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SPORT-SCAN DAILY BRIEF NHL 8/25/2021 Bruins 1191475 State medical examiner will conduct autopsy on former 1191501 The Flyers’ development camp will include an intriguing Bruins winger 6-foot-7, 238-pound defenseman | On the Fly 1191476 Former Bruin named of 1191502 NHL: Jimmy Hayes brother of Flyers winger Canadian junior team Windsor Spitfires dies 1191477 Bruins roster reset: Analyzing internal Krejci replacements 1191478 Fond Memories of Jimmy Hayes 1191503 Kingerski: Comparing Hextall to Rutherford, Roster Needs, & Physicality 1191479 Swiss goalie stands tall, but Canada eventually finds holes in 5-0 win at women's worlds 1191504 Six observations from the Sharks' prospect scrimmage 1191480 and Nicklas Lidstrom on the same roster? Selecting the Avalanche All-Teammate Team 1191505 Arena deals for Kraken and provide a 1191481 Avs Fan Confidence Index: The addition of Darcy lesson in public funding and economic impact Kuemper instills some confidence 1191506 ‘He sent you here’: How a surprise visit with the Stanley 1191482 Blue Jackets' Merzlikins announces birth of son, whose Cup delivered joy amid sadness name honors Matiss Kivlenieks Canucks 1191509 ‘The most fun I’ve had in a long time’: Daniel Sedin 1191483 With training camp a month away, Red Wings have relishing active role in Canucks management questions to answer 1191510 NHLPA and NHL still working on player vaccination 1191484 Red Wings’ Adam Erne aims to ‘pick up where I left off’ protocol for 2021-22 season with new linemates 1191485 Former Red Wings top pick Evgeny Svechnikov signs with ’s AHL club 1191507 Will the Caps' veterans avoid a drop-off? 1191486 Pat Verbeek excited to oversee development of Red 1191508 How could the Capitals sort out their defense pairings? Wings prospects as Griffins GM Websites 1191511 The Athletic / Sidney Crosby and Nicklas Lidstrom on the 1191487 Making the Oilers: Tyler Benson, and the same roster? Selecting the Avalanche All-Teammate Tea 4-year difference between a prospect and a has-been 1191512 The Athletic / ‘He sent you here’: How a surprise visit with the delivered joy amid sadness 1191513 USA TODAY / 'You paved the way for me:' Philadelphia 1191488 Former Florida Panthers forward Jimmy Hayes dies at 31 Flyers' Kevin Hayes pays tribute to late brother Jimmy 1191489 Tributes to Jimmy Hayes roll in following tragic news SPORT-SCAN, INC. 941-284-4129 1191490 Development Camp Day 2 Recap Canadiens 1191491 What the Puck: Drouin, Mailloux put focus on Habs' mental-health support 1191492 Canadiens owner Molson promotes Bélanger to Groupe CH president 1191493 Jimmy Hayes’ wife pens heartfelt note after former NHLer’s death 1191494 Jimmy Hayes, former NHL player, dead at 31 1191495 State of the Devils: A bounce-back candidate and a fresh face could solve goaltending woes 1191496 Review: In ‘Islander,’ the Puck Stops Here 1191497 Jeff Gorton talks Tom Wilson-Artemi Panarin brawl for first time 1191498 Gerard Gallant fills out Rangers coaching staff with NHL vets 1191499 Rangers announce trio of assistants joining staff of coach Gerard Gallant Senators 1191500 Senators survey results: What the new arena should look like — and where it should be located 1191475 Boston Bruins the big, goofy, horrible dancer, funny, genuine, and kindest person around.

“I will never forget the times we shared or the memories we made and State medical examiner will conduct autopsy on former Bruins winger know that I will try my hardest to have your legacy live on. Our world lost Jimmy Hayes someone special and I don’t know if I will ever be the same, but till we meet again, I LOVE YOU JIM!”

By Matt Porter Globe Staff,Updated August 24, 2021, 6:07 p.m. Boston Globe LOADED: 08.25.2021

Those grieving the death of Jimmy Hayes did not receive comfort and closure Tuesday. Those asking why he died received no answer.

The state medical examiner will conduct an autopsy on Hayes, the former Bruins winger from Dorchester who died suddenly on Monday at age 31, to determine the cause and manner of his death, according to a spokesman for the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.

Once the medical examiner completes the inquiry, a death certificate will be filed with the state and the town of Milton that could provide more information.

However, if there is no immediate medical explanation, or if more forensic testing is needed, the medical examiner will file a document where the cause of death will be listed as “pending.” Some medical tests can take weeks to complete.

Autopsy reports are not public records in .

More of Hayes’s friends and family members spoke out Tuesday, including his brother, Philadelphia Flyers center Kevin Hayes. In an Instagram post with pictures and videos of their time together, the younger Hayes mourned the loss of “my best friend.”

“My whole life it has always been Jimmy and Kevin or the Hayes brothers,” Kevin Hayes wrote. “I have followed you around since I can remember and I wouldn’t want it any other way. Whether it was youth hockey, Nobles, or the NHL, you paved the way for me.”

That rang true to their coach at Noble and Greenough School, Brian Day. He called Jimmy Hayes’s arrival, as a seventh-grader in the fall of 2002, a “pivotal moment” in the Dedham-based program’s history.

Jimmy Hayes played with the Bruins from 2015-17.JIM DAVIS/THE BOSTON GLOBE

“Everybody knew who Jimmy Hayes was at that ,” said Day, who was the third coach in three years at Nobles when he took over the year before.

Hayes, a standout for the South Shore Kings junior club and one of the top area talents, put up 34 points in 32 games as a prep school freshman, and Nobles reached the 20-win mark for the first time. Following him to school: Kevin Hayes, who became the program’s all- time leading scorer; Miles Wood (New Jersey Devils); and Colin White ().

“To get a player of his ability and a person of his character,” Day said, “it helped us get others.”

Hayes returned a couple of years ago with his wife, Kristen, to show her the school, Day said. “Always smiling, always laughing,” he said. “You never walked away from him feeling bad, and everybody fed off it.”

Tampa Bay Lightning winger Pat Maroon said Tuesday that his time as Hayes’s teammate in New Jersey boosted his career. Maroon has won the Stanley Cup three times in three years since leaving the Devils, where he spent the end of the 2017-18 season as Hayes’s teammate.

“You took me under your wing right away,” Maroon wrote on Instagram. “One thing that sticks out to me the most is how to be more positive when things are going [poorly] … I am a better person for knowing you.”

Who in the hockey world felt that more than Kevin Hayes?

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Kevin Hayes (@kphayes12)

“You taught me everything I needed to know in order to succeed,” he wrote of his older brother. “You lit up every single room you walked into with your smile and positive attitude. Everyone wanted to be around Jim, 1191476 Boston Bruins

Former Bruin Marc Savard named head coach of Canadian junior team Windsor Spitfires

By Andrew Mahoney Globe Staff,Updated August 24, 2021, 1:59 p.m.

Marc Savard played five seasons for the Bruins before concussions ended his career in 2011 at 33.RICHMAN

Former Bruins forward Marc Savard has been named head coach of the Windsor Spitfires, a Canadian junior team in the Hockey League.

“It feels amazing, I have been waiting for this opportunity. The process has been first class all the way with [general manager and vice president of hockey operations] Bill [Bowler] and ownership.” Savard said in a statement. “I want to be a head coach and earn my craft. I want to be here for a while and learn a lot. I can’t wait to get started.”

Savard, 44, played 13 seasons in the NHL, including the last five with the Bruins. His career was cut short on Jan. 22, 2011, after he suffered his sixth concussion. That came 10 months after he was blindsided by of the Pittsburgh Penguins, a hit to the head that knocked him unconscious for 29 seconds.

Matt Cooke's hit on Marc Savard

A closer look at the hit by Matt Cooke that concussed Bruins center Marc Savard in 2010. (Video by Emily Zendt)

Such a hit today would result in a and likely an automatic ejection. After his playing career, Savard, who wore 91 while playing for the Bruins, started Project 91, which is dedicated to raising concussion awareness and to provide funding to support concussion research.

He served as an assistant coach for the St. Louis Blues in the 2019-20 season.

Boston Globe LOADED: 08.25.2021 1191477 Boston Bruins Jack Studnicka running some drills this afternoon here at Warrior. He’s had some solid shifts in these drills and the reports of him gaining weight, adding size appear to be valid. Studnicka looks to be more deliberate Bruins roster reset: Analyzing internal Krejci replacements and noticeably more commanding in battles. #NHLBruins pic.twitter.com/N5tMypycW3— Bruins Network (@BruinsNetwork) August 3, 2021

BY NICK GOSS With the Bruins having so many players capable of playing center, Studnicka's best chance for ice time could come on the wing. Either way,

the Bruins need to find him as many minutes as possible because The Boston Bruins enjoyed one of the NHL's best 1-2 punches at center playing against NHL competition will best help him realize his exciting for more than a decade with Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci leading potential. the top two lines. Nick Foligno But after 15 years in Boston, Krejci left the Bruins for his native Czech Foligno has played plenty of center throughout his career, but the most Republic, where he will continue his playing career. Replacing Krejci will likely spot for him to begin the season probably is third-line right wing. not be easy. He was an excellent playmaker, a reliable two-way Versatility is one of his best traits, and he also should get quite a few presence and tallied the fourth-most points in the penalty killing shifts. over the last decade. Cassidy explains where Jake DeBrusk fits in Bruins' lineup You don't need to have multiple top-tier centers to win games and be a real Cup contender. The are one such example. Foligno is not an ideal top-six player at this stage of his career. He hasn't Still, the Bruins need to find a long-term replacement for Krejci. Given tallied more than 35 points in a season since 2016-17. That said, Foligno their limited salary cap space and lack of elite assets, filling Krejci's would not be a horrible option for Cassidy if injuries to other players role from within the organization seems like the most likely outcome right become a factor. He has plenty of experience. now. Erik Haula Bruins roster reset: Updated lines, pairings after offseason moves Haula is a hard-nosed, two-way player who could start the season as the Here's a breakdown of the best internal candidates to replace Krejci. third-line center. He doesn't have the offensive skill to be a legit top-six center. In his last six seasons, he's tallied more than 20 assists only once. He hasn't tallied more than 12 assists in each of the last three When B's head coach talked with reporters last week, he seasons. Haula, like Foligno, is better-suited for a bottom-six role. He'll made it pretty clear that Coyle is going to get the first opportunity to play a strong 200-foot game and provide between 10-15 goals. Asking replace Krejci. him to generate offense for himself, plus Hall and Smith, in a top-six role playing against the opponents' top two pairings would not be ideal for "I think the obvious choice is Charlie Coyle," Cassidy said on a Zoom Boston. call. "He's the most familiar with our guys. I'm the most familiar with him - - allows the other guys to fall into place." Tomas Nosek

Coyle is the best option for the job given his experience, size (6-foot-3, Nosek is another offseason signing for the Bruins likely to start at center, 220 pounds) and two-way ability. He didn't have a great 2020-21 season probably on the fourth line. He's also a versatile player capable of being (16 points in 51 games), but he was clearly hampered physically and effective on the wing. The Bruins badly need more scoring from their underwent offseason knee surgery. Assuming he's ready to go by fourth line. Nosek posted 18 points (eight goals, 10 assists) in just 38 training camp, which reportedly should be the case, he should get the games for the Golden Knights last season. From an offensive skill first crack in Krejci's spot. standpoint, he's an upgrade over Sean Kuraly and Curtis Lazar. Something has gone wrong for the Bruins if Nosek is playing on the Craig Smith became a fixture on the second line late last season, second line. He should be a fixture (and a good one) in the bottom-six. particularly after the Taylor Hall trade. Before that move, he did play a bit with Coyle on the third line. Coyle and Smith logged 223:39 of 5-on-5 ice Comcast .com LOADED: 08.25.2021 time together and helped the B's drive puck possession above 50 percent and outscore opponents 7-6. So, there's already some chemistry between Coyle and Smith, which obviously helps.

"Charlie and Taylor Hall, and Smith were on that line last year," Cassidy said. "If Coyle can bring some of what Krejci did, it'll be a real good line. That's the way we're leaning, and we'll see how the other pieces shake out."

Coyle is ideally a very good third-line center. He's also one of the highest-paid third-line centers with a salary cap hit of $5.25 million. But after Krejci's departure, Coyle is the most reliable option Cassidy has for the second-line center role.

Jack Studnicka

Studnicka is among the Bruins' top prospects and was expected to earn a regular NHL role last season -- or at least a larger one than he did. The 2017 second-round draft pick played in just 20 games for Boston and tallied one and two assists.

It was a tough year for Studnicka, but he's still very much an option in the short and long term to play center on the second or third line. He has an excellent , a high hockey IQ and has shown to be an effective playmaker.

"How does (Studnicka) fit in? Some of that will depend on his growth," Cassidy said last week. "He didn't get to play a lot of hockey last year, unfortunately. Like a lot of young players, missed some time with the COVID restrictions. He's also in the mix. He looks bigger, going to be really pushing for a spot. I have to include him in that mix as well."

A stronger Studnicka is an encouraging sign for the Bruins: 1191478 Boston Bruins He was simply a nice kid, a good hockey player and a genuine person that didn’t have any ill intent or agenda to anything he did on or off the ice.

Fond Boston Bruins Memories of Jimmy Hayes And the people of Dorchester were endlessly proud of the power forward and his brother Kevin Hayes, who both beat the odds to get to the NHL together for a handful of seasons. Never was that Dot pride more Published 16 hours ago on August 24, 2021By Joe Haggerty apparent than when Hayes paid a visit to a Dorchester library for a Boston Bruins community event, and the people showed up in droves to

share a laugh, get a picture or just get a look at the local kid done good. There have been a lot of beautiful tributes written about There truly is something special about local kids excelling, making it to Dorchester/Boston College/Boston Bruins forward Jimmy Hayes over the the NHL and then playing for the Boston Bruins team they rooted for as a last sad, tragic and somber 24 hours, and there will be even more in the kid. We see it over and over again with players like Charlie Coyle, Chris coming days ahead. Wagner, Matt Grzelcyk, , Tim Schaller and in Hayes as well. But there can never be enough said about a good-hearted, happy-go- Hayes was lucky enough to live that dream for a few years and still kept lucky hockey player unthinkably lost at the age of 31 years old, who a smile on his face even when the pressure mounted on his shoulders in leaves behind a loving wife along with a toddler and an infant that will that second year with the hockey club. That’s what makes all of this so never know their dad aside from pictures, videos and others’ stories. sad. Hayes had just started getting involved in a “Missin’ Curfew” hockey Hayes only played two seasons for the Boston Bruins, and it was during podcast and was just in the middle of figuring out his next moves with his a rocky period when the B’s barely missed the playoffs two seasons in a playing career over. row. It was a personal lifelong dream achieved for the 6-foot-5 forward Hayes had plenty more life left to live and more laughs to bring after winning a National Championship with Boston College, but it wasn’t everybody at rinks near and far, and now we all feel robbed of that with easy for Hayes once he arrived in Boston. him gone way too soon at 31 years old. That pales in comparison to the Hayes scored 13 goals in his first season with Boston, including this loss that all his cousins, his brother Kevin, his dad Big Kevin and his memorable hat trick against the Ottawa Senators. mom, and his wife Kristen and kids Beau and Mac, are all feeling right now, but everybody has felt a little emptier over the last 24 hours Jimmy Hayes’ hat trick vs OTT in December of 2015. What a game this knowing that a kind soul like Jimmy Hayes has left us. was. Let’s hope the Jimmy Hayes tributes, stories and memories keep coming Max Talbot’s reaction to Jimmy’s 2nd and 3rd goals perfectly because it’s all putting a smile on our face at a pretty sad time. summarizes just how much Jimmy meant to his teammates. So sad. Now on to the BHN Puck Links: Rest In Peace, Jimmy. pic.twitter.com/EspOH95rYb *David Krejci has killed all the suspense and confirmed that he has no — Bradley (@BradIey98) August 23, 2021 plans to return to the Boston Bruins this season after picking up his family and heading to the Czech Republic. (Boston Hockey Now) But Hayes started the 2016-17 season without a single goal in his first 19 games of the season as the pressure mounted. It was in that 20th game, *Good work by FOH (Friend of Haggs) Rob Simpson, who speaks with though, that Hayes exploded for a goal at TD Garden amidst a 4-1 win agent Pat Brisson for Elias Pettersson and Quinn Hughes about the over the Tampa Bay Lightning and then tossed a monkey off his back in “healthy conversations” going on with the about their celebration of the slump-busting score. unsigned players. (Vancouver Hockey Now)

The goal became a favorite personal moment with Hayes during his two *FOH Kevin Allen delves into what Lucas Raymond can do to make an years in Boston because it brought out his true Boston personality. When impact, and make the Red Wings team, for this upcoming season. he was asked about the celebration after the game, Hayes smirked and (Detroit Hockey Now) said he was tossing the monkey to this humble hockey writer up on the 9th floor at TD Garden. *Damien Cox says that the NHL has lost their interest in sending their players to the Olympics and will only do so now because it’s so important This was probably my favorite interaction w/Jimmy Hayes during his time to the players. (Toronto Star) in Boston. He just snapped a 19-game goal-scoring drought & then threw the imaginary monkey off his back at me on the 9th floor. Shows every bit *For something completely different: The agony of defeat here is of the happy-go-lucky Dot kid that he was. What a terrible loss palpable. https://t.co/cnIy6lykDQ So close yet so far away. — Joe Haggerty (@HackswithHaggs) August 23, 2021 (MLB x @GoogleCloud) pic.twitter.com/bAgoixow7u Hayes was later asked in the same scrum about his scoreless stretch to — MLB (@MLB) August 24, 2021 start the season, and again couldn’t resist a quick chirp with a smile on his face. Boston Hockey Now LOADED: 08.25.2021 “It’s been a while, I think,” said Hayes, at the time of the goal. “Where’s Haggs [Joe Haggerty]? Haggs usually knows how long it’s been, so hopefully he caught that one.”

The back-and-forth shows Hayes’ happy-go-lucky nature and exactly why he was so popular inside the dressing room with his teammates. The jokes and the laughs were constant from a kid that grew up as hockey royalty in Massachusetts along with his cousins in the Fitzgerald and Tkachuk families, and those that played with him loved him for it.

It was clear in the avalanche of heartfelt tributes from players like PK Subban, and his cousin, NJ Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald, that Hayes was genuinely loved and adored by those that came into contact with him.

There have been times in my life when I’ve been at a loss for words, lack of understanding and just bewildered… today I’m hurting for so many reasons because we lost one of our brothers in the hockey world. I was fortunate enough to play with with jimmy at 6 years old and get pic.twitter.com/TzlAA8944V

— P.K. Subban (@PKSubban1) August 23, 2021 1191479 Calgary Flames Hilary as a person and as a leader … it’s fun to be around because she does things the right way. She plays an honest hockey game and she deserves all the accolades she’s getting because there’s just nobody Swiss goalie stands tall, but Canada eventually finds holes in 5-0 win at that’s been more consistent for as long a period of time in the women’s women's worlds game than Hilary.”

The U.S., which outshot ROC 55-11, also had markers from Britta Curl, Lee Stecklein, Kelly Pannek, Abbey Murphy and Jesse Compher. RITA MINGO The late game featured Group B opponents Hungary and Japan. Akane Shiga, Rul Ukita, Haruna Yoneyama and Hanae Kubo scored to give the Japanese their second win in three games, 4-1. Fanni Gasparics replied A hot can take the wind out of a hockey team’s sails, but for winless Hungary (0-3). throw enough rubber her way and eventually, the cracks will be revealed. Calgary Sun: LOADED: 08.25.2021 On Tuesday at WinSport Arena, Team Canada tormented valiant Swiss netminder Andrea Braendli, eventually making their shots count in a 5-0 victory at the IIHF women’s world hockey championship.

Canada’s record is now a perfect 3-0, while Switzerland fell to 0-3.

Canada lost the services of Marie-Philip Poulin early in the third period when she blocked a high shot during a Swiss 5-on-3 power play. She did not return and was said to be doing well after the game, with no additional details.

The shot differential was – as it has been often this tournament – one- sided, with Canada collecting a whopping 63 to Switzerland’s 12. Goaltender Emerance Maschmeyer earned the shutout.

“What we liked about tonight’s game the types of goals we scored were playoff-type goals, a lot of net front, jamming away, those are the types of goals we’re going to have to score moving forward,” said head coach Troy Ryan.

“We’ve become a lot more comfortable, everything from PK, power play to five-on-five, we’re getting better every game,” suggested Natalie Spooner, who scored twice.

As the game wore on, Canada put more and more pressure on the Swiss, creating turnovers at all areas of the ice.

It was on the penalty kill that Canada struck first. Catching the Swiss napping, Blayre Turnbull took the puck down the right side and streaked in front of Braendli, who made the initial save, but the rebound was slotted in by the trailing Emily Clark at 5:04 of the second period.

“We had great goaltending again and that’s what we needed,” said Swiss captain Lara Stalder. “I think they got a little nervous when it was 0-0 still. If we could score on that power play, when they scored shorthanded, I think it’s maybe a different game. We had chances. After that we kind of lost it for a couple of minutes.”

A pair of quick ones proved a dagger to the Swiss heart. Jaime Bourbonnais’ shot along the ice close in beat Braendli at 9:38; 17 seconds later Spooner tipped in a point shot and all of a sudden it was 3- 0.

“I think they’ve been harping on me for a while here, holding that net front,” said Spooner, who added another in the third. “I think when I do it I find success. At this level, goalies are so good that if they see the shot, they’re going to make the first save.”

Braendli was yanked after Spooner’s second goal, replaced by Saskia Maurer.

“We’ve known for years that Andrea has a lot of talent,” said Swiss head coach Colin Muller, addressing his two fine goalies. “Her game at Ohio State proved that last year. Saskia has been phenomenal for the last two years for us. I always say we have 1A and 1B; both of them are right there.”

The kept pace with Team USA, which also ran its record to 3- 0 with a 6-0 upending of the Russian Olympic Committee team. The two powerhouses will lock horns in a round-robin match on Thursday.

In the U.S. win, veteran Hilary Knight scored at 3:17 of the second period, giving her 45 career world championship goals, eclipsing the tournament record held by fellow legendary countrywoman Cammi Granato.

“It’s just fun to open the door,” said U.S. head coach Joel Johnson, “and let her do what she does. I’ve known Hilary for a long time, I’ve coached against her at the college level, I’ve coached for her at the national team level and seen her play for a long time. For those who’ve gotten to know 1191480 Colorado Avalanche Former teammate: Erik Johnson

Kariya is the only member of this team who played for the Avalanche, playing with the team in 2003-04. But his connection to the current roster Sidney Crosby and Nicklas Lidstrom on the same roster? Selecting the comes through St. Louis, where he played with Erik Johnson, the Avalanche All-Teammate Team longest-tenured member of the Avalanche. Kariya was a speedy, exciting player and is in the Hall of Fame.

