’s kind going in. And, fortunately, more nights than not we scored more goals of what that season was and you learn a lot about yourself. than the other team and got to put two points away. It was a ton of fun to play that amount of hockey. The fun had to come to an end. We loved “I went down and got some good work with the staff there (in Iowa) and where we were at the end of the year, (and) hopefully, this thing can get (goalie coach) Freddie Chabot and worked on simplifying some things back started and pick up here we left off.” and it gave me a chance to make a Wild team out of training camp (in 2017). I’m lucky to still be here today and hopefully for the future.” A number of NHL practice facilities opened Monday for Phase 2 (small group activities), but the Wild were one of several that remained closed. Stalock is one of 31 nominees for the Masterton. The team plans to install ice at TRIA Rink next week and then will open Like Dubnyk in 2015, Josh Harding won the Masterton Trophy two years the rink and its training center for six players at a time. Still, it’s uncertain earlier to become the first player in Wild history to win a voted-on NHL how many will take advantage of Phase 2. award. Players are allowed to continue to work out and skate on their own if they Wild nominees for the trophy have been Ryan Suter (2018-19), Matt don’t officially enter Phase 2 (frequent COVID-19 testing, officially enter Cullen (2017-18), Eric Staal (2016-17), Nate Prosser (2015-16), Dubnyk their team’s facilities). Only a handful of Wild players remain in (2014-15), Harding (2013-14, 2012-13), Clayton Stoner (2011-12), Minnesota, including Stalock. Pierre-Marc Bouchard (2010-11), Guillaume Latendresse (2009-10), Kurtis Foster (2008-09), Aaron Voros (2007-08), Marian Gaborik (2006- Because he lives 15 minutes from TRIA, Stalock plans to enter Phase 2 and work out at TRIA. He’ll need to get tested for the virus 48 hours before entering, then at least twice a week. After seven days, he’ll also be allowed to hire an independent goalie coach until coaches like Wild goalie coach Bob Mason are allowed on the ice if training camp ultimately is approved and started. “Obviously with the facility we have, there’s no reason not to go there. It’s one of the newest facilities in the league, and we have a small group here of guys within the organization, and then obviously you have a ton of guys outside the organization now,” Stalock said. “That being said, is it easier for some guys to skate maybe on the west side? It’s close to their house, it’s where they work out or where they’re doing their training, that might be the case. I think this week there’s probably going to be a lot of phone calls trying to figure this out as far as getting into Phase 2 because once you’re in, it sounds like you’re in and there’s no going to outside gyms and you’re locked into that.”

“But my plan would be to, yes, get in there and hopefully guys follow.” The Athletic LOADED: 06.10.2020 1175461 Montreal Canadiens suffered when he fell and struck his head on the ice during a game against the Oakland Seals on Jan. 13, 1968. He died two days later.

Masterton symbolized perseverance. Canadiens captain Shea Weber plans to stay home in B.C. to train He played in the Canadiens organization after leading the University of Denver to two NCAA titles, but was unable to crack a Montreal lineup that was deep at centre with Jean Béliveau and Henri Richard. He was Author of the article :Pat Hickey • Montreal Gazette out of pro hockey for four years and worked as an engineer on the Apollo space program in the U.S. before NHL expansion provided an

opportunity and he signed with the North Stars in 1967. Add Canadiens captain Shea Weber to the list of those who are Montreal Gazette LOADED: 06.10.2020 cautiously optimistic the NHL will resume play this summer. While the league gave teams the green light to resume small-group training at their practice facilities on Monday, Weber plans to stay at his off-season home in Kelowna, B.C., until there is a full training camp on the horizon.

“As far as I know, our facility (in Brossard) isn’t open yet and I have a good group of guys I can work with here,” Weber said Tuesday during a conference call to discuss his nomination for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy. “But if something comes up and there’s more of a certain idea, I’ll try to figure something out.”

Weber and his family hunkered down in Montreal after the NHL season was halted on March 12 because of COVID-19, but they moved back to Kelowna when it became obvious the city was going to be shut for a while.

“The biggest thing for me was the ability to train,” Weber said. “My house has a full gym and there’s not much in my home in Montreal because I have the practice facility and the Bell Centre. I knew if we were coming back I had to be prepared and get back on the weights.”

Weber has always been known for his hard work, a trait instilled in him by his parents. His belief in himself allowed him to reclaim his position as an elite NHL defenceman after he missed almost a full year following foot and knee surgeries.

Weber’s comeback was recognized when the Montreal chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association nominated him for the Masterton Trophy, which is presented annually to the NHL player “who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey.” Weber’s perseverance was on display before and after he was sidelined during the 2017-18 season. Weber suffered a broken left foot during the first game of the season, but played 25 more games before crawling off the ice during the NHL 100 Classic outdoor game in Ottawa and requiring surgery to repair damaged tendons in the foot. Weber was hoping to return for the start of the 2018-19 season, but his recovery hit a major speed bump when a routine examination revealed he required surgery to repair a meniscal tear in his right knee and he didn’t return to the lineup until Nov. 27.

Weber, who will turn 35 in August, didn’t show any signs of slowing down this season. His average ice time was up to 24 minutes a game — a team high — and he had 15-21-36 totals and was a plus-8 when the season was halted. When the Canadiens acquired Weber from the Nashville Predators for P.K. Subban in a blockbuster trade in the summer of 2016, the accepted wisdom was the Canadiens might benefit in the short term, but as time went by the four-year age difference between the players would tilt the deal in favour of the Predators. Four years later, Weber is still going strong, while the 31-year-old Subban is struggling with the New Jersey Devils after being traded last summer for the second time in his career. If you’re looking for comparisons, Subban had 7-11-18 totals in 68 games this season and was a minus-21 while averaging a shade over 22 minutes of ice time per game.

In the Masterton Trophy voting, Weber received eight first-place votes from the Montreal writers for 24 points. Next was defenceman Karl Alzner, who had 10 points from one first-place vote, three second-place votes and a third-place vote.

A league-wide vote for the Masterton Trophy will be held this month and the winner will be announced in the summer.

The trophy was established by the PHWA in 1968 in memory of Bill Masterton, a Minnesota North Stars player who died from injuries he 1175462 Montreal Canadiens “This is a trophy that that comes with the weight of 100 years of history, of dreams, of commitment, and in Montreal, of expectations. There is nothing in sport so ladened with purpose, so filled with emotions.

Stu on Sports: 'Celebrating' 27th anniversary of Canadiens' last Cup “The Stanley Cup is not lightly carried, and surely it is never lightly won.”

This is how Farber ended his column:

Author of the article:Stu Cowan • Montreal Gazette “This was a long, strange trip. Along the way coach Jacques Demers made a pilgrimage to St. Anne de Beaupré and Roy made a trip to the trainer’s room, playing after a bruised shoulder supposedly had knocked him out for good. They played overtime every other night and kept “And now, a 24th Stanley Cup banner will hang from the rafters of the everyone up way past their bedtimes, and they asked for a stick famous Forum in Montreal. The Canadiens win the Stanley Cup!” measurement that will go down as one of the greatest moments of Tuesday marks the 27th anniversary of that famous call by play-by-play foresight and fortune in Canadiens history. man Bob Cole as the Canadiens beat the Los Angeles Kings 4-1 in “But the best trip was the last, and (captain Guy) Carbonneau made sure Game 5 of the Stanley Cup final on June 9, 1993, to win their record 24th Denis Savard, in civvies and in everybody’s thoughts, had the first crack championship. at the Cup. Then it made the rounds until it ended up with John LeClair, The large headline on the front page of the Montreal Gazette the next who gave it a big wet kiss. day read: “CUP COMES HOME!” “I’m treating it as well as possible,” LeClair told Farber. “This is the Cup.” The Cup hasn’t come back “home” since. “This morning, the Cup kisses Montreal back,” Farber wrote. On this date, 27 years ago. #GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/zkjgrZGe6w “You can see it tomorrow. Montreal has its parade back.” — From Failing Hands Podcast (@FFHandsPodcast) June 9, 2020 Memorable moments “(Patrick) Roy was what most of these 20 playoff games were all about On the 20th anniversary of the Canadiens’ last Stanley Cup win, I spoke — which is why he takes home the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most with Carbonneau, who shared what it was like after the game in the valuable player in the playoffs,” the late, great Red Fisher wrote in the locker room at the Forum, which was packed with friends and family next day’s Montreal Gazette, under the headline “That winning Hab-it!”. members. “He won his first in 1986, the last time the Canadiens won the Stanley “At one point after the celebration in the room, we asked everybody to Cup,” Fisher added. “It’s Roy, and last night it also was Paul DiPietro, the kind of leave the room and we stayed, just the players and the coaching game’s first star with two goals. It was (Kirk) Muller and Stephan Lebeau, staff, the hockey staff, just for about 15-20 minutes trying to reflect on who provided the Canadiens with a 3-1 lead after the first two periods what we were able to do,” recalled Carbonneau, the last Canadiens against a plucky, but tiring Los Angeles team. captain to hoist the Cup. “I think that was a fun point. “It was John LeClair, who assisted on the DiPietro and Lebeau goals — “You can always put the 10 overtime wins, the goals, all those things. But before and after Marty McSorley scored the only Kings goal early in the at the end of the day, I think to be able to kind of reflect on what we second period. achieved that year was a lot of fun.” “It was the Canadiens, as a team, which held the normally explosive What wasn’t so much fun was trying to get home. Kings to 14 shots in the first two periods — only 19 in the game — none by Wayne Gretzky. “Because of the riot outside, we couldn’t leave the building,” Carbonneau recalled. “I remember my daughter, Anne-Marie, was there with us and “What it was, without question, was the Canadiens’ best game of the she was about 11 years old and I remember we couldn’t get out. At one playoffs. It was domination from start to finish. It was the way winners point during the night, I had to go see some security guys and say: have to play to win. It was why they won.” ‘Listen, I need to get my daughter to bed.’ We called a cab company and Fisher added about the post-game celebration on the Forum ice: “Players we told him what route to take and once you get to the corner just don’t hugged and kissed each other, skating frantically from one to the other, stop … just open the door. and then they did it all again. Over and over again, because these things “We had the security guy making sure that nobody saw us and we asked come once, and perhaps never again. Take it and enjoy it while you can the cab to be at the corner by the back door. It was fun, but it was so late. … while it’s there.” But we had so much fun.” Perhaps never again … After making the escape from the Forum, Carbonneau figured it was here’s the front page of the Sports page with Red Fisher’s take and around 3:30 a.m. when they finally got home. @MichaelFarber3 ‘s haunting story on Sinden and the Bruins Oral history of 1993 Cup pic.twitter.com/gYTtUqKIPw Two years ago, on the 25th anniversary of the last Canadiens’ Stanley — MarcoGee1 (@7thmanontheice) June 9, 2020 Cup, my friend and colleague Pat Hickey and I put together an oral Cup a ‘heavy bugger’ history of how it happened after speaking with some of the key players, including Carbonneau, Muller, Vincent Damphousse, Mathieu Schneider After the Canadiens won the Cup that night, Muller described the trophy and DiPietro. as a “heavy bugger” to former Montreal Gazette sports columnist Michael Farber. “It’s funny, because whenever I see highlights or video of it there’s always something I didn’t remember,” Schneider said. “I think a lot of my “You can sum up the Stanley Cup in almost any two words you choose,” memories are from watching highlights. I was 22 years old and I thought I Farber wrote. was going to win five more (Stanley Cups) before my career was over. It was obviously a special time. It wasn’t a year we were picked to win, “Patrick Roy. especially going into the playoffs. We had such a rough time at the end of “The best. the season. (The post-season) was an incredible couple of months for us.” “The Canadiens. Here’s how Carbonneau described coach Jacques Demers: “But in a moment when it was almost impossible to think let alone hear yourself think, Muller probably summarized the Stanley Cup better than “Jacques wasn’t an Xs and Os coach. He was more a positive guy and he dreamed. ‘Heavy bugger.’ made you believe that you were the best and there was nothing that couldn’t be done. At that time, nobody knew that he couldn’t read or “The Stanley Cup really is a heavy bugger, but not only in dead weight,” write. It was pretty amazing later when that came out and you look at Farber added. what he’s done and what he had to go through. So I can understand why he was always positive. He had that little secret that he didn’t want anybody to know and he was trying to get through it. I think he was just a It was on this date in 1971 that Canadiens legend Jean Béliveau good person, that’s the best definition of him.” announced his retirement from the NHL after 20 seasons and 10 Stanley Cups. Today marks the 27th anniversary of the #Habs 24th and last Stanley Cup championship. Two years ago, Pat Hickey @zababes1 and I put On this day in 1971, @CanadiensMTL legend Jean Beliveau announces together this oral history of the victory, speaking to some of the key his retirement. At the time, "Le Gros Bill" sits 1st in NHL history for career players involved #HabsIO: https://t.co/u13sr6fz85 playoff assists (97) and points (176) while tying for 1st in Stanley Cups (10). To date, he's the leader in career SC Final points (62) — Stu Cowan (@StuCowan1) June 9, 2020 pic.twitter.com/KlpDV1soA5

A nice souvenir — StatsCentre (@StatsCentre) June 9, 2020

Dave Kaufman, a radio host at CJAD 800 in Montreal, was at that Cup- A must-read story clinching game at the Forum 27 years ago with his father and posted a photo of his ticket on Twitter Tuesday. The story below written by sports journalist Sheri Forde about her personal experiences with racism is a must-read. His seat in the reds cost $53 — for a Stanley Cup final. Forde, who is white, writes about growing up in a racist family June 9th, 1993. My dad and I went to the Old Forum for a game I'll never environment in southern Alberta and then marrying a black man — forget. So happy we got to see the @CanadiensMTL win the Stanley former CFL player and current TSN broadcaster Duane Forde — and Cup. pic.twitter.com/Tm7MzNPyXV about having to have “The Talk” with their son about racism.

— Dave Kaufman (@TheKaufmanShow) June 9, 2020 You really should read it. Weber, Tinordi among Masterton finalists It's been a heavy fews weeks. I Have continued to educate myself on my It probably didn’t come as a surprise to Canadiens fans to learn Tuesday white privilege all while trying to use my voice to help put an end to that captain Shea Weber is the team’s nominee for the Bill Masterton systemic racism. I thought it was time to write #mytruth having lived on Trophy, as voted on by members of the Professional Hockey Writers’ both sides of the fence. https://t.co/Db4cNrzLWj Association who cover the team. — Sheri Forde (@SheriForde) June 8, 2020

The trophy is awarded each season to the NHL player “who best Video of the day exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey.” This 1971 video of Muhammad Ali talking about racism is a must-watch.

Weber missed 80 games over the two previous seasons after having one “How come is everything white?” Muhammad Ali appeared on Parkinson surgery to repair tendons in his left foot and another to repair a meniscal in 1971. pic.twitter.com/crxn4525FF tear in his right knee. He also missed six games this season with a sprained left ankle that was originally expected to keep him out of the — BBC Archive (@BBCArchive) June 8, 2020 lineup for 6-8 weeks. Montreal Gazette LOADED: 06.10.2020 The 34-year-old Weber finished the regular season with 15-21-36 totals in 65 games and was plus-8 with a team-leading average of 24:00 of ice time per game.

Weber got my first-place vote for the Masterton Trophy, while Max Domi got my second-place vote and Brendan Gallagher my third-place vote.

What will probably come as a surprise to Canadiens fans is that Jarred Tinordi is the Nashville Predators’ nominee for the Masterton Trophy. Yes, the same Tinordi the Canadiens selected in the first round (22nd overall) at the 2010 NHL Draft. After spending the three previous seasons entirely in the AHL with the Tucson Roadrunners, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and , the 28-year-old Tinordi played 28 games with the Predators this season, posting 1-4-5 totals and a minus-1 while averaging 16:37 of ice time. Birthday boys

Happy birthday to former Canadiens goalie André Racicot, who turned 51 on Tuesday. Racicot was Roy’s backup on the 1992-93 Stanley Cup team, posting a 17-5-1 record with a 3.39 goals-against average and a .881 save percentage during the regular season. He only got into one playoff game that year, allowing two goals in 18 minutes, but had a double celebration at the Forum on the night the Canadiens won the Cup, which was also his 24th birthday.

Racicot earned the nickname “Red Light” from Farber after allowing three goals on six shots in 13 minutes in his NHL debut against the Toronto Maple Leafs during the 1989-90 season and it stuck with him after that.

Also celebrating a birthday on Tuesday was former Expos manager Bill Virdon, who turned 89. Virdon managed the Expos in 1983 and ’84.

Happy birthday to former #Habs goalie Andre Racicot, who turns 51 today #HabsIO. pic.twitter.com/f7EGFD1Mxy

— Stu Cowan (@StuCowan1) June 9, 2020

Photo of the day 1175463 Montreal Canadiens

Shea Weber is Canadiens' nominee for Masterton Trophy

Author of the article Pat Hickey • Montreal Gazette

When the Canadiens acquired Shea Weber from the Nashville Predators for P.K. Subban in a blockbuster deal in 2016, the accepted wisdom was the Canadiens might benefit in the short term, but as time went by, the four-year age difference between the players would tilt the deal in favour of the Predators. Four years later, Weber has bounced back from two major surgeries to reclaim his spot among the NHL’s elite defencemen, while the 31-year- old Subban is struggling with the New Jersey Devils after being traded for the second time in his career.

Weber’s comeback was recognized Tuesday when the Montreal chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association nominated the Canadiens captain for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, which is presented annually “to the National Hockey League player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey.” Weber’s perseverance was on display before and after he was sidelined by a foot injury after he crawled off the ice during the 2017 outdoor game in Ottawa. Weber had injured his foot earlier in the season, but continued to play until it became apparent he was unable to help the team.

Weber underwent surgery to repair his broken foot and was hoping to return for the start of the 2018-19 season, but his recovery hit a major speed bump when a routine examination revealed he required knee surgery and he didn’t return to the lineup until Nov. 27.

Despite being out of action for nearly a year, Weber averaged a team- high 23:29 of ice time and had 14 goals and 33 points in 58 games. Weber, who will turn 35 in August, didn’t show any signs of slowing down this past season. His average ice time was up to 24 minutes a game and he had 15 goals and 36 points and was a plus-8 when the season was halted.

If you’re looking for comparisons, Subban had seven goals and 18 points in 68 games and was a minus-21. He averaged a shade over 22 minutes a game.

Weber received eight first-place votes from the writers for 24 points. Next was defenceman Karl Alzner, who had 10 points from one first-place vote, three second-place votes and a third-place votes, Alzner and his $4.265 million cap hit were banished to the American Hockey League’s after playing nine games in the 2018-19 season. Paul Byron had two first-place votes and was third with nine points. Alzner, who is one of the nicest players in the NHL, accepted the demotion with grace and earned praise for his work in helping the younger players in Laval. He was recalled in February and played four games before the league was shut down.

A leaguewide vote for the Masterton Trophy will be held this month and the winner will be announced in the summer.

The trophy was established by the PHWA in 1968 in memory of Bill Masterton, a Minnesota North Stars player who died from injuries he suffered when he fell and struck his head on the ice during a game against the Oakland Seals on Jan. 13, 1968. He died two days later.

Masterton symbolized perseverance. He played in the Canadiens’ organization after leading the University of Denver to two NCAA titles, but was unable to crack a Montreal lineup that was deep at centre with Jean Béliveau and Henri Richard. He was out of pro hockey for four years and worked as an engineer on the Apollo space program before expansion provided an opportunity and he signed with the North Stars in 1967. Montreal Gazette LOADED: 06.10.2020 1175464 Montreal Canadiens understand. I talked to Claude (Julien) about it, trying to manage the minutes, longevity not only for this season, if we were to make the playoffs feeling better in the playoffs, and also the seasons to come.

Shea Weber’s Masterton nod exemplifies Canadiens’ need to manage “It’s tough for me, I’ve always been a guy who wants to go as hard as I their captain can until I can’t go anymore. Some nights might have been tough trying to get into a rhythm because you’re used to playing a little bit more, but honestly it’s whatever they need me to do and I’m not ever going to complain.” By Arpon Basu Jun 9, 2020 In February, Weber sprained his left ankle, an injury that became far

more than that because the Canadiens refused to say anything about it. Nowhere in the official criteria for the Bill Masterton Trophy is there any Eventually, that vacuum of information was filled. Rumours were floated mention of coming back from an injury. But it has become the de-facto that Weber’s career was in jeopardy, but the only reason for that was comeback player of the year award in the NHL, requiring some sort of because the sprained ankle was on the same foot he had fractured back physical or mental hardship – adversity, in popular hockey parlance – in in 2017, the one that went on to become a very complicated injury, one order to claim the award. that required one of North America’s foremost foot specialists to fix. Once Weber saw the specialist who operated on the foot, Dr. Robert Anderson Officially, the trophy is meant to recognize “the National Hockey League in Green Bay, and he confirmed it was nothing but an ankle sprain player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, unrelated to the previous injury, Weber returned to the Canadiens’ lineup sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey.” No mention of injury almost immediately even though they were already out of playoff anywhere, and frankly, even without his injury history, Shea Weber contention. Because that’s the type of thing Weber does. Because he should be the Canadiens’ candidate for the trophy, as he was named wants to play and help his team. And that’s a large part of the reason Tuesday morning by the Montreal chapter of the Professional Hockey he’s the Canadiens’ Masterton nominee. Writers Association. But the career-threatening scare in February, the decline in play as the Weber, in many ways, best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, season progressed, these were all warning signs for the Canadiens as to sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey. But the fact is without his how they need to manage Weber from this point on. It’s so tempting successful return from not one, but two severe injuries two seasons ago, when the game is on the line and you see No. 6 staring at you from he would likely not be named as the Canadiens’ candidate for the trophy. behind the bench to tap that shoulder and send Weber out there over And here’s the rub; the reasons Weber was named the Canadiens’ and over again. But the Canadiens will need to resist that temptation in order to get the best of their captain for the life of his contract, which runs candidate for the trophy are the very same reasons Weber has become a through 2025-26. And that will need to start soon. complicated figure for the team. Maybe not as soon as the play-in series against the Penguins, assuming Weber will turn 35 on Aug. 14, around the time the Canadiens might be that ever happens, but as soon as the NHL begins next season. Because playing a five-game play-in series against the Pittsburgh Penguins for an Weber will not volunteer to cut back his minutes, to compensate for the against-all-odds shot at salvaging this terrible season and getting into the years he has played and the injuries he has recovered from. He will playoffs. always want to be sent out as often as possible, believing he can lead his And chances are very good that Weber will be an important factor in that team to victory. series. He will be rested and, presumably, healthy. He will be coming off It is that desire and belief that makes Weber a fine candidate for the what amounts to an offseason. Think back to September, and Weber’s Masterton. It is that desire and belief the Canadiens will need to suppress rested, his health was viewed as an important source of improvement for very soon. the Canadiens considering everything Weber had been through to get to that point. The Athletic LOADED: 06.10.2020 He broke his foot on a Jack Eichel slap shot in the first game of the 2017- 18 season, played through the injury for two months and, in the process, suffered tendon damage in the foot as a result, ending his season. Then, when he went under for seemingly routine arthroscopic surgery to clean out a knee, it was discovered he had extensive knee damage that required immediate surgery. He woke up to learn his absence would be measured in months as opposed to weeks.

So, his 2018-19 season began in November, making last September his first training camp in two years, giving Weber an opportunity to ramp up to regular season speed at the same time as everyone else. It was a significant difference. Through the end of December of this season, Weber was one of the best defencemen in the NHL, regularly being mentioned in Norris Trophy conversation. On New Year’s Eve, Weber was fifth in the league in scoring among defencemen with 31 points in 40 games. He was playing 24:17 a night at that point, but his ice time went up in each of the first three months of the season, from 22:47 in October to 24:32 in November to 25:28 in December. And why not? He was, after all, one of the best defencemen in the league over that time.

Except after piling up 31 points in 40 games through Dec. 31, Weber had five points in 25 games from that point onward and his ice time began to decrease over the season half of the season, from 24:21 a game in January to 23:13 in February and 21:57 in his four games in March.

Perhaps, if Weber’s ice time had been managed better earlier in the season, he could have maintained the pace he set in the first half of the season. We will never know, but it’s a subject Weber doesn’t particularly like discussing.

“I hate talking about it because I want to play as much as I can as long as I’m helping the team; you don’t want to hamper your performance, which is going to hurt the team in the long run,” Weber said last June. “But when it comes down to it, it’s whatever coach and management see fit. I 1175465 New Jersey Devils When asked about his future, Nasreddine said there was no update. The Devils went 19-16-8 under Nasreddine on an interim basis after he replaced John Hynes.

How NJ Devils coach Alain Nasreddine reacted to George Floyd's death "Right now, it's status quo," Nasreddine said. "I haven't heard anything."

Changing the culture

Sean Farrell, NorthJersey.com Published 4:16 p.m. ET June 9, 2020 | One of the topics in the exit meetings was the "family atmosphere" Updated 7:08 p.m. ET June 9, 2020 around the Devils this season. When Nasreddine took over, he didn't want his team to play tight or be afraid to make a mistake.

The Devils saw some positive returns with wins in six of their last 10 Alain Nasreddine wants to be a part of the change. games. The Devils' interim coach said he was "sickened" when he first saw the "I think it's more in between the ears, the mentality, the mindset and graphic video of George Floyd's death in police custody. making sure we don't take a backseat," Nasreddine said. "That was the message. We're here to win a game. We're not here to not lose a game. I But as a national conversation began around race relations and police think there's a big difference." brutality, Nasreddine decided to shut the news off. The negativity was too much to bear. Expectation for the future

"When I saw it, I said I don't understand and have never understood When the Devils traded leaders like Taylor Hall and Andy Greene, it racism," Nasreddine said. "I don't understand what the motive is for forced Nico Hischier and other young players to take ownership of the people to act this way." team. Nasreddine felt like that process brought the team together, which could help the Devils in the 2020-21 season. Nasreddine spoke with the media for almost 30 minutes on Tuesday about the Devils' season, his future with the team, and issues of social "I think we're very close to being at least competitive," Nasreddine said. justice around the world. He recently had an eye-opening experience "To be battling for a playoff spot, I'd say next year for sure. You look at after talking to general manager Tom Fitzgerald and assistant coach the progress some of the young guys have made in the last two months Mike Grier, who is black. of the season. It's very promising."

Nasreddine realized that he needed to take action after hearing how the Bergen Record LOADED: 06.10.2020 injustice had affected Grier and his family. The conversation inspired the Devils' coach to sit down with his three kids to watch some recommended videos.

"That's when it hit home," Nasreddine said. "That's when I was like OK, what I'm doing is not good enough. You got to do more. You've heard from millions of people. I think this time is for real. I think there will be some serious change moving forward and I'm included in that."

Nasreddine is hardly the only member of the hockey community to speak out in the wake of Floyd's death. Seven current or former NHL players formed the Hockey Diversity Alliance, which aims to "eradicate racism and intolerance in hockey." The executive committee includes former Devil Wayne Simmonds, who was traded to Buffalo earlier this season. Defenseman P.K. Subban also donated $50,000 to a GoFundMe page for Floyd's daughter and got the NHL to match the donation.

'Racism and injustice can not exist': Saquon Barkley on George Floyd death, protests Nasreddine said there were times growing up when he heard insults for being French-Canadian or Lebanese, but nothing compared to what's going on now. "The No. 1 thing I've tried to teach my kids is respect," he said. "I was brought up that way and I don't see it changing. I think around the world, there will be some changes. But I think in this organization, we've always respected people and treated people fairly and equally. I don't see any problems in this organization." Here are our other takeways from Nasreddine's conference call:

On to next season The Devils' offseason officially began two weeks ago when the NHL announced its Return-to-Play plan. The decision to go straight to a 24- team playoff meant the Devils were one of seven clubs eliminated from contention. Making it even tougher is how close New Jersey came to qualifying for the temporary playoff format: the Devils could have leapfrogged Montreal for the final spot had they beaten Pittsburgh in the regular-season finale.

"We do have to respect the NHL decision, but it's unfortunate that we're done for this year," Nasreddine said. "That was tough to take. This whole time since March 12, we always had the hope that we would go back. Now those hopes all vanished." Recently, Nasreddine went through exit meetings with his team over Zoom and said the process went "extremely well". No change behind the bench 1175466 New Jersey Devils Memorial Trophy-winner in a lopsided deal with the Oilers that only cost them defenseman Adam Larsson in 2016. The dynamic Hall led the Devils to the playoffs in 2018 while scoring a career-high 39 goals and 54 assists. Potential Mets buyers Josh Harris and David Blitzer have turbulent ownership history — Their franchises may not have done much winning, but Harris and Blitzer helped to fortify the economics of each. They bought the 76ers for about $280 million, and nine years later, the franchise is valued at $2 billion, per Forbes. They bought the Devils for a reported $320 million, By Greg Joyce June 9, 2020 | 5:33pm | Updated and seven years later, the franchise is worth $550 million, according to Forbes.

Little Leaguers' desperate plea: 'Please give us an MLB season' New York Post LOADED: 06.10.2020 Mets fans clamoring for new ownership may be getting closer to their wish as Josh Harris and David Blitzer have emerged as “serious” suitors, The Post reported Monday. But what would a Harris and Blitzer-owned Mets franchise look like if a deal eventually comes to fruition?

There is some precedent for that. Harris and Blitzer bought the 76ers in 2011 and then purchased a majority stake in the Devils in 2013. In the 13 years before they bought the 76ers, the team had made the playoffs nine times; in nine years since, the 76ers have made three postseason appearances. And in the 25 years before they bought the Devils, the team had made the playoffs 21 times, including five trips to the Stanley Cup; in the seven years since, the Devils have been to the postseason just once.

Worst

— Soon after Harris and Blitzer bought the 76ers, they presided over “The Process.” In 2013, they hired Sam Hinkie to become general manager, and while fans trusted the habitual tanking for higher draft picks, the 76ers were the laughingstock of the NBA. They went 47-199 from 2013-2016 and Hinkie eventually resigned in 2016 after the 76ers — reportedly with some pushing from the NBA — hired Jerry Colangelo as chairman of basketball operations. Colangelo steadied the ship and soon the 76ers hired his son, Bryan Colangelo, as president, though he was eventually forced out in 2018 over a scandal involving a Twitter burner account.

All of the tanking resulted in yearly lottery picks — some of which (Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons) have turned out better than others (Markelle Fultz and Jahlil Okafor). But it has yet to result in a championship.

— The Fultz pick was especially brutal. In 2017, the 76ers traded the third pick and a future first-round pick to the Celtics to secure the No. 1 pick, where they drafted Fultz. Because of injuries, the poor-shooting guard played just 33 games over two seasons for the 76ers before being traded to the Magic. The Atlantic Division rival Celtics used that No. 3 pick to draft budding star Jayson Tatum.

— The Devils had a loud offseason last summer — drafting a No. 1 pick (their second in three years) in Jack Hughes, trading for P.K. Subban and signing Wayne Simmonds — but all it led to was a season in which they fired head coach John Hynes and general manager Ray Shero, traded away their best player, Taylor Hall, and finished last in their division for the third time in four years. — Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment caught plenty of heat in March when it announced it was asking 76ers and Devils employees to take pay cuts of up to 20 percent and move to a four-day workweek in light of the coronavirus pandemic. By the following day, after Embiid pledged money to support those 76ers employees affected, they reversed course and admitted they were wrong.

Best

— The 76ers reached back-to-back Eastern Conference semifinals the last two years — losing to the eventual champion Raptors on a Kawhi Leonard Game 7 buzzer-beater in 2019 — and will give it another shot this summer when the NBA heads to the playoff bubble at Disney World. While much of their talent was homegrown and the result of lottery picks, they also traded for Jimmy Butler and Tobias Harris in all-in moves last season.

— Under Harris and Blitzer’s watch, the 76ers opened a state-of-the-art practice facility in Camden, N.J. in 2016.

— While they traded Hall to the Coyotes this season, after being unable to come to terms on an extension, the Devils did land the 2018 Hart 1175467 New York Islanders to finance the Broadway show “No, No, Nanette.” The Bambino came to The Bronx and merely changed everything for the Yankees and for baseball in becoming for all time the most famous athlete in the history of U.S. professional team sports. Trades were cornerstone of New York’s biggest dynasties New York Post LOADED: 06.10.2020

By Larry Brooks June 9, 2020 | 10:23PM

This week The Post takes a fresh look at the “best of” New York sports history — areas that are just as worthy of debate, but that haven’t been argued incessantly. The Rangers ended their Stanley Cup drought with New York’s best trade, and here’s eight more that just missed the cut:

Dec. 11, 1959: The Yankees acquire Roger Maris from the Athletics with Joe DeMaestri and Kent Hadley for Hank Bauer, Don Larsen, Norm Siebern and (Not Yet Marvelous) Marv Throneberry.

This was the last, and most significant of the series of trades between the Yankees and the then-Kansas City-based franchise the Bombers used as a minor league adjunct throughout the decade in exchanging not ready for prime-time athletes and past-due date players for budding stars. The Rajah won back-to-back MVP’s his first two years in pinstripes in ’60 and ’61 while eclipsing Babe Ruth’s record of 60 home runs in 61*. Maris’ 61 in ’61 still stands as the AL record.

Dec. 19, 1968: The Knicks acquire Dave DeBusschere from the Pistons for Walter Bellamy and Howard Komives.

Dealing big center Bells allowed the Knicks to move Willis Reed from forward into the middle while dealing Komives opened up playing time for Walt Frazier in the backcourt. And plus, there was No. 22, the perfect, selfless, defense- and team-oriented forward who became one of the linchpins of the most celebrated and beloved basketball team in New York history as the Knicks won titles in 1970 and ’73.

March 10, 1980: The Islanders trade for Butch Goring from the Kings for Billy Harris and Dave Lewis.

Upset the previous two seasons in the playoffs in large part because the team lacked a legit second-line center to relieve some of the burden on Bryan Trottier, Goring filled the hole with perfection. The deadline acquisition created a dynasty, the Islanders winning four consecutive Cups and a pro-sports record 19 consecutive playoff-round victories with Goring in the lineup.

Dec. 10, 1984: The Mets land from the Expos for , Mike Fitzgerald, and Floyd Youmans.

The Mets sacrificed a budding young star in Brooks, who had solved the franchise’s eternal search for a third-baseman, but in return obtained the leading-man who would, with the previously acquired Keith Hernandez, become one of the veteran pillars of the 1986 world champions.

March 27, 1987: The Mets acquire David Cone from Royals with Chris Jelic for Ed Hearn, Rick Anderson and Mauro Gozzo.

The Mets exchanged spare parts for the righthander, who fashioned a 20-3, 1988 (when won-loss records meant something) and then led the majors in strikeouts in 1990 and 1991. More than occasionally brilliant while in Queens, Cone evolved into one of baseball’s most accomplished big-game hessians in helping the Blue Jays to the World Series title in 1992 before winning four more titles in the Bronx.

April 24, 2004: The Giants acquire Eli Manning from Chargers for Philip Rivers and three draft picks.

Manning, QB1 coming out of Ole Miss, had made it clear through his dad, Archie, that he had no intention of playing for San Diego, which had the first-overall selection in the 2004 draft. The Chargers did take Eli, but immediately flipped him to New York for Rivers, who’d been selected with the fourth-overall pick. Manning led the Giants to two Super Bowl victories with late fourth-quarter touchdown drives against New England and was named MVP of the game each time. Not a trade, but hard to ignore …

Dec. 26, 1919: The Yankees get Babe Ruth from Red Sox for $100,000. This was a straight cash transaction, Boston owner Harry Frazee infamously selling his star pitcher/slugger in order to get enough money 1175468 New York Islanders

Isles' Thomas Hickey, Rangers' Henrik Lundqvist nominated for Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy

By Andrew Gross

There were disparate reasons neither Islanders defenseman Thomas Hickey nor Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist had the NHL season they anticipated.

The former suffered through injuries and the death of his older brother to brain cancer while spending most of the season in the AHL. The latter had his longstanding place as king of the nets taken by a younger player. Both might be forced to continue their NHL careers with new teams next season.

But both were honored on Tuesday as their team’s nominee for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy for perseverance and dedication as voted upon by the respective chapters of the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association.

It is still unclear when the winner will be announced. The NHL is trying to resume its season placed on pause on March 12 because of the COVID- 19 pandemic and the annual awards show in Las Vegas, scheduled for June 24, has been postponed. Former Islanders goalie Robin Lehner, now with the Vegas Golden Knights, was last season’s Masterton winner after detailing his struggles with addiction and mental illness.

Hickey, 31, selected fourth overall by the Los Angeles Kings in 2007, had been a mainstay among the Islanders’ top six defensemen since he was claimed off waivers in 2013. But he lost that spot in the rotation to Devon Toews after suffering a concussion on Dec. 17, 2018. This season, he lost his roster spot to rookie Noah Dobson in training camp and injuries limited him to just 14 games with the Islanders’ AHL affiliate in Bridgeport.

Hickey, in the second season of a four-year, $10 million deal, was recalled on March 5 but did not get a chance to dress for the Islanders. Five days later, Dan Hickey, 33, succumbed to glioblastoma, an aggressive brain tumor that had been diagnosed in September and was his brother’s second battle with a brain tumor in under two years.

“I have one job, and that’s to be there for my family,” Thomas Hickey told Newsday shortly before his brother passed away. “In saying that, hockey is such an important outlet to me. It keeps me healthy.”

Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 06.10.2020 1175469 New York Rangers baseball in becoming for all time the most famous athlete in the history of U.S. professional team sports.

New York Post LOADED: 06.10.2020 Trades were cornerstone of New York’s biggest dynasties

By Larry Brooks June 9, 2020 | 10:23PM

This week The Post takes a fresh look at the “best of” New York sports history — areas that are just as worthy of debate, but that haven’t been argued incessantly. The Rangers ended their Stanley Cup drought with New York’s best trade, and here’s eight more that just missed the cut:

This was the last, and most significant of the series of trades between the Yankees and the then-Kansas City-based franchise the Bombers used as a minor league adjunct throughout the decade in exchanging not ready for prime-time athletes and past-due date players for budding stars. The Rajah won back-to-back MVP’s his first two years in pinstripes in ’60 and ’61 while eclipsing Babe Ruth’s record of 60 home runs in 61*. Maris’ 61 in ’61 still stands as the AL record.

Dec. 19, 1968: The Knicks acquire Dave DeBusschere from the Pistons for Walter Bellamy and Howard Komives.

Dealing big center Bells allowed the Knicks to move Willis Reed from forward into the middle while dealing Komives opened up playing time for Walt Frazier in the backcourt. And plus, there was No. 22, the perfect, selfless, defense- and team-oriented forward who became one of the linchpins of the most celebrated and beloved basketball team in New York history as the Knicks won titles in 1970 and ’73.

March 10, 1980: The Islanders trade for Butch Goring from the Kings for Billy Harris and Dave Lewis.

Upset the previous two seasons in the playoffs in large part because the team lacked a legit second-line center to relieve some of the burden on Bryan Trottier, Goring filled the hole with perfection. The deadline acquisition created a dynasty, the Islanders winning four consecutive Cups and a pro-sports record 19 consecutive playoff-round victories with Goring in the lineup.

Gary Carter in 1986.AP Dec. 10, 1984: The Mets land Gary Carter from the Expos for Hubie Brooks, Mike Fitzgerald, Herm Winningham and Floyd Youmans. The Mets sacrificed a budding young star in Brooks, who had solved the franchise’s eternal search for a third-baseman, but in return obtained the leading-man catcher who would, with the previously acquired Keith Hernandez, become one of the veteran pillars of the 1986 world champions.

March 27, 1987: The Mets acquire David Cone from Royals with Chris Jelic for Ed Hearn, Rick Anderson and Mauro Gozzo.

The Mets exchanged spare parts for the righthander, who fashioned a 20-3, 1988 (when won-loss records meant something) and then led the majors in strikeouts in 1990 and 1991. More than occasionally brilliant while in Queens, Cone evolved into one of baseball’s most accomplished big-game hessians in helping the Blue Jays to the World Series title in 1992 before winning four more titles in the Bronx.

April 24, 2004: The Giants acquire Eli Manning from Chargers for Philip Rivers and three draft picks.

Manning, QB1 coming out of Ole Miss, had made it clear through his dad, Archie, that he had no intention of playing for San Diego, which had the first-overall selection in the 2004 draft. The Chargers did take Eli, but immediately flipped him to New York for Rivers, who’d been selected with the fourth-overall pick. Manning led the Giants to two Super Bowl victories with late fourth-quarter touchdown drives against New England and was named MVP of the game each time.

Not a trade, but hard to ignore …

Dec. 26, 1919: The Yankees get Babe Ruth from Red Sox for $100,000.

This was a straight cash transaction, Boston owner Harry Frazee infamously selling his star pitcher/slugger in order to get enough money to finance the Broadway show “No, No, Nanette.” The Bambino came to The Bronx and merely changed everything for the Yankees and for 1175470 New York Rangers just the way things were done,” Messier said. “When you’re winning championships, more is demanded of you and you demand more of yourselves. There were glaring differences in the way some things were done. Mark Messier trade got Rangers the right player at right time “The biggest challenge for me in being a leader in New York was to learn not to refer to my personal experiences in Edmonton or to how we did things on the Oilers. I didn’t anticipate that. So I had to develop different By Larry Brooks June 9, 2020 | 7:39PM ways to draw on the lessons I learned in order to bring guys together and create a winning atmosphere.”

This week The Post takes a fresh look at the “best of” New York sports The Captain became a pied piper, though the road to the Canyon of history — areas that are just as worthy of debate, but that haven’t been Heroes took a detour in 1992-93 when Messier’s strategic and argued incessantly starting with the best free-agent signing. philosophical disagreements with Neilson flared into public view, the coach was fired at midseason, Leetch broke his ankle, the Blueshirts It is one year more than a quarter-century ago, yet the power of 1994 missed the playoffs after going 1-11 their final 12 games. And Messier continues to resonate. was booed at the Garden. For though Butch Goring’s trade was the key to creating the Dynasty on “It really was a roller-coaster ride those first three years,” Messier said. the Island, Dave DeBusschere’s acquisition by the Knicks enabled the “We went from riding high to the depths of despair and experiencing only two NBA titles in franchise history and obtaining Eli Manning set up everything that comes with being professional athletes in New York. the Giants for a pair of Super Bowl victories, not one of these deals was There are highs, but there are lows if you lose. voted by The Post sports staff as the best trade in New York sports history. “You know, people like to think that winning is nice and rosy and warm and cuddly. But it isn’t. It’s brutally tough. It’s not for everyone. Changes Rather, it was the trade that brought Mark Messier to New York from needed to be made. There was no doubt in my mind. I was willing to live Edmonton on Oct. 4, 1991, that won the balloting. The trade in which — with all of that and withstand the criticism I took in order so we could get as if you actually care — Bernie Nicholls, Steven Rice and Louie where we wanted to go.” DeBrusk went the other way. The trade that spawned 1994 and the Rangers’ first and only Stanley Cup championship since that sing-song They went where no other Rangers team had gone since 1940, and now year of 1940. again since 1994. They won the Stanley Cup that Messier hoisted maniacally on June 14, 1994. “I think that [winning a vote like this] shows the impression we made on the city and the connection we made with people,” The Captain told The “I had self-belief and self-confidence before I came,” Messier said. “But I Post on Tuesday from Hilton Head, S.C., where he has spent most of the grew massively in every way in New York. It was the right place for me. past three months. “It was bigger than hockey and I think that people who And at the right time.” didn’t even follow the sport or our team got caught up in the bigger New York Post LOADED: 06.10.2020 narrative.

“I know it’s not easy to win in New York, I know the challenges, but even now, one Cup in the last [80] years is hard to believe. On top of the type of team we were, the way we competed, the guys making the city our home, it’s the championship that sets us apart. It’s very flattering to know with this kind of a vote, how much that still means to people.”

Mark Messier won the 1990 Stanley Cup with the Oilers.AP

You’d think it would have been a slam dunk, right? You’d think that when Messier, then 30, demanded a trade out of Edmonton when it became apparent that the franchise’s financially challenged glory days were in the rearview mirror, that there’d have been at least a dozen teams driving up the bidding. But you’d be wrong. There were concerns about Messier’s age, concerns the knee injury he’d sustained the previous season was a harbinger. Even the Rangers might have needed a little convincing.

“I asked Glen [Sather, then the Oilers’ president and GM] to trade me to the Rangers. I wanted to come to New York. I wanted to live in the city and take advantage personally of everything New York could offer,” Messier said. “I wanted to play for an Original Six team. … Well, actually, not just any Original Six, but this Original Six team, specifically because it had been so long since they’d won. I embraced that. I never wavered in my commitment to ending that drought. “But if it hadn’t worked out, I would have gone somewhere else. For sure. I needed to reinvigorate myself personally and professionally. But New York was always where I wanted to go.” Messier joined a talented group upon reporting to the Rangers in Boston for the second game of the 1991-92 season. The Blueshirts had Brian Leetch on the blue line; Adam Graves, Mike Gartner, Tony Amonte, Doug Weight, Darren Turcotte, John Ogrodnick and Sergei Nemchinov up front; both Mike Richter and John Vanbiesbrouck in goal.

And the team coached by Roger Neilson finished with the best record in the league for the first time since 1941-42. Messier won the Hart Trophy off a 35-72-107 season and Leetch won the Norris, but the Blueshirts were eliminated in the second round of the playoffs by the Penguins. Cracks in the foundation may not have been obvious to neutral parties, but they were to No. 11.

