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Home , 2019 NHL Winter Classic, Alain Lemieux, Alexei Melnichuk, Alex Faust, Andrei Kostitsyn, Bridgeport Islanders

SPORT-SCAN DAILY BRIEF NHL 5/1/2020 Red Wings 1183689 Coyotes' Crouse says NASCAR resuming season 1183717 mock draft: Another defenseman, this provides hope for NHL return time at No. 4 1183690 Cautious optimism glimmers with sports leagues eyeing 1183718 The Detroit News ranks top 50 Red Wings in organization timline to reopen by value for 2020 1183691 Russian roulette: Predators’ gambles may have tipped 1183719 : Would've been 'a long life' without the series scales for Coyotes 1183720 Red Wings’ Steve Yzerman addresses talk of holding draft Bruins before season complete 1183692 B’s can draw from experience on re-start 1183693 Matt Grzelcyk explains how Bruins teammate Oilers helped his transition to NHL 1183721 Lennstrom hopes to join list of success 1183694 Bruins of the past: Players you probably forgot played in stories Boston 1183722 Should the Oilers pursue Taylor Hall this summer? 1183695 This Date in Bruins History: B's take first step toward 1972 1183723 The results are in: How you voted in our inaugural Oilers Stanley Cup title fan survey 1183696 The 10 best Bruins moments of the past 20 years 1183724 How the Oilers are preparing for an NHL draft in June 1183697 The coaching education of : How many voices molded his vision 1183725 Gary Bettman says NHL willing to delay next season by two months to finish 2020 1183698 Sabres get help from Bills in readying for maybe-virtual 1183726 ‘Right spot at the right time’: How Tyler Madden will help NHL draft the Kings’ rebuild 1183699 Is Jack Eichel the MVP of NHL? Winnipeg's Mark Scheifele thinks so 1183727 Skating in Sweden, is ready to get back to his Flames breakout stretch 1183700 ‘One more step and he can be a force’: Flames continue to restock depleted D-corps MontrealCanadiens 1183728 Kirk Muller still searching for answers about Canadiens' power play 1183701 The Raleigh quarantine guide: Let’s exchange restaurant 1183729 Bracket showdown semifinal: Vote for the 2019-20 recommendations Canadiens play of the year Blackhawks 1183702 With only classic games to watch, here are some classic 1183730 As much as we want sports, players like Predators' Nick Chicago sports calls Bonino are ones facing risks | Estes 1183703 Where McDonough should land next 1183704 NHL and NHLPA 'looking ahead' to Phase 2 plan to transition out of pause 1183731 Players the Devils could target in trades based on the 1183705 How the Blackhawks' 2009-2010 season was like the salary cap crunch 1998 Bulls' 'Last Dance' 1183706 Blackhawks 2019-20 season in review: Slater Koekkoek Islanders 1183707 Ranking every Blackhawks uniform, from the barber pole 1183732 NHL commissioner Gary Bettman won't jeopardize full to the Veruca Salt collar 2020-21 campaign to resume this season 1183733 Islanders' can see virus fallout from 1183734 Islanders agree to terms with Samuel Bolduc, a 2019 draft 1183708 Nuggets and Avalanche charging 2020-21 season-ticket pick payments during pandemic 1183709 Avalanche signs 20-year-old Finnish goalie Justus Annunen 1183735 ’s tragic journey: From 1980 Olympic hero to 1183710 Avs Mailbag: Colorado continues to build from prospects, a mental facility 40 years later injured players getting healthy, NHL season update an 1183736 NY Rangers prospect Morgan Barron will wait for clarity 1183711 The Athletic’s uniform fan survey: Who gets to wear it before deciding his future better? You told us 1183737 NHL commissioner Gary Bettman won't jeopardize full 1183712 Avalanche sign Justus Annunen to entry-level contract 2020-21 campaign to resume this season 1183738 Evaluating the growth of the young Rangers who’ve graduated from prospect status 1183713 Dallas Stars furlough 20 percent of staff for 60 days during NHL’s COVID-19 suspension Senators 1183714 Dallas Stars furlough 20 percent of staff for 60 days 1183739 GARRIOCH: One-on-one with ' goalie 1183715 Ranking the Stars’ best jerseys, with the help of two very coach Pierre Groulx on the club's prospects in net special designers 1183740 Dollars and Sens: Which forwards earned their paycheque 1183716 Vote here: The Athletic Dallas presents the 2020 this season? Which didn’t? Metroplex sports fan poll 1183741 Flyers’ Ivan Provorov one of the lucky ones, has kept 1183776 NHL commissioner Gary Bettman says a November or skating during the NHL’s pause December start to next season 'under consideration' 1183742 NHL hopes players can return to team facilities in mid- to 1183777 Alex Ovechkin sends Papa Johns to front-line health care late-May workers 1183743 Ivan Provorov skating on private ice to be ready should 1183778 The 6 most underrated Caps of all-time NHL freeze end 1183779 Capitals report card: Grading every player’s performance 1183744 Flyers' Ivan Provorov learns you can go 'home' again for the season 1183745 When Flyers return, believes they will 1183780 Simulating the 2020 NHL playoffs, East final: Lightning vs. resume playing at a high level Capitals 1183746 McCaffery: Alain Vigneault, Flyers coach and son of a doctor, believes in healing potential of sports Websites 1183747 Flyers Talk podcast: Travis Sanheim joins the crew to 1183782 The Athletic / Nine major issues being debated by the discuss hockey, farming and more NHL’s Return to Play committee 1183748 Fans make interesting signs, Kevin Hayes fights, 15 total 1183783 The Athletic / How coach Jack ‘Tex’ Evans helped build a goals and Flyers beat Blues in NHL 20 foundation of more than 3,000 NHL wins 1183749 Ivan Provorov kickin' it Wilkes-Barre style, the way he 1183784 The Athletic / LeBrun: NHL, NHLPA to resume CBA knows how to extension negotiations soon 1183750 sees some in Carter Hart 1183785 The Athletic / ‘He’s the best player in this draft’: Cole 1183751 In Linus Sandin, Flyers add intriguing piece to looming Perfetti was raised for this bottom-six battle 1183786 The Athletic / Down Goes Brown: Revisiting oddly specific predictions, which were (almost) all wrong 1183787 The Athletic / Drafting the best jersey for every NHL 1183752 Ex-Penguins forward Georges Laraque announces he has franchise coronavirus 1183788 .ca / What NHL needs from teams bidding to 1183753 Penguins A to Z: Nick Bjugstad offers balance when host isolated games healthy 1183789 Sportsnet.ca / Why NHL coaches could be better prepared 1183754 Penguins mailbag: What's the best playoff format if the than ever if 2019-20 season resumes NHL resumes? 1183790 Sportsnet.ca / NHL's Top 16 RFAs of 2020: Latest 1183755 Pittsburgh-area doctors explain how and when sports can rumours, reports resume 1183791 Sportsnet.ca / Canucks' Brock Boeser ready to salvage 1183756 The student and the teacher: Mike Sullivan still looks to injury-ridden season if NHL resumes mentor for advice 1183792 Sportsnet.ca / Maple Leafs’ Jack Campbell using pause to ‘come back an even better goalie’ 1183793 Sportsnet.ca / Jets' Mark Scheifele says Sabres' Jack 1183757 Sharks reportedly close to signing KHL Eichel deserves Hart Trophy 1183758 On this date, 1994: Sharks gave San Jose its first huge 1183794 Sportsnet.ca / Red Wings' Yzerman on early draft: 'I sports moment haven't heard a good reason' 1183759 NHL free agency: How Sharks could benefit from league's 1183795 TSN.CA / Getting drafted by Sens would be 'extra special' lost revenue for Ottawa 67s sharpshooter Jack Quinn 1183760 Joe Thornton, Logan Couture and other Sharks offer their 1183796 TSN.CA / Seravalli: Return to play would be a brave new takeout suggestions world for NHL broadcasts St Louis Blues Winnipeg Jets 1183761 As NHL's pause rolls on, Blues plan staff furloughs 1183781 Ed Willes: If we're measuring maybes, Canucks more starting Monday excited about possibly playing 1183762 ‘He’s got farm-boy character’: 2 of ’s mentors speak to his success World Leagues News 1183797 Little League cancels postseason due to coronavirus; San Bernardino loses West Regional 1183763 Breakfast nook? Accent wall? Lightning’s 1183798 Mets, Yankees deserve blowback over callous coronavirus has got this ticket refund plans 1183764 Simulating the 2020 NHL playoffs, East final: Lightning vs. 1183799 Coronavirus Australia: Principles for the resumption of Capitals community sport outlined 1183800 Ticket-pricing warning for sports leagues in the Maple Leafs coronavirus era 1183765 Leafs goalie Jack Campbell works out in LA, but ‘jealous’ 1183801 NBA team execs, agents are calling on the league to of Auston Matthews’ Arizona setup cancel the rest of the season 1183766 Maple Leafs’ Jack Campbell cooking up a storm in 1183802 Dr. Fauci: Some sports may have to skip this year due to isolation coronavirus pandemic 1183767 Leafs fan Bryan Black and Stanley Cup are never far apart 1183803 Branded masks turn coronavirus protection into 1183768 Auston Matthews' Arizona digs has Campbell envious commercial message: ‘It’s a face billboard.’ 1183769 Campbell's positivity keeping Leafs goalie in right frame of 1183804 Football League hopes fading over finishing season amid mind coronavirus 1183770 Performance Review: Assessing ’ past 12 1183805 NASCAR to resume season May 17 months running the Leafs 1183806 With pro sports paused, a women’s hockey league expands Vegas Golden Knights 1183807 NHL offers hope players could return to ice in small 1183771 City survey says most Henderson residents like arena groups by middle or end of May 1183772 Golden Knights reportedly miss out on Russian goalie SPORT-SCAN, INC. 941-284-4129 prospect 1183773 Golden Knights roster review: Nick Holden 1183774 ‘He ended my playing career’ — Peter DeBoer still close to his coach Mike Murphy 1183775 NHL, Players Release Statement On Returning To Ice; No Timelines But Maybe Small Player Groups Practicing Mid 1183689 Arizona Coyotes

Coyotes' Crouse says NASCAR resuming season provides hope for NHL return

Jesse Morrison, Arizona Republic

Published 4:26 p.m. MT April 30, 2020

With the news NASCAR will be resuming its Cup Series season without fans on May 17, there may be hope for other sports leagues such as the NHL to finish their seasons.

Arizona Coyotes' left- Lawson Crouse sees the NASCAR news as hope for a potential NHL season return.

"Any good sign at this ," Crouse said. "It gives you hope. And we've been in a world crisis now for ... it's been a long time. And when you see things starting to come up and rise, that's important. And that gives everyone positive energy and motivation. I'm not a huge NASCAR fan myself but yeah, that's great. Obviously, that does give a little bit of leeway and it shows that if they can do it, there's obviously some brains to the organizations and stuff to put things together that will make this work."

Crouse said he does not know which scenario would work for the season coming back. He said if the NHL does return, he just hopes it will be in whatever way is the safest for those involved and their families. He emphasized the need for a two or three week training camp if the NHL does decide to resume the 2019-20 season so players can get back to game shape.

Crouse, like most people these days, has been social distancing and returned to his native Canada to do so. He said he bought a Peloton exercise bike and some roller blades to help him stay in shape while he is away from team facilities.

Outside of working out, Crouse said his activities while staying in have included playing guitar, something Coyotes' strength and conditioning coach J.P. Major encouraged Crouse to pick up about four years ago. He also has been enjoying time with his English Bulldog, Butter.

"If I didn't have him I don't really know what I would be doing," Crouse said. "He's like a little kid ... You've got to be watching him nonstop. But he's a lot of fun. I love playing with him. As humans we're pretty fortunate to have pets like dogs ... "

Arizona Republic LOADED: 05.01.2020 1183690 Arizona Coyotes “I think at this point, we’ll take anything. It’s promising I guess to hear those things, and and the NFL doing all the things online. So I think it’s all promising, right? And now we just kind of sit and Cautious optimism glimmers with sports leagues eyeing timline to reopen wait and let the guys that are kind of working 24/7 at this to give us the decision.”

BY MATT LAYMAN Arizona Sports LOADED: 05.01.2020 APRIL 29, 2020 AT 5:58 PM

A faint wind of optimism has begun blowing as leagues like the NBA and MLB have taken baby steps closer to getting their sports back underway.

There are varying caveats, one of them being that the unpredictability of the coronavirus has prompted leagues to revise plans of resuming activities at once-targeted dates.

There’s also different levels of governments across North America that have mismatched ideas for how and when their communities can allow once-normal activity. Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey announced Wednesday the state would modify its stay-at-home order, making it less strict but nonetheless extending it to May 15. Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp is allowing some businesses to reopen, while the outlook of getting “back to normal” has been less ambitious in places such as California.

Meanwhile, the NBA announced this week a tentative plan to allow teams to return to practice facilities with players working out only on a limited basis. ’s ideas for starting its season have evolved into a recent proposal to have three 10-team divisions, as reported by USA Today’s Bob Nightengale.

“This is the first time where there’s so much optimism among baseball officials,” Nightengale told Arizona Sports’ Doug & Wolf on Wednesday. “Before, it was a situation where it was a flip of a coin if we can play baseball or not. Now everybody really believes that, ‘Hey, we are going to play baseball.’ So I think they’re hoping to get people underway by late June, they’d love to start the season.

“If not, by that July 4 weekend, and then go from there. So they think that as long as there’s testing available for everybody, they can make this work.”

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the health expert who has been at the forefront of America’s efforts to combat the coronavirus pandemic, said via that it’s possible some sports will just have to do without a season in 2020 entirely. He cautioned that it would be difficult and potentially not viable to bring sports back with fans.

Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo was asked by Arizona Sports’ Burns & Gambo on Tuesday whether he feels the optimism that there will be a season this year.

“I am desperately hoping so, and I think everybody in every industry is doing the same thing that I am,” he said. “I will say that the NFL Draft gave us a little bit of a sports fever. It was in real time. It was a really nice time to sit down and just get caught up with what was going on and have it be real. The things I’ve been watching have been older material. So I think that kind of kickstarted a hope or overall hope in our country to get things moving in a good direction.

“I haven’t heard anything concrete. I’m obviously reading and seeing the various things that are popping around from different sports. Everybody’s holding tight right now, but the fact that we’re talking about it, the fact that we’re getting a positive vibe, good energy, maybe it’s a sign of things to come. I don’t know, though.”

Coyotes forward Christian Fischer joined media members Tuesday in a video conference call and referenced the aforementioned NBA plan to get players back to practice. The NHL has many teams that share arenas with NBA teams, giving Fischer optimism for what the NBA’s back-to- work initiative could mean for hockey.

“[The NBA] said that they could kind of start using their facilities on their own or something like that,” Fischer said. “We saw that and that’s obviously a positive — I think — hopefully a positive motion for us because we obviously use the same facilities as them or most of them. So I think we’re hoping we can follow suit along that and be able to get back to the rink and skate and kind of be back together, even if it’s small groups. 1183691 Arizona Coyotes players, two of their best offensive players, with Radulov arguably being their best offensive player.

“They did so much to try to get him back to Nashville (from the KHL) but Russian roulette: Predators’ gambles may have tipped series scales for ultimately they put the culture of the Predators ahead of the players. Coyotes Ultimately, and showed what they really believed in and I think they ended up, long term, becoming stronger because of that. They were looked upon more favorably, historically speaking, than By Craig Morgan the people who were the transgressors in this situation. Barry Trotz goes on to win a Stanley Cup with Washington and David Poile built a team Apr 30, 2020 that I think should have beaten Pittsburgh in 2017 (in the Stanley Cup Final) but a Ryan Johansen injury basically derailed that entire situation. I think if they didn’t stick to their morals it would have been easier to take Every Monday and Thursday through the end of May, The Athletic them less at their word as their careers progressed.” Arizona is reliving the Coyotes’ 2012 playoff run to the Western Conference final. You can also watch the games on Fox Sports Arizona It is often forgotten that Radulov and Kostitsyn were healthy scratches in during their “Classic Coyotes Night” programming series. More Game 4. They were not suspended. Nashville had won Game 3, 2-0, and information available here. NHL coaches are a superstitious lot who don’t like to change anything (even socks) after wins. Read the full collection of stories in our retrospective here. “That was what I think a lot of people thought was the mistake,” Cooper Sandwiched between a landmark, first-round playoff series win over the said. “You win Game 3 and then you put them back in the lineup for vaunted , and an infuriating 2012 Western Game 4. You have a guy in Andrei Kostitsyn who can score with one Conference final loss to the eventual Stanley Cup champion Los Angeles and Radulov who was a puck possession monster during the Kings, the Coyotes’ second-round series win over the Nashville playoffs and was tremendous against Detroit in the first round (he led the Predators doesn’t rate as high on the memorable scale. The Predators team with five points). They lost Game 4, 1-0 and you’re thinking, ‘Eek!’ were, in many ways, the mirror image of the Coyotes: a low-budget team Then they go back to Arizona with a chance for the Coyotes to clinch. built on goaltending, a solid blue line and forward depth that was more of a strength in numbers than it was in elite offensive talent. “When they lost Game 4, I thought, ‘We’re done here.’ I don’t think Trotz would do that again but maybe he would. In the long run, these things The games in that series were a reflection of that thin dividing line start looking better for people and managers and leaders of organizations between two blue-collar teams. Three of the games were decided by one by setting this culture. No one player is more important than the team , the other two by two, and none of them produced the iconic Images and I think Barry Trotz has established that throughout his career. Look of the Chicago or L.A. series. One night left an indelible impression on at the Islanders who have somehow gotten better without .” Arizona hockey fans, however, and it had nothing to do with the action at then-Jobing.com Arena. There was no doubt in Nashville who the villains were for this series. In a radio interview after the series, Predators admitted, Michael Farber is pretty sure he was the reporter who broke the story, “when it happened, you feel a little bit betrayed.” but he can’t remember if anyone locally had it first. By the time Farber’s piece appeared in , everybody knew the basic details. The Predators could have used the Russian firepower in Game 4. Shane Here is the memorable lede from that piece. Doan had the lone goal off a backhand in the first period and Mike Smith made 25 saves in an otherwise even game. The W Hotel in Scottsdale, Ariz., attracts the beautiful people, even ones with scruffy second-round-playoff beards. The Shade Lounge, poolside at “I think we got a break with all the things that happened off the ice,” said the W, is precisely the kind of swank establishment you might expect former Coyotes assistant general manager Brad Treliving, now the Predators forwards and Andrei Kostitsyn to frequent if GM. “With those teams being so closely matched, you Nashville were in town. The trouble was that when they were there in the were looking for an edge and I think we got an edge not just because of early morning of April 29—some 17 hours before the Predators were to the players that were out but you don’t need any distractions and they play the Coyotes in Game 2 of their Western Conference semifinal—the dealt with a distraction off the ice. other Nashville players were at a hotel in a different town, Glendale, 21 “I’ve got a huge amount of respect for David Poile and a huge amount of miles to the west. Snoring, presumably. respect for Barry Trotz, but they had to deal with that when all of your Radulov (one assist) and Kostitsyn (one goal) played in Game 2, but only focus should be on the ice.” because Predators coach Barry Trotz didn’t find out about his players’ Ten years after stiffing the Coyotes on a proposed and controversial curfew violation until after the game, a 5-3 Phoenix win. He made that arena that could have altered this franchise’s trajectory, you might say point emphatically to Fox Sports Arizona’s Todd Walsh. that Scottsdale finally did the team a solid. “There’s a lot of speculation, and I’ll throw this out because it’s been asked on a lot of shows,” Trotz said. “We did not know before Game 2. We found out after Game 2, and hell would’ve had to freeze over if they The Athletic LOADED: 05.01.2020 would’ve played in Game 2 if I knew before, plain and simple. That’s how I am, that’s how the management team is and that’s how the Nashville Predators are run. There’s a lot of speculation we knew and that’s a bunch of crap. We didn’t.”

When the team returned to the Renaissance hotel adjacent to the arena, Trotz called Radulov down to the lobby for a lengthy conversation witnessed by multiple reporters.

The Coyotes already had two games in their pocket when the series shifted back to Nashville for Game 3. With that sort of lead and the momentum Phoenix had built since the start of February with a 26-8-5 record, it’s debatable whether Nashville had a chance to rally in that series. When Trotz and GM David Poile elected to sit both players for two games, they may have sealed the Predators’ fate.

“I thought Trotz handled it about as well as he could have,” said The Athletic’s Josh Cooper, who was covering the Predators at the time for the Tennessean. “They had their morals and they stuck to them so you’ve got to give them credit for that. I think a lot of other coaches and teams would have played the guys because they were really good 1183692 “You just realize how much you miss being part of the locker room and miss being in that environment with the guys. There’s nothing like it, so I thought it was a great idea and great to see everyone,” said Grzelcyk.

B’s Matt Grzelcyk can draw from experience on re-start Here are a couple other tidbits Grzelcyk touched upon:

*Three years into the NHL, he still wants to improve his offensive game.

By STEVE CONROY | [email protected] | Boston Herald “Right now, the big focus for me is working on my shot. Not necessarily PUBLISHED: April 30, 2020 at 5:57 p.m. | UPDATED: April 30, 2020 at power from the blue line, but more just making sure I’m finding a lane,” 5:59 p.m. he said. “Sometimes you realize that you have a little more time than you think. I think the way I can skate and use my feet, from watching some video, you see areas where you can maybe hold on to it for an extra second. Or sometimes it’s the opposite, you’re looking to pass instead of Matt Grzelcyk knows what it’s like to have hockey taken away from him. taking a quick shot toward the net. Our forwards do a pretty good job of During the Bruins defenseman’s collegiate career at Boston University, screening the goalie and getting to the net. Just wanting to create offense Grzelcyk suffered two major injuries that required surgery and took him that way. And I think just using my feet on the blue line would be a huge off the ice for extended periods, a shoulder injury and a torn ACL. help. Sometimes I can get a little stuck out there. That’s one area where I really want to improve going forward and feel like I could have some With talk circulating that the NHL could start allowing teams to begin growth in my game there.” practicing within a month, Grzelcyk is mentally drawing on those college experiences as he thinks about what it will be like hitting the ice after *His favorite game as an NHLer? Last season’s Winter Classic in South being off it for possibly two months or more. Bend.

“Those first few skates there’s a lot of doubt, like maybe you forgot how “Such a cool experience,” he said. “When you’re younger and watching to do this thing,” said Grzelcyk during a season ticket holders’ virtual that game around New Year’s, you’re so in awe of it. Teams have town hall on Thursday. “But I think having that experience maybe put my different jerseys and those are the things you pay attention to. And for us mind at ease, that I have been in worse situations before. You just try to last year, we all dressed up as the Peaky Blinders. I thought that was a tell yourself that everyone’s in this position together and not to freak out. cool look. And there’s just a different feel, even though it’s just a regular I’m sure it’s going to be quite rusty for a long time but I think we’ll have a season game. But playing at Notre Dame, against the Blackhawks, two little training camp before we start playing, so I think that will be a huge teams, it was an unbelievable, unforgettable experience.” benefit for the players. *Who was the Charlestown native’s favorite Bruin growing up? “Knowing our medical staff and coaches, I’m sure they’ll have a great “I really liked Joe Thornton,” said Grzelcyk. “He was the first overall pick plan for when to go all out and give 100 percent and when to back off and such a good player for the team. I was devastated when he got and take your rest. I trust whatever they throw at us. Yeah, I’m sure I’ll be traded. Obviously, he’s had a great career in San Jose. He was someone a little anxious in those first few skates, but I’ve had experience with I always gravitated to. And obviously growing up being a defenseman in having a lot of time off in the past so I think I’ll be in a good mindset going Boston, it’s hard not to love and , two of the best forward.” defensemen of all time. I didn’t really get to see them play firsthand, but The NHL and NHLPA released a joint statement Wednesday saying that, I’ve gotten to know them and with my Dad (John) working at the Garden, while there is no hard date yet, there is hope that the league could he was able to share some stories about those guys.” proceed to its Phase Two of the return-to-play scenario — which would allow teams to open small group activities at NHL training facilities — by mid-to late-May. That would be contingent on the approval of local Boston Herald LOADED: 05.01.2020 governments, of course. Boston, a coronavirus hotspot, is still under stay-at-home orders, so it remains to be seen when or if B’s can get into their Brighton practice facility.

Grzelcyk said he doesn’t know much more than the general public.

“You see those reports and you get a little anxious that hockey might be coming back,” said Grzelcyk. “I think the only thing you can control is to stay in shape, obviously, and make sure you’re not slacking off when that opportunity hopefully comes pretty soon. Once we rejoin, we have to be ready to go right away. I’m not sure if it’s going to be right into playoffs or we have a few games. I hear a couple of different reports. You just have to make sure you stay in tip-top shape, that’s really all you can control and not let your mind wander.”

One thing that seems pretty clear is that, if the league is able to put together some semblance of competition this summer and fall, it won’t be done in front of fans. Grzelcyk joined a host of his teammates who’ve admitted that that will be a little strange.

“Obviously you want to get back, want to be playing as quick as possible, as long as it’s safe to do so. But it would be weird for sure,” said Grzelcyk. “We love the fans. That’s part of what makes playoff hockey so special, getting that extra boost from the crowd and getting that extra adrenaline when you get a big win or a huge goal, in a comeback game, feeding off the crowd. But at the same time it’s another chance to play playoff hockey and have another chance to go maybe deep in the playoffs and have another chance at a Stanley Cup. I think as players, we just want to be given a chance and an opportunity to achieve our goal. Obviously, we’d certainly miss that atmosphere, but we’d welcome coming back.”

Grzelcyk got just a taste of what he was missing on Tuesday when the B’s players held a full team Zoom call. After some brief catching up, it predictably devolved into a chirp-fest, said Grzelcyk. 1183693 Boston Bruins

Matt Grzelcyk explains how Bruins teammate Torey Krug helped his transition to NHL

By Nick Goss

April 30, 2020 5:55 PM

Undersized defensemen used to have trouble making NHL rosters, but that's no longer the case.

The league has consistently moved toward a faster and more skilled type of game, and a lot of this change started after the 2004-05 lockout when new rules were introduced to make the sport more exciting. The amount of undersized players who are great skaters and highly skilled is much higher in 2020 compared to 1990, and the game is in a much better place as a result.

Get the latest news and analysis on all of your teams from NBC Sports Boston by downloading the My Teams App

Bruins forward Matt Grzelcyk is one undersized player who's carved out a nice role on an NHL roster. The 5-foot-9 defenseman is living his dream playing for the Bruins after growing up in the Boston area and starring for Boston University.

He appreciatives the guys who came into the league before him and proved that players with his type of skill set and size are valuable components of winning hockey. One of those players is his Bruins teammate Torey Krug.

"Thankfully, I've had guys like Torey (Krug) pave the way and show the game is kind of going in a different direction now," Grzelcyk said Thursday during a virtual town hall with Bruins season ticket holders.

"You can use your skating ability more to skate away from defenders and break out pucks. I'm thankful I've had him to look up to and also just be part of this organization to learn what it takes to be a pro. I think going through that experience and going into the playoffs, you learn how to be consistent and how to treat your body the right way. I think that's been huge for me."

Krug is one of the best examples of how a smooth-skating and offensively gifted defenseman can thrive despite being listed at 5-foot-9. The 28-year-old defenseman has tallied 40-plus points in six of his seven seasons with the B's, including 49 points (nine goals, 40 assists) in 61 games this season. He's soon going to get a nice raise in his next contract as a result of this impressive offensive production, as well as the other qualities he brings to the ice.

The league's trend toward a faster and more skilled style of play bodes well for the Bruins given the current group of players on their roster and the prospects (most notably Jack Studnicka) who are coming soon.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 05.01.2020 1183694 Boston Bruins Kaspars Daugavins - LW, 2012-13

Kaspars Daugavins spent just three years in the NHL and was acquired by the Bruins off waivers from the Ottawa Senators. He played 12 games Bruins of the past: Players you probably forgot played in Boston for Boston between the regular season and playoffs and registered just one assist. The then 24-year-old had a pretty underwhelming stint with the black and gold, but he had a cult-like following nonetheless. By Erin Walsh Wade Redden - D, 2012-13 April 30, 2020 5:21 PM The Bruins acquired veteran defenseman Wade Redden from the St. Louis Blues during the 2012-13 season in exchange for a conditional seventh-round pick. Redden played just 11 games for the Bruins The Boston Bruins have added some pretty interesting players over the between the regular season and playoffs and tallied four points (two years, but you've probably forgotten about many of them over the last goals, two assists). He had a pretty successful career with the Senators, two decades. but it was odd to see him finish in a B's uniform. When you think about this topic, there's at least one player that will Andrej Meszaros- D, 2013-14 immediately pop into your mind. Now, some were better than others, but it's always interesting to reflect on players of the past. The Bruins acquired Andrej Meszaros in a trade with the Philadelphia Flyers during the 2013-14 season in exchange for a third-round draft With that being said, let's take a look at the players you probably forgot pick. He played just 18 games for Boston between the regular season wore the Spoked B since 2000. and playoffs, and tallied seven points (two goals, five assists). Marty Turco - G, 2011-12 Niklas Svedberg - G, 2013-15 Remember Marty Turco? His gold pads were awesome, but his stats in Niklas Svedberg actually wasn't a horrible backup goaltender during his Boston were subpar. Turco played for the B's during the 2011-12 season tenure with the Bruins. In 19 games played he went 8-5-1 with a 2.31 and went 2-2-0 for the black and gold with a 3.86 goals-against average GAA and a .920 save percentage. The only time he spent in the NHL and a .855 save percentage... not exactly ideal, but he did only play five was those short stints in two seasons with Boston. games for the Bruins. Simon Gagne - LW, 2014-15 - D, 2003-04 Simon Gagne played just 23 games for the Bruins during the 2014-15 Yes, Sergei Gonchar had a short stint with the B's. Boston acquired the season, and it was his last one in the NHL. The then 34-year-old tallied two-time All-Star from the Washington Capitals during the 2003-04 four points (three goals, one assist) and didn't necessarily contribute season in exchange for Shaone Morrisonn and their first and second- much on either side of the puck. round selections in the 2004 draft. Gonchar tallied 14 points (five goals, nine assists) in 22 games with the Bruins, including playoffs. Max Talbot - C, 2014-16

Brad Boyes - RW, 2005-07 The Bruins acquired Max Talbot from the Colorado Avalanche during the 2014-15 season in exchange for Jordan Caron and a sixth-round pick. Brad Boyes pretty much began his young career with the Bruins after Talbot scored just two goals and eight assists through 58 games with the playing just one game for the San Jose Sharks during the 2003-04 Bruins... not his best, but he never really was that strong of a player to season. He tallied 103 points (39 goals, 64 assists) through 144 regular begin with -- he hit the 30-point mark once in his 11-year career. season games with the Bruins before being traded to the St. Louis Blues for Dennis Wideman. John Michael-Liles - D, 2015-17

Zach Hamill - C, 2009-12 The Bruins acquired John Michael-Liles during the 2015-16 season from the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for Anthony Camara and two draft The Bruins selected Zach Hamill with the eighth overall pick in the 2007 picks. He tallied just 13 assists through 59 games with the Bruins, but draft, and it's one of the worst first-round picks ever made by Boston. In proved to be a decent acquisition for Boston. 20 games played with the Bruins, Hamill notched just four assists. His entire career was underwhelming, and 2012 was his last year in the NHL -- three short seasons. Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 05.01.2020 Mike Mottau - D, 2011-12

The Bruins acquired Mike Mottau and Brian Rolston in a trade with the in exchange for Yannick Riendeau and Marc Cantin during the 2011-12 season. Mottau played just six games for Boston, and did not tally a single point. He was also a minus one in those games, but he wasn't the big get in the B's trade with the Islanders.

Brian Rolston - C, 1999-04 & 2011-12

Sure, you probably remember Brian Rolston's first stint with the Bruins from 1999-2004, but he was also acquired in the Mottau trade, and played 21 games for the Bruins during the 2011-12 season -- tallying 15 points (three goals, 12 assists). The forward was actually pretty productive for Boston in his first go-around with the organization, recording 236 points (101 goals, 135 assists) over four and a half seasons.

Carter Camper - C, 2011-12

There's not much to say about Carter Kamper. He played three games for the Bruins and tallied just one assist. Those three games were the only ones he saw in the NHL.

Joe Corvo - D, 2011-12

Joe Corvo was decent for the Bruins in 2011-12. He tallied 25 points (four goals, 21 assists) in 75 games with a plus-10 rating. He's another player that there's really not much to say about because he only spent one season with the Bruins. 1183695 Boston Bruins

This Date in Bruins History: B's take first step toward 1972 Stanley Cup title

By Nick Goss

April 30, 2020 12:03 PM

The Boston Bruins have fond memories of Game 1s in playoff series played on April 30.

It was on this date in 1972 that the Bruins beat the New York Rangers in an exciting 6-5 Game 1 of the 1972 Stanley Cup Final at the old . The B's scored two shorthanded goals en route to the series- opening victory. Bruins forward Ken Hodge led the way with a hat trick.

The Bruins ultimately beat the Rangers in six games to claim their second Stanley Cup title in three seasons. Bobby Orr won his second Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP. The B's would not win another championship until 2011.

Speaking of 2011, the Bruins opened their second-round series versus the Philadelphia Flyers on April 30. This series was extra personal for the B's after they blew a 3-0 series lead over the Flyers and lost their 2010 second-round matchup.

Boston won Game 1 behind an offensive explosion as David Krejci and each score twice in the 7-3 victory at Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia.

The Bruins took another 3-0 series lead over the Flyers and finished the job with a sweep. Boston went on to win the Stanley Cup a few weeks later to end its 39-year title drought.

The B's have a 4-3 record in games played on April 30, although they've lost their last two -- second-round defeats to the in 2019 and Tampa Bay Lightning in 2018.

Here are some other notable games played on this date.

1999, Eastern Conference Qtrs: 4-3 win in 2OT at Hurricanes

1974 Semifinals: 4-2 win at Blackhawks*

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 05.01.2020 1183696 Boston Bruins setting a net-front screen on James Reimer, sent Game 7 into with a long-distance snapper.

Of course, the Bruins were going to win. The 10 best Bruins moments of the past 20 years In overtime, as Jaromir Jagr missed a shift because of an equipment issue, Tyler Seguin took his spot next to Bergeron. Reimer stuffed By Fluto Shinzawa Seguin’s short-distance shot, but Bergeron jammed in the winner and the Bruins were off to the second round. Apr 30, 2020 Bruins Leafs Game 7 comeback

6. Tim Thomas clears waivers (Jan. 10, 2006) The past two decades have been good to the Bruins. They won the Stanley Cup in 2011. They could have grabbed two more titles in 2013 The Bruins needed a goalie. Andrew Raycroft had hurt his leg. Hannu and 2019. The will welcome several of the Toivonen was unavailable because of an ankle injury. Tim Thomas, the organization’s building blocks when they tuck away their skates. starter in Providence, was next man up. Thomas, 31 years old at the time, needed to pass through re-entry waivers before he could land in Yes, there were some bleak stretches in the 2000s and the back-to-back Boston. postseason misses in 2015 and 2016. Twenty-nine teams could have nabbed Thomas for nothing. They all But the progression of the past 20 years signals more good things to passed. Thomas would go on to win the Vezina twice and claim the Conn come in the next 20. Smythe when the Bruins won the Cup in 2011.

Here are the 10 biggest and best moments, on the ice and off, of these 5. Home run at the 2006 draft (June 24, 2006) past two decades: Erik Johnson, Jordan Staal, and Nicklas Backstrom 10. Bruins promote Bruce Cassidy (Feb. 7, 2017) were the first four selections of 2006. By the time the Bruins were ready to pick fifth overall, there was just one choice: Phil Kessel. The explosive The Bruins were out of the playoff picture. They were headed for their forward was coming off a freshman season at the University of third straight postseason no-show. It would cost Claude Julien his job. Minnesota in which he scored 18 goals and 33 assists. Bruce Cassidy, brought up from Providence at the start of the season, Drafting Kessel didn’t require much from the Bruins’ amateur scouting assumed command, albeit earlier than anyone would have liked. staff. They earned their salaries in Rounds 2 and 3. Cassidy’s priorities included increasing pace of play, denying entries at the blue line and keeping pucks near the net instead of using the points. At No. 50, the Bruins picked Milan Lucic, who had scored 19 points the previous season. In the third round, they picked Brad Marchand, a feisty Two days later against San Jose, Cassidy won his first game as head and mouthy forward coming off a 66-point season. coach. The Bruins went on an 18-8-1 run to make the playoffs, where they lost to Ottawa in the first round. Fourteen years later, Kessel, Marchand and Lucic have combined for 2,028 points. Kessel (861 points) is the No. 2 scorer from the 2006 class, Under Cassidy’s leadership, the Bruins have become a consistent trailing only Backstrom (927). Marchand (646) is fifth. Lucic (521) is powerhouse with elite goaltending, air-tight defense, a dominant No. 1 seventh. line and a dangerous power play. 4. Claude Julien hired (June 22, 2007) 9. Bruins acquire Nathan Horton and Gregory Campbell (June 22, 2010) Chiarelli was in a tough spot. After a rotten 2006-07 season, Chiarelli Dennis Wideman was a good two-way defenseman for the Bruins. He declared safe for the following year. But with Claude Julien was 27 years old, still in the sweet spot of his career. available after New Jersey let him go, Chiarelli changed his mind, turfing But the Bruins needed not just a shakeup but up-front upgrades after Lewis after just one season. their second-round meltdown against Philadelphia that spring (when they It turned out to be arguably the best move Chiarelli ever made. blew a 3-0 series lead). David Krejci, who was developing into a top-two center, needed right-side help. The Bruins wanted a more complete Julien entered Boston with a mandate for black-and-white clarity. He told fourth-line center than Steve Begin. players exactly what he wanted them to do. Julien rewarded good execution. He was hard on players who underperformed. They got their men via the Panthers. Nathan Horton became the No. 1 right wing. Gregory Campbell settled into fourth-line duty between Daniel The Bruins played hard, kept their net free of pucks and transitioned Paille and Shawn Thornton. They were critical additions to the rapidly to offense after they forced opposing turnovers. They made the championship roster. playoffs in 2007-08, Julien’s first season. This streak lasted until 2015.

8. Bruins acquire (June 24, 2006) 3. Zdeno Chara and Marc Savard sign as free agents (July 1, 2006)

The Bruins had hired Peter Chiarelli as general manager. But Ottawa, The Bruins were not always known as liberal spenders. That changed Chiarelli’s former employer, wanted its assistant GM to stay through the quickly. 2006 draft. So it fell upon interim GM Jeff Gorton to execute the trade for Tuukka Rask, selected 21st overall the previous year. Andrew Raycroft, With Gorton in the interim GM seat, the Bruins invested $57.5 million in the Rookie of the Year in 2003-04, went the other way. Zdeno Chara and Marc Savard, two of that summer’s most significant unrestricted free agents. Rask, the second goalie picked in 2005 after Carey Price (No. 5), was coming off a strong season with Ilves Tampere. He would not report to The 29-year-old Chara was allowed to leave by Ottawa, even though he North America until 2007. It was worth the wait. scored 43 points in 2005-06. Savard, 28, had served as Ilya Kovalchuk’s setup man in Atlanta, where he recorded 97 points. Since Rask became a full-time NHL player in 2009, the Bruins have not had to worry about starting goaltending. That’s a long time. By opening up the checkbook, Gorton locked up a No. 1 defenseman and a No. 1 center. Both have left legacies, especially Chara, the man 7. Game 7 comeback against Toronto (May 13, 2013) who has touched multiple generations of Bruins players.

The Bruins were dead. Nazem Kadri had given the Maple Leafs a 4-1 “He’s just been so influential in my career in the way he prepares,” Torey lead at 5:29 of the third period. Krejci even pulled out one of the classic Krug told Bruins fans during a video town hall on Tuesday. “I’m very game-over maneuvers: a dejected slap shot into his own net, practically honored that I could sit next to him in the locker room for as long as I did before Kadri even raised his arms in celebration. in the old TD Garden locker room and pick up little things here and there. He’s been a huge influence on my career.” But then came the rally. Horton made it a 4-2 game at 9:18. With Rask off for a sixth attacker, Milan Lucic pulled the Bruins within one at 18:38. 2. Bruins draft Patrice Bergeron (June 21, 2003) Then with 50.2 seconds remaining in their season, with Zdeno Chara The 2003 draft was a generational class. Thirteen players picked that year have appeared in 1,000 or more NHL games.

Only one of them was not picked in the first round.

Seventeen years later, it is inconceivable that 44 players were selected before Patrice Bergeron. He scored 73 points for Acadie-Bathurst in his draft year. Scouts were already noting his processing power.

The Bruins are thankful the teenager didn’t make more of an impression.

Bergeron made the 2003-04 varsity roster as an 18-year-old. He dominated the AHL the following year during the NHL lockout. The same season, when his country came calling, the 19-year-old lined up with Sidney Crosby and Corey Perry to lead Canada to gold in the 2005 World Junior Championship. Bergeron was named one of the Bruins’ alternate captains in 2006-07 at just 21 years old.

He was just getting started. Selke trophies, Olympic gold and the Cup were in Bergeron’s future.

Patrice Bergeron

1. Bruins win the Cup (June 15, 2011)

The euphoria the Bruins experienced in Vancouver wasn’t just about winning Game 7 over the Canucks. It was the outburst culminating from all they accomplished during that ride: winning three Game 7s, overcoming calamitous injuries to Nathan Horton and Marc Savard, digging out of a 2-0 first-round hole going into , scrapping like a gang of roughnecks whenever tempers flared.

Perhaps the most rewarding perk was creating friendships that will last for life.

“It’s nice to see we still have a really good relationship after all these years,” Krejci said on a video call on Monday. “That’s why you play the sport, right? You want to create lots of memories and stay friends when you’re done playing.”

Seguin, a rookie, turned 19 that season and was just beginning his NHL career. Mark Recchi was 43 and saying goodbye to his. Between those two, a roster stuffed with talent, heart and perseverance brought the Cup to Boston for the first time in 39 years.

The Athletic LOADED: 05.01.2020 1183697 Boston Bruins Cassidy remembers each one and has a story, or two, to explain his experiences with the men who helped develop him as a player.

“I was not really friendly with coaches,” Cassidy said. “I was a good The coaching education of Bruce Cassidy: How many voices molded his student, and I thought a good hockey player for a while, so I always got vision along with all my coaches and teachers, but they were authorities, so I separated them. You can’t form a friendship with people of authority; I don’t know why I thought that when I was younger, so I stayed away from By Joe McDonald coaches other than ‘hello’ and listened and try to do what they asked.

Apr 30, 2020 “I never thought I would end up in that profession.”

Cassidy’s path to this point in his life and career has been well documented. A first-round pick (No. 18 overall) of the Blackhawks in The first time Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy was cut from a hockey team 1983, Cassidy was a top defensive prospect whose playing career was came when he was 15, when he tried out for the Midget A squad cut short by injuries. He was known as a cerebral player, so coaching composed of 16-year-olds. seemed like a natural progression. The coach was Murray Kuntz, who played pro hockey, including seven As he moved up the ranks as a player, Cassidy encountered some all- games for the St. Louis Blues in 1974-75. Kuntz was a nice man, time great coaches. In the OHL, he played for legendary Ottawa 67’s Cassidy recalled — though the former NHL defenseman remains bitter coach . Cassidy was the 67’s No. 1 pick in 1982 and after two about not making the team. seasons, he celebrated with the organization’s first Memorial Cup. He “I was good, but I wasn’t great. I thought I would make the 16-year-old registered 95 points, including 22 points in 13 playoff games. He team,” explained Cassidy. “All the 15-year-olds were cut, so I played with remembers Kilrea as a screamer. all my buddies on the B team.” “The thing about Brian was he didn’t try to make you into something He’d get a shot at payback, however. you’re not,” Cassidy remembers. “He was good that way – excellent.”

Cassidy was called up to the team for a holiday tournament in December. Kilrea remembered Cassidy as quiet, talented and easy to coach. It was a big deal to play in the Air Canada Cup, and if your team won the “Coaching him, I didn’t do anything, because he was so talented,” Kilrea districts, players would receive new pants and gloves, and the team said. “What can you tell a guy that does everything? When he came he would fly to Nova Scotia for the main tournament. Cassidy’s team could move the puck. He could play defense, so you just sort of let him eventually lost 3-2 in overtime, squandering their chance at the new gear. alone. The one thing about Bruce, he never said a word. I remember we “For me, a poor kid, and our parents really had to piece it together to get made a trade and got a partner for him, a fellow named Roy Myllari, and me and my brother to play, so I was looking forward to a chance to get when they got together neither one of them would say anything except to new gloves, new pants, and I had never been on an airplane,” Cassidy each other. said. “We lost 3-2 and I was like, ‘Are you kidding me? I’m not even part “Bruce was always one step ahead when he played. He could play the of this team and I was probably as pissed as anybody. ‘There goes my game in his head as well as he could with his feet, so he was easy to gloves. There goes my new pants and I’ve got to wear my brother’s shit coach and thank goodness we had him. He’s one of those stories of again next season.’ I would’ve had new stuff but had to wear the hand- things working out for the best. Bruce got an injury that curtailed his me-downs.” playing career, and he would have been unbelievable in the National At the end of that season, Cassidy and his 15-year-old teammates finally League because of his talent, but because of it he ends up coaching.” got their revenge against the A team and coach Kuntz. During his pro career, Cassidy played for in the IHL. They “We played in a tournament at the end of the year and we beat that A were together during the 1988-89 season with the Saginaw Hawks and team,” Cassidy recalled with pride. It was an important win for Cassidy then the following season won a championship with the . personally, helping to set him on the path to the NHL. There were scouts “The thing Darryl was good at was he could always push you a little bit in attendance, and that game helped get him on the radar. Cassidy was more. Deep down mentally he could get you, but he built my mental drafted and played the following season for a Tier II team at the Junior A toughness, so I’ll give him a lot of credit for that,” Cassidy said. level. ’s first season coaching the Blackhawks in 1988-89, “That started my true hockey career,” he said. “So, the decision that Cassidy was up and down between Saginaw and Chicago. In two coach made to cut me is pretty interesting the way it worked out in the seasons, he only played a total of 11 games for Keenan, but Cassidy has end. I would see him and he’d say, ‘Hi, Bruce.’ He was a nice man, but I a few gems about his former coach. don’t think he remembers cutting me from that team.” During one call-up, Cassidy met the team on the road and the Think again. Blackhawks had lost the night before in terrible fashion. Some of the Kuntz, now 74, remembers Cassidy, and that season, well. veterans warned Cassidy of a potential bag skate at practice. When it started there were no pucks on the ice, and then suddenly Keenan “He was a helluva hockey player when he was a kid and we would bring jumped onto the ice in full gear and participated in a scrimmage. him up for a big tournament,” recalled Kuntz. “He was such a talent at that age. He was on the lower team and we would bring him up for “He always tried to keep the players guessing,” Cassidy said. “He did a tournaments with us, because he was better than all the coaches we had lot to challenge guys, but I wasn’t there enough.” on our midget team at that time when he was 15.” Cassidy also remembers one game against the at Kuntz said the last time he spoke with Cassidy was when he coached the when he played only one 47-second shift. Washington Capitals, a role he was fired from in 2003. Still, the former It gets better. coach is happy for all the success Cassidy has experienced with the Bruins. As a lifelong Bruins fan, Cassidy finally had his chance to play at the Boston Garden. It was his only game in that building and he wanted to “It’s been unbelievable,” Kuntz said. “One of the toughest jobs in the memorable, even though Keenan wasn’t giving Cassidy too world is to coach NHL guys, especially some of the superstars. When he much ice time. went into Washington, he was young and it was really tough on him, but he really knows the game and he’s done really well in Boston.” “Mike would mumble on the bench and had a lot of too-many-men penalties,” Cassidy said with a laugh. Kuntz was just one in a long line of coaches who helped mold Cassidy into the player and the coach he ultimately became. Cassidy spent the majority of the game on the bench. At one point the Bruins had a 6-0 lead en route to an 8-2 victory. Cassidy wasn’t content Leonard Cassidy never coached his son in hockey. That relationship took to sit idly by any longer. place on the baseball diamond, where Cassidy also thrived. His hockey education, however, was left to the professionals. “I thought he said my name, so over the boards I go. I heard, ‘Where the he can call me anytime he wants, because I’m going to ask him more fuck are you going?’ I never looked back. I’m gone,” Cassidy said. “I’m at questions than he going to ask me.’ I’m a fan. He called, we chatted and the Boston Garden and I know he’s not going to play me again, so I’m he was excellent. I respect him. He’s been in the game a long time.” going out there. I took a spin on the B at center ice and was like, ‘See ya later, boys.’ I’ll deal with it when I get back. I wasn’t typically that guy but The two live in the same Boston neighborhood, talk often and sit down we got waxed that game. I remember Ray Bourque slashing me and I for coffee occasionally during the offseason when Sinden returns from was like, ‘That’s OK, Ray, go right ahead.’ I enjoyed my moment around his winter home in Florida. the ice. I don’t think he said anything to me when I got back to the bench “We talk hockey and I respect his opinion,” Cassidy said. “He never because we were getting our ass kicked so bad.” oversteps his bounds and always answers the phone when I call. It’s Toward the end of his playing career, Cassidy was one of the older been good. Because he’s coached I like talking to him. You talk about players in the minors, so he took on the role of mentor to the younger coaching a coach, there’s a guy in a roundabout way who has helped me players. He didn’t realize it at the time, but it was the start of his coaching since I’ve been here.” career and the organization took notice. Since he’s been in the organization for 50 years, Sinden understands the As a coach, however, Cassidy considers himself self-taught. intense scrutiny and media attention that comes with working in Boston. There are few who can relate to Cassidy’s position the way Sinden can. “I never really had a guy who was a mentor to me,” he said. “I don’t know if there was ever a coach that made me think about coaching.” “I like my chats with Harry,” Cassidy said.

Since he didn’t have any coaching mentors, Cassidy would read As Bruins coach, Cassidy leads a tight-knit group, everyone working well coaching books, something he still does today. He’s currently reading together and getting along. The entire staff always eats dinner before “The Teenage Brain: A neuroscientist’s survival guide to raising every game at the rink, whether at home or on the road. Routinely, adolescents and young adults.” Cassidy, Joe Sacco, , Jay Pandolfo and Bob Essensa also dine together on off-days during road trips. Or, he would reach out to former teammates and friends for coaching advice. His Blackhawks team photos are a who’s who of solid hockey “What I love about our staff, there are no outliers. No one dominates the minds, including , Bob Murray, Doug Wilson, Denis conversation. It’s a good group,” Cassidy said. Savard, , and Sutter. Under his guidance, the Bruins have posted three consecutive 100-point When Cassidy retired at 31, it took only 10 days before he landed a seasons, including a trip to the Stanley Cup Final in 2019 before losing head-coaching job with Jacksonville of the East Coast Hockey League in Game 7 to the St. Louis Blues. When the NHL paused its season due to 1996. He was the only coach on staff and the team’s general manager COVID-19, the Bruins led the league with 100 points. was younger and had little hockey experience. Cassidy has earned the respect of his players and his peers around the After two seasons in Jacksonville, he was hired to coach the Indianapolis league. He’s learned to adapt and have success in an era of younger Ice of the IHL in 1998. Again, zero assistants. players and he’s built himself an impressive resume. He doesn’t owe it all to any one coach, but many have shaped his understanding of how to be For Cassidy’s one season behind the bench for the of the a successful leader. Now, he wants his players to realize this: “When ECHL in 1999-2000 he was allowed to hire an assistant, so he brought in people get to know me, like these young players, they realize, ‘Wow. His Mike Haviland, who would later serve as a Blackhawks assistant coach. bark is worse than his bite. He cares about his players.’” Then, as coach in Grand Rapids (IHL/AHL) from 2000 to 2002, Cassidy hired , the current men’s hockey coach at Michigan State Some, admittedly, a little more than others. On top of his Bruins University, as an assistant. responsibilities, Cassidy is coaching two young players who are just getting started in their hockey careers: his 11-year-0ld daughter, Obviously, it all changed when Cassidy was hired to coach the Capitals Shannon, and 9-year-old son, Cole. in 2002. The organization hired , along with , to serve as assistants under Cassidy, who was only 37.

“Randy definitely helped me, but I was still the ,” Cassidy The Athletic LOADED: 05.01.2020 said.

After his brief stint with the Capitals, Cassidy coached in the Blackhawks organization (2004-06) and served as an assistant under first-time coach Trent Yawney for the Norfolk Admirals during the NHL lockout season in 2004-05. Later, Cassidy coached junior hockey for the OHL’s in 2006-07.

Cassidy interviewed for the vacant head-coaching job with the in 2008. The Bruins decided to promote from within and named to the position. Cassidy was offered the assistant role.

“Murr was great,” Cassidy said. “We had a pretty good thing going.”

After three seasons as an assistant, Cassidy served as head coach in Providence for five seasons. During his time there, Cassidy learned Bruins coach Claude Julien’s defensive-zone coverage. As a former defenseman, Cassidy understood the importance of layers, so he particularly appreciated Julien’s system.

Cassidy was named an assistant under Julien in 2016, then assumed the top role when the Bruins fired Julien in February 2017.

Cassidy may consider himself self-taught, but now that he’s again at the highest level, he has learned to lean on at least one sage voice for a little bit of wisdom: .

While coaching in Providence, Cassidy had met legendary the Bruins coach, general manager and team president only once. On the day Cassidy was named the 28th coach in Bruins history, however, general manager had a question for the newest bench boss.

“When I got the job, Donnie said, ‘Do you mind if Harry calls you?’ I said, ‘Harry Sinden, (Cup winner) in 1970 and ’72, and Team Canada? Listen, 1183698 Buffalo Sabres prospect reports. However, meetings with smaller groups have shifted to Zoom, a video teleconference service. The latter has slowed some aspects of the pre-draft process, Sexton said.

Sabres get help from Bills in readying for maybe-virtual NHL draft These in-person meetings are typically animated, with scouts lobbying for the team to draft a prospect from their respective region. A lack of in- person cues can muddle the conversations. The process has been By Lance Lysowski slowed because the Sabres prefer to gather in smaller groups, especially when finalizing their rankings. Published Fri, May 1, 2020 "We go through each region," Sexton said. "Typically we do that via

conference call, so nothing has changed there, but what’s changed is the Preparations for the 's entry draft have been entire staff interaction as we have started to create a list and massage it moved from conference rooms to conference calls, and the Buffalo and look for anomalies where we have a player too high on the list or too Sabres aren't sure when they will pick in the first round or when the event low on the list. It’s been more cumbersome and has taken more calls will be held. because we don’t want to have massive calls with 30-plus people on it. We want to do things smaller and generate more interaction. It’s been However, it's almost certain General Manager Jason Botterill won't be more intricate from that perspective, but everything else has flowed the announcing the pick on a stage at Montreal's Bell , where the way we typically do it." event was scheduled for June 26-27. With mandates in place preventing large public gatherings, the NHL is expected to follow the National The Sabres will rely on technology to help them prepare for the likelihood Football League's lead in holding the draft virtually with Commissioner there won't be a scouting combine, which was originally scheduled for Gary Bettman announcing each selection remotely. June 1-6 in Buffalo's KeyBank Center and LECOM Harborcenter. The event's postponement caused the Sabres to use video conference calls The nontraditional format has caused general managers and amateur to interview prospects, but the lack of on-ice testing creates an additional scouting staffs to prepare for every possible scenario — and the Sabres layer of necessary research. Teams are searching for other methods to may have a slight advantage over the competition. Bills General Manager measure a prospect's speed, strength and agility. Brandon Beane and coach Sean McDermott shared with Botterill the problems and solutions they discovered during the NFL's three-day, "The fact there’s no on-ice testing is a concern, but again, it’s something seven-round virtual draft last weekend. that everybody is in the same boat," Sexton said. "We have to work harder, dig up more information, do more due diligence to make sure "I think it’s more than a possibility; I think it’s an absolute certainty," we’re on top of every facet to consider, rather than relying strictly on test Sabres Assistant General Manager Randy Sexton told The Buffalo News results." of the NHL holding a virtual draft. "We’re fortunate with the Bills. Brandon Beane and Sean have been tremendous with sharing their approach to The cancellation of prospects' postseason tournaments caused the things – the snafus to be careful on and watch for and plan for. Jason Sabres to begin their pre-draft process earlier than usual. Botterill's staff spent a lot of time talking to those guys. That’s been really helpful." must prepare for every possible scenario, including the draft being held before the season resumes. League officials have expressed an interest The Bills, though, benefited from a more normal draft preparation. In- in holding a virtual event sometime in June, though it's unclear how draft person interviews and on-field testing were done at the combine in order would be determined. February, and prominent postseason all-star games weren't affected by the coronavirus pandemic. The Sabres, on the other hand, have to get The Sabres' .493 points percentage gives them the seventh-best odds if creative while finalizing their prospect rankings. a lottery is held. They are in line to draft in the top 10 for the eighth consecutive year, and this will be Botterill's fourth draft since joining the Most in-person player evaluations were halted when the National Hockey Sabres, though his amateur scouting director, Ryan Jankowski, did not League suspended its season May 12 in response to the coronavirus arrive until after the 2017 class was selected. pandemic. Professional and junior leagues across the globe canceled their postseasons, including the 's Memorial While the uncertainty has affected pre-draft preparations, the NHL found Cup. some solace that the NFL did not experience any significant hiccups.

The IIHF Under-18 World Championships also were canceled. Under "I said to Bottsy, 'Be sure to thank the guys at the Bills for being the normal circumstances, scouts and executives would not complete their guinea pigs for us," Sexton joked. "It’s nice of them to do, but those guys in-person, on-ice evaluations with this draft class until the Memorial Cup are such pros. They had everything planned to a T, and they’ve been in late May. Scouts track draft-eligible prospects years before they are great to share the information with us. Hopefully technologically we won't selected, however, and the final months of the season are an opportunity have any snafoos or operationally, either." to confirm his or her thoughts on specific players. Teams take particular interest in how a player responds in adverse situations, such as a close game in a postseason tournament. Buffalo News LOADED: 05.01.2020 The cancellation of games caused the Sabres to rely on video scouting to finish their evaluations. Although the footage is useful in measuring a player's talent, games shot with a single camera often miss what happens away from the puck. While Sexton noted a shift in approach has not drastically altered Buffalo's prospect rankings, he detailed the challenges his staff faces when relying on more video.

"There’s no context, because the camera always follows the puck," Sexton said. "Taking everything in, in the context of the game. Was there a skirmish on the line change that the camera doesn’t catch and did the guy you like respond the right way or the wrong way? What’s the coach’s interaction? What are his teammates’ interaction? What’s his body language like? There’s a whole host of visual, physical things that are lost in the video scouting.

"We’ve done our best to try and normalize that as best as we can. There is a little bit of it, but we’ve been saying to our guys that there isn’t going to be context. Don’t invent it. Watch what you watch, record, take your notes, write your reports and be prepared to discuss it."

Video is the new normal for the Sabres. Some aspects of their approach haven't changed, though. Botterill's staff still holds teleconference calls when the full-time scouts deliver their annual region-by-region, pre-draft 1183699 Buffalo Sabres

Is Jack Eichel the MVP of NHL? Winnipeg's Mark Scheifele thinks so

By Staff

Published Thu, Apr 30, 2020|Updated Thu, Apr 30, 2020

If Winnipeg Jets forward Mark Scheifele had a vote for the as the NHL's most valuable player to his team, his pick would be the Sabres' Jack Eichel.

Mark’s , Non-Official, NHL Awards recipients for the season (so far) were posted on The Players Tribune on Thursday.

Scheifele wrote:

I’m not sure if this is a controversial opinion, but my vote goes to Jack Eichel.

Look, I play in the Western Conference. I know — I know — how good Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid are. They are incredible and just unplayable during some shifts. Leon is probably the smartest player in the game. Connor … well, everyone knows him. And guys like Nathan MacKinnon and David Pastrnak deserve some praise as well, absolutely.

But, like I said, the most valuable player to his team? Jack Eichel.

He’s 23 years old, he’s got 337 points in 354 games and, believe me, he gets the toughest assignments every night. Whenever we play Buffalo, he’s the first guy we look to try to nullify. He’s a monster in the offensive end and an absolute pain to play against when you’re trying to score. He can do it all. He’s one of the most complete forwards in the game. And he doesn’t take a shift off. I’ve been watching a lot of the Sabres this year whenever I get the time because of how dominant he is when he’s on the ice. Every time he steps out there he seems like he’s just got another gear over everyone else. To do that night in and night out? That’s impressive.

Love this play here from him.

It’s almost like Jack has the puck already and he’s actually just trying to beat the Blackhawks’ defender. Look at the way he feints his hips toward the boards, he wants the D-man to drop the puck to his trailing teammate. He’s a few seconds ahead of everyone on the ice. Then he beats future Hall of Famer and draws the pokecheck out of the goalie before putting the puck in the net. There’s like 15 small things that happen in that play that most guys in the league can’t do.

There are guys who might look at the scoreboard in a game like that and not forecheck with that sort of focus, that sort of intensity.

Buffalo News LOADED: 05.01.2020 1183700 Calgary Flames At this moment, the young man can play at a high level. But it’s his upside, according to Loob, that the Flames would love to tap.

“One more step and he can be a force.” ‘One more step and he can be a force’: Flames continue to restock depleted D-corps This is the classic case of a late-bloomer.

Kinnvall has never represented his country at any level. He was never drafted by an NHL team — or even ranked by Central Scouting — and he By Scott Cruickshank didn’t expect to ever be selected.

Apr 30, 2020 As a junior in Gävle, he says he’d been OK — “Not the best player” — before moving on to Valbo, for whom he had “two great years.” After spending time with Brynäs IF, he skated for Timrå IK in 2018-19 — Calgary’s sudden run on free-agent defencemen is understandable. collecting 22 points, including a dozen goals, during a real building block of a year. The Flames, after all, have not selected a blueliner in 14 consecutive draft choices. With the 16th overall pick in 2017, they nabbed top-flight Then came this past season’s outburst with HV71, 40 points in 51 dates. prospect Juuso Välimäki — then opted for centre, wing, centre, wing, centre, wing, centre, centre, wing, wing, centre, wing, centre, goalie. “Everything’s just breaking out right now,” Kinnvall said. “I’ve just worked hard and had a lot of fun. Everything keeps rolling and now, I’m here. I’m The streak, still active, has left the Flames’ prospect cupboard a tad bare, so happy for that. I don’t know what more to say. It’s a really big dream rearguard-wise. (As has graduating the youthful likes of Rasmus come true for me, so I’m so excited.” Andersson, Oliver Kylington, Välimäki to the mother ship.) Now he’s writing a backstory similar to David Rittich’s — undrafted, The pause in the season has afforded the Flames a chance to rectify that unheralded, then in demand. situation, securing the services of several highly-regarded backpedallers. Loob says teenagers can get disillusioned when they are ignored by NHL First, they rustled up a pair of college stars — North Dakota’s Colton teams or cut from world junior squads. Poolman and Connor Mackey of Minnesota State University — and now they’ve added Johannes Kinnvall, who agreed to an entry-level pact on But he thinks the club system in Europe allows raw players an Wednesday. opportunity to develop, to grow their games in the second division.

There is plenty to like about the latest hopeful — a 5-foot-11, 185-pound “Then, all of a sudden, you get a chance to pop up,” Loob said. “The elite Swede who this summer turns 23 years old. The right-handed rearguard league is really, really strong here. Slowly but surely, if you are a little bit just finished pacing his club, HV71, in scoring. No small feat. of a late bloomer, nobody’s going to get rid of you when you’re 20, 21 years old. You’re going to get a chance.” “Well, you know what? He’s always had an upside with his offensive game,” Håkan Loob said, the Flames’ head of pro scouting in Europe. And the season Kinnvall just enjoyed, leading his group at the age of 22, “He’s a skilled . He really knows what to do with the puck. is certainly loud proof of that. Only one blueliner on the entire circuit — He’s really good on the power play. He moves fairly well. He’s got a Rögle BK’s Kodie Curran, a 30-year-old from Calgary (who previously really good shot. He’s on his way to becoming something every team is played for the AJHL Canucks and the U of C Dinos) — piled up more looking for, wherever you’re at in the world. points than Kinnvall.

“If he can get a little stronger in the game he’s carrying today, then I like “Oh yeah, that was a really big breakout for me,” Kinnvall said. “I mean, it. I like it a lot. I’m really happy that we signed him.” 40 points — that’s a lot in the Swedish league as a defender. That, for sure, was my breakout. I think the offensive game is the biggest part of And if the Flames seem thrilled by the development, you should hear the my game. The hockey sense that I have helps me a lot in the offensive kid. zone.

On the phone from Jönköping, before tucking into a celebratory dinner “So that was a good year for me.” with his girlfriend, Kinnvall can barely contain himself. No shock, there had been interest from other NHL teams. Not only had “I mean, I’m really excited,” he said. “This is a dream come true, for sure. Kinnvall built up a sincere relationship with Loob, but be he also attended This is something I’ve been working for my entire life. Now that it’s reality, the Flames’ development camp last year. that’s amazing. I’m so excited to be part of the Calgary Flames organization. “I thought bringing him over was a heck of a good move,” Loob said. “So it was not only me seeing him, it was other people getting a good look.” “I’m so happy I can’t stop smiling.” Reportedly, the Washington Capitals had also been partial to the mobile The two-year contract signed by Kinnvall — pronounced Shinvall, “like defenceman. But when the Flames made their pitch, Kinnvall picked up a shinpad,” Loob said with a laugh — doesn’t begin until 2021-22. In other pen — thanks, in part, to his time at WinSport last July. words, he’ll spend another winter in the Swedish league, adding another layer of expertise to his game, particularly in his own zone. “I just loved the city and how the organization was working,” he said. “I had a really good experience last summer. There were a couple of teams Both parties felt that arrangement was for the best. I was speaking to, but when the Calgary Flames said they wanted to sign me, it was really easy for me to decide.” “He knows what it’s all about,” Loob said. “He said, ‘Right now maybe I’m not ready to play up in the NHL. I probably need one more year.’ That Growing up, Kinnvall didn’t need to look far to find rooting interests. He just shows maturity. He understands what he’s all about and what he’s admired countrymen Erik Karlsson and, of course, Nicklas Lidström, star taken on as challenges. He’s a smart kid. Most kids, if they get a chance, of the Red Wings. “Detroit was kind of a Swede team when I was they jump on it and try to run faster than their legs can carry them. younger,” he said, “so I was always looking at them.”

“This kid, when I interviewed him, said that he’d had great success. A These days, of course, it’s the Flames who have embraced the Tre guy (with his numbers) would probably think that they knew the world and Kronor. could probably play on the first power-play unit in the NHL. But this kid? His character. He’s intelligent. He knows what’s going on. I appreciate Kinnvall says he’s never met any of the Swedes on Calgary’s roster, but that a lot.” he’s from Gävle — just like right-winger Elias Lindholm.

Already working out and practising with HV71 — he’d skated earlier in He laughs. “We are not friends, but, hopefully, we can be.” the day (Sweden has not imposed strict self-isolation measures) — Kinnvall knows another year of seasoning can only help. The Athletic LOADED: 05.01.2020 He admits he needs to get stronger. A program, crafted by Flames strength coach Ryan van Asten, is on the way. “Hopefully, that’ll give me a bigger chance to take an NHL jersey one day.” 1183701 Carolina Hurricanes Hours: Whiskey Kitchen is open for delivery and takeout every day from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m.

The Raleigh quarantine guide: Let’s exchange restaurant recommendations The Athletic LOADED: 05.01.2020

By Sara Civian

Apr 30, 2020

I don’t know about you, but I’d be lost without the triangle restaurants that stayed open for business amid the coronavirus crisis. I asked one server how I could help, and he said just promise to come back when everything opens again. Until then, we might as well and give each other restaurant suggestions.

Oh, and here’s the link to the North Carolina Restaurant Workers Relief Fund.

Sushi Blues

Where: 301 Glenwood Ave., Raleigh

Phone: (919) 664-8061

The site: sushibluescafe.com

What’s good? It’s tough to find something bad at one of downtown Raleigh’s favorite, affordable sushi spots, to be honest. But sushi is such a personal cuisine, so I’m not about to tell you how to live your best life. But I will say in terms of appetizers, these steamed dumplings are some of the best dumplings I’ve had in Raleigh since I got here at the beginning of last season.

You can currently get eight rolls (it’s a lot, trust me — I did it), two appetizers and a bottle of wine for $60. There are also individual boxes, beer and Sake.

Hours: Sushi Blues’ temporary takeout-only hours are 1 p.m. to 9 p.m., Sunday to Thursday, and 1 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.

The Raleigh Times

Where: 14 E Hargett St., Raleigh

Phone: (919) 833-0999

Website: raleightimesbar.com

What’s good? I consider The Raleigh Times a Raleigh staple, and not just because I’m a journalist and it was once a newsroom. Great vibes, great crowd, good drinks. If you’re missing the local beer scene I would recommend you check out the list of items they’re currently rolling out.

Hours: The Raleigh Times is open for delivery and takeout from 11 a.m. – 9 p.m., daily.

Sir Walter Coffee

Where: 145 E Davie St., Raleigh

Phone: (919) 322-0019

Website: sirwaltercoffee.com

What’s good? Man, I could sit in a coffee shop for 20 hours straight right now. Sir Walter Coffee would be my go-to. They have something for every coffee and tea lover. They’re also a good option if you need a growler of cold brew for the house.

Hours: Sir Walter Coffee is open for takeout 8 a.m. until 2:45 p.m. daily.

Whiskey Kitchen

Where: 201 West Martin St., Raleigh

Phone: 919-803-3181

Website: www.whiskey.kitchen

What’s good? Everything — and they have a little bit of everything, from shrimp n’ grits to burgers to BBQ and pork rib plates to side dishes of cornbread, collard greens, mac n’ cheese and potato salad. 1183702 Chicago Blackhawks The Blackhawks’ longtime voice has a long greatest-hits list, and it began with this call in Game 6 of the Norris Division Finals. He can thank former Hawks and current Wolves analyst Billy Gardner for gifting the puck to With only classic games to watch, here are some classic Chicago sports the North Stars’ Acton, but the biggest thank you goes to Murray calls Bannerman for making the save. He made 41 in the game, which the Hawks won 6-5 in overtime to win the series.

“Not his knee. Maybe his wee-nie.” — , Jan. 22, 1996 By Jeff Agrest Apr 30, 2020, 12:05pm CDT Tallon was in the Hawks’ booth for most of the 1980s and ’90s. He was a good analyst, but he was a better comedian. Here, Eric Daze’s shot hit the Senators’ Sean Hill below the belt, but Tallon thought the puck hit Hill Steve Garvey follows the flight of his walk-off home run in Game 4 of the behind his right knee. Once he saw a replay, Tallon changed his tune — National League Championship Series on Oct. 6, 1984. It gave the and tone. After the quip, Tallon and Foley tried to muzzle their laughter Padres a 7-5 victory and tied the series 2-2. They won it the next day. on the air, but viewers knew what was going on. Don Drysdale mastered two professions: pitching and broadcasting. “There is some hookin’ goin’ on in the bottom of two piles.” — Thom I never saw him pitch during his 14-year career with the Dodgers, but you Brennaman, May 20, 2006 hear enough stories, you get the idea. Plus, those three letters next to his The former Cubs announcer was paired with White Sox analyst Darrin name (HOF) provide enough evidence. Jackson on Fox for the pinnacle of Cubs-Sox animosity. After A.J. I did hear him call plenty of games on TV, particularly when he was in the Pierzynski bowled over Cubs catcher Michael Barrett on a sacrifice fly, White Sox’ booth from 1982 to ’87. He was fantastic. He had the voice, Barrett punched him in the face, sparking a benches-clearing brawl. the command, the enthusiasm. He had it all. And it all has come roaring Brennaman alluded to the hooks that were flying in one of the nastier back to me as I take in classic game after classic game these days. I baseball fights you’ll see. The Sox won the game 7-0. thought about Drysdale while listening to him and Hawk Harrelson call

Tom Seaver’s 300th victory from Aug. 4, 1985, on MLB Network. Chicago Sun Times LOADED: 05.01.2020 Drysdale didn’t just rely on his knowledge of the game. He was as good of a play-by-play man as anyone, sharing the duties with Harrelson on Sox games and handling them alone nationally for ABC.

“To me, the best comprehensive baseball announcer I’ve ever heard was Don Drysdale,” Harrelson told me during his last season behind the mic in 2018. “He had a great delivery, he had a presence and he knew the game.

“Drysdale was something special, and all the years I’ve been broadcasting, when they found Don dead in his room up in Montreal [at age 56 in 1993], that’s the toughest thing I ever had to say [on the air]. Don was my all-time favorite guy to work with, and Wimpy [Tom Paciorek] was second.”

“Big D” had some big calls, too. He called Kirk Gibson’s winning homer in Game 1 of the 1988 World Series for Dodgers radio (“This time, Mighty Casey did not strike out!”). He also called the Sox’ 1983 American League West clincher (“The Sox grab the golden ring!”) and Seaver’s 300th (he interviewed Seaver afterward in the dugout).

But the call that’s burned in my brain is the one he made Oct. 6, 1984, in San Diego on ABC. Before Jack and told us we’d see them tomorrow night, Drysdale told us there would be tomorrow, though it came at the Cubs’ expense.

Steve Garvey’s walk-off, two-run homer gave the Padres a 7-5 victory and tied the National League Championship Series at 2. You know what happened the next day, but that’s not important anymore. What’s important here is the call, and even biased observers must admit it was a good one:

“Deep right field, way back. [Henry] Cotto going back to the wall ... it’s gone! Home run Garvey! And there will be tomorrow!”

It isn’t in the class of Russ Hodges (“The Giants win the pennant!”), Jack Buck (take your pick) or Vin Scully (ditto), but it has the elements: a rising voice with a hint of uncertainty, capped by a dramatic declaration. It’s a lousy memory but a fantastic call.

Here are some other favorite calls of mine from Chicago sports, minus the obvious title-clinchers:

“The good Lord wants the Cubs to win.” — Harry Caray, Aug. 2, 1984

Caray made every call exciting, so it’s hard to distinguish them. But this one has stuck with me. With the Cubs leading the Expos 3-2 in the top of the ninth and a runner on first, hit a line drive back at Cubs closer Lee Smith. The ball caromed off Smith and floated to shortstop Dave Owen, who caught it and threw to first to double off the runner. Which begs the question: Where was the Lord in October?

“Acton a breakaway. Keith Acton moving right in alone, the shot … BANNERMAN did it again! How did he do it?” — , April 30, 1985 1183703 Chicago Blackhawks

Where McDonough should land next

Orrin Schwarz

Follow @Orrin_Schwarz

Updated

4/30/2020 6:19 PM

Rocky Wirtz gave Joe Mansueto a great opportunity Monday.

When the Blackhawks owner fired John McDonough as team president, Wirtz made McDonough a free agent in the Chicago sports market. No Chicago team needs a man of McDonough's considerable business talents as much as Mansueto's Chicago Fire.

If you know of McDonough, you probably know him from his 13 years with the Blackhawks and his 25 years before that with the Cubs. With both teams he helped develop strong fan followings.

Cubs tickets became hard to get even as ticket prices soared. The Blackhawks are riding a streak of 531 consecutive sellouts at the .

Under McDonough's stewardship, the Blackhawks won three Stanley Cup championships. Some might call them a dynasty.

The Fire hasn't won a playoff game since 2009.

McDonough has history in soccer. The Sting won the 1981 North American Soccer League championship while McDonough worked in the front office.

Now he's unemployed, and Mansueto needs to send McDonough a link for a Zoom meeting, no search firm necessary.

Mansueto -- the billionaire founder of Morningstar, the Chicago-based financial research and financial services company -- sees great potential in the Fire. He sees so much potential that he bought out previous owner Andrew Hauptman in September. And he bought out the Fire's lease at 20,000-seat SeatGeek Stadium in southwest suburban Bridgeview to move the team back downtown to Soldier Field.

Mansueto showed he's ready to make bold moves. He's willing to take risks. He's able to spend money.

He sees MLS teams filling football stadiums in Atlanta and Seattle and asks, why not Chicago?

This is why Mansueto needs McDonough.

The Fire showed this off-season that it needs a strong, smart hand in the front office. The Fire needs someone who knows the Chicago market like the championship rings on his fingers.

The Fire, a club starved for local media attention, would get it just by announcing McDonough's hiring.

Without McDonough the Fire rolled out a club rebranding this winter built around a new team logo. That logo drew a combination of howls and mockery. Would a marketing man like McDonough have allowed such a blunder to happen at such a critical juncture?

More than anything, the Fire needs someone with a record of filling Chicago stadiums. The Fire hasn't done that consistently in years.

In 2019 the Fire placed last in in attendance, drawing an average of 12,324 fans. Now the Fire is trying to find a way to fill 61,500-seat Soldier Field.

The Fire has done well to build up its front office the past few years. Moving local telecasts to WGN this off-season and hiring Arlo White to do part-time play-by-play work were winning moves.

Hiring McDonough would be a winning move also.

Daily Herald Times LOADED: 05.01.2020 1183704 Chicago Blackhawks

NHL and NHLPA 'looking ahead' to Phase 2 plan to transition out of pause

By Scott King

April 30, 2020 11:05 AM

On Wednesday, 49 days since the NHL paused due to the spread of the COVID-19 virus, the NHL and NHLPA provided an update after their Return to Play Committee’s meeting.

In a joint statement the NHL and NHLPA said they "have not made any decisions or set a timeline for possible return to play scenarios" despite various reports.

The NHL and NHLPA are now focusing on a Phase 2 strategy that would come after Phase 1's current period of recommended “self-quarantine” for hockey players and staff, which was extended to April 30 on April 14.

The release describes Phase 2 as the period "during which players might return to small group activities in NHL club training facilities."

The NHL and NHLPA hope to move to Phase 2 by mid-to-late May with new guidelines for payers and staff.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 05.01.2020 1183705 Chicago Blackhawks "It wasn't because of the talent, it was based on money. And those decisions were made, and the fact that the players knew it at that time was something that, as a coach, you're not even thinking about that. How the Blackhawks' 2009-2010 season was like the 1998 Bulls' 'Last You're only thinking about winning and doing everything we can to get Dance' everybody to compete and push one another in a positive way."

By Scott King Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 05.01.2020

April 29, 2020 9:59 PM

2010 Stanley Cup champion Kris Versteeg and 2010 head coach joined NBC Sports Chicago's "Be Chicago: Together We Can" fundraiser benefitting the Chicago Community COVID-19 Response Fund on Wednesday night, and discussed why the team may have felt the 2009-10 season was their last shot at Stanley Cup glory in the Windy City.

Seeing as the 2010 Stanley Cup championship team sparked the golden age and yielded three Stanley Cup titles for Chicago, it's hard to imagine they thought of themselves as having one last hurrah similar to the 1998 Chicago Bulls, but they did.

Not only did the group think the 2010 postseason could be "the last dance'" (and yes, that crew would make an epic ESPN docuseries), but they correctly feared that some of their top players could be gone the following year.

Currently being chronicled in ESPN's "The Last Dance," the Bulls knew they had one more shot at a title in 1998. General manager Jerry Krause announced it was Phil Jackson's last season as coach, prompting Jordan to say it was his. There was also friction between Krause and Scottie Pippen.

No, Jonathan Toews and hadn't achieved the same zip code as Jordan status in just a couple of NHL seasons, and there wasn't much friction behind the scenes. But the team knew they had something special, and it would more than likely be dismantled after the year.

"I would have liked to seen it have an opportunity, but obviously, at the same time, we're all in this, too, to make a living, and you got to get paid as well," Versteeg said of the team breaking up. "It is tough the way the cap works out, but I'm just glad we got to do it. Because we had one year to do it. That's what was tough.

"There was a lot of pressure on us internally too. We talked about it. We all knew it was going to be it and we had to try to do it in one year, and that's why I was pretty proud of that group."

The Bulls were putting a bow on their dynasty in 1998, and the Blackhawks were just starting theirs in 2010, but several players had their "last dance" with the Hawks as Stanley Cup champions.

Versteeg and other valuable, up-and-coming 2010 Cup champions like and Dustin Byfuglien were traded shortly after winning due to salary cap constraints. The Hawks also had to match an offer sheet from the San Jose Sharks for Niklas Hjalmarsson, forcing them to part with starting goalie Antti Niemi.

Shot-blocking veteran defenseman Brent Sopel was also traded away that offseason, as were gritty forwards Ben Eager and Colin Frasier. Scrappy defenseman Adam Burish signed with the Dallas Stars after his contract expired, and veteran center John Madden joined the Minnesota Wild after his deal with Chicago was done.

Versteeg and Ladd rejoined the Hawks for stints later in their careers, but only Versteeg would lift Lord Stanley's Cup again with the Blackhawks in 2015.

NBC Sports Chicago's Pat Boyle asked former Hawks head coach Joel Quenneville about the "Last Dance" comparison during Wednesday's telethon.

"To an extent there," Quenneville replied. "We were so deep and talented. It was all these guys in every position. When we went four lines deep. We had to sit some guys out that you knew are going to be good players that were not going to be happy with your decisions.

"And we had all these young guys that were on entry level contracts that were going to be impact players on other teams. We'd obviously like them on our team. Buff was included in that group. And we had to make some decisions and some real tough ones as well. 1183706 Chicago Blackhawks

Blackhawks 2019-20 season in review: Slater Koekkoek

By Charlie Roumeliotis

April 30, 2020 5:00 AM

The NHL put its 2019-20 season on pause March 12 due to the COVID- 19 pandemic but remains hopeful to award the Stanley Cup at some point. Although it's unclear if or when it could return, NBC Sports Chicago will recap the season of each Blackhawks player to date in our "season in review" series. Next up is Slater Koekkoek.

Slater Koekkoek is a pro. He never complains about his role and quietly goes about his business. When his name is called, he's often ready to go no matter how long he's been out of the lineup.

The first two months were certainly challenging for Koekkoek, who appeared in only 10 contests and averaged 14:46 of ice time. He wasn't playing much, twice going two weeks without getting into a game.

But then the Blackhawks' blue line started to drop. A groin injury kept Duncan Keith out of the lineup for three weeks. was ruled out for the rest of the season with a shoulder injury. Same with Brent Seabrook, who underwent surgery on right shoulder and both of his hips.

This served as a good time for Koekkoek to, maybe not take on a larger role, but a more consistent one. He was finally playing every day and was doing so effectively on the third pairing.

When the calendar flipped to December, Koekkoek's ice time average jumped to 17:23. He registered seven points (one goal, six assists) and was a plus-7 over the next 32 games, with only Patrick Kane (plus-8) posting a better rating on the team during that span.

While he isn't the flashiest player, Koekkoek became a dependable one down the stretch. And that's all you could ask for from a player whose role is to stay ready at all times.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 05.01.2020 1183707 Chicago Blackhawks Lazerus: Tan shorts. That is all.

