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SPORT-SCAN DAILY BRIEF NHL 4/4/2019 Anaheim Ducks Colorado Avalanche 1105182 Youngsters Max Jones and Sam Steel spark Ducks over 1105214 Colorado Avalanche can clinch a playoff spot Thursday. Flames Here is how — and other less desirable scenarios. 1105183 Young and old help lead Ducks to victory over playoff- 1105215 Nathan MacKinnon on , the Oilers, and the bound Flames numbers that really matter to Avs’ push 1105184 Ducks, Ryan Kesler in the process of determining his 1105216 Colorado Avalanche has the best odds of getting No. 1 future pick in the draft thanks to Ottawa clinching NHL’s worst 1105217 5 Takeaways: Avs take care of business, blow out Oilers 6-2 1105185 Coyotes focused on final 2 games, despite slim playoff odds Columbus Blue Jackets 1105186 Coyotes recall Adin Hill following injury to Darcy Kuemper 1105218 Blue Jackets haven't had much heart at home 1105219 Matt Duchene excited that Blue Jackets control playoff destiny 1105187 Bruins, Maple Leafs: They’re gearing up to meet again 1105220 Blue Jackets takeaways: That Bruins beatdown? Forget 1105188 Bruins notebook: Rest for the stretch run about it 1105189 Bruins’ Jake DeBrusk locked in for another postseason run Dallas Stars 1105190 Bruins call up Frederic, Senyshyn with two games to play 1105221 In effort to limit secondary market, Stars restricting playoff 1105191 Why pairing David Krejci and David Pastrnak is right move ticket purchases to five-state region for Bruins 1105222 Ben Bishop has been the NHL’s best goalie, but his 1105192 NHL, NHLPA agree to 1-year extension of Stanley Cup Vezina Trophy case is complicated playoff format 1105193 What we learned in the Bruins' 6-2 win over the Blue Jackets 1105223 Young Detroit Red Wings learning valuable lesson for next 1105194 How important is home ice for Bruins in series vs. Leafs? season Here's what the stats say 1105224 Red Wings' dominant scoring line bodes well for next 1105195 Jeremy Roenick had a great message for Brad Marchand season after 100th point 1105225 ’s scoring run unlike any in Red Wings 1105196 Hefty payday is coming for Torey Krug. Can Bruins afford history for that to be in Boston? Buffalo Sabres 1105226 Oilers in 60: Another year, another season down the drain 1105197 Q&A: Carter Hutton reflects on decision to sign with 1105227 Oilers have another problem to solve: Lifting the cloud Sabres, future outlook over a clearly frustrated Connor McDavid 1105198 Buffalo native Dennis Gilbert recalled by Blackhawks, plays in first NHL game Florida Panthers 1105228 Preview: New York Islanders at Florida Panthers, 7 p.m., Flames Thursday 1105199 Gaudreau inches closer to 100 points as Flames lose to 1105229 ‘We should be brothers’: Chemistry of Barkov and Ducks Huberdeau leads to Panthers record book 1105200 Duhatschek: Q&A with Brad Treliving who shares his playoff philosophy from preparation to execution Los Angeles Kings 1105230 Kings call on Anti-Defamation League to help address Jr. Carolina Hurricanes Kings’ alleged anti-Semitic acts 1105201 From waiver wire to brink of the playoffs, Canes’ 1105231 How much blame does Willie Desjardins deserve for the McElhinney enjoying the ride Kings’ awful season? 1105202 Hurricanes have a shot, and it’s OK to enjoy it 1105232 FINAL – ONTARIO 3, GRAND RAPIDS 1 1105233 WAKING UP WITH THE KINGS: APRIL 3 Blackhawks 1105234 PREVIEW – ONTARIO VS. GRAND RAPIDS, 4/3 1105203 Blackhawks beat Blues 4-3 in shootout to deny their rivals a share of Central Division lead Minnesota Wild 1105204 'I had no intentions of fighting': Drake Caggiula's bout with 1105235 Marchand and the Bruins visit the Wild Dustin Byfuglien surprised many, including Caggi 1105236 Gameday preview: Wild vs. Boston 1105205 'Pretty disappointing': Frustrated Blackhawks are coming 1105237 Wild can't make the playoffs but still wants 'to put on a to grips with missing the playoffs for a 2nd straight good show' in final two games 1105206 Blackhawks revel in spoiler role, beat Blues 4-3 in 1105238 Why did this season go wrong for the Wild? shootout 1105239 With Wild missing playoffs, time to shut down injured star 1105207 Blackhawks notes: Hard year for Chris Kunitz as he Zach Parise weighs retirement 1105208 Another failed season smacks Blackhawks back to reality 1105209 Why Blackhawks' 'situational awareness' must improve 1105240 Stu Cowan: Stage is set for fantastic finish to season for 1105210 Hurting Hawks: Toews, Kane express frustrations over Canadiens another disappointing season 1105241 Analyze This: Habs' Tatar shows he's the big fish in trade 1105211 Four takeaways: Blackhawks play spoiler against Blues with Vegas again 1105242 Melnick’s GBU: The Canadiens don’t control their own 1105212 Where did it go wrong for the Blackhawks in 2018-19? destiny, but they are handling what they do control perfe 1105213 Blackhawks react to missing playoffs for second straight year Nashville Predators 1105243 Home ice for Predators rests on final two games, but does home ice even matter? 1105244 Celebrate, Predators fans — this torturous regular season is ending New Jersey Devils 1105245 NJ Devils notes: Jeremy Davies signs ELC, Tyler Dellow 1105283 Sharks’ Joe Thornton explains why his latest milestone is hired, Brett Seney recalled extra special 1105246 Which NJ Devils could play in the IIHF World 1105284 Erik Karlsson skates in Sharks' practice as countdown to Championships? return continues 1105247 Q&A: Tyler Dellow on joining the Devils as vice president 1105285 Sharks need to find their killer instinct with playoffs on of analytics and why New Jersey is the right fit horizon 1105286 Sharks have to fix sloppy third periods before NHL New York Islanders playoffs start 1105248 Valtteri Filppula’s Islanders practice could mean early 1105287 Sharks takeaways: What we learned in 4-2 loss to lottery- return bound Canucks 1105249 Looks like Islanders will tap Robin Lehner for playoff opener St Louis Blues 1105250 Former Islanders co-owner Stephen Walsh seeks reduced 1105288 Secret of Blues' success? Don't forget Tarasenko prison sentence 1105289 Blues rally late but fall in shootout to Blackhawks 1105251 Islanders playoff seeding scenarios 1105290 Preview: Blues vs. Philadelphia Flyers 1105252 Jordan Eberle excited for Islanders' playoff atmosphere at 1105291 Blues lose to Chicago in shootout 4-3 Nassau Coliseum 1105292 St. Louis Blues anthem man Charles Glenn quitting after 1105253 Are the Islanders scoreboard watching for playoff this season positioning? Absolutely! 1105293 It's been a while: 4½ months later, Blues face Blackhawks 1105254 Goldman: How much can the Islanders rely on their 1105294 LeBrun Notebook: Who has a seat and who is still looking defense and goaltending in the playoffs? as the NHL’s coaching carousel keeps spinning New York Rangers 1105255 Glen Sather on verge of stepping down as Rangers 1105295 Andrei Vasilevskiy feels fresher, ready for the playoffs president 1105296 The cost-benefit of the Lightning’s finishing road trip 1105256 Don’t fret, Rangers are set in net 1105257 Mika Zibanejad gets award for going ‘above and beyond’ Maple Leafs for Rangers 1105297 The Leafs can’t afford to back up, not for a playoff minute 1105258 Rangers give ‘embarrassing effort’ in ugly loss to Senators 1105298 Gardiner’s return, Rosen’s play creating a crowd on the 1105259 Report: Glen Sather to retire at end of season Leafs’ blue line 1105260 Henrik Lundqvist starts but Rangers lose to Senators at 1105299 Thursday NHL game preview: Tampa Bay Lightning at the Garden 1105261 Zibanejad clearly moved after receiving ‘deserved’ and 1105300 Will Willy be ready for Maple Leafs' playoff push? coveted honor for his dynamic season Vancouver Canucks Ottawa Senators 1105312 Ed Willes: Can Boeser be better than good for Canucks 1105262 Nilsson proves his worth again as Senators beat Rangers when he earns great money? 1105263 Broadway or the beach? Erik Karlsson would be a good fit 1105313 Ben Kuzma: Embracing opportunity is key to Canucks’ in New York Leivo winging it next season 1105264 GAMEDAY: Ottawa Senators at Buffalo Sabres 1105314 What makes Troy Stecher tick: Stories on his road from Richmond to the Canucks Philadelphia Flyers 1105265 Sean Couturier needs to think less and start hotter for the Flyers | Marcus Hayes 1105301 Marc-Andre Fleury appears ready for return to Knights’ net 1105266 Two ways to look at Flyers’ swoon 1105302 Golden Knights sign free-agent college defenseman 1105267 Flyers-Stars observations: Cam Talbot’s struggles, Oskar Jimmy Schuldt Lindblom’s strong play 1105303 Golden Knights land top college free agent Jimmy Schuldt 1105268 The Dallas Stars clinch 1st playoff trip since 2016, beating — with the help of Nate Schmidt Philadelphia Flyers 1105269 Our selections for Flyers' 2018-19 awards 1105270 Flyers Mailbag: How many changes will 1105304 Tom Wilson’s battered hands tell the story of being a make? hockey brawler 1105271 In final week of season, Flyers’ focus may shift to 1105305 Capitals may have next Kempny-type unsung hero in offseason Jensen waiting in wings 1105272 Stars 6, Flyers 2: 10 things we learned about a dead team 1105306 With Penguins' loss, Capitals guaranteed home ice in first skating in a close game turned late blowout round and that could prove critical 1105307 Pair of NHL legends fuel debate on whether Alex Ovechkin can break Wayne Gretzky’s all-time goals mark 1105273 Penguins’ fate still up in air entering Game No. 81 1105274 Sidney Crosby, Penguins look for ways out of scoring Websites slump 1105315 The Athletic / One year after crash, Humboldt Broncos’ 1105275 Kris Letang back at Penguins practice in no-contact Tyler Smith back on ice with brother’s team jersey, eyes return to games soon 1105316 The Athletic / LeBrun Notebook: Who has a seat and who 1105276 Back at Penguins practice, Evgeni Malkin sees a ‘good is still looking as the NHL’s coaching carousel keeps s chance to play’ 1105317 The Athletic / Bourne: Explaining the role of a video coach 1105277 First call: Penguins get no help; Bryce Harper’s dramatic and how they help their team prepare for the playo return to Washington 1105318 .ca / Maple Leafs learning that life gets more 1105278 Joe Starkey: Penguins can create fresh start — or difficult the better you get nightmare scenario 1105319 Sportsnet.ca / Flames' Gaudreau eyes season finale with 1105279 Sidney Crosby on his scoring drought: ‘I’ve got to find a one last chance at century mark way’ 1105320 Sportsnet.ca / Jets hold team meeting: 'We’re 1105280 Reinforcements on the way for banged-up Penguins not very proud of our game' 1105281 Penguins mailbag: Which veteran winger could get traded 1105321 Sportsnet.ca / Oilers getting it right with farm system as this offseason? big club struggles 1105282 Starbucks runs, cold brew and camaraderie — how coffee 1105322 Sportsnet.ca / 'Reliable' Nate Thompson exceeding gets these Penguins going Peter Diana/Post-Gazette expectations with Canadiens 1105323 TSN.CA / Five Takeaways: Canucks vs Sharks 1105308 Three teams going down to wire 1105309 Plenty of blame to go around as Jets continue to struggle heading into post-season play 1105310 Jets searching for identity: Late swoon is cause for concern 1105311 JETS GAME DAY: Looking to get out of rough patch as Avs on tap SPORT-SCAN, INC. 941-284-4129 1105182 Anaheim Ducks

Youngsters Max Jones and Sam Steel spark Ducks over Flames

By MIKE COPPINGER

APR 03, 2019 | 11:20 PM

The Ducks’ penultimate game of the 2018-19 season was another glimpse into their future, one that appears promising despite their lack of success this season.

For the first time since 2012, the Ducks won’t have a chance to claim Lord Stanley’s Cup. They sit at 78 points heading into the season finale against the rival Kings on Friday. Still, the Ducks possess pride — and youth — looking to end on a high note.

They did just that Wednesday night at a sold-out Honda Center with a 3- 1 victory over the , a club that will enjoy home-ice advantage throughout the Stanley Cup playoffs after accumulating 107 points, the second-most in the NHL.

It was the Ducks who were creating the quality chances, buzzing around the net with ferocity. And it was a pair of 2016 first-rounders who proved once again they’re ready to be featured skaters heading into next season.

Max Jones and fellow rookie Sam Steel — chosen six spots later with the last pick in the first round — pushed the Ducks out to a 2-0 lead with a apiece in the opening period. Steel scored about five minutes into the game with a one-timer from the high slot that beat Flames David Rittich.

Jones’ goal came less than two minutes later. The bruising, 6-foot-3, 220-pounder who used his frame to shield defenseman Oliver Kylington from the puck as he whirled around the net, corralling the puck with one hand. Jones spun around and fired top-shelf with a shot that caught the netminder by surprise.

It was just the second goal of Jones’ 29-game career, and further evidence that the power forward’s game is expanding.

“I think I’ve done a really good job with the way I’ve been playing; I can score goals and make things happen,” said Jones, 21, whose father, Brad, played 148 games in the NHL. “I think [the coaches] wanted me, maybe the last 10 games, 11 games ... to tune up the small parts of my game defensively. Just making sure I’m playing the right way ... I was trying to score so much that it just wasn’t working out for me.”

It’s working for him now as heads into the offseason. Steel’s game has certainly been paying dividends for him. The 21-year-old center became the youngest player in Ducks history to record a hat trick in a victory over the Vancouver Canucks last week. Steel also proved proficient in the face-off circle; he won 60% of his draws vs. the Flames.

The young duo madethe biggest — and most important — impression Wednesday, but two veterans were key to the win. Ryan Getzlaf scored in the second period to give the Ducks another two-goal lead, and backup goaltender Ryan Miller made 26 saves for his first win in five outings.

When Miller was in goal last week, he gave up six goals against the Flames. He also allowed six against the Arizona Coyotes last month. During that four-game losing streak, he allowed at least three in each game. Finally, in his likely final game of the season , Miller delivered and showed shades of the player who once won a Vezina Trophy.

LA Times: LOADED: 04.04.2019 1105183 Anaheim Ducks The Gulls have four games remaining, including Friday’s home date with the .

Derek Ryan scored a first-period goal for the Flames, who rested several Young and old help lead Ducks to victory over playoff-bound Flames key players, including defensemen TJ Brodie and and forwards Elias Lindholm and Sean Monahan. Calgary has already clinched the top spots in the Western Conference and Pacific Division. By Elliott Teaford | [email protected] | Orange County Register “We wanted to respond to that score,” Morrison said, referring to Friday’s PUBLISHED: April 3, 2019 at 10:24 pm | UPDATED: April 4, 2019 at lopsided loss to the Flames. “We didn’t feel we played the greatest game, 12:41 am all due respect to them. They played well when we were in Calgary. We wanted to bounce back tonight and I thought we did.”

ANAHEIM — Bob Murray’s late-season evaluation is nearing its end. When the Ducks’ fired Randy Carlyle and assumed the Orange County Register: LOADED: 04.04.2019 coaching duties himself back on Feb. 10, he said he wanted a closer look at his players and what they had to offer in the final days and nights of a lost season.

The Ducks banded together once again Wednesday and managed to find meaning in an otherwise meaningless game in the season’s final week. They were far from flawless, but they still managed to take a 3-1 victory from the playoff-bound Calgary Flames at Honda Center.

Two rookies and two grizzled veterans led the Ducks to a feel-good victory, their 28th in their last 29 games against the Flames on home ice. The Ducks also are 35-13-2 overall against Calgary in any venue, dating to Nov. 29, 2007.

Sam Steel and fellow 21-year-old rookie Max Jones gave the Ducks a two-goal lead with two strikes that showcased the depth of their offensive skills and gave a sellout crowd of 17,174 on Fan Appreciation Night something to cheer as they settled into their seats.

“You can tell with more experience and more ice time they’re getting more comfortable making plays,” Ducks assistant Mark Morrison said of Steel and Jones. “They’re not just getting rid of the puck. They’re making heads-up plays and you’re starting to see some of their skill come out.”

Game No. 81 wasn’t all about the Ducks’ top prospects, though. A couple of elder statesmen also played a prominent role. Ryan Getzlaf, 33, scored a second-period goal that gave the Ducks a 3-1 lead heading into the third. Ryan Miller, 38, made 25 saves, including several key stops in the second.

Miller’s start figured to be the last of his second season with the Ducks. He said he expected John Gibson to start Friday’s home finale against the Kings. He also said he couldn’t say whether Wednesday’s game was the last of his stellar NHL career. He is eligible to become a free agent on July 1.

“I feel like I can play,” Miller said. “We’ll see what the future holds. I’m a little bit unsure about without any real facts laid out, so I can’t make a determination at the moment. I just know I feel like I can still play. I want it to be the right situation and go from there.”

The Ducks jumped on the Flames in the opening minutes, skating with a sense of purpose that led them to a 2-0 advantage less than seven minutes into the game. The Ducks’ youngest players seemed to have the most life in their legs and the biggest reason to excel, too.

Steel drifted into the high slot as the Ducks applied sustained pressure and then sent a laser past Calgary goalie David Rittich only 5:01 into the game. Rickard Rakell and Jakob Silfverberg assisted on Steel’s fifth goal in his 21st game in the NHL.

Jones then carried the puck from behind the Flames’ net, turned quickly after passing the goal line and then whipped a shot from a sharp angle into the net to extend the Ducks’ lead to 2-0 at 6:58. and Derek Grant assisted on Jones’ second goal in his 29th game in the NHL.

At that moment, the Ducks’ future looked as bright as ever, with Steel and Jones representing more than just a glimmer of hope during a season that spiraled out of control through no fault of theirs, or of several promising rookies, including Troy Terry and .

Terry suffered a broken leg in the Ducks’ 6-1 loss Friday to the Flames in Calgary and his NHL season is over, although it’s possible he could return to the ice and join the of the AHL if they make a deep run in the playoffs.

Terry, Steel, Larsson, Brendan Guhle, and Andy Welinski are eligible to join the Gulls when the Ducks’ season ends with Friday. 1105184 Anaheim Ducks Orange County Register: LOADED: 04.04.2019

Ducks, Ryan Kesler in the process of determining his future

By Elliott Teaford | [email protected] | Orange County Register

PUBLISHED: April 3, 2019 at 2:46 pm | UPDATED: April 3, 2019 at 2:46 PM

ANAHEIM — Ryan Kesler’s season is over, but he and the Ducks would like to find out sooner rather than later whether his career can continue beyond 2018-19, so they’re in the process of determining what the next course of action is for him and his wonky hip.

The first step was to get him to halt the exhaustive process he underwent simply to play in 60 games this season. He’s continued to work out in the gym, but he’s been off the ice and hasn’t gone through the stretching and rehabilitation exercises he has performed.

“His body was beat up and we had to get to the bottom of everything and we’re getting there now,” said Bob Murray, the Ducks’ general manager and interim coach. “We’ve got a couple of hip specialists the doctors are working on for him to go and see.

“We’re going to get to the bottom of everything with ‘Kes.’ We talked (Tuesday) morning and we’re going to wait until he’s seen every doctor and everything’s checked and then we’ll sit down and have a discussion with he and I and his agent.”

Kesler’s competitive spirit, along with with his workout regime, enabled him to reach his goal of playing in his 1,000th NHL game. But he hasn’t played or practiced with the Ducks since his 1,001st game, a loss to the St. Louis Blues on March 6.

Major hip surgery during the offseason of 2017 limited Kesler to only eight goals and 14 points in 44 games in 2017-18. He scored only five goals and 13 points in 60 games this season, his fifth with the Ducks after leaving the Vancouver Canucks as a free agent in 2014.

Kesler’s addition propelled the Ducks to Western Conference finals appearances in 2015 and ’17. He signed a six-season, $41.25-million contract extension with the Ducks on July 15, 2015, and he’s determined to complete the deal, which runs through 2021-22.

“It’s never going to change,” Murray said of Kesler’s competitive nature. “It’s never going to change with Ryan Kesler. The big thing now with Ryan Kesler is what’s best for his life going forward. I keep saying that. ‘Kes’ and I are talking about that right now, which is a step in the right direction.”

The concern is the toll Kesler’s off-ice regime did to his body.

“He did so many things just to play the game,” Murray said. “We just said, ‘Enough.’ We got him with our doctors and they said, ‘OK, ‘Kes,’ it’s time to shut everything off, get off everything (including medications) and let’s see what the body’s feeling.’ We’re not all there yet.”

Murray expressed concern for goaltender John Gibson, and not for the first time. Murray said he believed Gibson was overworked by midseason and shouldered a heavy burden as the Ducks slipped from contention while losing 19 of 21 games in one especially poor stretch in January and February.

“Let’s face it, we were pretty bad and he was carrying the load and he got overworked,” Murray said. “We’re going to have to be very cognizant of that. He lost a lot of weight. He was carrying the team and we can’t allow that to happen again.

“That’s why we haven’t run him out there in every game and played him every other game (recently). His weight still isn’t back to normal, for Pete’s sake. That’s how far he’d gotten run down. He will be in a good frame of mind going forward.”

Defenseman Josh Manson sat out the Ducks’ game Wednesday against the Calgary Flames and isn’t likely to play in Friday’s season finale against the Kings because of an upper-body injury. Said Murray: “I doubt you’ll see him again (this season).”

1105185 Arizona Coyotes Arizona Sports LOADED: 04.04.2019

Coyotes focused on final 2 games, despite slim playoff odds

BY MATT LAYMAN

APRIL 3, 2019 AT 2:51 PM

GLENDALE, Ariz. — The Arizona Coyotes’ practice on Wednesday seemed, at least from the stands, business as usual.

That was not the case, however, in the dressing room on Tuesday night after the team’s loss to the Los Angeles Kings, 3-1. That defeat dealt serious damage to the team’s playoff hopes, which now rest on Colorado losing twice and Arizona winning twice in the two teams’ final two games.

It’s somewhat of a long shot.

“Obviously, we have to take care of business on our end, but a lot can change in one day,” defenseman Alex Goligoski said. “We go into Vegas and win, Winnipeg goes into Colorado and wins that game, all of a sudden, Colorado’s going to San Jose and playing a good team in their home building and we have a home game against Winnipeg.

“I mean, there’s two games left, we’re still in it, so we’re thinking if we win them both, who knows?”

It’s a display of optimism by one of the Coyotes’ veteran players, just hours after a quiet and difficult reality sat in front of the Coyotes on Tuesday night: There is no more margin for error. The Coyotes are on the brink of elimination.

But they’re also two games — a measly 2.4 percent of their season — of winning and some good fortune from making the playoffs for the first time since 2011-12.

So maybe that’s why, just like that, the gloomy mood on Tuesday night had seemingly changed mostly back to normal by Wednesday morning. There’s work to do.

“We were bummed out after last night’s game, it was pretty down in here and it’s frustrating,” Goligoski said. “We put ourselves in, obviously, a tough spot. But today it’s back to work. We’ve done a good job with that all year. The coaches are great with resetting the next day and we’re looking forward to Vegas.”

Next on the agenda is the Vegas Golden Knights at their place in Nevada on Thursday. The Coyotes are 1-1-1 against the Golden Knights this season, with the goal differential in the series favoring Vegas 10-8. The Golden Knights (43-30-7) have already clinched the third divisional playoff spot in the Pacific.

Meanwhile, Winnipeg — which happens to play Colorado and Arizona in its final two games — has more to play for. The Jets (46-30-4) have already clinched a divisional playoff spot, but they could clinch the division title in the Central before the season ends. They’re currently tied in points (96) with Nashville.

So, the Coyotes will be rooting for a Jets victory on Thursday before the Coyotes host those same Jets on Saturday.

“You can tell, last night guys were dejected and maybe some guys didn’t sleep well,” Tocchet said. “But here’s my thing: Like I said today, I thought we had a good practice and the energy was there. We’ve just got to win that game, and then we’ll have to scoreboard watch, obviously. We win and Winnipeg does their job for us, things get a little tighter.”

It helps matters that the Coyotes have faced seemingly insurmountable hurdles all year. They’ve had an uncanny amount of injuries to key players, including both of their , a top-pairing defenseman, four centers, their best penalty-killing forward and many others.

“The attitude of this year has definitely helped us in these situations,” Tocchet said. “Whether you win or lose a game, coming back the next day and putting some work in. The overall team aspect, for sure.

“That’s really helped. Now, you’ve got to break away as individuals, we obviously need some guys to play better for us, but overall as a team, attitude, everybody’s coming in here with a good attitude.”

1105186 Arizona Coyotes

Coyotes recall Adin Hill following injury to Darcy Kuemper

Staff Report

UPDATED: APRIL 3, 2019 AT 2:12 PM

After a Tuesday night game in which starting goalie Darcy Kuemper sustained an injury, the Coyotes recalled goaltender Adin Hill from the on Wednesday.

As Los Angeles Kings forward Trevor Lewis followed through on a backhand shot (which went in for a goal), his stick blade got through Kuemper’s mask and caught him in the face on Tuesday night. Kuemper went down immediately and was looked at by a trainer. He left the game and did not return.

Coyotes general manager John Chayka told Doug & Wolf on 98.7 FM Arizona’s Sports Station on Wednesday that Kuemper was “OK,” and that the injury was “nothing too serious, by the sounds of it.” Kuemper had an appointment scheduled Wednesday to have his injury examined further.

The Coyotes announced that they were awaiting further test results on Kuemper’s eye and they would know more on Thursday in Las Vegas, where the team plays its next game.

“Probably know more tomorrow,” head coach Rick Tocchet said Wednesday. “But I talked [to him] today. Smile on his face. He put some drops in there and stuff, so we’ll see how it reacts.”

Kuemper’s backup is Calvin Pickard, who has appeared in just five games for Arizona this year, including Tuesday. He has only started three times and owns a .896 save percentage for the Coyotes this season. Pickard has sat on the bench as Kuemper made 21 consecutive starts through Tuesday.

Now, Hill is in the picture as well.

“I love Cal. A tough situation, and he’s handled it probably as professionally as any guy I’ve known in 30 years,” Tocchet said. “If he plays, we root for him. You have 21 guys going to work hard for this guy. He deserves it. Big team guy, and if he plays, he plays. He was fine in there [last night]. He looked relaxed, to me.”

Still, Kuemper hasn’t been ruled out for Thursday and may travel to Vegas.

“He’s got a few more things we’ve got to go check out before we make that decision,” Tocchet said. “Plus, Vegas is a short flight anyways.”

Hill has played 13 games for the Coyotes this season (11 starts) following other injuries to both Kuemper and Antti Raanta. He owns a .901 save percentage and 2.73 goals against average for the year.

The Coyotes only have two games remaining: A Thursday game in Vegas against the Golden Knights and a home game on Saturday versus the Winnipeg Jets. The Coyotes must win both games and the Colorado Avalanche most lose both of their remaining games in regulation in order for the Coyotes to advance to the playoffs.

If Arizona were to make the playoffs and Kuemper can’t go, there’s a possibility that they could have Raanta back to bolster the goaltending position at some point. He has been practicing with the Coyotes as he returns from a lower-body injury.

Arizona Sports LOADED: 04.04.2019 1105187 Boston Bruins physical, tone-setting player who factored in every goal (2-1—3) in their 3-2 win on Jan. 12. Depth defenseman John Moore (undisclosed upper- body injury) is week to week.

Bruins, Maple Leafs: They’re gearing up to meet again STRENGTHS

Toronto’s quick-strike offense. The Leafs’ transition game is rivaled By Matt Porter perhaps only by Tampa in the NHL. Getting into position after turnovers will be a major focus of Boston’s defensive game plan, since the Leafs’ Globe Staff April 4, 2019 speed can burn most anyone through the neutral zone.

Boston’s offensive grinding. The Bruins can run-and-gun a bit, but are at their best in the offensive zone for extended stretches. The Marchand- ST. PAUL — Not all playoff rematches are created equal. Boston and Bergeron-Pastrnak line creates one of the league’s most prolific cycles, Toronto, however, are essentially the same teams from last year. Anyone while the Bruins’ depth lines wear down opponents with physical, puck- who hasn’t seen a hockey game since last year’s first round would possession play. recognize them. WEAKNESSES The Maple Leafs made a swap of high-end pieces, while the Bruins mostly augmented their depth. The Bruins also have the confidence of Toronto’s defense. The Leafs’ No. 1 blue liner, Morgan Rielly, has earned winning the season series (3-1) and the last two playoff matchups, both Norris Trophy consideration mostly for his offensive prowess (20 goals, seven-game epics, in 2013 and 2018. 72 points). He and partner Ron Hainsey, plus pretty much every Toronto defenseman, has had their struggles with the Bergeron line. An early primer on what should be a highly entertaining first-round series: Boston’s secondary scoring. Coyle and Johansson have yet to find their RECENT HISTORY strides as Bruins, and second-line center Krejci and running mate Things have gone Boston’s way of late. The Bruins won three of four DeBrusk have spent the year looking for another winger. meetings this season, outscoring the Leafs, 16-10. The Bruins won Jan. UNDER THE RADAR 12 in Toronto, Dec. 8 and Nov. 10 in Boston. They lost Nov. 26 in Toronto. They also won Game 7 in Boston last April 25, 7-4, on the Last year’s first round was DeBrusk’s breakout season. This could be a strength of two goals from then-rookie Jake DeBrusk. That, rather than time for Karson Kuhlman, a recent call-up getting a ride with Krejci and the Game 7 collapse Toronto suffered in 2013’s first round (the Leafs led, DeBrusk, to build on his impressive start (five points in eight games). Six- 4-1), will be a mental hurdle. Nazem Kadri and Jake Gardiner are the foot-5-inch teammate Brandon Carlo, in his third season, is blossoming only Leafs still around from that ’13 series. For Boston, it’s Patrice as a shutdown defender. For Toronto, Johnsson’s rookie totals (20-22— Bergeron, Zdeno Chara, Brad Marchand, David Krejci, and Tuukka Rask 42 ) portend a strong postseason, and speedy winger — all of whom lifted the Stanley Cup in 2011. The two coaches, (19-24—43) is having a strong sophomore year on Matthews’s line. Toronto’s Mike Babcock and Boston’s Bruce Cassidy, were ages 4 and 2, respectively, the last time the Leafs won the Cup (1967). BIG PICTURE

STARS Two of the powers in the Eastern Conference, both in the Atlantic Division, have seemingly been on a collision course the entire way. This There are plenty of big names in this series. Brad Marchand (100 points) series could be long and dramatic, the more veteran Bruins with a slight is the highest-scoring player on either team. David Pastrnak was an All- edge (and home-ice advantage). The winner is likely bound for Tampa in Star. Mitch Marner leads Toronto in scoring (92 and counting). Auston the second round, while the loser will be thinking about the winner all Matthews was an All-Star. But the two veteran No. 1 centers will be in the summer. Drop the puck already. spotlight for good reason. Both Patrice Bergeron (79 points) and John Tavares (88) are having career years, and the good friends who won Olympic gold for Team Canada in 2014 are likely to face off in the series’ Boston Globe LOADED: 04.04.2019 most crucial situations. The summer of 2018, when Bergeron tried to lure Tavares to Boston in free agency, feels like ages ago.

GOALIES

The most important matchup is Rask vs. Frederik Andersen. Teams without ace goaltending do not typically make it far in the playoffs. Teams who have it — as anyone who watched Tim Thomas in 2011 would attest — can win it all. Andersen (36-15-6, 2.75 GAA, .918 save percentage) has bailed out a suspect Leafs defense at times, and is likely to find his way onto a few Vezina Trophy ballots. Rask (27-12-5, 2.42, .915) has been his typical self: a mixed bag early, and excellent in the second half. Since Dec. 29, he is 19-4-3, 2.23, .918.

NEW FACES

The Leafs let James van Riemsdyk (three goals in last year’s series) walk, and made big splashes in July (adding Tavares) and March (picking up top-pair defenseman Jake Muzzin at the trade deadline). The Bruins, after the retirement of second-line winger Rick Nash and the free agency loss of third-line center Riley Nash, spent most of the season waiting for replacements to materialize before swinging at the deadline. Marcus Johansson and Charlie Coyle are nice pieces, but the greatest impact has come from energetic winger and backup goalie Jaroslav Halak, both free-agent signees who have had stellar years.

INJURIES

In the final week of the regular season, Toronto is the healthier outfit. Defenseman Jake Gardiner, most remembered here for DeBrusk turning him inside-out while scoring the Game 7 game-winner, has been dealing with back spasms. Muzzin and standout rookie Andreas Johnsson have been ill. Boston has several bumps and bruises (Bergeron, Wagner, Johansson among them). Valuable fourth-liner Sean Kuraly (hand surgery) is likely to miss the first round, leaving the Bruins without a 1105188 Boston Bruins Since that series, Grzelcyk has established himself as a top-six defenseman. That confidence gives him more of an edge this time around.

Bruins notebook: Rest for the stretch run “Just taking on more responsibility, and not being sheltered as much, I’m comfortable enough,” he said. “With all the injuries, especially at the beginning of the year, playing against matchups I wouldn’t normally get, it By MARISA INGEMI | [email protected] | Boston Herald gives me confidence defensively.”

April 3, 2019 at 10:54 PM

Boston Herald LOADED: 04.04.2019 ST. PAUL, Minn. — Two final regular-season games stand between the Bruins and a playoff rematch with the Toronto Maple Leafs. The B’s locked down home ice Tuesday night in Columbus, and can cruise for the rest of the regular season before returning to playoff intensity.

They’ll use the final two games to get everything in order ahead of Game 1 at the Garden, but it also provides a chance to give much-needed rest to some veterans and banged-up skaters.

“We are gonna rest some guys,” Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy said. “The final decision will be made in the morning. I can tell you (Chris) Wagner’s out. He’s been dealing with a lower-body (injury), so he needs a few days off completely.”

Zach Senyshyn was recalled ahead of Thursday’s game with the Minnesota Wild, and is expected to make his NHL debut. Trent Frederic also is back in the mix with a chance that two forwards sit out the penultimate game.

Senyshyn didn’t know he’d be appearing in his first NHL game this week until he got the call Tuesday night right after the Blue Jackets game.

“It was a great call,” he said. “I was really excited to get here and join the team, they’re a great group of guys.”

The 22-year-old cited his speed and offensive game as his biggest assets.

Marcus Johansson may sit Thursday night after he collided with David Krejci on Tuesday in Columbus and was shaken up.

Next week’s Frozen Four has extra meaning for a pair of Bruins. It’s also the perfect canvas for locker room drama.

Karson Kuhlman (Minnesota-Duluth) and (Providence) were yet to engage in trash talk while the team was in Columbus, but both were sure it’s to come ahead of their alma maters facing off in the college hockey national semifinals.

“Not yet,” said Acciari. “We’re quiet right now. Once it gets a little closer. I won a dinner with (David Backes) with the (Minnesota State) win. He treated me to a nice dinner. We still have a movie to go to. Friendly bets going on.”

Acciari said he watched Providence’s win over Cornell and his Friars “looked good.” He’s confident in coach Nate Leaman to bring them back to the national title stage.

Kuhlman’s Bulldogs, with whom he played just a season ago, powered past Connor Clifton‘s Quinnipiac to advance to the Frozen Four and face Acciari’s former squad.

“Still close with all those guys,” Kuhlman said. “Extremely happy for them. Just have to get through two more games here. That was a great weekend last year in St. Paul.”

He saw the end of Duluth’s game against Bowling Green, and has been monitoring from afar the games he hasn’t seen. He’s ready for any potential “side bets” Acciari might bring up, and for a friendly rivalry to emerge.

“I’m sure it’ll escalate here,” Kuhlman said.

Matt Grzelcyk was a part of the seven-game series against Toronto last season, but the defenseman has come a long way since then.

“Going through the experience was a lot of teaching moments,” he said. “It was a tough series going to Game 7, but obviously we found a way to get it done. We’ll have our hands full. It was important to secure that home ice, and gives you a little more comfort. Toronto’s a great team.” 1105189 Boston Bruins

Bruins’ Jake DeBrusk locked in for another postseason run

By MARISA INGEMI | [email protected] | Boston Herald

PUBLISHED: April 3, 2019 at 7:36 pm | UPDATED: April 3, 2019 at 7:37 PM

ST. PAUL, Minn. — Jake DeBrusk opened some eyes well before the postseason began a year ago. As a rookie, he had 16 goals and 27 assists and established himself as a key player on a contending team.

Fast-forward to now, and his role is much more defined. He’s a mainstay on the second line in a lineup that’s been shuffled the entire season.

DeBrusk is more established than he was a season ago preparing for another playoff series against the Toronto Maple Leafs, but he feels like there’s still a long way to go before he’s comfortable with his progress.

“I wish I evolved a bit more, to be honest,” he said. “I think I’ve progressed decently, there’s been some ups and downs this year. I think you can use an excuse, second year or a young player trying to find their way. But I expect a lot out of myself, and I did more harm to myself than I have in years past.”

That self-assessment aligns with what the Bruins are hoping will be a continuing evolution for the 22-year-old winger.

“He’s a little streaky,” coach Bruce Cassidy said. “But when he starts feeling it, he gets more jump. A young player, when he’s not feeling it, that’s where we have to do a better job, and he has to do a better job of saying, ‘I can still contribute in other ways,’ and stay in the game. Get through those lulls. I think he’s done that. He had one, I think December, where he had a tough go. … We’d like to see him avoid those longer ones.”

With just two goals in his final nine games last season — both in the same game — DeBrusk wasn’t clicking on the way he is right now. He has 13 goals and nine assists in his past 19 games and is up to 27 goals overall. Last year, he blossomed in the playoffs, with four goals against the Maple Leafs, two of them in Game 7 to help the B’s advance to face Tampa Bay.

The team was the same postseason path ahead of it this season, and DeBrusk will be counted on heavily, despite what might be a stronger supporting cast around him.

There’s plenty he can take out of that experience last year, but more from lessons learned in his sophomore season.

“You hear about it, people say it, but you try to keep an even keel throughout everything,” he said. “I think I was pretty locked in the whole series and had my legs, and felt that even though we had our backs against the wall. Still felt confident and pretty even, same mindset that helped me have success. I think that’s one thing that was different in the Tampa Bay series. That’s the biggest thing in the playoffs, you try to ignore the noise and believe in yourselves.”

DeBrusk said after Christmas when he started finding his game “for no rhyme or reason” it helped boost the rest of the campaign, and he’s happy to be sticking in the NHL and contributing to this team’s run.

If anything, he’s tough on himself to keep getting better.

“Just frustration, I expect a lot out of myself,” DeBrusk said. “I can get on myself too much at certain times. I can triple overthink everything, the mind works in crazy ways. You’re hot, you’re en fuego, and then I had it where it was the other way around and things that wouldn’t normally bug me I was letting get to me. That’s something I learned about this year.”

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Bruins call up Frederic, Senyshyn with two games to play

By Joe Haggerty

April 03, 2019 6:22 PM

The Bruins will get one more look at a couple of their young players as they get ready to make final preparations for the Stanley Cup playoffs. The day after clinching home ice in the first round following a combination Bruins win/Maple Leafs loss, first-round picks Trent Frederic (2016) and Zach Senyshyn (2015) were called up from Providence on an emergency basis.

It will be the third recall for Frederic, 21, a hard-nosed center who has played in 13 games for Boston this season. The 6-foot-2, 200-pounder has 11 goals and 11 assists for 22 points with 67 penalty minutes and a plus-four rating in 51 games for the P-Bruins this season and has shown off his rugged, physical style at both levels.

For Senyshyn, 22, it’s his first call-up to the NHL after being a much- discussed pick in the middle of the first round in 2015. Senyshyn has 14 goals and 10 assists for 24 points in 62 games for the P-Bruins this season, but has thus far been eclipsed by a number of his peers, Mat Barzal, Brock Boeser, Travis Konecny, Kyle Conner to name just a couple, selected after him in that same first round.

Senyshyn put up fewer points this season than he did last season in his first pro campaign in Providence, so it doesn’t really feel like he’s making the kind of developmental leaps and bounds the Bruins were hoping for.

At this point, Frederic and Senyshyn are being called up to play as the Bruins will likely begin resting some of their core veteran players (Patrice Bergeron, David Krejci, Brad Marchand come to mind) with just two games remaining in the regular season and not much more to be gained ahead of the playoffs.

Still, it’s also a chance for both to put exclamation points on their AHL seasons and give the Bruins something to think about as they put together a group of “black aces” for the playoffs that will act as reserves and reinforcements should injuries start to pile up for the Black and Gold.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 04.04.2019 1105191 Boston Bruins Cassidy should keep those three together for the next two games as Johansson continues to get comfortable. It looks like he has a third line.

If he tweaks the first two lines, he'll go from having the best line in hockey Why pairing David Krejci and David Pastrnak is right move for Bruins to a top six that should smother opponents.

By DJ Bean Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 04.04.2019 April 03, 2019 2:16 PM

When the Bruins clinched home ice in the first round — something about which I really wasn't concerned given that they were going to beat the Maple Leafs either way — Tom Giles asked on Boston Sports Tonight what the Bruins should do in the final two games. With nothing to play for on paper, what should they aim to physically achieve?

Other than line up Tuukka Rask's schedule however they'd like and continue to get reps for the players that have recently returned to the lineup, my answer was basically the same thing I and many others have said since David Pastrnak came back from his thumb injury: Put No. 88 on the second line.

Tuesday night's blowout win over the Blue Jackets hardly screamed for a shakeup with the lines, but once Danton Heinen is back, the play should be to put Heinen with Bergeron and Marchand, then team Pastrnak with David Krejci and Jake DeBrusk. It would make for a both balanced and elite top six.

The Bruins might have that either way given the seasons they've gotten from Krejci (70 points) and DeBrusk (27 goals). That pair might even be gaining a bit of the put-anyone-with-them-and-they'll-be-good status that Bergeron and Marchand have had for years, as 23-year-old Karson Kuhlman dominated with the pair against Columbus.

Maybe Bruce Cassidy will keep Kuhlman there and take the experiment into the playoffs, a point that Matt Kalman argued well following the Columbus game.

But think about it: On a top line you can have a 100-point guy skating alongside a four-time Selke winner with whom he happens to share telepathy given their years playing together. On the next, you have a great playmaking center flanked by wingers who pushed for 40 goals (Pastrnak) and 30 goals (DeBrusk).

Krejci's played in every game this season. Maybe the Bruins will rest him Thursday or Saturday. DeBrusk and Pastrnak have missed enough time this season to not need the break.

Marchand's message to teammates: 'I love you guys'

We saw how the three performed when Bruce Cassidy played them together for the second half of the Rangers game last week. It involved Krejci assisting goals by both wingers. Bruins fans should want to see more of it going into the playoffs.

It would be a top-six that should outperform Toronto's and even go toe- to-toe with Tampa's. While the Tampa comparison might sound outrageous, consider that Bergeron and Pastrnak would have been right up there in point totals had they not missed legitimate time due to injury.

Bergeron, currently 23rd in the league in points with 79 in 64 games, would have also been a 100-point guy (101, to be exact) had he played an 82-game season at that pace. Pastrnak (78 points in 64 games), would be on track for exactly 100 points. Spread out correctly, that's a lot of time with elite players on the ice.

What burned the Bruins last postseason was their lack of depth. Though a deeper team during the regular season, their third line wasn't good enough in the playoffs between Riley Nash not being right and David Backes not being good.

Once Tampa negated Bergeron with Brayden Point, it was over. Depth wasn't going to bail out Boston.

How important is home-ice advantage vs. Leafs?

Maybe that's a different story now. The Chris Wagner-Charlie Coyle- Marcus Johansson trio was good Tuesday, netting Johansson his first tally as a Bruin. That's certainly a better trio on paper than a returning- from-injury Nash with an in-and-out-of-the-lineup Heinen and a slow Backes. 1105192 Boston Bruins

NHL, NHLPA agree to 1-year extension of Stanley Cup playoff format

By Nick Goss

April 03, 2019 1:16 PM

Critics of the NHL's format for the Stanley Cup playoffs will not be happy with the agreement the league has struck with the NHLPA.

The two sides agreed to keep the current format going for another year.

The league ditched its 1-8 format (similar to the NBA's) in favor of a divisional setup with wild cards beginning in the 2013-14 season. The hope was that divisional rivalries would come to the forefront, and while we've enjoyed Bruins vs. Canadiens, Bruins vs. Leafs (soon to be twice) and multiple Capitals vs. Penguins matchups under the current format, there's also the issue of the best teams having a difficult path to the Stanley Cup Final, when it should be the opposite.

For example, the Bruins and Leafs will play in the first round of the playoffs in a few weeks despite having the third- and fifth-best records, respectively, in the entire league (entering Wednesday). Many players don't think that's fair, and it's hard to disagree. The Bruins have the second-best record in the East, but to reach the conference finals, they'll need to beat the teams with the best and fifth-best records in the league.

Here's what Tampa Bay Lightning captain recently said about the playoff format.

"It is what it is. It's been that way for a while now," Stamkos said, per TSN. "You are gonna have to beat the best teams to win anyways, whether it's the first round or the conference finals. I understand where they're coming from, from a marketing perspective, wanting to get some rivalries early on. But from a perspective of what you're grinding 82 games for during a season is to finish as high as you can so you can have that advantage come playoffs. I don't think that's an advantage to Toronto or Boston to be what could be the top three teams in the whole league in one division and then have to play that team in the first round. I don't think that's right. ... It is what it is. You can't change it now, but I don't think it's the most fair in terms of why you play and the advantage you're supposed to have come playoff time."

With another NHL lockout potentially on the horizon, this playoff format could be one of the many issues negotiated during the next round of CBA talks. Public opinion, at least right now, seems to be on the side of finding a better format.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 04.04.2019 1105193 Boston Bruins *DeBrusk scored a pair of goals to creep close to 30 goals on the season, and had six shot attempts while getting a couple of breakaways and really using his speed to create offensive opportunities for himself.

What we learned in the Bruins' 6-2 win over the Blue Jackets *Marchand finished with a couple of points to give him 100 points for the first time in his NHL career, and to become the first Bruins player to get to the century mark since all the way back in 2002-03 and Jumbo Joe By Joe Haggerty Thornton.

April 03, 2019 12:44 PM Minus

*David Savard had zero shots on net, was a minus-3 and backed away from challenges from both Joakim Nordstrom and David Backes after he Here’s what we learned in the Boston Bruins' 6-2 win over the Columbus threw a hit from behind on Noel Acciari against the end boards. That’s a Blue Jackets on Tuesday night at Nationwide Arena. bad night. 1) Brad Marchand is putting himself in rarified air with the things he’s *Sergei Bobrovsky was sharp early in the game, but was pulled in the accomplishing for the Bruins after putting the finishing touches on his first second period after allowing four goals on 23 shots. It really wasn’t all 100-point season. It wasn’t a dazzling highlight play that got him to the Bob’s fault, but he wasn’t at his best either. 100 point mark; he simply pushed a puck up to Patrice Bergeron, who fed David Pastrnak for a sniper wrist shot that put the nail in the Blue *Matt Duchene had a goal and won 11-of-20 face-offs, but he was also Jackets' coffin. The 100 points is not only another impressive notch on on the ice for three goals against and that was a major problem for Marchand’s career resume as one of the top NHL players and most Columbus. prolific players in Bruins history, but it’s also something that hasn’t been done in a long, long time for the Black and Gold. It proved to be impossible for any Bruins player to get to 100 points during the Claude Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 04.04.2019 Julien era, when a defensive style and a conservative approach to ice time capped the higher limits of offense for even their best skill players. But during the Bruce Cassidy era those scoring numbers have grown, and all three of Boston’s top forwards are consistently hitting 30 goals with Marchand getting to 100 points while he’s been able to stay relatively healthy and stay out of trouble this season. With Marchand as the first 100-point player for the Bruins since Jumbo Joe Thornton back in 2002-03, he’s showing that once again the Bruins can be among the NHL’s leading scorers and put up the gaudy numbers themselves.

2) It does look like things are starting to solidify for the Bruins' forward group. Marcus Johansson scored his first goal as a member of the Bruins while skating on the third line with Charlie Coyle and Chris Wagner, and he showed some pretty good chemistry with them while getting on the stat sheet. Similarly, Karson Kuhlman was outstanding with the second line of Jake DeBrusk and David Krejci, scoring a goal while also setting up DeBrusk a couple of times for great offensive chances. He showed a real ability to get active defensively and turn that into offense with great instincts and excellent skating speed, and created offense for himself and his linemates. Kuhlman was given a chance with Danton Heinen out of the lineup while coming up ill, and he really made the most of his opportunity against a solid Blue Jackets team. Kuhlman probably isn’t a top-six NHL forward on a regular basis at this point and may never be, but the goal, two points, plus-3 and five shot attempts in 14:10 of ice time would say that he’s got something to give these Bruins in the postseason. So Bruce Cassidy is getting some expanded options among his forward group right now, and that’s nothing but a positive headed into the postseason. I’d been skeptical of Kuhlman’s ability to really help the B’s in the playoffs, but Tuesday night’s showing against Columbus kind of changed my mind a bit.

3) Big bounce-back for Tuukka Rask after he struggled through all of March with a .883 save percentage and opened up some questions about his level of play entering the postseason. He stopped 32-of-34 shots including 15 saves in the third period when a desperate Blue Jackets team was throwing everything it could at the net, and was a big factor in the Bruins winning the eventual 6-2 decision. Rask didn’t have big save numbers in the first couple of periods, but he stopped everything he saw in the first 40 minutes including a wonderful sequence when he slammed the door on Scott Harrington and Boone Jenner in succession as the Bruins were caught running around in their own end. The backbone that Rask gave the Bruins allowed them to get their footing to score a couple of goals in the first period, and then extend the lead in the second while truly pushing the Blue Jackets totally out of the picture. Everybody should feel a little better about Rask going into the postseason after seeing him revert to strong form in an important win against Columbus.

Plus

*Rask snapped out of his March doldrums while stopping 32 of 34 shots, providing that support Boston needed while they built up a lead, then making 15 saves in the third period to hold back a desperate Columbus onslaught. 1105194 Boston Bruins

How important is home ice for Bruins in series vs. Leafs? Here's what the stats say

By Nick Goss

April 03, 2019 12:03 PM

The Boston Bruins secured home-ice advantage for their first-round series against the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 2019 Stanley Cup playoffs with Tuesday night's road win over the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Home ice has proven vital for the Bruins in their last two playoff series against the Leafs. Boston has a 5-3 record, including a pair of thrilling Game 7 victories, versus Toronto at TD Garden from its 2013 and 2018 first-round matchups. Playing at home has its obvious advantages, including the benefit of the last line change for matchup purposes and having the support of your raucous fans.

Securing home ice is no guarantee of postseason success in the NHL, especially when compared to the NBA. The Bruins, despite being a very good home team in recent regular seasons, don't have a dominant record at the Garden during playoff action.

What's the takeaway here?

Well, the Bruins have a winning percentage of almost .600 at home, which is solid. They also own a winning record in Game 7s in Boston, but when facing elimination at the Garden, the B's are just 5-5.

Having home ice is great for the Bruins, but they cannot take their foot off the gas and assume it'll be a huge factor against the Leafs. This Toronto team is really good (fifth-best record in the league) and fully capable of beating Boston anywhere. The Leafs enter Wednesday tied for the third- most road wins with 23.

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Jeremy Roenick had a great message for Brad Marchand after 100th point

By Darren Hartwell

April 03, 2019 10:00 AM

Brad Marchand is the guy everyone hates ... unless he's on their team.

Jeremy Roenick would know, as the Hockey Hall of Famer-turned NBC Sports analyst matched his immense talent with an instigator's edge during his playing days.

So, after Marchand made Boston Bruins history Tuesday night by notching his 100th point of the season against the Columbus Blue Jackets, Roenick gave the winger a special shout-out on Twitter.

Marchand has made plenty of enemies in the NHL, some of whom don't find his occasional licking antics very funny.

But as Roenick suggests, the 30-year-old has been an indispensable member of the Bruins for the past decade, winning a Stanley Cup in his first full season with the B's back in 2011 and helping them clinch home ice in the first round of the 2019 playoffs with a historically successful season.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 04.04.2019 1105196 Boston Bruins Krug is optimized for offense, and rightly so.

These parameters put Krug within context of a prior cluster of offensively weaponized defensemen: Dan Boyle, Brian Campbell, Tomas Kaberle, Hefty payday is coming for Torey Krug. Can Bruins afford for that to be in Bryan McCabe, Mark Streit and Lubomir Visnovsky. At their peaks, the Boston? defensemen could be counted on for high-end power play performance.

As power play producers, the six enjoyed career longevity. Boyle was 36 By Fluto Shinzawa when his points-per-60 minutes rate took a significant dip from 3.95 to 2.8. Campbell was 34 (5.5 to 2.26). Kaberle was 33 (5.13 to 2.08). Apr 3, 2019 McCabe was 35 (3.33 to 2.49). Streit was 38 (6.19 to 2.49). Visnovsky was 35 (5.53 to 2.5).

Age and past performance signal that Krug could join their company. Torey Krug was built to run the Bruins’ power play. According to The Athletic’s Dom Luszczyszyn, Krug is projected for The 27-year-old does just about everything: retrieve pucks, blitz into the consistent power-play production for the next five seasons, assuming offensive zone with speed and control, shoot for sticks, walk the blue line, 3:30 of man-advantage ice time per game: rotate down the right-side half-boards. Krug, however, is not a natural skater like Boyle or Campbell, two of the This season, Krug has done all this at a career pace. He has 30 man- most graceful and efficient movers of their day. He prefers a wide stance, advantage points, his most ever. allowing him to quickly access his power for straight-line speed, battles for pucks and in-tight maneuvering. Krug’s 28 helpers translate to 7.2 assists per 60 minutes of power-play time, according to Natural Stat Trick. It is the highest assists per 60 But it reduces the efficiency of Krug’s glide. Krug has to work harder to minutes rate in the league of any player who has logged more than 100 keep pace with more natural skaters. It’s evident in his style: hard, violent power play minutes, and well above Krug’s previous best: 4.36 assists and choppy compared to the smoothness of teammate John Moore, the per 60 minutes in 2017-18, when he had 19 assists to accompany five blue line’s best skater. goals. Based on prior production, it is a significant outlier, signaling the Krug’s mechanics, in combination with his playing style, put him at risk of depth of both Krug’s powers and that of the NHL’s third-best unit. falling short of preferred workload thresholds. He has been sidelined by Krug excels at every power play task. He is exceptionally good at head, shoulder, knee and ankle injuries. Krug takes a beating not just expressing his teammates’ talents, be it Patrice Bergeron’s rapid release because of his size, but his willingness to stay with a play longer than from the bumper or David Pastrnak’s left-circle one-timer, the Bruins’ 1-2 most defensemen. man-advantage options. All of this means that the tail end of a long-term contract could contain a At even strength, Krug is averaging 17:23 of ice time per game, the greater amount of risk than Krug’s numbers would forecast. Krug will be fourth-highest workload among Bruins defensemen. He’s recording 0.89 29 at the start of his new deal. Yandle was 30 when he started his seven- points per 60 minutes, second-highest after Charlie McAvoy (1.28). year contract. When Krug is on the ice, opponents are averaging 51.85 shot attempts Yandle, however, is an elite skater. The 6-foot-1, 191-pound Milton native per 60 minutes, fourth-highest after partner Brandon Carlo, McAvoy and is the NHL’s current leader in consecutive games played. Yandle, who is Zdeno Chara. now 32, is averaging a career-high 7.99 points per 60 minutes as It would be madness, then, in one regard, to consider a future without the Florida’s power-play quarterback. His decline is nowhere in sight. power-play pilot. Krug is under contract through 2020 at $5.25 million Other options annually, which is a very good price to pay for a catalyst whose short- term forecast shows no signs of decline. Krug’s concussion shelved him for six games in March. Within this limited window, the Bruins went 3 for 13 with McAvoy assuming first-unit duties. It gets cloudier beyond that. Krug will be 29 at the start of the 2020-21 It is not an optimal formation because McAvoy is a right shot. season. By then, he could be on a deal similar to those of Ryan Ellis (eight years, $50 million) or Keith Yandle (seven years, $44.45 million), One of the Bruins’ preferred setups with Krug working the point is a right- two of his closer comparables. side switch with Marchand. When Krug rotates down the right-side boards, he can feed Bergeron as the bumper, thread seam passes for Assuming Krug scores a seven-year contract, the latter segment could Pastrnak to one-time or shoot for the net with Jake DeBrusk setting a correspond with a dip in production. It also overlaps with the younger screen, all while staying square to his three options. ages of McAvoy, Matt Grzelcyk and Urho Vaakanainen, who could assume some of Krug’s power-play and even-strength responsibilities. It’s not as easy for McAvoy. As a right shot, McAvoy has to go farther down the wall and deeper into an opposing penalty kill to replicate the The Bruins, in other words, would be paying more for either the current angles Krug creates. rate of production or lower. “We don’t mind him moving down there because he’s shot-ready,” Bruce “They will be scared of the term just as much as the potential money,” Cassidy said of allowing McAvoy to drift down the right side. “It’s just a said one executive. “My guess is he will want seven years times $6.25 different look. I haven’t seen him get the puck into Bergy. As a righty, I (million)-ish. Absolutely will want a raise.” think it’s because it’s harder. Charlie would have to get a little bit deeper Nobody in the Bruins organization likes to consider a roster without Krug. and not open up. Whereas Torey can open up. That opens up the seam, But it might be tricky to find a sweet spot between the respective wishes: bumper, net-front a little easier because you’re square to everybody. a much-deserved and career-defining contract for Krug, and a deal that Charlie’s going to be closed off a little.” does not hold value in the latter years for the Bruins. Grzelcyk, meanwhile, is a left shot like Krug. Grzelcyk has preferred a Therefore, as unpleasant as it would be, a collision of factors makes it more stationary approach at the top of the formation when he’s worked possible that this postseason will be Krug’s last in Boston. the power play. He is a safer, less dynamic version.

The Bruins have clarified Krug’s role this season. He is averaging a The question, however, is whether McAvoy, Grzelcyk or a combination of career-high 3:45 of power-play ice time per game. Among NHL both could give the Bruins a reasonable approximation of Krug’s defensemen, only John Carlson (4:06) and Tyson Barrie (4:05) are services. Neither has shown anything close to Krug’s man-advantage seeing more this year. reliability. Krug does not shoot to score, but he still averages 10.79 shots per 60 minutes, which discourages goalies from cheating toward other He is the Bruins’ No. 4 defenseman at even strength based on ice time. options. Grzelcyk (4.77) and McAvoy (4.66) are pass-first quarterbacks. On the penalty kill, he is a last-ditch option. Krug has logged just 12:32 of shorthanded playing time, almost all of it at the end of kills when the But neither Grzelcyk (100:40 of power-play time) nor McAvoy (82:34) has Bruins prepare to resume even-strength action. During even-strength been afforded the kind of ice time Krug (233:28) has merited. play, Krug has a 71.68 offensive-zone start percentage, highest of any The Bruins’ even-strength options will not be as limited next season. league defenseman with 1,000 or more minutes. Chara will be back. Grzelcyk and Moore are under contract. Vaakanainen should be ready for full-time NHL play. His entry-level dough will be helpful to offset the offseason raises that McAvoy and Carlo will earn. Jeremy Lauzon and Jakub Zboril, both left shots, could be available for recall.

A long-term wrinkle is the expansion draft. In June 2021, Seattle will pick its inaugural players. Rules will be the same as they were for Vegas in 2017. Teams have two protection formats: seven forwards, three defensemen and one goalie; or eight skaters and one goalie.

Under the first setup, McAvoy is a protection lock. The Bruins would not want Vaakanainen, who will be 22 by then, to spend his prime years elsewhere. If the Bruins extended Krug, they would have to leave Grzelcyk and Carlo unprotected, virtually guaranteeing one of them will land in Seattle.

The Bruins could protect McAvoy, Vaakanainen, Krug and either Grzelcyk or Carlo in the eight-skater model. But that would leave them with only enough spots to protect Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand, David Pastrnak and Jake DeBrusk up front.

Parting ways with Krug would make expansion a little less painful.

It is possible the Bruins do nothing with Krug this offseason and defer their decision. They could extend him during the 2019-20 season or shortly after. Or they could bring him back for the final year of his current deal and let him walk for nothing, like San Jose is probably doing with Erik Karlsson, Winnipeg with Tyler Myers and Toronto with Jake Gardiner.

Either way, this offseason is most likely the final opportunity for the Bruins to acquire an asset for Krug within the parameters of his partial no-trade protection. He will not be a deadline mover, given that the Bruins will likely be in a playoff race and be wary of disrupting their power play.

Veteran defensemen with term who have been traded include Jake Muzzin and Ryan McDonagh. The Leafs gave Los Angeles their 2019 first-rounder and prospects Sean Durzi and Carl Grundstrom for Muzzin. The Lightning, who also acquired J.T. Miller with McDonagh, traded their 2018 first-rounder, a 2019 conditional second-round pick, Vladislav Namestnikov, Libor Hajek and Brett Howden to the Rangers.

They were substantial returns for good defensemen. The Bruins could do the same with Krug at the draft this June in Vancouver.

Management has several decisions to make this summer: how to move the two years remaining on David Backes’ contract, how much to pay Carlo, whether to extend McAvoy to a bridge deal or a long-term whopper.

How they proceed with Krug will be the hardest call of all.

The Athletic LOADED: 04.04.2019 1105197 Buffalo Sabres BN: Did you have a learning curve coming in here as a leader in the dressing room?

CH: It's tough. I've always been a vocal leader on teams I've played for Q&A: Carter Hutton reflects on decision to sign with Sabres, future and you try to be a good locker room guy, but obviously. this year. I've outlook played a lot more games. Sometimes when you're playing it's more difficult to be the voice in the room in a sense because I need to focus on my job. I have to take care of business and stop pucks. That's the By Lance Lysowski number one issue. I think it's been a fun transition. We have a lot of good, young kids. We have great personnel. At times, it's definitely been Published Wed, Apr 3, 2019|Updated Wed, Apr 3, 2019 frustrating and guys have shown that, but at the same time, we have a good group of guys and we are still young. If you look at it – I know from the outside looking in, it's tough – but at the same time, we've won a lot In the final days of an unpredictable season, Carter Hutton has not lost of games. We're in a better place than last year. If we could tweak a few sight of why he chose to sign with the Buffalo Sabres. things here or there. What's done is done. We have to finish strong. For us, moving forward, we have a lot of talent and depth on this team. The 33-year-old goalie was free to join any NHL team last summer after an outstanding season in St. Louis and reportedly had offers from a few BN: Even through the difficult moments, you and other veterans have playoff contenders, including Boston. Yet, Hutton chose a three-year referenced the positive chemistry with this team. What has allowed you contract from the Sabres, who had just won only 25 games and had not to maintain that the past few months? qualified for the postseason since 2011. CH: Our older guys do a good job of communicating and keeping the Buffalo presented a unique opportunity for him to play more and younger guys in line. Misery loves company. I think the biggest thing is potentially help turn around a struggling franchise. Hutton had a .936 when there was anything where guys were negative or anything like that, save percentage during the Sabres' 10-game winning streak in our older guys and young guys have learned that we need to snuff that November, only to enter Thursday with a mark of .908 – his lowest since out right away. We've tried to stay upbeat and control what we can. It's an 18-game stint with Nashville in 2014-15. obviously been a roller coaster of a year, but at the end of the day, we're professional athletes. We get paid to do this and we get paid really well. Still, Hutton should reach his goal of appearing in 50 games this season The criticism and the tough times that come with it are part of becoming a and established himself as a leader in the dressing room. Though the veteran pro. The majority of it is making sure you come to work every Sabres entered Wednesday's games 28th in the NHL and amid an eight- day, making sure you are getting better and finding a way to help this game winless skid, Hutton expressed optimism for the franchise's future. team win. We know we have a city that loves us. I know it's been tough at The Buffalo News caught up with Hutton to discuss his decision to sign times, but they want to win just like we do. with the Sabres, playing for a young team and his outlook for the future. Q: Do you feel good about your game heading into the offseason? BN: With the way the season has gone, do you still believe signing with CH: It's a tricky year to look at my numbers. I feel like this is a real year the Sabres was the right fit for you at this point in your career? for me to find out it's a team sport. You go as the team goes. I think, for CH: At times it's been hard. I could have gone somewhere and been me, I've prided myself on giving us a chance to win every night. We talk more protected, but I wanted to play more and I wanted to compete. I about the chances – I'm sure we could dive into analytics and you could wanted to be part of turning this thing around. Obviously, we took a good really get into it – but I know what I bring to the table. I think management step forward, but I'm not done here. We have a lot of work to do, and I'm does and the guys in our room. I'm just trying to get better. I'm coming on excited for the future for sure. Obviously we're going to finish strong here 50 games here, which is what I wanted to do. It's been good. There are and hopefully we can finish with a couple of wins. obviously games where there are things I want to change and others where I think I was a big difference-maker. I want to continue to bring BN: When you signed with Buffalo, did you expect a young team such as that, and take this summer to get better and stronger and learn from this this could potentially give up so many scoring chances? year playing this many games. Help this team get into the playoffs next year. CH: I knew what I was coming from was going to be different, for sure. I guess it's been unpredictable. I've had to alter my game a little bit because of that, but it is what it is. That's part of the growing pains of a younger team. For the most part, I went from being the average age on Buffalo News LOADED: 04.04.2019 my last team to one of the really older guys, right? It's definitely been a change of pace in that sense.

BN: How did you alter your game?

CH: I thought, when I played in St. Louis, I was a little more conservative because it was a lot more predictable. We didn't really give up a whole heck of a lot. You had to make your three to four quality saves a game and the rest was predictable. A lot of outside shots. We had a veteran defensive corps and veteran forwards who really knew how to stay structured in the D zone, where here I have to keep more momentum in my game because we do give up a lot more secondary chances and seam passes. I've had to be quicker on my feet. It's a happy medium. You still need that conservativeness because that's my strength, but I do have the athletic ability to make secondary saves. I guess it's been a feeling-out process. You can kind of sense the way the game is going for us.

BN: Was there a certain point in the season when you realized you needed to change your game, or did you quickly come to that conclusion from the start?

CH: Not necessarily. Even early, I think the game has been pretty consistent for us from the start. It got overshadowed a bit because we won a lot of games there and everything was great. At the same time, we were still giving up similar stuff. Personally, I thought at one point I wasn't playing as well as I had, but it's a long year as well. I don't think, by any means, I played bad, but sometimes you get a bad bounce and you're trying to do too much. 1105198 Buffalo Sabres

Buffalo native Dennis Gilbert recalled by Blackhawks, plays in first NHL game

By Lance Lysowski

Published Wed, Apr 3, 2019|Updated Thu, Apr 4, 2019

Dennis Gilbert has become the latest Buffalo native to play in an NHL game.

Gilbert, a 22-year-old graduate of St. Joe’s, was recalled from Rockford by the and made his debut Wednesday night against the St. Louis Blues.

Wearing No. 39, Gilbert played 12 minutes, 46 seconds on defense and had a two-minute minor penalty. The Blackhawks beat the Blues in a shootout, 4-3, on ’ goal.

The Blackhawks were eliminated from playoff contention on Tuesday and have two games remaining.

Gilbert signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Blackhawks last May after completing his junior season at Notre Dame, where he had four goals and 10 points in 39 games for the Fighting Irish, who lost in the NCAA title game. He was third-round draft pick in 2015.

He finished his collegiate career with six goals and 42 points in 116 games. He was named Hockey East's Best Defensive Defenseman as a sophomore.

As a high school player, Gilbert made a verbal commitment to Niagara while with St. Joe's. After leading the Marauders to a state championship in 2013, he opted to play juniors with the Buffalo Jr. Sabres. He then moved on to the USHL's Chicago Steel. More prominent hockey programs saw him and he gave up his scholarship offer and chose Notre Dame from among multiple options.

"I had a goal, play in the NHL, and a dream, win a Stanley Cup, Olympic gold – all those things," Gilbert told The News last spring after signing. "Everyone thinks about it, but you have to have a process that you're focused on. I know the Bills coach talks about 'The Process,' and people joke about it a little bit, but you have to have a plan or your chance will pass you by."

The last St. Joe's graduate believed to have appeared in an NHL game was Cole Schneider during the 2016-17 season with the Buffalo Sabres.

Gilbert played two seasons at St. Joe's, earning Niagara Cup championship game MVP honors in 2013. He scored in the state final, a 3-0 win over St. Anthony's (L.I.). He also served as quarterback for the football team during his time at St. Joe's.

"As much as we knew he was a special player, his work ethic and desire to compete really stood out," St. Joe's coach Rich Crozier said. "Our entire program is absolutely thrilled. ... To have a student-athlete work so hard toward a goal and to successfully achieve it ... we are so proud of him and happy for his family."

Sabres send Borgen to Rochester

With a surplus of healthy defensemen, the Buffalo Sabres assigned Will Borgen to Rochester following an optional practice Wednesday in KeyBank Center.

Borgen, 22, was a healthy scratch Tuesday against Nashville and recorded a minus-5 rating in four games with the Sabres. He will rejoin the Amerks in time for their weekend home-and-home series against Syracuse, which begins Friday night in Blue Cross Arena.

Rasmus Ristolainen returned to the Sabres' lineup Tuesday, while Matt Hunwick is back at practice and Matt Tennyson will be available as an extra defenseman Thursday against Ottawa.

Buffalo News LOADED: 04.04.2019 1105199 Calgary Flames who equalled his own career-high with 38 points thanks to that highlight- reel goal against the Ducks.

“I mean, even if he doesn’t reach it, it doesn’t take anything away from Gaudreau inches closer to 100 points as Flames lose to Ducks how great of a season he has had. It’s just a number. It’s been a lot of fun watching him. He’s dynamic. He’s fun to watch. He makes crazy plays no one else thinks of. He’s a huge part of our offence, and Wes Gilbertson hopefully he gets rewarded and hits that milestone.”

The Ducks will miss the playoffs for the first time since 2012, but they gave the home crowd something to cheer about on Fan Appreciation ANAHEIM — The Calgary Flames haven’t had a 100-point man since Night at Honda Center. way back in 1992-93. Rookie forwards Sam Steel and Max Jones staked the locals to an early Johnny Gaudreau, who was born a few months later, has a chance to lead, while captain Ryan Getzlaf — back in action after a four-game change that. injury layoff — sizzled a shot just inside the post in the middle stanza. Gaudreau assisted on the lone tally for the Flames in Wednesday’s 3-1 Despite Wednesday’s defeat, the Flames (50-24-7) celebrated a loss to the Anaheim Ducks at Honda Center, boosting his career-best franchise-record 24 road victories during the 2018-19 campaign. campaign total to 98 points. Although they’ll have home-ice advantage through the third round of the The superstar left-winger will be aiming to reach triple-digits Saturday as playoff quest, that success outside of the 403 area-code is certainly an the Saddledome hosts cap their regular-season itinerary with an encouraging sign. instalment of the — a mostly meaningless clash between a squad that has already clinched first seed in the Western Gaudreau, whether he can climb to the 100-point peak or not, hopes the Conference and a crew of Edmonton Oilers that will be digging divots best is yet to come for his club. when the Stanley Cup playoffs start next week. “Obviously, that would be a really cool milestone, but with what our team “It would be cool, obviously,” Gaudreau said of his shot to become the accomplished this year just through the regular season, it’s been first Flames’ skater to hit the 100-point plateau since fellow mighty-mite awesome,” he said. “It’s so much fun to be a part of. Looking forward to Theo Fleury achieved that feat more than a quarter-century ago. playoffs.”