By Peter Baugh Aug 24, 2021 61 Center: Auston Matthews

Former teammate: Nazem Kadri

The offseason has reached its slowest point. Rosters are mostly set, but Nazem Kadri’s decade in Toronto saw him overlap with a number of training camp is still weeks away. So, as anticipation builds, The Athletic great players, and Matthews might be the best of all of them. The constructed an Avalanche All-Teammate Team looking at the best Toronto star is perhaps the most effective goal scorer in the NHL, tallying players who ever suited up with current Colorado players. 41 goals in 52 games last season, and he likely would have won the Hart Trophy if not for Connor McDavid’s brilliance in Edmonton. Here are the guidelines for the roster: Right wing: A current Avalanche player must have been teammates with a selected player on a non-national team for a minimum of one game. Teammates Former teammate: Kurtis MacDermid who only overlapped on Olympic, world championship or junior world MacDermid, who came to the Avalanche in a trade with Seattle this championship rosters are not eligible. offseason, played with Kovalchuk on the Kings. Kovalchuk was the No. 1 Each Avalanche player can only be used once. Newly signed forward pick in 2001 and he won the 2003-04 Rocket Richard Trophy. He also Darren Helm played on incredible Red Wings teams but he’s only has postseason experience, helping the Devils to a Stanley Cup Final allowed one former teammate on the roster. appearance in 2011-12.

Former Avalanche teammates do not count. , for example, Third line isn’t eligible despite the fact that he played on the Avalanche with Nathan Left wing: Artemi Panarin MacKinnon and Gabriel Landeskog, among other current players. But someone like Brandon Saad (who did not make the roster) would still be Former teammate: Ryan Murray eligible because he played with Ryan Murray (in Columbus) and Dennis Gilbert (in Chicago) on other teams. Ryan Murray overlapped with Panarin in Columbus, and the Russian winger has averaged more than a point per game in his six-year career. All current Avalanche players are ineligible. MacKinnon does not count He has Hart Trophy potential, finishing third in the voting in 2019-20. as Landeskog’s best teammate in this exercise. Center: Aleksander Barkov This roster considers players at the peaks of their careers. There are plenty of current players on the All-Teammate team who were brilliant in Former teammate: Jacob MacDonald their primes but might not be at that level anymore. The Avalanche selected MacKinnon No. 1 in the 2013 draft and Barkov The roster avoids stretching too far, so new two-way players like Dylan went one pick later to Florida. He averaged more than a point per game Sikura are not used, even though Duncan Keith would’ve been a strong last season and won the Selke Trophy for his defensive prowess. addition to the team. MacDonald played two games with him in Florida.

And now, the roster: Right wing: Jeff Skinner

Forwards Former teammate: Gabriel Landeskog

First line Landeskog was a junior teammate with Skinner on the in the OHL. Though he’s had a disappointing past two seasons Left wing: Alex Ovechkin in Buffalo, Skinner had a productive tenure with the and won the Calder Trophy in 2010-11. He also had a 40-goal season Former teammate: Andre Burakovsky before his time with the Sabres got rocky.

Burakovsky and Ovechkin won the Stanley Cup together in 2018, and the Fourth line Capitals captain also took home the Conn Smythe that year, adding to a resume that also includes three Hart Trophies and 12 All-Star selections. Left wing: Jamie Benn As one of the top goal scorers in NHL history, Ovechkin is an easy choice for top line left wing. And think of the damage he would do playing Former teammate: Valeri Nichushkin alongside … Valeri Nichushkin overlapped with Benn in Dallas, and the Stars captain Center: Sidney Crosby brings physicality, scoring and leadership abilities.

Former teammate: Jayson Megna Center: Ryan Getzlaf

Megna has played 128 NHL games but he’s fit some high-quality Former teammate: Kiefer Sherwood teammates into that limited tenure, including Crosby, MacKinnon and Though he got in a fight with former Avalanche center Pierre-Edouard Henrik Sedin. Crosby and Ovechkin are faces of a hockey generation, so Bellemare last season, Getzlaf is still more than welcome on this roster. it makes sense for them to share a line on the illustrious Avalanche All- He’s spent his entire career with Anaheim, where he won a Stanley Cup. Teammate Team. Unfortunately for Evgeni Malkin and Sedin, they won’t make the roster since only one former Megna teammate is allowed. Right wing: Brock Boeser

Right wing: Patrick Kane Former teammate: Tyson Jost

Former teammate: Dennis Gilbert Boeser and Jost were college teammates at North Dakota, and Boeser has put together a good start to his career in Vancouver, helping the Kane had more former teammates on last year’s team, but with Saad and Canucks to the second round of the playoffs in 2020. Carl Soderberg gone, Gilbert is his one remaining link to the Avalanche. Between him, Ovechkin and Crosby, the top line has seven Stanley Defensemen Cups, four Conn Smythe Trophies and six Hart Trophies. Not too shabby. First pairing Second line Left defenseman: Nicklas Lidstrom Left wing: Paul Kariya Former teammate: Darren Helm Helm has a plethora of former Red Wings teammates who could’ve made this roster, including Pavel Datsyuk, Chris Chelios, Henrik Zetterberg and Dominik Hasek. But Stanley Cup champions need a defensive anchor, and few have been better in that role than Nicklas Lidstrom, a seven-time Norris Trophy winner and four-time Cup champion. Lidstrom’s addition to the All-Teammate Team most certainly was a contributing factor in Joe Sakic signing Helm to a one-year, $1 million contract this offseason, right?

Right defenseman: Drew Doughty

Former teammate:

With a massive contract and advanced metrics that don’t match his reputation, Doughty has become a polarizing defenseman. But at his peak, he was one of the game’s best, winning a Norris Trophy and helping the Kings win the Stanley Cup twice. And this imaginary roster doesn’t have a salary cap, so his contract doesn’t cause any problems.

Second pairing

Left defenseman: MacKenzie Weegar

Former teammate: Nathan MacKinnon

MacKinnon and Weegar both played junior for the Halifax Mooseheads. With the Panthers last season, Weegar finished eighth in Norris Trophy voting. He’s had an impressive rise considering he was a seventh-round pick.

Right defenseman: P.K. Subban

Former teammate: Mikhail Maltsev

The Avalanche acquired Maltsev, a young center, in the Ryan Graves deal, and the Russian forward played with Subban in New Jersey last season. Subban won the Norris Trophy in 2013 and, before heading to the Devils, helped the Predators to a Stanley Cup Final appearance in 2017.

Third pairing

Left defenseman: Adam Pelech

Former teammate: Devon Toews

Pelech and Toews went to a conference finals together with the Islanders and, after Toews went to Colorado, Pelech and New York came within a game of a Stanley Cup Final appearance last season.

Right defenseman: Seth Jones

Former teammate: J.T. Compher

Jones had some stellar years in Columbus before a downturn in 2021, but he’ll look for a fresh start in Chicago this season. He and Compher played together with the U.S. National Team Development Program.

Goaltenders

Starter: Pekka Rinne

Former teammate: Samuel Girard

Rinne, who retired this offseason, is potentially the greatest player of all time. He won a Vezina Trophy, led them to a Stanley Cup Final appearance and was a two-time All-Star selection. Girard played with him before coming to the Avalanche in a three-team deal that included forward Matt Duchene.

Backup: Spencer Knight

Former teammate: Alex Newhook

Knight is one of the more promising young in the league and he and Newhook played together at Boston College. Both made their NHL debuts last season.

The Athletic LOADED: 08.25.2021 1191481 Colorado Avalanche But not really more injury prone than Grubauer over the past few years. The two have missed about the same amount of time over the last handful of seasons.

Avs Fan Confidence Index: The addition of Darcy Kuemper instills some And while we’re listing off facts about the new netminder, here are a few confidencePublished 8 hours ago on August 24, 2021 more.

Kuemper has a higher save percentage (.922) than Grubauer over the By Scott MacDonald last four seasons combined. Kuemper is actually second among goalies (who played at least 100-plus games) in save percentage over the last four years.

It’s been an eventful offseason for the Colorado Avalanche—for better Kuemper has a superior goals-against average (2.35) over the last three and for worse. The moves—or lack thereof—have been polarizing for years, as well. much of the Avs fanbase, with many playing armchair GM and airing their grievances across social media. No goalie has faced more shots and made more saves than Darcy Kuemper has over the past four seasons total (max of 140 games So I took to Avs Twitter to get a general pulse on things, posing the played). Impressive numbers, all things considered. question: How confident are you in this season’s Avalanche, based on off-season moves? Better in goal but worse on defence. About the same at fwd

#Avs 2021 Off-season Confidence Index: — Lyle Brewster (@LyleBrewster) August 1, 2021

How confident are you in this season’s Avalanche, based on off-season Better in goal indeed. I do, however, disagree with Lyle about the moves? defense (and that’s actually what the next Avs Fan Confidence Index will focus on…). — Scott MacDonald (@0ffScottFree) August 1, 2021 The addition of Darcy Kuemper should give fans a reason to be If you log on to Avs Twitter, at times, the general off-season consensus is confident. Statistically speaking, Kuemper is a better goaltender, at least that this team got much worse. The confidence index ranged from slight in recent memory. The only question is, can he stay healthy? But, to be optimism to sky-is-falling pessimism. fair, that’s a question we’d be asking ourselves if Philipp Grubauer was still in Denver, too. That’s a question all fans, media and pundits will ask The results of the confidence index poll were about what one might of whoever their starting goaltender is, regardless of what team they play expect. In total, about 59% of those polled voted that the Avs will likely for. I, for one, am not too concerned about it. see a dip from last season’s performance, while the other 41% said they’re at least on par, if not better, than last season’s Avalanche squad. One final thing to consider: Grubauer had the Vezina-caliber season he Here’s what some had to say about all of that, in what is the second had last year in large part because of the Avs’ league-best shot installment of the Avs Fan Confidence Index… suppression and stellar defense. Now, Kuemper gets to reap those benefits. One of the popular reasons fans said they have at least some confidence in this year’s Avalanche team is the addition of new goaltender Darcy If Kuemper was able to play as well as he has over the past few seasons Kuemper. in a pretty rough environment in Arizona, imagine what he might be capable of with what he’ll have in front of him in Denver. Whenever you get a better goalie you have improved. Something to think about. — Asad Rizvi (@rockiesghost) August 1, 2021 Colorado hockey now LOADED: 08.25.2021 Voted improved. Much better goalie and EJ is back.

— James (@Scarootinizer) August 1, 2021

On par. Big extensions for Landeskog and Makar, definitely hurts losing guys like Grubauer and Donskoi. I'm very optimistic about Kuemper though so I think this team will be just fine

— Dude Where's Makar (@joelthesakic) August 1, 2021

As I wrote in my “hey, Avs fans, it’s really not that bad” column from a few weeks back (read here), I really do think Darcy Kuemper is an upgrade on the recently-departed Philipp Grubauer.

Despite his status as (former) Vezina finalist, Grubauer’s departure isn’t the worst thing for the Colorado Avalanche. The loss was mitigated by the addition of Kuemper, who, statistically speaking, is actually the better goalie over the past handful of seasons. More on that in a bit.

Like Joel (@joelthesakic) points out above, it did hurt to lose Grubauer, but let’s not lose sight of the fact that GM Joe Sakic brought back two bigger pieces. There really wasn’t a feasible way that Sakic could keep and re-sign all three of his big names this offseason. He did keep his two most important guys though….and still came out on top with arguably a better goalie option than the well-paid Philipp Grubauer.

I said on par. We may have lost some skill but we have some hard working guys rn. Montreal has just a bunch of hard workers and they made it to the final. When you have that first lime and Makar anything is possible. I also think people will be surprised how good Kuemper is

— Gary The Great (@GaryTheGreat16) August 1, 2021

Yes, as Gary mentions here, I too think many people will be surprised by how good Kuemper is.

The biggest knock against the new Av is that he’s injury prone. 1191482 Columbus Blue Jackets

Blue Jackets' Merzlikins announces birth of son, whose name honors Matiss Kivlenieks

BRIAN HEDGER | The Columbus Dispatch

The Blue Jackets’ family has added a new “Matiss” and Merzlikins.

According to a post on Instagram, Elvis Merzlikins said he and wife, Aleksandra, have welcomed son Knox Matiss Merzlikins into their family after his recent birth at OhioHealth Riverside MethoHospital.

The baby is the first for the couple, who honored the memory of deceased Blue Jackets goalie Matiss Kivlenieks with the infant’s middle name – something Merzlikins announced during an emotional eulogy at Kivlenieks’ memorial service last month in Upper Arlington.

Matiss Kivlenieks: Who was Columbus Blue Jackets goalie Matiss Kivlenieks?

In his post, Merzlikins thanked the Blue Jackets for gifts, nurses at the hospital for taking care his family during their stay and equipment manufacturer Bauer, which had its goalie division make a set of mini goalie pads identical to those that Merzlikins wore last season – complete with the Columbus skyline design on the front.

Merzlikins also said he’s getting ready for training camp, which will begin in September.

Merzlikins and his wife were present at the home of Blue Jackets goaltending coach Manny Legace when Kivlenieks died July 4 during a fireworks incident in which he was struck in the chest by a three-inch mortar shell. During his eulogy, Merzlikins described the chaotic scene, saying he was hugging his wife when the incident happened.

'He died a hero': Elvis Merzlikins says Matiss Kivlenieks saved him

Police said Kivlenieks was scrambling to escape from a hot tub when one of the errant blasts from a “cake style” nine-shot fireworks device struck him. Merzlikins credited him for saving their lives, the life of their unborn son and the lives of others in attendance during a wedding celebration for Legace’s daughter.

“He saved my son, he saved my wife and he saved me,” Merzlikins said. “My son’s second name is gonna be ‘Matiss,’ but accept that … if that wasn’t me or my wife or son, it would be 50 other people. He died as hero. And that’s not me saying that. That was the doctor saying (it). If he would just sit, (he) would’ve had nothing (happen).”

Novi police labeled the incident a “tragic accident,” before transferring the findings of their investigation to Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald’s office. A final determination by the prosecutor's office on whether any charges will be filed in Kivlenieks' death remains undecided.

Columbus Dispatch LOADED: 08.25.2021 1191483 Detroit Red Wings But another key point: so many spots in the top two or three lines are accounted for. It would be difficult for either Berggren or Raymond to win a job at this point.

With training camp a month away, Red Wings have questions to answer Both are likely to start the season with the Griffins unless a run of injuries hits Wings' forwards, and Raymond and Berggren play out of this world.

TED KULFAN | The Detroit News ►And Joe Veleno? Another young player with a bit of a different twist.

Veleno did get five games with the Wings late last season and didn't look out of place. Detroit — A month from now, the Red Wings will be on the ice in Traverse City as training camp commences. But he hasn't yet dominated his way out of the AHL, and the competition for playing time in the NHL will be stiff. If it feels as if last season just ended, that's accurate. Veleno will need to play outstanding hockey, along with some key injuries As the NHL gets back on its regular calendar schedule — last season to Wings' regulars, to start the season in the NHL. was pushed back and shortened due to the pandemic — the full 2021- 22 regular season looms. ►Any signs of a Filip Zadina breakout? The preseason will be a good time to see if Zadina can be more impactful offensively. How will the Red Wings look? He scored six goals in 49 games, disappointing production that was General manager was busy throughout the offseason. offset by the fact he was noticeably stronger defensively. He retained coach , acquired defenseman Nick Leddy and goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic, and signed forward Pius Suter to strengthen But the Wings need improved offense this season, and Zadina becoming an improving lineup. more of a force scoring is vital.

There appear to be jobs available and playing time to be earned. The ►Goaltending: In camp, the focus will be on Nedeljkovic and Thomas immediate futures of some young prospects will also be determined. Greiss to stay healthy and get comfortable tracking pucks and get into condition. Here are some pertinent issues facing the Wings: Playing time isn't going to be determined by how these two play in the ►Health of Dylan Larkin, Tyler Bertuzzi, Robby Fabbri and Danny exhibition games. That'll be a decision made in regular-season games. DeKeyser: Larkin (neck), Bertuzzi (back surgery) and Fabbri (concussion) all missed the end of last season. Without them, the lack of But for Nedeljkovic, specifically, camp and exhibition games will be key to offense was magnified. get accustomed to new players in front of him.

The Wings need those three forwards to be healthy, and it'll be ►How will Michael Rasmussen look? Few players on the Wings interesting to see if all will be ready once camp begins. progressed last season as much as Rasmussen, who showed glimpses of becoming a two-way force, using his size and ability around the net. Fabbri said recently he is fully healthy, and has been skating. Larkin and Bertuzzi, said Blashill, are skating and on schedule. But Blashill wouldn't Rasmussen will be given every opportunity in camp to show he's worthy commit to saying both will be ready to practice at the start of camp. of centering a line and taking another step in his young career.

DeKeyser is on this list for a different reason. He missed playing time ►Alex Tanguay's impact on power play: The new assistant coach will be early last season returning from back surgery. As the season progressed, watched closely to see if he can begin the process of jump starting a unit DeKeyser appeared to gain strength and mobility, and looked closer to that has underperformed for several seasons. his usual self. Tanguay, the former Colorado Avalanche star, has shown the ability to With several months off to rest and rehab, a healthier DeKeyser makes improve power plays as a coach at the minor-league level, and this will the Wings' lineup stronger. be his first test in the NHL.

►The battle for playing time on defense: You have DeKeyser, Filip ►Will Givani Smith make the roster? Smith must either make the roster Hronek, Nick Leddy, Gustav Lindstrom, Jordan Oesterle, Moritz Seider, out of the exhibition season or be exposed to waivers. Marc Staal, and Troy Stecher available, eight quality, NHL-caliber The Wings' buyout of Frans Nielsen likely improved Smith's chances of defensemen. staying.

But there's only six who'll play — OK, certain nights Blashill is prone to But Smith, 23, has yet to gain a consistent foothold in the NHL. He use seven — so that'll make the competition intriguing. played 16 games with the Wings last season and showed glimpses of his Injuries are bound to occur, and some players will lose playing time by ability to change games with his physical style. their performance. This is a good problem for Blashill to have. Smith has to show he can be a physical presence consistently. There is a ►Will Moritz Seider stay with the Wings? The clear assumption is, job for Smith to grab, but there will be several versatile players who could Seider will start the season with the Wings. stake a claim for a spot and leapfrog Smith if he isn't ready.

After an outstanding season playing in Sweden, Seider appears more Detroit News LOADED: 08.25.2021 than ready for the NHL. He's physically ready, and appears to have the mental makeup to get his NHL career going.

Seider starts the season in Grand Rapids if he suffers an injury during the exhibition season. Or if he gets passed on the depth chart and wouldn't get the ice time the Wings want. Fans, the front office and coaching staff will be watching closely.

►How about Lucas Raymond, Jonatan Berggren? The two Swedish forwards are in a little different spot than Seider.

Both haven't even had a taste of the AHL — remember, Seider did play a season in Grand Rapids — and that's an important part of any young player's development.

Raymond missed some of last season in Sweden due to injury, so further development in North America is crucial. 1191484 Detroit Red Wings

Red Wings’ Adam Erne aims to ‘pick up where I left off’ with new linemates

By Ansar Khan | [email protected]

After experiencing a career year, Detroit Red Wings forward Adam Erne aims to show that’s the norm, not the exception.

The Red Wings signed Erne to a two-year, $4.2 million contract on Aug. 15, rewarding him for tying for the team lead with 11 goals and equaling a career high with 20 points in 45 games.

“It’s being able to do something with the opportunity when you get it,” Erne said last week. “Luckily, I was prepared for that, and I was able to do that. It felt good to have a year like that and hopefully next year I can pick up where I left off.”

Erne, 26, was part of the Red Wings’ most consistent line, featuring Luke Glendening at center and Darren Helm on the other side. Glendening signed with Dallas (two years at $3 million) and Helm with Colorado (one year at $1 million).

Erne’s new center might be Mitchell Stephens, his teammate for much of the 2017-18 season at AHL Syracuse. Detroit acquired Stephens, who spent four seasons with the OHL Saginaw Spirit, from Tampa Bay on July 30 for a sixth-round pick in 2022. He appears to be the leading candidate to replace Glendening.

Gritty, young winger Givani Smith could be a fit on that fourth line. Smith appeared in 16 games for the Red Wings last season (one goal, three assists). He was protected for the expansion draft and no longer is waiver-exempt.

“Every year that goes by we’re a young team that’s getting a little older, so guys are getting experience, guys we’re bringing in have experience, young and more veteran guys, so I think we’re getting closer and closer,” Erne said. “I think we’re going to be good team next year.”

Erne will be an unrestricted free agent when his contract expires. He is glad he avoided arbitration.

“It’s a business, so I don’t think anybody takes that stuff personally. I don’t,” Erne said. “I know everybody has a job to do. I’m just happy we were able to settle when we did.”

The Red Wings have two remaining restricted free agents – defenseman Filip Hronek and Smith.

Michigan Live LOADED: 08.25.2021 1191485 Detroit Red Wings

Former Red Wings top pick Evgeny Svechnikov signs with Winnipeg’s AHL club

By Ansar Khan | [email protected]

Evgeny Svechnikov, the Detroit Red Wings’ top pick in the 2015 draft, has signed a one-year AHL contract with the Manitoba Moose.

Svechnikov, 24, will attend training camp on a tryout in an effort to earn a two-way NHL contact.

The Red Wings last month declined to tender a qualifying offer to Svechnikov, making him an unrestricted free agent. They had expressed interest in possibly signing him to a two-way contract.

The 6-3, 208-pound right wing appeared in 21 games with Detroit last season (three goals, five assists), when he was waived twice.

His career has been marred by injuries (he missed the entire 2018-19 season due to ACL surgery) and inconsistency, unable to secure a regular roster spot with Detroit. He appeared in 41 career NHL games over parts of four seasons (five goals, seven assists).

Svechnikov, selected 19th overall, tallied 101 points 39 goals and 62 assists in 186 games with the AHL Grand Rapids Griffins over parts of five seasons.

Michigan Live LOADED: 08.25.2021 1191486 Detroit Red Wings “We’ve been very impressed with the job they’ve done and we’re going to continue working with them,” Verbeek said. “They understand the role we’re looking from them. They’re all on board.”

Pat Verbeek excited to oversee development of Red Wings prospects as Michigan Live LOADED: 08.25.2021 Griffins GM

By Ansar Khan | [email protected]

Player development in Grand Rapids will be especially vital to the Detroit Red Wings’ rebuilding efforts the next few seasons.

An influx of talent will pass through the club’s AHL affiliate, a group that includes forwards Lucas Raymond and Jonatan Berggren this season and defensemen Simon Edvinsson, William Wallinder and Shai Buium, as well as goaltender Sebastian Cossa, in the following year or two.

Pat Verbeek will be overseeing their growth as the Griffins’ newly appointed general manager.

“I’m excited about the opportunity in a sense that it’s a very important job for our organization right now,” Verbeek said. “I know it’s going to be a huge challenge. When you want to get your organization going in the right way you have to develop players, so I’m taking this as a very important role in helping the Detroit Red Wings get back to where we need to be – in the playoffs and winning the Stanley Cup.”

Verbeek will remain the Red Wings assistant GM under Steve Yzerman, scaling back some of his scouting duties to focus on the day-to-day operations in Grand Rapids. He replaces Ryan Martin, who joined the New York Rangers last week in the same capacity.

The Griffins reached the playoffs seven years in a row from 2012-13 to 2018-19, winning the championship in 2013 and 2017.

The AHL playoffs were canceled the past two seasons due to the pandemic. The Griffins open a full 76-game 2021-22 season on Oct. 15.

“Ryan did a really good job of getting our veterans signed. I’m pretty excited about the team that’s down there,” Verbeek said. “We should be a very good team.”

