SPORT-SCAN DAILY BRIEF NHL 12/10/2020 Canadiens 1180538 Kings ranked 6th, Ducks ranked 23rd in Forbes’ annual 1180561 Best trades in Canadiens history: Bergevin pulls off heist values of NHL franchises of Hawks 1180539 Kraken expansion mock draft 5.0: Who could the 1180562 Canadiens NHL's third most-valuable franchise, worth Ducks lose? US$1.34 billion 1180563 expansion mock draft 5.0: Who could the Canadiens lose? 1180540 With many amateurs off the ice because of the pandemic, youth players, coaches get a pep talk from Bruins 1180541 Bruins valued at $1 billion, good for fifth wealthiest in NHL, 1180564 Why the Predators should target Anthony Cirelli with an according to Forbes offer sheet 1180542 How we’d run the Bruins: A perennial contender with an uncertain future Devils 1180543 Report: B's could be in division with these teams as part of 1180565 The regrets: Revisiting the 20 worst trades in Devils 2020-21 realignment history 1180544 BHN Puck Links: Why Shouldn’t Boston Bruins Take A Run At Pacioretty? 1180545 Hagg Bag: Time For Breaking Down The Boston Bruins 1180566 Islanders and Rangers won't travel far in proposed Lineup temporary NHL division plan, source says 1180567 State Officials and COVID Rules Could Affect Islanders SeasonPublished 9 hours ago on December 9, 2020 1180546 Sabres lost $10.9 million, value dropped in 2020, 1180568 Where Did the New York Islanders Land on Forbes NHL according to Forbes Valuations in 2020? 1180547 Sam Reinhart on the Sabres’ third line? Here’s how that possibly could work 1180569 Islanders and Rangers won't travel far in proposed Flames temporary NHL division plan, source says 1180548 Hitmen Luke Prokop signs first contract with Predators NHL 1180570 Ex-CHL players detail disturbing alleged abuse 1180549 Hawks one of NHL's most valuable teams despite Senators COVID-19 1180571 What is a piece of hockey history worth? Hastings man 1180550 Analyzing Dylan Strome’s value to the Blackhawks as looks to sell 19th-century stick contract resolution looms 1180572 Senators owner Melnyk 'cautiously optimistic' there will be a 2020-21 season Avalanche 1180573 The Senators get a hand from the city of Belleville to help 1180551 Forbes’ NHL valuations has Avalanche in 2% decline at deal with pandemic $465 million 1180574 president Anthony LeBlanc looking 1180552 Simply Super: From the beginnings of Mile High Sports forward to getting firm plans in place through today, has maintained excellence Flyers 1180575 NHL still working on decisions related to season’s start; 1180553 NHL, NHLPA reportedly making progress in talks about Flyers, Penguins could be together after all playing shortened 2020-21 season 1180576 Flyers among NHL teams to take a hit in value, according to report Red Wings 1180577 Maybe Flyers fans will get their wish 1180554 With NHL season on horizon, face 1180578 Where do Flyers stand among NHL's most valuable mountain of questions teams? 1180555 Forbes 2020 NHL team valuations: Red Wings drop one 1180579 Breaking down Philippe Myers’ 3-year deal and the Flyers’ spot 2020-21 cap situation 1180556 Team Draft vs. Team : Which collection of all-time 1180580 Penguins A to Z: is still the NHL’s best Oilers is better? player (when healthy) 1180581 NHL Trade Talks Pick Up, Penguins Circle Back on Pacioretty 1180557 Seattle Kraken expansion mock draft 5.0: Who could the 1180582 NHL Could Expand Rosters, and the BIG Benefit to the Panthers lose? Penguins 1180558 Panthers BB&T Center Becomes WELL Certified for COVID-19 Regulations 1180583 San Jose Sharks might be placed in same division as NHL heavyweights 1180559 Kings ranked 6th, Ducks ranked 23rd in Forbes’ annual 1180584 Proposed division realignment is terrible news for Sharks values of NHL franchises 1180585 Oakland, Vegas could be Sharks' home to start '21 NHL season 1180586 What could the Kraken’s potential radio and TV options 1180560 Matt Boldy, Wild's top pick in 2019, emerges as Boston look like? College standout 1180587 BREAKING: Chase Center Won’t Host Sharks, “Would Love for Them” to Call Seattle Kraken 1180588 What could the Kraken’s potential radio and TV options look like? St Louis Blues 1180589 Forbes: Blues franchise value dips by $20 million 1180590 Seattle Kraken expansion mock draft 5.0: Whom could the Blues lose? 1180591 NHL working toward Jan. 13 start date, according to reports 1180592 Seattle Kraken expansion mock draft 5.0: Who could the Lightning lose? Maple Leafs 1180593 Who is Maple Leafs first-round pick Rodion Amirov? ‘He can be a future star’ 1180594 SIMMONS: Hello all-Canadian Division and playoff intensity from start to finish; see ya later, Netflix 1180607 Ben Kuzma: For Canucks, quarantine issue could be new season's highest hurdle 1180608 Canucks ink defenceman Jalen Chatfield to new deal 1180595 Rumors swirl that Golden Knights looking to make trades 1180596 Forbes: Golden Knights valued at $570 million, 13th in NHL 1180597 Granger: Why the Golden Knights shouldn’t trade Max Pacioretty 1180598 Serial Dealmaker/VGK Owner Bill Foley Strikes Again This Week With News Of $9 Billion Payment Platform Merger 1180599 League’s Proposal Leaked: Division Alignments for NHL Return 1180600 Forbes NHL Franchise Values See First Decline in 20 Years 1180601 Should Vegas Deal Max Pacioretty? Capitals 1180602 What is left to figure out before the 2020-21 NHL season? 1180603 Report: Caps, Penguins to be in the same division after all 1180604 Pressure on Caps’ free agents? Approval of the new coach? D.C. fans voted Websites 1180609 .ca / NHL outlines proposed division realignment for 2020-21 season 1180610 Sportsnet.ca / Senators’ Brannstrom looking to exemplify potential of team’s blue line 1180611 Sportsnet.ca / Canadiens lineup projections: Versatility highlights much-improved depth 1180612 Sportsnet.ca / Forbes shows drop in NHL revenue; Maple Leafs rank second in team value 1180613 unveils three-headed monster up front 1180614 Giordano: Prospects for NHL season ‘trending in the right direction’ 1180605 Jets scout doesn't need planes, trains or automobiles 1180606 Seattle Kraken expansion mock draft 5.0: Who could the Jets lose? SPORT-SCAN, INC. 941-284-4129 1180538 Anaheim Ducks

Kings ranked 6th, Ducks ranked 23rd in Forbes’ annual values of NHL franchises

By ELLIOTT TEAFORD | [email protected] | Orange County Register

The Kings were ranked sixth in Forbes’ annual list of the values of NHL teams at $825 million, and the Ducks were 23rd at $460 million, down 3% and 4% over 2019, respectively, according to figures posted by the magazine on its website Wednesday.

Overall, the league’s 31 franchises dropped in value for the first time in two decades because of the coronavirus pandemic. None of the teams gained in value over last year, although several maintained their value, including the top five, led by the New York Rangers at $1.65 billion.

The Rangers, ($1.5 billion), ($1.34 billion), Chicago Blackhawks ($1.085 billion) and Boston Bruins ($1 billion) were the only teams valued at $1 billion or more. The were the league’s least-valued club at $285 million, down 5%.

Forbes’ methodology is based on enterprise values (equity plus net debt) and relies heavily on arena revenue and cable TV deals. Eight of the top 10 teams play in arenas that are home to NBA franchises, including Staples Center, which is home to the Kings, Lakers and Clippers.

No mention was made of the plans by Ducks owners Henry and Susan Samueli to develop the land around Honda Center into a $3 billion mixed- use entertainment project known as OC Vibe. The development will be similar to L.A. Live, adjacent to Staples Center, only larger.

It’s scheduled to be open to the public in 2024.

Success on the ice had little to do with the rankings. The champion Tampa Bay Lightning were 21st-ranked ($470 million). The Kings’ revenue was $171 million with operating income of $45 million. The Ducks’ revenue was $119 million with operating losses of $9.1 million.

Neither the Kings nor the Ducks advanced to the playoffs in 2019-20 or 2018-19.

The New York Islanders lost a league-high $37.9 million, but were ranked 16th at $520 million based exclusively on their move into a new arena near Belmont Park in 2021-22 after splitting time in recent seasons at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn and the former Nassau Coliseum on Long Island.

Orange County Register: LOADED: 12.10.2020 1180539 Anaheim Ducks you don’t re-sign him ahead of the , you can leave him exposed. If Seattle GM were to make the highly unlikely choice of claiming him, Getzlaf can simply ignore any attempt to sign him Seattle Kraken expansion mock draft 5.0: Who could the Ducks lose? and double back to Anaheim when free agency opens. And that would be a wasted move by the Kraken.

Expose him. San Jose did that with in 2017. Just be sure to By Eric Stephens Dec 9, 2020 18 explain that to Getzlaf and make sure it’s just business and nothing more. You’re going to need that protection spot.

The other element that jumps out is the list’s composition. Eight skaters. Trevor Zegras has yet to make his pro debut. But there is good that The Ducks went 7-3-1 last time and could very well do so again. But they comes with that. There won’t be any worry over Zegras suffering the were a very different team four years ago. Last we checked, the current same fate that befell Shea Theodore three years ago. group of forwards doesn’t inspire as much confidence when you judge When it comes to the 2021 expansion draft, there will be no need for them against the rest of the NHL. such machinations like the ill-fated move to trade Theodore to Vegas as In a 4-4-1 setup, Anaheim would at least have four forwards it can’t lose a condition for the Golden Knights taking an injured defenseman’s as long it left Getzlaf for exposure. Why go this route? Because … contract off their hands. Defensemen First- and second-year pros are exempt from being selected by the Seattle Kraken, which means the imaginative 19-year-old playmaker is Hampus Lindholm, Cam Fowler, Josh Manson, safe. It also means their top pick in this year’s draft, , and fellow first-rounder Jacob Perreault are safe. Grief over GM Bob Murray’s The arrival of Shattenkirk and his three-year deal finally gives Murray the trade of Theodore still holds a grip on many diehards. But there will be no credible top four he has been searching for since the days when he had grouching over whether to protect Max Comtois, Benoit-Olivier Groulx, an unrivaled quality of depth. They’ve never had that top-end No. 1 since Axel Andersson or . They’re exempt too. retired but they can now face the opposition with two pairings that can ably cover every situation. It doesn’t leave Murray and his crew without some decisions to make. Now they had too many defensemen for the Vegas draft and that proved To recall the basic expansion draft protection plan for teams: damaging. But the Ducks won’t have a touchy Kevin Bieksa NMC-type element to handle or an albatross-level Clayton Stoner contract to Teams can protect Seven forwards, three defensemen and one goalie. unburden themselves. And there aren’t as many forwards to feel a need OR teams can protect any combination of forwards and defensemen to to keep completely off-limits. Always remember that they will lose just make up eight skaters and one goalie. one player.

Teams must make a minimum of one defenseman and two forwards If a preference is to go with the 7-3-1 plan, then they would have to risk available who played 40 NHL games the previous season or 70 breaking up the comfort-level top-four Murray has tried to get back in combined in the previous two seasons. (These games played numbers place. Lindholm, their best defender and trade asset, is not even a could be changed because the 2020-21 season will likely be shorter than consideration. And you can’t lose Fowler with no return, even if his 82 games.) contract is something to consider parting with. You just got Shattenkirk after courting him for two summers. Manson might be the one to think One goalie must be made available. about exposing but it would make more sense to trade him and fetch a return. Seattle could jump on the chance to have a veteran blue line There are also a few other rules. Players who have missed more than the presence for its first season. previous 60 consecutive games or who have been determined to have a potentially career-ending injury are exempt, so there goes any idea Ryan If Drysdale was tearing up the AHL and ready to make the jump, it would Kesler could be left unprotected. (Not that Seattle would dream of make more sense to expose someone like Manson or Shattenkirk. But claiming him.) Those that have full no-movement clauses in their contract there is no need to rush the 18-year-old’s development. Shattenkirk is the must be protected, but that won’t be an issue in 2021. perfect puck-moving bridge to when Drysdale is set to take on the NHL. And they could always move the veteran in Year 3 if they need to. Teams Vegas is exempt and fans miffed over the Golden Knights’ success ever are always on the lookout for right-handed shots on the back end. since they took root in the desert will no doubt grumble over that. Shelling out $500 million to gain NHL entry provided them an escape hatch. (But Goalie they also won’t get a cut of Seattle’s $650 million expansion fee). Among the 30 players selected, Seattle must have a breakdown of at least 14 John Gibson forwards, nine defensemen and three goalies. If this were a situation where the Ducks had Ilya Samsonov pushing a With that in mind, let’s look at how the Ducks have changed since we big-money veteran starter that’s been fading, then exposing that goalie took you through Protection List 2.0. might be worth putting up for debate. But the 27-year-old Gibson is without a doubt their guy in net, and we don’t know if Lukas Dostal can Additions: Kevin Shattenkirk, Kodie Curran, Derek Grant translate his success overseas to the NHL. No need to spend any more time on this one. Subtractions: Erik Gudbranson The other exemptions So what will the Ducks do? Kodie Curran, Lukas Dostal The protected Curran has played only one pro season in North America before heading Forwards overseas in 2016, while Dostal has yet to play on this continent. Both will Jakob Silfverberg, Rickard Rakell, , Sam Steel be able to fit under the first- and second-year pro exemptions.

You may already notice one name that’s not on this list. In June, I did The unprotected have Ryan Getzlaf listed under the protected and I rationalized that his Forwards status as a top-five player in Ducks history, his importance over 15 seasons, and, more importantly, his meaning and value to the team in Adam Henrique, Danton Heinen, Sonny Milano, , Ryan the present earned some measure of respect even if everything else Getzlaf, Derek Grant, Nicolas Deslauriers, Carter Rowney, Isac screams to expose him. Lundestrom

That was Foolish Me. Defensemen

Sensible Me realizes that being in the GM chair necessitates some cold- Christian Djoos, Brendan Guhle, Jacob Larsson, Jani Hakanpää, Josh hearted decisions at times with player personnel. Getzlaf’s contract is set Mahura, Simon Benoit, Andy Welinski to expire after the season. His NMC also goes away. The center has long had a stated to be in Anaheim for the rest of his career. As long as Goalie Anthony Stolarz? Jamie Drysdale

Aside from addressing what to do with Getzlaf earlier, the most notable Trevor Zegras name to jump out here is Henrique. It wasn’t easy putting a five-time 20- goal scorer that led the Ducks with 26 last season in the unprotected Axel Andersson category. And if they were to go 7-3-1, I think you do make sure to keep Jacob Perreault one of your few proven scoring threats. Max Comtois Now the argument against. Henrique still has three years left on a contract that pays just over $5.8 million each season. It is a contract he Available and the Ducks agreed to after he provided a much-needed offensive Benoit-Olivier Groulx spark after being acquired for Sami Vatanen. His game should be able to age gracefully as well. But with Zegras possibly playing NHL games this Protected season and moving into a full-time role next year if he does well, it might behoove Anaheim to open up a center spot and try to get out from under Brayden Tracey Henrique’s contract. Trading it to get assets in return is always better but Exempt the takers for a 30-year-old forward with that much term left are few. Five players the Kraken could go after The only concern with any of the other forwards is whether any of them have the kind of upside that makes allowing one to possibly get away a Adam Henrique: The 10-year veteran would give them a respected voice mistake. At this , it doesn’t look that way. It might be too soon to pull in the dressing room and a player who can offer production and some the plug on Jones and Lundestrom but neither has shown he can cost certainty in the team’s early years. produce much at the NHL level. Milano’s and Heinen’s previous teams moved on because of their inconsistencies. Rowney is on an expiring : A glut of left-handed shots on the blue line have crowded deal, while Grant and Deslauriers are useful but replaceable. him out so far. Seattle could offer the 22-year-old puck-mover a clearer path to a regular NHL gig. The same goes for the defense. There are a lot of bodies that can be part of their third pairing. Some have more upside than others. None have Max Jones: The Ducks’ 2016 top pick has great size and has a powerful distinguished themselves as reliable everyday performers over the long skating stride. If his scoring touch doesn’t develop, he can still be a haul. None have the upside that Theodore had when he was trying to serviceable third-line winger and develop further as a killer. break through. Losing one might work to thin the crowd out some and Isac Lundestrom: If Anaheim were to go 7-3-1, the 20-year-old potentially open a spot for another to fill. Lundestrom might be one to protect. The Swede’s offense may or may Resolving the goaltending position is another item. The Ducks could re- not come but the Kraken would be interested if he were available. sign potential unrestricted free agent Stolarz and fulfill that requirement of Christian Djoos: The jury is still out on whether the 26-year-old is a full- having a netminder to expose. timer to stay and more than a third-pairing defender with some decent Jakob Silfverberg skill. He has enough in his arsenal to have Seattle intrigued.

Hampus Lindholm There are still several months left until Murray has to put out a list. Several months where players can play their way onto protection. Or John Gibson exposure.

Rickard Rakell The Athletic LOADED: 12.10.2020 Cam Fowler

Lukas Dostal

Troy Terry

Josh Manson

Sam Steel

Kevin Shattenkirk

Adam Henrique

Christian Djoos

Danton Heinen

Brendan Guhle

Sonny Milano

Jacob Larsson

Max Jones

Jani Hakanpaa

Ryan Getzlaf

Josh Mahura

Derek Grant

Simon Benoit

Nicolas Deslauriers

Andy Welinski

Carter Rowney

Kodie Curran

Isac Lundestrom 1180540 Boston Bruins “How competitive is the player? It doesn’t mean he has to be the most physical player. (He has) to want the puck, or to not give it up? Not from a puck-hog standpoint, but from a possession standpoint. We talk about With many amateurs off the ice because of the pandemic, youth players, a dog on a bone. How many players want to go hunt the puck? Some coaches get a pep talk from Bruins kids are a little shy in that regard.”

The gold standard in the Bruins’ organization in that area: Brad Marchand. Any player hoping to improve their puck-hunting should By Matt Porter Globe Staff,Updated December 9, 2020, 9:23 p.m. Watch video of No. 63.

“I think we’d all take 20 Brads,” Sweeney said, “and go try and win the Cup.” GLOBE STAFF With hockey in many areas halted by the pandemic, amateur players hungry to improve find themselves lacking. How can Boston Globe LOADED: 12.10.2020 they get better if they’re not playing games?

Asked what advice he would offer kids forced off the ice, Bruins joked that they should not pick up their PlayStation or Xbox controllers to boost their hockey sense.

“I know my sons put it in GM mode and tell me how much better they are than I am,” Sweeney joked of his 20-year-old twins, Jarrod and Tyler, who apparently enjoy the “franchise” mode of the EA NHL series. “They’re making trades left and right and accusing me of not being able to complete them.”

While trying to improve the Bruins’ real-life roster, Sweeney joined Bruins coach on a USA Hockey Zoom call Wednesday evening. Speaking to about 200 hockey coaches, mostly from the Northeast according to moderator Roger Grillo, both Sweeney and Cassidy said youth players should not worry if this season keeps coming in fits and starts.

“Don’t freak out if you miss some games,” Cassidy said. “As long as you’re still developing your skills, I don’t think you’ll fall too far behind.”

The amount of touches players get in the game are few. The touches they get in a practice are many. In a driveway? They can shoot and stickhandle to their heart’s content.

“I feel badly for the college kids,” Sweeney said. “They’re certainly missing opportunities. The younger players can make up for lost time. It’s no different than doing your schoolwork and putting in the time and the effort to find areas of your own development — your hand-eye coordination, your balance ability, your strength, improving your vertical jump, which translates into power as a hockey player … you can handle balls in the driveway. You can go back and watch hockey, the best players in the world, how they read and react.”

The coaches on the call, which also included a second half-hour with Providence coach Jay Leach and Bruins player development coordinator Chris Kelly, got a sense of what Cassidy’s practices look like. He likes them short, between 35 and 40 minutes on most days, and fast-paced. They also draw from USA Hockey’s American Development Model, which starts young players off in smaller sections of the ice. Since the Claude Julien era, the Bruins have built in some 3 on 3 time to nearly every session. Players get more puck touches and make more decisions.

“I think coaches at all levels should build in small-area games,” Cassidy said. “You can assess some level of hockey IQ. You have to give and go to get open. You can tell which kids can defend. Who has a good stick. All those things you’re trying to build into your team.”

Both Sweeney and Cassidy stumped for cross-training as a means of development. Studies have shown that young players who eat, sleep, and breathe hockey year-round get burned out more easily. They also may not become as well-rounded as athletes who train in other sports.

Cassidy, who helps coach 10-year-old son, Cole, and 11-year-old daughter, Shannon, in hockey and other sports, espouses the virtues of playing , which simulates protection, give-and-go, and five-man movement. And tennis and are great for hand-eye coordination and rotational strength. He has also set up the basement for his children to do box jumps. They rollerblade or play street hockey if they can’t get on the ice.

Asked what attributes he looks for in a player, Sweeney said hockey sense and competitiveness are the most important. The former is difficult to judge, and the latter, at least at the elite level, may be tougher to find.

“What’s your feel for the game?” Sweeney said. “What’s your game- reaction speed? How can you adjust on the fly? Skating and skills, we all believe we can apply the man-hours to strengthening (those areas). 1180541 Boston Bruins

Bruins valued at $1 billion, good for fifth wealthiest in NHL, according to Forbes

By Kevin Paul Dupont Globe Staff,Updated December 9, 2020, 5:43 p.m.

Business remains at a standstill for the Bruins amid the pandemic, but the Black-and-Gold franchise remains valued at $1 billion, according to the annual analysis of the NHL that Forbes published on Wednesday.

Forbes’ $1 billion valuation slotted the Bruins No. 5 among the league’s 31 franchises, the same spot as last year, leaving the club behind only the New York Rangers ($1.65 billion), Toronto Maple Leafs ($1.5 billion), Montreal Canadiens ($1.34 billion) and Chicago Blackhawks ($1 billion).

The Detroit Red Wings, the other franchise, came in at No. 8 with a $775 million valuation.

The top five clubs, representing 16 percent of the 31 franchises, collected nearly 25 percent of the league’s gross revenue of $4.4 billion. Meanwhile, according to Forbes, the other 26 teams (84 percent) generated losses of $50 million, for an average drop of just under $2 million per franchise.

The overall revenue of $4.4 billion represented a drop of some 14 percent from the prior season.

All 31 teams saw overall regular-season revenue drop to zero during the last month, when the pandemic forced the league to shut down and eventually cancel the remaining 15 percent of games on the schedule.

The amount of unrealized revenue only increased in the postseason when the league was forced to hold all of its playoff games in empty buildings in Toronto and Edmonton.

Per Forbes, in a normal playoff season, with 16 cities qualifying for the opening round, clubs rake in an additional $200 million. It cost the league tens of millions of dollars to design, construct, and operate the two playoff bubbles, according to commissioner Gary Bettman, but the move enabled the Lords of the Boards to collect broadcast revenue from US and Canadian rightsholders, sparing the league what would have been an even greater financial hit had the postseason been cancelled.

The 31 NHL teams annually collect $20 million each from national TV rightsholders – a figure, Forbes noted, that pales mightily in comparison to the $260 million the networks pay to every NFL team each year. The NFL haul means each team is guaranteed a profit every season before selling a single ticket.

Overall, the financial impact of the pandemic dropped the average value of each franchise by two percent, or some $12 million, to a $653 million. According to Forbes, it’s the first time the average has fallen since 2001, which was prior to the league instituting a salary cap for the start of the 2005-06 season.

The NHL has not announced when it will commence play for the 2020-21 season, but rumors on Wednesday continued to fuel hope that regular- season games could begin on Jan. 13, with the regular season trimmed back from 82 to 56 games. That rollback, if instituted, again will deliver a considerable blow to the league’s bottom line.

With the US and Canada experiencing a fierce surge in the coronavirus pandemic in recent weeks, it’s all but a guarantee that play, if it begins in about a month, will resume with no fans allowed in the building.

Boston Globe LOADED: 12.10.2020 1180542 Boston Bruins Krug leaves the team with a gaping hole on the left side and on the top power play. The Bruins have more cap flexibility than most teams and can add a good piece there, but are very low on options. Late in How we’d run the Bruins: A perennial contender with an uncertain future November, I proposed the team should target Mikhail Sergachev with an offer sheet, but that was axed only a couple days later with Sergachev finally re-signing with the Lightning.

By The Athletic NHL Staff Dec 9, 2020 89 The remaining field is very weak and even the potential rentals available at the upcoming deadline don’t look tantalizing. Boston may have to find

a way to get creative here, trading from a position of strength (forward) to As an extension of the NHL Future Power Rankings, which look ahead to solve its defensive shortcomings. — Dom Luszczyszyn how teams will stack up three seasons from now, we are diving into what The Prospect Pipeline each team can expect and what moves it can make to produce the best outcome. When will our players get here?

The Athletic will break down what each team needs to do to, or should The truth is that the number of Bruins prospects you can confidently say do, to take the next step toward contention. James Mirtle will give advice are NHL ready, or close, is small. And that’s a particularly harsh based on the salary cap situation. Dom Luszczyszyn will dive into the indictment because the majority of the pool is actually aging and there analytics and look at what each team has on his Stanley Cup checklist. aren’t a ton of under-20 prospects on the more distant horizon. Scott Wheeler and Corey Pronman will answer four key questions about the team’s prospects. And Eric Duhatschek will propose a game plan for Jack Studnicka is ready for a top-nine role. The rest of those who are the general manager. Then the local beat writer will put it all in near — Trent Frederic, maybe Urho Vaakanainen, etc. — should perspective with a reality check. compete for spots but aren’t guaranteed anything.

The Bruins have been one of the most successful teams of the last How good will they be when they get here? decade, mostly thanks to the same core of stars across the lineup. But I expect Studnick to score 20 goals and post 45-55 points throughout his that core is aging and there isn’t much help coming from their prospects. career, without ever being a true top-of-the-lineup player — and he’s their While they remain Stanley Cup contenders, the team could look very best prospect without question. The reality for the rest is bleak: They’re different in three years. There are important decisions to be made in the depth pieces if all goes well. One potential bright spot: Jeremy Swayman, next couple of years. who might become a good 1B goalie.

The Cap Situation What positions do they play, and do we have excesses or deficiencies?

There’s $1.5 million in dead money here that’s retained from David Outside of OK depth in net thanks to Swayman and Dan Vladar, the Backes’ awful contract, so that hurts a little. Even so, the Bruins have Bruins’ pool is thin virtually everywhere and in desperate need of a some flexibility after signing Jake DeBrusk, with another $3 million or $4 serious revitalization, a revitalization that requires they begin to hang million they can spend if they send a few players down to the AHL. onto picks or — gasp — actually seek picks out via trade.

Some of that could be earmarked for Zdeno Chara, if he returns, or What does our prospect pool tell us about where we are in a competitive another option on defence. The cap-related loss of Torey Krug looms cycle? large on the back end if they can’t add at least one more top-four option there. Years of contention typically means the watering down of your team’s prospect pool is not far behind. The Bruins have not been immune to Overall, however, the Bruins do not have many poor contracts and those outcomes. There are some positives hidden in the weeds. Oskar adding Craig Smith for just $3.1 million was a good read of the free agent Steen, for example, has been one of the more consistently dangerous market. He’ll help. players in the second-tier HockeyAllsvenskan this season after a fine but In the more medium term, finding a creative way to dump someone like unspectacular rookie campaign in the AHL. Mason Lohrei, who wouldn’t John Moore, who makes $2.75 million for another three years, should be have been my pick with the Bruins’ first pick of the 2020 draft in the a priority. But David Krejci and both goaltenders are in the final years of second round, has been excellent in both of my Green Bay viewings so their contracts, so the Bruins will have a huge amount of flexibility in far this season. I mentioned Swayman, who sold me last year. 2021-22, the final year of Bergeron’s sweetheart deal, to change the mix But those are all B-level prospects and the prospects you’d hope for and still remain a contender. more out of — the Frederics, the John Beechers — just haven’t really They could be big players in 2021 free agency given how well they’ve shown it yet. Once Studnicka officially graduates, the Bruins will have spent their dollars, as there’s $33 million in open space and most of their arguably the thinnest prospect pool in the league. best players under contract. — James Mirtle It’s going to take some time to rebuild that pool of young talent at forward The Analytics and defence in particular. The harsh reality is that every NHL team has a prospect (or several) of the quality of Studnicka, so the Bruins lack The Stanley Cup Checklist is based on research done earlier this year quantity and quality. What does that mean? That means that it’s win-now looking at the average value for players at every position from the past mode still because there aren’t any more Charlie McAvoys or David 10 Cup champions. It’s based on the best-of-the-best each year, making Pastrnaks coming for a long time. — Scott Wheeler it a high bar to clear and it means no team will have every box checked off, but the more holes a team has filled, the closer they are to being a The Game Plan Cup contender. A name in a specific box means he’s in the right ballpark For the coming season, running the Bruins will require a flexible mindset for projected value compared to past Cup winners, with some on the from the front office because of the hovering blue line uncertainty created lower end and some on the higher end. Using an age curve, we made by Torey Krug’s departure, which opens up a giant hole for a quarterback note of what each team already has on their roster signed for each of the on the No. 1 power-play unit. Assuming key forwards Brad Marchand and next three seasons. David Pastrnak do recover from their offseason surgeries and are back Let’s take a look. playing by midseason, there’ll be a need to closely monitor the play and progress of Matt Gryzelcyk. Gryzelcyk is their biggest question mark – This was one of the league’s best teams last year, winning the can a player that few, outside of Boston, know much about, handle first- Presidents’ Trophy, so there’s not much room for improvement, but there unit PP duties? And if not, does the mantle then pass to Charlie McAvoy? is a sizeable roster imbalance. The Bruins have the league’s second-best And if neither can do what Krug did, who might be available to fill the gap forward group, but a 13th ranked defence that’s propped up completely at a price they can afford? Attempts to land Oliver Ekman-Larsson in the by an elite top pair. If Zdeno Chara doesn’t return, the bottom two pairs offseason failed. It doesn’t mean they can’t make a second effort, are ugly, with each ranking in the league’s lower third. That won’t cut it because things in Arizona could get so bad that Ekman-Larsson may for a contender. change his mind and consider a change in scenery after all.

Boston badly needs a legitimate top-four option, and it’s uncertain If not Ekman-Larsson, then another Coyotes defenceman, Alex whether Chara is even that anymore. Losing him and especially Torey Goligoski, is a viable fallback position. Goligoski is 35, nearing the end of his career, and if they waited until right at the trade deadline, the Bruins would probably have enough salary-cap space remaining to cover his prorated $5.475 million salary. The acquisition cost would likely be negligible for a player that was still performing at a reasonably high-level last season. Boston will be in the thick of the Stanley Cup hunt again, thus the priority should be getting the strongest possible lineup in place for another 2021 postseason push, even if there’s a price to pay down the road. — Eric Duhatschek

The Reality Check

The flat cap has compromised the Bruins. The money they would have invested on the left side of the defense, whether through trade or free agency, is not available. As James, Dom and Eric correctly note, to be without Torey Krug and possibly Zdeno Chara leaves them, at best, with their belt unbuckled.

Their pants, however, do not have to drop all the way down.

If Tuukka Rask is right, the Bruins have an excellent goaltending tandem, which will be critical in a compressed schedule. Adding Craig Smith and having full seasons from Ondrej Kase and should address, if perhaps only partly, their 5-on-5 scoring issues. A power play that returns , David Pastrnak, Brad Marchand and David Krejci should still cause opponents to shiver, even without Krug working the point.

The trick for general manager Don Sweeney will be to reload for when the chain-pullers age out. That’s coming sooner rather than later. Krejci (34) and Rask (33) are unrestricted after 2020-21. Bergeron (35) is up after 2021-22. As James notes, this lightens Sweeney’s wallet to the point where he can spend freely, either via free agency or by taking on existing contracts.

Scott gets it right about the future: There isn’t much help coming from below. The Bruins need young NHL players, prospects and picks. — Fluto Shinzawa

The Athletic LOADED: 12.10.2020 1180543 Boston Bruins

Report: B's could be in division with these teams as part of 2020-21 realignment

/ by Nick Goss

The NHL is going to look different in several ways during the 2020-21 season, and one of them is the makeup of the four divisions.

Travel restrictions stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic are expected to force the league to put all the Canadian teams in one division. This would leave the 24 franchises located in the in the other three divisions.

Brand new NHL Power Rankings before 2020-21 season

The league has not yet announced an official layout of the divisions for the upcoming season, but TSN's Pierre LeBrun reported Wednesday what they look like right now.

Not finalized yet, and still subject to change, but the 2020-21 four- division re-alignment currently looks like this according to sources:

Bos-Buf-NJ-NYI-NYR-Pha-Pgh-Was

Car-CBJ-Det-Chi-Fla-Min-Nas-TB

Ana-Ari-Col-Dal-LA-SJ-STL-VGK

All-Canadian teams

— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) December 9, 2020

The Boston Bruins would be in one of the most competitive divisions.

Boston's division includes the teams that finished first (Bruins), fifth (Capitals), sixth (Flyers), seventh (Penguins) and 14th (Islanders) in the overall standings last season. Two of the other teams -- the Sabres and Rangers -- made significant improvements in the offseason.

Another downside to this alignment for Bruins fans is the absence of rivalry games with the Toronto Maple Leafs and Montreal Canadiens. That said, this division presents an opportunity for the Bruins to rekindle old rivalries with the Flyers, Rangers and Penguins.

Doc Emrick: Bruins' Stanley Cup window isn't closed yet

The Tampa Bay Lightning also move out of the Bruins' division under this format. The defending Stanley Cup champions headline what looks like a Central division, which, on paper, is the weakest of the four groups.

These division realignments would only be for the 2020-21 season. The league and NHLPA reportedly are targeting a Jan. 13 start date for the upcoming campaign.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 12.10.2020 1180544 Boston Bruins

BHN Puck Links: Why Shouldn’t Boston Bruins Take A Run At Pacioretty?

Published 12 hours ago on December 9, 2020By Joe Haggerty

If you’re the Boston Bruins, why not take a run at Max Pacioretty?

The Vegas Golden Knights are in some serious salary cap jeopardy (almost $1 million over the salary cap, per our friends at Puck Pedia) and the word is out that they may have to deal Pacioretty, Jonathan Marchessault or Marc-Andre Fleury in order to achieve salary cap nirvana. Certainly it would be a massive acquisition with the lefty- shooting Pacioretty signed up for three more years at a $7 million cap hit, but we’re also talking about a player coming off 32 goals and 66 points in 71 games for the Golden Knights last season.

We’re also talking about a former for the Montreal Canadiens, who would immediately up the nasty factor in a Bruins/Habs rivalry (if and when it does actually return to a rivalry in this COVID-19 world) that’s needed a jolt of electricity for quite some time.

Clearly the Bruins would probably need to send Jake DeBrusk the other way to make the salary cap dollars work, and would probably need to include a top defenseman prospect (Urho Vaakanainen has already been mentioned in other trade talks, as Boston Hockey Now reported last month) and a valued draft pick. But that’s a fair price to pay for a player in Pacioretty that’s got size (6-foot-2, 213-pounds), skill and a body of work that would make him a bone fide scorer on Boston’s second line.

The 31-year-old Pacioretty has topped 30 goals and 60 points six times in his NHL career, and would give the Bruins a top-6 impact player that could help them extend their Stanley Cup window for the next couple of seasons. So why wouldn’t Boston Bruins GM Don Sweeney at least give the Golden Knights a call and potentially beat some of his Eastern Conference adversaries to the punch if there’s indeed a salary cap fire sale going on in Vegas.

Now on to the links:

*If the NHL does agree to an extended taxi squad roster, that is something that the Pittsburgh Penguins could absolutely benefit from for this season. (Pittsburgh Hockey Now)

*FOH (Friend of Haggs) Adrian Dater takes a long, hard look at the contract among other things in his mailbag over at CHN. (Colorado Hockey Now)

*While the Canadian Division sounds like a cool idea, it’s going to provide some really unique challenges for the NHL from a number of perspectives. (Toronto Sun)

*The Department of Goaltending Excellence that they are building with the Florida Panthers reuniting Francois Allaire and Roberto Luongo sounds like something right out of a comic book. (Florida Hockey Now)

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*Super-interesting chat between Anson Carter and St. Louis Blues center Ryan O’Reilly about inclusion within the NHL on the Hockey Culture podcast.

*For something completely different: Season Three of Cobra Kai is coming and I am super-pumped about it

Hell yes! @CobraKaiSeries pic..com/TGgEpBYw7G

— Joe Haggerty (@HackswithHaggs) December 9, 2020

Boston Hockey Now LOADED: 12.10.2020 1180545 Boston Bruins –Adam Pusiak (via Facebook fan page)

JH: I don’t think we’ll see expanded playoffs, unfortunately. I actually would love to see some play-in/qualifying series like we saw last year, Hagg Bag: Time For Breaking Down The Boston Bruins Lineup but logistically it’s really not easy to do given that you would need round- robin games for the top seeds while things played out in a qualifying round. Maybe the NHL and NHLPA will figure out a way to construct that Published 17 hours ago on December 9, 2020By Joe Haggerty in the future, but the hesitation is very tangible when it comes to messing with a Stanley Cup Playoff structure that really isn’t broken.

Now, if there’s another pause to the entire regular season due to COVID- The good news for the Boston Bruins is that it looks like there is going to 19 complications then that could theoretically be introduced again as it be an NHL season that begins in mid-January. The bad news for the was last season. But if the NHL and the Boston Bruins can get through Boston Bruins is that there still hasn’t been any moves to improve their the entire season without a league-wide shut-down, I just don’t see it in roster, though it’s entirely possible that there could be a flurry of trades the cards. I’d love to see it make a return in some form or fashion in the ahead of the regular season if it does indeed go off in January. future, though. For the time being, though, it’s status quo for the Black and Gold with Do you see Beecher as a legitimate butt-kicking prospect or bottom 6 everything a week closer to actually happening with real progress made Frederic type defense & protector #HaggBag between the NHL and NHLPA toward returning to play. That means there are plenty of questions to be answered both big and small, and as –Smokey @_CivilServant_) always, we are ready to answer them in the Hagg Bag mailbag. JH: I think Johnny Beecher has more offensive upside than Trent As always these are real questions from real Bruins fans using the Frederic simply based on his skating speed. That ability to cover huge #HaggBag hash tag on my twitter account, or messages to my Facebook chunks of ice with his long, fluid strides is going to open up tons of goal- fan page. Now let’s crack open the bag this week: scoring chances for him, and then the question will become whether he can become a finisher with those chances. Does he become a Daniel Do you see any PTO’s for Boston? If so, who? If not, why? Paille-type player that gets tons of chances because of his speed but –Andrew is a healthy scratch (@justyouknowwhyyy) simply doesn’t have the hands to finish them off? Or does he develop into a Chris Kreider-type player that uses power, speed and skill to be an JH: One PTO I could potentially see is a player I already wrote about a effective goal-scorer at the NHL level? couple of months ago in . With the Boston Bruins potentially going very young with their defensemen group they could use a low- I like Frederic as a bottom-6 power forward with the Boston Bruins that priced veteran or two (particularly on the left side where they may be can make the occasional play offensively, but he doesn’t have any one losing Zdeno Chara and Torey Krug), and a proven defenseman like tool, aside from his size and strength, that’s going to really generate Alzner could be good insurance in case youngsters like Jakub Zboril or offense for him consistently. Urho Vaakanainen aren’t ready for prime time. We’ll see how he develops at and how he performs for Team Certainly, there’s a chance that the Bruins might get a quality player like USA at the World Juniors, but I’d say it’s still incomplete as to what he’s Antony Duclair on a PTO simply because of the fiscal landscape across going to be at the NHL level. My opinion: He’s got a pro-style game the NHL right now. But I suspect players like Duclair and Mikael where he could really blossom offensively at the NHL level. Granlund will eventually sign guaranteed contracts rather than tryouts for Have B’s given up on Bjork? Was really hoping to see him run at LW with training camp, so they won’t be available for PTO’s. But in general, I Coyle and Smith. #HaggBag would think a veteran defenseman and a potential goal-scoring top-9 winger would be a pair of places you might see the Bruins bring in a –Mike C (@mcolesr) veteran given that it sounds like NHL rosters are going to be expanded given the unique circumstances of the upcoming season amidst COVID- JH: Well, I think he could be the guy filling in for a rehabbing David 19. Pastrnak with Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand to start the season. But as we’ve seen recently, Anders Bjork seems to have an issue Do you think Rask will be mentally sharp for another COVID-19 finishing off offensive chances at the NHL level. It may that he becomes shortened season, or has he already checked out? #HaggBag a speedy third line winger that occasionally pops in goals while using his speed to control possession, spur turnovers and disrupt the other team. –Rich G Bruins Fan (@richg6567) But if that’s the case then Bjork is going to continue to need to get grittier JH: It’s the last year of Tuukka Rask’s current contract, so he’d better be in all aspects of his game. But I could certainly see Bjork and Nick Ritchie mentally sharp and locked in if he wants to continue playing. This season alternating in the lineup on the third line depending on matchups or is going to be interesting in that regard. I certainly don’t expect the depending on what kind of injuries crop up. Boston Bruins to sign him to any kind of extension prior to/or during the Let’s not forget that there could be a lot of changes in the lineup due to season, but instead things will play out and quite a bit will hinge on how COVID-19, regular injuries or changes to the NHL schedule due to things go on and off the ice. Will Rask run into another issue balancing COVID-19 as we go along here. Bjork is going to get his chances, but he the personal and the professional as he has the last couple of seasons? needs to either develop some goal-scoring ability or get a little more Will he be -level from beginning to end with zero hiccups, sandpaper to his game if he’s hoping to stick at the NHL level for the long issues or interruptions in a contract year? Does Rask even want to term. continue playing as a goalie in his mid-30’s that’s already made over $50 million in his NHL career and has myriad interests outside of the game of Billy’s or Liberty Bell? hockey? –CTI Cabling Technologies (@cabletechmass) It will also depend on how Jeremy Swayman and Daniel Vladar develop at the AHL level this season as well. If either Swayman or Vladar really JH: This is Sophie’s Choice. I used to work at Liberty Bell in Stoneham turn into the goalie of the future then that could really alter Boston’s delivering pizzas and the former owners (Teddy and Minoli) used to let thinking moving forward, particularly if they are hesitant to invest big me drive their Porsche to deliver pizzas around town when my car was in dollars or long term on a goaltender that’s been a little unpredictable over the shop. And I was raised on their roast beef subs. They now have an the last few years. excellent restaurant in Melrose. But Billy’s Roast Beef is probably my favorite roast beef place on the entire North Shore. If I was on deathbed Long story short, I think Rask will be mentally sharp this season in his with only one more roast beef sandwich available, I’d probably pick Billy’s tandem with Jaroslav Halak. And I don’t expect the same kind of issues Roast Beef. But Liberty Bell is great with a huge menu of other really that popped up in the playoffs because it looks like the Bruins may avoid good stuff to eat besides roast beef, and their roast beef is excellent as the bubble scenario this time around. But it’s a very unpredictable well. How is that for a diplomatic answer? situation that will bear watching this season, for sure. Money appears to be in tight for Sweeney. May explain why he’s stood Hey Joe, now that the NHL season looks to be a go, just wondering what pat…for the most part. Is Sweeney done adding FAs? Trades likely you think about the potential of another year of expanded playoffs. As perhaps? How else can they improve? well, what might be the likelihood of such? –JG (@jgold20024) hockey. It’s worth the stretch and I think it was always worth the stretch for the owners and players, particularly if fans begin to be allowed to fill JH: At this point, I think a trade is more likely than a free agent signing. I into the arena as the season progresses. just don’t get the sense they have left room to bring in Mike Hoffman even if he’s a proven 30-goal scorer that the Bruins would be able to get If we can have half-full arenas by June or July at playoff time? That for great value on a one-year deal. would be well worth it for everybody involved provided the weak sister NHL franchises can handle the economic fallout until things get a little I think if the Bruins swing a deal, it will be for an experienced top-4 closer to normal. Who knows how quickly things will open up in the pro defenseman that they can plug into the left side. Perhaps Hoffman sports world once the vaccine is widely available? But I don’t get arguing becomes an option if the Bruins had to deal a top-6 forward piece in in favor of punting on the season. It could do damage that the NHL might order to make that kind of deal happen, but I’d say the Oliver Ekman- never recover from if they sat out while the other three major pro sports Larsson-type trade is the most likely move for the Boston Bruins if they continued to keep playing. do anything of significance prior to the start of the 2020-21 NHL regular season. #HaggBag Do you think Ultron and Thanos together could beat The Avengers? Also, what do you think the Krug departure will mean to the I’m not sure I totally buy that the Bruins have been told to curb their upcoming season? spending budget because they are within $3.6 million of the salary cap ceiling right now and they could still spend more money before, or during, –Keith Dotson (@BigDot69) this upcoming season. They are going to be a cap team again this year and that’s a credit to the commitment of Bruins ownership during a rough JH: An Ultron and Thanos tag team could definitely beat the low-rent financial landscape. Avengers of the 1980’s where they had Starfox, Wasp, Captain Marvel, Vision, Scarlet Witch and She-Hulk. Those Avengers of my comic book- Would love to hear your #HaggBag current thoughts on the Bs’ D corp. If collecting youth kind of sucked. But the Mighty Avengers with Thor, a couple of the youngsters (next level; Lauzon, Urho Vaakanainen, Captain America, Iron Man along with a compliment of supporting players Connor Clifton) don’t step up big, we’re in trouble, right? And best (Black Panther, Ant-Man, Wasp, Beast etc.) around them? I don’t think Avengers MCU villain, no contest; Obadiah Stane any combination of super villains could take them down, even though I’d like to see the battle happen. –achurchill (@achurchill) The Krug departure is going to have offensive consequences for the JH: Yeah, I am very skeptical of the rebuild the Bruins are going to Boston Bruins next season. There isn’t a defenseman among that group undertake on the back end. But I will say this, there are plenty of hockey right now capable of posting the 10 goals/50 points that he customarily people I’ve talked to that think they can become a much more mobile, produced for the B’s year-in, year-out, and they are going to miss that to offensively viable unit if they go younger, faster and more skilled. That’s start next season while they sort out their back-end picture. no knock on Zdeno Chara at all because I think they’re going to miss him on the penalty kill, and they will miss him late in games when they are Right now, nobody among their D-men has even scored as many as 35 protecting leads. Not to mention, they will also miss his intimidating points in a regular season before, so they are going to need Charlie presence in the lineup where he was clearly a protector for Boston’s McAvoy and Matt Grzelcyk to step up in a big way if they’re going to get skilled players. offense from their D-men. And nobody knows if they can do that. They deserve a chance to prove that they can step up offensively as There is zero question in my mind that opponents will be bolder taking developing young players, but the pressure is going to be on them to liberties and taking runs if Big Zee isn’t patrolling the blue line. But Chara produce on the PP and during even strength play. is also 43 years old and very clearly lost at least a half-step last season and going younger and faster could really benefit Bruce Cassidy’s up- Who knows? Maybe the opportunity will allow McAvoy to take things to tempo style and the creativity he’s looking to see from his defensemen the next level with his obvious offensive skills all there? And Grzelcyk is moving forward. certainly capable of handling things on the PP as he’s shown when Krug has been out. But there will be big questions until they are able to prove It was clear the Boston Bruins needed to make some changes to this they have the answers. core group moving forward and they’ve very clearly decided to do that on the back end. So, let’s see how it all plays out and give them a few things That’s it for the Hagg Bag this week, we’ll see you at the rinks. to sort things out. Boston Hockey Now LOADED: 12.10.2020 And Obadiah Stane? Really? I love the Big Lebowski as much as anybody, but Jeff Bridges is not even in the top pantheon of MCU villains and I can’t remember Stane ever really being a big deal against the Avengers. I still love Ultron as my all-time top Avengers villain from a comic storyline in the 1970’s where it appeared that he had defeated, or even killed, all of the Avengers.