Melton: Maybe the tan shorts looked OK on black-and-white TV but this looks like a mismatch of colors in a non-grayscale setting. Ranking every Blackhawks uniform, from the barber pole to the Veruca Salt collar Watkins: Hypocritically, while I can’t ignore the still problematic logo, the chevron on the side of pants is too cool to overlook.

Osborn: I realize that these are very close to the 2009 Winter Classic, but By Scott Powers and Mark Lazerus those pants are hideous, especially with these socks. They look like cloth Apr 30, 2020 39 diapers and completely draw the attention away from the focus. This is one time when the lack of outline around the numbers helps. The red- faced logo is outdated, which should also take points off.

You hear it all the time, that the Blackhawks’ jerseys are among the best Brady: These jerseys are cool, but that’s about it for this ensemble. Why in all of sports. the tan shorts? What was the purpose of that? Use tan as an accent color, but for the love of God, we’re not going to brunch on Sunday, But which ones? people. The classic reds? The whites? The old barber poles? The black-and- 11. 2016 Stadium Series whites? Any one of the jerseys specially made for each of the Blackhawks’ 746 outdoor games? They’re not all pretty. Highest ranking: Sixth (Lazerus)

We convened a panel of Blackhawks fans and pundits to assemble the Lowest ranking: Last (Osborn) definitive ranking of the Blackhawks’ uniforms over the years. Joining Scott Powers and Mark Lazerus were Puckin’ Right Chicago podcaster Lazerus: The whole run of outdoor-game unis from 2015-17 was one big Shalyn Brady (@shalynbrady13), Deadspin’s Sam Fels (@FelsGate), meh. Second City Hockey’s Dave Melton (@_DaveMelton), The Rink’s Jeff Watkins: I like the addition of more black to the white jersey, but this is a Osborn (@PuckinHostile), Let’s Do That Hockey podcaster Chris bridge too far. Watkins (@yolo_pinyato), and The Score’s Jay Zawaski (@JayZawaski670). Each panelist ranked the eras and specials from 1- Brady: I really, really didn’t like these jerseys when I first saw them. The 13, with 13 points awarded for a first-place vote, 12 for a second-place awkward black chunk across the top and the way the stripes are spread vote and so on. out on the sleeve were chunky and strange. But, I really like how large the name and numbers are on the back, and the addition of the four stars The jersey is always the focal point, but we took into account the entire on the white side of the collar are pretty cool. I feel like they’re simple uniform. It only takes a poorly designed sock or a tan pair of shorts to enough, but they also could’ve done better. ruin a look. Thankfully, the Blackhawks have never worn those grotesque green jerseys during an actual game, so we didn’t have to include them. Osborn: This looks like a practice sweater with a fancy collar and patch. We also didn’t dissect every little tweak and lumped together very similar The tall thin letters and numbers give off a strange vibe. looks over a longer era to make the list more manageable (for example, 1937-55 and 1955-present). Melton: I can’t lie, these jerseys are somewhat ruined by the abysmal performance from the Blackhawks in that game. Here’s our list, starting with the biggest crimes against fashion and working our way up to the true beauties. 10. 2014 Stadium Series

13. 2017-19 Highest ranking: Third (Brady)

Highest ranking: Fifth (Watkins) Lowest ranking: Lazerus (12th)

Lowest ranking: Last (Melton, Powers, Zawaski) Melton: This jersey probably gets the unfair boost of being worn while Chicago played Pittsburgh in a snow globe at Soldier Field. The all-black Melton: Did they fire the person responsible for these yet? The pilgrim- uniforms juxtaposed with the sometimes-whiteout conditions were a looking collars on the red jerseys ruined one of the best uniforms in pro fantastic look. sports. Brady: Not only are these the jerseys the Blackhawks wore when they Brady: It felt bad to put these dead last, considering the majority of the won their only outdoor game, but they were the first time they wore jersey is the same as the 1955-present era, but these collars were BAD. majority black jerseys since 2009. I like the reduction of red on the end of I’m glad they realized that and changed them last year, or else they’d go the sleeve, and the addition of red and white stripes that extend all the around playing games looking like women from the 1800s. way down to the bottom of the jersey. And Jonathan Toews had a three- point game, so they should bring them back forever. Zawaski: Oh, the dreaded Pollyanna collars. A concept so terrible, they scrapped it after two years. Cut to a meeting room. Sleeves rolled up, Zawaski: I’d always been a big fan of the black third jerseys, but all of a Chinese food on the table, clearly early in the morning. Adidas Exec No. sudden, they seem very “2000s” to me. What bugged me about this kit is 1: “OK. I’ve finally got it. Why don’t we take this glorious, historic, perfect the weird jagged edges on the sleeves and bottom. It looks like uniform and completely ruin it?” Adidas Execs Nos. 2-10: “Brilliant! Nailed something I’d design in a video game after too many White Claws. I it!” could also live without the shiny logo, but whatever. It’s a theme, I guess.

Osborn: Adidas. That’s all one has to say. Their weird obsession with Osborn: The traditional modern era black alternates are my favorite changing the collar had to cost them. These jerseys are the “new coke” sweaters. They somehow found a way to take a near-perfect sweater of Blackhawks lore. The rational person in me cannot believe that they and turn it into a tacky replica. The “special” high resolution logo was screwed the collars up this bad so they would have to liquidate the style supposed to be an improvement but did the opposite. Pass on any and force fans to update again just two years later. Not only was the Blackhawks logo without the stitching. This is a glorified screen print. team declining, but they were forced to wear these sweaters. No wonder and Joel Quenneville gladly left. Only way I would own Fels: These were essentially just the original third jerseys again, so one of these is if it came off the clearance rack whatever. And the only good thing about those thirds is they would hit the ice to Back In Black, which we can all agree is superior to Ted Nugent. Watkins: I recently saw the white jersey on Griselda’s “Dr. Birds” video Speaking of things that need to change… and just thought the newer ones looked significantly better with a hoodie and jewelry on, which is how I wear my jerseys anyway. Watkins: Ninety-nine percent of black jerseys suck, because they wash out the primary colors of the team’s logo and are just boring overall. Most 12. 1935-37 jerseys consist of strongly contrasting colors (the blue and orange of the Knicks and Bears, or the red and green of the Wild) so the only good Highest ranking: Third (Fels) black jerseys are the Raiders, Nets and White Sox.

Lowest ranking: Last (Lazerus) 9. 1937-1955 Highest ranking: Fifth (Powers) Lowest ranking: 10th (Watkins)

Lowest ranking: Last (Brady, Watkins) Osborn: Almost everything about the 2009 Winter Classic was perfect, except for the final score. They made the wise decision to abort the tan Watkins: The jerseys at the end of Fred McLaughlin era are an awful pants, which was exactly where they needed to focus. I also think that combination of all the Blackhawks jersey program’s worst sins: The the Winter Classic logos should be on the chest like they are here, not striping pattern of a late-night Skinemax viewing session; the painfully the shoulders. microscopic logo; and of course, the most blatantly racist representation of Chief Blackhawk in the logo’s controversial history. The stripeless Watkins: Don’t know if this came before the Ottawa Senators jersey of home (or road?) whites have some redeeming qualities, but burn these the same ilk, but the tiny logo and dark color palette don’t do it for me. post-haste. Brady: I don’t look highly upon the tan uniforms, but, this jersey is the one Melton: The “barber pole” jerseys are phenomenal and it remains a exception. I think it’s because the shorts and socks became mainly black disappointment that this design was never utilized in one of the with tan highlights, and the khaki vibes cooled off. But these ones are Blackhawks’ plethora of outdoor games. But the white jerseys from this classics, and they did the remake well from the originals. era are just so boring. Melton: The tan color looked better as a stripe on the jersey and socks Brady: There’s way too much happening here, man. The numbers on the than as the primary color of the shorts. A decent look, but there were back should have been kept all white, the random stripe on the bottom several better designs for Chicago’s outdoor games. outlined in black throws off the whole look, and the extra black stripe in the middle isn’t necessary. These are bad. Please never bring them Fels: Pretty classic look, though the Winter Classics should have had tan back. Ever. shorts and gloves.

Osborn: We OCD people need to have our stripes even and equal. This 5. 1920s era one starts to resemble the Ottawa Senators way too much and the Highest ranking: Third (Watkins) on the back gets lost. Lowest ranking: Ninth (Lazerus) 8. 2017 Winter Classic Melton: Giving these a slight nod over the 2019 Winter Classic ones Highest ranking: First (Watkins) because I feel like the white jerseys over the black shorts would look Lowest ranking: Last (Fels) excellent if re-created today.

Brady: Why do they keep giving us outdoor games, seriously? These are Brady: I actually don’t mind these. The one thing that bothers me though literally the same jersey as the 2015 Winter Classic. Instead of all white is how the logo doesn’t sit below the white stripes (which, there are too on the bottom, they switched it to all black, and the logo and the many of, by the way) and isn’t centered in the middle of the jersey until tomahawk are throwbacks. That’s about it. This game was also really the late 20s. I am kind of digging the majority white with black stripes, painful to watch, so there’s nothing special about them for me. They just though. I wonder what they would’ve looked like with white shorts, too. bring me sadness. Osborn: Too many stripes. That’s the sound of men working on the chain Zawaski: The return of the haggard warrior. I like the concept of the … gang. Straight out of a silent film where they should have iron balls tomahawks running along the sleeve stripes, but I didn’t love the black chained to their ankles while they pound railroad spikes into the ground. helmet idea. Had the helmet been white, it would have rated this one They correctly alleviated the problem on the ’19 sweaters by toning the higher. stripes down.

Osborn: This is the sweater where they should have had the modern Fels: Again, these are basically the same (as the 2019 Winter Classic). logo. The black “tail” looks misplaced, but they made up for it by placing I’m pretty sick of any team using black, but the Hawks get away with it the crossed tomahawks properly on the sleeve stripes. Again, OCD. The because it is a main color. The white stripes also give them something of black helmet made for the better contrast when you see them fully a “Tron” effect, and I’m here for that. dressed. Lazerus: The stripes up top just kill it for me. It’s too much. And it really Watkins: The best version of the Blackhawks jersey is the Glohawks doesn’t work in white. edition by design outfit Frank151 but short of a dramatic redesign, the Watkins: Both the all-black jersey and the black with the white panel look 2017 Winter Classic has the best combination of aesthetics: the extremely clean and modern for a design from a century ago. Also, it’s contrasting black collar, lower placement of the sleeve logo and the harder to make a red-face logo in all black, which to me is a big win. removal of the black panel at the end of the sleeves. Anyone who argues differently is secretly a Red Wings fan. 4. 1991-92 (75th anniversary)

7. 2015 Winter Classic Highest ranking: First (Fels, Melton, Powers)

Highest ranking: Fourth (Watkins) Lowest ranking: 12th (Brady, Watkins)

Lowest ranking: 11th (Fels, Osborn, Powers) Fels: Nothing beats the barber poles. Truly unique in hockey, and should have been the third jerseys forever. Also this is when Roenick and Melton: Not so different from the regular uniforms they’ve been wearing, Chelios really came into their own, Keenan was a total nutjob, and but that’s sort of the entire problem; these look too much like the road people my age couldn’t escape. whites they’re wearing during indoor games. Watkins: So many stripes. Also, even though it would have been Brady: These jerseys are extremely similar to the away whites of the historically inaccurate, they should have considered updating to a white present era, but the addition of the jersey tie in the front mimicking the nameplate, a la the Flyers. 1955-65 jersey is a nice touch. I also like how the sleeves are simple, just three stripes with an alternate tomahawk covering them, set lower than Melton: An excellent design in the early ’90s and one that would be a the away whites. These are clean. I like them. perfect retro look to use as an alternate jersey now. Why these haven’t been used in nearly three decades remains a mystery. Osborn: The 2015 and 2017 sweaters have two major components wrong: the Indian head logo. They should have put this modern logo on Brady: Literally the only reason these are second to last is because last the 2017 sweater and vice versa. I prefer the crossed tomahawks with place is taken by the originals of this remake. There are too many stripes this color layout but they are laid out slightly too high on the stripes. All in to work with here, though I admit I do appreciate the logo. There really all, 2015 through 2017 were designed with minimal effort while on cruise isn’t a good way to make these work. control. Very disappointing based on the material available. Zawaski: It’s virtually identical to the jerseys of the ’30s, but I think the Zawaski: It’s beautiful, but I’ve seen it before. 75th anniversary patch and the nameplate give it the extra nudge. Remember, these came out in the early ’90s, when teal and purple and 6. 2009 Winter Classic all sorts of “non-traditional” colors were being introduced. The idea of Highest ranking: Second (Brady, Osborn) “throwback” wasn’t a concept back then, so it was a bold reminder of the Blackhawks history when the league was looking more “Saved By The for me. Those jerseys are so clean, and I wish the Blackhawks kept them Bell” than Original Six. as alternates.

3. 1955-present (white jerseys) Zawaski: While I prefer the white jerseys, I don’t want to sell the absolutely brilliant home reds short, either. They’re nearly perfect, and Highest ranking: First (Zawaski) the fact that probably 80 percent of the people in the United Center are Lowest ranking: Eighth (Watkins) wearing them on a nightly basis validates that theory.

Zawaski: The varying, current iteration of the Hawks sweater is my Osborn: This may be perceived as the lazy answer but the traditional favorite. It’s evolved a little bit over time, but the general idea has uniforms are classically voted as some of the best uniforms in all of remained the same, and why fix what’s not broken? I prefer the more sports. Great color combination, the Indian looks imposing (yet haggard-looking Warrior head to the more modern, streamlined version, respectful), the crossed tomahawks on the shoulders are the perfect but they’re both awesome. The modern crossed tomahawks are perfect, accent piece. Based on the color palette, the third black sweater is a especially on the road whites, which are, and will remain, my favorite perfect alternate to the red-and-white primaries. I am a huge fan of the Blackhawks sweater of all of them. I wish they’d switch back to the home black alternate version and would much prefer that they used it in a whites. If you get a chance, look at an authentic home white up close. regular rotation. Leave out any suggestions of the green, yellow or The colors pop brilliantly. orange feather colors as primaries because that is blatant sacrilege.

Watkins: The Hawks have somehow pulled off the double fault of having Fels: Don’t fuck with tradition. It should be mentioned we all recognize a completely cluttered sleeve on the most boring road whites this side of the racist overtones in every Hawks uniform, but the classic red would the Lightning and the Kings. Yes, I get the historic tradition of these work with just about any logo. Even after being a season-ticket holder for “iconic” jerseys, but the addition of the black band at the bottom of the 12 seasons now, there’s still something about seeing these live that sleeve only compounds the mistakes of this edition in comparison to the makes your heart skip a beat. far superior Winter Classic whites.

Brady: I think the whites work so well for me because the colors that The Athletic LOADED: 05.01.2020 surround it stand out that much more. The red and the black stripes on both the sleeve and the bottom of the jersey give it some life, and the logo and tomahawks have pop. Small detail, but I also love how the numbers are outlined in red on the back of the jersey. It’s a nice touch.

Osborn: I’m not a big fan of white sweaters. I’d prefer the NHL go with some more primary color vs primary color matchups.

Fels: Again, for someone of my age, this is what we grew up seeing at home, and that was the only place we saw them because the Hawks weren’t on TV. So anytime you saw them it was an event.

2. 2019 Winter Classic

Highest ranking: Second (Lazerus, Powers, Watkins)

Lowest ranking: Sixth (Fels)

Lazerus: The exception to the black-jerseys-are-lame rule. Every time I see these, I like them more. Bonus: Whenever the Blackhawks wear them, the United Center scoreboard is kept black-and-white, and it looks sweet.

Watkins: An update of the 1920s version with a better reallocation of the striping. The fans would never go for it, but if they ever wanted to transition away from the Chief Blackhawk logo, this would be the way to do it.

Brady: It was difficult to place these above the original 1920s era jerseys, but I genuinely think the Blackhawks did a great job remaking these. The reduction in white stripes across the chest, centering of the logo and majority black socks to match are what did it for me. I also like the Winter Classic patch on the shoulder rather than the chest, and the tribute patch to Stan Mikita gets me every time. So these win (even if the team didn’t).

Osborn: The major issue with these sweaters are the way they fit. They have a flare at the hips which makes them look like you’re wearing a very short skirt as a sweater. Otherwise, the stripes aren’t too gaudy, the socks were well done, the pants are minimalist. They look clean and tough. Maybe this shouldn’t be part of the criteria but the modern fabrics make a difference over the ’20s era ones. Unfortunately, the green Winter Classic patch slightly clashes with the rest of the uniform so I took points off for that, as well. I understand the location and significance but it demands too much of the attention from my eyes. Find a way to make the patch not so green. All that said, I love this uniform and it looks great with all black goalie gear.

1. 1955-present (red jerseys)

Highest ranking: First (Brady, Lazerus, Osborn)

Lowest ranking: Sixth (Watkins)

Brady: These jerseys are the best in the league for a reason. The red is vibrant and the logo is the main focal point (as it should be). The color schemes fit well, and while the jerseys didn’t change much over the years, the addition of the black jerseys in 1996 really put it over the top 1183708 Colorado Avalanche

Nuggets and Avalanche charging 2020-21 season-ticket payments during pandemic

By KYLE FREDRICKSON | [email protected] | The Denver Post

PUBLISHED: April 30, 2020 at 6:35 p.m. | UPDATED: April 30, 2020 at 6:47 p.m.

Avalanche and Nuggets season-ticket holders have continued to be charged for future seats — despite widespread economic uncertainty during the coronavirus pandemic — with a lack of clear guidance provided by the Kroenke-owned sports teams.

Recently, Nuggets fans who opted into the 2020-21 season ticket program received a mixed message.

One example began: “From the Denver Nuggets family to yours, we hope this email finds you in good health. Your Denver Nuggets players and staff are all looking forward to a day very soon when the NBA can resume and we can see you all in person.”

Kelly Stratton, 47, is a Centennial resident and Nuggets season-ticket holder of three years who received a similar email. Stratton appreciated the thoughtful introduction. But the next (slightly redacted) paragraph caught him off guard.

“I’m reaching out to notify you that the second of XX installments in the amount of $XXX will be automatically processed on April 1st of your 2020-21 Denver Nuggets season membership.”

“I was like, ‘Woah, hold on a second,’” Stratton said. “It’s really bad form that you’re already talking about billing me for next year.”

When the coronavirus pandemic postponed major sports indefinitely, many teams across the NBA and NHL took proactive measures in early April to alert season-ticket holders of their options.

The Nashville Predators announced fans could “choose to keep the lowest monthly payment possible” or even delay the start “until June 1 and move into an 11-month payment plan.” The did not automatically begin 2020-21 season ticket plans for fans using its auto- renewal system, so that “all members can make a renewal decision at a time when they have less uncertainty.”

The Avalanche and Nuggets, though, have not provided updated public guidance to their season-ticket holders since the pandemic began. The Denver Post requested policy information this week — from the Nuggets, Avalanche and Kroenke Sports — regarding payment-plan options available for 2020-21 season ticket holders.

All three entities told The Post: “No comment at this time.”

Avalanche and Nuggets season-ticket holders have been provided relief from monthly payments — but only upon specific request. Email correspondence between several fans and the Kroenke ticket office, received and verified by The Post, shows the Avalanche and Nuggets are willing to defer payments for up to two months. However, without official team policy publicly available, it is currently unknown how many season-ticket holders qualify for a similar exemption.

Chris Fuselier, the owner of Blake Street Tavern in LoDo, is a longtime Avalanche and Nuggets season-ticket holder. Fuselier contacted his ticket representatives after receiving a payment-reminder email, and he was able to postpone his plan for another month. Fuselier said the teams were “very accommodating” with his request.

Then again, Fuselier considers himself lucky.

“In a lot of cases, I forget to read their emails,” Fuselier said. “Then, it’s like, ‘Where did this charge come from?’ But in my case, it was a good experience.”

Denver Post: LOADED: 05.01.2020 1183709 Colorado Avalanche

Avalanche signs 20-year-old Finnish goalie Justus Annunen

By MIKE CHAMBERS | [email protected] | The Denver Post

April 30, 2020 at 4:09 p.m.

The Avalanche on Thursday signed impressive young goalie Justus Annunen to a three-year, entry-level contract.

Annunen, a 20-year-old Finnish professional, is Colorado’s fourth goalie under contract for next season, along with NHLers Pavel Francouz and Philipp Grubauer and minor-league regular Adam Werner.

The 6-foot-4 Annunen likely will compete with Werner for the No. 1 job for the AHL’s next season.

Annunen is already a proven pro. He is 15-5-3 for Karpat in ’s top professional league, ranking first in both save percentage (.929) and goals-against average (1.77). He set the league record for longest streak of 302 minutes, five seconds, from Sept 21 to Oct. 23.

Annunen was selected by Colorado 64th overall in the 2018 NHL draft and starred for Finland at the recent World Junior Championship in the Czech Republic. He had a 30-save shutout to upset Team USA 1-0 in the Jan. 2 quarterfinals.

Shortly before being drafted by the Avs, Annunen helped Finland capture the gold medal at the 2018 U18 World Championship.

Denver Post: LOADED: 05.01.2020 1183710 Colorado Avalanche Denver Post sports writer Mike Chambers responds to questions in the Avs Mailbag every other week during the regular season.

Avs Mailbag: Colorado continues to build from prospects, injured players getting healthy, NHL season update and more Denver Post: LOADED: 05.01.2020

By MIKE CHAMBERS | [email protected] | The Denver Post

PUBLISHED: April 30, 2020 at 6:00 a.m. | UPDATED: April 30, 2020 at 11:46 a.m.

When the NHL resumes, will the Loveland Express be up and running? In other words will the Eagles be playing so players could get ice time, get in rehab work, work to get out of a slump, replace injured players etc? Or will the Avs just have extra healthy scratch players with an enlarged roster?

Good question, Gregory. At this point, all signs point towards the AHL resuming if/when the NHL does. Nothing’s official about that, and NHL teams can expand beyond 23 players for the playoffs, but the NHL and AHL are a close-knit bunch and I suspect they’ll come back together. On the other hand, perhaps AHL clubs argue that they aren’t making any money playing before empty arenas. There’s a huge difference in the television revenue with the two leagues. In Colorado, I know Eagles owner Martin Lind wants to finish the season; he told me that. And, of course, the Avalanche wants its top prospects to finish the season in Loveland as well.

I think Alex Pietrangelo is a better bet than Taylor Hall. Look at Hall’s numbers from this season and ask why Arizona is not offering seven or eight for him. Do you know what Joe Sakic’s thinking?

I’m not sure what your question is about. Perhaps you’ve been reading other media types who have suggested the Avs are interested in pending unrestricted free agents Hall and Pietrangelo. But that won’t happen. Colorado isn’t interested in either. The Avs will continue to build from their prospects, not free agency. They love their top-six forwards and don’t have room for another right-shot defenseman, with Connor Timmins set to come up and join Cale Makar and Erik Johnson on the right side.

Mike, I know everyone is hunkered down and there are no team activities but are teams allowed to work with the injured players? And has the team made any announcements about the status of those injured players? Thanks and here’s hoping we’re back to hockey real soon.

Dan, the team is very tight-lipped; they’re treating this like the offseason, with no players or coaches available outside their in-house crew. But you can bet all the previously injured players are ready to go, including Colin Wilson, who hasn’t played since October. Last week I drove past the Avs’ practice facility in Centennial and their gated parking lot wasn’t even locked at the time. I don’t think players are meeting much with trainers, etc.

Interesting. I didn’t realize that. Perhaps the home team had a choice.

Hi Mike, saw your story on Jared Bedmar talking about getting his team ready in two weeks when and if the season returns. Do you see the NHL jumping right into playoffs, or finishing the season and adjusting playoff schedules? I just don’t see hockey being played all summer and having a few weeks of an offseason before the 2020-21 season starts. What are you hearing?

I’m hearing the NHL wants to complete the regular season, allowing the Avs to play their final 12 games before the playoffs. But I’m also hearing the league could get everyone to reach 76 games or so and then go into the playoffs. But, no, I don’t see the NHL going straight into the playoffs whatsoever. Thanks for your question.

Mike, I know players are still working out on their own, but with rinks closed how out of skating shape will we see players when hockey returns?

— Tony, Littleton

Players will need 1-2 weeks to get back into hockey shape, beginning with captain’s skates (players only). says he needs 10 days to two weeks to get his team ready. This isn’t baseball. We don’t need three weeks of spring training to get arms ready. 1183711 Colorado Avalanche Orange walks away as the winner. As mentioned in the responses above, fans loved the Broncos’ original orange jersey, so it doesn’t come as much of a surprise that fans prefer that color, which the team The Athletic’s uniform fan survey: Who gets to wear it better? You told us incorporated into its jerseys in 2012 as the primary color and again in its color-rush uniforms introduced in 2018. While orange can be a little harsh sometimes, the Broncos pull it off, and so do the fans. It stands out a bit more than blue and is used less around the league, making it By Kendra Andrews recognizable as a Denver jersey from far away. Apr 30, 2020 Where do the Broncos’ uniforms rank among other NFL teams?

It’s a close call between the top third and middle third, which isn’t a bad Uniforms worn by professional sports teams have become something place for the Broncos to be. Their uniforms are cool, but others are much more than just a way to tell the different teams apart. It has cooler. As teams such as the Chargers introduce new, slick uniforms that become an integral part of being a fan and showing your support for the play with different shades of a color palette, and other teams just have hometown team. cooler looks, the Broncos get pushed down in the rankings.

Denver is one of just 12 cities in the country with a professional football, Which Broncos helmet is your favorite? basketball, baseball, hockey and soccer team. Not only does that equate “The D logo was designed by Edwin Taylor and was used, with variance, to a whole ton of entertainment, but it also means a ton of uniforms to for more than 25 years until it was replaced by the current horse logo. choose from. Nearly three decades of seeing the old D established it as the symbol of We wanted your opinion, so we at The Athletic created this fan survey. the team and its Orange Crush defense, so it’s perhaps no surprise it’s a fan favorite. To thank Taylor, the Broncos sent him a letter in 1968 along I’ve included some of my own analysis in addition to some insight from with a shirt, a hat and a pair of tickets to a game against the Chiefs.” — my colleagues who cover different teams in Denver. Now, let’s get to the Jhabvala results: Which is your favorite Nuggets uniform in team history? Do the uniforms worn by the Denver teams matter to you? It didn’t surprise me that the blue rainbow skyline jersey is the The overwhelming majority of you believe the uniforms worn by Denver’s overwhelming favorite. Simply put, this look is iconic. The bright color, in teams matter, and that makes sense. Uniforms are part of a team’s addition to the rainbow logo, tied the team in with Denver’s roots. Not to identity, and therefore, for die-hard sports fans, it’s part of their own. mention, the teams that wore these uniforms were just as fun to look at Fans take pride in the garb on their walls and the jerseys they wear, and as their uniforms. When the uniforms were introduced in the 1982-83 you want that stuff to look good. It adds another level of competition season, the Nuggets were led by Alex English and Dan Issel and were throughout the league. Even if your team is struggling, a uniform is the quickest team in the league, running opponents out of the gym something you can take pride in. because of altitude. They finished second in the Midwest Division and made it to the second round of the playoffs. The entire rainbow skyline Which Denver team has the best uniform? era, which ended in 1993, was successful, with the team making the These results come down to a split between the Nuggets and Avalanche, playoffs nine times in those 11 seasons. It’s no wonder the team brought with those teams getting 33.7 and 30.2 percent of the votes, respectively. these jerseys back in 2018. The Nuggets have done a good job bringing back moments of their past Do you prefer the Nuggets’ white or black rainbow skyline uniforms? (i.e., the rainbow skyline jerseys), designing fun alternate uniforms like the Mile High City ones, and their classic home and away jerseys are The white version of the rainbow skyline uniforms got the slight nod here, clean-cut. The Avalanche’s design has been with them pretty much since but you can’t go wrong with either choice. While the original blue jerseys their inaugural season in 1995-96. The timelessness and continuity of and the yellow ones that came shortly after were bright and electric, the their jerseys bring together young fans from today and those who’ve white and black versions of this iconic jersey are more clean-cut and been watching for decades. Both the Avs and Nuggets do a good job subtle, but the effect is still there. When the Nuggets reintroduced the designing fun uniforms that stand out but don’t get too crazy. rainbow skyline jerseys in white in 2018, it was a welcome sight to fans, tying in their successful past with a hopeful future. Personally, I’m partial Which Denver team has the worst uniform? to the black version. I think it makes the rainbow pop more and is a While the Nuggets and Avalanche were the clear favorites, the lines are sleeker look. There are also fewer black uniforms throughout the NBA, a bit more blurred when it comes to the least favorite. Those teams making it stand out even more. received the least votes for worst jerseys, but between the Rapids, Where do the Nuggets’ uniforms rank among other NBA teams? Rockies and Broncos, the results were close. I was surprised the Broncos’ uniforms got so many votes for this category. Considering how The biggest thing the Nuggets have going for them with their uniforms is much pride and support Denver has in its football team, I thought the that they are simple but not boring. They don’t try to do too much with Broncos would have gotten more love. But it seems the Broncos, their design, but they incorporate fun colors in some of their alternative Rockies and Rapids have failed to do what the Nuggets and Avs have looks to make it interesting, like their Mile High City uniforms. They stuck accomplished: find a middle ground between standing out and being with designs from the past that were successful and made modern twists simple. Perhaps the colors of the Broncos are a little too bright and to them. It also helps that their colors look good on everyone. aggressive for some. The Rockies are on the opposite side of the spectrum, with their colors being duller, except for their purple uniforms. What is your favorite uniform in Avalanche history? Same goes for the Rapids — they are quite simple. “Offering nostalgia with a contemporary look could be one of the reasons What is your favorite uniform in Broncos history? Avalanche fans are quite fond of the team’s current alternate sweaters. The white-trimmed triangle features a snow-capped dark blue mountain The old-school orange was the favorite, and with good reason. This is an with the famed Colorado C in burgundy. It draws from the old Colorado iconic look for the Broncos. The blue sleeves and number lining add an Rockies sweater before the team left and became the New Jersey Devils. extra pop. During this time, the Broncos never won a Super Bowl, losing The Rockies were in Denver from 1976 through 1982. They also had a out four times, but at least they looked good trying. It’s this jersey that the white-trimmed triangle, but the entire mountain was blue, with the Broncos pulled from when designing their color-rush alternative, which Colorado C in its original colors and a white stripe bordering each side of was another popular look when it debuted in 2019. the logo. Updating that look gives the Avs a third sweater that has a timeless look while also paying homage to the city’s past with hockey, “The Broncos’ color-rush uniforms are a nod to their past and present, providing a look that gives Coloradans a sense of ownership.” — Ryan S. with an updated version of the D logo on a navy helmet to go with bright Clark, Avalanche beat writer orange jerseys and pants. In my opinion, the fans got it right. The orange jerseys from the late ’60s and the D logo helmets are by far the nicest in Do you prefer the Colorado C shoulder patch or the footprint? their history.” — Nicki Jhabvala, Broncos beat writer “This is a conversation point Avalanche fans have discussed for some Do you prefer blue or orange as the Broncos’ primary uniform color? time. Let’s start with the Colorado C. Some teams, such as the Calgary Flames or the , have tried to institute elements of their provincial/state flags into their shoulder designs. Implementing the Colorado C ties back to how the club has used a popular state symbol and made it its own. But on the other hand, that is why some will argue in favor of the Yeti foot logo. It was prominently displayed since 1995, when the team first arrived in Denver. Furthermore, it reminds fans of those iconic teams that won two Stanley Cups early in their existence. Another point worth raising is that the Yeti foot and the team’s A logo are original pieces that were foundational when it came to the organization’s image when it first arrived.” — Clark

Where do the Avs’ uniforms rank among other NHL teams?

The majority of you say the Avs’ uniforms are top-10 in the league, which is perhaps why the team has stuck with the same overall design since its inaugural season in 1995-96. I’m convinced team colors play a big role in these rankings, and the Avalanche have a good color scheme. In addition to the maroon and blue, the combination of old and new that Ryan Clark mentioned is something Avs fans love to see, instead of ditching the past to come up with something new and shiny.

What is your favorite uniform in Rockies history?

“In 2017, the Rockies changed the Pantone purple of their alternate jerseys to … purple. Before, their purple jerseys at times looked like dark navy, especially on TV and under some stadium lights — Wrigley Field especially. The Rockies used to look like a big bruise. Now they look like the purple mountain majesty they wanted from the start. It’s a good look and wholly unique in MLB. There are a lot of red and white and blue teams, but only one is purple.” — Nick Groke, Rockies beat writer

Would you support a new color scheme for a Rockies alternative jersey?

Most of you want to keep it as is, but 44 percent are ready for a little mix- up. My question now is: What colors do you want to see? Maybe red, orange and blue to represent the Colorado flag? Something else that represents the state or city?

Said reader Michael K.: “I would like (an) alternative uniform with Denver represented. Perhaps a purple cap with black D, bordered in light gray or silver.”

Let us know what else you think would work for alternative pallets in the comments.

Where do the Rockies’ uniforms rank among other MLB teams?

This is the only response where the majority of fans think the teams’ uniforms are overall mediocre. The pinstripes don’t seem like they fit in Colorado — they just make me think of the Yankees — and the “CR” hats remind me of the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Rockies’ purple uniforms help set them apart, but the rest of their looks are commonplace and don’t particularly stand out from others.

What is your favorite uniform in Rapids history?

When you pair the Rapids’ burgundy jerseys with the pale blue shorts, you have a winning kit, no doubt about it. The pairings of these colors complement each other nicely and, once again, are colors that look good on everyone. Some of their past designs have too much going on, and the burgundy look is the complete opposite of that. The details are subtle, and the team has done a good job of adapting this color wave over the years. My favorite version was in 2012 when the stripes on the uniform were made up of all the names of the season ticket holders that year. That was a great touch.

Which do you prefer for the Rapids’ secondary jersey?

White is definitely the safe route between these options. As I’ve said before, color scheme matters. If someone is going to buy a uniform, they want to look good in it, and white is a universal color. But I will tip my hat to the blue and yellow alternative uniforms for the extra pop.

The Athletic LOADED: 05.01.2020 1183712 Colorado Avalanche

Avalanche sign Justus Annunen to entry-level contract

By MHS Staff

April 30, 2020

The Colorado Avalanche Hockey Club announced today that the team has signed goaltender Justus Annunen to a three-year, entry-level contract through the 2022-23 season.

Annunen, 20, posted a 15-5-3 record in 23 games for Karpat in Finland’s top professional league () this season, ranking first among all in both save percentage (.929) and goals-against average (1.77). The 6-foot-4, 210-pound netminder was second in the league with six and established a new league record for the longest shutout streak during a single season (302 minutes, five seconds) from Sept. 21 – Oct. 23.

In 2018-19, Annunen had a 13-8 record with a 2.77 goals-against average and .891 save percentage competing for Hermes in Finland’s second-highest hockey league, . He joined Karpat Jr. for the postseason and posted a 1.50 goals-against average and .930 save percentage in six appearances to help the team capture the Jr. A SM- liiga championship.

Selected by Colorado in the third round (64th overall) of the 2018 NHL Draft, Annunen played 26 regular-season games for Karpat Jr. in 2017- 18, registering a 2.31 goals-against average and a .907 save percentage. He added a 1.83 goals-against average and .935 save percentage in 12 postseason contests. The Kempele, Finland, native was the recipient of the Jorma Valtonen Award as the junior league’s best goaltender and was named to the First All-Star Team.

Internationally, Annunen represented his country at the 2020 IIHF World Junior Championship, where he finished the tournament with a .916 save percentage and a 2.65 goals-against average in six contests. His 362:01 minutes in net was the second-most among all goaltenders in the tournament. Annunen helped Finland capture the gold medal at the 2018 IIHF U18 World Championship, registering a 6-0 record with a 2.00 goals-against average and a .914 save percentage in six games. He also competed at the 2017 Under-17 World Hockey Challenge, recording a 3.05 goals-against average and .904 save percentage in three contests.

milehighsports.com LOADED: 05.01.2020 1183713 Dallas Stars 25. “We’ve had an unbelievable year, a good year on the ice and really good year building [off it].”

“When we realized where this was starting to go, we realized that this Dallas Stars furlough 20 percent of staff for 60 days during NHL’s was probably going to be a little longer than we thought and people have COVID-19 suspension to make choices,” Nill said on March 25. “Everybody’s getting affected by this. Does this just help somewhere else down the line that they keep their job or their pay cut is not as big? We all have to make decisions, By Matthew DeFranks and they’re not easy, but does this just ease that burden?”

9:24 PM on Apr 30, 2020 Ticket refunds: Alberts said the Stars are issuing refunds to single-game ticket buyers who bought tickets through the Stars, not through third-

party sites like Ticketmaster or StubHub. The Stars are the latest sports team to feel a financial crunch. “Anybody that bought single-game tickets, if they’ve asked for a refund or The Stars will furlough 20 percent of its front office staff for two months they need a refund, we’re giving that to them,” Alberts said. beginning Sunday, team president Brad Alberts announced Thursday The Stars are holding funds from 2019-20 season ticket holders until afternoon. Team executives, Alberts included, also took a 20% salary there’s a resolution to this season, Alberts said. The team is also working reduction last month in addition to CEO and general manager with season ticket holders if they need adjustments to payment schedule, ’s voluntary 50% pay cuts. he said. Alberts said the furlough does not affect hockey operations employees, Crews cover the Dallas Stars ice after the NHL season was put on hold who are contracted. Furloughed employees will still receive healthcare due to coronavirus on Thursday, March 12, 2020 at American Airlines benefits during the period and the Stars will make the necessary Center in Dallas. premium payments. The team is also assisting furloughed employees to receive government unemployment benefits.

“Everybody’s just managing their way through this until we can get Dallas Morning News LOADED: 05.01.2020 through the pandemic,” Alberts said. “Once we’re through the pandemic, we can get back to figuring out the economy and figuring out our businesses. That’s really what we’re doing.”

Alberts said nearly every department of the Stars front office was impacted by the furloughs, including AHL affiliate Texas and the StarCenters.

The NHL has not played games since March 11 due to the coronavirus pandemic, meaning teams around the league have lost out on revenue from games not being played. The league has not cancelled the remainder of the 2019-20 season, and hopes to still award the Stanley Cup at the end of the season.

Recent reports have indicated the league could return in July with about four regional host cities that would house eight teams. The NHL and the NHLPA released a statement Wednesday evening saying they were hopeful to be able to open up team practice facilities for small group workouts in mid- to late May.

Alberts said the length of the furlough could be shortened should the NHL return sooner than anticipated, but said the team is focused on the conclusion of the season. Regardless of the playoff format (some expanded playoff formats have been floated as possible ideas), the Stars will be included thanks to a 37-24-8 record.

“If that, for whatever reason, can’t happen, that’ll engage another phase and then we’ll begin to look at what does 2021 look like,” Alberts said. “But I’m not getting into hypotheticals of what 2021 will look like at this point. None of us know. The people that are going to make a decision on this don’t even know.”

Many NHL teams are adjusting their workforce. The Blues will furlough staff Monday, and reduce salaries by 20% for other staff members. The Coyotes, Hurricanes, Canadiens, Bruins, Oilers, Flames and Senators have also taken similar measures.

The Stars could be impacted more than other NHL teams because owner Tom Gaglardi is also involved in the hotel and restaurant industries, markets deeply affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It’s a combination of everything,” Alberts said. “In our industry, in sports, you’ve seen other teams are doing this, both in hockey and not in hockey. Some have, some haven’t. Certainly everybody’s discussing it and making their own decisions based on their own situations. We have to be respectful to ownership here as well. They’re in a very hard-hit business, hotels and restaurants. We are sensitive to that in this situation.”

Lites and Nill are still receiving a 50% pay cut, Alberts said. Their reduction was retroactive to March 12, when the NHL announced its suspension.

“I’m fighting like hell to make sure we do as much as we can for all of our employees, because they have worked really hard,” Lites said on March 1183714 Dallas Stars

Dallas Stars furlough 20 percent of staff for 60 days

By Sean Shapiro

Apr 30, 2020

The Dallas Stars announced cost-cutting measures in response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic on Thursday afternoon in a call with local reporters.

Twenty percent of the Stars’ office staff will be furloughed starting May 3 and running through July 4 according to team president Brad Alberts. The furloughed employees will still have health insurance during the 60- day period, and the Stars have committed to paying the insurance premiums. Alberts said the Stars have also made sure those employees will be eligible for government unemployment benefits.

“These people didn’t do anything wrong. We aren’t unhappy with any of them,” Alberts said. “It’s a terrible day for all of us to do this to these people. They are trusted members of our organization. We’ve just got to manage the business in the short term, and hopefully, we can get through this.”

The furloughs come from all departments under the Stars umbrella, including the AHL-affiliated in Cedar Park and the local rinks run by the NHL team. The furloughs were based on tenure with the company, according to Alberts.

“Every area throughout our group had some number attributed to that 20 percent,” Alberts said. “It was basically just tenure and some jobs — because we aren’t playing, there really isn’t a job. That’s what made up the list.”

The hockey operations department is not impacted by the furloughs at this time. Hockey operations employees are primarily contracted employees.

Alberts said the hope is that this would be the only measure needed.

“The duration and the severity of this will dictate it,” Alberts said. “Right now, as you guys know, the league is trying to figure out scenarios to return to play some capacity this summer. That’s really what we are focused on because regardless of the scenarios, we know our team will be participating. So really that’s what our group is focused on right now. If that for whatever reason can’t happen, that will engage another phase and then we’ll begin to look at what does 20-21 (season) look like.”

Alberts said he wouldn’t get into hypotheticals about the 2020-21 season and reiterated that the Stars hope that the 19-20 season can be completed in some fashion.

Alberts also announced that in March, all of the Stars’ executives took a 20-percent cut in salary around the same time that Stars CEO Jim Lites and general manager Jim Nill announced they were taking 50-percent cuts in pay.

Stars owner Tom Gaglardi is heavily invested in the hotel and restaurant business. Those industries have been rocked by the global stoppage.

“It’s a combination of everything,” Alberts said. “In our industry, in sports, you’ve seen other teams are doing this both in hockey and not in hockey. Some have, some haven’t. Certainly, everybody is discussing it and making their own decisions based on their own situations. We have to be respectful to ownership here as well. They are in a very hard-hit business, which is hotels and restaurants. We are sensitive to that in this situation.”

The Stars are the first team from the “big four” sports in DFW to announce such measures. FC Dallas has already announced pay cuts to staff.

Some other NHL teams have also taken similar measures, including the defending champion St. Louis Blues, who have temporary furloughs starting on May 3.

The Athletic LOADED: 05.01.2020 1183715 Dallas Stars like that it makes each player look like a Star on the rink/one of THE Dallas Stars, makes them look like a team. Leaves nothing to the imagination.

Ranking the Stars’ best jerseys, with the help of two very special 2. Original black jersey designers The made a transition to an all-black look in their final two seasons before relocating to Dallas. There was a slight tweak By Sean Shapiro after the 1993-94 season, but the all-black look was the Stars go-to on the road up until it made its final appearance during the 1998-99 regular Apr 30, 2020 season.

Second choice because of the total blackness of it against the white ice. Stands out. Clean, crisp. Like the logo combination of the “DALLAS” on The NHL is very largely a red-and-blue league. the pants with the logo on the jersey. Gives a clear message, makes a If you watch a random NHL game, there is a good chance it’ll feature two good ensemble. We like the border the lines make on the jersey, as well. teams with either of those colors – maybe even both – as their primary 3. 2020 Winter Classic hue. Of the 31 teams, 22 have some form of red or blue in their primary design. The Stars’ most recent jersey was introduced in the Winter Classic and then also used in two additional games. The jerseys were a big hit with Green is more unique. The Dallas Stars and the Minnesota Wild are the the fanbase and in jersey sales, and when we hosted our fan survey, only two teams with green as a primary color, while the Wild marry it with 50.1 percent indicated the Winter Classic threads should be a permanent the typical red. alternate jersey. Stars executives happily look at the current color, “victory green,” as Third choice because we like the total green; good branding. The “classic unique enough that when you turn on a television, the color right away ” feel. The logo we like because it includes the “D” for indicates you’re seeing a Stars game. Dallas within the “Stars;” good branding. Also just think this one is cool That hasn’t always been the case. Throughout franchise history, the and fun. Don’t like the cream pants; would prefer black pants with the Stars have experimented with more simplistic black-and-white looks, green and white stripes down the side. while there was also the unique star design the team wore when it won 4. Stars outline white design the Stanley Cup. This jersey was introduced as the primary home look during the 1999- From a fan perspective, an informal poll on Wednesday deemed the 2000 season after the strong response to its black-and-green cousin. 2020 Winter Classic jersey as the favorite look in franchise history. It was Like jersey No. 1 on our list. it was retired because the design wouldn’t fit far from scientific, but it was an indication of how fans feel when it comes the new Reebok Edge Jersey that the NHL introduced before the 2007- to ranking various looks. 08 season. It was a close race between the Winter Classic digs and the star-outline Fourth choice because we like it for all the same reasons we like (green jerseys Dallas wore for a decade, including the game when they won the star design). Just white is not as dramatic and strong as black with a Stanley Cup. contrast to the ice. That poll was the finals after three preliminary polls in which fans made it 5. Current green jersey very clear that they didn’t like the look of the team between 2007 and 2013. This is the Stars’ current home jersey and the look the team has been extremely happy with since the re-design. The victory green is a branding Personally, I didn’t feel qualified to judge the Stars jersey history. It’s not point of pride for the franchise. something I really care that much about, frankly, and while there are some jerseys that stick out more than others, on the whole, I tend not to We like the green, we like the logo, but the “D” font sucks. We like the have any negative opinions about any NHL jerseys. I could rank the italic – adds motion, which is great since the players move fast. The jerseys, but I don’t feel comfortable ordering things if my view could composition of the stripes is good, makes us think of the stripes on the easily be swayed in the comment section. ice and the goalie sticks they wrap with tape. “Very hockey.”

Instead, I turned to people who could actually judge the aesthetics of a 6. Current white jersey jersey: my mom, Pam, and my sister, Allie. Both are artists: Allie is an illustrator and Pam is a muralist, and both know very little about the Also revealed in 2013 with the current green jersey, this is the Stars’ road history of the Dallas Stars and what the jerseys represent. In other look since for the considerable future. words, they’re experts who also come in with objectivity. This is number six for all the reasons we like the previous jersey. We just I sent them pictures of the 11 jerseys the Stars have used in franchise dislike the white version. The green is a better contrast to the ice. history and asked them to rank them for me using whatever criteria they 7. Original white jersey wished. There was one call during this ranking process where they asked for clarification – are we missing a part where there is a red logo? – but The jersey that Dallas played its first NHL game wearing against the aside from that, everything was out of my hands. Detroit Red Wings. The white jersey went out as a winner during the 1999 Stanley Cup run at home before being replaced that summer. Some ground rules before we get started: I narrowed this down to the 11 primary looks for the team when there have been jersey re-brands. There No. 7 because it has the right amount of clean, minimal design. Logo is were tweaks to the jersey after the 1993-94 season, but the overall look clear and legible, but as a whole doesn’t stand out. Not as dramatic of a of the jersey remained the same. It’s also been pointed out that the statement. Very ‘meh’. It’s fine; it’ll work if we don’t have other options. current jersey technically changed in 2017 when the league moved to Adidas as the manufacturer; while that may be the case, the overall looks 8. 2007-08 white re-brand are similar enough. When the Stars had to re-brand before the 2007-08 season, they went To the rankings. with a much more simplistic approach with logo and number on the front of the road white jerseys. This jersey was the primary road look until it 1. Stars-outline dark jerseys was downgraded to an alternate during the 2010-11 season and was eventually retired after that season. It’s fitting that the jersey Dallas wore during its only Stanley Cup-winning season takes top prize in this ranking. The darker star design was The logo is the only good thing about it. Looks like a baseball jersey, introduced as an alternate jersey before the 1997-98 season and does not make me think of hockey. Not bold, no statement, no strength, became the full-time road fixture the next season. It was used until 2007. no direction.

No. 1 choice because of the dramatic contrast of the black and green 9. 2007-08 Black re-brand with a white accent. It reads STAR right away, good storytelling, bold. We The other part of the 2007-08 re-brand. This jersey was the primary home look until 2013 and became the template for the road jersey as well with “DALLAS” across the front instead of a logo.

The black is the only good thing about it. Too minimal. No image of a star is disappointing.

10. White DALLAS jersey

This was introduced as an alternate during the 2008-09 season and then edged out the original 2007-08 white jersey as the primary road look.

11. 2003-2006 Black Alternate

So, yeah, this is known as the mooterus now after the logo’s incredible resemblance to the female reproductive system. I had originally thought of writing a story specifically about this jersey, but enough people have already taken potshots – including the Stars themselves – at this failed concept.

What’s happening here? A bull? Where did the red come from? Confusing at BEST. Are they the Chicago Bulls and the Dallas Stars morphed together? Off-brand.

The Athletic LOADED: 05.01.2020 1183716 Dallas Stars

Vote here: The Athletic Dallas presents the 2020 Metroplex sports fan poll

By Tim Cato

Apr 30, 2020

Sports fandom is not monolithic, especially within major cities where most sports fans support multiple teams in multiple sports. Dallas, and its surrounding Metroplex, is one such example. It is not quite New York or Los Angeles or Chicago; there are not multiple teams in the same sports league competing for your attention. It does, however, have four steady, storied franchises who have defined the athletic culture in this area of the country for decades. Fans who grew up or moved here may have favorite teams or athletes within this regionality, but most have been influenced – in some manner – by them all.

But to what degree? Which ones matter most? What individual athletes, with specific sporting allegiances cast aside, matter most to the people who live here or align their sports fandom in North Texas? Which arenas are best? Should Arlington have public transportation!?

We wanted to run this survey to find out those exact questions. While FC Dallas and especially the Dallas Wings have not been around as long as the Cowboys, Rangers, Mavericks or Stars, we believe it’s important to include the full representation of Dallas-area professional athletics – even if, presumably, they won’t make as many waves as their longer-tenured counterparts. Both of those teams are young and fun! You should watch them.

We’re going to embed the survey below, but I would highly recommend that you click this link. I have found it much easier, especially on mobile, to answer these surveys within the actual Google form than on The Athletic app. It’s not our fault! It’s just the way that Google embeds it. There are 28 questions that are almost all multiple choice or checkboxes; this should take you no more than three minutes. Let me extend a “thank you” to everyone who does take that time to provide us data. We plan to publish the results at some point next week, and we look forward to learning more about where your Dallas sports loyalties lie.

The Athletic LOADED: 05.01.2020 1183717 Detroit Red Wings

Detroit Red Wings mock draft: Another defenseman, this time at No. 4

Helene St. James, Detroit Free Press Published 6:00 a.m. ET April 30, 2020

Detroit Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman touched on numerous topics during a rare news conference. Filmed Feb. 24, 2020 in Detroit. Detroit Free Press

In this mock draft, Detroit Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman again goes with a defenseman as his top pick.

The Wings locked up a last-place finish March 10, two days before the NHL hit pause on the 2019-20 season because of COVID-19. As the draft lottery format currently stands, that gives the Wings an 18.5% chance of selecting first overall, and guarantees they’ll pick no worse than fourth overall. The 2020 draft has been postponed from its scheduled date of June 26-27 in Montreal because of the pandemic. Forward Alexis Lafreniere is regarded as the consensus first overall pick.

New Detroit Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman takes questions Friday, April 19, 2019 at in Detroit, Mich.

In this mock, the Wings are pushed back to the fourth selection. Yzerman chooses Jamie Drysdale, considered the best defenseman available in the draft. Drysdale produced nine goals and 38 assists in 49 games this season with the Erie Otters in the Hockey League. He had a goal and two assists in seven games for Canada at the World Junior Championships.

Mock Draft 1.0: Steve Yzerman looks to Germany again, this time on offense

Drysdale is 5-11, 175 pounds and shoots right. He’s a mobile defender who can skate the puck out of his zone, making smart decisions on the fly on breakouts and finding teammates with precision passing. He’s adept at using his body and stick to keep opponents to the outside in the defensive zone. Drysdale is projected to be a top-pairing defenseman.

Yzerman made a splash at the 2019 draft, his first since taking command of the Wings in April 2019, when he selected German defenseman Moritz Seider at sixth overall. (Seider had been projected to go in the teens.) Adding Drysdale to the rebuild makes sense because high-end defensemen are always at a premium. Seider had a good North American pro debut — two goals, 20 assists in 49 games with the — this season, but beyond him, the Wings lack high-end defense prospects.

Dennis Cholowski, drafted 20th overall in 2016 had an opportunity to earn a spot in Detroit this season because of multiple injuries to regulars but failed to do so. At this point, it's tough to see him as a top-four defenseman.

The next netminder: The top candidates to replace Jimmy Howard

Filip Hronek, a right-shooting defenseman selected in the the second round of that draft, has established himself as part of the top four, though. Adding Drysdale would give the Wings three potential complete packages on defense.

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The Detroit News ranks top 50 Red Wings in organization by value for 2020

Ted Kulfan, The Detroit News Published 11:21 a.m. ET April 30, 2020

Detroit — It’s never easy to rate the value of professional athletes.

They bring so many variables to the table, different strengths that can make a team better without necessarily being a terrific offensive or defensive player.

The Red Wings own the NHL's worst record in 2019-20.

Leadership is a trait all coaches and front offices value, and potential, though both can be difficult to quantify.

NHL teams are allowed a 90-player maximum on their reserve lists, whether signed to a standard contract or unsigned. From there, there’s a 50-contract maximum (players primarily in the NHL and minor leagues, along with select draft picks in junior hockey) and the 23-player active NHL roster.

Every player brings a unique skill set, has specific strengths and weaknesses, and contributes different ways.

What to make of the Red Wings’ organization?

The Detroit News takes a stab at ranking the top 50 players in the organization, given success at the NHL level, age, potential, contract situation, and position played.

It’s a list that is getting younger and more inexperienced by the year. And this year there is an asterisk attached, in that the NHL, minor league, and junior-league seasons have been paused or ended by the coronavirus pandemic.

This list is done without including veteran unrestricted free agents — goaltender Jimmy Howard, defensemen Trevor Daley, Jonathan Ericsson and Cody Goloubef, and forward Sam Gagner, all of whom are uncertain to return to the Wings next season.

Detroit News LOADED: 05.01.2020 1183719 Detroit Red Wings ►On facing the Legion of Doom in the '97 final: "Going into the series, we heard everything about the big Flyers and they were big. They were the favorites but we were comfortable and we felt we matched up Steve Yzerman: Would've been 'a long life' without the Stanley Cup reasonably well against them. The only thing is we didn't really have an answer for Eric Lindros' line with (John) LeClair and (Mikael) Renberg. They were big huge guys and I didn't know how we were going to play against these guys and didn't really know how to stop them. That was Mark Falkner, The Detroit News Published 8:09 a.m. ET April 30, 2020 | kind of unknown for us. Updated 10:45 a.m. ET April 30, 2020 "Before the playoffs, we weren't necessarily firing on all cylinders. Each

round, once we got into the series with each team after the first couple of Before the Detroit Red Wings won the Stanley Cup for the first time in 42 games, I remember thinking, we can beat these guys. Once we got into years and before Steve Yzerman ended his 14-year drought without the Flyers' series, we did win Game 1 and going into Game 2, we kind of winning the Cup, the longtime captain, NHL Hall of Famer and current felt like, you know what, we can beat these guys." general manager said it would've been "a long life" if he hadn't Philadelphia Flyers center John LeClair skates away from Detroit Red accomplished his goal. Wings defenseman during the Yzerman made the comment on a Facebook Live interview on on June 5, 1997, at in Detroit, Michigan. Wednesday with color analysts and and ►On Vladimir Konstantinov's role: "Everybody assumed that Vladdy play-by-play announcer preceding Fox Sports Detroit's would go head-to-head with Lindros' line. At that time, Eric was one of a rebroadcast of the Red Wings' Stanley Cup-clinching Game 4 victory kind. He was 235 pounds and if you were just going to go muscle against against the Philadelphia Flyers at Joe Louis Arena in 1997. muscle, we didn't have anyone who could match up with him really. As Steve Yzerman was on a Facebook Live interview on Wednesday with hard as Vladdy was and Vladdy would've given everything he had but Mickey Redmond, Darren Pang and Ken Daniels preceding Fox Sports Vladdy was 190 pounds. But that would've been tough. Detroit's rebroadcast of the Red Wings' Stanley Cup-clinching Game 4 "Practicing against Nick (Lidstrom) and Murph (Larry Murphy) as a pair, victory at Joe Louis Arena in 1997. (Fox Sports Detroit screen grab) you got a sense for it in scrimmage. They would hold on to the puck and "Detroit was our home," Yzerman said. "In '96, (wife) Lisa and I had they would back off, back off and wait for you to come forecheck them. bought a lot here in the area and we were going to build our home that Just when you were about to get to them, they would pass it 80 or 100 we were going to live in. I think after '96, I'm like, oh my God, this is going feet up the ice and you just ended up backchecking. They were really to be a long life if we don't win the Stanley Cup here. We're going to have hard to play against and kind of neutralized the big, strong Legion of to rethink this plan. After '97, it was like, thank God. That's what I wanted Doom line." to accomplish. I needed to to accomplish this and I'll never ultimately be ►On taking faceoffs against Lindros: "For me, it was difficult. He was so satisfied with my career if we don't win the Stanley Cup." strong. His big stick off the faceoff. He literally would rip the stick out of Pang, who is Yzerman's friend going back to their days growing up in the your hands. If you watch this game, watch the last four minutes, there Ottawa area and also the rinkside reporter that night when the Wings were four or five faceoffs in the neutral zone and I had no chance of swept the Flyers in four straight games, remembers Yzerman carrying winning any of them. Eventually, I just gave up and assumed they were the Stanley Cup into the team's parking lot after the postgame winning them and getting into a defensive position. celebrations and trying to fit the Cup into his Porsche 911. "I couldn't defend him physically. I had no chance. I left it up to the D. I "I had a small rental car," Pang said. "You had the Porsche 911. You think Scotty (Bowman) probably used Sergei's (Fedorov) line a little bit couldn't fit the Cup in yours. We almost put it into mine. I think you more against Eric in that series. I don't recall off the top of my head. might've looked at it. It might've been a Pontiac something and you went, Sergei is big enough and strong enough on the puck and more of a puck 'No, that's not going to happen.' Somehow you fit everyone. You probably possession type of player than myself. I think that was more of Scotty's squeezed Lisa up front a little bit with the Cup in the back. I remember matchup at that point." thinking, 'I almost drove off with the Stanley Cup in a crappy rental car.'" Steve Yzerman holds up the Stanley Cup during a victory parade in Before they left the parking lot around 1 a.m., Pang said Yzerman asked Detroit on June 10, 1997. a security guard if Mike and Marian Ilitch were still up in their suite. They ►On failing to win the Stanley Cup: "Honestly, by '96-'97, we stopped walked upstairs and handed the Cup to the owners, who bought the team even thinking about it. In '96 when we won 62 games, it was kind of a for $8 million in 1982 and wound up winning three Cups in six years with special season. We're wrapping up with all of these records and Yzerman as captain of the storied franchise. ultimately you don't win the Cup so it doesn't really mean anything. It's a "You think you're going to party and go wild but we were exhausted, I little bit embarrassing after the fact. The '96-'97 season, we weren't even was exhausted after the game," Yzerman said. "Actually, in the old locker thinking about winning the Stanley Cup. room, we had an area where we would hang our gear, back in the corner "I don't think we were the favorites going in. With each round of the where we would take our suits off and put our shorts and stuff on. Our playoffs we would get into it the middle of it and I would say, you know room was a zoo. It was small and had to be a hundred degrees. Panger, what, I think we can win this series. We kind of had given up so maybe myself and Lisa just sat in the back corner, back there, just quiet. that helped a little bit, the focus of being on the Cup or wondering, is this Actually, I ended up just having a Coke. I was thirsty, I was tired and our year, is this our year. Obviously, it happened, finally." mentally exhausted. ►On finally winning the Cup: "It was an incredible sense of relief. Simply, "It's the quiet moments you remember the most. Finally, eventually that it was joy. It was something I had dreamed about. With each night, I don't think we got home until 5 or 6 a.m. Everybody went to bed year, there was more desperation, more desperation and honestly, after and I couldn't sleep. I put the Cup on the island in my kitchen and just sat '96, you're like, we had just had this incredible year, maybe we're never there and just read all the names from all the years and looked at the going to win this thing." Stanley Cup. It was 6 in the morning, the sun is coming up and it was a great time. The celebrations are fun but the moments you get to spend ►On the : "Once they threw them out there, it changed the looking at the Cup, the names ... the dents -- we put a couple of those whole outlook of our team. They played a completely different way and I in there, Panger, but we won't talk about. You know what I'm talking know it was frustrating practicing against them in scrimmage. Scotty about. So much history to it. They were great moments." didn't use them all the time. Occasionally, he would put them together and they would take over a game. Here are other highlights from Yzerman's conversation with Pang, Redmond and Daniels. "Sergei was incredibly talented, Kozzie (Slava Kozlov) was vastly underrated, Vladdy was not just an incredible competitor but he was also Philadelphia Flyers' Eric Lindros roughs up Detroit Red Wings' Vladimir scoring goals and Igor (Larionov), as a kid, I watched him play in the Konstantinov during the final minutes of Detroit's 4-2 victory over the Olympics and he and Slava (Fetisov) were legends. They were really Flyers in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals on May 31, 1997, in good teammates and they took great pride in winning the Stanley Cup. Philadelphia. We wouldn't have won without those guys." ►On the physical nature of the team: "That was maybe the biggest difference from the '97-'98 teams and the teams from '96, '95 and '94. All of a sudden you had Joey Kocur, who was 220 pounds, Darren McCarty was roughly 220, Shanny (Brendan Shanahan) was close to 220, Marty Lapointe was 220, Tomas Sandstrom was 215 or so and on the blueline Rouser (Bob Rouse) and Slava Fetisov were big, heavy bodies.

"In these playoffs, every single line we put out there had a big, strong powerful guy. We weren't going to run you out of the building but as the series wore on, instead of us getting worn down and beat up, the other team was losing bodies. When guys are crashing together, something gives eventually.

"In '95, everyone knows we got swept in four games by New Jersey. Nobody cares and it's not an excuse but we had so many injuries. We played poorly and Jersey was just this big, strong, powerful team with a great goalie and they defended really well and were a really good team. They were bigger and stronger than us and they wore us out."

►On Darren McCarty's game-winning goal in Game 4: "All season long, Scotty harped on don't turn the puck over at the blueline. Mac did that move all year long and it never worked and he turned it over all the time. I said Mac, would you not do that because we're not going to get on the ice if we get scored on. Sure enough, I'm right behind him and here he goes again. He does that move and it works and he scores. Mac never listened to anybody. It was a fantastic goal.

"Again, it was destiny. It was our fate to win. Everybody contributed. You go through the whole four rounds of the playoffs, when you go through all those games, somebody did something special that made a difference in a game, in a series. On that goal, I couldn't keep up with him. It was the fastest he's ever skated in his career. He sprinted down the ice and high- fived half the rink. It was an incredible goal. Good for him."

Detroit News LOADED: 05.01.2020 1183720 Detroit Red Wings

Red Wings’ Steve Yzerman addresses talk of holding draft before season complete

By Ansar Khan

The NHL has discussed the possibility of doing something radical this year with its draft: holding it before the potential end of the regular season and completion of the Stanley Cup playoffs.

The league announced March 25 that the draft, scheduled for June 26-27 in Montreal, would be postponed. It said the timing, format and location of the draft and draft lottery, which was slated for April 9, will be announced when details are finalized.

The season was paused on March 12. NHL commissioner Gary Bettman has said the league is prepared to play well into July and August in order to complete the season, but everything is uncertain for now due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Detroit Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman does not favor holding the draft before the season is concluded. He shared his thoughts Wednesday on a Facebook Live chat with team broadcasters Ken Daniels and Mickey Redmond and St. Louis Blues broadcaster Darren Pang.

“Ultimately we’ll decide what makes the most sense depending on what the ultimate conditions are,” Yzerman said. “Obviously, the draft has never taken place prior to the end of the Stanley Cup or end of the season. We don’t know when that’s going to be. It was just suggested, possibly, we got all these things on the list, should we consider getting the draft out of the way early?

“My thought is why would you do that? Why would you need to do that? There’s a lot of things that are affected. Obviously, the draft position hasn’t been established. We don’t know who’s in the playoffs, who’s out of the playoffs in some cases. So there’s a lot of questions and ultimately, if (the draft) needs to be done prior to, we’ll figure it out but at this time my own opinion is I haven’t heard a good reason why we should do it prior to the end of the season, if we do conclude the season.”

The Red Wings clinched the worst overall record. If the lottery format remains the same, that will give them an 18.5 percent chance of landing the top pick, a 49.4 percent chance of finishing in the top three and a 50.6 percent chance of selecting fourth, which is as low as they could go.

Winger Alexis Lafreniere of Rimouski of the League is the virtual unanimous pick among analysts to be taken first. Big center Quinton Byfield of Sudbury (OHL) and skilled winger Tim Stuetzle of Mannheim (Germany) are expected to go second and third, in either order. Defenseman Jamie Drysdale of Erie (OHL) might be the fourth pick.

Yzerman addressed how the pause has affected draft preparation.

“We can only make a decision on the information we have,” Yzerman said. “Had we gone through all the junior, college, European playoffs, the U-18 tournament, which would have been held in Plymouth, that’s more information. Some guys will play really well, some guys won’t play as well, and that’ll affect your decision.

“But it looks like right now we won’t get to watch these kids anymore, so we only make our decisions based on the information we have. It goes for all teams. Fortunately, the (front office has) been watching all year long. Some kids you would have liked to have seen a couple more times, but we have a good handle on them. We’re all in the same boat. I’d like to think we’re going to make good decisions and ultimately it’s a little bit of a crapshoot.”

Yzerman also talked about the 1997 Stanley Cup championship, which ended the franchise’s 42-year drought. The chat can be accessed below:

Michigan Live LOADED: 05.01.2020 1183721 Edmonton Oilers “He’s a great skater. I played against him a lot this year. He’s a good kid and he will be a great hockey player.”

PICK SIGNED Lennstrom hopes to join list of Edmonton Oilers success stories In other news, the Oilers signed Finnish defenceman Markus Niemelainen to a two-year entry-level contract.

Robert Tychkowski Niemelainen was Edmonton’s third-round pick, 63rd overall, in the 2016 draft and checks in at a towering six-foot-six and 190 pounds.

Bringing in players to compete for spots keeps everyone hungry and In 147 career SM-Liiga games, he had 15 points (three goals, 12 assists) increases the odds of finding someone who can help, so it’s no secret and 74 minutes. why general manager likes to throw a lot of lines in the Niemelainen also represented Finland at the 2015 and 2016 World U18 water. Hockey Championships, winning a gold medal (2015) and a silver medal Sometimes they hit, like Gaetan Haas, Riley Sheahan and Josh (2016). Archibald, who all made important contributions to the Edmonton Oilers Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 05.01.2020 last season, and sometimes they miss, like Markus Granlund and Joel Persson.

But the low-risk vs potential reward style of management is serving Holland and the Oilers well, so a one-year, two-way contract for defenceman Theodor Lennstrom is a natural extension of that strategy.

The rest is up to Lennstrom.

The 25 year old will get his shot when next season (whenever that is) rolls around, an opportunity that can’t come soon enough as far as he’s concerned.

“Coming to a team like Edmonton and to the NHL has been my dream for a long time,” said the six-foot-one, 190 pounder, who still can’t believe he’s getting a shot in the big league. “It’s very exciting. It feels unreal still.”

A day after putting his name on the contract, his phone is still blowing up with friends and family wishing him success on the biggest test of his hockey career.

“The last 24 hours have been crazy. Everybody has been cheering for me. It’s been a fun day, but also exhausting.”

Lennstrom had the option of playing wherever he wanted and put significant research into deciding on a team. In the end, it might have been Joakim Nygard, another of Holland’s lines in the water from last year, who tipped the balance in Holland’s favour. He had nothing but glowing reviews about Edmonton and the Oilers.

“I played with (Nygard) for two years, he’s an amazing player and an amazing guy. It’s fun to be back with him, for sure. I talked to him a lot before I made my decision and he told me so many good things about the whole organization and fans and everything.”

Lennstrom spent the last four seasons in the , where he turned heads with his mobility and puck-moving skills. In 151 career SHL games, he put up 49 points (11 goals and 38 assists), along with 70 PIMs and a plus 22 rating.

He hopes he’ll be able to translate his SHL ability to the NHL better than some of his predecessors who tried and failed.

“I think my strongest ability is my skating and my vision and I fight in every battle, those are the three best parts of myself,” he said, adding he knows there are going to be challenges awaiting him at the next level.

“I’ve been watching the NHL for a long time. I know you have to make quicker decisions and the battle areas are a bit tougher than in the Swedish Hockey League, so those are the two main things.”

He joins an already crowded blue line that was eight deep last season with the emergence of Ethan Bear and Caleb Jones and still has Philip Broberg and waiting to take their shots. But at $950,000 in the NHL and $70,000 in the minors, he’s a low risk who might just pay off.

That’s the way Holland likes it. It keeps everyone hungry and gives he and head coach more options moving forward.

“We (he and Holland) had a good conversation,” said Lennstrom. “He expects hard work and for me to come prepared.”

As for a scouting report on how Broberg looks back in Sweden, Lennstrom says Edmonton has a good one coming with their first pick (eighth overall) from the 2019 draft. 1183722 Edmonton Oilers Leaving wisdom aside for a moment, is it possible for the Oilers to fit both Hall and Nugent-Hopkins under contract? This summer, the answer is yes, but it’s tight.

Should the Oilers pursue Taylor Hall this summer? Assuming a single compliance buyout per team and a flat cap, the Oilers can clear $8 million and change to sign Hall to a long-term contract. That wouldn’t be enough to sign him under normal circumstances but he has By Allan Mitchell and Jonathan Willis Apr 30, 2020 suggested he’s looking for term and in a depressed free agent market his options are going to be limited.

What would that look like? Taylor Hall is the biggest name in free agency this summer. His history with the Oilers would make him intriguing in any event but he also Edmonton could expect to clear $6.5 million via compliance buyout. happens to be something Edmonton doesn’t have on the roster: an elite Neal’s $5.75 million contract would form the bulk of that. Given the option scoring winger at 5-on-5 with a long history of driving play. to get out from under Lucic’s deal, the Calgary Flames would presumably exercise their own option, which would also erase the $750,000 the The Oilers have rotated through a collection of converted centres, cheap Oilers retained in last summer’s trade. auditions and prospects on the wings this year, and some of them have worked out. Uncertainty remains. That’s the relatively easy part of the exercise. The more difficult one is trading Russell and thereby clearing his $4 million cap hit for next year It’s not clear who will ultimately play with Connor McDavid. Leon Draisaitl from the books. was very productive with wingers Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Kailer Yamamoto but the Oilers may not have the luxury of leaving them as a Russell’s base salary is just $1.5 million (along with a $1 million signing unit. Yamamoto’s emergence in particular was exactly what the team bonus) at a time when teams are under unprecedented financial needed but it doesn’t solve the 5-on-5 struggles by itself. pressure. He does have a 15-team no-trade clause and that makes things complicated. Thus we circle back to Hall. Can the Oilers afford him? If they can, should they? If Edmonton were to go after Hall in this scenario, he would be their only major acquisition of the free agent period. They’d have to stock the The ‘avoid becoming more top-heavy’ approach bottom end of the lineup with cheap options, players like Riley Sheahan, If the salary cap remains at $81.5 million for 2020-21 (and possibly Tyler Benson, William Lagesson and the like. Depending on specifics, it beyond) the Oilers are going to be top-heavy no matter what it does with might also become necessary to bury or buy out the final year of Nugent-Hopkins and Adam Larsson in free agency. Chiasson’s contract, and/or run a 22-man roster with a single spare forward and defenceman. Let’s say general manager Ken Holland decides to set aside enough cap dollars to sign Nugent-Hopkins to a four-year, $26 million deal. That’s a The toughest item on the list is that there wouldn’t be room to give Bear a $6.5 million cap hit, representing a slight salary increase while also falling rich, long-term extension. That’s not necessarily a deal-breaker. If the short of what I think he’d get as a full free agent in the summer of 2021. Oilers and Bear can agree to a one-year bridge, there will be plenty of highway left to agree to a longer-term contract. It’s also unlikely that he’ll Edmonton’s vital roster cluster would make up more than half of the cash in dramatically come 2021, given the probability that NHL revenues overall cap should it stay flat in 2021-22, while filling just seven roster will take a beating next season and the expected return of the incumbent spots. McDavid ($12.5 million), Draisaitl ($8.5 million), Nuge ($6.5 Klefbom on the first power play unit. million), Darnell Nurse ($5.6 million), ($4.5 million), Oscar Klefbom ($4.167 million) and Zack Kassian ($3.2 million) represent Those are all significant sacrifices and it’s debatable whether Hall is the almost $45 million in cap spent. That’s 55 percent of the overall cap for best possible target. He is a superb 5-on-5 producer, an area Edmonton 30 percent of the roster. Add in a summer buyout (likely James Neal) and struggled this season. He’s also young for free agency, making him less the retained Milan Lucic dollars and we’re approaching 60 percent before risky both immediately and over the term of a hypothetical seven-year re-signing Yamamoto and possibly Ethan Bear (depending on the contract. contract he gets this summer). The debate Adding Hall this summer, on a long-term deal, is going to cost $8-9 Jonathan Willis: I guess the first question is this: it’s certainly possible, million per season. Arguably it’s a bridge too far. but in your mind is it practical for the Oilers to enter next season with Edmonton can find the money to sign Hall in 2020-21, for one year. both Hall and Nugent-Hopkins on the roster or are you convinced the Edmonton’s current expiring UFA’s over $1 million a year are Brandon team would have to make an immediate choice? Manning ($2.25 million), Mike Smith ($2 million plus bonuses), Markus Allan Mitchell: For me, next season is easier than the following years. Granlund ($1.3 million) and Mike Green (deadline acquisition). Dollars Hall can be signed for 2020-21 at (say) $8 million using any number of retained on contracts for Sam Gagner and Eric Gryba fall away, that trades/buyouts. Let’s say Russell traded, Neal bought out and then saves $600,000. inexpensive adds and a few kids on the farm (Bouchard, Benson) making Let’s say the Oilers can replace all these free agents capably while the NHL team. Year 1 for Hall in Edmonton isn’t a difficult chore. saving $2.5 million. Add in the Neal buyout and that’s over $4 million However, the following summer you’ll have Yamamoto and possibly Bear saved for the Hall deal. That means $4-5 million of the new Hall contract to sign, plus decisions on Nuge and Larsson. One possibility is dealing comes out of current roster spots. Edmonton could trade any Nurse, that would depend on the continued development of Jones, combination of Andreas Athanasiou ($3 million and an RFA), Alex Samorukov and Broberg behind Klefbom on the left side of defence. Chiasson ($2.15 million) and Kris Russell ($4 million) to make cap room and make it work for a year. JW: We’re in agreement on that, and it’s foundational to how I look at the situation. So we go back to the Nuge signing next summer. If Edmonton signs Hall for $8 million and the contract with Nuge as described above, that would I’m all for projecting ahead with free agents – Hall’s injury history is a mean about $53 million for eight men, representing 65 percent of the worry in that regard – but in terms of team cap situation I think Peter $81.5 million cap. Chiarelli taught us not to anticipate. He cleared a bunch of room to sign his guys a year before he had to, did almost nothing with it, and then The Oilers can sign Hall but it could well mean saying goodbye to ended up right to the cap anyway having needlessly burned 2017-18. Nugent-Hopkins a year from now. A lot can happen in a year – you’ve laid out some of the considerations – Nuge or Hall? That’s a conversation. Is it really wise for the Oilers to sign so the question I ask myself is why not sign Hall today and figure out next both men long term? Hall turns 29 in November. Best to keep year’s cap situation next year? Edmonton’s most expensive long-term commitments (McDavid, Draisaitl) limited to players whose contracts expire in their late 20s. AM: One of the challenges to signing Hall long term is how long is the term? He’s clearly still a quality player and the things that make him The scrimping and saving approach special remain in his arsenal. How long is this contract? If we’re going year to year, completely different conversation. I expect it’s five years we’re looking at on an extension.

JW: Probably more than five! All I’m suggesting is that he gets signed now, the Oilers rock a RNH-McDavid and Hall-Draisaitl one-two punch for a season and then worry about next summer’s dollars next summer.

At that point, if it becomes necessary to sacrifice Nugent-Hopkins, you can, but you’ve had one year with the forward lines of a legitimate contender.

AM: MORE THAN FIVE? So we’re all in on the 2020-21 season? Is the rest of this team one you want to go to war with? Tippett did a helluva job with this crew, I’ll give you that much. Let me ask you this: If the Oilers sign Hall for seven years at $8 million, buying out Neal and trading Russell, sign Mike Smith for another year and stand pat/promote rookies elsewhere, do you believe that team can win the Stanley Cup in 2021?

JW: Can we say Jaroslav Halak instead of Mike Smith? Thanks, that helps.

And yeah, it’s possible. That’s a buzzsaw of a forward lineup. Toss in a year of experience for Bear, Jones, Yamamoto and Bouchard and I like them a lot.

AM: OK, let’s agree to do this: Sign Hall, trade Russell, buy out Neal, keep everyone else and go low/short on Bear/Athanasiou. Keep Larsson and Benning with Bear right side, Bouchard in AHL because you’ll need him, then Klefbom, Nurse and Jones on the left side. Halak signed to split with Koskinen and the top six is 97, 29, 4, 93, 56 and then Kassian when he’s on, someone else when he isn’t. Summer 2021, if Jones has developed as I think he will, Nurse is dealt. I still think it’s top heavy, and when Klefbom is UFA that’s a pressure point, but we’ve effectively traded Nurse for Hall in cap dollars and that I can live with.

JW: That’s my case. You might not even have to trade Nurse a year from now. Bouchard succeeding Larsson will pay a lot of Bear’s raise and the end of Pouliot’s dead money deal can pay for a bump for Nugent- Hopkins.

But the key thing is that you’re all in on building the best possible team for the next 4-5 years. I like Hall better than most of the mid-tier guys, and the lesson of things like the Lucic debacle isn’t ‘don’t go big-game hunting,’ it’s ‘don’t go medium-game hunting.’

They’ve got a good group now, Hall makes them a lot better, so roll the dice. Assuming you can do it for $8.5 million, that is, which is still a pretty big if.

The Athletic LOADED: 05.01.2020 1183723 Edmonton Oilers extending if they can bring him back around that $800,000 cap hit. It’s worth noting that this survey was released and competed before Gaetan Haas re-signed with the club on Tuesday.

The results are in: How you voted in our inaugural Oilers fan survey How good would a sniper like Mike Hoffman look alongside either McDavid or Draisaitl? Hoffman had 65 goals in 151 games over the last two seasons with the Panthers and has found the back of the net at least By Daniel Nugent-Bowman and Jonathan Willis Apr 30, 2020 20 times in each of his six full NHL campaigns. He made nearly $5.2 million against the cap this season. The 30-year-old winger, who carries

nearly a $5.2 million cap hit this season, was the runaway winner here, This is our first time asking Edmonton fans in any kind of organized form well ahead of the second-place Taylor Hall. The Oilers could have a to provide their input on the Oilers powers that be, the hockey operations vacancy in net, so Jacob Markstrom and Braden Holtby garnering lots of decisions facing the franchise and their own fandom. With roughly 1,500 votes make sense. responses to our survey, we got an interesting and valuable perspective The Hall ship has already sailed its course in Edmonton. And, if you had into all of the above. your way, it wouldn’t come back for another cruise. Hall, the 2018 Hart We’d like to thank everyone who took the time to provide their Trophy, is the type of skillful winger the Oilers could certainly use. He perspective. If there are changes you’d recommend for next year’s also has a lengthy injury history and has appeared in just five Stanley survey or questions you want to see included, please let us know in the Cup playoff games in his 10-year career. Surely, a large part of that isn’t comments. his fault. However, Oilers fans have spoken.