They will be much better with Raymond, the fourth overall pick in 2020, and Berggren, the 33rd selection in 2018. Coming from Sweden, these wingers are likely to spend all or most of the season in Grand Rapids, unless they excel in training camp and the preseason and are assured of prominent roles with the Red Wings.

“We’re pretty excited about their skill level, their hockey sense, their ability to provide offense, which is going to be important moving forward if we want to start taking some good steps in the right direction,” Verbeek said. “We’re not going to rush them into the NHL. When they’re ready, they’re ready. The NHL is a tough league to develop in, so we’re going to give them every opportunity to make the team and if they’re not quite ready then they’ll play in Grand Rapids and develop there.”

The same can be said for center Joe Veleno, the 30th pick in 2018. He didn’t look out of place during a five-game stint with the Red Wings at the end of last season but must earn a roster spot in camp otherwise he will start in Grand Rapids, being waiver-exempt for another season.

Defenseman Moritz Seider, the No. 6 pick in 2019, is a virtual lock to make the NHL after flourishing in the Swedish League in 2020-21.

Verbeek described the balancing act in deciding when a player is ready for the NHL.

“Some players can’t handle it. Some players will fight their way through it,” Verbeek said. “I think you do more damage when you bring a kid up too soon before they’re ready. One thing we’ve experienced with Tampa and even before in Detroit with (former GM) Ken Holland’s philosophy, it’s better to have them be over-ripe than not ripe. Eventually we’d like to see them play themselves out of the AHL. When they’re starting to dominate, that’s when you know they’re ready and you bring them up.

“There will be some growing pains in the NHL, but most of the time they’ve already gone through that adversity in the minors, so they’ll know how to overcome that adversity in the NHL if they run into it.”

Verbeek affirmed his commitment to Ben Simon, who is entering his fourth season as head coach and seventh with the Griffins, and his staff. 1191487 Edmonton Oilers Shore took the college route, eventually becoming captain at the University of Maine. Benson went through the WHL and was already captain of the Vancouver Giants in his draft year.

Making the Oilers: Tyler Benson, Devin Shore and the 4-year difference Benson scored nearly a point per game in the AHL as a 20-year-old between a prospect and a has-been rookie and earned seven NHL games at 21. Shore led Maine in scoring at 20, got an AHL cameo, then got into three NHL games at 21.

By Jonathan Willis Aug 24, 2021 27 At 22, we finally see divergence. Benson had two things that hurt his chances at NHL minutes. The first was the pandemic, which pushed Edmonton’s roster into near stasis. The second was playing under Ken Holland, who is (in)famous for his patience with developing prospects. Tyler Benson and Devin Shore are set to compete in one of the closest Benson played in Switzerland and then the AHL, in both cases well. positional contests of Oilers training camp. At the team level, the stakes are low: a starting job on the fourth line. At the personal level, they’re Shore landed in a very different situation. He got a feature role on a bad anything but. Dallas team. He bounced around but basically played in a third-line role, and on the second unit power play. As a rookie, he scored 13 goals and It’s the kind of competition one sees all the time in the NHL. On the one added 20 assists. hand, there’s the prospect who’s trying to graduate. He’s been in the system a few years, has obvious potential and just needs to make the At 23, Shore was promoted to a second-line gig under new/old Dallas jump. On the other is the journeyman. He’s bounced around a bit, the coach . Mostly, he played with Mattias Janmark. The shot shine has worn off, and he’s survived by doing things coaches like to metrics were bad: Shore ranked 12th of 13 regular forwards. Worse, see. nobody could finish. The Stars were outscored 22-6 with Shore and Janmark on the ice, and the line as a whole scored on just 2.8 percent of The neat thing about Benson versus Shore is the way it shows us how its shots. small the gap is between prospect and journeyman. Shore was born in 1994, drafted in 2012 and is now 27. Benson was born in 1998, drafted in Still, the Stars weren’t ready to give up on a prospect who had looked so 2016 and is now 23. In this case, four years is the difference between good so recently. Shore had arbitration rights, but he agreed to a two- upswing and downswing. year bridge deal with Dallas. It carried a $2.3 million cap hit.

Even the scouting reports are almost identical. Compare these excerpts It remains the high-water mark of Shore’s career. The 24-year-old was from the two players’ draft profiles. The Shore quotes come from Red flipped the next season for Anaheim’s Andrew Cogliano. Anaheim, Line Report. The Benson quotes come from and having lost 11 straight, decided to prioritize youth. Shore, meanwhile, had International Scouting Services. gone 26 games without a goal. The Stars had cooled after a hot start; they wanted faster forwards. On scoring touch: “Andrew Cogliano is one of the faster players in the NHL, and you can • “Excellent instincts at the offensive end with good anticipation and a never have enough speed,” GM Jim Nill said. natural scorer’s touch,” said Red Line, which rated Shore 46th on its list. “Also a highly imaginative playmaker who sees the ice beautifully.” Shore lasted 73 games with the Ducks, but his five-on-five scoring collapsed. He was traded just over a year later, for prospect/suspect • “(Benson) can shoot the puck pretty well,” a scout told THN, which had Sonny Milano. It was more a stylistic trade than anything. him ranked 50th on its list. “We definitely wanted to get more skilled and faster,” Ducks GM Bryan • “He has very good puck skills, good vision while he has the puck,” said Murray said. ISS, which ranked Benson 55th. “Has a very good shot, can get it off quickly.” On the other end of the spectrum, The Athletic’s Aaron Portzline had no trouble reading between the lines in Columbus. Milano was a high-risk, On size and strength: high-reward kind of player. Shore not so much. • “(Shore) has good size/strength that he uses well to protect the puck. “Shore, 25, does not have Milano’s talent ceiling, but he’s a reliable, Creates traffic and screens in front,” said Red Line, which listed him at 6- hard-working forward who can play all three forward positions on a third foot and 184 pounds. or fourth line,” Portzline wrote before adding this kicker. “Prediction: • “(Benson) has good size and strength and plays with a physical edge Coach is going to love this guy.” and competitiveness,” said ISS, which listed him at 6-foot and 201 Shore, a past favourite of Hitchcock and a future favourite of Dave pounds. Tippett, did indeed seem like a Tortorella type of player. Then the same On defensive and positional play: bad luck that helped keep Benson out of the NHL at 22 pushed Shore’s future into doubt at 26. The pandemic brought the 2019-20 season to a • “(Shore) thinks the game well and supports the puck. His positioning on halt after Shore had played only six games in Columbus. He was making the ice is near flawless,” Red Line raved. too much money to qualify, a suddenly flat cap had every team in the league scrambling, and Shore was without a home. • “Benson is a guy who is going to give his all every shift and in all (three) zones,” ISS said. “Committed to D-zone play, supports puck and is Shore’s road from up-and-comer to fringe depth guy took just four years. positioned well.” He had a great rookie season, then followed it with ups and downs as a sophomore. In his third campaign, his potential was still high enough to • “(Benson) thinks the game well,” THN said. bring back an NHL bottom-six veteran. By his fourth season, he was the And finally, on skating, each player’s Achilles’ heel: guy getting flipped for potential.

• “(Shore’s) skating is questionable,” Red Line said. “(He) lacks first-step Everyone reading this will be familiar with Shore’s fifth season. It started explosion and acceleration but has a long stride once up to speed.” with a pro tryout in Edmonton, which went well enough to turn into a two- way contract. He got taxi squad duty, cleared waivers twice and still • “(Benson) just isn’t a good skater,” a scout told THN. “He can’t get in on managed to get 38 games on the fourth line. That earned him an the forecheck. He can’t separate himself when he has the puck.” $850,000 contract extension as an end-of-roster forward.

• “(Benson is a) good skater,” disagreed ISS, though in this case “good” Now he’s competing for a fourth-line job with Benson. comes on a tier which also includes elite, excellent and very good. They noted his “powerful stride” but also that he “lacks breakaway speed.” This might sound like a tale of woe, but it isn’t, for Dallas or for Shore. The Stars invested a second-round pick in Shore, and five years later, The quotes are interchangeable. In some cases, even the wording is they had a useful third-line piece. He played 209 games for Dallas, then identical. Red Line thought Shore could develop into a third-line centre retained enough value to be flipped for an actual NHL player. That’s a with second-line upside. ISS figured that Benson could be a middle-six win for the scouts and the development system. winger with a reliable defensive game. Shore, meanwhile, has played six years in the best hockey league in the world. He had one big payday as a restricted free agent, and while those days might be in the past, he’s going to earn one-way money no matter where he plays the next two seasons. He’s found his way into 326 NHL games. If he can keep himself in the majors for the duration of his current contract, there’s a good chance he hits 500.

Benson, and the Oilers, should be pretty happy if he can match Shore’s career arc. He might do more, of course, especially since he’s entered the Holland developmental vortex. Detroit’s 2005-06 farm team produced four important NHL skaters (Jiri Hudler, Valtteri Filppula, Tomas Kopecky and Kyle Quincey), and only one of them was in the majors full time before his age-23 season. Quincey had to leave via waivers before he got his first real look, and poor Kopecky didn’t get a proper chance until he was 25.

This is the model that Benson, Cooper Marody and the rest of Edmonton’s AHL prospects are going into. It might result in unusually good outcomes for longtime minor-leaguers, as it did for the Red Wings.

Then again, it might not. For a player in Benson’s position, Shore represents success. And if Benson wants to match that success, he’ll have to start by winning minutes away from a guy with whom he has a lot of points in common.

Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 08.25.2021 1191488 Florida Panthers

Former Florida Panthers forward Jimmy Hayes dies at 31

ASSOCIATED PRESS |

MILTON, MASS. — Jimmy Hayes, who had his best season in the NHL with the Florida Panthers in 2014-15, has died. He was 31.

A law enforcement official said medics on Monday were called to the Hayes home in the Boston suburbs, where he was pronounced dead. No other details were disclosed.

Hayes, a 6-foot-5 right wing, won a national hockey championship at Boston College and played seven seasons in the NHL.

He was drafted in the second round (60th overall) in 2008 by the . Two years later, he helped Boston College to its second straight national title, totaling 13 goals and 22 assists in 42 games as a sophomore. He made his NHL debut in December 2011 after a trade to the .

“His warm personality made an immediate impact in the locker room and with our fans,” the Blackhawks said in a statement. “We’re proud of the memories he made in Chicago.”

[Popular in Sports] Dolphins place young wideout on injured reserve; release two receivers and an offensive lineman »

Boston College said on Twitter it is “heartbroken” over the death.

Younger brother Kevin Hayes is a center for the Philadelphia Flyers.

Jimmy Hayes played 334 games in the NHL and had 54 goals and 55 assists. He played for the Panthers from 2013-15 and also played for the Boston Bruins (2015-17) and New Jersey Devils (2017-18). His best years came with the Panthers, when he had 30 goals and 23 assists, and his hometown Bruins. He had his best season in the NHL with the Panthers in 2014-15 with a career-high 19 goals and 16 assists.

He last played professionally in 2019 and had been a cohost of a podcast called “Missin Curfew.”

Hayes was born in Dorchester, Massachusetts. In addition to his wife and children, Hayes is survived by four siblings and his parents, Shelagh and Kevin Hayes Sr.

Sun Sentinel LOADED: 08.25.2021 1191489 Florida Panthers thoughts and prayers are with the Hayes family pic.twitter.com/3yRKlE75kR

— Frank Vatrano (@Frank_Vatrano) August 23, 2021 Tributes to Jimmy Hayes roll in following tragic news FLORIDA PANTHERS LINKS

There isn’t much going on and, really, with the news of Jimmy Hayes’ Published 20 hours ago on August 24, 2021By George Richards death, we’ll just keep things with him today.

From the Boston Globe: Hockey world reacts to death of former Bruin It did not take long for tributes to come in throughout social media after and Dorchester native Jimmy Hayes the word that former NHL forward Jimmy Hayes was found dead in his From Sportsnet: ‘Gone way too soon’: Hockey world honors Jimmy Milton, Mass., home on Monday morning. Hayes following tragic death Hayes, who spent parts of two seasons with the Panthers, was 31. From the Toronto Star: Jimmy Hayes, former Maple Leafs draft pick and A cause of his death has not been determined. NHL veteran, has died at age 31

It has been a sad few days for the hockey world. Florida Hockey Now LOADED: 08.25.2021

On Saturday morning, three junior hockey players were killed in a single car crash in British Columbia.

Sunday, it was announced that New York Rangers legend Rod Gilbert had died at the age of 90.

Then came Monday’s news.

Hayes, whose family is a huge part of the New England hockey scene, leaves behind a wife and two young sons.

Hayes is also survived by his parents Shelagh and Kevin Sr. as well as siblings Genevieve, Eileen, Justine and Kevin — a center with the Flyers.

Frank Vatrano, who played with Hayes for a brief time with the Bruins, spoke glowingly of Hayes in a Boston Globe obituary wonderfully written by former Palm Beach Post writer Matt Porter.

“Jimmy was the best,’’ Vatrano said. “He could light up a room. He made everyone laugh. He was the first guy who took me under his wing, made sure I was comfortable, made sure I was invited to dinner with all the guys.”

Bob Murray, Hayes’ agent, told the Globe “I’ve been in a state of shock all day. We are devastated by the loss of Jimmy. I can’t emphasize enough how great a kid he was. He was the nicest young man I dealt with.He was nice to everybody. A great friend. Just universally loved.”

Social media was filled with tributes to the guy they called “Broadway” Jimmy Hayes.

Shawn Thornton, who played with Hayes with the Panthers and has known the family for years, put up a post on his Twitter and Instagram accounts.

I was devastated to learn of Jimmy’s passing this morning. My condolences are with his wife Kristen, his two young boys and the rest of his family and friends in Boston. The hockey community has lost a tremendous person and friend. I’ll greatly miss his wonderful sense of humor… pic.twitter.com/YacQcv9nt2

— Shawn Thornton FDN (@ThorntonFDN) August 23, 2021

P.K. Subban, who was a teammate of Hayes from a very young age, wrote a touching, three-post Twitter thread.

“There have been times in my life when I’ve been at a loss for words, lack of understanding and just bewildered,’’ Subban wrote. “Today I’m hurting for so many reasons because we lost one of our brothers in the hockey world.

“I was fortunate enough to play with with jimmy at 6 years old and get to know him, his brother @kphayes12 and father big kevin and many others in the boston and Dorchester area through my career. I’m hurting for all of you today. We know in life we don’t control when we go, but jimmy was taken far too soon.”

Added former New Jersey teammate Blake Coleman: “When I think of a ‘locker room guy’ I think of Jimmy ‘Broadway’ Hayes. Very devastating news, he will be missed by so many, he always brought a smile to the rink in our time together in New Jersey. Our thoughts are with Kristen and their 2 young boys. Rest In Peace bud.’’

At loss of words when I first came to Boston you were the first guy to take me under your wing. Your smile, laugh, and personality was contagious it lit up the entire room. You will be missed dearly rest easy Broadway. My 1191490 Los Angeles Kings

Development Camp Day 2 Recap

By Jack Jablonski9 hours ago93 Comments

For the second straight day, the 45-minute morning sessions were split up between forwards and defense. With the defensemen on the ice first, to no one’s surprise, the focus of the skate centered around quick puck- moving and decision-making under pressure. The session included neutral zone regroups between defensive pairs and breaking out with a forechecker pressuring the puck-carrying D-man.

The forwards followed after a quick resurfacing and tempo was the theme of this skate. With lots of puck movement, the offensive-minded group spent their session getting their legs under them and getting pucks on net.

Unfortunately, the day started with a few missing bodies…

– Quinton Byfield missed today’s sessions after departing in Monday’s morning session and is considered day-to-day. The injury was not disclosed.

– Alex Turcotte was also absent on Tuesday and did not participate out of an abundance of caution.

The afternoon session was more of the same from the previous day. First, starting with 15 minutes of in-zone 1-on-1, 2-on-2 and 3-on-3 battles, followed by a controlled scrimmage. The scrimmage itself was also separated into three parts: 5-on-5, 4-on-4 and 3-on-3.

Standouts and highlight plays:

– Tyler Madden showed up in the afternoon session, flying around seemingly all scrimmage long and made multiple beautiful plays with the puck. Most notably, Madden weaved through the opponents’ last defender with the puck and finished off a great individual play by going low glove on Lethemon for the goal.

– Samuel Fagemo was also one of the more noticeable players in the afternoon, highlighted by a tic-tac-toe, give-and-go goal with camp invitee Sahil Panwar. Fagemo also led the 35-minute scrimmage in shots with six.

– The Kings 2018 first-round draft pick Rasmus Kupari had an impactful scrimmage, burying a goal on a breakaway high glove. Concurrently, Kupari and Madden fit well together when on the same line, dictating both the puck and pace of play.

– The last player to stick out in the afternoon session was Aidan Dudas. Dudas, like the three aforementioned prospects, was a member of the last season and so far has shown growth in the two days of camp. In today’s session, Dudas was impressive in consistently controlling the puck through the neutral zone, creating successful offensive zone entries.

Day Two’s media availability showcased two of the Kings’ top defensive prospects; 2021 first-round pick Brandt Clarke and 2019 fourth-rounder Jordan Spence.

Clarke, who was drafted by the Kings just over a month ago touched on his camp thus far, how playing in Slovakia prepared him and helped grow his game and his goals for this week.

Spence, the 2021 WJC silver medalist (Canada) who is expected to play for the Reign this season spoke to the media about his hopes for this coming season, how the WJC helped/hurt his confidence and what he hopes to accomplish this week.

We’ll be back with More Coverage from development camp on Wednesday. The third day’s morning on-ice sessions have been bumped up with the forwards going out at 9:30 a.m. and the defensemen following at 10:15 a.m.

LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 08.25.2021 1191491 One last thought on L’Affaire Mailloux. A month later, I’m still finding it hard to digest the concept that amid of one of the biggest crises to face the Canadiens in years, Molson and his public-relations handlers decided What the Puck: Drouin, Mailloux put focus on Habs' mental-health to hold a video conference to discuss the matter that excluded several support major media outlets, including the Montreal Gazette, TSN 690, CBC and Radio-Canada.

That’s unacceptable and a little Trump-esque. This was a significant Brendan Kelly • Montreal Gazette scandal that had a big impact well beyond the world of hockey and it shouldn’t be up to Molson to decide who’s allowed to cover his video

conference. Oddly, a big chunk of the media outlets excluded are the How seriously do the Montreal Canadiens take the issue of caring for anglo media outlets in Montreal. Why was that? their players off the ice? For years, the team has tried to control the flow of information and it’s I have been thinking about this quite a bit in recent weeks, spurred by the time to say enough is enough. Of course the Habs love to put the info out controversial and oh-so-different cases of Jonathan Drouin and Logan themselves via their social-media channels and if they have to deal with Mailloux. journalists, they clearly prefer to deal with their TV broadcast partners, such as TVA Sports and RDS because they’re less critical. The Canadiens announced in late April that Drouin would be taking an indefinite leave of absence from the team for personal reasons. After But the Canadiens are much more than just a sports team. They are an that, it was radio silence until Habs general manager essential part of the fabric of Quebec society and they should take that surprised everyone in July and said that Drouin would be at training social position seriously. That means giving the media equal access so camp this fall. we can deliver the message to the fans.

“We met with Jo,” Bergevin said at the time. “We had a really good Montreal Gazette LOADED: 08.25.2021 conversation. Jo feels great, he’s focused and he’s ready to go. So I expect Jo to be in Montreal first day of camp.”

The Canadiens drafted Mailloux in the first round of the 2021 entry draft despite the fact that the 18-year-old defenceman secretly took photos of a woman while they were engaged in a sexual act last year and then shared them with his teammates in Sweden. He also revealed the identity of the woman to his teammates. The Swedish authorities charged him with defamation and criminal photography and the court fined him.

There was a huge outcry when the Canadiens selected him and Habs president Geoff Molson eventually issued a written statement that apologized for the decision, though he stopped short of firing any of the executives responsible for the move nor did he order that Mailloux be removed from the Habs’ roster.

The first thing to say regarding Drouin is we have absolutely no idea about the personal reasons that led to his surprising departure. Many argue it is a private matter that should only be discussed if Drouin wants to talk about it. But it is, at the very least, highly unusual that the media hasn’t followed up the story after a well known public figure suddenly left his job without a full explanation.

Whatever it is that forced Drouin to stop playing hockey, you wonder exactly how the Canadiens organization helped him through this difficult time. It had been a tough season for Drouin, with the winger only scoring two goals in 41 games, and when things are going badly for Drouin on the ice, he often appears to be brought down by his sub-par performances.

Does the team regularly turn to psychologists to help players who are dealing with emotional issues? It’s hard to say because the team almost never talks about this. The Canadiens could not be reached for comment about this subject on Tuesday.

The same issue of mental-health care the team offers is highlighted by the case of Mailloux. In his letter, Molson wrote: “We will support and oversee Logan’s commitment to becoming a better person.” That’s an admirable initiative but, again, it would be great to have more details about how the team is going to do that.

MORE ON THIS TOPIC

Canadiens owner Molson promotes Bélanger to Groupe CH president

Jack Todd: Arizona Coyotes' next home ought to be Quebec City

What the Puck: This Habs team will be hard-pressed to make the playoffs

Canadiens prospect Sean Farrell named top U.S.-born junior

The positive here is that it puts the spotlight on the issue of pro sports teams being forced to deal with mental-health issues. I’ve often thought that it’s strange that teams draft young men, pay them millions of dollars, focus all kinds of time, money and energy on developing the player’s athletic skills yet, until recently, don’t focus much on making sure these young men are also keeping on an even keel off the ice. 1191492 Montreal Canadiens

Canadiens owner Molson promotes Bélanger to Groupe CH president

Montreal Gazette

Canadiens owner and CEO Geoff Molson named France Margaret Bélanger president (sports and entertainment) of Groupe CH, the team announced on Tuesday.

Bélanger joined the organization in 2013 as senior vice-president and chief legal officer after 18 years at the Stikeman Elliott law firm. In 2014, Bélanger was promoted to executive vice-resident and chief legal officer. In 2017, Bélanger became executive vice-president and chief commercial officer as her scope was expanded to lead the hockey commercial strategy. In 2020, her scope was further broadened to lead the entertainment group, as she continued to oversee legal and public affairs and community relations.

Bélanger is the first woman to serve on the executive committee of the Montreal Canadiens in its 104-year history. She also serves, alongside Molson, as an NHL alternate governor for the Canadiens. In 2020, she was chosen by NHL commissioner Gary Bettman to sit on the NHL Executive Inclusion Council.

“With her mobilizing leadership and expertise France Margaret will continue building on successful partnerships and leading our one-team approach across the organization,” Molson said in a release.

“It is an honor for me to become the president, sports and entertainment of this iconic organization. Together with our amazing and talented teams, we will continue to develop and deliver world-class sports and entertainment events across our brands that create unique and memorable experiences for the best fans in the world,” Bélanger said.

Montreal Gazette LOADED: 08.25.2021 1191493 New Jersey Devils

Jimmy Hayes’ wife pens heartfelt note after former NHLer’s death

By Jenna Lemoncelli

Jimmy Hayes’ wife shared a heartfelt message to social media a day after the former NHLer died unexpectedly at the age of 31.

“My angel I love you so much,” Kristen Hayes wrote Tuesday on her Instagram Story, over a photo of Hayes holding the couple’s two sons, 2- year-old Beau and 3-month-old Mac. “I miss you. I don’t know how I’m going to do life without you. You should be here. This isn’t fair.”

