SPORT-SCAN DAILY BRIEF NHL 7/27/2020 1189292 Coyotes make quite the statement in announcing GM 1189316 Q&A: Chris Osgood eager to see reshaped playoffs, says John Chayka's departure Red Wings' young stars need support 1189293 Chayka: Staying with Coyotes an 'impossibility'; ownership 1189317 Plymouth brothers Nick, Luke Boka united with Fort 'disappointed' in GM's departure Wayne Komets 1189294 Coyotes ‘disappointed’ with GM John Chayka’s decision to quit team Oilers 1189295 Report: GM John Chayka terminates contract with 1189318 Despite a very short runway, ready to Coyotes take flight 1189296 Arizona Coyotes reveal roster for Qualifying 1189319 JONES: Hub city a homecoming for Edmonton-area Round NHLers 1189297 Burnside: After an ugly parting with John Chayka, what’s 1189320 Lowetide: Oilers’ productive prospect pipeline a welcome next for the Coyotes? change for playoffs 1189298 Bruins finalize playoff roster as they head to to 1189321 Florida Panthers enter NHL’s bubble in Toronto on begin Cup run Sunday. Here’s what it’ll be like 1189299 Bruins Notebook: Phase 3 in the books for Bruins; next 1189322 ‘We’re not gonna be a ... doormat': 25 years after stop, Toronto surprising Stanley Cup Finals run, Panthers have another 1189300 Bruins cut Anton Blidh, Paul Carey from return to play op roster 1189323 Wild departs for Edmonton with full roster availability 1189301 How the Sabres, developer Douglas Jemal worked to 1189324 Kaapo Kahkonen awaits next opportunity to stop shots for accommodate Blue Jays Wild 1189325 Day 9: No, I'm not wearing the same clothes every day! 1189326 Wild embark for Edmonton hoping to be away for a couple 1189302 Empty feeling: Flames ready for 'weird' and 'eerie' of months atmosphere without fans in rink Canadiens 1189327 Max Domi joins training camp 1189303 Hurricanes head to Toronto and life in a ‘bubble’ with of winning Stanley Cup 1189328 Former Predators player Steve Sullivan named interim GM of Arizona Coyotes 1189304 Blackhawks release 31-man postseason roster with Corey 1189329 Predators finalize expanded NHL playoffs roster Crawford — and no surprises 1189330 What might life be like in the NHL bubble for the 1189305 This You Gotta See: Blackhawks hit the ice; Cubs, White Predators? Sox hit the road 1189306 Finally healthy after shoulder surgery, Calvin de Haan boosts Blackhawks’ defense 1189331 N.H.L. Award Races Bode Well for a Compelling Restart 1189307 Blackhawks arrive in Edmonton for Stanley Cup Playoffs 1189308 6 Blackhawks most likely to be selected in expansion draft 1189332 Mathew Barzal, Islanders excited as team departs for 1189309 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs: Blackhawks release 31-man Toronto postseason roster 1189310 How Edmonton Oilers' lines have looked at their Phase 3 training camp 1189333 Rangers practice gets intense before trip to Toronto bubble 1189334 Marc Staal says Rangers are 'itching to play competitive 1189311 2020 Avalanche postseason roster announced hockey again' 1189312 Why Nathan MacKinnon, Gabe Landeskog believe this is 1189335 ‘It’s a little surreal’: Rangers arrive in the ‘bubble’ in Avalanche’s best chance yet to win Stanley Cup: “We Toronto have 1189313 What we learned from the Avalanche’s 31-man roster and their training camp 1189336 Flyers bringing Egor Zamula to Toronto as Phase 4 roster is announced 1189337 Oskar Lindblom’s incredible journey back to the Flyers | 1189314 Columbus Blue Jackets’ Dubois, Wennberg differ in Timeline personality 1189338 NHL playoffs Flyers vs. Rangers: Previewing possible 1st-round matchup 1189339 2020 NHL playoffs: Flyers announce 31-man roster for 1189315 Final observations from training camp, plus answers to 24-team tournament, fly to Toronto with sweet shirts your Stars questions Websites 1189340 The Penguins are prepared for bad ice in Toronto 1189375 The Athletic / NHL players share pandemic tales of 1189341 Penguins’ postseason roster announced personal and financial stress 1189342 Ex-Penguins forward Eddie Shack dies at 83 1189376 .ca / Coyotes owner to ask Bettman to 1189343 Key questions remain unanswered as the Penguins head adjudicate split with Chayka to the hub 1189377 Sportsnet.ca / NHL Playoff Primer: Everything you need to know ahead of post-season 1189378 Sportsnet.ca / Equal parts player and pitchman, Eddie 1189344 Sharks' Evander Kane discusses NHL's 'Hockey is for Shack defied easy categorization Everyone' movement 1189379 Sportsnet.ca / NHL teams arrive in Toronto, Edmonton 1189345 Sharks' Ryan Merkley recalls staying with Brent Burns, ahead of league restart fear of snakes 1189380 TSN.CA / Jets’ preparation for season restart will take a major but unique step this week St Louis Blues 1189346 Blues notebook: O'Reilly steps up to help youth charity 1189347 COVID response helped underdog Edmonton land NHL 1189370 Hawerchuk battles cancer again hub status 1189371 Jets offer several storylines to follow as qualifier nears 1189348 JT's Quarantine Chronicles: Food for thought 1189372 Jets legend Hawerchuk back fighting cancer 1189349 Victor Hedman not flying with Lightning to Toronto, will join SPORT-SCAN, INC. 941-284-4129 team Friday 1189350 Lightning’s Jon Cooper ‘happy’ after two weeks of training camp 1189351 Lightning players, coaches pack necessities for Toronto bubble 1189352 Pickleball, PlayStation and Catan: What the Lightning are bringing to the hub 1189353 Maple Leafs legend Eddie Shack dies at 83 1189354 What’s in a name? For sports teams, a great deal, and not much 1189355 Teen Nick Robertson makes the Leafs’ 30-man playoff roster — but will he play? 1189356 The Entertainer, Eddie Shack, was everything Leafs fans wanted in a hockey player 1189357 Healthy and rested. No travel. The road to the Stanley Cup hasn’t been this smooth in decades 1189358 NHL notes: Chayka deserts Coyotes 1189359 Leafs' Eddie Shack, 'The Entertainer,' dies at 83 1189360 ‘He gave people a good show’: Maple Leafs fan favourite Eddie Shack dies at 83 Canucks 1189373 Willes' Musings: A lot to look forward to with this version of the Canucks 1189374 Ben Kuzma: Canucks' MVP Markstrom won't let Wild hotshot Fiala get into his head 1189361 Why Golden Knights should start Marc-Andre Fleury at goalie 1189362 Why Golden Knights should start Robin Lehner at goalie 1189363 Golden Knights pack heavy for trip to Edmonton hub 1189364 Life inside the NHL bubble: Golden Knights arrive for postseason today 1189365 Pro Basketball and NHL Show Different Approaches To Racial Justice Issues At Events 1189366 Capitals defense aims to hold steady in NHL restart 1189367 Capitals, minus Samsonov, head to Toronto bubble with restart on horizon 1189368 Capitals playoff roster: Ilya Samsonov left off travel roster for Toronto 1189369 Todd Reirden confirms Ilya Samsonov's absence is due to injury and not the coronavirus 1189292 Arizona Coyotes Chayka found out about the meeting only afterward, according to an NHL source. That contributed to his decision to “terminate his contract” Friday morning, according to the source.

Coyotes make quite the statement in announcing GM John Chayka's At least that’s one version of events. departure Another one is that Chayka knew about the dinner, and in fact, set it up. That’s what another source told azcentralsports.com.

Kent Somers So, where do the two parties go from here?

It’s hard to envision the Coyotes allowing Chayka to leave and work The relationship between GM John Chayka and new Coyotes ownership elsewhere in professional hockey without receiving compensation in deteriorated in less the one year. return. If he can do that, what good is a contract?

Usually, statements issued to media when a sports franchise and an And it’s hard to envision Chayka accepting that if he believes the executive part ways are stripped of all emotion and most sincerity. Coyotes circumvented powers guaranteed to him in his contract. If they can do that, what good is a contract? The dearly departed are thanked for their service and wished well in future endeavors, no matter the level of animosity that existed prior. The “he said, they said” discourse likely will continue with considerable billable hours by attorneys. As with most divorces, they might be the only That did not happen on Sunday when the Coyotes announced that clear winners. general manager John Chayka was now the ex. Arizona Republic LOADED: 07.27.2020 Why are 'student-athletes' on campus when other students aren't?

“John Chayka has quit as the General Manager and President of Hockey Operations of the Arizona Coyotes,” the statement reads. "The Club is disappointed in his actions and his timing as the Coyotes prepare to enter the NHL's hub city of Edmonton, where the team will begin post- season play for the first time since 2012. Chayka has chosen to quit on a strong and competitive team, a dedicated staff, and the Arizona Coyotes fans, the greatest fans in the NHL.”

“Quit” is a word rarely seen in such statements, much less twice in one paragraph. No name was attached to the statement, but comments like that aren’t made unless ownership signs off.

Chayka took a more traditional route with his statement, issued just a few minutes before his former employer's, but he did say that he wanted to be with the team in Edmonton for the post-season.

“Sadly, the situation created by ownership made that an impossibility. That’s all I intend to say on this matter for now.”

The “for now” foreshadows a continued battle between Chayka and owner . Meruelo might be reluctant to allow Chayka to work elsewhere in the NHL, provided there is a non-compete clause in Chayka’s contract, which is usually the case.

And Chayka might argue that he terminated his contract only after the Coyotes violated parts of the agreement. Like allegedly excluding him from dinner and negotiations with a player.

As with most breakups, the people I feel most sorry for are the innocent bystanders. In this case, the players, coaches and fans.

The emotional investment required to be a Coyotes fan rarely has paid dividends in the team’s 24 years in the desert.

Obstructed view seats. Shaky ownership. No ownership. Arena issues. Lease problems. Driving to Glendale on weeknights. Under their team jerseys, Coyotes fans have as many scars and bruises as a 15-year veteran.

That’s why Meruelo’s purchase of the team a year ago held so much promise. He was worth a couple billion dollars, per reports, and promised he was willing to part with some of it in order to win.

He backed that up by signing Chayka to a long-term contract last November, and by allowing Chayka to trade for Phil Kessel last summer and then Taylor Hall last December. Those moves haven't translated to success on the ice, but at least it looked like the Coyotes were trying.

Behind the scenes, however, the relationship between Chayka and Meruelo began to fracture.

Why exactly, we don’t know. Neither man has publicly aired grievances.

A lack of a dinner reservation contributed to Chayka’s decision to split the sheets, according to an NHL source.

Last week, three Coyotes executives not named Chayka met with Hall over dinner. Meruelo and new team President and CEO Xavier Gutierrez were there. So was Meruelo’s son, Alex Jr., who works in the front office as a “strategic advisor” for hockey and business operations. 1189293 Arizona Coyotes Since rising to power, Chayka has completely rebuilt the Coyotes roster with only two players remaining on the active roster – Oliver Ekman- Larsson and Brad Richardson – since he rose to power in 2016.

Chayka: Staying with Coyotes an 'impossibility'; ownership 'disappointed' Chayka, who became the eighth general manager in Coyotes history, in GM's departure also revamped the team's scouting department and was responsible for drafting some of the Coyotes' top young players such as Clayton Keller and Jakob Chychrun (2016), Barrett Hayton (2018) and Victor Soderstrom (2019). Richard Morin Chayka used the newfound depth in the Coyotes' prospect pipeline to Kent Somers make major trades for both Phil Kessel and Hall, as well as make under- the-radar acquisitions such as the trade for Darcy Kuemper, who is now the Coyotes' top goaltender, among others. Coyotes President of Hockey Operations and General Manager John Chayka informed the team on Friday that he was terminating his contract, Chayka hired head coach Rick Tocchet prior to the 2017-18 season and according to an NHL source with direct knowledge of the situation. the Coyotes' record has gradually improved in each year since.

The news comes less than a day after a source confirmed a report by This season, the Coyotes were being investigated by the NHL for illegally Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet that during the pandemic owner Alex working out draft-eligible players prior to the NHL Scouting Combine. The Meruelo gave Chayka permission to talk to a “third party” about a league has not yet levied punishment on the Coyotes, who may be liable position. to pay a hefty fine depending on the severity of the infractions.

In a statement released Sunday, the Coyotes acknowledged Chayka's The dispute between Chayka and ownership, however, does not involve departure and said they were "disappointed in his actions and his timing" the investigation, sources said. regarding the exit. Before joining the Coyotes, Chayka co-founded and worked for the The Coyotes also announced that Steve Sullivan will be promoted to statistics firm Stathletes, a statistical analytics outfit that provides insight interim general manager. Sullivan had worked under Chayka as an into player and team tendencies and boasts a number of NHL clubs as assistant GM and worked as general manager for the Coyotes' AHL current clients. affiliate in Tucson. Arizona Republic LOADED: 07.27.2020 Chayka also issued a statement on Sunday but did not provide details on his departure.

"The past four years have been the most enjoyable of my life," Chayka wrote. "In Arizona, I became a husband and a father, while working as hard as possible to make the Coyotes a Stanley Cup contender. I love our players, coaches, staff and fans and I very much wish I could be with the team in Edmonton. Sadly, the situation created by ownership made that an impossibility.

"That’s all I intend to say on this matter for now. A fuller, more detailed explanation may be necessary in the near future. Until then, I wish the Coyotes good luck in Edmonton, and thank every member of Our Pack for the support shown to Kathryn, our daughter and myself over the years. Also, I want to congratulate Steve Sullivan as he steps into a new role. We’ve worked side-by-side for years. He is a great person and a terrific hockey mind."

Rumblings of a divide between Chayka and the front office began earlier in the week when it was revealed that Chayka was not invited to a dinner meeting between Taylor Hall, Meruelo and his son, Alex Jr., and team president and CEO Xavier Gutierrez, according to an NHL source with direct knowledge of the situation.

According to the source, Chayka was not aware of the meeting and did not find out about it until the following day. Sources say a contract offer was made to Hall, who is set to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season.

While it is not uncommon for an owner and CEO to take a vested interest in large contract discussions, it is unorthodox to have such a meeting without the knowledge of the general manager.

The news of Chayka's departure comes on the same day the Coyotes are scheduled to travel to Edmonton to participate in an expanded NHL postseason format. The Coyotes are set to face the Nashville Predators in their first playoff action since 2012.

It remains to be seen whether Chayka, who signed a long-term extension less than a year ago, can successfully terminate his deal. Chayka signed a contract extension last fall that runs through the 2024 season.

Chayka apparently was interested in the job with a third party but Meruelo retracted permission, the source said.

That caused additional damage in Chayka's relationship with Meruelo – perhaps beyond repair.

Chayka, 31, joined the Coyotes in 2015 and became the youngest general manager in the history of the four major professional North American sports just a year later as a 26-year-old. 1189294 Arizona Coyotes

Coyotes ‘disappointed’ with GM John Chayka’s decision to quit team

BY ARIZONA SPORTS | JULY 26, 2020 AT 1:02 PM

UPDATED: JULY 26, 2020 AT 1:33 PM

Arizona Coyotes general manager John Chayka sits during an interview with The Doug & Wolf Show on 98.7 FM Arizona’s Sports Station on Feb. 11, 2019. (Arizona Sports/Matt Layman)

The Arizona Coyotes on Sunday expressed their disappointment with John Chayka’s decision to quit as General Manager and President of Hockey Operations.

“The club is disappointed in his actions and his timing as the Coyotes prepare to enter the NHL’s hub city of Edmonton, where the team will begin post-season play for the first time since 2012,” the team posted in a statement on their official website.

“Chayka has chosen to quit on a strong and competitive team, a dedicated staff, and the Arizona Coyotes fans, the greatest fans in the NHL.”

The team also announced Steve Sullivan will take over Chayka’s position as the interim general manager.

Chayka in a statement to Craig Morgan said his time in Arizona has been the most enjoyable time of his life and wishes he could be with the team in Edmonton, but “the situation created by ownership made than an impossibility.”

He added that is all he intends to say on the matter for now, with a more detailed explanation possibily in the near future.

The relationship between Chayka and the team soured because of another job opportunity, according to reports.

Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman said the team gave Chayka permission to explore another job opportunity during the coronavirus pandemic but pushed back when it appeared Chayka might leave the team.

Friedman heard from a source that Chayka’s job opportunity was not as general manager for another team and Morgan said the opportunity was not hockey related.

Rumblings of a possible issue between Chayka and the team began to surface after he was not in a meeting with owner Alex Meruelo, Meruelo’s son Alex Jr., and CEO Xavier Gutierrez with free-agent-to-be Taylor Hall.

Arizona Sports LOADED: 07.27.2020 1189295 Arizona Coyotes

Report: GM John Chayka terminates contract with Coyotes

BY MATT LAYMAN | JULY 26, 2020 AT 11:24 AM

UPDATED: JULY 26, 2020 AT 1:33 PM

John Chayka is out as the Arizona Coyotes’ general manager, The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun first reported on Sunday, saying that the Chayka terminated his contract with the team more than 48 hours prior to Sunday morning. The news comes following reports that the relationship between Chayka and the league soured because of another job opportunity.

Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman said assistant GM Steve Sullivan, who was also serving as the GM of the AHL , will take over as GM on at least an interim basis.

The team declined to comment when reached by Arizona Sports.

According to Friedman, the Coyotes were approached during the pandemic about a job opportunity elsewhere for Chayka, and the team gave him permission to explore it. When it became apparent that he might leave the organization, the Coyotes pushed back against the idea of him exiting.

Per Friedman, a source said: “It was not a lateral move. He was not going to be the GM of another NHL team.”

Craig Morgan said the opportunity was outside of hockey entirely.

“The two sides discussed the possibility of a ‘transition period’ where the GM would stay through the remainder of Arizona’s season,” Friedman wrote, “but talks fell apart.”

The news comes following days of speculation around the job security of Chayka, who was reportedly not present at a meeting that involved owner Alex Meruelo, Meruelo’s son Alex Jr., CEO Xavier Gutierrez and free agent-to-be Taylor Hall. Conflicting reports made murky the nature of Chayka’s omission from the meeting.

Chayka was the Coyotes’ general manager since May of 2016, when he became the youngest general manager in North American professional sports history at the age of 26.

Chayka’s departure is surprising when viewed through the context that he received a long-term contract extension less than a year ago, in November of 2019. Morgan reported that contract extension ran through 2023-24.

Meruelo took over as owner last summer, and this year, the organization replaced CEO Ahron Cohen with Gutierrez, a move that could be explained by the theory that the new owner simply wanted to bring his own executive to run business operations.

The general manager signed Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Jakob Chychrun, Clayton Keller, Nick Schmaltz, Christian Dvorak and Darcy Kuemper to contract extensions — to name a few. He also executed many trades throughout his tenure with the organization, most notably for Phil Kessel and Taylor Hall, the former of whom didn’t perform to expectation by most accounts and the latter is a pending free agent.

It’s up for debate whether Chayka got to see the true outcome of his work, but the current roster is largely his own doing. The team has been one of the best defensive teams in the NHL and the worst offensive teams in the NHL the last three seasons. Any conclusions to be drawn from that information are up to the beholder.

Arizona Sports LOADED: 07.27.2020 1189296 Arizona Coyotes

Arizona Coyotes reveal roster for Stanley Cup Qualifying Round

BY JAKE ANDERSON

JULY 25, 2020 AT 7:02 PM

The Arizona Coyotes on Saturday released their roster for the 2020 Stanley Cup Qualifying Round against the Nashville Predators.

The Coyotes will be bringing a total of 31 players Edmonton. The roster consists of three goaltenders, 11 defensemen and 17 forwards.

The first game in the best-of-three series will be Sunday at 11 a.m.

Here is the full 31-man roster below:

Goaltenders

31 Adin Hill

32 Antti Raanta

35 Darcy Kuemper

Defensemen

4 Niklas Hjalmarsson

6 Jakob Chychrun

23 Oliver Ekman-Larsson

33 Alex Goligoski

42 Aaron Ness

46 Ilya Lyubushkin

55 Jason Demers

75 Kyle Capobianco

77 Victor Söderström

79 Jordan Gross

82 Jordan Oesterle

Forwards

8 Nick Schmaltz

9 Clayton Keller

13 Vinnie Hinostroza

15 Brad Richardson

18 Christian Dvorak

21 Derek Stepan

24 Hudson Fasching

26 Michael Chaput

29 Barrett Haytona

34 Carl Soderberg

36 Christian Fischer

40 Michael Grabner

67 Lawson Crouse

80 Brayden Burke

81 Phil Kessel

83 Conor Garland

91 Taylor Hall

Arizona Sports LOADED: 07.27.2020 1189297 Arizona Coyotes “The past four years have been the most enjoyable of my life,” Chayka wrote. “In Arizona, I became a husband and a father, while working as hard as possible to make the Coyotes a Stanley Cup contender. I love our players, coaches, staff and fans and I very much wish I could be with Burnside: After an ugly parting with John Chayka, what’s next for the the team in Edmonton. Sadly, the situation created by ownership made Coyotes? that an impossibility.”

Boom.

By Scott Burnside Jul 26, 2020 “That’s all I intend to say on this matter for now. A fuller, more detailed explanation may be necessary in the near future,” Chayka added before

closing with words of praise for Sullivan, the longtime NHL player who I recall using the term “Gongdale” for the first time in copy years ago and has been in the Coyotes’ hockey operations department since 2014. chuckling at just how applicable it seemed to be as the Arizona Coyotes So, no shortage of drama in the desert. were going toe to toe with local politicians in Glendale, Ariz., over the team’s lease agreement for the arena the municipality built for the NHL As one team executive noted, it all seemed very strange and a bit franchise. unnecessary. As though this was yet another example of a team that just can’t stand success, can’t get out of its own way. It wasn’t my creation, this term of derision, but it was a thing of beauty because it seemed to perfectly encapsulate everything about that team One former member of the organization noted, “They’ve been playing and its circumstances at that point in time. fantasy hockey in AZ long enough.”

Closing in on two decades after first moving to Glendale, the team is still, Maybe there is some of that at play here. lamentably, playing at . Although the dynamics surrounding this long-struggling team in the desert appear to be So, maybe this is one of those you can’t bake a cake without smashing dramatically different than at any time in the past, there was on Sunday up some eggs along the way kinds of things. the distinctive sound of the gong ringing out around the franchise once Regardless of who was lying or who quit or who is ultimately at fault in again. this breakup, there are some undeniable truths here. Maybe it was the terse press release from the Coyotes confirming what One is that none of the fault issues really matter except for maybe had been in the air for days about John Chayka’s future with the team, a lawyers who will haggle over salary in court someday. statement that didn’t venture anywhere near “has moved on to other opportunities, we wish him well” platitudes. Chayka, whatever battles were being waged, has lost and is persona non grata after helping to build the Coyotes into if not a contender then “John Chayka has quit as the General Manager and President of Hockey certainly a team that has lots going for it – starting with coach Rick Operations of the Arizona Coyotes.” Tocchet and star forward Hall, who many think is poised to sign with the Boom. Coyotes in the offseason.

And just in case it wasn’t clear that, in the view of the organization, Second, whether ownership and senior management own the moral high Chayka, who had three years left on his deal, according to The Athletic’s ground or are wallowing in the moral low ground is now moot because Pierre LeBrun, abandoned the club at a critical juncture in its evolution, they can’t screw this up moving forward. well, here was the next graph. Well, they can, but they can’t afford to. “The Club is disappointed in his actions and his timing as the Coyotes The team, early in ownership’s rule in Arizona, is at a crossroads. prepare to enter the NHL’s hub city of Edmonton, where the team will begin post-season play for the first time since 2012. Chayka has chosen Look at the chaos in Buffalo, it is chaos that spills down from the Pegula to quit on a strong and competitive team, a dedicated staff, and the family’s ownership. But Arizona doesn’t have the luxury of being a well- Arizona Coyotes fans, the greatest fans in the NHL.” established franchise like the Sabres, who can weather ownership foibles. Boom. Now look at the model NHL franchises in Tampa under Jeff Vinik, and Team officials said Sunday they won’t be discussing the matter any Pittsburgh under and Ron Burkle, and so on. Those further until the end of the playoffs. franchises don’t always have conflict-free relationships within the League officials had little to say on the matter and whether they had any organizations, but what they do have in common is they hire good people role in any kind of mediation between Chayka and the team. and they let them do their jobs, especially at the hockey operations level.

What is left is a lot of innuendo and whispers on both sides of the aisle. Can Meruelo (father and son) and Gutierrez do the same?

Was there meddling from new ownership on hockey matters? We’re about to find out as they wade through the first snares of their rule in Arizona, and it comes at a critical time on a number of fronts. Perhaps. A source familiar with the situation indicated talks may heat up in the Reports, including one from The Athletic’s Craig Custance, indicated that coming week on a potential site for a new arena in Scottsdale, Ariz., and contract talks with pending unrestricted free agent Taylor Hall picked up a long-awaited move away from Glendale. without Chayka at the helm, but rather with new CEO Xavier Gutierrez taking the lead. Alex Meruelo Jr., the team’s strategic advisor, business Such a move remains critical to the team’s long-term security in Arizona. and hockey operations and son of new owner Alex Meruelo Sr., also was Now, for the first time since the Coyotes moved to the desert in 1996, reported to be very involved in hockey matters even though that is not his there is ownership with the financial wherewithal and the drive to make a background. new arena a reality – something that has always been critical to the team’s success in the Phoenix area. Meruelo Jr. is headed to the Edmonton hub where the Coyotes will begin play against the Nashville Predators next weekend in a best-of-5 series. On the ice the team must build on moves made by Chayka to keep the New interim GM Steve Sullivan will also be there. Coyotes trending toward being a consistent playoff team, if not a Stanley Cup contender. Were there things Chayka did that ran afoul of new ownership? Maybe Sullivan is the man who takes over and guides the hockey Certainly the vitriol in the team release indicates there is little love lost operations department forward long-term. between the sides in spite of earlier claims from ownership and senior management that they couldn’t be happier with Chayka’s work and that Several sources questioned whether he was ready for such a role at the expectation was he would be with the team moving forward. such a critical time for the franchise.

Chayka released a statement indicating his relationship with ownership If he assumes that role of GM full time, he will need to be surrounded by was at the heart of his departure. top-notch hockey people who not only know the game but the particulars of the Arizona marketplace. It would seem critical to find a way to bring longtime captain and revered figure Shane Doan back to the Coyotes’ fold.

Doan, who has been working in the NHL’s hockey operations department, isn’t a GM, that doesn’t look like it would be a good fit given his experience post-playing. But perhaps a la Brendan Shanahan, who went from a senior position with the NHL to the president of the Toronto Maple Leafs, there is a place for Doan at the highest levels of this Coyotes team.

He is smart, popular and knows the game and the community.

“Doan needs to be a part of that franchise in some way,” one former member of the organization said. “He’s the most loyal man in hockey and they kicked him to the curb.”

Sean Burke is another longstanding member of the NHL and Arizona hockey community who should be given a good, hard look as ownership plots these next critical moves.

No one knows this team or this marketplace as well as the former NHL goaltender, executive, scout, goaltending coach and GM of the Canadian Olympic team in 2018, whose son grew up in the local hockey community.

If not as GM, Burke certainly has the chops to be considered in a top hockey role.

Several sources indicated former Boston and Edmonton GM Peter Chiarelli is someone league officials would like to help find his way back to the NHL after a disastrous turn in Edmonton and think that Arizona would be a good landing place.

And so, in spite of the timing and the salaciousness of the departure of Chayka, a blank slate presents itself for ownership in Arizona.

So much to look forward to. And yet the sound of that gong on Sunday a reminder that the hardest part is yet to come for this long-suffering franchise and its beleaguered fan base.

The Athletic LOADED: 07.27.2020 1189298 Boston Bruins Pastrnak, in quarantine some 10 days per his agent, is expected to be first back on the ice. The more time he and Kase miss, the more the Bruins will explore Anders Bjork as a top-six winger.

Bruins finalize playoff roster as they head to Toronto to begin Cup run Bjork, 23, has a tantalizing blend of speed and skill, and while he can’t fire cannons like Pastrnak — few on the planet can — he appears capable of carrying his weight with Marchand and Bergeron, the linemates he broke in with during the first quarter of 2017-18, before he By Matt Porter Globe Staff,Updated July 26, 2020, 5:39 p.m. fell into an abyss of shoulder issues.

Kuhlman, 24, is another right shot, and his fearless puck-hunting has Before departing for Toronto and the beginning of a summertime sprint to worked well alongside Krejci’s sublime distribution and DeBrusk’s the Stanley Cup, the Bruins set their traveling squad by trimming two cannonball drives to the net. Kuhlman can finish more plays than he forwards, Anton Blidh and Paul Carey, to get down to the limit of 31. does, and the Bruins might benefit if he uses his sneaky shot a bit more.

Were the club not short on right wings because of the ongoing absences It was an imperfect two weeks, given the rash of absences, and while of David Pastrnak and Ondrej Kase, perhaps the left-shooting Blidh and Cassidy had to deviate from his script, he scrimmaged his players, Carey would have made the cut. The need to fortify the right side just in watched video, and tuned up his special teams. case Pastrnak (perish the thought) or Kase can’t go is all the more “We’re missing players that we expect to play for us, for big chunks of reason to include Zach Senyshyn, a right-sider like fellow camp bubble time. And some didn’t even join us,” he said. “But that’s the way it goes. I survivors Jack Studnicka and Karson Kuhlman. Trent Frederic is a left like where our conditioning is at. We need to get better, obviously. It’s shot, but his willingness to pound opponents with shoulder or fist made only been two weeks, but I think it’s trending very well. The pace of him a natural add for the postseason. practices and games has been up. Execution’s gotten better, clearly, this Studnicka, who has spent time with Brad Marchand and Patrice Bergeron week over last week. We’ve gotten through it without any major scares, in camp, led the Providence Bruins in scoring (23-26—49 in 60 games) injury-wise.” and was an AHL All-Rookie selection. The first-year pro may not see any Every Bruin reported willingly except defenseman Steven Kampfer, who action, particularly if the Bruins are in good health, but this will be said he opted out because his wife and son share a congenital heart valuable experience for the second-round pick (53rd overall) in the 2017 defect. Kampfer has the full support of his club. draft. Next Sunday, with a round-robin opener against Philadelphia, it all begins Last year he was with the Bruins for the duration of the Cup Final run, again. practicing with the team and soaking in the atmosphere. He got the full Black Aces experience — everything but the giddy race to the locker “We’re trying to do our part, for the good of the game. If anybody room in the final minutes of a Cup-clinching win, to trade his dress suit for watched the Red Sox last night, it was nice to watch a live sporting event. a full uniform, and spot in the back of the line to lift the trophy. It’s a little different with no fans, but it’s still baseball. For us, it’ll still be hockey,” Cassidy said. With a double-digit lead in the Atlantic Division before the March 12 pause, the Bruins hoped to assess Studnicka’s potential playoff “We’re grateful for the opportunity to be healthy and get the opportunity readiness in March and April. He had one assist in two games around to participate. I think every team would say the same thing. Let’s get Thanksgiving, and his standout debut in Providence pleased everyone in there and may the best team win.” the organization. Four months later, he gets his chance. Here is the Bruins’ 31-man roster that is headed to Toronto: “I think if an opportunity were to arise, I’d be fully comfortable hopping in there and contributing to winning,” Studnicka said early in camp. “I saw it Forwards: Patrice Bergeron, Anders Bjork, Charlie Coyle, Jake DeBrusk, last year, with an unfortunate ending. Excited to be a part of it again. Trent Frederic, Ondrej Kase, David Krejci, Karson Kuhlman, Sean Looking back, being able to watch those games live and get on the ice Kuraly, Par Lindholm, Brad Marchand, Joakim Nordstrom, David sometimes was something I’ll cherish. Definitely think I got better as a Pastrnak, Nick Ritchie, Zach Senyshyn, Jack Studnicka, Chris Wagner. hockey player as that experience went on.” Defensemen: Brandon Carlo, Zdeno Chara, Connor Clifton, Matt Grzelcyk, Torey Krug, Jeremy Lauzon, Charlie McAvoy, John Moore, The rest of the roster choices are more obvious. The Bruins are bringing Urho Vaakanainen, Jakub Zboril. Goaltenders: Jaroslav Halak, Maxime all 10 defensemen on the camp roster, from Zdeno Chara to Jakub Lagace, Tuukka Rask, Dan Vladar. Zboril, and all four goalies (ideally, Tuukka Rask would be all they need). Boston Globe LOADED: 07.27.2020 Up front, most everyone knows the Bruins will roll Bergeron, David Krejci and Charlie Coyle down the middle. Marchand and Jake DeBrusk are the top two left wings, the latter reunited with “Playoff Krech” after a late- season stint on the third line.

The bottom six is a mix of grinders (Joakim Nordstrom, Sean Kuraly, Chris Wagner, Par Lindholm) with newcomer Nick Ritchie adding some heavy presence on the walls and net front. Ritchie missed several days in camp, so his timing will be a concern, particularly since he played seven games in Black and Gold after flying in from Anaheim pre-trade deadline. Frederic or Senyshyn could be called on in case of injury — always a possibility in the playoffs, where a trail of blocked shots, bruises and broken bones leads to the Cup.

The larger question marks among the Bruins’ forward unit lie on the starboard side. They saved space for Pastrnak, who tied for the league lead in goals (48) and tied for third in points (95). They kept a light on for Kase, the ex-Duck expected to land on the second line with Krejci. Neither has a clear return date.

Speaking on Saturday, coach Bruce Cassidy was not certain if Kase was traveling on the team charter, or whether he would have to stay behind and, upon arriving in Toronto, quarantine on his own. Cassidy believed Pastrnak would travel.

“Those guys will have to catch up in a hurry,” Cassidy said.

Ideally, both would be on the plane and at the rink at 2:30 p.m. Monday, when the Bruins have their first practice in Toronto. 1189299 Boston Bruins the game the way a fan base will, the year they try to pick you up when you’re not playing well, the way they really push you forward when you are and you’re chasing a goal from behind or chasing a couple of goals, or down by a goal in the last minute That’s where that home-ice Bruins Notebook: Phase 3 in the books for Bruins; next stop, Toronto advantage really comes into play. There’s not going to be any of that. … There’s going to have to be an internal drive there that you can’t teach.”

Getting on board By STEVE CONROY | July 26, 2020 at 5:09 a.m. He may not know until they close the door on the team charter flight to

Toronto on Sunday afternoon, but coach Bruce Cassidy said on Saturday Summer camp can be a lot of fun, at least according to the many teen that he’s expecting both David Pastrnak and Nick Ritchie to be aboard, comedies from the 1980s that delved into the subject. But in those but there’s less certainty about Ondrej Kase. Neither Pastrnak nor Kase movies, there is always that scene in the parking lot before the bus takes participated in a single Phase 3 team practice – both skated on July 15 off that depicts a few kids who are conflicted about leaving their loved on a day most regulars were given the day off. ones for many weeks. Ritchie missed his third straight day and missed four in all. Cassidy puts Well, with the NHL’s Phase 3 now in the books and teams set to charter him the category of players who’ll need to do some catching up. out to the hub cities of Toronto and Edmonton for actual real, live hockey, “I think the bigger guys typically when you’re off, take longer to catch up. there were a few Bruins’ fighting through those mixed emotions. It just seems to be the way your body works, to get your motor running. Brad Marchand, who’ll be leaving a wife and two kids at home, stressed Nick would fall into that category. The other two guys hopefully will take how lucky he and his teammates are for having this chance to get back less time. They’re a little more efficient skaters, so that part of it should to doing the jobs they love during this pandemic. But it doesn’t make come back quicker, but all of them will have issues with the timing and saying goodbye to his young family any easier. execution and playing in tight spaces just because they haven’t done it,” said Cassidy. “That’s the toughest thing about today, knowing it’s the last day with our families for potentially 10 weeks. I think guys are looking at that part of it Meanwhile, Anders Bjork continued to skate in Pastrnak’s spot, Jack than the excitement of leaving,” said Marchand before the B’s final Studnicka in Kase’s presumed spot with David Krejci while Karson Warrior Ice Arena practice on Saturday. “We’re all excited to start playing Kuhlman was on the Coyle line, where Ritchie had been skating. games again. I don’t think anyone’s excited about staying in a hotel for Around the boards 10 (weeks,) but it’s more about the opportunity to win a Cup and chase that dream again. We’re all excited for that opportunity. That’s something The B’s will have to cut two players from the ones who were in Phase 3. we work very hard for every year. But before that happens, we’re going Cassidy said they’ll bring all 10 defensemen and four goalies, but will to be leaving our families and we’re going to be missing our kids and leave behind two forwards. Paul Carey missed the last two days so he stuff. I think that’s what today is more about.” might be a candidate. Other possibilities would be Zach Senyshyn or Trent Frederic … With potentially his last Warrior Ice Arena practice in Zdeno Chara, who has a wife and three children, said he’s been gearing the books, UFA-to-be Torey Krug led the post-practice stretch. up for this day mentally. Boston Herald LOADED: 07.27.2020 “I think we all had a few days to get ready and prepare for this phase and I think at this point, we know we all have to accept to be away from the family. It’s just part of the sacrifice that you have to accept,” said the captain.

Charlie Coyle is, at 28, among the younger set on the team, a little more footloose and without children yet, but he feels for some of his teammates, especially teammates like Tuukka Rask and Par Lindholm who’ll be saying goodbye to infants.

“Everyone’s in a different situation. I feel like I’m in a pretty decent spot. I don’t have kids. There are guys who have kids as young as a few months old and they have to leave them, and I’m sure that’s very tough,” said Coyle. “Guys are making huge sacrifices here to leave for potentially two months from their families. But my case, I’ve just been hoping this would happen and just trying to prepare as best I could over the last few months. I’ve been more than ready in my situation, but it’s obviously a different one from some other people. But you’re still leaving, whether it’s family, a girlfriend, a dog, it stinks not being able to see them, but we’ve just got to make it worthwhile here.”

A quality question

Several players have said they felt the two-week training camp has prepared them well for live game action, but Marchand is a tad more skeptical.

“I think it’s going to be really sloppy hockey, to be honest with you,” said Marchand. “We’ve been off for four months and it takes more than a couple of weeks to get it all back and be at the top of your game. And the ice conditions are not going to be good. I just don’t think it’ll be great hockey, but we’ll all be on the same playing field and we’ve all had the same amount of time to get ready and we’re just going to have to battle it out regardless of the situation. It’s still going to be intense and hard- fought and there’s going to be some nice play. But it should be a little choppy, especially to start.”

Marchand does not hold high hopes for piped-in fan noise, either.

“It just won’t be the same. It doesn’t matter what they say. It’s not going to be the same,” said Marchand. “What the fans do is they sway the momentum throughout the game. That’s the biggest thing that they do that they’re not going to replicate. You can’t do it play-to-play throughout 1189300 Boston Bruins

Bruins cut Anton Blidh, Paul Carey from return to play roster

By Joe Haggerty July 26, 2020 6:08 PM

Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy indicated Saturday that a pair of forwards would be the cuts from their Phase 3 training camp roster, and his words rang true when the NHL released playoff rosters for all 24 NHL teams on Sunday afternoon.

Forwards Anton Blidh and Paul Carey were the only players cut from Phase 3 Return to Play camp as the Bruins group boarded a plane on Sunday afternoon headed for the Toronto Hub City.

“Everybody has worked hard getting to this point and looking forward to getting to Toronto,” said Cassidy. “I think we’ve been well-taken care of and now we have a job to do. We’re trying to do our part for the good of the game. We’re grateful for the opportunity to be healthy and get a chance to participate. I think every team would say the same thing, so let’s get there and let the best team win.”

Cassidy said it was unlikely that Ondrej Kase was going to be traveling with the rest of the team while absent due to being “unfit to participate”, but he was obviously still included on the roster even if he ends up joining the team at a later date. Both David Pastrnak and Nick Ritchie, who had missed significant camp time, were both expected to be flying with the Bruins on Sunday.

The move to cut Carey wasn’t a surprising one as he’s a veteran journeyman who had limited upside for this Bruins group, particularly with the inclusion of young gun forwards like Jack Studnicka, Zach Senyshyn and Trent Frederic on the roster. The Blidh move is a little more surprising given that the scrappy Swedish forward has had a few looks with Boston over the last few seasons. His physical, antagonistic style of play could have been a good fit for the postseason if that was a direction Boston wanted to go.

The Bruins would seem to have plenty of depth when it comes to gritty fourth-line forwards, however, with Sean Kuraly, Chris Wagner, Par Lindholm, Joakim Nordstrom, Karson Kuhlman and Frederic all filling that kind of role over the next few months.

The good news for the Bruins is that they are well-stocked at goaltender with the Tuukka Rask/Jaroslav Halak duo along with Dan Vladar and Kyle Keyser, and they had very few absences or issues in camp among their group of 10 defensemen. The continuity and depth on the back end should be a real strength for the Black and Gold during the postseason provided they can remain healthy once the games begin.

Here's the Phase 4 roster for the Bruins with the NHL setting turning to Toronto next week for the Black and Gold along with the other 11 Eastern Conference teams:

Forwards: Patrice Bergeron, Anders Bjork, Charlie Coyle, Jake DeBrusk, Trent Frederic, Ondrej Kase, David Krejci, Karson Kuhlman, Sean Kuraly, Par Lindholm, Brad Marchand, Joakim Nordstrom, David Pastrnak, Nick Ritchie, Zach Senyshyn, Jack Studnicka, Chris Wagner

Defensemen: Brandon Carlo, Zdeno Chara, Connor Clifton, Matt Grzelcyk, Torey Krug, Jeremy Lauzon, Charlie McAvoy, John Moore, Urho Vaakanainen, Jakub Zboril

Goaltenders: Jaroslav Halak, Maxime Lagace, Tuukka Rask, Dan Vladar.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 07.27.2020 1189301 Buffalo Sabres The Bisons were also consulted in how to successfully host an MLB team.

“It was perfect because we have such a good working relationship with How the Sabres, developer Douglas Jemal worked to accommodate Blue them already, both personally and professionally,” Raccuia said of the Jays Bisons. “They think like we do that this is going to be great for the community. We could all use this and how can we help each other. Mike Buczkowski (president of Rich Baseball Operations) was fantastic throughout this whole thing and he deserves a lot of credit for this Lance Lysowski Jul 25, 2020 Updated 14 hrs ago actually coming to fruition.

"He never gave up on this and they kept working and working. We When the Toronto Blue Jays were unsure whether they had a home for partnered with them and said, ‘What do you need us to do?’ We stayed in the pandemic-shortened Major League Baseball season, their assistant touch throughout the process. We tweaked things where we could tweak general manager, Joe Sheehan, sought help from the professional team them and they’re here now.” they’ll now call a neighbor. The Blue Jays’ representatives arrived while it was raining in Buffalo and Sheehan asked a mutual acquaintance to contact Kim Pegula, co-owner raised concerns about transportation from Harborcenter to the ballpark and president of Pegula Sports and Entertainment, about the Blue Jays on game days. Social distancing could be difficult to maintain if players using the Sabres’ KeyBank Center and LECOM Harborcenter as off-site traveled by bus or car. training facilities if the baseball team needed to move its operations from PSE then connected Sheehan with Jemal, whose 38-story Seneca One Toronto to Buffalo’s Sahlen Field. tower stands across the street from Sahlen Field and features 120 Sheehan was trying to form a contingency plan in the event the Canadian apartments. Jemal and Paul Millstein, vice president and head of government barred the Blue Jays from hosting 30 games in Toronto’s development for Douglas Development, offered to furnish the apartments Rogers Centre. While Sahlen Field was built to host a professional team, to house players and proposed areas that could be used for individual the facility’s clubhouses, batting cages and workout areas did not meet changing rooms. MLB standards. The mixed-used complex remains under construction and will feature Pegula saw the Blue Jays' potential temporary relocation as an retail stores, restaurants and technology-fused office space. Jemal opportunity to lift Buffalo’s economy and on July 6, she connected offered to allocate his resources to finishing any areas of the building that Sheehan with Mark Preisler, an executive vice president at PSE. Thus could be used by the Blue Jays. began a collaboration in which the Sabres and developer Douglas Jemal, Although the Blue Jays have not revealed their plans for player and staff owner of Seneca One tower, offered accommodations such as housing accommodations, Jemal expects the team to use some of the building’s and areas to train. apartments. He also offered the team's broadcast partners access to The Blue Jays learned last week they could not play home games in areas overlooking the ballpark and views the Blue Jays' arrival as an Toronto and the players’ desire for an MLB facility led to failed attempts opportunity to showcase the city. to share ballparks in Pittsburgh and Baltimore. “I’m ecstatic,” Jemal said. “Everything is positive with this. I love baseball. Finally, hours before the Blue Jays opened the season Friday in Florida, It’s America’s pastime and I love the fact they’re playing on our field. I the team announced its intent to play as many as 28 of 30 home games love the fact they’re playing right downtown, on Seneca Street and Main in Buffalo. Street, in the heart of our city. Any cooperation whatsoever that Seneca One can give them, we offered it. ... “Kim basically said to us, 'Figure out a way to help these guys because it would be great for the community if we can get them here,'" Preisler said. "I’ll do whatever we need to do to make this possible. Everyone is talking about Buffalo, the Blue Jays coming to Buffalo. This is what we need. All As the Blue Jays awaited word on their home field for the season, a these positive things are going to be talked about." contingent of team employees arrived in Buffalo on July 19 to tour KeyBank Center and Harborcenter. Neither facility has ice installed and Since the Blue Jays could be playing in Buffalo as soon as Friday against they haven't hosted games or practices since the coronavirus pandemic Philadelphia, there is little time to relocate equipment, in-game halted professional sports March 12. sponsorship elements and other materials to Sahlen Field. The team has also begun significant work on the ballpark. Preisler; Ron Raccuia, executive vice president at PSE; Mike McFarlane, PSE’s vice president of finance and administration; Jason Long, general Stadium lighting will be upgraded for MLB field and TV specifications. manager at Harborcenter; and Stan Makowski, Jr., the Sabres’ vice Clubhouses, weight rooms and training rooms will be repurposed to president of arena operations, were tasked with building a proposal to promote social distancing. Additional batting cages and training areas will accommodate the Blue Jays. likely be created in stadium concourses. Auxiliary dugouts will be built to supplement existing ones. The Blue Jays could also relocate the bullpens The Sabres created a similar plan this spring when the NHL explored the from foul territory to behind the outfield fence. possibility of finishing its regular season in multiple cities around North America. The NHL eventually canceled the regular season and will host Those significant modifications likely rule out the Blue Jays using a its 24-team return-to-play format in Toronto and Edmonton. Harborcenter rink as a main training ground, but PSE has extended an open invitation to its new neighbors in Buffalo. “The Sabres have been great. We spent some time looking at their facilities," said Mark Shapiro, the Blue Jays’ president and CEO. "They're “Whatever they need,” Raccuia said. “That’s what we’re here for. Any very close (to the ballpark). I'm not sure whether we will push the button way we can help. That’s the beauty of Harborcenter. It’s so multi- on that, but we have toured that, we know exactly what's there and it's dimensional that with this opportunity you can pivot on a dime and create certainly an alternative and option to support what's in Buffalo." an environment that a Major League Baseball team is looking for during this unprecedented situation.” PSE presented the Blue Jays with a plan in which the locker rooms in Harborcenter would be converted into clubhouses and batting cages, and Buffalo News LOADED: 07.27.2020 pitchers’ mounds would be installed on the facility’s Rink 2. The Blue Jays would also have access to meeting rooms and IMPACT Sports Performance’s 5,000-square foot training facility on the sixth floor.

"We really thought Harborcenter is where it would work for them," Preisler said. "We never gave up and the Blue Jays figured out a way to make this work. I think they’re going to be very happy here."

The proposal offered the Blue Jays major-league training areas close to Sahlen Field and Buffalo Marriott at Harborcenter. Players would be able to follow social distancing and those areas of the facility could be sealed off from the public, or possibly Sabres players, when they return. 1189302 Calgary Flames people in the building. That includes the skating stars, plus coaches and other team staffers, security, camera crews, on- and off-ice officials, a small number of reporters and a Zamboni driver.