Age of Ultron Print- Avengers Print- Comic book – Book Cover – Dictionary Print -Marvel Poster – Marvel Art -Wall D… pic.twitter.com/geoL6AhONG

— Luke Conners (@LukeConners) December 13, 2015

James Spader was pretty good as the MCU Ultron, but he definitely wasn’t my favorite villain in the movies thus far. That would probably be Loki, Michael Keaton’s Vulture or Kingpin from the Daredevil series.

If the NHL owners don’t want to play, it’s pretty cut and dry. They pay Gary Bettman to steer the direction of the league on their behalf. I personally think they should just wait until fall to play. Why try to rush a half-ass effort at the season with so much to risk.

–Chris Horne (via Facebook fan page)

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JH: Who says it’s going to be half-ass? A 56-game season with a full playoff that starts in mid-January is even more hockey than we got during the 2013 lockout season when the Boston Bruins ended up getting all the way to the Stanley Cup Final against the Chicago Blackhawks.

I think skipping an entire season would be very detrimental to the NHL, to their owners, to the players and to everybody involved with the world of 1180546 Buffalo Sabres

Sabres lost $10.9 million, value dropped in 2020, according to Forbes

Lance Lysowski Dec 9, 2020 Updated 8 hrs ago 0

The value of the Buffalo Sabres reportedly dropped by 4% following a year in which the ’s 31 franchises were delivered a financial blow by the coronavirus pandemic.

Forbes ranked the Sabres as the 28th most valuable in the NHL with an estimated valuation of $385 million, down from $400 million in 2019, with an operating loss of $10.9 million – one of nine teams to encounter a double-digit loss in 2020.

According to Forbes, the average NHL team value dropped 2%, to $653 million, the first decline since 2001 and league revenue fell 14% after the cancellation of regular-season games. Operating income was down 68% and the league’s five most valuable franchises, buoyed by lucrative local television contracts, accounted for almost 25% of the league revenue.

Forbes’ primary sources for the information are “teams, sports brokers, media consultants and public documents, like arena lease agreements and bond documents.” The valuations are calculated using equity plus net debt and include financials from each team’s arena deal.

The Sabres had six home games canceled in the 2019-20 season as a result of the pandemic and the team encountered a final salary-cap hit of $82,807,331 for the season, according to CapFriendly.com. purchased the franchise in 2011 for $189 million and, according to Forbes, has a current net worth of $5.1 billion.

According to a study by sports business publication Sportico.com in August, the Bills are valued at $2.15 billion.

Buffalo News LOADED: 12.10.2020 1180547 Buffalo Sabres Larsson

Okposo

Sam Reinhart on the Sabres’ third line? Here’s how that possibly could 11:37 work 12:49

12:04 By John Vogl Dec 9, 2020 17 The only forward in the NHL to average more even-strength minutes than Eichel was Winnipeg’s at 18:15. Reinhart ranked 10th in the league. Krueger wanted those two out there as much as possible, Proposing line combinations is fun … with good reason.

Until I suggest a balanced attack that doesn’t have Sam Reinhart next to Olofsson, Johansson and Skinner skated between 14 and 15 minutes per Jack Eichel or . Once that happens, the response is quick and night, which ranged from 73rd to 115th in the NHL but was still two or emphatic. three minutes fewer than Eichel.

“Reinhart is not a third-line player!” Though Larsson was commonly referred to as the fourth-line center, he Of course he’s not. He’s been Buffalo’s No. 2 performer behind Eichel. actually ranked sixth on the team. His right winger, Okposo, got similar ice time to second- and third-line wingers Vesey and Sobotka. But it’s also intriguing to jot down lines that separate Eichel, Reinhart, and Jeff Skinner, the Sabres’ most potent weapons. The “third line” is where Krueger routinely lost faith. Sheary’s average of Theoretically, spreading out the offensive talent should make Buffalo 11:40 was his lowest since his rookie year and a huge drop from the harder to defend. 12:54 he skated during his first season in Buffalo. Lazar averaged 10:02, which was in the same ballpark as fellow third-line centers Evan So, how would that really work? If Reinhart wasn’t skating on the top line Rodrigues (10:13) and Casey Mittelstadt (10:59). with Eichel or the second line with Staal, how many minutes would he get per night? Putting Reinhart with that unit last season would have resulted in a dramatic reduction in ice time. There is only one season of Ralph Krueger’s coaching to study in Buffalo, but it shows he rode the hell out of Eichel and Reinhart, gave Of course, the third line deserved its reduced role. Vesey (18 points), nice minutes to the next-tier scorers, then used the rest equally. Sheary (16), Lazar (nine), Rodrigues (eight) and Mittelstadt (seven) totaled 58 even-strength points in a combined 226 games. Put another The Sabres dressed 22 forwards last season, ranging from Eichel’s way, they had 58 points in a combined 42 hours, 29 minutes, 52 seconds 17:57 of even-strength ice time per night to Dalton Smith’s 1:26. There of ice time. was also plenty of line shuffling as Jimmy Vesey, Conor Sheary, Rasmus Asplund and Dominik Kahun zigzagged from left wing to right and first Krueger rode the Eichel line because he had no choice. If the Sabres line to fourth. could get production from all lines, maybe the coach would spread the ice time more evenly. To break down Krueger’s usage of each line, here are the four units that best reflect last season: The first step toward doing that is improving the roster, which general manager accomplished. The key newcomers are Victor Olofsson-Jack Eichel-Sam Reinhart accustomed to large roles, as their minutes for last season and the previous three years attest. Jeff Skinner-Marcus Johansson-Vladimir Sobotka Taylor Hall Jimmy Vesey--Conor Sheary 15:30 Zemgus Girgensons-Johan Larsson-Kyle Okposo 15:55 And here is the average even-strength ice time for those players. Eric Staal Olofsson 14:10 Eichel 14:37 Reinhart Cody Eakin 14:56 12:17 17:57 12:36 17:07 Hall will remain an even-strength ice-time leader. Though he’s never Skinner been over the 17-minute mark like Eichel and Reinhart, he’s topped 16 Johansson minutes in six of his 10 seasons.

Sobotka Staal’s average of 14:10 last year was the third lowest of his career, topping just his rookie season of 2003-04 (12:34) and his breakout 14:00 campaign in 2005-06 (13:23). But the number is almost equal to Johansson’s usage last season, so Staal should easily slide right into the 14:22 second-line role. 12:36 The big change for Buffalo can come from Eakin. While Lazar, Rodrigues Vesey and Mittelstadt were sub-11-minute guys, Eakin has shown he can handle 12-plus per night. If his stats warrant those minutes, it changes Lazar the Sabres’ dynamic and would give more ice time to a “third-line” winger like Reinhart. Sheary Let’s look at a few potential scenarios. 12:28 In the first, Reinhart remains on the first line and we’ll change the names 10:02 but not the minutes. We’ll assume rookie Dylan Cozens is ready to serve 11:40 as Staal’s wingman. joins the mix.

Girgensons Hall Eichel 11:00

Reinhart 10:00

14:56 11:00

17:57 The top line, featuring the fans’ choice of Olofsson on the right side, still gets the yeoman’s share. Eichel loses about 30 seconds but would rank 17:07 seventh in the NHL. Hall is 30 seconds above his career average. Skinner Olofsson remains the same.

Staal The second line gets the same minutes as last season’s trio.

Cozens The fourth line loses minutes. While Lazar gets a new role in place of Larsson, he keeps the same ice time as last season. Okposo skates one 14:00 fewer minute while about 30 seconds is trimmed from Girgensons’ average. 14:22 The third line benefits. Eakin stays at his career average but gets three 12:36 minutes more than Lazar did as the 3C. While Thompson gets similar Olofsson minutes to Vesey, Reinhart gets three minutes more than Sheary. It’s a two-minute drop for Reinhart from last season, but the 14:40 is just seven Eakin seconds shy of his career average.

Thompson Here’s another “third line” featuring Reinhart.

12:28 Hall

10:02 Eichel

11:40 Olofsson

Girgensons 16:30

Lazar 17:30

Okposo 15:00

11:37 Thompson

12:49 Staal

12:04 Cozens

The most notable drop belongs to Olofsson, who’d lose 2½ minutes per 12:30 game to Hall. Eakin would fall nearly three minutes below his career average. Lazar would get two minutes added to his daily log. 14:00

Now let’s look at a more balanced attack using the same pool of even- 13:00 strength minutes. Skinner Hall Eakin Eichel Reinhart Olofsson 14:00 16:30 13:00 17:30 14:40 15:00 Girgensons Skinner Lazar Staal Okposo Cozens 11:00 14:00 10:00 14:00 11:00 13:00 Staal maintains his second-line center spot, getting more ice time than Thompson Eakin. But the “third line” wingers see the ice more than the second line. So while Reinhart is technically a third-line player, he remains in the top Eakin four among forwards in ice time.

Reinhart The added minutes for Reinhart and Skinner come from four-on-four time or when Krueger overloads his lines in the closing shifts of periods, which 12:30 is what the coach did last season. The wingers can sidle next to Staal for 13:00 a few faceoffs, putting the Sabres’ top offensive performers on the ice.

14:40 So Reinhart is a third-line player, but then again he’s not.

Girgensons As long as the Sabres play to their offensive potential, Krueger will have more lineup flexibility than last season. He can spread out the minutes if Lazar he wants. Okposo And, if that doesn’t work, the coach knows he has top-line horses he can ride.

The Athletic LOADED: 12.10.2020 1180548 “It’s something I’ve wanted my entire career,” Prokop said after Wednesday’s announcement. “Being able to play in the National Hockey League was my dream growing up and being able to be one step closer Hitmen defenceman Luke Prokop signs first contract with Predators and have my name on a contract and being signed, it’s unreal knowing that I’m one step closer to living that dream.”

Calgary Sun: LOADED: 12.10.2020 Wes Gilbertson

As a kid, Luke Prokop remembers unwrapping a Nashville Predators jersey at Christmas. The name of one of his hockey idols, , was stitched on the back.

Well … this gift is even better.

After announcing his name in the third round of the 2020 NHL Draft, the Predators shipped Prokop a new jersey. His own name is on the back of this one.

The 18-year-old defenceman — born and raised in Edmonton and now patrolling the blue-line for the ’s — was wearing that sweater Wednesday when he signed an entry-level contract with his favourite-team-turned-future-employer.

“That moment that I’ll be able to step out onto the ice and put that jersey on will definitely be a moment that I’ll never forget,” he said.

A steady stay-at-home sort, Prokop registered four goals and 23 points in 59 outings with the Hitmen last season.

An imposing presence at 6-foot-4 and 217 lb., he was willing to switch rooting allegiances on draft day.

Turns out, that wouldn’t be necessary.

The Predators, with a reputation for finding and developing top-notch defenders, welcomed him to the fold at No. 73 overall in the virtual prospect pick-’em, a fit that Prokop described then as “something out of a storybook.”

“When the Olympics in Vancouver were going on (in 2010), I loved watching Canada and I really noticed and really liked to watch Shea Weber,” Prokop said of the former Predators stalwart, now the captain of the Montreal Canadiens. “And because we’re both big, right-handed D- men with a good , I looked at him as a role model for who I want to play like.

“And then growing up, afterwards, I would watch Nashville quite often and they just slowly became my favourite team, alongside Edmonton. I probably watched three-quarters of their games.”

Soon enough, he hopes to be playing in those games.

Prokop is expected to spend at least one more campaign with the Hitmen — the WHL had been targeting a Jan. 8 return to action, although that could certainly change with the current COVID-19 case numbers — before graduating to the pro level. Whenever the NHL drops the puck, he’ll continue to watch the Predators and try to learn from the likes of Roman Josi and Ryan Ellis.

Wednesday’s signing is just the latest pinch-me moment for this talented teen.

He also received a call from — yeah, that Wayne Gretzky — prior to the draft. (Turns out, Luke’s dad and Wayne’s brother are friends.)

“That was something very unexpected and something that’s been one of the best moments of my 2020,” Prokop said of his conversation with The Great One. “My dad got a phone call from some random number, answered the phone and then told me to come over and take the phone. And then I got on the phone, and it was Wayne Gretzky. He just wanted to wish me good luck and said it’s just one step in the process and just to take it all in. It was a really cool thing and something I won’t ever forget.”

He’ll always have fond memories, too, of scribbling his signature on his first NHL deal. His parents and agent were there to witness the special moment. 1180549 Chicago Blackhawks

Hawks one of NHL's most valuable teams despite COVID-19

by Scott King

On Wednesday, Forbes reported the value for every NHL franchise.

According to the piece, the league saw a decline overall for the first time in two decades with the average NHL team's value falling 2%, to $653 million. League revenue amounted to $4.4 billion during the 2019-20 season, 14% less than the previous year.

The losses aren't a big surprise as the COVID-19 pandemic forced the NHL to only play out 85% of its scheduled games and hold a postseason in just two locations (Edmonton and Toronto) without fans.

The Blackhawks' value, however, remains unchanged at $1.085 billion, making them the fourth most valuable organization in the NHL. The Hawks' have an operating income of $43.5 million according to Forbes.

The Montreal Canadiens (valued at $1.34 billion) came in at No. 3 in the rankings, with the Toronto Maple Leafs (valued at $1.5 billion) at No. 2, making the New York Rangers (valued at $1.65 billion) the most valuable NHL franchise.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 12.10.2020 1180550 Chicago Blackhawks 1.04 primary assists per 60 over the last two seasons is only second to Kane (1.08) on the Blackhawks and puts him in the top 20 in the league.

It’s no surprise Alex DeBrincat and Kane score more goals when on the Analyzing Dylan Strome’s value to the Blackhawks as contract resolution ice with Strome than away from him. Over the last two seasons, Kane looms has scored 1.49 goals per 60 and DeBrincat 1.14 while on the ice with Strome. We examined DeBrincat’s goal scoring earlier this offseason and how Strome impacts it. By Scott Powers Dec 9, 2020 36 Below, you can see what Corey Sznajder’s tracking data tells us. Strome creates opportunities off the pass. He attempts to carry the puck into the offensive zone at a high rate and is often successful. He doesn’t attempt The Blackhawks have one outstanding piece of offseason business: to exit the defensive zone as much himself, but he does often have Dylan Strome’s contract. success when he tries. It was put on hold like a number of restricted free agent discussions in Strome isn’t likely to ever become a big-time goal scorer. His 9.29 shot recent months. The Blackhawks qualified Strome before the deadline, attempts per 60 and 5.76 shots on goal puts him near the bottom of the and because Strome doesn’t have arbitration rights, the two sides have Blackhawks’ players. He does have a high 5-on-5 shooting percentage at been able to sit at a standstill. 13.89, but it’s difficult to foresee him shooting more than he does. His 0.8 With some recent signings and the NHL season starting to become more goals per 60 in 5-on-5 play with the Blackhawks is respectable and puts of a reality, it’s expected Strome and others in his situation will resume him about on par with (0.83). Toews’ overall numbers discussions with their teams soon. are better because he produces on the power play, penalty kill and in . “There have been some exchange of ideas, but no conclusion yet,” Strome’s agent, Pat Morris, said recently. “We’ll keep working away at it.” Strome doesn’t have a massive special teams value. He isn’t on the penalty kill. He played more on the top power-play unit during the 2018- The Blackhawks have about $5.2 million in cap space, according to Cap 19 season, but he wasn’t racking up points then. Kane, DeBrincat and Friendly. It can be a little more or less depending on who makes the Toews were mostly driving the production. With Kirby Dach’s emergence, opening roster. How much will the Blackhawks give to Strome? That’s it’s likely Strome remains on the second unit going forward. That means the unknown. They could play hardball with him and make him accept his his value is mostly in 5-on-5 play. qualifying offer for a year. It’s unlikely he’d sit out. Dach’s rise complicates Strome’s situation in a few ways. Strome was “He doesn’t have any leverage,” one league source said. previously seen as the second-line center behind Toews. With Dach coming on, ice time becomes harder to come by. If the 2020 playoffs The Blackhawks could also give him more than that and entice him to a were any indication of how Blackhawks coach wants to bridge deal. Part of the equation is whether the Blackhawks envision divide the ice time, Dach could be given the most 5-on-5 ice time among Strome being a piece of the puzzle in the years to come. If Strome puts the centers and then Toews and Strome get about the same. Toews’ up similar numbers next season, he would have a strong case in or out of overall ice time will be made up on special teams. In the playoffs, Strome arbitration for a pay increase. averaged 12:18 of 5-on-5 ice time and 14:25 overall. Toews was at 12:15 As we wait to see how his negotiations play out, it seemed like a good in 5-on-5 and 18:41 overall. time to take a deep dive into what Strome brings the Blackhawks. Colliton will also have to figure out where to put Strome on a line. Strome What Strome does at an elite level is create offense. has mostly played center with the Blackhawks, but he’s also had stretches at wing. He played some with Artem Anisimov during the 2018- When he’s on the ice, the Blackhawks tend to score more goals than 19 season, and there wasn’t much upside to that. It didn’t change allow — over the last two seasons, he’s been on the ice for 90 goals for Strome’s analytics much. But when Colliton put Strome on the wing with and 76 against in 5-on-5 play (all numbers found on Natural Stat Trick). Dach last season, Strome’s numbers improved. In 180:19 of 5-on-5 ice Only has a greater on-ice goals percentage among the time with Dach, Strome had an expected goals against average of 2.21 players who have been on the team both seasons. per 60 minutes. He was at 2.64 for the season. His expected goals percentage was 49.84 with Dach and 44.84 away from him. Considering Below is a look at the on-ice numbers this past season. Kane is the Dach and Strome also had an actual goals percentage of 57.14 together, Blackhawks player furthest to the right in the “Good” zone. Kane was on there’s a lot of evidence Strome benefited from playing with a better the ice for an average of 3.1 goals for per 60 minutes and 2.16 against. defensive center. Just to Kane’s left is Strome, whose numbers were 2.96 for and 2.22 against. The assumption is Dach and Kane will play together more this season. Strome could be the wing to that line, but it’s likely Colliton wants to keep Eight Blackhawks last season were on the ice for more goals for than Strome together with at least DeBrincat and spread out the offense against in 5-on-5 play (min. 20 games). Calvin de Haan had the highest throughout the lineup. Newcomer Lucas Wallmark might make sense percentage at 63.33 and was followed by Kane (59.0), Strome (57.14), alongside Strome and DeBrincat. Wallmark can play center or wing and Erik Gustafsson (54.35), Adam Boqvist (53.57), Kirby Dach (53.23), is defensively responsible. Wallmark had a 50.1 faceoff winning Brandon Saad (53.03), Slater Koekkoek (52.94) and Dominik Kubalik percentage last season compared to Strome’s 47.7. If Andrew Shaw is (51.04). able to play, he could be an option on that line as well. Pius Suter and Strome probably won’t ever be beloved by the analytics community. His Mattias Janmark could be in the discussion, too. expected goals percentage doesn’t often reflect his actual percentage — Putting all of Strome’s numbers into perspective, Evolving-Hockey has his 47.14 this past season was 10 points lower than his actual him at 18.8 Goals Above Replacement (GAR) and 3.5 Wins Above percentage. In the 2018-19 season, his expected goals percentage was Replacement (WAR) with the Blackhawks over the last two seasons. 43.08 while his actual goals percentage was 52.43. That well exceeds the expected GAR of 9.4 and expected WAR of 1.7. Strome is the type of player who will probably continue to defy the Strome’s 2019-20 season had him at 4.7 GAR and 0.8 WAR, so they analytics. The Blackhawks tend to give up a lot of scoring chances when were lower than his 2018-19 season. Evolving-Hockey projects Strome to he’s on the ice. Opponents averaged 32.34 scoring chances per 60 get most likely a two-year contract with a $3.175 cap hit. minutes against the Blackhawks whenever Strome was on the ice in 5- The Athletic’s Dom Luszczyszyn’s model (see below) values Strome a bit on-5 play the last two seasons. That’s among the league’s worst ratios more. Luszczyszyn had him with a 1.1 Game Score Value Added among all forwards over the last two seasons. On the other hand, the (GSVA). Luszczyszyn has Strome with a restricted free agent value of Blackhawks also create scoring chances at a high rate (27.54) with around $3.5-$4 million. Strome on the ice, but, more importantly, they capitalize on those chances, which leads to a greater actual goals percentage. “So the range you’re looking at is where he fits in the middle six, whether that’s second line or third line based on those two numbers,” The reason the Blackhawks score more goals than give up with Strome Luszczyszyn said. “GSVA says low end second liner, GAR high end third on the ice is a combination of his passing ability and his linemates’ liner.” scoring abilities. Strome is one of the top distributors in the league. His That makes sense. With the Blackhawks, Strome is somewhere between a second- or third-line player. He can move up and down the lineup and play with various players, but his overall value is probably somewhere in that range.

Will that actually translate into what the Blackhawks offer Strome? We should know soon.

The Athletic LOADED: 12.10.2020 1180551

Forbes’ NHL valuations has Avalanche in 2% decline at $465 million

By MIKE CHAMBERS | [email protected] | The Post

The Avalanche’s worth declined 2% and was valued at $465 million in Forbes’ annual “The Business of Hockey,” which was released Wednesday.

Because of the pandemic, the NHL’s average team decline was 2%, to $653 million, the first decline since 2001.

Colorado’s revenue was $115 million but with an operating income of negative $10 million, according to the report. The Avs were 22nd in team worth among the 31-team NHL, one spot behind the Stanley Cup-winning Tampa Bay Lightning, which failed to collect more than $20 million from each of the two previous Cup winners by winning the championship in a bubble without fans.

The NHL played just 85% of the 2019-20 regular season with fans, before suspending play March 12 because of the coronavirus crisis.

Total revenue for the league was $4.4 billion last season, 14% less than 2018-19.

Forbes wrote that “the league’s five most valuable teams — New York Rangers ($1.65 billion), Toronto Maple Leafs ($1.5 billion), Montreal Canadiens ($1.34 billion), Chicago Blackhawks ($1.085 billion) and Boston Bruins ($1 billon) — accounted for almost a quarter of the league’s revenue. Without them, the league would have lost $50 million.”

Denver Post: LOADED: 12.10.2020 1180552 Colorado Avalanche JS: My roommate, Danny Lambert. I had him stalk her for me. (Laughs.) It took a little bit of courting, but it’s been great. I’ve been lucky there. was a special place for me. It not only helped me get to my Simply Super: From the beginnings of Mile High Sports through today, NHL career, but more important, it’s where I met my wife. Joe Sakic has maintained excellence TF: The horrible Swift Current downside was the December 1986 team bus accident that killed four of your teammates – Trent Kresse, Scott Kruger, Chris Mantyka and Brent Ruff. They were playing cards in the By Terry Frei - December 9, 2020 back. You were 17. To what extent does that still scar and affect you?

JS: You never forget. It was a horrific time for everybody that was involved, and the families. The whole city of Swift Current and all of us EDITOR’S NOTE: Colorado Avalanche executive vice president and had tough times trying to overcome that. The support of everybody in general manager Joe Sakic long has been one of the marquee name Swift Current, the whole hockey community and everybody in the constants on the Colorado sports scene. For Mile High Sports Western Hockey League, was terrific and you really appreciate how Magazine’s 200th issue, we asked Denver journalist and author Terry caring everybody was, going through something like that. Frei – another constant, who has covered the Avalanche off and on for the team’s 25-year stay in Denver – to chat with Sakic about his time in TF: I won’t drag you through all of this again, but as I remember it, you Colorado … and, as it turned out, more. were up front?

Terry Frei: In August 2002, when Mile High Sports Magazine debuted, it JS: I was sitting up front with . All the windows was a little over a year since the Avalanche’s second Stanley Cup shattered. We just walked out the front part of the window. championship and you had just been eliminated in seven games by the Red Wings after being up 3-2 in the Western Conference Finals. As you TF: You were ’s first-round draft choice in 1987 and joined the look back on that, was that a lost opportunity? Should the Avalanche had Nordiques in 1988. We’ll be nice and say there were some lean years. won the Cup more times than it did during your tenure as a player? But you were known as the “Croatian Sensation” and it sounds like a fun time. Was that a good place to start your NHL career? It’s not in the Joe Sakic: When we look back now, it’s like we left a couple on the table. spotlight as much as Toronto, it’s not Montreal, yet you’re in a hockey- That year, we lose Game 6 at home to Detroit. We lose two Game 7s to crazy city. Dallas [in 1999 and 2000]. We won two Stanley Cups, but when we talk about it now, we had some real good teams. But, you know, we lost to JS: It was amazing. It was such a great hockey town. As a kid, I followed some real good teams, too. There were three or four teams then in that the Montreal-Quebec rivalry and maybe it was because of the jerseys, I mix – us, Detroit, Dallas, New Jersey – and it could have gone to any of don’t know, but I was cheering for the Nordiques. My dad was for them. But we certainly feel with the teams that we had – well, I shouldn’t Montreal and a lot of people around us were Montreal fans. Not me. I get greedy, but we should have at least had one more. was always for the Nordiques, even before they drafted me. When I got there, it was the only sport in town, in a small city. Unfortunately, it took TF: Do you still see Adam Deadmarsh hitting the post in the final us a little while to get good. Even though we were rebuilding and all seconds against Dallas in your sleep sometimes? those lean years, the support we had was amazing. The Colisee was packed every game. It didn’t go well on the ice all the time, but talk about JS: Every once in a while. (Laughs.) That was a long time ago, but yeah, an environment to get you up for every game. It was such a fun building that was the close call. Everyone always says it’s a game of inches, and to play in. it certainly was that time. TF: Did you have someone getting one of the Colisee’s famous hot dogs TF: Okay, time to activate the flux capacitor. They don’t call you “Burnaby for you between periods? That time the Avs played the exhibition there, Joe” for no reason. What was it like to grow up there, outside Vancouver, asked me to get a dozen for the boys at the morning skate. as the son of Croatian immigrants and speaking Croatian at home? Your And the concession stands were open for the open morning skates. dad, Marijan, was a carpenter and fisherman who had ridden to Canada in steerage from what now is Croatia, and your mother came over JS: I had a lot of hot dogs there … but not between periods. separately. TF: It was a young and developing team, as you’ve noted. You became JS: It was great. Great city, I had a lot of great friends, and I was playing full-time captain at 23. You’ve talked about getting sage advice along the hockey. As a kid, I couldn’t have asked for anything more. Geez, I didn’t way from a couple of older teammates headed for the Hall of Fame – start learning English until kindergarten. But you pick it up pretty quick. Peter Stastny and . You all knew what Peter had gone through to get to the NHL, defecting from Czechoslovakia. TF: Where did hockey fit in? I know you told me many times your dad hammered away at the need for a work ethic, and that it showed on the JS: Peter, what a great leader! When he spoke, everybody listened. He ice. was stubborn, he was hard-headed. He was great for me to learn from. And then to watch him play, to see how good he was and what a JS: When my dad came over, he had to watch “” competitor he was. He would say you have tough times, you never quit, like everybody else. And then I remember when I was a young kid — I you do your part. You have to get ready to play every night. You can’t think I was about 4 — he took me to a Canucks game, and just being in take anything for granted. And when he was traded to New Jersey in my the Pacific Coliseum up in the nosebleeds did it for me. Maybe it was just second year, I remember him saying, “You know what, this is your team the atmosphere. I just felt I wanted to play it. It just took one game. Then now. Lead.” It meant a lot coming from him. Peter loved . He he took me power skating and I started playing at about 6. I watched the loved that team. It was pretty hard for him to go. And Guy Lafleur, he did Canucks every chance I could. It wasn’t like now with every game on TV. that to me on the back of the bus one time. It was in our 12-win season. It was Wednesday or Saturday. He said, “Kid, don’t worry about anything. You’re going to be here a long TF: So you head off to –a long way from home – to play time. A lot of these guys won’t be. You have to stay positive, not worry major junior for the . How challenging was that for and play your game and not worry about anything else.” a young kid, especially in your situation? TF: I’m laughing because I’m seeing Guy Lafleur talking to you on the JS: I knew it was great opportunity. I got “listed” by Lethbridge []. back of the bus. I’m assuming he was smoking a cigarette at the time? They didn’t have a bantam draft then, you just got listed. I was excited to JS: Noooo, not on the back of the bus. But between periods? Yes. go and played there the last three games of one season, and then they moved to Swift Current. I was excited to go. It didn’t matter that I was TF: Flash forward. You’ve played seven seasons in Quebec City. The going to the prairies. I just wanted to play hockey and get to that next Nordiques have made progress. You hear the franchise is going to be level. sold and moved to Denver. You’re the captain of a team moving 2,000 miles. What were you expecting and how did it compare to what you TF: How’d you meet your wife, Debbie, in Swift Current? found? JS: School. I think it was in the first week. I met her in the hallway. JS: We had such a good fan base in Quebec and felt for everybody TF: You’re not the most talkative guy in the world, even now. How’d that there. I think [Nordiques owner] Marcel Aubut and [GM] Pierre Lacroix happen? called me in May, right around the time we finished in the playoffs. I think we all visited Denver the July 4 weekend to look around and check out TF: Have any agents or players thrown that back in your face during McNichols Arena at that initial kickoff. We didn’t even have a name yet. negotiations? We were pretty amazed with the city, flying in and seeing the mountains. Actually, we had played an – I think it was 1990 – JS: (Laughs.) Yeah, every once in a while, they talk about my offer sheet. against the Kings at McNichols Arena. So, I’d been there before. But I say, “Hey, different times.” when we got here, we were excited, and we knew we had a young team TF: Plus, it underscores to both sides of the table that, hey, it’s a and a good team. We were coming here to get to the next level after business. losing in the first round as the No. 1 seed. Now, we heard that the fans were excited, but we didn’t realize what it would be like right from day JS: Yes, and we’ll see where everything goes now. one. I think we had one non-sellout that first year and that was because TF: You alluded to the two Game 7 losses to Dallas in 1999 and 2000, there was a foot of snow at gametime against Calgary [on November 1]. but now we come to the magical 2000-01 season. Personally, you win With all that excitement and us being a new group, it was an amazing everything that season but an Oscar and a Tony – the Hart, Lester season. Pearson and Lady Byng. You beat ’s St. Louis Blues in TF: That December, Pierre Lacroix – who had gone from player agent to the conference final and come back from down 3-2 against the Devils to GM – made the trade for his former client, . Did you look at win the final two games and the series. But let’s do this first. Before you him as the final piece? You, , Adam Foote, Val Kamensky, get to those last two games, what was that season like? … and now a peerless goaltender? JS: Both personally and team-wise, what a run we had. It started right at JS: We really believed that was the last piece, yeah. And Pierre had just training camp, and I think it was who set it up. Bob [Hartley] got Claude, who’d just won the Conn Smythe for the Devils. As much as asked all the players, “What would be your goal?” We knew we wanted to you hated to see Owen Nolan leave in the trade for Sandis Ozolinsh, win the Stanley Cup. But I remember Chris saying – the year before we Sandis was the dynamic D-man we needed. He led rushes, he was so lost some games to teams we should have beat, and it cost us home ice good with the puck, and that added that element. And then you get – he said our goal is to have home ice throughout the playoffs. And we arguably the greatest goalie of all time? We all knew that Detroit was a did that. And I remember Pierre telling Patrick, myself and that pretty amazing team that year, too, though. we all had been unrestricted free agents, and when we signed, the expectation was to win the Cup. No promises after that. We knew what TF: What’s memorable to you about that playoff run – Vancouver, our mission was. Ray (Bourque) came back, we won a lot of games, we Chicago, the beginning of the blood feud with Detroit, then the almost were consistent throughout. I mean, we had just lost two Game 7s in a anticlimactic sweep of Florida? row, the next time you better just get it done.

JS: Everybody knows what happened against Detroit. That was amazing TF: Patrick is heroic in Game 6 at New Jersey and the series comes and it started the rivalry, but they were all tough series until the Final. We back to Denver. scores twice and you win 3-1. I consider it were close to going back to Vancouver down 3-2. We rallied and won in and the Broncos’ transformative win over the Raiders in the January overtime, then won a close one in Vancouver. I though the Chicago 1978 AFC title game to be the greatest single games here in Colorado series might have been the best series, the most entertaining series that sports history. That was before your time, I know … we as an organization played in. It was six games, but four overtime games. JS: (Laughs.) I don’t remember that game, Terry.

TF: And Ozolinsh did not trip . TF: Remind me to get you a book. But what so many remember as the crowning moment and even a summation of what you’re about was your JS: (Laughs.) It’s only a penalty if they call it. Those were the good days touch pass of the Stanley Cup to and you watching him when they pretty much let everything go anyway. That’s what made raising it overhead first. How long had you thought about what you did playoff hockey so exciting. We won in six, but wow, what a tough series. and why did you decide to do it? And so entertaining. And then to go and play Detroit, which won 62 games, and leaving the Joe up 2-0 in the series, things were going pretty JS: It was probably on the plane ride on the way home after Game 6. I good for us. just went up to Ray and said, “Hey, we have a …” He cut me off and said, “No, no, no.” He was superstitious. I wasn’t a superstitious guy. I TF: Then the sweep of the Rats … I mean, Panthers. What was it like to was like, “All right.” But when we won, I knew Ray was getting the Cup raise the Stanley Cup that first time and become Colorado’s first major- first. After the game, I really didn’t know what I was going to do, other league champions? What I remember was everyone – players, families – than he was going to be the next to have the Cup. Once we won, I guess jammed into that little locker room in the Miami Arena and celebrating like it was the moment, there he was. I didn’t think about it, I just handed it you didn’t want to leave. over to him as quick as I could. (Laughs.) If it was the very first time I had JS: To win your very first one and lift the Cup over your head, that’s what won it, he probably wouldn’t have had it. I would have made sure I lifted it you dreamed of as kids. And you hear, because we had lost some playoff up first. If he was there in 1995-96, there was no way I would have done series at Quebec, we heard we were a young team, that we don’t know that. I have to come clean. how to win. We were changing cities. It was a new environment. And win TF: Are you amazed about how many people remember that as perhaps a Stanley Cup? It was a relief to achieve what every hockey player the defining moment of your career? wants. It was a thrill. It was everything. JS: Yeah, a lot of people bring it up as the favorite thing they saw. I didn’t TF: You can correct me if I’m wrong, but I thought your best team was really think of it like that. It was, “Here’s a guy who has played for 22 the next year, 1996-97, when you won the Presidents’ Trophy but lost to years, a legend of the game, and in the entire playoffs, everybody’s the Red Wings in the conference final. It was like you each won the rooting for him.” I just felt it was the right thing to do. “wrong” year. Patrick’s theory always was you got too concerned with and distracted by the rivalry boiling over that season. TF: You played until 2009, when you were 39. You struggled with injuries the last two years. Any regret on retiring when you did? Too soon? Too JS: I’m not sure. We were deep, we fell short, but I guess you could late? argue that. I guess we ran out of gas and it was Detroit’s turn to do to us what we did to them the year before. JS: The year before I retired, I had hernia surgery and I was contemplating retiring that year. I just kind of thought, “Time’s running TF: After that, you signed the offer sheet with the Rangers. Three years, out, I’d like to go out on top,” and I didn’t know if I wanted to come back. I $21 million. Constructed to make it difficult for the cash-starved started training in the summer. By the time I got to August it was, “I’ve Avalanche ownership to match. Did you want to go to New York? Did you already trained all summer so I might as well give it one more year.” But expect to go to New York? my back just kept going out. I’d come back, play a game, play a couple of JS: I was kind of, “Let the chips fall where they may.” If the Avalanche shifts. I remember a game about Thanksgiving. I turned one way and the didn’t match, I was more than prepared and ready to go to the Rangers. hernia just exploded. I knew I was going to be done, but I was hoping I It would have been an exciting time. I would have had a chance to play could come back and finish the year. I knew then it was my last year. with Wayne Gretzky and play in New York. But the Avalanche matched, TF: After you retired, what went into the decision to stay in Denver? Why and I was excited about that, too. I had a chance to finish my career here not go back to B.C.? You didn’t join the Avalanche front office for two and I loved Denver. It worked out really well for me and my family. At the years. time, I’d only been here two years, though. JS: I never thought about moving back. The kids were here, I was going JS: We weren’t going at it, but we threw concepts at each other all the to enjoy life and go skiing. The boys were playing hockey, my daughter time. I remember telling him after that year (2015-16), “You’re coming was doing her thing, dance and gymnastics and things like that. Deb and back,” from my end, and he was fine. I guess he had a change of mind I never thought about moving. It was too easy to stay. We loved Denver. later in the summer. But no, we might not have agreed on everything The kids had their friends. We had our friends. personnel-wise, but I kind of felt at that point we needed a rebuild. For two years, we tried to do a quick fix, just trying to keep our team at a TF: I went out to see you coach with your son’s team at a practice, and certain level and trying to make the playoffs. That’s when the difference you were just Coach Joe to those kids. in where we needed to go came in. That year he retired, we knew we JS: Yeah, it was nice. They already forgot. (Laughs.) It didn’t take long. weren’t going to be very good and we had to start to try and rebuild, from But, no, I enjoyed those two years, just coaching the kids. No stress. No my point of view. We did have a difference of opinion on that. I wanted to pressure. Then Pierre gave me a call and asked if I wanted to go to a start rebuilding and he wanted to try and help that team move forward. I league board of governors meeting to see if it was something I’d like to understand that. You want to win every year and every game. My vision consider. I took him up on the offer and tried to learn about the business was to more get through that year and let the younger guys step in here. side. I started with the executive vice president title. I haven’t looked TF: Were you blindsided by his resignation? Did you have any indication back. Pierre gave me a great opportunity. I think over time, you miss the it was coming? competitiveness. You miss the game. People always said, “Don’t stay out of the game too long.” And I didn’t. JS: I wasn’t expecting that call August 11. It wouldn’t have surprised me in June, around draft time. I’d rather that than have him come into TF: Was it always pre-ordained that at some point you were going to go training camp without his mind right, so it worked out, no problem. into NHL management? Or did it take Pierre’s phone call? TF: How did it affect your friendship? JS: I had calls from people asking me what I was doing, and I’d say, “Nothing … but loving it.” I didn’t have any intention of going back in the JS: I haven’t talked to him in a little while. But we got together later that game after I retired. I was going to travel and enjoy my kids. But the year. When you go through things together as players, when you get game sucked me back. back together, it’s like it was when you were players. There’s no animosity. I know he’s going to get another NHL job soon. I still consider TF: You mentioned Pierre. He wasn’t a hockey guy in the sense of being him a good friend and obviously a great teammate. a former player and coming up through the ranks that way. What did you learn from him? TF: After hiring , you seemed prepared to perhaps struggle that next season, but how tough did it turn out to be? Forty-eight points JS: Just seeing how he handled himself as a general manager. He while scraping the salary cap ceiling. wasn’t a player, but he was an agent, so he knew everything about the game. He knew where the players were coming from, so I think it helped JS: We actually got off to a decent start. We were 9-9 and it just derailed him being an agent and coming into the management side. It was just when Semyon Varlamov went out. You need a No. 1 goalie to mask watching his demeanor. He was so passionate about what he did. He some flaws. When he went out, you couldn’t mask them. The league was always did say that everything stays within the group. The quieter you getting faster and we weren’t. It was a really, really miserable year, but are, the more things you can do. You never heard anything from him. I’d we got through it and we started our rebuild. It was nice at the end of that like to think that’s a good way to run your team. And I don’t think you year to get some young guys to come in. We didn’t win many games want to talk too much about conversations with other GMs. It’s got to be down the stretch, but we felt like things are going to get better here. quiet. It’s best for your teams and your players if it’s not out there, going public on everything you’re trying to do. TF: Have the past three playoff seasons been the payoff for that rebuild?

TF: During that semi-internship period, you went into the Hall of Fame in JS: In that ‘17-18 season, I think the guys could see we had youthful 2012. Stanley Cup, individual awards, an Olympic Gold medal. Now this. energy. It took us to the last game of the year to get in the playoffs, but we did it. It took a little weight off shoulders. If you can have good JS: It was a culmination of my whole career. Walking in and being there chemistry, excitement, and with players sticking up for one another and for the festivities of the whole event, and then I can tell you that when believing in one another, that adds a lot. you’re getting your speech ready, you’re really nervous. But seeing that wall with all the Hall of Famers and seeing your plaque among them, TF: Lost to Nashville in the first round in 2018. Lost to San Jose in the your childhood idols growing up, and now you’re one of them. second round in 2019, and in the Edmonton bubble lost under bizarre and trying circumstances to Dallas in the Western Conference Finals this TF: In 2013, you and Patrick sign on as teammates again. You’re the year. Of course, you had injuries and were down to your third goaltender GM, he’s the coach coming in from major junior with a VP title. at the end.

JS: I knew Patrick was the next one coming up, being ready to be a JS: I know it was disappointing. The guys understand injuries, but there coach, move out of junior and move to the NHL. That was his goal and I are some that are tougher to overcome than others, and when your two thought for our organization, it was a perfect fit. He did a tremendous job. goalies are both injured, that’s difficult. But I’ll say the guys in our He’s a passionate man and we knew we needed a little passion in our dressing room always believe they’re going to win. No one ever quit. It’s organization at that time. You saw what happened that first year. an impressive group of guys. Hopefully we can stay away from injuries next season and take the next step from where we were this year. TF: Startling turnaround, from second-worst in the NHL in 2013 to 112 points in 2013-14, and Patrick wins the Adams Trophy. Nathan TF: Your stamp as a GM the last couple of years especially seems to be MacKinnon wins the Calder. We all thought it was going to be happily solid, augmenting moves rather than big free-agent signings. Is that the ever after. thinking with trading for winger Brandon Saad from the Blackhawks and defenseman Devon Toews from the Islanders? JS: During that year, that’s what you’re thinking, for sure. Like, “This is easy.” But you look back, it was an incredible run. We came back in a lot JS: I have a great staff with my scouts and Chris MacFarland and we’re of games, pull the goalie with four minutes left and tie it and get points. It always trying to get better. The big thing is the salary cap. We know was just a consistent performance from everybody. I still [can’t] believe what’s coming. We know we have to pay our guys, so we don’t want to Semyon Varlamov didn’t win the Vezina or maybe Hart that year; he was handcuff ourselves with the big long-term signings. We felt we needed so good. He’d keep us in it, and we’d find a way to battle back. Looking another D-man, we needed another scorer, and the best way to back going into that summer, maybe we thought we were farther ahead accomplish that for what was out there was to see if we could do it trade- than we were. But that first year was pretty remarkable. wise rather than go for the splash. And we’re there. We’re pretty much a cap team this year and especially now with the flat cap, it makes it a lot TF: With his VP title, Patrick envisioned it as being a partnership and more difficult. having a voice in the player procurement. You didn’t make the playoffs the next two years, but Patrick was “safe,” until he shocked us all by TF: The core’s in place with MacKinnon, Mikko Rantanen, Cale Makar, resigning in the middle of the offseason. He made it clear he didn’t Gabe Landeskog. believe he was having enough input. Did you sense or know of his dissatisfaction with that before it boiled over? Were you going at it behind JS: We love our core. We want to build around that and accomplish our the scenes? goals. TF: Nathan MacKinnon now is one of the best – or maybe even the best – players in the NHL. The irony is you took him No.1 overall in a year when nobody available was considered that rare “generational” talent, but after some ups and downs, he’s become one.

JS: No one competes like him. The way he’s wired, the way he works off the ice, takes care of himself, he wants to be one of the best ever. So, it’s not a surprise. I just think when we drafted him, we saw the way he skates with the power that he can take it to another level. Unbelievably strong skater, a powerful player.

TF: But was there ever a point where you were giving up on him becoming that kind of dominant player?

JS: No. You have to learn the league a little bit. He’s a student of the game and would watch different clips, learn to change the pace and give himself a little more room out there. He’s done everything with that and he’s going to continue to do that because that’s how he’s wired.

TF: And your coach? You’re in a league that treats coaches as easily disposable. After that awful first year, albeit under trying circumstances following Patrick’s departure, you stuck with Jared Bednar and didn’t make him the scapegoat during some ups and downs since. Why?

JS: I think he’s the right coach for us. I think he’s a super person who works extremely hard. He’s trying to get better all the time at making adjustments. I just think for our group, and our core, he’s the right guy. I’ve never believed in hiring and firing coaches just to do it. There are times you have to make tough decisions. I get that. But for me, I’d rather work through things and try to accomplish things as a group. That’s coaches and players together.

TF: Here we are, in November. It’s uncertain going forward on so many fronts. What’s your view as you look forward to next season, trying to make plans?

JS: We’re just kind of waiting to see. Our team’s set, ready to go. We’re just waiting to be told when we’re going to go and what it’s going to look like. We’re like everyone else, hoping we can start sooner than later. I know January 1 is the date they have tentatively set right now to start the season and hopefully that can work. And hopefully at some point we’ll be able to play with fans and full buildings and have playoffs here in the with fans behind us. We’re just waiting.