Without further ado: The results. This probably won’t be Holland’s decision, ultimately, since Puljujarvi and his camp have been clear for months that he wants a trade. There’s Part 1: Fan Confidence probably a top-nine player in the making here. His season in Finland was positive, at the very least. On the flip side, the right piece or two he might Nicholson receives a middling grade here from Oilers fans, with the most fetch could be quite useful to an Oilers team on the rise. There could be popular choice barely exceeding the pass threshold and the median more certainty to whatever Holland gets, too. Because right now, response landing right on it. Had we released this survey a year ago, Puljujarvi is out of sight and of no help to the Oilers. there’s little doubt there would have been more negative responses. Nicholson waited until January 2019 to fire Peter Chiarelli and was There’s no surprise here. Bouchard, Edmonton’s first-round pick in 2018, responsible for finding his replacement. Confidence wasn’t exactly sky- had an NHL audition last season and followed that up in 2019-20 by high. So far, however, his choice to bring in Ken Holland has proven putting up very good offensive numbers in the AHL as a first-year pro. He effective. won’t be gifted a spot on the Oilers blue line next season, but a good offseason and training camp could earn him a spot. He’s so close to The Oilers GM is comfortably in the ‘A’ range after a year on the job. being NHL-ready either way and that’s good news for him – and the team Holland hasn’t revamped the team, but his swap of James Neal for Milan since his entry-level deal is due to slide. Lucic was a win, he added some nice pieces at the trade deadline and his tinkering at the bottom of the lineup has mostly worked out. He’s This speaks to how top-heavy the Oilers still are. They have the league’s taken a measured approach to build the Oilers – contract extension to top two scorers, yet the forwards are deemed to be a hindrance to future Zack Kassian perhaps excepted. When your roster is led by Leon success. There are still improvements that need to be made. Goaltending Draisaitl and Connor McDavid, the top two scorers in the league, maybe was a close second here. Mikko Koskinen performed admirably this that’s the right approach. season but his NHL track record is still limited. Pending free agent Mike Smith had an up-and-down first campaign in Edmonton and turned 38 Move over Ken Holland. The coach is at the top of the class. The Oilers earlier this year. managed four more points than they had last season in 11 fewer games. They were on pace for a 17-point improvement before the season was Part 3: Oilers fandom halted on March 12. Their power play was one of the best in NHL history and their penalty kill, consistently one of the league’s worst in recent Our readers offer good representation across the board, with pre-dynasty years, ranked second behind only San Jose. It’s hard to find much fault in Oilers fans and decade of darkness era observers showing up in equal Tippett’s work – or his coaching staff. measure. The most common response, though, comes from people who found the team in the 1990s, fans who presumably remember hating the The track record of director of pro scouting Archie Henderson (and his Dallas Stars and the near-annual exodus of star players for richer crew) is hard to judge here considering Holland has only made the four franchises. deals of consequence – acquiring James Neal, Andreas Athanasiou, Tyler Ennis and Mike Green. The biggest change from recent years is the We’re happy to have readers of all sorts, but unsurprisingly the vast Oilers haven’t been the decisive losers in a trade. (See Brandon Manning majority are very plugged into the franchise. The most common answer for Drake Caggiula from last season as a recent example.) The Oilers are from our readers was that they watched every Oilers game, and 81.5 eventually going to need to augment their lineup with carefully crafted percent of readers had watched 30-or-more. moves. At least, for now, they’re not being set back by poor ones. Live attendance was less common for our readers than television Director of amateur scouting Tyler Wright hasn’t headed up a draft yet, viewing, but a majority had made it to between one and 10 games in an so this grade will change for better or worse soon – or in a few years NHL building this year. This is higher than we’ve seen in some other when upcoming decisions either result in serviceable NHL players or markets; in both Toronto and Vancouver, the majority of readers hadn’t don’t. Before Wright arrived in July, the Oilers were starting to find helpful been able to make it to a game in-person. This isn’t surprising given that talents such as Ethan Bear and Caleb Jones in the middle rounds. That many fans don’t reside in the same city as their favourite team, along had been a sore spot of the team for years. Heading into the 2014 draft, with the usual issues regarding price and the availability of tickets. the Oilers had selected only two players outside of the first round since It’s no surprise to see McDavid and Draisaitl taking massive portions of 2005 that played 100 NHL games (Jeff Petry and Theo Peckham). the vote share; when a team has two Hart candidates, those players are Winning a Stanley Cup is no easy feat in a league with 31 teams (and going to have fans. The long-serving Ryan Nugent-Hopkins is also a soon to be 32). It says something that confidence among the fan base is favourite. After the first five, write-in candidates Kailer Yamamoto, Zack so high considering that heading into this season, the Oilers had made Kassian and Ethan Bear all got plenty of love. the playoffs only once in 13 years. It’s amazing what a couple of Many fans objected to the premise of the question: blank responses or superstars on good contracts and a little direction can do. variations of ‘none’ (“I love ’em all,” for example) were the single most Part 2: Hockey Operations common response. As for the rest, being expensive, being new to the team or struggling in a depth role were all good ways to land on this list. Ennis had played only nine games with the Oilers when the season was Many readers mentioned Brandon Manning’s use of a racial slur this year postponed and posted two goals and four points. Coach Dave Tippett in naming an AHL defenceman who was not on the major-league roster was tinkering with his place in the lineup, mostly playing him with to this list. McDavid but giving him a late audition with Draisaitl, too. It’s too early to tell what the Oilers have in Ennis, of course, but he might be worth It’s a good idea to remember here that a lot of our readers came to the Oilers in the 1990s, meaning they had the chance to watch Ryan Smyth play just under 1,000 career games for Edmonton. It would be easy to look at these results from outside the market and marvel at and McDavid being eclipsed by a (comparatively) pedestrian winger, but for a whole generation of viewers, Smyth remains the quintessential Oiler.

With all due respect to the team’s rich history, its engaged fanbase and the local’s love of the city, there isn’t any question as to what part of the team excites viewers right now. The team’s top-end talent, as exemplified by Draisaitl and especially McDavid is the best thing about being an Oilers fan right now.

This one requires a bit of explanation. Inconsistency and lack of depth are common enough complaints, but many fans were still irate about the decade of darkness. Poor managerial decisions, lots of losing and a perception of nepotism in the front office all got votes here. Comparing the management votes to the confidence expressed in Ken Holland suggests that most of those complaints are directed towards previous regimes.

My biggest request for coverage of the Oilers from The Athletic is ______.

We don’t have a handy graphic for the final question on this survey, which was the most open-ended of the lot. Many of you very kindly told us to just keep doing what we’re doing, and that’s much appreciated.

Others had practical suggestions concerning coverage that we’ll be scrutinizing over this prolonged pause. Increased prospect coverage was a particularly popular suggestion, many of you named players you felt deserved more attention than they get and there were some constructive comments related to things like day-to-day game coverage.

We’re grateful for all of the responses, both to this question specifically and over the survey as a whole. Thanks, as always, for reading.

P.S.: Some of you might be looking at these responses and wondering where your write-in response is. In a lot of these cases, it was necessary to limit the graphics to showing only comments that hit a certain threshold of support, and write-in responses below that threshold (for example, if you’d love to see the Oilers sign Craig Smith) were not included. In cases where multiple answers were possible, the percentage displayed represents the percentage of total votes cast, as opposed to the percentage of individual respondents who chose that option.

The Athletic LOADED: 05.01.2020 1183724 Edmonton Oilers scored at least 21 goals and bettered Lucic by at least 10. That didn’t happen; Neal had 19 and Lucic had eight.

Holland said earlier this month he believes Edmonton would retain the How the Oilers are preparing for an NHL draft in June pick if the season didn’t resume despite the fact the requirements are met for Calgary if the totals were prorated. The NHL has yet to make a ruling. By Daniel Nugent-Bowman Apr 30, 2020 Regardless, Holland said he’d strongly consider trading down – a tactic he used in Detroit – to secure more draft picks for Wright and his staff.

The Oilers are in the process of shifting gears and preparing for the NHL “The scouts need picks,” Holland said. “I understand that I have a draft to occur in June. responsibility to do that.”

GM Ken Holland said that due to the pandemic, he’d always assumed “We’re preparing to have more picks, too,” Wright said. “There are the draft would take place no earlier than July but began to feel differently scenarios where maybe you trade back in the first.” after a league-wide call last week. The proposal was reported by The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun. Whether or not Holland can do that, the organization is emphasizing making the most out of their late-round picks. “We’ve been forewarned that this draft could happen way sooner than we had ever anticipated,” Holland said. This was a massive issue for the team for years. Before the 2014 draft, the Oilers had selected only two players outside of the first round since Holland has given director of amateur scouting Tyler Wright autonomy to 2005 that played 100 NHL games (Jeff Petry and Theo Peckham). proceed as he sees fit. Holland pointed to the 2015 draft, when the Oilers chose Caleb Jones, Wright said he’s been keeping busy by watching video of various Ethan Bear and John Marino in rounds four through six, as examples that prospects. Area scouts have already filed their final reports and he plans impactful players can be found in the later rounds. Jones, Bear and to hold a six-hour video call with them, collectively, as early as next Marino all completed their rookie seasons this year – albeit Marino’s week. coming with the Penguins.

“We’re going to get a rough draft of our list together,” Wright said. “We’re If you’re gonna be strong, you’ve gotta find players deeper in the draft,” going to be more diligent as we get closer to draft day.” Holland said. “They’re cheaper players. You can’t constantly be on the open market filling holes because it’s more expensive. You need players The Oilers have yet to commence video interviews with prospects, Wright pushing through your system.” said, adding there are no plans to do so until the NHL finalizes its draft date. The NHL draft combine, originally scheduled for early June, was It may be in June – earlier than expected – but it’ll be up to Wright and cancelled and that’s where final interviews with prospects typically his group to make the right choices. happen. “As you get deeper into the draft, these players have more developing to With limited time, Wright said he and his colleagues will prioritize do,” Wright said. “There are more warts to polish off. That’s just the speaking with 10-15 prospects that are in Edmonton’s first-round drafting development of that player – whether it’s physically or mentally. range. The Oilers have the 20th overall selection based on points Everybody’s different. percentage, although a final drafting order hasn’t been determined. “The true draft grade is three or four years out. We’ve gotta find those “Once that gets put in place, we’ll really start to dig deep,” Wright said. players.”

Any prospect appearing on the Oilers’ list will have been interviewed by Holland took care of some business on Tuesday and Wednesday the area scout over the phone – at the very least – if not in person, extending depth centre Gaetan Haas, 28, and signing 25-year-old Wright said. The team’s midterm amateur meetings were held later this blueliner Theodor Lennstrom out of Swedish league’s Frolunda. Both season, extending into February, which gives the group a more current were given one-year contracts for less than $1 million. evaluation than usual. Holland said contracts of this salary range – which can be buried in AHL In a normal year, Wright would be interested in speaking to top prospects Bakersfield without penalty against the salary cap – are the highest-cost – like frontrunner Alexis Lafreniere – as close to the draft as possible, but deals he expects to offer for the foreseeable future. The biggest issue is he doesn’t think that will feasible this year. the uncertainty of what the salary cap will be next season.

“We already would have interviewed them (during the season). We’re There were reports a week before the 2019-20 campaign was halted on trying to be respectful of their time and our time,” Wright said. “I wouldn’t March 12 that the cap could climb to as high as $88.2 million from $81.5 rule it out, but I’d say probably not.” million. That’s a pipedream now. Projecting, however, is a fool’s errand.

Looking at the Oilers prospect depth chart, the organization has fewer “I’m just going to work off the same number until they tell you something quality players up front than on defence. Their last two first-round picks, different,” he said. Evan Bouchard and Philip Broberg are blueliners. The Oilers have $71.4 million committed to 16 players for next season, Is the 20-range in the first round a chance for the Oilers to lean toward a per CapFriendly. positional need and pick a forward no matter what? The Athletic LOADED: 05.01.2020 “We have depth charts where we’re looking to fill holes,” Wright said. “But you do have to take the best player available. If you have a plethora of top defencemen, you can go out and get whatever you need.

“When you’re picking in the first round, you’re trying to get as big of an impact player as you can to be with your franchise in the next couple years. If that means there’s a defenceman there over a winger or a centreman, you’ve gotta make that call.”

After the Oilers use their first-round pick, it could be a long time before they get to make another selection.

As things stand right now, the Oilers are without a pick in the second round (Andreas Athanasiou trade) and the fourth round (Mike Green deal).

Edmonton’s third-round selection was given to Calgary on a conditional basis in the James Neal/Milan Lucic trade last June – provided Neal 1183725 Los Angeles Kings

Gary Bettman says NHL willing to delay next season by two months to finish 2020

By HELENE ELLIOTT SPORTS COLUMNIST APRIL 30, 20206 PM

The NHL remains intent on completing this season when health experts deem it safe to resume play and the league is willing to delay the start of next season by two months or more to accomplish that, Commissioner Gary Bettman said Thursday. However, he again said no decisions have been made on a timetable or format and that the league and the NHL Players’ Assn. will continue to consider many potential options for returning.

“We have a great deal of flexibility in terms of when we can start,” he said during an interview with the NHL Network. “There’s no magic for next season of starting in October as we traditionally do. If we have to start in November or December, that’s something that will be under consideration.

“We’re going to try and make good, prudent, careful judgments. This isn’t a race to be first back. When we come back, we want it to be at the right time, for the right reasons, under the right circumstances.”

Bettman paused the season on March 12 in response to the coronavirus outbreak. Players, coaches and staffers remain under an indefinite self- quarantine directive. Many have left their team’s city, including many European players who have returned to their respective homelands.

Elliott: Stanley Cup playoffs in the summer? NHL has a lot on the line to finish the season

The league and the NHLPA issued a joint statement Wednesday in which they said if “conditions continue to trend favorably,” it might be possible to enter Phase 2 of a return to operation. That phase would entail players participating in small-group workouts at their team’s facilities in mid-May or late May, with precise details to be announced nearer that time.

Team workouts and a training camp of two to three weeks would logically follow that. Bettman called discussions with the players’ union on how to proceed “extraordinarily collaborative.”

Bettman has previously said he has no problem with staging games in July and August, and that could happen even if the league scraps the 15% of the regular-season schedule that remained when he halted play. The Stanley Cup playoffs have never before taken place beyond late June.

“We miss the game,” Bettman said. “We miss our fans. We miss watching our players play every night. We’d be in the middle of the playoffs right now. We’re focused on trying to do the right things for the good of the game, so we can get back and connect with our great fans as soon as possible.

“But as soon as possible means under the right circumstances, and for that we’re going to take our guidance from the governments at all levels and from the medical people.”

LA Times: LOADED: 05.01.2020 1183726 Los Angeles Kings best for Ty’s development, moving forward as a hockey player to make this step.

“Anybody who is sitting there can make the argument either way, and ‘Right spot at the right time’: How Tyler Madden will help the Kings’ you just go through the pros and cons. The way L.A. has things set up rebuild (with AHL Ontario), when you talk to the guys in their development program, they have a really good feel for how they can help Tyler.”

By Lisa Dillman Apr 30, 2020 Tyler wasn’t the only recently-turned-pro on the Zoom call with the host, Kings broadcaster . They were joined by Kings first-round pick, forward Alex Turcotte (No. 5 in 2019), and defenseman Cole Hults (No. 134 in 2017), who played for the University of Wisconsin and Penn State, For Tyler Madden, it was the ideal hockey education/laboratory, hanging respectively. out with his hockey-playing dad John Madden during that one special season in Chicago. Alex Turcotte’s dad, Alfie, played in the NHL, having been drafted by the in the first round (No. 17) in 1983. His NHL career First off, there was the larger-than-life Dustin Byfuglien (Big Buff). A spanned seven years, three teams and 112 games. young Jonathan Toews was poised for stardom. Kids were around at the practice facility, first at Johnny’s IceHouse East and at Johnny’s One of the many funny things about the Zoom call was the presence of a IceHouse West later in the season. Patrick Kane poster on the wall behind Turcotte, who was raised in suburban Chicago. The ultimate kid, Patrick Kane, was willing to get on the ice with Tyler, who turned 10 during the season. (Will it still be there during the next Zoom call?)

“Ty got the best use of the facility,” John told The Athletic. “Ty would get Turcotte signed on March 11 and got to Los Angeles just in time for the on as often as he could no matter when it was. He had relationships with season to be put on pause, unable to practice even once with the Ontario guys like Dustin Byfuglien, Kris Versteeg and Patrick Kane. He made his Reign. He spent the weekend in Southern California and went back way around the room. home to be with his family.

“He knew where the food was and the equipment room. He knew where The Maddens are in transition, in the process of selling their home in the ice was and knew he was going to get there early, playing pass or Florida. John said they are living in horse country just outside Lexington, keep-away with Patrick Kane or something like that. Kentucky, which makes sense considering young Reese is a gifted equestrian (hunter jumper) and has an opportunity at Spy Coast Farm. “At the time, I don’t think he realized what the opportunity was. Now he sees pictures: ‘Is that me playing with Kane?’ He goes, ‘Whoa!’ It was a Father and son are taking advantage of the open spaces to go out for real fun year for him and us.” runs during this period of quarantine. Tyler is trying to get his hands on some rollerblades. In 2010, Chicago’s Stanley Cup championship ended a 49-year drought for the Blackhawks. For John, it was his third and final Stanley Cup “We’ve been a big puzzle family, but I guess you can’t get any more championship, adding to his two with the New Jersey Devils. But this puzzles anywhere,” Tyler said. “They’re all sold out. We did a couple of resonated more because Tyler and his younger sister, Reese, could those … I’m doing some workouts with my mom (Lauren). She used to better understand what was going on. be a gymnast so she’s got some pretty tough ones she makes me do. My dad is always in my ear.” “Ty remembers everything like it was yesterday,” John said. That was one of the entertaining themes of the call. Now Tyler is in the Kings organization — having signed an entry-level contract with the team on March 30 — and one possible future teammate Tyler, who has never been to California, is checking out automobile happens to be former Flyers forward Jeff Carter, who would have played options and is getting some fatherly advice. against John in the 2010 Cup final between Chicago and Philadelphia. “My dad’s been in my ear, ‘Don’t get this. Don’t get that,’” Tyler said. “It’s And so, the wheel of hockey life keeps on turning … been a fun conversation at the Madden household for a while now.”

John, who will turn 47 on May 4, chuckled when reminded about the What followed was amusing. On Zoom, the sons of hockey-playing Carter connection, saying: “It makes you feel a little bit younger.” fathers, Madden and Turcotte, bonded in real-time. You had the feeling they were the voices for a sheltering-at-home generation. The Maddens were weighing Tyler’s professional options during his second season at Northeastern even before his rights were traded to the Tyler: “I like my dad a lot but being in the same household with him for a Kings from the in the Tyler Toffoli deal on Feb. 17. long time is getting …”

“We obviously had a lot of long talks and it wasn’t an easy decision to Alex: “Oh , brutal.” make and at the end of it we thought (signing the contract) was best,” said Tyler Madden, via a Zoom video call organized by the Kings last Tyler: “A lot of competitions and stuff between us just to pass the time. week. “I love Northeastern. Love the coaches. Love the guys. It was kind Whatever we can do to stay busy.” of that thing I had to do for my hockey career.” Alex: “Yeah, I love my parents but sometimes it’s just like, ‘Oh my God.’ VIEW THIS POST ON INSTAGRAM Obviously no one can work. I’m usually not used to being home all day. It’s kind of funny. I think I’m going to look back at it and be really happy I VERY EXCITED TO SIGN MY ENTRY LEVEL CONTRACT WITH THE got to spend some time with them.” @LAKINGS ORGANIZATION. THE LAST 2 YEARS HAVE BEEN VERY SPECIAL FOR ME AS A HOCKEY PLAYER AND AS A PERSON. I Tyler has been off the ice even longer than the other players. He suffered WANT TO THANK MY TEAMMATES AND COACHES FOR a broken finger on Feb. 14 against UMass Lowell and hasn’t played since EVERYTHING THEY HAVE DONE. @GONUMHOCKEY then. At the time of his injury, the center had a 10-game point streak and was tied for fourth in the country in points (37). His goal celebrations A POST SHARED BY TYLER MADDEN (@TP_MADDEN_10) ON MAR were highly ranked, too. 30, 2020 AT 3:38PM PDT TYLER MADDEN AND NORTHEASTERN WIN IN OT. SNOW ANGELS John Madden went undrafted and ultimately played all four years at the AND ENVY. PIC.TWITTER.COM/DG8IVIHBFC University of Michigan (winning the NCAA championship in 1996), wrapping up his collegiate career in 1997. By 2000, he won a Stanley — BUCCI MANE (@BUCCIGROSS) FEBRUARY 5, 2019 Cup with the Devils and would finish first in voting for the Frank J. Selke One of the first things he wants to do after restrictions are lifted is get Trophy (league’s best defensive forward) a year later. down to Cape Cod to work with specialist Paul Vincent, who is the “I can’t remember anybody coming out too early,” John said. “So, it was skating and skills coach for the Florida Panthers and is in the just a different era. I don’t compare the two. For everybody, time to come Massachusetts Hockey Hall of Fame. out is different. Sometimes you need all four years. So we just felt it was Vincent was on Joel Quenneville’s staff in Chicago when they won the “The biggest similarity is in the D zone. He has an understanding of Cup in 2010. The list of players Vincent has assisted is long and winding; coverage and what is being asked of him. Most importantly, when you for starters, he worked with Hockey Hall of Famer Adam Oates, a host of are in a situation to make a decision, he always seems to pick up the Boston Bruins when they were in their formative years in AHL Providence most important guy in those situations. and legions of youngsters at summer hockey camps. “Other than that, once he crosses that red line, he’s on his own I’ve never Vincent first came across Tyler when he was coaching John in Chicago, given him a tip on where to go.” and then started working with Tyler about five years later. The Athletic LOADED: 05.01.2020 “He’s such a great kid. He doesn’t care if he comes on the ice with 14- year-olds or 23-year-olds,” Vincent said in a telephone interview with The Athletic. “He just wants to get better.

“Every year, he has come back and said, ‘I’ve got to get better at this.’ And he focuses on getting better at that. That’s how I see him.”

Vincent believes Tyler will eventually be a top-six forward for the Kings, projecting a good fit in coach Todd McLellan’s system.

“He’s in the right spot at the right time to be in L.A.,” Vincent said. “L.A. is trying to start to play a speed game and he’ll fit into that skilled speed game. It’s hard to fit in Vancouver right at the moment on the top six with a lot of established guys. Where there’s a lot of young pieces jockeying for that spot in L.A.”

Internally, the hope is that the restocked pipeline will give the Kings’ organization a different look, an infusion of youth and peer-group competition.

“You know you’re going to be surrounded by great players and they make you better,” Tyler said. “Everybody is going to come in, ready to play and everybody wants a spot on the big team.”

Tyler has had to field questions about his size — 5-foot-11, 157 pounds — before and since Vancouver drafted him in the third round (No. 68) in 2018. Shortly before the Canucks traded Tyler’s rights to the Kings, he spoke with Athletic colleague Thomas Drance about the issue of size and strength.

John expounded on the notion and the differences of hockey strong versus general strength.

“That’s a great analogy,” he said. “I’ve heard that over the years as well. I played against many, many guys where I see them out of their equipment and I’m like, ‘No, that’s not the guy that knocked me down. That’s not the guy that outmuscled me in the corner.’

“You realize with edge control with your low center of gravity, with how you position yourself, there’s a bunch of things that you got to learn. You can’t just be big and say, ‘Oh, he’s big and strong.’ There’s a big difference between being hockey strong and being weight-room strong.”

Vincent saw much more than an undersized kid in 2018.

“I kept saying to people in our organization: This kid is going to play in the NHL,” he said. “His father never grew till he was in college and from there had a tremendous professional and college career.

“Back in the mid-90s, if you weren’t 6-foot-2 or bigger as a forward, or 6- foot-3 or bigger as a defenseman, they considered you undersized. Now guys who are 5-9 and 5-10 can play in the NHL. For me, his game has progressed unbelievably.”

John remembered watching Tyler figure it out for himself on the ice as a youngster. He had the work ethic but there was that hard-to-define hockey IQ.

“In my head, I’m thinking, ‘Where are you going on the ice?’ All of a sudden, he’d have the puck and score a goal,” John said. “OK, that’s good. There were those moments. I get it.

“He would go out there and do exactly what was asked or understand a play. That’s one of the hardest things to get out here. So when he proved to me he had hockey sense, I was like, ‘Wow, he might go somewhere.’”

Kings general manager Rob Blake noted that you can see John’s influence in Tyler’s game. After his playing days, John was an assistant on the Panthers staff and coached the in the AHL until the spring.

John is quick to note where the similarities end.

“There’s more differences than there are similarities,” he said. “First off, he’s a skilled hockey player. I’ll be frank, I wasn’t. 1183727 Minnesota Wild waiting. Just hoping that we are going back as soon as possible. And I feel I’m ready to go back whenever.”

Fiala has been skating daily with NHLers like Dallas’ John Klingberg, Skating in Sweden, Kevin Fiala is ready to get back to his breakout Boston’s Anton Blidh and Toronto’s Pierre Engvall. He’s not sure if stretch Brodin and Eriksson Ek, who live three hours away in Karlstad, and Rask, who lives five hours away in Stockholm, are also skating. But he knows they’re getting to the gym every day. By Michael Russo Apr 30, 2020 “I’m at my same weight, so I feel in shape, but the game-type situations, you have to have some games in you,” Fiala said. “So I hope there’s going to be maybe some preseason game type of things because I think Kevin Fiala was in the middle of one of the most scorching and it doesn’t matter how much you play 3-on-3 or stuff like that in practice, consistent five-week runs that we’ve ever seen from a Wild player when it it’s always different in a game with the hitting, with the battles. I don’t came to a screeching halt with his overtime winner in Anaheim way back know how long, but I don’t think for myself it’s going to take so long.” on March 8. After a tough start to his Wild career last season and a scoreless first So the Wild’s, dare we say, budding star made the conscious decision to month of this season, Fiala started to erupt and turn into a different leave the and return to Gothenburg, Sweden, last month player once the calendar flipped to November. But that was nothing because he thought it may give him a leg up on many other North compared to when he returned from the bye and the All-Star break in American-based hockey players who were about to face stay-at-home early February. orders and NHL-recommended quarantines. THIS FIALA QUOTE FROM HIS ZOOM CALL MADE ME CHUCKLE In Sweden, where Fiala’s girlfriend is from, the country has largely REGARDING #MNWILD FANS TAKING NOTICE OF HIM NOW remained open during this COVID-19 global pandemic. That means while Fiala says he has tried to be smart and stay indoors as much as "WHEN I SCORE A GOAL OR WHEN I’M IN THE STARTING LINEUP, possible, he has been allowed to eat out, grocery shop and get his hair THEY CHEER A LITTLE MORE THAN THEY DID IN THE START.” cut. AS FIALA SAID, WHEN HE GOT TO MINNESOTA, HE WAS "NOT That also means that unlike, say, in Minnesota, where all ice rinks have GOOD AT ALL." been padlocked for more than a month, Fiala has been able to skate every weekday with a small group of other scrimmaging hockey players. — MICHAEL RUSSO (@RUSSOHOCKEY) APRIL 29, 2020

KEVIN FIALA, WHO SCORED 14 GOALS AND 26 POINTS IN HIS Fiala was oozing with confidence as he tried to be a difference-maker LAST 18 GAMES AND THE FINAL GOAL IN OVERTIME FOR THE every shift. He was a constant threat, finishing the season with 14 goals #MNWILD BEFORE THE NHL SEASON WAS SUSPENDED, IS DOING and 26 points in his last 18 games, including 10 multi-point games and A ZOOM CALL WITH LOCAL REPORTERS FROM SWEDEN that final overtime laser in Anaheim to cap a two-goal game.

HE’S ON THE ICE EVERY DAY BC IT’S PERMISSIBLE THERE The team had won eight of 11 at that juncture, so personally and as a PIC.TWITTER.COM/I7ITDRZ2NN team, Fiala hopes to “finish the job” as the Wild hope to take part in the playoffs this summer. — MICHAEL RUSSO (@RUSSOHOCKEY) APRIL 29, 2020 He was grateful for the confidence and trust he received from interim “My life right now is like usual,” said Fiala, who is from Switzerland but coach , his former coach in Milwaukee and somebody who resides mostly in Sweden during offseasons. “I’m actually on the ice rode Fiala hard earlier in his career to be a better pro. every day here, so it’s a little different in the U.S. and even in Switzerland, you can’t do anything, it seems like. It’s like a complete Fiala logged 14 minutes, 46 seconds a game under former coach Bruce lockdown. In that way, it’s a very positive thing for me, for myself, that I Boudreau and 18:09 under Evason, including seven games with greater can go on the ice whenever I want to. than 19 minutes of ice time.

“That was a big reason too why I came here back in Sweden. If the “I got traded to Minnesota and when I knew I got him as an assistant season is going to continue, I think I’m going to have a better chance to coach, I was very happy to have him back and right now, to have him as get back on my 100 percent than other guys that haven’t been on the ice a head coach, it’s something special again, and I have a great feeling for six or seven weeks right now.” about that,” Fiala said of Evason, who was 8-4 as head coach. “He’s a huge part of my career right now. I think he’s done a great job with us Soon after Fiala completed a Zoom call with local reporters, the NHL sent here.” a memo to players that the league hopes to open team facilities for “small activities” in the “mid-to-later portion of May” and that players outside of Fiala didn’t feel it was his place to offer much of an opinion on the many their club’s city should “consider whether to plan to return.” return-to-play scenarios floating around, like potentially quarantining as many as seven or eight teams in hub cities like potentially the Twin Cities Roughly half of the NHL’s 300 European players returned to their to resuming the regular season inside one’s division to maybe even an continent during the pause, so the league has not yet decided how these expanded playoff. players would return to North America at this point. It’ll be complicated. The league may have to organize charter flights from certain spots in His only goal is to show the Wild and their fans that he can be a Europe because of how difficult it would be for players to return on their consistent performer upon return and into the future. own via commercial airlines. “I worked a lot on a lot of stuff during the summer and it didn’t (come) at The league hopes to hold training camps in June, meaning the the start of the season, but I didn’t stop believing and didn’t stop working Europeans will have to return to North America soon because NHL hard,” Fiala, 23, said. “At some point thank God it came and it was a long deputy commissioner Bill Daly emailed The Athletic that it’s “quite likely road, but right now it can go back as well. So, I don’t want to be just one that, depending on the timing, all players arriving from overseas would be season. I have a lot of work to do and I’m still a young player. My career subject to a mandatory quarantine period.” is hopefully still long. I have to do exactly what I do right now to stay that way.” Besides Fiala, Wild players Joel Eriksson Ek, Jonas Brodin and Victor Rask are back in Sweden and Mats Zuccarello’s back in Norway. Captain The Athletic LOADED: 05.01.2020 Mikko Koivu, a native of Finland, remains in Minnesota.

Asked if he knows when and how he’d get back if the league attempts to resume, Fiala said, “I don’t know. I mean, we’ve been wondering that as well. That’s a good question, and we players, we have actually no idea what is going on or what is going to happen, if the season is going to continue, what’s the plan for us, we don’t know.

“I don’t have a plan, because I don’t know what is going to happen, and it’s tough to make a plan where this is no plan. So I’m just hoping and 1183728 MontrealCanadiens

Kirk Muller still searching for answers about Canadiens' power play

Author of the article:Pat Hickey • Montreal Gazette

Associate coach Kirk Muller was on the Canadiens’ twice-weekly conference call Thursday and it didn’t take long for someone to ask: What’s up with the power play?

The Canadiens’ power play ranks 22nd in the suspended NHL season with a 17.7 per cent success rate. But the big question — which nobody is able to answer — is why the Canadiens are twice as likely to score a power-play goal on the road as they are at home?

“I think the personnel is there,” Muller said from his summer home in Kingston, Ont. “I think (Jonathan Drouin) being injured was one issue that hurt us when he went down in the Washington game (on Nov. 15). But I think the biggest thing is looking at the personnel and saying: ‘Hey! Listen, why are we the No. 1, No. 2 or No. 3 right now but — for the most part — No. 1 power play this year in the league on the road, but 30th or whatever at home?”

Muller said the Canadiens are able to score power-play goals on the road because they keep things simple and the result is a 24.7 per cent success rate. It’s different at the , where the Canadiens capitalize on only 12.4 per cent of their chances, which ranks last among the 31 teams in the league.

“We’ve got to learn to play in our rink, simplify the power play just like we do on the road, stay the course, stay the system,” Muller said. “That’s the biggest thing, is making it a better play at our home rink.”

It remains to be seen whether the Canadiens will get a chance to test the power play again this season. The NHL and the players’ association said Wednesday they’re hoping to move into Phase 2 of the restart plan from the COVID-19 shutdown and allow players to practise in small groups later this month, But Muller said he has no insight into when — or if — play will resume.

Muller has been talking with head coach Claude Julien and the Canadiens’ other coaches so they will be ready when plays resumes. Meanwhile, Muller said he has become an outdoorsman as he works on his property, chopping wood and weeding.

“I have two of my daughters here and my son-jn-law and I’m chasing my 2-year-old grandson,” said Muller, whose daughter, Bryelle, is married to Brad Malone, a veteran NHL forward who is now with the Edmonton Oilers organization and was playing for the AHL’s this season.

Malone and Muller often talk hockey and they’ve been watching the classic games that are being replayed on TV. Muller figured prominently in one of those games, scoring the Stanley Cup-winning goal in a 4-1 victory over the Los Angeles Kings in Game 5 of the 1993 final at the Forum.

“Just think, you’re a young kid and you dream about scoring the Stanley Cup-winning goal and it actually comes true,” Muller said. “To score it in Montreal at the old Forum — and to score it in front of all my family that was there and the fans of Montreal — that was the greatest moment of my career.”

Montreal Gazette LOADED: 05.01.2020 1183729 MontrealCanadiens Hey, I never said it was good math.

Semifinal No.2

Bracket showdown semifinal: Vote for the 2019-20 Canadiens play of the Feb. 27: Tomas Tatar breakaway goal vs. the New York Rangers — year nominated by Meeker Guerrier

If there’s one common theme in the remaining four plays, it’s that they all involve a complete team effort, but none of them epitomize the value of By Marc Dumont Apr 30, 2020 buying into a gameplan as much as Tatar’s breakaway goal against the New York Rangers.

Originally, 16 plays were in the mix to advance to the next round of the Both Weber and Ben Chiarot do a great job neutralizing the 2019-20 Canadiens play of the year showdown. The community decided forecheckers, but that alone isn’t enough. Cue Phillip Danault, who, as is on the quarterfinalists this weekend, leaving eight plays to battle it out for tradition, drops down low to give his defencemen a short-distance pass play of the year honours. option.

And then there were four. The breakout and the finish were immaculate, and full marks to Brendan Gallagher and Tatar for completing the play, but Danault’s defensive- All four plays that advanced from the quarterfinals did so by way of an zone support is what really turns this play from a simple defensive overwhelming victory, earning anywhere from 65 percent to 85 percent of strategy into a goal-scoring opportunity. the votes. Not only were they fairly easy wins, but it also means most of you agreed on which plays were deserving of a semifinal berth, a rare Oh, and I suppose you can give credit to Tatar for being able to deke situation when it comes to sports fans. Alexandar Georgiev out of his hockey pants, which, incidentally, are still located somewhere in the rafters at the Bell Centre. But with the quarterfinal vote out of the way, we can get down to brass tacks and start debating the merits of certain plays. This is where the Dec. 23: Suzuki assist vs. the Winnipeg Jets — nominated by Eric nitty meets the gritty, and no, I’m not talking about Youppi!’s deranged Engels cousin in Philadelphia. If the goal versus the Rangers was probably Claude Julien’s definition of Semifinal No.1 a perfect 5-on-5 goal, and it most certainly was, the goal in Winnipeg was probably Kirk Muller’s definition of a perfect power-play goal. At this Feb. 8: Ilya Kovalchuk overtime goal vs. the Maple Leafs — nominated point, any power-play goal is probably seen as a perfect, but that’s a by Julian McKenzie and Brian Wilde whole other can of worms.

“Put the puck on net and good things will happen,” is one of the oldest One of the members of the community described Suzuki’s assist hockey adages, and for good reason, too. perfectly:

Though it’s simplistic in its approach, there are very few situations in Michael W. Apr 28, 6:29 PM which putting the puck on the net is a bad thing. Even shot attempts are seen as a good thing, because you’re making the goaltender work, and Some may think Brossoit bought the “shot” because he was gullible, but I thus adding another layer to the nightly war of attrition. say he bought it because it was so convincing. Suzuki sold it beautifully, then nailed a clean, hard pass right where Tatar wanted it. But it doesn’t work wonders in every situation, and that’s the crux of the issue when Tyson Barrie took a low-danger shot on Carey Price in When you think about that statement, Suzuki’s ridiculous assist seems overtime. To Barrie’s credit, he actually hit the net, so he avoided the even more impressive. Keep in mind, Brossoit spent a lot of time in the greatest overtime sin, which is missing far wide, thus giving your Edmonton Oilers organization, which means he invariably witnessed an opponents a perfect opportunity for an game-winning odd-man rush at overabundance of fake shots in practice from one of the best playmakers the other end of the ice. But Barrie underestimated Price’s sneakiness of all time. I’m talking, of course, about Milan Lucic. and was caught out of position when Price suavely redirected the puck But back to the play. It was a perfect pass from a player who has another towards a wide-open Nick Suzuki. 15 years of hockey left to perfect his game, and it was exactly what Well, technically Suzuki wasn’t wide open, Auston Matthews was Canadiens fans needed to see this season. A few more wins couldn’t covering him, but just like when the Leafs face the Bruins in the playoffs, have hurt, but just like taking a refreshing sip of Labatt 50 after Matthews fell apart when it mattered most. Well, technically Matthews did accidentally eating an oatmeal raisin cookie, Suzuki did a great job cover some ice, it just wasn’t important ice, as both Suzuki and flushing out the bitterly disappointing aftertaste and trust issues that Kovalchuk were left to their own devices. threatened to linger for a long time.

What a goal, what a moment, what an utter failure by the Leafs in Voting overtime. Perfection. As per usual, you’ll have 48 hours to submit your vote. If you’re having a Oct. 17: Victor Mete first career goal — nominated John Lu hard time voting, you can access the poll directly by clicking here.

You could argue that this play isn’t perfect. If anything, waiting over two Have fun! years to score your first NHL goal is about as far from perfection as it The Athletic LOADED: 05.01.2020 gets, but I’ve always found the longer you wait for something, the better it is. That’s why I wait at least 20 minutes before ignoring the fresh, healthy chicken breasts I bought at the grocery store and reaching for the ice cream. Mete waited a little longer than that, but the eventual triumph was just as sweet as anything Ben and Jerry ever dreamed of producing.

From the excellent work done by the fourth line to recover the puck, to Mete’s picture-perfect shot (both literally and figuratively), it was about as good as a professional career goal gets.

It also allowed Mete to breathe a little easier throughout the rest of the season. That’ll happen when you finally buck the 800-pound gorilla off your back. Rumour has it the gorilla only jumped on Mete’s back in a desperate bid to hide from Shea Weber, but the Canadiens are yet to confirm the story.

Mete would go on to score another three goals that season, bringing his career total to four goals in three years. But given the recent exponential growth, by my math, he should be breaking Bobby Orr’s records in about six years. 1183730 Nashville Predators But when it comes to actually being able to do that safely, how can he be sure? Bonino — as a parent and husband — is cautious, and understandably so.

As much as we want sports, players like Predators' Nick Bonino are ones A hypothetical in the back of his mind, for instance, is of blocking a shot facing risks | Estes and needing surgery for a broken arm or leg, thus landing him in a hospital where the virus is present.

Gentry Estes, Nashville Tennessean Published 10:00 p.m. CT April 30, “I’m not sure when it will be different,” Bonino said. “Maybe if there’s a 2020 vaccine. I could get into everything we read about, when vaccines will come. But it’s tough to think about a point when it’s going to be completely safe for us to play. I think that’s the difficulty both the NHL and the NHLPA face in making a decision.” During a zoom press briefing, Nashville Preds center Nick Bonino took questions from fans and reporters. Nashville Tennessean This train might soon leave the station without everyone being consulted.

Predators center Nick Bonino is like so many of us right now. Sports will be back, and they’ll probably be back before 2021, when the experts are saying a COVID-19 vaccine will finally be available. With news about the COVID-19 crisis, he’s all over it. He admits he reads “pretty much everything.” There are times, though, he wishes he didn’t. In some ways, that’s such a welcome, warm, comforting thought.

“There's some days where you just get off your phone and you’re just At the same time, what happens if the participating athletes aren’t OK sad,” Bonino said. “You’re just sad about the way it is. There’s nothing with the risks involved? It’s easy to say they should be — but we're not you can do. You just feel helpless. I’d be surprised if everybody didn’t the ones having to do it. feel like that at some points.” We shouldn’t forget that men and women playing sports at all levels are On Friday, it will be 50 days since the NHL suspended its season with not just numbers on a jersey. They are real people with real lives and real the Predators in a heated late-season push to make playoffs that might families and real concerns about safety. never happen. Men like Nick Bonino. And it will be 47 days since Bonino tweeted a passionate response to videos he was seeing of packed bars on Broadway. He asked people to “No one wants to play hockey more than us,” he said. “We love it. It’s our stay home, wondering if those going out were “selfish or just naïve.” lives. But our health, I think, the health of our families, the health of staff, trainers, their families comes first, and that’s the way it has to be, “I’m never one to get kind of controversial or political,” Bonino said regardless of money or timelines.” Thursday. “… I was just upset. I was frustrated that was happening. Everyone is at risk from this virus. There’s more-at-risk people, but Tennessean LOADED: 05.01.2020 everyone can get it. No one is immune. Everyone can pass it on.

“I just felt like it was silly that was still happening. I hadn’t seen really anyone say that message from the NHL yet. I didn’t know if I should do it, but I just decided to do it. It made me feel better just to have my thoughts out there even if no one listened to them.”

Friendly thoughts pic.twitter.com/heWNokTvtm

— Nick Bonino (@NickBonino) March 15, 2020

Bonino titled his tweet "friendly thoughts." He meant well. He doesn’t want to be the face for a stance that seemingly grows more political by the day. But a month-and-a-half later, with him still at home in Nashville, working out on a Peloton and stacking Legos with his kids — “anything to stay busy” — Bonino's thoughts haven’t changed.

“It’s safety first. That’s the thing I’ve been hoping will rule the day,” Bonino said. “I think it has so far. … We have over a million cases now, 60,000 deaths now. It’s not getting much better. We want to keep everyone safe. That’s why we paused, and I’m sure that they will take everything into account when they make a decision moving forward.”

If any Predators player would want a return to the ice as soon as possible, it’d be Bonino, a 32-year-old veteran in the midst of a nice season. His 18 goals are tied for second on the team. Bonino is well within reach of topping his career-best season total of 22.

And the NHL is still eyeing a possible return this season. According to a report this week by the , the league’s “leading plan” would be to bring teams back to training in mid-May with possible exhibition games in June and ultimately regular-season and playoff games at shared, empty neutral arenas in July.

Nashville Predators center Nick Bonino (13) waits for play to resume during the second period against the Tampa Bay Lightning at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn., Monday, Nov. 19, 2018.

As badly as we all want our sports to return — and as a sports columnist, believe me, I’d be at the front of that line — we tend to forget that if games do return during a global pandemic, risks are going to be unavoidable. And they won’t be on me or you. They’ll be on players like Bonino and his teammates, the ones leaving families during a frightening time, traveling, fighting for pucks and also having to deal with health worries they've not had before — from a virus they can't see.

Sure, Bonino wants to play. Of course, he does. 1183731 New Jersey Devils Lightning are looking for. Jesper Bratt and Will Butcher are likely too expensive if Tampa Bay is looking to cut costs.

Veteran targets: C/W Tyler Johnson (four years, $5 million), LW/RW Players the Devils could target in trades based on the salary cap crunch Ondrej Palat (two years, $5.3 million), LW Alex Killorn (three years, $4.45 million)

By Corey Masisak Apr 30, 2020 If the Lightning want to keep all of their core stars and sign their three RFAs, they might have to trade at least two of these players. Mirtle projects the three RFAs to cost $11.5 million against the cap, and that still leaves the Lightning with only 18 players signed. The Devils were able to take advantage last summer when the salary cap squeezed a pair of NHL clubs. Johnson had the worst 2019-20 season and has the most term left, which means he’d likely cost the least to acquire. The other two could both be New Jersey was the only team willing to absorb all $27 million still owed interesting fits for the Devils. Interim GM Tom Fitzgerald has mentioned to then-Nashville defenseman P.K. Subban over three seasons, and the on multiple occasions the need add “men” to the roster to help the young Devils landed Nikita Gusev in part because Vegas wasn’t willing to move core develop. Palat and Killorn should be productive enough to command other assets to make room for the Russian’s salary demands (he signed respect and attention while also leading by example. a two-year, $9 million contract with New Jersey after the trade). Palat is an excellent two-way forward who could be a mentor/linemate for Given the cap space that remains for the Devils and the economic Zacha (if he weren’t included in the deal to acquire Palat). Killorn has a uncertainty that looms for the NHL (and the rest of the world), will New strong postseason track record and scored 26 goals in 68 games this Jersey be in a position to make similar moves this offseason, whenever it season. He could be what the Devils hoped Wayne Simmonds would be occurs? next to Jack Hughes. Having the cap space to make those types of trades is a weapon for NHL Let’s assume the Devils wouldn’t give up one of their three first-round general managers. For clubs like the Devils, who have spent years trying picks for any of these players. The Lightning did get a first rounder for to rebuild the franchise and return to Stanley Cup contention, it can give J.T. Miller last summer (the Canucks’ pick that will eventually transfer to them access to players they wouldn’t otherwise have a chance to New Jersey from the Blake Coleman trade), but he was four or five years acquire. younger than these three. The Athletic’s James Mirtle analyzed the cap situation for all 31 NHL Not having 2020 second- or third-round picks could hurt the Devils, but a teams in 2020-21, working with the assumption that the NHL’s cap ceiling cheap NHL-ready forward plus a 2021 pick might be enough to get them will stay at $81.5 million next season despite potential revenue losses in the mix, at least. because of the pandemic. Mirtle projects the Devils to have $18.6 million in cap space this offseason after they sign restricted free agents like New York Islanders Mackenzie Blackwood, Jesper Bratt and Mirco Mueller Projected cap space: -$3.4 million That’s the third-most cap space in the league behind Ottawa and Detroit. The Devils could create more space, either by buying out Cory Young targets: D Ryan Pulock Schneider’s contract ($4 million in cap savings) or by trading someone off To be clear, the Islanders aren’t going to shop Pulock, star center the roster. Mathew Barzal or defenseman . They’re all RFAs, and So, which players could the Devils target in a trade that would be rooted expect to get them signed. That said, the former Devils in a cap-space crunch? Let’s go through the most vulnerable clubs on GM is one of the few decision-makers in the sport who might walk away Mirtle’s list, in reverse order, and look for possible additions. We’ll break from a contract in this scenario if he thinks a player is asking for too them into three groups: Younger or less-established players teams can’t much. afford (like Gusev), veteran players teams can’t afford (like Subban) or Bad contracts: D Thomas Hickey (two years, $2.5 million), C/W Leo bad contracts the Devils could absorb to collect more assets. Komarov (two years, $3 million)

In nearly all of these situations, we should assume NHL teams will do The Islanders could save about $1 million on each of these players by whatever they can to keep young stars, who are more likely to equal or stashing them with Bridgeport in the AHL, but that might not be enough surpass the value of their contracts now and in the future. We should for an extra $3 million or $4 million in savings. also assume that offer sheets are not an option until there’s a significant culture change in the NHL. Also, the Devils don’t have their own 2021 The Islanders have already traded away their first two picks in 2020 and second-round pick, which would make certain types of offer sheets their 2021 second-rounder (for former Devils captain Andy Greene). The impossible. Devils eating either of those contracts is a pretty steep price for a third- round pick. Maybe a prospect like Simon Holmstrom or Samuel Bolduc Tampa Bay Lightning could make a deal work.

Projected cap space: -$6.2 million That’s assuming Lamoriello would be willing to deal with the Devils, or Young targets: D Mikhail Sergachev, D Erik Cernak, C Anthony Cirelli vice versa, of course.

The Lightning might be so squeezed that trading one of their three critical Pittsburgh Penguins restricted free agents is inevitable. Sergachev could be a left-handed top- Projected cap space: -$0.78 million pairing defenseman, which is arguably the biggest hole on the Devils roster, in the short and long term. He’s also likely to cost a ton, both in Young targets: C/W Jared McCann, LW/RW Dominik Simon assets to pry him from Tampa (with other franchises certainly queuing up offers, as well) and to sign a long-term contract. The Penguins have a few key RFAs to sign, including both of their goaltenders. Maybe one of the young forwards is the odd man out, Cernak is right-handed and might not have top-pairing potential, but the especially if Pittsburgh also wants to add a defenseman to replace Justin Devils’ defense would certainly improve with him in it. And he’s not likely Schultz or to re-sign him? McCann has been a versatile, productive to cost as much. While the Lightning have only three NHL defensemen player for the Penguins and probably wouldn’t be cheap to acquire. under contract right now for 2020-21, Cirelli is the one who should be off limits. He’s one of the best two-way centers in the league right now, at 22 Veteran targets: C/W Nick Bjugstad (one year, $4 million) years old. Two years ago, Bjugstad looked like a huge No. 2 center on a nice If the Lightning do have to make Sergachev available, the Devils’ contract, but he slipped last season and essentially lost 2019-20. He package would probably need to start with one of their 2020 first-round turns 28 in July and might be an intriguing buy-low candidate, but if he picks depending on the timing of the deal. It would also likely need to has a bounce-back season in 2020-21, it could be costly to keep him include cheap, NHL-ready talent. The Devils don’t have much of that on long term. defense, but players like Pavel Zacha, Jesper Boqvist, Joey Anderson, Bad contracts: D Jack Johnson (three years, $3.25 million) Janne Kuokkanen and Nick Merkley could work, depending on what the It’s still probably one year too long to consider trading for what was one option as New Jersey’s top LHD until Ty Smith or another young of the worst contracts in the league when it was signed. Penguins GM prospect is ready for that role. Jim Rutherford has dug in and defended the contract to the point where he’d probably balk at what it might cost (i.e. his 2021 first-round pick) to Bad contracts: D Calvin de Haan (two years, $4.55 million), C/W Andrew move on from it. Shaw (two years, $3.9 million), C Zack Smith (one year, $3.25 million)

Toronto Maple Leafs As Mirtle noted, Shaw could end up as an LTIR candidate. De Haan has potential, but he’s now had two significant surgeries on the same Projected cap space: -$0.63 million shoulder. A trade for him or Shaw should include an intriguing prospect (maybe Nicolas Beaudin or Evan Barratt), assuming Chicago isn’t willing Young targets: RW Kasperi Kapanen to sacrifice a 2021 or 2022 first-round pick. Smith shouldn’t cost the Any time there’s a discussion about the Maple Leafs needing to find Blackhawks as much to shed. some wiggle room with the salary cap, trading Kapanen becomes a Arizona Coyotes talking point. He turns 24 in July and has two years left on a nice contract for someone who would fit comfortably as a middle-six wing for any team Projected cap space: $1.8 million in the league. The Leafs know he’s a valuable asset and aren’t going to give him away just so they can sign a veteran defenseman. Veteran targets: D Niklas Hjalmarsson (one year, $5 million), D Jason Demers (one year, $3.94 million), C Derek Stepan (one year, $6.5 Veteran targets: LW Andreas Johnsson (three years, $3.4 million) million), LW/RW Michael Grabner (one year, $3.35 million), G Antti Raanta (one year, $4.25 million) Johnsson, who will be 26 in November, is the other player who gets lumped into the Leafs’ trade debate. Both Johnsson and Kapanen were Arizona has nearly $35 million tied up in players who will come off the better in 2018-19. Kapanen’s production took less of a dip, but Johnsson books after next season, almost no cap space for this offseason and held more of his overall and per-game value, according to Evolving Taylor Hall as a pending UFA. They have room to re-sign Hall and lock Hockey’s Goals Above Replacement. up players like Fischer and Connor Garland after this season, but getting to that point could be tricky. The Devils would need to decide how much better someone like Kapanen, Johnsson or McCann would be compared to their young, Is there a franchise out there that stands to benefit from helping the internal options, and what it would be worth for the potential upgrade. If Coyotes clear room for a Hall contract? Oh yeah, there is. Bumping a the price is Joey Anderson, for example, would Johnsson or Kapanen 2021 third-round pick to a second certainly isn’t enough motivation to produce approximately $2 million more in value as Anderson matures make a bad or risky trade, but the Devils should be interested if the cost into an NHL regular? is minimal.

St. Louis Blues Of the players listed above, Hjalmarsson might be the most appealing as a mentor and someone the Devils might keep beyond 2020-21, but he Projected cap space: -$0.53 million also has a no-move clause that he’d need to waive (and given he won so Young targets: D Vince Dunn much with Chicago, leaving the weather in Arizona willingly seems unlikely). Raanta could be a good option to pair with Mackenzie I covered Dunn pretty extensively in the most recent Devils notebook. Blackwood if the Devils moved on from Schneider or tried to make it work The Blues might not be able to sign him, particularly if they need to clear with the three of them, given Raanta’s and Schneider’s recent injury room for captain Alex Pietrangelo. He’ll be a popular target for teams histories. around the league if he becomes available. The Devils could get creative by agreeing to take on Stepan’s full $6.5 Veteran targets: C Tyler Bozak (one year, $5 million), G (one million contract and then flipping him to another team while retaining half year, $4.35 million) of the cap hit. Grabner or Demers are veteran leaders with potential value at the trade deadline, similar to Simmonds this year. The Blues would probably like to deal Alex Steen’s $5.75 million cap hit, but he has a no-movement clause and enough value left to stay out of Bad contracts: RW Marian Hossa (one year, $5.25 million) the next category. In that case, the Devils aren’t a great fit, given their current depth at center. The Coyotes can stash this contract on LTIR, but given the new economic reality, would they be willing to give up a draft pick so they Allen lost the starting job to Jordan Binnington last year but has been don’t have to? If it’s the difference between ownership green-lighting a excellent in 21 starts this season. Hall extension or not, they’d have to consider it.

Bad contracts: Steen Edmonton Oilers

If he agreed to waive his NMC, the Devils could agree to take his Projected cap space: $2.2 million contract back for a draft pick or a prospect, or the cap relief could be part of the package for Dunn. Veteran targets: D Kris Russell (one year, $4 million)

Chicago Blackhawks Russell has logged plenty of minutes (when he probably shouldn’t have been), and some teams might pay to acquire him. The Devils, if Projected cap space: $0.1 million interested, should look for the Oilers to pay them with a draft pick to do it, or walk away. Veteran targets: D Olli Maatta (two years, $4.083 million), D Connor Murphy (two years, $3.85 million), LW Brandon Saad (one year, $6 Columbus Blue Jackets million) Projected cap space: $3.2 million Maatta, Murphy and Saad all had solid seasons for Chicago. But the Blackhawks, as currently constructed, aren’t good enough and are pretty Veteran targets: D Ryan Murray (one year, $4.6 million) snug against the cap ceiling. Just waiting for their three or four best It’s possible the Blue Jackets will not want to move Murray, but his name prospects to become above-average players might not work. has come up in speculation before. He has not lived up to his draft slot One option they have is to try to use the savings from cycling out their (No. 2, 2012), but he could definitely log top-four minutes next to a more “middle class” contracts to land another impact player — or better ones offensive defenseman. Murray has had trouble staying healthy — he’s on similar contracts. It’s not an easy needle to thread, but it’s the missed at least 35 games in each of the past three seasons — but that situation the Blackhawks are in. also could make him an intriguing, buy-low option.

Saad hasn’t produced as well since returning to Chicago — he has 21 Bad contracts: C Brandon Dubinsky (one year, $5.8 million) goals this year, but that’s buoyed by an unsustainable 15 percent Columbus could end up stashing Dubinsky on LTIR for the year. If not, shooting percentage — and might not have enough all-around value to the Blue Jackets could really use that cap space. They still owe second- justify what his next contract might look like. round picks in 2020 and 2021 from their all-in push last season, so Maatta and Murphy are not likely long-term solutions on the top pairing, yielding another premium pick might not be smart. but both can log top-four minutes. Maatta would be an intriguing bridge Vegas Golden Knights

Projected cap space: $5.4 million

Veteran targets: C Paul Stastny (one year, $6.5 million)

It could be as simple as stashing $3.25 million in cap space on New Jersey’s ledger (like we suggested with Stepan) and the Devils collecting a draft pick to be the middle man that allows the Golden Knights to pursue one more impact player for a Cup run and gets another team a No. 2/3 center at a discount rate. The Devils could also plan to keep Stastny until they’re sure Hughes is ready for a bigger role next season, and then flip him at some point before the deadline.

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NHL commissioner Gary Bettman won't jeopardize full 2020-21 campaign to resume this season

By Andrew Gross Updated April 30, 2020 10:03 PM

If the NHL can restart this season, regardless of the plan the league decides upon, commissioner Gary Bettman has been adamant that he does not want to jeopardize being able to play next season in full.

He believes that can happen even if the 2020-21 season begins much later than usual.

“We obviously don’t want to impact the sanctity of next season, but we have a great deal of flexibility in terms of when we can start,” Bettman said in an interview with the NHL Network on Thursday. “There’s no magic for next season of starting in October as we traditionally do. If we have to start in November or December, that’s something that will be under consideration.

“We’re going to try to make good, prudent, careful judgments,” he added. “This isn’t a race to be back first. When we come back, we want it to be at the right time for the right reasons under the right circumstances.”

This season was put on pause on March 12 in response to the COVID-19 outbreak.

The league and the NHL Players Association issued a joint statement on Wednesday indicating that if “conditions continue to trend favorably,” team facilities might be able to be opened to “small group activities” in mid- to-late May.

Bettman insisted on Thursday that no final decisions have been made on a timeline for trying to restart play.

“We’re considering all the possibilities, though I think the rumor, the speculation far exceeds any decisions that have been made,” he said. “Doing due diligence is a far cry from saying any decisions have been made because no decisions have been made.

“We’re going to have to take things one step at a time because the health and well-being of our players is paramount to anything,” he added. “We’d like to be able to get our training facilities open. We’d like our guys to be able to work themselves back into shape.”

Bettman said the health concerns for the players are twofold: Keeping them safe from the coronavirus and making sure they’re in proper game condition.

“When the guidance from medical people is right and the governmental authorities are comfortable, then we’ll take step one, which is reopening our training facilities,” Bettman said.

A Return to Play Committee that includes former Islander John Tavares and several other veteran players has been formed and the NHLPA will have a significant say in any decisions about resuming the season.

Bettman said he is constantly talking with NHLPA executive director Don Fehr and added that the level of communication with the players has been strong.

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Islanders' Ryan Pulock can see virus fallout from Manitoba

By Andrew Gross

Ryan Pulock returned to Brandon, Manitoba, shortly after the NHL season was paused on March 12 because he believed it would be safer than more densely populated Long Island during the COVID-19 outbreak.

But the Islanders defenseman is not immune to coronavirus concerns and understands the difficulties that health-care providers face. His longtime girlfriend, Paige Friesen, is an emergency-room nurse at the local hospital.

“It honestly hasn’t been that bad just because there haven’t been the cases here,” Pulock told Newsday this week. “It’s a little different than New York. If she was a nurse working in New York, it would be a lot different. Part of it is just everyone is so spread out. The population [48,859 as of 2016] is a lot smaller and I just don’t think it got around like it has in the bigger cities.

“There is that fear of the unknown — when is it going to get bad?” Pulock added. “Everyone was just trying to follow the guidelines and be prepared and be prepared for the worst. So far, it hasn’t been that stressful here just because it’s been pretty quiet.”

Pulock said it’s that fear of the unknown that is the most stressful aspect.

“The health-care workers in New York have put in tremendous work and they’ve been right in the middle of it for a while,” he said. “Some of the other places that maybe haven’t seen it, there’s that uncertainty of they don’t know if it’s going to get bad. So I think that’s stressful for them as well.”

The couple, along with their three dogs, have property in Brandon with a sizable backyard and “a lot of open spaces to do stuff if you need to,” Pulock said.

Pulock shared video in March of him skating on an outdoor rink, making him one of the few NHL players to be on the ice since the season was halted. But he said the weather turned warmer and that he was able to skate for less than two weeks after returning home.

Pulock has followed the home workout program sent to him by the Islanders’ training staff and said he has tried to spend as much time outdoors as possible, either playing with his dogs, landscaping or doing odd jobs around the house.

When play was stopped, Pulock, 25, was on pace for a career season with 10 goals and 25 assists in 68 games. That matched his career high for goals. He was two shy of matching his career high of 37 points and three assists short of tying another career high.

It seemed like good timing for Pulock as he completed a two-year, $4 million deal. He likely was looking at a hefty raise as an arbitration- eligible top-pair defenseman.

But COVID-19 has altered the NHL’s economic landscape. The salary cap, once projected to rise between $84 million and $88.2 million for 2020-21, might remain flat at $81.5 million.

“Yeah, I’m sure it’s going to affect me in some way,” Pulock said. “This is affecting everyone. This goes beyond hockey. This goes beyond sports. It’s affecting people losing their jobs. People aren’t able to work, so I can’t really sit here and complain about that.”

He added that preliminary discussions about a new deal with Islanders president and general manager Lou Lamoriello have not been held yet.

“I just think there’s so much uncertainty on everything going forward, for both sides it’s probably better off that we wait,” Pulock said. “Just figure out what the league is going to do before we jump the gun. For myself, there’s not really a big rush. There’s a lot more important things to figure out right now.”

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Islanders agree to terms with Samuel Bolduc, a 2019 draft pick

By Andrew Gross

The Islanders will have one of their top defense prospects in the organization whenever hockey is able to resume.

Samuel Bolduc, 19, selected in the second round, 57th overall, in 2019, has agreed to terms on a three-year, entry-level deal, the team announced on Thursday.

The 6-4, 211-pound defenseman split last season between Blainville- Boisbriand and Sherbrooke in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, compiling a career-high 43 points on 11 goals and 32 assists. He had three goals and 16 assists on the power play.

Bolduc, who has 22 goals and 72 assists in 189 QMJHL games, is eligible to be assigned to the Islanders’ AHL affiliate in Bridgeport, .

Also on Thursday, Bridgeport announced defenseman Adam Brubacher had agreed to an AHL contract. The 6-4, 201-pound Brubacher, 24, an undrafted free agent out of Rochester Institute of Technology, attended the Islanders’ prospect development camp last summer.

Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 05.01.2020 1183735 New York Rangers “We were squirts, probably 9 years old,” said lifelong friend Ronn Tomassoni. “There must have been another game going on, and we were sitting together with a group of guys who just had played, and I had Mark Pavelich’s tragic journey: From 1980 Olympic hero to a mental bought a bag of peanuts from the concession stand, and I was sharing facility 40 years later them, with him in particular. And he started to call me ‘peanut boy’ as a nickname. Thank God it didn’t stick.”

Despite growing only to 5-foot-7 (and always listing himself as 5-8), By Brett Cyrgalis April 30, 2020 | 12:01PM Pavelich was recruited to play hockey at the University of Minnesota Duluth. On Labor Day weekend before he left for his freshman year, he

went hunting with older brother Dave and two friends, Tom Longer and Barry Beck had a dream. Ricky Holgers, who was 15 years old and dating Pavelich’s younger sister, Carolyn. Scouting for birds, Ricky went off to one side and The former Rangers captain woke up one morning in the spring of 2019 disappeared. Pavelich eventually thought he spotted a bird, raised his in Hong Kong, where he had been coaching hockey for almost 13 years. gun and fired. When they got to the scene, Ricky was bleeding out of the Not one to easily recollect his dreams, the 61-year-old Beck was startled left side of his head. They rushed for help and Ricky was whisked off to when he remembered the vision of being on a ranch and riding horses the hospital, but died later that day. with former Rangers teammate Mark Pavelich. Beck had not seen or spoken to Pavelich in more than a decade, which was the first thing that Pavelich was found in the woods, curled up, covered in blood. made it odd. The Holgers family was as empathetic as one could hope for, inviting Stranger, then, was when Beck logged on to Facebook in August and Mark over for dinners, telling him it wasn’t his fault, that mistakes happen. read the news: Pavelich had been arrested for beating a neighbor with a Tomassoni was already off in Troy, N.Y., playing hockey at Rensselaer 4-foot metal pipe. Polytechnic Institute, and Pavelich’s sister Jean soon left for St. Cloud State. Mark’s parents did what they could to console him, but it was A hero of the 1980 U.S. Olympic team that beat the Russians and won 1976, and grief counseling was not commonly understood. the gold medal, Pavelich thought his neighbor, Jim Miller, had spiked his beer while the two were fishing earlier in the day in rural northeastern “I felt like I abandoned him,” Jean said. “I don’t think it was dealt with Minnesota. So Pavelich went over to Miller’s house and pummeled him, enough, but they didn’t have the counseling they have now, and the breaking two of Miller’s ribs, bruising his kidney and fracturing a vertebra. resources.” When the cops came, they found a sawed-off shotgun under Pavelich’s Tomassoni kept in touch, and during that freshman year, Mark used to bed with the serial number filed off. rub it in how he was getting good grades at Duluth taking classes such It was a culmination of previous signs that Pavelich was losing his grip on as “team sports” and “bow and arrow,” while Tomassoni was struggling reality, but this one couldn’t be ignored. He was charged with four with physics and chemistry. Tomassoni would go on to coach hockey at felonies and held on $250,000 bond, then deemed mentally unfit to stand Harvard in different capacities for 17 years. He’d come back to trial. He remains at Minnesota Security Hospital in St. Peter, incarcerated Minnesota in the summers, and Mark taught him how to fly fish. They in a place that Beck and Pavelich jokingly call “the cuckoo’s nest” on their would drive about a half-hour west to Hibbing, Minn., the closest place weekly phone calls. Pavelich’s hearing is now set for June 26, after being they could find ice in the summer to keep in hockey shape. They would pushed back, first due to an ongoing experiment with his medications hang out a lot, but the hunting incident never came up. and later due to the coronavirus pandemic. “I’m 18 years old; what do I know at 18 years old?” Tomassoni said. “It’s “He’s a national hero in his town,” Beck said. “And he isn’t the kind of one of those things, you don’t want to bring it up because you don’t know person who would say, ‘I need to talk to somebody, I think I have a how he’s going to react to it. I certainly didn’t have the wisdom I have problem.’ He was well off being out in the woods all alone by himself. He today. It’s something we never discussed.” was very happy to live his life like that.” Brooks was at the University of Minnesota and coached against Pavelich Pavelich, 62, was the proud son of Eveleth, Minn., a town of just under at Duluth at least a couple times a year. So Brooks knew how good the 3,600. , the lionized coach of that U.S. Olympic team, little centerman was when he invited him to Colorado Springs in the recruited Pavelich to come play for the Rangers in 1981, when Brooks summer of 1979 to start assembling the Olympic team. The rest of the took over behind the bench on Broadway. Pavelich played five seasons players quickly saw how talented Pavelich was, even if they didn’t really for the Rangers, totaled 355 games in the NHL, spent a year playing in get to know him all that well. A lot of them had heard about the hunting Europe and then retired when the game wasn’t fun anymore. accident, but nobody mentioned it.

He hunted and fished and made some good decisions buying land in “I never knew the whole story; he never talked about it,” said U.S. Minnesota, Idaho, Arizona and Washington. He was always quiet, but captain, . “It wasn’t like, ‘Hey Pav, what the hell those close to him knew his life was pockmarked with tragedy. What they happened?’ ” didn’t know was how it was all piling up — how the weight was becoming Pavelich was perfect for Brooks’ system, in which he wanted all five too much, maybe the hits to the head were becoming too much, and how skaters to attack together. Brooks wanted to inspire creativity, and have Mark Pavelich was about to crack. his players go out there with no fear and with confidence in each other. “There’s just so much a person can take,” said his sister Jean Pavelich That fit right in line with Pavelich’s mentality, and he excelled. He Gevik. assisted on Eruzione’s game-winning goal against the Russians, arguably the biggest upset in the history of team sports. The ragtag Focus your mind’s eye, and you can almost see the idyllic scenes — the group of American college kids then beat Finland in the final, completing big, happy family sprawling from the house, all broad shoulders and the fairy tale and winning the gold medal. pretty faces. The summers spent in the woods and on the lake, the winters spent ice skating and building snowmen. The Pavelich children, Pavelich hardly said anything the whole time. three boys and two girls, all within about seven years of each other. “He’s always been distant; that’s always been his nature,” Eruzione said. “My parents had the aggressive family plan,” Jean said with a laugh. “That’s how he was even during the Olympic year. He kept to himself. He was a great teammate, great in the locker room and practices. Hell of a Mark was the third child, introspective and kindhearted. He didn’t mind player. He just was shy.” being in the background, with that knowing grin on his face he would carry throughout his life. Jean was two years older, and she said they Eruzione recently wrote a book, “The Making of a Miracle,” and sent one were “best friends — all [but] for a couple years there in our teens.” to Pavelich in the facility. Pavelich read it in one day and gave it “two thumbs up,” Eruzione said. The two chatted on the phone for a while, Mark would lose himself skating, staying on the ice well after most of the which Eruzione took as a good sign that the new medication was starting other boys had gone inside to warm their hands. He had such a graceful to work. motion that he made it look easy, and when they were playing hockey, he had such a creative mind he often caught teammates off guard. And he “I talked to [1980 teammate] Jack O’Callahan after I talked to Pav,” loved the game deeply, even if he didn’t talk much. Eruzione said, “and I said, ‘Jack, that’s the most I’ve ever talked to Pav — even when we played in the Olympics.’ ” When the Olympic team was invited to the White House by President while, he asked her out. They were married by Burmachuk’s father in the Jimmy Carter, Pavelich did not attend. He also passed on a parade in his family home, and soon moved to one of Pavelich’s recently purchased honor in Eveleth. He wasn’t drafted into the NHL, but when Brooks was pieces of land up the road from Lutsen, Minn., on Deeryard Lake, where hired to take over the Rangers before the 1981-82 season, a few of his they built their home with their own hands. Olympic players were called to join the team, including , Rob McClanahan and Pavelich. They lived a peaceful life, and Kara got so good at painting with acrylic that she supplemented their income. Mark fished a lot, and the two The team was full of big personalities, with Ron Duguay and Ron worked on the house. They built a small balcony outside of Tarja’s room, Greschner spending most nights (and some mornings) enjoying the 5 feet by 4 feet. They were still figuring out what kind of railing they Manhattan nightlife. Don Maloney and brother Dave were outgoing, and wanted to put around it, and below, Mark had assembled a retaining wall Nick Fotiu brought a Staten Island toughness. Defenseman Reijo out of stones that were between 8 and 12 inches in diameter. Ruotsalainen was one of the first Finnish stars in the league. On the night of Sept. 5, 2012, Mark had some pain in his leg that he That first season, with Pavelich as his center, Duguay recorded the only thought was deep vein thrombosis, and he and Kara stayed up most of 40-goal season of his career. the night considering going to the hospital. They didn’t, and the next morning Mark worked on one of his boats for a while and then went to “Herbie came to me one day and said, ‘Ron, you’re allowing Mark to get take a nap. That’s when Kara went out to the balcony with no railing, into the corner and work the corners too much,’ ” Duguay said. “Meaning, where there was better cell phone reception. Mark played with no fear, and he had no stop in him to go into the corners against the big guys and getting the puck and just coming out She fell and cracked her head open on one of the rocks. with the puck, because he was so skilled, and finding me. Well, I saw that as a strength — he gets the puck, gets it to me, and I score.” Mark woke up, found her, and called 911. He then called Jean’s husband, Larry Gevik, who lived next door. Two other neighbors, Jan and Not a lot of people remember Pavelich getting leveled or knocked David Morris, were alerted by a friend who was listening to a scanner and unconscious, but he sure took a beating. The NHL was far more physical they ran over to help. in those days, and a lot of times the diminutive Pavelich would come out of the corner without his helmet. A suspected concussion limited him to Kara Pavelich, Mark’s second wife, died in tragic fashion. 48 games in 1984-85, but he was so quiet that nobody seemed to notice There was nothing they could do. The doctors said Kara likely died upon any difference. impact. She was 44.

“I remember one time we were having a couple beers and I said, ‘You Kara’s cell phone was nearby, and there was blood on a rock. Later, the know Pav, I wish I was like you, maybe one day a week,’ ” doctor at the hospital said “the injuries were consistent with a fall onto the said. “He just seemed to have an inner quiet to him. He wasn’t not aware rock wall,” according to the Cook County Sheriff’s police report filed by or not alert. He was just Pav. He just went about his own thing.” Deputy David Gilmore. The Morrises socialized with the Paveliches a During Pavelich’s first two seasons with the Rangers, Eruzione was part couple times a week, and told the police that Mark and Kara didn’t show of the team’s broadcast crew, and he tried to convince his old teammate any signs of domestic strife. At the funeral, Mark’s mother, Anne, said it to do an on-air interview. was the first time she had ever seen her son cry.

“I said, ‘People want to know about you, it’s , it’s a big Larry Gevik struggled to live with the scene of trying to revive Kara. Soon market,’ ” Eruzione said. “And he goes, ‘Rizzo, you know I don’t care thereafter, they found out he had pancreatic cancer. Three months later, about that.’ I went back to our director, and they then offered him $1,000 Larry died, leaving Jean with their three kids. in sporting goods equipment — hunting, fishing stuff. I told him that, and “I can’t even imagine Mark living with that, alone, in the same house,” he said, ‘All right, I’ll go on, but only with you.’ So the only reason I got to Jean said. “And I wasn’t there for him. I was dealing with my kids and interview him was because he liked to hunt and fish.” their grief, and my own. I feel like he could have had a lot more support That was about as much as any of his teammates knew about him. after that. And he didn’t.” Duguay said Pavelich never went out on the town with them, but he For a while, Mark seemed to be OK. He had given his gold medal to the would occasionally ask him to come out and have a few beers with his U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame, but in 2014, he sold it for $262,900, splitting buddies when they were back in Minnesota playing the North Stars. the money with his daughter, who was a new mother. In 2016, a lot of the Maloney remembered Pavelich had a Jeep, and in the back was “his bow players from the 1980 team organized a “fantasy camp” in Lake Placid, and arrow and his fishing rod, and another pair of corduroys. And that where fans could interact with their heroes and play some hockey. Mark was about it.” showed up to three of the first four games, packing his two border collies Pavelich scored 133 goals as a Ranger, including a team-high 37 in in his truck and driving from Minnesota to upstate New York. He even 1982-83. On Feb. 23, 1983, he scored five goals in an 11-3 rout of the laced up the skates and played in two of them. Hartford Whalers, tying Don Murdoch’s single-game club record (a feat “Once the camp was over,” Eruzione said, “he got in his car and he drove matched this season by Mika Zibanejad). But the Rangers never made it back, and you didn’t hear from him again until the next possible team out of the second round under Brooks and he was fired in the middle of function.” the 1984-85 season. Around that same time, Tomassoni had a friend fly up from Florida and When Ted Sator took over the following season, the system went from they went to Pavelich’s house on the lake to go fishing. The big boat was creative and attacking to slow and plodding. Pavelich was benched for being repaired, so they took out a little row boat and caught a bunch of two consecutive games in March, and so he then skipped two practices small walleye before the skies opened up, complete with thunder and and a game. Sator drove up to his apartment in Westchester, but lightning. They had to take the long way back to the house along the Pavelich didn’t open the door. Hockey wasn’t fun anymore, so Pavelich shore, and were soaked when they returned. wasn’t playing. Pavelich cleaned the fish and told Tomassoni and his friend to take them The summer before that season, he had married a 21-year-old from back to Tomassoni’s house, where they would cook them up fresh. Cherry, Minn., named Sue Koski. After he quit the Rangers, he wanted to Tomassoni’s friend was a terrific chef, and he made fish cakes. Pavelich go to Scotland to play on a team with a high school teammate, but the seemed like his normal, kind, giving self that day. Tomassoni and his Rangers wouldn’t relinquish his contract. They ended up trading him to friend still talk about it, and they have a name for the recipe: “Pav the North Stars, where he played the final 12 games of the 1986-87 Cakes.” season to complete his deal. Soon, the solitude was too much. For a man who strived to be alone, He and Sue had a daughter, Tarja, in the summer of 1987, and they there was just too much heartbreak, too much tragedy chasing him down. spent that winter in Italy, where Pavelich played for the Bolzano Foxes. There might also have been too many hits to the head. It was just all too Sue filed for divorce in 1989, Pavelich made a two-game comeback for much. the San Jose Sharks in 1991-92, but that was it for hockey. He started slipping. He told the sheriff that someone put sludge in his gas Kara Burmachuk had been a piano prodigy, and was giving lessons in tank. Another time he said it was cut-up tinfoil. Another time he thought it Minnesota when Pavelich brought his young daughter to her in the winter was his neighbor John Zattoni, and soon thereafter, Zattoni’s boat had of 1990. Burmachuk was 10 years younger than Pavelich, but after a holes smashed in it. He suspected Pavelich, but never pressed charges. Another neighbor brought Pavelich cookies, which Pavelich thought were poisoned. He kept them in his freezer for evidence.

Jean lived right there, and she saw it happening. So she got her siblings together and confronted Mark. It didn’t work.

“It just wasn’t handled right,” Jean said.

Soon after the confrontation, Jean was convinced Mark was the one who slashed the tires on her RV parked in a nearby lane.

Then came Aug. 15, 2019, when Pavelich went fishing with Jim Miller and then beat him up with a pipe. Everyone said they were “shocked.” Mark might have been fearless on the ice, but no one ever knew him as violent.

“This was in no way, shape or form the Mark Pavelich I know,” Tomassoni said. “He’s one of the kindest, more gentle souls you would ever meet.”

Mark Pavelich’s mugshot from AugustCook County Sherrif

But things change. People change. Brain chemistry changes.

Tomassoni and Jean both believe his actions are a result of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), the result of all those blows to the head. It has been a common theme among retired athletes, but can’t be proven until an autopsy is performed. A lot of different people have reached out to help, with Beck leading the way with his regular Facebook updates. The NHL Alumni Association keeps all of its work confidential, but executive director made its mission statement very clear: “We will never turn our back on any player,” he said.

It’s been almost year since Pavelich was incarcerated, and the hope is he can get the right medication and into a facility where he can get the ongoing help that he needs. Then all the charges have to be dealt with.

“He’s in a really good place right now,” Jean said. “We’re getting him back.”

Whenever Pavelich is released and the courts deem he can be integrated back into society, there is a plan. Jean and Beck, among others, have started a public charity with the goal of helping retired players. Former goalie Clint Malarchuk — whose throat was slashed so gruesomely by a skate in a 1989 NHL game — is involved, and he owns a ranch near Reno, Nev., where he uses equine therapy to help mental illness. They have started a GoFundMe page to raise the money to establish the charity, which they plan to call The Ranch: Teammates for Life.

It’s a manifestation of Beck’s dream, the one he had before he even knew what was going on with Pavelich. But now he knows the whole story, and the dream seems like a precognition. It’s hard to tell if it will ever come to fruition, or whether it will be the help other former players need before they end up like Pavelich.

But a dream is better than no dream.

“Mark doesn’t want to be the poster child for mental health,” Beck said. “But we would like to see him be able to tell his story, and not have someone else tell it for him.”

New York Post LOADED: 05.01.2020 1183736 New York Rangers

NY Rangers prospect Morgan Barron will wait for clarity before deciding his future

Vincent Z. Mercogliano, NHL Writer Published 3:43 p.m. ET April 30, 2020 | Updated 6:09 p.m. ET April 30, 2020

While most hockey players are trying to figure out ways to train on their own, Morgan Barron has the benefit of living with an NHL Draft prospect.

He and his younger brother, Justin, have been using a makeshift gym setup in their garage in Halifax, the capital city of Nova Scotia in Canada.

“I’ve been able to kind of push myself with him,” Morgan said. “That’s been a lot of fun.”

Justin is considered a borderline first-round pick for this year’s draft — whenever that might be — but the older Barron’s path has been much different.

A sixth-round pick for the New York Rangers in 2017, No. 174 overall, Morgan was considered a fringe NHL prospect back then.

“The draft was an awesome experience for me, but at the same time, it's very humbling just because you hear 170 or so names called before you,” he said. “That's probably been something that's been in the back of my mind the whole time — just being able to close that gap over time and hopefully make the jump.”

Three years later, Barron has put himself in a position to make the jump to the pros on his own terms.

The 21-year-old forward has posted back-to-back seasons of 32 points or more for Cornell, earning recognition as a Hobey Baker finalist and one of the top players in college hockey this season.

Barron’s junior season was cut short due to the coronavirus pandemic, and with one year of NCAA eligibility remaining, he must decide whether he wants to take another crack at a national title or sign his entry-level contract with the Rangers.

The current state of affairs has “thrown all that in the blender,” according to Barron, who is determined to be patient as he considers his options.

“If you had talked to me two months ago before (the coronavirus pandemic), there was definitely a process — just a different understanding of how things would work,” he said. “But the coronavirus has kind of screwed everything up. There's just so many moving parts right now. I don't think I have a timetable. Hopefully, I can get a better picture of where things are going to be at.”

Barron said his coach at Cornell, Mike Schafer, has been “super understanding” given the unique situation.

“He knows that we would love to have him back, and his teammates would love to have him back and finish his senior year and finish his degree, and hopefully finish a national championship,” Schafer said. “At the same time, that's a decision Morgan's got to make. He knows the benefits and what's available for him at the next level. He's a smart kid and he's got to make that decision on his own.”

Barron has also been in contact with the Rangers, who he said "put their offer out and talked to me a little bit about where they think I'm at," but are allowing him to take his time.

As a player who has been lauded for his decision-making on the ice, it's no surprise that he wants to gather as much information as possible before making a major career move.

“I know a lot of schools are making contingency plans for if there's not a fall semester," Barron said. "What is that going to mean for college sports? I don’t have the answer to that. There’s definitely this weird fog covering both sides, pretty much making it impossible to make a decision right now."

Bergen Record LOADED: 05.01.2020 1183737 New York Rangers

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman won't jeopardize full 2020-21 campaign to resume this season

By Andrew Gross

If the NHL can restart this season, regardless of the plan the league decides upon, commissioner Gary Bettman has been adamant that he does not want to jeopardize being able to play next season in full.

He believes that can happen even if the 2020-21 season begins much later than usual.

“We obviously don’t want to impact the sanctity of next season, but we have a great deal of flexibility in terms of when we can start,” Bettman said in an interview with the NHL Network on Thursday. “There’s no magic for next season of starting in October as we traditionally do. If we have to start in November or December, that’s something that will be under consideration.

“We’re going to try to make good, prudent, careful judgments,” he added. “This isn’t a race to be back first. When we come back, we want it to be at the right time for the right reasons under the right circumstances.”

This season was put on pause on March 12 in response to the COVID-19 outbreak.

The league and the NHL Players Association issued a joint statement on Wednesday indicating that if “conditions continue to trend favorably,” team facilities might be able to be opened to “small group activities” in mid- to-late May.

Bettman insisted on Thursday that no final decisions have been made on a timeline for trying to restart play.

“We’re considering all the possibilities, though I think the rumor, the speculation far exceeds any decisions that have been made,” he said. “Doing due diligence is a far cry from saying any decisions have been made because no decisions have been made.

“We’re going to have to take things one step at a time because the health and well-being of our players is paramount to anything,” he added. “We’d like to be able to get our training facilities open. We’d like our guys to be able to work themselves back into shape.”

Bettman said the health concerns for the players are twofold: Keeping them safe from the coronavirus and making sure they’re in proper game condition.

“When the guidance from medical people is right and the governmental authorities are comfortable, then we’ll take step one, which is reopening our training facilities,” Bettman said.

A Return to Play Committee that includes former Islander John Tavares and several other veteran players has been formed and the NHLPA will have a significant say in any decisions about resuming the season.

Bettman said he is constantly talking with NHLPA executive director Don Fehr and added that the level of communication with the players has been strong.

Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 05.01.2020 1183738 New York Rangers Not much more really needs to be said. Fox was in the conversation for the Calder Trophy, though not likely to win it, and his pairing with Ryan Lindgren had a lot to do with the Rangers’ ascension to near-contender Evaluating the growth of the young Rangers who’ve graduated from status. After Panarin and Zibanejad, Fox may have been the Rangers’ prospect status next most valuable player. And coach David Quinn was thrilled with the way he learned to defend at the NHL level as a rookie with no pro experience.

By Rick Carpiniello Apr 30, 2020 “Fox is a stud,” said a scout. “That was a major coup. Fuck, he’s a hell of a player.”