“I don’t want to criticize anything or anyone that came before me, but coming from an organization that had won five Cups in nine years to the Rangers, I could detect differences in the approach, in expectations, and 1175471 New York Rangers

The Rangers who returned to practice facility to begin NHL return

By Mollie Walker June 9, 2020 | 2:22pm | Updated

A day after Phase 2 of the NHL’s “Return to Play” plan officially began, the Rangers reopened their practice facility for voluntary small-group workouts Tuesday.

Among the limited group of players participating in on-and-off ice workouts at MSG Training Center were Brendan Smith, Brendan Lemieux, Chris Kreider, Marc Staal, Adam Fox and Phillip Di Giuseppe. Rangers president John Davidson and general manager Jeff Gorton were also seen entering the facility. Davidson entered the facility wearing a mask with a dog head on it, far different from the red, white and blue striped mask he wore for the Blueshirts as their goalie. The Islanders reopened their practice facility in East Meadow on Monday.

Phase 2 guidelines ensure players remain in the same groups of six or fewer in order to limit potential exposure to contracting the coronavirus. Players must be tested for COVID-19 at least 48 hours before entering the facility and twice weekly, per the NHL’s 22-page memo released at the end of May. Artemi Panarin is among the Rangers who are known to be in the area but weren’t reported to be at the facility Tuesday. Panarin was awaiting his coronavirus test result and is expected to be on the ice Wednesday.

Igor Shesterkin’s agent, Rick Komarow, told The Post that the rookie netminder will continue training in Florida for the time being.

The league informed players last month that the third phase would not take place until at least July 10.

New York Post LOADED: 06.10.2020 1175472 New York Rangers

Rangers return to practice facility with small group training

By Colin Stephenson

The Rangers opened their Greenburgh, N.Y., practice facility to their players for small group training Tuesday, as per the NHL’s Return to Play guidelines. The league has been on pause since March 12, when it halted play due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Under the league’s return to play plan, teams were allowed to open their facilities — where allowed by their local government and health officials — on Monday. Players would be allowed to go to the facility on a voluntary basis and skate, work out or get treatment in groups of six or less, with each group allowed to work with a strength coach/trainer.

Players were allowed to skate, but coaches were not allowed to be on ice with them. The players are to remain in the same group throughout the entirety of Phase 2, in order to minimize the risk of potentially infected players spreading the virus to multiple teammates.

The Rangers chose to open their facility on Tuesday. Six players — forwards Chris Kreider, Brendan Lemieux and Phil DiGiuseppe and defensemen Marc Staal, Adam Fox and Brendan Smith — were expected to attend. Players who have spent the pause outside of the New York area and who have been working out and/or skating where they are, can stay where they are.

According to Rangers officials, Artemi Panarin, who stayed in the area during the pause, is expected to join the small sessions in coming days, as is forward Julien Gauthier.

Most of the Rangers’ sizable European contingent went back to their countries during the pause. Only Panarin and goaltender Igor Shesterkin remained in North America. Shesterkin reportedly is in Florida, and is skating there. But goaltenders Henrik Lundqvist (Sweden) and Alexandar Georgiev (Finland) have already been skating for weeks now.

For now, without a concrete date for the NHL actually restarting — the league has said Phase 3 of the restart plan, where teams open training camp, won’t occur before July 10 — most of the European players will likely stay where they are. Under the current pandemic rules, players coming back from Europe would be required to self-quarantine for 14 days before joining the team. So, it makes more sense for those players to stay where they are to continue to train.

Under the framework of the NHL’s return plan 24 of the league's 31 teams will be brought back when play restarts. The teams will be split, by Eastern and Western conferences, into groups of 12, each group being assigned to one of two "hub sites,'' where games will be played without fans in the buildings. The top four teams in each conference will play a round robin schedule for the purposes of seeding for the playoffs, while teams 5 through 12 will face each other in a best-of-five, preliminary play- in series to advance to the 16-team playoffs.

According to the plan, the Rangers, seeded 11th in the Eastern Conference, will play against the No. 6 seed Carolina Hurricanes in the play-in round. The Rangers swept all four games from the Hurricanes in the regular season. The Islanders, the No. 7 seed, will face No. 10 Florida.

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Isles' Thomas Hickey, Rangers' Henrik Lundqvist nominated for Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy

By Andrew Gross

There were disparate reasons neither Islanders defenseman Thomas Hickey nor Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist had the NHL season they anticipated.

The former suffered through injuries and the death of his older brother to brain cancer while spending most of the season in the AHL. The latter had his longstanding place as king of the nets taken by a younger player. Both might be forced to continue their NHL careers with new teams next season.

But both were honored on Tuesday as their team’s nominee for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy for perseverance and dedication as voted upon by the respective chapters of the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association.

It is still unclear when the winner will be announced. The NHL is trying to resume its season placed on pause on March 12 because of the COVID- 19 pandemic and the annual awards show in Las Vegas, scheduled for June 24, has been postponed. Former Islanders goalie Robin Lehner, now with the Vegas Golden Knights, was last season’s Masterton winner after detailing his struggles with addiction and mental illness.

Hickey, 31, selected fourth overall by the Los Angeles Kings in 2007, had been a mainstay among the Islanders’ top six defensemen since he was claimed off waivers in 2013. But he lost that spot in the rotation to Devon Toews after suffering a concussion on Dec. 17, 2018. This season, he lost his roster spot to rookie Noah Dobson in training camp and injuries limited him to just 14 games with the Islanders’ AHL affiliate in Bridgeport.

Hickey, in the second season of a four-year, $10 million deal, was recalled on March 5 but did not get a chance to dress for the Islanders. Five days later, Dan Hickey, 33, succumbed to glioblastoma, an aggressive brain tumor that had been diagnosed in September and was his brother’s second battle with a brain tumor in under two years.

“I have one job, and that’s to be there for my family,” Thomas Hickey told Newsday shortly before his brother passed away. “In saying that, hockey is such an important outlet to me. It keeps me healthy.”

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1175474 Ottawa Senators

The time off has given Bobby Ryan a chance to get refreshed and to start prepping for next season

Bruce Garrioch

June 9, 2020 5:18 PM EDT

The Senators winger returned to his offseason home in Idaho after the NHL season went on pause because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sometime it takes a step back to take a step forward. And, perhaps, after returning to his off-season home in March gave Ottawa Senators winger Bobby Ryan an opportunity to take a break from the battle it took to get back in the lineup and to make sure he remained on the proper path in his battle with alcoholism.

“I hate to say it but the quarantine was great,” Ryan said Tuesday from his home in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. “I felt like I was running at a hundred miles an hour for the last four months. I hadn’t really gotten the chance to take a step back. The goal was to stay sober every day and then make another step towards returning and then I returned and you get thrown back into day-to-day life in the NHL.

“And sobriety doesn’t get put on the back burner, but you forget. Right? You forget to do all the daily affirmations, the things that check in with your mind to get yourself feeling right, so I took those 14 days to almost re-educate myself on learning how to be sober. It helped me immensely and really got me a chance just slow down. We’ve been here three months now and the pace of life is just slower here and it’s helped.”

A father of two, Ryan plans to resume skating next week.

“For now, I’m just going to stay put and continue to train,” Ryan said. “My gear will be here this week and there’s actually quite a few players. Tyler Johnson from Tampa is here, and I’m going to start skating with them just to be on the ice. They’re in game mode and training camp mode, so I’m going to go out and skate with them a little bit, then I’ll put the gear away for another time frame and just continue to work out. “Most mornings I’m up and at the gym at 6:30 a.m., which was never a thing before, so I’ve really found it’s cathartic for me to do that and set up my day the right way. By 8:45 to 9 a.m., I’m home with the kids and I’m playing Dad. We’ve gotten into a nice rhythm. I don’t want to disrupt that. I’d like to stay put doing this for as long as I could.”

Ottawa Sun LOADED: 06.10.2020 1175475 Ottawa Senators played my last game in the NHL. That was the hardest thing to swallow and get over. As I’m sitting there in December in California, watching games and bothering everybody else around me on the Senators and I was watching some games, and I was watching the pace and I wondered Senators' winger Bobby Ryan named Ottawa nominee for NHL's how I was taking 30 days off. Masterton Trophy “I doubted it then how I was going to get my body back to be able to play and I’ve gotta thank the staff because I was in the best shape of my life before I got into game speed. I felt great about it and I did worry about it, Bruce Garrioch but I had an incredible group around me.” June 9, 2020 5:18 PM EDT Ryan has been able to help others through his decision to go public with his battle. It was noted during the Zoom session that he was the kind of person that people liked to cheer for because he was “open, honest and The Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy is awarded annually to the NHL refreshing” and hoped he had success. player who best exemplifies qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey. “When you look at players and athletes, people have the perception that they’re making a million bucks, they’re living the good life, they’re getting Bobby Ryan had to overcome a lot of hurdles just to get to the National to play hockey and they’re getting to fly around, but I don’t people get a Hockey League. chance to relate to some of the things that go on underneath,” Ryan said.

This season he took on one of the biggest challenges of his career. “Because I’ve been open and candid about that, I think people have looked at me and said, ‘There’s a very relatable person.’ Through my The Ottawa Senators winger entered the NHL/NHLPA Players’ family stuff and now with alcohol issues, I’ve never hid from it and I’ve Assistance program on Nov. 20 to get help for alcoholism and returned to always said, if I’m going to do this, I’m going to have to do it in the public the lineup in February after telling his story publicly so he could help eye and I’m going to have to be candid with it. Some of the most others who were struggling. rewarding things have been people have reached out to me on social On Tuesday morning, Ryan, 33, was named the Ottawa nominee for the media and sending me private messages by helping them. Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy in voting by the local chapter of the “Some I’ve helped find treatment, some I’ve just had the right Professional Hockey Writers’ Association, a bit of good news for a player conversations and these people I didn’t know that I indirectly affected and who wondered if he had suited up for his final NHL game when he it’s incredible that people feel they can do that with me because I love determined that he needed help because his life had spiralled out of control. that I’ve been helping some people. I’ll never stop being open about it because it can help some people.” The Masterton is awarded annually to the NHL player who best A deserving honour for a deserving man. exemplifies qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey. The trophy honours the late Bill Masterton, the only NHL player to die from injuries received in a game, and was first awarded in 1968. Senators goalie Craig Anderson was named recipient of the award for Ottawa Sun LOADED: 06.10.2020 the 2016-17 campaign.

Anybody who has met Ryan likes him. He’s smart, he’s personable, he’s co-operative and he absolutely deserves the nomination for this trophy. His three-goal effort in his return game on Feb. 27, a 5-2 victory over the Vancouver Canucks at , got fans chanting his name.

“I’m honoured and it’s a silver lining out of the kind of year I went through,” Ryan said Tuesday afternoon in a Zoom session from his home in Idaho. “One of my teammates mentioned it to me right away after that game. They said, ‘You just threw your hat in the ring for the Masterton with that performance.’ That would have been cool and the furthest thing from my mind on what I had to go get right.

“To be recognized for some of the work that I put in during the months leading up to my comeback is a very small thing, but it’s a very fulfilling thing.”

Ryan called this the most difficult season of his career, and he said he would share the Masterton nomination with his wife, Danielle, who has been with him every step of the way. “Stepping away from the game and going to start the process of healing and learning about myself,” Ryan said. “On the ice was one thing because things weren’t going well when I left. That had a lot do with where I was in life. It was just a very trying year because I thought I was stepping away for 30 days, coming back, practising and getting right back into things, and then learning that wasn’t going to be the case.

“It just felt like I even though I had the biggest obstacle to clear in the first 30 days, just learning about my issues with alcohol. Coming back, it felt like another obstacle every day, every week that I had to progress from to be part of the team and even just around the team again. It was just generally a trying year. I’ve got to thank (Senators head coach) D.J. Smith for keeping me on track with that. I’ve already thanked my wife so many times publicly. I’ll never forget to do that, but D.J. was great and pulling me aside to make sure I was ready to play.”

Leaving the team wasn’t easy and Ryan wondered at the time if he was saying goodbye to his career.

“Probably right when I left was the hardest time,” Ryan said. “I knew leaving, with the contract there’s that, but I left knowing I might have 1175476 Ottawa Senators It was a vicious cycle. Before his treatment, Ryan said, he was able to stay sober for small stretches but would often relapse. A panic attack that day in Detroit was one of the catalysts to enter the program and seek help. Bobby Ryan finds ‘silver lining’ in journey to sobriety as a Masterton nominee “I was trying to white-knuckle things and try to do things the wrong way. I’d have 20 days of nothing and one real bad one. You just can’t get better without (help),” he said at the time. “I guess you could call it a panic attack, but it was more of a realization that the route that I was By Hailey Salvian going had no good end in sight. And that’s not just professionally, that’s Jun 9, 2020 personally, and I didn’t want to continue to do that.

“I had a lot of times where I woke up in the morning just overridden with guilt, shame and saying I would do it (get sober), and doing it for 12 days, After Bobby Ryan’s triumphant return to the Canadian Tire Centre after then messing up again. It had no good ending.” taking time away from the Senators to enter the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program, his teammates knew this day was coming. While in the program, Ryan grappled with doubts about his ability to return to hockey. On Feb. 27, Ryan played his first game in Ottawa in 104 days. He had been on leave from the Senators for three months while undergoing “I left knowing that I might have played my last game in the NHL,” he said treatment for alcohol abuse. By night’s end, Ryan scored a hat trick, got Tuesday. “That was the hardest, I guess, thing to swallow and get over.” in a fight, was named the first star of the game and was moved to tears That doubt stayed with him throughout his recovery as he watched his on the bench by multiple standing ovations. team on TV. The pace looked too fast to match, he said, and he didn’t After the game, one of Ryan’s teammates told him, “You just threw your think he could get his body back to where it needed to be to play in the hat in the ring for the Masterton,” Ryan recalled on a video call with local NHL again. media Tuesday. Not only did he get back into game shape, but he also said he was in the They were right. best shape of his life thanks to the Senators training staff. Before Ryan could return, he had to redo his training camp testing. He performed Ryan was nominated for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy by the better on every test. Ottawa chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers Association. The names of Ryan and the other 30 nominees — including the Oilers’ In eight games before the COVID-19 pandemic paused the NHL season Connor McDavid, the Blues’ Jay Bouwmeester and the Flyers’ Oskar and Ryan’s comeback, he scored four goals, compared with one goal in Lindblom — were unveiled this week. his first 16 games.

Ryan said the nomination is almost a “silver lining” for everything he’s After the Senators’ final game before the season was suspended, in Los been through this year, and that he is “extremely pleased” to be the Angeles, Ryan quarantined for 14 days before returning to his home in Senators’ nominee. Idaho, he said. In that time, he said, he refocused on his sobriety.

“I got a chance to look at the names of guys today,” he said. “And there’s “I hate to say it, but the quarantine was great,” he said with a laugh. “It so many deserving guys to be mentioned among them and to represent felt like I was running at 100 miles an hour for the last four months there, the Sens in a positive light after such a tough year was just an incredible and I really hadn’t had a chance to kind of just take a step back. honour.” “The goal was to get through another day and be sober, but at the same Since 1968, the Masterton has been awarded annually to the player who time, take one step closer towards returning, and then I returned. And best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and you get thrown back into day-to-day life in the NHL and sobriety doesn’t dedication to hockey. It’s become the NHL’s version of the Comeback get put on the back burner, but you forget, right?” Player of the Year award, and winners typically have dealt with hardships Ryan said he focused and re-educated himself on how to be sober. Then that have altered their lives and careers. he got right back to work. Ryan has classified this year as “absolutely” the most difficult of his 12- He stayed in game shape in case the Senators returned for their final 11 year career. games. Even though they won’t be part of the NHL’s return-to-play plan He started the season on the first line and scored in the season opener in this summer, Ryan said he is going to continue training. Toronto on Oct. 2. But as the weeks went on, his game faltered. He was “I don’t want to lose anything I built in January,” he said. “My energy level a step slow and was made a healthy scratch for only the second time in (in) every part of my life is just better with where I’m at. Physically, it’s the his career for performance-related reasons. best I’ve ever felt. Ryan acknowledged Tuesday that his performance was very much a “Unfortunately, it’s gonna be a trial and error all summer because I don’t byproduct of where he was at in his life. know how to plan for seven and a half or eight months between games. Things came to a head during practice in Detroit on Nov. 18, when he But we’re gonna learn through it and, you know, I truly think that I’m abruptly left the team. Two days later, before a game in Montreal, the never going to be in better shape than coming back from this.” NHL and the NHLPA announced that Ryan had entered the player Ryan would be the second Senator to win the Masterton. Craig Anderson assistance program. won in 2016-17 after he had to take several leaves of absence to be with He returned to Ottawa in December after a 30-day treatment but did not his wife, Nicholle, amid her cancer diagnosis and treatment. rejoin his teammates for practice until February. Ryan’s issues from a traumatic childhood are public knowledge, and he “It was just a very trying year,” Ryan said. “I thought I was stepping away acknowledged that he still deals with them. He earned his nomination for for 30 days and coming back, practising and getting right back into his perseverance in his struggles with alcohol but also for how he’s used things, and then learning that wasn’t going to be the case. his platform.

“(I felt like) I had the biggest obstacle to clear in the first 30 days and “I’ve always kind of said, ‘Listen, if I’m going to do this, I’m gonna have to learning about my issues with alcohol, but coming back felt like I was just do it in the public eye and I’m gonna have to be candid with it,’” he said. having another obstacle every day, another obstacle every week and “Some of the most rewarding things have been people that have reached another thing to progress from until I was cleared to be a part of the out to me on social media and Instagram or whatever it might be … and team.” I’m able to pay it forward by helping them.”

In February, Ryan opened up to reporters about his time in the program Through social media, Ryan said he’s been able to help some people and his recovery. He said he’d been dealing with alcohol abuse for a long find treatment. Some he’s helped by just having “the right conversations.” time. “I love that I’ve been able to help people,” he said. “I’ve been open, and I’ll never stop being open about it because it does help some people in some way.”

The Athletic LOADED: 06.10.2020 1175477 Ottawa Senators Go back and read that paragraph again. It’s borderline amazing that there are any Senators fans left.

But there are. Lots of them. Many of them aren’t going to games McIndoe: Ottawa fans have lost hope in Eugene Melnyk. There’s no anymore, or buying jerseys, or doing anything at all that would put money getting it back into Melnyk’s pocket. But they’re out there, probably in greater numbers than you think. And they’re waiting.

They may be waiting a while. Wirtz and Ballard drove their franchises into By Sean McIndoe the ground for decades, with their eras only ending when they died. No decent person is wishing for that outcome here, and Melnyk has vowed Jun 9, 2020 that he’ll never sell the team, on multiple occasions. He seems just stubborn enough to follow through. So now what? There’s something missing in the reaction to this week’s latest round of No really, now what? If you’re a Senators fan, where does this go? Eugene Melnyk drama, and it should make you feel terrible for Ottawa What’s the end game? When do you get to start hoping again? And does Senators fans. anyone in the NHL care? The situation began with last week’s announcement that the Senators By all accounts, this should be a time for optimism in Ottawa. The team is would be parting ways with their charitable wing, The Sens Foundation. bad and has been for years, but that’s part of the cycle of NHL life. The That situation raised eyebrows, and there were a few days of back-and- rebuild isn’t over, but it’s already bearing fruit. Brady Tkachuk looks like forth over what exactly it might mean, and who could be at fault. Then the real deal, and Thomas Chabot is locked in for the long term. The farm came a devastating report from The Ottawa Sun’s Rick Gibbons, system is well-stocked. And the team will have two picks near the top of accusing Melnyk of meddling in the foundation’s giving while his own this year’s draft – maybe even the top two. This is the part of the process charity organization raised $1 million for organ donation while only where excitement should be building. putting $5,000 to good use. And then you remember who’s in charge, and that balloon pops. If the The charity story is still unfolding, and there may be further layers. lottery gods deliver Alexis Lafreniere to Ottawa, will he lead the team Melnyk will be called on to offer an explanation. He might even have one. back to the top of the standings? Or will he just be the next star to be traded away for futures, as the owner promises that he’ll spend some At this point, though, that hardly seems to matter. I watched the reaction day, just not quite yet. to Monday’s report unfold in Ottawa, on Twitter and local radio and the various places where fans gather. There was outrage, and disgust, and That’s the biggest problem with a rotten owner, from a fan’s perspective: more than a little confusion. There was an inspiring effort to raise money They taint everything else in the organization. Even if they seem to bring for charity that brought in $18,000 and counting. There was anger. There in the right people, there’s doubt. Did we really just hire the best coach were the usual wild rumors and the typical hot takes. available, or was he merely the cheapest? Does our GM keep his job because he has a plan to build a contender, or because he can manage But here’s what was missing: Any sense of shock. Any surprise. Anybody up and keep the boss happy? Is this latest team president actually the saying “No, this story can’t be right, they wouldn’t do that. Not our team. right person to guide the organization forward, or just the only one willing Not our owner.” to work for an owner who drives everyone else away?

It’s the Eugene Melnyk era. Nothing is off the table, and nothing feels Senators fans can’t be sure. But they know one thing: They’re done with impossible, not even some ill-defined plot to rip off his own charity that Eugene Melnyk. This year’s fan survey didn’t leave much doubt on that borders on cartoonishly evil. Nobody that I could see was stepping up to front, with the responses to the ownership question looking absolutely defend the guy because Melnyk has spent years burning his credibility brutal. This isn’t a temporary problem that will be cured by a winning with the fan base to the ground. season or a savvy hire, or even by a self-imposed year or two away from the cameras. This is a total fracture. It’s over. That credibility is gone now. Not diminished, not running low – gone. And when that happens, there’s no rebuilding it. Except it’s not. So again, where’s the end game? Where’s the light at the end of the tunnel for a fan base that desperately needs one? Short of the I know because I’ve been there, having grown up as a Maple Leafs fan in league stepping in, which could happen behind-the-scenes but sure the Harold Ballard era. If you were a Blackhawks fan in the Bill Wirtz doesn’t seem to be, there isn’t much to point to. years, you know it too. If you’re an NBA fan in New York, an NFL fan in Washington, you’re living it right now. There are probably a few others, This story shouldn’t have gone this way. It’s easy enough to forget now, but only a few. The NHL has always had owners who temporarily lost but Melnyk saved the Senators in 2003, swooping in to buy a bankrupt part of the fan base, like Darryl Katz in Edmonton or Stan Kroenke in franchise that may not have survived in Ottawa without him. He was, Colorado; that’s bad, but the trust can be rebuilt. There have been briefly, a local hero. He had a little swagger to him, something that played outright disasters, like John Spano; those are embarrassing, but they well in typically buttoned-down Ottawa. When his team met the hated tend to be short-term problems. It’s rare that an owner can get to that Maple Leafs in a Game 7, the rookie owner publicly promised that “We’re Ballard or Wirtz zone, where they’ve completely decimated the fans’ faith going to kill ’em”. They didn’t, but at least the new guy was here to win. without any exit plan in sight. Three years later they were facing the Ducks in the final, and it wasn’t It’s the worst possible place to be as a fan. It’s literally hopeless. And it’s hard at all to imagine Melnyk leading a parade through Ottawa one day, where Senators fans find themselves these days. Stanley Cup held over his head, while thousands cheered him on. He probably pictured it too. Maybe he still does. Maybe that’s what keeps It’s been a long journey to get here, and Ottawa fans will give you him going. different moments that served as their own personal breaking point. For many, it was Melnyk’s threat to move the team “if it becomes a disaster”, So here’s where that end game has to start: Eugene Melnyk has to a stunningly ill-timed moment that came on the eve of the 2017 outdoor realize that that happy ending isn’t happening. Not in Ottawa. The game, one of the few times in franchise history that the team had the bridges have been burned, and the situation is too far gone. league’s spotlight to itself. For others, it may have been at some point in the ongoing saga of an area deal, and subsequent feud with city officials. Yes, the team could win. They nearly did in 2017, and that could happen Or the revolving door of executives who arrive to great fanfare and then again because this is the NHL and there are always a few surprise teams inevitably exit almost as quickly, like Tom Anselmi or Jim Little. Or the that sneak into the playoffs and get hot at exactly the right moment. It’s lawsuit from the casino. Or one of the many tone-deaf PR moments, like even possible that the Senators could build a true contender around the promise of “a five-year run of unparalleled success”, or “cost-per- Tkachuk and Chabot and whoever this year’s draft brings, the sort of point”, or that god-awful video, or all those times he shunned local media team that’s in the mix every year. That team could break through. The to do the radio rounds in Toronto instead. Or all those ex-employees and parade could happen. contractors that you run into around Ottawa, who all seem to have a story But in the eyes of the fans, that parade will be in spite of Melnyk, not to tell. Or the exit of popular players like Erik Karlsson, and because of him. There’s no redemption narrative waiting to be written in Kyle Turris, always right when it was time for a new contract. Or the this town. In sports, they say that winning cures everything. Maybe so, falling out with franchise icon Daniel Alfredsson. Or the second falling out with Daniel Alfredsson. but it can’t raise the dead. The relationship between Senators fans and the Senators owner is dead and gone. The happy ending here is that Melnyk makes a graceful exit, one that sees him get a fair price for his team and then walk away. Let Daniel Alfredsson and friends ride in to the rescue, or whoever else can make business sense of the market. Get the arena built. And then start the hard work of rebuilding that trust, and repairing the damage of the last decade.

It could happen. Sens fans know it probably won’t.

Instead, they’ll get more stubbornness, more acrimony, more ultimatums, and more scandal. The season ticket renewals will get mailed out, and the league will focus on the markets it apparently thinks are more important. And we’ll have more days where Ottawa hockey fans wake up to yet another story that makes them and their owner the laughingstock of the league. Nobody will be happy. Nobody wins. But nobody will be shocked.

The Athletic LOADED: 06.10.2020 1175478 Philadelphia Flyers When the playoffs start, the NHL has decided to re-seed teams after each round instead of using a bracketing format. This could benefit the Flyers.

Flyers coach Alain Vigneault has big lineup decisions, starting with how Flyers captain Claude Giroux speaks out about “white privilege” and much Carter Hart plays | On the Fly being “part of the solution.” My story.

We continue with our series on the 10 biggest playoff wins in the Flyers’ history. Here is No. 5: A late goal by Bill Barber in Game 4 of the 1974 by Sam Carchidi Finals makes the hockey world realize that the Flyers are more than just Broad Street Bullies. Much more.

People were staying home from sports events before the pandemic. Good morning, folks. The NHL is inching closer to returning, but things What happens when the games return? Columnist Mike Sielski gives his are still far from normal. always-interesting take on the situation. The Flyers had a handful of players at their small-group workouts in Can you identify the shaggy-haired fan who joined the handshake line Voorhees on Monday. But no fans, reporters, or photographers were after the Flyers clinched the 1974 Cup by beating Boston at the allowed in the building. Heck, even Zack Hill, the team’s public relations Spectrum? The Flyers’ alumni association is offering a reward. whiz, wasn’t permitted to attend. Players had to enter and exit the Skate Zone wearing masks and had their temperatures taken, and no coaches A Hockey Diversity Alliance is formed and includes former Flyer Wayne were allowed on the ice. Simmonds and Chris Stewart, who played for Philadelphia and the Phantoms this season. ALSO: Some Flyers returned to the ice in Welcome to Phase 2 of the NHL in the coronavirus age. Voorhees on Monday. The NHL still hasn’t announced when training camps will open, other Awards time than to say they won’t start until at least July 10. That gives some players a chance to participate in voluntary workouts at their official practice The local media was asked the other day to vote for the Bobby Clarke arenas. Others are working out in rinks near their homes so they can Trophy, which goes to the Flyers’ MVP, and the Barry Ashbee Trophy remain with their families. Most of the Flyers are either staying home in (team’s most outstanding defenseman). Canada or Europe and working out there. Here is my ballot: When the season does return -- the goal seems to be at some point in August -- the Flyers will be in a three-game round-robin format to Bobby Clarke Trophy determine the Eastern Conference’s top four seeds. Boston, Tampa Bay, 1. Sean Couturier: The 27-year-old center was the Flyers’ best all-around and Washington are the other teams in the East’s round robin. player, no question. Besides defending teams’ top offensive players, Coach Alain Vigneault will have some interesting decisions to make Couturier had 22 goals, 59 points, and a team-best plus-21 rating. He when play resumes. played in all situations and led the NHL in faceoff percentage (59.6 percent). Looking to round-robin tourney 2. Travis Konecny: He led the team in goals (24) and points (career-high What are some of the personnel questions facing the Flyers when the 61) and was Mr. Consistency throughout the season. Konecny, 23, has games do restart and they try to get the conference’s No. 1 seed? had 24 goals in each of the last three seasons, and would have had a personal best if the season wasn’t cut short. The Flyers played 69 Here are some of them: games. Where does left winger James van Riemsdyk play? 3. Carter Hart: At 21, Hart has a bright future. The present isn’t too Thanks to the long break, van Riemsdyk has recovered from a broken shabby, either. He went 24-13-3 with a 2.42 GAA (eighth in the NHL) and finger and will be back in the lineup. He figures to play on either the .914 save percentage. He is about to play in his first Stanley Cup second or third line. He seemed to have good chemistry with Derek playoffs, where reputations are made. Grant and Tyler Pitlick on the third line, so that is the likely spot where he Barry Ashbee Trophy ends up. 1. Ivan Provorov: Looking like a future All-Star, Provorov, 23, erased the Does rookie Joel Farabee remain in the lineup? memory of a disappointing 2018-19 season, when the weight of a new That’s a tough call. Farabee played well as the second-line left winger in contract may have affected his performance. He was stellar on defense five games during the Flyers’ nine-game winning streak late in the this season, and led Flyers’ defensemen in goals (13) and points (36). season. But with van Riemsdyk’s return, Scott Laughton may become the 2: Matt Niskanen: Acquired in the deal that sent Radko Gudas to second-line left winger, a spot he has handled well, and Farabee could Washington, the veteran stabilized the defense and helped his defensive be an extra player. partner, Provorov, blossom. Niskanen, 33, finished with 33 points (eight There’s also a possibility that Laughton drops down to the fourth center goals, 25 assists) and a plus-15 rating. (replacing veteran Nate Thompson) and Farabee stays as the No. 2 left 3. Travis Sanheim: The 24-year-old defenseman quietly emerged as a winger. solid second-pairing defender and chipped in with eight goals, 25 points Should goalie Carter Hart play all three round-robin games, or is it and a plus-4 rating. important to give Brian Elliott a game to keep him sharp?

If the Flyers win their first round-robin game and still have a shot at the Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 06.10.2020 No. 1 seed, it wouldn’t be surprising if Hart continued to play until the team lost. Securing the No. 1 seed should bring favorable matchups down the road.

On the flip side, you want Elliott -- whose play has been much better than his stats -- to get some action and to be sharp. Who assumes the role of the sixth defenseman -- Robert Hagg or Shayne Gostisbehere?

Hagg has been an underrated member of the defense and I think he’ll get the nod. He’s also one of the team’s most physical defensemen.

Things to know 1175479 Philadelphia Flyers

Oskar Lindblom, Flyers’ Masterton nominee: ‘I look forward to the day I’m back on the ice'

by Sam Carchidi

Oskar Lindblom, the left winger who has been battling a rare type of bone cancer called Ewing’s sarcoma, is the Philadelphia chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers Association’s nominee for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, awarded to the player who best exemplifies perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey.

All 31 NHL teams have a nominee.

Lindblom, 23, a soft-spoken and humble sort, was tied for the Flyers’ lead with 11 goals when he was diagnosed in December and missed the rest of the season. A Sweden native who has been receiving cancer treatments at Penn, Lindblom issued a statement through the team, saying he was “honored to be nominated for this special award. This past season has been a difficult one, for sure, but the positive support I’ve received from my family, my girlfriend, teammates, the Flyers organization, and Flyers fans has been a tremendous help and inspiration through these times.”

“I look forward to the day I’m back on the ice.” Lindblom said he was “very touched to see how many people, whether they support the Flyers or another team, were wearing #OskarStrong T- shirts. I continue to feel your support.” “From what I’ve heard, things are progressing in the right direction and going well,” goalie Carter Hart said at the time. “He’s a huge part of this team. We all love him and it was great to see him here, smiling and joking around with the boys.”

“He’s an impressive human; he’s handled it much better than I probably would," said center Kevin Hayes, whose parents are both cancer survivors. “It’s inspiring, and he puts a smile to your face and makes you realize your problems aren’t as serious as they seem to be.” The Flyers have dedicated the season to Lindblom. The regular season, which was suspended March 12 (and later declared finished) because of the coronavirus, is expected to resume with a 24-team tournament in August.

Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 06.10.2020 1175480 Philadelphia Flyers York, 19, a Southern California native who will head back to Michigan and participate in small-group, on-ice workouts starting June 15, needs to fill out physically, Flahr said.

Cam York, Bobby Brink may make Flyers fans forget about explosive Flahr called York an “elite skater” who needs to improve his strength Cole Caufield before he’s ready to turn pro.

“He’s very smart. He’s good moving the puck, and he’s got a strong offensive dimension," he said. "For him, it’s just being able to handle the by Sam Carchidi bigger, stronger guys at the pro level and being able to handle the rigors of the NHL’s 82-game schedule.”

York said he is also focusing on “closing on guys quicker in the defensive Flyers fans clamored for a diminutive scoring machine named Cole zone. I’m just trying to be a little more defensively sharp.” Caufield when the 2019 NHL draft was held in Vancouver. Impressive debut Instead, general manager Chuck Fletcher made a pair of deals and got two players early in that draft, including a smallish right winger who is Brink, who doesn’t turn 19 until July 8, was coming off a phenomenal regarded as Cole Caufield Lite. season in the USHL (35 goals in 43 games) when the Flyers drafted him. This season, he looked comfortable at the University of Denver, an One year later, how do those draft moves look? NCAA powerhouse. Brink had 11 goals and 24 points in 28 games. Fairly good. The 5-8½, 165-pound Brink missed the last seven games with a sprained Oh, Caufield, a 5-foot-7, 165-pound right winger, was sensational, as MCL in his left knee but is now totally healthy. He, too, needs to put on expected, as a University of Wisconsin freshman this season. He was the some weight and get stronger. Big Ten’s most prolific scorer (19 goals in 36 overall games ) and was a There were some questions about Brink’s skating ability when he was first-team all-league selection. drafted, but Flahr isn’t overly concerned. Caufield will return to college for his sophomore year, as will the two “With him, he’s a different skater,” Flahr said. “He’s actually got some players the Flyers chose in the first two rounds in 2019 — defenseman deceptive speed; he’s strong on his skates and really slippery. His best Cam York and right winger Bobby Orr Brink. asset, aside from his skills, is his hockey sense and his ability to find Like Caufield, they had terrific freshman collegiate seasons. small [open] areas. He’s such a smart, competitive player and he just seems to find ways to make plays and generate offense.” “Both had very positive years,” assistant Flyers general manager Brent Flahr, who heads the team’s draft, said the other day. “Both were Brink said that as the season progressed, “I got more and more impactful players as freshmen. They were both young guys coming into comfortable with the college level.” college hockey, and, with the exception of a couple minor injuries to both Though Flahr wants Brink to put on some weight, he doesn’t believe guys, they played very well.” Brink’s size will limit his effectiveness at the next level. Playing another year in college will be a benefit for both of them, Flahr Brink, known as a Travis Konecny-type agitator, agreed. said. “They’re both in good programs, and hopefully they can benefit and be part of the World Juniors again next year. Hopefully, there is [a “I don’t think that’s really an issue anymore in the NHL, especially the tournament]. I think they’ll have big years and they’re both getting way it’s played now,” said Brink, who grew up in a suburban area about physically stronger; it just takes time.” 50 miles outside Minneapolis and used to be teammates with Fletcher’s son, Keith. Bypass Caufield The GM stressed the scouts were the ones who pushed for drafting The Flyers could have picked the highly touted Caufield. Twice. Brink. “[The NHL game is] just so fast and so skilled. You see guys like Instead, they traded down three spots in the first round and chose York Brad Marchand and Johnny Gaudreau and others have so much at No. 14 overall -- one pick before the dynamic Caufield was selected by success, and they’re small guys. Right now, your size doesn’t really the Montreal Canadiens. matter.”

Was it popular with Flyers fans? Fair or not, as Brink and York develop, many fans will compare them with Caufield. York will be compared because of where he was drafted. Brink Not at the time. The Twitterverse was not kind to the Flyers’ decision. will be compared because he plays the same position as Caufield and, in Caufield, the best pure scorer in the draft, was viewed as a player who a way, is part of the package the Flyers drafted instead of Caufield. will one day thrive in the NHL despite his size. He had erupted for a ridiculous 72 goals in 64 games for the U.S. National Team Development The Flyers had Brink rated as the No. 20 overall prospect in the 2019, Program in his final season before the draft, not far behind where they ranked Caufield.

But the sting of not taking Caufield was lessened when Fletcher used a Brink and Caufield have been teammates in the past. second-round pick -- he had acquired it from Arizona in the deal to move “Obviously I watch what he’s doing," Brink said, “but we have more of a down three spots and still get York in the first round -- to make another friendship and not really a rivalry.” trade. The second deal, with Nashville, enabled the Flyers to move up 11 spots in the second round and nab Brink. (Nashville got the Flyers’ second-rounder acquired from Arizona and a third-round selection.) Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 06.10.2020 In other words, Fletcher is gambling that York + Brink > Caufield.

At Michigan, the 5-11½, 175-pound York was sidelined for three early- season games by a high ankle sprain, which slowed his progress for a short time after he returned. He also battled a shoulder injury early in the season.

A mobile defenseman, York finished with 16 points, including five goals, in 30 games. He also played solid defense, had a plus-9 rating, and was third on the Wolverines with 54 blocked shots

“Once Cam got healthy, he played very well in the games I was at,” Flahr said. “He obviously played a ton and was a big part of that team.”

“I thought my first year was pretty good, but I’m never satisfied. I’ll never be satisfied,” York said Sunday. “I dealt with a few injuries that kind of set me back a little bit, but other than that, I felt comfortable in a new setting.” 1175481 Philadelphia Flyers “It is a mutual, open dialogue about what you intend to do and how, ultimately, the league and the teams are being portrayed,” Townsend said.

When hockey meets Hollywood: The story of the Flyers’ role in ‘This is The issue of Laperriere’s teeth, for instance, involved a lot of discussion 40’ internally for the league, as well as with Townsend.

Did it merely reinforce an old trope about hockey players or was it just good fun? By Scott Burnside And as it turns out, the moment where Laperriere and his pals are Jun 9, 2020 chatting with Mann and Fox in the bar, and Laperriere pops out his partial plate, well, it works because it allows players to have some fun in a very

funny movie – even playing along with something of a time-worn cliché In November 2009, veteran forward Ian Laperriere, then with the Flyers, about hockey players being dentally challenged. was doing what he did for most of his career: Putting himself in harm’s And, no, Fox does not put Laperriere’s teeth into her mouth. Gross. way blocking a point shot from the Sabres’ Jason Pominville. She had her own set made and it just looks like she’s putting someone The resulting damage cost Laperriere seven teeth and around 100 else’s partial plate in her mouth. stitches. “That’s the magic of Hollywood,” Laperriere said with a laugh. Of course, he managed to get to the bench more or less on his own. Dozens of times every year requests or proposals make their way to the Fast forward to 2011 and award-winning producer Clayton Townsend NHL. and star director Judd Apatow were working on a project that would become “This is 40.” Some come via friends in the film or television industry who have worked with the league and its teams before. The “Knocked Up” spinoff is a comedy about the trials and tribulations of a middle-aged married couple. Two of the film’s leads, Megan Fox and Some come via players or executives who have relationships with people Leslie Mann, who is married to Apatow in real life and whose daughters in the entertainment industry. also appear in the film, blow off some steam one evening at a bar. Some come directly to teams or players who then funnel the requests to Townsend and Apatow decided that the women should meet some the league for its blessing – or not. athletes, and Apatow, who is a big New York Rangers fan, decided it would be good if they met some hockey players. A number of television series use NHL logos or buildings on a regular basis, like the television show “Blue Bloods,” which has a constant But not just any hockey players, hockey players without teeth. Rangers/Islanders subtext to its storylines.

Enter Laperriere. “A Million Little Pieces” regularly includes Bruins jerseys and references in large part because creator D.J. Nash is a lifelong Bruins fan. Laperriere played for the Los Angeles Kings for parts of nine seasons, and someone at the mega sports and entertainment agency CAA based “The Goldbergs” features Flyers logos or jerseys in almost every in Los Angeles knew someone who knew Laperriere, and also knew that episode. Apatow and Townsend were looking to incorporate some hockey players in a scene. The Stanley Cup had a recent cameo in the show “Superstore,” which is set in St. Louis. Laperriere got a call asking about the status of his teeth. Then there are projects that want to use footage of games as part of Yes. They were still missing. backdrops, or establishing shots of arenas or fans in NHL garb as a way of establishing the geography. “I never knew it would pay off,” Laperriere said of eating a vulcanized rubber disc. “But I think it did.” Because the NHL maintains strict control of all its properties from trademarks to logos to archival footage, any use of those in film or (Courtesy of Universal Pictures) television productions has to be cleared by the league. Townsend, who won a Directors Guild of America Award with Oliver “Every single project has its own unique pieces to it,” said Susan Cohig, Stone for “Born on the Fourth of July,” and Apatow were surprised at how executive vice-president of business affairs for the NHL. open the NHL was to the idea. Sometimes it’s not just making sure the NHL’s Images and players are Townsend worked on the film “Any Given Sunday,” which required treated in a manner acceptable to the league but making sure it’s done significant engagement with the NFL, and he admitted that by the end of with as much veracity as possible. the film, he was “a little weary that process.” In the film “Stronger” about the aftermath of the Boston Marathon “But the NHL turned out to be fantastic,” Townsend said. bombing, the filmmakers wanted to film the climactic scene at TD Garden Any project like this requires collaboration, and sometimes there are two in Boston, replicating the real-life appearance of bombing victim Jeff very different viewpoints on how or even if the sport fits into the film. Bauman as an official flag-bearer at a Bruins’ playoff game in 2013.

“Understandably from the leagues’ and teams’ perspective, they don’t But when reviewing the rough cuts of the entire movie, team officials want to be portrayed in a way that goes contrary to their brand,” noted that the scenes didn’t reflect the order that the team carried out its Townsend said. pre-playoff game ritual.

But at the same time, if a league can see its brand enhanced with a If it’s not authentic, it’s not great for the show or the film, Cohig said, connection to a big-budget Hollywood film or a popular television series, “Social media can crush something that’s not authentic.” it’s important to explore it. Once Laperriere agreed to take part in the film, it was a matter of fleshing Sometimes that means simply reading through a prepared script. out the group. In the end, James van Riemsdyk, Matt Carle and Scott Hartnell joined the cast. Sometimes it involves discussing the theme and content, although the NHL is very clear that it’s not in the business of creating content for films Also joining the group and carrying the load conversation-wise was Wyatt and television, just monitoring how the content reflects on the league and Russell, the son of actors Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn who was a top- its players. level goaltender in his teenage years.

And of course, the discussions can become more complex when you’re The players flew out to Los Angeles the day before the shoot, and at the talking about using actual players, coaches or personnel from a team as crack of dawn were collected from their hotel and driven to a night club. opposed to using a logo or archival footage as a backdrop, or an arena and fans and the like. After going through hair and makeup, and getting into their “club” clothes, If the filmmakers were chuffed to have the players on-set, the feelings of there was one main objective for the group. excitement were mutual. For such a small slice of the film, “they treated us so great,” Hartnell said. “It was like we were part of the deal. We were “We didn’t want to do anything stupid or mess anything up or embarrass included in everything.” ourselves too much,” van Riemsdyk said. Mann, for instance, spent time during down moments chatting with the They were, after all, out of their comfort zone. players.

When they entered it seemed as though it was a real nightclub with “She made everything so great for us,” Hartnell said. “She was nothing music and dozens of extras all dressed for a night out. short of perfect for us, making us feel comfortable.”

Then the workday began. “Judd was great but his wife was unbelievable,” Laperriere added. “She’d “It was one of the longest days of my life,” Hartnell admitted. sit with us and chat with us and chat about hockey.”

All to create a scene that made up about one minute of the 134-minute Van Riemsdyk, who still keeps in touch with one of the actors from the film. film, Phil Burke, admitted he hesitated about joining the filming.

Because of the nature of shooting, a group conversation in a bar required “Certainly looking back now, I would have been the biggest moron ever if a different camera angle for every conversation. I didn’t do it,” van Riemsdyk said.

Hartnell recalled answering a question from Fox about where the players And when it came time for the players to make their red carpet debuts at were from. the “This is 40” premier, there were some pregame jitters for the hockey pros. Later, after a long break in the process to reset the cameras, she asked the same question, flummoxing Hartnell. “I was so nervous,” Hartnell said of the moment his mug appeared on the big screen. “I looked at her kind of confused,” Hartnell admitted. “Uh, you just asked me that.” In the case of “This is 40,” the finished product was something that both the league and the filmmakers were especially pleased with. So much so Then the light went on internally. Oh. This is how they shoot movies. that in a subsequent Apatow film, “Trainwreck,” they were hoping to get Henrik Lundqvist to make an appearance. Lundqvist wasn’t available but Laperriere said he felt sorry for the wardrobe staff who were forced to his jersey does appear prominently in one scene with Lebron James, use blow dryers to get the players’ shirts dry between takes there was so Amy Schumer and Bill Hader. much sweat. It’s been eight years since the movie debuted and the players with “I sweat easy,” Laperriere admitted. “Most of the guys did. It must have speaking parts are reminded of their experience when they periodically smelled.” receive residual checks. Townsend said all the players were great, “but particularly Ian Laperriere Sometimes Hartnell will tell Laperriere he’s received a check for 50 times who was awesome. What a great guy. He was so game to try anything.” the actual amount just to get a reaction.