Empty feeling: Flames ready for 'weird' and 'eerie' atmosphere without Spectators? None. That’s the reality of play during a pandemic. fans in rink “It’s just going to be kind of awkward,” predicted Flames netminder Cam Talbot. “The fans bring so much of an atmosphere to the whole game, and you’re able to feed off it whether you’re home or away. Sometimes, Wes Gilbertson you can even feed off an away crowd if you make a big save or something like that. Published:July 26, 2020 “It’s just going to be a weird, eerie feeling, echoes throughout the building Updated:July 26, 2020 4:16 PM MDT every time the puck hits the boards or the pads or a shin-pad. You’re going to be able to hear all of those little things.”

The Calgary Flames are not merely imagining how strange it will seem to Their own viewings reinforce that. be playing professional sports inside an empty stadium. Take UFC fights, for example, usually with a boisterous and blood-thirsty Most of the Calgary Flames have at least flicked on their flat-screens crowd. over the past couple of months. “It’s definitely different, but I think it’s pretty cool that you get to hear what So they’re not merely imagining how strange it will seem to be playing their coaches and trainers are saying,” Bennett said. “It definitely doesn’t professional sports inside an empty stadium. have that same energy that it does with fans, but it’s a different look for the fans to experience it more personally. And I think even in hockey, Take it from forward Sam Bennett, a fan and follower of UFC: “It’s kinda they’ll get a more personal look at what it’s like, as well.” crazy when there is a knockout and there’s no yelling or screaming. I’m sure when there’s a goal in our games or a big hit or something, it will be Hopefully, not too personal. a little different without all that crowd noise.” To ensure high-def viewers don’t hear something that the Canadian Take it from blue-liner TJ Brodie, who occasionally parks on the couch to Broadcast Standards Council would frown upon, the NHL’s summer watch the birdie machines on the PGA Tour: “It’s definitely a little weird restart will be played on a five-second delay. They had no bleeping when they drain a putt and nobody is cheering. But at the same time, choice, really. they might like it, because it’s so quiet.” Bennett laughed when asked which teammate must be most careful Take it from Flames’ leading goal-scorer Elias Lindholm, who loves to around the live mics. tune in to the action on the pitch: “I’m a big soccer fan, and I don’t think “I think Chucky might have to tone it down a little bit,” he replied. “He it’s as fun to watch it right now, without the fans. I’ve tried to watch a few says some stuff that is funny for us, but I don’t know if he’d want games, but it’s not the same — that’s for sure.” everybody hearing it.” Although he doesn’t have a ton of spare time as he preps for this Certainly, the chirps won’t stop, especially as animosity builds over a unprecedented playoff tournament, Flames interim head coach Geoff best-of-five or best-of-seven series. (And although Tuesday’s tuneup is Ward was pumped about the start of a new baseball season. just an exhibition, there is no love lost between the Flames and Oilers.) He watched the reigning World Series-champion Washington Nationals What the players won’t hear is the roar of their loyal supporters, or the start their title defence without star outfielder Juan Soto, a late scratch on boos and insults of those who root for the other guys. opening day due to a reported positive test for COVID-19. Since sports started back up, Giordano has done a decent amount of He caught some of Friday’s pitchers duel between the Atlanta Braves channel surfing. and the New York Mets, with Calgary-raised Mike Soroka going strike- for-strike with the National League‘s reigning Cy Young winner, Jacob Calgary’s club captain has watched bits of golf, soccer and UFC. Before deGrom. the Toronto Blue Jays needed to go searching for a temporary home south of the border, he caught a broadcast of an intrasquad game from The boys of summer are playing in empty ballparks, but it doesn’t always the Rogers Centre. look that way on the broadcasts because teams are filling the prime real estate right behind home plate with cardboard creations that have When it comes time to hit the ice for what should be a fast and physical created quite a buzz. series against the Jets, Giordano thinks the closest comparable to competing in an empty rink will actually be the experience in front of the “I think the cardboard cut-ups do add something, with the pumped-in Flames’ largest crowd of the season. crowd noise,” Ward said, about to reference famed characters from both American Pie and Perfect Strangers. “I think it adds something, but I find Hear him out on this one … myself looking at the background to see who’s there. You see Kenny Chesney there. You see Tommy Lasorda. I think I saw Stifler’s mom, to “I was talking to the guys the other day — it might be a little similar to the be honest with you, right in the front row somewhere. I think even Balki game we played outdoors,” Giordano said, referring to the 2019 Heritage was there somewhere.” Classic at Mosaic Stadium in Regina. “I don’t want to take anything away from the crowd because it was unbelievable that night, but there’s such a Flames fans will, finally, see some familiar faces on TV this week. separation from you and the crowd in those outdoor games. And there’s almost a delay in the reaction from the crowd from the ice level. Like Mark Giordano. “The depth perception, with nobody being in the stands, you might lose Like Johnny Gaudreau. the puck a bit in the glass, depending on the colour of the seats. But Like Sean Monahan, Matthew Tkachuk and maybe even Playoff Sam we’re going to make it work. In playoffs, there’s nothing better than Bennett, usually raised up a few notches from the regular-season walking out and hearing the crowd cheer for you, especially in Calgary version. when everyone is in red and they’re chanting, ‘Go Flames Go!’ It’s going to be way different. But when you’re actually in the game and on the ice, The Flames bused north on Sunday to check into the NHL’s hub-city the intensity level is going to be there, for sure.” bubble in Edmonton. They will be on the tube for Tuesday’s exhibition against the Oilers, then open a best-of-five play-in series against the This could turn out to be a treat for the at-home audience, and not just Winnipeg Jets on the August long weekend. because it’s been such a long stretch — four-and-a-half months now — without hockey. Millions of hockey-starved fans will, surely, be sinking into their La-Z- Boys. There will 32-35 cameras tracking the action at in Edmonton and Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, about a dozen more than a Except that Rogers Place, the centrepiece of the NHL’s secure zone in usual game. Edmonton, will be basically empty. There might be a couple hundred Steve Mayer, the NHL’s chief content officer, has promised “angles that we’ve never seen before.” Producers will also have access to EA Sports’ assortment of crowd reactions.

It won’t feel quite the same, but if their favourite team can go deep, you won’t hear the Flames faithful complaining.

“I think if guys on the bench are getting involved and cheering and stuff, that will be enough energy for us to get fired up,” Bennett assured.

“I watched a little soccer on TV back home,” added Flames’ trade- deadline acquisition and power-play quarterback Erik Gustafsson. “And I think what you see is those top teams, they do their job even if there’s no fans in the stands. I think that’s the most important thing for us. You have to play the right way, even if there is no fans in the stands. Of course, it’s going to be a little weird to play without the fans. They bring so much to the game. But we’re in a time right now that all the health stuff is more important.

“It’s going to be a little bit weird, but you need to get that mentality to play the same way, either way.”

Calgary Sun: LOADED: 07.27.2020 1189303 Carolina Hurricanes “Get the rust off and really gauge where we’re at as a group,” Brind’Amour said Saturday.

Then it’s on to the best-of-five qualifying round against the New York Hurricanes head to Toronto and life in a ‘bubble’ with goal of winning Rangers in the NHL’s 2020 version of postseason during a pandemic. Stanley Cup Game 1 is scheduled Saturday, with a noon start at Scotiabank Arena.

The Canes reached the Eastern Conference finals last season, grinding out series wins against the Caps and Islanders before losing to the BY CHIP ALEXANDER Boston Bruins. In the playoffs, every win seems monumental, every loss a gut punch. JULY 26, 2020 02:19 PM , “Most of the guys from last year know what it takes to win games in the

playoffs and being as sharp as you can on every play,” Staal said. “That Players, including Carolina’s Jaccob Slavin (74), right bottom, and from could be the difference in a series and especially a five-game series.” left, Sebastian Aho (20), Andrei Svechnikov (37), Ryan Dzingel (18) and The Canes and Rangers will share the same hotel in Toronto, the Ryan Suzuki (61), run drills during the Carolina Hurricanes’ practice at Fairmont Royal York, bringing Staal and brother Marc, a Rangers PNC Arena in Raleigh, N.C., Wednesday, July 22, 2020. defenseman, close together off the ice. But there will be be no Jaccob Slavin gave his wife and daughter a big hug Sunday. Others also socializing, even among brothers, during the lockdown. said a long goodbye to their families and loved ones. Or handshakes at the end of the series. During a pandemic, that surely The Carolina Hurricanes have some work to do in Toronto. will be a hockey tradition that will stop this year. But one Staal brother will move on after the series, his Cup chances still alive, and the other will For how long? No one can say. Maybe weeks, maybe months. But the leave Toronto disappointed. Canes are hoping they’ll come back to Raleigh as the 2020 Stanley Cup champions. “Playoffs have always been difficult for our family,” Jordan Staal said. “It’s been a while since our families ran into that. It’s going to be fun, that’s all Or as Canes captain Jordan Staal said Saturday, “With a ring around the I’m going to say.” finger.” And being away from his own family, in Raleigh? FaceTime calls will The Canes left PNC Arena on Sunday afternoon to the sound of honking help. If the Canes make it to the conference finals they then can be horns and cheering from fans who circled the arena with their cars. Many joined by their families, but it’s a lot of time away. fans were in Canes sweaters and had homemade signs and the mood was festive, much like the gatherings for a home playoff game. Even “Not a fun feeling,” Staal said. “Every run and win of the Stanley Cup Hamilton the Pig was there. comes with sacrifices.”

Imagine how crazy the scene would be if there’s another Cup to CANES-RANGERS QUALIFYING ROUND celebrate. (best of five) For the coaches, players and staff, it’s an unprecedented professional Game 1: Saturday, Aug. 1, 12 p.m. challenge involving personal sacrifice. After being homebodies the past four months because of the coronavirus pandemic, each of those in the Game 2: Monday, Aug. 3, 12 p.m. Canes’ travel party will feel some separation sadness once in Toronto. Game 3: Tuesday, Aug. 4, 8 p.m. Slavin and his wife, Kylie, have a young daughter, Emersyn, who will miss her Daddy. *Game 4: Thursday, Aug. 6, TBD

“It’s going to be tough, not going to be fun,” Slavin said Saturday in a *Game 5: Saturday, Aug. 8, TBD media call. “Obviously these past four months have been awesome being * -- If necessary able to watch her grow and spend so much time with her and my wife. So being apart an indefinite amount of time will be tough. News Observer LOADED: 07.27.2020 “It is what it is. It’s our job. We’ve got to do what we’ve got to do to go out there and win hockey games but also take care of the family as well.”

The Canes, after finishing up two weeks of training camp, had an afternoon flight Sunday to Toronto, where they will enter the NHL’s protective “bubble” and secure zone with 11 other Eastern Conference teams. They’ll be tested for COVID-19 each day, with strict health and safety precautions being taken in Phase 4 of the league’s Return to Play plan.

“Our goal in this entire endeavor is to be perfect,” NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said Friday in a media call. “But we’re not living in a world of perfect. We’re going to do everything we can to make things as good as they can be.”

The Canes’ 31-player Phase 4 roster was released on Sunday by the NHL. Canes coach Rod Brind’Amour said Saturday the roster would include defenseman Brett Pesce, who is recovering from shoulder surgery in early March and was not at camp.

Pesce may not begin skating or be medically cleared for contact until late August. But the Canes put him on the postseason list and hope he’ll get to play in the postseason.

There’s also the matter of defenseman Dougie Hamilton. He missed the final two training camp practices after leaving the ice Wednesday in some discomfort and his status moving forward is unclear.

The Canes are scheduled to practice Monday and Tuesday. They then will play their only exhibition game, Wednesday against the Washington Capitals. 1189304 Chicago Blackhawks Alex DeBrincat Dylan Strome

Brandon Saad Blackhawks release 31-man postseason roster with Corey Crawford — and no surprises Alex Nylander

Kirby Dach

By PHIL THOMPSON David Kampf

JUL 26, 2020 AT 7:40 PM Drake Caggiula

Ryan Carpenter

The Blackhawks brought 17 forwards, 10 defensemen and four Matthew Highmore goaltenders — including Corey Crawford — to Edmonton, according to rosters the NHL released Sunday for all 24 teams that qualified for the MacKenzie Entwistle postseason. Dylan Sikura

Crawford returned to the team Saturday for the last day of training camp Brandon Hagel after recovering from COVID-19. The Hawks’ top goalie said testing positive caught him by surprise. John Quenneville

He experienced “flu-like” symptoms and self-isolated at home, staying Philipp Kurashev away from the team until doctors felt he was well clear of any risk to others. Defensemen (in order of defensive point shares):

Like the other teams that qualified for the postseason, the Hawks could Duncan Keith bring 31 players to Edmonton, the hub city for the Western Conference. Connor Murphy Toronto is the Eastern Conference hub. Olli Maatta After landing in Edmonton on Sunday, the Hawks practiced at Terwillegar Community Recreation Centre, about a half-hour drive from Rogers Calvin de Haan Place, the West hub’s arena. They’ll skate there again Tuesday, which Hawks coach Jeremy Colliton indicated will be a light practice to “make Slater Koekkoek sure we have the juice we need to compete come Saturday.” Adam Boqvist

The 24 teams’ rosters include backups, and teams planned accordingly. Lucas Carlsson Many teams are carrying four goaltenders, though some brought three. Nicolas Beaudin Crawford’s late arrival and bout with the coronavirus likely calls his readiness into question. The 12th-seeded Hawks start their best-of-five Nick Seeler play-in series against the fifth-seeded Oilers on Saturday. Alec Regula “The biggest thing is we just want to get him skating as much as possible Goaltenders: and get him his work,” Colliton said Sunday in a conference call. “We have practices with the team, but we’ll get him on early and give him Corey Crawford some extra things. It’s a priority for us to get him ready as soon as we can.” Malcolm Subban

Regular-season backup Malcolm Subban and Rockford call-ups Collin Collin Delia Delia and Kevin Lankinen are the other goalies on the Hawks roster. Kevin Lankinen Colliton said he’ll treat Wednesday’s exhibition against the Blues like a Chicago Tribune LOADED: 07.27.2020 real game

“The guys need that game to get used to things again,” he said, “playing a normal game, as normal as it’s going to be: real referees, the game routine you go through. We need to get back in touch with that.”

He also indicated he’ll give a long look at whoever is most likely to be his starting goalie.

“We’re going to focus in on looking at who’s going to play the first game,” he said. “At the same time, there’s still a couple days left. We don’t have a plan yet.

“We’ve had those conversations, but we want to see how things play out over the next couple of days.”

Overall, the Hawks roster had no surprises. Defenseman Brent Seabrook, who battled back from hip and shoulder surgeries, bowed out because he felt his play wasn’t at the level he wanted it to be.

Forward Reese Johnson and defenseman Chad Krys, who gained valuable experience from camp but were long shots to make the squad, also were left off.

Here is the Hawks roster, starting with the forwards (in order of points):

Patrick Kane

Jonathan Toews

Dominik Kubalik 1189305 Chicago Blackhawks Cubs at Reds (5:40 p.m., Marquee): Kyle Hendricks vs. Sonny Gray? OK, we’ll bite. Hendricks was as good as ever on Opening Day, tossing a three-hit shutout, but would it kill him to take his ace act on the road this season? This You Gotta See: Blackhawks hit the ice; Cubs, White Sox hit the road THU 30

Jazz vs. Pelicans (5:30 p.m., TNT): It’s beyond poetic that Utah big man By Steve Greenberg Jul 26, 2020, 6:07pm CDT Rudy Gobert, the athlete who pretty much ushered in the entire sports shutdown — not that the whole mess wouldn’t have happened without

him — is in the NBA’s first game since March. Pelicans rookie Zion We’re back. Williamson will still get vastly more camera time, of course.

Sports, we mean. Clippers vs. Lakers (8 p.m., TNT): Staples Center East — otherwise known as The Arena in Orlando — can’t handle all the excitement this And “This You Gotta See.” For four months, the sports world lay mostly matchup brings. Will Lakers superstar LeBron James be sharp? Will dormant and so, too, did this column looking ahead to the week of games Clippers superstar Kawhi Leonard sit this one out in the name of load and other events. It’s good to be back. It’s great to have baseball, hockey management? Come on, we kid. and basketball — even Bears training camp — to talk about, nerd out about and enjoy again. Detroit Tigers v Chicago White Sox

Wouldn’t it be nice if it lasts a while? FRI 31

There’s so much going on. Both the Cubs and the White Sox have hit the White Sox at Royals (7:05 p.m., NBCSCH): Far be it from us to suggest road for the first time this season. The Blackhawks will be back on the ice that Tim Anderson hit a bomb and then heave his bat 84 feet into the sky for real, too. Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews never could grow decent to reignite the flames of discord between these teams, but … fine, that’s playoff beards even during the Hawks’ runs to Stanley Cup glory, but what we’re suggesting. we’ll take whatever scruff they can give us in however much time they Bucks vs. Celtics (5:30 p.m., ESPN): Two Eastern Conference powers go remain alive in the NHL’s different-looking postseason. at it at HP Field House in Orlando. We have no dog in this hunt, but we The Bears are wiping away the cobwebs at Halas Hall. Will Mitch are kind of miffed at Bucks forward/Greek god Giannis Antetokounmpo Trubisky wipe away Nick Foles, or vice versa? Or, worse, neither? The for complaining as practices restarted that he was fat and out of shape. Sky are back in business. And how could we forget the Bulls? Come to What the heck does that make the rest of us? think of it, forget the Bulls. SAT 1 But don’t forget about the NBA — it’s back this week, too, from inside a Blackhawks at Oilers, Game 1 (2 p.m., Ch. 5): It begins. Five games, if big ol’ bubble in Orlando, Fla. One presumes the Bucks and Lakers, to necessary, of … who knows? All that happened before hockey’s name two, still know a thing or two about outscoring an opponent. shutdown is irrelevant now. Kane, Toews and Duncan Keith are certainly Watching games in empty arenas will be a little weird, but no weirder well rested. Chances are, Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl are still than watching games in empty ballparks. pretty good. Do the Hawks have a goalie? Besides, what isn’t a little weird these days? Sky vs. Mystics (5 p.m., The U Too): Welcome, first-time viewers, to the Hey, we’re back. Here’s what’s happening: IMG Academy in Brandenton, Fla. The Mystics won it all last season, but not having Elena Delle Donne in the mix sure makes them look different. MON 27 SUN 2 Cubs at Reds (5:40 p.m., Marquee): Wade Miley — one of those totally annoying soft-tossing lefties who has given the Cubs trouble — makes Pirates at Cubs (1:20 p.m., Marquee): Everybody agrees the NL Central his Cincinnati debut. And speaking of soft-tossing lefties, isn’t that pretty is wide open this season. In related news, everybody agrees the Pirates much what Jon Lester is now? Lester’s days as an Opening Day starter have nothing to do with the previous sentence. Even 60-game sprints are behind him, but it wouldn’t be annoying at all if he lumbered to the need doormats. mound and behaved like one. Chicago Sun Times LOADED: 07.27.2020 White Sox at Indians (6:10 p.m., NBCSCH): Look, we can’t guarantee the Sox will either score, or give up, 10 or more runs, but that seems to be the way this whole deal is going. Ricky’s boys don’t quit, but will they at least consider locating their fastballs, throwing some leather around and complementing their obvious home-run prowess with all those other things that help teams win?

TUE 28

Bears training camp begins: Are you ready for some coronavirus testing and conditioning drills!? Sadly, fans can’t attend the goings-on at camp, which is in Lake Forest for the first time since 1983. Will ex-Bear Spice Adams at least hike up his shorts to mid-chest level and simulate the drills on Twitter?

White Sox at Indians (6:10 p.m., NBCSCH): Carlos Rodon takes the bump in his first regular-season game since September 2018, and that alone is a wonderful thing. But are we crazy, or did Rodon used to be pretty good? Maybe the lefty will be the hidden key to the Sox’ season.

Chicago Cubs Summer Workouts

WED 29

Blackhawks vs. Blues (5:30 p.m., NBCSCH+): Before the defending Stanley Cup champs get to play their fancy-pants round-robin games to determine their fancy-pants playoff seed, they have to go slumming with an exhibition match against their downtrodden rivals at Edmonton’s Rogers Place. 1189306 Chicago Blackhawks

Finally healthy after shoulder surgery, Calvin de Haan boosts Blackhawks’ defense

By Ben Pope Jul 26, 2020, 4:28pm CDT

Calvin de Haan is tired of shoulder injuries, shoulder pain and shoulder surgeries.

He’s probably tired of talking about his shoulders, too.

So as he returns to game action for the Blackhawks, seven months removed from his third shoulder surgery in as many years, he’s hoping to stay healthy for the rest of his career.

“I was just coming into my stride as a Blackhawk there, and it just took the winds out of my sails,” de Haan said Friday, referring to his regular season-ending procedure last December.

“It was my third year in a row going through that, so it was hard mentally. It was tough going through that. You think it’s behind you, and then it happens again and again. It’s just unfortunate. It’s something I can’t control.”

At the time, he figured his 2019-20 season was done after just 29 games, much like his 33-game 2017-18 season with the Islanders.

The coronavirus pandemic and season delay provided a bit of good luck for once, though, and now de Haan, 29, feels healthy and ready for the playoffs.

The recent surgery he had was done differently than his previous ones by installing an “internal brace inside your body,” and he hopes that’ll be a permanent solution.

He missed a week of training camp with a family emergency, but practiced fully Thursday, Friday and Saturday at the end of camp. The Blackhawks flew to Edmonton on Sunday.

“The rinks back home [in ] opened up pretty early compared to most places on the planet, so I was able to get out on the ice and get a head start on things,” de Haan said. “It’s obviously different in a game, but I feel good the past few skates here.”

Especially with Brent Seabrook — also coming off shoulder surgery in the winter — not playing in the playoffs, de Haan’s reliable defense will be vital for the Hawks’ defense.

He was averaging more than 25 minutes in the last three games before his injury.

“[Calvin has] looked really good since he came back,” coach Jeremy Colliton said. “It’ll take a few more days to get up to full speed, but he plays such a patient, controlled game, very intelligent with making contact, getting stops.”

De Haan said he still remembers the (albeit innocent) hit by Vegas’ Mark Stone “like it was yesterday,” and the frustration of yet another rehab clearly still wears on him. One quote — “I’ve suffered enough” — was especially telling about that.

But at least it’s now completely in the past.

“Hopefully all these unfortunate injuries are behind me. Hopefully I can be healthy for years to come and play a long time in this league,” he said. “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger — I believe in that.”

Note: The NHL announced playoff rosters Sunday. The Hawks are bringing most of their camp roster; the only cuts were forward Reese Johnson, defenseman Chad Krys and goaltender Matt Tomkins.

Chicago Sun Times LOADED: 07.27.2020 1189307 Chicago Blackhawks Once the best-of-five play-in series are over, the Stanley Cup playoffs will proceed with 16 teams. The final two will meet in Edmonton in the Stanley Cup Final.

Blackhawks arrive in Edmonton for Stanley Cup Playoffs As Maatta said, it's going to be a once-in-a-lifetime experience. One that commissioner Gary Bettman hopes everyone never forgets -- "but in a good way."

John Dietz The strangest part will likely be felt by the players once games begin. After all, they feed off the energy of the fans. And that includes when they Updated7/26/2020 11:07 PM are on the road as they try to crush tens of thousands of hearts.

"Nobody's played at this level without fans," said Hawks defenseman First in. Last out. Duncan Keith. "It's something that we all have to deal with. It's up to each individual to figure out a way to be at their best. ... That would be the dream scenario for the Chicago Blackhawks, who were reportedly the first team to arrive in Edmonton on Sunday as the "It's important as players that we focus in on just doing what we have to NHL moves on to Phase 4 of its restart. The Hawks are one of 12 teams do at being our best no matter what situation that is. That hasn't really in Edmonton that will compete to advance to the Stanley Cup Final. The changed since the start of our career. other 12 will compete in Toronto. "This is just another wrinkle that we're going to have to deal with." "We all know it's a once-in-a-lifetime situation," Hawks defenseman Olli Daily Herald Times LOADED: 07.27.2020 Maatta said during the just-completed two-week training camp at Fifth Third Arena. "I don't think anybody expected anything like this to happen.

"But the NHL has done a great job just to figure things out (and) make things as safe as they can. It feels like the rinks right now are the safest place to be."

Maatta said he'll be bringing a deck of cards and "maybe a PS4" to pass the time, but there will also be plenty of other things to do to keep athletes entertained during what could be more than a two-month stay in their hub cities.

The Hawks will play an exhibition game against St. Louis on Wednesday then begin their best-of-five series against Edmonton on Saturday. The Oilers game will be televised on NBC and is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m.

It is one of five games that day, with the first being Rangers vs. Hurricanes at 11 a.m. and the last being Jets vs. Flames at 9:30 p.m.

Before we get there, however, let's take a closer look at what life will be like inside the bubbles as well as what fans can expect while watching on TV.

• Edmonton has three hotels that will house all players and staff. They are uniquely connected by a fencing system that goes through downtown Edmonton. Each hotel has meal rooms, meeting rooms, training rooms, coaches rooms, and exclusive VIP areas for team members and GMs.

• There will be indoor and outdoor areas for activities like pool, Pingpong, Cornhole, basketball, as well as areas to play soccer and to run.

• Players, league and team staff, and hotel employees will be tested daily for coronavirus. There will also be daily symptom reporting and temperature checks. A health care team will be on hand to assess and treat players.

• Players will be able to watch games live if they wish.

• Once the games begin, we will not see virtual fans or cardboard cutouts on TV.

Instead, the NHL set up 32 cameras -- 12 more than a normal game -- to help enhance the at-home viewing experience. Some of those cameras will be placed in the stands. One is called a JITACAM, which will be positioned over the seats on a truss.

"It will dolly along the ice," said Steve Mayer, the NHL's chief content officer. "We really feel like this is a camera that will give you a very unique look. … You're going to get an amazing feel of the speed of our game."

• The NHL reached out to teams to have their goal songs and goal horns available. Each team's music will be pumped into the arena as well.

• There will be specially produced videos that involve fans from each team.

• There will be supplemental crowd noise during game play.

• There will be a 5-second delay just in case R-rated language slips from players, coaches, staff or even the referees. 1189308 Chicago Blackhawks The Blackhawks will only be allowed to protect one goalie in the expansion draft. Despite so many question marks around Corey Crawford's health and career longevity, he was one of the best goalies going into the NHL pause, recording a .928 save percentage in his past 6 Blackhawks most likely to be selected in Seattle Kraken expansion 20 starts. Crawford needs a new contract after this season, but whether draft or not he's able to take the net in Edmonton after missing the first 12 days of Phase 3 training camp due to a previous COVID-19 diagnosis, if

he looks good during the 2020-'21 season they'll likely protect the two- By Scott King July 26, 2020 3:50 PM time Stanley Cup champ over Delia.

That's no knock on Delia, who's locked up through the 2021-'22 season. He had a great second half of the season this year with the Hawks' AHL The Blackhawks were forced to part with 2015 Stanley Cup champion affiliate, the Rockford IceHogs, and has had a good summer camp. It's defenseman Trevor van Riemsdyk in June of 2017 when the Golden more so just the fact that he would be Crawford's back up if Crawford's Knights selected him in their expansion draft. The blueliner was then brought back. But, if Crawford isn't re-signed, Delia only carries a $1 shipped off to the Carolina Hurricanes for a draft pick a day later. million cap hit. Whether it's down the line with the Hawks or on another team like Seattle, Delia is deserving of a shot to be a No. 1 goalie The Hawks will again be tasked with deciding who to protect and who to somewhere. He has some experience between the pipes for the prepare to part with ahead of the Seattle Kraken's expansion draft during Blackhawks, going 7-5-3 with a 3.65 goals-against average and a .906 the 2021 offseason when the Kraken, who received their team name on save percentage. Thursday, will grab a player from the Blackhawks. SportsNet.com LOADED: 07.27.2020 Each NHL club — minus the Vegas Golden Knights, who are exempt — is allowed to protect any combination of either seven forwards, three defensemen and one goalie, or eight skaters (any combo of forwards and defensemen) and one goalie.

Click to download the MyTeams App for the latest Blackhawks news and analysis.

It's noteworthy that up and coming Hawks like defensemen Nicolas Beaudin, Adam Boqvist and Ian Mitchell, along with forwards Kirby Dach and Dominik Kubalik, will be exempt from the expansion draft because they would have played in two or less seasons ahead of it.

Here's the six players the Blackhawks would most likely end up releasing to the Kraken:

6. Olli Maatta

If the Hawks don't buy Maatta out this offseason, he'll most likely be exposed in the expansion draft. There's a new wave of young Blackhawks defensemen coming in, headlined by Mitchell, that will sooner or later see Maatta, who usually skated on the Hawks' bottom pairing, out of the lineup. With that said, an expansion team could certainly have use for the veteran defenseman.

5. David Kampf

Kampf's defensive game has been a benefit to the Hawks' bottom six forward group but they might gamble on finding a similar center with more of a scoring touch from within the organization or elsewhere. Seattle could go for a strong defensive forward, especially up the middle on one of their bottom two lines.

4. Drake Caggiula

The Hawks wouldn't want Caggiula to be the one that got away in the expansion draft, but that could be the case. Caggiula is due for a new contract after this season and the Blackhawks may be forced to protect players ahead of him. The Kraken would be lucky to get their claws (does the Kraken have claws?) on the wrecking ball forward with a scoring touch.

3. Matthew Highmore

Highmore, 24, has played in 49 games with the Hawks across the past two seasons, recording eight points (four goals, four assists). He looks to have a bright future in being an effective bottom-six forward in the NHL... Why not for Seattle?

2. Dylan Sikura

Hate to say it, it's been easy to root for Sikura as he's gotten a look from the Blackhawks over parts of the past three seasons, but he still hasn't fit in well enough to be an every night player. There's been flashes of offensive brilliance for the 25-year-old winger, but he's only been able to contribute one goal and 13 assists in 47 games with Chicago. That's just not enough for a skill player in a Hawks sweater. An expansion team like the Kraken might be able to throw Sikura more ice time with top players to see if he can regularly contribute offensively.

1. Collin Delia 1189309 Chicago Blackhawks Goaltenders (4): — Corey Crawford

— Collin Delia 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs: Blackhawks release 31-man postseason roster — Kevin Lankinen

— Malcolm Subban

By Charlie Roumeliotis July 26, 2020 4:45 PM The four cuts from the 35-man training camp roster were forward Reese Johnson, defensemen Chad Krys and Seabrook and goaltender Matt

Tomkins. The Blackhawks submitted their 31-man roster on Friday for the NHL's Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 07.27.2020 Return to Play tournament and Corey Crawford is officially part of it. The team left for Edmonton on Sunday and carried four goaltenders.

Crawford missed the first 12 days of training camp after being unruled "unfit" to participate since Day 1. He later confirmed his absence was because he had tested positive for COVID-19.

Brent Seabrook announced Friday that he will not be part of the roster. He's still working his way back from three major surgeries and didn't feel comfortable enough to play.

Click to download the MyTeams App for the latest Blackhawks news and analysis.

GM Stan Bowman said in a video conference call on Tuesday that the group the Blackhawks send to Edmonton will be the group for the entire postseason, no matter how long the run lasts, barring emergency circumstances.

Here is the full roster:

Forwards (17):

— Drake Caggiula

— Ryan Carpenter

— Kirby Dach

— Alex DeBrincat

— MacKenzie Entwistle

— Brandon Hagel

— Matthew Highmore

— David Kampf

— Patrick Kane

— Dominik Kubalik

— Philipp Kurashev

— Alex Nylander

— John Quenneville

— Brandon Saad

— Dylan Sikura

— Dylan Strome

— Jonathan Toews

Defensemen (10):

— Nicolas Beaudin

— Adam Boqvist

— Lucas Carlsson

— Calvin de Haan

— Duncan Keith

— Slater Koekkoek

— Olli Maatta

— Connor Murphy

— Alec Regula

— Nick Seeler 1189310 Chicago Blackhawks

How Edmonton Oilers' lines have looked at their Phase 3 training camp

By Scott King July 26, 2020 1:09 PM

As the Blackhawks head to Edmonton on Sunday to hold a few more practices before the NHL's 24-team postseason is in full swing and they're facing the hometown Oilers, let's take a look at how the Hawks' qualifying round opponent's lineup has materialized at their camp.

Edmonton rolled out lines on Day 1 and there have only been a couple adjustments since, as seen in how personnel was divided for the team's scrimmage on Saturday.

Since before camp even started, the biggest question surrounding the Oilers' lineup was: would Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid, the NHL's top two leaders in points during the regular season, be broken up or play on a line together like they did for the first two months this year?

Click to download the MyTeams App for the latest Blackhawks news and analysis.

From the start of camp up to yesterday's scrimmage, the two have been separated. Edmonton coach must hold confidence in splitting up their offense across the top two lines against Chicago vs. loading them up on one again.

In the best-of-five qualifying round series, the Blackhawks are likely to see the following lineup from the Oilers:

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins -- Connor McDavid -- Zach Kassian

Tyler Ennis -- Leon Draisaitl -- Kailer Yamamoto

Andreas Athanasiou -- Riley Sheahan -- Josh Archibald

James Neal -- Jujhar Khaira -- Alex Chiasson

Oscar Klefbom -- Adam Larsson

Darnell Nurse -- Ethan Bear

Kris Russell -- Matt Benning

Mikko Koskinen

Mike Smith

There hasn't been many adjustments since the start of the Oilers' camp. One notable alteration was the team recently swapping the second and third line left wings. Tyler Ennis got bumped up to Draisaitl's line and Athanasiou dropped down to the third line centered by Sheahan.

Tippett previously said in camp that he expects both Koskinen and Smith to get in during the series with the Hawks, but hasn't let on to who his No. 1 goalie might be yet. Over the past two Oilers' practice games, Smith has allowed 12 goals and Koskinen four.

Nurse was deemed "unfit to play" for Saturday's scrimmage, but is expected to participate in the team's next practice. Sheahan left the scrimmage early and was also labeled "unfit to play." He and Nurse reportedly watched the remainder of the scrimmage from the stands.

Before the Oilers take on the Hawks in the play-in series on Aug. 1, they'll play the Calgary Flames in an exhibition game on Tuesday. The Blackhawks will face the St. Louis Blues for an exhibition contest on Wednesday.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 07.27.2020 1189311 Colorado Avalanche 35 Michael Hutchinson Denver Post: LOADED: 07.27.2020

2020 Avalanche postseason roster announced

By JOE NGUYEN | July 26, 2020 at 9:31 p.m.

The Avalanche on Sunday announced its roster for the 2020 postseason. The team includes 17 forwards, 11 defensemen and three goaltenders.

Colorado heads to Edmonton where it will kick off with an exhibition game against Minnesota on Wednesday before starting a round-robin to determine its seeding among the top four seeds in the Western Conference. The Avs’ first game will be against the Blues at 4:30 p.m. MT Sunday.

Here’s a look at the roster:

Avs postseason roster

FORWARDS

No. Name Pos Ht. Wt.

41 Pierre-Edouard Bellemare C 6-0 198

14 Shane Bowers C 6-2 186

95 Andre Burakovsky LW 6-3 201

11 Matt Calvert LW 5-11 186

37 J.T. Compher LW 6-0 190

72 Joonas Donskoi RW 6-0 190

15 Sheldon Dries C 5-9 180

17 Tyson Jost C 5-11 187

91 Nazem Kadri C 6-0 192

92 Gabriel Landeskog LW 6-1 215

29 Nathan MacKinnon C 6-0 200

90 Vladislav Namestnikov C 6-0 183

13 Valeri Nichushkin RW 6-4 210

83 Matt Nieto LW 5-11 185

25 Logan O’Connor RW 6-0 175

96 Mikko Rantanen RW 6-4 215

36 T.J. Tynan C 5-8 165

DEFENSEMEN

44 Mark Barberio D 6-1 200

45 Bowen Byram D 6-1 190

28 Ian Cole D 6-1 225

7 Kevin Connauton D 6-2 205

49 Samuel Girard D 5-10 170

27 Ryan Graves D 6-5 220

6 Erik Johnson D 6-4 225

54 Anton Lindholm D 5-11 191

8 Cale Makar D 5-11 187

20 Conor Timmins D 6-2 185

16 Nikita Zadorov D 6-6 235

GOALTENDERS

39 Pavel Francouz G 6-0 179

31 Philipp Grubauer G 6-1 188 1189312 Colorado Avalanche “Our record speaks for itself,” MacKinnon said. “We’re (two points) out of first in the West with a hurt team all season. I think when our team is healthy, we’ve lost one or two games all year. Just look at our lineup and compare it to other years. We’re so deep and have such amazing Why Nathan MacKinnon, Gabe Landeskog believe this is Avalanche’s players. best chance yet to win Stanley Cup: “We have no weaknesses” “We have no weaknesses.”

Denver Post: LOADED: 07.27.2020 By KYLE FREDRICKSON | July 26, 2020 at 6:00 a.m.

The Colorado Avalanche has played 562 regular season games with Gabe Landeskog and Nathan MacKinnon anchoring the franchise. Seven years as teammates in pursuit of the same goal — to hoist the Stanley Cup.

Is their long wait almost over?

MacKinnon, in a May interview, said: “This is the first year I really felt like we could win.”

“I feel the same way,” Landeskog told reporters this past week via a video conference call. “I came in a couple of years before Nate, so we’ve kind of been through the same lineups and the same teams. I don’t think we’ve ever seen a stronger lineup than this in our tenure here, so this is very exciting. We’re just scratching the surface on what we can do.

“Having said that, we haven’t accomplished anything yet.”

Landeskog — drafted No. 2 overall in 2011 — became the youngest player (19) in league history to become a permanent team captain in only his second NHL season. MacKinnon, the Avs’ 2013 first-overall pick, was named an MVP finalist in two of the past three seasons; including in 2019-20.

However, their more recent success was predicated by season after season of growing pains.

Colorado lost 31 games in 2014. A total of 39 in 2015. Then a whopping 56 in 2016.

“We still have that chip on our shoulder,” Landeskog said, “and we’re going into (the playoffs) to prove that we’re ready for this.”

The pre-pandemic Avalanche was well established as Stanley Cup frontrunners at 42-20-8 and sitting at second-place (92 points) in the Western Conference. But when the puck drops Aug. 2 for Colorado’s return to play against the St. Louis Blues, nearly five months will have passed since the Avs’ last game on March 11.

Landeskog returned to Pepsi Center in July for training camp 2.0 eager to discover how teammates used their quarantine time to stay sharp. He wasn’t disappointed.

“It’s not that rusty training camp look in the start of the season that you sometimes see,” Landeskog said. “Everybody is excited and realizes we have to crank it up as fast as we can and guys are excited. We still have kinks that we have to work out and a lot of details to really break down.”

Added MacKinnon: “From the drop of the puck from the first drill, we’re wanting to be high intensity but light and fun. We’re not getting ready for an 82-game season here. It’s going to be quick.”

Life in the Edmonton bubble will be unlike anything the Avalanche, or any NHL team, has ever experienced. The Avalanche team plane leaves Denver on Sunday. Colorado’s captain said maintaining a healthy roster, limiting distractions, and rejuvenating on-ice chemistry are the team’s top priorities.

“I’m sure it’s going to be a little trickier than usual,” Landeskog said. “Just knowing there are questions that pop up every day, and for the most part, you’re the guy to answer those. In a situation like this, you don’t really have all the answers because we don’t know what to expect. … Our group is awesome. We love hanging out with one another. This just feels like it’s just a big, long minor hockey tournament where you are kind of hanging out with the boys all the time.”

Do the Avalanche have a legitimate shot at Lord Stanley amid this wild finish to the season? The sportsbook Bovada lists Colorado with +700 odds (7/1) to win it all.

MacKinnon and Landeskog are less concerned with the opinions of outsiders. Their years-long mission is almost complete. 1189313 Colorado Avalanche Bowers or winger Logan O’Connor, who also made the team, who could be used as a fourth-line option should Bednar pursue that path.

And the winner of Francouz vs. Grubauer is … ? What we learned from the Avalanche’s 31-man roster and their training It was arguably the most notable question coming into camp that did not camp appear to have an answer before the team flew off to Edmonton. But that was expected. Especially after Bednar spoke with reporters after the first day of training camp. He has usually taken a more descriptive approach By Ryan S. Clark Jul 26, 2020 when having to choose between goaltenders. Like the 2018-19 season when he said incumbent No. 1 goalie Semyon Varlamov entered the year

as the starter while Grubauer was the backup. Or even when the club All was quiet Sunday when the NHL released playoff rosters for each of held training camp, as in the first one, when it was apparent Grubauer the 24 teams involved and that includes the Colorado Avalanche. was the starter and Pavel Francouz was his backup.

Promising prospects like Shane Bowers, Bowen Byram and Conor Bednar was direct by saying both goaltenders had a chance to win the Timmins were on the list. Others like Avalanche forward Vladislav job and did not declare a hierarchy. He said the Avalanche were going to Kamenev, a fourth-line member who appeared in a career-high 38 use training camp, their lone exhibition game against the Minnesota Wild games, did not make the final cut. and the round robin to determine who wins the job between Francouz and Grubauer. Even Francouz and Grubauer said they did not view it as So much for a non-eventful close to the weekend. an internal battle but one concentrated on the idea that they were fighting along with the rest of the team to fend off anyone who stands in their Fourth-year Avalanche coach Jared Bednar, his assistants and their path of trying to capture a Stanley Cup. injury-plagued roster used 70 regular-season games to show why there was so much preseason Stanley Cup contender hype around them. How How they were used during camp even suggested as much. Francouz they used the last two weeks, however, is intended to provide more and Grubauer received an equal amount of time in drills and during insight into whether those expectations were justified or potentially a bit scrimmages unless Bednar wanted to give either Michael Hutchinson or too premature for a roster believed to be a long-term title favorite. Adam Werner some playing time. The Avalanche will have four more games before Bednar has to make a decision about who gets the starting Exactly what was gleaned from the Avalanche’s 13-day training camp nod in the round of 16. Does Bednar split the workload between the before flying Sunday to Edmonton? Well, other than the five biggest exhibition and round robin to determine a winner? Or does a front-runner questions they had to solve while practicing at Pepsi Center or who made for the job already exist? — or did not make — the 31-man roster. Here is a glance at some of the concepts and constructs that came into focus in the buildup to the Avs Johnson, Namestnikov might be players to watch entering the Western Conference round-robin tournament before their actual playoff chance commences. Sure. Certain players like Gabriel Landeskog, Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar and Mikko Rantanen provided certain memorable displays during From the cutting room floor training camp. So did a few others like Andre Burakovsky, Matt Calvert, Ian Cole, Ryan Graves and Valeri Nichushkin. An argument could be Bednar opting to take Bowers, Byram and Timmins while leaving made Erik Johnson and Vladislav Namestnikov were two of the more Kamenev in Denver was the most noticeable revelation when the final consistent players Bednar oversaw during camp. rosters were released because of what it could represent. Bowers and Timmins were two players who were believed to be in the running before Let’s start with Johnson. The Avalanche’s alternate captain and veteran Phase 3 started. Colorado Eagles coach Greg Cronin detailed what they defenseman was typically one of the more noticeably active players over did during their first full AHL campaigns to present why they would be the two-week session. Part of what made the former University of plausible options for Phase 4. Bowers was injured for a few practices but Minnesota star stand out was how he used his skating to find positions to returned where he received even more ice time Saturday in the team’s gain leverage. Johnson had a moment early in camp when he final scrimmage. Timmins formed a partnership with Mark Barberio that intercepted a cross-ice exit pass from Makar and sped down the wing for further amplified beliefs he would be in contention to make the roster. a one-on-two. He reached the faceoff circle but had the wherewithal to Plus, it also goes back to what Bednar said Saturday when he noted how play a drop pass to Rantanen for him to make a few moves around the the two-way defenseman played his way into being in the conversation to defense and release a shot from the slot for a goal. Five days later, the make the final cut. Avs held a scrimmage that saw Johnson use his skating to do more than just get into position to receive a puck. He used his quick stride to shake What Bednar was going to do with Bowers and Byram was a little more off Pierre-Edouard Bellemare in a manner that caused the two-way shrouded. He discussed how both players have made improvements forward to lose an edge that allowed Johnson to attack the zone to get a during the 2019-20 season and have bright futures in the organization. shot on goal. Bednar said all this without really declaring where they stood compared with Timmins. Turns out? They were safe. Adding Byram to the roster Namestnikov only received a nine-game cameo with the Avalanche but means the team’s 2019 first-round pick will get a longer run to further still managed to have an impact. How he performed during camp assess how he looks against NHL players in a heightened environment. potentially gave Bednar even more insight into where Namestnikov fits It also leads to another talking point regarding all three: What does this within the team’s scheme. He was placed on the third line with Compher mean for next season? Avalanche general manager Joe Sakic and his and Joonas Donskoi to create a configuration capable of using their two- front-office staff will eventually enter an offseason when they must make way prowess to dictate possession. Furthermore, it is possible decisions on a combined 12 restricted and unrestricted free agents. It is Namestnikov could provide another dimension on the penalty kill. The possible they could navigate that dynamic by turning to prospects to fill 27-year-old enjoyed several moments during camp when he was the high some of those roles. Could those prospects include Bowers, Byram and forward in short-handed situations who pressured the point to create Timmins? turnovers or interrupt continuity. One example of that came when the first-team power play was on the ice and Namestnikov was in position for Then there is Kamenev. Consecutive season-ending injuries meant the a breakaway goal. Avalanche had a limited perspective on one of the prospects acquired in the Matt Duchene deal that also saw them receive Bowers and Byram, About the power play among others. Kamenev remained healthy enough to serve in a consistent fourth-line role but could never find the consistency needed to Converting 22 percent of their power-play chances with Landeskog, make an argument for more responsibilities within the team. The fact he MacKinnon and Rantanen as the focal points is what made the was omitted from the postseason roster has created questions about his Avalanche one of the more dangerous units in the league in 2018-19. future with the club. Kamenev is part of a six-member RFA class who Adding Kadri and Makar to that dynamic was initially believed to create a must now wait to learn his fate with the club. Sakic has all four of the dynamic that was just as, if not, potentially effective. Injuries and team’s centers — Pierre-Edouard Bellemare, J.T. Compher, Nazem inconsistencies appeared to have played a role in why the Avs were 19th Kadri and Nathan MacKinnon — under contract for next year. Forward in the NHL with a 19.1 percent success rate. Tyson Jost, who is a natural center, is also an RFA and is another player Addressing the power play was something Bednar and his staff heavily who was above Kamenev in the depth chart. And there are others like concentrated on over the final week of training camp. Landeskog, MacKinnon and Rantanen were consistent presences. But they did feature some new teammates from time to time. Makar’s injury opened the door for Samuel Girard to work with the first-team unit. Kadri alternated with Burakovsky and Compher in terms of who controlled the middle. Whom Bednar will use on the first-team unit might be a mystery, but there is one aspect that remains clear.

Keeping Landeskog, MacKinnon and Rantanen together might be an option:

That being said

Bednar did have times when he kept Landeskog, MacKinnon and Rantanen together in five-on-five sequences. Still, he opted to keep Burakovsky alongside MacKinnon and Rantanen as his first-line combination. That led to Landeskog being pushed to the second line with Kadri and Nichushkin to create an amalgamation predicated off of physical, two-way play on either end.

Last postseason showed why playing Landeskog, MacKinnon and Rantanen was fruitful. They combined for 133 scoring chances, 65 high- danger scoring chances and a total of 14 goals across all sequences. It proved to be Bednar’s most consistently dangerous configuration in the Western Conference quarterfinal against the Calgary Flames and the semifinal series versus the San Jose Sharks.

Yet it was also a triumvirate that showed why Sakic was active in the offseason. Trading for Burakovsky and Kadri were deals that created the initial impression the club had found supplementary production beyond the top line. Burakovsky became a 20-goal scorer for the first time in his career while Kadri, even with the injuries, had one of his highest points per game averages in his NHL tenure. Signing Nichushkin was originally designated as a depth move only to see the 6-foot-4 hulking winger find a place for himself as a reliable top-nine, two-way winger who could be used throughout the lineup.

Now Bednar and the organization will learn whether those combinations could be the key to the Avalanche unlocking a level of postseason success by possibly claiming the third Stanley Cup title in club history.

The Athletic LOADED: 07.27.2020 1189314 Columbus Blue Jackets found. It started to re-emerge this season and would help the Jackets immensely if it resurfaces in the playoffs.

Wennberg missed 12 games with an upper-body injury but still finished Columbus Blue Jackets’ Dubois, Wennberg differ in personality the season with a respectable five goals and 17 assists — a marked improvement from the previous two years.