Kaapo Kakko, winger, age 19, 6-3, 198, first round (2nd overall) 2019 As an addendum to our deep dive into the Rangers’ top prospects, we draft: take a look at a group of young players – most of them off of last spring’s list – who have already arrived and no longer qualify as prospects. We all saw the frustration on the teenager’s face in this, his first North American season. Things didn’t come easily, and he surely needs to By most standards, including those of The Athletic’s prospects guru learn some lessons, both with the puck and away from it. He scored 10 Corey Pronman, a player is no longer a prospect once he plays 25 NHL goals and 13 assists in 66 games with all sorts of expectations heavy on games in a season, or 10 games for a goalie. his shoulders. But the skill is there and promises to bloom down the road. As we mentioned in Part 1, Kaapo Kakko was never a prospect in our There’s a reason he was at the very least the second-best player annual deep dives because he was drafted after last year’s story was available in the 2019 draft — and in some minds, the best. published, then played more than 25 NHL games this season. “I think there was progress,” Drury said. “Like any player in the league, Also, guys like Filip Chytil, 20, Brett Howden, 22, and Alexandar unless you’re a top-10 player in the league like the McDavids, the Georgiev, 24, are well beyond being technically considered prospects Panarins, etc., there’s going to be ups and downs. You’re not always because they’ve been around for 144 NHL games, 136 and 77, going to have your best nights 82 times. respectively, over the last two full seasons (Chytil and Georgiev also “It even compounds when you are that age and coming from a different appeared three seasons ago). culture, a different rink, different everything. But from a big picture, we Julien Gauthier would still qualify as a prospect, but we’re including him couldn’t be happier with where he’s at, with how he’s handled ups and here as one who has arrived. And then one more special case that needs downs this year. … he has an extremely bright future.” to be addressed at the end. Ryan Lindgren, left defenseman, age 22, 6-0, 190, second round (49th Looking ahead, the Rangers, as of right now, have two first-round picks overall) 2016 draft (by Boston): (their own and Carolina’s from the Brady Skjei trade) and two thirds (their His was a battle of will over skill, though it would be silly to paint him as a own and Dallas’s from the Mats Zuccarello trade) in the next entry draft player without skill. — whenever that happens. They traded their second-rounder for Adam Fox. But Lindgren, who came from Boston as part of the Rick Nash trade, knew his path to the NHL was going to be one covered in bruises and Part 1 (prospects 10-6). blood, and was always more than willing to sport those badges to make Part 2 (prospects 5-1). it.

A few who have arrived … On an NHL video chat Monday, Fox said that Lindgren’s “face probably needed his quarantine to heal up.” Igor Shesterkin, goalie, age 24, 6-2, 192, fourth round (118th overall) 2014 draft: “That kid’s good,” said a scout. “He’s a freakin good, solid, hard-nosed player, right?” A year ago, he was the Rangers’ top prospect, or tied with Kravtsov. Now he’s the Rangers’ No. 1 goalie after half a sensational season in the AHL Despite what Brad Marchand said, Lindgren’s likely here for the long haul (1.90, .934 in 25 games) and a 10-2 (2.52, .932) start to his NHL career. – a throwback who defends first, defends with some nastiness, and sacrifices to win. “It was nothing short of remarkable,” Drury said. “I mean, statistically he couldn’t have been any better in the American league. Probably the thing “Again,” Drury said, “he was another example of (a player) waking up we all loved, and I know I loved as the GM there, is that everybody wants every day, looking in the mirror and saying, ‘How am I going to get to be a Ranger, and they want to be Rangers as quickly as they can, but better?’ He came from Minnesota with the big ice sheet, so there was an he came over here with a lot of accolades already. He wasn’t a kid. And adjustment there first and foremost. But he was a kid who took all the when we sent him down, he said, ‘No problem, I’ll go down there and guidance, ‘Here’s the few things we think you need to work on and here’s play as well as I can and hope to be back soon.’ And he worked as hard how we’re going to help you work on them and the rest is up to you.’ And as he possibly could every single day to play outstanding, as you can see he took it like gospel and worked his absolute tail off and fixed what he by his numbers, and earned the call-up. He’s a great example for all of needed to fix in order to get from the American league to the NHL. He’s our kids how to handle things the right way.” another great example for all our prospects, what hard work and determination can do for you.” Shesterkin was the heir apparent for so long while he was in . Now his time has arrived. Lindgren, after a terrific camp, started the season in Hartford, but was up after nine AHL games. “Henrik was so good for so long – and such a pro,” a scout said. “He just kept them in games. Like (Martin) Brodeur in New Jersey. Imagine rolling “He certainly has a chemistry with Fox and how he was able to come into out (Shesterkin) every night for 15 years. It was the same with Lundqvist. our team this year and do what he did kind of had an impact on And now what do you do? Now you’ve got these two studs. What do you everybody,” Drury said. do?” Libor Hajek, left defenseman, age 22, 6-2, 205, second round (37th Good question. overall) 2016 draft (by Tampa Bay):

Adam Fox, right defenseman, age 22, 5-11, 180, third round (66th A rookie defenseman who defends and moves the puck from the back overall) 2016 draft (by Calgary): end and out of the zone, Hajek’s season stalled with a knee injury. When he was healthy enough to return, he was sent to Hartford, but was slow Gorton jumped at the opportunity to trade two second-round picks (the to regain his form. second jumping up from a third when Fox played his 30th NHL game) rather than waiting to try to outbid other teams for the free agent-to-be “Again, a young defenseman, even though he came from the Western last summer. What a great acquisition. A steal. League, coming from being raised in a different system,” Drury said.

“He’s just scratching the surface,” Drury said. “He’s an elite NHL player, “I still think he’s a terrific prospect. It’s hard to find young D like that, who worth the price of admission to watch him.” can skate and have the physical attributes that he has. He’s still so young and has had some experience in the NHL, has had some good moments, had some others that have been good learning moments for him.

“At the time of the pause he was the next guy up within the next week or so. When he did come back from injury I think it took him a little while to get adjusted to game speed, but when the pause came he was our No. 1 D-man in Hartford and doing a lot of really good things.”

Hajek was a crucial piece in the Ryan McDonagh trade, along with Brett Howden and the draft pick that wound up being Lundkvist. Some wonder where his ceiling may end up being.

“He’s taken a long time to come along,” a scout said. “He’s still young, though. I think he’s going to play and be a low-end guy, but I don’t know if he’s a real smart player. I don’t think he has great sense, great vision. I thought by now he might have been playing on the bottom end of their lineup. I think he will play, but I don’t see a great deal of upside there. Maybe a (third-pair) defenseman, maybe a little bit better. “Physically, he’s a good sized guy and he skates well. I just at times question his sense. Some guys take a little longer.”

Julien Gauthier, winger, age 22, 6-4, 226, first round (21st overall) 2016 draft (by Carolina):

Acquired in a late-season trade (the Rangers dealt from their depth on defense, sending Joey Keane to Carolina), Gauthier remains a prospect with upside because of his combo of skill, speed and size.

“No question,” Drury said. “You look at what he’s done in junior and in the , those aren’t easy things to do. It’s not like he was 26 and down there doing it. He was still a young kid. Physically he’s got all the tools. I think once he plays more and more, with NHL pace, with NHL players, I think you’re going to see a lot of his offensive side start to pop. Some of that is goal-scoring, but he also has a really good IQ and can make plays. Size and speed are really good things to have.”

Gauthier has scored as many as 38 and 41 goals in a season in juniors, and had 27 in the AHL for Charlotte in ’18-19.

Gauthier is leaning on and learning from Chris Kreider – and he’s not alone in that category – but they share the size/speed combo.

“The power forward game, and the tricks of the trade,” Drury said. “It’s a good fit there.”

And just one more on the “unknown” list…

Lias Andersson, center, age 21, 5-11, 190, first round (seventh overall) 2017 draft:

The elephant in the room as far as Rangers prospects go.

Taken too early (seventh overall in 2017), Andersson’s season became a fiasco when he failed to earn more than fourth-line minutes and was sent to Hartford in mid-November. Andersson asked to be traded, then up and left the team. He was suspended, and after talks with team president John Davidson, was eventually loaned to HV71 of the Swedish League so that he could continue to play. Andersson had seven goals and five assists in 15 games there.

Davidson has indicated that he will not close the door on anything where Andersson is concerned and it remains possible that Andersson makes a return somehow. But surely a trade is more likely than him playing again as a Ranger.

“It was exciting for us to see how well he played when he did go home,” Drury said. “We are in constant contact with him. And he is our prospect. He’s only 21. He has a ton of experience internationally, SHL, American Hockey League and NHL. We’re not sitting here looking to give up on him. We’re still doing all we can to try and help him be the player he wants to be and we want him to be.”

“JD’s theme with him and all of our players is they’re our players until they’re not, and we have a responsibility to the organization and to the players, no matter who they are, to help them get better throughout ups and downs. Lias is no different. We’d love to see him reach his potential and be a valuable and productive member of the organization for years to come. We’re going to keep trying to do that for him and with him as long as he’s our player.”

The Athletic LOADED: 05.01.2020

1183739 Ottawa Senators showed that he can play. His upside grew a bit more because of his willingness to learn every day.”

Groulx added one of the keys to Hogberg’s progress was a hip injury that GARRIOCH: One-on-one with Ottawa Senators' goalie coach Pierre sidelined him for two months to start the 2018-19 campaign. He spent Groulx on the club's prospects in net time in Ottawa working with athletic therapists Gerry Townend and Dom Nicoletta doing rehab work while also spending a lot of time with strength and conditioning coach Chris Schwarz, to make improvements off the ice. Bruce Garrioch It also gave Hogberg a better chance to learn English because that was April 30, 2020 4:11 PM EDT difficult for him early on.

“When you understand what you’re doing off the ice then it helps you to The Ottawa Senators goaltending depth is often referred to as the get better on the ice,” Groulx said. “The position is so tough on the hips crowded crease; Pierre Groulx likes to look at as a “luxury” for the and knees now, they need to understand what they need to do off the organization. ice. Once Marcus learned that because of his injury and led Belleville to a run close to the playoffs, it really helped him to mature.” As the Senators’ rebuild enters a pivotal phase whenever the off-season begins— with the NHL on pause since March 12 because of the threat of The plan was to send Hogberg to Belleville for the AHL playoffs to help the novel coronavirus around the world— one area the club has no lead that team down the stretch. shortage of depth is in the net. Whether unrestricted free agent Craig FILIP GUSTAVSSON, Belleville Anderson returns next season or not, it’s good news for the club’s goalie coach. Acquired in the deal that sent Derrick Brassard to the Pittsburgh Penguins at the 2018 trade deadline, Gustavsson has made progress, Not only do the Senators have Anders Nilsson and Marcus Hogberg just maybe not as quickly as the organization would like. signed to deals for next season, they’ve got top prospects Filip Gustavsson (Belleville, AHL), Joey Daccord (Belleville) and Kevin Groulx wants to remind everybody of one factor: The 6-foot-2 No. 55 Mandolese (Cape Breton, QMJHL) under contract as well. And, it doesn’t overall selection of the Penguins in the 2016 draft, is only 21-years-old stop there because the club also has 2019 second-round pick Mads and is making progress. Sogaard with Medicine Hat in the WHL. “He’s coming along and we forget that he’s a young goalie,” cautioned When Ottawa general manager Pierre Dorion, chief scout Trent Mann Groulx. “More time in the East Coast league early would have been great and Groulx look at the prospects in net, they’re thrilled. for Gus, but we had so many injuries at the time we couldn’t allow ourselves to do that. He needed to play in the American league. I have “We’re in a situation, and this is something we discussed with Pierre and high hopes for Gus. He’s got that NHL upside and he’s a reader of the Trent when I first came into the job, we don’t want to have just one guy,” game. said Groulx in a video chat with this newspaper Thursday morning. “Yes, there’s elite goaltenders but if you’re putting all your eggs in one basket, “He’s not one of the bigger guys, but he reads the game really well.” and that guy doesn’t develop, especially at the goaltending position, you just don’t know. Groulx said Gustavsson has good technique but maybe relies on that too much/. Like every young player he needs to improve his consistency by “As much as you believe that some guys are high-end, elite goaltenders, battling more for loose pucks. He had a 15-6-3 record with a .889 save- if you have more of them, then one will develop for sure. When we percentage and 3.23 goals-against average in 24 games with Belleville. drafted guys, yes we picked some like Daccord and Mandolese in the later rounds, but we saw the raw talent there and guys with the possibility “Deep down he’s probably one of the best technical goalies we have and to develop at a high rate. Yeah, some people might say we have too it’s just been a slow progression and some goalies progress faster than many goalies. No, I think staggered the right way and planned the right others,” Groulx added. “He’s still a guy that we have high hopes for. He’s way, you have a chance to develop a lot of good goaltenders.” a great kid, he wants to learn, I think with him it’s just taking a little longer than we anticipated but he’s still on the right track. With that in mind, Groulx spent 45 minutes discussing the goalies the Senators have in their system. Since Anderson’s future is up in the air, “He’s there, he’s close and he’s on the cusp.” whether or not the season resumes, there was no sense discussing JOEY DACCORD, Belleville where he stands because that decision will be made whenever the 2019- 20 campaign officially comes to an end . He started the season with the ECHL’s Brampton Beast and then finished in Belleville because of the injuries in Ottawa. Signed from Here’s Groulx’s take on the club’s prospects in net and these are in no Arizona State University at the end of last season, Daccord, 23, doesn’t particular order: lack confidence and he was in a strong battle with Gustavsson for the MARCUS HOGBERG, Ottawa and Belleville No. 1 job in the AHL.

In a conference call with reporters last month, coach D.J. Smith noted The expectation is those two will go head-to-head in training camp next Hogberg was a nice surprise because he was able to show he can play season and Daccord had solid numbers with a 15-6-2 record in 24 at the NHL level. appearances, a 2.61 GAA and a .915 save-percentage.

Thrust into the job with the Senators in December because of injuries to “Joey’s got a good sense of self-confidence. We don’t hide that and he’ll Anderson and Nilsson, Hogberg, 25, only had an okay start with the tell you that,” Groulx said. “With him it’s just making sure he keeps club’s AHL affiliate but improved his game through the season and is working at his game. Having said that, he’s wide open, he wants to get ready to step into the role as the backup in 2020-21. better and he wants to strive to be at the NHL level.

Hogberg had a 5-8-8 record in 24 appearances with a .904 save- “He’s an active goaltender and sometimes we have to calm him down a percentage when the pause took place, and signed to a one-way contract bit and get him to realize that less is more sometimes.” for next season, he’s ready for the next step. Groulx said the two months in Brampton to start the year helped Daccord “Part of his progress is his willingness to learn every day,” Groulx said. develop and served as a good reminder of the hard work it takes. “He’d make a mistake on one goal or one play and then we’d look at it on “He had some highs and lows. He had some games where he had video or work at on the ice and understand that, ‘Okay, I’ve got to do that. shutouts and he had a game where he was left in for all nine goals,” His understanding and willingness to get better allowed him to prove to Groulx said. “Like it or not, the East coast that’s great for goalies because himself he’s an NHL goalie. it develops their mental attitude, dealing with crisis that you don’t “With his size and his athletic ability, he’s also learned a lot from Craig necessarily get in other leagues because it’s a broken play league. because of the way he handles the game, and just to put every little par “They play 3-in-3 and they’re traveling all night so you have to deal with of his game in action, he became a guy that belongs in the NHL and crap that you don’t normally deal with and a shorter roster. That was tough for him and that helped build his character and built himself to push.”

KEVIN MANDOLESE, Cape Breton

Signed to a three-year entry-level deal last month, Mandolese, who has spent the last four seasons with the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles, has earned his contract the hard way.

Selected in the sixth round at No. 157 overall, Mandolese finished with a .925 save-percentage and 2.33 GAA with a 26-8-1 record in 37 games. It’s unfortunate the rest of the Canadian Hockey League season was cancelled because the 6-foot-4 Mandolese had a chance to lead his team to a title.

“He found maturity and character of being that leader for his junior team and he developed into being one of the top goalies in the Q,” said Groulx. “(Coach) Jake Grimes was hoping to get into the playoffs with (Mandolese) because we felt with him they had a real shot of winning.”

Mandolese will start next season in the ECHL and that will give him the opportunity to play, but Groulx said Rob Mouland, who works with prospects, and the club’s nutritionist deserve credit for helping to get a contract because they helped Madolese make the right approach off the ice.

MADS SOGAARD, Medicine Hat

Naturally, at 6-foot-7, Sogaard is hard to miss and the Senators thought highly of the Danish goalie so they selected him No. 37 overall in the second round in 2019.

He has spent the last two seasons with the Tigers and they’ve seen progression in his game, but he needs more time before a decision is made on what is next for him. He had a 2.53 GAA and a .908 save- percentage in 37 games before the WHL season was cancelled while he also compiled a 21-13-2 record.

“We all know he’s a tall goalie but his lateral mobility is incredible,” Groulx said. “His post play he needs to work on but a kid that size will struggles with posts at some times. Positionally he’s a good goaltender, he had a so-so start, but he got better as the year he went on. He was humming along and he just needs more time in junior to get his game just like Mandolese did this year.

“With the cancellation of their season, I’d like to see (Sogaard) go back and push his team to the playoffs and push his team to the championships. It would be good for him to go back, be the top goalie in that league and be the guy that takes his team to the playoffs and be that guy that has a chance to win the playoffs. He needs to take that step next year.”

Ottawa Sun LOADED: 05.01.2020 1183740 Ottawa Senators 1 Connor Brown

$2.10M Dollars and Sens: Which forwards earned their paycheque this season? Which didn’t? 71

1.31

By Hailey Salvian 0.34

Apr 30, 2020 0.97

Jayce Hawryluk

It’s going to be a busy offseason — whenever that happens — for GM $874,000 Pierre Dorion and his staff. 26 The Senators have several key free agents who they will need to either let go or sign. Once free agency opens, Dorion has decisions to make on 0.86 six unrestricted free agents and seven restricted free agents. -0.4

Who will get an offer? Who is in line for a raise? Who gets cut loose? 0.9

One way to determine that is to look at player performance. To build a Nick Paul winning team in the NHL’s salary cap era general managers need to find players who can outperform their salary while avoiding the ones $750,000 projected to underperform. 56 Since it’s important to grade player performance along with salary, it seems like a good time to analyze which players are giving the Senators 0.58 the most bang for their buck. And not just the upcoming free agents. -0.8

To examine this, we used the Game Score model developed by The 0.66 Athletic’s hockey analytics guru Dom Luszczyszyn. Luszczyszyn’s model for game score value added (GSVA) is an all-encompassing estimate of Logan Brown how many wins a player added for his team when taking into account all the basic score stats, along with advanced analytics. $863,000

In the chart below that is represented as GSVA/82. The xWin column is 23 the number of wins you’d expect that player to contribute based on their 0.53 cap hit. The third column represents the difference between their actual and expected win contributions, which would indicate if a player is -0.4 playing up to their salary. For example Brady Tkachuk, who is making 0.58 $925,000 on an entry-level contract, is only expected to provide -0.2 wins. After 71 games this season, he’s on pace to contribute 2.07 wins Chris Tierney per 82 games. That gives him a positive differential of 2.09, which tops the Senators. $2.94M

For reference, an elite player like Connor McDavid might garner a GSVA 71 score around 3.0, while a top line player would come in at roughly 2.25. 0.5 In short, three is a great GSVA score, two is good, one is average, and zero or below is bad. 0.61

The focus, however, should be in the difference column. The higher the -0.11 differential the more valuable the player is in relation to the cap hit. The more players you have playing above their xWin, the better off you are. Colin White

Since the Senators still have players on entry-level deals or making close $4.75M to the league minimum, those players — like Tkachuk — can score a 61 higher differential. For this piece, I also left out prospects and players like Drake Batherson, Filip Chlapik, Rudolfs Balcers and Matthew Peca. 0.12

Here is the chart, now let’s get into it. 1.17

Forwards -1.05

Brady Tkachuk Scott Sabourin

$925,000 $700,000

71 25

2.07 -1.32

-0.2 -0.9

2.09 -1.23

Anthony Duclair Mikkel Boedker

$1.65M $4M

66 20

1.2 -0.42

0.2 0.94 -1.35 put on pause, Brown was on pace to score 20 goals for the first time since 2016-17 and he topped 40 points for the first time in his career. He Bobby Ryan finished third in goal scoring and second in points on the team.

$7.25M Brown was one of head coach D.J. Smith’s favourite players this season 24 and one of the most reliable two-way players on the team. He played on the penalty kill, and was often tapped to play on the team’s shutdown 0.58 line.

1.95 An RFA this summer, Brown has probably earned a slight raise, and he should continue to improve his offensive game with continued -1.37 responsibility on his plate, which should keep his value high. Artem Anisimov Jayce Hawryluk, 26 games played, 3 goals, 7 assists, 10 points $4.55M Right behind Brown was, surprisingly, Hawryluk. 49 I was reluctant to include him here given he only played 11 games with -0.4 the Senators this season. But I think the eye-test indicated he added value right away in Ottawa, and this exercise would reaffirm the theory. 1.11 Like Tkachuk, his output is lower because of his low cap-hit. Hawryluk — -1.51 another RFA this summer — is currently on a two-way deal, and after being claimed by the Senators before the trade deadline, he set out to Earning their money prove that he deserves a one-way deal next year. Brady Tkachuk, 72 games played, 21 goals, 23 assists, 44 points After being claimed from the Florida Panthers, Hawryluk scored two Tkachuk leads the way for Senators forwards in overall play (2.07 goals and seven points and seemed to fit in nicely under Smith’s system. GSVA/82), and he outperformed his contract more than any player on the He might have done enough to get at least a one-year deal as a depth team. As stated above, Tkachuk is still on an ELC so his expected wins player. His cap hit will need to stay fairly low to keep his value high. are lower than most, however, in this case, his output is still high. Nick Paul, 56 games played, 9 goals, 11 assists, 20 points In his sophomore season, Tkachuk led the Senators in points (44) and Paul also outperformed his salary, albeit by a small margin. With a was second in goals, only two shy of Anthony Duclair (23). It’s the $750,000 cap hit, Paul’s expected wins was set at -0.08, and he passed second consecutive year (in as many NHL seasons) that he’s scored at that by 0.66. Not quite in the “top-six” range, but that’s not exactly his least 20 goals. Before the pause, Tkachuk was on pace to surpass his role. rookie year goals and points totals. He started in the AHL this season, but was called up and was quickly told It’s no surprise Tkachuk leads the Senators, given his ability to generate he’d be staying in the NHL. His story is a good one. shots from dangerous scoring areas. If the Senators are to be contenders, Paul will likely play a bottom-six Tkachuk, 20, has already established himself as one of the best players depth role. He is big and strong on pucks. He’s smart in his own end and from the low slot or in front of the net, with his big frame — 6-foot-3, 212 often played with Brown on the shutdown line. Smith trusts him and has pounds — helping. He’s currently ranked eighth in the NHL in shots said multiple times he thinks Paul will be part of the team’s core for a (259), and first in shots from 15-feet and in (119). Thirteen of his 21 goals many years. came from within 15 feet of the net. Paul will be an RFA this summer and will probably receive around the Tkachuk was also second in hits and hits-per-game, behind Ryan league minimum for two or three years. Reaves, in the NHL. He’s only making $925,000 for one more season, and will likely get a significant raise as the team’s top forward (for now). Logan Brown, 23 games played, 1 goal, 7 assists, 8 points

Anthony Duclair, 66 games played, 23 goals, 17 assists, 40 points This one was surprising, given the questions of whether Brown was ready for a full-time role in the NHL. It’s a small sample size and his Duclair was the Senators’ second most valuable player in relation to his output was low given he is still on an entry-level contract. cap hit. That’s because he more than outscored the $1.65-million deal he signed last summer. He had one stint with the Senators this year and started strong, but slowed and was ultimately sent back to the AHL. He scored his first NHL Through 47 games this season, Duclair’s 21 goals and 33 points were goal in November against the New York Rangers and displayed excellent enough to land his first NHL All-Star nod. He seemed sure to set new vision on the power play several times. career-highs and surpass the 30-goal mark, however in the next 19 games, he’d score only two goals and seven points. Brown’s ELC expires at the end of next season, though he will become an RFA under team control. Given that he only scored one goal and still Nineteen games is a small sample size, and overall he still added value had a modest GSVA could hint at the value Brown can add to the compared to other players in the same scoring range. For example: Senators once he is ready to make the jump full-time. Blake Wheeler, 22 goals, $8.25-million cap hit Underperforming Matthew Tkachuk, 23 goals, $7-million cap hit Chris Tierney, 71 games played, 11 goals, 26 assists, 37 points Kevin Hayes, 23 goals, $7.14-million cap hit Tierney narrowly underperformed in relation to his $2.94-million cap hit (a Kevin Fiala, 23 goals, $3-million cap hit difference of -0.11).

The tricky part for the Senators will come when negotiating a possible His production dipped slightly this year after two straight seasons with 40 extension. Duclair, 24, is an RFA this summer with arbitration rights, and and 48 points respectively. the Senators will likely extend a qualifying offer. But Dorion will need to He was one of the best penalty killers on the team and was tied for the strike a balance between giving the talented winger the raise he league lead in short-handed goals (4). He was another one of Smith’s deserves while also maintaining his high value for the money. best two-way players and had a career-high 51.18 faceoff percentage. Connor Brown, 71 games played, 16 goals, 27 assists, 43 points One obvious place for improvement would be to find consistent offence. This season, Brown proved he is much more valuable than the fourth- Tierney had several double-digit scoreless droughts — one lasting as line, penalty-kill specialist he was in Toronto. many as 20 games. If he’s able to find more consistent offence, while still being reliable defensively he should move out of the underperforming He led all Senators forwards in ice time and was ranked in the top-20 in group. the NHL averaging just under 20 minutes per game. Before the NHL was An RFA this summer, Tierney will likely get offered an extension, as the He had some good stretches when healthy, but he did not play like the Senators will need some reliable centre depth. He stayed healthy this money he was getting. His 20-point season was the lowest total of his season (unlike Artem Anisimov and Colin White) and after the departure career, with the exception of the 2012-12 lockout year. He only has one of Jean-Gabriel Pageau was put in the top centre spot down the stretch. more year left on this deal before becoming a UFA in 2020-21. He isn’t likely stay there and won’t be paid like a top centre, but the Senators should keep him around while their prospects at centre Looking at the results, the Senators had more players underperforming develop. based on their salary than exceeding expectations, but it’s not all bad news. Colin White, 61 games played, 7 goals, 16 assists, 23 points Many of those expensive contracts are set to expire this summer or The first year of White’s six-year, $28.5-million contract extension didn’t shortly after. And it doesn’t look like many of those exceeding contract go exactly as planned. expectations will be receiving big pay hikes due to restricted free agency.

In the final year of his ELC, White scored 14 goals and 41 points in 71 Most of the players in both categories are still young and coming into games. This year he took a step back with almost half of those totals in their own in the NHL. White shouldn’t continue to fall short of 61 games. Under his new contract, White was expected to bring in 1.17 expectations. Tkachuk should only get better with his next deal. wins, the second-most on the team, but only contributed 0.12. Even if some players are “overpaid” the next few years, the Senators are White is 23 and it might be too early to panic. There’s still time to one of the better positioned teams from a salary-cap standpoint so it improve, but he’ll need to make significant strides to make this deal look won’t impact them until it’s time to sign potential stars to big contracts. like a steal for the Senators, instead of an overpayment. And when that time comes, most of, if not all of the bad contracts will be Scott Sabourin, 35 games played, 2 goals, 4 assists, 6 points gone.

Based on his salary, the bar was set the low for Sabourin this year.

He didn’t clear it. Instead, he had the worst GSVA score on the team (- The Athletic LOADED: 05.01.2020 1.32).

In 35 games, Sabourin scored two goals and six points. He averaged a team-worst 7:01 minutes per game, while playing in a hard-hitting fourth- line role. He led the team with just over 18 hits/60.

Sabourin had a nice story. He’s a local player who powered through seven AHL seasons to make his NHL debut. But he’s a UFA this year, and signing him to an extension to play that type of role likely isn’t the best idea.

Mikkel Boedker, 20 games played, 2 goals, 2 assists, 4 points

It shouldn’t be a shock that Boedker is in the bottom three forwards in terms of value.

First, he barely played this year. And when he did play, it was in a limited role. He didn’t produce a lot of offence when he slotted in and didn’t do enough to stay in the lineup. For what he produced this season, his $4- million cap hit is a big overpayment.

To be fair to the Senators, they didn’t give him that contract, the Sharks did after a 10 goal, 26 point season in 2016-17 before he was acquired via trade in the Mike Hoffman deal.

This was Boedker’s worst season in his more than 10-year NHL career. The veteran winger is set to become a UFA this summer, and I wouldn’t expect him to be back.

Bobby Ryan, 24 games played, 5 goals, 3 assists, 8 points

Ryan’s story has been well documented this season, as he opened up about his struggles with alcohol abuse before admitting himself into the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program.

When he returned, Ryan scored a (wonderful) hat trick in his first game back at Canadian Tire Centre, and looked rejuvenated. Paced out for 82 games, Ryan’s GSVA was a modest 0.58, which is the same as Nick Paul’s. But his cap hit set his bar much higher.

Ryan, 33, has admitted he doesn’t know if he will be the “$7-million dollar guy that I want to be as much as everyone else does,” but that’s not his fault per se. You can’t blame a guy for taking a big contract after a big year. And Dorion was still assistant GM at the time, so it’s not all on him either.

When Ryan is healthy, he’s still a good player. And his veteran leadership won’t show up on advanced stats. This deal will be something to revisit next year when he hopefully has a full, healthy season.

Artem Anisimov, 49 games played, 15 goals, 5 assists, 20 points

One of Ottawa’s older forwards on the roster showed his age a bit this season, finishing with a GSVA of -0.4.

Anisimov, 31, is in this position for a few reasons. His $4.55-million cap hit means his production was expected to be higher than it ended up being. There were also injuries kept him out of the lineup for periods of time, which impacted his ability to contribute consistently. 1183741 Philadelphia Flyers As for his billet family, Provorov said the members usually attend three to five Flyers games each season. He also stays with them during Christmas breaks in the schedule

Flyers’ Ivan Provorov one of the lucky ones, has kept skating during the “It’s been really nice to spend some time with them," he said. "Just hang NHL’s pause out, play some games, and catch up on some things, and kind of sit back and look back and laugh at all the good times we had when I stayed here.” by Sam Carchidi

Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 05.01.2020 Ivan Provorov is one of the lucky ones during the pause in the NHL’s season because of the coronavirus pandemic.

He is staying with his billet family in Wilkes-Barre -- he lived there as a teenager after moving from Russia -- and not only has access to a full gym at the house, but is one of the few NHL players who has been able to skate almost daily.

Provorov, 23, a physical-fitness addict who is the Flyers’ top defenseman, has been skating at a private rink, located just outside Wilkes-Barre, and working out five to six hours a day. He should be in great shape when/if the season resumes.

“Luckily, I have a little opportunity to skate; it’s just me, no one else,” Provorov said in a conference call with reporters Thursday. “I’m still following the rules with social distancing and everything like that. I’m able to skate and work out. I do that for half the day, and I’m spending time with my billet brothers and sisters."

In the summer, Provorov said, he goes through “10 weeks of hell” in his workouts, “going through 10 or 11 hours a day. Here it’s a little less.”

But the access to a home gym and a skating rink is not the main reason he decided to stay in Wilkes-Barre.

“Just [wanted] to spend time with my billet family,” he said.

Provorov was 14 when he began staying with the family to play for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights bantam team.

“I lived with them for 2½ years and have a really close relationship with them, so I just wanted to spend time with them and hang out. And, yes, there’s an opportunity here to stay in shape and skating whenever I can. ... It kind of gets my mind off all stuff being locked down and not being able to play the game. It’s been helping."

Provorov, who is staying with a family that has two boys and three girls who are in either high school or college, was asked if skating during the break would give him an advantage over other players if the season returns.

“I’m not sure,” he said. “By the sound of it, we’ll have a training camp and we’ll have plenty of time for everyone to get in shape.”

He said he is skating on ice that is around the size of a tennis court.

“It’s more like a private, smaller rink; it’s more like for a few people, so it’s not like it’s full ice," he said. "Just an opportunity to stay on the ice, but not anything close to the game or team practices. I think we’ll have plenty of time for everybody to get in shape and get on the same level.”

The NHL said Wednesday night it is hopeful players can return to their practice rinks in mid-to-late May and begin small-group activities.

“It’s great to hear that hopefully we’ll soon be able to get back and at least start with small groups and hopefully from there game practices and be able to finish the season,” said Provorov, who had 13 goals, 36 points, and a plus-11 rating when the season was stopped.

The Flyers had won nine of their last 10 games and moved into second place in the when the season was paused. They have 13 regular-season games left.

Provorov called the stoppage “out of our control” and said it was “disappointing because the team was playing so well."

"We finally got on a roll and we were playing our best hockey, probably the best hockey in the four seasons I’ve been here. It was really exciting and I think everyone is trying to stay in shape and stay positive, and when the season continues, try to get back to the same level we were.” 1183742 Philadelphia Flyers

NHL hopes players can return to team facilities in mid- to late-May

The NHL has not made any decision on when the suspended season can resume, but it is dropping hints that games may be played as early as June.

The season was paused March 12 because of the coronavirus pandemic. The Flyers had 13 regular-season games left, and all teams had between 11 and 14 games remaining.

On Wednesday night, the league and the NHL Players Association issued a joint statement, saying no timelines have been set for a possible return.

There were, however, glimpses of optimism in the statement.

While the league and the NHLPA said it remained “undetermined” when players would be allowed to return to small-group activities at clubs’ training facilities, they said they believe they might return at some point in mid- to late-May.

The NHL has said it would need a three-week training camp before games could resume without fans in arenas.

In the statement, the league and NHLPA said players can soon return “provided the conditions continue to trend favorable -- and subject to potential competitive concerns as between disparately situated markets."

If the season does return, all games might be played at four still-to-be- determined NHL arenas, the league has said.

Flyers coach Alain Vigneault, in a conference call with reporters Wednesday, didn’t want to speculate on when the NHL might return, saying he would “leave it to the experts to decide.”

Vigneault said he was confident he and his veteran coaching staff could put something together in training camp that would be “very efficient for the players, very efficient to get our team ready” for the stretch run and the playoffs.

The Flyers (41-21-7) had won nine of their last 10 games -- they were the league’s hottest team -- when the season was suspended seven weeks ago.

by Sam Carchidi

Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 05.01.2020 1183743 Philadelphia Flyers Provorov said that during a normal offseason he works out as much as 10-11 hours per day. Right now he’s sort of taking it easy at a more leisurely five-six hours at a time.

Ivan Provorov skating on private ice to be ready should NHL freeze end “For me, it’s staying in shape and getting my mind off this stuff of kind of being locked down,″ he said. “Not being able to play the game. It’s been helping. Hopefully, when we come back I won’t need that much time to jump right back in.″ By Wayne Fish flyingfishhockey.com And Provorov echoed what other Flyers have said in recent weeks — Posted Apr 30, 2020 at 1:52 PM namely that the stoppage came at a real tough time. Philadelphia had just run off a nine-game winning streak and moved to within one point of the division lead. The Flyers’ defenseman is staying in Wilkes-Barre with his billet family from his days in the Atlantic Youth Hockey League “It was definitely disappointing,″ he admitted. “Because when it happened, the team was playing so well. We finally got on a roll. We Where there’s a rink, there’s a way. were playing our best hockey since the time I got to the league — probably the best hockey we played in the four seasons since I’ve been The pandemic might have stopped most NHL players from skating the here. past seven weeks, but not Flyers defenseman Ivan Provorov. “It was really exciting and a little disappointing for us to have to stop. But When the red light went on, the 23-year-old Russian headed up to that was out of our control and I think that everyone is doing the best they Wilkes-Barre to stay with his billet family from back when he played as a can to stay in shape, stay positive and when the league continues, try to teenager with the Knights of the Atlantic Youth Hockey League. get back to the same level we were.″ Soon he was able to find a nearby (currently closed) private skating rink, On Wednesday, coach Alain Vigneault said it would be his staff’s mission albeit smaller than a standard hockey surface, but big enough to do to get his team in a position to regain that momentum. Provorov was on conditioning work, puckhandling and so forth. board with that. All this, mind you, completely by himself in order to practice proper social “Definitely it’s going to take a little bit of time,″ he said. “Hopefully with distancing measures. some games, we’ll be able to get back to the level that we were at.″ At least it gives him a little peace of mind and keeps him somewhat ready when/if the NHL resumes play at a future date. Burlington County Times LOADED: 05.01.2020 “Luckily I have a little opportunity to skate,″ Provorov said during a Thursday media conference call. “It’s just me and no one else. Still following the rules with social distancing, so luckily I’ve been able to skate and work out.

“I’ve been doing that for half the day and then half with my billet brothers and sisters (two boys, three girls).″

Provorov declined to give the name of the family for privacy reasons.

He said his intention was more to visit his billet family than to find a place to skate.

Provorov played for Wilkes-Barre during the 2011-12 and 2012-13 seasons after emigrating from his hometown of Yaroslavl, Russia as a 14-year-old. Later he played for Cedar Rapids of the USHL of the United States Hockey League and the of the .

The Flyers selected him in the first round (seventh overall) in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft.

“I’m really close with my (billet) family,″ he said. “I lived with them for two and a half years. I have a really close relationship with them. To be able to spend time with them and hang out ... and there’s an opportunity to stay in shape most of the time.″

Another convenience: The billet family’s home comes complete with an in-house gymnasium.

Provorov was asked if the ability to skate on a daily basis will give him an “advantage″ should NHL play resume.

“I’m not sure,″ Provorov said. “By the sound of it, we’ll have a training camp. We’ll have plenty of time for everyone to get in shape. It’s not like I’m skating at a national (NHL) rink. It’s like a smaller rink – I’m not doing full-on practices.″

He said the ice surface is approximately the size of a tennis court, which is 78-feet long and 36-feet wide for doubles.

Like his Flyer teammates, Provorov was heartened by the news that the NHL is exploring the possibility of opening practice facilities sometime in mid-to-late May.

“It’s great to hear that soon we’ll be able to come back to practices,″ he said. “At least start with small groups and hopefully from there we’ll go to team practices, then hopefully finish the season.″ 1183744 Philadelphia Flyers "It's been helping," Provorov said, "and it's also been helping me to stay in shape. Hopefully when we come back I won't need too much time to jump right back into it."

Flyers' Ivan Provorov learns you can go 'home' again

Delaware County Times LOADED: 05.01.2020

By Rob Parent [email protected] @ReluctantSE on Twitter

Ticketed from boyhood as a potential star on the ice, Ivan Provorov arrived in the United States at the age of 13, playing in elite international youth hockey tournaments. He made enough of an impression that only one year later, he'd be part of a contingent of youthful Russian prospects brought over to play in the various levels of USA Hockey prep programs.

For Provorov, that meant prepping in Wilkes-Barre with the bantam-aged Knights, part of the Atlantic Youth Hockey League. He was there from the fall of 2011 through the spring of 2013. It was a time in his life that could intimidate a young teen hailing from Yaroslavl, Russia, some 165 miles northeast of Moscow.

Not so for Provorov.

Now 23 and the leader of the Flyers defense, Provorov isn't like a lot of his teammates, who have mostly moved back to their offseason homes to isolate with their spouses or families. Instead, he's moved back in with the billet family he lived with in Wilkes-Barre from the ages of 14 to 16. The same family that supported him during what could have been a scary time away from home, the same family he'll usually spend the Christmas holiday with just a couple of hours north of Philadelphia.

"They're lovely people," Provorov said Thursday while wrapping a media conference call, "but I don't want to bring them into this."

In other words, Provorov would rather keep the names of his American family to himself to protect their privacy. But for reasons all his own, there was no other place he'd rather spend a pandemic shutdown of the NHL than right up there near the Wilkes-Barre town square.

"It's just to be able to spend time with my billet family," Provorov said. "I lived with them for 2½ years, and I have a really close relationship with them. So it's just to be able to spend time with them, and hang out. And yes there is an opportunity here to stay in shape. I've been working out most of the time."

One of the billet families that are part of the fabric of the various youth programs under the USA Hockey banner, Provorov is enjoying their company as much as the benefits of being there.

He can work out with guys he calls his "billet family brothers," one his age and one a year younger. The house has a fitness room of sorts for him to torture himself as he often does during the offseason. And unlike most of his teammates who are only riding their Pelotons in their Canadian basements, Provorov has been skating during this unexpected shutdown of the past seven weeks.

"It's not like I'm skating at (an) actual rink," Provorov said. "It's more like a private, smaller rink. It's not a full ice, I'm not doing full-on practices ... just a little opportunity to stay on ice. It's not anywhere close to the game or team practices. And I think we'll have plenty of time for everyone to get in shape and get on the same level then."

Until then, he steps onto the ice in a town "just outside of Wilkes-Barre," at what he describes as a "private rink ... about the size of a tennis court." He skates by himself, does some stick-handling drills and tries to get his legs under him. But Provorov does have the chance to work out off the ice with his two billet brothers and his three billet sisters, whoever wants to try to stay with him.

Provorov is notorious for his ridiculous offseason workout sessions. Even he admits that.

"The offseason, there's 10 weeks of hell, going through 10-11 hours a day," he said. "Here I'm probably spending around, I don't know, five or six hours a day trying to stay in shape, doing different stuff. ... Trying to get my mind off all the stuff of being locked down and not being able to play the game."

Meanwhile, he has a family with which to spend all this downtime. 1183745 Philadelphia Flyers The extended NHL pause has given Nolan Patrick, who has missed the entire season, additional time to recover from his chronic headache issues. Also, reports are that Oskar Lindblom has completed cancer treatments and has maintained some high measure of conditioning. When Flyers return, Alain Vigneault believes they will resume playing at a high level “I know (Patrick) has been in daily contact with (Flyers trainer) Jimmy (McCrossin),” Vigneault said. “I'm getting reports that he is working out. As far as where he is, it’s hard to say. There’s no doctors and Jimmy hasn’t really had the chance to see him face to face. My understanding is By Jack McCaffery [email protected] @JackMcCaffery that he is working out, just like Oskar is working out. His treatments are on Twitter doing well. I’m texting him more on a regular basis in the beginning. Apr 30, 2020 “We’ll have some news when the season starts again.”

The Flyers signed right wing Linus Sandin, 23, to a one-year entry-level The Flyers won nine of their last 10 games, 10 of their last 12, 16 of their contract. He had 19 goals and 17 assists 51 Swedish Hockey League last 21 and status as realistic contenders for the Stanley Cup. games this season.

Alain Vigneault, who helped start the process, is convinced he can "We are happy to have Linus under contract for next season," general complete it whenever the NHL resumes after breaking to help flatten the manager Chuck Fletcher said. "Our scouting staff has done an excellent coronavirus curve. job identifying him as a player who can come into camp and compete for a spot on our team right away. He works extremely hard and we expect “That's going to be our challenge, obviously,” the Flyers' coach said him to add size, skill and tenacity to our forward group." Wednesday, on a conference call with writers. “There’s no doubt that we were playing our best hockey of the season at the time. I don’t think we Sandin is 6-1 and 209 pounds. His brother, , 20, is a can go into this showing any signs of emotional frustration. With the Maple Leafs defenseman. world being put on pause and with what people are going through right now, we can help them by doing the best job that we can as far as playing on the ice. Delaware County Times LOADED: 05.01.2020 “We’ll be exactly like everybody else. We’ll have the same amount of time. Our team was in a good place. It will be all our jobs, from coaches to management to players, to get back to that good spot that we were in.”

That is the essence of the NHL stoppage, that it provides no benefits to any team above the rest. Camped at his home in Gatineau, Quebec, Vigneault receives regular emails from the NHL, explaining the plans for and challenges associated with a return.

While Vigneault was uncertain of a return date or what the season will look like when restrictions are lifted, his belief trended toward the likelihood of a two-week training camp leading into whatever would come next.

“I have been talking with my staff and we’ve been going through all the possible scenarios,” Vigneault said. “I believe that if we get a good two weeks, we’ll be fine. Everybody will be in the same position. We’ll be out for the same amount of time. We’ll be like everybody else. My staff has a lot of experience.

“This is obviously something different, but we have a lot of experience. I am very confident that we can get something together that’s going to be very efficient for the players, very efficient to get our team ready. Hopefully that’s what happens.”

When the season returns, the Flyers will be in second place in the Metropolitan Division, a point behind the Capitals. Technically, there will be 13 regular-season games to play, though it is more likely the league will push right into the postseason.

Either way, coaching will matter, and likely more than usual.

“I have felt since Day 1, and it was one of our goals, that teams have to continue to improve during the season,” Vigneault said. “You have to get better. I believe that’s what we were doing in all aspects of our game, our five-on-five play, our special-teams play, our defensive play and offensive play. We were getting better individually and getting better as a group. That enables you to get a chance, to get into the playoffs and have a chance to compete for the Stanley Cup.

“That was our goal coming into the season. That goal hasn’t changed. Obviously there’s different components and a different dynamic at this time.”

Vigneault is the son of a physician. His sister is in the health field. And he said his girlfriend is an emergency nurse in Ottawa, close to Gatineau. He believes the NHL, and sports in general, can help with any healing process when the virus bans are eased.

“We’re all staying at home and trying to do the right things not to spread the virus,” he said. “If we can help in any other way, that’s what I’ve been trying to do. I’m sure that’s what everyone’s been trying to do.” 1183746 Philadelphia Flyers “She's been on the forefront,” Vigneault said. “She's been very impressed at how her bosses have handled this. She feels very secure when the ambulances arrive and the way it is set up and that they have a real good way of doing things so she can do her job.” McCaffery: Alain Vigneault, Flyers coach and son of a doctor, believes in healing potential of sports None of that makes Alain Vigneault an expert on pandemics, but it does place him close enough to the medical sphere to boost his appreciation that there are multiple ways to hasten healing. And he's convinced the Flyers, and the NHL, and sports in general can be blended into in that By Jack McCaffery [email protected] @JackMcCaffery therapy. For that, he will have his team ready. on Twitter “As far as a date and when to start, obviously I will leave that to the Apr 30, 2020 experts at that time,” Vigneault said. “But I believe if we get a two weeks (of training) in, we'll be fine. Everybody will be in the same position. We will have been out the same amount of time. This is obviously something One by one, the pieces would fall into place, each leading to one hockey a little different. But I am very confident that we can get something truth: Alain Vigneault, he gets it. together that will be very efficient for our players, very efficient for our team, very efficient for our players and very efficient for our team. And He got it in his first offseason, providing his input to Chuck Fletcher, hopefully that's what happens.” stressing what Kevin Hayes could add to a hockey club. There have been reports of a June 1 opening of abbreviated training He got it when he realized that former Flyers coaching strategies left the camps, followed by some kind of a Stanley Cup tournament, perhaps players exhausted, and not just physically. even at neutral sites. But Vigneault has received regular emails from the He got it whenever he changed lines, picked the right goaltender, NHL about more specific ideas, and through that, he maintains a deep distanced himself from the mania and, ultimately, belief that the resumption of major-league hockey games will happen. pushed the Flyers to the point where they were playing hockey as well or “Sports is going to be one of the venues that is going to help people get better than any team in the NHL. through this,” Vigneault said. “And once we get back at it, I am very He got it, and so did everyone else, when he announced how he was confident that the focus of our group will be on the same pace as going to spend the Flyers' in-season break. everybody else. It will be our job to work hard to work smart and to do the right things and get back to where we were.” “I'm going ,” he said. “And I'm going to have a martini.” He gets it. A martini. He always does. Perfect.

So there was Vigneault Wednesday, checking in with hockey writers on a conference call, stirring just the right mix about a great Flyers season, Delaware County Times LOADED: 05.01.2020 how it has been shaken, and what it will mean when the NHL season returns. And it will return.

“Sports is going to be part of the process to getting back to some sort of normalcy,” Vigneault said. “I believe everybody is missing their sports right now, and not just hockey, but baseball and basketball. Football is around the corner. And I believe sports is going to help people get back to normal.

“And I don't know when it is going to be. But when it is, we're going to be ready.”

He's typically had the Flyers ready all season, on days when they were assigned a morning skate, on more days when they were told by their coach to show up at the arena that night, freshened by the extra hours of rest. But he could not have expected the rest that the Flyers, the NHL and most of North America has taken since March 10, when his team lost for the first time in 10 games then was made to scatter amid a virus pandemic.

Never one to waste an opportunity to dismiss panic, Vigneault's first move was to Florida, golf clubs at the ready. Eventually, he said, Canadians were summoned home to engage in whatever social distancing could help kill the virus's spread. So that's where he has been during the shutdown, in Gatineau, Quebec. Predictably, he is neither relaxing nor panicking, but has found the proper in-between comfort zone.

“You now what?” the Flyers' coach said. “I've only talked to five guys since the season has been suspended. I've left Ozzie (Chris Osmond) and Dan (Warnke), our two conditioning guys, pretty much in charge of the conversations with the players as far as the conditioning. Everybody has been following the guidelines, staying at home. There has been some feedback on what to do. But at the end of the day, everybody is trying to stay safe.

“At the same time, when this starts again, we want to be as ready as we can.”

To him, it's a matter of when, not if, the NHL resumes, which may be this season. And though he is an expert on the power-play, not disease control, he is the son of a physician. His sister works in the health industry. And he said his girlfriend is an emergency nurse at Ottawa Hospital, close to Gatineau. 1183747 Philadelphia Flyers

Flyers Talk podcast: Travis Sanheim joins the crew to discuss hockey, farming and more

By NBC Sports Philadelphia Staff

April 30, 2020 11:25 PM

On the latest Flyers Talk podcast, NBC Sports Philadelphia's Katie Emmer and Jordan Hall are joined by special guest Travis Sanheim.

From Sanheim's situation during the NHL hiatus to the Flyers' group chat, let's dive in:

• 2:25 — How Ivan Provorov is staying busy

• 8:30 — What to make of the latest on the NHL season

• 15:10 — Hearing from Alain Vigneault

• 23:30 — Our biggest surprises and disappointments

• 35:00 — Where Sanheim is right now during the stoppage

• 36:30 — Sanheim on staying in shape, his growth in 2019-20

• 38:40 — What is it about Sergei Bobrovsky?

• 39:35 — 's character and wisdom

• 41:00 — Vigneault's influence

• 43:20 — How high is Philippe Myers' ceiling?

• 44:00 — Sanheim's biggest highlight of the season

• 45:25 — Kevin Hayes is driving the Flyers' group chat

• 46:45 — Teammates call Sanheim Bob McKenzie

• 47:50 — Sanheim's family farm

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 05.01.2020 1183748 Philadelphia Flyers

Fans make interesting signs, Kevin Hayes fights, 15 total goals and Flyers beat Blues in NHL 20

By Jordan Hall

April 30, 2020 9:45 PM

This game would have been fun.

Carter Hart vs. Jordan Binnington, Flyers vs. the defending champs, Philly vs. "Play Gloria."

With the NHL suspending the 2019-20 regular season because of the coronavirus pandemic, the Flyers never welcomed the Blues on March 17 for an anticipated matchup at the Wells Fargo Center.

However, the game lived up to the billing Thursday night in an NHL 20 simulation by NBC Sports Philadelphia.

The Flyers out-duked the Blues, 8-7, with the epic trio of Jim Jackson, and Taryn Hatcher on the call.

Kevin Hayes set a tone during the first period by dropping the gloves with Colton Parayko, a big dude at 6-foot-6, 230 pounds. Hayes landed some punches and so did Parayko. Hayes had a nice Philly-like shiner.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 05.01.2020 1183749 Philadelphia Flyers

Ivan Provorov kickin' it Wilkes-Barre style, the way he knows how to

By Jordan Hall

April 30, 2020 7:15 PM

Since he was an NHL rookie at 19 years old, Ivan Provorov has never missed a game in his career.

That's 315 straight games.

Only one NHL defenseman has ever played more games in succession with the same team to start their career — Dan Girardi at 330 for the Rangers from 2007 to 2011.

When the native of Russia came to the United States to continue pursuing his NHL dream, he was only 14 years old and played in Wilkes- Barre, Pennsylvania. His tier II junior Knights team had only five defensemen, so Provorov quickly became accustomed to eating up minutes and seldom leaving the ice.

"Kind of my whole life I’ve played a lot," Provorov said in February. "It’s what I love doing.”

It's what he still does at the highest level.

During the NHL stoppage because of the coronavirus outbreak, Provorov has found himself back on the ice in the Wilkes-Barre area. It's hard to keep him off of it. The 23-year-old is living with his former billet family, the folks that helped him grow up in America. The house has a gym so he's able to work out and nearby there's a private rink around the size of a tennis court, Provorov said, where he gets in some solo skating.

“It’s just me, no one else, so still following the rules with social distancing and everything like that," Provorov said Thursday on a conference call. "Luckily I’m able to skate and work out."

He's happy to be around his billet family of three sisters and two brothers.

“They’re lovely people," Provorov said.

“When I was 13, I came over for a few tournaments and when I was 14, I came over for my first year and stayed here for two years and remained a very close relationship with the people here.

“It has definitely been really nice to spend some time with them, just hang out, play some games, talk, catch up on some things and kind of sit back, look back and laugh at all the times that we had when I stayed here. During the year, everyone is busy. Three kids are in colleges and the other ones are finishing high school. Everyone is busy. Probably three, five times a year they’re able to come to games. Previous years I would always go there for Christmas break. It was definitely nice to get here and spend some time with them.”

Provorov, who has played just a tick under 24 minutes per game in his four seasons with the Flyers, is training hard (per usual) to keep his big- time endurance levels for when or if the 2019-20 season resumes.

Not as hard as the offseason, though. At least not for him.

“In the offseason, there’s 10 weeks of hell, going 10 to 11 hours a day," he said. "Here’s a little less, probably spending around five or six hours trying to stay in shape, maintain, doing different stuff that I can for me to stay in shape.

"I’ve been working out most of the time and skating whenever I can. ... Doing that for half the day and then half the time just spending time with my billet brothers and billet sisters.”

Just like old times.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 05.01.2020 1183750 Philadelphia Flyers

Eric Lindros sees some Carey Price in Carter Hart

By Joe Fordyce

April 30, 2020 12:25 PM

It has been 20 years since Eric Lindros wore No. 88 in Philadelphia and now the Flyers have welcomed "Big E" back as a team ambassador. The Hockey Hall of Famer, whose number hangs from the rafters in the Wells Fargo Center, rejoins the team that he spent most of his career with and he has been impressed with this year’s version of the orange and black.

“I thought the Flyers this year were one of those teams where I don’t think people would be that uneased if they were in the second or third round," Lindros said Wednesday in a video interview with NBC Sports Philadelphia’s John Clark's. "They’re that good.

“Things are coming together for them. A lot of depth. Great goaltending. You know they like playing for the coach. They like Alain Vigneault and it shows in what they’re doing on the ice.”

Of course, we’ll never know how things would have played out if the season hadn’t stopped because of the coronavirus pandemic and whether the Flyers would have ridden the momentum to a deep playoff run, but Lindros said there’s a positive takeaway.

“It’s not all for naught," he said. "It’s something you can build off.

“It’s disappointing they didn’t have a chance to show what they’re good for down the stretch, but it’s not to say they can’t do it when things reopen.”

Lindros’ playoff runs with the Flyers included goaltender , who led several deep playoff runs during his two stints in orange and black, including a trip to the Stanley Cup Final in 1997 when Lindros’ "Legion of Doom" line was among the most dominant in the NHL. Lindros said having good goaltending is the “ultimate perk” for a team and he believes the Flyers are in good shape now and in the future with their young phenom between the pipes.

“Carter Hart is a real good goalie," he said. "He’s just solid. To have someone like that is fantastic.”

And even though Hart’s experience is very limited with the 21-year-old having played parts of just two seasons, Lindros didn’t hesitate to put the young goaltender in some pretty elite company.

“I don’t think there’s any game the Montreal Canadiens walk into and say we’re going to get shellacked or we don’t have a chance," Lindros said. "When they have Carey Price in net, they have a chance every night they play because Carey Price is that good. I think Carter Hart is right there.”

One thing is for sure — if the NHL does return, Flyers fans and the team’s new ambassador will have a watchful eye on what Vigneault and company can do in what will certainly be one of the most unique playoff scenarios anyone has ever seen.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 05.01.2020 1183751 Philadelphia Flyers Flahr echoed many of Appleyard’s observations, pointing out that Sandin’s improvement over the past two seasons was at least partially driven by his skating improvement, in addition to rounding out his overall game. In Linus Sandin, Flyers add intriguing piece to looming bottom-six battle “He scored some goals over there this year, which is great, but at the same time, he’s a pretty useful all-around player,” Flahr said. “Defensively, he’s solid, he’s competitive, he goes to the hard areas. He By Charlie O'Connor does a lot of little things that you appreciate as a scout, and I’m hoping Apr 30, 2020 coaches over here will appreciate (them) as well.”

Because of his age (23, but he turns 24 in May), the Flyers were only permitted by collective bargaining agreement to sign Sandin to a The start date for the 2020-21 season is uncertain, as it depends on maximum one-year term on his entry-level contract. They’ll retain whether the paused 2019-20 campaign resumes and the logistics of exclusive negotiating rights even after his ELC expires. If Sandin can reopening play. What is certain is this: Whenever the Philadelphia Flyers establish himself as a viable NHLer, the Flyers will have interest in begin their next training camp, competition for spots on the third and keeping him around. fourth lines will be fierce because of the organization’s enviable veteran and prospect depth up front. Possible NHL role

On Wednesday, they officially added another viable candidate to the fold. Sandin is far from guaranteed a spot on the Flyers to begin the 2020-21 season. Not only will he face stiff competition — more on that later — but With the Player Transfer Agreement between the NHL and the Swedish he also still needs to prove over a full camp and preseason that his skill Elite League extended the previous day, it cleared the way for the Flyers set can translate to North American ice and the NHL. to announce their long-rumored addition of Linus Sandin on a one-year, entry-level contract ($792,500 cap hit, per CapFriendly). Sandin, a 6-foot- That said, the Flyers wouldn’t have targeted a soon-to-be 24-year-old 1 Swedish forward and the older brother of with experience in one of the best pro leagues in the world if they didn’t defenseman Rasmus Sandin, spent the last three seasons in the SHL, envision him potentially filling a role in their lineup in the near future. But first for Rögle BK and then with HV71 this past season before making the what might that role be? decision to jump to North America, picking the Flyers over a number of “If you asked our guys (in our organization), you hope he can cap out to clubs that reportedly expressed interest. be a third-liner, (a) bottom-six guy,” Flahr said. “He’s useful. He can play Who is Linus Sandin? What does he bring to the table stylistically and either side (left wing or right wing). He can play defensive situations. He’s from a skills standpoint? And where might he fit in the logjam that is the shown that he can chip in offensively (and) score some goals. So you Flyers’ organizational depth at forward? hopefully can turn him into a complementary piece (who can) help a line.”

Sandin, the player While Flahr said a stylistic comparable to Michael Raffl wasn’t exactly accurate, the role that Raffl currently plays for the Flyers and the role that Sandin was first eligible for the NHL Draft in 2014, the year the Flyers Sandin might one day fill do have similarities. In other words, don’t took Travis Sanheim in Round 1. Though Sandin had a solid scoring draft expect Sandin to finish near the top of the goal-scoring charts in the NHL, season for under-18 in Sweden, he went unselected, as he like he did in the SHL. would in the years that followed as well. Still, the adjustment from SHL goal-scoring threat to NHL support piece Now, the soon-to-be 24-year-old is taking the free-agent route to the might not be as difficult as some would think. Appleyard pointed out that NHL. Why did clubs wait this long to give him a shot? HV71 didn’t lean too heavily on Sandin in 2019-20 despite his impressive numbers. He said Sandin played some of his best hockey on a line with “Well, I think he was a late bloomer,” assistant general manager Brent pass-first center Linus Fröberg, and that HV71 favored a style of play that Flahr said Wednesday. “If you look at his stats, he played (on) good could make for a natural transition between leagues. junior teams and it wasn’t like (NHL) teams lacked viewings of him, but he was there and he was a decent player and he just was one of those HV71 rolled their lines pretty evenly, and had a lot of talent in their top- kids that took a little bit of time at each level to adjust, and find this game, nine forward corps. But Sandin was consistently in the top six. His role find confidence.” overall was arguably second-line right wing, but on any given night, any of the top three lines could get the most ice time and be relied upon the Sandin started to put it all together in 2018-19, his second season in the most. SHL — the highest level of Swedish hockey. He had 16 goals in 50 games for Rögle BK, tied for 14th among SHL players. He took a larger HV71 played a very North American style, even for the SHL, which is the leap with HV71 in 2019-20, lighting the lamp 19 times (tied for third in the most North American-style league of any of the top ones in Europe. league) and adding 16 assists for a career-high 36 points in 51 games. HV71 had a group of feisty forwards (Sandin, Anthony Camara, Simon Önerud, Joakim Andersson, Martin Thörnberg), and one guy on pretty He also flashed play-driving ability. His 52.01 percent Corsi For much every line was used to cause trouble near the crease, as the unit Percentage at 5-on-5 far exceeded his team’s full-season mark of 49.33 as a whole looked to establish possession and create rebounds, shots percent, implying that HV71 did a significantly better job of controlling the from the slot and deflections. As a team, they tried to create quality shot-differential battle with Sandin on the ice as opposed to when he was chances in close over quantity from the perimeter, and Sandin excelled on the bench. working under that approach. But the numbers tell us only what Sandin did from a goal-scoring and Though Sandin played a larger role with HV71 than he’d be expected to play-driving standpoint — not how he did it. To that end, I asked fill if he cracked the Flyers’ lineup, he wasn’t necessarily deployed as the contributor Alexander Appleyard to share his observations on Sandin’s team’s “featured” player. Sandin has experience functioning as the style of play, based off of his regular viewings of HV71 and Sandin this support man on a line, which surely intrigued the Flyers, a club with year and in previous years. His remarks: numerous creative playmaking forwards that is always looking for “do- Sandin lives around the net and causes trouble in the crease, and is the-little-things-right” types to complement them. great at battling for position. He has good hand-eye coordination, Expect Sandin to get a chance on the penalty kill as well, befitting the successfully deflecting shots on a regular basis. I’d estimate that about bottom-sixer role that the club envisions for him. And if his offense 80 percent of his 38 SHL goals have been scored within 10 feet of the translates to the NHL, don’t rule out the possibility of second power-play net. unit minutes either, specifically at the netfront. He fits the mold of a “modern” power forward — the archetype Sweden Why did he choose the Flyers? regularly exported to the NHL over the past few decades in players like Ulf Dahlén, Mikael Renberg, Tomas Holmström and Johan Franzén: big It’s easy to understand why the Flyers were interested in a player like guys who are good in the tough areas but are not going to destroy Sandin. But it’s fair to question how they zeroed in on Sandin specifically opponents with hits or drop the gloves too often. Sandin does have grit, — and how they ultimately convinced him to sign on the dotted line. battles well, and is a big body who can get chippy, though. According to Flahr, longtime Flyers scout Joakim Grundberg more or less needs, and the scouts were impressed enough to convince general pounded the table in support of Sandin. manager Chuck Fletcher to spend one of the team’s 50 available contracts on him. He’ll get a real shot. “He’s the one (who) pushed (Sandin) last year as a guy that we should key in on this year, and even consider maybe last year,” Flahr said. Perhaps Sandin will be the next Raffl. Perhaps he tops out as a useful fourth-liner, or a tweener who steps in only when the NHL forward corps Grundberg, best known as the Swedish scout who strongly advocated for is injury-ravaged. And maybe he proves incapable of holding his own in the selection of Oskar Lindblom in the fifth round of the 2014 draft, North America. Regardless of the outcome, however, the Sandin signing tapped into a long history with Sandin and his family. Before joining the stands as a low-risk, medium-reward move, meant to add a player with Flyers full time, Grundberg worked as a talent scout for Modo Hockey, plausible upside and then allow the chips to fall as they may. the program where Sandin spent his junior days. In fact, their tenures overlapped as recently as the 2012-13 season, when Sandin was only 16. Grundberg’s familiarity with the Sandin family certainly didn’t hurt the Flyers’ chances of convincing him to sign. The Athletic LOADED: 05.01.2020

“He’s known and watched (Sandin) closely for years,” Flahr said.

Linus Sandin. (Courtesy of the Philadelphia Flyers)

Grundberg wasn’t the only Flyers-related connection for Sandin. He hails from Uppsala, Sweden, Robert Hägg’s hometown. In fact, the two train together in the offseason.

“When picking teams, I think (because of) following Robert’s career and whatnot, he’s always known the Flyers,” Flahr said. “As Joak spent more time talking to his representation and whatnot, I think we were in the mix and it worked out.”

Of course, connections only go so far in convincing a player to sign. Players also need to be sold that they’ll have a viable opportunity with a club. And considering the Flyers’ organizational depth at the forward position, that was far from a foregone conclusion. Fortunately for the Flyers, Sandin showed little concern about having to compete with other talented youngsters for an NHL job.

“The kid is great in that, he knows any team that’s guaranteeing (an NHL) spot to certain players, (they’re) not always being very truthful,” Flahr said. “Obviously, he wants to come over and show well for himself when he first gets over, which is great. But I know he’s willing to put in the time, and he really wants to give the NHL a great shot. That part of it, I think, was easy.”

Where he fits in the bottom-six logjam

Sandin may have a positive attitude about the fierce, looming battle for spots in Philadelphia’s bottom-six. But that doesn’t make the road to securing a full-time job with the Flyers any less difficult.

With Sandin projecting as a wing at the NHL level, that leaves four “available” spots on the third and fourth lines as plausible landing spots for him. But they start to fill up fast. Presumably, one of or Joel Farabee will start the 2020-21 season on Line 3. Raffl is still under contract for another season. Nicolas Aubé-Kubel had a breakout season, and he’ll enter camp with a leg up on the competition. Scott Laughton could end up in a bottom-six wing spot. Pending unrestricted free agent Tyler Pitlick could return, if the price is right. And that’s not even accounting for a glut of prospects — Morgan Frost (if he shifts over to wing), Tanner Laczynski, Wade Allison, Carsen Twarynski, German Rubtsov, even dark horse Maksim Sushko — who will also be in the mix at camp.

So why add another player to an already congested positional group? Simply put, there’s no such thing as too much depth, particularly when it comes cheaply, as Sandin did.

“I think having depth is mandatory for success,” Flahr said.

It likely will become even more important than usual in the coming seasons. NHL revenues are expected to fall because of the coronavirus pandemic, which means either a stagnant or decreased salary cap — and possibly for longer than just the 2020-21 season, depending on how long it takes the league to begin playing games and reopening arenas to fans.

Suddenly, big-spending teams like the Flyers might not have the luxury of tossing an extra $1 million worth of cap space at an established bottom- sixer for the certainty of his usefulness. With teams forced to cut costs, having a constant stream of youngsters on cheap, entry-level deals who are capable of filling out a roster becomes even more essential than before.

Sandin fits the bill as one such youngster. It’s far from certain that he’ll establish himself as an above-average NHLer, of course. But his recent SHL stats show promise, his style of play seems to fit Philadelphia’s 1183752 Pittsburgh Penguins

Ex-Penguins forward Georges Laraque announces he has coronavirus

SETH RORABAUGH

Friday, May 1, 2020 1:14 a.m.

In the Tweet, which was in French and English, Laraque said, “I guess I’m not invincible, just got diagnosed with Covid, since I’m asthmatic, not the best news, will fight it off!”

Considered one of the toughest players in NHL history, Laraque, 43, spent parts of two seasons with the Penguins in 2006-07 and 2007-08. A member of the Penguins’ team which won the Eastern Conference and played in the 2008 Stanley Cup final, Laraque played in 88 career games for the Penguins and recorded 15 points (four goals, 11 assists) as well as 159 penalty minutes.

Follow the Penguins all season long.

Tribune Review LOADED: 05.01.2020 1183753 Pittsburgh Penguins Beyond the immediate concern of the 2019-20 season, the Penguins face a potential salary cap crunch, particularly with goaltenders Tristan Jarry and Matt Murray on expiring contracts, to say nothing of an uncertain financial landscape because of the NHL’s hiatus. Penguins A to Z: Nick Bjugstad offers balance when healthy Finding a way to jettison Bjugstad’s considerable salary cap hit could be helpful as it pertains to the construction of the Penguins’ 2020-21 roster.

SETH RORABAUGH Follow the Penguins all season long.

Thursday, April 30, 2020 11:34 a.m.

Tribune Review LOADED: 05.01.2020 While the NHL is on hold because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the Tribune-Review will offer Penguins A to Z, a player-by-player look at all 55 individuals under NHL contract with the organization, from mid- level prospect Niclas Almari to high-profile trade acquisition Jason Zucker.

Player: Nick Bjugstad

Position: Center

Shoots: Right

Age: 27

Height: 6-foot-6

Weight: 215 pounds

2019-20 NHL statistics: 13 games, two points (one goal, one assist)

Contract: Fifth year of a six-year contract with a salary cap hit of $4.1 million. Pending unrestricted free agent in 2021

Acquired: Trade, Feb. 1, 2019

This season: The high point of Bjugstad’s 2019-20 is easy to pinpoint. Especially because there aren’t many candidates for that designation.

After taking three-plus months to recover from a core muscle injury that had hindered him even longer, Bjugstad returned to the Penguins lineup and made an immediate — and literal — impact in a 4-2 road win against the Buffalo Sabres on March 5.

After Penguins forward Patric Hornqvist’s wrister from the left circle was fought off by goaltender Jonas Johansson, Bjugstad crashed into Johansson, keeping the rebound free for Hornqvist to clean up for a goal.

Centering a trio that night with Hornqvist at right wing and Jared McCann on left wing, Bjugstad allowed the Penguins to realize the potential of a legit third line with a blend of grit — by 2020’s standards at least — and skill. Such a line would make life a little easier for the top two lines centered by Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin as well as the fourth line with Teddy Blueger at the pivot.

The Penguins had the balance throughout their forward ranks they crave.

Three nights later, Bjugstad was injured again with an unrelated and undisclosed injury.

There are plenty of reasons to be intrigued by Bjugstad. He’s the team’s biggest player as well as its only regular right-handed draw in the faceoff circle.

And he has some skill as evidenced by the fact he was a first-round pick by the Florida Panthers in 2010 and enjoyed a 24-goal season with that franchise in 2014-15.

He even came up with a respectable nine goals in 32 games with the Penguins during the 2018-19 season after arriving in a trade last February.

But this season has been a mess.

To his credit, he tried to play through the core muscle injury he suffered in the second game of the season in early October. But that valor only worsened the injury to the point it required surgery in mid-November.

A setback of some sort in January appeared to cause his convalescence to linger until early March.

The future: The NHL’s indefinite pause March 12 has granted him time to recover from his latest ailment. Assuming that is the case (and the NHL’s season resumes), Bjugstad figures to slot back into the No. 3 center role. 1183754 Pittsburgh Penguins which made him the 24th highest-paid player this year. Most everyone would agree he’s far more valuable than that.

So while Guentzel might have been able to make more, it would likely Penguins mailbag: What's the best playoff format if the NHL resumes? mean less of a chance to hoist another Cup.

John: If you could pick one Penguins uniform to resurrect as an alternate, which would you choose? MIKE DEFABO Mike: Generally speaking, the Penguins jerseys are great. With one Pittsburgh Post-Gazette exception. The all-yellow, nacho cheese third jerseys is gross.

APR 30, 2020 3:20 PM The blue ones were legit. But they’ve done those before. I think enough time has passed that the so-called “pigeon” could make a comeback and

be cool again. If I could pick just one to bring back, it would be the It’s now been seven weeks since the NHL officially “paused” its season. diagonal “Pittsburgh,” preferably with Snoop Dogg at the reveal party. Optimism is building that, in some way, the league will return this Chris: If the NHL does come back this summer, what’s the best way for it summer. But how? I addressed that — plus Snoop Dogg, Jake to resume? Guentzel’s salary and more — in this week’s mailbag. Mike: First of all, if I’m the commissioner, I say forget about the rest of the Rich: What’s the one crazy rule you would add to hockey if you could? regular season and go straight to the playoffs. There’s absolutely no Mike: I’ve been thinking about overtime a lot lately. Actually, probably a reason the 17-49-5 Detroit Red Wings need to mentally stay in limbo for little too much. Here’s my solution: Start at 5-on-5. Every three minutes another several weeks, spend three-to-four weeks at a training camp and eliminate a player. So 4-on-4, 3-on-3, 2-on-2. ... Finally, you’re left with then play out the string. the key part of my plan: 1-on-1 with goalies in full pads. It would be Any game is going to come with some level of risk. Every time you add a electric. game or add a person to a “bubble,” those risks are magnified. So this Penguins goaltender Matt Murray makes save on Sidney Crosby during should be scaled back as much as possible. afternoon practice Thursday, April 11, 2019 at the in Now, when it comes to the playoffs, the league will have to get creative. Uniondale, New York. Typically, the top three teams in each division earn berths in the playoffs. Lisa: Do you think Jake Guentzel undersold his value with the contract he The next two teams in terms of total points, regardless of division, earn signed? It seems 40-goal scorers are worth more. the wild-card spots.

Mike: In December 2018, Guentzel signed a five-year, $30 million However, because the season hasn’t been finished, we’re going to need contract extension. It was smart deal by general manager Jim Rutherford to expand the postseason to give teams on the bubble a fair chance to that should keep Guentzel in Pittsburgh for a significant chunk of his get in. prime. And it keeps looking better and better for the Penguins. Guentzel Let’s look first at the Western Conference because it’s a little more scored 40 goals last year and was on pace for another 40 this year straightforward there. In the Central Division, the three teams would be before his injury. the Blues (94), Avalanche (92) and Stars (82). From the Pacific, the With a $6 million average annual value, he is tied for the 90th highest- Golden Knights (86), Oilers (83) and Flames (79) would be in. That all paid player in the league. There are 22 others who also make $6 million makes sense. per year, including 12 other forwards. The issue is picking wild card teams. There are four teams who have Here are how the other forwards who make the same average salary played a different number of games who could be in consideration the rank in goals-per-60 since the start of the 2018-19 season: two spots in the West: the Jets (80 points, 1.13 points per game), Predators (78 points, 1.13 ppg), Canucks (78 points, 1.13 ppg) and Filip Forsberg: 53rd with 1.29 goals/60 Coyotes (74 points, 1.05 ppg).

Nikolaj Ehlers: 56th with 1.28 goals/60 Here’s my solution: Expand the postseason with a couple play-in series. In my hypothetical scenario, the Jets would play the Coyotes in a three- Timo Meier: 67th with 1.23 goals/ 60 game series and the Predators would play the Canucks in a three-game Penguins defenseman Justin Schultz jokes with Jack Johnson during series. Then, just let the tournament play out from there. afternoon practice Thursday, Jan. 30, 2019, at UPMC Lemieux Sports The Eastern Conference is a bit more complicated. But stay with me. The Complex in Cranberry Pa. Bruins (100 points), Lightning (92) and Maple Leafs (81) would be in from : 97th with 1.11 goals/60 the Atlantic. The Capitals (90), Flyers (89) and Penguins (86) would make it from the Metro. Brandon Saad: 100th with 1.11 goals/60 Here’s where it gets tough. The challenge for the Eastern Conference is Taylor Hall: 203rd with 0.85 goals/60 there are five teams for two spots: The Hurricanes (81 points, 1.19 ppg), Mats Zuccarello: 229th with 0.81 goals/60 Blue Jackets (81, 1.16 ppg), Islanders (80, 1.18 ppg) Rangers (79, 1.13 ppg) and Panthers (78 points, 1.13 ppg). : 248th with 0.79 goals/ 60 This has been such a weird season, so let’s get weird. My proposal Loui Eriksson: 410th with 0.58 goals/60 would be to have the Rangers and Panthers, the two teams with 1.13 points per game, play a one-game playoff. Then, have the remaining four Jordan Staal: 439th with 0.54 goals/60 teams in contention for the wild card play in a set of three-game series David Backes: 524th with 0.43 goals/60 like I detailed above.

Milan Lucic: 525th with 0.43 goals/60 Everyone in Pittsburgh knows how fluky and unfair a one-game playoff can be. But it’s also must-watch TV. What better way to resume the NHL Guentzel? Since the start of the 2018-19 season, he ranks 24th in the season than with a made-for-TV event with high stakes? league with 1.51 goals/60 minutes. Clearly, he’s the most productive goal-scorer in his wage bracket.

So to answer your question, yes, I do think Guentzel could have made Post Gazette LOADED: 05.01.2020 more. But it would have come with a price.

The Penguins have a good thing going. They’re a star-studded organization with players who, generally, value winning over money. It starts with the captain. Sidney Crosby makes $8.7 million per season, 1183755 Pittsburgh Penguins “The biggest challenge with this to begin with would have been to the fans,” Dr. Walsh said. “The way it would appear sports on a large scale would be able to return would be to really limit it to players, coaches, umpires, referees and other essential personnel where you’d have more Pittsburgh-area doctors explain how and when sports can resume control over being able to perform social distancing.”

The nation’s top infectious disease physician, Dr. Anthony Fauci, recently said he could envision sports returning this summer under a very specific MIKE DEFABO set of circumstances. No fans. Players quarantined in hotels. Plenty of Pittsburgh Post-Gazette testing.

APR 30, 2020 7:00 AM This so-called “bubble” scenario has been floated in a couple major professional leagues. The NHL is reportedly exploring the idea of playing in a handful of “hub” cities where the risk of the virus isn’t quite as significant. Major League Baseball reportedly has several ideas on the The North American sports world felt the first ripple of the COVID-19 table, including playing in one location, like Arizona. pandemic in a most trivial way: hockey sticks. “What you may see is screening everyone when they’re entering,” Dr. As the virus began to spread, several of the major hockey equipment Walsh said. “Maybe even screening again a week later and really limiting manufacturers closed their Chinese facilities. Many players worried the the ability of those people to interact with anyone outside of that cohort. If missing link in the supply chain might create a shortage of their favorite everybody there does not have an infection and they’re not really gear. Before long, they wouldn’t need their sticks at all. interacting with other people, the ability to introduce virus would be very By Friday, March 13, sports stood still. Games were canceled. Leagues low. suspended. Stadiums empty. “But you’d also have to be very vigilant about looking for fevers and other Now, almost seven weeks have passed and a popular question is symptoms, so that when somebody may begin developing symptoms, growing louder and louder: When is it all coming back? you rapidly test and isolate again any of those individuals.”

Michigan State quarterback Brian Lewerke, left, dives for a first down These bubble scenarios have never been tried in the sports world. against Maryland's Antoine Brooks Jr.. during a November game in East However, similar testing, sanitizing and isolating techniques have been Lansing, Mich. employed effectively at hospitals when they’re dealing with viruses and other diseases. It's impossible to say for sure. But optimism is growing. The NHL released a memo on Wednesday saying it hopes players can return to It makes sense in theory and in models. But, as Dr. Harris said, these are team facilities at some point in May, as long as everything continues on people, not numbers on a spreadsheet. They could be affected its current trajectory. Likewise, Major League Baseball reportedly is “psychologically” by living in a bubble for months on end. making plans to return at some point this summer, as well. “The world that we're talking about would not allow these players to see Two infectious disease doctors in the Pittsburgh area — Dr. Gavin Harris their families for a period of time while they're sequestered,” Dr. Harris from UPMC and Dr. Tom Walsh from Allegheny Health Network — said. “I think that's a big deal that we often might miss.” helped to explain the unique challenges associated with this virus and So why not just let players bring their families? Well, each additional what factors will need to be considered before sports can return. person who joins the “bubble” increases the scale and, therefore, risk. All The sight of 70,000 fans packed inside Heinz Field, screaming and these factors need to be weighed before a league chooses to pull the waving Terrible Towels is what makes sports in the Steel City special. It’s trigger. also the problem. “For the fans themselves, I think it'd be fantastic, because in this country “Sporting events will be one of the largest type of gatherings you can right now, we're really deprived of sports,” Dr. Harris said. “They fill such have, especially when you’re talking about so many people in a really a big part of our lives and there's been really a hole. We could give tight setting,” Dr. Walsh said. people some hope, give people some diversion and give people really a sense of oneness. Sneezing, coughing or even cheering produces respiratory droplets that could waft around in an enclosed environment. This virus, in particular, “But again, I think we have to temper it with the risks. We could end up adds a new layer of risk for two reasons. It has been known to remain having these players become exposed and then really having a disease active on surfaces for hours — or even days. And it can be spread by run rampant through an entire team, even though they're kind of people who show very mild symptoms or no symptoms at all. sequestered and isolated.”

“The majority of people that are infected don’t know that they’re posing a Testing makes it possible risk to others,” Dr. Walsh said. “They may be spreading the virus just by In these hypothetical scenarios, medical professionals would need to touching their face and touching different surfaces. At a large public monitor heart rates, blood pressure and temperatures daily. Equipment gathering, such as a sporting event, there are a lot of people touching like pads, balls, bats and other gear would all need to be sanitized much those same surfaces over and over again.” more thoroughly and frequently. Samantha Henry of Fayette City, left, and Isaac Booher of Fayette City, But beyond that, before leagues can be opened up, testing is the most right, wave Penguin hockey team flags while awaiting the critical factor. commencement of Game 4 of the first-round playoff series between the Penguins and New York Islanders, Tuesday, April 16, 2019, at the PPG “I think the rapidity and the scale of testing definitely needs to improve,” Paints Arena parking lot in Uptown. Dr. Harris said. “And I think that really is applicable to any aspect of our society right now.” The beauty of sports is that it brings people together from all over the country and sometimes all over the world. But in this scenario, Dr. Harris Because so many people have very mild symptoms or no symptoms at said that’s not always a good thing. People from different communities all, it’s the only way to know for sure who has been exposed to the virus. could come to the same mass gathering and become exposed This comes in two forms. The most common form of testing right now is unknowingly. When they travel home, they could be the spark what turns polymerase chain reaction (PCR), in which a swab is inserted inside an into an “additional wave” of the virus in their home city and, possibly, in individual’s nose to detect active virus. The other form of testing that’s every train, bus or plane they travel in along the way. being explored now is serologic testing, which measures antibodies.

As the outbreak began to hit U.S. shores, mass sporting events with fans “I think we need more data and more studies to show, does that positive were one of the first things health experts recommended eliminating. antibody equate to immunity?” Dr. Walsh said. “We know for other Fans will likely be one of the last things to come back, too. infections it does. But sometimes it does not necessarily mean that you’re immune.” But that doesn’t mean there won’t be any sports. Dr. Harris said that the rapidity and scale of testing needs to improve, not “I think we would really need to have much more wide-spread testing so just in sports but in all aspects of society. we can easily detect who is infected and have them isolated at that time,” he said. “We would also need to have either a vaccine, which is probably “The issue is that there are a lot of tests that have not been validated by 12 to 18 months from when it started being worked on, or effective the FDA, so they are of dubious quality,” Dr. Harris said. “I think that's therapeutics.” something we also need to be aware of, in terms of thinking about rapid diagnostic tests.” Dr. Harris echoed some of those same sentiments.

What the sports community — and the world as a whole — really needs “Honestly, I think we need to be smart about it,” Dr. Harris said. “I think is widely available, highly reliable, rapid tests to identify individuals who we need to be safe about it. I'm worried that we may have secondary are exposed and keep them from infecting others. waves and peaks and valleys in terms of numbers of cases”

Even for the young and healthy, there are risks to consider

For the most part, young, healthy individuals have better outcomes when Mike DeFabo they’re infected than older individuals with pre-existing conditions. Post Gazette LOADED: 05.01.2020 Sure, most athletes are, indeed, young and healthy. However, the risks might be higher than it initially appears for some.