NHL executive Nirva Milord, who is an integral part of the NHL’s team “He’s like, ‘seriously?’” Hartnell said with a laugh. that deals with these kinds of requests, was on set with the players. “I just say, ‘you must not have been as big a deal as me.’” She brought along some NHL swag for the crew but also paid close attention to the more loosely structured elements of the scene.

Apatow likes his actors to go with the flow so he sat next to the camera The Athletic LOADED: 06.10.2020 barking out suggestions for the dialogue to Fox, Mann and the players. “Judd would be screaming, ‘Lappy, say this,’” Laperriere said.

Carle didn’t have false teeth a la Laperriere, but he did have a scar on his face that he’d had since he was 2 years old that looked like it could have been a hockey scar, so that was an added bonus for the filmmakers.

Nervous?

Very.

“I just remember sweating profusely,” Carle said.

And then there was the dance scene. Let’s just say it’s a damn shame the dancing bits ended up on the cutting room floor. Think of Kevin Costner never making it into “The Big Chill.” “Thank God they didn’t put that in the movie,” Laperriere said.

It was near the end of the long day and Apatow wanted the boys to take turns dancing with Mann and Fox, calling out the players’ names to jump in and dance with the ladies.

Laperriere was standing next to van Riemsdyk at the time. “I told him, ‘If they call my name I’m not going out there,’” Laperriere recalled.

Right on cue, Apatow called for Laperriere.

“I swear it was two seconds later, ‘Ian come out and do the dance-off,” he said laughing.

At one point Fox was dancing between Hartnell and Laperriere. “We all had our moment of fame dancing with the girls,” said Hartnell, who suggested Laperriere looked like he’d never been in a nightclub before. 1175482 Philadelphia Flyers Giroux is trying just a bit too hard when the force of his windup actually knocks him off his skates — and it almost always leads to the shot wildly missing its target.

Ranking Claude Giroux’s 10 best goals The best part about this particular goal is that Giroux blasted the puck so hard, and from such an angle, that he lost his balance — yet he still put it in the back of the net.

By Charlie O'Connor Another underrated aspect: Giroux doesn’t even have the opportunity to fire away if he doesn’t disrupt Ryan Nugent-Hopkins’ breakout pass to Jun 9, 2020 begin the sequence. In other words, Giroux kicks off the play with laudable defensive work and finishes it with an iconic goal. This game wasn’t especially important — though it did come in the midst of a 10- Perhaps last week’s Charlie’s Countdown — which detailed the 10 worst game winning streak — and the 2016-17 Flyers season wasn’t especially Philadelphia Flyers seasons — was a bit depressing. So this week, it’s memorable. But you’ll still hear fans occasionally reminisce about the time to go full positivity. And what could be more positive than the 10 time Giroux scored while falling over on a one-timer. best goals from the best player of this Flyers era? 7. Nov. 2, 2015 — Flyers vs. Canucks Claude Giroux may have started his career as a key support piece on great Flyers teams. And it’s not outlandish to argue he no longer qualifies Poor Matt Bartkowski. He suited up for this game likely assuming he’d as the top player on the club. (That title very well may have passed to take his usual shifts on an underwhelming Canucks team, make a few Sean Couturier.) But for the bulk of the 2010s, Giroux was the primary more good plays than bad plays, and hopefully skate off the ice in victory. reason to watch the Flyers. Even as the team languished in mediocrity Instead, due to a poor zone-entry attempt by teammate Jannik Hansen, for much of the decade, Giroux usually proved worth the price of he found himself on an island against Giroux a few minutes into the admission. A highlight-reel play was always possible whenever he suited second period. up, and considering he’s missed only 10 games in the last 11 seasons, The result? fans could always count on him being in the lineup. Once Bartkowski loses a step on Giroux, it’s over. But give him credit — Today, we’ll revisit 10 of Giroux’s best goals from throughout his career. he’s going to do whatever he physically can to try to prevent Giroux from Factors such as degree of difficulty and creativity were weighted heavily, getting away, including leaning on Giroux’s back and trying to wrap his befitting a player with the skill level of Giroux. But if a goal was scored in free arm over No. 28’s chest. It doesn’t matter. Giroux simply shrugs off particularly dramatic or iconic fashion, it received a significant boost in the 6-foot-1 Canucks defenseman, proving that while Giroux might not the rankings. Now, on to the list. look the part of an imposing physical presence, he’s not a player who can 10. Jan. 28, 2010 — Flyers vs. Thrashers be pushed around. Then there’s the skill, in the form of a lightning-fast forehand-to-backhand maneuver that has goaltender Ryan Miller Giroux didn’t jump into the league as a full-fledged star. It took him a completely fooled (again). couple of seasons before he blossomed into that player. But don’t take that to mean there weren’t signs of just how ridiculously talented he was, Bartkowski scored a goal late in this game to seal Vancouver’s 4-1 even before his big breakout. victory, and he deserves credit for shaking off this sequence to help his team secure a win. But this Giroux highlight will live on far longer than a The 22-year-old Giroux does it all here, looping from the top of the garbage-time goal in an otherwise forgettable regular-season game. offensive zone all the way to below the goal line, before reaching back to tuck the puck into a wide-open net. The combination of lateral skating 6. Feb. 23, 2019 — Flyers vs. Penguins, Stadium Series game at Lincoln ability, stickhandling and patience makes this a truly great goal. Added Financial Field points for Ian Laperriere’s fantastic post-goal reaction on the bench — As far as iconic moments in Giroux’s career go, this is pretty far up the he’s positively giddy. In the moment, Laperriere and the rest of the Flyers list. An overtime goal against the team’s biggest rival, outdoors in front of had to know they had a special player on their hands. tens of thousands at the Philadelphia Eagles’ stadium? Yeah, that’s a 9. April 16, 2011 — Flyers vs. Sabres, Game 2, Eastern Conference moment that will be remembered long after Giroux hangs up the skates. quarterfinals It was a classic finish to a classic game. In Game 1 two days earlier, the Flyers outplayed the underdog Sabres That said, it’s mostly a classic for the circumstances (and the celebration, only to watch Ryan Miller steal the game with a stellar netminding of course). It’s a fantastic moment. But the goal itself is just … fine. Aside performance in a 35-save shutout. Sometimes, a hot goalie is all a team from the humor of Justin Schultz failing so miserably at disrupting needs to spring a series upset, and Miller raised legitimate fears he was Giroux’s shot that he loses the handle on his stick, there’s nothing poised to do his best Dominik Hasek impersonation and send especially memorable about the play alone. The rained-on ice surface Philadelphia packing. made it impossible for Giroux to try anything fancy, so he makes a quick move to his right and slips a low wrister through Matt Murray’s surely It took Giroux just four minutes in Game 2 to puncture Miller’s rapidly waterlogged pads. Efficient? Sure. Highlight level by itself? Probably not. inflating invincibility balloon. Still, because of the dramatic and satisfying finish courtesy of Giroux, It wasn’t easy. Giroux had to weave through four Buffalo players to do it. every fan who had a ticket to this game will swear they stayed until the Three of them attempted a poke check, but Giroux was too strong on the end — even though many left early because of the miserable weather puck. Then, he simply overwhelmed Miller with the quickness of his and the Flyers appearing destined for defeat in the third period. It was the release and the accuracy of the shot. Giroux just would not be denied, one shining moment in a truly ghastly Flyers season. and one could argue he changed the complexion of the series in the process. 5. April 1, 2018 — Flyers vs. Bruins

The Flyers scored four more times that Saturday afternoon and headed There’s a case to be made that Giroux never had a more ridiculous to Buffalo with the series tied 1-1, rather than down 2-0 and having heater than in the final 10 or so games of 2017-18. Already on pace for squandered two home games. If Giroux doesn’t show that Miller was the best scoring season of his career, Giroux found a way to elevate his mortal — in highlight-reel form — perhaps the Buffalo goalie snatches game further to ensure the Flyers slipped into the playoffs. Every puck another victory and the Flyers don’t even have the opportunity to win Giroux touched seemed to go in the net; every ridiculous move he tried Games 6 and 7 to come back and secure the series. worked as planned.

8. Dec. 8, 2016 — Flyers vs. Oilers So on April Fool’s Day, with a minute and a half left in overtime against the always formidable Boston Bruins and on a breakaway, Giroux If any specific type of goal can be called Giroux’s “signature,” it’s decided he was essentially going to “fake a fake.” Somehow, it worked. probably the cannon of a slapshot from the left side of the power-play formation. Usually delivered in one-timer form, the shot qualifies as the The go-to flashy move for skill players in the 2010s — at least before only time that Giroux tries to straight-up overpower an opponent, via a Andrei Svechnikov brought the lacrosse goal to the NHL — was the maximum-effort slapper that never fails to get the crowd going when it between-the-legs trick shot. But Giroux wasn’t about to be like everyone finds its mark. But at times, Giroux can overdo it. It’s a dead giveaway else. Instead, as he steamrolled through the low slot, he pulled the puck back as if to drop it between his legs, only to halt just before completing a tight 3-2 win in Game 5 in Pittsburgh. Suddenly, it looked like a the move and effortlessly flip a backhander over the outstretched pad of winnable series for the Penguins — if they could go back to Philadelphia Anton Khudobin. It’s the kind of move (or non-move) that only a player and steal Game 6. Then, they’d be heading back home, with three operating with supreme confidence would even attempt. consecutive wins fueling their confidence. Considering that Giroux closed out that season with 19 points (eight Giroux wasn’t about to let that happen. He asked his coach for the very goals, 11 assists) in his final 10 games, a closing kick that should have first shift of the game, and within seconds, he’d bulldozed Sidney Crosby won him the Hart Memorial Trophy for the league’s Most Valuable Player, in the neutral zone. But Giroux was far from finished. After a brief he certainly wasn’t lacking for belief in himself at the time. stoppage, No. 28 jumped on a loose puck at the top of the offensive zone, cut ever so slightly toward the slot and let loose a laser of a wrist 4. Dec. 27, 2018 — Flyers vs. Lightning shot that Marc-Andre Fleury was never going to stop. Oh, right, that time Giroux went through the entire Tampa Bay Lightning It’s still simply known as “The Shift” among some Philadelphia fans team. (though Mike Richards’ short-handed goal in Game 5 of the 2010 Eastern The stick-lift of Ryan McDonagh in the middle of the rush remains the Conference finals also gets the moniker), and considering the timing, the best part of this play, by far — it’s the work of a player thinking the game opponent and the sheer dramatics of it all, it remains Giroux’s signature on a higher level than anyone else on the ice. But Giroux’s initial move to Flyers moment. Ever so briefly, it earned him the title of “best player in put the puck between his legs and simultaneously avoid Brayden Point the world” from Peter Laviolette. In retrospect, Laviolette’s praise was an and Anton Stralman warrants praise, as does his undressing of Andrei obvious overstatement. But in the moment, it did feel like no one on the Vasilevskiy at the end of the play to ensure the sequence ends in a goal. planet was playing better than Claude Giroux. It’s those names that elevate this goal into the top 5. These aren’t fourth- line scrubs Giroux took apart. It’s one of the best young forwards in The Athletic LOADED: 06.10.2020 hockey (Point), one of the best defensive defensemen of the era (Stralman) and one of the best all-around defensemen of the era (McDonagh), not to mention a Vezina Trophy winner in net. It didn’t matter, though. Giroux cut through them as if they were all AHL players. 3. Dec. 19, 2013 — Flyers vs. Blue Jackets

If you’re grading just on degree of difficulty and sheer improbability, this is probably No. 1 on the list. There’s no earthly way this puck should end up in the back of the net.

Sure, there’s an element of luck at play, which Giroux acknowledged in the aftermath of the game. But good fortune or not, if you score while falling on a no-look backhander to win the game with time running down in regulation, you’re doing something right. And don’t forget: The Flyers entered the third period down 3-0, so this wasn’t merely a big goal in a tight contest. It put the finishing touches on an improbable comeback. Still, for all of this goal’s greatness, it did come in a relatively unimportant mid-December regular-season game. That — and its slightly fluky nature — keeps it behind the top two choices on the list.

2. June 2, 2010 — Flyers vs. Blackhawks, Game 3, Stanley Cup Finals

In recent years, there’s been some scattered talk from Giroux skeptics that he doesn’t qualify as a clutch player and struggles to come through when it matters most. It’s largely due to the fact that, in the Flyers’ past two playoff appearances (versus Washington in 2016 and Pittsburgh in 2018), Giroux didn’t play his best. Fair.

But how quickly some forget that Giroux has a game-winning, overtime goal in the Stanley Cup Finals on his résumé. Hard to get any more clutch than that.

While it’s impossible to overrate the circumstances — Game 3 of the Cup Finals with the Flyers down 2-0 in the series, which is about as must-win as it gets — I’ve always viewed this goal in isolation to be a bit underrated. Giroux is the one who gets the puck through the neutral zone in the first place, allowing Philadelphia to take full advantage of Chicago’s disjointed line change. Then, he immediately drives the center lane, makes himself a target for Matt Carle’s slap-pass and expertly redirects it just between the pads of Antti Niemi. It was a veteran play from start to finish, executed by a 22-year-old who was finishing up his first complete NHL season.

Back then, Giroux couldn’t have realized that 10 years later, he’d still be waiting for his next chance to put on a show in the Cup Finals. Even though the Flyers came up short in 2010, Giroux delivered the best moment of the series. Perhaps one day, he’ll get a chance to deliver a sequel.

1. April 22, 2012 — Flyers vs. Penguins, Game 6, Eastern Conference quarterfinals

Come on, like it was going to be anything else.

Let’s set the stage. The Flyers stormed out to a 3-0 series lead against the heavily favored Pittsburgh Penguins via three of the craziest games anyone had ever seen. With the series seemingly locked up, the Penguins fought back, blowing out Philadelphia in Game 4 and eking out 1175483 Pittsburgh Penguins

Ex-Penguins forward Ville Nieminen hired as coach of Swedish team

SETH RORABAUGH Tuesday, June 9, 2020 11:22 p.m.

Former Penguins forward Ville Niemenen has been hired as head coach of MODO of the Allsvenskan, a second-tier league in Sweden.

The team announced his hiring on Tuesday.

After retiring as a professional player following the 2014-15 season, Nieminen has served as a head or assistant coach primarily in professional leagues within his native Finland over the past five seasons. In November, he was fired early in his second season with Pelicans of Finland’s Liiga.

Nieminen, 43, spent parts of two seasons with the Penguins in 2001-02 and 2002-03. The primary return in a 2002 trade which sent popular defenseman Darius Kasparaitis to the Colorado Avalanche, Nieminen, a rambunctious agitating forward, appeared in 88 games for the Penguins and recorded 24 points (10 goals, 14 assists) as well as 101 penalty minutes.

In addition to the Penguins and Avalanche, Nieminen’s NHL career also saw him play for the Chicago Blackhawks, Calgary Flames, New York Rangers, San Jose Sharks and St. Louis Blues. He was a member of Colorado’s 2001 Stanley Cup team.

Tribune Review LOADED: 06.10.2020 1175484 Pittsburgh Penguins Sullivan — nor the NHL — isn’t quite sure over the exact parameters of those steps, but he is certain of one thing: Most of it will be uncharted territory.

Even in a pandemic, Mike Sullivan keeps Penguins prepared “(Training camp) will be a lot of different in the sense that our team is already formed,” Sullivan said. “We’ve played close to 90% of our (regular season) schedule already. We’re preparing for a high-stakes environment right from the get go. The players will not have skated to the SETH RORABAUGH extent that they would have with a training camp in September. Tuesday, June 9, 2020 6:06 p.m. “You’re trying to evaluate your young talent, some of your prospects relative to where they are and to the NHL players that you have. You’ve got a number of exhibition games that you can utilize to evaluate. At the As is usually the case in late winter and early spring, Mike Sullivan has same time, you’re trying to prepare your team for the course of an 82- been competing. game schedule. The objectives are a lot different in that regard and so we have to be aware of that to make sure we make the right decisions. But neither the venue nor the stakes are quite as scrutinized as he We’ve had lengthy discussions around that.” typically is accustomed to. Another adjustment is the considerable matter of having coaches, many If anything, they might be more profound. of whom are in their 50s or beyond, being directly behind a hockey Board games of Family Feud or Play Nine at the kitchen table with his bench, a vile Petri dish of an enclosed area full of sweaty 20-somethings family are one of the luxuries the Penguins coach has been able to enjoy breathing heavily. since his team last played a hockey game three months ago March 10. Sullivan, 52, indicated his on-bench coaching staff, which includes “That’s been a lot of fun,” Sullivan said. “If I could pull any positive out of Jacques Martin, 67, Mark Recchi, 52, and, occasionally, Sergei Gonchar, this unusual circumstance, that would be it.” 46, has no reservations about inhabiting that area.

Coaching hockey tends to be an all-encompassing endeavor. Game days “Amongst my staff, we really haven’t had concern,” Sullivan said. “We can begin at 7 a.m. and last until midnight or beyond. In many ways, believe that the league is doing everything within its power to try to create existing as a human comes in a distant second to getting the power play the safest environment possible for all of us to participate. And we’re squared away. going to do our best to try to make that happen.” But during the NHL’s hiatus from games because of the coronavirus Barring no additional natural disasters such as a murder hornet pandemic, Mike Sullivan the coach has been able to be Mike Sullivan the infestation or Mount Washington turning into a 21st-century Paricutin, the father, husband, New England Patriots fan, etc., far more than usual. Penguins likely will be playing playoff games during the final days of summer. It will be weird. It will be strange. It will be unprecedented. “My kids are all post-college and have full-time jobs and are building careers for themselves,” Sullivan said during a phone interview with the But they won’t be unprepared. Tribune-Review on Tuesday. “So trying to get them together can be a “We’re so used to a certain routine and how we go about our business,” challenge. For my wife and I, it’s been a lot of fun as much time as we Sullivan said. “Hockey is stopped at the most exciting time of year for all have with our kids.” of us that are a part as players and coaches. We were excited about the That’s not to say Sullivan has completely absconded his post. He and his opportunity in front of us. We continue to be excited about the opportunity staff have been regularly focusing on their next game — without having a in front of us. It just seems like a long time. But we can’t control it. We clue when or where that game might be — during the pause. In many can just react the right way and try to do our very best and stay ways, Sullivan and company have almost given each other homework connected and give ourselves the best opportunity when play does assignments to stay as sharp as possible during a highly unique resume to have success.” scenario.

“One of the things that I’ve said to our coaching staff is we have to find a way through this unusual circumstance to continue to develop and grow Tribune Review LOADED: 06.10.2020 as a coaching staff, as individuals and as a staff,” Sullivan said. “We have an opportunity that’s afforded to us here through the time that we have that we would normally never have.

“My challenge to them and to myself was how can we continue to grow as a staff. We’ve got to try to learn and get better so that when we resume our normal course of routine and we resume playing, that we can better serve our players.”

Sullivan indicated his staff has several video meetings throughout the week and even engaged in a video chat with an unidentified MLB team’s coaching staff to share ideas on how to ply their craft away from the stages they play on.

Additionally, they’ve participated in talk series with leaders of various walks of life ranging from sports psychologists to the military, including William H. McRaven, a retired United States Navy four-star admiral who oversaw operations that led to the death of Osama bin Laden.

“We’ve tried to think outside the box and do as much as we can to figure out ways that we can continue to stay engaged, stay together, stay connected as a staff, stay connected to our players,” Sullivan said.

Finding out when they can actually coach remains a work in progress. The Penguins began to have players participate in optional skating sessions Tuesday in Cranberry, but per the NHL’s rules on potentially resuming the season, coaches may not participate.

The league is aiming to stage training camps beginning in July and open a 24-team postseason tournament in August. 1175485 Pittsburgh Penguins importance those players could serve, even if they don’t play in games of consequence.

“We’ve got to have a training camp where I think it’s important that we Penguins notebook: In an empty arena, Mike Sullivan might have to use have the ability to have intrasquad games,” Sullivan said. “One of the his indoor voice things the coaching staff has talked about is getting our guys acclimated with a game environment. Intrasquad games are going to be important. We have to have sufficient guys in order to do that. The other aspect of it is, just like when you’re going into a playoff-type experience, you have to SETH RORABAUGH have enough guys as part of your group that in the event that injuries Tuesday, June 9, 2020 6:06 p.m. take place, you can continue to (dress) a competitive roster. So we’re trying to answer those questions. The league is going to give us direction on roster sizes and things like that as they define those.” When the NHL resumes play, in a pair of hub cities with 12 teams at • Finally, Sullivan offered a few thoughts on the civil unrest which has each venue, the starkest contrast from normal playoff games will be the gripped the United States over the past two weeks following the killing of absence of fans. George Floyd, an African American man, at the hands of Minneapolis police on May 25. Penguins coach Mike Sullivan foresees that having a considerable impact on play. “It’s obviously unfortunate, some of the events that have taken place.” Sullivan said. “I can only speak from my experience, the experiences that “Players are accustomed to fans and noise and that environment,” he I’ve had to this point has been far removed from some of the racism said. “There’s a certain energy that it brings to an arena and that energy that’s taken place. But I think certainly from my standpoint, it should is not going to be there. By nature of that, it’s just going to be different. I make us all very aware of the world that takes place around us. The do think once the puck drops and players start to compete, the goal important thing is, from my standpoint, is that is we all reflect on this and hasn’t changed. The objective is to win the Stanley Cup. That’s going to be the driving force to elevate competitiveness and the intensity level. we hope that we can all be part of the solution and get better when it comes to racial diversity and things of that nature. And I think if we can There will be an adjustment process where players find the experience all be part of that solution, the unfortunate incident of George Floyd’s awkward (at first).” death will not be in vain. That’s the thing that has come to my attention is As for coaches, the lack of noise might force them to be more discreet that I certainly have to reflect and find a way to be part of the solution like with regards to issuing direction from the bench in order to avoid tipping everyone else.” off the opponent. Especially if the coach happens to have a throaty baritone voice that could easily be confused for a siren with a Boston accent. Tribune Review LOADED: 06.10.2020 “As my assistant coaches note, my voice carries within an arena with full capacity,” Sullivan quipped. “I’m sure there will be an adjustment process by the coaches as well. Sometimes as coaches, you find that you have to raise your voice just over the crowd noise so that you can communicate to the players. When we were in the (2017) Stanley Cup Final in Nashville, I was hoarse after every game just from trying to make sure our guys knew what line was up next so that we didn’t have a miscommunication on the bench trying to speak over the noise in the building. That will be an adjustment process from the coaching staff’s view.” Sullivan addressed a few other items in a phone interview with the Tribune-Review:

• Forward Jake Guentzel is expected to participate in the team’s optional skates in Cranberry this week. He has been sidelined since late December after suffering a serious right shoulder injury.

“Jake is participating in the informal skates this week with other players,” Sullivan said. “His progress is as anticipated and we’re very encouraged where he’s at.” • Sullivan expressed disappointment on behalf of injured forwards Nick Bjugstad (back) and Dominik Simon (left shoulder). Each player will be sidelined for the remainder of the season following surgeries during the NHL’s hiatus.

“These guys, they work so hard to contribute and be on the ice,” Sullivan said. “You hate to see that when guys go through surgeries that are going to put them on the sidelines for an extended period of time. Nick in particular has had a real challenging year, and we all feel for him. Dom, he worked extremely hard to avoid surgery so he could continue to play. But obviously, that didn’t work out the way that we were hopeful that it would. So surgery was necessary. But it’s never an easy thing for these guys. They want to be on the ice. This is their passion.”

• Sullivan indicated no players expressed any concern or hesitation over playing due to the coronavirus. Furthermore, Sullivan was unsure if the unidentified Penguins player who tested positive for the coronavirus would have his availability to play compromised by the illness.

• Sullivan was not aware of any issues in returning to the United States for players who traveled to their homes in Canada or Europe during the pause.

There was no word yet on what players the Penguins might recall from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League assuming the NHL permits expanded rosters for the postseason. Sullivan stressed the 1175486 Pittsburgh Penguins The future: Assuming the NHL resumes the 2019-20 campaign, Simon won’t be a participant given the parameters of his recovery.

Barring any setbacks, Simon will be available for the start of the 2020-21 Penguins A to Z: Trust goes a long way for Dominik Simon season, which will surely be delayed.

As far as where he’ll be playing next season, that still must be determined. Given his meager production and his ailment, he isn’t in line SETH RORABAUGH for a large contract. And given the fit he has clearly established with coaches and linemates, Simon could reasonably fetch a one-year deal Tuesday, June 9, 2020 1:49 p.m. with perhaps even a slight pay raise to prove he deserves a more lucrative multi-year contract.

While the NHL is on hold because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, Even with his injury, he’s earned enough trust for that. 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 Tribune Review LOADED: 06.10.2020 Zucker.

Player: Dominik Simon

Position: Center

Shoots: Left

Age: 25

Height: 5-foot-11

Weight: 190 pounds

2019-20 NHL statistics: 64 games, 22 points (seven goals, 15 assists)

Contract: Final year of a two-year contract with a salary cap hit of $750,000. Pending restricted free agent this upcoming offseason. Acquired: Draft, fifth round (No. 137 overall)

This season: There are few things Mike Sullivan has less patience for than a question about why Dominik Simon is in the lineup.

“He’s a good player,” Sullivan said tersely when asked about using Simon on the team’s top line in October. “He’s hard on pucks. He makes plays. He’s just a good, solid 200-foot player.”

All of those things are valid, despite what Simon’s critics, and there’s no shortage of those, would bemoan.

But above all else, Simon has Sullivan’s trust. And having your coach’s trust will go so much further than having the ability to shoot the puck, pass tape to tape, skate fast, throw a big check or any other quantifiable on-ice activity.

Sullivan is not the first Penguins coach to have a guy he just trusts. His predecessor, Mike Johnston, felt that way about Kevin Porter.

Dan Bylsma was loyal to Craig Adams. Michel Therrien? He relied on Michel Ouellet.

If you want to go old school, Gene Ubriacco was arguably Phil Bourque’s biggest fan.

Even beyond the coaches, Simon’s linemates, most notable Sidney Crosby, will profess a trust in him as well. It’s no coincidence Simon’s most common five-on-five ice time this season came with Crosby (390:24 ) according to Natural Stat Trick.

Ideally, Simon is a 13th forward. But things were far from ideal for the Penguins on the injury front during the 2019-20 season, particularly among the forwards. As a result, Simon was deployed in quite a few prominent roles, including on Crosby’s right wing. Simon’s greatest strength is arguably his passing. Specifically, his ability to make passes in tight spaces for linemates Crosby and Jake Guentzel. The other side of that coin would be his shooting. While he is capable of finding open areas to take passes and create quality shots, actually capitalizing on those shots can be a challenge. Simon’s season came to an end Feb. 29 when his left arm was caught up on the boards and torqued in an awkward direction during a 5-0 road loss to the San Jose Sharks. Twelve days later, the NHL halted play. Simon attempted to rehabilitate the shoulder before ultimately undergoing surgery April 29. His time frame for recovery is six to seven months. 1175487 Pittsburgh Penguins

Evgeni Malkin selected as Penguins’ Masterton Trophy nominee

SETH RORABAUGH Tuesday, June 9, 2020 9:27 a.m.

Forward Evgeni Malkin was selected Tuesday as the Penguins’ nominee for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy by members of the Pittsburgh chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers Association.

The award recognizes “the National Hockey League player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey.”

Following a subpar 2018-19 season, Malkin altered his offseason training regimen and emerged as the leading scorer for a 2019-20 Penguins team hampered by an outbreak of injuries and illnesses. In 55 regular- season games, Malkin had 74 points (25 goals, 49 assists). His 1.35 points per game were fifth most in the NHL. “His whole season is indicative of his dedication to the game,” coach Mike Sullivan said during a phone interview with the Tribune-Review on Tuesday. “(Malkin) is a proud guy. He takes his job very seriously and his contribution to the Penguins. From Day 1 when he came back in training camp, he’s been on a mission to be at his very best to help the Penguins win. It’s very reflective in his play. He’s as dominant as he’s been, certainly in my tenure as coach of the Penguins.

“What the coaching staff has really admired about Malkin in this year in particular is just his commitment on both sides of the puck. He’s really working at his game away from the puck and his team game. That’s a really important aspect of helping us win. In a challenging year in which we had some key injuries to key guys for long periods of time, (Malkin) is a guy that stepped up and elevated his game to help us find success. He’s very deserving.”

Forwards Mario Lemieux (1993) and Lowell MacDonald (1973) are the only members of the Penguins to win the award. First given out in 1968, the trophy is named after a Minnesota North Stars forward who died that same year as a result of a head injury suffered during a game.

All 31 chapters of the PHWA nominate a player for the award before voting selects a winner. Under normal circumstances, winners of all the NHL’s individual trophies are announced in June following the conclusion of the Stanley Cup playoffs. The NHL has not indicated when this season’s awards will be distributed in light of the ongoing hiatus because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Defenseman Stephen Johns, a native of Wampum, was selected as the Dallas Stars’ nominee. After missing parts of three seasons because of lingering concussion issues, Johns returned to the Stars’ lineup this season in January. In 17 games, he has five points (two goals, three assists).

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NHL playoff length and reseeding. Right moves? Or bad decisions?

TIM BENZ Tuesday, June 9, 2020 7:03 a.m.

The National Hockey League is continuing to inch back toward playing. The Penguins are supposed to resume small-group workout sessions at the UPMC Lemieux Performance Complex in Cranberry on Tuesday.

This is a lightning pace toward getting back to action compared to . But things are crawling along if you consider that we may still be over a month away from playing games.

At least a little progress was made in terms of ironing out the playoff format recently. If a rebooted season can actually get off the ground, the NHL has cleared up two nagging questions about how the postseason structure would work.

1. The NHL will reseed the playoffs after each round. There won’t be hard brackets in place.

2. Every round after the initial round will be a best-of-seven format. Not best-of-five. The first decision was a good one. The second decision I could take or leave. Let’s start with the reseeding.

The league already married itself to a round-robin plan for the four top teams in each conference. In the Eastern Conference, that means the Boston Bruins, Tampa Bay Lightning, Philadelphia Flyers and Washington Capitals will all play one another in a round-robin format to determine the 1-4 order of seeding. Meanwhile, seeds 5-12 will battle in best-of-five series to advance into the main playoff bracket.

Having a hard bracket could immediately neuter the results of the round- robin depending on how many upsets there were in the preliminary series.

For instance, let’s say the Flyers — currently seeded fourth — surprisingly win the round robin and get the winner of the 8-9 matchup. In the meantime, if the 12, 11 or 10 seed wins a first-round contest, suddenly now, in a hard bracket system, the Flyers wouldn’t wind up playing the team with the lowest seed anyway. So reseeding especially matters if you are planning to pin any sort of importance to the preliminary round robin.

As far as the length of the series after the preliminary rounds, staying with the best-of-seven format makes more sense from the standpoint of tradition, replicating a true postseason, and filling potential television slots.

However, if a significant issue to this whole pandemic reality is trying to get through this process as fast as possible before the coronavirus potentially shuts down the league again, why not make at least the conference quarterfinals a best-of-five? If not the conference semifinals, too.

That also would be consistent for the clubs who didn’t play a series in the preliminary round and were instead part of the round robin. Brian Metzer of the Penguins Radio Network and I debate these matters and more in our weekly hockey podcast. We also look into the logistics of these small-scale workouts, the mindset of the Montreal Canadiens in advance of their first-round series against the Penguins, and the ever- expanding NHL calendar.

Tribune Review LOADED: 06.10.2020 1175489 Pittsburgh Penguins

Evgeni Malkin is the Penguins' nominee for 2020 Masterton Trophy

Staff Report Jun 9, 2020 2:05 PM

After one of his toughest seasons, a spring spoiled by trade speculation and a long summer of reflection in Russia, Evgeni Malkin returned to Pittsburgh motivated to show the hockey world he was still an elite player. Mission accomplished.

An early-season injury was a minor setback. But with Sidney Crosby and other key teammates sidelined throughout the first half of 2019-20, the 33-year-old was the primary catalyst as the shorthanded Penguins surged up the standings.

When the season was paused in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic, he led the team with 74 points, and his 25 goals were second to Bryan Rust. Among all NHL regulars, only four averaged more than Malkin’s 1.35 points per game.

Tuesday, the Pittsburgh chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association recognized his bounce-back season by announcing it had selected Malkin as the team’s nominee for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy.

Since 1968, the Masterton Trophy has been awarded annually to the “National Hockey League player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey.” Mario Lemieux (1993) and Lowell MacDonald (1973) are the only two Penguins to win the award.

In his lost 2018-19, Malkin missed time with multiple injuries, was suspended for swinging a stick at an opponent and posted a minus-25 rating that was by far the worst of his decorated career. Often skating alongside Phil Kessel, Malkin was, by his lofty standards, alarmingly unproductive during 5-on-5 play. After the Penguins were swept out of the playoffs, general manager Jim Rutherford at least twice declined to declare publicly that Malkin was “untouchable,” though it is not believed the team seriously considered trading the center.

During training camp last September, Malkin vowed to be better in 2019- 20.

“Last year, not great year. I’m not happy for sure,” the alternate captain said, adding, “It’s a new challenge for me. I want [to be] back to my highest level. I can still play like a top player. I want to show to everyone I’m not done.”

Malkin got hurt during the season’s second game, sidelining him for four weeks. Days after he returned to the lineup, Crosby had sports hernia surgery. In 26 games sans Sid, Malkin had 11 goals and 38 points. The Penguins had pulled within a few points of first place in the when Crosby rejoined the lineup. The Penguins skidded into March, but Malkin kept putting up points. He still had 16 in the final 10 games before the NHL suspended play March 12.

At that point, only 14 players had more than his 50 even-strength points. Malkin won more faceoffs than he lost for the first time in his career. And with a plus-7 rating in 55 games, his impact was not limited to the offensive end.

In a crowded MVP field, Malkin probably won’t receive enough votes to be a Hart Trophy finalist. But he showed he’s still got game, and his dedication to remaining among the NHL’s best was acknowledged with his Masterton nomination.

Matt Vensel Post Gazette LOADED: 06.10.2020 1175490 Pittsburgh Penguins after, which meant players that often go no more than a month each offseason without skating in some capacity likely spent more time away from the ice over the last three months than at any point of their careers.

Answering the biggest questions as the Penguins enter Phase 2 of NHL’s Players did get creative (see below), but their training options were return limited because of stay-at-home restrictions.

It’s a safe bet that players participating in the individual workouts at Lemieux Practice Facility are a level or two below the condition they By Rob Rossi would be in for the start of a normal training camp. The precautions in place to protect players from contracting and/or spreading COVID-19 at Jun 9, 2020 the individual workouts might be matched only by the steps players take to preserve their bodies while also building them back into so-called hockey shape. A hockey night in Pittsburgh is closer than it’s been since the middle of March. How many Penguins are participating in individual workouts?

OK, so maybe not hockey nights in Pittsburgh (more on that later). But Your guess is as good as the one offered by general manager Jim Penguins were slated to begin off- and on-ice workouts at Lemieux Rutherford. Practice Facility as of Tuesday. “I don’t (know),” Rutherford said in a text message. “They keep dribbling Players have not been together since March 12, when the Penguins’ in day by day, but (it) is well over half our roster.” scheduled game against the Blue Jackets in Columbus was canceled as Some players, notably captain Sidney Crosby, remained in Pittsburgh part of the NHL’s shutdown because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Players during the NHL break. Others, such as Evgeni Malkin, spent much of the have since quarantined at respective homes and awaited word on the last three months somewhere else. Malkin took his family to their league’s return-to-play plans. residence in South Florida. Goalie Matt Murray was joined by his wife Read about the latest details on those plans in this story from colleague and dogs at their lake house in Ontario. Defenseman Marcus Pettersson Pierre LeBrun. returned to Sweden.

While many unknowns remain regarding training camps and a Defenseman Kris Letang, the Penguins’ representative for the NHLPA, resumption of action that will include 24 clubs and the Stanley Cup said a few weeks ago that he expected most teammates to be back in playoffs, The Athletic Pittsburgh has attempted to answer as many Pittsburgh by at least within a couple of weeks of training camp. questions as possible about Phase 2. However, with no set date in place for the opening of a camp, some players with younger children — veteran forward Patrick Marleau, whom What is permitted as of Tuesday? the Penguins acquired from the San Jose Sharks at the trade deadline — could hold off on traveling to Pittsburgh until the NHL and NHLPA Basically, players can work out. Though, there are limitations. announce firmer plans for the next phase of the return-to-play process. In areas of the United States and Canada where stay-at-home Players have consistently said they do not want to spend extended restrictions have been eased, NHL clubs have been permitted to open periods away from their families — a possibility once quarantine their practice facilities for voluntary individual training sessions. No more protocols begin along with camps. than six players are permitted in any facility at the same time, along with an unspecified-but-limited number of club personnel. How healthy are the Penguins?

These workouts are not open to the public, media or even a majority of Uh, how healthy are they ever? club staffers. The restricted access is intended to limit the chance of participating players contracting COVID-19, a novel coronavirus disease At least one player tested positive for COVID-19 while away from that reportedly has been contracted by 6.9 million citizens and caused Pittsburgh during the NHL break. The identity of that player is not known, over 400,000 deaths globally. but he had recovered, the Penguins said in a recent press release.

Colleague Scott Burnside wrote about the long list of testing protocols in Hard-luck forward Nick Bjugstad underwent spinal surgery in late May. this story. The Penguins said he would miss at least eight weeks. Forward Dominik Simon underwent shoulder surgery in late April. The Penguins said he Are these workouts essentially smaller versions of training camp? will miss a minimum of six months.

No, though it’s possible, if not likely, that participating players will Winger Zach Aston-Reese, who had missed about a month with a lower- simulate on-ice drills that would be run during a camp. body injury before the NHL break, is expected to be available for a camp. The same is true of winger Jake Guentzel, who also had surgery on a Coaches are not permitted to attend individual workouts. shoulder that was injured Dec. 30. Guentzel was projected to require four Still, with all but a handful of current Penguins players having gone to six months for recovery, and Rutherford said there have been no through at least one camp run by coach Mike Sullivan and his staff, and setbacks. all familiar with Sullivan’s system, it is expected that on-ice workouts will As for players who weren’t injured, well … Malkin certainly appears to be feature aspects adapted from camp and regular-season practices. gearing up to continue his rebound from a disappointing 2018-19 season. Though not a substitute for camp, the individual workouts are intended to (His form-restoring 2019-20 season earned Malkin a nomination for the provide players resources to prepare for an eventual camp that will Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy from the Pittsburgh chapter of the precede the qualifying round and seeding tournament for the clubs Professional Hockey Writers’ Association on Tuesday.) returning from the NHL’s break. Is Pittsburgh still a contender to be one of the NHL’s two return-to-play What kind of shape are players in? cities?

Tough to say. Indeed. Players were not supposed to be skating on their own, but it’s been a In fact, Penguins brass is said to feel better about the city’s chances of poorly kept secret that many have in recent weeks. Still, there is a being a co-host city than when Pittsburgh was originally announced as considerable difference between skating on one’s own and working out one of 10 options. The club coordinated with local officials and the with teammates in an on- or off-ice capacity. These workouts will provide Pittsburgh Regional Alliance on its pitch to the NHL, whose officials are players luxuries they probably had taken for granted — specifically, familiar with the city’s offerings because of past league events — a access to first-class equipment and trainers — before the NHL’s break. couple of Stanley Cup Final series, an NHL draft and two outdoor games — staged here in the last 10 years. The Penguins have not played since a win against the Devils in New Jersey on March 10. Their practice the next day in Columbus was the Pittsburgh’s potential gain could come at a cost. The NHL has not made last structured team activity before the NHL paused the 2019-20 season any final decisions, but it is leaning toward sending clubs from a host city March 12. Quarantine and self-isolation initiatives were mandated soon to the other site when games resume.

The Athletic LOADED: 06.10.2020 1175491 San Jose Sharks Shea Theodore, Vegas Golden Knights defenseman: The 24-year-old had the best season of his career, but more importantly, was cancer-free after being diagnosed with testicular cancer last summer. Theodore set a franchise record for points by a defenseman with 46. NHL: Sharks’ Thornton nominated for Masterton Trophy Bobby Ryan, Ottawa Senators forward: Ryan, 33, took a leave of absence in November to begin treatment for alcohol abuse and then made a dramatic return with a hat trick in his first game back in Ottawa. By LAURENCE MIEDEMA | [email protected] | Jacob Markstrom, Vancouver Canucks goalie: Had a career season at PUBLISHED: June 9, 2020 at 12:54 p.m. | UPDATED: June 9, 2020 at the age of 30 despite missing a month to deal with the sudden loss of his 7:15 p.m. father to cancer.

Sharks veteran Joe Thornton has been nominated for the NHL’s Bill San Jose Mercury News: LOADED: 06.10.2020 Masterton Memorial Trophy for the third year in a row.

Thornton is one of 31 candidates for an award given to the player “who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey.”

The 40-year-old Thornton is two years removed from a second major knee surgery that sidelined him for the last half of the 2017-18 season and threatened to end his career.

“Jumbo” didn’t show any signs of slowing down in a season overshadowed at times by trade speculation. He was one of five players to appear in all 70 of the Sharks’ games before the season was suspended because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Thornton had 31 points (seven goals, 24 assists) in an average of 15:30 minutes of ice time per game.

It was also a season of milestones in Thornton’s 15th season in teal. In December, Thornton became the 12th player in NHL history to appear in 1,600 career games. Two months later he recorded his 1,500th career NHL point and his 800th assist as a Shark. Before the season was halted, the six-time All-Star had moved past Adam Oates for seventh on the NHL’s all-time assist list and moved into the Top 10 in all-time games played (he’s at 1,636, and 1,104 of those are with the Sharks).

He’d like to keep going, too. Thornton, who will turn 41 on July 2, has no intentions of hanging up his skates any time soon, already proclaiming he plans to return in 2020-21.

The Masterton Trophy commemorates Bill Masterton, a former Minnesota North Stars player who died in 1968 following an injury suffered in a game. The winner will be selected from a poll of the 30 chapters of the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association. The finalists will be announced later this summer.

The Sharks have produced one Masterton winner, Tony Granato in 1997. Like most seasons, there is no shortage of strong Masterton candidates. Here are just a few others from around the league:

Oskar Lindblom, Philadelpha Flyers forward: The 23-year-old was diagnosed with Ewing’s Sarcoma, a rare type of bone cancer, and has recently completed treatment. He was tied for the team lead with 11 goals when he was diagnosed in December. In a statement released by the team on Monday, Lindblom said, “I look forward to the day I’m back on the ice.” Stephen Johns, Dallas Stars defenseman: He missed 22 months because of post-concussion syndrome and returned this season to play 17 games. The 28-year-old’s improbable comeback included scoring an emotional first goal in February against the Rangers with his parents in the stands at Madison Square Garden. He ended the season with two goals and three assists.

Jay Bouwmeester, St. Louis Blues defenseman: The 36-year-old suffered a cardiac event during a game in February and requiring a defibrillator implanted in his chest to regulate his heartbeat. His playing career is very much up in the air, but he has been widely lauded for his presence and support with the team following the incident.

Robby Fabbri, Detroit Red Wings center: Two major two major knee injuries nearly ended his career before it started, but finally healthy and getting a fresh start following a trade from the Blue to the Red Wings, the 24-year-old got to show off his potential. He scored 14 goals and totaled 31 points in 52 games with Detroit. 1175492 San Jose Sharks issues." It didn't mention Brown by name, and Brown announced he would stop protesting on Oct. 18. No other NHL players protested during the anthem.

Colin Kaepernick's aid to Evander Kane, Hockey Diversity Alliance The Hockey Diversity Alliance -- which was formed independently of the 'invaluable' NHL -- said in their statement this week they "are hopeful that anyone who puts on skates or sits in the stands" can "express their culture, identity, values and personality without fear of retribution." By Marcus White "It's imperative that players feel comfortable to be able to express themselves in a professional and peaceful way," Kane said Tuesday June 09, 2020 4:10 PM when asked about players feeling comfortable protesting on the ice and speaking out off of it. "At the same time, you talk about showcasing us as individuals. That's a whole other discussion, and again, it's something Before Sharks forward Evander Kane and six other current and former we're focusing in on as well and as a part of that culture change: Players black NHL players announced the Hockey Diversity Alliance's formation having personality, and that personality being invited by the league and on Monday, he and his peers spoke with the man whose protest nearly really just hockey in general. ... I think it's something that, really, just four years ago jumpstarted the conversation Kane's organization is trying depends on the individual and the more comfortable people get, you'll to advance. see even more players and people and organizations continue to flourish in that regard." Kane said Tuesday that he was on their call with former 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, whom the newly formed group turned to Kane said the group, which also seeks to make hockey more "accessible for "invaluable" advice. and affordable" for youth in order to make the sport more diverse, should be ready to announce their charity initiatives Wednesday. That's an area "He's been the leader of this whole movement from when he first took a in which Kaepernick is experienced. The QB donated $1 million across knee (during the national anthem)," Kane said of Kaepernick on a conference call with reporters. "It was great to be able to talk to him, and more than 30 organizations and formed Know Your Rights Camp, a charitable organization that seeks to "advance the liberation and well- for all of us to really talk to him. He shared some of his experiences, ups being of [black] and [brown] communities." and downs, that he went through. It was great to get some advice on things we could maybe avoid that he wasn't able to because he was the Kaepernick has led the way for athletes speaking out against social first one to do it." injustice since he started protesting in 2016. His influence on the Hockey Kane and former NHL player Akim Aliu are the co-heads of the Hockey Diversity Alliance could be just as tangible. Diversity Alliance, whose stated mission "is to eradicate racism and "I will say the advice that he was able to give us was invaluable, and it intolerance in hockey." TSN's Rick Westhead reported Monday that they was awesome to be able to hear some of the trials and tribulations he were "advised in recent days by" Kaepernick. went through," Kane said of speaking with Kaepernick. "Obviously they've been well-documented, the majority of them, but (we also Conversations about forming the group began late last year, Kane said, discussed) a lot of the positive change he's been able to make as an soon after Aliu revealed that former Calgary Flames coach Bill Peters individual throughout these last three years, and how his movement is directed racist slurs towards him when he played for Peters in the AHL just gonna be able to continue to grow." during the 2009-10 season. Those discussions occurred less frequently, according to Kane, until the last month.