"I think he’s been more consistent, as far as doing some of the things we Brian Hedger want him to do," Tortorella said. "It seemed like he cleared his head a little bit, as far as him and I (sparring), and we’ve gone at it a lot over the Jul 26, 2020 at 5:45 AM last couple of years, in trying to get him to be the player that we feel he can be.

It’s a pearl of wisdom Pierre-Luc Dubois still remembers clearly. "I think he’s concentrated on some of the things we’ve wanted him to concentrate on, and I think he’s played better because of that." "My dad always told me it’s easier to hold a horse back than to push one," Dubois said of his father, Eric, a hockey coach who also had played Dubois presents a different kind of tussle. professionally. His flashpoint for retaliation has put the Jackets into some sticky Dubois, the Blue Jackets’ 22-year-old center, thinks the advice applies to situations, and the young center also on occasion tends to beat himself his career now more than ever. It also fits his teammate Alexander up when shifts go poorly. Both traits are roadblocks to reaching his full Wennberg, another center who could play a key role against the Toronto potential, which both coach and player hope to diminish. Maple Leafs in a five-game series to start the NHL’s 24-team Stanley "I’m 22 and I haven’t yet figured it out 100%," Dubois said. "But I think it’s Cup playoffs beginning next weekend. something that guys work toward their entire lives. I’ve been reading and "I think my drive and fire has brought me to this point where I am today talking to people — athletes in other sports and in hockey — and it takes … but it can definitely work both ways if you let it take control of you," years and years to figure out. And when they finally do, that’s when it’s Dubois said. "So I’m working on that. But I think if you can control it, it scary, in a good way. can work really well for you." "So, obviously, I’m going to keep working on that. But it takes time, and Left uncontrolled, though, Dubois’ hard-charging style can become an you have to keep working on it." anchor. Columbus Dispatch LOADED: 07.27.2020 And the last thing the Jackets need is an anchor heading into a matchup against the Maple Leafs, a team filled with thoroughbred players. If they’re going to overcome the elite talents of Auston Matthews, John Tavares, Mitch Marner and others, the Jackets need Dubois and Wennberg to harness their inner stallion to ride straight into a successful postseason.

And when it comes to the old saw about holding or pushing a horse, the past three seasons have proved that Dubois and Wennberg cover both ends of the spectrum.

Wennberg routinely gets pushed and prodded by Blue Jackets coach , who knows the talent that led to a 59-point season in 2016-17 is still inside a player whose offensive production has mysteriously nosedived.

With Dubois, on the other hand, Tortorella begins pulling the reins whenever he sees the youngster’s fiery disposition start to boil over.

The push and pull are almost constant with both players, largely because Tortorella knows how much weight they’re capable of toting.

"He tries so hard, and when things don’t go his way, he gets frustrated," Tortorella said of Dubois, who’s on the cusp of becoming one of the NHL’s top pivots. "If it’s not a good shift, then forget about that and get ready to play your next one, because he’s going back on the ice. He’s a key man for us if we’re going to have success here, and I think sometimes he just needs to get out of his own way."

Tortorella wants Wennberg to do the same, but by being more assertive more often.

"There’s no secret as far as what I was hoping to get him to do, and that’s carry the puck, get to the middle of the ice (and) attack people with the puck, because I think that gives him the best opportunity to use his strength — and that’s distribute the puck," Tortorella said of Wennberg, who was the Jackets’ No. 1 center during his breakout season.

"He sees the ice so well. So it’s the board play. It’s just being a hard player."

Too often, however, the 25-year-old Wennberg is hard to figure out.

After Dubois wrestled away the No. 1 center spot as a rookie in the 2017- 18 season, it’s been an uphill climb for Wennberg, whose ice time and point totals dropped in consecutive years.

He has also sparred with Tortorella at times and has been slowed by multiple injuries.

He’s been scratched, benched, demoted — and yet, Tortorella senses the talent that sparked that one strong season is still there, waiting to be 1189315 Dallas Stars Bishop had a rough scrimmage earlier in the week. He wasn’t reading the puck at his typical level, and if the playoffs started tomorrow I might have some concern.

Final observations from training camp, plus answers to your Stars However, Dallas still has two practices and a scrimmage before the questions exhibition and more than a week before the first round-robin game. The Stars were being careful with Bishop while they still had five goalies in camp and he’s never been a goalie who needs much practice to be strong in a game, so I wouldn’t be worried at this point. By Sean Shapiro Jul 26, 2020 Plus, the Stars do have an incredible insurance option in Anton Khudobin

who looked really good throughout camp. FRISCO, Texas — The 2019-20 Dallas Stars skated in Texas for the final — One of the big talking points for this Stars camp was adding offense time on Saturday, closing out the most bizarre training camp in franchise and attacking more with defensemen jumping into the play and acting like history. fourth forwards. It was held in the middle of July, everyone wore masks away from the ice We saw a lot of that in camp. It’s not going to turn the Stars into a and players were frequently tested for COVID-19. juggernaut, but they are going to be more active in creating from the blue On Sunday it’ll get more bizarre, as players land in Edmonton and enter line. the bubble or the “Phase 4 safe zone” for an undetermined amount of Lindell wasn’t as active as some other defensemen; he still defers to time based on how far they advance in the NHL playoffs after a three- Klingberg as the puck mover. But he was more active than I remember game qualifying round robin. him being during the regular season. He did score a shorthanded goal on Here’s what we know right now: the rush on the final day of camp.

— The Stars made final cuts on Saturday, informing Dillon — Throughout camp, the Stars used a line of Gurianov-Seguin-Hintz. Heatherington, , Joel L’Esperance and Colton Point they The trio, as I wrote earlier this week, struggled to get the puck to Seguin. would not be on the flight to . Bowness acknowledged this in a Zoom call on Saturday and put Seguin That means the Stars will take 17 forwards, 10 defensemen and four back on a line with Benn and Gurianov. goalies into the bubble. Based on training camp lines run on the final day, Overall we didn’t see that much of an impact because it was just an 18- the depth chart looks something like this. minute even-strength scrimmage, but Benn and Seguin have played well Jamie Benn – Tyler Seguin – Denis Gurianov off of each other for years and we saw some combos in the offensive zone that weren’t there with Hintz and Gurianov. Roope Hintz – Jason Dickinson – Corey Perry This is also one of the reasons the line didn’t work with Hintz down the – Radek Faksa – Blake Comeau middle.

Mattias Janmark – – Alexander Radulov Hockey has become more and more positionless, and will probably continue in that direction. But the center is still the tone-setter and has Justin Dowling the most responsibility in all three zones. That’s why I like seeing Seguin Esa Lindell – John Klingberg back in the middle where he can be the Stars’ best all-around forward in all three zones. Jamie Oleksiak – Miro Heiskanen Dickinson is still at center and I like him in that role, while I think Hintz Andrej Sekera – Stephen Johns can be just as effective on the wing or in the middle since his game is still Joel Hanley – Taylor Fedun built so much on speed and transition.

Ben Bishop The best line throughout camp was the Stars’ FCC checking line of Cogliano-Faksa-Comeau. They are up to speed and looked better Anton Khudobin offensively than we’ve seen in the past.

That lineup, sans Hanley, is likely the one you’ll see used in the But the player who I thought stood out the most, and could be a driving exhibition game on Thursday against the Nashville Predators since force for this team in the playoffs, is Radulov. He was very good on a line coaches will be allowed to dress two additional players. Stars interim with Janmark and Pavelski, and if he’s firing to get the playoffs started coach Rick Bowness said he expects Bishop and Khudobin to split the Dallas becomes a much more dynamic team. game with Bishop getting two periods, but plans, of course, can change. There will definitely be line shifting. We’re talking about the Dallas Stars, — The Taxi squad in Alberta is as follows: after all.

Jason Roberton, Joel Kiviranta, Nick Caamano, Ty Dellandrea, Gavin Some other final questions. Bayreuther, Thomas Harley, Landon Bow and Jake Oettinger. If a player is injured and their season is over, they can leave Edmonton That’s the basic outline. A few of you wanted to explore a few other and not return. topics. Let’s do that now! One shouldn’t make predictions with guns to the head, because that Harley heads into this bubble as the ninth or 10th defender on the depth likely means the person with the gun will come back for you when your chart. In order for him to play, there would need to be at least three prediction is wrong. injuries before he was considered. We will do our best to continue delivering unique, smart (hopefully) Harley was fine in training camp, but his defending is rough and he was coverage of the team even if we can’t be there. picked apart by NHL players. He’s NHL-ready with the puck, but away from it I would be worried about his liability in the defensive zone. A team It won’t be the same. The league has taken away the two things that I like the Colorado Avalanche or St. Louis Blues would pick him apart. think are most important to my job — being able to watch practice daily and talk to players in a non-group setting. These are the ways we Harley has a bright future, but he needs to improve in this key area develop relationships with players and tell the best possible stories. before he could be considered a real option. I think the best bet for that is Those stories will be harder to tell from my home office. to start the 2020-21 season. It’s a challenge, but the whole world is challenged right now and I know — Ben Bishop didn’t partake in the final two days of camp because of we’ll still deliver something that is worth the cost of your subscription. maintenance. On Saturday he had the option of working out off the ice or joining the practice. The Athletic LOADED: 07.27.2020

1189316 Detroit Red Wings Q: Still, could some teams benefit from these conditions? And on the flip side, this could hurt others?

A: You think of a team like Montreal, if they don’t play well, its fans might Q&A: Chris Osgood eager to see reshaped playoffs, says Red Wings' start to get on them early. But now, it might be easier for them and they young stars need support don’t have to worry if they get off to a bad start and maybe just ride through it and play.

Teams like Arizona and Florida, they’re used to playing to quiet crowds, Ted Kulfan, The Detroit NewsPublished 5:00 p.m. ET July 26, 2020 | so this may not bother them. Updated 4:55 a.m. ET July 27, 2020 But a team like Vegas, it uses the crowds and feeds off the crowd, and now they don’t have it (fans’ energy) anymore, it might be at a disadvantage. Or a Nashville, a team that is used to a raucous Detroit — Chris Osgood was involved in a lot of playoffs during his atmosphere, now they don’t have that and it could be a huge difference. distinguished playing career. Q: Do we just forget about the approximately 66 games that were played The goalie won Stanley Cups and has been involved in epic, legendary this season? Do they matter at all at this point, or this thing completely up hockey games. in the air? He’s watched many series as a fan and broadcaster, too, and marveled A: For the veteran guys, they’ve been out long enough, it’s a fresh start, at the intensity and excitement of the NHL playoffs. a fresh start for everybody, really. A young team, they’re hungry and they But this year, this will be different. just want to go out and play and fly around. The break isn’t going to affect them as much. They might have a bit of an advantage. Osgood, the former Wings’ goaltender and current Fox Sports Detroit analyst, is as intrigued as anyone about the upcoming NHL playoffs, The veteran teams, if they fall behind early, they might struggle. which begin Saturday with the best-of-five play-in round. Q: All right Chris, I’m not going to pin you down on a team, but who do “It’s going to be a completely different atmosphere, and it’s going to be like in this tournament? up to the players and coaching staffs to bring their raw emotions,” said A: I like Edmonton because they’re younger and they’re fast and they Osgood, of the empty, no fans in the stands arenas in the hub cities of have a power play and penalty kill that was No. 1 and No. 2 Edmonton and Toronto. “When these teams get into it and get (respectively), and if that carries over (into the playoffs), then look out. I accustomed to the atmosphere they’re playing in, it’s going to be intense, just think they’re young and hungry and you’d think they are a team that and they will want to win, they’re not there to just dip their toes into the just doesn’t need any more draft picks. water and leave. I like Boston, too. There’s no one player that has to stand out for them to “The Stanley Cup is available to win and for a player, regardless of win. If (Brad Marchand) struggles at the start, they still have other players format, to get your name on the Cup, that’s something special.” to pick up the slack and then, just the way they play as a team. This will be a unique NHL playoffs, thanks to the pandemic. Q: I have to ask you about the Red Wings, though their next game is still With the regular season halted March 12, the NHL decided on bringing months away. What did you think about the draft lottery disappointment back 24 teams, the top 12 in both the Eastern (in Toronto) and Western (dropping to fourth in the lottery)? (in Edmonton) conferences in two hub cities, and let them conclude the A: There’s some good players out there, still. You obviously wanted the playoffs over the next two months. first overall pick, and now you go three consecutive years falling pretty There will be no fans in the stands. There could be as many as three substantially down the draft. This one hurts, but in the end, there are games per day in the arenas early on. And those 12 teams per plenty of first overall picks that haven’t panned out, so you never know. conference will be staying at two different hotels in those hub cities, so They’ll get a good player (at four) and they’ve done their due diligence on they’re bound to be running into potential, or current, playoff opponents. these players.

It’s all so weird, in the weirdest of years. Q: Is this long stretch between how last season ended and whenever the next season begins, hurt the Wings? The Detroit News talked with Osgood about the upcoming playoffs and the Red Wings. A: You know, when we do get fired up again, they’ll be one team that will benefit from the break. They needed it. The way last season went, it will Question: Chris, I can’t imagine you’ve ever played in an NHL game in an be long forgotten and it will be a completely fresh start. empty rink, and especially a playoff game. How strange do you think it’ll be for these guys competing in the playoffs? Q: What do you think of the roster, at least as it looks today?

Answer: It would be real difficult (to play in that situation). You talk about A: I don’t think they’re as bad a team as their record stands right now series in the past, and one of the main things was the atmosphere in the (17-49-5). Now, hopefully, some of the young (junior) players get a rink and how difficult it was to win a game in a place like Chicago, or in chance to play somewhere, but they have a lot of good, young players Colorado, with the fans were packed on top of you. and they need two or three of them to step their games up and give guys like (Dylan) Larkin, (Anthony) Mantha, and (Tyler) Bertuzzi some support. I remember all the teams coming into Joe Louis Arena and those opposing teams saying how difficult it was to play in there because the You think of that (Larkin) line, it’s established as one of the best lines in fans were right on top of you. hockey right now. Now, you still don’t have that superstar scorer, but you have a lot of good young players coming up, and a guy like (defenseman That’s what makes it all different for these playoffs. For me, who is going Filip) Hronek, he’s the type of guy if he was on a really good team, we’d to win is the team who is going to adjust to all that and bring up their be talking about him (like good young defensemen on playoff teams). emotions to where they need to be, the fastest. You have to forget about their record and look at each player and see Q: Especially this time of year, during the playoffs, Chris, the fans, the where they’re at. Then it’s up to the coaching staff to put it all together home rinks, can be such a huge momentum builder for a team, can’t it? and play better than they did.

A: It’s huge. Even like in exhibition games or scrimmages in the Detroit News LOADED: 07.27.2020 preseason, you put fans in the stands and the game is amped up immediately.

I don’t think players ever underestimated how important fans were. But now they’ll realize how much they are missed and how important of a role fans are in sports.

You think about an goal being scored now. It’s going to be a lot different than it would be normally. 1189317 Detroit Red Wings

Plymouth brothers Nick, Luke Boka united with Fort Wayne Komets

The Detroit NewsPublished 11:18 a.m. ET July 26, 2020 | Updated 11:23 a.m. ET July 26, 2020

Plymouth brothers Nick and Luke Boka will be united with the Fort Wayne Komets of the East Coast Hockey League.

The two defensemen, who haven't played on the same team for the past 10 years of organized hockey, agreed to terms with the Komets for the 2020-21 season.

Nick Boka, 22, was selected by the Minnesota Wild in the sixth round (171st overall) of the 2015 NHL Entry Draft. He completed a four-year collegiate career at the University of Michigan, helping the Wolverines to two NCAA tournament appearances and the Frozen Four in 2018. Last year, the 6-foot-1, 210-pound Boka had one goal, nine points and was plus 10 in 29 games for the ECHL Allen Americans.

"Nick is a smooth-skating defenseman who has a nasty edge to his game that the Komets fans have come to love," Komets head coach Ben Boudreau said in a statement. "He brings a lot of leadership and experience playing at the top level in the country."

Luke Boka, 21, spent the last five seasons with the Windsor Spitfires of the , setting a franchise record for most games played (313). He had 60 career goals and 140 points with Windsor, won a in 2017 and served as the team’s captain the last two seasons. Last year, the 5-foot-11, 200-pound Boka had 17 goals, 36 points and was plus 33 in 59 games.

"Luke is fearless when it comes to blocking shots and doesn’t mind going into the hard areas of the ice," Boudreau said. "He finds a way to contribute with a lethal shot in and around the net."

The Bokas will be the seventh set of brothers to play together for Fort Wayne. The others are: Bryant/Dustin Molle (2011-12), Bobby.Danny Stewart (2003-04), Perry/Paul Pooley (1986-87), Steve/Mark Salvucci (1985-86), Edgar/Ken Blondin (1955-56) and Mike/Neil Buchanan (1952- 53).

The Komets will open the season at home against the Indy Fuel on Saturday, Oct. 17.

Detroit News LOADED: 07.27.2020 1189318 Edmonton Oilers Before the Oilers open their qualifying round against Chicago on Aug. 1, they will play their one and only pre-season game Tuesday against the Calgary Flames.

Despite a very short runway, Edmonton Oilers ready to take flight Last time they played, there was a line brawl highlighted by a pretty awesome goalie fight, but despite the recent bad blood between the two teams, nobody is expecting anything untoward this time.

Robert Tychkowski “I think both teams are going to go in there and concentrate on getting their game in order,” said Tippett. “You want to do things that will let you Published:July 27, 2020 get your team up and running. You recognize your opponents, but both Updated:July 27, 2020 12:47 AM MDT teams have bigger fish to fry than that game on Tuesday night.”

NO MINGLING

Everyone knows skating in pods, moving to an abbreviated training camp With multiple teams sharing the JW Marriott, there are going to be and playing one pre-season game isn’t nearly enough to prepare any unavoidable meetings in elevators, the lobby or any of the common team for the NHL playoffs. areas.

Not after fourt months worth of COVID-19 induced isolation and inactivity. Expect them to be awkward at times. But Kassian said that will be the extent of his socializing. But that’s all the runway 24 teams entering the tournament are going to get, so they either take flight in a hurry or hope the black box they pull “There are going to be high traffic areas with a lot of players,” he said. from the wreckage can shed some light on why they got eliminated in the “But, with my style of game, you don’t want to be mingling with too many first round. guys. I have a job to do. Once those playoffs start, it’s game on. I don’t think I’ll be doing too much mingling.” “The only way we’re getting ready right now is by competing against each other,” said Edmonton Oilers winger Alex Chiasson. “Everyone is healthy Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 07.27.2020 and feeling good, we’ve all been skating, but we haven’t been in that game mode mentality.

“Going into the playoffs, with the qualifier being such a short series, we’re all aware that you have to get off to a good start. All these practices and game simulations and the exhibition against Calgary are all steps that are important for us. We’re just trying to get better every day.”

As much as head coach Dave Tippett knows that time is short and his players are a long way from where they would normally be heading into the post-season, he’s had to pull back the reins. He needs to walk the fine line between getting them up to top speed in a short period of time and not risking injury — between hurrying up and not rushing.

“We’re trying to be going as hard as we can and as close to playoff style as we can, and everybody recognizes it’s a short ramp to that,” he said, adding they’ve been working closely with the fitness and training staff in an effort to see how far they can push the players without going too far.

“We wanted to make sure we didn’t bombard them early, we didn’t want them having hip and groin problems by jamming them into things right away.

“We’ve monitored their work load and ramped it up each day and I think the guys have handled it very well. We tried to give them three hard days and a day off, then three hard days and a day off. They’re feeling good about where they’re at but there’s still some growth that we have to do before we star Game 1.”

The players responded by taking a much more focused approach, and hitting the ice with a much greater sense of urgency than they would a training camp in the first week of September with eight pre-season games to play before a serious puck drop.

“It’s definitely not like the first week of October, where you’re kind of working yourself into the season,” said Chiasson. “This is go time. To me, this is more like a May vibe in the locker-room.

“There is a different mentality of where we’re at with our group and our team. I think we realize that we’ve come a long way from the start of the year and we’ve earned this opportunity, but let’s make sure that when we’re going in, we’re going in prepared and we’re going in with the mindset that we’re ready for Game 1.”

There is no easing their way into this bubble. Every practice counts.

“Throughout this, there were so many unknowns, if we’re playing, if we’re not playing,” said defenceman Matt Benning. “It’s an exciting time for us. We’re getting in the mindset of playing playoff hockey again.

“It’s such a unique time. When was the last time we played hockey at this time of year in our lives? Maybe when we were 12 or 14 years old. To do it with a team like this is special. Everyone will remember it.”

THEY MEET AGAIN 1189319 Edmonton Oilers Spurgeon and Carson Soucy of the Minnesota Wild, Kirby Dach of the Chicago Blackhawks and Tyler Ennis of the Oilers.

“We’re in Edmonton but it’s not going to feel like we’re in Edmonton. You JONES: Hub city a homecoming for Edmonton-area NHLers wont be able to see family or see friends or anybody,” said Spurgeon, a native of Irma, about a 90 minute drive east of Edmonton.

Blues coach Craig Berube is from the neighborhood. “I’m from Calahoo, about 40 minutes from Edmonton, so to me it’s still Published:July 27, 2020 pretty neat to be playing the playoffs here. It’s going to be different with no fans and you can’t see family and friends but we all know they’ll be Updated:July 27, 2020 12:44 AM MDT out there watching and cheering.

“I actually went to playoff games in the ’80s and got to see the Oilers win Tyson Jost was temped to hold up a cardboard sign in the window of the the Stanley Cup. It was a great experience and it was great to see the thoroughly disinfected bus on which he and his Colorado Avalanche town so excited.” teammates travelled from their chartered aircraft to the Edmonton’s Hub Fedun dreamed of playing in a series here like the ones he watched on City bubble Sunday: TV annually against Dallas as a kid and the one he experienced in Rexall ‘Honk for the Avalanche!’ Place live and in person.

“I remember 2006 when the Oilers went to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup “I didn’t go to my first playoff until I was in high school. I went to one of final like it was yesterday. I was one of those kids who would run home the games in the first-round series against Detroit,” he said of 2006, the from school and grab my cardboard sign. I’d then run out to one of the year the Oilers made it to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup final. “That was main streets to get people to ‘Honk for the Oilers’,” said the St. Albert such an incredible experience. The atmosphere of a playoff game in product. Edmonton, just thinking about it makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.” For Jost and a host of other Edmonton-area players arriving back home to play in the 2020 Stanley Cup playoffs Sunday, it was one of the Now that he’s here, Fedun said he’ll be looking for a loophole in Hub City strangest homecomings you could comprehend. protocol.

“It definitely has to be weird for all of us to be coming home to play here “I don’t know what the rules are going to be like but I hope my mom can with no fans in the stands and not to be able to see family and friends,” drop off a home cooked meal for me. That might make it feel more like he said. “But to me, we are part of history. It’s going to be something to I’m back home.” tell your kids and grandkids about. ‘I was part of that COVID Stanley Cup Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 07.27.2020 playoffs in 2020.’ It’s an easy sacrifice to make. I’m here to win the Stanley Cup.”

Jost, 22, single and unattached, looks around the dressing room and knows that’s easy for him to say.

“We have three newborn babies on our team. I can only imagine how tough it is for those guys to bring a beautiful baby girl or boy into the world and then to have to go away for more than two months. But you can see they’re also excited.”

Colorado teammate Kevin Connauton is one of them.

“My wife and I just welcomed our first child to the world three weeks ago,” said Connauton. “So I have a newborn daughter at home that I won’t be able to see for quite some time. It’s going to be hard to be away and not be able to see them. My wife is having to deal with it all on her own.”

Connauton said you have to embrace this, even if that’s easier said than done leaving your first-born at home.

“It’s new for everyone. No one has done this before. No one has done a hub city or played under these conditions. I guess you have to look at it that it’s kind of cool to be part of that.”

Taylor Fedun of the Dallas Stars left a three-month old son at home with his wife.

“That’s one of the tough things about this. To not be able to bring your family is certainly a sacrifice.”

Oilers’ homegrown defenceman Matt Benning didn’t leave his wife and newborn behind in another city in another country. But knowing they’re only a few blocks away almost makes it worse, in a way.

“My son just turned a month old,” said Benning. “I’m definitely sad leaving him and my wife.”

Benning is from a hockey family and as much as it won’t be easy, he knows this is a once-in-a-lifetime event he’d never forgive himself for missing.

“It’s a special time. It’s a unique time to play hockey. It’s an exciting time to play hockey. There’s a ton of unknowns. And I think most of us are excited for this opportunity.”

Also from the area checking into Hub City on Sunday were Stanley Cup champions Jay Bouwmeester and Colton Parayko of the St. Louis Blues, Deryk Engelland and Nick Holden of the Vegas Golden Knights, Jared 1189320 Edmonton Oilers the NHL after he was drafted; Broberg might emerge as a legit option in his draft-plus-one. It’s unfortunate he couldn’t be tested more before the start of the playoffs (we can all agree that internal scrimmages are shy of NHL hockey); perhaps he’ll get time in the game against the Calgary Lowetide: Oilers’ productive prospect pipeline a welcome change for Flames this week. playoffs • William Lagesson is the forgotten man among the current hopefuls, but his résumé is solid and he is NHL-ready.

By Allan Mitchell Jul 26, 2020 Conclusion: There’s no contest. The 2020 team is miles deeper on defence, and Oilers fans should look for at least one of the spares to

usurp the veterans, possibly during the playoffs. In Game 5 of the Edmonton Oilers’ 2017 playoff series with the Anaheim The forwards Ducks, they suffered a devastating loss when defenceman Andrej Sekera was injured after playing just three shifts. It was a pivotal game; The 2016-17 team had a nice mixture of veterans and youngsters trying Edmonton led by three goals very late and yet found a way to lose. A frail to establish themselves as NHL forwards who were in the press box for team without a key veteran, the Oilers badly needed a strong Game 4 against Anaheim: replacement to add to the defensive group, which included young veterans Oscar Klefbom and Adam Larsson and older vet Kris Russell as • Matt Hendricks was a veteran, heart-and-soul member of the team who 75 percent of a top-four defence. lost playing time during the year to younger wingers such as Drake Caggiula and Anton Slepyshev. He would not see action in the playoffs The third pairing that spring, Darnell Nurse and Matt Benning, was and signed with the Winnipeg Jets that summer. finding its way with limited minutes (the duo played 9:58 together at five- on-five in Game 4) and gaining valuable experience for future playoff • Iiro Pakarinen would play 14 games with the 2016-17 Oilers, one game wars. in the playoffs and 40 games the following season. He was a fringe winger who could score from range with a sneaky snap shot. After Sekera went down, Nurse and Benning saw their minutes rise quickly and Edmonton was unable to hold on in regulation. It remains one • Anton Lander, whom the Oilers deployed as a fourth-line centre over of the most memorable games in the organization’s recent history. several seasons, mostly as a recall. Speed was the issue.

In that fateful game, the Oilers’ scratches on defence were veterans Eric • Jujhar Khaira, a rugged winger who played 10 games in 2016-17 and Gryba and Mark Fayne, along with prospect recalls from Bakersfield. has been in the NHL since the Anaheim game. Those veterans, along with three recalled (more in a There’s no game breaker in there, and the Oilers ran four fairly consistent minute), represented the best available for replacing Sekera in Game 6. lines during the playoffs: Patrick Maroon-Connor McDavid-Drake As it turned out, Sekera and Klefbom were unavailable for Game 6. Caggiula, Benoit Pouliot–Ryan Nugent-Hopkins–Jordan Eberle, Milan Coach Todd McLellan replaced Klefbom with Griffin Reinhart, Sekera Lucic-Leon Draisaitl-Anton Slepyshev and David Desharnais-Mark with Gryba. Letestu-Zack Kassian. There wasn’t an opportunity for the four extra men to impact the playoffs. The prospect pipeline needed to get better. Has the pipeline improved over the last three years? Let’s have a look. It looks like Tippett has decided on his lines for the Chicago series: McDavid will play with Nugent-Hopkins and Kassian, with Tyler Ennis The defence sliding into Nugent-Hopkins’ role on the Draisaitl line with Kailer Yamamoto. The bottom six to start should have Khaira at centre with Most of the 2016-17 blue line remains and is more experienced three James Neal and Alex Chiasson, with Andreas Athanasiou and Josh years later. Klefbom and Larsson are an effective pairing when healthy, Archibald on the wings for Riley Sheahan. Here are the press box Nurse is safely inside the team’s top four and Russell and Benning are forwards for the 2020 playoffs: third-pairing options for coach Dave Tippett. Ethan Bear, who had yet to begin his pro career in the spring of 2017, is the lone new face in the • Joakim Nygard is a speedster who has a good chance to see playing regular rotation. time, especially if the makeshift fourth line needs more pace.

The 2017 depth chart looked like this: • Gaetan Haas will need Khaira to stumble or an injury.

• Gryba, who played 40 games with the team during 2016-17 and would • Tyler Benson is looking for a chance to show he can survive in the NHL. play three in the 2017 postseason. He went on to play 31 more NHL It’s more likely to happen in 2020-21 training camp. games after the Anaheim series. • Patrick Russell spent the season in the NHL, but the roster got too • Reinhart, who was acquired at a dear price and spent most of the past crowded at the deadline for him to see action. two seasons in the AHL. He would play in Game 6 against Anaheim, the final game of his NHL career to date. • Cooper Marody has shown well in camp; it’s uncertain whether he will play as a centre or a winger, but he’s well down the depth chart. • Fayne, who had played in four regular-season games with the Oilers. They were the final four games of his NHL career. • Ryan McLeod is a fast centre, and that alone means he has a chance to see some action in the playoffs. • Jordan Oesterle, who played two games with the Oilers during the regular season but none in the playoffs. He would sign with the Chicago The 2017 crew had more experience, and that has real value. The 2020 Blackhawks over the summer and has now played in 184 NHL games forwards have more speed and two players (Nygard and Haas) who were since the Anaheim series. basically regulars during the season. The current group has a brighter future, and I’m inclined to give it the overall edge. • Joey LaLeggia did not play for Edmonton in 2016-17 and has yet to play an NHL game. He played in the AHL in 2019-20. Goalies

Assuming Tippett runs a top six of Klefbom-Larsson, Nurse-Bear and Nick Ellis was the man in 2017; Stuart Skinner is the No. 3 goalie this Russell-Benning, the available talent in the press box would include: time. Ellis had the better résumé. There’s very little chance the Oilers will need to rely on Skinner during the postseason. • Caleb Jones, who was a revelation down the stretch after being recalled. He has played in 60 NHL games and might already be among What does it all mean? the six best defencemen on the team. I believe this to be the case. The 2017 Oilers’ playoff bench boasted a fleet defenceman who didn’t • Evan Bouchard, who had a strong second half of the 2019-20 season in see the ice (Oesterle), an expensive acquisition the coach never warmed Bakersfield and appears poised to push for a job with the big club at to (Reinhart) and several depth players such as Hendricks, Gryba, 2020 training camp. Lander and Khaira.

• Philip Broberg, who is just a year into his post-draft career and already turning heads at camp. Tippett had no issues bringing Jakob Chychrun to The 2020 Oilers have some real spark available from the press box. Jones leads the way, with Nygard, Haas and others looking for a chance to impact the series against the Blackhawks.

The bottom line on minor-league talent: It is vital that the recall is plug- and-play, available when you need it and a capable replacement.

Jones could slide in on that third pair and improve it.

Today.

The Athletic LOADED: 07.27.2020 1189321 Florida Panthers What’s there to do in bubble? Each of the four hotels offer slightly different amenities, although there’s

also a common slate of baseline services. Each team will have common Florida Panthers enter NHL’s bubble in Toronto on Sunday. Here’s what areas where they can mingle and meet because they’re not allowed in it’ll be like each other’s rooms. Hotel pools, fitness areas, bars and restaurants will also all be open. The NHL will also allow teams to have league- sanctioned “social excursions” to places like golf courses.

By David Wilson The Royal York has a patio area, and pickleball and tennis courts will be available. Certain restaurants and shopping areas near the arena will July 26, 2020 01:53 PM also be open exclusively to people within the bubble. For the first five days before the qualifying round begins, players and staff will only be allowed to interact with people from their 52-person traveling party. Forgive the Florida Panthers if some of them had trouble packing for this most-unusual road trip. and Lucas Wallmark both Players and staff can also go watch games. Once the expanded Stanley admitted Saturday — just about 24 hours before they left for Toronto — Cup playoffs begin, expects this to be pretty popular. they had not started. It was a daunting task they stared down: They could During playoff time, everyone’s just watching hockey, anyway. be in Canada for just two weeks or they could be away from home for “There’s be lots of hockey to watch,” the coach said. “It’s going to be a more than two months if they keep winning and get all the way to the strictly hockey mindset, where you’re going to be going to the rink to Stanley Cup Finals. practice, to play or you’re going to be watching games and preparing for Players are making room for Xbox Ones and Playstation 4s, stuffing golf the next game.” clubs into their bags and thinking about what television shows they might Miami Herald LOADED: 07.27.2020 want to binge while they live in the confines of one of the NHL’s “security zones” — more commonly referred to as “bubbles.”

“This is going to be an unusual — to say the least — endeavor,” commissioner Gary Bettman said in a video presentation Friday, detailing the NHL’s plans.

After two weeks practicing in Coral Springs for the NHL’s postseason training camp, the Panthers departed for Ontario on Sunday and touched down to begin life in one of the league’s two hub cities for its expanded postseason. For at least the next two weeks, Florida will reside within a one-block radius, shuffling back and forth from the Fairmont Royal York to Scotiabank Arena. The Panthers hope their stay will last even longer, which they can accomplish by winning a five-game qualifying-round series against the New York Islanders starting Saturday.

While no one quite knows what to expect, the NHL has a plan which satisfies players, first because of the way it keeps them safe, but also for the ways it might keep them entertained and comfortable.

“I guess it all comes as a surprise,” defenseman Anton Stralman said Saturday. “We’ll see how the setup is and, like I said, I’m sure it’s going to take a few days to get used to everything, and all the routines and all the restrictions. But, at the same time, we’re there to do a job and I think everybody here in this organization is excited for that chance to compete.”

Above all else, health and safety was the priority for the bubble as the NHL “jointly crafted” a plan with the NHL Players’ Association, and received input from federal authorities.

Some players — particularly those with underlying conditions like Stralman and forward Brian Boyle, in Florida’s case — initially had reservations about the NHL returning to play the COVID pandemic continues. On Saturday, Stralman, who has a lung condition called bronchietasis, said learning about the NHL’s 28-page plan for Phase 4 helped assure him he would be safe to return.

“There’s been so many moving parts and our main focus has been the safety of everybody involved,” said defenseman Mike Matheson, Florida’s NHLPA representative. “Getting back to hockey was obviously very important, but only as long as it was safe for everybody involved.”

For the last two weeks, players and staff have been tested every other day to assure none of them are bringing the virus into the bubble. In the hub cities, players and staff, and even anyone working in the hotels and arenas, will be tested every day, getting their results within 24 hours.

The bigger focus, NHL chief medical officer Dr. Willem Meeuwisse said, is on prevention through emphasizing social distancing, mask wearing and hand washing. The security zones around each hotel will isolate players and staff from the public, too. Florida, for example, is staying at the Royal York, which is a block away from the arena. Both the hotel and arena, located in the heart of Downtown Toronto, are fenced in and there’s even a fenced-off walking path connecting the two.

Florida Panthers Mike Matheson (11) trains at their practice facility in Coral Springs, Florida, July 15, 2020. CHARLES TRAINOR JR [email protected] 1189322 Florida Panthers almost out of the league now,' " said , then a forward, now an assistant general manager with the Montreal Canadiens. ...

“It was a bit of a — this is going to be a nightmare as far as trying to win.” ‘We’re not gonna be a ... doormat': 25 years after surprising Stanley Cup But general manager Bob Clarke purposefully pieced together a roster of Finals run, Panthers have another opportunity veterans, prioritizing tenacity and passion. He brought on several players with playoff experience, including Vanbiesbrouck, who’d twice won the Vezina Trophy awarded to the best goaltender in the league. By MAX MARCOVITCH As such, Clarke wanted to compete. And that wasn’t some faint hope. JUL 26, 2020 AT 2:03 PM When the team broke camp during its first season, shortly after finalizing the 25-man roster, they held a team meeting. Clarke walked in and made his intentions clear. Before there were fans in the stands and plastic rats on the ice, before the old played host to the Stanley Cup Finals and before the “He looked around the room, and he said, ‘We’re not gonna be a BB&T Center ushered in hope of a playoff mainstay, there were malls. [expletive] doormat for anybody in this league,' " Mellanby recalled. “And And schools. And parks. he walked out of the room.”

And a white van. Motivated by fear as much as hope, Florida was no doormat. Far from it. Spurred by coach Doug MacLean’s conservative trap defense scheme, That was the Florida Panthers’ grand marketing strategy in their the Panthers were immediately competitive. They allowed the fourth- inaugural year in 1993: pack some players in a white van and bring them fewest goals in the league and finished the year with 83 points, just one to the people. During that week in early August, a group of a half-dozen point shy of a playoff spot. players paraded around Broward, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach counties, talking to groups big and small, selling themselves and the game of To that point, it was far and away the most successful season from an hockey writ large. expansion side in league history.

One day, the van made its way to the Chamber of Commerce. It was “I think they thought we’d be an easy win,” Vanbiesbrouck said. “We hardly the heroes’ welcome to which some players had become were never an easy win. And that’s how you earn respect. You’re accustomed. diligent. You’re persistent. You give a punch, take a punch. But I think in that diligence, each and every game, that we earned respect.” “This guy came over to [forward Andrei Lomakin] with a business card that said something like, he was a real estate person and handing out his After a lockout limited the 1994-95 season to just 48 games, the cards. And Andrei grabbed a card, signed it and gave it back to him,” Panthers came into the 1995-96 season with quiet confidence. Then they recalled last month. “He just didn’t understand what turned the volume up. was going on.” Florida didn’t lose in regulation until its 13th game. On the back of a Vanbiesbrouck had played an exhibition game at Miami Arena a year balanced attack and stellar defense, the Panthers quickly vaulted to the prior, as a member of the New York Rangers, and — in a bit of irony — top of the league. the ice melted in the crease in front of his net. When he was picked with the first selection in the expansion draft, Vanbiesbrouck couldn’t help but One night, in a tale now codified into history, Mellanby spotted a rat be skeptical. moving across the locker room. He timed it perfectly on his stick, taking a slap shot to the rat, killing it. As legend goes, Mellanby’s stick still had fur “That’s kinda some of my thoughts were,” he said, " ‘Boy is this thing on it when he scored two goals that night, a feat Vanbiesbrouck dubbed gonna work out? Is the ice really just gonna freeze there?' " the “rat trick.”

Much has changed, for better and worse, since 1993. The ice froze. At first, a few fans would toss plastic rats onto the ice only when Florida won immediately and defied the odds in building a team that Mellanby scored. By playoff time, showers of rats rained down with every made the Stanley Cup Finals in the 1995-96 season. That bred the kind goal. People stuffed rats in their clothing in order to smuggle them into of organic fanbase the NHL could’ve only hope for when it expanded to the arena. Some colored players’ names and numbers on the plastic the South Florida market. toys. A 1996 Sports Illustrated story quoted the then-vice president of business operations, Dean Jordan, who estimated the total cost of rats Nearly 30 years later, the 2020 Florida Panthers will play the New York thrown on the ice to be $55,000. Islanders in a five-game series, starting Aug. 1, in the qualifying round in Toronto, one of two hub cities for this year’s coronavirus-induced restart. The “rat pack,” as they became known, became the starlet of the league. They will do so having not won a playoff series since that storied 1995-96 In just their third year of existence, Florida advanced to the playoffs and Stanley Cup Finals run. took down Ray Bourque’s Boston Bruins, Eric Lindros’ Philadelphia Flyers and Mario Lemieux’s Pittsburgh Penguins, before and The altered format, which allowed them to qualify despite ending the the Colorado Avalanche swept them in the Stanley Cup Finals. suspended regular season in March on the outside of the playoff hunt, serves as a lifeline, but there is optimism from players and coaches that In that season and the prior two full seasons combined, Mellanby, the they’ll seize it. team’s best statistical forward, tallied 162 total points. Lemieux had 161 in that year alone. The team’s 254 goals ranked just sixth in the Eastern As the Panthers close in on that series, though, they do so having yet to Conference. escape the shadow of the franchise’s storied beginnings. Nearly three decades later, those memories both shine as the franchise’s crowning “Did we play beyond our means? Probably we did,” said winger Jody moment and illuminate the chasm that has defined South Florida hockey Hull. “But I think any time you talk to guys that have won the Cup or been since. there, it always takes those little extra things for yourself to get you over the edge. We were capable of doing that.” It’s a story about a group of misfits. A distinct playing style. A galvanized region. A winner. But with the run to the Stanley Cup marking a precipitous rise; with the rat-infused fanbase excited about hockey; with the core of the team back It is also now a story about the fleeting nature of success and a desire to for another year, it should have been a beginning. With the benefit of escape the prolonged disquiet of irrelevance. hindsight twenty-five years later, it instead marks something of an end. Long before Las Vegas redefined what’s possible from an expansion “I think there was for sure greater expectations [after the run],” side, the default expectation was that Florida would lose, early and often. Vanbiesbrouck said. “I think we were able to maintain those expectations , added to the league in 1992, won just nine games in its for a good period of time. Those types of things go for periods of time. inaugural season. San Jose, added to the league a year prior, lost 129 of They don’t last forever.” 164 games over its first two seasons. General manager sat steel-faced, covering his excitement “As a player at 27 years old, picked up in expansion, my first thing was a underneath. It was April 2019, and newly-hired Joel Quenneville, the little bit of devastation, in the sense that it was like ‘Oh my god, I’m second-winningest coach in NHL history, was seated to his left, placards with their names folded on the table in front and a Florida Panthers backdrop behind.

Every player on the roster was in attendance.

“This is a new era,” Tallon said, “a new beginning.”

Six players on the 2020 Panthers’ roster weren’t alive during the 1995-96 Stanley Cup run. Few have any recollection of it.

The ensuing 25 years have been filled with more downs than ups, more changes than consistency, more hardship than triumph. The hiring of Quenneville did not mark the first hope of a new, prosperous era. In 1999-00, a new-look Panthers side marched to 98 points in the regular season, only to be swept by the New Jersey Devils, In 2011-12, a balanced Panthers team topped the Southeast Division, only to lose in a first-round Game 7 to Martin Brodeur and the Devils once again.

In 2015-16, a young, talent-laden team finished with a franchise-best 103 points. Young guns like Aleksander Barkov, Aaron Ekblad and Jonathan Huberdeau supplemented veteran production in Jaromir Jagr and Jussi Jokinen. Under Gerard Gallant, there was real hope — present and future.

That team lost a double-overtime heartbreaker in Game 6 to the New York Islanders, and Florida hasn’t been back to the playoffs since.

There are no ties left to the franchise’s pioneers, beyond the playoff series drought that mounts each year. This is a new team, with new executives, a new arena, and certainly a new playing style. Those are just memories.

“They need to create their own way, and they will,” Vanbiesbrouck said. “It will galvanize [the city].

And what they have this summer — fairly or unfairly — is all they can ask for: an opportunity. A five-game series against the Islanders to qualify, then a playoff series if they can do so. No rats. No malls. Not even any fans.

Just an opportunity.

“Every locker room I’ve been in on teams that have gone far in the playoffs, we started with the same conversation among the leadership. It was always, I’ll never forget, it was always: ‘Hey, we don’t know when we’re gonna get another chance to do this,’ said Brian Boyle, a forward with 114 games of Stanley Cup playoff experience. “You could be in the league a long time. You could be a young player who thinks you’re going to go to the playoffs every year.

“It doesn’t necessarily happen that way.”

Sun Sentinel LOADED: 07.27.2020 1189323 Minnesota Wild

Wild departs for Edmonton with full roster availability

By Sarah McLellan Star Tribune JULY 26, 2020 — 11:36PM

EDMONTON, ALBERTA – The Wild had all 30 players it is taking to Edmonton on the ice Sunday morning at Tria Rink in St. Paul before the team left for the Western Conference hub city, an encouraging sight for coach Dean Evason.

“To have everybody available to us is awesome,” he said.

While the team will usher only 20 players into action each game when its qualifying matchup with Vancouver begins Sunday at Rogers Place, the unusual nature of the NHL’s return could lead to more roster turnover.

“Clearly the circumstances could present itself where we could need more people,” Evason said Sunday during a video conference call. “Everybody has got to be available and ready, and hopefully we’ve done the right things to prepare everybody the same so if we need one, two, three, four guys to step in, then we’re expecting they will take that opportunity and embrace it and run with it.”

Evason isn’t expecting to have to make changes, but already he’s had to juggle roles in practice and scrimmages.

Although center Joel Eriksson Ek was back with the team Sunday, he was absent Friday and for part of Thursday’s session. Defenseman Matt Dumba was also missing Thursday before returning Friday.

Evason doesn’t have a depth chart in mind for the postseason, even though the Wild could be forced to be flexible.

Not only is the margin for error smaller in a five-game series, but the league is restarting while the coronavirus pandemic is ongoing. The Wild is carrying four goalies, with Kaapo Kahkonen and Mat Robson the minor league call-ups in the mix. The team also added Iowa forwards Gerry Mayhew, Nico Sturm, Kyle Rau and Luke Johnson and defensemen Matt Bartkowski, Louie Belpedio and Brennan Menell.

“I think it would be premature to say, ‘So and so is going to go in 100 percent,’ ” Evason said. “It honestly depends on who’s out or the situation, and then we will communicate as a staff and make the right call.”

Goodbye time

Not everyone on the Wild said goodbye to his family Sunday before the team departed for Edmonton.

Some, such as defenseman Jared Spurgeon and winger Marcus Foligno, bid adieu before training camp started since their families stayed in Canada, where they typically spend their summers, while the players returned to Minnesota.

“I think that lights a fire under your belly a little bit more, just to go there and do well and make sure this distance’s not for nothing,” Foligno said.

What made the farewell tougher for Spurgeon’s family is the fact his wife and children are in Edmonton, Spurgeon’s hometown. Families, however, can join players in the bubble starting at the conference finals, which will be in Edmonton. Rogers Place will also host the Stanley Cup Final.

“They are a little confused as to why they can’t come and hang out with me,” Spurgeon said. “If we do get to the point that we’re hoping to, they’ll be able to come and enjoy it as well. It will be worth it at the end for sure.”

Star Tribune LOADED: 07.27.2020 1189324 Minnesota Wild “That’s what you want to do as a younger guy with a little less experience. You want to try to look up to the guys, try to learn from the guys that have been around longer. I think it’s been good.”

Kaapo Kahkonen awaits next opportunity to stop shots for Wild Star Tribune LOADED: 07.27.2020

By Sarah McLellan Star Tribune JULY 26, 2020 — 11:35PM

EDMONTON, ALBERTA – Kaapo Kahkonen was the go-to goaltender for the Wild’s minor league team this season, batting away enough pucks to help Iowa to one of its best performances in franchise history and to get recognized as the ’s top goalie.

But when he will get his next opportunity to play is unclear.

“I’m not stressing about anything,” Kahkonen said. “I’m just trying to focus on getting back to the rhythm being on the ice every day.”

The Wild traveled to Edmonton on Sunday, embarking on the Western Conference hub city a week before it starts a best-of-five qualifying-round series against Vancouver during the NHL’s postseason return without having identified its Game 1 starter.

“We’re still communicating and evaluating,” coach Dean Evason said.

Although the call will likely come down to Devan Dubnyk and Alex Stalock, where the organization’s goaltending hierarchy starts, Kahkonen’s credentials could make him a serious option if the team feels it needs to make a change.

“You just have to do your job and hopefully you get to play,” Kahkonen said last week on a video conference call. “If not, then you got to keep yourself ready in case you end up being in net at some point.”

Kahkonen’s strides in 2019-20 didn’t just come at the AHL level.

The 2014 fourth-round pick’s development and potential to be a future starter for the Wild was amplified by his 3-1-1 NHL debut — a string that included the 23-year-old setting the franchise record for most saves in a game by a rookie (44).

Add in his accomplishments in the AHL, such as a league-high 25 wins and seven shutouts to go along with the fourth-best goals-against average (2.07) and save percentage (.927), and the season was a memorable one for Kahkonen.

“It was a great year,” he said. “For me individually … I was more familiar with everything.”