Hayes, who spent one of seven NHL seasons with the Devils and won a national championship at Boston College, was pronounced dead Monday at the family’s home in a Boston suburb.

The cause of death is unclear but foul play was not suspected, according to the Boston Globe.

The family celebrated Beau’s second birthday Sunday.

Jimmy Hayes

Hayes is also survived by his parents and four siblings, including brother Kevin Hayes, a former Ranger who currently plays for the Flyers.

The Hayes siblings are also first cousins of NHL stars (Calgary Flames) and (Ottawa Senators), whose father is former NHL star .

“Completely speechless and heartbroken,” Matthew Tkachuk tweeted on Monday. “Wish I had the chance to tell Jimmy how much Brady and I looked up to him and Kevin throughout all the years. I know that Beau and Mac will grow up with the same larger than life and loving personality that he had!”

New York Post LOADED: 08.25.2021 1191494 New Jersey Devils

Jimmy Hayes, former NHL player, dead at 31

By Mark Fischer

Jimmy Hayes, the fun-loving former NHLer who spent one season with the Devils and won a national championship at Boston College, died unexpectedly Monday morning at the age of 31.

The cause of death was not immediately known but foul play was not suspected, according to the Boston Globe, which cited local authorities and first responders.

Hayes was pronounced dead at his home in Milton, Mass., a suburb of Boston, the Globe reported.

According to Instagram posts Sunday from his wife, Kristen, Hayes and his family celebrated the birthday of their 2-year-old son, Beau, over the weekend.

Known for his big frame as much as his outsized personality, the 6-foot- 5, 215-pound right winger had 54 goals and 109 points in 334 games over seven NHL seasons, the last of which came with New Jersey in 2017-18.

“When I think of a ‘locker room guy’ I think of Jimmy ‘Broadway’ Hayes,” former Devil Blake Coleman tweeted. “Very devastating news, he will be missed by so many, he always brought a smile to the rink in our time together in New Jersey.”

The Devils said Hayes’ “infectious personality and easygoing nature were contagious to all who spent time with him. He had a tremendous ability to make everyone feel welcome. You will be missed, Jimmy.”

After being selected in the second round of the 2008 draft by the Toronto Maple Leafs, Hayes starred for his hometown Boston College and won a national title in 2010, when he tallied 35 points in 42 games.

Following a trade from Toronto, Hayes made his NHL debut with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2011 and also played for the Bruins and Panthers.

Hayes last played professionally in the 2018-19 season with a minor league affiliate of the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Jimmy Hayes with the Devils in 2018.

After his playing days ended, Hayes joined “Missin Curfew,” a hockey and lifestyle podcast with other former NHLers Shane O’Brien and .

“We lost our brother today,” read a tweet from the podcast’s account. “Goodbye Jimmy, we will love you forever.”

Jimmy Hayes spent time with the Penguins’ minor league affiliate.

In addition to Kristen and their 2-year-old, Hayes is survived by the couple’s 3-month-old boy, Mac; Hayes’ parents, Shelagh and Kevin Sr.; and siblings Genevieve, Eileen, Justine and Kevin, also an NHL player.

Kevin Hayes currently plays for the Flyers. The 29-year-old similarly starred at Boston College, before spending five seasons with the Rangers.

New York Post LOADED: 08.25.2021 1191495 New Jersey Devils Scott Wedgewood

16/15

State of the Devils: A bounce-back candidate and a fresh face could 3-8-3 solve goaltending woes 0.900

3.11 By Corey Masisak Aug 24, 2021 13 Aaron Dell

7/5 This is the fifth in a series of stories, State of the Devils, that will take a short- and long-term view of where the franchise stands after a second 1-5-0 weird, pandemic-shortened season and where it is going in the years to 0.857 come. 4.14 Maybe the Devils are due for a smooth, drama-free season in net. Advanced stats Even dating back to the surprising trip to the Stanley Cup playoffs in 2018, New Jersey has had four consecutive years of injuries, PLAYER ES SAVE% 4-ON-5 SAVE% GSAA inconsistent play and improbable events with its goaltenders. QS GAR

These four years have marked the end of the era and Mackenzie Blackwood Mackenzie Blackwood’s rise to the No. 1 role. Finding anyone to play 0.914 well consistently in the games that Blackwood did not play over the past three years has been a futile and often frustrating effort. 0.827

Trying to discern anything from last season after Blackwood’s struggles -6.28 with COVID-19 and the twice-condensed schedule might be folly. Blackwood will have a new partner this season, and he has plenty to 0.514 prove on his own as well. 1.9 State of the Devils: The Timeline Scott Wedgewood State of the Devils: Centers 0.913 State of the Devils: Wingers 0.839 State of the Devils: Defensemen -3.79 State of the Devils: Goalies 0.333 (Note: Stats for this series are compiled from Natural Stat Trick, Evolving- 0.3 Hockey, Hockey Reference and NHL.com.) Aaron Dell 2021 in review 0.880 The Devils did not get very far with Plan A in 2021. New Jersey signed Corey Crawford during the offseason to a two-year contract to pair with 0.739 Blackwood. Crawford was one of the most consistently above-average goalies of the previous decade, but he left the team after two days in -7.81 camp and decided to retire. 0.200 Blackwood began the season locked in, stopping 109 of 115 shots in his -6.6 first three starts. Then he became the first of many Devils players to contract COVID-19, and he had one of the worst experiences with the There were 78 goalies with at least 300 minutes played in 2021. Dell was virus. He missed six games, and might have missed more, but the club 78th in save percentage. Wedgewood was 55th in GSAA, which was had a teamwide outbreak and shut down for two weeks. He came back better than Blackwood (63rd) and Dell (68th). when everyone else did, but Blackwood later acknowledged that he felt symptoms for approximately three weeks and didn’t really feel 100 Though Blackwood and Wedgewood were at least near the middle of the percent for much of the condensed season. He ended the season with pack in five-on-five save percentage, all three Devils goalies struggled to some of the worst statistics of his three-year NHL career. stop the puck on the penalty kill. They were 64th (Wedgewood), 70th (Blackwood) and 77th (Dell) out of 78 goalies in four-on-five save Scott Wedgewood had been signed to be the No. 3 goalie, and the NHL percentage. mandated that teams carry three during the season. The Devils added Eric Comrie and Aaron Dell through waivers, but Wedgewood outplayed The guys in front of them did not help on several occasions, allowing both and retained the backup job. Comrie played once before going back layups near the edge of the crease. But there were also some soft goals on waivers and returning to Winnipeg. Dell had a nightmare season, allowed from distance on the PK. Everyone uses the “goalie has to be playing infrequently and struggling to find any consistency when he did. the best penalty killer” slogan when times are good, but the reality is the New Jersey netminders also played a role in the trouble the club had Gilles Senn and Evan Cormier had long nights with little help in front of killing penalties. them in the AHL, and both posted sub-.900 save percentages. The team’s overall save percentage was .891, which was 29th in the Traditional stats league. Seven of the bottom eight teams didn’t make the playoffs, and the outlier (Montreal) did so only by the grace of temporary realignment PLAYER GP/GS W-L-O SAVE% GAA and the league’s divisional playoff format. The .891 was the team’s worst Mackenzie Blackwood since New Jersey’s goalies posted an .890 during the lockout-shortened 2013 season. 35/35 Jonathan Bernier (James Guillory / USA Today) 14-17-4 Offseason in review 0.902 General manager Tom Fitzgerald found another partner for Blackwood, 3.04 signing Jonathan Bernier to a two-year, $8.25 million contract. Bernier doesn’t have Crawford’s performance track record, but he’s also younger handle four out of five or even five or six in a row if the younger goalie and doesn’t have a similar injury history. He has a .910 save percentage gets stuck in another funk. in five years since leaving Toronto, and Blackwood is at .911 after three years with the Devils. That could be the type of thing that pays dividends later in the season with a reset and refreshed Blackwood, and Bernier’s keeping the club The Devils also brought Wedgewood back on a one-year, two-way competitive in the games that Blackwood doesn’t start would also be a contract. Wedgewood has the highest NHL salary ($825,000) and AHL huge upgrade from recent seasons. salary ($375,000) for any goalie currently signed to a standard two-way deal. Dell signed the second-largest two-way deal this offseason with 3. Who wins the first leg of the race in Utica? Buffalo. Bernier’s contract is for two years. He could absolutely stay longer — Senn and Cormier were restricted free agents, but neither will return to Jaroslav Halak and Anton Khudobin have been ideal No. 1B-type goalies the club. Senn signed a two-year contract with HC Davos at home in for Boston and Dallas each of the past three years, and there are other Switzerland. He’ll remain on the Devils’ reserve list, and they would have examples. the ability to bring him back at some point if they wanted. Cormier was But assuming he doesn’t, the Devils could be looking for another guy to non-tendered, making him an unrestricted free agent. He has yet to sign partner with Blackwood in 2023-24. Could Schmid or Daws prove he is with anyone. ready for that role after two years with Utica?

Senn and Cormier are gone, in part, because the Devils signed draft Schmid had a crazy first year in North America after the Devils drafted picks Akira Schmid and Nico Daws to entry-level contracts that begin in him in 2018, but it ended with his being dominant in the USHL. Then he 2021-22. had a significant injury two years ago, but he was back at the top of the Three big questions for 2021-22 USHL charts in 2020-21. Sure, he was old for the league, but there were Canadian junior guys adding talent to the league when the CHL didn’t 1. Will Mackenzie Blackwood bounce back? start the season on time.

Signing Dougie Hamilton was a huge move for the Devils’ long-term plan Daws was expected to play in the OHL last year, but the league ended to be a consistent Stanley Cup contender. Jack Hughes and Nico up bagging the entire season because of the pandemic. He joined ERC Hischier growing into one of the league’s top 1-2 punches at center is a Ingolstadt in the top German league. Daws played in only 10 DEL key tentpole of this plan. Blackwood’s development is also a big part of it. games, but he did at least get to practice with professionals.

The list of Stanley Cup champions in the salary-cap era can basically be The two rookies could split time in net for Utica, but it’s also possible that broken into two groups: the teams that had transcendent talent leading one will go to Adirondack so both can play more (especially if the way (Detroit, Pittsburgh, Chicago, Tampa Bay) and the teams that Wedgewood ends up in Utica). Daws was drafted earlier, but he was also had the best goalie in that year’s tournament (nearly everyone else). The an over-age selection — Schmid might have gone higher in the 2019 Lightning’s argument for being the best team of the cap era is that they draft after his excellent run with Omaha in the USHL. are on both lists. It could be a fascinating battle between the two. And it could last into next But let’s put aside “where will Blackwood rank in 2024 and can he put season and beyond — there’s a scenario where they both come to Devils together a two-month run of elite play” for another day. Let’s focus on the training camp in September 2023 with the chance to win the backup role coming season. The Devils are likely going to need Blackwood to be behind Blackwood. better if they want to contend for a playoff spot. Sure, Bernier could take control of the job if Blackwood gets hurt or underperforms, but “Bernier Depth chart analysis starts 52 times, Devils contend for a playoff spot until late in the season” 2020-21 2021-22 2022-23 2023-24 just won’t feel the same (especially if it’s performance issues and not an injury for Blackwood). Starter

Blackwood had a tough 2021 season, and there’s a very obvious reason. Mackenzie Blackwood Does that mean he’ll be able to put it behind him? He has had stretches Mackenzie Blackwood of play in each of his three seasons when he didn’t look just like an NHL starter but also a guy who could be a top-1o goalie if it all comes Mackenzie Blackwood together. He’s also had a prolonged slump in each of them, and that could/should be where Bernier’s presence helps. Mackenzie Blackwood

The Devils don’t need Blackwood to be a Vezina Trophy candidate, but if Backup he can just get back to the .915 range with his save percentage, it should Scott Wedgewood help New Jersey improve its record and help everyone feel better about the club’s future in goal. Jonathan Bernier

2. Will the tandem system actually work? Jonathan Bernier

Before the guy with the statue outside came along, the Akira Schmid/Nico Daws Devils were a goalie-tandem team long before it was in vogue. They had two goalies play in at least 35 games four times in a five-year period from Insurance 1990 to 1994. The last of those included a young Martin Brodeur, and he Aaron Dell made the tandem idea an obsolete one for a long time in New Jersey. Scott Wedgewood The Devils have had two goalies play 35-plus games twice since 1994. The first was 2013-14, when Cory Schneider joined the club and split Akira Schmid/Nico Daws time with Brodeur in his final season in New Jersey. The second was 2017-18, which wasn’t really a true tandem. Schneider played a vast Cole Brady majority of the games until he got hurt, then Keith Kinkaid played the Wedgewood could be the perfect No. 3 goaltender — one who bides his majority of the games even after Schneider returned and struggled. time with Utica in the AHL as a mentor for one or both of the kids and can Here’s something you’re going to hear a whole bunch this season: provide adequate work in net in a pinch if one of the top two guys gets Teams need two goalies because of the compressed schedule. That was injured. One potential foil for that plan — Wedgewood will need to pass the case last year because of the pandemic. It will be the case this year if through waivers to join Utica if Blackwood and Bernier are healthy when the league sends its players to the 2022 Olympics. NHL teams should the season begins. also be careful about overworking netminders after these past two Both levels of the Devils’ depth chart in net set up pretty simply: seasons. Blackwood and Bernier have two years left on their current contracts. Blackwood and Bernier should push each other for playing time, but That gives Blackwood two years to prove he can be a top-insert-number- there will be many opportunities for both. Even if Blackwood does get two here goalie in the NHL and earn a big contract and two years for Bernier out of every three for a while, Bernier’s value will come if he has to to settle in with the club and possibly forge a partnership with Blackwood Edmonton and Florida had a team save percentage of .9103 in 2021, and that the club (and Bernier) would want to extend. that was tied for seventh best in the league. A combined .912 was enough to finish in the top five. If not, that means Schmid and Daws have two years to prove they could be Bernier’s replacement in 2023. The Devils are paying a lot for their goaltending in 2021-22, at least compared with the rest of the league. They haven’t had two goalies play Special teams well in a season since 2017-18, which is also when they last made the Improvement from the goalies would certainly help the PK this season. postseason. There should be expectations for the Devils to have one of Bernier had an .875 save percentage at four-on-five in 2021, which was the better tandems in the league, and goaltending could be a driving basically the middle of the pack (39th out of 74 goalies who played at force in their quest to play meaningful games late in the season. least 25 minutes). There can be a lot of variance from year to year in any The Athletic LOADED: 08.25.2021 small sample of a goalie’s work, but Bernier has been at least .875 in four-on-five situations for seven of the past eight seasons and at .900 or better four times. That would have made him a top-20 guy in 2021.

Blackwood was at .883 and .861 in four-on-five situations during his first two seasons, and that was when the Devils ranked in the top 10 in the league at killing penalties.

Salary cap watch

Bernier’s $4.125 million is 21st among goalies in cap hit for the 2021-22 season. Blackwood’s $2.8 million checks in at 33rd.

The Devils are slated to spend the sixth-most cap space on goaltenders this season. That includes the $2 million in dead money from the Schneider buyout, which has three years left on it. Florida, Montreal, Seattle, Tampa Bay and the Rangers are all going to spend more (the team across the river also has $1.5 million in dead money from the Henrik Lundqvist buyout).

Dallas has more money committed to the position because the Stars have three veteran goalies signed. But Ben Bishop could spend part or all of the year on LTIR. Two other teams could end up spending more cap space than the Devils: the Islanders — if RFA Ilya Sorokin signs for $4-plus million — and the Bruins, depending on what happens with .

Still, the Devils have zigged when many teams have zagged and gone much cheaper in net because of the flat cap. Even if we included only the $6.925 million from Blackwood and Bernier, the Devils would likely fall in the top 10 for cap space used on the top two goalies.

In the pipeline

The Devils have drafted a goalie every year since Ray Shero became the GM in 2015. Blackwood was first, then Cormier and Senn. They are the only two who aren’t with the organization.

Schmid (2018) and Daws (2020) have had interesting paths to the same point as rookies with Utica (or possibly Adirondack). Cole Brady (2019) was a freshman at Arizona State last season. He missed part of the year with mononucleosis but finished the season as the starting goalie, and the guy whose job he took transferred. Arizona State added a transfer from Miami (Ohio), but Brady should be the favorite to start the majority of the games.

Jakub Malek (2021) was a relative unknown, unranked by NHL Central Scouting after playing in the second division of the Czech league. Schmid, Daws, Brady and Malek all have one thing in common — they’re listed at 6-foot-4 or taller.

It is worth noting that The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler rated his top 10 goalie prospects earlier this month and included 21 honorable mentions. None of the Devils’ prospects made either cut.

Final assessment

We mentioned earlier that Bernier has a .910 save percentage over the past five seasons and Blackwood’s is .911 for his career. Let’s set that as a benchmark for the 2021-22 season: If both goaltenders have at least a .910 save percentage, it will almost certainly be a success for the club in net.

Having two guys at right around .910 might not seem that great, because the Vezina contenders are often in the .925-plus range. That said, it’s not easy to have two guys play that well consistently. Consider that 25 goalies played at least 15 games in 2021 and had a .910 or better. Only three teams had two goalies hit both of those marks — Detroit (Bernier and Thomas Greiss), Vegas (Marc-Andre Fleury and Robin Lehner) and the Islanders (Semyon Varlamov and Ilya Sorokin). 1191496 New York Islanders New York Times LOADED: 08.25.2021

Review: In ‘Islander,’ the Puck Stops Here

By Alexis Soloski

The 2017 season didn’t start too badly. The New York Islanders, a team with a new coach and a newish berth at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, might have allowed a few too many shots on goal, but they still won most of their games. A couple of months later, in December, it all began to go wrong. Then it went more wrong. The defense fell apart. The team missed the playoffs. John Tavares, the Islanders’ captain and star player, departed for the Toronto Maple Leafs. Fans revolted.

The director Katie Brook and the playwright Liza Birkenmeier, hockey fans both, have scraped some of that bad ice into “Islander,” a verbatim piece at HERE. Presented by Tele-Violet and supported by New Georges, the play borrows commentary from the season and puts it in the mouth of a bearded, sweatpants-clad, aggressively average dude called Man (David Gould). (The sources aren’t listed, but Man’s language suggests live broadcast commentary, postgame interviews and fan forums.)

Additional text is culled from the celebrity academic and men’s rights stan Jordan Peterson. Imagine a snow cone that’s part obsession, part self- justification, part masculine fragility, sweetened with self-pity and sweat, and you’re mostly there.

Brook and Birkenmeier (“Dr. Ride’s American Beach House”) are interested in questions of identity, identification and form. They have structured “Islander” a little like a game. It begins with the national anthem and pauses for a halftime dance break. A bare stage, carpeted in rubber tiles, stands in for the rink. (The set and lighting design are by Josh Smith.) But there’s just one player — and then toward the end, a second (Dick Toth) and a third (Aksel Latham-Mitchell, a child actor who also provides a drum solo). If you’re looking for the nail-biting narrative propulsion of a proper game, look elsewhere. A buzzer beater, “Islander” is not.

It does, though, probe some fascinating ideas, like the peculiar ownership that fans feel toward a team and its players — a level of mimetic engagement that theater rarely achieves, Broadway musicals excepted. No man is an island, but a lot of men, recliner-bound and alone with their Wi-Fi, seem to consider themselves Islanders. And fan forums and postgame debriefs provide the rare spaces in American life where men are actively encouraged to talk about their feelings. In these homosocial arenas, they confess their self-doubt, their disappointment and their feelings of low self-worth.

Image

Gould, air guitaring away self-doubt and disappointment in “Islanders.”Credit...Sara Krulwich/The New York Times

“I’m very arrogant,” Man says. “I’m very lost within myself. I’m as sick of me as you are.” (Less helpfully, these are also spaces for some men to justify their mediocrity.) But the script — a latticework of unconnected observations — has a way of flattening out these ideas, compressing them like the air mattress that Latham-Mitchell’s John Tavares cheerfully deflates.

“Islander” isn’t long, just 75 minutes, about the same as a hockey game. But since it offers so little in the way of plot or character, it feels longer. The language of commentary isn’t particularly interesting, though there are blazes of figuration (“He makes them as uncomfortable as a beached whale”), a few snappy neologisms (“Sneakery: Is that a word?”) and the occasional metaphor melee.

While Gould is a charmer — precise, inexhaustible, brave enough to dance with his shirt off — there is only so much an actor can do when stringing together disjointed fan forum posts and meditations that only an extremely concussed Marcus Aurelius might write: “Good is the enemy of great. No more good; it’s time to be great.”

Maybe “Islander,” like many N.H.L. games, is better experienced via a highlights reel. 1191497 New York Rangers

Jeff Gorton talks Tom Wilson-Artemi Panarin brawl for first time

By Mollie Walker

Former Rangers general manager Jeff Gorton never expected the Tom Wilson incident to become what it did.

The notorious Capitals agitator beat on Pavel Buchnevich and rag-dolled star winger Artemi Panarin in the Rangers’ fourth-to-last game of the 2020-21 season. Gorton, however, didn’t foresee the organization’s scathing statement in response to the lack of punishment for Wilson, didn’t anticipate losing his job (along with former president John Davidson) and didn’t realize the Wilson incident would exemplify the Rangers’ need for toughness.

“I didn’t know it was going to turn into that, it surprised me that it turned into what it turned into,” Gorton, now a free-agent GM, told the “Cam & Strick” podcast as he publicly addressed his dismissal for the first time. “Obviously, I lost my job. It probably has to be more than that. I don’t really know, but it has to be more than that — it can’t be one thing.”

Former Rangers GM Jeff Gorton gives deep explanation on aftermath following the Wilson/Panarin incident and the wild press release that subsequently followed. Have a listen #NYR #Allcaps ⁦@camandstrickpod⁩ pic.twitter.com/wY73avUQz1

— Andy Strickland (@andystrickland) August 24, 2021

“You can’t tell me JD [Davidson], who loves toughness, didn’t know we weren’t tough,” he continued. “I can tell you that all the meetings we had with talking about getting tougher over time. We also needed some of these young guys who were playing for us to have to deal with adversity, play through some of this stuff — see how they did with it, too.”

“Obviously it didn’t go well, and Wilson should’ve been suspended. I didn’t think that night was going to be what it turned into, that people were going to lose their jobs.”

After the incident, which knocked Panarin out for the rest of the season, Wilson was only fined $5,000 — the maximum allowable under the collective bargaining agreement. The Rangers then released a statement condemning the decision not to suspend Wilson and called head of department of player safety George Parros “unfit to continue in his role.”

Gorton revealed Rangers public relations had crafted the statement and said, “You might have seen it the first time I did.” The NHL levied a $250,000 fine at Dolan and the Rangers for their outspokenness.

New York Post LOADED: 08.25.2021 1191498 New York Rangers

Gerard Gallant fills out Rangers coaching staff with NHL vets

By Mollie Walker

Remembering Rod Gilbert: ‘No one better’

‘Mr. Ranger’ dead at 80

The Rangers’ new head coach, Gerard Gallant, officially has his staff.

As first reported by The Post’s Larry Brooks, Gord Murphy and will serve as assistants under Gallant, along with Jim Midgley, the team announced Tuesday. Murphy is being promoted from AHL Hartford, and Steve Smith will join the Wolfpack as an assistant.

Murphy is about to embark on his first full season on the Rangers coaching staff, though he has been with the team in the past. He filled in as assistant coach for the Blueshirts during the qualifying round of the 2020 bubble playoffs, when went to the Devils, then stepped up to assist this past season during a coronavirus outbreak among the coaching staff.