Aliu outlined his experience with racism at all levels of hockey in a self- Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 06.10.2020 penned piece on The Players Tribune on May 19. That was six days before George Floyd, a 46-year-old African American man, died in Minneapolis police custody after a white officer pressed his knee into Floyd's neck for nearly nine minutes. That officer, Derek Chauvin, was fired a day later, and he now faces charges of second-degree murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. Protests arose around the world after Floyd's death, which occurred within months of Louisville police fatally shooting Breonna Taylor, 26, in her home and two white men allegedly followed and shot Ahmaud Arbery, 25, as he jogged in his Georgia neighborhood. Global demonstrations against police brutality and institutional racism have brought renewed attention to Kaepernick's 2016 protest, in which he kneeled while "The Star-Spangled Banner" played before games to highlight those same issues. "(Kaepernick) also gave us some real positive information on how to go about what we wanted to do," Kane continued. "So he's a real good voice and leader for our group in terms of our initial conversations, and his advice -- especially when it comes to these types of social injustice conversations -- was invaluable." Kaepernick has not been signed by an NFL team for the last three seasons after he opted out of his 49ers contract when the team told him he'd otherwise be released. The quarterback, in a since-settled collusion lawsuit with the NFL, argued that no team signed him because of his protest. Just over 200 NFL players kneeled or sat during the national anthem days after President Donald Trump said owners should "[get] that son of a b---h off the field" if players protested during the anthem in September 2017. J.T. Brown, who is African American, became the first NHL player to join them when he raised his fist during the playing of the anthem on Oct. 7.

Brown, then with the Tampa Bay Lightning, said he received death threats for his protest. The Lightning's initial statement said they "celebrate" the playing of the national anthem, though they also "respect our players and individual choices they may make on social and political 1175493 San Jose Sharks 22 this summer, should be penciled in for a roster spot when next season begins after showcasing what seems to be a pretty good toolbox at the NHL level.

Handing out our version of the Sharks’ end-of-season awards Most disappointing prospect award — Ivan Chekhovich

Chekhovich’s rough campaign started in rookie camp when he took a puck to the face during a scrimmage in Irvine and had to wear a cage for By Kevin Kurz the next few months as he began his pro career. Perhaps that led to his disappointing first season with the AHL Barracuda, as he posted just four Jun 9, 2020 goals in 42 games.

We aren’t, of course, writing off Chekhovich after just one unproductive Let the debating begin. rookie season in the AHL, but this is a guy who has been talked up by the organization as a potential goal scorer at the pro level. He’ll have to The NHL sent out its official awards ballot on Monday to members of the take some significant steps next season if that’s going to be realistic for Professional Hockey Writers Association. It’s now up to the writers to the seventh-round pick in 2017. select most of the major awards including the Hart, Selke, Norris and Calder trophies. Future team leader award — Mario Ferraro

Sharks fans will probably not be as interested as in years past. There is Some rookies come into an NHL dressing room and do their best to try to no chance a Sharks player will take home any of these prestigious blend into the background. Not Ferraro. The energetic, boisterous awards after the team finished last in the Western Conference. defenseman was no shrinking violet, often coming into the dressing room after practice to chirp at his teammates or crack a couple of jokes, always Since that’s the case, let’s have a little fun and hand out a few awards of with a huge smile on his face. our own, shall we? I wrote a couple of pieces about Ferraro this season, and it was striking Most Valuable Player — Barclay Goodrow to me how much everyone seems to love this guy. That includes his Yeah, yeah, I know. He’s now on the Tampa Bay Lightning. But these are former coach at UMass, Greg Carvel, who told me in October that Ferraro was “the greatest kid we’ve ever coached.” Ferraro’s new my awards, so my rules, and I’m giving Goodrow my Sharks MVP award. teammates have nothing but positive things to say about him, too, Frankly, at the time he was dealt on Feb. 24 just a few minutes before including Logan Couture, who said in December that Ferraro has “that the trade deadline, Goodrow was probably the only Sharks player infectious personality where he’s a guy you pull for, you cheer for, you exceeding expectations. He posted 24 points (8g, 16a) in 62 games, on a want to do well. He wants everyone to do well. He’s just a great pace to further shatter his previous career-high of 17 points. On many teammate. You can tell that he was a leader on his college team, and for nights he was playing higher up in the lineup than he should have been a reason. He’s got that type of personality, he’s very uplifting.” due to the Sharks’ lack of depth and, later, injuries. While his offensive On the ice, Ferraro had a typical rookie season in the NHL, with some numbers were still modest, Goodrow worked hard on every shift and was highs and lows. But it’s obvious the Sharks consider him a key part of trusted by the coaching staff. He was also probably the Sharks’ best their future. Although he’s still just 21, it’s easy to envision Ferraro penalty-killing forward, a key cog in what was the league’s top-ranked becoming a real team leader in a few years. unit. The “Wait, he was on the opening night roster?” award — Danil Yurtaykin All of those improvements resulted in Goodrow becoming a player who was targeted by a true Stanley Cup contender in the Lightning. The Perhaps we should have realized that the 2019-20 Sharks were in Sharks were able to acquire a first-round pick in the 2020 draft for the trouble on opening night in Vegas on Oct. 2, as Yurtaykin and Lukas depth forward, cementing Goodrow’s status as the organization’s most Radil were both skating in the top six. Part of that was because Evander valuable player this season. Kane was suspended at the time, but still … yikes.

Most disappointing player award — Marcus Sorensen Radil has since gone back to the KHL, while Yurtaykin, who was Obviously there were a few candidates to choose from, but Sorensen reassigned after just four games, has one season remaining on his two- year deal. Still, there’s not much reason to think he’ll be back with the stands out from the pack. Sharks after managing just two goals (and five assists) in 37 games with In 2018-19, Sorensen was a part of, along with Joe Thornton and Kevin the Barracuda. If there is an example of how much the Sharks Labanc, the Sharks’ most consistent line over the final few months of the overvalued what they had in the organization headed into the season, it’s season. He posted 17 goals and 30 points in 80 games that season but Yurtaykin. was also an irritating, feisty presence on the ice on many nights. Strangest season award — Evander Kane Sorensen disappeared in the 2019 playoffs, not scoring a single goal in Kane’s 2019-20 was odd, beginning in the preseason when he was 18 games. That really should have made him even hungrier in 2019-20. suspended for three games for getting a little too physical with a Nope. Not only was Sorensen unable to contribute much offensively, the linesman. Then he had a great first month, scoring 12 goals in his first 17 “little pest” mentality he exhibited so often earlier in his career also games, many of which came on the power play as he took advantage of vanished. being on the top unit. Perhaps Sorensen will be more motivated next season, when his two- Then he went cold, which isn’t uncommon for goal scorers. In early year, $3 million contract will be of the expiring variety. December, Kane was unhappy after he was hit by the Panthers’ Most promising young player award — Noah Gregor MacKenzie Weegar and no one immediately came to his defense. He voiced his frustrations about the situation after the game. It was an ongoing pattern all season: The Sharks would recall a young player, he’d maybe do a few good things on certain nights, but would be In February, after serving another three-game suspension for hitting the mostly inconsistent and eventually reassigned back to the Barracuda. Jets’ Neal Pionk, Kane was benched for the third period of a game at Madison Square Garden. Interim coach Bob Boughner said afterward: “I Gregor was one of those players early. He was first recalled on Oct. 18, just think that you have to be prepared and you have to be able to get out went scoreless over 10 games and was reassigned on Nov. 17. He had there and compete for your teammates. I didn’t think he had any of that another stint in December that was mostly fruitless, too. But Gregor tonight.” returned to the Sharks on Feb. 20 and made some noticeable strides over the final month. Kane responded with some of his best hockey over the final few weeks, posting 12 points over the final 14 games before the league shut down. If there was a coming out party for Gregor as a true NHL prospect, it was He finished with 26 goals in 64 games, so he likely would have reached probably Feb. 25 in Philadelphia. He unleashed a powerful one-timer for the 30-goal mark had the season been completed. a goal in the third period of a 4-2 loss at Wells Fargo Center. A few minutes later he ran over Flyers captain Claude Giroux, showcasing the physical part of his game that complements his speed. Gregor, who turns Judging purely from the numbers, Kane had a strong year. But considering he was suspended twice and the coach had to publicly send him a message, was it really?

Still under-appreciated award — Joe Thornton

During training camp, neither Thornton nor then-coach Pete DeBoer ruled out the 40-year-old future Hall of Famer occasionally taking games off to remain fresh. Considering how hard it is to get Thornton off of the ice even for practice, it was a bit surprising, even if it made sense to give the big man a rest here and there.

But that didn’t happen. Thornton played in all 70 Sharks games, and his 31 points were more than respectable.

The thing to keep in mind about Thornton’s production, though, is that he really didn’t get much help from his linemates. We already touched on Sorensen’s poor season, while Kevin Labanc also took a step backward from his 2018-19 performance. Thornton spent lots of time skating with each of them.

But in early February when Thornton was put on a line with Timo Meier — who was much better in the second half — his numbers were a whole lot better. According to Natural Stat Trick, in 253 minutes of ice time together at 5-on-5, Thornton and Meier had an expected-goals number of 14.25 as opposed to a 10.57 expected goals-against. In reality, the team was outscored 16-11, but that’s at least partially due to a poor .873 save percentage. It’s hard to say how a nine-month layoff might affect Thornton, who will turn 41 next month. But, consider me among those who believe Thornton can truly contribute to a contending team in a depth role — whether that be with the Sharks, or somewhere else.

The Athletic LOADED: 06.10.2020 1175494 Tampa Bay Lightning

Lightning players excited to be back on the ice

TAMPA — Kevin Shattenkirk is about five weeks ahead of schedule. Usually, it’s mid-July when the Lightning defenseman “dusts off the hockey bag” and gets on the ice with a few other players.

He did that on Tuesday, skating for the first time since March 10, as the NHL opened Phase 2 of its return-to-play plan with small group sessions. So Shattenkirk is both five weeks ahead of schedule and about three months behind.

Shattenkirk called the workout at Amalie Arena something he and his teammates have been waiting for during a video conference following his on-ice session.

“It feels like summer, like offseason,” he said. “Obviously the challenge with so few guys is getting meaningful skates and getting something out of it.”

These sessions are like mini-captain’s practices right now. Shattenkirk skated in a group with Steven Stamkos, Nikita Kucherov, Alex Killorn, Andrei Vasilevskiy and Mikhail Sergachev.

The skaters did a lot of fast-paced speed drills with some stickhandling and shooting.

Having a goalie in the group gave skaters a few more options. Vasilevskiy started on his own while skaters warmed up. They did some drills featuring tight turning, receiving passes, shooting on a shooter tutor (a piece in front of the net roughly the shape of a goalie) — “which always makes you feel a little bit better about yourself,” Shattenkirk said — and finished with a little two-on-two.

“It was very light,” Shattenkirk said. “As starved as they are for info, I don’t think anyone would have been leaving thinking we were doing anything groundbreaking.” As much as everyone was happy to be back at the rink and doing something that feels routine, it wasn’t a normal day.

Like other players, Shattenkirk had to submit his temperature and any COVID-19 symptoms to head athletic trainer Tom Mulligan. Once he got to the rink, there was another temperature check. Players are supposed to keep masks on at all times except when working out and to stay six feet apart.

“Obviously once you get there, you realize you’re missing a few guys and that brings you back to the current situation,” Shattenkirk said. “For the most part, it was nice to get out and have that experience with some teammates and get to see some guys you haven’t seen in a while.” They have a three-hour block for their group of six players, which Shattenkirk called plenty of time. He figures the first week will focus on getting their stamina back. After that, they might specialize in different areas.

“As players, we can kind of say, ‘alright, today I want to do some things to work on defensive skills versus forward skills,’” Shattenkirk said. “That certainly will help keep the skates at a reasonable pace and intensity.”

No one is sure exactly how long this will go. Players are probably looking at five or six weeks of skating on their own and then about three weeks of training camp, but the plan is still in development. The league and players association have not yet agreed to definitely resume play this season.

But for now, players like Shattenkirk are happy to be back on the ice, something that he joked feels more natural to him than walking.

DIANA C. NEARHOS

Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 06.10.2020 1175495 Tampa Bay Lightning

Lightning’s Alex Killorn nominated for Masterton Trophy

The trophy is awarded to a player who displays perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to the sport of hockey.

The Tampa Bay chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers Association has nominated Alex Killorn for this year’s Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy. In announcing its nomination, the chapter cited Killorn’s on-ice success, off-ice leadership and impact on the community.

The Masterton Trophy, named for the only NHL player to die as a direct result of injuries sustained in a game, is awarded to the NHL player who best exemplifies perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey.

Each chapter nominates one player. The winner is voted on by the association as a whole. Tampa Bay Times Lightning reporter Diana C. Nearhos is a voting member of the PHWA. Killorn reached the 20-goal mark for the first time this season, with 26 goals in 68 games. The right wing also stepped into a leadership role, speaking up more inside the dressing room.

Killorn took on a bigger, more public role in the community, too. He and defenseman Ryan McDonagh co-hosted a Kan Jam (a Frisbee-based yard game) tournament —that raised more than $100,000 for the adolescent and young adult program at the Moffit Cancer Center. During the NHL’s pause, Killorn has engaged fans with his “Dock Talk with Killer” Instagram live shows. He’s used that platform to sell T-shirts, raising almost $50,000 for the Hillsborough Education Foundation. The money has gone to supplies, including Wi-Fi hot spots, for underprivileged students participating in distance learning.

DIANA C. NEARHOS

Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 06.10.2020 1175496 Toronto Maple Leafs did a better job beforehand. We need to develop a meaningful plan to eradicate this issue. It is something we don’t want in our game and in our society.”

Toronto Maple Leafs get back on the ice Tavares looks forward to the time when more teammates will be able to practise together, resume normal workouts and make a run in the playoffs.

Marty Klinkenberg “So many people are going through tough times,” he said. “To be an athlete and be fortunate to play a game for a living and pursue the

Stanley Cup will be special. It is a great opportunity for us to do It took a global pandemic, but hockey in June has finally arrived in something for our society and a great thing to take people’s minds off Toronto. COVID-19.” A few Maple Leafs have returned to the ice for the first time in three months since the NHL season was suspended because of the spread of Globe And Mail LOADED: 06.10.2020 COVID-19. A trickle of players are stretching their legs, practising passing and physical distancing, but it is still a relief after 88 days of isolation.

“It has been fantastic to just be at the rink,” John Tavares, the Toronto captain, said Tuesday after skating for 45 minutes at the club’s facility in Etobicoke with Ilya Mikheyev, Jake Muzzin and Jack Campbell. “I can’t even describe what it has been like to be back at the facility with teammates. “Even if they are wearing masks, it has been a blast to see their faces, interact, train together and be in the gym again.”

Practice is not mandatory at this early stage of reopening and players have to be tested for the novel coronavirus and are only allowed to gather in small groups. If all goes according to plan as restrictions are lifted, the season that was suspended on March 12 will resume at the end of July or early in August with the playoffs.

The field for the Stanley Cup has been expanded to 24 teams from the usual 16, with the Maple Leafs set to meet the Columbus Blue Jackets in a best-of-five series in the opening round. The site of that series is yet to be determined as the league mulls staging all postseason games at two venues.

The latest game Toronto has played in any season is May 31, 1999, when it bowed out of the Eastern Conference final in five games against the Buffalo Sabres. In 2002, the Maple Leafs’ final contest was an overtime defeat on May 28 in the conference finals against Carolina. “There are a lot of ways to look at this, but at the end of the day we are still competing for the Stanley Cup,” Tavares said Tuesday via a Zoom call with media arranged by the team. “Urgency is extremely high to take advantage of this opportunity, to embrace it and to not take it for granted.” Toronto emerged from a tough start to finish 36-25-9 in the regular season. It sat behind Boston and Tampa Bay in the Atlantic Division and was in position to play the Lightning in the first round until the playoff format was revised.

Auston Matthews was on pace to become the team’s first player to reach 50 goals since in 1993-94 when the season was interrupted. In a campaign shortened to 70 games, Matthews ended up matching the 47 Tavares scored a year ago. Tavares, 29, said this will likely be the first time he has played hockey in August that meant anything since he tried out for Canada’s under-18 team. The past three months have presented a mental and emotional challenge.

“Early on, when COVID-19 was at its peak, it was difficult being distant from your loved ones for so long,” he said. “Once you realized the seriousness of this, there were a lot of things to do to keep everyone safe, especially those closest to you. “But I didn’t just want for things get back to normal, I wanted to maximize this time in my life. I didn’t want to look back at it afterward and think I had wasted my time.”

As racial protests spread across the United States recently and the Black Lives Matter campaign gained momentum, Tavares said he reached out to P.K. Subban, the African-Canadian defenceman who plays for the New Jersey Devils, for advice. “I think I need to do a better job of educating and listening to do everything I can to change the [direction]," he said. "I think we all wish we 1175497 Toronto Maple Leafs And now, Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment is advertising for a director of “inclusion and diversity,” a new position in its human resources department.

Leafs John Tavares and Zach Hyman spoke Tuesday about the need to Perhaps the coronavirus pandemic, which paused the NHL on March 12, do more when it comes to combatting racism. gave those in the sport a chance to reflect more on the world beyond the ice.

“I think that it should be common sense that racism, or any judgment By Kevin McGran Staff Reporter based on your race, religion, or your appearance should not be tolerated in today’s society,” said Hyman. “And I think that it’s great that people are Tue., June 9, 2020 educating themselves around the issue.”

Tavares said he’s been in touch with a couple of Black ex-teammates, When it comes to issues of racial discrimination and equality, Maple Subban and Kyle Okposo, to “start that conversation and try to learn and Leafs captain John Tavares and winger Zach Hyman are among those educate yourself the best you can, and go from there … One case is one who know they could have done more. case too many. “I need to do a better job of educating and listening and being part of “That should be our goal, to get rid of it completely and never have it changing a lot of that culture,” said Tavares. “I think we all wish we could come back again. So I think that’s the approach I’m trying to take, and have done a better job beforehand, starting with myself. there’s a lot of work ahead.”

“I think when you look (at) yourself in the mirror, those are the first things you actually ask yourself.” Toronto Star LOADED: 06.10.2020 A sport where athletes were noted for conservatism, conformity and sticking to clichés seems to have suddenly found a voice in the push for social justice.

“I don’t know what it feels like to be judged based on your colour,” said Hyman, “but I do know what it’s like to be judged based on your religion. I am Jewish. I’ve experienced anti-Semitism, so I can empathize on that wavelength. “For me, it’s clear that racism and any kind of judgment based on your race, religion or your gender, anything like that, should not be tolerated.”

Protests demanding racial equality have grown worldwide since the death of a Black man, George Floyd, in police custody in Minneapolis on May 25. Derek Chauvin, the officer who knelt on Floyd’s neck for almost nine minutes, was charged with second-degree murder and manslaughter. Three other officers who stood by face charges of aiding and abetting murder. Floyd’s funeral was held Tuesday in his hometown of Houston.

“This wave started with George Floyd’s murder, but it goes way beyond that, and it’s much deeper than that,” Hyman said. “The protests and rallies aren’t just reflective of this one incident, but of a series of incidents that have happened throughout history.”

Certainly the protests have created greater awareness of the issues, spurring conversations, sparking activism and leading many white people to question the advantages they’ve grown up with simply because of the colour of their skin. But there’s an irony within hockey.

Last November, commentator Don Cherry was removed from “Hockey Night in Canada” for a “you people” comment deemed anti-immigrant. That was followed in short order by Akim Aliu’s charges of racism when he played for Flames coach Bill Peters in the minor leagues. Peters lost his job in Calgary.

The conversation seemed to stall there. Hockey players have traditionally been more comfortable talking about getting pucks deep than politics. But then a week before Floyd’s death, Aliu, who is Black, shared his personal struggles on The Players’ Tribune website, headlined “Hockey is Not For Everyone.” Another Black player, the Sharks’ Evander Kane, denounced police brutality and called publicly for more top athletes to speak out. On June 5, ex-Leaf Mark Fraser posted “Silence is Violence” on The Players’ Tribune, a reminder that hockey hasn’t dealt with the issue.

In recent days, NHL stars of all colours have joined in on social media with statements of support, including Auston Matthews, Connor McDavid, Sidney Crosby, P.K. Subban, Blake Wheeler and Braden Holtby. Zdeno Chara walked with protesters in Boston; Tyler Seguin did the same in Dallas.

Seven current and former NHL players, including Kane and Aliu, formed the Hockey Diversity Alliance, with a mission “to eradicate racism and intolerance in hockey.” 1175498 Toronto Maple Leafs

Captain Tavares returns to the ice and breaks down the Maple Leafs’ challenge

By Mark Zwolinski Sports Reporter

Tue., June 9, 2020

Maple Leafs captain John Tavares caught up with some teammates in person on Monday — “ a breath of fresh air” — for the first time since COVID-19 paused the NHL season on March 12. Teams have begun to welcome players back for training, in groups of six or less, in the second phase of the league’s return-to-play protocol. Players are tested daily, with full team training camps on hold until at least July 10.

This week’s workouts at the Ford Performance Centre have been different — players wore masks off the ice, for example — but for Tavares, just getting the chance to skate again was welcome and exciting.

On a Tuesday conference call with reporters, Tavares, part of the league’s Return To Play committee, talked about family, the game’s reopening and training during the pandemic:

On a must-win, play-in series against Columbus when games resume: Obviously, we have to perform right off the bat. It’s not build towards it, it’s build now. At the end of the day we compete for the Stanley Cup, and winning it will be difficult. We’re dealing with a lot of uncertainty now and that makes it more difficult. From management to staff to the players, the urgency is there and a big part of this time (Phase 2) is to not take anything for granted. There’s a lot of excitement. The guys are seeing each other, and getting back on the ice has been special for all of us. I know no one is looking at this as a free pass. On the most difficult part of the last three months:

The hardest part — early on at the peak of COVID-19 — was being displaced from your loved ones, people you’ve been close to all your life. You recognize the seriousness of this, and you try to keep everyone safe. There’s been great progression since, and I’ve got to enjoy (family) a lot more. For my son (Jace, born in September), an important part of his development is to interact with other kids, but he hasn’t been able to do that yet. You look at this time and you look forward to things getting back to normal, but you’re trying to manage it and manage your family and do the best you can, and that’s how I tried to approach it.

On training and linemates: I’ve been out with (Ilya Mikheyev, Jake Muzzin and Jack Campbell) and we expect (Mitch Marner) and Cody Ceci to join us Thursday. Management and staff talked a lot about (possible line combinations), but we haven’t indicated yet what we’ll start with ... There’s a big-time rush at the arena. There’s 45 minutes to an hour to work out, then 40 minutes to an hour on the ice … I brought my sticks home to tape them up there, so I can come back to the rink and better manage my time there ... It’s fantastic being back on the ice, even with the protocols in place. I can’t describe it. Being back in the facilities and with your teammates, it’s been a breath of fresh air. On playing without spectators when games restart:

We all know the importance of fans in our game. There’s a unique set of circumstances and it will be different, but I go about it with the mindset of not letting it bother you. You have to play the game, and you are fortunate to play the game you love for a living, and you get the opportunity to compete. It’s all the same between the lines, so put yourself in the moment and play like you always have. It will be special and important if we can help our communities through a tough time. It’s an opportunity for us to do something important and maybe take people’s minds off things.

Toronto Star LOADED: 06.10.2020 1175499 Toronto Maple Leafs

Perseverance. Sportsmanship. Dedication. Zach Hyman earns the Maple Leafs’ Masterton trophy nod in many ways

By Kevin McGran Staff Reporter

Tue., June 9, 2020

Zach Hyman, who rebounded from major knee reconstruction surgery, is the Maple Leafs’ nominee for the NHL’s Masterton trophy.

The Toronto chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers Association nominated the hard-nosed forward as the player who best exemplifies perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to the sport.

Hyman tore a ligament in his right knee in Game 4 of the first round of the playoffs last spring. He didn’t know at the time that the injury was severe and played the rest of the seven-game series against the Boston Bruins, but the anterior cruciate ligament eventually needed surgery that forced him to miss training camp and the start of this season. He returned to the lineup on Nov. 13 and went on to record his second straight 20-goal season. He was also a catalyst for linemate Auston Matthews, who had a career-high 47 goals. Entrusted to protect late- game leads, Hyman tied Dave Keon’s franchise record of 12 career empty-net goals in just 302 NHL games, to Keon’s 1,062. “Reflecting on the year, from a personal standpoint, I’m definitely happy with my ability to come back from a serious injury,” he said in an April conference call. “Any time you get injured like that, and spend a lot of time away from the team and away from the rinks and ice, it’s good to have a good year and bounce back.

“Just mentally, it’s good. From that standpoint, I’m happy with how everything turned out. Just put a lot of work into it, a lot of work into getting back into feeling a little bit normal.” A key part of the Leafs’ leadership group on and off the ice, Hyman is also a prolific writer of children’s books, and his charity golf tournament raised $100,000 for the Hospital For Sick Children. He’s also the team’s spokesperson for the You Can Play initiative.

The Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy was named in memory of the only player in NHL history to die as a direct result of injuries suffered during a game. All 31 nominees will be announced Tuesday, while voting started Monday for major awards including the Hart (most valuable player), Norris (best defenceman) and Calder (rookie of the year).

The NHL awards ceremony, originally scheduled for June 17 in Las Vegas, has been postponed indefinitely because of the pandemic.

Toronto Star LOADED: 06.10.2020 1175500 Toronto Maple Leafs a hand injury. When he returned, neither he nor the team looked the same. Mike Babcock was fired as head coach in November. Under Sheldon Keefe, the Leafs couldn’t find the same level of consistency as before. TRAIKOS: Tavares determined to change his post-season narrative By the time the season was put on pause, the Leafs were clinging to a playoff spot.

Michael Traikos They looked like they would be first-round fodder for either Tampa Bay or Boston. Now, they have to get past Columbus to even reach the first June 9, 2020 7:50 PM EDT round.

It looks like a harder road to get to the final. But no one can be sure after With 24 teams in the mix for the Stanley Cup, the expectations might be all that has happened. different for the Toronto Maple Leafs when the post-season begins Maybe the time off will benefit a Leafs team that never got a chance to sometime this summer. But they haven’t changed one bit for John take a deep breath and learn Keefe’s system. Maybe they’ll be healthy, Tavares. rested and confident. Maybe they will go into the playoffs with less He knows what is at stake — even if the stakes have changed. pressure and fewer expectations.

As a first-year captain of the Leafs, he has the most to gain. He has also Maybe Tavares, who was good in Game 1 against the Bruins last year has the most to lose. Forget about winning the play-in series against before disappearing for the rest of the series, will lead the Leafs in the Columbus. If the Leafs don’t get to at least the second round, Tavares same way that Alex Ovechkin eventually led the Washington Capitals. will carry the burden of disappointment more so than Auston Matthews, If so, asterisk or not, the narrative surrounding his post-season Mitch Marner or even GM Kyle Dubas. performances will change for good. After all, he’s been carrying it around for the past decade.

It’s been 11 years since Tavares entered the league as the No. 1 overall Toronto Sun LOADED: 06.10.2020 pick. During that time, only seven players have put up more points than the 29-year-old, which puts him in some pretty elite company. But when it comes to playoff success, he has more in common with Matt Duchene and Taylor Hall than he does Sidney Crosby and Patrick Kane. Of the seven players ranked above him in regular-season scoring, only Steven Stamkos and Claude Giroux haven’t won a championship. Both, however, have reached the final.

The two below Tavares — Anze Kopitar and Phil Kessel — have each won two Cups.

Tavares, who has made the playoffs four times in his career, has won just one round.

It’s why the , Ont., native, who was signed as a free agent to try and get a young Leafs team over the hump, is not taking this year’s post-season format lightly. He wants to go deep and win. As the third- highest paid player in the league, he has sort of a financial obligation to do so.

At the same time, if there was ever a year in which players deserved a free pass, this would be it.

These playoffs, or whatever you want to call them, are nothing like we’ve ever seen before. Players, who began skating in small groups only this week, have been off the ice for three months because of the coronavirus pandemic. Once the post-season begins, either in July or August or September, it will include teams that probably shouldn’t be there. With a truncated regular season, a play-in round and a round-robin to determine seeding, you might as well already start etching an asterisk beside whatever team happens to win the Stanley Cup. But asterisk or not, there’s still a championship up for grabs.

“I think there are a lot of ways to possibly look at this,” Tavares said in an online Zoom conference call on Tuesday. “I think at the end of the day, we’re still competing for the Stanley Cup and to win it is going to be extremely difficult. We’re working with circumstances we’ve never dealt with before, so there are a lot of unknowns.

“I think certainly the urgency from our group, from all the guys on the team, us being in contact with one another, and from management and staff, the urgency is extremely high to take advantage of this opportunity to feel fortunate that there’s a good chance that we’re going to be able to finish the season and compete for a Stanley Cup and we’re going to be a part of this.

“As an athlete, as a player, I don’t really look at it as a free pass. This is an opportunity to win a Stanley Cup. You don’t take any of those opportunities for granted.” Indeed, who knows what will happen this year?

This was a difficult season for the Leafs and for Tavares. After reaching a career-best in goals in 2018-19, he spent most of the first month nursing 1175501 Toronto Maple Leafs “Physically I feel really good, I feel like I kept in pretty good shape (during the past three months) and now it’s just about getting back on the ice and fine-tuning things and trying to ramp up and get ready for when training camp happens (at a to-be-determined date). Leafs' Hyman speaks on racial equality, getting back on the ice following Masterton nod “A lot of guys are just happy to be back in Phase 2 and in the rink and seeing some guys.”

If the NHL is able to move into Phase 4 in a few months and have teams Terry Koshan compete for the Stanley Cup, count on Hyman — against the Columbus Blue Jackets in the qualifying round — to continue to exhibit those June 9, 2020 5:40 PM EDT qualities which made him an easy Leafs choice for the Masterton.

“It’s a nice birthday gift,” Hyman said of the nomination. “To be able to As he gets his mind back to playing hockey this week, Zach Hyman’s come back from an injury and to be recognized for that is really special, thoughts aren’t far from what has been occurring on a global scale. so thank you, guys.”

The Maple Leafs winger, announced on Tuesday as the club’s nominee for the 2019-20 Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, said during a conference Toronto Sun LOADED: 06.10.2020 call with media that the increased demands for racial equality since the death of George Floyd two weeks ago have given him cause for contemplation.

“It’s something I have been thinking about for a pretty long time and I haven’t made a social media post because I want to make sure I get my thoughts out correctly,” Hyman said. “Personally, I don’t know what it feels like to be judged based on your colour, but I do know what it feels like to be judged based on your religion.

“I am Jewish, I have experienced anti-semitism, so I can empathize. For me, it’s pretty clear that racism and any type of judgment based on your race, religion or gender, is not tolerant. “In hockey, especially in today’s world, we are making strides to try to make (equality and inclusivity) more of a possibility. I got married (last year), I’m planning to have kids, you want your kids to grow up in a better world than you grew up in. Hopefully, everyone can work together. I think you are seeing that, people educating themselves.”

There’s no argument — Hyman is deserving as the Leafs’ nominee, as voted by the Toronto chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers Association, for the Masterton, which recognizes the NHL player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey.

Hyman, who turned 28 on Tuesday, regularly has been the Leafs’ hardest worker since making his NHL debut in 2015-16, and he took that up a few notches last season after making his his debut on Nov. 13 in New York against the Islanders following a recovery from off-season knee surgery.

Hyman didn’t miss another game before the NHL was paused on March 12 because of the COVID-19 pandemic and he tied his career high with 21 goals in 51 games. Had Hyman and the Leafs played their final 12 games, the Toronto native undoubtedly would have hit a career high in points, as he had 37, four shy of his personal best, when the season was halted. All the while, Hyman upended the theory that players who miss training camp and a large chunk to start the season — in his case, 19 games — need some time to find a rhythm, if they find one at all. Hyman got into a groove immediately.

“I didn’t skate for the first four months after surgery, so you miss a lot of games and you are sitting in the stands watching,” Hyman said. “Until you get on the ice and you are battling and playing in a competitive match, you never truly know (how he was going to perform). “The first shift for me was really comforting because I got out there and I was like ‘OK, I feel good. The knee feels good.’ I felt pretty stable and I felt great.” Naturally, Hyman is enthused that the NHL has moved into Phase 2 of its Return to Play plan, with Leafs gathering this week for small group on-ice workouts at the Ford Performance Centre. Hyman said he is in a group with defencemen Morgan Rielly and Travis Dermott, forwards Alex Kerfoot and William Nylander and goaltenders Joseph Woll and Ian Scott.

“It’s good to be back on the ice and back in the facility,” Hyman said. “It’s mentally refreshing. I was working out at my condo with weights and with a bike and now I get to go to the facility and work out and skate with a couple of guys, so mentally it’s great. 1175502 Toronto Maple Leafs Of course, that audience will likely only be in front of the TV set. Like most of the major sports, the NHL is preparing to play its games without a crowd to further encourage social distancing.

Tavares, Leafs glad to be back for first limited workouts “Certainly, we know the importance of fans in our game, whether it’s being in the building, to the support and the passion for the game in many different platforms and venues,” Tavares said. “It’ll be different (but) it’s hard to really answer until you really experience it. The biggest Lance Hornby motivating factor is I’ve wanted to lift that trophy over my head since I June 9, 2020 8:13 PM EDT was a kid.”

As the high-profile captain of the Leafs, John Tavares tries to be well- versed on sensitive issues in society that can impact the dressing room. John Tavares said it was great to see some familiar Maple Leafs faces the past two days — “even if they’re wearing masks”. But the manner of George Floyd’s tragic death, its repercussions world- wide and within the sports realm, have overwhelmed him, too. There The captain was on a Zoom conference with the Toronto media on have been two weeks of global anti-racism protests that also called Tuesday to review the first limited workouts at their Ford Performance attention to hockey’s own recent past cases of discrimination. Centre, allowed under Phase 2 of the NHL’s Return To Play plan after three months of COVID-19 delay. “I think certainly I need to do a better job of educating, listening and being part of changing a lot of that culture,” Tavares said on Tuesday, “and Limited to five or six players on the ice at one time, Tavares was in a have a better understanding from our black athletes, our black players, group that included winger Ilya Mikheyev, defenceman Jake Muzzin and our minority players and the challenges they face. I think we all wish we goaltender Jack Campbell. Tavares expects Mitch Marner and Cody Ceci could have done a better job beforehand. to join shortly after their COVID-19 and physical testing is completed. Tavares likely would be re-united with Mikheyev and Marner on his wings “I think when you look yourself in the mirror, those are the first things you when, and if, play resumes. ask yourself. That’s going to be a big focal point for myself … develop a meaningful plan that has a very good purpose to eradicate this issue, Tavares said the 45-minute ice limit and about an hour at the facility in something that we don’t want in our game, in our society.” total was a tight window to make up for all the lost time. But he was happy to hear some dressing-room banter again and expressed hope Tavares said he’s been in touch with two black players he knows well, that local health authorities allow more people to congregate by the time former Islanders teammate Kyle Okposo and GTA neighbour P.K. a full camp of around 30 players is tentatively scheduled for mid to late Subban. July. “It’s just starting that conversation … listening from their experiences to “We have to benefit from this opportunity to maximize (training),” Tavares discuss the challenges they and others have faced.” said. “We obviously want to be firing on all cylinders as best we can be Akim Aliu, Evander Kane, Mathew Dumba, Trevor Daley, Wayne once competition begins. It’s not like we’re going to have four pre-season Simmonds, Chris Stewart and Joel Ward are present and ex-NHLers games. We need to perform right off the bat.” who’ve formed Hockey Diversity Alliance the past few days. Tavares was referring to the NHL’s playoff tournament with 24 teams “We must be as inclusive as possible,” Tavares said. “One case (of split into two hub cities. Toronto is in a best-of-five play-in series against racism) is one too many.” the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Tavares is a member of the Return To Play committee with the league and the players association and knows many tournament details still Toronto Sun LOADED: 06.10.2020 must be negotiated. Even participation in this week’s practices are voluntary. “The intensity is there, there’s a ton of benefit,” he said.

But because of the short window, he’s learned some time-saving moves such as taping his sticks at home and says it’s a challenge to get gym work and therapy included in a working day.

“On the ice, we’ve been just kind of brainstorming amongst the group and then using some guidance from our development staff,” he said. “Just skating, shooting, passing and stick-handling, obviously for our goalies to see shots. Getting a lot of touches, getting your feet back underneath you.”

Tavares noted that intense skating is something that can’t be replicated in the gym. Daily health protocols at the FPC take some getting used to, but he’s not complaining.

“I can’t even describe the first few days, just what it feels like being back in the facilities, around your teammates,” the captain said. “I feel pretty fortunate.”

While many are not sure that the NHL should even be attempting to finish the season at all — and should begin anew in 2020-21 — Tavares believes the return of hockey can do a lot of good, provided it’s a safe environment for all participants. “It will mean a lot, the impact we can have on our communities, to help a lot of people through a very tough time,” he said. “It’s a really great opportunity for us to do many great things. We understand the hurdles we have to continue to work through. But certainly, I think it would be a great sign for society.

“Hopefully a lot of other people that aren’t even traditionally hockey fans can get behind something and take their mind away to enjoy something.” 1175503 Toronto Maple Leafs

Zach Hyman is Maple Leafs' Masterton Trophy nominee

Lance Hornby June 9, 2020 9:00 AM EDT

When Zach Hyman is out of the lineup, the Maple Leafs and the opposition usually notice.

After a couple of years with perfect attendance, Toronto’s most determined puck retriever missed time the past two seasons with injuries, during which the Leafs hovered around the .500 mark.

The left winger’s absence at the start of last season while recovering from major knee surgery was certainly felt most of all. But he came back to register a second straight 20-goal season and help keep the team on a post-season path.

That effort has been recognized with Hyman named the team’s 2019-20 nominee for the Bill Masterton Trophy, ‘for perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey,’ as chosen by the Toronto chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers Association.

Hyman made his return to Toronto’s lineup on Nov. 13 and was a major catalyst for linemates such as Auston Matthews, who had a career high 47 goals. “Hyman brings that grit back to the team,” said teammate Kasperi Kapanen upon his return to health. Entrusted to kill penalties and protect late-game leads, Hyman last season tied Dave Keon’s franchise record of 12 career empty net goals, despite playing barely 300 NHL games to Keon’s 1,062.

Hyman, born in Toronto and turning 28 on Tuesday, is part of the team’s leadership group on and off the ice. The former University of Michigan star is a prolific children’s book writer, using hockey and sports to power the imagination of young readers. He is a team spokesman for the You Can Play initiative and his golf tournament raises funds for charities such as the Hospital For Sick Children and minor hockey leagues. Each of the 31 PHWA chapters nominates a player for the Masterton with league wide voting to follow. The award is named for the former Minnesota North Star who died of an on-ice head injury in 1968.

Toronto Sun LOADED: 06.10.2020 1175504 Toronto Maple Leafs That’s where the Gallagher comparable enters in. While Guentzel might be more cerebral and patient in his approach, Robertson’s relentless drive, particularly on the forecheck, is reminiscent of the high-energy Montreal Canadiens forward. Finding an NHL comparable for 10 of the Maple Leafs’ best prospects Still, if in a few years time Robertson can end up delivering in the way Guentzel and Gallagher do now, you’d have to call this second-round pick a home run. By Joshua Kloke Filip Kral, D, Spokane Chiefs Jun 9, 2020 Comparables: Brett Kulak, Paul LaDue

The journeys that defencemen Brett Kulak of the Montreal Canadiens, Projecting prospect comparables can be a difficult exercise. and Paul LaDue of the L.A. Kings, took to becoming full-time NHLers On the one hand, elements of a player’s game can sometimes be were long ones. Both split time between the AHL and NHL in their first reminiscent of a more well-known player: One of Nick Abruzzese’s four pro seasons. And we can expect Kral to split time between the coaches at Harvard compared his hockey IQ to that of hockey Hall of ECHL and the AHL next season. Famer Martin St. Louis. One person I spoke to about Mac Hollowell Kral’s game is well-rounded and he’s decent on both sides of the puck. brought up Minnesota Wild defenceman Jared Spurgeon, given their His physicality has become more noticeable in his game, and you can similar body type and decision-making abilities. One of Mikhail expect the Leafs will try to get more out of him in that regard. Kral Abramov’s coaches compared his creative playmaking to Washington projects as a low-event third-pairing defenceman with limited offensive Capitals forward Nicklas Backstrom. upside, which is what Kulak and LaDue are. Skating holds back the latter Not to discredit anyone’s opinion, but just because one facet of a player’s duo, but the vision and hockey IQ is there, as it is with Kral. game is reminiscent of a high-end NHL player does not mean he will All three players can manage a little bit of everything in their play. eventually evolve into a player of that calibre. Sometimes those types of players have difficulty transitioning to the NHL The Toronto Maple Leafs’ prospect pool is not what it used to be, as I as they don’t always push the pace at 5-on-5 or are good enough was reminded repeatedly by the scouts and prospect experts I consulted defensively in their own end. We’ll get a better look at what Kral might for this piece. In seeking NHL comparables I was asking for players of end up being in this upcoming season, likely his first in pro hockey. similar size, skillset and development path. Mikhail Abramov, C, The comparables for Nick Robertson and Nick Abruzzese, arguably the Comparable: Matthieu Perreault without the bite two best bets in the Leafs prospect pool, will likely bring a level of excitement. Otherwise, we find a lot serviceable players offered as Low-end comparable: Trevor Moore comparables. Many people I spoke to were impressed by how the skilled Abramov But given the cap crunch the Leafs will likely be in for the considerable became a more well-rounded offensive player this season, moving from future, finding reliable, low-cost options from their prospect pool will be 16 goals and 38 assists in his QMJHL rookie season to 35 goals and 41 an important element to keeping their Stanley Cup aspirations alive and assists this past season. But like Moore and Perreault, there’s also a well. need for the Victoriaville Tigres forward to improve his defensive game, and for him to become more of a well-rounded, 200-foot player. Nick Robertson, LW, Peterborough Petes The Leafs see a future for Abramov, as evidenced by his three-year Comparable: Jake Guentzel’s production with Brendan Gallagher’s entry-level contract signed in March. physical style Abramov will need to add to his current 162-pound frame to get to the Should the teenage sniper suit up with Toronto in the playoffs, it would be level of Perreault and Moore, but he has the same type of skill with the the most anticipated and exciting Leafs debut since Auston Matthews’. puck. On many clubs, Perreault and Moore’s skill would earn them a top- And on that note, I had one scout tell me that Robertson’s diverse shot six role. Moore was deemed expendable by the Leafs in a trade earlier selection is reminiscent of Matthews himself. this season but not for his lack of smarts, skill or finesse with the puck. He was never going to be a top-six forward with the Leafs, and it’s The list of exiting comparisons don’t end there. One person I spoke to doubtful Abramov will be either. There just isn’t enough speed or pace in compared the way Robertson scores and the way he moves laterally in his game. But provided he can play with strong players, the production the offensive zone to former Colorado Avalanche forward Milan Hejduk, should still come given his playmaking abilities. who had 11 straight 20-goal seasons during his career. One scout likened Abramov’s skill level, skating and size to Perreault. But the current NHL player Robertson projects closest to, and one that And that would be nothing to sneeze at: between 2013 and 2017 should still have fans excited, is Pittsburgh Penguins winger Jake Perreault had four straight seasons with 40-plus points. Guentzel. Robertson could become the same type of scorer, and if all goes well, could have no difficulty playing with elite players. But the physical element of Perrault’s game (44 penalty minutes in 2018- 19, third most of any jets forward) will never be there for Abramov. Guentzel took his time to physically develop after being drafted as a 5- foot-9, 153-pound forward. Upon being drafted, one Penguins scout said Semyon Der-Arguchintsev, F, Peterborough Petes of Guentzel “(He’s) smart. He’s skilled. He’s gritty,” which is an apt High-end comparable: David Desharnais description of Robertson as well. Realistic comparable: Kyle Wellwood The difference here is the development time. Robertson looks ready for the next step in his hockey career at 18, whereas Guentzel didn’t move In asking around about Der-Arguchintsev, the intriguing, but smallish to the NHL until he was 22. playmaking winger, I heard a lot of sighs. He is the most difficult player in the Leafs prospect pool to project. One scout liked how Robertson can release the puck at weird angles quickly. Guentzel can move the puck as soon as it’s on his stick. A few “There aren’t really any guys like him in today’s NHL,” one scout told me. people I spoke to saw Robertson holding on to the puck more than Guentzel does, which might not be such a bad thing. “I want to get wrapped up in how exciting he can be, but from a production perspective, it’s hard to project a lot from him,” said another. Another scout noted how Robertson has a better stick, shot and feet than Guentzel, but Guentzel has a better hockey IQ. He’s not a high-end skater, and despite the improvements he’s tried to make in his defensive game, his play away from the puck still isn’t strong “It could be similar results, similar role, but it’ll just come differently,” said enough. the scout. But the flashes of brilliance he continues to show with the puck make you wonder if he could one day become an elite playmaker. Former NHL player Kyle Wellwood and Der-Arguchintsev are similar in Kokkonen’s offensive upside hasn’t materialized over the past two terms of their size, playmaking ability, creativity and vision. Both would seasons in Liiga, and it might not ever come. Some scouts believe a top- have a spot on the power play because of their high-end playmaking. four role is possible, but a being inserted into a reliable bottom-pairing role, at least early in his Leafs career, seems more likely. Desharnais was also projected as a comp because neither are all that speedy but are deceptive enough with their hands and overall movement Kokkonen’s skating, including his speed and explosiveness, requires to allow them to work the puck closer to the goal. Neither of them shoot improvement, but there are more positives than negatives with the player often, but both are competent defensively (again, this is a work in right now. progress for Der-Arguchintsev) despite not always winning puck battles. “The team he was on this year, they were average,” said Pellerin. “And Desharnais spent parts of five seasons in the AHL before landing in the also, there were some opportunities there where maybe he didn’t hit his NHL full-time. Once there, his playmaking and vision translated. potential in terms of plays with the puck. But his natural ability to move the puck, to skate, to jump off the blue line, I think there’s a lot of positive Defenceman Mac Hollowell with the . (Frank Jansky/Icon things that we’ve seen. So we’re happy with where he is right now.” Sportswire) Nick Abruzzese, C, Harvard University Mac Hollowell, D, Toronto Marlies (Very) high-end comparable: Derek Stepan High-end comparable: Will Butcher Realistic comparable: Kevin Labanc Realistic comparable: Troy Stecher Everyone I spoke to really liked who Abruzzese is as a player right now, Hollowell is a 5-foot-9, 170-pound defenceman whose defensive and what he’s capable of in the future. capabilities still have a long way to go. At times he can command the defensive and neutral zones with his slick skating and passing abilities. As a veteran playmaker, Arizona Coyotes’ centre Derek Stepan is known for being in the right place at the right time on the ice. And that’s arguably Hollowell jumped from the ECHL and became a full-time Marlies Abruzzese’s best quality. defenceman at age 21 this season. Leafs senior director of player development Scott Pellerin doesn’t see this as a final stop. In February, Stepan’s creativity with the puck is a huge part of his game, as is Pellerin said he believes Hollowell will eventually become “an important Abruzzese’s. Both can move the puck quickly in the offensive zone. part of our organization in the NHL.” Stepan is an intelligent, respected player and Abruzzese’s intelligence has become another one of his defining traits. Stepan is a more dynamic New Jersey Devils defenceman Will Butcher — listed at 5-foot-10 — is a skater than Abruzzese, but there are shades of Stepan’s game when comparable for a few reasons. They both skate well with the puck and Abruzzese navigates the offensive zone with his hands and vision. He’s defend using their speed and smarts, but not with their physicality. been useful throughout his career, and the same is projected for Hollowell will need to bulk up his frame to get to Butcher’s level. Abruzzese. Producing the kind of offence that Butcher provides (95 points in 215 A more reasonable, but still decent comparable is San Jose Sharks NHL games) would be a boon, but whether that happens remains to be forward Kevin Labanc. After leading the OHL in scoring in 2015-16, seen. Hollowell is a long-term project. Labanc’s skills quickly transitioned to the NHL. He scored 20 points in 55 Vancouver Canucks defenceman Troy Stecher is another comp, largely games in his rookie season, and has continued to produce consistently. because of their shared ability to activate through the neutral zone with He has no trouble playing with talented players, and one scout who has strong skating and puck-moving. They are both more shooters than watched Abruzzese closely notes how much talented players like playing passers. Stecher relies on his mobility and is not yet an elite defender with him because of his vision. Labanc is not the biggest or fastest given his size. player, but is intelligent in the offensive zone. There are still questions about his defensive play, and Abruzzese’s defensive play still has a long There remains uncertainty regarding how Hollowell’s offensive game will way to go as well. But his gifted offensive instincts make him useful on carry over in the NHL. Just as Stecher won’t overwhelm you with his the power play. And Abruzzese could feature on the man advantage with play, Hollowell might not either in the NHL. the Leafs.