When the AHL season was canceled by the coronavirus pandemic, Kahkonen was sidelined with injury after he got twisted up in the crease in a March 2 game in San Jose. But he’s healed up now and used the downtime in his native Finland to get back to full strength.

“The hand wasn’t ready for shots or anything so I’m like, ‘OK, might as well take it easy with that part,’ ” Kahkonen said. “Just make sure I’m well-conditioned and in shape when I come back. Just do off-ice training and workouts and conditioning and stuff like that. That’s basically all I did before coming over.”

With more practice days and an exhibition game on tap in Edmonton, the Wild will continue to examine Kahkonen. But the impression he’s made so far in training camp has been positive, with scoreless outings in two appearances in intrasquad scrimmages.

“He just competes his butt off,” Evason said. “He comes out of the net sometimes in practice after a drill and he is just gassed because he’s working so hard. He’s a very likable guy. I haven’t seen anything different because of his accomplishments.”

And while Kahkonen’s focus is to treat practice time like a game to stay ready, he and fellow Iowa netminder Mat Robson are also studying Dubnyk and Stalock even though all four are vying to suit up for the Wild in the playoffs.

“Everybody wants to play and there’s four of us and then only one can play in the net, right?” Kahkonen said. “From that standpoint, it’s competitive obviously. [But] all the four guys here, we’re good guys and we support each other. Me and Robby, we’re trying to look [at] Duby and Al, what they do on a daily basis, learn from them since they’re more experienced. 1189325 Minnesota Wild But don’t think if this trip extends deeper into August or September I won’t be tempted to buy new clothes. I hear there’s a pretty big mall here.

Take care. Day 9: No, I'm not wearing the same clothes every day! Love,

Sarah By Sarah McLellan JULY 26, 2020 — 2:08PM P.S.

You think one of my aunts will let me use their washer and dryer when Editor's note: Sarah McLellan is covering the Wild during the NHL I’m out of quarantine? postseason in her birthplace of Edmonton, but first must spend 14 days Star Tribune LOADED: 07.27.2020 confined to her hotel room. She'll write regularly to her father, who now lives in Arizona, with an update on life with limited freedom.

Dear Dad,

Hockey is on the horizon.

The Wild is traveling to Edmonton today, along with 11 other Western Conference teams while the 12 Eastern clubs descend on Toronto, and the games will restart next Saturday. This is really happening. It still feels a bit surreal, but my excitement is only growing by the day.

Although we both flew from Minnesota to Canada, the Wild will not have the same experience as I did settling into Edmonton. Players will not have to quarantine for 14 days like I’m doing. The NHL received an exception from the Canadian government, with players kept away from the public in the bubble and screened regularly. Still, they’re being instructed to stay mostly in their hotel rooms for the first five days. They can, for example, leave for training.

What is similar for both of us is that we don’t know how long we’ll be here in Edmonton, a trip that had a definite start but no clear end.

With a best-of-five series against Vancouver on deck, the Wild will at least be here through Aug.6 to play the minimum three games. But if it advances and keeps moving on, the team could be living out of the bubble into October.

That would also mean I’ll be here into October.

So, how did I pack for such an unpredictable stay?

It actually took quite a bit of planning.

The essentials are easy to identify, like toothpaste, shampoo and deodorant, but I wanted to make sure I had enough to last me potentially a few months. Since I usually use travel sizes when I’m on the road, that meant doubling up in some instances or bringing normal-sized bottles. Add in other hair products, makeup and extraneous items like nail polish and polish remover, and one half of my suitcase filled up quickly.

Figuring out the clothing situation was by far the toughest part, although addressing quarantine wasn’t hard. I loaded up on comfy pairs of pants, shorts and T-shirts since I knew I’d be in my hotel room for the first two weeks. But the challenge was what to wear once I got out of isolation.

For the games, I selected four dresses, one skirt and five pairs of dress pants. The key was picking tops that could mix and match with the bottoms, a tactic I later learned Jared Spurgeon of the Wild also used when packing. In the end, I decided on quite a bit of black, white and pink with some red and blue – basics that I could alternate to create new outfits if needed. I also threw in a few pairs of jeans and some more casual options for once I was out of quarantine but able to leave my hotel.

I had the same strategy for shoes, identifying pairs in neutral colors like black and white that I could match to different looks. Once I added some sandals and runners, I had 10 pairs in my luggage – a very manageable number for a shoe-lover like me!

Toiletries and clothes are obviously mainstays for any road trip, but I did include a few new items for a unique journey like this – extra novels, workout equipment and the puzzle, which I still haven’t started. Maybe this week? I also had a few containers of disinfecting wipes, sanitizing spray, hand sanitizer, gloves, air freshener and fabric spray. And I don’t usually travel with big bags of snacks, Styrofoam plates, a roll of paper towel and a box of cutlery, but those additions have been clutch since not all of my takeout orders have had utensils with them.

Now you know how I arrived at two 50ish pound suitcases and a hefty duffel bag. 1189326 Minnesota Wild

Wild embark for Edmonton hoping to be away for a couple of months

By DANE MIZUTANI | PUBLISHED: July 26, 2020 at 6:21 p.m. | UPDATED: July 26, 2020 at 6:22 p.m.

Jared Spurgeon said goodbye to his family a couple of weeks ago, knowing in a perfect world he wouldn’t see them for a couple of months.

He actually spent most of quarantine in his hometown of Edmonton before returning to the Twin Cities for training camp after the NHL announced its plan to resume the 2019-20 season.

He now returns to Edmonton — the hub city for the Western Conference playoffs — as the Wild gear up for what they hope is a Stanley Cup run.

“I’ve been flying solo for a bit,” Spurgeon said. “It’s definitely hard. Especially when they ask when I’m going to be back. You can usually give them and answer like, ‘I’m going to be back in four or five days,’ or something like that.”

That’s not an option this time around. If the Wild continue to win, the road trip continues. There’s no return trip booked as the goal is to be there as long as possible.

“It’s even tougher for them because they know I’m playing in Edmonton,” Spurgeon said. “They are a little confused as to why they can’t come and hang out with me.”

There’s a light at the end of the tunnel for Spurgeon. Any player who advances to the Conference Finals, or the Stanley Cup Final, is allowed to invite their immediate family into the bubble. That serves as motivation in and of itself for players.

In the meantime, though, the Wild will be hunkering down with lots of spare time on their hands. They left on Sunday afternoon and players will be confined to their room for a few days upon arrival.

“That”s going to be a challenge,” Zach Parise said. “We literally go to practice, to the meal room, and to the hotel room. You can’t be in anyone else’s hotel room. You’ve got to find stuff to do.”

Most players are bringing a video game console of some sort — the Nintendo Switch seems to be the favorite — while others plan to read a book for the first time in what feels like forever.

“I might have to get something whether it’s a Nintendo Switch or PSP or something that the guys have so we can play against each other,” Luke Kunin said. “Then it’ll probably be lot of Netflix and movies and things like that.”

There will also be lots of time for players to communicate with their families back home.

“I think FaceTime is going to be used a lot,” Marcus Foligno said. “I’m probably going to annoy my family members a lot.”

Eventually players will be allowed to interact with common places set up within the bubble. There will also be restaurants that players can access that will be separate from the general public.

“I’m excited to see what it’s going to be like,” Joel Eriksson Ek said. “I think it’s going to be fun.”

Wild winger Marcus Foligno is the ultimate hype man. Will that work without fans?

While that seems to be the consensus among players as they prepare for a once-in-a-lifetime experience, the ultimate goal at the end of the day is hoisting the Stanley Cup.

“We are ready to go,” coach Dean Evason said. “We have had lots of time to prepare for this. They have had lots of time to communicate with their family. I think everybody’s in a good spot to get there and give it a whirl.”

Pioneer Press LOADED: 07.27.2020 1189327 Montreal Canadiens

Max Domi joins Montreal Canadiens training camp

STAFF

Forward Max Domi has joined the Montreal Canadiens training camp after sitting out the first week owing to health concerns.

Domi participated in practice Monday for the first time since the NHL started Phase 3 of its return-to-play plan a week ago.

Domi has Type 1 diabetes and celiac disease. He and the Canadiens had agreed on waiting seven to 10 days before making a call on whether he would return in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It was really good to see [Domi] today,” Montreal goaltender Carey Price said. “He brings a lot of enthusiasm to our locker room and on the ice.

“He’s a vocal guy and he’s got a unique laugh that everybody loves to hear.”

Domi had 17 goals and 27 assists in 71 games this season.

The season is scheduled to restart with a best-of-five qualifying round beginning Aug. 1 in Toronto and Edmonton. The Canadiens will face the Pittsburgh Penguins in Toronto.

Globe And Mail LOADED: 1189328 Nashville Predators

Former Predators player Steve Sullivan named interim GM of Arizona Coyotes

Richard Morin

Kent Somers

PHOENIX — Arizona Coyotes general manager John Chayka informed the team on Friday that he was terminating his contract, according to an NHL source with direct knowledge of the situation.

The news comes less than a day after a source confirmed a report by Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet that during the pandemic owner Alex Meruelo gave Chayka permission to talk to a “third party” about a position.

In a statement released Sunday, the Coyotes acknowledged Chayka's departure and said they were "disappointed in his actions and his timing" regarding the exit.

The Coyotes also announced that Steve Sullivan, who played for the Nashville Predators from 2003-11, will be promoted to interim general manager. Sullivan had worked under Chayka as an assistant GM and worked as general manager for the Coyotes' AHL affiliate in Tucson.

Chayka also issued a statement on Sunday but did not provide details on his departure.

"The past four years have been the most enjoyable of my life," Chayka wrote. "In Arizona, I became a husband and a father, while working as hard as possible to make the Coyotes a Stanley Cup contender. I love our players, coaches, staff and fans and I very much wish I could be with the team in Edmonton. Sadly, the situation created by ownership made that an impossibility.

"That’s all I intend to say on this matter for now. A fuller, more detailed explanation may be necessary in the near future. Until then, I wish the Coyotes good luck in Edmonton, and thank every member of Our Pack for the support shown to Kathryn, our daughter and myself over the years. Also, I want to congratulate Steve Sullivan as he steps into a new role. We’ve worked side-by-side for years. He is a great person and a terrific hockey mind."

Rumblings of a divide between Chayka and the front office began earlier in the week when it was revealed that Chayka was not invited to a dinner meeting between Taylor Hall, Meruelo and his son, Alex Jr., and team president and CEO Xavier Gutierrez, according to an NHL source with direct knowledge of the situation.

The news of Chayka's departure comes on the same day the Coyotes are scheduled to travel to Edmonton to participate in an expanded NHL postseason format. The Coyotes are set to face the Predators in their first playoff action since 2012.

Chayka, 31, joined the Coyotes in 2015 and became the youngest general manager in the history of the four major professional North American sports just a year later as a 26-year-old.

Since rising to power, Chayka has completely rebuilt the Coyotes roster with only two players remaining on the active roster – Oliver Ekman- Larsson and Brad Richardson – since he rose to power in 2016.

Chayka hired coach Rick Tocchet prior to the 2017-18 season and the Coyotes' record has gradually improved in each year since.

This season, the Coyotes were being investigated by the NHL for illegally working out draft-eligible players prior to the NHL Scouting Combine. The league has not yet levied punishment on the Coyotes, who may be liable to pay a hefty fine depending on the severity of the infractions.

Tennessean LOADED: 07.27.2020 1189329 Nashville Predators Troy Grosenick Connor Ingram

Pekka Rinne Predators finalize expanded NHL playoffs roster Juuse Saros

Tennessean LOADED: 07.27.2020 Paul Skrbina

An abbreviated two-week training camp ended Saturday with an expanded playoff roster for the Predators.

Coach John Hynes and his staff whittled down the number of players to 28 skaters and four goalies Saturday, not long after the team's final practice at Bridgestone Arena before it departed Sunday morning for Edmonton.

Playoff rosters, which were revealed Sunday evening by the league, were bumped up to 28 skaters and an unlimited number of goalies this year as part of the NHL's return to play plan.

The Predators began camp with 35 players -- 19 forwards, 12 defensemen and four goalies. They ended camp with 17 forwards, nine defensemen and four goalies.

Nashville will face the Dallas Stars in an exhibition Thursday before beginning its best-of-five, play-in playoff series against the Arizona Coyotes on Sunday.

Here is the roster:

Forwards

Viktor Arvidsson

Colin Blackwell

Nick Bonino

Daniel Carr

Matt Duchene

Filip Forsberg

Mikael Granlund

Rocco Grimaldi

Calle Jarnkrok

Ryan Johansen

Michael McCarron

Colton Sissons

Craig Smith

Eeli Tolvanen

Yakov Trenin

Kyle Turris

Austin Watson

Defensemen

Alexandre Carrier

Mattias Ekholm

Ryan Ellis

Dante Fabbro

Dan Hamhuis

Korbinian Holzer

Roman Josi

Jarred Tinordi

Yannick Weber

Goaltenders 1189330 Nashville Predators "You have to get creative," Rinne said. "The biggest thing is you have to adjust as a person and realize that right now being able to play is the biggest thing. That means sacrificing a lot.

What might life be like in the NHL bubble for the Predators? Will finish have impact on who starts in goal for Predators?

"We all know where we're heading to and we're going to learn as we go."

Paul Skrbina The plan also calls for some family to permitted inside the bubbles during the conference finals and Stanley Cup Final.

"The presence or not of families is still a work in progress. It's something The Predators are headed to "hockey heaven." that the health authorities in Alberta, among others, will have to bless," Bettman said. "We will take our cues from the medical people, both on At least that's how coach John Hynes described the NHL "bubble" in behalf of the league and the Players' Association." which his team, along with 23 others, will be in as the season restart approaches. In the meantime, "hockey heaven" awaits Hynes, who plans to catch up on some Netflix and reading for what he hopes is the next two-plus The Predators were scheduled to leave for Edmonton, one of the hub months. cities along with Toronto, on Sunday, a week ahead of the start of its playoff play-in series against the Coyotes. Tennessean LOADED: 07.27.2020 They have an exhibition game scheduled for Thursday against the Dallas Stars and begin their three-game series Sunday.

"You're going there; your family's not around," Hynes said. "You're in a hotel. You have walking access to the arena. You have games going on. I'm really looking forward to it."

The league on Friday and Saturday provided a glimpse of what life inside the bubble might be like for players and staff.

Commissioner Gary Bettman said Friday there were 150 NHL staffers combined in the two cities, along with over 1,000 more working on logistics.

Every team will have its own floor in its hotel. A lounge with TVs, pool tables, card tables and ping-pong tables will be available for each team. There also will be basketball courts and soccer fields available.

The plan calls for players and staff to eventually have access to golf courses open only to teams.

Fans will not be permitted to attend games. The league plans to pump in crowd noise from EA Sports' NHL 20 video game and teams also all sent in chants and fan videos to be played during game.

The bubbles aren't expected to be "perfect," the NHL's medical director, Dr. Willem Meeuwisse, said. The NHL's hope is that it protects the public and the people in the bubble. He added that the league will continue to work in conjunction with health officials in Edmonton and Toronto throughout the postseason.

Players and staff will be tested every day.

"We expect with the number of people that we're going to have some positive tests, and we have a method and a process designed in advance to deal with that," Meeuwisse said. "And we'll continue to consult with the local health authorities as that unfolds."

Meeuwisse said measures taken in the bubble will be similar to those taken in the healthcare field. In the case of a positive test, he said, contact tracing will be done.

"If we feel a degree of exposure is unusually high, they still may be quarantined. But at the end of the day this is a protocol that has a lot of involvement and input and signoff from the Players' Association, so as a group the players are comfortable with it," Meeuwisse said.

"And I think it will continue to be the case that if players are quite uncomfortable, that they have the option not to participate."

Players were briefed on the plan Thursday.

During the first five days teams are in the bubbles, they won't be allowed to interact with other players away from the ice. There will be common areas set up after that, but the league said Friday that most players aren't interested in mingling with opponents.

Services such as food and grocery delivery will be provided for teams.

Predators goalie Pekka Rinne said he feels comfortable with the measures being taken in the "unique situation." He said his iPad is downloaded to the max with movies and TV series and music to watch in his room at the JW Marriott, where the team is staying. 1189331 New Jersey Devils those teams this season, the Bruins won just three of 10 games, losing four in shootouts.

In the West, St. Louis (42-19-10) will compete against Colorado N.H.L. Award Races Bode Well for a Compelling Restart (Sunday), Las Vegas (Aug. 6) and Dallas (Aug. 9) in Edmonton.

Artemi Panarin Wants His Just Due

By Andrew Knoll Rangers winger Artemi Panarin’s late push helped make him a first-time finalist for the Hart and Lindsay hardware while helping the team (37-28- July 27, 2020, 3:00 a.m. ET 5) come to within one game of a wild-card spot before play was halted. After signing the most lucrative contract of any free agent since 2013 last

summer, he accumulated 61 points in his final 41 games. That was even The N.H.L. announced finalists for its major awards last week, and it was more remarkable for a player whom N.H.L. teams passed over multiple both a reminder of how long ago those performances were and how times before he signed with the Blackhawks in 2015 at age 23. compelling the postseason tournament will be if players can get back to “I would like to thank all the G.M.s for not choosing me in the draft that level of play quickly. The awards will be based on play before the because it allowed me to choose the team where I wanted to play that league was shut down in March because of the coronavirus pandemic. played my style of hockey,” Panarin, a Russian, said through an It’s Edmonton’s Show interpreter last week.

Edmonton, Alberta, will host the Western Conference playoffs, both Matchup to WATCH: No. 6 Carolina Hurricanes vs. No. 11 Rangers conference finals and the Stanley Cup finals. The city earned its (starts Saturday) designation as one of the N.H.L.’s hub cities because of how well it has The Rangers should have a healthy Igor Shesterkin between the pipes handled the coronavirus outbreak. The Eastern Conference playoffs will for the postseason, though the team declined to officially name him the unfold in Toronto before the conference finals. starter over Henrik Lundqvist. Carolina (38-25-5) has its own talented The Edmonton Oilers have racked up 10 Hart Trophies since joining the Russian wing, Andrei Svechnikov, and the star defenseman Dougie N.H.L. in 1979. won the award eight times, Mark Messier Hamilton back healthy for the last hurrah of their veteran leader, right once with Edmonton and Connor McDavid won it in 2017. Goalie Grant wing Justin Williams. Fuhr was once a finalist. ImageRangers left wing Artemi Panarin is a first-time finalist for the Hart “Amazing players, legends of the game no question about it,” Edmonton Trophy. forward Leon Draisaitl said. “It’s a big honor to be part of that group for Blue Ribbons for Blue-Liners sure.” Skilled defensemen have become a must-have for Cup contenders since No one exemplified that connection more this season than Draisaitl, who the league’s mid-aughts scoring boom. But Washington’s John Carlson is a finalist for both the Hart Trophy, for most valuable player, and the and Nashville’s Roman Josi — two finalists for this year’s Norris Trophy, player-voted award for most outstanding player, alongside Rangers wing awarded to the league’s best all-around defenseman — have long been Artemi Panarin and Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon. understated among their blue-liner peers. Draisaitl was productive with and without his teammate McDavid, leading Josi’s blend of smooth skating, positioning and deceptiveness helped him the league in total points and points per game, points percentage and to a career-high 65 points this season. Still, Carlson may remain the time on ice for a forward. favorite, as he led the league's defensemen in points (75) and assists Matchup to WATCH: No. 5 Edmonton Oilers vs. No. 12 Chicago (60). Blackhawks (best-of-five series starts on Saturday) The Coronavirus Outbreak › The U.S. nears a single-day record as infections show no sign of slowing. Frequently Asked Questions Pelosi again rules out a short extension of $600 unemployment benefits, Updated July 23, 2020 pushing for broader aid. What is school going to look like in September? A new C.D.C. statement on schools calls for reopening and downplays the potential health risks. It is unlikely that many schools will return to a normal schedule this fall, requiring the grind of online learning, makeshift child care and stunted The Oilers (37-25-9) tightened defensively under Coach Dave Tippett, workdays to continue. ’s two largest public school districts — but also have plenty of firepower to trade goals with the run-and-gun and San Diego — said on July 13, that instruction will be Blackhawks (32-30-8), who are led by the three-time Stanley Cup remote-only in the fall, citing concerns that surging coronavirus infections champions Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane. in their areas pose too dire a risk for students and teachers. Together, Bruins Awards Add Up to a Cup? the two districts enroll some 825,000 students. They are the largest in the country so far to abandon plans for even a partial physical return to The Boston Bruins (44-14-12) already had the Presidents’ Trophy, given classrooms when they reopen in August. For other districts, the solution to the team with the most points, and right wing David Pastrnak won the won’t be an all-or-nothing approach. Many systems, including the Maurice Richard Trophy as the league’s top goal scorer. But the Bruins nation’s largest, , are devising hybrid plans that involve racked up more recognition for the league’s subjective honors, too: spending some days in classrooms and other days online. There’s no Coach Bruce Cassidy joined Alain Vigneault of the Philadelphia Flyers national policy on this yet, so check with your municipal school system and John Tortorella of the Columbus Blue Jackets as Jack Adams Award regularly to see what is happening in your community. finalists for coach of the year. Is the coronavirus airborne? Goalie Tuukka Rask is a Vezina Trophy finalist, awarded to the league’s top netminder. Rask won the award in 2014. Center Patrice Bergeron The coronavirus can stay aloft for hours in tiny droplets in stagnant air, became a Selke Trophy finalist for a record ninth time and could win his infecting people as they inhale, mounting scientific evidence suggests. record fifth trophy, given to the league’s top defensive forward. But after This risk is highest in crowded indoor spaces with poor ventilation, and pushing the St. Louis Blues to a Game 7 in last year’s Stanley Cup finals, may help explain super-spreading events reported in meatpacking plants, it’s probably safe to say there is only one trophy the Bruins are focused churches and restaurants. It’s unclear how often the virus is spread via on lifting. these tiny droplets, or aerosols, compared with larger droplets that are expelled when a sick person coughs or sneezes, or transmitted through Matchups to WATCH: Boston thought it had locked up home ice through contact with contaminated surfaces, said Linsey Marr, an aerosol expert the playoffs, winning 16 of its previous 20 games, before the pandemic at Virginia Tech. Aerosols are released even when a person without pause and the reformatting of the postseason. No team will be playing for symptoms exhales, talks or sings, according to Dr. Marr and more than its life when the Eastern Conference round-robin tournament begins on 200 other experts, who have outlined the evidence in an open letter to Sunday, but Boston will face Philadelphia (Sunday), Tampa Bay (Aug. 5) the World Health Organization. and Washington Aug. 9) to determine seeding in the first-round. Against What are the symptoms of coronavirus? buying the T-shirts. It was a different season for me,” Vigneault said. “The fact that he’s coming out of this and he’ll be able to play again Common symptoms include fever, a dry cough, fatigue and difficulty makes this season extra special.” breathing or shortness of breath. Some of these symptoms overlap with those of the flu, making detection difficult, but runny noses and stuffy Matchups: Philadelphia’s round-robin schedule will see the team face sinuses are less common. The C.D.C. has also added chills, muscle Boston (Sunday), Washington (Aug. 6) and Tampa Bay (Aug. 8). pain, sore throat, headache and a new loss of the sense of taste or smell as symptoms to look out for. Most people fall ill five to seven days after New York Times LOADED: 07.27.2020 exposure, but symptoms may appear in as few as two days or as many as 14 days.

What’s the best material for a mask?

Scientists around the country have tried to identify everyday materials that do a good job of filtering microscopic particles. In recent tests, HEPA furnace filters scored high, as did vacuum cleaner bags, fabric similar to flannel pajamas and those of 600-count pillowcases. Other materials tested included layered coffee filters and scarves and bandannas. These scored lower, but still captured a small percentage of particles.

Does asymptomatic transmission of Covid-19 happen?

So far, the evidence seems to show it does. A widely cited paper published in April suggests that people are most infectious about two days before the onset of coronavirus symptoms and estimated that 44 percent of new infections were a result of transmission from people who were not yet showing symptoms. Recently, a top expert at the World Health Organization stated that transmission of the coronavirus by people who did not have symptoms was “very rare,” but she later walked back that statement.

The Calder Trophy, awarded to the league’s top rookie, is also likely to be awarded to a defenseman. In his first full season, Colorado defenseman Cale Makar challenged the rookie points record for defensemen before play stoppage, ultimately finishing with 50, second among rookies only to Vancouver defenseman Quinn Hughes (53), his competition for the award.

Matchup to WATCH: No. 7 vs. No. 10 Minnesota Wild (starts Sunday)

Vancouver boasts not only a Calder favorite but also last year’s winner, center Elias Pettersson, nicknamed the Alien for his otherworldly playmaking ability. The young Canucks will face the Minnesota Wild, who had turned their season around sharply near the time of stoppage.

Can Hellebuyck Get Past the Vezina Veterans?

The Vezina Trophy for the league’s top goalie includes another relative unknown turned bright star, Connor Hellebuyck, the Winnipeg Jets goalie and former fifth-round pick. The Winnipeg defense saw massive turnover as four regulars departed from the roster last summer, but Hellebuyck thrived anyway.

The other finalists are last season’s winner, Tampa Bay’s Andrei Vasilevskiy, and Boston’s Rask. Hellebuyck and Vasilevskiy were ranked first and third in games played and shots against. Rask played fewer games, but led all starters in save percentage and all goalies in goals- against average.

Matchup: Winnipeg Jets vs. Calgary Flames (starts Saturday)

The Jets pulled out a 2-1 overtime win in the outdoor Heritage Classic over the Flames in October, their only meeting this season.

Oskar Strong

In a regular season that began a cultural shift in the sport and ended with an abrupt closure, not all hockey news was bad.

After missing the playoffs last year and wobbling through October, the Flyers were the hottest team in the N.H.L. when play was suspended, having won nine of their final 10. The Flyers were galvanized by forward Oskar Lindblom’s battle with a rare form of bone cancer. Lindblom was told he had Ewing’s sarcoma in December and completed treatment in July, in time to be named to the Flyers’ 31-man roster for Toronto. Lindblom also signed a three-year, $9 million contract extension with Philadelphia this month.

Lindblom, a finalist for the Masterton Trophy for perseverance, became an inspiration around the hockey world, with “Oskar Strong” T-shirts sold to benefit cancer research.

“The support that he got from his teammates and we got from other players on other teams coming in, talking with people that they knew and 1189332 New York Islanders Ross Johnston, Otto Koivula, Leo Komarov, Tom Kuhnhackl, Andrew Ladd, Matt Martin, Brock Nelson and Jean-Gabriel Pageau.

Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 07.27.2020 Mathew Barzal, Islanders excited as team departs for Toronto

By Andrew Gross

Updated July 27, 2020 1:01 AM

Things got a lot more real for the Islanders on Sunday.

They set their post-regular season roster and traveled, along with the 23 other teams participating in the NHL’s return to play, to their hub city. A season placed on pause on March 12 because of the COVID-19 pandemic will resume by the end of the week.

“I feel like we’ve been talking about it and going over the process for the last three, four months now,” Mathew Barzal said before the Islanders departed for their quarantined arena/hotel bubble in Toronto. “For it to kind of be happening so fast now, I’m pretty excited just to get settled in. We knew it was coming for a while now. I’m more so excited to get all set up and get the ball running.”

The Islanders have 30 active players on their roster: three goalies, 10 defensemen and 17 forwards. Forwards Kieffer Bellows and Oliver Wahlstrom, defenseman Grant Hutton and goalie Jakub Skarek were the training camp cuts.

Goalie Ilya Sorokin, selected in the third round in 2014, is expected to join the team in Toronto after signing a one-year, entry-level deal for $925,000 for this season and a one-year, $2 million extension for next season on July 13. He will count toward the 31-player maximum though he will not play. The NHL ruled that draft picks who signed before the resumption of this season will not be eligible until next season.

The Islanders, seeded seventh in the Eastern Conference, will face the 10th-seeded Panthers in a best-of-five qualifying series beginning on Saturday at Scotiabank Arena. They will play the Rangers in an exhibition game on Wednesday in Toronto.

“I don’t think necessarily we’re going to be taking it like a playoff game,” Barzal said of facing the Rangers. “We’re lucky to have one exhibition game to see where we’re at, clean things up quickly.”

Barzal’s top line with Eberle and Anders Lee had a very strong training camp and often dominated shifts during the five intrasquad scrimmages coach Barry Trotz conducted during the 11 practice days.

“Ebs looks really good and Leesy, especially, he’s been ripping the puck in,” Barzal said. “I think we found our chemistry. I think we’re all getting more comfortable. At the end of the season, we were playing our best hockey. We’re just hoping to get back to that level and intensity and bring that into Toronto.”

After being limited to two assists in 13 playoff games for the Oilers in 2017 in his first postseason experience, Eberle was one of the Islanders’ best playoff performers last year. He had a goal in each game of the Islanders’ first-round sweep over the Penguins and finished with four goals and five assists in eight games after a four-game loss to the Hurricanes in the second round.

Playing in a hub city without fans in the arena will be a much different experience.

“As soon as the puck drops and it all means something, the energy and the competitiveness will jump right in,” Eberle said. “I’m not sure it will be quite similar to playoff hockey. There’s such an advantage to having home-ice advantage, the crowd. The team that’s going to win the Stanley Cup is the team that’s going to adapt the quickest.”

Islanders’ official roster

Semyon Varlamov, Thomas Greiss and Christopher Gibson are the Islanders’ goalies.

Sebastian Aho, Johnny Boychuk, Noah Dobson, Andy Greene, Thomas Hickey, Nick Leddy, Scott Mayfield, Adam Pelech, Ryan Pulock and Devon Toews are the defensemen.

The forwards are Barzal, Eberle, Lee, Josh Bailey, Anthony Beauvillier, Derick Brassard, Casey Cizikas, Cal Clutterbuck, Michael Dal Colle, 1189333 New York Rangers “It’s certainly an opportunity to show your selflessness,” Quinn said. “There are going to be circumstances we’re not used to and everybody knows the consequences if they veer off the protocol. Our guys have done a great job here in New York and I’m fully confident that will Rangers practice gets intense before trip to Toronto bubble continue and they’ll do what they are supposed to do.

“This is all about winning hockey games. There’s plenty of time after this season ends to take a vacation and do whatever you want to do but now By Larry BrooksJuly 26, 2020 | 8:21PM isn’t the time. Selflessness is a big piece of this moving forward as it is in any playoff situation and we have a lot of guys who are selfless and committed to the cause.” Finally. Alex Georgiev skated with the extras prior to the varsity practice that had After months of speculation, weeks of planning and days of preparation, Henrik Lundqvist and Igor Shesterkin at either end of the ice. “I wanted the Rangers made their way to Toronto. Sunday afternoon, following their two goalies in the nets,” Quinn said. “I wanted to give everybody shots.” final practice at their Westchester training facility, off they went into the wild blue yonder, off they went into the bubble. Carolina first-pair defenseman Dougie Hamilton is reported to be in danger of missing at least the first three games of the series after “Now that today is here, I think everyone is pretty excited, the energy suffering an unspecified injury last week. around the room was kind of giddy,” Marc Staal before the organization’s 52-person traveling party boarded their charter to the Unprecedented. New York Post LOADED: 07.27.2020 “The last week or so we’ve been just waiting to go.

“I think everyone is itching to play competitive hockey again. We’re excited to go and excited for the challenge ahead.”

There will be two days of practice prior to Wednesday’s exhibition tilt against the Islanders that should not be imbued with significance beyond any exhibition match. There will then be an off day and another day of practice before the competitive hockey begins on Saturday at high noon in Game 1 of the best-of-five qualifying round against the Hurricanes.

“Our guys are excited to get going. They’re excited to get to Toronto and feel the bubble environment,” David Quinn said. “We’re one day closer to playing a playoff game and that’s kind of where we’re at.

“We’re excited to get up there and continue what we’ve been doing here, build it brick by brick and day by day and take another step forward.”

Sunday’s practice was the most up-tempo yet of these pre-tournament workouts and it also featured the most urgent on-ice messaging from the coach, whose intermittent, loud, raspy observations/commands such as, “Skate and go to the net … a lot of cheating here!” and “No gliding!” carried through the glass.

“One of things we talked about as a group was, ‘If you’re not going to do it on Aug. 1, don’t do it today,’ ” Quinn said. “That’s the [mentality] we’re trying to create over the next four or five days, and that way there won’t be this big shock value when the games start on the first. Nothing will surprise us.”

The coach said he thought the bubble environment would be similar to an NCAA basketball or hockey tournament in which games are going around the clock. It would also seem tantamount to a youth hockey tournament, where players do nothing but go play at the rink and then return to their respective motels for frivolity.

“It is going to be unique, but I think our guys have done a good job keeping it as normal as possible under these circumstances,” he said. “You’re going to be in a hotel, you’re going to have some meals and watch hockey, which is really what they do on the road, anyway.”

The Rangers are among the East’s seven qualifying teams (all but the Penguins) that will be bivouacked downtown at the Royal York Hotel. It is a short walk to the arena, where three games are on the schedule for each of the first nine days, other than Aug. 2, when there will be two matches. That is if all of the qualifying rounds go the full five games. Three games are scheduled for each day through the qualifiers in Edmonton, which is the hub bubble for the West and will be host to both conference finals and the Stanley Cup final.

“Once we get to Toronto and get kind of situated in the hotel and find out what our day-to-day life is going to be like, all you can do is embrace it,” Staal said. “There’s no point in looking at it negatively. We’re going in with a positive attitude and going to have fun with it as much as possible.

“I know it’s hard for guys who are going to miss their family and friends, but it is what it is and we’ve just got to go in and try and enjoy it. I think that will translate to more positive attitude and better energy on the ice.”

The Rangers entire operation has been diligent in maintaining protocols established by the league throughout the Phase 2 informal workouts and Phase 3 training camp. The players have been respectful of the moment. The same responsibility applies away from home. 1189334 New York Rangers

Marc Staal says Rangers are 'itching to play competitive hockey again'

By Colin Stephenson

Updated July 27, 2020 12:58 AM

GREENBURGH, N.Y. — After two weeks of a training camp that coach David Quinn insisted was not a training camp, the Rangers had one last, brief skate at their practice facility Sunday.

Then it was off to Toronto and the NHL bubble for the league’s restart. After 4 1⁄2 months of no games because of the coronavirus pandemic, the Rangers will play a practice game against the Islanders on Wednesday and then, finally, will begin their best-of-five qualifying series against the Carolina Hurricanes at noon Saturday.

“It’s a little surreal,’’ defenseman Marc Staal said in one final, post- practice Zoom call before the Rangers boarded a bus to take them to their charter flight to Toronto. “[After] half a summer, not knowing what was gonna happen, and now that the day is here [to leave for the hub site], I think everyone’s pretty excited. I think the energy around the room was kind of giddy and guys were excited to get there. The last week or so, you’re kind of just waiting to go.

“I think everyone’s itching to play competitive hockey again. To be honest, you can only practice so long before you want to, you know, hit someone or make an impact that way in a real game.’’

The Rangers reported to their practice facility on July 13 for the start of Phase 3 of the NHL’s return-to-play plan, a training camp to prepare for the league’s restart. On that day, though, Quinn told reporters that he didn’t consider it a training camp. He saw the Rangers as picking up where they left off when the league paused play March 12.

The Rangers had pulled within two points of a playoff spot with 12 games remaining at that point, and Quinn said he was confident the team would have made the playoffs if the season had continued. So over the last two weeks, he kept the same lines and defense pairs that had been together before the pause.

On Sunday, Quinn said he hadn’t learned anything new about his group from the last two weeks. He said the coaching staff was “pleasantly surprised’’ at how well conditioned all the players were after all the time off.

“I think we all thought the worst might happen, and that certainly wasn’t the case for us,’’ he said. “I thought we were relatively sharp from the get-go. And then obviously the two first scrimmages we had were sloppy and, you know, the last one was certainly more game-like.

“Our guys are excited to get going, excited to get to Toronto,’’ he said. “We’re excited to feel the bubble environment. And [we’re] just one day closer to playing a playoff game.’’

Notes & quotes: Alexandar Georgiev skated with the extra skaters, leaving Igor Shesterkin and Henrik Lundqvist as the goaltenders with the main practice group. “I just wanted two goalies in the nets today,’’ Quinn said. “I wanted to give everybody shots.’’ He coach still refused to name a starting goaltender for the Carolina series, but all week, Shesterkin got more practice time than the other two goalies . . . Everyone attending the camp went to Toronto except D K’Andre Miller, who was ineligible to go, and G Adam Huska.

Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 07.27.2020 1189335 New York Rangers Quinn said he and the organization were pleasantly surprised about the overall conditioning of the players coming into the camp, and seemed satisfied with what the Rangers accomplished in camp, even though he feels they have things to shorten up. ‘It’s a little surreal’: Rangers arrive in the ‘bubble’ in Toronto In Toronto, teams will be able to go to watch the other 11 teams play, and coaches and front offices can scout the rest of the conference in person. By Rick Carpiniello Jul 26, 2020 “I don’t think finding a seat will be a problem,” Quinn chuckled.

The Rangers faced some unknowns as they left their own rink Sunday. TARRYTOWN, N.Y. — There has been nothing normal about anything, It’s going to be weird for those who cover the team to not see these guys let alone hockey, since March. in person until, maybe, next season … if and whenever that starts up. But now the NHL has really dialed up the abnormal. November? December? It’s going to be weird having no contact during the playoffs (play-in) other than on Zoom. I mean, what if they win it all? 24 NHL teams arrived in two Canadian cities on Sunday – Edmonton and Would there even be a parade? But I digress. Toronto – and are now officially in what is being referred to as “the bubble.” YOU CAN FIND US IN THE HUB. PIC.TWITTER.COM/ZIMRFD6LXC

The Rangers landed in Toronto after a morning practice and appear to be — NEW YORK RANGERS (@NYRANGERS) JULY 26, 2020 embracing the unusual circumstances of it all. Could it have been, for example, the final time that Lundqvist – certainly “When we get there we’ll start kind of knowing what everything is going to a buyout candidate – skated on that practice rink ice? be about,” said Marc Staal, who is third all-time in franchise history with Lundqvist and Igor Shesterkin worked out at opposite ends of the ice 104 playoff games played. “I think once we get to Toronto and get Sunday, as Alexandar Georgiev skated with the taxi squad – so everyone situated in the hotel and (learn) what our day-to-day life is going to be could get maximum shots. Clearly Georgiev won’t be in uniform if like, I think all you can do is embrace it. I mean, this is the situation we’re Shesterkin and Lundqvist are healthy. in. There’s no point of looking at it negatively. Going in there with a positive attitude and trying to have fun with it as much as possible. I’m “I think guys are excited to get going, excited to get to Toronto and sure guys are going to miss their family and friends, but it is what it is. excited to feel the bubble environment,” Quinn said. “Just one day closer We’ve just got to go in and try to enjoy it, and I think that will translate to to playing a playoff game. That’s where we’re at — excited to get up a more positive attitude and better energy on the ice.” there and continue to do what we were doing here, building it brick by brick, day by day, making another step forward and our guys are The Rangers will begin practicing at the Ford Performance Centre, a excited.” four-rink complex where the Maple Leafs and Marlies train, on Monday. They play their only “exhibition game” Wednesday against the Islanders The Rangers have their eyes set on Game 1, and that’s their priority. before starting their best-of-five play-in series against Carolina on Aug. 1. The other more immediate and critical priority for the Rangers and all 24 It’s for real now, and the Rangers know it. teams in the tournament will be following the protocol to keep everyone safe, allowing this undertaking to make it to the finish line, with a Stanley “Yeah, it’s a little surreal,” Staal said. “It’s kind of half a summer not Cup awarded in Edmonton. knowing what was going to happen and now that the day is here, I think everyone’s excited. I mean, the energy around the room was kind of “Well, it’s certainly an opportunity to show your selflessness, because giddy and guys were excited to get there. The last week or so they were there’s going to be circumstances that we’re not used to and obviously kind of just waiting to go. I think everyone’s itching to play competitive everybody knows the consequences if you veer off the protocol,” Quinn hockey again. You can only practice for so long before you want to hit said. “Our guys have done a great job with it here in New York and I’m someone or make an impact that way in a real game. We’re all excited to fully confident that they’re gong to continue to follow the protocol and do go, and excited for the challenge ahead.” what they’re supposed to do. This is all about winning hockey games and there’s plenty of time after the season ends to take a vacation and do #LGR HTTPS://T.CO/HAEYXBQAUO whatever you want to do, but now isn’t the time. — TONY DEANGELO (@TONYDEE07) JULY 26, 2020 “Selflessness is a big piece of this moving forward, as it is in any playoff The biggest challenge, of course, will be the hockey, and being ready to situation. We’ve got a lot of guys who are selfless and who are go from 0 to 100 mph on Saturday. But so is dealing with the abnormality committed to the cause.” of this situation. It has never been done this way before, and hopefully it will never be “Yeah, it really is going to be unique,” said Rangers coach David Quinn, done this way again. We’ve seen other sports re-start during the who has never coached in an NHL playoff game. “I think our guys are pandemic, and we’ve seen how odd the games can be. doing a good job keeping it as normal as possible under these “The biggest thing, obviously, is going to be the no fans in the building,” circumstances. You know, it’s kind of got the flavor of an NCAA Staal said. “When you go into a playoff series, some of the biggest thrill is tournament, whether it be basketball or hockey. You’ve got games you the away crowd or your home crowd, the energy that goes along with can go watch, not a lot of travel, and you’re going to be in a hotel. making a run in the playoffs. So that’s going to be the biggest thing. It’s “You’re going to have some meals, and you’re going to go watch hockey. the same for everyone. It’s going to be a challenge and one that, we’ll That’s really what they do on the road anyway. I’ve said this a lot. I know see what happens. I’m excited just to see how it goes.” everybody’s making a big deal out of the bubble, but I don’t think what The teams that survive could play in the bubble into October. Others our players do daily is going to change much from what they would do could be out in as little as four days. (on the road) if there was no bubble.” “As far as being in a hotel, we’re all used to road trips to a city,” Staal So Quinn had a lengthy on-ice chat with Staal after their final practice said. “This is going to be a bit of an extended one. I packed relatively before being bubble-bound, to talk about playoffs and mindsets and so light. I think they have laundry service. on. Surely he will, if he hasn’t already, have the same chat with Henrik Lundqvist, the franchise leader with 128 playoff games, even if he may “I’m counting on that.” not play much, if at all, in this event. The Athletic LOADED: 07.27.2020 “(Staal) said it’s amazing how, once you get going you get into a regular- season routine with your game,” Quinn said. “It’s really not much different than what you do in the regular season, nor should you (change much). It’s hockey and we’ve just got to do the things that we were doing well later in the year and make sure we shore up the things that we need to shore up.” 1189336 Philadelphia Flyers Primary defensemen (7): Justin Braun, Shayne Gostisbehere, Robert Hagg, Phil Myers, Matt Niskanen, Ivan Provorov, Travis Sanheim

Reserve defensemen (3): Mark Friedman, Andy Welinski, Egor Zamula Flyers bringing Egor Zamula to Toronto as Phase 4 roster is announced Primary goaltenders (2): Brian Elliott, Carter Hart

Reserve goaltenders (2): Alex Lyon, Kirill Ustimenko by Ed Barkowitz, Note: The Flyers likely will use 12 forwards, six defensemen and two goalies for their 20-man game lineup. For Tuesday’s exhibition against Pittsburgh, they may dress 13 forwards and seven defensemen. Oskar Lindblom’s place on the Flyers’ postseason roster was nice to see, but it was expected. Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 07.27.2020

Egor Zamula, on the other hand ... that was a surprise.

The Flyers announced their 31-member roster for the fourth and final phase of the NHL’s return-to-play plan. They are bringing 17 forwards, 10 defensemen and four goaltenders, including 21-year-old Kirill Ustimenko.

Zamula, 20, put up 28 points in 28 games for Calgary in the Western Hockey League before his season was cut short by a back injury. He had surgery in January, and his invitation to the recently-completed training camp was considered a positive step. Obviously, he just kept walking right on up the depth chart.

The Flyers’ brass was not available for comment on Sunday, but prior to the recently-completed training camp, general manager Chuck Fletcher said Zamula was there to do more than fill out the roster.

“We’re certainly cognizant that he’s coming off a tough surgery, and he’s 20 years old,” Fletcher said on July 13. “We thought it would be good for him, long-term, to come back and participate and skate with our group - and over the next two weeks, the coaches will have to make that decision as to whether he’d be a factor for Phase 4.”

Zamula likely won’t play in meaningful games, but he could be in the lineup for Tuesday’s exhibition against Pittsburgh when the teams will be permitted to carry 13 forwards and seven defensemen.

Tyler Wotherspoon and Nate Prosser are among the AHL veterans beaten out by Zamula, who was signed as an undrafted free agent in 2018 and who is rated by the Inquirer as the Flyers third-best prospect behind center Morgan Frost and defenseman Bobby Brink.

He’s listed by the Flyers as 6-3, which gives the club five defensemen who are 6-2 or taller.

Frost also is on the Phase 4 roster, and will be among the first called in case of injury or (gasp) illness. Brink is going into his sophomore year (maybe) at the University of Denver.

Carsen Twarynski and German Rubtsov were among the notable forwards left behind. Ustimenko joins Alex Lyon as the other reserve goaltender behind Carter Hart and Brian Elliott.

Rosters are now closed for the remainder of the postseason. Teams will be in virtual bubbles (the NHL hopes) in Toronto and Edmonton as the league tries to crown a champion over the next two months in the midst of an historic pandemic.

Lindblom did not participate in the Phase 3 training camp with the Flyers, but he finished chemotherapy treatments on July 2 and is fit enough to rejoin the club less than seven months after being diagnosed with Ewing’s sarcoma. He’ll turn 24 on Aug. 15 and will join the team in Toronto from Sweden shortly.

Lindblom was on his way to the best season of his young career when December’s diagnosis was made. He was headed toward restricted free agency before the Flyers gave him a 3-year, $9 million contract recently.

The Flyers flew to Toronto on Sunday morning where they will quarantine at a downtown hotel. After the exhibition against the Penguins, they’ll start round-robin play Sunday, Aug. 2 against Boston (3 p.m., NBC). to determine the first four seeds for the Eastern Conference playoffs.

Playoff roster

Primary forwards (13): Nicolas Aube-Kubel, Sean Couturier, Joel Farabee, Claude Giroux, Derek Grant, Kevin Hayes, Travis Konecny, Scott Laughton, Tyler Pitlick, Michael Raffl, Nate Thompson, James van Riemsdyk, Jake Voracek

Reserve forwards (4): Andy Andreoff, Connor Bunnaman, Morgan Frost, Oskar Lindblom 1189337 Philadelphia Flyers Feb. 22: Lindblom makes a surprise visit to the locker room following a win over Winnipeg. He is presented with the ceremonial player of the game helmet. “That smile, you know?” says defenseman Justin Braun. “He just brightens your day. The fact that he’s doing well and able to Oskar Lindblom’s incredible journey back to the Flyers | Timeline come to the rink is just fantastic. ... It always cheers the boys up to see him.”

March 9: Lindblom shows up in the morning for the team picture. Two by Ed Barkowitz, days later, the season stops because of the pandemic.

June 23: He skates with teammates at the Flyers’ practice facility in Oskar Lindblom closed last season with four goals in his final five games. Voorhees (video). He was probably the only guy who didn’t want the season to end. July 2: He rings the symbolic bell of hope after his final chemotherapy He said that burst propelled him into 2019-20 where he was tied for the treatment at Penn’s Abramson Cancer Center. “I’m just happy that I’m team lead in goals before his cancer diagnosis. Here’s a timeline of his alive,” he says. remarkable season. July 16: Lindblom is named one of three finalists for the Masterton Oct. 4: Lindblom starts the season on the left wing of Sean Couturier’s Trophy, given to an NHL player who exhibits exceptional perseverance line, opposite Travis Konecny. Takes a cross-ice pass from Konecny and and spirit. buries his first goal of the season in the opening-day win over Chicago in July 22: The Flyers announce that Lindblom will likely be part of their 31- Prague, . member postseason roster and that they have given their pending Oct. 24: Lindblom scores his fifth goal in eight games as the Couturier restricted free agent a three-year, $9 million contract. line continues to be the Flyers’ best. “I’m playing with great players who Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: give good passes,” says Lindblom, who scored on a two-on-one off a feed from Konecny. “With that pass, I was pretty sure I was going to get it on net. Those goals are greasy, but I like this.”