An associate head coach in Hartford for the past two seasons, Murphy has 18 years of professional coaching experience, including parts of 16 seasons as an NHL assistant coach. He also worked as an assistant under Gallant with the Blue Jackets for parts of three seasons, from 2003-04 to 2006-07.

Gerard Gallant

Prior to joining the Rangers, Murphy was an assistant for the Panthers and Flyers, the two teams with whom he spent the majority of his 14-year NHL career. Murphy, who is expected to handle the defense, will be replacing Jacques Martin, who was dismissed following this past season.

Kelly, who has worked under Gallant with the Golden Knights and Panthers, and most recently for Team Canada’s championship run in the 2021 World Championships, comes to New York with eight seasons of assistant coaching experience in the NHL. In addition to his three seasons in apiece with Vegas and Florida, Kelly also spent two seasons as an assistant for the Canucks.

Midgley, who spent the 2020-21 season as an amateur scout for the Flyers, coached in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League for nine seasons. In 2017-18, Kelly led the Halifax Mooseheads to the second round of the QMJHL Playoffs. He is also expected to serve as an assistant for Team Canada at the 2021 IIHF Women’s World Championship.

Gerard Gallant (right) and Mike Kelly speak during the IIHF Men’s Ice Hockey World Championships.

After playing parts of 16 seasons in the NHL as a defenseman with the Oilers, Blackhawks and Flames, and winning the Stanley Cup three times in Edmonton, Smith began coaching. He most recently served as an assistant coach for the Sabres over parts of the past three seasons. Smith also was an assistant for the Hurricanes, Oilers and Flames, in addition to two seasons as a scout with the Blackhawks.

New York Post LOADED: 08.25.2021 1191499 New York Rangers

Rangers announce trio of assistants joining staff of coach Gerard Gallant

By Andrew Gross

The Rangers on Tuesday announced Gord Murphy, Mike Kelly and Jim Midgley have been named assistant coaches on Gerard Gallant’s staff and Steve Smith has been named an assistant coach for the organization’s AHL affiliate in Hartford.

Murphy was an associate coach for the Wolf Pack the past two seasons while Smith joins the Rangers after serving as an assistant coach with the Sabres for parts of the last three seasons.

Kelly was also a member of Gallant’s staff in Florida and Vegas. Midgley, a longtime coach in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, gets his first assignment as an NHL assistant.

Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 08.25.2021 1191500 Ottawa Senators the land — is still reserving a portion of this area for a major events centre in the Aqueduct District of the project. In its most recent master plan concept, the NCC states, “the west end of the Aqueduct District is anchored by LeBreton Place, a signature opportunity site for an Senators survey results: What the new arena should look like — and entertainment/music venue, cultural institution or other signature use in where it should be located the heart of LeBreton Flats, at the nexus of Nepean Inlet. LeBreton Place will be an architecturally significant and iconic building within LeBreton

Flats and the Capital Region.” Ian Mendes32-41 minutes 8/24/2021 The NCC also describes this district as “the heart of LeBreton Flats — a vibrant cultural hub and entertainment district spilling out onto public space along the two historic aqueducts.” Each time I’ve done an Ottawa Senators fan survey with The Athletic, I have been thoroughly impressed with the engagement level from our It’s clear the NCC is still open to the idea of an NHL-sized arena in this readers. spot, but it seems highly unlikely they would re-enter negotiations with Eugene Melnyk after the previous projected deteriorated in spectacular I’ll admit I wasn’t too sure how this exercise would play out in August, fashion. considering this is a time when a lot of fans completely unplug from hockey news. But we had more than 1,300 readers participate in last But readers have spoken loudly in this survey and still make it clear their week’s survey about a new arena in Ottawa, which is a great reminder of top preference would be an arena at LeBreton Flats. the passion in this market when it comes to the Senators and their 2. If LeBreton Flats is not available as an option, where would you like to potential new home. see the arena located? I sincerely appreciate everybody taking the time to fill out this lengthy Location Total Votes % of Votes survey and I hope you find the results as enlightening as I did when I collected them over the weekend. Lansdowne/TD Place

Here is a detailed breakdown of all 40 questions we asked on the survey, 508 with analysis and context provided for each answer. 38.4 1. In an ideal world, if there were no restrictions or obstacles, where you would like to see Ottawa’s new arena located? Hurdman Station

Location Total Votes % of Votes 289

Lebreton 21.8

1,016 Current baseball stadium

76.6 252

Lansdowne/TD Place 19

119 Kanata

9.0 139

Kanata 10.5

71 Another parcel of land

5.4 110

Current baseball stadium 8.3

48 Gatineau

3.6 25

Hurdman Station 1.9

46 I think this survey result surprised me the most, as nearly 40 percent of you said your preference would for the Senators’ new arena to be located 3.5 at Lansdowne/TD Place if LeBreton is no longer in the mix. Logistically speaking, I think it would be very difficult to bring 17,000 people in and Another parcel of land out of that tight area on a nightly basis in the winter, especially when you 21 consider there is no train station in the vicinity. You could have express buses running from various LRT stops around the city, but not having the 1.6 arena directly accessible by train seems like a missed opportunity.

Gatineau Two spots in the east end of the city received significant support, including the Hurdman train station site and the current Ottawa ballpark. 5 Some of you also suggested using the RCMP land across the street from 0.4 the ballpark as a potential home for a new arena. Only 10 percent of respondents said they would prefer to keep the arena in Kanata, while This was as close to a lopsided vote as I saw in this entire survey. More only a tiny fraction of fans were on board with the idea of relocating to than 1,000 of you who participated in this exercise said you would like to Gatineau. Those two concepts were the ones Melnyk highlighted when see the Senators’ new arena at LeBreton Flats. This illustrates how he made a podcast appearance with Bob McCown three months ago, but difficult it can be to put the genie back in the bottle once an idea is in the they appear to have the least support of the options right now. public realm. For years, fans were told to dream about the idea of an NHL arena at LeBreton Flats, only to have the entire project go off the 3. If the new arena ends up being built in Kanata, how disappointed rails. But it’s clear, the overwhelming majority of fans are still salivating would you be? (1 – Not disappointed at all, while 5 represents very over the idea of a downtown arena location at the Pimisi LRT stop on that disappointed.) parcel of land just west of Parliament Hill. So let’s take this concept a little further and find out how upset fans We can still hold out a slim hope this comes to fruition, as the National would be if the Senators remained in their suburban home in the west Capital Commission — the government agency tasked with developing end for the foreseeable future. Almost half of you opted to say you would be the most upset if this transpired, voicing your displeasure with the idea 1.3 of staying in Kanata. When you factor in that more than 20 percent also selected Option 4 — it shows that approximately two-thirds of all survey The results from this question were interesting, as three options garnered takers don’t want to see this happen. significant votes. The two extremes were essentially crossed off the list, with hardly anybody choosing a rink that held fewer than 15,000 fans or Just over 10 percent said they wouldn’t mind staying in Kanata at all, with more than 20,000 spectators. many west-end voters likely accounting for this number. Those fans who live in Kanata, Stittsville and that region of the city have often expressed That brings us closer to the realm of what we currently have at Canadian happiness with games in their backyard, saying it would be more Tire Centre, which can hold 19,153 fans — although that number has inconvenient for them to travel downtown for weeknight games. fluctuated over the years. Based on these results, an arena holding around 17,500 might be the sweet spot where fans won’t complain too 4. If the new arena ends up being built in Gatineau, how disappointed much one way or another. would you be? (1 – Not disappointed at all, while 5 represents very disappointed.) 7. How many levels of seating would you like to see in the new arena? (Current building has three levels: 100, 200 and 300.) The number of unhappy fans jumps even higher when we discuss the idea of moving the Senators arena to Gatineau. The number of fans who Number of levels Total Votes % of Votes selected the least happy option is close to 60 percent, while only 5 Three levels percent indicated they wouldn’t have an issue with this turn of events. 817 The idea of Gatineau was floated by the owner to suggest he has more options than we might think, but it has always felt like moving to the 61.7 Quebec side of the river is a complete fantasy. Two levels 5. On a scale of 1-to-5, how important is it that the new arena is located 503 within walking distance of an O-Train or light rail stop? (1 – Not important, while 5 represents very important.) 38.3

Almost 90 percent of responders indicated that having an O-train stop One level close to the new arena is important, with more than 60 percent of fans choosing the most important option. Taking public transportation to the 0 is almost a non-starter for most fans, as they 0 complain about the lack of options available on the 400-route on weeknights. The majority of fans would prefer to drive their own vehicles The majority of fans would like to see the same setup from Canadian Tire to the games in Kanata rather than deal with the frigid temperatures Centre brought to the new arena, so it could feature a 100, 200 and 300 waiting for a postgame bus to take them back to the heart of the city. level to the arena. And I think if you’ve ever had a chance to speak to fans who have sat in all the sections at Canadian Tire Centre, they’ll tell But as it stands right now, the train service doesn’t have a stellar you that the 200 level is the best place to watch a hockey game. reputation. With its constant mechanical issues and service disruptions, the O-Train has become more of a punchline than a rail line in this city. 8. How satisfied are you with the current sightlines for watching hockey But the hope is that by the time the Senators move into a new home, the games at the Canadian Tire Centre? train issues will have been resolved and hockey fans will have access to frequent and reliable rail service to home games. And based on these The original designers of the Canadian Tire Centre — Rosetti Architects survey results, the overwhelming majority of fans would like to be able to from Detroit — should be very proud to see these poll results. More than walk from a train station to the rink. 25 years after it hosted its first hockey game, the vast majority of fans still appear very satisfied with the sightlines for watching a hockey game in 6. What should the ideal seating capacity be for the new arena? this arena. This is certainly something the new architects should consider when designing the new arena, as fans would probably appreciate a Ideal Seating Capacity Total Votes % of Votes similar steepness to the seats and feeling inside the arena bowl. 17,000 - 18,000 9. What colour scheme would you like to see with the seats? 446 Options Total Votes % of Votes 33.6 Colour scheme doesn't matter 18,000 - 19,000 580 269 43.9 20.3 Combo of red, black & gold 16,000 - 17,000 540 255 40.9 19.2 All red seats 15,000 - 16,000 110 145 8.3 10.9 All black seats 19,000 - 20,000 83 121 6.3 9.1 All gold seats More than 20,000 8 73 0.6 5.5 This one was essentially split between indifference (43 percent) — and Under 15,000 wanting a colourful scheme that incorporates the Senators main team colours (41 percent). In an ideal world, we won’t be seeing the colours of 17 the seats on a regular basis if the arena is filled to capacity, but it does 12. When teams like Toronto or Montreal come to town, would you be in allow us to paint a mental picture of what the new arena could look like favour of establishing a “visitor” or “away” section that would put their when the seats are installed. fans in a separate area?

10. How many social areas (with a viewing platform) would you like to Answer Total Votes % of Votes see where people could mingle and chat casually while watching the hockey game? Yes

Number of platforms Total Votes % of Votes 601

Two 45.4

433 No

32.8 461

Four or more 34.8

391 Completely indifferent

29.6 263

Three 19.8

326 The results of this question also surprised me, as almost half of you suggested you’d be in favour of exploring this idea to put rival fans in 24.7 their own sections. We have seen this idea overseas in soccer, so it’s not a totally new concept. But this says to me that Ottawa fans are tired of One being involved in heated interactions inside their own arena with visiting 98 fans.

7.4 To create a visitor or “away” section, you would likely need to block off an entire block of seats when teams like Montreal and Toronto come to Zero town. That could also happen when Boston, Vancouver or Chicago visit — basically any team with a large fan base. This would probably require 74 some Senators season ticket holders to move their seats for a handful of 5.6 games, but if they’re willing to accommodate this, it certainly seems like something many Ottawa fans could support. We can work on the This question returned some interesting results, especially when you logistical details down the road, but it’s clear there is a healthy appetite consider almost 30 percent of you said you would like to see four or more for an idea of this nature. viewing and social platforms inside the new arena. It’s clear from this survey that fans are clamouring for some wide and open spaces to 13. Would you like to see an entertainment platform or stage where mingle and casually watch the game — similar to the experience they musical acts could perform during intermissions? have at RedBlacks games at TD Place. Answer Total Votes % of Votes For some fans, they would only want to take advantage of these spaces Yes during the pregame and intermission, returning to their seats while the game is taking place on the ice. Other fans may prefer to spend the 658 majority of the game in a social environment, with the game almost serving as a secondary backdrop. The price points for these areas would 49.7 be interesting, if you are only restricted to a viewing platform. It would Completely indifferent almost be like a traditional standing room only ticket — but with more space to move around and socialize. 411

11. Would you like to see a dedicated fan or cheering section in the new 31 arena, where fans are encouraged to sing, chant and constantly make noise during the game? No

Answer Total Votes % of Votes 256

Yes 19.3

583 This one also essentially saw a 50-50 split with fans, with half of you wanting to see a dedicated entertainment platform or stage for musical 44.1 acts. But the other half of fans were either against the idea or completely indifferent about it. The Senators have used an idea like this over the Completely indifferent past couple of seasons, carving out spots for DJ Prosper or the Missing 557 Chiclets to perform fr0m an open area in the 200 level.

42.2 14. What size would you like the new video scoreboard to be at centre ice? No Options Total Votes % of Votes 181 A little larger than current one 13.7 627 This was one of the rare questions where the answers were almost evenly split down the middle, with fans split toward wanting this area and 47.3 being indifferent to the idea. They have tried this idea at the Canadian A lot larger than the current one Tire Centre with the Sens Supporter area in Section 312. Fans in that section have been told they can bring drums, make noise and stay 379 standing throughout the entire game. It’s had mixed results, but if they could create a permanent section inside the new arena, perhaps they 28.6 could create a new longstanding tradition. Completely indifferent about the size 172 226

13 17.1

Somewhat comparable to current size Twice as many restrooms as CTC

147 161

11.1 12.2

After looking at the results from this answer, most of you would like to Once again, the original architects of the Canadian Tire Centre should see a bigger video scoreboard in the new arena compared to the current take a bow, because it doesn’t appear as though fans have a major issue one at Canadian Tire Centre. But this doesn’t seem to be a major with the number of restrooms inside the current arena. More than half of concern for fans, as most people voted for the option to have something you said you’d like to see 25 percent more restrooms in the new arena — slightly bigger than the current scoreboard. but that doesn’t seem to indicate a major issue with the current situation.

15. What is your level of interest in a similar setup to Club Bell — a 18. How important is it to you that the sinks and faucets in the arena luxury, high-end experience with dining and ability to watch games? (1 – have warm water coming out? (1 – Not important at all, while 5 Not interested at all, while 5 represents very interested.) represents very important.)

The Senators have had their high-end Club Bell experience for six OK, I will admit I sort of put this question in as a joke, considering how seasons behind the visitor’s goal in the 100 level. It includes valet parking many of you complain about the icy cold water that comes out of the service, a buffet dinner and premium seats located with access to a full- faucets inside the restrooms at Canadian Tire Centre. But when push service bar and private washrooms that cannot be accessed by fans in comes to shove, this doesn’t actually appear to be a major issue for you the regular seats. Based on the voting here, however, it doesn’t seem many of you. like this concept excites a lot of fans when it comes to the new arena. Ironically, a lot of companies were enticed to purchase Club Bell suites 19. Should all of the restrooms/washrooms have flat-screen TVs inside and tickets at Canadian Tire Centre with the promise they would have so fans don’t miss any of the action? first rights to purchase seats under a similar setup at the new arena. Options Total Votes % of Votes

16. How many individual luxury boxes/private suites would you like to see Yes in the new arena? (Canadian Tire Centre currently has 139 private suites on multiple levels.) 1,008

How many luxury suites Total Votes % of Votes 76.1

75-100 Completely indifferent

552 204

42 15.4

More than 100 No

340 113

25.9 8.5

50-75 This one was pretty close to a landslide in favour of having flat-screen TVs inside the restrooms. 247 20. How important is it to you that the new arena has a really strong and 18.8 free Wi-Fi connection for fans? (1 – Not very important, while 5 25-50 represents very important.)

124 This one probably matters a bit more to younger fans, who are more likely to have their phones out with them during the game. The Wi-Fi 9.4 signal inside Canadian Tire Centre can be a little inconsistent and spotty, but that’s often the case at many major event centres. Fewer than 25 21. How important would it be to have several charging stations available 50 throughout the arena for fans to charge their phones? (1 – not very 3.8 important, while 5 is very important.)

I think one thing you’ll see drastically reduced in the new arena is the Based on this answer, the majority of fans have little desire to see many number of luxury or private boxes. The Canadian Tire Centre has them charging stations for their phones. on all levels — including some luxury suites in the 400 level at the very 22. How many major souvenir stores or stands should the new arena top of the venue. This number could very well be cut in half from its have? current number of 139. Number of souvenir stores Total Votes % of Votes 17. Based on the current restroom/washroom situation at Canadian Tire Centre, what would you like to see in the new arena? Two stores

Options Total Votes % of Votes 486

25 percent more restrooms than CTC 36.9

668 Three stores

50.5 437

50 percent more restrooms than CTC 33.2

268 Four or more stores

20.3 306

Around same number of restrooms as CTC 23.2 One store Fine with whatever option keeps beer cheapest

89 331

6.8 25

The current setup at Canadian Tire Centre has the main souvenir store Not a beer drinker so this doesn't affect me located at the main entrance, with another big spot to purchase items on the concourse of the 100 level. Based on these answers, fans would like 159 to have access to multiple souvenir stores with almost a quarter of you 12 suggesting you want to see at least four stores inside the arena. Fine with same beer options as CTC 23.What shape would you like to see for the new arena? 67 Options Total Votes % of Votes 5.1 Completely indifferent Ottawa has an amazing craft and microbrewery scene and the majority of 589 fans would like to see that reflected in their options inside the arena. The 44.6 tricky thing is that NHL arenas grant pouring rights within their venues, which usually allows exclusivity for beer giants like Molson and Unique shape Budweiser. Ideally, there would be an opportunity for smaller brewers to work their way inside the arena, but the big breweries don’t want to pay a 443 hefty tab for pouring rights only to allow microbreweries to come in for a 33.5 fraction of the price. Perhaps a compromise could be struck where there could be one beer garden inside the arena, that is dedicated to local Circular shape breweries who have to pay a premium to Molson for the rights to serve at Sens games. There is some red tape to work around, but just as with the 147 outdoor food truck question above, it’s clear that fans would like to see 11.1 this in some capacity.

Rectangular or boxed shape 26. How many restaurants/bars would you like to see located inside the arena that can be accessed by any fan? (CTC currently has Bert’s Bar, 143 Club Red, Chek Point and Molson Canadian Brew Pub.)

10.8 Number of restaurants/bars Total Votes % of Votes

One thing is pretty clear from this question: A lot of you don’t particularly Four care about the external look of the new arena. Almost half of you noted indifference here, which indicates the shape and look of the new arena 514 doesn’t really matter. There is some appetite for a uniquely shaped arena 39 — something that doesn’t necessarily conform to a traditional square or oval shape. Five or more

24. Would you like to see food vendors — hot dog stands, food trucks, 472 etc. — set up on the pavilion outside the main entrance before and after Sens games? 35.8

Option Total Votes % of Votes Three

Yes 262

1,139 19.9

86.1 Two

Completely indifferent 71

158 5.4

11.9 Almost three-quarters of fans would like to see at least four main restaurants/bars inside the new arena. Depending on the number of No restaurant options available to fans outside the arena, this could be a crucial element to the new rink. If the Sens end up building their new 28 arena on the same plot of land as Canadian Tire Centre, they are going 2 to need several good restaurant options inside the venue. If they end up with a downtown location with outside options, this becomes less This was the single most lopsided question in this entire poll, with only 2 important. percent of responders indicating they were against this idea. The overwhelming majority of you want to see a setup where fans can have a 27. What concession items/stands from Canadian Tire Centre are you choice from a variety of food options on their way into the rink. There are hoping they put inside the new arena? (Check as many as you would like some obvious challenges associated with this concept, including bitterly to see.) cold weather that may not be conducive to food trucks in the middle of Concession/Food Item Total Votes Received % of Voters winter. And vendors and restaurants who pay a premium price for a location inside the arena may not want to be undercut by cheaper options Golden Palace Egg Rolls outside the door. But it’s clear this idea would be embraced by a large number of fans. 835

25. What would you like the beer situation to be at the new arena? 66

Option Total Votes % of Votes Smoke's Poutine

Work with local breweries for unique options 834

766 65.9

57.9 Fatboy's Pulled Pork Sandwiches 722 29. Would you be interested in season ticket packages at the new arena that included basic concessions — hot dogs, chips and soft drinks — as 57.1 part of the deal?

Farm Boy Fresh Zone Options Total Votes % of Votes

677 Yes

53.5 555

Tim Horton's 42.3

659 No

52.1 492

Pizza Pizza 37.5

555 Not interested in season tickets

43.9 266

I was surprised that not a single item or food stand received 70 percent 20.3 approval rate on this question. People always rave about the Golden Palace egg rolls that can be purchased inside Canadian Tire Centre, but Last year the San Francisco 49ers became the first major sports team in it certainly wasn’t the runaway leader in this category. Ottawa has some North America to offer concession items and non-alcoholic beverages as great local pizza places like Gabriel and Milano and based on the part of their season ticket plan. It included 15 food items — like chicken somewhat cool reception to Pizza Pizza in this survey, I would suspect tenders, hot dogs and nachos — as well as a wide array of soft drinks. many would like to see a switch at the new arena. The 49ers went down this route citing numerous fan surveys suggesting this is what their season ticket holders wanted. Based on this survey, 28. What new food items would you like to see more prominently on the there would certainly be a significant portion of Sens fans interested in a menu at the concession stands inside the new arena? (Click as many as similar set up for season ticket holders. you would like to see.) 30. How comfortable would you be with Artificial Intelligence handling a Concession/Food Item Total Votes % of Votes lot of the consumer interactions at the new arena? (Ticket taking, BeaverTails ordering food, etc, handled by computers/robots instead of human workers.) (1 – not very comfortable, while 5 represents very comfortable.) 819 I think a lot of stadiums and venues of the future will be built with this 66.1 type of technology in mind. Based on these results, it doesn’t seem like too many Sens fans would have an issue if some of their guest Mini burgers/Sliders interactions took place with an automated server rather than a human. 745 31. Check all of the surrounding amenities you would like to see within 60.1 walking distance of the new arena.

Gourmet Tacos Amenity Total Votes % of Votes

731 Restaurant/Bars

59 1,278

Grilled Cheese Sandwiches 97.7

532 Hotels

42.9 953

Mini Donuts 72.9

447 Underground Parking

36.1 948

Corn Dogs 72.5

376 Green space/Park Benches

30.3 835

Churros 63.8

333 Above Ground Parking

26.9 704

Sushi 53.8

333 Outdoor Skating Rink

26.9 700

A lot of fans would like to see BeaverTails and sliders available at the 53.5 new arena, while sushi hardly received any support. I did find it Retail Shopping interesting that many of you suggested to me in the comments section that you’d like to see some signature, over-the-top concession items that 666 have become staples at various ballparks around North America. 50.9

Indoor Skating Rink 462 wins the Stanley Cup. If — and hopefully when — Alfredsson is inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame, it would bolster the argument for his 35.3 likeness to be featured in some fashion outside of the new arena.