And so expectations should be tempered here. One scout noted how Another Harvard alum, Leafs forward Alex Kerfoot, was also suggested Stecher’s compete level, ambiguous a term as that might be, is far as a comparable. beyond Hollowell’s. And Stecher jumped to the NHL full-time at 22, on a bad Canucks team, and has become a reliable, third-pairing Kalle Loponen, D, defenceman. (Very) high-end comparable: Colin Miller

We shouldn’t realistically expect Hollowell to jump to the NHL until 2022 Right now, there is not a ton of enthusiasm about Loponen’s chances of at the earliest. He’ll be 24 then. Still, a fourth-round pick turning into a ever making the Leafs roster. Some were hesitant to provide a second-pair defenceman would be a credit to the Leafs development comparable because they weren’t sure what kind of player Loponen model. could become. Since scoring 18 points in 25 games for Finland’s U18 Mikko Kokkonen, D, Jukurit Mikkeli team in his draft year (tops among all team defencemen), the shine has worn off. Comparable: Michal Kempny in a more limited role Seventeen of his 24 points for the OHL’s Sudbury Wolves this past The consensus among scouts I spoke with is that the smart, capable and season came on the power play and there are doubts about whether he stable Kokkonen is on the right track to becoming an NHL defenceman. can contribute consistently at even strength.

Kokkonen has performed well in his last two full seasons in Finland’s top He can carry the puck out of his own zone and moves well laterally. He division. He plays a physical game despite standing at 5-foot-11 and can hold the blue line well with his agility and edge work. He creates weighing 198 pounds. Some I spoke with like how he handles more passing and shooting lanes on the power play. But at 5-on-5 he doesn’t experienced, and often bigger, forwards. There are some decent puck have the high-end puck skills and sometimes struggles with decision- skills and movement in Kokkonen’s game too. making.

Washington Capitals defenceman Michal Kempny’s name came up as a “He’s still a young player. He’s still making adjustments. He was thrown comparable and other scouts agreed: there are strong similarities in their in the fire real quick,” Pellerin explained back in April. puck-moving and distribution abilities. Kempny has a few inches on Kokkonen, but both have an ability to play “bigger” than their size would While Loponen doesn’t move nearly as well as Buffalo defenceman Colin suggest. Miller, his skills on the power play and his defensive liabilities make the comparison more apt. One thing scouts do like about Loponen’s game is It should be noted that prior to Kempny’s hamstring injury in 2018-19, he his heavy shot, which is one of Miller’s strengths as well. was logging top-pair minutes alongside John Carlson. He hasn’t exactly been the same player since. But Leafs fans shouldn’t expect the same Like Miller, Loponen is a long-term project. Miller didn’t play a full 82- amount of usage from Kokkonen at his best. game season in the NHL until he was 25. And he logged the sixth- highest average ice time of any Sabres defenceman this season. That sort of usage should be expected from Loponen as well, should he ever become a Leaf. Ian Scott, G, Prince Albert Raiders

(Very) high-end comparable: Devan Dubnyk

Realistic comparable (for now): Laurent Brossoit

The career of a goaltender is very difficult to project, as I was reminded multiple times throughout this process. And so I hesitated to even try to find a comparable for Scott, given that he missed all of 2019-20 with a hip injury.

But he remains the Leafs goalie prospect with the highest upside after posting a .932 save percentage in 49 games for the WHL’s Prince Albert Raiders in 2018-19. Scott’s 6-foot-4 frame sticks out, as does his aggressiveness in goal, with what one scout called “above average quickness.” That’s why Minnesota Wild goalie Devan Dubnyk is a comparable. They share a similar frame and aggressive style. One scout said the Dubnyk we saw with the Edmonton Oilers was more likely an outcome for Scott than the Dubnyk who solidified himself with the Wild.

Another name suggested by a scout was Winnipeg Jets goalie Laurent Brossoit. Both Scott and Brossoit are big, athletic goalies who have, according to the scout, “loud talent.” Brossoit is 27 and has yet to play more than 21 games in a single NHL season, with the caveat being that he’s played behind Connor Hellebuyck the past two seasons. He’s been inconsistent, but his talent suggests he is capable of playing more.

Kristians Rubins, D, Toronto Marlies Comparable: Martin Marincin

I opted to feature Rubins instead of goalie prospect Joseph Woll, since I’ll have a more detailed look at Woll later this week. Plus, the comparison I heard for Rubins is interesting. Few current Leafs are as polarizing as Marincin. Some see him as a lumbering defenceman that will never be more than the seventh D. Others see him as a very serviceable bottom-pair defenceman with good underlying numbers.

Marincin and Rubins are similarly-sized, move well and can feature on the penalty kill. Neither will factor offensively, but both are capable of making safe decisions with the puck. And both players can be reliable without being overly physical in their own zone.

You can debate how much Marincin deserves a spot on this current Leafs blue line all you like, but reliable bottom-pair defenders are still necessary. If Rubins, an undrafted defenceman, can become a steady bottom-pair guy in another season or two, the Leafs should consider themselves fortunate.

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Henderson Silver Knights making it easier for fans to get swag

By Rochelle Richards Las Vegas Review-Journal June 9, 2020 - 8:11 PM Updated June 9, 2020 - 8:16 PM

Those itching to get their hands on Henderson Silver Knights gear and live in the southern valley don’t have to make the trek all the way to City National Arena. From 3 to 6 p.m. every Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday, the Silver Knights are hosting a pop-up shop at Green Valley Ranch Resort. The truck can be found in the back end of the parking lot at Paseo Verde Parkway and Village Park Drive near Pizza Rock.

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Golden Knights’ Shea Theodore nominated for award

By Ben Gotz Las Vegas Review-Journal June 9, 2020 - 9:28 am Updated June 9, 2020 - 9:52 am

Shea Theodore in a few short months went from being diagnosed with testicular cancer to enjoying the best season of his career. That made him an easy choice as the Golden Knights’ nominee for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, which goes to a player who displays perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey. Theodore was selected by the Pro Hockey Writers Association’s Las Vegas chapter. The 24-year-old was diagnosed soon after the IIHF world championship in May. He underwent surgery to remove a 5-by-5-millimeter lump soon afterward. Theodore needed six weeks to recover, but he was ready for opening night with no restrictions. He then proceeded to destroy opposing teams from the offensive blue line. Theodore scored a career-high 46 points in 71 games while playing more than ever. He led the Knights in time on ice for the first time and was given even more responsibility under coach Pete DeBoer. The performance didn’t come cheaply, either. Theodore is donating to early detection causes for every point he records this season, and the Vegas Golden Knights Foundation is matching his contribution dollar for dollar. “He’s been a rock for us,” defenseman Nate Schmidt said in November. “Because it really struck me when I heard the news. That’s just not something you want to hear. For a guy to have to go through that and come out and be playing today, count your blessings.” The list of 31 nominees will be whittled to three finalists at a later date. Neither of the Knights’ two previous nominees, Brad Hunt and Ryan Carpenter, made the cut. Knights goaltender Robin Lehner won the trophy last year while with the New York Islanders. He gave an emotional speech describing his struggles with mental health and substance abuse. “I’m not ashamed to say I’m mentally ill,” Lehner said at Mandalay Bay. “But that doesn’t mean I’m mentally weak.” The NHL Awards, originally set for June 18 in Las Vegas, were postponed in March and have not been rescheduled. Writers’ ballots are due Monday.

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Golden Knights’ Shea Theodore nominated for perseverance award

By Justin Emerson Tuesday, June 9, 2020 | 10:23 a.m.

Last summer, Shea Theodore was diagnosed with testicular cancer. This summer, after battling through it and playing a career-season cancer- free, the Golden Knights defenseman is up for an award honoring perseverance. The Professional Hockey Writers’ Association released its nominees for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy this morning, the annual award given to the NHL player “who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey." Theodore was the Vegas chapter’s nominee, and he will advance to the voting stage, where he will be up against players from the other 30 teams. Theodore revealed his diagnosis in a piece on The Players’ Tribune in September, detailing how he was playing at the IHF World Championships last summer and failed a drug test. The hormone that triggered the positive was an early sign of cancer. “Failing that drug test and the result that came of it, I was extremely lucky,” Theodore said in September. “The doctors have got a close watch on me and I’ve done all the tests and I’m ready to go for camp. I feel good.” The 24-year-old said he is fortunate doctors caught the cancer early and that he was fully healed by the time the season started.

He went on to play the best season of his career, setting a franchise record for points by a defenseman with 46. With the unique nature of this NHL season, which was interrupted by the coronavirus pandemic, there is no date set for when the award will be announced.

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Golden Knights Owner Bill Foley Acquires Another Winery In California

June 9, 2020 By Alan Snel of LVSportsBiz.com

Vegas Golden Knights owner Bill Foley collects wineries like hardcore Golden Knights fans collect signed hockey pucks as the multi-faceted Las Vegas-based businessman with the beefy portfolio, deep pockets and love for wine has purchased the Ferrari-Carano Vineyards and Winery in Sonoma County in California. Foley, whose winery fiefdom goes under the Foley Family Wines brand name, told the San Francisco Chronicle that the purchase price is in the $250 million ballpark. The deal includes more than 3,000 acres, including 1,200 acres of grapevines, the Chronicle reported. Foley, majority owner of the three-year NHL Golden Knights, sometimes uses his wineries to host fans and even players’ fathers on trips to California. He also advertises his Foley Family Wines at the Knights games. Foley’s portfolio is quite diversified, ranging from the Golden Knights and Silver Knights teams in metro Las Vegas wineries in California to restaurant concepts nationwide and a Montana golf course community. Just par for the course for the businessman who made millions of dollars from his title insurance business. Foley likes everything about the wine business — the vineyards, the facilities and the tasting rooms. He owns 25 wineries in all. As he put it to the Chronicle, “I’m an asset guy.” He explained to the newspaper he was looking to acquire a winery that was both high-end with good brand awareness and high-volume. The purchase includes residential properties and two winery facilities, including the PreVail Mountain Winery in Alexander Valley. That winery is permitted to produce 250,000 cases and Foley plans to “expand that to 500,000,” according to the Chronicle. In a press release, Foley said, “We are delighted to add Ferrari-Carano to our family. Their established reputation for quality wines, their dedication to responsible environmental stewardship, and their commitment to exceptional hospitality are all perfectly aligned with our priorities.” “I’m happy to see our winery become part of a family-owned and operated company that shares our vision and core values,” added Rhonda Carano, Ferrari-Carano Founder, and CEO. “Foley Family Wines has shown that they value the individual character of each of their estate wineries. We know that the reputation we’ve worked hard to build over the last four decades is in good hands.”

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Garnet Hathaway latest Caps player to offer his support for Black Lives Matter

By J.J. Regan June 09, 2020 3:52 PM

Several Capitals players have come out in recent days to share their support for the Black Lives Matter movement and Garnet Hathaway became the latest on Tuesday. He took to Twitter to share his thoughts saying he promised to "be a better ally to the Black Community." Other Caps who have taken to social media with their thoughts have been Alex Ovechkin, Braden Holtby and John Carlson, among others. There were also several players and members of the organization who took part in a video released by the team on Monday in support of Black Lives Matter. That video features , Brian MacLellan and Todd Reirden.

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Two years later, the best fan memories from the Capitals' Stanley Cup celebration

By Ryan Homler June 09, 2020 12:15 PM

The Capitals' Stanley Cup victory on June 7, 2018, will be a day that is forever etched into the memory of DC sports fans. While the championship was followed up with an incredible stretch of celebrations from the players, the supporters had plenty of fun as well. In honor of the two year anniversary of the Capitals' Stanley Cup victory and ensuing celebration, NBC Sports Washington asked fans on Twitter, Facebook, Reddit and Instagram to share what they were doing the moment Washington became champions of the hockey world. The answers did not disappoint. Many were lucky enough to take in the historical moment with the people that meant the most to them. Generations of family and friends got together to cry, yell, jump and share the joy of winning with those who had been through all the ups and downs in prior seasons. "In my living room, tossing my 6 yo son in the air. We were both screaming at the top of our lungs and I couldn’t help but let the waterworks flow. It had been forever for DC sports fans, and seeing Ovi lift it up is something the two of us will remember for a lifetime." - Hunter Bell Jr, Facebook "My mom was diagnosed with cancer around the end of the season. I played my whole life at piney orchard with the chiefs and grew up around the capitals. She passed that the next year but she got to see this." - Vern Smith, Facebook "I woke my daughter up with 44 seconds left. I was squeezing her so hard when the clock stopped, she had to say, 'mom you’re really squeezing me too hard'. As the clock finally hit zero, we just stood in the middle of a dark living room, trying not to scream (my husband was sleeping) hugging each other and crying. I will never forget that moment." - Amanda Fursetzer, Facebook

Others celebrated with complete strangers, bonded by the excitement of witnessing their team succeed. As the Caps clinched the Stanley Cup, everyone became one big family. "Standing at the Navy Memorial Plaza in DC with my husband, my son and a whole lot of other people jumping and crying and hugging each other while the Caps did the same thing on the big outdoor screen. I hugged more strangers that night than any other time in my life." - mariblough, Instagram

Some fans were in Las Vegas to witness the Capitals' historic moment first-hand. Even those who were not in DC or Las Vegas still found a way to join in on the fun. No time difference or lack of service was going to stop them from witnessing their team win it all. Hundreds to thousands of miles away, the celebrations continued. "In Korea, actually receiving my end of tour award. My boss was also a caps fan so he was indulgent with me and waited until intermission to give me my award! The ceremony ended with a Picnic that became a huge Cup Celebration!! I was wearing my caps shirt under my uniform!!" - Melissa Ridgely, Facebook "Was in Jamaica...missing a party, sitting in my room, watching the game." - pinalope4real, Instagram "London, England refreshing my phone in the middle of the night during the whole game!!" - Dana Radford Mosca, Facebook "I was at summer camp in Minnesota LOSING MY MIND in a baseball field by myself because it was the only place I could get good enough signal to stream." - dirtandbonez, Instagram

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Stanley Cup 2018: Remembering Lord Stanley's journey around D.C.

By J.J. Regan June 09, 2020 8:00 AM

June 7, 2018 is a day the Capitals will always remember as the day they won the Stanley Cup. June 9, 2018 is the day none of them can remember because they were having too much fun. When the Stanley Cup made it back to Washington, it got a tour of the city on June 8-9 as the team took it across various parts of the area in a celebration-filled day in which they were all just living their best life. Here's a look at each stop the team took along the way. Don Tito The team arrived back in Washington from Vegas on June 8 and one of the Cup's first stops was Don Tito in Clarendon. Word got around fast as a packed crowd soon followed. There was plenty of rooftop hoisting of the Cup which, let's face it, never gets old. Nationals Park The first stop on Saturday was Nationals Park as the team was recognized prior to the Nationals game. Alex Ovechkin threw out the first pitch. His first wasn't great, but somehow he got a second chance because, well, when you're one of the biggest sports stars in the history of the city, you get a second chance. The stadium was full of red that day, but the number of fans wearing Nationals gear may have been outnumbered by those in Caps attire. The team took the Cup to a suite and proceeded to drink from it and raise it intermittently throughout the game much to the delight of the crowd. Georgetown Waterfront The most iconic moment of the entire celebration, the moment that epitomized the 2018 summer occurred at this stop. This is where the players jumped into the fountain. When Ovechkin's career is over and we remember all the incredible things he did, the fountain celebration will be on that list. Tattoo Paradise

A number of Capitals decided to get some ink because getting a tattoo during a giant party is always a good idea. Andre Burakovsky and Jakub Vrana were among the players who went, but the one who stole the show and became forever immortalized from this stop was Brett Connolly. Literally. A picture emerged from the tattoo parlor of Connolly casually eating some pizza while getting his ink which is about the coolest damn picture you've ever seen. So cool, in fact, that one fan ultimately decided to get that picture as his own tattoo. Cafe Milano Because even legends need to eat. Ovechkin's house After a long day of partying, it was finally time to call it a day and there was no real question who would get to bring the Cup home. From the moment Ovechkin was drafted in 2004, he put the franchise on a trajectory towards its first Stanley Cup so it was only fitting that he took it home.

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Capitals share team message in support of Black Lives Matter movement

By J.J. Regan June 09, 2020 6:00 AM

Here is the full statement shared in the video: It is up to all of us to listen, to acknowledge, to learn, to speak up, to act. It's up to all of us to listen and hear the voices and stories of those whose basic human rights have been denied. It is up to all of us to acknowledge the ongoing suffering and oppression of the black community. It is up to all of us to learn and try to understand the history of oppression the black population has faced. It is up to all of us to speak up and raise our voices against the systemic racism that has plagued our country for centuries. It is up to all of us to act and to work diligently towards a culture shift including within hockey. It is up to all of us to work together to achieve equality for all. It is up to all of us to come together with one voice and a united purpose. We will stand against inequality with our actions. Together we are louder. Together we are stronger. Together we are united for change.

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Jets forward Letestu nominated for Masterton award

Staff Report

Mark Letestu isn’t sure when, or even if, his next NHL game will come. But the 35-year-old deserves plenty of praise for working himself back into playing shape and making himself an option after enduring a hellish season in which his life and his career were placed in peril. For those reasons, Letestu has been selected as the Winnipeg Jets’ nominee for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, which is awarded annually to the NHL player who best exemplifies qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey. "It’s an honour, for sure. I didn’t expected to be nominated for any NHL awards," the veteran of 567 big-league games told the Free Press with a chuckle in a telephone interview on Monday from his off-season home in Columbus, Ohio. "Perseverance, dedication, those words are pretty special to me. The unfortunate part of the award is it seems like you have to go through something, a little negative experience." Letestu signed a one-year free agent deal with the Jets last summer and began the season as a fourth-line centre. But the product of Elk Point, Alta. dressed for only seven games before he was diagnosed with myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart muscle. The Jets’ medical staff first noticed abnormalities in testing, and an MRI and further evaluation at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., confirmed it. The condition reduces the heart’s ability to pump, while also causing abnormal heart rhythms, and can lead to death if not caught soon enough. The long road to recovery began, and Letestu got the green light in early March to resume skating with his Jets teammates wearing a yellow non- contact jersey. That went so well that Letestu was assigned to the on a conditioning assignment, where he was expected to play a handful of games before returning to the Jets for the stretch drive. He jumped on a plane to Milwaukee, where the AHL club was set to play next, only to quickly learn the entire sports world was being halted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

"(The AHL assignment) was something I really wanted. It doesn’t matter how much practise you go through, you’re just not going to get to that level of being an option and even then, being an option was a long shot. There were a lot of bodies (with the Jets) that had really grinded out to be in a position to compete for a playoff spot, it almost felt unfair to take anybody’s spot. But that was the best course for me to at least become an option," said Letestu. "Sitting around for six months and then to get so close to being able to play again, and then kinda get shut down again, it feels like a continuation of what I’m going through. It feels almost incomplete. But eventually my hope is I get to play in the playoffs and hopefully put a bow on this thing." That could come later this summer, provided the NHL’s return-to-play protocol gets the green light for teams to proceed to training camp in mid- July followed by a 24-team Stanley Cup playoff tournament held in two hub cities likely from August to early October. The Masterton is under the trusteeship of the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association. It’s named after Bill Masterton, the only NHL player to die from injuries sustained in a game. Members of each chapter of the PHWA, which includes several Free Press writers, vote on the team representative. All 31 finalists were to be announced this morning, with the ultimate winner again voted on by the PHWA and revealed whenever the NHL holds their annual award ceremony, which will likely be in virtual form this year.

Winnipeg Free Press LOADED 06.10.2020 1175514 Winnipeg Jets The next proposed phase is the start of training camp, likely around mid- July, with the final phase being the 24-team Stanley Cup tournament likely starting around the beginning of August in two hub cities. Oilers among teams to hit the ice while Jets stay grounded "There’s a lot of variables to this. You can ask anyone, they don’t know what’s going to happen. We all hope the season can pick up and we can get back to the norm that we’re used to, but until then just keep in shape, keep our head down and do whatever we can to have this thing subside The next phase of the NHL’s return-to-play protocol may have started over time and do our part to stay in shape," said Kolesar. with a whimper here in Winnipeg, but several other NHL markets hit the ice running on Monday. Letestu said he doesn’t really care where he’s skating right now. Just being on the ice and having a glimmer of hope that hockey can resume is Take the Edmonton Oilers, for example. The team sent out a mid- enough. afternoon social media post showing Alex Chiasson, Matt Benning, Kris Russell, Tyler Benson and goaltender Stuart Skinner reacquainting "It’s starting to feel like we might be able to play this thing," he said. themselves at Rogers Place on the first day the doors were permitted to open.

"Welcome home, fellas," the Tweet read. mike.mcintyre The five skaters are one less than the maximum allowed to work out at Winnipeg Free Press LOADED 06.10.2020 any given time under current COVID-19 regulations, which include extensive safety protocols and testing of players who volunteer to skate and train at their home facilities. No doubt the image was a sight for sore eyes for many hockey-starved fans out there. The Columbus Blue Jackets, Philadelphia Flyers, New York Islanders, Tampa Bay Lightning and Vegas Golden Knights were also expected to ramp up Monday, while several other clubs plan to do so later this week. Not so with the Winnipeg Jets, where Bell MTS Place will remain dark for the foreseeable future. That’s because pretty much all of the players are currently at their off-season homes, and getting back in town is no easy task. For those scattered elsewhere in Canada, Manitoba currently requires anyone returning to the province to quarantine for 14 days. No such regulations exist for inter-provincial travel in other NHL markets north of the border. As well, all players currently in the United States and Europe must also self-isolate for two weeks upon returning to the Great White North. The NHL is in ongoing dialogue with health and government officials about whether things may change in the coming weeks, or if exceptions could be made. "That seems to be a real sticking point for a lot of athletes, that 14-day quarantine. There’s really no way around it. It sounds like Winnipeg and Manitoba have been pretty fortunate, so maybe at some point in the near future you’ll see quarantines get removed and you’ll see guys start to migrate back," Jets forward Mark Letestu told the Free Press on Monday. Letestu is currently in Columbus, Ohia, where he spent the past two NHL seasons with the Blue Jackets prior to signing a one-year deal with the Jets. He’s recently resumed skating and now has an unusual option to consider — going to work out with members of the Blue Jackets at their home facility. Under this phase of the NHL’s plan, players outside their home markets, residing in another NHL market, are permitted to do so if they choose. Strange times make for strange bedfellows. "I’d be welcome with the Blue Jackets and there’d be co-ordination with the doctors and testing. In my case you might welcome the testing," said Letestu, who is continuing to work his way back from a heart infection. "I haven’t had enough symptoms to warrant going for testing, but maybe peace of mind, some guys would prefer that. But some of the freedoms of being able to skate at your own facility and go at your own times, that might be appealing for some guys, too." That’s what Keegan Kolesar, a member of the Vegas Golden Knights, is doing in his Winnipeg hometown, where he plans to stay for the time being rather than rushing back to Sin City. If the Jets had opened their facility, Kolesar could have taken advantage. But he’s content to keep skating independently at The Rink, where he trains during the summer, along with a handful of other Manitoba pros. Unlike players who show up at NHL facilities, they are not being tested. "We have a basic guideline (at The Rink) that the health department has set for us. We have to follow it to a tee, otherwise it will get shut down. We’re following all the steps they’ve told us so we can keep going and still train," said Kolesar. "There’s a group of us that’s been skating for about three weeks now, working out. It’s working pretty well for us. Winnipeg’s in a pretty good spot. I think Winnipeg has done a very good job and allowed us to get back to a new norm a little bit easier than other places." 1175515 Winnipeg Jets But this decision was more about wisdom. “I feel fine now,” he said. “It took a while. But I do feel fine now. For me that’s the most important thing. Just hopefully it stays that way.” Emotional Stoykewych cites concussions, calls it a career Despite the hole left on his team, Vincent is happy to see his captain move on to the next chapter of his life. Paul Friesen “It’s a very mature decision,” the coach said. “I know it was really hard for him. But with everything we know now, it’s a very tough, but smart, June 9, 2020 6:32 PM CDT decision.” Stoykewych never did make it to the NHL. Still a month removed from his 28th birthday, isn’t at He started his pro career by playing six games for the St. John’s Icecaps, the typical age for retirement from pro hockey. and finishes it with 267 games, seven more in the playoffs. All in the AHL. The Winnipegger has played his entire career for the Jets organization, acting as captain of the hometown Manitoba Moose the last two seasons. He scored 19 goals and recorded 72 points, while holding the distinction of being the last player drafted by the Atlanta Thrashers. But something in his brain told him it was time to step away from the game, a decision Stoykewych spent months coming to grips with. He learned the importance of being a good captain from people like Patrice Cormier, while watching roommate Connor Hellebuyck and other When he finally talked about it on a conference call with reporters teammates make the jump to the Jets. Tuesday, it brought a flood of emotions. People like Cormier, Vincent and Moose GM Craig Heisinger have “It’s a side of the game that a lot of people don’t talk about,” Stoykewych become friends he can approach about anything, not just hockey. said. “I’ve had a bunch of concussions in my career. Growing up concussions weren’t really acknowledged the same way they are today. Meeting and hanging out with people like that are what he’ll miss the It got to a point where it started to affect my life outside of hockey. most. “I was always able to recover from them just fine. As soon as it started An online video tribute posted by the Moose on Tuesday showed bothering me outside of hockey then I decided it was time to retire.” Stoykewych wearing the “C” for his AAA Moose team, when he idolized players like Mike Keane and Nolan Baumgartner, next to another photo Stoykewych estimates the number of concussions he’s suffered, both in of him wearing the “C” for the AHL Moose. hockey and growing up playing football, is in the “double-digits.” Asked what he’d tell that young teenager he used to be about his “I had a bunch diagnosed,” he said. “But I’m sure a few that went upcoming hockey career, he didn’t hesitate. undiagnosed as well, before that was more on our radar.” “Just that it happens fast. Appreciate it as you go. Because eventually He wasn’t ready to discuss how they’ve impacted his life. one day it ends.” But they’ve clearly cut short a hockey career that saw him make it to the cusp of the NHL after being drafted out of the Manitoba Junior League, a rare feat in itself. Winnipeg Sun LOADED 06.10.2020 The 6-foot-3, 200-pound defenceman was limited to just 12 games with the Moose this season. His last one, Nov. 24 in Toronto, wasn’t particularly memorable. He picked up one shot on goal as the Moose lost, 4-1. At the time Stoykewych thought there would be many more. But as the weeks, then months, went by, he still wasn’t feeling right. “I talked to as many people as I could about it,” he said. “I was pretty quiet about it as well. My family was great about it. It’s just something you need to figure out on your own.” One of the people he confided in was Moose head coach Pascal Vincent, who reassured him this wasn’t about letting down his teammates. “The person comes first,” Vincent said. “We’re not even thinking about hockey anymore. We’re thinking about people’s lives.” It was hard for Vincent to watch his captain struggle. To see him deal with little symptoms here and there. Symptoms of such a bigger potential problem. Take as much time as you need, Vincent told him. By the time the AHL cancelled its season due to the pandemic on May 11, Stoykewych knew. A week and a half ago, he told his coach. On Tuesday he fought back tears as the reality sunk in. “I took some time to reflect and really evaluate it, talked to the doctors that I’ve trusted for the past five years here,” Stoykewych said. “And we discussed things, about life in general, and decided it was best to move on. When you’re in your low to mid-twenties as a professional hockey player, you think you’re invincible. You never really think about the day you’re going to retire.

“It’s kind of strange to say at 28 years old that you’re retiring. It’s incredibly difficult.” Also incredibly wise. Stoykewych earned his MBA while playing for the Moose, so we know he’s got his share of smarts. 1175516 Winnipeg Jets “That’s a whole other world,” Letestu said. He got to spend American Thanksgiving and Christmas with his family. He got to take his kids to school and spend quality time with them that ALL HEART: Jets' Letestu nominated for Masterton after life-threatening hadn’t been afforded in the past. heart condition “I got to be a dad. I got to do a lot of things I don’t normally get to do and it helped keep me from getting frustrated,” Letestu said. “It allowed me to retain perspective and allowed me to really, truly appreciate the kind of Scott Billeck job I had and how long I was able to do it.” June 9, 2020 8:00 AM CDT And when he had his down days, Letestu had the hockey community to turn to.

He spoke with other players who had gone through similar ordeals. Mark Letestu is well aware he could have taken the easy way out. Letestu’s agent Allain Roy, who also represents Logan Shaw and Ville He knows he could have half-assed his training. He knows he could have Heinola, used to represent Rich Peverley. Peverley, then a member of chalked all of it up to a career-ending heart condition. the Dallas Stars, collapsed during a game against the Columbus Blue Jackets during the 2013-14 season due to a cardiac event. He could have given up. “Everyone was just able to give me a perspective to keep cautious and He also knows that would have been a disservice, one to himself, his respect the type of injury I had,” Letestu said. family, and those who helped him get to this point. From his humble beginnings in Elk Point, Alta., a town of less than 1,500, to working his When he shed the training wheels in early March, Letestu held no way through the minors, including a stint in the ECHL, no one taught illusions he would get himself back into the lineup during the playoff Letestu to quit. drive. He had missed too much time. Not even in the face of a life-threatening heart condition known as But as the NHL gears up for a return sometime this summer, Letestu now myocarditis. feels he’s back on level ground with his contemporaries. “I really did want to come back,” Letestu said from his home in Ohio on “I’m in a full off-season training mode trying to get my body into as best Monday. possible condition for a training camp,” he said. Letestu was named Winnipeg’s nominee for the Bill Masterton Memorial He likes the 24-team playoff format. He’s happy that a lot of fans will get Trophy by the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association on Tuesday. The a chance to root for something again. award is handed out annually to the National Hockey League player who And for the second time inside the same season, Letestu is preparing to best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and do his damnedest to make Winnipeg’s roster. dedication to ice hockey. “Before, my biggest knock to getting back into the lineup was I had been “It’s truly an honour to be recognized for anything,” Letestu said. “And sitting around,” he said. “Now, everyone’s been sitting around. In my when you read what the award is about and who it represents, it’s just an opinion, things have kind of levelled. I’m getting on the ice here as much honour to be able to amplify that even more.” as I can, trying to be ready for whenever when that moving target With his no-quit attitude, Letestu had no choice but to embrace all three decides to sit still.” of the qualities the award embodies. He’s worked too hard to let it go. In fairness, he’s always had them.

But he was forced to rely on them after seven games with the Jets to Winnipeg Sun LOADED 06.10.2020 begin the season. “After you get hit with one or two or even three pieces of adversity, you develop pretty thick skin for it and the frustration of it all,” Letestu said

Letestu made the team out of training camp, slotting in as the team’s fourth-line centre. But one of the pre-season medical screenings players undergo showed a heart abnormality in the 35-year-old. With no symptoms, Letestu carved himself out a starting lineup role, one that would last two weeks. As the Jets were just getting going, Letestu’s season came to an abrupt halt on Oct. 15 when the team declared him injured. It wouldn’t be until later that month, and a visit to the Mayo Clinic, that Letestu would be ruled out for six months. Myocarditis, a potentially fatal virus that inflames the heart, set in and sat Letestu down. He couldn’t allow his heart rate much past resting. No skating. No training. Nada.

It wasn’t until he was given a clean bill of health by the same doctors that initially halted him in his tracks that he was able to return to the Jets. That was late February. On March 3, he returned to the ice for the first time with his teammates just shy of that six-month prognosis.

When the NHL hit the pause button on the season on March 12, Letestu had just landed in Milwaukee to begin a stint with the Manitoba Moose. “Only to be told that the season’s been shut down and you need to fly back,” he said. “By the time I got there, the laundry list of things that seemingly derailed the season for me for so long, you almost just chuckle about it. I just said to myself, ‘It’s just not going to happen this year.’ ” Limited when it came to hockey, or even simply trying to train, the time off was a chance for perspective.

Being at home for half a year helped him through some tough times. While he couldn’t play the sport he had since he was a kid, he could be the hockey parent over the winter that his job hadn’t allowed for up until his diagnosis. 1175517 Winnipeg Jets And he’s kept a simply brilliant attitude about all of it. Let’s start with your arrival in Winnipeg. You fought like hell to make the NHL all of the way from Tier II junior in Alberta and then had a long Winnipeg’s Masterton nominee Mark Letestu on gratitude, identity and career, mostly with Columbus. Then you go down to the AHL in 2018-19 purpose and have an extremely productive year but in a secondary league. Can you describe where you felt you were at on your career path when you signed with the Jets? By Murat Ates I think I’d have to go back to the summer previous — to where, as you said, you’ve kind of established a track record of being an NHL player Jun 9, 2020 and you’re coming into the summer with confidence that you can still do it. You think you’re going to get a job and you’re going to get a look and the summer just kept going where nothing was ever concrete or maybe When did Mark Letestu realize that 2019-20 wasn’t going to be his something was about to get done and then they’d sign a different player. season? And eventually, it was like a game of musical chairs where you just run out of music. It wasn’t at training camp, when his vehicle was broken into. He said Mark Chipman personally checked in with him, showing such class that I had to settle for a PTO in Florida, which didn’t work out at all. I think, he felt more welcome in Winnipeg as a result. just based on my relationship with the Blue Jackets and my track record with them, they knew that I could really help in the minor leagues and, It wasn’t his myocarditis diagnosis or the six-month healing process it again, be an insurance policy for them as depth — as a call-up — and it required. He’s just grateful the Jets caught it in time to shut down his made sense for me from the standpoint that I could be home with my season, let the inflammation in his heart heal and let him focus on his family. I lived in Columbus. I had a really good year, and we ended up health and his family. knocking off the top seed in the playoffs. It was the Milwaukee U-turn. Personally, I had a year where I still felt like I could contribute — whether “Sometimes you just have to throw your hands up,” Letestu said during a it be at the NHL level or even at the American League level. My focus telephone interview Monday. when I signed with the Jets was that I didn’t really have an expectation to be on either team. It was really to come to camp, show that I can still be Despite being diagnosed with — and overcoming — a heart condition an effective player, and if they kept me that would be great. But I also serious enough to be fatal if left untreated, Letestu was most frustrated had the mindset that, if I had to play for the Moose, that I was going to do by a change of plans on March 12. what I’d done last year — I would set an example as a veteran guy and to lead some of the younger players along, but it just worked out that I He’d spent months with his wife, Brett, sons Caleb and Dylan and started the season with Winnipeg. Unfortunately, an injury pretty early in daughter Blake back at home in Columbus, Ohio. He’d gone without the year kind of cut the rest of the year short. hockey for most of the season and accepted that he needed to rest to let the inflammation in his heart subside. And after getting the all-clear from You conveyed that with such a sense of balance and thoughtfulness. the Mayo Clinic, he’d started skating with the Jets again and working Have you always kind of been able to hold things in this kind of himself back into game shape. perspective? “But you can practice until you’re blue in the face,” Letestu says. “It’s just Yeah, I think so. I think you get humbled by new experiences. I’ve always not a game.” been grateful for every year I’ve gotten or every opportunity I’ve gotten and you try to make the most of them. But you kind of understand that So as he fought to turn full health into peak fitness, Letestu approached there’s a finite amount of time for all of this. I get to play a game for a Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff and made a request. living — one that I love. It wouldn’t be fair for someone in his shoes to work his way back into Even now with my own kids, they talk about being a baseball player or a game shape during Winnipeg’s playoff drive. Despite all of the team’s hockey player. You try to give them perspective on it — that it’s rare and injuries — including his own — the Jets were battling for a wild-card spot. it’s something that should be cherished. Perspective and keeping things in focus has certainly helped me in my career and helped me with the Would Cheveldayoff grant Letestu an AHL conditioning stint so he could ups and downs. try his luck with the Moose? What was your first impression of Winnipeg? Cheveldayoff granted his request on March 10. The next day, Winnipeg beat Edmonton 4-2 to claim a playoff spot while Letestu watched on TV. You know, I had a negative thing happen to me. I had a car break-in, and On March 12 at 6 a.m., Letestu boarded a flight with his Moose it was like five days into training camp. teammates to Milwaukee, where Manitoba was set to battle the Admirals in a back-to-back set. It could happen anywhere. You have this negative thing that you could snowball into a negative perception of the city — that it’s not a great It had taken five months, but Letestu was finally going to get back into place. But this happens anywhere. And I just remember coming to the game action. rink the next day and Mark Chipman — personally — came down and apologized to me on behalf of the city. They wanted to help me through And then they landed and had to turn around and fly home. Hockey had it, in a time when I’m adjusting to a new city and this unfortunate thing been shut down by COVID-19, and Letestu’s comeback bid was over. happened to me. “I just started to think it wasn’t the year for me,” Letestu said. I guess other organizations maybe didn’t have that opportunity to have Through it all, Letestu kept a level head and a positive attitude. He the same kind of talk with me. I can’t say what they would have done, but returned home to Columbus, where he learned to home-school his young I think it showed a lot about what the organization stood for. And the kids, attend their baseball games with his wife and have movie nights at people at the very top of the organization. That, for me, is still something home. that I tell people all the time when they ask me, “How’s Winnipeg?” I say, “I’ve been treated as well as I’ve ever been treated as a player in the On Monday, he took the time to talk about the complete journey — from league.” trying to resurrect his NHL career through the most difficult parts of his diagnosis and everything he learned. And that’s not just from the coaching staff and management and teammates and support staff but even from ownership on down. And I Today, he has become Winnipeg’s Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy think that’s one thing that I’ll always be very appreciative of him in that nominee. moment, and of the organization as a totality. Just the care factor that goes beyond being an “asset.” In that situation, it was just person to The Masterton trophy goes to “the National Hockey League player who person — somebody helping me out in a new situation. It’s very, very best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and classy, and it made me feel more welcomed and more at home when I dedication to hockey.” Though it’s often awarded to players who make was adjusting to a new city. remarkable comebacks from tough times, it is intended to recognize the tenacity — not the triumph. I’d like to ask you about myocarditis. I didn’t know anything about it before this season. What did it feel like when you first realized that Though it’s still possible that Letestu returns to play in July and has a something was off? meaningful impact on the Jets’ playoff run, he’s already put in the time, effort and perseverance to be worthy of recognition. Well, that’s kind of the kicker. I can’t give you an answer as to what it would have felt like because I never felt it. Every player in the league goes through physicals in training camp. And and they still invited me and my mom along. That was something she’d it’s kind of mandated, generalized tests, and one of them is the EKG. never gotten to do. So the team has been amazing as far as still During my EKG, there were some irregularities. I got flagged for it, so including me and treating me like part of the group when they could have then I hop on the next table — which not every player does — but it was just as easily cast me off. They did a lot of things maybe above and an echocardiogram. It shows a picture of the heart and I went through beyond what other places would do. It feels like they did. that. Not much was said to me at the time, but I just knew that the tests were kind of off. Was there ever a time you were feeling down and you needed to lean on your family? They decided they were going to send it on up the chain to whoever to look over the results. And in the meantime, I just knew that I had some I don’t know. I feel like I have pretty good perspective and I can bury irregularities, but it wasn’t serious enough to shut me down at the time — things pretty quickly. Maybe when you’re watching games and the kids or they didn’t have enough evidence to shut me down at the time. I just are asking why you’re not out there. You think maybe it would be nice to went about my business and then, about a month into the year, they be out there and enjoying those things. decided it was probably a good idea to go in for an MRI. I went for an But I think I buried it quick. I’ve never been one to bring a loss home or MRI in Winnipeg and then, a couple of days later, they sent it on to the bring a win home. When I get home, I’m home. That’s part of being Mayo Clinic to consult on it. injured. There’s nothing that the people in my household did to earn any Then Mullet (head athletic therapist Rob Milette) called me in the office kind of disdain from me or frustration. They’re just here to support me, with the doc on the phone and said, “We think you have myocarditis, and I don’t think it’s fair to take out my feelings on them. which is inflammation of the heart muscles brought on by some sort of The last thing I want to ask you — and I know it’s cheesy, but I promise I virus, and we need to shut you down.” mean it — is what did you learn? Whether that’s about yourself or about Your initial questions are, “Well, how long? Can we just knock this out?” life through all of this. But no, it’s about six months. And I’m like you, I had never heard of it. But Hmm. You learn every year. This one you learn who you are. For me, if everybody was really confident that I’d be OK if I took the necessary you don’t know me you’ll identify me as a hockey player. But me steps to treat it and prevent further damage. personally, I identify myself as I’m Dad, and I’m a husband. To me, those What is it like to be told you can’t play hockey and have your season go are the two things that are most important. from 100 miles an hour to zero like that? When you get an injury that threatens your life and, if things go It’s tough, especially because I felt like I had worked back to the point differently, you can’t be there for those people. That’s what really makes where I was back in the NHL. You’re back where you want to be and you consider what it is you do and who you are. That’s what I’ve learned. maybe have a chance to re-establish yourself. Who knows? Maybe It’s not what you do — it’s the people you’re around and the people that extend this thing a few more years. are important to you. Not that I didn’t know it before, but it’s certainly been emphasized through all of this. It’s unfortunate that it takes negative So it’s not a death sentence or anything like that, where it’s very serious, circumstances to do it. But I’m fortunate that I’ve come through it on the but it affects you. It takes away what you get a lot of joy from doing — other end and gained perspective. and that’s playing hockey — and I’ve never dealt with an injury quite this serious. So for me, I think you take a day, you take 24 hours to kind of absorb it, and then like most athletes or most hockey players, you look at The Athletic LOADED: 06.10.2020 the way to get past it. How do I get back? I think that’s why it was easy after the fact — once you accept that you’ve got a condition, the best thing to do is shut it down and take care of what you can. What did you do with yourself once you shut everything down? The Jets again came to me as a person, not as an athlete or an asset. Chevy and Paul (Maurice) both sat me down and said, “Listen, we’re going to get you out of here. We’re going to send you home. We don’t think you’re a bad guy for going home. But this isn’t something that we can treat on a day-to-day basis.” So I got to come home in November with the understanding that I check in once a month and let them know I was still around. It was one of those things where you’re feeling pretty separated from the team but, at the same time, it was probably the best thing for me mentally. You’re asking me if it’s hard to gear down. Think when you get thrown back into being a dad and trying to get your kids off to hockey practice and get them to school and pick them up. … I had plenty of things to do. I was never bored and, to be honest, them sending me home probably allowed me to deal with it even better. You’re not in your head, frustrated about the fact that you can’t do anything. You’re concerned about the people around you. And getting them to do what they need to do and helping out the Mrs., which is probably my primary job in this world anyways. And I imagine that being around the people you love helps you process things. I think so. I think isolation’s probably not a great thing. You know, especially on the mental side of things, whether dealing with the frustration or some of the anxiety of not being able to play. Just to get away from it and come here and focus on them and get out of my own head about it was great. And I had many conversations with Mullet about it, that hit home about what’s important at the time. Because they were talking about something that could be fatal. The stakes were just too high, so I never had that moment where I was going to push to rush back. Everybody involved was super supportive. I got calls from the guys and the coaches and everybody checking in. You do feel separated from the team and you’re not doing the day to day, but they did the best they could to keep me up on things while still putting together a pretty remarkable season. Right on. And that was another thing. They’ve always treated me as part of the team. Even the mothers’ trip. I mean, I hadn’t played since November 1175518 Vancouver Canucks Former Canucks players Alex Auld and Manny Malhotra also have kids participating in the Delta sessions. As for NHL players, getting back on the ice is more complicated. Ben Kuzma: Private arenas set COVID-19 bar for city rinks to think of In Phase 2 of the return to play launched Monday, players can use club reopening facilities on a volunteer basis to train and skate in groups of six. However, with only three Canucks currently in Vancouver — Chris Tanev, Alex Edler and Troy Stecher — concentrating more on off-ice BEN KUZMA regimens than skating at Rogers Arena is a priority for now. June 9, 2020 4:40 PM PDT The arena is closed, the ice isn’t in and all safety measures need to be in place.