» Full Flyers coverage on Inquirer.com

Oct. 29: He scores the Flyers’ only goal in a 7-1 defeat at Pittsburgh, the worst loss of the season.

Nov. 16: He scores his ninth goal and has a beautiful assist on a goal by Couturier in an otherwise disappointing shootout loss to the Islanders. “He has the ability to make those good passes,” Couturier says, “and it was a sick play.” Through 20 games, Lindblom is leading the club in goals and his 16 points are three behind Konecny.

Nov. 19: Coach Alain Vigneault replaces Konecny with Jake Voracek on the Couturier line in an effort to get Voracek going. He keeps Lindblom and Couturier together.

Nov. 29: Lindblom breaks a modest five-game point slump with a goal at Detroit.

Nov. 30: He deflects a shot by Justin Braun past Montreal’s Keith Kinkaid for his 11th and final goal of the season. The night is most memorable, however, for Ivan Provorov’s stunning overtime game-winner. The Flyers went 10-2-4 to set a team record for most points in November.

» From the archives: The Flyers got a steal in Oskar Lindblom

Dec. 7: Lindblom plays nearly 18 minutes in a spirited win over Ottawa. Konecny suffers a concussion after a mid-ice collision with Senators defenseman Mark Borowiecki.

Dec. 11: The Flyers start a three-game road trip with a dismal loss to Colorado. Konecny and, curiously, Lindblom do not play.

Dec. 13: The Flyers announce that Lindblom, 23, has Ewing’s sarcoma, a rare cancer that is diagnosed 250 times annually in the United States, mostly in people ages 10-20. Lindblom, who is tied with Konecny for the team lead with 11 goals, will begin treatment at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania.

Dec. 17: Konecny returns to the lineup as the Flyers thump Anaheim in their first home game since Lindblom’s diagnosis. Fans hold #OskarStrong signs and cheer wildly during a first-period video tribute as Lindblom looks on from the Flyers’ executive suite. “We wanted to get this win for him,” captain Claud Giroux says, “and every win for the rest of the season will be for him.”

“You’re Flyers’ family and you got this. Philly is behind you. You’re not fighting alone.”

-- Fan Kevin Steinman on a get-well card at the Wells Fargo Center on Dec. 17

Jan. 7: The Flyers end a dismal road trip by rallying for a point in an overtime loss at Carolina. They are 5-7-1 without Lindblom after going 17-8-5 when he was in the lineup. 1189338 Philadelphia Flyers

NHL playoffs Flyers vs. Rangers: Previewing possible 1st-round matchup

By Jordan Hall July 26, 2020 6:50 PM

Leading up to the Flyers' Aug. 2 round-robin opener — which officially commences the team's run at the 2020 Stanley Cup in the NHL's return- to-play 24-team tournament — we're going to break down every possible first-round matchup for the club.

Today, we look at the 11th-seeded Rangers.

Flyers by the numbers

Goals per game: 3.29 (seventh overall)

Goals allowed per game: 2.77 (tied for seventh fewest)

Power play percentage: 20.8 (14th overall)

Penalty kill percentage: 81.8 (11th overall)

Rangers by the numbers

Goals per game: 3.33 (fifth overall)

Goals allowed per game: 3.14 (tied for eighth most)

Power play percentage: 22.9 (seventh overall)

Penalty kill percentage: 77.4 (tied for 23rd overall)

How they could meet

There a few scenarios in which the Flyers could draw the Rangers for the first round. If the Flyers earn the No. 1 seed during the round robin and the Rangers are the lowest seed to advance past the qualifying round, those two will meet in the first round.

If the Flyers can grab the No. 2 seed, they could also face New York if both the Rangers and 12th-seeded Canadiens win their qualifying-round series.

Why matchup could be favorable for Flyers

The Flyers completely dictated terms against the Rangers during the regular season, quieting New York with impressive forechecking, breakouts and possession time.

Alain Vigneault's club won all three meetings with the Rangers by a combined score of 15-6. New York can score but it'll give up goals, as well. The Flyers controlled all three contests by playing Vigneault's hard- on-the-attack style.

There was also a tangible sense of extra motivation from former Ranger Kevin Hayes playing his old organization and even a little bit from Vigneault, who was fired by New York in April 2018 after missing the playoffs. Hayes scored three goals over the three-game regular-season series and the Rangers might be Carter Hart's best matchup.

Why matchup could be trouble for Flyers

Artemi Panarin is a Hart Memorial Trophy finalist and no team will look forward to facing the 32-goal, 95-point, plus-36 winger. The Flyers held Panarin in check (no goals, three assists, minus-4), but the 28-year-old is a proficient game-changer. He had 28 multi-point performances and the Rangers went 22-5-1 in those games.

New York also has 41-goal center Mika Zibanejad and an interesting goalie trio of Henrik Lundqvist, Igor Shesterkin and Alexandar Georgiev that could pose trouble.

While the Rangers have holes on the back end, a lower seed with nothing to lose and a star player can be dangerous.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 07.27.2020 1189339 Philadelphia Flyers Mark Friedman, No. 59 Shayne Gostisbehere, No. 53

Robert Hagg, No. 8 2020 NHL playoffs: Flyers announce 31-man roster for 24-team tournament, fly to Toronto with sweet shirts Philippe Myers, No. 5

Matt Niskanen, No. 15

By Jordan Hall July 26, 2020 2:20 PM Ivan Provorov, No. 9

Travis Sanheim, No. 6

In style on Sunday (see below), the Flyers departed for the Eastern Andy Welinski, No. 3 Conference's hub city Toronto as the club gets set to begin its run at the 2020 Stanley Cup. Egor Zamula, No. 54

For the first time in 140 days, the Flyers will be back in game action this Goalies (four) week leading up to the NHL's return-to-play 24-team tournament. The Brian Elliott, No. 37 Flyers face the Penguins Tuesday in an exhibition game (4 p.m. ET/NBCSP+) before opening round-robin play next Sunday against the Carter Hart, No. 79 Bruins (3 p.m. ET/NBC10) (see Flyers' schedule). Alex Lyon, No. 34 The Flyers will have the max of 31 players in Toronto. Remarkably and inspirationally, Oskar Lindblom is one of the club's 17 forwards just about Kirill Ustimenko, No. 67 seven and a half months after he was diagnosed with Ewing's sarcoma Some Flyers players had the attention of fans as they boarded for (more on Lindblom's status here). Toronto. Many of them wore shirts designed by Violent Gentlemen A few other notables with the Flyers' roster: Hockey Club.

• Exciting prospect Egor Zamula is one of the Flyers' 10 defensemen. Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 07.27.2020 The 20-year-old has turned himself into what many consider a top-50 NHL prospect (see story).

The Flyers' front office and coaching staff think highly of Zamula and his potential.

"Certainly his talent would allow him to play in my opinion," Flyers general manager Chuck Fletcher said at the start of training camp on July 13. "He’s a very talented young man. Having said that, we are certainly cognizant of the fact that he is coming off of a tough surgery and he’s 20 years old. I think we felt that it would be good for him long term to come back and to participate and skate with our group. Over the next two weeks, the coaches will have to make that decision whether he would be a factor for Phase 4. Make no mistake about it, this kid is a top prospect and is going to have a very good career for us."

• German Rubtsov, Carsen Twarynski, Tyler Wotherspoon and Nate Prosser were in training camp but did not make the 31-man roster.

Forwards (17)

Andy Andreoff, No. 10

Nicolas Aube-Kubel, No. 62

Connor Bunnaman, No. 82

Sean Couturier, No. 14

Joel Farabee, No. 49

Morgan Frost, No. 48

Claude Giroux, No. 28

Derek Grant, No. 38

Kevin Hayes, No. 13

Travis Konecny, No. 11

Scott Laughton, No. 21

Oskar Lindblom, No. 23

Tyler Pitlick, No. 18

Michael Raffl, No. 12

Nate Thompson, No. 44

James van Riemsdyk, No. 25

Jakub Voracek, No. 93

Defensemen (10)

Justin Braun, No. 61 1189340 Pittsburgh Penguins standards. But I can’t imagine it’s going to be fantastic. And I think a lot of it is just going to be out of their control and hard to control with the heat in Toronto. I’m not sure what the temperature will be but when you’re in August, it’s going to be hot.” The Penguins are prepared for bad ice in Toronto For the Penguins, the challenge could be considerable just based on their opponent in the qualifying round.

SETH RORABAUGH | Monday, July 27, 2020 12:20 a.m. The limited Canadiens should have no interest in running and gunning with the talented Penguins. Montreal coach Claude Julien typically

directs teams with stout defenses and has frustrated the Penguins Hockey players and coaches are rarely hesitant to say if the ice they’re offensive stars in years past, particularly as the coach of the Boston playing on is crisp or sloppy. Bruins team which swept the Penguins in the 2013 Eastern Conference final. At the same time, they’re usually quick to follow any negative feedback on the subject with the standard qualifier of, “Both teams play on it.” Bad ice isn’t going to be enough of a factor to help the Canadiens pull off an unlikely upset, but it probably aids them more than it does the But what about when a dozen teams are playing on it? Penguins.

In August. “As I said to our guys, both teams have to play on the same ice surface,” Sullivan said. “That’s just something that we’re just going to have to be One of the biggest logistical concerns for the NHL as it embarks on its aware of and acknowledge. If we have to simplify our game through that postseason tournament beginning next month is the quality of the playing process, then that’s something that we’re going to have to do.” surfaces in Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena in Edmonton and Edmonton’s Rogers Place. Ultimately, the biggest factor in ice quality will be how much it is used. While morning skates will be held at a practice facility in early rounds, With 12 teams split between the two cities, up to three games a day will there still will be up to three games of intense postseason hockey played be played on each rink. on each surface each day in the early rounds. And the prospect of For the Pittsburgh Penguins, the potential of playing on slushy ice will be multiple-overtime games always looms in any postseason scenario. more than likely as they are slotted to be in the third game all five days “With other games being played on it … from my past experience, having they are scheduled to face the Montreal Canadiens in the preliminary a couple games on it will probably affect it,” said captain , round. In the event other series conclude before theirs, the Penguins who has played similar formats in international tournaments. “It’s the could be the second or only game played that day. same for both teams. It’s just something you have to play through.” It’s something they’ve been preparing for over the past two weeks during For the past two weeks, the Penguins have practiced through it. their training camp in Cranberry. “I don’t think it’s a bad thing that our guys had to skate on some ice “Our first practice we had here, it was starting to get a little bit chippy and throughout the course of this (training camp) that was less than ideal,” not as good,” defenseman Kris Letang said via video conference last Sullivan said. “If we work on a power play, for example, at the end of week. “And the coaches asked us if we wanted to switch over to the practice as opposed to the beginning of practice, the quality of the ice other side (auxiliary rink). We all said no, that we were probably going to isn’t usually as good. So you have to have that much more focus when face tough conditions, especially playing at (8 p.m.) So we’re trying to get you’re passing the puck. You might have to simplify what you do out used to it right now. If it’s good, it’s even better. But we’re trying to there and put more pucks on the net and create your offense different practice on no-so-good ice right now.” ways. That’s certainly something that we’re aware of. “Well, it’s certainly something that we have discussed with our guys,” “We’ll see what happens when we get up there. But it is something that coach Mike Sullivan said. “Common sense would suggest you’ve got we’ve anticipated.” three NHL games on the same sheet of ice, when we’re the third game in the middle of the summer, it’s a whole lot more challenging to maintain a Tribune Review LOADED: 07.27.2020 high quality of ice. That just might be a reality that we face when we’re up there.”

The challenge for the NHL’s hockey operations personnel figures to be more daunting in Toronto than Edmonton. Scotiabank Arena is the older of the two venues, having been built in the late 1990s. And being that the building sits three blocks away from the northern coast of Lake Ontario, humidity would figure to be a concern, particularly in the heat of August and at an elevation of a mere 251 above sea level.

In comparison, Rogers Place was opened in 2016. And with more than a mile from the North Saskatchewan River as well as an elevation of 2,116 feet, humidity isn’t as big of an impediment.

Those differences are one of the many reasons the NHL has scheduled the conference finals and Stanley Cup Final in Edmonton.

Regardless, the NHL has professed the surfaces won’t be an issue, particularly with no fans in either venue.

“Our challenges in the past have been with ice, particularly (during normal playoff times of late spring), have been the heat, and the real problem is when the doors open in any facility and the fans are in the building.” NHL senior executive vice president of hockey operations Colin Campbell said. “And basically also the body heat of the fans. We have no issues, no concerns about the ice conditions, and we’ve talked with our ice guys in depth about this.”

Still, these venues will have a lot of players, coaches, trainers and other team staffers, as well as their equipment, moving in and out throughout the day, at least in the early rounds. That means a lot of loading ramps constantly being open, letting the outside in.

“I’m sure the league has thought about that,” forward Jason Zucker said. “They’re going to do their best to keep it up to par, on par with the league 1189341 Pittsburgh Penguins

Penguins’ postseason roster announced

SETH RORABAUGH | Sunday, July 26, 2020 9:47 p.m.

The Penguins’ postseason roster has been announced. It includes 31 players:

Forwards (17): Anthony Angello, Zach Aston-Reese, Teddy Blueger, Sidney Crosby, Jake Guentzel, Patric Hornqvist, Adam Johnson, Sam Lafferty, Evgeni Malkin, Patrick Marleau, Jared McCann, Evan Rodrigues, Bryan Rust, Conor Sheary, Brandon Tanev, Phil Varone, Jason Zucker

Defensemen (10): Kevin Czuczman, Brian Dumoulin, Jack Johnson, Pierre-Olivier Joseph, Kris Letang, John Marino, Marcus Pettersson, Juuso Riikola, Chad Ruhwedel, Justin Schultz

Goaltenders (4): Casey DeSmith, Tristan Jarry, Emil Larmi, Matt Murray

Forwards Sam Miletic, Kevin Poulin and goaltender Alex D’Orio were part of the team’s training camp roster but were not included with the postseason roster.

The Penguins are scheduled to face the Philadelphia Flyers at Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena at 4 p.m. Tuesday in an exhibition game. Game 1 of their preliminary round series against the Montreal Canadiens is scheduled to commence at 8 p.m. Saturday.

Tribune Review LOADED: 07.27.2020 1189342 Pittsburgh Penguins

Ex-Penguins forward Eddie Shack dies at 83

SETH RORABAUGH | Sunday, July 26, 2020 12:53 p.m.

Eddie Shack, one of the most colorful characters in NHL history who spent parts of two seasons with the Penguins in the early 1970s, died following a bout with cancer. He was 83.

His death was announced by the Toronto Maple Leafs.

A native of Sudbury, Ontario, Shack had a 17-year career in the NHL that included 1,047 regular-season games.

Two of those seasons and 87 of those games were spent in Pittsburgh. The Penguins acquired Shack in a trade with the Buffalo Sabres on March 4, 1972. He contributed 14 points in 13 games late in the 1971-72 season and helped the Penguins reach the playoffs for the second time in franchise history.

Shack’s only full season with the Penguins was 1972-73. Teamed with Ken Schinkel and Ron Schock on the phonetically pleasing “Schink- Schock-Shack Line,” Shack appeared in 74 games that season and recorded 45 points (25 goals, 20 assists).

The Penguins are deeply saddened to learn about the passing of alumnus Eddie Shack at the age of 83. Shack played games for the Penguins during the 1971.72 and 1972.73 seasons.

A member of four Stanley Cup championship teams with the Maple Leafs in the 1960s, Shack was one of the most popular players in the history of that franchise, not only for his abilities on the ice but for his flamboyance as well. Nicknamed “The Entertainer,” Shack routinely would lead cheers from the home bench of . And on the occasions he was named one of the game’s , he would perform a pirouette at center ice.

Shack was so beloved throughout Ontario, a novelty song titled “Clear The Track, Here Comes Shack” topped the music charts throughout Canada in the 1960s.

One of the tougher players in the NHL when it was limited to six teams, Shack also played for the New York Rangers and .

Tribune Review LOADED: 07.27.2020 1189343 Pittsburgh Penguins replicate that by relying on Riley Sheahan, Derick Brassard and Nick Bjugstad. Now it’s McCann’s turn.

McCann has wheels and a wicked wrister. But he struggles on faceoffs Key questions remain unanswered as the Penguins head to the hub and is not the strongest defender. Can the talented 24-year-old put it all together? If he does, that line should be OK. If you made a Venn diagram of their skill sets, you should have about the right amount of speed, defense and grit. Matt Vensel: 3. Who is on the top power play?

Sullivan, in part due to the absences of Crosby and Hornqvist, shuffled The Penguins, after hunkering in their homes for three long months, nine players into his top power-play unit during camp. The only locks to reassembled in Pittsburgh in recent weeks. Several key questions were be out there for the first playoff power play are Malkin and Crosby, if still waiting. healthy. A few were answered during voluntary workouts and a postseason Kris Letang and Justin Schultz split time at the point in camp drills. training camp that wrapped up Saturday with a fourth team scrimmage. Guentzel and Hornqvist are both candidates for the net-front role. And it But six days into the two-week camp, a bigger worry caught them with could come down to McCann and Rust for Phil Kessel’s old spot inside their heads down. the left circle. Uh-oh, is everything OK with Sid? Like a special goalie, special teams could swing the five-game qualifying Settling on a goalie, finding an identity for the third line and fixing their round. wonky power play all became secondary concerns when superstar 4. Will the deadline dudes deliver? Sidney Crosby ducked out of their July 18 scrimmage at UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex. Despite adding Zucker, Marleau, Conor Sheary and Evan Rodrigues in February, the Penguins won just five of their final 15 games before the A week later, it sounds like Crosby, despite missing three scrimmages pandemic hit. They were not the reason for the team’s struggles, but it’s and a pair of practices, will be on the ice for Game 1 against the Montreal fair to say they didn’t have the immediate impact the Penguins expected Canadiens on Aug. 1. It’s unclear if what he is or was dealing with might when bringing them in. linger all summer. Only Crosby, team doctors and the Penguins are privy to that information. Sullivan said the pause gave the coaching staff more of an opportunity to figure how they might best fit in Pittsburgh. And that time off gave the As Crosby watched his teammates complete camp, the Penguins did newcomers more time to get familiar with Sullivan’s system and their figure out some stuff. Jason Zucker should be a fine fit alongside Evgeni teammates here. Malkin and Bryan Rust. Jake Guentzel and Patric Hornqvist look ready. Coach Mike Sullivan is comfortable with how his defensive pairs are We’ll see if those four forwards can provide the Penguins a belated currently constructed. boost.

Sullivan was also pleased with the progress and the passion he saw in 5. Can their third D pair hold up? camp. The Penguins, on paper, have two solid pairs. But if you like to crunch “What our objectives were [the past two weeks], what we set out to numbers on spreadsheets, Jack Johnson and Schultz might make you accomplish, I think we did. ... I think our guys have had enough of playing cringe. against themselves. I think they’re excited about playing against an opponent,” he said. Advanced statistics, at least the ones that are publicly available, once again paint Johnson in a negative light. And Schultz, who for a second Sunday, the Penguins headed to Toronto, the hub city for the Eastern straight season dealt with injuries, had his worst statistical season since Conference playoffs. Tuesday is their lone exhibition, versus the rival joining the Penguins. Philadelphia Flyers. Four days later, the puck drops on their five-game series against the Canadiens. Johnson and Schultz have a chance to hold up if Schultz can get back to playing more like the stud we saw in 2016 and 2017. They may only get So the Penguins are running out of time to answer lingering questions. 12-14 minutes per game at 5-on-5. But those minutes could make or Here are six we are still wondering about after they touched down in break the Penguins. Toronto. 6. Has the fire and focus returned? 1. Who’s going to be the goalie? The Penguins overcame injuries to post one of the NHL’s best records Sullivan rarely tips his hand when it comes to naming his starting goalie. entering the All-Star break. But when the season resumed, they did not It could be a preseason game, and he’ll treat that info like nuclear launch look Cup-caliber. Their forwards were not as relentless without the puck codes. On Saturday, he wouldn’t even say whether both goalies would and the team left its goalies out to dry with too many odd-man rushes play against the Flyers. and high-danger chances.

How Sullivan handles Tuesday should tell us everything we need to know The passion appeared to be back during training camp, especially in the about Game 1 of the Canadiens series. If Matt Murray leads the last two scrimmages. Two guys even dropped the gloves during Penguins onto the ice, regardless of whether Murray plays the whole Saturday’s finale. Crosby, watching his teammates work, seems to think game or cedes the second half to Tristan Jarry, it will signal that Sullivan the guys are ready to rock. has already settled on Murray. But we won’t know for sure until the puck drops on the playoffs Aug. 1. And why wouldn’t he? It was another inconsistent regular season for Murray, but his numbers were actually better than Jarry’s from Jan. 1 on. Post Gazette LOADED: 07.27.2020 And after a lengthy layoff and in a strange tournament setting and with the qualifying round lasting only five games, it makes sense to start with a two-time Cup-winner.

2. How will the third line fare?

Sullivan on multiple occasions during training camp said that the new third line of Jared McCann, Patrick Marleau and Hornqvist can be “difference-makers” during the playoffs. That could be true in a good way or a bad way.

When the Penguins won consecutive Cups in 2015 and 2016, Nick Bonino’s line was among the main reasons. It made a difference on both ends of the ice. Since losing Bonino in free agency, they’ve tried to 1189344 San Jose Sharks

Sharks' Evander Kane discusses NHL's 'Hockey is for Everyone' movement

By Alex Didion July 26, 2020 3:02 PM

Evander Kane is part of a select group of Black players in the NHL. The Sharks winger never has been one to shy away from speaking out on racial issues within the sport of hockey, and Kane recently was named the co-head of the new Hockey Diversity Alliance, which hopes to help address the diversity concerns in the sport.

Kane also joined the NHL's new "Soul on Ice" podcast -- featuring several Black co-hosts who also play professional hockey (Los Angeles Kings prospect Akil Thomas and Elijah Roberts plays for the OHL's Niagara Icedogs) -- and discussed how he initially reacted to the NHL's "Hockey is for Everyone" movement.

"I think hockey can be for everybody, I don't think it currently is for everybody," Kane told Thomas, Roberts and co-host Kwame Damon Mason. "I think there's hundreds and thousands of examples of why that's not true. The biggest issue I had, from an NHL player's standpoint, was the NHL placing their Hockey is for Everybody month in the month of February. The month of February has always been a month to celebrate Black History.

"To me I thought it was a bit of a slap in the face, I thought it was poor judgement, and I thought out of the six months during the season, how could you not find another month to have that campaign."

"Hockey is for Everyone" has been the NHL's campaign for inclusion since 2017, first beginning as a month-long celebration during February, which as Kane noted is the same month as Black History Month.

It since was expanded to be a year-long campaign, but Kane still feels the league's plans could have been executed better. He credits the work of NHL executive vice president for social impact, growth initiatives and legislative affairs, Kim Davis, for encouraging the league to make inroads with the Black community.

"Also, before Kim even got into the league and became a part of our league, we never celebrated Black History Month," Kane continued. "It wasn't even a thought, it had no interest within our league. And it was a question I always raised, but never got any answers.

"For me, that whole campaign, as great as it is and as important as it is, I thought it was flawed, and I didn't understand the messaging. For me, it just seemed like they were trying to overlook Black history and really, our Black players in the game."

Kane appeared last month on NBC Sports Bay Area's "Race in America: A Candid Conversation," and emphasized how valuable the platforms of athletes in all sports are for speaking out.

"If we used our platform only strictly to talk about sports...it'd be a shame."

In a league with an overwhelmingly white population of players, voices like Kane's are critical to help the NHL become more diverse and inclusive for all.

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Sharks' Ryan Merkley recalls staying with Brent Burns, fear of snakes

By Brian Witt July 25, 2020 9:01 PM

Sharks top prospect Ryan Merkley has yet to appear in an NHL game, but the 19-year-old already has had a fair amount of exposure to some of the top players in the sport.

Months after being selected with the No. 21 overall pick of the 2018 NHL Entry Draft, Merkley joined the Sharks for training camp, during which he shared the ice with some of the best players to ever wear the teal sweater.

"It's incredible getting in that dressing room when you're sitting beside [Brent Burns], Erik Karlsson, looking across at [Logan] Couture, [Joe] Thornton," Merkley said on the latest episode of the San Jose Barracuda's "Next Wave" podcast. "A guy like [Patrick] Marleau would be in there early in camp when I was there.

"It's certainly nerve-wracking, for sure. I remember, I think it was my first year, I went to go live with [Burns] for a couple weeks early there. I think it was just me, Karlsson, Thornton and Burns on the ice and making that first pass to Karlsson, I think I put it right in his skates. I felt terrible. Just little stuff like that. But they make you more comfortable coming in the next year. Just talking to you nice and easy, they remember me -- it's awesome."

Naturally, of those Sharks veterans, Merkley spent the most time with Burns, where he got to see firsthand what it takes to become one of the top defensemen in the NHL.

"It was terrifying," Merkley recalled with a chuckle. "He's a big body, a big presence. A lot of energy. He's awesome. He was so much fun to be with and be around. Hanging out with him at the rink and then going home with him. He's always treating his body well, eating well. I got it pretty good there for the two weeks I was with him, but it was just crazy getting to see a guy like that of his caliber. Seeing how he works day in, day out.

"Coming in as an 18-year-old kid and he's a former Norris Trophy winner from a year or two before that, probably at the high peak of his career, it's crazy that he would spend time with me and take the time to get to know me and welcome me, make me more comfortable. It helped me a lot, for sure."

Burns is fairly particular about his diet, and when he's home in Texas, he prefers meat hunted on the 420-acre ranch he and his family maintain there that is populated with animals such as white-tailed deer, antelope and wildebeest. Though Merkley wasn't worried about what he might eat while staying with Burns in San Jose, there was something that provided a bit of trepidation prior to arrival.

"No, I trusted him," Merkley explained. "The meat was incredible. What he served up was, obviously, it was high-end quality meat. I was more skeptical -- because I was watching the videos of his ranch in Texas with all the snakes and stuff -- that was my biggest fear was the snakes. I saw the basement video of him and all the snakes, but thank god that's not there in San Jose."

For a young player, spending time with such accomplished veterans can only help with the adjustment to the pro level. Surely, the Sharks' top prospect benefited from that experience, and Merkley's confidence certainly must have grown as a result.

Well, maybe not when it comes to snakes.

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Blues notebook: O'Reilly steps up to help youth charity

Jim Thomas 4 hrs ago

EDMONTON, Alberta — After a rash of teen suicides in the Fergus, Ontario, several citizens in the town decided to start a youth all-day ball hockey tournament in the summer to raise money for local youth charities.

In the weeks preceding the tournament, area youth are asked to raise money through pledges, or bottle (recycling) drives, etc. About 400 youth participate in the tournament. At the end of the day, the top fundraisers get to play against about a dozen NHL players from south Ontario in what’s called the Big Game.

As fate would have it, local businessman and event head Allan Boynton is a good friend of Blues center Ryan O’Reilly; he’s involved in a lot of O’Reilly activities away from the ice. So you know O’Reilly is there for the Big Game.

In fact, after winning the Stanley Cup with the Blues last summer, and claiming the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP, Boynton said O’Reilly “was a little bit of a rock star” to the youngsters at last year’s event.

The event is called the McGinn Brothers Big Game, named after the three McGinn brothers from Fergus who have played in the NHL. One of them, Jamie McGinn, was with the Blues for about nine days on a tryout contract last November, but the job went instead to Troy Brouwer.

Because of the coronavirus pandemic, there is no tournament — no Big Game — this summer. (The event takes place in late August.)

But O’Reilly has come to the rescue in what is now being called the McGinn Brothers Big Assist. Instead of the Big Game, the top fund-raiser (and nine of his or her best friends) gets to spend a day — well, a few hours anyway — with O’Reilly.

The O’Reilly experience will include 10 personalized O’Reilly jerseys.

“We’re trying to raise $50,000 in a fun day for 10 local charities,” Boynton said.

Boynton said donations can be made on GoFundMe and suggested searching for “McGinn Brothers” on the site. For additional information, go to: themcginnbrothersbiggame.com.

In a phone interview last week, Boynton said the early leader is from St. Louis.

“I won’t give his name, but literally we had a kid email us from St. Louis,” Boynton said. “The kid asked a bunch of questions. And then the kid said to me, ‘OK, my mom’s gonna bid for me.’

“I don’t know if the kid’s 10, or if he’s 20. But he convinced his mom.”

And he’s the leader in the clubhouse.

The day with O’Reilly will take place sometime after the Blues’ season ends, and will include social-distancing if things haven’t improved on the COVID-19 front by then.

“There’s not a time frame attached to it,” Boynton said. “Whoever buys it we’re going to work with them and Ryan and their guests to make sure it works, and we’re going to give them the best experience possible.”

And in terms of the O’Reilly visit, Boynton said it’s good anywhere in North America.

Wheels upThe Blues left St. Louis early Sunday night for Edmonton. They were scheduled to be the last of the 11 out-of-town teams to arrive. (The hometown Oilers are the other team in the Edmonton hub.)

The Blues are scheduled to practice Monday and meet with the media via Zoom conference in the afternoon.

St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 07.27.2020 1189347 St Louis Blues doesn’t figure to be an issue because as Stauffer puts it: “In Canada, wearing a mask and COVID has not been politicized.”

Given all this, Edmontonians must be scratching their heads when they COVID response helped underdog Edmonton land NHL hub status look at their neighbors to the south and how the United States is struggling to get a handle on the virus.

“Yeah, it’s ‘mental,’ ” said Ryan Brodziak, brother of former Blues forward Jim Thomas 4 hrs ago Kyle Brodziak and co-owner of the Local Omnivore restaurant. “My sister lives just outside of San Diego, so she was able to come up. She spent

five weeks here and she was able to cross the border. But yeah, down EDMONTON, Alberta — Now, it might just be a coronavirus version of there it’s looking pretty intense.” urban legend. But word has it that at some point during the pandemic, So you must think we’re nuts in the U.S., right? Alberta’s provincial capital went 14 straight days without a reported new case of COVID-19. “Yeah, a little bit,” Brodziak said, laughing.

Imagine that. Underdog wins

“I’m not sure of the accuracy of that but I can tell you that Edmonton has There probably was no bigger underdog than Edmonton when the league had very, very low numbers throughout the pandemic,” said Janet Riopel, announced at the end of May the 10 cities in consideration as hub cities. president and CEO of the Edmonton Chamber of Commerce. But the COVID-19 response and success is just one part of the equation How low? that brought 11 NHL teams here Sunday. (The hometown Oilers are the 12th.) The 12 other teams in the NHL’s 24-team postseason plan will “To put things into perspective, we’re about 19 weeks now into COVID,” play in Toronto. Oilers radio analyst Bob Stauffer said. “Edmonton’s had 23 deaths for 1.3 million persons which is miniscule compared to some of the other Riopel and Stauffer credit a unified effort to make this happen, which markets.” included city and provincial governments, Alberta Health Services (which is the provincial health ministry), as well as Oilers owner and Stauffer, who also hosts the weekday “Oilers Now” radio show on CHED, the Oilers Entertainment Group. made those remarks early last week. There have since been a couple of deaths reported at an assisted care facility. Nonetheless, it is indeed a “Historically, Edmonton has punched above its weight to get international “miniscule” death toll. events,” Stauffer said. “They have. And to the credit of the , they prioritized safety and clearly Edmonton’s a safe For comparison’s sake, St. Louis city and county combined have a place relative to some other markets.” population of about 1.4 million, with a total of 792 deaths in a metropolitan area not considered a hot spot despite rising case numbers The facilities available played a big part as well. Rogers Place, the Oilers’ lately. home arena, opened in 2016 and is state of the art. The adjacent JW Marriott hotel, which will house the Blues and five of the other teams Edmonton had 232 active cases as of the end of last week. On Saturday, assigned to Edmonton, will be opened for exactly one year on Aug. 1. Clark County, Nev., which includes Las Vegas, reported 6,236 new cases just over the past week alone. “The construction of that arena contributed heavily to the revitalization of our whole downtown,” Riopel said. “And it attracted many other investors Las Vegas was long considered the frontrunner for one of the NHL’s two who came and built residential (units), hotels, restaurants. We saw a lot hub cities in its return to play plan. of activity.” So if you’re wondering how Edmonton of all places ended up as one of The area around the arena is known as the . the hub cities for the NHL’s return to play, let’s borrow from an old political phrase about the economy: It’s the COVID, stupid. Economic woes

Or lack thereof. And how has the coronavirus been held in check to such Even with that revitalization, Edmonton and Alberta as a whole have a degree here? been in the midst of a dramatic economic downturn since 2015 because of what’s happening in the oil and natural gas industries. “One is simply geography,” Edmonton resident John Hellwege said. “Edmonton’s fairly isolated, so that has helped keep things a bit further “We’re in the sixth year of the worst economic downturn in a generation away. But two, it seems like the Alberta provincial government has done in Alberta,” Riopel said. a good job of managing it, getting masks and PPE.” Just when there appeared to be a little uptick, the virus delivered another Hellwege is a St. Louis native who once played hockey at Parkway North economic blow. The unemployment rate in Edmonton in June was High School, and remains a huge Blues fan. He has called Edmonton 15.8%. So to say that Edmonton is welcoming the NHL with open arms home since 2015. He’s a professor at Concordia Lutheran Seminary would be understatement. here, predominantly teaching historical theology and also serving as dean of student life. “We need this,” Riopel said. “We need this dose of excitement. We need this boost for our economic recovery efforts. We feel so fortunate to be “They’ve actually been giving away masks,” Hellwege said. “The doing this. And we just feel real fortunate that we have this opportunity to government has been giving them to fast food restaurants. So that showcase our region to the world.” anyone can drive through McDonald’s, A&W, or whatever and pick up masks for free. You don’t even have to order any food.” And in case you were wondering, they’re fired up about their Oilers, too.

Riopel said her mother recently dropped off a pack of eight masks that “The fans are excited about the direction the team is going in,” Stauffer she got after grabbing a coffee at McDonald’s. said. “They’ve got the two highest-scoring players in the league (Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid). You can make an argument this year Fast start they might have the two best players in the league.”

In general, Edmonton got in front of the coronavirus early. This might be the most be the most hockey excitement around here since the days of Wayne Gretzky. Even Hellwege, the transplanted St. “We shut down quickly,” Riopel said. “We listened to our government. I Louisan, has picked up on that vibe. was one of the last to sort of shut my doors here at the World Trade Center and that was March 16.” “There’s been a great longing for those days,” he said.

Testing was readily available early, and that remains the case. Outbreaks Or a return to them. were identified and isolated. As the weeks and months passed, Edmonton gradually has re-opened, but isn’t resting on its laurels. St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 07.27.2020

To wit, late last week, the city made it mandatory to wear masks on public transit and in city-owned buildings effective Aug. 1. But that 1189348 St Louis Blues

JT's Quarantine Chronicles: Food for thought

Jim Thomas 6 hrs ago

(Eighth in a series of dispatches from Canadian quarantine.)

EDMONTON, Alberta _ My wife Paula is a dog groomer and loves animals. Over the years we’ve had all kinds of critters: dogs, cats, fish, bearded dragons, a parakeet, parrot, cockatiel, baby ducks, ferrets, box turtles, water turtles and a horse.

I’m sure I’ve missed a gerbil or hamster along the way. The horse lived in a stable about a mile or so from our house, but did spend a couple of afternoons in our backyard.

With a couple of notable exceptions, they’ve all led very pleasant lives at the Thomas house. To the point where I’ve often said: If there’s such a thing as reincarnation, I want to come back as one of my wife’s dogs. (I’d get better treatment.)

As for the “notable exceptions,” the ferrets got overheated after getting put on our elevated deck out back for fresh air. It didn’t seem warm, and they were in the shade. But they met their maker, nonetheless. (I’m definitely not coming back as a ferret.)

And then there were the two baby ducklings. Paula put them on the same back porch deck, in a small plastic wading pool with enough water to splash around. They didn’t spend all day out there, just a couple hours’ worth of rec time.

Well, after a few days they both went missing from the plastic pool. They were too young to fly. No sign of them down below on the ground. No feathers, no sign of fowl play. Nothing. But we do have owls in the neighborhood, and they remain the leading suspects although this incident long ago went into the cold case files.

My wife’s latest fascination is sugar gliders, otherwise known as “flying squirrels.” We have five of them, in two large cages, and they all have names: Mango, Kiwi, Coconut, Banana and the baby _ Gus. (That’s short for Asparagus.) Most of the time, Paula can tell them apart.

She frequently comes home from the Dollar Store with toys for them. The plastic yellow dump truck continues to be a playtime hit.

They are nocturnal creatures, so they get fed at night before Paula goes to bed. On my nightly call from Edmonton, I ask what the “squirrels” had for dinner. The other night, they feasted on tilapia (cooked), fresh cherries, avocado and lettuce.

I was then jolted by this thought: The sugar gliders are eating better than I am in quarantine.

No more burgers, fries, poutine, or failed attempts at pizza. Remember, no room service in the hotel. I had a craving for a salad. A fresh chicken Caesar salad.

I searched the web for what looked like a good restaurant in the area. I called. Lucky me, they highly recommended their Caesar salad. But they didn’t deliver.

I explained my predicament. Hockey writer from the U.S., in quarantine, etc., etc. Stunningly, they said they’d drop one by. I later found out the restaurant is like 700 feet from the hotel. Literally. But it’s the thought that counts.

The chicken Caesar was great. I got some garlic toast, too. Because they don’t normally deliver, I don’t want to name the restaurant (Madison's Grill) or the employee who provided the hook-up (Kevin).

But thank you. As for you Mango, take that.

St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 07.27.2020 1189349 Tampa Bay Lightning

Victor Hedman not flying with Lightning to Toronto, will join team Friday

Mari Faiello

TAMPA — Lightning defenseman and Norris Trophy finalist Victor Hedman did not fly with the team to Toronto on Sunday night, according to general manager Julien BriseBois.

BriseBois said Hedman requested to stay behind a few more days for a “personal matter.” He skated in the team’s full training session Sunday and will continue to skate at Amalie Arena before joining the team in Canada on Friday for the NHL’s return-to-play playoffs, BriseBois said.

Hedman was able to work out a team- and league-approved protocol that enables him to stay behind and simply extend his Phase 3 training.

He will stay behind with Mark Lambert, the team’s director of sports performance, and the two will continue their daily testing for the coronavirus.

Hedman will miss the team’s first exhibition game, Wednesday against the Panthers, but he will be able to skate in the three round-robin games against the Capitals, Bruins and Flyers, and have a few practice days as well, BriseBois said.

Hedman will travel to Toronto on a charter flight, the team said. Flying charter means he and Lambert will not have to quarantine and will just have to adhere to PCR testing as applicable, according to the NHL’s return to play document.

During their first five days in Toronto, they are allowed to perform their essential work functions and socially engage with each other (the document says it’s limited to their traveling party). They also will stay in their own hotel rooms.

Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 07.27.2020 1189350 Tampa Bay Lightning Tampa Bay Lightning forwards Alex Volkov (92) and Luke Witkowski (28) battle in front of goaltender Curtis McElhinney (35) during a scrimmage game at the Lightning playoff training camp at Amalie Arena on July 15, 2020 in Tampa. [ DIRK SHADD | Times ] Lightning’s Jon Cooper ‘happy’ after two weeks of training camp The Lightning took 28 players to the bubble in Toronto, three fewer than what the league is allowing.

Mari Faiello The roster is basically the same as it was before the shutdown, with the addition of AHL call-ups forwards Alex Volkov and Mathieu Joseph, and

goaltender Scott Wedgewood. TAMPA — For the past three weeks, Lightning defenseman Ryan Bogosian, one of the nine defensemen on the roster, will get his first shot McDonagh has looked around his near-empty Tampa house watching at the playoffs in his 12-year career. the days crawl by as the team’s trip to Toronto for the playoffs inched closer. He had to leave his family in their Minnesota home, but at least he “I think the pause … has done wonders for the new guys,” Cooper said. had fellow defenseman Zach Bogosian as a temporary roommate. “We’re looking for him to have a positive impact on our team.”

Those three weeks might have been a preview of what the two fathers The Lightning signed Bogosian on Feb. 23 after his contract was bought will go through in Toronto, where they could spend the next two months out by the Sabres. They initially thought he would be a good fit and add away from their families while the Lightning compete for the Stanley Cup. depth to the blue line, but they weren’t sure what was in store beyond that, especially because he played only 27 games in the regular season “It’s definitely hard,” McDonagh said. “About three, four days in, we’re (19 in Buffalo, eight in Tampa Bay). both just kind of staring at each other, kind of lost in the silence around the house. It’s tough. It definitely hits you a few days in when you miss Not selected for the roster from training camp were forwards Alex Barre- hearing the noise and the giggling from the kids, and seeing your family.” Boulet, Gemel Smith and Luke Witkowski; goaltender Spencer Martin; and defenseman Cal Foote. The Lightning departed from Tampa Bay on Sunday — minus defenseman Victor Hedman, who stayed behind due to what was called “We don’t expect that we will be needing them,” general manager Julien a personal matter — after two weeks of training camp and headed to BriseBois said. Toronto. A significant number of injuries (and league approval) would be the only “I would not want to start the playoffs today,” coach Jon Cooper said. way any of those players would make their way to Toronto, BriseBois “But I am happy with where we are. We’re where we expected to be, but said. probably a little bit better.” BriseBois said that over the past 10 years, no team has needed more During training camp, the Lightning were able to work on what-if than nine defensemen. Only one team has used more than 16 forwards, situations and experiment with lineups. They had time to work on those too, he said. With that, he and the staff felt comfortable keeping the more so they would have during a normal season, which usually has roster at 28. quick turnarounds between games. “Every decision that we’ve been making, we’ve been focusing on making “It’s been great to try some new things,” Cooper said. “We still have a few sure that the players that are going to be playing games for us are ready weeks here in Toronto to take our game to another level.” to put their best foot forward come playoff time,” he said.

The Lightning, automatic qualifiers for the 16-team playoff field, play the Sunday’s lines first of three seeding games Aug. 3 before starting the first round at a date not set. Alex Killorn-Brayden Point-Nikita Kucherov

They have worked on playing with and without Steven Stamkos in the Ondrej Palat-Anthony Cirelli-Tyler Johnson lineup on the first line and the power play. Stamkos is recovering from a Blake Coleman-Yanni Gourde-Barclay Goodrow leg injury suffered in voluntary workouts during the league’s almost four- month coronavirus shutdown. Pat Maroon-Cedric Paquette-Mitchell Stephens

Alex Killorn has moved his way up to the top line with center Brayden D-Pairs: Point and right wing Nikita Kucherov, and Tyler Johnson has worked on the top power-play unit in Stamkos’ absence. Victor Hedman-Zach Bogosian

Stamkos skated with the AHL call-ups during portions of the first practice. Ryan McDonagh-Erik Cernak Cooper said the captain will not play in Wednesday’s exhibition game Mikhail Sergachev-Kevin Shattenkirk against the Panthers. Braydon Coburn-Jan Rutta “With Stamkos, we’re hopeful he’s going to progress here once we get to Toronto,” Cooper said. “We still have a little bit of time left, and so it’s Goaltenders: kind of still in our window of time to have him back.” Andrei Vasilevskiy Stamkos hasn’t played in a game since Feb. 25, when he logged the second-lowest ice time of the season at 12:30, after which he had core Curtis McElhinney muscle surgery. He went the entire training camp without skating a full Other players on Toronto roster: session. Steven Stamkos (F) Cooper said he believes it’s vital that Stamkos play in a seeding game. But, he pointed out, Stamkos has been in this situation before, having Alexander Volkov (F) played in just one game in the 2016 playoff run — the Game 7 loss to the Penguins in the Eastern Conference final — because of a blood clot. Carter Verhaeghe (F)

“I’d love to get him in one (seeding game). It’d be better to get him in two. Mathieu Joseph (F) And it’d be awesome to get him in all three. But we’ll take one at a time, Luke Schenn (D) and one is better than none,” Cooper said. Scott Wedgewood (G) “It’s hard to jump into these games, so if you can get him in one or two beforehand, I think that’ll be a big step for our team, but more Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 07.27.2020 importantly, him.”

Lightning set roster at 28 players 1189351 Tampa Bay Lightning more books that my wife has to move around with our life, that she might strangle me. So I’ll limit it to online downloads most likely.”

Cedric Paquette: “I’m not sure yet. I might bring the XBox, but maybe just Lightning players, coaches pack necessities for Toronto bubble a laptop. Just keep it simple and try to hang with the boys a little bit. (I like to play) Call of Duty. It’s what I play right now. I’m not a huge gamer, but once in a while I like to mix the gaming in.”

Mari Faiello Brayden Point: “You’re going to have the guys there. It’s going to be great. Cards and maybe a couple of golf clubs, find some green space

and go chipping.” TAMPA — Imagine you’re playing the deserted island game. You’re Jan Rutta: “I’m definitely bringing video games. I usually like to read but going to be stuck on the island for up to two months and you can only during the season, it doesn’t really relax me, so I’m definitely going to be bring a few necessities. hooked up on Netflix, and I’ll bring some video games as well. I just The game is typically used as a cheesy icebreaker, but it’s a reality for started watching Kingdom. It’s pretty good.” Lightning players and coaches, who left Sunday for the NHL playoff Kevin Shattenkirk: “For me, aside from the clothes and necessities, bring bubble in Toronto. some things that will take my mind off of hockey a little bit. Some of those “We’re going to have to find ways to keep our minds not going crazy,” stress-free coloring books seem to work well. I do crossword puzzles. I forward Alex Killorn said at the beginning of training camp. “But we’re have plenty of shows to binge watch. Definitely bringing some pictures of doing this for one reason and it’s to give ourselves a chance to win the the family to have in my room and make it feel a little bit like home.” Cup. So when you put that in your mind, you can kind of get over the Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 07.27.2020 other hurdles.”

Team members have had plenty of time to think about what’s going inside of their suitcase, aside from street clothes and other things they’ll need while they’re staying at Hotel X.

Here’s what some had to say about their packing list:

Zach Bogosian: “I brought a few books. Obviously, iPad and phone to FaceTime the kids and talk to my family. Other than that, for me, it’s probably just going to be hanging out with the guys when I can, and when I’m not hanging out with the guys, most likely talking with my family, FaceTiming and stuff like that. I’m not a video game guy or anything like that, so those aren’t going to be in my future. (I like to read) anything really. I like mental skills books. I like military books. I like people that have a story to tell who have been through adversity. Anytime I get a chance to read something and learn from it or relate to it, I’m all ears. I like doing that stuff.”

Coach Jon Cooper: “I got to bring my streaming subscriptions for sure. I’m into this fictional (series), these books I’m reading, this guy wrote like nine books. They’re like killer espionage books. I’m on book six. I’ve already read through one series, I’m in the second one. Definitely going to bring the last three to finish that one off. (The author, Ben Coes, is) a hockey fan, too. He always puts NHL references in his books. He must be a Boston Bruins fan because one of the characters he named Torey Krug. And there’s always a Boston Bruins reference in the book. He’s clearly a hockey fan, so that’s why I keep reading his books.”

Blake Coleman: “I’m pretty simple. I got a list of recommended TV shows that I’ll be hitting. Hopefully some golf. I’m not sure what the setup is looking like, but I’d like to get some fresh air and swing the clubs. But I’m pretty mild. As long as there’s good enough food and a bed to sleep in, obviously my main focus will be on hockey, and when we’re away from the rink, recovering well.”

Barclay Goodrow: “With being in the bubble, I don’t think clothes-wise, I don’t think you need to bring too many nice clothes if you’re just going to be hanging out in a hotel all day. I think I’ll probably bring my PlayStation, get some gaming in and, maybe, a couple of books. But other than that, probably will be playing lots of cards and just hanging out as a group.”

Killorn: “We’ve talked about bringing (golf) clubs, but I don’t think a lot of us are going to do that just because the first 14 days we’re not supposed to do much of anything, and once 14 days in, I don’t think we’re going to be worried about golfing ... just because it seems like we’re going to be playing a lot of hockey, hopefully. The bubble seems to be interesting.”

Ryan McDonagh: “I think the good thing is we’re not having to wear suits up there. We’re going to be wearing some track suits, I guess, so that’s the nice plus, not having to lug the dress shoes around. But yeah, I mean, make sure you have all of your chargers, your electronics first and foremost. But at the end of the day, the fun time will be at the rink around the guys, whether it’s practice or game day, obviously a lot more fun. It’s just doing whatever you can in-between to pass the time and get yourself ready for a game or a practice.”