Type I diabetes is believed to be a risk factor. Several NHL players would fall into that category, including New York Rangers forward Kaapo Kakko, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2019 draft. It’s still unclear if asthma is a risk factor. But Penguins defenseman Zach Trotman keeps an inhaler in his locker to treat exercised-induced asthma.

One of the cases the Penguins might also have to consider is Kris Letang. Doctors are now learning that COVID-19 can cause blood clots and, in some cases, strokes for young, healthy individuals.

In 2014, Letang suffered a stroke. It is believed that a very small hole in the wall of his heart led to a blood clot that was pumped to his brain.

Dr. Harris declined to address any specific cases but said in general the pre-existing conditions are “definitely something I think we should be cautious about.”

“I think it’s too early to say for sure whether those might be deal breakers in allowing athletes or players to compete in sports," he said. "But I think it's definitely something that needs to be looked at before we think about opening up some of these sports.”

The other factor for the sports community is the age of the coaches and front office personnel. In the NHL, for example, four coaches are 60 or older, including 65-year-old Dallas Stars coach . Penguins Hall of Fame general manager Jim Rutherford is 71.

“That equates a lot to why we had to close down schools,” Dr. Walsh said. “There may not be as much risk to the young, healthy teenager or 20-year-old, 30-year-old. But if that person may be infected, they might have very mild symptoms and now they’re interacting with a person who is more likely to have a bad outcome.”

Both doctors agree that the unique differences between sports will mean they’ll need to be treated differently. For example, golf can be played in an open field with athletes wearing masks and no fans. That’s very different than 85 scholarship football players on a campus with 40,000 students.

“Something like baseball may be facing unique challenges based on the number of games and the number of cities that they’re in,” Dr. Walsh said. “Whereas something like football may be a little different because you’re in your own city most of the time. You’re traveling to one city one a week for two or three days, where you’re able to more easily socially isolate and socially distance.”

This all leads us to one critical question that most everyone in Western Pennsylvania wants to know: Are we going to see the Steelers this fall?

“Looking in the fall, I think optimistically there may be an ability to have football,” Dr. Walsh said. “The way we’re trending in the United States, I don’t know how hopeful I would be that you’re going to have fans in stadiums. But I believe there may be an opportunity with more large- scale testing and the ability to cohort to have some sort of product.”

When will this all go away?

While both doctors are optimistic that there can be some type of sporting events on TV sooner than later, returning to a normal schedule with travel and fans could take some time.

Dr. Walsh said the sports world won’t completely return to normal until “we really have an effective vaccine or really effective therapeutics to treat people quickly when they develop symptoms.” 1183756 Pittsburgh Penguins “You can observe kids when you’re recruiting them,” Parker said. “But you don’t really know them until you’re on the bench with them, seeing how they interact with each other and with coaches. That’s when you know. The way he treated people and the way his mind worked in The student and the teacher: Mike Sullivan still looks to mentor for advice regards to hockey made it clear that he was just way, way ahead of the curve. His hockey IQ was so high. I never had to tell Michael things

twice.” By Josh Yohe ‘He went up the ladder quickly’ Apr 30, 2020 Sullivan played in 709 games for the Sharks, Flames, Bruins and Coyotes during 11 NHL seasons. While he loved playing in the NHL and cherished the reality that his lifelong dream had come true, something in Among his many strengths as a head coach, Mike Sullivan’s unwavering the back of his mind wouldn’t go away. confidence in himself is perhaps his greatest attribute. When he speaks, his team listens to every authoritative word, Sullivan’s assertive yet “It was always there,” Sullivan said. “I knew I wanted to coach when I philosophical personality perfect for these Penguins. was done playing. Maybe high school, or college, or coaching my kids. I can’t say that I envisioned it happening at the NHL level. But I knew I On those rare occasions when Sullivan questions himself — yes, it does wanted to be around it.” happen from time to time — he picks up the phone and calls his college hockey coach. Some bonds never break and some relationships never Parker didn’t necessarily push Sullivan to think about coaching for a stop producing wisdom. simple reason.

Sullivan still refers to as “Coach Parker.” “I never encourage people to get into coaching,” Parker explained. “There are very few good jobs. That’s just the way it is. But when I Parker still refers to Sullivan as “Michael.” learned that Michael was considering it, I wasn’t at all surprised. His hockey IQ was so much higher than other people’s. So, I can’t say that I Together, they’re a perfect match perhaps because they’re so similar. was surprised when he got into coaching. He went up the ladder quickly.” “Let me tell you something about Michael,” said Parker, 75, the legendary That he did. Only 18 months after Sullivan played in his final NHL game, Boston University hockey coach who retired after 40 years behind the he was behind the bench as the Boston Bruins’ head coach at age 35. bench in 2013. “He’s sincere. And you can’t fake that. When you fake He led the Bruins to 104 points during his first season, prompting many sincerity, hockey players can smell it. Michael isn’t just a good coach, but to believe that a coaching prodigy had come along. he’s a good man. That’s why he’s so successful.” One season later, Sullivan was fired. Sullivan’s description of his mentor is perfect not only because it presumably describes him accurately but also because it very well could “That wasn’t his fault, what happened in Boston,” Parker said. be the most vivid description of Sullivan himself. “Remember, there was no season (the 2004-05 season was canceled) because of the lockout. Then, when hockey came back, Boston didn’t “Well, he was very demanding,” Sullivan said of Parker. “But there was a want to spend any money. It was a buyer’s market, and all the good human side to him. He developed good relationships with his players. By players were signing elsewhere. Michael didn’t have as much to work no stretch was he warm and fuzzy. He pushed us hard. He wasn’t afraid with after that.” to have difficult conversations with players. He demanded a lot out of all of us. But I felt like he cared about us as people and always had our best Over the better part of the next decade, Sullivan was an assistant coach interests in mind. As hard and demanding as he was, I always felt like he for the Lightning, Rangers and Canucks. Then he worked for the was pushing us hard because he wanted what was best for us. And he Blackhawks for a season. had a way of articulating things to us in just the right way.” Sullivan and Parker remained in close contact throughout these years. ‘He had a way about him’ “He went about it backwards,” Parker said. “He had the dream job. It Sullivan grew up in Massachusetts knowing very well who Parker was. didn’t work out. And he decided to work his way back to the top, which I think says an awful lot about his character. He certainly waited a while for “You have to understand how big college hockey is in Boston,” Sullivan that opportunity. But I think Michael knew that he wanted to be a head said. “It’s a really, really big deal and there are so many good, coach again. So he worked his way back up, worked hard every single competitive programs in that area.” day, and made himself a better coach along the way.” During his youth, Sullivan wasn’t so interested in playing for Parker. ‘Thank God for Sid’ Boston College was always the dream for Sullivan. A friend of his family’s played there during Sullivan’s childhood and Sullivan himself attended Sullivan is now a two-time Stanley Cup champion and regarded by many Boston College High School, affiliated with the university. Sullivan also as hockey’s greatest coach. Current and former players with the had an older sister and an older brother who attended Boston College. It Penguins regard him as tough but fair, a good tactician and an even seemed inevitable at the time. better communicator.

Boston University and Boston College, among other schools, recruited Just like his mentor. Sullivan. “I certainly take a lot out of what I learned from Coach Parker and what I “He was a very good player at that time,” Parker said. “He needed to still continue to learn,” Sullivan said. “We still talk a good bit. I call him work on his skating at that time, but he was a big body and he just periodically when I need some advice. I seek that from him because I thought the game so well. We wanted him.” have so much respect for him.”

Sullivan’s dream of playing for Boston College started to fade after he When Sullivan became head coach of the Penguins in 2015, his first was exposed to Parker. order of business was to have private meetings with Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Phil Kessel and Kris Letang. “He had a way about him,” Sullivan said. “My loyalties started to change. And my parents and I were just so impressed with Coach Parker. I “I saw the way Coach Parker used to communicate with players,” decided at that time that it would be better for me to play at Boston Sullivan said. “I saw how important that was.” University.” Sullivan, without question, got through to the Penguins’ biggest names Sullivan played for Parker from 1986-1990. immediately and guided them to a championship.

“When I was recruiting him,” Parker said, “I could tell that he had a Parker, though, has some mixed feelings about a couple of players who special demeanor, a special personality.” were instrumental during the Penguins’ championships in 2016 and 2017. Kessel doesn’t typically have a good relationship with coaches. It took a while before Parker understood the magnitude of Sullivan’s Sullivan always downplays any issues that may have existed between persona. himself and Kessel, but Parker made his feelings pretty clear. “I wouldn’t coach Kessel if he was playing across the street, to be honest with you,” Parker said. “I know that Michael had his battles with Kessel. But you know what? He got a lot out of Kessel and they won championships together. I think that tells you something about the coach he is, that he got the most out of him the way he did. I can tell you this: It took all of his energy to get what he got out of Kessel. Thank God he doesn’t have to spend that much energy dealing with Sid. Thank God for Sid.”

It’s no secret that Crosby and Sullivan have a good relationship. Sullivan often speaks of Crosby’s greatness and explains that his presence makes his job easier.

Parker divulged information about conversations he’s had with Sullivan about that very topic.

“I can tell you this about coaching college hockey,” Parker said. “A lot of our best years came when our best players were our best people. People like Mike Sullivan. Well, Mike lucked out in Pittsburgh. He deserves credit for what he’s done there, of course. But he lucked out.”

How so?

“You should hear the things Michael tells me about Sidney Crosby,” Parker said. “That’s the guy you want leading your team. Michael tells me about Sidney all the time. Now, I’ve met Sidney one time, after a game when I was visiting Michael. I wouldn’t really know Sidney from a hole in the wall. But you should hear Michael talk about him. He tells me that he’s the best player in the league and the best person in the league and that it makes his job so much easier. And it does. You need your locker room to run smoothly, and apparently, it does because of Crosby. That’s a really big deal.”

Sullivan is currently in Pittsburgh, waiting for the NHL season to potentially return from the COVID-19 work stoppage. These are new challenges but it seems he’s equipped to handle them all with a certain amount of poise and determination.

He’ll tell you that he was taught well.

“That was an impressionable time in my life and I learned a lot from him,” Sullivan said. “A lot about hockey strategy, a lot about communicating with people and a lot about life.”

Parker proudly watches from afar and patiently waits for his phone to ring whenever Sullivan needs to chat.

“He was one of my all-time favorite players,” Parker said. “He’s a great, great man. Yes, he’s a good hockey coach. That’s obvious. But he’s a great man, a fabulous human being. I’m so happy to have the relationship with him that I have. Pittsburgh has a good one in him.”

The Athletic LOADED: 05.01.2020 1183757 San Jose Sharks

Sharks reportedly close to signing KHL goaltender

By CURTIS PASHELKA | [email protected] | Bay Area News Group

PUBLISHED: April 30, 2020 at 11:39 a.m. | UPDATED: April 30, 2020 at 12:11 p.m.

SAN JOSE — The Sharks are close to signing KHL goalie Alexei Melnichuk, Sport24 in Russia reported Thursday.

The Sharks were believed to be among four teams in the race to sign Melnichuk, whose contract with St. Petersburg of SKA was set to expire Thursday. Other teams in the mix were the Vegas Golden Knights, Carolina Hurricanes and the Colorado Avalanche.

The Sharks have not confirmed that a contract with Melnichuk is in place.

In his second season in the KHL, Melnichuk, 21, had a .930 save percentage and a 1.68 goals against average in 16 games this season, where he had a 8-5-1 record.

Given his age and lack of professional experience, it’s reasonable to assume that if he does join the Sharks, Melnichuk would need time to develop in the AHL.

With the Sharks organization, Melnichuk, listed at 6-foot-1, would likely work with goalie coach Evgeni Nabokov, who has a similar background. Born in Kazakhstan, Nabokov was drafted by San Jose in 1994 and moved overseas to start his professional career in the Sharks organization in 1997 when he was 22.

Nabokov would go on to become the Sharks’ all-time winningest goalie with a career record of 293-178-66 over 10 seasons in San Jose. Before he was brought on to be part of interim coach ’s staff in December, Nabokov had served as a scout and goaltending development coach with the organization for five seasons.

The Melnichuk news follows a report earlier in April that the Sharks reached a deal with free agent forward Fredrik Handemark, 26, of Sweden.

Handemark, listed at 6-foot-4 and 209 pounds, has spent the past five seasons with Malmo of the Swedish Hockey League. This past season, Handemark was Malmo’s leading scorer with 14 goals and 38 points in 52 games.

San Jose Mercury News: LOADED: 05.01.2020 1183758 San Jose Sharks No, no. Only kidding. But really, you don’t want to wait any longer.

On this date, 1994: Sharks gave San Jose its first huge sports moment San Jose Mercury News: LOADED: 05.01.2020

By DAVID POLLAK | Mercury News

PUBLISHED: April 30, 2020 at 5:30 a.m. | UPDATED: April 30, 2020 at 5:43 a.m.

SAN JOSE — Maybe it was quiet around 7:15 p.m. in the recesses of Almaden Valley or the cul-de-sacs of Berryessa. News can travel slowly to the hinterlands.

But at the intersection of West Santa Clara and Autumn streets, me and my 5,639 closest friends were whooping it up. Yelling. Honking horns. Waving fists in the air. All of us grinning as if Ed McMahon had just showed up at the front door with a check showing lots of zeroes.

But Ed McMahon wasn’t responsible for the lunacy. It was Arturs Irbe and and the rest of the Sharks. Goodbye, Detroit, it’s been real. Hello, Toronto.

The Sharks opened the doors of San Jose Arena for a second playoff road game Saturday and this time it produced the desired result: big goals, big saves and a 3-2 victory to celebrate.

There are still three more rounds of hockey playoffs before a Stanley Cup winner is crowned, but make no mistake: This victory was a very big deal and the crowd inside reacted accordingly. A tight — no, make that taut — game reduced the need for all the distractions fans sought during the 7-1 pasting in Game 6. No wave, for example.

Fair enough, if you haven’t been paying close attention. But beating Detroit makes us, gulp, a force to be reckoned with.

Pretty heady stuff, I know. I shouldn’t get carried away too far.

Nah, I’ll worry about that tomorrow.

You want a sense of the intensity inside San Jose Arena during the final 20 minutes of action? Pull up a chair alongside Jon and Monica Lobo as they watch one of the TVs in the arena club.

Monica, 28, a special education teacher, says her husband is an addict. “We come to the games, then he goes home and stays up till 2 in the morning watching it on tape.”

Doesn’t everyone?

But if Jon is the serious hockey fan in the family, Monica is no slouch.

“Oh my God!” she cries out as Irbe follows the puck into the corner, leaving the net open just as Red Wings arrive on the scene.

“Get it out of there!” she instructs a Sharks defenseman late in the period when the team is struggling to get the puck out of its own end.

Jon, 30, a drafting manager, doesn’t talk to the TV as much. He just narrows his eyes on the screen as if he were the one who had to stop a Paul Coffey wrist shot.

There is a break in the action and they consult one another, then tell a story. Last week was their first anniversary and they stayed overnight at the downtown Hilton — along with the Red Wings.

An elevator ride with was the highlight. “I touched him on the arm,” says Monica, a bit sheepishly.

Back to the game. With 31 seconds left, Jon starts to smile.

“We’re on the verge of beating . . . ,” but he doesn’t let himself finish the sentence.

The game ends. Big embrace. Then they join the larger crowd inside the arena bowl for a communal moment of hockey madness.

Two women, in perfect synchronization, chomping their way across Market Street while I was stopped at the red light.

P.S. If you were waiting for the outcome of this series before deciding whether to jump on the Sharks bandwagon, the fire marshal says there’s simply no more room. 1183759 San Jose Sharks

NHL free agency: How Sharks could benefit from league's lost revenue

By Brian Witt

April 29, 2020 9:35 PM

The NHL season remains indefinitely paused due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, and teams are preparing for the long-lasting changes it will cause. A huge revenue decrease is expected, and consequently, the 2020 free-agent market will be negatively impacted.

However, it might not be the worst thing for the Sharks.

Though the salary cap once was expected to significantly increase during the 2020 offseason, that no longer is the case. Earlier this month, TSN's Frankie Seravalli reported that teams are preparing as if the salary cap will remain flat at $81.5 million for next season, with the most optimistic of expectations being a $1 million increase. As such, he expects many free agents will have to accept less money on the open market than they had been anticipating -- the reason being, there just aren't many teams with a lot of cap space.

According to Spotrac, seven teams will enter the offseason with less than $1 million in available cap space, and only half the league will enter it with more than $3 million. Unless teams find a way to generate considerable cap space, most of them won't have much wiggle room.

The Sharks, however, might stand to benefit.

Spotrac estimates San Jose currently will enter the 2020 offseason with just over $8 million in available cap space, which ranks as the seventh- most in the NHL. CapFriendly, however, estimates the Sharks have even more upcoming cap space -- just under $15 million to be exact. Though both of those numbers don't paint the full picture -- some of it would be used to re-sign some of the Sharks' pending free agents -- whatever the actual number is, it's likely to be considerably more than what most other teams have available to spend.

For a team intent on expediting a rebuild, that could come in very handy.

The Sharks did well to reload their cupboard of draft picks at the trade deadline, and if combined with some smart free-agent signings, San Jose could get back to a level of contention after a one-year hiatus. Forwards Joe Thornton and Kevin Labanc are the Sharks' most notable pending free agents, but neither will break the bank. Consequently, San Jose should be in the mix for some prominent free agents, who will have a tough decision to make.

Do they sign longer-term contracts for less money, or sacrifice that security for a shorter contract, but bigger payout? There surely will be plenty of free agents in each bucket, but one could argue both mentalities could lead a player to consider the Sharks. If they prioritize dollars over term, San Jose should be able to offer them more than most other teams. And if they opt for more security and a longer contract, the Sharks' mix of talent, experience and youth could be very attractive.

In any case, it will be a very important offseason for the Sharks, whenever it takes place. They have several areas to address, and in a weird way, the indefinite pause of the season might help them do that.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 05.01.2020 1183760 San Jose Sharks

Joe Thornton, Logan Couture and other Sharks offer their takeout suggestions

By Kevin Kurz

Apr 30, 2020

Anyone who’s lived in the South Bay knows that a major benefit of being in such a diverse area is that there are local food options to satisfy just about any craving.

Mexican, American, Japanese, Thai, Persian, Indian, Italian … this region has it all.

Considering that the Bay Area’s shelter-in-place orders now run through the end of May, we figured this was a good time to find out just what some current and former Sharks are ordering for themselves and their families. You may have seen this in some other markets, as we’re trying to do what we can here at The Athletic to support local restaurants that face financial challenges because of the ongoing pandemic.

We received a total of 15 replies from Joe Thornton, Logan Couture, Dan Boyle, Devin Setoguchi, interim coach Bob Boughner, broadcaster Jamie Baker and more.

There are a few common places among the group, but there are also many that are specific to each individual. Give this list a good look and maybe in the next few weeks, some of these places can become your favorites, too.

The Athletic LOADED: 05.01.2020 1183761 St Louis Blues

As NHL's pause rolls on, Blues plan staff furloughs starting Monday

Tom Timmermann

Six weeks into the NHL’s coronavirus-induced pause to its season and with no end to it in sight, the Blues will begin staff furloughs on Monday.

Staff members who aren’t being put on furlough will take a 20-percent salary reduction.

Blues president and CEO Chris Zimmerman held a video meeting with employees of the Blues, Enterprise Center and Stifel Theater on Wednesday to explain the situation and then followed that with a letter to the staff.

“We have been fighting to manage the impact to our hockey and business staff since the league shutdown began on March 12,” he wrote. “Though we have been successful in protecting our staff to date, today we need to initiate plans to help our business weather the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. For the first time in our lifetime, we are fighting both a health and economic crisis.”

Furloughed employees will continue to receive health benefits and be eligible to receive unemployment insurance, as well as apply for help from the team’s Employee Assistance Program. The Blues did not say how many employees would be furloughed and declined interview requests.

While the league holds out hope of finishing the season, that is largely out of their hands, depending on widespread availability of testing and the development of either a vaccine or a treatment for COVID-19. If the league does restart — and the league is prepared to wait a long time, possibly pushing the start of the 2020-21 season back as far as December — it almost certainly will be in front of empty arenas. In his letter, Zimmerman said league estimates of lost revenue range from $500 million to $1.1 billion.

“Unfortunately,” he wrote, “there is no certainty to when we will be able to return to hosting games and concerts with fans, or what that scenario may look like when we reopen.

“I wish we had better news to share, but we feel this is necessary to meet the challenges of today and protect the health of those who matter most to us — our employees, our players and our fans — so we are in the best possible position to restart and return to the success we were enjoying prior to this pause.”

At least eight other teams, plus the NHL office, have announced furloughs or paycuts for employees, while some, such as Columbus and Florida, have said they will continue to pay everyone’s full salary.

NHL players continue to be told to self-quarantine but the league said Wednesday it could move to Phase 2 of its transition program, with players working in small groups at the team’s training facility, in mid-to- late May, subject to competitive concerns if some cities haven’t re- opened. St. Louis County, for instance, has a stay-at-home order through mid-May that could be extended.

The NHL has been working on various scenarios to finish the season, which had about three weeks of regular-season play remaining and then the postseason, but all are dependent on progress in testing for or treating COVID-19.

NHL players don’t get paid after the regular-season ends, though they have, according to reports, delayed what to do about their final paycheck until May 15. Since league revenues are split 50-50 between players and owners, an amount of each check goes into escrow so the amounts can be balanced at the end of the season. With the lost revenue if games aren’t resumed shrinking the size of the pie to be shared, much of the money in that last paycheck would likely be going back to the teams anyway.

St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 05.01.2020 1183762 St Louis Blues two months. We had secured a playoff spot, and our last game of the year was in Hershey, who was our bitter rival. I knew that was probably his last game, so we put him in the lineup for that game.”

‘He’s got farm-boy character’: 2 of Craig Berube’s mentors speak to his Before the puck dropped, Stevens popped in a tape for the Phantoms to success watch.

“It was our pregame meeting, and all the guys came in the room,” Stevens said. “We went over the tendencies of the and By Jeremy Rutherford then we had the ‘Craig Berube highlight tape,’ this piece that just reviewed all the things he accomplished in his career. It was awesome. Apr 30, 2020 That was the last game he played in, and we won the game.”

How did the 38-year-old Berube play? In the early 1980s, Ken Hitchcock was the coach of the Kamloops “I’ll tell you he was first star,” Stevens said. “It’s probably not accurate, Blazers of the Western Hockey League and an 18-year-old forward came but it was awesome. Guys loved him. He was a great teammate.” to camp as a free agent. Berube officially retired the following season, in 2004-05, and became a “He would have made our team,” Hitchcock recalled. “But you had full-time assistant on Stevens’s staff. That year, the NHL was in a protected lists and somebody saw him in a scrimmage, so they put him lockout, and the Phantoms had a really good roster, including Patrick on (New Westminster).” Sharp and R.J. Umberger, then both 22. Craig Berube played two seasons for the New Westminster Bruins, but “We had a really talented team,” Stevens said. “We had a real physical, Hitchcock liked him so much that in 1985, Kamloops traded seven hard-nosed team, too: Josh Gratton, Riley Cote, Ben Eager, Todd players for him and another future NHL player, Mark Recchi. In his one Fedoruk. And Craig, he would spend a lot of time, even with a guy like season with the Blazers, Berube had 17 goals, 31 points, and perhaps Gratton, and say, ‘Listen, you need to work on your game.’ Gratton was foreshadowing his future, 119 penalty minutes. as tough as anybody in the league and would take on all comers, but we “The players gravitated toward him because he was so tough and he was knew if he was going to play at the next level, he had to become a better so reckless,” Hitchcock said. “He would do anything to win a hockey hockey player. They were the role guys that really felt important, and game — anything. And I think the players loved him because his sense Craig had a lot to do with that. They all played in the National Hockey of timing, what to do during a certain time of the game. His sense of League, and he was the guy who really got that message through to timing was always right on the mark. He had so much respect from the them. players, not only from our team, but the league in general. He’s got farm- “For me, it became apparent right away that his feel for the game was boy character, you know, and it just oozed.” exceptional; he read the game as quick as anybody I’ve been around. It’s no surprise that two of Berube’s biggest mentors in the business, And he had really good people skills, a very direct communicator. He had from his playing days to winning a Stanley Cup with the Blues last really strong convictions on what he believed the team needed to be season, are a pair of people who have been in his life a long time. In successful, and an ability to relay that message very direct and firm.” Hitchcock and John Stevens, whom Berube was teammates with in the The coach of the parent club — the Flyers — that year? Hitchcock. And American Hockey League and later coached alongside in Philadelphia, because the league was locked out, Hitchcock had plenty of time to there’s a trust that’s been developed through many tried-and-true watch Phantoms games and practices and meet with Stevens and experiences together. Berube. In fact, their offices were directly down the hall from each other. “I’ve been around Hitch a lot of my career — as a young player, junior “We would visit every day, so John and Craig and I became very close,” and pro, and with the coaching ranks,” Berube said. “I learned a lot from Hitchcock said. “Craig was always taking notes. When you went to have Hitch about how to handle players, being on guys about competing and a meeting with him, or just a coffee, he always had a pad of paper. You working hard and team play. That’s a real important side of it all, building know when guys are like that, they’re going to absorb everything, and he a team, roles for each player and what you expect. was really absorbing everything. The nice part about Craig, what he “Johnny really showed me the ropes of what it is to be a coach and the lacked in the technical skills as a coach, he made up for it with his process of it all — video, meetings and how to run things. You always honesty.” have to learn the ropes of how to do something, right, and I think he The Phantoms won the AHL’s that season, and a few years probably taught me that better than anybody. So those two guys were later, Hitchcock was let go by the Flyers and replaced by Stevens. obviously very important for me as a young coach.” Berube became his full-time assistant in 2008-09. In November 2018, shortly after the Blues appointed Berube to take over “That was an easy transition for me, knowing John, knowing the person for Mike Yeo, The Athletic profiled his playing career and how he broke and what he was like,” Berube said. “He’s a very intelligent guy, really into coaching. In this piece, we’ll dig deeper into the teachings that knew the game very well, the ins and outs and little details of the game. shaped the intimidating presence we see behind the Blues bench, with As a player in my era, there weren’t as many systems and structure in Hitchcock and Stevens providing the insight. the game. It was more freelance back when I played. When I started In the late 1980s, Berube played with Stevens on Philadelphia’s coaching, the system stuff really started to come into play a lot more. So American Hockey League affiliate, the Hershey Bears. Nearly two systems and how they work, and how you teach the systems to the decades later, after Berube played 1,000-plus games and racked up players in video and on the ice, he taught me all that stuff.” 3,000-plus penalty minutes in the NHL, they would be reunited in 2003- Stevens said Berube was a quick learner and worked hard. 04. Stevens was now coaching the Flyers’ newest AHL affiliate, the Phantoms, and Berube was trying to keep alive a 17-year career. “He really understood that structure was important and the value of teaching by showing players things, and the feedback we give players,” “He didn’t have a contract, so (former Philadelphia GM) Paul Holmgren Stevens said. “Back then, you would have never thought Craig was this wanted to bring him in,” Stevens said. “He was going to play with us as (information technology) guy, but we were just getting out of VHS and long as he could, just trying to get an (NHL) contract. But as the year into DVDs, and he picked up on it right away. We would travel on the bus progressed, we realized that he wasn’t going to get a contract. So he and break things down together, and he always had a good eye for started to play less and less, and Paul said he wanted to get him things and really enjoyed working with the players. He could keep it fresh involved, so we did.” and fun, so he wasn’t giving the guys so much structure that you lose the Berube would practice every day with the Phantoms, even staying feel for the game.” afterward to work with the extra players, and he’d also pre-scout their In 2006-07, Philadelphia gave up the most goals in the NHL (297), and opponents. He would only suit up for games on occasion, playing 33 that two years later, the season Berube joined Stevens’ staff, the club allowed season. the 16th fewest in the league (232). “Let me tell you a funny story,” Stevens said. “We pretty much decided A year later, though, Stevens was fired and replaced by , that he wasn’t going to play anymore, and I don’t think he had played in who led the Flyers to the Stanley Cup final, where they lost to Chicago in six games. Berube was on the bench for that and remained Laviolette’s “Well, some guys interview real well — they speak very well and they’re assistant for parts of five seasons, but after an 0-3 start in 2013-14, the articulate,” Hitchcock said. “Where Craig is really articulate is with the team let Laviolette go and promoted Berube. players. He strikes a chord with the players immediately.”

Berube’s first head coaching job in the NHL would last just two seasons, That couldn’t have been more evident than in Berube’s second season however, as Philadelphia hired Ron Hextall to replace Paul Holmgren as with the Blues when Housley and Boughner were on the verge of being general manager in 2014, and he fired Berube after the Flyers missed fired, he was named interim coach when Yeo was fired. the playoffs the following season. The now-legendary story of Berube resurrecting what appeared to be a “A lot of stuff went on and I don’t really want to bring any of that stuff up, lost season was amazing, but it was what the coach, then 53, had been what went on that year or anything like that,” Berube said. “But I said to preparing for. He stayed true to himself, holding players accountable and myself after that season, ‘I’ll always trust my gut and go with what I remaining firm, and as he insisted after being fired in Philadelphia, going believe in. I will take information from a lot of different people, but I’ve got with his gut. to do what I feel is right.’ I promised myself I would do that in my next coaching job.” “Craig felt like the team was stumbling, not in their identity, but in their respect for each other,” Hitchcock said. “He saw that stumbling, and so But where would it be? he went at it from that aspect. He just felt for things to change the players needed to respect each other more, on the ice and off the ice, and when “Craig and I talked a lot for about two months, and he got a little bit that started to turn, people fit into their roles, and it changed.” nervous because he wasn’t sure where he was going to go,” said Hitchcock, who by that time had become the Blues coach. “Paul Along the way, Berube had to make difficult lineup decisions. (Holmgren) called and said, ‘This guy is a good coach, will you fight for him?’ I said, ‘By all means!’ Look, it’s all about loyalty. Craig was there for “It’s hard sometimes,” he said. “There are times guys aren’t playing, and me. I asked him to do a lot of tough things as a player and now it was my they go, ‘Why am I not playing?’ I say, ‘Well, because I have to make the turn to try and help him.” lineup, and you’re out tonight, and that’s it. I don’t really have a reason why you’re out. You’re playing good hockey, but so is this other guy and Blues GM Doug Armstrong, who was in charge of Team Canada for the I’m going to go with him tonight.’ So it’s an honest answer. I think the 2016 World Cup, brought Berube on board as a scout for that players are understanding of it, and we’ve got a mutual respect for each tournament, and when a job came up to coach the Blues’ AHL affiliate, other and that goes a long way. The No. 1 thing on the board is put that the , Armstrong hired him. team first.”

“I talked to Doug, and I told him, ‘This guy is worth it,” Hitchcock said. “I And remember those successful in-game adjustments Berube made said, ‘He’s got tremendous personal character. He sees the game the down the stretch last season? Stevens had seen those instincts work right way. He’s a no-BS guy, and I think that’s exactly what they need before. down there.'” “When he was with me on the bench, he’d just kind of look at you and So going into the 2016-17 season, just like their days in Philadelphia, say, ‘This guy is really going,’ or ‘This guy is not going,'” Stevens said. Hitchcock and Berube continued their conversations as the top two “For me, that was evident in the playoffs last year — the subtle line coaches in the Blues’ organization. changes he made — and it seemed like every one worked. He just has this ability to move people around. His feel for who’s going or not going is “With Hitch, he’s always on top of things, like grabbing the captains and exceptional.” talking about the team, what we need to do better and getting the leaders to take that message to the rest of the team,” Berube said. “It’s huge The playoffs weren’t always smooth sailing, but when they weren’t, when your leadership is giving the same message as you to the team. Berube’s cellphone would buzz. What I also learned was where they’re at mentally, and what you can get them to do to get them out of the funks they’re in. He’s really smart about “When I knew it was going south, I would just send him a text, ‘How’s it that kind of stuff.” going?’ and about a minute later, I’d get a call,” Hitchcock said. “I just told him, ‘You’ve got a great feel for the game.’ He’s very much a feel coach. “I told him, ‘It’s OK to push players … it’s OK,'” Hitchcock said. “The He knows what he knows, and he believes in it. His greatest strength is players embrace getting pushed as long as they know it’s from a respect he can grab the team back quickly. He will not let the team and the factor and that you’re pushing them because you really believe in them. I principles and the mechanics, he won’t let it slide. He’s relentless in told him, ‘If you want the players to play hard for you, you have to get getting the team to play the right way. There’s lots of coaches that are them to believe that you’ve got their best interests, and that’s why you’re astounding at X’s and O’s, but from a commitment to work and give going to try to push it out of them. If you just go in pushing, and you don’t effort, his greatest strength is that he never lets the team slide.” tell them why you’re doing it, they won’t respond. They’ll pull back.’ He really embraced that.” Berube knows, in part, where that came from.

In its one and only season under Berube, Chicago went 44-19-13, a 27- “You take these little things from all these coaches, and I learned a lot point improvement from the previous year. But in the midst of that, from all of them,” he said. “You have to have guys that you learn from Hitchcock was fired by the Blues 50 games into the season and replaced and trust. Trust, you have to trust people. You can’t ask somebody by Yeo. The club asked Berube to join Yeo’s staff as an associate coach, something if you’re maybe not sure you trust them. If you trust the but before taking the position, he interviewed for head coaching person, you’re going to believe in what they’re telling and that’s vacancies in Buffalo and Florida. important. It’s going to make a big difference.”

“Anaheim was another one at one point,” Berube said. “They were all That’s a great point, Stevens said. good and I enjoyed doing it. I was in Philly for a long time and didn’t “As players, you want to have good teammates, but when you put your really know a lot of people inside the game, the GMs. So it was important (coaching) staff together, the first thing I always look at, ‘Is he a good that I got out there and gave them my philosophies and for them to really teammate?’ and Craig is one of the best,” Stevens said. “I’ll tell you what, just get to know me. it’s been unbelievable how he’s transitioned to coach and how he’s been “It’s always disappointing when you think you had a good interview and successful. I thought he did a great job in Philadelphia, then with Chicago you don’t get a job, but I don’t blame those GMs because it boils down to in the American League, then the job he did last year, and this year trust. If the GM doesn’t know you that well, or you don’t have a ton of speaks for itself. He’s one of the bright coaches in the National Hockey head coaching experience in the NHL, those are tough decisions. I don’t League, that’s for sure.” look back and say, ‘Oh, I should have had that job or that job.’ I just moved on.” The Athletic LOADED: 05.01.2020 Hitchcock has his thoughts on why Berube didn’t get the jobs with the Sabres or Panthers, who went with Phil Housley and Bob Boughner, respectively. 1183763 Tampa Bay Lightning

Breakfast nook? Accent wall? Lightning’s Yanni Gourde has got this

TAMPA — It started with a question Marie Gourde posted as an Instagram Story: “Should I have Yanni build a booth?” she wrote over a photo of the couple’s breakfast nook.

The answer was yes.

Lightning forward Yanni Gourde has been doing home projects in the eight weeks since the NHL season was halted due to the coronavirus.

In addition to the booth, he has built an accent wall and hung shelves.

“She’s been ordering so much stuff,” Yanni said of Marie in a conference call with the media Thursday. “It keeps me busy.”

Keeping busy helps Yanni handle the uncertainty of the pandemic, including not knowing when he’ll have any real information about when, or if, the season will resume. So, tackling projects around the house the family moved into last summer is good for him.

Yanni borrowed tools from the contractor who built his house to tackle larger projects. He joked that if Alex Killorn makes it to his house while taking a watercraft to visit teammates for his “Dock Talk” shows on Instagram Live — a long shot because Yanni doesn’t live on the water — he’d love new tools as his thank-you gift for appearing.

“I love building furniture, building stuff,” Yanni said. “I love working with my hands.”

This isn’t a new hobby for him. It’s more of a return to his roots. Yanni, 28, worked in his uncle’s shop making cabinets during childhood summers. But Yanni isn’t sure he can offer much advice to new do-it- yourselfers with many people taking up house and yard projects while stuck at home.

“Get the right tools and do it properly, do it once,” Yanni offered. “I’ve been doing it for a long time, so I’m used to doing this stuff. I don’t know if it’s for everybody.”

Yanni has that “measure twice, cut once” adage down. Ten days after her breakfast-nook question, Marie posted an Instagram Story image of Yanni bent over a plank of wood, wearing a headband, with a pencil over one ear and another in one hand.

“How many pencils does he need?” she wondered.

No answer was given, but Marie likely is game for as many pencils as Yanni likes if he keeps checking things off her to-do list.

Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 05.01.2020 1183764 Tampa Bay Lightning broke their hearts a few springs ago, overcoming a 3-2 deficit. “This game means (nothing) if we don’t back it up next time,” Pat Maroon said. “They’re champs over there.”

Simulating the 2020 NHL playoffs, East final: Lightning vs. Capitals The Caps picked a terrible time to turn in their worst performance of the postseason.

Soft goals. Bad penalties. Egregious turnovers. You name it, and the By Tarik El-Bashir, Joe Smith and Dom Luszczyszyn Caps committed it in Game 1.

Apr 30, 2020 It all added up to a lopsided loss – and an angry dressing room afterward.

“That’s not us, that’s not our game,” captain Alex Ovechkin said. The NHL isn’t back yet, but we’re going to pretend it is. Over the last “Everyone can be better in every area.” month, we’ve run a simulation of how the NHL’s regular season might have played out if the league hadn’t been suspended on March 12. Now, Asked about his elaborate goal celebration, Ovechkin smiled and shot the standings have been set and we’re carrying that forward through the back, “In 2009, I did the ‘Hot Stick’ celly here. Tonight, I hit ’em with the playoffs. This time around, one of our beat writers from each team will be ‘TikTok.’ I hope the fans liked it.” in charge of every lineup decision, the narrative for every playoff game and they’ll get to decide what “happened” in each game. Join us as we The Lightning most certainly did not like it. In fact, it probably sparked the make our way through the simulated postseason to crown a virtual Tom Wilson vs. Barclay Goodrow bout and it certainly led to much of the Stanley Cup champion. animosity that was on display the rest of the game.

For Washington, everything in these playoffs has felt just like 2018, the Caps coach Todd Reirden wouldn’t commit to any changes to his lineup year the Capitals won their first Stanley Cup. First Columbus, then afterward, but it wouldn’t come as a shock if Braden Holtby replaced Ilya Pittsburgh, and waiting in the West is Vegas. All that’s standing in their Samsonov in goal and rugged defenseman Radko Gudas stepped in for way is a very strong Tampa Bay team. Jonas Siegenthaler on the third pair. Samsonov struggled, yielding five goals on 24 shots and Reirden hinted that the team could benefit from The Capitals weren’t favoured then and they aren’t favoured now, coming more snarl around the net. into the series as decisive 26 percent underdogs. That’s not zero percent, though, and no team beats the odds more than the Capitals. “The good news is there’s only one way for us to go after a performance like that,” T.J. Oshie said. “We’ll be better in Game 2, I can promise you The Lightning will be a very difficult challenge and there’s a reason they that.” win this series three-out-of-four times. Last year’s first-round exit was an embarrassment for them, but they’re proving it was just a blip and Game 2 nothing more going through these playoffs, earning every last series win Braden Holtby gets the start for Game 2 while Radko Gudas enters the in gruelling fashion. The Capitals won’t go down easy, but on paper lineup for Jonas Siegenthaler. No changes for the Lightning. there’s a reason Tampa Bay is the heavy favourite here. The Lightning take both at home, lead the series 2-0. The Lightning have the best players in this series, hands down. Alex Ovechkin is still a dominant force, but he doesn’t provide the same value The Capitals were better in Game 2. as countryman Nikita Kucherov – not anymore, anyway. Nicklas Backstrom is a solid first line center, but he’s arguably no longer an elite The problem was, so were the Lightning, winning 4-2 to take a 2-0 series one, not like Brayden Point who’s becoming one of the game’s best two- lead. way forces. Backstrom might not even be the second best center here, The Brayden Point line set the tone on the first shift with a goal, as the given how strong Anthony Cirelli has become at defending, gaining some Tampa Bay No. 1 center finished a backdoor pass from Kucherov. Selke Trophy buzz this season. His emergence as a two-way force has Amalie Arena went nuts, led by the latest Lightning superfan, Rob allowed Tampa Bay to put Steven Stamkos at wing where he’s been Gronkowski, who brought his WWW 24/7 championship belt. deadly on a lethal top line. And then of course there’s and John Carlson, with the former being a much more complete and well- It’d look like a wrestling match later on, when Radko Gudas and Cedric rounded player. Paquette got into a bout near the Tampa bench. In the melee, Tom Wilson was given a 10-minute misconduct for taking a swing at a couple On top of that, the Lightning simply have more depth at every position, Tampa players on the bench. Todd Reirden was beside himself, saying but especially on defense where the team looks a lot more formidable Blake Coleman started it by spraying some of his company’s pickle juice than in year’s past. Carlson doesn’t have nearly the same supporting at the Caps forward. “It looked like he was cramping up,” Coleman joked. cast as Hedman. Where Tampa is weak is in net, but it won’t seem that “Thought it might help.” way with how strong the defense is. Either way, Washington’s options there aren’t all that much stronger. The Lightning scored on the ensuing power play to break this one open. Braden Holtby helped keep the Caps in the game, but Tampa’s attack The Capitals are in tough, but they’re a resilient bunch. Never tell them was too much. The series is far from over, but it appears the former Cup the odds, because the odds don’t usually matter to them. champs are frustrated. Have the Lightning put the Caps on the ropes? Or Game 1 merely poked the bear? We’ll find out in Game 3.

Tampa Bay takes Game 1. “We’re going to get their best game back in D.C.,” coach said. “They didn’t win the Cup by laying down.” Maybe they were still feeding off the emotions from a thrilling Game 7 win over the Bruins a few days earlier. The Caps were dogged by the same problems that have come back to bite them time and again this season – early goals against and poor Or maybe this Lightning team might have hit its stride. defensive execution.

Either way, the kind of complete performance Tampa Bay delivered in And to make matters worse, Tampa Bay is getting under Washington’s Game 1 was one of their best of the playoffs, a 5-2 win over Washington. skin. There were plenty of fireworks, including Alex Ovechkin riling up the Lightning bench with a TikTok dance celebration after his first period “Emotions are running high out there,” explained Tom Wilson, who added goal. There was a big-time bout between Tom Wilson and Barclay that he doesn’t expect to hear from the league after challenging the entire Goodrow in the second. But it was the relentless Lightning attack that Lightning bench to a fight. “Overall, we have to be more disciplined.” stole the show. The Caps led the league in minor penalties during the regular season The line of Ondrej Palat, Brayden Point and Nikita Kucherov was and, in Game 2, they formed a single-file line to the box. In all, they were dominant, buzzing in the Caps zone. Kucherov had two goals, including assessed eight penalties (to the Bolts’ four). delivering one of his fake shot breakaway moves (Braden Holtby must not have warned Samsonov about it). This was just one win, so Tampa Bay didn’t want to get ahead of itself. After all, the same Caps team “We’re not going to get back in the series playing a man down all game,” But it all came down to one play, one moment, that will likely be in Nicklas Backstrom said. “Some of the calls were ludicrous. I mean just Lightning lore if they win the Cup. terrible. But I don’t want to say anything about the refs.” The Lightning were desperately trying to hold on to a 2-1 lead in the final Braden Holtby was good, but the Caps have now yielded nine goals to seconds of regulation. The Caps had a 6-on-5. Nicklas Backstrom made the Bolts’ Nikita Kucherov-fueled attack. If there’s going to be a Caps’ a slick fake and no look pass to Ovechkin, who was in his office, the comeback, they’ll need to be great in goal and a lot better in the highly- circle. lost his stick in a scuffle in front, as the Russian contested areas around it as well. tried to push Wilson out of his crease. Vasilevskiy slipped, leaving the net open. Ovechkin wound up for his vintage one-timer. They could also use more production more from Alex Ovechkin and the top six forward corps, which has yet to score in the series. The whole Capital One Arena crowd was on its feet ready for their own TikTok celebration. Game 3 But Hedman, a soccer goalie growing up, somehow slid from the back Ilya Samsonov is back in the starter’s crease for the Capitals. Expect the post, and Ovechkin’s shot caromed off the 6-foot-6 Swede’s shin pad, top six and John Carlson to see a much bigger workload going forward. then off the crossbar and just over the net. Tampa Bay will ride their top defenders in this one to try and take a 3-0 lead. “The save of the decade,” captain Steven Stamkos said.

The Capitals win at home to cut the series lead in half. The Lightning are now one win away from the Cup final, the last step on their redemption tour. Not sure how Hedman was able to walk to the Alex Ovechkin promised that his Caps would climb back into this series, podium for the press conference. He brought his shattered shin pad to even if he had to put them on his broad shoulders and do it all by himself. the table, thankful Ovi’s shot wasn’t higher. “I don’t know what I was And in Game 3, he did just that. thinking,” Hedman said. “I may send that clip to Man U, if they need a keeper.” Ovechkin amassed two goals, an assist and game-highs in shots (10) and hits (12) to carry Washington to a decisive 3-0 victory over Tampa Would he do it again if he had a chance in Game 5? Bay in D.C. The victory cut the Lightning’s series lead to 2-1 and, in “No question,” he said. “Anything for the Cup.” Ovechkin’s words, planted the seed of doubt in the back of the Bolts’ heads. The Caps were crestfallen following Game 4.

“We came out hitting,” Ovechkin said of the Caps, who outhit their They’d reared back and thrown the biggest punch they could muster but opponent 38-20. “By the third period, you could see they didn’t really it wasn’t enough. And now they find themselves one game from want the puck.” elimination.

Caps coach Todd Reirden leaned heavily on his stars in Game 3, with “I can’t believe the pucks not go in,” Alex Ovechkin said. Ovechkin’s 23:43 of ice time leading the way among forwards, while John Carlson (two assists) led all skaters with 29:59. Indeed, Ovechkin had the game on his stick – and Andrei Vasilevskiy dead to rights – in the final seconds with the Bolts’ clinging to a one-goal “Have you ever seen my average shift length?” Ovechkin asked a lead. But Victor Hedman somehow managed to get his leg between reporter. “I’ll stay on the ice the whole game if Todd lets me. And maybe Ovechkin’s one-timer and the yawning net. And that was that. even if Todd doesn’t let me.” “I’ve taken more than 5,000 shots in my career,” Ovi added. “And Rookie Ilya Samsonov stopped all 26 shots he faced to record his first Hedman’s save was the best anyone’s ever made on me.” career playoff shut out. His most important stop came on Nikita Kucherov, who again attempted his signature ‘no move’ shot on a The tension in the Caps’ room was palpable. Not only had they played a breakaway in the third period. This time, however, Samsonov was ready. great game and lost, but now they’ve got to win three games in a row against Nikita Kucherov and company in order to advance to the final. “Kucherov fooled me in Game 1,” Samsonov said through an interpreter. With a core that features several 30-somethings, the window is closing “But I am wise to his childish tricks now.” and the pressure to hoist another Cup is immense.

The Lightning knew this was bound to happen, the Great 8 going off. To lighten the mood, a source says the Caps will spend one of the days between games visiting Big Cat Rescue, the Tampa area zoo featured in It didn’t make it any easier to watch as Alex Oveckhin – no TikTok this “The Tiger King” for a team-building exercise. The source would not time – put the Caps on his back for a dominating win in D.C. The former disclose exactly what the players will do there, but he added: “Carole did champs showed their mettle, and muscle, with some scenes reminiscent it, right?” of the 2018 Eastern Conference final. You know, the one when the Caps shut it down and physically imposed their will on Tampa. This Lightning Game 5 team, however, is better built, both mentally and physically, to stand a little taller against the Caps. Game 4 would be a great time to show it. With the season on the line, expect Washington to reunite the Ovechkin- “They punched us in the mouth,” said veteran Pat Maroon. “Now it’s our Backstrom-Oshie line and ride it hard, winning or losing on the top line’s turn to take a swing, instead of a step back.” shoulders. With their backs against the wall, the top six should see some very high usage while Carlson may match Hedman playing half the game Game 4 on the other side.

No changes for Washington. Tampa Bay will likely start riding their big Washington earns a huge win on the road. guns to close the series. Sources overheard Cooper telling Hedman to be ready to play a lot and expect his ice time to start with a three. With their season slipping away, the Capitals needed a hero.

Tampa Bay takes a 3-1 series lead and is one win away from the final. And like he’d done so many times before, Alex Ovechkin put on his cape.

Victor Hedman has won a Norris Trophy, been one of the league’s top The Caps captain scored four goals, including a natural hat trick, as the defenseman for years. But this might have been one of the biggest visitors staved off elimination by shocking the Lightning, 6-0, in Game 5 moments of his career. of the Eastern Conference final. With the win, Washington cut Tampa Bay’s series lead to 3-2 as the series shifts back to D.C., where the Caps The Caps had thrown everything at the Lightning in Game 4. Alex have been dominant this postseason. Ovechkin was a madman with 12 shots on goal (15 attempts) in 31 minutes of ice time. Illya Samsonov repeatedly robbed the Lightning with “It’s not over until I say it’s over,” said Ovechkin, whose second period 33 saves, the kind of night the Caps brass may look back on if they hand hat trick turned a 1-0 lead into a commanding 4-0 advantage entering the him the net next year. And Tom Wilson? He was a one man wrecking third period. crew, picking up a hat trick with a goal, an assist and fight “I hope the fans can appreciate what they are witnessing,” a fired-up with Erik Cernak. Caps coach Todd Reirden said. “There have been some good players in “They call him ‘Drago’” Wilson said of Cernak. “Well, I must be Rocky.” this league but Alex might be the best.” While Ovechkin did most of the damage, he had plenty of help as Ilya of exhausted and frustrated Bolts just sat on the bench, staring blankly Samsonov and Lars Eller also came up big. Samsonov pitched his ahead. second shutout of the postseason, while Eller scored twice and won nine of his 10 faceoffs. “Even when we were down 3-1, we still believed,” Hathaway said. “Now we have to finish the job.” Eller, whose nickname is “Tiger,” said the Caps’ team-building trip to Big Cat Rescue on the day off inspired him. Victor Hedman slowly glided to the bench, gasping for air. He was bent over, holding himself up by putting his stick on his knees. “I felt like a predator on the ice tonight,” Eller said, adding that he took a selfie with a Bengal and got Carole Baskin’s autograph. The Lightning’s Norris Trophy winner had delivered a monster performance – his sixth game of over 30 minutes in the last two series – Eller’s second goal, which put the Caps ahead 5-0 early in the third, sent and you wonder how much he and his team have left. Andrei Vasilevskiy to the bench and a third of the fans at Amalie Arena streaming toward the exit. They had played much better in Game 6, well enough to win. Had Steven Stamkos’ one-timer been an inch higher or lower in the final seconds, “We’re back in this thing, but our backs are still against the wall,” T.J. they might still be playing. “Ninety-nine times out of 100, that’s in,” Oshie said. “We have to make sure the momentum carries over to Game Stamkos said. “That was our night.” 6.” Richard Panik, the former Lightning winger, came back to haunt his old — Tarik El-Bashir team. Jon Cooper had seen him do it before a few times in his AHL Norfolk Calder Cup run in 2012. “Their depth was the difference,” Cooper Hockey is a team sport, of course, but you need your biggest stars to said. step up in the most important moments. It’s gut check now for the Lightning, staring down their third straight And after the Lightning watched Alex Ovechkin deliver a Herculean Game 7. They’ve been riding their top forwards and defenseman for a performance in Game 5, the focus shifted to their own leaders in the while, and we’ll see how much legs they have left. They’ve come too far room. to let another season slip away. And you’d have to imagine Cooper, or Ovechkin’s four goals were what made the highlight reels, but there were the leaders, have something up their sleeves for the off day. tons of little plays that the captain and fellow veterans T.J. Oshie, Nicklas Game 7 Backstrom and company made to extend the series. No changes again for either side. It was a quiet night, however, for the Lightning big guns of Steven Stamkos, Nikita Kucherov, Brayden Point and Andrei Vasilevskiy, who Tampa takes care of business and wins the East. got pulled for first time in the postseason. Coach Jon Cooper said it was more of a mercy pull due to the way the team was playing in front of him Steven Stamkos said the Lightning didn’t know what to expect when they and believes the Vezina winner will bounce back in D.C. in Game 6. arrived at the 30,000 square foot mansion in Davis Islands.

“We have no doubt he can shut the door,” Cooper said. “We just need to It was the night before Game 7, and new Bucs quarterback Tom Brady – help him out.” the GOAT – invited the team over for dinner. They catered in Bern’s, chatted and hung out on the bayfront patio. “Their time – it’s over,” Brady The Lightning were in this spot two years ago, up 3-2 in the conference told the Lightning. “It’s your time now.” final against the Caps, only to get shut out in the final two. You have to imagine nobody in that room wants to see a third Game 7 in this playoffs. Tampa Bay certainly played like it in Game 7, owning the moment with a clutch performance. Stamkos, Brayden Point and Nikita Kucherov were Game 6 dominant, combining for three goals and eight points. Deadline acquisition Blake Coleman, inserted into the top six, was the hero, No changes for either side. though. The former Devil was a beast on the forecheck in OT, forcing a The Capitals refuse to go down without a fight, force Game 7. turnover by John Carlson behind the net. Linemate Anthony Cirelli pounced on the puck and tried a backhand wraparound. It was stopped The Capitals’ stars carried them in Game 5. but the rebound popped loose to Coleman, who put it in for the series winner to win the game 4-3. In Game 6, the role players led the way. “Other than my daughter being born, this is one of the best feelings ever,” Fourth-liners Garnet Hathaway and Nic Dowd each scored third period Coleman said. goals, and goalie Ilya Samsonov made sure the Caps held on for a wild 5-4 victory over the Lightning in D.C. You wondered how much the Lightning had left, this being the third Game 7 of the playoffs. The day off certainly helped, with coach Jon Washington’s second straight win means the longtime foes will face one Cooper telling them to get away from everything. Brady, who is neighbors another in a winner-take-all game with a trip to the Stanley Cup final on with Lightning defenseman Ryan McDonagh, passed along the invite and the line for the second time in three years. the group took the six-time Super Bowl champ up on his offer. “Game 7 used to be bad news in Washington,” Alex Ovechkin said. “But “A few of us were a bit starstruck,” Stamkos said. “I mean, when the since winning the Cup, we have new confidence, new belief. Now it’s GOAT gives you a pep talk, it’s hard not to get fired up.” gonna be bad news for Tampa.” Whether this becomes a seminal moment in the Lightning journey to the Hathaway’s shorthanded tally early in the third period tied the game 4-4, elusive Cup remains to be seen. You have to beat the champs to be the then Dowd’s first goal of the playoffs proved to be the winner. Dowd champ, right? The Caps provided a mammoth challenge, using their size outmuscled Ryan McDonagh in front and tapped in a perfect pass from to take a lot out of Tampa Bay. Brayden Point is playing through a lower Richard Panik with about eight minutes remaining, sending the capacity body injury from the Boston series (courtesy of Brad Marchand). Victor crowd at Capital One Arena into a frenzy. Hedman was playing on fumes. And on his way out of Amalie Arena, “Those guys haven’t played a lot lately,” Caps coach Todd Reirden said Tom Wilson challenged Rob Gronkowski, the WWE 24/7 champ, to a of Hathaway, Dowd and Panik. “But they never complain. They just show match. “We’ll see you in the summer,” Gronkowski said. “After Tampa up at the rink every day ready to work. And tonight they got rewarded.” wins the Cup.”

Lightning coach Jon Cooper lifted goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy with about 90 For the first time all playoffs, Alex Ovechkin was at a loss for words. seconds remaining and the Bolts poured it on. Steven Stamkos, in fact, “I don’t know what to say,” the Capitals captain said, shaking his head. “It thought he had tied the game with a one-timer that squeezed between hurts.” Samsonov’s arm and his side and appeared to trickle over the line. But replay showed John Carlson swept the puck off the line before it The Caps had so many chances, particularly in the final frantic minutes of completely crossed. regulation. Jakub Vrana’s misfire on a breakaway. Ovechkin’ one-timer that rang off the crossbar. Nicklas Backstrom’s wrister that trickled The moments after the game ended may have hinted at what’s to come. through Andrei Vasilevskiy’s pads before harmlessly skittering past the The Caps, riding a huge wave of momentum, were energized as they post. carried Samsonov off the ice atop their shoulders. Meanwhile, a handful An inch to the right or left on any of those opportunities and the outcome might have been different. Instead, the visitors’ room at Amalie Arena felt like a morgue.

“One second you’re playing for a trip to the Stanley Cup final,” Backstrom said. “The next second, it’s over.”

This group of Caps had suffered playoff disappointment before. But this one’s gonna leave a scar. The aging core is going to be another year older when it reconvenes in the fall and a salary cap crunch means another round of roster turnover is inevitable.

“It sucks,” T.J. Oshie said. “It was starting to feel a lot like 2018, especially with Vegas waiting on the other side.”

As is customary, three rounds worth of injuries were revealed after the game. Ovechkin had a bone bruise on his knee that he suffered vs. the Blue Jackets. John Carlson had a fractured foot that he sustained blocking a shot against the Penguins. Tom Wilson broke a finger when he knocked out Erik Cernak’s front teeth in Game 4.

“I couldn’t be more proud of the boys,” Wilson said. “We fought through a lot of adversity to get to this point.”

Asked about the postgame incident with Rob Gronkowski, Wilson would only say, “He’s a punk. You can write that.”

The Athletic LOADED: 05.01.2020 1183765 Toronto Maple Leafs “I’ve kept myself busy,” Campbell said. “I feel really, really good about where I’m at physically and mentally.

“I’m not sure when we’re going to start or whatnot ... I’m super excited Leafs goalie Jack Campbell works out in LA, but ‘jealous’ of Auston just to get back and see everybody and get back to work and play the Matthews’ Arizona setup best game on Earth.”

JOSHUA CLIPPERTON Globe And Mail LOADED: 05.01.2020

THE CANADIAN PRESS

PUBLISHED APRIL 30, 2020

UPDATED APRIL 30, 2020

Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Jack Campbell defends the goal against against the at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California on March 6, 2020. Acquired by Toronto from the Kings, Campbell immediately provided a calming influence behind Andersen after Michael Hutchinson was unable to get the job done.

Jack Campbell has been diligently working out in Los Angeles during the NHL pause.

The Toronto Maple Leafs’ goalie identified flexibility as an area of weakness to focus on without access to ice or shooters, and he hopes to eventually come back a better version of himself thanks to a rigorous stretching regimen.

Campbell also recently experienced something different during the COVID-19 pandemic: FOMO – short for the phrase “fear of missing out” – after seeing a video of teammate Auston Matthews’s Arizona residence.

The Leafs’ star centre has been hunkered down with Toronto netminder Frederik Andersen and another friend for a portion of the pandemic. Matthews posted a short clip to social media this week of him completing an impressive alley-oop dunk off a pass from the roof of his sprawling house into a net attached to a sun-drenched backyard pool.

“Oh man, of course,” Campbell said on a conference call Thursday when asked if he did indeed have a case of FOMO. “I love those guys, they’re awesome. We’ve been texting once a week or so, just staying in the loop. It looks like they’re having a good time.

“I’m pretty jealous of Auston’s setup ... I wish I had that here in L.A.”

Acquired by Toronto from the Kings along with bruising winger Kyle Clifford in early February for forward Trevor Moore and two third-round draft picks – one of them conditional – Campbell immediately provided a calming influence behind Andersen after Michael Hutchinson was unable to get the job done.

In six appearances with the Leafs before the NHL suspended its season March 12 amid the widening novel coronavirus outbreak, the 11th selection in the 2010 draft by the Dallas Stars was 3-2-1 with a .915 save percentage and a 2.63 goals-against average.

Apart from providing backup results Toronto hadn’t seen since Curtis McElhinney was lost on waivers before the 2018-19 season, Campbell’s infectiously positive attitude also quickly reverberated around the locker room.

He grew a mustache in support of Matthews’s quest to become just the fourth player in franchise history to score 50 goals – and just the 13th NHLer in the salary cap era – dubbing his facial hair the “road to 50.”

Matthews, who sits at 47 goals, was on pace to score a team-record 55 with 12 games remaining on the schedule.

“It’s taking a little pause,” Campbell said with a laugh of his tribute on Day 50 of the shutdown. “When the quarantine process started, the mustache was a little noticeable when I had to go get groceries in Toronto.

“I decided to let the beard go, but you can count on seeing ’road to 50’ as soon as play resumes, no question about it.”

The 28-year-old, who struggled to find traction early in his career before Dallas traded him to the Kings in 2016, has a month left on the lease at his place in L.A., so the pause has given him time to get ready for the move to his new home city. 1183766 Toronto Maple Leafs Campbell also sees Andersen digitally through social media in regular conference chats with his goaltending partner and goalie coach Steve Briere.

Maple Leafs’ Jack Campbell cooking up a storm in isolation Campbell wasn’t aware that some NHLers in Sweden can get back on the ice while those situated in North America remain under shutdown orders. Still, Campbell saw nothing negative in the ongoing isolation experience. By Mark Zwolinski Sports Reporter “It is what it is, and if they are skating then I’m jealous of that, but we all Thu., April 30, 2020 have to do what we have to do during this time,” Campbell said.

“But when it’s time to come back, I’ll have a mile-wide smile on my face, Goaltender Jack Campbell has been with the Maple Leafs for just under and I think we’ll all be excited to get back.” three months, but he can essentially lay claim to being the team’s most positive player. Toronto Star LOADED: 05.01.2020 For starters, nothing about being isolated during the pandemic could shake his love for hockey and his teammates. He expressed that and more, and even thanked everyone during a conference call Thursday, which is part of the Leafs’ way of keeping players available during the coronavirus pandemic.

Hockey remains in a lockdown situation, though cracks are beginning to surface, including an updated NHL memo this week detailing Phase Two, a potential limited return of players to NHL facilities in mid-May.

While players on various Leafs and NHL conference calls express anticipation of a return and disappointment in what has been six lost weeks of hockey, Campbell found a personal positive in the lockdown.

“I think for me, it’s given me a chance to work on some weaknesses in my game,” said Campbell, who went 3-2-1 in six starts with the Leafs, with a .915 save percentage and a 2.63 GAA.

“It’s a scary time in the world but for me, this time gives me the chance to work on my flexibility. The last six weeks I’ve hammered out some flexibility things, and hopefully I’ll come back a better goalie.”

Campbell said he’s riding out the pandemic at home in Los Angeles, which was home for four seasons until a Feb. 5 trade brought him from the Kings to the Leafs.

Campbell revealed his time in isolation in California has afforded him time to pursue a personal passion — cooking.

“I’m at my place in LA. and I have another month of rent here,” Campbell said. “I’m a big cook, and it’s been nice to come back here and cook instead of being in a hotel (in Toronto). The weather is nice out here, I can work out in my garage and stuff, so it feels good and I feel good where I’m at mentally and physically.”

Campbell immediately landed in a pressure cooker in Toronto. He was expected to pick up the slack for what was a shaky backup goalie situation with the Leafs, and he was forced to prove himself almost as soon as he got off his flight from Los Angeles.

Less than two days after he dropped his bags off in a hotel after flying in from California, Campbell backstopped the Leafs to a 5-4 overtime win over Anaheim. He did so with No. 1 goalie Freddie Andersen on a mental and physical break, a span which saw Campbell start three straight games, and four of his first five as a Leaf.

He quickly ingratiated himself to his new teammates through his endearing, positive attitude. But the feeling was mutual, with his teammates reflecting on his undying support of the team, and his obvious love of the game and being around the team.

Campbell showed further support by mimicking Auston Matthews’ moustache, growing one himself as a way of standing behind Matthews’ “Road To 50” goal for the season.

The pandemic cut Matthews pursuit at 47 goals. Now, Campbell continues his support through weekly calls to Matthews at his home in Arizona, where Andersen is also riding out the pandemic at the Matthews’ household.

“It’s taken a little pause now,” Campbell said about the moustache. “But you can count on seeing the Road to 50 again when things get back to normal.”

Campbell said he “loves those guys” — Matthews and Andersen — and is “jealous of Auston’s set up out there.” 1183767 Toronto Maple Leafs Though he never saw it transfered from its display area for the short trip to the Air Canada Centre/ for a Leafs celebration, he met Hull, The Golden Jet, a couple of times at Hall functions and they’ve laughed about that night in ’67. Leafs fan Bryan Black and Stanley Cup are never far apart He also, at that time, developed a friendship with late Habs captain Jean Beliveau, who also knew a thing or two about winning Stanley Cups and was on the ice for Armstrong’s series-clinching empty-netter. Lance Hornby Meanwhile, another frequent Cup-winner also made quite an impression April 30, 2020 7:59 PM EDT on Black.

“Around induction weekend in 1999, when Wayne Gretzky was elected, Saturday marks the anniversary of the most recent time the Maple Leafs we saw a lineup of people waiting to buy tickets for the main exhibits,” won the Stanley Cup. And this week, the Toronto Sun is re-living that Black said. “And there’s Wayne with one of his kids, about 10 deep in the night through the eyes of fans who were at the Gardens on May 2, 1967. line. Today, the story of Bryan Black, possibly the youngest person to see the “One of us ran out and said: ‘Hey, Wayne, you can go right in’, but he past two Cup-winning games at : said: ‘That’s OK, I’ll pay like everyone else’. He chatted with the fans the Bryan Black remembered May 2, 1967, for his parents misplacing him a whole time. It was great. second time during a Maple Leafs’ Cup win at the Gardens. “I’m the probably the youngest person alive who saw both those Toronto At least he didn’t wet himself twice. Cups. We still have our season’s tickets. Now it’s my grandchildren, Bentley and Liam, who do all the screaming.” Let’s back up to Game 7 of the 1964 final, after defenceman Bob Baun scored in OT on a broken ankle in Detroit to extend the series. The FIVE COOL FACTOIDS ABOUT THE LEAFS’ 1967 CUP WIN Gardens was near bedlam when Baun and fellow injured Leaf Red Kelly 1. Despite a decisive 6-2 loss in Montreal in Game 1, coach Punch — both kept at secret locations to be treated — made dramatic late Imlach boldly bought a green checkered suit he thought would look good appearances before the opening faceoff. on colour TV and told the tailor to have it ready for a Cup win. You’ve likely heard of the Blacks from their famous chain of Canadian 2. Karl Elieff, nicknamed The Healer, was one of the unsung heroes of camera stores, but the family’s great seats at Maple Leaf Gardens — the team. Among the first athletic therapists in pro sports he was able to fourth row behind the visitors bench — originated with Bryan’s maternal keep the aging Leafs in the series and hide injuries from the opposition. grandmother. Rose Whitehead was a secretary to Jack Leach of Maple Leaf Mills, who partnered with the NHL’s powerful Norris clan in the grain 3. Jim Pappin led the NHL playoffs in goals (seven) and points (15). He and shipping business. gave his ‘67 Cup ring to his father-in-law, who lost it in the sand at Vero Beach, Fla., sometime in the early ‘70s. Feeling terrible, the latter paid for But during the ’64 game, 7-year-old Bryan was left alone in his seat, with a replica and never told Pappin, but the original was found by a his dad up in the greys and his mom moving to another part of the rink beachcomber in 2007. during the 4-0 Leafs shutout, figuring her son was OK alone. Who should stop by and politely ask to use the vacated seat but , whose 4. Winning goalie was glad to shut up a fan from Blackhawks had lost to the Wings in the semifinal. Newfoundland who’d sent a telegram after Montreal’s 6-2 win in Game 4, claiming the goalie must have received a bribe to throw the match. “Bobby was my favourite player,” Bryan said. “I got so excited to meet him, I peed myself. When my parents got me later, I was soaked. They 5. Milan Marcetta and Autry (Aut) Erickson have their names on the ‘67 were pretty mad, but thought I did it because the Leafs had won.” Cup. Marcetta was a 40-goal scorer, Erickson a defenceman, both on Toronto’s secondary farm team in Victoria, B.C. They were called up Black had vague memories of ’64 and Andy Bathgate’s Game-7 winner because their club had been eliminated from WHL playoffs, while the happening at his end of the ice, but much clearer recall of ’67, aged 10 AHL were still alive for the Calder Cup. Marcetta and dressed “in a nice shirt, tie, blazer and grey flannels.” played three games against Montreal, Erickson one. The crowd was subdued at the start. Black figured because this was a much tighter game than in ’64. Toronto Sun LOADED: 05.01.2020 “The -Bob Pulford-Jim Pappin line played awesome defence that night and that whole series,” Black enthused. “Then came (George) Armstrong’s empty- net goal, which he basically shot in from right in front of me. That’s when it got really loud. That was quite a feat for a team that finished third, but upset Chicago and then Montreal.

“People applauded, The Chief (Armstrong) and (NHL commissioner) Clarence Campbell came out for the Cup presentation, but then everyone in the stands just started leaving. My dad (Robert) was probably thinking about beating the traffic, too. Can you imagine fans just getting up to go if the Leafs won today? Or if the Raptors had won the NBA title at home?”

On their way out the Carlton St. lobby, Robert told his son to hold on a moment and zip up his outer jacket.

“It was really crowded and when I looked up after doing it, there was no sign of my dad. But he’d always told me that if I was ever lost in the Gardens, to go to the big clock in the front lobby. That’s where he found me.

“You’re probably thinking by now: ‘Are they trying to get rid of this kid?’”

Black’s brushes with Lord Stanley did not end that night. Wearing Leafs- replica sweaters for the Scott’s Colonels atom team at Ted Reeve Arena, he was on a line with future Montreal/Edmonton Cup champion Mark Napier, and a teammate of two other future NHLers — TV analyst and in net and defenceman Rob Palmer).

In adult life, Black didn’t stray far from the Cup, as one of the first vice- presidents of the Hockey Hall Of Fame when it relocated to downtown Toronto in 1993. 1183768 Toronto Maple Leafs

Auston Matthews' Arizona digs has Campbell envious

Terry Koshan

April 30, 2020 5:20 PM EDT

Jack Campbell can’t help but be a little envious.

The Maple Leafs goalie has had a look at the short video posted this week on Instagram by teammate Auston Matthews, showing the young Leafs superstar dunking a basketball into a net by his swimming pool at his mansion in Arizona.

Leafs goalie Frederik Andersen is staying with Matthews during the pandemic.

Campbell acknowledged he has little bit of a feeling of FOMO — the fear of missing out — when he considers Matthews’ home.

“Oh man, of course,” Campbell said with a laugh. “I love those guys. They’re awesome. We have been texting once a week or so and staying in the loop and it looks like they are having a good time.

“They love to spend time outside playing sports and I’m pretty jealous of Auston’s setup. I wish I had that here in L.A.”

Toronto Sun LOADED: 05.01.2020 1183769 Toronto Maple Leafs across the NHL, Campbell is keeping an eye on the progress that could be made toward Phase 2 of the NHL’s return, which would include small group activities for players at team practice facilities.

Campbell's positivity keeping Leafs goalie in right frame of mind “I feel really good about where I’m at physically and mentally right now,” Campbell said. “I’m pretty excited about the possibility of starting up soon.”

Terry Koshan

April 30, 2020 5:13 PM EDT Toronto Sun LOADED: 05.01.2020

The positive manner that guides Jack Campbell through life hasn’t dissipated with the National Hockey League on pause.

The Maple Leafs’ backup goaltender is riding out the COVID-19 global pandemic at his home in Southern California, getting himself prepared to head back to Toronto the minute the NHL gives the green light.

“It’s a pretty scary time for the world, and the health of everybody is No. 1,” Campbell said during a conference call with media on Thursday.

“I’m not sure when we’re going to start, but I know I’m super-excited just to get back and see everybody and get back to work and play the best game on Earth.”

As first impressions go, Campbell couldn’t have made much of a better one with the Leafs after he was acquired with winger Kyle Clifford from the Los Angeles Kings on the night of Feb. 5.

The 28-year-old native of Port Huron, Mich., won his first start for the Leafs on Feb. 7 against the Anaheim Ducks at Scotiabank Arena, and then won two of his next three starts, compiling a 3-2-1 record in six games before games were halted. Not only did Campbell provide the kind of strong backup netminding that had been missing from the Leafs since the team lost Curtis McElhinney on waivers in October 2018 (admittedly in a small sample size), Campbell’s upbeat personality quickly became another source of stability in the dressing room.

On the ice, we lost count how many times Campbell would give a teammate a pat on the butt with his stick after the whistle had gone. The regularity with which Campbell would acknowledge teammates after making saves and smothering the puck isn’t seen often on NHL rinks.

A positive for the Leafs’ fan base to keep in mind as the world comes to grips with a potential new order is that Campbell is under contract through the 2021-22 season.

The break has given Campbell an opportunity to work on what he called “some weaknesses.” His off-ice workouts have included trying to make progress with his flexibility, all while keeping in touch with Leafs goalie coach Steve Briere and teammate Frederik Andersen.

“Stevie has been incredible in this process,” Campbell said. “Even before this whole thing started, I had really enjoyed working with him in the short time I have been a Leaf.

“Freddy, Stevie and I would have some video chats to keep the camaraderie going and the longer (the pause) has gone on, we have kind of relaxed a bit with that,” Campbell said. “But (Briere) also sends some good guidance on video and mental stuff. As much as Freddy and I are students of the game, (Briere) is such a student of the game himself and he makes it easy for us to know what to focus on.

“Everything we do has purpose and I feel like each time we talk I am even closer to being ready to go.”

When he hasn’t been honing his goaltending skills, Campbell has been spending more time cooking, a small luxury after he lived in a Toronto hotel following the trade from the Kings. And as for that moustache Campbell grew in support of teammate Auston Matthews’ quest for 50 goals, dubbing it the “Road to 50”? Matthews had 47 goals when the pause hit on March 12, with 12 Leafs games remaining.

“It has taken a little pause,” Campbell said with a chuckle. “When this quarantine process started, the moustache was a little noticeable when I would have to go get groceries and stuff in Toronto. I decided to let the beard go but you can count on seeing “Road to 50” as soon as play resumes, no question about it.”

The rent on Campbell’s place in Los Angeles runs out in a month, and you can bet he would love nothing more than to pack his bags and move to Toronto for good once that happens, if not before. Like everyone else 1183770 Toronto Maple Leafs Given how disruptive it was to eventually swap coaches mid-season, it’s hard not to conclude that this could have been handled better — either by parting ways immediately with Babcock last summer or by zapping questions about his security long before May 6. Performance Review: Assessing Kyle Dubas’ past 12 months running the Leafs May 6, 2019: Signs Ilya Mikheyev to one-year, $925,000 contract

Signed on the very day of the Babcock declaration, Mikheyev proved to be a shrewd find for Dubas’ — a product of capable player procurement By Jonas Siegel outside the draft.

Apr 30, 2020 June 21-22, 2019: NHL Draft

Evaluating draft performance less than a year after is probably unwise.

A day after he made the first coaching change of his NHL managerial But there are signs that the Leafs, even without a first-round pick, may career, Kyle Dubas appeared on TSN’s Overdrive and detailed why he have found a future impact player in Nick Robertson. The Leafs took the believed the Leafs could “exert ourselves a different way.” American forward in the second round (53rd overall). If the draft were held again today, is Robertson — a 55-goal scorer this past season with “And in the end, and I think rightfully so, the fans and the media will be Peterborough in the OHL — a sure-fire first-rounder? able to judge whether we were right or wrong,” Dubas said a day after firing Mike Babcock and replacing him with . “But if we In Round 4, the Leafs selected Mikhail Abramov (115th overall pick). hide from it and we never put ourselves out there, and we change on the Scott Wheeler has more here on how the centre redefined his game in fly to acquiesce to what convention (is) or what people want, we’ll never 2019-20. find out if it can be truly successful or not. And I have full belief that it will be. I’m willing to bet, I guess, my job and my career on it, and time will be June 22, 2019: Trades Patrick Marleau to Carolina Hurricanes the judge of whether we’re right or wrong.” Dubas had no choice but to get out from under a deal not of his own Whether the 2019-20 NHL season resumes or not will go a long way making. The cost — a first-round pick in 2020 — was steep, but the toward determining whether one of the earliest conceptions of that vision Leafs couldn’t carry Marleau’s large $6.25 million cap hit on the books for is a success. another year, not with the new contracts for Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner set to kick in, and not with Marleau, entering his age-40 season, Should hockey return and the Leafs go out again in Round 1, or perhaps looking like a fourth-liner. even miss the playoffs in some as-yet-undetermined format, Dubas’ vision will take a hit. June 28, 2019: Re-signs forwards Andreas Johnsson and Kasperi Kapanen An evaluation of Dubas’ second season running the club is only lacking a conclusion, one that may or may not come with more games, but will In 2019-20, neither Johnsson nor Kapanen have made the leap the Leafs carry an asterisk regardless given how dramatically the ground were probably hoping for. underneath the world — and the league — has shifted. Still, the contracts the Toronto front office awarded them still look fine But we’ve got plenty to assess over a trying previous 12 months for today: three more years for Johnsson at $3.4 million cap hit; two more Dubas. years for Kapanen at a $3.2 million cap hit, and crucially, team control as an RFA upon expiration. Offseason The Leafs could deal either player with ease tomorrow, particularly May 6, 2019: Confirms Mike Babcock will return for 2019-20 season Kapanen, who turns 24 in July and still has the sheen of upside.

Did this set the stage in some ways for what was to come in November? The contracts speak to Dubas’ ever-present eye on the future. Could the Was there a better way to handle questions about Babcock’s future? Leafs have squeezed both into shorter deals? Certainly. Particularly, Johnsson, who had one season’s worth of NHL experience. But if those To recap, two days after the Leafs lost Game 7 to the Boston Bruins, contracts had been only for one year would the Leafs have further Dubas was vague when asked whether Babcock would be back behind leverage to squeeze again this summer. That wouldn’t hurt at a time like the Leafs bench. this. “The way that I look at that is that Shanny has to decide on me first and But in locking both of them up long-term, albeit with a higher price-tag, do an evaluation of me, which I think any organization would be best to has provided the organization with some certainty and depth upfront do. And then once that’s done we evaluate everybody,” Dubas said. alongside The Big 4. Just as importantly, Johnsson and Kapanen provide In other words: How could he say Babcock would return without going extra value and flexibility as potential trade chips thanks to the term on through a thorough review of his own performance, first? their deals.

Unfortunately, that approach, while perhaps honest, undermined June 29, 2019: Re-signs Michael Hutchinson to one-year, $700,000 deal Babcock’s position, as did leaving the question of his return unanswered It was only $700,000, and the Leafs front office would later add Michal for another 11 days. It took until May 6 for Dubas to inform TSN’s Bob Neuvirth on a professional tryout as extra security. But betting on one of McKenzie that the Leafs were “all in” on Babcock. Hutchinson or Neuvirth as backup material seemed risky even at the Was it preferable, regardless, to put a stubborn coach on notice? To let time. Babcock — and everyone else — know that more of the same wouldn’t The worst-case scenario ultimately played out: Neuvirth got hurt at camp, be OK? Hutchinson failed to stop the puck consistently, which all led, finally, to a Or, knowing what we know now, would the Leafs have been better mid-season trade for Jack Campbell. served parting ways with Babcock last summer? Why keep a coach you Not securing the backup position earlier may still cost the Leafs a playoff didn’t hire if you’re not totally certain he’s the right man for the job? spot should the season resume. Hutchinson’s stumbles cost them that Did Dubas have enough justification to fire him at that point? The Leafs many points. had registered back-to-back 100-point seasons for the first time in The Leafs were in a difficult position when they brought Hutchinson back franchise history. Their young core was making strides, and Babcock, in late June, what with the Marner negotiations still worryingly unfinished. who started from the bottom with the Leafs back in 2015-16, had been at Could they have spent a few extra shekels on someone better? Curtis the forefront of it all. McElhinney, notably, got a two-year deal from Tampa with a $1.3 million The Leafs had also lost in the first round in three straight seasons (albeit cap hit. each time as underdogs). Babcock could be reluctant to change, and it Was there a trade route he could have pursued? was evident that he and Dubas saw many things differently. July 1: Trades Nikita Zaitsev and Connor Brown to Ottawa Senators Nevermind Marleau, imagine if the Dubas hadn’t found a taker for After the way things went down at the end of the 2018-19 season, with Zaitsev, whose contract runs until the summer of 2024? Where the Leafs’ Sparks banished for the playoffs, it would have been awkward to have salary cap picture be today with Zaitsev’s $4.5 million contract still on the the one-time AHL goalie of the year return for another go. books? Sparks just never proved he could capably back up Frederik Andersen. In trouble, that’s where. This trade, which brought back David Clarkson’s contract (LTI!) home to Freeing themselves from the strain of another Lou Lamoriello-signing Toronto, was also about creating extra cap room with the final number on was a huge win. Not retaining even a dollar was the masterstroke, Mitch Marner’s new contract still undetermined. though it did cost the team a useful winger in Connor Brown. The Leafs also acquired Cody Ceci in the trade as a means of replacing (or trying to Summer 2019: Signs depth free agents anyway) Zaitsev’s minutes on the right side. In late July, the Leafs secured some depth with most of it destined for the Again: one eye on today, one on tomorrow. Marlies.

July 1, 2019: Acquires Tyson Barrie and Alex Kerfoot from Colorado Nick Shore cracked Babcock’s opening night lineup, but he was Avalance eventually placed on waivers and claimed by Winnipeg. Pontus Aberg got a cup of coffee with the big club, but didn’t appear worthy of much To this point, this trade — which sent Nazem Kadri and Calle Rosen to more. Same with Kevin Gravel. Kenny Agostino came in on a two-year Colorado — hasn’t worked out for Toronto. deal and ultimately led the Marlies in scoring (49 points in 53), but, oddly, garnered no call-up. Barrie wasn’t the stabilizing force the Leafs needed on their right side, and Kerfoot, though a helpful, versatile forward, hasn’t yet been the No real hits here. replacement third-line centre for Kadri the team hoped he would be. Sept. 13, 2019: Signs Mitch Marner to six-year, $65 million extension It begs the question: Would the Leafs have been better off simply holding onto Kadri for another year, and giving arguably the best 1-2-3 punch Man, what a summer of 2019 it was for Dubas! Only now are we getting down the middle in hockey more than a single season together? Maybe. to Marner. Though without Barrie, and with Justin Holl not yet a legitimate NHLer, You can imagine what the Leafs GM was feeling when training camp who would have been playing the right side besides Ceci? The Dubas opened last fall, and for the second time in as many years, one of his front office could have perhaps strayed into the free-agent waters, team’s young stars was nowhere to be found. It was right about then that potentially re-signing Ron Hainsey. Dubas and Marner talked and finally found a resolution. The result: A six- Other right-side options last summer such as Tyler Myers and Anton year pact with a $10.893 million cap hit. Stralman would have been costly reaches. Marner arrived in St. John’s on the second day of on-ice workouts, and Dubas could have also moved another forward instead of Kadri. Does said it was imperative that he doesn’t miss any games. Kapanen, though younger and still intriguing, net the Leafs something Knowing that, could the Leafs have pushed for a cap hit that was closer better? to $10 million instead of $11? Sure. Though the risks of that strategy Kadri had just been suspended for the second time in as many playoff were laid bare a year earlier when William Nylander sat and waited — for series and was hinting at decline with age 30 around the corner. He was months — until he got the contract he wanted. Would Marner, the also, more crucially for value purposes, a centre on a bargain contract hometown kid, have been as committed to the cause? Maybe not. (three more seasons, $4.5 million cap hit). But if you’re Dubas, are you willing to take that chance again?