Tanev is skating on is own and Popke, who does skill sessions with Edler Remember Pac-Man? and Brandon Sutter, said he’ll put an NHL group together for sessions at If you’re a minor hockey parent you probably do. If you’re a minor hockey a private rink, if there’s sufficient local demand. player, you probably have no idea what mom and dad are talking about when they reminisce about the video-game craze. Vancouver Province: LOADED: 06.10.2020 And yet, Pac-Man is the link for all to understand the zigzag progression for arena safety amid the coronavirus pandemic. Private facilities in the Lower Mainland, including Planet Ice — Great Pacific Forum in Delta, are setting the bar for Vancouver rinks to consider reopening as B.C. continues to flatten the COVID-19 case curve. “A precedent has been set on how this can be done safely,” said Derek Popke, founder and president of Vancouver Hockey Schools Ltd. “The city rinks could open and roll out the same plan. It works. Hockey players and figure skaters will know how to follow the restrictions. “As coaches, we provide the safest environment. And during these uncertain times, it has really shown the importance of sports in youth development and well-being. “Hockey provides a social avenue for these kids to be with their friends and peers and that’s a huge part.” Well before players wind their way to the ice, they’re already dressed and directed by arena staff where to go and what to avoid. Only 10 players are allowed on the ice in each session and they’re split into groups of five and use two locker-rooms. Only one parent per child is admitted to the arena. No siblings and no in- and-out privileges. Parents must stand behind signs on the arena glass to maintain safe distancing. Players also get a numbered sticker to match a water bottle spread out at the bench. And they have 15 minutes to take their skates off and quickly exit the facility to allow the next group to enter 30 minutes later. Two coaches are allowed on the ice and there are no contact drills or checking. Even one-on-one rushes have changed because distancing has to be in place. However, kids are still creatures of habit. Chatting on the ice or the bench and camaraderie in the room are normal, but these aren’t normal times. “The first session it was a bit odd for the kids to be changing in the parking lot and finding how much they had to be distanced in the dressing room,” said Popke. “Once in a while, you had to tell the kids to have distance, but it’s very rare now. They understand it. It has almost become the norm and parents have been reinforcing it and it’s been really impressive. If we don’t follow the restrictions, we could be in a position where it (arena) could shut down and nobody gets to skate.” A private facility in Ottawa opened May 21 but was temporarily shut down the next day because COVID-19 safety codes weren’t adhered to. The arena was booked solid for 14 hours a day over a two-week period and attracted Ontario native Claude Giroux, captain of the Philadelphia Flyers, to the first day of availability. The Delta rink has been operating for six weeks. Popke’s sessions have been going for a month and started with eight players and one coach. It’s now two coaches and 10 players and will move to 12 players and three coaches by the end of June. Former NHL defenceman Eric Brewer has a 10-year-old daughter, Hadley, who’s at the Atom level in the Vancouver Thunderbirds program. She has quickly adhered to the Delta arena restrictions and so has her father. “I think it’s great,” said Brewer. “Everyone kind of gets it, so you just do it and the kids don’t take up much room on the ice. I was little hesitant at first, coming into the summer and having options, with tennis and soccer coming back are slow to get going. “It’s keeping kids busy. They miss that connection with their buddies and it makes the sport a little bit easier.” 1175519 Vancouver Canucks And if there are exhibition games, maybe he piques the interest of another club. He’s not old at 27 and isn’t a fiscal strain at a US$3.36 million cap hit. Markstrom makes Canucks extension case, Baertschi banter, lauding The Canucks are loaded on the left side and, to his credit, Baertschi Larionov sucked up an early demotion and finished with 46 points (13-33) in 43 AHL games. But he needs to play in the top six in the NHL to be effective and a concussion-plagued career is worrisome. In 2019-20, he played just 26 games and managed 14 points (9-5). BEN KUZMA The Canucks tried to trade Baertschi from the outset of this season. June 9, 2020 4:07 PM PDT ALL HAIL ‘PROFESSOR’

Benning played with Igor Larionov. 'I’ve said all along that (Markstrom) is an important guy for us.' — Canucks GM Jim Benning. He knows what it means for a prized prospect to have one of the game’s true professors in his corner. Two consecutive Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy nominations look good on any NHL resume, but do they carry weight at the contract table? It’s why the report of intriguing winger Vasili Podkolzin possibly being captain of the Russian team for the world junior tournament, and under For unrestricted free agent Jacob Markstrom, being selected again by the the direction of Larionov as head coach, could be a boon. Professional Hockey Writers Association’s Vancouver chapter as the local award nominee is a fitting salute to the Vancouver Canucks’ starting There is a good chance Podkolzin could be the captain of the Russian goaltender. He has endured personal pain, a knee injury and continued junior team says Larionov, “You can read between the lines, he will be a to grow his game. strong candidate to get the C.” #Canucks— Rick Dhaliwal (@DhaliwalSports) June 9, 2020 A leave of absence to be with his cancer-stricken father, Anders, in Sweden in October and then attending a celebration of life there in Podkolzin, who was selected 10th overall by the Canucks in the 2019 December after he had died were gut-wrenching. draft, has another year left on his KHL deal. Larionov could help advance his learning curve to eventually transition to the NHL. Markstrom had to muster the resolve for a remarkable season. It included an 11-2-0 run from mid-December to February followed by setting a “I talked to Igor and he loves the player and the person,” said Benning. career-high and franchise record 49 saves Feb. 12 in a 3-0 win over the “He calls him an old-school player and he likes how he shows up and Chicago Blackhawks on jersey retirement night for Henrik and Daniel competes. And Igor is one of the smartest players to ever play the game, Sedin. so it’s a great opportunity for Vasili.” It’s why the 30-year-old Swede is the club’s most valuable player and a Masterton contender. Since the inception of the award in the 1967-68 season, a Canuck has yet to capture the honour. Vancouver Province: LOADED: 06.10.2020

So, what does this mean for a Markstrom contract extension? He’s a UFA priority along with Tyler Toffoli and Chris Tanev, but the Canucks have 10 expiring contracts on their current roster. And next year they have to buck up for Elias Pettersson and Quinn Hughes. As for Markstrom, there’s no doubting the player and the person. “To know behind the scenes of everything he was going through — and coming back from Sweden to play that game against the Rangers (Oct. 20, 3-2 win, 38 saves) — and to just show consistency and a high standard was something,” Canucks general manager Jim Benning said Tuesday. The GM doesn’t need to see how Markstrom performs in the qualifying round against the Minnesota Wild to better gauge his worth. Markstrom hasn’t been in the post-season since backstopping the AHL-affiliate Utica Comets to the Calder Cup final in 2015. “We know what’s he’s capable of,” stressed Benning. “It’s the reason when I took the job that we wanted to get him to Utica that year (2015) and develop because we knew there was a high side to his game. It’s been a bit of a journey and we’re seeing what he’s capable of on a nightly basis. “I’ve said all along that he’s an important guy for us. My intent is to figure out something that works for him and us. I’m hoping to get him signed, but that’s part of the business — we’ll have to wait and see.” Markstrom wants to stay in Vancouver. That should be leverage for Benning. But if Markstrom’s camp sees salary as much of an issue as term with a flat cap next season, an expiring annual salary cap of US$3.6 million is going to get a boost. He had better numbers this season than fellow UFAs Robin Lehner, (US$5 million cap hit) and Braden Holtby (US$6 million). There also won’t be a burgeoning free-agent market for cash-strapped teams. Even the term-for-salary exchange seems moot because who would sign long term for less money and then see the league’s hockey- related revenue rebound? Sven Baertschi believes he’s an NHL player and has a year left on his contract. In a perfect world, the left winger would show something at training camp next month as one of 10 projected skater recalls from the Comets to bolster the Canucks’ expanded post-season roster. 1175520 Vancouver Canucks Jacob Markstrom talks with goalie coach Ian Clark during the second day of 2019 Canucks training camp in Victoria in September. Gerry Kahrmann / PNG Patrick Johnston: Through personal tragedy, Jacob Markstrom has The work he’s put in with goalie coach Ian Clark the last two seasons has persevered been notable.

“He wants his goalies to do great. He wants them to reach their full potential,” Green said of Clark, who returned to the Canucks before the PATRICK JOHNSTON 2018-19 season after a decade away. He changed the way Markstrom played and connected with him in a way that no goalie coach has ever June 9, 2020 6:03 PM PDT quite managed before. “You’ve got to give the player credit for buying in and being open to Jacob Markstrom has been nominated for the Bill Masterton Memorial change and open to being pushed,” Green said. He also handed a great Trophy in recognition of his perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication deal of credit to Clark for the sensitivity he showed towards Markstrom at to hockey by the Vancouver chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers' a challenging time. Association. “Clarkie did a really good job working with him and staying on top of Between personal tragedy and on-ice brilliance, the 2019-20 National things while still understanding the sensitivity behind what he might be Hockey League season has been a remarkable story for Vancouver going through. I think it’s important with coaches that they understand the Canucks goalie Jacob Markstrom. sensitivity needed when a player goes through something that isn’t just hockey related, that you have to make sure that you as a coach are The 30-year-old Swede posted strong numbers again this season, his keeping that in mind as well.” second straight year of playing to the potential that was so talked about in his younger days. This season he was among the league’s best puck stoppers and a key reason for the Canucks’ push to the playoffs. Vancouver Province: LOADED: 06.10.2020 Off the ice has been as difficult as it can be for Markstrom with his father passing away in early November from cancer. He played on for nearly a month before taking a leave of absence to return to Sweden to be with his family. And while his life was full of stress and sadness, he played some of the best hockey of his life. Even when he returned from a week in Sweden he upped his game even more, leading his team to a series of surprising wins around Christmas. For the second year in a row, Jacob Markstrom has been nominated for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy in recognition of his perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey by the Vancouver chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association. The trophy is awarded annually to the NHL player who best exemplifies these qualities. The trophy honours the late Bill Masterton, the only NHL player to die from injuries sustained in a game. Canucks goaltender Jacob Markstrom, who makes a save with Chicago Blackhawks’ captain Jonathan Toews looking for a rebound, has been superb this season. Markstrom is the player on the Canucks team that head coach Travis Green has known the longest, going back to Green’s second season as head coach of the Utica Comets. Markstrom had been picked up in a trade for Roberto Luongo at the end of the previous season. His first season in Utica saw Markstrom lead the Comets to the Calder Cup final. In other words, Green knows Markstrom well and he’s proud of who he has become over the six years they’ve been together. Times weren’t always rosy, he said, but through the easy conversations and the tough conversations, there’s been a positive relationship as both coach and player pushed toward an NHL dream. “He’s grown every year,” Green said. “When I first met him, he had a really strong fire to play in the NHL and make the NHL. I’ve seen him find his way. Grow. Learn. Make bigger sacrifices to become the goalie he is today.

“I’m proud of him. As a coach, you enjoy it when you see players have success. You care about players. You have to.” “I think it’s a great choice,” Green said, then ticking off the three boxes that are essential to the award. “It says a lot about him as a teammate, as a person and as a player. You’re happy when guys get recognized for doing good things. “He’s dedicated, he plays a lot of games. He’s always ready, in a position to be ready all the time. For sportsmanship, here’s a competitive guy that also has learned to keep his fire burning hot and yet carry himself in the right way. “You look at what he’s done for our group, first of all, as far as standing in there (every) night and playing very well, standing in to talk to media when it’s hard. But also individually, what he’s persevered through this year with the loss of his father and how he handled that internally within our group for himself and with his family.” 1175521 Vancouver Canucks edge over Miller in the eyes of Luszczyszyn’s model. Regardless, the Canucks were one of just five teams to have two forwards rank top-20 league-wide. Where does J.T. Miller rank among the NHL’s elite forwards? On the Pettersson/Miller relationship It’s obviously not enough to solely focus on this year to determine Miller’s value moving forward. Betting on a player to repeat a career season is By Harman Dayal the root cause of many of the mistakes teams make. Jun 9, 2020 The good news is that there aren’t any immediate red flags in Miller’s underlying profile that suggest he’s in line for a major regression. There’s perhaps room for a slight correction when looking at his individual and A lot was expected from J.T. Miller when the Canucks surrendered a on-ice shooting percentages, but nothing too alarming. conditional first-round pick to the Tampa Bay Lightning for his services. If we’re comparing Miller to elite players around the league, a question It goes without saying that he’s shattered even the most optimistic that’s bound to be asked, especially outside the Vancouver market, is expectations since. how much Miller relied on Pettersson for his production. To that end, there are at least a couple of strong rebuttals. The first is that almost all Miller seamlessly fit with the young core — tying Elias Pettersson for the top forwards have the same luxury of playing on a line with other elite club lead in goals with 27 goals, while finishing 17th among all NHL talents. The table below, which shows the NHL’s top-10 leading point skaters with a team-leading 72 points in 69 games. The 27-year-old scorers this season and their two most common linemates according to added tremendous value as a two-way play driver and his versatility time-on-ice, proves that. jumpstarted whatever line needed a spark. With the exception of Artemi Panarin, Jack Eichel and Patrick Kane, It’s obvious to anyone who examines Miller’s profile that he was nothing every player on the list benefitted by stepping over the boards with star short of elite in his inaugural Canucks campaign. This begs two talent by their side. questions — how did Miller stack up against the league’s best forwards and is his breakout performance repeatable? Collectively, the answer to Now, this isn’t to say that there aren’t players who’ve historically ridden both questions can give us an estimation for where he ranks among the the coattails of a superstar linemate, but our process of finding skaters game’s most valuable players moving forward. who piggybacked on their teammates has to go deeper. For this, we can peel back the layers of each player’s point totals to see if anyone’s In examining what Miller brought to the table this season, the gaudy production was disproportionately reliant on another teammate. The most offensive totals are one thing, but his impact went far deeper than what infamous example of this is Jonathan Cheechoo, whose numbers you see on the surface. cratered following a 2005-06 campaign where he won the Rocket Richard with 56 goals. With Cheechoo, the catch was that Joe Thornton Evolving-Hockey shows that teammates controlled play significantly had a point on a whopping 73 percent of the points Cheechoo scored better when they shared the ice with Miller — improving their shot during that breakout campaign. differential by almost 9 attempts per hour (8.9 to be exact) with him compared to when they were without him. There were seven Vancouver Similarly, when Conor Sheary garnered 53 points 61 games in 2016-17, skaters that spent at least 250 minutes with Miller at 5-on-5 and each of Sidney Crosby had a point on 71 percent of that production. Sheary, of those seven saw a prodigious boost in their ability to outshoot and out- course, hasn’t cracked 35 points in a campaign since that season. chance the opposition. When you dive into this year’s data, none of the NHL’s top producers In practical terms, this means that the former first-round pick played an seem overly reliant on their teammates for offence (nobody comes close important role in pushing play up the ice and ensured that the Canucks to the 70+ percent range that Cheechoo and Sheary found themselves spent more shifts in the offensive zone with puck possession. Miller’s in) and with Miller specifically, you’ll see that he generated a lot of his impact in this department shines relative to his peers as only 13 forwards points independent of Pettersson. in the NHL had a stronger relative to teammate impact on shot attempt differential. Pettersson got a point on just 30 of Miller’s 72 points for a 41.7 percent ratio that stacks up comfortably below the cohort’s average. Miller and Watching video helps us highlight the strengths that enabled Miller to Pettersson have unquestionably benefitted from playing together, but have this type of subtle control over 5-on-5 play. With the puck, he has they’ve also scored points independently and there’s no sign here that excellent awareness in innately knowing both where his teammates are Miller has ridden Pettersson’s coattails. This conclusion may sound fairly and where pressure is coming from. This allows him to make calculated obvious to anyone who watched the Canucks and the type of impact decisions accordingly. Miller was able to make on his own, but it’s an important distinction to make nonetheless when one ponders where he fits among hockey’s This is most obvious on breakouts where instead of making the first play most prolific forwards. he sees, he often holds onto the puck for a split second longer and resets. As a result, in situations where other wingers might flip the puck The other factor worth pointing out when it comes to sustainability is into the neutral zone, Miller often slows down and makes an alternative acknowledging just how crucial a boost in minutes was for his production. play to ensure that the team retains possession. Last year, the American-born winger had an all situations scoring rate of 2.56 points per 60 minutes while averaging 14:40 per game. If you Without the puck, he’s smart on the forecheck, recovers pucks well and extrapolate last year’s 2.56 points per hour clip over the 20:06 he does an excellent job of pressuring breakouts, making it very difficult for averaged this season, Miller would have notched roughly 59 points the other team to exit the defensive zone with possession. The end result through 69 games. is a player who advances the puck up ice with possession and prevents the opposition from doing the same. It’s no wonder why he can have In other words, if he produced points at the exact same efficiency that he such a notable influence at even-strength. did in 2018-19, he still would have been operating at a clear-cut first-line rate in Vancouver this year. This tells us that the massive uplift in ice- One of the ways to account for Miller’s all-round strength is to use time was more important for his production boost than the actual scoring colleague Dom Luszczyszyn’s Game Score model. Game Score is an all- efficiency increase (3.1 points per hour this year). From a sustainability encompassing estimate of how many wins a player added for his team perspective, this is good news and suggests that a drop in efficiency based on factors such as their offensive production and play-driving shouldn’t catastrophically affect his point totals. ability. Through this lens, we can see that Miller ranked 15th among all NHL forwards in terms of the number of wins he added. Where does all of this research leave us? One elite season isn’t enough for him to profile as a perennial top-20 forward and while there aren’t red It’s usually good news if you’re sandwiched between Patrice Bergeron flags that suggest his offensive impact will crater, his shooting and Jack Eichel for a statistic and that’s exactly where Miller finds percentages are a tad high and so we could see a slight correction. himself. What may surprise some people is that Pettersson ranked ahead of Miller at ninth with an additional 0.28 wins in value. That margin can With this in mind, my estimate is that Miller slots somewhere in the 25-50 largely be explained by the revelatory rate at which Pettersson created range if we’re trying to rank the NHL’s best forwards heading into next power-play opportunities — drawing a whopping 31 penalties while season. I’ve definitely projected a wide range, but the margin for the 25- taking just nine himself (+22 differential). 50 cohort is so slim that the names are more or less interchangeable. Once you factor in that the Canucks scored on 24.1 percent of their Opinions may differ on how Miller compares to the NHL’s elite skaters, power plays, you’ll note that Pettersson was directly responsible for but what everyone can agree on is that it’s remarkable that we’re even about 5-6 man-advantage goals, irrespective of whether he was the one having this discussion. Because for as much as we thought Miller would to actually score or not. It’s this subtle contribution that gives him the be an excellent fit in Vancouver, nobody could have seen him ascending to the heights he’s reached this season.

The Athletic LOADED: 06.10.2020 1175522 Websites Trainers pointed out there was likely some baseline testing done before Phase 2, along with the medical and COVID-19 testing, to get a feel where each player is at before putting them into groups of six. The Athletic / As Phase 2 opens, how do players get in hockey shape “The biggest challenge for the guys is there’s still no set return date,” said without risking injury? former Coyotes and Jets winger Brett McLean, who trains players in Ontario. “As a player, when your season is over, you know when camp starts, when the regular season starts and it’s easy to plan and time for when you want to peak. By Joe Smith “Right now, there’s a window that keeps getting pushed back, so it’s a Jun 9, 2020 matter of getting back on the ice and starting to get our feet back, but not pushing too fast where you peak too early and get hurt. It’s a big challenge for guys to stay patient. A lot of older guys, who have been TAMPA, Fla. — When it came to the Lightning’s much-anticipated first around, they’ll probably be patient there and not jump into it to save their day back to work Tuesday, veteran defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk had a bodies. The younger guys are pumped and want to go a million miles an good word for it. hour. Right now, not doing that is super important.” “Strange.” Shattenkirk pointed out there were no battle drills in the first day of workouts, and there likely won’t be early on. It’s not just because they’re There was the temperature check Shattenkirk had to complete when he trying to perform “social distancing.” The key in the first week or so is to woke up in his Tampa home (hopefully after a healthy night’s rest with work on their edges and form skating-wise, get their cardio back up and almost 1-year-old son Connor). Shattenkirk had to send his results to get a feel for their hands. head athletic trainer Tommy Mulligan and report if he had any COVID-19 symptoms before being allowed to come to Amalie Arena for the first day With most of the Lightning players still in town — only Luke Schenn and of Phase 2 — small-group workouts. He got temperature tested again Victor Hedman are out of the United States — they split into several when he arrived, just a small part of the 29 pages of protocols the NHL groups of six between Amalie Arena and TGH Sportsplex in Brandon. requires. Media were not allowed in the building per the protocols. They each had three hours to get through their on-ice and off-ice workouts, with a group that included Erik Cernak, Barclay Goodrow, “You’re keeping your mask on at all times pretty much in any situation Ondrej Palat, Cedric Paquette and Jan Rutta skating in Brandon. While where you’re not being active,” Shattenkirk said to reporters on a Zoom the players must remain in the same groups for all of Phase 2, the call. “So you could be working out with a mask. And you needed to stay workouts are strictly voluntary so the number of players skating each day six feet away from the closest person. could vary. “Other than that, the work side of it — it was standard.” Trainers will keep an eye on how the players recover from each workout, knowing that hips and core/groin injuries could pop up during the Well, as standard as it could be with just a group of six players, which included Vezina Trophy-winning goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy, captain adjustment. Steven Stamkos, Hart Trophy-winner Nikita Kucherov, Masterton Trophy “The general public likes to perceive the guys as robots and not human nominee Alex Killorn and defenseman Mikhail Sergachev. The beings,” Prentiss said. “But you have to take into account the human Lightning’s groups did some skating drills on tight turning, received element. Maybe some of the guys were a little bit lax with their nutrition passes, fired shots on Vasilevskiy and the much easier to beat Shooter and that can affect the way you play, the way you sleep or if you’re Tutor (nylon netting in goal). stressed out and nervous about your situation in the pandemic, that can have an impact too.” “Makes you feel better about yourself,” Shattenkirk joked. Prentiss said he was doing Zoom calls and workouts with players three- The mood was overall excitement, energetic, with the NHL having been shut down since mid-March, nearly three months ago. This had been the to-four times a week during the pandemic, and noted some should be longest most players had gone without skating, so the simple ready to hit the gym hard. But others are still working their way back, so they’ll need some sort of aerobic base, which will help in recovery. stickhandling, shooting and speed drills probably felt more magical than the usual mundane. Even the 2-on-2 they played in the end, fooling “If guys haven’t been working out, you can’t all of a sudden go to around, was something to celebrate. plyometrics and speed work,” he said. “You have to have strength to “I don’t think anyone would have been going in there thinking we were produce that force or power. Some guys might not be able to do jumps and sprints and Olympic lifts.” doing anything groundbreaking,” Shattenkirk said. “The most important thing is guys coming back, getting on the ice and making sure they’re not Shattenkirk said his group did an off-ice workout in the gym led by injured — or going too hard too soon.” strength and conditioning coach Mark Lambert, with some exercises This is an important and potentially telling stretch for NHL players across similar to what they would do during the season. Dan Noble, the offseason trainer for the Lightning’s Anthony Cirelli and the Maple Leafs’ the league, who are trying to get ready for a potential mid-July training Mitch Marner, said there was a good collaboration between them and camp and August Stanley Cup playoffs. What they do, and don’t do, in this three-week stretch of small group workouts could go a long way. team trainers during the pause. Several athletic trainers and coaches said there’s going to be a delicate For the most part, the Lightning players stuck to the team’s workout plans, with some slight adjustments depending on what access they had balance in players pushing themselves, with this scenario being a to equipment, etc. Noble, a big advocate of sprinting for his athletes, said “perfect storm” for hip and muscle injuries. It’ll be a test both mentally and physically, with whichever teams handle this period better putting itself on Cirelli did his share of tempo runs along with his regular weight work (and more solid footing to raise hockey’s holy grail. rollerblading). For any player, whether you’re a veteran or rookie, it’s time to go back to “Some guys have done absolutely nothing and they’re in grave danger of the basics a bit. Coaches aren’t allowed in these small-group sessions, injury and poor performance,” said -based trainer Ben Prentiss, who works with NHLers like Shattenkirk, Max Pacioretty, Chris but there’s no doubt players that are used to the team’s style and Kreider and formerly with Hall of Famer Martin St. Louis. “There are guys systems can create a plan like a captain’s practice. And it would be shocking if the coaching staff didn’t have input on these drills. who have home gyms that have been running, plus using equipment and are in August shape. And there are plenty of guys in between. “The most important thing at this point is movement mechanics, on and “You’re going to see injuries. No matter how much guys used the off the ice, and conditioning,” Noble said. “Those are two things heavily Peloton, nothing simulates skating in terms of energy, systems. To me, it focused on right now. You can always get some basic strength work in. But you can’t do everything right now so you have to be really targeted. will be equal part mental and physical.” You do less things well versus everything shitty. What makes this particularly challenging for both players and their trainers is how this can vary based on the individual. “I wouldn’t get into 1-on-1 battles and that for the first week or so. You can do a lot of small-area games, 2-on-2s, 3-on-2s, game-like scenarios. We’ve seen how NHL players had to be “creative” in their quarantine You can do a lot with five guys, but you can’t go right into it, there’s got to workouts, with forwards juggling toilet paper with their sticks, others be a level of conditioning first.” squatting their dogs or pushing cars. Some players had access to more equipment than others, and while teams offered at-home workout Not every player is back in their home city for Phase 2. programs to their guys — the Lightning one I tried myself — each athlete There are many others, including on the Lightning, who are staying at is coming back with a different level of fitness/preparation. their offseason homes and have access to rinks. Schenn, for example, is in Kelowna, B.C., with a group of NHLers. Tyler Johnson is in Idaho. Pat Maroon is in St. Louis. Victor Hedman is in his hometown of Ovik, Sweden. And Ryan McDonagh is in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area where he’s from. McDonagh is with a group of about nine-to-12 NHLers, including the Islanders’ Anders Lee, the Flyers’ Justin Braun and the Capitals’ Brenden Dillon, all training with former Golden Gopher standout P.J. Atherton. Atherton, who runs Atherton Hockey, said they’re doing their own small group workouts the next few weeks at a local facility. There are some precautions taken, from no locker room access (players arrive with their gear on), separate entrances and exits, individual water bottles, etc. There are no contact drills. “I’m a little bit different in my approach as I’m trying to open up as much movement as possible to get them into different movement patterns,” Atherton said. “Then you go into drills where they have to make decisions. I’m a big believer that skill is tied to decision-making, so you can’t isolate the two. We’ll do things like light-pressure sticks in the way where you have to read where the guy’s hips and feet are pointing. We’re not doing any contact but we are doing mirroring drills where you have to stay in front of your guy.” Atherton thinks there could be a benefit in this setup, where there will be several weeks of small groups and then a full three-week training camp. Players will get a chance to do skill work they might not have focused on late in a regular season or during playoff practices. This group plans to skate two-to-three times a week and do a full weeklong “training camp” before the actual camps might begin in mid-July. (No date is set for training camp but the NHL has said it will not be before July 10.) “There’s an opportunity to sharpen some of the tools that they have to maybe think about some things in a different way when they do go back,” Atherton said.

Mike Kadar, a head strength and conditioning coach for 18 years (split between the Kings, Penguins and Red Wings), said it will be a major benefit that most teams will be 100 percent healthy by the time these small groups and then camp is going on. The Lightning are a prime example with Stamkos recovered from early March core surgery, Rutta back from a lower-body injury, and McDonagh and Hedman healthy after dealing with minor injuries down the stretch. “I think players will need six-to-eight weeks of good cardio and muscle work in order to compete at the highest level,” said Kadar, now the manager of prospect strength and conditioning for the Devils. “I think guys will transition pretty well. Guys are excited to go. It shouldn’t be a huge uphill climb.” Kadar’s challenge is a much different one, like the rest of the non-playoff teams, in how do you create a workout plan when your last game was in mid-March and your next game may not be until December or January? Will they be able to have their own mini-camps with the other eliminated teams? “I think our guys would love to trade spots (with playoff teams),” Kadar said. Noble said there is enough time for players to get back into shape. They’re all well-conditioned athletes. “The top one percent of the one percent,” as Atherton added. Said Noble, “Everything they’ve done the last 10 years is not thrown out the window after missing three months of training.”

But that doesn’t mean it’ll be easy, and it’ll require a fine balance. Not to mention one of the toughest tasks yet for teams’ medical and training staffs. “It’s not their fault — they can’t control what guys were doing the last four months,” Prentiss said of the team’s trainers and strength and conditioning coaches. “But once you get (the players) back, it’ll be a test on the strength coach and trainers, therapists and skating coaches on putting ‘Humpty Dumpty’ back together again.”

The Athletic LOADED: 06.10.2020 1175523 Websites “Some guys you’re on the phone with for five or 10 minutes. With Kap, it’s an hour. An hour of educating,” Aliu says. “He thinks before he answers. He’ll pause, just to make sure he’s articulating what he’s trying to say. Man, he’s a special person.” The Athletic / How Colin Kaepernick became a guiding force in the fight for diversity in hockey Last month, Aliu shared an impassioned essay titled Hockey Isn’t For Everyone, in which he addressed the racism, misogyny, bullying and homophobia that permeates hockey culture. He offered suggestions for how to create a system that fosters diversity from the grassroots level to By Dan Robson the NHL. Aliu says it took several weeks to carefully consider and write Jun 9, 2020 the essay. Less than a week after Aliu’s explosive first-person story was published, George Floyd was killed during an arrest in Minneapolis when a police When Colin Kaepernick joined a call with seven black hockey players officer kneeled on his neck for nearly nine minutes. That officer, Derek who’ve skated at the highest level of the game, they weren’t expecting a Chauvin, has been charged with second-degree murder and history lesson in their own sport. manslaughter. Three other officers involved have been charged with aiding and abetting murder. But the quarterback who sacrificed his NFL career by demonstrating against police violence toward black Americans came prepared when Floyd’s death, which was captured on video, sparked protests across the asked to connect with the group of former and current NHL players in the United States and around the world. On ESPN’s “First Take,” Evander late stages of establishing a new initiative targeting racism in hockey. Kane called for more athletes to speak out against racism, mentioning Tom Brady and Sidney Crosby by name. On the call last week, Kaepernick told the group to focus on the enormous role that black players had in developing hockey in Nova After Kane’s impassioned message, many prominent NHL players Scotia in the late 19th century. started to share public messages against anti-black racism on social media, including stars like Crosby, Connor McDavid, Jonathan Toews, “All of us on the Zoom call just stared into the screen,” says Akim Aliu, Logan Couture and Alex Ovechkin. Tyler Seguin joined protests in the the former NHL player at the heart of the newly launched Hockey streets of Dallas. Diversity Alliance (HDA). “He knew about the history of the game. He said, ‘You guys created this game. That’s something that people need to It was a notable departure from the relative silence among NHL players know.’ ” that has followed previous discussions of racism within hockey, a sport predominantly played by white people. Aliu says the recent messages of Kaepernick spent the next hour and 40 minutes chatting with Aliu, support are appreciated, but they also raise the question of why it took so Evander Kane, Trevor Daley, Matt Dumba, Wayne Simmonds, Chris long for white players in the game to speak out — and whether those Stewart and Joel Ward, sharing advice and ideas about eradicating calls for change will last. racism and intolerance in hockey at all levels. “It’s tough because everyone knows there have been issues for so long. I “We thought we were going to have to educate him on where hockey spoke out about it in November. Trevor Daley had his situation years ago came from and what it is,” Aliu says. “But man, he was bang on.” … K’Andre Miller had a situation months ago. There’s been issues. Why speak up about it now?” says Aliu. “But at the end of the day, it’s really The seven players officially launched the HDA on Monday. The group aims to use its platform to promote diversity at all levels, through tough to look at what’s authentic and what’s not. I want to look at it in a community outreach and engagement with youth — while also working positive way. At least players are speaking up now. I hope they continue to do that. I hope they continue to strive for change.” with the NHL to foster accountability in developing diversity and inclusivity in hockey. A charitable arm of the organization is set to be Headed by Aliu and Kane, the HDA intends to be a force in fostering that announced in the coming weeks. change at all levels of the game, aiming to engage with youth while The group first discussed the creation of what is now the HDA in working to make hockey more affordable and accessible. One specific area the group intends to work on is finding ways to lower the cost of November, within days of revelations from Aliu that led to the resignation equipment for hockey gear for families that can’t afford to play the game. of Calgary Flames head coach Bill Peters, who used racist language toward Aliu while coaching him in the American Hockey League. “Economically the game is not sustainable for very many people,” Aliu At the time, most current NHL players remained silent about the issue. says. “Right off the top that eliminates the majority of the kids who could have had potential in the sport.” But Aliu says he found support in other black players who had experienced racism in hockey — such as Daley, who was the target of a Although the HDA is separate from the NHL, it plans to work with the racial slur as a junior player with the Sault Ste Marie Greyhounds in 2003 league with a specific focus on accountability, and developing inclusivity by his head coach and general manager, John Vanbiesbrouck. and diversity in every area from the fans in the stands to the decision (Vanbiesbrouck, who had a successful career as an NHL goalie, is now makers in the front office. an executive with USA Hockey.) In a statement, NHL executive vice president Kim Davis said that the Akim Aliu shared his experiences with racism in hockey late last year. league is supportive of efforts that are intended to advance the role of (Thomas Skrlj for The Athletic) hockey in society. Aliu began speaking with Kaepernick shortly after he went public with his “We are hopeful that this alliance will collaborate with our NHL structured story late last year. The two athletes share the same lawyer and chat council and committees — particularly the Players Inclusion Committee regularly. — to bring ideas for change,” Davis said. “He’s a beacon of strength,” says Aliu. “Look at how long it took for him to Aliu says the HDA intends to work with the NHL, but that it was also finally be the hero and not be the villain.” important that the group is independent of the league. Kaepernick began kneeling during the U.S. national anthem before NFL “We have to have a say in decisions that are made. We’d love to work games in 2016 as a quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers in response with them collaboratively. That’s our goal. That’s our intention,” he says. to police violence against black people. The protests of Kaepernick and “I would hope that they would welcome that, but knowing that we other players drew the ire of U.S. President Donald Trump, who called for definitely want for our voices to be heard.” NFL owners to release players who kneeled during the national anthem. Kaepernick’s activism is widely believed to have led to his subsequent While the group was founded by a small group of friends who have had rejection from NFL rosters. similar experiences with racism in the sport, Aliu says the intent is to include leaders in women’s hockey and groups that have been In the years since, Kaepernick has received more mainstream support. marginalized within the game. He has become one of the most recognizable athletes in the world. In 2018, Nike released an ad featuring Kaepernick with the message, “We’re welcome to having everyone who shares our values,” he says. “Believe in something. Even if it means sacrificing everything.” “We’ll be talking to everybody.”

For Aliu, Kaepernick has become a mentor, offering support through the Speaking to the members of the HDA last week, Kaepernick helped months since he first told his story. Before sending out the official brainstorm ideas and provided support. His voice was an added announcement of the HDA this week, Aliu says he texted the statement inspiration to the group as they prepared to take a public stand against to Kaepernick. racism. “You see how long he’s been blackballed by the NFL and how long he’s been alienated from everything,” Aliu says. “And now he’s a true hero. I feel that’s what he really deserves.” A message from Kaepernick that particularly resonated with Aliu was the place that the efforts of this group might hold in history. He recalls a conversation in which they discussed that Stanley Cup champions might not be remembered two or three decades on — but that people who have helped created change in society will be remembered for hundreds of years. “I’m hoping that’s where we fit in as a group,” Aliu says. “I’m overwhelmed by the support. … I’m not going to let the moment pass. Because that’s what I believe. I want to make the world better for the next generation. I’m lucky enough to have guys surrounding me in the HDA who have the same mindset and feel as strongly about these things as I do.” Aliu shared the message he received from Kaepernick before sending out the HDA announcement on Monday morning. “I’m proud of you brother,” Aliu recalls it saying. “But we keep pushing. This is just the beginning.” It may be a starting point, but Aliu says the HDA won’t stop until it has witnessed the eradication of racism from the sport they love. He’s optimistic that a tipping point has been reached. “There has to be change,” Aliu says. “There will be change.”

The Athletic LOADED: 06.10.2020 1175524 Websites Skating Grade: 50 If I had to pick one weakness in Holtz’s game it would be his skating. It’s not bad. One NHL scout described it as between average and above- The Athletic / Pronman’s scouting report: Why Alexander Holtz is a top average, and I would agree with that statement, as I had a 55 on Holtz’s NHL prospect skating for a chunk of the past two years before ultimately deciding to go with a 50 as his grade.

He has enough quickness to skate at the pro level, and as an entry guy By Corey Pronman he has enough speed to gain the zone. But he’s not putting anyone on their heels or creating significant space with his speed or edge work. Jun 9, 2020 Holtz is often asked to be the main zone entry man for his team because he has a ton of skill and just enough speed to make it work often enough. Alexander Holtz is a dynamic goal-scoring winger who had a great Production season in Sweden’s top pro league and has been a top name on the prospect radar for a long time. Holtz scored nine goals and 16 points as a U18 in the SHL, ranking top 10 in the league’s history in scoring by a player that age and tied him for References to the 20-80 scouting scale are made in this column when third-most goals by a player that age. discussing his various tools. In this scale, 50 projects as pro average, 55 as above-average, 60 as top third, 70 as elite and 80 as among the very At the junior level in Sweden in his underage season, Holtz scored the best; on the opposite end, 45 is below-average and 40 is fringe pro most goals ever for a player that age in that league with 30 goals in 38 quality. I only grade the shot if it is notably good. games, which also led the J20 circuit that season. His goals per game trailed Daniel Sedin at that age, but it was ahead of Filip Forsberg, Shot Sebastian Collberg, Victor Rask and Jakub Vrana. Shot Grade: 70 Holtz internationally was an important part of Sweden’s world junior When most scouts, teammates or coaches are asked to describe Holtz, team. He had a good but not great tournament, fading versus the better the first thing mentioned is his shot or something related to his goal- teams that were quicker and stronger. He was a top player on Sweden’s scoring ability. Holtz has scored goals wherever he’s gone. The first time U18 team in 2019 that won the gold medal at the World Championships. I saw him play live years ago he got a puck high at the right circle and His 38 shots on goal in that tournament trailed only Jack Hughes and rifled a shot off the bar that was impossible to pick up. Cole Caufield, who were a year ahead of him. He can pick corners from mid-distance with his wrist shot. What the hockey world is saying He can wire past goalies with his slap shot (there’s no audio, but this Magnus Havelid, coach of Sweden’s U18 team: “He has a ton of goes off the post and in). character. He has great touch with the puck. He can score all kinds of goals and has the willingness to want to score goals.” He can beat goalies from the circles with his one-timer. Tomas Monten, coach of Sweden’s U20 team: “He’s mature in his body, His shot is very quick and accurate, and combined with his hands, he can he’s strong, he adapted to the pro level quickly. He’s good at finding to beat goalies at bad angles, something I’ve seen him do frequently. openings, he has the sense of when to take off to find an open space. He’s a shooter, he wants to shoot the puck and he wants to score goals.” “His shot is unbelievable,” said fellow top 2020 draft-eligible prospect Lucas Raymond. “If he gets an opportunity without a defender in front of Lucas Raymond, 2020 NHL draft-eligible prospect: “His shot is him it’s going in 9 out of 10 times.” enormous, and he has great vision and stickhandling.” That’s obviously a mild exaggeration, but Holtz is a player who, with the NHL scout: “He’s a determined kid. He handles himself like a pro. He right amount of scoring chances, has the potential to be a 30-goal scorer looked the part in the SHL using his skill and always in a position to in the NHL. shoot. His game translated from junior to pro. He doesn’t play afraid and handled the physical play.” Puck Skills NHL scout: “He’s a mature two-way winger with excellent stick skills. Puck Skills Grade: 65 He’s a finisher with a quick release in traffic and a nose for where to be around the cage.” Holtz’s goal-scoring is often discussed as his main strength, but I think his puck handling is at the same level in terms of what makes him a top Projection prospect. Holtz’s stickhandling displays are frequent, as he has been making highlight reels since he was extremely young. A lot has been expected of Holtz for years, and for the most part, he delivered on that promise in his first SHL season. He’s an exciting player Holtz has the ability to beat defenders clean with highly creative and who can break a shift open with his elite shot and hands. The flashy stickhandling displays. combination of his talent and his skill set is exciting. His in-tight coordination is exceptional. He has puck-on-a-string He’s not that big and he can be a bit of a perimeter player at times coordination and is very hard to strip of possession even when it seems because he wants to use his shot, but he works hard off the puck and will like he’s been beat. endear himself to coaches. He creates a lot of odd-man attacks and creates his own chances with The footspeed ideally picks up an extra step, but even without that, he’s his skill. shown he’s a top prospect given all the other positive things in his game. Holtz projects as a first-line winger who could score 30 goals in the NHL. Vision

Vision Grade: 60 Holtz’s role on a team is usually to be a trigger man or to put in chances The Athletic LOADED: 06.10.2020 in the hard areas, but he is a very good passer, as well. He isn’t a selfish player who has blinders on and just fires pucks. He’s looking to make a play, showing great hockey sense as far as when to look for options or take his shot. He has the patience to hold the puck for an extra second and have his head up to find options. He moves the puck like a pro, able to hold the puck when he needs to but also able to make high-pace passes through traffic. His great vision combined with his skill and shot make Holtz a multi- dimensional threat, and it’s why he’s been a top scorer wherever he’s gone. Skating 1175525 Websites NHL would never let Montreal advance after finding a way to get them into the playoffs. “There’s no way the NHL can allow this upset. The referees will be instructed to make sure Pittsburgh wins this series,” he joked. “The odds are much closer than they should be. Personally, I don’t The Athletic / Predictions unplugged: Anonymous NHL coach, scout and think Montreal should be in the playoffs … If Carey Price is on, look the exec pick play-in winners hell out. He’s one of the few people, I still think, is capable of stealing a series 100 percent by himself.”