Curtis McElhinney: “I’ll bring books. It won’t be any paperback or anything like that. Everything will be downloaded. I think if I purchase any 1189352 Tampa Bay Lightning Barclay Goodrow were among the others who talked about video games being something that could kill time (and take space in luggage).

“I don’t think, clothes-wise, you need to bring too many if you’re hanging Pickleball, PlayStation and Catan: What the Lightning are bringing to the around the hotel all day,” Goodrow said. “I’ll probably bring my hub PlayStation, get some gaming in. Maybe some books, too. We’ll probably be playing a lot of cards and just hanging as a group.”

Veteran backup goaltender Curtis McElhinney plans to read a lot. The By Joe Smith Jul 26, 2020 journeyman joked that if he got more paperback books to carry around, his wife would strangle him, so he’ll bring his Kindle or read on an iPad.

GM Julien BriseBois, a voracious reader, plans to bring some books, too. TAMPA, Fla. — It didn’t take long for the trash talk to begin in the Coach Jon Cooper has been hooked into a series of Ben Coes novels. Lightning coaches’ office. “He wrote nine books in a series — a thriller and espionage, and I’m on The team was briefed Friday by the league on what hub life might look book six,” Cooper said. “He always puts in NHL references in his books, like in Toronto, where the 52-member travel party of players, coaches too. He’s an ex-military guy. He must be a Boston Bruins fan because and staff will arrive Sunday night. Beyond their Hotel X, there will be one of the characters he gave the name Torey Krug. In one of the books, ample activities available, including squash and tennis courts. the president plays a pickup hockey game. It’s good. He’s clearly a For an eclectic staff that competes in everything from chess to the board hockey fan.” game The Settlers of Catan, quarantine life could mean the Stanley Cup Veteran defenseman Zach Bogosian said other than spending time playoffs aren’t the only fierce tournament that awaits. FaceTiming his three kids, he’ll be doing some reading, too. “There’s been some banter already — on who is going to be the king of “I’m into fundamental skill books. I like military books. I like people who what?” assistant coach Derek Lalonde said. “Someone in our office have stories to tell that had some adversity,” Bogosian said. “Any time I described it as a giant long-time frat party. A hockey frat party for two and get a chance to read something and learn from it or relate to it, I’m all a half months.” ears.” The focus, of course, will be on hockey, with the Lightning opening play The Lightning will bring a personal touch from fans, too. There was a with an exhibition Wednesday against the Panthers, followed by a three- panel of glass from Amalie Arena that they had in the plaza over the game round-robin slate for seeding against the Capitals (Aug. 3), Bruins weekend that more than 350 fans got to sign and write personal (Aug. 5) and Flyers (Aug. 8). There will be a strict safety protocol, messages to the team and players. It’ll accompany the Lightning to especially during the first couple of weeks, so there will be plenty of idle Toronto, along with around 9,000 pounds of equipment. time in hotel rooms and player lounges. But it also made for a unique challenge for players in terms of how they pack for a potential two-month “We obviously know we’re going into a very strange situation, and I think stay. any sort of mementos and little things, little tokens we can remember our fans by, remember our Lightning community by, is going to keep things Lightning veteran defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk, who had to move out of real, I think,” Shattenkirk said. his Tampa home this week, said his situation is more complicated. But there are many things he wasn’t going to forget, especially mementos to The biggest competition, it sounds like, will come from the coaches and remind him of his 1-year-old son, Connor. staff. BriseBois also plans to bring his pickleball, squash and tennis rackets. Lalonde said assistant coach Jeff Halpern is the reigning staff “I’ll bring some things that’ll take my mind off hockey a little bit,” tennis champion, but he brings a pickleball title from his time with the Shattenkirk said. “Some of those stress-free coloring books seem to work Wild organization. well. I do crossword puzzles. I have plenty of shows to binge-watch, and I’ll bring some pictures of the family to have in my room and make it feel “I just learned to play pickleball, but did (Lalonde) tell you about his a little bit more like home.” pickleball accident?” Cooper asked. “He didn’t tell you he blew out his knee and was on crutches for six months because of pickleball? Oh, he The Athletic broke down what the Toronto hub might look like, with teams left that one out? Right away, I’m playing him in that one.” staying at Hotel X (Lightning, Bruins, Flyers, Capitals and Penguins) having access to a rooftop pool, a 6,500-square-foot sheltered patio, a The Athletic LOADED: 07.27.2020 250-seat cinema that can show current releases, a 56-seat screening room and a 90,000-square-foot fitness facility that includes four tennis courts, eight squash courts, studios for hot yoga and Pilates as well as a basketball court.

Lalonde said they were told the league will be “very strict” on the group’s movement for the first five days, and the teams will adhere to the 14-day Canada-mandated quarantine in the hub before things might open up a bit. The league said that players from each team made it clear they wanted to be in separate spaces, especially to start, so there will be a lot of small groups and individual hangouts during the downtime. Tampa Bay has just one game (an exhibition on Wednesday) in its first week in the hub.

Eventually, there will likely be excursions available, such as trips to a local golf course, but that seems to be on the back burner, even for the scratch-type golfers such as Alex Killorn.

“We talked about bringing clubs, but I don’t think a lot of us are doing that,” Killorn said. “For the first 14 days, we’re not allowed to do too much and after that, I don’t think we’ll be thinking about golfing too much because it seems like we’ll be playing a lot of hockey, hopefully. It’s going to be interesting. I haven’t really seen how (the bubble setup) looks. I’ve seen pictures. I know there will be certain restaurants available. We’re just making the best of the situation. Hotel X is going to be just fine.”

A bunch of Lightning players plan to binge watch Netflix or Hulu shows (Jan Rutta is digging “Kingdom”) or bring their Xbox or PlayStation. Anthony Cirelli said one of his favorite hobbies during the season is playing Fortnite with Tyler Johnson and Brayden Point. Who’s the best? “Kuch,” Cirelli said of Nikita Kucherov. Cedric Paquette, Jan Rutta and 1189353 Toronto Maple Leafs Spectators at Maple Leaf Gardens would chant “We want Shack” as the third-line forward sat on the bench, and he would occasionally indulge them by standing with arms raised to get them to chant louder.

Maple Leafs legend Eddie Shack dies at 83 Shanahan shot a commercial with him before the 1998 Olympics, and got to know him better in recent years.

“He was always the same character you saw on TV,” Shanahan said. “He Marty Klinkenberg would fill the room. You could hear his laughter down the hallway.”

In 1963, Shack scored the Cup-winning goal at Maple Leaf Gardens in Game 5 against the Detroit Red Wings. He claimed afterwards that the Eddie Shack, one of the most beloved of all Maple Leafs, died Saturday puck had deflected off his backside as he was trying get out of the way. night from throat cancer at age 83. It led to Toronto’s second straight Stanley Cup title, and led to head A colourful winger known as “The Entertainer,” he was a member of the coach , owner and team president Stafford last four Toronto teams to win the Stanley Cup, and scored the winning Smythe being tossed into the showers after the game. The team soon goal, an accidental deflection off his rear end, in 1963. took part in a victory parade along Bay Street and had a reception at City An agitator and brawler who infuriated opponents, Shack was described Hall. in a story in in 1965 as the “pride and joy of Maple “Sometimes it is tough living with a legend,” Woitowich said. “To get 10 Leafs fans.” A year later, he was celebrated in a song that quickly rose to feet in Toronto with him would take about an hour because so many the top of Toronto’s musical charts ahead of singles by the Beatles and people would stop him. Rolling Stones. “When you are a teenager, you roll your eyes. When you are 40, you The recording by The Secrets began with “Clear the track, here comes appreciate it.” Shack, he knocks ‘em down, and he gives ‘em a whack.” Shack met his wife, Norma Givens, when she worked at the Eaton’s He once knocked out two New York Rangers on one play, gave Gordie across from the Empress Hotel in Peterborough, Ont., where the team Howe a concussion and head-butted Montreal’s Henri Richard during a held its training camps. The couple married in 1962 and had two children. scuffle in a playoff game. Later, Henri’s brother, Maurice, told Shack, who had a pronounced nose, “Thank God you never hit my brother with your Funeral arrangements will be announced at a later date. nose or you would have split him in two.” Tributes began to pour in Sunday from across the league, and even from In perhaps his most famous hockey fight, Shack and Larry Zeidel of the Premier François Legault. Philadelphia Flyers swung their sticks at one another as referees looked on helplessly. “[I] salute the late Eddie Shack with the sentiments of many fans and teams for which he didn’t play: We loved to hate him,” Legault‘s post on “I think people from the generation after he [left the team] knew him for Twitter said. his wit and as Eddie the Entertainer,” Brendan Shanahan, the president and alternate governor of the Maple Leafs, said. “But he was also quite a The NHL also issued a statement on social media. successful player.” “The NHL is mourning the passing of four-time Stanley Cup champion Shack played for Toronto twice during an NHL career that spanned 17 Eddie Shack,” it said. “A fierce competitor on the ice, [he] was a perennial years and also included stints with the Rangers, Boston Bruins, Los fan favourite whose personality earned him the moniker ‘The Entertainer.‘ Angeles Kings, Buffalo Sabres and Pittsburgh Penguins. ”

He won Stanley Cups with Toronto in 1962, 1963, 1964 and 1967, and Dick Duff, who was a teammate of Shack in Toronto, Buffalo and Los last played in the league for the Maple Leafs during the 1974-75 season. Angeles, recalled him as a very effective player.

The team announced his death on social media Sunday morning. “He had a basic street instinct, and he didn’t mind doing what he had to,” Duff, 82, said. “He played to the fans and did things other guys wouldn’t “The Maple Leafs are deeply saddened by the passing of Eddie Shack,” do. He was kind of unpredictable. He was a concern if you played against the club said in a statement. “Eddie entertained fans on the ice for nine him.” seasons and for decades off of it. He will be greatly missed. Our thoughts are with his family.” Duff remembers being picked up by Shack in a dune buggy at the Los Angeles airport after he was traded to the Kings. He laughed when he Shack underwent surgery for prostate cancer in 1997. The disease recalled him selling souvenirs signed by his teammates. returned this year in his throat, and he received radiation treatments in the spring. “He was a shrewd bugger,” Duff said. “He once told me, ‘I can’t read or write but I can count.' He was a fun guy to have around.” “When you are 83 and get difficult news, it kind of takes you back a little bit,” Shack’s nephew, Peter Woitowich, said by phone from Sudbury, After he retired, Shack co-owned the Vaughan Valley Golf Club, Ont. ”He lost his appetite and got weak and ended up in the hospital. established the Eddie Shack Donuts chain and became a spokesman for numerous companies, including Esso, Journey’s End Hotels, and The “He was making a little progress, but that can only go so far.” Pop Shoppe, a soft drink brand.

The son of Ukrainian immigrants, Shack was born in Sudbury, on Feb. Shack’s wife had been able to visit him in the North York Hospital, where 11, 1937. A poor student but promising hockey player, he dropped out of he died. Other family members were unable to see him because of safety school to work as a butcher and shovelled coal but jumped at a chance restrictions put in place to limit the spread of COVID-19. to play for the Guelph Biltmores of the Ontario Hockey Association as a 15-year-old. He played for the Biltmores for five seasons, and led them to “It’s a terrible time,” Woitowich said. “A lot of people are in this same an appearance in the Memorial Cup the last year. situation. It is heartbreaking.”

In 1958, New York signed him and assigned him to its AHL team in In his youth, Woitowich was the recipient of many of his uncle’s hockey Providence, R.I., but called him up to the NHL after half a year. He sticks. He got to see him play in person after Shack rejoined the Maple played for the Rangers in parts of three seasons before being traded to Leafs at the end of his career. Toronto in November of 1960. “Hockey has got character,” Woitowich said. “Eddie Shack was a He remained with Maple Leafs until he was dealt to Boston shortly after character.” the team won the 1967 Stanley Cup, and then returned to Toronto in an Globe And Mail LOADED: 07.27.2020 exchange with Pittsburgh in the summer of 1973.

Shack finished with 239 goals, 226 assists and 1,439 penalty minutes over 1,047 regular-season contests, and also played in 74 playoff games. 1189354 Toronto Maple Leafs Story continues below Still, there are so many ways to go wrong. The Toronto Raptors are stuck

with a name linked to a Steven Spielberg blockbuster, just as the What’s in a name? For sports teams, a great deal, and not much , in contrast to the ones up in Oregon, were a Disney movie tie-in. There are no trolleys to dodge in Los Angeles, where the Brooklyn baseball team relocated in 1958, or lakes for the city’s NBA team, which started in Minneapolis. There might be a jazz scene in Salt Mark Kingwell Lake City, but I bet it’s not quite up to the one in New Orleans, where that Published 24 hours ago team started in the 1970s.

Updated July 26, 2020 Sports teams already use expensive graphic design outfits to make their logos. So here’s a suggestion: hire poets and historians to fashion new names. Whether for a person, product, or team, a name creates meaning and resonates beyond its bestowal. Mark Kingwell is a professor of philosophy at the University of Toronto. But beware: In 1955, the Ford Motor Company asked poet Marianne The recent decisions by professional football franchises in Washington Moore to suggest names for their new model. Her suggestions were and Edmonton to change their names has been greeted with almost amazing: Intelligent Whale, Pastelogram, Mongoose Civique, Utopian universal approval. The time is past for offensive references to Turtletop, Varsity Stroke. (That one sounds a bit dirty.) Indigenous people to be defended as tradition. The company executives rejected them all. They decided to name the car Then, predictably, confusion reigned. Some commentators sliced fine after Henry Ford’s son, Edsel. It was a dud, one of the worst-selling cars distinctions with related names such as Braves, Chiefs, Indians, of all time. Blackhawks or Seminoles. Others condemned the anti-Black depredations of the Texas Rangers. A few argued that no team should Globe And Mail LOADED: 07.27.2020 presume to name themselves after any people, clan or identifiable group, however honorifically. There go the Vikings, then – but what about Mariners, Packers, Steelers, Brewers, Senators, Canucks, Canadiens and Oilers?

You’d soon have to add everything from Fighting Irish, Demon Deacons, Cornhuskers, Sooners, and Shockers to Knickerbockers, Metropolitans, any remaining Roughriders, Cavaliers, and every species of Crusader, Knight, Paladin, Warrior, or King – even Angels. Making moral distinctions among these groups would be an infinite and maybe impossible task. Except that we all know that the Astros, whatever those are, cheated.

Part of the fun of fandom is following these names, collecting trivia, ranking favourites, and watching the athletes who wear them on their laundry. But names are not an idle business; the fun of sports is also always political. A few years back, I wrote a book about baseball that deliberately avoided the name of the Cleveland major league team (whose name does appear above). I can’t see any valid difference there.

So then what? There is a virtual bestiary of animal names in sports. Most of these co-opt strength and ferocity: bears, tigers, panthers, lions, cougars, bulls, bison, broncos, eagles, hawks, seahawks, timberwolves, razorbacks, gators, wolverines and badgers.

Once freed from big cats and predators, teams have expanded this Linnaean classification with pelicans, penguins, beavers, ducks, gophers, rabbits, swans, flying squirrels, alouettes, mud hens (Corporal Klinger’s fave on M*A*S*H), walleye, steelhead, yellow jackets, hornets, stingrays, barracudas, and even banana slugs or swamp bats. Baseball has a more genteel tradition of birds, from cardinals and orioles to blue jays and swallows. People from Maryland consider terrapins worthy of respect, and some fans in Texas favour horned frogs. Add prehistoric beasts, and you have dinosaurs, raptors, and dinos; add mythical species, and there are titans and giants. The new NHL team in Seattle will be called the Kraken, which is inspired.

But things can be even more poetic. The NFL’s Baltimore Ravens are named for that famous work by Edgar Allan Poe, Charm City’s well- known resident. All-natural names, like the Buckeyes or the (ungrammatical) Maple Leafs are fine, but larger phenomena are better: hurricanes, cyclones, whitecaps, waves, avalanche, thunder, storm, and suns. Flames! Blaze! Stars can be simple or they can be north. Waves can be green and tides can be crimson.

Harvard is just crimson and Stanford is cardinal, a colour, not an incorrect singular. The football Browns in Cleveland are so pared-down that they don’t even have a logo on their helmets. The blues are both colour and musical form – excellent. Baseball socks may be red or white. Rough Riders can become Redblacks, one word for some reason.

Alas, inanimate objects often arrive with military-industrial complexity: jets, pistons, rockets, supersonics, bullets, Colt .45s, bombers, and blue bombers. I prefer the minor-league baseball Biscuits out of Montgomery, Ala. Their logo is a googly-eyed soda biscuit with a big pat of butter in its “mouth.” Who’s eating whom? 1189355 Toronto Maple Leafs Toronto Star LOADED: 07.27.2020

Teen Nick Robertson makes the Leafs’ 30-man playoff roster — but will he play?

Mark Zwolinski

Sun., July 26, 2020

The Maple Leafs are in the bubble and their roster is on ice.

Players, coaches and the rest of their travelling party made the short trip to their new home at the Royal York Hotel on Sunday, not far from Scotiabank Arena and a short drive from the Ford Performance Centre practice complex.

Teams are allowed up to 31 players — and 52 people in all — inside the restricted NHL hub, where they will stay for as long as they last in the 24- team tournament for the Stanley Cup. Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas said recently that he wanted a roster of 28 or 29 for the playoff run. In the end, they went with 30, with no real surprises among the selections. At 18, junior sensation Nick Robertson did make the cut.

Here’s a breakdown of that roster and what to expect:

Forwards (16)

The top six are set — Auston Matthews centring William Nylander and Zach Hyman, and John Tavares between Mitch Marner and Ilya Mikheyev. Coach Sheldon Keefe, however, has been looking at putting Matthews, Marner and Tavares together on one high-powered trio in certain situations, such as the start and end of a period. It should be fun to watch if Keefe gives them the nod to hop over the boards.

The rest: Kyle Clifford, Pierre Engvall, Frederik Gauthier, Andreas Johnsson (injured), , Alex Kerfoot, Denis Malgin, Nic Petan and Jason Spezza and Robertson. Kapanen’s progress in training camp was an eye-opener. After a so-so start, he flashed his speed and a physical element that was starting to emerge before the NHL paused on March 11 because of the pandemic. The Leafs now have two physical forwards in the bottom six in Kapanen and Clifford.

Kudos to Robertson, the OHL grad who enters the playoff race with no NHL games under his belt. He scored 55 goals for Peterborough last season and performed well in camp. While it’s hard to see Robertson displacing the likes of Engvall or Gauthier in the qualifying round against Columbus, Dubas and Keefe don’t always follow traditional thinking. Keefe also had Engvall and Spezza taking reps at centre on the final day of camp, which suggested the coaching staff was at least thinking about how Robertson could fit into the mix on the wing. Robertson will get a solid look in Tuesday’s exhibition game against Montreal, and maybe more.

Defence (10)

Jake Muzzin and Justin Holl will form the shutdown pair against the opposition’s top line. Cody Ceci will hang back a bit while partner Morgan Rielly rolls with his speed and offence. The third pair is Travis Dermott and Tyson Barrie. Rasmus Sandin, Calle Rosen, Martin Marincin and Timothy Liljegren are the backups in case of injury.

Liljegren was deemed unfit to play — the league’s blanket description for injuries and illnesses during the pandemic — for training camp and didn’t practise, but has been skating with the reserves for the past week and appears to have been cleared to play.

The will need a counter to Blue Jackets star defenceman Seth Jones, who is a threat offensively and defensively. Rielly can match Jones on offence and has the game-breaking speed to complement the Leafs’ forwards.

Goalies (4)

The Leafs are among 13 teams carrying four goalies. Frederik Anderson remains the clear No. 1 and will be relied on heavily if the defence has trouble containing the Blue Jackets’ forecheck and cycle game. Jack Campbell is the back, with Kasimir Kaskisuo and Joseph Woll available if needed. 1189356 Toronto Maple Leafs “Eddie was a great teammate and a great guy and he assisted on my first goal in the NHL. I would say facetiously at speaking engagements: ‘We were even on the same team,’” said ex-Leaf Brian Conacher. “Eddie Shack had an enviable career. Everybody thought he was the clown on The Entertainer, Eddie Shack, was everything Leafs fans wanted in a the ice, but he had a very credible career. Several Stanley Cups, and hockey player he’d score 20 goals when 20 goals meant a lot.”

Eddie Shack set the standard for post-goal celebrations long before today's social media-savvy players started doing "the celly." Kevin McGran When his playing career ended, his popularity continued to grow: as a Sun., July 26, 2020 pitchman for the Pop Shoppe, opening doughnut shops, selling Christmas trees and opening a golf course — all the while declaring he had “a nose for value.” He also had a legendary moustache, once They called him The Entertainer. They called him The Nose. You had to shaved in a Schick razor ad. clear the track, because here came Eddie Shack. Shack was also active with charities, through NHL and Leaf alumni He could knock you down and give you a whack. He could score a goal, causes. he had the knack. “There are certain guys who are a little bit different, and he was one of And he had a knack for business as well as hockey, becoming a them,” said former Leafs captain Doug Gilmour. “The song. The donut successful pitchman and entrepreneur in his post-playing days, despite shop. He had a golf course. A guy that couldn’t read or write and he had never learning to read or write. his own businesses after hockey. He could do almost anything.”

Shack, 83, died Saturday after a long battle with throat cancer. Shack loved cars, telling the Star in 2007 that he’d owned a 1938 Dodge, a Meteor Rideau from the 1950s, a Mercury Cougar from the late 1960s, The left-winger from Sudbury, who apprenticed to become a butcher, a Mercedes 450 SL from the 1970s, a Pontiac Grand Prix, various was born on Feb. 11, 1937. Though he started his NHL career as a New Pontiac and Chevrolet convertibles, a dune buggy, Cadillacs, Lincolns, a York Ranger and would play for six teams in a 16-year, 1,047-game Lexus and an MG. A 1957 Plymouth convertible was his baby. His love career, Shack will always be associated with the Maple Leafs. for the dune buggy proved costly, once fined $175 after a police chase. He could score. He could skate. He could make plays. And he could He was also part of a huge legal victory. fight. Shack was one of seven players who lent their names to a lawsuit Shack was everything Leafs fans wanted in a hockey player. The fans at against the league on behalf of retired players over misappropriated Maple Leaf Gardens loved him, and he loved them back. pension funds. He joined Gordie Howe, Bobby Hull, , Allan “On the ice, he was a bulldozer and a bulldog,” said long-time Stanley, Andy Bathgate and Leo Reise in the successful case. defenceman Bobby Baun, Shack’s teammate during the Leafs dynasty of Shack was so popular that his biographer, Sportsnet anchor Ken Reid, the 1960s. “He went out and did what he did, and you sure as hell didn’t wondered if he’d set some sort of record of most met. know what he was going to do next. “Everybody has an Eddie story and everybody seems to have met him in “You just had to watch what he was doing. But the fans, they loved that.” Canada,” said Reid. “When you met Eddie, he didn’t just scribble his If the game was in the doldrums, fans would chant: “We want Shack!” name down for you, he gave you the experience. Even if it was 30 The Entertainer would join in from the bench. The retort, attributed at seconds or a minute, people left with a story, not just a signature. Eddie times to Harold Ballard and Punch Imlach: “If they want you so much, go connected to a lot of people. sit with them.” “I think Eddie’s up there right now having a good chuckle, because a lot He’d taunt the opposition’s tough guys — such as the Plager brothers in of things Eddie did, he did it with a wink. He knew when people came to St. Louis or the Broad Street Bullies in Philadelphia — and then skate see him, they wanted to see The Entertainer. He gave the fans what they away, daring them to catch him. He said he could skate faster backward wanted.” than they could forward. His post-goal celebrations also set an over-the- More tributes to The Entertainer top standard long before today’s media-savvy players started doing “the celly.” “Eddie Shack was my neighbour and once after a winter storm I mentioned to him how much damage it did to the trees in my backyard. He played on four Stanley Cup winners — 1962, ’63, ’64 and ’67 — in his Next day it was all gone. I had no idea who did it until Ron Ellis told me first go-round with the Leafs (1961-69) and was brought back to end his Eddie brought a chainsaw over and did it himself. He was one of a kind.” career (1973-75). — Sportsnet reporter Christine Simpson on Twitter “He was a powerful skater,” said , the Leafs’ captain for Shack’s last season. “His body was thick, his forearms, and he could “Eddie Shack taught me two important things: see humour in just about score goals. He did his thing. He had a role to play. everything, and live like a champion. Four cups with the Leafs and a personality larger than life.” — Former Leafs captain Doug Gilmour on “If he wasn’t playing much, he was on the bench getting the crowd Twitter behind him into the game. He was always chirping the players. He was always having a good time. He had lots of fun. He enjoyed the game. He “We have lost a friend and alumnus who brought great flair and colour to enjoyed life.” our game.” — Former Leafs GM Brian Burke on Twitter

Shack scored the Cup-winning goal in 1963, claiming famously that the There really hasn’t been another NHL player quite like Eddie Shack. puck went in off his backside and he was only trying to get out of the Even his skate out as one of the Three Stars was an event.” way. — Sportsnet play-by-play announcer on Twitter During the 1965-66 season, he broke out with 26 goals on a line with Ron Ellis and Bob Pulford. His popularity was such that a novelty song in Toronto Star LOADED: 07.27.2020 his honour — “Clear the Track, Here Comes Shack,” written by broadcaster Brian McFarlane and performed by Douglas Rankine with The Secrets — reached No. 1 and remained on the Canadian pop charts for nearly three months.

Shack was one of just a handful of players to score 20 goals in a season for five or more NHL teams. Ultimately, he played for the Rangers, Leafs, Boston Bruins, Los Angeles Kings, Pittsburgh Penguins and Buffalo Sabres. He finished with 239 goals, 226 assists and 1,439 penalty minutes. In 74 playoff games, he added six goals and seven assists. 1189357 Toronto Maple Leafs Just don’t try to argue these Stanley Cup playoffs are more strenuous or more difficult in any way. They will be weirder, that’s for sure, and the teams that handle the weirdness better will have more success. Henrik Lundqvist arrived in Toronto carrying his guitar. Former Norris Trophy Healthy and rested. No travel. The road to the Stanley Cup hasn’t been winner Duncan Keith hit the tarmac in Edmonton looking like The this smooth in decades Undertaker. The Arizona Coyotes are going in with GM John Chayka having abruptly “quit,” according to a team press release, so that

certainly adds yet another peculiar wrinkle for a team that certainly wasn’t Damien Cox even looking at post-season play when the season was stopped in March. Sun., July 26, 2020 Playing in front of zero fans in what amounts to two large television studios will add to the strangeness. Having no fans in attendance hasn’t taken away from the television presentation of sports such as golf and This notion that the Stanley Cup playoffs will be a greater challenge this Formula One racing, but Stanley Cup hockey is all about atmosphere year than ever before is nonsense. Promotional nonsense spewed out by and pandemonium and the electricity of the home fans. the NHL, which is desperate to attract eyeballs starting next weekend by making it seem as though we are about to witness the most frantic, They can pipe in all the special effects they want, but they can’t replicate intense competition in league history. the emotion of the Bell Centre in Montreal with Boston in town. Having the Panthers and the Islanders playing in an empty building in Toronto at The NHL versus the Coronavirus. Game on. 4 o’clock in the afternoon is going to have all the special feeling of Italy Now, if you suggested it will be harder to win the Cup under this awkward taking on at an IIHF world championship held in Geneva. summer format than in pre-1967 days, when a team only needed to play It’s going to be very interesting to see the TV numbers. Talk to some two series before hoisting the trophy, that might make some sense. If you people and you get a sense that there’s this pent-up demand, that the suggested it will be more arduous than the days when all the ’67 return of NHL hockey will suddenly make our new normal seem less expansion teams were piled into one sub-mediocre conference, sure. surreal. Talk to others and the concept of a 24-team tournament But compared to the last 40 years? Nonsense. beginning in August generates no interest at all.

The two most significant elements that have defined the physical and It will be really interesting to see which team emerges as the champion. mental challenge of winning an NHL championship since 1980, folks, Just don’t tell me it’s going to be more difficult to win the Cup than ever have been removed. before.

First, the punishing travel is gone. The biggest road trip will be for those Toronto Star LOADED: 07.27.2020 teams that have to take the three-hour plane ride from Toronto to Edmonton for the final stages of the playoffs. That’s it. Otherwise, it’s a series of games in the same location.

Second, NHL teams have traditionally entered the post-season battered and on the limp. After 80 or more games, every player is injured to some extent. Those injuries, the absence of key players and the fatigue of the previous eight months have to be carried as a dead weight for eight more weeks by the eventual winner.

By comparison, the 24 teams entering these playdowns are extremely well rested after more than four months of inactivity. NHL clubs have been idle for so long a number of high-profile players have had time to get over serious injuries or surgeries. Chicago’s Brent Seabrook had three surgeries in December and January, and now he’s ready to compete again.

Compared to other playoff years, the 2020 playoffs are like running a marathon in comfortable 18-degree temperatures versus 35 degrees. If you’ve actually been up close and personal with an NHL team that’s won three playoff series and made it to the Stanley Cup final, you see the cuts and bruises, you see the lost weight and hollowed-out cheeks. You see the physical and psychological wear and tear of a very challenging competition that comes after eight hard months of regular-season play.

It won’t be easy to win the Cup this year, mind you. The team that emerges will be a worthy champion. But the nature of the competition, with all the teams rested and healthy and sequestered in hotels, means the biggest competitive question may be how quickly the players get bored of pickleball.

Or whether, like Lou Williams, they just can’t control themselves and need to sneak out to visit any variety of off-ice establishments. This will happen, despite the beliefs of some that hockey players are such strong team loyalists that they would never do such a thing, and based on the secrecy the NHL has wrapped this project in, the league will quickly cover up any indiscretions that do occur.

NHL players, because of their lucrative contracts, have long existed in a different world. But now they’ve had a truly separate world constructed for them by the league and their union where they don’t have to deal intimately with fans, media or even the demands of family. Yes, being separated from family is a legitimate problem that many players will have to deal with, but that has always been an issue for NHLers whose teams go deep into the post-season.

So believe this will be a difficult competition to win if you like, assuming it actually makes it to the finish. There are already signs baseball might not be able to actually finish the shortened season it has in mind. 1189358 Toronto Maple Leafs trial run games for the tournament. The Leafs might not even be on their regular home bench as all clubs try to get used to very strange game environments in the coming weeks.

NHL notes: Chayka deserts Coyotes But both teams are anxious to play someone other than themselves to try out some line combinations. For Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe it’s a key test as to whether rookie Nick Robertson can keep up to NHL competition in a full game as he auditions on the third line, while Montreal Lance Hornby coach Claude Julien had top-six forward Max Domi centring the fourth Published:July 26, 2020 unit with Jordan Weal and Dale Weise as the team wound up its camp.

Updated:July 26, 2020 6:28 PM EDT “You’ve got good balance and you have some experience on each line because we’re a young team,” Julien said. “When you have some young players in your lineup, you try to give them an opportunity to have some success by having some experienced guys around them. As NHL teams arrived in their bubble hotels for the playoffs, the Arizona Coyotes were missing their general manager. “(Pittsburgh) don’t just have one line, or one player, that can do the damage. They have more than that on different lines. If we’re going to The Coyotes have parted ways with John Chayka, the league’s youngest win this series, we’re going to need everybody to do their job against GM when hired in 2016 at age 26. some of Pittsburgh’s best players.” Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported last week a rift regarding a third While grading Robertson, who’s slated to play with Alex Kerfoot and party seeking permission from the team during the pandemic to speak to Kaspari Kapanen, Keefe is mindful of getting his star forwards in shape. Chayka about another job. That was granted, but when Chayka expressed interest (not believed to be a similar job elsewhere in the NHL) “The conditioning level of our group, seeing how we get through that in a the team pulled back from the agreement. A discussion to let Chayka game, playing three full periods, stop time … I’ve got to manage that finish the current season did not resolve a quickly deteriorating through looking at our best guys. I want to try to make sure I get them the relationship. appropriate minutes to prepare them, but not overdoing it and putting them in bad spots.” The team released a blunt statement on Sunday that read in part “John Chayka has quit … the club is disappointed in his actions and his timing.” HAWERCHUK AILING

Chayka, in his statement, said he had worked hard to make the team a Winnipeg Jets’ great Dale Hawerchuk is once more battling illness. Stanley Cup contender, that he “loved the players, coaches staff and fans,” wished he could be in Edmonton for the opening round, but “the “My dad is back in his fight against cancer due to a resurgence of this situation created by ownership made that an impossibility.” terrible disease,” his son, Eric, tweeted on Sunday. “We are praying for him and he will continue to fight hard.” Arizona, which improved defensively but lacked scoring under the analytics-keen Chayka, checked in with assistant GM Steve Sullivan who The news comes after the 57-year-old went through a round of was given the interim tag ahead of the best-of-five series against chemotherapy in April. He’d taken leave as head coach of the OHL’s Nashville. Sullivan becomes the third former Maple Leaf player to take Barrie Colts last September after learning he had stomach cancer. In charge of an NHL team during the COVID-19 hiatus with Tom Fitzgerald January, he had a successful gastrectomy and in May was feeling officially promoted to GM in New Jersey and Kevyn Adams replacing optimistic. Jason Botterill in Buffalo. ICE CHIPS Twelve teams are in Edmonton for Western Conference Round 1 Goalie Corey Crawford was able to re-join the Chicago Blackhawks in qualifying and the top seed round robin tournament, while another 12 time for their upcoming series against the Oilers after quarantining from a teams in the East arrived in Toronto. Both the host Oilers and Leafs are positive COVID-19 test. His condition did not evolve beyond flu-like staying in hotels like the other clubs. symptoms … With all eyes on Flyers’ goaltending next week, Carter Hart WILL BIG NAMES BE BACK? was able to practice Saturday for the first time since back spasms sidelined him Tuesday. The Montreal Canadiens’ chances of upsetting the Pittsburgh Penguins in the first round would certainly get a boost if Sidney Crosby can’t play at Toronto Sun LOADED: 07.27.2020 the start of their series.

But though Crosby missed Pittsburgh’s last workout on Saturday before flying to Toronto after a day of secrecy about a nagging ailment, he intends to practice Monday. He had missed a week before being back on the ice Friday.

“I’m hoping I can skate with the team and just kind of take it from there,” Crosby told Pittsburgh reporters. “Ideally, I’d be able to play in (Tuesday’s exhibition against the Philadelphia Flyers). If not, just kind of a day at a time from there.”

Of equal concern is whether the Tampa Bay Lightning will have captain Steve Stamkos and Norris Trophy candidate Victor Hedman ready when the tournament starts on Aug. 1. Both will be scratched from Wednesday’s exhibition against the Florida Panthers, Stamkos with a lower body injury, Hedman with “a personal matter,” according to GM Julien BriseBois that will keep him at home until this Friday

As for sniper Stamkos, coach Jon Cooper says “it’s still in the window of time to get him back” for the start of the seeding games, with the Bolts and Capitals facing off next Monday.

LEAFS-HABS LOW KEY

The Canadiens and Leafs, the league’s two oldest franchises, have played many exhibitions through the years, but surely never one like this Tuesday at Scotiabank Arena.

Despite having the two most rabid fan bases in Canada, they’ll be playing in an empty rink with piped in crowd noise and music, as one of the first 1189359 Toronto Maple Leafs “It was, ‘Hey s–t head, you gotta win that Stanley Cup,’ ” Shack recalled. When the Leafs fell on hard times in the Harold Ballard era and didn’t get

much further under subsequent owners, the proud Shack could not stay Leafs' Eddie Shack, 'The Entertainer,' dies at 83 silent.

At a 2007 banquet on the 40th anniversary of their last title, Shack used his five minutes at the podium to rail against what was then only the Lance Hornby second-longest Cup drought in league history.

Published:July 26, 2020 “Are you going to call them the ‘Toronto Next Years?’ ” Shack bellowed to a crowd that included Leafs management. “Forty years … isn’t that a Updated:July 26, 2020 6:20 PM EDT bunch of bull?”

But Shack, like Dave Keon and other disgruntled alumni, came back to Somewhere up there, you can almost hear: “Clear the track, here comes the fold as greater effort was made to honour the past and improve future Shack.” prospects. He took a shine to watching young stars such as Auston Matthews. The famous line from his 1966 novelty song preceded Eddie Shack through an adventurous career on the ice, in front of advertising cameras “What are you going to do at my age but watch hockey?” he said last and as the life of any party he walked into with his trademark feathered year. “It’s different than when we played, but it’s still good hockey. When cowboy hat. I played, it was so easy to recognize people because they didn’t wear helmets. (Now) I have to go by the numbers.” On Saturday night, ‘The Entertainer’ exited at age 83 in Toronto, after a worsening battle with throat cancer through much of 2020. Shack was born to Ukrainian immigrants in 1937 in Sudbury. Shack said his father, a crane operator for Inco mining, also had a learning disability The Maple Leafs are deeply saddened by the passing of Eddie Shack. that limited his writing skills. Shack could spell out names if given instruction to dedicate an autograph or sign legal papers, but often A three-time all star and four-time Stanley Cup champion, Eddie signed with just an ‘X’, puzzling many fans. entertained Leafs fans on the ice for nine seasons and for decades off of it. He will be greatly missed. His quest to play high-calibre minor hockey in such a far-flung region led him to famously defy his mother at age 11 to hitchhike 10 miles in The zenith of his 17-year career were four Stanley Cups as a Maple Leaf morning darkness to the Copper Cliff neighbourhood and skate with a in the 1960s as one of the most popular players in team history, with a strong local team. He lied about his age at 13 to get a driver’s licence, brief encore a decade later when chants of “We want Shack!” again which he lost drag racing on Hwy. 17. echoed through Maple Leaf Gardens. Though many great Leafs came from Northern Ontario in the 1950s and The Leafs tweeted condolences and pictures of Shack carrying the Cup ’60s, he began his career as a New York Ranger, coming up through and plan an online tribute, though a formal ceremony will likely wait until their junior team, the Guelph Biltmores. The winger had a 100-point next season with fans back in the stands at Scotiabank Arena. season in 1956-57 and, two years later, was in he NHL. “We’ll all miss him,” said Leafs teammate and later Montreal opponent But the Rangers weren’t a good fit and, after a trade to Detroit fell Dick Duff. “He was a big, strong bugger. You didn’t know what he was through, new Toronto GM Punch Imlach soon acquired Shack. going to do on the ice, and often I don’t think he knew, either.” He hit, fought and consistently picked up 20-to-30 points. Eddie Shack taught me two important things — see humour in just about everything, and live like a Champion. Four cups with the Leafs and a “He’d always taken on the tough guys in his career, Reggie Fleming, personality larger than life. So sad at the loss but so happy to have John Ferguson,” said Duff. “Sometimes he seemed to need the known him.#clearthetrack #RIPEddie pic.twitter.com/HfS6xzXSH1 confrontation. It was the way things were back then.”

— Doug Gilmour (@DougGilmour93) July 26, 2020 In the spring of 1963, he netted the Cup-winning goal against the Red Wings, the second of three consecutive titles, before a career-best 26 His No. 23 and battered nose were instantly recognizable in a fight, a big goals and 44 points in ’65-66. hit and in many TV spots, from boxing with green garbage bags to guzzling Pop Shoppe soda. That was the year young analyst Brian McFarlane approached him with a song he and his brother-in-law had For a man who often mocked his own lack of schooling and claimed he written, wanting Shack’s permission to record. Bower had just scored couldn’t read (often joking why “illiterate” had to be such a long word), with a children’s record, Honky and the Christmas Goose. Shack proved a very savvy businessman. Clear The Track, Here Comes Shack (“He knocks ’em down and he “He’d laugh, ‘I have no schooling, but I can count (money),’ ” said Duff. gives ’em a whack”) was subsequently released on RCA by Douglas “He never stopped working in that way for Norma (his wife) and their Rankine and The Secrets, a band McFarlane knew from the Toronto family.” Press Club. He came out of the austere era of NHL salaries and cashed in on his By late February of 1966, it had bumped Petula Clark’s My Love for No. 1 fame, right up to a well-received coffee table book of his life with on the CHUM radio chart, holding it for two weeks before Nancy Sinatra Sportsnet’s Ken Reid, published last autumn. stomped it out with These Boots Are Made For Walking. “When I played, there was no money (to fall back on),” Shack reminded McFarlane wanted video of the Secrets playing it while wearing Leafs the Sun at the book launch. sweaters for an HNIC spot, but settled for footage of Shack causing And his was a much different NHL. mayhem on the ice.

“Yeah, we drank much more than kids now, went to a bar and played Shack said he almost drove off the road the first time he heard it on poker. But if we had a problem, we solved it right there. We weren’t in as CHUM, and though he and McFarlane feuded for years about who good shape as today, but we also had to stay on the ice three minutes should get the paltry royalties, Shack was known to show up sometimes. unannounced to sing it with the Secrets on stage.

“We had a lot of fun. If (late Leafs goalie) Johnny Bower let one in short McFarlane recalled Shack having a blast at team president Stafford side, we’d say, ‘That’s a minor-league goal, you’re being sent down’. Smythe’s home the night the Leafs last won the Cup on May 2, 1967, but Hell, I’d get sent down for misbehaving.” he was moved the following season to Boston in a changing of the guard. Shack holds the record of 20 goals in a season for five different teams, But Shack, who was ranked 68th on the list of the 100 all-time Leafs in including Imlach’s Sabres when the iconic picture of Shack’s leaping 2017, said it was all business at the rink, where Toronto had memorable stranglehold on stunned California Seal Gerry Ehman was taken. battles, mostly against the Detroit Red Wings and their great rivals, the Montreal Canadiens. “Can you believe I got a penalty for that?” said Shack, who signed many, many copies of the photo.

He returned to play under Leafs’ coach Kelly in 1973, still able to stir things up. One night at the Gardens the entire St. Louis Blues bench, led by the gnarly Plager brothers, wanted to punch him out and chased him around the ice.

“I can skate faster backwards than you bastards can forwards,” Shack chirped the siblings to set them off.

“The fans used to get us going more than today. If I wasn’t playing, my dad would stand up across from the Leafs bench and start yelling, ‘We want Shack!’ Then I’d stand up on the end on the bench on my side and start the cheer too. But Ballard would yell at me, ‘If they want you so bad, go up and sit with ’em.’ ”

In the ’90s, Shack did get very serious about one cause: Recouping pension money for he and other NHL veterans.

Under the leadership of Leafs teammate Carl Brewer, a group of players questioned former union head ’s practices and sued the league, its clubs and the pension society, eventually getting back $40 million CND for the alumni.

Just this month, Shack started trending in Canada on Twitter when people weighed in with favourite characters from the past who would have been most popular with social-media posts.

Sportsnet’s Reid, working with Eddie’s wife Norma and family, joked that he lost about 5,000 words from the text of the book once he edited out Shack’s many expletives following their interviews.

Near the end of the book, Shack relayed a story that ended with him speaking his mind and getting kicked out as a guest in the Leafs’ alumni box at SBA.

TRIBUTES TO EDDIE SHACK

“My condolences to Eddie’s family on behalf of the people of Toronto. I remember many a game where the Leafs were listless until Punch sent out Number 23. It was crazy, it was fun and it was a big part of our winning those Cups. Note to heaven: Clear the track, here comes Shack!” — Mayor John Tory

“The Bowen and Shack families go back 83 years from the day my dad Dr J.C. Bowen delivered Eddie. As kids we would anxiously await Eddies visit to his uncle Steve Tataryn on Patterson Street (Sudbury). He would play road hockey with us with his Stetson Hat and big cigar puffing away. There was no bigger character in hockey during the 1,000 games he played.” — Joe Bowen (via Facebook)

“Hockey lost one of the great “Entertainers” today. Eddie taught me two important things, see humour in just about everything, and live like a champion. Four Cups with the Leafs and a personality larger than life. So sad at the loss but, so happy to have known him.” — Former Leafs captain Doug Gilmour (via Twitter)

“His larger-than-life personality and charisma will truly be missed.” — NHL Alumni

“RIP Eddie. As a kid growing up in Toronto I used to go to grade school with a lunchbox that read “ Clear the track for Eddie Shack.” — NHLer Sean Burke (via Twitter)

Toronto Sun LOADED: 07.27.2020 1189360 Toronto Maple Leafs unique code in his brain, so he went to work for a local butcher when he was 13 years old.

According to legend, he got his driver’s license that same year. And he ‘He gave people a good show’: Maple Leafs fan favourite Eddie Shack lost that license for speeding the year after that. dies at 83 “He has never been afraid of anything,” his sister Mary told the Globe in 1966.

By Sean Fitz-Gerald Jul 26, 2020 “His only trouble is that he thinks he knows everything,” his mother told the paper.

When Shack moved to Guelph to play junior hockey, he concocted an Dr. Joseph Charles Bowen delivered 3,000 babies as a surgeon in unusually profitable way to get home for visits. He told a reporter that he Sudbury, Ont., and he had stopped in to watch one of them skate in an would buy a used car in Guelph, then fill it with some of the fancy hats NHL training camp. The Maple Leafs were on the ice in Peterborough for made in town — Guelph was home to Biltmore Hats, and the company a pre-season workout and that baby, Eddie Shack, was about to get in sponsored the hockey team. trouble. Shack said he would drive the used car to Sudbury, then sell it for a They said he was a “river skater,” which meant he could fly down the profit. Meanwhile, he would also sell the high-end hats to the men around rink, but that nobody knew quite where he would end up, least of all, town. Shack himself. “They say Shack is dumb,” Guelph coach Eddie Bush told the Globe in “Hey, Doc Bowen!” Shack yelled up from doing laps on the ice. “How’s it 1966. “All I can say is I wish I was as dumb as Eddie Shack. I wish I had going?’” been bitten by the same fox.”

His coach, Punch Imlach, was furious at the interruption: “That’s 20 Leafs defenceman Carl Brewer also weighed in: “Eddie may not be able more, Shack.” to read and write, but he sure can add and subtract.”

“He just laughed,” said the doctor’s son, Joe. “And off he went.” Bush sold cars when he was not coaching the team in Guelph. He was amazed at how smart Shack was with his money. Bush told the Globe Shack went so much further than might have been expected; the that, as Shack was making his way out of town for the next stop in his hyperactive son of Ukrainian immigrants, who never learned to read or career, he bought a brand new $4,700 convertible from his old coach. write in school. He earned four Stanley Cup rings in Toronto and became one of the city’s most beloved celebrities almost as much for what he did The river skater knew where he was going, after all. off the ice as for anything that he did in uniform. Later, with his wife, Norma, Shack invested in real estate. He ran a golf He did commercials. Shack sold everything from cars to Christmas trees, course in Vaughan, north of the city. (Horton died in a car crash, in 1974. soda pop to facial tissues. He wrote a book last year. After living with Several years later, his widow, Lori, told the Globe that Eddie and Norma prostate cancer, he wanted to become a spokesperson for adult diapers. “were around every day” after the accident to check in, and to “make sure Moments after opening his front door for an interview with The Athletic in I was all right.”) December, he sang a line from a song he inspired in 1966: “Clear the track, here comes Shack.” Shack was also vocal in an era when players were often shy — even more than they are today — from speaking their mind in public. Once, On Sunday morning, the Leafs announced on social media that Shack when Imlach demoted him to Rochester in the American Hockey League, had died. He was 83. Shack threatened to walk away from hockey.

Dick Beddoes attended a Leafs training camp in Peterborough when he He was only making $200 a week in the minors, he said, telling the was a columnist with the Globe and Mail. It was September 1965, and Globe, “Hell, I can make 200 bucks a week any time selling cars.” over the course of a few practices, Beddoes saw Shack level one teammate with a bodycheck then kick him with his skate, sending the The Leafs called him back soon after. teammate hobbling off the ice in a haze of profanity. “I don’t know if he was putting it on, or if it was when he went home and it Shack cut another teammate with a high-stick — “a crude surgeon’s was quiet, he was taking it off, you know?” said Sportsnet host Ken Reid, slash,” as Beddoes saw it — by his eye. He hit a backup goaltender in who wrote the book with Shack last year. “He knew what he had to do to the groin with a hard shot from 10 feet away, and the goaltender was not promote himself. He knew people wanted to see that: They wanted to able to practise the following day. see Eddie The Entertainer.