TF: Last question. Everybody wants to know the answer to this one. Do you hire somebody else to use the snowblower now?

JS: (Laughs.) No, I have it ready to go for the next snow.

Joe Sakic is a two-time Stanley Cup champion, a three-time First-Team NHL All-Star, winner of the , the , the Lester B. Pearson Award, the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy and NHL Foundation Player Award. This issue marks the sixth time Sakic has appeared on the cover of Mile High Sports Magazine. milehighsports.com LOADED: 12.10.2020 1180553 Columbus Blue Jackets The biggest hurdle, however, appears to be cleared. Financial issues won’t block the path, which is a huge step forward for those hoping to watch or play this winter.

NHL, NHLPA reportedly making progress in talks about playing “This is hockey season,” Foligno said. “The summer is not hockey shortened 2020-21 season season. I’m sorry. This is hockey season, so the fans are excited for that opportunity to start cheering, especially with the weather changing the way it is. Training’s great, but I am done. I want to get on the ice and Brian Hedger play.”

Columbus Dispatch LOADED: 12.10.2020 Blue Jackets captain Nick Foligno said NHL players are ready to get the season going and are waiting on the next move from the team owners.

Nick Foligno has a lot in common with hockey fans.

The Blue Jackets’ captain wants to play as badly as fans want to watch, but he and other NHL players also want a 2020-21 season to be conducted according to a deal the league and NHL Players' Association reached in July to extend the collective bargaining agreement.

That’s why players stood firm when the NHL reportedly suggested further salary deferrals to get the 2020-21 season going amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Well, I mean, actions speak louder than words,” Foligno told The Dispatch last week, when asked if he felt optimistic about a season being played. “I’d like the league to step up and show us that’s a possibility, you know? I don’t want to sound too blunt, but the reality is we’re ready to play. I think all players are ready to play. We’re waiting on them to tell us when to show up to camp.”

This week brought good news on that front.

According to multiple reports, the league and NHLPA are making significant progress in talks for a season that both sides hope will open Jan. 13 and will include 56 games before the start in late spring.

Sparking the momentum was the league’s decision to stop pushing for further salary deferral, which one player who spoke with The Dispatch termed a “non-starter.”

According to a memorandum of understanding between the league and NHLPA in July, the NHL’s salary cap would stay at $81.5 million for 2020-21 and wouldn’t increase until hockey-related revenue returns to the $4.8 billion the league had projected for 2019-20. The pandemic ate into that amount greatly and put players in a precarious spot in regard to a 50/50 split of hockey-related revenue with owners that’s stipulated in the CBA.

Escrow is how the league assures the even split with players, whose combined salaries eat more than 50 percent of hockey-related revenue per season. A percentage of each player’s paychecks is placed into an escrow account for the specific purpose of paying owners back at the end of each season, with any leftover amount returned to the players.

According to the memorandum of understanding, escrow percentages are now capped in decreasing amounts over the CBA’s remaining six years – starting at 20 percent for 2020-21. Players also agreed to forego their final paychecks last season, putting that $140 million total toward their 50/50 escrow debt to owners, and they agreed to defer 10 percent of their 2020-21 salaries and bonuses – to be paid back in equal amounts in 2024, 2025 and 2026.

In exchange, players made gains in other areas that included avoiding a cap on signing bonuses, gaining a $50,000 raise in minimum annual salary (to $750,000), increasing their post-career health subsidy and regaining the right to compete in the next two Olympics.

According to recent reports, the NHL wanted players to defer an additional 13 percent of their salaries for 2020-21, on top of the 10 percent already being deferred. The NHLPA reportedly replied to the NHL’s request this week with its own request to amend parts of the CBA, which the league declined to do.

That led to the end of financial discussions and prompted the two sides to focus on solutions for other hurdles instead – including short-term division realignment and whether to use hub cities for all or part of the season. The rising number of COVID-19 infections in the U.S. and parts of Canada are also being monitored. 1180554 Detroit Red Wings get to know his players before making the decision. In May, Yzerman said he anticipated naming a captain before the 2020-21 season, but that was before it became clear the season would have to start without fans With NHL season on horizon, Detroit Red Wings face mountain of at games. Will that affect the decision? questions “Steve and I talked about it at that time,” Blashill said. “We haven’t had that conversation in a little bit, so I would just leave that statement sit as it was.” Helene St. James The team held news conferences when Yzerman was named captain in 1986, and again when was named captain in 2013. For Nicklas Lidstrom, he was announced as the new captain on opening was at his office at , eager to turn the night in 2006, drawing a standing ovation. conversation from theory to practice. Better depth “I can’t wait till we have a game to talk about,” he said Wednesday. The 2021 Wings will look different than the team that finished last season He has about another month to wait before the pandemic-shortened 17-49-5. There are fresh faces in forwards Vladislav Namestnikov and 2021 NHL season will get underway, at which point it will have been 10 Bobby Ryan; defensemen Marc Staal, Troy Stecher and Jon Merrill; and months since the Detroit Red Wings last played. Wings players have goaltender Thomas Greiss. been skating at LCA for about 10 days, and Blashill and his assistants tend to their work in the coaches' offices. One of the issues that plagued the Wings last season was they basically had one scoring line. Anthony Mantha spent six weeks recovering from a While the NHL and the NHL Players Association have agreed on punctured lung, and if it wasn’t him sitting in sick bay, it was Zadina or finances, there’s still much more to sort out before the training camp Andreas Athanasiou, who was traded to Edmonton in February. begins in late December. “We hope there are guys who find their scoring touch, or new guys to add Here are highlights from Blashill’s interview with the Free Press. to it,” Blashill said. “What I know for sure is, we need more out of each Shorter season, same challenge line. We certainly cannot be a one-line team and expect to win. Part of that is I have to make sure I give opportunity to the other lines — According to reports from Canadian sports sites TSN and Sportsnet, the opportunity generally means ice time — to go out and win their shifts and aim is to stage a 56-game season. Travel restrictions between the U.S. produce. and Canada will force geographical realignment, with the Wings expected to be in a division with Chicago, Columbus, Nashville, St. Louis, “The one thing I know we need more out of lines up front, and we need Florida and Tampa Bay. more depth offensively. Certainly we have ideas of how we’d like the lineup to go. But we have to be ready for the potential some of our guys “We talk about the importance of every single game, and that becomes not being available based on the obstacles we are going to face, the magnified when you’re in a season with not as many games,” Blashill obstacle behind the coronavirus.” said. “Our focus will continue to be on us to improve on a daily basis, and that doesn’t change if it 56 games, or 48 games, or 100 games. Our Detroit Free Press LOADED: 12.10.2020 focus will be on getting better every single day.”

[Predicting which young prospects Detroit Red Wings will be on team in 2021-22 ]

Who will be available?

One concern is what the team will look like. “What does our squad look like as we do begin the regular season,” Blashill said. “What’s the roster limit? Are we allowed to carry extra players? Those issues are being discussed.

“Whatever the number of players are, we are going to have to find ways to have scrimmages, and get our guys back to playing in tight areas and the things you can’t replicate when you’re skating in the summer. I think our guys are extremely hungry to practice and play and get going.”

Blashill said the Wings plan on bringing back everyone loaned to Europe (a list that includes Filip Zadina and Filip Hronek) except in the , which only accepted players made available for the entire season. That means Moritz Seider and Joe Veleno will not be available.

[That time the Detroit Red Wings made cry ]

Working during pandemic

The Wings follow safety protocols set forth by the NHL, and by the state.

“A big piece of it is wearing masks and when can, space out properly, making sure we’re at least 6 feet apart,” Blashill said. “I think our guys have done a good job of that. Guys understand the importance of wearing a mask, the diminished viral role that happens because of that. So we are wearing masks, social distancing and being real good with our hygiene, making sure we wash our hands. All the simple things that you can do to stay safe, our guys have done that.”

Coaches can’t run practices until camp begins, so the players skating at LCA are running their own scrimmages.

Will we see a C?

Dylan Larkin was earmarked to be named captain before the start of the 2019-20 season, but that was when was the general manager. When Steve Yzerman took the job, he decided he wanted to 1180555 Detroit Red Wings

Forbes 2020 NHL team valuations: Red Wings drop one spot

By Ansar Khan | [email protected]

Revenue lost due to the COVID-19 pandemic, not surprisingly, impacted the value of NHL teams.

None of the 31 clubs saw their value increase, and the value of all but five teams declined from a year ago, according to Forbes’ 2020 valuation of NHL franchises.

Forbes reports the average valuation of franchises dropped two percent to $653 million, first decline since 2001. Revenue for the league totaled $4.4 billion during the 2019-20 season, a 14 percent decline from the previous season.

“The league played only 85 percent of its regular season games with fans and is looking like it’s still on thin ice,” Forbes wrote. “The 2020-21 season, which in a normal year would already be two months in, might not start until January, knocking off one-third of the 82-game regular season. Jam-packed arenas are a pipe dream, and with them, the cash from tickets, suites, concessions, sponsorships and parking that account for more than 70 percent of total revenue in a typical season.”

The New York Rangers are the most valuable club for the sixth year in a row, worth $1.65 billion, topping a list dominated by Original Six teams. The Toronto Maple Leafs ranked second ($1.5 billion), followed by the Montreal Canadiens ($1.34 billion), Chicago Blackhawks ($1.085 billion) and Boston Bruins ($1 billion).

They were the only teams whose value did not change from 2019.

The Detroit Red Wings, the other Original Six franchise, ranked eighth at $775 million, down one spot in the rankings and three percent in value from a year ago ($800 million). They ranked behind the Los Angeles Kings ($825 million) and ($800 million).

The Arizona Coyotes ranked last at $285 million.

Michigan Live LOADED: 12.10.2020 1180556 Edmonton Oilers version of , who scored 40 goals while running up 140 penalty minutes, rides shotgun on the right side.

Second line Team Draft vs. Team Trade: Which collection of all-time Oilers is better? Continuing this imaginary journey, let’s try something really wild: Taylor Hall playing behind McDavid and Draisaitl. Only in a fantasy world, am I By Jonathan Willis Dec 9, 2020 19 right? We’ll take the 2013 version, who narrowly missed an All Star nod because of confusion over Alex Ovechkin’s actual position.

Hall’s overshadowed on this line, though, because his best season came The lifeblood of any hockey team is the amateur draft, and the Oilers outside Edmonton and that isn’t true of his Hall of Fame linemates. The have not been an exception. The work of Barry Fraser and his scouts did Hart-winning 1990 version of gives Team Draft a fantastic much to create the dynasties of the 1980s, and Edmonton’s best chance one-two punch at centre, and he’s joined by the 1986 version of Glenn at adding another title to its franchise history lies in the hands of current Anderson, who topped 50 goals and 100 points. draftees like Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. Team Trade has its own one-two centre punch, because behind Gretzky Edmonton’s also been blessed with some fantastic talent acquired in we find the 2001 version of Doug Weight in the most complete season of trade or free agency. Wayne Gretzky is the obvious headliner there, his career: a 90-point effort that saw him finish sixth in Hart voting, get bought from Indianapolis in the team’s WHA days, but he’s far from the some Selke love and run up 91 penalty minutes. Messier’s combination only interesting name. was famous for his trades and Kevin of skill and toughness is unmatched among Edmonton’s all-time centres, Lowe had some big ones himself, to say nothing of the young talent that but Weight could take care of himself just fine. came back in the trades stripping the Oilers of their more expensive stars. The wings aren’t close, even if Weight’s linemates here tend to be underrated historically. Mike Krushelnyski was a fantastic player, and in This made me wonder whether a team composed entirely of drafted 1985 he scored 43 goals while getting serious Selke consideration. Oilers could beat a team of trade and free agent acquisitions. Normally Meanwhile in 1980 Blair MacDonald scored 46 times while taking just Sean McIndoe answers these questions, but of course he takes a more three minor penalties in a very tough era. league-wide scope, and with just four Edmonton games in the last nine months it’s a good time for us to indulge. Third line

The rules are simple: By the time we reach these teams’ third lines we’ve burned through the all-time greats, but we end up with two sets of players who have left very Any player who played for the Oilers is eligible, but only in seasons in different impressions on franchise history. which he (at least partially) played in Edmonton. This means Team Draft can’t use Miroslav Satan’s 40-goal year in Buffalo; only the two years in is an all-time franchise icon, and we’ll take the gritty two-way which he wore an Oilers jersey count. It also means Team Trade doesn’t version of him that scored 36 times in 2007. He’s reunited with the 2006 get to borrow ’ 142-point season in Boston just because he version of , the first line centre of Edmonton’s most finished his career in Edmonton. successful post-dynasty team. It’s tempting to stick with the 2006 group at right wing, but for peak performance it’s impossible to look past Jordan To make this fair to Team Trade, whose players generally had shorter Eberle and the 34-goal, 76-point season he managed in 2012. stints with the Oilers, we’re only looking at peak value rather than overall franchise importance. Kelly Buchberger played nearly 800 games in Team Trade didn’t have the same kind of lasting impact and likely won’t Edmonton and holds an important place in the hearts of many fans, but trigger the same warm memories for most readers. One was cursed with for our purposes we’re really only looking at his best year, when he being the main return in the Gretzky sale, a second was traded after a scored 20 goals as a 25-year-old. contract dispute and the third was one of the most controversial acquisitions of the salary cap era. Draft pick trades don’t count. Just because Mark Messier was drafted with a third-rounder originally acquired from Minnesota doesn’t make him Jimmy Carson, who scored 100 points in 1989, centres the unit. On his eligible for Team Trade. wing we find Joe Murphy, whose run in Edmonton was highlighted by an 82-point season in 1992 in which he put up a stunning 24 points in 16 Each player only gets to be used once, and only at his highest value. playoff games. On the left side, scored 32 goals in 2010 Longtime Oilers like Kevin Lowe, Ryan Smyth and Sam Gagner were as one of the few players who found his groove during Pat Quinn’s time drafted by Edmonton and then subsequently reacquired by the team after as coach. stretches elsewhere. In each case, the player would only be eligible for Team Draft because that was when their best Oilers seasons occurred. Depth forwards

It’s a silly game, but Lowetide has us covered on the prospects side and Despite a long list of skilled draftees traded before their primes, Team there isn’t much else happening, so let’s give it a whirl. Draft is in really good shape here and the biggest question is who makes the cut, especially at centre. Jason Arnott scored 33 goals as a rookie, First line while Mike Comrie managed it at the height of the dead puck era. If we take those two, that leaves no room for (33 goals and 75 Let’s start with the easy part: imagine Leon Draisaitl and Connor points in 1982, while being irritating as they come), Jarret Stoll (an McDavid playing on the same line. We’ll take this year’s Hart-winning excellent two-way centre who hit 68 points as an Oiler) or Sam Gagner version of Draisaitl and play him next to what (for my money, at least so (who came in just shy of the point-per-game mark in 2013). far) is peak McDavid: the 2017-18 version who led the NHL in even- strength goals and was knocked to fifth in MVP voting because of the You’ve probably noticed that Ryan Nugent-Hopkins wasn’t mentioned; poor performance of his supporting cast. There’s a good chance the we can slip him in at left wing, where he mostly played last season in a 2020-21 version will be better, but we’ll have to wait for that. near-point-per-game campaign. The problem of course is that he has to compete for minutes with Esa Tikkanen, who might already be Now the twist: Not only does our all-drafted roster have the firepower shortchanged here by falling behind Smyth. In 1989 Tikkanen was the behind them to justify loading up its top line, but it has the perfect right runner-up for the Selke and finished fifth in All Star voting after putting up wing to make its first unit even better. Reaching back to 1985, we can 78 points in 67 games. grab , who both led the NHL in even-strength goals and finished fourth in Selke voting to round out the trio. Finally, we can slip arguably the most skilled Oiler of the 2000s in at right wing: Ales Hemsky, who was often injured but in 2007-08 narrowly Team Trade starts with a cornerstone piece even that incredible trio can’t missed the point-per-game mark in a mostly healthy season. match. Wayne Gretzky is the best player in NHL history, and in 1982 he had the best season in NHL history, scoring 92 goals and 212 points. Team Trade has its own depth competition, though centre is relatively straightforward. ’s lone season as an Oiler saw him We can’t equal that on his wings, but there are some good options. Craig named the fourth-best centre in the leaguie after an 89-point campaign. Simpson scored 56 goals in 1988 and narrowly missed the year-end All Behind him, two-way threat Todd Marchant is a great reserve option; his Star team in part thanks to vote splitting; the right-shooting left wing 60-point season in 2003 gives him a narrow edge on Craig MacTavish, finished fourth among left wings and third among right wings. The 2001 the man for whom he was traded. Wing is tougher. Ray Whitney, incredibly, was waived by Edmonton nine choice as starter, and just as obviously we’ll take the 25-year-old 1988 games into his 1998 season; he’d score 32 times in 68 games with the version who won the Vezina, finished second in Hart voting and then Panthers and qualifies for this list by virtue of starting the year with the went 16-2 en route to another Championship in the postseason. In the Oilers. Petr Klima scored 40 times in 1991; incredibly 32 of them came at backup slot it’s impossible to go wrong with Andy Moog, who was quality evens. throughout his time in Edmonton but had his best personal statistics in 1983, before Fuhr really started squeezing him for minutes. The last name was very tough to pick, and I opted for the well-rounded 2014 version of , who can fill in equally well on either wing Team Trade has a much tougher call, and doesn’t even get to seriously and scored 28 goals. That meant looking past Anson Carter (28 goals in look at Dwayne Roloson or Tommy Salo or plenty of others. There’s a 2002), Andrei Kovalenko, Zdeno Ciger and Alex Selivanov, but after brutal three-way race for two jobs. Whitney and Klima it felt important to add a more versatile option. I also considered Stan Weir, who had 33 goals for the 1980 Oilers. Bill Ranford has a trump card, though: his Smythe-winning performance in 1990, where he followed a good regular season with an outstanding First pair playoffs. He won 16 of 22 games, and his 0.912 save percentage was incredible for the era and wouldn’t look out of place even today. Would you rather have the 1986 version of , who finished fourth in Hart voting and won the Norris after a 138-point season, or the After that it’s a choice between Cam Talbot and Curtis Joseph. Both were 2006 version of who got serious Norris attention and then workhorses and both got Hart and Vezina love in their time in Edmonton averaged 31 minutes per game in the playoffs while scoring just shy of a and it’s basically a coin-flip between them. I took the 1998 version of point-per-game? I can’t look past Coffey, but the Hall-of-Fame defensive Joseph, who playing behind a lesser team allowed just one goal in final anchors of Team Draft and Team Trade are both incredible performers. three games against the powerhouse Avs, turning a 3-1 deficit into a seven-game victory. Each gets a quality partner, too. Pronger gets to steal Coffey’s long-time partner Charlie Huddy, who finished sixth in Norris voting in 1983 after a Final rosters 57-point, plus-61 season. Coffey gets fellow Hall-of-Famer Kevin Lowe, who landed fifth in Norris voting in 1988, his highest finish. Team Draft

Second pair Leon Draisaitl (2020)

The trouble for Team Draft is that it’s loaded to the gills with left-shot Connor McDavid (2018) defencemen and lacks right-shot options. An all-lefty top pair is backed Jari Kurri (1985) up by an all-lefty second pair. Steve Smith had 55 points in 1988 and 12 more in the playoffs on a Cup-winning team. He’ll move to his off-side Taylor Hall (2013) and partner with Oscar Klefbom. In Klefbom’s best season (2017) he Mark Messier (1990) scored 38 points, averaged 22:22 per game and anchored the top 5-on-5 pair of a quality team. Glenn Anderson (1986)

Team Trade has an easier time of it thanks to right-shooting Boris Ryan Smyth (2007) Mironov, who finished 16th in Norris voting after a 46-point, 100-penalty minute season in 1998. Shawn Horcoff (2006)

We’ll pair him with a player who might surprise you: Sheldon Souray. Jordan Eberle (2012) Souray isn’t remembered with much fondness in Edmonton; between Esa Tikkanen (1987) injury and a public feud with management he didn’t deliver good value on his massive free agent contract. But in 2009 he was healthy and he was Jason Arnott (1994) exceptional: he scored 23 goals, 53 points and played 25 minutes per game in all situations, finishing 13th in Norris voting. Ales Hemsky (2008)

Depth defencemen Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (2020)

Team Draft could easily ice an all-left-shooting defence corps. Darnell Mike Comrie (2002) Nurse is an obvious candidate for inclusion; he hit career highs in points Paul Coffey (1986) (41) and minutes played (23:49 per game) in 2019, with the vast majority of his scoring coming at even-strength. Kevin Lowe (1982)

Tom Poti deserves attention as well. Before hitting a rough patch which Grant Fuhr (1988) eventually led to a trade to New York (where he rebounded nicely, actually) he was an up-and-comer for Edmonton. In 2000 he scored 35 Oscar Klefbom (2017) points and played more than 24 minutes per game on a quality Oilers Steve Smith (1988) top-four. We’ll round out the group with a righty; even though Jeff Petry peaked post-trade he was a quality defender on a poor team in 2012 and Andy Moog (1983) edges out Jeff Beukeboom for the last slot. Darnell Nurse (2019) Team Trade has a bunch of quality defenders to look at, and there are cases to be made for , Lubomir Visnovsky, Andrej Sekera, Jeff Petry (2012) Tom Gilbert, Igor Kravchuk, Eric Brewer, Adam Larsson and many Tom Poti (2000) others. The hardest cut of all might be Jason Smith, who would have had an easier time of it with a Team Draft roster desperately in need of quality Team Trade righties. Craig Simpson (1988) Instead we’ll keep the 1999-00 version of Roman Hamrlik, who scored 45 points and played in all situations before becoming too expensive for the Wayne Gretzky (1982) Oilers to keep. Hamrlik gets to play with Risto Siltanen; Siltanen got Bill Guerin (2001) Norris votes in 1981 but may have been even better in 1982, when he scored 63 points in 63 games for Edmonton. Mike Krushelnyski (1985)

Our final slot in the rotation goes to another fan favourite: Janne Doug Weight (2001) Niinimaa. In 2002, Niinimaa topped 26 minutes per game for the Oilers, Blair MacDonald (1980) recording 44 points and getting some All Star love in the process. Dustin Penner (2010) Goalies Jimmy Carson (1989) With due respect to Devan Dubnyk, who had his best years outside Edmonton, this is an easy call for Team Draft. Grant Fuhr is the obvious Joe Murphy (1992) Petr Klima (1991)

Vincent Damphousse (1992)

Ray Whitney (1998)

Todd Marchant (2003)

David Perron (2014)

Chris Pronger (2006)

Charlie Huddy (1983)

Bill Ranford (1990)

Sheldon Souray (2009)

Boris Mironov (1998)

Curtis Joseph (1998)

Roman Hamrlik (2000)

Risto Siltanen (1982)

Janne Niinimaa (2002)

Which roster would you rather coach? (As coach, by the way, you’re welcome to dress Ken Linseman or Jason Smith or make whatever other changes you want.)

Personally I think it’s Team Draft.

Team Trade has a lot going for it, starting with cheat code Gretzky, a balanced defence with less wobble than its opposition, and two goalies who proved they could single-handedly steal games. There’s a path to victory there, especially with a Jacques Lemaire-style approach to the games.

What I can’t get over is the firepower of its opposition. Kurri is the best imaginable complement to McDavid and Draisaitl, and the Messier line should run over any opponent other than peak Gretzky. The depth is good, the defence is left-shot-heavy but otherwise solid and Fuhr is the most decorated goalie in team history.

The Athletic LOADED: 12.10.2020 1180557 Florida Panthers Jonathan Huberdeau: Same vein as Barkov in that he’s an untouchable not only because he has a no-move clause but because he’s the team’s most dangerous offensive player.

Seattle Kraken expansion mock draft 5.0: Who could the Panthers lose? Noel Acciari: The former Bruin scored 20 times in his first season in Florida. He is a favorite of Quenneville and it’s notable that none of those 20 goals came on the power play. Acciari has a $1.67 million annual cap By Scott Burnside Dec 9, 2020 4 hit through 2021-22.

Frank Vatrano: Vatrano, 26, has a $2.53 million cap hit through 2021-22 and was on his way to a 20-goal season when the season paused. So much has changed since the Florida Panthers last considered an expansion draft. First, the GM of that team, Dale Tallon, has moved on Alexander Wennberg: Wennberg, also 26, signed a one-year deal as a and was replaced at the end of the 2020 playoffs by longtime agent and to rejoin Zito in Florida. If he plays up to potential, he will likely be Columbus executive . extended by the Panthers and protected.

It’s Zito’s first go as an NHL GM but he is well aware of the missteps Carter Verhaeghe: The 25-year-old has shown high end offensive skill in many teams made leading up to the Vegas expansion draft in 2017. the AHL — he had 34 goals and 82 points in Syracuse in 2018-19 — and Florida was one of them as they gave up Reilly Smith and Jonathan with a $1 million cap hit through 2021-22 he has a chance to become an Marchessault to protect defensive prospects who didn’t pan out. Ouch. important part of the Panthers’ future. Zito also saw the Blue Jackets send a first- and second-round pick to Vegas to ensure they would pick William Karlsson and not other Blue Henrik Borgstrom: This is an important season for the 23-year-old who Jackets players only to see Karlsson score 43 times in his first season in was the 23rd overall pick for the Panthers in 2016. He’s not Zito’s pick so Vegas. Ouch. no emotional attachment but the decision will be whether to protect the potential he represents or a veteran player like Brett Connolly or So don’t look for Zito to fall into that trap as he tries to make the right Hornqvist. choice in who to expose to Seattle. It won’t be easy especially given that Zito’s first offseason as Panthers GM has seen him address both Three defensemen character and defensive depth in Florida adding two-time Stanley Cup Keith Yandle: The Panthers must protect the NHL’s reigning iron-man winner Patric Hornqvist, useful two-way center Alexander Wennberg, given his no-move clause. He’s under contract through 2022-23 at a forward Carter Verhaeghe, who saw spot duty in Tampa’s run to the hefty $6.35 million annually and might be the kind of player the Panthers bubble Cup up front, and solid defenders Markus Nutivaara and Radko approach about waiving the no-move if he was open to moving to Seattle Gudas. Most, if not all of those players, could be exposed pending how as he’ll be 35 by the time the Kraken begin play. things unfold in South Florida this season. Aaron Ekblad: Ekblad carries a $7.5 million annual cap hit through 2024- Here’s a reminder of what the rules are for the expansion draft that will 25 and has no protection so could be exposed and the former rookie of take place sometime after the completion of the 2020-21 season the year would almost certainly be swooped up by Seattle. There have presumably sometime in late July. been lots of ups and downs to Ekblad’s career but losing him would be a Teams (apart from Vegas which does not have to give up a player to big risk so he’ll likely be protected. Seattle) have the option of protecting seven forwards, three defensemen MacKenzie Weegar: As noted the Panthers love the player and the and one goalie, or eight skaters and one goalie and Seattle will select contract even though it will mean exposing players like Gudas, Nutivaara one player from each of the 30 teams. and Anton Stralman as well as prospect Riley Stillman, who will be a Players with no-movement clauses must be protected. restricted free agent at the end of the coming season.

First- and second-year pros along with unsigned draft picks are exempt One goaltender from the expansion draft. Per the CBA, players aged 18 or 19 earn a year Sergei Bobrovsky: The two-time Vezina Trophy winner has a no-move of pro experience by playing 10 or more NHL games in a given season. clause so he won’t be going anywhere although the Panthers will need to Players aged 20 or older (or who turn 20 between Sept. 16 and Dec. 31 find a goalie to expose. of the calendar year in which they sign their first standard player contract) earn a year of professional experience by playing 10 or more pro games So, what does Seattle do? under a standard player contract in a given season. Lots of options because frankly there are lots of good players on this Teams must make a defenseman and two forwards available who played Panthers roster in spite of the fact they continue to languish as one of the 40 games the previous season or 70 combined in the previous two most underachieving teams in the league. seasons. Unrestricted free agents do not fulfill the 40/70 rule. Brett Connolly is under contract through 2022-23 at a $3.5 million One goalie must be exposed. annually. He’s won a Cup (Washington in 2018) and has 20-25 goal potential. So, what will the Panthers do come expansion draft time? Hornqvist carries a big ticket at $5.3 million annually through 2022-23 Well, we know that the NHL is looking at a second straight truncated and his 33-year-old body has been through the wars. Still, he’s a proven schedule as a result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic so that will winner and top dressing room presence which could be attractive to make assessing young talent even more difficult. And we know Zito will Seattle. have to wrestle with whether to go the more popular 7-3-1 method of protection or the less frequently employed eight skaters in total and one Unless the Panthers go the eight-player route in terms of protection there goaltender model because of the way his defensive group is shaping up, will be couple of interesting options on the blue line including Stralman especially with the extension signed by top-four defender MacKenzie who will be 35 before the start of the 2021-22 season but who has tons of Weegar, whose new deal has him at $3.25 million AAV through the 2022- experience and is a terrific dressing room presence. He’ll have one year 23 season. left on a deal with a $5.5 million cap hit which could make him a trade asset for Seattle at the ’22 trade deadline. And this model doesn’t take into account any kind of potential deal with a team like Tampa that has salary cap issues and might be willing to toss Gudas and Nutivaara would both help Seattle’s initial defensive depth so assets at a team like Florida in order to take on salary (i.e. Tyler they could be options too. Johnson), which could also impact future expansion draft plans. Our guess is Florida goes 7-3-1 and here’s how it could shake down. The Panthers will also have to make a decision vis a vis goaltending as Sam Montembeault, 23, remains a restricted free agent this summer and Seven forwards Chris Driedger, 26, will become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the 2020-21 season. Both have upside although it’s doubtless Seattle will Aleksander Barkov: The Panthers captain and most important player has have other options in goal given the attractive options the Panthers a no-move clause so will be protected. lineup will likely provide.

Aleksander Barkov Keith Yandle

Sergei Bobrovsky

Jonathan Huberdeau

Aaron Ekblad

Sam Montembeault

Noel Acciari

MacKenzie Weegar

Frank Vatrano

Anton Stralman

Alexander Wennberg

Radko Gudas

Carter Verhaeghe

Markus Nutivaara

Henrik Borgstrom

Available

Brett Connolly

Protected

Patric Hornqvist

Exempt

The Athletic LOADED: 12.10.2020 1180558 Florida Panthers the front doors of the arena could check fans’ temperatures to ensure no one has a fever of over 100.4 degrees.

Our @TheBBTCenter has achieved the @WellCertified Panthers BB&T Center Becomes WELL Certified for COVID-19 #WELLBuildingStandard becoming the first NHL building and first in Regulations Florida to receive the acknowledgement.

Learn More » https://t.co/fphN1Puvk6 pic.twitter.com/IQrINFzBBs

BY JOEY GANZI DECEMBER 9TH, 2020 — Florida Panthers (@FlaPanthers) December 7, 2020

The only issue is that if the temperature check is outdoors, rather than On Dec. 7, the BB&T Center in Sunrise, Florida, home of the Florida inside the arena, it could get a bad reading and a person may be sent Panthers, received a WELL certification from the International Well home, despite being completely healthy. Building Institute (IWBI). As a result, this means that the arena has The New Normal? passed all COVID-19 safety protocols and should have no issues having home games when the new season starts in January. Obviously, these regulations and safety procedures will not last forever. However, due to the current climate, these may be seen as a necessary But the big question is this – what new rules could we be seeing at these restriction to contain the virus. As previously mentioned, most stadiums home games? With a current surge of new cases within the country, it’s across Florida have also been enforcing their own rules to make sure easy to be wary of going into public for any reason at all. Because of this, that their respective arenas are safe and secure, so there is no reason here’s what will possibly be implemented at the BB&T center for this why the Panthers would be unable to do it. On the bright side, we will get upcoming season and future events until the pandemic is over. a hockey season starting next month, so if this works out well for the Reduced Capacity team, we may be closer to getting back to our true normal.

While the governor of Florida, Ron DeSantis, has given the all-clear to let Hockey Writers LOADED: 12.10.2020 stadiums reach their full capacity throughout the Sunshine State, the Panthers are more than likely not going to go through with that quite just yet. With that, it’s probable that the stadium, much like others across Florida, will be at a diminished capacity throughout most of the season.

But for the Panthers, it may feel like just another home game for them as they tend to rank towards the bottom of the attendance charts throughout the league.

Mask Mandates

This was probably the most expected out of all of the new rulings. Much like most of the country, many areas require you to wear a mask in a public, environment such as a restaurant or a gym. This would be no exception to the rule as a mask mandate will be enforced for all public events held at the arena until further notice. The only exception would be consuming food or drinking a beverage for an extended period of time, in which you can keep your mask off while doing so.

BB&T Center (THW Archives)

On the bright side, it allows fans to get creative with what masks they wear, as most are sold featuring their team logos or are made with a special pattern. In addition, the arena may give out free ones of their own to avoid attendees having to walk back to their car. For those who go to games, most people remember fondly that walk of shame.

Socially Distant Seating

Once again, this is another obvious regulation for the upcoming season. For certain groups of fans attending, the stadium will put tarp or block off at least six feet worth of space to ensure that groups and patrons are distant from one another to avoid spreading the virus. Additionally, unless it is within their group, fans will more than likely not be able to walk over and high five or celebrate a big moment with other fans.

Nothing beats having fun with random people you may never see again at a hockey game. But for the sake of safety, this is completely understanding.

Contactless Payment

Most businesses, both big and small, are encouraging people to use card or contactless forms of currency, rather than cash, to avoid more contact on surfaces to spread germs. The BB&T Center may not be an exception to this ruling as they may have all concession stands, parking booths, and team shops only accept card or NFC transactions to ensure the virus is kept contained.

For example, Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens recently went the same direction for Miami Dolphins home games. So it would not come as a surprise to see the Panthers impose the same.

Temperature Checks

Now, this is only really enforced in certain environments throughout the country, but it wouldn’t seem like a bad idea to bring it into BB&T for the season. Using a special heat checking tool, the security guards outside 1180559 Los Angeles Kings

Kings ranked 6th, Ducks ranked 23rd in Forbes’ annual values of NHL franchises

By ELLIOTT TEAFORD | [email protected] | Orange County Register

The Kings were ranked sixth in Forbes’ annual list of the values of NHL teams at $825 million, and the Ducks were 23rd at $460 million, down 3% and 4% over 2019, respectively, according to figures posted by the magazine on its website Wednesday.

Overall, the league’s 31 franchises dropped in value for the first time in two decades because of the coronavirus pandemic. None of the teams gained in value over last year, although several maintained their value, including the top five, led by the New York Rangers at $1.65 billion.

The Rangers, Toronto Maple Leafs ($1.5 billion), Montreal Canadiens ($1.34 billion), Chicago Blackhawks ($1.085 billion) and Boston Bruins ($1 billion) were the only teams valued at $1 billion or more. The Arizona Coyotes were the league’s least-valued club at $285 million, down 5%.

Forbes’ methodology is based on enterprise values (equity plus net debt) and relies heavily on arena revenue and cable TV deals. Eight of the top 10 teams play in arenas that are home to NBA franchises, including Staples Center, which is home to the Kings, Lakers and Clippers.

No mention was made of the plans by Ducks owners Henry and Susan Samueli to develop the land around Honda Center into a $3 billion mixed- use entertainment project known as OC Vibe. The development will be similar to L.A. Live, adjacent to Staples Center, only larger.

It’s scheduled to be open to the public in 2024.

Success on the ice had little to do with the rankings. The Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning were 21st-ranked ($470 million). The Kings’ revenue was $171 million with operating income of $45 million. The Ducks’ revenue was $119 million with operating losses of $9.1 million.

Neither the Kings nor the Ducks advanced to the playoffs in 2019-20 or 2018-19.

The New York Islanders lost a league-high $37.9 million, but were ranked 16th at $520 million based exclusively on their move into a new arena near Belmont Park in 2021-22 after splitting time in recent seasons at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn and the former Nassau Coliseum on Long Island.

Orange County Register: LOADED: 12.10.2020 1180560 Minnesota Wild

Matt Boldy, Wild's top pick in 2019, emerges as Boston College standout

By Sarah McLellan Star Tribune DECEMBER 10, 2020 — 2:57AM

Life as a big-time prospect didn't exactly get off to a smooth start for Matt Boldy.

After the Wild drafted him 12th overall during the first round in 2019, Boldy's collegiate debut was underwhelming and the Massachusetts native wasn't invited to compete for the Americans at the IIHF World Junior Championship.

"USA Hockey made the decision, and I respect it," Boldy said. "But obviously some disappointment there."

But a year later, Boldy looks like a lock for the U.S. roster, which will be announced Sunday before the team departs for the World Juniors bubble in Edmonton where the action begins later this month.

He's poised to enter the tournament with a high profile after a tremendous kickoff to his sophomore season at Boston College.

"Just the confidence I have this year, it's a little bit more than last year and [I'm] more comfortable in the position," Boldy said earlier this week on a video call from the U.S. camp in Plymouth, Mich. "I think you can translate [that] to the tournament, definitely, and see what happens and hope for the best."

Before he presumably joins the U.S.'s pretournament camp, Boldy was on a roll in the NCAA.

He was among the top producers in the country with three goals and five assists through four games. After chipping in two goals and two assists last weekend to help Boston College improve to 4-0, the 19-year-old winger was named 's co-player of the week — this after also receiving player of the week honors the previous week.

Already, his goal output has eclipsed what he accomplished in the first few months of his freshman season when he scored just two goals in his first 25 games. But Boldy was able to close out his inaugural campaign on the upswing.

His 23 points the last 2½ months of last season ranked third nationally among freshmen, and Boldy tallied seven goals and eight assists in his final nine games before college hockey was shut down by the coronavirus pandemic.

"I'm more confident in my game, in myself," the 6-2, 194-pound Boldy explained, "and I'm able to go out there and play a little bit more freely."

Boldy attributes that swell of confidence to the training he did during the longer-than-normal offseason during which he concentrated on playing faster.

A skill like that can no doubt accelerate his development at Boston College but also spur him to make a splash in a short tournament like the World Juniors, where Boldy could face off against a handful of other Wild prospects such as Marco Rossi (Austria), Adam Beckman (Canada) and Marat Khusnutdinov ().

The action begins with preliminary rounds on Christmas Day.

"Being able to process the game a little bit faster, I think that's something I worked on this summer," Boldy said. "Just the quicker you can do things at the highest pace, the easier it's going to be when you get to the games. [I] did that a lot this summer. It's really helped."

And while this progress has brightened the spotlight on Boldy, capturing a gold medal with Team USA would make the World Juniors experience a success regardless of how he performed individually — an opportunity to represent his country that he previously missed out on.

"It kind of lit a fire under me," Boldy said about not being on the team last year, "and forced me to keep pushing and finding ways to be better, which I think obviously worked out well. Hopefully, I can make it this year and see what I can do."

Star Tribune LOADED: 12.10.2020 1180561 Montreal Canadiens Montreal Canadiens defenceman Shea Weber during a game against the Detroit Red Wings in Montreal on Dec. 14, 2019.

Best trades in Canadiens history: Weber-Subban deal a win for Bergevin Best trades in Canadiens history: Bergevin pulls off heist of Hawks As average NHL team values fell 2 per cent because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Canadiens' value remained at US$1.34 billion.

Pat Hickey • Montreal Gazette Canadiens NHL's third most-valuable franchise, worth US$1.34 billion

Canadiens sports science and performance director Pierre Allard, left, This week we’re looking at the five best trades in Canadiens history. with winger Dale Weise at the in Brossard on Jan. Today, No. 3: 4, 2016.

A little bit of local knowledge came in handy when Canadiens general Canadiens focus on injury prevention as compressed NHL season looms manager pulled off what has been his best trade to date. Why two years down the line?

The Canadiens weren’t going anywhere during the 2015-16 season and The Blackhawks were assured of a playoff berth in 2016 and that meant that meant they were sellers at the trade deadline. Bergevin started their second-round pick would be near the bottom of the second round, shopping Dale Weise and Tomas Fleischmann, two players who were in 52nd to be exact. line to become unrestricted free agents on July 1.

Neither player fit into the Canadiens’ plans, but the Chicago Blackhawks figured they were players who could come in handy during a playoff Bergevin also thought Chicago would make the playoffs in the 2016-17 drive. Weise was on his way to a career season with 14 goals and 12 season and they didn’t disappoint. If the Canadiens had taken that pick, it assists and, in two playoff seasons with the Canadiens, he had shown would have been No. 57. that he could score in the post-season. He also had the size and grit that are assets in tight-checking games. But Bergevin thought the Blackhawks would go into a decline the following season and, when they finished last in the Central Division, Fleischmann was a streaky player with defensive shortcomings, but he Montreal was handed the 38th overall selection, which they used to draft offered experience and a strong work ethic. defenceman Alexander Romanov.

The Russian has yet to play an NHL game but, if he comes close to matching the hype surrounding his arrival, this transaction will go into the Bergevin knew what he wanted in return. Prior to joining the Canadiens, books as a great trade. he worked in the Blackhawks’ front office and he was well acquainted with Phillip Danault, a first-round draft pick in 2011 whose career Montreal Gazette LOADED: 12.10.2020 appeared to be stalled at age 23.

After three seasons in the AHL, he was in and out of the Blackhawks’ lineup. He had one goal and four assists in 30 games, but Bergevin had scouted Danault when he was playing for Victoriaville in the QMJHL and knew he was capable of more.

“I saw him quite a few times and I recommended to (Chicago general manager ) that we select him with our first pick,” Bergevin said of Danault.

Bergevin was overruled by the team’s director of amateur scouting who had his sights locked on Mark McNeill, a centre from Prince Albert in the Western Hockey League. A strong performance at the world under-18 championship tipped the scales in McNeill’s favour and Chicago drafted him 18th overall.

The Blackhawks had another pick at No. 26 and used that to select Danault. Bergevin recalled that Tampa Bay Lightning GM Steve Yzerman was poised to pick Danault with the 27th pick.

When it came to scouting, Bergevin backed the right horse because Danault has established himself as a solid NHL player, while McNeill headed to Austria last season after appearing in only two NHL games — one with Chicago and one with Dallas.

While there is a continuing debate over whether Danault is a No. 1 centre, he is the main reason why the Canadiens excel in 5-on-5 situations. He wins faceoffs in key situations, kills penalties and shuts down the opposition’s top lines, which puts him in the conversation for the Frank J. Selke Trophy, which goes to the best defensive forward in the NHL.

But Danault wasn’t the only asset Bergevin secured in this deal on Feb. 26, 2016. He also asked for a draft pick and not just any draft pick. The Blackhawks offered a second-rounder and that was fine with Bergevin as long as it was a second-round pick in 2018.

MORE ON THIS TOPIC

The Canadiens acquired Frank Mahovlich from the Detroit Red Wings on Jan. 13, 1971, in exchange for , Guy Charron and Bill Collins.

Best trades in Canadiens history: Pollock clipped Wings for Mahovlich 1180562 Montreal Canadiens

Canadiens NHL's third most-valuable franchise, worth US$1.34 billion

Stu Cowan • Montreal Gazette

According to Forbes, the Canadiens remain the third most-valuable franchise in the NHL, worth US$1.34 billion, trailing the New York Rangers (US$1.65 billion) and the Toronto Maple Leafs (US$1.5 billion).

The same three teams topped the Forbes list last year with the same franchise values. This marks the sixth straight year that the Rangers have topped the list. This is the 22nd annual franchise rankings list done by Forbes.

Forbes reported Wednesday that the average NHL team value fell 2 per cent after COVID-19 shortened the 2019-20 season and has delayed the start of the 2020-21 season. The average team value is US$653 million, the first decline since 2001.

Forbes reports that league revenue for the 2019-20 season totalled US$4.4 billion, a 14-per-cent drop from the previous season, and that operating income was US$250 million, down 68 per cent. Forbes reports that the five most-valuable franchises — including the Chicago Blackhawks (US$1.085 billion) and Boston Bruins (US$1 billion) — accounted for almost a quarter of league revenue.

Forbes reports that the Canadiens had US$219 million in revenue during the 2019-20 season and US$87 million in operating income with gate receipts of US$85 million.

Rounding out the top 10 on the Forbes list are the Los Angeles Kings (US$825 million), Philadelphia Flyers (US$800 million), Detroit Red Wings (US$775 million), (US$750 million) and Vancouver Canucks (US$725 million).

The least-valuable franchise, according to Forbes, is the Arizona Coyotes at US$285 million.