There were real reasons to deal him in the right trade. And this swap had The Leafs have Marner locked up through ages 22-27. For his entire the potential to be that. prime, in other words. He’ll become a UFA in 2025.

Not only is Kerfoot almost four years younger than Kadri, but the Leafs Referring to the Nylander talks, Dubas said he, “screwed some things up quickly got him under contract for an extra year at a million less on the and made some mistakes and tried to learn from them.” cap (four years at $3.5 million per). There’s value to be had there if he pops in Toronto as a capable two-way centre. “I mean, I wish everything was done with all them” — Nylander, Matthews, Marner — “in one day,” he said of those mistakes. (One thing you can say for certain about the Leafs under Dubas: They don’t possess any inherently bad long-term contracts.) In the first year of his deal, Marner showed that while he may not come in under value, he probably won’t be overpaid all that much either. He was Barrie also came at half-price ($2.75 million), which was a bargain for on a 93-point pace for 82 games. someone coming off a 59-point season. Salary cap-related issues stemming from the pandemic will burn the But the 28-year-old was also signed for only the one year, meaning for Leafs, though. When Marner signed, his cap hit was worth 13.4 percent the trade to work optimally, Barrie had to be the answer this season. He of the cap — and will likely remain around there for the foreseeable could still spice things up in those as-yet undetermined playoffs, but future. through 70 games, his fit has been imperfect. He’s proven unreliable defensively. Alex Ovechkin

Underlying numbers may point to decline from Kadri (though he was still 19.0 producing at an 82-game pace of 31 goals and 58 points), but it’s hard to Connor McDavid think the Leafs wouldn’t be better off with him this season and even the one after that. It’s a moot point if Barrie solidifies the defence, and 16.7 Kerfoot blossoms (which might still happen), but for now, this Canada Day blockbuster hasn’t achieved its purpose. Patrick Kane

July 1, 2019: Signs Jason Spezza to one-year, $700,000 contract 15.2

A home run. Jonathan Toews

Luring Spezza to chase a Cup and mentor a young team for minimum 15.2 money has worked out as well as it possibly could. Spezza has probably Evgeni Malkin provided an even bigger boost on the ice than the Leafs could have anticipated. 14.8

It does seem worth wondering how the Spezza experience would have Auston Matthews played out had Babcock remained the coach. (Not as well, certainly.) 14.6 July 23, 2019: Trades Garret Sparks to Vegas Sidney Crosby 14.5 It was “the level of our ups and downs” and, “just reading off the players … how they were reacting to different things,” that spurred the change Artemi Panarin behind the bench, as Dubas explained it on Nov. 21.

14.3 The Leafs GM noted that “discussions about the way the team is Anze Kopitar playing,” and, “what’s the best path ahead,” began as early as Nov. 9, the night his team rallied from 2-0 down only to lose to the Flyers in a 14.0 shootout. A five-game losing streak that included a 6-1 loss in Pittsburgh, sealed that path. John Tavares Maybe Dubas didn’t see the evolution in Babcock he desired going back 13.8 to the spring. Scratched 71 times a year earlier, Holl, most notably, Mitch Marner remained an afterthought at training camp, while Shore got the early nod over Spezza. 13.4 “I think it was just an accumulation of watching the group continue to play Jack Eichel and evolve on and off the ice that led us to that point yesterday,” Dubas explained in Arizona, a day after the firing. 13.3 I’ve always wondered, though, what would have happened had the Leafs Jamie Benn done nothing — had Babcock remained despite the early-season woes. 13.0 For one thing, the season was only 23 games old. The Leafs were also Claude Giroux integrating a lot of new players — from Barrie to Kerfoot to Ceci and Spezza — and dealing with injuries to key pieces such as Zach Hyman, 12.9 Tavares, and Marner. Would things have turned around as health improved and those first-year Leafs grew more comfortable? Ryan Getzlaf We’ve seen underachieving teams in similar positions, with coaches on 12.8 the hot seat, grind through those rough patches and find success. The That number would have gone down as the cap theoretically rose. But Washington Capitals were a disappointing 11-10-1 on Nov. 20, 2017 and now that the cap is likely to stall, perhaps for a couple of seasons, the with Barry Trotz on a red-hot seat. They stuck with him and won the Cup. Leafs won’t get the value they anticipated. (The Leafs were 9-10-4 when they replaced Babcock.) Sidney Crosby’s $8.7 million cap hit, for instance, was worth 14.5 percent I wonder if Babcock, after building the program up from nothing four of the cap when the Penguins signed it in 2012. Today: It’s just under years earlier, had at least earned an opportunity to turn things around. Of 10.7 percent. course, Dubas didn’t hire Babcock, and perhaps the philosophical That means the challenge of building a roster around the pricey foursome differences between the two were vast enough that long-term of Marner, Matthews, Tavares, and Nylander will remain high — higher coexistence wasn’t possible. Maybe it’s not the worst thing, though, to than it would have been otherwise. It may even force Dubas deal a core have a powerful voice within the organization pushing in the opposite piece — perhaps even Marner given how much he’d attract in a trade. direction — if only to balance things out.

And that’s one thing with the Marner contract that’s often overlooked: As The Leafs looked immediately different with Keefe running the bench. much as it’s been maligned, and as much as it could have been played The offence perked up. Special teams improved. The Leafs blitzed foes differently: the Leafs could still trade it in a second if they wanted to. in December.

In-season And then some of the same challenges Babcock faced — defensive leaks, inconsistent effort — re-surfaced. In other words, the Leafs early Roster decisions instability clearly wasn’t only about Babcock.

A few things from the fall seem worthy of mention here: Firing the coach with the Stanley Cup win and two Olympic gold medals Sticking with Holl: Throughout the preseason, Babcock paired Holl with on his resume barely halfway through an eight-year contract was a bold Gravel, a surefire AHLer. In spite of that, Dubas put Holl on the team to move. start the year. And while he was scratched for the opener in favour of Time will tell if fortune will favour that boldness. Martin Marincin, the 28-year-old Holl, at long last, won over the then- Leafs coach and became a staple in the top-four. Faith rewarded. Dec. 1, 2019: Hires as new Marlies head coach

Support for Spezza: Dubas could have gone to war publicly while A move that seems small in the context of some of the bigger decisions Babcock goaded Spezza (and by extension, management), but didn’t. here. But finding the right coach to replace Keefe with the Marlies One can imagine it had some role, however small, in the firing that would matters. It’s too soon to say if Greg Moore is that guy. follow. Dec. 31, 2019: Signs Justin Holl to three-year, $6-million extension Letting Sandin dictate his position: Though he was slight and only 19, Dubas likes these bets. Sandin looked like an NHLer in the preseason. Ever in favour of patient, prudent development, Dubas still gave him a roster spot. For a minute If Holl continues his ascent on the right side of the team’s top four, the anyway. Sandin was returned to the Marlies when his NHL ice-time was Leafs will get real value from his contract. Even if he’s just a third pairing limited. defender, he’s probably still fairly paid.

Marlies rising: It wasn’t just Sandin. When made noise Feb. 6, 2020: Acquires Jack Campbell and Kyle Clifford from Los at camp, he too got an opportunity with the Leafs — pushing past more Angeles Kings experienced pieces like Nic Petan (who made the team initially) and Agostino (who didn’t). Leaf brass, including Dubas, were walking out of in Manhattan after another rough Hutchinson outing when they Oct. 2, 2019: Awards captaincy to John Tavares plucked Campbell and Clifford away from the Kings.

I still wonder if the Leafs should have ridden out the storm around Campbell was an immediate relief, winning three of his first four starts Matthews (following his offseason disorderly conduct charge), and while ingratiating himself quickly in the Leafs dressing room. That he’s named him captain anyway. It wouldn’t have been popular in the signed for the next two seasons ($1.65 million cap hit) is the real moment, but he was arguably the right choice in the biggest possible potential bonus, as the Leafs get a shot at security beside Andersen — a picture. Tavares was certainly a safe choice. UFA after next season — that they really haven’t had. That’s assuming, of course, that Campbell continues to perform. Nov. 20, 2019: Fires Mike Babcock, replacing him with Sheldon Keefe It remains possible that Campbell arrived with the Leafs too late, at least for this season.

Meanwhile, Clifford’s heavy, plodding style hasn’t totally meshed with the Leafs get-up-and-go brand of hockey (45 percent expected goals). He becomes a UFA after the season.

Feb. 12, 2020: Signs Pierre Engvall to two-year, $2.5 million extension

Another hopeful strike at value.

Engvall was signed while he was still taking his first spins around the league. If he takes off eventually as a versatile forward who can slide from wing to centre between the third and fourth lines, kill penalties and deposit the odd goal, the Leafs will receive value. Under the worst-case scenario, the soon-to-be 24-year-old is easily buried in the minors.

Feb. 24: Signs Jake Muzzin to four-year, $22.5 million extension

There’s some risk with this deal — it carries a $5.625 million cap hit — but Muzzin has grown into such a valuable part of the Leafs defence and leadership group that the investment in him, even at 31, feels worthwhile. That, and the fact that Rasmus Sandin and Travis Dermott don’t appear ready yet for more serious roles on a team that has Stanley Cup aspirations.

Feb. 25, 2019: NHL trade deadline

After acquiring Campbell and Clifford from the Kings in early February and then Denis Malgin and Rosen from the Panthers and Avalanche respectively in separate deals a couple weeks later, the Leafs were quiet on deadline day, transaction-wise. But Dubas used his podium that day to express his disappointment with the team’s “Jekyll and Hyde” performance, admitting he didn’t know what was behind it.

“It’s interesting,” he said. “You can go back and look at different teams in different sports and there are very few that right from the minute they acquire good talent through the draft just suddenly, boom, reach their potential and win championships and play at a consistent level every day. And we’re clearly not there yet, but we also show signs of what we can be when we get there.”

Post-trade deadline

On April 7, Dubas signed Russian forward Alexander Barabanov to a one-year, $925,000 deal. And should the season resume, a decisions awaits around whether to give 18-year-old Robertson an opportunity.

Next offseason

New contracts are needed for Dermott and Mikheyev, and perhaps Spezza, Clifford and Frederik Gauthier. He’ll also need to acquire more help on defence and create some space under what will be a static salary cap for the foreseeable future.

In conclusion

It was a trying year for Dubas, no doubt. There was one challenge or fire to put out after another. Some he handled well. Some he could have done better. All told, it feels like the kind of season the 34-year-old will look back on later in his career and glean a lot from. How to better handle a difficult contract negotiation. How to better navigate roster construction questions. When to act in certain situations. When not to. The Leafs GM has done a lot right and he has brought some newfound ingenuity and perspective to the position.

In light of the pause and its aftermath, we may not get a definitive answer this season on whether his vision is a success. But with Dubas and this Leafs front office, it’s never just about one season, but instead, a much bigger picture.

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1183771 Vegas Golden Knights The council needs to approve the project before it can move forward. LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 05.01.2020

City survey says most Henderson residents like arena

By Blake Apgar Las Vegas Review-Journal

About 70 percent of Henderson residents said in a survey they think a 6,000-seat minor league hockey arena would be good for the city, according to results released Thursday.

The proposed arena is slated to replace the Henderson Pavilion, located near Green Valley and Paseo Verde parkways.

Responses to the survey — which was released by the city — were recorded through the web and by phone. It was conducted by Discovery Nevada, a partnership between Applied Analysis and Discovery Research Group. Nearly 400 residents of the state’s second-largest city were surveyed during March and April.

According to the survey’s results:

— 71 percent of residents think the project would be good for Henderson.

— 71 percent of residents think a minor league hockey team will be good for the city.

— 69 percent of residents either “strongly support” or “somewhat support” redeveloping the Henderson Pavilion into an arena.

Of those surveyed, 11 percent thought the project would have a negative effect on their home value. Respondents from the 89012 ZIP code, where the arena would be located, made up 12.5 percent of those surveyed. And 15 percent of those surveyed were not homeowners.

The survey referred to the hockey arena as an “entertainment venue.” The proposed arena would be home to the future American Hockey League affiliate of the Vegas Golden Knights.

Results from the survey come after a group of Henderson residents publicly expressed frustration with the project, which was announced during the State of the City Address in February.

Some have taken issue with the prospect of increased traffic and changing the neighborhood. After the coronavirus outbreak swept through Nevada, residents turned their concern to the fiscal impact of taking on the project.

One of those against the project, John Dalrymple, spokesman of a group that calls itself the Henderson Coalition for Responsible Government, said he received a call for the survey, which he claimed asked leading questions.

“It was entirely and thoroughly skewed to generate the answers they were looking for,” he said.

In a statement, Assistant City Manager Robert Herr said the project would take advantage of low interest rates, create jobs and generate investment in the area. He said the footprint of the building would be similar in size to the existing pavilion.

“We are committed to a design that would be compatible with the area that includes more onsite parking, traffic improvements, outdoor enhancements and the addition of onsite amenities,” Herr said. “There has never been a better time for the city to invest in its community to help expedite Henderson’s recovery from the COVID-19 crisis.”

Earlier this month, the city authorized the issuance of $60 million in general obligation bonds, paving the way for a funding agreement with the Vegas Golden Knights for the arena. Mayor Debra March has said city would contribute up to $40 million, but the city has since called that figure premature. Officials have not announced exactly how much the city would contribute to the arena project.

Officials say the arena would be home to a variety of year-round events, with hockey being one.

“The (Vegas Golden Knights) organization would be making a significant matching investment commitment that would help to create a first-class venue not just for hockey, but scores of other events for the benefit of the entire community,” City Manager Richard Derrick said in a statement. 1183772 Vegas Golden Knights

Golden Knights reportedly miss out on Russian goalie prospect

By David Schoen Las Vegas Review-Journal

The Golden Knights must look elsewhere to fill their goalie pipeline.

Russian free-agent Alexei Melnichuk will sign with the San Jose Sharks, according to a report Thursday from Sport24.ru.

Melnichuk’s contract with SKA of the Kontinental Hockey League is set to expire and he can sign an entry-level NHL contract as soon as Friday.

Per @sport24_ru goalie Alexei Melnichuk is set to sign with the #SJSharks

— Igor Eronko (@IgorEronko) April 30, 2020

The Knights were rumored to be one of the four finalists to sign the 21- year-old prospect, along with Carolina and Colorado.

Melnichuk posted an 8-5-1 record with a 1.68 goals-against average, .930 save percentage and four shutouts in 16 appearances for SKA Saint Petersburg and was named the KHL goalie of the month in September.

Russian Evgeni Nabokov, who spent 14 seasons in the NHL and is tied for 20th on the all-time wins list, is the Sharks goaltending coach.

Melnichuk is projected to begin his career in the American Hockey League, though he could push for the backup job with the Sharks. Current backup Aaron Dell is set to become an unrestricted free agent after the season.

The Knights’ system also lacks goaltending depth, with Marc-Andre Fleury and unproven 21-year-old Dylan Ferguson the only goalies under contract for next season.

Robin Lehner, acquired at the trade deadline from Chicago, is set to become an unrestricted free agent in the offseason and it remains to be seen whether the Knights try to re-sign him as the long-term answer in net. Lehner is making $5 million this season and probably will seek a raise.

Also, Oscar Dansk and Garret Sparks are slated to become unrestricted free agents after playing for the Knights’ American Hockey League affiliate.

After missing out on Melnichuk, the Knights may turn to unsigned prospect Jiri Patera, a 2017 sixth-round pick who was the Western Hockey League Eastern Conference goaltender of the year.

Patera set a Brandon Wheat Kings franchise record for the lowest goals- against average at 2.55.

The Knights hold Patera’s signing rights until June 1, 2021, but the 21- year-old from Prague, Czech Republic, exhausted his WHL eligibility and it’s unclear where he will play next season.

Goalie Jordan Kooy, a 2018 seventh-round pick, struggled in the this season. The Knights have until June 1 to sign Kooy to an entry-level contract or he can re-enter the NHL draft.

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Golden Knights roster review: Nick Holden

By Ben Gotz Las Vegas Review-Journal

The Review-Journal presents its “Roster Review” series, which will examine each Golden Knights player’s current production and future outlook in alphabetical order. Friday: Defenseman Nick Holden.

Background

Holden ended last season as the odd man out.

He played in Game 1 of the Knights’ first-round playoff series against the San Jose Sharks, then sat the rest of the seven-game series. His $2.2 million cap hit and contract status entering the final year of his deal put his future in question.

Yet Holden, as he often has during a nine-year career that is bordering on 500 games played, found a way to survive. He’s now not just a part of the Knights’ present. He’s part of their future.

Performance

Holden is like a good rug. He just ties everything together.

The 32-year-old undrafted player has lasted for 496 NHL games because he’s proven adaptable to any situation.

Want to play him on his off side, his right? He’ll do it. Need him to switch sides the next game? No problem.

His versatility even extends to the roles he can play. Holden has been an excellent partner for two drastically different players late in the season — Shea Theodore and Zach Whitecloud.

With the offensive-minded Theodore, Holden is comfortable staying back and guarding his own end. With the more conservative rookie Whitecloud, Holden is willing to jump into the offensive zone and create chaos for defenses. Both partnerships rank among the Knights’ most successful in scoring-chance percentage.

Holden’s ability to fit whatever role his team needs has made him one of the Knights’ unsung heroes. He never chases credit, just like he never looked to complain when he found himself in the press box last postseason.

“He is one of the best guys in the National Hockey League,” general manager Kelly McCrimmon said. “When we play on the road, every time, Nick Holden is at the visiting dressing room talking to somebody. He knows people all over.”

Future

Holden did earn one reward for his play this season: a new contract.

The Knights gave him a two-year extension with an average annual value of $1.7 million in February to keep his versatility and locker room presence in the fold.

“My priority was to stay here,” Holden said. “My family is settled in here, and they love it. The team is awesome, the organization is great.

“For me and my family, it’s huge to be able to sign a two-year deal knowing we’re going to be here. We’ve loved it since we’ve been here, and our goal is to stay here, so when they came to us saying they’d like to talk about an extension, we were excited.”

The deal should allow him to continue filling needs for the team on the ice while mentoring its next wave of young blue liners off it. After all, who better for a young defenseman to learn from than an undrafted player who just signed his seventh contract?

LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 05.01.2020 1183774 Vegas Golden Knights “I really fell in love with the job,” DeBoer said. “I honestly did it just as a short-term fill-in to get my mind off the books. I missed hockey and the environment, so I thought it would be a great release for me from my law school studies. But I fell in love with it.” ‘He ended my playing career’ — Peter DeBoer still close to his coach Mike Murphy DeBoer coached and managed in Detroit for the next six seasons, then seven more seasons with the . Murphy believes that extended experience in the OHL is what makes DeBoer the renowned NHL coach he is today. By Jesse Granger Apr 30, 2020 “He paid his dues. He earned his reputation. He’s worked hard as a

coach through the lower levels and is now one of the most prominent In December 1990, sitting on a bench inside the Bradley Center in coaches in the NHL,” Murphy said. “When you coach at that level, you Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 22-year-old Admirals center Peter DeBoer had no learn to make decisions. And the decisions you make are your decisions. idea he’d ever be a hockey coach. Whereas assistant coaches don’t make decisions, they make suggestions.” It was the last season of DeBoer’s playing career. He tallied 61 points as a smart, tough, two-way forward under head coach Mike Murphy. Coaching is about making good decisions and being responsible for the outcome. Watch DeBoer on the bench during a Golden Knights game, “We were a middle-of-the-pack team, but Pete was probably our most and you’ll see a calm, calculated leader. But that wasn’t always the case. talented player,” Murphy said, remembering his lone season coaching in the IHL. He coached 15 seasons in the NHL as an assistant and head “I’ll tell you what helped me. The entire time I was in junior, I was coach coach for the Kings, Canucks, Maple Leafs, Rangers and Senators. He and general manager, and that dual role really helped me,” DeBoer said. now serves as the NHL’s senior vice president of hockey operations. “With the general manager’s job you really have to remove the night-to- “Pete was a terrific kid. Really a nice kid, and a good player at that level. night emotion of what’s going on on the ice from your life. That emotion He played on all of our special teams and was an assistant captain.” really doesn’t help make management decisions. Whereas coaches, we live on those emotional decisions on a daily basis. Even then DeBoer showed many of the traits required to be a coach. “So it really gave me some perspective. I made a lot of mistakes. Some “When you suggested something or when you designed plays and of the worst trades I made over those years were out of emotion, systems, Pete picked it up quickly,” Murphy said. “He understood it, and because I was standing behind the bench the night before. I wasn’t understood assignments. Those things came easy for him because he happy with how things went and I pulled the trigger on things I shouldn’t had excellent hockey IQ and sense. I relied on him heavily for input, have. You learn from that. All of those experiences were critical for me to suggestions and criticism. Pete was a relatively soft-spoken guy. He be able to have a career at the NHL level.” wasn’t one to impose his opinion on you, but he was very thorough, very sharp, and knew what was going on with the team.” DeBoer was outstanding in the OHL, coaching 878 games over 13 seasons. He finished with a career .665 win percentage, only one season DeBoer wasn’t the team’s vocal leader, but Murphy described him as a under .500, two coach of the year awards and an OHL championship. magnetic personality who was always in the center of every team function — on and off the ice. DeBoer was extremely well-liked by his “When you’re out there on your own, you make the call. It’s not just teammates and used his influence to better his team whenever possible. decisions of who goes on the ice and who’s on the power play. It’s how you manage your team. What times do you practice at? What are your Some players know they’re destined for coaching even while they’re still meetings like? How do you communicate with the group? Are you playing, especially ones with great hockey sense, but not DeBoer. managing the mafia, making sure kids are in good places? Are they eating properly, are they fit? You’re doing all those things when you’re a “I didn’t. As a matter of fact, if you would’ve asked me about coaching at young coach. And when you’re a young coach in junior, you’re usually that point it wouldn’t have even been on the radar,” DeBoer said. “I was doing them all yourself.” fortunate enough to be a captain in junior hockey and an assistant captain in minors. So, I feel that was probably really the start of my But even during DeBoer’s impressive OHL run, mistakes were made. coaching. I think when you take those roles on teams you’re an extension Mistakes that he made as an OHL coach and manager, so that he won’t of the coaching staff.” make them in the NHL.

The Admirals would lose in the first round of that year’s playoffs. DeBoer “I needed those years of junior hockey and riding buses, learning the opted to retire from hockey and moved to Detroit to pursue a law degree trade and working under different people,” DeBoer said. “And during at the University of Detroit Mercy. every minute of it, I really enjoyed that level of coaching, because I felt that you can really mold young men. I had a lot of guys through those In search of a roommate, DeBoer turned to longtime friend . years that never played in the NHL, but went on to become doctors, or Maurice played three seasons with DeBoer for the and police officers, or teachers. It was a really rewarding level, and I wasn’t in was an assistant coach in Windsor during DeBoer’s final season of junior any rush to leave that.” hockey. Eventually, he did. “We decided to get a place together and he would coach and I’d go to law school,” DeBoer said. At the time, Maurice was coaching the Detroit Following the Kitchener Rangers’ OHL title in 2008, DeBoer took a job as Junior Red Wings in the Ontario Hockey League. “What happened was the head coach of the Florida Panthers. After three years in Florida, he he needed an assistant coach and was having trouble finding one. I took a job with the New Jersey Devils and led them to the Stanley Cup volunteered to fill in and do it for him until he found somebody better.” final in his first season.

DeBoer joined Maurice’s staff, along with former Detroit Red Wings DeBoer has been extremely successful at the NHL level, coaching San goalie Greg Stefan. The three coached under now-Penguins general Jose to a Stanley Cup final in 2016 and racking up 430 wins over 13 manager Jim Rutherford and helped the Junior Red Wings win their first seasons. division title. “Players enjoy playing for Pete and speak highly of Pete as a coach, and “(Rutherford) made it worth my while because he paid a large chunk of that says an awful lot,” Murphy said. “There’s an old saying: ‘Six guys are my tuition,” DeBoer said. “I didn’t get a salary, but I got enough of my going to hate you, six will sit on the fence and six will like you.’ It doesn’t school paid for that it made it worth my while.” seem to be that way with Pete. It seems like he’s able to connect to his whole team, and get his whole team to play their role.” The following season, 1994-95, Rutherford left Detroit to take a job as the Hartford Whalers general manager, forcing Maurice to serve as head DeBoer attributes much of his success to the people around him. coach and general manager of the Junior Red Wings. DeBoer and Maurice then led the team to a J. Ross Robertson Cup as OHL “I joke with Murph that he ended my playing career,” he said with a laugh. champions. “But in all seriousness, I did learn a lot from him. I didn’t play for a long time, but I was fortunate to have some exceptional coaches, and a lot of Rutherford promptly offered Maurice a job with the Whalers, and DeBoer them have coached in the NHL at points in their careers, and Murph was assumed the role of head coach and general manager in Detroit. one of them. “Everybody you’ve played for as a player, or worked on a staff with, you try to take some of their best qualities. I was really fortunate from a young age to be around a lot of great coaches. The late , who just passed away last week, was my junior coach. Ron Wilson, long time NHL coach, was one of my first pro coaches. And Murph. So I feel fortunate, because if I wasn’t around those types of people, I might not have the career I’m in.”

But of all the skills he acquired from coaches along the way, the thing DeBoer remembers most about Murphy was his uncanny ability to balance work and family.

“He was a great example for me, actually looking back now, on how to coach at a professional level and still maintain a family dynamic,” DeBoer said. “He had four young kids when he was coaching me, and they were in minor hockey, all playing sports. I was in my early 20s and wasn’t married yet, and I always admired his commitment to us as a team, but also making sure he was there for his family.”

Murphy’s four children were Sean (12 at the time), Ryan (11), Breeann (9) and Patrick (7). Ryan went on to play college hockey for Bowling Green, Patrick for Northern Michigan University and Sean went on to play for San Diego in the ECHL. Murphy’s daughter Breeann was a dancer, and all four kept him and his wife, Yvonne, busy.

“We have been blessed by good children, and my wife is the main reason,” Murphy said. “I’m sure Pete would attest to his wife and her support of the family, especially when he is so busy during the season and away.”

DeBoer now has three children of his own, and his oldest, Jack, plays college hockey at Boston University.

“I saw how Murph kept that family dynamic, and that’s something I’ve tried to replicate as much as I can, as much as this job allows,” DeBoer said.

He’s currently spending the self-isolation period with his family in Ontario. Prior to the NHL’s pause he was living at the Red Rock Resort in Las Vegas, along with assistant coach Steve Spott. The DeBoers had just purchased a house in Las Vegas, but weren’t able to move in before the shutdown, so they opted to return to Ontario, where DeBoer is originally from.

Throughout their years in the NHL, DeBoer and Murphy have kept in touch. Although with Murphy’s job as NHL VP of hockey operations, the conversations aren’t usually reminiscing about great times in Milwaukee.

“It’s usually when I’m calling to bitch about the referees,” DeBoer said with a chuckle. “An overturned goal, or a coaches challenge. We obviously work together in that area. But we talk fairly regularly, and keep in touch.”

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NHL, Players Release Statement On Returning To Ice; No Timelines But Maybe Small Player Groups Practicing Mid Or Late May

By Alan Snel of LVSportsBiz.com

The NHL and the players association issued a statement Thursday, with the best case scenario being that players might be able to have ‘small group activities” at NHL team training centers in the mid or late part of May. But there is no timeline. And that’s a big, “might.”

Here’s the highlight:

“The precise date of transition to Phase 2, during which Players might return to small group activities in NHL Club training facilities, remains undetermined. However, provided that conditions continue to trend favorably – and, subject to potential competitive concerns as between disparately situated markets – we believe we may be able to move to Phase 2 at some point in the mid-to-later portion of May.”

Here’s the NHL/NHLPA statement.

A city of Henderson poll says residents back developing the pavilion venue off Green Valley Parkway into a year-round event center that would house a minor league hockey team for the Vegas Golden Knights. Discovery Nevada, an independent market research firm and a partnership of Applied Analysis and Discovery Research Group, did the poll during March and April via web and telephone with nearly 400 Henderson residents. Survey results have a 95 percent confidence interval and indicate the following:

71 percent of Henderson residents believe the project, as proposed, would be good for Henderson

71 percent thought a minor league hockey team would be good for the City

69 percent of respondents either “strongly support” or “somewhat support” the redevelopment of the Henderson Pavilion into an enclosed, 6,000-seat entertainment venue

11 percent of respondents felt the venue would have a negative impact on their home values

At a rate of nearly two-to-one, (54 percent vs. 29 percent) respondents opted to spend approximately 30 percent more in a public-private partnership that would result in the development of an enclosed 6,000- seat entertainment venue as opposed to enclosing the existing venue as is

Approximately two-thirds (66 percent) of households indicated they or someone in their household would likely attend an event at least annually at the new proposed facility

The proposed Henderson Event Center, if approved, would become the home of community performing arts groups such as the Henderson Symphony Orchestra, as well as the game-day home of an American Hockey League team owned by an affiliate of the Vegas Golden Knights. High school and college graduations, other cultural and performing arts productions, meetings and other gatherings could also be held at the event year-round.

“The VGK organization would be making a significant matching investment commitment . . . we know there is considerable support for an AHL team in Henderson given that there are more than 7,000 season ticket deposits with approximately 40 percent of those from Henderson zip codes,” Henderson City Manager Richard Derrick said.

Well, now the coronavirus pandemic has really done it. It prompted the folks who run the Little League World Series to scrub the annual baseball tournament held in Pennsylvania in late August every year.

“This is a heartbreaking decision for everyone at Little League International, but more so for those millions of Little Leaguers who have dreamt of one day playing in one of our seven World Series events,” Little League President Stephen Keener said.

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NHL commissioner Gary Bettman says a November or December start to next season 'under consideration'

By J.J. Regan April 30, 2020 8:15 PM

The NHL will consider starting the 2020-21 season in November or December if necessary in order to close out the current season that is on pause due to the coronavirus pandemic, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said Thursday.

Bettman appeared on NHL Network's "NHL Tonight" and was asked how the current season could impact 2020-21.

"We obviously don't want to impact the sanctity of next season, but we have a great deal of flexibility in terms of when we can start," Bettman said. "There's no magic for next season of starting in October as we traditionally do. If we have to start in November or December, that's something that will be under consideration."

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman provides us with the latest news on #NHLTonight. @ChipotleTweets pic.twitter.com/LeJCPx8y9q

— NHL Network (@NHLNetwork) April 30, 2020

The NHL has been consistent throughout the current pause that maintaining a full 2020-21 season was a priority. Because of that, it was believed the league must have some sort of internal deadline for when the current season must resume in order to prevent losing part of next season. Bettman essentially shut down any notion of that by expressing the league's willingness to possibly push back the next season as late as December.

While everyone wants to see hockey back as soon as possible, the NHL has no reason to rush things if it is willing to push back the start of next season in order to crown a champion in 2020.

"This isn't a race to be first back," Bettman said. "When we come back, we want it to be at the right time for the right reasons under the right circumstances."

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Alex Ovechkin sends Papa Johns to front-line health care workers

By Mike DePrisco April 30, 2020 2:48 PM

As the coronavirus pandemic carries on and front-line health care workers treat thousands of infected patients, athletes like Alex Ovechkin continue to try and lend a helping hand.

On Thursday, Ovechkin partnered with Papa Johns to deliver pizza to front-line health care workers at MedStar Health Hospitals and urgent care locations.

Along with the announcement on Twitter, Ovechkin seemed to take a break from playing hockey on his driveway to deliver a video greeting to the medical professionals.

We are honored to team up with @ovi8 & the @Capitals to deliver pizzas to the front-line associates at local @MedStarHealth hospitals & urgent care locations today. Ovi has a message for all the brave women & men who've been working diligently during this time. #DeliveringThanks pic.twitter.com/KBa9oduEzf

— Papa John's of DC (@PapaJohns_DMV) April 30, 2020

Ovechkin joins a number of D.C. sports stars to contribute to their local hospitals during these difficult times. John Wall, Bradley Beal, Ryan Zimmerman and Chase Young are just a few players who've stepped up recently.

He also played Wayne Gretzky in an epic NHL 20 showdown with the proceeds going toward COVID-19 relief.

Washington D.C. sports fans have enjoyed an unfamiliar level of success with their teams recently, you know, given the Stanley Cup win and World Series title over the last two years. But what's probably more important, is that their favorite teams' biggest stars are positive forces in their community.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 05.01.2020 1183778 Washington Capitals there is any name other than Ovechkin on the back, people are just going to assume the jersey was customized.

3. Joe Juneau The 6 most underrated Caps of all-time What are the biggest goals in the history of the franchise? We talk a lot about Sergei Fedorov in Game 7 against the New York Rangers, Joel Ward in Game 7 against the Boston Bruins, Lars Eller in Game 3 against By J.J. Regan April 29, 2020 6:00 AM the Columbus Blue Jackets and again in Game 5 against the Vegas Golden Knights and Evgeny Kuznetsov in Game 6 against the Pittsburgh

Penguins. All great goals, but with the exception of Eller's Cup-clinching Every franchise sees great players come and go, but sometimes it can goal, none of them were as significant as Juneau's Game 6 winner be hard to recognize who those players are both in the moment and against the Buffalo Sabres in 1998. That goal gave Washington its first- when looking back. Sometimes fans seem to make up their minds about ever conference championship and it seems like a total footnote in team a player and never seem to appreciate how good they really are. History history now and I'm not really sure why. also tends to be kinder to some players than others. Some players stand Think of how incredible it was when Kuznetsov scored to win the series the test of time while others fade. against Pittsburgh. That was the second round. That was just to put the Now it's time for those "other" players to get their due. We're not here for Caps in the conference final. Juneau put Washington into the Stanley the all-time greats or the fan favorites. Let's talk about the other guys. Cup Final and deserves as much praise (probably more) as players like Let's talk about those great players who were never recognized for their Ward and Fedorov get. greatness or those guys who have become hidden by history's shadow. 2. Dave Christian It's time to talk about the most underrated players in Capitals franchise Christian should be an absolute legend in Washington. It's criminal that history. he is barely remembered. He ranks eighth in franchise history in goals 6. Alex Semin with 193 and 14th in points with 417. His best season was in 1985-86 when he tallied a total of 83 points. That led the team that year. To put This is a bold choice to start this list because many of you are reading that into perspective, that would have been good enough for second on this name right now and already think I'm crazy. the team in 2018-19 behind only Ovechkin's 89 points. He was a heck of a player. Maybe not a great, one, but very, very good. Was Semin a disappointing player considering his talent level? Absolutely. He had all the talent to be an elite NHL player. The issue I So what makes him such a legend? It was what he did before he reached have with how Semin is remembered is the word "bust." When people the NHL as a member of the 1980 USA Olympic hockey team. Yes, he talk about Semin, the word bust inevitably comes up and that is played in the . Not only that, he recorded an assist in the absolutely ridiculous considering the offense he produced while wearing game, one of eight assists he recorded in seven games to help USA win a Caps sweater. the gold.

Sasha Pokulok was the Caps' first-round draft pick in 2005. He never Christian played in the greatest moment in the history of American sports played a single game in the NHL. That's a bust. Semin played 650 NHL and then played for the Caps where he scored 193 goals and 417 points games with 239 goals and 517 total points. in 504 games. Why is there not a statue of this man in front of Capital One Arena?! Should he have gotten more? Yep. Should his career have lasted longer? Yep. Should he have been one of the top goal scorers in the 1. Braden Holtby NHL? Yep. Holtby is the best goalie in franchise history and was one of the key But don't let what could have been mask what was. Semin pieces in a Stanley Cup run. And yet, heading into this season there underachieved, but in no way was he a bust. were plenty calling for Holtby to be traded. Every time he lets in a questionable goal, out come all the detractors saying he's overrated, was 5. Mike Ridley never any good and has just benefitted from a strong roster in front of Ridley has the fifth-most goals in franchise history with 218, but for some him. reason he has seemingly faded into history in the minds of Caps fans. If I Now, let's be clear, I am not talking about the people who think the team told you to list the greatest Capitals players of all-time, how far down the should move on from Holtby this season when his contract expires. list would you have to go before you thought of Ridley? Would you even There are a lot of reasons why they should, but those who remain remember to put him on your list? unceasingly critical not only of Holtby's recent play, but of his entire Unfortunately for him, this was a common theme for Ridley throughout career in which he has established himself as, let me repeat myself, the his career. He was an undrafted free agent, he was traded away by the best goalie in franchise history, you people are crazy. New York Rangers to Washington in just his second NHL season, Holtby became the undisputed No. 1 goalie in Washington in the 2013-14 Washington traded him seven years later with a first-round pick to season. Since that time, no goalie in the NHL has played more games Toronto for Rob Pearson and a first-round pick (you can guess who got than Holtby and no goalie has more wins. Holtby has a whopping 20 the better end of that trade), he scored 37 points in a 48-game lockout- more victories than Boston Bruins goalie Tuukka Rask who is second in shortened season and was traded again by Toronto to Vancouver after that stretch despite playing only 13 more games, so don't tell me his win only one season. total is just a product of the number of games he has played. Before the A guy who scored 218 goals and 329 assists in 588 games for Cup win, he was criticized as being a poor playoff performer which is Washington probably deserves more recognition than he gets. ridiculous considering has the fifth-best playoff save percentage of all time. 4. Dmitri Khristich Holtby has a Vezina Trophy, has tied the record for most wins in a single Khristich makes this list for one specific reason. Most people reading this season with 48 and...hmm, I think I'm forgetting something... oh yeah, he article have never heard of Khristich despite the fact that he played in has a freakin' Stanley Cup. How quickly we forget that the Caps turned Washington for seven seasons, he was drafted by the Caps and then their postseason around in 2018 after Holtby retook the starting job from reacquired by the team at the end of his career in a trade, he scored 140 Philipp Grubauer. goals and 300 points for Washington, he is the only Ukrainian to play for the Caps and holds the record for most NHL points by a Ukrainian player And yet, I find myself having to constantly defend Holtby. with 596. Maybe this is a product of the fact that Holtby's probable replacement, But the real reason Khristich is on this list, the most tragic part of his Ilya Samsonov, is younger, cheaper and already on the roster. Maybe 10 Caps' career is the fact that, for the vast majority of it, he wore No. 8. No years from now, people will feel differently about Holtby and give him the one in Washington is ever going to wear that number again once Alex respect he deserves, but for now it is stunning to me how many people Ovechkin retires and whenever someone sees an 8 jersey in the crowd, if seem to undercut everything he has accomplished and what he has meant to the franchise. Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 05.01.2020 1183779 Washington Capitals Midterm grade: B It was another solid season for the 29-year-old, who overcame a skate

cut on his hand that caused him to miss five games in November. When Capitals report card: Grading every player’s performance for the season the season was halted, Dowd was enjoying one of his most productive stretches of the season (two goals and three assists in seven games) with Richard Panik skating on his left and Garnet Hathaway on his right. Dowd also ranked fifth on the team in both hits (117) and shorthanded By Tarik El-Bashir Apr 30, 2020 ice time per game (2:29). And talk about bang for your buck, his $750,000 cap hit was second-lowest among all the Caps’ forwards.

ARLINGTON, Va. – Report cards are in. Lars Eller (69 games: 16-23–39 points)

Despite the remainder of the season being unclear right now, no Final grade: A-minus incompletes were handed out. Every full-time player got a letter grade, Midterm grade: B-plus including trade deadline additions Brenden Dillon and Ilya Kovalchuk. At 30 years old, the third-line center was enjoying his best season yet. In If the season resumes, we may revisit these marks. But for now, consider fact, he was on pace for a career-high in goals (19) and points (46). He these the final grades for the 2019-20 Capitals, who, despite a second can play in the top-six in a pinch and is also one of the team’s most relied half swoon, found themselves atop the ultra-competitive Metropolitan upon penalty killers. If there’s one complaint about his game, it’s this: like Division when the season was paused March 12. many of his teammates, he can be penalty prone at times. His 24 minor Nicklas Backstrom (61 games: 12 goals-42 assists–54 points) penalties were second to Tom Wilson’s 29.

Final grade: B Radko Gudas (63 games: 2-13–15 points)

Midterm grade: B Final grade: C

It was a good season for the 32-year-old alternate captain. But it was Midterm grade: B-plus also quite uneven. A sluggish October was followed by an upper body After a solid start to his first campaign in D.C., the 29-year-old faded. By injury that cost him eight games. Upon returning, he got hot for a spell the stoppage, he had fallen out of the lineup altogether, scratched in four before cooling off again. The bottom line is this: Backstrom, who signed a of five games. Like many of the players who were struggling and/or five-year, $46 million extension in mid-January, remains one of the running on fumes, it’ll be interesting to see if the hiatus ends up helping. league’s best all-around forwards and he’s asked to do as much, if not That, of course, assumes the season resumes and he’s able to displace more, than anyone on this team. That said, his overall body of work left either Jonas Siegenthaler or Nick Jensen. Gudas is an unrestricted free us wanting a smidge more. agent at season’s end. Travis Boyd (24 games: 3-7–10 points) Carl Hagelin (58 games: 8-17–25 points) Final grade: B-minus Final grade: C-plus Midterm grade: Incomplete Midterm grade: C The Caps’ 13th forward received an ‘incomplete’ in January and played Although he’s arguably the most important penalty killer on the league’s even less in the second half of the year, suiting up for just five games in sixth-ranked unit, Hagelin’s first full season in Washington got off to a calendar year 2020. He proved that he can produce at the NHL level painfully slow start. In addition to missing 11 games in November due to despite receiving limited minutes, he’s just got to be more consistent in injury, he didn’t score his first goal until Dec. 27. In the 22 games prior to all areas when he does get the chance. The 26-year-old will be a the stoppage, however, the 31-year-old winger was much better, restricted free agent with arbitration rights this summer. amassing seven goals and nine assists. John Carlson (69 games: 15-60–75 points) Garnet Hathaway (66 games: 9-7–16 points) Final grade: A-minus Final grade: B Midterm grade: A-plus Midterm grade: B-plus The 30-year-old led the Metro’s top team in points, assists and average Signed to add a measure of ruggedness and feistiness to a fourth line time on ice (24:38). His point total was also the most among all that didn’t have enough of that element, Hathaway delivered that and defensemen and had him on pace to set the single-season franchise more. The 28-year-old winger ranked second on the Caps in hits (189), record. His quality of play declined in the second half as the Caps’ overall third in blocked shots (46) and, though he slumped offensively in January game dipped. In his last interview prior to the stoppage, Carlson and February, he remained on pace the equal the career highs for goals acknowledged that his confidence had sagged a bit, saying, “I’m trying to (11) and points (19) that he set as a member of the Flames last season. find the perfect level of aggression and defensiveness. It’s something I’m Hathaway’s only misstep was a three-game suspension for spitting on an battling right now.” If and when the season resumes, Carlson would opponent in November. seem to be a prime candidate to benefit from the time off. When considering his grade for the year, it’s important not to lose sight of just Braden Holtby (48 games: 25-14-6, 3.11 GAA, .897 save percentage) how dominant he was over the first three-plus months. Final grade: C-plus Brenden Dillon (10 games, 0-0–0 points) Midterm grade: B-minus Final grade: B This was a tough grade to assign at midterms and it’s not any easier Midterm grade: N/A now. Holtby’s goals-against average and save percentage weren’t pretty. In fact, among goalies who appeared in 30 or more games, he’s ranked Acquired at the trade deadline to shore up a leaky blue line, the 29-year- 39th and 42nd, respectively, in those categories. Meanwhile, his quality old fit seamlessly into the room, quickly endeared himself to fans by starts percentage was 53rd. But he’s also eighth in wins and, thanks to a pummeling Pittsburgh’s Evgeni Malkin and was in the process of finding resurgence prior to the stoppage, he had solidified himself as the team’s his fit in the lineup when the season was paused. Dillon also took eight No. 1 heading into the stretch run. This was never going to be an easy minor penalties – the second most in the league (behind Malkin) from season for Holtby, not with the pressure of playing for his next contract Feb. 20 until the stoppage. He’ll be an unrestricted free agent at season’s and having talented first-rounder Ilya Samsonov peering over his end. shoulder. And that’s exactly how it’s played out. Nic Dowd (56 games: 7-8–15 points) Nick Jensen (68 games: 0-8–8) Final grade: B Final grade: C Midterm grade: C It’s been another good season for the 33-year-old winger who has shown no signs of slowing down. In fact, he’s already topped last season’s goal After a first half marked by miscues and inconsistency, the 29-year-old total and is on pace for 58 points, which would be his highest total as a was better in February and March. In addition to making fewer mistakes Capital. He’s also avoided the injury bug that dogged him in recent years. in the defensive zone, he was calmer and more confident with the puck on his stick. So, he made strides, however small. But until he does it on a Alex Ovechkin (68 games: 48-19–67 points) nightly basis night there’s going to be concern and criticism. An argument could be made that he deserves a lower mark, but the improvement he Final grade: A showed late is promising. Midterm grade: B-plus

Michal Kempny (58 games: 3-15–18 points) At 34 years old, Ovechkin remains as good a goal scorer as there is. He Final grade: C-plus was tied for the league lead with 48 goals and his 706 career goals are within a pair of seventh all-time. There was also that ridiculous stretch in Midterm grade: B late January and early February where he scored 14 goals in seven games, including three hat tricks. It’s possible Ovechkin will someday When he’s 100 percent, he’s really good and capable of earning an ‘A’ start to slow down. But it doesn’t appear to be happening anytime soon. for his play. But there were indications all season that he wasn’t 100 percent as he returned from a significant injury that cut short his 2018-19 Richard Panik (59 games: 9-13–22 points) campaign, limited him in training camp and caused him to miss the first eight games of this season. Kempny refused to make excuses, but when Final grade: C the head coach is mentioning how “he’s gone through a serious injury” Midterm grade: C-minus while explaining a player’s benching, well, that’s telling. As such, Kempny could be another player who’ll benefit from the time off the ice. Panik’s first month in D.C., couldn’t have been more disappointing. He didn’t register a point in his first eight games and then suffered a Ilya Kovalchuk (7 games: 1-3–4 points) shoulder injury that sidelined him 10 games. The 15 games after he Final grade: B returned? Two goals, no assists. But then things began to click for him. From Dec. 14 until the season was paused, Panik recorded 20 points Midterm grade: N/A (seven goals and 13 assists) in 36 games. And he did it while averaging 11:05 of ice time during that span. It took him a few games to adjust (one point in his first four games) but the 37-year-old seemed to be finding his role right as everything came to Ilya Samsonov (26 games: 16-6-2, 2.55 GAA, .913 save percentage) an abrupt stop. His addition also pushed Richard Panik to the fourth line, bringing better balance to the bottom six. If the season resumes, the Final grade: B offense Kovalchuk adds, as well as the leadership he brings to the room Midterm grade: A (particularly for the Russians), could be key to the Caps’ fortunes. The 23-year-old got off to great start and, for a while, it looked as though Evgeny Kuznetsov (63 games: 19-33–52 points) he might challenge Holtby for the starting job. But the rookie faltered a bit Final grade: B down the stretch, going 0-4-1 in his final five decisions after a 16-2-1 start to his career. Concerning? Maybe a little. But there’s no longer any doubt Midterm grade: B – he’s an NHL goalie and potentially a very good No. 1.

There are stretches where the 27-year-old center utilizes his sublime Jonas Siegenthaler (64 games: 2-7–9 points) skating and scintillating skill to impose his will on the opposition, like a 16-game stretch early in the season when he racked up eight goals and Final grade: B-minus 13 assists. But there were also stretches where he appeared content to Midterm grade: B be just good, not great. Kuznetsov possesses all the tools it takes to be one of the best players in the game, but until he brings that focus on a The youngest player on the team at 22 years old, Siegenthaler had a nightly basis, he’ll always leave us wanting for more. decent first full season in the NHL. He made his biggest impact on the penalty kill, where he averaged a team-high 3:11 of ice time per game on Brendan Leipsic (61 games: 3-8–11 points) one of the league’s top units. Siegenthaler was subject to the ups and Final grade: C downs that all young defensemen go through, and he was even scratched for a spell late in the season as Reirden sought to find the right Midterm grade: B-plus mix on the backend. But once he was reinserted into the lineup, he did not come back out. The smallish winger quickly established himself as a fan favorite for his fearless and feisty play. And early on, he was one-third of a revamped Jakub Vrana (69 games: 25-27–52 points) fourth line that was outperforming expectations. But when the line’s offensive production dried up, Leipsic’s lack of finish became magnified. Final grade: A-minus In fact, the 25-year-old’s last goal came on Nov. 27. Meantime, Midterm grade: A-minus Kovalchuk’s arrival pushed Panik to the fourth and Leipsic out of the lineup altogether. He’s a restricted free agent with arbitration rights at In early December, Vrana was on pace for 40 goals. But a couple of season’s end. droughts cooled him down and he’s now on pace for 30 goals and 62 points, despite playing less than 15 minutes a night. The 24-year-old Dmitry Orlov (69 games: 4-23–27 points) winger has the speed, hands and shot to blossom into one of the NHL’s Final grade: B elite forwards. But he must find more consistency (he scored just twice in the 19 games before the break) and needs to play a more well-rounded Midterm grade: B-plus game if he wants to earn his coach’s trust and, with it, more ice time.

In our midseason report, we wrote, “Orlov can still be an adventure on Tom Wilson (68 games: 21-23–44 points) occasion, but he’s a solid NHL defenseman. Most good NHL teams would be happy to have him as their No. 3.” Not much changed, though Final grade: A-minus he did experience a few more ups and downs than usual in the second Midterm grade: A-minus half as Reirden mixed and matched the D-pairs while searching for the right combination. The 26-year-old has already topped his career high for points and is on pace to establish a new high for goals with 25. More important than his T.J. Oshie (69 games: 26-23–49 points) production, though, is the fact that Wilson appears to have finally found Final grade: A-minus the line between playing an aggressive, hard-hitting style and running afoul of the league’s Department of Player Safety. If there’s one area that Midterm grade: B-plus he can improve, it’s discipline. He led the team in minor penalties and, on occasion, can still let his emotions get the best him (See: Flyers game on March 4). The Athletic LOADED: 05.01.2020 1183780 Washington Capitals game means (nothing) if we don’t back it up next time,” Pat Maroon said. “They’re champs over there.”

— Joe Smith Simulating the 2020 NHL playoffs, East final: Lightning vs. Capitals The Caps picked a terrible time to turn in their worst performance of the postseason.

By Tarik El-Bashir, Joe Smith and Dom Luszczyszyn Apr 30, 2020 Soft goals. Bad penalties. Egregious turnovers. You name it, and the Caps committed it in Game 1.

It all added up to a lopsided loss – and an angry dressing room The NHL isn’t back yet, but we’re going to pretend it is. Over the last afterward. month, we’ve run a simulation of how the NHL’s regular season might have played out if the league hadn’t been suspended on March 12. Now, “That’s not us, that’s not our game,” captain Alex Ovechkin said. the standings have been set and we’re carrying that forward through the “Everyone can be better in every area.” playoffs. This time around, one of our beat writers from each team will be Asked about his elaborate goal celebration, Ovechkin smiled and shot in charge of every lineup decision, the narrative for every playoff game back, “In 2009, I did the ‘Hot Stick’ celly here. Tonight, I hit ’em with the and they’ll get to decide what “happened” in each game. Join us as we ‘TikTok.’ I hope the fans liked it.” make our way through the simulated postseason to crown a virtual Stanley Cup champion. The Lightning most certainly did not like it. In fact, it probably sparked the Tom Wilson vs. Barclay Goodrow bout and it certainly led to much of the For Washington, everything in these playoffs has felt just like 2018, the animosity that was on display the rest of the game. year the Capitals won their first Stanley Cup. First Columbus, then Pittsburgh, and waiting in the West is Vegas. All that’s standing in their Caps coach Todd Reirden wouldn’t commit to any changes to his lineup way is a very strong Tampa Bay team. afterward, but it wouldn’t come as a shock if Braden Holtby replaced Ilya Samsonov in goal and rugged defenseman Radko Gudas stepped in for The Capitals weren’t favoured then and they aren’t favoured now, coming Jonas Siegenthaler on the third pair. Samsonov struggled, yielding five into the series as decisive 26 percent underdogs. That’s not zero goals on 24 shots and Reirden hinted that the team could benefit from percent, though, and no team beats the odds more than the Capitals. more snarl around the net. The Lightning will be a very difficult challenge and there’s a reason they “The good news is there’s only one way for us to go after a performance win this series three-out-of-four times. Last year’s first-round exit was an like that,” T.J. Oshie said. “We’ll be better in Game 2, I can promise you embarrassment for them, but they’re proving it was just a blip and that.” nothing more going through these playoffs, earning every last series win in gruelling fashion. The Capitals won’t go down easy, but on paper — Tarik El-Bashir there’s a reason Tampa Bay is the heavy favourite here. Game 2 The Lightning have the best players in this series, hands down. Alex Ovechkin is still a dominant force, but he doesn’t provide the same value Braden Holtby gets the start for Game 2 while Radko Gudas enters the as countryman Nikita Kucherov – not anymore, anyway. Nicklas lineup for Jonas Siegenthaler. No changes for the Lightning. Backstrom is a solid first line center, but he’s arguably no longer an elite The Lightning take both at home, lead the series 2-0. one, not like Brayden Point who’s becoming one of the game’s best two- way forces. Backstrom might not even be the second best center here, The Capitals were better in Game 2. given how strong Anthony Cirelli has become at defending, gaining some Selke Trophy buzz this season. His emergence as a two-way force has The problem was, so were the Lightning, winning 4-2 to take a 2-0 series allowed Tampa Bay to put Steven Stamkos at wing where he’s been lead. deadly on a lethal top line. And then of course there’s Victor Hedman and The Brayden Point line set the tone on the first shift with a goal, as the John Carlson, with the former being a much more complete and well- Tampa Bay No. 1 center finished a backdoor pass from Kucherov. rounded player. Amalie Arena went nuts, led by the latest Lightning superfan, Rob On top of that, the Lightning simply have more depth at every position, Gronkowski, who brought his WWW 24/7 championship belt. but especially on defense where the team looks a lot more formidable It’d look like a wrestling match later on, when Radko Gudas and Cedric than in year’s past. Carlson doesn’t have nearly the same supporting Paquette got into a bout near the Tampa bench. In the melee, Tom cast as Hedman. Where Tampa is weak is in net, but it won’t seem that Wilson was given a 10-minute misconduct for taking a swing at a couple way with how strong the defense is. Either way, Washington’s options Tampa players on the bench. Todd Reirden was beside himself, saying there aren’t all that much stronger. Blake Coleman started it by spraying some of his company’s pickle juice The Capitals are in tough, but they’re a resilient bunch. Never tell them at the Caps forward. “It looked like he was cramping up,” Coleman joked. the odds, because the odds don’t usually matter to them. “Thought it might help.”

Game 1 The Lightning scored on the ensuing power play to break this one open. Braden Holtby helped keep the Caps in the game, but Tampa’s attack Tampa Bay takes Game 1. was too much. The series is far from over, but it appears the former Cup champs are frustrated. Have the Lightning put the Caps on the ropes? Or Maybe they were still feeding off the emotions from a thrilling Game 7 win merely poked the bear? We’ll find out in Game 3. over the Bruins a few days earlier. “We’re going to get their best game back in D.C.,” coach Jon Cooper Or maybe this Lightning team might have hit its stride. said. “They didn’t win the Cup by laying down.”

Either way, the kind of complete performance Tampa Bay delivered in — Joe Smith Game 1 was one of their best of the playoffs, a 5-2 win over Washington. There were plenty of fireworks, including Alex Ovechkin riling up the The Caps were dogged by the same problems that have come back to Lightning bench with a TikTok dance celebration after his first period bite them time and again this season – early goals against and poor goal. There was a big-time bout between Tom Wilson and Barclay defensive execution. Goodrow in the second. But it was the relentless Lightning attack that stole the show. And to make matters worse, Tampa Bay is getting under Washington’s skin. The line of Ondrej Palat, Brayden Point and Nikita Kucherov was dominant, buzzing in the Caps zone. Kucherov had two goals, including “Emotions are running high out there,” explained Tom Wilson, who added delivering one of his fake shot breakaway moves (Braden Holtby must that he doesn’t expect to hear from the league after challenging the entire not have warned Samsonov about it). This was just one win, so Tampa Lightning bench to a fight. “Overall, we have to be more disciplined.” Bay didn’t want to get ahead of itself. After all, the same Caps team broke their hearts a few springs ago, overcoming a 3-2 deficit. “This The Caps led the league in minor penalties during the regular season The Caps had thrown everything at the Lightning in Game 4. Alex and, in Game 2, they formed a single-file line to the box. In all, they were Ovechkin was a madman with 12 shots on goal (15 attempts) in 31 assessed eight penalties (to the Bolts’ four). minutes of ice time. Illya Samsonov repeatedly robbed the Lightning with 33 saves, the kind of night the Caps brass may look back on if they hand “We’re not going to get back in the series playing a man down all game,” him the net next year. And Tom Wilson? He was a one man wrecking Nicklas Backstrom said. “Some of the calls were ludicrous. I mean just crew, picking up a Gordie Howe hat trick with a goal, an assist and fight terrible. But I don’t want to say anything about the refs.” with Erik Cernak.

Braden Holtby was good, but the Caps have now yielded nine goals to “They call him ‘Drago’” Wilson said of Cernak. “Well, I must be Rocky.” the Bolts’ Nikita Kucherov-fueled attack. If there’s going to be a Caps’ comeback, they’ll need to be great in goal and a lot better in the highly- But it all came down to one play, one moment, that will likely be in contested areas around it as well. Lightning lore if they win the Cup.

They could also use more production more from Alex Ovechkin and the The Lightning were desperately trying to hold on to a 2-1 lead in the final top six forward corps, which has yet to score in the series. seconds of regulation. The Caps had a 6-on-5. Nicklas Backstrom made a slick fake and no look pass to Ovechkin, who was in his office, the — Tarik El-Bashir circle. Andrei Vasilevskiy lost his stick in a scuffle in front, as the Russian Game 3 tried to push Wilson out of his crease. Vasilevskiy slipped, leaving the net open. Ovechkin wound up for his vintage one-timer. Ilya Samsonov is back in the starter’s crease for the Capitals. Expect the top six and John Carlson to see a much bigger workload going forward. The whole Capital One Arena crowd was on its feet ready for their own Tampa Bay will ride their top defenders in this one to try and take a 3-0 TikTok celebration. lead. But Hedman, a soccer goalie growing up, somehow slid from the back The Capitals win at home to cut the series lead in half. post, and Ovechkin’s shot caromed off the 6-foot-6 Swede’s shin pad, then off the crossbar and just over the net. Alex Ovechkin promised that his Caps would climb back into this series, even if he had to put them on his broad shoulders and do it all by himself. “The save of the decade,” captain Steven Stamkos said.

And in Game 3, he did just that. The Lightning are now one win away from the Cup final, the last step on their redemption tour. Not sure how Hedman was able to walk to the Ovechkin amassed two goals, an assist and game-highs in shots (10) podium for the press conference. He brought his shattered shin pad to and hits (12) to carry Washington to a decisive 3-0 victory over Tampa the table, thankful Ovi’s shot wasn’t higher. “I don’t know what I was Bay in D.C. The victory cut the Lightning’s series lead to 2-1 and, in thinking,” Hedman said. “I may send that clip to Man U, if they need a Ovechkin’s words, planted the seed of doubt in the back of the Bolts’ keeper.” heads. Would he do it again if he had a chance in Game 5? “We came out hitting,” Ovechkin said of the Caps, who outhit their opponent 38-20. “By the third period, you could see they didn’t really “No question,” he said. “Anything for the Cup.” want the puck.” — Joe Smith

Caps coach Todd Reirden leaned heavily on his stars in Game 3, with The Caps were crestfallen following Game 4. Ovechkin’s 23:43 of ice time leading the way among forwards, while John Carlson (two assists) led all skaters with 29:59. They’d reared back and thrown the biggest punch they could muster but it wasn’t enough. And now they find themselves one game from “Have you ever seen my average shift length?” Ovechkin asked a elimination. reporter. “I’ll stay on the ice the whole game if Todd lets me. And maybe even if Todd doesn’t let me.” “I can’t believe the pucks not go in,” Alex Ovechkin said.

Rookie Ilya Samsonov stopped all 26 shots he faced to record his first Indeed, Ovechkin had the game on his stick – and Andrei Vasilevskiy career playoff shut out. His most important stop came on Nikita dead to rights – in the final seconds with the Bolts’ clinging to a one-goal Kucherov, who again attempted his signature ‘no move’ shot on a lead. But Victor Hedman somehow managed to get his leg between breakaway in the third period. This time, however, Samsonov was ready. Ovechkin’s one-timer and the yawning net. And that was that.

“Kucherov fooled me in Game 1,” Samsonov said through an interpreter. “I’ve taken more than 5,000 shots in my career,” Ovi added. “And “But I am wise to his childish tricks now.” Hedman’s save was the best anyone’s ever made on me.”

— Tarik El-Bashir The tension in the Caps’ room was palpable. Not only had they played a great game and lost, but now they’ve got to win three games in a row The Lightning knew this was bound to happen, the Great 8 going off. against Nikita Kucherov and company in order to advance to the final. It didn’t make it any easier to watch as Alex Oveckhin – no TikTok this With a core that features several 30-somethings, the window is closing time – put the Caps on his back for a dominating win in D.C. The former and the pressure to hoist another Cup is immense. champs showed their mettle, and muscle, with some scenes reminiscent To lighten the mood, a source says the Caps will spend one of the days of the 2018 Eastern Conference final. You know, the one when the Caps between games visiting Big Cat Rescue, the Tampa area zoo featured in shut it down and physically imposed their will on Tampa. This Lightning “The Tiger King” for a team-building exercise. The source would not team, however, is better built, both mentally and physically, to stand a disclose exactly what the players will do there, but he added: “Carole did little taller against the Caps. Game 4 would be a great time to show it. it, right?” “They punched us in the mouth,” said veteran Pat Maroon. “Now it’s our turn to take a swing, instead of a step back.” — Tarik El-Bashir

— Joe Smith Game 5

Game 4 With the season on the line, expect Washington to reunite the Ovechkin- Backstrom-Oshie line and ride it hard, winning or losing on the top line’s No changes for Washington. Tampa Bay will likely start riding their big shoulders. With their backs against the wall, the top six should see some guns to close the series. Sources overheard Cooper telling Hedman to very high usage while Carlson may match Hedman playing half the game be ready to play a lot and expect his ice time to start with a three. on the other side.

Tampa Bay takes a 3-1 series lead and is one win away from the final. Washington earns a huge win on the road.

Victor Hedman has won a Norris Trophy, been one of the league’s top With their season slipping away, the Capitals needed a hero. defenseman for years. But this might have been one of the biggest moments of his career. And like he’d done so many times before, Alex Ovechkin put on his cape. The Caps captain scored four goals, including a natural hat trick, as the Richard Panik with about eight minutes remaining, sending the capacity visitors staved off elimination by shocking the Lightning, 6-0, in Game 5 crowd at Capital One Arena into a frenzy. of the Eastern Conference final. With the win, Washington cut Tampa Bay’s series lead to 3-2 as the series shifts back to D.C., where the Caps “Those guys haven’t played a lot lately,” Caps coach Todd Reirden said have been dominant this postseason. of Hathaway, Dowd and Panik. “But they never complain. They just show up at the rink every day ready to work. And tonight they got rewarded.” “It’s not over until I say it’s over,” said Ovechkin, whose second period hat trick turned a 1-0 lead into a commanding 4-0 advantage entering the Lightning coach Jon Cooper lifted goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy with about 90 third period. seconds remaining and the Bolts poured it on. Steven Stamkos, in fact, thought he had tied the game with a one-timer that squeezed between “I hope the fans can appreciate what they are witnessing,” a fired-up Samsonov’s arm and his side and appeared to trickle over the line. But Caps coach Todd Reirden said. “There have been some good players in replay showed John Carlson swept the puck off the line before it this league but Alex might be the best.” completely crossed.

While Ovechkin did most of the damage, he had plenty of help as Ilya The moments after the game ended may have hinted at what’s to come. Samsonov and Lars Eller also came up big. Samsonov pitched his The Caps, riding a huge wave of momentum, were energized as they second shutout of the postseason, while Eller scored twice and won nine carried Samsonov off the ice atop their shoulders. Meanwhile, a handful of his 10 faceoffs. of exhausted and frustrated Bolts just sat on the bench, staring blankly ahead. Eller, whose nickname is “Tiger,” said the Caps’ team-building trip to Big Cat Rescue on the day off inspired him. “Even when we were down 3-1, we still believed,” Hathaway said. “Now we have to finish the job.” “I felt like a predator on the ice tonight,” Eller said, adding that he took a selfie with a Bengal and got Carole Baskin’s autograph. — Tarik El-Bashir

Eller’s second goal, which put the Caps ahead 5-0 early in the third, sent Victor Hedman slowly glided to the bench, gasping for air. He was bent Andrei Vasilevskiy to the bench and a third of the fans at Amalie Arena over, holding himself up by putting his stick on his knees. streaming toward the exit. The Lightning’s Norris Trophy winner had delivered a monster “We’re back in this thing, but our backs are still against the wall,” T.J. performance – his sixth game of over 30 minutes in the last two series – Oshie said. “We have to make sure the momentum carries over to Game and you wonder how much he and his team have left. 6.” They had played much better in Game 6, well enough to win. Had Steven — Tarik El-Bashir Stamkos’ one-timer been an inch higher or lower in the final seconds, they might still be playing. “Ninety-nine times out of 100, that’s in,” Hockey is a team sport, of course, but you need your biggest stars to Stamkos said. “That was our night.” step up in the most important moments. Richard Panik, the former Lightning winger, came back to haunt his old And after the Lightning watched Alex Ovechkin deliver a Herculean team. Jon Cooper had seen him do it before a few times in his AHL performance in Game 5, the focus shifted to their own leaders in the Norfolk Calder Cup run in 2012. “Their depth was the difference,” Cooper room. said.

Ovechkin’s four goals were what made the highlight reels, but there were It’s gut check now for the Lightning, staring down their third straight tons of little plays that the captain and fellow veterans T.J. Oshie, Nicklas Game 7. They’ve been riding their top forwards and defenseman for a Backstrom and company made to extend the series. while, and we’ll see how much legs they have left. They’ve come too far It was a quiet night, however, for the Lightning big guns of Steven to let another season slip away. And you’d have to imagine Cooper, or Stamkos, Nikita Kucherov, Brayden Point and Andrei Vasilevskiy, who the leaders, have something up their sleeves for the off day. got pulled for first time in the postseason. Coach Jon Cooper said it was — Joe Smith more of a mercy pull due to the way the team was playing in front of him and believes the Vezina winner will bounce back in D.C. in Game 6. Game 7

“We have no doubt he can shut the door,” Cooper said. “We just need to No changes again for either side. help him out.” Tampa takes care of business and wins the East. The Lightning were in this spot two years ago, up 3-2 in the conference final against the Caps, only to get shut out in the final two. You have to Steven Stamkos said the Lightning didn’t know what to expect when they imagine nobody in that room wants to see a third Game 7 in this playoffs. arrived at the 30,000 square foot mansion in Davis Islands.

— Joe Smith It was the night before Game 7, and new Bucs quarterback Tom Brady – the GOAT – invited the team over for dinner. They catered in Bern’s, Game 6 chatted and hung out on the bayfront patio. “Their time – it’s over,” Brady told the Lightning. “It’s your time now.” No changes for either side. Tampa Bay certainly played like it in Game 7, owning the moment with a The Capitals refuse to go down without a fight, force Game 7. clutch performance. Stamkos, Brayden Point and Nikita Kucherov were The Capitals’ stars carried them in Game 5. dominant, combining for three goals and eight points. Deadline acquisition Blake Coleman, inserted into the top six, was the hero, In Game 6, the role players led the way. though. The former Devil was a beast on the forecheck in OT, forcing a turnover by John Carlson behind the net. Linemate Anthony Cirelli Fourth-liners Garnet Hathaway and Nic Dowd each scored third period pounced on the puck and tried a backhand wraparound. It was stopped goals, and goalie Ilya Samsonov made sure the Caps held on for a wild but the rebound popped loose to Coleman, who put it in for the series 5-4 victory over the Lightning in D.C. winner to win the game 4-3. Washington’s second straight win means the longtime foes will face one “Other than my daughter being born, this is one of the best feelings ever,” another in a winner-take-all game with a trip to the Stanley Cup final on Coleman said. the line for the second time in three years. You wondered how much the Lightning had left, this being the third “Game 7 used to be bad news in Washington,” Alex Ovechkin said. “But Game 7 of the playoffs. The day off certainly helped, with coach Jon since winning the Cup, we have new confidence, new belief. Now it’s Cooper telling them to get away from everything. Brady, who is neighbors gonna be bad news for Tampa.” with Lightning defenseman Ryan McDonagh, passed along the invite and Hathaway’s shorthanded tally early in the third period tied the game 4-4, the group took the six-time Super Bowl champ up on his offer. then Dowd’s first goal of the playoffs proved to be the winner. Dowd “A few of us were a bit starstruck,” Stamkos said. “I mean, when the outmuscled Ryan McDonagh in front and tapped in a perfect pass from GOAT gives you a pep talk, it’s hard not to get fired up.” Whether this becomes a seminal moment in the Lightning journey to the elusive Cup remains to be seen. You have to beat the champs to be the champ, right? The Caps provided a mammoth challenge, using their size to take a lot out of Tampa Bay. Brayden Point is playing through a lower body injury from the Boston series (courtesy of Brad Marchand). Victor Hedman was playing on fumes. And on his way out of Amalie Arena, Tom Wilson challenged Rob Gronkowski, the WWE 24/7 champ, to a match. “We’ll see you in the summer,” Gronkowski said. “After Tampa wins the Cup.”

— Joe Smith

For the first time all playoffs, Alex Ovechkin was at a loss for words.

“I don’t know what to say,” the Capitals captain said, shaking his head. “It hurts.”

The Caps had so many chances, particularly in the final frantic minutes of regulation. Jakub Vrana’s misfire on a breakaway. Ovechkin’ one-timer that rang off the crossbar. Nicklas Backstrom’s wrister that trickled through Andrei Vasilevskiy’s pads before harmlessly skittering past the post.

An inch to the right or left on any of those opportunities and the outcome might have been different. Instead, the visitors’ room at Amalie Arena felt like a morgue.

“One second you’re playing for a trip to the Stanley Cup final,” Backstrom said. “The next second, it’s over.”

This group of Caps had suffered playoff disappointment before. But this one’s gonna leave a scar. The aging core is going to be another year older when it reconvenes in the fall and a salary cap crunch means another round of roster turnover is inevitable.

“It sucks,” T.J. Oshie said. “It was starting to feel a lot like 2018, especially with Vegas waiting on the other side.”

As is customary, three rounds worth of injuries were revealed after the game. Ovechkin had a bone bruise on his knee that he suffered vs. the Blue Jackets. John Carlson had a fractured foot that he sustained blocking a shot against the Penguins. Tom Wilson broke a finger when he knocked out Erik Cernak’s front teeth in Game 4.

“I couldn’t be more proud of the boys,” Wilson said. “We fought through a lot of adversity to get to this point.”

Asked about the postgame incident with Rob Gronkowski, Wilson would only say, “He’s a punk. You can write that.”

— Tarik El-Bashir

The Athletic LOADED: 05.01.2020 1183781 Winnipeg Jets As for what follows, most of the details are in the public domain. When play resumes, likely toward the end of June, teams will convene by division in four host cities then play out the regular-season schedule. It still hasn’t been determined if it will be for the full 82 games. Ed Willes: If we're measuring maybes, Canucks more excited about possibly playing The playoff format, meanwhile, is still up for discussion and there are more than a few under consideration. But consider the following: One league source said the favoured model has the top four teams from each division qualifying for the post-season as opposed to the top three in the Ed Willes division with two wild-cards from the conference.

Given the complications involved with travelling from one host centre to OPINION: As ever this thing can still go about 312 different ways. As another, that also makes sense. ever we’re at the mercy of the pathogen. As of this writing, your Vancouver Canucks occupy the fourth spot in the In today’s world, where news comes wrapped in what-ifs, maybes and Pacific, four points ahead of the Arizona Coyotes with a game in hand. any number of qualifiers, there’s a tendency to oversell the point when Bearing in mind these are the Canucks and anything could happen, the ball oscillates slightly without performing a full revolution. they’d still be in an advantageous position if and when the season resumes. So we’re not going to tell you the NHL teams will be practising by the end of this month and we’re not going to tell you there will be a conclusion to “I haven’t heard that,” Benning said when the divisional scenario was the 2019-20 season. presented.

About the same time the league and the NHLPA issued a statement this Later he said: “When we come out of this we understand not everyone is week that inched things toward that goal, Dr. Anthony Fauci was telling going to be happy with what’s decided.” the New York Times some leagues might have to “bite the bullet” and But they will be busy. Benning said the bulk of his day is spent on the cancel their season. phone discussing the many variables involved in this complex equation As ever this thing can still go about 312 different ways. As ever we’re at that is as much fun as it sounds. the mercy of the pathogen. “Do the teams all stay in one hotel?” he said. “Who do we test? How But, seven weeks into the NHL’s shutdown, we can say this: There is a many times do we test them? There are a million questions and it’s an great momentum and a clear will by the league to salvage something unknown.” from this season. That’s been apparent since Fauci, the main spokesman Maybe, but it could be he’s starting to get some answer to those of the White House’s novel coronavirus task force, first raised the questions. possibility a month ago. The Athletic LOADED: 05.01.2020 Nothing has happened to derail that momentum since.

“I’m optimistic,” said Canucks GM Jim Benning. “I’m hoping. We’re just going to keep monitoring where we are with the government agencies and when it’s safe.

“But I’ve become more optimistic the last week than I was previously. I’m hoping we can get back to business.”

OK, not a lot of meat on that bone. But the point is the NHL is moving beyond the hoping stage, even if it’s unclear where this journey will end.

The league’s statement didn’t exactly break new ground, but it confirmed, publicly, the direction things are moving. While steering clear of anything definitive, it allowed that, if conditions remain favourable, teams would return to small-group activities by mid- to late-May.

Small-group activities, in this case, means practice. As for the timeline, most players would be travelling to Vancouver from out of town and would have to self-isolate for 14 days before they were cleared. Friday is May 1. Fourteen days takes us close to the middle of May.

Suddenly, the possibility that this season will resume doesn’t seem quite as remote.

“We’ve been in close contact with our guys,” Canucks head coach wrote in a text. “We’ve explained how it could happen but there isn’t a timeline right now. They need to be ready though.”

They’ll also be entering a completely different world than the one they left behind.

If the league resumes, the players will move into a hermetically sealed environment that will include their teammates, the coaches, equipment managers, medical people and that’s about it. One league source said the early indication is no more than 40 people would be allowed in the rink during practices. That would be 30 players, five coaches, three equipment guys and a couple of medical people.

I guess doughnuts for the media is out of the question.

The players will also be tested early and often — details about the precise tests and who administers them are among those nagging details that have to be worked out — and won’t be able to mingle with the outside world. This will last two to three weeks.

It’s also just the first stage. 1183782 Websites has playoff aspirations simply assumed that, regardless of which cities are chosen, none of the teams would be playing in their own buildings. So, let’s use Columbus and Minneapolis/St. Paul as two possible The Athletic / Nine major issues being debated by the NHL’s Return to examples. If those cities are given a green light, the expectation from Play committee some NHL executives is that the Blue Jackets and the rest of the Metropolitan Division would be playing elsewhere, as would the Wild and the rest of the Central Division. With no fans expected in sports arenas for months, that’s less an issue. And since all teams, including teams in By Scott Burnside Apr 30, 2020 their respective cities, are expected to be confined to hotels for the duration, the idea of “home ice advantage” is less problematic. For what it’s worth, one league source indicated they don’t think it would Return to Play. It’s not just the name of a new committee formed by the necessarily be a given that teams couldn’t play at home, but since NHL and NHL Players’ Association. It’s a mantra for everyone connected integrity and fairness are crucial, look for some pushback on this matter to the game at a host of levels. from GMs whose teams wouldn’t be playing at “home” and will want a completely level playing field when it comes time to put puck to ice. Return to Play. Training Camp Maybe? The two sides are turning over every stone, floating every possibility and permutation for getting the game back on the ice. Lots of competing dynamics here. A number of players have talked about the fear of jumping back into highly competitive play, whether it’s Possible? Well, that’s a bit more of a moving target. completing the regular season or going right into a playoff tournament, There are major issues confronting the league as it plots a way to finish without adequate opportunities to get into game shape. Fair enough. the 2019-20 regular season and/or hold a playoff tournament to award Reducing the potential for injuries after such a long, unorthodox layoff will the Stanley Cup sometime between now and late fall 2020. be a priority for both sides. The NHL and NHLPA issued a press release on Thursday that indicated that no plans have been finalized vis a vis And just to refresh your memory, here are the members of the Return to return to play formats and the like. The release did indicate that it is Play Committee, which completed its third virtual meeting this week and hopeful players would be able to move into small group activities in club will continue to meet regularly to try and match the reality of the COVID- facilities sometime in mid to late May. The next big hurdle would be 19 world with the hopes of seeing this hockey season resume: From the gathering multiple teams, presumably on a divisional basis, in the same NHL side, there is commissioner Gary Bettman, deputy commissioner Bill city for a more formal training camp. Some executives and players have Daly, Colin Campbell and Steve Hatze Petros. From the NHLPA side suggested that could or should last up to three weeks, although one executive, there is director Donald Fehr, Mathieu Schneider, Don Zavelo, former player and analyst said the idea of a three-week camp was a , and players John Tavares, Connor McDavid, Mark “fantasy” given the bigger picture of getting this process going. Scheifele, James van Riemsdyk and Ron Hainsey. The Schedule The Hub Cities First, whatever they’re paying NHL schedule guru Steve Hatze Petros, Although it’s fun to talk about which cities the league has identified as it’s not enough. If we assume the league settles on four cities where possible centralized sites to hold regular season and playoff games for games can safely be played with the approval of federal and local health multiple teams, it really doesn’t matter unless you’re one of those cities officials, now comes the challenge of figuring out how to get all 31 teams and are looking forward to the bump to the local economy. That’s why the to 82 games, which is the league’s goal. Teams have played between 68 list of cities hoping to land one of these gigs is long. But the reality of the and 71 games, although the good thing if this breaks along divisional COVID-19 pandemic and efforts to bring it under control is that the lines is that no division has more than a two-game swing between most specific cities being considered will change on a weekly if not daily basis and least played. But the league and players seem resigned to scrapping given rates of infection and strain on the local health care system. The what was left of the original schedule and coming up with a schedule of NHL can’t be showing up anywhere where they’ll be a drain on local division-only games that results in all teams finishing at 82. This is going health care resources with the need for testing and possible health care to hurt teams that had a schedule down the stretch that featured games services. So if Columbus looks like a good option now – and it does, as against bottom feeders like Detroit and Ottawa. Carolina, for instance, does Dallas and Toronto and perhaps a dozen or more NHL cities – that had two games against Buffalo and New Jersey, and one against Ottawa could change even as you’re reading this. That’s why the NHL is casting among its 14 remaining games. It was also scheduled for two against a wide net. Each of the cities will have to check the same boxes vis a vis Boston and one against defending Stanley Cup champion St. Louis, so relative safety in terms of testing, adequate practice facilities for teams, it’s not going to be perfect and it’s going to be less fair for teams in the hotel space, restaurants and the like. It’ll just be a matter of which cities Metropolitan and Central Divisions than teams in the Atlantic and Pacific get the go-ahead from local and federal health officials at a time when given that seven of the eight worst teams in the NHL play in the Pacific the NHL is ready to move into full training camps. and Atlantic.

The Testing Also, in figuring out a return to play schedule, will Hatze Petros be able to factor in games already played within the division or not played. Carolina, None of this gets done without the league and players working in for instance, had three more games on its original schedule left to play lockstep with local and federal health officials regardless of the cities in against Pittsburgh. The Penguins were five points ahead of Carolina in question. Both the NHLPA and the NHL have medical officials on the third place in the Metro and the Canes have a game in hand. Do those Return to Play Committee, and deputy commissioner Bill Daly told The games automatically factor into the new schedule? And what if 82 Athletic early on in the process that the league had commissioned an doesn’t work? What is the number that makes more sense in terms of infectious disease specialist to help guide them through the process. regular season games? 78? 76? Suffice it to say, the issue is the same for the NHL as it is for every business everywhere. How do you open even in a limited way and keep One other factor is that multiple sources have confirmed the NHL is everyone safe? There are no sure-fire means to keep the coronavirus at prepared to push the start of the 2020-21 season back as far as bay, but creating the safest environment possible means abundant December 2020 or January 2021. That, along with an open broadcast testing and a plan for isolating anyone who tests positive for COVID-19 calendar for the league’s two national broadcasters (NBC and Sportsnet), along the way, not to mention a plan for what happens to the entire means significant flexibility in scheduling the remaining portion of the process if there are positive tests. Every day brings a new advancement current season and that playoffs could well spill into September or in how to test for antibodies, how to track people who’ve been in contact October. with the virus and, ultimately, when will there be a vaccine. Will any of that be done in time to help facilitate the NHL’s plans for returning to But Why? play? No one knows, but it’s a deal-breaker vis a vis providing the A number of players on teams well outside the playoff bubble have required infrastructure to getting hockey back on the ice. wondered aloud about the motivation to come back and play a handful of Home Ice Advantage? games. Some have suggested a way to make those games relevant for draft lottery positioning, assuming the NHL doesn’t bump up the draft to One GM said that there would be resistance to teams playing in their June before the NHL resumes play – an idea floated by NHL home rinks for extended periods of time. And a second GM whose team commissioner Gary Bettman that is getting serious pushback from NHL GMs. Listen, the motivation or lack thereof is the same every year for process perhaps between the end of the regular season and the start of those teams at the bottom of the standings playing out the string. But the playoffs or between rounds, said a source. those teams don’t stop playing for three months and then get asked to suit up for three weeks. Certainly the quality of play will definitely be a The Athletic LOADED: 05.01.2020 factor, and in those divisions with more bottom-feeders, does it distort the final standings? And what if, as some have suggested, the league would be better served going to an arbitrary number of games, say 76, to speed up the process of establishing your traditional 16-team playoff field. Doesn’t that make it even more pointless for a team like Detroit, with its minus-122 goal differential, to come back for five games? A number of team executives favor going into the playoffs after a long training camp process with an expanded playoff grid – for example, 12 teams per conference with a play-in system. At least motivation wouldn’t be an issue right off the hop. But the league is definitely not looking at this as a priority, in fact, it does appear that it prefers bringing all the teams back for the three weeks or so it would take to complete a full slate of 82 games.