Condos/Apartments 34. Where would you like the Sens ‘Ring of Honour’ to be located in the 462 new arena?

35.3 Option for Ring of Honour Total Votes % of Votes

Movie Theatre Keep at the top of arena bowl like CTC

341 600

26.1 46

Convention Centre Space Put in concourse/main hallway

296 466

22.6 35.7

Office Space Put it outside of arena

247 171

18.9 13.1

New Public Library Get rid of Ring of Honour completely

222 67

17.1 5.1

Aquarium The Ring of Honour has really taken a back seat in recent years, with only Bryan Murray enshrined. At some point, it would be great to see 211 people like Jacques Martin, Jason Spezza, Craig Anderson and Bruce Firestone get recognized for their contributions in helping build this 16.1 franchise. A lot of you would like to see the Ring of Honour remain in a Three amenities received significant support in this survey, led by similar spot inside the arena bowl, while a healthy number of responders restaurants and bars by a whopping margin. There is also a lot of interest were on board with the idea of it being moved to the main concourse. in hotel rooms and underground parking — both of which are not options One thing seems clear from this survey: Fans want to keep the Ring of currently available at Canadian Tire Centre. The rest of the items Honour in the new arena. received lukewarm responses. And my dream of an aquarium adjacent to 35. Would you like to see the Ottawa Sports Hall of Fame relocated the new arena didn’t receive much support at all. inside the main concourse or hallway of the Senators’ new arena? 32. How important would it be to have bike racks outside the new arena Option Total Votes % of Votes — where fans could lock up their bikes if they came to watch an event? (1 is not very important, while 5 represents very important.) Yes

I did receive some snarky responses to this question being included, but 606 more than half of those who responded indicated there is some degree of importance to having bike racks. There is probably a window from 46.2 December to February where people wouldn’t want to ride a bike in Completely indifferent Ottawa, but lots of people brave the elements outside of that window. It was also brought to my attention that some part-time, casual employees 548 — such as ushers, concession vendors and security workers — may like the option of riding their bikes into work to save money on transportation 41.8 costs. No

33. Would you like to see a Senators-themed statue outside of the main 158 entrance for the new arena? 12 Option for Statue Total Votes % of Votes The Ottawa Sports Hall of Fame currently resides inside the City Hall Daniel Alfredsson building on Laurier and Elgin. It certainly isn’t located in a spot that 504 garners a lot of pedestrian traffic. Moving it to the main concourse of the arena would certainly elevate the profile of the Ottawa Sports Hall of 38.4 Fame, but this survey doesn’t seem to indicate a tidal wave of support for the idea. Wait until Sens win the Stanley Cup 36. Which of the following games/activities would you like to see inside 502 the arena concourse?

38.3 Game/Activity Total Votes % of Votes

Bryan Murray Test speed of your slapshot

167 807

12.7 63.8

Commemorate previous Ottawa Stanley Cups Test accuracy of your slapshot

138 784

10.5 61.8

This one was almost evenly split between seeing a Daniel Alfredsson Photo opportunities with unique backdrops statue erected outside the main entrance and waiting until the franchise 687 40. Are there any features or elements you would like to see in Ottawa’s new arena that were not covered in the questions above? 54.2 I tried to make this a comprehensive survey, but I always want to leave Bubble hockey game room for things that may have been unintentionally omitted. And more 516 than 300 of you took the time to write additional comments. I certainly don’t have the ability to post all of the feedback, but I wanted to end this 40.7 exercise by allowing you to voice your opinion on some things that weren’t discussed in the space above. Video games So here is a sampling of comments that seemed to have some traction 361 with many of you: 28.5 • Entrance for fans to watch players walk from changing room to the rink Bouncy castle/inflatable slides for kids like they have in other cities. Nashville and Toronto I believe walk in front of their fans on their way to the ice. 303 • Some extra area before getting to the metal detectors so we are not 23.9 freezing while waiting outside.

I don't want to see any of this • Environmental factors: things that lessen a carbon footprint, using renewable energy for the building, Electric vehicle charging stations, etc. 265 • Drink holders at all seats, not just the expensive club seats. 21.2 • Something respectful to Indigenous people in its design. If you attend an Ottawa 67’s game at the arena at TD Place, you know they have giant inflatable slides and activities for younger children. • It would be cool to have video kiosks for fans to record short clips that However, it doesn’t seem like too many fans want that option at Senators could be played on the JumboTron. Messages to players, calls to action games — likely because the price point of entering the venue suggests for fans, shout outs, etc. Could be a great way to create fan content. It that people would rather watch the action on the ice than let their kids would work well in a similar format to those NFL kiosks that put you in a play. There is some interest in having some interactive hockey stations photo with your favourite players. where fans could shoot pucks, but that seems about the extent of the interest in this area. • I would like to see much wider and open walkways, foyers within the building. 37. What would your feelings be — on a scale of 1-to-5 — if there was a sportsbook window or a betting kiosk located inside the new Sens arena? • It would be great if either parking or transportation cost could be built (1 – would hate the idea, while 5 represents would love the idea.) into the price of the ticket.

I was genuinely curious about the results of this question, because we’re • Connection with local minor hockey communities. Maybe the arena clearly moving into an era where the line between sports and wagering is could feature updated versions of local communities jerseys hanging in being erased. Earlier this year, William Hill Sportsbook announced it was the concourse. opening inside in Washington, where gamblers will • Need a video screen facing outdoor square for watch parties like the have access to up to 20 betting windows and over a dozen self-serve Toronto Raptors’ Jurassic Park. kiosks to place wagers. This is likely the wave of the future inside sports venues in North America and based on these survey results, there • The arena should feature alcohol-free/family zones such as the Coke doesn’t seem to be too much reluctance to the idea here in Ottawa. Zero zone in the past. As well as sections just for adults to let loose without offending parents. 38. If the new arena is located downtown, what time would you like weeknight games to start? • Doesn’t necessarily have to be specific to the new building but I would love to have them start some sort of unique new tradition (such as the Start Time Total Votes % of Votes Cannon in CBJ) that would differentiate the brand — something that lets 7pm ET you know you’re at a Senators game.

948 The Athletic LOADED: 08.25.2021

72.3

7:30pm ET

361

27.7

If the new arena is located downtown, fans have spoken fairly loudly on this one: they would like to see 7 p.m. start times for weeknight games.

39. If the new arena is still located in Kanata, what time would you like weeknight games to start?

Start Time Total Votes % of Votes

7:30pm ET

733

56

7pm ET

577

44

This is a really interesting result, because if the Senators remain in Kanata, the preference switches significantly — with the majority now saying they would elect the 7:30 p.m. start times on weeknights. 1191501 Philadelphia Flyers Allison and Laczynski are among the players who will be battling for a spot with the Flyers. Allison appears to be a front-runner, and it would be surprising if he wasn’t on the team.

The Flyers’ development camp will include an intriguing 6-foot-7, 238- Here are the players who will be on the ice at development camp: pound defenseman | On the Fly Forwards: Allison, Jon-Randall Avon (camp invitee), Ethan Burroughs (camp invitee), , Elliot Desnoyers, Tyson Foerster, Frost, Owen McLaughlin, Connor McLennon, Isaac Ratcliffe, Nolan Ritchie Sam Carchidi7-8 minutes (camp invitee), Linus Sandin, Matthew Strome, Maksim Sushko, and Tuomaala.

Defensemen: Linus Högberg, Mason Millman, Ethan Samson, Quinn Starting Saturday, the Flyers will hold their five-day development camp in Schmiemann (camp invitee), van de Leest (camp invitee), Wyatte Wylie, Voorhees, and center Morgan Frost, defenseman Cam York, and right York, Egor Zamula, Brian Zanetti, and Cooper Zech. winger Wade Allison are some of the marquee prospects who will participate. Goalies: Ersson and Ustimenko.

But perhaps the most fascinating player in camp will be Jackson van de You’re signed up to get this newsletter in your inbox once a week during Leest, 20, a physical, undrafted defenseman who caught the eyes of the the offseason. If you like what you’re reading, tell your friends it’s free to Flyers scouts when he played for Calgary in the sign up here. I want to know what you think, what we should add, and last season. what you want to read, so send me feedback by email or on Twitter (@broadstbull). Thank you for reading. When you are 6-foot-7 and weigh 238 pounds, the scouts’ eyes tend to go in your direction. — Sam Carchidi ([email protected])

“He’s a late bloomer and it’ll be interesting to see how he does,” Brent Things to know Flahr, a Flyers assistant general manager, said the other day. “We’re intrigued, and we’ll see what we have here.” gets recognized on the streets of Philly because he’s a Flyer. But now, people just want to talk about his dog. Erin McCarthy has His size and improved play on the junior level earned him a camp invite. the story.

Van de Leest is “growing into his body,” Flahr said. “Early on, he was a Jay Greenberg, former Daily News hockey writer, author, and celebrated huge kid, but a little raw. Now, he’s significantly stronger and his mobility sports journalist, is remembered fondly by Gary Miles. has improved. It’s about teaching him the fundamentals and to be able to defend and move the puck against top players.” Flyers’ development camp will feature Wade Allison, Morgan Frost, Cam York. Also, the Flyers have a new equipment manager. In 21 games last season with Calgary, van de Leest had 12 points (three goals, nine assists) and a plus-6 rating. Henrik Lundqvist retires after a stellar career. In games against the Flyers, he was 35-19-5 with a 2.58 GAA and .914 save percentage. The Flyers will also have a seven-day rookie camp, led by first-year Phantoms coach Ian Laperriere, starting Sept. 15 in Voorhees. That will Cap crunch be followed by the main training camp, which will begin Sept. 22, also in With the signing of Sanheim ($4.675 million salary-cap hit), the Flyers are Voorhees. up against the $81.5 million cap. The new-look Flyers will open their season Oct. 15 against visiting If they carry just 22 players — most teams use 23 — they will have only Vancouver. $281,477 of cap space. The development camp will have players divided by positions, and they That cap number is based on Allison, Frost, and Samuel Morin earning will work on their different skills. It will end with a three-on-three roster spots, and Laczynski not making the team. Laczynski ($925,000 tournament Sept. 1. Saturday’s opening session will be off the ice. cap hit) could win a spot over Frost ($863,333). The rookie camp is more drill-oriented and will have a couple of Important dates exhibitions against the New York Rangers’ first-year players. Saturday through Sept. 1: Flyers development camp in Voorhees. Most of the prospects who are in college or playing in Europe will not be able to participate in the camps, which are starting later than usual. Sept. 15: Rookie camp opens in Voorhees.

Because of COVID-19 concerns, the fans probably won’t be allowed to Sept. 22: The start of training camp in Voorhees. attend the camps, though that decision has not been finalized. Sept. 28: Flyers start their preseason schedule by facing the New York Flahr said last week Samu Tuomaala, a second-round draft pick last Islanders at the Wells Fargo Center. month — he was the Flyers’ highest selection because they traded their first-round choice to Buffalo in the Rasmus Ristolainen deal — might not Oct. 15: Flyers open the regular season by hosting Vancouver. be able to be at development camp because of a tournament conflict in From the mailbag Europe. But on Tuesday he confirmed that the speedy right winger will be at the camp, thus giving him a chance to get acclimated to the Comment: Nolan Patrick was a complete bust and disappointment. I give organization. credit for utilizing him in a deal that gave us a legit good player (Nashville’s Ryan Ellis). But it’s still hard to swallow missing on The goalies at development camp will be Samuel Ersson and Kirill that pick. I don’t wish him well as a clear portion of his issues in Ustimenko. Because Felix Sandstrom is beyond his entry-level contract, Philadelphia involved motivational issues. — Billy O. (@BillBanditt) via he won’t be at development camp but might be involved in rookie camp, Twitter Flahr said. Response: Thanks for the comment, Bill. Patrick was very inconsistent in Flahr said promising right winger Zayde Wisdom, who recently had his time here — rarely looking worthy of being a No. 2 overall draft pick shoulder surgery, will be at the practice facility during the camps but — and it’s difficult to ascertain how much was because of his migraine won’t be on the ice. issues and how much was because he wasn’t comfortable in Philly. It’s , a center/winger who had hip surgery in the offseason, probably a little of both. Patrick, who was quickly dealt from Nashville to won’t be available for the development camp but might be ready for Vegas for Cody Glass, recently told the Las Vegas Sun a “fresh start was rookie camp. “We’re not going to push it, though, if he needs a little more the best thing for me.” time,” Flahr said about the former Ohio State star. “But he’ll be ready for If that becomes true, it’s a win for all the teams involved in the trades. the main camp.” Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 08.25.2021 1191502 Philadelphia Flyers

NHL: Jimmy Hayes brother of Flyers winger Kevin Hayes dies

Staff and wire reports2-3 minutes 8/24/2021

MILTON, Mass. — Jimmy Hayes, who won a national hockey championship at Boston College and played seven seasons in the NHL, has died. He was 31.

Hayes was the older brother of Flyers center Kevin Hayes.

"We are heartbroken by the tragic news of Jimmy Hayes' passing," the Flyers said in a statement on Twitter. "Our thoughts and prayers are with Kevin and the entire Hayes family."

A law enforcement official said medics on Monday were called to the Hayes home in the Boston suburbs, where he was pronounced dead. No other details were disclosed.

Hayes, a 6-foot-5 right wing, was drafted in the second round (60th overall) in 2008 by the Toronto Maple Leafs. Two years later, he helped Boston College to its second straight national title, totaling 13 goals and 22 assists in 42 games as a sophomore. He made his NHL debut in December 2011 after a trade to the Chicago Blackhawks.

“His warm personality made an immediate impact in the locker room and with our fans,” the Blackhawks said in a statement. “We’re proud of the memories he made in Chicago.”

Boston College said on Twitter it is "heartbroken" over the death.

Jimmy Hayes played 334 games in the NHL and had 54 goals and 55 assists. He also played for the Florida Panthers, Boston Bruins and New Jersey Devils.

He last played professionally in 2019 and had been a cohost of a podcast called “Missin Curfew.”

Hayes was born in Dorchester, Massachusetts. In addition to his wife and children, Hayes is survived by four siblings and his parents, Shelagh and Kevin Hayes Sr.

Delaware County Times LOADED: 08.25.2021 1191503 Pittsburgh Penguins That doesn’t mean Hextall is on his hands–it likely means we haven’t fished in the right ponds.

But the Penguins currently lack a right-side defenseman who has proven Kingerski: Comparing Hextall to Rutherford, Roster Needs, & Physicality everyday capability. They haven’t added much offense after losing Jared McCann (unless Danton Heinen has a career year), and who is the fourth center if Evgeni Malkin misses time?

By Dan Kingerski6-7 minutes 8/24/2021 There is no more offense to add via the free-agent market. It’s bone dry in that area.

What about the extra center? Perhaps it is Heinen. Or 29-year-old It’s later August, the temperatures for most of our readers will be in the Michael Chaput, who signed a two-way deal on July 29. Chaput hasn’t 90s (that’s about 33 degrees Celcius for our Canadian and Swedish scored an NHL point since five assists with the Montreal Canadiens in friends who flock to Pittsburgh Hockey Now), while the NHL trade market 2018-19 but did play 15 games over the last two seasons for Rick has gone cold and the Pittsburgh Penguins issues are simmering on the Tocchet in Arizona. back burner with training camp just a few weeks away. So, who is the extra center if/when any of the Penguins pivots suffers an Call me impatient, but the lack of movement on issues and the NHL trade injury? Given the Penguins’ infatuation with the injury bug, “when” is the market surprises me. The slowdown has been league-wide. It’s also why, more appropriate question. And having a capable fill-in seems to be even now, former Penguins GM Jim Rutherford doesn’t receive imperative. Heinen or Chaput will have to be the second coming of wholesale criticism. One of our final headlines before Rutherford’s Frederick Gaudreau. surprise resignation last January, was “Is Rutherford Saving Cap Space for Impact Trade?” Or the Penguins need to add that to the shopping list.

You knew he was always up to something. Tick tock.

In addition to a pair of Stanley Cups, of course, Rutherford connected 3. Penguins fans are right to wonder with that armchair GM in all of us and stirred the NHL trade market like grandma trying to find just the right balance of the spices in the chicken Bigger, tougher, physicality…what happened? soup before Sunday dinner. 4. Brian Burke? (That was my Grandmother. Maybe yours made meatballs?) You can still participate in the PHN reader poll here. Rutherford kept us hopping. Or hoping. The next tinker, fix, change, was I won’t spoil the results, but there was a significant change throughout right around the corner. We don’t need to revisit the trade record right the day on Monday, especially regarding Ron Hextall’s offseason now, but it was always a wild ride. performance. I’ll publish the final results tomorrow, but strap yourselves 1. Penguins GM CONTRAST in. That’s going to be the fanbase fight this season.

Sit down for this one. Hextall definitely has the unenviable task of presiding over the final phase of the Penguins Crosby-era dynasty. He is a competent GM with a In GM Ron Hextall’s introductory press conference, he was (perhaps) a good eye for young talent. Director of Player Personnel Chris Pryor is an little taken aback by the tone of our questions on one matter–his important part of that process, too. conservative approach, especially on the NHL trade market. I think I share your surprise with the relative quietness of Brian Burke. “I’m not a one-trick pony,” he said. He’s not a guy who shies away from a microphone or bold moves. His role wasn’t fully defined publicly, but he said Hextall was the GM and As Philadelphia Flyers GM between 2014-2018, the only first-round pick would be in charge of building the team. Hextall traded was to move back four spots in the 2016 first round. He added a second-round pick in the process. He traded down with Though Hextall reports to Burke. Winnipeg from No. 18 to 22. How patient will Burke be if the Pittsburgh Penguins offseason concludes Otherwise, Hextall has acquired a few first-round picks in his GM’ing, without addressing the above matters? Might he give Hextall a little including getting one for accepting defenseman Radko Gudas in nudge? exchange for Braydon Coburn. And he picked up two first-rounders with Jori Lehtera for Brayden Schenn in 2017 (one of those first-rounders was From what we know of both men from past jobs, it seems quite possible conditional). Burke might wait this out but light a little fire at mid-season pending the Penguins fortunes. That’s not a judgment or criticism. Going from division winner to out of the playoffs would be a BIG tumble Get this bit of contrast–As Flyers GM, Hextall made 14 trades in four and not look good unless significant changes for the future were years. However, in Jim Rutherford’s final 18 months on the job, from underway. June 15, 2019, to his his final deal in October 2020, Rutherford made 15 deals. In the same four years, Rutherford made 53 trades. Of all of the Penguins’ points of drama, that may be the most interesting one. Let those contrasts soak in for a moment. No judgment on right or wrong. That’s your first whistling slapshot past the Joffa clad mullet. The times Pittsburgh Hockey Now LOADED: 08.25.2021 they are a-changin’.

2. The current iteration of the Pittsburgh Penguins is surprisingly thin

We’re still unclear if the Pittsburgh Penguins offseason plans were derailed by the Crazy Eddy insane prices of July 28 or if it was always going to be the patient and steady approach.

Early season trades (except for the aforementioned Rutherford) are rare, so don’t expect Hextall to fling open the doors to the NHL trade market in October or November.

However, count me as surprised that the Penguins still have holes in the lineup in late August. To avoid divulging sources, we’ve chatted with several players and players’ camps. We haven’t yet found anyone to admit contact with the Penguins–and it’s entirely to their benefit to lie and say yes. So, we’re pretty sure they were truthful. 1191504 San Jose Sharks Just look at this beauty of a mask!! Great pads setup too by Emond! #SharksDevCamp @GoalieGearNerd pic.twitter.com/YkMbGmBoSJ— Mark E. (@markEmarkSJS) August 20, 2021

Six observations from the Sharks' prospect scrimmage We caught up with Zach Emond at #SharksDevCamp to learn more about the inspiration behind his new goalie mask.

"It's also a tribute to [Brian] Hayward's mask from the past - I wanted a BY NBC SPORTS BAY AREA STAFF modern look to it." pic.twitter.com/pu75rHWqGq— San Jose Sharks (@SanJoseSharks) August 18, 2021

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 08.25.2021 The 2021-22 NHL regular season still is nearly two months away, but the Sharks' future took a big step forward on Thursday night.

First-round draft pick William Eklund and many others took the ice for an important scrimmage as part of the Sharks' development camp. Here are six highlights that stood out.

Eklund gets on the board

The No. 7 overall pick in the 2021 NHL Draft scored the first goal of the Prospects Scrimmage, setting the tone for the night.

TIC-TAC-W AH!!!@Williameklund72 opens up the scoring in the Prospects Scrimmage with this beauty. pic.twitter.com/uKdngM7u38— San Jose Sharks (@SanJoseSharks) August 20, 2021

Sick shootout goal

Danil Guschin let his stick do all the talking with this absurd shootout goal.

A thing of beauty from Danil Gushchin#SJSharks pic.twitter.com/KsAewRyCwL— San Jose Hockey Now Podcast (@sjhockeynowpod) August 20, 2021

Montana Onyebuchi uses fists and stick

Onyebuchi opened eyes with his ability to be an intimidator and also get the puck in the back of the net.

Carson activates "heat seeking missile mode" and Onyebuchi decides to take him on #SJSharks pic.twitter.com/qnGJs0zEGj— San Jose Hockey Now Podcast (@sjhockeynowpod) August 20, 2021

Montana Onyebuchi gets the third consecutive goal for Team Ricci. Team White up 3-1 midway through the 2nd period. #SJSharks #SharksDevCamp pic.twitter.com/nR1mztxIvI— TEAL TOWN USA - A San Jose Sharks Podcast (@TEALTOWNUSA) August 20, 2021

Solid performance by Jasper Weatherby

The University of North Dakota prospect got on the board with a goal and an assist in the scrimmage.

Weatherby finds the loose puck and the 2-pt conversion from Team Ricci is good!!

Ricci Leads 8-1#SJSharks pic.twitter.com/2Zw0B7sb80— San Jose Hockey Now Podcast (@sjhockeynowpod) August 20, 2021

We see you Team Ricci

Artemi Kniazev buries it on a pass from @jasperweatherby. pic.twitter.com/Bvc0zLAWTY— San Jose Sharks (@SanJoseSharks) August 20, 2021

No-look Raska

Adam Raska buried home two goals, and didn't even need to look for his second score.

Raska scores off the rush giving Team Ricci a 5-1 lead early in the 3rd.#SJSharks pic.twitter.com/7oGi4UakhE— San Jose Hockey Now Podcast (@sjhockeynowpod) August 20, 2021

Raska goes no look backhand to score ANOTHER goal against Marchment#SJSharks pic.twitter.com/UNJlkji1rP— San Jose Hockey Now Podcast (@sjhockeynowpod) August 20, 2021

Emond's sweet artwork

Goalie Zachary Emond honored Brian Hayward with a sweet mask guarding in goal. 1191505 Seattle Kraken The study examined four years of spending patterns by patrons at the arena and the adjacent Westgate Entertainment District complex of shops, bars and restaurants during Coyotes home games vs. an average of 17 annual concerts held there. Arena deals for Kraken and Arizona Coyotes provide a lesson in public funding and economic impact And the findings released last week garnered plenty of attention.