Montreal Gazette LOADED: 12.10.2020 1180563 Montreal Canadiens Juulsen. If we assume for now that both Chiarot and Edumndson will perform to expectations this season, protecting Edmundson would give the Canadiens a better chance of maintaining their veteran group on Seattle Kraken expansion mock draft 5.0: Who could the Canadiens defence because Chiarot will only have one more year left on his lose? contract, which should make him less appealing to Seattle. On the other hand, protecting Chiarot and exposing Edmundson would send the message that the Canadiens are really hoping to use the expansion draft to shed salary. It seems silly saying this about Edmundson, who just By Marc Antoine Godin Dec 9, 2020 45 signed a four-year contract and hasn’t played a single game for the Canadiens yet, but if he were to be chosen by Seattle it would make the Canadiens’ cap far easier to manage in the coming years. The Montreal Canadiens are entering an era where they will be brushing up against the salary cap. Following years of frugal signings, that is the Seattle could also opt for the patient route, in which case Fleury, Mete or direction general manager Marc Bergevin took with his spending this Juulsen would become vulnerable. Is that realistic? Depends on how the offseason. He won’t have many similar opportunities in the upcoming flat three of them develop over the coming months. But as of right now, Mete cap years. is not assured of a spot in the lineup and Fleury and Juulsen are most likely to spend the season in the AHL. They would not be the first AHL With everything the Canadiens did this offseason, the expansion draft players to be plucked by an , however. In 2017, the was front of mind through all of it, and there must be some hope in their Golden Knights took at least five players who were primarily AHL players, front office that the arrival of the Seattle Kraken will allow them to free up and some of them remained in the organization. some money while making room for a promising young player to enter the lineup in 2021-22. The Canadiens have no shortage of young talent, One of these young defencemen would really need to show a significant and while some are already in the NHL and others are knocking on the spike in their development to convince the Canadiens to protect one of door, several of them are spared from the expansion draft exercise, most them instead of Chiarot or Edmundson, in which case it would be a win- notably Nick Suzuki, Alexander Romanov, Ryan Poehling, Jesse Ylönen win for Montreal: the Canadiens would get to keep a young defenceman and Cayden Primeau. who was a pleasant surprise this season while also veering the Kraken toward the heftier salaries of Edmundson and Chiarot. Bergevin has built a team based on depth, with no borderline NHLers expected on the opening night roster and a heavy dose of young Forward reinforcements expected to be available in the AHL. But when it comes to The fact the Canadiens have several important forwards potentially the expansion draft, that depth means the Canadiens risk losing a pretty entering the final year of their contracts — Phillip Danault, Tomas Tatar good player to Seattle. Among that secondary group of players that might and Joel Armia — muddies the water here a little bit, because if Danault interest the Kraken, the success of the Canadiens could be measured by or Tatar were to sign an extension with Montreal, they would surely be how much salary cap space the exercise frees up for them. included on a protected list. However, the chances of seeing Danault A look at every position to try to identify that group shows that it’s not sign a new contract before the start of the season grow dimmer by the necessarily the team’s most familiar faces that risk packing their bags for day. It’s possible Bergevin might sign him during the season — he’s done Seattle. it before with Brendan Gallagher, Paul Byron, Tomas Plekanec, David Desharnais and others — but for now, we can’t make that assumption. Goaltender Among the seven forwards to be protected here, Gallagher, Josh Newly acquired backup goalie Jake Allen will obviously be a very Anderson, Tyler Toffoli, Jesperi Kotkaniemi and Jonathan Drouin are attractive option for Seattle. The Canadiens signed him to a new two- slam dunks to be on the list, leaving space for Artturi Lehkonen and Jake year contract worth $2.875 million per season that begins in 2021-22, or Evans, but probably not Byron due to his high salary. If Danault were to the Kraken’s first season of operation. If Allen comes anywhere near sign a new contract, then the Canadiens would have to pick between meeting expectations as Carey Price’s backup this season and shows he exposing Lehkonen or Evans to make room for him on the protected list. could be a candidate for more of a platoon role — which is certainly possible — the Kraken might not be able to look away. Allen will be 31 By excluding the impending unrestricted free agents and the young when the Kraken begin play and the other goalies that might interest players who are exempt from the process, the Canadiens are in good them — we’re thinking Braden Holtby, Anton Khudobin or Corey position to avoid losing an important forward to Seattle. Crawford, who are all older than Allen — opens the possibility of having But what would happen if the Canadiens felt the need to choose to an experienced, effective and relatively inexpensive tandem in goal right protect eight skaters and a goalie instead? The teams who did so in 2017 from the beginning. had too many defencemen to protect, so if the Canadiens absolutely Allen in particular would provide serious bang for their buck if he’s able to wanted to hang on to Chiarot and Edmundson, for example, but still suit up in roughly half the games for less than $3 million. This is why we hoped to shed some salary, perhaps leaving Drouin exposed would be a feel he is the most likely player the Canadiens will lose to Seattle. possibility. We are proposing this hypothetical without knowing what kind of season Drouin will have, and perhaps the very notion of this will seem Defence preposterous in a few months.

As we wrote back in October when we tried to project the Canadiens’ The most likely formula the Canadiens will use, however, is the 7-3-1 salary cap situation for the next three seasons, the fact we don’t know model. what the Kraken’s priorities are makes this exercise difficult. Will general manager Ron Francis be looking to build a competitive team immediately Canadiens projected protection list like the Vegas Golden Knights, or will he build more slowly with youth? Brendan Gallagher In the event the Kraken turns its gaze away from Allen as the primary Josh Anderson objective, the chosen draft strategy could have a particular impact on when it comes to the Canadiens defence. Tyler Toffoli

First off, we are taking for granted Shea Weber and Jeff Petry will be Jesperi Kotkaniemi protected by Bergevin. Some might see the expansion draft as a way for the Canadiens to shed the remaining years of Weber’s heavy contract, Jonathan Drouin but that is in no way rooted in the current reality of the situation. Not only Artturi Lehkonen does Bergevin firmly believe in him, it would also be extremely poor asset management to lose Weber for nothing, not to mention the Canadiens Jake Evans currently have no one who could come close to filling the massive void Weber would leave behind. Tiny detail there. Shea Weber

In a 7-3-1 protection strategy, the Canadiens would need to choose a Ben Chiarot third defenceman to protect from a group that would include Ben Chiarot, Jeff Petry Joel Edmundson, Brett Kulak, Cale Fleury, Victor Mete and Noah Carey Price And if we were to create a ranking of the players most likely to be selected by Seattle, this is what we would go with.

1. Jake Allen — A goalie tandem of Allen and Khudobin for the Kraken’s first two seasons at a shade over $6 million combined would provide excellent value for Seattle. It would be an above average tandem that would allow the new franchise time to develop a younger goalie to take over in two years’ time.

2. Joel Edmundson — If you believe Bergevin, there was a serious market developing for Edmundson’s services, and that’s why he got aggressive and traded for him before he became a UFA. Bergevin says five or six teams reached out to him after he signed Edmundson to tell him they had planned to sign him when the market opened, with one going so far as to say he was actually considering trading for him as well until Bergevin beat him to the punch. At 27, Edmundson is younger than Chiarot and is signed for longer. Will he be able to elevate his game in Montreal the same way Chiarot did after coming over as a free agent? That remains to be seen.

3. Cale Fleury — If the Kraken choose to lean more on youth, they will have their pick of young defencemen to choose from in Montreal. Among them, Fleury seems to be the most attractive one. There is still some element of injury risk in taking Juulsen and Mete, despite his plus skating and puck-moving abilities, hardly elicits unanimous praise. Fleury appears to be someone who will one day be a solid No. 5 defenceman who could have an impact in all three zones.

4. Ben Chiarot — The Canadiens front office built up so much confidence in Chiarot over the past year that we believe he is less likely to be exposed than Edmundson. The upcoming season will determine much of this debate. Chiarot’s stock went up across the league, not just the Montreal front office, by playing more than 23 minutes a night last season, but the Kraken would risk losing him as a UFA in a year if they took him.

5. Jonathan Drouin — He would be an option only in the unlikely event the Canadiens choose to protect eight skaters and a goalie. If he has another roller-coaster season he could easily become one of the most talented forwards available for the Kraken in the expansion draft.

The Athletic LOADED: 12.10.2020 1180564 Nashville Predators If Poile wants to extend the Predators’ window of contention, then the current roster needs to be upgraded. Cirelli offers a chance to do that without spending a fortune.

Why the Predators should target Anthony Cirelli with an offer sheet — Charts via Luszczyszyn and CapFriendly

The Athletic LOADED: By Adam Vingan Dec 9, 2020 30

What is the point of even having offer sheets if NHL general managers refuse to use them?

Every offseason, we hope that a savvy GM tries to poach a young star from another team, but we are often disappointed. When it does happen, like when the Montreal Canadiens went after forward Sebastian Aho in 2019 with a $42.27 million contract offer, we criticize it for not being big enough to work. (The Aho offer sheet was the league’s first since 2013.)

The Predators know what it is like to be on the receiving end of an offer sheet, matching the Philadelphia Flyers’ 14-year, $110 million offer to Shea Weber in 2012. This is an opportune moment for them to extend one of their own, and a certain player comes to mind.

Over the past two seasons, Anthony Cirelli, 23, has carved out a role with the Tampa Bay Lightning as a high-end two-way forward. His defensive acumen, highlighted by a fourth-place finish in Selke Trophy voting last season, makes him a classic Predators player. He also has strong playmaking ability, finishing the regular season with 44 points in 68 games.

“I think what makes him good is he’s always moving his feet,” one veteran NHL defenseman said. “He’s very fast and hounds the puck. People don’t give him enough credit for how skilled he is, either.”

There are a lot of question marks surrounding the Predators’ projected top six for next season, including whether it is skilled enough to lead the team back to relevance. Cirelli would help change that perception and, more importantly, bolster an under-25 core that ranks near the bottom of the league.

Predators’ top six with Anthony Cirelli

Filip Forsberg (26)

Ryan Johansen (28)

Viktor Arvidsson (27)

Luke Kunin (23)

Anthony Cirelli (23)

Matt Duchene (29)

The cap-strapped Lightning, who have even less space after signing defenseman Mikhail Sergachev, are a prime target for an offer sheet, and the Predators have the necessary ammunition. They have close to $13 million in cap space (before re-signing RFA forward ) and the required draft capital to submit an offer.

Evolving Hockey predicts that Cirelli will receive a six-year contract with a $5.835 million cap hit. That figure would require the Predators to relinquish a first- and third-round pick. They could increase the cap hit to around $6.55 million and throw in a second-round pick.

As The Athletic’s Dom Luszczyszyn wrote in October, “a first, second and third only equate to 8.3 wins on average over the next seven seasons — about half of Cirelli’s projected value over the same time.”

Predators general manager is known to be bold, and before free agency began earlier this fall, he said that he “(didn’t) have any financial restrictions” from ownership despite a lack of revenue.

Of course, just because the Predators have cap space does not mean Poile has to use it. One has to wonder if Poile will hesitate to make a splashy move once player movement restarts around the league after whiffing on several of his recent big swings.

Cirelli, though, has the makings of a perennial Selke contender who epitomizes the hard-to-play-against attitude that the Predators are trying to rediscover. 1180565 scoreless in five playoff games and was traded to Winnipeg in September. He retired two days later, and the NHL awarded the Jets a fifth-round pick from New Jersey.

The regrets: Revisiting the 20 worst trades in Devils history 17. The rights to Dwight Foster to Detroit for cash — Oct. 29, 1982

This was actually the second-worst trade for the franchise involving By Corey Masisak Dec 9, 2020 36 Foster. Before moving to New Jersey, the Colorado Rockies signed Foster away from Boston, and in exchange dealt the Bruins a 1982 second-round pick and the right to swap first-rounders. The Rockies were terrible and Boston ended up with the No. 1 pick in the 1982 draft. What is the worst trade in Devils history? This trade wasn’t that bad. Foster’s entire career was plagued by injuries. The franchise is nearing 40 years since it moved to northern New Jersey, Four games into his stint in New Jersey, the Devils decided he was a and if that question were presented to a group of Devils fans, there’s a sunk cost, demoted him to the minors and traded him to Detroit three good chance the answers would be far from a consensus. days laters. The cost was reportedly one dollar. Reviewing 38 years of trades by five general managers, the Devils don’t Foster still struggled with injuries and eventually retired in 1987, but he have one of those egg-on-the-face deals on the historical ledger. There had 17 goals and 39 points for the Red Wings during the remainder of were some lean years at the beginning and have been more of late. One the 1982-83 season. He had 110 points in 215 games over four years for of the best players of all-time also called it a “Mickey Mouse the Red Wings before returning to Boston. That is a pretty solid return for organization,” but overall the Devils have won a lot more trades than the Red Wings considering the cost. they’ve lost. 16. Steve Thomas from the Islanders for Claude Lemieux — Oct. 3, 1995 That said, they haven’t all been good. Welcome to the first of a two-part series on the best and worst trades the Devils have made in the past 38 Three and a half months after Lemieux was the first player in franchise years. history to lift the Conn Smythe Trophy, he was gone. The NHL was really the Wild West in the mid-. Coming off a lockout season, three stars There are no hard and fast rules here about the use of hindsight versus who were all holding out were traded for each other in a three-way deal. the context of the moment these trades happened. It’s hard to criticize a Lemieux ended up in Colorado and Wendell Clark on Long Island. team or general manager too much if a traded pick becomes a great player years later, but it’s a bit easier to do so if they traded that selection Thomas led the Devils with 25 goals and 61 points in his first season, but on draft day. they missed the playoffs one season after winning the title. Meanwhile, Lemieux helped turn the Avalanche-Red Wings into the premier rivalry of So, here are the 20 worst trades since the franchise moved to New the 1990s and led Colorado to the Stanley Cup. The contract disputes Jersey. The best deals are coming later this week. complicated matters, but Thomas spent three years with the Devils 20. Michael Grabner from the Rangers for Yegor Rykov and a 2018 before leaving as a free agent and after scoring one goal in 16 playoff second-round pick — Feb. 22, 2018 games for the club — essentially representing the antithesis of Lemieux’s postseason prowess. If this is the second-worst trade a team made in a five-year span, that’s pretty good. Ray Shero was looking to give his slightly reeling team a There might have been a better way to handle the situation leading up to boost to get into the playoffs after an unexpected surge into contention. the trade, but the transaction itself doesn’t deserve to be higher given the So, he traded for Patrick Maroon (a really good deal) and Grabner (not a circumstances. bad idea, but a slight overpayment). The deal got progressively worse 15. A 1987 third-round pick (No. 44, ) to Montreal for when Grabner struggled to convert scoring chances and seemed David Maley — June 13, 1987 redundant as a penalty-killing specialist when that already was one of the team’s strengths. He ended up getting scratched by the end. Lamoriello made two trades during his first NHL draft in charge of the Devils. One of them will be featured in the second part of this exercise. Rykov, whose decision to leave Russia was unclear, decided to sign with New Jersey also drafted and , so it was still the Rangers and come play in the AHL. Then the Rangers used the pick a pretty successful start. from the Devils in a package to move up in the draft and select K’Andre Miller, a defense prospect with big-time potential. This deal was his first misfire. Maley spent four-plus seasons with the club, topping out at eight goals and 25 points. His 249 penalty minutes in 19. Cory Schneider from Vancouver for a 2013 first-round pick (No. 9 Bo 1988-89 is tied for the third-most in franchise history. Montreal swooped Horvat) — June 30, 2013 in to collect New Jersey’s third-round pick on draft day and selected This trade is all about the process and not the result. Schneider is the Mathieu Schneider, who played 1,289 games in the NHL and was a top- second-best goalie in franchise history and had the three best seasons four defenseman into his late 30s. by a New Jersey goaltender that don’t belong to . Two of 14. and Dan Keczmer from Calgary for Tommy Albelin, Cale those seasons came when the Devils should have been thinking more Hulse and Jocelyn Lemiuex — Feb. 26, 1996 about the future or shifting to a full-scale rebuild, and the third came in the first year of that process actually beginning. The defending champion Devils were outside the top eight in the Eastern Conference and had one of the worst offenses in the league when The Devils did make the Stanley Cup Final in 2012, but three of the top Lamoriello traded for a future Hall of Fame defenseman. Housley had 16 seven forwards on that team were 33 or older (and a fourth had one of points in 22 games, but New Jersey went 10-8-4 and missed the the most unexpected and unrepeatable 30-goal seasons of the salary postseason by two points. Housley then signed with Washington as a cap era) and the youngest of the two goalies was 38. Then one of the free agent in the offseason. Keczmer never played for New Jersey and two star forwards, , left in July 2012 and the club failed to also left as a free agent that summer. Albelin spent five years with the make the playoffs in a lockout-shortened season. Flames before returning to the Devils. That wasn’t the time to trade for a 27-year-old to try to prop up a rapidly 13. A 2017 second-round pick (Mario Ferraro) and a 2017 fourth-round eroding roster. But the Devils did it, and we’ve written about it as one of pick (Brandon Crawley) to San Jose for Mirco Mueller and a 2017 fifth- the biggest what-ifs in franchise history, and what might have happened round pick (Marian Studenic) — June 17, 2017 had the Devils decided to rebuild at that point instead of two more wayward seasons later. Shero spent about four and a half years winning trades and not signing any bad contracts, but he ran out of time. Fans can quibble about the Just based on process, this could be near the top of the list. But the value first-round picks in 2015 and 2016, players who have not developed like Schneider provided can’t be ignored. some of the ones taken directly after them, and this trade, which was 18. Bob Brooke from Minnesota for Aaron Broten — Jan. 5, 1990 Shero’s worst.

Broten was the franchise’s career leader in points at the time of this Mueller, a 21-year-old former first-round pick at the time, was buried on trade, but he had been knocked down the depth chart by the end of the the depth chart of a Stanley Cup contender. It wasn’t far off, in 1989-90 season. Brooke had a decent half-season with the Devils, went philosophy at least, from the trade Shero made to land . This one didn’t work out like that one, though. Mueller didn’t show much Snagging Meagher was Bill MacMillan’s best trade from his one year as progress in his three seasons, outside of becoming an asset on the GM of the franchise in New Jersey. Max McNab traded Meagher three penalty kill. The Devils declined to tender him a contract as a restricted years later because he felt the Devils had enough depth at center, while free agent this offseason, and he currently remains on the market as a Anderson was eight years younger and a more physical player. Meagher UFA. had earned Selke Trophy votes for the first time in his final season with New Jersey, after he’d spent five years with the Blues as one of the top The Devils made 42 draft selections in five years under Shero, despite defensive forwards in the league. He finished in the top five in the Selke having only five in the first class. But they also traded a total of 13 picks voting three times and won the award in 1990 at 36 years old. for Palmieri, Brian O’Neill, Beau Bennett, Mueller, Marcus Johansson, Michael Grabner, Patrick Maroon, P.K. Subban and Nikita Gusev. Anderson never scored more than 10 goals or 19 points in a season with the Devils and was a regular in the AHL by the time he was 28. Shero had very few valuable, veteran contracts when he arrived, so draft picks were his ammunition to expedite the rebuild. In hindsight, you have 7. Walt Poddubny and a 1990 fourth-round pick (Mike Bodnarchuk) from to wonder if more patience — and taking more swings in the draft — Quebec for Joe Cirella, Claude Loiselle and a 1990 eight-round pick might have worked out better in the long run. (Alexander Karpovtsev) — June 17, 1989

12. A 2006 first-round pick (No. 30, Matthew Corrente) and a 2006 third- Two of Lamoriello’s worst moves with the Devils came on the same day. round pick, (No. 77, Vladimir Zharkov) from St. Louis for a 2006 first- The two were connected: The Devils had a great run in the 1988 playoffs, round pick (No. 25, Patrik Berglund) — June 24, 2006 but regressed the following year, so Lamoriello was hunting for more natural goal scoring. This was not a bad process trade, with the intention of trading back to collect another pick in the draft, but the results did not work out. Poddubny had 40, 38 and 38 goals in the previous three seasons, but his career collapsed because of knee problems. He played a total of 54 The problem is, every now and then, a team moves into your spot and games over three seasons for New Jersey, retired at 32 and had some drafts a player who finishes in the top 10 in the Calder Trophy voting and significant struggles in his post-hockey life. spends several years as a solid middle-six center, and the picks you collected turn into nothing. This one hurts a little more because those Loiselle, a checking-line center, had more goals for the Nordiques in his 2009-12 Devils teams were in desperate need of another solid center to first year than Poddubny had in three. Cirella spent five more years as an help Travis Zajac, and Berglund outscored all but four Devils players in NHL regular. In an extra twist of pain, Quebec traded Karpovtsev to the that span (his first four seasons in the league). Rangers and he was a part of the 1994 Stanley Cup-winning team.

11. A 1995 third-round pick (No. 78, David Gosselin) from Detroit for 6. Lee Norwood and future considerations (a 1992 fourth-round pick, Slava Fetisov — April 3, 1995 Scott McCabe) from Detroit for Paul Ysebaert — Nov. 27, 1990

Fetisov, who was credited with paving the way for players Ysebaert had 21 NHL games with the Devils over three seasons when to defect and play in the NHL, was 37 years old at the time and had been they traded him early in the 1990-91 campaign. He made them regret it pushed out of the Devils’ lineup. He had played in just four games of the the following year, when he had 35 goals, 75 points and a top-10 finish in lockout-shortened season, so Lamoriello sent him to Detroit. Fetisov’s the Selke voting for the Red Wings. He then scored 34 goals the next quote in the that day — “I’m so happy. I’m going to get year. He wasn’t nearly as productive after that, but he did become the a chance to play for a good team and get a good chance at the Cup” — first captain of the Tampa Bay Lightning. Norwood played 28 games for came back to bite him when the Devils stunned the high-powered Red the Devils and was eventually traded for a fifth-round pick. Wings in the 1995 Stanley Cup Final. 5. Sean O’Donnell from Minnesota for Willie Mitchell and future Still, Fetisov was far from finished. He played three full seasons with the considerations — March 4, 2001 Red Wings, earning two All-Star game appearances and back-to-back championships as part of the famed “Russian Five.” Gosselin didn’t sign The Devils traded a young defenseman the previous year for a depth with the Devils, and eventually played 13 NHL games for Nashville. player at the position. Sheldon Souray turned into a good player for a few years after the trade, but Vladimir Malakhov was the No. 4 defenseman 10. and a 1998 second-round pick (John Erskine) from for a Cup-winning team. Hartford for Jim Dowd and a 1997 second-round pick (Dmitry Kokorev) — Dec. 19, 1995 This was a very similar trade, except O’Donnell wasn’t as good as Malakhov, and Mitchell turned out to even better than Souray. And there Two and a half months after Lamoriello traded Claude Lemieux, he was no parade at the end. added the Conn Smythe winner’s brother. Jocelyn was disgruntled with the Whalers, and told the Hartford Courant that he had mixed feelings O’Donnell did help the Devils get to Game 7 of the Cup Final, but he was about joining the Devils the day of the trade. He then spent barely two the No. 6 defenseman in ice time per game. New Jersey played the heck months in New Jersey. Lemieux played 58 games in the NHL after out of Scott Stevens, Scott Niedermayer and Brian Rafalski that year, joining the Devils, while Dowd, a local kid who remains a popular ex- while the other three averaged fewer than 17 minutes per game. Devils player, played more than 600 since leaving. Meanwhile, Mitchell played at least 20 minutes per game for 12 seasons from 2001-15 and won the Stanley Cup twice with the Kings. 9. Doug Gilmour and Dave Ellett from Toronto for Jason Smith, Steve Sullivan and the rights to Alyn McCauley — Feb. 25, 1997 4. Doug Bodger and Dody Wood from San Jose for John MacLean and — Dec. 7, 1997 Like Housley, Gilmour was a future Hall of Fame player who joined the Devils for a brief time in between the first and second championships. MacLean, like Aaron Broten, was the franchise’s all-time leading scorer While Gilmour spent one full season with New Jersey after the trade, this when he was traded. MacLean, who was a pending free agent and trade is higher on the list because the Devils gave up more future value unhappy with contract extension talks, demanded a trade and Lamoriello to get him. obliged a week later during the 1997-98 season. Bodger spent the rest of the season with the Devils, but left as a free agent after the club’s first- Gilmour was a good player for the Devils, but he ended up playing a total round playoff exit. of 16 playoff games over two years; that included no goals and four points in 10 games in the 1997 playoffs. Smith and Sullivan were both 22 MacLean had just three goals and 11 points in 26 games for the Devils. at the time of the trade and had combined for 92 NHL games. They He then produced for the Sharks (13 goals, 32 points in 51 games) and finished their careers with more than 1,000 games. McCauley also helped them advance to the playoffs. Then he signed with the Rangers played 488 more, including a year as a Selke Trophy finalist in 2003-04. and posted a 28-goal, 55-point season across the river in 1998-99. Wood never played for the Devils. New Jersey lost Sutton twice — here and Contending teams often yield futures to chase championships, but when then once later on — and got him back in a trade both times. it doesn’t lead to a ring, the long-term ramifications can hurt. We never know all of the specifics of any trade negotiation, but if the Devils could 3. Sylvain Turgeon from Hartford for — June 17, 1989 have convinced the Maple Leafs to take one of their other prospects who Verbeek is one of the best players from a strong 1982 draft class, and didn’t go on to play 1,000 games, this trade might not have made the list. the Devils stole him in the third round. He had 46 goals and 227 penalty 8. Rick Meagher and a 1986 12th-round pick (Bill Butler) to St. Louis for minutes for New Jersey as a 23-year-old and finished seventh in the Perry Anderson — Aug. 29, 1985 postseason all-star voting at right wing. But his production slipped the next year and Lamoriello traded him at the 1989 draft for another wing in his mid-20s.

Turgeon had 30 goals in his lone season with the Devils, but Lamoriello flipped him the following offseason in one of the best moves in franchise history. Verbeek, meanwhile, collected more than 1,000 points in his NHL career. The “Little Ball of Hate” had 403 points in 433 games for Hartford.

2. Jim Fahey and Alexander Korolyuk from San Jose for Vladimir Malakhov and a conditional 1st (2007, No. 26, David Perron) — Oct. 1, 2006

The Devils were desperate to get below the salary cap ceiling, and Malakhov was a distressed asset because he had quit, returned and been suspended. So, they took a player who never returned from Russia (Korolyuk) and a player who never became a regular (Fahey) to be rid of Malakhov’s contract.

Oh, they also included a conditional first-round pick as a sweetener to get the Sharks to help them out. That pick turned into a player who has nine 40-point seasons and four 55-point seasons since 2008-09. The Devils haven’t had a player collect that many points in that same span.

1. Tuomo Ruutu from Carolina for Andrei Loktionov and a conditional 2017 pick — March 5, 2014

The Hurricanes gave Ruutu a four-year contract worth $4.75 million per and almost immediately regretted it. The Devils traded for him with two- plus seasons remaining, and it doesn’t even matter what they gave up. Ruutu scored 10 goals in 122 games, including none in 33 games in his final season (2015-16). As we mentioned earlier, the Devils should have been in rebuild mode at this point. Instead, they added a 30-year-old forward making $4.75 million who had just scored 12 goals in 74 games over two seasons and was about to get worse.

The Athletic LOADED: 12.10.2020 1180566 New York Islanders

Islanders and Rangers won't travel far in proposed temporary NHL division plan, source says

By Andrew Gross

Neither the Islanders nor the Rangers will need to travel far if the NHL is able to stage a 2020-21 season.

Nothing has been finalized, but temporary NHL realignment was discussed during Wednesday’s informational Board of Governors meeting. An NHL source confirmed the 31 teams will be reorganized geographically into four divisions — with all games being played within the division — to limit travel as much as possible during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Islanders and Rangers will be in a division with the Devils, Boston, Buffalo, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Washington. The seven Canadian teams will comprise another division because of the U.S.-Canada border restrictions.

The NHL is aiming to play a truncated, 56-game regular season beginning on Jan. 13, following a 10-day training camp that will not include preseason games. Another Board of Governors meeting is scheduled for next week to vote on the return-to-play structure.

A major financial hurdle was cleared earlier this week when the league and the NHL Players’ Association agreed to play under the economic guidelines set in the new Collective Bargaining Agreement ratified in July. In November, the NHL had sought increased salary deferrals and escrow charges from the players.

"We’re not going to play 82 games, obviously, and we have travel issues because of the restrictions at the border between Canada and the U.S.," NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said in an online interview with The Maccabi USA Sports Show on Tuesday. "You can’t go back and forth, so we’re actually going to have to realign."

Also on Wednesday, Forbes released its annual valuations of the NHL franchises.

The Rangers, valued at $1.65 billion, are the league’s most valuable team and Forbes determined that the NHL’s top five most valuable teams, including Toronto ($1.5 billion), Montreal ($1.34 billion), Chicago ($1.085 billion) and Boston ($1 billion), accounted for approximately a quarter of the league’s revenue.

Forbes determined the Islanders lost $39 million in 2019-20, the most of any team. Yet their valuation remained the same at $520 million and Forbes noted better economic times loom for the franchise with its pending move to UBS Arena at Belmont Park.

The Islanders were ranked the 16th-most valuable franchise in the 31- team NHL.

Overall, Forbes said the average NHL team value fell by 2% — attributable to the pandemic which forced the postseason to be played in bubbles in Edmonton and Toronto without fans in the arenas — marking the first decline since 2001. The league revenue of $4.4 billion was down 14% from 2018-19.

Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 12.10.2020 1180567 New York Islanders

State Officials and COVID Rules Could Affect Islanders SeasonPublished 9 hours ago on December 9, 2020

By Christian Arnold

As the NHL works towards an agreement with the NHL Players Association to get the 2020-21 season underway, the league and its teams based in New York State — the New York Islanders, New York Rangers and Buffalo Sabres — have had discussions with state officials about their plans for the upcoming season. The NHL is reportedly eyeing a Jan. 13 start date for the new season, but there remain several major details to iron out before an announcement can be made.

“The NHL and New York-based teams are discussing with State health officials the potential plans for the upcoming professional hockey season,” the New York State Department of Health said in a statement to NYI Hockey Now. “The Department of Health issued professional sports guidance in Phase 4 of the State’s reopening and all professional sports operations must adhere to these standards.”

New York State’s phased reopening earlier this year allowed for professional sporting events to take place without fans in the stands and limited personnel on-site for games and practices. The and both used their home stadiums during the shortened season over the summer, and the Islanders were allowed to practice at Northwell Health Ice Center in July before leaving for the Toronto bubble.

One of the issues the NHL has to decide on is where games will be played during the 2020-21 season. The preferred choice would be for teams to play in their home arenas, which would allow for some teams to have fans in attendance.

If that is the case, the New York Islanders will play one final season at the Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale before moving to UBS Arena for the 2021-22 season. The Islanders and the Coliseum are operating under the notion that games will be played there this year and are making the necessary preparations, AM New York Metro reported.

It’s unclear if Nassau County has been in touch with the team about COVID-19 protocols and preparations for Nassau Coliseum. A request for comment to County Executive Laura Curran’s office went unanswered.

It is unlikely that New York Islanders fans will be allowed in the building by the start of the new NHL season. COVID-19 cases have continued to go up across the Empire State and New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo warned on Monday that indoor dining and other non-essential business could be shut down if the strain on hospitals in the state continued.

NYI Hockey Now LOADED: 12.10.2020 1180568 New York Islanders

Where Did the New York Islanders Land on Forbes NHL Valuations in 2020?

By Christian Arnold New York Islanders

The Pandemic has hit all of the big four sports leagues hard this year, but it seems that the NHL took the hardest hit and the New York Islanders weren’t spared from the pain.

Forbes released its valuations for all 31 NHL teams on Wednesday and it was far from what the NHL or its member teams wanted to see. The pandemic took a massive toll on the league with average NHL team values down 2%, league revenue was 14% less than what it was the year prior and operating income dropped 68%.

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The New York Islanders also took a big hit, according to Forbes, posting a $39 million operating loss, making them one of nine teams to post double-digit operating losses. Forbes did keep their valuation the same as the previous year’s $520 million, which ranked them 16th among the 31 NHL teams.

The Islanders also generated the second-lowest revenue in the NHL at $93 million after revenue sharing.

The figures should not come as that much of a surprise to those who follow the sport. COVID-19 forced the NHL to stop the season before it was complete and with the playoffs taking place in bubble cities with no fans, the league lost out on a lot of revenue at the gate.

In terms of the New York Islanders that was especially true. They had all but one of their home games slated to take place at Nassau Coliseum and despite their deep playoff run, they lost out on all that potential revenue because games were not on Long Island.

Forbes did note — rightfully so — that there was a light at the end of the tunnel for the Islanders. UBS Arena is expected to open next fall and tickets have been selling strongly for the team’s new home. And one would have to imagine that the United States and the rest of the world would be out of the COVID-19 pandemic by that point.

NYI Hockey Now LOADED: 12.10.2020 1180569 New York Rangers

Islanders and Rangers won't travel far in proposed temporary NHL division plan, source says

By Andrew Gross

Neither the Islanders nor the Rangers will need to travel far if the NHL is able to stage a 2020-21 season.

Nothing has been finalized, but temporary NHL realignment was discussed during Wednesday’s informational Board of Governors meeting. An NHL source confirmed the 31 teams will be reorganized geographically into four divisions — with all games being played within the division — to limit travel as much as possible during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Islanders and Rangers will be in a division with the Devils, Boston, Buffalo, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Washington. The seven Canadian teams will comprise another division because of the U.S.-Canada border restrictions.

The NHL is aiming to play a truncated, 56-game regular season beginning on Jan. 13, following a 10-day training camp that will not include preseason games. Another Board of Governors meeting is scheduled for next week to vote on the return-to-play structure.

A major financial hurdle was cleared earlier this week when the league and the NHL Players’ Association agreed to play under the economic guidelines set in the new Collective Bargaining Agreement ratified in July. In November, the NHL had sought increased salary deferrals and escrow charges from the players.

"We’re not going to play 82 games, obviously, and we have travel issues because of the restrictions at the border between Canada and the U.S.," NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said in an online interview with The Maccabi USA Sports Show on Tuesday. "You can’t go back and forth, so we’re actually going to have to realign."

Also on Wednesday, Forbes released its annual valuations of the NHL franchises.

The Rangers, valued at $1.65 billion, are the league’s most valuable team and Forbes determined that the NHL’s top five most valuable teams, including Toronto ($1.5 billion), Montreal ($1.34 billion), Chicago ($1.085 billion) and Boston ($1 billion), accounted for approximately a quarter of the league’s revenue.

Forbes determined the Islanders lost $39 million in 2019-20, the most of any team. Yet their valuation remained the same at $520 million and Forbes noted better economic times loom for the franchise with its pending move to UBS Arena at Belmont Park.

The Islanders were ranked the 16th-most valuable franchise in the 31- team NHL.

Overall, Forbes said the average NHL team value fell by 2% — attributable to the pandemic which forced the postseason to be played in bubbles in Edmonton and Toronto without fans in the arenas — marking the first decline since 2001. The league revenue of $4.4 billion was down 14% from 2018-19.

Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 12.10.2020 1180570 NHL “Children are playing in these leagues so we’re not alleging that it was worse at one point or another, I think that the point is just to make sure that it never happens again.”

Ex-CHL players detail disturbing alleged abuse Despite their own experiences of abuse, both Carcillo and Garrett love hockey, Sayce says, and although what happened to them changed their lives, their goal is to change the culture of hockey for the better PAUL ATTFIELD for future generations of players. Drawing on some of the experiences listed in the lawsuit, Sayce says that if parents knew what was going on

with their sons they would have immediately driven to whatever town 14 former players filed affidavits with the they were playing in and brought them home. Superior Court of Justice this week, detailing disturbing But also ingrained in hockey is what he describes as “a culture of allegations of alleged abuse – much of it sexual in nature – and hazing silence,” in which anyone who speaks out faces possible repercussions, that they experienced during their junior careers. such as being cut from a team or being passed over for a position. THE CANADIAN PRESS “So if you come forward to tell your story, you’re out, so you can’t really Two weeks from the scheduled start of the 2021 world junior tell your story until your time in hockey has come to a close and that is championships in Edmonton, junior hockey’s insidious underbelly is one of the allegations that we’re making and one that we intend to being exposed once again. prove,” he says. “So I think if you look at the timeline of these affiants, all or most of them have really left hockey.” As first reported by TSN’s Rick Westhead on Wednesday, 14 former Canadian Hockey League players filed affidavits with the Ontario Ultimately though, for Carcillo, Garrett, or the other 12 who filed Superior Court of Justice this week, detailing disturbing allegations of the affidavits, the vindication will be to pave the way for a better version of alleged abuse – much of it sexual in nature – and hazing that they the sport that is so ingrained in Canadian culture. experienced during their junior careers. “I think the primary goal is just to ensure that there is some level of The affidavits are part of a class-action lawsuit following the original protection going forward because junior hockey is a big part of Canada,” statement of claim filed in June by former NHLer Daniel Carcillo and Sayce says. “The junior hockey championships are coming up and it’s all Garrett Taylor, who played in the WHL from 2008-10. people are talking about because we’re all sports starved, right? The goal is certainly not to end junior hockey, it’s to protect people who are in this James Sayce, a partner with Toronto’s Koskie Minsky LLP, and one of system.” the lawyers representing the two plaintiffs, says he is confident that the affidavits will help show that these abuses are “systemic issues” that can Globe And Mail LOADED: 12.10.2020 be litigated together and that this is amenable to class-action treatment.

He says this can take time, but is hoping the motion will be heard sometime in 2021.

“They’re essentially stepping up to tell their stories, which I think requires a good deal of courage in these circumstances and they should be lauded for agreeing to put their stories out there,” Sayce told The Globe and Mail in an interview. “They’ve sort of come forward and said, ‘Yes, we’ve experienced similar things to what are being alleged in the statement of claim.’ "

The CHL, its three member organizations (the OHL, the QMJHL and the WHL), and all 60 junior clubs are listed as defendants.

The 14 former players all detail alleged abuses that occurred in a 35-year period, between 1979 and 2014.

In an e-mailed statement, the CHL said that it has taken numerous steps to end the practice of hazing, which included putting together an independent panel chaired by former New Brunswick premier Camille Thériault and which included former NHL player Sheldon Kennedy.

The league added that it is in the process of reviewing the legal documents, and finds the allegations “deeply disturbing.”

“Most of the allegations are historic in nature and we believe are not indicative of the experiences of current CHL players,” the statement said.

However, Jay Johnson, a professor of kinesiology at the University of Manitoba who has studied hazing and initiations, wrote a report that was submitted to the court along with the affidavits detailing what he describes as a continuing culture of hazing.

“Hazing and abuse are ingrained in this culture,” Johnson wrote in his report. “Both the severity of the abuse and the commonality of the practices are particular to junior hockey in the CHL.

“The same types of rituals are practised across Canada from Halifax to Quebec City to Vancouver Island over years and decades. … Hockey hazing continues to this day with management fully aware of its presence.”

Sayce says that the spans of the junior hockey careers of the players giving the affidavits is telling in this instance. It’s not just a year or two, but a large time frame covering almost 40 years, illustrating the continuing nature of the abuse.

“Our job will be to show the court that there is a period of time when this was a systemic problem and one of the real goals of the class action is if this is still systemic in nature then it needs to stop right away,” he says. 1180571 Ottawa Senators Phil Pritchard, curator at the in Toronto and white- gloved keeper of the Stanley Cup, has also seen Caruk’s stick and says that such artifacts tell an “amazing history about our national sport.

What is a piece of hockey history worth? Hastings man looks to sell 19th- “It’s incredible that they’ve survived. You would have thought that a piece century stick of wood from the late 1800s would have burned in a fire or to keep some house warm, but I’m thrilled they’re still around.

“We all know that the first game was played in 1875, but there’s not a lot Bruce Deachman about the sticks, the pucks, the sweaters, the skates and things like that, so any time something like that shows up, I think it piques everyone’s Publishing date: Dec 09, 2020 interest, but it also adds another story to this chapter of hockey in the late 1800s in Canada.”

OTTAWA - Dec. 8, 2020 - The Hall of Fame in Toronto is home to almost 4,000 hockey sticks. Pritchard estimates that about 80 per cent of those are “milestone” sticks, About 30 years ago Wayne Caruk inherited a hockey stick that was, even where the person who used it, and when, are identified. The remainder, at the time, about 100 years old. He's had experts examine it and attest like Caruk’s stick, help illustrate the game’s evolution. “Wayne’s stick to its authenticity and, although the stick has never been appraised, would certainly be a welcome addition to our collection.” others of a similar vintage have sold for hundreds of thousands or millions of dollars. Its value, though, hasn’t been established. Caruk hasn’t had it appraised and cannot estimate its value. But a number of slightly older sticks have Now, the Hasting, Ontario retiree wants to sell the historic stick, he says, commanded handsome premiums in recent years. with a portion of the proceeds going to support his beloved minor hockey. OTTAWA - Dec. 8, 2020 - Wayne Caruk can’t recall the number of times he’s thought about throwing out the old hockey stick he’s had in his possession for more About 30 years ago Wayne Caruk inherited a hockey stick that was, even than 30 years. He never did take it to the curb, however, and is now at the time, about 100 years old. He's had experts examine it and attest hoping that decision (or indecision) will pay off. to its authenticity and, although the stick has never been appraised, others of a similar vintage have sold for hundreds of thousands or At 71, the Hastings, Ont., resident is looking to sell the piece of lumber, a millions of dollars. four-foot long vintage piece of Canada’s national pastime that most certainly predates the NHL, perhaps by a quarter century or more. If Now, the Hasting, Ontario retiree wants to sell the historic stick, he says, possible, Caruk would like the stick to remain in Canada, ideally in a with a portion of the proceeds going to support his beloved minor hockey. museum. In 2006, the “Rutherford” stick, named for Alexander Rutherford who, in The stick found its way to Caruk in the late 1980s when he was a the 1850s, fashioned the stick from a piece of rock elm from his Lindsay, landscaper in Oshawa. A client that he had befriended, a then-80-year- Ont., farm, reportedly sold for $2.2 million before being donated to the old widow, lamenting that she would have to sell her large King Street Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto. house, invited him to look through the years of detritus that had In 2015, the Canadian Museum of History paid $300,000 for the “Moffat” accumulated in her basement and take anything he wanted. The only stick, the oldest known hockey stick, made from sugar maple in Cape thing that interested him was a book of Second World War cartoons. Breton in the 1830s. But one day not long after, while Caruck was having tea with the woman, The “Morse” stick, found in a Vermont home and carbon-dated to be of she disappeared to the basement for a moment and returned with the 1850-70 vintage, was appraised at $3.5 million U.S. ($4.5 million stick. It was her late husband’s uncle’s, Caruk recalls, and she thought Canadian) and put up for auction last May, but failed to attract the her husband would like him to have it. minimum bid. It is now listed for sale through Artemis Gallery, in “I didn’t think too much of it,” Caruk recalls, “but she had tears in her eyes Colorado, for $299,995 U.S. ($384,000 Cdn). when she was telling me about it.”

Caruk took the stick home and pretty much forgot about it. His curiosity Ottawa Citizen LOADED: 12.10.2020 about the stick’s possible value was only aroused in 2010, the year of the Winter Olympics in Vancouver, when he saw a television news report of someone who was looking to sell a stick that Caruck thought looked awfully similar to his. Caruk began showing his stick to hockey historians to see what they thought.

One, he says, was London, Ont., historian Brian Logie, whom Caruk visited in 2016, a year before Logie died.

“He told me that the stick was handmade by the Mi’kmaqs in Nova Scotia, probably between 1870 and 1900,” says Caruk. The stick, he adds, was fashioned from hornbeam, or ironwood, a particularly durable hardwood.

The stick was also examined last January by Bill Fitsell, at the time a historian with the International Hockey Hall of Fame in Kingston, who attested to its distinctiveness.

“I have inspected The Caruk Stick twice in the past three years,” Fitsell wrote, “measured and traced it and compared it to other sticks of similar vintage in the 19th century. I deem it ‘unique’ in that it features a rare, knife-blade tip introduced in the 1890 to 1905 period. Weighing just over two pounds, it is a fine sample of the era when hockey sticks were produced by hand in homes and shops. It would make a welcome addition to the library of any serious collector or Museum curator.”

Interviewed in the summer, Fitsell said he viewed hockey sticks of the vintage of Caruk’s from a historic standpoint rather than a monetary one. “They’re an integral part of the history of the game. The stick is the one solid thing we have that tells us about the development and history of the game. Sticks tell a story.” 1180572 Ottawa Senators

Senators owner Melnyk 'cautiously optimistic' there will be a 2020-21 season

Bruce Garrioch

Publishing date: Dec 10, 2020

Eugene Melnyk and Anthony LeBlanc both liked what they heard on a conference call with the NHL’s board of governors Wednesday afternoon.

And, as a result, the Senators owner and president of business operations are more confident that the 2020-21 campaign will get underway sometime in January. NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and deputy Bill Daly brought the 31 team owners and governors up to speed on talks with the NHL Players’ Association during a two-hour call.

“Yes, I’m cautiously optimistic. I understand there’s still some issues that have to be resolved that aren’t,” said Melnyk on a Zoom call Wednesday night. “I see that light at the end of the tunnel. We’re gearing up to get ready for it.”

LeBlanc said he’s confident there will be a season but knows there are details to be worked out. He does expect the Senators to play in all- Canadian division because of border restrictions. They’re hopeful the details will be completed next week.

“Eugene and I just wrapped up a board of governors’ call and while it’s not done yet, there’s reason for optimism,” said LeBlanc.

Ottawa Sun LOADED: 12.10.2020 1180573 Ottawa Senators If the AHL season does get under way as planned on Feb. 5 then the Senators would likely play in an all-Canadian division with the , and . The Vancouver Canucks, Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames aren’t interested in moving their The Senators get a hand from the city of Belleville to help deal with team AHL teams north of the border in the short-term. pandemic An all-Canadian division “is one of many hypotheticals being discussed at the AHL level,” LeBlanc said.

Bruce Garrioch “It’s been a requirement we look at this at the NHL level because nobody knows when the Canadian border is going to re-open<” he said. “For us, Publishing date: Dec 10, 2020 we’re in a much better situation having our affiliate in Belleville, just 2.5 hours down the road, as opposed to some of the Canada NHL teams.

The have been given an assist by the city to help deal “I can’t speak for my Canadian counterparts with teams in the United with the financial strain caused by the coronavirus pandemic. States, but for myself, Eugene and (GM) , we know we’ve got a more advantageous situation. It’s a hypothetical but it’s one of Belleville mayor Mitch Panciuk, speaking on a Zoom call Wednesday many options that’s being explored.” night, announced the city has filed a letter of intent to change the terms of the agreement with Senators owner to help ensure the future of the club’s affiliate. Ottawa Sun LOADED: 12.10.2020 “The city of Belleville, and our city council, is committed to making sure the Belleville Senators will not only be there, but that they will remain here,” Panciuk said.

As a result, Belleville council has agreed to “assist them with their cash flow” while not changing the “principles of the agreement” that was signed with the city on Sept. 26, 2016. The two sides have agreed to extend the original eight-year lease by two more seasons to June 30, 2027 and there’s an option to continue longer.

But the city wanted to ensure it helped the organization through this difficult period with no revenues coming in.

“In a nutshell, we’ve deferred all payments and all interest calculations and have extended the free rent period a full 16 months to the presumed end of the 2020-21 season,” Panciuk said. “This will effectively push back the dates of when rent and principle payments will begin — helping support the Belleville Senators during a time when the pandemic has negatively affected the revenues.

“This is represents a monetized (savings of) just under $640,000 to the Belleville Senators and is a clear indication from the city of Belleville to help the (team) survive the current health crisis and then go onto thrive once league operations resume.”

Accompanied by Senators president of business operations Anthony LeBlanc, Melnyk was thankful to get the support of Panciuk and council.

The AHL is studying a Feb. 5 start date, but there’s a good chance the organization will have to play without fans in the stands. This is a gate- driven league and it will help the Senators save on some of their expenses to develop prospects if there’s nobody allowed in the building.

“This is critically important,” Melnyk said. “We really depend, in the AHL, on attendance. Our sponsors are critical as well, and many are staying with us, but we do count on fans coming into the building and that revenue is critical. To be able to defer some of our costs — and they’re not forgiven these are deferred only and we intend to full pay over the time — it sends a signal to us Belleville’s our partner in many ways.