Oh, That’s Why

For a league that is looking at a minimum of a $1 billion loss in revenue if there is no more hockey this season, it’s no secret why there is a push to not just to return in empty building but to have the entire regular season played out: money. Returning to play would be worth anywhere between $350 and $500 million in television sponsorship and media deals to the league, and players and owners split all hockey-related revenues 50-50. So, that’s why.

The Playoffs

If the idea is that teams will be as much as possible wrapped in an airtight bubble in their centralized locale and not moving around, it throws the whole wild-card situation into question. For instance, Florida was three points out of a wild-card spot when the NHL paused with three teams to dislodge to get into a playoff spot. If the league keeps the same format, will the Blue Jackets or the Islanders as the second wild card team go wherever the Atlantic Division is playing to face the Bruins, the presumptive Presidents’ Trophy winners, in the first round? Seems counterintuitive.

But if it’s going to be a straight divisional playoff with first playing fourth and second playing third, how is that fair to the Canes, Blue Jackets, Islanders and Rangers – all of whom had more points than Florida when the league paused? A similar dynamic exists in the Western Conference where Nashville and Winnipeg were the two wild card teams when the season paused, although Vancouver was tied with Winnipeg. Minnesota was a point back, so it’s possible three Central Division teams could finish with more points than Vancouver, but the Canucks would be into a divisional playoff as the fourth-place team in the Pacific.

Integrity is an important factor when the league is considering all of this. But if Florida, a lock to finish fourth in the weak Atlantic, qualifies for the playoffs in the Atlantic but has fewer points than three Metro teams that would be out of the playoffs, that’s more than a little problematic.

What about a best-of-three play-in involving the fourth and fifth place teams in each division? That would at least give deserving Metro and Central Division teams a shot at the postseason, assuming the league is going to have to scrap the wild card for this exercise. Still, one GM said he sees no issue with having one-time travel if needed at the end of the regular season to keep the integrity of the wild-card system. As he noted, you’re going to have travel when you get to the conference final and Stanley Cup final stages anyway and you’re looking at a maximum of two teams having to fly if you followed the normal wild-card format.

The Long Haul

One person familiar with the Return to Play Committee suggested that family issues are going to be absolutely key in coming up with a final plan. Is it right to ask players (and of course staff, coaches, on-ice officials, support staff, media – assuming there will be media allowed to cover these events) to submit to weeks on end of virtual quarantine? The status of a vaccine, antibody testing, trace testing and the like in late summer will determine just how tight the net will need to be, but it does seem illogical to suggest that people who may have wives who are pregnant, spouses or children with a medical condition to simply agree to be locked down without any option for visiting during the process. Toronto captain John Tavares, who is a member of the Return to Play Committee, mentioned this in his conversation with Pierre LeBrun this week. Could it be a deal-breaker? Maybe not, but it’s also an issue that will be front and center for players, which is why it might be critical to build-in some closely monitored family time at obvious breaks in the 1183783 Websites gold medal, Claude Julien had been tutored by 12 different men as a pro player.

The guy who hired him for his first paid coaching gig, with the Ottawa Jr. The Athletic / How coach Jack ‘Tex’ Evans helped build a foundation of Senators of the Central Junior Hockey League, was a young wunderkind more than 3,000 NHL wins named Pierre Dorion.

You may have heard of him.

By Sean Gordon Apr 30, 2020 Julien has said he decided to go into coaching because it was either that or work for his dad’s roofing company in Navan, Ont.; judging by the fact his older brother Rick and sister Natalie would later coach high-level youth and junior hockey, there may have been other forces at play. The first thing new players usually noticed when they hopped onto the ice for practice was the coach’s hands. When The Athletic asked Julien recently about which of his numerous coaches had the greatest influence on the bench boss he would become, Hockey gloves are an essential piece of equipment, players always wear he said this: them and so do coaches. Well, except for Jack “Tex” Evans. “You kind of appreciate a little bit of everything from each coach. So you “He used to wear, like, gardening gloves,” said John Anderson, a former do grab something from those people,” he said. “But at the end of the Hartford Whalers forward and head coach. day, when you become coach, you’ve got to become yourself. Presumably, a comfort thing? “You can’t try and be somebody else, but you can take things from “I was never brave enough to ask him (why),” said Blue Jackets assistant somebody else that make sense and fit in well with your personality, with coach Paul MacLean, who played for Evans in the St. Louis Blues’ minor your approach to coaching and all that kind of stuff.” league system. Then, he added an exception. The second Evans attribute that invariably comes up: his communication “The one guy I do talk of a little bit is I played for Jack ‘Tex’ Evans when I style — or lack thereof. first turned pro, when I was on St. Louis’ farm team, which was Salt Lake “He barely talked at all. The first 15 minutes of practice was all hand City in the old Central League.” signals,” recalled TSN broadcaster , who played for Evans in That was in 1981-82, the Golden Eagles were coming off a championship Hartford in the mid-1980s. “He’d stand at the blue line, and that’s how season; MacLean had been a major part of it, but was traded not long you knew practice was starting.” before Julien arrived. As players skated in circles to warm up, Evans would gently tap the line Had he stayed in the Blues’ system, Evans’ team that year would have with his stick, which was the cue for his guys to go all out to the next blue boasted three future Jack Adams winners: MacLean, Julien, and a hard- line, or around the zone behind the net to the line; it all depended on edged young defenceman named Alain Vigneault. where he was standing, everybody understood what he wanted. That’s in addition to future Hall of Famer Joe Mullen (later an assistant Eventually, he’d hold up a hand and twirl his index finger. Reverse coach in Pittsburgh, among other places) and the late NHL assistant course and do it in the other direction, fellas. Mark Reeds, ECHL head man Alain Lemieux (whose little brother Mario If you were a new guy, it was all a little confusing. could play a little), and future U.S. national under-18 coach Bob Crawford (brother of Marc). “The first time I got on the ice, I asked (Kevin) Dineen ‘what the hell am I supposed to do?’ and he told me not to worry, just follow everyone else,” So, exactly what was it about the man that created such fertile ground for laughed Anderson, whose most recent hockey job was as an assistant to coaching careers? in Minnesota. “He was himself, and that’s why everyone “He was a real soft-spoken guy, but he was tough,” said Julien. “When loved him.” you look back at the history of Tex Evans as a player and all that, he was “If you talked to 15 guys who played for him, they’d all speak very fondly as tough as nails, and he looked like he was as tough as nails. But he about Tex,” added Ferraro. had a demeanour about him that you respected.”

Evans, who died of prostate cancer in 1996, was a man of few words, but Tough, you say? in the 1,238 professional games he coached (614 of them in the NHL), “He looked like he’d been through the wars, he’s not a guy who needed he inspired a loyalty — and a coaching legacy — that endures. to elaborate,” said MacLean. Six of the 31 current NHL head coaches once played for Evans: Rick OK, but let’s elaborate. Bowness in Dallas; Dean Evason in Minnesota; Joel Quenneville in Florida; the Oilers’ Dave Tippett; Alain Vigneault in Philadelphia; and the , the indefatigable New York hockey writer, once wrote “only Canadiens’ Claude Julien. two players that I know of ever fought Gordie Howe to a draw. Fred (Ferocious) Shero in 1946-47 and Evans a decade later. If you’re keeping score, former Evans charges have coached more than 6,400 NHL games and have racked up more than 3,300 wins and three “Throughout his career, Jack played a quiet, tough defense, often Jack Adams trophies — and counting. teamed with (Hall of Famer) Harry Howell. One of the few players unafraid to take Tex on in a bout was Howe, and they slugged away for a Add in assistants and the list grows, including MacLean (whose resume couple of minutes in the left corner of old Madison Square Garden — also boasts 239 games as an NHL head coach) and fellow Columbus resulting in a perfect draw. I watched the bout from Section 333, Row E, assistant Brad Shaw. Dineen, who coached the Florida Panthers for two Seat 5 of The Garden’s End Balcony.” seasons, is currently the head coach of the AHL’s . Ulf Samuelsson, a former assistant under Quenneville in Chicago, is Unafraid to duke it out with the singularly frightening Mr. Hockey: check. coaching in Sweden. The post-war NHL was a far more Hobbesian deal than it is today; it’s Current NHL GMs Jim Nill and Ron Francis also played for Evans. As did easy to forget how brutal the old days were, and so we do. longtime Sabres GM . We could go on. To wit: in the early 1950s, Evans was playing for the “If Tex ever had to give a speech about that list, it would have been the of the Western Hockey League, then a minor-pro circuit, when he had an shortest speech on record,” said Ferraro. “He was never the focus, that’s infamous coming together with Larry Zeidel of the Edmonton Flyers. just how he was. … Zeidel was, well, a bit of a nut job; his go-to move appears to have been “It was never, ever about him.” swinging his stick at opponents’ heads, which earned him at least three suspensions. Slap Shot’s Tim ‘Dr. Hook’ McCracken had nothing on On the day he embarked on the coaching journey that would lead him to Larry. the Jack Adams Trophy, a Stanley Cup championship and an Olympic Hockey historian Jim Amodeo chronicled Zeidel’s hair-raising exploits in been the only time in the years I played for him that we went the full a 2014 blog post. Here’s the part most relevant to our purposes. hour.”

“While playing for Edmonton in the WHL, Zeidel and Jack Evans teed-off The boss paid good money for this ice, we need to show we’re going to on each other. ‘Evans and Zeidel stood off about four feet and started use it. (Francis and Evans played together in the minors in the late swinging at each other,’ (Edmonton Flyers ’54-’55) told the 1940s, and would remain lifelong friends.) Hockey News in 1958. ‘Finally they broke the sticks over one another’s head. Then they started to spear each other with the jagged ends. Both The second way in which he was an innovator: he kept his lines together. caught about 19 stitches. The ice was covered in blood. It was terrible’.” That part was fairly common, but the added wrinkle is he left it entirely up to the players to decide how they were going to play. Which wasn’t. Willing to exchange jabs with an absolute maniac using bloodied, broken sticks: check. “He allowed you to establish your own way of playing,” said MacLean. “He would put together lines and defensive pairs with people he thought “You liked him, but at the same time you feared him when it was time to were complementary, but he wouldn’t tell you to play a certain way. He’d fear him,” said Julien. “So I really liked that demeanour of his, because put you with people he thought you could play with. Then you as a line he could laugh with you, he was a soft-spoken guy. I remember sitting had to figure out the rest, it really put the responsibility on the players. next to him on the plane – we used to go commercial back in those days Maybe that’s where (the coaching inspiration) comes from. You had to – sitting next to him having a great conversation. Really soft-spoken.” use your own mind, you had to work with others.”

In an era of frothing yellers, Evans was as placid as a mountain lake. OK, so he was an innovator: check.

He’d stand behind the bench, with a program rolled up in one hand, Perhaps the most important bit is that his methods actually worked. tapping it against the other. Mostly he was stoic. But not always. Evans coached his first championship team in 1974-75 in Salt Lake, it “I remember there was a fight in front of our bench one time, and Claude was just his third season as a pro coach (although he’d been a player- Larose, he was Jack’s assistant in Hartford, kind of reached out to help assistant for the final four seasons of his career, which he played in the out our guy and in the process he got the sleeve of his suit jacket ripped minors). off. At the shoulder. Came clean off,” said Anderson, “and I looked back and Jack was actually smiling and laughing.” That earned him a look with the ; the following season the team moved to Cleveland and he went with them. In 1978 the Rare events are often memorable. Barons, who were very bad, folded (and their remnants were combined with the Minnesota North Stars), so Tex went back to Utah. In Evans’ Salt Lake days, there were no assistant coaches (although a few of the veterans may as well have been), and Tex would run the The Golden Eagles went to the final that year; bench on his own, calling out lines and defensive pairs, figuring out the next year they won it, and repeated the following season. match-ups. Occasionally there might be a quiet word with someone over an egregious mistake, but that was it. Evans also won a fair bit as a player.

An Xs and Os guy, Evans was not. In 1948, he played in the Memorial Cup with the Lethbridge Maple Leafs; the accomplishment stands in sharper relief when you learn he was 14 “If we’d get a power play, his only instruction was basically ‘boys, go when he laced up a pair of skates for the first time. score us a goal’,” said MacLean. That was in Drumheller, Alta.; Evans was actually born in Wales (he’s Because he said so little, his players tended to pay attention when he did one of only four players from the country to reach the NHL) and his family speak. moved to Canada to take advantage of a coal-mining boom in southern Alberta in the late 1930s. “When he got mad in the dressing room, like, you sat back and you knew he meant it,” said Julien. Evans spoke only Welsh as a child, one version of the story goes he came to be known as ‘Tex’ because of his penchant for his slow, MacLean tells a story about how Evans reacted when the team was exaggerated English elocution. There’s a competing tale that traces the mired in a losing streak in the 1980-81 season. nickname to a team party where he broke character and started hopping He ground them into the ice for two hours, no pucks, no nets. around using a broom as a horse. The political columnist Paul Wells has a rule that we can probably apply here: for any given situation, Canadian “Afterward he came into the room and he was mad, ‘I just made you guys politics will tend toward the least exciting popular outcome. So the former skate for two hours and nobody said a thing to me, where’s your fight, version, being the least colourful, is probably the correct one. where’s your leadership?’” MacLean said. “Well, the next day he started practice the same way, and it wasn’t long before guys started cursing at He also won in the NHL. him. He seemed to enjoy that, actually.” Evans was with the Chicago Blackhawks when they lifted the Stanley The losing string was swiftly snapped; the club ended up going all the Cup in 1961, and played a key role in ending a 22-year drought. The way. Canadiens had won five straight titles going into those playoffs, but Evans caught Jean Béliveau with a clean, hard check in the semi-finals Evans’ former players will tell you about the intense loyalty he instilled, and knocked him out of the playoffs. Chicago would thus eliminate and that was really his particular brand of alchemy. He would get the heavily-favoured Montreal. most out of his players by not asking for it (or anything, really, beyond an honest effort). A few decades later, he returned to Chicago with his youthful Whalers. Ferraro remembers coming across a picture where Evans is smiling with Also, he had a natural feel for bench management. Bobby Hull, and the Cup.

“He really had a gift for having the right guys on the ice at the right time,” “You know your boss as you know him, there’s no before,” he said. “And said Ferraro. you have to remember this is before the Internet, there was no way to Google or anything. So there’s Tex with the Cup and the Golden Jet, and And he tended to be a creature of habit. when I asked him about it, all he said was ‘it’s always important to know MacLean said the Golden Eagles basically had one set of practice drills, who’s in the picture’.” and they repeated them in sequence all season long. That much is true. Evans was also a precursor in two aspects of coaching. Facet the first: Evans was temperamentally unsuited to dwelling on past glories, and he kept his practices short and intense. That’s become the norm, partly that’s basically the approach he took with his minor-league teams, and because exercise science recommends it, but it wasn’t back then. with the Whalers. “There was one day when (Hartford GM) Emile Francis was in the stands When Hartford unexpectedly clinched a playoff spot in 1985-86, there watching practice, and Jack called us over and said ‘guys, the Cat is here was no rousing speech from the coach, no ‘band of brothers are we’ so I’m going to have to skate you an extra couple of minutes to show him appeal to the heartstrings. we’re using our ice time right to the end’,” Anderson said. “That may have “He might – might – have said something like ‘I’m really proud of you guys’,” said Ferraro.

Tex was thinking ahead to the first-round series against the powerful . His team would win in an upset.

These are the types of narratives that forge lasting bonds, and Evans seemed to author them pretty well everywhere he passed.

His tenure in Hartford came to an unceremonious end, as these things always do; if can get fired, anyone can.

But he left his mark.

Anderson recalls that at one point during his Whalers years he gave an interview where he was asked if he’d consider going into coaching one day. Sure, he said.

The next day, he discovered a pair of leather gardening gloves in his stall.

The Athletic LOADED: 05.01.2020 1183784 Websites The pie gets shared more equally. You may respect that on a socio- cultural level, but from a purely economical perspective, I never felt it was equitable. Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin have not been paid what they truly have been worth for what they’ve brought to the NHL over the The Athletic / LeBrun: NHL, NHLPA to resume CBA extension past 15 years. That’s my opinion. You can disagree if you want. negotiations soon In any case, Overhardt’s proposal won’t find an eager audience at the NHL head office. It basically calls for a loosening of the hard cap system (some big-market teams wouldn’t mind it but the vast majority would say By Pierre LeBrun May 1, 2020 no thanks).

Commissioner Gary Bettman didn’t lock out the players for an entire year The NHL and NHL Players’ Association have “re-engaged on the in 2004-05 and half a year in 2012-13 just so he could now turn back the intention” to resume full-fledged CBA talks, according to sources. clock and loosen the grip on the hard-cap, 50-50 HRR split system he fought for. When exactly those talks will re-start hasn’t been nailed down, there’s a lot going on these days after all, but both sides have agreed it’s time to If anything, with owners taking a hit financially right now and for the get the ball rolling again on larger-level CBA talks soon enough. foreseeable future, this is exactly the time when Bettman will be thankful for that hard cap system. We can debate season re-start scenarios and formats and issues with playing in a bubble city, but the most important conversation in the NHL In fact, in checking with a few NHL governors regarding Overhardt’s is going to be about extending the collective bargaining agreement. proposal, the basic sentiment in response was that it’s about the “worst time ever” to propose a loosening of the cap system, as one governor put I made this point back on March 31 in a column, stressing the paramount it. importance of labour piece finally finding the NHL. I do like the creativity in Overhardt’s efforts. He’s a smart guy. We’re A little refresher: both sides had resumed CBA talks in the New Year but going to need outside-the-box thinking in this CBA negotiation/extension. obviously those larger-scale talks went on hold once the pandemic hit. The league and NHLPA had way more pressing matters to figure out at But unless the players were willing to sit out a year, I can’t imagine first, and even now the urgency remains as far as finding a path together Bettman ever loosening up in a meaningful way on the 50-50 HRR through all this uncertainty. split/hard cap system.

There’s still a lot to manage right now, which is why CBA talks haven’t So, where does that leave everyone? How does a revamped system resumed yet in an official capacity. make sense of both the short and long term needs of the industry for both sides? I say “official” because, in reality, the back and forth that the league and NHLPA have had over the past month over all kinds of issues related to From a players’ perspective, I have to think finding a way to limit escrow the pause and potential re-start are in many ways CBA discussions by long term, finding a way to collect a closer percentage of their actual their very definition. They involve CBA matters and potential changes. negotiated salaries has to be, as always, of utmost importance. But perhaps more than ever on that front with revenues taking a hit. So perhaps it’s semantics. But resuming CBA talks on a macro level is what we’re talking about here. From the owners/league perspective, I can see a push to eliminate the front-loaded nature of many big contracts and all those massive July 1 But there are ways to approach things at both micro and macro levels, bonus payments, which the league feels exacerbates the escrow the micro being the creation of the NHL-NHLPA Return to Play problem anyway because the 50-50 split is calculated on cash, not on Committee, which has met (virtually) three times now and will continue to AAV. speak regularly as it attempts to hash out all the many issues and hurdles in a season resumption that could take place anywhere from July In other words, I can see the league pushing for player contracts to be to October. flattened out so the actual year by year compensation mirrors the AAV.

The macro is what truly matters, though, at least in my mind. As I wrote There are all kinds of issues both sides are going to need to iron out in a back in March, only long-term stability in a CBA can help smooth over the CBA extension. It won’t be easy. But the realistic consequences of not short-term chaos that will come from NHL revenues taking this kind of hit. finding a way should scare the hell out of both owners and players alike.

Again, if the players want to find a way to defer or spread out their Let me repeat what I said in March: labour peace in this new world is an exorbitant escrow debt coming out of this mess, a long-term agreement absolute must for the NHL and NHLPA. There is no other viable is the way to go. alternative.

That there’s equal motivation from both sides in trying to extend the CBA The Athletic LOADED: 05.01.2020 in the current climate is clear in the many conversations I’ve had over the past month on the subject.

Owners and players both know they can’t wage a CBA battle and miss more games when the document expires in September 2022. That would be a complete disaster for the NHL industry, given the damage which will already be incurred by virtue of the pandemic.

But where it gets complicated, of course, is marrying good intentions to a final result. When these CBA negotiations soon resume, will both sides realize they had different interpretations of long-term solutions or will they be largely on the same page?

Veteran player agent Kurt Overhardt certainly raised eyebrows this week when he published a proposal for a system change which colleague Craig Custance dug into here.

Long story short, Overhardt’s idea is to loosen the salary cap for one exceptional player per club so that teams could more easily get under a salary cap which undoubtedly isn’t going to go up anytime soon.

I’m on record saying the top players in the NHL don’t earn what they should. As I’ve said before, I think Connor McDavid should make $20 million a year, not $12.5 million. He’s that important. He sells that many tickets. But the NHL has a different culture. Instead of paying the superstars what they should earn, hockey overpays the support players. 1183785 Websites Vaughan Kings before being named to the year-end OHL Cup’s all-star team. But when Perfetti was selected fifth overall in the 2018 OHL draft, Cornacchia believed he should’ve gone even higher.

The Athletic / ‘He’s the best player in this draft’: Cole Perfetti was raised He knew that Perfetti wasn’t just the most talented player on the ice, but for this that he’d also learned, from a young age, how to work hard. In the offseason, Perfetti would always text Cornacchia to find out the start times, so that he could be the first one to the rink.

By Scott Wheeler May 1, 2020 “He has studied the game. And that’s reflective in the type of game he plays,” Cornacchia said. “He’s able to slow the game down and just

control the game. Watching him play minor hockey and all the doubt and Cole Perfetti never had a biological brother. But for as long as he can the people who’ve suggested ‘he’s this’ or ‘he’s that’ and yet I’ve never remember, he’s always had billet brothers. seen him get hit or lose pucks. He just makes everyone around him better and that translates to the pro game, the ability to recognize what He remembers the day, a couple of months before his 6th birthday, when your teammates are doing and where they’re going.” a 16-year-old Andy Andreoff moved into his house. Andreoff was joining the for the back half of the 2007-08 season, his first in While Andreoff billeted with him, Perfetti also got to know one of his the league, and the Perfettis, based out of nearby Whitby, Ont., had Generals teammates, Nick Quinn. When Quinn’s OHL career ended he decided they’d house players for the local OHL club. helped launch Power Edge Pro, a skills training service that now boasts many of the world’s best as clients, including Connor McDavid and John In the five seasons that followed, Perfetti watched as his big billet brother Tavares. Perfetti has been one of his students for the past five years. became one of the Generals’ best players and a third-round pick of the Los Angeles Kings. Not long after Andreoff moved in, Generals winger After watching Perfetti go crossbar and in on older goalies in his very first Jeff Brown followed. Then came Cole Cassels, a would-be third-round PEP session, Quinn remembers thinking “Who the hell is this kid?” pick of the Vancouver Canucks. In groups with hockey’s best young players, from 2019 first overall pick Today, more than a decade after Andreoff joined his family, Perfetti is Jack Hughes to fellow top 2020 prospects like Quinton Byfield and Jamie poised to surpass his first big brother. He’s the Saginaw Spirit’s superstar Drysdale — or future sensation Shane Wright — there were times when and a potential top-five pick in the 2020 NHL Draft. And though he didn’t Perfetti could make plays in traffic or at top speed that his peers couldn’t. realize it at the time, Perfetti’s childhood prepared him for everything that “He was just that good. He’s a total new age player. He’s going to be a has come — and all that will follow. dominant player,” Quinn said. “And he’s not fazed by much. He’s going to From age 6 to 11, Andreoff was Perfetti’s idol. excel at the next level because pressure doesn’t seem to get to him. Most players going into their draft year, they tighten up, and he’s just Mr. Andreoff went out of his way to include Perfetti in everything he did, Cool. It doesn’t matter what the moment is.” asking him daily if he wanted to play mini sticks, video games or basketball. Off the ice, Quinn also saw shades of his old teammate in Perfetti.

“That made me feel special and like a rock star in a way, because an “Andy is just a genuinely great guy, a leader, and living with Cole, I bet OHLer was asking me to hang out. It was unreal for me. It was he made a real big difference. Andy was first to the rink and last to go unbelievable,” Perfetti said. “I looked up to him and I thought he was the home when I played with him. That can wear off on a kid like Cole,” greatest thing. I wanted to be like him.” Quinn said. “Cole’s just a humble kid and you don’t always get that in the hockey world.” Perfetti doesn’t know exactly when he realized he was following in Andreoff’s footsteps, but he figures it was at one of the annual world Perfetti first blew away Spirit head coach Chris Lazary when he coached selects invitational tournaments. By then, Perfetti was already a minor against the 10-year-old version of his future star in a spring tournament. hockey star of his own, playing a year above his age group for the local When Perfetti arrived in Saginaw for his first development camp, the 16- Whitby Wildcats. But the invitational exposed him to players from Russia, year-old version quickly reminded his new coach why. Finland and Sweden, and when he still led the tournament in scoring he “About one shift in we could tell he was different and we were lucky to get knew he could grow up to be just like Andreoff. him fifth overall,” Lazary said. “The second you got your hands on him “When he was in his overage year and I was 11 and hockey started to you just realized he was world class and that he was already so far become a little more serious for me, I started paying attention to what he ahead of his peers and developed with his brain. It was like having a pro did and how he carried himself and there’s a lot to learn from that,” hockey player’s intelligence in a junior game.” Perfetti said. At that same development camp, general manager Dave Drinkill was By his first of two years of minor midget AAA hockey, Perfetti had impressed by something else about Perfetti: his maturity and the way he decided he was going to do whatever it took to make a career out of it. It spoke to adults. Perfetti knew where he wanted to go and the kind of didn’t take everyone else quite as long to realize Perfetti was special, person he wanted to be along the way, something Drinkill said many though. prospects of his notoriety lack.

Perfetti was one of the first players former NHL player and AHL coach “He’s an unbelievable human being first and foremost,” Drinkill said. Cam Stewart noticed when he started his career as an agent with KO “He’s very well-spoken, smart in the classroom, he’s a mid-to-high 90s Sports. Before Perfetti was selected in the OHL draft, Stewart saw a kid student, he manages his time, and yet he can be one of the guys in the who conducted himself like a junior hockey player — and worked at his room. When he goes for dinner, the guys want to follow. But he doesn’t craft like one too. act like he’s better than anybody else ever.”

“Those things were ingrained in him. The crazy part of our business and That first season, veteran players quickly began approaching Lazary to the part I wish would change is how early we have to talk to these young ask if they could be Perfetti’s linemate, having quickly realized their men. And just talking to Cole, he’s very comfortable in a public situation, youngest players was also their best. When Perfetti followed that let’s just put it that way,” Stewart said with a laugh. “Word was on the development camp with a 74-point rookie season to lead the Spirit — and street.” all of the OHL under-17 players — in scoring, nobody was surprised.

It didn’t take long for Andreoff to notice his little brother had it, either. By the end of the 2018-19 season, Lazary believed Perfetti would go first or second overall if they did the OHL draft over. “The thing with Cole is that even from 6 to 11, he was such a smart kid. When he would come to my games, he would know every little stat, all And when Perfetti finished second in the CHL in scoring this year, his the rules, exactly what was going on.” Andreoff said. “It was impressive.” NHL draft year, with 111 points in 61 games, nobody was surprised by that, either. Just like they weren’t surprised when he scored five goals — Around the time Andreoff moved in, Perfetti had also been introduced to two in regulation and three more in the shootout — in Canada’s semifinal Anthony Cornacchia, a local skills coach who continues to work with him win over Team Sweden at the 2019 , which he led in today. Cornacchia said he knew very early on that Perfetti was different. scoring with 12 points in five games. In his OHL draft year, Perfetti posted 124 points in 61 games with the Lazary says Perfetti is the OHL’s best player off the rush. He says there “And he has literally gone about that himself quietly,” Lazary said. “He isn’t another player in junior hockey who scans zones to identify how just gets it. Especially as an elite player, he understands there’s a opposing defence might try to squeeze him as well as Perfetti does, responsibility to give back and to make others around you feel important.” either. As part of Perfetti’s new efforts, Fett’s Friends has delivered pizza and “Whatever you give him, he just makes his decision off of that. I’ve Tim Hortons to the hospital in recent weeks. He says it’s the least he can probably never coached a better player in all my years who understands do and points to everything he has learned about himself through his where guys are around him and how to break down coverage,” Lazary time spent visiting the hospital, particularly its paediatric ward. said. “Then you add his natural ability to make a pass and play through traffic and it’s special.” “The front-line health care workers especially are getting worked to starvation and pushed to the limit and it’s not fair to them. We’re sitting at There were times in video sessions this year where Lazary admits that home, relaxing and watching TV while they’re putting their families lives Perfetti was three steps ahead of him. In one session in particular, when and their lives on the line to work to exhaustion to save others,” Perfetti Lazary opened up the floor to let Perfetti walk him through his shifts, he said. “I want to stay connected to the community and make a difference marvelled at how far ahead Perfetti was seeing. in Saginaw and this is one tiny thing I think we can do to help them and make the doctors’ lives easier.” “When he comes over our blue line, he already knows what’s going to hit him at their blue line. It’s insane to see a player of that mental capacity. Today, Perfetti has gone from being the little billet brother to being the You learn a lot as a coach, I’ll tell you that,” Lazary said. big one in his home away from home in Saginaw with the Bordeaux family and their son Cooper. Despite a record-breaking season in Saginaw, questions from outsiders of size and speed have followed Perfetti. “Cooper is a young player and he has taken him under his wing,” Drinkill said. “Honestly, knowing Cooper before Cole got there and knowing him When the outbreak of COVID-19 ended Perfetti’s draft year early, NHL now, you can see how Cole has rubbed off on Coop.” Central Scouting had him ranked fifth among North American skaters. But those who know the now 18-year-old and his game best, believe he When talking about the people who have impacted the way he carries doesn’t get the respect he deserves. himself, Perfetti always comes back to Andreoff. He bonded with Brown and Cassels, but he was older then. His connection with Andreoff has “I think there are some teams between one to five that if they don’t pick always existed on a different level. He wants to go out of his way to hang him they’re going to be disappointed,” Quinn said. out with Bordeaux, just like Andreoff went out of his way with him.

When Quinn watches Perfetti play, he doesn’t see someone who is “I got to see how he was with me and set an example of how to treat your defined by being 5-foot-10. billet family,” Perfetti said. “Andy definitely taught me how to be a good “You look at the game now and you don’t have to be big to play and brother.” Cole’s not small by any means. The next level isn’t going to intimidate Andreoff, now with the Flyers organization, has continued to keep close him at all,” Quinn said. “The less space there is the better he seems to tabs on Perfetti’s career. When he’s not busy with his professional career play and that’s where the NHL seems to be going.” in the NHL and AHL, Andreoff carves out time to watch the Spirit play. Lazary believes that speed and strength disappear once you’re in the Andreoff has watched all of his little brother’s games with Team Canada, offensive zone. too. He usually calls him once a month. And when they’re both home during the offseason, Andreoff lives 15 minutes from the Perfetti home “It does not matter if you’re faster. It matters how you think and process and often drops in to say hello. and break teams down and cut laterally. And I don’t think there’s a better player in this draft than Cole Perfetti at doing that. I know I’m his coach Though he’s not sure what form the draft will take, Perfetti said he would but I think he’s the best player in this draft because of that,” Lazary said. rather delay his big day if it means he can walk across the stage. He wants to go up and put his jersey on, take his photo and do his interviews “I try to picture him at 24 or 25 with his skill set as he gets stronger, like with the media, just like his billet brothers did. who will be a better player than Cole Perfetti? To me, it’s nobody.” It’s also not lost on Perfetti or Andreoff that the Kings will have one of the In the days after cancellation, Perfetti called Cornacchia to ask if he had top picks in the draft. a hockey net he could borrow so that he could shoot pucks at home. He spends an hour and a half a day working out at home too. And though he “That would be crazy if the Kings drafted both of us,” Andreoff said. “I hasn’t been on the ice since March 11, the day before the season was hope one day we play against each other or on the same team. first paused, Perfetti feels like he has made real progress in the weeks Whatever organization he ends up in, they’re getting an elite player. He’s since. got a long career ahead of him.”

“Having the season end so quickly sucks but it’s also a blessing in The Athletic LOADED: 05.01.2020 disguise for myself because one thing that I need to do this summer if I want to make the jump is get stronger,” Perfetti said. “With the way the game is going you don’t have to be the biggest, you have to be smart and skilled. I can think at the NHL level. Now I just need to get the speed and strength of the NHL level.”

Though Drinkill wants his best player back in Saginaw next season, he’s not convinced that will happen. He, too, thinks Perfetti has a good chance at making the jump.

“When he gets to the NHL level, a lot of guys are going to think like him,” Drinkill said. “He could start excelling because players will get to spots they normally don’t get to for him … It wouldn’t surprise me at all if he stuck.”

When he’s not training, Perfetti has dedicated much of his offseason to Fett’s Friends, a foundation he started with the Spirit.

After the season ended, Perfetti approached Spirits staff and ownership about expanding the foundation, which has worked closely with the local hospital, the Covenant Medical Center, to begin supporting area doctors and nurses directly. He has found ways to raise new money and contributed from his own pocket to buy meals for workers on the frontline of this health crisis. 1183786 Websites Tier 2: Still wrong but at least in the ballpark These were all wrong, but if you squint at them just right you can at least

see what I was going for. The Athletic / Down Goes Brown: Revisiting oddly specific predictions, Columbus Blue Jackets: I had Joonas Korpisalo getting his second which were (almost) all wrong shutout for the Blue Jackets before Sergei Bobrovsky could manage his first for the Panthers. He didn’t – Bobrovsky got there first, on Nov. 2. But that was the highly paid Bobrovsky’s only shutout of the season, and By Sean McIndoe May 1, 2020 Korpisalo finished with two despite losing the starter’s job, so I at least had the ratio right.

Calgary Flames: In one of my most out-there predictions, I said they’d be There’s been a recent trend on The Athletic’s hockey pages in which on the receiving end of a goal against from an opposing goaltender. They writers take a look back at their preseason predictions to see how they weren’t, but the NHL did see the first goalie goal in six years. I was off by did. There’s value in that – anyone can make predictions, but you have to one in the Western Conference alphabetical list, though, as Pekka face the music on what you got wrong if you’re going to enjoy a victory Rinne’s goal came against Chicago, not Calgary. lap or two on the ones you got right. Nashville Predators: I jokingly suggested that Matt Duchene would finally I want in. But there’s a problem: My preseason predictions are a little bit make it all the way through a season without being traded, then added … different. I’ve made an annual habit of making oddly specific my actual prediction that Kyle Turris wouldn’t. One for two. predictions for each team, ones that involve an exact number or a precise game or somebody doing something in a very convoluted way. Washington Capitals: I predicted that Tom Wilson would make it to January before getting suspended. It turns out I had the wrong winger Why do it that way? I’ve asked myself that question more than once, but from the Caps top line; Alex Ovechkin took a January suspension (for think of it this way: Everyone else’s predictions are them trying to sink missing the All-Star game), while Wilson stayed out of trouble all year. free throws and three-pointers while I’m the guy doing behind-the-back trick shots. From half court. Sometimes blindfolded. I’m going to miss Tier 3: Not just wrong but embarrassingly wrong pretty much every time, but if I ever sink one then I’ll make sure you never hear the end of it. It’s hard to write a prediction post where the whole schtick is that the picks will all be incorrect and still find a way to be so wrong that you feel And every now and then, I do manage to hit one. Last season, I mapped deep shame. Hard, but not impossible. out the Blue Jackets’ entire midseason roster plan before it happened. A few years before that, I had the Canadiens firing their coach midway New Jersey Devils: I compared Jack Hughes to and then through the season but still making the playoffs. Swish. predicted he’d score on his second NHL shift. Instead, he went seven games and roughly 130 shifts before finally getting his first goal. For now But most of the time, I’m lucky if I can get near the backboard. More at least, he is no longer being compared to Mario Lemieux. often, there are airballs. Occasionally I break a window. Have I sufficiently beaten this metaphor into the ground? I think I have, let’s Detroit Red Wings: Jimmy Howard was not traded, to the Sharks or move on. anyone else. Given how his season went, he may have been the most untradable player in the league. So how did I do this year? Let’s all take a moment to lower our expectations and then go through the list of this season’s predictions to Montreal Canadiens: I had Jonathan Drouin down for “60ish” points. That find out. “ish” could do some work for me if I’d been close, but I was not. He ended up with 15 and even if he’d stayed healthy he was on pace for Tier 1: Just plain wrong something in the 40s. That’s awfulish.

You miss 100 percent of the shots you don’t take. When it comes to Pittsburgh Penguins: I thought that Alex Galchenyuk would be a good fit oddly specific predictions, I also miss 90 percent of the shots I do take. with Evgeni Malkin and penciled him in for 25 goals. Woof. Not only did There’s not much more to say here. In fact, let’s all just skip this section. he get to the pause with just eight but some of them came with the Wild after the Penguins gave up on him and shipped him out at pretty much Vegas Golden Knights: They didn’t open the season by killing off a five- the first opportunity. minute major against the Sharks. Tier 4: Partial credit Florida Panthers: They didn’t sweep their season-opening home-and- home with the Lightning. These certainly weren’t right, but they weren’t completely wrong. As my kids would say while rolling their eyes at me, “you tried.” Anaheim Ducks: John Gibson did not finish with a career high in points, or in fact any points at all. Buffalo Sabres: I predicted that they’d reach the end of October tied with the Bills at five wins each. They blew past that total and had nine wins by Ottawa Senators: Their opening night game against the Leafs did not end the end of the month. But the Bills were indeed 5-2. The lesson: I’m in a shootout. apparently better at predicting the NFL than the NHL. New York Islanders: They didn’t finish exactly in the middle of the league Colorado Avalanche: I picked Cale Makar as a Calder finalist, which in goals allowed; when the season paused, they were sixth. seemed like a braver call back when we all assumed Jack Hughes and Chicago Blackhawks: They did not finish third in the Central or come Kaapo Kakko had two of the spots locked down. But I went further and especially close. (In fairness, though, this was a strategic pick after pick Makar to finish second. He’s probably going to finish first but if Quinn Hawks fans were furious at me for correctly pegging them as bottom- Hughes can pull off the upset then this one will be mostly right. feeders a week earlier.) Toronto Maple Leafs: I predicted that at some point during the season Minnesota Wild: Jason Zucker didn’t finish with 59 points, and at 41 they’d lose a game on home ice to a 40-something emergency backup points at the pause he wasn’t on pace to get all that close even factoring goalie that they employed as a part-time popcorn vendor. Not quite, in his trade to the Penguins. dummy, it was a Zamboni driver.

Boston Bruins: Don Sweeney didn’t pull off a trade in October, November Arizona Coyotes: After Niklas Hjalmarsson was the only skater to play a or December for the first time in his career as a GM. full 2018-19 season without scoring, I predicted that he’d crack the goose egg early with a goal on Oct. 19. I was actually too conservative – he got Dallas Stars: Corey Perry did not have two goals in his Stars debut. his first (and only) goal of the season nine days earlier.

New York Rangers: Artemi Panarin did not score a hat trick against Philadelphia Flyers: Another case of being too late on an October former teammate Sergei Bobrovsky on Nov. 10. prediction, this one had Carter Hart getting his first career shutout on Oct. 24. His only shutout of the season actually came on Oct. 9. Winnipeg Jets: Patrik Laine was more consistent than he’d been in 2018- 19, but he didn’t have six straight months with five goals or more (he only Toronto Maple Leafs: OK, I lied about the backup goalie prediction. Just had two, although he missed by a goal in two others). wanted to see if you were still paying attention. My actual prediction involved a breakout 80-point season from William Nylander. The (Who I had a prediction about.) breakout came but it was more on the goal scoring side; he had 31 at the pause but was only on pace for around 70 points. (That was very wrong.)

St. Louis Blues: Jordan Binnington did not finish with “a strong GAA and (I should probably never do these again.) save percentage and a 26-18-8 record for a team that finishes first in its The Athletic LOADED: 05.01.2020 division,” although he hit on everything except the record, and even that was pretty close at 30-13-7. It doesn’t matter, though, because the whole point of this prediction was to see if any Blues fans would notice that I was trolling them by giving their unexpected playoff hero the same stat line as 1984-85 Steve Penney. None of them did.

Tier 5: To be determined but still in play

A few of my predictions were based on a full season or the playoffs; we probably won’t get the former and the jury’s still out on the latter. Still, I’m still alive on a few season-long calls.

Vancouver Canucks: I picked Elias Pettersson to become the first Canuck since 2013 to appear on a Hart ballot, finishing exactly 10th. Showing up on a ballot seems possible, especially since I have a vote and can rig this he had a solid season, but I can’t see him finishing as high as 10th unless we play out the rest of the regular season and he finishes strong.

Edmonton Oilers: I was super excited about that goals-based conditional pick on the Milan Lucic/James Neal trade and predicted it coming down to the final game of the season. In theory, it still could, and it was on track to come right down to the wire.

Tampa Bay Lightning: I predicted that they’d match 2018-19 by finishing with exactly 62 wins across the regular season and playoffs. They won’t get there if we go straight to a four-round postseason, since they’re stuck on 43 and could only add 16 more in the playoffs. But if we finish at least some of the season, or give them credit for the 50 wins they were on pace for, then they’re in range.

Carolina Hurricanes: They were one of the most divisive preseason prediction teams, with some having them moving up to Cup favorite status while others picked them to fall back and miss the playoffs. I predicted that they’d annoy everyone by finishing the season with the exact same 46-29-7 record they had in 2018-19. They didn’t, of course, because they didn’t finish the season at all. But their current record is 38- 25-5, and if you extrapolate that out to 82 games you end up at 46-30-6. That’s pretty damn close, and we’re still very much in play for an exact match if we finish the full season.

Tier 6: Technically correct but not all that impressive

San Jose Sharks: My prediction was that they’d find a way to bring back Patrick Marleau, even though it didn’t seem like something they could fit under the cap and the GM had specifically said it wouldn’t happen. One week later, they signed him. I was right, but I’m not giving myself full credit because Marleau taking a league-minimum deal to return home is one of those things that seems more obvious in hindsight than it did at the time.

Tier 7: SWISH!

Los Angeles Kings: I noted the statistical oddity that the Kings had been the only team to make it all the way through the 2018-19 season without losing a game in regulation that they’d led after one period. Then I predicted that they’d lose their season opener against the Oilers in regulation after leading through one.

This one needed two things to happen. First, the Kings had to actually be leading – not trailing or tied – after one period on the road against a better team. Then they needed to blow that lead and lose in regulation. Based on the leaguewide numbers, it was about a 1-in-20 shot, and maybe worse if you factor in the Kings’ ineptitude.

Sure enough:

By the way, this was the first of the 31 predictions that had a chance to come true. Here’s a live look on my reaction to seeing the Oilers pull off that late comeback.

So there you have it. If we’re generous on the Marleau pick and assume that none of the TBD tier comes through, that leaves me at 2-for-31, for a Kyle Clifford-like 6.4 shooting percentage. That’s … not bad, honestly, given what we’re working with.

Hey, it’s better than Jack Hughes! 1183787 Websites introduced in 1985 and the weird shoulder yokes were eliminated in 1989 that the team’s look became truly elite.

The Canucks had another rebrand in the late 90s, and while the orca The Athletic / Drafting the best jersey for every NHL franchise became synonymous with the Sedin era, the Flying Skate has become iconic and missed dearly by the fanbase. These jerseys were brought back to commemorate the franchise’s 50th anniversary and were only intended to be worn four times throughout the 2019-20 season. But they By Dom Luszczyszyn and Sara Civian Apr 30, 2020 were so well received that many, including Dom and Sara, think they should stay in the rotation. #freetheflyingskate

“With tears in my eyes I found the strength to say: ‘I’ll never wear that Dom: It’s kind of weird for the No. 1 overall pick to be just another black uniform.’” jersey, but I feel like this one is so iconic it transcends that. Would it have been your first pick? No, that quote is not from Wayne Gretzky’s personal memoir when he first laid eyes on this monstrosity, but from the iconic short story “The Sara: I had it in my Top 3, but no… Hockey Sweater.” In it, a young boy asks for a red Canadiens sweater No. 2 (just like his hero, The Rocket), but receives a blue Maple Leafs sweater instead. Sacrilege. Team Sara: Arizona Coyotes, 1996-2003

Hockey jerseys (we’re not having the sweater debate today, grandpa) The 90s are making a comeback, baby. The Coyotes Kachina jerseys hold reverence to many – beloved for who wore them, its history and its (AKA the robot coyote) will be cool forever. Wear one of these to a party look. There are a lot of factors that make a jersey special, and those and you will 100 percent make friends. You also think about all the factors are unique to every fan. It’s why the young boy in “The Hockey success the franchise enjoyed in it – the team made it to the playoffs in Sweater” was brought to tears over receiving a sweater he not only didn’t five of its first six seasons while wearing this look (1996-2003). Try and want, but one from a rival team – even if an outside perspective deemed tell us that’s a coincidence. it to be the league’s sharpest. Sara: I just love it, I think it’s so genuinely cool, a truly different design Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and that’s what makes any jersey without the pretentiousness of trying to be different. I love the colors, the ranking difficult as personal biases will no doubt run rampant. This one is little block shapes, the whole logo. even more challenging because we’re not ranking each team’s current look, we’re ranking the single best jersey each franchise has to offer. Dom: It’s so unique to have a jersey like that in sports. The striping There is no way any list will ever be fully agreed upon, but it’s even shouldn’t work, but it does. I had that jersey in my top 10 for sure. It also harder when it’s a ranking of the best of the best. Really, every jersey reminds me of “The Simpsons” episode where Homer has a bad trip after here is a winner. swallowing a spicy pepper whole and talks to a space coyote in the sky. It holds a fond place in my heart. The debate is part of the fun, though, especially for something as subjective as the appeal of a hockey uniform. To lean into that, we No. 3 decided that instead of teaming up for a list we agreed upon, we would Team Dom: San Jose Sharks, 1991-1998 hold a jersey draft and revel in our differences, each picking one jersey at a time from our own personal best-of list. The end result: a top 31 jersey “” voted this the best NHL jersey of all time for a list that blended our unique jersey tastes. reason. Teal is synonymous with the Sharks franchise, the logo is clean but still fun, and it all seems timeless even now. The Rules: Dom: I feel like the gray just really works with the teal, ya know? Teal is Each person creates their own personal Top 31 jerseys of all time, with such an iconic color for them because no other team uses it, and those one from each NHL franchise. original ones were the best version. Each person would alternate picks until they each had a 15-jersey team. Sara: This is a great jersey, I get it, but I picked the Sharks current Our deepest apologies to the one team left out, but we sincerely did not alternates for style points. Remember when Erik Karlsson came out in want you on our team. (Just kidding). that promo and it was like “ERIK KARLSSON IS A SHARK, HERE HE IS Each person is allowed to select a jersey based on any criteria they IN THIS COOL JERSEY.” It takes a really good jersey for my three deem appropriate, from sleek design to iconic logos to striping alterations collective brain cells to remember that so vividly. But I respect your pick to font strength, or maybe the jersey is simply a 6-foot-7, 220-pound and I’m not going to fight you on it. defenseman – any choice was personal. No. 4 After revealing a truly questionable choice, however, the opposing team Team Sara: Hartford Whalers (Carolina Hurricanes), 1985-1989 was allowed to sway the person drafting toward their personal pick for the sanctity of the draft. These jerseys arguably transcend the game of hockey better than any other jersey on the list. Green is under-used in modern NHL attire as it is, The No. 1 overall pick would be awarded via a classic game of and there’s, of course, the incredible use of negative space in the logo to roshambo. create the “H” inside the “W” and whale tail. Only one jersey could cause Everything went according to plan until it was time to award the first pick. so much commotion when Hurricanes owner Tom Dundon decided to There was a lag in the Zoom chat. Dom didn’t trust Sara. This is not your bring it back in 2018-19. average game of rock-paper-scissors – this is high-stakes stuff, folks. Sara: The “Whalers Nights” were controversial to begin with here in Neither of us had any coins, but Sara had a warm-up puck from Round 1, Carolina, and I get that because it’s reopening old wounds for Whalers Game 7 of the 2019 Stanley Cup playoffs on hand for whatever reason. fans and it’s reminding Canes fans some people don’t want their team to So with that, we determined Dom won the first-overall pick. exist. But I think when the Hurricanes came out for warmups in these, Below is a transcription of The Athletic’s inaugural NHL jersey virtual everyone kind of came together, like, “OK, this is sick.” And the players draft. (Jersey graphics are from SportsLogos.net and Raw Charge.) love them. I remember postgame James Reimer, self-proclaimed jersey nerd, was so excited that he got to play in the Whalers jersey. Sara starts playing the NFL draft music before every single pick. She later finds out Dom didn’t hear it once. Dom: This was high on my list, for sure. No disrespect to the Canes jerseys because I think they’ve come around a bit. I feel like with jerseys No. 1 sometimes the team needs to be good for the jersey to look better. Carolina is getting better now and the jersey is starting to look better as a Team Dom: Vancouver Canucks, 1992-1997 result. This is a heavy-hitter that needs no introduction. In 1978, the Canucks Sara: OK, Dom. But I love their current alternates, too. They look like shifted away from blue-and-green to black-yellow-red (which seems spies. insane these days), but it wasn’t until the Flying Skate logo was No. 5 Team Dom: Boston Bruins, 1981-1995 Sara: Yes, I like them!

The first jersey from an Original Six franchise chosen in our draft belongs No. 8 to the Boston Bruins’ kits worn during the 80s and early 90s. The yellow B is bolder than the current iteration and stands out more, while the Team Sara: Calgary Flames. 1980-1994 elimination of the shoulder yokes seen in the Bobby Orr era provides a The 80s were a more colorful time league-wide. Practically every team cleaner look. had its own distinct look with many teams opting for bright palettes. It Dom: This is a tough one for me because we haven’t picked any Original doesn’t get much brighter than red and yellow. The stripes are clean, Six teams yet. there’s no flags on the shoulder patches for some reason and the logo stands out perfectly in white, matching the waist and arms stripes. The Sara: (Rolls eyes) Flames made the right call bringing this one back out of retirement in 2018, even if it was just as a . It’s time to make these the full- Dom: I know you don’t care, but I feel like the history is important. There time kits. (Bring back the flaming horse jersey for the thirds while you’re are three teams from that era really close in my books with how iconic at it). their jerseys are and that matters a lot to me. I’m going to go with your hometown – the Bruins black jerseys when the B was yellow. It’s a really Dom when Sara made the selection: Yessss! That is the one. nice jersey, it just does it for me. I love how clean the design is, especially after removing the shoulder yokes. Sara: It’s fun but it’s, like, an emblem of hockey. It has great elements of both of those things. (Editor’s note: Considering Dom’s well-documented affinity for the Toronto Maple Leafs, you know he means it.) Dom: I love the yellow, makes it pop more. Definitely at the top of my list and I don’t think you can go wrong with that one. Sara: No, no, I actually do care. It’s just something about the phrase “Original Six.” But I agree, the concept of this draft is tough because the No. 9 Original Six jerseys are such a constant in the game of hockey, right? Team Dom: Toronto Maple Leafs, 1962-1967 You don’t necessarily look at them and think “Oooh, shiny,” but you look at them and remember certain plays and players, and that has value in The third Original Six team off the board is the first white jersey taken our little draft. (because Sara made Dom change his Canadiens pick). This jersey is what the Leafs wore the last time they won a Stanley Cup, which was so No. 6 long ago that player names weren’t on the back of them yet. It’s the last Team Sara: Anaheim Ducks, 1993-2006 jersey that represents a winning culture in the city, and one that’s widely viewed as one of the team’s best, finding new life as a third jersey in the You might love it, you might hate it. Regardless, we guarantee you have early 2000s. The logo was part of the inspiration for the team’s latest logo strong feelings about the Mighty Ducks jersey collection. They are iconic redesign, a thankful departure from the ugly Canadian flag rip-off used to many 90s kids like Sara and Dom for their unique eggplant and teal from 1970 to 2016. Good riddance. color scheme. To pretty much any other demographic, they’re probably a little silly. Dom: OK, I’m going with the homer pick. But I don’t know if I can really call it the homer pick because I chose Boston and Montreal first. So we Whatever, you had to be there. Go home, Roger. will allow it. I’m going to take the one from the 60s when they were still winning Cups with the original Maple Leaf. Sara: You grow up watching “The Mighty Ducks” and you’re like, “Oh, I love hockey.” This jersey has always radiated extremely good vibes. I Sara: They all look the same to me. That said, I don’t hate it at all. bought a knockoff on eBay for $7 in college and it has been my day party dress ever since. It’s just so fun. No. 10

Dom: We agree for sure on that one. I don’t think I’d classify it as a Team Sara: Detroit Red Wings, 1987-Present classic jersey, but for a lot of us 90s kids, that was one of our For as long as the Red Wings have existed, they’ve looked like this. All introductions to hockey. red with a single white arm stripe and a single white waist stripe at the No. 7 very bottom. It’s a timeless look worn by generations of great hockey players from Gordie Howe to Steve Yzerman to Nicklas Lidstrom to Pavel Team Dom: Montreal Canadiens, 1977-Present Datsyuk. Red and blue are the league’s most popular colors, and it’s fitting that the two history-rich teams using just those colors and white Remember how we said the other person can sway the choice in their land side-by-side. favor? This was one of them as Dom was extremely wishy-washy about which Canadiens jersey was better. Both are obviously iconic given Sara: If Tupac wears your jersey that’s enough for me. Also, what an they’re worn by the league’s greatest team for pretty much their entire iconic team. I own this jersey. I think if you’re going to own a jersey of a history. The classic logo stands out more on the white jersey, but the red team that you didn’t grow up on, I would bet it would be this jersey. jersey has that middle stripe that only Montreal could pull off. When you think Habs, that’s the jersey. Dom: Classic. Iconic. Clean. If you pick the Leafs, you need to pick the Red Wings next and vice versa, it’s like yin and yang. Dom: I was debating between the red and the white because they’re both so good. I like the red because it has the blue stripe down the middle – No. 11 that’s iconic, no other team can do it. Florida tried. Team Dom: Los Angeles Kings, 1992-1998

Sara: Right, that’s why it was my pick. Florida, honey, you tried. The Kings’ colors have never really been their own, but they’ve produced Dom: There’s something about the white one, I don’t know what it is. The two iconic looks through their history regardless. The purple-and-gold kits logo is more prominent, it had the red yoke, I think because it’s red on were a nod to the Los Angeles Lakers, while the black-and-grey were red on the home one the logo gets lost a bit. I could go either way, you borrowed from the Los Angeles Raiders. A complete rebrand like this could sway me to the red one. shouldn’t work, but for the Kings it arguably improved on an already stellar uniform, even if it made the team stand out a little less. Black Sara: Well, I don’t want you to have a better team than me, so I’m not jerseys are overkill in this league, but these were a 90s staple. It helped going to. It’s just, the Habs are hockey, right? Then what’s the most that The Great One wore them, of course. iconic jersey they’ve ever had? Dom: I am making this selection now to make sure you don’t get your Dom: There’s also “The Hockey Sweater,” the classic, Canadian selection. What do you think I’m going to say? children’s book. I think because of that I might need to switch – it was a game-time decision. If I don’t pick this one you know someone is going to Sara: The Penguin? yell at me in the comments. Dom: No, but we are going to get to that. I’m going with the Kings’ black Sara: And you will deserve it. and gray jersey from the 90s. It’s so iconic, probably because Gretzky wore it. Dom: So, this time you helped the Habs fans. Sara: OK, the thing about the Kings is they have one of the best of the best logos in hockey. It’s an eagle shaped like a “W” with the collections of jerseys all around. I love the purple and gold jerseys and I Washington Monument and the Capitol building, and the negative space. don’t care who knows it. I think we’re getting a theme here that I tend to But whatever, I like these ones, I like the stars and the red, white and like something a little bit different. blue. It’s very patriotic.

Dom: Here’s the thing with the Kings: I feel like their current jerseys are (Editor’s question: Did Dom move to the U.S.?) really boring, and even though I picked black and gray, I feel like, especially because of the loss of Kobe Bryant, they should go back to Sara: I don’t love or hate any of their jerseys, but can we talk about purple and gold full time. That was a close second for me. No one in the whatever they were doing from the mid-90s to the early-2000s with the league is rocking purple. teal and the screaming eagle? It just makes no sense to me. You have a color scheme going, you have a theme, then it’s just like: teal Eagle. No. 12 Dom: Yeah, there were a lot of teams in the 90s that were just like, Team Sara: New York Rangers, 1978-1997 “We’re just gonna do whatever.”

The Rangers have basically worn the same jersey for their entire Sara: Well, I guess that’s actually why I love the 90s. existence, with one key variation: the stripes. These ones, introduced in 1978 feature spacing in between the red-and-white, creating a more No. 16 classic look. The Rangers’ last Stanley Cup came in 1994, wearing these Team Sara: Minnesota North Stars (Dallas Stars), 1978-1988 jerseys, changing back to the previous stripe pattern three years later. The team hasn’t won a Cup since. Coincidence? Not a chance. A classic 80s uniform where every team needed to be as colorful as possible. Those were the days and we obviously wish the current NHL Sara: I needed one from Biggie and one from Tupac. You think about this looked just as bright. The splash of yellow was a big improvement over jersey and you think about a huge goal being scored at Madison Square the team’s previous look, which featured striping that was just a bit too Garden. I feel like the Rangers have switched up their alts and their wide. aways a lot, but they always keep the iconic lettering.I respect the ability to change it up while keeping it classic. I also loved the Lady Liberty alts. Dom: I originally had the Dallas Winter Classic jerseys from this year. I think the Stars have done well to make green their color in this league. Dom: That was my answer! At the time that was so random for a team But I feel green and yellow is an underrated color scheme – I remember with such history, but it was such a great look. my peewee hockey team was green and yellow, so that’s a soft spot for No. 13 me.

Team Dom: Chicago Blackhawks, 1977-Present Sara: Yeah, I’m not really thinking about the franchise history or anything with this particular pick. Not even your peewee hockey team. I just love Generally voted among the league’s best jerseys due to its history and the jersey. the bold red mixed with the elegant striping. The shoulder patches are among the best in sports too, but it’s hard to rank Chicago’s jersey any Dom: It was actually my next pick, so you stole this one from me. higher (they’re the last Original Six team taken) given the culturally No. 17 appropriated logo. Team Dom: Pittsburgh Penguins, 2014-Present Dom: The Blackhawks jersey is iconic and if you take the logo out, it’s the perfect jersey. I probably would’ve taken it at No. 1. But that logo is All you need to know about the Penguins’ jersey history was already obviously not ideal in 2020, and the real shame is the logo on the written by the great Sean Gentille, who agreed these were the greatest shoulder would work just as well, there’s also these mock ups using a jersey the team has ever worn. hawk instead that would still work – same jersey, same colors, just Dom: The one that Mario Lemieux wore, the one that Sidney Crosby different logo. But I think you gotta knock Chicago down a few for that. wore winning Cups. Sara: I feel you, I agree with that. Could they simply just not have that Sara: That’s understandable, obviously. I picked the Penguins’ baby blue logo? Winter Classic jersey. It’s just really cute to me and I really love it. No. 14 Dom: The little scarf! Team Sara: Edmonton Oilers, 1981-1995 (Editor’s Note: Dom had his Winter Classic jerseys mixed up here as the This jersey looks like winning. It’s synonymous with the greatest player of skating penguin wore the little scarf on the navy blue Winter Classic all time and a whole lot of Stanley Cups (and goals) in the 80s. It’s jersey. But he stands by the fact the skating penguin should have a little amazing the team would ever veer away from such an iconic look, and scarf always. Such an addition would’ve moved the team’s standing up at they’ve done so twice now. least five spots, maybe more).

Sara: Gretzky era Oilers. That’s all I have to say. Sara: Like come on, what a little cutie. And I think the baby blue is interesting. Dom: The Islanders are also blue and orange, but the color scheme screams Oilers to me. They’re the blue and orange team. The question is Dom: I do love those jerseys, and it was the first Winter Classic, too, so if you think inverting those colors was a good move? it’s iconic for that reason. I feel you, but if it’s Penguins, you gotta go with black and gold – especially since Pittsburgh is the only city where every Sara: No. Well, I feel like we could all use a little more orange in our sports team has the same color scheme. lives. And it’s going to be iconic again because of Connor McDavid. Sara: I get that and I do love that, especially because the whole city is Dom: I hate it so much. It’s too much orange. It is too much orange. kind of yellow to me. I don’t know if you’ve ever been there but most of No. 15 the bridges, and there are many bridges, are yellow. And it’s a very united place, like, if you’re a Yinzer, you’re family. They just all really love Team Dom: Washington Capitals, 1977-1995 their hometown and each other a lot. That’s a really good choice. But a penguin with a scarf, I really just can’t resist. A lot has been made in this post about how a uniform looks better if it’s attached to winning. The early Capitals that donned this look were the Dom: Penguins are my favorite animal, and the fact that this one has a exact opposite of that, essentially putting the Washington Generals into scarf? I’m with you. But for the sanctity of this list I need to save you from knock-off ’ uniforms and hoping no one would yourself. notice. But time heals all wounds and once the Ovechkin-era caps started donning similar kits, the elder vintage started looking a bit more Sara: Thank you for your service. magical. It looks like an all-star jersey in the best way, and it took the No. 18 team playing like one for it to work. Team Sara: Vegas Golden Knights, 2017-Present Dom: I usually hate wordmarks. Because it’s like, get a logo, every other team has one. It’s not like it’s hard. Just do it. And Washington has one At least it’s not another black jersey, but charcoal is like a second cousin No. 23 to black. What separates Vegas from the rest of the league is the logo, immediately one of the league’s best using negative space in the knight’s Team Dom: New York Islanders, 1978-1995 helmet to create a “V” for Vegas. Not much to be said about this one. Classic. Iconic. Winning. What was Dom: I had these bottom-five, not gonna lie. I think they’re just too new, said about the Oilers’ jersey can be said all the same about this one, and I honestly was hoping there would be more gold, I think they didn’t though the striping is a little less exciting. It is a clean look and it’s utterly lean into the “golden” enough. amazing that in 1995 the team said, what if we did the opposite of this jersey, added teal to the mix, made some wavy stripes, and created a Sara: Well, I think it’s more logo focused, you know? And I think that’s an new logo with a scary fisherman? They weren’t the only team thinking awesome logo. I also love charcoal. that way and luckily the experimental logo only lasted two years. The 90s were wild, man. No. 19 Dom: This is the iconic one, they won Cups with it and I also feel like my Team Dom: Winnipeg Jets, 2016 Heritage Classic team could use a little orange and blue.

When Winnipeg came back into the league many fans were disappointed Sara: Word. that the Jets didn’t go with their classic look used during their initial run as an NHL team. Over time the new logo does feel like a legitimate No. 24 improvement over the classic logo, but there’s little saving the current threads, which feature weird striping and an affinity for baby blue. The Team Sara: Tampa Bay Lightning, 1996-1999 Heritage Classic jersey uses the lesser, but arguably more iconic logo, This wasn’t Sara’s first choice, but it is the only choice for a team that with a significantly better jersey featuring classic striping details. With a went from awful jerseys to boring rip-offs. The current threads are nice, limited pool of choices, this one was the winner. but it screams Maple Wings more than it screams Lightning – all with a Dom: In my mind, their current jerseys are an abomination, but these are bland logo. This monstrosity, on the other hand, is pure art, the definition sharp. of so bad it’s good. Actual lightning on the shoulders? Check. Stormy waves in lieu of waist stripes? Check. A font that looks like it was Sara: Yeah, not a huge fan of any of the Jets jerseys, but this is the pick. electrocuted by Pikachu? Check. Rain all over the chest and back for some reason? Check. This jersey had it all. Dom: It’s the only pick, really. The rest are bottom-tier. No. 25 No. 20 Team Dom: Buffalo Sabres, 1983-1996 Team Sara: Ottawa Senators, 2011-2017 When it comes to Buffalo Sabres jerseys, even the best ones always This jersey carries more hype than any other on this list. Full stop. It’s not have just one tiny detail that brings them down. This jersey is probably often a hockey jersey can be mistaken for haute couture, but that’s the the best Buffalo has to offer in a sea of weird offerings thanks to the power some stars have with their fashion. The Ottawa Senators may strong blue and clean striping (a white stripe would really help this never be as cool as they were on April 8, 2013. jersey). But why on Earth would they put the main logo on both Dom: (Clapping) As soon as you said 2011-2017, I was like, “I know shoulders? It just seems redundant. what’s happening, here.” Sara: I don’t know, was kind of here for the Buffalo slug thing.

Sara: She really gave an already good jersey infinite clout. It’s like the Dom: That is like a universally reviled logo. Where are its legs? one good thing that has happened to the Ottawa Senators franchise in five years. In all seriousness, it’s actually a great jersey. Classic O. Sara: You’re a universally reviled logo.

Dom: I’m mad I didn’t pick this one. I want the clout that carries No. 26 on my team. Team Sara: Philadelphia Flyers, 1982-2001 Sara: I’d really like to know why she wore it. Can we get an oral history of Rihanna wearing the 2011-17 Ottawa Senators alternate jersey as a This is just a placeholder until the Flyers make a jersey that prominently dress? Rihanna invented hockey when she did this. features Gritty’s face on the front, but for now we’re going with the jerseys used in the Lindros era, which feature a very unique shoulder Dom: It’s one of the best hockey photos of all time. It’s basically: 1.) yoke that screams Flyers. That and the orange. No other team is allowed Bobby Orr, 2.) Crosby’s golden goal, 3.) Rihanna Sens jersey to be orange, sorry Edmonton.

No. 21 Sara: Orange is their color. This is the Eric Lindros jersey. I like the way the logo looks. That’s really that. Team Dom: St. Louis Blues, 1967-1973 Dom: These ones are so much better than the current ones and I will tell Blue and yellow go so well together, just ask the Swedes, and St. Louis you why: the stupid nameplates and black lettering on the back of the has never looked better than it did right out the gate with this look. The current ones. I care so deeply about this. Winter Classic reboot is one of the best outdoor jerseys ever as a result. No. 27 Dom: Just unreal the way the blue and yellow looks. I think what they have now is a little boring. Glad they made it into a third after the Winter Team Dom: New Jersey Devils, 1992-2017 Classic. We’re still not sure why the Devils removed the waist stripes for their Sara: I had this too. current jerseys, but it turns a classic, albeit boring jersey into one of the league’s worst. The previous thread may not be the best of the best, No. 22 ranking 27th here, but it’s still a solid jersey. The new ones are awful.

Team Sara: Colorado Avalanche, 2015-Present Dom: Been the same jersey forever, just gonna take the red one. I don’t An interesting choice given the Avalanche’s dominance in the 90s know why people like the green. You look like Christmas. I like the Devils wearing a kit with striping shaped like mountains, but with a new era of jerseys, sometimes the logo works sometimes it doesn’t, the jersey itself Colorado dominance ready to take flight, perhaps it’s time for a new look is kind of boring but was kind of iconic in the 90s – that helps. Something to be the face of it. about it doesn’t put it on the same level as the other boring jerseys we ranked higher. Sara: I just think they are interesting to look at and it’s different. If I’m thinking of a jersey I would want to wear, it would be this. Sara: Yeah, it’s boring. It’s not necessarily bad, but it’s like “OK, here are the New Jersey Devils, thanks.” Dom: I had the classic ones they wore in the 90s, I mean, that team was insane and that jersey represented so much of the 90s. I don’t love your Dom: I think we’re in the dregs now. pick but I’m going to allow it. I’m going to put your feet to the fire here in No. 28 the comments section. Team Sara: Columbus Blue Jackets, 2010-Present

This jersey has the cannon on it. No other choice was valid, even if the numbering on these are a little off-the-wall.

Dom: This is what I had as well, great choice.

Sara: When you think about branding, the cannon is their thing. You think of the Columbus Blue Jackets when you think of the cannon, the jersey gets the point across, I love the lettering and I love the colors. If I were a Blue Jackets fan I would purchase this jersey.

Dom: The off-white is natural, they were one of the first teams to really start that trend with the retros. It sort of became played out, but they were ahead of the curve.

No. 29

Team Dom: Nashville Predators, 2017-Present

One day the Predators are going to streamline their logo and add some stripes to their jersey. That’ll really push them up the rankings. For now, the gold is great, but the rest is pretty meh. Great shoulder patch, though, honoring the city’s musical roots.

Dom: I’m gonna go with the current Predators yellow. It’s iconic to them.

Sara: Well, that’s kind of a subtle diss. It’s iconic to them, not to Dom from Toronto.

Dom: I mean, they’re the only team with a yellow jersey, but I think they could have done better with the design – a little boring. I’m just happy they got rid of the piping.

No. 30

Team Sara: Minnesota Wild, 2009-2017

The last pick of the draft belongs to the Wild who have a great look on their hands here in terms of jersey design but called it a day when it came to working on the “logo” for this one.

Sara: I actually think this is a really cool jersey, I love the vibe, I just don’t want to rank alternate jerseys that aren’t that iconic too high. This is just kind of a random jersey, but I love the subtle red and this color green.

Dom: Like the Columbus jersey, the off-white gives it a vintage feel. I like this jersey but I just think name wordmarks are the most boring thing you can do. When you’re the Minnesota Wild you need to do something to show you aren’t the most boring team in the league.

Sara: They should just put one of Russo’s tweets on their alternate jersey.

Undrafted: Florida Panthers, 1993-1998

It’s a fun jersey with the very 90s slanted stripes and a color scheme featuring all the primary colors. If not for a logo that’s just far too detailed, it would be a decent competitor.

Dom: I always think about the thing Down Goes Brown said that, if you’re a kid and you can draw the logo, then it’s a good logo, and that isn’t the case with the Panthers. Trying to draw the Panthers logo as a kid was a nightmare.

Sara: And then the current logo looks like one of those things you could iron on a T-Shirt.

Dom: It’s corporate. The old Panthers jerseys are fun but they don’t hold a candle to the rest of these jerseys, sorry.

The Athletic LOADED: 05.01.2020 1183788 Websites two more games. There are no teams that could say the No. 6 seed had the advantage of playing more games than them, and that they were unfairly treated.

Sportsnet.ca / What NHL needs from teams bidding to host isolated • The criteria to win a bid is largely based on how the city has been games affected by COVID-19, which leaves out the teams in New York or New Jersey. The Governor of California has also made it clear he is not in favour of pushing ahead with sports.

Mark Spector | April 29, 2020, 2:57 PM In Canada, Edmonton and Winnipeg would be far ahead of everyone else, based on a variety of reasons. Ottawa has had less COVID-19

cases than most major Canadian cities, but lengthy bus trips to the There are between nine and 12 teams bidding to host what are expected Kanata-based arena are seen as an issue. In Edmonton there are to be four National Hockey League playoff “tournaments,” should the enough hotels within a two-block radius of Rogers Place, as well as a league be able to resume its playoffs this summer. practice rink attached to the complex.

“It’s like bidding on an Olympics,” said one NHL executive, whose team Columbus’ arena district is also considered a model. Bids are considering wants to host. “You know you’re bidding against other cities, but you’re approaching restaurants near arenas that are currently closed to serve not sure who they all are.” as “inside the bubble” restaurants for NHL personnel.

For the cities bidding on becoming one of the host arenas, to be used if • Who counts as “NHL personnel?” That’s an excellent question. the NHL is allowed by health authorities to resume play this summer, it One source said that the rink staff — Zamboni drivers etc. — would have requires a veritable “bid book” the likes of what host committees publish to live in hotels for the duration of the tournament. As for media, would when bidding to host a Pan Am Games or a World Track and Field they sit high in the stands, entering and exiting the rink in a defined Championships. route? Would they get a chance to conduct press conferences post- But what makes this bid book more complex is that prospective teams game? must account for how they will keep anywhere from 600-1,000 people The rule of thumb is, the closer a person gets to players, the more inside a COVID-19 quarantine bubble. How close are hotels? How will restrictive their quarantine guidelines will be. you feed people? How far away are the practice rinks? • What if a player has to go to hospital? How much time would be spent on buses, as opposed to walking, where social distance can be maintained? There’s no way around this. Any player who leaves “the bubble” to go to a hospital for an injury or whatever — or goes home for the birth of a Jeff Marek and talk to a lot of people around the hockey baby — would be expected to wait out a 14-day quarantine before world, and then they tell listeners all about what they’ve heard and what playing again. they think about it. • How late can they go with this plan? It seems to get later all the time. Speaking with people around the league, here are a few thoughts on the bid process. The NHL is ready to play this out into October if need be, and here is one reason why: No one wants to start the 2020-21 season in a scenario • First off, everyone agrees that the health authorities will call the shots where they can not allow fans in the building. If they’re playing with no here. And that improved testing ability is a major player. fans, “then let’s make it the 2020 playoffs,” one person said. The NHL is in full preparation mode because, frankly, what else are they It sounds like Bill Daly’s long ago pleas not to tread on the integrity of supposed to do? If the health authorities do not allow hockey to played next season has gone by the wayside. If they can conduct the off-season this summer, the league will stand down. If the NHL gets the green light — free agency, etc. — in November, begin play on Dec. 1 with fans in however, the planning work they’ve been doing throughout the pandemic the seats, and play until late July, it sounds like NHL is ready and willing. will allow the league to be ready right out of the gates. Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 05.01.2020 • Sources say that this is the closest that NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and NHLPA Executive Director Donald Fehr have worked together. A big part of what’s the NHL is trying to figure out is how to get their games back on TV, but how to do so without requiring players to be quarantined away from their families for weeks on end.

Thus far, it does not appear that the NHL can have one without the other.

As Montreal Canadiens centre Phillip Danault said this week, “Some players could be away from their families three to four months, which I think is way too much. And I’m not the only one thinking like that, I’m sure.”

• The league continues to push forward with scenarios that involve regular season games being played. Some scenarios envision teams playing the full 82-game schedule, but more and more that number is 78 or 76 games.

“Why do we need to have teams like Ottawa and Detroit coming back to play games?” one exec asked. Well, those teams have local TV deals that need to be satisfied as well. Those regular season games will be the first to be sacrificed, but remember that this is all about revenues, and even the non-playoff teams have some missed revenues to be concerned over.

• Assuming no regular season games get played, the most popular playoff scenario is the following: The Top 6 teams from each Division meet in one city. They would open with best-of-three series between the No. 1 and 2 seeds (to decide a Division winner), while No. 3 meets 6 and 4 meets 5 for the right to keep playing.

Under this scenario, the only current seventh place team that may feel left out is the New York Rangers. They are one point behind the sixth place Islanders in the Metropolitan Division but the Rangers have played 1183789 Websites video coach’s scouting notes about a weakness on the opposing team, draw up a new forecheck, and practice it before the next game. There’s no time to go back and watch enough video to answer every curiosity about the game that just was played and also the one that is up next, to Sportsnet.ca / Why NHL coaches could be better prepared than ever if satisfaction. 2019-20 season resumes So this March and April, boy. This has been some strange opportunity for NHL coaches, hasn’t it? We’re talking about a multi-month pause, with most rosters fully intact, defined, and unusually healthy, with time to | April 30, 2020, 1:47 PM consider every possible statistical oddity your people can dredge up. There’s time to Watch video of every line combination as they’ve looked together at different points on the calendar. There’s time to pick apart Each week, Justin Bourne’s column will cover three different topics in your most likely playoff opponents atom by atom with tweezers, then sift varying depths. Think of it as a three course meal with an appetizer, main through that fine dust to determine how they can be stopped. course, and dessert… Richard Deitsch and Donnovan Bennett host a podcast about how Appetizer: The days of not prioritizing your equipment are over COVID-19 is impacting sports around the world. They talk to experts, athletes and personalities, offering a window into the lives of people we A recent conversation with Daniel Briere on made me normally root for in entirely different ways. realize how far things have come in the world of equipment. Not equipment specifically, I guess, but the need for players to have the right Questions answered about your team always lead to more questions, equipment. meaning I have no doubt that teams – and I’m thinking about the Maple Leafs here, having worked for Sheldon Keefe and Kyle Dubas – will have He was talking about the advantage he gained by switching to a more gone down a few rabbit holes looking at their own team and others over flexible stick as a season went on, which he did because he’d lose his the past couple months. summer muscle over the course of the year. In that era, he was in the minority of guys who paid ultra-close attention to such fine gear-based What will be interesting, of course, is how that effects what they want to details. do coming out of this break. (And I’m writing about it like they’re going to, at some point, which is certainly no given. But that’s another If you ask any equipment manager at just about any level, they’ll tell you conversation, and one that’s changing constantly.) It’s possible that a that how particular guys are about their gear varies a wild amount from team will have figured something out about their own playing style and player to player. There’s always been high praise for low maintenance decide they’d be better off making a change. guys, and there still is to some extent. What’s changed over the past decade, though? Maybe upon a further review, they’ve had more success with a certain neutral zone forecheck over the past couple seasons than they’d It’s now far more acceptable to be what used to get you called a “gear realized, and maybe they want to adopt it full-time. Maybe they’ve come b—-,” which was essentially a “person who cared a lot about their up with an optimal lineup construction through data and video that they’re equipment,” but used pejoratively. Grinding over the specifics of your going to decide to roll with full-time, rather than conducting continued gear is now seen more as “caring.” experiments. Maybe they want to adopt certain systems against certain To professionals, little issues can make a big difference. If your skates teams, rather than using the same systems (as most teams do) against aren’t sharpened perfectly, it can affect performance. Same if your curve everyone. is off a little, or if there’s a scratch in your visor, or if your gloves are What we know for sure is that teams won’t want to change anything soaking wet. systemically to kick things off. There is just about a zero per cent chance My last season was 2009, but even then there was a stigma that came teams concern themselves with anything technical at first, though you with complaining about what gear you were handed, particularly for call- may see lines look different than they did before the layoff. Teams will ups. When I got called up to the AHL from the Coast I used a curve I want to keep it simple out of the gate, they’ll be worried about fitness and hated (shout-out to , whose leftovers became mine) crispness and getting back into the routine of just playing hockey. because I was only up for a few games, the ones I brought with me had But I have no doubt that coaches will be armed with more knowledge snapped, and nobody on the team used what I liked. I deeply regret about their own team and others than at any other point in the history of “sucking it up” and not insisting on having the tools I wanted. NHL coaching. Even before playoffs you only have so much time to In my experience with the Marlies from 2015-17, I saw equipment prepare for your opponent. Some can be done early if the matchup is set managers held to a whole new standard. There are big dollars and well in advance, but you still have to concern yourself with the regular careers at stake, as the game has become so good that the difference season at that time. This is a crazy opportunity to do team analysis. between success and failure has gotten smaller. Nowadays, I think it’s I’ll let Colorado’s Jared Bednar put a cap on those thoughts, from an crucial that players have precisely what they need. There’s always a line interview he gave SN a few weeks back: to be walked between caring about the details and blaming the tools, but players today are given the benefit of the doubt in that area more now “When you get into the season it’s, review and breakdown your game, than ever before, and so they should. review it, show what you need to, move on to the next night, there’s just no break in the schedule. So, I found instead of letting things get away Dinner: I expect coaches to come out of this hiatus better prepared to from you to do a bit of a review at that bye week/all-star break. Take utilize their teams than ever before some time, refresh mentally, then start digging into some projects. Perhaps the most common phrase I’ve written since I transitioned back to “Putting together numbers, like where you’re at with your goal scoring, media from coaching is some iteration of “coaches just don’t have time.” I and you get analytics coming at ya all the time too in the regular season, say it a lot because it affects everything. You prepare your butt off for but you just don’t have a lot of time to dig into some more extended each game. You worry about the lineup, special teams groups, system projects that might be able to help your team, say, down the stretch run tweaks of the day, keys to beat the other team, specific players that need or in the playoffs for this year. I dug into a couple things over the break, to be talked to, putting together the video meetings and postings for the some special teams stuff, some 5-on-5 things, started comparing some team to go over…the list goes on and on. numbers and taking a look at a few things. Some I shared with our team Then off you go again: the game that was just played needs an autopsy, and some I didn’t, y’know, it’s just nice to have that knowledge in your there may be travel involved, there’s likely personnel changes to make back pocket. So we’re gonna do the same thing here over this break.” due to injury or otherwise, plans for how to approach a new opponent They’re going to do the same thing here over this break, which will be oh, need to be made and meetings once again prepared. 1,000 per cent longer than the bye-week/all-star break. It’ll be interesting The point isn’t that it’s unmanageable, it’s that it’s precisely manageable, to see if the Avs, and other teams, make any surprising tweaks when and no more. There’s little time to take the reports from the R&D things get back up and running. department and figure out why one player’s numbers are so good or bad Dessert: The rise and fall and rise of Rich Clune every time X happens, and to figure how that’s avoidable in the future while keeping everything else in place. There’s rarely time to take the I want to wrap today up by taking a look at something pretty cool in either direction. In the near future you’ll be able to see a documentary on Rich Clune of the Maple Leafs organization, who’s dealt with issues of addiction and mental health, and has had to sort through those challenges while ascending the ladder to the NHL.

He’s had an unbelievable career to date despite the roadblocks, playing in the NHL for multiple seasons and winning a Calder Cup in the AHL.

I can’t say enough about the man himself, having played against him in the minors and working with him on the Marlies. But I also can’t say enough about what a worthwhile documentary this will be. His story is fascinating, and the good Rich is doing at a time when we could use some good … it’s just perfect timing.

The movie is called “Hi It’s Me, Dicky.”

It’s our wish that this story can be a message of hope, and that no matter how dark things may get, there’s a way out.

Thank you to the @MapleLeafs organization, the @NHL, @theAHL and @OHLhockey for your support in helping tell this story. https://t.co/kUcVjWPdwd

— Rich Clune (@richclune) April 28, 2020

So that’s the “pretty cool” in the future. The “pretty cool” in the other direction is a quick look back at what makes Rich such an effective hockey player, aside from being physically strong enough to punch you from said past to the future.

The below goal was the biggest from one of the seasons I was with the Marlies, and was put home by the man himself. It’s peak Dicky. Game 7 of the Division Final, tie game, at home, against our biggest rival on the year, the Albany Devils. Dicky scores, we win, and advance to the Conference Final.

This was our “fourth line,” which included Clune, Ben Smith (who won a Cup with the Blackhawks) and Nikita Soshnikov. As fourth line players go, consider in this scenario A) how much we have to trust this group given the score and time of game they’re on the ice, and B) just how much that trust was rewarded by the things they did, specifically Dicky.

A quick list of things a coach likes in about 18 seconds of game play from Clune:

Hard in on the forecheck, first to the puck after F1 stops the breakout.

Keeps his feet moving, moves the puck low-to-high.

After a point shot, he’s got the score in mind. There’s a loose puck, he’s holding ice as F3.

We get the puck, he goes directly to the net, gets under the D, and makes life hell for their goalie in front.

As the puck gets moved around the perimeter and the Devils have to change shape a bit, Dicky maintains his claim to the most valuable ice on the rink.