Sarah Murley, a principal at Applied Economics, concluded that spending by concertgoers was “significantly greater than for Coyotes events” — By Geoff Baker $58 per person compared with $27. Murley attributed this to concerts being a “special event” for which attendees linger longer and are more

likely to stay overnight at nearby hotels. Eight years ago this summer, I was in Glendale, Arizona, watching city- The Coyotes’ longstanding problem has been that much of the ticket- council members there debate the future of the region’s NHL team and buying fan base lives in wealthy Scottsdale and other communities. Far- whether they should risk the Coyotes getting moved to Seattle. flung Glendale has no mass public transit, meaning hockey fans were At the time, New York investment banker Ray Bartoszek claimed he was often driving 45 minutes or more in rush-hour traffic to midweek games, poised to move the Coyotes overnight, with the NHL’s supposed grabbing a quick bite at the arena and then heading home immediately blessing, unless the council approved a new lease for the team at what’s after. now called Gila River Arena. Well, the council back then, as politicians The study found that even by jettisoning all 43 seasonal Coyotes home often do when pressured by sports teams and leagues, voted 4-3 to keep dates, the city could still generate as much tax revenue by adding 20 the Coyotes rather than call Bartoszek’s bluff to have them play more concerts of at least 10,000 fans apiece. temporarily at KeyArena while Seattle figured out how to build a better venue later. ”It’s certainly become apparent that not only could we survive,” Phelps said, “but that we’d actually be financially better off than being tethered to Still, given what has taken place the past week, we can say Seattle the 43 dates a year that we tie up in the arena.” emerged as the long-term winner from NHL events of that bizarre, tumultuous summer. Just reserving those dates, he added, required blocking off 200 nights annually until the NHL released its exact schedule. Now, with those dates Glendale initially lost millions on what became regarded as arguably the free, the city can more easily book concerts well in advance. worst arena lease deal in North American sports. Meanwhile, our city has not only since gained its own NHL team in the Kraken, but an all-private “The speculation in the media was that I was trying to increase our $1 billion-plus overhaul of KeyArena into what’s now Climate Pledge leverage to get them to sign a long-term lease deal,” Phelps said of Arena. cutting ties. “And that’s not the case. We have made the decision that what’s in our best interest is to be able to go more aggressively after So, unlike in 2013, there’s no need for additional arenas here. Not so in more impactful types of events.” Arizona, where Glendale informed the Coyotes last week it will terminate what has become a modified year-to-year lease and wants them gone And that’s the lesson Glendale and countless other municipalities learned from its publicly financed, city-owned arena by June 30, 2022. the hard way about fronting public money for professional sports teams and infrastructure. There almost always are things with greater “impact” The team has long sought public funding for a new arena in greater for local governments to invest in. Phoenix, where existing venues aren’t really suited to NHL play. There is, mind you, a relatively new, NHL-suitable arena that also emerged as a It’s a vastly different story here, where the Kraken — not the city — will Coyotes alternative back in 2013, only that one is 2,700 miles away. be the entity left holding the proverbial bag if the NHL product isn’t a resounding success. The Kraken’s owners and OVG development The Centre Videotron in Quebec City was being built back then — also partners have already spent $1.7 billion on the arena, the team and its with ample public funding — and finally opened in 2015 and, training center. unfortunately, has waited in vain for an NHL return ever since. In other words, quite unlike in Glendale, our local politicians designed this Anyway, that’s not our problem. While Glendale and Quebec City both arena deal so our NHL team has every motivation to stick around long took financial hits in the name of NHL love, our city got the equivalent of term to recoup its vast investment. And the city, with its guaranteed cut a billion-dollar arena paid for privately by the Oak View Group (OVG) soon to start flowing in, has zero incentive to let the Kraken leave. developer and its partners. The city also obtained revenue guarantees to avoid the yearly financial losses that plagued Glendale. Seattle Times LOADED: 08.25.2021 Still, in a funny twist — depending on your sense of humor — a Seattle native helped ignite Glendale’s push to finally end its Coyotes relationship. Kevin Phelps, a former Seattle businessman and former Pierce County deputy executive, was hired away in November 2015 to assume the key position as Glendale’s city manager.

His hiring came not long after the Seahawks played and lost a Super Bowl in Glendale to the in February 2015. Glendale, by then fatigued by the Coyotes saga, had started playing hardball with sports leagues and as a result almost all Super Bowl events that year were moved by the NFL to neighboring Phoenix.

By mid-2015, Glendale, citing a conflict of interest by a former city attorney hired by the Coyotes after the 2013 vote, terminated the massively unfavorable lease and reverted to the current yearly renewal that offers no guarantee the team will stay.

Faced with a primary tenant actively looking to leave and knowing even more public money will soon be needed for major arena infrastructure upgrades, Phelps commissioned an analysis by Phoenix-based consulting firm Applied Economics to determine exactly what the Coyotes generate in city tax revenue.

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“My responsibility is, if they do leave, what do I do with a fairly size-able (arena) asset?” Phelps told me this week. “And so we’ve been looking at this saying ‘How can we survive without hockey?’ “ 1191506 Tampa Bay Lightning Though Bryan didn’t play hockey, he rarely missed watching a Lightning game. His friends’ parents would often have tickets, and he’d make regular visits to in Tampa. They’d meet at his Davis Islands home and go from there, with Bryan telling them: “You can’t miss it. It’s ‘He sent you here’: How a surprise visit with the Stanley Cup delivered the house with the big Bolts sign out front.” joy amid sadness Bryan wore a blue Lightning quarter-zip shirt religiously. He’d tell his parents, his friends and anyone who would listen that they were going to win the Cup. His favorite player was Andrei Vasilevskiy, with Bryan in Joe Smith Aug 24, 2021 142 awe of the 6-foot-3 Russian goaltender’s flexibility. When Chris acquired a game-worn Vasilevskiy signed jersey (and stick) in an auction for $2,800, Bryan sneakily tried to grab it out of the closet and try it out. They had hockey’s holy grail sitting shotgun as they planned to visit their favorite pre-game spot, DI Coffee Bar. ESPN producers for “Quest for the “You’ve got to wear it,” he told his mother. “Not let it collect dust in the Cup” TV program had joined McDonagh for a trip there earlier in the closet.” playoffs, and felt this would be a perfect bookend for the behind-the- The only time Bryan wasn’t watching sports, he and his mother caught a scenes series. crime show or “60 Minutes.” He wanted to be a detective, which is why McDonagh brought his 4-year-old daughter Falan and Maroon’s 13-year- he studied criminology at USF. “He loved solving puzzles,” Luci says. old son Anthony joined them for the short ride on a beautiful Sunday “And helping people.” afternoon. The two veteran players wore black T-shirts, shorts and Girls at school considered Bryan a protector, like he was for his family. backward baseball caps and were mobbed and cheered by a crowd at On the field or court, he was the enforcer. the coffee bar. Their favorite barista, who often poured their pregame iced coffees, kissed the Cup. “It felt like nothing could happen to him,” Luci says.

“Tastes like beer,” she joked. He broke his arm once, he broke his leg. But they were always able to be repaired. The producers believed they got their shot. The players thought they were heading home. “Like Humpty Dumpty,” Luci says.

But Maroon’s son had an idea: He accidentally chopped part of his finger off. One day he dropped a weight bar on his face, knocking out some teeth. “Dad,” Anthony said. “We should stop at a random Bolts’ fan’s house and see their reaction.” “That’s probably why he liked hockey players,” Luci jokes.

Maroon and McDonagh looked at each other and said, “Let’s do it.” After months of quarantining due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Bryan planned to finally join his friends in South Tampa for a birthday party on And so off they went. When they cut through a side street and turned left June 5, 2020. They were going to a buddy’s house, then a few spots on on West Davis Boulevard, they spotted a home with a huge, blue “Go Howard Avenue. Bolts!” sign, with a Tampa Bay Buccaneers one right above it. “I won’t be gone long, mom,” Bryan said. As soon as they pulled into the driveaway of the Mediterranean-style, five-bedroom house, 10-year-old Charlie Pennington zipped up on his He spent several hours with friends and then Ubered to a buddy’s house, scooter. where he planned to spend the night, Luci says. But at around 2 a.m., Bryan decided to make the short drive home. It had been a rainy day, so “Hey guys, this is my house,” he said. Luci worried the roads were slick. “Your parents home?” McDonagh asked. “For some reason, he left,” Luci says. “Who knows why? I wish I did.” “Let’s knock on the door,” Maroon said. There’s a small bridge with a hill in Davis Islands called “Thrill Hill.” Luci Charlie’s father, Chris, a furniture store owner, had nodded off in the says Bryan was like a lot of kids who would take a quick drive over the foyer while looking at real estate on his iPad when he heard several bridge and curve around by the airport before coming home. pounds on the window. On this particular night, police say, Bryan was driving his silver SUV “Come on out, dad!” Maroon yelled. southbound on West Davis Boulevard at “excessive” speed when he crashed into a concrete bridge barrier on Thrill Hill. What happened next was a moment neither player will ever forget. The cops showed up at her door at 2 a.m. and Luci knew immediately it “My son must have got a sign somewhere, knowing that this is the house was going to be bad news. Their Goldendoodle, Annie, was barking. Luci we need to go to,” Maroon said. “If you believe in that stuff.” didn’t want to answer the door. Maybe if she ignored it, it wouldn’t be real. The Penningtons — Camille, 16, Chris, Charlie, 10, and Luci — in front of their Davis Islands home. (Joe Smith / The Athletic) But it was. Bryan was gone. He died at age 23, three blocks past his home. The Lightning sign has been out front of the Pennington’s home for a few years now. “You’re just in shock,” she says. “The worst moment of my life.”

And it was there mostly because of their oldest son, Bryan. Camille came down the stairs when she heard her mom open the door.

Bryan was 6 feet, 7 inches tall, a big kid with a larger-than-life “Mom, you can fix him,” Camille said. “You’ve always been able to.” personality. His appetite was legendary. He could crush two pizzas and a half-gallon of ice cream in 30 minutes. But his passion for sports was just “Sweetie,” her mother said. “This is past that. It’s too big.” as insatiable. He played football and at Plant High School in Charlie had stayed up, too. He was planning on playing video games with Tampa before moving on to the University of South Florida’s St. Bryan when his older brother got home. They were inseparable, always Petersburg campus. competing. Who could run faster? Who could do the most pushups? “I wouldn’t know anything about sports if it wasn’t for him,” says sister Bryan was so proud of his little brother, whose nickname is “Bolt” for how Camille, a 16-year-old Plant junior. “He turned on every single game that fast he is. Tampa was ever playing, no matter the sport. He’d sit there and scream When Bryan died, Charlie told his mother not to worry, that she’ll always at the TV — no one else could touch the remote. He’d jump up and down have a piece of Bryan because he “lives in me.” “You have a 2-for-1,” he and yell, ‘Let’s Go!’” said. “I know he doesn’t have a body anymore, but I’ll share mine with “I liked sports,” says mother Luci Pennington, a Delta flight attendant. him so we can do sports together.” “Bryan loved sports. He was a bigger fan than the four of us combined.” Last summer, Luci found out how. Charlie was picked for the Bayshore Little League All-Star team. He was an undersized underdog, not expected to play much, Luci says. He had two at-bats in the tournament. The first was a triple. The second one, Charlie pinch-hit. He wasn’t ready. He looked up at the sky, and saw a flash.

“I took that as a sign from my brother, ‘Let’s Go!’” Charlie told his mom.

Charlie hit the ball out of the park for the only homer of the All-Star tourney.

“Mom,” Charlie said. “It was Bryan.”

“I know,” Luci replied. “I can feel him sometimes too.”

Luci had just gotten back from a run down Bayshore Boulevard on that Sunday afternoon last month when she heard Annie bark.

Her husband, Chris, woke up to Maroon’s knocking on the glass. He greeted the players, then went to get Luci, who was back planting flowers in the garden. Her earbuds were still in from the run, her fingers covered in dirt. She came to the door and saw McDonagh holding the Stanley Cup.

She was happy. Then she got sad. Bryan would have loved this. She looked at Maroon, another big, charismatic figure. “I was like, ‘Wow, (Bryan) is here,” she said.

“Can I have a hug?” she asked Maroon.

Luci told Maroon, McDonagh and the ESPN crew the story. How Bryan, who died three months before Tampa Bay won the Cup in the Edmonton bubble, always believed.

“He told me you guys were going to win,” Luci told them. “So you have a little angel up there working for you. It makes me so happy.”

“I’m teary-eyed now,” Maroon says. “I’m glad we picked this house.”

The Penningtons had lived in McDonagh and Maroon’s neighborhood the past few years — literally a two-minute golf cart ride away. But this was the first time they had ever seen them, other than on TV.

“I think he sent you here,” Luci said. “Like a magnet.”

Maroon pulled his T-shirt around his eyes.

“It was a very special moment in my career,” Maroon recalled last week. “It’s not just about winning the Cup. It’s showing up to the house and seeing what that meant to her and meant a lot to her son, too. Those are the moments we live for as athletes.”

The players were only at the Pennington house for 5-10 minutes. They posed for a few photos. They chatted. They hugged. Chris said it was the most he’s ever seen Charlie smile. It was the only house the players visited that day.

“It caught me off guard,” McDonagh says. “But there’s something, an awe, about the Stanley Cup. It has a way of finding its way to people that maybe deserve to hold it or see it. No one wants to have someone go through what they had to go through, losing their son like that. To hear how much of a Bolts fan he was, it was just a meant-to-be kind of thing. To be in the same house he lived in, to have his parents and brother see it, and pass it along to him watching from above.”

Luci said she watched Lightning games this season just to feel close to Bryan. There are photos of him in most rooms of their house, with his mother keeping the large portrait from his memorial in the kitchen area. She plans to hang his criminology diploma, sent to the family posthumously in December.

“He always said, ‘Mom, I’ll finish,” she said.

The family got bombarded with messages after the ESPN clip aired in mid-July. “How’d you get them to come over?” “Do you know them?”

Luci admits she sounds weird saying it, but it was because of Bryan.

“It was very, very emotional,” Luci says. “I felt a connection with him through this experience. He was an over-the-top fan and would have wanted them to come to his house.

“I can’t see my son physically, but we’ll have this fun story to share when I do. It was just a dream. Like a wink from my son.”

The Athletic LOADED: 08.25.2021 1191507 Washington Capitals

Will the Caps' veterans avoid a drop-off?

BY J.J. REGAN & ANDREW GILLIS

Believe it or not, summer is winding down and it is time to think about the 2021-22 hockey season. Andrew Gillis and JJ Regan will discuss the biggest questions surrounding the Caps heading into the new season.

Today's topic: Will the Capitals' veterans avoid a drop-off?

Andrew: I think the basic, and simple answer, is that they cannot.

Alex Ovechkin, as talented as he is, will be 36 once the regular season begins. John Carlson will be 31. Nicklas Backstrom will be 34 one month into the season. T.J. Oshie will be 35 just before Christmas. They are great players, but age comes for us all.

The Capitals have long been able to avoid severe drop-offs due to talented shooting and goaltending ability, but at some point, age will catch up to the team’s top players — even the generational ones.

The way to mitigate that is to put some of their most talented players in advantageous positions on the ice, with players that can drive play. Anthony Mantha, who will be 27 at the season’s open, is a strong possession player and can be used on a line to play anywhere in the lineup. Daniel Sprong, still just 24, is a talented player that can benefit any line he plays on.

The simple answer is that the Capitals will need their veteran players to hang on for a few more years as useful players to a lineup — and there’s no indication they won’t be at least that. But in the meantime, they’ll need younger players to help them out on each line/defensive pairing.

There is generational talent on the Capitals’ roster, but it’s hard to imagine age won’t catch up to them in some way, shape or form this season.

JJ: Father Time is undefeated and the 2020-21 season was the first time we saw the dramatic impact of age on this roster, as Washington just could not stay healthy. In terms of production, however, all the top veterans were great again. The top three goal scorers and the top four leaders in points on the team were all over the age of 30.

There are reasons to think those players will remain productive. They remain the top players on the team so all of them should continue to get heavy workloads and ice time. There is not a younger generation taking over for Alex Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom, T.J. Oshie and John Carlson. Those four players are also four of the five players on the top power play unit. As long as that unit remains productive, those players will continue to rack up points.

But again, Father Time is undefeated.

It's not that I expect a dramatic drop-off in production from Ovechkin, Backstrom, Oshie and Carlson, it's just that I have a hard time believing that none of them will start to show their age.

Considering how incredible it is that Ovechkin is doing what he's doing at his age, what are the odds that three of his teammates are also able to defy the odds as long as he has?

In addition to the top players, is 33, Lars Eller is 32, Nic Dowd is 31, Justin Schultz is 31, Dmitry Orlov is 30, Nick Jensen is 30 and Michal Kempny is 30. Surely some of those players are going to start to look their age.

So while I do not expect the Caps' veterans to go from elite NHL playmakers to invalid over the course of a single offseason, I also do not expect the entire roster to remain impervious to age. Maybe it's injury, maybe it's production, but we are going to see some kind of a drop-off somewhere in the lineup.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 08.25.2021 1191508 Washington Capitals If Kempny still has it, the Caps’ defensive pairs might look something like this:

LEFT DEFENSE RIGHT DEFENSE How could the Capitals sort out their defense pairings? Dmitry Orlov

John Carlson By Tarik El-Bashir Aug 24, 2021 16 Martin Fehervary

Justin Schultz The biggest question facing the Washington Capitals at the moment is Michal Kempny the left side of the blue line. Nick Jensen As in, what’s it going to look like next season? Trevor van Riemsdyk To recap the situation: The order on the left side, of course, is subject to change. No. 4 defenseman Brenden Dillon was traded to help accommodate new contracts for Alex Ovechkin and Ilya Samsonov. Could Kempny end up with Carlson? It’s possible; after all, they’ve had success together in the past. Michal Kempny is set to return but hasn’t appeared in an NHL game in more than a year. Could Fehervary and Kempny swap spots? Sure. Laviolette and McCarthy might prefer Kempny with Schultz, giving the blue line an Martin Fehervary is a touted prospect but the 21-year-old has a total of experienced second pair. That, however, would pair an inexperienced six NHL games on his resume. Fehervary with a somewhat similar player in Jensen, who thrived last Unrestricted free agent Zdeno Chara is out there, however re-signing a season skating alongside 23-year-vet Chara. 44-year-old would seem to run counter to the team’s desire to get Indeed, there’s a lot for Laviolette and McCarthy to consider. But here’s younger. what we know already: chemistry is a funny thing but you know it when So, yeah, head coach and assistant Kevin McCarthy you see it. And it can’t be seen until the players are on the ice. have a lot to work through at the position, which could resemble a But what if Kempny doesn’t regain his form or is simply outplayed? science experiment in training camp next month as they mix and match players in search of three pairs that complement one another. Using the players currently under contract, a Kempny-less lineup might look something like this: Here’s a look at the depth chart a month before camp opens: LEFT DEFENSE RIGHT DEFENSE LEFT DEFENSE RIGHT DEFENSE Dmitry Orlov Dmitry Orlov John Carlson John Carlson Martin Fehervary Michal Kempny Justin Schultz Justin Schultz Trevor van Riemsdyk Martin Fehervary* Nick Jensen Nick Jensen Matt Irwin Matt Irwin** The thing to note here, obviously, is that van Riemsdyk, a right shot, has Trevor van Riesmdyk been moved to the left. McCarthy is big on right shots playing on the right Alex Alexeyev* and left shots playing on the left. But having four NHL-caliber righties and a tight salary cap could dictate that he make an exception to his rule. * indicates waivers exempt Why van Riemsdyk? The internal thinking is that he’s probably the best candidate to play on his off-hand side because of his smarts, how well he ** indicates two-way contract sees the ice and that he’s done it in the past. He’s also on the record There’s obviously more depth on the right side, which could necessitate a saying he’s comfortable skating on either side. veteran like Trevor van Riemsdyk sliding over to the left. (More on that in What would happen to Kempny in this scenario? He’s due to count $2.5 a bit.) million against the cap and that’s probably too much for a player who’s A lot hinges on the health of Kempny, who has been beset by hamstring, not a regular in the lineup, particularly for a cap-strapped team like the Achilles tendon and knee injuries over the past two years and hasn’t Caps. They could attempt to trade the sixth-year veteran. They could suited up for an NHL game since Aug. 14, 2020. also put him on waivers and, if he clears, demote him to the AHL Hershey Bears and thus save $1.125 million against the cap. If Kempny regains his 2018 form it will quell some of the internal anxiety about the blue line. But that’s a big if right now. Two players to keep an eye on as things get sorted out ahead of opening night are Chara and Fehervary. There is optimism, though. The hamstring tear, which required surgery on April 2, 2019, has always been viewed as the biggest hurdle. It’s It’s believed Chara has received interest from teams and is taking his taken other NHLers two full years to get right after suffering similar tears. time figuring out what he wants to do. It’s also thought the Caps could It’s been 28 months for Kempny. It’s also important to note that Kempny have some interest in bringing him back — for the right role and at the was nearing a return when the Caps were eliminated by Boston in May right price. Before proceeding, though, the overarching question that and, per his social media, he’s been hard at work this summer in his would need to be answered is this: does another year of Chara cost the native Czech Republic, where he’s recently begun skating with a team in Caps a year of Fehervary? And if so, does that make sense in the long the Czech Extraliga, the top league in his homeland. run for a team that needs to get younger?

The expectation is that Kempny will be full-go at the start of training Something else to keep in mind regarding Fehervary: he’s waiver camp, which is expected to begin on Sept. 22. What isn’t known is how exempt, meaning he could be the one who gets squeezed — even if close he’ll be to his prior form. His biggest strength as a defender is his temporarily — should cap space be required due to injuries that aren’t skating, which allows him to track fast forwards and take away space long term or to add a free agent. from the shifty ones. Whether he’s still got it (or it’s thought that he can get there) should be apparent after an or two. Yes, the Caps are that close to the ceiling after Samsonov’s contract came in at $2 million — slightly higher than the front office had hoped.

That’s a lot of questions and hypotheticals. But that’s the post-Dillon reality that’s facing Laviolette and company, who’ll have a few weeks of camp practices and six preseason games to come up with some answers before there are points in the standings at stake.

The Athletic LOADED: 08.25.2021 1191509 Vancouver Canucks The Canucks moving their team to Abbotsford also means the Sedins will get to see up close a part of the organization they never saw themselves when they were players.

‘The most fun I’ve had in a long time’: Daniel Sedin relishing active role in “It gives us an opportunity to go out there a lot. I think that’s also Canucks management something we want to do, to work closely with (Abbotsford GM) Ryan Johnson and be a part of that team. So I think everything kind of just fell together. It was perfect timing.”

Patrick Johnston The Sedins won’t be going on the ice; rather, they want to learn to see what scouts and development coaches look for from above.