“We want to be their partner. We’ll step up any time we’re asked too and this kind of solidifies that.”

Melnyk made the deal to purchase the ownership of the in 2016 after the city of Belleville agreed to spend $18.5 million in upgrades to Yardmen Arena. That meant high-level hockey returned to the city when the Senators played their inaugural season there in 2017- 18.

“What we’ve learned in the last eight-to-10 months is just how fragile our organization, our businesses and our people are,” said Panciuk. “There’s been a lot of people who have struggled, they’ve lost their jobs, lost their business and lost their incomes. They’ve lost health and there’s a number of factors.

“We’re trying to help as much as we could. We’re limited as a municipality as to what we can do, and we also have to pay our bills, but we’ve tried to give flexibility where possible.”

The Senators have been pleased with the way it’s worked out in Belleville. The club’s prospects are only a 2.5 hour drive away from Ottawa and there’s no border to cross. 1180574 Ottawa Senators “I always say I hate dealing in hypotheticals and all I’m doing right now is dealing in hypotheticals,” said LeBlanc. “It seems to change, if not daily then weekly, on how we’re looking at it. We haven’t received any final word, but it looks like the model is starting in our own individual buildings. Ottawa Senators president Anthony LeBlanc looking forward to getting If you asked me that a month ago, I didn’t think that was going to be the firm plans in place case, so that’s a positive.

"The biggest challenge now is when are we going to be able to have fans “A big part of our business is selling sponsorships, which include the in the building and how many are we going to have?" prime real estate of rink boards, which are viewable on camera. For our naming rights partner, Canadian Tire, those are encouraging signs.

We’re working really closely with the province and Ottawa Public Health, Bruce Garrioch and the league is working with the Public Health Agency of Canada, to put things in place in hopes that we’ll have the opportunity (to play and Publishing date: Dec 09, 2020 have people in the arena).”

That likely won’t happen any time soon, so most NHL teams are focusing on ticket sales and sponsorship in buildings outside of the rink boards for OTTAWA - Ottawa Senators president of business operations, Anthony the 2021-22 season. Leblanc, talking to the media announcing the organization's new charity foundation and that Chris Phillips is the Executive Director in Ottawa “The irony now is the 2021-22 season is only 10 months away. We’ll Wednesday Aug 12, 2020. Tony Caldwell probably focus a lot of our energies on that season to provide a priority access to our existing season seat members and then to anybody else It didn’t take long to get the paper work done on a contract extension for who signs up,” LeBlanc said. “That will probably be our push, that if we Anthony LeBlanc. get the green light, that say we can bring a couple of thousands fans in, There’s nowhere else the Ottawa Senators’ president of business we’ll know who we’re calling first. operations would rather be, so when owner Eugene Melnyk wanted to “Now, nobody has ruled anything out because until a schedule is put a long-term deal in place LeBlanc, a former Arizona Coyotes co- released and the NHL and the PA have signed off, it’s even tough to do owner/president, couldn’t wait to sign on the dotted line. that. But we’re all looking optimistically at 2021-22 and I know the “Getting into the NHL back in 2013 with the Coyotes was a dream come commissioner has stated that the expectation of the plan is that we’ll go true, but I always kept a special place in my heart for the Senators,” said back to a normal season. Whatever ‘normal’ means in this new world, but LeBlanc, who makes his home in the Glebe and is an original season- we’ll have a much more normalized year than what we’re going into this ticket holder at the Civic Centre. “I remember running into (the late) year.” Bryan Murray before a game and he was jokingly referring to me being a longtime Senators fan, and asked who I was cheering for. I said, ‘Overtime’. Ottawa Sun LOADED: 12.10.2020 “When I left the Coyotes, I always kept an eye on what was happening with the Senators, so when the opportunity came up earlier this year — I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, it’s a dream come true.”

LeBlanc has enjoyed working with Melnyk since taking on the role in March.

“He’s been incredibly supportive,” said LeBlanc. “The thing that people don’t understand about Eugene is he’s an idea guy, and a lot of them are on the marketing front. We spend a lot of time doing a lot of brainstorming. I’m not pandering when I say our working relationship is strong.”

Trying to prepare for the start of the 2020-21 campaign has been a nightmare. The threat of the novel coronavirus around the world has made planning difficult for every major sports league and the NHL is no different, which was is why Melnyk, LeBlanc and the staff have studied every possible scenario.

The NHL’s board of governors were updated on the state of negotiations with the NHL Players’ Association for a Jan. 13 start date, but the expectation is the Senators will be able to start an informal camp Dec. 31, with main camp opening Jan. 3. There won’t be any exhibition schedule and the club will be in an all-Canadian division.

LeBlanc said people are excited about the possible return of hockey.

“The work (GM) Pierre (Dorion) and Eugene have done on the hockey side has put so much wind in our sails on the business side,” LeBlanc said. “It’s not to say we don’t have a lot of work ahead of us, but the buzz I’m feeling in the community, I haven’t felt this since the Eastern Conference championship run in 2017.

“There’s a pent-up demand. The biggest challenge now is when are we going to be able to have fans in the building and how many are we going to have? The first thing Eugene always says is we’ve got to put safety first, and as he said the last thing we want is a super-spreader event. We definitely receive inbound sales calls from people who want to buy and get on a priority list to ensure that, if we’re allowing fans this year, that they’ll have priority access.

“I do believe once there’s a formal announcement between the league and the (union) that will ratchet way up.”

Planning has been difficult, to say the least, when the league doesn’t have a formal plan in place. 1180575 Philadelphia Flyers

NHL still working on decisions related to season’s start; Flyers, Penguins could be together after all

by Sam Carchidi

The NHL doesn’t have a start date for its pandemic-delayed season, but, in a virtual meeting with the league’s Board of Governors Wednesday, it continued to navigate some tricky decisions that have to be made.

The league, which hopes to start Jan. 13 and play 56 games, isn’t expected to formally announce plans for the season until next week. The players association would have to agree to it.

The NHL has several issues it is exploring with the players’ union, including whether games are played in home arenas or in a one “bubble” city for each of the four divisions. A new one-year division alignment also has to be ironed out, along with decisions on rosters sizes (read: taxi squads), when training camps start, schedule flexibility for possible coronavirus-related postponements, and COVID-19 testing and safety measures.

There also will be an opt-out for players who don’t want to play because of the virus.

According to TSN in Canada, no decision has been made, but the league is leaning toward having the Flyers and their arch-rivals, the Pittsburgh Penguins, in the same division.

Last month, the league had floated a new division format that, according to ESPN, had the Flyers and Penguins in different divisions. That seemed mystifying based on the teams’ bitter rivalry and fairly close proximity. That report had Carolina, not Pittsburgh, in the Flyers’ division.

In the new four-division format discussed by the NHL during its Board of Governors meeting Wednesday, the Flyers and Pens were together, per TSN.

This is how the four divisions, which still have to be named, could look:

Division A: Flyers, Pittsburgh, Boston, Buffalo, New Jersey, New York Islanders, New York Rangers, and Washington.

Division B: Carolina, Chicago, Columbus, Detroit, Florida, Minnesota, Nashville, and Tampa Bay.

Division C: Anaheim, Arizona, Colorado, Dallas, Los Angeles, San Jose, St. Louis, and Vegas.

Division D (all Canadian teams): Calgary, Edmonton, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Vancouver, and Winnipeg.

The Canadian division is required because of the closure of the Canada/U.S. border due to the pandemic.

The NHL’s overall plan appears similar to what transpired in 2013, when a lockout caused the season to begin in mid-January, and teams played a condensed 48-game schedule.

Some NHL owners have said they will lose millions of dollars if fans aren’t allowed in arenas and have wondered whether it’s worth it to play this season. Those owners appear to be in the minority.

The league has backed off on trying to alter the collective bargaining agreement that was signed in July.

Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 12.10.2020 1180576 Philadelphia Flyers

Flyers among NHL teams to take a hit in value, according to report

by Sam Carchidi

The Flyers were among the teams whose value dipped slightly after the pandemic-altered 2019-20 season, according to Forbes.

The Comcast-owned Flyers dropped 3%, and they are the seventh- highest valued team in the NHL at $800 million, behind the New York Rangers ($1.65 billion), Toronto ($1.5 billion), Montreal ($1.34 billion), Chicago ($1.085 billion), Boston ($1 billion), and Los Angeles ($825 million), Forbes said.

The regular season was shortened in 2019-20, and the playoffs were held in two “bubble” cities, Toronto and Edmonton. Losing the revenue from home games cost teams dearly. Forbes said operating income was $250 million, down 68%.

Forbes said the New York Islanders lost the most, $39 million, and the Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning lost $11 million. No figure was given for the Flyers.

Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 12.10.2020 1180577 Philadelphia Flyers

Maybe Flyers fans will get their wish

by Jordan Hall

What's an NHL season without the Flyers-Penguins rivalry, right?

Come on.

We're talkin' Philly vs. Pittsburgh, vs. Sidney Crosby, Gritty vs. Iceburgh (no idea why that last one was mentioned, but alas, it was).

The NHL and NHLPA are probably mulling reality without all of those dynamics above and realizing it's simply incomprehensible.

With 2020-21 division realignment appearing more and more likely because of the challenges created by the coronavirus pandemic, at first, it was apparently possible that the Flyers and Penguins could be separated.

However, according to the latest report by The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun on the to-be-determined, subject-to-change divisions for next season, the Flyers and Penguins are reunited.

Ahh, normalcy.

In all seriousness, the Flyers-Penguins rivalry typically generates great fan interest and television ratings. If splitting up the two teams was/and is still a possibility, maybe the reasoning would be preventing cross-state travel to alleviate spending and enhance safety. Regardless, though, there will be travel involved next season and where games are played remains undecided.

Keeping the Flyers and Penguins in the same division seems to make fine sense geographically, logistically and monetarily.

The Flyers have gone 7-9-3 against Pittsburgh over the past five seasons and lost to it in the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Last season, they went a combined 13-5-3 against the clubs in their reported grouping.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 12.10.2020 1180578 Philadelphia Flyers

Where do Flyers stand among NHL's most valuable teams?

by Jordan Hall

The on-ice product, fan support and market location are all driving forces to an NHL organization.

Despite serious league-wide revenue challenges created by the coronavirus pandemic, the new-look Flyers got back to contending in 2019-20 and attendance started to climb before the season was suspended on March 12.

In Forbes' annual valuation of all NHL clubs, the Flyers stand as the league's seventh-most valuable team, a ranking they held last December, as well. Per Forbes, the Flyers have a calculated value of $800 million and saw a 3 percent drop-off over the last year.

With renovations to the Wells Fargo Center, a retooling of hockey operations, an improved team on the ice and Gritty's rise (yes, he impacts revenue), the Flyers, owned by , have been proactive in pushing forward.

"I think you know our history and our culture, it really started with ," chairman and CEO of Comcast Spectacor Dave Scott said in July. "We come in and we invest and we go for it every year. We made some big changes a couple years ago, which needed to be made. I like the team we have together now, the front office, the coaching staff. Expectations are high. I think we’ll continue to forge ahead."

A significant investment made by the organization was its summoning of experienced in April 2019. Vigneault's arrival, facilitated by new general manager , was preceded by a seven-year stretch of stagnancy in which the Flyers failed to win a playoff series and missed the postseason four times.

Fans were buying in down the 2019-20 stretch as the Flyers put up the best home marks in hockey.

Scott, who in July said he "couldn’t be happier" with the club's direction following the tumultuous 2018-19 campaign, has been impressed by Vigneault.

"We actually live down in the same neighborhood in Old City Philadelphia," Scott said. "He’s just a terrific guy. He’s confident, no nonsense and I love the way he coaches and runs his plays. He’s really got the respect of the whole organization, the whole team. You look at the beginning of last season, everybody had to adjust to the new systems, processes and all the new coaching. He’s just done a tremendous job for us. I think really with him coming on board, it was a new day for the Flyers."

The 2020-21 season will provide unprecedented challenges for all NHL clubs and ownership. A critical area in which the Flyers can control is Vigneault having his team ready to go for when and where the puck drops amidst these challenging times.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 12.10.2020 1180579 Philadelphia Flyers In September, however, I noted that two high-end comparables for Myers on short-term bridge deals were Esa Lindell (two years, adjusted $2.43 million AAV) and Troy Stecher (two years, adjusted $2.42 million AAV). But Stecher had played in far more games than Myers when he Breaking down Philippe Myers’ 3-year deal and the Flyers’ 2020-21 cap negotiated his deal, and Lindell had received far tougher usage, so they situation seemed like stretches as apples-to-apples comparisons.

In a way, the two sides in this negotiation accounted for that by taking those contracts and tacking on another year. That’s a solid compromise. By Charlie O'Connor What does this mean for the 2020-21 cap situation? Dec 9, 2020 With the Myers deal finalized, the Flyers’ 2020-21 roster is basically set,

if they want it to be. This 22-man roster projection tells the story: The Philippe Myers contract was the last bit of business for general In short, the Flyers are in pretty solid cap position for 2020-21. No, they manager Chuck Fletcher before the Philadelphia Flyers’ offseason could don’t have enough available space to make a big addition before the start officially be considered complete. of the season without moving some money out. But anyone paying Consider the book now closed on the 2020 offseason. attention to their cap situation knew that was the case regardless of the contract Myers signed. Just after 5 p.m. ET on Tuesday, the Flyers announced they had re- signed Myers — the last of their restricted free agents (RFAs) — to a What they do have is the ability to stay comfortably under the cap, even three-year, $7.65 million contract with a $2.55 million yearly cap hit. in the event of unforeseen complications, such as the ones that forced Myers, 23, just concluded his rookie season, scoring four goals and 12 them to play cap gymnastics to begin 2019-20. If the Flyers want to roll assists in 50 games, after receiving a 21-game NHL audition in 2018-19. with a 23-man roster and keep another prospect up with the big club to Now, Myers is locked up through the 2022-23 season, when he’ll again start the season, they can do that. If they want to bank daily cap space to be an RFA under team control. make it easier to add a big piece at the trade deadline, they can do that.

Let’s break down the deal and what it means for the Flyers from all They even have Nolan Patrick flexibility. If he’s not ready to go at start of angles. the season, they won’t need to tap into the long-term injured reserve (LTIR) allowance to replace him. They’ll be able to field a full 23-man Was this a ‘fair’ deal for Myers and the Flyers? roster and keep Patrick on regular injured reserve — which opens up a roster spot but keeps his cap hit on the books — while staying cap It’s important to remember that Myers’ leverage was limited throughout compliant and not using LTIR. That means, even in a worst-case cap this process. Not only was he an RFA who couldn’t access the open scenario, they’ll still be banking extra space for the trade deadline. market other than via an offer sheet (which the Flyers could have matched), but Myers also was not arbitration-eligible, which took another Especially compared with past seasons, 2020-21 should be relatively negotiation tool out of his camp’s arsenal. Finally, with just 71 NHL smooth sailing for the Flyers when it comes to the salary cap. regular-season games (87 including playoffs), he wasn’t exactly coming to the table with an ironclad résumé. What are the long-term implications?

In other words, the Flyers were always likely to get a “bargain” on this The big question leading up to the inevitable announcement of Myers’ deal, considering the circumstances. And that’s what happened, at least new deal — there was never any chance the two sides weren’t going to according to Dom Luszczyszyn’s Game Score Value Added (GSVA) reach an agreement — was whether his extension would be a short-term model. bridge deal or a long-term contract.

GSVA isn’t especially bullish on Myers; it sees him as merely holding the A three-year term is a bit longer than the average bridge deal, but it still line as a solid second-pair defenseman over the length of this three-year qualifies as a bridge. deal. But even with that relatively conservative projection, it still projects This was always the most likely outcome, according to Evolving-Hockey’s the Flyers as unlikely to regret the deal, giving Myers a true-talent model. It estimated there was a 64 percent chance Myers’ contract would valuation of $3.9 million per season, about $1.4 million more per year be three years or fewer in term, and a 89 percent chance it wouldn’t than he’ll be paid. Consider that a win for Philadelphia. exceed five years. Players in Myers’ situation, with his track record, just Of course, this is how the market works: RFAs coming off entry-level don’t tend to sign long contracts coming out of their entry-level deal. contracts (ELCs) have less leverage than their unrestricted free-agent That said, I can confirm that the two sides talked about longer-term brethren, and tend to take less money than they’d be worth on the open options, which makes sense, considering negotiations dragged into market. The bigger question is whether Myers was paid fairly considering December. his specific situation. The two main frameworks discussed were three-year and six-year terms, Based on Evolving-Hockey’s contract projection model, it appears he according to a source. The two-year length — favored by Evolving- was. While that model viewed a two-year deal as the most likely outcome Hockey’s model as the most likely option — simply wasn’t going to be for Myers (projected cap hit of $1.289 million), it saw the likely average lucrative enough for Myers’ camp based on comparables. (Remember: annual value (AAV) on a three-year deal as $2.599 million — about The model projected the cap hit on that term to be $1.289 million, and $500,000 more than what Myers received. That’s about as a spot-on as a while I suspect it would have been higher than that, I’m not convinced it contract projection can get. would have cleared $2 million.) The three-year term obviously ended up Many fans seemed to think that Myers would get a contract similar to the where it did. As for the six-year option, I estimated in September it would one Travis Sanheim received last summer — two years, $3.25 million per have ended up somewhere in the $4 million to $4.5 million range, based year. But Myers just didn’t have the track record Sanheim did. Sanheim on comparables such as the Jakob Chychrun ($4.6 million cap hit) and had played in more regular-season games (131 to 71), had a better Rasmus Andersson ($4.55 million) deals. point-per-game rate (0.334 to 0.254) and averaged more ice time (18:03 So why didn’t the Flyers agree to a six-year deal with Myers? per game to 16:35). Myers was always going to get less, unless his side bulldozed the Flyers in negotiations or the two camps agreed to a long- For starters, it would have made the cap situation very tight for the next term deal. few years. Give Myers a $1.5 million to $2 million higher cap hit, and suddenly the Flyers would be jammed right up against the ceiling this The three-year term is interesting because there just isn’t much recent season, with none of the previously described flexibility. Things get precedent for post-ELC defensemen to take that term. Until Myers, the tougher for 2021-22 with Carter Hart and Sanheim up for extensions, and only defensemen getting three years on their post-ELC deals tended to the following summer when and Claude Giroux need to be players at the top of the market such as Zach Werenski, Charlie be re-signed. A couple of million dollars saved on Myers for those three McAvoy and Mikhail Sergachev. One close Myers comparable is Calvin years — during what the Flyers hope to be a championship window — de Haan, who signed a three-year deal worth $2.42 million per year after could prove pivotal in keeping the current group together. accounting for cap inflation, but that was in 2014. There’s little chance either side viewed a contract from six years ago as a framework. There’s also the question of total savings over a six-year term. Let’s imagine that a six-year Myers deal would have required a $4.5 million cap hit — this is just a guess, to be clear. Considering that both sides agreed Myers was worth $2.55 million per year on a three-year deal, a $4.5 million cap hit on a six-year term would imply the Flyers thought Myers was likely to get a $6.45 million cap hit on his next deal. That’s the only way the overall savings would make sense for Philadelphia.

Even a $4 million cap hit on a six-year term would imply Myers was likely to receive a $5.45 million cap hit on his next deal. Is it possible the Flyers will need that much to lock him up on his next deal? Sure. And if he does break out in a big way over the next three years, maybe they are kicking themselves down the road.

But there’s a real chance that the cap ceiling stays stagnant for longer than just the next couple of seasons, especially with the players holding to the summer Memorandum of Understanding the past few weeks. The salary cap won’t rise much until the players and owners can get back to a 50/50 revenue split. That’s going to take time. And if the league is still in cap crunch world by the time Myers is up for an extension, will Myers really break the bank on the next deal?

After all, Tyler Toffoli and Craig Smith already showed that middle-class players are getting less money than expected in this new environment, even as UFAs. By settling on a three-year term, the Flyers are, in a sense, betting that the current circumstances make it less likely Myers will be a $5.5 million to $6.5 million a year player on his next contract. He’ll certainly get a raise on his next deal, but will it be for that much more than the likely range discussed for a six-year term this time around? By agreeing to this deal, the Flyers are implicitly saying they have their doubts.

Of course, they could be wrong. Myers could be on the top pairing as soon as this season. Three seasons of Myers thriving in first-pair usage, and suddenly $6 million-plus won’t seem outlandish as a cap hit for Myers’ next deal, stagnant cap or no stagnant cap. The big guns are still going to get paid even in this environment, and if Myers earns that designation over the next three seasons, he can expect a massive raise come 2023-24.

So is this a “good” deal for the Flyers? In the short term, absolutely — it gives them much-needed cap flexibility and a key player on a team- friendly contract for three seasons. In the long term, however, it all depends on whether Myers breaks out over the length of this deal. If he doesn’t, the Flyers were right to bridge him. If he does, they’ll come to regret sacrificing short-term flexibility for long-term reward.

The Athletic LOADED: 12.10.2020 1180580 Pittsburgh Penguins When healthy, he’s still the best overall player in the NHL. His devotion to rounding out the relatively few rough edges of his spectacular skill set allows him to claim that designation.

Penguins A to Z: Sidney Crosby is still the NHL’s best player (when But given how many injuries he has endured, it is fair to wonder if he is healthy) on the downslope of his career, even if it’s a very slow descent from a towering peak.

There is probably no one more furious with the fact Crosby has played SETH RORABAUGH only four games of consequence over the past nine months than Crosby himself. He is just as obsessed with the sport as he was when he arrived Wednesday, December 9, 2020 12:50 p.m. in Pittsburgh a decade and a half ago. That part of him hasn’t waned.

At the same time, given the wear and tear he has accrued over his While the NHL is on hold because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, outstanding career, some downtime might not be the worst thing for his the Tribune-Review will offer Penguins A to Z, a player-by-player look at body. all 48 individuals under NHL contract with the organization, from mid- Assuming the NHL resumes next month, a refreshed and healthy Crosby level prospect Niclas Almari to high-profile trade acquisition Jason still can be the NHL’s best. Zucker.

Sidney Crosby Tribune Review LOADED: 12.10.2020 Position: Center

Shoots: Left

Age: 33

Height: 5-foot-11

Weight: 200 pounds

2019-20 NHL statistics: 41 games, 47 points (16 goals, 31 assists)

Contract: Eighth year of a 12-year contract with a salary cap hit of $8.7 million. Pending unrestricted free agent in 2025

Acquired: First-round draft pick (No. 1 overall), July 30, 2005

Last season: Throughout his non-pareil career, Crosby has dealt with significant ailments, most notably the concussion and neck issues that sidelined him for the better part of two seasons in the early 2010s and put his career in doubt.

And in 2013, he suffered a gruesome injury when a deflected slap shot struck him in the face, breaking his jaw.

In other instances, some of his maladies were almost comical, such as when he contracted mumps in 2014 and the Penguins offered mixed messages as to whether he had it or not despite his swollen face suggesting he indeed had it.

So on the surface, a core muscle injury is a relatively ho-hum entry on Crosby’s medical chart.

But it certainly was pertinent last season as Crosby missed 28 games throughout November, December and January because of the injury that originated from the preseason. Crosby largely played the first month and half of the 2019-20 campaign while powering through considerable discomfort until he reached a breaking point in mid-November.

Once he returned in mid-January, Crosby showed he was more than capable of maintaining his considerable standards, producing 30 points (11 goals, 19 assists) in 24 games before the NHL halted play in mid- March because of the coronavirus pandemic.

When the league resumed operations in mid-July with training camps for a postseason tournament beginning in August, Crosby seemed primed to lead his team on a legit run to another Stanley Cup championship. But an undisclosed injury, believed to be a “lower-body” ailment, sidelined Crosby for the bulk of camp, preventing him from refining his game heading into a preliminary round matchup with the Montreal Canadiens.

Whatever ailment hindered Crosby throughout camp wasn’t visibly evident during the Penguins all-too-brief postseason run. He was actually the team’s leading scorer with a mere three points (two goals, one assist) in the four games it took the Canadiens to upset the Penguins.

In late August, Crosby underwent arthroscopic wrist debridement surgery and, by all accounts, has made a complete recovery.

The future: It’s probably foolish to bet against Crosby in the face of any impediment. But even he can’t dodge the realities of being in his mid-30s. 1180581 Pittsburgh Penguins

NHL Trade Talks Pick Up, Penguins Circle Back on Pacioretty

Published December 9, 2020

By Dan Kingerski

The entire league seemed to take a holiday sometime in October when the coming NHL season was in more doubt than a Sydney Powell lawsuit. Free-agent discussions ceased. The uncertainty halted NHL trade talks as GMs were constrained from a lack of salary cap space and unsure about the future. Now that the NHL is set to return in January, Pittsburgh Penguins trade winds are again blowing.

However, don’t get too excited about Penguins trade talks yet. General Managers are starting over and having a lot of preliminary conversations. The chatter volume is high, but it is too early to call anything serious.

There is also some talk of compliance buyouts returning to the GMs’ toolbag, which could create a flood of transactions, new free agents, and probably a couple of subsequent blockbuster trades.

Multiple sources told Pittsburgh Hockey Now the Penguins are interested in a pair of big-name players who have big-time salaries. One of those names is Vegas Golden Knights LW Max Pacioretty.

On Wednesday afternoon, PHN confirmed with a well placed Penguins team source told PHN that Rutherford recently circled back on Pacioretty and is waiting to hear back.

The talks could be classified as exploratory.

The winger has three-years remaining at $7 million AAV per season, and everything about the Penguins acquiring Pacioretty would seem to be both economically impossible and lineup implausible. As an expensive and offensively productive LW, Pacioretty is a top-six winger, and the Pittsburgh Penguins are full up on the left side.

But it does make sense for Rutherford to poke around. The Penguins made the initial call and are waiting to see how the situation evolves.

Last season, Pacioretty lit up the scoreboard with 32 goals and 34 assists in 71 games. The 6-foot-2, 215 winger is not a physical presence but a scorer.

Pacioretty is a pure sniper with good speed and offensive instincts. He can also play defense.

Currently, Vegas is over the $81.5 million salary cap and must find a way to move salary. The Penguins are up against the cap and have about $1.3 million in cap space, though they could create an additional $1.4 million by moving depth players to the AHL roster.

However, that is a long way from $7 million.

The NHL trade chatter will pick up over the coming weeks, though the Christmas holiday roster freeze is likely still in effect. Though not yet official, the Penguins training camp will reportedly begin on Jan. 3 and last for 10 days.

Expect the NHL trade and UFA dominos to fall after the NHL officially announces the return to play. Given the compressed timeframe until camps begin and the coming compressed schedule, general managers probably won’t doddle.

Get ready.

Pittsburgh Hockey Now LOADED: 12.10.2020 1180582 Pittsburgh Penguins Under the best-case scenario with Poulin, the lineup looks significantly better. At worst, the only Penguins first-round pick since 2014 should get a valuable taste of NHL exposure.

NHL Could Expand Rosters, and the BIG Benefit to the Penguins The Penguins have nothing to lose and everything to gain with the expanded rosters. And it just may be a huge gain.

Published December 9, 2020 Pittsburgh Hockey Now LOADED: 12.10.2020 By Dan Kingerski

As part of the NHL Return to play, which should launch later this month or in early January with training camp, the NHL is heavily considering expanded rosters, up to 26 players. Since the AHL will not begin to play until February, teams including the Pittsburgh Penguins figure to keep a few extra prospects or depth players.

But beyond the first 22 players, who makes sense for the Penguins?

The current proposal laid before the teams and players is to allow an expanded roster or “taxi squad” of 26 players. The additional players would draw an AHL salary but get NHL benefits (such as daily per diem).

Don’t get too excited, though. If the proposal is approved, there will not be a line of prospects at Penguins practices.

Typically, NHL rosters allow up to 23 players, but the Penguins and other teams have often adopted a 22-player roster to save salary-cap space. The Penguins prospect pool isn’t deep, and nor do they have a plethora of players fighting for roster spots.

The most obvious choices are P-O Joseph and Sam Poulin. The top Penguins prospects will be able to hang around, soak in more of the NHL life, and learn what it takes to be an NHL player.

That is especially true of the 19-year-old Poulin because he missed most of the two-week July training camp due to secondary exposure to COVID-19.

When the AHL fires up their season in February, however, why would the Penguins keep Joseph in the Pittsburgh press box? At best, Joseph would be the fourth Penguins LHD, though he does have some professional experience on the right, too. However, Juuso Riikola figures to be the primary depth LHD and Chad Ruhwedel the primary right-side depth choice.

Getting ice time and putting the finishing touches on his game will be more important for Joseph than press box nachos.

Poulin has already played five games in the QMJHL and been in camp with Team Canada for nearly a month. Poulin is battling to make the 2021 WJC Team Canada roster but is not a favorite to be one of the top 12 forwards.

Perhaps adding to the Penguins total is Zach Aston-Reese. The fourth- line winger should be ready sooner than later, after his offseason surgery. Otherwise, Evan Rodrigues will be in the lineup.

As you can see, the Penguins will quickly fill 25 spots without Joseph or Poulin. It won’t matter if the Penguins expose Trotman to waivers, so the team will conceivably keep Joseph, at least until there is additional ice time elsewhere in the organization.

The team may also be wise to have a third goalie. This offseason, the Penguins signed former Vegas Golden Knight depth goalie Maxime Legace to be ready for emergency NHL action. Legace would be No. 26.

Unless the Penguins send Lafferty to the AHL or expose Angello to waivers.

The expanded rosters specifically help the Pittsburgh Penguins with Poulin. Under ordinary circumstances, the Penguins would not keep him on their 22-man roster unless he shoved others aside to earn a regular spot. Under the expanded roster proposal, the team could easily keep him around for most of the season, allow him to play nine games, and not burn a year of his entry-level contract.

Imagine Poulin on the right-wing of the third line? Or left wing with McCann at center. Suppose Poulin can claim a spot. That allows head coach Mike Sullivan to shift Mark Jankowski throughout the lineup, wherever he is best suited. 1180583 San Jose Sharks teams only play divisional opponents, the Sharks would likely play all seven teams in their division eight times.

The Sharks still do not know where they will be able to hold training San Jose Sharks might be placed in same division as NHL heavyweights camp, or if they’ll be able to play games at SAP Center this season. Santa Clara County has a physical contact ban in effect at least until Dec. 21, and a shelter-in-place order could last until early January.

By CURTIS PASHELKA | [email protected] | Bay Area News Group San Jose Mercury News: LOADED: 12.10.2020 PUBLISHED: December 9, 2020 at 2:56 p.m. | UPDATED: December 9, 2020 at 3:34 p.m.

SAN JOSE — The Sharks might be in the toughest division in hockey if the NHL season is able to get started next month.

Thanks to the closure of the U.S.-Canada border, the Sharks could be placed in a new division with the St. Louis Blues, Colorado Avalanche and this season, according to TSN’s Pierre LeBrun. The Anaheim Ducks, Arizona Coyotes, Vegas Golden Knights and Los Angeles Kings, all traditional rivals of the Sharks, would also be in the division.

The Blues, Golden Knights, Avalanche and Stars were the top four teams in the Western Conference last season in terms of points percentage. The Sharks, at a .450 points percentage, were 15th and last. Vegas and Dallas met in the Western Conference final in September, with the Stars winning in five games.

The divisions would have to be realigned if the northern border remains closed to non-essential travel. So the Vancouver Canucks, Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames, who have been in the same division as the Sharks since the 2013-14 season, will likely be in an all-Canadian division with the Winnipeg Jets, Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens and Ottawa Senators.

Also, per LeBrun, Boston, Buffalo, New Jersey, the New York Islanders, New York Rangers, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Washington would be in one division, and Carolina, Columbus, Detroit, Chicago, Florida, Minnesota, Nashville and Tampa Bay would be in another.

So, the Sharks say goodbye to Connor McDavid and Elias Pettersson for now. Here comes what may be a steady dose of Nathan MacKinnon, Ryan O’Reilly and .

“There are a lot of things we have to do to return to play,” NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said Tuesday at the Maccabi USA Sports Show. “For us to return to play, we’re not going to play 82 games, obviously, and we have travel issues because of the restrictions at the border between Canada and the U.S. You can’t go back and forth, so we’re actually going to have to realign.

“If everything stays the way it is, we’re probably going to have to have a Canadian division and realign in the U.S., and we’re trying to focus on dealing with all of those challenges.”

The realigned divisions are not finalized and would still need approval from the NHL’s Board of Governors.

Like the Sharks, the Golden Knights, Blues, Stars and Avalanche have all undergone changes since last season.

Vegas added free agent defenseman Alex Pietrangelo, who moved on from St. Louis, and signed goalie Robin Lehner to a five-year contract, but also traded center and defenseman Nate Schmidt. The Golden Knights are also reportedly shopping Max Pacioretty to help become compliant under the NHL’s salary cap for this season.

The Blues added defenseman Torey Krug in free agency and traded backup goalie Jake Allen to Montreal. The Stars may be without goalie Ben Bishop and forward until March or later after both had offseason surgery. The Avalanche added forward Brandon Saad and defensemen Devon Toews and Dennis Gilbert via trade.

The league, per reports, is now targeting Jan. 13 as a start date to a 56- game regular season, although that could change depending on the trajectory of coronavirus cases.

While the Canadian-based teams will likely only be allowed to play each other, it is unclear whether the U.S.-based squads — in an effort to help reduce travel costs — will only play teams within their own division. If 1180584 San Jose Sharks

Proposed division realignment is terrible news for Sharks

by Brian Witt

It isn't official, but if this is the way things will be set up, the Sharks' playoff hopes likely were just dealt a crushing blow.

As the NHL gets closer to finalizing all of the specifics about the upcoming 2021 season, more details are emerging. The league has long been rumored to be considering a division realignment for 2021, in order to deal with the realities of the COVID-19 pandemic. And more specifically, how to deal with the seven Canadian teams, considering the inherent issues of international travel.

The NHL held a Board of Governors call Wednesday, and the league currently is favoring an alignment that includes an all-Canadian division, according to The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun. Unfortunately for the Sharks, the realignment likely would make their own division considerably tougher.

If the proposed realignment is finalized, that would mean the Sharks' division essentially swapped the Calgary Flames, Edmonton Oilers and Vancouver Canucks for the Colorado Avalanche, Dallas Stars and St. Louis Blues.

Yikes.

For those that need a refresher, the Blues, Avalanche and Stars finished first, second and third in the Central Division last season, which arguably was the toughest division in the entire league. St. Louis finished with the most points in the Western Conference. Colorado was only two points back, and was an overtime loss away from advancing to the Conference finals. The Stars, who beat the Avs in that thrilling seven-game playoff series, made it all the way to the Stanley Cup Final before losing to the Tampa Bay Lightning in six games.

And all three should be very good again in 2021.

The creation of an all-Canadian division would all but seem to confirm the NHL's intent on playing a solely intra-division schedule in 2021, meaning teams would only play the others in their own division. If that's the case, the Sharks likely will be playing half of their games against what are probably the four best teams in the West; remember, the Vegas Golden Knights aren't going anywhere, and they arguably got better this offseason.

And that's not even the end of it. The other three teams in the Sharks' proposed division -- the Los Angeles Kings, Anaheim Ducks and Arizona Coyotes -- could all be on the upswing, not to mention the in-state rivalry with the former two. Really, on paper, there isn't a team in the Sharks' division that you could say they're certainly superior to.

The Sharks already were going to be challenged to qualify for the playoffs under the previous division alignment. But now, in what can only be described as the "Group of Doom," their playoff pursuit might already be over before it started.

San Jose could surprise, sure, but another down season appears far more likely. The good news is, this time, the Sharks possess their own first-round pick, and the top of the 2021 NHL Entry Draft is expected to hold some elite talent.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 12.10.2020 1180585 San Jose Sharks

Oakland, Vegas could be Sharks' home to start '21 NHL season

by Dalton Johnson

The Sharks, like the 49ers, could be looking for a new home after Santa Clara County banned high school, college and professional sports teams from holding practices or games due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The NHL has yet to announce when training camp and the regular season will begin for the upcoming season. If Santa Clara County's ban continues by the time training camp starts, there appears to be two possible homes for the Sharks: Oakland and Las Vegas.

Since the Sharks own Solar4America Ice in Fremont, the Sharks could practice there and play games at Oakland Arena, the former home of the Warriors.

“The arena is quite capable of, in terms of design, state of maintenance, and capital improvements,” Coliseum Authority executive director Henry L. Gardner told San Jose Hockey Now, “to host any kind of event that we’ve ever hosted in the past.”

Las Vegas could play host to a bubble for a number of teams. Vegas Golden Knights owner Bill Foley told the Las Vegas Sun that the goal is for training camp to begin Jan. 3, and the regular season on Jan. 13.

Foley also seems plenty confident Las Vegas could be a central hub for teams like the Sharks.

“I think T-Mobile (Arena) is safe from COVID as anywhere in the United States,” Foley said to the Sun. “I know that the commissioner doesn’t want everyone flying around the country to play a game of hockey.

“I’d say we’re a pretty good candidate to be a participant in that kind of hockey environment.”

The Sharks, and the rest of the NHL world, currently are waiting for answers. It seems likely the Sharks' home early in the season will not be in San Jose. Will it be Oakland or Las Vegas?

Hopefully, we find out soon.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 12.10.2020 1180586 San Jose Sharks and Oregon, along with Alaska and Montana. The Mariners own 60 percent of the network, with WarnerMedia, a subsidiary of AT&T, possessing the additional 40 percent.

What could the Kraken’s potential radio and TV options look like? “AT&T has expressed an interest in selling regional sports networks. They were going to sell and then they took it off the market,” Berke said. “Over the next several years, there is the potential these networks could be sold, and you have to incorporate that into what you do.” By Ryan S. Clark Portland-based NBC Sports Northwest could also be another option. But Dec 9, 2020 there are also some items the Kraken would have to evaluate. NBC Sports Northwest is currently available in only Oregon and Washington. The network is the home for the Portland Trail Blazers, and that could Fans are going to either watch or listen to Seattle Kraken games at some lead to a potential scheduling conflict between two teams that play during point. Even if nobody knows exactly when the first game in franchise the same time of year. history will be played. “I am sure NBC would like to have an increase in their presence there, As for what networks would be responsible for airing those games? Well, but if you are looking at it, Kraken games are running the same nights as that is another question the NHL’s newest franchise must answer Blazers games,” Berke said. “I think the most intriguing possibility is between now and whenever the 2021-22 season starts. media consumption is changing dramatically.”

Here’s the landscape. There are realistically two prominent Seattle-based Berke explained how the pay television market continues to decline from sports talk radio stations that could seek those rights. But the television the 100 million it reached in 2014. He said it was about 80 percent in rights discussion is a bit more complicated. It is entirely possible the 2018, and has since fallen to 66 percent. Berke said there are models Kraken could go with a regional sports network — an RSN — which is that show the number of pay TV customers could fall to 50 million in the the more traditional route. Then again? They could take a more next couple of years. progressive approach by using a streaming service to broadcast a majority of their games while then having a smaller percentage of those This is another reason why Berke said the Kraken or any team has to games televised on a local channel in the market. look at creating a new generation of fans. One that is young, tech-savvy and can be reached in other areas where they consume content. He said “There is more options,” said Dan Etna, who is the sports law group co- the next generation of fans and media consumers are not buying chair and partner at Herrick Feinstein LLP. “Five years ago, you did not bundles. It’s something cable companies such as Comcast are noticing. have the YouTubes and the Amazons. Yahoo was streaming sports, but Berke said Comcast did well selling subscriptions last quarter, but many you did not have those people in that space. It was more traditional of them were for high-speed internet. content distributions. Going forward, I think that you are a new team and it is important you build your fan base and generate goodwill and get as All of these factors are why Berke and Etna said there is one locally- broad of a distribution for your games within your home TV market as based streaming service the Kraken could partner with to attract young possible. That sounds simplistic but the application is where the details fans, create new ones while also remaining accessible to everyone within get tricky.” several states. It’s called .

Originally, teams could enter an agreement with an RSN to televise most Streaming sports is the latest example of how Amazon has expanded its of their games with the idea some of them would be nationally televised. grip into daily life. They currently stream Thursday Night Football while The marketplace started to change once fans either started cord-cutting possessing the rights for other professional leagues throughout the or never subscribed once they could stream games online. It is why cable world. Amazon had a deal in place with the New York Yankees to make and satellite providers such as Comcast, DirecTV and began 21 of their games accessible to Prime customers living in a four-state offering slimmer bundle deals for subscribers who did not want to pay for region until COVID-19 altered those plans. channels such as ESPN, MSG Network or SNY, among others. Back in August, the Seattle Sounders signed a three-year contract with Etna, who has negotiated broadcast rights deals, said that is what Amazon to become their regional digital broadcast partner. Sounders ultimately led to people breaking away from cable and non-traditional fans throughout Washington were able to watch live matches, archived media players entering that space. He said the goal for the Kraken or any matches while having access to match highlights and post-match press team thinking about a new broadcast deal must consider how to reach conferences. It worked in conjunction with an agreement the Sounders the highest amount of fans. That is why going to a strictly cable model had with KZJO-TV — aka JOEtv — to simulcast games on local with little to no streaming options is challenging: It risks ignoring a television. The Sounders had a similar agreement in place with YouTube younger demographic that could primarily stream their content. TV to be their regional digital broadcast partner that began in 2018 before they switched to Amazon. But then there’s another discussion the Kraken would need to have with a potential television partner: Exclusivity. There is already pre-existing relationship between Amazon and the Kraken. In August, Amazon CEO and founder Jeff Bezos announced on “If you are the Seattle team, you are not going to want to grant an Instagram his company secured the naming rights to the exclusive right to the game to any form of distribution,” Etna said. “You Arena site colloquially known as Key Arena. Bezos opted to go with the can say, ‘OK, ESPN, you get the bulk of the games, but we’re reserving name for the $1 billion construction project set to 20 games for streaming only or I am reserving 10 games that can be be completed next fall. CEO said Bezos streamed side-by-side with you.’ This is an area that is continuing to chose the name to address climate change and sustainability. evolve.” Etna said he would not be surprised if Amazon were to explore an Lee Berke, the president and CEO of the LHB Sports, Entertainment & arrangement with the Kraken similar to the one they have with the Media, Inc., has also negotiated several broadcast rights deals. He said Sounders. It would provide the Kraken another form of distribution to there are a number of items that make the Kraken an attractive draw. expand their reach while allowing Amazon to also potentially grow its Seattle is a market with size and wealth. Furthermore, it has a space in already colossal customer base. its sports calendar for a winter team ever since the SuperSonics were relocated to . “If a game is on cable or broadcast, if you are in Idaho and I am in Miami and we are watching a football game, everyone is seeing the same Berke said broadcasting rights deals are typically long-term agreements. Budweiser commercial but you do not have to do that when you stream,” Some can be a 10-year pact with a five-year option. The length of that Etna explained. “Then there is the demographic data. That gives (the deal is another reason why the Kraken must find an agreement that parties involved) a better idea of how sports content is being received. works now and in the future, he said. Berke said one of the details that What is your audience composed of?” the Kraken or any team must consider going forward are the financial dynamics in play when evaluating their local options. OK. So those are the potential options when it comes to who could contend for the Kraken’s broadcast rights. But what about radio? What Bellevue-based currently airs Gonzaga men’s stations could be in play there? basketball and the among its in-state clientele. Root has a reach that extends throughout Washington and into neighboring Idaho Landing the Kraken’s radio rights would achieve a few objectives. For one, it would give that particular station the opportunity to capitalize from being the flagship radio home for the city’s newest professional team. It would also offer them a chance to have at least 82 days of programming through airing live games and pre-game shows to anything else related to the team.

Practically any conversation in Seattle sports radio starts with two stations: 710 KIRO-AM (ESPN Seattle) and 950 KRJ-AM. Bonneville International owns 710, the flagship station for the Mariners, and men’s basketball and football programs. Meanwhile, the IHeartMedia-owned KJR is the flagship station for the Sounders and the men’s basketball and football programs.

KJR and 710 have competed against each other with their different talk shows, but what gave 710 the edge over its local rival was the fact it could claim to be radio home for the Cougars, Mariners and Seahawks. Adding the Kraken would give the station another team in its portfolio, but it would also lead to a few potential concerns. For one, would having that many teams be too much for a single station, especially if there is a potential scheduling conflict that causes ESPN Seattle to shift some of those games to one of their sister stations? There are also the financial consequences that come with that many radio deals in addition to the daily programming the station offers listeners.

Being the radio home for the Kraken means KJR would have a chance to level the playing field. KJR lost the Sonics radio rights back in 2006 and eventually lost the Huskies after the 2013 season to Sinclair Broadcasting Group’s KOMO News. The station still provided sports talk radio, but has lately started to re-emerge as a flagship station for the area’s teams. KJR acquired the Sounders’ rights in 2018 and recently won a bidding war to return the Huskies to their airwaves. Grabbing the Kraken would give KJR two professional teams and a Power 5 college program along with local programming provided by their hosts — the same as 710 ESPN.

“The reality is there are only very few key professional sports teams in any one market,” Berke said. “Those sports teams will tend to increasingly dominate viewership in this market. It’s appointment TV. The fact one new team comes on the market and there are potential outlets to fight over it, it is going to be a lucrative situate. It’s a bidding war. The interesting part of it is you are in a large market, a growing market and it is a growing market.

“Seattle is a market filled with , Amazon and it is the home of all these digital media and internet companies and that just adds to the resources.”

The Athletic LOADED: 12.10.2020 1180587 San Jose Sharks San Jose Hockey Now LOADED: 12.10.2020

BREAKING: Chase Center Won’t Host Sharks, Cow Palace “Would Love for Them” to Call

Published December 9, 2020

By Sheng Peng Credit: BlueVoter, Fido Factor (CC BY-SA 2.0)

Yesterday, San Jose Hockey Now reported that Oakland Arena could temporarily host the San Jose Sharks for the 2020-21 season.

This would be in the event that Santa Clara County, where SAP Center is located, extends its ban on contact sports well past December 21st. The NHL is hoping to start the 2020-21 season on January 13th.

Coliseum Authority executive director Henry L. Gardner said of Oakland Arena: “The arena is quite capable of, in terms of design, state of maintenance, and capital improvements to host any kind of event that we’ve ever hosted in the past.”

However, even if Oakland Arena is still capable of supporting NHL games, there’s no certainty that Alameda County would approve.