“It’s something that I try not to focus on too, too much. But I realize how A couple weeks before Christmas, Dillon Dube might have been close I am. That’s not the reason why I’m playing, though, right now. I wondering if he would ever light the lamp again. feel good. You guys have known me long enough. I like to be on the ice. I want to be out there. I want to be playing games rather than sitting in the The 20-year-old speedster cracked the Flames’ roster in the fall but press-box watching my teammates play. mustered only one goal before being demoted. Although he likely figured the offence would come a bit more easily at the American Hockey “I love playing the game, I love winning games with my teammates,” he League level, he was skunked in his first five contests with the farm club. added, telling reporters he never imagined he could collect 100-plus points in a single season at the highest level. “And it kind of just creeped Nobody expects it to be piece-of-cake to produce as a professional, but up on me. So we’ll see. One more game. We’ll see if I play or not on … Saturday. I want to play. I want to play in front of our fans against “I think at the start, I was a little bit worried about it,” Dube can concede Edmonton. That would be a lot of fun on Saturday night. But we’ll see.” now. “Even just getting the puck in front of the net, I hadn’t scored in so That’s the conundrum now for coach Bill Peters and the Flames’ higher- long and I wanted to score so bad that I kind of was thinking too much ups — give the 25-year-old a crack at hitting that point pinnacle against before I was shooting it. I think it was just getting that groove back and it the arch-rival Oilers, or sit him out to avoid any risk of injury before the took me a little while, confidence-wise. spring dance? “I think that was the biggest part of my first half was trying to get that Gaudreau, for what it’s worth, told reporters after Wednesday’s loss that, mental barrier out of my head, and I think I’m doing really well with that “I feel rested, I feel ready to go.” now.”

The Flames certainly need him feeling that way a week from now. His minor-league stats certainly back that claim.

“It’s a nice round number,” Peters said of Gaudreau’s push for 100. “I Now, he has another chance to strut his stuff on the biggest stage. think everyone wants those numbers. If you’re at 19 goals, you want 20. Dube was recalled Wednesday from the AHL’s and was in And if you have 48 points, you want 50. the Flames’ lineup for their date against the Ducks at Honda Center. He “I don’t think it’s a high priority, but if it happens it happens. Whether he was minus-1 in 9:43 of icetime. gets 100 or 98, he’s had a hell of a year.” “I think I was playing my best hockey of late in Stockton and doing really There is no doubt about that, but 100 would be extra-special. well and feeling comfortable in the pro game,” Dube said after Wednesday’s morning skate. “It’s going to be different — the speed is Across the NHL, only a handful of guys have reached that stratosphere obviously going to take some time to adjust — but I’m looking just to so far this season — Hart Trophy shoo-in Nikita Kucherov of the Tampa jump right in here and not take a backseat right away, like at the start of Bay Lightning, the Oilers’ dynamic duo of Connor McDavid and Leon the year.” Draisaitl, Chicago Blackhawks puck-whiz Patrick Kane and Boston Bruins super-pest Brad Marchand. He was certainly more of a front-seat sort in Stockton, one of the offensive engines for the Flames’ farm team. With his usual first-line sidekicks Sean Monahan and Elias Lindholm getting the night off to rest and recuperate for the playoffs, Gaudreau Dube has totalled 15 tucks and two-dozen assists in 37 spins with the skated Wednesday against the Ducks as part of a tiny trio that also Heat, an impressive average of 1.05 points per game. Elsewhere across included centre Derek Ryan and right-winger . the AHL, only two rookies — Ottawa Senators up-and-comer Drake Batherson and Edmonton Oilers prospect Cooper Marody — have been With the 5-foot-somethings on their third shift of the evening, Gaudreau contributing at a better clip. found Ryan as the trailer on an offensive rush and the depth centre played keep-away from a pair of defenders and fooled netminder Ryan This latest call-up came during a three-game dry-spell for Dube, Miller with a series of shakes and then a smooth deke to his backhand. somewhat fitting because offence is not at the top of the wish-list for the first-year pro. That’s 62 assists now for Gaudreau, who has also racked up 36 goals. “It’s his play along the wall. It’s all the stuff nobody ever talks about,” He leads the team in both categories. stressed Flames head coach Bill Peters. “He has pace. He has skill. He has the ability to make plays when there is time. But it’s about the one- “(Gaudreau) obviously creates a lot offensively, so it’s exciting to see him on-one battles down low, getting pucks out, guaranteeing ’em in at the maybe potentially have that chance to reach that milestone,” said Ryan, blue-line — the things that pro players do, especially wingers. “We just wanted his wall-work to improve and him to get valuable minutes. He’s done that. So now it’s an opportunity to come up. We’ll see if he stays. And if not, when their season is over, I’m sure he’ll be one of the black ace group (for playoffs).”

Dube’s blend of speed, skill, snark and big-game experience — he was captain for Canada’s golden bunch at the 2018 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship in Buffalo — would make him a top candidate if the Flames need a forward fill-in during the Stanley Cup playoffs.

And if he can bring a bit of offence, bonus.

Heading into Wednesday’s action, Dube’s big-league stat-sheet showed one goal and four assists in 23 loggings, but the recent emergence of fellow left-winger Andrew Mangiapane is a reminder there is usually some patience required in the production department.

Speaking after Dube earned an AHL player-of-the-week nod last month, Heat head coach Cail MacLean seemed optimistic he would eventually blossom into a scoring threat at the highest level.

“Dillon’s speed is something that, I think as you saw up in Calgary, it’s a game-changer in terms of the threat level he creates when he is moving his feet. And I think what’s jumping out lately is he’s moving those feet and he’s driving into the hard areas of the ice,” MacLean said then. “I think he’s learning that you have to play the inside game to take full advantage of how dynamic he can be.

“The speed that he has is going to give him opportunities that a lot of other players aren’t going to get because they just don’t have that speed. So it’s something that if he’s engaged and playing the game the right way and supporting his teammates and defending the right way, I think you’re going to find that pucks are going to seem to bounce to him at the right time. And then I think he has a good shot and I think he can finish pucks.”

The Flames continued to rest some of their key pieces Wednesday, with their four busiest blue-liners — Mark Giordano, TJ Brodie, Noah Hanifin and Travis Hamonic — and top-liners Elias Lindholm and Sean Monahan getting the night off. It was a bit of a surprise that team scoring leader Johnny Gaudreau was in the lineup at Honda Center, but it’s an encouraging sign. It means that the superstar left-winger isn’t dealing with too many aches and pains as the playoffs approach. “We have guys ahead of (Gaudreau) who need more rest because of health-wise and what they’re going through,” explained Flames coach Bill Peters after morning skate. “Everyone who is coming out has been slightly dinged, nothing serious but dinged up enough that after X amount of games that a little break will help them.” … Flames forward Sam Bennett was a no- go against the Ducks, with Peters telling reporters he is bothered by a tight quad.

Calgary Sun: LOADED: 04.04.2019 1105200 Calgary Flames people. Most teams genuinely get along. But once in a while, chemistry develops that helps a team become greater than the sum of its individual parts. Stone thinks that’s happening here. And when that happens, Duhatschek: Q&A with Brad Treliving who shares his playoff philosophy you’ve got to ride it for as long as you can, because chemistry can be from preparation to execution fragile and as magically as it appears, it can also slip away.

It’s a good question because I do think a lot of people just pay attention to talent and the physical skills of a team. I’m a big believer that mix, By Eric Duhatschek chemistry and getting things to fit properly can be very, very powerful – and the sum of your parts can be much more powerful than the Apr 3, 2019 individual. But how do you get it? Well, you start by doing a lot of homework on the person – their history, their character and have they been ‘quote-unquote’ good teammates. And, you can’t be superficial There is a saying Calgary Flames general manager Brad Treliving will about it. Everybody says ‘we want good people,’ but you really have to trot out periodically that encapsulates day-to-day life in the NHL. dig into it – and sometimes you make decisions based upon talent vs. the According to Treliving, there are only two states of mind: Winning and individual. Ideally, you want to marry the two – someone who’s a great misery. talent and a great individual. We’ve tried to consciously make this – getting good people – a part of the player evaluation process, from Most times, most years, there’s been considerably more misery than amateur to pro scouting. winning in Calgary. Happily, this season has been an exception thus far. For only the third time in the past ten seasons, the Flames earned a spot And that’s not just a motherhood statement. Of course, you need good in the NHL playoffs. Only once in that span – in the spring of 2015 – did players. That’s the starting point. But I’ve never seen a group of guys they win even a single playoff round. That year, they finished third in the have success that doesn’t get along. So, if you can get enough of the Pacific and upset the second-place Vancouver Canucks, before getting right people, who have a team focus and are selfless, then you have a routed in the second round by the Anaheim Ducks. chance to have chemistry. It doesn’t guarantee it, and anybody that tells you they have the magic formula is bullshitting you. But if you make that As an underdog, the Flames made it to the 2004 Stanley Cup final but a priority in player assessment – mental toughness, interpersonal skills, lost in seven games to the Tampa Bay Lightning. But you have to go all compatibility with the group – all those things give you a chance to have the way back to the early 1990s to find a Flames’ team that has been this success. The short answer is: In the same way you have to evaluate the competitive in the regular season. The past dozen years have been physical bricks and mortar skills of a player, you also have to evaluate especially lean. Ever since winning the Northwest Division in 2006, the DNA of the individual. they’ve only finished higher than seventh once in the conference standings. Recently I was speaking with coach Bill Peters about the NHL’s current fascination with speed. Peters made the point that usually, in the NHL Contrast that to this year, where they were the second team after the game, when people talk about speed, they are really talking about Tampa Bay Lightning to officially earn a playoff berth. On Sunday, they footspeed and the time it takes a player to get up and down the ice. And defeated the San Jose Sharks to clinch both first place in the Pacific obviously, that is an important starting point of the equation. But Peters Division and top spot in the Western Conference. noted that speed also related to thinking – and you had to be able to With the level of optimism in Calgary as high as it’s been in a long time, process the game fast as well. In other words, you can be the fastest Treliving sat down for a conversation with The Athletic – exchanging player up and down the ice, but if you can’t process the play at a high thoughts about where the team has been and where he hopes it might speed, it doesn’t help you win hockey games. And as it specifically go. relates to this Flames’ team, it looks as if you’re collectively playing the game faster than a year ago. How do you assess the change? A lot has changed year over year club in terms of coaching staff, player personnel and most importantly results. Now that you’re officially a At the start of the year, one of the bases we established was, we wanted playoff team and a conference champion, what can people reasonably to play the game faster. Now everybody says that. I have yet to meet the expect from this still fairly young and inexperienced group? Is a manager or coach who says we want to play the game slower. But how championship realistically within grasp? do you quantify it? Well, footspeed is one. The other is puck speed. Puck speed is our structure, getting it and moving it quick. No matter how fast Something I talk to our guys about all the time is, you never know when you are, I haven’t found a guy yet that can outskate the puck. And your time is. I believe in patience and in building your team properly, but overlapping with puck speed is your hockey sense – knowing where the the idea of that – oh well, this isn’t our time yet – that I don’t believe. puck’s going before it gets there; and knowing what you’re going to do Because you don’t know when circumstances are going to change. The with it, when you get it, before you have it. idea of, ‘we’re young and this is great and we’re going to have a good team for all these years, so if it doesn’t happen this year, it’ll happen next If I’m an average skater, but I know when I get it, it’s going to go here, year’ – well, the league doesn’t work that way. Because everybody’s then you’re going to out-quick the other team. When we talk about trying to win – and you don’t know what your competition is doing or what playing fast, it’s about two things: How quick you get it moving and also they’re going through. To me, it reinforces the idea that each year is how quick you can defend. If you think the game well enough to get to important and because you never know what the future holds, you have the right areas before the puck arrives, then you are also going to defend to take advantage of every opportunity you have. faster.

Touche. One of the biggest lies told in professional sports – and not just Presumably, the goal of playing faster contributed to last year’s player in hockey – is that better days lie ahead. Often you’ll hear, from teams moves to bring in the Lindholms, Ryans and Czarniks? that go on unexpected playoff runs that eventually grind to a halt, One of the overriding qualities of the people we brought in was hockey something along the lines of: We will learn from this experience and we sense. They’re able to get around the ice fine. Nobody is slow. But they will be better a year from now. Promise. Well, no. It almost always goes all think the game at a high level. That’s what makes the game so fast the other way – and the team backslides. Once it’s October, it’s a nowadays. It isn’t D-to-D anymore. You get the puck and it’s going north. complete reset. Everyone’s tweaked their rosters. Everyone starts at And when it’s going to a spot, it’s going there with a purpose – and you zero. So, if you’ve had the kind of year you’ve had, better set your sights have somebody supporting it right away. When you couple that with high – because you never know what’s going to happen next year. people who can move at the same speed as they’re thinking, now you’re You never do. You never know what’s going to happen with injuries, for cooking with gas. example. There’s so much that goes into (a playoff run). Now, can you Everyone likes to say playoffs are different, but rarely do people drill any step back and say, ‘hey, we think we have a really good base here?’ Yes, deeper to articulate exactly how they are different. Obviously, one part of you can. And with younger players, you might say that with each passing the equation is you get a chance to game plan against individuals and year, they’re a year older and they’re a year wiser, but to assume just systems better when you face a team in a best-of-seven series. because a year comes off the calendar that you are organically going to Physicality also tends to ramp up. In the playoffs, motivation is high. You take another step forward, it doesn’t work that. rarely get one of those nights where nothing is happening for your team, Let me ask about chemistry. Recently, I had a conversation with Michael which is a toll the 82-game grind sometimes exacts on a team. That’s my Stone about this – and we both agreed: Most people in hockey are good take. How in your mind are the playoffs different? There would be a few things I would say. The biggest change for me is Somebody’s up 1-0. You have to have a short memory. You can’t be too how the competitiveness goes far beyond what it is in the regular season. high after a win and you can’t be too low after a loss. That’s a big factor All of a sudden, there’s no space. The rink looks as if it goes from 200- of experience going in. You start on the road and you win that first game by-85 feet to 50-by-50. Then everybody becomes more physical. Players and you’re sky high, but now you have to park it and start at Ground Zero who are normally physical, their level rises. The players who, for 82 in Game 2. games, are not physical players, they become more physically engaged. And then, as you say, there’s preparation. In the regular season, yes, you How do you feel about matchups? Sometimes, you might have trouble prepare for the opposition. You do a pre-scout. You know their playing against Team X – Calgary’s history with Anaheim is grim – but tendencies on special teams. You have an idea about their top players. then they’re either eliminated or they don’t make the playoffs at all, and You have an overall thumbnail sketch for each opponent. But for the suddenly, the path looks clearer. Or do you believe that at some point, to most part, the regular season is about what you do. You’re focused on win a Stanley Cup, you have to win four series against teams that can what you do better than the opposition. In the playoffs, it’s still about what play a variety of styles and so matchups really are a negligible factor? you do, but there’s also a much deeper dive into what they do. You’re I do. I always feel, to win, you’re going to have to play against all sorts of going much deeper into preparing to play one opponent for the next two teams. If you dig in on the teams that get to the playoffs year after year weeks than when you play a different opponent every second day. and have some battle scars, they really don’t worry about home ice or Also, in the playoffs, every play matters. If you look at teams that have matchups. They just want to be healthy and playing well when the had success, it’s because of how they manage momentum. Managing season ends – and it doesn’t matter if you’re playing the red team or the momentum is such a big part of the playoffs because you’re not going to blue team or the white team. That is a mindset that experience brings. have the momentum for 60 minutes in a game or for seven games in a Home-ice advantage? Yeah, it’s nice, but you’ll have to win games in series. So how do you deal with crisis? Crisis might be a shift or two their building. Home ice is only good for one game if it doesn’t go the where you’re pinned in your own end. Crisis might be a bad call that goes right way. If you get thinking about all those other things and thinking against you. Whatever that crisis is, it’s going to come. You know that. they’re so important, that can cause trouble. It’s like calling Game 50 of So, the ability to reset shift after shift is really important. And that’s true the season a must-win. Well, what happens if you lose it? So, all these with success as well. As much as you’re dealing with crisis, you’re also things, they’re secondary to knowing who you are and knowing what you dealing with success too. Sometimes, when things go your way, can you have to do to be successful. The rest of it – who you play, where you maintain that? Because you have to be steady at the wheel in the play, when you play – if you’re a good team, all that stuff is just playoffs. background noise.

You see it every year in every series. Somebody grabs momentum and OK, that actually anticipated my next question, which has to do with the then they lose it. How quickly you can get it back, and how can you limit value of securing home-ice advantage. Obviously, it’s nice to have. But the carnage when you don’t have the momentum. That’s a big reason how much does it matter really? why people talk about playoff experience and does experience matter? I This is something that I spoke with Pat Quinn about. I’m a big fan of truly believe it does – because the environment changes. If you put a guy Pat’s. I remember saying to Pat once: ‘Oh, we’ve got to get home ice.’ in Game 82 of the regular season and four days later, it’s Game 1 of the And I remember him answering: ‘No Brad, we don’t. The game is still playoffs, it almost looks like a different league. It’s because the intensity going to be played on a 200-by-85-foot sheet of ice. We’re going to be and competitiveness are at a much different level. That extra half a playing 20-minute periods. Everything’s going to be the same. We just second or the 10 extra feet you had in Game 82 is gone. And the have to be playing well. If we’re not playing well, it doesn’t matter where opponent you’re now playing knows you inside and out. They’re prepared we play.’ That really resonated with me. You can have all the so-called for what you do on a strongside faceoff, instead of just the 30,000-foot advantages, but if your game’s not good, it won’t matter. As he got older, view you get in the regular season. And because the environment you’re Pat put less stock in where we finished and more in being ready for playing in is heightened, what do you do when things go poorly? How do Game 1 – wherever that might be and whoever that might be against. you react? Those, to me, are the bullet points – of things that happen in the playoffs that don’t happen in the regular season.

I would add one other observation here. From previous conversations The Athletic LOADED: 04.04.2019 with managers, coaches and players that have previously won the Stanley Cup, almost all of them stress that you need a little luck along the way. No one likes to talk about luck because you can’t quantify or predict it, but if Washington isn’t saved by a goal post in the of Game 3 against Columbus last year, does Alex Ovechkin have a Stanley Cup ring? Maybe not. Or if Braden Holtby doesn’t make that one singular save you see on the highlights all the time, do they survive? Just about every championship team can point to a moment in time when Lady Luck smiled upon them right when they needed it.

If you study teams that have won a Cup – and I’ve done it – at some point along the line, there’s been some adversity. The only team in recent memory when there wasn’t a blip anywhere along the way was with the 2012 Los Angeles Kings. I was with the Phoenix Coyotes and we played them in the conference final – and they just steamrolled us and they did it to New Jersey in the final. Last year, Washington is a post away from going down 3-0 in the first round. So, every team goes through that adversity. The ones that win are the ones that have the ability to stick with. Health always plays a big part. It’s about top players performing. It’s supporting players performing because your top guys might saw off against their top guys, so who is going to come from underneath and make a difference? But no question, to get through that tournament and win 16 games, you need the bounces to fall your way at some point.

The history of getting on a hot streak at the end of the season will show it can go both ways. There are lots of examples in NHL history, where a team is 8-2 or 9-1 down the stretch and they carried that momentum into the playoffs. Then, other years, a team can limp to the finish line and still rev it up on opening night. What matters most on the night the playoffs open?

To me, you want to be stable and have your game in order. As physically taxing as playoffs are, it’s a battle of attrition because you’re playing every second night for two months potentially. And it’s as much a mental test as it is a physical test. Because when Game 1 is over, guess what? 1105201 Carolina Hurricanes “Polar opposites,” Canes goaltending coach Mike Bales said. “Both have been successful but in different ways.”

The two are friends. There’s competition between the two but the goal is From waiver wire to brink of the playoffs, Canes’ McElhinney enjoying the the same: give their team a chance to win. ride “You have to be on your game every day,” McElhinney said.

The Canes play their last home game of the regular season Thursday BY CHIP ALEXANDER against New Jersey at PNC Arena. There was no practice Wednesday APRIL 03, 2019 03:34 PM and the starting goalie for the Devils game won’t be known until Thursday.

McElhinney? Mrazek again, coming off the win in Toronto? For Raleigh Brind’Amour, and Bales, an interesting choice.

Goalie Petr Mrazek was terrific in net Tuesday for the Carolina Or as Brind’Amour said Wednesday, “It’s a nice luxury.” Hurricanes, but it might have been fitting had Curtis McElhinney been the starter against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The Leafs, having clinched a playoff spot, had in net in the News Observer LOADED: 04.04.2019 4-1 loss to the Canes. It was Sparks that the Leafs decided would be their backup goalie to Frederik Andersen after training camp, putting McElhinney and goalie Calvin Pickard on NHL waivers.

With goalie Scott Darling ailing, the Canes claimed McElhinney on Oct. 2. Few, if any, would have guessed that one personnel move would help set the course of the season for the Hurricanes while giving McElhinney, at 35, the chance to join Mrazek in carrying Carolina to the brink of its first playoff berth since 2009.

That McElhinney was nominated for the Masterton Trophy by the Carolina chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers Association is no surprise. While the annual award often recognizes a player who has overcome an extreme physical or deep personal hardship, it also is given to those who have shown perseverance and dedication to the sport.

That’s McElhinney.

“It’s one of those things you hang around long enough and put in your time and people recognize that work,” McElhinney said.

McElhinney is the consummate journeyman pro, his work not always recognized. Calgary, Anaheim, Ottawa, Arizona, Columbus, Toronto ... there were a lot of stops before Carolina. Different teams, different coaches, different goalie coaches.

McElhinney played a career-high 32 games, with 28 starts, for the Blue Jackets in 2014-15. He played in 32 games, combined, the last two seasons with the Maple Leafs and had impressive numbers -- 2.15 goals- against average and .934 save percentage -- last year with Toronto.

“I was more than content to be in the role of the backup goalie and play under 25 games on a regular basis,” he said. “I felt like I had kind of figured that role out and I was able to do it very well. But ...”

But he had to fill a big need for the Canes, take on a major role in his 11th NHL season. He has gotten 32 starts, winning a career-high 19 games while posting a 2.57 GAA and .912 save percentage, with two shutouts.

The Canes have found waiver-wire help before -- picking up forward Sergei Samsonov in 2008, for example. McElhinney was a goaltending godsend.

“Goal-tending has put us where we are right now, with a chance to make the playoffs,” Canes coach Rod Brind’Amour said of the McElhinney- Mrazek tandem. “Those guys have just bought in to playing for the team.”

When claimed off waivers, McElhinney had to quickly pack up and leave his family behind in Toronto, not sure how long his stint with the Canes might be. He said his two young kids at first treated his absence as akin to a long road trip for their dad, only to have the weeks turn into months when it became apparent Darling would not be remaining with the Canes.

“Another challenge, another thing to embrace and I’ve tried to make the most of it,” he said. “But I can jump into a new locker room and I get 22, 23 new friends right away and my life’s pretty easy. It’s the people who get left behind who unfortunately have to bear the brunt of it.”

McElhinney was able to move his family to Raleigh after New Year’s. That gave him more peace of mind. And it never affected his play. While Mrazek shows his emotions on the ice, McElhinney is more the Cool Hand type. 1105202 Carolina Hurricanes Two games, tense and overloaded with implications, to validate not merely an entire season but end a decade of irrelevance. It has been a long time since games this team played mattered this much. It’s OK to Hurricanes have a shot, and it’s OK to enjoy it enjoy that. For everyone to enjoy that.

BY LUKE DECOCK News Observer LOADED: 04.04.2019

APRIL 03, 2019 03:27 PM

Raleigh

This is supposed to be fun.

So why doesn’t anyone around the Carolina Hurricanes seem to be enjoying the rare pleasure of a playoff chase, of being relevant in April, of playing games that matter instead of counting the days until the misery is finally over?

“Nope, not yet,” Hurricanes captain Justin Williams said. “It’s business. We’re here for a reason.”

The coaches and players are too focused on the next game to take a breath, which is fine: It’s what got them here. But there’s precious little pleasure taken from controlling their own destiny with two games to go for the first time in eight years.

“Mmmmm, nah,” Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour demurred, then added, later: “We’re not in a position to really take much enjoyment out of anything. It’s business as usual. We expect to win. We have to win. You just keep moving on.”

And fans, having heard the cries of wolf too many times, having suffered through that final-day defeat in 2011, as long ago as it was, see failure lurking around every corner, too paranoid to enjoy it. Ten times bitten, twice shy. Who can blame them? Let down so many times, hopes dashed again and again, lost in the hockey wilderness and all but forgotten.

Cheer up, everyone. This is the good part. Real games in April, that rare treat, shouldn’t provoke anxiety because of what might happen; they should provoke the joy of what could happen. And with everything this particular team has done to apply the defibrillator paddles of fun to a market that’s been in suspended animation for a decade, hockey in the Triangle has gotten a much-needed jolt whether this season ends in tears of triumph or tears of despair.

Whether The Drought ends or not, it’s just nice to have a team worth crying about for a change. There should be as much pleasure as pressure in being here.

Jordan Staal, yet to appear in a playoff game with the Hurricanes, was willing to at least admit that much: “It’s been fun being involved with these kinds of games,” he said.

That will be scant consolation if the Hurricanes do muck this up, which despite Tuesday night’s stirring road victory over the farther-up-the- standings Toronto Maple Leafs still remains a distinct possibility. There is zero margin for error, even if the Montreal Canadiens have two playoff- bound teams left on the schedule and the Hurricanes do not, even if multiple Western Conference teams with fewer points have already clinched playoff spots, especially with defenseman Calvin de Haan “not coming back anytime soon,” Brind’Amour said Wednesday.

But let’s not overlook how far this team has come since October, and while some of the names may change this offseason no matter what happens, the mentality should not. This franchise needed an attitude adjustment to root out the losing culture, and it’s gone. That much, at least, has been accomplished.

And if the Hurricanes do finish the job over the next three days?

No team will ever have been playing with house money like the Hurricanes would be, whether they play the defending champs or the best team in the league. At that point, bring on the Washington Capitals and bring on the Tampa Bay Lightning – two teams with everything to lose, while the Hurricanes would have nothing.

But they have to get there first, if all goes their way as soon as Thursday night against the New Jersey Devils at PNC Arena; if not, right down to game No. 82 Saturday at the Philadelphia Flyers. 1105203 Chicago Blackhawks

Blackhawks beat Blues 4-3 in shootout to deny their rivals a share of Central Division lead

Jimmy Greenfield

Playing spoiler is light-years away from competing for a playoff spot but trying to stop the Blues from winning a division is a great way to keep things interesting.

On Wednesday night, the Blackhawks found themselves on the ice for the first time since being eliminated from postseason contention and prevented the Blues from moving into a three-way tie with the Predators and Jets for first place in the Central Division with a 4-3 shootout victory at the .

Jonathan Toews scored the lone Hawks’ goal during the shootout and Cam Ward stopped all three Blues’ chances to seal the win.

The Blues’ Tyler Bozak scored with 38.9 seconds left in regulation to tie it at 3 and send the game into the extra session.

Patrick Kane took over the team lead from Alex DeBrincat with his 42nd goal of the season and added an assist to set a new career-high with 107 points, topping by one the total he had during his 2015-16 MVP season.

Toews scored his 35th goal to also set a new career-high, topping his previous best set during the 2008-09 season.

Corey Crawford got a rest after starting 13 straight games but Ward was sharp in his first action since March 3, stopping 37 shots for the victory.

Kane’s goal came on a breakaway and was in and out of the net so fast barely anybody in the United Center realized it had gone in. The goal light didn’t go off and Chelsea Dagger didn’t start playing initially. It wasn’t until nearly a minute later that a video review revealed Kane’s backhanded shot had beat Blues goalie Jake Allen to make it 3-1.

After Toews' first-period goal made it 1-0, the Blues' Vladimir Tarasenko tied it 34 seconds into the second with his 32nd of the season. But the Hawks went back in front before the period was over, taking a 2-1 lead when Artem Anisimov tipped in a Dominik Kahun shot for his 15th goal.

The Hawks’ final home game of the season is Friday night when they host the Stars before heading to Nashville on Saturday to close out the season where they may be playing spoiler once again.

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'I had no intentions of fighting': Drake Caggiula's bout with Dustin Byfuglien surprised many, including Caggiula

Jimmy Greenfield

The diminutive Drake Caggiula getting into a fight with the enormous Dustin Byfuglien would have been ridiculous at any time.

Factor in that Caggiula was playing just his second game since returning from a concussion that cost him more than a month of his season and their bout at the tail end of Monday night's loss to the Jets was more than a little frightening.

"(Don't) typically try to fight guys that are about 100 pounds heavier than me and about a foot taller," said Caggiula, who is listed at 5-feet-10- inches, 176 pounds.

Caggiula isn't sure what he did to anger the 6-foot-5-inch, 265-pound Byfuglien, who threw Caggiula around like a rag doll and gave him a large red welt on his forehead that was still large and still red two days later. But he isn't one to step aside from a challenger even if that challenger could give The Incredible Hulk a run for his money.

"I had no intentions of fighting," Caggiula said. "Especially coming off a concussion. (You) kind of prepare yourself as best as you can and try to avoid those situations but I've always been a fearless player and I've always had to play that solid game and sometimes it comes with the territory and sometimes you've got to find a way to protect yourself."

Caggiula was checked out by the Hawks' medical staff after the fight and he said he never developed any concussion-like symptoms. He was in the lineup on Wednesday against the Blues.

"Just a couple bumps and bruises," Caggiula said. "Nothing serious."

Change for the better or worse? One thing that could haunt the Hawks for a while is if the timing of their coaching change cost them a playoff spot. While some think Joel Quenneville should have been given more time before getting fired, others believe the Hawks would have been better served by letting take over during the offseason.

Jonathan Toews praised both his former and current coach when asked if Colliton should have been given the job before the season began.

“I’ve said it over and over how much respect I have for Joel," Toews said. "I think at some point there’s a time for a change, and obviously for us the change has been good. So yeah, it’s easy to wonder that. There was definitely an adjustment period where even our veteran guys who played for Joel for a long time, we’ve just had certain habits and little things that we had to change that were obviously hurting us in some ways.

"It took some time, and that’s time that we lost. It wasn’t easy."

One-timers: The Hawks recalled defenseman Dennis Gilbert, their third- round pick in 2015, from Rockford on Wednesday and he made his NHL debut against the Blues. Gilbert, 22, had five goals and nine assists in 59 games for the IceHogs. He wore No. 39. … Cam Ward was in goal for the first time since March 3 against the Sharks, ending Corey Crawford's run of 13 straight starts.

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'Pretty disappointing': Frustrated Blackhawks are coming to grips with missing the playoffs for a 2nd straight season

Jimmy Greenfield

When the Blackhawks left the United Center on Monday night, they were still in a playoff race.

When they returned Wednesday to face the Blues — a day after being eliminated from the playoffs following the Avalanche’s victory over the Oilers on Tuesday night — they were living in a brand new world.

And even though missing the postseason for a second straight year was a bit of a foregone conclusion, the Hawks were having a hard time accepting it.

“It’s good to fight back, but it’s still not a very good season,” veteran goalie Corey Crawford said. “It’s tough to realize that now. Once you finally get eliminated, it’s not fun. We want to win. This team is built around winning. It’s been a lot of tough (times) the last couple years."

The tough times might not be over. The Hawks have given up the second-most goals in the league this season, and only the Oilers have received a higher percentage of goals from their three top scorers.

Hawks general manager clearly has work to do. But before this team goes through some necessary alterations, there’s still the matter of playing a few more games and processing that this season is coming to an unsatisfying conclusion.

“It’s just crazy that our season’s going to be over in five days and that’s it for another year,” Patrick Kane said. “Pretty frustrating, especially when a lot of us feel like we’re in our prime and able to contribute and had good seasons. But that’s the way it is. There’s obviously plays you can look back at and say you could’ve done more here or there and had a bigger difference on the game. It’s just the way it goes.

“Pretty disappointing for the second straight year not to be in the playoffs and play hockey when it matters the most.”

A commitment not to repeat last season’s debacle led Kane and Jonathan Toews to arrive at training camp in perhaps the best shape of their careers. But most preseason prognosticators still had the Hawks missing the playoffs because of a lack of depth, the uncertainty of Crawford's health and a shaky defense.

All those potential problems reared their heads at various points, none more than the defensive issues Bowman will need to address through free agency, the trade market or both.

“It goes to show you there’s more to the game than just scoring,” Toews said. “Everyone wants to talk about the guys that are out there scoring points, but there’s more to the game. I’ve always understood that. You need guys throughout your lineup that are going to fill different roles.”

The Hawks have enough needs that when coach Jeremy Colliton was asked to pick one or two areas in which to improve, he couldn’t narrow it down. One of the hallmarks of Colliton’s first few months as an NHL coach has been his ability to speak honestly about his team’s shortcomings without coming across as too blunt.

“There’s a few areas,” Colliton said. “Defensively we’re better but not perfect. Special teams, still. I think consistency shift to shift. We have stretches where we’re excellent for a long time but it’s not enough. We’ve got to do it every shift, and I think that’s (bitten) us a little bit lately.”

It wasn’t all doom and gloom, however.

“We're better,” Colliton said. “But I think there's a lot we can improve on still. That's our focus even now. We're not satisfied, not at all.”

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Blackhawks revel in spoiler role, beat Blues 4-3 in shootout

By Jason Lieser

With nothing at stake, the Blackhawks suddenly looked pretty good.

They caused some trouble for the rival Blues with a spirited performance to beat them 4-3 in a shootout on Wednesday. While the Hawks were eliminated from the playoff race the night before, the Blues are battling for the Central Division.

Causing havoc for teams in the playoff race will be part of the fun for the Hawks in their final week. They host the Stars on Friday and travel to the Predators on Saturday, and both of those teams might need a win for playoff positioning.

The Blues could have pulled into a tie with the Predators and Jets for the division lead. Instead, they are one point out with two games remaining.

Hawks coach Jeremy Colliton appreciated the effort despite his players’ disappointment over being eliminated.

“We handled it well,” he said. “We can’t discount that. For sure, it’s difficult. But at the same time we’ve got great fans, it’s a full building and it’s [an opponent] that’s fighting for first place, so we kind of used that to help us.”

Jonathan Toews was the only Hawks player to score in the shootout, but that’s all they needed.

Cam Ward, making his first start in a month, stopped all three shots he faced in the shootout and 37 of 40 before that.

“It’s unfortunate with the situation we’re in, but there’s a lot of pride when you put the jersey on,” Ward said. “You know there’s a sold-out building and you owe it to the fans, you owe it to the organization, to your teammates to make sure you put forth a good effort. Tonight wasn’t the prettiest, but to walk away with a win and everybody happy is obviously a good thing.”

It was uneventful for the Hawks for most of regulation other than Brent Seabrook and John Hayden getting into minor scuffles and some nice work by Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews.

Kane brought the puck down the right side and fed Toews crisply at the net, then Toews slipped it past Blues goaltender Jake Allen to put the Hawks up 1-0 late in the first period.

It was Toews’ career-high 35th goal, and Kane came through with his 42nd in the third period. Kane’s assist and goal pushed him to a career- best 107 points, topping his 2015-16 MVP season.

The goal snapped a 10-game drought for Kane.

Kane, Toews and Alex DeBrincat (41) are the first trio of Hawks to score at least 35 goals each since 1987-88.

“I thought we competed pretty hard, pretty decent effort against a good team,” Colliton said. “Would’ve loved us to close it out, give us a little better feeling but found a way to get two points. It’s probably as good as we could expect.”

Chicago Sun Times LOADED: 04.04.2019 1105207 Chicago Blackhawks

Blackhawks notes: Hard year for Chris Kunitz as he weighs retirement

By Jason Lieser

If this is the end, it’s not exactly how Chris Kunitz imagined going out.

As the Blackhawks play out the final week of the season, Kunitz might be wrapping up his career. It has been a good one, especially for a winger who broke into the NHL in 2003 undrafted: 1,000 games played, four Stanley Cups and a gold medal for Canada.

But this season has been taxing. The Hawks are sputtering to a second straight non-playoff finish, and Kunitz, 39, has been a healthy scratch in about a third of the games.

“It’s not something, individually, that you’re very proud of,” he said. “Being on a team that has had so many ups and downs is something that’s new in my career.

“It’s unfortunate that it’s gone this way. You obviously want to have a better outing when you come to a new team and a new city. It hasn’t been as promising as I wanted it to be when I signed the contract.”

Nonetheless, there have been some highlights. Kunitz said the 1,000th- game ceremony was something he and his family will remember forever, and Hawks coach Jeremy Colliton made a point of starting him against his former teams in Pittsburgh and Anaheim. After the Penguins honored him in a celebration of their 2009 title on Jan. 6, Kunitz scored his first goal of the season to help beat them.

Knowing those games and others could be his last in certain arenas has made it a somewhat sentimental year. Kunitz hasn’t yet decided whether to retire after 14 seasons. But, he said, “the older you get, it crosses your mind more,” and he’ll discuss it with his family once the season ends.

If he keeps playing, he doesn’t object to a limited, lower-line role. That often pushes players into retirement, but it hasn’t hurt Kunitz’s ego.

“I never really thought of myself as a top-line guy anyway,” he said. “I always thought of myself as a guy that works hard and grinds it out and finds a way. I’ve been fortunate to play with really good players and have them elevate my career. So, mentally, it didn’t change that much.”

Easing up?

Colliton reiterated Wednesday that the Hawks will continue to compete despite being knocked out of the playoff race because he wants to maintain the team culture. He didn’t give a definitive answer on whether he’ll scale back ice time for veteran stars such as Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews.

“I think we’ve got to be reasonable, but we’re trying to win the games,” Colliton said.

He went with Cam Ward in net against the Blues, giving Corey Crawford a well-deserved break after playing 13 straight games. The Hawks also called up defenseman Dennis Gilbert from Rockford for his NHL debut.

Kane went into Wednesday’s game third in the league in minutes among forwards, while Toews was 12th.

High-scoring trio

With Kane and Toews scoring against the Blues, the Hawks have three 35-goal scorers for the first time since Denis Savard, Rick Vaive and Steve Larmer each topped 40 in 1987-88. Kane has 42, followed by Alex DeBrincat with 41 and Toews at 35.

Chicago Sun Times LOADED: 04.04.2019 1105208 Chicago Blackhawks your lineup that are going to fill different roles. Same goes for myself. I think we can all find ways to be better and help our team win.”

The Hawks slipped to a dangerous depth in the wild-card race after Another failed season smacks Blackhawks back to reality losing to the Avalanche and Stars at home the weekend of Feb. 22 and were essentially buried after a managing only two points in a make-or- break back-to-back against the Avalanche late last month. By Jason Lieser There was progress along the way, but coach Jeremy Colliton keeps saying they aren’t where they want to be. That’s obvious. What isn’t clear is whether the Hawks are taking significant steps in the right direction. There’s no putting a positive spin on this Blackhawks season. No explanation or perspective can paint it as anything but a failure. “We’re better, but I think there’s a lot we can improve on still,” Colliton said. “We’re not satisfied. Not at all.” The team that spent nearly a decade vying for Stanley Cup titles will miss the playoffs for the second consecutive season and is headed toward another last-place finish in the division. The Hawks rallied from a brutal start to give themselves a chance, then sputtered when it mattered most. Chicago Sun Times LOADED: 04.04.2019

“It’s good to fight back, but it’s still not a very good season,” said goaltender Corey Crawford, who noted that a playoff berth in itself is a pitiful goal. “It’s tough to realize that now. It’s been tough the last couple years.”

The Hawks hung around until the Avalanche eliminated them late Tuesday night, leaving three meaningless games to get through the season. They played spoiler against the Blues on Wednesday with a 4-3 shootout victory that will cause a headache in the Blues’ bid to win the Central Division, and they can keep pestering rivals at home against the Stars on Friday and in a game in Nashville against the Predators on Saturday.

They’ll play Friday under a row of aging banners at the United Center, with everyone wondering whether they’ll get back to that standard anytime soon. The core that won those championships is still here, and much of it remains viable, as the Hawks saw with monster seasons by Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews.

Toews scored his career-high 35th goal in the first period against the Blues, and Kane had an assist on that one and a goal of his own in the third period to reach a career-best 107 points. Alex DeBrincat has scored an astounding 41 goals in his second season. Crawford was excellent after returning from a concussion, and Duncan Keith was still a relentless defender.

All for nothing.

“It’s just crazy that our season’s goning to be over in five days and that’s it for another year,” Kane said. “Pretty frustrating, especially when a lot of us feel like we’re in our prime.”

It has been a free-fall for that crew since winning the top seed in the Western Conference and getting swept out of the playoffs by the Predators in 2017. The Hawks were seventh-worst in the NHL last season and will finish a couple of spots better this time.

That plunge seems to have blindsided the organization from top to bottom. There has been a prolonged transition into building up young talent, as evidenced by the minimal depth beyond their top two lines.

But the Hawks didn’t necessarily believe that. They thought this would be the bounce-back season and they’d resume their spot among the elite.

“It was a lot of excitement and a lot of motivation trying to turn things around . . . but obviously there’s still some growing and some improvement and some experience we need to go through,” Toews said. “The biggest thing is letting this sink in and really identifying where we’ve gone wrong.”

Crawford added, “We were pretty confident going into the year.”

Any exploration into the Hawks’ crash needs to start on defense. They’re a top-10 scoring team and ranked 11th in shots on goal and 12th in power-play conversions going into the Blues game. But their defense has been a wreck. Only the disastrous Senators have given up more goals and shots, and the Hawks have allowed by far the most high-danger scoring chances according to Natural Stat Trick. They also have the league’s worst penalty-kill unit.

No lead has been safe. Even in their best stretch, a 17-8-4 run that vaulted them to the No. 8 spot in the West, they scored the most goals in the league but also allowed the most.

“Everyone wants to talk about the guys that are out there scoring points, but there’s more to the game,” Toews said. “You need guys throughout 1105209 Chicago Blackhawks

Why Blackhawks' 'situational awareness' must improve

John Dietz

Updated 4/3/2019 11:19 PM

There are many ways the Blackhawks must improve if they want to return to the Stanley Cup playoffs next season.

Chief among them: Figure out how to shore up a leaky defense, add forward depth and make sure Corey Crawford can stay healthy for all 82 games.

Another less obvious way the Hawks can get better is to play smarter at critical times.

"I call it situational awareness," said coach Jeremy Colliton before the Hawks defeated St. Louis 4-3 in a shootout Wednesday night at the United Center. "You've got to know where you're at in the game."

So get the puck in deep during the last five minutes when nursing a 1- goal lead. Don't take unnecessary risks when you're up by 3 or more. Stay out of the penalty box.

Simple, basic stuff.

"Sometimes you're up 4-1 midway through the second -- maybe it's not that important to get the fifth goal," Colliton said. "We want it, but it means more to the game for them to get the second than for us to get the fifth. We've had those situations. ...

"It's a big reason why we're on the outside looking in -- because we're not polished yet in that area of the game."

The Hawks continued to show that immaturity against the Blues after building a 3-1 lead on goals by Jonathan Toews, Artem Anisimov and Patrick Kane. Kane's goal, which gave him a career-best 107 points, came with 8:23 remaining.

Dominant Hawks teams of the past would have coasted to victory at that point. But not this one.

Dylan Strome was whistled for holding 22 seconds after Kane scored, and St. Louis cashed in when David Perron scored with 7:37 remaining.

The Blues, fighting with Nashville and Winnipeg for the Central Division title, then got a game-tying goal from Tyler Bozak with 38.9 seconds left.

Toews scored the only goal in the shootout, allowing the Hawks to escape and improve to 35-33-12.

"There's been stretches throughout this season where we're giving up late goals or not closing off wins.

"I think that just comes with experience and knowing how to play the right way," said Brandon Saad, who picked up an assist. "In the past, anytime we (had) a lead it feels like we're (going to) win the game."

Toews has a career-high 35 goals. Cam Ward made 37 saves in his first action since March 3.

The Blues (43-28-9, 95 points) are 1 point behind Nashville and Winnipeg. All three teams have two games remaining.

Daily Herald Times LOADED: 04.04.2019 1105210 Chicago Blackhawks "The biggest thing is letting this sink in and really identifying where we've gone wrong."

That goes for players, but for management as well. What will Bowman do Hurting Hawks: Toews, Kane express frustrations over another to turn this thing around? disappointing season And, more important, can he?

"We've got to keep pushing ourselves to get better and better," Toews John Dietz continued. "The league's getting better, our division's getting better, so it's tough. It's a tough league.

The Chicago Blackhawks are a playoff team. "You've got to give it everything you have and keep learning from some of your shortfalls." That's what president and CEO John McDonough told us last September during a media day inside the United Center to promote the Winter Classic. Daily Herald Times LOADED: 04.04.2019 "Internally the message has been sent," McDonough said. "We've discussed it on a regular basis. I have faith and confidence in all of these people.

"We're in the results business … and expectations since Rocky (Wirtz) took over are very, very high. The expectations for me this year is this is a playoff team. Put yourself in a position to make a run."

As we saw, that run never occurred, and the Hawks will miss the postseason for a second straight season. They were officially eliminated Tuesday when Colorado defeated Edmonton, meaning the final three games -- which included Wednesday's 4-3 shootout win over against the Blues at the United Center -- don't mean a thing.

A coaching change after 15 games didn't help. Nor did a pair of eight- game losing streaks. Nor did some lackluster play and disappointing results in critical games over the last six weeks against the Kings (twice), Avs (twice), Stars, Canucks, Flyers and Coyotes.

"Just crazy that our season's going to be over in five days and that's it for another year," Patrick Kane said. "Pretty frustrating, especially when a lot of us feel like we're in our prime … and had good seasons. But that's the way it is."

So now what?

Does the ax fall on general manager Stan Bowman, who put this roster together? His off-season additions of Chris Kunitz, Cam Ward and Brandon Manning did little to help. Still, he had little salary-cap room in which to work and did manage to:

• Unload Marian Hossa's burdensome cap hit.

• Pull off two impressive in-season trades that brought Dylan Strome, Brendan Perlini and Drake Caggiula on board.

Those additions, combined with everyone becoming more comfortable in coach Jeremy Colliton's system, were big reasons the Hawks went from 9-18-5 on Dec. 11 to 26-28-9 on Feb. 24.

The playoffs were within reach, and McDonough suddenly was starting to look like a soothsayer.

But Bowman made no moves at or before the Feb. 26 trade deadline.

It was a decision that, according to a source, dumbfounded the veterans. Their thinking was, look, we made this run. We're right there. Give us a little help.

But none came and although the Hawks did win five straight from March 7-16, they eventually wilted down the stretch.

"I think we were one of the top teams since December," Kane said. "You could say the future's bright, but at the same time you want to see results.

"It would've been great this year for a lot of young players to get that playoff experience and be able to experience that. It's disappointing we're not going to be able to do that."

Jonathan Toews, upbeat and positive all season, has been much more melancholy of late, and he struck a similar tone before Wednesday's game against the Blues.

"Having gone through what we went through last year, it was a lot of excitement and a lot of motivation trying to turn things around," Toews said. "But obviously there's still some growing and some improvement and some experience we need to go through. 1105211 Chicago Blackhawks That was on April 6. Two years later and Gilbert found himself back on the same ice surface making his NHL debut for the Blackhawks.

"About two years ago now to the day," Gilbert said. "Hopefully I can take Four takeaways: Blackhawks play spoiler against Blues again my time, look back on that a little bit. It was a pretty full barn that night. I'm sure it'll be a little more loud, a little more nerve-wracking tonight. It's always cool to play on that ice." By Charlie Roumeliotis Gilbert was partnered with Connor Murphy on the third pairing in his April 03, 2019 10:40 PM debut. He had a game-high six hits and one blocked shot in 12:46 of ice time.

Here are four takeaways from the Blackhawks' 4-3 shootout win over the St. Louis Blues at the United Center on Wednesday: Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 04.04.2019 1. Spoiler again

The Blackhawks last season didn't have much to play for down the stretch. But they had two matchups against the Blues, who were in the thick of a playoff race, and they played spoiler.

The Blues missed out on the final wildcard spot in the Western Conference by one point, and you can look at the April 4 game vs. Chicago as the one that got away. Duncan Keith scored the game- winning goal with 8.5 seconds left in regulation to prevent the Blues from picking up at least a point and possibly a second.

The Blues tried doing their part to get revenge on the Blackhawks by rallying from two goals down to tie it with 38.9 seconds left. But the Blackhawks got the important second point to keep the Blues in the third position of the Central Division with two games remaining.

"All of these next few games here we're playing big division games against good teams," Brandon Saad said. "It's a good challenge for us regardless if we're eliminated or not. Kind of a character win and finish out the season the right way."

2. Hitting career marks

Even though the Blackhawks were eliminated from playoff contention on Tuesday night, that won't stop them from trying to finish out the season strong.

After opening the scoring in the first period, Jonathan Toews established a new career high in goals (35). Patrick Kane recorded the primary assist and later ended a 10-game goal drought with a goal to also set a new a career high in points (107).

Alex DeBrincat, Kane and Toews became the first Blackhawks 35-goal trio since the 1987-88 season — Steve Larmer (41), Denis Savard (44), Rick Vaive (43), according to NBC Sports Chicago's stats guru Christopher Kamka. That's the one big bright spot of the season.

"They're great players, but I probably knew that," coach Jeremy Colliton said of Kane and Toews. "Just they compete hard. They love to play, they love to win, they want to be the guys counted on in big situations and those are the kinds of guys you want to coach. Every night there's countless plays that you feel pretty happy to have them on your bench."

3. Playing for pride

The Blackhawks won't be participating in the playoffs for the second straight season. They're frustrated and disappointed about that. But it's still a prideful group that won't just lie down in the final week.

It's easy to lose sight of the big picture after being so accustomed to winning and coming up short of the ultimate goal, but Kane tried putting the final few games into perspective and what they're playing for.

"We're playing in the NHL, we're playing hockey," Kane said. "As a kid you dreamed of playing in the league and being an NHL hockey player, so don't think about the big picture right now, just enjoy the game, play hard, try to put forth a good performance. Show the fans we appreciate them coming out and try to get a couple wins."

4. From Frozen Four to NHL debut

The first time Dennis Gilbert skated on the United Center ice, he was participating in the 2017 Frozen Four with Notre Dame as a Blackhawks defenseman prospect. His team fell short of the national championship game, but Denver coach Jim Montgomery — now head coach of the Dallas Stars — said following a 6-1 win that sophomore Gilbert was the best blue liner on the Fighting Irish. 1105212 Chicago Blackhawks

Where did it go wrong for the Blackhawks in 2018-19?

By Charlie Roumeliotis

April 03, 2019 12:50 PM

If you said in mid-December that the Blackhawks' playoff chances would come down to the final week of the NHL regular season, the city of Chicago would've absolutely taken that. But at the same time, it's difficult not to look back at the schedule and point to certain stretches where it could've changed their fortunes.

Was it the pair of eight-game losing streaks? Was it going 0-1-2 against the lowly Los Angeles Kings? Was it coming up empty during a crucial weekend in February against Colorado and Dallas? Maybe allowing the Avalanche to pick up three of four points in back-to-back games in late March? A shutout loss in Arizona?

Pick your poison.

"You could look at a lot of them and say if we would've won this one or won a couple of these games it could've been a little bit different," Patrick Kane said. "You look at the two LA games, you look at playing Arizona in Arizona, you look at maybe taking one from Colorado, all of those games we needed points. So yeah, tough to give those up. And then those other teams are getting points too, so it hurts twice as much. But that's why you play I guess."

The Western Conference was bizarre this season. The Blackhawks clawed back into the playoff race twice after their hopes were seemingly nonexistent. Every team that needed to lose started losing while the Blackhawks started winning.

And then down the stretch, every team above them started winning and the Blackhawks couldn't quite keep up with the pace. But in the end, they never put themselves in a spot where they were legitimately inside the playoff picture — for more than 30 minutes. Every game from March on was approached as a must-win.

“Even if you have a better start to the season than we did and you find yourself in that mix of teams, it’s not easy," Jonathan Toews said. "You look at our month of March, the amount of hockey we played, the amount of travel — you’re not really putting yourself in a great position to be able to thrive and feel comfortable that you’re sitting in a good spot for a playoff spot. Having said that, there were games that were on the line that were close and we just didn’t find ways to win when it counted.

"You think back to the Vancouver game and Colorado and even a couple nights ago against Winnipeg — you find ways to get those two points, no one is surprised if you come out on top and find a way to win and next thing you know you’re still in the hunt for a playoff spot these last three games. It’s disappointing we didn’t get the job done when it counted.”

That's what makes a slow start in the first half so difficult to overcome. Because there's so much parity, emptying the gas tank in the second half is taxing both mentally and physically, and it's happening at the same time every other team is taking it to another gear as they ramp up for the playoffs and make their final push.

But it all comes back to the two losing streaks before Christmas for the Blackhawks, who had a chance to put themselves in a more favorable situation after the holiday break. That's 16 games out of 82 where they picked up only two out of a possible 32 points. And teams ultimately can't survive that in the NHL these days.

"We had a good start, we just had a couple eight-game losing streaks and that just kills you," Kane said. "If you have one of them it kills you. If you have two of them it's just tough to come back from. As well as we've played the last couple months, obviously it wasn't good enough."

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Blackhawks react to missing playoffs for second straight year

By Charlie Roumeliotis

April 03, 2019 12:15 PM

From 2009-17, the Blackhawks appeared in nine consecutive postseasons, five Conference Finals and captured three Stanley Cups. Even the years after they won championships, the Blackhawks took each of those final series' to seven games before being dethroned. They're just used to winning.

So when the Blackhawks were officially eliminated from playoff contention in back-to-back seasons for the first time in the Kane and Toews era, it didn't sit well with the veterans who have always looked forward to this time of year. They want to get back to playing meaningful hockey in April and beyond.

Here's the reaction from the Blackhawks' core players on missing the playoffs again:

Captain Jonathan Toews:

"It’s disappointing, for sure. Having gone through what we went through last year, it was a lot of excitement and a lot of motivation trying to turn things around, coming into this year fresh and learning from or mistakes. But obviously there’s still some growing and some improvement and some experience we need to go through. I think that’s the biggest thing is letting this sink in and really identifying where we’ve gone wrong. There’s a lot of positives this season that we clearly didn’t see last year, whether it’s young guys stepping up and assuming more of a leadership position and feeling more comfortable in the locker room, and the guys that have been here for a while learning that no one really cares what you did years ago. We’ve gotta keep pushing ourselves to get better and better. The league’s getting better, our division’s getting better, so it’s tough. It’s a tough league. You’ve gotta give it everything you have and keep learning from some of your shortfalls.”

Patrick Kane:

"It's tough. It's just crazy that our season's gonna be over in five days and that's it for another year. Pretty frustrating, especially when I think a lot of us feel like we're in our prime and be able to contribute and had good seasons. But that's the way it is. There's obviously plays yourself you can look back at and say you could've done more here or there and had a bigger difference on the game. It's just the way it goes. Pretty disappointing for the second straight year not to be in the playoffs here and play hockey when it matters the most."

Corey Crawford:

"That's not very good. It's something I don't think [any] of us were expecting. We were pretty confident going into the year. I know this group definitely has the potential to win again. I don't know, a lot of games slipped away this year. We lost a lot of big games too. We just try and finish it out, play as hard as we can and try to finish on a good note, play the right way. And we got to do our work in the summer. I guess come back prepared and ready. ... For us, we want to win another Cup. Came up real short obviously."

Head coach Jeremy Colliton:

"We'd rather be in. I think we've had a pretty good second half but the hole was a little too deep. ... You can't win the Cup if you're not in. But I'll probably summarize it at the end. Now we got some games left to continue to improve, to continue to establish a mentality and a standard of how we want to play every night. So that's what we're going to focus on."

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Colorado Avalanche can clinch a playoff spot Thursday. Here is how — and other less desirable scenarios.

By MATT L. STEPHENS | [email protected] | The Denver Post

PUBLISHED: April 3, 2019 at 11:37 am | UPDATED: April 3, 2019 at 2:32 PM

We’ll make this explanation as simple as possible.

All the Avalanche needs to make the Stanley Cup Playoff for the second consecutive year is earn one point in its final two games. That’s it. A win or overtime loss to the Jets on Thursday or at the Sharks on Saturday night, and the Avs are in.

Colorado’s fate rests in its own hands. Life only gets more complicated if the Avs find a way to snap their nine-game points streak and finish the season on a skid. If the Avs aren’t able to at least reach overtime in its remaining two games — a possibility given both opponents are playoff teams — then the Coyotes could poach the Western Conference’s last wild-card spot.

If Colorado (88 points) loses its remaining two games and the Coyotes (84 points) win both of their remaining games in regulation or overtime (not in a shootout), then Arizona would take the final wild-card spot. This is because despite being tied in points, the Coyotes would have 36 ROW (regulation plus overtime wins) to the Avs’ 35. Arizona plays at Vegas on Thursday and hosts Winnipeg on Saturday.

If Colorado loses its remaining two games and the Coyotes win both of their remaining games and one of those games is won via shootout, Arizona would take the final playoff spot. The teams would be tied in points and ROW in this scenario, but the Coyotes would win the tiebreaker because they had more points (three to the Avs’ two) in the two most recent head-to-head games.

If Colorado loses its remaining two games and the Coyotes win both of their remaining games, but both of those games are won via shootout, the Avs would take the final playoff spot. The teams would be tied in points but have the advantage in ROW.

If Arizona loses a game, Colorado takes the final wild-card spot.

There’s also still a small chance the Avalanche could steal the top wild- card spot from Dallas. If the Stars (91 points) lose their remaining two games — at Chicago on Friday, hosting Minnesota on Saturday — and the Avs win out, then Colorado gets wild card No. 1.

The most likely first-round playoff opponent for the Avs is Calgary; the Flames have won the Western Conference and will play the No. 2 wild- card team. The Avs are 0-2-1 against Calgary this season, including a blown three-goal lead in which the Flames scored five times in the third period on Nov. 1.

If Colorado is able to claim the top wild-card spot, it will play the Central Division champions — the Jets, Predators or Blues — in the first round. All three are still competing for their division crown.

Denver Post: LOADED: 04.04.2019 1105215 Colorado Avalanche MacKinnon’s 40 goals are a career high, besting his 39 scores from last winter; he’s the first Avs skater to score 35 or more in back-to-back seasons since Hedjuk pulled it off in 2002-’03 and 2003-’04. No. 29 is Nathan MacKinnon on Joe Sakic, the Oilers, and the numbers that really also just the third skater in franchise history — joining Hedjuk and Joe matter to Avs’ Stanley Cup push Sakic — to crack the 40 club since the franchise set up shop in Denver.

“He’s not slowing down soon, anytime soon,” Landeskog said. “He’s a lot of fun to watch and it’s great see him score 40.” By SEAN KEELER | [email protected] | The Denver Post MacKinnon’s tally also served as the 400th point of his career, making PUBLISHED: April 3, 2019 at 6:03 am | UPDATED: April 3, 2019 at him the second-youngest player in club annals to reach that milestone at 10:13 am 23 years and 213 days. The youngest? Sakic, again, having hit the 400 mark in 1992 at the age of 23 years, 135 days.

“I think 50 (goals) is more of a milestone than 40 is,” MacKinnon said with What’s the sweetest number you’ll take away from late Tuesday night, a knowing grin. “But it’s still cool, for sure. But I think Joe got 50. That’s a Nathan MacKinnon? lot cooler to me.” The 400 points?

The 40 goals? Denver Post: LOADED: 04.04.2019 Man didn’t blink.

“Two points,” the Avalanche center replied.

Which one’s the keeper? The one you’ll tell your grandkids about, once it’s all said and done?

The six unanswered goals on Edmonton?

The flurry of four in the second?

Nary a blink.

“Two points,” he said again.

It’s so close, they can darn near taste it now. The last seat at the table for the Western side of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Arizona Coyotes eating their collective dust. Although …

“Obviously, milestones are great,” offered MacKinnon, whose second- period score in Tuesday evening’s 6-2 win over Edmonton made him the first Colorado player to reach the 40-goal mark since Milan Hedjuk in 2002-03. “Fortunately, I’ve played for six years now, so things are going to happen, good things like that. I owe a lot to my linemates — Mikko (Rantanen) and Gabe (Landeskog) have been feeding me all season.”

MacKinnon admitted that it wasn’t so much about kicking down the door to the Avs’ 40-goal club as it was giving a sluggish Colorado offense a kick straight up the keister.

“I mean, we needed that, for sure,” explained MacKinnon, whose goal 4:56 into the second stanza was his third in four contests and the fifth over his last 10 appearances. “It was a really tough start to the game, obviously, down 2-0. But we had a really good finish in the first (period). And Gabe made a good play and I got free and the scouting report (said) glove (side), so I put it there.”

With the Avs staring at a two-goal deficit in the first four minutes of the second frame and struggling to cash in on repeated power-play windows, MacKinnon took a feed from Landeskog before the blue line, then deftly split Edmonton defenders Oscar Klefbom and Adam Larsson. With a swarm of Oilers giving chase, the sixth-year center zipped past the lot and beat goalie Mikko Koskinen top shelf for the hosts’ first score of the night.

“That was huge,” noted defenseman Tyson Barrie, whose Avs could clinch the West’s final playoff slot when they host Winnipeg on Thursday at the Pepsi Center. “And he got that nice pass from Landy, nice little move there, and that kind of got us going.”

From there, MacKinnon’s breakaway pretty much ripped the contest — and the Edmonton defense — wide open. Once the All-Star got them on the board, the Avs exploded for three more goals over the next seven minutes and change, flipping a two-goal hole on its noggin and whisking the Pepsi Center crowd into a frenzy.

“You’ve always seen from Day 1 that he’s got that game-break mentality and he can just take over,” said Landeskog, whose shovel to a speeding MacKinnon was one of two assists on the night. “And there’s not a lot of players that can get the puck wherever, really, on the ice, and all of a sudden the building, just the energy — you can hear it, and everybody just expects something great to happen.” 1105216 Colorado Avalanche

Colorado Avalanche has the best odds of getting No. 1 pick in the draft thanks to Ottawa clinching NHL’s worst record

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

April 3, 2019 at 1:50 PM

The Ottawa Senators will finish with the worst record in the 31-team NHL, thus giving the Avalanche the best odds of obtaining the No. 1 pick in the 2019 draft in next week’s weighted draft lottery in Toronto. The draft is June 21 in Vancouver, British Columbia.

The Avs, who acquired the Sens’ top pick as part of the three-team trade that sent Matt Duchene from Colorado to Ottawa on Nov. 5, 2017, will have a league-best 18.5 percent chance at the No. 1 pick and cannot fall further than the No. 4 pick.

The draft lottery involves the 15 non-playoff teams and will be held Tuesday in Toronto. Colorado has a 16.5 percent chance at the second pick, 14.4 at third and 50.6 at fourth. In 2017, the Avs had those same odds and fell to fourth, ultimately selecting defenseman Cale Makar.

This year’s top two prospects are forwards Jack Hughes and Kaapo Kakko. Hughes, 17, is a 5-foot-10 American center and the Finnish-born Kakko, 18, is a 6-2 winger. Hughes turns 18 next month.

In the last 10 years, the team with the best odds has won the lottery just four times, but it has occurred twice in the last three years, including in 2018 with Buffalo, which went on to select Rasmus Dahlin. The favored Toronto Maple Leafs won in 2016, selecting generational talent Auston Matthews. The Avalanche won in 2013 from the No. 2 spot, selecting Nathan MacKinnon at No. 1.

Ottawa (62 points) enters Wednesday’s game at the New York Rangers with three remaining games, and the Sens can’t catch the next-worst team, Los Angeles (69), after the Kings won at Arizona on Tuesday.

The Avs originally acquired the Sens’ 2018 first-rounder and 2019 third- rounder in the Duchene deal, but the first-rounder was top-10 protected and Ottawa chose to keep its No. 4 pick and give Colorado its top pick in 2019.

Denver Post: LOADED: 04.04.2019 1105217 Colorado Avalanche

5 Takeaways: Avs take care of business, blow out Oilers 6-2

By Evan Rawal

April 3, 2019

For the second straight game, the Avalanche came out flat in the first period. This time, it didn’t really matter.

A four-goal burst in a span of seven minutes in the second period propelled the Avs to a 6-2 victory over the already eliminated Edmonton Oilers.

Colorado struggled to do anything in the opening period, much like they did the previous game against the Blues, as they fell behind by two goals heading into the first intermission. Once the Avs got going, though, there was nothing the Oilers could do to stop them. They received goals from five different players, with Nathan MacKinnon creating the spark with a highlight reel goal early in the second period to get things going. They never looked back, scoring six unanswered and coasting to a huge victory.

The Avs now get a day off and wait for the Winnipeg Jets to come to town on Thursday evening, with a 7 p.m. puck drop.

What did we learn from this win?

The Avs gave Philipp Grubauer a much deserved rest, starting Semyon Varlamov for the first time since March 15. The pending unrestricted free agent may have been starting his last game in an Avs uniform, as no one knows if he will be back. The second goal of the game by the Oilers was one Varly would want back, but he was solid the rest of the game, and that’s all the Avs needed. Grubauer will no doubt be back in net on Thursday night.

A small change in the defensive pairs yielded massive results. Nikita Zadorov was moved back with Tyson Barrie, and the pair was easily the most effective pair for Colorado. Much like they did at the end of last season, they were matched up with MacKinnon’s line up front, and the five-man unit caused nothing but problems for the Oilers. It’ll be interesting to see if the Avs keep this pairing the final two games, as it worked in this one.

Speaking of Barrie, he was an unheard of +5, and if you include the MacKinnon goal, he was on the ice for all six of the Avs goals. He chipped in with another goal and an assist, and now has a career high 58 points on the year.

MacKinnon broke through with his 40th goal of the year, and it was one you’ll see on the highlight reels. He burst between three Oilers defenders to spring himself for a breakaway before launching the puck over Mikko Koskinen’s glove hand. This is the first time MacKinnon has scored 40 goals in a season, and he’s now three points away from cracking the 100-point barrier.

With Mikko Rantanen still out due to injury, Alexander Kerfoot has stepped up and filled in admirably on MacKinnon’s wing. While he’s not the caliber of player that Rantanen is, he’s smart and knows how to create offense. With two goals tonight, he’s now one point away from matching his total from his rookie season.

milehighsports.com LOADED: 04.04.2019 1105218 Columbus Blue Jackets

Blue Jackets haven't had much heart at home

By Brian Hedger

The Columbus Dispatch

@BrianHedger

Posted Apr 3, 2019 at 10:17 PM Updated Apr 3, 2019 at 10:17 PM

If the Blue Jackets clinch a playoff spot this weekend, it likely will be one of the Eastern Conference’s two wild-card positions.

That means their first-round series would open on the road, just like last season against the Washington Capitals and like their previous three postseason appearances.

That might be a good thing, considering how the past calendar year has gone for the team at Nationwide Arena. Since losing all three home games in a six-game series loss to the Capitals last April, things haven’t improved much.

A humbling 6-2 loss Tuesday to the Boston Bruins gave the Blue Jackets a record of 22-17-2 for the home-ice portion of the regular season, a number that doesn’t look nearly as poor as it did before a late five-game home winning streak.

“We have put ourselves in this situation by a number of things, but the No. 1 thing has been our inconsistent play at home,” coach John Tortorella said Wednesday on radio station WBNS. “I hope it doesn’t bite us, as far as it taking away from us getting in, but that’s been a glaring problem for this team in big games at home.”

The loss to the Bruins was just the latest example. It was the eighth time in 15 home sellouts this season the Jackets have sent their fans home grumbling. Their record is just 6-8-1 in those games and it’s 6-11-1 in the past year, if you include the three playoff games against the Capitals.

It’s almost like Alex Ovechkin or Barry Trotz put a hex on the arena as it relates to the main tenants — and if Blue Jackets fans are feeling a little bit like Charlie Brown lining up to kick a chip-shot field goal, you can see why.

The difference is that Lucy in this case (the Blue Jackets) doesn’t intend to pull the ball away at the last second. They would like to become a dominating home-ice team, but time after time they have fumbled the snap or spun the laces in instead of out.

“We can’t look anywhere else except at ourselves and try to figure this out on the road now,” Tortorella said, “try to find a way to get in and take off from there.”

Therein lies the bright side for the Jackets because, conversely, they are one of the NHL’s best road teams. Their record is 23-14-2, fifth-best in the NHL , and they have two more chances to add to it this weekend against also-ran teams: the New York Rangers on Friday and Ottawa Senators on Saturday.

If things go well, the Blue Jackets will net another playoff appearance and another crack at fixing their home-ice woes in the postseason.

The average home playoff record among the past 10 Stanley Cup winners is 9-3, and it has been five years since the Los Angeles Kings won with more than four postseason home losses (9-6).

“The question I have now is, ‘How are we going to respond to this?’ ” Tortorella said Wednesday. “I have full confidence this team will be ready to practice (Thursday) and get into New York and play the right way.”

Columbus Dispatch LOADED: 04.04.2019 1105219 Columbus Blue Jackets

Matt Duchene excited that Blue Jackets control playoff destiny

By Brian Hedger

The Columbus Dispatch

@BrianHedger

Posted Apr 3, 2019 at 9:27 PM Updated Apr 3, 2019 at 9:27 PM

If you’re looking for the bright side of the Blue Jackets’ latest stumble on home ice, it’s what happened in the five games that preceded it.

The five-game winning streak they ripped off, outscoring those teams 24- 4, built the Jackets a bit of a safety net for their final three games.

One of those games is cashed now, a 6-2 loss Tuesday to the Boston Bruins, but the Jackets still control their postseason fate with games this weekend at the New York Rangers on Friday and Ottawa Senators on Saturday.

“Our destiny is completely in our hands now, which is exciting,” center Matt Duchene said. “We can control everything that’s going on, going forward.”

That’s assuming they win Friday at Madison Square Garden. Otherwise, the Jackets’ ability to clinch a playoff spot could hinge on what Montreal and Carolina do in their final two games.

The Canadiens and Hurricanes both play Thursday, so the Blue Jackets will know in New York whether they are still holding down the Eastern Conference’s second wild-card spot.

Montreal is tied with the Jackets at 94 points and could take over that spot with a win over the Washington Capitals. A win for Carolina over the New Jersey Devils would move the Hurricanes three points ahead of the Jackets for the first wild card.

Either way, the Blue Jackets will clinch if they sweep their games.

“Obviously, we can’t control what Montreal does and what Carolina does, but at the same time, if we do our job we’re going to get to where we want to go,” Duchene said. “So, that’s an exciting thing to give yourself the opportunity to control your own destiny.”

Bjorkstrand stays hot

One of the few positives for the Blue Jackets in the loss to the Bruins was the sight of forward scoring a goal — again.

It was the sixth straight game it has happened, a career-high for the 23- year old Dane, and he is up to 22 goals with two games left. Bjorkstrand is tied for the third-longest goal streak in Jackets history with Rick Nash (2005-06) and one game from tying the record shared by Geoff Sanderson (2002-03) and Cam Atkinson (2017-18).

Bjorkstrand has seven goals during the streak, the longest active goal streak in the NHL, and has eight goals in the past eight games.

Ladies and gentlemen, Elvis is officially in the building.

Elvis Merzlikins, that is, the Latvian rookie goaltender who is expected to compete for a spot with the Blue Jackets next season if Sergei Bobrovsky leaves in free agency.

Merzlikins, who starred for HC Lugano in the Swiss League, now has a locker stall across the hall from the Jackets’ main room. The plan is for him to work one-on-one with goaltending coach Manny Legace outside of the team’s regular practice times.

He isn’t alone in his new locker room, either.

“I’m right across the hall (with Merzlikins),” said rookie defenseman Andrew Peeke, who signed a three-year entry-level contract Monday. “Elvis is in there, too. I’ve got a bud in there.”

Columbus Dispatch LOADED: 04.04.2019 1105220 Columbus Blue Jackets inexplicably punishes teams sometimes with odd bounces and bad breaks (see: Boston’s first goal Tuesday).

Columbus should be able to win both of its upcoming games, against Blue Jackets takeaways: That Bruins beatdown? Forget about it teams that are out of the playoff hunt. The sticky part is that they’re in a “must-win” situation now, with an entire season’s worth of effort riding in the balance. Brian Hedger The Blue Jackets had the motivation of potentially clinching a playoff spot had things fallen differently. The Bruins had the motivation of possibly clinching home ice in what should be an exciting first-round series A 6-2 loss to the Boston Bruins already had been pitched into the circular against Toronto. file by the time reporters were allowed into the Blue Jackets’ nearly empty locker room on Tuesday night. The Bruins’ motivation, and legs, clearly won out.