Johnny Bower would slash at Shack whenever he cruised by the crease, “So he gave people a good show.” Beddoes said. At the other end of the ice, whenever Shack wound up Shack scored 20 goals in a season with five different teams (Toronto, from in close, Terry Sawchuk casually skated off to one side and “let him Boston, Los Angeles, Pittsburgh, and the then-new Buffalo Sabres). He pound the puck into an empty net.” scored the winning goal for Toronto in the 1963 Stanley Cup Final. Reid “We all loved Eddie,” Leafs teammate Ron Ellis told The Athletic. “Did he had to take a moment to consider who might be the modern version of get on our nerves once in a while? Yeah, maybe. Maybe a little too Shack: “Maybe Tom Wilson, with scoring touch?” gregarious at times, but we loved him dearly.” Like Wilson, Shack could be brutally vicious on the ice. Shack was born on Feb. 11, 1937, in Sudbury. He would grow up in the He had a feud with Larry Zeidel, a gritty defenceman. Shack was same neighbourhood as future Leafs teammate , though their suspended and fined after one violent encounter. relationship got off to a rocky start. Shack would see Horton running around the block to stay in shape, but was reportedly hurt Horton never “I’ll have to go after that guy the first chance I get,” Shack told reporters stopped to say hello. in March 1968.

School failed him, but just not literally. “Let’s face it: He was The Entertainer,” said Ellis, his former teammate. “He called himself The Entertainer, and he definitely was.” Shack struggled in class but kept getting passed along, grade to grade, teacher to teacher. In an interview with Globe columnist June Callwood, Tiny Tim was a musician and an international celebrity in the 1960s. He Shack recalled how the teachers would send him into the hallway when married his then 17-year-old girlfriend on “The Tonight Show” with he acted out in class. Callwood noted the practice was not, strictly Johnny Carson in front of a television audience reported to be as high as speaking, the best cure for illiteracy. 40 million in the United States.

He bounced from schools like he would bounce off bodychecks. Shack When he attended a Leafs game in 1969, he wore Shack’s No. 23 to reportedly attended at least four different elementary schools, both in the Maple Leaf Gardens. public and Catholic systems. None of the teachers managed to crack the “When I watch myself on videotape, I laugh like hell because I look pretty funny and awkward,” Shack told the Toronto Daily Star. “I look kinda funny when I skate, funnier when I shoot and really hilarious when I try to put a fancy move on some guy.

“Maybe the crowd thinks it’s funny, too. I’m just not sure.”

The Athletic LOADED: 07.27.2020 1189361 Vegas Golden Knights oversized first baseman’s mitt. There are no proven goalies or hot goalies heading into these playoffs. Only rusty ones.

In trying to make a case for a go-to goaltender during the postseason, Why Golden Knights should start Marc-Andre Fleury at goalie here’s how one internet puck daddy put it, with charts and diagrams that appeared to be lifted from the space shuttle launch manual:

Visualizing the relationship between the save % differences we see a By Ron Kantowski small relationship and correlation between each. As predicted, the variance in playoff results (y-axis) is higher than the explanatory July 26, 2020 - 4:08 PM variables (x-axis) with a higher sample size. Initially, it appears regular- Updated July 26, 2020 - 4:11 PM season results are most correlated with playoff success (a perfect correlation would be equal to 1 with each point falling along the grey diagonal line). Career regular-season results have the least variance and lowest correlation. Dance with the one that brung ya’. Texas translation: Dance with the one that brung ya’. While it may not You’re probably familiar with the expression. Like many axioms of a have prolonged Gerard Gallant’s days as coach, giving Fleury first dibs in folksy ilk, it probably originated in Texas. It is often associated with goal will provide the Knights with a little normalcy in a season that sure Darrell Royal, the celebrated Texas football coach. His interpretation: could use some. Depend on the players — and plays — in which you have the most confidence. LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 07.27.2020 It explained why his Longhorns would run a dive play out of the wishbone on third-and-long.

It also applies to the Golden Knights’ goaltender situation as they head into uncharted frozen waters: A NHL Western Conference round-robin tournament that will determine seedings for playoffs to be conducted under shroud of pandemic.

It is why Marc-Andre Fleury should assume his normal position between the pipes when the Knights skate inside the bubble at Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta.

Now it should be pointed out that Knights coach Pete DeBoer hails from Dunnville, Ontario. And so any football affinity developed during his formative years may have been reserved for the Toronto Argonauts or Hamilton Tiger-Cats, clubs based in Ontario.

More germane to the conversation: It can be assumed that when the Knights acquired Robin Lehner from Chicago just before the trade deadline, it was not to sit on the end of the bench with a towel wrapped around his neck.

Two starting goalies

Before splitting time with Corey Crawford in Chicago, Lehner was coming off a career season with the New York Islanders in which he was a Vezina Trophy finalist. There’s also a good chance he will become a free agent at season’s end. So DeBoer’s inclination may be to play him before any bubbles burst.

He’s on record saying the Knights have two starting goalies and that both will play in the bubble. He’s just not sure in what order.

There’s often an inclination to consult statistics in settling goalie controversies rather than going with one’s instinct, gut or whatever has to say.

Lehner has only eight playoff starts, all coming last season for Barry Trotz’s well-hydrated Islanders. But he played like a stone wall in most of them. In hockey, when you represent the last line of defense, that’s a good thing.

Fleury’s postseason stats are as follows: 134 starts, .911 save percentage, 78-62 record, 2.59 GAA. He has endured shark rebuke at times for his postseason performance, though his save percentage and goals against are just fractionally off his regular-season norms (.913, 2.57) over 16 seasons.

Some have referred to him as hockey’s Clayton Kershaw, but one should not forget that Fleury also has skated three laps around the building holding Lord Stanley’s Cup aloft. And that his supposed suspect past for stopping vulcanized rubber when the weather turns warm did not preclude him from leading VGK’s improbable charge to the final two years ago.

Seeking normalcy

Proven goalie or hot goalie?

The choice does not apply this season.

It has been nearly five months since anybody made a dandy kick save or so much as covered a loose puck at the edge of his crease with an 1189362 Vegas Golden Knights I will remind you Fleury was the No. 2 goalie for the Penguins in two of those three championship series, and that all postseason games this season will be in front of no fans. Lehner can handle the pressure of weird piped-in crowd noise. Why Golden Knights should start Robin Lehner at goalie A colleague (not that wise-cracker Kantowski) perhaps offered the best view for starting Lehner: If he falters, Fleury might literally save the day for a group of teammates who adore him to no end. By Ed Graney We’re talking Willis Reed without the muscle tear and painkiller July 26, 2020 - 3:32 PM injections. Can you imagine the jolt of motivation a Knights team would receive when Fleury skated onto the ice? Stirring is right.

Full disclosure: I know taking a stand against Marc-Andre Fleury in these Even so, when irritated, pandas attack and are aggressive. Who better to parts is like dissing Santa Claus. Like hoping Voldemort got the best of incite Lehner’s ire than that nutjob Brad Marchand should the Knight Harry Potter in the end. meet Boston in the Cup Final?

Fleury holds a level of royalty to Golden Knights fans that is T-Mobile Lehner is the answer. This is a choice for now and not the past. Arena-sized big. There. I did it. I dissed Santa Claus. But heartstrings have no place in the pursuit of a Stanley Cup. While Send all your disparaging comments about me to Kantowksi. some might be thinking where a statue of Fleury one day should be raised, coach Pete DeBoer should be thinking about starting Robin I get enough hate mail. Lehner at goaltender when the NHL playoffs begin. LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 07.27.2020 No, that was not a misprint. I’m not drunk on Lysol fumes.

Come on. Nicknames aside, pandas eat flowers for lunch. Like, really.

My colleague Ron Kantowski stands on the opposite side. It’s low- hanging fruit to the point he could consume an apple without lifting his head. But he has a magical way with words, even for a Cubs fan. I’m guessing a majority (everyone?) will favor his opinion.

Aniston math

DeBoer said he expects Fleury and Lehner to see time when the Knights open round-robin play against Dallas in the hub city of Edmonton. Fine. As long as Lehner starts when things get real.

I’m a numbers guy to a point. Obvious ones, mostly. If you ask me to analyze the amount of lines Jennifer Aniston spoke in “We’re the Millers” as opposed to “Horrible Bosses,” give me a remote and check back (much) later.

But when it comes to things like goals saved above average and goalie point shares and delta/adjusted save percentage, those are for people whose jobs depend on understanding a new math level of importance.

Don’t overthink the room. You can consider Corso as some expensive watch and be fine. Simple statistics are often enough to assess who should play and who shouldn’t.

And what those tell us is, before COVID-19 paused the NHL like it did the world, Fleury was having his worst season in 10 years.

In 49 games, his goals-against average (2.77) ranks 28th in the league. His save percentage (.905) is 46th, with 15 of those ahead of Fleury having played at least 40 games.

One of the great mysteries about this stoppage is how veterans such as Fleury might respond following such a layoff. He might be better for it. The 35-year-old body rested and such. He might be worse for it. The 35- year-old body showing rust and such.

This isn’t about history. The Knights aren’t wining a Cup based on their 2017-18 roster. Lehner was playing better than Fleury before things shut down. Has for a while now.

Simple stats: Lehner has a .920 save percentage this season. His goals- against average is 2.89, but consider all but three of his 36 games came playing for the Blackhawks. Kantowski — Mr. Bobby Hull himself — could score against Chicago.

Sure, it’s an extremely small sample size: Lehner, six years younger than Fleury, has won all three starts with the Knights. His save percentage is .940 and goals-against average 1.67 in those games. He’s more comfortable in Southern than Wayne Newton.

Playoffs … playoffs!

You’re going to throw playoff numbers at me, that Fleury has started 134 postseason games and won three Stanley Cups in Pittsburgh, and that Lehner’s resume includes just 10 playoff games. Eight came with the Islanders last season, a postseason in which he had a .936 save percentage and 2.0 goals against average. 1189363 Vegas Golden Knights behind. … I’m sure if we get (to the conference final), it’s going to be a fun experience for the kids and the families.”

Considering how long they could be away, the Knights said they were Golden Knights pack heavy for trip to Edmonton hub bringing an array of items. Books, Kindle readers, laptops, iPads, a deck of cards, or in the case of defenseman Jon Merrill, an adult coloring book.

By David Schoen “Lots of underwear because we might be awhile up there,” goalie Marc- Andre Fleury said jokingly. July 26, 2020 - 1:46 PM But the most popular item on the Knights’ packing list was an Xbox. The

35-year-old Fleury said he ordered one of the video game consoles, and Nick Holden has an important job for the Golden Knights over the next winger Alex Tuch is thinking about starting a Twitch channel to stream couple of weeks. In addition to his duties on defense, he is one of the while he plays video games. founding members of the “Fun Committee.” “A lot of guys have said it before: Give me a bed, give me some food, That means Holden, along with defenseman Nate Schmidt, is tasked with and give me a hockey rink and I’ll be happy,” Tuch said. “It’ll be a lot of keeping the Knights entertained during their stay in the NHL hub. fun, but we’re there for one reason, and one reason only, and that’s to win hockey games.” “We’re going to have a lot of time to get together and do activities,” Holden said, sounding like Will Ferrell’s character in “Step Brothers” for a LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 07.27.2020 moment.

“We’re just making sure, getting games together. Pingpong and cornhole, stuff like that so that if guys don’t have something to do, there’s lots of options in the bubble there.”

The Knights were serenaded by honking cars Sunday morning as they departed City National Arena bound for Edmonton, Alberta, and the historic 24-team NHL postseason tournament.

Upon their arrival, the Knights will be part of a hockey summer camp unlike any they’ve experienced, one they hope ends with their hands on the Stanley Cup.

“What’s more fun than hanging out with your buddies every day playing hockey?” right wing Mark Stone said.

In an effort to minimize exposure to the coronavirus, the NHL created secure zones in Edmonton and Toronto to house players, coaches and staff during the playoffs.

The areas have been fenced off for security purposes, with 125 security guards and health ambassadors patrolling in Edmonton and another 97 assigned in Toronto.

The Knights are one of six teams staying at the JW Marriott Edmonton ICE District hotel, which connects to Rogers Place through the city’s pedway system. Each team has its own designated floor and has access to a meeting room, meal room and fitness facilities.

The league will administer daily testing for COVID-19.

“There’s been so much talk about trying to get there healthy and without this virus running through the group, that it’ll be a relief when we do that final test and walk in the bubble,” coach Pete DeBoer said, “because it doesn’t mean you’re totally immune from it, but you’re in a real good spot once we get inside those doors.”

Inside the Edmonton secure zone, individuals have access to multiple restaurants and also can order food or other necessary items through a delivery system.

As for activities, each hub city layout includes movie theaters, players’ lounges and designated recreational space, though teams already made it clear to the league they don’t want to mingle with opponents.

Players also have exclusive areas inside Rogers Place and Scotiabank Arena in Toronto to watch the other playoff games.

“I’ll be watching CNBC all day, probably,” center Paul Stastny said.

The Knights play Arizona in an exhibition game Thursday in Edmonton and open round-robin play Aug. 3 against Dallas.

The Stanley Cup Final is tentatively scheduled to start Sept. 22 and end no later than Oct. 4, meaning the Knights could be gone for more than two months in order to hoist the trophy.

Families are permitted to join the secure zone beginning in the conference finals.

“At some point, when it comes to playoffs, it’s all about winning and getting your name on the Cup,” left wing Jonathan Marchessault said. “It’s different, for sure. And it’s going to be hard to leave the family 1189364 Vegas Golden Knights Many Golden Knights plan on bringing their Xbox, and based on comments from players around the league, Edmonton hotels’ WiFi might need a boost to host all the gaming tournaments.

Life inside the NHL bubble: Golden Knights arrive for postseason today Several players have said they plan to read during their down time, with defenseman Jon Merrill bringing perhaps the most unique item to help pass the time.

By Justin Emerson “Maybe an adult coloring book or something like that,” he said. “I’ve been doing so much coloring over the break that it’s a skill of mine that I Sunday, July 26, 2020 | 2 a.m. think I’m going to have to stay on top of.”

What will the games look like? Mark Stone knows what he’s looking forward to the most about the NHL’s One of the NHL’s concerns was that without fans in the stands, the postseason format. 18,000-seat Rogers Place would feel like a cavern. Instead, the league “What’s more fun than hanging out with your buddies every day playing has made it look like a stage, at least in the rendering it provided. hockey?” the Golden Knights winger asked. Giant LED screens and banners will fill the space where the audience That’s basically what the Golden Knights and 23 other teams across the would be. There will be approximately 32 cameras in the arena, which league are embarking on, whether it be for two weeks or two months. would be 12 more than normal now that fans are no longer in the way. Teams depart to their assigned hub city today with the Golden Knights That should provide angles not typically seen on broadcasts. expected to arrive in Edmonton and check into the JW Marriott this afternoon. The NHL decided it wanted to make every designated home team fell like they were playing in their own arena to the best of its ability, so they Then they’re in the bubble. They’ll be there until they’re eliminated or win compiled goal horns and songs of every team in addition to in-arena, the Stanley Cup. They’ll work out, practice, then play at Rogers Place, hype-up videos. but that can’t fill the entire time. Since they can’t leave, they’ll need to spend their days somehow. The league also reached out to fans of every team, and plans to pump in sounds of team-specific chants. Be ready to hear, “Go Knights Go,” while What will life in the bubble look like? Here’s an idea. watching a Golden Knights game. There will be artificial crowd noise, and ‘Life in the secure zones’ the broadcast will be a on a five-second delay to avoid any profanities from players. The NHL has been using the term “secure zone” for its bubbles in Edmonton and Toronto, with the idea that everything players need will be “Everything that’s going to be done and seen in the arena will be seen by available to them in an area that is secluded from the public. The NHL the audience at home,” NHL chief content officer Steve Mayer said. released details this week of the plans and amenities that they have for Ready to go the players. It’s been a long road to get to the hubs, and at times, it looked like it The Golden Knights — along with the Blues, Avalanche, Stars, Oilers might not occur. The fact that it’s even happening is thanks in part to the and Predators — were assigned to the JW Marriott, a hotel connected to slow of the coronavirus spread in Edmonton and Toronto. Rogers Place by enclosed bridge. The other six teams will stay at the Sutton Place Hotel Edmonton, just a few minutes by foot from the arena. At one point, Las Vegas was considered the favorite to host the Staff and league officials will stay at Delta Hotels nearby. postseason, but the NHL confirmed the recent spike in cases played a factor in shying away from T-Mobile Arena. Between the hotels, the NHL has arranged for 14 restaurants to be available, including existing establishments and pop-up eateries. “It's not a coincidence that the hub cities are Toronto and Edmonton Practices will be held at the arena and at Terwillegar Arena, which has because of our focus on health and safety and where COVID-19 is and four sheets of ice. Among the ice facilities and fitness centers, the 12 isn't,” commissioner Gary Bettman said. teams will have at least 15 places to work out. Bettman called going to the hubs a cause for celebration, and the Golden Each team will be assigned a meeting room, lounge and suite inside Knights seem to feel that way too. They haven’t seemed too concerned Rogers Place. Teams will also have eight movie theaters, eating areas about going on the road and spending substantial time away from home. and lounge spaces available to them to relax. Players will also be permitted to attend other teams’ games. The conference finals and Stanley Cup Final will be hosted at Rogers Place, so if the Golden Knights go all the way, they will spend up to 71 “I feel like it’s going to be kind of like a youth hockey tournament,” goalie days in Edmonton. Oscar Dansk said. “Those tournaments we just stayed at the hotel and back and forth to the rink. I love it. I think it’s going to be fun.” If everything goes right, they won’t be back in Las Vegas for a long time.

Players will have a concierge service to get them anything they need, LAS VEGAS SUN LOADED: 07.27.2020 and the NHL has worked with local delivery services to ensure food is available whenever players need it.

They’re also going to take daily COVID-19 tests, with the anticipation that results will be available the next day. Since training camps began two weeks ago, the NHL has reported just two positive cases leaguewide.

It was unavoidable to have teams in close proximity to each other, even though they prefer not to inter-mingle. They are all competing for the Stanley Cup against one another, after all.

But players are expected to be mostly around their teammates, which means the Golden Knights are about to get very used to each other, perhaps even moreso than on road trips during the regular season.

“Anytime you can get together with the guys and get back out on the road and have that bonding experience, I think it’s going to be good for us,” defenseman Shea Theodore said. “We’ve spent a lot of time in isolation over the past couple months, so to be able to get back together, it’s going to be fun.” 1189365 Vegas Golden Knights seeding. And on Saturday, the Las Vegas Lights FC soccer team lost 2-1 to San Diego in California.

By the way, Aces coach Bill Laimbeer did not wear a Black Lives Matter Pro Basketball and NHL Show Different Approaches To Racial Justice shirt. But his hair and headband sure drew a lot of attention during the Issues At Events Aces-Sky game on ABC-TV.

LVSportsBiz.com LOADED: 07.27.2020

By Alan Snel of LVSportsBiz.com

It was 11:30 a.m. Sunday and two sports scenes with Las Vegas all over them played out to very different social justice message scripts.

The WNBA Las Vegas Aces players wore jerseys with Breonna Taylor’s name on them and were not on the court for the national anthem for their 12 noon pandemic game with the Chicago Sky in Bradenton, Florida.

Meanwhile, hundreds of NHL Vegas Golden Knights fans gathered in a parking lot outside the VGK training center/headquarters in Downtown Summerlin to send off the Knights players to the Edmonton “bubble” to play in the NHL’s pandemic Stanley Cup playoffs.

One of the Aces players, Angel McCoughtry, had suggested that WNBA players wear the name of a person killed in a racial justice situation. WNBA players in the “bubble” Sunday including the Aces’ players had jerseys bearing the name of “Breonna Taylor” — a Black Louisville woman killed by police while she slept during a non-knock warrant.

“I’m playing for the name on the back of my jersey and that’s Breonna Taylor,” Aces star player A’ja Wilson said after the game.

During halftime of the Aces-Sky game on ABC-TV, a segment showed WNBA star Maya Moore taking the year off from her Minnesota team to fight for a friend’s appeal to vacate burglary and assault convictions. “We need to be people before players,” Moore said on the segment.

Back in Summerlin where fans waved VGK flags and wished the players well for their sendoff to Alberta, Canada, there were no signs of social justice issues that have gripped this country since a Black man, George Floyd, was killed by a white Minneapolis police officer on Memorial Day while the officer took a knee on Floyd’s neck.

In fact, a Golden Knights fan, Jeff Stanulis, was upset that the NHL was considering mentioning Black Lives Matter at the playoffs that begin in the hub bubble cities of Edmonton for the Western Conference teams and Toronto for the Eastern Conference teams Aug. 1. LVSportsBiz.com spoke with Stanulis, known for playing the Elvis character professionally and dressing up as Elvis at VGK home games.

His message was country first and sports should not include political messages. “Everybody can speak their mind on their own time,” Stanulis said. Stanulis said he will not watch the Golden Knights in the playoffs if there is social or racial justice messages at the games. And he will not watch NHL playoff games if players take a knee before the national anthem like Major League Baseball players did during the Opening Day games last week.

Here’s his message on his Facebook page.

The professional sports have very different demographics. Most WNBA players are Black, and many fans are Black. The NHL players are mostly white, with fans mostly white, too. The LA Times said the NHL had about 45 Black players in the 31-team league.

The National Hockey League is not known for its teams making explicit political statements on social issues. Here”s a a story worth reading on the topic of race in the NHL.

The NHL tweeted this photo of Rogers Place, where the Knights and 11 other Western Conference teams will play starting Aug. 1.

That’s why it will be interesting to see what the NHL does regarding the racial justice issues at the start of its postseason games. Major League Baseball was not shy about its support for Black Lives Matter during the Opening Day games.

A hockey journalist in Edmonton posted this photo on Twitter Sunday, showing the arena’s center ice area.

Here’s the NHL postseason schedule for the first nine days of August.

The Aces lost, 88-86, to Chicago Sunday, while the Golden Knights play Dallas Aug. 3 in the first of three round-robin games to determine playoff 1189366 Washington Capitals increasing, Jensen felt as if he was finally hitting his stride and playing some of his “best hockey on this team.” Still, the season included rough patches for Jensen, whom Reirden repeatedly called “a work in progress.” Capitals defense aims to hold steady in NHL restart “To kind of be at that peak and kind of have to take this whole break, it kind of sucks. . . . I don’t really know what it’s going to be like coming back, because I’ve never gone through something like this before,” Samantha Pell Jensen said. “But it’s something I’m going to have to get in the game and July 26, 2020 at 11:23 AM EDT kind of roll with the punches and try to get that kind of confidence back, get back to that level of play as soon as I can.”

Extras for the Capitals postseason run will be Gudas, Fehervary, As the Washington Capitals embark on their trip north, sights set on Lewington and Alexeyev, the latter of whom is not expected to hit the ice hoisting another Stanley Cup, their blueprint to success in the during the playoffs, barring unforeseen circumstances. Gudas, who postseason will rely heavily on a steady blue line. played in 63 games for the Capitals this season, is a pending free agent and was a healthy scratch in four of the team’s last five games before the After the news Saturday that backup goaltender Ilya Samsonov suffered shutdown. Fehervary, who made his NHL debut this year with the an injury before the NHL restart and would not travel with the team to Capitals, played in six games and provides young but lauded depth. Toronto, the depth of the defense will be critical in the summer tournament. Note: The Capitals traveled to Toronto on Sunday via a charter plane, bringing 31 players with them into the NHL’s designated bubble. All The Capitals will bring 10 defensemen to Toronto: John Carlson, Michal expected regulars except for Samsonov made the trip. The extra players Kempny, Brenden Dillon, Dmitry Orlov, Jonas Siegenthaler, Nick Jensen, for the postseason run are Fehervary, Lewington, Alexeyev, Connor Radko Gudas, Martin Fehervary, Tyler Lewington and Alex Alexeyev. McMichael, Philippe Maillet, Brian Pinho, Beck Malenstyn, Daniel Barring any injuries or novel coronavirus-related setbacks, the team is Sprong, Pheonix Copley and Vitek Vanecek. expected to roll with the Carlson and Kempny on the top pairing, Dillon and Orlov on the second and Siegenthaler and Jensen on the third. Washington Post LOADED: 07.27.2020 Gudas is expected to be the first defenseman off the bench to fill any holes.

However, even with a Norris Trophy finalist in Carlson, the Capitals’ blue line was inconsistent for weeks before the season was paused because of the pandemic in mid-March.

The ups and downs were most noticeable with the top pairing of Carlson and Kempny. After the acquisition of Dillon from the San Jose Sharks in February, Kempny moved from the top pair to the third pair with Gudas, limiting Kempny’s ice time and forcing him to adjust the way he plays.

Kempny, who underwent surgery in April 2019 for a torn left hamstring, never felt 100 percent during the season, which hindered his play. Only now, a year and almost four months later, is Kempny fully recovered and feeling “fresh.” A healthy Kempny not only would benefit Carlson but also keep from disrupting the other two pairings, which are still fairly new.

Dillon, who played in only 10 games for the Capitals before the season was paused, and Orlov, who is playing on his off side in this pairing, have never started a game together. They were set to start their first game together March 12, when the Capitals were supposed to play the Detroit Red Wings at Capital One Arena. However, that game was never played because of the coronavirus shutdown.

The Dillon and Orlov pairing was experimented with in multiple games before the pause, and Coach Todd Reirden has reiterated on many occasions that he believes Orlov will fare well playing on the right side. Orlov played on his right growing up in Russia — where left-handed defensemen actually play more on the right — and Orlov said he is capable of doing so in the postseason.

“I think Dmitry’s a guy that has that ability, does end up there in the game at times. I think the ice opens up for him on the right side in terms of his ability to transition the puck,” Reirden said.

Additionally, Dillon, who typically looks for his partner first, probably will be able to load up Orlov for more offensive chances. They also likely will be a shutdown pair, similar to the role Matt Niskanen and Orlov played during the 2018 Stanley Cup run.

The team’s third pair in Siegenthaler and Jensen could be a critical bend- but-not-break pairing. Both made their NHL playoff debuts in the 2018-19 season, when the Capitals fell in the first round to the Carolina Hurricanes. Siegenthaler, 23, played in four of the seven games during that series, while Jensen played in all seven games. Jensen averaged 18:43 minutes of ice time in that series, while Siegenthaler averaged 16 minutes.

This season, Siegenthaler played in 64 games for the Capitals, averaging 15:44 minutes of ice time and recording nine points (two goals, seven assists). Jensen, who saw encouraging growth in his game right before the pause, played in 68 games and averaged 17:49 minutes of ice time.

Over the four weeks before the pause, Jensen was quickly becoming one of the team’s steadiest blue-liners. With his consistency and confidence 1189367 Washington Capitals could be sloppier than normal. So the Capitals may employ a more shot- heavy power play as opposed to one contingent on quick, skillful passes and puck movement.

Capitals, minus Samsonov, head to Toronto bubble with restart on The 24 NHL teams about to resume competition got just two weeks of horizon training camp before heading to Toronto and Edmonton. Veteran teams like the Capitals might be more likely to benefit from that expedited ramp- up period.

By Adam Zielonka - The Washington Times - Sunday, July 26, 2020 Players are still adapting to COVID-19 health protocols that will be in place for the restart — no sharing towels or touching your teammate’s

water bottle, for example. The most drastic difference of all, though, will Washington Capitals coach Todd Reirden thinks his team will feel a be the lack of fans in the seats. sense of relief when they arrive in Toronto, their designated hub city for Despite that, Backstrom thinks the extended stay in Toronto will be an the upcoming NHL restart. In terms of the threat of COVID-19, it’ll feel advantage for his team. safer to be sealed inside the league’s so-called bubble; from the players’ perspective, there will be little to do besides focus on hockey. “I think something that we’ve always been pretty good at is road games,” Backstrom said. “That’s something we were good at too on the road Well, along with killing time in the hotel with ping-pong, cards and video when we won (the Stanley Cup), so hopefully we can bring that good games. feeling. “Even though a lot of us have kids, we’re still kids at heart,” T.J. Oshie “It’s time for us players to really connect. We’re going to be hanging out a said. “Typically, we’re a big ‘Mario Kart’ team, so you kind of get some lot. It’s a perfect scenario for us to get together as a group and really play competition and some fun with that.” for each other.” The Capitals flew to Toronto Sunday to embark on the part-business trip, Washington Times LOADED: 07.27.2020 part-adventure that in two months’ time could see the team contending for another Stanley Cup.

They’re scheduled to play an exhibition game Wednesday at 4 p.m. against the Carolina Hurricanes before their three round-robin games against the Tampa Bay Lightning, Philadelphia Flyers and Boston Bruins next week.

Their record against those three teams will determine where they’re slotted among the top four seeds of the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Teams No. 5 through No. 12 in both conferences will play a best-of-five series to determine the fifth through eight seeds, and the tournament will be reseeded after each round.

The Capitals are bringing 31 players to the bubble — 18 forwards, 10 defensemen and three goaltenders. Left behind was goalie Ilya Samsonov, who is out for the rest of the season with an undisclosed injury for which he’ll receive treatment back in the District. The organization’s No. 2 goalie is viewed as the franchise’s future in net and had a strong rookie season in 2019-20 in rotation with regular starter Braden Holtby.

Backing up Holtby instead are Pheonix Copley, who has a year’s worth of NHL-level experience under his belt, and prospect Vitek Vanecek.

“We’re going to need (Holtby) to be one of our best players as he was in ‘18 when we went on that run,” Lars Eller said. “And he’s got it in him. We have all the confidence in the world that Holts can carry us far, and I think Copley when he was up here before, last year, he did great. So yeah, we’re gonna miss Sammy but I feel good about the guys we have in net.”

Holtby, whose contract is up whenever this season ends, insists he has not been thinking about his uncertain future and believes he is physically and mentally ready to start every game for the Capitals.

“I think we’ve had enough time to rest and recover and put in some good work here to be in the right shape physically and mentally to go all out there and put everything into every game,” he said last week.

One of the keys to the Capitals‘ success or failure this summer will be what sort of defensive help Holtby will get. Reirden and the coaching staff were experimenting with the defensive pairings, and incorporating trade acquisition Brenden Dillon, in early March when the pandemic hit and the season was paused.

The pairings the Capitals are expected to start out with are Michal Kempny and John Carlson; Dillon and Dmitry Orlov; and Jonas Siegenthaler and Nick Jensen. Radko Gudas and high-performing prospect Martin Fehervary could also see the ice.

Washington’s other area of concern this season was the power play. For a unit that starred Alex Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom and Oshie, it wasn’t performing up to expectations, converting on a pedestrian 19.4% of chances.

Reirden has a few things on his mind as he strategizes for that: The rink at Scotiabank Arena will host roughly three games a day to start out. Combine that with the summer weather outside, and the ice conditions 1189368 Washington Capitals

Capitals playoff roster: Ilya Samsonov left off travel roster for Toronto

By J.J. Regan July 26, 2020 10:30 AM

The Capitals released the team's 31-player travel roster on Sunday and, as was confirmed on Saturday, Ilya Samsonov was not among the players headed to Toronto.

Per NHL rules, each team is limited to 31 players. Up to 28 of those players can be skaters, but teams are allowed an unlimited number of goalies. In addition to Samsonov, Shane Gersich and Garrett Pilon were also left off the travel roster.

Here is the full roster:

With Gersich and Pilon off, the Caps' skaters will consist of 18 forwards and 10 defensemen.

Samsonov suffered an injury prior to training camp and did not participate in any of the practices. Head coach Todd Reirden confirmed on Saturday that the team intended to travel four goalies, but with Samsonov out, the team is now down to three with Pheonix Copley and Vitek Vanecek serving as backups to Braden Holtby.

Both of the team's last two first-round draft picks -- Connor McMichael and Alex Alexeyev -- will be traveling. The purpose of bringing them is to give them valuable experience in learning how NHL players prepare and handle the rigors of the playoffs. Neither is expected to play, but long playoff runs can often necessitate teams reaching deep down on the depth chart.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 07.27.2020 1189369 Washington Capitals

Todd Reirden confirms Ilya Samsonov's absence is due to injury and not the coronavirus

By J.J. Regan July 26, 2020 9:00 AM

The Capitals head to the hub city of Toronto on Sunday to begin the postseason and Ilya Samsonov will not be with them. In two weeks of training camp, the rookie netminder did not make a single appearance on the ice. To protect player safety, NHL protocols regarding player health only require teams to disclose that player is "unfit to play" so for two weeks we have been in the dark about Samsonov's status. Now we know more of the story.

On Saturday, the team disclosed that Samsonov suffered an injury prior to camp and he would remain in Washington for treatment and not travel with the team. Considering we are in the midst of a pandemic, Samsonov's lengthy absence certainly raised eyebrows, but head coach Todd Reirden confirmed Saturday that Samsonov's absence was not due to the coronavirus or any positive test.

"It is disappointing for the player, disappointing for us," head coach Todd Reirden said. "He’s a guy that is a really good young prospect for us so for us not to have him with us is disappointing and I thought he has made some strides and obviously put together a pretty good run this year."

When asked if it was possible that Samsonov could join the team later, Reirden neither confirmed nor denied, but noted that the team had to give the NHL a completed travel roster in which Samsonov was not included. Whether Samsonov could later be added if he is healthy remains unclear. Reirden also mentioned getting Samsonov ready for next season with his treatment, however, so it certainly does not sound as if the team is anticipating that he could return for the 2020 postseason.

"To be without him is certainly disappointing," Reirden said, "But the right thing to do is to leave him here and allow him to get treatment so that he is ready to go next year when we have that opportunity to start playing hockey again.”

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 07.27.2020 1189370 Winnipeg Jets

Hawerchuk battles cancer again

Mike McIntyre

EDMONTON — Winnipeg Jets legend Dale Hawerchuk is once again battling cancer. The NHL Hall of Famer received the difficult news this week, just over three months after he finished what he'd hoped would be his last round of chemotherapy.

"My dad is back in his fight against cancer due to a resurgence of this terrible disease. We are praying for him and he will continue to fight hard. #HawerchukStrong ," his son, Eric, wrote on social media Sunday.

The Jets released a statement Sunday afternoon, throwing their support behind "Ducky" and calling on fans to do the same.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with Dale Hawerchuk and his family as he begins another round in his courageous battle with cancer. Dale has always faced his toughest opponents head-on, and we know this will once again be no different. He is a beloved member of the Winnipeg hockey community as one of the greatest players to ever wear the Jets uniform. We know that all of Jets Nation stands with him in his fight. #HawerchukStrong," the club said.

In an Apr. 21 interview with the Free Press from his Ontario home, Hawerchuk talked about how he kept moving the goal posts as the long, painful days began to pile up, melting into weeks and then months. At first, he just wanted to live to see one more Christmas. Next, a family birthday early in 2020. Then, his own big day, his 58th birthday in early April.

"When I was diagnosed last August, you're thinking, 'Man that's a long road.' When I first thought of it, it felt like a death sentence. But the more I looked into it, the more people I talked to, the more I realized this was a battle you could win. It was like competing again," he said.

He underwent two months of debilitating chemotherapy last fall, which led to enough progress that he was able to undergo surgery to remove his stomach on Jan. 6. Once he had recovered from that, two more months of chemotherapy began, with the last round on April 13. He got his feeding tube removed a couple of days later and went for scans earlier this summer.

"It feels to be good at this point. I don't think this a battle will ever be over, but life's a battle," said Hawerchuk, who credited family, friends, strangers and the global hockey community for cheering him on from the sidelines.

"There were times I felt down and out, where I didn't really know if I could do it anymore. But the support really helped push me through the dark days.

"The mental part of it is tough, I get it. You just need some little victories. And then when you go through a tough part, you know you've had a victory before and you can have a victory again. That's what got me through it. My first week after chemo treatment was a killer. I dreaded it. But once I got through a couple of them I was like 'Hey I can do this.' More and more small victories eventually become a big victory."

Winnipeg Free Press LOADED 07.27.2020 1189371 Winnipeg Jets The power play began to click, too, as pucks began finding the back of the net. The Jets scored 12 times on 49 opportunities, good for a top-10 showing at 24.5% and a 6% improvement from the month prior.

Jets offer several storylines to follow as qualifier nears Some will suggest that special teams don’t matter much in the playoffs. The St. Louis Blues, the defending Stanley Cup champions, had the 12th ranked penalty kill and 12th ranked power play during their Cup run in 2018-19. Scott Billeck I’d suggest the Jets lean more on their power play than most. It’s an Published:July 26, 2020 important weapon in their arsenal, as is their ability to kill momentum on Updated:July 26, 2020 5:47 PM CDT the kill.

3. Connor Vezinabuyck

Storylines… this whacky 24-team NHL playoff format is chock full of While arguments can be made on the value of special teams in the them. playoffs, few can be made when it comes to goaltending.

But while COVID-19, hub cities and bubbles will be written about for A hot goalie can give any team the edge they need — just ask St. Louis. weeks to come, there’s also quite a bit of hockey to be played. So much Connor Hellebuyck is easily a top candidate for Winnipeg’s X-factor in so, in fact, that days will be littered with so many games, initially at least, these playoffs. If he’s trotting along at a .930 save percentage in the that even the most ardent hockey fan will get their fix and then some. playoffs, the Jets could head on a deep run. If he can play better than When the puck drops on the qualifying round series between on the that, the sky is the limit. Winnipeg Jets and Calgary Flames on Aug. 1, storylines will be aplenty It’s hard to fault Hellebuyck for the bad stretches he experienced during for both clubs. the regular season. His numbers didn’t dip below a .920 save percentage Let’s take a look at several for the Jets. outside of December and January, but let’s not forget that Hellebuyck was shelled more than any other goalie in the NHL this season. 1. Who are they? Remember that night in San Jose? It’s tough to imagine the Jets are the lacking 6-7-0 team they were in October or the straight-up dismal 3-8-1 team they were in January. The Jets would love November Hellebuyck in the playoffs and his .944 from that month, or his .934 from Feb. 1 to the pause. And providing the The team is healthy, by and large, for one. And they’ve supplemented the Jets don’t hang him out to dry and that Hellebuyck doesn’t experience his roster since then with better personnel in the form of Dylan DeMelo on own downturn between the pipes, there’s a good chance the Jets will be the backend and Cody Eakin up front. It’s far from a perfect roster, and well-positioned against Calgary and beyond. no one is calling the Jets a Stanley Cup favourite by any stretch. 4. That drought But who the Jets are when the puck drops in a few days is largely unknown, much like it is with any team. No one within the Jets organization, including Nikolaj Ehlers himself, seem all that worried about his goose egg in the goal department through Are they the team with the woeful first-half penalty kill, a subpar power 21 career playoff games. play and, at times, atrocious defence? Fans? Well, there’s a bit of a division there. Or are they the February-to-COVID Jets, ones who held top five spots in both sides of the special teams department, who were 12-5-2 and were Some wanted Ehlers exiled after last season and Winnipeg’s first-round as close to healthy as they had been all season? exit. He had 16 shots on goal in six games but couldn’t find the back of the net. He didn’t find the scoresheet with an assist, either. It’s a question that faces every team at the moment, from the brilliant Boston Bruins to the middling Montreal Canadiens. Others, however, aren’t as downtrodden on it all. The reason for that is, while then traditional goals and assists don’t show it, Ehlers is still one of There isn’t a lot of time to figure out that identity, either. A five-game the best puck possession players in the NHL and his ability to get out of series will come and go quickly and the team that figures out who they his own zone and into the opponent’s end of the ice is elite. are and plays to those advantages quicker is going to have the upper hand. Call it bad luck, because it’s certainly not for the lack of trying or the lack of skill. 2. Special teams And speaking of Ehlers… the Jets got one final skate in on Sunday This is a bit of an offshoot of storyline No. 1, and it deserves as much before they boarded a flight later in the day to Edmonton and on the ice attention for the polar opposites the Jets saw during the truncated regular was the 24-year-old Dane. season. Ehlers left Thursday’s practice prior to the team’s scrimmage and was in From Oct. 4 — opening night for the Jets at Madison Square Garden — the second group on Saturday. to Dec. 31, the Jets owned the league’s worst penalty kill at 71.4%. This was a marked improvement from figures early on when the Jets flirted THE 31 with 50%. Yes, it was that bad. The Winnipeg Jets, along with all other 23 teams heading to their Their power play, too, during that stretch of time was average best at respective hub cities, released their roster for the bubbles they could be 15th, scoring 19.2% of the time. in for the next three months.

As mentioned earlier, January was a terrible month for the Jets with just The Jets are opting to bring four goalies, including Mikhail Berdin. three wins out of 12 games. Still, their special teams numbers continued CJ Suess on forward, and both Nelson Nogier and Logan Stanley on to improve slowly. defence — all on Winnipeg’s training camp roster — did not make the And then they hit February. cut.

From Feb. 1 to March 12, the day the COVID-19 halted the regular Forwards: Mason Appleton, Gabriel Bourque, Kyle Connor, Andrew season, the Jets owned the second-best penalty kill in the league at Copp, Cody Eakin, Nikolaj Ehlers, David Gustafsson, Jansen Harkins, 90.2%. Even with Adam Lowry injured for a good chunk of time, Andrew Patrik Laine, Mark Letestu, Adam Lowry, Mathieu Perreault, Jack Copp helped carry the load and then some. He would get help in the form Roslovic, Mark Scheifele, Logan Shaw, Nicholas Shore, Blake Wheeler of Cody Eakin and Dylan DeMelo, and others like Nick Shore and Dmitry Defensemen: Nathan Beaulieu, Anthony Bitetto, Carl Dahlstrom, Dylan Kulikov played their parts as well. DeMelo, Dmitry Kulikov, Josh Morrissey, Sami Niku, Neal Pionk, Tucker Poolman, Luca Sbisa Goaltenders: Mikhail Berdin, Laurent Brossoit, Eric Comrie, Connor Hellebuyck

Winnipeg Sun LOADED 07.27.2020 1189372 Winnipeg Jets

Jets legend Hawerchuk back fighting cancer

Scott Billeck

Published:July 26, 2020

Updated:July 26, 2020 6:46 PM CDT

Just over three months after he rang the bell to signify his last treatment for stomach cancer, Winnipeg Jets legend Dale Hawerchuk is back fighting the disease once again.

The Hockey Hall of Famer’s son, Eric, made the announcement on social media on Sunday morning.

Diagnosed with stomach cancer in August 2019, the 57-year-old stepped away from his head coaching gig with the Ontario Hockey League’s Barrie Colts to start the truncated 2019-20 season.

This past April, Hawerchuk completed his final round of chemotherapy at Barrie’s Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre.

“Two thoughts,” Hawerchuk told the Winnipeg Sun at the time. “One, thank God I’m finished. And two, man it’s gonna be a rough week. A fourth round of chemo, your body’s already beaten up, you’re going into your fourth round in two months and you know you’re going to have a rough week. But that week’s passed and I’m feeling a lot better.”

Hawerchuk had his entire stomach removed and part of his colon, too, during his fight.

“You’ve got to have a great attitude for it,” Hawerchuk said. “And I’ve always been competitive.”

The Jets took to Twitter to express their support for Hawerchuk, who was inducted into the team’s Hall of Fame in 2017. His number 10 hangs in the rafters at Bell MTS Place.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with Dale Hawerchuk and his family as he begins another round in his courageous battle with cancer. Dale has always faced his toughest opponents head-on, and we know this will once again be no different. #HawerchukStrong,” the Jets said in a tweet. “He is a beloved member of the Winnipeg hockey community as one of the greatest players to ever wear the Jets uniform. We know that all of Jets Nation stands with him in his fight. #HawerchukStrong .”

The Buffalo Sabres, who acquired Hawerchuk at the 1990 NHL Draft, also made a statement.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with Dale and his family ,” a tweet from the club said.

Former teammate Brad May, who was dealt along with Hawerchuk to Buffalo, took to social media as well.

“Please pray for my friend and mentor Dale Hawerchuk #10 one of the greatest people in hockey,” May wrote.

Hawerchuk was drafted first overall by the Jets in 1981 and went on to play nine of his 16 years in the NHL with the Jets.

In total, Hawerchuk played 1,188 games, reaching the 500-goal plateau with 518 markers and adding 891 assists for 1,409 points.

Hawerchuck was named the rookie of the year following a 45-goal, 103- point inaugural season in 1981-82. In 1984-85, he finished second in Hart Trophy voting as the league’s best player after eclipsing the 50-goal mark with 53 goals and 130 points.

Hawerchuk retired following the 1996-97 season.

– with files from Paul Friesen

Winnipeg Sun LOADED 07.27.2020 1189373 Vancouver Canucks perspective. The role of the Canucks’ arch-rival has rotated throughout the years. The K’s should move in that spot permanently.

Ted Gerela collectors card. Vancouver Sun Willes' Musings: A lot to look forward to with this version of the Canucks • When was growing up in East Van, he made a practise of arriving early for B.C. Lions’ games at Empire Stadium to watch Ted Gerela warm up. ED WILLES “He made it look so easy,” Passaglia said of the Lions’ former Published:July 26, 2020 placekicker. “The ball just exploded off his foot. He had these tree trunks for legs and I wish I had his quads. Updated:July 26, 2020 7:07 PM PDT “I could have played another five years (!)”

Gerela passed away last week and he deserved a better send off from OPINION: You can look up and down the Canucks' lineup and the this province. His career with the Leos lasted just seven years but, in that massive question marks of the past just aren’t there. time, he handled the placekicking chores, played in the secondary, There’s nothing that screams Stanley Cup playoffs like temperatures in backed up at fullback and punted for one year. He was the CFL’s first the low 30s at the end of July. With that in mind, here’s something else soccer-style kicker and his 30 field goals in 1968 was the most by any that feels strange and out of place: the Monday morning musings and kicker in North America at the time. meditations on the world of sports. His brother Roy, of course, kicked for the Super Bowl champion • By the time you read this the Vancouver Canucks should be settled into Pittsburgh Steelers and another brother, Metro, is in the Canadian their new lives in Edmonton, experiencing the sublime joys of life inside Soccer Hall of Fame. But Ted Gerela was an original who left his mark. the bubble. • Thanks, sort of, to the alert reader who pointed out the Canucks aren’t They’re also just two days away from their one exhibition game with the first team to have three Calder Cup finalists in consecutive years. Winnipeg and a week away from Game 1 of their play-in series with the From 1969 to 1971 the New York Rangers placed three players in the top Wild. Their camp, such as it was, produced the usual assortment of three of Calder voting: Brad Park, Bill Fairbairn and Gilles Villemure, then surprises and disappointments, opportunities taken and opportunities a 31-year-old goalie who played his first game with the Rangers in 1963- missed and we’ll get to this in a minute. 64 but still managed to qualify as a rookie under the existing rules.

But here’s the larger takeaway from the last two weeks. The Canucks’ Stupid rules big decisions concern a couple of places in the bottom half of the lineup • And finally, whether it’s the global health crisis, civil strife and its and the depth players they’ll be toting to the Alberta capital. These are attendant tensions, or a political process that seems to have gone mad, also issues teams can address. Holes in, say, the top blueline pairing, it’s hard not to give into the darkness these days. Then along comes the crease or on the first line are a little harder to fill but for the first time Laurent Duvernay-Tardif and with one simple, selfless act, shines a light since the 2014-15 season, and maybe before that, the Canucks are set and reminds us all to keep fighting. at the game’s key positions. The Montrealer is the starting guard for the Super Bowl champion All elite teams, for example, feature a one-two punch at centre with one Kansas City Chiefs who also owns a medical degree from McGill. On game-breaker in the mix; a top-flight goalie, a No. 1 defenceman and a Friday, he announced he was opting out of this NFL season so he can top-four which can play in any situation; and depth scoring. Granted work at a long-term care facility in Montreal. some of the Canucks’ best players — Elias Pettersson, Quinn Hughes, Brock Boeser — are still in the process of defining what they will be. But He’s been working as an orderly at such a facility throughout the COVID- the point is you can look up and down their lineup and those massive 19 lockdown. question marks just aren’t there. “Being at the frontline during this offseason has given me a different As for the camp, the good news story was Micheal Ferland’s emergence perspective on this pandemic and the stress it puts on individuals and our as a potential contributor on the third line. The kid from Manitoba has had healthcare system,” he posted on Instagram. “I cannot allow myself to a brutal year but if he can be a disruptive force who chips in 20 goals and potentially transmit the virus in our community simply to play the sport 40 points, he represents another piece to the puzzle. that I love. If I am to take risks, I will do it caring for patients.”