The fate of the NFL’s San Francisco 49ers might prove instructive for the San Jose Sharks. Instead of going to Alameda County and Oakland Coliseum to continue their season, the 49ers opted to re-locate temporarily to Arizona.

Did Alameda County reject the 49ers — and is that an ominous sign for the Sharks?

Gardner, from the Coliseum Authority’s perspective, revealed to SJHN: “There was no decision in respect to the 49ers playing at the Coliseum. We were never contacted by the 49ers. It appeared the NFL never even considered it.”

This doesn’t indicate, however, if the NFL or the 49ers had communicated with Alameda County.

San Jose Hockey Now has reached out to Alameda County and is awaiting a response.

Of course, Oakland Arena is not the only logical Bay Area destination for the San Jose Sharks to stage NHL games.

Could Chase Center or the Cow Palace be in play?

At first glance, Chase Center would be ideal. It’s brand-new and the county of San Francisco has already granted the NBA’s Golden State Warriors an exemption to practice and play there.

Meanwhile, as the original home of the San Jose Sharks, the Cow Palace would be a sentimental favorite. How fitting, if necessary, to celebrate the franchise’s 30th anniversary there?

That said, the Cow Palace is almost 80 years old and is better known these days as the home of the Grand National Rodeo, Horse, and Stock Show. It’s also located in San Mateo County, though they’ve been generally less restrictive than Santa Clara County.

A Chase Center spokesperson was quick to pour cold water — but not cold enough for ice — on the Sharks playing there: “While Chase Center has the capability to host ice shows like Disney On Ice, we were not designed to be an NHL facility, so we wouldn’t be in the conversation to host a Sharks game.”

In a bit of intrigue, the Cow Palace wasn’t as quick to close the door.

“We need to talk to the team to see what they need, how we could accommodate them,” Lori Marshall, CEO of the Cow Palace, told SJHN. “Together, we would see if we could help each other.”

Marshall noted that the , the Cow Palace’s last tenant in 2014, brought their own ice-making apparatus.

“I would love for them to call me,” Marshall said of the Sharks. “But I haven’t been contacted by anybody.”

That would be some story, for the San Jose Sharks to come back to their first home. It’s not likely, but there’s been nothing likely about this year. 1180588 Seattle Kraken and Oregon, along with Alaska and Montana. The Mariners own 60 percent of the network, with WarnerMedia, a subsidiary of AT&T, possessing the additional 40 percent.

What could the Kraken’s potential radio and TV options look like? “AT&T has expressed an interest in selling regional sports networks. They were going to sell and then they took it off the market,” Berke said. “Over the next several years, there is the potential these networks could be sold, and you have to incorporate that into what you do.” By Ryan S. Clark Portland-based NBC Sports Northwest could also be another option. But Dec 9, 2020 there are also some items the Kraken would have to evaluate. NBC Sports Northwest is currently available in only Oregon and Washington. The network is the home for the Portland Trail Blazers, and that could Fans are going to either watch or listen to Seattle Kraken games at some lead to a potential scheduling conflict between two teams that play during point. Even if nobody knows exactly when the first game in franchise the same time of year. history will be played. “I am sure NBC would like to have an increase in their presence there, As for what networks would be responsible for airing those games? Well, but if you are looking at it, Kraken games are running the same nights as that is another question the NHL’s newest franchise must answer Blazers games,” Berke said. “I think the most intriguing possibility is between now and whenever the 2021-22 season starts. media consumption is changing dramatically.”

Here’s the landscape. There are realistically two prominent Seattle-based Berke explained how the pay television market continues to decline from sports talk radio stations that could seek those rights. But the television the 100 million it reached in 2014. He said it was about 80 percent in rights discussion is a bit more complicated. It is entirely possible the 2018, and has since fallen to 66 percent. Berke said there are models Kraken could go with a regional sports network — an RSN — which is that show the number of pay TV customers could fall to 50 million in the the more traditional route. Then again? They could take a more next couple of years. progressive approach by using a streaming service to broadcast a majority of their games while then having a smaller percentage of those This is another reason why Berke said the Kraken or any team has to games televised on a local channel in the market. look at creating a new generation of fans. One that is young, tech-savvy and can be reached in other areas where they consume content. He said “There is more options,” said Dan Etna, who is the sports law group co- the next generation of fans and media consumers are not buying chair and partner at Herrick Feinstein LLP. “Five years ago, you did not bundles. It’s something cable companies such as Comcast are noticing. have the YouTubes and the Amazons. Yahoo was streaming sports, but Berke said Comcast did well selling subscriptions last quarter, but many you did not have those people in that space. It was more traditional of them were for high-speed internet. content distributions. Going forward, I think that you are a new team and it is important you build your fan base and generate goodwill and get as All of these factors are why Berke and Etna said there is one locally- broad of a distribution for your games within your home TV market as based streaming service the Kraken could partner with to attract young possible. That sounds simplistic but the application is where the details fans, create new ones while also remaining accessible to everyone within get tricky.” several states. It’s called Amazon.

Originally, teams could enter an agreement with an RSN to televise most Streaming sports is the latest example of how Amazon has expanded its of their games with the idea some of them would be nationally televised. grip into daily life. They currently stream Thursday Night Football while The marketplace started to change once fans either started cord-cutting possessing the rights for other professional leagues throughout the or never subscribed once they could stream games online. It is why cable world. Amazon had a deal in place with the New York Yankees to make and satellite providers such as Comcast, DirecTV and Spectrum began 21 of their games accessible to Prime customers living in a four-state offering slimmer bundle deals for subscribers who did not want to pay for region until COVID-19 altered those plans. channels such as ESPN, MSG Network or SNY, among others. Back in August, the Seattle Sounders signed a three-year contract with Etna, who has negotiated broadcast rights deals, said that is what Amazon to become their regional digital broadcast partner. Sounders ultimately led to people breaking away from cable and non-traditional fans throughout Washington were able to watch live matches, archived media players entering that space. He said the goal for the Kraken or any matches while having access to match highlights and post-match press team thinking about a new broadcast deal must consider how to reach conferences. It worked in conjunction with an agreement the Sounders the highest amount of fans. That is why going to a strictly cable model had with KZJO-TV — aka JOEtv — to simulcast games on local with little to no streaming options is challenging: It risks ignoring a television. The Sounders had a similar agreement in place with YouTube younger demographic that could primarily stream their content. TV to be their regional digital broadcast partner that began in 2018 before they switched to Amazon. But then there’s another discussion the Kraken would need to have with a potential television partner: Exclusivity. There is already pre-existing relationship between Amazon and the Kraken. In August, Amazon CEO and founder Jeff Bezos announced on “If you are the Seattle team, you are not going to want to grant an Instagram his company secured the naming rights to the Seattle Center exclusive right to the game to any form of distribution,” Etna said. “You Arena site colloquially known as Key Arena. Bezos opted to go with the can say, ‘OK, ESPN, you get the bulk of the games, but we’re reserving name Climate Pledge Arena for the $1 billion construction project set to 20 games for streaming only or I am reserving 10 games that can be be completed next fall. Oak View Group CEO Tim Leiweke said Bezos streamed side-by-side with you.’ This is an area that is continuing to chose the name to address climate change and sustainability. evolve.” Etna said he would not be surprised if Amazon were to explore an Lee Berke, the president and CEO of the LHB Sports, Entertainment & arrangement with the Kraken similar to the one they have with the Media, Inc., has also negotiated several broadcast rights deals. He said Sounders. It would provide the Kraken another form of distribution to there are a number of items that make the Kraken an attractive draw. expand their reach while allowing Amazon to also potentially grow its Seattle is a market with size and wealth. Furthermore, it has a space in already colossal customer base. its sports calendar for a winter team ever since the SuperSonics were relocated to Oklahoma City. “If a game is on cable or broadcast, if you are in Idaho and I am in Miami and we are watching a football game, everyone is seeing the same Berke said broadcasting rights deals are typically long-term agreements. Budweiser commercial but you do not have to do that when you stream,” Some can be a 10-year pact with a five-year option. The length of that Etna explained. “Then there is the demographic data. That gives (the deal is another reason why the Kraken must find an agreement that parties involved) a better idea of how sports content is being received. works now and in the future, he said. Berke said one of the details that What is your audience composed of?” the Kraken or any team must consider going forward are the financial dynamics in play when evaluating their local options. OK. So those are the potential options when it comes to who could contend for the Kraken’s broadcast rights. But what about radio? What Bellevue-based Root Sports Northwest currently airs Gonzaga men’s stations could be in play there? basketball and the Seattle Mariners among its in-state clientele. Root has a reach that extends throughout Washington and into neighboring Idaho Landing the Kraken’s radio rights would achieve a few objectives. For one, it would give that particular station the opportunity to capitalize from being the flagship radio home for the city’s newest professional team. It would also offer them a chance to have at least 82 days of programming through airing live games and pre-game shows to anything else related to the team.

Practically any conversation in Seattle sports radio starts with two stations: 710 KIRO-AM (ESPN Seattle) and 950 KRJ-AM. Bonneville International owns 710, the flagship station for the Mariners, Seattle Seahawks and Washington State Cougars men’s basketball and football programs. Meanwhile, the IHeartMedia-owned KJR is the flagship station for the Sounders and the Washington Huskies men’s basketball and football programs.

KJR and 710 have competed against each other with their different talk shows, but what gave 710 the edge over its local rival was the fact it could claim to be radio home for the Cougars, Mariners and Seahawks. Adding the Kraken would give the station another team in its portfolio, but it would also lead to a few potential concerns. For one, would having that many teams be too much for a single station, especially if there is a potential scheduling conflict that causes ESPN Seattle to shift some of those games to one of their sister stations? There are also the financial consequences that come with that many radio deals in addition to the daily programming the station offers listeners.

Being the radio home for the Kraken means KJR would have a chance to level the playing field. KJR lost the Sonics radio rights back in 2006 and eventually lost the Huskies after the 2013 season to Sinclair Broadcasting Group’s KOMO News. The station still provided sports talk radio, but has lately started to re-emerge as a flagship station for the area’s teams. KJR acquired the Sounders’ rights in 2018 and recently won a bidding war to return the Huskies to their airwaves. Grabbing the Kraken would give KJR two professional teams and a Power 5 college program along with local programming provided by their hosts — the same as 710 ESPN.

“The reality is there are only very few key professional sports teams in any one market,” Berke said. “Those sports teams will tend to increasingly dominate viewership in this market. It’s appointment TV. The fact one new team comes on the market and there are potential outlets to fight over it, it is going to be a lucrative situate. It’s a bidding war. The interesting part of it is you are in a large market, a growing market and it is a growing market.

“Seattle is a market filled with Microsoft, Amazon and it is the home of all these digital media and internet companies and that just adds to the resources.”

The Athletic LOADED: 12.10.2020 1180589 St Louis Blues

Forbes: Blues franchise value dips by $20 million

Jim Thomas

The pandemic-shortened 2019-20 NHL season took its toll financially on the Blues, according to Forbes’ annual list of NHL franchise values.

The Blues’ franchise value for 2020 slipped to $510 million according to Forbes, a $20 million decrease — or 4 percent — over its value in 2019 coming off the Stanley Cup championship season.

League-wide, the average value of the 31 NHL teams fell by 2 percent according to Forbes, after a season in which the last 3½ weeks of the regular season were canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic.

In addition, there was no income from ticket sales and associated revenue (parking, concessions, etc.) in the playoffs because there were no fans in the stands and no true home games. The postseason was held in the “bubble” cities of Toronto and Edmonton.

After experiencing a 14-percent gain in franchise value in 2019 coming off the Cup title, the Blues slipped from the 17th spot in 2019 to 18th in franchise value.

For the sixth consecutive year, the New York Rangers held the top spot at $1.65 billion — a figure that was unchanged from 2019. The Rangers were one of seven teams whose values did not change from 2019.

The 24 other teams all experienced decreases in franchise value — headed by Arizona, Columbus, Florida, Nashville and San Jose at minus 5 percent each.

St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 12.10.2020 1180590 St Louis Blues • Players with no-movement clauses have to be protected (the Blues have none).

• First- and second-year pros, along with unsigned draft picks, are Seattle Kraken expansion mock draft 5.0: Whom could the Blues lose? exempt from the expansion draft.

• For the Vegas expansion draft, the NHL required teams to make available one defenseman and two forwards who played 40 games the By Jeremy Rutherford previous season or 70 combined games in the previous two seasons. That was the plan for the Seattle expansion draft, but those parameters Dec 9, 2020 will have to be revised because of the consecutive shortened seasons due to the pandemic.

The first time I tried to predict the Blues’ protected list for the Seattle • One goalie must be made available. expansion draft — December 2018 — I admittedly didn’t know where to OK, here we go again … start. Who would even be on the roster in three years? Alex Pietrangelo would be, right? No? Forwards

Well, this is my third attempt, and each time it gets a little easier because Protected: Vladimir Tarasenko, Ryan O’Reilly, , Brayden we’re getting closer to the actual draft next summer. The picture of whom Schenn, Robert Thomas, Oskar Sundqvist and Jordan Kyrou the Blues need to protect and who might be exposed is getting clearer. Exempt: Klim Kostin, Nikita Alexandrov, Alexei Toropchenko, Jake When I look back, I really didn’t do that badly. Neighbours and Hugh McGing

Here’s my story from Dec. 10, 2018, and here’s what my protected list Available: David Perron, Sammy Blais, Zach Sanford, Ivan Barbashev, looked like (seven forwards, three defensemen, one goalie) … , Mackenzie MacEachern, Jacob de la Rose and Austin Poganski My picks at forward have held up, with Klim Kostin being the only change, and that’s due, in part, to his eligibility status for the draft. At the I’m sticking with the same seven that I had in July. time, it appeared that Kostin, the Blues’ No. 31 overall pick in 2017, would be available, but he hasn’t played enough pro seasons and will be There’s been some outside speculation about the Blues leaving exempt. Tarasenko unprotected as he attempts to come back from his third shoulder surgery in 28 months. I understand the concern, but even if you If you’re wondering where David Perron’s name was on that list, even don’t think Tarasenko will ever be the same again, he’s still one of the projecting three years out, you knew he would be 33 years old with just NHL’s premier scorers and has three seasons left on his contract at a one year left on his contract when the draft came around. This was team-friendly $7.5 million AAV. before the Stanley Cup and his All-Star appearance, so it wasn’t difficult to leave him off the list. If you’re Seattle, you’d be silly not to take that chance, and if you’re the Blues, there aren’t many players in the NHL who have even 80 to 90 On defense, I protected Pietrangelo and Joel Edmundson, who are no percent of Tarasenko’s skill. Nashville’s Ryan Johansen (14 goals, 36 longer with the organization. In goal, I protected because points) and Arizona’s Phil Kessel (14 goals, 38 points) have cap hits of Jake Allen’s contract would be expiring after the 2020-21 season and it $8 million next season, while Washington’s Evgeny Kuznetsov (19 goals, was unlikely he’d be back, and because Jordan Binnington — as crazy 52 points) is at $7.8 million. When remotely healthy, Tarasenko is well as this sounds now — was still buried in the minor leagues. worth his cost.

The second time I took a crack at this was July 1, 2020, and here’s what Now, Schenn and Schwartz … that protected list looked like (again, seven forwards, three defensemen, one goalie) … There’s perhaps a school of thought that Schenn’s new eight-year, $52 million contract, which kicks in this season, could deter Seattle from This time, I kept six of the seven forwards the same as in 2018, replacing taking him. He turned 29 in August and will be 37 when the deal expires. Kostin with Oskar Sundqvist. He plays a physical style, and that toll on his body might make the last few years regrettable. If the Kraken take Schenn, the Blues will rid I can’t tell you how excruciatingly difficult it was to leave Perron off again, themselves of a contract that may eventually become burdensome, and if but with Sundqvist’s emergence, it seemed like a good bet that Seattle they don’t, the Blues will have essentially shielded eight forwards. I would pluck him from the Blues if available. Though Perron had added to completely understand that, but Schenn will be a good asset into his his impressive resume and his status as a fan favorite in St. Louis, it was early 30s, and losing him will not help their ability to win now, which still hard to rationalize protecting him at the risk of losing a high-ceiling remains their focus. Who would replace him? I don’t know how many player like Jordan Kyrou or a motor like Sundqvist. fans are actually entertaining this thought, but to me, it shouldn’t be On defense, I still had Pietrangelo and Colton Parayko, but with considered an option. Edmundson gone, I put in that spot. In net, I replaced Husso Meanwhile, Schwartz will become a free agent after the 2020-21 season, with Binnington, even though Binnington’s contract would be expiring so technically he doesn’t have to be protected yet. But the expectation is after this season. that the Blues will be re-signing him, thus I have him on my list. Now, it’s time again to do this again. That leaves Perron vulnerable again, and if this time is anything like the This week, all beat writers at The Athletic are publishing their latest mock last two times I left him unprotected, I’ll be hearing from a few of you draft, and next week, our staff’s Eric Duhatschek and Ryan Clark will soon. “Leave David Perron alone” was how most of the messages compile our lists and select Seattle’s team. started out. I certainly see the fans’ point — Perron has done nothing but demonstrate continued commitment to the organization — but with one It’s only been five months since my last Blues list, but a lot has changed: year left on his contract as he heads for his mid-30s, I believe Armstrong Pietrangelo signed with Vegas in free agency, the Blues brought in is between a rock and a hard place. Boston’s Torey Krug, and the Seattle franchise now has a name — the Kraken. Sundqvist may be a bottom-six forward, but he’s become a significant contributor, he’s only 26, and he has three more years left on his contract So let’s take a look at look at how the transactions have altered things, if with a $2.75 million AAV. Kyrou remains unproven, but his upside is any. In the past, we’ve broken it down player by player, but there’s no worth keeping. need to repeat that exercise, so we’ll just analyze each of the three positions and then pick the player the Blues might lose. Defensemen

I still believe general manager will opt for the 7-3-1 Protected: Colton Parayko, Torey Krug and Vince Dunn protection list, and remember there are rules and criteria that determine Exempt: Scott Perunovich and Tyler Tucker who’s eligible: Available: Justin Faulk, Marco Scandella, Carl Gunnarsson, Robert Bortuzzo, Niko Mikkola, Mitch Reinke and Jake Walman Two of the three spots continue to be spoken for.

Pietrangelo is no longer part of the equation, but that’s moot because the The Athletic LOADED: 12.10.2020 Blues will be protecting Krug instead of him, and Parayko will obviously be protected.

Which leaves us, in reality, with just two players for one spot: Faulk and Dunn. I can hear many of you yelling at your phone screen, or your laptop, that the choice between those two isn’t even debatable, but bear with me for a moment.

With Pietrangelo gone, Faulk will jump into the top four, perhaps even getting some power-play duty. Last week, I asked that question specifically in our Blues fan survey 2.0 — “Will Faulk perform better in a top-four role with more defined duties?” — and 78.1 percent responded that, yes, he would. But even if you were among the 21.9 percent who disagreed, Faulk will have time to prove you wrong.

Then there’s Dunn, a restricted free agent who remains unsigned. There’s no reason to believe he won’t be back in 2021, but what if it’s a one-year deal? What if in that one year Mikkola and/or Perunovich play well enough that Dunn becomes expendable next summer? He’d still be a restricted free agent but will have arbitration rights for the first time in his career. What if he becomes too expensive? Could he be trade bait? These might not be likely scenarios, but they’re worth keeping in mind in a forecast of whom the Blues might protect with the last of the three spots on their list.

At the very least, please don’t assume that because Faulk played for Carolina under GM Ron Francis, who now has the same position in Seattle, that the Kraken will pick up the remaining six seasons of his seven-year, $45.5 million contract ($6.5 million AAV). That may indeed happen, but there’s an equal chance that Faulk will perform better and the Blues will want to protect him to avoid going from three capable right- shot defensemen (Pietrangelo, Parayko and Faulk) to just one.

If the Blues do end up protecting Parayko, Krug and Dunn, and Seattle decides against Faulk, I think Mikkola could be a target for the Kraken. He’s unproven, with only five NHL games under his belt, but he’s 6-foot- 5, will be just 25 years old at the time of the draft and has international experience.

Goalies

Protected: Jordan Binnington

Exempt: Joel Hofer

Available: Ville Husso, Jon Gillies and Evan Fitzpatrick

Assuming Binnington is re-signed at some point, it’s cut-and-dried that he’ll be the goalie the Blues protect and Husso would be the best goalie available.

The Blues would hate losing Husso, but if Binnington is locked up long- term, then they would simply head to the market for a backup. Husso remains a potential No. 1 goalie for the franchise in the future, but the club would have Hofer, who is exempt from the expansion draft, waiting in the wings. A year ago, the 20-year-old Hofer, who was the Blues’ fourth-round pick in 2018, backstopped Team Canada to a gold medal at the World Junior Championships.

Wrapping up, here’s a look at the compiled list of whom I project the Blues to protect, who might be available, and who’s exempt:

Several of the names on the roster have changed over the past two years, but from December 2018 to now, I still have seven of the 11 players from my original mock protected list. The four changes include one forward (Sundqvist for Kostin), two defensemen (Krug and Dunn for Pietrangelo and Edmundson) and the goalie (Binnington for Husso).

In July, I wrote that my guess for Seattle’s pick from the Blues would be Blais, and I’m sticking with that. Perron might be tempting for the Kraken, but Blais is skilled and physical, he’ll be just 25 at the time of the draft, and he’ll have one more year left on his contract ($1.5 million AAV) before becoming an RFA.

Blais is also the player Duhatschek selected from the Blues when he did his mock expansion draft 4.0 last July. We’ll see what Duhatschek and Clark have in store for the Blues when version 5.0 is published next week.

It’s all still pure speculation, but as we finally draw into the calendar year of the actual draft, it’s becoming a lot more real. 1180591 Tampa Bay Lightning

NHL working toward Jan. 13 start date, according to reports

Eduardo A. Encina

TAMPA — The Lightning could begin their defense of the Stanley Cup by the middle of next month.

Having overcome financial hurdles with the players union, the NHL reportedly is eyeing a Jan. 13 start to the 2021 season.

There had been little progress toward planning talks for the upcoming season, especially after league owners asked players to assume more salary deferments beyond the 10 percent the NHL Players’ Association agreed to in a return-to-play agreement this past summer.

But similar to those negotiations, once the financial obstacles are overcome, everything else could come together quickly.

According to multiple reports, including The Athletic and ESPN, the NHLPA presented the league with its counter-proposal — which included some concessions and requests on financial matters — but the league rebuffed it.

The sides now will begin planning the framework for the season under the conditions of the collective bargaining agreement extension passed in June.

The sides have had lengthy discussions about what the season might look like — number of games, divisional realignment, training camp structures — and a format could be presented to the league’s board of governors and NHLPA executive board in the coming days. Both will need to agree to the format for it to proceed.

ESPN reported that the NHL is also working on a stimulus plan for teams to overcome financial issues caused by the pandemic, similar to the one created by the NBA, where each team is receiving $30 million from the league.

The Lightning have not heard from the NHL regarding a season format, but that’s not unusual. The league typically wants to have its plan complete before presenting it to owners.

The NHL has, however, been in discussion with the team about the availability of Amalie Arena for scheduling purposes, talks that became more important when the Toronto Raptors announced they were going to begin the NBA season in Tampa.

The upcoming NHL season will be shorter than normal, down from 82 to 52 or 56 games, with a roughly two-week training camp.

There are also finer details to be ironed out, like whether to give extra preparation time to the seven non-playoff teams that didn’t return to play in late July and haven’t been together on the ice since March.

Also, the sides will have to decide how to handle the pandemic outside the bubble. How comfortable are players and teams with COVID-19 protocols? Will teams be given more roster flexibility, as in the NFL and Major League Baseball? Will players have the right to opt out?

Divisions will be realigned — likely regionally in order to reduce travel — including one division comprised of Canadian teams since they are unable to travel to the United States due to coronavirus-related restrictions.

It is unclear whether fans will be permitted to attend games. The Lightning are prepared to welcome fans, and Amalie Arena hosted roughly 2,000 socially distanced season ticket holders in September to watch the on the video board.

Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 12.10.2020 1180592 Tampa Bay Lightning If some of the young forwards stand out, perhaps the Lightning will strongly consider the 7-3-1 format. But I do think, as of now, the eight skater, one goalie alignment looks more likely.

Seattle Kraken expansion mock draft 5.0: Who could the Lightning lose? Eight skaters, one goalie

No matter what plan the Lightning use, the locks up front are Stamkos, Kucherov, Point and Cirelli. You can make an argument for Ondrej Palat, By Joe Smith too, especially if he’s a) still on the team and b) there’s not any intriguing progression in Foote. At the very least, you maintain your Norris Dec 9, 2020 Trophy/Conn Smythe winning defenseman in Hedman, a future franchise-type defenseman in Sergachev and your best right-shot defenseman in Cernak. So the biggest decision in the 8-1 alignment The Lightning have enough to worry about now in solving their current would be between Palat and a defenseman (Foote or McDonagh). cap crunch. The risk here is leaving McDonagh exposed. You can say what you want They still don’t know when next season will start, so they can defend their about his contract — six years remaining at $6.75 million AAV — but he’s Cup. still a key part of Tampa Bay’s top-four and leadership group. A reason, however, to not protect McDonagh, 31, is that his contract could lead But there’s another interesting decision looming, which could be Seattle to not take him. Sergachev has already shown he’s ready to play impacted by the moves they make this offseason: The Seattle expansion 20-minutes a night, in all situations, so he and Hedman already make for draft. a formidable left side. In an ideal world, Hedman, Sergachev and We’re about six months away from when the Kraken will get their first McDonagh are all in Tampa, but with a flat cap expected in the next few crack at plucking players from 30 teams (Vegas is exempt), including years, there’s going to have to be tough decisions. Tampa Bay. I tried my best projections for the Lightning’s protection list a This would also mean that Johnson and Killorn (if they are still on the couple years ago, last summer and again in June, but now there seems team), along with Yanni Gourde would be available for the Kraken. to be more clarity, and urgency, when it comes to planning ahead. Ondrej Palat — The two-way forward played the best hockey of his The Lightning will only lose one player, and there’s always the possibility career in the team’s Cup run, including scoring 11 goals in the playoffs. of working out a side deal with Seattle to control that, but the next several Palat, 29, will have one year remaining on his contract by the time the months could go a long way in finalizing their protection list. expansion draft comes (at $5.3 million AAV) and that’s not a bad deal at Here’s a reminder of the expansion draft rules, which will be the same for all for a top-six winger who can play in all situations. Alex Killorn would Seattle as it was for Vegas. be in a similar boat if he’s still in Tampa Bay, as he’d have just two years left on his deal (at $4.45 million AAV), and be a good option for Seattle’s Teams have the option of protecting seven forwards, three defensemen top six. and one goalie (7-3-1); or eight skaters and one goalie. Tyler Johnson — While Johnson is expected to get moved this Players with no-movement clauses have to be protected. First- and offseason, if he sticks around, the Spokane, Wash., native would be a second-year pros, along with unsigned draft picks, are exempt from the great ambassador to sell the game in his home state. He’d still have expansion draft. three years left on his contract (at $5 million AAV) but is a versatile, Teams must make a defenseman and two forwards available who played veteran forward who can play center and wing and on the power play. 40 games the previous season or 70 combined in the previous two Ryan McDonagh — The Kraken could pick up a top-four caliber seasons. defenseman who can immediately step to the forefront of the leadership One goalie must be made available. group, with the former Rangers captain having what it takes to wear a “C” for the expansion franchise. He’ll have five years left on a contract with a The Lightning have three players with full no-move clauses: captain $6.75 million AAV, but Seattle still has to get to the cap floor, right? Steven Stamkos, winger Nikita Kucherov and defenseman . They have to be protected (they’re no-brainers, anyway). Yanni Gourde — Gourde anchored the Lightning’s momentum-swinging Vezina Trophy-winning goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy would be protected in third line during the playoffs, taking his game to another level after getting both formats, even with his no-move clause not kicking in until after next moved back to the middle. He’s a two-time 20-plus goal scorer, and season. though he’d have four years left on his deal ($5.166 million AAV), Gourde is the type of identity player who can shift the energy in a game. Tampa Bay still needs to sign a goalie who would be eligible, as all of its goalies currently under contract (including backup Curtis McElhinney) will Mitchell Stephens — Mitchell Stephens, who signed a two-year deal this be free agents by the time next summer’s expansion draft comes around. offseason, would be a young, cheap, versatile option. Alex Volkov and Mathieu Joseph, both restricted free agents, are expected to be signed, There are several key factors that will come into play in the next year that though it’s unclear if they will be on one year or two-year deals. They might help determine the Lightning’s list. could be potential picks if still under contract by the time Seattle has their turn. Volkov has the higher ceiling of the three in terms of the blend of Cap crunch: The Lightning have to move at least a couple players this skill set and size but Stephens can be a stalwart on the fourth line and offseason to create enough cap space to re-sign restricted free agents penalty kill (not to mention his strength in faceoffs) and Joseph boasts Anthony Cirelli and Erik Cernak, as they’re already $2 million over the disruptive speed. $81.5 million limit. So some mainstays in their lineup, whether it’s Tyler Johnson, Alex Killorn or others, could be taken out of the equation for the Pat Maroon — Yes, Maroon will be 33 by then, and he’s not going to be protection list. That might make it easier on deciding whether to protect driving play with his skating ability. But Maroon is tremendous in the seven forwards or stick with a more even split in an eight skater, one dressing room, with it taking barely a month into the season before he goalie format. was “driving the bus” for the eventual Cup champion Lightning last year. The 6-foot-2 winger is a presence in front of the net, has won back-to- Prospect development: There are some prospects that could put back Cups and could win a third. And with just one year left (at $900,000) themselves in the conversation for the protection list with a breakout on his deal by that point, Seattle could flip him at the deadline to the season. Winger Alex Volkov, who has been a “mystery” to scouts, contender if need be. delivered a strong performance in his surprising debut for Cup-clinching Game 6, and if he takes a step forward, they could want to ensure he stays; he’s still an RFA and needs a new deal as well. Defenseman Cal Foote, the 2017 first-rounder, will get his best chance to make the team’s The Athletic LOADED: 12.10.2020 blue line out of camp. Considering how hard it is to find right-shot defensemen, especially still on the cheap, if Foote progresses well, then Tampa Bay might want to consider protecting him. Mitchell Stephens signed a two-year deal and he could very well be Cedric Paquette’s eventual replacement as the fourth-line center. 1180593 Toronto Maple Leafs “(Amirov and Mukhamadullin) tried to emigrate to Turkey,” Larionov said jokingly via Google Translate.

In November, Amirov told Russian website Sports Business Online that Who is Maple Leafs first-round pick Rodion Amirov? ‘He can be a future he didn’t fear for his life, but he was concerned about a potential scolding star’ from Larionov. Instead, the two were told by Larionov to buy ice cream for their teammates.

“The Black Sea is not like regular, big water,” said Kozlov. “It can take By Joshua Kloke you, very quickly, off the shore. So, if you don’t know what to expect… well, it’s a good thing that (Larionov) saved them because for sure, they Dec 9, 2020 would be somewhere in the middle of the Black Sea.”

One Russian journalist referred to Amirov as “old-school Russian to the While coaching in Magnitogorsk, Russia, former NHL player Viktor bone” in that — unlike some other young Russian players who cozy up to Kozlov would occasionally hear stories about a young, smallish winger the media in the hopes of earning favourable coverage — Amirov is more four hours west of him. business-like, answering questions thoughtfully, but quickly.

His name was Rodion Amirov. The prospect

Earlier this year, Kozlov, a 14-year NHL veteran, finally watched Amirov As a player, Amirov has plenty of supporters. up close after becoming an assistant coach with Amirov’s KHL team, “Rodion looks to be close to a complete package,” said one Russian- . based scout. “I could see he’s got the potential to be an unbelievable hockey player,” As a 16-year-old, Amirov led Ufa’s U17 team with 53 points in 30 games. Kozlov said. At the 2019 World U18 Championships, he led the silver-medal-winning In October, the Maple Leafs made a bet on that potential when they Russian side with nine points in seven games. In August, Amirov bagged selected Amirov with their first-round pick (15th overall) in the 2020 NHL this lacrosse-style goal for the Russian junior team, with ease. Draft. “He’s not scared to try things,” said former NHL player Linus Omark, Listed at 6-feet and 167 pounds, the 19-year-old Amirov is far from a Amirov’s teammate last season with Ufa. finished product, physically or on the ice. His elite wrist shot, speed, and But when asked to assess Amirov’s 2019-20 KHL season, Ufa head stickhandling have always made him one of the best players in his age coach Tomi Lamsa was critical. He said Amirov became too focused on group. scoring and replicating the highlight-reel moves he made in practice at But questions persist about other aspects of his game. the sake of playing defence.

Later this month, Amirov will lead Team Russia at the World Junior “He just hunted for the next goal every shift,” said Lamsa. “Sometimes he Championships in Edmonton. Following the event, he’ll return to Russia was so hungry (to score) he made, for men’s hockey, stupid kid’s and the KHL. mistakes.”

Beyond that? A jump to North America and the Maple Leafs organization In 21 KHL games with Ufa in 2019-20, Amirov had no goals and just two next fall is a possibility, but so too, is another tour of the KHL. assists.

For the Leafs, Amirov was a gamble. High upside … but considerable Ahead of this season, Lamsa had Amirov pencilled in for second-line risk, too. duty. But he quickly realized Amirov wasn’t quite ready for it.

“To develop this kind of player, you need to be gentle,” said Kozlov. “One “He couldn’t play at the level of what I expected right away,” said Lamsa. wrong step and you can break the wing of the eagle.” Overall, it’s been a bumpy season for both player and team. Early in the Amirov was born in Ishimbay, a city of 60,000 in the Republic of season, a COVID-19 breakout sidelined a number of players, opening a . It’s closer to Kazakhstan than and was door for Amirov. Over an eight-game stretch, he played more than 19 affectionately described by one Russian journalist as “the boonies.” minutes on six occasions, racking up five points. Then over a four-game stretch in October and November, he was playing the least of any Ufa Being raised away from large Russian cities can put young players at a forward. disadvantage when it comes to facility access and coaching. But Amirov’s father made sure that wouldn’t be the case. He has five goals and eight points in 23 games on the season. His 13:56 ATOI was 10th among Ufa forwards before he departed for the Russian Ruslan Amirov is a top executive at Salstek, a prominent Russian glass junior team camp in December. manufacturer. He enrolled young Rodion in figure skating lessons to improve his technique. When Rodion began playing for Ufa’s youth “I need to trust him more, both ways,” said Lamsa. teams, his family moved to the city with him. According to a video on the “If the coach doesn’t give you the trust — and Russian coaches just want KHL’s Youtube channel, Ruslan also hired a personal skating coach for to trust a few guys — they’re not going to play you,” said Omark. Rodion. “We’re not worried about his offensive skills,” added Kozlov. “We’re “In this region, there are very few who could afford it,” explained Andrey worried about what needs to be done for him to become a complete Osadchenko, a producer with the KHL and freelance reporter. player.” Despite a privileged upbringing, those around Amirov say he is largely The most persistent knocks against Amirov are his inability to win puck free of ego. battles, and by extension, his overall defensive game. “He’s smart and well-raised by his parents,” said Kozlov. “In junior, when you’re skilled, you don’t need to work in the corners a lot, One source close to Amirov called him a “very calm” person, someone like you do when you play men’s hockey,” said Kozlov. who is sociable with an easy-going sense of humour. Lamsa wondered if Amirov’s natural gifts and upbringing have made it This past summer, when Amirov and fellow 2020 first-round pick Shakir difficult for him to understand how much he’ll have to sacrifice in order to Mukhamadullin joined the Russian junior team at the Sochi Hockey Open become an elite talent in the KHL. preseason tournament, they went surfing one day in the Black Sea. The “He got so much without work,” he explained, adding that Amirov has pair ventured further out into the sea than they should have and were long lived in “a comfort zone.” swept up in the waves. But there have been signs of progress. For example, it’s customary for Russian junior team head coach had to call the coast guard young players to attend all morning skates, even optional ones. So it to rescue the two. didn’t go over well early last season when Amirov and Mukhamadullin missed one. Alexei Semenov, a 38-year-old defenceman on the team, wasn’t about to let it slide.

“He gave so much shit to them young boys,” Lamsa said. “And after that, every day, they were early for every skate.”

Lamsa and Kozlov have also been encouraged this season by Amirov’s all-in approach to making the necessary changes to his game.

“He knows that to play in the NHL, he needs to be better,” said Kozlov. “He’s like a sponge. He sucks all the information up that helps him to get better. That’s what I like about him. He asks questions and likes to learn.

“To become a general, you have to start at being a soldier.”

After languishing as Ufa’s 13th forward throughout October, Amirov showed what he can do with more ice time and responsibility at November’s Karjala Cup — the annual invitational tournament featuring national teams from four European nations. He was named the tournament’s best forward with three goals in three games. Kozlov said Amirov has played with far more confidence since returning from the event.

Lamsa said Amirov’s skating, vision, decision-making and smooth hands remind him of Carolina Hurricanes forward Teuvo Teravainen, who Lamsa coached in .

“He’s the same guy,” Lamsa explained. “During the practices, he can do amazing things.”

“We consider (his speed) to be amongst the best in the class,” said Leafs GM on draft night.

The path to Toronto

It is an open secret that Amirov is interested in moving to North America soon, possibly as early as this summer once his contract with Ufa expires. Amirov’s agent declined to comment for this story.

The day after he was drafted by the Leafs, Amirov said the following — through a translator — during his only availability with the Toronto media to date: “I have one more season to prepare for the NHL.”

Even if some of the nuance was lost in translation, the sentiment was clear: Amirov is keen to play in North America. Lamsa, however, would prefer he stay in Russia a little while longer.

“If he’s coming right away, I think it’s really important that he feels, by himself, that he really wants to go and he feels he’s strong enough,” he said. “But how I know him, I think it would be good if he stays one and a half more years.”

“The NHL and KHL is a big step,” said Kozlov. “It will be difficult for him to jump in right away.”

Amirov’s future is a talking point in Russia, too. Following the draft, respected Russian sports journalist Alexey Shevchenko said it would be a mistake for Amirov to go to North America after this season. He compared Amirov to San Jose Sharks 2014 first-round pick Nikolay Goldobin, who jumped to the AHL a year after he was drafted. Goldobin played just 125 NHL games and returned to the KHL this year.

One Russian-based source told The Athletic that Ufa is preparing a two- year contract extension offer for Amirov, though formal negotiations have yet to begin. Multiple sources, including those around Ufa, said Amirov is “ambitious,” and would like a bigger role with more responsibility.

Kozlov said if Amirov spends next season in the KHL, he will become a better player because of the experience, maturity and top-six minutes he would gain. And that’s why there’s a large sentiment from those who watch Amirov closely that despite his skill, more KHL time wouldn’t hurt him.

Even if Leafs management believes Amirov is still years away from being NHL ready, they still might prefer to continue his development inside their own program, and under their own watchful eyes.

Regardless of where Amirov suits up next season, or how long it may take him to crack the Leafs lineup, Omark insists he will be worth the wait.

“He can be a future star,” he said.

The Athletic LOADED: 12.10.2020 1180594 Toronto Maple Leafs “Who knows what’s going to happen in Canada?” said Ray Ferraro, the leading hockey analyst in the game. “You can’t predict this.”

Well, you can, just not accurately, or with any conviction of being SIMMONS: Hello all-Canadian Division and playoff intensity from start to accurate. finish; see ya later, Netflix Who’s the best goalie in Canada? It’s somewhere between Connor Hellebuyck, the reigning Vezina Trophy winner, and Carey Price, forever a candidate. Steve Simmons Not far behind them is Jacob Markstrom, who left Vancouver to sign with Publishing date: Dec 10, 2020 Calgary. Three at one level, and then it’s a toss-up. Is Freddie Andersen next best? How will Matt Murray fit in in his first season in Ottawa? What

does the kid, Thatcher Demko, do in Vancouver and if he doesn’t In a world still fraught with uncertainty, and professional sports remaining succeed, can Braden Holtby return to form with the Canucks? secondary to personal health and safety, this could be the greatest Nothing definitive here. Just a full meal to chew on. compacted National Hockey League season in history. Who’s the best coach in Canada? If the NHL can somehow pull it off. I default instantly to Claude Julien, who won a Stanley Cup in Boston If it can get this right, make it work, avoid as many of the obvious COVID- before leaving for Montreal. But one impressive aspect of Julien and Paul 19 pratfalls as possible, and store it in this country, with an all-Canadian Maurice in Winnipeg: They’ve changed over the years. They’ve grown. Division, this could be hockey for the ages. They’ve had to successfully alter deep-rooted beliefs and adjust to a The television networks have to be drooling over the possibility of changing game and forever changing rosters. showing two Canadian teams playing almost every night there is hockey They are on the short list of best coaches in Canada along with Travis to be shown. It could be the Maple Leafs versus the Canadiens every Green of the Canucks, who might be the best in the country. Saturday night and, if not, why not the Oilers versus the Flames, the rekindled Battle of Alberta, or the Canucks against the Jets … the Where does rank in all of this? How can we know? He’s possibilities aren’t necessarily endless but they are indeed intriguing. never started a season in the NHL? He’s never had his own training camp or his own roster? Soon, we’ll find out where he ranks, or if he A while back, in the pre-pandemic days, I had this conversation with a ranks. And it’s the same with D.J. Smith in Ottawa, who had a very sound hockey friend who works in the NHL: Do you think we’ll ever see Auston first season with a very thin team. Matthews playing against Connor McDavid in a playoff series? , now with the Oilers, has had some success, but it’s seven And it was obvious then that the only way it could happen, pre-COVID- years since he won a playoff round. 19, was in a Stanley Cup final. And we can’t know what to make of Geoff Ward, the Flames new coach. And considering the Leafs can’t seem to win a playoff round and the As Ferraro says, who knows what’s going to happen? Oilers have been just about the same, what are the odds of that ever happening? Whatever it is, it’s going to happen fast, a short camp, maybe no exhibition games, a lot of regular-season games in not that many days We never did get to see Wayne Gretzky match up against and, as we’ve seen with Major League Baseball, the National Football in a final and I still wish that had occured, but we did get Gretzky vs. League and certainly with NCAA football, there are going to be Bryan Trottier twice and Gretzky versus Raymond Bourque twice. And interruptions. There are going to be COVID challenges. There is going to that was pretty great. be a need for flexibility. The 56-game season might not wined up being Now, we’re going to get Matthews vs. McDavid and vs 56 games long. Leon Draisaitl nine or 10 times this coming season — more than that if But if my understanding of the new format is correct, every game we’ll Toronto and Edmonton somehow wind up in a playoff series. see with Canadian teams will have them playing each other until one McDavid, like Gretzky, grew up outside of Toronto. Gretzky loved playing team is left to advance to the final four. at and adored playing against the Leafs. In five NHL There won’t be any of those Tuesday night, Minnesota is in town, who seasons, McDavid has played just nine game against Toronto. But in the cares kind of games. The games are going to matter as they haven’t nine, he’s scored five goals, set up 10 others That’s a 137-point pace before. The losing streaks are going to be more damaging than they’ve against the Leafs with a highlight-reel goal that won’t be forgotten. been in the past. And the stars across the country are at an elite level to Mark Scheifele grew up an hour and a half from Toronto. He played which we have rarely known before. junior in Barrie. He’s the best player on the Winnipeg Jets and has The Canucks have Elias Pettersson, Quinn Hughes, Bo Horvat and played 14 times in seven seasons against Toronto. Just 14 games. In Brock Boeser. The Flames have Johnny Gaudreau, those games, he’s scored 11 goals, eight assists. Numbers like that are and Mark Giordano. The Oilers have McDavid and Draisaitl, the best not coincidental. player in the world and the reigning Hart Trophy winner. The Jets begin The Leafs already have a built-in rivalry with Montreal, atmospherically with Scheifele and captain Blake Wheeler and incredible depth up front anyhow, as much as it has been disconnected over the years as the with Patrik Laine, 38-goal scorer and Nik Ehlers and the teams have gone in different directions. That should change this season. Vezina Trophy winner. This isn’t the Original Six with Jean Beliveau matching up against Davey We know what the Leafs have in Matthews, Mitch Marner, Tavares, Keon, where the teams would play each other 14 times apiece each and . And Montreal begins with Price, season. And in the playoffs again. You have to be over 60 in age to have with the defence block of Shea Weber and Jeff Petry and the emergence any real memory of that. They were the only two Canadian teams then. of the kids, Nick Suzuki and Jesperi Kotkaniemi, up front. The story changes now. Fifty some years later, there are seven And then the Sens, with Brady Tkachuk and Thomas Chabot and all of Canadian teams and not much to distance the top six in the country while those draft-pick possibilities of recent times. And everyone playing Ottawa rebuilds and retools and will soon be not far behind. everyone just about every night of the week. Sometimes two or three When last season ended early, Edmonton had 83 points, Toronto 81, games in a row between teams. There will be a lot of games played and Winnipeg 80. Calgary and Vancouver were a point or two below the Jets, a not a lot of practice time, which the players will love, the coaches will but ahead of them in percentage points. hate and the fans should eat up.

It basically means there is little to choose from between the top five “I remember playing in the ,” said Ferraro, who started as teams in Canada, and if the Habs’ improvement is as apparent as it a Hartford Whaler. “In those days, we played Boston, Buffalo, Montreal seems, four teams are going to make the playoffs, two teams expected to and Quebec eight times a year, and then played each other in the make the playoffs will not. playoffs. Every game felt like a playoff game. The intensity was off the charts.” Every division won’t be as great or competitive as the Canadian division looks to be. A Western Division, for example, with Los Angeles, San Jose, Anaheim and Arizona, isn’t deep. But it’s strong at the top where Vegas has a great team and so does Colorado and probably Stanley Cup finalist, Dallas.

But try picking just four playoff teams in a division with Boston (100 points last season), Washington (90) Philadelphia (89), Pittsburgh (86) the pesky Islanders (80) and the emerging Rangers (79). And maybe Buffalo is better with Taylor Hall and Eric Staal — if that’s the division the Sabres wind up in.

“This is going to be incredible and I think unpredictable,” said Ferraro.

A one-year experiment forced by a global pandemic. A one-year experiment built for Canadian hockey fans. So, come January, it will be hello hockey, goodbye Netflix. We’ll see you in July.