The Bruins’ near-clinical romp was placed into the proverbial trash bin Boston out-skated, out-checked and out-Jacketed the Blue Jackets. The inside the Jackets’ brains and then the bin was apparently emptied with Bruins played in “groups of five” skaters all over the ice the way the simple click of a button. Columbus had done so effectively in its five-game winning streak entering the game. “Obviously, it’s disappointing but we cannot worry about this one,” said captain Nick Foligno, who faced the media alone until joined a couple They used speed, body checks, stick checks and 17 blocked shots to minutes later by Cam Atkinson and Oliver Bjorkstrand. frustrate the Blue Jackets from start to finish — putting on a clinic of how to win late in the season. “It’s in the past now. So, get ready for our next one. We’ve always been a day-at-a-time team, so we’ll get a day off (Wednesday) and get a good “That’s a good lesson for us,” Foligno said. “This is playoff hockey. This practice in Thursday and then get ready to roll.” is what wins this time of year and the team that does it better than the other one is going to win.” Atkinson, Bjorkstrand, coach John Tortorella and, presumably, the rest of the Blue Jackets felt likewise. They were ready to dig a deep hole — a Tortorella had another term for it. trench? — and bury this game like they have numerous bad nights that came before it. “I just thought we were ‘out-quicked’ all night long,” he said. “They were the better team.” Perhaps more appropriate, though, would’ve been tossing this game into a dumpster, sprinkling it with gasoline and flicking in a lit match. It was a shining example of a “puck luck” goal, which gave the Bruins a 1-0 lead just 1:58 into the game. If the Blue Jackets somehow fumble away a playoff appearance in their final two games — a back-to-back set on the road this weekend against Jake DeBrusk got his stick on the puck in the slot area between the the New York Rangers and Ottawa Senators — then the lasting memory circles in the Blue Jackets zone and flipped it high into the air above the of a long offseason might be the sight of the Bruins dominating them at net. Nationwide Arena in their final home game. Goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky saw it go skyward, initially, but appeared to In a way, considering how often the Jackets have stumbled on home ice lose track of it as the disc flipped end-over-end above his head. When it this season, that might actually be a fitting fade to black. But, as Foligno finally landed, the puck caromed off the top of the net and bounced back pointed out, nothing is decided yet and they still have two games to toward the crossbar, where it fell over the edge, appeared to glance off of punch their postseason ticket. Bobrovsky’s right shoulder and drop into the net.

“This isn’t anywhere (near) over,” he said. “We’re obviously just It was the flukiest of fluke goals, signaling this game might not be as disappointed that we couldn’t take advantage of a game tonight that we friendly for the Jackets as the previous five, but it counted just the same. felt we should’ve done better in, but we’re not going to dwell on it. We’re The Bruins led 1-0 and built a 5-0 lead in the third period before going to get ready for our next one. That’s how we always have been and Columbus countered. that’s how you have to face it this time of year.” “You’ve got to try and find a way to answer, that’s all,” Foligno said. “We So, incinerate this one. Bury it. Erase it. Strap it to one of Elon Musk’s give them one, we didn’t answer. We give ’em another one, we didn’t rockets and shoot it into outer space — never to be spoken of, nor heard answer. It’s the difference in the game.” from again. Tortorella thought that goal and the Bruins’ third goal, which hit a couple Just realize, however, that this was another golden opportunity lost, of sticks, were “kind of funny goals,” but left no doubt as to why the Blue another blown chance to ignite a charged building packed with excited Jackets lost. Blue Jackets backers. “They’re crazy goals, but we got what we deserved tonight,” he said.

They’re getting used to that letdown feeling at Nationwide Arena by now, There weren’t many positives for the Blue Jackets to pull out of this loss, and that simply cannot continue if this team wants to reach its lofty goals. but there was one in the third period.

The Blue Jackets now have two more swings to make sure this wasn’t Bjorkstrand finally got Columbus on the scoreboard with his career-high their final home game this season. They’ve moved on already, but before 22nd goal of the season, which extended his career-high goal streak to the rest of us do, here are five takeaways from another hometown six games. letdown in Columbus: He’s now tie for the third-longest goal streak in franchise history with Rick There wasn’t a lot of good news to go around for the Blue Jackets on Nash (2005-06) and is one game away from tying the record shared by Tuesday. Not only did the Bruins steal their lunch and then hand it back Geoff Sanderson (2002-03) and Atkinson (2017-18). Bjorkstrand has to them, half-eaten, but they also got no favors from other games. seven goals during the streak, which is the longest active streak in the The Carolina Hurricanes defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs, on the road, NHL, and he has eight goals in the past eight games. for two points that lifted them past Columbus by a point into the first wild- “Goal-scorers, when you kind of go through those games where card spot in the Eastern Conference. everything seems like it’s going in, you have to ride that wave as long as The Montreal Canadiens, meanwhile, pulled even in points with the Blue you can because it can be done in an instant,” Atkinson said. “But he’s Jackets by accomplishing the rare feat of actually defeating the Tampa feeling it right now. He has a great shot and guys are trying to find him.” Bay Lightning in regulation at Bell Centre in Montreal. Bjorkstrand’s goal against the Bruins was the first of two power-play The Blue Jackets cling to the second wild card by the NHL’s goals for the Blue Jackets. Matt Duchene scored the other. regulation/overtime wins tiebreaker (44-41), but now it’s a two-game “We can build on that, so we’ll bring that into the next game hopefully,” sprint to the finish line for all three Metropolitan Division teams. Bjorkstrand said.

The good news for the Jackets is that their fate is in their hands, either One-timers way. The bad news is that time is running out and hockey is a sport that * Bobrovsky, who was named the NHL’s first star of the week on Monday and second star of the month on Tuesday, allowed four goals on 23 shots. Tortorella pulled him after the fourth goal, sending into the game with four minutes left in the second period, but said it wasn’t a performance-based decision.

“Not for his play, no,” Tortorella said. “It’s 4-0, I wanted to get him out of there.”

* The five-game winning streak wasn’t the only one the Bruins obliterated. The Blue Jackets also had a five-game home winning streak end in their final regular-season appearance at Nationwide Arena. Columbus finished its home slate with a 22-17-2 record.

* The Jackets have now scored 248 goals, a franchise record that tops the previous high of 247 in 2016-17. They have two games left to push it even higher.

* Duchene’s goal was his 31st of the season to set a new career high for him.

* Pierre-Luc Dubois was the only Blue Jackets skater to not finish the game with a negative plus/minus rating. Dubois was even for his 15:22 night and won 54 percent of his faceoffs.

* This was the 15th sellout crowd this season at Nationwide Arena, with 18,890 in attendance. The Blue Jackets dropped to 6-8-1 in those games.

* Bruins goalie Tuukka Rask hadn’t faced Columbus since March 12, when he allowed five goals on 24 shots and was pulled in the second period of the Blue Jackets’ 7-4 win at Nationwide Arena. He atoned by making 32 saves on 34 shots Tuesday, including a combined 17-for-17 while Boston built a 4-0 lead in the first two periods.

Columbus Dispatch LOADED: 04.04.2019 1105221 Dallas Stars

In effort to limit secondary market, Stars restricting playoff ticket purchases to five-state region

Matthew DeFranks

In an effort to curb an influx of tickets on the secondary market, the Stars instituted geographic restrictions on who could purchase playoff tickets, team president Brad Alberts said.

After the Stars clinched a playoff berth with a 6-2 win over Philadelphia on Tuesday night, the team announced its plan for selling playoff tickets, which included restricting sales only to residents of Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana.

"At this point, we're just trying to do it to protect the secondary market," Alberts said. "That's really what we're trying to do. We don't want 3,000 tickets on StubHub because they were purchased by brokers out of New York."

The side effect, of course, is that the policy prevents opposing fans from buying tickets, regardless of who the Stars face in the first round. While the vast majority of Stars fans will be covered in the five-state area, it also could keep distant fans away from attending games at American Airlines Center.

The restriction is not new to hockey.

Tampa Bay first implemented a policy to restrict sales to Florida residents in 2015, and the team went a step further last season by preventing fans in select seats from wearing red during a series against Washington. Last year, the Capitals prevented tickets from being resold during a series against Pittsburgh.

In the past, Nashville mandated that anyone who bought tickets to a Blackhawks game had to buy tickets to another regular-season game as well in an attempt to weed out Chicago fans.

"That's not why we're doing that," Alberts said. "We're doing it to make sure the secondary market doesn't get flooded. Because we have a large number of individual tickets for sale that are not in season-ticket holders' hands, it's easy for brokers to come in now when demand starts to kick in and gobble up tickets and then just throw them on the secondary [market]. We don't want that to happen."

A purchaser's eligibility will be determined by the billing address on their credit card, Alberts said. The restriction will not apply to purchases made at the box office instead of online.

The five-state area includes all four states that border Texas and are part of the Fox Sports Southwest coverage area that receives Stars games on television.

The Stars have averaged 18,169 fans per game in their 40 home games this season, with only Saturday's regular-season finale against Minnesota remaining. That ranks 13th in the league.

Dallas Morning News LOADED: 04.04.2019 1105222 Dallas Stars If you are in the pro-Bishop camp, that’s a reflection of a historically dominant team in Tampa. If you are pro-Vasilevskiy, just point to Bishop’s criterium.

Ben Bishop has been the NHL’s best goalie, but his Vezina Trophy case Then there is the biggest factor that may weigh on the minds of general is complicated managers when they cast their ballots.

Did Bishop play enough games to win the Vezina this season?

By Sean Shapiro Excluding lockout seasons, the winner of the Vezina in its current format Apr 3, 2019 has averaged 64.76 games per season. That number is slightly inflated by the workhorse days of Martin Brodeur in the early 2000s, but even in the past five seasons, the Vezina winner has averaged 62.2 games played. The Dallas Stars are a playoff team because of Ben Bishop and . Pekka Rinne won it last season with 59 games played. In the year prior, Sergei Bobrovsky played 63. In the past 30 years only one goalie, Patrick While the team may have improved and found a rhythm during their late- Roy in 1989, won the Vezina while playing fewer than 50 games in a season surge, they wouldn’t even be in a position to compete for a non-lockout season. playoff spot without the continued dominance in net by their co-MVPs. Assuming Bishop plays one of the final two games in a back-to-back this Bishop leads the league in save percentage among qualified goalies (at weekend, he will finish the 2018-19 season with 46 games played. If he least 21 games played) with a .933 showing in 45 games. Khudobin were to win the award, he would be tied with Billy Smith (1982) for the ranks fifth in the league amongst qualified goalies at .926 in 40 games. second-fewest number of games played by a Vezina winner. (Tom When it comes to goals against average Bishop ranks second (2.03) and Barrasso won it while playing 42 games in 1984.) Khudobin checks in at 13th (2.47). Largely because of their efforts, the Playing 46 games (or 45) indicates one of two things about a goalie. Stars could win or share the William M. Jennings Trophy for the second Either they aren’t the full-blown starter or they can’t stay healthy. time in franchise history if they let up fewer goals than the New York Islanders in the season’s final two games. In Bishop’s case, it’s a bit of both.

While the Dallas goaltenders can clinch a statistical award this weekend, He’s in the process of returning from his fourth injury of the season, another award will be up to the league’s 31 general managers when durability hasn’t been a strength and Khudobin’s play has allowed the ballots go out this week. Stars to use a platoon of sorts during difficult portions of the schedule.

Can Bishop win his first Vezina Trophy, an award granted to the Khudobin’s play has created the best possible situation for the Stars, but goaltender judged to be the best at his position? it might not be the best thing for Bishop’s award candidacy.

Bishop’s save percentage is the opening argument in a compelling case. Vasilevskiy, however, hasn’t handled the workload of a typical Vezina winner either. With 52 games played so far, Vasilevskiy would also be Among other goalies considered favorites for this award — most notably just the third goalie in the past 30 years to win the Vezina while playing Tampa Bay’s Andrei Vasilevskiy and Toronto’s Frederik Andersen — fewer than 55 games. Bishop has a considerable lead in save percentage. Vasilevskiy has a .925 rate and Andersen checks in at .918. Vasilevskiy missed a month earlier in the season with a foot injury, and his raw number of days on injured reserve is actually similar to Bishop’s. Bishop also has a considerable lead in goals saved above average, But when GMs weigh the time away, Bishop’s recent ailments and which has become one of the most popular metrics to judge goalies. multiple injury absences, combined with his past history, they are likely According to Natural Stat Trick Bishop has 30.25 goals saved above going to look at Vasilevskiy as the more durable goalie. average this season, Vasilevskiy ranks second with 24.91. New York Durability is important. In theory, the Vezina winner should play closer to Islanders goalie Robin Lehner ranks third with 23.80 goals saved above 60 games. But if you want to throw out Bishop’s Vezina candidacy average and Arizona’s Darcy Kuemper ranks fourth at 22.94. because of games played, Vasilevskiy should also be docked, with just Kuemper and Lehner are better candidates than Andersen, and both seven more games on his ledger. should get votes for the Vezina before the Maple Leafs goaltender. But Bishop has been the NHL’s best goaltender this season. If the Vezina is we aren’t trying to figure out who finishes third. The Vezina race really is truly an individual award he should win it, especially when you consider shaping up into a decision between a mentor and his former pupil. his performance on a team that wouldn’t even be close to the playoffs Bishop and Vasilevskiy were teammates for three seasons in Tampa, without him. Bishop serving as the established veteran who went from sharing his crease to eventually being pushed out when the Lightning were ready to fully invest in Vasilevskiy. The Athletic LOADED: 04.04.2019 The two goalies remain good friends. They text during the season, and several weeks back when the Lightning made a run through the Western Conference, Bishop sent a couple of texts to Vasilevskiy requesting that Tampa take care of business against other teams in the Central Division.

Bishop isn’t a big fan of advanced stats; we’ve discussed the topic several times this season. Which is why it’s ironic that the analytics help his case as the league’s best goaltender.

When it comes to high-danger save percentage, Bishop’s .883 rate leads the league by a wide margin. The next best showing amongst qualified goalies belongs to Jaroslav Halak at .866. Vasilevskiy ranks 29th in the league with an .818 high-danger save percentage.

If you ask Bishop, he’ll tell you the most important goalie stat is wins. He doesn’t set many goals, but he goes into each season with the benchmark of at least 30 wins.

This is where Vasilevskiy has a huge edge, with 38 victories to Bishop’s 26. 1105223 Detroit Red Wings

Young Detroit Red Wings learning valuable lesson for next season

Helene St. James, April 3, 2019

The Detroit Red Wings are learning the confidence to close teams out, good teams, too.

Most importantly, it’s the players who headline the rebuild who are finishing teams off: Dylan Larkin, , Tyler Bertuzzi and .

The Wings head to Pittsburgh for a rematch with the playoff-positioning Penguins with a six-game winning streak most recently padded with a victory against the Penguins. The Wings have won eight of their last nine games, a stretch where Mantha has seven goals and seven assists, Bertuzzi has five goals and nine assists, Larkin has five goals and six assists and Athanasiou has six goals and five assists.

“There are other guys here clicking and we’re winning and we’re having a lot of fun,” Larkin said after Tuesday’s 4-1 victory at . “Before every game, the message has been to build for next year and that’s got to be for us the exciting part — we’re building chemistry against good teams, at home, on the road, different situations. It’s been a lot of fun. We’re doing it for a purpose and we’re doing it for next year so we’re not in this position heading home April 6.”

The victories have come against several big hitters: Vegas, San Jose, Boston and Pittsburgh. Those are all teams in playoff position, teams that had something to play for. That’s what matters to the players sand coaching staff: not the what-if of the draft lottery, but the tangible growth of those already here.

Coach Jeff Blashill called it "true confidence."

“One of the things we need heading into the next year is hope, and part of that hope comes from the confidence that you gain from having this success,” Blashill said. “It’s an interesting league right now because it’s a league where offense matters tons. When you can put the score way by continuing to score goals, it’s a huge thing. We are playing what I would call smart, fearless hockey, and that’s a hard thing to do. Fearless doesn’t mean careless. But we’ve played smart, fearless hockey and that’s just something we need to bottle up and make sure we carry that forward.”

Larkin’s line with Mantha and Bertuzzi has gone head-to-head against Sidney Crosby’s line and looked better, against Boston’s Patrice Bergeron’s line, against the Sharks’ and Golden Knights’ top lines. Athanasiou’s line — which has seen some flux given how injured the Wings are — has handled the opponent’s next-best line. The team has benefited from terrific goaltending during the stretch — Jimmy Howard made 37 saves Tuesday, 33 against Boston, but the goaltending has been solid most games. What was missing earlier in the season was the goals.

The Wings are basically down to their top line and Athanasiou’s line with Taro Hirose and Darren Helm. That top line especially is playing with confidence.

“We all bring different dynamics to the game,” Larkin said. “I think we’re all skating, we’re all moving the puck. It also helps a lot that AA and Taco have some pretty good chemistry and they’re a dangerous line, too. We’re not getting all the attention.

“The way we’re feeling in this room, we’re all playing for each other and we’re all having fun. We need to build off this chemistry and this good feeling and learn how to beat good teams in close games.”

Detroit Free Press LOADED: 04.04.2019 1105224 Detroit Red Wings he doesn’t panic, he doesn’t throw it up the wall, he makes the play to exit. He’s been excellent.”

Consistent Bertuzzi Red Wings' dominant scoring line bodes well for next season Blashill said Bertuzzi has taken a major step forward in his career this season because of his night-to-night consistency.

Ted Kulfan, April 3, 2019 “He’s really grown in front of our eyes,” Blashill said. “He’s continuing to get better and better. The consistency is to me, the difference.

Detroit – One thing seems definite to have come for the Red Wings “The hardest thing in this league to be an elite player is consistency. You during this six-game win streak: can’t have off-nights and out-play people because the league is too good. He’s done an excellent job of consistently playing well.” They potentially have a dominant scoring line heading into next season. Bertuzzi has 12 points (five goals, seven assists) in his last five games. Dylan Larkin centering Tyler Bertuzzi and Anthony Mantha looks like a line that could rival any of the best in the NHL. Red Wings at Penguins

They were outstanding, as they’ve been largely through this win win Faceoff: 7 p.m. Thursday, PPG Paints Arena, Pittsburgh streak, in Tuesday’s 4-1 victory over Pittsburgh. TV/radio: FSD/97.1 FM

Bertuzzi scored two goals and had an assist, Mantha had two goals, and Outlook: With the Wings’ victory Tuesday, the Penguins (43-26-11) failed Larkin assisted on three goals, as they accounted for eight points. to clinch a playoff berth. … The teams have split two games this season. Bertuzzi, in fact, moved into rarified air. His three-point night gave him … Pittsburgh might have C Evgeni Malkin (upper body) and D Krist four consecutive games of notching at least three points, something no Letang (lower body) both back in the lineup. other Red Wings player has ever done. Detroit News LOADED: 04.04.2019 But the line’s domination as a whole is what makes coach Jeff Blashill excited about next season.

“It’s huge to have that,” said Blashill of the dominant first line. “If you look around the league, Boston is a great example (with David Pastrnak, Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand). This team (Pittsburgh) is a little different, they were missing (Evgeni) Malkin. Malkin, when he’s playing great hockey, is one of the top five players in the world. But Boston is a great example of a team that can capitalize on their No. 1 line and then slot everybody else in.

“Now they’ve got an outstanding No. 2 center (David Krejci), so it takes more than just a line, but it slots everybody in. It allows you to play head- to-head against people, and when you have a match line which is your talented line, then you have opportunities to score way more.”

Blashill likes the fact the Larkin line can score with anyone but is also responsible defensively.

“If you have a match line that’s kind of a grinder line, you’re not going to score a ton on that shift,” Blashill said. “But when you have a line like Larkin’s line that can go out and play with the other team’s best, not only shut them down but outscore them, it gives you a great advantage.”

The reason for the line’s success, said Larkin, is that the players’ skills complement each other so well.

“We all bring different dynamics to the game,” Larkin said. “We’re all skating, we’re all moving the puck. It also helps a lot that Double-A (Andreas Athanasiou) and Taco (Taro Hirose) have some chemistry and they’re a dangerous line, too, and we’re not getting all the attention.

“Double-A is getting some attention and doing a great job at center. So it’s a full 23-man roster.”

Veteran presence

Niklas Kronwall was the lone veteran regular in the lineup on defense Tuesday night.

And, arguably, Kronwall was the most impressive, with an assist, two blocked shots, and one hit and takeaway, in 17:39 of ice time.

At 38, Kronwall is having an eye-opening season in what was expected to his final season.

Kronwall hasn’t committed one way or the other to season. But it’s becoming apparent another season is not out of question.

“Nik Kronwall has been outstanding,” Blashill said. “That’s one things that I haven’t talked about that should be clear. He’s been excellent.”

Kronwall’s ability to play with poise while under pressure is a huge plus, especially now, with so many young teammates on defense.

“The number of players he makes under pressure, he allows us to get out of our zone,” Blashill said. “Even on the empty-net goal (Mantha scored), 1105225 Detroit Red Wings “I looked up and I saw the D. I looked over and I saw Mo wide open,” Bertuzzi said. “I was tempted (to shoot), but then I heard a voice in my head and had to pass it.”

Tyler Bertuzzi’s scoring run unlike any in Red Wings history Said Larkin: “It was very unselfish. The way we’re feeling in this room, we’re all playing for each other and we’re having fun, so you can build off this chemistry and this good feeling and learning how to beat good teams By Ansar Khan in close games.”

Michigan Live LOADED: 04.04.2019 DETROIT – Gordie Howe, and a slew of other Detroit Red Wings greats and Hall of Famers never accomplished what Tyler Bertuzzi did on Tuesday.

That is the kind of run this young forward is on, and his linemates have excelled right alongside him.

Bertuzzi scored two goals and assisted on another in a 4-1 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins at Little Caesars Arena, the sixth in a row for the Red Wings.

Bertuzzi became the first player in franchise history to record four consecutive games with three or more points, a fact that floored coach Jeff Blashill.

“Blew me away, I couldn’t believe it, to be dead honest with you,” Blashill said. “You think of the players in this franchise, geez oh Pete, and the winning that’s been done here and the number of goals that have been scored. Different eras have had higher-scoring games, but for that to be the first time in history, I absolutely couldn’t believe it.”

There was much amazement in the room about this fact, which the public address announcer revealed to the crowd after Bertuzzi assisted on Anthony Mantha’s second goal of the game, into an empty net, with 1:54 remaining.

“I was shocked by that, to be honest,” Jimmy Howard, who made 38 saves, said. “Great for Bert. He’s a hard worker, not flashy, but he plays with heart.”

Bertuzzi, who has 13 points (five goals, eight assists) during a five-game scoring streak, was the most surprised.

“I think I’m still a little shocked right now,” Bertuzzi said. “I haven’t comprehended it yet, but it’s something special. Like I’ve said before, I can’t thank my teammates enough, my linemates, for that run.”

Bertuzzi has 21 goals, becoming the fourth Red Wings to top 20 (Dylan Larkin has 32, Andreas Athanasiou 30 and Mantha 24).

Mantha is riding a six-game points streak (seven goals, seven assists), as is Larkin (five goals, six assists).

“What a good little run by that line and by (Bertuzzi),” Blashill said. “I’ve said this consistently all year, Bert has really grown. The consistency is the difference. The hardest thing in this league to be an elite player is consistency. You can’t have off-nights and outplay people, the league’s just too good, the players you’re playing against are equal or better than you on a consistent basis. He’s done an excellent job of consistently playing really well.”

Blashill, who the Red Wings announced earlier in the day has signed a two-year extension, frequently shuffles lines, but this one has to be a keeper for the start of 2019-20, doesn’t it?

“They complement each other really well,” Blashill said. “When Mo’s skating the way he’s skating right now, it’s a high-end line. Dylan on a pretty consistent basis is a worker, Bert works. Bert’s a natural net-front guy. It’s certainly something that we’d love to stay together and see that line really grow.”

The Red Wings (32-38-10) are 8-1 in their past nine and have two games remaining – Thursday at Pittsburgh and Saturday at home vs. Buffalo.

“We’re clicking, there’s other guys clicking and we’re winning and we’re having a lot of fun,” Larkin said. “Before every game, the message has been this past stretch to build for next year and for us that’s the exciting part. We’re building chemistry against good teams at home, on the road, different situations, power play, five-on-five. It’s been a lot of fun and we’re doing it for a purpose and we’re doing it for next year, too.”

Bertuzzi, with a chance for his second career hat trick, instead passed to Mantha in the final two minutes. 1105226 Edmonton Oilers Mood = pic.twitter.com/bEZBSN2yVM— Yamamoto97 (@Stephane774) April 2, 2019

This makes me sad. Oilers in 60: Another year, another season down the drain Everything about the Oilers makes me sad…..except Connors awesomeness https://t.co/TLhML12yav— Pete Bauer (@ChiaIsGone) TREVOR ROBB April 2, 2019

If youre an #Oilers fan who will cheer for the #Flames in the playoffs because theyre a 'Canadian team and in Alberta', then please hand in “I’m not angry, I’m just disappointed.” your keys, because youre an idiot. pic.twitter.com/hRkDxfOMGw— Evan (@uncle_evan74) March 28, 2019 Typically these are words employed by scolding parents while disciplining their children but it’s an all-too-familiar feeling here in Oil Edmonton Journal: LOADED: 04.04.2019 Country.

For the 12th time in 13 seasons, the Edmonton Oilers have failed to clinch a spot in the NHL’s postseason. They’ve (mis)managed this despite having the best player in the world in Connor McDavid, and one of the league’s emerging top stars in Leon Draisaitl. Sure, crucial injuries on the blueline played their part but injuries are part of the game. That’s what depth is for. And the Oilers just didn’t have it this year.

I want to be mad. I want to be angry. I want to scream into a pillow. But I just don’t have it in me anymore. This is what happens when a fan base gets repeatedly broken down and beaten over the head by mediocrity.

We try to stay positive here on Oilers In 60, but at this point there’s not much left to be excited about — unless you count a draft party as exciting (which I do not).

I’d like to think the Oilers will come back primed and ready to go next season, but this is a team without a general manager and without a stable head coach; a team with an “Old Boys Club” mentality who have yet to show the same sense urgency as the loyal fan base it routinely gouges at the ticket office and concession line.

This might be the most important offseason in franchise history — stop me if you’ve heard that one before — and while us fans might be broken down and disappointed, this Edmonton and we aren’t going anywhere.

Is it October yet?

Moving on

The Oilers will play their final game at Rogers Place Thursday against the San Jose Sharks. Puck drop at 7:00 p.m. The Oilers round out the season against the Calgary Flames Saturday. Puck drop at 8 p.m.

Hot Takes

Give us your Hot Takes by using the hashtag #Oilersin60 on Twitter!

If the #Oilers new general manager is not allowed to come in and clean house and bring in his own people, then it won't matter who they hire, the cycle of losing will continue.— Derek Van Diest (@DerekVanDiest) April 3, 2019

Another sad year for fans in Edmonton. pic.twitter.com/nIyJRD496Y— Rob Tychkowski (@Rob_Tychkowski) April 3, 2019

#HereComeTheOilers pic.twitter.com/BCoLzXscWl— VisuallyBetter (@Isuckatpicking) April 3, 2019

Well at least we’ve got Bob Nicholson to fix this mess during the summer 👍🏼 pic.twitter.com/5qGHFtEoKt— Ryan (@IAmByks) April 3, 2019

Aaaaaand the Oilers are officially eliminated

…sigh— JD B. (@Jackie_Bee16) April 2, 2019

Ok people, I want you to tell the world why you love him!

Do it for McDavid!! (Use the hashtag!)#OilCountryLovesYouMcdavid— McJenny (@ginny_jenny) April 3, 2019

Connor McDavid is 22 YEARS OLD and he has 371 points, quit buying into the Toronto media bullshit acting like his career is over because the Oilers defence was banged up all year. They barely missed the playoffs. They are one or two moves away from being an elite team again.— Nick (@EvilFriedman) April 2, 2019

Hey Connor, we're right there with you on frustration level. Thanks for pushing on to have a career high season despite the failings of team management. Please use your significant influence to force ownership to make some sweeping changes.— McOilers (@McOilers) April 2, 2019 1105227 Edmonton Oilers and you get good combinations. You know how everything works. It’s tough to create a good foundation when you have new guys coming in all the time and change things with how they look at hockey.”

Oilers have another problem to solve: Lifting the cloud over a clearly In the interim, this team will need at least one more overhaul. frustrated Connor McDavid While the Oilers managed to make it to Game 79 before being eliminated from playoff contention, they were fortunate to even get that far.

By Daniel Nugent-Bowman Apr 3, 2019 After a lopsided 6-2 loss against Colorado on Tuesday – a game in which McDavid was held pointless for just the 11th time in 76 outings – the Oilers remained stalled at 77 points on the season. DENVER – The words that came from Connor McDavid’s mouth and the tone that accompanied them were steeped in annoyance. They finished with 78 points a year ago, a campaign in which they were never true contenders for a postseason spot. They were only in the race The Oilers had just officially been eliminated from playoff contention. And this year because of their equally mediocre challengers. there was arguably the sport’s greatest player left to discuss how he won’t be participating in meaningful April NHL action for the third time in What’s truly remarkable about the Oilers’ plight is that their top-five point- four years. getters are all having career seasons: McDavid, 115 points; Leon Draisaitl, 102; Nugent-Hopkins, 67; Darnell Nurse, 40; and Alex That’s enough to piss off any elite athlete, especially one who is wired Chiasson, 36. like McDavid. He expressed his disdain for the predicament, adding that the Oilers were not good enough for lengthy portions of the season. McDavid was named player of the month for March after recording 27 points in 14 games, but the Oilers only managed to go 7-5-2. A day later, other members of the organization backed the captain’s stance that this type of season can’t afford to be replicated. “I’m disappointed because I do believe this group has more to give maybe than what it shows in the standings,” Chiasson said, whose 21 “The top priority is to get better,” coach Ken Hitchcock said. “There’s a lot goals are eight better than his previous best. “Usually when you have of question marks. There’s a lot of indecision going on. There’s a lot of that amount of guys that are beating their career years and they’re changes that are going to be made. But they’re going to be good having success, that should be a trend in the right direction.” changes. Instead, the Oilers have mostly trended in the wrong direction. “Everybody knows there’s another big step out there that has to be made to if you expect to be a playoff team.” They rely heavily on their top two forwards. McDavid has contributed a point on 51.3 percent of Edmonton’s goals. Draisaitl is at 45.5 percent. That’ll start at – or near – the top of the organization as CEO Bob When they don’t produce, the Oilers are in deep trouble. Nicholson continues to explore opinions for the vacant GM position currently held by Peter Chiarelli’s former assistant Keith Gretzky. To further emphasize how top-heavy scoring prowess is among the forward ranks, the forwards Hitchcock used on his second power-play It could be the most important decision of Nicholson’s hockey career. unit – Milan Lucic, and Sam Gagner – have 15 goals between them in all situations this season. “I hope we can put the right man in the spot and we can put together a good team,” McDavid said after the loss in Vegas on Monday night. The Oilers sit 20th with 224 goals for and 27th with 267 goals against.

Just finishing the first year of an eight-year, $100-million deal, McDavid “It doesn’t matter if Connor scores 60 goals and has 180 (points) if we let has hitched his ride to the organization and the city. And he remains in a lot of goals. We have to defend as a team and we have to create committed to the Oilers, a source close to McDavid told The Athletic. some offence as a team. The key to get to the playoffs comes from the defence,” Klefbom said. “The defensive part has to be a little bit better.” He’s only 22 years old with – barring something unforeseen – plenty of race track left on the runway of his NHL career. However, he’s an old 22 The Oilers have their follies and have plenty of holes. by NHL standards, having already posted a remarkable 371 points in 285 games. But Chiasson, a pending unrestricted free agent, wants to return because he sees the talent in players like Klefbom, Nurse, Nugent-Hopkins, These are his prime years and the Oilers can’t afford to waste many Draisaitl and McDavid. more of them. “He does a lot for us,” Chiasson said of McDavid. “He creates a lot. Just ask the other No. 1 overall pick playing for the team, a man who When you’ve got somewhere to start like that, it gives you a chance to be knows all about how frustrating it’s been to be an Oiler. successful.”

“It’s my eighth year and I’ve made the playoffs once,” Ryan Nugent- Chiasson spent last season in Washington and he witnessed longtime Hopkins said, the first pick in 2011. “Nobody knows it more, Capitals Alex Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom win the Stanley Cup after unfortunately, than I do. We’ve gotta find a way out of it.” years of failure. He’d like nothing more than to see McDavid achieve the same goal soon. The first step towards potentially getting out of this mess is sorting out who will be the GM and who will be the coach. Comparing the Oilers to the Capitals at this point is like comparing a Ferrari to a used compact car. When it comes to the former position, Nicholson met with McDavid after Chiarelli was fired to explain his direction for the team, as he told TSN The Caps have missed the playoffs three times in Ovechkin’s 14-year 1260’s Jason Gregor in an interview late last month. career. McDavid is batting .250.

While McDavid won’t have a vote when it comes to the new GM hire, It’s imperative on management to right this wrong and chip away at Nicholson understands how important it is to have his captain onboard. bettering the roster – which, admittedly, is easier said than done with $71.7 million committed to 16 players for next season. Bringing in the right person could go a long way towards making McDavid and his veteran teammates feel better about the state of affairs. With all due respect to Zack Kassian, who’s having a career season in the goal-scoring department, the 28-year-old has a modest 15 goals and “It’s going to be very important for us. I’ve been here, I don’t know how 26 points. Those numbers don’t exactly scream McDavid flank material many years now, and I’ve had multiple GMs and multiple coaches,” said as he’s been lately. defenceman Oscar Klefbom, a first-round pick in 2011 who’s played 314 games for the Oilers over six seasons. “I’ve seen it all now in this While McDavid has played 783 of his 1,335 minutes at 5-on-5 with organization. Draisaitl, frequent healthy scratch Ty Rattie joined Kassian to start Tuesday’s game. “Of course, it’s disappointing. It’s not disappointing to play in Edmonton; it’s just (disappointing) the way the organization’s been going forward. “He also needs people to go with him,” Hitchcock said. “We need to see Tampa’s a really good example. They have so much stability right now. who we can add to the mix to help him get his room and space. He’s They have the same guys for a number of years. Then you get chemistry getting covered over pretty hard.” It doesn’t take a genius to figure out McDavid doesn’t get enough support – and that the results have taken their toll.

“This is not where we wanna be right now,” Klefbom added. “We wanna be in a playoff spot – or at least still in it and playing for it.”

It’s only a handful of times in a season that McDavid clearly and visibly expresses frustration. That he did so after a missed playoff berth caught people’s attention around the organization.

“He’s a good teammate. I love it,” Hitchcock said. “When you put as much into the season as a lot of these players put in, you would hope that they would be frustrated and angry and disappointed.”

The Oilers brass has a lot of work to avoid having McDavid experience the same emotions in 12 months. They’ll only know they’re on the right track when they’ve helped their captain find his smile again.

The Athletic LOADED: 04.04.2019 1105228 Florida Panthers

Preview: New York Islanders at Florida Panthers, 7 p.m., Thursday

Brett Shweky

Islanders at Panthers

When/where: 7 p.m.,Thursday/BB&T Center, Sunrise

TV: Fox Sports Florida; Radio: 560-AM, 640-AM (Palm Beach)

Scouting report: With a three-game winning streak under their belts, the Florida Panthers are set to continue their final week of the season with a matchup against the New York Islanders. … The Panthers, who will play their final two contests at the BB&T Center, are fresh off a 5-3 home victory over the Washington Capitals on Monday. … Vincent Trocheck recorded his 100th NHL goal during the outing after he collected two goals to lead the Panthers. … Florida holds a 2-0 season series edge over the Islanders, with the Panthers having won 4-2 in their game on Nov. 10 at the BB&T Center. … The New York Islanders are one of five teams in the Eastern Conference to secure a postseason berth with the Islanders holding down the second seed in the Metropolitan Division. … In their most recent game, the Islanders fell 2-1 to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Monday despite Jordan Eberle's late-game goal and New York's comeback threat.

Sun Sentinel LOADED: 04.04.2019 1105229 Florida Panthers Panthers center Sasha Barkov (16) and left wing Jonathan Huberdeau (11) celebrate Barkov’s winning goal in overtime against the Maple Leafs in December. (Robert Mayer / USA Today)

‘We should be brothers’: Chemistry of Barkov and Huberdeau leads to Linked together Panthers record book Huberdeau and Barkov came to the Panthers around the same time. Although Huberdeau was the third overall pick in 2011, he didn’t play in By George Richards Apr 3, 2019 Florida until the lockout-shortened 2013 season in which he won the Calder Trophy for NHL rookie of the year.

Barkov was drafted second overall that following June and joined the SUNRISE, Fla. — A few days ago, only two people knew what it was like team immediately. Although the two did not play together very much to score 90 points in a single season for the Panthers. early on, then-coach Gerard Gallant put them together a few times. Then the Panthers traded for Jaromir Jagr in 2015. That exclusive club could be up to four Thursday as Florida will likely have two players hit the 90-point mark for the first time in its history. Barkov was told he would center the legendary player with Huberdeau on the other side. He could not believe it. Center Sasha Barkov is already there, tying the best season in Panthers history by matching the 94 points scored by Hall of Famer Pavel Bure “I heard about the trade when I came in for the game and it was just during 1999-2000. amazing to hear,” said Barkov, then 19. “He was a top player in the league, won two Stanley Cups before I was born. He’s one of the great “He was one of my favorite players because he was so fast and could players who can score from anywhere on the ice. It’s a good thing for us.” handle the puck so well,” Barkov said of Bure on Monday night. It sure was, for the Panthers as well as for Barkov and Huberdeau. “Everybody loved him and the way he played, scoring goals with his speed and skill. He was fun to watch and, of course, it means a lot that I The three made up one of the best lines in hockey for a time, helping the can get mentioned in the same sentence as him.” Panthers win 47 games and the Atlantic Division championship in 2016.

One more point, however, and Barkov will move past Bure and hold the Jagr was an undeniable influence on the game of Barkov and team record himself; six more points and Barkov will hit the magical 100 Huberdeau, the three not only playing together on the ice but working out plateau. of it. Their locker stalls were all put together in the corner of the room, the three spending a lot of time together. ‘’It’s a joke, at this point, how good he is. How easy it is for him to create offense and score goals and make plays,’’ Vincent Trocheck said. “I’m When the Panthers decided they weren’t going to bring back Jagr in extremely happy for him. It couldn’t have happened to a more humble 2017, some worried it would affect the progress Barkov and Huberdeau person.” were making. Instead, the two continued to use the habits Jagr instilled in them and their game continued to grow. Can Barkov get six points in two games? “Jags gave both of us so much,” Barkov said. ‘’He taught us to stay with “Yeah, he can,” Trocheck added. “We have seen him put up five or six the puck, to not give it up, fight for it. He would tell us ‘there is only one points in a game. He could get there in the next game.” puck out there.’ We learned how to make plays and gave the puck to Barkov’s linemate Jonathan Huberdeau is not far off the pace, getting his him. There is only one Jagr in the world but now we use (Evgenii) 89th point off his 28th goal Monday night as the Panthers beat Dadonov’s speed. But we still do the things he taught us.” Washington, 5-3, for their third consecutive victory with two more left in JONATHAN HUBERDEAU, SASHA BARKOV GET SOME TIPS FROM this season. JAROMIR JAGR #FLAPANTHERS @68JAGR @BARKOVSASHA95 “We both know we can be better,” Barkov said, “and that pushes us.” @JONYHUBY11 PIC.TWITTER.COM/XDKS03LMM5

Before Barkov hit 90, only Bure (twice) and Olli Jokinen had scored 90 — GEORGE RICHARDS (@GEORGERICHARDS) SEPTEMBER 21, points in a season for the Panthers. Now, barring Huberdeau being held 2015 off the scorecard in the final two games, they will have two in a single Last season, Huberdeau had his best NHL season with 27 goals and 42 year. assists. He currently holds the Panthers’ single-season record for assists When this season started, few would have thought the Panthers would with 61 this year. Barkov is second on the list with 60. hit so many personal offensive highs and still be so far out of the playoffs. “We have been playing together so long, it has just become fun being out Despite the obvious disappointment that will come with saying goodbye there together,” Huberdeau said. “We know where he is going to be and following locker cleanout on Monday, the Panthers are celebrating he knows where I am at. We have that extra split-second because numerous milestones — especially those by Barkov and Huberdeau. neither of us has to look around for the other. A lot has gone well for us this year, but when things are not working, we both know to keep things Goalie Roberto Luongo compares them to retired Vancouver superstars simple and keep working at it. It is awesome playing with him.” Daniel and Henrik Sedin, twins who both could be headed to the Hall of Fame in the near future. Luongo says he sees similarities in their on-ice The breakup chemistry. After Jagr left, the Panthers kept Barkov and Huberdeau together for a “Maybe they are related, they do look a little alike,” Luongo said with a time before coach Bob Boughner split them up last season in trying to smile. “When it comes to the passes that they make, they think outside of find some balance among his top lines. the box. That’s why I say they remind me of the Sedins a little bit. When Dadonov was signed to replace Jagr (and is having a career year of his you expect them to pass, they shoot; when you think they’re going to own) and stayed on the top line, with Nick Bjugstad jumping up to replace shoot, they pass. That is what makes them so good. Huberdeau. “They are unpredictable and tough to defend. But you see when they are Bjugstad ended last season with a flourish, scoring 19 goals with a on a roll, they are shooting that puck with confidence. They don’t make career-best 49 points. that extra pass. You have seen what the result is. They’re putting up points every night.” The Panthers came into this season with the same setup. Barkov stayed with Bjugstad for a time, but on Nov. 30 against Buffalo, Boughner Both got a laugh when told of Luongo’s comparison, Huberdeau joking moved Huberdeau back with his former line partner. that they were better. “We have watched those two so much,” Huberdeau said. “It is a great compliment. You see the career they had … maybe we Following the 3-2 overtime win against the Sabres, it was Huberdeau’s should be brothers. We should change our names.” turn to distribute the ceremonial rugby ball, which goes to the hero of a victory. Said Barkov: “Yeah we could do that.” While most players in the room thought it would go right to Barkov — who had scored the winning goal in overtime off a pass from Huberdeau himself — Huberdeau tossed it to Boughner, a “thank you” of sorts for putting the band back together (at least two members, anyway).

Since that night, both players have been lighting it up.

BIG BALL SPIKE FOR A BIG WIN. PIC.TWITTER.COM/JHNW9C7IEJ

— FLORIDA PANTHERS (@FLAPANTHERS) DECEMBER 1, 2018

“I knew they played together for a while but when we separated them for a bit last year, they both had success,” Boughner said. “Watching them in practice … it’s almost like they know where the other one is going to be without even looking. They make some great plays, have great chemistry. They think the game the same way.

“Both are more willing to shoot the puck more than they have. If they see an opening they are going for it by shooting the puck. It wasn’t always like that. They both have confidence in their shot. … When Trocheck was out for such a long time, we were forced to load a lineup. We tried different things, but once we put Huby back with Barky, you saw instant chemistry. It’s tough to keep them apart, really. They just play so well together. It’s amazing to watch.”

The two also signed six-year contracts with the Panthers, which each average $5.9 million per season. Barkov’s contract with Florida expires in 2022; Huberdeau’s contract runs through 2023.

“Great day for our franchise,” GM said when the Panthers signed the 20-year-old Barkov in 2015. “I’m excited about this young man, not only for his hockey but for his ability to be such a class act. He’s going to lead us to the promised land.”

Off the ice

Huberdeau and Barkov, while on the ice, seem to be the same person but they have different personalities.

Although the two are friends, they say they are just two different people with different accents.

“It has been six or seven years now and I still don’t know if we really understand each other,” Huberdeau said, nodding at Barkov in the next stall. “On the ice, no problem, but off the ice, sometimes we’ll be talking and he will say ‘I have no idea what you just said.’ And I have done that to him as well. We have fun with that.”

HUBERDEAU AND BARKOV MAKING THINGS HAPPEN (AGAIN)  #CELLYSZN | #ICESURFING PIC.TWITTER.COM/OOXODYQDVC

— SPORTSNET (@SPORTSNET) FEBRUARY 20, 2019

Huberdeau said the two were friendly enough in their early years together, but one time when both were hurt, they were forced into hanging out together. They found things to talk about and did become closer.

Then came Jagr and the rest is history.

“When Jags came in, it all started and he was a huge part of that. He gave us confidence that we were good enough to play with him,” Huberdeau said.

“He made sure he knew we were good players and that we made a good team. Maybe we didn’t know that. He urged us to play with the puck, to make plays and it all clicked.

The Athletic LOADED: 04.04.2019 1105230 Los Angeles Kings

Kings call on Anti-Defamation League to help address Jr. Kings’ alleged anti-Semitic acts

By HELENE ELLIOTT APR 03, 2019 | 5:55 PM

The Kings said Wednesday that they have consulted with the Anti- Defamation League and have connected the group with the Jr. Kings organization for the purpose of establishing educational programs in the wake of an incident in which members of the Jr. Kings youth team allegedly made anti-Semitic remarks and one made a Nazi salute.

The incident, which was recorded and posted to social media, took place early last month in Las Vegas, where the Jr. Kings 14-and-under bantam AAA team was participating in a tournament. Fifteen players and three coaches were suspended as a result. The California Amateur Hockey Assn. has been investigating the actions of the players for possible violations of the SafeSport Code.

The Jr. Kings operate out of the Toyota Sports Center in El Segundo, which is the Kings’ practice facility. The Jr. Kings are allowed to wear the NHL Kings’ colors and logo and have received coaching from former Kings players but they are not directly affiliated with the Kings.

The team roster is comprised of 18 players who work with five coaches. Of that group, three players and two coaches were not at the tournament, according to a person with knowledge of the situation. Those five individuals were not suspended.

The California Amateur Hockey Assn. has not commented on the incident and has not released the findings of its investigation.

The ADL is a Jewish civil rights group dedicated to fighting anti-Semitism.

The Kings issued a statement on the matter Wednesday:

“Since we were made aware of the incidents of March 9 we have been in regular communication with the LA Jr. Kings — a recreational club team operating out of our training facility. We fully supported their decision to indefinitely suspend all players and coaches as they conducted an immediate internal investigation and began cooperation with CAHA on a SafeSport Investigation.

“We look forward to the Jr. Kings management receiving the pending SafeSport investigation by CAHA on behalf of the Pacific District and USA Hockey so they can take action accordingly, including notifying the players and their parents of the discipline.

“The LA Kings have zero tolerance for this type of behavior. The Kings are committed to maintaining an environment that is free from all forms of discrimination. This sort of behavior does not reflect our values and culture. Through our resources within the organization we have consulted with the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) and we have connected the Jr. Kings with the ADL to build out educational programs for these players to take measures so that this terrible behavior does not happen again. We are grateful for the support of the ADL. With their support of the Jr. Kings we collectively will use this as an opportunity to make an impact on the broader problem.”

LA Times: LOADED: 04.04.2019 1105231 Los Angeles Kings When asked about Kovalchuk and whether the decisions around his playing time impacted the group, the players noted they tried to not look at lineup choices and focused on the games themselves.

How much blame does Willie Desjardins deserve for the Kings’ awful “I don’t try to think about it as much,” said forward . season? “Obviously you want to play as much as possible, and if you’re in the lineup you get ready to play. I can’t speak for somebody else.”

By Josh Cooper Apr 3, 2019 Said defenseman Alec Martinez, “That’s beyond my pay grade. … That’s beyond your control, it’s someone else’s decision. I don’t put too much thought into it.”

EL SEGUNDO – Would a different coach have turned around the Kings’ There was also the situation in which Jonathan Quick yelled at season when the team was sputtering at the start? Desjardins after the coach didn’t challenge for goaltender interference at Carolina in late February. In a lot of ways, no decision by management has defined L.A.’s year like the choice to bring in Willie Desjardins on an interim basis to take over QUICK UPSET WITH WILLIE DESJARDINS FOR NOT CHALLENGING for John Stevens on Nov. 4 – after a win over the Columbus Blue HURRICANES GOAL: HTTPS://T.CO/VIJV7STSJF#LAKVSCAR Jackets. #TAKEWARNING #GOKINGSGO #LAKINGS PIC.TWITTER.COM/87NL6MRBQM When asked if a different voice would have mattered or if the season had spiraled too far at that point, at 4-8-1, captain Anze Kopitar noted it would — ERIC (@KINGSGIFS) FEBRUARY 27, 2019 be difficult to know for sure. The Kings are 26-33-8 under Desjardins and will miss the playoffs for the second time in three years. Since Desjardins took over, the Kings have scored 2.45 goals per game. This likely is an area where Kovalchuk, who is making $6.25 million per “You can’t really say that because you don’t know what would have year over the next two seasons, would have helped. happened if we had a different guy. It is what it is right now,” Kopitar said Saturday. “There’s a week left and we’re going to play hard and see “As far as the Kovalchuk stuff goes, it’s fascinating to me from the where that takes us.” outside,” Johnson said. “I’m not in the dressing room. I don’t know what the dynamic is between Kovalchuk and Desjardins and (general manager Some voices around the NHL note that whoever was behind the bench, it Rob) Blake … I have no idea. But I do know that the Kings don’t score wouldn’t have mattered. Los Angeles had a flawed, aging and expensive goals very well. While Kovalchuk is not a perfect player, he can still roster that wouldn’t have been able to contend. score, and on that team he would probably be one of the better scorers.”

“If you’re asking them to compete for a division title? Scotty Bowman’s No matter the coach, the precipitous drop in some of the Kings’ not doing that with that roster, not this year,” NHL Network analyst Mike underlying numbers has been alarming. Johnson said. “So depending on what your standards are and what your expectations might be then … if that was the expectation of Willie Under Desjardins, their 5-on-5 CF% has been 47.65, meaning they’re Desjardins, then that was the wrong one. If people were expecting that possessing the puck less than other teams. With Stevens as the coach, it from him or from anyone, it would have been an inaccurate expectation was 50.35. Also under Stevens, they held a 52.91 high danger CF% 5- of a new coach with that group.” on-5, meaning they were getting more Grade-A scoring opportunities than the other team. Under Desjardins it was 46.49. Said an NHL team scout, “I don’t think (the coach) would have mattered a whole lot, not enough to make the playoffs.” (All numbers from Naturalstattrick)

Added a former NHL team executive, “The conference was so bad this Stevens had a smaller sample size than Desjardins, so it’s hard to fully year it’s shocking a team with Kopitar, (Jake) Muzzin, (Drew) Doughty compare the numbers, but for whatever reason, it’s clear the Kings couldn’t be on pace for 86 points, but this club lacks young, high-end skill weren’t charged up by the change. and (Ilya) Kovalchuk was an absolutely crippling asset-management “I thought with a new coach coming in, we would have had good energy decision that showed a failure to assess risk and overweight past and turn things around,” defenseman Drew Doughty said. “We didn’t performance. They probably wouldn’t make it whether or not Willie hurt really respond to that either, and this season just ran away from us.” them, though he probably didn’t help.” Doughty specifically has been outspoken in his support for Desjardins. Desjardins really didn’t help with his public and controversial decision to He appreciated the positivity that the coach brought and thought it bench, demote and scratch Kovalchuk, a high-priced free-agent addition impacted his game in a good way. brought in to score goals. This issue seemed to come to a head when the team said Kovalchuk stayed home from L.A.’s most recent road trip to “Willie’s a really good person,” Doughty said. “He cares a lot about his work with a skills coach. A photo then emerged on Kovalchuk’s social- teammates. He’s never going to throw his players under the bus. He’s media account of him getting ice cream with his kids, which added to the always a player-first guy and when him and (assistant coach) Marco bizarre nature of the situation. (Sturm) came in, it was just some fresh blood and they gave me the confidence of telling me they were sometimes amazed at the plays I “He’s 35 years old. He’s not staying at home to ‘work with a skills coach,’” would make and stuff like that, whereas before people were used to the Johnson said. “It’s laughable, it seems like.” plays I would make.”

VIEW THIS POST ON INSTAGRAM Martinez noted that though L.A.’s offense struggled, there was more of ВСЕМ ЛЮБИТЕЛЯМ МОРОЖЕНОГО浪 ✌🏻КОМУ КАКОЕ НРАВИТСЯ an attacking mindset under Desjardins from a defensive perspective. For whatever reason, the pucks didn’t go in. ? #ПЭШНФРУТ #ПЛОМБИР#ВОСКРЕСЕНЬЕ#СЕМЬЯ#КАЙФ @NIKOLKOVALCHUKOFFICIAL ❤️ “His teams play fast-pace, he rolls four lines and I think he’s done things maybe structurally to encourage different aspects of the game a little bit A POST SHARED BY ILYA KOVALCHUK more,” he said. “I guess, personally, one being just D getting up and (@ILYAKOVALCHUKOFFICIAL) ON MAR 24, 2019 AT 9:03PM PDT involved a lot more.”

Said former NHLer Shane O’Brien who does analysis for Sportsnet Kempe pointed out that Desjardins tried to bring some levity to the rink Vancouver, “When Willie took over, they put him on the fourth line, it just every day to help players deal with the grind of this season. He also snowballed and got ugly fast.” noted that responsibility rested more on the players, rather than Asked how the outside view and criticism of how he handled Kovalchuk Desjardins, to break the Kings out of their funk. might have impacted the group, Desjardins said he tried to not think “It’s a hard position, for him to come into the team that had a tough start about it. to the season and just turn it around,” Kempe said. “But I think he has been pretty positive about our game and try to keep us in a good mood “You always look at an organization, but externally there’s lots of things you can’t control,” he said. “I think I focus on the things that I can.” and keep the energy up for the team. It all comes down to what we do as a team on the ice. It’s hard for him to just come in and say and do stuff for us to start playing good. It’s all about the players.” Desjardins gave an honest assessment of how he has done this year and the difficulties he faced in trying to take a team on the downswing and thrust it in the other direction.

“There’s lots of challenges. There were a lot of challenges this year coming in. I think we had some good stretches where we played pretty well. We got ourselves right in the hunt. I think we’re in a spot where we had to move guys at the deadline and I think that hurt us, but the organization has to make some tough decisions this year so I’m certainly not looking at those,” he said. “That’s decisions you had to do. But I think from a coaching spot it makes it tougher to find ways to win. My job is just to find ways to win, and no different than players you look at it and you always wish you were a little bit better at times.”

In a recent story, The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun pointed out that former Edmonton Oilers coach Todd McLellan is the front-runner to be L.A.’s coach next season. That would make sense considering McLellan’s acumen and his past. McLellan coached in San Jose when Blake played there from 2008-10.

What does this mean for the 62-year-old Desjardins? Despite accolades and championships in the AHL and juniors, he currently has a 135-142- 35 record in the NHL with the Kings and Vancouver Canucks. His last three teams have gone 87-114-30.

When he was hired by the Canucks before the 2014-15 season, his was one of the hottest names on the market. Now, the view of him his different.

“Prior to this, I have typically heard good things about him,” the scout said.

Added Johnson, “I haven’t probably paid close enough attention to everything that Willie’s done and all the criticism around him, but I do know there’s not an infinite amount of opportunities that anybody gets in professional sports. Player, coach, manager, at some point you run out of opportunities.

“I’d have to probably pay closer attention and dig into it a little deeper — where the holes in his team have been and how reflective of those holes, could the coach have done something different. But absolutely. Anybody who loses their job, whether you’re put on waivers or you’re sent to the minors or you’re fired as a coach, you know that you’ve not done your job as well as they want and at some point, if that happens multiple times, then you won’t get another chance.”

It’s really hard to tell if a different coach would have altered the trajectory of L.A.’s season. Craig Berube, who was fired in 2015 after two seasons with the Philadelphia Flyers, took over as interim coach in St. Louis last November, following Mike Yeo’s firing, and guided the Blues to the playoffs. Ken Hitchcock, who will likely make the Hockey Hall of Fame, went 25-27-8 with the Oilers this season in replacement of McLellan.

Does this also offer any clues as to who could be the right fit moving forward? It might when the year and missteps get broken down. Maybe someone more NHL established and with a harder edge who can catch the ears of the aging veterans – like McLellan – is more the right fit for the Kings.

“I mean, it’s no secret we didn’t respond the way we should have,” Martinez said. “But as to why or how, I haven’t really gotten a hold of that yet.”

The Athletic LOADED: 04.04.2019 1105232 Los Angeles Kings I think everyone’s just older, faster, stronger. Everybody talks about everybody being faster and stronger and it’s true. Guys are just more developed and you’ve just got to play with pace.

FINAL – ONTARIO 3, GRAND RAPIDS 1 On how he’d describe his own game

I think very competitive, smart and skilled forward that works hard every ZACH DOOLEYAPRIL 3, 2019 shift.

On whether it was beneficial to come into a new group knowing many of the guys from training camps The Ontario Reign completed the season sweep over the with a 3-1 victory on Wednesday evening in Ontario. Yeah, for sure, it made it a lot easier.

The Reign got a pair of goals from forward Zack Mitchell and 38 saves Mike Stothers on the Reign’s power-play success at home, versus it’s from goaltender Cal Petersen, as they began their second-to-last week of numbers on the road the season on a high note with a victory. I don’t know how you put an answer to that one. Bellsy does a great job After a scoreless first period, Ontario opened the scoring 1:14 into the with the power play and puts a lot of time and effort into it, both home middle stanza. As Alex Lintuniemi sent a backhanded saucer-pass and away. Same personnel and they’re doing the same…whatever the across the ice to Philippe Maillet, the Reign forward sprung forward Zack situation is, whatever our opponents are showing us. [Reporter: It evens Mitchell, who made a nice move to create space before he beat Grand out to a Top 10 unit] Well then that’s all that matters. What do we care if Rapids netminder Patrik Rybar over the glove hand to open the scoring one’s higher and one’s lower, it’s the bottom line. Peculiar stat, but with his 11th tally of the season. bottom line is it’s pretty damn good.

The Griffins knotted the game at one early in the third period with a On younger players coming into a new system and having to learn on the power-play goal, with Wade Megan slotting home at the back post, fly ending Petersen’s shutout bit 43:53 into the game. Forward Carter The benefit is, these guys all come to training camp, whether it’s rookie Camper fed Megan at the back post, where the veteran tapped in for the camp on through to the main camp. The systems are laid out every goal. single day, through video, through practices, so they do get an idea of it Ontario struck back with a power-play tally of its own, however, as and they don’t come in blind. Whenever we bring guys in, Bellsy or Mods Mitchell found the back of the net again. After Austin Strand’s shot was will show them a little refresher on our systems, video wise, sit with them knocked down, Maillet directed the loose puck to Mtichell, who whacked and walk them through situations and we do much the same during it home at the back post for the go-ahead goal. Mitchell’s tally completed practices. We always have a video, a pre-scout, on what to expect from his first multi-goal game of the season, the fifth of his professional career. our opponent, so we try to give them as much information as we can to try and make them a little bit more comfortable, but you know what, the The Orangeville, ONT native Mitchell, who was buzzing all night, looked game is hockey. You’ve got to have some hockey instincts, some hockey like he had a shot at the hat trick late in the third on the empty net, but skill. In order to get to this level, you have to have some hockey ability. At opted to feed Brett Sutter instead. Forward Kyle Bauman found the that point, you give them the basics of the structure and then hopefully empty net inside two seconds left in the game for the insurance goal, they can pick it up as they go. That’s why, you can have guys that have a icing the game at 3-1. complete language barrier, but they’re able to pick it up and practice and play games, because it a natural, hockey tendency and they’ve been The Reign are back in action on Friday in the final meeting of the So-Cal ingrained all their life growing up playing it. It’s just more of these guys Series, a matchup in San Diego against the Gulls, with puck drop slated getting a chance to play and getting that excitement of getting their first for 3 PM. pro game, or their first couple of pro games, under their belt. Zack Mitchell on passing up the empty net for the hat trick late in the On the Maillet – Mitchell – Luff line, clicking after not playing together this game season Well, I mean it was right on Suttsy’s tape, he just wasn’t looking at me At some point during the season, all of our guys have played together. [laughs]. I don’t know, it doesn’t really matter who gets the goal. I Sometimes, it’s like the bingo balls – whatever three come out, that’s who would’ve liked for Suttsy to grab it and put it in but that’s okay, it was a goes on ice. And then, we’ve had other times, where we’ve had some good win anyways. consistency. Mitch didn’t play last game, came back in and played real On the team not laying down and the mentality in the room in the final well for us. Luffer and [Maillet] looked like they had some good jump in two weeks their legs tonight, was a real effective line for us.

Our coaches do a good job of keeping us accountable, so were going to LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 04.04.2019 keep building and just try to finish strong and maybe play a spoiler.

On the playing with Maillet and luff tonight

Yeah, that’s our first time playing together, but when you play with really good players, sometimes you just click. Those guys are both smart players and they moved well. They both see the ice, they both can score. I was lucky to get to play with them tonight and, yeah, we had some good chemistry.

On what the group is trying to accomplish over the last five games

We’re just trying to win games. I mean, it is a business, guys are playing for contracts as well, so that’s always in the back of your mind. To be honest, if you just play well as a team, you also benefit individually so that’s all we’re trying to do.

Aidan Dudas on making his pro debut

Yeah, when I got to the rink this morning, I saw my name and it was a pretty cool feeling. I texted my parents right away to let them know. It was pretty exciting.

On what he feels is the biggest difference between the junior game and the pro game 1105233 Los Angeles Kings December. It would’ve been special to give the fans that brave rush hour traffic towards Glendale a little bit more than a playoff race, but they’re not headed in the wrong direction. Perhaps next year the team will be WAKING UP WITH THE KINGS: APRIL 3 healthier and less of a scoring burden will be placed on Clayton Keller and Alex Galchenyuk, a pair of players capable of producing beyond 46 and 40 points. Rick Tocchet, who wasn’t hired until more than two weeks after the 2017 NHL Draft, seems to be a very good fit for a team that took JON ROSENAPRIL 3, 2019 strides late in 2017-18 and will bank on good culture players in Niklas Hjalmarsson, Derek Stepan and Brad Richardson to help get the most out of a young group that must improve its offense from this year to next. GAME STORY LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 04.04.2019 Well, that didn’t really help anybody. Except for the New Jersey Devils and, theoretically, the Buffalo Sabres. It definitely helped them. Crushing the Arizona Coyotes’ playoff hopes and allowing the Devils to gain ground in a near-dead heat for the second-best draft odds, the LA Kings played somewhat poorly overall in Glendale on Tuesday but relied on Jack Campbell’s excellence, a 6-for-6 penalty killing effort and the ability to hang in a game and win key moments in a 3-1 road victory. It was an inflated example of the team’s blueprint to win on the road during their best seasons – inflated in the sense that they hadn’t allowed 50 shots in over eight years. But you’re familiar with the general story: Jonathan Quick would keep them in a game, allowing them time to find their road legs, the penalty killing would be excellent, and they’d enter the third period tied before the inevitable regulation or shootout game-winner. And that’s what happened again in front of a tense and ultimately disappointed crowd that watched Arizona favor quantity over quality, much as they have all year as a middle-of-the-pack possession team that shoots a league-worst 6.53% in five-on-five play. But the overall performance, despite the lopsided shot total, did show character as Kyle Clifford engaged Lawson Crouse after a big hit on Alec Martinez behind the Kings net and potted a pivotal goal as part of a Gordie Howe Hat Trick , and the team as a whole moved past a dismal third period the night before to eke out a win against a desperate team.

Norm Hall/NHLI

Did Arizona fail to generate Grade-A chances, or did Campbell deny those types of chances from materializing? In another excellent performance, he didn’t give shooters much of anything, and the Los Angeles defensive zone coverage did a good job of making sure most of those 51 shots were coming away from danger zones, as the heat map from this game shows hot spots in the high slot and the right point rather than in front of the goal. But in a performance similar to his outing against Calgary, Campbell was square to the shooter and wasn’t sending rebounds into dangerous areas, and his story is going to conclude as an very, very positive development this season. The Kings badly needed to rebuild their goaltending pipeline after a 2015 span in which they lost Martin Jones, J.F. Berube and Patrik Bartosak over a period of five months, leaving them with only one amateur goalie in the organization – Alec Dillon, whose career had stalled after a pair of hip surgeries. They couldn’t have done much better at a critical time with the trade for Campbell, followed one year later by the Cal Petersen signing, two acquisitions that have provided a wealth of talented depth at a position that some three years ago was nonexistent. No one knows what Campbell (or Petersen) do with a much longer leash in the NHL, and 2011-12 Quick – or even 2017-18 Quick – obviously shouldn’t be expected. But a widened sample size this year has come back overwhelmingly positive, providing good optimism at an important position in advance of the roster’s intended makeover.

Norm Hall/NHLI

I’m not sure what cursed voodoo temple Gila River Arena was built on, but enough already with the Coyotes, Vengeful Sonoran Deity. With a tragic number of one and two games remaining, Arizona is en route to missing the playoffs for the seventh straight season since winning the Pacific Division and advancing to the Western Conference Final in 2012, and to lose their character, red-hot goalie to injury while in the process of surrendering the game-winner on the biggest night of the season is some cruel justice. Darcy Kuemper was making his 21st straight start, and while it’s natural (and valid) to praise a scrappy, injury-blasted group buying in under Rick Tocchet, let’s not get carried away here: Kuemper had a .941 save percentage during his run and is the prime reason behind the playoff push of a team that was 23-26-5 on February 7. Gaining one point from an Eastern Trip put them in a precarious position in which their season ultimately was coming down to one or two games, and they ran into a hot goalie Tuesday night. They’ve lost 374 man- games to injury, have been without their intended starting goalie since November and their major in-season trade acquisition since late 1105234 Los Angeles Kings

PREVIEW – ONTARIO VS. GRAND RAPIDS, 4/3

ZACH DOOLEYAPRIL 3, 2019

GAME PREVIEWONTARIO REIGN

WHO: Ontario Reign (22-30-6-4) vs. Grand Rapids Griffins (38-22-6-4)

WHAT: AHL REGULAR SEASON GAME

WHEN: Wednesday, March 3 @ 7:00 PM

WHERE: Citizens Business Bank Arena – Ontario, CA

TONIGHT’S MATCHUP: The Ontario Reign are back in action in the first of three games on the agenda this week. The Reign completed a three- game week last week with one point, a shootout loss against Stockton on Sunday.

WHAT TO WATCH FOR: The Reign take on Grand Rapids this evening for the only time this season in Ontario. The two teams met once prior, back in November, with Ontario coming from behind to earn a 4-3 win in Michigan. November’s meeting was the first between the two franchises, after they had not squared off in the Reign’s first three AHL seasons. Tonight is also the Reign’s final game of the season against the Central Division – Ontario sits at 4-6-1 against the Central Division to date.

SHORTHANDED BANDITS: The Reign scored not one, but two shorthanded goals on Sunday against Stockton, their eighth and ninth markers of the season, with forwards Matt Luff and Sam Herr each collecting their second of the season. The Heat have allowed a Western Conference high 17 shorthanded tallies on the season. With an assist on Herr’s goal, Brett Sutter moved into a tie for sixth in the AHL with five shorthanded points (2-3-5) on the season.

TIP OF THE ICE-BERGH: Ontario forward Mason Bergh found the back of the net in his professional debut on Sunday against Stockton. Bergh signed an ATO with Ontario on Wednesday, after he completed his collegiate career at Colorado College. The Eden Prarie, MN native amassed 105 points (43-62-105) from 149 games played and served as a captain with the Tigers during his junior and senior seasons.

FOR PETE’S SAKE: Reign goaltender stopped 43 of the 46 shots he faced on Sunday against Stockton in another strong outing for the veteran goaltender. Budaj has lost just once in regulation from 10 appearances since the All-Star break, with his lone regulation loss coming in a relief. Budaj has amassed a .928 save percentage and a 2.49 goals against average in that span, including a .943 save percentage on home ice.

MY NEW HERR CUT: Ontario alternate captain Sam Herr collected his first multi-point game of the season, the second of his professional career, with a goal and an assist on Sunday. Herr also set a personal career high, with his ninth tally of the season, and extended on his career high in overall scoring (17 points). Herr also sits in sole possession of fourth place on the Reign’s all-time games played list in franchise history.

NOW 2018: The Reign added goaltender Jacob Ingham on an ATO yesterday afternoon, with forward Aidan Dudas joining today, with both players drafted by Los Angeles during the 2018 NHL Entry Draft. Ingham has appeared in 131 career games with the Mississauga Steelheads of the , posting a 60-53-12 record, along with a .891 save percentage and a 3.33 goals against average, while Dudas tallied 62 points (26-36-62) from 68 games played this season with Owen Sound of the OHL.

SHOOTOUTS IN SUCCESSION: After going to a shootout just three times in their first 57 games played this season, the Reign have now played in three shootouts in their last five games. Ontario forward Sheldon Rempal has shot in each of the three shootouts, going 1-of-3, while forward Mike Amadio, now with the Kings, went 2-of-2 on his attempts. The Reign now have a 2-4 record in the shootout overall this season.

LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 04.04.2019 1105235 Minnesota Wild

Marchand and the Bruins visit the Wild

By The Associated Press Associated Press APRIL 4, 2019

Boston Bruins (48-23-9, second in the Atlantic Division) vs. Minnesota Wild (37-34-9, sixth in the Central Division)

St. Paul, Minnesota; Thursday, 8 p.m. EDT

BOTTOM LINE: Brad Marchand leads Boston into a matchup against Minnesota. He ranks fifth in the league with 100 points, scoring 36 goals and recording 64 assists.

The Wild have gone 16-17-7 in home games. Minnesota has given up 43 power-play goals, killing 81.7 percent of opponent chances.

The Bruins are 19-15-6 on the road. Boston averages 9.7 penalty minutes per game, the second-most in the NHL. Marchand leads the team serving 96 total minutes. In their last meeting on Jan. 8, Boston won 4-0. Patrice Bergeron recorded a team-high two assists for the Bruins in the victory.

TOP PERFORMERS: Zach Parise leads the Wild with 28 goals, adding 33 assists and totaling 61 points. Ryan Donato has collected five assists over the last 10 games for Minnesota.

LAST 10 GAMES: Bruins: 6-4-0, averaging 4.2 goals, 6.8 assists, 3.2 penalties and 8.5 penalty minutes while giving up 2.7 goals per game with a .893 save percentage.

Wild: 4-5-1, averaging two goals, 3.4 assists, 3.1 penalties and 6.8 penalty minutes while giving up 2.2 goals per game with a .921 save percentage.

Wild Injuries: None listed.

Bruins Injuries: Danton Heinen: day to day (illness), Kevan Miller: out (upper body), Sean Kuraly: out (upper body).

Star Tribune LOADED: 04.04.2019 1105236 Minnesota Wild

Gameday preview: Wild vs. Boston

Rachel Blount APRIL 3, 2019

7 p.m. vs. Boston • Xcel Energy Center • FSN, 100.3-FM

Coyle returns to Xcel for the first time

Preview: One of the Wild’s biggest flaws this season was its inability to win at home, and Thursday’s game is its last chance to get to .500 at Xcel. With a mark of 16-17-7, the Wild is tied with Los Angeles for the fewest home victories in the NHL. The meeting is the first between the Wild and Boston since a trade between the teams that brought F Ryan Donato to Minnesota and sent F Charlie Coyle to Boston.

Players to WATCH: After tallying nine points in 34 games with Boston, Donato has 16 points in 20 games since the Wild acquired him on Feb. 20. He leads NHL rookies in scoring since Feb. 21. Coyle has two goals and four assists in 19 games since the trade.

Numbers: Wild G Devan Dubnyk tops all NHL goalies with 67 games played this season, tying his career high set in 2015-16. Boston F Brad Marchand earned his 100th point of the season with a goal and an assist in Tuesday’s 6-2 victory at Columbus.

Injuries: Wild F Mikko Koivu (knee surgery) and D Matt Dumba (torn pectoral muscle) are out. Bruins F Chris Wagner (lower-body injury), F Sean Kuraly (broken hand) and D John Moore (upper-body injury) are out; F Danton Heinen (illness) is day-to-day.