Coach’s pick: Penguins By Craig Custance Executive’s pick: Penguins Jun 9, 2020 Scout’s pick: Penguins

Advancing team: Pittsburgh Penguins When one of the sources for this exercise was texted about participating, he wrote back: Can I do some homework first? It’s understandable. It No. 7 New York Islanders vs. No. 10 Florida Panthers seems like a long time ago since hockey was played. The playoffs also seem well into the future. Still, there’s something valuable about getting This was actually a sweep although the panelists weren’t quite as early impressions before the NHL’s eight play-in series have been broken convicted in picking the Islanders. “Islanders because of their structure. down exhaustively. They’re hard to play against. The Panthers are still finding their identity,” said the coach in explaining his Islanders pick. The scout picked the That’s the hope here. Islanders just because he felt he knew what to expect out of them versus Florida. “Too many question marks that I haven’t figured out yet on In asking an NHL scout, coach and executive to make predictions to help Florida,” he said. “They have some good pieces, I’m just not sure about us determine which team will advance for each of the NHL’s play-in any of it. The coach, goaltending, some questions as to whether that is in series, we’re getting their initial impressions and their gut feel for the a good relationship or not. I’m going Islanders and the lack of drama.” teams involved. Even if one joked, when asked about one of the series, “I wasn’t even aware of that matchup.” Coach’s pick: Islanders The fun part is, as time gets closer and assuming you’ve enjoyed this Executive’s pick: Islanders version, we can circle back with this group closer to the actual games. In the meantime, here are the predictions to advance as picked by our Scout’s pick: Islanders panel inside the game: Advancing team: New York Islanders Eastern Conference Western Conference No. 6 Carolina Hurricanes vs. No. 11 New York Rangers No. 8 Calgary Flames vs. No. 9 Winnipeg Jets The most interesting thing about this series may be who starts Game 1 in This series seemed to draw out the most debate while choosing and it goal for the Rangers, although the executive seemed convinced it wasn’t usually came down to having more faith in the Winnipeg goaltending than much of a debate. “I’d be shocked if (Igor) Shesterkin doesn’t,” he said. “I Calgary’s. “I’m a believer in (Connor) Hellebuyck said the executive. Said think he plays well enough for them to (beat Carolina).” Shesterkin the scout, “The Jets were playing good going into the shutdown. They started 12 games and won 10 of them for the Rangers, with a .932 save seemed like, after a lot of tough circumstances early on, things were percentage during the regular season. The executive was the only one of coming together … I think it’s a close series that goes either way.” the three to pick New York. “(The Hurricanes) are a little more of a Said the coach, “That one comes down to Hellebuyck versus those two veteran team. They play with such structure,” said the coach. “The goalies … Everywhere else, they’re pretty well even. I think that if Rangers, to me, are reckless and that’s not a bad thing. They’re a little Winnipeg does a good job shutting down Calgary’s top guys, Winnipeg more rock and roll. The Hurricanes are a little more jazz.” Added the comes out on top. They have good shutdown guys.” scout, “They get (Dougie) Hamilton back … They should be armed and ready to go.” Coach’s pick: Jets Coach’s pick: Hurricanes Executive’s pick: Jets

Executive’s pick: Rangers Scout’s pick: Jets Scout’s pick: Hurricanes Advancing team: Winnipeg Jets Advancing team: Carolina Hurricanes No. 5 Edmonton Oilers vs. No. 12 Chicago Blackhawks No. 8 Toronto Maple Leafs vs. No. 9 Columbus Blue Jackets This should be a fun series. You have the veteran Chicago Blackhawks going against the superstars in Edmonton. Normally, people in the This is a fascinating matchup because it’s a structured Blue Jackets team hockey world might tend to favor a team with loads of playoff experience that dealt with injuries during the regular season but still found ways to like Chicago but that wasn’t the case here. It was a clean sweep for win. You know they’re dangerous. They have last year’s upset of Tampa Edmonton. “In the short series, Dave Tippett and their penalty kill (No. 2 Bay as a confidence booster. This should be a fun, close series. “I’m in the NHL) combined with Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl — that’s going with the Blue Jackets only because I’m giving them the benefit of going to be just enough,” said the executive. “That’s a great series,” said the experience of winning last year,” said the executive. “They play so the coach. “The top-end guys with Chicago are great players but I don’t hard and the Leafs are going to have to match that competitiveness and know how much they have left.” hard game.” The executive was in the minority with his choice. Said the scout, “I think Toronto’s best game is better than Columbus’ best game.” Coach’s pick: Oilers Added the coach, “Columbus handles Toronto’s speed really well.” He still ended up going with the Leafs after praising the Blue Jackets. “They Executive’s pick: Oilers have some hidden studs in there,” he said. Scout’s pick: Oilers Coach’s pick: Maple Leafs Advancing team: Edmonton Oilers Executive’s pick: Blue Jackets No. 7 Vancouver Canucks vs. No. 10 Minnesota Wild Scout’s pick: Maple Leafs Another series in which all three panelists agreed in picking the winner Advancing team: Toronto Maple Leafs and also agreed in not feeling great about it. “It’s a tough one. I’ll probably go with the Canucks,” said the executive. “Just because of the No. 5 Pittsburgh Penguins vs. No. 12 Montreal Canadiens youth, the speed and the excitement.” “Canucks but that’s just a gut feeling,” said the coach. “Those are even teams for me. I like the goalie As much as we heard about the Carey Price fear factor when better in Vancouver. I think the young guys in Vancouver are just about determining the playoff system, there wasn’t anyone on the panel who superstars. The Wild, to me, are slow and old and they’re almost lucky to actually thought he would be enough for Montreal to advance. “This is be there. They’re like the Montreal of the West.” like the Yankees playing against a Triple-A team,” said the coach. “They’re so far apart on where they are on the curve. Penguins are Coach’s pick: Canucks detailed. They’ve won. They’re experienced. They’re top to bottom great. I think the Canadiens are lucky to be there.” The scout joked that the Executive’s pick: Canucks Scout’s pick: Canucks Advancing team: Vancouver Canucks No. 6 Nashville Predators vs. No. 11 Arizona Coyotes For the most part, the favorite got the heavy action in these predictions but if you’re looking for an upset pick, the Coyotes had real support. “I’ll go Arizona. Nashville, there’s something not right there. I don’t expect this layoff to have helped what’s not right,” said the scout. “Arizona has been a consistently hardworking team. That will pay off in this series, especially because I don’t think Nashville is a very hardworking team right now. I think center ice is a big problem there.” The executive picked the Predators and suggested they might be one of the teams that benefitted most from the pause. “They needed a reset,” he said. “I’ll lean on their experience and playoff maturity versus a younger Coyotes team.” The coach was on the fence and ultimately settled on Arizona. “I almost said Predators initially but to me, they haven’t been very good. Pekka (Rinne) hasn’t been very good,” he said. “Arizona is so detailed oriented. I’m going to go with Arizona on this one. Just for fun.” Coach’s pick: Coyotes Executive’s pick: Predators Scout’s pick: Coyotes Advancing team: Arizona Coyotes

The Athletic LOADED: 06.10.2020 1175526 Websites Sometimes it looks like he’s not going that fast because he slows the play down to create offense; it’s a balance. This is why I still don’t think he’s truly slow because he can move when The Athletic / Pronman’s scouting report: Why Cole Perfetti is a top NHL he wants to even if he’s not a burner, but his game has different levels of prospect tempo.

Production By Corey Pronman Perfetti’s stat line jumps out easily. He was second in the OHL in scoring. His full season pace was 41 goals and 124 points. His points per game Jun 9, 2020 was 1.82. Of modern day OHL prospects under age 18, which I’m defining as from 2000 onward, players within 0.2 of that number in either direction are: Fellow 2020 draft-eligible Quinton Byfield, John Tavares, Cole Perfetti, one of the top prospects available for the 2020 NHL Draft, Mitch Marner, Dylan and Ryan Strome, Kyle Wellwood, Steven Stamkos, has put up huge numbers in his two OHL seasons playing in Saginaw, Tyler Seguin, and Andrei Svechnikov. Michigan. Doing the same exercise as above for Perfetti’s U17 season, where he References to the 20-80 scouting scale are made in this column when had 37 goals and 37 assists, his peers are: Taylor Hall, Patrick discussing his various tools. In this scale, 50 projects as pro average, 55 O’Sullivan, Alex Galchenyuk, Rob Schremp, Rick Nash, Travis Konecny, as above-average, 60 as top third, 70 as elite and 80 as among the very Seguin, Matt Puempel, Nathan Horton, Ryan Ellis, Logan Couture and best; on the opposite end, 45 is below-average and 40 is fringe pro Corey Perry. It’s fair to say Perfetti’s scoring accomplishments in his OHL quality. I only grade the shot if it is notably good. career rank among the best of the era, albeit not at the very top. Hockey sense/vision His international track record is just as strong. His Hlinka Gretzky performance was extremely good. He set a single tournament record with Hockey Sense Grade: 65 12 points in five games and tied Vasili Podkolzin for most goals in a tournament with eight. The other time he played versus his age group at Perfetti is an elite passer, and has the combination of vision and patience the U17 challenge he was second in scoring, as well. to be one of the best playmakers in the league. What the hockey world is saying He has the hockey sense that all top passers do to wait an extra second or make that one extra pass that leaves the defense flat-footed. Chris Lazary, coach of the Saginaw Spirit: “He has an elite skill set and elite hockey sense. He can wait the extra second and pick defenses Those plays are very impressive and show great instincts, but I wouldn’t apart. “ call them special. Perfetti does have special playmaking ability, though. He made some of the most unique passes I saw all season to create Dave Drinkill, GM of the Saginaw Spirit: “He has the ability to make plays chances and goals. nobody on the ice or in the crowd can see developing. I’ve never seen anything like it. He has an unbelievable ability to break down defenses, This play is a bit lucky in how it turned out, but I thought Perfetti knowing whether it’s 1-on-1, or even a 1-on-2 or 1-on-3 rush. He (has) great that he had a teammate in front and using the momentum of his fall to get awareness to know when to push or when to pull up and find trailers. It the puck to him quickly, surprising the defense and his teammate, was a seems like everything happens at his speed.” very clever play. Alan Millar, GM of Canada’s U18 team: “He has elite hockey sense. He These next two plays show off a similarly unique play that Perfetti makes knows where everyone is on the ice. He knows where he needs to be to with some frequency. make plays, to get pucks. He has dynamic puck skills.” His ability to draw defenders close to him, getting close enough so that NHL scout: “Perfetti is a highly competitive player with elite hockey sense the defenders’ stick is no longer blocking a passing lane and still making and a lethal shot. There are concerns about his straightaway speed, but the pass shows tremendous puck skills, patience and intelligence. he moves well in tight areas. If he fulfills his potential, he could run an Perfetti is a player with a very low panic threshold and his ability to make NHL power play from the half wall.” these kinds of plays distinguishes him as a playmaker. NHL scout: “There are no doubts on the skill, the hockey sense, the His patience shows up whenever his team gets control in the offensive production, but I have hesitations on using a very high pick on him. It’s zone as he regularly likes to roll up high and find seams in the coverage. hard to think of top NHL forwards with his size and skating.” Puck Skills NHL scout: “His skating has been questioned since he was much younger and he continues to dominate wherever he goes.” Puck Skills Grade: 65 Cole Perfetti on himself: “My hockey IQ is my biggest strength. I think I Perfetti is a tremendous passer and can make a ton of plays to his teammates. But he also can break shifts open with his puck handling. His make plays very well. My edge work and my stick handling helps me be ability to make great passes only makes him more dangerous when he’s shifty, and with my hockey sense lets me make plays down low, in the corners. I pride myself on my work ethic, giving effort on the backcheck.” able to beat a defender and create an odd-man rush. Projection His puck handling is very deceptive. He often angles out defenders so well that they are cleanly beat even when Perfetti isn’t going fast enough It’s easy to get excited about Perfetti. He’s extremely skilled, extremely to get around them. intelligent, has lit the OHL on fire in his two seasons, as a top player for two very strong Saginaw teams, and has done great versus his peers on As I showed in the vision segment, Perfetti is very good at beating the international stage. defenders, even when they have closed in on him. His coordination with the puck is elite. He picks up loose pucks very There is a minor question of whether he will be a center or wing. He easily and is very hard to strip of possession. played center for stretches of the 2019-20 season. I’m not ruling it out. He competes well enough, he’s super smart and he showed he could kill Skating penalties last season competently. Scouts think it’s likely he ends up on the wing, but I always view center versus wing debate in the eye of the Skating Grade: 50 beholder, i.e. whoever picks him. The part about Perfetti’s game that gives NHL scouts the most hesitation Perfetti is going to be the ultimate litmus test of how far skill and hockey is his skating ability, especially as a player who is barely pushing 5-foot- sense can carry a player. He’s not tiny, but he’s below-average at 5-foot- 11. He’s not a poor skater, but for someone who is projected to go in the 11, and his feet are below-average for the NHL scale even if about top 10, he does not really have an explosive element in his game. average for the top pro levels. The skating is good enough to skate in the NHL. He has enough “You can point to players like Brayden Point whose skating improved a quickness to gain the zone cleanly and get some separation. lot, but people forget about all the small, slow players who didn’t get faster,” said one NHL scout who has his reservations about Perfetti. I get However, a lot of his entries can die quickly because he can’t push that sense from a good chunk of scouts, who think Perfetti’s a great defenders back. At the NHL level, he doesn’t project as a player who is player, but wouldn’t use a top 10 pick on him. going to threaten with his quickness. There are also some scouts who are over the moon about Perfetti and think he’s going to be a big-time offensive producer in the league. I have Perfetti No. 5 on my board. One executive queried me about that listing asking, “how many top-five picks have been that size and with his skating and become true top NHL players?” I think it’s a fair question that I didn’t have a snap answer ready for when it was posed. Maybe he’s a soft top-five pick, but he’s still a top-five player in this class, for me. He simply has too much skill, his production is incredible over his entire young career and there’s enough evidence to show he’s going to become a great NHL player, a first-line forward, even if he will have his hurdles.

The Athletic LOADED: 06.10.2020 1175527 Websites college and then he followed that up with a sensational rookie season. At this point, he’s in as good a spot to be the best player at his position in the NHL’s next generation as any of the game’s top young defencemen, including Rasmus Dahlin and Quinn Hughes. You can also file Makar The Athletic / Wheeler: A 2017 NHL Draft re-draft and review of my under the players-I-was-high-on-while-also-being-too-low-on list, though. ranking 3. Dallas Stars: LHD Miro Heiskanen

Actual draft pick: No. 3 (change: none) to Dallas By Scott Wheeler My final ranking: No. 7 (change: +4) Jun 9, 2020 If Dahlin, Hughes and Makar are the sport’s three brightest young defencemen, Heiskanen isn’t far behind. He doesn’t have the flair or the production of the other three, but the game isn’t necessarily trending that NHL scouts live in a world of internal and external criticism – a constant way, even if its shiniest toys are. Heiskanen’s brilliant skating ability, state of review. In many cases, they’re signed to year-to-year contracts, length and comfort level with and without the puck have already turned just like the players they have a hand in selecting. Amateur scouts put him into a top-pairing defenceman. He’s also one of the big misses from their careers on the line when they vouch for a player, understanding full my board in 2017. I was fond of his skating and defensive ability but I well that the odds of that player’s failure are greater than the odds of their wondered if he had the tools from the offensive zone blue line in to be on success. It’s a cutthroat business. a top power-play unit or dynamic enough to merit a top-five pick. I was That same kind of review doesn’t exist for the people, like me, who do wrong. You rarely see a team end up with the same player they took in a prospect evaluation in the public sphere. I build a draft board or a drafted re-draft, so this is a testament to a job well done by the Stars, even if prospects ranking but I don’t have to walk up on stage and stake my they might have gotten slightly more value out of taking Makar or reputation to it. There aren’t hundreds of thousands of fans (millions?) Pettersson. I’m sure they’re thrilled with the outcome, as they should be. who are going to hold me to account for the mistakes I make. 4. Colorado Avalanche: C Nico Hischier But you still have to trust my work. That’s particularly true at The Athletic, Actual draft pick: No. 1 (change: -3) to New Jersey where you’re paying to subscribe, just like you would for cable – or tickets – to watch your favourite team. And if you’re going to pay to read My final ranking: No. 2 (change: -2) our work, you’ll want to know that you can trust it. That’s why, over the last several years, I’ve tried to open up my process alongside the actual A clear top four in the class of 2017 has emerged and even if Hischier finished products. My final top 100 ranking for every draft, for example, is doesn’t stay atop that group in a do-over, he’s firmly in it. He’s already, at only as good as the time, energy and supposed expertise that goes into 21, played three seasons at a 50-plus point pace. His 135 NHL points it. also lead the draft class (though it will soon be surpassed by Pettersson, who is just three shy in 70 fewer games). It’s obvious now, even if we In an effort to be as transparent as possible, I update my scouting guide assume that Nolan Patrick continued to progress without the injuries, that every year to give you, the reader, more insight into how it all comes I had the wrong guy at No. 1 and that Hischier was the more talented together, the things I look for and even my potential blind spots or biases. player. We knew that about halfway through their respective rookie seasons. I’ll take the L on this one. Once a year, I also do a re-draft of a past draft class. The goal is twofold: 5. Vancouver Canucks: C Nick Suzuki Provide you with my updated evaluation for the top players in the draft class of three years earlier. Actual draft pick: No. 13 (change: +8) to Vegas To do that, I look back at my ranking at the time of the draft to evaluate My final ranking: No. 13 (change: +8) as honestly as possible how I did relative to the decisions made by NHL teams. This is where things start to drop off and illuminate the relative weakness that was evident in the 2017 draft and remains evident today. That’s not While the growth of the following 31 players is not finished and this a knock on Suzuki, who is a fabulous player, one of my favourites, and ranking could still change over time, there are conclusions to be drawn just had an impressive rookie season. But when you consider that Alex about these players (who are now 20, 21 or even 22) three years later, DeBrincat, Charlie McAvoy and Mikhail Sergachev weren’t in the top five both in terms of where they’re at now and where they’re headed. of my 2016 re-draft or that I left out Mikko Rantanen, Ivan Provorov, Kyle Connor and Sebastian Aho from the top five of the 2015 edition, you This new ranking — like my draft ranking — is based solely on my realize just how quickly the 2017 draft thins out. There were several picks evaluations. where my board and the draft result were one or two placements apart 1. New Jersey Devils: C Elias Pettersson but Suzuki is the only selection of the first round in 2017 that lined up exactly with my final ranking at the time. He stands as one of many Actual draft pick: No. 5 (change: +4) to Vancouver examples of Vegas’ success at the draft. They’ve drafted as well as any team since entering the league, even if they’ve traded some of those My final ranking: No. 6 (change: +5) prospects. When I re-drafted the classes of 2015 and 2016, I didn’t have to think 6. Vegas Golden Knights: C/RW Martin Necas about No. 1, because it remained unchanged with Connor McDavid and Auston Matthews. The 2017 draft isn’t so cut and dry. It probably comes Actual draft pick: No. 12 (change: +6) to Carolina down to perceived positional value, though. If Pettersson is a top 10 forward for the next decade and Makar is a top-five defenceman, both of My final ranking: No. 9 (change: +3) which are plausible outcomes for their trajectories, it’s probably a coin I had the top four on my board all wrong at the time but the rest of my flip. You’ve got a first-line forward and a first-pairing defenceman. I lean board performed really well in hindsight and Necas is the first player to on Pettersson’s NHL track record to this point and the belief that his appear in the re-draft that demonstrates that. He should’ve been selected ability to crack open a game is – and will be – higher than Makar’s over higher. It’s not egregious, as there’s an argument to be made for the next the course of their primes. His shot (especially his one-timer), his finesse couple of players in the re-draft ahead of Necas, but nobody’s going to with the puck and his creativity are too dynamic to pass up. That will tell you he should’ve been selected as low as 12th overall. I went back probably still be true for me even if (when?) Makar wins a Norris, which and forth on Necas and Robert Thomas at No. 6 and No. 7 in this project. seems likely in the not-too-distant future. The top of this draft class has I lean toward Necas today because I think his skill level grades out a little completely reshaped itself in the last three years and Pettersson moving higher, even if his floor is still lower compared to Thomas. Thomas is the up to No. 1 is just the first sign of that on this new list. I was really high on more complete player off the puck but Necas will win out long term with Pettersson and I still wasn’t high enough, which is a trend with a number slightly more dynamic playmaking talent and a clear edge as a shot of the players at the top of the 2017 draft relative to my final board at the creator and puck carrier. time. 7. New York Rangers: C Robert Thomas 2. Philadelphia Flyers: RHD Cale Makar Actual draft pick: No. 20 (change: +13) to St. Louis Actual draft pick: No. 4 (change: +2) to Colorado My final ranking: No. 21 (change: +14) My final ranking: No. 5 (change: +3) I would consider an argument that has Thomas selected a couple of With hindsight, this decision was easy once I’d settled on Pettersson at spots higher. Everyone knew he was good at the time but there was also No. 1. Makar turned himself into one of the world’s best prospects in a debate over whether he’d become a second-line or a third-line player. Today, he’s probably somewhere in between. But he’s on his way to the in man-on-man battles or create the same havoc with his shot as he does better outcome of the two and that pushes him up the draft substantially. with his ability to hit seams. But the Senators were awful this season and Thomas is a well-rounded, versatile player who can make things happen that makes evaluating most of their players – particularly the youngest in all three zones and does a great job identifying his linemates and ones – difficult. In Brannstrom, I see a zone exit and entry machine, a getting the puck to them through traffic and into space. It will be superb passer, enviable poise with the puck and just enough talent with interesting to see if he can find another gear because I suspect he’s his feet and stick to hold his own defensively. He’s also got clear power more likely to settle in as a consistent 50-point guy than he is to reach play upside at the NHL level, which isn’t something you can say about that next echelon, as Suzuki or Necas might. many defencemen in this draft class. I’m not prepared to give up on that yet. 8. Buffalo Sabres: C Gabe Vilardi 13. Vegas Golden Knights: RW Kailer Yamamoto Actual draft pick: No. 11 (change: +3) to Los Angeles Actual draft pick: No. 22 (change: +9) to Edmonton My final ranking: No. 3 (change: -5) My final ranking: No. 16 (change: +3) I’ve always been all in on Vilardi and I still am. Was I too high on him at the time? Probably. But I’m also willing to bet that he’s closer to No. 3 in If Brannstrom was the hardest player to rank, Yamamoto wasn’t far a re-draft than No. 11 if a chronic back injury doesn’t derail two crucial behind. He didn’t dominate in the WHL after his draft year like I expected years of his development. That he came back, dictated play in the AHL he would. And though he became an immediate impact forward at the and then stepped into the NHL to have an immediate impact after AHL level, he never really dictated play there as much as he should have everything he’s been through was impressive, to say the least. I still think given his skill set. While I believe I was rightfully higher on his puck skill he becomes a 60-plus point centre who offers size, high-end spatial and creativity winning out over his size in his draft year, he didn’t stamp awareness and reliability that teams covet in a top-six forward. He knows that belief … until this year. There are still worthwhile questions to ask how to get the most out of his game and he has never needed burning about Yamamoto’s 26 points in 27 games as they relate to his linemates speed or a lethal shot to do it. I’m comfortable digging in on him as a and his on-ice luck (his 1.063 PDO is not sustainable). Yamamoto’s not player who should’ve been picked higher. going to be a point per game player long term. But it shouldn’t surprise anyone that he thrived with good players when he was used in an 9. Detroit Red Wings: C Cody Glass offensive role and given an opportunity on the man advantage. That’s Actual draft pick: No. 6 (change: -3) to Vegas where he’s best suited. His game is built for it. When he gets touches, he makes things happen. The Oilers need more players like him in their My final ranking: No. 8 (change: -1) supporting cast, not less. We only really got glimpses of it in his rookie season in the NHL but 14. Tampa Bay Lightning: C Filip Chytil Glass has the makings of a star. He may not become a true No. 1 centre but he has the talent level needed to fit into the tier just below that. He Actual draft pick: No. 21 (change: +7) to the Rangers can be a lot of different things to a line. He can be its scorer and primary My final ranking: No. 39 (change: +25) shot threat. He can be its go-to puck retrieval option and cycle presence. Or he can be its primary carrier and distributor. You can’t say that about There are a couple of things I need to get out of the way because a lot of prospects who are 6-foot-2. In a full-time role with top-nine usage, Rangers fans probably aren’t going to love this re-rank: I expect big steps forward in Glass’ game as a sophomore. I’m happy with where I was on him in 2017. Furthermore, I’m willing to bet the Red I was too low on Chytil in 2017. Wings would swap Glass for Michael Rasmussen, too. Despite having played the fourth-most NHL games of the class, he’s not 10. Florida Panthers: C Nolan Patrick a top 10 pick in a re-draft. Actual draft pick: No. 2 (change: -8) to Philadelphia I think both of those things can be true, even if I have to acknowledge the bias I have from being lower on Chytil than most over the years. He can My final ranking: No. 1 (change: -9) skate. He plays hard and fast. He’ll make the odd play that demonstrates some real skill. But I think he’s a third-line player on a good team and Health permitting, Patrick may have finished as high as No. 5 in a do- there are just too many in this class who can be more than that. This is over if he’d put together a good junior year in the NHL. I think everyone still about projection, rather than track record, so I’ll continue betting on acknowledges he’s more than the third-line, 30-point forward that he was the upside of the players ranked ahead of him on this list over the safety in his first two seasons. But between his history with concussions, his that comes with Chytil’s already established floor. slower-than-anticipated start to his pro career (at least offensively) and his lost year, you’d have to be cautious in a re-draft. However, he 15. Vegas Golden Knights: LHD Nic Hague shouldn’t have been No. 1 on my board in 2017. That would still be true even if he had played a full season in 2019-20 and thrived. Don’t count Actual draft pick: No. 34 (change: +19) to Vegas him out, though; Patrick can play. I’m looking forward to seeing him get My final ranking: No. 17 (change: +2) healthy and back on the ice. If the Glass, Suzuki and Brannstrom picks weren’t enough to reinforce 11. Los Angeles: RW Drake Batherson Vegas’ status as one of the better drafting teams, Vegas taking Hague Actual draft pick: No. 121 (change: +110) to Ottawa again but 19 picks earlier certainly does. I was surprised when Hague fell out of the first round then and I’m still a little surprised today. He has My final ranking: No. 79 (change: +68) continued to get better, first in the OHL and then in the AHL, where he has proven himself to be one of the league’s best players. You expect a Batherson may go down as the best value pick of the 2017 class. 6-foot-6 defenceman to have a hard shot and to impose himself Arguably the top forward in the AHL last year, Batherson looks poised to physically. You don’t expect a 6-foot-6 defenceman to have Hague’s step into a full-time role in Ottawa’s top nine, and maybe their top six, in comfort level with the puck on his stick. In a worst-case scenario, he 2020-21. I’m comfortable projecting him as a 50-60 point winger who can becomes a useful third-pairing defenceman who can contribute at both play in a top-six role as well as on a top power-play unit. He’s the rare ends. In a best-case scenario, he’s an all-situations defenceman who can kind of winger who can play with both power and finesse. That will help control play when he’s on the ice. Even in the former scenario, he’s a him have an impact offensively regardless of his linemates. There were first-round pick if we did a re-draft a decade from now. In the best-case hurdles of skating and puck skill that he’s had to overcome, but he’s one scenario, he might challenge for the top 10. The potential reward has of the successful late-round picks in 2017 who wasn’t ranked as such on always outweighed the risk with Hague. my board, so I’ll take it. 16. Calgary Flames: LHD Juuso Valimaki 12. Carolina Hurricanes: LHD Erik Brannstrom Actual draft pick: No. 16 (change: none) to Calgary Actual draft pick: No. 15 (change: +3) to Vegas My final ranking: No. 12 (change: -4) My final ranking: No. 14 (change: +2) I love the way Valimaki plays. Always have. Always will. Did I have a little Brannstrom was one of the hardest players to re-rank because his results too much appreciation for it in 2017? Maybe. But he’s going to be really, at every level contrast starkly against his play to date in the NHL. really good when he hits his stride. He’s a physically strong defender who Brannstrom has shown an ability to manufacture offence and create from can push people around on one shift, score a goal on the next and then the back end above and beyond his peers in Sweden and the AHL. simplify things when he has to under pressure. He’s going to be able to There’s no denying his play through 33 NHL games has proven to be a play whatever role is needed of him. If he’s on a weaker team that lacks little lacklustre, though. It served to highlight concerns about his size and dynamic options offensively, he’s got the tools to run an NHL power play strength, both defensively and offensively in his ability to play with power and create havoc with his shot. If he’s on a deeper team defensively, he Jokiharju still hasn’t really found his game. He has played a lot of games, can play the stay-at-home type effectively, snuff out plays and move the many of them very well, but I’m still not sure whether he’s a third-pairing puck. Hopefully the injury troubles are behind him and the Flames are guy or whether he’s capable of playing consistently in the top four. He’s happy with this pick (twice). an incredibly heady player who reads the play effectively, can run a second power-play unit and does a good job navigating pressure with the 17. Toronto Maple Leafs: RW/LW Owen Tippett puck. But he’s not terribly strong or physical or long and his skating isn’t Actual draft pick: No. 10 (change: -7) to Florida particularly dynamic to correct against it, so he may struggle to climb into that next echelon of NHL defenders. My final ranking: No. 15 (change: -2) 23. Arizona Coyotes: C/LW Casey Mittelstadt Tippett was taken too high because he was physically strong and he had one of the best shots in the draft. I’ve written about that in the past on Actual draft pick: No. 8 (change: -15) to Buffalo many occasions, so I’ll avoid going over old news again. Was he a first- My final ranking: No. 4 (change: -19) round pick? Yes. Does he still have a chance to be an impact top-six player and dynamic power play option? Yes. But there were – and are – Mittelstadt was my big mistake in the 2017 draft class. By having him so warts in his game. He lands at No. 17 here because I still think he’s got high, there was a ripple effect on the rest of my board near the top. Do I some obstacles to overcome but he’s also clearly more talented than still think he has more to offer than we’ve seen to date? Yes, I do. Was most of the forwards who land below him, so it’s upside that’s worth he rushed through college and into the pro level too quickly? Yes, he swinging on in the right range. was. And were there some red flags in his game that I should have picked up on but didn’t? Yes, there were. I’d seen the flashes of magic in 18. Boston Bruins: RW/LW Emil Bemstrom high school and the USHL, the brilliance at the All-American Top Actual draft pick: No. 117 (change: +99) to Columbus Prospects Game and the standout play at both under-18 worlds and the Hlinka Gretzky Cup. I was impressed by his hands in traffic and his ability My final ranking: No. 81 (change: +63) to turn nothing into something. And I was prepared to overlook concerns of tempo and athleticism. This is one of my bigger misses ever. Speaking of players who can shoot the puck but have some other less desirable quirks, Bemstrom’s one of my favourites. His 2019-20 season 24. Winnipeg Jets: RHD Conor Timmins was just the beginning but he’s probably always going to be a good player without ever becoming a star. He’s an excellent finisher who Actual draft pick: No. 32 (change: +8) to Colorado generates shots by getting to good spots in the offensive zone. He’s also My final ranking: No. 25 (change: +1) a little too much of a give-and-go guy, so you’re not likely to see him drive a line at the top of the roster. He can, however, play at the top of Timmins hasn’t been gifted anything. Between injuries and Colorado’s the roster with more talented players (which is a skill) and help out on the depth chart on defence, his path to the NHL has been tougher than most power play. That’s enough to push him way up the board. of his high-end peers. But he has handled it extremely well. The offensive tools are always going to be there. He’s got a smoothness to his game 19. San Jose Sharks: LW Alexandre Texier with the puck that few defenders his age have, both in transition and Actual draft pick: No. 45 (change: +26) to Columbus across the offensive zone blue line. His defensive game and strength, particularly after all of the time he missed, took a little longer to adjust to My final ranking: No. 91 (change: +72) the AHL. But he really began to hit his stride in the back half of this season, with 11 points in his last 13 AHL games. He may struggle to Considering the Blue Jackets didn’t have a first-round pick in 2017, they reach his ceiling on an Avalanche team that already has Makar and did really well to land not one but two first-round talents. Texier’s a Samuel Girard as offensive options on the blue line, with Bowen Byram fabulous skater who plays a much different game than Bemstrom but on the way, but I still think he has the other tools he needs to be a regular there’s a reasonable argument to go either way on their projection, which contributor on a contending team. is why they landed so close to each other. I would argue Texier has the higher ceiling while Bemstrom has the lower floor. Given the way I 25. Montreal Canadiens: RHD Timothy Liljegren normally evaluate players, Texier should probably be ahead of Bemstrom for that reason. I do think Bemstrom has shown more consistency at the Actual draft pick: No. 17 (change: -8) to Toronto pro level, though, so that gave him a very slight edge. Texier is definitely My final ranking: No. 11 (change: -14) a better passer, skater and carrier so it will be interesting to see if he can put it all together in the next couple of years or if he settles as a fine Liljegren’s an interesting one because my opinion on his game and middle-six forward rather than an impact one. upside has changed dramatically in the last three years. I was a big fan in his draft year, even as he battled mono and things got away from him a 20. St. Louis Blues: C/LW Morgan Frost little. And while his defensive game and decision making (once his Actual draft pick: No. 27 (change: +7) to Philadelphia biggest weaknesses) have become strengths since then, I have grown increasingly concerned with his skating. He’s got a silky first touch with My final ranking: No. 33 (change: +13) the puck, he can walk the blue line and he’s an excellent stretch passer. But he’s slow. And his ability to mask that in the NHL isn’t going to be There are several players who appeared lower on this list and performed what it has been at the AHL level. It could limit his obvious upside as a better in the 2019-20 season than Frost, so take that as a reminder that result. I wouldn’t bet against him making it. I’m just not sure it’s going to this is still about projecting. I’d listen to an argument that has Josh Norris, be a top-four role. Still, his play in the AHL to date relative to his age has who follows Frost, becoming a better forward. But if I played it safe with been impressive and he’s got some other tools to help him navigate the Bemstrom over Texier, I’m comfortable doing the opposite with my next level. evaluation of Frost, who I believe has impact upside as a playmaker at both even strength and potentially on PP1. I’ve done a bit of a 180 on 26. Dallas Stars: LW Jason Robertson Frost over the years but he has turned me into a fan and the Flyers were right to take him in the first round. Actual draft pick: No. 39 (change: +13) to Dallas 21. New York Rangers: C Josh Norris My final ranking: No. 20 (change: -6) Actual draft pick: No. 19 (change: -2) to San Jose If you’ve followed my work in recent years, you’ll know that Robertson is one of my favourites. You’ll also know that he’s different than most of my My final ranking: No. 24 (change: +3) other favourites. Despite being big, he plays a small(ish) game. He’s not explosive. He’s not going to play a heavy-on-the-puck power game I really like Norris. I really liked him in 2017 and I really like him now. But where he drives to the front of the net and knocks players over along the my concern with projecting him going forward is also the same now as it wall. He plays at his own pace, he plays with finesse and touch and he was then. He may play in a top six throughout his career but I’d be willing makes plays. So while there may be elements of his game that you’d to bet that he’s not more than a good 3C on a contending team. That hope for more out of, he has already found a way to transition from makes him a very good player but he’s not going to break open games dominant junior player to top-six AHL player. I fully expect him to become consistently or run a power play or drive the top line. He’s built to play an impact option in the middle-six for the Stars at even strength while hard and fast and to contribute all over the ice. I just worry he’s not as helping out on one of the power-play units. I know Stars fans aren’t dynamic as some of his peers, which could limit his upside. terribly fond of the way their team has drafted in recent years but the fact that they’re taking Robertson again in a re-draft, only 13 picks earlier, 22. Edmonton Oilers: RHD Henri Jokiharju speaks to this selection as a hit. If the Stars can let Robertson be Actual draft pick: No. 29 (change: +7) to Chicago Robertson instead of typecasting him as something else, they’ll be happy with the results as early as next year. My final ranking: No. 27 (change: +5) 27. Philadelphia Flyers: LW Lucas Elvenes hold his own on a second pairing while running a power-play unit. That has major value in today’s game. Actual draft pick: No. 127 (change: +100) to Vegas Honourable mentions: Reilly Walsh, Jack Rathbone, Urho Vaakanainen, My final ranking: No. 55 (change: +28) Cal Foote, Lias Andersson, Eeli Tolvanen, Kristian Vesalainen, Pierre- I just love the way he plays. There’s an inconsistency to his game and Olivier Joseph, Ryan Poehling, Jake Oettinger, Shane Bowers, Robin effort level that still needs to be worked out but when he’s on, he’s a few Salo, Kole Lind, Klim Kostin, Jesper Boqvist, Marcus Davidsson, Isaac spots higher on this list on pure talent and skill. While some other players Ratcliffe, Jaret Anderson-Dolan, Dylan Samberg, Eetu Luostarinen, in this range project more as complementary pieces in a good team’s top Mario Ferraro, Alexander Volkov, Alex Formenton, Aleksi Heponiemi, nine, Elvenes has the ability to potentially drive a line. He’s a superb Josh Brook, Ian Mitchell, Morgan Geekie, MacKenzie Entwistle, Cale playmaker who functions best when he’s getting lots of touches and Fleury, Sebastian Aho, Morgan Barron, Sasha Chmelevski, Jack using those touches to draw attention and find his teammates once they Studnicka, Gustav Lindstrom, Joni Ikonen. get open for him. There’s some ingenuity to his game too, which helps Takeaways him improvise and play through defenders to produce creative outcomes when he runs into trouble. I was surprised when he fell to the fifth round Before I dive into a complete self-evaluation, here’s what the results look in 2017 and I think that has proven to be true ever since. like with my ranking and the actual 2017 draft order. 28. Ottawa Senators: RW/LW Jack Dugan Note: The wins (green) and losses (yellow) are measured by the proximity of my board versus the actual NHL draft order, relative to the Actual draft pick: No. 142 (change: +114) to Vegas re-draft. The misses (red) are players in my top 31 or the actual draft’s My final ranking: Not ranked top 31 who didn’t land in the re-draft’s top 31. I have also highlighted my ranking relative to the selection of six players who weren’t in either top 31 I’ll be honest: Dugan wasn’t on my radar in 2017. Given where he was but found their way into the re-draft, for additional context on how I did picked, he wasn’t on very many teams’ radars either. It’s hard to bet on with some of the top late-round picks. an overager who was still playing high school hockey in his overaged season, especially when they weren’t even making the jump to college Whether you qualify my ranking in 2017 as a success probably depends the next year. Dugan didn’t play in the USHL until he was 19 and the on how you measure it. My board had more wins and fewer misses than NCAA until he was 20. So when he became one of the best players in the actual draft order, by a margin of 16-13 wins and 8-10 misses. college hockey as a sophomore, he was really more like a junior or But my losses also skewed toward the top of the draft and you probably senior. Regardless, it’s remarkable that he’s the fifth Golden Knights pick noticed a lot of yellow atop my board. That’s driven primarily by three to appear on this list. That’s a remarkable accomplishment and it speaks mistakes. The first was having Patrick ahead of Hischier. The second, to how far Dugan has come in the last three seasons. He may be 22 but and more egregious, was having Mittelstadt at No. 4, which created a he’s big, he’s strong, he uses that size and leverage effectively with and ripple of losses by one ranking with players like Makar and Pettersson. without the puck and he’s an excellent passer and handler for his size. I And the third was a big swing and potential miss on Eeli Tolvanen at No. would start him in the AHL next season but don’t be surprised if he finds 10. his way into NHL games in his first year at the pro level. Still, a closer look at the rest of the draft reveals that I outperformed NHL 29. Chicago Blackhawks: LW Maxime Comtois clubs in the back half of the first round, as well as with the majority (four Actual draft pick: No. 50 (change: +21) to Anaheim of six) of the late-round risers (Batherson, Elvenes, Bemstrom and Farrance). On some of the biggest fallers (players like Andersson, Tippett My final ranking: No. 26 (change: -3) and Rasmussen), my board was also rightly lower. And I’m proud of where I stood on many of the draft’s other big risers, including Necas, Once Comtois learns to optimize his game for the NHL – which probably Yamamoto, Hague and Jokiharju. comes with recognizing that he’s going to be more of a checker and contributor than a driver – he’s going to become a useful winger who can All told, though I’m less chuffed with my performance in 2017 than I was play up and down a lineup. We’ve already seen some flashes of that. when I reviewed my 2016 and 2015 boards, I think it stands up fairly well. When he plays hard and fast and disciplined (with and without the puck), he can be a menacing, impactful shift-to-shift player. When he tries to do too much, he’s less effective. In time, he’s going to find a niche as a 40- The Athletic LOADED: 06.10.2020 50 point player who keeps cycles alive and wins battles. 30. Nashville Predators: C Michael Rasmussen Actual draft pick: No. 9 (change: -21) to Detroit My final ranking: No. 29 (change: -1) Let’s face it, Rasmussen never should have been selected as high as he was. Does he have unique skills on deflections and tips in front? Yes. Does he handle the puck well for a player his size to help in small areas rather than limiting him to a chip-and-chase cycle game? Yes. But it’s hard for players his size to become more than middle-six contributors who can play the net-front on the power play. It doesn’t matter how talented he is, his size will probably limit the kind of game he can play offensively. As a result, those types of players don’t tend to be worth picking in the front half of the first round. I think that will be proven true for Rasmussen even if he becomes a contributing third-line player, which I suspect he will. Just like it will be true for Ottawa’s Logan Brown, who should’ve been a first-rounder in 2016 but shouldn’t have been picked 11th overall. 31. St. Louis Blues: LHD David Farrance Actual draft pick: No. 92 (change: +61) to Nashville My final ranking: No. 43 (change: +12) I’ve got a lot of time for Farrance. Though there were a number of college defencemen I strongly considered for this final spot, including a couple who are better defensive players, but Farrance’s ability to lead a rush and direct play within the offensive zone ultimately won out. He should’ve been picked higher in 2017 even with what we knew back then of his skill set and production, but he was overshadowed by Quinn Hughes both in terms of offensive opportunity and limelight. I don’t think his progression since, particularly in the way he has developed into one of the best offensive defencemen in the NCAA, should surprise anyone. He’s never going to eat minutes at 5-on-5 at the next level but I think he’ll be able to 1175528 Websites “It was funny because all the people in Vancouver were ripping me for being greedy and they don’t know, like, they never really offered me a raise there,” Carter said. “They said, ‘we’ll give you a slight bump, maybe a hundred grand and that’s it,’ and I was like nope I’ve got way too much Sportsnet.ca / Anson Carter details how race played role in hockey pride for that.” career Carter signed a one-year, $2.5-million deal with Columbus and scored 10 goals, 27 points in 54 games before being traded to the Carolina Hurricanes ahead of the trade deadline. Mike Johnston | @MikeyJ_MMA He signed a tryout contract with the Oilers in 2007 but couldn’t crack the June 9, 2020, 5:54 PM roster, and after a brief stint with Lugano in the , Carter’s playing days were over. Anson Carter played 674 regular-season games in his 10-year NHL He finished his NHL career with 202 goals, 421 points and 229 penalty career, surpassing the 20-goal plateau on five different occasions, but minutes, adding an additional 13 points in 24 total playoff appearances. the retired forward feels his career would have unfolded differently if his Since retiring, Carter has gone on to become an analyst with NBC skin was a different colour. Sports. Carter was selected in the 10th round (220th overall) of the 1992 NHL “I really believe if I was a different colour hockey player, and I’m going to Draft by the Quebec Nordiques after an impressive season with the say it, I really believe I would’ve been looked at a lot differently,” Carter Wexford Raiders in Ontario’s Metro Junior A Hockey League. However, added. “I really do.” Carter didn’t make his NHL debut until the 1996-97 campaign. In the wake of the death of George Floyd there have been many “It wasn’t the same (back then). I truly believe that black hockey players subsequent protests for change. Carter, who currently resides in Atlanta, weren’t seen the same,” Carter said Tuesday during an appearance on believes change starts with listening. Hockey Central. “A lot of times people are quick to say something either in person or on The self-described “late-bloomer” played four seasons at Michigan State social media without listening to what people are saying,” he said. “I University, where he put up 106 goals and 178 points in 156 games. He really think that’s why we’re seeing all this civil unrest here in the U.S., won a gold medal with Canada at the 1994 world juniors, was a CCHA and around the world for that matter, because people were crying out for First Team All-Star in 1994 and 1995, and was a Hobey Baker Award help. People were crying out for attention and nobody was listening. finalist in 1995. “And I always say it takes a certain level of frustration and anger to want Despite his success during his college years, Carter said he never spoke to burn down your own house, your own workplace, where you live. Like, to the Avalanche (who held his rights after Quebec relocated to Colorado that just never happens. Nobody would do that intentionally. You have to in 1995) about an NHL contract once. be that frustrated and upset and angry with what’s going on, of being Colorado eventually traded his rights to the Washington Capitals in 1996 totally not listened to that you would take that position. So, listening is the for a fourth-round draft pick. key. That really is the key. It starts there and then the conversations will continue after that.” Carter was asked directly if he thought race played a role. Carter, 46, said he thinks the response from the NHL community “has “Oh for sure, 100 per cent,” he said. “You could ask my agent Pat been great” after he helped put together a video on social media with a Brisson. We discussed it. We never made a public stink out of it. I always unifying message that featured voices from the hockey world. thought that I had to be better than everybody else. I couldn’t be average and that’s what drove me a lot of the time.” The Hockey Diversity Alliance was officially formed on Monday and Carter thinks it’s a good start. Carter added that he felt his skin colour played a role during contract negotiations throughout his career. “Now, I want to see actions taking place. The lip service is over and done with,” he said. “I want to see policies in place and I want to see these He split much of the 1996-97 season with the Capitals and their AHL guys tackle tough issues and have tough conversations so that the affiliate in Portland before being dealt to the Boston Bruins as part of a league’s a better place. blockbuster trade involving Jason Allison, Jim Carey, Adam Oates, Bill Ranford and Rick Tocchet. “I mean, I can’t say enough about my time playing in the National Hockey League. I loved it. I wouldn’t trade it for aything in the world. It’s the minor Carter spent the next three seasons in Boston, scoring 130 points in 192 hockey system that needs to be reformed. So, I hope these guys have a games, and held out a couple times during what he felt were unfair say with things that happen in the NHL but also they should have a voice contract negotiations. He was traded along with a couple high draft picks in what happens with USA Hockey and Hockey Canada. to the Edmonton Oilers in 2000 in exchange for Bill Guerin. “If you look at hockey as being a pyramid or an iceberg, that’s where the Although the Toronto native felt like he was held back early in his pro greatest number of minority players are playing the game and if you want career, he said, “I did the best I could in the environment that I played in.” to increase participation at the highest level, well the bottom of that pyramid has to be increased and there has to be people in place that Carter was a top producer in his two-plus seasons with the Oilers, have had those experiences, that have dealt with some of the crap that leading the team in scoring in 2001-02, but his tenure once again ended we’re trying to eradicate from the game, that can have some of those with him being traded – this time to the New York Rangers. difficult conversations.” “I look at a guy like Iggy, Jarome Iginla, and he was given every opportunity to thrive there in Calgary,” Carter said. “Slow starts every year. Iggy was a notorious slow starter but no one ever talked about Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 06.10.2020 trading him and he was given the opportunity to grow as a hockey player to become a fabulous hockey player and I was never given that chance. Every time I’d put numbers on the board it was ‘OK this is a good guy to get out of here to trade for somebody else,’ and it blew my mind.” Carter played 54 games with the Rangers before being traded to the Capitals straight up for Jaromír Jagr and was flipped to the Los Angeles Kings six weeks later. The two-time IIHF World Championship gold medallist finished the 2003- 04 season making $2.8 million, but following the 2004 lockout took a pay cut and signed a one-year deal with the Vancouver Canucks for an even $1 million at age 31. Carter went on to score a career-high 33 goals, which led the team, and said he loved playing alongside the Sedins in Vancouver but yet again he couldn’t come to terms on a new contract he felt was fair and he eventually signed as a free agent with the Columbus Blue Jackets. 1175529 Websites Tavares, Marner and Ilya Mikheyev together in one, and Nylander, Hyman and Alexander Kerfoot (a likely placeholder for Matthews) part of another. Sportsnet.ca / Maple Leafs trying to gain edge with approach to Phase 2 Tavares said the focus over the first couple days has been about of return fundamentals and regaining some comfort on the ice, but eventually they’ll be looking to build some chemistry with the expectation that training camp will only run for three weeks and include just two exhibition games before a best-of-five play-in series with Columbus begins. Chris Johnston | @reporterchris “Everyone is taking this very seriously and I think has been very dialled June 9, 2020, 5:04 PM in,” said Tavares. “We obviously want to be firing on full cylinders as best we can be once competition begins.” TORONTO — Life inside the practice rink is not as they left it. While it would be a stretch to label this approach as an outright advantage — the Blue Jackets are due to open their facility for Phase 2 When the Toronto Maple Leafs recongregated nearly three months after on Wednesday — it tells us something about how the Leafs players hope COVID-19 slammed the brakes on their season, they did so wearing to gain an edge before the most unpredictable playoffs in NHL history. masks and under instruction to keep a safe distance. They skated in groups as small as four and operated under strictly timed parameters to After being forced apart suddenly and without warning, they’ve chosen to complete their workouts. John Tavares brought his sticks and a few rolls get back together as soon as they safely could. of tape home so as not to waste any of his allotment on a ritual usually reserved for the locker-room. Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 06.10.2020 And yet, for all of the new restrictions and guidelines now governing Phase 2 of the NHL’s return-to-play protocol, there was just enough “normal” to make for a positive mental experience as well as a physical one. Tavares called it a breath of fresh air. “Just kind of training together, being on the ice, passing the puck, being in the gym, getting a good workout in. Everyone’s kind of pushing each other,” he said Tuesday. “It’s been a blast just the first few days to be around that again.” The Leafs have jumped into Phase 2 more enthusiastically than any of the other 23 NHL teams currently on standby for a summer playoff tournament. They expect to see about 20 of their own players pass through the practice facility within the first week, including some like William Nylander, Kasperi Kapanen and Jack Campbell who have already observed a 14-day quarantine after returning from the United States. These workouts are completely voluntary, so Toronto’s high degree of involvement is entirely player-driven. It’s partly a reflection of the number of guys who hail from the area — a list that includes Tavares, Mitch Marner, Zach Hyman, Jake Muzzin, , Travis Dermott and others — but also a belief within the group that this extra time together represents an opportunity. “We definitely want to take advantage of this,” said Tavares. “This isn’t just about kind of getting the cobwebs out.”