“Talk to the coaches, learn a little bit about what they see in players,” If Daniel and Henrik Sedin had been asked ahead of the 1999 NHL Entry said Sedin. “We’ve always just been players; we never really looked at Draft the kinds of questions that prospective draft picks get asked today other players, like to evaluate them. I think that’s something we liked (in by NHL scouts, they’d never have been picked, Daniel jokingly said the last month), evaluating players and all that. I think it’ll be a fun thing Tuesday. when the season gets going, to go to Abbotsford and then watch those “Lots of tough questions. And obviously with the language barrier, too, at games and watch practice.” that time for us it would have been different,” he said in a telephone For Pete’s sake: All Canucks star Elias Pettersson wants to do is win, interview. “But the young guys, they did really well. I’m impressed by how team and agent agree they answered the questions. … It was fun to listen to.” It’s in practice that Sedin thinks he may see deeper characteristics of The former Canucks superstars mostly just listened, but they did ask a players. That is something from his own experience that he thinks has few questions as well, Daniel Sedin said. utility. Learning about how scouts do their jobs — even in the middle of a “I think, for us, practice has always been a huge part of what a successful pandemic — is just one of many things the twins have dived into since team is. Everyone’s buying in, everyone’s working hard in practice. You they were hired on in June as senior advisers to general manager Jim always say, ‘Do you play like you practise?’ I think that’s fair,” he said. “I Benning. (Former captain and longtime front office member Stan Smyl think all the successful teams we’ve been on had total buy-in when you also carries that title.) stepped on the ice. If it’s practice or games, that doesn’t change. That’s The interviews with prospects started up right around the time they were going to be interesting to see. hired, so it only made sense for them to jump right in. “I also think the only way we can talk to them is if they’re watching every But that wasn’t the only thing they did. They’ve been learning about practice, every day. As a player, I would have time for anyone that I knew everything, but have been involved in decision-making, too. And with the that had been there and watched every game and practice. You want the number of signings and trades the Canucks made this summer, they communication, you want the honesty, and I think that’s something we were involved in a lot. want to do.”

This is no simple apprenticeship. Vancouver Province: LOADED: 08.25.2021

“We’ve never seen that part of the business,” Sedin said. “The whole of July was a lot of long days. We were able to sit in on everything. Jim was making phone calls and taking phone calls. They include us in everything and that was such a whirlwind the first month, but it was so much fun to be part of.

“I told my wife the other day … it’s the most fun I’ve had in a long time. Getting up in the morning and going down to the rink and going into the office. There’s been a lot of fun.”

Sedin didn’t realize quite how much time might be spent on the phone, trying to pry out information from others, hoping to have a better understanding of the cards other teams were holding, like a poker player might.

“It is a lot of phone calls, a lot of going back and forth and discussing things and all that. It was nice to be part of. I’m really happy with the last month and a half,” he said. “You realize how much time, Jim especially, spends on the phone talking to GMs, talking to agents. It was surprising how much it was. I mean, I knew that that’s part of what he has to do, but it was a lot.

“We were like, ‘We’re not gonna be there half the time and just show up.’ We’re there to learn. To learn you have to be there. You have to be there all the time. We couldn’t be more happy with how, like I said, how they included us in everything and have really given us an opportunity to learn. It’s something we’re grateful for.”

In hindsight, so much about the timing of their hiring was perfect, Sedin added. First of all, they had enjoyed being at home with their kids for the past three years — but the kids are all older now and just don’t need their dads around as much.

So they were looking for a new challenge. They didn’t really want to work anywhere else. And being away for a few years meant that most of the team’s current roster hadn’t been their teammates, creating some emotional separation from their playing days.

The Canucks were open to a return and on the Sedins’ terms; they could work as much as they wanted. There was little doubt in the twins’ minds they were ready to work full-time. 1191510 Vancouver Canucks

NHLPA and NHL still working on player vaccination protocol for 2021-22 season

Patrick Johnston

With Canadian NHL teams rolling out vaccination mandates for staff and fans, the next obvious question is, “What about the players?”

After the B.C. government mandated that people will have to be vaccinated before they can access most public events as of Sept. 13, the Vancouver Canucks announced that team employees and event staff will also have to provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination prior to entry to and Abbotsford Centre.

The vaccination ball started rolling earlier this month as Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported that the NHL had sent an edict around to teams requiring anyone whose duties might require them to be within 12 feet (about 3.65 metres) of “club hockey operations personnel” — players as well as coaches, managers and support staff — to be fully vaccinated.

NHL sent a memo updating vaccination requirements to its teams: "Any person whose job, role, position or access entails or entitles them to have personal interactions (within 12 feet) with Club Hockey Operations personnel (including Players) are required to be Fully Vaccinated."

— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) August 13, 2021

The players are, of course, also team employees, but with their employment covered by a collective bargaining agreement with the NHL, vaccination requirements for them remain somewhat in flux.

The NHLPA confirmed to Postmedia on Tuesday that talks with the league over protocols that will cover the players are ongoing.

According to The Athletic, the NHLPA recently told players they might be at risk of having pay withheld this season if they fell ill from COVID-19 and weren’t vaccinated, or if they’re unable to travel because the jurisdiction they are travelling to requires proof of vaccination, such as the case for travellers crossing the border from the U.S. into Canada.

Vancouver Province: LOADED: 08.25.2021 1191511 Websites Former teammate: Erik Johnson Kariya is the only member of this team who played for the Avalanche,

playing with the team in 2003-04. But his connection to the current roster The Athletic / Sidney Crosby and Nicklas Lidstrom on the same roster? comes through St. Louis, where he played with Erik Johnson, the Selecting the Avalanche All-Teammate Team longest-tenured member of the Avalanche. Kariya was a speedy, exciting player and is in the Hall of Fame.

Center: Auston Matthews By Peter Baugh Aug 24, 2021 62 Former teammate: Nazem Kadri

Nazem Kadri’s decade in Toronto saw him overlap with a number of The offseason has reached its slowest point. Rosters are mostly set, but great players, and Matthews might be the best of all of them. The training camp is still weeks away. So, as anticipation builds, The Athletic Toronto star is perhaps the most effective goal scorer in the NHL, tallying constructed an Avalanche All-Teammate Team looking at the best 41 goals in 52 games last season, and he likely would have won the Hart players who ever suited up with current Colorado players. Trophy if not for Connor McDavid’s brilliance in Edmonton.

Here are the guidelines for the roster: Right wing: Ilya Kovalchuk

A current Avalanche player must have been teammates with a selected Former teammate: Kurtis MacDermid player on a non-national team for a minimum of one game. Teammates who only overlapped on Olympic, world championship or junior world MacDermid, who came to the Avalanche in a trade with Seattle this championship rosters are not eligible. offseason, played with Kovalchuk on the Kings. Kovalchuk was the No. 1 pick in 2001 and he won the 2003-04 Rocket Richard Trophy. He also Each Avalanche player can only be used once. Newly signed forward has postseason experience, helping the Devils to a Stanley Cup Final Darren Helm played on incredible Red Wings teams but he’s only appearance in 2011-12. allowed one former teammate on the roster. Third line Former Avalanche teammates do not count. Jarome Iginla, for example, isn’t eligible despite the fact that he played on the Avalanche with Nathan Left wing: Artemi Panarin MacKinnon and Gabriel Landeskog, among other current players. But Former teammate: Ryan Murray someone like Brandon Saad (who did not make the roster) would still be eligible because he played with Ryan Murray (in Columbus) and Dennis Ryan Murray overlapped with Panarin in Columbus, and the Russian Gilbert (in Chicago) on other teams. winger has averaged more than a point per game in his six-year career. He has Hart Trophy potential, finishing third in the voting in 2019-20. All current Avalanche players are ineligible. MacKinnon does not count as Landeskog’s best teammate in this exercise. Center: Aleksander Barkov

This roster considers players at the peaks of their careers. There are Former teammate: Jacob MacDonald plenty of current players on the All-Teammate team who were brilliant in their primes but might not be at that level anymore. The Avalanche selected MacKinnon No. 1 in the 2013 draft and Barkov went one pick later to Florida. He averaged more than a point per game The roster avoids stretching too far, so new two-way players like Dylan last season and won the Selke Trophy for his defensive prowess. Sikura are not used, even though Duncan Keith would’ve been a strong MacDonald played two games with him in Florida. addition to the team. Right wing: Jeff Skinner And now, the roster: Former teammate: Gabriel Landeskog Forwards Landeskog was a junior teammate with Skinner on the Kitchener First line Rangers in the OHL. Though he’s had a disappointing past two seasons in Buffalo, Skinner had a productive tenure with the Carolina Hurricanes Left wing: Alex Ovechkin and won the Calder Trophy in 2010-11. He also had a 40-goal season Former teammate: Andre Burakovsky before his time with the Sabres got rocky.

Burakovsky and Ovechkin won the Stanley Cup together in 2018, and the Fourth line Capitals captain also took home the Conn Smythe that year, adding to a Left wing: Jamie Benn resume that also includes three Hart Trophies and 12 All-Star selections. As one of the top goal scorers in NHL history, Ovechkin is an easy Former teammate: Valeri Nichushkin choice for top line left wing. And think of the damage he would do playing alongside … Valeri Nichushkin overlapped with Benn in Dallas, and the Stars captain brings physicality, scoring and leadership abilities. Center: Sidney Crosby Center: Ryan Getzlaf Former teammate: Jayson Megna Former teammate: Kiefer Sherwood Megna has played 128 NHL games but he’s fit some high-quality teammates into that limited tenure, including Crosby, MacKinnon and Though he got in a fight with former Avalanche center Pierre-Edouard Henrik Sedin. Crosby and Ovechkin are faces of a hockey generation, so Bellemare last season, Getzlaf is still more than welcome on this roster. it makes sense for them to share a line on the illustrious Avalanche All- He’s spent his entire career with Anaheim, where he won a Stanley Cup. Teammate Team. Unfortunately for Evgeni Malkin and Sedin, they won’t Right wing: Brock Boeser make the roster since only one former Megna teammate is allowed. Former teammate: Tyson Jost Right wing: Patrick Kane Boeser and Jost were college teammates at North Dakota, and Boeser Former teammate: Dennis Gilbert has put together a good start to his career in Vancouver, helping the Kane had more former teammates on last year’s team, but with Saad and Canucks to the second round of the playoffs in 2020. Carl Soderberg gone, Gilbert is his one remaining link to the Avalanche. Defensemen Between him, Ovechkin and Crosby, the top line has seven Stanley Cups, four Conn Smythe Trophies and six Hart Trophies. Not too shabby. First pairing

Second line Left defenseman: Nicklas Lidstrom

Left wing: Paul Kariya Former teammate: Darren Helm Helm has a plethora of former Red Wings teammates who could’ve made this roster, including Pavel Datsyuk, Chris Chelios, Henrik Zetterberg and Dominik Hasek. But Stanley Cup champions need a defensive anchor, and few have been better in that role than Nicklas Lidstrom, a seven-time Norris Trophy winner and four-time Cup champion. Lidstrom’s addition to the All-Teammate Team most certainly was a contributing factor in Joe Sakic signing Helm to a one-year, $1 million contract this offseason, right?

Right defenseman: Drew Doughty

Former teammate: Darcy Kuemper

With a massive contract and advanced metrics that don’t match his reputation, Doughty has become a polarizing defenseman. But at his peak, he was one of the game’s best, winning a Norris Trophy and helping the Kings win the Stanley Cup twice. And this imaginary roster doesn’t have a salary cap, so his contract doesn’t cause any problems.

Second pairing

Left defenseman: MacKenzie Weegar

Former teammate: Nathan MacKinnon

MacKinnon and Weegar both played junior for the Halifax Mooseheads. With the Panthers last season, Weegar finished eighth in Norris Trophy voting. He’s had an impressive rise considering he was a seventh-round pick.

Right defenseman: P.K. Subban

Former teammate: Mikhail Maltsev

The Avalanche acquired Maltsev, a young center, in the Ryan Graves deal, and the Russian forward played with Subban in New Jersey last season. Subban won the Norris Trophy in 2013 and, before heading to the Devils, helped the Predators to a Stanley Cup Final appearance in 2017.

Third pairing

Left defenseman: Adam Pelech

Former teammate: Devon Toews

Pelech and Toews went to a conference finals together with the Islanders and, after Toews went to Colorado, Pelech and New York came within a game of a Stanley Cup Final appearance last season.

Right defenseman: Seth Jones

Former teammate: J.T. Compher

Jones had some stellar years in Columbus before a downturn in 2021, but he’ll look for a fresh start in Chicago this season. He and Compher played together with the U.S. National Team Development Program.

Goaltenders

Starter: Pekka Rinne

Former teammate: Samuel Girard

Rinne, who retired this offseason, is potentially the greatest Nashville Predators player of all time. He won a Vezina Trophy, led them to a Stanley Cup Final appearance and was a two-time All-Star selection. Girard played with him before coming to the Avalanche in a three-team deal that included forward Matt Duchene.

Backup: Spencer Knight

Former teammate: Alex Newhook

Knight is one of the more promising young goaltenders in the league and he and Newhook played together at Boston College. Both made their NHL debuts last season.

The Athletic LOADED: 08.25.2021 1191512 Websites “I liked sports,” says mother Luci Pennington, a Delta flight attendant. “Bryan loved sports. He was a bigger fan than the four of us combined.”

Though Bryan didn’t play hockey, he rarely missed watching a Lightning The Athletic / ‘He sent you here’: How a surprise visit with the Stanley game. His friends’ parents would often have tickets, and he’d make Cup delivered joy amid sadness regular visits to Amalie Arena in Tampa. They’d meet at his Davis Islands home and go from there, with Bryan telling them: “You can’t miss it. It’s the house with the big Bolts sign out front.”

Joe Smith Aug 24, 2021 142 Bryan wore a blue Lightning quarter-zip shirt religiously. He’d tell his parents, his friends and anyone who would listen that they were going to

win the Cup. His favorite player was Andrei Vasilevskiy, with Bryan in Four days after winning the Stanley Cup, Ryan McDonagh and Pat awe of the 6-foot-3 Russian goaltender’s flexibility. When Chris acquired Maroon popped on a golf cart in their Davis Islands, Fla., neighborhood. a game-worn Vasilevskiy signed jersey (and stick) in an auction for $2,800, Bryan sneakily tried to grab it out of the closet and try it out. They had hockey’s holy grail sitting shotgun as they planned to visit their favorite pre-game spot, DI Coffee Bar. ESPN producers for “Quest for the “You’ve got to wear it,” he told his mother. “Not let it collect dust in the Cup” TV program had joined McDonagh for a trip there earlier in the closet.” playoffs, and felt this would be a perfect bookend for the behind-the- The only time Bryan wasn’t watching sports, he and his mother caught a scenes series. crime show or “60 Minutes.” He wanted to be a detective, which is why McDonagh brought his 4-year-old daughter Falan and Maroon’s 13-year- he studied criminology at USF. “He loved solving puzzles,” Luci says. old son Anthony joined them for the short ride on a beautiful Sunday “And helping people.” afternoon. The two veteran players wore black T-shirts, shorts and Girls at school considered Bryan a protector, like he was for his family. backward baseball caps and were mobbed and cheered by a crowd at On the field or court, he was the enforcer. the coffee bar. Their favorite barista, who often poured their pregame iced coffees, kissed the Cup. “It felt like nothing could happen to him,” Luci says.

“Tastes like beer,” she joked. He broke his arm once, he broke his leg. But they were always able to be repaired. The producers believed they got their shot. The players thought they were heading home. “Like Humpty Dumpty,” Luci says.

But Maroon’s son had an idea: He accidentally chopped part of his finger off. One day he dropped a weight bar on his face, knocking out some teeth. “Dad,” Anthony said. “We should stop at a random Bolts’ fan’s house and see their reaction.” “That’s probably why he liked hockey players,” Luci jokes.

Maroon and McDonagh looked at each other and said, “Let’s do it.” After months of quarantining due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Bryan planned to finally join his friends in South Tampa for a birthday party on And so off they went. When they cut through a side street and turned left June 5, 2020. They were going to a buddy’s house, then a few spots on on West Davis Boulevard, they spotted a home with a huge, blue “Go Howard Avenue. Bolts!” sign, with a Tampa Bay Buccaneers one right above it. “I won’t be gone long, mom,” Bryan said. As soon as they pulled into the driveaway of the Mediterranean-style, five-bedroom house, 10-year-old Charlie Pennington zipped up on his He spent several hours with friends and then Ubered to a buddy’s house, scooter. where he planned to spend the night, Luci says. But at around 2 a.m., Bryan decided to make the short drive home. It had been a rainy day, so “Hey guys, this is my house,” he said. Luci worried the roads were slick. “Your parents home?” McDonagh asked. “For some reason, he left,” Luci says. “Who knows why? I wish I did.” “Let’s knock on the door,” Maroon said. There’s a small bridge with a hill in Davis Islands called “Thrill Hill.” Luci Charlie’s father, Chris, a furniture store owner, had nodded off in the says Bryan was like a lot of kids who would take a quick drive over the foyer while looking at real estate on his iPad when he heard several bridge and curve around by the airport before coming home. pounds on the window. On this particular night, police say, Bryan was driving his silver SUV “Come on out, dad!” Maroon yelled. southbound on West Davis Boulevard at “excessive” speed when he crashed into a concrete bridge barrier on Thrill Hill. What happened next was a moment neither player will ever forget. The cops showed up at her door at 2 a.m. and Luci knew immediately it “My son must have got a sign somewhere, knowing that this is the house was going to be bad news. Their Goldendoodle, Annie, was barking. Luci we need to go to,” Maroon said. “If you believe in that stuff.” didn’t want to answer the door. Maybe if she ignored it, it wouldn’t be real. The Penningtons — Camille, 16, Chris, Charlie, 10, and Luci — in front of their Davis Islands home. (Joe Smith / The Athletic) But it was. Bryan was gone. He died at age 23, three blocks past his home. The Lightning sign has been out front of the Pennington’s home for a few years now. “You’re just in shock,” she says. “The worst moment of my life.”

And it was there mostly because of their oldest son, Bryan. Camille came down the stairs when she heard her mom open the door.

Bryan was 6 feet, 7 inches tall, a big kid with a larger-than-life “Mom, you can fix him,” Camille said. “You’ve always been able to.” personality. His appetite was legendary. He could crush two pizzas and a half-gallon of ice cream in 30 minutes. But his passion for sports was just “Sweetie,” her mother said. “This is past that. It’s too big.” as insatiable. He played football and basketball at Plant High School in Charlie had stayed up, too. He was planning on playing video games with Tampa before moving on to the University of South Florida’s St. Bryan when his older brother got home. They were inseparable, always Petersburg campus. competing. Who could run faster? Who could do the most pushups? “I wouldn’t know anything about sports if it wasn’t for him,” says sister Bryan was so proud of his little brother, whose nickname is “Bolt” for how Camille, a 16-year-old Plant junior. “He turned on every single game that fast he is. Tampa was ever playing, no matter the sport. He’d sit there and scream When Bryan died, Charlie told his mother not to worry, that she’ll always at the TV — no one else could touch the remote. He’d jump up and down have a piece of Bryan because he “lives in me.” “You have a 2-for-1,” he and yell, ‘Let’s Go!’” said. “I know he doesn’t have a body anymore, but I’ll share mine with him so we can do sports together.” Last summer, Luci found out how. Charlie was picked for the Bayshore Little League All-Star team. He was an undersized underdog, not expected to play much, Luci says. He had two at-bats in the tournament. The first was a triple. The second one, Charlie pinch-hit. He wasn’t ready. He looked up at the sky, and saw a flash.

“I took that as a sign from my brother, ‘Let’s Go!’” Charlie told his mom.

Charlie hit the ball out of the park for the only homer of the All-Star tourney.

“Mom,” Charlie said. “It was Bryan.”

“I know,” Luci replied. “I can feel him sometimes too.”

Luci had just gotten back from a run down Bayshore Boulevard on that Sunday afternoon last month when she heard Annie bark.

Her husband, Chris, woke up to Maroon’s knocking on the glass. He greeted the players, then went to get Luci, who was back planting flowers in the garden. Her earbuds were still in from the run, her fingers covered in dirt. She came to the door and saw McDonagh holding the Stanley Cup.

She was happy. Then she got sad. Bryan would have loved this. She looked at Maroon, another big, charismatic figure. “I was like, ‘Wow, (Bryan) is here,” she said.

“Can I have a hug?” she asked Maroon.

Luci told Maroon, McDonagh and the ESPN crew the story. How Bryan, who died three months before Tampa Bay won the Cup in the Edmonton bubble, always believed.

“He told me you guys were going to win,” Luci told them. “So you have a little angel up there working for you. It makes me so happy.”

“I’m teary-eyed now,” Maroon says. “I’m glad we picked this house.”

The Penningtons had lived in McDonagh and Maroon’s neighborhood the past few years — literally a two-minute golf cart ride away. But this was the first time they had ever seen them, other than on TV.

“I think he sent you here,” Luci said. “Like a magnet.”

Maroon pulled his T-shirt around his eyes.

“It was a very special moment in my career,” Maroon recalled last week. “It’s not just about winning the Cup. It’s showing up to the house and seeing what that meant to her and meant a lot to her son, too. Those are the moments we live for as athletes.”

The players were only at the Pennington house for 5-10 minutes. They posed for a few photos. They chatted. They hugged. Chris said it was the most he’s ever seen Charlie smile. It was the only house the players visited that day.

“It caught me off guard,” McDonagh says. “But there’s something, an awe, about the Stanley Cup. It has a way of finding its way to people that maybe deserve to hold it or see it. No one wants to have someone go through what they had to go through, losing their son like that. To hear how much of a Bolts fan he was, it was just a meant-to-be kind of thing. To be in the same house he lived in, to have his parents and brother see it, and pass it along to him watching from above.”

Luci said she watched Lightning games this season just to feel close to Bryan. There are photos of him in most rooms of their house, with his mother keeping the large portrait from his memorial in the kitchen area. She plans to hang his criminology diploma, sent to the family posthumously in December.

“He always said, ‘Mom, I’ll finish,” she said.

The family got bombarded with messages after the ESPN clip aired in mid-July. “How’d you get them to come over?” “Do you know them?”

Luci admits she sounds weird saying it, but it was because of Bryan.

“It was very, very emotional,” Luci says. “I felt a connection with him through this experience. He was an over-the-top fan and would have wanted them to come to his house.

“I can’t see my son physically, but we’ll have this fun story to share when I do. It was just a dream. Like a wink from my son.”

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USA TODAY / 'You paved the way for me:' Philadelphia Flyers' Kevin Hayes pays tribute to late brother Jimmy

Mike Brehm

Philadelphia Flyers forward Kevin Hayes paid tribute Tuesday to his hockey-playing older brother Jimmy, who died at age 31 a day earlier.

Kevin, 29, and Jimmy played together at Boston College in 2010-11, one year after his brother helped the Eagles win an NCAA championship. Kevin played four seasons at the school, winning a national title in 2012, and entered the NHL in 2014-15, three years after Jimmy.

"My whole life it has always been Jimmy and Kevin or the Hayes brothers. I have followed you around since I can remember and I wouldn’t want it any other way," Kevin wrote in an Instagram post. "Whether it was youth hockey, Nobles, Boston College or the NHL, you paved the way for me. You taught me everything I needed to know in order to succeed."

The Boston Globe reported that authorities responded to Jimmy's Milton, Massachusetts, home on Monday, where he was pronounced dead. He and his wife, Kristen, had celebrated their son Beau's second birthday during the weekend. The couple also had a 3-month-old son, Mac.

Kevin Hayes is entering his third season with the Flyers and eighth overall in the NHL. Jimmy played seven NHL seasons with the Chicago Blackhawks, Florida Panthers, hometown Boston Bruins and New Jersey Devils. He wrapped up his professional hockey career in the American Hockey League in 2018-19.

Kevin reflected on the personal side of his brother during his tribute.

"You lit up every single room you walked into with your smile and positive attitude," Kevin wrote. "Everyone wanted to be around Jim, the big, goofy, horrible dancer, funny, genuine and kindest person around. I will never forget the times we shared or the memories we made and know that I will try my hardest to have your legacy live on.

"Our world lost someone special and I don’t know if I will ever be the same but till we meet again, I LOVE YOU JIM!"

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