Star Tribune LOADED: 04.04.2019 1105237 Minnesota Wild “It’s extremely disappointing,” Dubnyk said. “I don’t think it’s really sunk in yet for any of us. We’ve still got two games to play, and we certainly want to put out a good one [Thursday] at home.

Wild can't make the playoffs but still wants 'to put on a good show' in final “You try to be as focused as you can, and I’m sure everybody in here will two games be. We need to make sure we’re ready to go. We’ve got to put on a good Eliminated from the playoffs, team focused on finishing season strong. show for our fans at home. We want to go out winning.”

Star Tribune LOADED: 04.04.2019

By Rachel Blount Star Tribune APRIL 4, 2019

Bruce Boudreau leaned on his hockey stick, with his cheek resting on its knob and a forlorn look in his eyes. The Wild coach was trying to describe exactly how he felt Wednesday morning, only 13 hours or so after the team’s path to the playoffs hit a dead end.

Instead of putting his blue mood into words, Boudreau offered an analogy: He was as glum as Eeyore, the downcast donkey pal of Winnie the Pooh. But succumbing to self-pity was not an option. Following Wednesday’s practice, the Wild had to continue preparations for two more regular-season games, starting Thursday against Boston at Xcel Energy Center.

Despite Tuesday’s 5-1 victory over Winnipeg, the Wild was eliminated from playoff contention when Colorado rallied to beat Edmonton. In Thursday’s home finale and Saturday’s season-ender at Dallas, Boudreau wants to give Wild fans a good memory to carry into the offseason, nudge the team’s home record to .500 and continue evaluating his young players.

Wild's playoff chase ends: NHL standings

A look at the NHL standings by division, conference and wild card races.

It’s hardly the same as gearing up for the playoffs, but it’s all the Wild has left.

“We’re playing to win,” Boudreau said. “We’re not just playing to run out the string. Coaches always just want to win.”

In a quiet locker room at Tria Rink, goaltender Devan Dubnyk said players had not fully come to grips with the idea that the Wild’s offseason will begin Sunday. Its run of six consecutive postseason appearances was tied with Anaheim for the second-longest active playoff streak in the NHL, behind Pittsburgh’s 12.

Newly signed center Nico Sturm was present at practice, but forward Zach Parise was absent, raising the question of whether he will play again this season. After missing four games because of a lower-body injury, Parise returned to play Tuesday and scored the Wild’s first two goals. Boudreau said the winger skipped practice for a “maintenance day,” but he is unsure whether Parise or anyone else might sit out the final games.

Sturm received his visa Wednesday afternoon, clearing the way for him to make his NHL debut against Boston. The German free agent, signed Monday after finishing a three-season run at Clarkson University, centered a line with Jordan Greenway and Jason Zucker at his first Wild practice.

Boudreau was impressed with Sturm’s skating and the puck handling ability he showed during a shootout drill at the end of practice.

“I’m going to go over the systems [Wednesday] with the coaching staff, and we’ll move on from there,” Sturm said. “The two most important things are just to soak up the experience and to get as much information as possible and learn from the other guys.”

Missing the playoffs for the first time since 2012 will feel strange and discomfiting to the Wild’s veteran players, staff and fans. That territory is even more unfamiliar for Boudreau. He has failed to get to the postseason only one other time in 12 years as an NHL head coach, when he took over a last-place Anaheim team at midseason in 2012.

Tuesday night, Boudreau thought it was “phenomenal” that fans stood for the final 30 seconds of the victory over Winnipeg, even though the Wild has one of its worst home records ever. He hoped his players felt the support. That will be on their minds, Dubnyk said, as they strive to shake off their doldrums and end the season on an upbeat note. 1105238 Minnesota Wild A few months ago, the Wild had 55 points heading into the all-star break. They were comfortably locked into third place in the Central Division, ahead of the Dallas Stars, Colorado Avalanche, St. Louis Blues and Why did this season go wrong for the Wild? Chicago Blackhawks.

Unfortunately for the Wild, they didn’t do themselves any favors coming out of what ended up being weeklong hiatus. They went 1-6-3 during a By Dane Mizutani 10-game stretch after returning from the break, and that dropped them all the way to last place in the Central Division.

With the way the Wild have bounced back from the midseason swoon in Bruce Boudreau walked into his house late Tuesday night, kicked off his past, perhaps it shouldn’t have come as a surprise that they were able to shoes and aimlessly wandered the hallways, as reality slowly started to right the ship a bit with an impressive stretch that culminated with a sink in. dominant victory over the league-leading Tampa Bay Lightning. “What now?” Boudreau thought to himself an hour after the Wild were Instead of using that impressive performance as a launching pad toward officially eliminated from the playoffs. “It’s no fun.” future success, the Wild went 3-6-1 during a 10-game stretch that While the Wild still have two games left in the regular season, they won’t followed. get the chance to chase down the ever-elusive Stanley Cup when the That proved to be the kiss of death. NHL playoffs roll around. “It’s extremely disappointing,” Dubnyk lamented. “We just weren’t able to It’s an unfamiliar position for the Wild, who qualified for the playoffs in take advantage of some opportunities when other teams were losing. each of the previous six seasons. It’s an even more unfamiliar position You’re always going to go back and look at different things that for their 64-year-old coach, who joked that he felt like Eeyore driving to happened.” the rink on Wednesday morning. YOUTH MOVEMENT You have to go back a couple of decades to find the last time Boudreau missed the playoffs in a full season as a head coach. That came way No doubt the biggest thing that played a role in the Wild missing the back in 1997-98 when he was coaching the now-defunct Mississippi Sea playoffs was general manager Paul Fenton dismantled the roster at the Wolves of the East Coast Hockey League. trade line.

“Hopefully it stays with everybody,” Boudreau said. “It’s important to In what certainly felt like a statement from Fenton as he took ownership realize how much we hate not being where we’re supposed to be after of a roster inherited from former general manager Chuck Fletcher, he eight months of really hard work.” traded Nino Niederreiter for Victor Rask, Charlie Coyle for Ryan Donato, and Mikael Granlund for Kevin Fiala. That disappointment was evident after practice Wednesday morning as goalie Devan Dubnyk reflected amid an empty locker room. All three moves were designed for the roster to get younger as Fenton shifted his focus to the future. “As soon as that final buzzer sounds (on Saturday night) it’ll hit us that we won’t be playing again for awhile,” Dubnyk said. “We play to make the “Those guys came in and did a really nice job with their energy level and playoffs, so when we don’t do that, it’s going to be disappointing.” the contributions they gave us,” Dubnyk said. “They came in and did a great job for us and are going to be great players for us moving forward.” A few minutes after Dubnyk wrapped up his conversation, Ryan Donato walked into the locker room. He quietly shed his equipment with all of his There’s something to be said about team chemistry, though, and teammates already long gone. Niederreiter, Coyle, and Granlund were among the most popular guys in the locker room. “It’s a deflating feeling,” Donato said. “Nobody is happy with how it all went down. I think guys are going to be making sure they do everything Those moves forced Boudreau to shuffle lines at a rapid rate, playing the right this summer to come back and make sure it doesn’t happen again.” young guys big minutes, while also trying his best to make the pieces fit together amid the chaos. It raises the question: Where did it all go wrong for this version of the Wild? It was a less-than-ideal situation, and while Boudreau found a way to make the most out of it, it eventually caught up with the Wild, as they MAJOR INJURIES missed the playoffs for the first time in more than half a decade. Unknowingly at that time, high-powered defenseman Matt Dumba suited Pioneer Press LOADED: 04.04.2019 up for his final game of the season on Dec. 15.

After delivering a legal hit in a game a couple of weeks earlier, Dumba was jumped by Calgary Flames winger Matthew Tkachuk in response. He tore his pectoral muscle in the fight and hasn’t played since.

“It’s impossible to look past Dumba going out,” Dubnyk said. “It was a major loss for us. He was our best player, hands down. That’s not taking away from anyone else. He was just that good for us.”

It’s not a surprise the Wild struggled with Dumba out of the lineup. His blistering slapshot was nearly unstoppable through 32 games; he had 12 goals and 10 assists before his injury.

Besides losing Dumba as a scoring threat, the injury forced the Wild to shuffle their blue line. That meant way more minutes for players like Greg Pateryn and Nick Seeler, both of whom are probably better suited for a role in the bottom pairing.

Then veteran forward Mikko Koivu went down with a torn anterior cruciate ligament and a torn meniscus in his right knee on Feb. 5 after a collision with Buffalo winger Tage Thompson.

His absence was another blow.

“Obviously he’s a big part of our team,” Dubnyk said. “That didn’t help our case at all. You could see the affect that had on us.”

MIDSEASON SWOON(S) 1105239 Minnesota Wild “The main reason is not that he can’t play or won’t play; it is his equipment isn’t (up to) league rules yet,” Boudreau said. “We have ordered him all new NHL equipment. It hasn’t gotten here.”

With Wild missing playoffs, time to shut down injured star Zach Parise Pioneer Press LOADED: 04.04.2019

By Dane Mizutani

Zach Parise proved everything he needed to prove on Tuesday night at the Xcel Energy Center.

With the Wild playing a must-win game against the rival Winnipeg Jets, the $98 million man gutted through what the team has been calling a significant lower-body injury, and scored a pair of goals in a 5-1 victory that ended up being bittersweet by the end of the night.

While the Wild did their part to keep their slim playoff hopes alive, the Colorado Avalanche officially eliminated them from playoff contention with a victory of their own about an hour later.

That should be reason enough to shut Parise down for the rest of the season.

There’s only two games left, at home against the Boston Bruins and at the Dallas Stars, and neither games means anything now that the Wild have been eliminated from playoff contention.

Whether it’s general manager Paul Fenton, coach Bruce Boudreau or athletic trainer John Worley, the Wild need to make sure Parise doesn’t do anymore damage at this point.

“I’m going to ask him how he feels,” Boudreau said. “If there’s anything wrong with him, we’re not going to risk him getting more hurt.”

There might be a temptation for Parise to play down the stretch. He has 28 goals this season, meaning he’s ever so close to reaching the heralded 30-goal milestone for the seventh time in his career.

“It’s always a nice number,” Parise said Tuesday night, noting that it would be “garbage time points” if he were to play. “Maybe re-evaluate (on Wednesday) and go from there. I haven’t really thought about that.”

It’s still unclear whether Parise will return to the lineup. He took a maintenance day Wednesday, and his status for Thursday night’s game remains up in the air.

“It’s not up to me,” Boudreau said. “It’s up to the doctors and trainers and the individual.”

In this case, the latter probably shouldn’t have a choice in the matter.

BEST SEAT IN HOUSE

Nico Sturm couldn’t have been placed in a more perfect position inside the locker room at TRIA Rink.

His locker is in between those of veterans Eric Staal and Mikko Koivu, something he realized right away upon his arrival at practice Wednesday morning.

“Those are guys that have had a long career and made a lot of money in this league,” Sturm said. “They have been super welcoming and have offered me a lot of advice. It’s a confidence thing going into training camp next season.”

It’s been a hectic 48 hours for Sturm since signing a one-year, entry-level contract with the Wild earlier this week. He is hoping to make his NHL debut on Thursday night, assuming everything with his visa gets figured out in the next 24 hours.

“I’m going to keep it simple,” Sturm said. “I’m going to stick to what made me get here. Just pride myself on the defensive work and then hop in the rush and hopefully make a couple of plays. Just soak it all in. I’ll only get my first game once. It’s going to be exciting.”

PAD PROBLEM

Former Gophers goalie Mat Robson signed a two-year, entry-level contract with the Wild a couple of weeks ago and has been with the NHL team ever since.

That said, don’t expect Robson to suit up between the pipes any time soon, even with the Wild eliminated from playoff contention. 1105240 Montreal Canadiens We just have to play hard every night. It’s going to come down to the last two games. They’re going to be extremely hard again, but we just have to go day-by-day and tomorrow starts a new one.”

Stu Cowan: Stage is set for fantastic finish to season for Canadiens Wednesday was a travel day for the Canadiens, who didn’t practise "We got two games to go, we’re going to win both of them and we’re before heading to Washington. The Capitals (47-25-8) can clinch first going to make the playoffs,” a confident Artturi Lehkonen says. place in the Metropolitan Division with a win Thursday, so they have something to play for, unlike the Lightning on Tuesday. The Canadiens and Capitals have met twice this season at the Bell Centre with the Canadiens winning 6-4 on Nov. 1 and losing 5-4 in overtime on Nov. 19. STU COWAN, MONTREAL GAZETTE Tatar was asked after Tuesday’s game if the Canadiens are looking at

their current situation as nothing to lose or everything to gain. “We still believe that we can make the playoffs. We got two games to go, “They both mean the same to me,” he said. “We’re trying to have a good we’re going to win both of them and we’re going to make the playoffs.” effort, whatever we have in us, and it’s going to come down to the last Those were the confident words from the Canadiens’ Artturi Lehkonen two games.” when he was interviewed on the ice at the Bell Centre Tuesday night by The stage is set for a fantastic finish. RDS’s Marc Denis after being named the first star in an impressive 4-2 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning. Montreal Gazette LOADED: 04.04.2019 The reality is the Canadiens could win their last two games and still miss the playoffs if the Carolina Hurricanes and Columbus Blue Jackets also win their last two games. That’s why the sportsclubstats.com website had the Canadiens’ chances of making the playoffs listed at 36.6 per cent on Wednesday, while the Hurricanes were at 88.2 per cent and the Blue Jackets at 76 per cent.

The Hurricanes (44-29-7) hold the first wild-card playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, one point ahead of the Blue Jackets (45-31-4), who hold the final wild-card spot. The Canadiens (43-29-8) have the same point total as the Blue Jackets (94), but Columbus is ahead on the first tiebreaker, which is the greater number of games won, excluding victories in the shootout. The Blue Jackets have 44 wins, excluding shootouts, while the Canadiens have 41 and the Hurricanes have 42.

The Canadiens play the Capitals Thursday in Washington (7 p.m., TSN2, RDS, TSN 690 Radio) before closing out the season Saturday night at the Bell Centre against the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Hurricanes entertain the New Jersey Devils Thursday (7 p.m., TVA Sports) and finish the season Saturday night against the Flyers in Philadelphia. The Blue Jackets play their last two games on the road, visiting the New York Rangers Friday night and the Ottawa Senators Saturday night.

“I really like this,” Canadiens head coach Claude Julien said after Tuesday’s game when asked how his blood pressure was holding up. “When it comes to this time of year and the opportunity to play past this week, it’s a lot of fun. The worst scenario is we’ve got teams right now that are playing to be spoilers. We’re playing to try and get in the playoffs. This is a great time and I want the guys to enjoy the process, which I think so far they are.”

Julien added that the playoff race is a great experience for some of the young players on his team who have never played in an NHL post- season game, including Max Domi, Victor Mete, Jesperi Kotkaniemi and Brett Kulak.

“There’s nothing like experience, right?” Julien said. “And these guys here are gaining experience. Through these kind of games and also seeing what kind of a fan base you have here — this was like a playoff game tonight — and we’re hoping we see these guys (the Lightning) again. Because more than likely that’s what would happen (in the first round of the playoffs). So maybe tonight was the beginning of a series of eight games. We’ll see by the end of the week.”

If the Canadiens do make the playoffs and face the Lightning in the first round, it’s hard to imagine them beating the Presidents’ Trophy winners in a seven-game series. The Canadiens had to play an almost perfect game Tuesday, with all four lines flying, to beat the Lightning, who didn’t start No. 1 goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy and were without top defenceman Victor Hedman (upper-body injury). But there’s a reason why they play the games and stranger things have happened.

The Canadiens advanced to the Eastern final in 2010 after finishing eighth in the conference with a 39-33-10 record, thanks to some outstanding goaltending from Jaroslav Halak. In the last eight games this season, Carey Price has a 6-1-1 record while allowing 16 goals and posting a .933 save percentage to help keep the Canadiens in the playoff race.

“I think we’re just showing our fans character,” Tomas Tatar said after Tuesday’s win. “We want to get in (the playoffs) too … it’s in our hands. 1105241 Montreal Canadiens Of course, context is key, which is why we must mention that Tatar is playing with two excellent linemates in Gallagher and Danault. But we also can’t ignore the assignment that line is given on a nightly basis, Analyze This: Habs' Tatar shows he's the big fish in trade with Vegas which is to shut down the opposing team’s elite forwards. Not only is Tatar enjoying a great season, he’s doing it while facing the best players Tomas Tatar has been a force since the Max Pacioretty trade with the in the NHL. Golden Knights, which saw the winger unceremoniously thrown into the deal. His defensive play, particularly in the neutral zone, has led to a deluge of scoring chances for the Canadiens. In many ways, he epitomizes Julien’s favourite strategy, which involves turning defensive plays into offensive opportunities. And Tatar’s statistics suggest that his level of play is MARC DUMONT, SPECIAL TO THE GAZETTE entirely sustainable.

He won’t win any awards this season, but you can make a legitimate Hockey is the ultimate team sport. Regardless of the talent level on each argument that Tatar has been one of the most important players on this roster, without a commitment to hard work and dedication, you’re left with team — possibly even a dark horse most-valuable-player candidate for 23 individuals rather than an actual team. the Canadiens.

Despite their lack of superstars, the Canadiens’ ability to play within head Montreal Gazette LOADED: 04.04.2019 coach Claude Julien’s system is the main reason why they’re in a dogfight to qualify for the playoffs, even though the vast majority of pundits and fans predicted a bottom-five finish.

Consequently, several Canadiens are enjoying career highs in various offensive categories.

Whether it’s Max Domi, Brendan Gallagher, Andrew Shaw, Phillip Danault, Jordie Benn, Brett Kulak, Joel Armia, Jeff Petry, Carey Price or even Artturi Lehkonen, there’s been an endless stream of individual accomplishments when it comes to the Canadiens’ 2018-19 season. Even Jonathan Drouin is verging on career highs in offensive production.

But there’s one player in particular who has caught my eye this season. Not only because he set a career high in points, with 58 so far, but also due to his all-around fantastic play.

Tomas Tatar has been a force for the Canadiens since the Max Pacioretty trade with the Vegas Golden Knights, which saw the winger unceremoniously thrown into the deal.

Vegas begged the Canadiens to take on Tatar’s contract, which has two more years left with a cap hit of US$5.3 million per season. What seemed like a reasonable request at the time — especially because the value of a prospect like Nick Suzuki and the additional second-round draft pick involved in the deal — has turned into a blessing in disguise for the Canadiens.

Tatar hasn’t just been good, he’s verging on elite.

Although he only ranks No. 15 among NHL left-wingers in points this season, there’s a lot more to his game than raw point totals.

We’re not going to punish Tatar for the Canadiens’ pitiful power play, rather we’re going to focus on 5-on-5 production, which levels the playing field.

With 48 points in 5-on-5 situations, Tatar ranks No. 5 among NHL left- wingers this season, tied with Boston’s Brad Marchand and only one point behind Washington superstar Alex Ovechkin. He’s well ahead of such star players as Jamie Benn of Dallas, Colorado’s Gabriel Landeskog and even Pacioretty. When we include every NHL forward in the equation, Tatar still ranks among the top 20.

His 5-on-5 production has seen a significant uptick this season in goals and in primary assists.

But that’s not enough to declare him a borderline elite player. For that, we must examine his impact on the Canadiens in controlling shots and goals.

Once again, Tatar’s numbers have risen significantly. But this time around, they’re among the best in the NHL.

Only two players have controlled a higher percentage of the shots during their shifts this season, Carolina centre Jordan Staal and San Jose defenceman Erik Karlsson. Tatar also ranks eighth overall in controlling high-danger shots.

Tatar is second overall in the NHL in terms of how many goals his team controls while he’s on the ice, ahead of Pittsburgh superstar Sidney Crosby. On average, the Canadiens score 3.45 goals per 60 minutes during his shifts and allow just 1.75 goals against.

Simply put, when Tatar’s on the ice, the Canadiens aren’t just controlling the play, they’re flat out dominating their opponents. 1105242 Montreal Canadiens No matter how cloudy the outcome of the 2018-19 season might be at this very moment, one thing is very clear as we prep for the final few days to play out – in less than a year the Montreal Canadiens have Melnick’s GBU: The Canadiens don’t control their own destiny, but they turned an incredibly bad season with little hope for the immediate future are handling what they do control perfectly into something as bright as a vintage call from the HNIC broadcast booth.

The late season signings of Josh Brook, Ryan Poehling and Cayden By Mitch Melnick Apr 3, 2019 Primeau to their first pro contracts is another building block for a mostly young team in the middle of a retool. You couldn’t fault GM Marc

Bergevin if he allowed himself a brief “Oh baby!’ moment. Bruins score early in Columbus. Click. In the meantime, with the odds still heavily stacked against them, the Opening faceoff in Montreal. Good first shift by the Jordan Weal line. Canadiens march on. Fueled perhaps by the guiding words of another Click. noted philosopher. Not from Germany, but from New Jersey.

Leafs hosting Hurricanes. Click. It ain’t over ‘til it’s over.

Bruins extend their lead in Columbus. Click. THE GOOD

Habs down an early fluke goal but peppering career minor leaguer Eddie · Phillip Danault-Brendan Gallagher-Tomas Tatar: I thought Tatar was Pasquale like a Caesar salad. Click. the best player on the ice. He’s had more productive games, but this was just an absolute standout effort in every area of the ice. Gallagher, who Garrett Sparks is not going to help, is he? Click. must be running on fumes at this point, threw everything but his stick at Pasquale (a game-high six shots on goal and 10 shots at the net) while It feels just like a Game 7 at the Bell Centre. Clic…no, wait…Habs tie it. getting plastered for the second straight game. In Winnipeg, Gallagher And on it went. Thankfully, the Bruins took care of business early enough got nailed into the boards by Brandon Tanev. It was a bone-rattling but to keep the flipping to the “last channel” button on the remote. But then, clean hit. There was too much at stake to even think of responding. Early eventually, only during a commercial break. in the second period against Tampa Bay, Gallagher was caught by Mikhail Sergachev’s massive hit along the boards at his own blue line. Still, by midway through the second period I needed a second strong belt One period earlier the former Hab took a penalty after he flung Tatar to of bourbon to cut the tension (and fight the lingering caffeine rush of just the ice like a rag doll. Once again, just like in Winnipeg, the Canadiens another work day) while trying to maintain focus with a pair of eyes that displayed tremendous poise and discipline, with no retaliatory penalties hadn’t been diverted by three separate events at once since watching while completely avoiding the NHL’s best power play. Gallagher was “Woodstock” for the first time. clearly shaken by the hit. But he still managed to find another gear (In another life, in another time, may Gallagher grow a full foot and get even. Earlier in the day, Claude Julien said his team would have to match their Maybe it happens in his dreams). And Danault? In his first game after he effort level from Saturday’s impressive win in Winnipeg. But in reality, was awarded the Jacques Beauchamp trophy as the Habs’ unsung hero facing a truly great Lightning team, even without the NHL’s best for the second time in three years, the 26-year-old centre again showed defenceman and best goaltender, and coming off a win the night before why he should be taken more seriously as a candidate for the Selke in Ottawa, the Habs were going to have to be better. trophy. The original spirit of the Selke was to award it annually to the best And they were. Even after they fell behind early following a shift from defensive forward in the NHL (long before the term ‘shutdown’ existed) hockey hell. who otherwise would not be recognized at the end of the season. It was the brilliance of Bob Gainey that forced the NHL to honor that kind of All the Canadiens did was play their very best game of the season. player. Somewhere along the way, offensive ability seemed to Privately, it might be killing them to know that they can’t go back to the overshadow the real grunt work. Anyway, the Danault line managed to last six minutes of the third period in Carolina in a game they eventually severely limit the scoring chances of the likely MVP Nikita Kucherov (one lost in overtime, and the crucial point to go with it. Playing their next road shot on goal) along with Brayden Point (2 shots) and, at times, Stamkos, game in Columbus against a team that had finally started to roll in the who, other than his fluke goal, failed to get a shot on goal. Danault was right direction was just a case of terrible timing. again an ace on draws winning 16 of 21 (76 percent), including all four of his faceoffs against Stamkos. Danault’s faceoff success rate for the But what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. season is closing in on 55 percent. Now, if he could only add another 8- 10 goals a season, that Selke trophy might not be out of reach. It’s not a Kelly Clarkson song. It’s not a bumper sticker (but it should be on the back of every vehicle in America). It’s a life lesson brought to you · Artturi Lehkonen: Finally got a bounce or two to go his way. Who knew by German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche, who actually said, “That they played baseball in Finland? Easy to be happy for Lehkonen when he which does not kill us, makes us stronger.” (My favorite Nietzsche quote scored what turned out to be the winning goal by batting a puck out of is, “Without music, life would be a mistake.”) midair and then finding the loose puck again to score his 11th goal of the season in style. Just over two minutes later, Lehkonen made another Losing the ability to control their own destiny while playing out their terrific play along the boards to send Max Domi in alone while Sergachev remaining games seems to have had the opposite effect on the vanished, and the Habs centre moved to within two goals of the 30 mark Canadiens. But as impressive as their last two wins have been, they’re when he buried a smart snipe past Pasquale’s glove hand to clinch the still barely halfway home. victory. It took a while, but Lehkonen made it count – it was his first assist What’s more challenging than facing Winnipeg and Tampa Bay? Try in 27 games. After a very rough start, Domi got much better while the taking on the defending Stanley Cup champs. In Washington. When the third member of the line, Andrew Shaw, continued to play out his typically Caps are rested. And with a chance to finally clinch the Metropolitan intense, playoff-like, follow-me routine. Division and keep away those pesky New York Islanders before having · Nate Thompson: Picked a good time to score his first goal as a Hab to host them in the season finale on Saturday. after Paul Byron used his speed to jump on a loose puck behind the Even then, for Montreal, there’s still a flawed but very good Toronto team Lightning net and get it out to Thompson in the slot. “He’s a better skater to face while hoping that Carolina and Columbus can stumble against and playmaker than I thought he was when I played against him,” said clearly inferior teams; Carolina hosts New Jersey on Thursday while Byron after the game. It was good to see a clearly healthy Byron eased finishing up in Philadelphia, the Blue Jackets finish with back-to-back back into the lineup (10:48) along with Jesperi Kotkaniemi (10:49). games on the road, in John Tortorella’s old hockey home at Madison · Jeff Petry and Brett Kulak: Outstanding effort. Maybe we don’t have to Square Garden on Friday and in Ottawa on Saturday. wait until next year to discover if Kulak is the real deal.

It might not be the unlikely equivalent of Habs fans cheering for the · Shea Weber and Victor Mete: Very steady and controlled game by Bruins and Maple Leafs on the same night as their own team is battling Weber, who played a game-high 23:47. Mete struggled at times, but it for a playoff spot, but there are worse things to ponder. was his shot that led to the game-winning goal by Lehkonen. It was just a few seconds after it appeared that Mete finally had his first career goal when his shot at a mostly open net ended up hitting Pasquale in the mask.

· Joel Armia: Like Domi, Armia was able to make up for a mistake or two in his own zone that led to Tampa’s second goal by Cedric Paquette. He was relentless on the puck. Not to be denied, even as he dribbled the loose puck past Pasquale, Armia pulled a Stamkos and was able to score from behind the net after banking a shot off the Tampa Bay goalie to tie the game 2-2. The Bell Centre erupted like it was an overtime winner. That play – the hunger and desperation displayed by Armia – typifies much of what we’ve seen from the Habs down the stretch.

THE BAD

· Jonathan Drouin vs his old team: He came close to scoring a couple of times. There really was nothing bad about the Habs’ effort. But in eight career games against the team that traded him, Drouin has no goals and one assist. Maybe he’s saving it for the postseason?

THE UGLY

· Stamkos goal: A weaker Montreal team might have folded after the way the game started for them. Following a good early shift, Mete made a good clearing outlet pass in front of his bench, but Danault and Gallagher had their backs to him as they were heading off the ice for a change. It resulted instead in a turnover. The puck eventually found Domi inside his own zone who couldn’t do anything with it. When he first got it, he was too soft with it and it resulted in a turnover. Mete, still stuck on the ice, battled for it in the corner with Ondrej Palat. The puck found Domi again, but he put it right onto the stick of Kucherov who found himself alone in front of Carey Price. But before Kucherov could do anything an alert Price poke-checked it away. It went directly to Domi who immediately backhanded the puck into what he thought was the no-danger zone in the corner of the rink behind his net. But that’s where Stamkos was. The Lightning captain backhanded the puck back to the middle of the ice but a well-positioned Domi – kind of like Jordie Benn on the late game-tying goal in Carolina by Trevor Van Riemsdyk – instinctively kicked out his right leg. He, just like Benn, redirected the puck right into his own net. Ugh. Thus ended Domi’s worst shift as a Hab. The game was barely two and a half minutes old. Less than three hours later, in a victorious Montreal room, Domi was asked how good it felt to redeem himself for the early miscues by scoring the clincher. He still had his game face on. With jaw clenched his reply was, “It’s a huge win.” When somebody else asked a follow-up question on his rough start, a steely-eyed Domi’s response was, “It’s hockey, right? It’s a win so we’ll focus on the positive here.” Click.

The Athletic LOADED: 04.04.2019 1105243 Nashville Predators

Home ice for Predators rests on final two games, but does home ice even matter?

Paul Skrbina, April 3, 2019

For whatever reason, the Predators have made themselves feel at home on the road this season about as much as they've made themselves feel at home while at home.

All of which might or might not matter come playoff time.

Nashville finished the regular season 22-15-4 away from Bridgestone Arena and is 23-14-2 there with two home games remaining – Thursday (7 p.m., Fox TN) against the Canucks and Saturday (7 p.m., Fox TN) against the Blackhawks.

With the Central Division up for grabs between the Predators, Jets and Blues, those last two games might be crucial. Or they might not, depending on what the Jets and Blues do.

Defenseman Mattias Ekholm, for one, doesn't think location much matters. Sure, he'd love to have home-ice advantage. He also knows it did the team little good last season, when the Predators had the best record in the league and lost in the second round of the playoffs.

"Everyone has played a little bit more simple on the road," he said. "That’s what you have to do to be successful.

"When this team plays simple, we're a really good hockey team. I don’t mind being on the road. Whatever happens, happens. As long as we take care of our business."

The Predators probably will have to win both remaining games – and hope the Jets lose at least once – to ensure home-ice advantage for the first two rounds.

Nashville can finish no lower than third in the division, in which case it would not have home ice.

Predators players celebrate their 3-0 win against the Maple Leafs on March 19 at Bridgestone Arena.

"This isn’t something we're all of a sudden talking about," Predators coach Peter Laviolette said. "It's been a goal to try and win home ice, try and win the Central Division, try and win the Western Conference, try and be first overall in the league.

"We're still chasing some of that. Some of that has gotten away from us."

Laviolette said he would "love" to win the final two games, would love to have home-ice for a seven-game series or two.

He also knows it could mean nothing.

"There's been a lot of games where either we've played OK and haven't won or we haven't played well enough to win," he said. "It would be great if we could get back to (winning at home).

"If we do, that doesn't guarantee anything either."

One thing is for sure, the Predators will become the closest thing to Blackhawks fans they can on Wednesday night, when the Blues play Chicago.

"As much as we can," Colton Sissons said of cheering on the Blackhawks.

"I'll definitely watch," captain Roman Josi said. "It's fun to watch. It's good for the sport that it's that tight and it comes down to the last two games."

Tennessean LOADED: 04.04.2019 1105244 Nashville Predators And this week of regular-season hockey will be deliciously good, no matter how the standings shake out, because it’s the last one.

Tennessean LOADED: 04.04.2019 Celebrate, Predators fans — this torturous regular season is ending

Joe Rexrode, Nashville Tennessean Published 8:00 a.m. CT April 3, 2019

NASHVILLE – The Nashville Predators started the week knowing they could end up as high as the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference or as low as the No. 7.

And even with two games left, the top three spots in the Central Division — and any combination of hosting or traveling to Winnipeg or St. Louis — remained possible. That’s some serious range with 80 games played.

It also fits this team, which just scored a much-needed 3-2 win at Buffalo, right after getting handled at home by Columbus, right after going to Pittsburgh and stifling the Penguins for a second straight road win, right after going to Winnipeg and getting outclassed by more than a 5-0 final score suggests, a few days after wins at San Jose and at home vs. Toronto made it clear this team is a contender, a few days after a loss at Anaheim made you wonder if these guys might flirt with a playoffs-free spring.

I have no idea what this team is going to do in its final two games, both at home to postseason non-qualifiers — Thursday vs. Vancouver, Saturday vs. Chicago — or in the playoffs that will finally, mercifully, arrive next week. Neither do you. Neither do they, even if they believe there’s a Stanley Cup run to be dug out of this Forrest Gump box of chocolates.

One night it’s a caramel-filled flavor sensation, the next night it takes 10 minutes to brush away the gross, fake-cherry taste. The Buffalo game was chocolate and nougat. It was good enough.

Ryan Johansen with the game winner. The much-scrutinized, badly needed second line of Kyle Turris, Mikael Granlund and Craig Smith making things happen. P.K. Subban looking like P.K. Subban. Pekka Rinne looking like Pekka Rinne. Austin Watson returning to the lineup. Dante Fabbro looking more comfortable.

Nashville Predators defenseman Dante Fabbro (57) skates against the Columbus Blue Jackets during the second period at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn., Saturday, March 30, 2019.

Start rattling off names on that roster and it’s easier to remember that this team has the goods to play for a long time this spring. That’s always been true. It hasn’t always been easy to see. And it’s doubtful the final outcome of this regular season will have any effect on the postseason.

The Preds could secure home ice through the first two rounds and not make the second. They could be stuck traveling to Winnipeg for the first game of the playoffs and launch a long run from there (the Jets, by the way, had the dreaded players-only meeting after Tuesday’s 5-1 loss at Minnesota, the team’s fifth in seven games).

KNOW THE SCORE:

As Roman Josi said recently, the division is a separate goal, and winning it is “a big accomplishment” — one the franchise has achieved once, last season, so this is a chance to double its division-championship banners. And if that’s how things turn out late Saturday night, the over/under on enjoyment is one hour, until attention turns to the first-round opponent.

If regular-season achievement and momentum carried over, five wins in the final seven games last season to clinch the Presidents’ Trophy would have led to a better outcome than a second-round loss to the Jets.

If regular-season achievement and momentum carried over, five losses in the final seven games two years ago to be stuck with the No. 8 seed – and No. 16 overall – would have led to the quick exit against mighty Chicago most expected. Rinne and the Predators created their own momentum in Game 1 in Chicago, and it wasn’t halted until Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final.

And this team, which has felt in flux for most of the season, won’t have time to iron everything out before the playoffs begin. But Peter Laviolette knows what he has in his top line and his goaltenders. He knows what he got last spring from the now-reunited line of Watson, Nick Bonino and Colton Sissons. Everyone knows Turris will be key. 1105245 New Jersey Devils Seney has two goals and 16 assists in the AHL this season and five goals and eight assists for the NHL team.

Bergen Record LOADED: 04.04.2019 NJ Devils notes: Jeremy Davies signs ELC, Tyler Dellow hired, Brett Seney recalled

Abbey Mastracco April 3, 2019

NEWARK — With the college hockey season winding down teams are turning their eyes toward locking up their college prospects. Jérémy Davies is the first one to sign during this spring period for the Devils. The Northeastern defenseman elected to forgo his final year of college eligibility and sign with the New Jersey, the program announced Wednesday.

A seventh-round pick by the Devils in 2016, Davies, a 22-year-old out of Sainte-Anne-de-Belle, Quebec, finished a decorated college career with 94 points (22 goals and 72 assists). An All-American and a Hobey Baker candidate, Davies profiles similar to other defensemen the Devils have signed in recent years, like Will Butcher and Ty Smith, as a smart, speedy, yet somewhat undersized, puck-mover.

He’s somewhat undersized at 5-foot-11 but the game is beginning to move toward using smaller, faster players.

"We are very excited to sign Jeremy," Devils general manager Ray Shero said in a statement. "He is a very smart puck-moving defenseman who can transition his team to offense in all three zones. His vision, skill, competitiveness, character and leadership helped Northeastern become one of the top echelon schools in the country during his time there. We also want to thank Jim Madigan and his staff at Northeastern for Jeremy's development these past three years.”

Davies joined the Devils for practice on Wednesday but with his contract beginning in 2019-20 he will not be added to the active roster for the final road trip of the season through Carolina and Florida.

Dellow hired

Shero had a busy day on Wednesday with another big move being made to bolster the club. Tyler Dellow was hired as vice president of hockey analytics. One of the pioneers of advanced analytics, Dellow previously worked for the Edmonton Oilers under Dallas Eakins and most recently was a writer for The Athletic.

"Since Day One, Josh Harris and David Blitzer have supported us by investing in the staff and resources it takes to build a team, the right way," Shero said in another statement. ”We have used those resources to recruit talented people who can increase our organization's expertise in every aspect of the game. Bringing Tyler on board is just another example of our commitment to progressively building in a manner that can help the franchise achieve sustained success.”

Harris and Blitzer and their HBSE Sports group have shown a commitment to analytics in their management of the Philadelphia 76ers. The hiring of Dellow shows the "Moneyball" ways of baseball analytics have spread to the NBA and NHL.

“Being able to collaborate with the entire organization, including HBSE, was a reason that attracted me here,” Dellow said. “I look forward to building a team that can help other parts of the organization prepare and make decisions on what's best for the Devils.”

Seney recalled

Feb 9, 2019; Newark, NJ, USA; New Jersey Devils left wing Brett Seney (43) celebrates after scoring a goal during the first period against the Minnesota Wild at Prudential Center.

Brett Seney was recalled from Binghamton of the on Wednesday. The speedy center was sent back to the AHL to work on systems execution right before the NHL trade deadline in February.

Although Seney’s speed was an asset for the NHL team, he wasn’t playing in key late-game situations and coach John Hynes had lamented his drive and competitiveness at times. Seney has never been afraid to spar with the bigger guys, forever owning that chip on his 5-foot-8 shoulder, but the number of penalties he was taking before his demotion was at times detrimental. 1105246 New Jersey Devils scratch and missed time with a late-season shoulder injury, getting into only 52 games. For Hischier, it could be a chance to play meaningful games late into the season. He has yet to play for the Swiss National Which NJ Devils could play in the IIHF World Championships? team at the senior level.

Mackenzie Blackwood and Damon Severson (Canada)

Abbey Mastracco, NHL writer Published 6:33 p.m. ET April 2, 2019 Jan 14, 2019; Newark, NJ, USA; New Jersey Devils goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood (29) makes a save during the first period of their game against the Chicago Blackhawks at Prudential Center.

NEWARK — The Devils are about to embark on a long offseason and A Canadian team with rookie goalies Mackenzie Blackwood and Carter even longer for some the large group of players who missed significant Hart would be fun to watch. Blackwood will finish the season with 23 time with injuries. games under his belt and he’s risen to the occasion in tough buildings. This would be another big game atmosphere for him to learn from. Hynes Andy Greene and Damon Severson may be the only two to play 82 said he would be in favor of Blackwood playing in the event. games this season. The American Hockey League regulars may get a few more games with Binghamton, but the B-Devils will miss the Calder Severson showed a more refined all-around game this year, taking a Cup Playoffs for a second straight season. So, a few players will turn bigger role on the power play and showing a strong ability to move the their attention to the IIHF World Championships. puck. His defensive decision-making has still been questioned and playing on bigger ice would provide an opportunity for some tough calls The event begins May 10 in Slovakia so there will be players on playoff to make. teams that end up playing in the event as well, much like a handful of New Jersey players did last year after their first-round exit. There’s no Taylor Hall will likely be asked to play in Slovakia but he turned the making up for lost time but it’s a good way to get some extra work invitation from Team Canada down last year when healthy. He’s still against high-quality competition. rehabbing his knee so I can’t see him taking them up on the offer.

“The types of players you get to play with, the relationships you get to Cory Schneider, Blake Coleman and Kyle Palmieri (United States) create with other coaches and other players as well as the experience of playing in important games, I’m a big proponent of that for any of our Established veterans like Schneider sometimes opt out of the event to players,” coach John Hynes said. spend more time with their families in the offseason but Schneider is a different story this year. The Devils’ Masterton Trophy nominee will finish Here are a few players who could benefit from playing in the World the season having played only 26 NHL games and in some of them the Championships. results weren’t spectacular. Schneider may want to keep this momentum going in order to work out some kinks in his game. However, considering Jesper Bratt (Sweden) this is his first healthy offseason in a few years, he may want to take Mar 5, 2019; Newark, NJ, USA; New Jersey Devils left wing Jesper Bratt advantage of that. (63) plays the puck against Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Coleman participated in the event last season and had a positive Werenski (8) during the second period at Prudential Center. experience. The two lead the Devils with 27 goals and 22 goals, Bratt was eager for a big season after figuring out how to deal with the respectively. A dark horse candidate could be center Kevin Rooney, who mental grind of the NHL but it was delayed from the start and ended early started the season in Binghamton but quickly found a role as a bottom- because of two errant pucks. A puck broke his jaw in New Jersey’s six center capable of generating some momentum and killing penalties. season-opening trip to Europe for the NHL Global Series and hit him in Bergen Record LOADED: 04.04.2019 the inside of his ankle in March.

Bratt is skating again but won’t play in the last two games of the season, so he’s hopeful for a spot on Team Sweden.

“If the question comes up, I’d be more than happy to go over and play for Sweden,” Bratt said.

The organization is in favor of it as well.

“If he’s 100 percent, I think it’s a good thing,” Hynes said.

More: The change Devils’ Jesper Bratt credits with getting to the NHL

Pavel Zacha (Czech)

Feb 9, 2019; Newark, NJ, USA; New Jersey Devils center (37) skates with the puck during the second period against the Minnesota Wild at Prudential Center.

Zacha had a concussion late in the season and earlier in the season he was demoted to Binghamton of the American Hockey League. It’s been a good season for the 21-year-old centerman but not great. The Devils still need to see a little more from their 2015 first-round draft pick, in particular using his body down low in the dirty areas.

“Coming up the ice and making plays off the rush, he does a very good job of that. Coming into our zone, he has very good vision and can distribute the puck,” Hynes said. “But his next step as a player is he’s got to take the engine that God has given him and he’s got to have more drive in there.”

More: This is what the Devils need to see from Pavel Zacha

Mirco Mueller and Nico Hischier (Switzerland)

Jan 6, 2019; Las Vegas, NV, USA; New Jersey Devils center Nico Hischier (13) is pictured during the second period against the Vegas Golden Knights at T-Mobile Arena.

Mueller played for the Swiss team last year but Hischier was unable to because of wrist surgery. Mueller spent much of the season as a healthy 1105247 New Jersey Devils I got a phone call from Alex Rucker in October. Alex is with the 76ers (as executive vice president of basketball operations), and he had been in Toronto for a while with the Raptors. He was like, “Hey, I’ve been asked Q&A: Tyler Dellow on joining the Devils as vice president of analytics and to help with putting this process in place for the Devils and helping them why New Jersey is the right fit sort of build a department.” They were able to rely on Alex’s expertise and experience doing it in Philly. He said, “Could we have a conversation?” We had a conversation and that led to more conversations, and that ultimately led to being offered the job and I By Corey Masisak Apr 3, 2019 accepted.

The past and present of New Jersey’s analytics leaders — Sunny Mehta Tyler Dellow has been an authoritative voice in the hockey analytics on the far left and Tyler Dellow on the far right — on a panel at the 2019 community for about as long as it has existed, and he is now a member MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference. (Courtesy of MIT Sloan Sports of the Devils’ front office. Conference)

New Jersey has hired Dellow to be the organization’s vice president of What about the Devils excited you or piqued your interest? analytics. He’ll be responsible for leading a re-imagined department just Four things. (General manager) Ray (Shero) has a pretty good group. It as the information age in the NHL is about to evolve in a pretty drastic is a good mix of people with different backgrounds. Ray has the Stanley fashion. Cup (with Pittsburgh in 2009) and he’s been doing this for 20-odd years. Dellow became a well-known figure, first in the analytics community and He’s somebody who has a lot of experience. It’s a cool group with Dan eventually with a wider audience, while writing for Sportsnet and his own MacKinnon and Tom Fitzgerald. I like that they have different website, mc79hockey.com. His work garnered more attention as the use perspectives. Going back to one of your earlier questions, that was of analytics in hockey expanded, and he landed his first job in the NHL something I found to be beneficial in Edmonton was having different with the Edmonton Oilers in August 2014 as a consultant for their hockey perspectives, so I liked that. operations department. I don’t know John Hynes very well, but at The Athletic over the past It was one of many high-profile hires by NHL teams that offseason, couple years I’ve liked looking at coaching stuff. One of the things I’ve including Sunny Mehta with the Devils, Eric Tulsky with the Carolina sort of kept my eye one is, are there coaches who pop up at the good Hurricanes and the first additions of what has become a small army end of things that I think might be coaching-impacted more than others? working for and the Toronto Maple Leafs. There are still It was something that happened a lot with him, so he’s kind of an people in hockey who bristle at the influence of analytics, but that interesting character to me. He has shown up in work that I’ve done in summer effectively ended the notion that hockey would not embrace any the past a lot. type of information that can help identify advantages, make better The organization is big on collaborative stuff. I’m talking about HBSE decisions and, ultimately, win more games. Sports and not just the Devils, in particular, although I think that Mehta was the director of hockey analytics for the Devils until he left the philosophy applies here, as well. One of the benefits for me is that we organization early in the 2017-18 season. Dellow spent two seasons can see an NBA team that has a really high-level analytics department working for the Oilers, a span that included three coaches (Dallas Eakins, and how does it work there, and what lessons can we take from that and Todd Nelson and Todd MacLellan) and two general managers (Craig bring over to hockey? MacTavish and Peter Chiarelli). The fourth thing is having met the managing partners, Josh (Harris) and Eakins was a big proponent of Dellow’s writing, even when it criticized David (Blitzer), it is pretty clear that they are committed to doing this and the Oilers. While adding Dellow was not a popular decision for some doing it a certain way. It checked a bunch of boxes for me that made a lot people in Edmonton, Eakins praised Dellow for his work with the club of sense. after the coach was fired. Do you have any parting thoughts about working for The Athletic? “The thing I liked about Tyler is he fit in great with our staff,” Eakins said It was a fantastic experience. I was really lucky to be part of it. I was on TSN’s hockey analytics radio show. “I think he’s gotten a real — his really proud of what we built while I was there. I came on when we were eyes opened up big time on how teams work. I think him being able to just in Toronto and it was the second city (after Chicago). James Mirtle work with (assistant coach) Craig Ramsay and (associate coach) Keith called me up and said, “Hey, would you mind doing some freelance Acton has made him even better. But, like, Tyler Dellow for me, is one of stuff?” I was figuring out my next step, so I said sure because James is a these guys that is a great asset to a staff.” friend of mine. It sort of snowballed from there beyond anything I could Dellow returned to writing about hockey for The Athletic in February have expected. I was very lucky to work with a bunch of talented people 2017. One of his last stories earlier this month was about which there, including James, and to be part of the vision that Alex (Mather) defensemen coaches from each of the 31 teams trust the most. and Adam (Hansmann) have. To see where it has gone has been incredible. I’m a subscriber now and I’m a real believer in it. I’m thankful Dellow spoke with The Athletic about his life in hockey, why he’s ready to to everyone who subscribed and read my stuff. work for a team again and what excites him about the Devils. Why do you think you’ve been successful at finding ways to make How did all of this start? How did you go from being a kid who loved analytics-influenced arguments easy for readers to understand, and is hockey to having your own site and eventually a career in sports? that skill — finding ways to connect these two worlds that are still sometimes at odds with each other — still going to be part of your new Oh man, so we’re going that far back? So I was in law school, and law job? school can be kind of boring, especially the third year because it is really repetitive. I just decided to start a blog, and this was when “Moneyball” Oh, yeah. I think it’s important to do that well, and I’ve tried to spend a lot was a big thing. I was interested in thinking about hockey that way, so I of time learning to do that well. It was interesting — if you go back five or started a blog and wrote about it and one thing led to another and here six years, I was doing some stuff for Sportsnet and I was doing stuff for we are. my own blog. I used to complain to people that I could do stuff for my old blog much more quickly because the audience was different. When I was What were some of the biggest takeaways from your time working for the writing for Sportsnet, I was writing for a big audience and people who Oilers? didn’t necessarily know anything about it, and you have to think about I think a really big one for me was just there’s a real benefit from getting how you’re going to present it to them. Whereas for my old blog, I was to know people who have different experiences. Like in Edmonton, there writing for about 100 people, all of whom who had been reading it for five were people who played at a high level and people who coached at a years, and there was a sort of shorthand. high level, and honestly I just tried to listen as much as I could to different So for me, connecting with different audiences is something I’ve worked people with different backgrounds. I think that can make people who do at a lot over the past few years. I think it is an important skill set — not this sort of stuff better at what they do. just for me, but for anyone who is interested in doing this. How did this opportunity with the Devils come to fruition? How do you think this new firehose of information that is coming from the player tracking data is going to change your job, if at all, and do you think it’s going to have a big impact on the sport?

I think what we’ve seen in a lot of sports is the firehose of information does have an impact, and it’s a question of how well can you harness that information and extract insights from it and put them to use on the field or on the court or on the ice. I think it’s going to have a big impact, and precisely where that will be, I guess we’ll just see as time goes on.

How do you see this department helping the organization, and how do you think it could evolve in the future?

I think one of the ways the department can help is we can provide information and context that can be used in making decisions, whether that’s by the coaching staff or by Ray and his staff. That comes about in a bunch of different ways. As better information comes online, we’ll be able to do more complex things. That will likely include adding people with certain skills and building a group. To me, it is about how can you use the information, pull insights from it and make better decisions. You require a bunch of things to do that. You have to have people who are talented at dealing with the information and you have to have people who are talented at communicating it.

The Athletic LOADED: 04.04.2019 1105248 New York Islanders

Valtteri Filppula’s Islanders practice could mean early return

By Brett Cyrgalis April 3, 2019

SUNRISE, Fla. — The clear explanation of an injury probably made shudder, but the news itself probably made the Islanders president smile.

Lamoriello is adamant about disclosing as little injury information as possible, but third-line center Valtteri Filppula told reporters on Long Island on Wednesday that he suffered a hyperextended left elbow when he was plastered into the backboards against the Bruins on March 19.

But Filppula practiced in his regular spot Wednesday, between Anthony Beauvillier and Leo Komarov, which was quite a good sign for him being available for a first-round playoff series that will start either next Wednesday or Thursday.

“It felt good today,” Filppula said, according to the team’s website. “I’m really optimistic right now.”

The original timeline for Filppula was four weeks, which would put him at April 16, somewhere near Game 3 or 4 of the playoffs. But a practice at this point is a big step toward possibly getting back sooner.

“Being realistic, he could be ready,” coach Barry Trotz said. “It’ll be real big for us. He’s getting his strength back and all that.”

When Filppula first got hurt, the team called up Tanner Fritz, and he did a good job in his four games. But then he needed surgery to repair a blood clot in his hand, keeping him out for the next six to eight weeks.

In the interim, Trotz has brought back Tom Kuhnhackl into the lineup and moved Komarov out of position to the middle. It is not an ideal situation, and Trotz has often moved Beauvillier off that line mid-game to join Casey Cizikas and Cal Clutterbuck.

It seems as if defenseman Thomas Hickey might draw back in after being a healthy scratch for the past six games. Hickey was paired with Nick Leddy for Wednesday’s practice, meaning veteran Johnny Boychuk might get a night off.

“I’d like to see [Hickey] in another game, for sure,” Trotz said. “Just trying to get the whole group ready.”

One of the things that Trotz said has “pleasantly surprised” him was how nice it is living on Long Island after his perception of the area had previously been centered around only the Coliseum and the adjacent hotel.

“I didn’t know about it for the first 20 years in the league,” Trotz said. “I knew the Marriott and I knew the Champions bar downstairs, that’s where you ate. And I knew the Coliseum. So I was really pleasantly surprised at how nice the area is, and the fan base has been fantastic.”

New York Post LOADED: 04.04.2019 1105249 New York Islanders And wouldn’t that be the perfect tune-up for Lehner.

“I’m preparing to start,” Lehner said. “That’s my mindset.”

Looks like Islanders will tap Robin Lehner for playoff opener New York Post LOADED: 04.04.2019

By Brett Cyrgalis April 3, 2019

SUNRISE, Fla. — Any time Robin Lehner has been asked about being the Islanders’ No. 1 goalie, he has basically balked. He has invoked the company line time and again, lauding his partnership with Thomas Greiss.

But despite their similarly terrific numbers, all signs point toward Lehner, if healthy, being the team’s Game 1 starter in the playoffs. Coach Barry Trotz seems to be cognizant of Lehner’s freshness while the team as a whole is preparing for its first postseason since 2016.

And that really is some turnaround for the franchise, and personally for Lehner.

Trotz gave Lehner the day off from practice Wednesday on Long Island, citing the goaltender’s “general soreness,” before the team traveled for Thursday night’s match here against the Panthers. It is the penultimate game of the regular season, with a couple of permutations still open for where and when the Isles will open the playoffs.

But after Lehner dealt with what amounted to a neck injury when he was railroaded by the Senators Brady Tkachuk back on March 5, and after he started six of the past seven games — and played in seven of the past eight — a short break would probably do him well.

After a team day off Tuesday, Lehner could get a skate in on Thursday morning, a practice Friday in Washington, and then play in the final game of the regular season against the Capitals on Saturday night — a game that could determine who wins the Metropolitan Division.

Thomas Greiss

“I’ll do what I’ve done all year — prepare,” Lehner said after his team lost a tight 2-1 game to the Maple Leafs at the Coliseum on Monday night. “Just prepare and if my name is called upon, I’m there.”

Whenever Trotz has been asked about where he stands with his goaltending, he has cited “a plan.” The only thing that has altered that plan was the couple of minor injuries that Lehner dealt with, early in the season and then recently.

It adds up to Lehner getting 42 starts to the 38 for Greiss. They have combined for the second-best even-strength team save percentage in the league (.935), with Lehner overall holding a 2.18 goals-against average and .928 save percentage — both second only to Dallas’ Ben Bishop — while Greiss is right behind with 2.32 (third-best) and .926 (fourth).

“Our focus is on winning hockey games and securing the best spot we can,” Trotz said. “It really hasn’t changed. I’ve gone with a little bit of a plan, a little bit of a gut here and there. I don’t think it’s going to change a whole lot. We feel very confident that both can go in and do the job.”

Lehner is darn near a shoo-in for the Masterton Trophy in June, the Islanders nominee for the award that goes to the player “who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to .” He has nobly battled back from substance abuse and mental-health issues, and his game has returned in kind.

Barry Trotz

It helps that Trotz has the Islanders playing such a defense-first style, set to become the first team since the Senators of 1918 and 1919 to go from last in the league in goals-against to first the next season. It is only appropriate that their goalie is such a reclamation project, as well.

Now the Islanders have to figure out who they’re going to play when they start their first postseason series since 2016 and hope to win only the second series for the franchise since 1993.

After the Penguins dropped a bad game in Detroit on Tuesday, the most likely scenario is that the Islanders will finish second in the division and play host to the Penguins in the first round. If the Islanders win on Thursday and the Capitals lose a home game to the Canadiens on Thursday, then an Islanders win of any kind in Washington on Saturday will give them the division. 1105250 New York Islanders Tremonte declined to comment, and court officials did not respond to a question about Cedarbaum’s condition.

Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 04.04.2019 Former Islanders co-owner Stephen Walsh seeks reduced prison sentence

John Riley

More than four years after he got a 20-year maximum prison sentence for fraud, a former co-owner of the New York Islanders is trying to get a break by claiming his previous lawyer should have challenged the judge who jailed him based on mental issues from the aftereffects of her stroke.

Lawyers for Stephen Walsh, 74, formerly of Sands Point, an Islanders co-owner from 1991 to 2000, said in a new filing that the late Manhattan U.S. District Judge Miriam Cedarbaum was out for eight months before his 2014 sentencing. Walsh's lawyers believed Cedarbaum was “cognitively impaired” but sat on their hands, according to the filing.

Cedarbaum, who died in 2016 at the age of 86, could have been challenged for removal under the federal Judicial Disability Act, Walsh’s lawyers said, and his family is prepared to push for that retroactively if he doesn’t get to withdraw his guilty plea or receive a re-sentencing.

“Walsh’s family, which has paid out thousands and thousands of dollars for Mr. Walsh’s defense, wishes to file a challenge,” the lawyers wrote. “Hopefully that challenge will not be necessary, if this Court grants relief, not only for the disability, but for counsel’s failure to deal with it.”

Walsh was accused in 2009 of carrying out an alleged $50 million investment fraud with partner Paul Greenwood, also a former Islanders executive, using a fraudulent sales pitch as what then-U. S. Attorney Preet Bharara called a “moneymaking machine” to finance a lavish lifestyle.

The alleged victims of their fraud included charities, universities and pension plans. Walsh used stolen money to pay a divorce settlement and provide money for his children’s businesses, while Greenwood bought expensive stallions and collector teddy bears, according to charges.

After pleading guilty, Walsh and defense lawyer Michael Tremonte proposed 18 to 24 months in prison. When Cedarbaum settled on 20 years, it produced gasps from Walsh’s family, and the judge even offered to consider letting him withdraw his plea after the unexpectedly harsh sentence for a white-collar case.

That ultimately never happened. Cedarbaum later sentenced Greenwood to 10 years. An appeals court later reversed the sentence because the judge mistakenly thought individuals lost money. Greenwood was re- sentenced by another judge to five years, but Walsh had waived any appeal in his plea deal.

Scheduled to be in custody until 2032, Walsh began his bid to overturn his sentence by challenging the work of his lawyers in 2017, and this week’s motions followed a hearing U.S. District Judge Loretta Preska held last month to take testimony from Walsh, Tremonte and others.

Walsh lawyers Vivian Shevitz and Susan Kellman said Tremonte admitted he had concerns about Cedarbaum — best known for giving prison time to home design mogul Martha Stewart in an insider trading case — both before and during the sentencing, and he should have acted on them.

“As Tremonte testified, no lawyer wants to be in a position to challenge the competence of the judge before whom his client appears,” they wrote. “However, Tremonte represented Walsh, not the government, and not the Court.”

Walsh’s lawyers said he is also entitled to relief because of a series of other errors. Tremonte failed to challenge the government’s calculation of losses from the fraud although investors were all eventually made whole, and didn’t consult with Walsh before declining Cedarbaum’s offer that he could try to withdraw his plea.

Prosecutors are opposing the bid for a new sentencing. They said in court filings that Walsh was a savvy businessman who knew the risks at his sentencing, Tremonte provided effective assistance and “acted reasonably” with regard to Cedarbaum. 1105251 New York Islanders

Islanders playoff seeding scenarios

Islanders goalie Robin Lehner and Matt Martin hug

By Andrew Gross

The Islanders, with two games remaining, still can finish anywhere from first to fourth in the Metropolitan Division.

If teams are tied in points, the first NHL playoff tiebreaker is ROW (regulation or overtime wins, excluding shootouts). The second tiebreaker is head-to-head results. The third tiebreaker is the better goal differential between the teams.

To guarantee finishing first, the Islanders must win both of their remaining games either in regulation or overtime while the Capitals can only gain one of their possible four points remaining.

Here’s how the top four teams in the division stand as of Wednesday:

1. Capitals (47-25-8, 102 points, 43 ROW, plus-31 goal differential)

Games remaining: Host Canadiens on Thursday and Islanders on Saturday

2. Islanders (46-27-7, 99 points, 42 ROW, plus-28 goal differential)

Games remaining: At Florida on Thursday and at Washington on Saturday

3. Penguins (43-26-11, 97 points, 41 ROW, plus-30 goal differential)

Games remaining: Host Red Wings on Thursday and Rangers on Saturday

4. Hurricanes (44-29-7, 95 points, 42 ROW, plus-19 goal differential)

Games remaining: Host Devils on Thursday and at Philadelphia on Saturday.

Islanders’ head-to-head record with those three opponents:

Capitals – 1-2-0 (one game remaining)

Penguins – Each team 2-1-1 with one shootout victory

Hurricanes – 3-1-0 (one overtime victory)

Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 04.04.2019 1105252 New York Islanders

Jordan Eberle excited for Islanders' playoff atmosphere at Nassau Coliseum

By Denis Gorman

Jordan Eberle has heard the stories.

The parking lot tailgating. The seemingly unceasing pandemonium. The passion.

And he is excited for the opportunity to experience the madness that is an Islanders home playoff game at NYCB Live's Nassau Coliseum for himself.

“I’ve heard lots of rumors,” Eberle said after Wednesday’s practice at Northwell Health Ice Center. “The tailgating, the crowd getting wild even before the game starts. I look forward to it. I’ve only experienced playoffs in Edmonton. That was great. And this would be just another one.”

When the Stanley Cup playoffs begin next week, it will be Eberle’s second time playing in the NHL postseason. Eberle was a member of the 2016-17 Oilers team that lost in the second round to the Anaheim Ducks in seven games. And a significant amount of criticism was directed toward Eberle, who did not score a goal despite recording 22 shots in 13 games against the Ducks and San Jose Sharks.

The Oilers' season ended with a 2-1 loss to the Ducks on May 10, 2017. On June 22, Eberle was traded to the Islanders for Ryan Strome. And now, with two games remaining in this regular season beginning with Thursday’s game at the Panthers and Saturday night’s finale against the Capitals in Washington, Eberle believes the experience in Edmonton will benefit him when the puck is dropped next week for the second season.

“Even going through that is going to help me this time," he said. "It’s a second time around, I know how the playoff games are, and I’ve experienced it before. So in that aspect, [I’m] definitely a more confident player.

Also adding to his confidence is that he is scoring goals. Eberle, who has 19 goals and 18 assists this season, has scored four goals in the Islanders’ last three games, and five in the last five games.

“The last little bit I’ve been getting a lot of chances,” said Eberle, who has 10 shots on goal in the five-game stretch. “[And the puck] is starting to go in a little bit more. It’s the right time of the year to start heating up and hopefully I can bring my best come playoff time.”

Eberle, 28, is an unrestricted free agent this summer. Teams value goal scorers, and a top-six right winger with 478 points (209 goals and 269 assists) in 664 career games should garner interest from teams looking to add offensive punch.

Eberle has scored at least 20 goals in every season except for his rookie year of 2010-11 when he finished with 18 in 69 games, and the 2012-13 lockout season when he recorded 16 in 48 games.

“The biggest thing is you want to be consistent. Every year you want to be a guy known for scoring 20 goals every year,” Eberle said. “I think I have that resume just based on every year. I want to be known as that kind of player.”

Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 04.04.2019 1105253 New York Islanders was given a rest day because of “general soreness.” Trotz seemed unconcerned. “If he’s fine, there’s a good chance he could go [Thursday],” the coach said . . . Trotz has an idea whom he will start in Are the Islanders scoreboard watching for playoff positioning? goal for Game 1 of the playoffs. And? “Come to the game; get a ticket,” Absolutely! he said . . . Trotz would like to get defenseman Thomas Hickey into a game this week . . . Trotz, who lives in Garden City, has been pleasantly surprised about Long Island. “I didn’t realize how nice it is, the area,” he said. “I didn’t know about it for the first 20 years in this league. I knew the By Neil Best Marriott and I knew the ‘Champions’ bar downstairs where you ate and I knew the Coliseum, and that was about it.”

Islanders fans were not the only ones keeping a close eye on Tuesday Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 04.04.2019 night’s Penguins-Red Wings game. The coaches and players were right there with them.

“We all have cell phones,” captain Anders Lee said after practice on Wednesday. “I check the scores. It’s exciting.”

Said coach Barry Trotz: “One hundred percent, everybody in our room does. Everybody in the NHL does. If they say they don’t, they’re lying to you.” (Trotz said he was watching three games at once Tuesday, given all the playoff permutations.)

In this case, the scoreboard watching yielded happy news. The out-of- contention Red Wings won, 4-1, which put the Islanders back in control in their quest to start a playoff series at home for the first time since 1988.

Their 99 points are two better than the Penguins’ 97. If they beat the Panthers on Thursday and the Capitals on Saturday, the worst they can finish is second in the Metropolitan Division.

They also have a shot at catching the Capitals for first place, with Washington three points ahead and facing the Canadiens on Thursday.

The Penguins, who are two points ahead of the Hurricanes for third place, have a rematch with the Red Wings on Thursday, then finish with the Rangers.

“We got some help; we must be living right,” Trotz said. “There’s opportunity there. Obviously, if we take care of business on our side, it sets us up in a pretty good spot.”

The Islanders were in a precarious position after losing to the Maple Leafs on Monday — on a night when the Caps also lost — but now anything is possible again.

“We got a little lucky,” Matt Martin said.

Home-ice advantage in the NHL playoffs is not as important as in other sports, notably the NBA, although Lee said not having to travel for Game 1 would be a bonus.

The real payoff comes if the series goes the distance. Martin said he thought that was a big edge for the Capitals when they beat the Islanders in Game 7 in 2015, and for the Bruins when they beat the Maple Leafs last year, when Martin played for the Leafs.

“I personally believe it’s a huge advantage to have that last game in your building,” Martin said. “That’s what you play for. We have an opportunity to do that.”

The Iast time the Islanders had home ice in 1988, they did not get to a Game 7. They won Game 1, 4-3 in overtime, against the Devils but eventually lost the series in six games. The Islanders have not played a winner-take-all finale at home since beating the Rangers in the fifth game of a best-of-five first-round series in 1984. They have not played a Game 7 at home since 1978, when they lost to the Maple Leafs in overtime in the quarterfinals.

NHL tiebreakers are complicated by the fact overtime victories and shootout victories are treated differently.

The first tiebreaker is wins in regulation or overtime. The Islanders currently have 42 and the Penguins 41. The tiebreaker after that is head- to-head points, where each team has five. The one after that is goal differential for the entire season. The Penguins currently are plus-30 and the Islanders plus-28.

“It’s one of those things you strive for, you work for, and that opportunity is still there to get,” Lee said of home ice, “so why not do something good these last couple of games?”

Notes & quotes: Valtteri Filppula, out since March 19 with an elbow injury, practiced and said he is “really optimistic” he can return for the playoffs. Said Trotz: “That would be really big for us.” . . . G Robin Lehner 1105254 New York Islanders attempt just 52.54 shots per 60 — the fourth-lowest rate in the league. In the first month of the season, in particular, their offensive generation was scarce. While they’ve shot the puck more since, primarily from in front of Goldman: How much can the Islanders rely on their defense and the net and at the point, it still isn’t at an overwhelming rate. goaltending in the playoffs? (Chart via HockeyViz)

For much of the season, their offense has come more from higher quality By Shayna Goldman Apr 3, 2019 shots, but not from a high quantity of shots. And much of that quality offense comes from shots right in front of the net.

Through 80 games, they’re expected to score goals at a rate of 2.37 per The New York Islanders have taken a crucial step this season, clinching 60, which is 12th in the league. That rate improved as the season a spot in the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs. But it’s just a step. The have progressed and was fairly steady until dipping in February. It’s been up their work cut out for them as they try to capitalize on their first and down since, but appears to be trending in the right direction in their postseason appearance since 2016 and make a run at the Stanley Cup. most recent stretch.

Defense and goaltending have defined the 2018-19 Islanders, who have Unfortunately, the Islanders’ offensive woes don’t stop at even strength. exceeded expectations under first-year general manager Lou Lamoriello, Their struggles extend to the power play, which is operating at just 14.8 head coach Barry Trotz and the entire regime. But while the defensive- percent for 29th in the league. Similar to their 5-on-5 offense, they’re minded focus has led to regular season success, the question becomes simply not generating enough shots, with the third-lowest shot rate in the whether the two pillars are enough to sustain them through the playoffs. league on the man-advantage. They are creating quality chances, but those haven’t masked their production issues. Much of the Islanders’ success this season can be attributed to the new coaching staff. Trotz has helped transform the Islanders’ defense, which Questionable personnel decisions and structural choices have plagued had its gaps over the years. Then, the two goaltending gurus Trotz the Islanders’ power play this season. While they don’t have the depth to brought in — director Mitch Korn and goalie coach Piero Greco — have form two dynamic units, they should at the least be able to lean on their had a profound impact on the position. Korn had worked with Trotz-led first unit for scoring — since it’s the unit that plays the bulk of their power teams in both Nashville and Washington, D.C. and has a reputation for play time. But it hasn’t provided them with the scoring edge that they elevating goaltenders’ games — from Dominik Hasek to Pekka Rinne to, need. most recently, Braden Holtby. Over the years, a number of teams have gone into the postseason with a With the help of Greco and Korn, Islanders goaltenders Robin Lehner struggling power play. In recent years, those teams have included the and Thomas Greiss have become one of the team’s biggest stories this 2014-15 Minnesota Wild, 2013-14 Los Angeles Kings, 2012-13 Boston season. Their resurgence has propelled the Islanders up the standings. Bruins, and 2011-12 Arizona Coyotes. For some, their power play struggles dragged into the postseason and contributed to an early In all situations, Lehner’s .928 save percentage is second in the league, demise, but some were able to turn it around once they got there. behind only Ben Bishop. When factoring in shot quality, his goals saved above average of 23.85 ranks third in the NHL, trailing only Bishop and More than anything, the success of those teams has depended on their Andrei Vasilevskiy. Greiss isn’t far behind his goaltending partner, with a strengths outside of the power play. .925 save percentage (sixth in the league) and 18.28 GSAA (fifth). At 5- on-5, their numbers are also stellar. Greiss leads the tandem with a .937 The 2013-14 Kings and 2010-11 Bruins are the primary examples when save percentage and 15.95 GSAA, while Lehner improved from last looking at teams who didn’t need a functional power play to win the season with a .934 save percentage and 14.75 GSAA. Stanley Cup. While the Kings’ special teams were more effective in the postseason, the Bruins weren’t as lucky, with a power play that operated Both goaltenders, who have split the net throughout the season with at 11.4 percent in the playoffs. But both teams had other elements to rely Lehner starting 42 and Greiss 38, have had the support of the defense in on and carry them through. front of them. Under Trotz, Ryan Pulock has progressed into a top defender; Adam Pelech, Scott Mayfield, and Devon Toews have all taken In the 2013-14 regular season, the Kings not only had success on each strides this season, as well. The coaching staff implemented a defensive end of the ice, but they had excellent goaltending. While the 2010-11 structure that this team needed, especially in recent seasons. Bruins had more weaknesses, particularly on defense, their offense and outstanding goaltending provided the upside. Last season, the Islanders allowed the third-highest shot rate against with 61.89 per 60 at 5-on-5. They were also expected to allow the The Islanders have been experiencing a similar imbalance, with bright second-worst rate of goals against when adding in shot quality, among spots on defense and in goal but inconsistent offense. other factors. To pair with those dreadful defensive numbers, the team As fantastic as a team may be in their own zone, if they can’t generate had the sixth-worst collective save percentage of .917. enough offensively, they’re in trouble. The fact that both their even- The season before, the Islanders were the second-worst team in shot strength and power-play scoring has been lacked has to be a larger attempts against (60.1 per 60) and third-worst in expected goals against concern. (2.57 per 60), and had the seventh-worst save percentage in the league Is there a chance they can make the necessary adjustments in the (.918). In 2015-16, when the Islanders last reached the postseason, they playoffs? were still a bottom-10 team in Corsi against and bottom-five in expected goals; they at least had better offense and goaltending to back it up. There’s always a chance. The playoffs are a different animal and teams do change their strategies, sometimes out of desperation and other times While there’s still room for defensive improvements, they’ve moved up to match their opponents. Their power play could click come postseason this season to 17th in shots against (57.63 per 60) and 10th in expected time, just as it has for a number of teams in years past. Or, they could goals against (2.28 per 60). The Islanders were at their best in limiting find themselves in luck by matching up against an opponent with a quality chances against at the start of 2019. That number spiked in late lackluster penalty kill. February and has since trended down over their last stretch of games. Their philosophies at 5-on-5 could shift, too. It wouldn’t be the first time (Chart via Sean Tierney) for a team led by Trotz.