That’s an interesting thought because roughly one-third of the returning NHL teams aren’t even expected to open their facilities before next week, mainly because they either don’t have enough players in town to justify it or haven’t received a sufficient level of interest from those who are.

In many cases, those players don’t feel the need to participate in Phase 2 because they’re already in locations where they’re able to skate and train — just like Leafs star Auston Matthews and No. 1 goaltender Frederik Andersen, who continue to wait out the pause together in Scottsdale, Ariz. (The main reason Matthews and Andersen haven’t travelled back yet is because of the mandatory 14-day quarantine for those entering Canada, which could soon be eased pending the outcome of ongoing conversations between the federal government and NHL). Where other teams have looked at training camps not likely starting before mid-July and decided there’s no rush, a good portion of the Leafs roster has prioritized making use of this five-week window to get back together. In fact, Tavares indicated he hasn’t heard one member of the team express any concern about the unresolved details still to be worked out in the return-to-play plan — a sign of an eagerness to finish off this interrupted season that isn’t likely shared as enthusiastically in dressing rooms across the league. “The urgency is extremely high,” said Tavares. “To take advantage of this opportunity, to feel fortunate that there’s a good chance that we’re going to be able to finish this season and be able to play for the Stanley Cup and that we’re a part of this. “To really embrace it.” The sessions are closed to the media, but the Leafs appear to have organized the six-skater groups by line groupings where possible — with 1175530 Websites

Sportsnet.ca / Erik Gudbranson: Fear kept me from speaking up. It won't anymore.

by Donnovan Bennett

As a Canadian who’s lived in the United States for seven years, I have come to love America as a second home. However, this current situation is not something to be proud of, by any stretch of the imagination. George Floyd, 46, bought a pack of cigarettes at his local corner store and allegedly paid for it with a counterfeit $20 bill. He was handcuffed and placed in a cop car. He was then forcibly removed from the car and pinned to the ground by a police officer who kept a knee on Floyd’s neck for nearly nine minutes. In my eyes, and the eyes of much of the world, Floyd was killed over 20 bucks. Ahmaud Arbery, 26, was going for a jog on a nice day, when he ran past Gregory and Travis McMichael. Allegedly believing Arbery to be responsible for recent break-ins in the area, the McMichaels decided to take the law into their own hands. They ultimately shot him to death. Trayvon Martin, 17, was visiting his father’s fiancée when a sweet tooth led him to the local store for a snack. On his way back, he was intercepted by George Zimmerman, who claimed to believe Martin was responsible for local robberies. Zimmerman shot and killed Martin, and was acquitted of the crime. Martin had a pack of Skittles in his pocket. In 2015 at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church, nine African Americans were killed at the hands of a 21-year-old white supremacist who attacked during a bible study.

Breonna Taylor, Botham Jean, Atatiana Jefferson, Jonathan Ferrell, Renisha McBride, Jordan Davis, Stephon Clark, Jordan Edwards, Aiyana Jones — the list goes on and on. These are just a few examples of the most recent tragic incidents involving Black people in America, and it doesn’t even touch on the injustice and inequality that Black people face on a daily basis. Living in the U.S. for most of my adult life, it’s been easy for me to miss Canadian tragedies like the deaths of Andrew Loku and Jermaine Carby or the debate around the police practice of carding. And with the two countries so deeply intertwined and American news so prominent, maybe it’s been easy for some Canadians in Canada to miss things, too. Our country has been built in many ways through immigration and we pride ourselves on our multiculturalism. But do not be fooled — racism is still very present. Many reading this might better remember the national headlines made when a banana was thrown at Wayne Simmonds during a 2012 Flyers- Red Wings exhibition game in London, Ontario. To most it was a blatant display of racism, but a lawyer for the man who did it said his client was “oblivious to the racial connotations.” (A whole other aspect of the systemic problem in our country.) Which brings me to hockey, the sport I love. It isn’t immune either. Not at any level.

Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 06.10.2020 1175531 Websites emerged as a scorer with the Ducks, four times breaking the 30-goal threshold. In the summer of 2013, Ryan was acquired by Ottawa in a blockbuster Sportsnet.ca / Bobby Ryan's comeback from addiction earns him trade that sent forward Jakob Silfverberg to Anaheim along with forward Senators' Masterton nod prospect Stefan Noesen and a first-round draft pick (used to select Nick Ritchie).

With Ottawa, Ryan has become as well known for his contract as for his Wayne Scanlan production. In October of 2014, Ryan signed a seven-year, $50,750,000 contract that will pay him $7.25M through the 2021-22 season. June 9, 2020, 5:56 PM This season, Ryan played in just 24 games, with five goals and three assists. This, after three straight seasons below the 20-goal mark — 13, In the safety and comfort of his summer home in Idaho, Bobby Ryan can 11 and 15. admit he thought his career might be over when he left the Ottawa Fans relate to his vulnerability, honesty Senators last November to seek help for an alcohol addiction. Other players have been run out of NHL towns after signing big deals “Right when I left was the hardest time,” Ryan said on a Zoom call with without the points to match, yet Ryan has become a popular figure Ottawa media Tuesday. “Obviously, with the [big] contract there was that, among the fan base because people relate to his vulnerability and but I left knowing I might have played my last game in the NHL. And that humanity, despite the salary. was the hardest thing to swallow and get over.” Ryan represents the work in progress that many of us are, with our Whenever things look bleak for the Senators, Ryan has a way of personal hardships and closet skeletons. He wears his heart on his stepping up. sleeve, for all to see. In 2017, he was an unlikely playoff hero during Ottawa’s surprising run to “I think when you look at players and athletes, people have a perception the Eastern Conference Final, producing 15 points and two overtime that they are making a million bucks and living the good life, and getting winners. to play hockey and flying around, but I don’t think people get a chance to In late February of this year, the rebuilding Senators were in the throes of relate to some of the things that go on underneath,” Ryan said. a four-game losing streak and had dropped 21 of their previous 26 “Because I’ve been open and candid about that, I think people look at me games when Ryan returned from a rehabilitation centre to lift fans out of and say, ’there is a very relatable person.’ Through my familiar [past] and their seats with one of the most dramatic comebacks in the 28-year then the alcohol issues, things like that, I’ve never hid from it. history of the hockey club. “I’ve said, if I am going to do this, I am going to do it in the public eye and Not having played in more than 100 days since declaring on Nov. 20 that be candid with it. Some of the most rewarding things have been people he was leaving the team to take part in the NHL/NHLPA player that have reached out on social media, Instagram or whatever it might assistance program, Ryan responded to an expectant crowd at the be, sending me private messages. And I am able to pay it forward by Canadian Tire Centre with an explosion of pent-up energy and emotion: helping them. three goals and a fight (against Chris Tanev) in an inspiring 5-2 victory over the Vancouver Canucks. “Some I’ve helped find treatments. Some I’ve helped have the right conversations. These are people I didn’t know that I indirectly affected. Ryan’s first period goal, a tip of a Nikita Zaitsev shot, was Ryan’s first It’s incredible I am able to do that.” since Oct. 2. It launched the first of too many standing ovations to count. Jeff Marek and Elliotte Friedman talk to a lot of people around the hockey “It just got harder to keep the emotions down throughout the game … I world, and then they tell listeners all about what they’ve heard and what mean, you can’t write that,” Ryan said, of the script that unfolded that they think about it. night. “It’s just an incredible evening.” Other than a recent minor surgery, Ryan has been in terrific health and As he celebrated with his teammates — but not in the way he used to — good spirits, with a routine of 6:30 a.m. workouts followed by dad duty Ryan heard one of his dressing room pals say, “you just threw your hat in with his two kids around 9 am. the ring for the Masterton.” “I was until last week when I had a vasectomy, I haven’t moved in five On Tuesday, that comment proved prophetic. Ryan, 33, was named days and I feel like a bag of [expletive] right now,” Ryan said, in classic Ottawa’s nominee for the 2019-2020 Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy. Bobby Ryan candour. Once again, Ryan has put a smile on a dark week, changing the subject “I hope we’re not live on anything.” matter following a negative news spiral surrounding owner Eugene Melnyk’s breakup with the Ottawa Senators charitable Foundation. The initial quarantine after the season ended in March was a godsend, he said. The Masterton Trophy, as voted on by members of the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association, is awarded to the NHL player who “best “I felt like I was running at a hundred miles an hour for the last four exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication months there. And I really hadn’t had a chance to take a step back. At to hockey.” first it was — OK, have another day sober. Masterton, a forward with the Minnesota North Stars in the 1960s, “Then you get thrown into daily NHL life and you forget to do the daily suffered massive brain trauma during a game against the Oakland Seals affirmations for alcohol control. on Jan. 13, 1968. He died two days later. The award was launched in his honour in 1968. “I took those 14 days [of quarantine] to almost re-educate myself in learning how to stay sober. And it helped immensely. It really gave me a Ryan, battling back from the scars of a traumatic childhood, and in recent chance to slow down.” years an alcohol addiction, is a worthy candidate for the Masterton award, which has only once gone to a Senators player — goaltender He thanked his wife, Danielle, for her role in this “familial” and the team Craig Anderson in 2016-17. Masterton nomination. He thanked his trainers for whipping him into shape, and head coach D.J. Smith for keeping him on the rails during a Ryan has experienced personal loss and damage, which, to his credit, he terrifyingly long road back to getting in the starting lineup. has always been willing to share. In 2016 when he lost his mother, Melody, to cancer, Ryan penned a stirring tribute to her in a Players’ “I thought I was leaving for 30 days, practicing and getting right back into Tribune article. She was his rock as a child and a young man. things, and learned that wasn’t going to be the case.”

Ryan’s family background has been well documented. Born Bobby It took weeks to get the medical clearance to play again, to go with the Stevenson in Cherry Hill, N.J., Bobby’s father, Shane was a fugitive from off-ice and on-ice training. justice and changed the family name to Ryan as they set out for a life on “Coming back I felt I was having another obstacle every day, another the run. Shane Ryan was arrested in 2000. For perspective on Bobby obstacle every week and another thing to progress from, until I was part Ryan’s bizarre early life, check out the in-depth feature by Sportsnet’s of the team again.” Christine Simpson. Senior Writer Ryan Dixon and NHL Editor Rory Boylen always give it Drafted by Anaheim second overall behind Pittsburgh’s Sidney Crosby in 110%, but never rely on clichés when it comes to podcasting. Instead, 2005 — another life moment with scarring potential — Ryan nevertheless they use a mix of facts, fun and a varied group of hockey voices to cover Canada’s most beloved game. The Masterton nomination is a “great thing that came from all the tough things through the year,” Ryan said. “I’m extremely pleased to be the Sens representative.” The other day, Bobby and his wife had a conversation about their journey. “We talked briefly about how far we’ve come in the last six months, how far I’ve come with things that have led to the day-in, day-out rewards I’m getting now,” he said. Assuming the Senators want him back, he vows to return in great condition, no longer a player who takes a drink. “I’d like to continue to be a top six player, I think I still have that in me, I think I showed that a little bit in the four games I played [after the comeback] and if it’s with the Sens, I just want to help the kids get better and help them toward the path of being a consistent playoff team, because all the pieces are there. And they are going to continue to get there with all the drafting they have coming forward.”

Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 06.10.2020 1175532 Websites “Better,” Babcock replied post-game, not missing a beat. “You’ve seen our other guys come back — it’s a struggle. He’s just that kind of guy. He’s just working, working, working.” Sportsnet.ca / Why Zach Hyman is the Maple Leafs’ easy Masterton pick Sounds like a Masterton candidate to us. And that’s before you toss in Hyman’s officially being named to the Leafs’ leadership group, a signature golf tournament that has raised $100,000 Luke Fox | @lukefoxjukebox for the Hospital For Sick Children, and his role as team spokesman for the You Can Play initiative. June 9, 2020, 9:02 AM Keeping busy with his esports business, Eleven Gaming, and his moonlighting gig as a children’s author, Hyman admits his knee was TORONTO – There was a time, long before his consecutive 21-goal NHL something less than 100 per cent this season as he enters Phase 2 of a seasons, when Zach Hyman could not score. return to play. All those goals? They were scored with a brace. But the winger’s college coach at the University of Michigan, Hall of “I came back pretty early,” Hyman explained. “This off time is actually Fame legend Red Berenson, noticed the work ethic, the drive, and the beneficial for my overall body just to heal up and try to get the knee love. feeling back to normal. When I was in the season, I called it the ‘new normal,’ just trying to manage the day to day soreness. It got better as So, he pulled a young Hyman aside and delivered an uncomfortable the season went on, but definitely I have work to do with it.” lesson. Ultimately, Hyman may not win the Masterton — our toonie is on Oilers “You know, the way you’re gonna make it to the next level is, you gotta superstar Connor McDavid, whose unique summer rehab and 97-point be an elite penalty killer, and you gotta be an elite two-way player,” season was the stuff documentaries are made of — but as the Leafs’ Berenson advised. “The NHL is turning into grinders who can score.” most deserving candidate, he has certainly worked hard for the honour. Around that time, Hymn acknowledged that while he’d never be the guy He’s not the type you rule out. who screeched away in the scoring race, there were three things he could control: how hard he worked, his manner at the rink, and being present in the moment. Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 06.10.2020 “I worked my bag off, I had a positive attitude, and I kept getting better,” Hyman told Connor Carrick recently, during an extended interview for his ex-teammate’s podcast. “I’m gonna work harder than anybody in the gym to be one of the most fit players. And I’m going to do all the things some guys don’t want to do. I’m gonna go into the corners and get the puck back. And then, maybe, I’ll be able to score later on. “I kept getting stronger, getting faster, and I figured out how I’m going to be an effective player in the NHL.” On Tuesday, Hyman awoke on his 28th birthday to the news he is Toronto’s selection for the 2019-20 Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, as the local chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association has honoured the winger’s perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to the game. “It’s a nice birthday gift,” Hyman said Tuesday morning. “To be able to come back from an injury and to be recognized for that is really special.” Since he broke through with the Maple Leafs in 2016-17, under the shadow of a couple of rookie forwards named Mitch Marner and Auston Matthews, Hyman has affirmed his reputation as one of the sport’s premier grinders. Former coach Mike Babcock would proudly laud the winger as “the best forechecker in hockey.” And Hyman’s resilience — know anyone else who can play half a playoff series on a torn ACL? — stands out even in a sport cluttered with tough guys. But, increasingly, “the Sidney Crosby of 6-on-5” (a crown Matthews bestowed on his teammate in jest) can score — and not just into empty cages. Entrusted to protect late-game leads, Hyman has now tied Dave Keon’s franchise record of 12 career empty-net goals, despite playing 302 NHL games to Keon’s 1,062. But Hyman’s hands are catching up with his legs. Smart passes, deft tips, and sure-thing rebounds now complement shoulders in corners, sticks in lanes and stubborn screens outside the blue. Among all NHLers who dressed for a minimum 10 games in 2019-20, Hyman rates among the top 60 in goals created per game (0.31). He tied a career-high in goals (21) despite playing just 51 games and not getting out of the blocks until mid-November as he diligently rehabbed his right knee, the most serious injury of his career. And he established himself as the most effective left winger to complement top centres Matthews and John Tavares. Chances are, whoever’s line Hyman was on had the better night. We distinctly remember Babcock’s reaction when Hyman finally took to the ice after seven months of treatment and muscle-rebuilding, of icing and stretching and fighting discouragement. Did Hyman look as good as the coach expected? 1175533 Websites Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 06.10.2020

Sportsnet.ca / Amid loss of father, Markstrom endures to earn Canucks' Masterton nomination

Iain MacIntyre | @imacSportsnet June 9, 2020, 9:11 AM

VANCOUVER – For most of his National Hockey League career, Jacob Markstrom wasn’t even the best goalie on his team. This season, he was the most valuable player on the Vancouver Canucks. Just five years after going unclaimed through waivers, Markstrom’s career-best season at age 30 earned him the Canucks’ nomination for the Bill Masterton Trophy, as voted by the Vancouver chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association. It isn’t just that Markstrom persevered to build a career that appeared to be in ruin when he failed to meet initial expectations with the Florida Panthers, but that he played the best hockey of his life this season while dealing with the terminal illness and subsequent death of his father, Anders, last fall in Sweden. Markstrom went 23-16-4 in 43 starts with the Canucks while posting a career-best save percentage of .918 — numbers that don’t reflect his full impact on the team and pale in comparison to advanced, proprietary statistics that indicate he was a top-five goalie in the NHL this season. Twice, he took week-long personal leaves from the Canucks, but did not allow his grief to affect his performance or his teammates. “You know me well enough that I don’t talk individual success very often,” Canuck coach Travis Green told Sportsnet. “(But) I’ve been with Marky a long time. I’m probably connected to him more than any player on our team. You work with him a lot and you become close with those kinds of players, and I’m really happy for the season he has had. I think he’s an ultra-fierce competitor who loves to win, and you can’t have enough of those guys on your team.” Green was the Canucks’ minor-league coach in Utica, N.Y., when Markstrom turned around his career by going 22-7-2 with a .934 save rate in the American League in 2014-15, the season after he was acquired by Vancouver in the trade that returned Roberto Luongo to Florida. That performance, combined with Markstrom’s fierce, singular focus, convinced Canucks general manager Jim Benning to trade Eddie Lack and make Markstrom the backup to NHL starter Ryan Miller in 2015-16. Markstrom inherited the No. 1 role two years later, and has improved each of his three seasons as a starter. “The expectation I had for myself has been really high for more than 10 years now,” Markstrom said during training camp in September. “I want to be really, really good and I expect that from me. “I never look back and say I should have done that instead of this. Whatever I did, whatever my mindset was, everything I did was leading up to this point. So I can’t sit back and regret anything. I’m just super fortunate to have been able to work with a lot of good goalie coaches, coaches, and great teammates who taught me a lot of things.” This season, Markstrom was an incredible 7-1-0 when facing at least 40 shots. He posted a 43-save shutout against the Carolina Hurricanes in December and in February beat the Chicago Blackhawks 3-0 when the Canucks were outshot 49-20. Markstrom suffered a meniscus tear in his knee on Feb. 22, underwent surgery four days later and was expected to be out another 1-2 weeks when the NHL shut down due to the coronavirus on March 12. But the goalie is fully healthy now and will make his Stanley Cup Playoffs debut this summer if the Canucks win their qualifying series against the Minnesota Wild upon the NHL’s planned return in July. Markstrom is eligible for unrestricted free agency after this season, but the goalie is determined to stay in Vancouver, and Benning has pledged to keep him.

The Masterton Trophy is awarded annually by the PHWA to the player who “best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey.” No Canuck has won the award.

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Sportsnet.ca / Ducks GM Murray clarifies comments on Eakins: 'I left him high and dry'

Emily Sadler | @EmmySadler June 9, 2020, 3:21 PM

Anaheim Ducks general manager Bob Murray made headlines last week when he made some harsh comments about the performance of some of the team’s young players and also came across as critical (both indirectly and directly) of head coach Dallas Eakins. He clarified his stance during an appearance on Hockey Central on Tuesday, saying he should have helped Eakins more but instead left the bench boss “high and dry” in his first campaign with the Ducks. “I was trying to get across the point that I kind of left Dallas high and dry,” Murray said Tuesday of his prior comments. “Because of what had happened the year before when I let Randy [Carlyle] go, went down behind the bench and then I brought Dallas in, and with his experience in Edmonton I felt I had to get away and distance myself for his own good. And I left him high and dry. I should’ve been around him more, I should’ve helped him more.” The Ducks’ bench has been under a lot of scrutiny the past two years, which undoubtedly made his comments last week that much more noteworthy. Upon firing Randy Carlyle in February 2019, Murray made the unconventional decision to not name an interim but instead take over the bench himself for the remainder of 2018-19 in an effort to understand a situation that he called “more problematic than I thought.”

Eakins was the natural successor after striking success with the AHL’s San Diego Gulls, but Murray’s comments last week — directed at both Eakins and at several of the team’s (unnamed) young players — caused a bit of a stir and suggested the veteran GM might be impatient already:

“In hindsight, because of the year before and what happened at the end, I kind of backed off and gave everyone space. I didn’t feel I could be around as much. In hindsight, that’s a mistake. An error in judgement. My people argue with me on that. That won’t happen again. Everybody talking about the young guys, it just led players, at times, to say it’s just a rebuilding year, and that it doesn’t matter. Up and down the lineup, some of the kids were allowed to get away with murder this year. That’s over. Accountability in this group is going to change. I’ve said that a couple times. I’m hellbent on that happening going forward. The coaches are going to hear that loud and clear. They already have.” – Ducks GM Bob Murray, via media availability on June 3 In clarifying his remarks on Tuesday, Murray admitted that the influx of “too many young players in the lineup” put a burden on Eakins. “We have a lot of young players there and when we got injured, we even had more young players — we had too many young players in the lineup. I should’ve helped more,” Murray said, later adding that he didn’t do a very good job of explaining his initial stance on the matter. “And it put a big burden on Dallas because of, as we recall, what he went through when he was in Edmonton. That’s what I was trying to say, and it didn’t come out right.” The Ducks were 29-33-9 at the time of the NHL hiatus on March 12, and are one of seven teams now officially done for 2019-20 after the NHL announced its decision to conduct a 24-team playoff to complete the current campaign. “I’m happy with where Dallas has taken the team,” Murray said Tuesday. “I really believe it started good last year, there was a little problem in the middle, and then it was getting righted near the end. We made a few trades, and it was going in the right direction. Unfortunately, we didn’t get to finish the year because I think we would’ve finished pretty well.”

Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 06.10.2020 1175535 Websites “A lot of things going through your mind at that point,” Bourque said of the moment. “About family, there are a lot of ex-teammates that I played with that you wish you could share it with.” Sportsnet.ca / Remember When? Ray Bourque ends career as a Stanley “A name was missing from that thing,” Patrick Roy, who won his third Cup champion Conn Smythe Trophy, said in his post-game press conference. “And today it is back to normal.”

Days after winning the Cup, Bourque brought it back to Boston for a rally Josh Beneteau | @jbenny15 with thousands of Bruins fans who hadn’t tasted victory since 1972. June 9, 2020, 11:10 AM “[Last year], we felt there was a move that had to be made and it was a tough one,” Bourque told the crowd, according to the Hartford Courant. “The support that you’re showing today certainly shows me that you guys With nearly every sports organization on the planet on pause at the understand what it’s all about. Over the years, you’ve known me not to moment as the world deals with the COVID-19 pandemic, we feel it’s an be a guy to express my feelings as much as some people… but I am opportune time to reminisce about some special moments in sports here today to say thank you to all of you.” history. Bourque officially retired on June 26, 2001 and was inducted into the Hall On this day in 2001, Hall of Fame defenceman Ray Bourque capped his of Fame in 2004. He remains the only defenceman to score 400 goals career by lifting the Stanley Cup after the Colorado Avalanche defeated (he finished with 410) and also is the all-time defencemen leader in the New Jersey Devils 3-1 in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final. assists (1,169) and points (1,579). Bourque, 40, had to wait 22 seasons and 1,826 games to finally win Still, despite all of his accomplishments, Bourque entered that Game 7 hockey’s ultimate prize. No other player who’s won the Stanley Cup has on June 9, 2001 with one achievement left to cross off his list. That long had to wait longer. wait made finally winning even sweeter. The Montreal native broke into the NHL with the Boston Bruins as a 19- “When we won, it was a huge relief for me,” he said years later. “Not only year-old in 1979-80 and hit his stride right away, winning the Calder that, but I finally knew how it really felt to be a champion.” Trophy after scoring 65 points. Over his 20 years in Boston — 15 as captain — Bourque would win the Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 06.10.2020 Norris Trophy five times and appear in 18 all-star games. But the closest he would get to winning the Cup were two losses to the Edmonton Oilers in the 1988 and 1990 finals. By the time the 1999-2000 season rolled around, Bourque was 39 and the Bruins were on pace to miss the playoffs. Sensing his window to win was almost closed, Bourque requested a trade and on March 6, 2000, the Bruins sent him and forward Dave Andreychuk to the Avalanche for forward , defenceman Martin Grenier, centre Sami Pahlsson and a first-round pick. The Avalanche would lose in seven games to the Dallas Stars in the 2000 Western Conference Final but Bourque opted to return for one more season — and one more chance to win the Cup. In his final season Bourque scored 59 points, was selected to a 19th all- star game and finished runner-up to Nicklas Lidstrom for the Norris. The Avalanche added another future Hall of Fame defenceman, Rob Blake, in a mid-season trade and the club finished first in the NHL with a 52-16-10 record. After dispatching the Canucks, Kings and Blues, the Avalanche found themselves facing the defending Cup champion Devils in the Final. The clubs split the first four games, with Bourque’s only goal of the series being the winner in Game 3. The Devils then won Game 5 in Denver and headed home with a chance to win a second-consecutive title.

“The guys were really down on themselves. You could hear a pin drop in the dressing room,” Bob Hartley, then the Avalanche head coach, said of the mood after the Game 5 loss. “Ray, with a tear in his eye, spoke briefly, basically to tell the guys he had one or two games left to play before retiring and all he wanted was to win the Cup. I really had nothing to add. The guys were pumped after that.” The Avalanche won 4-0 in Game 6 to force the deciding game back home and by that point, anyone who wasn’t a Devils fan was rooting for Bourque to go out a champion. Bourque skated more than any other player in Game 7 — just under 30 minutes — and as the clock counted down in the third period he was overcome with emotion. “Over the final few minutes, I had trouble breathing. I thought I was going to pass out,” he told NHL.com in 2016. When the final horn sounded everyone knew who should get the Cup first. But no one knew exactly what captain Joe Sakic had planned. “There’s one player who’s waited a long time to hoist this,” commissioner Gary Bettman said during the trophy presentation. “Joe Sakic, come get the Cup so he and the rest of your teammates can hoist it.” Sakic skated over and grabbed the trophy, almost forgetting to pose for a picture with Bettman. Then, instead of lifting it first, the way captains have for decades, Sakic immediately gave the Cup to Bourque. “Without a doubt the easiest pass I’ve ever made,” Sakic said. 1175536 Websites Tavares may not have hesitated to get back in action, but other NHLers have expressed concern over the NHL making a return at all.

Florida Panthers defenceman Anton Stralman spoke to The Athletic last TSN.CA / Toronto Maple Leafs getting used to new normal of Phase 2 week about risks associated with exposure to COVID-19 for players facing underlying health conditions, like those he deals with following a lengthy battle with the lung disease bronchiectasis. Kristen Shilton Stralman told The Athletic that, “I think you should be concerned…I know everybody wants hockey back, but safety has to come first.” It's been a whole two days since Phase 2 of the NHL's Return to Play As not only a Return to Play committee member but the Leafs captain, protocol got underway, and already players are adopting new routines for Tavares would be a natural choice for other Leafs to reach out to with the new normal. health and safety questions. But given how extensive the NHL’s Phase 2 policies are, from mandating face masks be worn when personnel aren’t For instance, Maple Leafs captain John Tavares has quickly learned the on the ice, to sanitizing measures, to bi-weekly COVID-19 testing, benefits of putting in a little extra time on his own before heading to work. Tavares said he hasn’t heard of any issues from his teammates. “After the first day back, I actually brought my sticks home so I could tape “[There’s nothing] I'm completely aware of,” Tavares said. “I think them up and save time at the rink and get done everything I need to do everyone wants to make sure they're healthy and safe. The detail and there,” Tavares told reporters on a Zoom conference call Tuesday, everything that we're going through, how diligent our medical staff has following his second day of on-ice work. been, how available they've been…they’re making sure that anyone that has anything that might cause any complications at all [is taken care of]. “There's a pretty big-time crunch on being in the arena; you only have We want to make sure everyone is safe, and can feel comfortable about about 45 minutes to an hour to complete your workout and you’ve got the situation and they can just worry about being a hockey player. We about 40 minutes on the ice. The windows are fairly small, but the actual never want to be in a situation where guys don't feel safe and can't just work we're able to get in is going to go a long way in helping us prepare focus on playing hockey at its highest level.” and get ready. The intensity is there.” For all the hoops still left to jump through, having another chance to The NHL’s Phase 2 regime is an entirely voluntary process, with compete for hockey's highest honour is in part what would make guidelines stating players can convene in groups of no more than six returning to play worthwhile for Tavares. players. It's the thought that drives him daily, and sustained him through months Tavares has skated at Ford Performance Centre the last two days of self-isolation and at-home workouts. So that even with the challenging alongside Ilya Mikheyev, Jake Muzzin and Jack Campbell, with Cody new protocols of Phase 2, and the reality of games without fans Ceci and Mitch Marner expected to join them on Thursday after going potentially looming, Tavares has never lost sight of why playing again through mandated COVID-19 testing. Another of the Leafs groups truly matters. includes Zach Hyman, Morgan Rielly, Alex Kerfoot, Travis Dermott, William Nylander and Joseph Woll. “The biggest motivating factor is I've wanted to lift that [Stanley Cup] trophy over my head since I was a kid,” Tavares said. “I think [playing] There’s still a long way to go before the league could potentially move would be a great sign for society and a great thing we can do for a lot of into Phase 3, with prospective training camps starting July 10 at the our communities and cities and our hockey fans…that can get behind earliest. If things progress to Phase 4, Toronto will face the Columbus something and be able to take their mind away. [As players], you love to Blue Jackets in a best-of-five qualifying round series for a spot in the play this game and love to compete and all that is the same, what NHL’s 16-team postseason field. happens in between the boards is all going to be the same. You’re just That gives other Leafs plenty of time to get involved in Phase 2 should trying to put yourself in a good place mentally, be in the moment and they choose to. Tavares remains hopeful protocols will evolve to become understand there's still a lot to be play for.” less stringent as time goes on.

“It only makes sense that eventually the groups are going to expand here TSN.CA LOADED: 06.10.2020 in Phase 2,” said Tavares, who’s been an active member of the NHL/NHLPA’s Return to Play Committee. “To go from [skating with] six guys and only seeing three or four staff members to possibly then seeing 40 people in a training camp doesn't really make a whole lot of sense. So hopefully in a couple of weeks we can take our next step, kind of in the same framework you're seeing with local authorities.” Despite it being extremely early on in hockey’s return operation, Tavares and his teammates are approaching this as an opportunity to improve. “We’re really trying to use this time to come together and push one another, and really get prepared so we feel really good about where we're at once Phase 3 rolls around,” Tavares said. “It isn’t about just getting the cobwebs out; we have to be smart and diligent with how we build ourselves from here on in. We have quite a few of our guys here in town who are getting on the same page, which is great. Everyone is taking this very seriously and I think have been very dialled in. We need to perform right off the bat [in a qualifying round], to get results that we need to continue to move on and have a chance to continue to play for the Stanley Cup.” Unlike in a normal practice or regular training session, Phase 2 limits who players can interact with to help quell the spread of disease. So rather than being surrounded by coaches and development staff herding them through activities, it’s on each group to come up with a new plan of attack each day. “On the ice we've been brainstorming amongst [ourselves], and then with some [outside] guidance from our development staff on the fundamentals, we just started skating, shooting, passing and stick handling,” Tavares said. “For our goalies, it’s important to see shots and just get some different variety, a lot of touches. You're trying to get the intensity up in the cardiovascular training component for your conditioning, especially with skating and those things you can't really mimic in the gym. And even with a lot of the restrictions and different protocols that are in place, it’s fantastic being at the rink.” 1175537 World Leagues News

Australia on track to see coronavirus largely gone by July, sport resumes

Wednesday, June 10, 2020 12:26 a.m. EDT by Thomson Reuters

MELBOURNE (Reuters) - Australia is on course to have largely eradicated the coronavirus by July, a public health official said on Wednesday, as the country's most populous state announced the removal of restrictions on community sports. "Our view has been that we had hoped that by June/July that we would see coronavirus largely disappearing from the country, so this is pretty much on track," said Bill Rawlinson, a senior medical virologist with New South Wales Health. New South Wales said it would resume community sports like netball and cricket from July 1, after the state went for two weeks without any cases of community transmission. Australia logged an increase of seven cases overnight in the eastern states, three in NSW and four in Victoria, bringing total nationwide cases to 7,274. Three of the most recent cases were from unknown sources, after the country recorded no cases acquired from an unknown source overnight to Tuesday. Despite the low numbers, some Australian states including Queensland and Western Australia have kept their borders shut, resisting calls to reopen them by their hard-hit tourism industries. The state border closures have also slowed progress towards opening a travel bubble between Australia and neighbouring New Zealand, New Zealand's Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters said. New Zealand lifted all restrictions except international border controls after declaring on Monday it was free of the coronavirus. "Before we went to lockdown, we were talking about getting out of it and having a bubble of success between both countries," Peters told Channel Nine, discussing the prospect of opening travel between New Zealand and some Australian states first. "Let's not restrain the movement between our two countries based on the slowest state in Australia." WHTC -LOADED: 06.10.2020 1175538 World Leagues News

NASCAR takes next step in return from coronavirus; set to allow fans back in Florida, Alabama

ASSOCIATED PRESS |

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — NASCAR is set to allow fans back at the track for races this month at Homestead-Miami Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway. NASCAR will allow up to 1,000 Florida service members, representing the Homestead Air Reserve Base and U.S. Southern Command in Doral, to attend the Cup Series race Sunday as honorary guests and view the race from the grandstands. Talladega Superspeedway in Alabama will allow up to 5,000 guests in the frontstretch grandstands/towers for the June 21 Cup race. There will be limited motorhome/camping spots available outside the track. Talladega Superspeedway in Alabama will be allowed to accomodate up to 5,000 during the June 21 Cup race.

NASCAR says all fans will be screened before entering, required to wear face coverings, mandated to social distance at six feet, and will not have access to the infield, among other revised operational protocols. NASCAR has returned to racing, but had not allowed fans inside the tracks in North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia. “We have tremendous respect and appreciation for the responsibility that comes with integrating guests back into our events,” said Daryl Wolfe, NASCAR executive vice president and chief sales and operations officer. “We believe implementing this methodical process is an important step forward for the sport and the future of live sporting events. The passion and unwavering support of our industry and fans is the reason we race each weekend and we look forward to slowly and responsibly welcoming them back at select events.” LOADED: 06.10.2020 1175539 World Leagues News “I’ve got a business to run and a job to do, and when I can’t run my business and I can’t go to my job and make a full paycheck, I’m in jail already. So getting behind bars does not scare me. I’m going to speak North Carolina declares Ace Speedway imminent hazard, closes track my piece, and we’re going to do something.” NBC Sports LOADED: 06.10.2020 By Dustin LongJun 9, 2020, 1:47 PM EDT

Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) The state of North Carolina ordered Ace Speedway to be closed immediately, citing the track as an “imminent hazard for the spread of COVID-19” after it repeatedly violated his executive order against mass gatherings. The order was issued by the North Carolina Department of Heath and Human Services. North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper said Monday that the state would take action this week if local officials did not.

Ace Speedway is located in Alamance County, about two hours northeast of Charlotte Motor Speedway. The county’s sheriff stated Monday he would not issue any citations to the track for having crowds that exceeded state guidelines on mass gatherings during the COVID-19 pandemic. The order from the state prohibits Ace Speedway from operating in any form. The order also states that the track shall notify the public by 5 p.m. ET Tuesday that its upcoming races – the track’s next scheduled event is June 19 – will be canceled. The order states that track officials may propose a plan that will follow the state’s guidelines on mass gatherings. The order states that such a plan must be approved by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services. The state is in Phase 2 of reopening. That limits mass gatherings to 10 people indoors and 25 people outdoors. Alamance County Sheriff Terry Johnson told WGHP he asked the governor’s office for a clarification but had not heard from the office at the time. “It puts me in a heck of a position as a sheriff, and any sheriff in this state, to try to write a citation to enforce the governor’s order when in fact it’s a constitutional violation in my opinion and the other sheriffs in this state,” Johnson said. The track held races the past three weekends. Photos and video have shown many more than that at recent races at Ace Speedway. Last Saturday, the track placed a sign at its entrance that read: “This Event is held in PEACEFUL Protest of Injustice & Inequality Everywhere – Ace Speedway.” “People shouldn’t run a money-making operation that puts in danger not only their customers but anybody who would come into contact with their customers,” Gov. Cooper said Monday. “This is a reckless decision being made by the owners, pulling people together in that way that can cause the spread of the (coronavirus) virus. “Alamance County (home of the track) is one of the counties that is having higher numbers than it should have. We look forward to taking some action on this in the coming week. “It’s concerning that Alamance officials have not been able to stop this. We would hope that they could. But if they can’t, then the state will have to take action, which we will do this week if the local officials don’t.” In a media release announcing the order, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services stated: “The novel coronavirus continues to threaten North Carolina, with recent data indicating an acceleration in the number of new cases, a greater percentage of positive tests and an increase in hospitalizations resulting from COVID-19. Alamance County has had an increasing trend in number of cases since the start of the pandemic with larger increases in the numbers of cases since the last week in April. The doubling time for the outbreak in Alamance reached a maximum of 19.7 days in the last week of May, and decreased to 13.6 days in early June, indicating that viral spread is becoming more rapid.” Ace Speedway owner Robert Turner has been outspoken about having fans at his races. In a May 21 story, Turner told the Times-News in Burlington, North Carolina, that “I’m going to race and I’m going to have people in the stands.” “And unless they can barricade the road, I’m going to do it. The racing community wants to race. They’re sick and tired of the politics. People are not scared of something that ain’t killing nobody. It may kill .03 percent, but we deal with more than that every day, and I’m not buying it no more. 1175540 World Leagues News

Boxing returns to Las Vegas after coronavirus shutdown

By Thomas BarrabiFOXBusiness

As the MLB, NBA and NHL work toward reopening, DraftKings co- founder and CEO Jason Robins explains how sports fans are reacting to the world slowly returning, even if they aren't allowed in the stands. Live boxing returns to Las Vegas with strict health guidelines in place following a lengthy pause in action during the coronavirus pandemic.

Hosted by leading promoter Top Rank Boxing, the sport’s comeback event will be held without fans in attendance at MGM Grand Garden Arena on Tuesday. The show is Top Rank’s first event in North America since February and is headlined by a bout between unbeaten WBO featherweight champion and U.S. Olympian Shakur Stevenson against Puerto Rico’s Felix Caraballo. The Nevada Athletic Commission allowed combat sports to return to the state earlier this month after halting all events on March 14 as the pandemic worsened. Top Rank officials worked with the commission to establish strict precautionary measures for the event, including extensive testing of all participants and mandatory quarantines at the venue hotel prior to fights.

“I would like to thank MGM Resorts and the Nevada State Athletic Commission for their assistance in helping to bring back world-class boxing,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum. “We are all looking forward to a spectacular summer of live boxing across ESPN platforms. Shakur is among the best young talents I’ve ever promoted, and he is going to put on a show on June 9.” The comeback event hit a snag earlier this week after boxer Mikaela Mayer was forced to drop out after testing positive for COVID-10. Mayer was originally scheduled to co-headline the fight card. Top Rank has a second boxing event planned for Thursday night. The promotion is aiming to hold a total of 10 events at MGM Grand through mid-July, according to The Telegraph. Boxing’s comeback will occur just days after Ultimate Fighting Championship staged its UFC 250 pay-per-view event in Nevada. The card took place without fans at the UFC Apex facility near company headquarters. FOX Business LOADED: 06.10.2020 1175541 World Leagues News

Home-field advantage in sports might be a thing of the past in the crowd- free coronavirus era, early data from elite German soccer suggests

Barnaby Lane

Early indications from the return of the German Bundesliga suggest that playing in empty stadiums has all but removed "home advantage." Germany's top flight returned on May 16 after a two-month hiatus due to the coronavirus pandemic, however matches are being played behind closed doors. Since its return, home teams have won only 21.7% of matches (10 from 46 games), compared to 43.3% before the play was halted in March, according to ESPN. Conversely, away teams' winning ratio has risen from 34.8% to 47.8%. Home teams have also scored fewer goals, managing just 1.28 per game since the restart compared to 1.75 pre-lockdown. "I don't think that [the change in fortunes at home] is a coincidence," Bayer Leverkusen boss Peter Bosz said, according to ESPN. Leverkusen have failed to win at its BayArena stadium since the league resumed. "It's easier for the away teams when there are no fans in the stadium. Without spectators, it comes down more to the quality of players."

Freiburg coach Christian Streich said: "For us [smaller teams], the absence of fans hurts us more than it does the top teams." Eintracht Frankfurt boss Adi Huetter concurred with Streich, saying: "Teams with a high level of technical quality are less dependent on support. This disadvantages some teams more than others." An ongoing study by economics professors from across Europe supports the trend being seen in the Bundesliga. Called "Echoes: What happens when football is played behind closed doors" – Carl Singleton and James Reade, both from the University of Reading, and Dominik Schreyer from the Otto Beisheim School of Management, analyzed 191 matches played behind closed doors in Europe's top competitions since 1945.

Examining players, coaches, and the behaviour of referees, they found that while home teams usually won 46% of their matches in front of their home crowd, that number fell by 10% in the absence of supporters. "We have found that the commonly observed home advantage in sport is almost completely removed when spectators are not present," reads a summary of their findings to date, as per ESPN. "And we find some suggestive evidence that this is because of the removal of the influence of spectators on the referee; almost half a yellow card less is given to visiting players, while less injury time is awarded." insider.com LOADED: 06.10.2020