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Rumors swirl that Golden Knights looking to make trades

By David Schoen Las Vegas Review-Journal

December 9, 2020 - 1:29 PM

Now that the NHL calendar is closer to being resolved, the offseason rumor mill can start to churn.

And the Golden Knights are already featured prominently.

Left wing Max Pacioretty is being shopped by the team, according to a report from TSN’s “Insider Trading,” and goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury remains on the trading block.

Jonathan Marchessault was another name also being floated as a trade possibility, The Athletic reported.

The Knights almost traded Pacioretty at the draft, French-language TV station TVA Sports reported in October, and could be looking to sell high on the 32-year-old.

Pacioretty led the team with 32 goals and 66 points in 71 games before the regular season was paused because of the coronavirus pandemic. He had five goals and eight points in 16 postseason games while battling an undisclosed injury.

The Knights are almost $1 million over the salary cap with 21 players on the roster, according to CapFriendly.com. Pacioretty has a $7 million salary cap hit through the 2022-23 season.

Trading their leading scorer wouldn’t appear to solve the Knights’ lack of offense, which plagued them in the Western Conference semifinals and carried over into the conference final against Dallas. The Knights ranked 13th in goals per game (3.15) during the 2019-20 regular season.

Perhaps Pacioretty could bring back a center in return that would shore up the Knights’ most glaring weakness.

Winger Alex Tuch appears ready to move into the top six should a spot open up, and that also could allow a rookie forward such as Peyton Krebs, Jack Dugan or Lucas Elvenes to make the club.

Fleury’s name being mentioned again is not a surprise since he appeared to be on the move this offseason had the Knights found a taker for his $7 million cap hit.

Robin Lehner was signed to a five-year extension as the goalie of the future, making Fleury, 36, expendable.

Fleury’s relationship with the Knights has been unsettled since his agent, Allan Walsh, tweeted and later deleted a picture of the goalie with a sword through his back. Pacioretty also is represented by Walsh.

Marchessault struggled in the postseason with no goals in his final 11 games after he issued an apology for making vulgar replies to followers on Instagram.

Marchessault led the Knights in goals during the 2018-19 season and was second in scoring with 75 points during the club’s inaugural season. He was a favorite of former coach , having played for him in Florida before being selected in the expansion draft.

Franchise value

The Knights were ranked as the 13th-most valuable franchise in the NHL and are worth $570 million, according to Forbes.

That value represents a 2 percent decrease from last year. Teams dropped an average of 2 percent in value across the league with the pandemic affecting total revenue.

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Forbes: Golden Knights valued at $570 million, 13th in NHL

STEVE MARCUS

Vegas Golden Knights’ Reilly Smith (19) celebrates his goal against the Dallas Stars with Jonathan Marchessault (81) during third-period NHL Western Conference final playoff game action in Edmonton, Alberta, Monday, Sept. 14, 2020.

Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2020 | 9:26 a.m.

If you have $570 million burning a hole in your pocket, you can afford to buy the Golden Knights.

That’s the valuation assigned to the team by Forbes magazine, which today released its list of most valuable NHL franchises. The Golden Knights rank 13th of 31 teams, just behind the Dallas Stars and just ahead of the Edmonton Oilers.

The Golden Knights, owned by Bill Foley and the Maloof family, have an operating income of $13.9 million with $156 million in revenue last year.

They lost 2% of their value from 2019, according to Forbes. That’s a trend across the league.

The coronavirus pandemic shortened the 2019-20 regular season by about 10 games for every team, and leaguewide revenue dropped 14% to $4.4 billion.

A projected 2020-21 season with fewer games and fewer fans led to a leaguewide average drop in value of 2%, the magazine said. The average NHL team is worth $653 million, dropping for the first time since 2001.

Forbes estimates packed arenas and all the money that comes with that account for 70% of NHL revenue. Foley said in an interview with the Las Vegas Sun on Tuesday that the team is prepared to play a 2020-21 season without fans, though it will hurt financially.

“It’s going to be really expensive for owners if you don’t have fans,” Foley said. The game plan, he said: “Just suck it up and try to survive.”

The New York Rangers lead the Forbes list, valued at $1.65 billion, followed by the Toronto Maple Leafs at $1.5 billion.

The top of the list is all Original Six teams, with the Montreal Canadiens, Chicago Blackhawks and Boston Bruins all worth $1 billion or more.

The Arizona Coyotes have the lowest valuation at $285 million, trailing the Florida Panthers, Columbus Blue Jackets, Buffalo Sabres and Winnipeg Jets.

LAS VEGAS SUN LOADED: 12.10.2020 1180597 Vegas Golden Knights Late in the postseason I believe Vancouver and Dallas exploited the Golden Knights’ lone weakness, packing their defense around their own net and forcing Vegas to beat them with high-end offensive plays and specifically — shots. And while Vegas’ forwards are elite at controlling Granger: Why the Golden Knights shouldn’t trade Max Pacioretty the pace of play, and creating dangerous passes in the offensive zone, they have struggled to finish those chances or beat the goalie with a

perfect shot. It’s important not to overreact to one scoring drought, but it By Jesse Granger was a trend throughout the season. According to Natural Stat Trick Vegas ranked first in the league in shots (34.1), scoring chances (31.28), Dec 9, 2020 and second in expected goals (3.01) per 60 minutes, but finished only 13th in scoring.

Being an elite offensive team isn’t necessarily required to win a Stanley The Golden Knights’ eventful 2020 offseason may not be done. Cup, but it certainly helps. Of the last five Cup winners all but one have TSN’s Frank Seravalli was the first to report that the team has attempted finished in the top-10 in scoring, and two (2019-20 Tampa Bay and 2016- to move Max Pacioretty and sources confirmed to The Athletic that the 17 Pittsburgh) led the league in scoring. It’s possible to win it all without Golden Knights have indeed spoken to teams about possibly moving elite scoring, as St. Louis ranked 17th in goals in 2018-19 when it won Pacioretty and his $7 million cap hit, as well as veterans Jonathan the Cup, and Los Angeles finished 29th in their 2012 Cup year and 26th Marchessault and Marc-Andre Fleury. in their 2014 Cup year.

To be clear, this doesn’t mean Vegas could trade three of its star players. Still, taking the best pure scorer off a team whose biggest concern is lack From the information I’ve gathered, it seems much more likely that of finishing ability seems counterproductive. Not only did Pacioretty lead general manager Kelly McCrimmon is simply testing the trade market Vegas in goals, but his 307 shots on goal were the most on the team by following a period without much movement, with the 2021 NHL season a 72-shot margin. The next closest? Marchessault with 235 shots. finally appearing on the horizon. I understand that Pacioretty’s $7 million salary is a strain on the cap hit, The Golden Knights are still just above the salary cap ceiling of $81.5 but subtracting the type of offense he brings to a team trying to win a million, at $82,474,104 according to CapFriendly. In the offseason, Stanley Cup this season could be a bigger strain. Moving a 32-year-old Vegas signed defenseman Alex Pietrangelo to a seven-year deal worth with three years left on his deal, coming off a career season, seems like $8.8 million per year on the cap. a trade a rebuilding team would make. Pacioretty’s value could drop if his 2021 season isn’t as productive, and there’s the potential the last couple Any of these trades would be an attempt to shed even more salary for years of his contract aren’t great, but the Golden Knights aren’t playing Vegas, so while Pacioretty, Marchessault and Fleury’s names have all for the future, they’re playing for the present. And right now, Pacioretty is been floated, the most likely outcome is that only one is actually moved, the best scorer on the team. If anything, Vegas should be trying to if that. One league source said the team was “aggressively shopping” the acquire another player like Pacioretty, but the salary cap obviously won’t two forwards, while a team source wasn’t as bullish but said the team allow that. has explored the option. But there’s another — perhaps more compelling — reason I don’t think In my opinion, moving on from Pacioretty would be a step in the wrong the Golden Knights should trade Pacioretty right now, and that’s because direction for the Golden Knights. The team is clearly built to win now. And this is not a strong trade market. The financial uncertainty surrounding as talented as Vegas is, the biggest question mark about the current the NHL has made teams skittish on taking on contracts of any weight, roster construction is if they have enough scoring. let alone ones as big as Pacioretty, Marchessault or Fleury.

The Golden Knights’ 2019-20 playoff run came to an end because the Just look at what the Golden Knights got in return for the two highly- offense dried up at the worst possible time, scoring only 12 goals in their talented players they already traded this offseason. Paul Stastny only final seven playoff games. Defensively the team played well against fetched a conditional fourth-round pick in 2022, and defenseman Carl Dallas in the Western Conference finals, allowing only nine goals in five Dahlstrom who will likely play in the AHL. Nate Schmidt — Vegas’ No. 1 games. But while the Golden Knights generated plenty of shots and defenseman for the last three years — brought back only a third-round chances in the offensive zone, they were unable to bury those attempts. pick in 2022.

Which makes the proposition of potentially trading Pacioretty all the more Based on that market the return for Pacioretty, Marchessault and Fleury head-scratching. isn’t likely to be much better. If anything, the Golden Knights may have to Not only did Pacioretty lead all Golden Knights with 32 goals last season, add picks to the deal as a sweetener to convince the trade partner to but he’s without a doubt the best pure scorer on a roster that lacks that take on so much salary. Vegas also may have to retain salary to get a specialty for the most part. Don’t get me wrong, Vegas has plenty of stronger return, which would go against the point of trading Pacioretty, offensive talent. But of the top players, Pacioretty is really the only one Marchessault or Fleury to begin with. whose primary skill is shooting the puck. And it’s not just happening to the Golden Knights. The Lightning are in a quickly became a force for the Golden Knights after they similar position pressed against the cap, forcing them to waive Tyler acquired him from Ottawa, but he’s not a pure scorer. His presence is felt Johnson. The 30-year-old forward has averaged 47.6 points per season in all three zones, but especially in the neutral zone where he specializes over the last seven years, yet not a single team in the NHL claimed him in reading the opposition’s breakout and stripping them of the puck to and his $5 million cap hit. It shows just how reluctant teams are to take start breaks the other way. He’s a fantastic playmaker, and can score on salary in the current climate, and it likely crushes any potential trade when he gets around the net but he’s not a natural at putting the puck value for Pacioretty or Marchessault. past goaltenders. The same goes for William Karlsson and Reilly Smith, Vegas is less than $1 million over the salary cap right now, and that can who are both talented offensive players but are pass-first types who be easily massaged by waiving a player prior to the start of the season. If prefer to set up the goals rather than score them. Karlsson had 43 goals a player on a one-way contract is waived to the American Hockey his first year in Vegas, but also shot at a 23.37 percent rate that season. League, $1.075 million is subtracted from their cap hit, which should be The last two years he has scored at a 14.2 percent rate and 10.9 enough to get the Golden Knights under the cap. That player could be percent. , or even Fleury. The point is, there are plenty of options to Marchessault has a sneaky quick shot, but even he prefers to distribute get under the cap without trading the team’s top scorer. the puck. He’s the franchise leader in assists for Vegas, with 107 in the Perhaps this move wouldn’t be simply to get underneath the cap, but to first three seasons. And as you go down the lineup, Alex Tuch is really clear room for another possible addition. Unless that addition is going to the only depth forward you would consider a scorer. be via a trade, I don’t see the appeal.

Vegas’ forward group is deep, but for the most part they are elite at There are still some attractive free agents available, like former Florida everything except for scoring. And that shows in the results. The Golden Panther and Ottawa Senator Mike Hoffman. But Hoffman is roughly the Knights controlled possession better than any team in the NHL last same age as Pacioretty, and isn’t the same level of shooter. Hoffman can season, but it resulted in far fewer goals than expected. score, shown by his 36 goals two years ago and 29 last season. But if anything you’re breaking even on offense swapping Pacioretty for Hoffman, while disrupting team chemistry yet again with a player who isn’t as defensively responsible as Pacioretty.

A source told The Athletic there has been no communication between Hoffman’s camp and the Golden Knights, so maybe he isn’t the target. Former Golden Knight Erik Haula could welcome a return to Las Vegas, where he had the best year of his career, and is still unsigned as an unrestricted free agent. Haula would bolster Vegas’ center depth, but isn’t a pure scorer. During his first year in Vegas he tallied 29 goals, but aside from that season he’s never topped 15 goals. Haula is a solid option who can play all three forward positions, but he’s not replacing Pacioretty’s offense.

So the question is, why would Vegas consider moving Pacioretty? Perhaps McCrimmon sees another potential trade on the horizon. Perhaps he believes opening a slot in the top-six for Tuch would lead to exponential growth for the highly-talented winger. He’s certainly not producing to his potential with third line minutes (eight goals in 42 games last season), and the Golden Knights elite winger depth has held him out of the top six for most of his career.

In the end, nothing may come of this. I don’t believe the Golden Knights are specifically shopping Pacioretty, but more so floating names to potential trade partners to weigh their options as the season approaches.

But either way I believe this team has a much better chance to lift the Cup this season with Pacioretty on the roster.

The Athletic LOADED: 12.10.2020 1180598 Vegas Golden Knights Foley is looking at creating a team in the National Lacrosse League, according to Channel 8 here in Las Vegas.

LVSportsBiz.com broke news in February about the national lacrosse Serial Dealmaker/VGK Owner Bill Foley Strikes Again This Week With League looking to expand to Las Vegas. News Of $9 Billion Payment Platform Merger and New Indoor Lacrosse Foley told KLAS Sports Director Chris Maathuis that he was looking to League Team For His Henderson Arena add the lacrosse team to the Henderson arena by 2022.

By the way, Foley also told Maathuis the Golden Knights are not trying to December 9, 2020 trade VGK goal-scoring winger Pacioretty to dump salary so that the fourth-year NHL team can get more flexibility under the NHL cap. By Alan Snel of LVSportsBiz.com

LVSportsBiz.com LOADED: 12.10.2020 You didn’t think Bill Foley was only about the Vegas Golden Knights, did you?

Foley, the man who made his money in a billion-dollar portfolio buffet from property title insurance companies and wineries to restaurant chains and a Montana golf course community, is a self-declared serial dealmaker.

And he has struck again this week, bigtime.

He created a blank-check company designed to work acquisitions and mergers called, Foley Trasimene Acquisition Corp., and this week he announced he’s merging with a payments platform operation called Paysafe Group Holdings Ltd in a cannonball splash deal worth $9 billion. This is a little bigger than Foley’s winery acquisition in June.

Golden Knights owner Bill Foley talking with LVSportsBiz.com

Here’s a business-speak release about Paysafe: It’s “a leading integrated payments platform, with a two-sided consumer and merchant network, whose core purpose is to enable businesses and consumers around the world to connect and transact seamlessly through payment processing, digital wallet, and online cash solutions.”

But the biggest part of Paysafe is its gambling-related clients and sports betting connections that are what they like to say is a growth industry these days.

And Foley is all about catching that “growth industry” wave at the bottom of that wave. The transaction is expected to close in the first half of 2021.

Paysafe’s appeal is that there’s gaming and e-commerce components and Foley’s acquisitions company found Paysafe as an ideal partner.

Let’s use the business release again: “Paysafe delivers a unique value proposition in large and high-growth markets, such as gaming and e- commerce, enabling the company to generate strong organic revenue growth and margin expansion. With a proven strategy and an experienced management team and our newly formed partnership, we believe Paysafe has significant long-term growth potential.”

Like I mentioned, the entire deal is valued at $9 billion when you roll in the debt. The deal caught the attention of the guys on CNBC. Foley Trasimene will combine with Paysafe and, Paysafe will become a publicly traded entity under the name “Paysafe Limited” and symbol PSFE. Foley also has institutional and private investors coming along for the ride: “The cash component of the consideration will be funded by Foley Trasimene’s cash in trust, $150.0 million in proceeds from the forward purchase agreement with Cannae Holdings, Inc., as well as a $2.0 billion private placement from various institutional and private investors. The $2.0 billion private placement includes a $500 million investment from Fidelity National Title Insurance Co., Chicago Title Insurance Co., Commonwealth Land Title Insurance Co. and Fidelity & Guaranty Life Insurance Co. and a $350 million investment from Cannae Holdings, Inc”

Foley is also growing his sports portfolio.

You might recall that Foley has been poking around looking at creating a (MLS) team for Las Vegas.

Well, he’s not spawning a new soccer team right now, anyway.

But the Vegas Golden Knights owner who is building an $84 million, 6,000-seat arena in Henderson for his minor league hockey team plans to start an indoor lacrosse league team for the Henderson Events Center arena to give the new venue at the former Henderson Pavilion site some revenue-generating programming and some sports dates in the building. 1180599 Vegas Golden Knights

League’s Proposal Leaked: Division Alignments for NHL Return

Published December 9, 2020

By Tom Callahan

Sportsnet.ca has confirmed the NHL’s current proposal when it comes to division alignments. The Vegas Golden Knights would be in with the Anaheim Ducks, L.A. Kings, San Jose Sharks, Arizona Coyotes, Dallas Stars, Colorado Avalanche and St. Louis Blues.

Sportsnet also noted there is still some debate around where the Blues and Minnesota Wild will end up, and the format is not set yet.

Most of the other details that have been circulating such as a January 13th or 15th start date and 56-game season seem to remain intact. The NHL was to have a Board of Governors call today to update owners on negotiations. Any realignment would have to be approved by the players before being finalized.

What do you think of the VGK’s chances considering the division alignments? Let us know in the comments.

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Forbes NHL Franchise Values See First Decline in 20 Years

Published December 9, 2020

By Tom Callahan

Forbes announced its annual NHL franchise values today with the sensationalized tag line: Hockey’s First Decline In Two Decades. The Vegas Golden Knights were ranked 13th overall among the 31 current teams.

While it’s not sunshine and roses financially for every NHL franchise, it’s a bit dramatic. Anyone who reads past the header will discover a major mitigating factor: the COVID-19 pandemic.

The article does explain the effect of no crowds, missing part of your regular season and going into a bubble for the playoffs. Most sports franchises worldwide are going to feel the pandemic pinch at some point.

When it comes to the VGK, the 13th place ranking is according to a franchise value of $570M. That’s down 2% from a year ago which is actually not bad when you consider everything that’s happened. The operating income for the team was listed at $13.9M, a tidy sum. However, it doesn’t approach the top ranked New York Rangers $1.65B valuation and $87M operating income.

Still, the Maloof family and Bill Foley are in good shape. The team also showed $156M in revenue last year.

Each team lost roughly 10 regular season games and all potential playoff income. The Golden Knights’ 2% value decrease matched the average decline of NHL franchise values this year.

You can see the Golden Knights full breakdown here.

Also, if the league does play without fans this year – and it looks like that’s going to happen – expect more financial losses for teams across the board. It’s not the end of times, but it certainly won’t help. Foley previously said he wanted fans in the stands to mitigate losses and reiterated that earlier this week in an interview with the Las Vegas Sun. Current reports point to the season starting as early as January 13th.

Vegas Hockey Now LOADED: 12.10.2020 1180601 Vegas Golden Knights reaction, the more I look up and down the roster the more confident I feel they would be just fine. My real concern is chemistry. The Golden Knights have shown the ability to continue to evolve and keep winning despite some pretty massive roster churn from three years ago. However Should Vegas Deal Max Pacioretty? at some point, you have to stop making moves and cement that core. Let players grow together over the long term. If Vegas is one move

(potentially two with Marc-Andre Fleury TBD) away from that, let’s get it Published December 9, 2020 done and put it in gear for another Stanley Cup run.

By Tom Callahan

Vegas Hockey Now LOADED: 12.10.2020

The NHL trade winds stir. According to TSN’s Insider Trading segment, Frank Seravalli says the Vegas Golden Knights have “doubled down” on its efforts to deal Max Pacioretty. The Golden Knights forward has three years remaining on his contract with an AAV of $7M per season. Cash out is $7M this season and falls to $5.25M for the remaining two years.

My first reaction to hearing the news was that this is crazy. I know Vegas is currently just under $1M above the salary cap for this season. Pacioretty is the second-highest earning forward behind Mark Stone so from that standpoint it makes sense. From a purely cap viewpoint I get it.

But didn’t Pacioretty just drop a 32-goal, 66-point season in 71 games? Yes he did, and those are his highest totals since 2016-17 with the Montreal Canadiens. He also just turned 32 in November. Three more years puts him into his mid-30s and it’s possible this last season could be his final 30-goal campaign. Skills deteriorate and Father Time is undefeated.

Selling high isn’t the worst thing to do.

It certainly means the Golden Knights have to replace him if they deal him. Or split the money on two or more players if you decide to spend it. Mike Hoffman is still looking for a home. Whispers have former Golden Knight Erik Haula potentially returning to the fold as well. There are other names available, or Vegas could choose from some in-house options here. For the purpose of this article I’m going to proceed as if the return is some mix of draft picks and prospects. If a blockbuster trade happens all bets are off.

The most obvious immediate scenario here is to put Alex Tuch back in the top six. It’s funny how just yesterday I wrote about Tuch’s performance dropping after Mark Stone came aboard because he ended up on the third line. I could see him moving back up on the left side for that second unit and resuming his previous production. If anyone should be excited about a potential deal, it’s Alex Tuch. It makes a lot of sense when you have a 24-year-old winger who has already shown himself capable of playing the role.

If that’s the case, it also makes more sense to bring back a known commodity like Haula as opposed to Hoffman. I know Hoffman is a 30- goal scorer and at 30 years old is a bit younger than Pacioretty. But he’d also chew up almost all of that cap space created by moving Pacioretty. Hoffman’s agent, Robert Hooper, has indicated his willingness to take a one-year deal at this point so perhaps there’s that. But if he scores 30+ again the price isn’t going down. Is Hoffman worth it as a single season rental? Maybe. Don’t get me wrong, if they bring in Hoffman that’s a huge add. It might also give them flexibility to make another deal if they wanted.

Getting back to Haula, his best year far and away came with the Golden Knights in 2017-18 when he posted 29-26-55 and established some chemistry with the aforementioned Tuch. Unfortunately for Haula, a knee injury stole most of the next campaign from him and he was subsequently traded to Carolina. The question is whether or not he is able to recapture some of his pre-injury form. It’s tempting to want to bring him back and see if the magic reappears. There were times last season he showed flashes of brilliance. It would be a risk but perhaps one the VGK are willing to take at the right price.

Don’t forget that the Golden Knights also signed Tomas Jurco to a one- year deal and traded for Dylan Sikura. Both players have NHL experience. And there are many players within the organization who look to make the jump to the NHL this year. One other player I haven’t mentioned is Jack Dugan, who looks to turn pro this year after leading the NCAA in scoring last season with the Providence Friars. While the jump to the NHL from college is a big one, Dugan looks to have the potential to make it happen.

If the Golden Knights are going to trade Max Pacioretty, I think they’ll be fine in the long run. After getting over the initial “you can’t do that” 1180602 Washington Capitals CBA, I am guessing the owners would be open to opt-outs since it would mean potentially a handful of salaries they won't have to pay this season.

Rosters What is left to figure out before the 2020-21 NHL season? I don't know if you know this, but there's a pandemic going on and that may result in several players suddenly becoming unavailable for a team on any given night for an extended period of time. Because of COVID, by J.J. Regan however, call-ups are not going to be as simple as general manager Brian MacLellan getting on the phone, calling up Hershey in the AHL and

telling a player to pack his bags and drive to Washington. Rosters are The NHL decided to accept the current terms of the CBA on Monday and going to have to be different this year to reflect the challenges each team thus end talks with the NHLPA on financial issues. This clears the way is facing, but the NHL is also not about to raise the salary cap and allow for a 2020-21 season, but there remains plenty of work to do and details teams to sign more players given the financial realities of 2020. to finalize before the puck drops. The most likely solution is what's being called a "taxi squad" which will be Here's what's still on the NHL's to-do list and where things stand: similar to the concept of black aces in the playoffs. These would be practice players who remain with the NHL team but are not paid NHL The season is expected to begin on Jan. 13 with each team playing a 56- salaries, do not count against the salary cap and who would not be game schedule. While we all expected to see a very condensed available to put into the lineup unless "recalled." schedule, Pierre LeBrun reports that may not actually be the case. Of course, this would put teams in a bind to have to decide which players With the NFL and college football seeing multiple postponements and they are OK having just as practice players without getting much game cancellations every week, the NHL knows it has to build room into the experience for the season. It's not something teams generally want their schedule so it is expected the regular season schedule will include open top prospects to do. dates in case a coronavirus breakout results in games having to be pushed back. This is also something the AHL needs to know given its target to start the season is Feb. 5 and it needs to know if each team is going to be missing It has long been believed that the league would have to realign its a handful of players from each roster. divisions and place all Canadian teams in one division since Canada has closed its borders to all unessential travel. Gary Bettman noted this on LeBrun reports that the NHL has made a proposal of the framework for Tuesday in an interview with The Maccabi USA Sports Show. roster structures for the upcoming season, but the specifics of that proposal are not yet known. "We have travel issues because of the restrictions at the border between Canada and the U.S.," Bettman said. "You can't go back and forth, so One item that's not on the proposal and that is not seen as an option for we're actually going to have to realign. If everything stays the way it is, clearing cap space and roster room is compliance buyouts. we're probably going to have to have a Canadian division and realign in According to Frank Seravalli, compliance buyouts were discussed and the U.S., and we're trying to focus on dealing with all of those the NHLPA was open to them but wanted the buyouts to count towards challenges." the owners' share of hockey-related revenue, meaning basically they did There are seven Canadian teams so putting them in one division is not want the money from the buyout to be labeled as player salary and simple. The more difficult part is what the resulting American divisions count towards the players' 50-percent share. The league would not agree will look like. This still needs to be finalized, but one report has the to that and so we are unlikely to see compliance buyouts at all through Capitals and Pittsburgh Penguins playing in different divisions next the current CBA. season.

Both the NHL and NHLPA really, really want to avoid having a bubble. Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 12.10.2020 Greg Wyshynski of ESPN wrote Tuesday that, "The primary objective remains to have all 31 teams playing in their home arenas, with baseball- style 'homestands' of three games between teams. That's the preference of the majority of owners. That's the preference of the players. That's the plan that has gotten the most attention in NHL circles."

This does not mean those games would be played in front of fans. In fact, the Capitals reportedly informed season ticket holders that there will be no fans in arenas to start the season.

Hub cities are also still under consideration.

It's pretty crazy that the financial obstacles were the biggest impediment to the season and now figuring out how to play in the midst of a pandemic is considered the easy part, but that's where we are.

The NHL and NHLPA are basically starting from scratch on this. What happened in the summer doesn't apply at all because of the push to play games at home arenas rather than in a bubble. All those protocols in the summer therefore will have to be adjusted accordingly.

The biggest question for me is will vaccines be mandatory for players and team personnel once they become available?

The NHL was very aware of its image early on in the pandemic when it came to testing and did not want to appear to be taking tests away from first-responders or the sick. Wil they be so conscientious with the vaccine?

Also, what about opt-outs? We did not see many opt-outs in the summer, but we did see some. This is a different situation given that players would be walking away from an entire season, but since there won't be a bubble, you have to wonder if players will consider sitting out 2021. At the very least, however, I would expect the option to be there for players to take if they want. Considering the league just tried to get players to defer more of their salaries for the season just months after negotiating a 1180603 Washington Capitals

Report: Caps, Penguins to be in the same division after all

by J.J. Regan

With the border between the United States and Canada closed to all non- essential travel, we are going to see new divisions this year so all seven Canadian teams can play one another. This means reshuffling the American teams as well. On Wednesday, Pierre LeBrun reported the latest realignment outline for the league.

The division alignment would suggest teams would only play within the division, but this has not been formally announced.

A previous report had the Pittsburgh Penguins separated from the Caps and the Philadelphia Flyers, but it appears sanity won out. For the NHL to split two major rivalries at a time when the league is desperate to generate interest and revenue would be foolish. There was no perfect realignment, but the NHL should not prioritize Columbus-Pittsburgh and Washington-Carolina over Washington-Pittsburgh and Philadelphia- Pittsburgh.

The next question is how will the playoffs look? There is a clear East and a clear West division, but the Canadian division will span across the continent and the includes teams from both the Eastern and Western Conferences. It's less obvious what two divisions would group together. If the NHL keeps its divisional playoff format, who will play whom in the conference finals?

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 12.10.2020 1180604 Washington Capitals Have all of his signings and trades worked out? Of course not. There have been some big swings and whiffs. But, more often than not, he puts his players and coaches in a position to succeed, while also navigating a tricky cap situation. Pressure on Caps’ free agents? Approval of the new coach? D.C. fans voted 6. How would you rate the Caps’ offseason overall?

MacLellan didn’t make any splashy signings or pull off any blockbuster trades. His biggest move, in fact, was probably firing Reirden with two By Tarik El-Bashir years left on his contract and hiring Laviolette. Still, it seemed to be a quietly productive fall, highlighted by acquiring Lundqvist, a long-time foe, Dec 9, 2020 on a team-friendly deal; and the gutsy decision to trade up in the first round to draft Hendrix Lapierre, a touted prospect who’s stock had fallen due to injury concerns. In our first fan survey back in May, we asked about a wide variety of topics, ranging from the origins of your fanhood to your least favorite 7. Who was the most important signing this offseason? opponent in the NHL. Winner: Laviolette In survey 2.0, our focus was tighter. From hiring to Runner-up: Lundqvist signing Henrik Lundqvist, we wanted to know how you felt about the organization’s offseason. More than 800 subscribers weighed in. More than anything else, the veteran-laden Caps needed a no-nonsense coach who’s able to hold guys accountable and, in the words of Some answers were expected. Others were not. All of it, though, MacLellan, knows what buttons to push and when to push them. provided a glimpse into the psyche of a fan base that’s two years Laviolette’s history suggests he could be that guy — and you all seem to removed from celebrating a championship and, from the sounds of it, agree. hopeful that another deep postseason run is on the horizon. 8. What’s your biggest concern about the current roster? Now for the results. Winner: Aging star players 1. What are your expectations for the Capitals this season? Runner-up: Defense Winner: Advance to the third round Ovechkin is 35. Oshie turns 34 in a couple of weeks. Backstrom is 33. Runner-up: Advance to the second round Three of the top-four defensemen are 30. The aging core hasn’t been a After back-to-back first round flameouts, most fans believe Alex Ovechkin problem thus far, but in a league that’s trending younger and faster, it and the Caps’ veteran-laded core will avoid a similar fate this year. does underscore the need for this group to capitalize on its experience now. Like right now. And many of you recognize this. That’s not surprising. The defense and bottom-six forwards came in second and third, They hired arguably the best available coach in Laviolette. They’ve got respectively. And those concerns are well-founded. The blue line has the league’s best goal scorer in No. 8. They’re solid down the middle with been retooled and there will be a new staff in charge, but until there’s Nicklas Backstrom, Evgeny Kuznetsov and centering lines 1-3. actual improvement on the ice, there will be questions. I get that. Ditto for And they invested in the blue line this offseason, re-signing Brenden the bottom-six forwards, which will be relying on a breakout from Daniel Dillon, and inking Justin Schultz and Trevor van Riemsdyk in free Sprong, a bounce back from Richard Panik and a better showing from agency. everyone next postseason.

Are there concerns? Sure. But fans seem to agree that this team is much 9. Was the addition of Justin Schultz, Trevor van Riemsdyk and Paul better than it showed the past two postseasons. LaDue in free agency, plus the re-signing of , enough to fix the blue line’s shortcomings? 2. How do you feel about the Caps’ general direction? Winner: Not sure I expected more 3’s and fewer 4’s. Why? Ovechkin, T.J. Oshie, Backstrom and John Carlson are on the wrong side of 30. The cap is Runner-up: Yes tight and the prospect pool is thin. The proverbial “championship window” is closing. Indeed, the pressure is on the Caps to maximize this year and The uncertainty here is understandable, as I’ve already said. The unit next because a cold winter is coming. struggled in the second half last season and, as of right now, just about everyone is back, along with a host of new faces. Here’s what we do 3. Was Peter Laviolette the right choice for head coach? know: new assistant coach Kevin McCarthy, who’ll handle the defense for Laviolette, will have a lot to do and not much time to do it. In addition After a lengthy search for Todd Reirden’s replacement, general manager to helping Carlson return to the top of his game, he’ll need to get Schultz, Brian MacLellan chose Laviolette over and Gerard Gallant. van Riemsdyk and possibly Paul LaDue on the same page with the And, from the looks of it, the overwhelming majority of you believe in holdovers. The prospect of a truncated training camp and preseason Laviolette, who received a three-year contract worth about $15 million in could mean that it’ll need to happen on the fly. total salary — a deal that makes him one of the highest-paid bench bosses in the league. 10. How do you feel about the team’s tight salary cap situation?

4. How confident are you in Laviolette’s ability to lead the Caps on a Even with Michal Kempny and his $2.5 million salary headed to the long- deep run in Year 1? term injury list due to a torn Achilles, the Caps won’t have much room to spare. In fact, it’s likely they’ll need to need to plug holes up front with The confidence here is understandable given Laviolette’s history of early unproven, inexpensive players like Sprong and Brian Pinho — both count success with a new team. He ended the Islanders’ seven-year $725,000 against the cap — just so they’ll be able to shoehorn a roster of postseason drought in his first season in New York (2001-02). He guided 13 forwards, seven defensemen and two goalies under a $81.5 million the Hurricanes to the Stanley Cup in his first full season in Carolina cap that remained flat due to the pandemic. (2005-06). He directed the Flyers to the Final in his first season in Philadelphia (2009-10). And he pushed the Predators to the So, yeah, not ideal. championship round in his third season in Nashville (2016-17). But it’s a situation the Caps and many other contenders must navigate 5. How confident are you in GM Brian MacLellan’s ability to keep the each winter. Caps’ championship window open? There are ways to alleviate some of the squeeze, of course. For MacLellan’s Caps have won the rough and tumble example, they could create some flexibility by not carrying spares to start each of the past five seasons, claimed a pair of Presidents’ Trophies the season, which is something they’ve done in the past. They could also along the way and, of course, hoisted a Stanley Cup in 2018. trade away a defenseman; currently, there are five right-shots (Carlson, Schultz, Nick Jensen, van Riemsdyk and Ladue) signed to one-way contracts. 11. How do you feel about Braden Holtby’s departure? I didn’t project McMichael or Fehervary to make the opening night roster. But that doesn’t mean one or both won’t force management’s hand and Breakups are always tough. But sometimes it’s for the best for everyone displace a veteran in training camp. involved, and that seems to be the sentiment here. 16. How do you think the Caps did at the 2020 draft? Holtby was one of the best goalies in the NHL from 2014-17 and came off the bench to backstop the Caps to their only Cup in 2018. ‘The Save’ Here’s the thing about the NHL Draft: It takes years before anyone really in Game 2 of the Final will live forever in franchise lore. But declining knows how well a team did or didn’t do. production coupled with the emergence of Ilya Samsonov spelled the end for the fan-favorite in D.C. But what we already know about October’s draft is that the Caps went for it in the first round. And judging from the results here, many of you liked Holtby will get a fresh start in Vancouver after signing a two-year contract their aggressive approach. with a $4.3 million AAV. Washington, meantime, will hand the reigns to Lundqvist and Samsonov, who are expected to compete for playing time. Team after team passed on Hendrix Lapierre because of his well- documented injury concerns. As he fell, the Caps’ table grew more and 12. What are your thoughts on signing Henrik Lundqvist? more excited. They had done their due diligence on the play-making center and were confident that the head and neck problems were no Winner: Like it, he can still play and will mentor Ilya Samsonov longer an issue. So when the moment was right, they struck, trading up a Runner-up: Love it, he’s the King couple of spots to nab Lapierre at No. 22.

More than 67 percent are cautiously optimistic that Lundqvist can help It’ll be a while before we know if the bold move pays off. But there are shore up the goaltending, which, at times, was an issue last season. That more than a few pundits who already think Lapierre will prove to be the seems fair to me. He’s got a hall of fame resume, which includes a steal of the 2020 draft. Vezina Trophy and five-time All-Star Game appearances. He’s 17. Which Caps prospect are you most excited about? singlehandedly responsible for some long nights for the Caps over the years, too. But it’s also impossible to not wonder if the battery light is Winner: Connor McMichael going to start flashing. Lundqvist will be 39 in March and has played more games than any active goaltender (887). Runner-up: Hendrix Lapierre

13. How should the Caps divvy up the goaltending duties between Henrik Say what? Fans like prospects who can put the puck in the net? Lundqvist and Ilya Samsonov? Seriously, this isn’t much of a shock. Not after the 2019 first-rounder Winner: Go with the hot hand racked up 52 goals and 102 points for the OHL’s London Knights last season. Runner-up: Samsonov should be the unquestioned starter McMichael is the top prospect in the organization, according to The Lundqvist didn’t come to Washington to be anyone’s backup. And Athletic’s Corey Pronman, who ranks him ahead of Lapierre, Martin Samsonov isn’t just going to hand over the job he’s coveted since being Fehervary, Aliaksei Protas and Alex Alexeyev. The question now, really, selected in the first round of the 2015 draft. is when will the high-scoring center make his debut in D.C.?

If everything goes as planned, the two will push one another to be their 18. Can Alex Ovechkin (706 goals) still catch Wayne Gretzky (894) if this best. And that’ll be good for everyone involved. season is significantly shortened?

14. Which pending free agent will be under the most pressure in 2021? When we asked about Ovechkin’s pursuit of Wayne Gretzky in May, nearly 60 percent answered, ‘yes’, he will catch The Great One Winner: Jakub Vrana Much has changed since then, however, and the results here seem to Runner-up: Ilya Samsonov reflect that.

Not sure there’s really a ‘winner’ in this category, but the majority of you Ovechkin lost 13 games at the end of last season due to the COVID-19 chose Jakub Vrana as the player who’ll be under the gun in 2021.0 cancellations. And he’s going to lose at least a couple dozen more due to And I agree. a curtailed 2020-21 campaign.

The 24-year-old second-line winger has been productive the past two Over the years, I’ve learned not to bet against No. 8. He’s already defied regular seasons, racking up a combined 49 goals and 99 points. But Father Time for a couple of years now. He’s also on the record saying he since scoring in the Cup-clinching game in 2018, he’s also failed to admires Zdeno Chara, Joe Thornton and Jaromir Jagr — three players register a point in his last 15 postseason contests (that includes the three who remained productive into their 40s. So we’ve got an idea of where round robin games this past summer). his head is at with respect to longevity. But I’ll also say this: 802 goals, or one more than second-place scored, is a really big number. The question isn’t whether Vrana will be re-signed. He’s a restricted free agent with arbitration rights and is viewed as an important part of the 19. If fans are allowed at Capital One Arena, when would feel organization’s future. What’s at stake is this: How long and how much comfortable enough to attend? does he get on his next deal? Winner: Once a vaccine is widely distributed

Samsonov will also be a restricted free agent at season’s end and, like Runner-up: Now, but only if masks are mandatory and there’s reduced Vrana, is considered a potential cornerstone player. The question for him attendance and social distancing protocols in place is whether he’s able to establish himself as a bonafide No. 1 in 2021. Fans haven’t been able to attend a Caps game at Capital One Arena As for Ovechkin, he’ll be under pressure, alright. But it won’t have since March 4 — a forgettable 5-2 loss to the Flyers. When they’ll be anything to do with his contract. The expectation is that he’ll resume permitted back in the building remains unclear. discussions on an extension with MacLellan in camp and the sides will put pen to paper during the season. It’s not surprising to me that more than half of you won’t be comfortable attending a game until a vaccine is widely available and distributed. It’s 15. Should the Caps hold a roster spot for a young player like Connor also not shocking to me that more than 20 percent would go now, McMichael or Martin Fehervary to make the team out of camp? provided masks are mandatory and other social distancing protocols in This is an interesting one. Sixty-one percent of you want to see some place. I wrote about the first (and only) Washington Football Team game youth in the lineup. And that’s understandable, particularly after watching to feature fans back on Nov. 8, when 3,250 spectators spread out in the last summer’s debacle in the bubble. lower bowl and a handful of suites at FedEx Field. The overwhelming majority of fans I interviewed told me that they felt safe. Youth injects speed. It adds hunger. It creates energy. The Caps sure looked like they could have used all of that in Toronto. That game, of course, was played in a large, open-air stadium. But even that wasn’t sustainable. Due to a surge in confirmed COVID-19 cases in the region, Washington scuttled plans to host fans again a couple of weeks later. 20. How do you feel about the Reverse Retro jersey?

Winner: It’s great

Runner-up: It’s fine

After seeing the sales numbers — the throwback jersey was the top seller on NHLShop.com from Dec. 1-6, according to the league — I figured, ‘It’s great’ would have received more than 41 percent.

Either way, it’s a positive sign from a business perspective that the jersey has sold so well, especially when you consider that the team has played only eight games in the past nine months.

The Athletic LOADED: 12.10.2020 1180605 Winnipeg Jets "But then you have players who are like, OK, this is an opportunity for me to get in better shape, to get quicker feet, to work on my physical strength, to get my nutrition under control, to work on my faceoffs, things like that. Managing those personalities and those kids, that’s what we’re Jets scout doesn't need planes, trains or automobiles there for."

Even if Roy is not really there, at least in the physical sense.

Mike McIntyre "The games you watch on tape, it’s not the same. You can’t see everything. What his skating is like, what his puck skills are like, what’s

happening behind the play? Some of the cameras aren’t great, there are Jimmy Roy’s well-worn passport is gathering plenty of dust these days. bad angles. But in today’s game it’s what we have to work with," he said.

Oh sure, the Winnipeg Jets’ director of player development is still taking COVID-19 has impacted Roy’s professional life but also his personal work trips across the globe. But he’s doing it with Zoom conferences, and one. One of Roy’s daughters was stricken with the virus earlier this year, telephone calls and texts, and by watching often grainy video feeds of and there was added concern because she has epilepsy. hockey games happening in far-off places he can’t get to owing to the "We had to isolate her for two weeks. It was the weirdest thing. She pandemic. picked it up, we don’t know where or how. We were following all the Take Wednesday for example. When I touched base with Roy early in guidelines. And nobody else (in the family) got it. She got pretty sick the afternoon, he was in the middle of dissecting Jets prospect Simon there for a while, we had to give her steroids and other strong meds. But Lundmark’s most recent game with Linkopings HC of the Swedish everybody’s great now," he said Hockey League. That came after back-to-back viewings of another young When I spoke with Moose head coach Pascal Vincent a couple weeks draft pick, Austin Wong, who is skating with the Fargo Force of the back, he praised the job Roy and Keane have been doing. Exhibit A United States Hockey League after his NCAA season at Harvard was would be the recent success of Jansen Harkins, a 2015 draft pick who scrapped. took the longer road to the NHL, including a detour through the ECHL. "Happy to give my eyes a bit of a break here. I’ve been staring at the "That part of it is pretty gratifying. That’s why Mike and I love our jobs. screen for a while," the 45-year-old former Manitoba Moose star told me. We get to see kids have success. But a guy like Jansen, 110 per cent of While not ideal, at least there was no long line at security or customs for that credit has to go to Jansen. He’s a kid who put in the work. He’s a Roy to worry about, no cramped middle seat for one of the countless long great kid, very smart, very driven. And there’s lots of players like that that international flights he takes in at typical season. The pride of Sioux are coming, I think, in the fold, that are very driven and want to play in the Lookout, Ont., is doing it all from the comfort of the southern National Hockey League and are probably going to get opportunities," home he shares with wife Laura and their three daughters. said Roy.

"I haven’t gone anywhere in the nine months since we first shut down," "We use that example all the time, not just with other players but said Roy. "In some ways, I think it’s been better, the communication. I ourselves. I was a guy who was drafted and never played a game in the think there’s a lot more communication happening with players. You just NHL. Mike’s a guy never drafted and went on to win three Stanley Cups. have more time. You’re not on planes, booking hotels, travelling from city It’s not about where you’re drafted. It has to do with how much work you to city. In ways it’s easier. But, of course, you don’t have that personal put in, your willingness to learn." face time with players, the contact with them in the arena right after a And, as 2020 has shown everyone, it’s about the ability to adapt. Which game where you can build relationships." is why technology will continue to be Roy’s tour guide, his passport safely Relationship-building is pretty much Roy’s job description, as he and stowed away for the foreseeable future. are tasked with keeping close tabs on all the young players in the prospect pool. Roy handles more of the European and U.S. college side of things, while Keane (based out of Winnipeg) is more hands-on Winnipeg Free Press LOADED 12.10.2020 with those playing at the American Hockey League level.

It’s an important role in any professional sports organization but especially so for a team like the Jets, which puts a premium on drafting and developing. And Roy, like so many of us these days, has had to find new ways of doing his job.

For example, there was no traditional summer camp this year, which is the annual week-long event where new draft picks join other young hopefuls for a crash course, on and off the ice, into all things Jets.

This time, Roy and Keane did it virtually once the NHL draft was completed in early October, discussing some of the usual topics such as nutrition, fitness planning and media training with the class of 2020, including 10th-overall pick Cole Perfetti, who is currenty vying for a spot on Canada’s world junior team at training camp in Red Deer, Alta.

"It sucks I can’t go there right now and get to know him face to face. That’s the tough part with the new kids we have," he said.

Managing expectations, and emotions, is another key part of Roy’s day- to-day work, and that has gotten more difficult with all the uncertainty swirling in the sports world and the real world.

Some of these prospects don’t have a place to play, with leagues such as the WHL, OHL, QMJHL, AHL and ECHL not currently operating in North America. Others have been loaned to teams in North America and beyond, in an attempt to find them a temporary hockey home.

"Helping kids understand the new norm as far as training, as far as what you can do to help yourself, we talk to them and tell them you can look at this in one of two ways. Either you had this extra time, did you take advantage of it? Or not? There are players on both sides, ones who have trouble staying motivated if they’re not playing hockey," said Roy. 1180606 Winnipeg Jets goalie available to meet this requirement, that goalie must have received his qualifying offer.

These criteria are the league’s way of ensuring that each team ensures Seattle Kraken expansion mock draft 5.0: Who could the Jets lose? there is legitimate, established NHL talent available. (Note: those 70 game totals will likely be prorated to reflect the fact that 2019-20 and 2020-21 will have been shortened.)

By Murat Ates There are some very important young players who will Seattle will not be able to take: players with only one or two years of professional Dec 9, 2020 experience.