As much as defense and, primarily, goaltending have become strengths Last year, the Capitals shot for quality not quantity, and the results were of the Islanders, there’s still another half of the ice to worry about. As the mixed throughout the season. In fact, going into the postseason, there regular season winds down, the Islanders not generating enough offense were a number of doubts about that group considering both their regular at even strength or on the power play is a concern, and there isn’t much season performance and past playoff runs. But they proved the critics time to remedy it before the postseason. If it continues to lag behind, will wrong by shifting their strategy and opting to fire the puck on net more their defense and goaltending be enough to sustain them through the frequently. spring? The 2018-19 Islanders weren’t expected to be a playoff team. They’ve At 5-on-5, the Islanders take less than 48 percent of the shot share, made it this far thanks, in large part, to their newly-implemented which is the sixth-worst in the league. Much of that is because they defensive structure and impressive goaltending. At the very least, reaching the postseason is a step in the right direction for the Islanders.

There’s more than enough reason to believe that goaltending and defense won’t be enough to sustain the Islanders through June unless there’s a shift in their offensive strategies. But as the Islanders have shown this year, they can’t be underestimated.

The Athletic LOADED: 04.04.2019 1105255 New York Rangers

Glen Sather on verge of stepping down as Rangers president

By Larry Brooks April 4, 2019

An epoch, not merely an era, appears to be coming to an end.

Glen Sather, The Last Lion of Winter, is believed on the verge of informing Garden chairman James Dolan that he will step down as a president of the Rangers as of the end of the season, informed sources have told The Post.

The expected departure of Sather, who has been the club president since June of 2000 and doubled as general manager from 2000 through 2014-15, will create uncertainty in the New York front office that has been a model of stability for the last 19 years.

For it is unknown how Sather’s departure and the hiring of a new president to run the hockey department would impact general manager Jeff Gorton. Sather, of course, selected Gorton to be his successor after first hiring him over the summer of 2007.

Incoming bosses tend to hire their own people, even if not immediately.

Sather, 75, would be retiring with five Stanley Cup notches on his belt, all won in Edmonton within a seven-year period from 1984 through 1990 with the powerhouse he built in the front office and coached for the first four of those championship runs.

At one point while working for the small-market, cash-strapped team that hit the skids in the late 90s, Sather observed that if he had the same budget as the Ranger$, his teams would win the Stanley Cup every year.

Well, not quite, but following four seasons in which his Rangers teams failed to make the playoffs in the pre-cap era (and 90 games behind the bench between the firing of Bryan Trottier and the hiring of Tom Renney), Sather produced an entertaining and successful team that qualified for the playoffs in 11 of 12 seasons, went to the Cup final in 2014 before losing to the Kings in five games, and won the Presidents’ Trophy in 2014-15.

Sather, who had the foresight to build around Jaromir Jagr and No. 68’s own band of Czechmates coming out of the 2004-05 canceled season, has been a lightning rod for Rangers fans, rarely given credit for the team’s success and often pilloried for making ultimately unsuccessful deals that sacrificed the future in an attempt to win the Cup.

Sather broke into the NHL with the Bruins’ pre-Cup teams of the latter sixties. He bounced around the league, even spent some time with the Rangers, acquired by Emile Francis during the 190-71 season in exchange for Syl Apps, Jr. Oops. But he found his home and made his mark in Edmonton, where he was a father figure to the young Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier, Paul Coffey, Glenn Anderson and Grant Fuhr, and where he won his final Cup two seasons after being ordered by owner Peter Pocklington to trade No. 99 to Los Angeles.

One of the game’s great characters, Sather’s presence has largely been muted as he has worked behind the scenes the last few seasons with Gorton. Now, it is appears that this legendary figure is about to go off into the good night with his wife, Ann.

With that, an epoch ends in the NHL, an era ends in New York, and at the moment, it is impossible to gauge the ramifications on Broadway.

New York Post LOADED: 04.04.2019 1105256 New York Rangers And while everyone within the organization believes Shesterkin’s game will translate to North America, no one is counting on him making an immediate splash. There is no good reason to force it and no good Don’t fret, Rangers are set in net reason to put that kind of pressure on a neophyte whose defense in front of him won’t exactly feature Brian Leetch, Sergei Zubov and Kevin Lowe.

At some point, the Rangers will be forced to make a decision. Three By Larry Brooks April 4, 2019 goaltenders into two practice nets don’t go. Garth Snow (and Jean- Francois Berube) can tell you that. But the time for that assessment is

not now. Georgiev, who will still be waivers-exempt, could be sent to the Only the most pessimistic, self-hating citizens of Rangerstown could take AHL Wolf Pack if necessary. a gander at the Blueshirts’ developing goaltending depth chart and Fact is, the Rangers are set up in nets just as they have been since somehow come away believing that it presents a problem rather than a 2005. A goaltending issue that must be addressed over the summer? A solution for this rebuild operation riddled with question marks. developing problem? Because though the dynamic will be a fresh one and uniquely That’s a laugh. competitive, management has the luxury of entering a 14th consecutive summer with goaltending literally the least of its concerns. That New York Post LOADED: 04.04.2019 represents the luxurious sum of having Henrik Lundqvist as the incumbent since his 2005-06 rookie season.

This also represents the glittery promise of having both Alexandar Georgiev and Igor Shesterkin in camp competing to join Lundqvist in the rotation. If too much depth constitutes a problem, where does general manager Jeff Gorton sign up for similar headaches at forward and on defense?

This presumes, of course, that Lundqvist does not change his mind about staying here in the aftermath of this taxing conclusion to 2018-19. There is no indication whatsoever the Swede, whose 4-1 defeat to the Senators at the Garden on Wednesday marked his sixth straight regulation loss and who has lost 14 of his 16 starts (2-11-3) since Feb. 2, is reconsidering.

Recency bias is real and Lundqvist’s recent play has been subpar, but that does not mean the honorable thing for him to do is to get out of town and leave the 2019-20 nets to the pair of young Russians. It is ludicrous to analyze Lundqvist’s season and conclude the Rangers would be better off without him.

The question for the organization and for David Quinn is not whether Lundqvist can be entrusted with the assignment, it is divining the threshold of action under which the King can play at an elite level. For instance, Lundqvist posted a .920 save percentage with a 2.62 GAA through November while starting 20 of the club’s first 26 contests. Thereafter, his game showed shrinkage, sometimes dramatic and sometimes subtle. It is similar to what happened last year.

The goaltender who once thrived under a workload of 65-70 starts per season, can no longer handle those rigors. It is his responsibility to make the adjustment to a 50-55 start regimen and it is going to be up to Quinn to resist riding him for weeks at a time in the early season when following that urge is all but guaranteed to produce diminishing returns.

No shame in that. According to the Hockey Reference play index, only two goaltenders over the past 40 years started as many as 60 games in their age-37 season, Martin Brodeur, 76 games for the 2009-10 Devils, and Dwayne Roloson, 62 for the 2008-09 Oilers. Lundqvist turned 37 on March 2.

“Throughout people’s careers they have to adapt and make adjustments to their games,” Quinn said. “He’s no different than a defenseman or forward. That position is no different.

“I think every player, no matter what stage they’re in their career, they’re going to have to have an adaptability to their game or they’re going to have a hard time. I think that’s where Hank is right now.”

Let’s presume that Shesterkin, who has won two straight since being reinstated as SKA’s starter in the KHL conference finals that is level at 2- 2 against CSKA, signs with the Rangers as expected and is at training camp. But isn’t that one goaltender too many? Shouldn’t Gorton strike now and trade Georgiev over the summer?

The answer is no, and emphatically so.

Georgiev has played extremely well over the past six weeks, going 7-4-3 with a .926 save percentage and 2.60 GAA over his past 13 starts. But in a goaltender-heavy league, that hardly represents a track record that would bring back a return equal to his value. Georgiev has, after all, played a sum of 41 games in the NHL. 1105257 New York Rangers and bumped Fredrik Claesson into street clothes. Connor Brickley was the healthy scratch up-front.

Gilmour, meanwhile, was named the Wolf Pack’s IOA/American Mika Zibanejad gets award for going ‘above and beyond’ for Rangers Specialty AHL Man of the Year in recognition for “outstanding contributions to the Hartford community.”

By Larry Brooks April 4, 2019 New York Post LOADED: 04.04.2019

Mika Zibanejad’s extra effort has produced personal-best and team- leading totals of 30 goals, 42 assists and 72 points for the Rangers this season. Now it has been memorialized with the center having been named the winner of the Steven McDonald Extra Effort Award as voted by the fans.

The award is a particularly cherished one, named for the late NYPD detective who was shot in the line of duty on July 12, 1986 and passed away on Jan. 10, 2017.

The winner of the award, presented to the player to go “above and beyond the call of duty” was announced by NYPD Sgt. Conor McDonald, representing the family.

“You learn very quickly how much this means to the fans and the city and what his family stands for,” Zibanejad said following the Blueshirts’ 4-1 Garden defeat to the Senators. “It’s a huge honor.”

Adam Graves, a five-time winner of the award, participated in the pregame ceremony. Ryan Callahan won it four times while Mats Zuccarello had won it three times.

“He’s been our best player. He’s been consistent and dynamic,” Henrik Lundqvist said of No. 93, who is the leading candidate to wear the “C” next season if the club names a captain. “He scores big goals, works hard at both ends of the ice and makes a difference all over the ice more than any other player on this team.

“He deserves it. He’s had a tremendous year.”

The Blueshirts’ effort bordered on abysmal in their 4-1 loss to the Senators — the NHL’s 31st-overall club.

“Very, very flat. There was not a lot of passion, emotion or enthusiasm on the bench,” David Quinn said. “It was as bad as it’s been. Really disappointing.”

Or, as Kevin Shattenkirk said: “We didn’t bring really anything. I think we’re all aware of it, but especially on a night like tonight that means so much to the city and the organization, it was just an embarrassing effort.”

Henrik Lundqvist hangs his head after giving up a second-period goal in the Rangers' 4-1 loss to Ottawa.

Henrik Lundqvist hangs his head after giving up a second-period goal in the Rangers’ 4-1 loss to Ottawa.Paul J. Bereswill

Lias Andersson scored off a nifty move in alone off a feed from Vladislav Namestnikov while killing a penalty at 4:52 of the second period. The Swede thus broke a 28-game goal-less streak that dates back to Nov. 26 when he recorded his first goal of the season, also against the Senators.

“There were a few guys who came to play,” Quinn said. “Lias was one of them.”

Defeat leaves the Blueshirts in the sixth pre-lottery draft slot. By virtue of having the fewest regulation/overtime wins in the NHL (25), The Rangers own the ROW tiebreak against both Anaheim (30, pending Wednesday’s result against Calgary) and Edmonton (31), the clubs currently holding the seventh and eighth spots. The lottery will be conducted Tuesday night in Toronto.

Pavel Buchnevich, held out of Monday’s game in New Jersey for precautionary reasons following his open-ice collision with Nolan Patrick in the third period of Sunday’s match in Philadelphia, returned to the lineup.

Filip Chytil, who sustained an upper-body injury late in the Devils game, was sidelined. Quinn said the 19-year-old might be able to go over the weekend, when the Blueshirts finish up at home on Friday against the Blue Jackets before Saturday’s season finale in Pittsburgh.

Brendan Smith, scratched in New Jersey after being hit with four minor penalties against the Flyers, was reinstated and played the wing. John Gilmour, scratched the previous three games, returned to the blue line 1105258 New York Rangers

Rangers give ‘embarrassing effort’ in ugly loss to Senators

By Associated Press April 3, 2019

The New York Rangers looked like a team playing out the string.

Brady Tkachuk had a goal and an assist and the Ottawa Senators earned a 4-1 win against the Rangers on Wednesday night at the Garden.

Bobby Ryan, Zack Smith and Brian Gibbons also scored while Anders Nilsson made 27 saves as the league-worst Senators picked up their second win in the past three games. Colin White also had two assists.

“It was just an embarrassing effort all around from us,” Rangers defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk said. “I don’t know if we just expected the game to come easy or whatever it was tonight, but we certainly didn’t put forth an effort that deserved a result.”

Lias Andersson scored for the Rangers and Henrik Lundqvist stopped 27 of 31 shots as the Rangers fell for the second straight game.

Lundqvist, who has only two wins since Feb. 1st, was denied his 450th NHL victory for his sixth consecutive game.

“It doesn’t matter if you played 14 years or 40 games in this league, there is always a reason to go out there and leave everything you got,” Lundqvist said. “It’s just disappointing because it comes down to a couple of plays if our effort is a little higher I think there are no goals.”

Ottawa benefited from superior play on special teams, with two power- play goals a short-handed tally.

Ryan opened the scoring when he snuck a wrist shot past the glove of Lundqvist at 12:14 of the first period. Chris Tierney delivered the puck from below the goal line to set up Ryan for the power-play goal. Tkachuk also assisted on the play.

While skating down a man 1:15 after the first goal, the Senators doubled their advantage when Smith redirected a puck past Lundqvist.

Smith’s ninth of the season was set up when he and Magnus Paajarvi executed a give-and-go around Rangers defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk.

Pavel Buchnevich, who returned after missing one game with an upper- body injury, also failed to pick up Smith driving to the net.

Ottawa converted on a two-man advantage at 3:51 of the second period to extend its lead to three. Tkachuk collected a loose puck near the side of the net and stuffed it home for his 22nd of the season. White and Thomas Chabot assisted on the play.

The Rangers converted a short-handed chance of their own when Anderson performed a nifty backhand, forehand deke to beat Nilsson at 4:52 of the second period. Vladislav Namestnikov and Brendan Smith assisted on the play.

Lundqvist, who has only two wins since Feb. 1st, was denied his 450th NHL victory for the sixth consecutive game.

Gibbons scored his eighth of the season at 14:58 of the third period to make it 4-1. White and Gibbons completed a nifty passing sequence that led to the tap-in opportunity to seal the game for the Senators.

Before the game, the Rangers announced that Mika Zibanejad has been named the winner of the 2018-19 Steven McDonald Extra Effort Award. The award is presented annually to the Ranger who, as chosen by the fans, “goes above and beyond the call of duty.” … Rookie center Filip Chytil missed the game and is considered day to day. … Andreas Englund made his season debut for Ottawa. The defenseman has played six NHL games over the past two seasons.

New York Post LOADED: 04.04.2019 1105259 New York Rangers

Report: Glen Sather to retire at end of season

Rangers team president reportedly to leave post he has held since 2000.

By Colin Stephenson

According to a report in the New York Post, Rangers president Glen Sather has apparently decided to retire as team president effective at the end of the current season, which has two games to go.

The report, which attributed the information to unnamed sources, said Sather will soon inform Madison Square Garden Chairman James Dolan that he is leaving his post, which he has held since 2000. Sather, 75, had served as president and general manager from his hiring until after the 2014-15 season, when he handed over the GM duties to Jeff Gorton. Sather also coached the Rangers from Jan. 30, 2003, after he fired Bryan Trottier, to Feb. 25, 2004, when he hired Tom Renney as the next coach.

Sather, 75, won five Stanley Cups as coach and general manager of the Edmonton Oilers, never won one with the Rangers, but he presided over a team that reached the Stanley Cup finals once, in 2014, and won the President’s Trophy, with the league’s best record, in 2014-15, his last year as GM.

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Henrik Lundqvist starts but Rangers lose to Senators at the Garden

By Colin Stephenson

Henrik Lundqvist had one last shot to keep his NHL-record streak alive and win 20 games for the 14th consecutive season. But after the Rangers lost to the last-in-the-league Ottawa Senators, 4-1, Wednesday at the Garden, that chance appears to be gone.

The Rangers have just two games left, and Lundqvist is stuck on 18 wins (18-23-10) for the season, and 449 for his career, after his sixth straight loss. Rangers coach David Quinn said Alexandar Georgiev will start Friday’s home finale at the Garden against the Columbus Blue Jackets, and the starter for Saturday has not been determined.

But the math is simple: Unless Lundqvist for some reason comes off the bench and gets a win in relief in Friday’s game, then there’s no way he can get to 20 wins this season.

“I was hoping we could get him to 20 (wins),’’ Quinn said of Lundqvist. “I feel bad for him, because we certainly didn’t give him a chance tonight.’’

By all accounts, the Rangers (31-36-13, 75 points) were a no-show in their second-to-last home game of the season against the Senators, who improved to 29-45-6 (64 points).

“A lot of us probably looked at the team we were playing and expected it, again, to be an easy game,’’ defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk said. “And maybe one that if we fell down 1-0 or 2-0, we felt like we could always grab it back.’’

But they couldn’t. They fell behind 1-0 on Bobby Ryan’s power-play goal at 12:14 of the first period, and then, after Ottawa’s Cody Ceci was sent off for tripping 33 seconds later, the Rangers allowed a shorthanded goal to Zack Smith to fall behind 2-0. Brady Tkachuk’s 5-on-3 power-play goal made it 3-0 at 3:51 of the second before Lias Andersson scored the Rangers’ only goal of the game, a shorthanded effort to make it 3-1. Brian Gibbons scored for Ottawa with 5:02 left in the third to remove any doubt about the result.

“We’re down the last week of the season and it would have been nice to get a win as a group, but also, personally (for me), in front of our fans,’’ Lundqvist said. “It’s just disappointing. Because it comes down to a couple plays where, if our effort is a little higher, I think there’s no goals (allowed). No offense to Ottawa, but they’re not a really strong team. We should be able to be in this one a little bit better.’’

Lundqvist, who has praised Georgiev for his play this season, has said he understands why he isn’t playing three-quarters of the games, as he’s been used to. Georgiev has been better than him of late.

“I think, throughout people’s careers, they have to adapt and make adjustments to their games,’’ Quinn said at the morning skate Wednesday. “And he’s no different than a defenseman or a forward. Some forwards are put in top-six roles throughout their career, and all of a sudden, they’re on the third or fourth line and they have to adapt. And then maybe they get a chance to get back on the top two lines. Same thing with a defenseman. That (goalie) position’s no different.’’

Notes & quotes: Filip Chytil sat out the game with an upper-body injury after taking a check at the end of the Devils game. Quinn said Chytil was “OK, but not good enough to play,’’ but he listed him as “day-to-day’’ and didn’t rule out the possibility the 19-year-old could play this weekend… Forward Pavel Buchnevich, who sat out Monday’s game after an accidental hit near the end of Sunday’s game against Philadelphia returned to the lineup… Mika Zibanejad was named the winner of the Steven McDonald Extra Effort Award and presented with the trophy before the game… D John Gilmour returned to the lineup, replacing Freddie Claesson.

Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 04.04.2019 1105261 New York Rangers three centers, 25 and younger, to put up 70 points (Walt Tkaczuk and Pavelich).

“I wasn’t surprised that he won it,” Rangers coach David Quinn said. Zibanejad clearly moved after receiving ‘deserved’ and coveted honor for “We’ve all talked about what a great year he’s had, how consistent he’s his dynamic season been. Obviously, a lot of people point to his point total, as they should, but there’s so much more to his game. He’s done everything for us.

By Rick Carpiniello Apr 3, 2019 “Well deserved. Well deserved.”

Zibanejad, whose game is leaps and bounds better than it’s ever been, didn’t care to talk about his personal accomplishments when I asked him NEW YORK – It is, and has been, for more than 30 years, one of the how much pride he takes in his best season. Not yet, anyway. biggest and best nights of the Rangers’ season. It is, and has been, because of the name on the trophy. “I’ve said it before and I say it again,” Zibanejad said, “I’ll evaluate the season after it’s all done. It’s hard to kind of think about your own And because of what it says about the player who wins it. performance in a way when the team’s not winning. When you know it’s only two more games in the season, you want to play longer, but that’s a The Steven McDonald Extra Effort Award went to Mika Zibanejad on question for after the season.” Wednesday night, and really, it couldn’t have gone to anybody else. Thoughts The award, established in the 1987-88 season, is named for the NYPD officer who was paralyzed after being shot in the line of duty in 1986 and 1) According to multiple reports, Glen Sather – the team’s president since who presented the trophy on Garden ice until his passing on Jan. 10, 2000 and its GM until 2015 – is seriously considering stepping down to 2017. His son, Conor, now an NYPD sergeant, presents the award be an adviser. Sather’s had health issues in recent years, and his role in alongside his mother, Patti Ann, and five-time winner Adam Graves. the daily hockey operations has been minimized since handing over the GM position to Jeff Gorton. Sather has always been a close friend and STEVEN MCDONALD LEFT AN INCREDIBLE IMPACT ON THE confidante of Garden owner James Dolan, who has completely signed off RANGERS' FRANCHISE. LEARN MORE ABOUT HIS LIFE AND WHAT on Gorton’s rebuilding plan. Whether the Rangers would hire another HE MEANT TO BLUESHIRTS PRIOR TO TONIGHT'S CEREMONY. team president is unknown at this time. Before Sather, who is 75, came @NORTHWELLHEALTH PIC.TWITTER.COM/NJTS28PWGJ aboard, Neil Smith was both Rangers president and GM. — MSG NETWORKS (@MSGNETWORKS) APRIL 3, 2019 IS GLEN SATHER STEPPING DOWN AS PRESIDENT OF NYR? “(It means) a lot,” Zibanejad said, clearly moved. “It’s a big honor, MULTIPLE SOURCES SUGGEST IT’S LIKELY TO HAPPEN IN THE obviously. Not being here for that long, but very quickly I understood NEAR FUTURE, THAT THIS IS SATHER’S CALL AND THAT HE what it means, how much it means to the fans and the city and what the WOULD STILL BE AN ADVISOR TO JAMES DOLAN, EXECUTIVE family name stands for. A huge honor and a lot of respect to them and a CHAIRMAN AND CEO OF MSG, BUT NYR WOULD BE LOOKING FOR lot of respect to everyone here.” A NEW PRESIDENT.

Zibanejad bowed his head and added, “Just disappointing that we — BOB MCKENZIE (@TSNBOBMCKENZIE) APRIL 4, 2019 couldn’t get a win tonight.” 2) Tank-O-Meter: The Rangers didn’t lose any ground in the Upside- The Rangers put forth one of their worst efforts of the season, a 4-1 loss Down Standings by losing in regulation. They remained in sixth place, but to NHL bottom-dweller Ottawa. cannot finish higher than fourth or lower than eighth. The only way they can catch both Buffalo and Detroit would include a Sabres win over the What hasn’t Zibanejad done this season? Red Wings, among other luck. The Rangers’ last two opponents (Columbus on Friday, at Pittsburgh on Saturday) still have a lot on the Almost surely he will win the team MVP award – to be announced Friday line. – and should be a candidate for the Players’ Player award, which Jesper Fast has won the previous three seasons. 3) Daily Zucc-O-Meter: Speaking of the Steven McDonald Award, three- time winner Mats Zuccarello returned to the Stars on Tuesday night after Zibanejad wears an alternate captain’s “A” on his chest, but you can see sustaining a broken arm in his debut, following the trade. Had a power- a “C” there in the future, can’t you? play assist as Dallas beat Philly 6-2 to clinch a playoff berth, which could CONOR MCDONALD ANNOUNCES MIKA AS THIS YEAR’S WINNER mean the conditional third-round (2020) pick traded to the Rangers might OF THE STEVEN MCDONALD EXTRA EFFORT AWARD PRESENTED become a first-rounder in 2019 if the Stars win two postseason rounds. BY @NORTHWELLHEALTH. PIC.TWITTER.COM/2CUMJLSDHN Zuccarello was dinged up in that game and went for X-rays afterward. This injury was not related to the broken arm, according to Dallas coach — NEW YORK RANGERS (@NYRANGERS) APRIL 3, 2019 Jim Montgomery, per The Athletic’s Sean Shapiro.

“He’s our best player,” said Henrik Lundqvist, a two-time winner of the 4) A few times these past couple of weeks, Quinn has said he “can’t Extra Effort Award. “He’s been our most consistent. He’s been the most unsee” what happens in terms of evaluating his team. He probably dynamic. He’s scored big goals. He works hard, both ends of the ice. He wishes he could unsee Wednesday’s game. makes a difference all over the ice, more than any other player on this team. So he deserves it. I think he’s had a tremendous year.” “We were just flat, I mean, really, really flat,” Quinn said. “Not a lot of emotion, not a lot of passion, not a lot of enthusiasm on the bench. Zibanejad has played every game as the No. 1 center, top penalty killer, Really as bad as it’s been. Through a difficult time, I thought we’ve power play, faced with the task of stopping every opponent’s top line. handled the situation well for the most part. We’ve had our moments in games where we’ve been flat, but it hasn’t gone for that long. … We had A few of his accomplishments: Career highs in goals (30), assists (42), a lot of fluff zone time, a lot of fluff zone time. There really wasn’t a lot points (72), ice time, faceoff wins, shots on goal, just to name a few. going on. Really disappointing.” This season, he has: “We dug ourselves a (3-0) hole, and we’re not working smart enough,” – Had a point on 10 consecutive goals in January-February, the first Zibanejad added. “We’re not doing the things we talked about. They Ranger ever to accomplish that. might be in last place, but it’s not going to be an easy game against any team in this league. We didn’t work hard enough to give ourselves a – Scored three consecutive game-winning goals (joining Rod Gilbert, chance.” 1966-67), the only Ranger to do that. 5) After speaking at length on the difficult season he’s had in Newark on – Become the first Rangers center since Eric Lindros (2001-02) to score Monday, Lundqvist continued to show his frustration. This was clearly 30 goals. more on his teammates, though.

– Is one of three Rangers centers age 25 or under to score 30 in a “Like I said the other night, it doesn’t matter if you’ve played 14 years or season (Mark Pavelich and Darren Turcotte were the others); and one of 40 games in this league, there’s always a reason to go out and leave everything you’ve got out there,” he said. “Always. Of course some nights it’s not going to work, it’s not going to go your way or bounce your way, scored by Brett Howden (21), Filip Chytil (19) and Andersson (20). Also, but you can always have the work ethic, and I think for the most part since this is how it works in large portions of fan land – those kids are we’ve had that.” now playing well because they scored.

So now, stuck on 18 wins, Lundqvist has virtually no chance of extending  PIC.TWITTER.COM/H98E9E7SQK his NHL record of 20 wins for a 14th consecutive season, since Alexandar Georgiev is scheduled to play Friday, and Saturday’s start is — NEW YORK RANGERS (@NYRANGERS) APRIL 4, 2019 undecided. 17) “We had a few guys come to play, and Lias was certainly one of “It would have been nice to get a win as a group, but also personally, in them,” Quinn said. front of our fans,” Lundqvist said. “Probably my last game for the year 18) Buchnevich ripped one off the left post late in the period and was here. So it’s just disappointing.” stopped on a wrap-around moments later. By the way, the kids with the Lundqvist was asked if he wants to play Saturday. shovels were still on the ice after a TV timeout when our fine officials dropped the puck for the next faceoff. “I don’t know if I deserve to play. Georgie’s been winning, he’s been playing really well. I’m not finding ways to get wins here. … We’ll see. 19) Those same officials were fooled when Tkachuk threw his head back Obviously, it’s up to coach. But it’s been a draining few months here not as he was cleanly checked by Gilmour, an over-embellishment that getting it done for a few reasons.” would have shamed his dad, but ended up with Gilmour in the box.

Quinn confirmed that Georgiev will play Friday at home against 20) One more for Great Aunt Tillie: Zibanejad lost the puck coming out of Columbus, and that he’s not decided yet on Saturday. his own end late in the third, then Pionk had it poked away from him, and Colin White and one-time Ranger Brian Gibbons finished off a 2-on-none “I’ll talk with Hank. I was hoping we could get him to 20, but I feel bad for down low. 4-1. him because we certainly didn’t give him a chance tonight.” My Three Rangers Stars: 6) The Rangers had no fighting majors Wednesday – though Tony DeAngelo and Vlad Namestnikov got misconducts at the end of the game 1. Lias Andersson. – so after their three fights in New Jersey, they remain second in the NHL 2. Pavel Buchnevich. in fighting majors (25) to Boston’s 26, per hockeyfights.com. The game has changed. Brandon Prust had 25 by himself in 2009-10. 3. Brendan Smith.

7) Quinn Bin: John Gilmour was back in, for Fredrik Claesson, and The Athletic LOADED: 04.04.2019 Brendan Smith out of the Bin because Filip Chytil is out with an upper- body injury sustained at the end of the game against the Devils. Pavel Buchnevich also returned from an upper-body issue, so Connor Brickley was scratched.

8) Namestnikov took an early offensive-zone penalty, and the Rangers did some old-fashioned ragging of the puck on the penalty kill. You don’t see much of that anymore. Kind of a backing-up four-corner stall.

9) Lundqvist made a big stop on ex-Ranger, ex-Coyote, ex-Blackhawk, ex-Blue Jacket, current Senator (for now, at age 23), Anthony Duclair on a cross-ice pass and one-timer from low in the right circle.

10) Uncontested Goal of the Game (sponsored by reader Anthony D, not to be confused with DeAngelo.): Chris Kreider took another penalty deep in the offensive zone, and all four Rangers penalty killers, including Zibanejad and Brendan Smith, drifted to one side, leaving Bobby Ryan all alone with Lundqvist having no chance on Chris Tierney’s pass. 1-0.

11) I’m thinking of changing that category from “Uncontested Goal of the Game” to “My Great Aunt Tillie Could Have Scored” for the last two games, and next season. Because my Great Aunt Tillie could have scored that one. Apologies to Anthony D., who never actually sponsored it despite promises that the check was in the mail. Thoughts?

12) Also, regarding Ryan, age 32: $7.25 million this year, $7.25 million next year, $7.25 million the year after that, and $7.25 million the following year. Fifteen goals. Woof.

13) Buchnevich, back in the lineup after missing Monday’s game for precautionary reasons (he underwent concussion protocol Sunday in Philly), stole the puck, drew a penalty and set up Zibanejad for a shot that nearly tied it. But during that power play, the Rangers allowed a short-handed goal to Zack Smith after Ryan Strome turned it over in the offensive zone. Magnus Paajarvi (which I knew I would have to spell at some point), played give-and-go with Smith in behind Buchnevich and Kevin Shattenkirk. 2-0.

14) Late in the first, Buchnevich sent Zibanejad in on a break, and goalie Anders Nilsson made a snappy glove save.

15) Early second, Lundqvist made two remarkable desperation saves during a delayed penalty to Brendan Lemieux, who temporarily saved the Rangers by sweeping a puck off the goal line. But he and John Gilmour both went to the box for a two-minute 5-on-3, and Brady Tkachuk – Quinn’s old Boston U boy – dunked one home. 3-0.

16) During the ensuing 5-on-4, though, Brendan Smith stole the puck and Namestnikov found Lias Andersson in behind a fallen Thomas Chabot. Andersson turned Nilsson inside out for a short-handed goal, his second goal of the season. 3-1. The past three Rangers goals, to that point, were 1105262 Ottawa Senators “We’ll see what (Senators) say next week when we have our exit meetings,” he said. “Then I’ll sit down with my agent and have a chat and see what the options are.”

Nilsson proves his worth again as Senators beat Rangers The Senators are 7-8-1 since Crawford took over as coach from Guy Boucher. They have played better, and that’s without the likes of Mark Stone, Duchene and Ryan Dzingel. Rather than give the job to a coach Don Brennan unproven at this level, removing the interim tag from Crawford’s title makes sense. April 4, 2019 12:01 AM EDT But does he want to come back? As he enjoyed himself the last five

weeks? NEW YORK — Has Anders Nilsson made his last start in the Ottawa “Well, it hasn’t sucked,” Crawford joked before the Rangers game. “It’s Senators net? been really good. Like I said from the start, I think I’ve got the right Is Marc Crawford on his final road trip as Senators coach? perspective now. It is about them. And a younger Marc Crawford probably would have been a little more ‘hey what have I got to do with The answer, on both counts, could very well be yes. this?’ and that sort of thing.

It should be no. “Now I know the best coaches, especially on a team like this, have to serve the players. And you’ve got to serve the players, and give them as Nilsson turned in another strong performance while making 27 saves as much of an opening to demonstrate their abilities … give them maybe a the Senators defeated the New York Rangers 4-1 at Madison Square little bit of guidance and gentle nudge or push. But most of all, it’s Garden on Wednesday night. allowing them to demonstrate what they believe they can give the club. “Our goalie was great all night,” said Crawford. “I thought that was “You steer the ship more so than try to drive it.” significant for us. It seemed like everything that got shot at him stayed with him. That’s such a nice comfortable feeling, when your goaltender So throw him the keys and let him guide the thing into the future. Like sucks in those rebounds almost like a sponge, and absorbs them. with Nilsson, gambling on what could happen if you don’t bring him back There’s nothing that got away from him.” is a mistake.

Earlier in the day, the team confirmed that Joey Daccord, who they made BETWEEN PERIODS the first ever Arizona State Sun Devil to sign an NHL contract on Tuesday, would be making his debut between the pipes Thursday in Bobby Ryan scored his 15th goal, but just his second in 21 games on Buffalo. Wednesday. Also beating Henrik Lundqvist was Zack Smith (ninth), Brady Tkachuk (22nd) and Brian Gibbons (eighth) … Smith’s was his Presumably, Craig Anderson will start Saturday’s season finale at home 14th career shorthand goal, tying him with Mike Fisher for second most in against the Columbus Blue Jackets — a potentially meaningful game in franchise history. Daniel Alfredsson scored 25 … With the Los Angeles which they could prevent the Jackets from making the playoffs and in Kings victory on Tuesday, the Senators clinched last place in the overall doing so improve the first-round pick they’re getting from them in the Matt standings. It’s the first time they’ve claimed that position since 1996, the Duchene trade. last of their three-year run as the 26th place team in the 26 team league. They’ve never been 31st before … With Ben Harpur taking ill Wednesday Nilsson, who is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent July 1, has morning, the Senators recalled Christian Wolanin, who they sent to an 11–11 record since being acquired from the Vancouver Canucks on Belleville on Tuesday. Wolanin arrived at 6:55 p.m. or the 7:30 p.m. start Jan. 2. Rather remarkable, really, given the Senators stranglehold on last … The fell out of a playoff spot with a 1-0 loss to place. Syracuse on Wednesday … Nilsson’s best stop in the first period was Re-signing the 29-year-old, whose cap hit is $2.5 million, would give the with his glove, off Mika Zibanejad, who was in alone. The two appeared Senators six goalies next season. Anderson, Mike Condon, Marcus to stare each other down after the whistle … Seconds after Lundqvist Hogberg, Filip Gustavsson and Accord being the others. incredibly prevented Chris Tierney from scoring in the second, Anderson made a nice glove grab from his spot on the end of the bench … Too many? Tkachuk’s old college coach David Quinn was shaking his head behind the Rangers bench after the Senators rookie drew a penalty with an over- No, especially now that the Senators no longer share an ECHL team and exaggerated embellishment in the third period … Mikkel Boedker was a could place two in Brampton, along with two in Belleville and two in healthy scratch for the third consecutive game. Ottawa. JOEY’S BIG DAY No, especially with the Seattle expansion draft set for the summer of 2020, and the likelihood of teams shopping for goalies in order to keep Daccord had an “educational” experience on Wednesday, practising with the new kids from taking the one they want to retain. the Senators and then watching how Anderson and Nilsson prepare for a game. On Thursday, he will realize his childhood dream, with family and And no, because of the all the question marks the Senators have at the friends cheering him on. position. Anderson will turn 39 during next year’s playoffs. Injuries have prevented Condon from playing all but three games this season. Hogberg “I think my parents are going to come,” he said. “My little brother, big Al, is a restricted free agent who has apparently drawn some interest in he’s getting out of school so he’s excited. My grandparents up in Europe and the KHL. Gustavsson is the Senators goalie of the future, but Montreal are going to come down and I think Coach (Greg) Powers from those don’t always turn out. And Daccord is completely untested at the Arizona State is going to make it so… should have a pretty good crew. pro level. They’re all just really happy for me. Actually my two best friends from home, Colin and Jack, they’re going to make it as well. They’ll be pleased Anderson has raved about how much he enjoys being partnered with I gave them a little shout out.” Nilsson, who says Ottawa has been a “good fit” for him. Daccord had a “fun” day on Tuesday. And of course he has thought about his future, “It was quite the experience, 24 hours after everything coming together,” “You know you have an expiring contract and now we’re in the last week he said. “The practice, team flight, hotel, New York City. It’s pretty cool of the season, it starts to creep in, in the back of your head,” Nilsson said being in the Big Apple for my first road trip. Driving through downtown Wednesday morning. “Today you try to be in the present moment. I’m was pretty cool.” trying to prepare myself as best I can and I’m going to try to go out and play as good as I can. Usually if you try to focus on making saves, the Being told he was starting in Buffalo was an “indescribable” feeling, said contract situation takes care of itself.” Daccord. But nervous, he is not. At least not yet.

He also says he hasn’t talked to the Senators or his agent about next “This whole experience, I thought I’d be a little more nervous than I am,” season and beyond. he said. “I’ve actually surprised myself a little bit with how calm I’ve been all week. At the end of the day I’ve been playing hockey my whole life and it’s just another hockey game. That’s the approach I’m going to take. I’m just going to try to go out there and have a good time. Hopefully get a win.”

SIGN OF THE TIMES

The Senators have signed their fourth-round pick, Jonathan Gruden, to a three-year entry level contract that kicks in for the 2019-2020 season. A year after playing on a line with Jack Huhges (projected first overall pick in 2019) and Oliver Wahlstrom (11th overall, Islanders in 2018) on the U.S. National Under-18 team, Gruden had three goals, 12 assists and was minus-19 in 38 games at Miami University at Ohio … The 6-foot, 172-pound forward is leaving the school and will play junior hockey next season to “further his development.” His OHL rights are owned by the London Knights. “He’ll be going to Belleville just for a little while, because he still wants to finish his schooling this year,” said GM , who saw Gruden in March and, like his scouts, is impressed with “his skating, skills, work ethic, tenaciousness. He’s an all-round prospect. He does a lot of things well.”

Ottawa Sun LOADED: 04.04.2019 1105263 Ottawa Senators Maybe it happens again.

“Well, if can both get a little deal going,” said Claesson, “you know I’m in.”

Broadway or the beach? Erik Karlsson would be a good fit in New York

Ottawa Sun LOADED: 04.04.2019

Don Brennan

April 3, 2019 11:41 PM EDT

One question put to former Senators seated on different sides of the Rangers dressing room Wednesday morning generated a similar answer:

Are you, Mika Zibanejad, going to call your friend Erik Karlsson this summer to tell him New York would be a fun place for him to continue his career?

“I think I made a few of those,” Zibanejad said, suddenly gazing down and chuckling. “Obviously, Erik is a player every team would want. Obviously, I played with him and it would be fun to play with him again. But I think he has a few options out there. We’ll see what he leans towards.

“But it’s obviously a player everyone would want on their team.”

What about you, Fredrik Claesson? Are you going to give Erik a shout in the summer and suggest he might want to play in the Big Apple?

“Well, I already told him that,” said Claesson, laughing. “No, I’m kidding. We’ll see. I don’t think I have that much to say about it.”

No, but the Rangers do. And they’ll have plenty of cap space to take a serious run at the former Senators captain, who is now fully expected to become a free agent after his one and only season with the San Jose Sharks.

Cap space the Tampa Bay Lightning – where most of the speculation had Karlsson headed — will not have available.

If you’re placing a bet on E65’s landing spot, take broadway over the beach. And not because a couple of his buddies are pulling him this way, but more so to do with the fact the Blueshirts are about to miss the playoffs for the second consecutive year and they have the cash to speed their rebuild along.

Meanwhile, Zibanejad has emerged as a strong and bonafide centrepiece for any young team. The Senators should be kicking themselves. At 25, and with three years left on a bargain-contract that has an average annual of $5.35 million, the long-maned Swede has all the tools to make him the first line centre teams crave. This season he has pulled them together for his first 30 goal season, and if you don’t think that’s a big deal consider the fact the Senators have only had two centres in their history to score 30 — Alexei Yashin (five times) and Jason Spezza (four).

“Good line mates, great opportunity, a lot of playing time,” Zibanejad said in explaining how he reached the goal he set for himself last summer. “It’s just been clicking.”

Also contributing is that he is the only Ranger to play in all of the team’s games this season. Never before has Zibanejad suited up for all 82.

“You get into a completely different rhythm than what I’ve had the last couple of years,” he said. “As a player, when you want to grow it helps that you play and don’t miss games. Especially mid-season. It’s always a goal.”

Claesson has not be so lucky. He has been out of the lineup with a broken rib, missed more games with a dislocated shot and more as the odd man out. Wednesday’s game was supposed to be his 37th of the season, but he was made a healthy scratch against his old team.

Through it all, the 26-year old Swede has tried to remain positive.

“You have some rough patches, for sure,” he said. “You start thinking a lot about the future too. You want to show yourself when you’re out there and stuff like that.

“But I’m in New York. I’m really happy to be here. And I want to stay here too.”

A restricted free agent in the summer, Claesson was reminded that Karlsson used to enjoy having him as a blue line partner. 1105264 Ottawa Senators

GAMEDAY: Ottawa Senators at Buffalo Sabres

Bruce Garrioch

April 3, 2019 11:12 PM EDT

THE BIG MATCHUP

Colin White vs. Jack Eichel

There haven’t been a lot of positives for the Senators this season, but a guy who has taken a step forward this year is White. He went into Wednesday’s game against the Rangers with 14 goals and 39 points plus he had four points in the last five games. He has been pretty consistent. Eichel, the Sabres’ captain, can be a difference maker and he has 4-12-16 career points against the Senators in 12 career games.

FIVE KEYS TO THE GAME

1. Close it out in style

This is the last road game of the year for the Senators and it’d be good to get out of it with a victory. This will close out the club’s 16 back-to-back games this year. The club went into New York with a 5-10-0 record in the first game and is 4-9-2 in the second game of the series. These games are good lessons for the young players.

2. Giving the kid a chance

Signed to a two-year entry-level deal Monday, the Arizona State University grad Joey Daccord arrived in time for practice Tuesday and will get the start in this one. The Senators wanted to give him the chance to play and this is a great opportunity. He was selected No. 199 overall in the 2015 NHL draft and has a chance to be a starter down the road.

3. Be better in Buffalo this time

The Senators haven’t had a lot to celebrate, but they do have a 2-1-0 record against Buffalo this season. The one loss they did suffer against the Sabres was ugly when they dropped a 9-2 decision on Nov. 3 here. The Senators scored a 4-0 victory over Buffalo at home last week, but it’s hard to forget that bad loss.

4. Stay out of the box

The Senators have done a better job in the second half killing off penalties and they were sitting ranked No. 21 before facing the Rangers. The Senators have had issues with their discipline all season and the Sabres power play hasn’t been great, but it’s No. 18 in the league so they’ve been decent.

5. Thomas Chabot has been a force

He has been the club’s best defenceman all season and he’s had success against the Sabres with a 1-5-6 points in six career games against Buffalo. He has three points in three games this season and the Senators are going to have to lean on Chabot heavily if Ben Harpur isn’t able to return from illness that forced him out Wednesday’s game.

Ottawa Sun LOADED: 04.04.2019 1105265 Philadelphia Flyers For most of that time, Couturier was viewed as an exceptional two-way player with modest offensive abilities, and he seemed content: “A few years ago, guys were saying I’m just a third-line shutdown guy.”

Sean Couturier needs to think less and start hotter for the Flyers | Wasn’t he? Marcus Hayes “Look, I could have started trying to dangle guys at the blue line. Once in a while, it wouldn’t have looked good. Probably would’ve gotten a better by Marcus Hayes rep, but, at the same time, it wouldn’t be helping the team for the amount of time it works,” he said. “It’s not what I really wanted. Obviously, I wish I Marcus Hayes | @inkstainedretch | [email protected] would’ve been a top-six forward my second or third year. I could’ve started risking things. Showing what I could be. At the same time, I don’t

think I would’ve helped the team." For the second consecutive season, Sean Couturier will finish with more That’s where Couturier’s judgment needs to change. A little more risk can than more than 30 goals and 70 points, more than twice as many goals mean incredible reward. Will he? and points as in any of his first six seasons. His career-high 32 goals and his 74 points this season should stand taller than the 31 and 76 from last “I’d rather be the conservative, solid player,” he said. "When you’re year, since he had virtually no training camp, and since this year’s team making the right plays all the time, consistently -- I take pride in that. Why was demonstrably worse. would I change that?”

There is more to Sean Couturier. If the Flyers expect to contend in the Because the team needs it. next five years, there has to be more. Couturier is careful to stress that his effort does not increase as the Couturier is a 26-year-old former No. 8 overall pick who went straight to season progresses, even if his production does. the NHL as an 18-year-old in 2011, shut down Evgeni Malkin in the playoffs that season and scored a hat trick in Game 2 to help boot the “I want to be good from day one, from the first game. I train for that,” he Penguins from that postseason. Couturier is the best two-way player the said. “Sometimes, you just overthink the game earlier in the year, franchise has seen since the Flyers traded Mike Richards the summer whereas as the year goes on, it just comes naturally.” they drafted Couturier. Over the past three seasons, he has been the So, no matter how badly the team might need more aggressive play from best player wearing the Orange and Black, period, and that includes him, don’t expect Couturier to start trying to “dangle guys at the blue Claude Giroux, a Hall of Fame player still in his prime. line.”

Coots could be an All Star. What must change? “I’ve got to stay the solid, consistent two-way player. I believe in my He must start faster. offensive ability, whereas, I don’t need to risk to get offense. I know I’m going to get chances. It’s been working. I don’t think I should change “I tend to have slow starts,” Couturier acknowledged Wednesday. that,” Couturier said. “For me, it’s all about getting to know the league better. As you get older, you get that advantage earlier in the year.” Why? The Flyers can only hope. “I think it’s just me, sometimes, overthinking," he said.

That is not his nature. A prolific scorer in junior hockey, Couturier made his NHL bones as a defense-first center. Now, as a team jells, he looks Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 04.04.2019 before he jumps -- if he jumps at all.

“As the year goes on, I get to know the league,” he explained. "The players’ tendencies. I just feel better about the game. I get to know the league better as the year goes on.”

That has been obvious in four of the past five seasons. Couturier managed only eight points in the first 23 games of 2014-15, the first 24 games of 2015-16, and the first 19 games of 2016-17. He had just five points through the first 14 games of this season, an average of 0.36 per game. He averaged 0.67 points per game in the next 61 games. The Flyers were 33-36-11 in those games.

When Couturier hit the ground running last season, with 19 points in his first 16 games, the Flyers went 8-6-2.

He pointed out that whom he skates with, and how well the team defends, and how good the goalie is (or isn’t) can influence how many chances Couturier gets. Injuries happen, too; his knee sprain last summer set him back a bit. But he’s a first-line center, and even he can’t figure out how he failed to record any assists in the first month, especially with Giroux on his line.

“I wish I’d have had a better start, going 12 games without an assist -- which is kind of tough to do,” he acknowledged last week. “Maybe if we’d had a better start, been more consistent earlier in the year, we’d be in a better situation.”

Their situation, of course, is that they were eliminated from the playoffs Saturday at Carolina. This assured them a seventh straight season without a playoff series win, the longest stretch in team history. Couturier has been on the team for eight years.

Has that stretch been Couturier’s fault? Of course not. The Flyers have lacked stability, focus, and goaltending for years. They’ve burned through four coaches since Couturier arrived, and Scott Gordon remains an interim coach. There soon might be a fifth. They interrupted their own rebuilding project last fall when they fired general manager less than five years into the process, then handed the tools to Chuck Fletcher. 1105266 Philadelphia Flyers Goalie Alex Lyon, who is involved in numerous charity events, was named the Phantoms’ nominee as the AHL man of the year. … Binnington, who is expected to start Thursday, was named the league’s Two ways to look at Flyers’ swoon rookie of the month in February and March. He made his first NHL start and blanked the Flyers, 3-0, on Jan. 7.

by Sam Carchidi Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 04.04.2019

ST. LOUIS -- There are two ways to view the late-season skid that took the Flyers out of playoff contention.

Glass half empty: This team needs at least three major additions before it can even think of being a serious Stanley Cup contender.

Glass half full: The Flyers are improving their draft-lottery odds of landing a higher pick.

Entering Wednesday’s action, the Flyers had the league’s 11th-worst record. They had a 3 percent chance to get the No. 1 overall draft pick, a 3.3 percent chance to get the No. 2 pick, and a 3.6 percent chance to get the No. 3 pick, according to tankathon.com.

In 2017, they went from No. 13 to No. 2 -- they had a 2.4 percent chance of that happening -- and drafted Nolan Patrick.

The Flyers played only 30 good minutes in their latest loss, a 6-2 wipeout in Dallas on Tuesday, their eighth defeat in the last 11 games. The Stars, who clinched a Western Conference playoff berth, are coached by former Flyer Jim Montgomery.

Up next on their Ex-Flyers Tour: St. Louis on Thursday. The Blues, a team that has made an amazing in-season transformation -- much like the Flyers before their late-season collapse — are directed by Craig Berube, the former Flyers player and coach.

On Saturday, the Flyers will finish their disappointing season by hosting Carolina, coached by Rod Brind’Amour, a former Philadelphia standout.

Berube has revived a Blues team that was last in the 31-team NHL on Jan. 2, when it had a 15-18-4 record for 34 points. (At the time, the Flyers had 35 points.)

Since then, the Blues have gone 28-10-5. They are the seventh team since the NHL’s 1967-68 expansion to get into the playoffs after ranking last in the NHL after New Year’s Day. St. Louis has 95 points, one behind Winnipeg and Nashville for the top spot in the Central Division. All three teams have two games remaining.

Leading the way has been 25-year-old rookie goalie Jordan Binnington, who has a 22-5-1 record with a 1.85 GAA and .928 save percentage, and forwards Vladimir Tarasenko (32 goals) and Ryan O’Reilly (74 points).

Berube was named the interim head coach on Nov. 19, replacing Mike Yeo when the Blues had a 7-9-3 record and were at the bottom of the Central Division. He spent 11 seasons in different coaching roles with the Flyers organization, and compiled a 75-58-28 record as their head coach from 2013 to 2015 before being replaced by Dave Hakstol.

While the Blues are trying to finish strong and take momentum into the playoffs, the Flyers are playing out the string. Since being eliminated from the playoff race Saturday, they have lost their last two games to the Rangers and Dallas by a combined 9-2.

In Tuesday’s loss in Dallas, the Flyers fell into a 2-0 hole for the 30th time in their 80 games.

“When you’re always chasing the game, it’s tough,” defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere said. “You’re going to get more tired, so I think for us, it’s about bearing down a little bit and getting better starts.”

The Flyers have been outscored, 86-59, in the first period this season, a major reason they missed the playoffs for the fourth time in seven years.

Breakaways

Goalie (2.81 GAA, .912 save percentage) will face his former team, St. Louis, in what could be his last game with the Flyers. ... Former Flyer Brayden Schenn has 15 goals and 51 points for the Blues. The Flyers drafted Morgan Frost and Joel Farabee – forwards now regarded as their two best prospects – with No. 1 picks they acquired in the Schenn deal. … The Flyers put Corban Knight (one goal, four points in 21 games) on waivers. … Shawn Tilger, a longtime expert on the Flyers’ business side, announced he was stepping down after the season. … 1105267 Philadelphia Flyers He did not resemble the goalie who finished fourth in the Vezina Trophy voting after a superb 2016-17 season — he had a 42-22-8 record, 2.39 GAA, and .919 save percentage — with the Oilers.

Flyers-Stars observations: Cam Talbot’s struggles, Oskar Lindblom’s Before making Talbot an offer, the Flyers at least need to explore their strong play options. Brian Elliott, whose injury-plagued season is cause for concern, is a potential free-agent goalie, as are Robin Lehner, Curtis McElhinney, Ryan Miller, and Anders Nilsson. by Sam Carchidi

Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 04.04.2019 DALLAS — The Flyers suffered their eighth defeat in their last 11 games, losing in Dallas on Tuesday night, 6-2.

Here are some takeaways.

The Flyers have been eliminated from the playoff race since Saturday. They would have been eliminated a lot sooner if they played like they did Tuesday. Basically, they played for half the 60 minutes. Not a good recipe.

They were awful in the first 10 minutes and the final 20 minutes of the game. In between, they showed some heart and urgency for 30 minutes.

Next season’s motto should be “60 Hard Minutes.” Maybe a reminder will help.

Allowing the first goal isn’t a catastrophe. Allowing the first two goals?

Well, that’s a different story.

The Flyers on Tuesday fell into a 2-0 hole for the 30th time in 80 games, a mind-boggling 37.5 percent of the time. They have won four of those 30 games.

“When you’re always chasing the game, it’s tough,” defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere said. “You’re going to get more tired, so I think for us, it’s about bearing down a little bit and getting better starts.”

Left winger Oskar Lindblom was the Flyers’ top player Tuesday. The 22- year-old scored his 15th goal and was one of the team’s few players who went all-out all night, continually driving to the net.

But his strong play couldn’t prevent the Stars from clinching a Western Conference playoff berth.

“It’s kind of embarrassing to go out and lose, 6-2, in this kind of game,” he said.

Lindblom’s 15 goals are the most by a Flyers rookie since Gostisbehere had 17 in 2015-16, and the most by a Flyers rookie forward since James van Riemsdyk had 15 in 2009-10.

Another positive

Center Nolan Patrick didn’t score — he has one goal in his last 21 games — but the second-year center picked up his first assist in nine games and went to the net hard while playing his best game in a while.

With two games left, the 20-year-old Patrick has 13 goals, the same number he scored last season.

In his final start of the season, Cam Talbot allowed six goals on 30 shots. Two of those goals were his fault, including a back-breaking third-period tally that deflected off his stick and into the net and gave Dallas a 5-2 lead.

Talbot was outstanding in the third period before allowing the strange short-side goal to Blake Comeau.

“I wasn’t good enough,” said Talbot, whose mistake-prone defense left him vulnerable many times.

Talbot has played in only four games with the Flyers, three as a starter, but he has not been impressive. It’s a not a lot of games, and Talbot, who will turn 32 next week, went a long time between starts, so there’s no reason for alarm.

That said, Talbot also struggled this season with Edmonton. He didn’t exactly make the Flyers’ brass confident that he will be a viable backup to Carter Hart — if Talbot returns. (I think he will.)

In four games with the Flyers, Talbot, a pending unrestricted free agent, had a 3.70 goals-against average and .881 save percentage. 1105268 Philadelphia Flyers

Burlington County Times LOADED: 04.04.2019

The Dallas Stars clinch 1st playoff trip since 2016, beating Philadelphia Flyers

By Schuyler Dixon / The Associated Press

Posted Apr 2, 2019 at 11:57 PM

Updated Apr 3, 2019 at 12:36 AM

DALLAS — The Dallas Stars clinched their first trip to the playoffs in three years Tuesday night, getting two goals and two assists from Alexander Radulov in a 6-2 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday night.

The Stars were just a point shy of the postseason and could have made it with an Arizona loss in a later game.

Instead, they left little doubt with four goals in the final 24 minutes, including a pair 10 seconds apart, for just their third Western Conference playoff berth in 11 seasons.

Jason Dickinson, , Tyler Pitlick and Blake Comeau also scored for the Stars, who hold the first wild-card spot with 91 points and are unlikely to get into the top three in the Central Division. Dallas last made the playoffs in 2016, losing a Game 7 to St. Louis in the second round.

The Stars missed the playoffs a year ago because of an eight-game losing streak late in the season, the first six of those on the road. This time, they moved to the brink of the postseason by earning seven points on a four-game Canadian swing before coming home to face Philadelphia.

It was a satisfying surge for a club that worked through a tumultuous midseason stretch after team CEO Jim Lites profanely ripped the play of captain Jamie Benn and fellow star forward Tyler Seguin.

The Stars actually held the last playoff spot in the West in late December when Lites used plenty of profanity along with “terrible” and “embarrassing” to describe the way his high-priced forwards were playing while saying the team was underachieving.

First-year coach Jim Montgomery, making the rare transition from college, joined the chorus not long after Lites’ strong words, saying he was trying to end the franchise’s “culture of mediocrity.”

Montgomery’s tone was decidedly more positive after the All-Star break, when the Stars won their first four to finish a five-game winning streak and had another solid run in March to set up the decisive Canadian trip.

Dallas gave up a 2-0 lead in the second on goals from Oskar Lindblom and Shayne Gostisbehere before Radulov put the Stars in front for good late in the second when he took a pass from Seguin and lifted a backhand over Cam Talbot on the power play for his career-high 28th goal.

Radulov scored his 29th, two shy of team leader Seguin and two ahead of Benn, 10 seconds after Comeau’s third-period tally. The six goals tied a season high for Dallas. Seguin and John Klingberg had two assists apiece.

Pitlick, in his second game back after missing 30 with a wrist injury, redirected a pass from Roope Hintz while skating through the slot two minutes later. Dickinson and Lindell, who had a nifty redirect off his blade from between his legs , scored in the first five minutes.

Anton Khudobin, who has played an important role as Ben Bishop’s backup with the Dallas starter missing 16 games because of injuries, made 32 saves. Bishop is expected to return from his latest injury this weekend. Talbot stopped 24 shots.

NOTES: Stars F Mats Zuccarello returned after missing 17 games with a broken arm, recording an assist. Zuccarello was injured in his first game after coming over in a trade with the New York Rangers. He had a goal and an assist in that game against Chicago. The Flyers, already eliminated in the East playoff race, have lost five of six games. Radulov is on a six-game points streak, with 10 points (five goals, five assists). 1105269 Philadelphia Flyers endured a second hip procedure in November after undergoing offseason surgery and has quietly turned in a rather respectable season, which will likely be his last in Philadelphia.

Our selections for Flyers' 2018-19 awards Hall: Claude Giroux

Giroux puts up a lot of numbers and collects different accolades, but he By John Boruk and Jordan Hall April 03, 2019 6:15 PM doesn't get enough credit for traits like heart and dedication. He's made numerous adjustments for the better of the team, playing different positions, roles and a lot of minutes. He takes great pride in the wearing the Flyers' jersey. Going End to End today are NBC Sports Philadelphia's John Boruk and Jordan Hall.

The topic: Our selections for the Flyers' 2018-19 team awards, which will Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 04.04.2019 be handed out before Saturday's regular-season finale.

Boruk: Sean Couturier

This is a rather easy one for me. Last season, I had Couturier penciled in until Claude Giroux put the team on his back and carried it to the playoffs. This year, Couturier was once again steady (not spectacular) defensively and led the Flyers in goals. This should be a unanimous selection.

Hall: Sean Couturier

Couturier does so much. He's first on the team in goals (career-high 32) and faceoffs won (728), second in points (74) and ice time per game (22:05), third in shorthanded ice time (181:55) and leads Flyers forwards in blocked shots (60). At 26 years old, he should be an untouchable right next to Giroux.

Boruk: Radko Gudas

Let's be perfectly honest here: no one defenseman on this team was outstanding, so I’m reverting to which blueliner was the most consistent and reliable. Ivan Provorov struggled throughout the first half of the season with giveaways in the defensive zone, while Gudas was steady all season long. Gudas cut down on many of the mistakes and miscues from his previous seasons.

Hall: Travis Sanheim

No defensemen truly stood out this season as Provorov and Shayne Gostisbehere experienced down years after career seasons. Sanheim, who just turned 23, was the one who stood out the most when his role grew under interim head coach Scott Gordon.

Boruk: Andrew MacDonald

Apparently, they don't want to have a multi-award winner in this category, so with Couturier winning the award last season, this is a rather easy selection. Say what you want about the Flyers' defenseman, but MacDonald has been a class act not just this season, but throughout his Flyers tenure. Never complains when he's scratched while also lending his experience to the younger players.

Hall: Scott Laughton

Laughton has played his butt off every single game this season. He skates hard, is a max-hustle kind of player and treats the game right. He's been respectful, honest and accountable after each difficult loss.

Boruk: Travis Sanheim

There are two names that stick out here: Sanheim and Oskar Lindblom. It wouldn’t surprise me if the players chose Lindblom, but considering the strides Sanheim took in Year 2 playing on the top pair with Provorov, while increasing his point total from 10 his rookie season to 34 in 2018- 19, I think Sanheim has made the biggest jump in his overall improvement.

Hall: Oskar Lindblom

Lindblom, a 2014 fifth-round pick, has taken major strides and looks like a bright spot for the future. His 15 goals are sixth most among NHL rookies and the 22-year-old has played just 13:42 a game this season.

Gene Hart Memorial Award (Player with the most “heart” — selected by Philadelphia Flyers Fan Club)

Boruk: Brian Elliott

The Flyers' goaltender was the PHWA recipient for the Masterton Award for perseverance and dedication, so I think this award shares some of those same qualities. After gutting it out in last year’s playoffs, Elliott 1105270 Philadelphia Flyers tied to Artemi Panarin and will certainly have a lot of money they can throw at him in free agency, but there will be other suitors as well. I’ve heard they have significant interest in him and, as mentioned in the Flyers Mailbag: How many changes will Chuck Fletcher make? mailbag before, it was reported that they tried to trade for him at the draft last summer.

No question that Joel Quenneville is the biggest name out there in the Dave Isaac, NHL writer coaching market. The Flyers were very close to a deal with him in December and it fell through. No doubt they’ll try again, but as is the case Published 11:11 a.m. ET April 3, 2019 with Panarin there will be other suitors.

If they do strike out there and choose not to stick with Scott Gordon Throughout his career, Claude Giroux has been a man of few words. (which may very well be the case), I’d think Dave Tippett would be one of the names to watch. It’s been reported that he wants to get back behind He’s the type of captain that prefers to lead by example and has the bench and not wait to see what the expansion Seattle franchise sometimes caught flak for not being as vocal as his predecessor, Chris envisions for him. He coached a pretty defensive system with Arizona Pronger. That’s a tough act to follow and not everyone shares Pronger’s and never had many tools up front. In Philadelphia, the pieces are there personality, entertaining as it may be. and they want to add more of them.

Giroux doesn’t like to handle his business publicly. He’s not the type to Todd McLellan would be an interesting name as well, but he’s been call out teammates in postgame media scrums or draw attention to heavily linked to the Los Angeles Kings, so that may not be feasible. If I himself. Once the Flyers were clearly out of playoff contention this had to pick one more name to make it three, I guess I’d go with Toronto season, however, it’s clear how hard it’s hit him. Marlies coach Sheldon Keefe, but according to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, the club is closing in on an extension to keep him there. That’s He’s 31 and has seen the playoffs seven times in 12 seasons. When he not to say he couldn’t leave for an NHL opportunity, but chances aren’t broke into the league, the Flyers were playoff bound each of his first four great. full seasons. Since then, it’s been alternating every other year whether they qualify or not. I don’t think it’s lost on upper management, the ones that see the maroon empty seats at Wells Fargo Center, that the Flyers are fourth out of the “We’re a frustrating team right now,” Giroux said Sunday after getting four major pro sports teams in the city. shut out by the New York Rangers. “We’re our worst enemy. These games are not easy, especially at home where we need to play better.” They know they need to make a splash this summer, a big one, to get attention back in their corner and most importantly they need to build a When asked if that was the most aggravating part, that the Flyers keep team that’s going to win a playoff series or two (at least) next season. shooting themselves in the foot, was one of the rare times that he looked The Flyers’ place in the pecking order of pro sports in Philly might be the up from the floor and gave a succinct, “Yeah” in response. It wasn’t so biggest indicator that sweeping changes should be expected. much a dismissive reply, rather it felt like that was the crux of the issue. Let’s bring this full circle to close it out. Now more than ever, Giroux wants to win while there’s still sand left in his hourglass. And there’s clearly a directive from management, The core group is the only constant to the Flyers’ inconsistency since especially after the firing of Ron Hextall this season, that waiting for 2012 when they last won a playoff round. They’ve changed general things to work themselves out organically won’t be tolerated anymore. managers twice and head coaches three times. Wayne Simmonds was a piece of that core and now he’s gone, but that may not be enough to So, Chuck Fletcher will have his hands full trying to make that happen make a dent. I do think there will be changes to the group, but I can’t this summer. How, exactly? That’s where we start with the mailbag. As imagine Claude Giroux being part of that change. always, participate using #FlyersMailbag on Twitter. For one, Fletcher essentially already said Giroux isn’t going anywhere I agree they need both a top center and top defenseman. They have a and with how productive he’s been the last two seasons and considering No. 1 center in Sean Couturier and that’s especially clear after he’s he’s on their top line, top power-play unit and top penalty-kill tandem, it matched last season’s offensive output. I don’t like the idea of putting would be a step back to lose him. Someone(s) may leave, but can’t Giroux back at center because it will take too much tread off his tires. imagine Giroux is one of them. After two seasons of experience it looks like third line is the place for Nolan Patrick, at least for now. So who’s out there to be the second-line center? Courier-Post LOADED: 04.04.2019 The unrestricted free agent class isn’t very deep. If they go to market, I’d covet Kevin Hayes and/or Brock Nelson. Matt Duchene’s going to get a lot of money somewhere, but I don’t know that Philadelphia is a fit. Unless the Flyers get really aggressive and sign a player to an offer sheet like Mitch Marner (yes, he plays mostly wing but he can play center, too), I think it’s either Hayes, Nelson or someone via trade and if it’s the last category I’m not sure who they’d have eyes for.

As for defense, it’s very clear they need a top-pair defenseman to play with Ivan Provorov. Travis Sanheim has done an admirable job but I like him paired with Phil Myers and on his natural left side better. The defenseman would almost certainly have to come via trade.

Side note: if I’m Chuck Fletcher I try to get deals done with RFA’s like Travis Sanheim, Ivan Provorov and Travis Konecny as soon as possible so I know how much money I have to spend in free agency. I’d want that to be done before the draft in case a trade or two that weekend changes the picture.

Absolutely. To get a top-end defenseman, a first-round pick would likely have to be part of the package. Frankly, I don’t know enough about this draft class outside of Jack Hughes and Kaapo Kakko to know how the rest of the first round projects, but certainly would not be surprised if the Flyers packaged their first-rounder and a player or two to get that defenseman.

Well, I don’t know about St. Louis Blues captain Alex Pietrangelo specifically, but I think it’s reasonable to believe they want to acquire impact players both up front and on the back end. The Flyers have been 1105271 Philadelphia Flyers the admirable job Scott Gordon did getting them from the league’s basement to contending for a playoff spot in late March.

Three more games have to happen before Fletcher starts tackling those In final week of season, Flyers’ focus may shift to offseason issues and they will have to look like more of a team than they did Sunday to be a part of the future in Philadelphia.

Dave Isaac, NHL writer “To have individual success you have to work with the people around you,” Gordon said. “You’re a five-man unit on the ice, 20 players on the Published 3:56 p.m. ET April 1, 2019 team. If we get into those situations where we try to play as an individual and not use the guy that’s available 10 feet away or five feet away just to

look for a harder play or try to beat somebody one-on-one, you’re gonna If Sunday’s loss to the New York Rangers was any indication, the final run into difficulties. It doesn’t matter what the situation is, whether you’ve three games to the Flyers’ season might be cringe-worthy. been off for a week and you’re fresh. The bottom line is the puck moves faster than the bodies and you start getting to individual play you’re not A day after they were eliminated from the playoffs, the Flyers looked gonna be as successful.” disinterested and it showed both on the scoreboard and in their efforts.

“I know we still have to stick with each other, play our game, play for the team and that didn’t happen today,” Robert Hägg said postgame. “It was Courier-Post LOADED: 04.04.2019 too much of a one-man show out there and tried to do too much and, for me as a not-point-producing guy, it’s frustrating. We’re talking before the game about doing all the small things right for the team and we go out there and do exactly the opposite. It’s frustrating.”

“I think some of us, including myself, were sitting back a bit waiting for a play instead of going and getting it and making plays ourselves,” Shayne Gostisbehere added. “It cost us for sure.”

Even though there’s three games left in this season, they don’t hold much meaning. It’s natural to shift the attention to the future, whether that means jobs or roster spots or draft positions.

For instance, Tuesday’s game will mean a lot to Cam Talbot who will start in goal against the Dallas Stars as he continues his pursuit of a contract for next season.

The game would also mean something for the Flyers’ potential draft spot, although a loss is actually more valuable than a win in that regard. As of Monday morning, the Flyers were 13th from the bottom of the NHL standings, giving them a 2.0-percent chance at moving up to pick first and have either Jack Hughes or Kaapo Kakko waiting for them. Last place (which the Flyers won’t have a shot at attaining) has an 18.5- percent chance of picking first.

Another drastic move up the draft board, as the Flyers had in 2017 when they selected Nolan Patrick, would surely change their plans this offseason.

There will be more changes. There will have to be. If not, why expect anything different from a team that has alternated getting in the playoffs by the skin of their teeth and missing completely since 2012, when they last won a postseason round?

“I think we’ve got to find that groove, that consistency this team has yearned for,” Gostisbehere said. “I think for us it’s just getting back to basics. We fell flat on our faces out of the gate this season and it really bit us in the butt. I think we’ve got a good group of guys here, a good young core. I think we can do some damage. I think we just have to figure it out.

“With (Carter Hart) coming in and playing the way he is, this young D getting the experience for the future, I think it really helps us. I don’t think we’re too far off as a team. Once we get everything settled, I think we’ll be good.”

Ex-general manager Ron Hextall fell for that bit a few times. His successor, Chuck Fletcher, may realize that as he evaluates moves this summer and will have roughly $34 million in salary cap space before signing his own restricted free agents.

That includes players like Ivan Provorov, who hasn’t been anywhere near as good in his third season as his first two, Travis Konecny, who has matched his offensive output from last season, and Travis Sanheim, who took a big step forward this season.

Re-signing those three isn’t nearly enough, though. They clearly need a more stable defender on the back line and at least one game-changing forward to start contending with the big boys in the East. Then there’s the question as to what happens behind the bench.

A deal with future Hall of Famer Joel Quenneville fell through in December, but the Flyers are expected to try again this offseason despite 1105272 Philadelphia Flyers Tuesday probably qualified as Talbot’s last chance to impress the Philadelphia brass in game action prior to a decision being made on his contract status, and whether he’ll be chosen as the No. 2 behind Hart for Stars 6, Flyers 2: 10 things we learned about a dead team skating in a at least the next year. close game turned late blowout Talbot better hope last night won’t be weighed too heavily in the evaluation process.

By Charlie O'Connor He had some positive moments, particularly in the first half of the third period when the Flyers were called for consecutive penalties and Talbot Apr 3, 2019 successfully repelled the resulting six Stars scoring chances. A few of the goals he allowed were unstoppable. But two stand out as especially

rough: the first goal of the game, when the Flyers’ goalie had enough The Philadelphia Flyers were eliminated from playoff contention this past time to square up to Jason Dickinson following a Tyler Seguin pass and weekend, and now are just playing for pride as their season winds down. could not, and a Blake Comeau third-period goal that saw Talbot simply The Dallas Stars, on the other hand, entered Tuesday’s game with an fail to seal off the near post. The latter should be a routine save for opportunity to clinch their first playoff berth since 2015-16. NHLers.