Just wish Jake Virtanen would have responded better to the competition Remember this. Remember Duvernay-Tardif’s decision when you’re posed by Ferland. feeling overwhelmed. Yes, there have been thousands of acts of heroism and self-sacrifice during the pandemic but sometimes those acts can by The other bright spot was Olli Juolevi’s performance. For the first time crystallized into one shining moment which captures the public’s since he was taken fifth overall in the 2016 draft, the Finnish blueliner imagination. offered evidence he has the making of an NHL defenceman. That would be another positive development for the Canucks but it isn’t absolutely You hope this is one of those moments. You hope this changes things for critical to the master plan. a lot of people. In the meantime, we can only say thank you to Duvernay- Tardif for setting an example and be proud that he represents the best It’s hard, in fact, to know how much importance to attach to the part of our country and ourselves. impending series with the Wild but it also seems the Canucks’ team that plays in Edmonton will form the core of the franchise for the next four, Vancouver Province: LOADED: 07.27.2020 five years.

I’m looking forward to that, looking forward to seeing what Pettersson and Hughes become, looking forward to seeing Jacob Markstrom’s career arc, looking forward to seeing if Boeser is 30-goal scorer, looking forward to a lot of things with this team.

After four lost seasons, you should be too.

• Liked the colours and uniforms unveiled by the new Seattle hockey team but not sure why they’d pick a name which lends itself so easily to ridicule.

Whatever. The Kraken’s — and what will be the diminutive here: the Kens? the Krak? the K’s? — name and colour scheme played to mostly positive reviews. Don’t know if that was out of relief it was finally unveiled but do know one thing. The NHL’s newest franchise is too clever, too slick by half and will be easy to dislike, especially from a Vancouver 1189374 Vancouver Canucks If anything, Fiala’s success will only drive Markstrom as he prepares for an exhibition game against the Winnipeg Jets on Wednesday in advance of the qualifying round. Earlier in his career, he would take issue when reminded of a poor outing and now he not only owns a sub-par Ben Kuzma: Canucks' MVP Markstrom won't let Wild hotshot Fiala get performance, the funk doesn’t last long. into his head “You know me,” said Markstrom. “You’re never happy or satisfied. That’s what I love about this. Every day is a new challenge and you can build your game in so many ways with little things that are going to help you BEN KUZMA improve during games. Published:July 26, 2020 “That’s what excites me and why I get up in the morning and in a great Updated:July 26, 2020 2:41 PM PDT mood because of those challenges. The exhibition game is going to be the same for everybody, so it’s fair, and that’s the way that you’ve got to look at it.

Steve Ewen: The Bucks start here as former Kootenay Ice goalie brings “It’s not ideal for any player or team, but that’s what is exciting, too, and junior hockey back ... what fans are excited about. Months off from hockey and there’s uncertainty of where everybody stands, but through working hard I think Vancouver Canucks goalie Jacob Markstrom, of Sweden, makes a glove we’re in a good position for a push.” save during a scrimmage during the NHL hockey team's training camp in Vancouver. And even when the 30-year-old Markstrom was asked to explain his early training camp scrimmage demeanour — a crossbar stick slam of 'You can’t be guessing out there and that’s not going to work well for me. frustration and a sideboards whack — the Swede’s response was You’ve got to read the play and know they have a pattern of where they succinct. like to shoot. I have to trust my game.' — Canucks goalie Jacob Markstrom. “We lost,” he said. “It’s not only the physical aspect of getting in shape and ready, it’s the mental aspect. I had a meeting with Clarky (goalie Goaltenders never forget. coach Ian Clark) because it was even weird to play in a scrimmage with Jacob Markstrom didn’t need time to recall a pair of memorable goals by no fans in the stands. For adrenalin purposes, it’s loud with fans and they Kevin Fiala this season. They could be cause for concern as the help you to get going and even for your body to realize you have a game Vancouver Canucks goaltender prepares for his first NHL post-season coming up. start in a best-of-five qualifying series with the Minnesota Wild that opens “You’re not going to get that help against Minnesota. It’s really important Aug. 2 in Edmonton. with the mental stuff to get yourself going and not depend, or wait, on the Instead of shrugging off the goal question at training camp, or changing fans to kind of help you.” the topic, there was a quick summation of what the Wild winger Markstrom’s last start was Feb. 22 in a 9-3 rout of the Boston Bruins at accomplished with two lightning-quick wrist shots. Rogers Arena. He would succumb to a locking knee and meniscus tear “He scored on the power play in Minnesota high glove and a couple of on a flight to Montreal the next day to start a road trip. Although he weeks later, he scored high glove on me, but you’ve just got to play,” targeted mid-March games in Anaheim and Los Angeles respectively for Markstrom said of the efforts in two February meetings. “It’s pretty much a return from injury, the rehab he endured, the paused season and not always the same shot or situation and it’s going to vary a little bit. COVID-19 awareness are going to test him on every front.

“You can’t be guessing out there and that’s not going to work well for me. Markstrom can lean on a career-high. 918 saves percentage this season You’ve got to read the play and know they have a pattern of where they and some superlative numbers to help stoke his competitive fire and like to shoot. I have to trust my game.” desire to remain in Vancouver as a pending unrestricted free agent.

This is a good thing. There was the 7-0-1 mark when facing 40 or more shots and that 11-2-0 run from mid-December to February. It was followed by setting a career- NEXT GAME high and franchise record 49 saves on Feb. 12 in a 3-0 win over the Wednesday | Exhibition Chicago Blackhawks, a fitting effort on the night Henrik and Daniel Sedin had their jerseys retired. Vancouver Canucks vs. Winnipeg Jets The efforts helped cement his status as the club’s most valuable player 7:30 p.m., Rogers Place, Edmonton, TV: SNET, Radio: SNET 650 AM and earned a second-consecutive nomination for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy. It recognizes the player who best exemplifies and It speaks more of being wary rather than worry that the Wild may have a qualities of performance, dedication and sportsmanship and Markstrom series difference-maker in the rejuvenated Fiala. The last thing any demonstrated all that in a season where he also lost his father to cancer stopper can afford is to allow a sniper to get into his head — even a in December. team’s leading scorer like Fiala — and break down structure and focus. Travis Green doesn’t have to be sold on Markstrom. Fiala had 54 points (23-31) in 64 games, struck nine times on the power play and scored in nine of the Wild’s final 11 games before the regular The Canucks coach was guiding Utica in the 2015 AHL playoffs when season was scrubbed March 12 by the novel coronavirus pandemic. And Markstrom backstopped the Comets to the championship final with a those two goals against Markstrom aren’t easily erased from the memory 2.11 goals-against average, .907 saves percentage and two shutouts. It bank. was why the Canucks committed to Markstrom and traded Eddie Lack at the NHL draft that summer and were willing to patiently support their After all, Markstrom didn’t reference his 23 saves in a 4-1 triumph at starter. Minnesota on Feb. 12, or that Fiala had no shots that night. “He’s a leader on our team and a leader by nature,” said Green. “There In a 4-3 road loss to the Wild on Feb. 6, Fiala sped through the neutral are certain guys in every room who will say the hard things that need to zone in the opining period, froze a stick-reaching Tyler Myers with a toe- be said some times and I would count him as one of those guys. He’s drag, and quickly snapped a power play wrist shot glove side to stake his fiery and wants to win badly and he has learned a lot the last few years club to a 3-0 lead. Fiala finished with five shots and eight attempts. about controlling that fire and keeping his focus.

In a 4-3 shootout loss to the visiting Wild on Feb. 19, Fiala needed just “That important for a goalie to be ultra competitive and love to win and 1:03 to open scoring. He jumped on a Jordie Benn turnover along the hate to lose. We want that in all our players, but when your goalie is like neutral-zone boards, sped in with Zach Parise, and then looked him off that, it probably takes a while and a little maturity to control it and not let it before whipping a wrister over the glove-side shoulder on Markstrom. affect you if things don’t go your way, so you can bounce back. He has Fiala was limited to two shots and eight attempts and was stopped in the shown that.” second round of the shootout. Which gets us back to Fiala and those goals. For starters, he has an AHL history with Dean Evason. The former Milwaukee head coach and Minnesota assistant replaced the fired Bruce Boudreau on an interim basis Feb. 14. He then had that tag removed July 13 and became the bench boss.

Evason loosened the offensive reins and turned the Wild from sellers before the trade deadline to believers. They went 8-4-0 under his direction and the 43 goals in that span were the second highest in the league.

The Wild acquired Fiala at the 2019 trade deadline from the Nashville Predators and he’s only now starting to hit stride. And with the Wild not having a player in the top 50 of NHL scoring the season — and only Fiala (23) and Parise (25) cracking the 20-goal barrier — they club is going to need a gunner.

“What Fiala did in the last 20 games was to be a real good teammate,” said Evason. “He has the skill to be a dynamic player and take over a game, but the difference was he played in the team structure and he had matured so much.

“I had him in Milwaukee for 2 1/2 years and we went through a lot of growing pains. But what you see now on and off the ice is how he has come so far. And simply, that’s what it is. A good team player which allows him to have success.”

The Wild benefited from the season pause in which its older players — Mikko Koivu (36), Praise (35), Eric Staal (34) and Ryan Suter (34) — rehabbed and relaxed.

“You get banged up through the year,” said Evason. “But everybody is rested and ready to go and we do like where we’re going to be at when we get going. We were just in a grind every night to try and get in and I would assume that all the teams are ecstatic.

“And we certainly are. We’re pretty jacked.”

So are the Canucks.

“Travis has done a great job there (Vancouver),” added Evason, who played with Green as Canada captured gold at the 1997 world championship. “They’re very well coached and structured and compete and have young skilled guys mixed in with veterans.

“And when I look at Markstrom I see the same thing as our guy (Alex Stalock). It’s the compete level and it’s very high. I think we’re very similar and I’m looking forward to the battle.”

OVERTIME — The Canucks’ 30-player roster has 17 forwards, 10 defencemen and three goalies. Not with the club in the Edmonton bubble are Kole Lind, Guillaume Brisebois, Ashton Saunter and Michael DiPietro.

Vancouver Province: LOADED: 07.27.2020 1189375 Websites When the pandemic hit, Wideman was working in neighbouring Kitchener, where he is an assistant coach with the Kitchener Rangers. There was no plane to catch or border to cross, just a drive home to a new life. He says the financial uncertainty of 2020, especially for a former The Athletic / NHL players share pandemic tales of personal and professional athlete, is nothing compared to the adjustments at home. financial stress Dennis Wideman (Sergei Belski / USA Today)

“There’s definitely been some great days with the kids, and there’s been By Murat Ates Jul 26, 2020 some bad days where there’s a lot of fighting and people aren’t in good moods. There’s a lot of ups and downs, but it is what it is — you’re

learning to be around people more than ever before. In a normal Nick Foligno’s daughter, Milana, was born in 2013 with a congenital heart circumstance, there’s no one in this world that’s around four people for defect. this long in the same place.”

Her mitral valve wasn’t closing enough to prevent a flow of blood back Put another way: No matter how much you love and adore the people into her heart, necessitating a seven-hour heart surgery that saved her you’re with, it can be hard to give up your personal space for months on life. end.

So when COVID-19 prompted the NHL to shut its doors in March, Wideman says that, by nature, he’s a person who needs to have his Foligno’s first and most urgent concerns were not those of a captain. space. Without that time and space on his own, his patience gets They were the concerns of a father. strained — especially when multiple loved ones are hanging off his arms and legs at the same time. After a lifetime spent on the road in the NHL “Our first call was finding out that it hadn’t affected her age demographic and OHL, Wideman has forced himself to carve out 90 minutes to two — that was a good feeling — and that, even with her condition, it hours cycling each day so he can be at his best when he’s at home. shouldn’t affect her the way that it might have affected others. Our next Lindsay is an avid runner and has done the same, making sure to take ‘what if’ was: ‘What are we doing? Where are we staying? How is this all time for herself. working?’ The NHL hadn’t shut down in 100 years unless it was a lockout. It was a wild moment.” As long as he’s had his ride and she’s had her run, the Widemans are refreshed enough to tackle parenting three young children together. He The Foligno family — Nick and wife Janelle, along with Milana and her says the kids are usually pretty good at playing with one another — and brothers Landon and Hudson — eventually returned to their summer he feels for anyone out there parenting an only child — but they’re full of home near Sudbury, Ont. Foligno’s needs were met, and his children energy after going months without their usual playdates, sports and time were safe. with their cousins.

The irony of surviving the pandemic in the dream home that had once “It’s a great test to a marriage,” Wideman says. “I’ve learned a lot.” been a source of stress was not lost on him. And he got good news by text, too. Moynes quickly replied that, no, “It sounds trivial to talk about this now, but we were talking about it in Wideman was not broke and yes, he had money left. 2011,” Foligno says now. “My wife and I had just gotten married — we were really excited, we wanted to start our life together. Building a home In a sense, it was Wideman’s lack of pedigree as a junior that kept him was a great way to do that.” safe. Wideman was Buffalo’s eighth-round draft pick in 2002, but the Sabres didn’t sign him. Wideman’s professional career started in the Out came the drawing board, the ambitious plans and the lakeside AHL. dream. Then came a visit from Chris Moynes, Foligno’s financial adviser. “The majority of hockey players think, ‘I’ve got this much money and I “He said, ‘Listen, here’s the situation you’re up against: It’s not that you can spend it.’ You’re not really planning for the future because every guy can’t do it, but is now the right time? You have a possible lockout looming thinks he’s going to play in the NHL forever.” — who knows how long that’s going to go? — and you don’t want to be in a situation where money is tight. You’re starting your life off.'” Wideman took the opposite attitude from the moment his career began, using Moynes’ advice — and that of Rick Weiss, head of private banking Foligno calls it an honest conversation and one that he and his wife at RBC Waterloo — to start investing part of his income, even while needed to have. At the time, Foligno was earning $1.2 million per season making minor league money. — big money by civilian standards but far less than the $5.5 million AAV he earns now. After consultation with Moynes, he and Janelle decided it When the pandemic hit and the stock market grew volatile, Wideman was a better idea to hold off on such a major expenditure until the new didn’t panic. He’d already been playing the long game for most of his CBA was negotiated and their income was secure. When a lockout wiped adult life. out nearly half of the 2012-13 season, they were happy to have extra His high-stakes decisions have become about family time, parenting and liquid cash with which to navigate it. working with his wife to decide how to keep his family safe from COVID- “In the end, we didn’t have to nickel-and-dime it. We did it the right way, 19. Professionally, he’s just waiting to find out when the OHL season will and now we’ve enjoyed this house for so many years.” start up again.

Foligno building his dream home is an example of the type of major life “I haven’t logged on to check (investments) once,” says Wideman. decision NHL players had to make before the pandemic. And while large Then he laughs. “I guess Moynesy could be lying to me — maybe I am salaries protect professional athletes from most of the financial stresses broke and he just doesn’t want me to lose my mind.” non-millionaires endure, athletes do understand that life is bigger than a house. “If I were to ask you, ‘What’s the difference between mental health and mental illness?’ — what would you respond?” Especially now, when their decisions come with much higher stakes. The person asking the question is Mike Kostka, a former NHL player and “Am I broke?” current master of human kinetics student with a specialization in mental Cap Friendly estimates Dennis Wideman’s gross career income to be performance at the University of Ottawa. If that program name sounds just above $41 million, earned over 13 years in St. Louis, Boston, like a mouthful, know that Kostka’s area of study is helping athletes build Washington and Calgary. Still, when stock markets dove around the mental health tools to improve their overall performance. When he world in February and March, the former defenceman thought it would be graduates, Kostka won’t be diagnosing mental illnesses; he’ll be helping prudent to have a check-in with Moynes. athletes optimize their performance and well-being.

“I just texted him: ‘Do I have any money left?'” Wideman recalls. He explains that the terms “mental illness” and “mental health” get used interchangeably so often that their meanings are sometimes lost. Wideman sent that text from Waterloo, where he lives with his wife, Lindsay, and their three children, ages 6, 4 and 2. The two parents are “Yes, mental illness is the presence of a disorder, but you can have often run ragged as they adapt to COVID-19 life in the home they mental illness and also have good mental health and be taking care of purchased in 2012. yourself.” After a 10-year, 15-team professional hockey career spanning the NHL, 2021. Rémie’s birth raises the stakes for that career. In the meantime, AHL and Sweden, Kostka knows about resilience in sports firsthand. The being at home with her and Pascale has been a silver lining that Kostka only two-year contract of his career was his entry-level contract, signed holds dear. with Florida in 2008; every deal that came after it was for one year at a time. And while he was an AHL All-Star, scoring 267 points in 517 games “This will be a time that really shapes who we all become,” he says. “For as a defenceman, he was never able to cement himself into a full-time better or for worse. And a lot of that is very individual. For me, there’s NHL job. been a lot of sadness. There’s been a lot of frustration. But it’s been such an amazing time in our lives, welcoming our daughter into this world. Kostka’s body started to show its wear and tear in the final few seasons of his career. Injuries to both shoulders were the biggest source of pain, “In terms of my career, I’m really getting the feeling of some footing but they were not the only change he was feeling. After a decade of underneath me as I’ve worked my way through this program and gotten chasing a professional career through 15 teams in three leagues, his into more of the applied side of it. It’s challenging and tough in a really heart simply wasn’t in hockey anymore. wacky time. But I gotta say, like, I’ve been waking up every morning feeling excited about the day, and what else do you want?” “I started shifting out of it mentally,” he says. “But it wasn’t until I retired that I started thinking about (my future) more seriously. ‘OK, what’s next? A long, thoughtful pause goes by before Kostka adds: “But that takes What’s my next career going to be?’ And, really, the major initial stressor: work.” ‘How the heck am I going to make some money?'” When two-time Stanley Cup champion Kris Versteeg was 20 years old, At first, the question seemed impossible to answer. Retirement from he kept a list of his expenses in the back of a Bible. professional sports felt like being told he could pursue any passion he The book was a gift from his mom, something to keep him company on could think of except the only one he had always known. the road during his first full season as a professional hockey player. But then he started to study his own history. Kostka always found Versteeg isn’t a religious person, but he does love his family, and as a psychology fascinating and had studied it at the University of result, that Bible traveled with him to every corner of the American Massachusetts Amherst. One unforeseen perk of being a late bloomer Hockey League. was that his college hockey career lasted long enough for him to For a player who had already burned through his NHL signing bonus — complete his bachelor’s degree. And when he considered his and then some — the bookkeeping was as important as the literal professional hockey career, he saw that a tremendous amount of keeping of the book. resources went into physical well-being, while mental health was often overlooked. “I had no financial planning when I started,” says Versteeg. “I spent a lot of money partying and doing things, and when I got my cheque, I didn’t “Teams want to win so they want performance — and they want realize I even had to pay taxes, to be honest.” performance on demand,” Kostka says. “The reality is that no one can perform well over time if they’re not well mentally.” Versteeg had gone from making $80 every two weeks working at Sport Chek to a $75,000 signing bonus, paid in three installments. The first The decision was made: The master’s program was applied to and $40,000 was due on July 1, 2006, and Versteeg remembers thinking he enrolled in. had won the lottery.

Then the pandemic happened. But when the cheque arrived, some $14,000 was missing.

The NBA shut its doors on March 11. The NHL followed suit on March “I’m like, ‘Where the fuck is all my money?’ 12. Sports leagues around the world moved into a state of paralysis, including the volleyball program at College La Cité, where Kostka was “My dad said, ‘Well, you’ve got to pay taxes, you know.’ doing his internship. “And I was like, ‘What the hell? That much?’ Those are things I didn’t As he scrambled to deal with Zoom meetings and other unexpected even know at 20 years old.” disruptions to his studies, an altogether expected disruption arrived. Versteeg’s big-league ambitions and AHL paycheque meant he finished On March 19, his wife, Pascale, gave birth to the couple’s first child, his first full season in debt. The Bible became his way of fighting back. Rémie. He found a few empty pages at the back and started mapping out his bills — mostly basics like cellphone, food and rent. Eventually, he “The best way I can explain it is it was as if there was a gap or a hole in connected with Moynes, the same financial adviser Foligno worked with. my life that I just didn’t know was there until she came into it,” says He got his finances under control, won two Stanley Cups with Chicago Kostka. “It’s very fulfilling — literally fulfilling. And I thought I felt full and started planning for his retirement. before.” He had no way of knowing he’d end his 15-year professional hockey Mother and baby are healthy and well at home in Ottawa, where the career in the middle of a pandemic that has forced him to put his second family has entered into what they call their “baby bubble.” — and third — careers on hold.

Kostka says the hardest thing about becoming a dad in the middle of a Versteeg’s second career is that of an NHL broadcaster, at which his pandemic isn’t the sleeplessness or the worries that come with being a Sportsnet colleagues Ryan Leslie and Kelly Hrudey call him “a natural.” first-time parent. The pandemic has impacted hockey coverage in a lot of ways. In It’s wanting to be able to share Rémie with close friends and family but Versteeg’s case, it means the next big swing he takes at the TV industry not being able to. will have to wait until next season. His third career is a yet-to-be- announced hockey-related passion project alongside his brother, Mitch. Pascale is an epidemiologist — there’s no way the Kostka family was going to be taking unnecessary risks with the size of their bubble. Versteeg has been plotting his next steps from his Brooklin, Ont., home with his wife, Brittany. But being back in Canada didn’t automatically lead “For the first three months, no one was able to hold her,” he says, “which to the family time he hoped for; he was too concerned about his mom, was really weird. So much of what I’ve realized now, with my parents whom he hadn’t seen since the Spengler Cup in December, to visit her. being able to hold her, is how much joy you get as a parent to see other people enjoy your child.” “No one goes over there,” he says. “She was a cancer patient and just got done with her chemo. But there’s a mental aspect to it, too — you Rémie was the first grandchild on both sides of the family by three don’t want your mom to be alone for too long.” weeks. Her cousin was born three weeks later. Now, with COVID-19 restrictions loosening, the two have met, their grandparents have held These are the modern risk assessments in the 34-year-old Versteeg’s them and the joy has been shared. life. When the pandemic first took hold of North America, he and his wife decided to keep their three kids at home. He didn’t see his parents or his Kostka says it makes the long hours of Zoom calls and mental grandparents. His father-in-law occasionally came to visit, but the kids performance coaching by teleconference all the more bearable. stayed socially distant in the backyard when he did.

While Kostka’s side hustle as a public speaker has taken a big hit, he’s Then a conversation with his grandma changed his perspective. still on pace to graduate this December and start his second career in Versteeg calls his grandmother on his dad’s side his oma, the Dutch word for grandma. She is 90 years old and lives in Alberta, as does most of his family on both sides. Perhaps unsurprising for the grandmother of an NHL player: She’s fit.

She dances three times a week. She curls. She lawn bowls. She works at a store.

Or she did.

“She told me: ‘I’ve never been at home by myself — ever — for more than a couple days.’ And now she’s like, ‘No one comes and sees me for three months. I’m alone. And I don’t feel good.'”

The reason she’s so strong at 90, Versteeg says, is because she’s lived such a full, active life.

“Now she’s closed off and she’s alone. The way she explained it to me is, ‘I’d rather have you guys come over and talk to me and be around me for a month than be alone for years by myself.’

“So when she was speaking to me like that — not to say you’ve got to go out to a restaurant — but you realize how much those people need you. Whether you’re in the backyard with them or just on FaceTime, you really need to take care of the people who need care the most right now. You realize just how much humans need each other.”

Versteeg is in Lethbridge this week — solo, socially distanced and without his wife and kids. He is seeing his mom and his grandparents, including Oma, for the first time all year; his next career moves will have to wait.

The Athletic LOADED: 07.27.2020 1189376 Websites The relationship between Chayka and ownership deteriorated in a hurry. Chayka did not attend a dinner meeting last week involving ownership and unrestricted free-agent Taylor Hall. There have been reports Chayka was excluded. There have been reports he set it up. Both have been Sportsnet.ca / Coyotes owner to ask Bettman to adjudicate split with hotly contested by sources loyal to each side. But there’s no question Chayka he’d done a lot of groundwork in Arizona’s efforts to re-sign the talented forward, and the Coyotes were using that information in conversations

with Hall. Elliotte Friedman July 26, 2020, 6:06 PM Chayka has not been part of recent conversations with agents. Sullivan represented the Coyotes on two GM calls this past week. As recently as Thursday, Meruelo and president/CEO Xavier Gutierrez wanted Chayka According to multiple sources, Arizona Coyotes owner Alex Meruelo will with the team in the Edmonton bubble. Chayka was prepared to go, as ask NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman to adjudicate the ugly divorce long as there was a “transition plan” that clearly outlined how things between the organization and John Chayka, thereby determining the would progress. Ownership wanted to focus on the playoffs, with any executive’s future. conversations about the future to wait.

“This is a contractual dispute,” one source said Sunday afternoon. They couldn’t reach an agreement, and on Friday Chayka terminated his contract with the team — unheard of on the eve of the playoffs. Twice, After several days of silence, the Coyotes came out firing at their former former New Jersey GM Lou Lamoriello fired his coach shortly before the president of hockey operations and general manager. post-season (Larry Robinson won a Stanley Cup in place of Robbie “John Chayka has quit as the general manager and president of hockey Ftorek in 2000), but an executive move is even more abnormal. operations,” a statement released by the team read. “The club is Meruelo’s fury was illustrated in the team’s statement. It’s a tough one for disappointed in his actions and his timing as the Coyotes prepare to the team’s fans, who were hoping for some stability under Chayka’s long- enter the NHL’s hub city of Edmonton, where the team will begin post- term extension and were looking forward to meaningful games against season play for the first time since 2012. Chayka has chosen to quit on a the Nashville Predators. I’m not a lawyer, so I can’t predict where this is strong and competitive team, a dedicated staff, and the Arizona Coyotes going. But the Coyotes are enraged, wanting to make sure their rights fans, the greatest fans in the NHL.” are protected. Steve Sullivan is in the pilot’s seat — at least through the remainder of It’s going to come down to what’s on paper. And the commissioner. the Coyotes’ season. Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 07.27.2020 Chayka released a statement to azcoyotesinsider.com and The Arizona Republic saying: “The past four years have been the most enjoyable of my life. In Arizona, I became a husband and a father, while working as hard as possible to make the Coyotes a Stanley Cup contender. I love our players, coaches, staff and fans and I very much wish I could be with the team in Edmonton. Sadly, the situation created by ownership made that an impossibility.”

“That’s all I intend to say on this matter for now. A fuller, more detailed explanation may be necessary in the near future. Until then, I wish the Coyotes good luck in Edmonton, and thank every member of Our Pack for the support shown to Kathryn, our daughter and myself over the years. Also, I want to congratulate Steve Sullivan as he steps into a new role. We’ve worked side-by-side for years. He is a great person and a terrific hockey mind.”

Here’s what I can best piece together:

Approximately one month ago, Meruelo received a request from another NHL owner to speak to Chayka. Initially, the request was denied. (There’s been a lot of speculation about the Buffalo Sabres, but I’m also hearing rumblings about New Jersey, although the Devils have hired Tom Fitzgerald. Word is Chayka will take time away before making any further comment or commitment.) Understand that Meruelo — up until this saga unfolded — was an enormous Chayka fan. He believed in the GM’s vision, extending him through the 2023-24 season, making the Coyotes a cap team.

Eventually, Meruelo relented and allowed the conversation. This will be a critical part of the process. He will argue that he was lied to about what was to be discussed and that Chayka said he had no intention of leaving. What, if anything, is in writing?

From what I understand, a Godfather-esque “offer he couldn’t refuse” was made. Some sources indicated that it was not a lateral move, bigger than the current job Chayka was doing. It is believed that this involves an ownership group with teams in other leagues and Chayka could have involvement in those other teams.

The Coyotes were stunned and enormously disappointed. However — and this will be another key part of the dispute — they made it very clear the titles “general manager” and/or “president of hockey operations” could not be involved, to prove that Chayka was not making a lateral move. They are prepared to argue that is written into Chayka’s contract.

That was just one of the issues that doomed any type of settlement. There are also accusations that compensation was demanded. (The NHL does not allow it after a brief attempt a few seasons ago turned into a fiasco, but because this might involve some non-hockey work — it became a bit of a grey area.) 1189377 Websites The trade deadline fell on Feb. 24 this year, so we only had about two- and-a-half weeks to get used to seeing guys who moved on or around that day in their new surroundings before the league went on hiatus.

Sportsnet.ca / NHL Playoff Primer: Everything you need to know ahead Here’s a quick refresher on some of the moves made five months ago. of post-season The Carolina Hurricanes created a huge splash, picking up defencemen Brady Skjei (from the Rangers) and Sami Vatanen (from the Devils). Carolina also may have found a No. 2 centre for the next decade by fleecing the Florida Panthers for Vincent Trocheck. Ryan Dixon | July 26, 2020, 8:57 AM The Vegas Golden Knights made a big play to get goalie Robin Lehner

from Chicago in a zany three-way deal that involved the Maple Leafs so This all feels a bit weird, right? Toronto could retain 50 per cent of Lehner’s salary. The Calgary Flames padded their blue-line depth by adding Derek Forbort and Erik Though we’ve had weeks to talk about how the Stanley Cup Playoffs Gustafsson, moves that look even more important now that defenceman were about to become a two-city, August-to-September experience, it’s Travis Hamonic opted out of this summer event. (Remember, players still hard to wrap your brain around the fact that, come next weekend, had the option to skip this tournament penalty-free if they had concerns we’ll be watching live post-season NHL hockey from lunchtime until of any kind. A handful have decided to go down that route, with midnight. Edmonton’s Mike Green being the most prominent after Hamonic.)

As a range of sports continue to make long-awaited returns, we figured it The Penguins re-patriated Conor Sheary from Buffalo and picked up might be useful to have cheat sheet for a summer hockey session that Patrick Marleau from San Jose; the Jets added middle-man Cody Eakin figures to be unlike anything we’ve seen. In case you’ve forgotten — from Vegas and the Islanders landed crafty centre and former Ottawa because you’ve got nothing else on your mind these days, right? — here Senator Jean-Gabriel Pageau. are some need-to-knows about this puck extravaganza happening in Toronto and Edmonton. While Green won’t be suiting up for the Oilers, they do have newcomers Andreas Athanasiou and Tyler Ennis in the mix. From the Stanley Cup Qualifiers to the Stanley Cup Final, livestream every game of the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs, blackout-free, on Unfit to play Sportsnet NOW. NHL teams have never been forthcoming with injuries — especially come Who is in and how are we doing this? playoff time — and it will be no different now that they’re bubbled up. Against the backdrop of this global pandemic, the league will offer no The NHL ranked teams by points percentage and put the top 12 from specifics in terms of why a certain player is not at practice or in the each conference into the post-season. The best four teams in the East lineup; he will simply be declared “unfit to play.” and West will play one game against each of the other three clubs to receive a bye in its conference to determine seeds No. 1 to No. 4 for the Consider the injury obfuscation some form of warm familiarity in these main draw of the playoffs. Those games will be decided by the usual oddest of times. regular season three-on-three overtime and shootout rules if necessary, Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 07.27.2020 and any ties in the round-robin standings will be broken by teams’ regular-season points percentage.

Teams five through 12 on each side are playing a preliminary round featuring best-of-five series, with the No. 5 seed facing No. 12, No. 6 squaring off against No. 11 and so on. These games will not use three- on-three overtime or shootouts; extra time is 20-minute periods until we have a winner.

Collectively, these games are being put under the umbrella of 2020 Stanley Cup Qualifiers. All player statistics from these contests will count toward playoff totals. So if you score three goals during the Qualifiers and 10 more in the playoffs, for the purpose of the history books, your total for the 2020 post-season is 13.

Once eight teams emerge from the qualifying round, the main playoff draw will appear as it always does with four rounds of best-of-seven series. There is no March Madness-style bracket this year for the first time since the 2013 playoffs. Instead, the highest-seeded team at the start of each round will play the lowest-seeded team, as was the case for many years before the league moved to a four-division format in 2013- 14.

Each team is getting started with one exhibition game that will occur beginning on Tuesday.

What’s up with the Draft Lottery?

As you likely recall, when it came time to reveal who would select first overall in the 2020 NHL Draft, deputy commissioner Bill Daly flipped over a card with an NHL logo on it. As should have been expected based on the math, a “placeholder” team — meaning one of the 16 squads playing in the preliminary round — had its number called for the top pick. Each of the eight teams that lose a best-of-five series — regardless of where they finished in the regular season — will have a 12.5 per cent chance to pick first overall in October.

The second and final phase of the lottery will happen before the first round of the main Stanley Cup tournament.

Jeff Marek and Elliotte Friedman talk to a lot of people around the hockey world, and then they tell listeners all about what they’ve heard and what they think about it.

Who does he play for now? 1189378 Websites stood to make $1,000. Payable in $50 bills, per his request. When the day arrived, so did a famous Leaf, albeit not Shack. (No other names will appear here to protect the truly innocent.) The dealership’s manager called Shack at home and asked him what was going on. Shack told him Sportsnet.ca / Equal parts player and pitchman, Eddie Shack defied easy that he had a conflict (that is, a better offer) and that his teammate had categorization agreed to appear for $500. Seeing his glass as half full, the manager sighed and said, “Well, at least it saves me $500.” The glass was then

emptied by Shack. He told the manager that in fact he’d come by later to Gare Joyce | July 26, 2020, 11:32 AM collect the balance — that his finder’s fee for landing the player was $500. Which would be a great story if it ended there … but it didn’t.

Shack’s stand-in at the event happily went through the drill of Many better hockey players are not so well known or beloved as Eddie handshakes, autographs and posing for photos with found-ins. At the end Shack. Many logged long careers without a nickname ever sticking, but of the day, the manager peeled off 10 crisp $50s, which the player Shack had a couple: ‘Eddie the Entertainer’ and ‘The Nose,’ the former a counted. He then put nine in his wallet and one in his breast pocket. testament to his playing style, the latter to his full facial rudder. And even Giving it a tap, he told the manager: “A little something for Eddie.” Hall of Famers aren’t celebrated in song as Shack was: In February 1966, “Clear the Track, Here Comes Shack” landed at the top of the For all his abilities in the area of personal wealth accumulation, though, CHUM Charts, the flagship radio station’s ranking of record sales in the Shack did invest himself in good causes beyond mammon — after he Toronto market. The single managed to beat out songs by, among learned to read, he became an advocate for literacy. others, The Beatles and The Rolling Stones. I had only a couple of dealings with him over the years — the last in With his death Sunday morning at the age of 83, it’s with longing and November when I had the unenviable pleasure of following him at a book laughter that fans of a certain vintage will remember him. To say they signing. don’t make players like him anymore captures half of it. Fact is, even For our first meeting back in the early ’80s, I was a journalism student back then they made only one. signed up for a course in writing about business, a subject that I had no Shack defied easy categorization. He wasn’t an enforcer per se, although grounding in whatsoever. I wound up drawing an assignment writing he could and would frequently drop the gloves. (Per Hockey Fights, there about Pop Shoppe, a Toronto-based soft-drink bottling company that was were 37 bouts in his 17-year career, although it’s hard to believe there struggling mightily at the time. weren’t at least that many more.) The generation that grew up in the late ’70s might not have ever seen Shack was too formidable to be a pest, not one to instigate and leave the Shack play, but knew him because of his appearances in Pop Shoppe clean-up to others. He might look terrified when staring at John commercials. He wasn’t simply a pitchman or endorser. Effectively he Ferguson, his counterpart and nemesis in Montreal, but he didn’t duck was the whole brand — its most significant asset. and run. I don’t know what television viewers made of a guy whose moustache Shack wasn’t unskilled. True, the puck tended to die on his stick, but he was less handlebar than crowbar, whose cowboy hat would have been ranked as one of the league’s fastest players. Think of a runaway train on strictly a Halloween accoutrement in his hometown of Sudbury. But when a downhill grade. Pop Shoppe was ever mentioned, his image came to mind and so did the tagline: “I’ve got a nose for value.” This was a rare case of truth in Shack also wasn’t particularly coachable — it’s safe to say no amount of advertising. Xs and Os or chalk talks would have had any impact on his mayhem- making on the ice. Yet when his former coach in Toronto, Punch Imlach, When I asked Shack about Pop Shoppe, he was at once light-hearted took over in Buffalo in 1970, he went out and traded for Shack, then past and clear-eyed. his peak. “I’ve always recognized a good deal, and Pop Shoppe’s a good deal,” he “My old friend Eddie had been pretty good for me over the years, despite told me. the battles we had,” Imlach wrote in his autobiography, Heaven and Hell It wasn’t altogether clear to me whether he was saying the product was a in the NHL. “In Toronto I once traded him to Boston for Murray Oliver and good deal or his position with the company or both. $100,000, but no one could ever put a price on the laughs he gave us in Buffalo.” When I asked him about the company’s struggles, he didn’t miss a beat.

As idiosyncratic and fun-loving as he was, his reputation as a clown “Everything I know about business I picked up on the way,” he told me. “I poorly served him. He wasn’t a passenger — as a player he was know the value of a buck. I worked in a butcher’s after I dropped out [of underrated, probably inevitably so. He was a significant contributor to school]. I had jobs all the time I was playing with the Leafs — everybody four Stanley Cup teams in Toronto, even scoring the goal that clinched did ’cause we had to. I’ll always be looking out for a good thing.” the Cup in ’63. In 1965–66, his best season with the Leafs, he scored 26 goals when such totals were hard to come by. It wasn’t a case of everything else he touched turning to gold, either — for instance, a chain of doughnut stores didn’t take off like the one In the early expansion era, he bounced around the league and wound up founded by his Toronto teammate, Tim Horton. scoring 20 goals in a season with five other teams, tying what was then the league’s record. As George Armstrong, the last Toronto captain to Another business opportunity that seemed to fall through the cracks was, raise the Stanley Cup, told the Sault Star a few years back: “He was a in fact, “Clear the Track, Here Comes Shack.” The song was written by damn good hockey player and he was tougher than nails,” he said. Brian MacFarlane, studio host of Hockey Night in Canada, who, in fact, “When he got out there, you had to look out, ’cause you never knew what couldn’t read music. The single was hastily recorded and expected to be could happen. Our own team had to look out, because you never knew no more than a novelty 45, instead of a chart-topping song. Shack was what he’d do.” long upset with MacFarlane because he never received any fee for the use of his name or any royalties. Fact is, MacFarlane didn’t see a dime Off the ice, Shack was decades ahead of his time. No one did more to from it either. monetize his celebrity. While many players of that era wound up on hard times, Shack prospered. He had no formal business training — he Eddie Shack knew the value of a buck, but may not have grasped how dropped out of school early and was functionally illiterate until later in life. much the song contributed to his persona. With his passing, it will be No matter — there’d be nothing for him to learn from in Harvard’s MBA played with fond memories, whether you knew him as a player, pitchman program. He had a remarkable talent, wholly intuitive, when it came to or the life of the party. calculating his price point. Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 07.27.2020 One well-known anecdote that made the rounds was instructive.

During his days with the Maple Leafs, Shack was flooded with offers from Toronto businesses to make promotional appearances. One time, he agreed to do a meet-and-greet or ribbon-cutting or some-such at a car dealership: for a couple of hours of his time and a stack of autographs he 1189379 Websites No planes were needed for the Calgary Flames, as the team piled into a bus to head to the Edmonton bubble. It’s about a three-hour drive to Edmonton from Calgary.

Sportsnet.ca / NHL teams arrive in Toronto, Edmonton ahead of league Derek Ryan also showed off some family photos set up in his hotel room. restart Penguins prepared for ‘longest road trip ever’

The Pittsburgh Penguins are hoping for its “longest road trip ever” as it Sportsnet Staff | July 26, 2020, 6:33 PM heads to Toronto. Winger Jason Zucker said he has packed “37 suitcases” for the bubble.

“Obviously you’ve got to plan to be there until October, and it’s just After a couple of weeks skating in their home cities, NHL players, making sure you have everything you need to be comfortable,” Zucker coaches and staff are making the journey to Toronto and Edmonton as said. the league prepares for the long-awaited restart to the season. Winnipeg ‘Jets’ off to Edmonton bubble Once they’re settled into the hub cities, the 24 teams will prepare for a slate of exhibition games starting on July 28. The Stanley Cup qualifying The Winnipeg Jets are cleared for takeoff to the Edmonton bubble. The rounds and round-robin play will begin on Aug. 1. Jets will face the Flames in the Stanley Cup Qualifiers.

Here are some of the best sights and sounds around the league, as The Minnesota Wild travelled in style on Sunday as the team wore teams enter the NHL bubble. matching tracksuits for its flight to Edmonton.

The Toronto Maple Leafs and New York Rangers decked out their hotel The Montreal Canadiens wore masks as they got off the plane after floor with team decals on the elevators and walls. touching down in Toronto.

Nashville Predators players shared pictures of photo frames already Keith shows off quarantine hair placed on their nightstands as they walked into their hotel rooms in the Not having access to a barber has allowed Duncan Keith to show off his Edmonton bubble. “I’m not crying, you’re crying,” said forward Matt luscious locks. It was difficult to recognize the former Norris Trophy Duchene in his photo caption. winner at first, but the Chicago Blackhawks decided to lend a hand with Strum for us, Islanders! that.

Multiple New York Islanders players brought their guitars with them to Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 07.27.2020 Toronto. Looks like there will be plenty of singalongs in the bubble!

Sorry Charlie, no dogs allowed

While there are a lot of people heading to the NHL bubbles today, unfortunately canine friends are not allowed. Boston Bruins forward Charlie McAvoy snapped a quick picture of his dog Otto trying to blend in to his luggage, later tweeting #LetOttoCome.

Joining in on the musical theme in the bubble, multiple Bruins were also spotted carrying guitar cases.

Oilers roll into Hub City life

While it was not a far commute, the Edmonton Oilers are officially set up inside the Edmonton bubble.

Golden Knights get sendoff from fans

In typical Vegas fashion, the team got a passionate sendoff from fans, who lined up in the parking lot to wave and cheer as the team buses left.

You might remember, when the Golden Knights acquired Mark Stone from the , the forward was greeted by members of the team’s drumline and cheer team — as well as the mascot, Chance.

Nate Schmidt took some time to send a thank you to the fans that showed up and William Karlsson made sure to say one last goodbye to his dog.

Panthers have arrived to Toronto

The Florida Panthers were one of the first teams to arrive to the Toronto bubble on Sunday. The team is staying at the Fairmont Royal York hotel.

Canucks make sure to have their masks handy in Edmonton

The Vancouver Canucks made the trip to Edmonton on Sunday, making sure they followed social distancing protocols by wearing masks.

Elias Pettersson also decided he wanted to lend a hand producing some video content to capture the team’s journey to the hub.

Hurricanes fans line the streets for team sendoff

Passionate Carolina Hurricanes fans lined the streets to send off their team to the Toronto bubble. Jordan Martinook and Hurricanes president and general manager Don Waddell rode in the back of a pickup truck, along with the team’s signature storm siren.

Flames are ready for a road trip 1189380 Websites Perreault-Shore-Appleton Morrissey-DeMelo

Kulikov-Pionk TSN.CA / Jets’ preparation for season restart will take a major but unique step this week Beaulieu-Poolman

Hellebuyck

By Paul Edmonds Brossoit

Canucks

Play-By-Play Announcer, TSN Radio 1290 in Winnipeg Miller-Pettersson-Toffoli

As the Winnipeg Jets navigated their way to Edmonton on Sunday to Pearson-Horvat-Boeser officially be absorbed by one of two National Hockey League bubbles, the preparation for their Qualifying Series will take a major but unique Roussel-Gaudette-Ferland/Virtanen step this week. Motte-Beagle-Sutter/Eriksson

Traditionally, the Jets have scheduled as many as seven preseason Hughes-Tanev games interspersed amongst their training camp skates and workouts. This time around there won’t be that luxury and a one-game exhibition Edler-Stecher snap-shot is all that is allotted before the resumption of the NHL season gets set to conclude in earnest. Fantenberg-Myers

So, on Wednesday, when the Jets hit this ice in Northern Alberta against Markstrom the Vancouver Canucks as a precursor to their best-of-five set with the Demko Calgary Flames starting three days later, it could be a preseason game in name only. PREPARE FOR OVERTIME

"These guys are going to want to play this game," said Jets head coach Based on the presumption that a five-game series will force the Paul Maurice, whose club will have had 14 full, on-ice workouts prior to Qualifying Round teams into more desperation more quickly, the Wednesday’s tilt. "They need the exhibition game to test themselves. I’m prospect of overtime deciding each affair becomes more possible. sure Vancouver feels the same way. Historically, the Jets are 1-2 in their playoff overtime history. They lost Game 3 of a first-round series to Anaheim in 2014-15 and in double OT "(Usually) nobody wants to play the last exhibition game. Nobody wants of Game 2 in the second round against Nashville in 2017-18. The team’s to get hurt. They’ve already done their work; they’ve got their touches. only playoff overtime victory occurred last season on the road in St. Louis This will be completely different in terms of how we view the preparation when Kyle Connor scored 6:02 into OT to defeat the Blues 2-1 in Game 4 value. It may not tell you exactly where you’re at, but it’s a real important to tie the series at 2-2. Since Winnipeg and Calgary appear to be evenly preparation step." matched entering the series, don’t be surprised if extra time becomes For Winnipeg’s starting goaltender Connor Hellebuyck, Wednesday’s timely in deciding certain games or ultimately who advances to the next exhibition game is a solitary opportunity to generate momentum heading round. into the weekend’s Qualifying Round. VEZINA FINALIST

"Everyone’s amping it up and starting to get their battle level higher," he Now that the finalists have been named for the various 2020 NHL said. "This is where you make your mistakes, learn from them and awards, look for the winners to be officially revealed during the essentially get better. We’re not going to overlook or overthink a lot of Conference Finals in September. Exact dates and times have not been things, but instead keep them in mind with the preparation of going determined but regardless of whether the Jets are still battling in the forward." Stanley Cup Playoffs or not, the announcement of the Vezina Trophy And while the score doesn’t matter – it never does in preseason games, winner will be of great interest to Jets fans and goalie Connor Hellebuyck of course -Maurice admits there are a few key items he’ll be reviewing in particular. The 27-year-old is a finalist for the second time in three after the Vancouver game to truly gauge where his club is leading up to seasons and appears to be the frontrunner to win it for the first time. the weekend, but not necessarily judging his team’s systems-play Now, it’s difficult to compare statistical numbers between his competition execution. for the award in Boston’s Tuukka Rask and Tampa’s Andrei Vasilevskiy because all three find their way into the top five of many goaltending "I’ll be looking more for where I think the pace of the game is at," he said. categories. But Hellebuyck receives the accolade in this space based on "We hope it’s a high-paced game. We’re going to look for how the workload. He appeared in more games than the other two. In fact, he individual now looks at game speed." was in the net 17 more times than Rask alone. And he faced more shots and thus made more saves than either of his peers including 191 more Regardless, Jets and Canucks fans will likely be treated to rare than Vasilevskiy – or approximately another six-plus games worth. Based meaningful NHL preseason game Wednesday night – one that could be on shot volume and his subsequent numbers off that, Hellebuyck should slightly more spirited than anything the NHL has previous served up in be cashing a bonus cheque from the Jets after this fall’s Vezina the preseason in years. announcement.

VS. VANCOUVER PLAYOFF EXPERIENCE

Wednesday’s game should feature an excellent battle of two premier Remember not that long ago when the Jets’players were answering NHL goaltenders in Hellebuyck and Jacob Markstrom. Both had solid questions about playoff experience or the lack of it? In just a couple short statistical numbers this season (Hellebuyck: 31 wins, 2.57 GAA, .922 SV years, times have certainly changed. Prior to their first-round series with %; Markstrom: 23 wins, 2.75 GAA, .918 SV %). Minnesota two years ago, Winnipeg was lean on post-season maturity. The Canucks start their Qualifying Round series with the Minnesota Wild Now there’s an abundance of it. In the past two seasons the Flames on Sunday, August 2 and hold home-ice advantage in that set. have played just five post-season games while the Jets have suited up for 23. The difference is truly just a number but an intangible nonetheless Here are the expected but unconfirmed lineups: in an otherwise "pick em" series.

Jets HE SAID IT

Connor-Scheifele-Wheeler "He’s in mid-season chirping form. He doesn’t need a training camp for that." Ehlers-Eakin-Laine Maurice on defenceman Anthony Bitetto, who missed most of training Copp-Lowry-Roslovic camp after being quarantined with COVID-19. TSN.CA LOADED: 07.27.2020