The definition of “professional experience” is important. The Jets will almost certainly lose a quality forward to the Seattle Kraken According to the current collective bargaining agreement, players gain a in the 2021 NHL expansion draft. Precisely which forward Winnipeg loses year of pro experience by appearing in 10 or more NHL games before will depend on difficult decisions the Jets have yet to make. their 20-year-old season or by dressing in at least 10 professional games Adam Lowry remains a treasured piece of the Jets organization for his — AHL included this time — in any season afterwards. character and his unique combination of size and defensive prowess. What does this really mean? When he’s healthy, he’s a physical force on the wall and in front of the net and can play tough minutes against anyone. Key prospects like Cole Perfetti, Ville Heinola, Dylan Samberg, Kristian Vesalainen and David Gustafsson are exempt from this draft altogether. But Lowry is also a pending unrestricted free agent. Even without the The same applies to promising AHL defencemen Leon Gawanke, Johnny looming threat of an expansion draft, Winnipeg would need to sign Lowry Kovacevic and Declan Chisholm, and goaltender Arvid Holm. to a long-term contract extension just to keep him beyond this season. Injuries have affected his output and a lack of high-end offensive chops Finally, the Jets are a forward-heavy organization and will almost have impacted his production. certainly protect seven forwards, three defencemen, and one goaltender. I can’t imagine them choosing the other option — eight skaters and one If the Jets can’t sign Lowry, they lose him next summer. There’s no goaltender — without some major roster surgery between now and next guarantee that a price point exists that makes both Winnipeg and its summer. shutdown centre happy long term. Look at the list of eligible players to judge for yourself. If the Jets can sign Lowry, they could easily lose him anyway. Eligible forwards: Blake Wheeler*, Mark Scheifele, Kyle Connor, Patrik Winnipeg has more than enough good forwards to make life miserable Laine, Nikolaj Ehlers, Andrew Copp, Adam Lowry**, Paul Stastny**, when it comes time to protect seven of them. **, Bryan Little, Jack Roslovic, Jansen Harkins, Mason Blake Wheeler, Mark Scheifele, Kyle Connor, Patrik Laine and Nik Ehlers Appleton, Nate Thompson**, Marko Dano, Dominic Toninato**, C.J. are obvious protection decisions. Suess, Skyler McKenzie

But that leaves just two slots with all of Lowry, Andrew Copp, Jack Eligible defencemen: , Dylan DeMelo, Neal Pionk, Tucker Roslovic, Jansen Harkins and Mason Appleton to think about. Poolman**, Nathan Beaulieu, Luca Sbisa**, Sami Niku, Logan Stanley, Nelson Nogier, Luke Green Could the Jets choose to supplement their offence-heavy top six with Lowry and Copp, exposing a gifted young player like Roslovic? What Eligible goaltenders: Connor Hellebuyck, Laurent Brossoit**, Mikhail happens if Harkins takes yet another leap forward in his career? As it Berdin***, Eric Comrie*** stands today, Winnipeg will be stuck losing a talented forward or *Winnipeg will be forced to protect Wheeler due to the full no-movement pursuing a side deal with Seattle just as the Jets did with Vegas in 2017. clause in his contract. But some of the Jets’ most difficult decisions could change their **2021 unrestricted free agents. Seattle may select a 2021 UFA and then expansion draft landscape altogether. be free to sign him (or not) before free agency begins. Winnipeg has explored trade discussions with respect to Roslovic in the ***These two RFA goaltenders will become eligible if and when they are past. If the Jets are able to move him — say, in a trade that yields a signed to their qualifying offers prior to the expansion draft. similarly promising young defenceman — then Winnipeg can keep Copp and Lowry (or Harkins) while suddenly being put into a difficult spot on With all of this preamble out of the way, who will the Jets risk losing to defence. Josh Morrissey, Dylan DeMelo and Neal Pionk seem like the Seattle? obvious three candidates for the Jets to protect. Swap Roslovic for a defenceman and suddenly Winnipeg is right back to needing a side deal Winnipeg Jets Protected List just to keep its most vital players. Blake Wheeler Of course, the idea of a Roslovic trade — or a Laine trade, which has Josh Morrissey been the subject of much consternation this off-season — is purely hypothetical. Connor Hellebuyck

Blake Wheeler’s full no-movement clause (NMC) means Winnipeg will be Mark Scheifele forced to protect him. Dylan DeMelo Winnipeg has four other players with limited no-trade clauses in their contracts this season — Mark Scheifele, Bryan Little, Mathieu Perreault Laurent Brossoit and Dylan DeMelo. The Jets will not be forced to protect these players. Kyle Connor

There are also rules about the quality of player Winnipeg will be forced to Neal Pionk make available to the Kraken. The Jets will be forced to expose: Mikhail Berdin One defenceman who is under contract in 2021-22 and who played in at least 40 NHL games in 2020-21 or played in at least 70 NHL games in Patrik Laine the prior two seasons. Nathan Beaulieu Two forwards who are under contract in 2021-22 and who played at least 40 NHL games in 2020-21 or played in at least 70 NHL games in the Eric Comrie prior two seasons. Nikolaj Ehlers

One goalie who is under contract in 2021-22 or who will be a restricted Tucker Poolman free agent at the end of the season. If Winnipeg elects to make an RFA Arvid Holm If Winnipeg can’t make the necessary arrangements, Lowry’s injuries combine with the Jets’ exceptional forward depth and leave him the odd Andrew Copp man out.

Derek Forbort Jack Roslovic (2020 RFA)

Jack Roslovic I can’t imagine exposing a player of Roslovic’s potential strictly to protect Sami Niku a more accomplished defensive player like Lowry. To me, the play is to keep the younger player with the higher ceiling and more years under Paul Stastny team control.

Luca Sbisa Still, I suppose it’s possible the Jets size up the lack of defensive balance on their roster, extend Lowry long term, and decide that his skillset is less Bryan Little duplicated by other players in Winnipeg. Logan Stanley Roslovic could be a steal for Seattle if that were the case — the kind of Adam Lowry player whose offensive totals at the end of the year make you wonder why anyone would simply let him go. Despite a 30-game stretch on a line Nelson Nogier with Ehlers and Wheeler, Roslovic has yet to play top six minutes for a full season. If the Kraken were able to keep him in on the wing in a more Mathieu Perreault offensive role, one might imagine 20 goals is not out of reach — Luke Green especially if power play time comes with the claim.

Jansen Harkins Paul Stastny (2021 UFA)

Ville Heinola It’s possible that the Jets extend Stastny beyond this season and choose to protect the soon-to-be 35-year-old over younger players like Roslovic, Mason Appleton Copp and Lowry. He’s still a quality second-line centre and is certainly renowned enough for his leadership qualities. Dylan Samberg I think the more likely scenario involves Stastny making it to unrestricted Nate Thompson free agency. The Kraken could attempt to claim him from Winnipeg and Leon Gawanke then sign him but, thinking from Stastny’s perspective: Why wouldn’t you opt for one more swing at the UFA market while you’re still playing at a Marko Dano high level?

Declan Chisholm Jansen Harkins (2022 RFA)

Dominic Toninato Jansen Harkins just plays hockey the right way and, after back-to-back Jonathan Kovacevic seasons wherein he’s taken giant leaps forward, the 23-year-old centre would be a sneaky good addition by the Kraken. He’s young enough to C.J. Suess come with an affordable contract — and one that ends with RFA as opposed to UFA status — and he’s getting better every year. Skyler McKenzie In a perfect world, Harkins is a long-term Jet and develops into a Cole Perfetti dependable, two-way player in the middle of their forward rotation. It Kristian Vesalainen would certainly be a shame if the goal he scored against Calgary this summer were his one and only postseason marker for the Jets, given the David Gustafsson playoff-ready nature of the way he plays.

Protected But that’s exactly why Seattle would want him.

Kristian Reichel Mason Appleton (2022 RFA)

Available Mason Appleton is similar to Harkins in that he plays with a little bit of skill and a little bit of sandpaper. Like Harkins, Appleton also took big Joona Luoto leaps in his development with the Manitoba Moose before claiming a full- Exempt time NHL job. He’ll turn 25 in January and has yet to produce substantial offence for the Jets, but he still projects to be a good bottom-six forward. The Athletic’s 7F, 3D, 1G protection list Sami Niku (2022 RFA) Forwards: Blake Wheeler, Mark Scheifele, Kyle Connor, Patrik Laine, Nikolaj Ehlers, Andrew Copp, Jack Roslovic Sami Niku strikes me as a boom/bust candidate for the Kraken. The former AHL defenceman of the year can certainly wheel at the NHL level Defence: Josh Morrissey, Dylan DeMelo, Neal Pionk — few Jets defencemen can skate or pass as fluidly as he does. Still, he was limited to just 17 NHL games last season despite Winnipeg’s rash of Goalie: Connor Hellebuyck injuries (granted: he had injury concerns of his own) and concerns The most intriguing options for Seattle remain about his ability to defend at the game’s highest level.

Adam Lowry (2021 UFA)

I can’t shake the idea that the Jets find a way to keep Adam Lowry — The Athletic LOADED: 12.10.2020 whether by moving Roslovic and extending Lowry or simply by working out a side deal with Seattle.

Lowry has anchored Winnipeg’s match-up ready, tough minutes line for the past three seasons and there’s no one else like him on the roster.

That said, injuries have shortened two out of Lowry’s three most recent seasons. He doesn’t come with enough offence to boost him above Winnipeg’s other stalwart defender, Andrew Copp, or the promising 23- year-old Jack Roslovic. 1180607 Vancouver Canucks Vancouver International Airport has partnered with WestJet for a domestic flight testing initiative.

However, a shorter path to reduce the 14-day quarantine mandate is not Ben Kuzma: For Canucks, quarantine issue could be new season's without its problems. highest hurdle A woman who recently returned to Calgary from a business trip to the U.S., and took the airport rapid test, reportedly wound up spreading the virus to at least seven people. Ben Kuzma She isolated at the airport hotel until the first test result was reached. Publishing date: Dec 10, 2020 Sixty hours later she received a negative result and left the hotel to await the required second test conclusion. However, she started feeling ill in a

few days. Testing, roster size, taxi squads and a quarantine quandary. Then the second test, which was received one week after her initial The Vancouver Canucks were hoping for logistical clarity Wednesday negative result, came back “indeterminate,” which requires immediate when the Board of Governors conducted a conference call to assess isolation and booking a followup test. progress toward the reported targets of opening 10-day training camps But the damage had been done. It’s believed the virus spread as soon as Jan. 3 and a 56-game regular season on Jan. 13. the woman entered a sibling’s home and infected the family. What they heard was expected. The initial rapid-test result was considered a “false negative,” but Alberta The enthusiasm to get the game back on the ice has to be tempered by Health clarified that the tests are only “a-point-in-time assessment,” tracking how a strong second novel coronavirus wave continues to meaning concluding whether the person is contagious in that moment impact the general populace and professional athletes. Testing of NHL because the virus has a 14-day incubation period. A person can be players for COVID-19 will start Dec. 26, roster sizes are expected to incubating the virus, test negative and then later become contagious. expand by three to 26 and a four-player taxi squad will bump the overall Still, reducing the quarantine period from 14 to 10 and even seven days player total to 30. is going to command attention. If there are no snags or surprises in the next week, confirmation of all “After a single rapid test, they need to adopt enhanced public health logistics and division realignments by the NHL and NHL Players’ measures,” stressed Dr. Conway. “They need to be tested again two Association could bring about a governors’ vote a week before days later, stay with health measures to the end of the week, be Christmas. Could be quite the gift for hockey-staved fans. asymptomatic, then test again at seven days and be negative. For the Canucks, the taxi-squad scenario is significant. “Then they can return to the general populace. But you can’t skip steps. With the international border closed indefinitely and a mandated 14-day A small negative test as a baseline is not enough. It’s seven days by this quarantine period for those entering Canada, recalling players from the model, but I’m more comfortable with 10 days, strict adherence to AHL affiliate wouldn’t make sense. Instead of being protocols and no symptoms. immediately inserted into the Canucks’ roster because of injuries, or to “And if there are any outside contacts during that time period, it resets provide a spark, they would have to be isolated. the clock.” A taxi squad would allow the club to keep its top-four projected recalls in

Vancouver to train and practise, collect their AHL salaries and NHL benefits. That will keep longer-term NHL prospects in Utica to play a Vancouver Province: LOADED: 12.10.2020 season projected to start Feb. 5.

The quarantine issue might be the toughest sell to players and provincial health authorities.

Obviously, players want to remain abroad and celebrate Christmas with their families. Under normal requirements for returning to Vancouver, the quarantine time span would run well past camp commencement — even if they arrived here on Boxing Day. For the full run, they would have to be back by Dec. 20 and self-isolate.

However, another scenario could come into play. The Canucks are lobbying for a complete camp cohort group that would adhere to a strict home-rink-home edict. No outings. No mingling.

If players return to Vancouver before Jan. 1 and isolate, start camp Jan. 3 and abide by testing and safety protocols, they might convince health officials they’re operating in a bubble and wouldn’t present any problems to the general population. The biggest risk might be to those in Rogers Arena, not out of it.

“It would probably not be prudent,” said Dr. Brian Conway, president and medical director of the Vancouver Infectious Diseases Centre. “Current guidelines are that they quarantine. There are some shorter quarantines being looked at for asymptomatic individuals.

“If they test negative and remain asymptomatic for seven days, and they test negative again, the quarantine could end. But that’s probably as short and as open as I would go.”

And that’s where it gets interesting for Canadian clubs.

The Calgary International Airport started a rapid-test program for international arrivals on Nov. 2. It’s designed to reduce quarantine time and the Flames are expected to use that program upon arrival. Edmonton International Airport started a saliva-sample test in September to produce a positive or negative test in less than a minute and that could pique the interest of returning Oilers. 1180608 Vancouver Canucks

Canucks ink defenceman Jalen Chatfield to new deal

Patrick Johnston

Publishing date: Dec 09, 2020

The Vancouver Canucks now have just one unsigned restricted free agent on the books as the team announced Wednesday it had re-signed defenceman Jalen Chatfield to a one-year contract.

Chatfield, who has yet to make his NHL debut despite spending much of the 2019-20 season as the team’s seventh defenceman, will carry a cap hit of $700,000 if he’s on the Canucks’ roster in 2020-21.

He won’t make that salary, of course, since the collective bargaining agreement between the league and the players’ association, agreed to this summer, defers 10 per cent of his salary and then places a further 20 per cent of his reduced salary into escrow.

He’ll make $125,000 if he’s in the American Hockey League.

Given the state of the Canucks’ depth chart, it’s almost certain that Chatfield will start the season on the NHL roster, possibly even in a regular playing spot. He’s in the mix with Jordie Benn, Olli Juolevi, Jack Rathbone and Brogan Rafferty to win playing time on the Canucks’ third pair. And even if he doesn’t win a regular spot, it’s expected the NHL will go with expanded rosters for the upcoming season, and Chatfield would likely fill one of those added spots.

“He’s a guy that we identified, signed, working with him in his development. He’s put in a lot of work in the off-season,” said Canucks general manager on Wednesday from his Vancouver home, where he’s nine days into quarantine after returning from his off-season home in Portland, Ore.

“We lost Chris Tanev and (Troy) Stecher. When I watched him play, he’s a cross between the two of them. He’s a mobile guy like Tanev, he can move the puck out, he competes hard. He’s a competitive defensive player who can transition the puck up ice.”

The Canucks are currently over the cap, but with expected to start the season on the long-term injured reserve list, they do in theory have some cap space to sign a veteran defenceman closer to the start of the season.

Bailey left to sign

The last remaining unsigned free agent in the Canucks’ stable is winger Justin Bailey, who spent most of the 2019-20 season with the Utica Comets, the Canucks’ AHL affiliate, but who did spend some time on recall with the Canucks as well.

“We’d like to get him signed,” Benning said.

Vancouver Province: LOADED: 1180609 Websites

Sportsnet.ca / NHL outlines proposed division realignment for 2020-21 season

Sportsnet Staff@Sportsnet

December 9, 2020, 5:25 PM

It's been assumed for some time that the coming NHL season would include a seven-team Canadian division to eliminate cross-border travel. Speaking on Tuesday, commissioner Gary Bettman all but confirmed that to be the case.

"There are a lot of things we have to do to return to play. For us to return to play, we're not going to play 82 games, obviously, and we have travel issues because of the restrictions at the border between Canada and the U.S. You can't go back and forth, so we're actually going to have to realign," Bettman told NHL.com's Tom Gulitti.

"If everything stays the way it is, we're probably going to have to have a Canadian division and realign in the U.S., and we're trying to focus on dealing with all of those challenges."

It's believed there is still some debate around St. Louis and Minnesota, and that this format is not yet set.

A Board of Governors' call was scheduled for Wednesday afternoon to update the owners on negotiations with the players ahead of the 2020-21 season. The proposal for divisional realignments would still need to be approved by the players.

No start date for the new season has yet been confirmed, but on Monday Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported the new target for the league was a 56-game season that would start on Jan. 13. The target date for playoff teams to report to training camp is Jan. 3, with the non-playoff teams coming a few days earlier.

Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 12.10.2020 1180610 Websites Chabot, Sanderson, Brannstrom, Bernard-Docker, Kleven and Thomson. Subject to their development, of course.

In the meantime, Dorion spent part of his busy off-season plugging holes Sportsnet.ca / Senators’ Brannstrom looking to exemplify potential of on the blue line, left by the departures of veterans Mark Borowiecki and team’s blue line Ron Hainsey. Specifically, he added two big, right-shot defencemen in Josh Brown and Erik Gudbranson, players who both started their NHL careers with Florida. Brown has ties to Senators head coach D.J. Smith, having played for Smith in the OHL with the . Wayne Scanlan Brannstrom gets running start December 9, 2020, 10:10 AM Where Brannstrom fits in on Ottawa’s blue line picture will be one of

many intriguing training camp angles. Can he crack the starting lineup, or Without a doubt, the Ottawa Senators have a bright future on their blue at least be part of a group of seven defencemen (or taxi squad) to start line. the season?

The question: When does that ‘future’ begin? Brannstrom does have the advantage of a running start, compared with a group that for the most part has not played a game since March (Brown Like everything else in 2020 and 2021, the makeup of the Senators took part in Florida’s play-in series loss to the New York Islanders). This roster is laden with variables, including what support leagues will be up fall, Brannstrom has been playing and playing well, for the Langnau and operating throughout the winter and spring of an ongoing pandemic. (SCL) Tigers of the Swiss-A League, with two goals and six assists in ten Specifically -- what options will there be for players who don’t stick with games played. The league has had some stops and starts due to the the NHL club? pandemic.

With a target date of Jan. 13 for the NHL’s new season, most NHL When he reports to Ottawa’s camp, Brannstrom will have some game camps would start in early January. Ottawa’s training camp could slot in action under his belt and could push for a top-six position, but with six around Dec. 28 (teams that did not qualify for the play-in or playoff defencemen on NHL contracts, Brannstrom is on his entry-level deal, it’s rounds of last summer may get a head start of five or six days). easier to see him as an extra defenceman until the Belleville Senators start up. Brannstrom is still just 21. Another year in the minors -- *I understand that I may withdraw my consent at any time. assuming there will be an AHL season -- wouldn’t hurt his development, To limit travel and especially, border crossings, the seven Canadian so long as players remain healthy. teams are expected to play in a single division. At the moment, the starting six look like this: Chabot, Nikita Zaitsev, Yet, the American Hockey League won’t start play until at least Feb. 5, Brown, Gudbranson, Christian Wolanin and Mike Reilly. according to their latest plan. That means managers of NHL clubs have Brannstrom, Artem Zub (from the KHL), Max Lajoie and Christian Jaros to sort out options for players that don’t crack the starting NHL lineup. will provide depth or slide in as needed. Teams will likely have expanded rosters, for health and safety reasons. Dorion made two additions in early October that he hopes will make his Some prospects may end up staying in Europe for the season. Others team harder to play against. Dorion told Postmedia this week that Brown may stick around the big league clubs until the AHL gets going, if it does. is “getting to a point with the experience he has in the NHL where he’ll be Luckily for Ottawa, its AHL affiliate is in the same province as the NHL an effective shutdown defenceman.” Brown played just a little over 13 team, making travel and border crossing a non-issue for players called minutes per game with the Panthers. up or sent down. Still, teams will be wary of any extraneous movement or The Senators picked up Brown from Florida on Oct. 5 for a fourth-round player mixing that could risk a spread of COVID-19, before a vaccine is pick in the 2020 draft. They then signed the 25-year-old pending RFA to widely available. a two-year deal with an AAV of $1.2 million US. Finally, fans and media can begin talking hockey again, and particular Three days later, Dorion traded for Gudbranson, 28, who grew up playing topics. minor hockey in Gloucester and was drafted by the Panthers third overall Here’s one: How good can the Senators' defensive corps be? Not just in 2010. Ottawa is Gudbranson’s fifth NHL team and he will be motivated this season but in a few years' time? to earn a new contract when his $4 million deal expires next summer. At 6-5, 217 pounds, Gudbranson will help replace Borowiecki’s grit. At a glance, it is a work in progress but the makings of a championship- contending group, once all the pieces are in place. That will take some “He’s a reliable veteran who plays an intimidating style of game and time, considering some of Ottawa’s top defensive-prospects are still in someone who will add a combination of grit, energy and, most their teens. importantly, leadership to our lineup,” Dorion said, when he acquired from Anaheim for a fifth-round pick. In the past three drafts, general manager Pierre Dorion and his scouting staff have made a point of using high draft picks to rebuild their blue line, Chabot, who signed an eight-year, $64-million US contract a little more following the departures of Erik Karlsson and other veterans over the than one year ago, will again be on the ice for nearly half the game. past few seasons. The Senators also acquired a former first round Zaitsev, who played for Smith in Toronto with the Maple Leafs, will also defenceman in Erik Brannstrom, as a key part of the trade that sent see big minutes. forward Mark Stone to the Vegas Golden Knights in February of 2019. Reilly saw his ice time jump six minutes to nearly 20 per game with *I understand that I may withdraw my consent at any time. Ottawa after coming over from Montreal midway through last season. Interestingly, Gudbranson played 20 minutes a night for the Ducks in 44 Four defencemen drafted in Round 1 games, an increased role compared to his time in Pittsburgh. Wolanin, Since 2015, Ottawa has selected four defencemen in the first round of 25, has played just 43 career NHL games, but put up 12 points in 30 the NHL draft: games in 2018-19 before a torn labrum in his shoulder set him back last season. Thomas Chabot (18th overall, 2015), Jacob Bernard-Docker (26th overall, 2018), Lassi Thomson (19th overall, 2019) and Jake Sanderson Aside from Chabot and possibly Brannstrom and Wolanin, the group as a (5th overall, 2020). whole has the look of an interim unit until the prospect wave arrives.

In addition, the Senators used one of their second-round picks, 44th That will take a while and patience will be required. The Senators won’t overall, to select Tyler Kleven, a big, physical presence who joins contend until Sanderson and co. are here and thriving. Bernard-Docker and Sanderson on the University of North Dakota blue line. When COVID-19 hit team USA’s world junior camp this week, Kleven joined Sanderson at the Americans’ WJC selection camp. Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 12.10.2020

In three or four years, when the Senators rebuilding efforts of 2019 and 2020 should bear fruit, it’s fun to imagine a blue line that could have: 1180611 Websites with our outside-the-box combinations and the other as a template for what we think Julien will opt for.

Why it could work: With a shortened training camp — and without the Sportsnet.ca / Canadiens lineup projections: Versatility highlights much- benefit of exhibition — the biggest challenge Julien will face is integrating improved depth his new players into his system. Keeping the Danault line and Weber pairing intact and placing Drouin with Suzuki and Lehkonen with Armia provides a certain level of stability while that integration process is unfolding. Eric Engels@EricEngels One thing we like: That third line. While we appreciate the logic behind December 9, 2020, 3:37 PM Jonathan’s justification for putting Anderson next to Kotkaniemi, we don’t know that he needs much protection. Kotkaniemi emerged as a much bigger and far more physical player in the bubble. Assuming he Montreal Canadiens assistant coach Luke Richardson spent over 30 continues to progress in both departments, that makes this combination minutes talking with reporters over Zoom last week and uttered no word particularly dangerous. more frequently than “depth.” That Kotkaniemi can score as easily as he can set up goals helps The organizational chart has changed so much since August that the because Anderson and Byron are both capable finishers but also team’s biggest weakness has suddenly become its biggest strength. versatile enough to create space and opportunity for whomever they’re playing with. Don’t buy it? Well, let’s lay it out. Granted, they do it in different ways — Byron with his pure speed and Here’s what Montreal’s lineup was for its Game 6 loss to the Philadelphia Anderson with his speed, size and physicality — but the result is still the Flyers on Aug. 21: same. The result is three players who can create opportunities for each Tomas Tatar-Phillip Danault-Artturi Lehkonen other and three players who can all put the puck in the net.

Jonathan Drouin-Nick Suzuki-Joel Armia One potential flaw: Brett Kulak had a crisis of confidence in being demoted to the team’s third pairing last season and moving him to the Paul Byron-Jesperi Kotkaniemi-Max Domi right side of that pairing, where he’s never played before, could prove to Charles Hudon-Jake Evans-Alex Belzile be too risky an endeavour.

Ben Chiarot-Shea Weber Bonus points for: Giving us a breakdown of how you see the Price/Allen split. We’d be surprised if it’s that even when all is said and done, but Brett Kulak-Jeff Petry Price’s work rate is bound to decrease significantly from what it was last season. Xavier Ouellet-Victor Mete Why it could work: The chemistry between Tatar and Gallagher is Carey Price established and placing them with Suzuki — at least at home — could Charlie Lindgren free them up to produce a bit more offence without constantly having to match up against the other team’s best line and without having to take as If you swapped in then-injured Brendan Gallagher for recently traded many defensive zone draws as they would with Danault. Max Domi, there was at least the possibility of reuniting the top line of the last two seasons. But doing so would’ve pushed Lehkonen into Domi’s In Byron-Danault-Toffoli, you have two finishers playing with a pass-first spot and, well, done very little to improve the team’s chances of player, and all three of them are very responsible checkers. spreading out its offence. One thing we like: Kulak and Petry as a pair — especially since we’re Maybe Cale Fleury or Noah Juulsen, or both, would’ve made the third talking about how to start the season. It’s worth giving Kulak a show of pairing a little better. Or maybe they wouldn’t have. confidence and rewarding him for how he played in the bubble. If he resembles the player we saw there, it makes the whole group that much The point is, there wasn’t much mixing and matching for the Canadiens better. to do to make themselves harder to play against. Also, with the defence set as such, there’s a balance there that makes But now? reducing the minutes Weber, Chiarot and Petry play viable.

Add top-six forwards Tyler Toffoli and Josh Anderson, top-six One potential flaw: If you’re going to pair Drouin and Kotkaniemi defencemen Joel Edmundson and Alexander Romanov, and backup together, it’s probably best they play with someone slightly more goaltender Jake Allen, move Hudon, Belzile, Mete and Ouellet to the defensive-minded than Anderson. This line, as it’s constructed, would fringe, and the depth, balance and versatility of the roster becomes need to be sheltered, and that would mean less ice-time in tight games undeniable. where they could make the difference with their offensive abilities.

Here’s what Canadiens coach Claude Julien said about it back in Bonus points for: Splitting the Danault line right off the hop. You already October: know what you have in them and you can reunite them at any point. And it’s not like you blew it up; this is a moderate experiment to be running — “I like the fact that I can move guys around and it’s not like one line’s and with a centre in Suzuki who knows how to play with both guys. going to get better and the other one’s going to get weaker. If I make a change, it’s probably all lines that will have an opportunity to get better. We also agree on Byron. He had a bad start to last season and then That’s what I like about the depth of this group right now.” suffered a brutal injury that took him out of action for over three months. It made it easy to forget he topped 20 goals in 2017 and 2018 and was It’s what the fans appear to like, too. on pace for 22 had he played more 56 games in 2019. We asked them to submit line combinations and defence pairings on Why it could work: Sammy’s justification said it all. In a shortened season Twitter, and the variety in their responses speaks to the depth, balance you can undo your playoff hopes in a hurry, so it makes sense to start off and versatility of the roster. with what you know. In his lineup, the top two lines and top two defence There were, however, some commonalities in their suggestions. The pairings from the bubble remain intact. majority of them had Tatar, Danault and Gallagher completing the same One thing we like: Toffoli and Anderson flanking Kotkaniemi. It could be a line for a third consecutive season, Drouin and Suzuki matched up to potent offensive line that isn’t quite as defensively vulnerable as the continue building on the chemistry they displayed in the Toronto bubble, proposed Drouin-Kotkaniemi-Anderson line. Even if Toffoli plays his off- and Chiarot and Weber paired together once again. wing in this scenario, Julien made a point of mentioning that he’s been We won’t break down every single one of the 150-plus suggestions assured Toffoli is comfortable on the left. made, but we’ve picked out four that we think are compelling for a variety One potential flaw: Not maximizing the offensive potential of the forward of reasons. We’ll also add two suggested compositions of our own — one group. We know Armia played great hockey for the Canadiens prior to suffering a hand injury in December, but he doesn’t have a proven track • A few submissions had Juulsen taking a spot on defence, but it appears record as a finisher. If you’re going to have the two best playmakers to be consensus within the organization that he needs to get some (Drouin and Suzuki) on the same line, you probably want a pure goal games in at the AHL level to make up for all the lost time due to injuries scorer next to them. over the last two seasons. And while we appreciate that most people are concerned he’ll be claimed on waivers if he’s sent to the AHL, we see Bonus points for: Moving Edmundson to the right of Romanov. He has that scenario as unlikely. plenty of his experience playing his off side. There are a lot of teams that are right up against the cap, and roster Why it could work: This is one of the more balanced compositions of the space, as always, is limited. Not that Juulsen carries an exorbitant cap hit ones submitted. At least it is up front. Here you see the stability of the — he’s got NHL upside for only $700,000 — but if the team waiving him Danault line, a pure finisher next to Drouin and Suzuki, Lehkonen and (the team that knows him best) feels he needs reps before being able to Toffoli eliminating some of the desire to shelter Kotkaniemi, and a strong be dependable enough at this level, it’s hard to imagine another team will fourth line. see it differently.

One thing we like: Pairing Romanov with Weber — even if Patrick says • Cale Fleury not having to pass through waivers to go to the AHL hurts he doesn’t think he should start there. If he finishes there, that will his chances of making the big club out of camp — especially with no unquestionably be a sign that he’s every bit as good as the Canadiens exhibition games to prove he’s more worthy than someone else. It’s not think he is. to say he wouldn’t be prepared to be an ideal candidate on the third But why not start him there and give him the most reliable partner he can pairing, but the increased depth on the Canadiens’ blue line, coupled with have? Romanov’s mobility could prove to be an excellent fit for Weber, his waiver exemption, stacks the deck against him. too. • A few submissions had Jordan Weal centring the fourth line or serving One potential flaw: Edmundson out of the lineup. The Canadiens didn’t as an extra. While it’s possible he’ll prove to be the best option to centre trade for him and sign him to a four-year, $14-million contract to park him the fourth line, it’s unlikely. Even more unlikely would be keeping him as in the press box before he’s even played a game. an extra, unless the NHL allows for a taxi squad that doesn’t count against the cap. Bonus points for: Focusing on the mobility of the blue line. It could be seen as a weakness—especially if both Kulak and Mete find themselves Regardless, Weal being demoted would be one of the easiest ways for on the outside looking in. the Canadiens to be cap-compliant to start the season. They’ll probably have to make a couple of other minor moves, but you have to figure *I understand that I may withdraw my consent at any time. they’ll at least make this one.

Our outside-the-box composition

Drouin-Suzuki-Gallagher Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 12.10.2020 Pure finisher next to the playmakers.

Toffoli-Kotkaniemi-Armia

We see puck possession.

Tatar-Danault-Anderson

Putting Anderson in a place to immediately succeed without changing the dynamic Gallagher normally brings to this line. We were surprised that not a single response had this combination.

Byron-Evans-Lehkonen

Speed and tenacity on the wings, and two defensive specialists next to a centre with limited NHL experience.

Romanov-Weber

Youth and experience, speed and size, physicality all around.

Chiarot-Petry

Complementary skills.

Mete-Edmundson

If Mete can produce to the level his skillset suggests he should, his speed could be a welcome component next to Edmundson.

Notes

• If Kulak isn’t on the second pair, we’re not sure he works well on the third. And if he’s out of the lineup, perhaps it’s because the Canadiens capitalize on his market value and trade him prior to the season.

We don’t see any of that as probable — in fact, we’d bet against it given GM Marc Bergevin putting a premium on having defensive depth — but it is possible.

• We like the idea of Gallagher completing the Drouin-Suzuki duo and still see him as the purest scorer on the team. And if we have to move him away from Tatar and Danault, why not put Anderson in his place? The two play the same style, but Anderson is bigger, stronger and faster.

31 Thoughts: The Podcast

Jeff Marek and Elliotte Friedman talk to a lot of people around the hockey world, and then they tell listeners all about what they’ve heard and what they think about it.

Final thoughts 1180612 Websites

Sportsnet.ca / Forbes shows drop in NHL revenue; Maple Leafs rank second in team value

Emily Sadler@EmmySadler

December 9, 2020, 1:19 PM

Every year, Forbes' look at NHL team values offers interesting insight into the business of hockey. This year's deep dive provides a particularly fascinating look at how hockey has fared through the pandemic-ravaged 2019-20 season -- and what another shortened season could bring.

According to Forbes writers Mike Ozanian and Kurt Badenhausen, the NHL saw a drop in the average team value for the first time since 2001, down two per cent to $653 million. Revenue also saw a significant drop – down 14 per cent, totalling $4.4 billion in 2019-20 – as did operating income, which was down to $250 million (a 68 per cent drop).

It's easy to see why, with the entire post-season conducted in quarantined bubbles with empty stands. Per Ozanian and Badenhausen, all the aspects of normal fanfare – tickets sales and suites, in-arena food and drink purchases, sponsorships, etc. – are what typically make up about 70 per cent of revenue for teams and the league.

Below are four additional takeaways from the Forbes piece, which you can read in full here.

Rangers still on top, Leafs sit second

According to Forbes, the New York Rangers remain the NHL's most valuable team – that's consistent with last year's evaluation, and not surprising considering the big market and big budget of the historic Big Apple club. (You've got to think that landing the No. 1 pick this year has that value ready to rise.)

There are no surprises when it comes to which teams follow the Rangers, who are valued at $1.65 billion, on the list of most valuable franchises: coming in at No. 2 are the Toronto Maple Leafs (valued at $1.5 billion), with the Montreal Canadiens ($1.34 billion), Chicago Blackhawks ($1.085 billion) and Boston Bruins ($1 billion) rounding out the top five.

Three clubs in top 10

The Vancouver Canucks are the 10th-most valuable team, valued at $725 million. The Edmonton Oilers ($550 million) came in at 14, followed by the Calgary Flames (20th, $480 million), Ottawa Senators (26th, $430 million) and Winnipeg Jets (27th, $405 million).

The Stanley Cup champs lost, financially

According to Ozanian and Badenhausen, nine teams posted financial losses in the double digits – including the Stanley Cup-winning Tampa Bay Lightning, who posted operating losses of $11 million. Typically, the Cup champs see a massive rise in revenues but without fans being able to attend games, the Lightning's win didn't bring that same financial success.

Islanders suffered biggest financial hit

The New York Islanders posted an operating income of minus-$38 million. That doesn't mean a drop in their overall value, however – they landed at 16th in that regard, holding their value at $520 million, according to Forbes. Fifteen other teams posted negative operating incomes, including two Canadian teams: the Winnipeg Jets ($-7.6 million) and Ottawa Senators ($-2.9 million).

Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 12.10.2020 1180613 Websites "We came in with a lot to prove and a little chip [on] our shoulder," Schneider said. "We've been feeding off each other's energy and letting each other do what we do best."

Canada unveils three-headed monster up front At his best, Schneider is a physical presence. The 6-foot-2, 202-pounder studied Scott Stevens YouTube videos while growing up in order to refine his hitting ability. Schneider, who lists Montreal Canadiens captain Shea Weber as his NHL role model, made it clear he won't hesitate to lay the By Mark Masters body in an intra-squad game.

"Everyone's going 110 per cent out there so if it comes I'm not going to TSN Hockey Reporter Mark Masters reports on the World Junior Hockey take it easy on them," Schneider said with a smile. "So, if it's there I'll try Championship. Team Canada practised in two groups (Red & White) on and finish them as best I can." Wednesday at the Westerner Park Centrium in Red Deer, Alta. Even if there are no big hits available, Schneider will look to make life The intensity level at 's World Junior selection camp is hard for opposing players by executing Tourigny's defensive-zone rising fast. There were two practices yesterday, another practice this system. morning and now an intra-squad game tonight. The battle for the final "He wants us to be tight," Schneider revealed. "We have a setup where roster spots is, of course, top of mind, but the coaching staff will also be one guy goes and tries to smother the play and we're working as one unit looking to develop chemistry. with five guys on the ice. He wants us to be quick. He wants us to be Returning players Dylan Cozens and Connor McMichael played together hard. He wants us to be moving and communicating all the time." in the first two scrimmages and looked pretty good for Team White. Despite all the focus on physicality and defensive play, Schneider did Tonight they'll have Kirby Dach on their right wing. That trio has the boost his point total from 24 to 42 last season in Brandon. And Schneider potential to be really special together. McMichael is a gifted finisher who spent time in the off-season working to improve his offensive game with potted 47 goals in 52 games with London last season. Cozens, who power skating instructor Jordan Trach in Saskatoon. racked up 85 points in 51 games with Lethbridge, can absolutely fly and the 6-foot-4, 200-pound Dach is a dynamic blend of size and skill. "The main thing I wanted to focus on this year is being a little bit more mobile," said Schneider, who turned 19 in September. "Compete level "We've built some good chemistry and we're looking forward to showing it and defensive [play] is a staple in my game, but I wanted to generate a tonight, showing Bear [coach Andre Tourigny] that we work well little more offence and take guys one-on-one a little more so I worked on together," said McMichael, who scored five goals in seven World Junior my feet and moving the puck better and moving my body better with it." games last year. "Playing with those two, they're both big and strong. Coz generates a lot of speed through the neutral zone ... When he picks 'If it's there, I'll try to finish them': Schneider won't hesitate to lay a big hit up speed in the neutral zone he's one of the fastest skaters I've ever tonight seen." Braden Schneider discusses how good of a test it will be for himself and Dach, who spent last season in the National Hockey League, is coming Thomas Harley when they face a strong line of Connor McMichael, Dylan off an impressive bubble appearance with the Blackhawks. He posted six Cozens and Kirby Dach tonight, and says he won't hesitate to lay a big points in nine playoff games and was second among Chicago forwards in hit. Schneider also discusses the chemistry he's developed with Harley. ice time behind only Patrick Kane. Hendrix Lapierre started the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League "The year was full of ups and downs and I learned a lot as a pro and how season strong with eight points in five games with the Chicoutimi to prepare for those games," Dach told TSN's James Duthie in an Sagueneens, but the Washington Capitals first rounder got off to a slow interview on Tuesday. "I'm going to bring a pro mentality to the team and start in Red Deer. elevate the pace of play for our team and be a trusted player for the coaching staff." "I wasn't really satisfied with my start to the camp," Lapierre readily admits. "I feel like the two next games are really huge for me. I want to Dach was dominant in the last camp scrimmage, way back on Nov. 22, show the whole coaching staff that I can play pretty much every role, that when he played centre with Connor Zary and Phil Tomasino on his I can win faceoffs, that I can be good defensively, that I can make the wings. little details correctly. We lost two weeks in quarantine, but I feel like everyone's in the same boat right now and we all have only two games to "His hockey sense," said McMichael when asked what stands out about show ourselves." Dach, "how big he is protecting the puck and he's got really good hands so he's just an all-around great player. I'm just happy I get the opportunity Lapierre played only 19 games during an injury-plagued 2019-20 season, to play with him." but was excellent at the 2019 with 11 points in five games. 'Those two are amazing players': McMichael excited to play with Cozens, Dach tonight "They've been following us for [years] now so they know what we're capable of and right now it's just about showing consistency and showing After showing plenty of chemistry with Dylan Cozens during the first two that we can play as a group and do pretty much every detail right on the scrimmages, it's expected that Connor McMichael will play with Cozens ice," Lapierre said. and Kirby Dach in tonight's intrasquad game. McMichael discusses how excited he is about the potential of the line. The final cuts are expected after Thursday's intra-squad. There are 25 forwards left with 14 spots available. McMichael, Cozens and Dach will likely see a lot of Team Red defencemen Thomas Harley and Braden Schneider, who have been "There's a lot of guys with things to prove and nothing's made so far," paired together since the start of camp. said Lapierre. "In our rooms [during quarantine] we really had time to think about that and prepare for now so there's no excuses. Everyone "They're two elite defencemen," said McMichael. "Harls is a really good has to be ready and if you're not it's going to be your fault if you get cut." offensive defenceman and Schneids is a big body and able to shutdown elite forwards so they complement each other well." Lapierre will start tonight's game on a line with Cole Schwindt and 16- year-old Shane Wright. Harley made his NHL debut this summer with the Dallas Stars suiting up in a round-robin game. 'We only have two games to prove ourselves': Lapierre on players' mindset "I can give him a little bit longer of a leash to do what he needs to do offensively and what he's good at," said Schneider, a first-round pick by With final cuts fast approaching, and the players having spent more time the New York Rangers in October. in quarantine than they have on the ice, Hendrix Lapierre sheds light on the mindset of the players ahead of tonight's instrasquad game. Harley, who recorded 57 points in 59 games with the Steelheads last season, and Schneider were among the final cuts at The USA Hockey camp is underway in Plymouth, Mich., where Jake Hockey Canada's selection camp last December. Sanderson is looking to do something his father, former NHLer Geoff Sanderson, never did. "He told me he got cut from the World Junior team," Sanderson, the fifth overall pick in October's NHL draft, said. "I'm just asking for tips from him and about his experience playing for Team Canada [at the senior World Championships] and he's very excited and supportive of me to be on Team USA."

Sanderson has been paired with Boston College's Drew Helleson so far.

"I was actually playing with him at the last [summer] camp so we have some chemistry building up," Sanderson said.

The Montana native plans to be a two-way force for Team USA and "use my feet to my advantage."

Those feet have impressed his North Dakota teammate Tyler Kleven, who is also an Ottawa Senators prospect.

"His skating, it’s just so fast and [he's] so strong with the puck and he just makes the right play every time it seems like," Kleven marvelled. "He's not super flashy, but he's just so efficient and brings a lot to the table."

TSN.CA LOADED: 12.10.2020 1180614 Websites “It’s no secret here that we’re looking to be a contending team,” he said. “A team that, obviously, has a lot more success in the playoffs and goes deeper.”

Giordano: Prospects for NHL season ‘trending in the right direction’ For Giordano and the Flames this season, the road to that long-coveted deep playoff run will potentially go through an all-Canadian division due to current border restrictions. It’s a setup he anticipates to be just as competitive as any other season. By Salim Valji “It’s going to be a tough division, that’s for sure,” he said.

“I think there’s a lot of great teams in Canada. It’s going to be exciting. Calgary Flames captain Mark Giordano is “pretty optimistic” there will be Any time you play a Canadian team, there’s a certain buzz in the a National Hockey League season in the new year. atmosphere in the building. I know probably to start, we’re not going to Speaking with TSN this week, the longtime Flames defenceman – who is have fans in the building, but you still feel those rivalries. You still feel second on the franchise’s career games-played list with 893, behind only that you know everyone’s watching on TV. I think there will still be that (1,219) – is hopeful he will add to that total in a few weeks. buzz in the air for the players.”

TSN Senior Hockey Reporter Frank Seravalli reported Tuesday that the Giordano is hopeful the logistics and health and safety protocols will soon league and the NHL Players’ Association have opted to put aside their be in place to make the new season a reality. CBA economic framework differences to focus on getting safety protocols “It’s trending in the right direction I think and hopefully something gets in place for training camps and the 2020-21 season amid a second wave announced in the near future,” Giordano said. of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“This week is going to be really important I think with negotiations as far as protocols and all those different things of getting back into the rinks,” TSN.CA LOADED: 12.10.2020 Giordano said.

Giordano said that the Flames’ NHLPA reps, Mikael Backlund and Matthew Tkachuk, have kept the team informed on the progress of season start-up discussions between the NHL and the NHLPA. “There’s still probably a lot of work to do but I’m pretty optimistic we’re going to get some games in. I’m happy they’re going to try to get as many as possible.”

TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger reported Monday that the two sides are targeting a Jan. 13 start to the season with a 56-game schedule.

Currently, 11 Flames who are expected to earn roster spots for the upcoming season are in Calgary. That includes a group of seven (Giordano, Christopher Tanev, Josh Leivo, Milan Lucic, Rasmus Andersson, Mikael Backlund, and Dillon Dube) who have been practising and training at the Saddledome for the past few weeks, plus recent arrivals Jacob Markstrom, Elias Lindholm, Joakim Nordstrom, and Dominik Simon.

“We’re working out in small groups,” Giordano said. “We’re following all the guidelines. Our medical staff and trainers deserve a lot of credit for a lot of different protocols that they have to follow.”

Among those protocols are regular temperature and coronavirus- symptom checks as well as limits on the number of players allowed on the ice and in the weight room.

When Giordano and his teammates officially reconvene, they’ll be joined by several new faces.

During the off-season, Flames general manager spent more than $50 million to upgrade a roster that won its Qualifying Round series against the Winnipeg Jets, but again failed to advance past the first round of the playoffs thanks to a six-game loss at the hands of the Dallas Stars.

In the decisive game, Flames goalies David Rittich and Cam Talbot combined to allow seven goals on 24 shots. Fresh faces Markstrom and Tanev are expected to make up for the departures of Talbot and blueliner T.J. Brodie, one of Giordano’s most-frequent defence partners and a close friend of the 37-year-old captain.

“[Markstrom], in my opinion, was probably the Canucks’ most valuable player last year,” Giordano said. “He’s a huge addition to our team. We all know how important goaltending is.”

Giordano also lauded the addition of veteran blueliner Tanev, who he called “really underrated.”

“The way he can moves the puck and can skate and jump into the play, but probably the No. 1 part of his game is how well he is defensively,” he said.

Giordano said Treliving’s off-season moves should help the Flames in their search for postseason success. Since their run to the 2004 Stanley Cup Final, the team has won just one official playoff series, when they defeated the Vancouver Canucks in six games in 2015.