Want to take a wild guess as to which team showed up more motivated The poor performance dramatically dragged down Talbot’s metrics during to come away with a victory? his time with the Flyers; barring a surprise relief stint in one of the final two games, he’ll finish with a 0.881 save percentage in four After falling behind 2-0 early, the Flyers stormed back in the second appearances. But the Flyers never should have planned to make their period to tie the score, but then allowed four unanswered goals en route decision solely based on how Talbot performed in a small sample — to a 6-2 loss in Dallas. Oskar Lindblom and Shayne Gostisbehere scored even before they realized that “small sample” would end up meaning a for the Flyers, who received an underwhelming performance in goal from mere four games. Assuming Talbot has tested well physically in practices Cam Talbot (24 saves on 30 shots). Anton Khudobin, on the other hand, and proven to be a positive fit in the locker room, he still could end up the was downright stellar, stopping 32 of 34 shots to ensure that the Stars best fit to fill the open No. 2 job — especially because a bounce-back to never trailed in this postseason-clinching game. career norms next season is the most likely outcome for him. Tuesday certainly didn’t qualify as a strong closing statement, though. Note: This article will reference advanced hockey stats. If you’re looking to better understand any of the referenced metrics, please read this 3: Morin’s numbers much better, eye test not so much primer, which explains the concepts behind them. Samuel Morin had an odd game on Saturday, in the sense that his 1: Flyers lose in blowout, but game wasn’t as bad as the score performance by advanced metrics was horrid (25% Corsi, 6% xG) but his work by the eye test displayed legitimate positives. In particular, Morin For all practical purposes, the Flyers are a dead team skating right now. appeared surprisingly comfortable passing the puck — both within his With no chance of making the playoffs, these final contests are little more own zone and up the ice — which seemed a particularly encouraging than glorified exhibition games for them. But no one in the organization development for a defenseman who has long had a weakness in the — from general manager Chuck Fletcher to the coaches trying to keep “puck moving” aspect of his game. their jobs to the players — wanted the team’s poor showing against the New York Rangers on Sunday to become the norm for the season’s final Tuesday proved to be the opposite. This time, Morin’s numbers at 5-on-5 week. looked great: A Flyers defenseman-high 63.16% Corsi For Percentage and a solid 56.96% performance by xG certainly qualifies as such. But In Sunday’s loss, the Flyers were worse than flat. Robert Hagg was last night, Morin’s passing was far less crisp. Feeds were often off target, particularly disgusted after the game, implying that the team wasn’t and when they did reach their intended recipient, they largely lacked sticking together in the wake of its elimination the day before, and directly touch, leading to bouncing pucks flipping over forwards’ sticks. Add in stating that it was “too much of a one-man show.” Sure, Philadelphia had that Morin’s signature aggressiveness without the puck has not yet re- just been officially booted from playoff contention, and it’s reasonable to emerged in his game, and the 23-year-old looked fairly underwhelming expect some drag after such an outcome. But the 3-0 loss to another versus Dallas. non-playoff team raised questions about how bad things might look if the Flyers replicated that effort against three likely playoff-bound clubs in But just as it’s important not to bury Talbot as an option for the backup Dallas, St. Louis and Carolina in the coming days. Ugly blowouts would goalie job in 2019-20 due to one bad game, it’s also foolish to toss aside be inevitable. Morin because he’s not playing his best hockey while adapting to a new league after nearly a year-long layoff. The primary importance of this Well, the Flyers did suffer an ugly blowout on Tuesday night. But even stretch for Morin is to set him up for a strong offseason, which he can though the score reflected a more lopsided result than Sunday afternoon, hopefully use as a springboard into training camp in September. The the Flyers did actually show up to play this time. Their start wasn’t great “real” Samuel Morin likely won’t be seen until then. — though Talbot probably should have done a better job on Goal No. 1 — but after falling behind 2-0, Philadelphia carried play for the better part 4: Gudas out of lineup as d-man rotation continues of 20 minutes, ultimately knotting the score just after the midpoint of the second period. Shayne Gostisbehere may have sat on Saturday to accommodate Morin’s presence in a six-defenseman lineup, but Gordon assured both Yes, things fell apart soon after, the result of defensive breakdowns, a the media and his players that the scratching plan was a rotation. This deluge of (sometimes questionable) penalties called against them and was confirmed on Tuesday; after sitting Morin on Sunday to avoid playing one especially horrific goal allowed by Talbot in the third that made it him in a back-to-back, the head coach pulled Radko Gudas from the clear this wasn’t the Flyers’ night. But they held their own over the 60- lineup as Morin checked back in. minute contest from a territorial standpoint — Philadelphia trailed 58-55 in all-situations shot attempts, posted a 52.05 percent unadjusted Corsi For fans, it provided a unique look at a fully homegrown defense, with at 5-on-5 and even led in all-situations Expected Goals, 3.40 to 3.20. each member of the unit under 26 years old: Ivan Provorov, This was less a case of a team letting the mentality that led to Sunday’s Gostisbehere, Travis Sanheim, Philippe Myers, Robert Hagg and Morin. shellacking carry over, and more a game that could have been close had It’s a group of six that fans have been fantasizing about seeing in the one side not had a major edge in goaltending (Talbot was poor while same lineup for years, even though I’d suspect they hoped to witness it in Khudobin was stellar). better times for the team.

2: Talbot struggles mightily in final 2018-19 start NBC Sports Philadelphia broadcaster Jim Jackson noted during the broadcast that Provorov and Sanheim are the two defensemen who will Prior to Tuesday’s game, head coach Scott Gordon informed the be exempt from the scratch rotation, which makes sense, as both have traveling media of his plan for the netminders for the remainder of the been deployed as top-pair blueliners since December. Gordon did note season — Cam Talbot would get the nod on Tuesday, Brian Elliott would last week that he might go to seven defensemen for the finale (though he receive what is likely his final start as a Flyer on Thursday, and then did not commit to the idea), so it’s possible that Thursday’s game against (probably as a nod to the fans) Carter Hart would close out the year at the St. Louis Blues will mark the end of the rotation. One assumes that home against the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday night. That meant either Hagg or Myers will check out next. 5: Giroux returned to left side on PP Perhaps it shouldn’t be a major shock that the Laughton line didn’t put up strong numbers — as it turns out, no trio faced off against the group of One of the more controversial coaching decisions from the Flyers in the Tyler Seguin, Alexander Radulov and Jason Dickinson more often than post-Dave Hakstol era was the choice to move Claude Giroux — who the Hartman-Laughton-Voracek line. While they may have seemed like has long taken up the role as distributor on the left half-boards on the the third line on the depth chart, clearly Gordon and the coaching staff team’s top power play unit — to the opposite side of the ice, directing him wanted to get a read on how they might perform as something of a to largely set up shop on the right side. The shift was justified in two secondary shutdown line. primary ways: The PP was struggling in the first half and something had to be shaken up, and having Giroux on the right side was more ideal for After all, Laughton at one time was viewed as a player with high-end James van Riemsdyk as a netfront option, since he would be able to defensive potential. He’ll never usurp Couturier as the primary tough receive passes from Giroux on his forehand, rather than his backhand if minutes center on the Flyers, but teams can benefit from a second line Giroux were stationed on the left. (usually in the bottom-six) that can provide support duties to the primary “tough-matchups” group. It wouldn’t be a major shock to see Laughton The problem? Moving Giroux to the opposite side largely nullified his take up that role next season, if he remains at the pivot position. dangerous one-timer, made a pass up top to Gostisbehere more awkward (since Ghost would be receiving it on his backhand) and took 9: Outshooting opposition at 5-on-5 has become a rare trick for Flyers away the quick one-timer slot option as long as Sean Couturier (a lefty shot) held that role. It took most of the second half of the season, but on Philadelphia may have lost this game handily, but as noted above, they Tuesday, the Flyers finally appeared to give up on the Giroux-on-the-left weren’t taken to the cleaners territorially. In fact, the Flyers generated PP strategy. They were quickly rewarded. more 5-on-5 shot attempts than did the Stars (38-35), an achievement that may seem hollow but actually has become fairly rare for the Flyers I’m sympathetic to the idea that something needed to change with the over the final quarter of the season. Flyers’ PP. The results in the first half of the season were unacceptable from a top unit with as much firepower as the Flyers possess. But it’s Over their last 20 games, the Flyers have won the 5-on-5 shot-attempts difficult to imagine a scenario where the 2019-20 incarnation of PP1 battle versus the opposition only five times. That should speak to how doesn’t include Giroux in his old spot on the left side. Unless the plan is hard it’s been for Philadelphia to truly carry play over the final two-plus to completely restructure the formation — and the Flyers should certainly months of the season, even though it took until mid-March for the floor to be open to radical changes — a 1-3-1 without Giroux on the left feeding truly fall out from under the Flyers in terms of wins and losses. The Flyers lefty shots in the slot and at the point and taking one-timer bombs from did a lot of things right in the second half of the season — improved cross-ice Voracek passes just isn’t an efficient use of his talents. goaltending, much better special teams, talented youngsters in elevated roles — but their inability to outshoot the opposition became glaring, and 6: Kid Line keeps impressing the deficiency eventually caught up with them. It needs to be addressed this offseason. A trio of Oskar Lindblom, Nolan Patrick and Travis Konecny started the second period on Sunday, and Gordon referred to them after the game 10: Current position in the lottery as “our best line tonight.” So it was little surprise when the coach chose to roll with them yet again two days later. The new line did not disappoint. Another loss for the Flyers — their third straight and fifth in their last six games — dropped them further down in the standings. Currently, they sit Not only did the line have few issues driving play (66.67% Corsi and a 5- with the 11th-worst record in hockey, just outside of the top 10 when it 3 scoring-chance differential in 11:24 together at 5-on-5), but they also lit comes to projected odds for the draft lottery. the lamp in impressive fashion. Patrick — occasionally criticized for not playing with sufficient assertiveness on the attack — made a power move Can the Flyers theoretically drop further? Yes, though they now cannot to the low slot from the corner, creating a shot that Lindblom would fall below ninth, since Philadelphia currently has 82 standings points and ultimately bury. It was the kind of play that Patrick needs to add to his Edmonton (the 8th-worst team) can reach just 81 at the most. The two regular arsenal to reach his eventual ceiling. teams the Flyers could “pass,” however, are the Vancouver Canucks and Chicago Blackhawks. Both sit just two points behind the Flyers in the Could this line work over the long term? While it’s not the best depth- standings. chart fit at the moment — Konecny probably belongs in the top-six while Patrick ideally would be the 3C until he shows he can handle more Let’s assume for a second that the Flyers lose out. Chicago would need responsibility — if the Flyers were to make some major additions up front to take at least three points out of its final three games, while Vancouver this offseason, perhaps a trio consisting of three youngsters ages 23, 22 would need three out of its final two in order to end up with a better and 21 could be a stellar Line 3 for 2019-20. record than Philadelphia. Both teams are officially out of playoff contention, so the Flyers would need to root for one or both to pull upsets 7: Voracek spends time on ‘energy’ line over playoff-bound clubs (Chicago gets St. Louis, Dallas and Nashville the rest of the way while Vancouver faces Nashville and St. Louis) to With Lindblom-Patrick-Konecny staying together as a three-man unit, and move up in the lottery order. van Riemsdyk jumping up to play on the top line with Giroux and Couturier, it left no obvious place for Jakub Voracek to slot in. As a result, By the same token, if the Flyers start winning again, they could plausibly Gordon did exactly what a coach should do at the end of a season during jump over all of Minnesota, Florida and Arizona, if those teams flatline meaningless games — take a shot at an outside-the-box idea. In this the rest of the way. Essentially, Philadelphia could end up anywhere case, placing Voracek alongside bottom-six energy forwards Scott between No. 9 and No. 14 in terms of lottery odds, depending on how the Laughton and . final four days of the season play out.

Unlike the Kid Line, this isn’t a trio that has any chance of starting the 2019-20 season together. So then why waste time trying them out? It’s because useful information can still be gleaned from brief stints as a The Athletic LOADED: 04.04.2019 three-man unit. For example, let’s envision a scenario in which the Flyers acquire enough talent this offseason to push Hartman and Laughton down to Line 4. It might then at times make sense to double-shift Voracek with those bottom-sixers to give them a bit more offensive punch and put more pressure on opposing defenses. Might as well find out now — with the stakes as low as possible for a regular-season game — if the trio shows any early chemistry.

The bad news is that the numbers imply they did not; a 44.44% Corsi and two goals against don’t look great on the resume. But that’s the point of these last few games — run experiments, determine what does work, what doesn’t work and what might not work yet but could have potential down the road.

8: Laughton line gets ‘tough’ minutes 1105273 Pittsburgh Penguins

Penguins’ fate still up in air entering Game No. 81

CHRIS ADAMSKI

Wednesday, April 3, 2019 5:48 p.m.

As the only player on the roster who has played a non-playoff season with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Sidney Crosby can speak uniquely on the perspective that the Penguins are in a better spot now than they were during his rookie 2005-06 season.

These Penguins are worlds better than the 58-point version of 13 years ago. But they share one thing with that group that and the 2014-15 team: They’re entering the 81st game of the season without a playoff berth assured.

And while it would take an unlikely set of events at this juncture for the Penguins to be shut out of the postseason that begins next week, that fact is at least adding some interest to their final two games.

“Obviously, things are getting pretty interesting here,” winger Bryan Rust said. “So I think just that all we can worry about is taking care of our own business and after that, whatever happens, happens.”

The Penguins (43-26-11) have 97 points and have a magic number of two. That means that a victory Thursday night at home against the Detroit Red Wings punches their ticket to the playoffs for an NHL active- best 13th consecutive year. If not, a win Saturday at PPG Paints Arena against the New York Rangers accomplishes the same thing.

But the Penguins don’t want to tempt fate with that kind of drama. April 2015 was the last time they went into an 82nd game not assured of a playoff spot. They faced a bottom-feeding team that year, too. They beat the Buffalo Sabres in that game but lost in the first round in five games to the No. 1 seed Rangers.

If things fall poorly for this year’s Penguins, they also could meet a No. 1 seed in the first round (Tampa Bay) — but it also is possible they get home-ice advantage in the first round.

“Not only do we want to clinch. We want to get in the best position possible,” said injured defenseman Kris Letang, who has not been ruled out for a return Thursday. “Every game is important, and all four points, we will try to get them. It’s not only about making it, it’s trying to be in a good position also.”

Coach Mike Sullivan, just a few days back when missing the postseason seemed impossible, went on record saying getting in was more of a priority than worrying about seeding. The Penguins have finished in second place in the Metropolitan Division each of the three seasons Sullivan has completed as coach.

Odds fall on the Penguins meeting the New York Islanders (99 points with two games to play) in the first round, but the venue for Games 1-2, 5 and 7 are in question. Still, Sullivan said he told the team at practice Wednesday that its sole focus should be on Thursday’s game against the Red Wings.

“Ultimately, everybody’s goal going into training camp is to win the Stanley Cup, but you win the Stanley Cup in September and October and November. You have to make sure you win the game in front of you, or … get better in practice that day,” Sullivan said. “Hopefully the accumulation of energy and execution adds up to an opportunity at the end of the year. And so that’s really the mantra that we have had since this coaching staff was put together.”

The Penguins prospects are much improved from a month and a half ago. A strong March helped pull them into a better position.

“I think that helps our urgency and our mentality going into games,” Crosby said, “because it has had to be that way for a while.

“(Thursday) is another challenge as far as that is concerned, so I think our mindset is in the right place. We know the importance of it.”

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Sidney Crosby, Penguins look for ways out of scoring slump

CHRIS ADAMSKI

Wednesday, April 3, 2019 4:32 p.m.

The Pittsburgh Penguins have 19 goals in their past nine games. Their best player doesn’t have a goal – and only three assists – in that time.

“Part of my job is (to score goals), so I have got to find a way to do that,” captain Sidney Crosby said. “I don’t think that I’m OK with it, but there are other parts of the game l need to be good at when it’s not going in.”

Crosby, on whole, has drawn raves for his complete game from his coaches and observers. But was once assured for him – a 100-point season – now is unlikely. Before Crosby’s scoring slump began in a loss to St. Louis on March 16, he had 10 goals and 30 points in a 16-game stretch.

But he’s been stuck at 33 goals on the season for almost three weeks. He has 95 points with two games to play in the regular season.

“I wouldn’t say I accept it,” Crosby said, “but I try to go out there and get one every night. And I think at some points it goes in easier than others – but I think this time of year you wanna find ways to score.”

The Penguins have won just four of these nine games since the offense has struggled to produce; they have scored exactly one goal in five of those contests.

“I think maybe (the Penguins can) simplify (their offensive approach),” wing Bryan Rust said. “Don’t try to over-think, maybe don’t try to press it, get more pucks to the net and traffic to the net, and that’s going to help us score some more goals.”

Coach Mike Sullivan is trying a tweak to the forward lines, too, to help jumpstart the scoring, moving Jared McCann to the first line with Crosby and Jake Geuntzel while moving Rust to a line with Evgeni Malkin and Phil Kessel.

Although the line juggling was in part the result of Malkin’s return to practice from injury, McCann’s promotion makes sense in that he has 11 goals in 30 games with the Penguins.

“When Jared is at his best, he’s utilizing his speed and he can utilize his shot,” Sullivan said. “He can really shoot the puck. One thing that jumped out at us when we first got him was his shot and his skating – and it’s a pretty dangerous combination.”

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Kris Letang back at Penguins practice in no-contact jersey, eyes return to games soon

CHRIS ADAMSKI

Wednesday, April 3, 2019 2:57 p.m.

Kris Letang confirmed that the injury that is affecting him now is the same one he suffered in the outdoor game Feb. 23, but the Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman was at practice Wednesday and sounded poised for a return to game action before the start of the playoffs next week.

“I’m going to go out there when I feel like I am ready to go and I am 100 percent,” said Letang, who has played in just three of the past 18 games. “So if I play one (before the playoffs), I play one; if I play two, I play two. As long as I am ready for (the playoffs).”

The Penguins close out the regular season with two home games: Thursday against the Detroit Red Wings and Saturday against the New York Rangers.

Although Letang was wearing a “no-contact” jersey for Wednesday at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex, both he and coach Mike Sullivan indicated that doesn’t necessarily mean he cannot play in a game until after he is cleared for practice contact. Sullivan said that in the past the veteran defenseman has returned from injury after “skipping” the usual practice-contact step.

“(A return to games) is just when I am going to be ready, I’ll be ready,” Letang said.

Letang said that the impending start of the postseason (the Stanley Cup playoffs begin a week from Wednesday) nor the urgency the Penguins face (they have yet to clinch a berth for them) will affect the timing of his return.

“I talk with the doctor; we’ll make the decision based on what’s intelligent,” Letang said. “It’s not based on, ‘If we do this, if we do that.’ We go by my health first… We kind of go day-by-day.”

Letang was injured in a scrum with the Philadelphia Flyers’ Shayne Gostisbehere during the Penguins’ loss at Lincoln Financial Field six weeks ago. He returned with three points in three games March 19-23 but has missed the past four games.

“It was just that I didn’t feel that comfortable after those games and I thought taking a little bit more time to get better was a better idea,” Letang said.

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Back at Penguins practice, Evgeni Malkin sees a ‘good chance to play’

CHRIS ADAMSKI

Wednesday, April 3, 2019 2:05 p.m.

Evgeni Malkin practiced fully with Pittsburgh Penguins teammates in a non-limited capacity at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex Wednesday. Afterward, Malkin expressed optimism he could return to game action Thursday at home against the Detroit Red Wings.

“Obviously, tomorrow if I feel fine I will have good chance to play,” said Malkin, who has not played since March 16 because of an upper-body injury.

Malkin worked with the first-team power play and centered a second line between Phil Kessel and Bryan Rust. Although he was cleared for contact, Malkin emphasized that practice contact is entirely different than a live game.

Coach Mike Sullivan acknowledged that Malkin is making progress in returning from injury but — officially, at least — kept Malkin’s status at “day to day” and as a “game-time decision” for Thursday against Detroit.

The Penguins have yet to clinch a playoff spot with two games remaining in the regular season. The playoffs begin one week from Wednesday.

“I just feel like I want a couple more games before the playoffs to get my confidence back,” said Malkin, who has 21 goals and 71 points in 66 games this season. “I need to feel the game, with the puck. I hope I wake up (Thursday) and I feel great and I am ready to play.”

Tribune Review LOADED: 04.04.2019 1105277 Pittsburgh Penguins And you may have noticed that in that MLB Stats tweet, the last pitcher to accomplish that feat was Madison Bumgarner in 2017. And Greinke was the opposing pitcher.

First call: Penguins get no help; Bryce Harper’s dramatic return to Speaking of Bumgarner, hey … what’s this? Washington Unfortunately for Bumgarner and the Giants, they lost 6-5 in Los Angeles despite his home run. Meanwhile, Greinke and the Diamondbacks won 8- TIM BENZ 5 in San Diego.

Wednesday, April 3, 2019 8:50 a.m. Who steals a shoe? Honestly?

Remember the shoe blown out by Duke’s Zion Williamson earlier this year? Our “First Call” for Wednesday starts with a look at how the Penguins playoff picture was impacted by Eastern Conference results last night. Well, that shoe has gone missing. No one knows where it is. Pitchers make an argument against the DH. The Bryce Harper return to And according to Goldin Auctions, via TMZ, it could be worth up to Washington was great theater. And whatever happened to Zion $250,000. Williamson’s exploding shoe? TMZ contacted Nike, and the company said they worked with Duke to Not done yet inspect what went wrong after the incident. But it doesn’t know where the The Penguins needed either a win or a Montreal regulation loss to clinch shoe is now. a playoff spot Tuesday. So, if anyone went dumpster diving , you may want to get to your local They got neither. auction house.

The Penguins lost 4-1 to the Red Wings. And the Canadiens beat the NHL’s best team to stay alive. Tribune Review LOADED: 04.04.2019 Le GROS but de Artturi.

That double-mid-air-swat goal from Artturi Lehkonen was part of a 4-2 victory for the Canadiens over Tampa.

So Montreal remains in ninth place with 94 points and two games left. That’s three fewer than the Penguins, who have 97, with two more games to play.

The Canadiens visit Washington Thursday and host Toronto Saturday. The Penguins welcome Detroit on Thursday and the Rangers on Saturday.

A little help in Boston

Meanwhile, the Blue Jackets have 94 points, as well. They are clinging to the last wild-card spot in the East.

Their hot streak came to an end Tuesday. After winning five in a row, Columbus lost at home to the Bruins, 6-2.

That was Brad Marchand’s 36th goal and 99th point of the season. He added an assist later to get to 100. The Blue Jackets visit the Rangers on Friday and the Senators on Saturday.

Quite a return

Now this was a scene.

Philadelphia fans traveled to another team’s stadium to cheer one of their guys, while everyone else in that building booed.

Seems like a role-reversal, right?

Well, that’s what happened when former Nationals MVP Bryce Harper returned to Washington as a Phillie for the first time Tuesday. Take a listen to the reaction during Harper’s first at-bat as Max Scherzer struck out Harper.

Harper struck out again later in the game. But he had the last laugh, eventually, going 3 for 5 and hitting this moonshot of a homer off Jeremy Hellickson.

That went 458 feet and the Phillies won 8-2. Harper has three home runs already this season.

‘Ban the DH!’

Here’s one for the Pirates broadcast crew, which hates the idea of the designated hitter potentially coming to the National League.

Yesterday, Arizona pitcher Zack Greinke hammered two homers and struck out 10 in the same game.

Zack Greinke has blasted 2 HRs and struck out 10. 1105278 Pittsburgh Penguins The guess here, based on the Penguins’ improbable March, is that you will see a decisive victory Thursday. I still believe in this team’s championship pedigree. We saw it, for the most part, in a month in which Joe Starkey: Penguins can create fresh start — or nightmare scenario they faced serious adversity, including a brutal schedule, and emerged with a 10-4-3 record and a playoff spot nearly in-hand.

“Nearly” is the key word there. Coach Mike Sullivan spoke Wednesday of JOE STARKEY forgetting the past, ignoring the future and staying in the moment. “Controlling the controllables” is how he phrased it. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette So how about this? Control an inferior team, at home, and move on from [email protected] there. APR 3, 2019 7:41 PM

Post Gazette LOADED: 04.04.2019 Maybe somebody else does the dirty work, and maybe the Penguins clinch a playoff spot before Saturday no matter what happens in their game Thursday against the Detroit Red Wings.

But wouldn’t you feel better if they did it themselves?

Wouldn’t you feel better than better if they delivered a command performance under the kinds of circumstances that have plagued them for much of the season?

And by circumstances, I mean two …

Evgeni Malkin could play on Thursday against Detroit. a.) Playing on home ice. b.) Playing against inferior competition.

General manager Jim Rutherford spoke not long ago of how his team had thrown away a bunch of points this season. He’s right. The Penguins have lost nine times against the five worst teams in the league (New Jersey three times, Ottawa and Buffalo twice apiece, Detroit and Los Angeles).

No offense to the Red Wings, who have won six in a row, but they remain one of the NHL’s five worst teams by virtue of an extremely reliable measurement — their record. They are 32-38-10 and are basically missing half of their roster on account of injury.

Meanwhile, the Penguins have lost 14 times at home in regulation, which is at least a few too many. If they lose one of their final two games in regulation, they will have accumulated their most regulation home losses since their final season at Mellon Arena (2009-10).

All of which creates the perfect opportunity for a fresh and even cathartic new beginning. The Penguins could put an exclamation point on their impressive stretch drive and put themselves in position to treat the season finale Saturday as they see fit.

On the other hand, if the Penguins — whose magic number to clinch a playoff spot is two — gain one or zero points Thursday, and other pertinent games go poorly (Montreal at Washington Thursday, Columbus at the New York Rangers Friday), a nightmare scenario could unfold Saturday.

Penguins center Sidney Crosby argues with official Jon McIsaac on Tuesday, March 12, 2019.

The Penguins could go to Game 82 without a playoff spot in hand, which is kind of like going to Game 7 without a playoff series in hand. Carolina figures in the mix, as well, and while I’m not expecting any of this to happen, we are at Game 81 here. It’s time.

As for the club’s injury situation, it remains cloudy with a chance of sun. I’m assuming Brian Dumoulin will be ready for the playoffs, though I’ve seen “day to day” turn into “week to week” more than once. Kris Letang springs to mind, and he spoke Wednesday after practice. He probably didn’t inspire a ton of confidence, either, when asked if he expected to be ready for the playoff opener (assuming there is one).

“I don’t know,” Letang said. “We kind of go day by day.”

Of course, Letang also didn’t dismiss the idea of suddenly being available Thursday. I wouldn’t bet on that. And I wouldn’t bet on a long postseason run, regardless of what happened two years ago, if Letang is either unavailable or not himself at playoff time.

Evgeni Malkin, by the sounds of it, will make his return Thursday to the lineup. And just in time. The Penguins offense is sagging of late. 1105279 Pittsburgh Penguins fighting through that stuff in front of the net. At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter how. You just have to find ways to put the puck in the net.”

The scoring slump is the longest of the season for Crosby and (strangely) Sidney Crosby on his scoring drought: ‘I’ve got to find a way’ his third of 10 or more games since the start of last season. If he doesn’t score Thursday, it’ll tie for the longest goal-scoring slump he’s endured under Sullivan. JASON MACKEY As a credit to Crosby, he’s done everything else right — the effort, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette two-way play, winning faceoffs, leadership, you name it. The puck just hasn’t gone in the back of the net. [email protected] Then again, as Crosby has often said, when he starts getting asked APR 3, 2019 3:59 PM about a slump, that’s usually when the dam breaks.

In the meantime, he just has to keep focusing on helping the team win in Bringing up a scoring drought with Sidney Crosby this season seems other ways. somewhat silly. “I don’t think I’m OK with [not scoring], but there are other parts I need to For much of it, as the Penguins have endured injuries and scoring be good at if it’s not going in,” Crosby said. “I wouldn’t say I accept it. I try slumps involving key players, Crosby has been consistent and terrific at to go out there and get one every night. Sometimes it goes in easier than both ends of the rink. others. This time of year, you want to find ways to score.”

But the Penguins captain also isn’t stupid.

Or blind. Post Gazette LOADED: 04.04.2019

Penguins line up to congratulate goaltender Matt Murray after shutting out the Blue Jackets Thursday, March 7, 2019, at PPG Paints Arena.

He’s keenly aware that it’s been a season-high 10 games since he’s scored a goal, and he’d obviously like for that to change as soon as possible.

“Part of my job is to put the puck in the net,” Crosby said. “I’ve got to find a way to do that.”

Digging a little deeper into Crosby’s numbers over the past 10 games shows a couple of interesting things.

The biggest is how often Crosby is getting shots through five-on-five — just 45.8 percent of the time. That’s down from his 2018-19 mark of 61.8 percent and his career rate of putting five-on-five attempts on goal of 61.0.

Whether they’re getting blocked or simply missing their intended target, Crosby’s shot attempts aren’t giving him enough of a chance.

Crosby also isn’t shooting enough. He has just 11 five-on-five shots on goal over the past 10 games. Garrett Wilson is one of 13 Penguins skaters with more.

When you factor in the power play, Crosby ranks seventh on the team in shots on goal (20) over his past 10 and eighth in attempts (36).

Phil Kessel battles with Carolina's Nino Niederreiter on March 19, 2019, in Raleigh, N.C.

What’s crazy, though, is that Crosby has been on the ice for the second- most shot attempts (168) and the fourth-most scoring chances (73) overall, which means there hasn’t exactly been a dearth of opportunities to score.

“There have been some games where the chances have been there,” Crosby said. “There have been other games where there hasn’t been a ton.

“As far as the power play, too, maybe looking to shoot a little bit more instead of pass. Maybe that could help.”

So, too, could a new right wing, which is what the Penguins tried at practice on Wednesday. Coach Mike Sullivan had on the right side with Jared McCann on the left, a trio that caught fire in early-to- mid-March.

For Crosby to score more, his line will probably have to have the puck more than it has lately — his five-on-five shot share has dropped from 54.1 during the season to 48.7 over the past 10 games — and they’ll have to do a better job converting the chances they do get.

Consider, during this recent 10-game stretch, Crosby has been on the ice for just four five-on-five goals scored compared to a team-worst seven against.

“This time of year it’s tight,” Crosby said. “You have to find ways to create offense, whether it’s getting shots through or finding rebounds and 1105280 Pittsburgh Penguins So that Sunday, in New York, Letang piped up, and he has been away from the team ever since.

“I didn’t feel that comfortable after those games,” Letang said of the three Reinforcements on the way for banged-up Penguins he did play after an upper-body injury. “I thought taking a little bit more time to get better was a better idea.”

JASON MACKEY Wednesday at practice, Letang was on a makeshift fourth defense pair with Adam Johnson and assistant coach Mark Recchi, but he did rotate Pittsburgh Post-Gazette into special teams work. [email protected] Letang said he felt “pretty good” and was “comfortable” on the ice, although he insisted that he wouldn’t rush back simply because the APR 3, 2019 12:11 PM Penguins have yet to qualify for the postseason and have just two games left on their schedule.

The Penguins actually got some positive injury news for a change. “I talk with the doctor,” Letang said. “We make decisions based on what’s intelligent. It’s not based on, ‘If we do this, if we do that.’ We go by my A day after failing to punch their ticket to the playoffs with a 4-1 loss in health first. That’s it.” Detroit, the Penguins appear poised to welcome Evgeni Malkin back Thursday for a rematch with the Red Wings at PPG Paints Arena. Where Letang stands for Thursday is less clear than Malkin. Sullivan did say that Letang has gone from non-contact participant to playing in Meanwhile, Kris Letang rejoined the team Wednesday for practice at games before, although it’s exceedingly rare for a player to do that in UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex, wearing a non-contact sweater. Sullivan’s tenure here; it has happened fewer than five times.

Letang “didn’t feel that comfortable” after returning from an upper-body The coach termed both players day-to-day, as has been the case for a injury a couple of weeks ago, causing him to miss the past four games. while now, and how Letang feels following more rigorous work likely will paint a better picture of his availability for Thursday. Penguins line up to congratulate goaltender Matt Murray after shutting out the Blue Jackets Thursday, March 7, 2019, at PPG Paints Arena. “I’m going to go out there and when I feel like I’m ready to go and I’m 100 percent,” Letang said. “If I play one, I play one. If I play two, I play two. “You always get a boost when guys get back in the lineup,” Sidney Who knows?” Crosby said. “Especially this time of year, games are so important. It would be huge to get them back.” Without Letang, the Penguins have been surprisingly good defensively, although they seemed to have a tough time dealing with Detroit’s young Coach Mike Sullivan said Tuesday morning that Malkin was a little closer and fast top line Tuesday. At home, with last change, they should be able to returning than Letang, which makes sense based on what transpired in to better counter that. an upbeat, 25-minute session. A greater concern will be getting back a Norris Trophy-caliber Malkin skated on a line with Bryan Rust and Phil Kessel as part of a defenseman along with his defense partner, Brian Dumoulin, who’s day- restructured top six and also reclaimed his spot on the top power play. to-day with a lower-body injury and did not skate Wednesday with the Out since March 16 after St. Louis defenseman Robert Bortuzzo cross- group. checked him in the ribs, Malkin said everything felt good after practice, “We talk a little bit, and he’s the same as me,” Malkin said of Letang. “He during which he pushed the pace and even did some battle work in the wants to play a couple games or one before playoffs. I hope he’s back as corners. soon as possible. He’s important for our group.” If all is well come Thursday morning, Malkin said he would like to play.

“I feel like every day is better,” Malkin said. “I want to get back and start Post Gazette LOADED: 04.04.2019 playing.

“We’ll see [Thursday]. If I feel fine, I have a good chance to play.”

Penguins center Nick Bjugstad battles Hurricanes center Greg McKegg for a loose puck along the boards Tuesday Feb. 5, 2019.

Having Malkin obviously makes the Penguins a better team, but his return might be even more important now. With games tightening and scores dropping, the Penguins have found themselves struggling to finish. They’ve scored two or fewer goals in six of the past nine games, with zero power-play goals in seven of those.

That line with Malkin, Rust and Kessel is clearly an important one. They need Kessel to build an even-strength goal Tuesday — his first in 30 games — and Malkin is probably the best vehicle they have for making that happen.

Since Jan. 2, Malkin has points in 22 of 27 games, totaling nine goals and 31 points.

Add to that equation Rust — his forechecking, speed and the overall nuisance factor he can add — and the Penguins have a combination that has worked in the past.

Regardless, whether he’s with those two or anybody else, Malkin simply wants to get back before the postseason starts.

“I want to get a couple games before playoffs,” Malkin said. “I need my confidence back. I need that game feel and to feel the puck. Again, I hope [Thursday] I wake up and I feel great. I’m ready to play.”

The opposite was true of Letang a couple of weeks ago. After finishing a win March 23 at Dallas, Letang apparently took stock of his body and came to the conclusion that something didn’t feel right. 1105281 Pittsburgh Penguins contributions — at age 42, this guy obviously loves hockey. So, sure, I bet Cullen will still be involved in the game in some capacity when he does hang up his skates.

Penguins mailbag: Which veteran winger could get traded this But he is a family man, too, and loves it back in Minnesota. So I’m offseason? guessing Cullen would want to first take some time to focus on his family and relax a little after spending two-plus decades in the pros.

Staff Report Matt: Crosby, along with then-linemates Jake Guentzel and Jared McCann, carried the Penguins for about three weeks to put them on firmer playoff footing. Crosby at one point had eight goals in nine games. But, you’re right, he has tailed off of late, which could keep him from Matt: I would be surprised if Nick Bjugstad isn’t on the team next season. being a Hart Trophy finalist. He turns 27 this summer, is a solid two-way center who still has potential room for growth in his game and he’s signed at a very reasonable salary He has now gone 10 games without a goal, his longest drought of the for another two seasons after this one. That’s the type of guy you want to season. And while he has tallied five assists, including a nice feed to set add, not delete. up Kessel in Detroit, he has been a minus-6 over that span.

I also don’t see them actively trying to part ways with Patric Hornqvist. I don’t think this is cause for great concern because he doesn’t appear to For one, he’s a leader who would gleefully take a puck to the teeth if it be dealing with an injury and it’s not like he forgot how to play. But, yeah, meant slightly better odds of winning a game. And also, what are you he needs to get going again. I wonder if Sullivan, who did a lot of line getting back for him? He’s 32 with a history of concussions and a bigger shuffling on Tuesday, would consider putting McCann back on the top cap hit than Bjugstad. line with Crosby and Guentzel. They were the hottest line in hockey a few weeks ago. Why not try to rekindle that? That brings us to Kessel, someone whom a few readers this week asked about regarding a trade. Matt: It just blows my mind sometimes what these guys can do while skating full-speed on the ice. Penguins center Nick Bjugstad battles Hurricanes center Greg McKegg for a loose puck along the boards Tuesday Feb. 5, 2019. Some of the slick bang-bang-bang moves and nonchalantly batting down pucks traveling at 70, 80, 90 miles per hour, most of us couldn’t do that I do think Kessel will be one to watch. He, like Hornqvist, had a down stuff with a tennis ball while wearing sneakers, let alone on ice with year despite averaging basically a point per game this season. His goal somebody like Erik Gudbranson or Garrett Wilson looking to bash us into Tuesday, the lone one in a 4-1 loss to Detroit, was his first at even the bleachers. strength since Jan. 30. He’s not exactly Mike Sullivan’s type of player, which is well-documented. And if he’s not burying goals in bunches, it’s They make it all look insanely easy, and I’m sure many fans have an tougher to stomach his on-ice, we’ll say, quirks. appreciation of that.

Even if Kessel catches fire and scores 20 goals while the Penguins push deep into the playoffs, it might make sense for the Penguins to move on from him — in the right deal — as they look to maximize the final years of Post Gazette LOADED: 04.04.2019 Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin and start to pivot toward the team’s next era.

Kessel is 31 and will have three years left on a contract that carries an annual cap hit of $8 million. If they could move Kessel for a package build around cheaper, younger veterans, prospects and/or picks, that might be appealing for the Penguins, even if it means a bit of a step back in the short term.

Right now, though, the Penguins are more worried about what they will get from Kessel in the next month — or hopefully two. They feel he is working hard and is bound to break through sooner than later. But if he continues to be a net-negative during the playoffs, it’s hard to imagine them going far.

Matt: They could cover him in bubble wrap, sure, but then he probably wouldn’t very fast of a skater. Plus, he probably wouldn’t be able to lift his arms above his waist, which would also cause him issues.

Now, to answer your question seriously, no, it appears that the blue liner cannot catch a break.

Mike Sullivan said Tuesday that Letang, who got in an on-ice workout in Pittsburgh while the Penguins were in Detroit, is not expected back before Evgeni Malkin. Malkin has said he wants to play at least a game or two before the end of the regular season, but that he wouldn’t rush back if he isn’t ready.

Penguins center Sidney Crosby argues with official Jon McIsaac on Tuesday, March 12, 2019.

Sidney Crosby on his scoring drought: ‘I’ve got to find a way’

That the Penguins coach was experimenting with Brian Dumoulin on the right side, before Dumoulin got hurt and missed Tuesday’s game in Detroit, tells me they might be bracing for Letang to remain out for a while. I could be wrong. I am often, if you ask my lovely wife. But that was a red flag to me.

Matt: Matt Cullen has been evasive when asked about his future, saying that he is only focusing on the here and now. He hasn’t said this is definitely his final NHL season, though that is the expectation.

Given that Cullen has a solid case for the Masterton Trophy given the dedication required to continue to play — and typically make positive 1105282 Pittsburgh Penguins Bjugstad explained, “They leave earlier than me.” He hits up Starbucks around 4:30 or 5 p.m. He gets a medium cold brew without cream or sweetener. He used to do nitro brews but decided, “It’s already hard Starbucks runs, cold brew and camaraderie — how coffee gets these enough to sleep after games.” Penguins going Peter Diana/Post-Gazette Jared McCann now tags along. The 22-year-old didn’t start drinking coffee until February, when the Penguins acquired Bjugstad and him from the Florida Panthers. Bjugstad, who became McCann’s carpool MATT VENSEL partner, got him “hooked.”

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette “We both just kind of got here and started playing well together and I kind of stuck with it,” McCann said. “I drive us to the games or the morning [email protected] skates and we had a good routine here, so we’re going to try to keep it APR 3, 2019 3:57 PM going.”

Asked what he usually drinks, McCann looked at Bjugstad and shrugged.

Nick Bjugstad was in college when he decided to try to drink like the big “The same thing I do,” Bjugstad said. “He gets a little cream in it, though.” boys. “He usually just orders for me,” McCann said with a smile. “It makes it “I would always see the NHL guys come in with their coffees,” said easier.” Bjugstad, who skated for the University of Minnesota. “So I was like, And then there are players like Marcus Pettersson. The young Swede ‘Huh. Maybe I’ll try that.’ And then I hated the taste of it, so I would just enjoys coffee, often drinking it in the morning and after meals. As for his chug it and that would be it.” pregame cup of Joe, which he sips during the team meeting, he will settle It took Bjugstad a few years to appreciate it on the way down. “I just kept for whatever’s hot. The equipment staff typically brews up Tim Hortons drinking black coffee and eventually my body liked it,” he said. “Now I’m and Dunkin’ Donuts in the locker room. into it.” Sidney Crosby loves the occasional cup, too, but rarely before games. He is far from alone. Many Penguins, some superstitious, have made He doesn’t feel quite right with all that caffeine pumping through his coffee a staple of their pregame routines. Matt Cullen, maybe the biggest system. Crosby estimated that about 50 percent of NHL players drink health nut on the team, has been sipping it for nearly two decades. A coffee before the puck drops. small crew of Penguins wander out to the nearest Starbucks on every For guys like Bjugstad and Cullen, there is no better way to get up and road trip. Other guys aren’t as picky. going. Penguins line up to congratulate goaltender Matt Murray after shutting Cullen, who never had a cup before, started up a few years into his out the Blue Jackets Thursday, March 7, 2019, at PPG Paints Arena. career. “When I started in the league, coffee was kind of frowned upon. People “I was like, ‘Wow, this really gives you a boost,’” said Cullen, who is now didn’t think it was very good for you,” Cullen, now 42, said. “I remember an espresso drinker. “So I’ve always kind of kept it as part of my coming out of college and watching guys drink coffee and thinking, ‘What pregame routine.” are you guys doing?’

“It’s funny how things change. All of the studies that have come out in the last few years have shown what a positive coffee is for your body. Post Gazette LOADED: 04.04.2019 Obviously, we all get the benefits of the caffeine. But there’s antioxidants and other good stuff in there.”

When Cullen joined the Penguins for his first stint with the team in 2015, he helped form a coffee clique, a “good crew” that included Eric Fehr, Trevor Daley and “a young Brian Dumoulin was in the mix on that.”

Four years later, Cullen’s crew typically rolls three deep.

Before each road game, Cullen, Dumoulin and Bryan Rust will Google the nearest Starbucks then walk there from the hotel after waking from their naps. Occasionally, they hit up a different place, especially if the Penguins are in a rut.

“Cully usually knows the good spots around town,” Rust said.

And when the Penguins are hot? Well, that can become costly.

“One guy usually pays. If we win, he keeps paying,” Rust said.

Rust never changes his order, whether he’s on the road or picking up a mobile order at the Starbucks on the way to PPG Paints Arena.

“It doesn’t matter if we’re in Winnipeg and it’s minus-30 or we’re in California and it’s 75 and sunny,” said Rust, who added coffee to his routine two years ago. “It’s always an iced coffee with a little bit of almond milk and one sugar.”

The only thing that changes is the name the barista scribbles on his cup.

“They never spell my name right. Always get Dumo’s right,” Bryan with a ‘Y’ joked.

Bjugstad has his own routine. Asked if that’s because the Cullen crew won’t invite the new guy to join them, Bjugstad, knowing Rust was within earshot, said yeah.

“Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! We’ve gone over this,” Rust, a few stalls down in the locker room at Detroit’s Little Caesars Arena, exclaimed. “We’d love you in the group.” 1105283 San Jose Sharks “I was shedding tears,” John Thornton said. “I don’t know if Joe was crying, he probably was. I can’t remember. I was more worried about myself, trying to hold it together.” Sharks’ Joe Thornton explains why his latest milestone is extra special Thornton eventually got to meet his idol as an 18-year-old rookie when his first team, the Boston Bruins, faced off against the Red Wings during on March 10, 1998. His mother, Mary Thornton, snapped a picture of her By Paul Gackle | [email protected] | Bay Area News son taking a faceoff against the Hall of Famer. Thornton asked Yzerman Group to sign the photo, and naturally, he gave it to John. PUBLISHED: April 3, 2019 at 5:05 pm | UPDATED: April 3, 2019 at 7:27 “I have it in my basement,” John Thornton said. “I don’t really collect PM memorabilia, but that picture is really special.” Though Thornton insists that Yzerman’s game is impossible to replicate, his coach and general manager can both see the influence that the Red EDMONTON, Alberta — Whenever Joe Thornton is asked about the Wings legend had on their team’s alternate captain. latest-hockey legend that he’s passed in the NHL record books, he blushes and expresses humility. “They’re similar people. You’d use the same adjectives to describe both guys,” Sharks coach Pete DeBoer said. “Yzerman was a young guy, an It’s a scene that played out when he eclipsed Mario Lemieux in elite scorer, who really changed his game and turned himself into the November, Gordie Howe in February and Stan Mikita in March. While consummate-team player in order to win Stanley Cups. There are a lot of every name on the ladder provides its own dose of modesty, Thornton similarities there.” couldn’t deny that moving into a tie with Steve Yzerman for eighth place on the NHL’s all-time assists list (1,063) on Tuesday was uniquely Having battled against Yzerman in the old Norris Division with the special. Chicago Blackhawks, Wilson can see why Thornton gravitated toward Yzerman. “He’s the reason why I wear No. 19,” Thornton said. “He’s one of those guys where you grow up idolizing him, and when you meet him, he meets “As his (Yzerman’s) career evolved, he would accept different roles. all expectations and plus. It was a good feeling.” Whatever was needed by the team,” the Sharks general manager said. “It reminds me of somebody else.” Thornton’s admiration for Yzerman can be traced back to his older brother and agent, John Thornton, who grew up cheering for the Detroit As Thornton prepares to pass Yzerman on the all-time assist list, he Red Wings. Like most younger siblings, Thornton played the role of cherishes the time he’s been able to spend with Yzerman throughout his copycat with his brother, who’s three years older, so John’s favorite 21-year career. If Thornton’s picked up anything from Yzerman, it’s how hockey team became his preference, as well. Detroit is roughly 115 miles to play an honest game on and off the ice. south of St. Thomas, Ontario, the Thorntons’ hometown, so pulling for Yzerman and the Red Wings came naturally. “He’s a very-approachable guy. Nice guy. Easy to talk to,” Thornton said. “He gave you time, and as a kid, that’s all you want is just time.” “Being a younger brother with two older brothers, you get forced to like what they like,” Thornton recalled. “Stevie was his guy, so that’s how it all — Erik Karlsson participated in his first-full practice with the Sharks on began.” Wednesday since he left a game in Boston on Feb. 26 with a groin injury. Karlsson has missed 16 straight games. Though Thornton himself is now synonymous with No. 19, he initially wore No. 2 in honor of his father’s favorite player, Montreal Canadiens “First one with everybody. Another good step,” DeBoer said. “We’ll see defenseman Doug Harvey. But soon after Thornton made the move from how he feels tomorrow when he wakes up. He’s definitely close. There’s defense to centerman at age nine, his brother insisted that he pick a been no setbacks, knock on wood. We’ll just keep going day to day.” number that’s more suitable for a forward. — Melker Karlsson and Lukas Radil also participated in Wednesday’s full “John said, enough of wearing No. 2, you’re going to wear No. 19 now,” practice. Both players have missed three straight games with lower-body Thornton said. “Ever since I was 10 or 11, I’ve worn it. It’s because of injuries. DeBoer expects both forwards to be available for Thursday’s him.” clash with the Edmonton Oilers. John Thornton said switching to No. 19 was a no brainer for a kid who grew up watching hockey in Southern Ontario in the 1980s. San Jose Mercury News: LOADED: 04.04.2019 “You couldn’t wear No. 99 because that’s (Wayne) Gretzky’s number and there was an unwritten rule about that. You can’t wear No. 66 because that’s Mario’s number,” John Thornton said. “But No. 19, that was open and it was Yzerman’s number. He loved Yzerman, and that was my favorite player, too, so that’s why he’s No. 19.” As Thornton moved into his teen years, his admiration for Yzerman matured. As a rising star in the Ontario Hockey League, Thornton started to develop an appreciation for the nuances in Yzerman’s game. Though Yzerman entered the league as an offensive force, scoring 65 goals and recording 155 points during the 1988-89 season, he traded offense later in his career to become a more complete two-way player. Yzerman transformed himself into one of the game’s best-defensive forwards, he played through injury after injury and always put the team first. Sound like anyone you know? “He did it all. He scored huge goals. He was such a competitor,” Thornton said. “He was a team guy. “You don’t find players like that.” Joe and John Thornton’s love for the Red Wings ran so deep, they traveled to Detroit to witness some of the biggest moments of Yzerman’s career. They cheered and screamed when Yzerman scored his iconic double-overtime winner against the St. Louis Blues in Game 7 of the second round of the 1996 playoffs with a 60-foot slapshot over Jon Casey’s shoulder. When Yzerman finally hoisted his first Stanley Cup at age 32 in 1997, ending the Red Wings 42-year drought, the Thornton brothers were in the Joe Louis Arena. “It was phenomenal,” Joe Thornton said. 1105284 San Jose Sharks

Erik Karlsson skates in Sharks' practice as countdown to return continues

By Chelena Goldman April 03, 2019 2:58 PM

The countdown to Erik Karlsson’s return to game action continues to intensify with just two regular season games remaining on the San Jose Sharks’ schedule. While he appears to be inching closer to returning, there’s still a chance he doesn’t take the ice until the playoffs start. Karlsson participated in team practice in Edmonton on Wednesday as the Sharks prepare for their final meeting against the dysfunctional Oilers. Although Karlsson has skated by himself as part of his rehab from a lower-body injury, this is the first time he has been seen practicing with the team in over a month. There is no word yet if Karlsson will suit up in one of the Sharks’ last two games of the season. He has told the media, however, that he plans to be fully ready to play when the Sharks kick off the first round of this year’s Stanley Cup playoffs at home against the Vegas Golden Knights. Karlsson hasn’t played since Feb. 26 when the Sharks made their only trip of the season to Boston to face the Bruins. That was the fifth consecutive game he played after missing a month with a lower-body injury. San Jose has gone 7-8-1 in the defenseman’s absence, including a six-game winning streak followed by a seven-game skid. In addition to Karlsson, injured Sharks Melker Karlsson and Lukas Radil also participated in the practice in Edmonton on Wednesday. There is no word yet if the two forwards will be cleared to play in Thursday’s game against the Oilers.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 04.04.2019 1105285 San Jose Sharks

Sharks need to find their killer instinct with playoffs on horizon

By Chelena Goldman April 03, 2019 2:24 PM

It’s something of a hockey cliché to -- after a team scores a go-ahead goal -- turn around and say: “Okay, now go get the next one.” It may be an overused phrase, but that’s how it works. And it’s something the Sharks have struggled doing during the last month of the regular season. Tuesday night’s game against the Vancouver Canucks demonstrated this hole in San Jose’s game yet again. After overcoming an early 1-0 deficit to skate into the first intermission with a 2-1 lead, Team Teal had the opportunity to build on that momentum and shut Vancouver down. They didn’t, and the Canucks registered three unanswered goals in the third period en route to a 4-2 win over the Sharks, “Tonight was a good chance for us, up 2-1 going into the third, for us to get that playoff-type third period down and we just didn’t do that, unfortunately," Joe Thornton told the media after the game. Joe Pavelski agreed. “We had chances to break it open 3-1, and we didn’t do that," Pavelski said. That’s perhaps what San Jose needs more than any other aspect of its game with the playoffs just a week away. Through this last leg of the regular season, the Sharks have continued to insist their big need is to get healthy before the playoffs start. What they also need to do is harness that killer instinct to get that next goal. Going into the third period of a game with either a tie or a one-goal lead isn’t new to this Sharks team. According to @SharksStats, 21 of the Sharks' 44 wins this season have been the product of a game-winning goal scored in the 3rd period or overtime. That’s a lot of wins not being determined until late in the game. On one hand, this can reflect come-from-behind victories -- think of that third-period comeback they mounted against the Predators in Nashville back in October, or their OT victory over the Vegas Golden Knights just this past weekend. Then again, Hockey Reference tells us the Sharks are just 14-8-4 when they are tied with their opponent after one period of play, and 7-5-4 when they go into the third period of games with a tie. San Jose is getting opportunities to create space when it has a lead or make a big push when games are tied, but more times than not, the opponents are able to creep back into the game. So, what has to change? Is it tightening up the defense after getting the go-ahead or game-tying goal? Is it getting more saves from Martin Jones when games are tight? (To be fair, he made some big saves Tuesday before ending up on the wrong end of a weird game-tying goal by Vancouver.) Really, the Sharks need a mix of all of those factors if they’re going to put teams away instead of letting them hang around. The Sharks must find the ability to close, so that late-game let-ups, like the one against the Canucks, don’t happen once the regular season is over, and playoffs get underway.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 04.04.2019 1105286 San Jose Sharks

Sharks have to fix sloppy third periods before NHL playoffs start

By Chelena Goldman April 02, 2019 11:16 PM

For a long stretch of Tuesday night’s 4-2 loss to the Vancouver Canucks, it looked like the Sharks had figured out things. They held a lead for the bulk of the game. They had their captain back healthy, and he got right to work by scoring a power-play goal to give the Sharks a 2-1 lead in the first period. Even goaltender Martin Jones, who allowed the first goal less than two minutes into the contest, made some key saves that helped keep his team in the game -- saves when the Sharks needed them the most. But the Sharks didn’t build on that initial lead. Instead of shutting the door, they let young, optimistic Vancouver hang around. Instead of scoring another goal or buckling down defensively, the Sharks watched the Canucks score three unanswered in the third period. The Sharks had the opportunity to win but lost for the ninth time in 10 games. If they have any plans of getting past the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs -- which start next week -- that kind of let-up just can’t happen. “Tonight, I think the biggest thing is that we had chances to break it open 3-1 and we failed to do that,” captain Joe Pavelski told reporters in Vancouver. “It felt closer out there today, for sure. A lot of parts of our game. But there’s still that ‘winning hockey’ that we’ve got to get to. For some reason, we haven’t gotten over that hump lately." That certainly would easier if the Sharks were scoring as many goals as they were giving up. In the last 10 games, San Jose has scored 27 goals but surrendered 43. The Sharks have gone 7 of 36 on the power play in that same span, including a 1-for-4 performance Tuesday. The Sharks are getting opportunities, but they aren't cashing in. That makes things all the more baffling. “It was going good tonight, and there’s, I don’t know. It’s frustrating how they end up finding a way to stick one in,” Pavelski said. Perhaps the most frustrating part for the Sharks was that they didn't respond after the Canucks' bizaare game-tying goal. Tanner Pearson's tally, originally waved off before officials overturned the on-ice call (and upheld the goal when the Sharks challenged), should have prompted a San Jose push. Instead, Vancouver capitalized when Markus Granlund had room to scoop up a loose puck on Jones’ blocker side, and scored the game- winner. Jones kept San Jose in front with several key saves, but the loose puck proved to be disastrous when he wasn't playing with a lead. Now time is almost up, and the Sharks have just two games left in the regular season to get into playoff shape and face the Vegas Golden Knights. The final two games, meaningless in the Pacific Division standings, now are San Jose's last chances to stop the bleeding. If the Sharks are going to make a deep playoff run, however, they can’t let their opponent hang around late in a game like they did Tuesday.

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Sharks takeaways: What we learned in 4-2 loss to lottery-bound Canucks

By Chelena Goldman April 02, 2019 9:28 PM

For much of Tuesday night, it appeared things were going the Sharks' way. They led most of the way in their season-series finale against the Vancouver Canucks, before allowing two funky goals late in the third period that handed San Jose a 4-2 road loss. Here are three takeaways from the Sharks' ninth defeat in their last 10 games, as they dropped to 44-27-9 (97 points) on the season. When San Jose’s starting goaltender allowed the first goal 1:28 into the contest, it appeared it would be another uphill battle for Jones and the defense in front of him. But Jones tightened up, and the Canucks (35-35- 10, 80 points), who are bound for the NHL draft lottery, didn't do much to challenge him. He stood tall when he had to, however, freezing Loui Eriksson on a second-period breakaway and denying Brock Boeser later in the frame. Those are the kinds of saves the Sharks haven’t gotten enough of this season, and they could have used them in the third period when the Canucks scored twice in 1:21. If San Jose is to go deep in the Stanley Cup playoffs, Jones needs to make more saves. The Sharks haven't gotten enough in their last 10 games, and the latter part of this game again proved that point. On a positive note for the Sharks … It’s an understatement to say the Sharks missed their captain, and Pavelski wasted no time contributing to the cause. Even before scoring a power-play goal just 10:47 into the first period, Pavelski posted up right in front of Vancouver goaltender Thatcher Demko, in position for his signature redirect. The Sharks probably are disappointed the nature of the loss overshadowed Pavelski's return. With another offensive weapon back in the lineup, some of San Jose’s issues breaking the puck out of its own end began to dissipate. This is one of the many things the Sharks have needed to clean up before the playoffs start, and they were able to do that against the Canucks. It’s been a rough stretch of Donskoi, who hasn’t scored since Jan. 10. Despite picking up three assists in his last six games, he still hasn’t looked as confident as he did halfway through the season when he first skated alongside Tomas Hertl and Evander Kane. But Donskoi was quick on his feet and confident in his puck-handling Tuesday, ending the game with three shots on goal. Donskoi wasn’t the only player “auditioning” against the Canucks. With all of the Sharks' recent injuries, a couple of skaters have been given the opportunity to step up and show how they can make an impact in the postseason. One of coach Pete DeBoer’s criticisms during the Sharks' losing streak was that not enough players were stepping up and making a case for themselves. Donskoi did both Tuesday night.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 04.04.2019 1105288 St Louis Blues morning skate at United Center. Neither played, however, in Wednesday’s game.

• Once again, the Blues’ healthy scratches were Robby Fabbri, Secret of Blues' success? Don't forget Tarasenko Mackenzie MacEachern and Michael Del Zotto. • Against Chicago, the Blues went with the same forward lines for the By Jim Thomas St. Louis Post-Dispatch eighth game in a row and the same defensive pairings for the fifth game in a row.

CHICAGO • The emergence of Jordan Binnington. The overall improved play by the defense. The coaching of Craig Berube. There are a plenty of St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 04.04.2019 reasons for the Blues’ second-half resurgence this season. But don’t overlook the play of Vladimir Tarasenko in that equation. When asked what got Tarasenko going, Berube actually cracked a joke: “Scoring,” he replied. Yes, that qualifies as a joke by Berube standards. But he’s right. On Jan. 11, 42 games into the season, Tarasenko had a modest — by his standards — 12 goals. But he scored twice in a Jan. 12 game against Dallas, and after scoring his 32nd goal of the season Wednesday against the Chicago Blackhawks, has 20 goals in his last 33 games. That’s tied for second in the NHL over that span. He also had an assist Wednesday, giving him 39 points starting with that Jan. 12 game, which is tied for 13th in the league over that span. Lastly, his plus-21 in the plus-minus category during that stretch ranks third in the league. And keep in mind, Tarasenko has piled up those numbers even though he missed five games in March with what was believed to be an elbow injury. So it all adds up to the fact that Tarasenko has been one of the best players in the NHL over the past three months. “The first part of the year, I think he was getting good looks,” Berube said. “They didn’t go in. But I think Vladi, he’s worked really hard. I find game in and game out, he’s working really hard. He’s competing. He’s doing a lot of things. Good things. Not just scoring goals. He’s just a more complete player.” Tarasenko reported for training camp little more than five months after shoulder surgery and was basically doing everything in terms of practice from Day 1 of camp. That’s a pretty quick recovery time as shoulder surgeries go, and it looked like Tarasenko didn’t have quite the usual zip on his shot in the early going of the season. After at least one game early in the season, he had an ice wrap on the shoulder. Was the shoulder an issue early on? “I don’t want to make excuses or something,” Tarasenko said. “It was feeling weird a little bit, like everything around. The spot we were, too (in the standings). “This was on us too and me personally. It’s a good thing we find a way to turn it around. When important time comes, I think everybody started playing their best hockey and make what we make.” BALANCED CENTRAL There may not be an elite team in the Central Division this season. In fact, there may not be a 100-point team by season’s end. But no division is as balanced — and it’s not even close. Entering Wednesday’s games, only 16 points separated first place from last place in the Central. In the Atlantic, the gap was a whopping 62 points between first place Tampa Bay and last place Ottawa. In the Pacific, 38 points separated first place Calgary from last place Los Angeles. In the Metropolitan, 32 points separated first from last. Only eight points separate first from fifth place in the Central. Four of those five teams have clinched playoff berths and Colorado is closing in on becoming the fifth Central team in the postseason. Another example of that balance is found when looking at games played within the division. Central teams play 26 games against division foes over the course of the season, and none of the seven Central teams have more than 13 wins, or fewer than 11, in divisional play. BLUENOTES Defenseman Joel Edmundson (lower-body injury) and forward Sammy Blais (ankle) accompanied the Blues on this trip and took part in the 1105289 St Louis Blues end players. They're quick guys and we've had a little bit of trouble with it this year."

The Blues looked totally out of sorts in the first period. Chicago had lots Blues rally late but fall in shootout to Blackhawks of dangerous chances, keeping St. Louis on its heels much of the time. It was almost as if the Blackhawks had an extra gear. By Jim Thomas St. Louis Post-Dispatch "We were flat in the first, not a lot of emotion," Berube said. "But I thought we got better as the game went along. Good third period to tie it up, did a good job there. . . .Goes into a shootout and it's up for grabs, but yeah, the first period was not so good." CHICAGO • The Western Conference playoff picture has been changing on a daily basis lately, including the Blues clinching a playoff berth and Overall, Berube wasn't happy with the lack of energy at the outset. (briefly) taking over second place in the Central Division. "We almost wanted to not put the work in to get the result,” he said. But not much happened Wednesday as far as the Blues were concerned. Yes, they did rally from a 3-1 deficit on third-period goals by David Perron Chicago spent much of the period pushing, pressing, and it finally caught and Tyler Bozak to send the game into overtime. up with the Blues when Toews skated in behind the Blues' defense, and took a net-front pass from Kane for a backdoor wrist shot with 3:34 left in In the end it, however, it was another loss to the dreaded Chicago the period. Blackhawks, this time a 4-3 shootout setback before 21,482 at United Center that kept the Blues running in place in third place, albeit with one After the morning skate, the Blues talked about the need to take away more point than they had Tuesday. time and space from the Blackhawks' explosive trio. But there was Toews, all alone for his 35th goal of the season and his fourth of the year That leaves them with 95 points, one shy of both Winnipeg and Nashville against St. Louis. at the top of the Central. Winnipeg has the tiebreaker edge over the Predators, so the Jets hold down first place at the moment. In the second period, you could say Vladimir Tarasenko was late, at least compared to Monday's shootout victory over Colorado. Against the "I don't think we played the way we needed to play," Alex Pietrangelo Avalanche, he scored 14 seconds into the second period. On said. "It wasn't a very good game for us, but to find a way to get a point, Wednesday, he waited until 24 seconds into the second to score his that's big." 32nd goal, and his fifth of the season against the Blackhawks. Jonathan Toews provided the game-winner in the shootout; he was the Dating back to the 2013-14 season, Tarasenko has scored 19 times vs. only player among the six shootout participants to score. the Blackhawks, more than anyone in the NHL. It was the Blues' third overtime in a row, with the last two decided by a Alas, Chicago regained the lead with 6:40 left in the second on Artem shootout. Talk about living on the edge. Anisimov's 15th goal of the season. It came on a play that has been a recent bugaboo for the Blues _ a net-front redirect. "It's always fun and exciting for the fans, and it's fun to play in overtime, too, obviously." Bozak said. "But yeah, we'd probably like to finish 'em in That's how the period ended, meaning the Blues needed a third-period regulation and get a little more rest." rally, something that's hard to do in the NHL especially for the Blues. They were 2-23-5 entering Wednesday's game when trailing after two Bozak has had three game-winners this season, but his 13th goal of the periods, with the two wins coming against Florida. season, tying Wednesday's game with 39 seconds left in regulation, may have been his biggest. It looked like the Blues were toast when Kane used his speed to blast past the Blues' defense on a mini-breakaway and send a roof shot past Pat Maroon kept his balance and kept the play going down left wing Allen on a backhand. This was Kane's fifth goal of the season against St. despite some determined checking by Chicago, then found Bozak with a Louis and his 42nd overall, giving Chicago a 3-1 lead with 8:31 to play. net-front pass. But little more than a minute later Perron weaved through the Chicago "I just saw Patty carrying it wide and saw a lane to kind of get behind defense near the right faceoff circle and beat Ward, blocker side, for his their guys," Bozak said. "Great play (by Maroon) to get it to the net. It 22nd goal of the season, shrinking the Blues deficit to 3-2. It came on the bounced off my foot and the goalie, and it was just sitting there. And I power play. was able to put it in." "We haven't had too many power plays recently, the last four, five He put it through the legs of goalie Cam Ward with Blues goalie Jake games," Perron said. "It was nice to get out and feel the puck a little bit. . Allen pulled in favor of an extra attacker. But there was no overtime or . .I kind of pulled it around the D and put it on net." shootout magic, and no two points, for the Blues this time. It sparked a comeback, but just a one-point comeback on a night the "It would have been massive to get the other point obviously," Perron Blues really could've used two. said. "But yeah, it's good to get a point you don't think you're going to have 10 minutes before that. I think our energy wasn't the greatest to CHICAGO • The Western Conference playoff picture has been changing start the game, but we started finding it in the third. We pushed pretty on a daily basis lately, including the Blues clinching a playoff berth and good." (briefly) taking over second place in the Central Division. They pushed it good enough to outshoot the Blackhawks 22-11 in the But not much happened Wednesday as far as the Blues are concerned. third period. Yes, the did rally from a 3-1 deficit on goals by David Perron and Tyler Bozak to send the game into overtime tied at 3-all. But in the end it was Nashville regained second place with a win Tuesday over Buffalo. So another loss to the dreaded Chicago Blackhawks, this time a 4-3 now the Blues have only two games left to make their move for home ice shootout setback before 21,482 at United Center that kept the Blues in _ Thursday against Philadelphia and Saturday against Vancouver, with third place, albeit with one more point than they had Tuesday. both games at Enterprise Center. Jonathan Toews proved the game-winner in the shootout — he was the "We can get four more here and bring the total hopefully to 99," Perron only player among the six shootout participants to score a goal. It was said. "That would be huge for our club and let's see where that takes us. the Blues’ third overtime in a row, with the last two decided by a We'll worry about (Philadelphia) first." shootout. A victory Wednesday also would have assured the Blues of no worse Nashville regained second place with a 3-2 win over Buffalo on Tuesday, than a third-place finish in the Central Division but the shootout loss while the Blues were idle. And now they have only two games left to means Dallas can still catch them in the standings. make their move — Thursday against Philadelphia and Saturday against Vancouver with both games at Enterprise Center. If the Blues (43-28-9) don't finish first or second in the division, they will be kicking themselves for losing four of five games to the Blackhawks in A victory also would have assured the Blues of no worse than a third- the season series. The Blues went 1-1-3 against Chicago, with four of the place finish in the Central Division. But Wednesday’s loss means Dallas games played in October and November when Mike Yeo was coach. can still catch them in the standings. So with 95 points, the Blues are one point behind both Winnipeg and Nashville in the Central. You'd expect better against the last-place team in the Central. If the Blues (43-28-9) don’t finish first or second in the division, they will "They're a fast team. They've got a lot of skill," interim coach Craig be kicking themselves for losing four of five games to the last-place Berube said. "They put you on the defense a lot with their speed and Blackhawks. The Blues finished 1-1-3 against Chicago, with four of the their cutbacks. (Patrick) Kane, Toews and (Alex) DeBrincat, they're high- games played in October and November when Mike Yeo was still coach. Yes, they did manage an overtime point in three games. But you’d expect better than that against the last-place team in the Central. “They’re a fast team. They’ve got a lot of skill,” interim coach Craig Berube said. “They put you on the defense a lot with their speed and their cutbacks, things like that. (Patrick) Kane, Toews and (Alex) DeBrincat, they’re high-end players. “They’re quick guys and we’ve had a little bit of trouble with it this year.” For the first time in a while, the Blues looked totally out of sorts in the first period. Chicago had lots of dangerous chances, keeping St. Louis on its heels and backing up much of the time. It was almost as if the Blackhawks had an extra gear. “We were flat in the first, not a lot of emotion,” Berube said. “But I thought we got better as the game went along. Good third period to tie it up, did a good job there. ... Goes into a shootout and it’s up for grabs, but yeah, the first period was not so good.” Chicago spent much of the period pushing, pressing, and it finally caught up with the Blues when Toews skated in behind the Blues’ defense, and took a net-front pass from Kane for a backdoor wrist shot from close range with 3:34 left in the period. Both Blues defensemen, Vince Dunn and Robert Bortuzzo, went towards Kane on the play. Ryan O’Reilly got caught puck-watching on the sequence, which allowed Toews to come in unimpeded. After the morning skate, the Blues talked about the need to take away time and space from the Blackhawks’ explosive trio. And stay on top of them. But there was Toews, all alone for his 35th goal of the season and his fourth of the campaign against St. Louis. Vladimir Tarasenko was late in the second period Wednesday, at least compared to Monday’s victory over Colorado. Against the Avalanche, he scored his 31st goal of the season 14 seconds into the second period. On Wednesday, he waited 24 seconds into the second to score his 32nd, and his fifth of the season against the Blackhawks. Dating back to the 2013-14 season, Tarasenko has scored 19 goals and has 28 points against Chicago — more goals and points vs. the Blackhawks than anyone in the NHL. On this one, Brayden Schenn was able to chip the puck to Tarasenko near center ice, setting up a 2-on-1 rush with O’Reilly to Tarasenko’s right. Tarasenko looked O’Reilly’s way but kept the puck and then beat Chicago goalie Cam Ward with a shot that clanged in off the post to tie the game at 1-all. With 6:50 left in the period, David Perron made a great set-up pass to Jaden Schwartz alone in the near slot. But instead of taking a one-timer, Schwartz settled the puck before shooting and Ward made the save. Just 10 seconds after that Schwartz attempt, it was 2-1 Chicago as Artem Anisimov scored his 15th of the season on play that has been a recent bugaboo for the Blues — a net-front redirect — this time off a blueline shot from Dominik Kahun. That’s how the period ended, meaning the Blues would need a third- period rally, something that’s hard to do in the NHL especially for the Blues. They were 2-23-5 entering Wednesday’s game when trailing after two periods, with the only two wins under that scenario coming against Florida — both times trailing the Panthers 1-0 after two. It looked like there would be no third-period comeback when Kane used his speed to blast past the Blues’ defense on a mini-breakaway and sent a roof shot past Jake Allen on a backhand. It was Kane’s fifth goal of the season against St. Louis and his 42nd overall and it came with 8:31 to play to give Chicago a 3-1 lead. Less than a minute later, Chicago’s Dylan Strome was sent off for hooking O’Reilly and this time the Blues made the Blackhawks pay. Perron weaved through the Chicago defense near the right faceoff circle and beat Ward blocker side for his 22nd goal of the season, shrinking the lead to 3-2. And with just 39.9 seconds, Maroon found Tyler Bozak with a net-front pass. Bozak sent his own rebound through Ward’s legs and the game was tied 3-3 and headed to overtime. But there was no shootout magic, and no two points, for the Blues this time.

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Preview: Blues vs. Philadelphia Flyers

By Jim Thomas St. Louis Post-Dispatch

About the Flyers • Under interim coach Scott Gordon, Philadelphia (37- 35-8) had an 18-4-2 run that put them within three points of a playoff berth with 13 games to play. But the Flyers faded down the stretch, losing eight of their last 11 and were eliminated from playoff consideration Saturday. They haven’t shown much life since then, getting outscored by a combined 9-2 in two games. Former Blue Brian Elliott is scheduled to start against his old team according to the Philadelphia Inquirer — he’s 11-10-1 this season with a 2.81 goals-against average and .912 save percentage. Led by Sean Couturier, with 32 goals, the Flyers have five players with 20 or more goals this season. They lead the NHL in faceoff percentage at 54.8.