So, when the shot comes, he’s reacting. Soshnikov is almost always going to shoot from … well, anywhere, so Rich is jumping, he gets a favorable carom off the boards, and he’s ready to put it away for us. Series over.

Hi It’s Me Dicky, coming soon.

Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 05.01.2020 1183790 Websites thing or get nervous about it or whatever. I’m just going about my day, and it’ll happen when it happens.”

1 minute of Masterful punch turn examples from Barzal. Full clip on Sportsnet.ca / NHL's Top 16 RFAs of 2020: Latest rumours, reports my Instagram. Doing a series on the skills that make him such a dangerous player. This is his greatest asset amongst the many elite skills he posesses. pic.twitter.com/Tr6hhciubx

Luke Fox | April 30, 2020, 10:45 AM — Pavel Barber (@HeyBarber) March 29, 2020

2. Anthony Cirelli

The restricted free agent dominated hockey conversation in the summer Age on July 1: 22 of 2019, as a loaded class of emerging stars took greater slices of their respective teams’ salary pie, pushed negotiations into training camp, and Position: Centre signed an array of short-, long- and mid-term extensions that expanded 2019-20 salary cap hit: $728,333 the boundaries of contractual possibilities for talented twenthysomethings. Arbitration rights: No

(Hey, we even saw our first signed offer sheet in more than six years.) Bargaining chips: Logs significant ice time (18:28), mostly against tough opponents. Ranks top-five among all NHL forwards in penalty-killing time While several key members of the 2020 RFA class — Thomas Chabot, (2:49 per game). Earning some Selke Trophy buzz for his two-way game. Nico Hischier, Clayton Keller, Alex DeBrincat, and Darnell Nurse — took Points per game and plus/minus has increased every season. Was on the secure route and re-upped early, there are plenty of sure-fire and pace for 50 points. breakout stars still eyeing big raises heading into next season. The latest: Cirelli had a front-row seat to RFA negotiations last summer, Those expectations may need to be tempered with a likely flattened watching his good buddy, Brayden Point, wait until late September to put salary cap, and it will be fascinating to see how negotiations play out pen to paper. While Cirelli doesn’t have Point’s offensive numbers, he’s under a new economic landscape. improved each year in the league and has become integral to the Bolts’ More bridge deals, perhaps? Yes, if we are to judge by the only RFAs to future. sign contracts in a pandemic — Columbus goalies Elvis Merzlikins and GM Julien BriseBois declared in September that the 2020 off-season will Joonas Korpisalo. be Tampa’s most difficult cap-wise — and that was before a rising ceiling Here is an early preview of the top 16 impending RFAs of 2020 and the looked unlikely. That Cirelli is one of multiple Lightning RFAs in need of a latest reports surrounding their future. raise has led to speculation that an older forward under contract, like Alex Killorn or Tyler Johnson, may need to be traded. 1. Mathew Barzal I asked Tampa executive Dave Andreychuk about Cirelli’s future in April. Age on July 1: 23 “He’s come a long way. He’s a big part of this team. He’s going to be Position: Centre here for a while,” Andreychuk said. “They’re going to try to lock him up as best they can, because this kid is the real deal — and he’s only going to 2019-20 salary cap hit: $863,333 get better.” Arbitration rights: No 3. Anthony Deangelo Bargaining chips: Franchise player. More points (60) and points per Age on July 1: 24 game (0.88) than any other impending RFA, despite playing a system that accentuates defence. Skates more than 20 minutes a night. Three Position: Defence consecutive 60-point seasons and three seasons as the Isles’ top scorer. Racked up 85 points in rookie season. Pivots faster than a politician. 2019-20 salary cap hit: $925,000

The latest: On March 21, GM Lou Lamoriello sent a message to any GM Arbitration rights: Yes thinking of floating an offer sheet Barzal’s way. Lamoriello was asked by Bargaining chips: Breakout season in which he’s put up the fourth-most a fan if he’d match any competitive contract offer for his top centreman. goals (15) and points (53) among all NHL D-men. Right shot. Has “It is our intention to not allow it to get to that point, but should that severely chopped down his penalties taken. Excellent passer and skater happen, the answer is yes,” Lamoriello replied. with fantastic vision. Already took a one-year, prove-it deal last summer — and knocked it out of the park. The slick skater raised eyebrows in September when he told Arthur Staple of The Athletic that he’d be interested in seeing an offer sheet The latest: The Rangers are one of the rare squads loaded with young, signed by a member of 2019’s loaded RFA class. talented, right-shot defencemen. DeAngleo is joined by Jacob Trouba, 26, and rookie Adam Fox, 22, in that category. “I wouldn’t mind seeing someone shake up the league a little bit. That would be fun. Maybe see an offer sheet tossed around,” Barzal mused. With New York shaping into a team that’s ready to run back into playoff contention in 2020-21, GM Jeff Gorton is facing raises (or trades) at During the season, Barzal and the Islanders were in no great rush to every position, with intriguing RFAs coming up at forward (Strome, settle his next deal, which should be a juicy one. Brendan Lemieux) and in net (Alexandar Georgiev) as well.

“We want to make the playoffs, take a run at the Stanley Cup, and after Gorton’s deadline deal of Brady Skjei to Carolina has cleared the cap that we’ll figure it out,” Barzal said during all-star weekend in January. and roster space necessary to re-up with DeAngelo, who’s earned the right to take this one to arbitration. Term will be tricky here. Lamoriello will face a tricky off-season. He’d love to bring in an elite winger to finish off Barzal’s passes, and he must also extend RFAs Ryan Don’t forget: DeAngelo pushed 2019’s contract negotiation past the Pulock and Devon Toews on the back end. opening of training camp. He’ll want maximum value.

“To be honest with you guys, I don’t think there’s been too much The last line is my favorite! https://t.co/ZfhcCxdIq9 communication, and not because there’s anything negative or anything, it’s just [Lamoriello is] getting ready for a playoff run right now, and I’m — Tony DeAngelo (@TonyDee07) March 26, 2020 still worried about this season as well,” Barzal said in April. “I’m not too 4. Pierre-Luc Dubois too worried about it, just because I don’t think the season is over yet. I think we’re still going to be playing. Age on July 1: 22

“Whenever we’re ready to sit down and get it done, I’d love for that to Position: Centre happen. At the same time, I’m not a person that’s just going to rush this 2019-20 salary cap hit: $894,166 Arbitration rights: No Because Jarry’s extension should come easier (he doesn’t have arbitration rights) and because cap-strapped Pittsburgh also has an NHL- Bargaining chips: Tracking his third straight 20-goal season. Leads all calibre goalie under contract, AHLer Casey DeSmith, there has been Blue Jackets in assists (31) and points (49). Cap space is not an issue in speculation Murray could be the odd man out. Columbus. 7. Max Domi The latest: Generally, if you’re lucky enough to draft and develop a 22- year-old No. 1 centreman, you pay the man when his contract comes Age on July 1: 25 due. Position: Centre / Left wing Dubois exploded for a 61-point campaign skating mostly alongside the all-world Artemi Panarin, but even in the Bread Man’s absence, the big- 2019-20 salary cap hit: $3.15 million bodied Quebecker has driven offence for an organization that needs all it Arbitration rights: Yes can get. Bargaining chips: Established career highs in goals (28), assists (44), “Luc is a beast, and he plays like a beast. There’s not a lot of guys who points (72) and plus/minus (+20) in 2018-19. Reliable source of offence can play in the league against him,” captain Nick Foligno said. on a roster that needs it. World junior gold medallist. Embraces the Columbus GM Jarmo Kekalainen got a jump on off-season business by spotlight. Montreal has plenty of cap space. re-signing his two RFA goalies, but he’s far from done. Negotiations with The latest: With Domi crushing the first season of his bridge deal, the the injured Josh Anderson should be especially interesting. Canadiens and the player’s camp did start preliminary extension Both sides were willing to talk in-season, but told a contract discussions in the summer of 2019. extension for pending #CBJ RFA Pierre-Luc Dubois will “probably” be But talks quieted amidst Domi’s drop in productivity (44 points in 2019- pushed until after the season. 20) — which aligns with a drop in shooting percentage. Surely, recent Unclear if it’ll be a two- or three-year “bridge” or a long-term deal that numbers have lessened his leverage slightly. stretches into Dubois’ UFA years. Domi is now eligible for arbitration, and with just one other key RFA — Aaron Portzline (@Aportzline) February 4, 2020 (Victor Mete) to please, Montreal has the means to compensate him nicely. The player could push for an AAV in the $7-million range, while 5. Sam Reinhart Marc Bergevin will probably try to get that figure closer to $6 million.

Age: 24 “There have been some games where I’ve looked at myself and know I can do better,” Domi told Sportsnet’s Eric Engels in February. Position: Right wing “But there have also been a lot of them where I’ve played really well. All I 2019-20 salary cap hit: $3.65 million want is to continue to get better and be a guy who’s consistently trusted Arbitration rights: Yes to play against top guys every night.”

Bargaining chips: Three straight 20-goal, 50-point seasons. Second- 8. Mikhail Sergachev overall pick. World junior and world championships gold medallist. Age on July 1: 22 Sabres in no position to let young offensive talent walk. Plays more than 20 minutes a night. Besties with Jack Eichel. Position: Defence

The latest: Reinhart delivered on his two-year bridge deal and had a shot 2019-20 salary cap hit: $894,166 at back-to-back 60-point campaigns until the pause. And amidst another disappointing season in Western New York, Reinhart displayed flashes of Arbitration rights: No leadership. Bargaining chips: Top-10 draft pick. Logs more than 20 minutes nightly. “It’s all coming down to the players at this point,” Reinhart told reporters Putting up a career-best stat line of 10 goals, 34 points and plus-15. A in February. “The systems and the game plans that are set out for us top-four defenceman by 21 who hasn’t neared his ceiling. Fantastic give us an opportunity to have success. I think it goes back to what I’m skater with superior vision and instincts. trying to preach here. Guys need to demand more out of themselves, and The latest: The impending raise for Sergachev — a must-keep — is a big a lot of guys need to step the hell up.” reason why the cap-tight Lightning may have to cut into its core in order Frustration is mounting in Buffalo – to the point we can’t be certain GM to financially satisfy its young stars. Jason Botterill will be the one inking Reinhart’s next deal. There is Tampa has been patient with its horse on the back end, and when the potential for roster upheaval, as the Sabres have 15 roster players injury bug took down veterans for spells of this season, he rose to the headed toward restricted or unrestricted free agency. occasion. Fearless, the kid even dropped the gloves with Shea Weber in We’d expect Reinhart to get the biggest chunk of the pie, but decisions March. must be made on Victor Olofsson, Dominik Kahun, Brandon Montour, Pressure will be on BriseBois to lock him up before his stock rises even Linus Ullmark and others. Who’s essential to the core? higher.

6. Matt Murray 9. Ryan Pulock

Age on July 1: 26 Age: 25

Position: Goaltender Position: Defence

2019-20 salary cap hit: $3.75 million 2019-20 salary cap hit: $2 million

Arbitration rights: Yes Arbitration rights: Yes

Bargaining chips: Two Stanley Cup rings. World championships silver Bargaining chips: Overachieved through bridge deal. Excellent two-way medallist. NHL All-Rookie Team, 2017. Career 117-53-19 record. 48 game. Right shot. Slapshot makes you think better of getting in his lane. playoff games by age 25. Was on pace to set career highs in goals (10) and points (35).

The latest: Despite backstopping Pittsburgh to consecutive The latest: Deserving of more attention outside the Island than he championships, Murray has not been given the monstrous, long-term receives, Pulock could be looking for an extension in the ballpark of deal associated with winning franchise goalies. Further, he’s seen his No. Charlie McAvoy or Zach Werenski’s. A $5 million AAV would be the 1 status in town threatened by fellow RFA Tristan Jarry. upper end, for sure, but anything below $4.5 million will feel like a Murray’s save percentage took a dive in 2019-20 (.899, easily a career bargain. His 22:24 average time on ice is more than any other pending worst) yet he still battled to his fourth straight 20-win season. This despite RFA. playing just 38 games. Lamoriello is on record saying he intends to re-sign Pulock. No brainer. The latest: DeBrusk got off to a slow start in his platform year and could finish with a career-low 35 points. The Bruins opted for bridge deals last This is what happens when a Ryan Pulock slap shot hits the goalie summer with RFAs Charlie McAvoy and , and it makes a mask near the chops. Blackwood stays in the game after taking this shot ton of sense for both sides to take that route again here. 19:28 into the 2nd. pic.twitter.com/on7XcDkSpQ “It’s one of those where you ask questions on the business side of it. — Mike Morreale (@mikemorrealeNHL) January 8, 2020 Things change and different stuff happens with talks, but at the same 10. MacKenzie Blackwood time I mostly just try to stay out of it,” DeBrusk told NBC Sports about his contract year. “I guess when that time comes, though, I’ll be more aware Age on July 1: 23 of what to expect.”

Position: Goaltender As a second-line player, DeBrusk’s future will take a back seat to the Bruins’s most significant decision: At what price do they want to keep 2019-20 salary cap hit: $697,500 UFA defenceman Torey Krug in the fold? Arbitration rights: No Jake DeBrusk says he got kicked from the Bruins group chat Bargaining chips: Winning record on a bad team (32-24-8). One of the FaceTime within 5 minutes yesterday. NHL’s hottest goalies since Christmas. Silver medallist at 2019 world — Evan Marinofsky (@emarinofsky) April 22, 2020 championships. Calder Trophy candidate. 13. The latest: The Devils would be wise to rebuild from the net out, and few young goalies are as exciting as Blackwood, whose excellence has Age on July 1: 26 helped ease the discomfort of ’s decline. Position: Centre / Right wing No team has more salary cap space than New Jersey, so even with other RFAs coming up (most notably Jesper Bratt) fitting in Blackwood’s raise 2019-20 salary cap hit: $3.1 million won’t be an issue. Young goalies rarely get a long-term deal straight out Arbitration rights: Yes of their entry-level deals, however. Bargaining chips: Crushed career highs in goals (18) and points (59) and We’d expect a bridge contract for this potential long-term franchise was about to register his first 20-goal, 60-point season. Logs nearly 20 starter. That’s the route taken in recent summers by Jordan Binnington, minutes a night. Plus-21 on a non-playoff team. Top-five pick. Found Connor Hellebuyck, Andrei Vasilevskiy and the like. quick chemistry alongside Artemi Panarin (but who doesn’t?).

Blackwood may wish to use Merzlikins’ two-year, $8-million bridge The latest: Strome is a perplexing case. The most senior guy on this list, contract as a starting point. he had mustered just one goal and one assist in 18 games with 11. Tyler Bertuzzi Edmonton in 2018-19 but has absolutely taken off since being traded back to New York City, proving more than capable of a top-six role. Age on July 1: 25 If you’re the Rangers, how much term do you give a forward whose Position: Left wing numbers have fluctuated so wildly over the course of a career that’s toured through three franchises. 2019-20 salary cap hit: $1.4 million “It’s definitely special to be a Ranger right now, and I’m really happy with Arbitration rights: Yes where I’m at,” Strome told Sportsnet’s Gene Principe during the pause. Bargaining chips: Made first All-Star Game appearance. Back-to-back Rangers insider Larry Brooks of the New York Post analyzed the Strome 21-goal, 47-point seasons. Skates nearly 20 minutes a night. situation in April. Organization has invested seven years developing him into a first-line threat. “I’d expect the Blueshirts to keep Strome on a one-year deal, preferably without having to go through an unhelpful arbitration hearing,” Brooks The latest: One of the few bright spots on a sad-sack Red Wings, writes. “It would give management more time in which to assess Bertuzzi has over-delivered on 2018’s two-year, $2.8-million bridge pact Strome’s value and to ruminate over the wisdom of signing him to a long- and deserves a nice pay bump. term deal. In the alternative, he would likely become a prime rental Of the seven(!) pending RFA forwards GM Steve Yzerman must make property heading into next year’s deadline.” decisions on, Bertuzzi is the most essential. Yzerman began clearing 14. Dominik Kubalik space by trading away another pending RFA, Andreas Athanasiou, at the deadline to Edmonton. Age on July 1: 24

So @tylerbertuzzi is getting extra creative with his workouts these Position: Left wing days. #HockeyAtHome 2019-20 salary cap hit: $925,000 (: @DetroitRedWings) pic.twitter.com/wniQvnEUdx Arbitration rights: Yes — NHL (@NHL) April 30, 2020 Bargaining chips: Plenty of big-game international experience starring at The Red Wings have a busy summer of RFA signings ahead, but no the senior level with Czech men’s team. 2018 Olympian. 30-goal rookie negotiations will be more important than the ones with Anthony Mantha campaign caught many by surprise and tops all impending RFAs. Should and Tyler Bertuzzi. Looking ahead to their next deals, and the key appear on many 2020 Calder ballots. considerations in play: https://t.co/yLVMMrMYgO The latest: Kubalik — a seventh-round gem — made a seamless — Max Bultman (@m_bultman) March 27, 2020 transition from the to the North American game this season, exploding for 30 goals and 46 points. 12. Jake DeBrusk On Feb. 28, The Athletic’s Scott Powers reported that discussion on Age on July 1: 23 Kubalik’s next contract had begun with GM . Despite a Position: Left wing grand total of 68 NHL games played, Kubalik does hold arbitration rights, which will make for an interesting case. 2019-20 salary cap hit: $863,333 “Maybe William Karlsson in Vegas becomes the new comp,” a source Arbitration rights: No told Powers. “Slightly higher AAV, but on a one-year, see-if-you-can-do- it-again deal.” Bargaining chips: Was on track for his second-consecutive 20-goal season and three straight 40-point seasons. Playoff performer. First- Yep. We’d expect Chicago to push for a short-term extension. Kubalik is round pick. Plays with an edge befitting of Bruins’ identity. firing at a 19.1 shooting percentage, and that rate is virtually unsustainable. As they integrate more youth into their lineup, the More notable RFAs on deck: Anthony Duclair, Andre Burakovsky, Blackhawks also have to work out the futures of Dylan Strome, Slater Connor Brown, Josh Anderson, Victor Olofsson, Roope Hintz, Kevin Koekkoek, Drake Caggiula and Matthew Highmore. Labanc, Jesper Bratt, Dylan Strome, Chris Tierney, Jake Virtanen, Adam Gaudette, Jared McCann, Robby Fabbri, Andrew Mangiapane, Denis Scott Powers in his latest article for TheAthletic: “A source said the Gurianov, Valeri Nichushkin, Andreas Athanasiou, Ryan Graves, Ilya Chicago #Blackhawks are unlikely to finalize any contract extensions for Mikheyev, Vince Dunn, Ethan Bear, Devon Toews, Brandon Montour, Dominik Kubalik or anyone else until there’s a better idea of what the cap Linus Ullmark, Alexandar Georgiev, Nolan Patrick, Erik Cernak, Travis ceiling could be for next season.” Dermott, Victor Mete

— NHL News (@puck_report2) April 29, 2020 Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 05.01.2020 15. Tristan Jarry

Age on July 1: 25

Position: Goaltender

2019-20 salary cap hit: $675,000

Arbitration rights: Yes

Bargaining chips: One of the greatest bargains in hockey. Posted career highs in wins (20), GAA (2.43) and save percentage (.921). Made first All-Star Game appearance in January.

The latest: Jarry outperformed fellow RFA Murray this season in a 1A/1B rotation and has made a compelling case that he should be the Penguins’ undisputed starter in 2020-21.

Jim Rutherford, as always, will be up against the cap as he tries to keep the Crosby-Malkin championship window open for as long as possible. The GM had been blessed with one of the cheapest goalie tandems in 2019-20 (Murray and Jarry combined for a $4.425 million cap hit), but both are due significant raises. Meanwhile, AHLer Casey DeSmith is ready and eager for another NHL look, and he’s getting $1.25 million per season through 2020-21 regardless of where he plays.

Serious trade potential in Pittsburgh this off-season.

“I haven’t been doing any negotiations with our NHL players because we don’t know what the cap is going to be,” GM Jim Rutherford told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review during the pause.

“It can just take one or two contracts that put a team in a tough spot. Until we know what the cap is going to be for next year, I don’t think there will be a lot of negotiations going on.”

From quarantine, Jarry says his focus remains on staying in shape to win a Stanley Cup. ALSO: weeding. He’s doing a lot of weeding.

16. Anthony Mantha

Age on July 1: 25

Position: Left wing / Right wing

2019-20 salary cap hit: $3.3 million

Arbitration rights: Yes

Bargaining chips: Put up the same points per game (0.88) as Barzal. Plays nearly 19 minutes a night. Managed 38 points in 2019-20 despite being hampered with injuries. Consecutive 24-goal, 48-point efforts in 2017-18 and 2018-19.

The latest: When healthy, Mantha is a beastly winger and dependable contributor to Detroit’s top six. The drawback here is an injury history that has prevented Mantha from playing more than 70 games in all but one of his five pro years.

“It will be complicated, I think,” Mantha told The Detroit News of his upcoming negotiation with Yzerman. “But it’s not in my power. My power is to play hockey. My agent and Stevie are going to talk. Maybe they’ve started. I don’t even know.

“It’s hard to base right now. I played 40 games this year. I missed so many games, so it’s hard to go for the extension before the end of the year. We’ll see in the off-season.

“Hopefully it goes quick and I’ll be here for a long time.”

Mantha provided an update on April 29 to MLive.com.

“I talked to my agent a couple of weeks ago, and he told me nothing is moving forward yet,” Mantha said. “We’re trying to put our focus, and the [general managers] are focusing on trying to get hockey back before re- signing players.” 1183791 Websites His shooting percentage of 9.5 on the ice this season was down a third from the 14.3 per cent scoring rate Boeser established during his first two-plus seasons.

Sportsnet.ca / Canucks' Brock Boeser ready to salvage injury-ridden “The first 45 games I was almost a point-per-game, then after that, season if NHL resumes personally I felt I lost some confidence within myself,” he said. “I didn’t trust my abilities. I thought Petey, Millsy and me were playing really well together and having a great year. All three of us can score goals. I felt that maybe I wasn’t scoring but did a pretty good job of playing that full Iain MacIntyre | April 30, 2020, 4:58 PM game that we talk about, offensively and defensively. But obviously I’m a goal-scorer and I want to get back to scoring more goals. On that side of things, I’m definitely not too happy with myself. VANCOUVER – Besides trying to keep his parents safe, Brock Boeser has been focusing on a couple of important things while spending the “Statistically, this was one of my best years and then I had a little slide National Hockey League shutdown at his lake house in Minnesota. there. I know I can be a lot better in this league. I personally feel I can be a consistent scorer of 30, 35-plus every year and be that guy they can go The Vancouver Canucks winger has been working on his kitchen game, to during the season.” and his shooting game – both at the house he shares with two high- school friends a short drive from the Boeser family home in Burnsville, With the time he has had to heal and work on his shot, Boeser vowed just south of Minneapolis-St. Paul. he’ll “be ready to go” if the NHL season is salvaged. Understandably, he wants to make sure it’s safe before hockey resumes. “I feel like I’ve cooked more the last month than I did all of last summer,” Boeser told Sportsnet.ca in a telephone interview this week. “One of my His dad, Duke, 58, has endured a daunting series of medical challenges, buddies is the grill-master. I like to make the breakfasts and the sides including a massive heart attack last summer, Parkinson’s disease and and salads. I’m perfecting my salad game. Lately, I’ve been doing ongoing cancer that began in his lungs. Not long after he heard of spinach with some peppers and a little grated cheese, sometimes some COVID-19, before hockey halted, Brock asked his mom, Laurie, to leave onions just to mix it up.” her administrative job in order to better shield Duke from the virus.

Boeser turned 23 in February. His cooking skills are still improving. So, “We didn’t want my mom getting it and bringing it home to my dad,” he too, he hopes is his shooting. said. “My mom has been really cautious and safe about everything. It is scary knowing that if my dad somehow got it, it could lead down a bad The 2018 Calder Trophy runner-up had only one game back from his road, so it’s really important for us to stay on top of being safe.” latest injury when hockey closed due to the novel coronavirus on March 12. In that game, a 5-4 shootout win against the New York Islanders two Brock has been doing the weekly grocery shopping for his parents. He nights earlier that moved the Canucks into a playoff spot based on wears gloves and keeps hand sanitizer in his pocket. He said his mom winning percentage, Boeser had three shots on net but went pointless. organizes her shopping list geographically, so Brock can make one fluid pass through the store. Our next @ HOME guest is @BBoeser16. Fire away with some Q’s for Brock, and yes he will be showing us his two “We might miss a few things,” Boeser said. “I don’t mind (grocery pic.twitter.com/qToxkdxior shopping) too much. The family is doing well. My parents, I see them, but I’ve been keeping my distance. We’ve been having good weather, so — Dan Murphy (@sportsnetmurph) April 29, 2020 they’ve been coming over and just kind of hanging out at my house. But they’ve been keeping their distance, just to stay safe for my dad. I The season halted with the right winger on a five-game pointless streak haven’t even given a hug to my mom or dad since I’ve been back. That and 12-game goal drought, each the longest since he soared into the obviously sucks.” NHL straight out of the University of North Dakota and scored four times in nine games at the end of the 2016-17 season. Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 05.01.2020 Boeser last scored on Jan. 11 and faces the prospect of finishing his third NHL season with just 16 goals in 57 games. Even with easily the worst slump of his short career, Boeser still posted a solid 45 points and a shots-for percentage of 52.4. That was surely helped by playing alongside Elias Pettersson and J.T. Miller on one of the top lines in the NHL, although it should be noted that both Pettersson and Miller had better possession numbers with Boeser than without him.

This is also the third straight season in which the 2015 first-round pick has missed significant time due to injury: 12 games with a rib-cartilage fracture Boeser suffered Feb. 10.

“I could say some of the injuries are unlucky, but that’s part of life,” Boeser said. “I was really focussed on coming back and making a huge difference in the playoff push. I just wanted to get my game back and really contribute in that last little bit, so it obviously sucked that I got one game and then everything shut down.

“I think it’s a confidence thing. If you’re going well and then you get injured, it’s kind of like starting from scratch. It definitely can play some mind games with you, especially this last injury. I was having a tough stretch of games before I got injured. I just took that time off and thought deeply about how I can be better and how I can improve and get out of that little slump I was in.”

Richard Deitsch and Donnovan Bennett host a podcast about how COVID-19 is impacting sports around the world. They talk to experts, athletes and personalities, offering a window into the lives of people we normally root for in entirely different ways.

He’s still thinking about it. As soon as Boeser returned home from Vancouver, he set up the shooting tarp he keeps in Minnesota. Like all NHL players in North America, Boeser can’t skate during the shutdown, but he has shot a couple of thousand pucks in his driveway. 1183792 Websites Goaltending coach Steve Briere has been in regular contact, via video chats, with Campbell and Andersen during the pause, keeping the tandem on track with mental and physical exercises.

Sportsnet.ca / Maple Leafs’ Jack Campbell using pause to ‘come back an “He’s such a student of the game himself, he makes it easy for us to even better goalie’ know what to focus on,” says Campbell, impressed with Briere’s eye for detail. “Everything we do has purpose, and I feel like each time we talk, I’m even closer to being ready to go.

Luke Fox | April 30, 2020, 3:43 PM “I feel really good about where I’m at physically and mentally right now.”

If anything is dragging Campbell down these days, it might be a light case of FOMO, watching Andersen and fast friend Auston Matthews link You might have better luck guzzling a keg of disinfectant and surviving for rooftop alley-oops into the mustachioed sniper’s backyard swimming than repressing the positivity of Jack Campbell, Toronto Maple Leafs pool. goaltender and the closest thing hockey has to a human rainbow. Campbell has been texting frequently with those roomies during this “I can’t stop smiling at the thought of when it’s the right time for break. And although grocery-store recognizability prompted Campbell to everybody to come back, how exciting it’ll be to get in the net and stop grow out a beard around the “Road to 50” moustache he’d grown in some pucks,” Campbell enthused Thursday from quarantine. support of Matthews’ goal chase… “I’m super excited to get back and see everybody and get back to work “You can count on seeing Road to 50 as soon as play resumes, no and play the best game on Earth.” question about it,” Campbell vows, with a smile loud enough to hear If any Leaf can handle the unusual and restrictive rigours of lockdown, it’s through a phone connection. Campbell, who embraced his stunning mid-season trade across “Those two guys are pretty similar because they love spending time continent, conference and national border with gusto. So what if he made outside, playing sports, and I’m pretty jealous of Auston’s setup. I wish I the move with just one pair of pants in his luggage? had that here in L.A. I’ll definitely be getting some laughs in with them Not only did Campbell promptly injected a level of stability to Frederik soon.” Andersen’s understudy role that had been sorely missing since Curtis Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 05.01.2020 McElhinney hit the waiver wire in October of 2018 — going 3-2-1 with a .915 save percentage in his six Leafs starts — but the 28-year-old netminder’s sunny-side-up approach endeared himself to fans, management and teammates almost instantly.

“He was an easy guy to get along with right away,” Andersen says. “He brought a really good energy and attitude to the team and just a really nice guy as well. It’s something I welcomed, and he definitely made a good impact on the guys.”

Defenceman Jake Muzzin, a teammate of Campbell’s in L.A. as well, said this week that Leafs management picked his brain about Campbell’s fit before Kyle Dubas pulled the trigger. And Muzzin noticed a world of difference once Campbell’s irrepressible smile graced the room.

“A huge positive impact,” Muzzin says. “He’s a guy that works extremely hard, his work ethic is one of the best I’ve seen in the NHL. He came in and did a great job and got us a few wins that were needed.

“He’s given Fred a break mentally and physically. He gives the team that confidence back there that he’s going to go out and perform and give us a chance to win every time he’s in the net.”

As the NHL and its Players’ Association attempt to graduate to Phase 2 of crisis recovery and begin on-ice training in small groups sometime in May — ex-Leaf Jake Gardiner intriguingly told Good Show that players expect an update on next steps Saturday — Campbell describes the past six weeks as “survival mode.”

Making the most of his last month of rent in Los Angeles, Campbell has poured himself into his cooking hobby and devoted this downtime to making his body more limber when it comes time to flash the leather cross-crease.

“It’s pretty scary time for the world, and the health of everybody is No. 1, but with that being said, it does give somebody like myself a chance to work on [weaknesses],” Campbell explains. “For me, it was my flexibility. I took the time over the last six weeks to really hammer out a bunch of stretching. I feel like, hopefully, I’ll come back an even better goalie.”

Once could argue that Campbell’s entire pro career has been conducted in survival mode. A first-round pick to Dallas in 2010, Campbell spent more time with the Stars’ ECHL outfit (the Idaho Steelheads) than its NHL one. A full decade after his draft day, Campbell has been twice traded, and his 64 NHL appearances represent but a fraction of the time he’s spent developing with farm clubs.

The trade to Toronto has provided Campbell with not only a big-league foothold — no obvious prospect is gunning to take his job yet — but, perhaps, an opportunity to take a greater chunk of Andersen’s starts in 2020-21. 1183793 Websites “In a few years he’s going to be leading the league in scoring.” Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 05.01.2020

Sportsnet.ca / Jets' Mark Scheifele says Sabres' Jack Eichel deserves Hart Trophy

Emily Sadler April 30, 2020, 12:10 PM

Winnipeg Jets forward Mark Scheifele believes Buffalo Sabres captain Jack Eichel deserves to win the Hart Trophy this season.

Scheifele teamed up with The Players’ Tribune on Thursday to share his thoughts on some of the top players and performances of 2019-20 (so far) and submit his “official, non-official” NHL Awards ballot.

“Leon [Draisaitl] is probably the smartest player in the game. Connor [McDavid] … well, everyone knows him. And guys like Nathan MacKinnon and David Pastrnak deserve some praise as well, absolutely,” he wrote.

“But … the most valuable player to his team? Jack Eichel.”

Scheifele, a self-proclaimed hockey nerd who’s almost always watching hockey whenever he isn’t playing it, said he’s been watching a lot of Sabres games this year so he can see what Eichel does next.

“Every time he steps out there he seems like he’s just got another gear over everyone else,” he wrote. “To do that night in and night out? That’s impressive.”

Scheifele also chimed in on the red-hot Calder Trophy race, backed his own netminder for the Vezina, and broke down some game tape on his favourite goal of the year — Connor McDavid versus Morgan Rielly and the Toronto Maple Leafs… you know the one.

It’s a great read for his fellow hockey nerds — though, a word of warning: It’ll make you miss hockey even more than you already do. Here are a few excerpts:

On why Quinn Hughes gets the edge in the Calder race:

“Don’t get me wrong, he’s a lot more than just an elite skater. But the way he works his edges — he does it as well as anybody in the NHL right now. He’s not as quick as (Cale) Makar, I think, but it’s the way he creates just little pockets of space for himself that really separates him… It’s close, but for me it goes to Hughes. He’s just been that much more creative, and also done more to help his team.”

On his Calder runner-up, Cale Makar:

“Whether it’s in transition, or in the O-zone, he’s so hard to knock off the puck. This isn’t a size thing, mostly. It’s more his ability to juke you and bounce off a check. When you know he has that ability, it makes it really hard to mentally commit to a hit on him.

“If you go down into the corner to get a puck off him, you’ve already lost the battle, because he has it.”

On Jack Eichel:

“Whenever we play Buffalo, he’s the first guy we look to try to nullify. He’s a monster in the offensive end and an absolute pain to play against when you’re trying to score. He can do it all. He’s one of the most complete forwards in the game. And he doesn’t take a shift off.”

On Connor Hellebuyck:

“He’ll give up a goal during a game, and the next day he’ll be on the ice facing that same shot 50 times until he gets it right.

“I don’t know the specific mechanics that make him great, but his hockey IQ is really incredible. I think he has a database in his head for every shooter in the league, because he’s hands down the best shot-stopper out there.”

On why Mathew Barzal is one of his favourite players to WATCH:

“His point totals might not blow you away yet, but as far as controlling the game? Not sure there’s too many better out there. He’s always got the puck, and not in a selfish way. It’s just that he’s the one who can set up the ice in a way to let his teammates succeed. 1183794 Websites

Sportsnet.ca / Red Wings' Yzerman on early draft: 'I haven't heard a good reason'

Josh Beneteau | April 30, 2020, 10:24 AM

Detroit Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman doesn’t think it’s a good idea for the NHL to hold a draft before the regular season ends.

“My thought is why would you do that, why would you need to do that?” Yzerman said on a Facebook Live hosted by Fox Sports Detroit on Wednesday. “There’s a lot of things that are affected, obviously. The draft position hasn’t been established, we don’t know who’s in the playoffs, or who’s out of the playoffs, in some cases.

“So there’s a lot of questions, and ultimately if it needs to be done prior to, we’ll figure it out, but at this time, my own opinion is, I haven’t heard a good reason why we should do it prior to the end of the season if we do conclude the season.”

The Red Wings had already secured the best odds in the draft lottery with a 17-49-5 record prior to the COVID-19 shutdown. While the original Montreal draft at the end of June has been cancelled, the NHL recently reached out to teams to gauge their interest in holding some form of the draft, likely virtually, before play potentially resumes in the summer. A decision on the fate of the draft is expected relatively soon.

Yzerman’s former teammate and current Toronto Maple Leafs president Brendan Shanahan is on board with the idea.

“I would be okay with that,” Shanahan said on Tim & Sid last week. “It’s not perfect, but I would say this: Who knows what it’s gonna look like if we think we’re gonna do this in August, September, or October? If we’re playing hockey, if we’re finishing a Stanley Cup, if we have the hopes and anticipation of doing a quick turnaround and restarting a season.”

Whenever the draft does happen, it will be a pivotal one for Yzerman as he tries to rebuild the Red Wings. While the junior and European seasons were cancelled early, Yzerman was quick to point out all NHL teams are in the same boat and added his staff will be ready for the big day, whenever it happens.

“It looks like right now we won’t get to watch these kids anymore so we can only make our decisions based on the information we have,” Yzerman said.

Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 05.01.2020 1183795 Websites "For one, I started shooting more. And, also, I think just over the last year and summer I just improved it with Josh. He helped me work on some things with it and just practising it. It gets better and better with repetition. I just shoot pucks in the driveway and I think that develops the muscles TSN.CA / Getting drafted by Sens would be 'extra special' for Ottawa 67s you need." sharpshooter Jack Quinn Jack Quinn leads to the league with 41 goals in 46 games.

What has been your favourite Quinn highlight this season? Mark Masters pic.twitter.com/OLQ9U4sPKV

— Ottawa 67’s (@Ottawa67sHockey) February 6, 2020

Jack Quinn wouldn't mind staying put. He grew up in the Ottawa Valley, What's your focus this summer? played junior hockey with the Ottawa 67s and now there's a chance he could get picked by the Senators in the next National Hockey League "For me, I want to really work on my speed, my skating, my first three draft. Quinn is No. 7 on NHL Central Scouting's final list of North steps and be more explosive that way, and then just my overall strength American skaters while Ottawa owns three picks in the first round. as well so I'm able to win battles against bigger guys and everything."

"It would be special," the 18-year-old winger said. "Just staying close to What makes Tony Greco a good trainer? home and having that connection with Ottawa in juniors and then [to play in] Ottawa again would be extra special." "Just how competitive he is. He's really competitive and wants the best out of us and pushes us really hard." Quinn, a native of Cobden, Ont., caught hockey fever while watching the Senators make a run to the 2007 Stanley Cup Final. Greco also works with Claude Giroux. What stands out about the Flyers captain? "That was pretty cool," he recalled with a smile. "Everyone in the city got behind the team and it was a tough way to end, but still quite the run." "We see him quite a bit. He's in the group right before us so we'll always be talking with him and he's a good role model for us to look up to and Quinn's favourite player was captain . watch how hard he works. We just marvel at how hard he works. He's already in the NHL and has proven himself and he's still the most "I just thought he was the heart and soul of the team and had a bit of an competitive guy in the gym and you just try to keep up with him. He loves edge and was really good offensively," he said. to chat with us about our seasons. It's great to be there with him."

Quinn enjoyed watching the Senators, and fans in the nation's capital Who plays the most like you right now in the NHL? have enjoyed watching Quinn grow into an elite scorer at the junior level. After scoring 12 goals last year, he potted 52 in 62 Ontario Hockey "I like watching [David] Pastrnak. His offence is pretty special. I like how League games this season. TSN director of scouting calls he can score and make plays." Quinn "the best goal scorer available in this draft." You guys had such a great season in Ottawa and were among the CRAIG’S LIST: Alexis Lafreniere has strengthened his hold on the favourites for the Memorial Cup. How tough was it to see the playoffs get title of hockey’s best prospect, with his 112-point regular season further cancelled? evidence that he belongs atop our 103-player list compiled by @CraigJButton: https://t.co/gf9AaQAK9V#TSNHockey#DraftCentre "It's really disappointing. We just wanted to get the chance to prove ourselves and show that we could end up winning and go all the way, so pic.twitter.com/UsL5uirjSQ to not have that opportunity stings." — TSN Hockey (@TSNHockey) March 30, 2020 What do you like about playing with Rossi? That's high praise for a 6-foot, 176-pound kid, who didn't start working out in the gym seriously until his 16-year-old season. Quinn spoke to "Everything. The main thing is how much he makes all his teammates TSN via Zoom on Thursday and provided some insight on his dramatic better. Whenever you're on the ice with him, you know, he dictates the rise, including what he's learned from watching Philadephia Flyers play and is so smart and is going to make plays." captain Claude Giroux do his off-season training. TSN.CA LOADED: 05.01.2020 The following is an edited transcript of the interview.

You were voted the most improved player in the Eastern Conference in the OHL coaches poll. Where did you improve the most this season?

"Just my confidence in my play, being able to handle the puck a little more and being able to make more plays and because of that I had more of an offensive breakout year."

Why did your confidence go up? Did you have a good off-season?

"Yeah, I mean, for sure the off-season helped. I had a good summer training with Tony Greco and I worked with (skills coach) Josh Wrobel on my shooting and skills and that helped me a lot. I just got better as the year went on."

— CanadianHockeyLeague (@CHLHockey) March 9, 2020

Head coach Andre Tourigny said you were getting to the dirty areas more, getting to the inside more. How did that part of your game develop?

"That was a big thing that coach Andre was pretty hard on me about and really wanted me to improve. We worked on that a lot throughout the year and that's a big reason why I started to score a lot more goals. I was getting to the inside and getting to the net and not just scoring from the outside or whatever. That was a big help. He just wants to get the best out of his guys so just stayed on me about it and it took some time, but he was persistent and it worked out."

— TSN (@TSN_Sports) March 24, 2020

How did you develop your shot and turn it into the weapon it is now? 1183796 Websites To combat that, TSN vice-president and executive producer Paul Graham said the network is in regular communication with the NHL’s broadcast group and other options are being discussed. Some focus on new technology that creates a familiar atmosphere in the building where TSN.CA / Seravalli: Return to play would be a brave new world for NHL you can still keep player announcements and music to help create the broadcasts ambiance that players and viewers are familiar with. That may help drown out chirps between whistles.

Graham said if the NHL resumes, TSN and other league broadcasters Frank Seravalli and suppliers would share feeds and take every precaution to ensure the health and safety of TV production and technical staff on location.

The MVP of the next NHL game might be the audio technician in the Ferraro would likely not be stationed between the benches. Player broadcast truck with his or her finger on the trigger of the bleep button. access would be restricted and, if allowed, interviews would be conducted on sanitized headsets. There would be different protocol in Because if and when the NHL resumes, the telecast may not look all that place in the broadcast truck itself to allow for distancing and to ensure different, but it will definitely sound different without fans in the arena. the best practices of cleanliness.

“It’s going to be unavoidable,” said TSN analyst Ray Ferraro, who sees “With no fans around, we could move around a couple of cameras for and hears a lot of the chatter from his spot between the benches on different angles, but we might also have to simplify our normal setup to broadcasts. “I think there are going to be things that fans are going to minimize the number of personnel in the building for appropriate social hear that are both good and bad. You’ll notice players yell ‘reverse’ and distancing” Graham said. “The rink itself, with the boards and glass, you’ll hear and see players’ instincts jumping the play. naturally creates a barrier that distances the players from camera operators and technicians, unlike basketball, football and soccer, and “But you’re also going to hear some things you don’t like. A lot of fans tell that helps for personal safety.” me they want more access to what's said, but it’s like Jack Nicholson on the stand in A Few Good Men when he says, ‘You want the truth? You Graham predicted that the unusual nature of the season resuming might can’t handle the truth!’ For some fans, there is going to be swearing to a create a World Hockey Championship or March Madness-style effect point that they won’t like it.” with non-stop hockey.

Ferraro said he doesn’t hear a lot of the on-ice chirping and smack “There is a cool factor there if they settle on four locations, this non-stop talking, unless it happens right in front of him. It’s drowned out by the tournament with the NHL potentially playing 12 games a day, at noon, crowd noise, the blaring music between whistles, and the hum of the four o’clock and eight o’clock,” Graham said. show in his headset. It would be a brave new world – for fans, broadcasters, and especially But with 19,000 fans absent in an echoing arena, the ambient noise players. microphones •– the ones designed to pick up the sound effects of the game, like tape-to-tape passes, shots blasting off sticks and boards, and Hayes, 27, has been in self-isolation in his Massachusetts home during bone-crunching hits – will pick up a lot more than usual. the pandemic. He said the last time he played a game without fans in an arena, he was 13 or 14 years old. “We’re going to have to keep it PG,” Flames forward Milan Lucic said Tuesday in a Zoom chat with TSN reporters. “I guess there will be a lot “It might be tough for everyone to get pumped up at first, but these would that’s left unsaid.” be important games,” Hayes said. “We will adjust. There is a lot of talk; fans will realize how much we communicate on the ice. There just might Those microphones could also present opportunity. For one, students of be more talking on the bench now.” the game will be fascinated by the in-game chatter, as Ferraro pointed out. TSN.CA LOADED: 05.01.2020

But there might be another opportunity for players to show more of their personalities, something NHL chief marketing officer Heidi Browning has been trying to encourage from players on social media since she joined the league four years ago.

Flyers forward Kevin Hayes has become one of the fan favourites in Philadelphia because of his quick wit, non-stop banter and humour on the ice that has come out when he’s been mic’d up by the team this season.

Hayes thinks fellow players would be more open to volunteering to be mic’d up during games coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I think we can be really relatable to fans. This can be a way that we can connect with fans on a personal level because most of them really don’t get to know us,” Hayes said. “You can show what kind of person you are. No one is going to believe me, but I totally forget that I’m mic’d up. What you see and hear is just how I interact with my teammates.”

For the most part, Hayes said, the on-ice trash talking is “not too, too bad.” There are certainly players whose mouth is a big part of their game. Brad Marchand was recently voted the best (and worst) trash talker in the league in the NHLPA’s annual Player Poll.

But the chirping doesn’t need to be dirty to cut deep. If it’s clean, and the microphones pick it up, it will go viral in today’s social media world.

TSN’s Gord Miller relayed a story how Ferraro used to torment one opponent during his playing days, calling him “Beetlejuice” because that player had “such a small head for being such a large man.” Players on both benches couldn’t stop laughing.

“There are funny lines here or there,” Hayes said. “It’s part of the game.”

For the player who crosses the line, there could not only be discipline from the NHL, but that player might live in infamy if the slur or swear makes it to air. 1183797 World Leagues News “We’re a community that enjoys sports, enjoys the outdoors, enjoys our pastimes, our time together, our free time and sports and play,” San Bernardino Councilman Henry Nickel, whose ward includes Al Houghton Little League cancels postseason due to coronavirus; San Bernardino Stadium, said by phone Thursday. “This virus has diminished our ability loses West Regional to engage in those activities that we enjoy here.

“It’s unfortunate, but this is what happens when you have a significant health crisis like this.” By BRIAN WHITEHEAD | [email protected] | San Bernardino Sun While the World Series and all qualifying tournaments have been PUBLISHED: April 30, 2020 at 2:04 p.m. | UPDATED: April 30, 2020 at canceled, Little League officials have told leagues and districts they can 4:29 p.m. resume activities May 11 so long as they follow state and local guidelines for public gatherings and sporting events.

If safe, playing opportunities could include the resumption of regular The Boys – and Girls – of Summer will have to wait a year to take the season games or all-star tournaments. field again.

For the first time in its nearly 75-year history, Little League International has canceled all World Series and Regional Tournaments due to the San Bernardino Sun LOADED: 05.01.2020 ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the youth sports giant announced Thursday.

Previously set to vie for world championships this summer, millions of Little Leaguers across 84 countries now must wait for postseason baseball and to return in 2021.

Seven World Series tournaments – including the uber-popular Little League Baseball contest in South Williamsport, Pa. – and their respective regional qualifying tournaments have been canceled. The 2020 Major League Baseball Little League Classic presented by GEICO also has been nixed.

“This is a heartbreaking decision for everyone at Little League International, but more so for those millions of Little Leaguers who have dreamt of one day playing in one of our seven World Series events,” Stephen D. Keener, Little League president and CEO, said in a news release. “After exhausting all possible options, we came to the conclusion that because of the significant public health uncertainty that will still exist several months from now … it will not be possible to proceed with our tournaments as we’ve hosted them for nearly 75 years.”

In addition to announcing the cancellation of all tournaments, Little League International on Thursday committed to crediting about $1.2 million to its more than 6,500 chartered programs.

Little League officials weighed myriad factors when considering whether to proceed with their banner showcases.

Ultimately, the postseason was canceled over the inability to play qualifying tournaments in many national and international regions; complexities of international travel restrictions and immigration requirements; indications from teams around the world that they would be unable to participate; and lastly, the volume of testing and mitigation protocols needed at tournaments should a player, coach or spectator be diagnosed with COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus.

“Delivering this news comes with a very heavy heart,” Hugh E. Tanner, Little League International chairman, said in the release. “We have never had to cancel our World Series tournaments, but, right now, as our world comes together, we must do everything we can to help stem the spread of this deadly virus.”

Every summer, the best young baseball and softball players from Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming converge upon San Bernardino to play in nationally-televised games for spots in the Little League World Series.

“There’s really nothing like it,” April Meehleder, West Region director, said by phone Thursday. “It is such an authentic experience for everyone that participates, and there’s just joy that comes from the players and their overall experience here. Our volunteers, we have so many great traditions and it’s just so much fun.

“Once the games begin,” Meehleder added, “and we get toward those championship games, and you see the crowd grow and grow and grow, it’s just exciting. This place goes from very quiet during the offseason to up to 10,000 people in the stands cheering for their teams.

“It’s a dream come true for kids that play here,” Meehleder concluded. “I would say some of the best memories they’re going to make.”

Now, however, with play canceled, San Bernardino loses a marquee event that benefits the city at large. 1183798 World Leagues News

Mets, Yankees deserve blowback over callous coronavirus ticket refund plans

By Ken Davidoff

April 30, 2020 | 11:12PM

Yeesh.

To steal from legendary sportscaster Warner Wolf, if you had the Mets and Yankees extending sympathy and virtual hugs during this unprecedented nightmare … you lost!

With Major League Baseball starting no time soon, New York’s two clubs released their long-awaited ticket policies to address the COVID-19 shutdown, and look, they could have been worse. You can get refunded for games scheduled at Citi Field and through April.

Really, though, shouldn’t we expect much better from these franchises?

Because we know there won’t be any games anywhere through May and very likely through June, and who knows if there’ll be games in New York at all? Because you have to endure a “Where’s Waldo?”-type exercise just to find mention of refunds in the official statements on the team websites and then jump through hoops to actually execute the refund. And because the Mets, in particular, will hold onto your money for another week before even beginning the process and will penalize you for asking if you can have said money back.

We know it needn’t be this difficult, because we can see what the Red Sox did. The rivals from up north offer refunds as the first and default option, rather than the last — and for all games through May.

Stipulated that professional sports teams are among those taking the biggest hits in this crisis. Professional sports teams, however, are not small businesses. They are built to last. To serve as community leaders and help those in trouble. And we are in trouble to the tune of about a 20 percent unemployment rate in this country.

The Yankees reached out to all of their affected ticket-holders on Thursday to inform them of the policy. One such person, Marc Phillips of Manhattan, has owned a half-season plan with the Yankees for four years.

“All I can say is they lost a season ticket-holder,” Phillips wrote in a text message. “They should be ashamed of themselves.”

The Yankees first mention refunds in their fifth paragraph, and that option comes last, after a rain check policy, credits and bonuses. Perhaps I’m being too sensitive about that order except that, again, the Red Sox led with the refunds. You then must scroll near the bottom, under “Other Options,” to learn that ticket-holders must contact either their ticket representative or visit their Ticketmaster account, as applicable, to ask for a refund. Let’s hope there won’t be too much wrangling on those fronts. Please let us know if there is.

Compared to the Mets on the generosity front, however, the Yankees look like Bill Gates. The Mets’ refund info also resides near the bottom of their update, under “additional information.” You can’t even start the refund process, by applying through your online Mets ticket account, until May 7. The final sentence of the passage reads, “All ticket refunds will result in the forfeiture of bonus credit and priority ticket access.”

The flip side of that is the Mets are offering generous such credits and access to those who stay. Yet the entirety of this policy will only enhance the widely held perception that the Mets and their current owners are in financial peril.

How disappointing, here where we’ve been hit so hard by the pandemic. The good news is they can change their minds, their wording, whenever they want. Given the anger and anxiety out there, it wouldn’t surprise if their ticket-holders’ feedback transforms instantly into blowback and leaves them wishing they had been more supportive from the get-go.

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Coronavirus Australia: Principles for the resumption of community sport outlined

Alex Chapman

Friday, 1 May 2020 2:05 PM

The three-stage process for the return of community sport has been unveiled by National Cabinet.

The three-stage process for the return of community sport has been unveiled by National Cabinet.

Local sporting competitions were brought to a grinding halt in recent weeks - many mid-season - due to the coronavirus outbreak.

On Friday, National Cabinet met and released its national principles for the resumption of Sport and Recreation activities.

Fifteen subsections outline the benefits and complications around restarting community sport competitions and casual exercise.

In its first point, it says sport “can contribute many health, economic, social and cultural benefits to Australian society emerging from the COVID-19 environment”.

However, in its second, it outlines that sport cannot “compromise the health of individuals or the community”.

Minister for Youth and Sport Richard Colbeck spoke alongside Prime Minister Scott Morrison following National Cabinet on Friday.

He said there were three stages to the return for sport.

Three stages

Australia is currently in the first stage, where there is no sport at all.

The second, he says, is the commencement of outdoor sports that are predominantly non-contact and involve fewer than 10 people.

The third is the resumption of activities including full contact training competition in sporting events of more than 10 people.

Outdoor recreational activities like personal training and boot camps, golf, fishing, bush walking and swimming are also on the government’s radar.

Individual states and territories will determine the rate at which they move through those phases.

Colbeck and Morrison both indicated the COVIDSafe app would be crucial to the resumption of community sport.

More than 3.5 million Australians have downloaded and registered for the app.

However, Morrison said that number needs to be much higher this time next week if National Cabinet is to move to ease restrictions.

“The degree to which we can confidently ease restrictions really does depend on our coverage of the COVIDSafe app,” he said.

Colbeck started his own slogan in his encouragement to download the app.

“If you want to get out and play, download the app today.”

LOADED: 05.01.2020 1183800 World Leagues News extol the Hooton Foundation in a solemn, soulful, media-celebrated session.

Then, early in 2013, the BioGenesis steroids scandal led to Rodriguez Ticket-pricing warning for sports leagues in the coronavirus era being banned from baseball for 211 games.

This placed Don Hooton in what he called an “awkward” position.

By Phil Mushnick N.Y. Attorney General Letitia James has called on all major cable TV and April 30, 2020 | 7:41PM satellite programming providers to reduce fees — as high as $20 per month — for sports until live sports returns.

This shouldn’t be hard yet will be portrayed by the companies as Last week a wire service carried the woeful story of free-agent Seattle impossible. Whatever the systems charge the programmers or directly defensive end Jadeveon Clowney. Having made $51 million his first four charge the public for sports networks, apply the price to a refund or credit years in the NFL, his next deal could be for a few million less. in ensuing bills backdated to early March. Even allow them to keep, say, two bucks per household to cover administrative fees. That’s still millions Depressing? I’m still disconsolate. of dollars per month for providing next to nothing. But misery loves company. Since the coronavirus outbreak, Seattle has If the systems and programmers continue to charge one another for suffered the largest leap in unemployment in the nation — more than nothing, that’s for them to fix, not for us to pay for — or they’d fix it. 24,000 people, an increase of 87 percent. Among MSG’s four networks two regularly provide — even in pre-virus That set me to thinking. “Disposable income” in Seattle for the next days years — mostly blank screens. MSG should be AG James’ first couple of years isn’t going to be very disposable, for the NFL Seahawks target. and MLB Mariners. Saturday, as only ESPN could, ESPN reported that the 49ers acquired “Dynamic Pricing” Mariners’ tickets last season, based on their opponent offensive tackle Trent Williams from Washington. ESPN added that and SQ — sucker quotient — went for a high of $1,200 per ticket per Williams has “a 92.3 Pass Block Win Rate.” game to a low of $22. I’m guessing that if any kind of home season begins for the M’s this year, the high will be closer to $22 as few, if any, Hmmm. If that’s good, why did they dump him? If it’s bad, why did the are going to reach for a couple of grand or even hundreds to take their Niners want him? family to a ballgame. But because context rarely matters on ESPN, it was left unreported that The average ticket to a Seahawks game was $248. Williams didn’t play last season due to contract/medical issues that made his 92.3 Pass Block Win Rate for a 7-9 2018 team extra non-news. Last year months before the virus, total NFL and MLB attendance was the lowest in over a decade. Reader Vin Curtin alerted us to MLB Network’s replay of the Mel Allen- narrated “This Week in Baseball,” a sensational first half-inning from an This season, with money and jobs lower than at any time in recent April 13, 1985, Phillies-Astros game. memory, attendance will be further diminished, and likely a lot further diminished at sustained ticket pricing, parking and concessions. Rookie Astros starter Ron Mathis allowed the first two Phillies, Jeff Stone and Juan Samuel, to reach base via singles. Stone was then picked off Consider that new Yankee Stadium, since it opened in 2009, regularly second, then Samuel was picked off first. The next batter, Von Hayes, produces embarrassing TV pictures showing nearly all the best seats walked, but then was caught stealing! empty as a matter of conspicuous, untreated, shameless greed — even if the Yanks’ broadcasters last season pretended, for an 11th consecutive Take it, Mel: “How ’bout that!?” Oh, and bring back that show! season, that we couldn’t see what we couldn’t miss. Virus, Misc.: Reader Paul Van Arsdale notes ESPN’s virus-time In other words, unless radical, practical, common sense ticket-pricing documentary on the Bulls was preceded by warnings that the episodes structures are adopted, bad will grow far worse. And as more and more “Contain Mature Language.” Thus, he asks, “So those who don’t use customers are virus-conditioned to live without, diminishing returns will profanity speak immature language?” be an annual condition. Virus Tips: I’m starting to learn sign language for the non-hearing and The virus all-clear whistle is not going to signal a mad rush back to the hearing-impaired from Mayor Bill de Blasio’s daily news conferences. ballparks and arenas, not with an estimated 30 million now unemployed. The signers, who appear with the mayor, have begun to abridge their translations, shrug, sigh and read, “He said the same thing yesterday.” Anyway, I don’t know how he expects to do it, but Jadeveon Clowney is hoping for upward of $20 million per season, but he might have to settle Out of toilet paper? Try English muffins, but be sure to first defrost them. for a reported offer from Seattle of “just” $18.5 million. But if MLB, the Cheap gags are the only ones I can afford. NBA, the NFL and NHL believe that people are going to keep digging deep into freshly emptied pockets — keep taking patrons for granted — they’re delusional. NY Post LOADED: 05.01.2020 Still mind-blowing that the prestigious Paley Center for Media, recently and for no given reason except that he was a “star baseball player,” would select infamous cheat and liar Alex Rodriguez to its board of directors.

Further, reader Richard Garrity reminds us that lost in all of Rodriguez’s inexplicable and almost immediate post-baseball, post-scandal rewards — including primary positions on ESPN and Fox MLB telecasts — is that episode in which Rodriguez essentially was fired from a charity.

In 2003, Taylor Hooton, the cousin of former MLB pitcher Burt Hooton and the son of educators, was a promising and popular 17-year-old high school athlete. He hung himself, having become unhinged by sudden and steady use of steroids.

In Houston, The Taylor Hooton Foundation to warn against and combat steroid use among teens, was thus formed, by Hooton’s father, Don.

The foundation’s most notable, center-stage, pose-for-pictures, talk-the- talk participant was Alex Rodriguez, already busted once for juicing but not yet known to be among the sports world’s most financially enriched, dishonest phonies. Rodriguez even appeared at a news conference to 1183801 World Leagues News "It is the responsibility of the league office to explore all options for a return to play this season," the spokesperson told CNBC in a statement. "We owe that to our fans, teams, players, partners and all who love the NBA team execs, agents are calling on the league to cancel the rest of game. While our top priority remains everyone's health and well-being, the season we continue to evaluate all options to finish this season. At the same time, we are intensely focused on addressing the potential impact of Covid-19 on the 2020-21 season."

PUBLISHED THU, APR 30 202011:00 AM EDTUPDATED THU, APR 30 Calls to cancel 202011:26 AM EDT With so much uncertainty still surrounding coronavirus, agents are also Jabari Young privately calling on NBA Commissioner Adam Silver to cancel the remainder of the season. @JABARIJYOUNG "I'm surprised because [Silver] always errs on the side of caution and

doing what's right," said one agent, who added he felt Silver would have Team executives said the NBA should cancel the remainder of the 2019- decided to cancel by now. 20 season due to Covid-19, citing health concerns, extra time to plan for Player representatives have also questioned why the league continues to a new year. drag on what appears to be an inevitable cancellation of the season. With The NBA became the first major U.S. league to postpone its season last so many concerns the league must address, including how to deal with month due to the pandemic. trigger dates in coaches and player contracts, few see the upside.

The NBA said it's still considering options to rescue the rest of the And should the NBA get its own house in order, challenges from the season and announced plans this week to open practice facilities. government await.

Even though the current NBA season is still technically suspended due to In an interview with The New York Times this week, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the coronavirus pandemic, its return this year seems less and less likely the White House's health advisor on the coronavirus pandemic, said he with each passing day. doubts most sports will be able to return this year.

Team executives are starting to feel the pressure, frustrated with the lack "If you can't guarantee safety, then unfortunately you're going to have to of information from the league and pushing for an outright cancellation of bite the bullet and say, 'We may have to go without this sport for this the season so everyone can focus on safely resuming play next season. season,'" Fauci said.

NBA team executives and players' agents spoke to CNBC in recent Team executives said the league office hasn't considered more ideas weeks about the challenges in resuming play. They said team owners about next season, especially since some local and state governments are concerned with liability issues and are conflicted about whether or not are threatening to ban live events until 2021. Some large companies to give up on the current season. The individuals spoke on condition of such as Facebook and Microsoft have canceled plans to hold large, in- anonymity as they aren't authorized to discuss league matters publicly. person events until as late as July 2021.

Billions of dollars are on the line if the NBA can't rescue its season. NBA The hallway outside the locker room is empty at the Amway Center in teams split the roughly $2 billion per year in national TV money the NBA Orlando, home of the NBA's Orlando Magic, on Thursday, March 12, receives from ESPN and Turner Sports. But clubs also gain revenue from 2020. local media deals with Regional Sports Networks. Another proposal For more coronavirus developments see this. In his post-board of governors media call on April 17, Silver said owners If the NBA cancels the remainder of the regular season, leaving open the want to save the year, including regular-season games, "almost" viewing possibility of only a postseason, it hurts nonplayoff teams who want to the challenge as a "civic obligation." But it's the NBA that also wants to collect the remainder of local TV dollars. But nonplayoff team owners recover some of what Silver said is now "zero revenue." would also benefit as they don't incur the costs associated with resuming Sports marketing executive Marty Conway estimated the NBA would lose under postseason formats. over $1 billion if it cancels the rest of the season, factoring in media, The NBA's revenue sharing system among teams is confusing even to corporate sponsorship and game-day revenues. executives. Despite their massive media rights deal, teams are still "You'd be looking a billion dollar hole that would then play into next year's reporting losses. One of the individuals said a Western Conference team salary cap," said Conway, a professor at Georgetown University's has already lost roughly $50 million this season and doesn't have much McDonough School of Business. incentive to restart the season anymore. The NBA is signaling that it doesn't want to take the financial hit that And team owners already mitigated their biggest cost: player contracts. comes with canceling the season. The league and National Basketball Players Association agreed to withhold 25% of players' checks starting next month. With that settled, According to one of the individuals, another proposal is to restart games team executives say many owners have no desire to return, saying the in July. The model points to the defunct Orlando Summer League, where league's other sources of revenue has temporarily dried up. fans weren't allowed, as a potential way to honor any social distancing guidelines. "What [owners] are saying is, 'If we return, where is the revenue that is going to justify the additional cost of returning?" one team executive said. But it only adds to the many other models tossed around — from a "They are looking at the cost side versus the revenue side. What revenue tournament in Las Vegas, to playing in protected bubble environments, to comes in now?" considering Florida, a state that considered the WWE an "essential" business. Also, NBA clubs have many limited partners who are taking losses. Longtime sports television executive Neal Pilson questioned the "These owners aren't just sitting there with an ATM that's printing more perception suspended leagues like the NBA are sending by still than ever before," said Andy Dolich, the Memphis Grizzlies former considering plans to resume. president of business operations. "Some of them are looking at vast losses outside of just their basketball team." "You're saying, 'You guys go ahead and risk getting the disease, as long as we have TV money,'" he said, echoing that restarting involves has too Though the NBA was first to pause operations due to Covid-19 last many "risk factors." Pilson also predicted a summer with limited sports month, team executives also criticized the league office over a lack of due to Covid-19. information, like the recent plan to allow players to return to practice sites. "Are we going to know enough on May 1 or June 1, to schedule live sports on July 1 or Aug. 1?" Pilson said. "I doubt we will know enough in Despite all the signals that it will be nearly impossible to rescue the rest the next 30 to 60 days to project live sports." of the NBA season, a league spokesperson told CNBC the league is still working on plans to resume. If the NBA does cancel, it could have an impact on how the moves forward. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said in a memo to employees Wednesday that the league plans to cut pay and furlough workers due to the financial strain caused by the pandemic.

"How can we start if [the NBA] didn't get to finish their sport?" an NFL league insider told CNBC. "The NBA finishing their season would be a positive for all sports getting back to work."

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Dr. Fauci: Some sports may have to skip this year due to coronavirus pandemic

by Chris Bengel @CBengelCBS

Apr 29, 2020 at 10:49 am ET

The coronavirus pandemic has forced professional sports leagues to shut down and it's unclear when they could return. In an interview with The New York Times, Dr. Anthony Fauci, who is the country's top infectious diseases expert, said that some sports leagues may have to "bite the bullet," and cancel their seasons this year.

"Safety, for the players and for the fans, trumps everything," Fauci said. "If you can't guarantee safety, then unfortunately you're going to have to bite the bullet and say, 'We may have to go without this sport for this season.'"

These comments come after Fauci said earlier in April that professional sports leagues could return if there are no fans in the stand and players - - who are tested frequently -- stay in nearby hotels.

"There's a way of doing that," Fauci told Snapchat's Peter Hamby during an interview on April 15. "Nobody comes to the stadium. Put [the players] in big hotels, wherever you want to play, keep them very well surveilled... Have them tested every single week and make sure they don't wind up infecting each other or their family, and just let them play the season out."

In this latest interview with The New York Times, Fauci again highlighted the importance of making COVID-19 tests that can determine quick results available for everyone. Currently, if sports leagues were to return, they could be taking tests away from people that really need them. Because of this, Fauci admitted that it's going to be a slow process in terms of having sports return.

"I would love to be able to have all sports back," Fauci said. "But as a health official and a physician and a scientist, I have to say, right now, when you look at the country, we're not ready for that yet."

The NBA and NHL are on a time crunch since they were in the thick of their respective seasons when the pandemic forced the respective shutowns. If they were to return to complete their 2019-20 seasons, they'd have to navigate how to finish the regular season followed by a possibly altered postseason format.

Meanwhile, Major League Baseball can have a shortened season if they're able to return sometime in the next few months.

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Branded masks turn coronavirus protection into commercial message: ‘It’s a face billboard.’

By ROBERT CHANNICK

CHICAGO TRIBUNE

APR 30, 2020 | 7:30 PM

The requirement that Illinois residents wear facial coverings in public to prevent the spread of coronavirus has given rise to a new advertising vehicle — branded face masks promoting everything from fast food restaurants to sports teams.

All major sports leagues have begun producing officially-licensed team logo masks. Universal Music Group is making masks featuring artists from Willie Nelson to Justin Bieber. Warners Bros. has even licensed a mask with the cast from the 1990s TV show, “Beverly Hills, 90210.”

Many of the proceeds of branded mask sales, at least initially, are helping to fund COVID-19 relief efforts. But turning personal protective equipment into an ad for a real estate agent may raise eyebrows, even in the new normal of a worldwide health crisis.

New York-based branding strategist Peter Shankman said branded face masks, if "done the right way,” will generally be perceived in a positive light.

“Wearable brands have become a part of our culture,” Shankman said.

Fanatics, which operates an officially-licensed e-commerce merchandise business for major sports leagues, sells team masks for the NFL, NBA, NHL, MLS and WNBA, at prices ranging from $15 to $25 each.

The Blackhawks are the second best-selling NHL team and the Bulls rank fifth among NBA teams for mask sales, Fanatics spokesman Brandon Williams said Thursday.

In Chicago, Mayor Lori Lightfoot may be the top salesperson for branded masks after adorning a custom-made facial covering featuring the city logo and her COVID-19 prevention mantra, #StayHome.

The mask was made by Pride Masks, which converted its small Chicago factory at 4200 West Diversey from a marching band uniform supplier and flag maker to a branded face mask company last month.

“Once the mayor started wearing the mask, it’s blown up," said Alan Spaeth, 55, co-founder of the company formerly known as R&S Marching Arts.

The company has been inundated with commercial orders, employing a staff of about 18 in split shifts to produce about 700 to 800 masks per day. The custom masks sell for $15 each, in lots generally ranging from 20 to 500 masks per design. Clients include a Dow Chemical plant in Midland, Michigan, local Sonic restaurants and flight crews from Southwest Airlines.

Spaeth turned down an order for a half million face masks from a pharmaceutical company because it would have overwhelmed production and squeezed out smaller businesses.

Companies are buying the branded masks to meet state health requirements and provide "corporate wear,” Spaeth said. One client in particular said it was concerned about potentially inappropriate personal messaging on masks worn by employees.

“It’s a way to keep everything uniform, and if you’re representing a company, keep it on message,” Spaeth said. “It’s a face billboard.”

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Guardian News LOADED: 05.01.2020

Football League hopes fading over finishing season amid coronavirus

Paul MacInnes and Jacob Steinberg

Thu 30 Apr 2020 13.47 BSTLast modified on Thu 30 Apr 2020 19.08 BST

The possibility of the EFL being unable to complete the season is now a real concern after crucial meetings raised the stark challenges regarding any resumption of competition.

Issues of coronavirus testing, player safety and the economic cost of staging games behind closed doors are coming to a head with a growing number of club owners, especially in League One and League Two, prepared to call off the season.

The biggest problem for League One and League Two clubs would be that there is next to no money for them to make from broadcasters behind closed doors and they would lose money if they stage such matches. Restarting the season would also force clubs who have furloughed players to start paying them again.

Mourinho says talk of Premier League return offers 'light at end of tunnel'

Although the official approach from the EFL remains to wait for government guidance, there is a broad acknowledgement that time is running out. The DCMS and Public Health England are to meet representatives of sporting bodies on Friday to discuss a way forward, but no firm guidance is expected and the EFL will not have a representative at the meeting. Any update on the government’s social distancing measures is not expected before 7 May.

On Wednesday league officials briefed the EFL board over a number of possible scenarios on how the season could be salvaged and all required huge numbers of tests, possibly into the hundreds of thousands. Another meeting between Football League clubs is understood to have featured interventions from a number of owners sceptical of playing on.

The chairman of Stevenage, Phil Wallace, articulated concerns that are understood to be shared by many lower league clubs.

“The subject of testing at League One and League Two levels and the measures that would be necessary not to expose players and their families to the virus by putting 30-40 people together in a contact sport environment are hard to overcome whilst social isolation is in play,” Wallace, whose club are bottom of League Two, said.

“Even if we managed to find ways, would all players accept the risk? And if one person caught it then does the whole league have to stop? It’s hard to see a way to apply the ‘when safe to do so’ mantra of the EFL to the circumstances we have now.”

Another long-standing concern over extending player contracts has also become an immediate priority. With as many as 800 Football League players due to be out of contract at the end of June, some clubs will be able to offer only the standard severance payment of a month’s wages if matches are staged after that point. Some clubs have indicated that severance payments will be beyond them in all circumstances. The PFA has mandated players to conduct a ballot over whether to accept such terms or refuse to play.

The Fiver: sign up and get our daily football email.

It is understood that many lower-league players are braced for the season to be cancelled. Clubs are not convinced that it is possible to finish the season before the end of June and a concern for players is that owners will not want to spend money on short-term deals even if the campaign does continue beyond that date.

Another concern for clubs will be the legal implications of a player falling ill after playing football. Players are also worried about infecting vulnerable relatives and it is understood that some Championship doctors have voiced concerns over whether it is safe for football to resume.

If the season is cancelled a major issue for the EFL to resolve will be promotion and relegation. Relegation could be scrapped and one scenario put forward is promoting teams based on sporting merit. 1183805 World Leagues News “For the couple tracks where we need to move an event, we want to do that in the right way,” O'Donnell said. “We just want to take a little time here before we’re able to announce that.”

NASCAR to resume season May 17 Almost all teams began returning to their shops this week with either a reduced initial workforce or in split shifts. Now that NASCAR has told the teams where it will be racing this month, they can start preparing cars Staff Report suitable for the two tracks.

Although Florida and Texas invited NASCAR to compete in those states without spectators, the sanctioning body is holding off on announcing CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — NASCAR plans to restart its engines with a races in those states because of the travel required. flurry of races at two historic tracks.

NASCAR said Thursday it is set to return May 17 with an elite Cup Series race at Darlington Raceway in South Carolina, the first of seven events in LOADED: 05.01.2020 an 11-day stretch across the top three series.

There will be no practice, no qualifying and drivers will jump into their cars for the first time since March 8 and attempt to tackle “The Track Too Tough To Tame.”

“Events are going to look different than they have in the past,” said John Bobo, NASCAR vice president of racing operations.

NASCAR has set guidelines to safely hold the events using CDC guidelines on social distancing and personal protective equipment. The entire venue will be used to maintain distancing in garage stalls and where the haulers are parked, while drivers will have to self-isolate in their motorhomes as they prepare to compete.

“Our priority right now is to try and get back racing in a safe way,” said Steve O’Donnell, chief racing development officer.

NASCAR follows the UFC as the first major sports organizations to get back to work since the coronavirus pandemic shut down U.S. sports in mid-March. The Professional Bull Racing Series resumed competition last weekend and there has been some horse racing.

NASCAR's revised schedule goes only through May and has a pair of Wednesday Cup races, fulfilling fans' longtime plea for midweek events. The first of those races will be at Darlington, three days after the return race at the 70-year-old, egg-shaped oval.

Charlotte Motor Speedway will then host the Coca-Cola 600 on May 24 to mark 60 consecutive years the longest race on the NASCAR schedule will be held on Memorial Day weekend. The track in Concord, outside NASCAR's home base of Charlotte, will then host a Wednesday race three days later.

There also will be lower-tier Xfinity and Truck series races at the two tracks. The North Carolina governor has said the the Charlotte races can be held as long as health conditions in the area do not deteriorate.

“This has been a proactive effort to put our motorsports industry back to work and boost the morale of sports fans around the world," said Marcus Smith, president and CEO of Speedway Motorsports. He said “sports fans around the world need this, a return to some sense of normalcy with live sports on TV, and NASCAR is uniquely positioned to deliver it from a competition standpoint.”

NASCAR suspended its season March 13 with only four of its 36 scheduled races completed. The stock car series, heavily reliant on television money and sponsor payments, has vowed to complete its full schedule. The revised schedule for now stays at tracks within driving distance of Charlotte-based race teams and in states that have started reopening.

O'Donnell said NASCAR wanted to get seven events completed within driving distance of North Carolina before it resumes competition in states that require air travel and hotels.

NASCAR has completed a fully revised schedule but would not reveal it Thursday as so much relies on the pandemic and guidelines in different states.

Darlington will now have three coveted Cup races for the first time in track history. It is also scheduled to open the playoffs with the Southern 500 on Sept. 6. Because the track now has two additional dates, NASCAR will lose two Cup races from its other properties. The same goes for Speedway Motorsports, which gained one additional race so far and will have to forfeit one at another facility. 1183806 World Leagues News sellouts and averaged crowds of 810 in an 850-seat facility. Players received additional equipment on top of the sticks provided by the league, and took flights instead of bus rides for long road trips. Last year, With pro sports paused, a women’s hockey league expands the Pride went 23-1.

Currently, the Toronto NWHL team does not have a home arena, although Murphy said the club could have home games at different By SETH BERKMAN locations throughout the province. With dedicated private investment, Murphy believes Toronto can produce similar success. THE NEW YORK TIMES Left unanswered in the Toronto team’s rollout are questions of how APR 30, 2020 | 11:24 AM expansion resolves concerns about wages, benefits and marketing without the NHL’s support.

While many professional sports leagues have paused operations during The NHL has been more engaged marketing women’s hockey recently, the coronavirus pandemic, the National Women’s Hockey League is including creating a three-on-three women’s exhibition as part of its All- forging ahead with ambitious plans for growth. Star events this year, and has seen an increased number of female coaches, scouts and broadcasters. But the NHL has stopped short of Last week, the NWHL announced a new expansion franchise in the investing in a women’s professional league, and it does not appear to be Toronto area, its first since 2018 when it expanded to five total teams, a priority as the league is still figuring out ways to resume its season adding the Minnesota Whitecaps. (which was paused March 12), reschedule its draft and navigate financial concerns, all changes wrought by the coronavirus pandemic. The new, unnamed team is the league’s first franchise based outside the United States, and it began filling out its roster in the NWHL draft The Toronto Maple Leafs said in a statement that the NWHL’s expansion Tuesday by selecting Canadian forward Jaycee Gebhard from Robert announcement “came as a surprise to us as there has been no Morris with the No. 6 pick. involvement or communication between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the NWHL. At present, our focus is currently centered on supporting our The move not only comes at a curious time but also highlights a players, staff, and most importantly — our community, during the COVID- philosophical rift within the sport over how best to grow women’s 19 pandemic.” professional hockey as a sustainable business. The NWHL’s entry into Canada’s largest market creates a bevy of new opportunities for players, According to emails reviewed by The New York Times, an employee of staff and fans, even if its business model isn’t supported by most elite Maple Leafs Sports & Entertainment, the parent company of the Maple players. Leafs, was contacted by an investor in the NWHL’s Toronto team. When asked for a follow-up comment, Steve Keogh, director of media relations “Lately, I’ve become kind of this mad scientist women’s sports for the Maple Leafs, provided a statement that said: “No one from the entrepreneur, and we’re moving a lot more to a place I envisioned,” said NWHL league office spoke directly with our management/hockey Digit Murphy, who launched a women’s pro league in 2016 and operations team. To be clear, we were unaware of the timing of any is team president of the NWHL’s Toronto franchise. “A vision of women announcement; nor have we had any formal communications between leading it, playing it, and as investors.” our respective offices.” Murphy’s blueprint — a world in which women’s pro sports teams and The NWHL also faces upcoming hurdles. Foreign players are not leagues are owned and operated by women — in this case is backed by covered by Canada’s universal health care and some may need investor Johanna Boynton, co-founder of Boynton Brennan Builders, a reciprocal work permits, which the Toronto team will pay for and manage company that builds high-end homes in the Boston suburbs. The two first their processing, according to a league spokesperson. However, these met almost 30 years ago when Murphy coached at Brown and recruited processes could be delayed because of the ongoing pandemic. prep stars coached by Boynton. Boynton has been a major donor to USA Hockey, particularly for its programs for girls and women. The Canadian government will also dictate when games can continue within its borders. The NWHL has not announced a start date for its The Toronto team will also have a chairwoman, Tyler Tumminia, who 2020-21 season but has previously opened in October. was formerly a vice president of a group that operates minor league baseball clubs. Whenever the new Toronto NWHL franchise hits the ice, it will have to engage the hockey community there without the Maple Leafs as power Their announcement came even as top athletes continue to boycott the brokers and without the strong ties the PWHPA has built. NWHL. Several Olympians in May 2019 opted to no longer compete in the league over a lack of health insurance and salaries as low as $2,500 Despite Toronto’s reputation as a hockey-crazed metropolis, women’s a season. The league’s highest announced player salary last season was hockey has not always flourished in Canada’s largest city. The Toronto $15,000. Furies played in the Canadian Women’s Hockey League before that entity folded in 2019 and sometimes drew about 300 spectators for home Many of those players are now members of the Professional Women’s games. Hockey Players’ Association, which holds exhibitions and clinics throughout the United States and Canada — including Toronto — and “The base of women’s hockey fans in Toronto is larger than anywhere seeks the creation of a league offering livable salaries, so that athletes else in the world,” said Sami Jo Small, the former general manager of the do not need to obtain second jobs. Furies before they folded and three-time Olympic medalist for Canada. “They are knowledgeable, supportive and want hockey to succeed in the The PWHPA has advocated for a business model akin to the WNBA’s greater Toronto area. In order for this Toronto team to be successful, relationship to the NBA, sharing marketing, promotion and business they will have to connect with the fans, have a clear marketing strategy partnerships to help launch and sustain the women’s league. In its early and make the games accessible so fans know how to get behind their going, NBA franchises owned and operated the WNBA’s teams. The team.” teams moved into private ownership once suitable investment became available.

The Toronto franchise’s plan would seem to work around the idea of New York Times LOADED: 05.01.2020 luring the National Hockey League as a partner, a prospect that Murphy said is unfeasible.

“The NHL model is not something I have searched for. Apparently, some women in hockey want that model, and I don’t see that as something that represents true leadership in sports,” she said. “It’s the big brother taking care of the big sister. I think we deserve an opportunity to stand on our two feet.”

Toronto will be the second NWHL team alongside the Boston Pride to have private ownership (the owners of the Buffalo Beauts returned the rights back to the league before last season). The Pride led the league in 1183807 World Leagues News

NHL offers hope players could return to ice in small groups by middle or end of May

By HELENE ELLIOTT SPORTS COLUMNIST

APRIL 29, 20206:33 PM

NHL players, coaches and staff members will remain in self-quarantine indefinitely, the league and the NHL Players’ Assn. said Wednesday in a joint statement, but the two groups offered hope for a return to the ice by suggesting players might engage in small-group activities by the middle or end of May “provided that conditions continue to trend favorably.”

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman put the 2019-20 season on pause on March 12 in response to the coronavirus pandemic. He subsequently issued several stay-at-home directives, with the most recent period scheduled to run through Thursday. European-born players were permitted to return to their homelands to await word on whether the season will resume, and many have done so.

Bettman said last week he is willing to schedule games during the summer to complete the season and award the Stanley Cup, which he said could be accomplished without infringing on the 2020-21 season.

The regular season was about 85% complete when the season was put on hold and no decision has been made on whether the schedule would be played out — even though several teams were eliminated from playoff contention — or whether play would pick up with the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Among the NHL’s options are playing games without fans, to adhere to local restrictions on mass gatherings, and staging games in two or four hub cities to minimize travel for players and keep them in a virus-free bubble as much as possible.

The statement issued Wednesday followed a meeting of the Return to Play committee, which is comprised of representatives of the league and the players.

Here’s the text:

“Following the NHL/NHLPA Return to Play Committee’s meeting today, and in line with guidance provided by medical experts and national and local authorities, the NHLPA and the NHL issued the following statement regarding the continuing pause in the 2019-20 season:

“Despite numerous reports and speculation over the last several days, the NHL and the NHLPA have not made any decisions or set a timeline for possible return to play scenarios.

“Given recent developments in some NHL Clubs’ local communities, we are now looking ahead to a Phase 2 of the transition period that would follow the currently recommended Phase 1 period of ‘self-quarantine’ by Players and Hockey Staff.

“The precise date of transition to Phase 2, during which Players might return to small group activities in NHL Club training facilities, remains undetermined. However, provided that conditions continue to trend favorably — and, subject to potential competitive concerns as between disparately situated markets — we believe we may be able to move to Phase 2 at some point in the mid-to-later portion of May. Specific guidelines governing Player and Hockey Staff activity would be provided at that time. In the meantime, we expect Players and Hockey Staff to continue to adhere to the recommended guidelines put in place when the season was paused on March 12.

“The Return to Play Committee will continue to meet regularly.”

Los Angeles Times LOADED: 05.01.2020