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Blues lose to Chicago in shootout 4-3

By Tom Timmermann St. Louis Post-Dispatch

The Blues got a point but missed a chance to move into a three-way tie for first in the Central Division in a 4-3 shootout loss to the Blackhawks at United Center on Wednesday. Tyler Bozak tied the game with 38.9 seconds left to get the Blues a point that left them with 95 points, one behind Winnipeg and Nashville with two games left for all three teams. The loss means that the Blues will need some help in the form of losses by either Winnipeg or Nashville if the Blues are to get home ice in the first round of the playoffs. "We talk about it a lot, about home-ice advantage is up for grabs … division … lots of things out there still," coach Craig Berube said. "We need to play consistent hockey here going into the playoffs.” It was a less-than-stellar effort for the Blues, who were outplayed for large stretches, especially in the first period. “I thought that we’d have a lot more energy and emotion in the first period and that was missing," said Berube. "We almost wanted to not put the work in to get the result.” "I think our energy wasn't the greatest to start the game," David Perron said, "but I think we started finding it in the third. We pushed pretty good." Jonathan Toews scored on the first shootout try for Chicago. Tyler Bozak, Ryan O'Reilly and Vladimir Tarasenko all failed to score for the Blues, who went to overtime for the third straight game and a shootout for the second. The Blues were down 3-1 in the middle of the third period before coming back to tie. Perron made it 3-2 with a power-play goal and then Bozak got them even after Pat Maroon skated the puck past several Blackhawks and passed to the goal mouth. Bozak's initial shot didn't go in but he got the rebound and put it under Cam Ward's pads an in. There was a review for goalie interference but the goal stood. Vladimir Tarasenko scored his 32nd goal of the season to get the Blues even with Chicago just seconds into the second period, but the Blackhawks got a goal late in the period to take a 2-1 lead after two periods. Tarasenko scored just 26 seconds into the second period on a shot from near the left faceoff dot that went into the top corner past Chicago goalie Cam Ward. Brayden Schenn and Colton Parayko had assists on the goal. The Blues had some other good scoring chances and it looked like they had regained control of the game when Chicago scored. With 6:40 to go in the period, right after Jaden Schwartz had a shot stopped at the other end, the Blackhawks camedown and Dominik Kahun took a shot from the high slot that was redirected in by Artem Anisimov in front of the goal. Most of the goals the Blues have let in recently have been on redirections in front of the goal. Chicago went up 3-1 on a goal by Patrick Kane with 11:37 to go in the third. Forty-six seconds later, Perron scored. Chicago took a 1-0 lead in the first period on a neutral-zone turnover by Vince Dunn that led to Kane backhanding a pass to Jonathan Toews, who redirected it in past Jake Allen from right in front of the goal. It was the 35th goal for Toews, setting a career season high for him. Allen stopped 35 of 38 shots he faced. Ward faced 40 shots, including 22 in the third period. The Blues' best chance came on a breakaway by Robert Thomas, but Cam Ward made the save and smothered the puck in the crease just in front of the goal line.

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St. Louis Blues anthem man Charles Glenn quitting after this season

Staff Report

Charles Glenn, best known for his rousing performances of the National Anthem at St. Louis Blues games, will hang up his microphone at the end of this season. The hockey team announced the news Wednesday on its website. Glenn, 64, began singing the anthem for the Blues 19 years ago and has become locally famous for it. Glenn is cutting back on his singing in part because he developed multiple sclerosis about eight years ago. "It affects how you think, how your body moves, how your brain connects to your body and your memorization. It gets harder and harder," he said. On May 7, Glenn will will receive the "Man of Courage" award from the National Multiple Sclerosis Society at the Ritz-Carlton in Clayton. The event honors local citizens with multiple sclerosis who have made contributions to their communities.

St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 04.04.2019 1105293 St Louis Blues • In 24 road games, Allen has a 2.23 goals-against average, which ranks fourth in the league among goalies with 15 or more road appearances. He's eighth in the league among those goalies in save percentage at It's been a while: 4½ months later, Blues face Blackhawks .924. • In 21 home games, he has a 3.65 GAA and an 8.78 save percentage. By Jim Thomas St. Louis Post-Dispatch St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 04.04.2019 CHICAGO • The Blues haven't played the Blackhawks in forever. Or at least since BC — before Chief. The teams met four times over the first five weeks of the season, all with Mike Yeo as Blues coach. For the most part, things didn't go well for St. Louis in those matchups. Yes, there was a 7-3 victory in St. Louis on Oct. 27 behind two goals by Vladimir Tarasenko. Otherwise there were two excruciating overtime losses, as well as a shutout defeat: • On Oct. 6, Game 2 of the season, the Blues couldn't hold leads of 2-0 and 3-2, losing 5-4 on Jonathan Toews' overtime score — his third goal of the evening. • A week later, it was a 4-3 loss when the Blues rallied from a 2-0 deficit, took a 3-2 lead in the third period, but couldn't hold it. Alex DeBrincat's second goal of the night came with just nine seconds left in overtime to win it for the Blackhawks. • And on Nov. 14, five days before Craig Berube — aka the Chief — replaced Yeo as head coach, Brent Seabrook's second-period goal gave the Blackhawks a 1-0 victory. And now, 4 1/2 months since that mid November meeting, the Central Division rivals meet again. "It's pretty long ago since we played 'em," Oskar Sundqvist said. "I think we're a completely different team and it's gonna be good to see how we can match up against them." When it comes to playing the Blackhawks, it's all about how you match up against their star trio of Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews, and Alex DeBrincat. Kane and DeBrincat both have scored 41 goals this season, and Toews has 34. Together, they've combined for 45 percent of Chicago's goal-scoring. In comparison, the Blues top three goal-scorers — Vladimir Tarasenko (31 goals), Ryan O'Reilly (27) and David Perron (21) — have combined for 34 percent of the Blues' scoring. "We just need to stay close to them," Sundqvist said. "Don't give them too much time and space with the puck. Obviously, if they get some time, they're so skilled, they can make something happen." They made a lot happen in those four early-season games against the Blues, combining for nine of the 13 goals scored by Chicago. Kane had four, Toews three and DeBrincat two. Kane is the ringleader, with 105 points this season (41 goals, 64 assists) to rank third in the NHL in points. "He's an elite passer," Colton Parayko said. "He just reads the play really well and he's always going to the places where the puck's going. You just gotta kind of try and be a step ahead." Net Front Presence: Blues hit full stride as playoffs near Corey Crawford has started 15 of the past 16 games in goal for Chicago, but with the Blackhawks eliminated from playoff contention on Tuesday, it's Cam Ward in goal against the Blues tonight. Ward is 8-3-4 against the Blues over his career with two shutouts, a 2.27 goals-against average and a save percentage of .929. Ward was the starter in both overtime victories for Chicago over St. Louis in October, allowing seven goals on 58 shots. As for Allen, this will be his fifth start against Chicago this season. He left the 7-3 victory on Oct. 27 late in the second period after a collision with teammate Zach Sanford. Over his career Allen is 9-6-3 against the Blackhawks with a 2.73 GAA and a .909 save percentage. In starting Allen tonight and saving Binnington for Thursday's home contest against Philadelphia, Berube is playing the home-road splits right down to the Blues' final road game of the regular season. This will be Allen's 12th straight start on the road; he hasn't started at Enterprise Center since Jan. 8. Here are those splits: 1105294 St Louis Blues On Tuesday’s TSN’s Insider Trading, I reported that the Rangers and Hurricanes have indeed had conversations about Fox. But where it goes from here? LeBrun Notebook: Who has a seat and who is still looking as the NHL’s For starters, the ‘Canes found out this week from the league that the NHL coaching carousel keeps spinning would void any sign-and-trade scenario that occurs before the offseason. The idea being that if Carolina signed Fox and then immediately flipped him to the Rangers, Fox could burn the first year of his entry-level deal By Pierre LeBrun before the end of this season. Turns out that can’t happen. The only team Fox can burn the first year of his entry-level deal for 2018-19 is Apr 3, 2019 Carolina. If you’re the Rangers, what’s the hurry now? Sure seems like if there’s indeed a deal in the end between these two teams, it doesn’t make much The announcement of Jeff Blashill’s extension in Detroit on Tuesday put sense to make it before the offseason. a wrap on the last remaining pending UFA coach for this season. There’s the price to consider. I don’t believe that the ‘Canes would take a Blashill, John Hynes, Jon Cooper and Guy Boucher all entered this second-round pick for Fox. I believe they’d be angling more at one of the season on expiring deals. The first three got extensions and we know Rangers’ low-end first-round picks, like the Winnipeg selection obtained what happened in Ottawa. for Kevin Hayes. That doesn’t mean there aren’t coaching decisions to be made in the But I also believe the Rangers would balk at that price. coming weeks. There are. But there are no current, full-time head coaches who are in need of a deal before the start of next season. Fox has the option to go back to Harvard and play out his senior year and then become UFA Jimmy Vesey-style next summer. That would There’s the matter of Craig Berube in St. Louis. The interim Blues head leave Carolina with nothing for him. Fox could also go play in Europe for coach still has another year on his assistant coach’s contract, meaning next season, an option one source told me about. the Blues either remove the interim tag and reward him with a new deal or they go elsewhere. St. Louis needs to make a decision, but it seems There’s also the chance of Hurricanes owner Tom Dundon perhaps hard to think Berube hasn’t done enough to get the full-time gig, but going to meet Fox and his family and looking them in the eye and asking stranger things have happened. again why he doesn’t want to sign with them. As we reported last week, there are postseason evaluations to be had on But failing all that, it would seem to make sense for Carolina to trade his the coaching positions in Florida and Buffalo. Whether that means rights to a team Fox would sign with before losing his rights. change behind the bench or not remains to be seen, but it’s certainly a possibility in both cases. It’s a tough blow for Carolina. I think the ‘Canes really thought when they acquired his rights in that blockbuster deal last June with Calgary that Then there’s Ken Hitchcock. The newly minted member of the Order of they a magnificent chance to get Fox signed. Hockey In Canada, Hitch essentially has two contracts in one as far as his deal with Edmonton. If and when the Oilers decide he’s no longer The Fox situation, meanwhile, has reignited calls around the league for coach, then his contracts kicks into consulting mode with Edmonton. the NHL to close this U.S. college loophole in the next CBA. Doesn’t Either way, he’s under contract for a role with Edmonton past this seem to make sense that players from Canadian junior must re-enter the season. One assumes the new Oilers GM will be the person who decides draft if they decide not to sign with their original draft team, while college on the coaching position moving forward. players get to become UFA after their senior year. There’s a clear imbalance there. In the meantime, there are at least four veteran coaches who carry the status of being a “brand-name’’ waiting for their next gig in Joel Jarmo Kekalainen had a suggestion at the GM meetings early last Quenneville, Alain Vigneault, Todd McLellan and Dave Tippett. month. He proposed some form of qualifying offer scenario, where as long as the NHL team made a certain contract offer meeting Vigneault has been tabbed as head coach for Canada’s entry at the requirements, that the college player would still see his rights owned by upcoming IIHF Men’s World Championship, always a good way to get that NHL team even if he didn’t sign. That the club would at least have an back in the coaching saddle with a nice high-profile gig like that. Plus asset and not lose the player to free agency. there’s GMs galore at the worlds every year he will run into. In fact, after leaving San Jose, McLellan coached Canada and it’s when his The Jackets spent four years helping develop Mike Reilly only to lose him conversations with Edmonton initiated. to free agency after he didn’t sign. I mean, most NHL clubs are in total agreement that the loophole needs fixing, but it’s a CBA matter. It’s not Tippett is an interesting case. My colleague Elliotte Friedman of something GMs can simply vote on at their meetings. This is for the Sportsnet was the first to mention the possibility of Tippett perhaps league and NHL Players’ Association to figure out. And really, why would coaching again. I also believe that if the right opportunity came along the NHLPA give up the loophole? The players’ union should always be in Tippett, currently in an executive role with expansion Seattle, might favour of wanting as much flexibility/options as possible for their consider it. A source also suggested to me that he might have the itch to members. Unless of course, the multitude of NHLers with Canadian coach again but he’s also quite happy with Seattle. That puts him in a junior backgrounds would care enough to point out the discrepancy in the good position to listen in case something happens. system. I believe McLellan will have a few options to look at. One of them, as I reported before, could be Los Angeles, where Kings GM thinks highly of his old San Jose coach from his playing days. But there The Athletic LOADED: 04.04.2019 could be other spots for McLellan as well. I wouldn’t forget Mike Yeo. He interviewed in Ottawa in 2016 when Guy Boucher got the job and my impression is that he was essentially the runner-up. I’d be surprised if he didn’t get a call back after the season when the Senators go into high gear in their coaching search. Interim head coach Marc Crawford will definitely get a shot at it, too. And while everyone assumes Sheldon Keefe would rather stay in AHL Toronto and wait for his chance with the big club in a few years, I’d be pretty surprised if the Senators didn’t at least call their provincial rivals after the season and ask about him. Anaheim needs a new head coach. No, GM Bob Murray has no interest in becoming that person, I’m told. AHL head coach Dallas Eakins will be a strong candidate but I do think the Ducks will interview other guys as well. I wonder if they also don’t decide to interview McLellan? On Monday, I tweeted that Adam Fox would rather not sign with the Hurricanes and that a trade to the Rangers would be ideal for the Harvard stud blueliner. 1105295 Tampa Bay Lightning Coach Jon Cooper praised Vasilevskiy’s development as a full-time starter and his management of his body and mind.

“He’s much better at turning the page,” Cooper said, “and just moving on Andrei Vasilevskiy feels fresher, ready for the playoffs to the next game no matter how it went, regardless if he (had) a shutout or gave up four (goals).” By Diana C. Nearhos Vasilevskiy has shown frustration at bad games; there has been some stick swinging and slamming of gear in the dressing room. Most Published Yesterday important, that hasn’t carried over. Updated Yesterday Only once has Vasilevskiy lost back-to-back games, but the first loss was in a shootout and the second was in overtime. Four of his six shutouts have followed a loss. TORONTO — Frantz Jean fakes a shot at Andrei Vasilevskiy. The Managing these seemingly smaller things has had as much, if not more, Lightning goaltender hugs the post to make the imaginary save, then of an impact on Vasilevskiy’s game than tweaks to any in-net technique. quickly lunges to the opposite post, as if reacting to a rebound at his back door. “I’m trying to stay in shape, trying to work hard every day and take every opportunity to be better,” Vasilevskiy said, “but at the same time, I Jean, the Lightning’s goalie coach, puts the netminders through their understand that I have to be smart about my job and save energy for the paces before practice begins. Then Vasilevskiy faces the most potent game.” offensive team in the NHL during the session.

When he makes his way to the dressing room afterward, sweat soaks through the insulated, slightly padded shirt he wears under his chest Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 04.04.2019 protector. It’s not even the layer closest to his skin, and still the equipment staff pinches the shirt with two fingers rather than with a hand. It all reflects Vasilevskiy’s teeming work ethic, but there can be too much of a good thing, even if that good thing involves being one of the best goaltenders in the NHL. In 2017-18, his first year as a starter, Vasilevskiy wanted to be on the ice all the time. But by the end of the season, Vasilevskiy was worn down. At his exit interview after the Lightning lost in the Eastern Conference final, he expressed concern about feeling better going into the playoffs. Mission accomplished. As his second full regular season as the starter winds down, Vasilevskiy feels fresher. “I would say yes,” he said. “I had an injury in the middle of the season (a broken left foot suffered in a November practice), and that’s probably given me a little more rest.” Maybe he should feel more rested than other goalies, Vasilevskiy said, smiling, but there’s more to it than missing 14 games with the broken foot. He has also has learned to balance his practices and when to take opportunities for time off. This season Vasilevskiy rarely participates in optional morning skates. He said he realizes he needs the extra rest. That realization came from talking to the coaching staff, particularly Jean. Together the two have found a better practice balance, and Vasilevskiy no longer believes he has to deliver maximum effort every time, saving it for games. He has also learned to accept taking games off. He now understands why he needs to do that, though he seldom wants to. The difference shows in Vasilevskiy’s statistics. The 24-year-old has produced career-best numbers in save percentage, .925, and goals- against average, 2.42, entering Thursday night’s game against the Maple Leafs. (His goals-against average was slightly lower in his first year as a pro, 2014-15, but that was in 16 games, not even enough to count as a rookie season.) Vasilevskiy’s career statistics Season Age GP MIN SV% GAA SO 2014-15 20 16 864 0.918 2.36 1 2015-16 21 24 1259 0.910 2.76 1 2016-17 22 50 2831 0.917 2.61 2 2017-18 23 65 3825 0.920 2.62 8 2018-19 24 52 3144 0.925 2.42 6 Most indicative of the difference Vasilevskiy feels this season: his quality starts percentage. The metric denotes the frequency of games in which a goalie’s save percentage is better than his season average, adjusted for games with fewer shots against. Last year Vasilevskiy had a .563 quality starts percentage. This year he’s up to .635. He was fifth in the league among goalies to play 40 games entering Wednesday, and the youngest on the list. 1105296 Tampa Bay Lightning

The cost-benefit of the Lightning’s finishing road trip

By Diana C. Nearhos Published Yesterday

TORONTO — Lightning coach Jon Cooper feels there’s a major event at Amalie Arena every April, a Final Four, Frozen Four, something. Well, not every April, but most. And this year it’s the Women’s Final Four, which starts Friday. “We know in April, we’re going on the road,” said Cooper, whose team’s four-game tour through the northern Atlantic Division continues Thursday at Toronto. The Lightning’s bid for the best regular season record in NHL history ended Tuesday night in Montreal with a 4-2 loss to the Canadiens. Tampa Bay still can tie Detroit’s 1996 record of 62 victories with wins Thursday at Toronto and Saturday at Boston in the regular-season finale. This week’s road opponents pull the Lightning “into the fight,” Cooper said. “We need to move toward what we want to be next week,” Lightning defenseman Anton Strålman said after the loss to Montreal. “That means bringing emotions, especially defensively.” After an embarrassing loss in Boston a month ago, Louis Domingue said the Lightning needed to show everyone else why it is the best in the league. The team probably wouldn’t mind sending that message going into the playoffs. “For me, to be on the road, it’s a good time, because you’re with your team the whole time,” Cooper said. “There’s a lot of preparation that can go in when we’re all together and there are no distractions of being at home.”

Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 04.04.2019 1105297 Toronto Maple Leafs Sparks, at age 25, was most of a decade younger than McElhinney, 35. And Sparks was the homegrown, slow-baked product, drafted by the Leafs in the seventh round back in 2011 and rising to become the AHL’s The Leafs can’t afford to back up, not for a playoff minute goaltender of the year last season for the Calder Cup-winning Marlies. If you’re a GM trying to establish the values of a draft-and-develop NHL powerhouse, what would you be saying to the players in your pipeline if you examined the accomplishments of a goaltender who delivered a By Dave Feschuk championship in the NHL’s top feeder league and decided they weren’t worthy of promotion? Sports Columnist It could have been seen as a bad message, for sure. So sticking to that Wed., April 3, 2019 logic, buying into that theory, it’s understandable why you promote the younger, in-house option every time. You didn’t need to be a mind reader to understand head coach Mike Babcock clearly would have preferred With Game 1 in Boston about a week away, it’s a scenario Maple Leaf McElhinney. But if Babcock liked McElhinney so much, Dubas might fans would probably rather not ponder: the idea that there could come a have countered, why did Frederik Andersen’s spring of 2017 end in a moment when Frederik Andersen isn’t available to tend goal in the midst collapse that could reasonably be linked to chronic overwork? of Toronto’s about-to-begin playoff run. So Dubas’s theory was sound. The problem is, Sparks’s training camp It’s safe to assume such a turn of events would coincide with the club’s was underwhelming, and theories don’t win games. Management preferred social media hashtag promptly morphing into something decisions are ultimately judged by cold results, not good intentions. considerably more apoplectic. Never mind #LeafsForever. Try Dubas, not long after he imposed his decision on his head coach who #LeafsFore! In most minds, if it’s not Andersen in the crease, the clearly, lost McElhinney and Calvin Pickard on waivers. McElhinney has immediate result figures to be an earlier-than-expected appointment on been great in Carolina, where he has won 19 times in 32 starts with a the tee. .912 save percentage. Sparks, if he started the season in promisingly league-average form, has concluded it in disarray — or, if Leaf fans have Such is the lack of local faith in backup goaltender Garret Sparks, who their wish, hopefully concluded it, fates willing. has lost nine of his past 11 regular-season decisions in the and has never stepped foot in a playoff game, that this week has seen more than a few observers casting longing gazes in the direction of Marlies starter Michael Hutchinson. Toronto Star LOADED: 04.04.2019 Hutchinson, keep in mind, has spent the bulk of the season in the AHL and went an underwhelming 2-3 in a handful of NHL starts in December when Andersen was out with a groin injury. And just like Sparks, Hutchinson can lay claim to precisely zero NHL post-season experience. But Hutchinson, at least, has 111 NHL games on his resumé, which seems more credible than Sparks’s grand total of 37. And Hutchinson’s career save percentage of .908 sounds at least slightly more comforting than Sparks’s .898. With all that in mind, it was worth remembering that, fates willing, Tuesday’s 4-2 loss to the Hurricanes marked Sparks’s final planned appearance of the season. Andersen will take over for the final two regular-season dates, Thursday at home to the Lightning and Saturday in Montreal. “I’ll be ready next year,” Sparks vowed after Tuesday’s defeat. “I’ll be ready if anything happens.” Being ready for next year is one thing — although it only makes sense that Leafs management adds backup goaltending to its off-season to-do list. As for the “if anything happens” part, that’s the alarming bit. Now the chances are Toronto goaltending could be a one-man operation from here on out. Oftentimes, in the playoffs, that’s exactly what it turns out to be. The last time the Leafs won a playoff series, way back in 2004, it was Ed Belfour who started all 13 of their post-season games. But things happen. Goaltenders get run and get cold. And consider that in each of the past five Stanley Cup tournaments, the ultimate winners used at least two goaltenders during their run to the championship. Now, in some ways, that’s a deceiving factoid. It’s not as though goaltending platoons are suddenly required to win the big trophy. Last year, for instance, Philip Grubauer played the opening two games of the post-season for the Washington Capitals, both losses, before Braden Holtby grabbed back the No. 1 job and got credit for each one of Washington’s 16 wins. And in 2014 Jonathan Quick carried the load for the L.A. Kings save for a couple of relief appearances by Martin Jones. Still, it’s worth noting that the Penguins won back-to-back championships in 2016 and 2017 with healthy contributions from both Matt Murray and Marc-Andre Fleury, not to mention Jeff Zatkoff in the 2016 run. And the Blackhawks didn’t get to hoist the mug in 2015 without backup Scott Darling offering some timely support in an opening-round series win over the Predators. While Corey Crawford held down the majority of the work, starting 19 games and winning 13, Darling also chipped in three wins. In other words: The luxury of two goaltenders, if a team prioritizes it, can prove to be a priceless form of insurance. The Leafs, sadly, can’t be possibly confident in their level of coverage. Which is why it’s worth revisiting what’s turned out to be a less-than- optimal bit of Maple Leaf decision-making. In theory, anointing Sparks as Toronto’s backup in the fall made some sense. If the choice was between Sparks and incumbent Curtis McElhinney, you could at least see where GM Kyle Dubas was coming from. 1105298 Toronto Maple Leafs

Gardiner’s return, Rosen’s play creating a crowd on the Leafs’ blue line

By Mark Zwolinski Sports Reporter Wed., April 3, 2019

Maple Leafs coach Mike Babcock will consider two wild-card entries as he sorts out his defence over the final two games of the regular season. It’s all but certain Jake Gardiner, out more than a month with a back injury, will return in one of the games. Gardiner has been skating with the team for several days. He is a wild card only in the sense that his health could be a question mark. Calle Rosen, right, celebrating his first NHL goal with , has shown enough in two games with the Leafs to warrant a longer look. Calle Rosen, though, might be forcing his way into a longer look. Babcock had said that the rookie defenceman would play until Gardiner returns. And while two games represent a small sample size to judge, Rosen has scored a goal and showed skating and passing skills that could be the right complement to third-pairing regular Travis Dermott — at least ahead of Martin Marincin, Igor Ozhiganov and Justin Holl. “In the end, we gave up too many goals (in a 4-1 loss to Carolina on Tuesday),” said Babcock, whose hot-button topics include his team’s slow starts and his defensive pairings. “We'll look at our defence and see what we could have done better. You know, we've got to figure out what's going to go on in the back end over the next few days.” Babcock alluded to the possibility of dressing a seventh defenceman, which could enhance Rosen’s chances of sticking around. The coach, however, might decide to stay with the players that got him to this point. The Leafs have won 46 wins and went into Wednesday tied for the fifth-best record in the NHL. They could finish with 48 wins, one shy of the franchise record, and they have already set a team mark with 23 road wins. Health could be an issue for Babcock as he ponders his three defensive pairings. Jake Muzzin missed Tuesday’s game with an illness, and Gardiner has not officially been cleared to play in a game, though that seems a formality. The current top two pairings have Morgan Rielly with Ron Hainsey, and Muzzin alongside Nikita Zaitsev. When Gardiner returns, he will likely rejoin Zaitsev, dropping Muzzin alongside Dermott. Dermott, who leads all Leafs defenceman with a 55-per-cent possession rating, spent the first half of the season with Ozhiganov, who sports a 54.8 possession rating. Together, they made up one of the top third pairings in the NHL, based on those numbers. But the domino effect of Gardiner’s return will likely leave Ozhiganov battling Rosen, Marincin and Holl for the seventh defenceman’s role if and when the Leafs choose to dress one. It makes sense given the Leafs’ health concerns and it might be a good practice for the playoffs. “(Gardiner) has been skating regularly here,” Babcock said Tuesday, before adding he wouldn’t know the defenceman’s status until after Thursday’s morning skate. “Then we'll make that decision. We might dress seven D ... just to make sure he's looked after.”

Toronto Star LOADED: 04.04.2019 1105299 Toronto Maple Leafs

Thursday NHL game preview: Tampa Bay Lightning at Toronto Maple Leafs

By Mark Zwolinski Sports Reporter Wed., April 3, 2019

KEY PLAYERS Stamkos/Tavares Two high-scoring local boys — one who came to Toronto as a free agent, one who opted to stay in Florida. Steven Stamkos scored 43rd goal, first on the Lightning, in a 4-2 loss to Montreal on Tuesday. He needs two points to match his career high of 95. John Tavares leads the Leafs with a career-best 47 goals, and has two games to try to reach 50. NEED TO KNOW The 60-win Lightning wrapped up a playoff berth a month ago and clinched the franchise’s first Presidents’ Trophy on March 18. They need wins in their last two games to match the third-best regular season in NHL history ... Tampa Bay backup goalie Eddie Pasquale has been summoned from the minors, and has a 1-1 record and a flair for big saves ... Former Leafs defenceman Anton Stralman played in Montreal, his first game since a lower body injury March 5, and led the Lightning in ice time (22:52).

Toronto Star LOADED: 04.04.2019 1105300 Toronto Maple Leafs There is a chance the Leafs wind up with more road wins than home this season, should they lose Thursday but beat Montreal in the schedule finale there on Saturday. Will Willy be ready for Maple Leafs' playoff push? More road wins has happened only four times in franchise history, but as recently as 2015-16 and ’03-04, which was the most recent year Toronto won a playoff round and set the team record of 23 away victories, a mark Lance Hornby that could fall in Montreal. April 3, 2019 11:18 PM EDT It probably helps the Leafs’ psyche that they faced a hostile crowd on Long Island this past Monday and that the Bell Centre will be anything but quiet before they get on to TD Garden, site of two Game 7 losses for Toronto in 2013 and 2018. has an impressive playoff beard, but the Maple Leafs need him to start sprouting goals, not whiskers. With the exception of an early-season surge on Bay St., when they lost once in regulation in a 12-game span, Scotiabank Arena has been the It’s April and crunch time against a Boston Bruins team that has scene of some rough patches. burrowed itself into the collective heads of the Leafs in two previous playoff series wins and the course of this regular season. SPARKS FIRED UP In many ways, Nylander symbolizes the coming series’ contrast, At one stage early in the schedule, goalie Garret Sparks had a record 6- Toronto’s fast-skating flair forwards against a more physical Boston 1-1, a shutout and a few games with 30-plus saves as Frederik bunch. Nylander, with only six goals in his shortened 52-game season, Andersen’s understudy. After Tuesday’s loss to Carolina, his final start of does not look the part of post-season hero quite yet. the year and possibly last appearance of the season, his mark is 8-9-1 with a 3.15 goals-against average. After Auston Matthews’ goal was called back on Tuesday against Carolina (Nylander knew it would be overturned on a coach’s challenge “I’m still going to be a big part of this team going down the stretch,” for him being offside on the pass), coach Mike Babcock changed the vowed Sparks. “I want to push guys to be better every day (in practice), lines around in the final period at the Swede’s expense. Nylander’s 13:46 be a good teammate and support Fred.” of ice was one of his lowest times this season. LOOSE LEAFS Kasperi Kapanen, Mitch Marner and even Connor Brown and Trevor Moore were moved up on the wings, though Babcock rarely sticks with John Tavares looked at Tuesday’s late-game line changes as good for such late-game experiments to start the next game, in this case the Leafs’ ability to adapt under fire when the playoffs start. “Everyone Thursday against Tampa Bay. has played on a lot of different combinations over the year. It’s part of the game, you go out there and try and find ways to be productive with your “These games are a good test for us to try and battle back,” an optimistic linemates” … If Andersen plays and wins his last two games, he’ll tie his Nylander said. “We’ll probably be down in the playoffs (at some point on own team record of 38 victories in a season … In the early hours of April the scoreboard). It was good practice.” 4, 1933, Ken Doraty ended the longest Leafs playoff game in franchise history with a goal in the sixth overtime to beat Boston 1-0 at the Nylander was held to one goal in seven games in the series versus Gardens. Boston last year, something that must have come up in the often hard- nosed talks between his negotiators and Toronto general manager Kyle Dubas. In the end, the Leafs bet a chunk of their future on him, six years at $6.9 million US annually. Toronto Sun LOADED: 04.04.2019 Time for Nylander to reward that faith, starting next week at TD Garden. “We’re excited, we’re hungry for revenge,” Nylander said. “They’re a great team, (but) we know what we can do. “We’re getting older. One year, two years in the playoffs will give us some experience. I think we’ll be hungry.” D-MEN AT WORK Things could be looking up for the Leafs’ defence, with Calle Rosen generally putting in a good account on Tuesday in his second of back-to- back starts since his Marlies call-up, and Jake Gardiner nearing a return. As long as Jake Muzzin’s current illness doesn’t persist, it will give Babcock different blueline options for next week, as well as having Justin Holl in reserve. One of Rosen’s specialties is getting pucks on net through heavy traffic. His goal in his first game on Long Island and some close chances for tip- ins on Tuesday against Carolina will do wonders for the 25-year-old’s confidence. “I personally felt more into (Tuesday’s) game, but it was a tough loss,” Rosen said. “It has been a long season (months of bus travel with the Marlies), but fun to be here and try to do as much as we can. “That’s what I’m after every season, to play playoff games in the NHL.” Though the Leafs had Wednesday off, Babcock said there would be a closer examination of what the Muzzin-less defence looked like on Tuesday, a further grading of Rosen and where Martin Marincin might fit in. “We have to figure out what’s going to go on in the back end over the next few days, based on guys’ health and who’s available. We just didn’t want (Muzzin and forward Andreas Johnsson) to get any worse. “Gardiner has been skating regularly, but I don’t know if they’re clearing him for the next game or not. I won’t know until after the morning skate. We might dress seven defencemen if that’s the case, just to make sure he’s looked after.” BYE BYE BAY ST. 1105301 Vegas Golden Knights

Marc-Andre Fleury appears ready for return to Knights’ net

By Adam Hill / Las Vegas Review-Journal

It remains unclear exactly what injury Marc-Andre Fleury suffered that caused him to miss nearly three weeks. But the Golden Knights’ goaltender did clarify his time away from the ice because of what the team referred to as a “lower-body injury” had nothing to do with the birth of his third child on March 22. Other than that, his first full media session since taking the ice again on Monday did little to explain his absence. “Some rehab, some training, some resting,” he said after Wednesday’s practice at City National Arena. “Fortunately, we’re in a good playoff spot and I got some time to heal and feel better.” There is a strong chance Fleury will play when the Knights host Arizona at 7 p.m. Thursday, a move signaled by his participation in practice Wednesday and Maxime Lagace being sent back to the minors on Tuesday. Fleury declined comment on whether he could have played sooner if the games carried significance in the standings or if the postseason had started earlier. He hopes to regain the form he flashed in allowing just five goals in winning six straight games leading up to a 2-1 win in Dallas on March 15. The 34-year-old Fleury, who was leading the league in games played at that time, missed practice the next day and hasn’t played since. “It was a good stretch and we had a little bit of a tougher stretch before that,” he said. “It’s good when you can bounce back and start to feel good about yourself and confident, but that’s how it goes sometimes and now you just have to try to pick up where you left off.” There’s not much time for that. The Knights, who are locked into a first-round playoff series starting in San Jose next week, have two regular season games left for Fleury to shake off any rust. Coach Gerard Gallant wouldn’t say whether Fleury, who has a 35-19-5 record in 59 starts this season with a 2.46 goals-against average and .914 save percentage, would be in net for either or both games. “I know he’d want that,” Gallant said of giving Fleury at least one start. “If he didn’t have a game, to me it wouldn’t matter. But I expect him to play a game. We’ll see. We want to make sure everything goes good. It’s been three days so we’re real happy. He’s been on the ice for a couple days now. Obviously we’re excited to get him back. He looked real good.” All signs point to Fleury being in the lineup on Thursday, though he indicated the decision wasn’t completely in his hands. “We’ll see what the coach wants,” he said, admitting it may be helpful to see game action before the playoffs. “You can get your legs with workouts and stuff, but there’s only so much you can do at practice. It’s about timing. The pace of the game and how quick the pucks come at you and then finding the puck through traffic. That’s where you have to get your timing back a little.” Defenseman Nate Schmidt said there was a bounce in energy having the star netminder back with the team, particularly when Fleury got right back to his habit of constantly chirping at his teammates during practice. “You just see him out there with his antics and it’s great,” Schmidt said. “It puts a smile on my face to be able to just watch the way he approaches practice and everything he does. “And yeah, you know what, that guy’s a nice player. It’s good for the group to have him back.” Fleury is just as excited to be there even though he was only out a couple weeks. “You start missing it,” he said. LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 04.04.2019 1105302 Vegas Golden Knights

Golden Knights sign free-agent college defenseman Jimmy Schuldt

By Ben Gotz / Las Vegas Review-Journal

Jimmy Schuldt left City National Arena in June with a target on his back. The Golden Knights liked what they saw from the college free-agent-to- be at their development camp, and the St. Cloud State defenseman was impressed by the organization and the Las Vegas community. So they reunited 10 months later when the coveted prospect signed an entry- level contract with the Knights on Wednesday. “I couldn’t be more excited for the opportunity,” Schuldt said. “I just (want to) try to put my best foot forward and maybe get an opportunity to get my feet wet. Just be out there and meet as many people as I can and start building relationships.” Schuldt, 23, received interest from 29 NHL teams after the Huskies’ season ended in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, according to his agent, Tom Lynn. The 6-foot-1-inch, 205-pound blue liner narrowed his list to five before choosing the Knights. He will skate with the team Thursday. Coach Gerard Gallant said it’s possible that Schuldt will play in the final two regular-season games, but he’s ineligible for the postseason. “I felt the right fit with the people that are there,” Schuldt said. “With (general manager) George McPhee, Gerard Gallant and all the people I was able to meet at development camp.” Schuldt left college as the highest-scoring defenseman in St. Cloud State history with 118 points in 156 games. The three-time captain won the National Collegiate Hockey Conference Player of the Year and Defensive Defenseman of the Year awards this season and is a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award, which goes to the top player in college hockey. Schuldt will become a restricted free agent this summer and can sign a longer deal with the Knights. Until then, the Minnetonka, Minnesota, native will try to make a good impression in his first taste of professional hockey. “We had him at development camp last year,” Gallant said. “We were on the ice for a week with him, and we really liked him. When George talked about him last year and our staff talked about him last year, we said that’s a guy that we’re targeting.” Birthday boy Knights defenseman Deryk Engelland turned 37 on Wednesday and celebrated by practicing with his team a week before the start of the NHL playoffs. It’s a scenario Engelland didn’t envision when he began a professional hockey journey that took him to places such as Lowell, Massachusetts, and several eastern Pennsylvania towns well into his mid-20s. “I probably didn’t think I’d be playing on my 30th birthday in the NHL, much less 37,” he said. “I’m just happy to be here, and I love every day. It’s been a great ride. Hopefully, it keeps going.” LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 04.04.2019 1105303 Vegas Golden Knights “I think that’s a huge part of Las Vegas’ culture. People like George McPhee, Gerard Gallant and Kelly McCrimmon that I was lucky enough to meet during development camp this summer. The people you’re going Golden Knights land top college free agent Jimmy Schuldt — with the to be around are definitely an exciting factor.” help of Nate Schmidt Schmidt said his advice to Schuldt was to choose an organization that fits you on and off the ice, which perfectly aligned with Schuldt’s plan. By Jesse Granger “A lot of things go into it like finding the right culture, and the right place where I’ll fit in as a person because life’s not all about hockey,” Schuldt said. “(Schmidt) was awesome. Anyone who talks to him knows how great of a guy he is. He’s someone who you can trust for sure, and being Wednesday morning, the Golden Knights agreed to a one-year, entry- from St. Cloud is a really cool connection. He is a Gopher, which I’m not level contract with one of the most highly sought-after college free agents really a huge fan of, but he’s a very genuine guy who is willing to help in the country — St. Cloud State defenseman Jimmy Schuldt. people out no matter what.” A three-year captain at St. Cloud State and a finalist for the Hobey Baker Schmidt said he told Schuldt about a story from when McPhee was Award, Schuldt will join the team in Vegas for Thursday’s morning skate recruiting him. McPhee called Schmidt into his office following his and could play in a game as early as Thursday night. sophomore year at the University of Minnesota and told him the Capitals wanted to sign him, but McPhee wasn’t going to let it happen. It’s been a whirlwind of a week for Schuldt, who was shockingly knocked out of the NCAA tournament in the first round, then immediately had to “He told me, ‘You have to go back to college, it’s the best time of your choose an NHL organization to join from as many as 29 suitors. life,’” Schmidt said. “I told Jimmy that McPhee always gives it to us straight and you always understand where you stand with him. After choosing the Golden Knights, Schuldt quickly packed his bags and Everything is laid out. There’s no hidden agenda or hidden parts. That’s rushed to the airport in Minneapolis. There, he spoke on the phone with what I really like about it.” The Athletic while waiting to board his plane to Las Vegas. While Schuldt wouldn’t go as far as saying Schmidt’s guidance led him to “The last few days have been pretty stressful,” Schuldt said. “It’s a big choose Vegas, it certainly didn’t hurt. decision, and for me, it obviously hurt a lot having our season end like it did, but with new endings come new beginnings, and I’m lucky to have “I’d say it helped, but I think everything he said he was just being honest an opportunity to make a decision like this.” about his experience and that was really cool for me,” Schuldt said. Schuldt’s senior season at St. Cloud State didn’t close with the storybook There’s a chance Schuldt could play in one or both of the Golden Knights finish he envisioned when he opted to return to school over starting his two remaining regular season games — Thursday at home against professional career last year. Arizona, and Saturday in Los Angeles. Schuldt was phenomenal, leading all college defensemen with 35 points “I’m real excited. We had him at development camp last year and we as he led the Huskies to the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA tournament. really liked him,” Gallant said. “He has high character and looked like a But St. Cloud State was stunned in the opening round by American solid player. He’s more experienced than most of the guys who were at International College on Friday, and just like that his collegiate career the camp because he’s older, but we think we got a real good player.” was over. Schuldt’s deal with Vegas is only a one-year entry-level contract, There was no lack of interest from the NHL. According to his agent, Tom meaning he will be a restricted free agent this summer. The team and his Lynn, 29 clubs contacted Schuldt about possibly signing him to an entry- agent likely have a deal already in mind, or at least a rough estimate, level contract. seeing as he chose Vegas over a handful of other offers. “When his season ended we discussed him turning pro, and he wanted The Athletic LOADED: 04.04.2019 to set parameters as far as where his values were,” Lynn told The Athletic’s Michael Russo on KFAN 100.3 FM. “The highest priority was really hockey, meaning the opportunity to become an NHL player and excel with a team as they go forward.” Schuldt eventually narrowed his list to five teams, where he said decisions became extremely difficult. He sought advice from a current NHL player who went through a similar process — Nate Schmidt. Schmidt, who was born in St. Cloud, was also an undrafted free agent coming out of the University of Minnesota, and eventually chose to sign with George McPhee and the Washington Capitals. “It was tough for me and I didn’t have nearly as many teams as he did,” Schmidt said after the Golden Knights’ practice. “I just tried to be as objective as possible and just let him know what it’s like to play here. What it’s like in our room, and things like this. I never once told him what he should or shouldn’t do. I just tried to lay it out the way I went through it.” Schuldt and Schmidt also played together this summer in Da Beauty League. “(Schuldt) is a guy who has a tremendous amount of skill,” Schmidt said. “He’s an extremely gifted player and I’m excited to see what he can do at the pro level. He just sees the ice incredibly well. The way his vision is, and the way he can move his feet to get himself out of trouble, and those are just intangibles you can’t teach kids.” Schuldt is one of the most prolific players in St. Cloud State’s proud hockey history. He recorded 118 points (38 goals, 80 assists), which ranks first among defensemen in school history, and was named 2018-19 NCHC Player of the Year. He attended the Golden Knights’ rookie development camp last summer. An experience he said helped him a lot in the decision-making process. “It was really cool,” Schuldt said. “To see what they have going on there. Obviously it worked for them right away, with the best expansion team ever. It was really intriguing to be a part of their camp and see everything. See the area and the practice facility, which is obviously incredible. 1105304 Washington Capitals away” from hulking defenseman Jamie Oleksiak in the playoffs last season, Wilson answered with a knockout punch on Oleksiak in December, giving the defenseman a concussion. Wilson objected to a Tom Wilson’s battered hands tell the story of being a hockey brawler high hit by Colorado Avalanche defenseman Ian Cole on Washington’s Evgeny Kuznetsov, and that brawl broke Cole’s orbital bone.

While some players devote part of their offseason regimen to training for By Isabelle Khurshudyan April 3 at 3:55 PM fights with mixed martial arts programs, Wilson enjoys boxing as a workout — he has even invested in the Bash Boxing gym in Arlington — but he said it doesn’t really prepare him for bouts in hockey games, which he said are more like “a street fight.” The gloves don’t get to stay The streaks of blood that had covered Tom Wilson’s hands — some his on, and Wilson has admitted to breaking various parts of his hands in the own and some shed by his latest challenger — were washed away days past. Even when his hands are relatively intact, there’s still damage. ago, but as the Washington Capitals forward splayed out the fingers of his right hand, he pointed out the scarring and bruising over his knuckles, “For me, it’s kind of normal,” he said. “You just patch the hands up, deal a couple of shades darker than the rest of his skin. A thin bandage with it and go out and play your game.” covered his pinkie, the only visible damage from his latest bout. Washington Post LOADED: 04.04.2019 “I can’t be a watch model,” Wilson joked. Wilson’s hands are evidence of the toll fighting can have on the body, of the risk of injury every time he sheds his gloves and literally exposes one of his most important assets. Wilson has fought six times this season, and three times the opponent has been dropped to the ground with Wilson still standing over him. “You never like to see a guy drop because that can easily be you,” Wilson said. “It could be the other way around.” [Michal Kempny ruled out for remainder of season, playoffs] It’s rare to get through a fight totally unscathed. Forward Jakub Vrana still has a cut at the top of his nose from his bout two weeks ago with Tampa Bay’s Yanni Gourde, Vrana’s first fight in the NHL. Defenseman Brooks Orpik fought Lightning center Anthony Cirelli on Saturday night, and he sported a black eye for Washington’s team photo shoot Wednesday. Wilson and Tampa Bay defenseman Erik Cernak, a 6-foot-4, 225-pound Slovak who is fittingly nicknamed “Drago” in reference to the “Rocky IV″ antagonist, had been eyeing each other during the teams’ first two meetings before finally agreeing to fisticuffs in the third game. Cernak lost a front tooth, which he revealed on social media before later deleting the post. “I actually saw him after the game, which is how I knew it was the tooth,” Wilson said. But as Wilson scanned his bloodstained hands in the penalty box immediately after the fight Saturday night, he questioned whether it was worth it, especially with the postseason coming up. “There’s really nothing like it when you have that high, and then after the game you come down kind of and your body just feels completely spent,” Wilson said. “This time of year, that’s probably a stupid fight for me to take. There’s really no point except for maybe sending a little bit of a message. It does take a toll for sure. Your hands are sore for a couple weeks there. You go in there, you try to defend yourself, and you hope you’re in one piece after.” Defending teammates with his fists was part of Wilson’s job description his first two years in the league, when he played on the fourth line. But fighting has become far less frequent in hockey. According to hockeyfights.com, a site that tracks on-ice bouts, there were 0.30 fights per game during the 2016-17 season, which declined to 0.22 fights per game last year and is down to 0.19 this season. Meanwhile, Wilson’s role with the Capitals has transformed to skating on a top line opposite captain Alex Ovechkin. To that end, his greatest value is on the ice rather than in the penalty box for five minutes or out of the lineup entirely with a freak injury. After tallying 14 fights during his rookie campaign in 2013-14 and then 12 the next year, he has tried to be more selective. [Braden Holtby solved his struggles by getting more comfortable letting in goals] Sometimes he asks for a fight to defend a teammate, and sometimes he is asked to fight to answer for a hit he made. A fight can be used as a way to jolt the team and potentially turn momentum. But especially with Wilson’s hands creating a career-high 22 goals in 61 games, pounding them into bone or another player’s helmet and visor can be regretful. “If it’s a fight that lasts a little bit and punches are being thrown and stuff, your neck, everything, gets pretty sore,” Wilson said. “I got on the plane [after the game at Tampa Bay], and everyone else is kind of buzzing around, and I’m like, I’ve got to go to sleep. You’re just tired. You’re spent. . . . The next game even, when you go to shoot or pass, your hands are sore. That’s definitely a thing. You’ve got to be smart about when you fight, especially if you’re playing lots of minutes and you need to make those plays and stuff." Wilson’s fights have been decisive this season, though that’s not something about which he will boast. After Pittsburgh Penguins General Manager Jim Rutherford said Wilson “couldn’t run quick enough to get 1105305 Washington Capitals

Capitals may have next Kempny-type unsung hero in Jensen waiting in wings

By Adam Zielonka - The Washington Times - Wednesday, April 3, 2019

Michal Kempny was the Washington Capitals‘ unsung hero on last year’s run to the Stanley Cup — though eventually receiving enough praise from hockey analysts and media to render the “unsung” part ironic. Kempny arrived in a late February trade that garnered little notice. He went from an afterthought and a healthy scratch on the Chicago Blackhawks to a vital role among the Capitals‘ top four defensemen as Washington dispatched opponent after opponent in April, May and June. With the news Tuesday that Kempny would miss the playoffs after undergoing surgery to repair a torn hamstring he suffered in a fight March 20, the Capitals may already have their next Kempny waiting in the wings: Nick Jensen. Washington acquired Jensen from the Detroit Red Wings a day after landing a much bigger trade for forward Carl Hagelin. While praise for Hagelin has in a sense overshadowed the Jensen trade so far, coach Todd Reirden and the organization have an expanded role in mind for the blueliner. Jensen skated in Kempny’s place alongside John Carlson at practice Wednesday before Thursday’s home game against the Montreal Canadiens. Actually, it wasn’t quite Kempny’s place; Jensen and Carlson are both right-handed, so Carlson, the more experienced of the two, shifted over to the left to accommodate his new linemate. Since Kempny’s injury, the Capitals had been playing in his spot and keeping Jensen on the third pairing. Now, the new guy stands to see expanded minutes on the ice. Reirden, a former NHL defenseman himself, pointed out the similarities and differences between Kempny and Jensen. “(Jensen’s) ability to skate is noticeable, every night,” Reirden said. “That’s something that we have a little bit of a blueprint from Kempny last year on how to use a player like that.” On the other hand, incorporating Jensen, who was one of Detroit’s better defensemen, wasn’t the same as easing Kempny into the rotation and building up his ice time, the coach said. “(Jensen was) coming off a situation where he’s playing a lot for another team and has a really high confidence level, whereas Kempny came to us after 17 scratches by a non-playoff team,” Reirden said. “You’ve got a different type of personality there, and then how you’re building this player within behind closed doors. So he has to actually play less for us than he did in Detroit. That’s something that gets factored in there as well.” Jensen was the last player off the practice ice Wednesday, unavailable to the media but hard at work as he further acclimates to Washington’s system. His new teammates have praised him in recent weeks, particularly in his role on the penalty kill. “I think he’s fit right in,” Matt Niskanen said in March. “He seems like a smart player, because he’s picked up on everything super fast on how we want to play and he’s done a good job.” The Capitals have another chance to clinch the Metropolitan Division Thursday, either if they beat Montreal or if the New York Islanders lose in regulation to the Florida Panthers. Should neither of those come to pass, the Islanders will move within one or two standings points of Washington, and their season finale against one another Saturday at Capital One Arena will decide the Metro champ. T.J. Oshie said the team didn’t feel that avoiding the single-game clinching scenario was of high priority. “Right now we’re going into games getting our game to where it needs to be,” Oshie said. “If we play the way we can and the way we want to moving forward and we lose and we come to battle in the end, whatever, it’s fine. But our focus right now is how we’re playing. And to get these things ingrained in our game, it’s hard to just flip the switch come playoff time, so we’ve got a couple games to tune up.” Washington Times LOADED: 04.04.2019 1105306 Washington Capitals

With Penguins' loss, Capitals guaranteed home ice in first round and that could prove critical

By J.J. Regan April 03, 2019

The regular season may be almost over, but there is still a lot left to be decided. One thing we now know for sure, however, is that the Capitals will have home ice in the first round of the playoffs. Though they currently sit in first place in the Metropolitan Division, the standings were so close together that it was still possible for Washington to be passed by both the New York Islanders and Pittsburgh Penguins which would drop them to third and give their opponent home ice in the first round. With the Penguins’ 4-1 loss to the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday, that is no longer the case. Pittsburgh cannot catch the Caps which guarantees Washington will finish no worse than second and will have home-ice advantage at least in the first round. Home ice was ultimately not the biggest factor in the Cup run last season as the Caps won only six of their 11 home games. They won 10 out of 13 on the road. This year, however, it could prove to be vitally important. Home teams get the second line change meaning coaches get to see which players their opponent puts on the ice. This gives them an advantage as it allows the home coach to dictate matchups. That is important for a team that will be without one of its top defensemen in Michal Kempny. It was announced on Tuesday that Kempny will miss the entire 2019 postseason after undergoing surgery to repair a torn hamstring. Kempny was playing alongside John Carlson on the Caps’ top defensive pair prior to the injury. With him gone, head coach Todd Reirden has used a platoon approach to replace him, playing multiple players alongside Carlson throughout the game as the situation dictates. Being able to determine matchups in those home games could prove to be a critical advantage in the early rounds as the team continues to adjust to Kempny’s absence. After Tuesday’s action, Washington’s possible playoff opponent shifted as well with the Carolina Hurricanes overtaking the Columbus Blue Jackets for the first wild card spot. Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 04.04.2019 1105307 Washington Capitals Esposito said one of the keys to Ovechkin’s scoring ability is the sheer number of shots he puts on goal. Since the 1959-60 season, Esposito recorded the most shots in a season with 550 in 1970-71 while with the Pair of NHL legends fuel debate on whether Alex Ovechkin can break Bruins. Ovechkin ranks second with 528 during the ’08-09 season when Wayne Gretzky’s all-time goals mark he notched 56 goals. This season, Ovechkin is second in the league with 331 shots on goal (51 have gone in), 19 behind the Avalanche’s Nathan MacKinnon. By Chris Kuc Apr 3, 2019 “It was shooting 550 shots on goal from right in the slot,” Esposito said. “I had 550 the year I scored 76 and I remember one game against the Rangers I had 16 shots on net and I never got a goddamn goal. The next game I had three shots on net and I scored three.” When Alex Ovechkin was tearing up the NHL to the tune of a 72-goal pace earlier this season, we caught up with some Capitals legends and One aspect of Ovechkin’s game that Esposito isn’t impressed with is the asked them if they believed Ovechkin will surpass Wayne Gretzky’s all- fact the former has maintained a high level of play despite a raucous time goals total of 894. summer of celebrating the Capitals’ first Stanley Cup championship. Mike Gartner, Peter Bondra and Rod Langway all chimed in for this “Celebrations doesn’t mean shit,” Esposito said. “In my day, we partied piece. Earlier this week, The Athletic colleague Dom Luszczyszyn wrote after regular-season games. Celebrations? Who gives a crap?” this piece analyzing the likelihood of Ovechkin breaking Gretzky’s all-time mark. While we’re on the subject of Ovechkin’s goal-scoring prowess, a couple of current Capitals tackled the question of whether their teammate is the As the defending Cup champions have traversed their way across North greatest goal scorer of all time. America, we’ve had the occasion to run across a couple members of the 700-career goals club and asked them about Ovechkin, who stands at “It’s hard if you really want to get into details you can get extremely 658 career goals entering Thursday night’s game against the Canadiens specific and talk about goalie gear and talk about goalie style,” Oshie at Capital One Arena. said. “You can talk about the type of sticks we use and our gear and stuff like that. But he’s the most prolific and electrifying goal scorer that I’ve That they happen to be two of the most colorful personalities in the game ever seen. And that’s either on TV or in person. So he gets my vote for was a bonus, though much of the conversation with Phil Esposito can’t sure.” be relayed even at The Athletic. Added Tom Wilson: “It’s so cool to see what (Ovechkin) does all the time. First, we bumped into Brett Hull in St. Louis. Hull ranks fourth all time in I’ve had a front-row seat for six, seven years now. He’s a pretty special goals with 741, trailing Gretzky, Gordie Howe (801) and Jaromir Jagr player. I think what really I admire about him is his ability to play so many (766). different types of game. He’s strong, he can finish checks, he’s dynamic and on top of it obviously a pure goal-scorer and probably the best goal- So, Brett, can Ovechkin surpass Gretzky? scorer of our time and maybe up there of all time. “That’s a good question,” Hull said. “All it depends on (is) does he stay “It’s a huge privilege to watch what he does,” Wilson added. “I think it healthy, does he want to continue to play that long? 894 goals, that’s an goes under the radar a little bit how many games he’s played (1,082). awful lot of goals. I remember when I hit 700 and I was like, ‘I’m still He’s always in and he’s always playing hard. They haven’t been easy almost 300 away?’ I mean, it seems like you’re close but you’re really miles on him. He’s done it hard and he’s played that way for a long time not. If anyone can, he’s the only one.” and he continues to just blow the roof off his goal scoring. We’re pretty All three of the Capitals legends compared Ovechkin to Hull, who had lucky to have him around.” one of the most devastating slap shots in league history and often scored The Athletic LOADED: 04.04.2019 off it on one-timers — much like many of Ovechkin’s. “The way he shoots it can carry him until he decides to hang them up,” Hull said. “It’s awesome how good he shoots it. You look at these goalies now and how big they are, he still beats them. And it’s not just the shot, it’s his ability to know where to go to score.” That is often from the faceoff circle, an area where Hull also thrived. “There are only so many places you can go to score,” Hull said. “I was kind of dumbfounded how we would just be open. It’s like, they must know we’re on the ice and we just keep going the same shots wide open. It’s crazy.” Hull also credited Ovechkin’s teammates with getting the Capitals captain the puck. “When you get to continuously play with (Nicklas) Backstrom and (Evgeny) Kuznetsov and guys like (T.J.) Oshie who are smart, good play- making people, you get open and can shoot it like that, there’s no reason why he can’t keep scoring forever.” The other members of the 700 Club are Marcel Dionne (731), Phil Esposito (717) and Gartner (708). It was in Tampa where we got Esposito’s take. “(Ovechkin) is a hell of a player,” Esposito said. “I love his enthusiasm. When ‘Ovi’ scores it looks like he’s about to jump over the glass. I love that. This guy is going to end up … passing me. That’s fine. I’ve always said, records are made to be broken. When I retired I was second and if I live to be 100 I’ll be 100th. “How many did Wayne have? 894? Really? Shit. It’s like me: I have 1,590 points and I didn’t realize or I would have stayed for another 10 points.” While Esposito doesn’t believe Ovechkin will surpass Gretzky’s mark “because the game is much different now,” he does envision Ovechkin becoming the third player in NHL history to record 800 goals. “How old is he? Thirty-three? That’s not old,” Esposito said. “I scored goals when I was in my 30s too. This guy keeps himself in such good shape, if he can play until 40 … if he averages 40 goals for seven years that’s 210 goals on top of the (658), that’s over 800.” 1105308 Winnipeg Jets

Three teams going down to wire Jets, Predators and Blues neck and neck with two games left

By: Mike McIntyre

Chicago D-man Dennis Gilbert and his Blackhawks did the Jets a favour by knocking off Brayden Schenn and the Blues 4-3 in a shootout Wednesday. The ship is sinking, the sky is falling... and somehow, incredibly, the Winnipeg Jets still control their own destiny. It’s going to come right down to the wire with Winnipeg, the Nashville Predators and the St. Louis Blues locked in a three-way battle for the Central Division crown. All three teams have two games remaining. The Jets and Predators are tied on top with 96 points, while the Blues have 95 after rallying to tie the Chicago Blackhawks late, only to fall in a shootout Wednesday night. Whoever ends up on top will be in a first-round playoff series against the first wild-card team, a spot the Dallas Stars currently occupy by three points over the Colorado Avalanche. The second and third-place finishers will face each other in the opening round. The Jets can still capture the first division title in franchise history. Wins against Colorado and the Arizona Coyotes gets it done, regardless of what St. Louis and Nashville do in their games. That’s because the Jets own the tiebreakers with both clubs by having more regulation and overtime wins (44) than the Blues (41) and Predators (41). However, if the Jets were to falter in either remaining game, they’d need some help on the out-of-town scoreboard. To put things in the simplest terms, the Jets will finish first as long as they at least mirror what Nashville does, and only allow the Blues to get one more point than them in the next two games. The Blues are at home tonight to a Philadelphia Flyers team already eliminated from the playoffs, while Nashville is in a similar spot as they host the Vancouver Canucks. Both of those games will start one hour before the puck drops at the Pepsi Center in Denver for the Jets’ tilt against the Avalanche. The Jets, for example, would clinch the title tonight if they win and Nashville loses in regulation and St. Louis loses in any fashion. They would clinch no worse than second place, which means home-ice advantage in the first round at least — if they win and one of Nashville or St. Louis loses — either the Predators in regulation or the Blues in any fashion. Or, perhaps nothing gets settled if they all have a similar result, whether it’s a win or a loss. If that happens, all eyes turn to Saturday and some big-time drama on the final day of the regular season. The Blues host the Canucks in an afternoon affair, while the Predators are at home to the Blackhawks with a 6 p.m. start. The Jets don’t face off against the Coyotes until 9 p.m., meaning they’ll know exactly what they need to do — or don’t need to do — by the time they hit the ice. As a result, the Jets likely won’t know who their first-round opponent will be — or even whether they’re starting at home next week or on the road — until quite possibly near the stroke of midnight Saturday. Stay tuned. Winnipeg Free Press LOADED 04.04.2019 1105309 Winnipeg Jets The list goes on. Trade deadline acquisition Kevin Hayes has been streaky, putting up points in just six of the 18 games he's played with the Jets. Kyle Connor has no points in four games. Plenty of blame to go around as Jets continue to struggle heading into Mark Scheifele isn't looking like himself lately. post-season play Even Wheeler isn't immune from criticism. He has just two assists in his last eight games, going minus-six in that span, and hasn't scored in 10. By: Mike McIntyre | Posted: 04/3/2019 7:00 PM The power play, of which he is a major part, has also dried up. All those seam passes that worked so well early in the year have vanished.

On the blue-line, inconsistency is running rampant. Dustin Byfuglien has DENVER – Make no mistake: The panic button has been pushed. just looked OK in his three games back since injury but will need to bring a lot more to the table if the Jets are to have success. Josh Morrissey Despite captain Blake Wheeler’s attempt to pass it off as something that can't return from injury soon enough, but the Jets are in big trouble if they happens a "handful of times every year," Tuesday night’s 23-minute, think he will just suddenly wave a magic wand and instantly wipe away closed-door, players-only meeting following his team's latest inexplicable their many troubles. effort was anything but routine. Jacob Trouba continues to make far too many poor puck decisions, and It would be unusual at any time in the season, let alone after Game No. his continuing presence on the top power play unit instead of Byfuglien is 80 and with the start of the playoffs a week away. And it shows the a real head-scratcher. Winnipeg Jets appear to recognize they are in danger of flushing a season with so much promise right down the drain. Captain Blake Wheeler: The team needs to 'a little bit of resiliency, a little bit of maturity.' Whether they have it in them to get their act together remains to be seen. Which brings me to coach Paul Maurice. He seemingly is pushing all the So what exactly is going on here? There’s plenty of blame to go around, wrong buttons with his club right now, including the decision to sit Connor and I’m guessing some of that came out in what must have been a pretty Hellebuyck in St. Paul with backup Laurent Brossoit still injured. Eric tense, uncomfortable bit of soul-searching at Xcel Energy Center. Comrie struggled mightily, and you could see his team sag after he left in a terrible third goal late in the first period. Wheeler – the only player who emerged to speak publicly following the embarrassing 5-1 defeat to Minnesota – dropped some hints, mentioning That game might ultimately end up costing the Jets first place in the things like the team needing to show "a little bit of resiliency, a little bit of Central, maybe even home-ice advantage in the playoffs. The minimal maturity." As well as needing to "get every guy pulling on the rope in the line juggling he's done hasn't worked, and you wonder if it isn't time to get same direction." Wheeler and Scheifele away from each other in an attempt to light a fire under everyone. That would seem to suggest the Jets are a group that is falling apart under pressure, too childish to correct it and have several players simply Of course, at this point in the season it's pretty tough to overhaul the doing their own thing, rather than as a collective. systems that have been put in place – ones that include giving up a boatload of shots nearly every single game. Right now, there's not a Nikolaj Ehlers hasn't gained a point in seven games. whole lot that can be done about that. Nikolaj Ehlers hasn't gained a point in seven games. Except talk, apparently. Sounds about right, actually, given what we’re seeing happening on the "Sometimes the best therapy for that is having a conversation about it," ice, with just one win in the past five games and a much longer record of Wheeler said of the airing of grievances in Minnesota. "You hold things erratic play going all the way back to just after the Christmas break. In in, nothing gets figured out. So it’s good to talk." many of those games, they've barely looked interested. It doesn't get any easier here in the Mile High City, where the Jets were All of which is reason for grave concern with the post-season set to clobbered 7-1 the last time they visited in late February. They'll face a begin. red-hot Colorado club Thursday night that just needs one point to secure The Jets opted Wednesday to cancel a scheduled practice here in a playoff berth. Denver – a curious choice given that Wheeler specifically mentioned Sure, they're saying many of the right things. But they have been for "coming to work tomorrow" the previous night. Maybe they think they can weeks. It's time the Jets started backing up their words with actions. find the cure for what ails them away from the rink? Right now, they appear to simply be blowing smoke. Wheeler didn't specifically point any fingers in public, but that doesn't Winnipeg Free Press LOADED 04.04.2019 mean we can't. So which players might not exactly be pulling in the right direction lately? It's pretty easy to identify several culprits. Nikolaj Ehlers is playing the worst hockey of his season right now, going seven straight games without a point. He's gone a dreadful minus-eight in that span, and has been moved down the lineup, from the top line, to the second line, to the third line. He can be a game-breaker when he's on, but right now Ehlers is completely lost. Sure, he's still buzzing around the ice, but he's not actually accomplishing anything in the process. Winnipeg Jets' Patrik Laine has gone four games without a point. His good buddy, Patrik Laine, isn't faring much better. After showing some signs of progress after a stint up with the top line, Laine is once again back to being a non-factor. He's gone four straight games without a point, going minus-six in that span, and has just one goal in the last 17 contests. After seasons of 36 and then 44 goals, Laine's is stuck at 30 and that's largely thanks to an incredible November which has salvaged his season from being an utter disaster. Bryan Little doesn't have a point in 11 straight games, and just one goal and one assist over 19. That's simply not good enough for a veteran, proven point-producer who is being counted on for secondary offence. Mark Scheifele has also gone ice-cold lately, with no points in his past three and just one point, a goal, in his last seven. He's a minus-seven in that stretch. Most alarming is that he doesn't look anything like himself lately. He's noticeably slower, is getting easily knocked off pucks and knocked to the ice, and just doesn't seem to have a next gear right now. Perhaps it's a hidden injury, or just the wear-and-tear of the season taking a toll, but it should be of major concern. 1105310 Winnipeg Jets Consistency is another hallmark that is mostly missing in action, even if there are sporadic signs of it.

Last season the Jets didn’t lose three games in a row until the final Jets searching for identity: Late swoon is cause for concern playoff series against the Vegas Golden Knights — when they dropped four straight after winning the opener. Ken Wiebe Now they’ve lost five of seven after winning four straight. There have been numerous times this season when players have spoken out and expressed calm, saying they know the level the Jets are capable COLORADO — Will the real Winnipeg Jets please stand up? of and they also know what it takes to reach that level. On the heels of a 5-1 loss to the Minnesota Wild that was an exclamation The time to show it is upon them. point in a late-season swoon that has seen the Jets drop five of the past seven games, a players-only meeting was abruptly called and lasted 23 As has been written in this space before, the Jets window to win only minutes. opened last spring, but that window is most likely the widest with Patrik Laine and Kyle Connor still on entry-level contracts. Captain Blake Wheeler and head coach Paul Maurice agreed the open dialogue and taking ownership of the situation — even this late in the The Jets have time to sort things out and that’s why calling a team regular season — was an important step. meeting after Game 80 was an important step taken by the leadership core. Admitting there’s a problem is often the first step in fixing the problem, or something along those lines. Turning those words into action is the only thing that matters for the Jets. But as Wheeler pointed out, the discussion itself is the easy part and the The stakes are about to get higher and if the Jets don’t respond in the response is ultimately what the Jets will be judged on. coming days and weeks, they could soon turn their attention to dealing with the fallout of a missed opportunity. As the Jets get set for the final two games of the regular season — beginning with Thursday’s match-up against the Colorado Avalanche — And that’s a place the Jets have no interest in visiting. there is one thing above all others that needs to be addressed. Down to the wire For whatever reason, the Jets have strayed from their identity and if they Possibilities still plentiful for Jets don’t get their collective swagger back soon, they could be in big trouble. DENVER — As difficult as it may be to believe, given their recent As it stands right now, teams around the Western Conference and struggles, the Winnipeg Jets remain in control of their own destiny when specifically in the Central Division, are looking at the Jets as a team they it comes to jockeying for position in the Central Division. wouldn’t mind facing in the opening round of the Stanley Cup playoffs. With two games left to play in the regular season, the Jets have company Unlike the group that advanced to the Western Conference final last at the top, but they currently hold the tie-breaker over both the Nashville spring and recorded the first nine playoff wins in franchise history, this Predators and St. Louis Blues. edition of the Jets is limping toward the finish line. By winning out — or simply matching what the Predators and Blues do They’re searching for a spark. over the course of those final two games, the Jets could still finish first. Getting Dustin Byfuglien back in the lineup after he’s missed nearly half a If the late swoon continues, the Jets might end up in third place, which season has helped and the return of Josh Morrissey, likely for Game 1, would mean starting the opening round of the Stanley Cup playoffs on should only bolster the back end. the road — either in Nashville or St. Louis. But what the Jets really need to do is remember what they look like when The Jets close out the campaign with road games against the Colorado they’re at their best — a fast team that is hard to play against. Avalanche on Thursday and the Arizona Coyotes on Saturday. Not just with the physical element, but with how hard they are on the The Predators have a pair of home games against the Vancouver puck and in pursuit on the forecheck. Canucks and Chicago Blackhawks, while the Blues host the Blackhawks Right now, the Jets haven’t found that extra gear, at least not since a and Philadelphia Flyers. convincing 5-0 victory over the Nashville Predators on March 23. Winnipeg Sun LOADED 04.04.2019 That effort appeared to represent a significant step forward, a sign the Jets might be ready to turn the corner and crank things up down the stretch. Instead, that strong showing has mostly been the exception and not a regular part of the routine. There has been a noticeable step backward for a team that came into the season looking to take the next step after gaining some valuable experience last spring. They’ve misplaced their identity, which is something the Jets worked incredibly hard to establish since Maurice arrived on the scene in January of 2014. Even with a second consecutive 100-point season still on the table and first place in the Central still a distinct possibility, the Jets spot in the standings has mostly masked some of the issues. A potent power play, especially on home ice, often made up for whatever worries that could arise from up-and-down play at five-on-five. For much of the season, the weight of expectations didn’t appear to be holding the Jets back and it might not be right now either. Something is off and it’s been a bit difficult to pinpoint, outside of the obvious — which is the Jets are a bit looser defensively this season and are giving up more quality scoring chances. Every season is different, but one of the calling cards for the Jets a year ago was that they played a style of game that was easy to recognize. That structure led to results and was on display as recently as two weeks ago, but has seemingly vanished into thin air. 1105311 Winnipeg Jets Dmitry Kulikov-Tyler Myers Goalies JETS GAME DAY: Looking to get out of rough patch as Avs on tap Eric Comrie Connor Hellebuyck Ken Wiebe Colorado Avalanche Forwards Winnipeg Jets (46-30-4) at Colorado Avalanche (37-29-14) Alexander Kerfoot-Nathan MacKinnon-JT Compher Wednesday, 8 pm CT. Pepsi Center. TV: TSN3. Radio: TSN 1290 Gabriel Landeskog-Carl Soderberg-Colin Wilson THE BIG MATCHUP Matthew Nieto-Tyson Jost-Matt Calvert Mark Scheifele vs Nathan MacKinnon Gabriel Bourque-Derick Brassard-Sven Andrighetto They might not go head-to-head for the entire contest, but the production Defence of the top-line centre from each team could go a long way toward determining the winner. Scheifele still leads the Jets in goals with 36 and Samuel Girard-Erik Johnson is second in points (81), but hasn’t been his dominant self of late and is Ian Cole-Tyson Barrie looking to get into playoff mode. MacKinnon hit 40 goals for the first time in his career on Tuesday and leads his team with 97 points, which ties a Nikita Zadorov-Patrik Nemeth career high. Goalies 5 keys to the game Philipp Grubauer Response required Semyon Varlamov After dropping five of the past seven games, the Jets held a 23-minute players-only meeting on Tuesday. A 5-1 loss to the Minnesota Wild led to Injuries the lengthy discussion and while Jets captain Blake Wheeler was Jets: G Laurent Brossoit (lower body, day-to-day), D Josh Morrissey encouraged by what was said, he was quick to acknowledge that the (upper body, indefinitely), RW Brandon Tanev (finger/hand, day-to-day) response to this rough patch is what is most important. Avalanche: C Vladislav Kamenov (shoulder, indefinitely), RW Mikko Rinse and repeat Rantanen (undisclosed, day-to-day). Stop if you’ve heard this one before, but the Jets are about to play a POWER PLAY team that is battling for a playoff berth and this one is actually above the playoff line and not below it. But that doesn’t mean the Avalanche won’t Winnipeg: 24.9.% (4th) be in desperation mode as they want to punch their ticket to the post- season party. The early return by Gabriel Landeskog from injury has Colorado: 22.5% (7th) inspired the group and Mikko Rantanen is getting closer. PENALTY KILLING Thirst for first Winnipeg 79.0% (23rd) The Jets have their own motivation in this one, as a victory would at the Colorado: 78.3% (26th) very least clinch home-ice advantage in the first round. With a bit of help on the out-of-town scoreboard the Jets can actually nail down top spot in Winnipeg Sun LOADED 04.04.2019 the Central Division and ensure home-ice advantage for two rounds — provided they advance past the opening round. Filling the void There’s a good chance the Jets will be without the services of winger Brandon Tanev for the foreseeable future after he was on the receiving end of a slash to the left hand from Wild centre Eric Staal. The Jets took Wednesday to re-energize after playing on consecutive days, head coach Paul Maurice will provide an update on Tanev’s status on Thursday. If Tanev is out, there’s a void on both the checking line and on the penalty kill. Opportunity will be knocking for a forward. Get to Grubauer It took a little longer than the Avalanche would have liked, but goalie Philipp Grubauer has put a slow start behind him and grown into the No. 1 goalie Colorado was expecting when they traded for him in a deal with the Washington Capitals. Prior to Semyon Varlamov playing against the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday, Grubauer had started 10 consecutive games and has been outstanding during that stretch, going 7-1-2 with a 1.48 goals-against average, a .955 save % and two shutouts. GAME DAY LINEUPS Winnipeg Jets Forwards Kyle Connor-Mark Scheifele-Blake Wheeler Bryan Little-Kevin Hayes-Patrik Laine Mathieu Perreault--Nikolaj Ehlers Par Lindholm-Andrew Copp-Jack Roslovic Defence Nathan Beaulieu-Jacob Trouba Ben Chiarot-Dustin Byfuglien 1105312 Vancouver Canucks So what will Boeser command in a new deal? Depends who you ask. Buffalo’s Jack Eichel, for example, signed an eight-year, $80-million extension before last season. Before you roll your eyes at the Ed Willes: Can Boeser be better than good for Canucks when he earns comparison, Eichel has averaged .35 goals per game in his four NHL great money? seasons and .89 points while Boeser has averaged .43 goals per game and .83 points, albeit in a smaller sample size.

Uh, if a lowly scribe can dig that one up, it figures Boeser’s agent, Ben Ed Willes Hankinson, can do the same. The market, in fact, is fluid and that’s a scary proposition for some teams. The Leafs just signed Auston Matthews to a five-year, $58-million So what will Brock Boeser command in a new contract deal? Depends extension and now have to lock up Marner. The Jets have Laine, Connor who you ask. Buffalo’s Jack Eichel, for example, signed an eight-year, and Jacob Trouba to sign. Tampa has Point, Cedric Paquette and $80-million extension before last season. Anthony Cirelli this summer and goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy and defenceman Mikhail Sergachev two years down the road. This much we know about Brock Boeser: In two seasons with the Vancouver Canucks, the 22-year-old has established himself as a good That’s led to open speculation that offer sheets, which are seen as NHL player. regularly as unicorns, will be made this summer and that opens up some delicious possibilities. Although his development was slowed by a serious back injury last season, he’s still averaged 35 goals and 68 points per 82 games and The Canucks, for their part, aren’t facing any immediate problems but those totals compare favourably to some of the NHL’s most celebrated Elias Pettersson and Quinn Hughes come out of their entry level deals in young stars. two years and if they aren’t commanding top dollar by then, something has gone wrong with the plan. Those numbers, in turn, raise any number of fascinating questions for Boeser and the Canucks this off-season and we’ll get to those shortly. As for Boeser, his asking price likely starts at $6 million per and if that sounds like a lot, look at it this way: If he continues to grow as a player, it But, before we climb into the indelicate world of contracts and will seem like a bargain in a couple of years. compensation, let’s ask the most basic question concerning the Burnsville Bazooka: We know he’s good, but can he be great? Vancouver Province: LOADED: 04.04.2019 Boeser, and most everyone who comes into contact with him, thinks he can. The Canucks better hope so. “I think it’s the type of person I am,” he said. “I want to play with the best. I want to be considered as one of the best. That’s what pushes me in the summer. I’m a competitive kid. I want to be known as someone who’s always improving.” Which is one of the reasons you’d bet on him. Brock Boeser poses for a photo as fans gather to have players sign autographs prior to playing the San Jose Sharks in a regular season NHL hockey game at Rogers Arena, Vancouver April 02 2019. Gerry Kahrmann / PNG “He wants to be good,” said Canucks head coach Travis Green. “That’s important. I don’t think he’s a kid who’s going to rest on what he’s done and we’re not in a position as a team to think that way. I have a lot of faith Brock’s going to get better as we move on.” Boeser is just finishing up a season that, numerically at least, doesn’t represent a huge improvement on his rookie campaign. Last season he’d scored 29 goals through 59 games when he cracked a bone in his back, costing him the remainder of the season and a shot at the Calder Memorial Trophy. This season, he has 26 goals through 67 outings but Green maintains Boeser has made significant improvements in his all-around game and expects him to take another step next season. That will require the kind of diligence and off-ice commitment that, for example, propelled the Sedins from point-a-game players to Art Ross- winners and transformed Bo Horvat from a clunky skater with third-line limitations to a top-flight centre who’s flirting with 30 goals this season. For Boeser, moreover, identifying the areas he has to improve is the easy part. He needs to be quicker and more agile on his skates. As for the payoff, adding that extra stride might be the difference between a 30- and 40-goal scorer which is the difference between good and great in the NHL. “Obviously last summer was tough with the injury,” he says. “I’m looking forward to a full summer and being able to do stuff right away. “There are things you think about throughout the year, things you have to work on. I think I’ve taken strides this year. I feel like my skating has gotten better since I got healthy.” Now, Boeser’s quest for self-improvement is set against the compelling backdrop of his contractual situation. At the end of this season, he’s set to become a restricted free agent. As it happens, some of the game’s brightest young stars are in the same position that will produce some high drama this off-season. The Group 2’s-to-be include Colorado’s Mikko Rantanen, Toronto’s Mitch Marner, Tampa’s Brayden Point, Carolina’s Sebastian Aho, Winnipeg’s Patrik Laine and Kyle Conner, Calgary’s (sigh) Matthew Tkachuk and San Jose’s Timo Meier and those are just the forwards. 1105313 Vancouver Canucks (ACL) surgery last week, Sven Baertschi has a concussion history, Ryan Spooner and Tim Schaller haven’t shown much and RFA looks down here — Leivo will be of even more value, Ben Kuzma: Embracing opportunity is key to Canucks’ Leivo winging it regardless of what the club may or may not do in free agency. next season Leivo’s expiring contract pays US$925,000 and he does have arbitration rights. He could play the versatility card, but a genuine opportunity here to solidify his career probably makes the possibility of rocking the Ben Kuzma extension boat moot. “I think I’ve developed into a top-six forward,” said Leivo. “Maybe the point totals haven’t been what I expected (24 points in 73 games this First full season in NHL finally providing new lease on career for season) but I’ve contributed a lot. And as a group, we’ve connected a restricted free agent little bit more and the bond is getting strong for next year. There was always something to suggest there’s more to . “And really, it’s my first full NHL season and from that, I’ve developed into a pretty solid forward and I’m excited to get back next year and start “Obviously, he was one of the guys we had to watch every time we another playoff push.” played him in junior, and when I was out there, it was my job to shut him down,” Bo Horvat recalled of matching OHL wits with the winger. Vancouver Province: LOADED: 04.04.2019 “He’s a great player. His talents weren’t appreciated in Toronto as they should have been, and for him to come here and have a breakout second half, he proved to a lot of people and to himself that he can be a good player in this league.” The versatile Vancouver Canucks forward put up credible numbers in junior and the minors with 32- and 23-goal seasons respectively, but in six seasons in the Maple Leafs’ organization, he learned that Randy Carlyle preferred to play veterans and that Mike Babcock demanded you be as good without the puck as you think you are with it. It came with a fourth-line role that offered little security and would prove a silver lining. When William Nylander ended his prolonged contract holdout Dec. 1 to beat the NHL restricted free-agent signing deadline, it also ended Leivo’s longest lineup presence with 27 games. It prompted a trade to the Canucks just two days later for minor-league forward Michael Carcone, and the returns here are encouraging. Leivo has 10 goals in 47 games since the swap — he had 14 goals in 84 career games with the Leafs — and being instantly aligned with Elias Pettersson and Brock Boeser was by design. Leivo always had a heavy and accurate shot and is good with the puck in traffic. In his first game, he took a slick cross-ice feed from Pettersson and rang a shot off the post and past Devan Dubnyk just seven minutes into his Canucks debut. Aside from the trio’s offensive potential, defensive diligence, puck retrieval and getting out of their own zone was going to be a problem. Leivo’s bottom-six experience with Babcock helped. “He was very serious about the defensive game and sticking to his systems,” said Leivo. “My shot was always there but the skating wasn’t, and I’ve been working on that the last five years. The hands have kind of been there and the hockey sense has always been there, so it’s just the love of the game and trying to figure it out.” Head coach Travis Green has liked what he’s seen from forward Josh Leivo since he came over to the Canucks in a trade from Toronto. Travis Green harps on having players he can win with, because the Canucks coach knows his club can’t take the next development step with one-dimensional players who only know one end of the ice. Leivo leads the Canucks with a plus-six rating in 13:52 of average ice time. “You learn that you don’t want to make mistakes because you’re in and out of the lineup, and in my situation in Toronto, I was always out,” said the 25-year-old Leivo, a third-round 2011 draft pick by the Leafs. “I had to take care of the defensive part and trust that my skill and offensive abilities would just come. When I came here, I knew I could bring that defensive side and make that first impression look good. And my defensive game is getting stronger and I keep sticking with it.” Leivo is one of the club’s five restricted free-agent forwards. What works for the 6-2, 192-pound Innisfil, Ont., native for a contract extension is the ability to play both wings, play up and down the lineup and be effective on the power play as the slot presence. “He has been good for us,” said Green. “He’s getting an opportunity he hasn’t had in the NHL and he has proven that he can play. Now, it will be up to him to see where he can play and how long and how many minutes. “The big thing with him is to make sure he’s on every game and every shift, which is nothing more than we ask of any of our players. He’s smart, has got good hands, can skate and he’s big.” Amid uncertainty how the left side will evolve next season — Antoine Roussel is out a minimum six months after anterior cruciate ligament 1105314 Vancouver Canucks care how old you are. You’re going to be a man at some point so you learn to accept and work hard,” Stecher said.

It was as a 14-year-old bantam player for the Richmond Blues that What makes Troy Stecher tick: Stories on his road from Richmond to the Stecher truly began to stand out. He scored 68 points in 71 games, a Canucks huge jump from the 20 points he had in 61 games a year prior. That was good enough for him to be drafted by the Israel Fehr Apr 3, 2019 in the seventh round of the 2009 WHL Draft. And it just so happened that Canucks head coach Travis Green was the assistant general manager and assistant coach for Portland at the time, and recalled in vivid detail how Stecher got on his radar. When Troy Stecher signed with his hometown Vancouver Canucks as an undrafted free agent in 2016, there was some excitement at the prospect “I had just taken the job with the Winterhawks and I was the assistant GM of his potential but no overwhelming expectations set. so we were going around scouting — that would have been our first draft as a management group. We scouted all the provincial camps that they The Richmond, B.C., native was sought-after coming out of the NCAA, to have for the bantam draft. It was my first time after retiring (from playing a degree. Despite all the individual accolades and the team success in in the NHL) watching that young of kids,” said Green. his past — including a record winning streak in the BCHL with and a national championship at the University of North Dakota — “I was just drawn to Stech. It was in Salmon Arm and I think they played questions persisted about his small stature and ability to sustain his five games and I probably watched all of his games. I had my own list performance at the next level. from all the provincial camps and I had Stech as a first-round pick in the bantam draft. I might have been the only scout in our group that had him So for Stecher, the scrutiny he was about to face as he entered that high.” professional hockey was nothing new. Now three seasons into his career with the Canucks, he has responded to the challenges thrown his way in Unsurprisingly, the reason Stecher was still available to them in the each of those years, none bigger than how he raised his game in the seventh round came down to his size. The WHL Draft results listed him second half of the 2018-19 season as injuries beset Vancouver’s blue at 5-foot-6 and 129 pounds. The top four picks in the draft that day were line. also defencemen. The smallest of the four, current Canuck and Portland’s pick at No. 1 overall Derrick Pouliot, was listed at 5-foot-10, Jake Virtanen, the only other current Canucks player from B.C., knows 165 pounds. And as it turns out, Stecher’s measurements were a bit the road Stecher has travelled better than most and has seen the 24- exaggerated, anyway. year-old defenceman’s growth firsthand since they became teammates in Vancouver in 2016. “I think I was maybe 5-(foot)-3. My dad always gave me extra height,” said Stecher. “I was thin, I was tiny.” “I knew about Stecher a little bit, a couple of my friends played (against) him in junior and they said he was really good. But we didn’t get to play Green said they tried to get Stecher to Portland, and he did participate in together until our first camp together,” said Virtanen. a Winterhawks rookie camp one year and a full training camp the next, but they weren’t sure he would hold up physically under the rigours of the “He’s definitely improved and as of late he’s been playing really well. WHL and weren’t prepared to take him on as a 16-year-old. Actually, I talked about that with a couple of my buddies the other day, just how good Stech has been playing.” “I think a lot of people thought because he was smaller he was going to go to college. His size probably was part it, he was a tiny defenceman. While Stecher’s play has solidified his place in the Canucks’ lineup, these He was one of the smaller kids on the ice, but he controlled the play,” stories from his journey show what makes him tick, and help explain why said Green. “His compete level was extremely high, his hockey sense. his ascent to the NHL really shouldn’t have been a surprise at all. It’s hard not to get drawn to a player who competes and is smart and can skate.” Richmond Roots With that skill set, there were going to be other interested parties. And Stecher has been obsessed with hockey even before he began to play when another opportunity to play at a higher level presented itself, for his local minor hockey association in Richmond. Childhood photo Stecher pounced. albums are filled with pictures of Stecher in uniforms and gear. A Canucks TV offseason feature revealed the all-too-cute shot of him Penticton Pride asleep in bed wearing a full-caged helmet. The BCHL’s profile has been heightened in recent years as more of its It was a love that was fuelled by family. His dad, Peter, coached him alumni wind up in the NHL, and the are its premier through his early years in the game, while his mom, Tracey, was nothing program. Fred Harbinson has been in charge since 2007 and has kept but supportive. Penticton on top by recruiting high-end talent and unearthing a few hidden gems. When Stecher wasn’t busy with organized hockey, he was most likely with friends playing street hockey or mini sticks. To give a further glimpse Though not a complete unknown, seeing as he had been drafted to the at the extent of his mania, Stecher even had a goalie phase, but in the WHL, Stecher still had to prove himself. With Harbinson, he initially did end he landed on defence. As a kid, he also played baseball, lacrosse so with his words and then went out and backed it up on the ice. and golf in the summer until he committed all his energy to hockey at age 11. “When my scouts first told me about him, we set up this meeting at this restaurant to go meet Pete, his father, and obviously Troy,” said And what was undeniable from the start is that his competitiveness set Harbinson. “He gets out of the car while I’m sitting in the restaurant him apart from his peers. looking out the window and I see him and I’m thinking ‘Oh man, I hope this is the younger brother. He’s tiny and he looks like he’s about 12.’ So “I hated to fucking lose. I still hate losing, it drives me insane,” said I start backpedalling in the meeting, trying to explain that a year of Junior Stecher. “Obviously you’re young, so you’re there to have fun with your B or another year of midget would be good for him and this little guy friends, but I was so focused on what I wanted to achieve with the game. looks across the table at me and says he’s going to make my team. I wasn’t just going there to have fun. I always had a passion for hockey and I’ve never wanted to do anything else. All I’ve ever wanted to do is “The next day I went and saw him (play) for the first time and thought play hockey. I wasn’t going to let anyone tell me otherwise. I was going to ‘holy smoke, this kid is going to make our team all right.” do whatever I could to make it happen.” Stecher indeed made the Vees and the teams he played on in Penticton Thus the undertaking began in earnest. Stecher travelled around North achieved great success over his three seasons there, though he admitted America for tournaments in summer hockey with the New Western he thought his contributions would come in a different package. Bruins, where fellow blueliners included future NHLers Morgan Rielly and Griffin Reinhart. In Grade 8, he was off to the South Delta secondary “Growing up people have always considered me an offensive hockey academy that’s run by Ian Gallagher, the former strength and defenceman because of my height and weight. I think I’ve had some conditioning coach for the Vancouver Giants and father of Montreal success at lower levels putting up some numbers. (But) I wouldn’t say Canadiens forward Brendan Gallagher. There he was especially intent on anything crazy, I was never a point-a-game guy,” said Stecher. making strides with his skating, and he took it from a relative weakness to his biggest strength in short order. Instead, he watched teammates put together impressive scoring sprees. In 2010-11, Joey Laleggia had 82 points to tie Duncan Keith’s single- “Ian Gallagher is almost identical to my old man in what they believe in. season scoring record by a BCHL defenceman. The year after, Mike They’re super hard on you. They’re going to tell you how it is, they don’t Reilly had 83 points to break it. Meanwhile, Stecher learned how to pitch in other ways and make an impact. “That taught me early on to find a role and be effective and make sure Stecher arrived in Grand Forks in the summer to train and get ready for you can be in the lineup every night. It taught me the defensive side of the season and already had a disappointing distinction. The rest of the the game,” he said. incoming freshman class were all NHL draft picks. “It developed my game as a whole to become better as a player.” “Being the only guy kind of left out really sucked. But it also gave me a lot of motivation. Deep down I didn’t want to be cocky but I felt I was a better In that second season, 2011-12, Stecher’s Vees team made national player than some of the guys that did get drafted,” said Stecher. “It re- headlines with their 42-game winning streak; they didn’t lose a game encouraged me to keep going with it and that things would work out.” from mid-November until mid-March. It didn’t take long for Stecher to earn his spot and never give it up. Six of “It’s weird to say but it felt like we started every game up 1-0. It didn’t the seven other defencemen on the roster had been drafted into the matter if it was our biggest rival or the last place team in the league,” said NHL, too, yet Stecher was one of two defencemen who played in every Stecher. “Junior A is a little different and our team was so deep and we game that season. knew it. It wasn’t that we were cocky but we were really confident in the players we had.” “We knew he was a good player coming in. We’d watched what he had done at the junior hockey level and he always had a way to rising to the And with good reason. Penticton finished that year a ridiculous 74-10-2 top and becoming the engine of a D corps. He did that with us early,” and won the BCHL title and the Doyle Cup (a series between the BCHL said Hakstol. “It’s easy to see how relentless he is as a player. He has and AJHL champions). They capped it off with a victory in the RBC Cup, the ability, especially defensively, to never quit on a play, to always be on the Canadian Junior A national championship, though that wasn’t as top of a play and on the right side of it. With that mentality, he’s straightforward as their overall record would have indicated. successful a lot more than he’s not.” “A lot of people don’t know but we started 0-2 at nationals and that was North Dakota’s track record developing college players into pros helped the first time we lost back-to-back. Our backs were against the wall,” said Hakstol get hired as the Philadelphia Flyers head coach in 2015 — and Stecher, who was instrumental in fuelling the team’s rally as he was to this day Stecher stands as one of the shining examples of that. Over honoured as the tournament’s top defenceman. the two seasons Hakstol coached Stecher, he saw a player who But despite all the attention the Vees received during the winning streak competed fearlessly no matter who he was up against and approached and his own star-turn when the pressure was on for them to finish the his own development head-on, making steady improvements as his role season on top, the 2012 NHL Draft came and went without Stecher’s expanded. name being called. There’s little evidence that teams even whispered his “Where his game grew is in the overall situations that we used him. He name in the lead-up to the draft. If they did, Stecher didn’t hear them. just continually earned a little bit more. And when he got a little bit more, “I got one email, from the Florida Panthers. It was a questionnaire. That he did it well. He was able to grow his game that way,” said Hakstol. “He was all I got. That was my 17-year-old year, my first year of eligibility. My just worked hard to push his entire game forward on a regular basis. second year I got nothing,” said Stecher. There’s not a lot of days that Troy takes off as a player. He shows up, he practises hard, he plays hard. That comes back to that ultra-competitive The attitude from NHL teams toward Junior A players has shifted some nature. of late, but it still generally takes a special level of production (or, yes, size) in those leagues to really capture the imagination of scouts and “You either win or you lose, and he wanted to be on the winning side.” front offices. Stecher’s numbers — 42 points in 53 games in 2011-22 and Stecher was a junior when Brock Boeser arrived at UND for the 2015-16 47 points in 52 in 2012-13 — contributed to many Penticton wins, but season. Having been picked by Vancouver in the 2015 NHL Draft, wouldn’t blow anyone away who was projecting how he would fare in the Boeser was naturally pulled toward Stecher, who had loved the Canucks pro game. for as long as he can remember. From there, their relationship All of those experiences just pushed him to keep getting better. By the blossomed and Boeser was immediately struck by Stecher’s work ethic time Stecher reached the end of his tenure with the Vees he was the and leadership qualities. team’s captain, and that competitive fire from his childhood had only “I remember showing up as a freshman and seeing how hard he worked,” gotten stronger. said Boeser. “Every skate, or whenever he went out on the ice early, he “His last year with us he had a severely separated shoulder in the league was always working his tail off. We had so many skilled defencemen final and he demanded us to let him play, and he played with it the rest of there and he was the one who ran our power play. Whenever he gets a the series,” said Harbinson. “We lose in double overtime in Game 6 and it chance he makes the most of it. He hates losing and that’s how he’s started off with him asking just to be on the bench and be a cheerleader such a great leader. His competitive edge on the ice worked so well with and next thing you know he’s playing with one arm.” us at North Dakota. I remember him being really good as a leader. Stecher maintained he hadn’t really considered playing college hockey “He wants to be known as one of the best players out there and one of until he got to Penticton. Once he was there, however, the prospect of the players that works the hardest. That’s just the type of kid he is.” being able to continue his career while he received an education That season Stecher, by then an alternate captain, Boeser and the appealed greatly to him and his family. Fighting Hawks won the NCAA Division I national championship, the After some debate, and a decommitment — Stecher had originally eighth in North Dakota’s history and the program’s first since 2000. planned to attend the University of Nebraska-Omaha — he settled on the Stecher and Boeser were both named to the Frozen Four All-Tournament University of North Dakota. team. He wanted to follow in the footsteps of past UND stars Jonathan Toews, It had become impossible for NHL teams to ignore Stecher any longer. Zach Parise and T.J. Oshie and was impressed by the coaching staff and Over half the teams in the league were interested in signing him, Hakstol the facilities on his visit. and the Flyers reportedly among them. The next hurdle would be his toughest one yet, but the people that knew “He’s a guy that I would take on any team that I coach,” said Hakstol. him best had faith he would rise to the occasion again. But when it came time for Stecher to make another crucial decision about “There (were) people that thought when he went to North Dakota ‘Troy his career, a return home, where he could play in front of family and Stecher is good, but he’s not North Dakota good,’” said Harbinson. “I friends for the team he rooted for growing up, was what felt right. remember saying ‘Oh yeah? You watch.’” If there’s anything to take away from Stecher’s story, it’s how he has North Dakota Drive earned the respect of those around him and consistently found a way to make himself indispensable. He is just as intense as he is analytical, and Much like in Penticton, there is a certain prestige that comes with playing his steely-eyed game-face is unmistakable. It is a combination that bodes at North Dakota. well for him in today’s NHL, where players must be able to keep up with the ever-increasing pace of the game and process information just as Dave Hakstol was the head coach at UND when Stecher was a freshman quickly, on and off the ice. in 2013-14 and conveyed that Stecher had a clear view of what he was about to step into when he accepted a scholarship there. “It’s funny how the world works out and I ended up coaching him anyway,” said Green. “He was a good example for young kids when you “If he came to the program at North Dakota he would have an opportunity talk about compete and just working hard, being smart, working on your to win and have an opportunity to develop into a pro player. The rest of it skating.” was up to him because there were no promises made to him,” said Hakstol. “But he’s not the kind of guy who needs promises. He wants an As a team, there’s been more losing than winning over his three seasons opportunity and a fair shot. That’s all he wants.” with the Canucks, which Stecher is still not accustomed to. But with Elias Pettersson, Brock Boeser, Bo Horvat and Quinn Hughes leading the charge, there is hope that the franchise isn’t too far away from a change in fortunes. And Stecher has shown he has what it takes to be part of what could be a brighter future in Vancouver, too. In line with their record, the Canucks rank near the bottom of the league in terms of shot and goal share at 5-on-5. Per Natural Stat Trick, no Canucks regular has had a more positive effect on goal share than Stecher. His 19 points at 5-on-5 also put him ahead of renowned offensive defencemen like Oliver Ekman-Larsson, John Klingberg, Shayne Gostisbehere and Keith Yandle in similar minutes. And on the topic of ice time, Stecher has averaged over 24 minutes per game since Feb. 5. “He’s played well. I’m happy for him. He’s a kid who wants to play more and with injuries we were forced to play him more and it’s nice to know we have that in him now,” said Green. “I’m not surprised by it. He’s a good hockey player.” Funnily enough, it was Stecher who said, “I think at the end of the day if you’re a good hockey player and you’re going to make it, you’re going to make it anyway. Somebody is going to find you,” in The Athletic’s story about the BCHL featured earlier this season in the Future of Hockey series. Green agreed, and said Stecher would’ve likely reached the NHL regardless of the route he took. Ultimately, though, Stecher did it his way. He was wholeheartedly committed to chasing his goals and his belief never wavered. And for those reasons, even as he’s become an established player in the NHL, Stecher certainly hasn’t forgotten where he came from. “A year ago he came back to watch one of our games and after the game he looked like he had played the game he was sweating so much. He was so into it,” said Harbinson. “He bleeds the Canucks now, and North Dakota before, and still with us with the Vees. He holds a special place in my heart for sure.” The Athletic LOADED: 04.04.2019 1105315 Websites In fact, the Smith brothers wanted to invite a few of the other Bronco survivors to join the team.

“Everyone’s doing their own thing now,” Tyler said. “There are guys at The Athletic / One year after crash, Humboldt Broncos’ Tyler Smith back school, some guys coaching and some guys still playing. At the end of on ice with brother’s team the day, everyone’s doing their own thing, which is good. I wish we could have everybody here and get together more, but everybody handles it differently and everybody’s fighting their own battle. We’re fighting the By Joe McDonald Apr 3, 2019 same battle, but everybody heals differently.” Hockey heals and brotherly love is eternal. HALIFAX, Nova Scotia – Graydon Smith and his younger brother Tyler The Athletic LOADED: 04.04.2019 had just dominated a hockey game at the International Air Traffic Controllers’ annual tournament and were making lunch plans with their teammates. The brothers sat in the hotel lobby and were all smiles. Three years apart in age, this was the first time they’ve been on the same team during their respective hockey careers. Graydon is 23 and Tyler will soon be 21. “It’s pretty cool to actually play on the same team,” Graydon said. Added Tyler, “I’m grateful for that.” The word “grateful” is an understatement. Tyler Smith’s life and hockey career forever changed one year ago. He was a member of the Humboldt Broncos Junior A team that was involved in a bus crash that took the lives of 16 people and injured another 13 on April 6, 2018. Graydon Smith, left, with his brother Tyler at the Air Traffic Controllers tournament. (Joe McDonald / The Athletic) Tyler suffered broken ribs, a broken shoulder, a broken collarbone and a punctured lung. He needed surgery to remove six inches from his small intestine and also suffered a stroke due to the accident. Last month, Jaskirat Singh Sidhu, the driver of the truck that hit the Broncos, was sentenced to eight years in prison. Now, a year after the crash, Tyler is playing hockey with his brother and the game is helping the healing process. “It’s tough to say. It’s tough to put it into words,” said Graydon, who is especially protective of his brother. Coming to the realization that it’s been one year since the accident is tough to describe. “You can’t really,” Tyler said. “Unfortunately, and I’ve told many people, there’s no way to prepare for something like this. We’ve already gone through quite a few big events, like the (Broncos) home opener and other anniversaries, like six months and stuff like that. You can’t really prepare for it, but being around family is the biggest thing.” Graydon Smith is an air traffic controller at Edmonton International Airport and its team, the Chiefs, has a solid chance of winning the 46th annual tournament, which includes teams from around the world, including Canada, the United States, Russia and the Czech Republic. When the bus accident occurred, Graydon’s co-workers came together. “When I showed up to work when the whole thing happened they took care of me. They made sure I came back when I was ready,” he said. “I had a month off just to settle down and to get (Tyler) back home. For that part of it, it was really nice that everyone came together for me. It’s been a crazy year. We’re getting better. It’s been a tough year. So, it’s nice to have these guys around. They’ve helped us out a lot.” At the start of the Broncos’ season, Tyler returned and played 10 games. Then, he decided to step away. “That was good. I’m glad I went back. But it was too much,” he said. Tyler looks like your typical 20-year-old Canadian hockey player. He wears a Toronto Blue Jays hat, sports a hockey beard and wears slides with no socks. From a health standpoint, he’s doing well. “I’m probably 90 percent,” Tyler said. “I don’t know if I’ll ever be 100 percent with the nerve damage, but overall I’m pretty content where I’m at with the injuries I faced.” When Graydon first became an air traffic controller, the joke was he was the ringer on the team. The YEG Chiefs (the team’s moniker stems from the code name for the Edmonton airport) have three sets of brothers and they’re all protective of one another. The rule is 90 percent of the team has to be air traffic controllers, so this was an opportunity for Graydon to get Tyler on the team. 1105316 Websites THE DESIRED ROUTE, AND I'M GUESSING THE RANGERS WOULD TOP THE D-MAN'S LIST. CAROLINA LOOKING AT ITS OPTIONS…

— PIERRE LEBRUN (@PIERREVLEBRUN) APRIL 1, 2019 The Athletic / LeBrun Notebook: Who has a seat and who is still looking as the NHL’s coaching carousel keeps spinning On Tuesday’s TSN’s Insider Trading, I reported that the Rangers and Hurricanes have indeed had conversations about Fox. But where it goes from here? By Pierre LeBrun Apr 3, 2019 For starters, the ‘Canes found out this week from the league that the NHL would void any sign-and-trade scenario that occurs before the offseason. The idea being that if Carolina signed Fox and then immediately flipped The announcement of Jeff Blashill’s extension in Detroit on Tuesday put him to the Rangers, Fox could burn the first year of his entry-level deal a wrap on the last remaining pending UFA coach for this season. before the end of this season. Turns out that can’t happen. The only team Fox can burn the first year of his entry-level deal for 2018-19 is Blashill, John Hynes, Jon Cooper and Guy Boucher all entered this Carolina. season on expiring deals. The first three got extensions and we know what happened in Ottawa. If you’re the Rangers, what’s the hurry now? Sure seems like if there’s indeed a deal in the end between these two teams, it doesn’t make much That doesn’t mean there aren’t coaching decisions to be made in the sense to make it before the offseason. coming weeks. There are. But there are no current, full-time head coaches who are in need of a deal before the start of next season. There’s the price to consider. I don’t believe that the ‘Canes would take a second-round pick for Fox. I believe they’d be angling more at one of the There’s the matter of Craig Berube in St. Louis. The interim Blues head Rangers’ low-end first-round picks, like the Winnipeg selection obtained coach still has another year on his assistant coach’s contract, meaning for Kevin Hayes. the Blues either remove the interim tag and reward him with a new deal or they go elsewhere. St. Louis needs to make a decision, but it seems But I also believe the Rangers would balk at that price. hard to think Berube hasn’t done enough to get the full-time gig, but stranger things have happened. Fox has the option to go back to Harvard and play out his senior year and then become UFA Jimmy Vesey-style next summer. That would As we reported last week, there are postseason evaluations to be had on leave Carolina with nothing for him. Fox could also go play in Europe for the coaching positions in Florida and Buffalo. Whether that means next season, an option one source told me about. change behind the bench or not remains to be seen, but it’s certainly a possibility in both cases. There’s also the chance of Hurricanes owner Tom Dundon perhaps going to meet Fox and his family and looking them in the eye and asking Then there’s Ken Hitchcock. The newly minted member of the Order of again why he doesn’t want to sign with them. Hockey In Canada, Hitch essentially has two contracts in one as far as his deal with Edmonton. If and when the Oilers decide he’s no longer But failing all that, it would seem to make sense for Carolina to trade his coach, then his contracts kicks into consulting mode with Edmonton. rights to a team Fox would sign with before losing his rights. Either way, he’s under contract for a role with Edmonton past this It’s a tough blow for Carolina. I think the ‘Canes really thought when they season. One assumes the new Oilers GM will be the person who decides acquired his rights in that blockbuster deal last June with Calgary that on the coaching position moving forward. they a magnificent chance to get Fox signed. In the meantime, there are at least four veteran coaches who carry the The Fox situation, meanwhile, has reignited calls around the league for status of being a “brand-name’’ waiting for their next gig in Joel the NHL to close this U.S. college loophole in the next CBA. Doesn’t Quenneville, Alain Vigneault, Todd McLellan and Dave Tippett. seem to make sense that players from Canadian junior must re-enter the Vigneault has been tabbed as head coach for Canada’s entry at the draft if they decide not to sign with their original draft team, while college upcoming IIHF Men’s World Championship, always a good way to get players get to become UFA after their senior year. There’s a clear back in the coaching saddle with a nice high-profile gig like that. Plus imbalance there. there’s GMs galore at the worlds every year he will run into. In fact, after Jarmo Kekalainen had a suggestion at the GM meetings early last leaving San Jose, McLellan coached Canada and it’s when his month. He proposed some form of qualifying offer scenario, where as conversations with Edmonton initiated. long as the NHL team made a certain contract offer meeting Tippett is an interesting case. My colleague Elliotte Friedman of requirements, that the college player would still see his rights owned by Sportsnet was the first to mention the possibility of Tippett perhaps that NHL team even if he didn’t sign. That the club would at least have an coaching again. I also believe that if the right opportunity came along asset and not lose the player to free agency. Tippett, currently in an executive role with expansion Seattle, might The Jackets spent four years helping develop Mike Reilly only to lose him consider it. A source also suggested to me that he might have the itch to to free agency after he didn’t sign. I mean, most NHL clubs are in total coach again but he’s also quite happy with Seattle. That puts him in a agreement that the loophole needs fixing, but it’s a CBA matter. It’s not good position to listen in case something happens. something GMs can simply vote on at their meetings. This is for the I believe McLellan will have a few options to look at. One of them, as I league and NHL Players’ Association to figure out. And really, why would reported before, could be Los Angeles, where Kings GM Rob Blake the NHLPA give up the loophole? The players’ union should always be in thinks highly of his old San Jose coach from his playing days. But there favour of wanting as much flexibility/options as possible for their could be other spots for McLellan as well. members. Unless of course, the multitude of NHLers with Canadian junior backgrounds would care enough to point out the discrepancy in the I wouldn’t forget Mike Yeo. He interviewed in Ottawa in 2016 when Guy system. Boucher got the job and my impression is that he was essentially the runner-up. I’d be surprised if he didn’t get a call back after the season The Athletic LOADED: 04.04.2019 when the Senators go into high gear in their coaching search. Interim head coach Marc Crawford will definitely get a shot at it, too. And while everyone assumes Sheldon Keefe would rather stay in AHL Toronto and wait for his chance with the big club in a few years, I’d be pretty surprised if the Senators didn’t at least call their provincial rivals after the season and ask about him. Anaheim needs a new head coach. No, GM Bob Murray has no interest in becoming that person, I’m told. AHL head coach Dallas Eakins will be a strong candidate but I do think the Ducks will interview other guys as well. I wonder if they also don’t decide to interview McLellan? Adam Fox situation exposes U.S. college loophole On Monday, I tweeted that Adam Fox would rather not sign with the Hurricanes and that a trade to the Rangers would be ideal for the Harvard stud blueliner. HEARING THAT THE HURRICANES HAVE BEEN INFORMED ADAM FOX ISN'T LIKELY TO SIGN WITH THEM, THAT A TRADE WOULD BE 1105317 Websites appears to be the frenzied nature of the game. There’s a structure for faceoffs depending on the dot and personnel, for breakouts, neutral zone and O-zone forechecks, returning to the D-zone, sorting out the The Athletic / Bourne: Explaining the role of a video coach and how they backcheck, in the offensive zone, positioning off on-the-fly line changes, help their team prepare for the playoffs forechecks and on and on and on. For players, identifying what situation your team is in is critical to understanding where you’re supposed to be and when you’re supposed By Justin Bourne Apr 3, 2019 to be there (not being able to do this keeps many talented players out of the NHL). Because the game is so fast, that situation can change in rapid succession, so there isn’t exactly time to call a variety of set plays within each circumstance (barring a set breakout or special teams), so teams We were a few games into the series, down two games to one versus the generally keep to unified plans per situation and keep it simple. , when Ryan Ward first made the suggestion. They were picking us apart through the neutral zone, because as the video showed, Just think: your team is breaking the puck out, so you have a route to we were constantly losing our F1. They had some mobile defenders – skate. But the pass goes long and into the middle of the ice for a including Damon Severson, who had nearly 40 points for New Jersey – turnover, so now you’re in a neutral zone forecheck, occupying the ice who kept baiting in our uber-aggressive first neutral zone forechecker, where your breakout route took you. Now you’re expected to transition beating him with a quick step or a pass that started the rush coming at into your team’s NZFC structure, which means you have to react quickly our flat-footed D a lot quicker than we liked. If we didn’t give up a chance – am I F1, F2, or F3 here? Then your team knocks the puck down and against, we at least gave up the zone and ended up defending … which dumps it in and you’re forechecking – now it’s the same thing. Which guy wasn’t exactly our forte. am I in our system here? Then you’re backchecking and sorting out who has who. The point being, teams stick to that one plan in most situations This was the 2016 Calder Cup playoffs, and “we” were the Toronto because there’s rarely time to stop and say “OK fellas, this time lets Marlies. That season our forward corps featured names such as William forecheck in a 2-1-2 just to throw them off! OK, now Dave, this time you Nylander, Kasperi Kapanen, , Andreas Johnsson (who go stand over th … oh crap, they scored.” If someone doesn’t stick to the unfortunately got hurt), , , Connor Brown, plan, you’ll be fishing a lot of pucks out of your net. Matt Frattin, Josh Leivo … as you can likely guess, we were not a team best-suited for playing in our own end. When a video coach goes through the systems of their opponent, rarely are they much different from what that team used throughout the regular Ward – who had been called up to be a video coach with the Leafs early season (I’ve written about the difficulty in making creative tactical in the season and created the opening I filled starting in November – had changes as a hockey team before, if you’d like to go deeper on that). And come back down to provide additional help to the Marlies since the Leafs given those opponents have played many times, all those questions were nowhere near playoffs. (Ward has since spent two seasons as an about what they are trying to accomplish have answers. You know how assistant coach in Sault Ste. Marie and is now with San Antonio of the they forecheck, and attack and all the rest. AHL.) The trick then is in looking at a variety of different things. For example, When he pulled a few clips where our F1 was unable to pressure how do they adjust when playing a team that uses a different forecheck Albany’s defenders the way we wanted (likely because they had solid than the one your team has rolled out against them in the past? You’d possession with their heads up before we could attack), it revealed an consider this to see if it forces them to do something you’d prefer they do. opportunity for us to make those situations more favourable to us. With During the course of the season it would be brutally difficult to change that, we made the adjustment to sag our F1 rather than send him in hard, your system each night based on your opponent. Your personnel and in turn, we slowed down their transition game. We started playing changes too much game to game based on injuries, suspensions, who’s more in their end which resulted in more goals scored. We won games hot, etc, so you’d rather stick to one structure. But if you think you can four and five 7-2 and 5-1 respectively in Albany (it was a 2-3-2 format) force an opponent to do something you’d prefer by using some other before eventually winning the series in seven. team’s strategy, you’ll make that adjustment for a playoff series (and if Did it make all the difference in the series? Would we have found our you do, you’d like to know as early as possible so you can start practicing way through without making that simple change? Of course, that’s that adjustment). impossible to answer, but in the early going of Game 4 the adjustment A few other things a video coach would look for: You’d like to see if they seemed to catch them off guard – they skated right into our trap a do anything different when they play your team versus other teams. Do number of times – so we got up early in the game and we managed to they play differently based on what personnel is available to them? You’d turn the series around. be looking to see if they’ve played the same way over the past 10-20 Those are the type of tweaks a team will make in-series. They’re only games as they did over the first 10-20. slight, but when you play a team as much as divisional NHL opponents There’s just no amount of video you can watch that ever seems like do, slight changes can make a big difference. By the time the puck drops enough. There are always more questions to be asked, at least in part on Game 1, there’s barely a systemic move a team can make that their because hockey is indeed chaotic at times and oftentimes a team isn’t in opposition hasn’t seen before. By Game 3 or 4 – when a team has the positions it wants to be due to the nature of the game. Sometimes a already rolled out whatever initial changes they wanted to make in the player is just scrambling, and/or guys are covering, or sometimes a guy early playoff games – there becomes a certain expectation from players is just freelancing or mid-brainfart. It’s the job of the video coach to about what their opponent is going to do. assess what they’re actually trying to do and how those things can be I remember a playoff game as a player where I was forechecking an countered. opponent when I saw them set up for a particular breakout I’d seen 20 Assessing trends times before. When they did something different (I think the puck bounced on a guy and he panic-rushed it to someone else), I distinctly It’s really easy to look at all the information you’ve accumulated on a remember thinking “that’s not how your breakout is supposed to go, team over the course of a full season and say “this is who our opponent Darryl.” I was damn mad at the guy like he was my own teammate. is.” Only, it isn’t really. Needless to say, these coming weeks are among the most crucial of the Teams adapt, morph, their rosters change, systems get tweaks, lines and year for a video coach. Their job is to break down an opponent their team pairings get mixed up. A team’s year-long stats are pretty noisy. A team has already seen dozens of times between their own games and the in October versus a team in April is akin to a teenager growing into an games against other teams. About the only person in an organization adult. You don’t want to judge a team based on the version of them that who doesn’t always benefit from their team finishing first in the division is was smoking cigarettes behind the school and getting arrested for the video coach, given they may draw an opponent from a different shoplifting. You need to know who they are today. division that they’ve seen less. Therefore, you watch their most recent games, assessing what was at With teams having a pretty good idea who they’ll be facing come puck stake for them. Was it a game they badly needed to win against a good drop on round one, I thought it’d be a good time to look at what a video opponent? Or was it a game for them to experiment, given that they’d coach will be doing in their “spare time” to prepare for the first round of already clinched playoffs? Was it a game they were so much better than Stanley Cup chaos. their opponent that they could freelance (that just means play pond hockey, do whatever they want, etc.) and still win? You need to find the First, the obvious … games that mattered to them and then pay close attention. Who are you Systems reviews really about to play? The volume of specific areas of the game where a team has a set Analytics questions structure or plan would probably surprise the average fan, given what This is huge. This is huge. This is huge. In today’s hockey, the analytics opponent is weakest. They Achilles heel hunt so the staff can then take department produces a mountain of stats, they bring them to the that weakness to the players and the process of picking apart their coaching staff … and then the work really begins. How do you parse all opponent can begin. The goal for any team is “to play their own game,” that information? It’s unbelievable how time-consuming but important it is but if they can do that while forcing their opponent to play away from their to combine numbers with video. own strengths, that’s even better. Every number presented has to be followed up with “why,” and this is Each team has a head coach who, in the end, has to make the decisions where you have to triage just how important following up on each number about the way their team is going to play. But much like the analytics really is. If your upcoming opponent had great success entering the zone department, and the scouts, and the sports science staff and on and on, against your team on one side, you need to watch those entries against the job of the video coach is to arm the coach with as much information to figure out why, and what to change. If a certain line or player ate your as possible so that person can make the best decisions for their group. team’s lunch, it’s time for more video. If your breakout sucked when certain players were on the ice? Video. In the later rounds of the postseason, you don’t always have a ton of time to prepare for an opponent. But that doesn’t matter if you don’t even get Further to this, it’s likely an analytics department will provide their staff a to them, so you keep your focus on the task and hand and live in the look at what would be their team’s “optimal lineup” by the numbers. After now. But before the first round, most teams have ample time to prepare. the coach picks that apart (they know who they want ready after penalty While the game can be unpredictable, and of course, the best-laid plans kills and powerplays, when lines get jumbled, they know how certain of mice and men can go awry, the first round is when teams truly show players have been deployed and why, they often have rationales beyond up at their most prepared. Hockey isn’t exactly a pure strategy game like the numbers), it’s time for more video, this time of your own team. Is Risk, but when that puck drops in a little over a week, best believe each there a reason the numbers have favoured combinations you maybe team has a plan of attack, and they’re as ready as they’ll ever be to do haven’t used much all season? battle. Individual player tendencies The Athletic LOADED: 04.04.2019 Throughout the year, a video coach tags specific events (breakouts, turnovers, scoring chances and so on) throughout each game, up to 1000 per night if he’s feeling particularly tag happy (generally 850-900 or so was my experience). That includes individual notes for things that stand out with small comments. When I was the Marlies video coach and was watching Syracuse play in 2017, I typed some variety of “slick cutback” for number 37 – Yanni Gourde – a lot. When it came to putting together individual player packages, the video program allowed me to pull together all those Gourde comments into one pre-playoff video clip. In turn, we were able to show our D that Gourde regularly threatens to blow by you wide then cuts back, which creates space to find the second wave of rushers for a late scoring chance. It’s a smart offensive play – you always have to honor a player threatening wide – but at least the awareness that he’s going to cut back allows a defender to jump it more quickly and not get caught off guard, hopefully minimizing the size of the gap created. That’s the type of thing a video coach watches for all year to show their team before a series. Here’s what to expect from this player, here’s how this player tries to manipulate you, or here’s where they’re weak and you can expose them. The life of a video coach isn’t always all that satisfying, but if you can show your team an opposing player’s weakness and one of your guys knowingly exposes it, there’s nothing sweeter. Special teams Given there are so few areas of the game a coach can truly control, and with special teams being one, you’d think this would be an area the video coach would be heavily invested. And, you’re not entirely wrong. They help out in this extremely crucial area of the game as best they can. After all, special teams can be the difference between winning and losing a series. But in reality, it’s an area few – from what I’m familiar with, anyway – have been asked to prioritize. The reason for this is that each area of special teams is generally assigned to one of the assistant coaches. Today’s video programs are so incredibly functional that you don’t need to be a tech wizard to use them adeptly. Even self-professed Luddite ex-pros can generally make them work. It’s usually up to the PP or PK coach to break down their own units and find weaknesses and strengths to respectively exploit, or fix, depending on which side of the equation their team falls on. Coaching staffs will generally come to a consensus on any decisions made, but the legwork here is generally done by the bench assistants. And finally … A more general weaknesses and strengths assessment This is exactly what you think it is. Last season, the Boston Bruins basically looked at the Leafs D-corps, identified the right side as a weakness, and attacked it. As a player on the ice, you don’t always know who you’re out against, particularly when it’s been “on the fly” play for a while. That means you can’t really target anyone. Still, if you know that one whole half of the rink is home to lesser players, momma, is that ever a beacon of light when your head is down and you have to make a panic play with the puck. Just get it to that side of the ice! I’m of the belief that hockey is more of a strong link sport than a weak link sport. As in, you can win with great players and some roster holes (think Pittsburgh in 2017), but it’s less likely you’ll win if your roster is solid all over, but you don’t have special players. But your weak links can only be so weak for this to hold true, and so, the video coach’s job is to find clips to show the rest of the staff where their 1105318 Websites ready to play — or be anywhere close to 100 per cent health — come Game 1 of the playoffs a week from now.

“Can we get Gardiner back? I don’t know for sure, but I’m sure hoping,” Sportsnet.ca / Maple Leafs learning that life gets more difficult the better Babcock said recently. you get The paradox good teams deal with is that life can actually get more difficult when you’re having success. You’ve truly got something to lose if Chris Johnston | April 3, 2019, 6:53 PM you’re capable of winning. That’s why a 6-5-3 March felt so rough around here. TORONTO — Many in these parts figured the pain was over. That the When Babcock first met reporters after being named Leafs coach on May arrival of a couple young cornerstones and a game-tilting free agent 21, 2015, I watched from Tampa while on assignment covering the would officially turn the page on the famous promise Mike Babcock made Eastern Conference Final. Back then, the Lightning were an incredibly the day he was introduced as head coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs. deep team trying to win the organization’s first Stanley Cup since 2004. Truth is it’s only given way to intermittent bouts of anguish, despair and In other words, they were in a similar spot to where they find themselves frustration. today, albeit less scarred from playoff disappointments. And the playoffs haven’t even started yet. The journey, man. It usually takes longer than you think it’s going to. This is what it’s like around a team with great expectations, in a city “But if you think there’s no pain coming,” Babcock said at his first press aching for a winner. The Leafs in the last few weeks have provided their conference in Toronto. “There’s pain coming.” fanbase with a crash course reminder about how difficult the ascent can That, and a whole lot more. be. They’ve stumbled, struggled and occasionally looked lost while taking until Game 78 to clinch a playoff berth in a season where they owned the Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 04.04.2019 best start in franchise history through Game 38. The truest measure of how far they’ve come awaits when they head back to Boston to open Round 1 next week. They are better on paper, have improved their underlying 5-on-5 metrics and will still finish with fewer wins and points than last season. But are they more prepared to handle the Bruins in a best-of-seven? “Well, it’s hard to tell right now,” said Ron Hainsey, the honest conscience of the dressing room. “We went through a stretch of games for about a week and a half [to] 10 days which were extremely poor and now we’ve come back and fixed some things in our game that have allowed us to play much better for maybe 10 days to two weeks. Play in a way that I think we all could agree has a much better chance of success. “So that’s much more positive, but the proof will be in the play here coming up.” It’s a journey that is bound to include some motion sickness — at least for those with a vested emotional interest and no control over the outcome. Yes, Leafs fans will probably soon come to realize that the “pain” of a losing season and the uncertainty of the draft lottery is nothing compared to what they’re dealing with now. Nearly two decades have passed since the city entered a spring with this much big-game hockey potential, dating back to the Mats Sundin-led teams that twice reached the conference final. But the possibility of the party ending before it truly gets going exists here as well. In a city populated with fans not known for being even-keeled in November — I’m looking at you, Steve Dangle — that’s a downright frightening proposition once you reach mid-April and beyond. Especially with a team that includes John Tavares, Mitch Marner, Auston Matthews and Morgan Rielly all enjoying career-best years. And looming salary cap issues that will weaken the depth of the roster before next fall. What’s great about the Stanley Cup Playoffs is that the chase is just as chaotic for the team that lifts the trophy as the 15 who fall short. Washington started last year’s tournament with Philipp Grubauer in net and dropped two games at home to Columbus. Then it went back to Braden Holtby and would have fallen behind 0-3 were it not for a post in overtime, before rallying to win the series. The Caps trailed Pittsburgh 1- 0 in Round 2 and Tampa 3-2 in the Eastern Conference Final — winning Game 7 on the road — before dropping the first game of the Cup Final in Vegas. No wonder they partied in fountains when it was finally over. The journey includes obstacles for every winner. Pittsburgh volleyed between Matt Murray and Marc-Andre Fleury in goal while going back-to- back in 2016 and 2017, and Chicago survived two elimination games and played 11 overtime periods en route to its most recent Cup in 2015. Here in Toronto it’s about baby steps. It will be seen as an accomplishment if the Leafs can win a round for the first time in 15 years. To do it they will have to overcome a strong Boston team that enters the series with a mental edge and they’ll need to find a way through while playing with a blue line weakened by Jake Gardiner’s back injury. The Leafs are hoping Gardiner will dress for the first time since Feb. 25 when Tampa visits on Thursday night, but there’s no guarantee he’ll be 1105319 Websites “He’s dynamic, he’s fun to watch and he makes crazy plays no one else thinks of. He’s a huge part of our offence and hopefully he gets rewarded.” Sportsnet.ca / Flames' Gaudreau eyes season finale with one last Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 04.04.2019 chance at century mark

Eric Francis | April 4, 2019

ANAHEIM — As fertile as Johnny Gaudreau’s mind is, even he insists he never fathomed he could create enough magic to hit the century mark. “Never, really,” said the Flames winger, who got his 98th point in Wednesday’s otherwise meaningless 3-1 loss at Honda Center. “Kind of just played my game, just played hockey. I love playing the game, I love winning games with my teammates. And it kind of just creeped up on me. So we’ll see. One more game. We’ll see if I play or not on Saturday. I want to play. I want to play in front of our fans against Edmonton. That would be a lot of fun on Saturday night. But we’ll see.” In the midst of season of unfathomable success in Calgary, Gaudreau’s career year has been one of the big reasons his Flames wrapped up the Western Conference on the weekend. With GM Brad Treliving finally finding that perfect winger — Elias Lindholm — to complete the dangerous duo Gaudreau and Sean Monahan had long ago formed, the Flames’ top line was undoubtedly one of the league’s best. And now he sits two away from a mark no one in Flames silks has hit since a man almost as small as him, Theo Fleury, did it in 1992-93. Gaudreau was born a few months later. “Obviously that would be a really cool milestone but with what our team accomplished this year just through the regular season, it’s been awesome,” said Gaudreau, who has a career-high 36 goals and 62 helpers to sit sixth in NHL scoring. “It’s so much fun to be a part of. Looking forward to playoffs.” points for Gaudreau. pic.twitter.com/QIZa5dAmxP — Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) April 4, 2019 After giving several of his stars the night off in Los Angeles and Anaheim this week, coach Bill Peters suggested all week he’d ice his playoff roster Saturday when the Oilers come into town. After Wednesday’s game he suggested he was having second thoughts, and would discuss with his assistants. But you can bet Gaudreau won’t be coming out of the lineup, giving him a shot at the historic mark even Jarome Iginla never hit. “It would be cool, obviously, (but) it’s something that I try not to focus on too, too much,” said Gaudreau, the only skater to have a shot at playing all 82 games this season. “But I realize how close I am. That’s not the reason why I’m playing though right now. I feel good. You guys have known me long enough — I like to be on the ice. I want to be out there, I want to be playing the game rather than sitting in the press box watching my teammates play. I feel rested. I feel ready to go.” Peters said he wasn’t even sure how close Gaudreau was to the milestone after his first-period assist on Derek Ryan’s goal inched Gaudreau closer. “I think it’s a nice round number,” said Peters. “I think everyone wants those numbers. If you’re at 19 goals you want 20 and if you have 48 points you want 50. “I don’t think it’s a high priority, but if it happens, it happens. Whether he gets 100 or 98, he’s had a hell of a year.” Ryan said the same thing, amazed at how prolific Gaudreau has been all season — his most consistent campaign by far. “I think that’s huge for a guy like himself,” said Ryan, who played on Gaudreau’s line for a handful of games this season. “He obviously creates a lot offensively, so it’s exciting to see him reach, potentially, that milestone. Even if he doesn’t reach it, it doesn’t take away from how great of a season he had. It’s just a number. It’s been a lot of fun watching him. 1105320 Websites when Morrissey will return, but 5-on-5 has never really been a strength of this year’s Jets even when both defencemen were healthy.

(all numbers from Natural Stat Trick) Sportsnet.ca / Winnipeg Jets hold team meeting: 'We’re not very proud of our game' Winnipeg’s shooting percentages in the two highlighted time periods without their defencemen would both have been league-best totals last season. Had the Jets continued 2019 with the same shooting percentage Rory Boylen | April 3, 2019, 12:58 PM as they had in the first half, they’d fall from a top 10 offence to a bottom 10 one that got outscored.

“Things haven’t been bouncing easy for us, nothing’s been easy for us. On Jan. 1, the Central Division looked on pace to finish in a way many Those are all excuses. Our team needs to show a little bit of resiliency, a people predicted: Nashville and Winnipeg would duke it out until the end little bit of maturity,” captain Blake Wheeler told reporters after Tuesday’s for the regular season title. game. The Winnipeg Jets sat on top with a 25-12-2 record that was third-best in “We’ve run into some pretty good competition here down the stretch. We the NHL and ahead of every Western Conference team. Nashville was want to be playing our best hockey this time of year, and we’re not quite just behind them at 24-15-2, while Colorado and Dallas were showing there yet. So when it comes down to that, you want to get a team on the pretty well with 46 and 44 points respectively. same page, you want to get every guy pulling on the rope in the same direction. Sometimes the best therapy for that is having a conversation The St. Louis Blues weren’t even on the radar. With a 15-18-4 record about it.” they sat at the bottom of the league standings with Ottawa. Looking at Winnipeg’s team numbers from Jan. 1 until the end of this Ryan Dixon and Rory Boylen go deep on pucks with a mix of facts and season and last, this year’s team is a far cry from how the Jets entered fun, leaning on a varied group of hockey voices to give their take on the the 2018 playoffs. They have the worst shot share of any team and the country’s most beloved game. only playoff squad with a lower 5-on-5 goal share in 2019 are the Columbus Blue Jackets. Meantime, eight of the past 11 Stanley Cup A lot has changed since then. Colorado rapidly fell off, but has found winners finished the regular season with a top five goals for percentage second life down the stretch to reclaim a playoff spot. Dallas struggled to at 5-on-5. find consistency until after the trade deadline, while Nashville has overcome some scoring woes for a top-10 second half record. St. Louis (all numbers from Natural Stat Trick) has since been one of the league’s best stories, with a 28-10-4 record since Jan. 1 that is second to only Tampa Bay. The good news is Winnipeg has a strong collection of performers at the top of the lineup, which can’t be underestimated in a star-driven league. The Jets have been just outside the top 15 NHL teams over this time. Kevin Hayes has been a big addition and leads the team in even strength Injuries to some key players has certainly contributed to this, but there’s scoring since arriving, while Wheeler, Kyle Connor and Mark Scheifele been issues with their play the team is acutely aware of. Following their can always be counted on. But lately, they’ve gotten strong numbers latest loss Tuesday, a 5-1 defeat that brought their season record against from lower in the lineup, too. Andrew Copp, Adam Lowry and Mathieu Minnesota to 0-5, the Jets kept the doors closed for a team meeting. Perreault have combined for 10 goals in the past 15 games, but if their shooting cools to any degree the Jets could find themselves in some 20 minutes have elapsed since the game ended and #NHLJets appear trouble. to be having a closed-door meeting. Looks like the room is just about to open Winnipeg has two games remaining on its schedule to figure this out and will feel a bit of a playoff atmosphere against Colorado and Arizona who — Ken Wiebe (@WiebeSunSports) April 3, 2019 are directly competing for the West’s last unclaimed playoff spot. You’d I'm reading from Mike and Ken in Minnesota that it's been a historic like to see some level of pushback from the Jets as the season 20+ minutes between postgame and media access due to a team concludes. meeting. At the very least, this year’s Jets won’t head into the post-season with the The Jets fully understand the state their game is in. That's good. same all-rosy outlook as a year ago. They've probably known for a while. That is a concern. Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 04.04.2019 — Murat Ates (@WPGMurat) April 3, 2019 “We’re not very proud of our game right now and it’s the style of game that we’re playing. So, they recognize that clearly and thought it was a good time to chat about it,” head coach Paul Maurice said via the Winnipeg Free Press. “It would be far (more) of a concern if after Game 80, you weren’t concerned.” The primary reason for these second half troubles would have to be the absence of defencemen Josh Morrissey and Dustin Byfuglien. Morrissey has been out since Feb. 24 with still no timeline for a return, while Byfuglien missed all of January, came back for five February games, and just returned to action again last Saturday after being out since Feb. 14. On Saturday night, Elliotte Friedman discussed the expected goals trend around the Jets and how it took a troubling turn when Byfuglien first went out, and got even worse when Morrissey left the lineup. He cited the work done by Sean Tierney on the subject. It’s certainly not unusual to see a team take a hit on the ice when they have to move on without their top two defencemen. But in the three games since Byfuglien returned, the Jets have been outscored 7-4, outshot 80-75 and outchanced in the high danger area 22-21 by teams sitting outside of a playoff spot right now. They’ve won just two of their past seven games and now sit tied with Nashville atop the Central at 96 points, just two up on the Blues who have a game in hand. Though the Jets will hold the tiebreaker advantage over either, there’s a possibility they’ll finish third in the division. As we pointed out when exploring the Tampa Bay Lightning last week, regular season special teams success isn’t indicative of playoff success — 5-on-5 play is far more important in this regard. So while Winnipeg’s putrid PK isn’t a good thing, their even strength trend should be the primary concern heading into Round 1. We already don’t yet know if and 1105321 Websites Add six-foot-three centre Ryan McLeod (19-43-62 in 63 OHL games this season), who turns pro next year, six-foot-three, 40-goal OHL winger Kirill Maksimov — plus another top-10 pick this season — and the Sportsnet.ca / Oilers getting it right with farm system as big club pipeline, at least, is where it should be in Edmonton. struggles In fact, there may be enough prospects that the next GM can use a few, or future draft picks, to shore up the NHL roster in the short term. Mark Spector | April 3, 2019 "The big thing for us is, we want these players to play the game the right way," Woodcroft said. "So they have the tools to succeed when they go up to the NHL — not just for a cup of coffee — but the tools that lead to long, productive careers. The details and nuances in their personal OK. So let’s stop ripping on the Edmonton Oilers for a moment, shall we? game; the ability to identify small skills that allow players to have long careers. Board work, being able to kill penalties, finding a niche on the In fact, there is one element of Peter Chiarelli’s reign that wasn’t riddled power play. Having game management ingrained in them, so that not with error, where talent evaluation was mostly accurate and the only are they productive individually, but they help teams win. organization tangibly improved. It was the amateur side of the Edmonton Oilers — the farm system. "Everybody wants winner. When you do it right, everybody wants you." Evan Bouchard and third-rounder Dmitri Samorukov — the top Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 04.04.2019 defencemen on the London Knights and Guelph Storm, respectively — are both six-foot-two, stud D-men with high offensive upside who turn pro next season. Their teams meet in a second round OHL playoff series that opens on Friday in London. In Bakersfield, the American Hockey League affiliate will not only make the playoffs for the first time in its four seasons in Northern California, but it has the third-highest winning percentage in the AHL with first place in the Pacific Division virtually wrapped up. And they’re not doing it with a bunch of 27- and 28-year-olds. Leading scorer Tyler Benson (14-48-62 in 63 games) is 20 years old. Second-leading scorer Cooper Marody (19-39-58, 53 games) is 21 and also a first-year pro. On the blue line, their top 3 — Caleb Jones (21), Ethan Bear (21) and William Lagesson (22) — are all players that independent scouts say have a better-than-average chance at NHL careers. "Number one is, we have good players — regardless of their ages," said Condors head coach Jay Woodcroft. "We have a good mix here: A couple of veterans. A couple of guys in their second and third years of their pro careers, and a few good first-year pros as well. "They’ve done something that hasn’t been done in Bakersfield since they’ve been in the league. "And the big thing is, this is merit-based. While everyone is excited that Benson, Marody, Lagesson and Jones are getting the ice time, they’re earning it. Nothing is being given to them." With Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl both natural centres in Edmonton, the organization needs to grow some wingers. Unfortunately, the knock on Benson and Marody is that they are both average skaters at best. Kailer Yamamoto is the quickest of the three, but his maiden AHL season (10-8-18 in 27 games) has been injury-riddled. "Benson is a smart two-way player who lacks size and speed, but makes up for it with hockey sense and hands. He can finish," one pro scout assessed. "He has the smarts and skills for McDavid and Draisaitl. He will play." A weekly deep dive into the biggest hockey news in the world with hosts Elliotte Friedman and Jeff Marek. New episodes every Thursday. The trick will be not to rush Benson, considering the paucity of top-6 wingers in Edmonton. "His vision is good, his strength is good. I have him as a third-line player for sure. A points producer who plays on the second power play," said another scout. "A top-6 winger? I just don’t see it, but you never know. On 80 per cent of other teams in NHL’s he’s third-line, but he could be first-line in Edmonton, if they played all their centres at centre." Scouts are divided on Marody, even if he’s been their best player at times, because he is a tad slower than Benson. There is every chance Marody becomes no more than a good AHL player, unless he can find a way to pick up a stride in his summertime workouts. However, he’s 22. Players improve. On the blue line, the Condors have three potential players in Bear, Jones and Lagesson. At worst one will play, and likely two, though none are considered top-3 D-men at this point. Then there is an out-of-the-blue pick-up from Division III Endicottt College named Logan Day, who has 34 points in his first pro season. You never know… "He is an instinctual type of guy who gets pucks quickly into forwards’ hands," Woodcroft said. "Forwards like playing with him because he gets them pucks early." 1105322 Websites You can’t help but remark how much fun Thompson has been having in the role he’s been given by Canadiens coach Claude Julien. He’s averaging 13:21 in ice-time per game and has played upwards of 17 on a Sportsnet.ca / 'Reliable' Nate Thompson exceeding expectations with couple of occasions. Every night, he’s counted on for big faceoffs in his Canadiens own end and counted on for key shifts against the opposition’s best forwards.

And you can see how much Thompson is relishing this chance he’s been Eric Engels April 3, 2019, 12:59 PM given with the Canadiens, and how happy it makes him to be contributing at this time of year.

"It’s huge," Thompson said prior to Tuesday’s win. "To be in this MONTREAL—The comment was brief and hard to disagree with. situation, to have a chance still to make the playoffs, to do it at home and play against the best team in the league? What an opportunity." It was made by a pro scout visiting the Bell Centre on Feb. 19, in the first intermission of a game the Montreal Canadiens were playing against the It was unpredictable Thompson would play such a big part in the Columbus Blue Jackets. Canadiens rising to it. "I’m not sure what the Canadiens were thinking on getting Nate Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 04.04.2019 Thompson," he said of the trade Montreal made seven days earlier with the Los Angeles Kings. The one that sent a 2019 fourth-rounder away for the 34-year-old journeyman and a 2019 fifth-rounder. It was fairly evident at the time that , the general manager of one of the youngest teams in the NHL, thought it couldn’t hurt to make such a low-cost acquisition, to add a veteran of 672 games and 62 more in the playoffs. That Bergevin figured it would also help to add a player who had won 53.1 per cent of his faceoffs with Los Angeles to a Montreal team that ranked 28th in the category. What wasn’t clear was how the Canadiens were going to benefit from Thompson’s experience and his faceoff success if he couldn’t play at the speed required to execute the team’s fast-break system. "He’s a great guy, but you could see even a couple of years ago, when he was with Ottawa, that he just couldn’t keep up," the scout said. "It’s hard to see him as an upgrade on what they have right now." Perhaps it’s why one of the slowest teams in the NHL—the 30th-placed Kings—was giving Thompson up for next to nothing. Frankly, his first strides with the Canadiens did little to dispel the notion. But as time has gone on, and as the games have taken on greater significance, with the Canadiens battling for one of the two available wild- card positions in the Eastern Conference playoff race, Thompson’s contribution to their success has been undeniable. In 24 games, he’s won 141 of 257 (55 per cent) of the faceoffs he’s taken, notched seven points and managed a 45 per cent Corsi for despite starting 69 per cent of his shifts in the defensive zone. He plays a simple, hardnosed game. He competes at both ends of the ice, he’s created several scoring chances for a variety of linemates, and he has been a key member of a penalty killing unit that ranks ninth in the NHL since he joined the Canadiens—killing off 51 of 60 penalties since Feb. 11. It’s nothing short of impressive for a player who was riding out his career with a team that was going nowhere. A player who’s had many ups and downs over his 12 years in the NHL, and one who battled his demons and managed to come out thriving on the other side. Not only has Thompson’s play surprised us, it’s shocked some of his teammates, too. "I think he’s been amazing for us since we picked him up," said Thompson’s linemate Paul Byron in the wake of Tuesday’s 4-2 win over the NHL-leading Tampa Bay Lightning. "He’s so reliable, so steady. He’s a much better skater and playmaker than I ever thought he was playing against him. For whatever reason, I think we have great chemistry together." You could see it on Tuesday, when Byron collected a puck behind Tampa’s net and syphoned it out front for Thompson to score his first goal as a Canadien. The Alaskan quickly took the puck from his backhand to his forehand and picked the top corner of Edward Pasquale’s net to tie the game 1-1. It was a play that once again saw him display the type of skill few in these parts anticipated he had prior to landing with Canadiens. "Nate Thompson saves Canadiens season" is not a headline I envisioned at the start of the year. — Kelsey Patterson (@PattersonKels) April 3, 2019 "It was awesome," said Thompson, who celebrated the goal with an emphatic fist pump. "To score a goal as a Montreal Canadien is something pretty special, something I’ll never forget. And to do it, especially in a game like this, it was a lot of fun." 1105323 Websites seemed like perhaps the season sweep was in the offing. So give the Canucks credit for not going quietly. The win may not mean anything in the big picture this season, but it may be something the hockey club can TSN.CA / Five Takeaways: Canucks vs Sharks draw on next year. The Canucks haven't had many regulation wins against playoff bound opponents, but they got one Tuesday. Now they'll try to back it up with another in Nashville on Thursday. Jeff Paterson TSN.CA LOADED: 04.04.2019

TAKEAWAYS 1) For 50 minutes on Tuesday night, the Vancouver Canucks didn't have much going. Sure, they opened the scoring 88 seconds into the hockey game, but from there they looked like they might fade quietly into the night in their final game of the season in front of the home fans at Rogers Arena. But after withstanding an early third period push from the Sharks, the Canucks came to life scoring two goals just over two minutes apart midway through the final period to turn a 2-1 deficit into a 3-2 lead. And they then sealed the victory into an empty net handing San Jose its 10th loss in the last 11 games. The Canucks, on the other hand, have matched a season-high with their third straight win and are 7-3-1 in their last 11 outings. The victory was the Canucks 20th of the season on home ice giving the team a 20-16-5 record at Rogers Arena this season. The 20 home wins are the most for the team since winning 24 in 2014-15. 2) Tanner Pearson scored the first two Canuck goals giving him five in his last seven games and seven in the 17 games he's played since being acquired from Pittsburgh at the trade deadline. He's not the flashiest player, but he knows where the net is and has shown an ability to get there. His first goal was the result of terrific hustle from Bo Horvat to beat Brent Burns to a loose puck on the end boards and he then deftly placed a between the legs pass on to the stick of Pearson who shovelled the puck past Martin Jones. His second goal came off a goal-mouth scramble in which Pearson spotted the loose puck and managed to tuck it in before Jones could cover it. The play was initially called no-goal by the on-ice officials, but was correctly overturned and then withstood a coach's challenge for goaltender interference. Pearson had seven shots on 10 attempts on the night and has certainly forged some chemistry with Horvat who now has 3+8=11 in the 10 games they have played together. 3) Thatcher Demko has won back to back games for the first time this season. And he's been very solid in both. After a season-high 37 saves against Los Angeles last Thursday, Demko came right back and made 33 saves against the Sharks -- holding one of the league's highest-scoring teams off the scoresheet over the final 49 minutes of the hockey game. Demko was at his best five minutes into the third period when the Sharks had a four-shot sequence in just over a minute that would have extended their lead to 3-1. The San Diego native looked confident as he stared down the San Jose shooters posting a second straight win against a California opponent. That third period stretch was the turning point in the hockey game because a goal there likely would have dashed any Canuck hopes of a comeback. Instead, Pearson scored at 11:18 of the third period and Markus Granlund scored at 13:39 to give the Canucks a lead they wouldn't relinquish. The Sharks had a late power play with Bo Horvat off for slashing, but Troy Stecher found the back of the empty San Jose net from 200 feet away to round out the scoring. Demko is now 3-1 in his last four starts and 4-3 on the season. 4) Demko and Jacob Markstrom were both winners on Tuesday. While Demko posted the victory in goal, Markstrom was named Canucks Most Valuable Player. Elias Pettersson and Bo Horvat both deserved consideration for their seasons, but Markstrom was the correct choice in the fan vote. He has been the backbone of a hockey club that still struggles to score on most nights and has given the Canucks a chance almost every time out. His next start will be his 60th of the season so he has been both busy and good. His workload was heroic in November while Demko and Anders Nilsson were both out with injuries. He has played both ends of back to backs on five occasions this season. He has faced 40 or more shots in five of his last 18 starts -- and the Canucks are 3-1-1 in those games. With 28 wins, he'll be hard pressed to reach the 30-win mark since he may only play in one of the Canucks two remaining games. Regardless, it's been a terrific season for the 29-year-old netminder and it was good to see his efforts recognized. 5) Perhaps its a small thing, but the Canucks likely cleared a psychological hurdle (and Hertl) on Tuesday. The team had lost all three previous meetings against San Jose this season, had dropped six in a row going back to last Christmas and had just one win the last 13 times the Sharks were on the schedule. As Travis Green tries to build a team he can win with, a victory like Tuesday's -- even in the final week of the season with nothing on the line -- can serve as some sort of baseline for the Canucks to use next season when they see an opponent like San Jose. The Canucks had posted wins over top teams like Tampa Bay, Boston, Calgary and Toronto already this season, but it certainly felt like the Sharks had their number. And at 2-1 midway through the third, it